Yesterday felt like nothing short of a beautiful dream. When I woke up after that eventful day, my room was utterly destroyed. The night terrors were fiercer than usual, and I could feel my body tensing up from the shock. But when I finally opened my eyes… the realness of yesterday filtered into my chest, and it made me… smile.

Yuu Yuu… made me smile.

 

 

 

I calmly stood up, began cleaning my room, and got dressed to get to Radiant City. My day off was nothing short of remarkable. Deep inside… I wished that I'd see that timid loner running past my home when I opened the door. However, expectations are usually higher than reality. Instantly, I was disappointed when I met with the clear skies and lush grass… but no Yuu Yuu in sight.

“I wonder what Yuu Yuu does in the mornings?”

I shook my head in embarrassment. Today I had to focus on helping Jade solve this missing person case… that way, I would spend more time at home…

I closed my eyes…

If I could spend more time at home, I could… probably… spend more time with Yuu Yuu…

I shook my head like a wet dog. After calming my mind, I got dressed, took my blade off the wall, and made my way out the door.

"Goodbye, Maxwell."

I said to nobody as I walked out the door. The day was breezy but warmer than yesterday. Morning dew from the rain made the air cleaner. As I approached the gates, my pocket began to vibrate.

“Eeeeeh?!”

I cried, earning the attention of the knights. As I looked at the screen, Jade’s name popped up.

“Hello?”

I answered a tad meekly.

“Feodora, are you in the city yet?”

“I’m right outside the east gates.”

I replied.

“Good, I’m coming to meet you. Today, you and I are going on an investigation. Something's come up, and I need you on this lead."

“Right.”

She hung up before I could say anything else. So, I walked inside and wandered around until she showed up. Kids were playing, and it was a completely different feel to yesterday. I could even see people in suits walking about. It seemed that the Radiant Order was patrolling or doing their investigations.

“Hmm…”

I could feel a difference in the air compared to the first day I came here. It felt… a bit more oppressive than usual.

“Feodora…”

I turned to see Jade’s perfect stride as she approached me. She stopped at my feet and tilted her head.

“Did you enjoy your day off?”

She asked. It felt a bit out of character for her, so I cautiously replied.

“Oh… yeah.”

“…”

She gave me a light smile.

 

 

“Did you spend it with… Yuuna?”

I backed up as she smirked.

“…How did you know?”

“I’ve watched people for hundreds of years, Feodora. I can tell when two people are attracted to one another.”

She put her hands on her hips, gave me a self-satisfied smile because she knew she was right, and then turned around.

“Let’s go. We are going back to the Baron Group.”

She began walking before I could ask. So, I caught up to her and walked beside her.

“The Baron Group again?”

“Yes, it turns out that there was a pilgrimage of people who never returned from their trip. Around 16 of them. They just… vanished. This feels just like my investigation.”

“Nobody knows what happened to them?”

“Abigail was investigating it the day we went searching for her. She was obviously trying to keep it under the radar. Apparently, she sent out Caesar to look for them... and he hasn't come back either.”

I thought about that man who had a sharp face and eye patch.

“Ah, that man. How did you find out about this?”

"While investigating the bombings and the Baron Group… I overheard them chatting about those missing people in the pilgrimage group. That led to me interrogating Abigail, and she confessed what was going on. It was either she confessed, or we'd bring in the Radiant Order…."

She sighed.

"And Abigail has major issues with the Radiant Order. It was the only threat that would work. So, we established that you, me, her, and her little sister, Lana would join a set of followers and scope out what happened.”

“Abigail doesn’t like the Radiant Order?”

I asked. Jade shook her head.

"The Pasco family has trust issues when it comes to the Radiants. I wouldn't say there aren't good reasons. There were… dark things happened before the Baron Group was truly established."

When we reached the group, a few people came up to us. They circled around us as Jade announced.

“We’re here to see Abigail Pasco.”

“Yes, she informed us. Our goddess would like it if you came to our library and waited there for her."

They led us over to the library. It was massive and took me by surprise. I suddenly remembered that I needed to buy a few books. Mentally, I kept that in mind. The group of members left us as we stood there in the middle of the room.

“Since we’re alone, Feodora, I want to make sure you understand something."

Jade looked at me.

"When dealing with Abigail, she's very persuasive in her tactics to get what she wants. I… don't need you getting sucked into her words easily."

 

 

“What do you mean, Jade?”

The morning sun filtered through the glass behind us, making Jade's face tone a soft red. She closed her eyes and pondered for a moment.

“Abigail is strong in all 4 elements. She uses those abilities to… seduce whoever she pleases.”

The knight closed her eyes.

"Did you notice that sweet scent that she produces at times?"

I recalled the first time I met her. She flapped her wings, and I smelled something… eye-catching.

“Yes, I do.”

“Abigail uses her elements to produce that. Water vaporized by fire, scented with earth, and sent by her wind. Only she can… produce a spectrum that fine.”

I put my finger to my lip.

“Then how do I combat her, Jade?”

I asked.

"When you smell that sweet scent, do your best to raise your resistance by channeling your fire, water, earth, and wind spectrums. By doing that, you can attempt to stop Abigail's suggestion from controlling you."

Just the idea of someone crawling into my mind made me shiver.

“Thanks for the heads up, I guess.”

Jade nodded.

“I just don’t need you being a lifeless zombie as we work with her. I need you for more important things.”

The knight looked me in the eye.

“Some spectrum can be used to influence what you think or see; keep that in mind when interacting with Abigail and this investigation in general.”

She smirked as she pointed at me.

“I do have one other thing to talk with you about, Feodora. And that is your ability to use the chaos element.”

The chaos element is the 7th element created by the Radiants. It can enchant weapons along with other more powerful attributes. The 7th element can also increase the power of any other 6. Maxwell taught me powerful techniques using it.

“What about the chaos element?”

I asked. Jade moved closer and pressed her finger on my chest.

“As a Radiant, I can see the blur of the chaos element within you. Normal vessels can’t see the hidden attributes as we can.”

She guided her finger to my heart.

 

 

"There is a slight blur around here that shows me that you are well versed in the chaos element…."

The knight stared at me intensely.

“There is something within you that is channeled by the chaos element. And you… are withholding it. I know that you aren’t showing the world everything… but I don’t know what it is… so I can’t do anything about it.”

I closed my eyes… I knew just what she was talking about… It was the next level of shadow craft that Maxwell beat into me. Using the chaos element as an enhancer.

 

 

They are dangerous, and I was told to only use them sparingly. Destructive crafts that would make me one with the dark. Jade pushed her finger further on my chest.

“But it’s just not that in there… There is a more distorted blur that I can see. I have no idea what that is… but it's powerful…."

I was slightly confused by this, so I asked…

“What do you mean?”

Jade tilted her head briefly, but then she nodded.

"Ah… you don't know how to unlock it either. You don't know… what will unlock that deep-seated power within you."

Jade probed.

I knew of the dangerous level of shadow crafts. The ones I was beaten into using sparingly… But could there be another piece to my training… That even Maxwell hid within me…

I couldn’t understand why he would do something like that. My mind began to channel the chaos element within my body. I felt the shadow crafts… the destructive versions that I hid from the world for now… but nothing else…

“I… can’t perceive what you see, Jade… Because I’m not a Radiant like you?”

I whispered. What… could Maxwell have hidden within me using the chaos element that even I don’t know?

“And that right there… is a Trickster’s doing, Feodora. To embed you with something that even you didn’t know existed.”

"Trickster's doing?"

“Hm, it seems we’re out of time.”

Jade said as she turned to the door. The goddess we were waiting for entered inside.

“Ah, Jade! And… Feodora Cicer, was it?”

That charming voice was amplified by the vast library. The goddess stepped inside with elegance as her heels clicked on the floor. On the side of her was that brat Lana, her little sister. Behind them was a group of followers in white cloaks.

“Hello, Abigail.”

Jade scorned. Lana looked at me and pushed her tongue out violently.

“Meeh!”

 

I sighed, not wanting to deal with her attitude.

“It looks like today you two will be coming with us. Let me explain what’s going on.”

The goddess spoke as all eyes fell on her. Calmly she looked at me. I could clearly see the apprehension in her body language.

 

 

"As of today, there are 20 people from my congregation that have gone missing…."