《Arca Archa》


 Chapter 1: A Distant Forgotten Dream

    Chapter 1:


    A Distant Forgotten Dream


    ¡ªIt was a dream: A dream of a moment long lost to time, remembered by no one but me.


    "Are you scared?" The Arcanian woman sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with me asked with a prod. Although the whirring noises of the helicopter were deafening, we could still hear each other clearly through the headsets we were each given. Her speech was immaculate, a dictionary rendition of the spoken language bearing no sign of any other dialect muddling her accent. It was hard to believe she was a complete foreigner who had only learned our language in the span of a week.


    ¡ªEven in a dream, she remained no less remarkable as she had always been.


    "Scared? I don''t even know," I scoffed at myself lightly, "but nervous? Who wouldn''t be, knowing where we''re headed? Right now, I can''t even tell if my hands are trembling because of the cold or if it''s because I''m getting the jitters. Let alone whether I''m feeling scared or whatnot."


    My stomach cramped as I tried to hold a smile for her through my respiratory mask, but I knew that it was nothing more than a hollow imitation, one born of a meager coping mechanism for my brain to not fry itself at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation at hand. Of which, I could see already: a landscape drained of color, blanketed with the mellow gray tone of ash, overcast with an even gloomier sky. It was as though my eyes had stolen a glimpse at the end of the world. Or, perhaps the world had already ended and we were treading over its still warm cadaver. To think that I came here willingly, as a volunteer no less. And to do what? To pull evacuees out of their coffins while potentially putting myself into one? It was so funny I lost the urge to laugh.


    She clapped her hands in excitement when she heard me speak. She told me, "Ahh! So you can talk after all! My name is ¡ª¡ª¡ª. What''s yours?"


    As she spoke, her tail shook as if brimming with excitement at the novelty of my response. It brushed up against me lightly, tickling my back through my many layers of clothes and making me want to shoot an instinctive glance at the appendage. But knowing myself, I knew that I would only end up making it an awkward situation had I done it. So, I held back my desire and never broke away from her eyes¡ª her eyes which were sharp and looked just like those of a reptile''s¡­ no, akin to those of a dragon''s¡­ a Draconian''s.


    "Edmond. It''s Edmond. Nice to meet you," I told her simply. Yet when she did not respond after a long pause, I began to worry. I had not yet been accustomed to the culture of the other world so I became concerned that I had done something rude to offend this guest of the state.


    "Pardon me¡­ but what does this mean?"


    Her eyes pointed towards my outstretched hand, a gesture which I had not even noticed myself doing. I grew relieved then, and I explained to her what it meant, "This? It''s a handshake. This is how people on Earth greet each other when we meet. We clasp onto each other''s palms to shake our hands."


    "Is that so? Like this then? Am I doing it correctly?"


    "¡­Yeah, just like that."


    I nodded to her as I felt the soft touch of her skin and the cool sensation of the Alabaster Gold rings she wore on every finger. At the same time I felt her hand grip around my own, I was made distressingly aware of the cold sweat that had gathered on my palms during the flight. While I made no mention of it aloud, I bore a strong feeling of embarrassment as I waited for her hand to clumsily adjust its grip and I walked her through the whole process of the greeting.


    "Now we shake our hands up and then back down, just like this. Once is fine, but some like to do it more. Always use your right hand; never your left, even if you may be left handed. Aside from greetings, it can also be done to congratulate a person, to symbolize an agreement made between two parties, and even as a way to express farewells."


    "I see," she chuckled softly, "The name is very literal. I learned something new today." Her face was bright like she genuinely appreciated me teaching her. She was the only one on that helicopter who did not need to wear a mask. It was easy to read her expressions because of it.


    ¡ªI was left breathless¡­ Watching her laugh, I felt the heavy weight of the air crush down on my chest as the last of my breath left wispily from my lungs. I realized, for the first time in my life, I had been awe-stricken by another person.


    As an Arcanian from the other world, although she looked strict and even intimidating at first, she ended up being surprisingly sweet, charming, and perhaps even a little bit cute and endearing instead. It was attributed to her keen features and sharply dressed attire that stood her out from a crowd a mile away, no doubt. She looked entirely human, with human proportions, and human features. However, she had horns that grew out of her skull that were dark and rigid like obsidian glass, and she had a tail that looked like it could skewer someone if she tried. Not only that, I had never met anyone that exuded so much confidence and importance just by breathing, and yet still not carry with her an ounce of haughtiness that put herself above anybody else. She was like a unicorn, a being who should not exist outside of imagination, and I was left captivated being in her presence.


    "¡ªWe''ll be arriving shortly. Good luck. Stay safe."


    As the pilot''s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, I looked up and saw our destination¡ª a lifeless city smothered under half a meter of volcanic ash. I felt my disheveled face itch underneath my mask as my eyes wandered. When was the last time I had the luxury to clean myself or even shave, I wondered? Then I felt a hand touch upon my shoulder.


    "Are you still nervous?" The Arcanian woman said, withdrawing her hand carefully as if she was handling something delicate like a sheet of tofu.


    I nodded to her in solemnity. There was no need to beat around the bush.


    "I understand." She briefly closed her eyes. "Then as a token of appreciation for teaching me something important about this world''s culture, let me also teach you something." She held her right palm over her chest, where her heart was, before reaching out to me with that same hand upturned. "What this gesture means in my world is sincerity. I am offering you my heart, so to speak. Which is why, Edmond, allow me to show you my sincerity."


    The woman held her staff out and tapped the base of it against the floor. Almost immediately, I felt a sense of warmth swell up and envelop me from the inside. It was a gentle and simple warmth. But like a fire in the dark, it warded away all my pent up anxieties and brought about a sense of security which I had not felt since early childhood. And what she told me after that, I believed it as if she had spoken the very word of god itself.


    "Don''t worry, Edmond. I''ll protect you."


    She smiled at me. It was a smile which, at that moment, had been dedicated to nobody in the world but me¡­ and it was something I swore to myself I would never forsake.


    ¡ªFrom that point on, I found myself looking up to her in admiration. I followed in her footsteps no matter where it took me and no matter what dangers it led me to. And behind her, I crossed the world, faced the fear of death, and even ended up forging lifelong bonds with many who lived in entirely different worlds than me, whom I would have never gotten to know otherwise.


    ¡­All until, one day, this journey of mine brought me to my end¡ª to stand by her side as her most cherished person. In my entire life, that was the only thing I have ever sought for.


    For her¡­


    For¡ª


    ¡­


    ¡­


    "¡ªVerretheia¡­"


    Whispering out her name achingly, Edmond awoke, dearly clasping the pendant that hung over his chest. He was careful as he pulled it over to dangle before his eyes. It caught a stream of sunlight sneaking through his blinds. Glinting in the light, it reflected a sheen of pure Alabaster Gold; it was an old-school piece of jewelry ceremonial for Draconians to give to their Chosens as a proof of binding during their most important eve. He had kept it close to his heart ever since.


    "It''s already been over twenty years¡­ I can hardly believe it¡­" Closing his eyes again, he murmured. Twenty years was a length of time he could not put into measure, yet every single one of those individual days had slipped through his fingers ever so fleetingly. He sat up on the bed, and as he did, a wave of terrible nausea washed over him. He nearly puked that very instant. "Urgh¡­ Should have drunk more water last night. Hydrate or die-drate, was it? I''m about to hurl. How can they find a pill to cure cancer but not a pill to cure hangovers?"


    But what was done was done. He stood up. Tried to anyway. Groggy as he was, he immediately tripped over a bottle and found himself catching onto the air for support. After a skip, he hobbled his way back to balance as the remainder of the bottle spilled into a leaf-shaped puddle on the floor. The man was not very sad about it as he felt sick even looking in the general direction of alcohol after how much he drank the previous night.


    *Beep Beep Beep*


    The alarm suddenly went off, and he could hear it through every speaker in his home. He was already awake, though. He held his head and growled loudly, "Off!" The alarm did. He was talking to the home assistant module, something installed in most homes since about fifteen years ago. Although it was once considered a luxury, it was now a necessity well worth the price of admission. It made living alone much more manageable for him and even simply permissible for others more advanced in age or disabled.


    "Good morning, Edmond. The current date and time is August 18, 26 AR, 6:46 AM. You have received one refrigerated package. You have 21 missed calls, 5 voicemails, and 57 new messages since you turned on focus mode."


    "A package? From who? This early?"


    As soon as he asked, a hologram of a box from La Petite Patisserie, a small but well-known luxury cake store on the south side of town, appeared before him. If it was from the shop, he supposed it arrived last night after he passed out.


    "One package from Sophie Lee with the message, ''Hey Edmond, I came over to your office to bother¡ª I mean to visit, but you weren''t there. I was told you were taking the day off due to personal circumstances. Give me a call back when you have the chance. Hope you feel better soon!''"


    "Thanks, Li Bai, but I''m getting a bit too old to be eating sweets like this."


    Still, he appreciated her concern, and it brought a smile to his face as he chuckled lightly. Afterwards, He commanded the module to begin his morning routine as well as to clean up after the mess he had accidentally created. "Toss the bottle as well," he said, "and I suppose you can read me those messages while you''re at it too."


    "Understood. Starting morning routine."


    At his command, several things happen all at once. The news broadcasted throughout his home, the noise of a kettle seeped in from the kitchen, and the sound of rain filled the adjacent bathroom. Additionally, a robot arm also unfolded from the ceiling to start tidying up the place.


    Edmond nodded with approval: The module could cook, clean, do laundry, receive packages, and even move furniture around. It was well worth every bit of Argentum he had spent on it. The level of automation brought on by this single robot assistant made it hard for him to believe that he was truly living alone. Before long, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee would fill the condo. Meanwhile, he left for the bathroom to take that shower. He knew he had a long day ahead of him. One of the worst parts of being the boss of his own office was that, even though he could take a day off whenever he pleased, he still had to catch up on all the work later. There was no rest for the weary.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The year was 26 AR.


    A great many things have happened over the course of the past hundred years. In 2020 AD, a novel virus swept across the entire globe and, due to the negligence of the people, government, and the world as a whole, caused an entire tenth of the human population to perish away in agony. The many dead filled up mass graves after mass graves as society itself grinded to a smoldering halt. Countries shut down in quarantine, hospitals became overloaded with patients, and the families of the sick were left unallowed to even attend to their loved ones'' funerals.


    Truly, the value of human life had been made a travesty of.


    In particular, underdeveloped regions in South America, Eastern Europe, and Northern Asia among others were hit the hardest. Following this worldwide humanitarian crisis, renewed focus had been put into modernizing these places to prevent a tragedy of this scale from ever happening again. Then by some miracle, by the year 2060 AD, virtually all underdeveloped regions of the world were eliminated as high rise cities took their place.


    However, while megacorporations pulled the wool over everyone''s eyes with the promises of health and wealth, the looming threat of global climate change was able to gently sneak up on the world. Even though many climate experts continuously warned of the oncoming dangers should the pace of hyper urbanization continue unchecked, they were merely viewed as anti-progressive and their voices were ultimately drowned out by the mass consumer market. And so, before anybody had realized it, the average global temperature of Earth had risen by about 1.8¡ãC and sea levels by nearly 60 centimeters.


    Nature was merciless and uncaring to the difficulties of man. Beginning with coastal cities and island nations, millions lost their homes as the waves came to reclaim the land. What followed shortly after was a global food shortage problem as the world''s reserve of phosphate¨C an important component of fertilizer¨C depleted to nothing, a concrete shortage as beaches were stripped down to bare rock, and even a wood shortage as trees became increasingly difficult to source legally.


    Thus, the true race to find a clean source of alternative energy to fuel the world''s rapidly growing needs began.


    During this time, veganism picked up momentum slightly, albeit nothing could ever replace humanity''s love for consuming meat. Ironically, the movement only served to increase the market share of organic and non-GMO products, resulting in less food being produced overall and it costing substantially more to compensate. That further led to the infeasibility of sustained veganism as a whole to all but the wealthy upper class.


    Aquaculture, on the other hand, rose to meteoric heights as advancements in the field led to sustainably farmed seafood and algae-based protein becoming a much more significant part of people''s diets.


    The proposal for abundant nuclear energy resurfaced, albeit once again, it was shut down by public discontent before any significant groundwork could be laid. That was followed by a movement to turn the entire Sahara desert into a solar energy farm. However, as with many other ideas of this "global problem-solving" variety, it was met with the same fate as the dodo.


    Finally, in 2070 AD, a breakthrough happened in the field of antimatter research as black hole annihilation experiments yielded the first rift that connected to another world. It was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcomed one. And through this rift crossed over to Earth the 300 year old Arcanian Archmagus, whom the internet quickly dubbed "Professor Dumbledore" due to his striking similarity to the headmaster of the classic book and film series of witchcraft and wizardry. With his appearance, the entire world became enlightened to the existence of the other world, Archa Astra, and the virtually untapped energy source that existed on the other side. It was "aether," the quintessence of classical Alchemic properties long thought to be mere conjecture.


    The shocking revelation brought about a significant divide among the people of Earth. On one hand, Archa Astra had all the resources needed to solve their current and ever growing needs. On the other hand, it would mean establishing contact with the denizens of another world and many were unsure whether it would be a good idea or not. Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists of history, especially warned against seeking contact with aliens, citing the tragedy of the Native Americans in the New World as the prime example of what may happen as a consequence.


    However, pressure from the pro-contact faction won out in the end. Even accounting for the risks, there was no doubt that Earth, in the state that it was in, lacked the resources to support all the people on it for long. Even if this novel energy source of "aether" could not be tapped and made a use of, there was still a whole world''s worth of natural resources laid before them. As reasonable and logical human beings, how could they possibly turn the other way?


    Perhaps it was but human nature, for man to exploit any resources placed before them until even the marrow runs dry¡ª inevitable, as the sun does rise again after it sets. Once a consensus had been reached, it took only until the turn of the century, 2100 AD, later to be redesignated 0 AR, for the world''s first permanent Stable Rift to be opened. Once it did, it signaled the bridging of the two worlds, Earth and Archa Astra, and what was once myth had now been merged with reality.


    Whether this event would lead to an era of everlasting peace and prosperity for both worlds or, instead, an era of strife and conflict, only the future knows.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Arca Archa: Prelude Begin


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Elsewhere, in the lobby of a mixed-use condominium apartment, the radio broadcast of an old security staff filled the air.


    "¡­with current projections, the Blue Knight Satellite will be visible passing over Singapore this week. With clear skies forecasted for as far as the eye can see, be sure to mark your calendars and set your alarms so you won''t miss this stellar sight!"


    "From the time of Archimedes to the first astronauts, experts theorize the Blue Knight Satellite has been in the skies for as long as humans have gazed towards the stars. Some say it got its name because it''s shaped like a knight''s cross, but, quite frankly, I personally don''t think it looks very much like one at all. Conspiracy theorists say it was put up there by aliens. What do you think?"


    "Conspiracy theorists also believe that the Earth is flat, so what does it matter what they say? However, if it''s about aliens¡­ then we already do have some walking among us today."


    "Among us?"


    "Don''t forget about the Arcanians. Although officially it''s been twenty-six years since the stable rifts opened, don''t forget that ''Professor Dumbledore'' actually arrived over thirty years prior to that. What''s more, according to him, Arcanians have long been appearing on Earth by virtue of spontaneous rift events ''spiriting them away,'' much the same way some humans have been ''spirited away'' throughout history and gone missing without a trace."


    "Always thought those were just missing people who either ran away from home or ended up dead in a ditch somewhere, but no, you''re right. Who would have guessed that the so-called mythical creatures of past folklore I lived my entire childhood reading about turned out to be¡­ well, just poor Arcanian saps unfortunate enough to get nabbed by a rift and dropped here on Earth? Not me, that''s for sure. But at least now we know catgirls are real, am I right? Hahaha¡­"


    As the laughter of the radio hosts reached a jovial crescendo, a light jingle rang from across the lobby and one of the two elevators glided open. Out of it came a simple and earnest girl: Her clothes were light and unassuming, her expression was genuine and carefree, and her voice was gentle and melodious. Yet, as though in opposition to this gentle part she played, her hair¨C azure and light like the bright blue sky¨C stood out like a sore thumb.


    Stopping, she greeted the old security staff the way she would a long time-acquaintance, and he waved to greet her back in turn.


    "Out for work, Canaria?" he asked her.


    "Oh, no. It''s Sunday today. I''m out to have lunch with my friend later," Canaria responded back to him.


    Grumbling, he said, "That so? Take care. One can never be too careful these days, with these spontaneous rifts opening up everywhere. Back in my day, we never had to worry about these pesky rift things opening up everywhere and ruining people''s lives. Now we have to buy spontaneous rift damages insurance, disastrous rift outbreak insurance, rift abduction insurance¡ª"


    "¡ªYes, yes. Back in your day, you had to worry about getting hit by a car while you crossed the street too, right? I''ll be fine. I''ve never even seen a rift in person before! Even if I do encounter any trouble, I''ll just leave it to the guild!" Before the old man could continue rambling on for too long, Canaria cut him off. Then after the brief exchange, it was onward for her. To the unfettered city streets she went. However¡­


    "Eurgh¡­"


    A suffocating wave of humidity washed over her as she left the building. Unable to help it, she reeled back with disgust as a grimace marred her good face. Tugging on her collar, she fanned herself helplessly. From the oppressive heat that roasted her face like a fire, to the moisture that caused her clothes to cling annoyingly to her skin, everything about the state of this weather rejected her.


    Before she had even taken two steps out into the open, she already felt like going back to take a shower¡ª a perk of living in a tropical city she could undoubtedly do without. Despite having lived here all her life, she could never adapt. And really, who would blame her? It was hot and humid during the summer months, and it was hot and humid during the winter months. The only cool place to be found was in the interior of a fully air-conditioned building or vehicle. It was even hot when it rained!


    "Maybe if I was a plant, this would be nice. No ifs, buts, or leaves about it, hehe. Well, if being a plant means I wouldn''t have to feel hungry anymore, maybe it wouldn''t be such a bad life."


    Looking down at herself, Canaria felt her belly. It was thin and empty; a fact covered by the loose fabrics of the clothes she wore. She was hungry, it was breakfast time, and she was ready to eat. Yet when she spared a thought to her monthly expenses and the budget she would have to constrain herself to, she shook her head and dispensed with these troublesome desires.


    So, she walked. A stroll was a rather great alternative for breakfast if she had to say so herself. "Umbrella rift insurance," she murmured absentmindedly as her eyes started drifting to the advertisements plastered everywhere on the streets, "I wonder if Anny has it?"


    ¡­


    Canaria could only describe the streets of Singapore as something fearsome.


    It was as if, somehow, everything about the city had been designed to be able to cram as many people as possible into the densest piece of land without sacrificing a certain standard of living. She never had to wander for more than a few city blocks to be able to access everything she needed during her day-to-day life. From department stores, markets, cafes, restaurants, to even an underground mall, everything was there within a few minute''s walk. There was more than she could list off the top of her head. Not to mention, oftentimes, there would even be multiples of each service just around the corner or across the street. Suffice it to say, if she never wanted to try out anything new, she would never have to wander far should she choose not to.


    And the people too¡ª oh, the people especially struck a chord with Canaria. With diversity like that of flowers in a botanical garden, the kinds of people she could see walking the streets were enough to make her sigh in amazement. If it were twenty years ago, the sight of them would have certainly been a strange thing to behold, possibly making a person second-guess themselves to be immersed in full-body VR. Now, it was just the norm.


    It was all thanks to the Arcanians. From very tall to very short, very lanky to very stout, and very monotone to very colorful, they came in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and flavors. There were the agile Felids, the fierce Canes, the stout Ursids, and many more. Being easy to spot from the get-go, they each had their own very unique distinctions that set them out from the others. To put it simply, it was their eyes, ears, tail, and, on occasion, even horns¡ª especially the horns. Canaria liked their horns. It was the sum of all these parts that made each individual Arcanian stand out like a special jewel.


    For a people-watcher like her, their presence made even a simple trip down the street a memorable experience. Since leaving her apartment, she had seen a particularly tall Ursid having to bend his back down to press the street crossing button, a Lagos with branch-like horns having to get on the tips of her toes just to throw away some trash, a Lapaca with bad eyesight having to squint her eyes trying to read the street signs, and a fit Dae casually parkouring off the tenth floor of a building to get to the street instantly. The last show was quite amazing actually. But though it was an impressive sight for sure, it was not too strange or out of place.


    Canaria turned a corner into an alleyway passage.


    "¡ªOut of my way! Out of my way!"


    "Oof¡ª!"


    With little in the way of any warnings, Canaria suddenly found her breath knocked out of her lungs and the world spinning before her eyes. One second, she was walking down the street keeping to herself and in the very next, something¡ª someone had struck her square on her side, sending her hurtling to the ground. She was slow to react, but she managed to cushion her fall by bringing her hands out in front of herself quickly. Finally realizing what had happened, she groaned out with a spot of pain before turning her palms over to see the damages.


    "Atch!" Canaria winced as she noticed a wound on her hand. It was covered in grime and, though blood had not begun to seep out yet, it would not be long until it would. She needed to clean it and wrap it soon. However, before she could do that, she needed to find out what had knocked her down. To her surprise, it was actually a young Arcanian boy with sharp wolf-like ears, long brownish hair, and an unkempt tail disheveled like the end of a frayed broom. Although she was stunned, she tried to help him anyway. The response she received was far from the most grateful, however.


    "Are¡­ are you alright?" she asked him carefully.


    "Urgh¡­ I could have sworn I told you to get out of the way. Are you slow in the head? Or could it be that you''re deaf?" the boy retorted, slapping her outstretched hand away.


    "S-Sorry? Pardon me, but, what?" Canaria''s voice trembled with shock as she was taken completely aback by his behavior. There was no doubt about it¡ª kids really did have a way with their words. The boy was either really rude or just blunt to a fault. She was not expecting any gratitude from the boy, but she was also not expecting to be insulted twice in quick succession for trying to help!


    The boy nursed his head. "I was shouting, wasn''t I?" he complained. "I thought I was being pretty clear. Ow ow ow¡­"


    "I heard you, but there''s no way I could have reacted that quickly!" Canaria defended herself.


    "Ugh! Ladies!" the boy turned his face and sneered with his nostrils flared, as if the term was something derogatory.


    Canaria was horrified. She really wanted to give this boy a piece of her mind, but she held herself back. There was nothing about this boy that was redeeming in her eyes, however, as much as she disliked him, she knew better than to get worked up over a kid. It was a simple truth that, even though the two of them might speak the same language, it would still be a long time before they could truly communicate beyond a superficial level.


    "Oh no! He''s here!"


    "¡ªFinally caught up to you, you rat!"


    Before Canaria could do anything else, a pudgy man sporting Middle Eastern features barged his way into the scene. His face still flushed red from running, he yanked the boy up by the wrist and held him up like he had just caught a prize. The boy struggled wildly to get free, but it was pointless and it meant little for him to try. Even though Arcanian were physically superior to humans, the inherent differences between an adult and a child was still a gap that could not be surmounted. Even a human could overpower a lion if it was young enough after all.


    "Let me go," the boy cried, attempting and failing to free his wrist from the man''s tight grip, "you''re hurting me!"


    Panting, gasping, and wheezing, the man announced triumphantly, "Try to run away now, Hahaha! Still think you''re like a rabbit, do you? No, you are a rat! It looks like your parents never taught you not to steal, did they? Can''t expect too much from you Arcanian monsters, eh? I ought to do them a favor, discipline you, myself."


    "Let go of me!"


    "You know what they do with thieves where I''m from? Only one cure for thieves whose fingers are a little too quick for their own good, if you know what I mean. We have a culture of nipping problems in the bud. Can never be too careful for your own good, understand?"


    "I told you to let me go!"


    The man snapped at the boy''s defiance. "After all the trouble I went through catching up to your rat ass? You must think I''m crazy!" He screamed, sputtering spit all over the child''s face.


    "You are crazy! I didn''t do anything!" The boy defended himself, yet that only served to set the man off further.


    The man suddenly broke into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. "Who, me? Hahaha! A liar and a thief! I really caught a pest this time! Do you know the only thing worth less than a liar''s words is his tongue? If something is worthless, it should be removed! Discarded!" His voice wheezed like he was going through an asthma attack. It was terrifying for Canaria to watch. She thought the man was going to have a stroke.


    The Canis boy remained fearless as he continued to refute any allegations towards himself. "I never even stole from you! What would I steal from you? Ow! Stop that! Let go of me! You''re hurting me! Help!" He yelled loudly, having given up on the idea of freeing himself by force, so he took to crying out for outside help instead.


    With a simple grunt, the man dealt with the boy''s troublesome antics too, as if it were little more than a nuisance. "Don''t do that," he said, smacking the back of the boy''s head with a wooden stick. The boy whimpered and shut up after that. Once quelled, the man started to walk away, dragging the kid away with him. Where to, Canaria had no idea.


    "Help me!" The boy''s eyes seemed to plead for help as he was dragged away. With every step, his desperation grew. Canaria was unsure if it was a genuine cry for help or a desperate attempt to escape. Nevertheless, it was difficult to watch a grown man dragging away a powerless child.


    Time was ticking. Canaria knew she did not have to do anything here. With every step the man took, it became less of her problem as well. Not to mention, the boy deserved it for being so mean after running headfirst into her. She did not receive so much as a single apology for that incident. Served him right!


    ¡­


    But¡­ as she expected, the situation simply did not sit right with her. She was watching a kidnapping take place in broad daylight, clear and cut. Her own personal misgivings had nothing to do with what was right or wrong. As a person, she should strive to be someone who would be capable of forgiving and forgetting. So she nervously called out to the man, "Pardon me? What''s going on here?"


    The man grunted out, "What the hell was that? Oh." For a brief moment, he redirected his glare towards Canaria, which frightened her. However, once his mind caught up to his face, his expression loosened up. He was talking to an actual person now, not some stray animal. The realization made Canaria feel uncomfortable, unnerved even. The man glared back at the boy and explained, "Just dealing with a stray. Finally caught him, the rat bastard, stealing from my shop. Nothing you have to worry about."


    Canaria interjected, "I''m sorry, but even if he stole from you, couldn''t you be more gentle with him? He''s just a kid. He''s a quarter of your size! There''s no need to resort to so much violence, is there?"


    The man scowled dismissively at Canaria''s concerns. "Just a kid? Missy, you weren''t around when things were much worse, back in the day. Trust me. Even if he looks just like a kid, these Arcanian fuckers are nothing to be trifled with," he said harshly, glancing at the boy''s sharp nails before continuing, "Leopards and lions, every one of them. Boy might look harmless now, but wait a few years and he''ll be able to tear a man''s jugular with nothing more than his claws. It''s true! I saw it happen with my own eyes! Some of the most gruesome stuff I ever experienced. I used to work with wild animals, so I know it''s better to take care of the problematic ones early on. They always become bigger problems in the future."


    Canaria swallowed dryly as she listened to the man''s explanation. No wonder she felt uneasy; the guy was actually crazy! She no longer felt safe being around him, as there was no guessing what a guy like him might do next. However, she could not just leave the boy to suffer some horrible, unknown, fate, so she pleaded with the man, "Mister, whether he''s Arcanian or human, a child is a child. He''s in pain now because of how tightly you''re grabbing him. Be more gentle, please? Maybe this is all just a simple misunderstanding at the end of the day. The boy himself is telling you that he didn''t do anything. Perhaps we can open a dialogue and figure out what''s actually going on before jumping to misconclusion?"


    The man snorted in response, "Misunderstanding? There is no such thing! I hardly ever miscount my stock, but ever since this little thief started showing up believing himself to be Alibaba, I''ve been missing dozens of things a week! He was always quick on his feet so I never got to see it when it happened, but this time I finally caught him with my own eyes!"


    The boy clearly disagreed. "Did not!" he hollered.


    The man smacked the boy again with the stick. "You''re lucky I haven''t gutted you already!" He roared, face red and fuming, then he speaked to Canaria again with a laugh. "Do you see what I mean? A liar and a thief!"


    "Okay, I don''t know what''s the truth and what isn''t, but is this whole problem because you think the boy stole from you? Am I correct in saying that? I just want to be clear."


    "Yes, of course. I would not pursue the thief, if there was no thief."


    Canaria nodded. If it was like that, she had an idea what she could do. She pulled out her phone. "What if I pay you back for your losses? Will you let him go if I do that?" She told him.


    The man chewed upon Canaria''s suggestion. When he was done, he gave a slow nod of approval. "Having my losses recuperated is a good thing. I cannot turn that down. However¡­" He trailed off and looked at the boy. "Prevention is ultimately better than any cure. Does not matter if you pay me back, if the brat will be back at it again the next day. That being said¡­ it is true that I have accrued a loss."


    "How much?" Canaria asked.


    "Fifteen," the man replied after pausing briefly, no doubt having just done the math in his head. The number surprised Canaria. Fifteen? She heard that correctly, right? It was about the price of a carton of soy milk at a vending machine. For the sake of fifteen Argentum, the man sure was going through great lengths to catch and torture the boy. Canaria grew suspicious as the cause did not justify the means. What if all this was just an elaborate way to fulfill some sick fetish the man had, or worse, what if everything was part of a ruse to traffic the boy for money?


    Regardless of the intentions however, Canaria had no qualms paying fifteen Argentum to settle the issue. She tapped out the sum on an Argentum transfer app. "Fifteen, right?" she confirmed, walking closer to the man to show him.


    The man acknowledged the sum, but as soon as he saw the number reflected on the phone''s screen, his eyes bulged open. "Yes, fifteen¡ª No, no, no. God, no! Not fifteen Argentum. Fifteen hundred Argentum! I would not run so much to catch this rat for a mere fifteen Argentum! Are you deranged, woman?" He shook his head in disbelief the instant he saw "15.00 Ag" instead of "1,500.00 Ag" on the phone. Exasperated and fuming, he continued shaking his head and mumbled to himself, "Fifteen Argentum. Fifteen! No, no, no. All this trouble for fifteen Argentum! Insane!"


    "P-Pardon me?" Canaria did a double-take. Fifteen what now? Did she hear that correctly this time around? Fifteen hundred Argentum? Just what did that boy do? Had she bitten off more than she could chew? Mayhaps it was not too late to back out yet. After all, the boy never did apologize to her after knocking her down. She needed to put fifteen hundred Argentum into perspective before making a decision.


    Her monthly stipend was about 9,500 Ag. Out of that, she had to set aside 3,000 Ag for her discounted one bedroom HDB apartment, 500 Ag for utilities, 1,800 Ag for food, 1,500 Ag for transportation, and another 1,000 Ag for other bills, for a total of 7,800 Ag, more or less. She did the math in her head so it could be wrong. However, last month, she put aside half of what remained into her savings, leaving 850 Ag to spend at her own discretion.


    "Fifteen hundred Argentum," the man enunciated himself intently, pulling Canaria out of her little daydream, "I will settle this matter for fifteen hundred Argentum. Water under the bridge. Like nothing ever happened at all. Deal?"


    Canaria felt a lump in her throat. Considering how 1,500 Ag was about two months of her disposable income combined, she was hesitant to hand over the grand sum so easily. The man, growing ever impatient, looked at her face and said, "No deal then. That is fine."


    Flustered, Canaria quickly stopped the man from leaving. "Wait! Hold on! I didn''t say no!" She shouted. Once he stopped, she requested, "But just let me speak with the boy first. You can do that much at least, right?"


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    "Fine. Go ahead." The man grumbled and he pulled the Canis boy to face her. He did not loosen his vice-like grip over the boy, however.


    Canaria got closer to the boy and bent down to talk to him with a soft voice. "Hi there, what''s your name?" She asked him, but the boy looked away upon being prompted. Just like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he refused to talk. Where had that bravado from before gone to? Regardless, she tried another approach. "My name is Canaria. Can you tell me your name?" She spoke, hoping to gain the boy''s trust by introducing herself.


    However, refusing to speak, the boy continued to look off to the side. Canaria mused for a moment, observing how poor of a condition he was in. She saw his tail droop and his ears fold against his head. Being so close, it made all the small details apparent. He was skinny to the bone, with bug bite scars all over, wearing tattered clothing, and his shoes were even mismatched. Despite this, the boy''s hazel eyes were still clear.


    "You don''t have to be afraid of me," Canaria said, "I''m not angry from before. I want to help you, okay? But if you want me to help you, you have to talk to me, honestly too, okay? If you don''t want to say anything, you don''t have to! Just nod or shake your head okay?"


    The boy remained silent, but Canaria could sense she was getting to him, albeit slightly. She could tell he was considering her words.


    "The kid is silent. Are you done talking?" The man impatiently interrupted Canaria. She was not done just yet, however, and she requested more time. "Suit yourself," the man sighed.


    Canaria placed her hands onto the boy''s shoulders and looked into his eyes as she asked a simple "Okay?" again. After what felt to her like one of the longest few seconds in her life, the boy finally nodded.


    "I''m going to ask you some questions," she said, "so nod your head to say, ''Yes,'' and shake your head to say, ''No.'' Okay?"


    "¡ªAaron¡­"


    As Canaria began, the boy broke his silence, although it was only to say one word. He still avoided eye contact, however. But, Canaria was relieved. She felt like she was making a lot of progress. "Aaron? Is that your name?" she began.


    The boy nodded.


    She smiled at him. "Then, Aaron, are you hungry?" she asked.


    "?" Confused, Aaron turned to look at her. He could not understand why she was asking a question like that. Was he hungry? He was, so he nodded, but he was sure that she was going to ask about the stealing instead.


    Canaria asked him another question. "Do you have food at home?" She asked, but Aaron remained still. Did he not want to answer? Or perhaps it was the wrong question to ask? Canaria tried another approach. "Do you have a home?"


    The boy shook his head this time.


    "Where are your parents?"


    Canaria received no response yet again, although it was not a yes or no question in the first place. "Do you live on your own?" She continued with her next question, only to be met with more silence. Then, just as she was about to ask yet another question, Aaron suddenly shook his head. "I see," she whispered, patting the boy on the head. She understood what was going on. She grinned and said, "Just leave everything to this big sis, okay? I''ll show you what a proper adult can do, so just trust me, alright?"


    "??" Aaron looked at her with doubt. Nothing she had asked him made any sense at all. Yet, the warm gaze in her eyes granted him a sense of comfort he had never experienced before. As such, he nodded. He trusted her.


    ¡­


    Gripping her phone tightly as she stood up, Canaria addressed the man. "1,500 Ag is too much. I can do 500 Ag," she declared with a surprisingly firm voice not present before.


    The man''s brow raised with curiosity. "500 Ag? No, no, I cannot do 500 Ag. 500 Ag is too low. I might as well keep the kid and take the loss. 1,500 Ag."


    Canaria countered, "That''s too much. How about 600 Ag?"


    But the man refused, "600 Ag might as well be 500 Ag. I can do 1,450 Ag. No lower."


    "I''m having a hard time believing a child managed to steal 1,450 Ag worth of things from you. What did he even take? 700 Ag."


    "700 Ag is still no good, lady. I cannot do 700 Ag. What is 700 Ag but 600 Ag with an attitude? No different than 500 Ag. 1,450 Ag, for all the candy bars, drinks, and other foods he stole."


    Canaria sighed, "If it''s just food, then please cut the boy some slack. He''s starving as is. What about 1,000 Ag? I''m sure you''ll still be coming up on top with the discount."


    The man seemed to consider it, "1,000 Ag? Now you are starting to sound more reasonable. With a discount, 1,350 Ag. Take it or leave it."


    Canaria begrudgingly accepted, "Deal. I will give you 1,350 Ag." She could sense that the man would not negotiate any further from his tone and body language. Although the sum due was still a significant amount, she managed to put a small dent in it with just her words. That would have been good enough in her books. Carefully, she tapped out the correct numbers on her payment app. "I can certainly give you that much, however¡­" she paused, she still had one last card up her sleeve she wanted to try before going through with the transaction.


    "What? Just give me the money and you can have the kid."


    "Mister, before I give you the money, I just want to ask if you know what the MACR is?"


    Confused, the man asked her, "No, what''s that, MACR?"


    "Basically, it means that in Singapore, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is ten. Any child, be they human or Arcanian, below the age of ten cannot be charged with a crime. They can do no wrong in the eyes of the law and, if they can do no wrong, you cannot restrain them for any wrongdoing. Even if you take the boy to a police station, nothing will come of it. In fact, you would be the one in trouble for unlawfully restraining the boy. You might even be arrested instead."


    The man let out a discontent grunt. He did not know what Canaria was getting at, but he felt like she was dragging out time. Something was off, and he felt threatened by that sensation. Quickly, he reeled the boy in and declared, "I don''t need the police to discipline the runt. I will do it myself, if you do not give me the Argentum. Transfer the money, and I will let the runt go. Simple." He pulled out his phone with one hand and opened the Argentum transfer app with his merchant QR code on display.


    With the QR code out, Canaria went to scan it. But that was when the man noticed what was off. She did not scan the QR code with the payment app. Instead, it was a different interface. "What are you doing?" He asked, his suspicion growing, "Wait, why are you on a call?"


    Canaria grinned triumphantly. She had been on a video call the entire time. "Great! Thank you, Mister, for confessing to your crimes." She said in a loud and excited voice. "I tried to warn you, but you didn''t listen. We''ve been on a phone call with the police station for a while now, and you''ve just provided them with everything they need to charge you with conspiring to wrongfully restrain a minor for ransom. The punishment for which is life imprisonment and even execution."


    *¡ª¡ª¡ª!!! ¡ª¡ª¡ª!!! ¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!*


    As if on cue, sirens began to ring through the air, faint and distant but unmistakable. Canaria was pleasantly surprised. "Oh wow, that must be them right now! They sure are on top of it today!" She giggled.


    "What¡­?" The man was stupefied and could only let out a single word. That was the last thing he said before his face drained of color in real time. Canaria could almost see his thoughts surface in the absence of it. "Fuck! Shit!" He cursed loudly, before dropping the boy and running away as fast as he could, disappearing into the many twists and turns of the alleyway.


    ¡­


    Canaria crumpled to the ground. She let out a heavy breath, "Phew¡­ thank god he left." Now that the man had fled the scene and Aaron was safe, all the tension in her body dissipated, and her legs lost the strength to stand.


    Aaron rushed over to her, his face etched with worry. "Are you okay?" he asked.


    "So, you know how not to be rude after all, hehe," Canaria said, smirking somewhat irritatingly before ruffling the boy''s hair. She ignored his little "Hey!" of complaint and did as she pleased. She felt she deserved to vent her frustrations a little. The boy''s wolf-like ears stood upright and stiffened with her touch, but they still folded and gave way when she ran her hand over them. After she finally had had her fill, she pushed herself off the ground and brushed her skirt free of grime.


    When Aaron realized that she was done, he spoke the question that had been on his mind. "Did you ask God for help? Is that why you thanked him just now?" he asked, looking at her curiously.


    Canaria giggled. "That''s not what I meant. It''s just a figure of speech. I was just relieved that my bluff wasn''t found out," she admitted.


    The boy was very confused. "A bluff?" he said, "does that mean you were lying to him?"


    Canaria opened her mouth. "Yep!" However, the one who answered was another person entirely. It was a Felid "catgirl" who just arrived on the scene. She looked to be several years older than Canaria, and she was overjoyed as she hugged Canaria''s sky blue head of hair from behind. She introduced herself. "You expected the police, but it was me, Angelica! Luckily, I was nearby, but, jeez, Aria, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Don''t just send me your location out of nowhere with a single word, ''help.'' When I heard what you were talking about during the call, I thought you were about to be abducted."


    The boy was amazed when he heard what Angelica said. "Wow, awesome! Is this what you mean by showing me what a proper adult can do? I want to be able to lie like that too!"


    "Ah, no, that''s not it¡ª Hm," Canaria opened her mouth to object but stopped when she realized she had no comeback. How awkward. It was true she told the boy to watch what she could do, but she felt the boy''s takeaway was completely different from what she had intended. She wanted to show him that adults could be relied on.


    Angelica got on her tiptoes and peeked at Canaria''s face from over her head. "Ohoh?" She smirked. "What''s this? Aria''s teaching kids how to lie? Curious. Very curious. Is there something I should know about, hmm?"


    Adequately annoyed, Canaria blew a puff of air towards her friend''s grinning eyes. "Anny! Shush!" she said, before getting into properly explaining what happened, starting from when the man grabbed Aaron, all the way up to when he ran away.


    Angelica, in learning of what had gone on, became furious. "Tell me where he ran off to, I''ll gut him!" She growled, baring her teeth, which were sharp like fangs. "Assholes like him are a dime a dozen! No one will notice if one or two of them go missing!" Canaria panicked when she heard Angelica go off like that. She truly did think her hotheaded friend might do something illegal if she did not stop her.


    During this exchange, Aaron wadded nervously in front of the two girls. Canaria let out a surprised "Oh," as she had forgotten about the actual boy in question who caused the whole situation. She listened attentively as he apologized. "I¡ª I''m sorry for causing so much trouble¡­" he said, ears and tail drooping. He continued, "And I''m sorry for knocking you down. Sorry¡­"


    "¡­!" Canaria''s heart softened at the sight of the boy''s distress. He looked like he was about to break out into tears. She quickly shuffled over to comfort him, patting his head gently and stroking his hair to calm him. "It''s okay. It''s okay. I''m not angry at you. Don''t be sad," she assured him. However, there was something she wanted to talk to him about. Once he stopped looking so sad, she adopted a stern expression. "I''m not angry, but, I hope you understand this whole situation started because you stole from the man first."


    "I was hungry¡­ and he had a lot of food. I didn''t think he would get so mad over it," Aaron explained dejectedly. As a matter of fact, he still was hungry. Although he had taken something to eat earlier, it was just a candy bar, which he quickly consumed while making his getaway.


    Canaria nodded. She understood where the boy was coming from, and she deeply empathized with his situation. However, she knew that it was important to teach him about what was right and wrong. "Things turned out okay this time. But really, the man was in the right, you know? You wouldn''t like it if you had your things stolen, would you? That''s why you shouldn''t steal. It isn''t fair to who you steal from. It doesn''t matter if he had a lot of food or not. His things are his own. Got it?" She spoke in a way even a child could understand. Not to mention, she had a sneaking suspicion that his troublemaking was a symptom of some other bigger issue. The easiest way to figure that out was to simply ask.


    "I asked you earlier about your home, but you didn''t answer me back then. Could you tell me about that now?" she asked him gently.


    Aaron nodded. "It''s not my home. I don''t want to be there. They''re not my real family. They wouldn''t care if I''m hungry or not," he replied.


    If he was never home, it would explain why he was never fed properly, Canaria thought. However, she probed further, sensing there was still more to the story. "What happened to your real family? Your papa and mama?" she asked next.


    "My mama and papa aren''t with me anymore. They went off to go somewhere far away, but they didn''t take me with them," the boy explained stiffly.


    Canaria simply nodded. "I see. That must have been really hard for you." She paused for a moment before continuing. "But you know, just because they''re not blood related, it doesn''t mean they can''t be your family. Just because your parents aren''t there, it doesn''t mean you can''t call a place your home."


    "But I don''t know them!" Aaron argued back. "They''re strangers! My parents told me not to talk to strangers."


    Canaria closed her eyes. She really did understand the boy''s feelings and, because she understood them, she had to give him a deeply needed hug. When she pulled herself away, she told him in the most gentle voice she could muster. "I know it might be hard to understand now, but everyone starts out as strangers. Weren''t we strangers just now? See?"


    "Uh-huh¡­"


    She further explained. "Even your mama and papa were strangers once upon a time. They had to get to know each other before they became a family. It''s the same with the people around you. You just have to get to know them and give them a chance to get to know you."


    Aaron seemed to take in her words, but his voice remained uncertain. "I don''t know if I can."


    Canaria smiled warmly. "That''s okay. You don''t have to rush. Take your time. Grow up. But don''t be afraid to open up a little. If you can do that, then one day you''ll find that those you can call ''family'' may be closer to you than you think."


    Aaron looked up at her and then down at his feet. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. It was only after he shuffled his feet and looked up again that he could finally bring the words to his mouth. "Okay. I''ll try."


    Canaria ruffled his hair playfully. "Good," she said. "Now run along. Go back home. Go eat. And go open up to them, your ''family.''"


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The two girls watched as Aaron disappeared into the streets. "It would be nice if he took what I told him to heart," Canaria sighed. Foster children had to deal with a lot of issues and problems. She bailed the boy out of trouble and imparted what wisdom she could, but ultimately it was still up to him what he would do afterwards. She could only hope he followed her advice.


    Angelica placed her hands onto Canaria''s shoulders. "Look at you, being an emotional support animal. How cute," she teased.


    Canaria stretched her arms. "Ah jeez, I''m hungry now," she complained, pouting. Now that everything was over, she was reminded once again that she had left home without eating anything for breakfast. She checked the time. She did not like what she saw as lunch was still hours away. Luckily, the friend she was supposed to meet was already with her. She asked Angelica, "Anny, I know it''s a bit early, but since you''re already here, can we go for lunch? I''m famished!"


    Angelica nodded, wanting to get out of the alleyway already. "Of course we can! Bubble tea? There''s a place I''ve been wanting to try," the Felid suggested, but Canaria was not so agreeable.


    "No!" Canaria rejected the suggestion with vehement force. She even crossed her arms to show just how much she hated the idea. "Absolutely not! I refuse to drink dessert for lunch!"


    As the two discussed the prophesied lunch, Canaria felt something strange. "Hm?" She let out a questioning tone as she turned around. She could feel an odd sensation, like the air pressure had increased or something. "Hey Anny? Do you feel that?" she asked her friend.


    Angelica did not notice anything. "Feel what?" she asked, suspiciously, "Aria, what are you talking about? Are you okay? What are you looking at over there?"


    Something strange had appeared in the air before Canaria¡ª thin as a fracture line, it shimmered like a crack through a wall into another world. "Anny, do you see this?" Canaria asked again. As she got closer, she saw it was actually glowing on its own! Her brows furrowed as her own curiosity deepened. "How strange, just what is this thing?" she mused. "Could it be a hologram?"


    Although there was a chance it could have indeed been a holographic projection, there was nothing in her surroundings to suggest it. Yet, it looked too real and hung off the air for it not to be. Before she knew it, she was nearly close enough to kiss it with the tip of her nose. She reached out with her fingers.


    What Canaria did not know, yet, was that this tiny action of hers would be the start of a series of unimaginable events which would forever change the course of her life.


    ¡ªTap.


    Canarias touched the crack with the tip of her index finger and the force it exerted back resisted her finger like an opposing magnet. So it ended up not being a projection after all. "Huh, neat," she simply said, having her curiosity satisfied. However, as soon as she made contact, the crack pulsed before a tremendous force expelled forth, causing her to flinch.


    When she looked up again, the hair-like fracture line had split open into a harrowing crevasse as tall as a man and just as wide. It was ragged, sloppy, and festered like an open wound. Yet, it was clear that such was no wound upon a living being which blood would bleed. It was a gash upon the very world itself, and it was the essence of the world that came gushing out of it like a flood of water that pushed her back both physically and psychologically.


    Canaria trembled. "It''s¡­ It''s a rift!" she realized in horror. She was witnessing a spontaneous rift open before her eyes! Up until now, she had only ever seen it happening over the internet. Even then, she had never seen the precursor of a rift opening. It was simply something which had never been documented before! That meant, somewhere on the other side of this rift was a whole different world, Archa Astra, a world of myths and folklore, motherland to the Arcanians. However, this was not so tamed a rift as the ones permanently opened and maintained for transportation and immigration. Instead, this rift before her was dangerous in a way no different than wildfire¡ª an unstable and uncontrollable rift which would bring about only hazard and harm to everything around it if left unchecked.


    It was then that Canaria finally realized she needed to run. She needed to escape right away, get as far away as she could. "Anny! We have to run! Now!" she shouted. However¡ª "Arghh!" She screamed involuntarily, her mind going numb with pain. The moment she made an attempt to take off, she felt something like a bolt of energy strike her leg, and it sent her hurtling to the ground in a mess. That was the second time she had fallen to the ground, only it hurt so much more than being tackled by a child. At least, back then, she managed to cushion the fall with her arm. This time, she collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.


    "Aria!" Angelica screamed.


    Canaria heard the frantic yelling as she fell to the ground, but her senses were too overwhelmed to pay it any attention. She groaned out miserably as her friend made it to her side. "It got me right behind my thigh," she said, hyperventilating. Whatever hit her, it certainly did not hold back. The lasting pain and tenderness served as a potent reminder of what just transpired. Her mind raced with a flurry of thoughts and her heart pounded rapidly as she stared at the spot covered by her clothes. She hesitated to check, nearly backing out of it entirely, but her worries subsided as soon as she pulled back the scorched fabric of her skirt and saw no wound underneath. The spot was red and tender, but there was no sign of any lacerations or burns.


    Angelica breathed out a massive sigh of relief along with Canaria. "Thank god," the Felid said, reaching out with her arm. "Can you stand?" she asked. The two of them had little time to be relieved as they still needed to leave. The rift was beginning to look violent. The pressure it was exerting on them was increasing. Bolts of energy radiated from within, like a tesla coil discharging into the air. It was one of these that hit Canaria earlier.


    "Grrr Grgrgrgrgr¡­"


    As Canaria stood up with the help of her friend, she heard a noise like a low static-filled rumble filling the air, crackling and popping with every sound, growing louder by the second.


    "Yikes!" Angelica yelped nervously as she heard the noise. While she did not know what nature that ominous sound possessed, it was pretty clear where it was coming from, and she did not want to stick around long enough to find out. She grabbed Canaria''s arm and tugged, urging her to leave, but her friend was unresponsive. "Aria¡­?" Angelica asked.


    Moving as though in a trance, Canaria pulled her arm away and limped over to the mouth of the rift. Her sky blue eyes reflected the deep shade of the rift, which was red like freshly spilled blood. It made her look like a completely different person. Enduring the outflowing pressure, she reached out with her hand.


    "Aria, no! Stop! Don''t touch that!" Angelica warned, attempting to stop Canaria from doing whatever she planned on doing. But it was too little too late. Canaria''s palm touched the rift and the entire thing trembled like the surface of a pond during an earthquake. Before their very eyes, the rift began to waver. It was shrinking! It was closing!


    "Shhh!" wincing, Canaria hushed her friend. "This is¡­ difficult. I have to concentrate or I might mess up!"


    Angelica quickly covered her mouth with her hands, not wanting to disrupt Canaria''s focus. However, as she watched, she noticed something strange above her friend''s head. It was so faint she could barely pick it out in the daylight, but it was there, for just a split second before it faded, she saw a wisp-like crown of light.


    Canaria continued. "Almost there¡­" she murmured, struggling with the last stretch, before she finally exclaimed triumphantly, "Ah-ha! Got it!"


    Angelica felt her eyes bulge as she watched what her friend had just accomplished. "How¡­?" She was at a total loss for words. Her friend had done something thought to be impossible, but it was equally impossible to deny the accomplishment. The rift really did close before her own eyes.


    Canaria let out a weak giggle, feeling thoroughly exhausted by her act. "I don''t know, actually. I just felt like maybe I could do something, so I just went for it! Hehe~" she explained, fully expecting Angelica to be happy with her. However, her friend was not amused. It was quite the opposite, as a matter of fact.


    "Aria! What have you done!" The Felid cried out in horror, her sudden outburst catching Canaria off guard. "Don''t ever do that ever again!" she continued, leaving the girl utterly confused and lost.


    Canaria asked weakly, "Huh¡­? Aren''t you excited, Anny?" She had thought her friend would be just as excited as she was, about what she had just accomplished.


    Angelica grabbed Canaria by the shoulders, pinning her to the spot. She scolded her, "No! Don''t you understand what you just did? Ever since the spontaneous rifts started appearing and causing havoc all around the world, nobody has found a way to close them by force! Not even the guild can do anything about it other than to send their operators to camp it out! If they ever find out, they''ll force you to close rifts until the day you die, or worse, they''ll lock you up in a research facility and pick your body apart to figure out how you do it!"


    Canaria was taken aback. "A-Anny?" she stuttered. She had not given thought to the possible ramifications of her actions, but she also felt that Angelica was overexaggerating. Was it really that big of a deal? The potential consequences felt very unrealistic. There was no way the guild, which was a government entity with strong ties to the United Nations, would lock her up like that, would they?


    Angelica shook her shoulders. "Canaria!" she cried out loudly.


    Canaria replied attentively, "Y-Yes?!"


    "Promise me you will never do this again! And promise me you won''t tell anyone about it either!"


    "O-Okay¡ª" Canaria spoke, only to be interrupted mid-sentence as Angelica glared at her in the eyes.


    "I said to ''promise me,'' not to say ''o-okay'' like someone just asked you to pass the bill at a restaurant!" Angelica stated. Canaria tried to back away to no avail. Despite her slim physique, Angelica was quite strong due to her Arcanian heritage. Even with a single hand, she could easily overpower the delicate and lightweight Canaria. With both hands holding the poor girl down though? Canaria had no choice but to say the only thing she could.


    "I promise! I promise!" Canaria quickly said. "Now can you let me go? It hurts¡ª"


    ¡ªThen, the rift previously thought to have been closed by Canaria suddenly exploded back open with a force several times greater than what it had exerted before. Angelica, who had her back to the rift, winced as she bore the brunt of the force shielding Canaria.


    "Grrr Grgrgrgrgr¡­"


    When Angelica reopened her eyes, she heard the growls from earlier resuming. "Oh no!" she gasped, realizing that the danger had returned. She exchanged a quick look with Canaria, and they both nodded in agreement. They needed to flee. Canaria was not going to try again to close the rift.


    However, as soon as Canaria took off, the pain she had so conveniently forgotten about in her leg returned with a vengeance. The moment she tried to run, the muscles in her thigh cramped up and she nearly dropped right that instant. Fortunately, Angelica was right next to her and was able to support her. Behind them, the face of the rift shimmered, and wolf-like creatures emerged from it.


    "Elementals!" Canaria gasped, picking up the pace. The creatures resembled feral dogs, or perhaps more like wolves due to their size, however the superficial resemblances ended there. These were elementals, abnormal phenomena driven crazy by the chaos and imbalance of the two worlds being forcibly conjoined by the unstable rift. They were maladies which should not exist, yet they walked the earth and wrought about destruction like any real being could. To fight them was a task suicidal for any "Man." Conventional weapons like a gun or a taser would do nothing. For, after all, how does one fight back against the formless wind, intimidate the living earth, or subdue a torrent of water?


    Achieving such a feat would be nothing short of mythical.


    Angelica stole a glance at Canaria as they made their retreat. "Aria¡­" she whispered almost inaudibly. She knew that with Canaria''s limp, they would not be able to escape together. If this continued, they would both get caught, so she understood what had to be done. She let go of Canaria and turned around to face the incoming danger. "Go," she instructed her friend simply. "I''ll distract them, buy you some time to get away."


    Canaria stopped dead in her tracks and stared at Angelica in total disbelief. "What? You can''t be serious, Anny," she said in utter refusal. "You can''t do that, do you think you''re some kind of a hero? You''re younger than me! I''ve known you since you were in pre-school! Come on, let''s go!"


    But Angelica simply did not. Standing firm, she shook her head and gave Canaria a confident smile before taking out her "claws," her Arcanian artes that coated her hands like a protective pair of gloves. Indeed, it was a mythical feat for "Man" to fight against these embodiments of nature¡­ fortunately, she was Arcanian. As a descendant of those very same braves who came to Earth to aid humanity during the wake of the Great Rift Outbreak Event of 0 AR, it was in her blood to fight and to protect.


    Angelica waved her hand and tested the flexibility of her fingers. She explained, "I wanted to keep it a secret so I could surprise you properly later, but I''ve actually been training to apply to the guild as a field operator. It was difficult to practice since there''s barely any aether present on Earth, but now that I''m close to the rift, to Archa Astra, using my artes is actually a breeze. I''ve got this, now go, run! I won''t forgive you if you get caught!"


    Canaria bit her lips and squeezed her eyes shut in guilt. She knew Angelica well enough to understand that her friend would not change her mind. "Damn it!" she swore loudly. "Then you better catch up soon!"


    Angelica let out a soft chuckle. "Relax, I''m only giving you a head start. Don''t worry, I''ll catch up once I finish playing with these mutts."


    ¡­


    *¡ª¡ª¡ª!!! ¡ª¡ª¡ª!!! ¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!*


    Blaring sirens filled the air as people scurried away like rats. The speakers announced over and over again that a rift event had been detected. Soon, the guild and its field operators would arrive at the scene to handle the rift. However, no matter how quickly they acted, they would not be able to help Canaria in her predicament.


    Canaria fled as Angelica held the elementals at bay. Being powerless to do anything else, she despised herself for only being able to run¡ª for being unable to even do that properly with the pain in her leg tormenting her every step. Canaria could hear the snarls and growls of the elementals behind her as they attacked Angelica, but she refused to go back. She gritted her teeth and suppressed the fear and worry pounding away in her heart. Canaria had to keep on moving, no matter what. The longer she took to escape, the longer Angelica would be exposed to danger, and that was something she could not allow to happen.


    "Hey, you! Get out of there!"


    As Canaria emerged from the alleyway, a man''s voice yelled out to her. For a moment, she wanted to yell back at him to ask just what exactly he thought she was doing, but she was too focused on getting out of there to respond. Suddenly, she felt a force pushing her down. "Huh¡­?" she muttered, turning her head around. Her eyes widened as she saw one of the elementals had gotten loose and caught up to her.


    She let out a groan and struggled to breathe as the force of the elemental pushed the air out of her lungs. She was falling. However, instead of feeling fearful about the elemental snapping at her, she felt only exasperation at the way her day was going. It was nothing but a rollercoaster of events that started out great, with a leisurely walk and plans to get lunch with Angelica, but then she got tackled to the ground, had to deal with an insane shopkeeper, encountered a spontaneous rift, got dropped to the ground a second time after getting struck in the thigh, felt a false sense of security when the rift closed, only for the damn thing to explode back open again. Now, she was running for her life on Angelica''s borrowed time, but she failed to even do that properly.


    She felt exasperation, true undeniable exasperation. She just did not have it in her anymore to view the situation as "unfair," nor did she lament "woe is me," at the unjustified series of unfortunate events she had to endure. The only thing that remained in her mind as she found herself hurtling towards the ground for the third time that day was simply¡ª


    "Not again¡­"


    ¡­


    "¡ªHrah!"


    *Twack!*


    It happened in a flash¡ª as Canaria fell, a blurry figure flew across the street and tackled the elemental off her back. The impact was so strong that she felt it, even though it only hit the wolf. Although nothing was pushing her down anymore, she continued to fall towards the asphalt. She braced for the impact, squeezing her eyes tightly and reaching out with her arms to protect her face. Yet, the pain never came. A pair of arms caught her across the stomach, arms that were firm and steady through a lifetime of hardship, and she let out a little gasp of surprise.


    "¡­?!"


    "¡ªI got you! Made it right in time. Phew¡­"


    Canaria, with her own arms still outstretched, glanced up dumbfoundedly at her savior. The sun shining in her eyes made it difficult for her to see anything but his age-streaked hair and vague facial features before a loud crash diverted her attention. She saw an Ursid bear-man with a colossal and stout physique savagely beating down on the elemental, the very one that was on her back just a moment ago, with nothing but his bare hands.


    His arms and legs were enveloped with a protective sheath of light as he fought. Those were his Arcanian artes, a much more experienced application of the same one Angelica showed off. The aura allowed him to directly interact with and harm the elementals without being burned, shocked, or having his strikes pass harmlessly through their bodies instead. He kicked, punched, and tossed the elemental around with ease. He closed his hands together into a double ax handle and smashed the wolf to the ground.


    After bringing the elemental down, the Ursid walked up to its head, lifted his leg, and prepared to crush it. As he did so, his artes surged towards his leg, gathering into an even fiercer, more brilliant, aura.


    *DOOM¡ª!*


    He delivered a stomp that shook the entire street where they were standing. The body of the elemental fell apart, unable to hold its form any longer, and withered into nothingness.


    Terrifying, Canaria shuddered at the display. As expected, it took an Arcanian''s artes to put an elemental down. However, as the one was eliminated, two more appeared from the alleyway. Canaria felt her stomach drop at the sight of them. "Oh no, Angelica¡­!" she whispered, horrified and fearing the worst.


    "I''ll take care of this, Boss," the Ursid gruffed before going at it again, charging towards the new threats before tossing them around as if they were party balloon animals.


    "Got it," the man replied before turning back to Canaria. "Hey, listen. You have to get out of here. Hanging out around an unstable rift is not the place to be," he told her. But with her mind occupied, she was unresponsive. "Hello? Hello? Are you there? Maybe you''re not okay after all," the man contemplated seriously.


    He nodded. "Ioan, I think this one''s in shock! I''m going to carry her to safety!" He announced before doing exactly that. "Apologies, but if you will bear with me for a moment, I''ll get you out of here," saying this, he wrapped his arms around her body while mumbling about how it had been a while since he had done this. Before Canaria fully processed what was going on, the man effortlessly picked her up and placed her over his shoulder like a sack of rice. "Hey, you''re pretty light. How much do you weigh? Are you eating enough?"


    Ioan fought. However, before he could finish off the two elementals, three more emerged from the alleyway. Strong as he was, Ioan could not hold down all five of them by himself. Though he managed to catch one of the new elementals by the ankle, the other two shot straight past him and headed towards Canaria. "Sorry, Boss!" Ioan apologized.


    The man shouted as he realized the imminent danger and began to run with Canaria on his shoulder. "Hold on tight!" he warned her. At first, his gait was unstable since it had been a long time since he had to carry someone and run, but after only a couple steps, he adjusted his center of gravity to account for the weight imbalance. Then, he broke out into a full sprint, jerking Canaria out of her trance as he did so and causing her to "Eep!" in surprise. She squirmed to hold onto him for stability. The man was faster with her on his shoulder than she could run herself! But no matter how fast he could run, there was little a normal human could do to match the speed of a beast that ran on all fours.


    "W-Wait!" Canaria quickly said. She hit the man repeatedly in the back to get his attention. "My friend is over there! She''s a Felid. She stayed back at the rift to give me time to run away! You have to go help her! Please!" she told him. She saw what Ioan could do to the elementals. She heard Ioan call the man "Boss," so if he ordered it, Ioan would go to save Angelica. This was the only thing she could do to help her friend.


    But, the man denied her request. "No," he said, shaking his head.


    Canaria felt her heart sink. "Is it because of me? Am I the reason you can''t go help my friend? I can get away on my own. You don''t have to worry about me! Please, just go help her!" she begged. However, the man did not budge.


    "That''s not it," he sighed. His words were cold, but his tone was not. "It''s the responsibility of normal people like us to stay away from the rift so we don''t get in the way of the real heroes."


    Canaria shook her head vehemently as she denied his words. "Anny''s not a fighter, she''s not a hero! I''ve known her since we were children! She used to cry because someone bumped into her! There''s no way a scaredy-cat like her can be a hero!"


    The man''s lips curled into a thin smile. "Maybe you don''t know her as well as you think," he said simply before turning into a narrow alleyway in an attempt to get away from their pursuers. In that brief moment where the corners of the alleyways aligned, Canaria caught a glimpse of the rift¡ª of Angelica. The Felid had joined forces with Ioan, and both were punching and kicking their way through the pack of elementals like true fighters.


    ¡­


    Canaria wanted to scream the entire time the elementals chased after them. They were hot on their heels, and it was a miracle that the man had managed to keep running for so long without ever slowing down. It was even more of a miracle that they managed to avoid all the obstacles hampering their way; things ranging from dumpsters to chairs and boxes piled taller than a person. The man weaved through all of these without a hitch, even knocking some things over to slow the elementals down. Although his actions never bought them more than a moment of time, the split second it did purchase was often the difference between taking a hit and not.


    "Duck!" Canaria shouted. She heard a snarl from above as an elemental leapt off an AC unit towards them. The man heard her warning and reacted instantly, practically dropping to the ground in a sliding motion before springing back up to make a sharp turn to round a corner. Canaria cried out in pain as he slammed against a wall and skidded over it for several strides before he was able to correct his course. Unfortunately, this decision led the two of them into a dead end.


    "Shit!" the man swore loudly. The elemental hounds were already back on their tail, but he did not give up. His eyes darted like pinballs as he looked for a way out of the predicament. Then he saw it. "There!" he exclaimed before leaping for a low-hanging AC unit. He caught the ledge with one hand and used the friction between his shoes and the side of the sheet metal to propel himself over the top, all with Canaria still on his shoulder.


    Canaria was left even more impressed with his athleticism now, however, this alone was not enough to get away, as one of the elementals had leapt off an AC unit of a similar height just earlier. "Hold on tight!" the man said, continuing without rest. Canaria nodded obediently. Using this new vantage point, he was then able to reach and use window ledges, balconies, and even exhaust pipes to climb until they finally made it to the roof of the building.


    The elemental wolves eyed them from below, but realizing that they had no real way of getting up there, they slowly backed off before dispersing completely. They were someone else''s problem now. The man breathed a sigh of relief and set Canaria down onto the roof. The danger had passed.


    Canaria gazed at the man, who was still panting and sweating from the intensity of the chase, and said, "Thank you." She was very grateful for his assistance. Considering the lengths the man had to go through, including climbing a building, just to get away, she realized that she would not have been able to flee on her own.


    The man merely shook his head as he wiped off the beads of sweat from his brow. "Don''t mention it," he replied in short bursts between gasps. "No big deal. I''ve had worse. It''s fine. Just another Tuesday for me."


    It was Sunday, however.


    "Actually, how did you do all that?" Canaria asked excitedly. "It was really amazing how you could run so fast without breaking a sweat! Are you Arcanian? You don''t look like one though: No horns, or particular ears, or a tail either."


    "No, I''m human, through and through. Unless my parents lied to me. I just exercise here and there."


    Canaria looked at him skeptically. "I don''t know about that¡­" She told him. She did not know whether to view this as a humble brag or the man''s actual humility. Either way, it was seriously impressive what he had done.


    "Look over there," Edmond suddenly told her, pointing in the distance, opposite of where they had gotten onto the roof.


    "Is that where the rift is?" Canaria asked. Edmond stayed silent, but she had a feeling what the answer might be. It became abundantly clear after seeing the emergency response vehicles piling up in the streets. Ambulances were there to take care of any injuries, police were on the scene to block off the area, and firefighters were stationed just in case. However, the ones doing the real heavy lifting were the Guild of Singapore''s field operators, spreading out to eliminate all the elementals and secure the rift.


    "Anny¡­" Canaria murmured. Now that she had some space to breathe, thoughts of her best friend, which had been shoved to the back of her mind, started racing to the forefront again. "Do you think Anny will be okay?"


    Edmond glanced at her and nodded. "I''m sure she will be just fine. Ioan is with her." It was a simple answer, but for some reason, the look in his eyes and the warmth of his tone reassured Canaria.


    "Alright," Canaria exhaled deeply, then asked, "So what are we going to do now? We can''t just stay up here forever. I''m honestly worried about slipping and falling."


    "There should be a fire escape around here somewhere. If not on this building, then on one with proper roof access. We can use that to get back down to street level once I''m sure those elementals won''t be coming back for a second chance at us," he explained to her, before starting to look around to take in their surroundings on the roof. Then he changed the subject. "Oh, I''m Edmond, by the way," he said casually. "Sorry I couldn''t introduce myself earlier. I was honestly a bit preoccupied with getting away. I hope I wasn''t being too rough with you. It''s difficult to run comfortably with a person over your shoulder."


    "Canaria," she returned the introduction before then shaking her head in reply. "No, no, it''s fine. I''m actually really thankful you carried me, in fact!"


    Edmond''s eyes glinted before his voice rose to a chuckle. Out of nowhere, he placed a hand over Canaria''s head and patted her like he would a child. "Hahaha, the world would be a better place if there were more thankful kids like you growing up to become adults."


    Canaria froze¡ª Hold it, did he just call her a kid? Did he think she was a kid?


    "I''m 24! I''m an adult!" Canaria exclaimed. "I work and pay for my own rent! I''m not a kid!"


    "24?! If you''re 24, then I''m 64! I thought you were 16¡ª no, 18 if we''re stretching it, but 24??" Edmond''s jaw fell slack, then he quickly waved his hands in the air to calm Canaria down. "Whoah, whoah, take it easy or you might actually slip and fall!"


    Canaria huffed, crossing her arms as she felt a mixture of annoyance, frustration, and embarrassment. People around her had always told her that she looked younger than her age, but it had never happened to such a degree where she was mistaken for a grade schooler! She seriously wanted to retort, but she could not find it in her to yell at the person who just saved her life. Her annoyance dissipated. "It''s fine. It happens a lot," she said, uncrossing her arms. "But, seriously, I''m not a kid."


    Edmond chuckled again, only this time he held his hands up in surrender. "Alright. I believe you. It was a genuine mistake on my part and I apologize."


    ¡­


    "Give me your hand," Edmond instructed, reaching out to Canaria. Once he deemed it safe to descend, they scanned the sea of roofs for a fire escape and found one only three buildings away. Although Edmond could get down by himself with or without an easy way down, Canaria was a different story. She lacked any bit of the athleticism the man had, and she was ashamed to show it. Of course, Edmond paid it no heed, given that he was the much older one of the two.


    Canaria nodded, her heart pounding with nervousness. She was not a fan of heights; a very common and human fear. The thought of potentially falling while making her way across the gaps between buildings was not reassuring. All it took was one mistake. She tried not to dwell on it. She forced herself to take a deep breath before taking every step in an effort to calm down. Even then, she was so terrified that she felt like she might pass out.


    "Easy does it," Edmond reassured her. "You''re doing great," he said softly, encouragingly. Eventually, with much help and coaxing from Edmond, they made their way to the edge of the first roof.


    Canaria looked down¨C a terrible mistake¨C and her heart skipped a couple of beats. The ledge she needed to stand on was so much narrower than she had anticipated, and there was nothing for her to hold onto except for Edmond''s hand. She turned to look at him, her eyes fearful, and her voice trembling. "You want me to jump this?" she asked. "It''s kind of far, isn''t it?"


    Edmond placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "The average person can jump farther than they expect." He said firmly. "Don''t think. Just do it."


    Canaria gulped audibly. "What," she stated. The gap was more than three meters long! She was not confident in her ability to jump over it, even with a steady foothold and a running start, let alone attempting that while being up here on a sloped roof.


    Edmond brushed off her concerns. "I''m serious. It''s easier to do than you think. Watch me." With that said, he made the jump in one smooth motion and landed across the gap without any issue. Canaria was seriously starting to doubt the man''s claim of not being Arcanian. Either that, or he was secretly an Olympian because no one who only exercised "here and there" could pull off a jump like that.


    Poor Canaria shivered. "Now I really don''t think I can do it," she told herself, shaking her head repeatedly. "No way. Impossible. I''ll fall and die."


    "You''ll be fine, I''ll catch you if you mess up!" Edmond reassured her from the other side, where she could do nothing but throw threatening words at him.


    "If I fall, I''m going to haunt you!" Canaria threatened him while nearly tearing up.


    Edmond chuckled heartily. "I have enough friends hanging around me already. I don''t need another one," he said. While marriage was ''til death do us part, friendship was forever.


    "I''m serious! I''ll haunt you for real!" But, after expressing her fears, it was time for her to perform. Slowly backing up to give herself some running space, she swallowed, screamed, and took a leap of faith.


    ¡­


    "Gotcha," Edmond said as he pulled Canaria up by the forearm. She missed the ledge by a long shot, but true to his earlier promise, he caught her, and everything ended up being okay.


    "Oh my God, I''m alive," Canaria struggled to gasp air into her lungs as she spoke. When she was finally pulled onto the roof, she stated firmly, "That. Was. Terrifying. Never again."


    On the other hand, Edmond was pretty happy with her and his grin showed it. "Hey, you did it!" he exclaimed, clapping. "You''re pretty good. Half the people I know wouldn''t have made that jump."


    Canaria snapped back, her eyes bloodshot. "What do you mean ''pretty good''?! I clearly didn''t make the jump! I just saw my life flash before my eyes!" She was positively mortified. "Never again!" she repeated herself.


    Edmond scratched his chin in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Like I said, half the people I know would have simply stood there instead of jumping. But you actually made the jump, however, and that''s very impressive. You have guts. We take that here. I''m proud of you."


    "I almost fell," Canaria grumbled bitterly.


    "Well, you didn''t, and success rounds up." Edmond chuckled, giving Canaria a pat on the back. "Come on, let''s get out of here. Fortunately, it looks like there''s a fire escape we missed earlier, so we won''t have to jump any more gaps."


    "Thank god," Canaria breathed in relief. If there was one positive thing about the situation, it was that after nearly falling off the roof, walking over the tiles no longer felt as scary. She easily made it over to the fire escape and descended the ladder. Once she felt solid ground beneath her feet again, she immediately turned to Edmond with a huge smile on her face. "We did it! We did it!" she cheered triumphantly, repeatedly. "I couldn''t have done it without your help."


    Edmond smiled wryly. He found it amusing that she included him in the "we" part of her celebration, as if it was part of his achievement as well. While he never doubted his own ability to get down the entire time, he supposed that he did help her get down. "Glad I was able to help," he cheered with her.


    ¡ªAnd with that, they parted ways. While Canaria knew she would never forget the man who had saved her life, the only thing Edmond would take away from the experience would be a newfound appreciation for just how young the newer generation could look.


    That was how the two''s chance meeting should have ended, only¡­ Canaria froze after taking just a single step. "I think I sprained my ankle," She announced meekly, her face turning an embarrassing shade of red that contrasted nicely with her sky-blue hair. She had not felt it earlier due to the adrenaline, but now that it was flushed out of her system, she felt it, and oh, did she feel it all at once.


    Edmond closed his eyes and sighed. "I have an office nearby. I''ll get you an icepack and some painkillers."


    "T-Thanks¡­" Canaria replied gratefully, albeit reluctantly.


    ¡­


    ¡­

 Chapter 2: Downtown City Tea

    Chapter 2:


    Downtown City Tea


    There was a particular story that circulated within the office culture of Singapore. Legend had it that in a certain office building, a terrible tragedy had occurred many years ago. On a Sunday where the elevators were out of order, a woman had to climb the stairs to get to the upper floors. However, due to her limp leg, she had slipped and fallen all the way down. With a broken body, she had cried for help, but nobody came. It was a Sunday, and nobody was at work. Helpless and alone, she had died a gruesome death.


    Now, some said her tormented spirit still haunted the building, and on the holy day of rest, the sound of her tormented wails echoed through the stairwell. Those who had been brave enough to investigate reported feeling an icy chill in the air and sensing a malevolent presence watching them from just around a corner.


    But most people who worked in the building simply avoided the stairwell altogether or stopped coming to work on Sundays, fearing that they too might fall victim to the vengeful ghost''s wrath.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    "Sorry, I didn''t know the elevator was going to be out of order," Edmond apologized to Canaria as he helped her up the stairs. "I normally go straight to the stairs," he added.


    "Of course you would," Canaria said bitterly, feeling tears welling up in her eyes with each step she climbed. She cursed the man and his level of athleticism. He only exercised "here and there?" Bah! What a bad joke. "Ach! Ow ow ow!" she howled in pain. On one leg, her thigh hurt because the rift had lashed out at her; on the other, she sprained her ankle when she landed after taking the fire escape to get down from the roof. Walking hurt badly, whether she hopped on one leg or hobbled with both.


    "My office is on the seventh floor, the topmost floor. Are you sure you don''t want me to carry you up?" Edmond asked.


    Canaria''s face was drained of color. "S-Seventh floor¡ª" she gasped, before shaking her head vehemently. "No, I can do this¡ª ow ow ow!" Her outright refusal to be carried was stubborn. However, it was one thing for her to be carried while her life was in danger, but right now, she would die of embarrassment if she had to be picked up and carried over a flight of stairs because of a sprained ankle and a limp leg. Still, she agreed to hold his arm for support.


    Thirty minutes had passed by the time they finally reached the top floor. Ample time had been taken for Canaria to rest up, dread, and prepare for each step, but she felt proud of herself for reaching her goal. "See, what did I tell you?" she announced with a victorious smile as she opened the door that separated the stairwell from the hallway. Edmond merely raised his hands in defeat. He could not tell if this was strength or sheer stubbornness, however he did acknowledge the strength she exhibited to be stubborn. Although, he had a feeling that her expression would change when she eventually had to make her way back down.


    As they walked towards Edmond''s office, Canaria could not help but notice the building''s old architecture. Actually, she had noticed it on her way up, but she could not spare her mind to think about it then. The building was quaintly charming, lacking the shiny reflective tiles, automatic doors, and glass walls of the usual places of business. The wooden floors creaked beneath their feet, and the brick walls had a certain organic warmth emanating from them when the rays of sunlight shone onto them. It made her wonder about the people who used to work in the building, before the rift era.


    Edmond noticed the expression on Canaria''s face and guessed what she was thinking. "This building has been around for over a hundred years," he shared. "While I can''t tell you exactly what people did for a living back then, I imagine it wasn''t too different from what we do now."


    Nodding, Canaria said, "I suppose. So how long have you been working here?"


    Edmond took a moment to reflect on his past before indulging in her question. Though many years had passed, he still remembered his early days vividly. "I''ve considered this place a second home for a good twenty years now," he replied, reminiscing not only the good and great memories but also the bad and awful ones equally.


    Canaria was honestly surprised. One, because he had been working here for almost as long as she had been alive. Two, because he was still doing the same thing after so long. "Then you must really love your job," she remarked.


    "Hmph," Edmond looked away and huffed, but she could see a little smile forming on his face.


    As they approached a specific door, Edmond said, "We''ve arrived." The door had a neat, slightly decorated, and old placard hanging from it. It read:


    [Arca Archa]


    "Arca Archa." The words bounced off Canaria''s tongue playfully as she read them. "Like Arcanians and Archa Astra?" she confirmed, being rather intrigued by the combination of terms.


    "Good guess," Edmond nodded. "Welcome to the main office of Arca Archa. Here, we provide help to Arcanians who don''t know where to turn to. Whether you need us for conflict resolution, investigation, therapy, or simply emotional support, we will do our best to meet your needs, so long as it''s not illegal, of course. Many immigrant Arcanians have a difficult time wrapping their minds around Earth''s laws and customs. To put it shortly, we''re in the Arcanian solutions business," he said, placing his hand on the door handle. Then, before turning it, he added as an afterthought, "Though that isn''t to say we''ll turn away non-Arcanians who need help. We''re just a lot more geared towards helping Arcanians."


    Edmond opened the door. It was unlocked, as businesses should be during operating hours. A little bell jingled as they entered, signaling that someone had entered the office space, and a little gust of nice air-conditioned air washed over them. Edmond took Canaria to the lounging area couch and helped her to sit there. Once she took off her shoes, he helped her prop her injured leg up on a cushion. "Phew¡­" she sighed. The relief on her face was evident as the pressure on her legs was instantly alleviated.


    "Thank you," Canaria said gratefully.


    "Do you want some tea?" Edmond asked.


    "Ah, okay, sure," Canaria replied. She was about to say no, as she was already imposing enough as she was, but the man was offering. It was only polite to accept. Maybe he would even bring out some cookies too! She grew a little excited.


    "I''ll be right back with some tea," he said before disappearing into the small kitchen adjacent to the lounging area. The room was dimly lit, and the furniture was old-fashioned, with a few potted plants adding some life to the space. At this moment, Canaria felt like she was a child again, being left alone in a doctor''s office. She even momentarily forgot about everything else as curiosity took over and she decided to take a look around while he was gone. From the comfort of the couch, of course. She was sure he would not mind her simply looking.


    On the walls hung various diagrams and maps, some of which Canaria recognized as celestial charts. Next to a globe of Archa Astra was a bookshelf filled with books of all shapes and sizes. She could not make out all the titles from where she was sitting, but she had a feeling that they were not your average self-help or cheesy romance novels. "Encyclopedia of Archa Astra Vol.3" and "Divine Emperor''s Grand Crusade: A Record of Arcanian History Told In Blood" were a couple of the titles she could make out. There were also many physical copies of movies on that shelf. It was mostly old kung fu ones, but there were also a couple of thriller titles, a comedy, and a few romance ones too. She then noticed an opened pack of cigarettes and a Zippo lighter next to a potted plant, which made her wonder if he smoked. She did not like the smoke, but the smell of the nicotine was somewhat pleasant.


    She also eyed the stray pieces of clothes lying around. Canaria liked to keep her living space somewhat neatly organized, but it was out of necessity rather than obligation. She did not have much space to live with, so she had to make do with what she had. While most of what she saw did not make her bat an eye, there were some pretty eye-catching articles simply laying there. In one of the corners, there was clearly a lady''s hat, opera gloves, and something that looked like a bra strap. It was a touch unprofessional to have things like that lying around the office, but it really set her imagination off. Did Edmond invite ladies to his office?


    Despite how the man enjoyed making jokes at another''s expense, which some people could find to be rude or unappealing, he was a kind person and quite gentlemanly too. His fitness was also nothing to joke about either. Coupling that with his "middle-aged handsome man" aesthetic, and the fact he ran his own business, Canaria had to admit he fit the bill that would make him very popular with the ladies. Though, she did not believe he was the kind of man to fool around like that. She would be surprised if he was not already married.


    "Oh," she let out. Covering her mouth, she realized what she was doing. She felt rather ashamed of trying to play detective around Edmond''s personal life. She wanted to change her train of thought, so she quickly looked around for more to inspect.


    It was at that moment Canaria noticed the little bulletin board of photos right behind the couch. She turned her head to look at it and saw photos of Edmond with people she didn''t recognize, most of whom seemed to be Arcanians. Out of them all, one photo stood out the most. It was a portrait of two, dated back to 1 AR, with a version of Edmond, the youngest by far, with his hair still all black. He looked to be in his mid 20s, around the same age as herself, and he wore something that looked to be a cross between a military officer''s uniform and a suit.


    "If he was in his mid 20''s back in 1 AR¡­ wouldn''t that make him about 50 now?!" Canaria felt a piece of her world crumble at the realization. How could a man who was 50 move like that? She had to take a closer look at the photo. He looked very good and the suit fitted him precisely. However, it was then the other person in the photo caught her attention completely.


    It was a strikingly beautiful woman with long hair like threads of Alabaster Gold. She wore a similar suit as Edmond, however, she also had many rings and earrings that clashed with the formal attire. Still, these details were not what caught Canaria''s eye; instead, it was the kind of horns the woman had. They were like obsidian glass, dark and inorganic, the polar opposite of the animalistic horns that all horn-bearing Arcanians possessed. Perhaps it was caused by some sort of hyper-rare mutation she had never heard about, Canaria considered, or it may even have been charred from some sort of accident. However, a particular thought surfaced amidst her doubts. "Draconian¡­?" she murmured, shuffling over to the photo to get a closer look.


    Before Canaria could get close, though, Edmond came back. "I got the painkillers and ice pack," he said, holding a first aid kit in his hand. Canaria snapped back into position like a rubber band when she heard his voice. Somehow, she felt like she had just been caught doing something she was not supposed to.


    Her back was stiff against the backrest as she turned to face him. "T-Thank you," she stuttered as she told him.


    Edmond opened the kit and quickly took out a disposable gel ice pack from a corner, then he sifted through the medication bottles and individually packaged pills to find some painkillers. There were a few kinds, and Canaria most definitely saw a few names in there corresponding to serious prescriptions: morphine, oxycodone, and tramadol, to name a few. However, what he ended up settling on was something anyone could get over the counter at a common drugstore, and Canaria took two tablets, with a paper cup of water from the dispenser.


    Afterwards, Edmond activated the ice pack. "Which ankle?" he asked her. She pointed to the left one, at the same time pulling down her sock to reveal the swollen ankle. He put it on and then used some gauze tape to keep it in place. He also took the opportunity to treat the minor scratches she got from her two falls as well.


    "Ah¡­ that feels good," Canaria sighed out when she felt the relieving coolness of the ice pack touch her skin. "Hey, Mr. Edmond, do you think¡ª" Canaria started to ask, but Edmond stopped her.


    "Don''t call me that. Just Edmond is fine. This isn''t a business setting and you''re not a kid; you said it yourself, right? You''ll make me feel old if you start going around calling me ''Mr. Edmond.''" He laughed it off. But, at the same time, he subconsciously grabbed a strand of hair from his bangs and looked at it through the ceiling light. It was very gray.


    Seeing him do that, Canaria really wanted to know how old he was, but she felt like it would be rude to ask. "Okay, Ed¡­mond," she tried, hesitating. Maybe it was just the impression the man left on her, but it felt weird to have only his name roll off her tongue without an accompanying title. It felt wrong, the same way it did when everyone started calling their university professors by just their given names instead of "Mr." or "Ms." something or another.


    "Yes, Ca¡­naria?" he replied, mimicking her earlier hesitation, which caused her to be flustered.


    "Hey!" Canaria objected to Edmond''s mimicry with an annoyed scowl, but he merely laughed it off like always, at her own expense like always. Now, she had completely forgotten about her earlier train of thought and what she wanted to bring up.


    *¡ª¡ª¡ª!*


    "Ah, there''s the kettle," Edmond said, hearing the whistle, before quickly disappearing into the kitchen. "Oh, do you want milk tea?" he asked from the other room.


    Canaria went along with it. "Sure," she told him. Now that she had been left alone again, she quickly and sneakily returned her attention back to the photos on the bulletin board, to the Draconian woman she saw.


    "Is this what a Draconian looks like?" she whispered, drinking in the details and committing them to memory, while also appreciating the woman''s splendor and grace. As a people-watcher, it was not that she felt physically attracted to the woman; rather, she viewed her like a work of art, something to admire and celebrate. Beauty took many forms, whether it was a scene from nature, a painting, a story, a song, or even a person. That was the beautiful nature of it. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder, and being in the presence of such beautiful things often evoked emotions of awe, fascination, and even peace. This was no different. Canaria felt like her spirits had lifted a little, and her pain had reduced simply by admiring the woman in the photo.


    As her eyes wandered over to the other photos, Canaria began to ponder over what relation the woman had with Edmond. It was only just the one photo where the woman appeared. Slowly, an idea formed in her mind and she began to wonder what had happened between the two of them. Had things gone badly at some point after that photo was taken? "Hm¡­" she mused, realizing she might simply be overthinking it. Was it really so strange to only have one photo taken with another person? On second thought, it seemed there were only a few people who were constants throughout the spread of photos.


    Still, those two seemed awfully close in that portrait, even wearing matching suits to boot, for there to be absolutely nothing going on between them. Her curiosity was piqued, and she reminded herself to research about Draconians online later. She knew from her Archa Astra history and Arcanian Studies classes during university that the Draconians were a fairly important bunch, but she did not know much else about them.


    *Clack*


    Just then, Canaria heard the sound of a door opening. However, it could not have been Edmond; he was in the kitchen making tea. This sound came from the opposite direction. When Canaria turned to see who it was, she was met with an Alf man clutching a large paper bag in his arm. She noticed he had long hair even for a woman, and it appeared to be taken care of quite well too. He was quite lanky and tall, and his overall composition made him look like a stick. She had a thought just then, he would probably fit a horror film if he covered his face with his hair and wore appropriate rags. "A client?" he spoke, meeting Canaria''s eyes through the rectangular lenses of his glasses. His tone was rather succinct. "Do you have an appointment?"


    Canaria was flustered and asked, "Appointment?" not knowing what he was talking about. Then it clicked in her brain and she realized where she was sitting. "N-No," she continued, trying to say she was not a customer at all, but the man took her denial to mean that she did not have an appointment instead.


    He nodded but still reassured her, "We only do appointments on weekends, but I can still listen to what''s going on and figure out if you want to make an appointment to come back another day. Give me one second," he said, setting his things down.


    One second passed.


    Canaria took the opportunity to clarify the situation once and for all. "Wait, I''m not here for that. Mr¡­ Edmond brought me here," she said, and the Alf''s thought process visibly shifted as he responded with a simple "Oh." Canaria was relieved that she had gotten through to him because she really did not want to imagine how awkward it would have been had she failed to speak up. It was here that Edmond also appeared from the kitchen to back up her claim.


    "She got hurt after being caught up in a rift event, Skarvig. I just gave her some painkillers and an ice pack," Edmond explained, holding a cup of blondish-brown milk tea in each hand. They were steaming in his hand and made a satisfying clatter as he placed them on the table.


    Skarvig lost interest upon hearing the explanation. "That so?" he said before walking away. Suddenly, he remembered something and turned around. "Right, that bothersome Sophie Lee came by yesterday. I told her you were off."


    "I know. I heard. Oh, but speaking of her¡­" Edmond trailed off before dipping back into the kitchen for a moment and emerging with a cake box. "She had this delivered to my place last night, but I can''t eat it by myself. You two should have some. If you don''t, Ioan and Ianthi will probably finish it all without leaving a crumb."


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Skarvig took a quick look at the selection before saying, "I''ll pass," and leaving for good. Once he left, Edmond sat down and gave Canaria some reassuring words. "Don''t worry about him. He might come off as a little unfriendly at first, but he''s actually a pretty decent guy, just as long as you can separate how he is professionally and what he likes to do in his spare time."


    "Uh¡­" Canaria expressed some doubt. Edmond''s last words were quite ominous, but she knew he was just joking around, probably. Then she tried the milk tea and, to her pleasant surprise, it was very good. Her eyes shone at the taste. "It''s¡­ delicious¡­! It''s not overly sweet, very rich, and has a lovely aroma of tea perfuming it," she critiqued, sipping and aerating the milk tea little by little to get the most out of the flavors. She was very impressed. "It doesn''t have the overpowering sweetness that the milk tea at cafes would have. Rather, the highlight is something else entirely. I can''t put my finger on it, but it comes along with the richness of the milk and how the flavors linger even after it goes down. It''s nothing like what the cafes would serve. How did you make this? What kind of tea leaves did you use?"


    Edmond grinned at Canaria''s genuine show of praise. He made Hong Kong style milk tea, but with his own substitutions based on personal preference. He explained to her, "It''s nothing special. It''s just your run of the mill black tea bags. Though, I used an oat milk substitution of my own making instead of the typical condensed milk and evaporated milk combo. It''s nice, and I especially like it because it reminds me of the taste of malt."


    "That''s what it is!" Canaria''s eyes shone as she finally realized the trick. "Thank you! I think I know what to do. I''ll have to try it when I get home!"


    Edmond added, "Oh, and don''t forget the salt. I added salt to it."


    "Salt?" Canaria reacted incredulously. "Salt? In the milk tea?"


    "In the milk tea, yeah," he confirmed. "Salt is a bitterness suppressor. In the right quantities, it makes sweet things taste sweeter, sour things more sour, and whatnot. I added just the tiniest pinch of salt to the cups when I made it. It''s not enough to notice it''s there, but when I tested it out on people, they would always pick the cup with the salt added over the cup without."


    "Huh, neat. How interesting. I never knew that," Canaria mused. She was certainly learning something new here. Unexpected, but new, and she added this to her growing mental list of things to do later.


    ¡­


    A bell rang. The clock struck twelve. Noon had arrived, with two empty cups and a plate lingering on a table.


    Canaria fidgeted with her hands with a worried expression on her face. "I hope everything is alright out there," she said. Ever since she got separated from Angelica, things had been nonstop and hectic for her. She had been in a constant state of fear and pain. However, the cozy safety of the office, coupled with painkillers, the ice pack, and the milk tea that Edmond had served her, had helped her relax. But now that she was calm, her most pressing concerns resurfaced.


    Instead of giving an answer right away, Edmond reached for a remote and turned on the television, which was already on the news by default. To her surprise, the news was covering the rift that had opened. "Live: Drone footage," it said. She leaned forward, hoping to get a better look. She was immediately searching for her friend, but it was like finding a needle in a tumbling haystack, difficult to say the least.


    Canaria''s worry deepened as she watched the news coverage. Being unable to shake the feeling of dread about Angelica''s safety, she turned to Edmond, hoping for some reassurance. However, he seemed to be more focused on the footage than her concerns. "It looks like the guild''s already wrapping up. A bit sloppy on the execution of the barrier, but it gets the job done," he commented with a critical eye.


    "Then, is it over?" Canaria asked, seeking clarification.


    "More or less," Edmond shrugged. "When the guild responds to a spontaneous rift event, they follow a fairly simple protocol. Their first priority is to handle the rift itself, secure it by setting up a network of FBDS¡ª Ah, that''s Field Barrier Deployment Systems in case you didn''t know. These generate a barrier when fed Aether, and it''s what you always see set up around the rifts. Once the rift has been secured, it means no more new threats will emerge. And if there''s no more new threats, then they just have to take care of any preexisting problems. The elementals, in this case."


    Canaria took in his explanation before asking, "Do you think Anny is okay?"


    Edmond briefly glanced at her before returning his attention to the TV screen. "Your friend? She''ll be fine," he stated matter-of-factly. However, instead of alleviating Canaria''s growing worries, his lack of concern only served to frustrate her instead.


    "How can you be so sure?" Canaria choked out, her emotions overwhelming her more by the second. "But how can you be so sure?" she repeated, voice now cracking under the strain of her frustration. "You don''t even know her, so how can you be so sure she''ll be fine?"


    Canaria''s chest tightened painfully, and a lump formed in her throat. She felt faint, as if the world was closing in on her, squeezing her, and crushing her. All she wanted was for Angelica to be safe. It did not seem like too much to ask. She was not asking for a miracle, just for her friend to be unharmed. So why was it so difficult?


    "Canaria." Edmond held in a sigh before suddenly turning off the TV. "Let''s change the subject," he said, sensing her frustration. Canaria was confused. He took her silence as agreement and began to speak. "Maybe it will come off as a big surprise, but I used to work in the guild long ago, before I started up Arca Archa. Back in those days, operations were rough, as if we were in a constant state of war. We would be up for days at a time, constantly moving and watching our backs to see what would pop up to try to kill us. A simple mistake could endanger not just one''s own life but also everyone around them. Believe me when I tell you that there were lots of things working together to try to constantly tear us apart, both from the inside and on the outside. But do you know what kept us going during these moments? Do you know what kept us sane staring into the face of insanity?"


    Canaria tensed up, not knowing where this conversation was going or how this related to her situation. "What¡­?" she asked, not knowing the answer to his question.


    "Simple trust," he replied quickly, giving her an answer which was not at all what she expected. She thought he would tell her something like "hope," or "family," or even "money." Instead, his answer was this. He elaborated, "Trust that our companions could do what they set out to do, trust that they would not fail in their mission, and trust that we were on the right path and that our actions were not misplaced. It was ''trust,'' not ''hope,'' that got us through those nightmarish days."


    "So you''re telling me to trust that Anny will be safe?" Canaria asked doubtfully.


    Edmond nodded. "That''s right," he affirmed solemnly. "It''s better to trust than it is to hope. Trust that your friend will be able to take care of herself, rather than to hope that she will be safe. She is her own person, and she is Arcanian. She is capable of protecting herself against the elementals, more so than either you or I. It is in her blood. So, can you do that, trust in her?"


    "I¡­" Canaria hesitated. It was true what he told her. She had seen Angelica fighting alongside Ioan right before they turned into that alleyway. She knew that Angelica was indeed capable of fighting. A part of her just did not want to fully accept it. "I think I can," Canaria said, nodding at Edmond, but her heart ached saying it.


    While she knew the man spoke from a place of experience, she remained resilient to his words, not because what he said was necessarily wrong, but because she could not fully agree with his worldview. She felt that hope was essential in life as it gave people something to strive for and kept them moving forward. Without hope, people would easily give up and lose sight of their goals. Trust was important, yes, but it was not always the solution to every problem. Sometimes one needed to have hope that things would work out in the end, even if they lacked anyone they could trust to help them get there.


    "I understand what you mean, Ed...mond," Canaria said, struggling to say his name normally still. "But I think hope still has a place next to trust in life. I don''t want to lose hope in my life. That would be far too painful for me to bear."


    Edmond''s face softened as he realized Canaria''s internal struggles. "I understand," he told her. He knew what he said was something that could be taken as controversial, but he felt he had to tell her anyway. To make up for it, he decided to impart another piece of wisdom. "Next time something happens to you and you find yourself struggling, ask yourself this: ''Is whatever''s happening to me within my control?'' Separate the things that are up to us from things that aren''t. Fact is, if something is not within your control, don''t even bother wasting your energy thinking about it. See that plant over there?" he said, pointing to the windowsill. "If I accidentally knock it over and it breaks, should you worry about it?"


    "I would feel bad about it." Canaria told him.


    "Why? It has nothing to do with you," Edmond rebutted.


    "I don''t know," she struggled to form her thoughts into words. "Maybe because it would be a shocking thing to experience."


    Edmond nodded. "That''s fair. But once you are able to take a step back and assess the situation, then what?"


    "If I could walk over, I''d probably help you clean it up, I suppose."


    "Good, so you just separated what is under your control, and what isn''t. You can''t do anything about what''s already happened, but what you can do is to address the issue and perhaps remedy what was wrong."


    Canaria nodded slowly. "No use crying over spilled milk," she said. But she still did not fully understand the point Edmond was trying to make.


    Edmond continued, "Don''t worry about what''s already done. Focus your energy on what you can do now that it''s been done. Say it starts raining. Should you waste your energy worrying over it, frustrating yourself, or pulling out your hair because your plans are ruined? The answer is no, by the way. It''s not something you need to have an opinion on. Why? Because it''s not within your control. What you can do, however, is change your plans moving forward and make the best of the situation. Instead of moping over your canceled outing, you can invite them over or go to their place. Instead of worrying about your friend''s safety, perhaps you can find something better to put your energy towards?"


    Canaria let out an "Ah¡­" as she finally understood what Edmond was trying to tell her. "I should focus on what I can do instead. But what can I do?" she asked, looking to Edmond for more guidance like a child to an adult.


    "Prepare for when they eventually make it out of there. Get them first aid, take them to a hospital, or call an ambulance if necessary. If they''re not hurt, then check up on them anyways. See how they''re doing mentally. Maybe they just really need to rest, so leave them alone in that case," Edmond listed off many things. "There are plenty of things you can do, so take some time to figure it out. And if worse comes to worst, you can prepare for a funeral: Send them off with dignity. That would be the least you could do in that situation," Edmond told her solemnly, his expression having aged decades in a single moment.


    *Btzz.*


    Suddenly, Edmond''s phone buzzed and he sat up straight while checking it. He had just received a text notification. "Well, looks like you''re in luck," he said cryptically.


    "What do you mean?" confused, Canaria asked, but she could only tilt her head and look cute as the man simply refused to elaborate any further.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    "Anny!"


    "Aria!"


    Canaria''s voice echoed through the room as she pushed aside her pain and limped over to embrace Angelica. "Thank god you''re okay! I was so worried you''d get hurt!" she told her friend through the snot and tears streaming down her face.


    As soon as the two had seen each other, the Felid also ran forward to return the embrace with equal fervor. "Hehe, I''m doing just fine," Angelica grinned. Despite being covered in dirt, grime, and scratches, she appeared otherwise unharmed. "I told you I would catch up once I finished playing with those elementals," she reminded her. She had kept true to her promise to Canaria, however long it took.


    As the two friends wiped away their tears, Canaria asked, "But, Anny, how did you know I was here?" As fate would have it, she ended up losing her phone sometime during the chase and had been unable to notify Angelica of her whereabouts. It was unfortunate, but as Edmond had taught her, there was no point in crying over spilled milk.


    "Ah¡­ About that¡­ Ahahaa¡­" Angelica trailed off, chuckling nervously. She continued, "So you''re not going to believe this, but¡­"


    ¡­


    Canaria closed her eyes as she tried to wrap her mind around what Angelica had just shared. "So you''re telling me that six months ago, you came to Arca Archa with a request for help to get into the guild. And to achieve that, you have been practicing with Ioan to master your artes," she summarized.


    "Uh-huh, uh-huh," Angelica nodded enthusiastically.


    "However, because it''s a big commitment to train someone from scratch, and you didn''t have the money to pay off such a large request, you struck a deal to work for Arca Archa for a year with reduced wages to pay it off," Canaria continued, still processing the information.


    "Yep! That''s right. In actuality, I didn''t know you were here. I only came to wind down and to lick my wounds, so I''m way more curious why you''re here, Aria. What happened after you left?" Angelica asked, changing the subject.


    Canaria shot a nasty glance towards Edmond, her eyes completely betraying her inner annoyance. "Why didn''t you tell me that you knew Anny?" her eyes seemed to say. Edmond quickly averted his gaze, feigning innocence. She would definitely remember this.


    "Let me go get the first aid kit," Edmond said, rising from his seat and handing it to Ioan, who took it gladly without complaint. The exhausted Ursid took off his sunglasses, revealing a large scar running through his left eye. Canaria gasped in surprise. It revealed just how incredible of a fighter Ioan was to be able to fight despite the lack of depth perception.


    "Aria?" Angelica''s voice snapped Canaria back to the present.


    "R-Right. I''m ashamed of it, but not long after I ran away, I got jumped by one of the elementals you risked so much to hold back. Luckily, I was saved by Edmond and he brought me over here to rest afterwards," she admitted, hanging her head in shame.


    Angelica was glad to hear that Canaria was safe. "Oh, don''t say that, Aria. I''m just glad you''re okay. There''s nothing to be ashamed of," she said, trying to comfort her friend.


    Edmond returned with the first aid kit, which he quickly opened to take out disinfectant, ointment, and gauze. Though the wounds of Ioan and Angelica were not severe, it was crucial to take care of them anyway to prevent possible infection later. For the most part, the two Arcanians were self-servicing of their injuries, but they had to get help with a few remaining ones. Edmond said nothing as he worked on Ioan, while Canaria felt slightly dizzy seeing all the blood on Angelica. However, she pressed through, doing what she had to do to help.


    Once the two had been treated, Edmond spoke up. "I suppose a brief explanation is in order," he said, addressing Canaria specifically. "Ioan is a retired guild operator. He used to train recruits out in the field, but he was forced to retire after receiving an injury he could not recover from," saying this, Edmond motioned with his head towards Ioan''s missing eye. "Still, the fact remains that the man is very good at what he does. Angelica has been making leaps and bounds ever since she started learning under him."


    "I see¡­" Canaria mumbled. It all made sense now, why Edmond told her that maybe she did not know her friend as well as she thought. She felt her mood improve a little, and subconsciously, a giggle bubbled up to the surface. "I guess you were worried about her too! That''s why you told me to trust in her, hehe."


    Edmond did not take kindly to her reaction, however. "Oi," he growled with displeasure, yet Canaria only broke out into melodious laughter. Now, with no more worries weighing her heart down, she felt too much joy and happiness to do anything but to laugh.


    And laugh, she most certainly did.


    ¡­


    "Thank you again!" Canaria expressed, bowing gratefully. The time for her to leave had come. Now that she had been rested, medicated, and alleviated, she realized she could not continue to bother Edmond all day. After all, the man had his own life and work to attend to. But before she left, she made sure to ask for his contact information. "Let''s continue being friends," she told him straightforwardly. She felt she had made a good friend in Edmond and hoped that their relationship would continue long into the future. For that kind of friendship, there was no need for her to beat around the bush.


    "Sure," Edmond said nonchalantly before taking out his phone to exchange contacts with her. He did find Canaria''s company quite pleasant, not that he would admit it so openly. She was a good kid¡­ adult, he corrected himself, but she felt like a kid to him, the kind that made him want to spoil a little. "This is my personal number. Feel free to call or text. I might be busy sometimes and not able to respond, but I do read all my messages."


    Canaria nodded. "Okay," she said, before reaching for her phone, only to remember that she had lost it earlier. Dejected, she asked the man if he could write his number down instead. He laughed, before then taking a shiny metal card holder from his pocket to pull out a business card. He grabbed a pen from a nearby table and quickly wrote his information on the back.


    "Here," Edmond said, handing the card over to her. "Arca Archa," the card displayed. It was frosted dark blue, had a few stars, and Archa Astra was showing up on the corner of it. She was impressed. It was a very aesthetically pleasing card. "Call the number on the front if you ever need help. You know our motto. Someone''s usually in the office to pick up," he explained.


    "Got it," Canaria said, carefully putting the card away. Then she turned to leave.


    "Oh, one more thing before you leave," Edmond said suddenly, having just remembered something.


    She turned around, limping slightly. "What''s that?" she asked.


    "The elevator is still broken, by the way," Edmond reminded her.


    Canaria froze. She had completely forgotten about having to climb stairs to go back down. All the memories of her struggles while getting up to the office flooded her mind like a tsunami, and she immediately felt cold sweat gathering on her back. "Urk," she croaked. "I-It''s okay. I g-got this," she stuttered, holding in a tear.


    Edmond held in a little laugh; it ended up being just as he had predicted when coming up. Of course, he would not let Canaria go down by herself. "Angelica, go help your friend down," he said.


    Hearing him with ears perked, Angelica quickly jumped off the couch. "I''m already on it!" she said energetically.


    Edmond went on further to say, "Go ahead and take the rest of today off as well. Rest up. You did well today."


    Angelica''s eyes shone. "Really?" she asked to confirm. "You''re being generous today, aren''t you, Boss. Are you in a good mood?"


    Annoyed, Edmond waved her off. "Go, before you make me change my mind."


    "Yikes!" Angelica scrambled, causing Canaria to giggle. Not wasting another moment, the Felid dove under Canaria''s arm and pulled it over her shoulders to support her friend.


    "I''ll see you again," Canaria waved goodbye, leaving the office.


    Edmond did the same. "Yeah," he told her.


    ¡­


    After Canaria and Angelica left the office, Edmond slumped into the couch and let out a heavy sigh. He looked around the office, seeing some of the things laid around. He saw the lady''s hat and clothing laying in a pile and groaned. "Ianthi needs to stop treating the office like it''s her damn home."


    "I heard the culprit has finally been caught, Boss," Ioan, who had been mostly quiet, said. "The authorities ended up getting involved, but no one was harmed. Ms. Peh was very thankful and has promised free tickets for the VIP box at the opera house the next time you come by."


    Edmond raised an eyebrow. "Really? Then I suppose I could cut her some slack," he said. "So, how do you think Angelica did fighting at the rift?"


    Ioan smiled. "She did great, Boss. She''s more than ready to make a name for herself in the guild. She has good talent and her eagerness automatically puts her in good standing in my eyes."


    "That''s good to hear," Edmond nodded. "But we still have half a year left on our contract with her. You''ll still continue training her, won''t you?"


    "Of course, Boss, to the best of my abilities," Ioan confirmed. "I plan on forwarding a recommendation to Quies about her talents as a Scout when that happens."


    Edmond agreed. "Quies would put her talents to good use, rather than have her talents be wasted with the Sentinels run by that stubborn old monk Sanders," he said before changing the subject. His hunger was starting to annoy him. Due to what happened with the rift, he only had coffee and milk tea all day. "Anyway, you hungry? Let''s go get lunch. I''m feeling skewers."


    Ioan grinned. "Always hungry as long as you''re paying, Boss."


    ¡­


    *Clack*


    Skarvig''s door opened shortly after Edmond and Ioan left the office. He held his phone in hand as he called out to his boss, "Hey, Boss? You''re going to want to see this."


    Titled "Person Closes Spontaneous Rift," footage from a security camera played on an anonymous image board site. In the video, there was somebody standing in front of a rift. While the face of the person was obscured, what they did was clear. Holding out a hand, they closed a spontaneous rift. "Unbelievable," the comments seemed to agree. But there was also a consensus of "Fake" making the rounds. After all, the footage of the rift was found in Singapore, and in Singapore, said rift was still being handled by the guild.


    However, no response came. Skarvig was alone in the office. He shrugged before returning to his room. "Oh well," he said simply.


    ¡­


    ¡­

 Chapter 3: Arca Archa

    Chapter 3:


    Arca Archa


    A particular noodle shop bustled with the vibrant energy of breakfast hours. Noticed by its smell first, many steaming bowls of noodles were being savored by noisy customers, all seeking a momentary respite before diving headfirst to a long day of hard work. Amidst the cacophony of clattering and slurping, the sound of a TV broadcast added a touch of reality to the shop. On it, scenes filled the news, capturing the attention of the shop''s patrons, whether they were finished eating or had only just gotten started.


    "Numerous Arcanian protesters have been camping out in front of the city''s guild hall, demanding better pay and hazard benefits," the news anchor''s voice carried the story while footage of Arcanians marching in unison played on the screen. The protesters expressed their frustrations, raising placards and sharing their grievances directly to the camera.


    "The guild must recognize the risks we take every day!" cried out one Ursid woman passionately, her eyes ablaze with conviction.


    "We deserve fair compensation for our efforts," chimed a resolute Caprinae gentleman. "We won''t back down until our demands are met!"


    The tension in the air was palpable as these men and women provided a glimpse into the struggles faced by many Arcanians every day. However, it was not until the anchor took the opportunity to interview some protesters directly that the true extent of the problem emerged.


    "We go out there every day, risking our lives to protect you all from the rift events, and what for?" asked a worn-out and exhausted-looking Canis man. "We fight to eat, and we fight until we are forced to retreat and starve, so we can lick our wounds. I can''t continue living like this. I have no more money left either, so it''s either I die fighting monsters or I die starving on the streets. Tell me, how should I die?"


    Another protester spoke up, "I''ve dedicated my entire life to this guild, to protecting our city from the dangers of the rift events. And yet, we''re being treated like disposable tools," grieved an Avis woman, her voice on the verge of cracking. "Our pay is barely enough to cover our basic needs, let alone support our families. We deserve better. We deserve fair compensation for the risks we''re forced to endure every single day."


    And then another. "We''re not asking for the world, just enough to survive and provide for our loved ones. It''s time for the guild and the city to recognize our sacrifices and value our lives," exclaimed an old Equus man as he shook his head with disappointment. "We protect you, but who will protect us? Our children? It''s tragic every time I see another child forced into the foster home program¡ª"


    Frustration mingled with the aroma of steaming broth in the noodle shop as the words brought about a mixture of emotions among the patrons. Finally, a man had enough and reached for the television to turn it off. "Enough of this nonsense," he grumbled before sitting back down to finish his soup. "This is not the kind of thing I want to listen to while I''m eating breakfast."


    However, a nearby patron complained, "Hey, I was watching that!" Yet, another person applauded at the same time, "Finally. If someone wasn''t going to turn that off, I would have." The former looked at the latter with annoyance before getting up to switch the television back on. He had been deeply engrossed with the events on the news and wanted to continue watching.


    Alas, fate seemed to be in a mischievous mood as the television''s screen transitioned to a different channel after being turned back on. The annoyed patron attempted to find the news channel again, yet random programs continued to flash across the scene instead, each one offering a teasing glimpse at other shows before shifting to the next.


    "¡­Reaper comes in for the ulti, he¡ª AND TRUTHSEEKER TURNS IT AROUND AND TAKE HOME THE WIN¡­" An esports tournament flickered for a moment, displaying a turning point in the game where the underdog clutched victory from the jaws of defeat before the channel switched.


    A nature documentary followed, displaying an elegant raptor diving from the sky. "...The Peregrine Falcon can reach speeds of up to 89 meters per second, and it is undoubtedly the fastest..." the narrator described before the channel switched again.


    The scene transformed into a cooking show. "...Beautiful piece of Snowy Wagyu right here. Hehe boy. This ain''t no vegan dish, so make sure you season it generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Now, take the pan and make sure it''s smoking hot..." a charismatic chef exclaimed, enticing the viewers with the allure of culinary delights.


    "...Its robotic arms are finely tuned with state-of-the-art technology to be able to move a full range of 360 degrees in any direction and are delicate enough to perform surgery on a blueberry..."


    As the television danced from channel to channel, the patrons exchanged glances. The noodle shop hummed with a blend of discontent. Many had lost interest, preferring to go back to eating in favor of letting their bowls go cold. Life''s uncertainties and the struggles of the Arcanian community might be important, but here in this little corner of the world, getting something in their stomachs before tackling the challenges the day brought was something even more crucial.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Amidst the clatter of plastic bowls and utensils, Edmond stood near the counter of the noodle shop. His attention was drawn to the owner¡ª Mr. Chun, a cheerful Sakliu man with a twinkle in his eyes. Wiping his hands on a towel, he approached Edmond with a wide smile that stretched from ear to ear.


    "Mr. Edmond, I can''t thank you enough for your help," he exclaimed, his voice bellowing with gratitude.


    Edmond nodded, mirroring the shop owner''s genuine appreciation with his own smile. "I''m glad to hear that, Mr. Chun. It''s always a pleasure when I can help local Arcanian businesses like yours. I''m sure you''re bringing a taste of home to many who are homesick."


    Mr. Chun sighed at the thought. "Ever since my last guy retired, I''ve been unable to get my hands on the right spices," he lamented, leaning his weight onto the counter to continue. "The import bans have been getting more and more ridiculous over these past few years. ''Everything can be turned into narcotics,'' those damn humans keep preaching to us. They''re the worst¡ª Oh, Mr. Edmond, I don''t mean you, of course. You''re the best of the best, cream of the crop as they say; Arcanian or human, it doesn''t matter. Honestly, I was about to give up hope on making authentic homestyle noodles until you were able to help me find a new provider. I really cannot thank you enough for your help."


    "Well, Mr. Chun. I''m afraid I have to leave now. I have other business to attend to." Glancing at his watch, Edmond suddenly said. His mind shifted gears as he was reminded of the tasks that still awaited him. He took out his phone to pay for the meal he had just eaten.


    Seeing what Edmond was about to do, Mr. Chun quickly shook his head and pushed Edmond''s phone away. "No, no, no! You don''t have to pay. It''s on the house this time! Consider it a show of my gratitude," he told him.


    Edmond nodded before giving the man a little wave as he left. "Next time," he promised, "I''ll pay."


    "Of course, Mr. Edmond," Mr. Chun replied, his voice booming. "I wish you a good day. And remember, you''re always welcome here!"


    Edmond''s steps were brisk as he exited the noodle shop. The bustling city streets welcomed him, and he weaved through the dense river of pedestrian traffic as he made his way to his next destination. Following closely behind him was Ianthi, another member of Arca Archa.


    "The noodles were pretty good, but if I knew it was going to be on the house, I would have gotten some takeout as well," Ianthi complimented. With a snake''s tail coming out of her back and a particular vertical slit in her eyes, she was a Serrin, one of the snake-like people of Archa Astra.


    "So, where to?" she asked, humming as she reapplied some of her lipstick that got rubbed off during breakfast.


    Edmond looked at his phone. "Just a bookstore," he told her before providing more details. "The owner is an old Sakliu man named Fletcher. He ran into trouble when his store got damaged by a rift event. Luckily, he had insurance to cover the damages. Unluckily, not everything was covered under the clause."


    Ianthi placed a finger on her cheek as she gave it thought. "Oh yeah, I remember now. He wanted us to do something about his family registry. Why are we going back? I thought the case was resolved, no?"


    "It was," Edmond confirmed before trailing off. "However, Fletcher isn''t our client this time around. Rather, he''s more the subject of our case¡­"


    Ianthi''s curiosity peaked instantly and she smacked her lips as if anticipating something delicious. "Oh...?" she asked. "Do explain."


    ¡­


    Edmond and Ianthi stopped at a corner. Before them lay the entrance of a network of alleyways, shrouded in an oppressive aura of dankness. It was gritty and neglected, a stark contrast to the clean and bustling streets beyond, and Fletcher''s bookstore was nestled somewhere deep within.


    "On second thought, maybe it''s a good thing I didn''t get takeout," Ianthi frowned before taking the lead. Edmond followed suit, carefully avoiding the puddles as they went. Raw sewage pooled in the corners, releasing an unpleasant odor that mingled with the air. Wet, discarded newspapers clung to the walls, their contents smudged and barely legible. Rust had also taken hold of the metal railings, adding a touch of decay to the desolate surroundings. After weaving through the maze-like twists and turns of the alleys, they finally arrived at the bookstore, the state of which was not much better than the alleys surrounding it. The perhaps once-brilliant storefront now bore the signs of struggle. Its weathered exterior told a story, with cracks snaking across the walls like rivers and chipped paint revealing decades-old colors hidden underneath. Albeit, nothing was rotting around it at the very least.


    "Let''s go inside," Edmond said. The smell of books caused his nose to tingle as he entered the bookstore. It was the scent of aged paper, vinegared, mingled with the faint remnants of ink. Shelves upon shelves stretched before them, each one filled with bound tomes that held contents that perhaps only a few had read. Such was the way with Arcanian tomes, each one painstakingly written by hand. They were expensive, bulky, and uncommon. One could find information here that they would not be able to find even if they scoured the entire internet.


    Ianthi''s heightened senses immediately noticed something amiss as she entered. She put a hand on Edmond''s arm, stopping him, and leaned in to whisper near his ear, "The tipoff was right." Edmond looked at her, silently questioning her certainty. She nodded and elaborated, "Ilbak, it''s being masked by the smell of books, but I know that taste in the air."


    Ilbak, a highly illegal and potent Arcanian narcotic made from dried Steepsap found in Archa Astra. It was a substance that came into existence only after the rift era began, as the production process of Ilbak required an aether-free environment like Earth. Meeting this requirement, the produced Ilbak had a variety of different effects, ranging from hallucinations and feelings of doom, to anxiety and a loss of sense of self and attachment to reality.


    Nodding, Edmond swept his gaze across the room, searching for Fletcher. He found the man reading a tome behind the counter. "Go look around discreetly while I talk to him. Be careful," he instructed her. She nodded in affirmation. While it was unlikely for there to be anything placed in the open, he trusted her ability to find what needed to be found. After all, the woman had more than a decade of experience working as a police investigator under the guild before coming under Arca Archa. He walked over to Fletcher and waved him down. "Mr. Fletcher!" he called out.


    Fletcher saw Edmond and exclaimed, "Ah, if it isn''t Mr. Edmond. It''s been months. How have you been?" His voice carried surprise as well as a hint of unease.


    Edmond stopped in front of the counter and offered a polite smile. "Good. Is that century-preserved ginseng?" he responded casually, steering the conversation toward the herbal artifacts on the shelf. Simultaneously, he assessed Fletcher''s state of being.


    "Ah yes, a good friend gifted it to me," Fletcher''s eyes momentarily shone as he spoke, as if he had just received a compliment himself.


    "Nice. So how''s business? You seem to be doing well," Edmond continued, noticing the new watch gleaming on Fletcher''s wrist.


    "It''s been going, alright," Fletcher huffed, his narrow tail smacking the chair discontentedly. "I''m still furious that insurance only paid out pennies! Do they even know how much those tomes were worth? They''re hand-written and irreplaceable, each and every one of them! Ridiculous!"


    "Tough, I know," Edmond shrugged. This was not the first time they had this conversation. When Fletcher realized Edmond was not going to offer him any pity, he changed the subject.


    "Anyways, what brings you here? If you''re here to buy, I recommend this one," he said, retrieving a heavy tone from behind the counter. He swept the dust from its cover, revealing a dark blue exterior. His tone brightened as he began to explain its contents. "This is a tome from the burned city of Orinthia. It''s said to hold the secrets of their Great Sin within its pages. It''s a great read, told in the form of two scholars debating."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Ianthi''s investigation continued discreetly, the rhythm of her actions resonating softly amidst the conversations of Edmond and Fletcher. She skillfully slipped out of sight, out of Fletcher''s mind, while maintaining a watchful eye for anything out of place as she moved into the background. The place reminded her of an apothecary or herbal pharmacy, but there were no dried eyeballs, scorpion wine, or monkey paws found here. Only dusty old tomes adorned the shelves.


    She cautiously opened one of these tomes. "It''s a tome, alright," she commented, but suspicion lingered in her mind. She scraped the spine of the tome with her nails, where the pages were bound to the cover, before sniffing the residue and then even giving it a lick. "Steepsap," she confirmed. It had been used in the construction of the tome to bind its pages together. However, the mere presence of Steepsap did not automatically implicate Fletcher in the production of Ilbak. Steepsap was commonly used back on Archa Astra for the production of various items, ranging from furniture and tools to even articles of clothing. It was only after the discovery of the Ilbak-making process that Steepsap itself made it on the list of problematic substances here on Earth.


    Ianthi recalled the legislative nightmares that unfolded when determining the new import bans. For example, when they debated whether or not it was permissible to bring in personal possessions containing Steepsap versus bringing it for sale. However, the key takeaway was that while many things became illegal to import, anything already present on Earth prior to the implementation of the ban remained legal to possess.


    *¡­!*


    She heard something¡ª behind a wall. Her attention focused on a section where a shelf was noticeably less occupied than the others. She walked to it and noticed a draft emanating from the wall. She looked around cautiously, ensuring that Fletcher''s attention was not on her before proceeding.


    "There should be a lever somewhere," she mumbled, pulling on every single book on the shelf. When she tugged on something on the bottom shelf, she felt a mechanism click. "Got it," she smiled. With anticipation swirling in her mind, she glanced behind her again, just to confirm that Fletcher was still being distracted. Nodding when she saw that the coast was clear, she readied herself for anything that might jump out as she pulled the shelf aside and accessed the secret room.


    A rush of damp air greeted her as she descended into the room below. She frowned, the scent of Ilbak hung heavy in the air, filling her lungs with each breath and clinging to her skin and clothes. She realized she would have to take a long and hot shower once she was back in the office. She turned a corner and laid her gaze upon the room''s occupants: three Arcanians, each working at a station of their own, and each as surprised to see her as she was to find them.


    She had found the Ilbak lab!


    "Shit!" The largest of the three, a Canis man with a full sleeve of tattoos, stood from his seat and cursed. He towered over Ianthi, forcing her to look up to meet his eyes. He clenched his fists, and sparks danced from his fingers as he manifested his artes.


    Ianthi watched him carefully as he charged towards her. She could see the shimmer in his eyes, of aether raw and untamed. "Lame," she scoffed before equipping a barrier stick that had previously been strapped to her thigh. "Those who don''t even know how to use their artes properly are no different than street punks¡ª and there''s no need for me to use my artes against some punks."


    His first attack came in the form of a brilliant burst of light, illuminating the entire gloomy underground room. Ianthi raised her barrier stick, the aethertech mechanisms within flaring to life, creating a shimmering divide that blocked his assault like waves splashing against a barricade. The room echoed with the sound of clashing artes, the sheer force causing the walls to shudder and making the glass vials and beakers clatter.


    "A barrier stick! I knew it, she''s from the guild!" he gritted out. In response, Ianthi lunged forward, her barrier stick leaving streaks of blue light in its wake as she attacked with her razor-sharp nails. He swiftly took a step back, his own artes coiling up his arm like protective vambraces as he took the hit.


    "Argh¡ª! Surround her!" the Canis gritted in pain as he shouted to the other two Arcanians in the room. Snapping out of their stupor, they quickly surrounded Ianthi and channeled their artes to strike her down. Instantly, the room descended into chaos, with artes colliding against the walls and ceiling, wrecking havoc and breaking everything in sight.


    It was utter chaos, yet Ianthi laughed as if she were playing a game. "Come on! You''re all Arcanian, aren''t you? Fight! Hahaha!" she exclaimed, fully immersed in the fray. Her movements were swift and purposeful, executed with precision and finesse. Like a skilled dancer, she seamlessly transitioned from dodging to blocking to retaliating, never once slowing or tripping up. It was three against one¡ª a clear gang-up by any measure, yet Ianthi relished the thrill brought on by the danger. The way she saw it, it was a return to form, a rare moment to savor a joy of life that was not so appreciated on this side of the rift. At the end of the day, she was Arcanian after all.


    ¡­


    Back above, in the dusty storefront where two men conversed, the echoes of the chaos below reached their ears. For one, time ground to a halt as the very room around him seemed to close in like a deadly vice.


    "No!" Fletcher''s cry broke out, his face as pale as the pages of the tomes that surrounded him. Lines of desperation etched themselves onto his face as he lunged over the counter, aiming for the back of the store where the hidden lab awaited. But Edmond was quicker. He positioned himself in Fletcher''s path with swift and decisive grace. "Get out of my way!" Fletcher''s voice held a raw, animalistic growl. "You have no idea how much I stand to lose!"


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Edmond''s voice remained almost effortlessly calm in the face of Fletcher''s storm. "I would advise you to stay put," he told him. The calm present was so jarring, in fact, that it stopped Fletcher in his tracks with uncertain fear shimmering in his eyes. As the sounds of the commotion from below continued, Edmond added, "You might be mistaken for someone hostile if you were to barge in."


    "Are you threatening me?" Fletcher''s teeth ground together as dozens of thoughts raced through his mind in an instant, each less pleasant than the last. Yet, despite his tone, he still conceded to Edmond''s words in the end. He realized he would rather not risk getting hurt or even killed over the matter, as accidents of that nature did happen frequently enough. Begrudgingly, he uttered, "Fine. Threaten this old man into submission then."


    "Good, I wouldn''t want you to get hurt," Edmond quietly acknowledged, a nod of approval accompanying his words. "Now, why don''t we have a little chat. Let''s talk."


    "What''s there to talk about?" Fletcher huffed, clearly not in the mood for conversation.


    Edmond ignored the old Sakliu''s discontent and began to speak of rumors. "Word is, there''s been a new Ilbak supplier in the neighborhood. They don''t distribute much, and the quality isn''t great, but it checks all the right boxes just the same. Know anything about it? Ilbak is a highly addictive and dangerous substance, capable of ruining the lives of many people and their families. It''s banned in almost every country. I don''t know why anyone would want to deal in such ruinous things just to make a quick buck."


    "I¡­ I don''t know what you''re talking about." Fletcher stammered, his eyes dancing around the same way a child would when suspected of wrongdoing.


    "You''re a terrible liar, Fletcher. Listen, fortune might not have smiled your way in recent times, but that does not mean you get a pass to do inexcusable things scot-free," Edmond shook his head, conveying his intentions earnestly. "I won''t continue to beat around the bush. I know you''re producing Ilbak here, Fletcher. If you quietly turn yourself in and willingly cooperate with the police, you might be able to lessen your punishment. I don''t want to be the one to put you behind bars for the rest of your life, if I can help it."


    "Why are you doing this?" Fletcher''s voice was softer now. His anger had given way to confusion. "If you truly wanted to help me, you would have turned a blind eye, not¡­ not whatever this is you''re doing to me." His gaze flicked towards the secret door before returning to Edmond.


    "I lost everything, Edmond," he whispered, his words heavy with despair, as if his heart had shattered. But that despair slowly grew to be something more. "That day... that rift event... It wrecked my store¡ª my life. The insurance company, they scammed me. They didn''t see the value of my tomes. To them, they were nothing more than a liability bound with Steepsap. They kept delaying, and delaying! By the time anything actually happened, my remaining tomes were already permanently damaged by the poor storage conditions they were subjected to! ''Good riddance,'' they probably thought. So, fuck them! Fuck them all! If they were so afraid I might make Ilbak with my tomes, then I''ll show them Ilbak! I''ll turn everything into Ilbak!"


    A bitter laugh tore itself from Fletcher. The sound was hollow and devoid of any real humor. "So this is to be my fate. To be ruined once again without even being able to take my revenge. I should never have come here. I should never have left Archa Astra. Tell me, Edmond, who sent you? Wei? John? Who? Whose life did I end up destroying? I know you wouldn''t come to ruin a man''s life without some sort of a just cause."


    Edmond''s response was straightforward, "The guild."


    "The guild," The embers of Fletcher''s anger smoldered once more at the mention of the name. "The guild that maimed my son and told him to fuck off back to Archa Astra if he can''t fight? You mean that worthless fucking guild?! What happened to you, Edmond? Aren''t you folks from Arca Archa supposed to be on our Arcanians'' side? I was mistaken about you!"


    Edmond took a deep breath, his gaze having never once wavered in the face of Fletcher''s curses. His reply was firm, declaring with a resolve that snuffed out Fletcher''s heat like wind extinguishing a candle. "I am on the Arcanians'' side, Fletcher. That''s why I''m here talking to you, giving you an option to turn yourself in, instead of allowing the police to get to you first," he stated. "But you¡­ you''re the one who''s no longer on the Arcanians'' side. Your actions have done nothing but harm, to both the people around you and to the public image of every Arcanian here on Earth."


    ¡­


    "Hahaha!" Ianthi''s joyful laughter filled the room as she continued to toy with her opponents. She was enjoying herself as she weaved in and out through their attacks, occasionally ducking, jumping, and pushing them against each other to disrupt their movements. It was like a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, and she had yet to be tagged by their clumsy movements.


    "Who is this crazy bitch?"


    "Get her!"


    "You get her!"


    "No, you get her!"


    "Fuck, you hit me again!"


    As the fight progressed, the desperation of the three Arcanians quickly grew. Glass shattered, tables overturned, and chemicals spilled with every missed strike. Their attacks became more chaotic as they grew more frantic, resulting in haphazard attacks flying everywhere and wreaking havoc in the lab.


    Realizing what was going on, Ianthi let out a sigh of irritation. Just when she was starting to have some fun too! But if things continued the way they were, there would be nothing left of the lab by the time she was done.


    "Alright. Fun''s over," she said, pulling out a knife from her waist and channeling her artes into it. The blade crackled with raw aetherial energy briefly before emitting a soft, refined, turquoise aura of Ianthi''s own color. With a swift movement, she blitzed them. Moving quicker than they could avoid, she slashed each of them only once: on the arm, on the leg, and on the back. After that, all three of them fell to the ground, motionless. A single scratch was all it took for her arte to paralyze and incapacitate them.


    The room fell into an eerie silence as the sounds of combat suddenly vanished. Ianthi looked around and inspected the damages. Most of it was wrecked, but she managed to save the lab before it completely fell into ruins. "Oh boy." she sighed, feeling a throbbing headache come on as she could imagine Edmond definitely scolding her for her sloppy work. She had done it again.


    However, just as Ianthi relaxed, an unexpected shadow flew out from the darkness behind her. She saw hands, each missing a few fingers, but before she had enough time to react, she felt a wire rope wrap around her neck, garroting her. "Ack¡ª!" her throat emitted a choked sound as pain coursed through her.


    Who was it? Who had managed to sneak up behind her? She had not noticed anyone else in the room just a moment before, so it must have been someone hiding the entire time through a concealment arte. But if they were there, why did they not join the fight? Did they feel they could not win even if they joined? Was that why they waited until she lowered her guard to ambush her? Ianthi had numerous questions, but they all faded into irrelevant noise, quickly drowned out by the sound of her own blood pounding in her ears. The threat of dying had suddenly become alarmingly real.


    Her survival instincts blared, overriding everything else in her consciousness. She struggled with everything she had¡ª First, dedicating one hand to digging her fingers underneath the wires. She would have to alleviate pressure off her carotid arteries to buy herself precious moments of time before unconsciousness. Then, she turned her knife around and stabbed the body behind her. There was no elegance behind it, no arte, no skill, no show. It was just an honest to goodness stab. It was all she could manage in her current state of mind, but her efforts were rewarded with a masculine grunt of pain.


    As soon as she stabbed the man, however, the world turned as he twisted his body, taking her along with him. The knife tore from her grasp, clanging against the concrete floor before she crashed down beside it. "Urgh¡­" she gasped with what little air that leaked out. If it were not for the wire constricting her neck, she would have felt everything being expelled from her lungs by the impact. Yet, there was little comfort to be found as her vision blurred and darkness encroached on the edges of her sight.


    She reached for her knife, but he yanked her back, preventing her from reaching it. The pressure around her neck steadily increased. In her struggle, the knife was kicked away, spurned by her own frantic actions. Yet, starved of air and fighting to remain conscious, she showed no signs of surrender. Even as the man maneuvered himself into a rear chokehold, she relentlessly struck his body with her elbow, hammering him, hoping to worsen the earlier stab wound or even break a rib. Anything to loosen his grip.


    She was on the verge of blacking out. Her fingers grew numb under the wire, and she felt her heart pounding out of her chest. In a final, desperate bid for survival, she even put her constrictor tail to use, coiling it tightly around the man''s body. With every last ounce of her remaining strength, she exerted pressure on his neck, seeking to inflict the same suffocating grip he had over her.


    "Gah¡­!"


    "¡­!"


    It felt like an eternity had passed, but in this battle of endurance, the man''s grip faltered first, his body slumping as he finally fell unconscious. Ianthi tore the wire off her neck and gasped for breath. "Ah... that was a close one," she said, her hand coming up to massage her neck. He was skilled, far superior to the three punks from earlier. Given the concealment arte he had employed, she even suspected that he was a veteran member of the guild. However, she pushed these thoughts aside and focused on finding her knife. "It''s not over until it''s over," as they would say.


    Once she retrieved her knife, she applied her soft turquoise-colored arte to ensure the man would not rise again to attack her. With that task completed, the battle had finally concluded. She could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Edmond and Fletcher waited in tense silence as they heard the commotion from below die down, before returning briefly, and then ceasing entirely. Looking over to Fletcher, Edmond could see that the old Sakliu was quickly devolving into a nervous wreck. Fletcher''s teeth were chattering and his brow was glistening with sweat. Before long, a noise started coming up from the stairs and a figure emerged. It was Ianthi, in a severe state of disheveledness.


    "Well, I found the lab," Ianthi simply said, her voice raspy and weary.


    "Are you alright?" Edmond asked, his gaze lingering on the bruise around her neck. The mark left by the wire was a stark contrast to her otherwise pale skin.


    "No, I''m not," she shook her head and replied. "Let''s just get this over with. I want to go back to the office and take a shower." She gestured for him to follow.


    Edmond nodded, then turned to Fletcher, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come, let''s take a walk," he told the old Sakliu before gently urging him forward.


    Fletcher followed without uttering a single word. Flanked by Ianthi at the front and Edmond at the back, his steps were slow. Upon reaching the secret door, which had been left open by Ianthi, Fletcher reacted with fear. Although it was obvious that she must have discovered it in the first place to reach the lab, a part of him still clung to hope, a delusion that perhaps his secret remained safe and everything was just an elaborate bluff. However, when they descended to the lab and were met with the sight of what resembled the aftermath of an earthquake, the man broke.


    "No¡­ no¡­ no¡­ It''s over," Fletcher mourned, his eyes darting rapidly between the broken tables, shattered vials, and spilled chemicals pooling on the floor. "It''s all gone..." He lost strength in his legs and crumpled to the ground, as though his will to live had been completely drained.


    Then his gaze fell upon the bodies scattered on the floor¡ª four individuals with their hands and legs bound by a long wire rope. Fletcher stammered, attempting to rush towards the bodies, but lacking the strength, he tripped and clambered forward instead. "Son!" he cried out, his voice trembling with fear as he reached the one whose clothes were stained red with blood. But there was something else in his voice as well: guilt, or perhaps regret. "The guild already took away your future, don''t let your father take away your life too!"


    "Don''t worry, I''ve already administered first aid for the stab wound," Ianthi reassured, her hand instinctively reaching up to touch her neck where the memory of the struggle was fresh. "The bastard nearly got me earlier, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to let him die now that he''s incapacitated. That being said, he''ll still need an ambulance to get him to the hospital soon, if you want to give him the best chance of survival."


    "You heard her, Fletcher," Edmond addressed the old man. "What will you do? Time is precious. The sooner you agree to work with us, the sooner we can call an ambulance for your son."


    "I''ll do it! I''ll do it! Just don''t let my son die!" Fletcher begged.


    Once Fletcher agreed to cooperate, Edmond swiftly contacted the guild using his hotline. Time was of the essence as a life hung in the balance. During the brief waiting period before the guild''s arrival, Edmond approached Fletcher''s son, who regarded him with a mix of pain and trepidation. However, Edmond simply crouched down to speak with him.


    As Edmond engaged in conversation, Ianthi observed in silence. From where she was, she was unable to hear everything, but she picked up on the gist of their conversation: something about a Visa, the guild, and a program aimed at providing aid to Arcanians maimed by guild activities. The man''s look slowly transitioned from fear as their conversation progressed, eventually turning into hope as Edmond handed over his business card.


    Ianthi watched Edmond with a tired smile. There was no doubt that her boss was doing something to help the man¡ª to help an Arcanian. She did not know how Edmond could keep up doing this kind of thing for so many years, extending a helping hand and offering second chances no matter how badly someone had messed up. It was something she herself could not do. It was already a stretch for her to refrain from kicking the man who nearly choked her out and instead administer first aid. However, this perplexity was also the reason she held great respect for Edmond. Even after all these years, she had yet to regret leaving the guild to work under Arca Archa, to work under Edmond.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    After a long day''s hard work, Edmond and Ianthi returned to Arca Archa''s office, where comfort awaited them. Suppressing a yawn, Ianthi stretched her arms languidly overhead. "I''m going to use the office shower before going home to get some rest. Good night," she declared, deftly unknotting her hair with her fingers.


    "You did well today," Edmond stated. "Take some rest."


    Upon dismissing Ianthi and walking into the lounging area, however, Edmond''s gaze fell upon an unexpected visitor bearing a familiar face. Standing with his front facing the corkboard of pictures on the wall was a man whose face resembled that of a lion¡ªintimidating and fierce, yet clearly human. A familiar jolt stirred in Edmond''s chest. "Oryza," he greeted, feeling a smile tugging at his lips despite his astonishment.


    "Edmond," Oryza said as the two exchanged casual pleasantries. "I just heard from my secretary that you have already solved Fletcher''s case. Congratulations. You work as quickly as ever."


    "Come on, surely you didn''t travel all the way here just to pat me on the back," Edmond said as he shook his head. "The great and important director of the guild? Since when did you have so much free time on your hands?"


    "Don''t be like that. Right now, I''m just some guy coming to see his old friend," Oryza chuckled loudly. While it was true that he was the director of the guild of Singapore, he had been friends with Edmond long before that. In fact, he was someone who stood side-by-side with Edmond in many of the photos pinned to the office corkboard.


    "It would be great if life truly was that simple. Milk tea?" Edmond offered, shifting towards the kitchen.


    "Milk tea," Oryza confirmed with a nod.


    A mutual silence pervaded the office as Edmond made tea, disturbed only by the sound of boiling water. Yet, the silence was not uncomfortable. The two had known each other for too long for there to be any awkwardness remaining between them. Before long, the robust aroma of milk tea filled the lounge. Oryza received the steaming cup with a nod of gratitude before drawing in a deep breath and savoring the scent.


    Oryza took a sip and remarked, "Tastes the same even after twenty years," a hint of a smile lingering on his lips. "Just as Verretheia preferred. She''d be proud, you know. And I''m not just talking about the tea. She would genuinely be proud of what you have managed to accomplish with Arca Archa over the past twenty years. The other day, I heard a woman talk about how she and her family would have had to go back to Archa Astra if it weren''t for Arca Archa''s aid. And I met a man on my way here who couldn''t stop singing praises for Arca Archa for saving his livelihood. But I have to wonder¡­ if this is truly what you wanted to do when you left the guild that day? Or are you merely chasing after the lingering will of a phantom?"


    Edmond stayed silent.


    "But, I digress," Oryza shrugged, shifting the conversation as he put down the cup. "I have a request. First, watch this," he said, his voice taking on a whole different tone compared to before. He pulled out a phone and showed a video, several videos actually. He remained silent during the showing, electing to let Edmond finish watching first, before saying anything. This was a process familiar to Edmond from his days at the guild, so he understood the protocol.


    Edmond''s gaze narrowed as he watched the footage. First, he saw an obscured girl standing in front of a rift. Holding out her hand, she closed a spontaneous rift that had just emerged. Then, in the following video, he saw that same girl being saved from elementals by a middle-aged man. Lastly, there was a three-second clip of the girl being hoisted over the man''s shoulder as they escaped from pursuing elementals. It was painstakingly obvious now. The girl, with bright azure hair like the clear blue sky, was none other than¡­


    "I need you to¡ª" Oryza began, however, he was abruptly silenced by a single word.


    "No." Edmond''s refusal was clear even before hearing Oryza''s request. "I''m afraid I can''t help you this time around."


    "Edmond," Oryza warned, "don''t don''t this. You know that she is not her."


    "No," Edmond shook his head. The man had no intention of backing down.


    Oryza remained silent as he stared into Edmond''s eyes, attempting to glimpse at the thoughts that were buried deep within his old friend''s gaze. "I see, that''s unfortunate," Oryza replied, his face giving nothing away as he spoke. "I was going to try to get you to accept no matter what, but out of respect for our friendship, I will honor your decision. The guild will no longer pursue this matter. You have my word."


    Oryza paused, allowing his words to sink in. His voice expressed genuine truth. Edmond understood that and nodded. He continued, "However, these videos I have shown you here today were all compiled from public image boards on the internet. The guild is not the only one who has taken notice of the Rift Closer. Others will not be as kind and diplomatic as I am. I wanted to offer her asylum within the safety of the guild, but I suppose you already knew that. If you truly wish to protect her freedom and keep her safe, you will have to find a way to deal with them. You might not be able to maintain your low profile for much longer, it would seem. Twenty years... one would think that amount of time would be enough for anyone to set aside their grievances. A storm is brewing, Edmond. See to it that you won''t get blown away when it hits. You are, after all, her Chosen. If it''s you, you should be able to handle it."


    Standing up, Oryza adjusted his suit and took his leave. However, as he opened the door, he turned his head to say one last thing to Edmond. "Thanks for the milk tea. It was good. Let''s have another drink together someday. I''ll bring some rice crackers."


    "Yeah," Edmond gruffed out, "Sure."


    ¡­


    All of a sudden, the office was engulfed in a haunting atmosphere. Edmond was left in a pensive mood but decided to put aside his thoughts for the time being. He addressed the vacant office loudly, "Angelica!"


    "Eep!" A gasp reverberated through the room as Angelica, who had previously thought she was hidden, came out from behind the couch with her hair standing on end. She tried to explain herself frantically. "I wasn''t trying to eavesdrop or anything! I dropped something behind the couch, and I was trying to reach for it when the director came in! I was so surprised to see a big shot like him that I lost my chance to come out! And then you came back and started chatting with him!"


    "It''s fine," Edmond reassured her. "It doesn''t matter. As a matter of fact, it saves me the trouble of explaining it."


    "R-Really?" she asked nervously.


    "Angelica," Edmond called her name again, bringing her to an alert stance. "Keep an eye out for Canaria."


    "Yes! Will do!" she said energetically. "I couldn''t fully make out what you two were talking about from over here, but the gist of it is that some bad people want to get a hold of Aria, right?"


    Edmond nodded. "That''s right. From now on, that will be your top priority. You can be around her, but just don''t let her find out that you''re there to act as a bodyguard. Not yet, at least."


    "Aye, sir!" the Felid girl saluted, her ears perking stiffly in the air, before she then bolted out the door.


    Oryza had left. Angelica was gone. Ianthi was still taking a shower. Now, finally, Edmond was left alone in the lounge. Taking a deep breath, he resisted the overwhelming urge to exhale a deep sigh. "Someone with the ability to forcibly close a rift," the man muttered under his breath, his mind flashing to a certain, charming, kind, beautiful, and loving person. If it was someone with the ability to close a rift, then he knew of just one other¡ª whose sharp, yet tender, gaze watched over him from one of the photos on the bulletin board¡­


    "Verretheia."


    He whispered her name, and with it, two decades of pain, anguish, and grief flooded the void in his heart. His most beloved Verretheia, whose sudden disappearance twenty-four years ago still haunted him like a ghost to this day. He could not forget it, her final words as she banished him from the rift and closed the path behind her.


    "Don''t worry, Edmond. I''ll protect you."


    In an instant, the scar of countless restless nights surged down on his shoulders and made his entire being shake from the inside out. Although many of his close friends and comrades have told him to give up and to accept the truth that Verretheia had died back there, the man could never accept such an outcome. No, he could never, not when it pertained to Verretheia, not until he saw a body. Yet, after two decades without any news, even his unshakable will started to tremble at its foundations. However, twenty-four years after her disappearance, he had finally met someone who had the same ability as her. Could this somehow be a lead? Was 24-year-old Canaria related to Verretheia in some key way? Or was he simply grasping at straws?


    Hope¡ª but with it, also came fear. If Canaria really was the lead he had been looking for this whole time, was he truly prepared to find out what lay at the end of this pursuit? What if the answer found was not the one he had been hoping for¡ª wishing for? The truth might utterly break him. Truly, what was a man to do?


    Edmond took the pendant resting over his chest and clasped it tightly against his brows. He squeezed his eyes shut as if shutting out the world. Here, nothing else mattered¡ª not Oryza, not Arca Archa, not even Canaria who led his heart to waver. All that resounded in his world was a simple but earnest thought.


    "I just want to see you again, Verretheia, so¡­ very much."


    As he uttered these words, the sound of the door brought Edmond out of his reverie. It was Angelica, who had bolted out of the office earlier. She returned with a complicated expression, her face a mixture of uncertainty and concern, as if she could not decide whether to panic or not.


    "Uh¡­ boss? Sorry to disturbe you while you''re having a moment, but, um¡­"


    "Speak," Edmond replied, feeling a tinge of annoyance at Angelica''s hesitation.


    "Well, you see, I know you just asked me to keep an eye on Aria, but she hasn''t responded to my texts all day. I know she''s at work, but it''s strange because when I checked her location, she''s nowhere near her workplace."


    Edmond''s brows furrowed in concern. "¡­What?"


    ¡­


    ¡­

 Chapter 4: Fiat Voluntas Dei

    Chapter 4:


    Fiat Voluntas Dei


    Sounds from an archaic radio filled the air as the gray haired security guard sat back in his chair and casually sipped tea from his insulated bottle. The voice on the radio was filled with majesty and boomed with energy as it announced the trailer for a brand new theatrical sensation that had taken the world by storm. It was the first mega-budget film of its kind, featuring an all-star all-Arcanian cast, the likes of which had never been assembled before, which had captivated both critics and audiences alike. Praises were sung like birdsong on the web and the ratings showed masterfully. Oh, what a wonderful, awe-inspiring production, with stunning visuals, astonishing story, and masterful choreography that no human could successfully reproduce.


    "From a world long forgotten, in an era where ancient legends were born¡­ A story unfolds, steeped in the bowels of Archa Astra history. The Kaplans, a proud and valiant clan¡­ Rose to prominence, defending the Felid people. A retelling of true history, immerse yourself in the epic tale¡­ Of mighty and noble Kaplans. Witness their indomitable spirit as they confront unimaginable challenges¡­ A tale of honor, sacrifice, and the enduring strength that guarded an entire people. Experience the power, the glory, and the triumph! ''Legend of the Kaplan.'' Playing in theaters now!"


    Ding! The security guard recognized the familiar sound that had reached his ears countless times before. He turned his attention to the source and a smile graced his face as he saw the brilliant-haired girl step out of the elevator. He greeted her like he would his own granddaughter, "Good morning! Heading out to work, Canaria?"


    Tote bag in hand and head adorned with a light brown beret, Canaria responded, "Yeah!" A cloud pin was stuck to her cap and it glinted with the light as her eyes and lips formed a charming smile. She was undoubtedly ready for the day ahead.


    "How''s your leg feeling? You were limping quite badly when your friend helped you back a few days ago," he inquired, paternal concern evident in the wrinkles on his face.


    Canaria waved her hands in the air, dismissing his worries. "No, no, it was just a light sprain. I got better after staying home for a couple of days. I feel perfectly fine now!" Emphasizing her point, she hopped in place, lightly tapping the soles of her shoes against the stone tiles beneath her. Wincing slightly, she said, "See? A-Okay!"


    "Ah, to be so young," he sighed as he shook his head wistfully. He continued, "I remember the days when I could run around, tumble, and take falls without a care. If I try to do that now, I''ll be lucky to get away with only a few broken bones!"


    The old man was beginning to drone again. Canaria managed a polite smile as she listened to him talk, though everything seemed to go in one ear and out the other. The last thing she wanted was to spend her morning caught in another of his long-winded tangents about nothing in particular. Timing was key if she wanted to get out of this fast. She saw her chance.


    "Oh! Would you look at the time?" she exclaimed, her tone light with a touch of apologetic notes. She made a show of glancing at her phone, as if just now realizing her mistake. "I should really be on my way to work now¡ª don''t want to miss the bus!" she interjected skillfully. It made it seem like this was a matter of necessity rather than something deliberate. It was a tactic she had learned to employ, one that allowed her to gracefully cut short these conversations without being overtly rude. She harbored no ill feelings toward the security guard; he was a sweet, familiar presence she had known since moving into the apartment six years ago. However, she had neither the energy nor mouth of a gossiping nanny to be able to chat with him for hours on end.


    "Well, is that so? Don''t let me keep you in that case then!"


    With a hurried farewell, Canaria swiftly exited the lobby, her step quickening as she dived headfirst into the sweltering heat of the outdoors. For the briefest moment, she even thought the heat was more preferable than staying indoors where it was air conditioned and nice. "That was a close one," she let out a relieved sigh as she wiped a bead of sweat that had already formed on her brow.


    The morning sun was casting its warm hues across the city as Canaria made her way through the streets to the bus stop. The streets were spotless, thanks to the tireless robotic maintenance crews that worked day in and day out to ensure cleanliness. Even the trees lining the streets and the bushes at the park were meticulously pruned by drones and arboreal units. The city was bustling, just as it had always been, and would continue to be. Autonomous vehicles sailed through their lanes like a well orchestrated symphony, civilians walked on the streets, and advertisements blared from just about every exposed surface. She knew this rhythm well.


    There was no need for any stop lights, cross walks, or worry when it came to crossing the street, as she was doing now. And as she looked through the windshields of the vehicles that had stopped to let her pass, she saw a businessman with his eyes completely focused on his work that was on his tablet computer, a woman immersed in putting on makeup, and even someone who was just taking a nap. Perhaps if a person from a hundred years ago had come to see this sight now, they would be shocked. However, a century was a long time and a lot of things have changed since. Fully autonomous vehicles have become the standard now.


    Arriving at the familiar bus station, Canaria joined several other people in waiting for the next transit. It was a sheltered stop, with seven seats on a bench and a glass roof overhead just in case it rained. Though there were a few open seats, Canaria opted to remain standing instead. Somehow, it did not feel all too right for her to slot herself in between a bunch of middle aged and elderly people when she was still so youthful. She gazed up at the electronic display that indicated the arrival times of the approaching buses. The display was synchronized with the central transit control system, ensuring that passengers were always informed with accurate information. The bus arrived exactly when it was supposed to arrive, no sooner, no later. It showed up the exact second it was meant to be there. For Canaria, it had always been this way.


    In the latter part of the previous century, there was a gradual decline in the legality of non-autonomous vehicles, especially on municipal roads. The final nail in the proverbial coffin came from a law that rendered all vehicles without level five automation entirely illegal on public roads. The old security guard belonged to the last generation that had to learn to drive for themselves to navigate anywhere. Canaria was grateful that she did not have to drive. While she acknowledged that driving itself was not too difficult¨C having experienced a realistic simulation at an arcade¨C she found it highly unnecessary to drive everywhere when there was no need to.


    Maybe some found it relaxing, as some did like to ride bicycles, however Canaria was not among them. To her, it was simply unfathomable why anyone would ever willingly spend hours behind the wheel, having to focus solely on the road instead of taking a nap, watching a video, or engaging in other activities. Gone were the days of traffic jams, erratic schedules, and human errors. The world had inevitably become better as a result.


    "It''s here. Right on time," Canaria looked at the digital clock at the station as she watched the bus pull up to the curb with a gentle hum. Its sleek design and pristine exterior was a good reflection of the quality of the city itself. The doors glided open with a soft whoosh, inviting all the passengers aboard. Barring some signs of use, the interior of the bus was clean and spacious, enough for even the largest Arcanians to sit without complaint. As a matter of fact, she watched an Ursid couple sit side by side without problem, albeit they looked a bit stuffed sitting without leaving any space in between. After she paid the bus fare by tapping her phone against the chip scanner at the front, she scooted past them and sat closer to the back of the bus where there was an open row that seemed to call out to her.


    "Doors are now closing. Please keep arms and legs away from doors. Remain seated or hold on while bus is in motion."


    Once all was seated, a cool and smooth voice played overhead as the bus started moving as if on rails to smoothly merge into the flow of traffic. Canaria paid the voice no heed. She had ridden on the bus and listened to it more than enough time to know its instructions by heart. Rather, she found her gaze attracted to the cameras high above. While they were meant to ensure compliance with safety protocols, she could not help but feel a strange sensation towards them this time around. She suddenly felt self conscious of being looked at and nervously adjusted her beret to hide her face out of reflex.


    ¡­


    "Thank you for riding with us."


    The voice spoke as Canaria rose from her seat and made her way to the exit. Stepping off the bus and onto the sidewalk, she took a quick glance behind her. Maybe it was just her being paranoid, but she felt like the camera was fixated on her the entire time. "No, that''s schizophrenic," she thought, dispelling these doubts as unreasonable. Then, she looked around to take in the familiar sights. Eventually, her gaze fixated on the building where she worked. Nestled between two towering buildings, the three-story tall oasis housed a cute trio of establishments owned and operated by the same proprietor. The ground floor enticed passersby with a cake store, while the top floor housed a popular bar that never failed to draw in a lively crowd, though Canaria had never ventured there herself. Canaria worked at the cafe on the second floor. It was a cozy little place, offering a peaceful respite from the bustling city and attracted a steady stream of customers all throughout the day.


    As she ascended the stairs to the second floor, the sounds of the streets grew faint. There, a mahogany-stained windowed door decorated with vines greeted her. Upon opening the door to the cafe, she was enveloped in a blend of warm earth tones and subtle lighting, creating a comfortable and inviting ambiance. The interior was embellished with lacquered beams, strategically placed hanging plants, and a giant, eye-catching blackboard menu centerpiece that immediately captured the attention of anyone entering.


    Upon arrival, Canaria wasted no time and immediately clocked in. The owner had not enforced a strict uniform policy, requiring only an apron adorned with the cafe''s distinctive flower logo stitched to the front, along with her name embroidered under it. Canaria, of course, kept her beret on, finding it to be a nice complement to her work outfit. Her job was straightforward: serving tables, taking orders, crafting beverages, preparing simple foods, and delivering orders to the table. While it might seem overwhelming on paper, it was actually quite manageable, as the cafe primarily focused on serving simple drinks paired with cakes that came from a dumbwaiter connected to the store below. During off-peak hours, she could easily handle all the customers by herself.


    Jasmine, a troublesome woman in her thirties, sauntered over with a curious smile. She had a full face of makeup, circle lenses, and brightly dyed orange hair. "You''re always in a hurry to clock in, aren''t you?" she remarked, "what''s the rush?"


    Canaria glanced at her coworker before her eyes went back to her workstation. She replied over her shoulders, "Well, I''m getting paid by the hour, so why shouldn''t I clock in and maximize my paycheck?"


    "No, no, no!" Jasmine shook her head playfully and shrugged. "Sure, girl, that''s true and it makes sense, but that''s just so boorish! You''re being too uptight, yeah? You should loosen up a little! Enjoy life while you''re young," she sighed dramatically. "Before you know it, you''ll be in your 30''s like me, and then in your 40''s! And then, bam, 50''s!"


    Canaria chuckled in response. "I''m enjoying my life plenty enough," she reassured. And it was true because, unlike Jasmine, a full-time worker, Canaria had all the freedoms associated with being part-time only. Even if it meant counting pennies sometimes, the trade-off was well worthwhile to her. "Besides, I know someone who''s about 50, but I swear he only looks 35!" Canaria huffed as she bragged about a certain new friend she made.


    Jasmine''s expression soured as disgust took her eyes. "Ugh, don''t remind me. I''m turning 35 this year," she groaned before grabbing a lock of her hair and inspecting the ends. "See, just look at this mess! I''ll have to go see my stylist again for a treatment. I never had hair problems when I was your age. Oh, I might have to work more hours this week again to do that," she sighed, already feeling tired at the mere thought.


    Canaria''s gaze shifted to Jasmine''s orange hair. She could not help but offer a suggestion. "Ever consider maybe that''s the reason why you keep getting split ends? If you ease up on the bleaching and dyeing, your hair might thank you," she said with a nonchalant shrug. "And who knows, less time at the stylist might mean less time working. Just food for thought."


    Jasmine''s eyes sparkled with amusement. "But he''s so cute! I heard he just broke up with his girlfriend. Maybe I''ll have a chance," she mused, her eyes turning dreamy as she twirled a lock of her hair in the air. So it was about a guy in the end, Canaria huffed. Then Jasmine noticed Canaria''s vibrant blue hair and an idea struck her. "You know, maybe I''ll dye my hair blue like yours. I think I could rock it. Say, where do you get your hair done? You''re one to talk, telling me not to dye my hair so much and yet your roots never show."


    Canaria''s heart skipped a beat at the mention of her hair and her hand twitched involuntarily, reaching up towards her beret as if she could hide herself behind it. "It''s natural!" Canaria blurted loudly, her gaze avoiding jasmine''s eyes.


    Jasmine was momentarily taken aback, but raised an eyebrow after with full skepticism. "Natural? Nah, no way. Who''s born with blue hair? You''re pulling my leg," the lady said, shaking her head, not buying what Canaria said one bit.


    "One hundred¨C thousand¨C percent natural!" Canaria reaffirmed strongly, her cheeks warming slightly as she felt flustered. "It''s so natural, in fact, it caused me a lot of trouble back when I was in grade school. The principal even called the authorities at one point suspecting a case of child abuse! You have no idea how traumatic it is for a ten year old to have to go through all that."


    Jasmine winced sympathetically. "Yikes, that sounds super rough. Wait, does that mean the carpet¡ª no, nevermind. Sorry for prying."


    Canaria waved it off. "It''s fine. It''s a childhood me problem. Look, a bunch of customers just came in. Let''s get back to work," she said, before mumbling, "It''s not like I haven''t given it thought to dye my hair before."


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Jasmine shrugged, not completely buying what Canaria said. "Really? A childhood you problem eh?"


    Their conversation tapered off as they focused on the incoming customers. In a flash, their work face took over. Canaria took orders efficiently while Jasmine prepared the drinks in good harmony.


    ¡­


    The hours flowed by, marked by the familiar cadence of taking orders, serving drinks, and engaging with customers. Amidst the steady stream of patrons, Canaria''s mind occasionally wandered as she mechanically carried out her tasks. Thoughts of her finances lingered, especially as she reflected upon her recent encounter with Aaron, the boy she had helped a few days ago. She had been needlessly reckless. Considering what might have happened had things gone awry, she would have been in the trenches for months while trying to make up for the 1350 Ag that man demanded.  With a heavy mental sigh, she pushed aside these concerns, focusing on the tasks at hand.


    However, amidst the routine of her workday, one customer in particular brought her out of her blank trance¡ª a striking Felid woman, boldly attired in a fashionable qipao and oversized round sunglasses that she continued to wear indoors. With uniquely rounded ears for a Felid, a tiger-like striped tail, and hair reminiscent of Edmond''s white-ish gray hue, the woman commanded an aura of confidence that seemed to lack any subtlety. Canaria found herself quite intrigued by this visitor, especially since she seemed like someone who just walked off of fashion row.


    "Oh, you have such a lovely face," the woman said, suddenly leaning over the counter top and complimenting Canaria. Her voice was brimming with both admiration and curiosity. Like inspecting a portrait, she pushed her sunglasses up to rest atop her forehead and delicately placed a hand on her chin, revealing ornate fingernail guards resembling a set of golden claws. "You''re exactly the kind of person I''ve been looking for."


    Canaria felt her cheeks flush at the unexpected praise. "Uh, thank you?" she stammered, her unconventional movement causing her beret to shift awkwardly. With a panicked flutter, she readjusted it, her fingers fumbling in the process.


    The woman introduced herself with a charming smile that gleamed all the way up to her deep blue eyes. "I''m a filmmaker," she revealed, a spark of excitement dancing in her eyes. "Would you be interested in being part of my next film? I''m looking for someone to play the role of a heroine who gets pulled from her comfortable life and thrust into a completely different world. She must adapt and overcome numerous challenges to find success and reclaim the comfort that she once knew."


    "I''m not sure, sorry. I don''t think I can act in a movie," Canaria responded honestly. Briefly, her mind entertained the possibilities of what fame and celebrity status might bring her, but the idea only sounded appealing on paper. A part of her was skeptical of scams. Who knew if this was really how filmmakers went out to scout for talents? She had never even acted before, for goodness'' sake! Accepting the offer would only result in her being swept along against her will.


    Sensing Canaria''s hesitation, the woman reassured her, saying, "Oh don''t worry, I think I''ll be able to make a star out of you. Just think it over. Here''s my card. If you decide you''re interested, give me a call." With a wink, she gracefully slid a sleek business card across the counter, simultaneously gesturing a phone call with her other hand, which lacked any ornate claws. The card bore the name "Sophie Lee."


    Canaria awkwardly accepted the card and then took Sophie''s order¡ª which was tea; just tea, with hot water and nothing else. A rather unusual request in a time where indulgent and flavorful drinks were what everybody ordered. Unfortunately, their cafe did not have plain tea leaves to brew with, so Sophie ended up taking an order of hot honey lemon instead. The filmmaker stayed in the cafe for quite a while afterward, opting to take a seat at a table that faced towards the register as if she was staying to watch Canaria work. Canaria''s eyes were occasionally drawn towards her, and each time they made eye contact, Sophie gave a sweet smile as if to remind Canaria of the recent offer. Truly, what an eccentric person, Canaria thought, but as she did not seem to harbor any ill will, Canaria let her do as she wished. Though strange, she was still a paying customer.


    As the midday rush dwindled, Canaria found herself drained of energy, prompting her to finally take a break. Jasmine nodded in understanding, silently giving her the go ahead. The cafe was not busy enough to need both of them at the moment. With a graceful motion, Canaria removed her apron, hanging it on a nearby hook. She felt her footsteps drag as she made her way out.


    "Hey!"


    Before Canaria could depart, Jasmine hollered out to her, tossing a small white package in her direction. It landed neatly in her open hands, revealing a sandwich¡ª the staff meal. "Thanks," Canaria mumbled graciously. She needed it. Little did she know however, her lunch break was about to take an unexpected turn¡­ As she stepped outside, a man in the shop hurriedly finished his coffee and swiftly exited as well. He tipped his wide-brimmed hat to another customer who held the door open, simultaneously showing appreciation while also hiding his face at the same time. His movements were purposeful and determined. With measured steps, he trailed behind Canaria, ensuring that she remained within his sights at all times and that he would remain unnoticed.


    ¡­


    Canaria''s shoulders slumped as she settled onto a bench, exhaustion weighing heavily on her body. The day''s work had drained her more than usual, evoking memories of the pressure she felt when she was first hired. It was an awful time, with her supervisor constantly watching her work over her back, their gaze burning a hole through her shoulders with their criticisms. Fond memories, those were not.


    Seeking solace during her break, Canaria discovered a secluded spot in the park beneath the protective canopy of towering trees. Speckled sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shifting shadows that danced like waves on the ground. These moments offered her a much-needed respite from the restless urban cityscape, allowing her to immerse herself in nature. Of course, the towering buildings that easily peered above the tallest trees served as a stark reminder of the world that was beyond this sanctuary.


    In the distance, Canaria heard laughter and shouting. A group of kids was engrossed in a game of pretend, utilizing the playground as their arena. From afar, it appeared as though they were chasing and capturing creatures by hurling spheres¡ª or something of the sort. It was difficult to discern when all she had to go off of was them flinging their arms around like monkeys. Yet, Canaria recognized the truth behind their actions. Though she could not see it from this far, she knew they were each wearing sleek AR headsets that projected images directly into their pupils, rendering their gameplay invisible to the naked eye. Therefore, to an outsider like her, it seemed no more than an elaborate game of make-believe.


    Further along, Canaria spotted an elderly man selling ice cream from a vintage ice cream cart, a relic from the Before Rift era. His customers were an Arcanian couple, evident from their distinctive features and the language barrier that seemed to exist between the two parties. Despite this obstacle, they managed to communicate through the universal language of pointing and counting with fingers. Eventually, a successful transaction was made, and the elderly man handed over two blue sea salt ice cream bars to the couple.


    Observing the interaction, Canaria''s thoughts turned to the sandwich she had been given. She had some food on her as well. She carefully removed the stickered seal without tearing the paper and peered inside. "It''s an egg sandwich," she murmured to herself, taking in the golden-white filling with her eyes, before taking a bite and relishing in the flavor. The in-house sandwiches were always a favorite of hers, striking a perfect balance between fattiness and acidity. There was even a time when she indulged in them exclusively for a week, until she was caught by Angelica and forced to maintain a more balanced diet.


    Unbeknownst to Canaria, despite her choice of a secluded spot, she was not as alone as she had initially presumed. Stealthily emerging from the shadows of the surrounding foliage, a figure approached with graceful steps, barely disturbing the undergrowth as they drew nearer.


    Twenty steps remaining. The surroundings were quiet, and the closest other souls were too immersed in their AR game to pay attention.


    Fifteen steps. A rustle in the leaves momentarily broke the silence, but it blended seamlessly with the sound of blowing winds against the grass and bushes.


    Ten steps. A crack in the air caught the attention of nearby birds, but it was nothing more than a tree stretching its branches in the heat.


    Five steps. Canaria remained oblivious to the presence closing in on her as she swallowed her food.


    Four steps... Three steps... Two... One¡­


    Zero¡ª A pair of eyes peered down at the bright-haired girl, unnoticed. The scent of eggs wafted to their nostrils as their gloved hand reached out. Then, just as Canaria took another bite of her sandwich¡­


    "Excuse me, do you have a moment to talk?" A man''s voice came from behind, spooking Canaria, who had been caught completely off guard.


    "Uh, yes?" Putting down her sandwich, Canaria responded, her voice betraying a hint of trepidation. She saw a man of European descent possessing a certain Mediterranean allure with his slightly dark skin, hazelnut eyes, and neatly groomed appearance. His cleanly shaven beard framed a strong jawline, accentuating the sharp angles of his features. Dark hair, meticulously combed, fell in gentle waves above his brow. Tall and imposing, he towered over Canaria, his presence commanding attention where he stood.


    Dressed in plain dark clothes with a crucifix hanging off his neck, he exuded an air of solemnity and grace. Despite the warmth in his smile, there was a subtle intensity in his gaze, hinting at depths of conviction beneath the surface. As he spoke, his voice resonated with a calm confidence, each word carefully chosen and delivered with certainty. "I apologize for startling you. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me," he began, his tone polite and friendly. "My name is Alan John, AJ for short, and I am a missionary for the Agios-Papal Church. Have you heard about our religion?"


    Canaria hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. She was indeed familiar with the Agios-Papal Church, as it held the distinction of being the largest religion on Earth. However, being non-religious herself, she was not particularly fond of being solicited. Not to mention, she felt unease about how he just approached her from behind. "Yes, I''ve heard of it," she admitted cautiously. "I know people who attend mass every week, but I''m not very familiar with the details."


    AJ nodded understandingly. "That''s perfectly alright. The Agios-Papal Church is always welcoming to the newly faithful, as well as those who simply want to dip their toes to test the water. Speaking of, our church is rich with culture and history, and I would really like to share them with you. It won''t take longer than a moment," he explained, his enthusiasm evident.


    "I mean, I guess I have some time," Canaria said awkwardly. Truthfully, she did not want to continue speaking to AJ, but now that he already had a foot in the door, it was hard for her to abruptly cut him off. Like prey caught in the hunter''s gaze, she always struggled to turn down people who were passionate about what they were preaching.


    Nodding, AJ walked around to the front of the bench. "May I take a seat next to you?" he asked politely. Upon Canaria''s approval, he sat down beside her. AJ then began; his words painted a vivid picture of the Agios-Papal Church''s history, unveiling layers of tradition and belief that Canaria never fully appreciated. "For example," he told her, explaining how the Prophet served as the first Pope and performed miracles to prove the existence of God. "And just as the Prophet is the son of God, every Pope who came after him is also the child of God."


    "I see," Canaria murmured, nodding along as AJ listed off details as if they were pieces of a puzzle falling into place on a canvas rifed with missing pieces. The notion of the Pope performing miracles to prove the existence of God was certainly interesting; each successive Pope having to continue the tradition of performing miracles upon their succession made it even more fascinating to her. With how much society and technology have advanced, it was easy for a person like her to doubt this aspect of the church, especially towards the end of the previous era. However, in this era filled with Arcanian mysticism and artes, it instead sparked newfound curiosity about just how long ago the Agios-Papal Church had been tied to Archa Astra.


    "Though, I must clarify, not every Pope in history has performed a miracle. There have been times when the world''s chaotic state of affairs prevented it. On those occasions, the ascending Pope instead gave an oracle of the future." AJ further explained, correcting a thought Canaria had.


    "That is not to say there have not been many remarkable miracles performed by the Popes throughout history," he elaborated, his voice taking on a reverent tone. "For instance, the second Pope, known as Saint Benedict, ended a devastating decade-long drought. The parched lands were blessed with rain, and crops flourished once more, saving countless lives from starvation. Pope Alexander II, one of our most revered figures, was said to have healed the sick and afflicted with a single touch. His compassion knew no bounds, and his miracles brought hope to the downtrodden and suffering. And then there was Pope Francis, who prophesied a great flood and convinced a king to stop in his war march, which in turn prevented thousands of lives from drowning."


    Canaria listened as AJ continued to unfold the history of the Agios-Papal Church. While she found herself viewing the religion in a new light, she remained quite steadfast in her own beliefs. Despite having respect for AJ''s passionate sincerity, she could feel herself nearing the limit of her tolerance. Luckily for her, just as she was contemplating how to disengage from this conversation, her phone buzzed, offering her the most convenient excuse.


    "Pardon me, I think I have to go now. My break is over and I must get back to work," Canaria said, offering a polite smile. It would still be ten minutes early if she were to head back now, but she preferred that over staying here any longer. However, before she could get up from the bench, she felt a forceful tug on her wrist, causing her heart to race as she instinctively turned her eyes towards the only other person there.


    "Apologies for startling you," AJ said calmly, his tone soft and reassuring as he released her wrist, momentarily revealing what looked to be a silver wristband. "I didn''t mean to startle you. I just wanted to ensure we had a chance to finish our conversation. You see, there''s something important I''d like to share with you, something that I believe could greatly benefit you."


    He paused for a moment, giving her a warm smile before continuing, "I understand if you''re hesitant, but I truly believe that what I have to say could offer you some clarity and peace of mind. Perhaps we could continue our conversation over a cup of tea? There''s a quaint little cafe nearby where we could sit and chat comfortably. What do you say?"


    "I''m sorry, but I really need to get back to work. Maybe another time," Canaria told him.


    "I completely understand," AJ responded with a gentle nod, his expression still warm and understanding. "Of course, your work is important. But before you go, could I at least offer you a ride back to your workplace? It''s the least I can do after interrupting your break."


    He gestured towards a sleek, unmarked vehicle nearby, the windows tinted as if shielding its occupants from prying eyes. "It''s just over there, and it would save you the trouble of walking. What do you say?"


    "No, I have to refuse." Canaria said. Seeing the vehicle in the distance, she suddenly had a sinking feeling in her stomach. As AJ gestured, he flashed what was on his wrist again. Seeing it a second time, Canaria realized what it was. She paled as the blood drained from her face into a pit in her stomach. That was an ACD! It was an artes casting device that allowed non-Arcanians to cast artes! However, given how prohibitively expensive one was, it was not something that an ordinary civilian would have, much less someone who was a missionary. Remembering back to the feelings of being watched the entire day, she grew incredibly suspicious of AJ. She was afraid that if she went with him, she might get kidnapped and never see the light of day ever again.


    AJ maintained his calm demeanor, understanding Canaria''s apprehension. "I completely respect your decision," he said reassuringly, his tone gentle and non-threatening. "I apologize if I''ve made you uncomfortable in any way. If you ever change your mind or need assistance in the future, please don''t hesitate to reach out to me or anyone from the Agios-Papal Church."


    With a nod and a warm smile, he leaned back slightly, giving Canaria space and acknowledging her autonomy. "Take care, and have a blessed day," he added, giving Canaria the opportunity to return to work undisturbed.


    As Canaria turned away, relief washed over her. However, before she could even take two steps and draw a breath, a sharp pain pierced her shoulder like a needle stabbing into her flesh. Gasping, she spun around, only to meet AJ''s gaze, cold and devoid of emotion. "Fiat voluntas Dei. May God''s will be done," she heard AJ speak in Latin, his voice carrying the weight of untold decades of convictions. His words, spoken in the ancient tongue of his faith, sent a shiver down Canaria''s spine as she felt her consciousness slipping away.


    "Anny¡­" Canaria croaked, thinking of her best friend in this final moment of hers. Then, everything faded to black, and she experienced a sudden sensation of falling as the world spun around her.


    ¡­


    ¡­

 Chapter 5: Shining, Shining Light

    Chapter 5:


    Shining, Shining Light


    In her dreams, she glimpsed an ancient splendor,


    A world long past, where mighty titans gathered,


    Their towering forms shaped mountains,


    Painted skies, and carved out canyons.


    Their thunderous voices echoed through eons,


    Singing of a culture deep within their souls,


    A beauty that defied reason and rhyme,


    Their allure boundless as the sky.


    Titans, having molded all in their grasp,


    Stretched towards the heavens where starlight shone.


    And lo, a star did fall, their wishes converged,


    A seed from which a nascent god emerged.


    From tranquil dreams arose a fear,


    As the Great Old One did appear,


    Its tendrils burrowed deep and clear,


    Engulfing Eden, nothing could persevere.


    She watched in awe as titans seized the helm,


    Defying the heavens with valor overwhelming.


    Yet each was felled by a thousand tendrils,


    Their throes imparting her endless chills.


    The heavy weight of their fears she felt,


    As their primordial reign waned and knelt,


    Yet as the final titan met its end,


    A lone prayer to the heavens did ascend.


    On twilight''s eve, Everlasting Sunset gleamed,


    Dispelling darkness with a radiant beam,


    A solitary spear plunged from above,


    O brilliant light, delivered from the heavens.


    The almighty spear of a god shattered the realm,


    Ending the infantile Old One''s plight,


    Leaving nothing, all life overwhelmed.


    Twilight passed; now left a long and silent night.


    Yet in the dark, she saw a sight:


    Keepers descending from the night,


    Shining like stars with radiant light,


    Mending the world with titan''s might.


    Bones of titans restored barren earth,


    Blood of titans replenished oceans'' worth,


    Breath of titans renewed the air,


    And flesh of titans birthed new life, so fair.


    The nightmare ceased, a new era of hope affirmed.


    After the longest night, dawn inevitably returned.


    As life flourished, a gasp escaped her lips¡ª


    The dream had ended; then she awoke.


    ¡­


    Canaria slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the soft, ambient light that filled the room. She touched her face, feeling the trail leftover from tears that had streamed down her cheeks. Disoriented, she closed her eyes and took a moment to gather her bearings. Her mind was still enveloped in the vivid dream that had consumed her. She could not remember much as fragments of the dream danced at the edge of her consciousness, being elusive and only giving glimpses when she tried to remember. However, it had stirred something deep within her soul, of that she was certain.


    She laid in silence for a few more moments, still attempting to grasp at any lingering pieces of the dream, but all that remained was a vague sense of loss and yearning. It upset her deeply that she could not recall the details. She could not help but wonder if she had been a witness to something profoundly significant, a memory as ancient as the mountains themselves. Finally, she opened her eyes and muttered blankly, "Where am I?"


    She found herself under an unfamiliar ceiling. However, before she could look around, she was struck with the memories of what had happened to her. How she was on lunch break, eating an egg sandwich, before being met with the missionary AJ, and then falling unconscious in broad daylight. However, it was clear that she was not at a clinic or the hospital. It was at this precise moment in time that an intensely fearful thought touched her mind. Her eyes were drawn to her own body, beneath the comfortable blankets that covered her. She lifted the blanket and then lifted her clothes to look at her own belly. Nothing out of place. She felt her back as well, also nothing out of place.


    "Oh thank god," Canaria breathed a sigh of relief knowing that all her organs were still in place. She even counted all her fingers and toes just to be sure, but it did not seem like anything had been done to her in her unconsciousness. Finally, she gathered the energy to push herself off the bed. First thing she did after that was to look for her phone. She needed to call for help. She also wanted to know where she was. Unsurprisingly, it was nowhere to be found, though she did find her shoes next to the bed. She slipped them on, just in case she needed to run.


    "This feels so wrong," Canaria shuddered. It felt like she was breaking a taboo, walking around the bedroom with her shoes on. She found herself in a bedroom unlike any place she had ever seen. Like a venerable sanctuary of luxury that she had stumbled upon in a dream, everything seemed so surreal.


    "Just how much Argentum does this place cost?" Canaria marveled, being unable to even comprehend just how much money one would need to afford such a place. The bed she laid on was large and inviting, adorned with a dozen plush pillows and a fur throw blanket. The headboard behind her was tall and upholstered, with vertical channels that added a sense of grandeur to the space. To her left, a sleek nightstand held a lamp with a delicate, almost regal base, and a couple of small, neatly stacked books. The walls were decorated with elegant white paneling that framed sections of textured wallpaper, creating a sophisticated backdrop found only in the highest end hotels or celebrity homes. Above her, a magnificent chandelier hung from a recessed, circular ceiling, its crystals catching the light and casting soft gleams throughout the room.


    Canaria shook her head, stopping herself from further inspection of the room. "I should probably figure out where I am," she muttered under her breath. She found herself more level headed than she had expected. It was just that a lot had happened to her in the span of a week. She remembered what Edmond taught her, about the importance of focusing on what she could do, instead of worrying about what she could not. She was putting that into practice now. With that thought in mind, her eyes fixated on the door leading outside. Cautiously, she approached the door, half expecting to be shocked the moment she touched the handle. To her eagerness, it turned easily. It was also perhaps the single best feeling door handle she had ever opened. It was heavy, but not clunky. It was nearly smooth with a pleasant texture as she pulled down on the handle. With a slight click, the latch retracted and she slowly cracked the door open to peek outside.


    Canaria was not sure what to expect, but what greeted her was the second floor gallery of an even grander living area than the bedroom she had been in. She saw: glass railings, floor-to-ceiling windows, crystal chandeliers, custom furniture, historic art pieces, and the likes. It seemed like she was in a luxury home of some sorts. The coast was clear, yet instead of sneaking outside, she closed the door again and locked it. Before doing anything else, she should come up with a plan before moving forward. Albeit, what could she possibly even do on her own? If she had her phone, she could at least find out where she was. And without her phone, even if she were to make it out, she had no way of paying for transportation¡ª rather, was she even still in Singapore right now? She had no idea, which made it even worse.


    As Canaria attempted to figure out what she could do, her eyes drifted towards the massive television display on the wall and she had an idea. She quickly looked around for a remote, which she promptly used to turn the television on. There was news about the Blue Knight satellite on a weather report, which told her she was still in the city state. "Good," she mumbled, then pressing the home button on the remote and a menu bar expanded on the lower section of the screen. On it displayed the current time and date, as well as various other apps which she could scroll through.


    "It looks like I was out for about four hours," Canaria calculated. She had gotten knocked out around the end of her lunch break and it was now just past 6PM. Knowing that it was still the same day brought her some slight relief. She then proceeded to skim through the apps on the menu for something in particular. "Yes, found it!" Canaria exclaimed at the sight of the web browser.


    "Map, map, map¡­" she chanted as she used the remote to navigate the cursor to the search bar and type in her query. Finding out where she was after that would be quite simple. All she had to do was to look up directions to a place she knew and it would point out where she was starting from. However, the cursor barely moved at all in response to the button presses and the keys were so spread out that she had to press the arrow buttons a dozen times to input each character. And because of this annoyance, Canaria completely failed to notice the presence walking up to her.


    "Energetic, aren''t we? I see that you''re finally awake." AJ''s voice rang out.


    "How? I thought I locked the door!" Canaria exclaimed, accidentally dropping the remote in her hand.


    "I was in the bathroom," AJ responded calmly, which was the most obvious thing in hindsight. There was no way that he would leave her in the room alone and risk being locked out. AJ then walked over to the remote and picked it up, turning the television off once it was in his hand. "Now, I''m sure you have a lot of questions, so why don''t you take a seat," he said, gesturing towards one of the upholstered chairs in the room and in the process revealing the silver ACD on his wrist once again. Cautiously, Canaria obliged, realizing there was little else she could do in this situation.


    "You''re clearly a devout man, so why are you doing this?" Canaria blurted outright. "I get that you want to talk to me, but did you have to resort to drugging me?" Her confusion was blatant. Now that she thought about it, it did not make much sense. If AJ just wanted to kidnap her, then why go through the trouble of putting her in such lavish accommodations? If she had woken up in a warehouse, she would have been more understanding. But to wake up here?


    "We''re at a safehouse right now. Time was of the essence. Please forgive me," AJ explained apologetically, his reluctance clearly showing in his eyes as he bowed his head.


    "''Time was of the essence?'' You drugged me for goodness'' sake!" Canaria said with exasperation, quoting AJ''s words directly. She could hardly see a situation which warranted such extreme measures. However Canaria was starting to understand where she stood. She was not as powerless as she initially thought. It seemed that she was important to AJ in some way, which gave her bargaining power.


    "It is better to ask for forgiveness later than to ask for permission now." AJ told her.


    That certainly said a lot about religious devotees, Canaria thought to herself bitterly. "If it was that important, you could have explained it to me properly," she said.


    "I would have loved to do that. Unfortunately, I had little time to explain nor would you have believed me. Moreover, if you had agreed to leave the park with me when I asked, then I would not have had to resort to what I did," AJ responded.


    Canaria''s jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?" She wanted to kick the man, but she had enough self restraint left within her to hold back, for now. Still, she rubbed her sore shoulder where she had been injected. Was she dreaming? She could hardly believe how AJ could so egregiously shift the blame onto her for being kidnapped, by the very man who kidnapped her himself!


    AJ shook his head apologetically. "I''m afraid not. I can sense your hesitation to believe me. Very well, take a look," AJ paused, taking a deep breath as he looked to his left arm. He began to pull up the sleeve, wincing as he did so. The condition of his arm underneath nearly made Canaria retch. Bandages freshly soaked in blood wrapped his entire arm like a cast. "These are injuries I sustained extracting you from the park. You had many pursuers. We lost many devotees in the process."


    He then pulled down his collar, revealing that the bandages did not end at just his shoulders. It was quite possibly the single most grievous injury that Canaria had ever seen in her entire life. The mere sight of it was difficult for her to look at. She could not imagine just what could cause the man such grievous injuries.


    "Okay, I get it," Canaria turned away, wincing as she did so. Now she felt bad.


    AJ pulled his sleeve back down, satisfied by the reaction he got from her. "Do you believe me now?" He asked. She nodded. "Good, that makes the next part easier. I''m going to tell you what''s going on. At this moment, you are currently the world''s most wanted person. From world powers to terrorist groups, every power that be now has their eyes on you. Naturally, so does the Agios-Papal Church."


    "Why?" Canaria asked a simple but important question.


    "You must surely be aware of the reason," AJ turned his palm as if Canaria had asked something obvious.


    Yet, Canaria really did not know. But if there was just one thing that she could think of, then it would be¡­ "It''s because I closed that rift¡­" she murmured, covering her mouth as her eyes widened with an emotion which was more complicated than simple shock.


    "I''m afraid cameras are everywhere. It is easy for somebody to hack into one to see what happened at any particular location. Hours after you closed the rift, word had gotten out there was a Rift Closer in Singapore. I''m sure you can figure out the rest."


    Canaria could not help but speak up. Her voice cracked as she did, "¡ªBut I didn''t! That rift ripped open again right afterwards!"


    AJ shot her objection down as quickly as it had sprung up. "You have potential. That is all that matters. You can try to convince the people coming after you otherwise, but be advised, not everybody is as good of a listener as I am."


    It was a difficult pill to swallow. Canaria could hardly believe what she had heard, but she would be lying if she said she had not thought about the worst case scenario after Angelica warned her about it. However, Canaria thought that things would have been fine so long as she never attempted to close a rift again, so per her best friend''s advice. How could she have known that it was already too late?


    "Then¡­" Canaria worked up her voice and asked, "What does the Agios-Papal Church want from me?"


    AJ did not hesitate to answer the question. With one hand on his chest, he extended his other towards Canaria. "You, who have the power to close rifts, are a miracle that has descended to Earth. That is reason enough for the Agios-Papal Church. We merely wish to bring you to the holy land and offer you our utmost protection."


    ¡ªA miracle. Canaria''s heartbeat became rapid and her breaths became short. For some reason, hearing that word made her incredibly uncomfortable, like she had just heard something she should not have, something terrible, something forbidden.


    "Just as the holy seat has remained vacant, it has been many years since the faithful have bore witness to a miracle. The Cardinals welcome you to join the innermost circle of the Agios-Papal Church, where you will be safe from all secular affairs." Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    A miracle. Canaria heard the word again. Her throat felt dry and the world started spinning. Now feeling faint, AJ''s words felt like buzzing in her ears. She leaned back against the chair. Even with all her concentrated effort, she could barely make out his words.


    "As the ancient prophecy once told," AJ revered, "In the darkest of days, where all hope is lost and the great devil''s spawns eat away at the world, do not despair. For when God tests us with the toughest trials, he leaves us not without hope. A miracle shall descend, shining like a star in the night with radiant light."


    A miracle¡ª Canaria finally understood why that word made her feel terrible. "You''re insane," she choked out, "to want to kidnap someone to become your pope." She stumbled to get up on her feet. She felt absolutely sick to her stomach now. She hoped that it would be some sort of an awful joke, but she knew better than to look forward to the impossible. It was not just AJ that was crazy, it was the entirety of the Agios-Papal Church as well!


    The missionary closed his eyes. "Fiat voluntas Dei. May God''s will be done," he prayed with reverence. Then he stood up, closing in on Canaria and grabbing her tightly by the wrist. "Let us go. The time has come. The cardinals eagerly await God''s miracle at the holy city."


    Canaria refused to go with him, fighting back as she resisted his pull. However, AJ''s grip was solid and she could do little but to budge his hand. To maintain his grip on her, AJ''s hand tightened painfully around her arm. Canaria grimaced. She felt fear and dread. Scenes of what happened with the Arcanian boy she helped out flashed into her mind as she tried and failed to yank her hand free.


    "Lord, please forgive your servant once more for what he is about to do," AJ prayed again, his eyes closing briefly in penitence as he reached into his pocket with this other hand.


    "No, absolutely not!" Canaria exclaimed. Never in a million years would she follow the man back to the church. It was now or never! She took advantage of AJ''s carelessness and used her body weight to ram him towards the wall. The man cried out in agony as his wounded arm planted firmly against the metal frame of a light fixture. That gave Canaria enough of an opportunity to pull herself free from his grasp and she immediately bolted out the room after that.


    "Stop!" AJ cried out to her, having already picked himself off the floor. He rushed out of the room in hot pursuit.


    Canaria heard AJ''s voice, dripping with pain, but she ignored him as she continued to dash. She practically dove down the stairs as she skipped multiple steps with each of her own. She even slipped on the last one and almost planted her face on the hardwood floor, but managed to brace for the fall. She grunted in pain as she picked herself up to continue making a break for it. The outside¡ª she needed to get outside. She knew that she could not outrun the man, but as long as she could get inside a taxi, a bus, or even a bike, she had a chance.


    However, just how much could a girl like her really do? Reality often turned out differently than fantasy. She was all but certain AJ was not a mere missionary. He showed himself to be both strong and athletic as he flew down the stairs to catch up with her at record pace. Before she knew it, what little head start she managed to get had evaporated into thin air as he was right on her heels, about to grab her once more.


    She wondered if she would ever be able to see her best friend again, to share a meal together, to talk about their day, to watch pointless videos, and to hang out and do nothing in particular. She wondered what would happen if she failed to make a payment on her apartment, if she would be evicted, if all her belongings would be thrown out like trash. She wondered what would happen to her life from now on. And she also wondered about Edmond as well. She had only just met the man, but she had come to like him so much already. She wanted to get to know him more, see what he did in Arca Archa, and taste the milk tea he made once more.


    ¡­


    Canaria felt alone.


    At this moment, Canaria felt the loneliest in the world. No one could help her now, no matter her predicament. Her struggles would be for naught, and her cries for help would be left unanswered. She was truly alone. Yet, the weight of her presence had not been forgotten, as the various threads of fate began to weave together.


    Atop a breathtaking vista, the precipice of Everlasting Sunset shone, sweeping golden-red hues of twilight majestically across the world. She stood as a silent witness, casting long shadows as she bathed the city of Singapore in her warmth. From antiquity until modernity, her ephemeral beauty contrasted the turmoil unfolding beneath her light¡ª


    ¡ªA man drove his car at a nerve wracking speed, his urgency palpable as he gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles drained to white.


    ¡ªSitting in that same car, the man''s subordinate worried endlessly about the safety of her best friend, placing all her faith in her boss to resolve the situation.


    ¡ªAnother returned to the guild, weary and resolute, having placed the most difficult burden onto his old friend''s shoulders.


    ¡ªAll the while, a young boy made his way home, finally facing the family he had refused to acknowledge all this time, thinking of the older sister who urged him to take this step.


    ¡­


    As Canaria''s hand touched the metallic door handle, she twisted and yanked with all her might, desperately trying to get the door open. The light of the setting sun blinded her immediately, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut as she made a leap of faith into the hot and humid world outside. Alas, AJ''s outstretched hand followed closely behind her, his fingers latching onto her collar mid-air, mocking her feeble attempt at freedom by jerking her back before she could take her first step outside.


    "Be still. This will only hurt momentarily," he apologized, raising a needleless syringe toward her.


    Struggling against AJ''s grasp, Canaria felt a surge of panic. "Let go of me!" she cried in futility. Now that AJ had a hold of her, he was not going to let go. Her heart pounded with fear as the situation seemed hopeless.


    Just when it seemed all was lost, a voice shattered the stillness. "Well, what do we have here?" came the voice of a sly white tigress, bathed in the crimson glow of the setting sun. A smirk played on her lips as one hand rested casually on her hip. Canaria recognized her instantly¡ª it was Sophie Lee from the cafe!


    "Sophie, please help me!" Canaria cried out immediately, her voice a desperate plea for salvation.


    The grinning light behind Sophie''s eyes could not be hidden, even behind her oversized round sunglasses. "Sure! Anything for my next heroine!" the tigress exclaimed, then vanishing like a phantom, leaving not even an afterimage in her wake. A wild gust of air blew past Canaria as she yelped in surprise and the next thing she knew, a great crash resounded behind her. As Canaria stumbled to a stop, she witnessed a display of strength that defied reason, completely disproportionate to the small frame Sophie possessed. Sophie had kicked AJ back through the entrance, sending the man soaring across the air like a ragdoll, crashing into the chandelier and bringing the entire installation down like an icicle fall.


    The sheer shock of what Canaria just witnessed made her stop dead in her tracks, her jaw slack in disbelief. Just what was that power? That speed? Sophie practically teleported behind her! Her eyes were wide open, and she still missed it! "D-did you kill him?" Canaria asked timidly.


    Sophie did not turn as she addressed Canaria. "No, I don''t think so. I was only planning on giving him a little love tap, but I felt something really solid, so I put a little more force into the kick."


    "How come you''re here?" Canaria asked. While she did not want to look a gift horse in the mouth, it did come across suspicious how convenient it was for this fierce tigress of a film director to be here.


    "Actually, I was camping outside the cafe until you got off work so I could observe you for the role in my film," Sophie admitted.


    "So you were stalking me? I didn''t even agree to it!" Canaria exclaimed, suddenly feeling a slight sense of creepiness towards her savior.


    "Teehee~?" Sophie responded with a cutesy wink.


    Canaria was taken aback momentarily, but the questions she had soon overtook that feeling. She asked, "Then why didn''t you come help me earlier when the guy drugged and kidnapped me?"


    "W-Well, there happens to be a scene where the heroine gets kidnapped¡­" A nervous look appeared on Sophie''s face as she talked under the pressure of Canaria''s judgemental stare. "A-And then a fight broke out at the park and I started recording it for reference material¡­"


    Canaria''s shoulders slacked. She did not know whether to sigh in exasperation or be grateful that Sophie still managed to find her despite all that. However, before Canaria could say anything more, the tigress suddenly pushed Canaria away with a forceful shove. "Get down!" Sophie yelled. Windows shattered as a thunderous boom reverberated through the air, rattling the building and the ground beneath it. The devastating force erupted like a bomb at the very spot where they had stood moments before.


    "¡ªNo!" Canaria''s shrill scream echoed helplessly. As the dust settled, her horror grew palpable. That was an arte, she was all but certain, yet it was unlike the artes she had witnessed Ioan and Angelica perform. This was more instantaneous, more visceral¡ª it inspired terror rather than awe. In the aftermath, only a blown-out entrance remained, surrounded by chunks of drywall and scattered wood debris. The only thing left of Sophie in the rubble was pieces of her shattered sunglasses.


    Canaria''s ears were still ringing as AJ limped out of the house, the ACD on his wrist glowing with a faint residual blue. He groaned with relief as he undid something beneath his robes, and shards of broken ceramic plates slipped out from under his clothes, crashing onto the floor with a loud thud.


    "Oh my god!" Canaria stammered, mortified. It was all she could say in her stupor.


    "Fiat voluntas Dei," AJ intoned solemnly, having been forced to take a life¡ª a necessary evil to carry out the will of God. "Now, enough running. Let us hurry to the holy city before we are further hindered by the nonbelievers." He reached down, offering Canaria a hand, but like d¨¦j¨¤ vu, a familiar voice interrupted him again.


    "Ooh, a church fanatic, with an ACD, no less! That''s an exciting concept. I wonder just what kind of conspiracies there are to be unearthed? There''s certainly more to this than meets the eye!" Sophie announced boldly, having piqued the film director side of her.


    The realization that Sophie had survived startled AJ only momentarily before his eyes snapped up to the source of the voice. The person he thought he had slain was alive¡ª and well, as a matter of fact. She was leaning over the roof with her hands on her hips. Mocking him. AJ''s brows furrowed with displeasure. It was impossible to discern her expression in the light, but he was sure she was grinning from ear to ear. "Arcanian, I don''t know how you managed to survive the arte, but this is none of your business. Leave now, and I will forgive your past transgressions."


    "Excuse me? Not my business? Let my past transgressions be forgiven? How dare you?" Sophie gasped, feigning shock. "After you just tried to blow me up, I should be saying the same thing to you! That''s my next film''s heroine on the ground right there. It very much is my business, thank you very much! Right?" She made eye contact with Canaria, who was still sitting firmly on the ground.


    "R-Right!" Canaria parroted blankly.


    "She''s quite booked, I assure you," AJ said, raising his arm toward Sophie. His ACD glowed threateningly, primed to fire off another devastating arte. However, the tigress was nonchalant as she leaped from the top of the building and gracefully landed atop a wrought iron lamp post.


    Sophie squatted down, assuming a posture as if she were an adult addressing a much shorter child. Rightfully so, with the height of the lamp post added to her own, she towered over everyone present.


    AJ''s expression hardened as a deep frown spread across his face. He ignored the provocation. The woman before him exuded a silent pressure. He had forgotten about it during the moment, but the pain from his bruised back and chest reminded him that she was incredibly dangerous. He did not want to be kicked again by her. Reluctantly, he lowered his arm, at least for the moment. "What do you want? Who are you working for?"


    Confusion appeared on Sophie''s face upon hearing AJ''s demands before it melted away into anger and then annoyance. "Are you stupid?" she asked with such utter exasperation that it broke the tension between them.


    "What do you mean?" AJ asked, taken aback by her abrupt shift in demeanor. His expression said it all: "Is this woman deranged?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he searched for any signs of deception.


    "Really, I''ve dealt with flatworms with quicker wits than you," Sophie sighed, resting her chin in her palms. She turned her head but kept her eyes fixed on AJ. She motioned with her chin, bringing attention to Canaria. "I already told you, didn''t I?"


    "And what exactly was it that you told me?" AJ asked.


    Sophie groaned. "Come on, do I really have to spell it out for you?"


    "My patience is quickly being tested," AJ frowned.


    Sophie sighed, exasperated. "That''s my line. Fine, I didn''t expect much from a fanatic to begin with. I believe I''ve already told you¡ª that''s my next film''s heroine you''re holding up!" Announcing this, her body crouched low, like a predator about to pounce.


    Perhaps sensing what would happen next, AJ, his teeth gritting tightly, raised his arm quickly to cast an arte with his ACD. It was already too late. Sophie launched herself off the lamp post with a burst of energy, bending the wrought iron as if it were a plastic straw as she shot through the air like a missile toward him.


    The man tried¨C and failed¨C to defend himself. He never stood a chance. The white tigress had already seized both his wrist and, with her hand equipped with razor-sharp fingernail guards, held his neck at knifepoint. From a distance, the two looked like they were entwined in a playful dance. The reality was anything but.


    "Tag, you''re it." Sophie smiled, playfully scratching AJ''s chin with her fingernail guards, even shaving a few of the man''s stubble.


    AJ felt his blood chill. It was as though his consciousness had lapsed the moment he tried raising his hand! One moment Sophie was on the pole, and the very next, he felt pain spread through his wrists as the tigress appeared before him like a ghost. He glanced at his ACD, but Sophie quickly reminded him of his place as he felt one of the fingernail guards push up against his jugular, gently guiding his eyes back to her.


    "My eyes are over here," she teased, her gaze leisurely inspecting the silver ACD as she forced his wrist to turn around. "So, what were you planning to do with that fancy party popper of yours: Tell me it''s party popping time and then party pop all over me? You ought to be careful where you point that thing. You might poke an eye out. I''d think twice before doing anything if I were you. Wouldn''t want to upset the neighbors and have them file a noise complaint."


    "Am I to take what you just said as a threat?" AJ asked, feeling very conscious of the cool metal pressing against his throat. He dared not to even swallow his saliva for fear of his throat being sliced wide open.


    Sophie smiled coldly. "A threat? Why would I feel the need to threaten you? No, you are not a threat, only amusement."


    Far away, Canaria gulped as she witnessed the scene. Such a domineering presence! It felt like she was watching a scene right out of a film!


    As Sophie held AJ tight, a deep, distorted voice echoed through the air.


    "Insolent Kaplan," it boomed, the words carrying a frigidity that seemed to lower the surrounding temperature.


    Sophie clicked her tongue in annoyance, her instincts warning her that trouble was imminent. Quickly weighing her options, she decided to crush the ACD in her hand before dispatching the missionary with a swift, decisive kick.


    The force sent AJ flying, but as soon as the man hit the ground, an intense wave of frost erupted from his body. Sophie braced herself, her feet firmly planted, as the freezing current swept over everything. Canaria was not so sturdy, being swept away by its overpowering force.


    AJ''s body began to twist unnaturally, shadows spilling from beneath his robes like dark bolts of cloth. The shadows wrapped around him, coiling tightly until he was entirely cocooned in a pulsating, silken darkness. Slowly, the figure rose, the shadows draping over every millimeter of his form.


    The temperature plummeted further, the air itself freezing with the rise of the shadow-cloaked figure. The energy emanating from him pressed down on Sophie, growing heavier with every passing moment. Frost gathered on her eyebrows, and her breaths formed visible puffs in the chilling air. Yet Sophie stood unbothered by it all. She was an unyielding glacier amidst the encroaching cold, breaking apart the waves of energy with nothing but her slender frame.


    "You have interfered with the hands of God," AJ¡¯s body spoke, but the voice that emerged was not his own. It was layered, deep, and unnatural¡ª the same voice that had boomed through the courtyard earlier.


    "And who might you be?" Sophie¡¯s eyes narrowed as she studied him. Her voice carried a sharp edge, undaunted by the transformation before her. "You''re not that missionary from earlier, are you? You smell different. Not like an Arcanian, but not quite human either¡­ How curious. Just what are you?"


    "You speak to an Executor of the Lord''s will," the figure replied, the deep, layered voice reverberating with an unsettling calm. "I have taken over this devotee¡¯s body so that God''s will may be carried out without failure."


    The Executor¡¯s gaze shifted toward Canaria. Sophie immediately stepped between them, blocking the line of sight with a protective stance.


    "Go! Now!" she barked, her voice commanding.


    "Thank you!" Canaria did not need further urging. Despite her confusion from the chaotic evening, she recognized an opportunity when it presented itself to her. Without hesitation, she ran, her legs carrying her as fast as they could¡ª and run she did, she ran away like the wind! Anywhere would do¡ª anywhere far from the nightmare unfolding behind her.


    Still, she knew her limits. Getting away on foot would not be enough. She needed to find a bus or taxi to put more distance between her and the Executor. Perhaps she could head to the police station or even the Guild of Singapore. It would surely be safe there.


    Arca Archa¡­ Edmond¡¯s office surfaced in her mind. Edmond gave her an inexplicable sense of security, as if everything would be okay as long as he was there. But then she shook her head, dismissing the idea.


    "No, I can¡¯t," she murmured, shaking her head as she continued to run, her humility overriding that glimmer of hope. Edmond had saved her once already. She would not trouble him again¡ª at least not until she could find a way to repay him for his kindness.


    Sophie¡¯s sharp gaze followed Canaria¡¯s figure as she passed through the gates. With a fleeting grin, the tigress gave her a thumbs-up before turning back to the daunting figure before her.


    "Your acts of heresy will not go unpunished," the Executor intoned, displeasure creeping into his otherwise calm demeanor as he watched Canaria flee.


    Sophie snorted derisively. "You sure sound arrogant for someone who keeps spouting about carrying out your Lord''s will. Humility? Isn''t there something in your scriptures that teaches you that?"


    The Executor said nothing, but surely he glared at Sophie through his shadowy veil after hearing those words.


    "I simply do what I want and live the way I want. That is the way of the Kaplan," she declared, her voice brimming with defiance.


    The Executor¡¯s tone darkened. Still, a shred of leniency remained behind his veil. "Move aside, and your transgressions may yet be forgiven by the Lord."


    "Forgiveness, huh?" Sophie tilted her head, her voice dripping with disdain. "Are all you religious types this predictable? Enough talk. If you want me to move aside, then make me. That, too, is the way of the Kaplan."


    She shifted her stance, lowering herself into a wide, grounded position. Her knees bent low, and her arms rose like a bian lian performer readying for the stage. Her expression sharpened, and her breath steadied. The next words that came out of her mouth carried an archaic cadence, a warning steeped in pride and tradition.


    "Heed this warning. If thou dost seek to challenge the ways of the Kaplan, then ready thyself to face the full might of a Kaplan, unleashed."


    The kaplan''s eyes gleamed with feral intensity, ready to demonstrate the caliber and resilience of her lineage. Her heart thumped like a war drum, a drumbeat heralding the coming storm.


    The Executor remained silent, observing her with an unsettling stillness. He recognized the weight behind her words and the unwavering confidence that backed them. The air was charged with the anticipation of unavoidable conflict.


    Whatever the Executor¡¯s calculations, only one path laid ahead.


    At that moment, neither spared a thought for Canaria¡ª not of her escape nor her possible capture. Their focus was absolute, their minds locked on the enemy standing before them.


    ¡­


    ¡­