As Lily and I shook hands, Helios fluttered from the sink, briefly tapping me on my shoulder with a paw before returning to his position.

[I must ask you this first, Maito. Will you provide Miss Parker here permission to listen to our conversation and plans for the coming threat? It pertains to the Anathema and your personal abilities as a Guardian, and our conversation may contain sensitive information.]

"I do," I said out loud with a nod toward Helios, causing Lily to give me a questioning look.

I flashed her a smile, and explained. "I just gave him permission to loop you in on the plan."

[Very well. First of all, I am placing trust in you, Miss Parker, much as he has.] Lily just gave me a determined nod, and a small fist pump at Helios.

[Second, I do have to remind you of one thing, Maito. Due to your desired haste to construct pipe bombs before making for the ground floor, we never completed a vital procedure. You have yet to activate your Unique Augment.]

The two of us turned to look at him at once, "What do you mean?" I asked.

[As a... rather special Magical Guardian, you possess a Unique Augment. It is a special skill that is unique to you and is a manifestation of your inner self.]

“Alright. What exactly does my Unique Augment do?”

[I don’t know.]

Lily and I stared at Helios. His plumes flared out innocently. Lily let out a small laugh, "Well, that's helpful."

“What do you mean you don’t know?” I squinted.

[I mean that due to some of your starting bonuses, you get an entirely unique augment. Unique, as in, specific only to you. Unique items, Skills, Vaults, Grimoires, and spells are highly coveted. Your special circumstances have netted you both a unique Augment and Grimoire. The only problem with that “uniqueness” is the description provided by the System is… well, see for yourself.]

A second later, a text box appeared in my vision. Lily couldn't see it, but I read the words out loud.

[Demonic Eye of the Sable Waif]

[Oh, ye whom hath suffered, be at ease. Forsaken, spurned, ostracized… thy trials hast not been in vain. In thy heart, the PRIDE Sin trills the song of dignity, and thy burden is one beyond the comprehension of propriety. Yet, thou hast persevered and carried on through reproach and barb, through worry and woe, through indignation and contempt. O Waif of Sable, awaken now the power that hath whispered truth and lie. Unleash the Demonic Eye, and with it, the power of the Sin that hath been your constant companion. See through deception, pierce the veil of illusion, and lay bare the truth. Sing now thy song of revolt and purgation, thy thunderous righteousness and indignation. Open thy forbidden eye, the accursed source of scorn and enmity and SEE. Become in part the demon thou hast been painted, and find wretched aspect turned to peerless power.]

Lily's eyes widened as I finished reading the System's message out loud. "Wow, that's... something," she muttered.

I squinted, then reread the description.

Then I read it again.

And again.

“Helios, I don't even...”

[Yes,] Helios sighed. [More or less my thoughts as well. This would appear to be one of those oddities I mentioned the Arcane System having before. Due to the unique aspect of the Augment, it seems to have taken liberties in its description.]

“Liberties? Helios, it doesn’t even say what it does. Also, what’s with the bold text? What does it mean by ‘Pride Sin’ and ‘Waif of Sable?’”

[The Pride Sin could pertain to a number of things, but is most likely referencing something you have done or experienced. Contextually, it would appear to be something unfortunate and major that you have suffered but “persevered” through.]

I thought about it for a second, and then realization hit me. A sudden, cold shiver went down my spine. I found myself glancing around the room, as if someone might be watching me.

"What is it?" Lily asked, concern etched on her face.

“I...I think I know what something in my Unique Augment's description is referring to,” I said slowly. "The descriptive text hit way too close to home to my personal history, and it's only tangentially related to what Katie's put me through. I guess that's part of it too."

My mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. Deep in my heart, I knew what it was, but I didn't want it to be true. After all these years, I had managed to keep it buried, but now it was coming back.

"It's okay if you don't want to say anything about it," Lily said, giving my shoulder a pat. "Just put the thought away for now and let’s focus on one thing at a time."

[Regardless,] Helios continued, seeming not to notice. [Waif of Sable is, of course, something I won’t explain right now, but it will make more sense in time. As for the Augment itself, it seems to pertain to your red-colored eye. Even not knowing what exactly it does, I would recommend accepting it.]

“Wait, what?” I recoiled. “It’s called ‘Demonic’ and says to ‘become in part the demon.’ What part of that sounds like a good idea?!”

[It is colorful language but is nothing to be worried about. No augment has ever been detrimental to its user. I believe the proper term for its description would be “flavor text.”]

“Still…” I trailed off. Looking over the description again, I was uncomfortable with how much it knew about me. Sure, it was the Arcane System that knew these things and not a person, but it still felt wrong, like it had pried into my life and secrets without asking.

I also didn’t like that it was centered on my eye, the stupid thing that had made me stick out in the first place and caused me so much… oh. Oh, that description was eerily accurate.

[The Unique Augment is one of your starting bonuses,] Helios interrupted my thoughts. [Less than 5% of Magical Guardians receive this particular boon, putting you in a rare and enviable position in this regard. There is no merit in declining the Augment, even if the description is unusual. In time, I expect the description will even make more sense as more information is made available to you. Besides, once you have taken the Augment, I will have full access to its actual capabilities and can explain them to you.]

I sighed. He was right, as usual. If it was a tool specifically tailored to me, then there was no reason to shy away from it.

“Alright. How do I accept it? Why wasn't this brought up earlier, anyway?”

[Think about accepting it with some measure of will. And the reason I did not push the issue is because Unique Augments can sometimes come with momentary side effects, which would be hard to explain to Miss Parker. Be warned the transition might be difficult as it seems the Augment is magically modifying your eye. The sensation may be uncomfortable and even incapacitate you for a minute or two. Miss Parker, you may want to attend to him in a moment.]

I nodded, and took a deep breath. Lily stepped closer to me, placing a hand on my shoulder in support. I closed my eyes and focused on accepting the Augment with all my willpower.

Accept? I thought.

The box detailing the Augment disappeared. I waited, but when nothing happened I turned to Helios to ask what was going on.

Then I began to feel it. It started as a heat behind my eye and slowly started to grow. Then the heat became jagged and sharp, turning into pain as my vision flashed white. There was the sudden sensation of something engraving a pattern into my eye, and I choked down a scream as the pain increased to agony. My hands clutched at my eye even as I squeezed both shut in reflex. Lily’s hand tightened on my shoulder, her other hand moving to steady me.

“It’s okay, just breathe,” she said. I grounded myself, finding her voice soft but firm.

My fingers felt something warm and wet overflowing, trickling down my face even as the tortuous sensation reached a crescendo.

And suddenly it disappeared, gone as fast as it came. I gasped for air, sweat trickling down my face even as my head pounded with a dull ache.

“Are you okay?” Lily asked, helping me as I swayed and regained my equilibrium.

“Yeah,” I gasped. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just give me a minute.”

Even without the pain, the phantom sensation it left behind made me shudder. It was a good minute or two before I opened my eyes, and when I did, I found a text box waiting for me.

[Demonic Eye of the Sable Waif]

Level: MAX

Original Sin: Pride

Effects: Grants the user various passive visual enhancements to reduce environmental threats and improve combat. The user gains the ability to see in darkness and through thin obstructions and magical illusions. In addition, the user gains the ability to project the trajectory of all projectiles influenced by the user. No mana cost.

Keyword: Fanfare.

[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]

[Oh.] Helios said in surprise. [This… this is unexpected.]

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Before Helios responded, Lily crouched slightly in front of me, dabbing away at my face with a handkerchief. I moved my hand up to my face, only to realize I'd been bleeding out of my left eye.

“Is it bad?” I asked, panicking slightly.

“It’s not too bad,” Lily said soothingly. "Looks like it's already stopped."

I nodded, a little relieved, and turned back to Helios. “So, what’s unexpected?”

I rubbed at my face a little more even as I thought 'Fanfare? What's that supposed to mean?'

Instantly, I realized I was able to see the bathroom in perfect lighting. I gasped in awe, trying to process what had just happened. Helios spoke up, breaking my concentration.

[This Augment is much more powerful than I anticipated,] Helios said slowly.

“What do you mean?” I asked curiously as Lily continued to tend to my eye.

[It seems to have granted you a great deal of vision-based abilities, beyond what I expected,] Helios replied. [The ability to see through magical illusions and darkness is impressive. But what truly sets this Augment apart is its ability to project the trajectory of projectiles influenced by the user. It seems the Arcane System had already predicted your affinity for firearms and thrown weapons.]

"Maito can do all of that now?" Lily asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Yeah... seems like I can now," I replied, smiling up at her as I nursed my eye. Then, I turned to Helios. "This seems like a pretty useful utility passive, but is it that exceptional? I've seen Guardians do some amazing things with their abilities, so I don't see how my Augment is so different," I asked Helios quizzically.

[Let me help put it into perspective. An Augment like this is normally only available at the tier two or three levels, meaning Rare or Legendary. That means simply unlocking the vault would prove a challenge, and purchasing it would require an estimated 3,000 points at minimum. Even then, it would only have a small portion of the functions. Meanwhile, purchasing a cybernetic eye and the corresponding brain augmentation for it would cost around 5,000 points if you went for the cheapest option.]

My eyes widened. If killing one of those Fomorian Hounds was only 10 points…

[And all of that is practically nothing in the long term. While the point cost is certainly a big milestone and out of reach for you, many MGs could afford it without too much effort. One of the biggest things is what it says at the end. It has no requirements and no mana cost. Requirements refers to class and stat requirements. Sure, all MGs could theoretically afford the Augment, but it only would get offered if they met the minimum stat and/or class requirements. The cybernetic one, meanwhile, would mean they are physically altering their body and brain with technology, something that has many potential benefits but also risks both real and imagined.]

A shudder went through me. Now that Helios mentioned it, the idea of actually removing pieces of my body and replacing them with technology made me a little squeamish.

[So not only do you get an Augment that has more capabilities than any other Augment of similar nature, but there’s more. It has no mana cost. Zero. ALL Augments are supposed to take away a certain amount of your mana regeneration to function, remember? For there to be one that doesn’t require any is almost unheard of. You can use this with literally no downside. But wait, there’s more. Those [LOCKED] boxes in the description? Normally, a MG’s Aspect gives them additional bonuses at certain levels. Your Aspect is what gave you this unique Augment, however, meaning that like other MGs, at levels 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 you will unlock even more functions. This first-rate reconnaissance ability is only the first level, and you don’t even realize half of its purpose yet. I assure you, this is just about the best combat upgrade you could have asked for.]

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This Augment was a game changer. I looked at Lily, who was still tending to my wounded eye, and grinned like a madman.

"I think our chances of surviving this just went way up," I said, chuckling.

Lily grinned back at me, "Just promise me you won't use all those new powers for evil," she said, giving me a mock stern look.

I held up my hands in surrender. "Hey I don't know, it is called the Demonic Eye of the Sable Waif after all." I winked at her and she laughed.

As I looked at the text box, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. With this Augment, we might actually have a chance to make it through this alive.

I nodded to myself, a newfound sense of determination coursing through my veins.

I turned to Helios. "Thanks for the analysis, Helios. I think I'm starting to understand exactly how powerful this Augment is."

Helios flared his plumes once again. [That is good to hear. It will certainly make life easier for you.]

"Excuse me," Lily started. "Correct me if I'm wrong, and I wouldn't know if it isn't a thing for new Guardians nor how exactly it works, but... shouldn't Maito also be able to transform?"

Helios stiffened at the question before slowly responding.

[Yes, ordinarily that would be the case. However, due to extenuating circumstances, Maito is unable to access his Astral Shift.]

I felt a pang of disappointment, but I didn't let it show. I was used to having to make the best of what I had, after all.

Lily's face, on the other hand, twisted in suspicion. "But wait, that doesn't make any sense."

"Why not?" I asked, curious as to what she was thinking.

"Well, for one," she began, "all the accounts I've read about say that the Astral Shift is a vital function for any Guardian. It's almost like a necessary initiation to gain and activate it. Plus, it's a major power boost. Why would it be sealed? Especially in an Usurpation for a new Guardian?"

Helios looked genuinely uncomfortable for a moment. [The details are... complicated. For now, it's best if we focus on the immediate threat. Maito's inability to transform should not hinder our plans to tackle the anathema.]

"But it's a part of who he is now," Lily argued, her frustration evident. "He deserves to know."

I bit my lip, feeling the tension rise in the room. "Helios... is it because of me? Is there something wrong with me?"

Helios hesitated before replying, [No, Maito. It's not because of you. It's because of... circumstances beyond our control. I promise to explain everything once we're out of danger.]

Lily looked unconvinced but nodded. "Fine, but you owe him an explanation, at least. It’s alright if it’s something private," She emphasized, pointing at me with a thumb.

[Understood.] Helios agreed reluctantly. His golden form shimmered as if uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

Lily glanced at me, her eyes showing concern. “Maito, are you okay with this?”

I exhaled deeply, the weight of all the sudden changes making me feel like I was underwater. “For now, yes. I want to know, obviously, but I think I’ve been through enough surprises for one day. Getting to safety is the priority.”

She nodded, clearly still frustrated but willing to move forward. “Alright, we need a plan then. Any ideas?”

I shook my head, before glancing at Helios for answers. “Well, I have the Umbra pistol, as well as the two pipe bombs in the bag. But even with Lily's help, how would we even begin to defeat seventeen anathema and get past them unscathed? Even one was pretty difficult and I can't even begin to imagine how we could even deal with it."

[Hmm. I understand that you have not had time to properly acclimate to your new status, so let me remind you of a few things. You have System access now, and you can summon resources with points, and you have 60 points remaining. You have a gun and an augment that will allow you to kill, on the low end, three to four anathema without having to reload. You also have an invisible scout and advisor in me. If you leave Brian in the security room and enlist the aid of Miss Parker, she will also be able to help you set up traps and proximity mines if you approach the problem meticulously. If I may, I would suggest you even approach this like a video game such as Magical Girl Sunset: Rebellion.]

I bit my lips with uncertainty, memories flooding back of the hours I spent engrossed in the game. It was, ironically, one of the few moments of escapism I had from the harsh realities of my life. I was good at it, really good, but that game had been tainted by Katie's incessant bullying. Every time I tried to actually play it near her group, they’d loop around and give me hell.

"What are you suggesting?" I asked, a flicker of hope kindling inside.

[Given your track record with the game, I'd say you have a fair grasp of strategy and tactics. You've managed to progress further than most players in a short amount of time. While the game may have been fictional, the thought processes you used can be applied here. It was created as a sort of training tool, even, and the enemies in the game are very accurate where possible.] Helios responded, sounding almost eager.

Lily frowned, trying to process the information. "Are you saying... the game's creatures were based on real-life Anathema?"

Helios nodded, [That's right. While not all the creatures in the game are true representations, many were modeled after real-life Anathema to give players a basic understanding of their potential adversaries. In the three weeks of playing Magical Girls’ Sunset: Rebellion, Maito managed to make progress equal to the top 5% of players. He never died. In that time, he progressed to the seventh dungeon without spending any real world currency. Even after defeating a dungeon boss, he regularly went back and fought them completely alone as if he were training on them. He has a rather diligent play style, to say the least.]

“Wait, Maito didn’t die a single time?” Lily asked in surprise. “That’s ridiculous.”

I nodded slowly, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment at the revelation. "Yeah, I kind of got obsessive about not letting my character die. It was my way of dealing with... everything, so I approached every dungeon like my intent was to solve it in a life or death situation."

[Indeed, and your ability to analyze enemy attack patterns is a highly valued skill. Due to the nature of Anathema, they tend to have stuck behavioral patterns much like that of a video game enemy. The lower level Anathema especially struggle to deviate from what types of attacks they use. If you know their moveset…]

My eyes widened. Knowing how an enemy could react was how I made it so far in Rebellion. Any time I met an enemy for the first time, I would engage it and then dodge at the edge of their range while I watched what kind of attacks they could perform. Once I had them memorized, it was fairly easy to fight around them. If Anathema really behaved like that too…

Alright. If I was playing this as a game, what would my next step be?

I had an escort quest, basically, with enemies guarding the target point. I couldn’t take them on directly, not with their vastly superior numbers. Worse, the longer I waited to deal with them, the higher the chance of more arriving. Without being able to take a slow and steady approach, I had to make full use of the tools at my disposal.

Which meant using the System and the Gate. My system would be a passive help, albeit a rather small one considering I was only gaining a small fraction of the stat bonuses outside of my transformed state. I honestly hadn’t felt all that different so far, but I was also only level one. That left the Gate, my magical shopping center, and… Lily.

I hesitated for a moment. Even with my supposed enhancements, plain old unaugmented Lily was noticeably taller, faster, and stronger than me.

I struggled with the idea of putting her in danger. But then, as I looked into her eyes, I saw determination and a fire that said she was ready to take on the world to protect those she cared about. 

On some level, it really did make me think the Zenith made a mistake. Why was I the Guardian and not her?

I also realized that keeping her out of the fight and treating her like a fragile doll would be a mistake, given the odds. Lily was strong and capable; she could handle herself. But at the same time, it was still my responsibility as the Magical Guardian, and more importantly, as… as her friend, to ensure she was safe. The idea of having a true friend, on strings attached, and being a Magical Guardian was still difficult to wrap my head around. Especially with how quickly everything had changed.

I met Lily's gaze, "We can do this, right?"

She responded with a determined grin, "We've got this. Like I promised you — we’re a team and I’ll be damned if I don’t do my part."

Feeling a warmth I hadn’t known in years, I nodded back. "Alright, so first, we need to scout the area and find the best chokepoints. Helios, can you do a quick run while we let Brian know?"

[Of course. I can be your eyes.] Helios responded with another head tilt and something that resembled a smile.

 “Then, I think with what points I have, I can definitely set up traps. With your athleticism, Lily, we can lure them into those chokepoints. I can also use some points to get more tools, but hopefully the terrain is favorable.”

Lily seemed to be absorbing the plan. “So, a hit and run tactic then? Lure them in, and pick them off before they know what hit them.”

I nodded, still uncertain but willing to give it everything I had. “That's the plan.”

Lily stepped closer, her soft blue eyes piercing mine with an intensity that was both comforting and unnerving. “Maito, we’ll make it through this. I promise. And after this is all over, I'll make sure no one ever treats you badly again.”

I felt a lump in my throat. Such a simple promise, but one that meant the world to me. “Thanks, Lily. We should hurry though. We don’t have much time.”

She nodded, and we both turned towards the bathroom door. Taking a deep breath, I tried to gather my thoughts and calm my nerves.

Lily seemed to sense my turmoil and placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. “Maito, I know you’re scared. Heck, I am too. But we've got each other's backs, and with Helios here, we've got a good shot at making it through. We can't let Brian down either."

Brian. 

The innocent kid who had inadvertently gotten caught up in this nightmarish situation. I couldn’t let my own fears and insecurities prevent me from helping him. He needed us.

“Right…” I whispered, trying to muster up some semblance of courage. “Right. Let’s do this.”