《Lightless Twin Souls》


 Glossary

    - Garnet (gar - net) - The god of creation, who made everything in the world of both Julisie and Paradise, along with every soul that inhabits both worlds.


    - Guzzarok (gah - za - rok) - A mythical creature from The Unified Scales.


    - Abarly (a - bar - li) - Town in the middle south of The Great Gemini.


    - The Great Gemini - The third continent among twelve in Julisie.


    - Zalden (zal - den) - Zalde Enterprise. A mobile business that sells specially made elixirs.


    - Gloas (g''lo - was) - Northern city in The Great Gemini where JD was originally from.


    - Tamethe (ta - meh - see) - Forest east of Abarly that is empty of any creatures but night owls.


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    - Emeruse (eh - meh - roos) - The Taurus goddess and ruler of the continent under an (unknown) aristocracy.


    - Julisie (joo - li - see) - The world of humans.


    - Paradise (pah/peh - rah - dise) - The world of gods and goddesses. Can also be referred to as heaven.


    - The Unified Scales - The seventh continent among twelve in Julisie.


    - Whistiamemeliond (wis - ti - ya - meh - meh - la - yon''d) AKA Whist (wiest) - The younger Gemini god and former ruler of The Great Gemini.


    - Hystirerseyeiond (his - ta''i - rers - ai - yon''d) AKA Hysta (his - ta) - The older Gemini god and former ruler of The Great Gemini.


    - Calerdawn (cah - ler - don) - Abarly''s separated settlement.


    - The Firehorn Mountains - The first continent among twelve in Julisie.


    - Lucanicode (loo - cah - ni - koh - de) - A minor god from The Firehorn Mountains.


    - Aventurreal (ah - ven - too''r - ryel) AKA Aven (ah/ey - ven) - The deceased Libra God and former ruler of The Unified Scales.


    - Eveopal (eev - vio - pal) - A deceased minor god from an island in The Unified Scales.

 Chapter 0 - Bodiless Soul

    When believers of Garnet claimed souls never die and only pass on to new bodies decades or centuries after their previous body lost its capabilities to live, everyone believed it.


    It had been engraved into the consciousness of every soul once they awakened in their new forms. They wake up completely aware they inhabited a different body and walked countless lives in the past. But to know exactly who they were, was impossible.


    Memories, connections, and emotions fade over time in the soul before they occupy a new form. No traces of their previous lives would stay. None.


    But for the traces of pale yellow hovering over the trees in a dark forest, its previous life pulled on its remains, persistently scratching on its bare existence. As if its past life never died in its memories and roots.


    The trace of a soul invisible to human sight moved across the canopies, its mind circling back to the first time it woke. It woke in the spotlight of dawn, peeking through the leaves of trees. Without a body.


    It had tried to speak, and a faint sound came out of it, but whether it was audible to anyone, it wouldn''t know. For decades of wandering, no human ever saw it as it was a lost, bodiless soul.


    "Dawn is upon again. Garnet is waking up, it seems." A gargling, shaky voice whispered as he gazed at the rising sun from the porch of his dumped and abandoned-looking cottage.


    The man''s grip on his staff tightened, his other hand pushing the hood of his dark cloak to the back of his hairless head. Wide eyes nearly popping from his sullen, wrinkled face shot to the trace of soft yellow in the distance.


    "Garnet, what is that...?"


    His pale, almost silver skin tone folded the more he tried to identify the unusual trace of light jumping from one tree branch to the next, occasionally encircling the body of the old trees before going over the next branch.


    The man stepped onto the lifeless ground where his home stood. The trace of light enclosed, and he waited.


    It stopped as it reached the nearest tree, only a few meters away from the cloaked man.


    A vibration came from the soul for a couple of moments between the two staring at one another. A faint noise.


    "Hm?" The man raised a brow. The light must be speaking to him.


    He walked on forward, supported by his wooden staff. He stopped once his figure was face to face with the trace of light slowly pouring down from the tree branch to the man''s eye level.


    Again, a faint vibration echoed in the space where the trace was, but the distance made its message clear this time.


    "You see me?" Was the message that came through the man''s sense of hearing.


    His mouth opened, revealing his crooked teeth. Another vibration came from the light, and its clearly an inaudible sound. But somehow, perhaps due to the proximity, its words became understandable.


    "You must be surprised, I understand." It said.


    The man breathed in and pursed his dried lips. "You... what are you?"


    The yellow trace excitedly circled the man, with space vibrations echoing wherever it went.


    "I am a soul. A soul with no body. A lost soul. I''m so happy I found someone who could see me! Communicate with me! I''m so happy!"


    "A soul?" The man mumbled.


    The soul danced in front of the man as if nodding. "Yes, yes. I have no body. I woke up with no body. It''s been so long; I trust it''s been decades since I''ve awakened. Every human I see in the forest does not see or hear me. Now, for a long time, I wandered this forest, and I found you. I''m glad I found you!"


    The man placed two incredibly bony fingers on his chin, his pointy nails scratching his skin lightly.


    Perhaps it was due to his high forms of magic capabilities. Or it could be due to the type of magic he practiced that he could see a soul. Or the magic talent he possessed and was blessed with that he managed to awaken. Whichever it was, a shroud of amusement to meeting a lost soul occupied his mind.


    "Soul." He called out, and the soul stopped moving around. The man smiled, malice hanging over the edge of his mouth. "I am Grogolion, an exiled sorcerer from centuries ago."


    "Grogolion. Isn''t that too outdated a name?"


    The man, Grogolion, grunted and shook his head. "..It is. You may simply refer to me as Leo, just as anyone does in this modern world."


    "Modern world! So that''s what the world is now."


    Grogolion, Leo, beckoned the soul to follow him as he turned his back and walked to his house. "Yes, that''s what they call it. Science, or something like that, had been the backbone of everything now."


    "Science! Interesting! What of sorcerers? Or the existence of magic?"


    "Sorcerers are no more. As for magic," Leo opened the door and held it out for the soul. "it''s still prominent. However, it''s become quite creative."


    Leo flickered the lights open as he tapped his staff on the wooden floor. He walked over to the table with scrolls splattered all over it. The soul wandered around the small inside, and broken furniture, objects, and scrolls hanging and lying everywhere filled the place.


    "Souls began developing inborn magic unique only to them," Leo said, shuffling slowly around the mess on the creaking floor planks. "Of course, anyone could still practice the basic types, but certain people now have certain magic they are born with."


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    Leo reached the table and turned his head towards the soul.


    "As for me, as I''ve lived for hundreds of years, I''ve only focused on the practice Garnet forbids." He chuckled, voice shaky. Leo eyed the soul and raised a brow, the smile on his face not leaving. "The same magic Garnet practiced."


    "Oh, oh! The power to create magic?"


    Leo waved a hand. "Not exactly. I am no god like he is, after all." He squinted his eyes toward the soul. "But it is magic that forces a soul to awaken their inborn magic."


    "Oh!" The soul danced around the table. "Then you could make everyone have unique magic of their own?"


    "Heh, if only it were that simple." He pushed the scrolls down the table. "If cast on someone with no real hidden talent, they die."


    "Oh..."


    "And if they do have it, I made it so whoever I cast it on will fall under a spell."


    The soul stayed in one spot in space for a moment before a soft vibration echoed from it. "..Why?"


    Leo smirked. "Why not? It''d make people''s lives miserable one way or another. I get to toy with them since I get to be the one to choose the severity of the spell."


    "..."


    "At least it''s consensual."


    "..."


    Leo raised a brow at the silence of the soul.


    "Soul?"


    "So you''ve done it to someone before?"


    "Of course."


    "What happened to them?"


    "Garnet knows. But I''m sure they''ve died now. It''s been decades since anyone''s been here. Other than myself, of course."


    The soul quieted down and then moved slowly to the closed door of the house. Something about what Leo does, or did, or liked to do sparked something in the soul. A sense of morality. Or maybe it was a sense of right and wrong, or good and evil. But a strong sense of something nonetheless.


    "Soul, what do you want?" Leo asked after a moment of silence. "Do you want... a body?"


    Suddenly, another sensation bloomed from the soul. What it was, it had no idea. But it felt powerful. It tugged onto the vague and blurry remains of its previous life. It knocked on its existence with an unyielding will to do something. To know something. To find something.


    "Or do you desire to uncover the truth behind the body-the life-you housed centuries ago?"


    The soul swiftly raced back close to Leo, an evil glint appearing in the bald man''s barely lit eyes.


    "How do you know this?" It asked, surprise evident in its inaudible sound.


    Leo sneered. "I have the eyes of Garnet, Soul. I am no god like he is, but I forced myself to awaken inborn magic I may or may not have. I would''ve died if I had none, but Garnet blessed me with one."


    "The magic to... see people''s desires?"


    "Close enough." Leo shrugged. "It''s actually the power to see what lies in a soul. Not just desires, but everything in a soul. Everything. All I needed to do was stare right into the person''s eyes. In your case, you don''t even have an eye. So it must''ve worked with one look at you-a vulnerable, bare soul."


    The light of the soul darkened a bit as if a negative emotion powered through it.


    "But I could awaken your inborn talent. And I feel it''s going to give you a body."


    The soul instantly flew close to Leo. "Really? I could have a body?"


    "Yes, not only that, but a power unique to you will come forth. How about it?"


    "..."


    If the soul had no talent within it, it would disappear without ever housing a body. It would have to wait for decades or centuries to be reborn again.


    It didn''t want it. Something from its past life clawed on it; more than anything else, it wanted the knowledge of its previous life.


    "You know, I could also amplify the spell so that all the hazy memories from your previous life, which I surmise is about a thousand years ago, will become clear."


    "Really?"


    "Forbidden magic, I say. But it would cost you." Leo grinned. "Or you could walk away from my abode and exist to be but a bodiless soul."


    "I..." The soul pranced around the house, then stopped. "What exactly do you get in return for doing this?"


    "Why do you think I still live?"


    "...Immortality?"


    "Perhaps young''uns can refer to it as such." Leo shrugged and shot the soul an amused look. "For every soul I cast on that dies, their remaining lifespan transfers to me."


    Dangerous.


    The word that forced its way into the soul''s existence.


    But if it agreed to awaken its inborn talent, assuming it has one, it could have a body. In agreement, Leo could also force memories from its past life back into its soul. And if it had a body, it could fulfill whatever unfinished business it had a thousand years ago.


    All this could cost the soul something.


    And to have its memories back? It''s unheard of. The power to know one''s previous life felt heavy and immense.


    "Alright." The soul steadied at Leo''s eye level. "Please awaken my inborn talent. And amplify it so that I could recall my memories."


    "Just so you know, this amplification does not always work. If it does work, I will base the negative spell I''ll put you under on it."


    "Alright."


    While this could cost him something of profound importance, it agreed nonetheless.


    After all, it had nothing to lose.


    -


    What the soul used to be now stood a nine-foot, hairy, ugly being that broke the home due to its enormous size. It, now he, stared right into his massive paws with a mixture of wonder and confusion.


    "What am I?" He asked, his voice now audible, but it was gnarly and echoed like a growl.


    Leo, who stepped out of his now-broken house, smiled up at him. "A species you''ve wiped out in your previous life, saving the world of an imminent tragedy."


    The creature trembled. "A... a guzzarok?"


    "You remember." Leo raised his staff, the wooden carvings from the bottom brightening with a dark hazel light. It reached the head of the staff. "Now, before you can use your inborn magic, I''ll have to cast you under a spell!"


    He, the guzzarok, stepped back. The usage of his newfound magic power only came to him as the hazel light from Leo struck his body. Clouds wept and cried on the scene while Garnet''s lightning struck their surroundings.


    "Garnet seems mad for the umpteenth time, eh?" Leo yelled, a wide sneer on his face. "Former bodiless soul, now a male extinct creature people of today only know as a myth. Do you remember who you were back then?"


    The guzzarok growled, sending powerful waves of the wind across them, but Leo still stood steady, perhaps due to his magical prowess. The guzzarok cupped his head, its bright cyan claws digging into his colorful combination of magenta, cyan, and pure white hair.


    He does.


    He remembered everything.


    "Now, you will remain a guzzarok." Leo declared, shocking the guzzarok. "In other words, you will never be able to use your inborn powers."


    Tears blurred his vision amidst the pouring cold and hard rain, the thunder''s bad accuracy between trees, and the wind''s howl hurling branches and planks from the broken house everywhere.


    "Do not worry, creature." Leo twirled his staff, a fury light of red-orange emerging from his staff and jumping to the guzzarok. "This spell will break on one condition."


    The guzzarok placed a hand, or a paw, on its chest. Impulsively protecting the circular gem etched right there from all the wood flying about due to the wind. Despite the dangers of the current situation, Leo was unharmed. All wooden planks, tree branches, and even trees deflected away before they made contact with Leo''s stance.


    "The body inhabited by the other half of your soul must touch the core on your chest-the core of your very soul. Protect it well, or else you''ll have no way of ever breaking the spell."


    With one last wave of his staff, Leo''s casting finished, and the guzzarok emerged to a roar of frustration from what he had to do, mixed with the emptiness in his soul from the remembrance of the past.


    Not only did he become what he slew, but the memory of the dearest person in his life dying before his eyes slammed into his mind. He howled. A cry disguised as a howl resembling a call.


    A call for the other half of his soul he might never find.


    With tears mixed with rainwater that obliterated his vision as he stomped and stood on four, he lunged forward towards the sorcerer protected by a magical barrier.


    As Leo smirked at the guzzarok''s charge toward him, the world didn''t know that only the gods'' magic could ever defend anyone from guzzaroks.


    As the persistent droplets of the dying rain combined with an ear-piercing shriek, the guzzarok fell unconscious.

 Chapter 1 - Vagrant Soul

    When a foreign man with several people in suits accompanying him settled in the town three days ago, JD passed it off as any other elixir business that would leave after a week of advertising and selling their goods. Besides, it wasn''t as if elixirs were a rarity in Abarly. They''d know better than to do business in this small, humble town.


    But as JD opened the blinds of his room, he immediately took off to shower and prepare to present himself to a bundle of people crowding at the front of the inn he stayed. Of course, he wasn''t as proficient or well-known to be the one these townspeople gathered for, but the expressions of glee on their faces didn''t sit right with JD.


    Fixing his watch and cuffs as he strode down the stairs from the hallways, an allusive sensation loitered in the air. The more JD got close to the inn''s main floor, the more his nose picked up the sweet but poisonous scent of something dangerous to the human mind.


    It might be magic.


    Once he stepped out to the main floor, the barrage of laughter, cheers, and arguments here and there took off in his sense of hearing. The ground employees rushed about the tables taking and bringing orders, while the ones behind the counters had sweat pouring over their exposed skin to their soaked clothes due to the heat of their fire magic.


    JD slid his hands into his pockets and walked across the bundle of people, successfully dodging the arguments between customers and the running waiters and waitresses on the floor. Eventually, he reached the side of the bar and leaned his upper body past the counters for a peek. Right there, the bartender was on all fours on the floorboards, grunting, agitated.


    "Busy morning you guys got here," JD spoke, and the bartender jumped in surprise.


    He sighed out loud. "Tell me about it."


    "What''s up?" JD placed his hands on the counter and used them to lean closer. "Something lost?"


    "There''s no more whiskey."


    JD turned his head briefly to the customers in the bar and the patrons from the other half of the main floor. They all had empty bottles on their tables or in their hands, and even the standing and walking customers held a shot glass.


    He scoffed, eyes dropping back to the empty bottles and a half-finished shot glass behind the bartender, "Gee, I wonder why."


    "Shut up, St. Michael."


    JD rolled his eyes and leaned his back on the counters, "Don''t call me that."


    "Oh yes, yes, of course! We would love to!" The innkeeper chirped as a man of small stature handed them a clipboard with a pen.


    "Take your time reading through them, madam." The man smiled, the expression in his eyes unknown due to the sunglasses over them. But his smile grew as the innkeeper briefly gazed at the contract, taking the pen and immediately signing them.


    They chuckled. "I''m sure Zalden means no harm. After all, I''d be a fool if I''d take much of a minute to reconsider!"


    "You flatter me."


    "It''s a well-deserved one!"


    "You got vodka?" JD asked, his eyes squinting at the innkeeper by the entrance. They had a massive grin on their face, the same as many other customers, as they shook hands with a short and plump man in a bald fade haircut and black suit.


    "Just get in here to see for yourself." The bartender invited, sitting down and emptying his shot glass in one go. "Ugh."


    JD focused his strength on his arms and flung himself to the other side of the counters, landing with a soft thud beside the bartender.


    He squatted down and opened the cabinets, "By the way, Charles," his face lit up as he reached for a specific bottle hiding behind several beers, "you know that guy with Ellis?"


    The bartender, Charles, grunted before rising to take a peek at the innkeeper. He stretched his arms and leaned on the wall, eyes closed.


    "I forgot his name. But he''s that guy-the CEO of Zalden. Heard his short stature is due to dwarfism."


    "Zalden?" JD mumbled, ignoring the last statement and looking up while wrapping the bottle of vodka in a brown cloth from somewhere.


    "Zalde Enterprise. That new elixir business from days ago?" Charles walked past JD, his voice growing tired. "I haven''t tried their stuff yet, but the madam did, and honestly, they''ve been weird since then."


    "Weird?"


    "Always grinning. It''s creepy. And they somehow always bring up Zalden in every conversation." He sprayed water on his hands from a spray bottle and wiped his face. "It''s annoying."


    JD secured a thin rope around the neck of the bottle before standing up and handing one gold coin to Charles. Charles scoffed and pocketed them right away.


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    "You know this is too much for a single bottle of vodka, John."


    "Keep it. I don''t have any silver coins." JD flipped over to the other side without ado. "And don''t call me that, either."


    "Wealthy bastard," Charles muttered under his breath, walking over to the customers at the bar.


    JD wanted to ask more about the innkeeper''s condition since their intake of Zalden''s elixir, but more and more customers kept arriving and asking for liquors. With a shrug, JD strode away to find a seat.


    Back in his hometown, he couldn''t drink a lick of alcohol until dusk. In some cities and towns, people didn''t even drink. But in the medieval-inspired town of Abarly, everyone drank alcohol, especially in the morning before lunchtime.


    Near the table where the CEO of Zalden sat was a lone woman with not one soul but a bunch of bottles in her company. Her face flushed crimson as she stared into the previously empty seat in front of her that JD claimed.


    Upon sitting, JD couldn''t spare the lady a glimpse. His pupils remained slid at the corner of his eyes, his mouth a straight line while his fingers gripped tightly on a bottle wrapped in a cloth.


    "I''m saving that seat for someone." The woman said.


    JD blinked, but his gaze didn''t move away. "Are you, now?"


    The woman''s head moved side by side in slow motion, clearly wasted in more ways than the number of bottles she''d emptied in just an hour.


    With no reply, the woman leaned her arms on the free space on the table, eyes tracing down from JD''s eyes to the mole near his left eye, then down to his cheeks, then to the mole on his jawline.


    She curled a strand of hair in one finger. "Say, do you-"


    "No."


    "...I haven''t even-"


    "I''m not interested." Still not looking away from the CEO of Zalden, JD promptly replied.


    The woman blew a strand of hair on her face and crossed her arms. "Why did you sit with me, then?"


    "The seat was unoccupied."


    Her eyebrows met, and somehow, the alcohol in her system was gone in a flash. She could think clearly again.


    "I just said I was saving it for someone."


    "They''re not coming."


    The woman''s eyes widened. Then, JD finally looked at her, his brown eyes seemingly boring through her soul.


    "You should leave. The person you''re waiting for w-"


    She gritted her teeth and slammed the table, knocking some bottles over, "Shut up! What do you know about Flynn? About Flynn and I?"


    This man wouldn''t know a thing about her, yet he spoke to her like he knew everything. No such inborn talent oozed from the man even after she had cleared her head and attempted to sense if he had the magic to see through the truth. He could simply be making wild guesses and happened to be spot-on.


    "Whoops." One of JD''s legs rose and blocked the knocked-out bottle from falling down the table. Then he looked back at the woman''s glare, his peripheral vision not failing to take note of the green flare from her gloved hands. "Nothing."


    "Then-"


    "But you''ve been waiting for an hour now." JD stacked the bottle properly before standing up and bowing his head lightly. "It might be best to retire for the day."


    Any further anger JD could cause might push her into using her magic. But thankfully, the flare of magic around her hands died down shortly.


    "Don''t you speak to me so impudently as if you know me." She hissed, but the confusion in her eyes overtook the rage that was there a second ago.


    Questions flooded her mind, but she pushed them away as she stood up and grabbed her pink and brown cloche hat from the table.


    In a slow and low voice, she said, "I will remember this."


    "Of course you will." JD hugged his wrapped bottle in one arm, two fingers from his free hand pointing to the moles on the left side of his face. "You took your time staring at these, after all." Before the woman could ask more, he turned his back to leave the inn.


    The woman yelled, but JD ignored her and fastened his pace. Once outside, the barrage of people gathered by the front doors a while ago disappeared. JD''s eyes took in the space where they all used to be, and an accent of magenta lingering in the air visible only to him flew about in the area. It had a scent-a faint but sweet scent of something from a land he forgot the name of.


    The streets emptied, and people suddenly returned to their medieval-styled homes and ignored a man carrying a bottle around town. With the way the townspeople''s expressions reverted as quickly as they left the vicinity of the inn, the hypothesis in JD''s mind grew closer to reaching a conclusion.


    He followed the trail, careful not to move too quickly as he recalled the same scent the woman had from earlier. An air of poison danced around her, but she didn''t seem aware of it. JD guessed either she worked for Zalden or drank an elixir from them. But indeed, it had nothing to do with her affairs with the person she called Flynn.


    The scent grew more potent, and something else reeked from how it traversed in thin air. The same as the one JD caught a whiff of when he was at the hallway of the inn. Eventually, he had to cover his nose with the strengthened smell.


    There could only be one explanation based on how people smiled and spoke so highly of Zalden after drinking the elixir they made-limited mind control.


    Once a voice came up to him, he took a stop behind a stack of crates. JD inched close slowly, then his eyes widened.


    "I''m not sure which to give to my fianc¨¦e''s family." The man took his sunglasses off and placed his fingers on his chin.


    "Any would work. So long as they get one whiff at proximity," Zalden''s CEO lifted an assortment of different colored liquids in crystal vials with basic telekinetic magic. "I get to tweak with some nerves of the human brain. Easy as that. So, pick whichever. The coloring is simply for a flavorful intake."


    "Is that so... I guess I''ll take the berry-flavored ones. Rei''s family grows berries in their garden; they should like this taste."


    The CEO rolled his eyes and sighed in frustration. "Why didn''t you say you didn''t have a stack of elixirs with you earlier? I could''ve had my hands on Reizel back in the inn! She was bait, and I saw the fish bite! We could''ve had him then and there!"


    "My bad, sire. I didn''t think my roommates would find the ones I hid in the fridge." The silly reasoning behind his little failure made the boss shake his head in disappointment.


    "We part ways here," the CEO held his head and gestured for his other men to hold onto the boxes of elixirs. He turned his back. "We can always pin St. Michael tomorrow instead."


    Footsteps on the soil rang loud in JD''s ears, and his frozen feet couldn''t get him out of there in time. His heart beat faster and pounded on his chest. With one curse under his breath, he made a run for it, fully aware of what would come to his doorstep tomorrow. Or later.


    The sudden, constant tapping on the ground nearby alerted the man from earlier, and as soon as he took off for a chase, JD turned to the left alley. He decided not to pursue him and instead dialed his boss'' number.


    "We just spoke, Flynn." His boss started after answering the call, irritation evident in his tone.


    "Yeah, and St. Michael was here just now. He might leave Abarly as soon as he returns to the inn."


    "..."


    Zalden''s CEO pursed his lips and took a deep breath. He''d develop his own business and traveled around the world searching for a specific vagrant soul. Now that he was right behind his tail, he would never let him escape his sight.


    With one last breathing exercise, he said sternly, "We strike before dusk."

 Chapter 2 - Immune Soul

    "Hey, JD!" Charles called as soon as JD entered the inn. "I know you don''t care, but I just got enough silver coins for your change from earli- JD?"


    From the moment JD slammed the double doors open, sweat trickled over his face, and his mouth was agape as he caught up with his breath. Charles should''ve known he must''ve made some people mad again due to his bluntness.


    "See you later, I guess," Charles whispered before turning his back to JD, who ran straight to the staircases without sparing him a glance.


    As soon as JD reached his room, he carefully tapped the small plate on the doorframe with a finger. Tiny glitters encircled the plate, and then the door opened on its own.


    He pushed the door behind him and aimed to pack his things immediately. If Zalden''s goal had been him from the start, JD couldn''t fathom why they waited three days before making a move. He shook his head, a train of thought coming to a halt. Perhaps they didn''t know where he stayed and only figured it out this morning. No, it was probably last night.


    JD had been traveling for the past decade since he left his longtime occupation and hometown, and he was sure he''d resolved every issue before taking off to avoid giving birth to any grudges. None of the CEO''s men, including the CEO, sparked any memory from him, and none looked familiar.


    If he had enough time to be in the presence of the CEO, he could''ve tried sensing his soul. Not one soul in this world Garnet ruled could ever remember anything of their previous lives, but with JD''s strange affinity to sense, he might''ve picked up something. This CEO and himself might''ve had history decades or centuries before their souls inhabited their new bodies and lives.


    But if that were the case, it''d mean they had an unfinished business, and this man''s soul had remembered it all. And that was impossible.


    JD smacked his suitcase shut and cupped his head. "How did you even find me?"


    He didn''t use a codename back in the day, only changed one part of his name at some point, but with the abundance of people named ''John,'' it should''ve been nearly impossible for this man to have tracked him down.


    "Maybe he''s mistaking me for someone else?" JD mumbled, but he immediately threw that thought straight out the window.


    JD grabbed the bottle of vodka he had wrapped safely and untied the rope effortlessly. He snatched a shot glass on the desk by the bay windows and immediately took a shot.


    Whether that soul was right about him wasn''t the problem. If that soul truly recalled their memories and aimed to capture him for something related to the past, it''d mean their soul didn''t house humans but gods. Just like Garnet.


    Or at least, that was what people from the city JD was from often said. It had been ingrained in his beliefs. But even so, it wasn''t a matter of simply accepting that as the reality right in front of him. JD had no idea what Zalden would do to him once they recovered him, so it had to be now. He had to leave now.


    The medieval-styled homes in Abarly exceeded past the exterior and had been implemented in the interior design. JD adored it: the stone and wooden furniture, the whitewashed walls with wood strips, the floorboards and beams up the thatched ceilings, the bay windows, the patterns of the bedsheets and the couch, the warm color scheme¡ªeverything.


    More than anything, something about the town of Abarly since JD first arrived drew him in. Much like a lost lamb searching for its shepherd, it finally found a place that felt like it was with its shepherd¡ªhome.


    It had only been less than a month, but JD had already gotten used to how boisterous and bibulous beyond saving the townspeople were. Ironically, no alcohol for a day might''ve killed them instead of the other way around. Lovely people, they were, but only when they were sober. Otherwise, JD learned it''d be best to stray far from them.


    Standing by the door of his rented room with two suitcases in his hands, he took a deep breath. He would miss the people, but above all, the mere thought of leaving triggered two lone strings desperately clinging to his soul. A sense of morality for the people of Abarly and an unknown origin of familiarity comforting the emptiness in his soul.


    His soul, like a lamb, insisted on staying as if it would find its long-lost shepherd here.


    Whether he left the town alone, Zalden might not stop with their mind control. The people were the hostages here, along with his own soul and the empty seat beside it. If he left now, this might transform into a nightmare, but if he didn''t, he''d have to face Zalden, then they''d overwhelm him with their numbers and inborn magic. And what comes next, no one knew.


    By the time JD made his decision, it was already late afternoon, and the bottle was empty. The water in the bathroom splashed on his face and almost instantly knocked him out of a drunken state, but his head still felt light, and his steps wobbled. After a few seconds, he sighed and walked down the hallways with large, slightly unsteady steps, his fingers fidgeting at their hold on his luggage and eyes trembling to stay open.


    Once he reached the final step before turning towards the main floor, the orange light from the opened bay windows and pure white lanterns around the place struck together across the room, warming the atmosphere against the rowdy cheers.


    A heavy thud resounded from the bar, catching Charles'' attention. When he turned to check, his eyes shot wide, gaze tracing from JD''s state to the luggage he dropped near the stools back and forth.


    "You''re... leaving?" Charles went to grab a glass of water. "I thought you said you''ll be staying for another month or so."


    JD drank the water slowly, closing his eyes and feeling the dizziness and second thoughts go down the drain. Once done, he placed it on the counter and bent down to grab his luggage.


    "Thanks." JD stared at the empty glass for a few seconds before glancing at Charles'' confused and worried expression. He smiled, but it didn''t reach his eyes. "I''ll send digital coins to Ellis. I do have their number."


    "JD..."


    "See you."


    Charles stood still as JD turned his back and reached the main doors. With one last sigh, he tended to the newly arrived customers asking for beer. Just as he turned around to prepare them, the lively atmosphere dropped. With Charles'' inborn talent to see through people''s intentions when they use or were preparing to use magic, his eyes grew big, and the raw, malicious intent of someone far from him kicked into his senses.


    "Where do you think you''re going, Sir St. Michael?" A man in a black suit with a scar on his knuckles questioned as soon as two other men pushed the double doors open.


    JD''s grip on his luggage tightened as he forced a smile. "Somewhere. I''m a wanderer, after all." When JD tried to step to the side, the man with the scars sidestepped. "Do you have any business with me?"


    "As a matter of fact, we do, actually." He cracked his knuckles, earning murmurs from the inn. "I''ll need you to cooperate with us."


    "I''m afraid I can''t do that," JD said in a low voice, eyes squinting.


    "Well then," the man smirked and shouted, "we''re here to give everyone free elixirs to commemorate the beginning of this inn''s long-term business with Zalden!"


    "What?"


    The man looked past JD with a big smile. "It''s not just any elixir; it''s the latest edition!"


    "Could it be? The rumored elixir in production...!" One woman gasped, taking the attention of the rest.


    Another man with a fork in hand stood up. "You don''t mean...."


    "That''s right, fellas!" The man with the scars gestured to the other men on his sides. "The elixir mixed with liquor flavors!"


    The quietened and stupefied alcoholic townspeople suddenly roared and hastily got up from their seats. The two other men on the side brought in vials with basic telekinetic magic, yelling ''first come, first serve,'' that only got the people tripping and pushing the one''s ahead of them away.


    "What do you think?" The man''s voice toned to a whisper, and his smirk deepened at JD''s paled, horrified face and wide, panic-stricken eyes. "Just imagine what the boss would do once they get a taste of this new formula?"


    "You..." JD''s voice trembled, and so did his grip on his suitcases. His knuckles practically turned white, and blood sparked from his pupils.


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    The man shrugged with a smug grin. "Sure, go ahead and leave now. After all, it''s not like a traveler who''s seen almost everything would care about a pile of alcoholics, eh, Sir St. Michael?"


    A shadow cast over JD''s face, and all the trembling reached his fists, his nerves unsure what message he wanted to send to his fingers: let go and strike, or keep hold and forget.


    "Or are you not as cold-hearted as you thought you were? How sweet." The man clasped his fingers together, gasping in fake awe. "You actually don''t want anything to happen to them, do you?"


    "What do you want?" JD mumbled against his gritted teeth.


    "Unfortunately, this new formula requires the liquid to enter the system." The man placed a finger below his chin. "Maybe it''s the fermentation that''s ruining the effectiveness of the boss'' magic? What do you think, boys?"


    "Talk," JD spoke again, glaring. "What does Zalden want from me?"


    "Hmm, well..."


    "JD!"


    JD turned around quickly, and the terror that rushed to his mind failed to keep his sweaty fingers from letting go of his luggage. A man with dirty-blonde hair had a somewhat unusual expression as if he''d seen something so exciting and was eager to share it with someone. And he had a half-empty vial in one hand.


    "Charles-"


    "Here!" Charles shoved a vial of elixir between them. "I got one for you, too! It''s vodka-flavored! Just your style!"


    A barrage of questions smacked JD face-flat, failing to grasp what he did that led to this very moment. Not a single cell in his brain worked to find a solution that could lead him out of this situation without feeling the sense of morality clutching his soul. The logical thing to do didn''t sit right with him, but the first thing he didn''t want to happen upon gazing at his friend about to empty his vial took over his mind and body.


    He jumped close and caught a grip on the vial, pulling it away from Charles, whose hold tightened and face thwarted to one of blind anger.


    "What do you think you''re doing, JD?" He yelled.


    JD yelled back, "Don''t!"


    "Why?"


    "You can''t!"


    "It''s just like any normal alcohol!"


    "No, it''s not!"


    "It''s not that different!"


    "It is!"


    "How?"


    "It''s poisoned!"


    "Huh?"


    "All of them are poisoned!"


    Charles stopped struggling but still kept a good grip on the vial. JD''s mouth left agape after a short silence in the entire inn.


    "Poisoned?" Multiple people muttered, including Charles.


    JD gritted his teeth and pushed his stubborn thoughts, disagreeing with what he said away, focusing his brown eyes only on Charles'' perplexed, hazel ones.


    "Aye," JD said in a low, quivering voice, but plenty of other people nearby heard him due to the distorted silence. "Zalden is using an inborn magic to control the minds of anyone who drank their elixir."


    The confusion on Charles'' face only deepened, prompting JD to speak faster.


    "Charles, your passive magic! Your inborn magic! You can feel it, don''t you?" His grip on the vial tightened, and the strength was something Charles couldn''t match. "From somewhere within these elixirs around us¡ªthis one we''re holding¡ªyou can sense a malicious usage of magic, right?"


    Charles'' head lowered like a puppet, and for a moment, JD believed he had gotten through his friend. He ignored the scoffs from Zalden''s men behind him and the disbelief in the gasps of familiar faces around them.


    "How..." Charles started, then he raised his head, his face twisted and eyes glinted with hatred. His deep voice rang in JD''s ears. "How dare you accuse Zalden of such a thing?"


    "Shit."


    A snicker from behind made JD turn his head swiftly. The scarred man from before had a massive grin as a flare came from his eyes.


    An inborn talent. That was the only answer to the unique concept of a red dot like that of a camera gazing at JD from the man''s pupils.


    With the CEO using his men to watch this scene live, he could control everyone in real-time. Although JD could easily best Charles or anyone here, in terms of strength alone, these people could start using basic magic practices and their unique inborn talents.


    The man with the camera-like inborn magic hummed in amusement. He yanked JD away from Charles'' hold and into the arms of the people. The mind-controlled townspeople detained JD''s arms and legs with their tight clasps, trapping him in a position where he couldn''t escape even if he tried. There were too many of them.


    JD shut his eyes as tightly as he clenched his jaw and fists. As if blocking his sight and suppressing their blows could diminish the accusatory voices of those he no longer recognized, trampling on his sense of hearing. As if it could lessen the sting of fingernails digging into his skin, grips twisting his limbs, and the strikes on his face and upper body.


    That one waitress would never yell at someone so insultingly, the band of hunters would never point their weapons at humans, the group of seniors would never have the strength to clutch to him to the point of drawing blood, and Charles would never punch him in the gut.


    "As much as I enjoy watching the misery play its music in your existence, I think it''s time to put you down once and for all." The scarred man said as he walked close amidst the continuous shouting of the people around them, pushing the ones hurting JD to the side to give him space. He snatched the cork of the vial in his hands to the air and held JD''s neck with one hand.


    JD''s eyes opened wide at the sudden shortness of breath. The man''s hold on his neck wasn''t life-threatening, but it was enough to force his mouth agape in desperation for air.


    "Farewell, Sir St. Michael. You failed to protect yourself and everyone." The man tilted his hold, forcing JD to cock his head upward.


    A meaningless struggle. JD accepted that, but something loud and powerful stroked the core of his soul¡ªthe refusal to give in despite the obvious conclusion of his poor and rusted observation and decision-making.


    The liquid poured into his mouth had no taste, but his tongue revolted against it nonetheless. Streaks of the elixir slid on the corner of his lips as his throat failed to push it all back. The man released his neck, and he gulped it all down.


    Silence and JD''s heavy breathing befell the place, and the man''s grin turned upside down. No one said or did anything. Everyone just waited for something to happen.


    JD looked up as if nothing''s changed.


    "What...?" The man choked.


    "Hah, some mind-controlling magic, that is." JD scoffed, but he didn''t move¡ªcouldn''t.


    "Why didn''t it work?" The man gazed at the other members of Zalden, who all watched in shock as the people carried JD outside the inn. "Hey! Where are you guys taking him?"


    Undoubtedly, the CEO still had control over their minds. Their movements were awkward, and their expressions were blank like dolls. One of them took both of JD''s luggage and followed the crowd that carried him outside.


    JD''s head felt light, but ultimately, he and Zalden''s men were left bewildered by what the CEO was trying to do. After gazing at the evening falling deeper into the dark as the people carried him over somewhere, JD felt his muscles sore. They threw him to the ground, and two other heavy objects toppled over him before he could stand.


    One of them pointed at him when JD finally gathered himself to sit up and observe the unexpected conclusion. He was right outside the gates of Abarly.


    "Earl Felton..." JD mumbled.


    "Leave." The mayor of Abarly, Felton, exhibited no emotion. "Leave. And don''t ever come back." The gates closed right after.


    "..What?"


    "What was that?" A messy, brown-haired guy snapped as he and his coworkers settled at a table at the inn. "Brandon, have you contacted the boss yet? I don''t remember that being part of the operation."


    People earlier had returned to the inn and acted as if nothing had happened. When Brandon, the man with the scars on his knuckles, met the innkeeper, they thanked Zalden for the free elixirs. But the part about JD was rewritten in their memories. Even the bartender, Charles, only remembered seeing JD leave the inn without saying a word to him.


    "To be fair," the guy with a fake mustache just returned from ordering bottles of rum, "the boss didn''t really specify how he wanted this to end. Here''s your glass, Jack." He sat down beside Brandon.


    Jack, the messy-haired one, wrinkled his nose and opened one bottle. He poured for all of them but waited for Brandon to say something before drinking.


    Brandon sighed sharply upon his call being left unanswered. He pocketed his phone and shook his head.


    "We''ll figure it out once we return to the enterprise anyway," Sem said, slowly taking his fake mustache off to avoid soaking it with liquor.


    "It''s still BS." Jack drank his glass in one go. "I swear, the boss acts so weird sometimes. You just can''t tell what he really wants to do. And what''s up with that flavorless elixir? Wasn''t that supposed to be the strongest one so far? It didn''t affect St. Michael one bit!"


    "He could be immune to it somehow."


    "That''s crazy. Only Garnet and the souls of gods are immune to mind control."


    Sem shrugged. "Eh, maybe the boss'' inborn magic just reached its limits tonight."


    "Right, of course. Every inborn magic has its limits." Jack answered, nodding. He looked at Brandon, "What do you think, Brandon?"


    Brandon sipped on his glass, and without looking, he replied, "I think there''s a reason for it." He put his glass down and met Jack''s gaze. "He''s made it clear since day one that he wants to get his hands on a certain soul."


    "John St. Michael."


    "That''s right, Sem." Brandon clasped his fingers together on the table. "I remember everyone talking about it. We all had our doubts."


    "Duh," Jack rolled his eyes. "His reasoning that he just knows he''s the one he was looking for all these years feels shallow and random as hell."


    Sem nodded in Jack''s direction. "I agree."


    "I thought so, too, at first. But, according to what I heard from the executives, the boss felt an instant reaction from his soul when we first came to Abarly. In the end, none of us can really tell what''s on the boss'' mind."


    Minimalistic, plain, clean, and blank. Everywhere the short man looked in his room before he slept, it was the same design and pattern¡ªif one could even refer to a minimalistic design as one with a pattern. One lousy spill on the pure, solid white paint would forever stain the walls. No matter how much he''d order his employees to cover it up, the blood he spilled won''t ever leave him behind.


    Even until his next lives.


    "Sire!"


    A doctor and a pair of nurses rushed to the man moving around his bed, kicking his blankets, throwing clutching hard on his pillows, and screaming in pain.


    "Quick, we have to wake him up!"


    The nurses pinned him to the bed while the doctor inhaled and focused his inborn magic on the target. Eventually, the man''s struggle and cries stopped. He opened his eyes; tears stained his vision, and sweat soaked his pajamas.


    "Piolo?" He mumbled.


    The doctor nodded and smiled warmly. "Yes, it''s me, sire. You''re fine now."


    The man heaved and allowed the nurses to wipe his tears and sweat. They helped him sit up while he stared at his hands. The dim, white light from the lampshade on the side was enough to show him his hands were empty.


    But the more he blinked, the more flashes of fresh blood dripped from his hands and clothes. With a firm clench to stop his shaking hands, he inhaled deeply, and yet another tear fell from the corner of his eye.


    When believers of Garnet said it was impossible to recall a soul''s memories even with forbidden magic, everyone believed it. And if one was ever to truly uncover their soul''s memories from their past lives, everyone said it''d be the best blessing from Garnet.


    But it was more like a curse. Especially when the things he did before he drew his last breath were his first childhood memories in this new body. Knowing what he had to do to eliminate the darkness that seeped into his soul even after centuries since its previous life, he aimed to do just that until recently.


    Since setting foot in Abarly, nightmares started haunting him whenever he fell unconscious. And upon gazing at a particular man during his stroll, his soul went wild with panic, fear, excitement, remorse, and malice.


    The nightmares got worse.

 Chapter 3 - Calling Soul

    The contrast between laying on a mattress and the ground and staring at the wooden ceiling and the stars in the night sky was not something JD thought he''d miss for a while. But it was something he was forced to compare after tonight''s event.


    After a moment of confusion and mixed emotions, the cold of the night finally broke in past JD''s long sleeves, prompting him to gather his stuff and take a short walk around the town''s borders. Aimless and still confused about what had just happened, he got to a spot that led to a forest.


    With the tall and dark bodies of the trees and the silent coos of night owls in the distance, paired with the peace between the forest and the town''s side walls, it was evident that the forest was safe enough to hide in a short while. Hunters usually went to the woods more than a kilometer away from the gates of Abarly, and none had stepped further into this one after making sure it didn''t have much to offer.


    JD wandered further into the forest and eventually reached a sign that stated its name, Tamethe and proved as the last point of human travel. It was the center of the forest, Tamethe, and the more JD stepped forward from the sign, the more the area proved empty of any other creature than owls.


    There was a hillside, however, and only once JD got to its little peak did he drop his luggage on the ground and allow his body to fall onto the short grass fields clear of most of the trees in the forest, lost in thought.


    Only then did the events with Zalden fully sink into his comprehension.


    "Why?" He mumbled, eyes tracing the familiar formation of the stars above.


    Abarly was a small town by the southeast of the continent known as The Great Gemini, rumored to be ruled by the Gemini gods in heaven. And the sky changed forms and appearances based on which land one stood and gazed above. So, whether it was a constellation of any of the gods, JD guessed it must be the constellation of the Gemini gods.


    The move Zalden''s CEO made last was odd, and while the townspeople themselves threw JD out of the town, it all didn''t shake his resolve. None of it made complete sense.


    But as the night grew deeper, and so did his thoughts and wonders, exhaustion seeped into his bruised body. The forest called Tamethe had also been swaying his soul left and right. For a moment before his consciousness vanished, something in his very core made an unfamiliar, burning reaction to somewhere beneath the hill.


    A low growl, or maybe a snarl. It echoed lightly as the colorful fur of a mythical creature ventured on untouched land and sturdy, towering pine trees. Cyan claws so bright they glowed against the cold moonlight and cautiously trudged onto an area in the forest. An area past the sign humans put up where the grass always stayed up had been flattened. Someone walked past the signage.


    Hours might''ve passed until JD woke up to the startling alarm noise from his phone. An alarm set to a point where dawn hadn''t even peaked yet.


    JD turned and tried to grab his phone somewhere nearby. It shouldn''t be too far away, but a piercing noise against a screen not only killed the alarm noise but also shot his senses and eyes wide awake.


    Somewhere close to his hand reaching out to his phone were traces of cyan, magenta, and white fur enveloping bright, cyanic claws. Right there stood a creature whose two clawed fingers held his spare phone in between, the sharp edge of the paw against the screen screeching, and eventually, both edges stabbed through the phone.


    If that wasn''t enough to get JD''s frozen state up and running, the creature¡ªthe monster''s bright blue eyes shifted from the phone to JD. He flinched, and as if frozen water were poured on him, he found himself sprinting down the hill with his mind going blank.


    JD''s heart raced, his body trembled as he ran, and he could practically see where his soul resided inside as it blinked like a broken bulb and bounced around like a rubber ball.


    "Whoa!"


    Moreover, the ground quaked, and JD nearly lost his balance at the sudden vibrations. He took a quick look behind, and the monster had leaped from the hill down to the forest. And with a mighty wind that almost sent JD flying, the creature growled and chased on all fours.


    "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit-"


    The ground seemed to bounce with every step, and the air danced sharply. Eventually, JD found the signage, but he couldn''t bring himself to run to Abarly for help. Getting an unknown creature to a peaceful town would endanger everyone there. With one more curse under his suffocating and uneven breath, JD turned on his heel to avoid the direction of the town.


    Just as he did, the monster leaped a few meters before him, rendering the land vibrating, and JD''s body jumped from the impact. He fell to the ground and scrambled to get up, but the monster was already too close for him to try and outrun it.


    Sweat washed over from his forehead while his head searched for something¡ªanything¡ªamidst the panic of his soul and the lack of knowledge of what the creature was. The only thing it resembled was a colorful mythical creature from The Unified Scales that one could only find pictures and information about in the library. But beasts mentioned in such books weren''t supposed to exist¡ªthey were nothing but myths that religious people believed existed many, many centuries ago.


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    With a surge of impulse, JD grabbed whatever he could, and when he did get something, it was the most helpful thing one could find in a forest in such a dire situation.


    A stick.


    The monster relieved itself from the leap and growled lowly at JD, taking careful steps towards him. From that angle, it resembled the dogs in the southwest town when they saw a human with a long stick in their grip. Cautiously approaching, preparing to jump, and eyes expectant for something.


    Hoping the monster would act the same way and play fetch, JD internally cursed and threw the stick toward the creature with as much power as his numbed, morning arm could muster.


    It reacted.


    The monster hopped forward to face the stick as JD took off straightaway without looking back. A bump between the stick and something hard echoed lightly, and it roared in response. JD still refused to peek and pushed his legs to their limits, not taking the chance of losing the opportunity for survival.


    Then he stopped running and caught his breath. When he peeked behind him, there was no monster chasing him.


    "..Did it actually play fetch?" Disbelief painted his voice, but he shook his head right away. "No. That can''t be right."


    JD leaned over a tree and watched the direction where he came from: no growls, no shaping wind, no quakes, no monster.


    "Where did it even come from?" He mumbled under his breath. "No, rather, why did it chase me...? Was it hungry?"


    Maybe it found something to eat. The stick might have proved enough for its appetite.


    Despite the argument JD had to go through in his head, he knew it wasn''t just some hallucination. While he didn''t have an inborn talent and could only perform the basics of magic, he was sure he had complete resistance to mind-related magic, as proven by how Zalden''s mind-control attempt didn''t reach him.


    Unknown minutes passed, and the argument inside JD''s head changed to whether he should walk back to check what happened or go elsewhere.


    The latter seemed like the more logical thing to do, but as JD calmed down, his soul hadn''t. What he first thought, his soul panicking due to the chase of a monster, might be wrong. His soul seemed to react violently, desperately reaching out to where he had left the monster.


    Before he could rationalize, his feet had already started walking back. He grimaced. He had no complete control over his body when his soul was like this. But again, there was only one time this had happened before.


    When he first found Abarly.


    It was in his soul''s interest to stay¡ªit refused to let him leave the town as if something there fed his soul the reason for its existence. As if something near Abarly meant the world to his soul.


    It might be part of his soul''s previous life reacting even in this new life despite having no recollection of what and who JD was before.


    Soon, the head of the monster came into his vision. The stick he threw remained on the ground near it, but the monster sat right there, with one paw gently caressing its chest.


    JD''s squinted eyes enlarged as the monster took his paw away. It must''ve been the panic that made JD unable to notice the little detail about his predator.


    Right in its chest was a circular, transparent gem that glowed faintly with every second. A tiny scratch peeked on the gem''s side, which might''ve come from the stick he threw.


    From how it protected it and resembled a gem, it must be like the rumors in the north of The Great Gemini: it was the monster''s core. His very soul in physical form, so vulnerable and open to be severed by the world.


    That fascination of JD''s was short-lived, as the broken bulb that was his soul seemed to blink and resonate with the way the monster did. The monster''s eyes gazed at him, and he flinched. But on closer look, the monster had no malice in its eyes.


    It had a soft, gentle, and patient expression as it stared back at JD''s dark brown eyes.


    Nothing had made his soul react this way throughout his life¡ªthe same thing that made him stay in Abarly and led him to walk back to the monster. All this time, it was only now that something reached his soul. He knew something was doing this, but he didn''t know what it was supposed to be and what it meant.


    Above all, when something strong called out to his soul, he didn''t expect it to be a monster.


    Now devoid of any rational reasoning, JD took more steps forward, one hand on his chest and one rising to reach the monster. Suddenly, he didn''t feel scared anymore.


    The monster''s paw on his core moved away slowly, as though similar to JD, it didn''t feel in danger in a living being''s presence. And for the first time in years, since it''s wandered The Great Gemini, it felt safe with someone¡ªenough to allow them to be this close to touching his core.


    The monster closed its eyes, and JD set the tip of his fingers to its core. The faint glowing grew fainter, then brighter, until light occupied the monster''s existence as if a spell it was under had been broken.


    One of JD''s hands traveled to his head. A sudden streak of pain arrived in his head and to his soul. He grunted, unable to take his hand away from the glowing monster and fully understand what was happening.


    As he closed his eyes, flashes of light remained in the darkness. And for some reason, a bundle of memories and emotions deep inside JD had awakened.


    A paradise. Many people with constellation symbols in their being. The god of creation, Garnet, himself right there. But JD didn''t get how he would recognize Garnet himself in a memory.


    And then the rest of the memories raced in his mind. All of it from different angles, but only focusing on one subject. A boy. A blonde, blue-eyed boy with the brightest smile on his face. A faint voice from the boy echoed in the distance of JD''s senses, saying only one thing¡ªonly one word.


    The final panel of memory stopped, and it was that same boy¡ªcoughing up blood, his blue-eyes panic-stricken, and from the perspective, it seemed like that boy held JD''s previous body in his arms. A hand reached out to the boy, and the words came clear. It came from JD''s perspective.


    "I''m... sorry, Ameme."


    Tears poured from JD''s closed eyes, and the harder he held his head, the more the pain of the past forced its way into him. Alongside it, something warm crept to his soul, almost the same sensation those who awakened inborn magic described.


    With a shriek amidst the overwhelming changes coming to him, JD felt weak. But someone caught him as his body fell.


    The only word that repeatedly echoed from all the final memories remained screaming at him while JD succumbed to the loss of consciousness. And as the person holding his body called out to him, that one word resembling the ones in his revived memories opened his eyes wide.


    "Brother!"


    The monster was no longer there, and like staring into the mirror, who held him then and there, was someone who looked just like him.

 Chapter 4 - Memory Soul

    Name pronunciation:


    "Hysta, you need to focus more on your magic." A woman''s voice echoed beside the young boy in a ray of light.


    That boy, Hysta, glanced elsewhere, where his mirror image practiced his magic. Compared to Hysta, this other boy flawlessly manipulated all the elemental magic in the world, with additional sparks of something unique only to him.


    "You do so well, Whist." A young woman''s voice resounded from the surging water waves around the other boy, Whist.


    As Whist responded with a chuckle, Hysta smiled at the sight.


    "Hysta, there is no use if you simply watch your twin rake all the glory." The woman''s voice whispered.


    Hysta shook his head, a smile still on his face. "He deserves all the glory, Lady Emeruse."


    Emeruse sighed. "And that complete acceptance of his capabilities far surpassing yours might be why you can''t focus on yourself."


    "That''s not true." Hysta turned to face the ray of light where Emeruse''s voice came from. "Look, I can manipulate all the basic elements just fine."


    Emeruse echoed a scoff, then a clanging noise followed from where she was.


    "Dear me, what is the aristocracy up to this time?"


    "Lady Emeruse?"


    "Apologies. I shall be back for further training with you later. Humans are making a mess of themselves in my continent again." Frustration lingered in the last bit of what she said, which brought a little smile to Hysta''s face.


    "Take your time, Lady Taurus." Hysta mimicked a bow as his tone shifted to how Emeruse''s human subjects referred to her in Julisie.


    "Hmph. For a youngling, you seem to have much knowledge of Julisie."


    Hysta''s smile widened as he clapped his hand, the magic he was performing fading. He reached out to the ray of light and moved his fingers up and down around it.


    "Your other half is approaching, Hysta."


    "Mhm. I can feel it." The ray of light slowly thinned and then disappeared. "I''ll see you later, Lady Emeruse."


    "Brother!"


    As Hysta turned around, Whist had reached him. From behind, where Whist came from, the water had evaporated.


    "How did your training with Lady Ish go, Ameme?" Hysta started, walking down to the fields from the hill where they trained.


    "It went well as always! How about yours?"


    Hysta pursed his lips but retained a smile. "It''s not bad. Lady Emeruse might be noticing my interest in human conflict, though."


    "In Julisie? The world of humans?" Whist peeked at Hysta''s face. "Is there something in Julisie that brother likes?"


    Hysta waved a hand, "Nothing in particular. It just interests me how different they are from us. Especially the land we rule¡ªthey seem to have many conflicts with one another the very moment we stop checking their status."


    "The Great Gemini?"


    "Mhm."


    "Hmm... I don''t think I understand them very well."


    Hysta stopped walking and brushed Whist''s hair. "It''s okay. You''ll get it soon enough. You''re... special, after all."


    "Brother!" Whist pouted. "You are, too!"


    "..I wonder about that," Hysta mumbled as he turned to face the other way.


    "Brother?"


    Whist silently followed his older brother as they returned to where the other gods resided. In that wordless moment, Whist was sure the expression on his brother''s face had darkened somehow. Hysta''s fists balled, then trembled and released.


    As if he was trying not to feel something that crept up to his soul no matter how much he wanted to push it away.


    But whatever it was, as his and Whist''s soul were the other half of each other, it slipped Hysta''s mind that Whist could practically feel the same negative emotion as well.


    -


    "You two have special souls. Treasure it and each other well." Garnet started, then he turned to look at Whist. "Whistiameme¡ªehem, just Whist will do just fine."


    The crowd of gods and goddesses before Garnet shared pleasant sighs and laughter. The Gemini gods'' names were too long for everyone''s liking. No one, even the twins themselves, might fully remember their complete names.


    "Whist," Garnet called.


    "Yes." Whist bowed his head once more.


    "You... have an extraordinary soul. Power and talent reside within it¡ªwithin you¡ªthat gods and humans alike may have thought of but never thought possible."


    Since that day of the Gemini gods'' eighteenth birthday, the rule of The Great Gemini officially fell under them. And as Whist practiced, trained, and kept improving his magic, Hysta focused on the other side of the spectrum. He studied human conflict, politics, and every knowledge he could garner in Julisie.


    Gods and goddesses referred to him as a genius with every feat Hysta accomplished, but then they''d turn their heads towards Whist in a blink to congratulate him on the simplest things he had achieved.


    It didn''t matter. To Hysta, it didn''t matter that he didn''t get enough attention as his younger half. All that mattered to him was seeing the smile on Whist''s face every time he saw him.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Rare for you to be here, Ameme." Hysta briefly turned to smile at the arrival of Whist in Paradise''s library.


    Whist sneaked close to Hysta and snuggled into his free arm. "I knew I''d find you here."


    Hysta offered a pat on his brother''s head, which got him the brightest and most adorable smile he''d see in anyone as a response.


    "Did something happen?" Hysta''s voice and hand caressing Whist''s hair reeked affection and sincerity that Whist almost forgot the tiny ball of dark energy in his brother''s soul.


    Whist shook his head. "Nothing. It''s just that...." He leaned his head on his brother''s shoulder. "It''s always Whist this, Whist that."


    "Well," Hysta chuckled and closed the book in his hands, directing all his focus on Whist. "that''s just how it is."


    A noise of disapproval and a pout came from Whist, prompting Hysta to pinch his cheeks.


    "They don''t ever mention you unless you do something big," Whist mumbled.


    Before anything else, the clouds acting as the doorways evaporated as a group of minor gods and goddesses barged in. As soon as they spotted Whist, they sped up toward him.


    Whist let go of his brother and faced them, recognizing them as the ones he had helped many times in the minor lands they ruled in Julisie.


    "Gemini god, Whist!" They all greeted. What followed were their praises and thanks, worship, and more praises. All for the younger Gemini god.


    Hysta smiled a little as he stepped back to give them space. This wasn''t anything new. This often happened and was the core reason for the disruptions of their brief time together.


    And he''s gotten used to it already.


    At the end of their boundless vows, Whist would reply to them politely and with a big smile. And after all that was over, he would always glance at Hysta, then back at the others, with a determined look as he said the same thing with pride and intense devotion.


    "But I think brother is still the best!"


    Whist would always answer people that way, like now, and the people would mention Hysta then, too. But before leaving, they''d only look at Whist and wave farewell at him. And Hysta wouldn''t say anything as he smiled and shook his head.


    "Ameme." Hysta placed a hand on Whist''s shoulder, his voice low. "I need to stop by Lady Emeruse to discuss issues with her aristocracy in Julisie. I''ll see you later."


    Whist stared at Hysta''s figure as he went away. With a closer look and understanding of that bulb of darkness in his brother''s soul, he ran after Hysta.


    "Hm? Ameme, the palace grounds are the other way."


    Whist shook his head and hummed disapprovingly. "I''m coming with you!"


    "Eh? But... don''t you have training with Lord Reh and Lady Ish?"


    "I''ll skip it!"


    "Ameme."


    "No!"


    Hysta wiped a hand across his face and sighed. Between his fingers, Whist had an adorably determined and serious look on his face.


    "Ameme-"


    "Brother... do you envy me?"


    Hysta blinked in response.


    "People... some people say you must envy me." Whist lowered his head, but his blue eyes still shot back at Hysta''s same but sharper blue eyes.


    That must be it. Hysta pushed the darker part of his soul to the side that Whist knew of: envy.


    Hysta crossed his arms and offered a faint smile. "I''d be lying if I said I didn''t feel envious sometimes."


    "But, you''re-"


    Hysta patted Whist''s head, "You are talented¡ªextremely talented. Your soul is Garnet''s most treasured soul. You are his masterpiece."


    Fear choked onto Whist''s lungs as he stared back at his brother. Hysta''s eyes were clear, almost like a glass. He didn''t see Whist ultimately. What he saw was what everyone else saw.


    Whist hated it.


    He bit his lower lip. "But I''m incomplete alone. I''m only capable when you''re around."


    It was half-true. But most true in the sense that Whist couldn''t take it when Hysta wasn''t around.


    Hysta shook his head, "You''re so modest, Ameme." The look of adoration came clear in his eyes each time he called Whist by a nickname he allowed only Hysta to call him. "Know that you don''t need me there, and you''ll still do a magnificent job."


    "Brother..."


    That''s not true.


    Whist wanted to say it. But it wouldn''t come out. Because it was also true.


    The dampened expression on Whist''s face, his eyes gleaming with a sense of despair and sadness, prompted Hysta to squish his brother''s cheeks and force him to look back at him.


    This time, all Whist could see in Hysta''s eyes was himself. Like a reflection of who he was.


    "Yes, I have my own capabilities. You have yours. And when we''re together, we become something else." He sighed and looked down. "But yes, you are far, far more powerful than I could ever hope to be."


    Hysta looked back at Whist, a crooked smile and a streak of pain and jealousy now evident in his eyes.


    "And that does sting."


    Whist held his brother''s hands on his cheeks. "So, you... do envy me?"


    "Ameme." Hysta''s smile changed. It was the warmest smile Whist had ever seen from his brother, and what came next triggered tears from Whist''s eyes to surface. "I am more proud of you than I envy you."


    After struggling not to let his tears fall out, Whist jumped to hug Hysta, who hugged back almost immediately.


    For countless times, again, a strong sense of protecting Hysta''s kindness and warmth crawled onto Whist''s soul.


    -


    "And seeing as the guzzaroks are running wild in our territory, I finalize that we be the ones to step into Julisie to stop them."


    Garnet placed a finger from his third hand on his chin, eyes sharply ingrained into the map of The Great Gemini Hysta drew on the spot to show the situation in Julisie.


    "You make an excellent argument. As always. I shall bless you both before you depart out of Paradise."


    "Of course." Hysta bowed his head.


    "Wah!" Whist voiced a joyful noise as he clapped his palms once. "Brother is so cool! So calm and collected! So smart-"


    Hysta grabbed Whist''s head with one head, a glare forming from his fake amicable smile and expression.


    "Ameme."


    Whist froze and covered his face.


    "Eeee..."


    With a sigh, Hysta''s hand dropped to Whist''s shoulder.


    "Let''s bring back order to our continent, Ameme."


    "Mhm!"


    -


    "Is that everyone?" Whist yelled with urgency in his voice.


    "Yes. Thank you, Lord Gemini!"


    Whist nodded and turned back, "Reinforcements from Paradise will come shortly. If you''ll excuse me, I must return and aid my brother."


    Not waiting for any response, Whist dashed back to where he saved all the humans in harm''s way. Colorful light flashed from his existence as he flew past the corpses of guzzaroks scattered in the southern region of The Great Gemini.


    As soon as they finished off nearly every guzzaroks in existence, a man wrapped in green and gold robes and light appeared at the very south. From just that one encounter, Hysta deduced it was a minor god from The Unified Scales¡ªwreaking havoc after the Libra God''s death.


    Whist was reluctant to listen to his brother''s orders when Hysta said his overwhelming speed was unmatched, which made him the perfect candidate to rescue all the humans in the vicinity, while Hysta would deal with the minor god.


    But when Hysta reassured Whist with a warm smile and his affectionate nickname for him, he couldn''t resist.


    And now, as Whist returned, both the minor god with his robes all tattered and revealed face cracked and Hysta brimmed with scratches and dirt.


    "Eve." Hysta hissed, recognizing the minor god that did this to their land. "Why? Aven would never approve of this behavior."


    Eve laughed, eyes full of hate, gazing back at Hysta as he clutched his severed arm. "He''s dead! He''s dead... all because of the people in this land!"


    "What?"


    As Whist reached the area, a broad flash of green light passed by swiftly. Whist stopped in his tracks. He wasn''t injured, but something in his soul reverberated a seeping sense of discomfort.


    "...Brother?"


    Everything that came after was a haze.


    Hysta''s body trembled as blood splattered to the ground with every cough and move. The world had gone to a blurry mess, and when he laid eyes on the only person he wanted to be alive for, tears welled up in Hysta''s eyes.


    He reached out a weak hand to Whist''s bloodstained face, pushing his voice to call out to him one last time.


    "I''m... sorry, Ameme."


    Everything Hysta had known for quivered, and all his senses had numbed. Whist screamed and shook his brother''s body, his vision blurring, his soul ripped apart every second.


    The world vibrated, the ground quaked, the skies turned red, and the colorful light that Whist emitted had changed to their contrasting hues¡ªall but a shade of black and white.


    The striking pain from losing half of his soul crawled to Whist''s being, the last words of the most important person in his life echoed in his remaining senses, and the image of Hysta''s smile throughout their entire lives he failed to protect flashed like a massive bomb in his newfound insanity.


    That day, the south edge of The Great Gemini had been turned upside down, and people centuries later referred to it as the land where the Gemini gods died to save the continent against an unknown force. Since then, the twin gods disappeared entirely from the face of both Julisie and Paradise.

 Chapter 5 - Reunited Souls

    Gazing at a being who looked the same as them, nothing else mattered anymore. All that longing as they grew closer without knowing it came clear in their senses, and now face to face, they froze.


    JD jumped to hug the person holding him, who looked exactly like him. The person returned the hug, but JD suddenly let go.


    "Ame... " He whispered but trailed off.


    "Hm?" JD''s mirror image looked all over JD''s body. "Are you hurt somewhere? D-did I hurt you?"


    "No... maybe." JD wiped a hand across his face and sighed. Slight awkwardness overcame him at the warm feelings building up to his core. JD pushed that aside and went with the first logical thing to ask, "Do you have a name?"


    "...Whistiamemeliond-"


    "No, not that... freakishly long name." One of JD''s arms leaned on the ground for support. "Besides, those aren''t our names anymore."


    "Brother Hysta..."


    "It''s JD." JD smiled.


    His young brother tilted his head, "J... D?"


    "Yeah. Two letters. From my given name."


    Both their legs crossed as they sat properly in front of each other.


    "John Daniel St. Michael. That''s my name."


    "Oh!" JD''s brother clapped his hands one time. "It''s very modern-sounding, indeed! And while it''s lengthy, it''s not as difficult to say as Hystirerseyeiond-"


    "Stop." JD chuckled, putting a finger in front of his brother''s lips. "That long-ass name has to go. And I think you pronounced it wrong."


    "I''m sure I enunciated it right! But," He smiled and waved a hand. "to be born in Julisie means we''re no longer subjects of Paradise, I suppose."


    "And we''re just humans now."


    "With god souls!"


    "Which is weird."


    "It is! Do you think there''s a way we can speak to Garnet directly about this?"


    "Maybe. But for starters, what''s your name?"


    An unexpected reunion that might''ve been planned out by Garnet himself or someone else. But it had warmed the hearts and souls of the souls that had been separated for a long, long time. JD had so much to ask his brother, and his brother had so much to tell him.


    That included how he became a monster in the first place.


    "A bodiless soul...." JD mumbled after his brother''s long story of how he first came to the human world¡ªto Julisie. "And this... Grogolion, or Leo, his eyes of Garnet one hundred percent realized your soul was a god''s."


    "How so?"


    JD squinted, placing his head on his hand. "There is no real way for any soul to recover their memories. Yet he claimed he could make you remember yours." JD hummed and glanced at his brother. "He knew your inborn magic had something to do with obtaining a body, and once your soul inhabited a body, it would automatically regain all its memories."


    "Because I''m a god?"


    "Mhm. The soul needed a body and a system to decode everything hidden within it. Like a USB on a laptop, huh...."


    "So, it was never possible for anyone to be bodiless?"


    "I''m sure."


    "But then why...."


    "Garnet favored you so." JD leaned to a side, a side smile appearing on his face. "Maybe it had something to do with that."


    He pouted and crossed his arms. "I don''t care! I''m mad at him!"


    JD suppressed his laughter. "Why?"


    "For not giving me a body straight away? I don''t know. But I feel...." He placed a hand on his chest. "That there''s something to be mad about. It''s something that I strangely can''t recall."


    After a brief silence, JD straightened his back and tapped his brother''s knee.


    "Let''s worry about that later, okay? One by one, now. We have all the time in Julisie." JD said in a low and soft tone, and as his brother nodded, he continued. "So, you don''t have a name here yet."


    He shook his head.


    "Ah." JD''s eyes lit up, and he stood right away. "Let''s go back to the hill. I think I got something."


    As they reached the hill, JD ran to his suitcases and hurriedly fished through the pile of clothes, notebooks, and gold coins while his brother followed him.


    "Oh, right. Clothes, too." JD turned his head to his brother. "I''m sure my clothes will fit you just right."


    "Clothes! I-I didn''t even notice I wasn''t wearing anything...." He hid in a shirt JD handed over to him. "And now I feel bare."


    "You are bare. Go put those on."


    "How do you put this on?"


    "...Are you serious?"


    He shrank behind the complete set of outfits JD threw in his arms.


    "Of course, we never had these kinds of clothes up in Paradise." JD sighed. "Come here."


    Once fully dressed, he turned around repeatedly with a smug smile. "Paradise needs to heighten their garments."


    "Pft."


    "Garnet!" He yelled. "Do you hear me? You''re out-of-date! Old-fashioned!"


    JD lost it and laughed out loud. His brother joined him, but not long after, dark clouds covered the rising sun in the morning.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Look, you made him angry," JD commented, still searching for something in his second luggage.


    "Try to strike me with lightning, then!"


    Lightning struck several meters away, silencing JD''s brother for a few seconds before grinning.


    "Softhearted!"


    "Shut up, man." JD scolded, but he was still smiling.


    "It''s true!"


    "Only for you, that is. He would''ve struck anybody else without warning."


    "Or his precision is just terrible!"


    "He still would''ve avoided hitting you, I''m sure."


    His brother only replied with a pout and an annoyed, suppressed hum. After centuries, that argument spoke true, and even now, he still didn''t like hearing about it.


    "Found it!"


    "What is it?" JD''s brother crouched beside him, peeked at the identification card in his hand, and read the name. "Andrew..."


    "Yup. That''s the right pronunciation."


    "Who''s Andrew?" A glint of fury and jealousy appeared in his eyes. "Why does he look exactly like you in this... portrait? Did you have a twin brother other than me?"


    Before he could continue, JD spoke, "Chill. You''re my only brother." JD ruffled his hair. "That''s me."


    "You?"


    "I... used to be an agent in the northern region of the continent. This was a name I registered for one mission." JD shook his head. "It''s the real deal. Though I only got to use it once." He handed it over to his brother.


    "Andrew Daniel St. Michael..." He muttered.


    "What do you think?" JD scratched his head. "Don''t worry. It has a clean reputation. The mission I used it for was tame compared to everything else I did under the name John St. Michael. It was half a decade ago when I last used it, too, I think."


    "Mhm!"


    "You like it? The name?"


    "I do."


    "You''re Andrew in this new life and to everyone, then." JD smiled and pinched his brother''s cheek, a soft look of adoration filling his eyes. "And to me, you... will be Drew."


    "A nickname? Just like ''Ameme''!"


    JD nodded. "Just like ''Ameme''."


    "Then I won''t permit anyone else to call me by that nickname."


    "I''d like that," JD said in a low voice.


    His brother¡ªAndrew, heard it, though. It might''ve sounded strange to anyone else, but Andrew''s little smile deepened, and his eyes twinkled at what JD had whispered. His utmost favor for only his older brother to be acknowledged was the only thing he truly cared about.


    "Now I have something to call you by." JD packed his luggage and dragged them down the hill. He smiled as he called behind him, "Drew."


    "Yes, brother?"


    JD pursed his lips at the immediate response, suppressing his smile from transforming to a grin. Once he reached a tall tree, he leaned his suitcases over it and faced Andrew.


    "Let''s go over things one more time." He sat on the grass and tapped the area beside him. "So, what happened to Leo? Did you just run away from that place?"


    Andrew held his knees to his chest and buried his face there. "Swear you won''t see me differently?"


    JD raised a brow. "Did you... kill him?"


    "M-maybe...." Andrew held out his hands, and his voice trembled. "I-it was an accident!"


    "Go on."


    Andrew shrank deeper behind his knees and legs. "I... I don''t know what came over me. After he finalized the curse, everything turned hazy and messy, and all I could see was...." His grip on his knees tightened. "Your corpse in my arms."


    JD''s eyes slowly widened, recollecting his final moments. His younger brother held him as he tried to reach his face and apologize for dying on him. If that was painful for JD, it must''ve been overwhelmingly devastating for Andrew.


    "And then there''s... Eve, was it? He was laughing in front of me, and, and, and my vision turned all red as I pounced at him and...."


    "Killed him."


    Andrew met JD''s eyes. "...I ate him."


    "..You ate Eve." JD shook his head. "Rather, Leo."


    "...That makes me a real monster, doesn''t it?"


    "Drew-"


    "Brother, the world turned red¡ªso dark and bloodstained and lonesome. And all I could hear were his screams as I...." Andrew teared up and intertwined his quivering hand together. "I''ve become a real monster."


    JD moved close and cupped one of Andrew''s cheeks. "Drew. It was out of self-defense."


    Andrew shook his head violently. "No, h-he didn''t attack me-"


    "He cursed you."


    "But-"


    "Did you eat and kill more people after him?"


    "No. But that doesn''t justify it!"


    "Drew, you lived many years wandering Julisie as a guzzarok. Away from everyone." JD wiped his tears. "Not knowing whether you can really find me and gain your true form. And living with the idea that you killed someone on impulse and the tragedy of the past stuck in your soul."


    JD placed one hand on Andrew''s clasped, quivering hands, squeezing it.


    He smiled. "Isn''t that enough? Isn''t that too much already?"


    "I... don''t know."


    JD scooted closer and pulled Andrew into a hug, whose suppressed sobs came out as tiny, trembling squeaks.


    "You''ve atoned enough for it, even though it''s completely justified in my opinion." JD lowered his voice, "And I''m sure in Garnet''s eyes, too."


    Andrew leaned over to JD and continued to sob quietly while JD rubbed a hand on his back.


    A playful smile appeared on JD''s face. "I personally think he deserved it for everything he''s done in his lifetime."


    "...I believe so too, as wrong as that may be of me."


    JD shook his head. "I think that''s fine." With no reply, JD pulled away from the hug and held Andrew''s shoulders, forcing eye contact. "Consider it judgment."


    "Judgment?"


    "You are a god who bore witness to Leo''s immoral acts and decided to cast judgment." JD squinted, the cruel and cold eyes he shot to the evildoers in the past making a brief appearance the longer Andrew stared. "It''s a fair judgment."


    Andrew''s mouth opened, but no words came out. He closed it again and looked down, eyes partially closing. Between the two of them, it had always been JD who was the kindest. People didn''t see it because they only cared about getting on Andrew''s good side. Ironically, he was also the ruthless one. And no one but Andrew and those who received JD''s judgment had seen or known of it.


    And if Andrew were honest with what he thought of his brother''s remorseless side, everyone who perceived him as innocent and pure would''ve lost their minds.


    A small smile found its way to Andrew''s lips. "Mhm."


    "Do you still feel bad about it?"


    Andrew looked away. "A little."


    "That''s good enough for now." JD ruffled his hair and had his warm expression back.


    "But..." Andrew raised his head and shot JD a serious look. "I''m troubled with something else. Greatly."


    JD let go of Andrew and leaned his back on the tree, eyes squinting and fingers playing with the flattened grass.


    "Me too."


    Andrew pursed his lips and then wiped his face with the loose scarf around his neck, "Brother, how did we perish?" His voice was muffled, then he peeked behind the scarf, "Do you know?


    JD shook his head, his fingers scratching the soil. "Rumors and records only say the vague idea of what happened that day. ''The Gemini gods fought an unknown god from a different land to save the continent they ruled. Were it not had been done, The Great Gemini would have been wiped off the map of Julisie.''" He recited from an excerpt he had read in a book weeks ago.


    Andrew scoffed. "And I didn''t expect this ''modern world'' to be so useless."


    "Hey, there''s a thing called the Internet now. You''d be mind-blown by the number of theories and conspiracies humans put up there."


    "Hmph! I don''t desire false information!"


    "We won''t know whether they''re true or not, you know."


    "Well," Andrew raised a brow, "they wouldn''t be theories if they were confirmed now, would they?"


    JD raised a brow and looked over Andrew briefly.


    "And it''s not as though the ones making hypotheses and claiming such information are reincarnated gods like us who would remember their soul''s memories." Andrew shrugged, playing with the loose ends of his grayish-blue scarf.


    "That''s it!" JD perked up, startling Andrew. "If we''re reincarnated, then Eve or Aven might''ve been, too! Then, we just need to find them!"


    "But how will we find and know it''s them for sure?" Andrew dropped his head on both palms, which welcomed its weight. "It''s not like we have enough influence right now, nor can we read people''s minds."


    "Drew, you''re a genius." JD genuinely said, his expression all hopeful and lit up.


    Andrew blushed as his eyebrows met. "W-what are you saying? I was merely thinking out loud...." He pulled the scarf up to cover his lower face, his last sentence barely audible.


    JD stood up and gazed in the direction of Abarly. From where he and Andrew were, the medieval-themed towers of Abarly became visible, albeit just the rooftop to the tip. Tree trunks and canopies had covered the rest.


    "Since they want me anyway for some reason, maybe it''s high time I come to them instead," JD said as if monologuing, placing a finger below his chin and shutting his eyes.


    Andrew tilted his head, watching the peeking rays of the sunlight draw white spots on JD''s side profile. His black hair swayed gently at the soft passing wind, locks shedding shades over JD''s closed eyes.


    "Who exactly are you pertaining to?" Andrew asked, eyes slowly widening as soon as JD opened his eyes.


    JD turned towards him, the shadow casting over his face, but one part of him shone nonetheless.


    "Zalden," he said.


    No matter how awfully similar he looked to Andrew, there would always be a difference. Like how Andrew''s eyes had been blue in the past and until now, while JD''s had changed to a deep brown since housing this new body. And Andrew took note of that. He was sure JD had brown eyes.


    But now, his eyes were a glowing blue like his own.

 Chapter 6 - One Soul

    Subtly touching his palms with his fingertips, JD acknowledged the growing changes inside him.


    He closed his eyes again, tightly this time, at the sudden surge of waves in his soul. Since touching Andrew''s core when it was outside, a sensation of something awakening had knocked on JD''s door. Like a hearth, it was warm, gentle, and pleasant. But now, like a sea creature dove to the water from plenty of floors above, the feeling splashed around. Spreading, finding their place in his nerves, settling their respective homes in his soul.


    Not only that, but his bruises and wounds from last night''s event healed the moment he woke from recovering his memories.


    "Your eyes..."


    JD opened his eyes and raised a brow. "What about them?"


    "T-their color..."


    "Oh. We both used to have blue eyes, didn''t we?"


    "Uh..."


    JD smiled. "We still look alike even if mine''s a different color now. Don''t worry about it."


    "So, I wasn''t mistaken," Andrew said, confusing JD. "You truly had brown eyes."


    "Had?" JD mumbled, but a different thought came over him. "My eyes are brown, Drew. Are you colorblind?"


    Andrew covered his lower face with one hand, his eyes reflecting something he didn''t know how to say. With one last breath, he took his hand away as he stood up, overshadowed by JD as the sun rose behind him, his confused, blue eyes appearing bluer. Like a cool, oddly warm light in the shadows hiding from the day.


    "My eyesight is perfectly fine." Andrew''s fingers fluidly fanned the air between them, small traces of water appearing from the tip of his pointer. "Brother, I am not sure how to tell you this without you doubting my words-"


    "I''ll never doubt anything you say."


    A small side smile appeared on the corner of Andrew''s lips. He shook his head. "This is a different case. So, I''ll need you to do something for me."


    "Drew, what do you...."


    The tiny beads of water quickly grew and grouped as Andrew moved his fingers around to manipulate the water. Before JD could say more, Andrew had already commanded the water to form a rectangular screen between them, making sure the sunlight hit the surface of it facing JD''s side.


    As it did, in JD''s view, the water ultimately reflected the sun on the rise and the canopies that hid the complete form.


    Wordless, Andrew''s eyes invited JD to view his reflection as he peeked behind it. After a little shrug, JD sidestepped to match the position of mirror-like water.


    As soon as he did, his slightly distorted image looked surprised. Blue eyes shot wide, staring back at him. JD blinked a couple of times, then moved his head around, later fanning a hand in front of his face.


    "What the?" JD touched the side of his widened eyes. "How..."


    When believers of Garnet said awakening their inborn magic made changes to their bodies, everyone had doubts. After all, not everybody experienced the same things, and not everyone had an inborn talent.


    "Oh." JD''s expression softened. With a little smile, he sidestepped again to face Andrew. "It... might be because I awakened my inborn magic."


    Andrew swiped his hand swiftly against the water mirror, splashing it into tiny bits, and his other hand collected the small traces faster than the eye could see.


    "That''s great!" Andrew said with a bright smile, crossing his arms afterward to warm his hands from the soaked sensation of using water magic. "Do you mind the change?"


    "No, it''s just...." After nearly thirty years of living in this new life, JD had grown accustomed to seeing brown eyes whenever he looked at his reflection, and people he knew would surely notice something''s changed in him. He shrugged. "It''s gonna take some getting used to, is all."


    Andrew pouted. "We lived for twenty-five years having blue eyes."


    "Yes, but I''ve lived for twenty-nine years in this life with brown ones." JD poked Andrew''s cheek as his eyes widened.


    "Twenty-nine years? That... that was how long I was a bodiless soul and a guzzarok combined...?"


    "You had no way of knowing the timeframe, but yup, I think so. I''m pretty sure Garnet can''t awaken and reincarnate us at different years."


    Andrew nodded eagerly. "Of course. We''re only one soul, after all!"


    "Wait..." JD tilted his head. "What exactly is your inborn magic?"


    Andrew''s body mellowed as it was covered with colorful hues. Like mush, his form changed to a nine-foot-tall creature. Later, the bright hues vanished, and he returned as a guzzarok.


    He crouched, meeting JD''s surprised eyes.


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    "I can change forms." Andrew reverted to JD''s mirror image just as quickly. "But it seems I needed to meet you to have an original form."


    "...You can turn into other creatures?"


    "I can change into everything!" His face changed to someone else''s that JD didn''t recognize, then he changed half of his body to a muscular physique while the other half was crippled and wrinkled.


    "Holy-" JD leaned over as Andrew changed in different ways, his voice suddenly loud. "You shapeshift? Garnet loves you way too much!"


    Andrew changed back to himself and beamed. "But I love you!"


    Taken aback, JD covered half of his face, feeling something warm creeping up to his face. "Hey..."


    "More than that three-armed old man!"


    JD''s expression changed, but his cheeks still burned a soft red. "Hey! You''re gonna make him mad!"


    "Then, be mad!" Andrew yelled to the skies, then looked back at JD with the same grin and eyes full of affection. "I love brother more than anyone!"


    JD wiped a palm across his face, smiling behind his hand uncontrollably. He shook his head and cupped Andrew''s head, shaking it playfully before ruffling his hair.


    "But still, shit." He leaned over the tree beside them. "Shapeshifting has been something that was almost regarded as fantasy. Most other people could only change their faces or their bodies into different people or certain animals. They even have conditions they need to meet to shift."


    "I can change into anything at will!" Andrew proudly said, shifting afterward into Leo. Imitating a gargled voice, he said, "I have the eyes of Garnet."


    "Garnet," JD mumbled, then his following line came loud. "You can alter your vocal cords, too?"


    Andrew reverted with a proud smile. "Anything!"


    "That''s awesome!"


    For sure, Garnet loved JD''s brother way too much. On the one hand, JD was happy for Andrew; on the other, he felt challenged by Garnet. As if Garnet was saying his affection for Andrew was greater than JD''s. And even though Garnet was the god of all creation, for instance, JD looked past that and pictured himself beating him up.


    But he shook it off right away. Garnet''s prowess for everything was unmatched by any god or human. Moreover, JD didn''t need to prove anything to anyone. He was Andrew''s twin brother, and he shared half of his soul.


    In a competition to earn the favor of the most powerful god other than Garnet, JD would win by default.


    "How about you?"


    Snapping out of his dark thoughts, JD blinked. "Me?"


    "Mhm! You just awakened yours, right? What''s your inborn magic?"


    JD brought a hand over his chin and closed his eyes, communicating with the magic flowing in his soul, teaching him how to use it. The identical feeling of having an empty seat beside his soul followed. Literally. He opened his eyes slowly and gazed over his arms.


    "...Another soul."


    "Hm?"


    "I..." It came clear to JD now. And he couldn''t contain his embezzlement at the discovery. "I can have another soul inside me."


    Andrew raised a brow, scratching his sleeves softly, eyes intrigued and inviting JD to say more.


    "Literally, Drew." JD looked at his brother. "Though, I don''t know how that would feel like. But it''s processing in my head¡ªhow to use it."


    "Whoa." Andrew mouthed, eyes later shaking in his next thought. "So, you can sneak in with other people without anyone knowing?"


    "It seems so." JD smiled. "Wait... I''m getting it now. Okay, so that''s how."


    JD knelt on one knee, eyes on the ground, with one hand on the grass and the other on his other knee.


    "Drew."


    "Yes, brother?"


    "The gate is opened." JD closed his eyes and breathed in. "Do you wish to come inside?"


    Andrew''s eyes sparkled, and his hands trembled. He opened his mouth, but no words came out right away. And when it did, it came as a whisper.


    "Yes, please."


    As soon as Andrew responded positively, his soft and excited expression changed to shock and slight panic. His body disintegrated and faded into nothing. No traces of it were left behind, but the physical form of his soul was left right there, and JD''s inborn magic siphoned it to his nape.


    JD opened his eyes and looked up. All that remained was his luggage and the flattened grass where Andrew had stood a moment ago.


    "Brother!"


    Eyes broad, JD cupped his head at the familiar voice that echoed in his head.


    "D-drew?"


    A happy giggle vibrated to JD''s senses. He could feel Andrew''s soul moving and settling beside his, his voice resounding in his brain, and his own soul reacting rather gleefully.


    It might react differently for every soul he invites inside, but with Andrew''s being the literal half of his soul, having it inside him slandered the emptiness he''d felt for as long as he could remember.


    "Drew?" He whispered.


    "Yes, brother?"


    JD smiled uncontrollably, hands gently pressing his chest. He closed his eyes and separated his personal thoughts with a part of his nerves connected to the ones that received Andrew''s words.


    "Are you comfortable?"


    A gasp echoed inside his head, and JD couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "Brother, you can speak to me without saying anything! Wow!"


    "Indeed," JD said out loud, one hand cupping his forehead. "This is quite unique."


    While it was apparent that Garnet favored Andrew among every soul in both Paradise and Julisie, certain souls still earned incredible inborn magic. Whether it was due to Garnet''s judgment of their previous lives or something else, no one in Julisie knew.


    With that coming into JD''s mind, mild confusion scratched his conscience.


    "What made Garnet employ this... inborn talent thing?" He muttered under his breath.


    Due to Andrew being inside of him, it didn''t come as a mutter to him.


    "I wondered the same thing."


    "Oh, you heard me?"


    "Mhm. Though, you''re right. Ever since getting my memories back, it was something that didn''t make much sense to me."


    JD straightened his back, eyes shifting to the town of Abarly.


    "Why would Garnet suddenly do such a thing? I''m sure the others in Paradise know. But I want to know as well."


    A tinge of sadness vibrated from the voice. JD took a deep breath.


    "Me too." He whispered. "Maybe we can find out about it somewhere."


    "Or never. Since we''re no longer gods."


    "We still are." JD forced a smile. "Just... in the human world. In human bodies."


    Andrew said no more, and for a moment, JD wished he could see Andrew and hug him tight. As much as they both ignored it, the seeping feeling of abandonment and loss of a place to belong to remained. However, living and staying in The Great Gemini had provided some sense of familiarity and belonging, as it was the continent they ruled centuries ago.


    "One by one." JD strengthened his mental state by slapping his cheeks and setting his eyes on the town in the distance, then sliding them southwest of Abarly, where a distant collection of buildings peeked from the horizon and in between the trees of Tamethe. "We will deal with everything one by one."


    "Mhm."


    "For now," JD picked up his luggage and strode towards the settlement southwest. "We need a place to temporarily settle in to strategize and gather all the information and resources we need."


    "A base? But where?"


    "To the hotel in Abarly''s separate settlement¡ªCalerdawn."


    "...A hotel?"


    JD pursed his lips and smiled, shaking his head.


    "Like an inn."


    "Ohh."


    "Though..." A crooked smile found its way to JD''s lips. "Sneaking in past their security shouldn''t be too hard."


    A short silence remained between the two, then a slight screech echoed in JD''s head, a hiss from Andrew following afterward.


    "...Sneak in? Why?"


    "You''ll see."

 Chapter 7 - Sneaky Soul

    "What if someone goes there and steals it?"


    JD rubbed his palms together after dropping his luggage on Calerdawn''s five-story hotel rooftop with basic telekinetic magic.


    "As we planned earlier, once we get to the hotel room," JD held out a hotel card key from his luggage and slipped it into a pocket. "You''re gonna shapeshift into a staff and get the luggage."


    "But how will you sneak in, brother? Many people are patrolling on the ground floor."


    "...How did you know that?"


    "Clairvoyance!"


    "Advanced magic," JD mumbled, then shook his head. "I''m surprised you can still use some of your magic without being physically here."


    "Your eyes right now are my eyes."


    "That''s a huge help."


    "You think I''ll tell you everything I see with my magic?"


    JD raised a brow, "...Won''t you?"


    A giggle resounded in JD''s head, prompting him to roll his eyes,


    "Of course, I will. I was only teasing."


    "Sure."


    "I''m not lying! Moreover, why do you need to sneak in if you have a room there?"


    JD''s grip on the tree nearby tightened as his eyes partially closed. "...It''s not mine."


    Silence followed, and JD shook his head violently.


    "I didn''t steal it! It was a spare key given to me by the owner."


    "...I did not say anything."


    "You were just holding back." With no response, JD sighed. "Anyway, this shouldn''t be too hard."


    "Mhm! Because brother is cool!"


    JD shook his head and smiled slightly. He''d most likely receive more if he actively denied Andrew''s compliments. Deciding to end it there, JD pushed himself out of the woods connected to Tamethe and strode towards the building.


    "H-head on?"


    As he reached the entrance where the granite tiles of the staircases begin, a noise of awe resounded from his head. It was the first time Andrew had laid his eyes on a high-end hotel, or any hotel for that matter, and the shimmering beads on the tiles to the glass walls with golden signages to the even more glamorous interior beyond the glass doors and walls were sightings that neither of them would''ve thought possible centuries ago.


    Fortunately, many people gathered in the lobby and the dining area connected to it due to the time of day. Breakfast.


    Sliding his hands in his pockets, JD''s chin remained up as the glass doors opened. A security guard bowed his head at JD''s entry, but his focus quickly turned to other people making a fuss in the lobby.


    Someone''s voice by the reception desk grew loud, demanding a mistake had been made by some of the organizers, forcing the idea that they had made a prior reservation and eventually requiring more and more staff to calm them down.


    "See, I told you it wouldn''t be so hard."


    "Humans are weird...."


    "Excuse me, sir."


    JD ignored it, knowing full well he was the one a staff from the reception was calling. He could feel Andrew''s panic inside him, which was harder to ignore.


    "Sir." The staff''s hand reached JD''s shoulder, who stopped at contact. "You forgot to sign your entry."


    JD turned his head to face the young-looking man in the same uniform as the ones walking around with clipboards in their hands.


    "I didn''t know that new rule has been implemented," JD answered knowingly, his face expressionless and devoid of interest.


    The stern look perked the staff a bit, but he stayed firm. "Yes. It didn''t take effect until yesterday. Don''t worry, sir. All you need is to input your log today."


    "Are you new here?"


    "Ah, y-yes, sir."


    The young, new staff''s head rolled in a panic. This gentleman he stopped might be one of the VIPs in the hotel who had their rooms paid for every month without the resident visiting much at all. Recalling the lecture he received the other day, he froze. Their manager had strictly informed them to stay clear of the VIPs'' paths whenever they came.


    "Have you memorized any important names logged in the hotel?"


    "Yes, sir." His voice came as a whisper as he pursed his lips right after.


    "Hmph." JD''s voice rang cold, almost like one wrong word, and the staff could lose his job right off the bat. "You''d do well to know their features."


    "Right. My apologies for disturbing you." The staff bowed his upper body.


    Meanwhile, inside JD''s head, Andrew had been quiet, perhaps anticipating what would come next or what was happening.


    JD turned on his back. "Freyda."


    "Pardon?" A list of the surnames of the VIPs flashed to the staff''s mind, and he recognized the name immediately. "Ah, yes! Sir Charles, was it?"


    "Charles? Who''s Charles?"


    "Yes. Now please get out of my way."


    Just like that, JD reached the elevators without further ado. But he didn''t celebrate yet, nor did he respond to any of Andrew''s questions about Charles Freyda or the magic of the elevators.


    "How many more are there?"


    "Hm? None. It''s clear."


    JD took a deep breath and internally thanked Garnet for putting luck on their side this time. He knew he''d lost touch since retiring from his previous occupation, but his travels after quitting his job and memories as the Gemini god had made him somewhat softer. He used to be more violent, cold, and merciless with everyone that got in his way during missions.


    He shook his head briefly and pursed his lips as the elevator doors opened to the fifth floor. Stepping out silently and carefully walking down the carpeted floors, JD pushed the recollections of his past as John away.


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    It wasn''t that it didn''t matter anymore. But it didn''t matter as much as his life with Andrew did. Or at least, it was what he convinced himself to believe in staying mentally strong. Especially after that time, all the people at the inn turned into mindless dolls. And that was only last night.


    JD wouldn''t admit it, but even as he recalled his memories as the older Gemini god, it didn''t help the feeling of helplessness in him. The inability to save the people from Zalden''s mind control kept repeating in his mind whenever he thought about Zalden or anyone from Abarly, reminding him even more of failing to save Andrew and himself in the past.


    But unknown to him, Andrew had felt some uneasiness from JD.


    JD took out the card key and had a scanner from a door scan its contents. A satisfying beep sound came from the scanner, and JD pushed the unlocked door open.


    As he locked the door and walked in a few steps, he knelt on one knee and faced the tiled floors. Wordless, he felt something inside him pull away, and as he peeked ahead, the shoes he lent Andrew appeared.


    Once Andrew''s soul had fully come out, his body reappeared. JD''s palms landed on the floor later on, supporting his weight.


    "Brother!"


    He could fall on the cold floor for all he cared, but Andrew didn''t allow it. Andrew sat close to him, and his head dropped to the edge of Andrew''s lap.


    JD sighed and chuckled. "Sorry. I didn''t think using this inborn magic for hours would be quite draining."


    "That''s not true."


    "Look, my magic capabilities are average at best, so that''s not surprising."


    "...You''re drained because of something else."


    "Why else would I be? It''s really just that."


    Andrew buried his fingers in JD''s hair, leaning his body close. His voice was low, and a tinge of sadness and hurt lingered in its softness.


    "Don''t lie to me, brother."


    JD didn''t reply, his eyes pressed on Andrew''s lap widening, then shrinking back after a short silence. He switched around, his eyes facing Andrew''s, whose hair draped over JD''s forehead.


    He tried to hide it during the quick infiltration, but he should''ve known Andrew would figure it out at some point. Unlike Charles, whose inborn magic was to sense magic usage when the intention was malicious, Andrew''s magic detection magic was beyond everyone else''s in Julisie. Using it, he could see the distinct differences between any magic, able to identify what was really done.


    "Magic detection, huh." JD smiled. "What made you turn it on?"


    Andrew''s fingers slid to JD''s cheeks, eyes partially closed, looking back at his brother. His voice remained soft. "Your heart was tensed, and your soul troubled by something."


    JD looked at him apologetically. "Sorry for not telling you. I..."


    "It''s okay." Andrew lowered his head further. "You''re exhausted because you used three different magic simultaneously."


    "You got me." JD chuckled. "Do you know which ones?"


    "Mhm. When you entered the building, you cast an invisible screen on yourself¡ªmagic to lose your presence. That''s why no one took notice of you."


    Charles never detected magic usage from JD because he never had evil intentions when casting this magic that he used all the time. But Andrew could catch any magical usage nearby.


    JD held Andrew''s hands that slid to his shoulders, an apologetic smile still on his face.


    "It''s similar to the magic only you used back in Paradise. The one you use all the time whenever other gods approach me. That''s why everyone always seemed to forget you''re right there."


    "...I didn''t know you knew that." JD closed his eyes. "You''re so cautious."


    "I have to be. People gather around me constantly¡ªI can''t let my guard down unless I''m alone with you." He replied so softly it was barely audible. "And you''re so sneaky."


    JD squeezed Andrew''s hands and chuckled. "Perhaps my previous body used it so much that it was branded to my soul. Since I developed that magic at an early age."


    It was the real reason JD''s past occupation as an agent worked so well for him. No one ever figured it out. Or at least no one thought it was magic and regarded JD as someone with little to no presence, making him the perfect model agent.


    "The other magic you used was when that young man approached you. The reason he must''ve felt threatened or scared¡ªmagic that swallows the space around your target."


    "That one''s something I got when I was a teenager." JD''s face showed a slight disgust at the recollection. "Did you figure out what it does?"


    "Mhm."


    JD opened his eyes and smiled a little. "As expected of you."


    Andrew blushed a little but said nothing of it. "It''s more of a psychological magic."


    "It is."


    "You make the target feel as though they''re alone¡ªit''s just them against you. But they wouldn''t know it was magic because of your natural ability to intimidate others." A sense of pride clung to the last part of what Andrew said.


    "I''m sorry for hiding a lot of things from you."


    "It''s okay."


    He said that, but the softness of his voice was the result of suppressing his tears, and the gentle hold of his hands on JD''s face was the result of stopping his quivering.


    "I''m sorry for ignoring your questions earlier, too."


    Andrew couldn''t take it anymore but didn''t want to show his hurt physically. JD using different magic spells at the same time wasn''t what was unnatural, but the fact that his heart and soul had been anxious in the midst of it. And Andrew knew he shouldn''t add to his brother''s worries.


    He dropped his head to the side of JD''s, his lips touching one of JD''s temples. The kiss was tender, like a passing wind, and long, like a promise of eternity.


    "You drained yourself because you used three spells while dealing with something affecting your mental state. Am I mistaken?"


    JD closed his eyes and shook his head lightly.


    "You''re right."


    "Can you tell me what''s troubling you?" Andrew''s fingers tightened on JD''s chin. "Please?"


    JD shifted his position, his eyes facing the other way, and Andrew''s eyes were stuck with JD''s messy hair.


    "I..." JD pursed his lips briefly. His voice was low, but with their distance, Andrew heard him just right. "I felt threatened."


    "By?"


    "...Zalden."


    "You mentioned that name before, too. What exactly is it?"


    "It''s a mobile elixir business. I haven''t told you how I ended up in the forest yet, but basically...."


    Amidst his straightforward explanation, Andrew said nothing. JD ended his story of when he was left bewildered after the mayor of Abarly ordered him out.


    "I''m such a weakling, aren''t I?" JD whispered, his voice starting to crack. "If it were you in that position, it would''ve ended differently."


    Andrew didn''t reply nor move, but his silent and steady breathing behind JD''s head contradicted JD''s breathing.


    "I said subduing Zalden somehow could help us uncover the truth, and I do think so."


    "Mhm."


    "I really think so," JD said again as if failing to convince himself. "But the truth is, I want to see the CEO again. The last time I saw him, he was too far, and I couldn''t sense anything from him. Even so, I want to try again, closer this time. Preferably face to face with him."


    Andrew still said nothing, but one of his hands had moved to brush JD''s hair, and his head rose from leaning on his knee, some of his locks now gracing JD''s side profile.


    JD laughed dryly. "This sounds crazy, but a part of me can''t help but feel or think that... he''s a reincarnation of Aven."


    "What does he look like?" The disbelief in Andrew''s soft tone flew right to JD''s ears, but he continued and explained the CEO''s appearance. "Hm. Why do you think he is a reincarnation like us?"


    "As I said earlier, his actions are weird. Normally, human behavior is as complicated as it gets, but something about him talking to his men about wanting to capture me, then ordering Abarly''s people to throw me out didn''t make sense."


    "It''s contradictory."


    "Exactly. I don''t get what he really wants." JD shifted so that his eyes were on Andrew''s again. "I know you want to know the truth about our death¡ªI do, too. Yet, here I am being distracted with such thoughts that don''t even really make sense either."


    Andrew smiled. "I don''t find it nonsensical. It''s worth a chance." Andrew helped JD sit up and snuggled to his back right after. "Thank you for telling me."


    "So, what do we focus on now?" JD mumbled.


    "I have an idea." Andrew clutched the scarf around his neck. "We need to gather information about their members and perhaps capture one. Then, I can analyze and process their face, body type, voice, and speech patterns."


    "So, you can infiltrate Zalden''s place."


    "And help you sneak in, too."


    JD chuckled. "Sounds like a plan." Then he leaned over to Andrew slightly, a look of melancholy occupying his eyes. "Thank you for listening, Drew."


    "Always."


    After a brief silence of comfort, Andrew suddenly perked up.


    "Right! Your luggage!"


    But before anything else, the door made a beeping noise, catching their attention and drawing their thoughts to a sudden stop.


    The door opened, and a dirty blonde man entered with his eyes closed and frustration all over his face. He turned around and locked the door, but his hazel eyes enlarged as soon as he turned again and lifted his eyelids.


    "Charles...!"


    "JD!" Charles pointed, then his gaze and finger jumped in Andrew''s direction. "And... another JD?"


    "Ah! So, he''s Charles Freyda!" Andrew voiced out in shock. "Did I pronounce his surname right?"


    JD stood up quickly, one arm shielding Andrew from Charles, whose expression exhibited so much bewilderment.


    Not only were there two of JD, but something about him¡ªhis face¡ªseemed different than when he last saw him yesterday. He couldn''t pinpoint what it was, but when JD''s blue eyes shone, Charles knew what was different and what his glowing eyes meant.


    While JD''s sudden magic activation had no real malicious intent, Charles'' passive inborn magic still sensed it. Still, realizing that JD might hurt him didn''t sink in immediately.


    "JD, your eyes-"


    JD used a speed boost spell on impulse, and with his target caught off guard, JD got to a stance. Swiftly, one of his legs flew into the air. The bridge of his foot struck Charles below his jaw, snapping his head to the other side.


    Due to the impact of the hit, Charles fell off balance and lost consciousness.

 Chapter 8 - Other Souls

    Before Charles fell on the floor, JD caught him and immediately carried him to the couch.


    "Drew!"


    Andrew, starstruck, ran close. "Y-yes!"


    "Heal him," He yelled, voice shaky as he moved out of the way. "Now!"


    With one quick nod and hum, Andrew pulled Charles'' scarf away, and his hands moved to the top of his jawline. Tiny sparks of light rained down from his palms to Charles'' skin, the little diamond-shaped sparks sticking close to the bruised skin and staying there.


    Andrew stole a glance behind him, where JD''s face looked bitter and regretful.


    "His life is not in danger, is it?"


    Andrew shook his head. "He''s merely unconscious."


    "Oh, Garnet." JD caught his head in one hand. "I knocked him out. I really just knocked Charles out."


    "Well," Andrew''s hands dropped, the distance between his fingers and Charles'' jaw and neck growing small. "Why did you hit him?"


    "It was on impulse!" JD reasoned but then violently shook his head. "No, I kicked him on purpose. I... I was afraid that Zalden''s CEO still had control over his mind."


    His speech fastened, and his hands kept shaking as he paced back and forth.


    "Heck, Charles shouldn''t be here! He only comes here when he''s on vacay from work, but he only goes on vacays on special occasions concerning his relatives or friends outside of Abarly."


    JD''s palms and fingers stuck against each other, his eyes burning straight into the pictureless frame on the wall above Andrew and Charles.


    "But he recently just did that last month, and he only does that once every several months!"


    The light from Andrew''s palms slowly faded along with the white marks on Charles'' jaw. He tapped the area where his brother hit Charles and nodded in satisfaction with his improved condition.


    "He should wake up in just a few minutes," Andrew said.


    "And his outfit! Autumn clothes that aren''t his color, and-"JD''s gaze jumped on the door and everywhere. "Wait, he doesn''t have any luggage with him? Why was he here, then?"


    "Brother." Andrew turned around after carefully wrapping the scarf around Charles'' neck again. "Is he your companion?"


    "Well, he''s... I wouldn''t call him a companion since I travel alone, but we''re friends." JD stopped pacing around the room. "I met him outside of Abarly, and he''s the one who told me about this town."


    "I see." Andrew sat on the arm of the sofa where Charles lay.


    "More importantly," JD walked over to Charles and checked his pockets. "He doesn''t have anything but the card key and his phone?"


    "...Phone?"


    JD muttered a silent apology as he fished through Charles'' coat''s inside pockets, then froze. His hand took hold of something, and as he pulled it out, he raised the object to get a clearer view. A vial with a transparent liquid inside.


    "Is that...?"


    "...An elixir." JD''s voice was quiet, his grip tightened, and his eyes glinted. "Shit. Did Zalden figure us out?"


    "Us?" Andrew mumbled, one of his eyebrows rising.


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    JD rolled his eyes at him and slapped his cheeks softly. Andrew responded with a little giggle.


    Suddenly, an urgent yet soft knocking echoed from the door, freezing the two. JD took immediate, silent steps towards the door and looked at Andrew, whose blue eyes shone briefly. After the quick glow, he pulled out two fingers, indicating the number of people behind the door.


    JD placed the vial on the table and gripped on the door knob while Andrew slid over to the edge of the door frame to be invisible to the people once JD opened it. They nodded at one another, then JD pulled the door open as fast as possible.


    He jumped to his stance as soon as he let go of the knob and was ready to kick whoever entered.


    "Wait!"


    JD''s leg stopped midair, his foot sending an air of impact at a close distance against an unfamiliar girl''s face.


    The girl opened her eyes quickly. Her pupils and hands shook, but she pushed her voice out despite the sudden throbbing in her chest at what would''ve arrived had she not yelled immediately.


    "We''re not being mind controlled!" She hissed, voice soft and light like a feather.


    JD squinted but dropped his foot to the ground. His stance remained ready for any unexpected act.


    Questions raced in his mind, but he was sure about some things, like what the girl had said. JD had faced the senseless dolls Zalden''s CEO controlled, and if there was anything he took note of that, none of their faces expressed such genuine worry for any possible danger to themselves. Unlike what lies in the eyes of this girl right now.


    Right then, another person came in and pushed himself in.


    "Whew!" His white-gloved hand brushed his black locks away from his red eyes. "You need to chill down, St. Michael."


    As they''ve expected from a man an entire company sought after, and Charles explained as well-trained in physical combat, JD was prepared to take them down.


    Just as the door clicked and the two people welcomed relief from the reason reflecting in JD''s eyes, a sense of danger dawned on them from behind. Like the eyes of a waiting predator, hiding in a blind spot, ready to jump on them without holding back.


    They would''ve been too late as they froze on the spot, but JD had raised one hand faster than Andrew could grab their necks with his magic-infused hands.


    They turned around and met Andrew''s palms, with colorful flares fading out and magic dissipating off them. He lowered his arms, showing them his full features. Complete with the same on-guard stance and deadlock gaze.


    "Whoa!" The blood-eyed man pulled the girl with him on the shoulders as he sidestepped away from Andrew, eyes jumping from him to JD and back again. "There''s two of them!"


    The girl did the same thing, with her hands clasped together in her chest in hopes of relieving her running breath and pacing heartbeat.


    "I''m sure you''re ready for an introduction." JD''s stance relaxed. "Who are you?"


    "My name is Fareeha. Fareeha Jaser." The girl with light blue eyes and brown braided pigtails replied. "And this is Nicoli, my aid."


    The one behind her saluted slightly. "Good day, Geminines!"


    JD''s brow rose, prompting Fareeha to wave her arms before her.


    "Please hear us out! We''re not from The Great Gemini; that''s why he said that." Fareeha shot Nicoli a side glare. She looked back at JD after Nicoli''s light giggle. "We''re guests of Sir Freyda."


    Nicoli peered behind Fareeha, eyes glancing over to Charles'' previously unconscious body on the couch. His eyebrows had met, and now his eyes slowly fluttered open.


    "Rise and shine, Charles!" Nicoli chirped, towering over Fareeha more as he raised himself by pressing on her shoulders.


    "Nicoli," Fareeha grunted. "You''re heavy."


    Nicoli stepped back on the floor and wrapped his arms around Fareeha''s neck, humming happily while his mistress'' eyebrows furrowed, and she was clearly displeased.


    "Nicoli. Behave."


    "Yes, ma''am." He took his arms back to his side, but his smile didn''t leave.


    Charles'' eyes widened as his foggy mind cleared up, and he sat up quickly, one hand cupping the area where he swore it was hurting before he lost consciousness.


    He looked over to JD and glared. "Dang it, JD! You didn''t have to hit me that hard!"


    "I had you healed right after. Look, you woke up in just a few minutes."


    "Thanks... But that''s not the point!" Then his eyes shifted to everyone, lingered in Andrew''s direction for a second with an extra squint, then back at JD. "Anyway, I didn''t fully expect you to be here."


    "Fully?"


    "I expected you to be here by at least a fifty percent chance. But after checking the logs, I knew you had to be here." Charles raised a hand when JD opened his mouth. "Don''t worry about that."


    "But-"


    "We''ve established the three of us as my guests." He referred to himself and Fareeha and Nicoli with an arm. Charles deadpanned, "Or your guest, rather, since you really had to use my name like that."


    JD rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Suddenly, his friend was here where he wouldn''t be during this time, and then he brought in other souls. Everything, especially how Charles expected him to be there, needed to be questioned. And answered.


    But before he could reply with a retort or ask a question, Charles spoke again.


    "You''re lost, I know. Me too." He glanced in Andrew''s direction again, showing JD one of the main objects of his confusion. "But I have something I need to tell you."


    Charles'' gaze averted to the vial on the table and snatched it, holding its top and bottom with his fingers.


    "About Zalden."

 Chapter 9 - God Soul

    Nicoli faked a cough. "Correction, Charles."


    "Right." Fareeha followed, more confidently facing everyone, especially JD. "We have something to tell you, Sir St. Michael. About Zalden."


    Andrew squinted and walked over to JD''s side, crossing his arms right after as he gazed at the other three souls in the room.


    "Rather, you have something to tell us about Zalden."


    JD''s gaze jumped on Andrew and nodded, and then his eyes went to the others.


    "That''s right."


    "...He''s not your clone?" Charles asked.


    "I don''t have clone magic, Charles. I didn''t learn it."


    He could''ve, but he didn''t want to. For some odd reason, he didn''t go for it even when most of his colleagues took the offer when the agency''s mentor offered to teach every agent about it.


    As JD recalled that, his mind flickered to Andrew, bringing a sense of relief to his soul. It was a good thing he didn''t learn it. If he were going to see himself, he''d rather see Andrew over and over again than some clone.


    "Then?"


    JD looked at Andrew, who looked at him, too-a silent communication. At the end of it, Andrew side-smiled as JD diverted his eyes to Charles.


    "He''s..." JD smiled a little. "...my younger twin brother."


    "You have a twin brother?" Charles replied immediately, almost shouting.


    "Yeah..."


    "Garnet, JD." Charles pressed his nose bridge. "And your eyes? Are you wearing contacts? I doubt it, though."


    With how his eyes shone when he used a spell before knocking out Charles, it was impossible he wore contact lenses. But Charles didn''t want to pressure him into telling what was up.


    "Well, I awakened an inborn magic this morning."


    "Oh!" Charles'' expression thwarted to a lighter and brighter one. "Congrats!"


    JD offered a smile as he bowed in thanks.


    "Can we get on to business?" Nicoli sang in an impatient and playful tone.


    "Yeah, sorry." Charles gripped the vial and stood up. "But please, let me speak to JD first for clarifications."


    Nicoli looked at Fareeha, who nodded. With that, Nicoli shrugged and gestured for them to continue as he walked past Charles to sit on the couch.


    Now face to face, Charles gathered his thoughts.


    "JD." Even as he retained his gaze on his friend, Charles couldn''t help but peek at Andrew''s incredibly identical face, hairstyle, and fashion sense. "I kinda know what happened last night."


    "What?" JD gasped lightly.


    Charles was mind-controlled like everyone else; that was what happened. But as the girl in a partial summer and autumn outfit claimed earlier, they were not under the influence. Questions rained down on JD all the more.


    "I know something weird happened last night. I just couldn''t remember what." Charles turned in Fareeha''s direction briefly. "Well, until I met Fareeha earlier and got some ideas. Fareeha." Charles gestured for her to step in.


    Fareeha nodded at Charles before turning to JD. "I think I know almost exactly what happened."


    "Shall we sit down?" JD offered.


    Fareeha looked down at the floor before nodding.


    "My lady, come sit beside me!" Nicoli called, but then Charles had already sat beside him. "What are you sitting with me for?"


    "Huh?" Charles squinted.


    Fareeha sat on the armchair on Charles'' side. "Be quiet, Nicoli."


    "Tch."


    As JD sat on the other armchair beside Fareeha''s and opposite the couch where Charles and Nicoli sat, Andrew leaned against the chair''s arm, his arms crossed.


    "Let me introduce myself again." Fareeha placed a hand on her chest. "I am Fareeha Jaser. Zed''s adopted younger sister."


    "Zed?" JD mumbled.


    "Zedekiah Mitchell," Charles said. "Zalden''s CEO."


    JD and Andrew met eyes, turning towards Fareeha as she lightly faked a cough.


    "After hearing about what happened from Zalden''s executives last night, I decided to visit this inn in hopes of finding a lead to where Sir St. Michael had gone. This early morning, as I did, Sir Freyda approached me."


    "She was asking Ellis about you, JD, so I had to butt in." Charles crossed his arms. "Because my memories have been foggy since the last I spoke to you. Yet somehow, something didn''t feel right. I... remember my inborn magic acting up before things turned hazy."


    "Nicoli and him being acquainted made things easier and seemed more natural for Sir Freyda to approach me-us. As the inn was still preparing to open, we had enough time to inform him of what happened without anyone hearing us."


    "And you can count on that!" Nicoli displayed a proud smile. "I put up a barrier around us so no one would hear us even if they get close."


    "And no one really came close, anyway," Fareeha whispered. "I''m sure you already know what I told Sir Freyda, then, no?"


    "The mind control frenzy just to capture me."


    "Yes," Fareeha answered. "Sir Freyda told us about this hotel room after our discussion. He regarded it as the place you''d most likely take refuge in."


    JD crossed his legs and leaned on the backrest. "How about the mind control elixir in Charles'' system?"


    "Worry not!" Nicoli shouted. "My lady has the magic to cleanse the brain of any mind magic."


    "Cleanse," Andrew muttered, catching JD''s gaze briefly.


    He and Andrew must''ve had the same thought. As Fareeha said earlier, she and Nicoli were not Geminines-not from The Great Gemini. How they dressed and presented themselves seemed they didn''t come from the same land either.


    However, cleanse magic had always been common around Julisie and especially Paradise. But the land in particular where said magic had been prominent to the point of pinpointing the nerves precisely to pull in any magic a person has ingested was none other than the land far southwest of The Great Gemini.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "The Theocracy, huh," JD whispered to Andrew.


    "Mhm," Andrew replied in a low voice. "The land of the Sagittarius goddess."


    "So," JD said aloud, halting the bickering between Fareeha and Nicoli that Charles had difficulty mediating. "What''s your goal? Aren''t you supposed to be on Zalden''s side? On... Zedekiah''s side?"


    "No, I... I requested Sir Freyda to take me here to inform you of Brother Zed''s plan."


    "Again. What''s your goal? Why are you doing this?" JD replied hastily.


    "I..." Fareeha shook her head slightly when Nicoli perked up at JD''s almost harsh tone. "I care about him. I''m... worried about him."


    JD didn''t reply and only raised a brow.


    "It''s an understatement to say he''s been acting strange lately. It''s more like... he''s been strange since forever. I just never saw it when I was younger."


    "That is quite something to say about your brother." Andrew suddenly said.


    "Drew."


    "What?"


    "It''s alright. I see where your brother is coming from, Sir St. Michael."


    JD almost wanted to retort to say that his interference with what Andrew said had nothing to do with judging Fareeha. But he wouldn''t do that. Only Andrew could know what goes on in JD''s head. Only Andrew wouldn''t think strangely of how his mind worked. Especially regarding Andrew himself.


    "Let me tell you briefly about our history," Fareeha said. "You know how The Unified Scales has fallen into anarchy for decades now, yes?"


    JD nodded, hands clasping together tightly on his stomach at the remembrance of the Libra god''s death. Humans wouldn''t know what happened. But JD and Andrew didn''t know it detail by detail either.


    "I... have been a victim of those horrors a decade ago. Eventually, I met Brother Zed. He was traveling with his family''s small business to the borders where foreign... victims, such as myself, were being held."


    A slave.


    JD could tell she avoided that word, but that was what it was-what she used to be.


    As JD glanced at Nicoli for a short second, it wasn''t hard to confirm his ideas. His blood eyes were stricken with uncertainty and deep-rooted hatred, his suddenly quiet countenance and his tightly gritted teeth evident from how his jawline conformed. Combining it with his apparent devotion and adoration for Fareeha, JD solved the whole case. At least in basic terms without the details.


    "And his magic... his mind-controlling magic. It was what saved everyone in that area from the harassment of the authorities." A small smile found its way to Fareeha''s lips. "He took in everyone. And me being the youngest, or the only real child in there, he adopted me as his sister."


    Though there wasn''t any formal identification of them being adoptive siblings, it didn''t matter. None of it mattered to Fareeha. All that mattered was the warmth and security when Zedekiah had her in his arms and took everyone with him as he left The Unified Scales.


    But as curious JD grew with how Fareeha kept avoiding herself being the main topic, like why she didn''t specify anything more about how she was there in the first place and why she was adopted instead of returned to her family, JD felt it must be a pathway he shouldn''t trudge onto so carelessly.


    "What happened to everyone else?" JD asked.


    "Their families were either missing or dead, and Brother Zed welcoming them into his life if they ever find that there''s nowhere else to come back to has made everyone stay with him."


    "And? Where are they now?"


    "...All of them are presently Zalden''s executives."


    JD''s fingers flinched, and his brows met slightly.


    "I see." He loosened his hold on his fingers. "And you? What of you?"


    "At first, I traveled back to my home country and reunited with relatives and friends, but after a while, I returned to Brother Zed and stayed with him for a while."


    "And?" JD held back the impatience in his tone, though whether Fareeha noticed it or not, she still scarcely balled her hands on her lap.


    "And he''s, well, he''s been saying and doing some disturbing and suspicious things." Fareeha shrank to her seat. "I overheard him speaking with the family doctor many times, and often, he talked about... something crazy."


    She pursed her lips as she paused, then looked back at JD with unsure eyes.


    "He... he mentioned... the gods." Fareeha''s eyebrows furrowed. "It''s quite unclear for me and nothing about it all makes sense to me. But the way he went about things, it''s as if he... personally knew them."


    "..."


    "I know it sounds crazy. I-I thought I''d gone mad myself. That perhaps I was mishearing things. But it continued when he talked to himself sometimes, too. In the morning, he would especially greet Garnet as if he was right there." She shook her head. "I... I don''t get it, either. I''m sorry."


    "What else?"


    Fareeha''s shoulders tensed, and eyes sparkled lightly at JD''s interest and curiosity. Everyone she tried to talk to about this other than Nicoli had always brushed her off as if she was overthinking things. They all insisted Zedekiah was suffering from a mental illness and that it had nothing to do with the gods themselves. But she thought and believed otherwise.


    "Um, his behavior and expressions on several occasions, too, were odd. He would pace back and forth as if deep in thought, then his expression would darken, and his eyes looked so... empty and... scary." Her voice softened. "When he was alone or simply forgot I was in the room, he would start talking to himself."


    Nobody said anything as Fareeha''s voice went over unusual intervals of softness, hoarseness, and haste.


    "He would yell at the wall as if it did something it shouldn''t have done. He would break down and cry and scream as if his mind was elsewhere and it was being tortured." Her hands went over her mouth in a flash as her voice cracked. "He would snicker or laugh so loud and maniacally after staring blankly at a distance as if he... killed someone he loathed or successfully took revenge on someone." Fear flashed in her eyes as she teared up and trembled in recollection.


    JD''s eyes briefly jumped to Andrew as the latter''s fingers on the armchair''s edge flinched and tightened.


    "My lady." Nicoli knelt in front of Fareeha with serious and worried eyes. He reached for her hands, holding them, while his other hand went to her cheeks, wiping stray tears. "Look at me."


    Fareeha gritted her teeth and stared back at Nicoli. The pair only stared while Nicoli wiped her face and held one of her hands in one of his. Eventually, he gave a ghost of a smile before standing and returning to his seat.


    She breathed deeply and shook her head. "I''m sorry for that."


    "It''s fine." JD quickly replied.


    "Other than those, the last session he had with the family doctor gave me an idea of what was really going on." Fareeha straightened her back and held determination in her light blue eyes. "He... talked about his past life."


    "What?" Charles blurted out.


    JD and Andrew gasped inwardly, their pupils dilating and their grip on where or what they held tightening.


    "The doctor never questioned anything he said, but when faced with me, he was like everyone else. They think Brother Zed''s childhood had been filled with phases like this ever since he was born, and they all simply regarded it as an inborn mental health problem."


    "What did he say?" JD blinked, suppressing the quivering of his voice. "About his past life, I mean."


    "The last one I heard was something about...." She placed a finger below her chin. Then her eyes partially closed as she stared at the coffee table. "...the Gemini gods."


    Frozen water splashed across both JD''s and Andrew''s souls. They froze, eyes wide, mouths slightly agape, and nerves numb.


    JD recovered quickly, but Andrew hasn''t. His hand on JD''s side trembled, and the shaking started vibrating to the rest of his arm. JD immediately grabbed Andrew''s hand and squeezed it, calming his soul down almost instantly.


    Andrew closed his eyes, then gazed at JD''s unmoved countenance as he maintained eye contact with Fareeha. Andrew held JD''s hand back and gave it a squeeze, too, assuring him he was fine.


    Fareeha looked up again after thinking. "Something about how much he didn''t quite like how his uncle always seemed to visit The Great Gemini. Or how fond he is of the place." She shook her head after. "I''m sorry, that wasn''t very helpful."


    "It''s enough." JD faked a cough. "I mean, it''s already a lot of information. But, again, the same question as before, what is your goal?"


    "Firstly, I, um, know full well about his utmost interest in something." She stared at JD. "Your capture."


    "Mhm." JD hummed in reply. "I am well aware."


    "But it doesn''t make sense, does it? Last night, I heard from the executives that Brother Zed sought out to capture you finally." Her voice reeked of confusion and uncertainty. "And yet, he let you go."


    JD placed a hand over his lower face. "I found that odd, too. Do you know what happened to him after that?"


    "I... I wasn''t allowed in his room after I heard of the operation''s failure." Fareeha placed a fist on her chest. "But I could hear him screaming, and the nurses were trying to calm him down."


    "Could it be another of the phases you mentioned?"


    "I supposed so. But before I left this morning, I heard he was in a fairly happy mood. Saying something like, ''it should happen soon,'' and I have no idea what he''s pertaining to."


    "Strange."


    "It is." She breathed in deeply one more time. "And so, my goal is to save him from this-from whatever this is that''s making his life difficult. I-I don''t know for sure what it really is, but it hurts me every time I see him break down, go angry, and suddenly seem out of it all."


    She wiped the insistent tears that streamed down her eyes, holding out one hand to stop Nicoli from standing up. As she relieved herself, she continued.


    "And I highly believe my theory to be correct. My theory of what will free him of some spiritual suffering no doctor could identify."


    "Spiritual, huh? And it has something to do with me?"


    "...Yes, actually. I think he''s going after you because he has unfinished business with your soul-in yours and his past lives."


    JD furrowed his eyebrows. "Ms. Jaser, do you know what you''re saying means?"


    Fareeha nodded firmly. "Yes. It''s a rumor to others-to many. But it is a real belief to me that souls can remember their past lives...." Her grip on the turquoise ribbon on her chest tightened. "...if their soul housed a god before death."


    "...So, you''re saying..." JD didn''t hide the disbelief in his voice, but Fareeha remained unfazed.


    "Brother Zed''s soul is a god soul."

 Chapter 10.1 - Vengeful Soul

    "I think so, too."


    Everyone but Andrew''s eyes widened at JD''s quick reply.


    Fareeha nodded slowly, a look of joy sparking in her eyes. "I''m glad I decided to do this as soon as possible. I... really needed your help."


    JD cocked a head to the side, taking his hand back from Andrew and clasping them together as his elbows rested on the armchairs.


    "What do you want me to do?" JD asked. "Face Zalden¡ªZedekiah?"


    Andrew''s eyes slid at his brother, a feeling of uneasiness creeping up to his soul at how calm and welcoming JD was with what Fareeha might propose.


    "Yes, actually." She exchanged eyes with Nicoli briefly, who smiled at both Fareeha and JD. "And we will be right there with you to ensure your safety. I will be there so that Brother Zed will not do anything to harm you. If he persists, I''ll have Nicoli aid you. He is a renowned knight from the northeast. You can rest assured."


    "But," Charles intervened. "Like I told you, JD is strong enough by himself to handle several executives."


    "Oho?" Nicoli voiced an interest.


    "I''m sure." Charles glanced at JD''s unchanging calm demeanor. "He can take on Zed and some bodyguards or executives alone. We just need to ensure they don''t pile up on him."


    "You regard Sir St. Michael highly, Sir Freyda."


    Charles shrugged and smiled. "I''ve seen him move in the past. I trust what I see."


    JD returned the smile before glancing over to Fareeha. "I have an idea of how things should go."


    "Please." Fareeha offered politely.


    "I will face Zedekiah alo-"


    "Brother."


    JD pursed his lips and side-eyed Andrew''s squinted eyes. "I will face Zedekiah. Alone."


    Andrew''s gaze transformed into a glare, but he couldn''t say anymore with how JD communicated with his eyes.


    Talk later.


    That was what Andrew caught. Not wanting to cause a scene, he remained quiet.


    JD''s gaze jumped back to the others'' confused expressions. He waved a hand slightly, asking them to excuse what they saw.


    "Just as Charles said, I can take care of myself just fine." JD continued, diverting the others'' attention to the case. "All I need is for no one to be there but me and them."


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Why?" Fareeha asked.


    "This may come off harshly, but it''s so I won''t have to worry about them taking any of you as hostages or anything similar."


    "Hey-"


    Fareeha cut Nicoli off, giving him a side look. "That is fine."


    "I can see why that would be for the best." Charles agreed. "To assure no one else goes in the main room, that''s where everyone else comes in, no?"


    "Maybe, yes. But I suggest we take this on quietly." JD placed one finger over his mouth and side-smiled. "So we don''t alarm the entire base."


    "I see. In simple terms, you just need us to distract everyone?" Fareeha crossed an arm, her other resting on the chair''s arm.


    "Exactly. You got it right, Ms. Jaser."


    "Let''s go with this plan, then," Fareeha concluded. "But regarding facing him on your own, while I said it''s fine by me, I have a condition."


    "Shoot."


    "Don''t hurt him. Please." Her voice softened. "Or at least, not too much."


    JD licked his lips and adjusted his sitting position. "I''ll do what I can."


    "Thank you. Really. For doing this."


    JD shook his head. "Ms. Jaser. I''ll have you know the main reason I''m helping with this is to stop Zalden from exploiting Abarly."


    "Right."


    "And he''ll stop as soon as we talk face to face." JD shrugged, an uncertain look suddenly on his face. "At least, this is all based on the idea that his soul is a god soul."


    "I am sure of it," Fareeha said quickly. "I take full responsibility for whatever damage this could cause both you and Abarly if my judgment proves wrong in the end."


    JD tilted his head to the left, eyes searching Fareeha''s. The fact alone that she didn''t do anything beforehand to stop Zalden from exploiting Abarly reeked suspicious, but no ill intent reverberated from her as JD tried to sense her soul.


    "If you are doubting me in any way, please say so."


    JD hummed, then squinted. "Why didn''t you do anything to stop what he was doing with Abarly?"


    "I did." She replied immediately. "I did... but I was brushed off multiple times. The least I could do was sneak in Abarly and cleanse the people from Brother Zed''s magic. Believe me."


    It didn''t matter how much or little influence she had over Zalden or Zedekiah himself. JD had other things in mind that Andrew might''ve caught on to or had an idea about already.


    "When do we strike?"


    "I think..." Fareeha fiddled with her fingers, eyes drooping down to the floor. "As soon as possible."


    "I''d say right now!" Nicoli confidently butted in. "As far as I recall, Zalden won''t be heavily guarded at noon! It will be easier if we go through it now."


    "I kind of agree." Charles reluctantly said, scratching his nape. "But won''t that be moving too fast?"


    Fareeha glanced at JD. "It''s up to Sir St. Michael."


    The more JD thought about this ordeal, the more the tragedy in The Great Gemini in the past coiled back into his memory. He couldn''t help Abarly instantly, but he now had a chance. And it wasn''t too hard.


    But everything felt like a repeat of the past.


    JD couldn''t save himself from what killed him as Hysta, but he prevented further deaths with Andrew¡ªWhist''s help. This time, he couldn''t possibly free Abarly from Zalden''s grip on his own, so he had other souls to aid him. Andrew was also right there.


    But the question of whether he had to sacrifice himself again if the situation morphed into the worst-case scenario lingered in his head. Whether he''d do it again. The answer was a silent yes.


    "Let''s do this." With JD''s declaration, relief and determination painted the other souls'' eyes.


    "It''s settled, then, huh? Just like that." Charles leaned over the backrest. "Should we strategize how exactly we''re going to do this now, then?"


    "I suppose so." Fareeha nodded.


    "I''ll let you guys talk about it for now." JD stood up, prompting Andrew to stop leaning over the chair''s arm, his expression dark and unreadable.


    "Huh? Where are you going?" Charles was about to stand, but JD held out a hand.


    "Please excuse me. I need to get my brother''s luggage on the rooftop." Andrew said, his voice low, swift, and glassy. He bowed slightly before walking out.


    "Wait-"JD ran towards the door, briefly turning towards them and bowing his head. "I''ll be following him in case he gets lost. We''ll be back."

 Chapter 10.2 - Fascinated Souls

    As JD closed the door, the door to the hotel''s staircases flung open. When he opened it, Andrew''s shoes banged and rattled on the metal staircases quickly and heavily.


    "Drew, wait!"


    Andrew didn''t stop, forcing JD to climb up as fast as possible to catch his brother.


    Though he was athletic and had trained for most of his childhood, JD''s heart still raced and begged for a halt, breath still unable to follow through as quickly as he wished.


    Not looking away, Andrew flung the door of the rooftop and vanished. He reached the area close to the solid white railings where JD''s luggage sat. He bent down and touched them with a finger, his blue eyes glowing and data processing into his mind.


    "Drew!" JD yelled, breathing heavily right after entering the open-view rooftop.


    "Your luggage was untouched."


    "Huh?" JD sauntered towards Andrew, one hand on his waist as he caught his breath. "Oh, psychometry magic?"


    With no reply, JD''s breathing and the distant ruffles of wind on the trees beyond the hotel filled their senses. JD''s heart pounded, not only at regaining his stable breathing but also at the seemingly darkening aura from Andrew.


    As his brother stood, his back faced JD with a few meters between them. At that moment, fear etched into JD''s soul as the invisible distance between them somewhat grew in size. He reached out a hand and took slow steps but then flinched and stopped.


    "You want to take him on alone? You want to do this on your own again?"


    JD opened his mouth, but no words came out as his lips trembled against the warm air.


    When he did find his voice, it came out short. "D-Drew... I-"


    "You!" Andrew yelled as his fists clenched so tight his knuckles hurt. "You have no idea!"


    "What are you-"


    "You have no idea." His voice and mouth shook with his hands, but venom poisoned his tone as his jaw clenched tight. "About anything."


    "Then tell me." JD evened his voice, but as soon as Andrew sniffed, JD''s mind went blank.


    With Andrew''s low sniffing and back shaking in suppressed cries and emotions filling the silence, JD fell deaf. He tried to reach out a hand, and his hands trembled, like his view of the world. As if it was crumbling.


    "Answer me, then. You want to leave me out of this and take on the enemy alone?"


    JD cleared his throat. "Drew, I''ll be fine. Besides, what if Zedekiah is Aven? He would know who I am, and he wouldn''t hurt me."


    Andrew scoffed.


    "Look, I know I''m not as powerful as you, but I''m not... weak." JD bit his lower lip, finding it hard to say things to Andrew he didn''t mean.


    He was weak. He knew that. He believed that. But right now, he had to prove he believed otherwise.


    "I can handle this, okay?" His voice softened, but a vibration remained from JD''s growing anxiety. He forced a smile. "I''ll survive this just fine, okay, Drew?"


    But then, when Andrew spoke again, JD stayed frozen on the spot with no sane thought coming to save him.


    "You''re doing it again." Andrew turned around, pain screaming from his wet eyes and shrill voice. "You think I''m a fool?"


    Surprise showered over JD''s expression, and then it transformed into guilt.


    "It''s just like back then!" Andrew yelled and clutched his chest. "You keep reassuring me that you will be fine! That nothing will happen to you! And then what happened? You died! You lie to my face with a smile but then come back to me with your corpse!"


    "... I''m sorry, Drew." JD balled his fists. "I''m really sorry."


    "You died in front of my eyes!" His vision blurred, his brother blurred, and so Andrew shut his eyes tight. "Do you have a single damn clue how that made me feel? No!"


    Andrew forced his head down, tears raining down on his shoes. As if the world felt the same despair, dark clouds gathered and left the world gray. Thunder resounded in the distant skies, and droplets of Garnet''s tears met Julisie.


    "You don''t understand anything! How hard it was, and how scary it was!" Both his hands clutched onto his shirt, an obscure and dark hint of something peeking through his pained gaze. "You don''t understand how much you mean to me. How little the world is in my eyes compared to how I see you, how I was willing to destroy everything Garnet has ever made if it meant bringing you back!


    "You don''t know anything! You don''t know how I couldn''t go on a day without crying when I recovered my memories, wondering if you were even nearby or still alive in this new life, wondering if you''d even recognize me¡ªmy soul."


    His voice toned down as he diverted his eyes to the floor where the tiles had grown soaked enough for him to see his glistening eyes.


    "When we did meet, we didn''t recognize each other." He laughed dryly. "But you don''t know how relieved and happy I was then. All the suffering I had gone through since centuries ago was suddenly worth it."


    A loving smile and gaze drowning in a different complex shot through JD. Then Andrew''s eyes drooped as disdain and guilt replaced his expression.


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    "I shouldn''t have listened to you." Rainwater and new tears trickled Andrew''s face. "I shouldn''t have let you face Eve alone. I... prioritized the people¡ªour people¡ªand lost the only person I really cared about."


    Andrew looked back at JD, their hair and clothes bathing in Garnet''s tears that grew aggressive by the second. Every step on small puddles splashed water on himself as he barely carried himself forward with how heavy his body felt from the wet clothes sticking and adding weight to his clothes.


    "You can''t do this to me again. You can''t leave me like that again." He shook his head violently. "I won''t let you."


    When Andrew felt the murky world get heavier and heavier, recollections of his last ounce of consciousness overcame his mind. This was precisely how the world looked and how his body felt, minus the physical pain before he succumbed to nothingness.


    Assuming he''d fall on the floor and splat on the puddles, Andrew closed his eyes. But someone caught him, and when he opened his eyes, his heart leaped at the sight of JD.


    His fingers reached JD''s jacket and gripped it as if it was his lifeline. JD stepped closer to support his posture, their shoes not even an inch away. He wiped Andrew''s face, hands on his cheeks as they stared.


    With heavy hearts and scarred souls, the right thing to say didn''t make sense. Rather, it didn''t make sense what the right thing was anymore. All that occupied JD''s mind was to redeem himself, forget his fa?ade for a moment, and relieve Andrew of the hurt he caused.


    JD dropped half of the invisible glass that hid his real feelings away in a blink. Staring at him, a glimpse of something unusual and dark yet fascinating peered through JD''s gaze.


    "I love you, Drew." JD breathed, barely saying it, but their intimate distance didn''t fail to deliver the message. "I love you so much it hurts to see you like this, to see you hurt because of my miscalculations¡ªbecause of me."


    While what JD said was true, he couldn''t hide the fact that he liked it, too. Andrew''s vulnerable and unfiltered feelings for no one but JD fed something murky dwelling inside him.


    "Please. Please just trust me one more time." JD took hold of one of Andrew''s hands, squeezing it. "I won''t leave you. I promise. Please, Drew."


    "You''re not fair." Andrew''s eyes watered once more. "You''re unfair, brother."


    Their eyes wore the same hue and the same fascination towards one another''s deep-rooted truths in their minds. And the more they stared, the more the facades over it all disappeared. Both their minds submerged in a pool of pitch black with nothing but their twin brother occupying the space¡ªoccupying all their reason.


    "But what if he''s Eve, brother?" Andrew leaned his face over to JD''s hold. "What if it''s not Aven but Eve or someone else we don''t know?"


    JD''s forehead creased, and his eyes shot away from Andrew''s gaze. Andrew clutched onto JD''s collar, a surge of hatred and vengeance widening JD''s eyes.


    "What if it''s the one who killed us, huh?" Andrew snarled.


    "I know." JD gritted his teeth and shot Andrew a slight frown. "Still, we can''t just...."


    "We can''t what? Kill him?" Andrew''s voice screeched lowly. "How will we avenge our deaths, then? How will I avenge your death in their hands, then?"


    Vengeance drove in JD''s head, and for a moment, the forgotten feeling reached out to resurface. But like always, JD shoved it back to the pits of his soul.


    "What if you find out he''s the one who killed me? Wouldn''t you be angry and displeased?"


    "...I would."


    JD tried. He was still trying. The words Andrew threw pulled the sense of vengeance buried into the back of his soul, but his logical side was strong enough to continue repelling the tempting idea of revenge.


    JD closed his eyes. "But... I don''t want to think he''s the one who did it right away. Because what if he''s not?"


    "And what if he is?"


    "...I thought you only wanted to find out who or what killed us."


    "Of course." Andrew squinted. "For retribution."


    "Then, won''t we be any different?"


    "Why? Do you not wish to avenge your death?" Andrew tilted his head, the lightning that passed by giving his side profile a pale and chilling tone. "My death?"


    JD took a deep breath. "We''re not sure Zedekiah was the one who ended us."


    Silence befell them, and the fire in Andrew''s eyes slowly died down along with his head on even level with JD.


    "Drew," JD held his face again with both hands, forcing him to raise his head. "Look at me."


    After a brief staring contest, Andrew blinked, tears obscuring his vision once more.


    "I just want to be at peace." He whispered.


    "I know." JD tightened his hold. "I know."


    Andrew shook his head in response. JD''s mind had gone cluttered with all the overwhelming feelings Andrew kept making him feel. But the one that won over everything else was to reassure himself and his brother.


    "Drew, I''m right here. I''m right here with you." JD pressed his forehead on Andrew''s. "I''m here. I''m not going to die on you again."


    Andrew kept crying, and JD''s hold and mouth started to shake from the sight and the coldness of the rain.


    "Drew." His low voice quivered as their noises touched. "Please. Please. Please."


    Make it stop.


    It was all that filled JD''s mind as his own vision blurred.


    "I..." Andrew closed his eyes. "... can''t live a life without you, brother."


    "I''m sorry for being weak." JD''s voice cracked as his true beliefs of how he viewed himself finally dashed out of his system. "I''m sorry I was too weak to protect myself."


    "I was too slow." Andrew shook his head lightly, his own natural feelings shining through and rendering all his words against JD earlier useless. "I failed to protect you."


    "Drew, no-"


    "If I made it in time, would you have died? Would I have protected you?"


    "Drew, it''s done. It''s over. I''m right here."


    "The blame belongs to me, but I directed it to the world when I lost you."


    "I''m right here, Drew, please."


    "It''s all because I was too late¡ªbecause I didn''t make it in time."


    "Please don''t blame yourself." JD took Andrew''s trembling hands and intertwined their fingers. "Please don''t... do anything rash and impulsive. I-I don''t want to lose you, too."


    Andrew leaned towards JD slightly, the sides of their noses gracing against one another, then he opened his eyes.


    "...Say it again," Andrew said in a low voice, almost pleading as if asking JD to seal this messy argument with the words he wanted to hear.


    "Which one?" JD whispered with a loving tone, eyes closing partially.


    At that moment, light shone upon them from the departing storm. Andrew calmed down, and so did Garnet. JD could laugh and make fun of Garnet for empathizing and loving his brother so much that he''d move the world according to how Andrew felt. And by the end of it, Andrew would still prefer JD even over the god of creation himself. The thought of rubbing that off on Garnet hindered JD''s thoughts briefly.


    "...The first one."


    JD raked his thoughts of all he had said earlier. He said a handful of things, and the first one most likely wasn''t what Andrew was referring to. As he came to a conclusion, he smiled as he kissed Andrew''s nose, earning a light blush from the latter.


    He raised his head further and stuck his lips on Andrew''s forehead. When he parted, his lips still graced Andrew''s skin.


    "...I love you."


    Andrew nodded lightly and buried his face in JD''s neck, his arms wrapping around his brother comfortably.


    "Okay." He pulled JD closer to him if that was still possible. "I won''t do anything reckless. Just... don''t, too."


    JD hugged back and whispered in Andrew''s ear, "I won''t."


    "You swear?"


    JD smiled uncontrollably. "...I vow it."


    "That''s too extreme...."


    "I vow to never die on you ever again."


    And he meant it. All previous thoughts of possibly sacrificing himself yet again vanished. If it was going to hurt Andrew, JD found it was not an option.


    "...Okay. I believe you, brother."


    One of JD''s hands dipped inside Andrew''s wet and messy hair while the other wrapped around him securely. Relief washed over him at the newfound motivation to stay alive for his other half''s sake and at the rekindled intimacy everyone, but Garnet always seemed to disapprove of.


    "Thank you, Drew."

 Chapter 11 - Infiltrating Souls

    "Why are you so wet?" Charles hopped off the couch and ran to the bedroom to get towels.


    "It rained. Didn''t you notice?" JD answered flatly.


    "I noticed, smart-ass," Charles yelled from the other room. Once he got out, he threw a towel at JD.


    He caught it in one hand. "Thanks."


    "Here." Charles walked up to Andrew and gave him a separate towel before turning his head back to JD. "So, what brilliant idea did you get this time to have dragged your brother into the rain?"


    "None of your business." JD briefly dried his hair and let the towel rest around his shoulders. "Drew, come here."


    "Annoying bastard," Charles mumbled as he crossed his arms.


    Andrew walked over to JD but turned slightly to Charles and pointed towards the suitcases on the door frame.


    "We took brother''s luggage from the rooftop."


    "I see."


    "Suddenly more polite," JD commented, taking the towel in Andrew''s hands and wrapping it around the latter''s head.


    "He''s not you." Charles rolled his eyes and sat on the arm of the couch with his arms still crossed. "I''m sure he''s ten times better than your awful attitude."


    "Oh, he is."


    One of his brows raised at the sight upfront. "And why are you babying him?"


    "What''s wrong with that? He''s my brother." JD answered without looking, eyes only on Andrew, hands rubbing the towel around the latter''s head gently.


    "Uh huh..." Charles looked away. "Anyway, you two should shower first before we depart."


    "That reminds me, where''s Ms. Jaser and the other guy?"


    "They went ahead downstairs." Charles kicked JD with one foot. "So, hurry up."


    "You can just go on ahead, you know."


    After a short series of pointless arguments, Charles decided to go ahead and said they''d meet him by Abarly''s gates.


    "That''s a relief," JD mumbled before turning to the closed bathroom door at the little shriek from inside. "Drew, are you good in there?"


    "Y-yeah. I won''t take long."


    As he said, he took little time. JD followed to the showers and finished just as fast.


    "The thing that shoots water was astonishing! I suppose the modern world isn''t something I can keep underestimating." Andrew said as soon as JD went out.


    "You bet." JD smiled as he rummaged through his suitcase. "You''ll get to see more awesome stuff once we''re over this."


    Andrew''s eyes sparkled as he shrank in the towel around his shoulders.


    "But first," JD threw a long-sleeved shirt and a leather jacket at Andrew. "Get dressed!"


    "Oof!"


    "You know you can wear any of my clothes, right?"


    "I didn''t know which ones would go on top and bottom." Andrew''s head popped out of the hole in the long-sleeved shirt. "Only the underwear was easy to recognize because it isn''t as wide as these other garments."


    "You''ll get used to it." JD sat beside Andrew to put on his shoes, already fully dressed, other than his feet.


    Once finished, JD watched Andrew struggle to wear his black leather jacket, unable to suppress his laughter.


    "Stop laughing and help me! How do you put this on?''


    "Like this." JD finally helped out, but a grin remained on his face. "Finally get it?"


    "I think so." Andrew smiled once he got settled but glared playfully at JD after. "You''re still laughing!"


    "I can''t help it."


    "What do you mean you can''t help it? I can''t help it! I''ve never worn anything like this before." He pouted, then looked over at himself. "But it feels pleasant."


    JD placed his head on an open palm. "You''re so adorable."


    A tint of red crept up on Andrew''s face as he tried to push JD''s face away.


    "What?"


    Andrew pouted and glared. "You do know I look just like you?"


    "Well, yes, but I''m not adorable, and you are."


    Andrew''s blush deepened. "How does that even make any sense?"


    JD shrugged, a soft and warm smile still present on his face.


    He shook his head. Andrew''s reactions only made him smile wider, but as his phone on the table vibrated, he knew he had to stop reveling in his younger brother''s cuteness and get on to business.


    "Okay, okay. We should go now."


    "Hmph." Andrew''s eyes shifted to JD''s luggage. "What about your things?"


    "It can stay here. Charles wouldn''t mind."


    Charles would, but he''d have no choice once JD leaves his stuff here.


    JD grabbed his phone from the table and walked to the door. He turned around at Andrew, who had just finished adjusting his belt with the most adorable confused expression.


    He stretched out an arm, prompting Andrew to raise his head and meet his older twin''s glowing blue eyes.


    "The gates are opened once more. Would you like to come inside?"


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    Wordless, Andrew smiled and took JD''s hand.


    "Come," JD whispered as light consumed Andrew''s figure and slowly dissipated, a trace of soft yellow resembling his soul later snaked around JD''s arm.


    The transparent, barely visible soul reached JD''s nape, and in an instant, JD was left alone, his soul scarcely flickering any light at the reunion of their souls inside him.


    "We''ll do this together, Drew."


    "Mhm!"


    -


    "Where''s your brother?"


    JD reached the others by Abarly''s gate, black hair in a low ponytail while wearing a cap and a mask to obscure his lower face.


    "I didn''t want to involve him."


    "Eh? You didn''t bring Drew with you?" Nicoli sighed. "I thought he seemed pretty stron-"


    In a blink, JD''s hand had traveled centimeters away from Nicoli''s neck, his face close, and eyes shining in the bluest form Nicoli has ever seen.


    "Sir St. Michael!"


    "Don''t call him that," JD said softly in contrast to how sharp his gaze pierced into Nicoli''s.


    "Eh..." Nicoli raised a brow, careful not to step on JD''s buttons. "You called him that, so I thought that was his name. Wasn''t it?"


    JD leaned away, the navy flare on his hands fading.


    "It''s Andrew," JD paused. "Or AD for everyone else."


    "Ah..." Nicoli looked at the sky, an unsure glint playing in his eyes. "I see. Andy, then?"


    "Do you mind?"


    "Do you?"


    "No."


    "Then, it''s fine with me, too!"


    "That''s fine," JD answered after an awkward pause. "Enough about that. What have you guys talked about earlier?"


    Fareeha, somewhat confused and lost at JD''s recent behavior, cleared her throat.


    "According to Nicoli''s clairvoyance magic, most of the other members are outside the building or in their chambers, but we''ve spotted certain people idle in the halls to where Brother Zed''s soul is."


    "Clairvoyance magic, huh?"


    "Hm? Yes..." Fareeha''s eyes widened slightly. "Thankfully, most of them I believe I can lure away with Nicoli and Sir Freyda''s help quite easily. If things don''t go well, I advise you to knock them out as quietly as possible. That is if we''re still going for your silent infiltration."


    "Of course." JD crossed his arms. "Can you tell me a bit about any possible annoying magic from any of them I might encounter?"


    "Well, I would say Reizel Angelos, but she isn''t around for all I remember...."


    "I can sense and identify other souls'' magic, you know!"


    JD touched his forehead, "Oh, right. I forgot."


    "Hm? What do you mean? Do you know her?"


    "Ah, nothing." JD''s eyes widened a bit as he waved a hand. "I think I''ll be fine after all."


    "Are you sure?" Fareeha asked.


    "Sorry, I didn''t think you could use your magic detection while you''re with me."


    "I can!"


    "It would be advantageous to know beforehand, but I have a feeling I won''t have a hard time with your help."


    "Of course!"


    "JD? Yoo-hoo!"


    JD blinked and grimaced, pushing Charles away from him immediately.


    "Is there something wrong, Sir St. Michael? Should we postpone this operation after all?"


    "No, no, it''s fine."


    "Maybe he''s anxious, my lady," Nicoli said, tilting his head with a finger on his chin. "Though, I don''t think so."


    "It''s nothing, really." JD refrained from smiling at Andrew''s little giggle echoing in his head. "I''m good to go. Lead the way."


    On the way, Fareeha and Charles kept glancing at JD while Nicoli playfully walked around them to ensure no one would approach any of the three and get in their way. Eventually, they reached the three-story minimalistic building of Zalden. The sleek, metallic finish shone through the letters that made up ''Zalde Enterprise'' by the front.


    "Remind me why they built a building of their own here," JD whispered to Charles.


    Charles raised a brow. "You don''t know? They''re planning on settling their headquarters here."


    "What?"


    "Yeah. They''re still gonna go on mobile expeditions and advertising, but apparently, this will be their main building from now on once it''s finished."


    "Isn''t this bad?"


    Andrew''s unsure tone echoed in JD''s head.


    "Quite. It depends on who Zedekiah really is."


    "Fareeha!" Someone floating near the signage cried, slowly descending on the ground. She took her goggles off and shook the can of paint in her hands. "Who are these? New friends you made during your stroll?"


    "Yes. By the way, are there any executives in the lobby?"


    "I think we''re all out here. Why?"


    "I''d like to invite them inside if that''s not too troublesome for you and the others."


    "Oh, of course not!" The lady turned towards the other people in similar construction gear, and they all either saluted, gave a thumbs up, or a big smile. "See? There are only Rei and the boss'' guards in there, I think."


    "Reizel? She''s returned?"


    "Yup! The boss called for her this morning, apparently! You should go greet her!"


    "I see. I''ll do that. Thank you, Sasha." Fareeha turned around with a gentle smile on her face. "Gentlemen, this way."


    Fareeha met JD''s eyes, and there was a slight squint as if warning him to be careful. JD gave a brief nod, holding the front of his cap after.


    "My lady."


    The urgency in Nicoli''s voice got Fareeha and Charles turning around, their gazes jumping on everyone around them. All their stances were robotic as they walked toward them with metal rods and other tools in their hands.


    An invisible scabbard came to view right at the left side of Nicoli''s belt. He held onto something and unsheathed a barely visible sword handle, cold, blue flares of fire swirling across the supposed body of the sword.


    "JD, go!" Nicoli hissed as he swung his sword to defend Charles from a mind-controlled executive, the rod against Nicoli''s literal fire sword melting. "Now!"


    "This isn''t right. Something''s wrong." Fareeha panicked. "Sir St. Michael, please leave this to us."


    As JD and Charles exchanged one last nod, JD sprinted, successfully avoiding every mind-controlled person and reaching the entrance.


    Fareeha''s twin braids danced with the air her hands produced, and then from the roots of her hair to the tip, her brown locks turned pastel blue completely. Her light blue eyes glowed as strings of air from her figure deflected every attempted hit on her.


    "Charles," Nicoli called after transforming his flames into purple.


    Charles wasted no time and cast a golden rope in thin air, manipulating it afterward to group everyone Nicoli had pushed into a circle. Once tied to one spot, Nicoli took hold of a purple flame and threw it toward them. A transparent purple barrier spawned beneath them.


    "My lady."


    "Yes."


    Droplets of water encircled Fareeha''s arms, then they came whole and traveled to the mindless executives.


    With one deep breath, Fareeha whispered, "Cleanse."


    "I knew that aid was no ordinary soul," JD said out loud as soon as the double doors closed on his back.


    "What do you mean, brother?"


    "He doesn''t seem to question the idea that Zedekiah is a former god." JD slid around the walls swiftly with no noise, checking every turn for any people. "At first, I thought it might be because he simply believed in Ms. Jaser''s words, but now I know why."


    "Because he sensed the mind-control magic as active as soon as we also did...?"


    "Yeah. No normal human would''ve been that quick to sense unless they have an inborn magic that would allow them to. Heck, even Charles'' inborn talent takes a few seconds before it processes his magic detection."


    Andrew gasped.


    "I thought his attire was strange! It''s almost identical to how Lord Reh dressed in his human form. But I thought it was simply because he was a knight from Lord Reh''s continent."


    "Yeah, right." JD snorted. "No one dresses like a historical, noble knight in this modern world anymore. Everyone else might''ve thought he just liked wearing his land''s traditional clothing."


    "So, you mean to say that he''s from Paradise."


    "Yeah. I recognize him now, too. He''s one of the minor gods in The Firehorn Mountains." JD stopped at a corner and whispered, "Lucanicode."


    "I remember him! He''s very fond of Julisie and often visits whenever Lord Reh allows him to."


    JD shook his head lightly and sighed. The short moments between Fareeha and Nicoli, or Lucanicode, flashed to his mind.


    "I may have an idea why he liked going here."


    Andrew didn''t answer, prompting JD to stop in his tracks.


    "Drew?"


    "Someone''s coming."


    "Reizel Angelos...?"


    "Brother, now!"


    JD''s jumped out of the turn and swung his feet in the air, nearly hitting a woman in the face, but she reacted quickly enough to avoid it within only an inch of her nose.


    She jumped a few steps back, spinning her entire body away when JD attempted another kick. Bluish eyes, almost indigo, glared at JD.


    "Who-"


    Her eyes widened at the gray cap that fell on the tiles, revealing half of JD''s face.


    "You''re..."


    A mole. He had a mole below his left eye. As if he recognized her, too, he removed his face mask and dropped it beside his cap, revealing his entire face. JD moved his head sideways, showing the woman his second mole above his left jawline. As if confirming her suspicions of his identity.


    She had only returned from her week off earlier, and already she had to face the guy who saw through the truth behind her stay at the inn yesterday.


    Something about JD seemed different. But besides his noteworthy moles and ponytailed black hair, she didn''t remember anything else. She glared, her dark blue eyes glowing indigo.


    "Just my luck."

 Chapter 12 - Frozen Souls

    "What are you doing here?"


    "Huh?"


    "Just so you know, civilians aren''t allowed here. What are the others outside even doing?" Reizel rubbed her forehead and sighed sharply.


    JD''s mouth opened briefly but closed a second after.


    "She doesn''t know you''re the one Zalden is after."


    "So, it seems."


    JD took on his stance, eyes not leaving hers as she shook her head, thoughts elsewhere.


    "As the executive outside said, Reizel Angelos just returned today. So, that might be why."


    Reizel returned to go on duty today and had only gotten out of Zedekiah''s office a few minutes ago. He had informed her about their latest operation, something to do with a man named John St. Michael, but she had no idea what he looked like. Zedekiah said she''d know once she saw him.


    "I just got back, and the others are unexpectedly slacking. How would one person even get this far?" Reizel hissed with crossed arms.


    "So, we are near Zedekiah."


    JD nodded.


    Reizel''s eyebrow rose. "You''re still here? I thought I said...." She shook her head. "Right. An intruder, you are."


    She brought her hands to her sides, glowing eyes staring directly at JD, prompting him to remain on guard and watch her every move.


    It wasn''t like she hadn''t used her inborn magic on JD before. She did, back at the inn. But what got her eyes wide was how different it was from the last time.


    Before, there was nothing special she could sense. If anything, it was below average. No inborn talent, no special magic or soul like how Zedekiah''s appeared to her. The only unique thing she noticed about JD was his ability to deduce the truth from simple observations. But right now, JD''s soul looked like something else. Something she''d never seen before.


    "Soul detection, huh?" JD said, surprising her all the more.


    "How...?"


    Reizel figured he might be one of Zedekiah''s mind-controlled civilians that got here for some reason, but mind-controlled people had magenta marks on their souls. Meanwhile, in her eyes, JD didn''t have a soul.


    JD tilted his head and took a step forward. Nearly transparent navy and gray flares appeared and danced around JD''s arms, their hue brightening as they met in his fingers.


    "What do you see in my soul that surprises you so much?"


    Reizel gritted her teeth but then scoffed. "Why should I tell you?"


    A little shoulder rest was JD''s reply, followed by his spurt toward her. She pulled her sword vertically from its sheath hanging around her right belt. Her scarlet blade flaring a pastel-ish green, blocked his leg infused with a speed boost spell and other forms of magic enhancement.


    "Left-handed, huh?" JD mumbled, his eyes sliding over her left hand, tightly gripping the hilt.


    Despite realizing JD didn''t know his soul was like what it was, Reizel remained in the dark. Confused and craving more answers, she didn''t know how to ask or how to phrase. Ultimately, it nailed into her senses how this wasn''t what he used to be yesterday.


    JD jumped back and manipulated the space where he left with both hands, a distorted force with navy and gray flares flashing her way. Again, she parried, blocking her left side. Then her right hand, infused with the same space manipulation magic, attempted to stop the other force that sped up to her right side.


    But Reizel''s right hand trembled, her strengthened fingers pushed back by the powerful force. She gritted her teeth and sliced through the force on her left and then to the one on her right.


    The space distortion vanished, then she spun away, right hand grabbing her phone and dialing its emergency contact immediately.


    "Hmph."


    JD dashed back and swung his left foot flaring more colors, which she stopped with her blade. Again, with JD''s right leg, she scarcely blocked this time. Then again, and again. Reizel kept up with JD''s pace, but the longer and more he was advancing and initiating, the narrower her dodges became.


    "Brother, why are you holding back?"


    JD ducked, leaving her blade swinging in the air above him. His hands slapped on the floor, and he lifted himself sideways, swiftly turning both feet to her face. Soles of his shoes collided with her cheek, pushing her further back. One hand went and wiped the dirt off her cheek, but given no time to relieve herself, JD almost teleported in front of her and landed one kick.


    "I don''t want to hurt her too much."


    The ringing of her phone echoed lightly across the room as she stumbled back and swung her blade upfront to receive another kick.


    "I just need to render her immovable somehow."


    Then as JD dropped his leg, his right hand lunged toward her phone. Determined to avoid letting it fall into his hands, she loosened her grip, his fingers slapping it across the room.


    As it slid away, Reizel raced towards it. But when the call was received, she froze about a meter away from it. Her legs and feet suddenly gripped and pulled to the ground as cool gray chains appeared from the floor.


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    She turned her head to the side where JD stood. One of his hands pointed towards her, controlling transparent magic chains to wrap around her legs. Two more appeared on her left and right, swiftly taking hold of her wrists. But her grip on her sword only tightened, refusing to let it fall to the floor.


    "What is it?"


    Reizel''s glare disappeared, and her head turned toward her phone. She gave herself an internal pat on the back for enabling the loudspeaker option earlier, allowing JD to hear the contact.


    She turned her head swiftly to JD, who stood in the same spot a few meters away from her and the phone.


    "Reizel." The contact called, his voice clear and calm. "What is it?"


    "S-sire!" She yelled.


    JD raised a brow and tilted his head. There was only one person people would regard highly in this group.


    "Yes?" The voice remained calm amidst receiving a shouted reply.


    Reizel side-eyed JD, uncertainty and uneasiness crawling to her skull. He only stood there and watched. He didn''t try to take the phone like she initially thought he would.


    "Sire, there''s...." She clenched her jaw to even her voice. "There''s someone coming for you!"


    "...And?"


    "He''s..." Her bluish eyes turned to a shimmering indigo again. "He''s not normal."


    A muffled voice came after as if the contact spoke to someone else and covered his phone briefly.


    And then his voice rang clear again. "What do you mean?"


    "His soul..."


    "What about it?"


    If she said it now, JD would know. But Reizel insisted that her top priority was to warn the contact before JD arrived.


    "It''s..." Her voice softened. "There''s... nothing."


    One of JD''s eyebrows rose, and inside his head, Andrew voiced out his confusion.


    "...Reizel, if it''s a corpse, you will still see a string of who''s controlling it, won''t you?"


    "Yes, but-"She choked momentarily. "This isn''t like that at all!"


    "A living person is impossible to be soulless."


    "I know. But that''s not what I meant..!"


    "Reizel."


    "Sire, I-I couldn''t detect him...." She paused, then grunted at the chains around her limbs tightening. As if urging her to keep talking.


    "Reizei, you''re the one who can see souls. Not me or anyone here. Just tell me what you see." It was almost unnerving for Reizel that the person on the other side of the call''s voice remained steady and calm¡ªno hints of panic or urgency whatsoever.


    Reizel bit her lip, shooting JD a side glare for tightening the chains around her wrists the longer she remained silent.


    "...A soul..." She squinted at the phone. "...with no light."


    "...There are no such things as lightless souls."


    "But-"


    Reizel''s throat took a brief halt, then a scream followed. The chains tightened more and more, and her squeezed skin and muscles pressed too much against her blood and bones screeching a streak of pain she could no longer resist.


    "Reizel?" The voice now reeked concern. "Reizel!"


    Reizel shot her head upfront at the shattering noise. JD had reached for the phone and struck it with force in the space between it and him.


    The chains loosened as JD turned to face her.


    "Lightless, huh?"


    Reizel''s body trembled, but with the newfound tinge of freedom from the transparent chains, she struggled to move. Every little move sent waves of the unreal sensation as if her muscles were being torn apart.


    "Why could that be?" JD wondered out loud, eyes not on Reizel anymore. "Because of my inborn magic?"


    "Perhaps because we''re together inside one body?"


    "That could be it."


    His inborn magic might''ve been more remarkable than he gave Garnet credit for bestowing it onto his soul.


    "When our souls are together, there is no light."


    Andrew recited, recollecting something from the past.


    "The absence of light." JD continued, earning a hum of agreement from Andrew. "But why..."


    "I don''t know, brother."


    JD shook his head and scoffed, a small smile sliding to his face.


    "Maybe Garnet cared about me more than I think he did." He muttered to himself.


    Andrew giggled.


    "Maybe."


    Behind the struggle, Reizel''s eyebrows met at what she had heard. Her expression turned to slight fear and caution when JD''s gaze jumped back to hers.


    He cupped Reizel''s chin with one hand, gently raising it to meet his eyes as he leaned close. JD squinted, then whispered one word.


    "Rest."


    Her fierce gaze softened until her eyelids dropped, and her head weighed more in JD''s hand. He undid the chains and carried her to the wall, assuring her upper body leaned the tiniest bit comfortably against it.


    "Hm." JD hummed, gaze hovering over Reizel''s face and bruised limbs. "Drew, can you heal her?"


    "Mhm."


    JD followed Andrew''s instructions on where to place his hands and how lightly he should allow the air to carry them. When Andrew finished, JD stood up.


    "Do you find her attractive, brother?"


    "Hm? I think she''s pretty. She''s formidable and strong, too. But no, not really." He looked back at Reizel''s unconscious body. "Do you?"


    "Huh? Oh, um, no. I don''t...."


    There was a pause, but JD looked up at the ceiling, waiting for Andrew to continue.


    "I don''t... like girls."


    "Oh."


    "Do you like girls, brother?"


    "...I don''t particularly care." JD walked on forward. "I''ve never been attracted to anyone. Have you?"


    "Um, y-yes, actually... back in Paradise."


    JD could practically see and feel the shyness oozing from Andrew''s soul, making him smile lightly.


    "Is it someone I know?"


    "Y-yes. But I don''t really care about him much anymore."


    "Must be the times. It''s been hundreds of years, after all." JD nodded to himself.


    "Mhm. L-let''s focus, now."


    The smile on JD''s face widened.


    "You''re so cute."


    "Shut up..."


    JD sighed. "Okay, okay." Then he pursed his lips. "Thinking about it, I do like people, too."


    "Oh?"


    "Just..." He awkwardly smiles. "Not really in the romantic or sexual sense."


    "I see!"


    "I like Charles. We''re good friends." JD pictured himself smacking his friend, satisfying his inner sadist. "I like some other people back in other places I''ve traveled to as well."


    "Ohh."


    "Either way," JD smiled warmly again as he closed his eyes briefly. "I like you the most, Drew."


    "...Me too."


    A comfortable, brief silence overcame the space until JD stopped in front of the last door in the ground-floor hallways. As the building was still in construction, the elevators and staircases still needed to be completed, meaning the CEO''s office should be the last one on the only active floor.


    "Only one."


    JD''s eyes slightly broaden.


    "There''s only one person beyond this door, brother."


    "No guards? At all?"


    Andrew didn''t reply.


    With a sharp sigh and tight clench of his jaw and his other hand, JD''s hands took hold of the door handle, and it clicked open.


    Slowly, the door swung open. Inside was the same as outside¡ªplain and pure white walls with very few monochromatic and neutral-colored furniture pieces displayed around¡ªa minimalistic style from the outside to the temporary main office of the CEO.


    Right at the center stood a man in a bald fade haircut with a short stature and plump body, back turned on his long-awaited guests.


    The air conditioning''s white noise remained the only sound after the soft click of the door returning to its place. No words came out of JD, and Andrew didn''t react either. But deep inside, as JD had finally faced Zalden''s CEO directly without anyone around to cause distractions, his soul quivered¡ªtheir souls.


    "It gives me great pleasure...." The man started, hands on his back calmly lingering together. "...to see you together...."


    "Together?" JD and Andrew gasped in sync.


    He turned around, his sunglasses hanging around his coat''s pocket, hazel eyes burning a soft turquoise as they stuck JD and Andrew frozen in place. His voice rang as clear and calm as it did during the phone call, but rather than that, it reminded the two of a fellow god they used to know back in Paradise.


    "...Lord Hysta and Whist."

 Chapter 13 - Reincarnated Soul

    "Rather, Lord John and...?"


    "...Andrew. His name is Andrew." JD replied, almost choked up.


    "Lord Andrew." The man continued, slightly bowed, one hand hovering over his chest.


    "Aven..." JD couldn''t help but mumble.


    Zalden''s CEO, Zedekiah Mitchell, raised his head, eyes directly on JD''s.


    "Aventurreal..." Zedekiah squinted. "...is long dead. Just like the Gemini gods of Paradise, the Libra God is no more."


    With trembling hands at the expected but shocking revelation, JD clenched them. Then he brought one over his mouth, forehead creased and eyes searching Zedekiah''s.


    "So, you really are...."


    "If I may be so bold as to ask," Zedekiah''s tilted his head to the side. "Can I see your other half?"


    "Drew?"


    "..Mhm."


    JD lowered his head and relaxed his body. Followed by that was the surge of pale-yellow strings from his nape, forming a body right beside JD. When the light had achieved complete form, it shattered, and there stood JD''s mirror image wearing the same hairstyle but a different outfit.


    "You look very identical." A solemn glint gleamed over Zedekiah''s eyes. "Just like the last time I saw you southwest of The Great Gemini."


    JD and Andrew gazed at the floor with almost equally melancholic gazes, but then both perked up, exchanged shocking wide eyes, and then turned towards Zedekiah.


    "You..." JD took a step forward. "You''re not Aven."


    "The last time we saw Aven was in Paradise. Not in Julisie." Andrew added, the last sentence ringing the tone Zedekiah had been expecting.


    "Indeed. I never said I was him." Zedekiah turned his back and stared at the empty frames up the wall. "But he was someone very dear to me."


    "Who are you?" Andrew started, his words rushed. "Did you come down from Paradise simply to play with human lives?"


    "Garnet would never allow that," JD said. "Drew, you remember what Ms. Jaser said. This man helped humans. And yet, proceeds to exploit Abarly."


    With no response, JD''s heartbeat grew quick, impatience wrapping around his head.


    "It''s me, isn''t it? You''ve been searching for me for a while now, I''ve heard." JD squinted. "What do you want with me? You should have access to Paradise''s eyes, right? So, why didn''t you just go straight to me? Why involve Abarly?"


    "I do not..." His voice was slightly hoarse by the end. "...have access to that."


    "How is that? Even the lowest standing of gods can use it."


    Zedekiah drew a sharp breath and turned his head towards them, his eyes almost empty, but the longer JD stared, the more his confusion snarled at him.


    "I am just like you." His hands clasped together tightened. "A god reincarnated into a human."


    Clenched hands and jaws, JD didn''t answer.


    Zedekiah sighed. "I apologize for the fiasco I caused you last night, Lord John. But it worked better than I had hoped."


    "Worked?"


    "You met him." Zedekiah''s eyes jumped to Andrew''s, startling the latter. "And you made contact. And now you''re here. It went smoother than I imagined."


    "What?" JD shouted, taking two more steps forward. "What is the meaning of this?"


    "I won''t ask you to calm down, but please give me enough time to tell and show you everything."


    "Talk," JD replied quickly.


    His eyes shone turquoise, prompting JD to stand guard. But Andrew''s hand on his shoulder got his nerves relaxing as he turned his head to his younger brother''s glowing blue eyes.


    "Drew?"


    "It''s not harmful magic." Andrew''s eyes squinted. "It''s a type of memory magic."


    "...Which one?"


    Andrew closed his eyes. "The magic to show one''s memories."


    JD''s eyes widened as he looked back at Zedekiah, with turquoise auroras of light flickering around the room until everything darkened.


    "I was the minor god of a distant island in The Unified Scales...." He partially closed his eyes. "...Eveopal."


    -


    "Eveopal."


    A child woke in the evening of his tiny room with tear-stained cheeks, dilated eyes, and quivering body as he stared at his hands. Every second he stared, his vision glitched into a different pair of arms with blood streaming down.


    When he looked up, the heavy world trembled. Right there, a blonde man, one would immediately assume a god with one look, lied in the arms of someone with the same hair and face. Two people so identical it would be natural to think they were twins.


    But to assume the younger one would go down like his older brother after being infected by the same poisonous magic was a mistake.


    As the world blurred, the darkness consumed the corners of his vision. Even as he lost hearing, he would surely hear the younger twin screaming. Such a shrill, tragic screech, almost to the point of losing his voice, to the point of breaking his voice.


    Then the daylight and everything around them faded to a lifeless assortment of monochromatic colors while a mixture of onyx and crimson flare seeped from the died-down scream of the younger twin. And for some odd reason, he, the child called Zedekiah, wondered why he wasn''t dying.


    The spell he used was the Libra God''s forbidden magic only meant to operate in extreme situations¡ªa passing green light that renders every living being it reached several hundred meters to decay from the inside.


    The older twin''s life force had run out, but the younger hadn''t. The cracked and barely human voice echoed the pain from his scream. Pain from the magic light''s poison and the loss of half of his soul.


    He was dead. He was supposed to be dead. But in Zedekiah''s last vision, plenty of other inhuman beings clad in mesmerizing armor, dresses, and exotic weapons clashed with the still-moving younger twin. It shouldn''t be called a battle¡ªfor countless major and minor gods struck him.


    And yet, his darkened form did not falter. Every strike against him, he blocked, deflected, and returned. When the noise had somewhat gone down, all the beings descended from above were gravely injured. So was the younger twin.


    Blood spilled everywhere to the point where his unrecognizable, darkened form looked like it had crimson skin. And deep inside him, the poison slowly killed him. But he still stood, prepared to defeat everything and everyone that came his way.


    Amid the fight, he had unintentionally and unknowingly cut down parts of the land, rendered many gods immovable, and ruined everything Garnet had created in that area.


    Zedekiah closed his eyes, desiring to no longer see more of the tragedy he had caused. This was all his fault.


    When he opened his blurry vision again, all he could see were the glitching identical bodies next to each other, bathing in the blood of everyone that fought that day. But the younger twin''s eyes still flickered. Tears. Tears streamed down from his almost lifeless and hopeless eyes as he struggled to stay awake, hands barely reaching his older twin''s corpse.


    Before he succumbed to death, a hint of red shone in his blue eyes. And in that instant, the entire land crumbled; colorful and monochromatic colors of light simultaneously swirled around his dying body. Before knowing more about how it ended, Zedekiah felt warm. Too warm. As if he and everything else there were burnt from the light that the younger twin''s death caused.


    Zedekiah shut his eyes and hugged his small frame with small arms and tiny fingers gripping his skin. But he forced his eyes open once more in hopes of laying his eyes on something else: anything but this nightmare.


    When he did, everything stayed dim. He turned his head everywhere and to himself, finding himself tucked in his bed, with nothing but the terrifying feel and gaze from somewhere he couldn''t see.


    "Eveopal."


    The same voice called, prompting Zedekiah to cover his mouth to avoid yelling his reply.


    "..Gar... net?"


    "You have displeased me greatly." The voice of Garnet echoed in his head. "For that, you will suffer this nightmare for the rest of your life as you walk into the land of Aventurreal as a human."


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "N-no... please..."


    "This land your uncle loved," Garnet''s voice deepened. "has been ruined."


    "W-what..?"


    "War. Slavery. Chaos. Utter insanity." Garnet sighed. "The Unified Scales fell into anarchy during your soul''s slumber. But I have decided to awaken you with all these nightmares in this vile environment."


    Zedekiah didn''t answer and kept sobbing, hands clutched tightly against his nose and mouth he''d suffocate. But it was the only way to ensure his parents wouldn''t come knocking, and then Garnet would be angered by the disruption. And then, he might kill them.


    "Your punishment doesn''t end there." The voice tickled Zedekiah''s ears as if Garnet stood beside him. "In due time, your parents..."


    "No... no, please-"


    "...will die in the war."


    "Please... I-I..." His tiny voice squeaked as he knelt on his bed and stuck his forehead on the mattress. "I..."


    "You will not die."


    "Huh?"


    "If you ever try to escape everything through death, forget it." Venom lingered in Garnet''s voice. "I will make sure you never die until you''ve truly regretted and repented."


    It didn''t take too long. All the years of his childhood had gone haywire. Everyone he ever loved died in ways he didn''t want to remember. And yet, he remained living. Physically unharmed. By the time he reached adolescence wandering alone in The Unified Scales, searching any soldier camps in hopes of being taken in as a slave, to be tortured physically and killed.


    "You will suffer psychologically until you''ve atoned for what you did."


    Garnet''s words rang back to his senses, almost assuring him he would never encounter any danger to end his suffering. Even as he tried to commit suicide, Garnet blew the wind or personally snatched the weapons from his hands.


    "..Just kill me. Please."


    He begged as his body slammed on the grovel somewhere in the land. His stomach growled in thirst and hunger, but it couldn''t kill him¡ªit wouldn''t. Garnet made sure his body was immune to every physical death possible.


    "Garnet..." His dried lips hurt at every word he spoke. He yelled, "Garnet!"


    "Do you repent?"


    He mustered all his strength to raise his body, turning his head towards the cloudy and polluted sky of The Unified Scales.


    Tears raced down his face. "I do not know."


    "Fine. I shall help you figure it out."


    Soon after, the kindest souls in the land of survival or being killed came across Zedekiah and kept him in. They had nothing but a small business to ensure they remained helpful to the local mafias. But as Zedekiah grew to adore them like his own parents, fear struck his core at what Garnet might do to them next.


    "They will die."


    "Why?" Zedekiah yelled as soon as he was alone in the well near the humble home of the Zalde couple. "What have they ever done to you?"


    "Do not misunderstand. They will die of old age." Garnet''s words calmed his veins down briefly. "After that, you will take on their business as their adopted child."


    A nineteen-year-old Zedekiah gripped the well tightly and lowered his head, watching his reflection twist into a mixture of revenge and atonement. And then it blurred, the reflection on the water, as stray tears dropped onto the water''s peace and calm.


    He bit his lip. "I should''ve listened to Aven."


    Garnet did not reply.


    "But how could I? The Geminines dared to kill him when he visited The Great Gemini!" Zedekiah shot his eyes up to the gray sky. "Garnet! Why did you not mourn Aventurreal''s death? Why did you do nothing to the Geminines that slew him?"


    "So, you finally admit to taking it out on my twins'' land altogether." The clouds sped up together, hiding the light of day from view. "You should''ve known better than to mess with Julisie''s affairs. I will not tolerate a god coming after humans for any reason."


    "Hah..." Zedekiah cupped his head. "Aren''t you just biased because that land was your favorite gods'' land?"


    With no reply, Zedekiah burst into a low chuckle.


    "But I can''t blame you, either. The Gemini gods...." He closed his eyes. "...were your masterpiece. You have never truly cared nor looked at anyone as if they were your own in the entirety of Paradise or Julisie. Until those two came forth."


    "Indeed, I am not impartial," Garnet replied quickly. "My judgment is not wrong. And it will never be wrong for as long as I remain distant from everything I''ve created."


    "And yet, you loved them. Like a father would his sons." Zedekiah whispered. "And now part of your decisions is geared for their sakes."


    "Hmph. That does not mean you deserve less punishment."


    "I know. I never said that. I..." Zedekiah stared at his reflection again; part of it was a looming ball of malice, and the other a clearer view of himself. "...I was angry."


    He closed his eyes and allowed his tears to blur his reflection again.


    "Because Aventurreal died."


    "His death was truly unfortunate," Garnet said. "But it was his fault."


    "What do you mean?"


    "He... messed with humans." Garnet''s voice came as a whisper as he repeated, "I will not tolerate any god coming down to Julisie to perform any harm against humans. Humans will kill each other. That I allow. But I will not allow a god to kill a human. Nor will I allow a human to kill a god."


    "But he didn''t kill anyone, he was the one who-"


    "Eveopal." Garnet''s voice grew loud. "Rather, Zedekiah. You do not know everything that Aventurreal has done."


    "Are you saying he murdered humans?"


    No answer.


    Zedekiah shook his head. "No way."


    "Deny it all you want. Your nightmares will continue either way once we''re done talking."


    "Tell me!" He yelled. "Tell me the truth! Please! So that I-"


    "So that you may atone for doing the same things your uncle did?"


    Zedekiah''s throat went dry, and body went numb.


    "If you cannot repent without knowing your uncle''s vile acts, then you can never truly repent."


    Zedekiah yelled out to Garnet after, but Garnet never answered again until the Zalde couple that took in Zedekiah drew their final breaths.


    "Garnet," Zedekiah whispered as soon as he got home from the funeral. "How?"


    No answer.


    "How can I get rid of it?"


    Still no response.


    "I... have sinned." He fell on the wooden floor of the cold and bleak house. "And I can see it clearly. But I still see that darker part of myself that remains inside me. How... how can I get rid of it?"


    "Of the darkness inside you?" Garnet scoffed. "Every being in this world has that. You can''t sever it from your soul."


    Zedekiah lowered his head and allowed his tears to drench his arms to the floorboards.


    "You no longer hold the same hatred you had in you the last time we spoke," Garnet said. "Nor there is resentment towards me. Tell me. What do you think made your feelings change? Was it all the suffering I had you experience?"


    "I don''t know." He mumbled. "Perhaps, that is part of it. But every time I recall what I did, something grips my heart, and I cry out, but sobs remain stuck in my throat. So thick that my chest feels heavy and... I wish not to make it stop, but I wish to forsake what drove me to have done such a thing."


    "Sorrow and abandonment of such acts." Garnet''s voice slowly faded away. "But is that all?"


    "..No. I want to..." Zedekiah answered, but Garnet stopped replying. Yet, he continued, "...do to others what Pedro and Rosemarie Zalde did to me."


    -


    "So, you''ve made the Zalde''s business mobile to save slaves?"


    Zedekiah''s eyes widened at the voice in his head. He covered one ear and excused himself to the restroom from his co-workers.


    "For that, I shall give you pieces of good news."


    "Garnet..!"


    It had been years. Plenty of years since Garnet last spoke to him.


    "One. Your soul will awaken inborn magic in a few days. And you will use that to continue doing the least you could do for humans, but also...." Garnet''s voice softened. "...for the Gemini gods."


    Zedekiah''s eyes shot wide.


    "Lord Hysta and Whist? They... they''re..."


    "The second news I have for you is your final punishment. A mission."


    "A mission...?"


    "Despite how I view them, I made impartial decisions to punish my younger twin after what he did to the rest of the gods and goddesses back then. And for destroying nearly one-fourth of The Great Gemini." His voice reeked of silent melancholy. "I separated Hysta from him and gave him no body."


    "..!"


    "The first part of your mission is to find and reunite them. I will allow you to use your inborn magic in ways I normally will not allow for as long as it helps you achieve that goal."


    Zedekiah cupped his head with both hands as he stared at himself in the mirror, ignoring all the worried calls for him from his co-workers outside the restroom.


    "Once they meet, Whist will take the same form as Hysta. And they will remember everything."


    "Garnet..."


    "They will want revenge, just as you used to when their people killed Aventurreal. Especially Whist." Garnet''s voice hastened. "Now for the second part of your mission."


    "...Yes?"


    "Know that even if you die, the nightmares and darkness in you will continue to haunt your soul. Only when you''ve truly repented will I give you hints of their location."


    The overwhelming pieces of information got him grunting and breathing heavily. He slid to the floor, trembling, all the shouting from outside falling on deaf ears.


    "Just as you''ve learned to forgive Aventurreal for the unspeakable acts he did to humans, and the Geminines who killed him, only when the Gemini gods have forgiven you will this mission be marked complete." Garnet''s voice reeked of pride as if he believed Zedekiah would undoubtedly do well. "Only then will your soul be free again."


    Zedekiah''s eyes widened.


    "The second part of your mission is to give them what they want. This is for you to regain utmost redemption and freedom."


    "Hah..." Zedekiah chuckled. Relief and a clear goal frantically entered his heart and soul, and even at what Garnet last said, his resolve to make things right remained.


    "So, if they want you dead," Garnet''s voice slowly faded. "Offer them your head."


    -


    Overwhelming emotion filled JD and Andrew as the dimmed room returned to normal. All the flares of soft turquoise dissipated, and as Zedekiah opened his eyes, sincerity shone upon them.


    "It pains me that Aven''s last words to me were to not blame the young Gemini gods or their land for whatever may come." Zedekiah smiled. "And yet... I didn''t listen."


    He breathed deeply, strengthening his mind in preparation for what was to come. Zedekiah knew what was coming, and he had been preparing and waiting for it. At long last, he might not achieve freedom immediately, but it didn''t matter. The Gemini gods stood right ahead of him, and for them to do to him what they wished to do, was all that mattered.


    "I don''t... know what to say," JD muttered.


    Zedekiah knelt on both knees and dropped his head to his hands before him, bowing in the highest form of respect.


    "Please." He said, "Judge me."


    "W-what?"


    "Do unto me what you wish to. Torture me, or kill me. Anything."


    Even after knowing everything, JD''s thoughts juggled. He initially wanted to save Abarly, and he could do that now. Not only that, but he could avenge his and Andrew''s deaths. Right here, right now.


    "My only condition is for you, my lords, to spare Zalden and its members. They have nothing to do with the sins I''ve committed. They have only done Abarly wrong with my instructions. They are not bad people." His voice shook. "Please pardon them."


    "What will happen to Abarly and Zalden?" JD boldly asked.


    "All my magic in the minds of Abarly''s people will disappear once I perish. And Zalden... I have already made precautions so they will continue to advertise at face value and help those in need... under your and Lord Andrew''s orders."


    "Hah!"


    JD wanted to ask more, but as Andrew chuckled, then laughed even louder, JD froze.


    "Garnet knows me so well." Andrew sang, his blue eyes glowing, and bright colors stained with dark light flared from every step he took toward Zedekiah. "So, so well."


    "..Drew-"JD cut himself off.


    Unable to decide whether he should stop Andrew, the heavy and tempting flicker of vengeance flickered in his soul like a bunch of broken track lights. There was still much more he wanted to know. About Garnet, his and Andrew''s souls being lightless, inborn magic existence, and just so much more.


    JD reached out one hand, but his hand trembled and slowly lowered. He turned his head to the side and gritted his teeth, his hands clenched tightly on his sides to suppress the quivering, but it wasn''t working.


    He turned towards Andrew again and took one step forward, forcing his heavy arm to reach out. But it weighed so much that JD couldn''t figure out if he wanted to stop Andrew. Whether he wanted to avenge their deaths or not. Whether doing this would give him peace or not.


    Whether letting Andrew stain his hands would bring Andrew the peace he desired. Whether Andrew would feel better or be happy after this. Or not.


    Not.


    "Drew!"


    JD leaped forward; his heavy arm felt lighter as he stretched it as far as he could to get ahold of Andrew''s jacket and pull him back.


    Gigantic dual blades made of darkened rainbow colors manifested above Zedekiah as Andrew took his final step in front of the former. He raised both arms on his side swiftly and swiped his arms, crossing them to cover his face. Even with the cover, the evil glint in his eyes and side smirk peeked through.


    "Drew, no!"


    After a shout in the air, the swish of blades hissed and cut through the white noise of the room, rendering the world silent.

 Chapter 14 - Lightless Souls

    Clanks resounded across the room; the soft sizzling from the flares that enveloped Andrew''s blades remained the only noise.


    Andrew''s arms shook as he lowered his head. He raised them again, but they trembled and flinched at JD''s touch on his shoulders.


    "Drew." He mumbled.


    Andrew slowly brought his arms back to his sides, messy locks hiding his eyes. But despite not seeing it directly, JD grimaced and closed his eyes with a sigh.


    "I..." Andrew''s voice trembled as his palm caught his tears. "I..."


    Zedekiah opened his previously tightly closed eyes in preparation for the blow. Without raising his head, he peeked on his sides, where Andrew''s blades had dropped, the magic that kept its form alive slowly fading amidst his suppressed sobs.


    "A-ah..."


    Andrew yelped softly, body shaking as his knees failed him. He dropped to the floor on his knees, and as his wet hands quivered close to his face, his voice let out a tiny, stifled series of squeaks. The crumbling and shivering voice inside his throat begged to come out in its complete form, and the more he suppressed them, the harder it was to breathe.


    Little by little, small whimpers came out of his mouth. He covered his mouth and shut his eyes. More and more steaming rivers across his face traveled to his hands, then arms, then the floor.


    "I... I-I..."


    A complete sob escaped his clutches at the lack of breath, and as JD knelt beside him and rubbed his back, his head ached. Andrew gripped his chest tightly, the sensation inside almost identical to the feelings JD¡ªHysta''s death had caused.


    And then, finally, he let go of his mouth and let out a sob, then a blubber, and then a loud, cracked, and breathless cry.


    "..I-it hurts." He whispered amidst his sobs, one hand clutching onto JD''s shirt, his voice trembling. "None of you... have any idea how I felt."


    From Zedekiah''s memories, flashes of recollection forced themselves into Andrew''s soul. The darkness that consumed him, all the insanity that corrupted his mind, and the thousand blades pierced right into his core.


    And it was all because of Eveopal¡ªZedekiah. The man who now offered himself to Andrew and JD for them to do to him as they pleased. To do to him what could satisfy them and bring their souls to peace.


    But at the end of it all, nothing Andrew would do to Zedekiah would ease the pain in his soul from centuries ago, nor would it deliver peace and contentment into his being. It would bring nothing but a larger hole more impossible to cover up. None of this would''ve made him feel better.


    None of it would return everything to how it used to be.


    "W-we''ve... already been abandoned from Paradise." He sunk to JD''s side hug. "We no longer belong there. And maybe that was what I really hoped for."


    Andrew leaned his head over to JD''s arm and allowed his tears to fall freely while he bathed in the world of darkness behind his closed lids.


    "Maybe vengeance will give me a place to belong to¡ªus. A home to return to."


    Wordless, Zedekiah maintained his form while JD wiped the drying tears from Andrew''s face. Only to be replaced with new but lighter traces of tears.


    "B-brother," Andrew mumbled. "I... I see it now."


    JD hummed softly, encouraging him to continue.


    "It.. it doesn''t matter if we''re in Paradise or not." Andrew slowly opened his eyes. "Whether we''re gods or humans." His gaze slid to JD''s eyes, and then a tiny smile brightened his tear-stained and reddened face from crying. "Because the place I belong to has always been with you."


    With a squint, tears peered through JD''s eyelids. He returned the little smile but said nothing.


    Andrew reached out a hand and touched JD''s cheek, cupping it gently afterward and pulling his brother close to him until JD''s lips touched Andrew''s hair.


    He pulled away and gazed at JD with a warm smile. "Home."


    JD touched the hand on his cheek and squeezed it.


    "Brother... I''m home."


    "Welcome home, Drew."


    The two hugged, and Zedekiah rose his upper body, a surreal sensation overcoming his system. He touched his chest and stared at the ceiling in disbelief.


    "Eve- no," JD called after parting from the hug. "Zed."


    "Lord John..?"


    JD shook his head. "JD."


    "Lord JD?"


    "Just JD." He looked over to Andrew. "And him... just AD."


    Speechless, Zedekiah didn''t answer.


    JD stood and helped Andrew. Then he walked forward and offered a hand to Zedekiah.


    "Zed." He gave a firm nod. "Let''s... walk forward."


    "What..?"


    "We''re good now."


    Andrew walked beside him and shyly offered a hand. They pulled Zed up, their hands not letting go of Zed.


    "I..." Zed gazed up at their taller figures and winced, sight blurring slowly. "I''m sorry."


    Andrew shook his head, suppressing his own tears. "I-it''s time to move forward from here."


    "Okay?" JD followed.


    Zed inhaled deeply and nodded. "Okay. I''m... ready to move on."


    "Scratch that," JD said, a little smile on his face. "We''re all going to move forward from here."


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    The world had never been kinder to him. Garnet had not been kind to him. But he deserved it all¡ªall the bad things in the world. Zed deserved it all.


    Whether JD and Andrew did this out of pity or self-satisfaction didn''t matter. Zed knew it was confirmed that they''d begun pardoning him. It caressed his soul like the gentle lullabies of his late parents and the affectionate pat on his head by Aventurreal.


    Finally, it was time to walk on.


    -


    "What''s wrong?" JD asked.


    Zed''s turquoise eyes lost their glow and reverted to hazel. He walked toward his desk and took his phone.


    "Fareeha cleansed all the executives. They might come anytime soon." He dialed a number and sighed in relief. "It''s a good thing I asked the guards to leave earlier."


    "So, that''s why you were alone," JD uttered as he and Andrew stood on either side of Zed.


    Zed nodded. "I had them inform the others they shouldn''t go here. The guards will do their utmost to prevent even Fareeha from entering this room."


    "What does this mean?"


    "It was all so you and... AD could come in easily and be alone with me." The contact answered and briefly told Zed they got things outside under control. "Good."


    Zed ended the call and faced the two.


    "The same goes for Abarly. Everything I did to Abarly was all so you would meet AD." He adjusted his tie. "I tracked AD first before you, so I made plans to get you two close somehow."


    JD side smiled and sighed. "What else have you done behind the scenes?"


    Zed only shrugged and smiled, leaving JD and Andrew in the dark. JD waved a hand, implying that it was alright for him to keep it to himself.


    "By the way, how''s Reizel? Is she fine?"


    "She is. I got Drew to heal her bruises."


    "So, you fought, huh?" Zed mumbled.


    "I have more questions." JD insisted after exchanging approving looks with Andrew, who only crossed his arms and observed. "Why are you making Zalden''s headquarters... here?"


    With a sly look, Zed said, "Our."


    "Huh?"


    "I''ve secured the perimeter. No one should come in during this last bit of what I will inform you."


    "Does this possibly have anything to do with Garnet?" Andrew asked, fingers fiddling on the folds of his sleeves.


    "Yes. Admittedly, there was another mission Garnet gave." Zed looked at the two with unblinking eyes. "It was to aid you both in your missions. Assuming I was kept alive."


    "You''re right, Drew." JD joked. "Garnet does know you well."


    Andrew rolled his eyes and pouted. "So? What do you mean by ''our'' missions?"


    "Garnet," Zed called, widening the eyes of the two as a soft yet mighty wind took the form of a mini-scaled whirlwind in front of them.


    The whirlwind gathered liquid from their sweat, and as it calmed down, it represented the tidal waves frozen in mid-air.


    "My twins."


    "Garnet..!" JD and Andrew voiced out in surprise.


    "Of course, it is me. Whose twins are you two but mine?"


    "Take your fatherly sense away in the meantime, Garnet." Zed scolded with an eye roll. "Get to the point. I can only hold off Fareeha and the minor god on her side for so long."


    "Hmph."


    JD chuckled at the little exchange. It appeared Zed knew Nicoli was a minor god dressing as a human on Fareeha''s side. The question that bothered him was whether Fareeha herself knew that.


    Reveling back to what Garnet said, JD had grown more aware of Garnet''s favor, not only for Whist or Andrew but also for him. He might''ve glossed over it with how everyone else cared only for Whist. A warm feeling emerged from his heart at the thought, but he shook it off immediately.


    "Abarly," Garnet started. "is the perfect place not only because it was where Zedekiah managed to lure you two in to make contact, but it was also a small and unexpecting town with a natural route to the capital of The Great Gemini."


    JD raised a brow. "Why does it matter that it has that route?"


    "JD," Zed called. "As I''m sure you are aware, this continent had been led by you and AD actively going down to Julisie centuries ago. But ever since you''ve perished..."


    He nodded. "I know. The government is at each other''s throats to lead the entire continent. There are different leaders for each city, village, or land within The Great Gemini, but the seat for the ruler of its entirety...."


    Andrew looked down and mumbled, "It is empty."


    "That is correct." Garnet continued. "It has been vacant for centuries, and no one had made the boldest move to try and claim it. At least on the surface, as all of Julisie knows."


    "You mean..." JD gasped.


    "Something else is at play within the capital. I want you, my lightless souls, to discover what it is and resolve it as you are now. Humans with god souls."


    "Wait, wait just a second." JD held up his hands, briefly exchanging the same confused look with Andrew. "What do you mean by what you called us? Zed said earlier that there were no such things as lightless souls."


    "I said that because Reizel, a complete human, was there." Zed interrupted, prompting JD and Andrew to turn to him. "In truth, there really are no such things in Julisie and Paradise.


    "Only the gods present during your creation knew of the truth. But my uncle, my god, the Libra god Aventurreal, was present. I alone was the minor god who knew because Aventurreal had told me about it."


    "Hmph."


    "That was how... I killed you." Zed glanced down. "I wouldn''t have been able to kill you if you were together. Because whenever you are by each other''s side, your souls are lightless¡ªimpossible to sever, impossible to kill, impossible to be detected by the poisonous light spell I used on Hysta that caught Whist in its shockwave."


    JD shook his head lightly. "What... what the hell?"


    "How... no, why? Why is the soul that way?" Andrew voiced out, turning towards Garnet''s form.


    "When Garnet created you," Zed spoke. "You were never meant to be twins. There was supposed to be just one Gemini god."


    Garnet didn''t respond, confirming Zed''s words and encouraging him to continue.


    "Heck, every twin within the minor gods and in Julisie had souls of their own. They''re not halves of each other like yours." Zed smiled a little. "But when Garnet made you, the light in your souls disappeared."


    "And I was frightened." Garnet continued. "My most carefully crafted soul had no light... but perhaps that was exactly because I made you too special to myself."


    JD darted his gaze away with furrowed eyebrows, almost unwilling to believe what he felt. All this time, everyone only looked at Andrew, at Whist. And he thought Garnet was the same. Only paying attention to him because he was the favorite soul''s other half. But it wasn''t like that after all.


    "You were special because you, the two of you, are the souls I can truly call my own." Garnet''s voice softened. "I gave part of my very soul during your creation."


    JD and Andrew snuffed, eyes shooting wide at the slowed waves riding in mid-air that were Garnet''s current form.


    "It was an experiment of sorts at first, but it made you not only special in essence but also to me, personally." The tides of his form lessened. "And that somehow made you lose the light in your souls whenever you were together. However, that does not happen anymore since you housed human bodies."


    JD squinted, a hint of shyness peering through his gaze. "So, you gave my soul this inborn talent so that...."


    "So that it could be done again." Garnet''s voice hushed down, and a sense of hurt peeked through his tone. "So that both of you would not have to die again."


    Andrew touched his chest and breathed in slowly. "Thank you, Garnet."


    "Hmph." Garnet''s tone reverted to his usual uncaring one, prompting the rest of his audience to smile. "That does not mean I will help you with everything. It only works when... Andrew''s soul is inside John''s body."


    "Of course." JD offered a playful smile. "Though, can you just call me JD instead?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous."


    "Oh, c''mon."


    "...Very well," Garnet grunted. "Now, before the others come here and you humans figure things out among yourselves, it must be made clear that your true mission is to find the rightful one to lead The Great Gemini and free its government of the brewing corruption from within."


    "Right." JD nodded.


    "In doing so, you may find your real place in Julisie, my lightless twins."


    Andrew inched close to Garnet. "You mean..?"


    "Take it as you wish. This task is all for the sake of order in the land you left behind. Only in this way will Paradise consider the two of you pardoned for Andrew''s sins in the past."


    A hand tapped Andrew''s shoulder, and as he looked up, JD smiled.


    "I''m sorry, brother."


    JD shook his head. "It''s been done. Besides, I don''t want to leave the land we cared for in the hands of the wrong rulers, anyway."


    "Me too." Andrew smiled at him and then at Garnet''s form. "We will not disappoint you, Garnet."


    "I know you won''t."


    "Rather," JD placed his hands on his hips. "We will not... disappoint and waste Hysta and Whist''s efforts in the past."


    "Mhm!"


    "We''ll do this together." JD faced Andrew. "Drew."


    "That we will, brother."


    Zed walked behind his desk. "That is why Zalden must be stationed here and not too far from the capital, as it will now be our base of operation. Well then..."


    At the sight, Garnet hummed flatly, and his form vanished when the room doors flew open.


    "JD and AD." Zed smiled and said out loud, "Welcome to Zalden."


    -


    To be continued.