Zack Araiz

Drix's face was swallowed in shock. The news we got was far more than interesting. His history is unknown to me, and if this guy who made contact was someone he knew from the past, then meeting him is a must.

I was worried when Drix fell silent without uttering a word for minutes. His eyes tell that what he heard was something out of the ordinary. It was very insensitive of me, but I asked, "Who's Lucis?" He cleared his throat and gulped.

"My childhood friend," he replied. "He is the reason I am here at Ballad. Three years ago, I met him again. But it's impossible!"

"What's impossible?" I asked.

He clenched his hands, and angrily said, "I saw him die with my two eyes!"

A spell of resurrection? Is that even possible?

"Eoa, what do you think?" I whispered.

"Zack, chances are, these are only false interactions. Maybe someone was trying to bait you into a location knowing you have a connection with Drixill," she replied. "Another point, this is really his childhood friend — a case of resurrection."

"Resurrection breaks the natural laws of the world, right? I've seen it in multiple novels," I said.

"Correct. This spell carries many risks such as that the person inside the lifeless body is not the one it used to be before. However, there is one exception."

One exception?

"Null." Eoa added.

"Null?" I asked.

"A Functioner able to break the rules of the world," she replied.

If this is true, then there is another Functioner with the potential of being our enemy, and whose power is overpowered. We really need to prepare for anything.

I stretched my whole body and stood up. I sighed and said, "Two possible things, Drix. One, it is a trap. Two, it is your childhood friend but complicated. Either way, we should be ready for a fight." He looked at his hands as I asked, "Would you take the risks?"

"Damn it, the city is a strange place, and it keeps getting stranger as the days pass," he got up on his feet and smiled proudly. "But, let's go."

A few hours later, we went to the Lily Street, the place where Lucis, or whoever that person who talked to us, wants to meet up. I explained everything that Eoa told me to Drixill, and he was enlightened about the situation we are facing. Eoa told us to proceed with caution, and book it off if anything dangerous happens.

Drix took cover at a debris and peeked at the former university. "Do you think that Null-person would be here?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, but Eoa will inform us." I assertively replied.

The place was covered in lilies, almost looking like a garden. Some of the rubble were still there, but everything was engulfed in moss. The tall buildings that towered over Hail University were torn to pieces, as if the top of the buildings were sliced like a birthday cake. The only things that changed are the flags and the people. A couple of soldiers holding guns were patrolling the area. Black flags with a musical note similar to what Drix described before were fluttering on the wind, hanged over the entrance of the main building. As I looked into Drix, his eyes were shrouded in fear, similar to that of someone experiencing a traumatic past.

I touched his back and asked, "Are you okay, Drix?"

"I'll be," he gulped, "I just hate seeing those weapons they're holding."

As a companion of Drix, I do not know anything about his past. I always forget asking because he always smile like nothing bad happened in his life. In times like this I was reminded, that every people in the world carries something from their pasts. I can't have Eoa check deeper in his background. That's my job, and I'll keep on knowing this person no matter how much time it takes.

"We must avoid detection at all costs. Those people don't look friendly at all." I said.

"Where's Lucis? He said he's here, right?" Drix asked.

"Eoa, run an area search." I humbly suggested. It took only a few seconds to find results.

"Findings. Thirty personnel are residing under the main building, ten of them are at the surface including the ones you see before you." Eoa replied. "And what's this?"

She sounded surprised so I asked, "What did you see?"

"Three persons holds compressed magic within them. These are Function magic!" she worriedly replied. 

I grabbed Drix to take him away, but he won't budge.

"Drix? Let's retreat! Come on!" I said as he looked straight ahead; his eyes nailed on something. I gazed in front of us to see a man holding a bluish bow with arrows on his back. He wears a black suit with a red necktie. A symbol of a bow is embedded on his pants, and a spot on his hair was colored gray, different from the majority of black. He seems to have noticed us, and slowly walked towards our position.

"Lucis. Lucis!" Drix exclaimed.

I felt a heavy aura as if it was pushing me downwards. The force made it hard to breathe. I suddenly realized it was coming from Lucis, Drix's friend.

"Zack, you feel it too?" Eoa asked.

"Yep." I said as I held my hand ready to bring out the Reaper.

"Lucis!" Drix went closer, expecting a reunion. What he received was a beating, as Lucis kicked him in the stomach to which Drix failed to dodge, encumbered by his emotions. He groaned helplessly feeling betrayed, "Why?"

I leaped forward and materialized the sword and attempted to slash Lucis. A clang of a great sword sounded; my sword was blocked by an enemy. Our opponent is someone we knew from the past, the sudden realization made Eoa utter her name cowered in fear, "Stereo."

With my anger, I took a few step backs and dashed to try and grab Drix quickly. In mere split seconds, Drix offered his hand ready to be dragged. Unfortunately, "Above you Zack!" Eoa yelled.

A white beam showered causing chaos to the surroundings, but thanks to Eoa, I was unharmed as she shaped a barrier strong enough to repel the overwhelming force. I was forced to regain my composure far away from Drix, but them someone blocked my path towards him.

"Null." Eoa shortly said. 

A woman wearing a white dress with visible lines of red striding from the top to the bottom. Her eyes glowed in white, only surrounding her black iris. Her hair was colored in gray, and floated as if the air continuously blew it from the ground.

"Ever seen a fully-controlled Function, Lost Hero?" Stereo asked.

Drix slowly sat, looking at me in awe. "I'm sorry, Zack."

"Don't be." I replied. "You were only looking out for your friend."

At this point, it looks impossible to escape unscathed. There was only one thing me and Eoa can do.

"This is an emergency, Eoa." I whispered.

I heard Eoa chuckle very slightly.

"Right, this is an emergency."