Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

To weave the web in rotten land

Between trees that are all steel, glass and pain

To reach out and grab a hand

Otherwise you'll drown under unending rain

To finally speak, hear, open your eyes

The light will be forged ones again 

You'll find finally way to hear not pained by cheering cries

And see humanity restart, what they have lost returning to remain

So struggle onwards, child of time and world forever distant, gone

And find out if you'll have it in you still to keep going and live on

 His eyes were closing. Far away echoes of cars in his ears were slowly growing silent. Smells already were cut greatly by cool winter winds that howled in-between the trees. Cold too receded leaving him in a rather comfortable void of shutting down life.

 “It isn't half as bad as the cutting pain” his foggy thought broke through white noise of hunger, headache and leftovers of outer stimuli.

 He was once a student, a tutor, a mere cleaner too. Mind and soul recalled the pain, dull burning of “why?” when people he thought close didn't understand, colder and sharper one when they left him alone in this world.

 He found little to no joy in it, only in a few byproducts it has created. Books, songs, dreams… so he dreamed onward as his heart finally stopped beating…

***

 Roar, whisper, shout, echo of the shore and crackling of fire. Thousands of fireflies dancing along the different segments of chaotic song… Some went in, some traveled out, many melted into the rivers of colors but few kept on going…

 His eyes could see colors, rivers of shifting images in the blackest void littered with jagged and smooth cracks or perhaps cuts in the void…

 They sang. To stop, to let go, to sleep, to be at peace.

 He refused it. The feeling of thousands of tiny flaming claws of bliss tearing at his Self was not what he wanted… He didn't yet find Power, he was yet to satiate his Greed…

 They whispered. About dreams, about fantasy, about painless ever…

 He rejected it. He hated a past world where pain didn't give truly lasting results but dreamed reality wouldn't be any better… as a dreamer he knew that well…

 They echoed. Remorse, pity and hope that upon next return he'll accept and be no more than another drop dissolved by Abyss beyond the concept of Time or Space…

 A tiny flickering spark of silver and red lit up brightly as it exited a flow of visions and sounds into the void… and disappeared, to fall into a crack shaped as a crescent moon…

***

 The City was shining in the night. It was year 939.  Somewhere under the L Corp facade the beast of blackened flesh and putrid smoke produced energy to power that glow… 

 In district 11 a seven years old boy stopped breathing, unable to stand the grief of his parents being gone… He wanted to join them, be reunited with them again…  a moment of overwhelming desire directed inwards was enough to shut it all down.

 In the young light’s place came a spark of silver and bloody red… one that craved life. 

 Deep underneath The City, in Ruins, where Rivers start the Sea of Possibility churned… 

 Purple eyes of a certain Fixer focused on a subtle shift in visions of things that are yet to be.

 Blue haired Fixer hummed, her steps abruptly halting. Then she shook her head and kept going in search of a certain River…

 In a small apartment that overlooked the border of Nest and Backstreets a boy that stopped breathing for less than a few seconds took a breath again as Sweepers swarmed the streets…

***

 “Wake up Raz!” A loud, somewhat gruff and definitely exhausted male voice awoke Raziel from his rather deep sleep.

 His name… it was, yet wasn't. Raziel was a child of a low end K Corp clerk and a young woman who worked as a cook within a Nest restaurant. Both died due to the Thumb and K Corp conflict over something… 

 Raziel… it wasn't his name, not the pseudonym he once chose and stuck to, not a name given by parents of previous life… it was given to him by a kind woman with bright, blood red hair whose smile he couldn't help but see before his eyes… it was what a man with strong, determined if always tired silver eyes called him, never shortening it unlike his uncle… Why did it hurt in his chest to recall these faces so? Why did his eyes tingle with tears forming when the voice of those was replayed in his mind? 

 Uncle Vincent. Former grade 7 Fixer, now but one of the many members of K Corp guards working in facilities closest to the Backstreets of the district. 

 “Hey…” Raz was broken out of his thoughts by a light shake applied onto his shoulders. Vincent apprised his nephew with a rather concerned look before adding “Did you sleep ok Raz?”

 “Yes uncle… How was the shift?” The former Fixer grimaced for a second. 

 “Nothing too bad… Anyway, did you think about my offer?” Raz recalled. Without paycheck from Raziel's parents they lacked funds to let him join corporate school for future engineers or medics so he could either train under mom's friend as a cook or… train to be a Fixer.

 Former Raziel didn't care, didn't actually think about it. All the boy wanted was to forget and return to his parents, reunite with them… current Raziel didn't need to think much either. He simply nodded.

 “Yes Uncle… please, train me”

 Vincent managed to crack a crooked smile that stretched an ugly scar on his left cheek. He was happy to see the glint of life and want back in his nephew's eyes, even if it seemed hungrier and older than it should… In The City those that lose it rarely live long… 

 The moment was broken by a rather insistent rumbling of a young boy's stomach which made them both laugh, if only for a few moments. 

***

 Raziel let out a deep, slightly pained but more than anything exhausted breath. K Corp employee discounts and what his parents left behind allowed them to use microdosage of their famous restoration liquid for training and Vince used it. 

 It didn't restore as completely, but it didn't need to. Just speeding up the natural regeneration, pulling body into “restored” state was enough to greatly speed up things and keep intensity beyond normal human rate.

 Vincent was doubtful that Raz could hold on at first but boy proved him wrong over two months, simultaneously doing his best to go through every scrap of useful data on The City, districts, Corps, Taboos and more…

 Also Raziel noted that uncle seemed somewhat dismissive of the information on Ruins, seeing it as something fruitless and dangerous due to Fingers and Sweepers that used some of the tunnels on those levels for themselves.

 “Can you get up kiddo?” A slightly more youthful voice asked him. 

 Hans, Vincent's college and an actual Fixer living not so far. Grade 5 who helped K Corp Taboo hunters to gather information on the Backstreets and became second teacher for Raz in exchange for a young man doing most chores around his house four days a week. 

 Aside from the initial knowledge test and one of pain or determination perhaps, Hans wasn't too bad. Raz also liked him more because of his weapon of choice. 

 Spear was a good weapon as any but young man preferred it over Vincent's hand to hand specialization even if he happily practiced with both. 

 Raz met the silently laughing gaze of his mentor with a huff. Silver and blue locked for a few moments before the younger of the two forced himself up.

 “Okay boy, stand up and let me fix your stance a bit, you definitely overextended when you tried stabbing rapidly that last time….” Hans grinned. 

 He liked that fire in his friend's nephew. It reminded him of himself a little, also fascination with mythical Ruins was a bit strange… 

 But he guessed that any kid would like to dream about riches and powerful artifacts like Relics and stories he could tell were a good additional incentive to make the boy cook… in which he somehow became better than him or Vincent within less than a month using purely his mother's notebooks mixed with sheer talent.

***

 Raziel fell onto the bed… within his mind satisfaction and exhaustion mixed together. It was nice to feel a growing skill and understanding of the world he now was living in… but more than anything, clearest of all was determination.

 This world possesses a source of power and he will reach it or die trying… as he no longer had any desire to just rot away and felt what is beyond death… 

 “Wait for me, Sea of Possibility…” he mumbled as his lids fell shut.

***

 A young girl with bright red eyes watched outside through a window of a large room, near the top floor within the borders of one of the Nests. 

 She couldn't help but feel sad seeing people in the safest part of her district so… dull? No, perhaps lifeless or gloomy? Each word fit only a fragment of the whole that made their state seem wrong… like an illness…

 Burning determination in her eyes might one day turn into a beacon of light over this city. 

***

Chapter Text

 Raz let out a deep sigh as he looked at Vincent. Two years passed by with speed he couldn't really fathom even now. He is near tenth birthday now. Training, a side job in the restaurant to get more money for his own future equipment and ease the burden on his caretaker's wallet as well as practice… 

 Hans was more  busy these days, reading himself to get through qualification tests for grade 4 and collecting money to upgrade his gear. Still he taught Raziel not just fighting and information collection rules in Backstreet but also basic first aid, as K Corp serum even diluted was very much not cheap. 

 Sadly any information on how to learn the process of augmentation was limited outside of either corporate schools, clinics under the aegis of Fingers like Middle's tattoo salons in Backstreets or few prosthetic substitution oriented Ateliers.

 And yesterday Vincent nearly died. Sure restoration serum worked but mental exhaustion from being nearly torn apart by few hungry Sweepers during a mission on clearing one of the underground tunnels that K Corp wanted locked up? His uncle didn't usually drink but after returning home did just that until passing out…

 “Hm…” Raziel moved his focus to the notebooks after leaving a well made cup of coffee and light breakfast on the table near uncle's bed.

 He managed, through Hans and using mostly his own funds, to collect copies of maps for tunnels leading to Ruins and Rivers. 

 Some were outdated yes, some had markings defining dangers such as “entrance to Sweeper hive” or “Rat village” which were worrying to different extents but Raziel knew the path wouldn't be easy.

 There was still much to do. He needed enhancements, weapons, tools, gear and supplies. Safe practice with different opponents would have been nice but he lacked funds there too… Raziel picked up the phone.

 “Hey Hans, busy? No? Mhm good…” he smiled softly, it was good to hear his mentor in a cheerful mood “Say, by chance you know any Office who might accept a sidekick or a helper? Yeah, thanks… I'll be waiting for your call…” 

 The young man's gaze moved to the window overlooking the Backstreets. Silver eyes dimmed a little but his fingers slowly formed a fist, his nails digging into the skin. He needed it, to feel and experience, to understand and gain skill. Otherwise he might as well die again as he did before… as a powerless, fearful and painfully lonely failure…

***

 It wasn't a day much different from usual for the Nail Office. They were after all specialists in fast and well done courier jobs. Currently the office, including its head and four actual workers as well as two clerks, was in a rather sour mood.

 Maximilian, a rather aged grade 5 Fixer and head of the Office, looked at the boy who his friend brought in three months ago. He wasn't shaking, neither trembling, just rather stiffly, mechanically cleaning a very old second hand variant of Hans's own spear model.

 “Sorry boss…” the boy tried but Max clicked his tongue and simply stared at him. Rats trying to scavenge for organs was nothing new to him but Raz? The boy usually was helping clerks, cleaning, cooking or even applying his limited medical knowledge to his Fixers if they managed to get hurt. This was his first kill, done alone too. 

 “You'll have two days off, paid” head of the Nail Office stated coolly, getting nods of agreement from both Fixers he could see. Raziel simply nodded.

 Max really wanted to smoke but he recalled both disgust the boy had for the smell and his worry. Raz, if a bit insistently, tried to help them drop the bad habits and glares Maximilian could humble his Fixers with barely did anything to the boy. Plus the coffee he made eventually became better fit to his taste than one baristas made…

***

 He remembered. They simply were running out of free hands and the package drop off point wasn't too far. Raziel was already somewhat used to the Backstreets, atmosphere and how one needed to act to be less noticable…

 But Rats were rather hungry that day and young are always an easy target. There were four of them, one of him. He could see they were in rather bad shape, definitely somewhat malnourished… one of them seemed younger than him too.

 “Hey… give that to us and I promise, we’ll take one lung and kidney, that's all, you can go ba-” Raziel didn't allow the oldest to finish.

 Two tried to move for a stab with rather short machete-like blades. The youngest one, a girl, stepped forward as she bent, attempting to land a piercing strike under his rib. Oldest aimed for his head with a bat. 

 Jump back, grab the spear, aim as his legs smoothly flow through landing into a stable stance. Stab the youngest as she nearly stumbles. Right to the eye, immediately returning the spear.

 “Maria! You're de-” one of the two rushes forward. Bat away the blade and slash united with a step back opens his throat, blood gushes out staining the muddy ground.

 Oldest jumps but Raz catches the bat on the midsection of his spear. They are… slow and weak, unlike Vincent, unlike Hans or Maximilian. Especially the latter even if he lacked the agility of the second.

 Move the spear tip counterclockwise to prevent the other from attacking from the left. Block a kick with his own. Bash the other end of the spear into the temple of the oldest. 

 The thrown dagger cuts through his clothing but not too deep. As the oldest falls the one left standing rushes at Raziel, grabbing onto the shaft of the spear when stabbing strike misses.

 “Now di-” but the starved boy is silenced. Raziel already let go of his hold and claw shaped dagger slides into the boy's neck to the hilt.

 Raziel retrieves the weapon and jumps to the side as a bat loudly claps against the ground. Oldest rages, missing more attacks, wild strikes sliding off of smooth blocks until… Raz catches him during another close clash and trips him backwards, sliding his leg behind the one oldest put to the front. 

 “Hey… I have mo-” stab lands and Raziel kicks the spear tip deeper, ribs cracking under weight “bastard…”

 Memories feel further away. He doesn't feel much for them aside from perhaps pity. Pity that The City is this way, pity that he lacks power… for now… hopefully not too much longer.

***

 “You good kid?” Hans asks, looking at the rather excited looking nephew of his friend. 

 Honestly he couldn't help admiring Raziel's sheer determination. Boy easily brushed off first blood and kept on working, buying what information he could as well as N Corp experience stashes for medics and spear users through him or Max. 

 Working in the Backstreets Office during daytime and the Nest cafe in the evening, often without weekends too, made the boy an ok paycheck. Including loot he got from the four Rats and two more that tried at him during later delivery, also there he got bruised up because they were noticeably older and healthier. 

 But broken bone, missing teeth or two and bruises weren't anything diluted K Corp serum couldn't fix up. Hans was also proud that the kid already knew when to use those spicy spray cans. Pride kills in real battle if you aren't an Arbiter or a Color, but even on those levels it'll do you no good. 

 But now? From scarps, pieces collected over three years the boy formed a rather large map of the Ruins with at least three passages on the safer side leading to what was marked “river start point”. The map had been separated into levels by height of each segment and color coded via information about how often each passage was used. 

 “Damn… you really are going there?” All grade 4 got was a nod, at first at the very least.

 “Only after I'm graded 6 at the least… Sweepers and whatever might hide there won't be half as forgiving as Rats” that they could agree on. Hans had met some starved Sweepers before, bloodfiend on one mission where he was helping out to K Corp research and capture squads too. The kid wasn't ready for those yet. One sweeper maybe, if luck was on Raz’s side, but they never traveled alone. 

 “Well… wanna spar some more while I'm here?” By the excited grin on the youngster's face the Fixer could tell the answer without any words being spoken. 

***

 Gae Bolg… Raziel loved this weapon. Sure it was probably an antic model, but one so well made that it still served. Hans passed it on because his new variant was in many ways superior and befitting someone's augmented capabilities in strength and speed.

 He carefully undid the screws, checked the cartridges and the springs alike. Cleaning of the spear tip was meditative and rarer sharpening operations were much the same.

 His mind momentarily went back to the bright moment. Exploding pressure, bright flash from exhausts as the tip of the spear extends and bones break mixing together rough cracking and wet sound of tearing flesh, spilling blood and gurgling of a man whose lungs just were torn apart…

 Letting out a sigh a twelve years old young man carefully started reassembling his faithful, sturdy tool. These years brought him closer to the goal. 

 “You're going to be one hell of a Fixer if you keep it up” Max once told him after their spar.

 “Hmmm… outdoing me already huh?” Vincent was more than happy and proud when Raziel started to get noticeably better and not just predicting attacks but building around it rather than simply dodging.

 “If you get a grade above 7 on the examination I'll show you the best tattoo salon I know around and pay half your first…” Hans promised him and Raziel was determined to take him up on that. 

***

 A very young red haired girl looked up into the crying sky. Her neighbors left her some of their own food. 

 Thunder cracked and roared, lightning cut the darkness illuminating a pale face with pair of bright, determination filled, golden eyes for a brief moment.

Chapter Text

 He stood up slowly from a cross-legged sitting position. The sun was yet to rise above the horizon's edge yet Raziel was wide awake. Meditations were quite stale and perhaps a boring way to pass time in his first life, but both here and there they aided in training the ability to empty one's head and patience.

 But today he needed a cool head, steady hand and clear sight. Today was his examination day for an official Fixer grade. 

 It also meant that the more childhood-like stage of life was over. He would be not just an adult but a Fixer. Free to dive deep into the catacombs of Ruins as he wished…

 “Funny thing how years run by hm?” Vincent, who stood in the doorway, somewhat aged, smiled at his nephew. Raziel returned him a small yet genuine warm look.

 His reflexes grew quite sharp throughout the years passing by thanks to both sparring with those of grade 4 and 5 as well as a currier job… and perhaps some of it could have sourced from his cooking side job where sometimes you needed to look after and work on multiple dishes due to lack of employees. It was good money and learning even if exhausting mentally at times.

 Raziel's gaze landed on notebooks on his room's shelf. Notes on Project Moon universe, other series from whom he guessed inspiration for Light usage could be drawn. His memory was better but not perfect and Raz did not like the idea of cybernetics much. Tattoos, canned experience, few other methods… to his sadness The City as miraculous as it was seemed to not put much into purely biological or genetic augmentation path aside from expansive aging slowing therapies.

 Shower helped further calm his somewhat sparkling nerves… so he took the Gae Bolg and donned his gear. Due to an update to the formula of the explosive solution in his spear he needed to buy dark orange glasses that tightly  fit to his skin. 

 It wasn't special really. Tight black, skin tight turtleneck undershirt and leggings from material that was most resistant to cutting, more normal, rain cloud gray jacket and dark red trousers with metallic wire web interwoven into them, high black boots from acid resistant faux leather, crimson red trenchcoat that had a hood with thin armor plating hidden in-between cloth of the chest, back and bracer area… it also had ton of pockets and few belts on inner side to keep small items there. 

***

 “Candidate 19, come in!” He heard a calm, slightly tired voice.

 The process of assigning a grade to Fixers differed slightly from district to district. For example 23rd allowed a 1vs5 duels and if one of the same grade won they could go up, or 1v1 a higher grade. Raziel guessed Kali would rise that way to an extent.

 Age limit was only truly City wide thing as in some places knowledge of tactics and “biomes” was more important. Theoretical knowledge testing was part of district 11 examination too but not the main one if still important for resume in some cases.

 White room met him with nothing at first but a high ceiling and walls… Raz recalled the job he couldn't forget probably ever. Bullet package delivery to a Thumb base of operations, even if it was hidden.

 They were unlucky to meet a capo whose underling tried to speak up when it wasn't allowed by rules… Raziel felt a tingle of old mixture between fear and awe. Sheer speed and strength shown was quite daunting but also helpful in fanning his own fire, his greed for power that made a man simply more than most beneath. 

 Room shifted. On the other end gates opened revealing three figures. Simultaneously multiple blocks moved into and out of the floor creating multiple areas of different heights, some of the lower swiftly being filled by water and other one with what seemed to be acid. Ceiling too transformed, darkening as did the light in the room as a whole.

 He saw them before, also in most cases as dead bodies. Sweepers. They were on the thinner side of what Raziel had seen of their kind, also their tanks were over half empty.

 Of course they rushed forward, hunger driving them more than intellect they might have possessed in a more satiated state yet they still weren't mindless…

 Dodge as one tries to drive his hooks into Raz's shoulders and slam the bottom end of the spear right into the shining lense of the other that was attempting to go for a backstab. Third comes last and receives the burning, propelled spear tip to the neck as bright light illuminates the room.

 Red liquid splashes against the floor. One that missed hungrily pushes hooks into the falling sweeper's wound. 

 “Brother… you'll stay… in me” distorted, artificial voice echoes from the dynamic of the sweeper suit.

 Raziel slashes at the one with bashed in eye lense but sweeper blocks, hooks wrapping around the spear shaft. He hears the one who was feeding kick off the floor. 

  Now satiated sweeper slashes down but blades click against armor plates within the trenchcoat sleeve before he receives a straight kick to the chest, flying off and falling, his head landing into the acid pit. His gurgling screams echo in the chamber. 

 The last one already let go of the spear but he is slower and weaker then both others. Raz sidesteps one attack and kicks his spear off the floor, catching it before the smooth, practiced motion transits into a stab.

 The sweeper dodges only the initial one, but not the next which lands as the young man kicks himself off the floor and forward.

 Raziel looks at his sleeve, clicking his tongue seeing two deep dents in the plating… he adds another strike to an already fallen sweeper whose helmet partially melted away, also most damage comes from melting bindings and softer suit segments. 

 “Leave the room and await for the next call” same voice echoes as room slowly transitions into its original state.

***

 “So who was your human opponent kid?” Hans asks with a grin. He is damn proud of the squirt. Grade 5 at eighteen isn't bad at all, also with the experience he got under Maximilian it was kind of expected. Still even the same grade varied in experience, augmentation and gear more often than not and the kid had ways to go in all three as such was on the low end of the grade. 

 Sure, usually Hana gave every nooby a 9th grade and they needed some work done to go up but there were cases like Raziel who work and do job of a Fixer before applying for grading or children of higher ups from Association who got training and did jobs that could be counted into their assigned grade during first evaluation. If you were in 23rd district you also could get unofficial grades by killing fixers of said grade or anything of the same danger level…

 “Rather young looking lady in glasses” Raziel started recalling as they made their way to the tattoo salon. “Mirinae was her name” younger of two Fixers grimaced rolling his shoulder “kicks like two of you yet is thinner and definitely lighter, her spear had an expanding segmented tip and… I think she has some sort of reflex augments”

 Young Man looked a bit dreamy as he recalled the sheer difference in skill and capabilities even if their age was likely close. He wasn't sure if she held back much but what Raz did experience was at least halfway to the capo’s speed.

 She tested him thoroughly in many ways, be it reaction speed, learning of enemy patterns, ability to keep going while wounded etc… at least they had decency to pay for repairs of his gear! She kicked a dent into his Gae Bolg for Head's sake! Broken bones, inner bleedings and others were painful but he was used to those more …

 “Hm, likely… I heard she is the daughter of Hana higher up so she'd likely get some of those brain upgrades to make her learn faster and have perfect recall … damn useful but hella pricey stuff” grade 4 tsked, his voice tinted with small degree of irritation. “Anyway, did you choose the place and the pattern?”

 Raziel nodded. Tattoo patterns would different in density and as such quality of provided defensive effect, this also effected strength increase of muscle groups they were closest to. As such his choice landed on a rather widely spread spider web pattern that would go on his arms and back. 

***

 A freshly tattooed young fixer opened the door into his, or more correctly Vincent's apartment. 

 “Uncle? Hm… perhaps shift was hard and he is asleep already “ Raz thought out loud yet then he noticed there wasn't a hint of Vincent's boots, coat or anything.

 Their message receiver signaled. Raziel hummed before clicking on it, the recorded message playing.

 “We are saddened to inform you that your caretaker, Vincent Smith, was killed in action during the work shift…” it was so monotone that person might as well have been reading daily weather forecast “As in accordance to his will the apartment 33C ownership will be transferred to…”

 Raziel listened, his mind registering the facts yet his focus was… elsewhere. Dead? Vincent is dead. 

 “Ha… hahaha… oh, aren't you a funny City? Taking after I just got to a checkpoint, hm?” Raziel didn't try to stop the tears. He understood parents of his past life, their mistakes and their stubbornness, inability to look for different ways and exhaustion together with their own way of life preventing them from finding ways to help him. He accepted that they both were faulty.

 But Vincent… he was good. Finding time for him, strength to be patient, to try understanding, to look for ways to have their time together good.

 He recalled them. Their visit to the cinema. How Vincent happily became his tester for coffee after the cafe owner offered him to try as a barista helper. The way that tired man smiled at him with pride after Raz managed to defeat him in a hand to hand spar for the first time… 

 Barking a laugh Vincent let out after Raz told him about accidentally catching a glimpse of one female Fixer working in the Nail Office because she left the shower door open…

 Raziel smiled sadly, moving his fingers to touch glass that covered a picture within a plastic frame. The boy who he replaced would have never truly seen Vincent that way… but he did. He really did want to say it today… too late perhaps.

 “Thank you, for everything… dad” 

***

 Mirinae again recalled her battles today. Most were at best of times slightly entertaining compared to her tutors but … one was interesting.

 He wasn't augmented, neither was his gear or weapon great. She respected the visible care for the antic yet sturdy tool her peer used. Nothing special… aside from two things. 

 Mixture of good pain tolerance, some clear joy for battle yet cool enough head but most importantly… Eyes burning with determination for something deeper than simple greed or even survival. 

 She stared into those burning flames of silver still clear in her memory and kept smiling, hoping he'll come around for grade revaluation soon. 

***

 Maximilian let out a sigh as he finished his coffee. Sitting on the chair close by was Cecilia, his second in command and perhaps best stealth skill Fixer between all he knew. 

 The news about Vincent weren't pleasant. Raziel's desire to just rent out the old place after gathering his things and selling off what he couldn't use too was reasonable. Honestly the head of the Nail Office didn't mind the boy moving into one the small flats Office was connected to. It gave them all a better position to watch over Raz.

 Young man threw himself into the job, aside from evenings spent in meticulous planning of his future dive into the Ruins. 

 Max also saw notes on W Corp trains, prices on empty experience cartridges of N Corp, K Corp serum memory restoring properties and devices for storage of books in digital forms when Raziel fell asleep on the sofa and Maximilian carried him to a young fixer's bed. 

 He wasn't sure how those things were connected… It was usually T Corp that dealt with sped up training, or more correctly would be giving time to train for a price. He'd ask the youngster later before attempting to realize some crazy idea kills him.

 Sadly neither Max nor Hans managed to get anything notable about how Vinc died aside from some accident within the Corp on the underground levels which could mean anything from experiment gone wrong to Ruin spawns attacking or Relic testing resulting in violent rejection…

***

 Raziel dodged another swipe of a spiky whip before bringing out one of the two daggers, his new weapons for times when spear was not an optimal tool for surrounding.

 Rat grinned, thinking his strike won't reach but second later the rugs wearing man noticed exhausts on the blade, two small ones on each side. Then he saw flame sprout from the bottom end of the handle as strike became a throw.

 Much more budget light but also not one thirds as powerful as some of the Thumb used variants pair of Phoenix Feathers still wasn't bad. They could be thrown or slashed or stabbed and each move had exhaust to amplify force behind it. Fuel wasn't too pricey either as this model wasn't as picky compared to heavier, higher power requiring ones. 

 He looked around, seeing some leftovers Rats scattering in the alleys as the whip wielder fell, dagger imbedded in his eye nearly to the hilt. 

 Return… home, yes home, was fast after the delivery. Sadly Rats rarely had anything worth taking on them. Rare hungry Sweepers only appeared right after waves or closer to their dens. Bloodfiends… Raziel knew they existed but information was surprisingly scarce aside from overview of weaknesses and their familial bonds.

 “Hey Razzy!” Cecilia greeted, her pale hazel green ponytail swaying behind her. Tall, slim, woman wrapped in rather tight black outfit had few bloodstains on it, also no visible wounds “problems on the way?”

 “Nothing big… you?” He noted that her movements were slower, a little different, it took him a second to realize she was definitely trying to take weight off of her left leg.

 “Mhm… annoying bunch, a Ring finger artist said my face would fit into his picture made of skin” she shuddered but more in anger and disgust than from fear. “But he wasn't a big figure of any kind, so no biggie”

 “Aha… sit down and let me help woman” Raz stated coolly as he mechanically undressed while making his way to grab the med kit. 

 She let out a chuckle but did follow his advice. Raziel took a few seconds assessing the bruise, feeling the bone through relaxed muscles also augmented flesh made it harder if you weren't strong yourself or had no tools. 

 Cool salve made Cecilia shiver, plaster slapped atop resulted in Raziel receiving a kick to his knee.

 “You should be gentler with ladies” young man rolled his eyes unamusedly. Silver met dark green. “Thanks kid… you know how about we order some cake? Without you we'd probably need to buy diluted K serum far more often or pay an actual doc”

 “Hm… fine, I guess it wouldn't be too bad” his gaze softened a little. Raz wasn't sure if his job as an Office’s medic was that good, but judging by what others said it was. It was a nice feeling.

***

 Raziel rechecked things. Supplies, weapons and ammunition for them, maps, some camping equipment, phone with a battery, miniature radio, medical cit, diluted and undiluted K Corp serum vials… many other small things including notebook, pens and markers to map out more details and tunnels he had no information on which he'd likely find.

 “So you're going huh?” It was Maximilian, standing in the doorframe with a mug of coffee, on gray ceramic surface a black fist art gave off metallic shine. A gift Raz and clerks bought him together last year. 

 “Mhm, worry not I'm not going deep… just tipping my toes into that ocean” Raziel tried to reassure his… friend? Boss and partially caretaker also honestly throughout his years before fixer grading most of the office got used to him being their youngest even if he acted above his physical age. He never minded it much, especially after Vincent died. 

 “I know… be careful kid, I'm pretty sure whole Office will dive if you don't return at latest deadline” a hand landed on young man's shoulder “whatever you are looking for… I hope it's worth it, truly”

 “It will be…” was all he could reply with. 

***

 A young researcher with messy blue hair and warm brown eyes sipped his coffee while looking out of the window, his expression a mix of boredom, sadness and curiosity as his eyes looked into the night sky…

Chapter Text

[ Record#0

Name: Hans 

Nickname: “Hound” 

Age: 33 years

Occupation: grade 5 Fixer, K Corp Taboo hunter sidekick 

Looks: eyes - azure blue, skin - pale beige, hair - black with few strands of light blue on left side, short wavy strands.

Preferred food: chicken wings with honey sauce and cool lemonade 

Hobby: making sky lanterns.

Personal Weapon: Gae Bolg - mass production type spear weapon that has additional space closer to the tip that uses explosive solution to forcefully propel the tip forward in conjunction with a piston based system.

 It was Invented by Liu association founder originally but became widely spread later on. ] 

[ Record#1

Name: Maximilian 

Nickname: “Iron armed” 

Age: 41 years old

Occupation: grade 4 Fixer, head of the Nail Office 

Looks: eyes - dark green, skin - tanned beige, hair - black, cut extremely short, spiky.

Preferred food: bitter black coffee and marshmallows 

Hobby: glass figure collection.

Personal Weapon: pair of exoskeleton based full arm covering devices working as armor and strength amplifiers simultaneously. Possess built in shocker. ] 

[ Record#2

Known Relics and Classification 

 Relics are separated by two ways of categorization, first being power they possess coming from 9 up to 0 the more potent they are ( Arayashiki being one of the few known 0s also its full potential is hard to unlock ) and second being rarity separated between common, rare and unique depending how many copies or similar function items were already known. 

 As such each relic possesses a mark made by a number and first letter of rarity rating it is assigned. As an example of Arayashiki it is designated 0U. 

 Dieci Association of Fixers specialized in Ruins exploration and relic acquisition also differentiate Relics between Holy, Neutral and Cursed categories depending on their effects on user and surrounding as well as nature of myths or legends they are connected to. Returning to Arayashiki example it would likely be classified as Neutral as such carry designation 0U-N. ] 

Chapter Text

 The first few tunnels and turns were rather well maintained and lit, clearly used by both humans and transports. Yes The City had cars, also most were closer to military vehicles in both form and function. 

 It is only when Raziel went lower he started feeling a slight shift in multiple factors of the ambience. Air composition, as his primitive but working piece of hardware connected to an air filter said, was slightly less polluted somehow. There were not as many visible marks of artificial improvement to qualify for the paths…

 But most importantly, the lower he got the clearer was… A noise. Barely audible, as if echoing in the back of his own very mind in which he was yet to discern anything that carried meaning.

 He used a combination of a chisel, small hammer and some spray can with paint to create clearer markings where each crossroad could lead. It might help others but Raz didn't mind it too much. He was sure someone did something alike before…

***

 A bunch of rats hiding in one of the tunnels remade to be a base wasn't much. Their numbers, there being ten of them excluding two wounded who they were looking after, wasn't the biggest problem but he would have preferred to pass them by… they on the other hand very much wanted him to stay and share supplies, preferably everything he had. 

 Sadly for them his jobs after grading were usually less safe, also better paying, and included clearing out such rat nests which got too greedy and bold for their own good… a can of toxic glass exploded after passing the first line of rats. Nothing lethal but tear gas and coughing gas together made those unprepared very easy to end. 

 Stab to the neck and spin slash that lands cuts, some on arms, for others it leaves gashes on their face as they bend over in a coughing fit… Gae Bolg flashes brightly as the spear tip pierces through the ribcage and severs the spine of another.

 One with a cloth mask and old school, cracked worker glasses of some sort actually managed to strike but… his strength is far below the level that could make Raziel actually move, barely tenth of Mirinae. He punches a man's face after a short, strong twitch makes a jagged rusty blade click against the plating in his trenchcoat. Glasses shatter and shards meet man's eyes. 

 Echoes of screams, coughs and cries echo within the tunnels. 

***

 Raziel found little useful within the rat nest. Some cheap meds, clean bandages, two bottles of medical purity alcohol. Their weapons weren't worth carrying also he did take some of the daggers that could be used as throwing weapons.

 His path downward was around halfway done when sounds of battle were caught by his ears. Whispers too became clearer but still nonsensical and experience of meditation helped to push them into the background of his thoughts.

 The young fixer put out his flashlight before looking around the corner…

 A bloodfiend. She, which was clear by her outline clad in crystalized blood made armor, was fighting a rather large group of sweepers. 

 “You aberrations! At least you'll satiate your betters today…” she hissed as multiple hooks latched onto her, trying to pull apart the crystal armor to allow syringe-like weapons to pierce into her flesh. 

 Raw power in her rather thin and graceful looking body was enough to tear metallic plating. She quaffed down the reddish, somewhat gooey liquid that spilled. Trashing wildly she managed to throw off some of the swarming enemies…

 Raziel watched carefully. When he thought she might be overwhelmed by the bloodfiend… made her armor explode outwardly, creating shrapnel of thin blood crystals needles that had enough force behind them to push away the enemies.

 She seemed to have much better hold on pure blood than whatever sweepers were made of for the most part too, at least if descriptions of her kin’s abilities he had found were accurate to some extent.

 Eventually the battle ended. Her body was slowly regenerating as she drank and lapped down whatever was left within broken suits.

 Then Raziel got nearly impaled by a lance of red crystal…

 “Hm… actual meal that doesn’t have so many additions to blissful blood?” Her voice shifted from colder to more emotional? Definitely.

 Raz huffed. One had firmly on the shaft of his spear. She didn't rush, instead shooting out two thin chains of blood crystal. 

 Jump over one and let the other wrap around the spear. She pulled and he triggered the mechanism.

 A pained hiss echoed as her eyes were assaulted by the bright flash. Toxic gas did have an effect but far lesser to one on humans, more irritating. 

 “You! I'll drink you slowly!” She shot out multiple sharp blades of red liquid. Raziel dodged two but the third severed his left at the elbow. “Mmmm…”

 She took a few moments pulling the severed limb close and drinking the blood… a mistake.

 Her eyes widened when she heard and saw something with one eye that she kept on him… trickling unlike warm one of blood, cold and pure, transparent liquid dripping from a bottle. 

 Fear of running water or just large bodies didn't work as well on a smaller scale but was distracting enough. 

 She barely caught the flaming dagger that he tried to stab into her temple, blade piercing and burning through her palm. She grinned showing her teeth… only to find his left hand, stabbing into her heart with the second flaming blade. 

 He kicked her in the stomach. It was the first time he used undiluted K serum. Sensation was… strange but not unpleasant as it restored stamina too by rewinding the body to state before, also the more damage needed to be repaired the shorter the period to which it could rewind. 

 Raziel picked up Gae Bolg. Bloodfiend stood up, strings of crystalized red trying to hold together her smoking, charred heart. 

 She shot a fan of crystal blood shards but force behind them was lacking, barely clicking against metal plates, not all even piercing cloth. Bloodfiend fled to the sweepers, probably trying to get more juice but… 

 A spear flew, striking her. She did manage to dodge so it got her shoulder instead of her spine but the force behind it was enough to pin her down for a moment. Then two Phoenix Feathers pierced her temples as she tried to turn her head.

 Raziel took a picture of her. Perhaps a bounty was on the head of this one… 

 Somewhere a family of bloodfiends senses shared hunger grew again as one of those sharing it died. 

***

 It took some time to reach his end point for the first journey. A large elongated grot where multiple camping places could be clearly seen by marks of fire. 

 Currently it was rather empty too but Raziel preferred to stop in a safer, less crowded place. A small dead end tunnel where wires could be placed.

 Aside from the bloodfiend he didn't meet much on the second half of his path. Parties of other divers rarely bothered each other as there were enough enemies as is, exception were corporation owned parties meeting if they were targeting the same thing or area but otherwise people actually were forced to cooperate at lower levels to live through some things…

 Good examples of lower level common enemies were mutants. Inhuman beings born of experiments like cuckoos… humanoid birds of black color with bright yellow eyes and sharp claws. Faster but also lighter and with bones brittle enough to crack even by 8 grade with enough training. Plus tunnels didn't give them full range of use for mobility advantage… 

 Raziel looked at one Relic he did find within a small basin formed due to a spring of some sort. Water from it was surprisingly pure if few tests he could do with limited supplies were to be trusted.

 Relic was nothing big or rare, just a 8C-N by Dieci classification. Common, eighth grade being one after lowest, neutral relic which meant it didn't do much to the user in negative or positive during carrying or usage. 

 It looked like a piece of jade. Light blue mixed with sea green colors forming a wave-like pattern on the smooth surface. Shaped like a donut, size just barely enough to put a thumb through the hole. 

 Function wise? A thing known as a fairy lense allowed one to vaguely see outlines of people through fog, smoke or otherwise and those outlines were colorful. Most sources he found theorized that the color of the outline has a connection to emotional state… 

 Raziel pocketed the relic before rechecking the warning traps and preparing for a nap.

***

 Since the first five days went by rather smoothly. Knight of 13th district, which was assigned the designation of this bloodfiend, did have a bounty on her head, if rather low being danger rating fit for high end 5 or low end 4 grade solo missions. 

 She was a rather violent, prideful one and like using her crystal blood armor and variety of weapons from it against Ruin divers of the M Corp, who produced moonstone, but last news seemed to hint at corporation sending grade 3 fixers to hunt her which somewhat explained how she ended up so far from her family nesting ground… 

 Maximilian and other Nail Office workers were very much happy to have him back in one piece… even if that was thanks to K Corp serum rather than his own strength and carefulness. 

 “Hm… bluish gray… You are… bored?” Cecilia tried to guess the emotions Max was feeling via the color of his outline seen through a fairy lense “Oh! That's annoyance right? Spiky waves of reddish orange” 

 Maximilian gave Raziel, who was carefully noting down the babbling of second in command, a very unimpressed, perhaps even a little angry, look. 

 “You should have agreed to use it yourself…” was all the young fixer replied with, letting a hint of an amused smile grace his expression. 

 It was good to be back. Even if he was already looking forward to the next dive and what he'd find… perhaps a grade 7 holy relic like Everice shard? Those could, also by making one constantly feel a bit chilly, render heat up to hundred and twenty Celsius null, making it incapable of affecting the body of the holder as long as shard was in skin contact. Anything beyond counted as from zero, so 150 became 30 instead etc etc. Sadly they didn't stack in power. 

***

 Daniel hummed as he took in the surrounding ambience of a cafe. In circles of richer coffee likers one of the barista who, sadly, was here only for certain weekend shifts got quite a reputation.

 At least if you compare prices and requirements to even attempt to visit district 1, 2 or 3 where perhaps better coffee makers could or couldn't be found. Information about those places was scarce aside from being the origin location and home of Arbiters, Beholders and Claws respectively. 

 “Good evening~” Daniel greeted. The young man smiled to him, expression fairly genuine yet clearly a little tired. 

 “Good evening to you as well sir, what would you like?” Looking through the options Daniel hummed before making his choice. He stayed near taking in smooth, clearly many times rehearsed actions. Taking a more careful look made brown eyes widen a little. The movements weren't like most coffee makers, slightly different… like some of his family guards were. A fixer working as a barista on the side? 

 “Here you go…” a cup was placed close to him. Daniel smiled. The smell was very pleasant. 

 “Mmm… well done” he commented meeting silver eyes “tell, why would a fixer work as a barista?” 

 “Perhaps it is to let my mind think about something else” Raziel replied with a small smile “or just a hobby mixed with a job on the side… mind if I ask something in return?” 

 Daniel nodded, to no little extent curious. 

 “Would you be sad or angry at a human made into a blade for striking?” That was a question Daniel found … weird.

 A human made into a blade? A weapon has no will of its own does it? Yes, it will hurt to be stricken, but who would be at fault? One holding or the weapon itself even if it was a human?

 “Hmmm… perhaps more so angry at the wielder, after all they are who direct the weapon are they not?” Daniel answered with a curious look. Raziel nodded, his smile widening if only a little bit.

***

 In a tower high enough to overlook most districts from its upper floors a woman with black eyes took a sip of black tea…

Chapter Text

 Time kept flying by… Raziel dived, also two more dives were spent mapping out width, not depth. Work in the Office and few shifts in the cafe kept his account afloat allowing him to keep up the training if free time and hopefully would be enough to upgrade his gear before the next depth dive.

 Relic wise he managed to find some things, selling some be it for information, N Corp canned experience or simpler supplies. Maximilian bought out a few fairy lenses he found on later dives as it was a fairly helpful relic if you got used to it and built one into glasses or helmet. 

 Currently he held two useful relics aside from his first fairy lens he kept as a lucky charm of sorts which he built into a helmet which had both a guess filter and glasses of higher quality than his previous.

 First was a 7R-B Relic named saint's shroud cloth. Big patches of this blood red cloth usually had stronger effect but Raziel found a twenty centimeters long, three wide, slightly torn piece which could only somewhat speed up healing of the wounds it was closest to. 

 The second one was exchanged for supplies and medical aid with a group that got rather badly hurt in a skirmish with Rats, an 6C-N named Dcompass. It was a sphere with an arrowhead magnetised to a small ball in the center of a transparent shell which… pointed at the place or item the user desired most. It was mostly used to get information or where you were in comparison to your home… 

 Why wasn't it used to find Relics? Because it didn't discern between those already up in the City and in the Ruins, just pointing to the closest fit no matter who held it or how dangerous the place where desired is located was to the holder. Still not useless if you know how to focus on certain thing and clear your head so it doesn't point at the closest toilet, shower, food stash or something similar. 

 To his great joy, unlike many upper end Relics of grades 4 and up, these weaker ones rarely needed a perfectly fitting person to work. Sure they worked better with an individual who had an affinity for certain Relic but nonetheless could function even if a person didn't fit… rare few cases were there of course when Relic of power end grades didn't work at all, but those were exceptions if anything. 

 “Hm…” his thoughts took turn to his repeated meeting with future Chesed. Daniel was a pleasant conversationalist, if a bit gloomy at time. 

 It make Raziel think about other crew members, information he had on them. Carmen, Hod, Malkuth, Ayin, Benjamin, Yesod, Netzach were all unknowns in both birth district and some other factors. Garion… was even bigger enigma. 

 Kali, future Gebura, was born and lived in 23rd for a while. Hopefully it left him big enough time window to reach what he needed in the Ruins to go find her afterwards. 

 Yes, Raz wanted to become her… if not teacher, then  a friend, support base. If what he wanted to try didn't kill him he also wanted to teach her a skill which might tip the scales when… or if Garion eventually met the Red Mist.

***

 Cecilia hummed, drinking her tea and biting into a fresh piece of baked goodness. She hoped a pair of knives she gave Raz wouldn't find use, second in command worried about Office's probably most versatile member… youngest too. Sure he wasn't better than Max at hand to hand, nor paperwork, neither over her in stealth… perhaps he topped their cooking, likely combined. 

 They didn't truly adopt him. Raziel was too focused on whatever he sought to find as well as mixture of information gathering, money making and training that bordered on torture sometimes to allow others in even before Vincent died. Worse so after the grading.

 After his first dive and his… rather stale toned tale of how a bloodfiend ripped off his arm, if to an elbow only, Cecilia talked to Maximilian but… they couldn't do much with how busy kid kept himself and how they needed to work to keep their fairly small, average quality Office afloat.

 But she had a plan, time requiring one but Cecilia was damned if she'd let this young man fall and shatter on the way to whatever he was chasing.

 Second in command just hoped he'd not get into more trouble down there before returning so she can try to break his shell a little as well as make the runner slow down and breath a little…

***

 Shortcuts passed by quickly. Raziel long mapped out old air vents, ruins of underground labs and more, making the path down and up faster and safer if he so wished it to be. 

 Sure accidents happened here too, but the tunnels under nearest districts, those being 10, 12, 4, 5, 21, 20 weren't overly dangerous. From what Raziel gathered by… mostly talking to other divers the tunnels under A, B and C Corporations were off limits to all.

 Under T Corp you could be fined for time due to more than one anomalous area there bending it and rumors were that prototype tech they disregarded piled there while in tunnels underneath R you might meet their clones on “test run” against literally everything that moves and doesn't belong to R Corp, fresh out of TT2 protocol free for all. 

 There were others of course like underground jungles full of not so friendly, acidic juice possessing, man eating plants some sizing up to a small building under the S Corp district, being 19th or tunnels that had waves of gravitational force running through them under G Corp district 7…

 To his joy K Corp did not do anything half as problematic with their segment of the Ruins. On the worst days you might meet a mutant which springs additional arms, mouths or organs of other beings out after stumbling into some suspicious green goo… but those amalgams rarely lived long, nor were they overly dangerous due to added weight and signals overwhelming the brain.

 Today was the day for his deep dive…

***

 Voices. No longer was it white noise of whispering static, but voices. Speaking in different tones, some quieter, others louder, shifting between ages, some in languages Raziel couldn't discern at all, some sounding like animals and others more akin to crackling of fire or rain drumming on the metallic roof…

 It took him time and over an hour in deeper meditation in a safe spot to stop reacting to fragments that could theoretically carry meaningful information. He did not want to react to “turn around” mid fight to see nothing and die second after… 

 They were still annoying but manageable, especially if there were actual sounds outside as voices seemed to be in his head and outer stimuli dulled them a little. As such Raziel did his best to focus on his senses, be it outward or inner ones. 

 He recalled moonstones some divers and explorer groups carried but all still heard voices, even if stones muffled them to some extent from what they experienced. 

 “ah… onwards then” Raziel stepped into the tunnel leading lower.

 It took some time to finally meet… something. Aside from a rather large cuckoo humanoid with a few additional arms and a pleasant find of a dragon scale, a low end 6C-N Relic that had combination of heat resistance, lightness and durability. Sadly they were just a 6 because barely anyone ever found more than seven together as such requiring finding many piles to make a worthwhile size armor. 

 What did he meet? A… tv. A tv in a room with wires and tubes some of which ended with syringes. Then it turned on.

 “The best pizza in The City this week, with 50% discount for” it shifted into static for a second “N Corp experience cans with experience of a threesome with sexy Arbiter girls” Raziel squinted, watching intently as he felt something…

 Voices were weaker as if… something else was trying to replace them? Indeed, feelings of hunger and desire weren't his. He wasn't hungry and the latter sensation Raziel knew, as well as understood that it was alien for him to have those in a non safe area when focusing fully on tracking ambience.

 “The K Corp recovered multiple people lost in a cryotherapy testing accident! Including Vi-” a Rat dagger flew. Screen evaded. 

 It was… something. An Abnormal Perchance? Just his luck. It kept showing as tendrils of electricity crackling wires and syringe ended tubes moved, making it something akin to a cybernetic octopus with far too many limbs. 

 Wires shot out first. Raziel ran but they followed, some striking and twisting to interject, others following him, driving him to go where others would be harder to evade. 

 “Hey there! Carmen here! L Corp is opening new positions for th-” spear slashed as he jumped over the chasing wires, cutting them clean off. Sounds of fused female screams and static filled the air as cut wires trashed. 

 A Rat’s dagger was thrown. Screen dodged… only to meet one of the Phoenix Feathers. It cracked with a loud, resonating screech. Multiple tube tendrils flaining, whipping to slap Raziel away. The screen…. Bled. 

 Raz dodged some, cut and pierced others, few hit him but those were met by plated areas of his trenchcoat or even his supply filled backpack. One particular rope of interwoven wires and a single tube struck him, blocked by the spear shaft yet force propelled him into a nearby wall. 

 As the screen kept screaming Raziel saw it. Tubes all going into what large TV hid. A glass reservoir full of blood… and brain matter fragments all connected to the back of the screen via many wires, some without any insulation. 

 He rolled under another whipping tube, syringe on its end creating an unpleasant sound as metal strapped along the cave wall. 

 The screen turned to Raziel, each large shard created by a crack showing a separate vision of desire. 

 “And let us announce the newest Color Sil- / Would you like to gain Light for free today? Luck- / The position of second in command of Seed of Li-” this time he replied.

 “Shut… up!” Phoenix Feathers stabbed into the tendril, melted insulation and tube filling air with unpleasant stench of rubber. It tilted its head as multiple syringes tried to stab him. 

 One bashed away, another severed by spear tip, two dodged and last evaded via rolling under only to catch the last by hand and feel the tube and syringe connection section loudly crack. It tried to pull him but he let go.

 “Join us… all we wanted is herererere / No need to worry, Library will accept you toooooo” spear twirled in his hands, dancing around him, drawing arcs in the air as attacks kept coming. 

 Diced pieces of wires and tubes piled on. Legs of the young fixer dancing in a rhythm that matched his foe to a beat. The clicking of many needles against armor and a weapon fused into a melody. Solemn, rapid. 

 Few did manage grazing hits. Cloth burnt and electric current danced unpleasantly along the web of metal within his second layer of clothing, hearing it up until it burnt through thin third. 

 Some of the slamming moves couldn't be dodged. He felt cracks in his bones as force reverberated through him those scarce few times there wasn't a way to evade or parry the attack away…

 One syringe missed his eye, stabbing shoulder as he evaded, drawing some of his blood… which he saw being pumped up the tube. He would tire out and die if it didn't end… so…

 Suddenly it shifted. Charge between limbs of the abnormality after most of them already attacked and were yet to move away for a new strike was swift…

 “Arbiter's will kneel before you if you unite with us / No Singularity will be impossible to understand / So darling… will you be mine forever?” Raziel's emotions boiled. It has been a long while since he felt such hatred for a being. Yet it was cold in a way blue flame seemed cooler to the eye until you felt the heat. 

 Whispers echoed, returning like a tide yet… somewhat aligned to his thoughts. Air itself shifted, barely visible change in colors as if one put a lens over the viewer.

 Low hum resonated in his bones. All of the tendrils and abnormality itself vibrated. A frequency that seemed to induce calm and sleepiness… but it wasn't enough. 

 “Gae… Bolg…” spear didn't glow, nor did it change but when the fixer made his last charge and jumped to have a clear shot at the reservoir? It struck the heart without miss, metal vibrating with sheer rage and intent in opposition to rhythm abnormality tried to give off. 

 Blood spilled, mixing with the diced pieces of the being that drained it. Brain matter splattered against the floor. The smell of burning blood and brains was added to the stench of melted rubber. 

 The barely moving thing found itself pinned down by a boot, then struck down. Stab, piercing and shattering. The begging of different people echoed from broken speakers. Unpleasant squelch echoed as tubes blood was pumped through were cut, screen shards stained by it making visions in them only dim further…

 The screen dimmed fully and… slowly condensed itself and leftover pieces. All left of it was an egg like structure, pieces of the screen and reservoir held together by wires and tubes. 

 “Haaa…. What a shitty day” his words were heard by none. A bloodied spear was picked up off the more so bloodied floor. 

 Raziel's eyes dimmed, emotions slowly receding. He hummed, picking up shards of the screen so that it didn't suck into the egg and some of the wires and a bit of blood to test how being part of an abnormality changed it…

***

 Cecilia let out a deep sigh. Reports, which Raziel did meticulously, with details and description of many, if not every, factor were… cold, always cold. But hearing him? 

 After his return Raz spent an abnormal amount of time meditating. His wounds weren't bad, nothing critical which he couldn't handle and most healed via diluted K serum too but… emotionally? She didn't see him see him in such a gloomy mood, nor did Max see such ferocity in his spars. 

 “Ok kid…we are going out there” his somewhat sharp yet tired silver eyes met hers momentarily.

 “Hm… when will you…” she pulled him off of his rightful working place. “Lia…” second in command grinned at his use of her shortened name. 

 “Max’s orders, you are with us” her voice was cheerful yet also pretty firm, so was her grip on his wrist “you need to relax… next time you need to be fresh right? So destressing is a must and you haven't done much of it in… how many months?”

 “A … a few I guess?” His eyes seemed clouded for a moment “I… you aren't wrong but I'm not a”

 “Nope, you don't have to be in the heart of it… but you need to unwind” she pulled him closer and wrapped her hand around his neck, pushing him firmly against her chest, separated by only a thin shirt. 

 She giggled seeing a blush spread on his cheeks…

***

  It was… a bar? More like a large tavern mixed with a bar, dancefloor, gaming slot machines corner was there too. It was a pleasantly warm mix of red wood framework, orange leather seats, bright yellow walls and hints of other bright colors in lights made in the shape of flowers. 

 “Fallen Eden is the best place in the district I told you! Neutral ground too, so be careful…” Raz nodded, he already saw Thumb and Middle members here, as well as some K Corp guards whose uniform he was familiar with from Vincent's stories.

 He followed his fellow Nail Office members, including Maximilian, to a large table close to one of the walls. To some surprise they weren't the only ones there. 

 Two, similar yet distinct men in their twenties sat there, seemingly waiting for them.

 “Hey Oscar! Salvador! How are you two?” Cecilia greeted, making Raz freeze for a moment. Those were… familiar names. Indeed, their mustaches are perhaps a bit lighter. Oscar's hair was rich light brown, yet to wither under stress, while Salvador's was closer to snow over his aged gray in Ruina. Oscar had sharp, curious dark red eyes while Salvador's were a warm reddish shade of brown.

 It was surprising to Raziel that such high end, grade 3 in Ruina, fixers didn't do anything visible about their aging… which yes, was pricey, but far from impossible. There were augments aiding in slowing down the aging too. Also perhaps it was the visual part alone that they didn't touch? 

 “Fresh blood?” Oscar asked with a small smile. Raziel nodded.

 “You may say so, I used to work with them far before having a grade… nice to meet you, Raziel” he stretched out his hand.

 “As the lady said, Oscar of the Zwei Association, grade 4 as of recently” his handshake was strong. “Nice grasp… what do you use?”

 “Daggers and this old thing” Raz nodded towards the weapon he carried, his eyes warming. So these two were yet to form their Offices huh?

 “Rather old model … but well cared for, I can share love for good heat” the other one spoke up “Salvador, nice to meet someone whose coffee Maximilian enjoys so, mind if we ask you to come to us to teach some of our?” 

 “Hm… I wouldn't mind” Raziel really didn't. Tutoring in his previous life taught him a few things and usually, with the older bunch, it was an interesting exchange rather than an attempt to fill a resisting box. “But… are you from 11th or..?”

 “This place is… unique, deals on neutral territory aside” Oscar spoke up before sipping what smelled like gluhwein. “It is a bright spot, not even the worst bunch touch because be it Association fixer, Finger member or Corp merc, all come here for some warmth and rest… I heard Arbiter and her claw visited a month ago after a mission too”

 That made Max hum thoughtfully. Cecilia returned with a menu in hand.

 “I would recommend you try their fruit tea, it is quite great at calming the mind and tastes delicious I must say” Salvador smiled, his mustache moving up in unison. “But what brings you here? A celebration?”

 “Of sorts…” Raz looks at Max who nodded simply “I returned from a dive recently…”

 “Diver? Few aren't corporational these days” Oscar chimed in. 

 “He is! Brought some neat things…show!” Raziel sighed. A fairy lens was passed around. Oscar nodded, looking a bit more pensive. 

 “I must admit it is… strange to see such youth dive into the unknown, any reason you mind don't sharing?” Raz hummed, returning the relic to its rightful place. 

 “I'm looking for a certain place there… and I might have gotten closer, deeper yet” the youngest fixer around the table let out a low, strained sigh “I met a thing… not a mutant, not a failed experiment either, more akin to… a living embodiment of an idea if anything…” 

 That made a few raise an eyebrow. Maximilian too, as what part of the report Raz shared only told about cybernetic monstrosity.

 “Imagine a TV that slowly, invisibly pokes at your mind, continually improving ads so you keep looking…” His voice was rich with already burnt out anger, only searing embers remaining deep. “But it has more, wires and tubes ending with syringes… all to trap you and drain all you have in blood and brain, adding into the reservoir that powers it, adds processing power…”

 “Sounds like a very strange war machine… one that was seemingly made to bypass some City laws” Salvador spoke up. 

 “Hm, I'd love for that to be it… I shattered it, not without many smaller wounds and electric burns but… it didn't shut down, instead reforming into an egg, I stabbed it, slashed it, acid did nothing to it either” Raziel let out a long sigh “If you wish for proof, come to the Nail, I have a trophy or two to show”

 “Indeed… glass that glimmers with images of what you most clearly want at the moment” Maximilian's voice rang with nostalgia yet also hint of irritation “insidious thing…did you map it?”

 “Why wouldn't I? Also even if it is a primarily ambush hunter it might move” Oscar nodded at that.

 “Bloodfiends, sweepers, mutants… now immortal monsters of some sort, Ruins truly are not a place of sane man's sense is it?” Raziel smiled, expression showing both bitterness and strangely hope. 

 “As many horrors as there hopefully hide miracles” was all he said before happily diving into the menu, after all Cecilia promised to pay 20% for him this one time … and it has been a while since he let himself enjoy good food.

*** 

 Max grinned watching slightly drunk Cecilia drag Raziel onto the dancefloor. 

 “Ahn for your thoughts?” He inquired Oscar who remained while Salvador went to buy them drinks after losing a rock, paper, scissors match twice in a row.

 “He has potential, but… his rush might end up badly” Zwei fixer started “Still, that fire in his eyes? Not so often I see one ready to dive into hell for a goal all alone instead of trying to compromise, sell themselves for other power to fulfill a wish” 

 “Hmmm… anything on bloodfiend family on the 13th?” Head of the Nail Office added. Oscar shook his head.

 “None… they seem to have gone into hiding after their fellow one ended up dying or corporates got to them so there isn't anyone to create noise” on that they agreed. 

 On the dance floor, as slow music started, a young man showed… surprising confidence, if only in movement pattern and navigation around other dancers. Cecilia still was making him squirm and blush. 

 Raziel… truly enjoyed himself. Dancing was the only sport of his first life he deeply got into but the competitions and bad partner experience dulled it, sullied the feeling of rhythm and united movement mixed with emotions shared… and after? He lacked fire to try again. Now he was enjoying himself, letting emotions bloom on his face while he listened to his dance partner, happily basking in the warmth she offered, of course doing his best to return as much and some… 

 This evening, the second in command of the Nail Office fell asleep with a satisfied smile and the youngest office member was more relaxed than he was… perhaps ever after his reincarnation here and even prior.

***

 Since the defeat of Erised VT, as Raziel dubbed him in his notebook, over two months passed by in… more relaxed manner. He slowed down a little, took more joined missions with Office members over going solo, even helping out Oscar and Salvador on one case of hunting down K Corp employee who wanted to rework some of their tech into self-multiplying bioweapon similar to a hybrid between a fugu fish and mosquito of some sort. Resulting bugs could, theoretically, kill with one bite. Why? He lost his wife… in the same incident Vincent died and wanted K Corp to pay even if the result actually hurt many innocent in the way. 

 Raziel, sadly, got little new information from the man before the K Corp agents arrived to take him aside from that the incident was seemingly the result of tests with Singularity of the corporation.

 It was… disturbing. Raziel knew what Singularity was and one image he could clearly see was K Corp doing something that resulted in a flood of tears which reversed everyone near to a state of not existing yet.

 If he'll find proof, eventually this corporation might find itself with not so friendly Color, some day… not if because he'd either die on the way or reach that height and only go up from it. 

 Currently he is in the Ruins again. Depth was already past the point he met the Abnormality on. Whispers… weren't as annoying nor as intense compared to the first time he went deeper, perhaps he got used to them. 

 Suddenly he caught a noise, a bit far away but echo was still there. Words, conversation actually. Raziel turned around a corner, then another.

 “As such we should proceed with our return before any further loss of knowledge carriers… we collected enough data as is” he saw them before they noticed him.

 Dieci Association. Group of Offices and other connected organisations all with the united goal of gathering knowledge and holy relics, one of the main forces in the Ruin diver community as a whole. Aside from that they were… liked. They took in orphans from Backstreets or Nests to raise into their own, not just fixers but researchers, doctors, architects, engineers. Their libraries were famous between fixers for holding well put together records uniting information from many sources connected to similar cases. 

 There were three of them, they were clearly not fresh and somewhat wounded too if someone already did their best to put bandages over the wounds. One of them lost their famous yellow stole’s pieces here, one most wounded had multiple holes in his black robes. The only woman in the group was the one he heard the clearest.

 “Greetings, members of Dieci Association” they turned, weapons at ready but lowered enough to signal no intent to attack first. “might I inquire if you might be willing to exchange data or medical services for information?” 

 “Hm… fellow knowledge seeker?” Older of the two man, wearing a hood that didn't hide his rather fluffy gray beard, asked with a hint of joyfulness in his voice.

 “Mayhaps, also it isn't knowledge alone I seek” Raziel looked at the woman “I possess some diluted K serum if you mistrust the medical skill of a fellow diver…”

 “Not at all… you aren't unknown to me, member of the Nail, fairly young for your grade” that made Raz pause but if anyone, aside from Hana, would have a database of fixers, it was likely Dieci. “Fragment of a TV screen sold by you was unique… if weak in comparison to other unique relics”

 “I do not possess knowledge where the source might be sadly, only give warning that it is not safe” he responded. The woman nodded before looking at the younger of the two men. 

 “Let him take a look…” Her order was followed. 

 Overall Raziel didn't mind small talk that passed by as he checked and treated the wounds they had. Nothing too bad aside from a few cracked bones and rather nasty acidic gas exposure in the older man's case. Nothing simpler meds and diluted serum in worse places couldn't fix up or at least hold off until they got back up.

 They gave him plenty of information on lower depth and a place they noted but had not enough strength to check, fearing that wounds might prevent timely escape.

 Alisa, which was the group leader's name, offered him to visit the library of district 12 sometimes, where she worked outside of diver job in the future and Raz promised to think about her offer.

***

 “Screee….” Mutated, highly so, pieces of reddish sludge with spine fragments mixed with cuckoo mutant fragments not fully melted let out its last scream.

 Honestly Raziel was morbidly curious how cuckoo, what seems to be suitless sweepers and W Corp agent, if he discerned armor fragments correctly, ended up fusing together.

 To his joy it was still hurt by toxic glass, hated bright light and heat too. What was strange though was that there were two of them so similar that they might as well have been twins.

 Looking at the map over Raz noted that he was close to an anomalous area where to quote Alisa “wind sounds as if it constantly cut”.

 Aside from said sound, the area also was… different. Whispers in it were quieter and less chaotic, more consistent in their sounding.

 “Cut / Sever / Hold / Murama… / Fulfill…” clanging of a hammer onto hot metal, roar of fire, sound of blade against metal and flesh, howling of wind as blade cuts through it… His gaze found it. Raziel felt his breath hitch, gaze unable to leave the sight before him. 

 It was a blade. Red hot, as if not so long it was being forged yet he could see how sharp it was, standing only because it somewhat leaned onto the dull side. The stone near where the blade cut into it was cracked and partially melted too. 

 It was clearly intended to be a katana, perhaps a bit longer handle than usual by a metallic segment that usually is hidden inside. 

 He stepped closer until it was close enough for him to sense the heat of it. Muramasa… Tsumukari Muramasa. The name echoed in his mind, not by voices but by his own chain of thought connecting the sensation of memories from one particular series. It felt right to call it that.

 “You are… a masterpiece” his right hand lost the glove. “You were made to cut Fate, sever Destiny…” Raz did not even flinch, warmth seeping into his skin and spreading, growing as it spread into bones and blood, as if testing him. “But over anything… to free from chains of Karma…” heat became hurt, painful like his blood boiled yet staid liquid. Voices turned into fused raw roar of flames and clanging of hammers became so speedily repeating that it was now a resonating hum in his very bones. “You are now my Tsumukari Muramasa!” 

All was severed

***

 Purple, snake-like eyes widened as unseen strings momentarily screeched under pressure before being severed and cascade hit more and those resulted in more microscopic shifts…

 Blue haired Fixer looking for information on a river that aids forgetting stumbled and nearly fell before recollecting herself.

 Somewhere in B Corp headquarters, one of many Beholders blinked.

***

 Raziel felt… strange. His eyes opened to see… himself? On the ground lay his backpack and Gae Bolg, one of Phoenix Feathers was missing yet as he looked forward he saw himself, the difference being purely that the other one had white hair and his right eye was dark gold in color.

 “Your left turned dark blue” his… The other half? said looking at him with a similar baffled expression. They turned to Tsumukari Muramasa, now pulled out and cooled, still pulsing with heat also not as intense, its color now darker shade of red also closer to the cutting edge it remained bright. “We touched it… barehanded… suicidal much?”

 “Hm… perhaps that's why none who found Relic they had aptitude for ever refused? Also the dead tell no tales…” they nodded near simultaneously “okay… so your designation will be… Spider?” 

 “Sounds ok… Plus someone needs to do crafting for us and now I can spend time on that as you dive and train in battle ways…” Spider's gaze moved to Gae Bolg “Spear… also public names will be needed to, you can keep Raziel”

 That sounded… right. Spear stood up and took the blade into his. He could feel that it had drained itself, severing him into two, likely somehow creating a physical body of the other half as well as duplication of tattoo, some of the gear too. 

 “And yours?” Raz asked curiously. This world rarely used last names aside from few districts where families had certain meaning and generationally passed missions, grudges and goods. Middle names too weren't widespread.

 “How about part of our pseudonym? Meaning wise of course… what names mean Silver again… ah… Argento doesn't sound too good… hmm… Aga! Arian… I'll be Arian” Raziel simply nodded, agreeing with his fellow half. 

 It was on their way up, during a short rest where each took turns they found out that in sleep they see and gain experience the other one got until said point. Not complete reliving but a copy of complete, bright memory became firmly imprinted in another. Useful as it might be that could screw some of their plans… also them being two now made some previously impossible simply hard too. 

 Funny thing was… from what Raziel read on laws City followed under the Head, they weren't really clones. Relic cut one person into two different individuals, destroying one to create two even if in actuality it wasn't that by laws Relic was not a cloning technology so by extension not a Taboo breaking. R Corp would likely not like it, much, if it found out but that could be avoided in multiple ways.

 In worst case they will simply use the blade again, which they vaguely could feel could be done when both held onto it…

***

 Maximilian let out a somewhat exasperated sigh. Since the return of Raziel and his Relic made twin things calmed down a little. The boy needed to adjust a lot of plans and that required slowing down. Shared duties also lessened weight on each of the two a little. 

 Arian dyed his hair red, with Cecilia happily helping him, so now they looked more like brothers with complete heterochromia. Raziel took up more fixer and diver associated duties while Arian preferred cooking, tinkering with items and learning things. 

 Currently two were trying to accumulate more money for a complete set of gear for each one because severing, as they named the phenomenon, copied only two upper layers of clothing and underwear, not weapons or any other gear pieces. 

 A new member of the Office still needed a fixer grading done but otherwise? Making up a backstreet birth certificate and some other minor trails of existence wasn't too hard. Knowledge and skill tests in hospitals cost a fair sum but far from big for their grade. 

 Finding a tattoo augmentation N Corp experience cans was sadly nye impossible so Max, Hans and some others got fair money to find information in other sources or someone who'd take a student in that art as well as crafting weapons or other types of gear. 

 Head of the Nail understood the desire for custom made things and liked the idea of having a good specialist so close, so he paid some from his pocket to look deeper into it and asked some friends too. 

 “So anything for me today boss?” Raz asked him while somewhere in the nearby kitchen Cecilia kept pestering Arian to make a certain filling for pancakes. 

 “Hm… nothing much, but there is a mission to deliver some meds to a clinic in 12th backstreet, up for it?” Maximilian saw a few short moments of contemplation in Raziel's barely shifting expression, then the young fixer nodded.

 “Sure… I had plans to visit that district anyway”

***

 One of the Liu Association grade 2 fixers smiled warmly looking down at the sleeping form of his daughter. 

 “She has your eyes…” he said turning to his wife, his dark brown meeting her fiery red. 

 “And your firmness, my dragon…” was her answer.

Chapter Text

[ Records#3

 N Corp Singularity - Canned Experience. Basic function is the ability to contain experiences within different forms from liquid like for drinking or pill like solid or even as crystal through which it can be projected multiple times, sadly copies degrade with each use.

 Creation requires original experience of the owner but they do not lose it in most cases, but such copy carries a weaker emotional imprint. Copies made with rougher, deeper extraction are brighter.

 N Corp also sells empty carrier filled vials with extraction mechanisms attuned to a singular person. They sometimes cooperate with R Corp allowing for creation of joined forces of clone warriors with experience of many copies of themselves fused onto each other. 

 N Corp also offers special death case contracts that use dying persons to extract the most potent imprint from the full body and nervous system allowing one to pass on a much deeper imprint of their mastery over weapons, tools, body and overall experience.

 K Corp and N Corp often cooperate, using full body lethal extraction operations multiple times to create copies. R Corp clones too sometimes are used this way. ] 

[ Records#4 

 Name: Cecilia 

Nickname: “Echo of Silence “ 

Age: 38 years old

Occupation: grade 4 Fixer, second in command of the Nail Office 

Looks: eyes - dark bark green, skin - pale beige, hair - long hazel green, usually collected into a ponytail.

Preferred food: tea with honey and frozen cherries, pirozhki with smashed potatoes and friend chicken minced meat. 

Hobby: teasing Max or Raz, playing computer games ( mostly Doom, yes it persist )

Personal Weapon: her first weapon of choice is Last Spark, a sharp rapier-like tool without a large guard associated with these blades. The blade can fold into the long handle and conducts electricity. Usually used for assassination style attacks.

 Her secondary weapon is a batch of throwing knives with a syringe based mechanism inside the handle that spills venom from tiny tubes within the blade after the weapon cuts into something. 

 It is a cheaper yet sturdier variant of Rattlesnake squad of R Corp secondary weapons. ] 

Chapter Text

 12th… Old, currently only, L Corp district was far more depressing both visually and in many other ways. Raziel was unsure how a corporation thought about it to end up choosing Smoke Monster as a power source when the district became… this as a result.

 Fog, or thinner smoke, veiled it all, especially closer to the center of the district. Even Rats of this place didn't walk with bare skin nor without some form of air filter. Most entrances had two stage procedure that didn't allow hint of outside air in without multiple stage purification. 

 He still remembered Ruins under it. Due to the power Abnormality held within itself even such long disconnected byproduct was abnormal, making fairy lens vision range cut noticeably. 

 “Greetings, welcome to the Dieci Association library” after going through the temporary sealed filtering chamber and short corridor with additional cleansing mechanisms Raz was finally inside.

 He smiled, looking around. The inside looked pleasantly calm, shelves neat and tidy, more than a few people who were not Dieci by uniform were reading or searching.

 “Good day to you too ma'am” he greeted a fairly aged woman “I'm looking to exchange information for information… and some Ruin trophies too”

 “Hm… latter are apprised on the floor above, what information are you looking for?” She asked while pointing him at the map of the building. 

 “Augmentations, mostly tattoo method as well as anything not connected to cybernetics, Nuovo fabric and… biological analogues or genetic modification based augmentation within City law” he knew that going far enough outside human nature might end up bordering on Taboo, like H Corp was doing to some extent, which he wasn't going to touch. 

 “Sadly scarce is our data on the last topic, I think that library of 19th might possess more but that will take additional payment to check” Raziel nodded thinking over it for a bit before asking her the price…

 During his reading, while the data base of 19th was checked for books he might need and pay to copy, Raziel was met by a familiar face.

 Her dark blue hair was mostly loosened, falling along her yellow stole. Black uniform brought out her pale skin quite well. 

 “I must admit by joy in seeing you here so shortly after… was your trip successful?” Alisa asked her gem like orange shade eyes flickering between stack of books and flash drives as well as an election tablet. “Looking to master a new skill?”

 “It was not too bad, also some things down there might make you question common sense… and yes, one friend is planning to dive deep, so I'm helping him out with information gathering…” she hummed, as if considering something.

 “Might I inquire if you possess more trophies of whatever glass piece was part of?” young fixer smiled giving her a nod. 

 “You'll find it in this library storage soon, also it isn't overly special… I'd compare it to a six grade at best, cursed one too” he could see hint of disappointment in her eyes. 

 “It matters little, living source of such a thing… it could open doors to so much knew knowledge” her eyes met his “Could you perhaps advice on hunting it? Not for free of course…” 

 Raziel considered it. He didn't dislike her and if she was hellbent on finding Erised VT? Might as well get something out and save her, or her subordinates, ass from becoming Abnormality’s meal.

***

 Alisa rarely felt surprise. She heard of monsters, mutants, even half broken machines from the times of revolt which lead to laws on AI. 

 Yet here she was listening, looking through fairly, very much compared to many his age, done report on… this thing.

 Ambush hunter, primary feeding on blood ( likely power source ) and brain matter ( likely something aiding its innate ability ) capable of assimilating matter similar enough to its own as Raziel noted from difference in how worn down some wires were and how different they were too, similar deal with syringes. 

 But most importantly? It was, at least with tools he had, indestructible after reformation as an egg. Passive too, which meant possible containment but… that would be problematic on multiple notes.

 For one, much like she immediately thought, he noted possibility of it interfacing and taking over technology and spreading like a virus, perhaps even self replicating in a limited manner.

 As such containment needed to be very… rough and without much, if any, electrical wires used in it. Vibration based area attack could be blocked by isolation made from vibration dampening materials.

 She looked at him and smiled warmly… this man brought her potential treasure, if dangerous as much as miraculous, and Alisa knew how to repay that debt. 

 Also, somewhere in the back of her mind she noted that his now dark blue eye color on the left was… pleasantly unusual. Perhaps he'd tell her what caused such change? It might be minor, but her curiosity was piqued nonetheless. 

***

 Arian hummed thoughtfully. Alisa, aside from more detailed information on tools and raw materials as well as sources of those for tattooing, gave them something very very interesting… she also helped him to gather useful data on biology based augments for libraries other than 19th, such as 18th and 8th, telling that it wasn't much trouble. 

 Of course no true, core secrets of corporations were there but enough leaks accumulated over years to put together useful pieces of data. 

 Now they had more than fair amount of data to go through, analyse and rework into something united with surface level tattoo augments understanding. 

 After all Max and Hans told Raz about tattoo masters who could build in resistance to acid, fire, shock or even sanity directed attacks into their tattoos which weren't half as easily done. Getting one for someone not within certain groups, read Middle and few smaller specialists sitting under corporation umbrella, was nye impossible.

 Syndicate of Carnival. Tailors. They usually hunted sweepers closer to the end of the special night hours as groups that used fixers usually didn't exist for long, less so those targeting members of Fingers or corporations. Normal humans were simply not useful as quality of Nuovo highly depended on the raw material qualities. 

 She, or Dieci more correctly, had their patrols, favoured spots, shops and bases mapped out clearly as well as weapons of choice, skills, markings of hierarchy. Not all Tailors belonged to the Carnival either as multiple independent smaller groups existed as well as those under other organizations including Fingers and Associations. 

 That would allow them, him and Raz, to quite easily find and grab one or two… sure they weren't great torture masters but there were more ways to force compliance. Also they could hope that one of the minor flocks would actually share the technology if enough cash was offered. 

 They needed Nuovo fabric and potentially other materials created using it as foundation. It was a building block of multiple potential later projects… and only one clearly within reach unlike multiple Singularities they wanted but knew had not nearly enough power to attempt stealing in any way or form.

 “so… we are going out tomorrow evening?” Raziel asked making Arian stop his chain of thought. 

 “Mhm… funny how air pressure guns are not firearms isn't it?” They looked at each other and laughed quietly. 

***

 The third sweeper wave barely ended where two exited the door at the rooftop of the Nail Office adjacent building. More than a few of those beings still feasted underneath, dragging bodies along into the entrances they crawled out of less than an hour prior.

 To the joy of both individuals the sweepers didn't seem eager to crawl to the rooftops neither did many even look upwards as they made their way from one roof to another. This way of movement wasn't always possible as in some areas the difference in heights was too big but Cecilia taught Raziel more than enough about backstreets of 11th layout by this point and to lesser extent of the surrounding districts.

 Eventually they found what they were seeking and jumped down, landing near the group hunched over multiple sweepers piled together. Most were dead but some still seemed alive, if damaged. 

 “More? No… fixers?” One of the four figures in ground long grayish coats with white, expressionless masks spoke. Its voice was gentle, calm yet somewhat inhuman in tone. Like bird mimicry. “Seek silk? Steal? Buy?”

 “No. We seek knowledge. How to weave” Arian spoke up first carefully watching as three others kept dismembering the sweeper suits with chitin claws, pouring liquid into circular maws open in chest or stomach areas, circles of teeth twitching to push more solid chunks inwards. 

 “Weave? Silk synthesizer… give food, give blood, return silk” one simply returned as one of the claws pointed into the center of its own body. 

 “Are they grown somewhere?” Fixer continued as Raziel kept careful watch over both entrances to the alley, roofs and the four tailors, marks on uniform signaled their belonging to the Carnival, so attacking wasn't an option, somewhat sadly noted in his mind. Tsumukari Muramasa longer to not stay in sheath for too long, its fiery power pulsing through his veins even as it was sheathed and given a proper handle. 

 “During rebirth… but can find” another spoke up as it closed its coat, the previously vertically separated mask fusing back into one piece “red weaver. No protection of group”

 “Yes. Red weaver. Mad, weak mind. Failed brethren” first chimed in. “Seek, upper Ruins. 13th, 22nd, 23rd. Few more” 

 “Extract the synthesizer. Need food, need material, need warmth” another added.

 “Hm… we thank you for the information, may your work be undisturbed” two who talked nodded as Raziel and Arian made their way back.

 One of the silent tailors spoke. Its voice is slightly amused.

 “Will die? Wild silk from them. Good?” It asked before two others let out clicking noise, a sound reminiscent of a chuckle if distantly.

 “Mayhaps. Maybe learn to weave. New way. New silk…” last of the four spoke up. “Could be interesting…” 

 In silence they continued their work. 

***

 “So you are saying those… wild things, remain because some use them to farm the silk?” Raziel asked, more so to check than anything. He got somewhat used to the cruelty and bullshit City had shown from time to time. Otherwise he wouldn't be still sane after so many dives into the depth of Ruins. 

 “Some just steal what the weaver makes, other groups feed them enemies or their own who broke some inner rules… they might be more bestial than tailors but not outright stupid, their danger senses tell if something powerful enough to kill them easily is there much like any good, seasoned fixer has” second in command explained. Of course it couldn't be too easy, the City didn't work that way. “Honestly, do you need it so badly? Where will you even get the material? Sweeper based silk would be cheaper to buy, Rats aren't exactly high quality…”

 “I have some plans… let's say one corporation's trash is a smart man's treasure” Raz's lips quirked up a little. K Corp discarded serum variants could do weird things yes, but he checked them on enemies, later on his own separated part, yes the hand bloodfiend cut off, which lead to his idea of using separated piece to grow more using the discarded serum … as such obtaining silk that would be closest to him and Arian in every way. He hoped it would be more than just higher quality than a sweeper based one. 

 “Hmmm… I'll trust you there” her voice gave off a hint of worry still. He felt warmth tingling in his chest “but don't go alone, those things aren't weak even outside their web and they rarely leave it… grade 4 is the weaker end they get in danger level, most are 3 or 2 for older ones” 

 Raziel knew as much. There was some public information, for fixers above fifth grade, in multiple databases on red weavers level of danger. Their abilities weren't anything to scoff at either.

 Aside from being akin to centipedes from seven to twenty meters long, from one to three wide, with mouths on the bottom side of many segments they had, these beings could still mimic human speech pretty well, mostly using screams and cries in battle. Silk they made too could be problematic as some rare types made from either strong fixers or mutants could be stronger or resistant to things average Nuovo fabric couldn't ever handle. 

 Oh and cutting one segment off didn't do shit to them as they had rapid regeneration, often cannibalising cut off parts mid battle to help it. So to kill it one needed to kill brains, yes multiple or perhaps better to say that it was stretched along as such hard to truly destroy to the point it couldn't function. 

 And they wore their own silk too as they lacked natural chitin defenses which honestly was usually worse for hunters than if they did have solid, segmented armor…

 “Don't worry, I don't plan on doing it as just myself and Arian… think Salvador would mind joining in on the hunt?” Cecilia smiled. At least their youngest wasn't going into it alone. 

***

 It took two weeks to thoroughly map the area of the upper layer within Ruins under M Corp district 13th. Red weaver in 23rd was, if Dieci were to be trusted, under Syndicate thumb and actually protected while in 22nd it was something akin to corporation's pet project. 

 Some more were known to exist in 25th and 16th but those were both far away and much less detailed in data gathered on them. Plus, more than a few fixers had… theories that high end Q Corp talismans may have Nuovo fabric as part of the materials making them up. 

 Two of Cecilia's friends were… surprised to see two where one was before, but didn't question after Raziel vaguely hinted at an anomaly met within Ruins. More crazy things happened there than that. 

 “Ready young man?” Salvador asked with a small smile as they stood near the border of the signal web of the red weaver. Zweihander was already in man's hands and at the ready. 

 “Indeed…” Raziel exchanged looks with Arian. Latter carried Gae Bolg today. 

 Raziel's fingers wrapped around the handle of Tsumukari Muramasa. Pleasant and familiar heat entered his blood. 

 “I must say I'm looking forward to seeing your new weapon in battle” Oscar, who joined them on his own volition more than anything, spoke up. Not that Raziel minded giving a friend of Cecilia discounts on tattoo or gear in the future even without him helping in this endeavor. He liked this yet to be an old man. Such people were simply scarce in The City and even more so in his past life due to soft power dominance in the world. 

 “Worry not, it won't disappoint…” Arian chuckled, a touch of excitement in his voice.They had tested the blade multiple times and probably scrapped the surface of true potential it hid when mastered but even that much already made both halves very happy.

 No longer delaying four exchanged looks, nods and spear struck one of many strings of dark red web… many legs clicked against the stone…

 “Mommy! / Please it hurts… / Help.. / I'm here!” Those and many more words mixed and chained together echoed, different voices speaking over one another in accursed cacophony of false pain and prayers for aid. 

 “ready…” four stepped back and into a semicircle formation as it finally showed itself. In the rather dim light that reached this far it looked even more creepy than in the few images recorded.

 Not always symmetrical number of legs OK each segment, bandages of silk made of different shades of red, purple and black wrapped around the legs and upper half while the lower one with multiple maws was left open. A single, cracked white mask remained where its front end was located. 

 They didn't need to speak when it stopped and the sound of strained cloth filled the air. All four evaded a barrage of sharp stone shards unleashed from slingshots it made with silk strained by the third leg stretching material put between two other limbs. A few small ricocheting fragments couldn't do much against their fixer gear. 

 “Nooo! / whyyy?!” Its screams echoed off of the tunnel walls creating a rather unpleasant ambience of sound. 

 It moved, stretching its body vertically, opening the maws. Multiple balls of unfinished silk, raw material and digestive enzymes shot out. None of the Fixers were stupid enough to try blocking that even if acid wasn't strong enough to melt their gear. Another, more annoyed scream and it rushed forward… 

 Raziel grinned. His eyes gave off a scarcely visible glow as Tsumukari Muramasa was unsheathed, its cutting edge turning white hot as air near it howled as if it was continually cut. 

 Arian jumped further to the side dodging a ramming attacked and stabbing motion by multiple legs as the beast kept snaking through the tunnel. 

 Salvador jumped over the attack, slashing down with his flaming sword, fabric catching fire. Special extra flammable oil they bought him worked wonderfully, as screams of the beast proved. 

 It tried to turn around and arch its body to throw off the source of pain but Oscar it didn't yet reach, took the opening, its lance hitting between segments. Beast hastily, roughly shook multiple front segments to the side but Fixer already rolled out of the way…

 Wind howled as a horizontal slash of wind and fire turned into a circle, then another. The beast howled as Raziel, who it forget about danced with Tsumukari Muramasa smoothly and with insulting ease cutting its legs. Burnt flesh filled the air with an unpleasant smell similar yet different from human flesh put into fire. 

 It tried to move itself to slam maw onto him… which was a mistake as blade was stabbed upwards… before making it shreek “NOO!/HURTHURTHURT!!?/PLEASESTOP!” 

 Oscar blinked as the beast trashed. The segment Raziel stabbed as well as two closest were… torn apart as blades of bone, chitin and metal grew from inside of them. But he returned full attention to the beast a moment after…

 Salvador managed to partially cut open tissue between segments again, Arian took the front, keeping the thing busy with Gae Bolg and air pressure gun that held napalm like substance which eased his, Salvador's and Raziel's job of burning off the annoying nuovo silk suit the thing wore. 

 Sadly the burning that reached its skin made it angrier too. Salvador had to use a K serum to revert a stab wound through his stomach and spine. Oscar managed to dodge, getting only a surface level cut along his left leg. Beast's rage seemed to give it quite a strength buff.

 “NonoNO!” It understood it wasn't winning and tried to run. In the back was Raziel and what he did to its body limited its mobility… so to the front it rushed. 

 “Block!” Word resounded through the air, Oscar and Arian stabbing from front and side, pushing the front most segment into the wall of the tunnel. It screeched, wildly moving its legs, two stabbing through different parts of Arians legs, another through his left palm. Oscar got off with being shoved or perhaps kicked into the opposite wall with force enough to crack his bones. 

 Yet Arian held on, Gae Bolg firmly embedded in the beast's mask. “Fucking die…”

 Salvador and Raziel slashed down along its twisting form, cuts opening the skin, scorching the flesh and nervous system within multiple segments. “Ple-not-pai-mercy… / helppp-bro…”

 It kept twitching but eventually stopped, its body collapsing to the floor with a loud thumping sound. Some of its legs kept clicking against stone, powerless to move the body with so few remaining functioning limbs. 

 Oscar eyed the blade pulsing with heat as Raziel sheathed it away. “Well… that was something, a high end Relic young man?” 

 “Indeed… and I have aptitude as you see, also I am nowhere near mastering it” the young man admitted as Arian got to helping Oscar after fixing himself up with K serum. 

 “Must admit I did not expect it to be this problematic” Salvador admitted while doing his best to carefully cut off parts of his sleeve to which unfinished silk stuck to, together with partially digested material for it. Oscar nodded, silently voicing his agreement. 

 It took them a few minutes to recover fully, ten more Raziel and Arian spent cutting out the silk synthesizer organ while Oscar and Salvador collected other trophies. Now they made their way into the layer…

***

 As they made their way deeper Arian noted leftovers of gear from multiple groups. Many sweeper armor parts, fewer from M Corp. Even some familiar chain links belonging to the Middle. Sadly it seems that the beast digested the book of grudges ,whoever it was, possessed. 

 “Ah… what are those?” They turned, looking where Salvador pointed with his sword still ablaze used as another light source. Oscar blenched as he noted two clear things. There were twitching, red silk covered eggs and above pile of at least ten fist sized balls of flesh was a cocoon… who had a mouth opening and was breathing.

 “As wise man said, burnt it with fire” Raziel mumbled under his breath as his hands moved, soon eggs burned, partially formed little centipedes thrashing around and screeching in twisted mockery of children's voices. Oscar caught two cocoons that Salvador freed after running up a wall and kicking off of it to reach threads they were hanging on. 

 “Damn… I'm… alive? Who” rather young looking man looked around “The weaver…”

 “Dead, as in absolutely not going to eat anyone… Liu I assume?” Arian cut in after taking a closer look at the outfit of the first freed fixer. One in the second cocoon was a female but wore something very similar. Golden accents on black and red themed strict suits, also currently both were rather damaged. Their weapons were lost too.

 “Yes… good to know but…” he looked at the burning eggs “we saw more while it dragged us here…” 

 Wonderful was first, sarcastic thought in all four heads. As six made their way to cleanse the nest, four listened to how Liu fixers got here.

 Markus, grade 6, and Lili, recently promoted to grade 5, were on a rather simple Rat nest invasion and rescue mission. Restaurant owner's daughter and wife were abducted and he paid handsomely to both get them back and kill the biggest organized Rat nest nearby.

 They managed fine. Also these rats were rather fanatic believers in “the mother” who would “grant them new life” after sufficiently “tasty” sacrifice. But before they could go on their way one of the barely alive, young boys who none of the two wanted to kill hammered a wrench against a decorated piece of scrap that looked like a large lid. A gong-like sound echoed and a second later the beast showed up. Fixers managed to hold it off long enough for their targets to run away but got trapped themselves and dragged down… it was their second day of imprisonment when Raziel's party arrived. 

 “I don't have much but… Head owes me some, I will be happy to transfer that favor” Mark told them after they finished up with nest cleansing. Some centipedes were already meter long but none were strong enough to pose real danger to the team of four and even weakened Liu fixers were far from easy prey for young of now dead red weaver. 

 Oscar and Salvador didn't take long to ask for a simple thing, a channel to buy some gear through Liu at a cheaper price. Zwei of course had their own contacts but each Association had certain things they specialized in and as such had better deals for more often than not. Raziel on the other hand asked for a meeting to talk directly and Arian transferred his part of the reward to his fellow half. 

***

 The head of one of the Liu Offices was a busy man so he could only meet Raziel after two weeks. As such two returned to their usual working orders, only spending some time after jobs experimenting with the diet of their new production station as well as plentiful stash of collected silk.

 Part of it was realized through Maximilian, part the head of the Nail Office bought for use in making new gear for the members doing more dangerous jobs. 

 Today Raziel was in the Ruins, searching for discarded K serum and new things to try feeding the silk synthesizer. It was rather easy to satisfy honestly, only thing needed to let it eat bones and rougher meat being to grind them down. 

 Other trophies were fairly shared between four also there wasn't much. A gun from some Thumb grunt that required repairs went to Oscar. Three moonstones were shared between Salvador and twins. Most of the leftover gear was lower than theirs in quality and required extensive repair to work again.

 Arian let out a sigh as he finished preparing the working place for today's morning shift. Raziel was on another mission with Cecilia in district 10, retrieving something stolen by a minor Syndicate. 

 On his way here he saw something that Arian was not expecting to witness. Work on an Arbiter and a familiar one at that. Binah, or Garion for now, joined by a Claw were fighting a… cyborg, or perhaps more correctly would be a human mind based AI. Cybords wouldn't be a Taboo violation after all. It shouted about “immortality” and “weakness of flesh” as it was torn to scraps. 

 The speed and strength Claw showed was quite awe inspiring but Arbiter? Arian found a mixture of grace, frugality and sheer resulting effects beautiful. Yet his heart was saddened, such freedom yet ultimately lacking any freedom aside from small bits of it. A human made weapon. He hoped she'll be freer eventually. 

 His morning shift wasn't really unusual in any way. Prepare the coffee machines, tools for more pricey handmade variants, help the baker who they shared and improved recipes with to put fresh pieces on display. Familiar bell rang. “Good morning, welcome to Coffee Dawn how…”

 Silver and gold met purple. Serpentine, cold, somewhat annoyed yet curious purple eyes. His sense of danger screamed about potential death much louder than when he was near that capo or the beast they killed. What was she of all people doing… here…

 “My my, how curious… One, yet not” her voice carried a hint of amusement, perhaps at his reaction. “Do tell… why are you alive?” 

 “Hm…” composure was, with great effort, returned into his hold and Arian replied “Luck, chance, perhaps human stubbornness struggling against the cruelty of fate itself… you would know, wouldn't you like ouroboros?” He let a weak but clear smile grace his previously grim expression. Iori, the Purple Tear, the Color who trained future Black Silence and Blue Noble, blinked in honest surprise. 

 “You caused a small shift, barely worth noting at first but recent most…” his expression shifted closer to his own amusement. 

 “Perchance I know, why do I still live?” Iori hummed before pointing at a certain area of the menu. Arian nodded, going to work in a way only who repeated it many times could. He kept eye on her reaction of course.

 “Curiosity… you are yet to touch what could cause more shifts” it was very unlike her to be this… direct. 

 “Hm, I see… tell, did you mayhaps meet yourself carrying a picture book?” She raised an eyebrow but in her eyes was clear warning mixed with something akin to command, to go on. “One full of fond memories, star born of Blue Noble and Freed Black? Little treasure of the Orche Temperance?” 

 Arian did his best to not crack the cup in his grip when a hint of bloodlust leaked out, his body felt rigid, struggling to draw breath. “If so… so what?”

 “Did you ever think about hows? How would the world so rotten affect who returns? How would a price paid for it, even by others, affect one for whom it was?” He managed to utter while slowly placing the cup close to her. 

 Purple met gold and silver. “You know much, yet experienced little” it was a statement. Arian hummed, not disregarding the possibility that she could tell the age of the soul. 

 “True, in comparison, very much so” he agreed easily “but tell me, did you see that you who was smiling more? You know better than few, one to forget the light cannot bring it truly… so, would you like to try and build a better ending instead of cutting through all in hope the world will survive in a good enough state? Did you try or did you disregard the possibility?” 

 She took a sip of her coffee. A sharp breath left her lips before she stood up. Iori met his eyes again. He could tell she was old. Older than any veteran he ever met in previous life, perhaps even combined. “I'll keep watching…” was all she said before disappearing. 

 Arian let out a long, deep sigh of relief as his brains processed his own audacity, accidentally revealed information by him, what she has in return confirmed via her reaction and of course feeling of death brushing against his cheek in those few moments when she let herself leak the bloodlust out… 

***

 “So… repeat it for me here… you met a color and gave a reason to let her bloodlust go?... Max, Oscar told me the beast hadn't hit his head” It really didn't.

 “You perhaps should be worried that the meeting actually inspired him” perhaps he let his self control loose a bit too much with these two alone, plus Raziel , in the room with him.

 “Oh? You mean that he looks like someone scared shitless and simultaneously like a fan meeting favourite book author?” He was not! 

 Actually he was, which made Maximilian slightly more amused if still worried to a why the enigmatic of all Colors would search for one of his employees.

 Raz sniffed, mixture of irritation and slight curiosity manifesting in his expression. His head pivoted just enough to gaze into Arian's eyes. “At least she didn't try throwing you somewhere you could potentially be dismembered…”

 “Murphy law?” The other half cursed under his breath after Arian's comment. 

 Cecilia, who by now learned a few things these two used, barely held back a snicker. Then her expression turned serious, her rather stern look fixed on Arian “but… what did you actually tell her?”

 “Can't say much, she’d dislike that… but let's just say I asked a rather painful question” 

***

 Two figures made their way down the familiar cave system corridors. Moonstones they found did ease pressure of voices, but it also was an important way of training their mental fortitude which might be invaluable in the future, as such they put both stones into small, isolating boxes after testing their work.

 Iori’s appearance and potential trouble and possibilities pushed the two to dive deep again sooner than planned. Their Nuovo fabric, sturdiest out of all they collected in the red weaver nest, upgraded gear took a bit to make but additional cash sped that up. Higher quality upgrades to certain consumables and weapons were done too. 

 Their silk making experiments weren't sufficiently prepared for the practical phase yet, plus they needed a mechanical weaving machine to do part of the job too…

 At least tattooing tools and basic materials were already ordered, thanks to the money they got from selling collected silk and even certain body parts of the red weaver. Its fangs and chitin were not high end materials, but not outright useless either. 

 Oscar and Salvador recently messaged him that, in theory, he could apply for a grading test to be elevated to the 4th grade but Raziel nor Arian didn't currently care for the ranks as much. It was something that could be done later. 

 Raziel's hand rested on the handle of his Relic. Arian followed, measured silent steps trailing a tad to the left from his other half. They already met cuckoos, a Rat who grew additional head and arms due to faulty K serum disposed here, few more things. Nothing overly powerful nor unusual especially for lower depths…

 “Think will find enough to make armor for at least one of us?” Two more large, glittering, red scales were thrown into one of the open pockets of the bag before it was zipped.

 Raziel hummed while he kept peering into the surroundings both through normal and fairy lens shifted vision. “Hopefully…” 

 With that they made their way lower. Voices persisted, becoming a bit louder, clearer too, more varied in their tone, pitch, age, emotions coloring them shifting more rapidly than ever before. Tsumukari Muramasa eased the pressure a little, rhythmic clanging of hammer on steel, steady crackling of fire and hissing of water in which hot metal was quenched dulling other thought-sounds.

 Arian noticed… it? Her? first. A vaguely female form. A glass life sized statue made as a giant sand clock in a “cage” of wooden bars, pivoting around the center of the wooden platform, sometimes letting herself lean a touch closer to the certain side while mixture of white, red and black sand kept flowing up until it all was in upper half before going down. He readied Gae Bolg “Oh for Iori's sake…”

 Suddenly, as if mirage, figures appeared. Both twins recognized them very well… “Finally putting in effort? All it took is for us and yourself to…” 

 Gae Bolg easily pierced the first, sheathed sword seamlessly crashed into the other. They shattered like glass. One reformed, familiar shape “Raz? What… ah, I see… are you well?”

 Breath hitched in his throat. He looked at dulled colors and the slightly murky form of his uncle. Raziel would much prefer a clearly aggressive abnormality over such mind players. Arian tilted his head, nodding in direction of… sand reforming into shape akin to a familiar sofa, glass table and even a money tree in it using three colors within the glass clock thing. “I am… I'm a grade 5 you know? Max is well, I got a few more friends… found some things” 

 Echo of Vincent placed his arm on his shoulder. He nodded silently before fading out. Twins looked at the glass figure as another silhouette took form. 

 Tsumukari Muramasa left the sheath, Gae Bolg nearly pierced Echo of Cecilia who smoothly blocked it with her daggers, but they broke “damn kid… I liked those…” 

 A reply wasn't given. Echo shattered. As the scorching hot, howling blade nearly touched the glass clock wave of black sand shot outwardly from underneath it. Spikes didn't reach deep, most were evaded…

 For a second Raz was back behind the counter, eyes locked with Iori. He blinked. He finally got one over Hans. Blink again… “You…”

 A low growl of sheer rage boiled in his throat. Arian nodded in agreement. The spear flew as the sword slashed a diagonal line of flame melting the wall of sand which wasn't wide enough to catch the spear too. 

 Glass cracked and wood burned. Now sand formed chains and weapons. Multiple figures appeared. One vaguely akin to Gebura made up of red sand, one like Roland made of black, last one akin to Argalia…

 They were still fairly slow, around low grade 5 in strength and not a hint of true skill those would have had. Probably because they were yet to reach those points in life to begin with and there wasn't the Past to manifest into the Present. They only had moves similar to what he imagined they couldn't have but their current forms couldn't execute them at speed nor with strength behind high enough to make it actually do much against a pair that knew each other better than anyone.

 Echo of Silence stabbed, to get its head hacked off by a scythe. A condensed blade of red sand slashed down with force enough to crack the floor yet it took too long for Echo of Red to retrieve the weapon. 

 It took only four “lethal” attacks to “kill” the copies. The glass figure tried to wave its hands as if silently saying “hey hey, maybe we can stop?” but another silhouette reforming already was a clear indicator it either couldn't or didn't wish to stop bringing out echoes of the past…

 Tsumukari Muramasa cut through glass as if it was hot butter. Abnormality didn't scream, only condensing into a barely head sized egg of sand, glass and wood. The Erised VT egg was half their height for comparison also this one wasn't half as powerful too. 

 Arian looked around before noticing a few things. Small piles of three colored sand types, a fragment of glass finger and what looked like slowly freezing drops of molten sand of all types mixed up together. “Well at least it didn't leave us empty-handed huh?” 

 Barely noticeable nod was Raz's reply. Seeing Vincent again started a storm of mixed feelings in him and voices weren't helping him either. He let himself focus deeply on the heat given off by the blade and how the white edge seemed to pulse in rhythm of his own heartbeat…

 After a few more turns they finally found it. One of many shores washed up by the Sea of Possibility… The ocean was as transparent as it was colorful, deeper than anything yet simultaneously shallow… as loud as it was silent, as much alive as it wasn't…

 Two vials, inner volume barely the size of a pinky finger phalanx. They paid a fair price for reinforced glass itself, even more for it to be locked from changing by the J Corp which should, hopefully, allow the vials and the lid to store the water from Sea of Possibility without being twisted by it. 

 Careful attachment of a strong to the handle, lowering, filling and pulling up. Slight twitch to angle the vial into diagonal position instead of previous horizontal. The lid was shut firmly, additionally sealed over by the saint's shroud bandage piece. The second one was filled too. The sea didn't seem to react to the extraction…

***

 A man with long, smooth black hair and dark brown eyes sat in a rather aged yet comfortable chair behind his desk. Pale skin contrasted sharply with black suit of the Liu uniform. Paperwork piled up made him sniff in irritation. 

 A few, two precisely, weeks ago his subordinates came back alive. He was happy that those two were alright. News about the pair of Zwei and two other fixers killing the red weaver, who for Head's sake was a female and already had birthed young, was good. They didn't need more wild man eating monsters like that. Knock interrupted his thoughts “come in…”

 He met the young man's eyes. Heterochromic silver and blue. While small favor for Zwei wasn't strange this one was a bit different. “Please do get to the point, as much as I'd not mind long talk…”

 The young man gave Zhu a sympathetic look. “That’s why I'm not fit to be Office head…” grade 2 fixer’s augmented senses caught the near silent mumbling making him crack a smile. “I wish to learn under the best, or at least good Atelier you could recommend…” that was a bit much to ask especially if it was the best he wanted.

 As if knowing that young man took out a case, placing it at a distance not too close to break a few unspoken rules of such exchanges. Opening it Zhu blinked. Scales, dragon scales in quantity enough to at least make a chainmail to cover a grown man's back, chest and shoulders at the very least. “I also am willing to provide you with… unique quality of nuovo silk also it will vary from client to client, with a discount…” 

 K Corp. Red Weaver. Silk… made from yourself? Zhu could guess it probably would feel different as he had information that Nuovo fabric from sweepers and humans felt different, also never got to experience that. “Here…” 

 He was presented with a piece of cloth. Dark, near black shade of red with slightly lighter, barely perceptible pattern akin to a spider web? Young Man raised his sleeve showing a tattoo, similar if much larger copy of the pattern. Zhu tried to tear it but… it didn't give in, nor after applying strength usually twice over what sweeper based nuovo could handle. “Hmmm…” 

 While Liu Association head of the district 9 Office was mulling over the offer his hearing caught the familiar sound of small, short steps. His heart skipped a beat. He didn't like the idea of someone willing to mutilate themselves repeatedly and a Ruin diver, as he gathered after Mark's report from other sources, near his little light. Not that he had anything against divers but most of them were desperate, slightly mad or both, the deeper they went the worse it usually was…

 The door opened slowly. To Zhu's relief his visitor didn't seem to mind nor react much, showing just curiosity and… hint of sadness? “Papa!” Liu fixer stood and stepped around the table, catching Xiao as she tried to run up to him. Her red, glittering eyes moved to the case full of scales.

 “Dear… where is your mother?” His daughter of course pointed at the door. Zhu kept track of Raziel but the young one seemed calm, sadness seen in his eyes receding for the most part. 

 “Sorry, she ran off to see you…we interrupted?” A beautiful, young woman in a pale green dress stepped in. Her movement is graceful yet carrying smoothness familiar to the younger fixer very much. 

 “Dragon?” Child made them all pause as she pointed at the second youngest person in the room. 

 Raziel let out a soft snort, letting a smile grace his previously empty expression. “No, I'm not…those aren't mine by origin” 

 “Would you be alright if I contact you later? Your deal sounds fair but I'll need to see who has open places for apprenticeship…” A nod as a reply was good enough to Zhu. Then the young man's hand moved into his pocket, retrieving something before presenting it to … Xiao that Liu fixer was holding.

 A shiny, blue scale shade similar to flames of extremely high temperature rather than ocean or cobalt. The edges were white but carried a metallic shine to them “It isn't special aside from color, slightly more heat resistant and less conductive to electricity… sadly I ever found one” 

 Xiao looked at her mother, then Zhu as if asking for permission, which she was. His daughter was smart like that already. Raz and the grade 2 fixer locked eyes for a moment before the latter moved a little letting his daughter grab the scale. 

 “It isn't often that light shines in this city…” a young man spoke up, stopping near the open door “I hope you'll keep shining to her for a long time…” 

 Elizabeth looked at her husband as the door closed but Xiao said something before either “why sad?” 

 “I'm unsure dear…” the woman gently fixed her daughter's hair. Zhu on the other hand recalled some details his information gathering found, ones he kept in his memory but didn't dredge to the surface. 

 The young man was an orphan, twice over if his uncle was to be counted. Fixer at eighteen with notable experience before examination, which wouldn't be possible soon since next month laws would raise the minimum age to twenty but let those already graded keep working even if they were under the line. 

 Zhu felt a hint of sadness and inwardly made a note to offer him a place in the Liu Association. They could use such people and a good Atelier too. Nail Office… wasn't too bad either and Liu didn't have any allied Offices in 11th at the moment too. Yes, he liked that idea.

Chapter Text

 In a workshop located on the first and second underground floor of the building next to one of the Nail Office music was playing as the two worked in unison. It was a melody that this world either forgot or perhaps never birthed in its rather vague past. A song called “Fly me to the Moon”. 

 Arian hummed seeing the results of the work process involving the silk synthesizer and the weaving machine. Buying N Corp exclusive products was a good idea after all. Sadly a video analogue capable of creating digital records of memories in mp4-like format had a bit of a steep price tag attached but they had more than enough for a sound only version! So now they could record and listen to all songs they remembered… Which was a lot. 

 Neither was sure if it was Abyss, their new life experiences, pressure of mental training against Voices, contact with Tsumukari Muramasa or all things together but both Raziel and Arian could recall things much more precisely and clearly than ever before in their first life. Lines in books, words and instruments of songs, faces and dates connected to certain important events in life. All were much easier to reach, retrieve from depth of mind. 

 “So… difference?” His hands kept up the work while they talked. Raziel, who was one currently testing new batch of fabric, hummed thoughtfully. “Hypothesis of parts cut off of true living creating higher quality results was correct… unlike the silk resulting from faulty K serum that just made our cut off finger grow into finger tree…” 

 Arian grimaced. Faulty serum was weird, different types creating as many strange results. But at least now they confirmed it all truly. 

 Sooner then later both sets of nuovo silk upgraded gear variants were completed. They were lighter yet sturdier, more resistant to acid and fire but in addition they felt like second skin. Soft, smooth, pleasant, familiar to an uncanny degree like you knew it belonged to you. In a way it did.

 Unlike previous batches, which carried shade of red and pattern similar to their tattoo, this one was monotone dark gray. They learned that silk synthesizer very much could consume certain edible coloring solutions, inks and certain limited list of things that could give resulting silk minor quality upgrades to certain characteristics like making it nonconductive. 

 Sadly they were yet to understand how to make the thing produce anything that wasn't silk. Sure hoping it would just make metals or ceramics was far fetched but bone or wood like structure should be possible eventually, hopefully…

 “I hope we won't need to do it again anytime soon…” on that both agreed. Painkillers be damned but cutting of a limb multiple times was not pleasant at all. Worth the upgrade, but still not something you'd want to repeat.

***

 Worry replaced expression of morbid curiosity from Cecilia's face as she took a step back from where two vials were stored. “That's… creepy? Is it that bad or worse there?”

 “Usually? Level you experience near it is very light, the deeper you go the louder, more varied they are… these are repetitive and not as… vast in variety of tones and sounds you will think you are hearing” Raziel explained, his expression cool and collected as he tinkered with inner mechanisms of Phoenix Feathers.

 “Must admit I have underestimated the mental fortitude required of divers into the depth of Ruins” It was somewhat true but neither of the twins blamed Oscar, who came over to visit Nail after a mission in 11th district. Only experience could give true understanding in some cases. 

 “Is that the source of Relics?” As always it was the head of the Office asking more interesting questions.

 Raziel grinned, his eyes flickering between storage case of vials and his weapons for a moment “We don't know, but we might try using is that way later… for now we need to find a way to purify it, leave only certain focused desire where currently is mixture of far too many…” 

***

 As the weeks passed by, twins did get progressively better in both understanding how and what synthesizer needed to produce more solid materials even if currently those weren't too good. 

 They too made progress in purification of the water from the Sea of Possibility. The more they meditated near it, focused on their own silent minds the more voices grew weaker, some fading completely.

 Tsumukari helped too but echoes of it then replaced the echoes previously there… which potentially was great as the Relic might have shown them a way into creating other Relics using this new source, but that branch of the Light project was put into the waiting box. 

 In the morning Raz was as always making light breakfast. Maximilian gathered everyone for an announcement. “We got an offer to become Liu Association allied Office…” that got more than a few cheerful yells. Allying with big Associations had far more upsides than downsides especially for Offices without unique qualities of their own. 

 Head of the Nail coughed, silencing the workers and fixers “But, this is a big decision and not mine alone to make, think it over and send or tell me your replies by this working week’s end!... Raziel, to my office” with that most went back to their work or requests they needed to fulfill while two moved to the head’s workplace.

 “They sent me something?” A nod was the reply. Soon the young man held a quiet old fashioned but beautifully decorated piece of parchment. It was a double offer. 

 Apprenticeship under second in command of the Dragon Workshop who were perhaps best in the City in producing weapons of close combat with additional heat, fire and shock based functionality and also for him to join Liu fixers on requests and missions when there won't be those ready to fill the gaps from Liu. “that's… a lot…” 

 Of course Raziel was expecting a good result but there was quite a bit over his higher end expectations here. Maximilian huffed good-heartedly as he noticed the young fixer's expression “Congrats… I'm proud of you Raz” 

 Redhead nodded and smiled to himself, recalling a rather pleasant memory…

***

 It wasn't rare for lower end of the grade Relics to be… weird Dieci records or even more public ones could tell you that. 

 Currently, the newly allied health of Liu Association, was testing one such thing. While Raziel was busy doing work in the Workshop he now was learning under, Arian took on part of his duties, now more rare dives included. 

 On one such he found a strange, antic looking mechanism that seemed to be made for evaporation of liquid and collection of leftover residue. Three markings on the switch near the burner corresponded to alchemical markings for iron, salt and…. Sugar. 

 What did the thing actually do? Well, if you gave it normal fruit juice or salty water it would just create more of a higher purity thing than physically should while leaving little left of other elements and even water vapor. 

 But it had another way of use. Give it blood and resulting salt or sugar will carry a hint of person's emotions most potent during donation. As such? Coffee or tea with bloody, somewhat literally, pink sugar which could give you “hope for a good day” or even “serenity of watching the sunset" was now possible…

 “I will not let you use it to prank people Lia with weird feelings carrying sugar! Plus I don't want to think what you'll use to make it…” somewhat pale expression Arian currently possessed made multiple others stop and think, paling or turning a little green.

 “Hey I would do that! Ew! I just wanted to see if it would transfer the hopeless headache some people create… Oscar and Sal don't get it, maybe this way they might…” that earned her an eye roll. Arian knew they, as in he and Raziel, were prone to actions of high risk sometimes but they did their best to prepare!  

***

 Nothing was strange about this day. Raziel had a day off from learning. His teacher, Elidur, was a somewhat stern, aged former fixer, bad at teaching but amazing at work, not taking the head position of the Workshop because he never was good at paperwork. 

 To the joy of both Raz learned fast and didn't bother his teacher, happily becoming a silent observer who helped with minor tasks. A few theoretical and minor practical tests later, Elidur was more than happy to let him do simpler things without overwatch, only glancing at final results. 

 Arian too was resting. Work with silk synthesizer and purification of future Light slowed down. Cecilia did manage to snag the special sugar/salt maker, for a fair price of course. Currently both were enjoying a simple time of rest and calm… then both saw a vague, barely visible, vague purple something moving. 

 A fraction of a second later they appeared near… ruins. Not the underground weird ones but normal, or rather less anomalous. “Outskirts?...”

 “Indeed…” Iori spoke with a cold smirk and somewhat amused expression. Gae Bolg and Tsumukari Muramasa were always near them but currently? She held both, also Color tsked before throwing the sword away hastily “It is quite loyal…”

 Raziel caught his weapon, feeling pleasant, reassuring warmth with what felt like a hint of annoyance resonating in the warm pulsation of the blade. Arian too got his weapon back. To the surprise of Iori the loudspeaker was still here, seemingly taken along for a ride because Arian was touching it when she grabbed them. 

 “Now… See if you have the will to back up the big words shall I?” there wasn't a warning, only her silhouette that blurred in their vision as she took one of her swords from the sheath in an impossibly smooth, liquid like motion.

 The loudspeaker clicked, dropped onto the dusty and cracked stone of what once was part of an old monument, one composition ending as the other started…

When I was young and lost 

 Raziel felt familiar pressure. Bloodlust worth the ocean of spilled blood and uncountable lives crashed over him, body moving more so on instinct as the memories flashed by before his eyes…

 Arian blocked an attack that came his way near simultaneously. He flew into a nearby building wall, stone cracking as his bones were rattled by sheer force.

 His first life, his first death. The soul lost in the world as falsely inviting and shiny as much it was truly rotten underneath…

You showed up, and had my doors unlocked

 Flaming spear flew as Iori smoothly used the force of a kick to propel herself backwards and evaded it mid air, twisting more akin to a snake than human.

 The two shared a look for a hint of a moment. It was time huh? What Vincent, Hans, everyone on their path taught them to be tested. Their will, conviction, dreams…

Like threads, petals unfold 

A red Kawara-Nadeshiko 

 Blades sprung from the ground making Purple Tear dodge again but she kicked off of one after making a flip and landed a flying kick on Tsumukari, sending Raz sliding back along the dusty, cracked asphalt.

 Two slashes followed by flame hit air as she rolled under the pair of flaming Phoenix Feathers and sent Arian flying with a kick to the stomach. 

You have shown me that I am still capable of caring for someone else 

 Three consecutive slashes of fire were evaded easily, her steps carrying her onwards even as the flame in the boy's eyes seemed to pulse brighter, blade's ignited edge turning closer to dangerous, deceptively cold blue tone…

 But he was still slow. His left arm was severed, its hold on the handle lingering for a few seconds before she kicked him to the right. 

 It… did not feel as she thought it would. Not like placing another corporate fixer in their place nor as a step towards her goal. It reminded her of how she tried teaching… him…

That I still bare the same innocence inside 

'Cause now I know that pain cannot define the past 

We are built to overcome endless mishaps 

 Flames coalesced as Arian rushed her, Gae Bolg in hand. To her surprise she was forced to dodge a rather fast and hot diagonal flame arc right after letting the spear pass next to her ear by tilting her head and leaning a little…

 Her eyes widened a tad bit. His severed hand laid on the floor yet was replaced by… what looked like an amalgam of iron and stone. His eyes were glowing intensely, as if someone lit a fire behind two tinted pieces of glass. 

You know, it is not so bad 

When you are with me? 

 Two blades, one real and another but a forgery in similarly forged fingers gripping its handle danced. Howling wind and roaring fire mixing into the music playing along, clangs of Color Fixer's weapon against Relic creating its own rhythm that plays along.

 Iori blocks the next pincer slash from two diagonal directions, unsheathing her second weapon. If the first was a seemingly normal, if high quality dark steel sword of purple shade than the other, with a pale white handle, more rapier like blade, gives off an eerie feeling while the metal seems… flowing, constantly shimmering… no vibrating… hissing…

Cherish as long as we last 

'Cause S is not for Sayonara 

 She shatters the forged blade with one precise strike, piercing through a shattering piece and cracking the temporary prosthetic creation that replaced the boy's arm…

 The other hand slides through the air, directing other weapons to intercept the spear thrust into her back. Roaring fire nearly engulfs her as Tsumukari is swung…

Let memories play back 

 But she dodges, speed again making her a blur. Not teleportation, nor a Relic, just agility and strength united with skill sharpened too many times to count. Arian dodges the fire.

 Both feel something shift … her rapier no longer looks like a blade, more like multiple mirages shimmering in and out of reality. 

 Her smug expression is still there. She keeps it steady with ease, perhaps like a mask stuck too tight to one's face. None of the two yet one have time to look carefully into her eyes that are the only thing strikingly different from that cruel, cold face. 

I knew I must step up

You deserve the world and more 

 Arian feels his throat nearly cut open. She uses his spear to jump over them and clashes with Tsumukari mid air, stabbing the rapier into Raziel's shoulder and into his lung. 

 Iori blinks as the blood boy coughs up burns a few spots on her clothing and makes her cheek feel like it was hit by a drop of molten sang. 

The truth is that you'd rather 

Spend our limited time together 

 Again, blades are born. Raz holds two but multiple are shaped from underneath repeatedly making Iori move into where Arian or him strike. She dodges, breaks, flows around each move with playful, mocking ease.

 Iori lets out a slightly surprised hum as she clashes with Raziel again, his stance returning to two handed hold on singular blade “improving… you aren't trash at least” 

 Arian lets himself go a little more. Move to stab and slash with the other, dodge the stab yet what seemed a mirage cuts open his cheek. Consecutive aggressive onslaught all to…

Protection alone is not enough 

Providing cannot fill an empty cup 

Thirsting for love 

I questioned myself a lot 

 A roar of blue and white comes and Arian rolls out of the path. They were always quite keen at being mimics weren't they? 

 Dance, like a chinese dragon or a serpent, twirling from side to side, each diagonal direction and in-betweens used. Sharpness, heat and brightness against what seems to be the unshakeable coolness of the ancient snake. 

What do I know about love? 

How can I recreate what I've never had? 

 Iori lets her smile widen a little. It doesn't provoke them much, if at all, yet she can't help it. Such fierce yet tender light doesn't usually live long, like moths. 

 One blade is sheathed and Raziel barely blocks an unnaturally fast, monstrously heavy attack meant to split him apart. His left hand pushes against the dull back of the blade as ground cracks under before he is kicked in the face. 

All I know is that I must keep you thriving 

If nutrients are what you lack 

I will water you with every drop of blood 

I have 

 Arian blocks her path as he sees Raziel's fiery gaze dimming. Of course the Relic would drain him dry for power up.

 “hm… die trying wasn't it?” His gaze hardens. Sad that they didn't have a vial or two with them. Even unfinished it could have given a chance. He meets her eyes. If anything? He is sad. 

But now I know that 

Sacrifice is the easy path 

 Gae Bolg cracks. It is no Relic to hold against a Color even when one holds back more than a little. The upper half is thrown back as Arian loses his right wrist.

My absence cannot ever change the fact 

I wanted the very best for you, believe me 

 Two pairs of eyes stare at her. Raziel stands, all of his form shivering as if freezing, a visible tad thinner too yet blade keeps humming, held firm and white hot at the cutting edge. Arian, bleeding from stabs and cuts, grabs one Phoenix Feather with his teeth while the other rests in his left. 

 Her eyes shimmer, gaze growing in intensity, focus as bloodlust she emanated triples, drowning out their senses yet they still try to attack… slower, with mistakes added by exhaustion. 

Our threads in red can never be cut 

And S is not for Sayonara 

Will you forgive me at last?

 Tsumukari Muramasa flies off, stabbing into the floor, melting it. Flickering fire on it seems angry, as if attempting to reach Iori with its tongues. Arian stumbles, Raziel kneels as leftovers of stamina leave his body. 

 Hoarse, definitely confused, shivering voice breaks the silence “ha… waiting for the last word…?” 

 “You are foolishly stubborn, delusional perhaps?” Purple Tear meets Arian's eyes. She is slightly surprised to find… comprehension. 

 His answer comes after a few strained breaths that help him return more steadiness to the voice “Enough to understand why someone would try to overturn a world to return what is cherished” 

 Raziel falls, face first into dusty stone. Arian manages a somewhat exasperated huff. Not like either of them would admit such a moment of weakness to whom still might just kill them or worse. 

 Suddenly he feels a stab, familiar injection of K serum and return of his wrist and fingers with it. Second later the same happens to Raziel who immediately rises, also still seems a bit shaky on his legs. 

 “You didn't seem sadistic enough for another…” The other half scoffs out taking a step back and steading himself as his fingers wrap around Tsumukari Muramasa. 

 “Hm… you are… adequate” Iori states “unrefined, tad naive, very very young”

 “Oh compared to yo-” Arian is cut off as the sheath of the largest weapon she ownshit his head “your wisdom…” she smiles, expression not as cold. 

 “Yes… I did vaguely recall meeting that me, if long ago, I almost forgot it” her admitting that much makes both younger here a little less hopeless for this try, if they would have managed to not be torn in Abyss again. “I'll visit you soon to discuss mutual exchange of knowledge… and your future training” 

 Purple blur again yeets two through space, both harshly landing against floor of the their room. 

 Iori picks up the loudspeaker, looking at the flash drive inserted and pockets it, disappearing from the Outskirts.

Chapter Text

[ Records#5

 Abnormality Data

 Designation - Erised VT 

 Danger classification - WAW I 

 Damage types: physical ( red ) with electricity modifier. 

 Sanity ( white ) with application of slowness, sleep and confusion.

 Action patterns: multi vector attacks mixing wires and syringes to drain, rare bludgeoning attacks mixed in. 

 Non-stop projection of desires, also the more damage it sustains the less accurate and more chaotic it becomes, shifting towards direct projection of Abnormality's want.

 Vibration based area attack that projects soothing, sleep inducing attack, only shown under pressure of damage and prolonged battle.

 The more brains it collects the faster it adjusts to a person, seeing their desires clearer. Also gives it overall processing power. Shifting focus always makes it temporarily stop the desire projection to adjust to the next target.

 Can be countered by emptiness of mind trained to a high degree. 

 If it connects to a vaster network on dives capable of replicating its functions be it sound or video, danger level can rise to WAW II or higher depending on area of exposure and processing power already possessed before the infestation started.

 When freshly out danger level is classified as HE as it barely can move faster than a turtle on land without blood provided and takes hours of continued exposure to adjust to an individual.

 As such recommendation is to keep it from ever obtaining access to blood or brain matter to keep danger low. ] 

[ Records#6

 Nuvo materials - created through silk synthesizer from living beings, these materials carry similarities to spider silk in its foundation as well as certain other materials in case of ceramic, metallic, bone or wood like production patterns also doing the latter requires extensive modification to the food and materials provided to the synthesizer. 

 Depending on source material may feel and fit one better or worse, best so do those produced from the same person. Such also are better conductors of Ego and Light techniques overall.

 Formerly known as Singularity of the old S Corp which was dismantled due to breaking of multiple Taboos.

 Due to wide variety of possible source materials they may carry qualities similar to grade 6 and lower Relics if made from certain mutants, for example some of the eels from Great Lake who would grant silk ability to conduct and store charge far more easily without overheating. ]

Chapter Text

 No matter how unpleasant her “check”, both twins were, overall, thankful to Iori. It was a good reminder, and one that didn't take anything truly important from them, about how far they had yet to reach and the vastness of the lake they were swimming in…

 Hurt pride? Neither of them felt that. They stood against, what was likely one of the oldest Colors of the City. If she was not, to at least some extent, holding back Raziel was quite sure the Library would have needed all the floor's united effort to have a chance against her. Arian wasn't as sure but still agreed that Iori was high up there and they were yet to become even a grade 2 worthy force individually. 

 It also helped them in another way. Brink of death was… an enlightening state to experience. Relic showed new abilities not withstanding in a way that left Raziel with a headache and mental exhaustion for the next half a week worth of time. Arian did not appreciate their experience exchange in such moments, truly. 

 So now? They focused on project they probably should have poured in more time into before. Purification of the Sea water. Good fight shook them up and consequently brought some ideas of how to solve certain problems from their dusty memory stashes…

 It took them both a few days to organize themselves a long period of free time both could share to work on this thoroughly. Of course these sessions wouldn't come back to back. They both knew they couldn't just confront it all in a row and go for it. But wasting time on long periods in-between wasn't an option they felt was a good one. Today was the first day…

 “So… let's start?” Raziel asked, question more rhetorical than real. After all other things were done with. 

 Tsumukari Muramasa couldn't completely purify, neither could they… which meant lingering echoes that currently created dull, but visible alien colors remained because of themselves. Inner, unresolved questions. 

 And so they needed to fix them, look inwards and answer so they could finally touch the light without possibility of becoming a Distortion or an Abnormality or worse a Peccatula wouldn't hang over them like a sword of Damocles.

 First were Chakras. Seven basic, two that their past life Self felt should be there to complete the set. They couldn't feel anything like that but at least touching on aligned feelings, memories and needs was more than possible. Arian nodded silently and so they sat down, back to back, in a state of meditation dulling the ambience until it was no longer capable of disturbing them as easily.

 Then would come time of Sins including the Gloom this City felt fit to add to the common bunch. Raziel took in a slow, deep breath, his mind wandering away from what bodily senses perceived in real time.

 “I am…” first of seven primary ones. Blocked by fear. Their paranoia was forced away in this life. Their fear of oblivion was broken by rejection of Abyss. Yet both still feared.

 Fear of rejection if others knew that they replaced Raziel. Of how pathetic their first life was. Would Vincent hate them? “It doesn't matter to anyone… and I don't think he'd truly hate, we noticed it didn't we? The look of longing in his eyes? Yes, that one, as if he couldn't put finger on something that fundamentally changed in who he used to know…” would others? No, after all none of them knew Raziel before the point of the shift. None of them knew the boy to mourn. And… none would laugh at the lonely young man who died alone in that cold, indifferent, rotten place. 

 Fear of attachments. In past life lack of power, understanding and many things sprouted into paranoia, fear of any bonds they couldn't fully control. Hiding in books, behind false names in the web. But they had a few now hadn't they? Nail, Hans, Salvador, Oscar, Liu, even Iori… 

 “It is so” it was weirdly reassuring to finally feel this way. Connected. Yes, weakness but as much it was strength. 

 Fear of weakness. They were chased by it from past Self, past world. No longer. “It is gone, we are here… and we will never again be powerless like that” A solemn promise echoed, forged in pain that echoed in memories making up their shared foundation.

 Fear of failure. Much like any of those, they proved it wrong. They lost, again and again, they grew from it and failures… taught them after they learned to listen. In a way failing a whole life there led them here didn't it?

 They were here. They weren't alone, not powerless. They were not there anymore… 

 The vials lost one of the colors, letting cool silver and shimmering gold take more place for themselves…

 “I feel” bogged by guilt.  Their unfinished business, their moments of weakness.

 Guilt for how they could have been better. But it is useless now. The best they can do by parents in their first life… is keep going without guilt holding them back, only fueled by experience of what weakness leads to.

 Guilt for what they couldn't predict. But… Vincent wouldn't want them this way, nor would who died in the world before, leaving him all alone. 

 Guilt of secrecy. Yet, it was more so to keep them safer, away from where they likely will not survive. Also they'd ask for help when the right time comes, because doing otherwise would be an insult to their bond.

 Voices lost another one of its own that still lingered in the water from the Sea of Possibility. 

 “I do” blocked by shame. Oh boy wasn't that a big pile…

 Ashamed of weakness. Ashamed of inborn looks in past life. Ashamed of inability to have the will to kill himself and end it all…  Ashamed in giving into urges when they could have used time differently and perhaps learned more, managed to change more in themselves. Ashamed of his own cowardice be it in taking action, speaking up or making decisions. Hindsight truly was cruel.

 Shame for letting dreams be just that. Never finding love, never seeing places desired aside from through the screen. Shame about so many things not tried due to fears. Shame that some words thought were never said properly.

 But, they moved. They changed and… much like with fears, now made a checklist rather than letting roads be fogged.

 Two that were one recalled Cecilia dragging them along into places. Their own dives into Ruins before separation. Many mistakes made and admitted along those paths… there wasn't shame in that anymore. 

 Vials glimmered, a little brighter. 

 “I love” clotted by grief. Vincent wouldn't have wanted them to be hurt by it, he'd probably smile at the admittance that… Raziel loved Vincent like a lost, hurt child hidden in aging flesh could love first accepting and truly understanding the man he met. 

 They felt no guilt in that, their first life parents were not bad people, better than most… but they made mistakes. Circumstances or their own upbringing, reasons were not so important now. Those bonds rotted away, shattered decades ago. 

 Love… they knew so little of it outside of stories he wrote and read.  But now? Vincent taught them family, Hans reminded of how a teacher could bond with a student. Salvador and Oscar showed friendship. 

 Zhu, Elizabeth and Xiao… showed him what first life never did. It hurt to admit that, to recall how detached his family grew with time, how understanding of each other dissolved.

 Two sighed… looking at respective vials hanging on thin chains off of their neck, against the solar plexus. Glow was brighter than before and clearer from colors unfit to be in their Light…

***

 “Hey… did something good happen?” Elidur asked his student. The boy's work was smoother, faster and a fair bit less restricted too. Finally showing more nascent style and flair, passion.

 Raziel huffed out a short, light, melodic laugh as he looked into the reflection of a finely sharpened blade. “Just did some thinking…” 

 Cecilia looked at Arian, who was… singing. Usually the young man didn't sing aside from the private room or shower but today? He was singing loud enough for others to actually hear while cooking… and he was experimenting which was unusual as twins were a bit stuck to recipes normally. 

 But she liked the sound, rhythm and the smile he wore now… it was far less restricted, less held back. His eyes made the assassin turned fixer feel a little warmer inside. A pair of orbs, gold and silver that seemed to glimmer in the light of the morning sun breaking through the window of the Office kitchen.

***

 Today was the second day. Raziel and Arian noticed a shift in those observing them or more correctly would be to say the reaction of their own change even if to them it wasn't something easily noticeable… but everything became a bit lighter, easier, brighter. 

 Now it was time to complete the set of Chakras. Five more to go…

 “I talk” is blocked by lies. Be it those told to ourselves or those we accept from outside. Each little one that children with highly active imagination tell and well crafted webs made by whole governments.

 They lied plenty in their first life. That he truly had no chances, even if few there were seemed not likely to actually lead to victory. That it was worthless, as they sometimes thought, while there were after all few bright moments. That no one really cared, some did truly and tried even if they couldn't reach him, couldn't fix the broken with as little power and time as both sides had to spare…

 They heard… and accepted some lies too. That things he never touched were this or other way. That certain people thought that way and not another. A big part of their viewpoint on the world was a web of truths and lies taken in from others from all over the place. 

 There wasn't need for that any longer. Raziel and Arian were no longer in need of those things. Seeing clearly would do them only good in the long run too… as Light cannot be seen in its full beauty through tinted, cracked glass. And the world… as small as it would seem compared to previous, now was something they could grasp with their own senses, or at least much more of it than ever before.

 The vials shimmered, another shade of colors within the glow dimming until it vanished alltogether. 

 “I see” damned by illusions. Much like lies, after all illusions are in a way extension of a lie, they come in inner and outer forms, accepted and created. 

 Illusion outside the world of his past wore like a mask of finest ceramic over the rotting corpse. Those high burning through resources to leave the next generation to fend for themselves after time of the old to drink pleasure finally ran out. Yet presenting moral high ground to all outside with smiles as fake as their good intentions…

 Illusion of journey through watching others experience things be it videos or other sources. All to satisfy the hungry void in the painfully aching core.

 They'll see it through, journey with their own feet on the road and… see so this world has fewer of those caged and forced to lose their ability to see through the pleasant illusions. It will hurt. Both the journey and some truths but… they learned it wasn't wrong for those things to do so sometimes. They will heal and keep on going.

 Water from Sea of Possibility grew calmer, shifting within the vials slowing down a little, becoming less chaotic.

 “I understand” stopped by attachment. It was only one his past and their present were nearly identical in vision of. 

 It was not about letting everything go but accepting what attachment brought. The blissful times of peace by the family's side. The torturous sorrow when you lose that bond. The struggles to compromise and understand each other. The joyful time spent in silence without need of words.

 Some may have seen it as letting go of all ways you are bound but… binding of what Self is was what made us. Name, character, identity, personality, experience and attachments. To places, people, food, viewpoints and knowledge we saw as truths. 

 Understanding found in the ability to see those things… and knowing how they pull and push the self, how they affect the actions was what was the core of it all in their opinion.

 How their bond with Nail would make them rush to aid or if Salvador or Oscar called. How they'd not mind sharing time with Alisa theorizing on usages of materials from Ruins or discussing a book. How n

 “I reach” blocked by a feeling of distance. Physical ones like reaching for the Moon or simply other places you know exist much closer. Psychological one that creates borders between individuals. Due to form, language, upbringing, so so many factors.

 The web of the old world made this feeling very vague yet still not less persistent deep inside. It teased that gnawing desire for travel, satisfying it only enough to make you feel like you barely had a taste when full dish was pulled out of reach.

 Books were similar. Longing for places out of reach only strengthened by the beauty and jarring differences between the reality and illusion built from words. 

 Now they have the ability to reach many places, go more freely than ever before and… they started to learn to understand others better through bonds made both ways. They'll reach others and many different places, after all now they have strength to do so and no fog to block their path…

 The liquid in the Singularity reinforced glass pulsed, glow increasing in intensity if by a little.

 “I exist” bogged by despair born of comprehension of the transience. Stars will one day die. Galaxies will cease to be and known universe too. Most people will live lives shorter than most trees. 

 But humanity proved that this despair can be cut. With carving tools brought down onto clay. With words passed onwards. With experience, stories, myths. Humanity knew how to become less transient already in their past world and here they only went further… So will he. 

 Until stars are snuffed out, they won't stop. Until the vision of the world desired by them crumbles under pouring grains of years they'll keep reforging it stronger and trying to take another step. 

 There wasn't anything left but… to struggle, try and claw and bite at opportunity, at whatever opposes the path. Bend Reality’s own laws if so much is required to keep taking steps onwards into tomorrow. Change the future to see a desired outcome. 

 They have already faced more than a few challenges… and stopping was not an option they'd ever want to try again until their dreams were realized. After that? They'll think up another dream. 

 Raziel looked at the vial, Arian stared at his own. Pleasant, warm gold was mixed with a cooler, chilling shade of silver, other colors dimmer than ever before and rising for shorter periods of time too…

***

 Maximilian smiled as he barely dodged a hook, near simultaneously blocking a kick. Raziel was getting better, his gaze seemed more focused, more rare were episodes when the boy's chain of thoughts could make him space out even if it was usually barely a few seconds. In battle even one could mean death. 

 A blocked gut punch was followed by a spin kick to the side of the head that threw the younger fixer to the ground.

 “Better…” It was pleasing to hear his senior say that much. A clearer head truly did wonders. Raz stood up, buzzing in his head slowly giving place away to the pleasant silence of outwardly directed observation. Getting head to clear and stay that way, pushing unimportant thoughts out, freeing more resources of the mind, was now notably easier.

 It wasn't yet the Void state, not even one percent of that mythical ability to bypass certain human limits and become a machine of war… but every myth had a beginning.

 Arian hummed, his hands tracing the smooth, velvet surface of the new nuovo fabric prototype. Buying some ingredients off of the district 23 residence wasn't too hard, especially if it wasn't anything exceptionally dangerous or rare. But… he wanted to visit the Indigo Elder.

 The old man was happy to see him even so it was Raziel the Color talked to more during the New Year celebration in Fallen Eden. Somehow the aged fixer saw something, perhaps not enough to fully form an answer but to feel its meaning and results. 

 “Hm… you started looking into your own depth didn't you? Good, otherwise depths of the outside world will have a much easier time swallowing you while” his words echoed in the mind of one of the two that were once a single being. 

 He looked back at the fabric made from certain parts of the eels that sometimes were used as living battery-generator hybrids and smiled. There were things to test…

***

 Today was the third day. Final one. Time to look into the darker end. Their own sins… more twisted extensions of some feelings following anyone throughout life. Some connected to previous steps, others more to the side from those. 

 Gloom. Depression, despair, absence of hope and inner fire to push one onwards. Opposed by Virtue of Perseverance. 

 Raziel… was painfully familiar with it. In a way he died with that Sin knit tightly around his heart. But was it there still? With power, through understanding fears and guilts, shames and grief it didn't feel that way. No longer drowning, but looking into the reflection of the water surface under their feet. 

 They proved the ability to persevere, withstand challenges, change in ways first life barred and blocked. Their problems and those they knew others were drowning in, it no longer looked like an abyss that one was pushed into by the weight of all the heavens above the water surface… 

 Much like they did not allow Abyss beyond death to swallow their Self, it was no longer something they'd let happen… 

 Shade of pale, sad blue shimmered, vanishing, no longer tinting the shine of the Light.

 Greed and Gluttony. Sins that are probably closest to one another. Opposed by Charity and Temperance. Something they were too very familiar with… after all they hoarded stories, pictures, memories and loved tasting things even if it was limited by past life's paranoia in a few ways.

 Unlike gloom these were not to be discarded. They were but twisted forms of needs and wants that could be used to push one to improve and grow as such… they required purification, tempering, forging like metal to become a blade. 

 To desire yet know that not all easy paths to taking it are good. To hunger yet know when to stop. To hoard but not for the act of ownership but usage as without use resources are no different from dust gathered on the unread books. Even if in past life it didn't manage to lead to his downfall on their own… in this those sins would require a firm hold to never become what Gloom did for their shared past. 

 Silver and gold flicker, another acidic shade blurring and disappearing from the glowing liquid…

 Envy. Born of limited sight, tunnel vision of what others have but not the price they pay or at least not what comes with certain things desired. Opposed by Kindness.

 He envied many things in past life. Genetics, drive, position in social circles, power… but understanding the price of it helps, not always but it does. Also he admitted that some get things not theirs without paying or knowing a price to begin with.

 Yet he learned to be kind even then and to understand. Envy in a white way, where you admit someone having a better thing yet knowing it likely has a price you do not let it fester. Kindness on the other hand… was a reflective thing. Desire to help others who seem to struggle similarly wasn't alien to him, nor now to the two made of one. 

 They envied yes, but it was but fuel to reach heights others shown in certain ways and they would be kinder because knowledge gave them more insight into the steep price some paid for what they have seen… 

 Be it freedom given up unwillingly for power. Be it life, morality and sanity for completion of a beautiful dream. Be it even the very existence to protect a loved one…

 The greenish hue slowly dissolved into nothingness…

 Lust. Many see barely the surface of it in carnal pleasure and reproduction based craze but… it was a desire to share oneself, spread it. In a way anyone who wrote books, created music or done anything akin was lustful. Opposed by Chastity. 

 It was a familiar feeling, after all previous life left behind plenty of experience. The accessible web was indeed a curse and blessing fused together far too tightly. They also recalled a few things they did to enact the latter form… be it the dancing competitions of youth or later on years when their texts started to spread in the web bit by bit. 

 But, much like greed or gluttony, it needed not oblivion but control. Limits and direction to make it into fuel to push one into improvement in a way that aligns with it. 

 Pinkish violet simmered out…

 Sloth. Opposed by Diligence. In his first life born of Gloom and fed by it to no small extent. Some called this Sin father of inventors, as many of them created paths that required less work on them. Raziel disagreed, so did Arian.

 It was an absence of drive to truly grow, like a frozen engine. Procrastinating was like cold light shined onto it, a false attempt at warming it with what never could. Now they had plenty of fuel and sparks to light it, warm it so it never again will be chilled so  thoroughly as it once was… 

 Some saw sloth as an extension of twisted logic, economical decision making. But that was wrong in more than a few ways after all logic required hard work, smart one but nonetheless not easy, more often than not. 

 Hints of dull grayish hue seethed out…

 Wrath. Opposed by Patience. The hate, the anger, irritation and desire to destroy. Fed by fears, by despair, by pain. In a way Gloom drowned you inwardly, Wrath was a reversal of direction to outwardly action.

 Oh how much they hated. They despised the world for being as it was, the politicians for their short-sighted, vice and sin driven craze that drained the world with no care for repercussions the next generation would bear. 

 He also hated himself. For weakness, short-sightedness, lacking ability to stand up despite the weakness, for being not enough to change anything at all. So he trashed, raged and boiled inwardly so many times… more than a few ending in failed attempts to dull it all with pain or chained hours of web surfing.

 Did they feel it still? Yes but it was a weak, pitiful and sad echo, not the boiling, burning tar that could make them feel the need to act in all wrong, chaotic ways. 

 Would they feel it again? Likely, but with tempering they found in Ruin dives, life as a fixer and with all new strength? It would too become a fuel and with understanding of your opponents wrath can be dulled, quenched and cooled in more than a few cases. 

 Few that wouldn't fit? Then much like fire, it required focus. Not letting it spread like wild waves of yellow and orange flame but condense it into bluish white and only allow it to scorch away what must become undone and no more… After all, there was no life on melted earth and raining ashes. 

 Angry red dimmed until nothing remained of its pulsing, spasming waves…

 Pride. Opposed by Humility. One they knew yet were more distanced from. After all, admittance of weakness opposes delusion of higher standing… but they understood it.

 In one's work, skills, knowledge or even understanding even if formed by facts twisted by the web too can Pride be found… but it is useless after all if nothing there truly backs up the extent of the pride shown. In comprehension of flaws in can be born but what good is such pride without doing anything to fix those flaws? 

 Thanks to the mistakes of his parents he learned an important thing correlated with humility… you cannot truly compare suffering nor success without having a complete picture which no one usually bothers with. 

 It reminded them of Iori and Binah. They really should make something for the former when they get a chance to see her again within some time set beforehand… 

 No other shades were left in the vials. Golden warmth and chilling silver. The joys, dreams and hopes, their determination and happiness too, coalescing near the serene, chilling yet soothing cleansed calmness. “Hm… our health”

 Arian nodded to Raziel… and so they opened the vials and quaffed in one go. The world shimmered and cracked bringing them into… an old place in a broken city. War-torn home he returned to once to look upon the nostalgic sights but found only pain and regrets boiling to the surface…

 “Ah… so that's how it is, hm?” Arian turned in unison with Raziel… landing their sight on him. Their shared past life, point of origin. Broken, lonely, death warmed over looking man in worn down comfortable clothing with eyes dull, lifeless, only fragments of attention directed onto surrounding reality while most of the mind was probably in a haze of dreams and stories. “We got so far… good…” 

 His sclera was dark. Bloody red mixing with tar black and acidic purplish. The doubts, self loathing and regrets yet… Two stepped towards him, their firm grasp landing on the shoulders of the weak, fragile man whose inner child built walls upon walls in desperate desire to never truly die while the world tried its best to dismember it all…

 Light sparked from somewhere in their core. It didn't heal the scars, nor did it wash away the regrets. It transformed them, helped accept it as past was what leads to present and helps the future if only one can remember and learn from it.

 The figure smiled, more freely than perhaps he had in his whole life as his silhouette caught fire and fell onto the frozen ground as ashes… their warmth would melt it and they themselves would feed the growing flowers and trees.

 Raziel looked at Arian as the vision turned into clear white without clear edges to the vastness… then it all went black. 

***

 Two woke up a bit late into the morning, but none had the breakfast duty today so it was alright. Arian hummed, feeling a far away new sensation of a pulsing source of power which now slowly filled and circulated within him. He also noted a clearer feeling of the bond two shared between themselves as well as a more vague sense of presence, strongest being of course Tsumukari Muramasa.

 Raziel grabbed the sword, unsheathing it. His eyes slowly peered into the everheated metal of the blade before it started shifting. “Stop…” 

 The words of the young man indeed had an effect. Instead of the whole blade turning brighter it was only a thin line on the blade's cutting edge that slowly shifted to the white leaving the whole blade mostly orange and red. “Do you feel other relics?” 

 The question made Raz pause. It took them a few minutes to figure out the clear difference in the awakened sensory capabilities.

 While Raziel now could much more easily feel Tsumukari and control it better, his range of sensitivity towards other Relics was three times shorter than Arian's and he couldn't tell half as much about how a Relic felt… 

 It was a mixture of feeling the hints of emotions, feelings and experiences within the Light that formed the foundation of the Relic's power and resonation that brought out personal memories most closely related to a purpose or functions the item carried within. 

 Raziel needed touch and meditation to focus, only then sensing it while Arian could tell as much from over three meters. They agreed that it was likely due to the tight bond between Tsumukari Muramasa and Raziel as one who took most time using and training with it, as he could now feel the sword from at least five meters easily… they'd need a lot of tests later…

 “Hey there!” Cecilia greeted Raziel who passed by the doorway to the kitchen. The young man paused, looking at her “hey… you ok? You don't look sleepy but you kind of looking past me?” 

 The young fixer shook his head, refocusing his eyes on reality. It was vague but he could sense… echo of her state. Sleepiness with a hint of joy and now a bit of confusion-worry too. Without focusing on it the sensation was barely there and it only worked close range. 

 But still, another thing to test thoroughly…

***

 Two weeks passed by since two finished purification of the Sea water and used it to spark the Light within themselves. Neither was sure how far this method was from the Seed of Light plan and results but they did their best with limited information.

 Currently Raziel was noting down results of his practical training during the dive into Ruins while Arian was trying to his best to feel echoes of his own power in nuovo fabric made more recently.

 “Good evening…” purple blur simply walked out of thin air and into their workshop space. Iori smiled smugly seeing two springing into battle ready stances, then her gaze turned more sharp, curious and piercing “what did you do?” 

 “Good evening to you too…” Raziel was first to reply, then adding “tea or coffee?”

 “Tea…” she let out a huff, as if a little offended that another drink was even offered. “Now, do tell…”

 “That is something we are figuring out the results of for now” Arian could sense a hint of irritation and genuine concern “thank you for worrying…”

 “You are not dying after your bold claims or I will make sure to drag you back and do it myself” her statement was rather cold but neither felt even a tad bit of bloodlust. “One way or another I will find out eventually…”

 “We will tell you once we are done testing it thoroughly, neither of us wants to use information that is not reliable and as such worth your while” A teapot and three cups took place upon one of the mostly empty tables. 

 “Very well… so, shall we begin the exchange?” They nodded in agreement and so two very different viewpoints of possibilities came together.

 Iori hummed. Her new…. Cooperates had interesting facts she didn't bother figuring out, not all that useful in the grand scheme of things but potentially important for precise hits on certain people. They, sadly, only had limited understanding of two timelines with minor branching of the Library's end and incomplete journey of the Sinners. 

 Latter group made Iori a bit angry at a certain girl. Of course Dies wasn't the only ambitious youngster she met but it took a lot to make Purple Tear find someone's methods distasteful.

 “Could we… hide the kids instead?” Arian asked her after they got to a particular part of the story about how Vergilius ended up a guide to the sinful bunch. 

 “Theoretically? Yes but where? Also one girl will still be needed as a driver too” she could see gears in the young man's head shifting. 

 “Library… if one of us joins L Corp and later on has a position akin to a Sephira…” Raziel smiled nodding to himself before looking at her, silently asking for her point of view on that change.

 “It will be … different but likely better motivator, getting them returned instead of chasing revenge might result in him helping the sinners earlier on, perhaps aiding in resolving of … Cantos you call them?” Two nodded. Iori took a sip of tea, humming softly. It wasn't too bad and sugar with a hint of echoing serenity was sure an interesting addition. She agreed to try it when offered and did not regret accepting. 

 They of course wouldn't iron out changes in one meeting but it was not bad. Now it was her turn…

 Raziel grimaced. Iori had more puzzle pieces, if more scattered. He wasn't sure how but the woman knew of inner workings of multiple corporations and Singularities in details worth being told only to those higher up in the corporation. 

 Be it W Corp and T Corp being two segments of a single chain or a few relics, old tech, from the War against AI that R Corp used for memory insertion into agents through forced nervous system stimulation. Also knowledge that S Corp had been using something similar to K Corp source as their Singularity was somewhat interesting too. She knew it was called a corpse and the name started with G, sometimes called “earth mother” in documents. 

 Both Arian and Raziel hoped, very much, that it was not an Abnormality based on Gaia in the form of a slumbering, corpse-like state… because theoretical awakening of a high end Aleph, because how else you'd classify a goddess, would not be a good thing for the City. Hopefully it was more like a weird Relic. 

 Her knowledge of inner workings of future L Corp replacement and Library was not as good as theirs, but still similar to an insider knowledge pieces if not particularly high ranking one. 

 By the end she didn't divulge much about factors counting into reaching her goal aside from Library needing a good ending and L Corp Seed of Light being performed. Those steps, in her own words, were “locks” that “held the path from diverting” into what she called “worse ends”. She didn't tell much but “Claws whose weapons shine of Light” and “Halo wearing Arbiters” did not sound good, even if Iori didn't seem to see Head as fully negative force. 

 Arian started thinking that mayhaps Iori they saw wasn't one Iori, instead maybe her movement was purely in soul and mind? Moving to each next Iori in the next Mirror world after failing in previous? Couldn't she “move” to another variant of herself before her son's death? One day he hopes she'll trust them enough to confirm or deny it. 

 Sadly the woman did not know much more than they knew about motives and location of Bari, potential Bookhunter, the Knight of the White Moon. Her knowledge of Ruins and River Lethe would have been potentially very useful in a few ways… 

 Of course they didn't tell her everything either. Also one question was important to them “Why don't you use Shin?”

 “Ah? Aaa that…” she shrugged, her eyes becoming a bit colder “I don't know but learning it seems harder to me than for most I knew… is that what you are trying to accomplish? Awaken Light inside yourself?” 

 They didn't respond but her returning smile was answering enough. Both felt that her problem might be rooted in her motivation or whatever continued travel did to her psyche. Hopefully it wasn't irreparable. “Anyway… would you mind babysitting someone while I'm busy? She can survive it alright but a bit of normal socialization will do her good…”

 “Just give us a timeframe…” Raziel pleaded making Color let out a soft yet amused laugh. 

 “I will try checking on others for data I might have forgotten or am missing including that me too… If what you said is even half the truth she'd know how to assure bettering of certain fates doesn't turn on us later” with that she vanished again, leaving two somewhat tired but nonetheless satisfied with the results of the first complicated , hard talk. 

***

 Old Liu aligned Atelier master smiled looking at the spear his students asked his help to make. It was a good piece based on a simple yet powerful blueprint with good potential for improvement too!

 The easiest one was the sun blade. Special alloy and veins of specific crystal combined with simple not electrical but a purely chemical generator resulting in blade becoming source of heat without losing sharpness and vibrating on a frequency that eased cutting through metal and ceramics. 

 Second upgrade, aside from overall higher quality of all materials making up the new Dhó Gae Bolg, was in an added ammo chamber and exhausts on the bottom end of the spear allowing for added punch to any stabbing, throwing or slashing moves.

 The first word added to the name was from newer Irish and meant burning or two while the Old Irish translation of the Gae Bolg as belly spear or spear of mortal death. As such it was a Burning Spear of Mortal Death now. Fitting into Liu style. 

 Shiny yellow veins of specially grown crystals glimmered in the light as it fell onto the dark steel blade giving off pleasant metal shine. Arian, who was holding it, met Elidur’s gaze and bowed before speaking “I must admit… it is more than I expected” 

 “Mhm… Raz did good with it, I merely guided him through newer instrument usage and helped with finicky materials… use it well, your brother put no small amount of soul into it” craftsman said with a stern gaze fixed on the young fixer who looks near identical to his student yet gave off feeling quite different from Raziel, not as fitting for a forge but nonetheless one not even a little bit weaker. 

 Arian smiled, expression mixing amusement and genuine happiness that his other half found a good, caring teacher. 

***

 Time passed by quickly with a whole new branch of skills to explore for the two. Iori was kind enough to actually warn them and try returning the loudspeaker but they already bought a new one so she got to keep it.

 Sheer potency coming off of her mental exhaustion echo and barely flickering hints of hope when she entered their empathetic range two could tell Iori was not in a good place mind wise but had strength to hold herself in one, solid piece. Mentor of Kali, Roland, Argalia and Angelica… and now theirs too also she was yet to get back to kicking their asses. 

 “Oh fucking hag!... really wha-” golden eyes met blue and silver. Kali, around nineteen now also nearing her twentieth birthday probably, fell right into the middle of their workshop “so … you are who the snake wanted to look after me?” 

 Her clothing was somewhat dirty, a few bloodstains here and there too. Her trenchcoat had a plentiful number of pockets and she had a sizable machete strapped to her belt as well as what looked like a working mallet. Behind her back was a rather small backpack. 

 Raziel could very much tell she was weary, not that she tried hiding it. Those golden eyes held no small amount of fire, challenge even. Her red hair was duller shade than theirs but likely because it needed a bit more care and accumulated stress doing her little good.

 “Indeed… shower is there” Arian pointed at the door, because honestly they often needed to wash off failed pieces of nuovo or other things like ink for augment tattoos that could be tricky to wash off. “any preferences for breakfast?” 

 “No human meat, otherwise I'm good” there was a serious nod from both. She kept her backpack with her of course, locking the door from inside. The two shared a look before shrugging. 

***

 Kali left the shower a bit less irritated, still at attention. Breakfast was rather simple but… good, like very good by her standard which wasn't much. Fucking Hana and her idea to push the fixer minimum age just before she got in! 

 “So… you have options here” one with a golden eye started after they got through the first dish, some nice macaroni with vegetables and fried chicken minced meat. Tea with a hint of orange taste in it was good, not as energizing as coffee could feel but Kali was plenty awake as is. “I mostly stay here or do requests connected to crafting or more rarely courier job…” 

 “I do Ruin diving, rat extermination and work in Atelier but you'd probably need some time to get basics of that…” she huffed as he pointed at a… bookshelf “ah, yes reading… we'll get you through it worry not”

 “I…” she stammered but found no mocking laugh nor real pity in those eyes, more like a factual statement if one tinted by sadness “Ah, fine… but who are you anyway?” 

 “Well, I'm Raziel and that's Arian… we are grade 5 with over three years of experience now, not a really famous bunch but I'm known as a deep diver by few… Arian here works with nuovo fabric” he was a tailor?! Her startled look made one with golden eye chuckle.

 “No I'm not kid” she wasn't much younger than them! Her scoff was ignored. “We killed what they call a red weaver, not just us two though, two more grade 4 were helping us…” 

 “Red weaver?” She heard about it a bit. Some said it was a myth, others spoke of a web brought to the surface from dark tunnels in exchange for … provision. 

 “Mhm… now its thing's parts work for us” his smile was cold, cruel but she could understand. Not many liked tailors and that thing seemed only worse by what she could guess from rumors. “So, aside from reading, what would you like to try doing?” 

 That was… a hard question to answer but she managed. 

*** 

 Kali seemed to be both weirdly careful and somewhat exasperated by the dark red piece of cloth that Arian sewed into a shirt for her. “this hits kinda close to home… but why is it so…”

 “Comfy? Well one part of it is it'll feel that way to you only… none of us gets how it works fully though” it was a bit hard to convince her but demonstration did the trick, both them making it and letting her try cutting the results using one of their daggers. 

 She felt a bit weird getting a gift that cost K serum plus payment that such specific work would require both in instruments and knowledge…

 Also she just wanted to learn sewing. Getting things fixed requires money or skill, better to have both especially if money isn’t something you have stably. For now she mostly observed but he promised to give her normal materials to try later “One way or another Raz will bring you weapons to try later, want to start the reading and writing part?” 

 She let out a somewhat disgruntled sigh but nodded. Hopefully he wouldn't be as smug as the snake…

 Arian wasn't. Honestly he reminded Kali of that one old guy who sometimes gathered kids like her around the street to read them stories… before he got swept by a sweeper wave after offending some low end Thumb grunt. 

 An hour or so later Raziel returned from his job carrying a few simple yet working weapons. Pair of axes, halberd and a long, heavy sword closer in shape to an outright butcher knife with thinner end. Kali immediately reached for the last…

***

 Raziel smiled behind his mask. Kali did try other weapons but in the end? That hunk of metal was her choice. Arian vocally noting similarities with the biggest sword Iori carried made young, yet to be fixer blush a little. She might call Color a hag but it didn't undo the effect care of a stranger did to a backstreet kid… 

 Of course before diving he asserted her level through sparring. Her hand to hand was bad. She was a bit malnourished and had little to no formal training, most of her skill coming from pure experience and instincts. 

 With the sword? Not much better but it seems she unconsciously copied a rough outline of Iori's style here and there. 

 “Raaah!” The vertically severed body of a feathered mutant fell onto the stone floor of the tunnel. She let out a breath, a bit winded clearly “Phew…” 

 Phoenix Feather flew, piercing through the eye of another one of the things that tried ambushing them. “Awareness…”

 “Yeah… sorry, I'm kind of” Raziel nodded. At least she admitted she was getting tired before anything worse happened. “Say… where are you from?” 

 “Originally? Nest born, on the lower end of status, but parents died, fixer turned corp guard uncle took me in…” Raz pulled the weapon out of the dead mutant, cleaning it before returning it into the sheath “but he died before I could tell him I got my fixer grade… since then I don't visit there much, rent money is all I have connected to nest dwellers” 

 “Huh… no school?” It was a fair question honestly. 

 “Most corporate schools are not cheap even to workers … plus contracts for students are kind of limiting in many ways, I didn't plan to sell my ass to corporates so that wasn't an option I'd choose if offered” Kali nodded, recalling more than a few people she saw sell their neighbors to either Fingers, other Syndicates or otherwise… like those damned chefs.

 On their return path they met… people, rats or some beggars by the looks of it, yet they seemed wrong. A bit out of it. Then she saw crystals. Bloody red crystals growing on some open areas of their skin. 

 They noticed them and immediately tried to rush Kali. Raziel, who was walking in the front seemed a little offended they nearly ignored him.

 “(Stop)” A single word resonated in her head like a tolling bell yet it were attackers who staggered and nearly fell over. What was that golden ring around his neck? 

 Raziel smiled. Another successful test. Over three weeks they slowly managed to pull the Light out. Sure they were yet to manage anything aside from weak, full body Shin and single Mang ring but unlike most users they knew Arian and Raziel had… imagination and plenty of fiction to inspire them onto a path of exploring limits of the Lunas and Light overall.

 Mang: Voice was one such thing. Aside from making their words carry meaning with the sound, making difference in language null, it could be used for compulsion. Also Iori said they'd need at least five Lunas to make her even flinch when they asked for help testing during her visit… but animals, weaker willed humans and bloodbags? Those had no iron will nor resistance like Abnormalities would likely possess. 

 Tsumukari Muramasa left the sheath for a short moment before the howl of a scorching slash of wind and flame echoed through the tunnel, bloodbags cut and scorched. “You okay there?” 

 “Yeah… say, can you teach that?” Her fingers poked at her neck. Raz smiled as a huff left his lips. “Young people are quite greedy these days aren't they?” He tutted humorously. 

 Seeing her somewhat confused if a bit exasperated expression Raz simply made a silent sign to follow and “not here”. 

***

 Maximilian hummed as he observed their new… intern? Apprentice? He wasn't sure how to put the position Kali took in their Office at the moment but the way both Raziel and Arian acted made it clear they didn't see her as an outsider.

 Purple Tear being involved didn't make headache Max felt any weaker. Colors were dangerous and unpredictable in their majority. They played in a much bigger sandbox than anyone in his office… he didn't want them used in some grand plan. 

 “Never tried pizza? Oh I'm so bringing you with us next time! Honestly you need more muscles if you like swinging that piece of steel” His second in command was as always the brightest of them. A young girl, a bit embarrassed by close proximity and perhaps somewhat short-circuited by energy Cecilia could give off, simply nodded. 

 Arian, who stood near Maximilian, smiled warmly. “Sorry for the troubles… I'll try to make sure nothing I'm stuck in hits you…” 

 Head of the Nail rewarded his young protege with a grim look. One of reminder. The younger fixer returned to him a small grin with gratitude glimmering in his eyes. It felt nice to have those who'd not mind going to hell with you. “yeah yeah.. I know my limits…”

 Somehow Maximilian felt that even if Raziel and Arian did know they'd likely jump into things above for a good enough reason… 

*** 

 Kali, even after an extensive if a bit vague explanation of what will await where you'll need to get the main ingredient from, didn't really falter in her interest and determination… As such Raziel agreed to supervise her slow descent to the Ruins but only alongside him. 

 Iori eventually came by. Read over two weeks and a half later. She looked a bit pensive but overall Arian could tell the woman was slightly less stressed than before. “You weren't too much trouble for your seniors?” 

 That made Kali huff. She was busy reading a book. Raziel recently got his hands on a N Corp second hand tech piece that allowed you to turn memories of texts or pictures into digital form if you could focus on them well enough. Result was addition of another tall bookcase for printed literature, manga, novels and more as physical copies were simply more pleasant to own for both twins. Currently she was reading another volume of Bleach. 

 “She is a fine student, if a bit stubborn, but nonetheless a good one” Raziel cut in. His face was adored with a warm smile. Arian's memories of Kali helping a lost kid find a mom during a courier mission was added to his favourites for sure. 

 Serpent and a young smith shared an understanding look and a barely visible smile…

***

 As fun as having an… appreciate? was two returned to their plans. With the basics down they needed something that wasn't easy to come buy… time. 

 T Corp wasn't an option. Prices were steep even for Associations which said enough. Other corporations could use T Singularity for training sure but selling themselves wasn't an option either… and they needed it. Needed to grind their skills, like sharpening of a blade was needed to make it ready for battle. 

 Sure, Kali rose to Color fast… but for their plans? They'd need to be higher up there when it all begins and for that they needed time to hone skills with the light, cramp information gathered through different contacts into their head, refine their fighting style too. 

 As such, even before they reincarnated, they thought about a potential training… literally hellish one but nonetheless possible. W Corp.

 Yes, they were going to use the Warp Train as a training chamber, or one of them will at least as this way there would be someone to receive memories before they are erased. Yes, potentially dying was bad, but they had plans.

 Mang: Voice to force W Corp cleanup crew to not notice them. Simple. Meditation practice to make time flow faster on the outside than to their mind too wasn't impossible, also they currently managed barely one to five ratio which still could cut the perceived years sharply need be. 

 Empty N Corp experience cans to fill. A digital book storage and reading device with a whole library of different biological upgrades, genetic therapies and more they needed to systemize and try combining in theory at the very least… of course they loaded up not just scientific things but free time reading materials, blueprints Elidur shared, instructions to playing imaginary chess, checkers and a few other games. 

 They also opened another Mang based skill. Mang:Soul Window. By using Luna on the eye, which creates a small shining circle in the iris centered around a pupil, they could glimpse into memories in active, direct use while passively increased sharpness of sight and gave hints of what whoever you looked at felt at the very moment. Amplification of direct empathy was a nice thing to have truly. 

 Best part? If they'd get to using two Lunas, and manage to spread them between eye and throat Arian thought they'd likely create resonance, projecting command through two senses instead of one. After all holding two doors shut simultaneously was much harder than holding only one. 

 Of course they practiced on each other, using recent things only… but potentially it could help to dredge up memories even if Arian, who was going into the Warp Train, might lose if he loses to the cleanup crew. 

 Raziel would stay and sleep through that time so memories would come to him. Of course potentially it could kill him… which is why they had a K serum injector connected to a heartbeat sensor made. Their past life paranoia was useful to have as experience after all. 

 With outline of future, slightly mad, somewhat suicidal, potentially lethal plan they got to training and preparing everything they had yet to prepare…

***

 Over a month has passed by since their last stage of preparations started. They cut time on non meditation and non Light related training, on some jobs too, pushing recently gained abilities further together. 

 Two Lunas were their current limit and required at least fifteen seconds of static meditation. Not possible in battle but alright for research or if you have a good team to let you get that time to prepare a strike. 

 Shin was… strange. It was hard to focus it towards singular characteristic like durability, strength, speed or sharpness of senses and reaction time. Also it differed depending on what was used as a key. 

 Silvery light brought by coolness and serenity made thinking easier, faster, the perception became clearer. Golden warmth brought by joy, hope and love instead granted more strength and slightly better regeneration. Of course each gave an overall buff but those specific “stats” were their respective special effects… Raziel was curious if Kali would one day develop a different hue of her own. 

 “Any progress?” Raziel asked Arian, who was trying to use two Lunas to force shift in shape of metal shard. Raz, likely due to Tsumukari Muramasa, had much easier time applying light to shaping of inanimate objects especially those of metallic nature even if using it without Relic was more draining and requiring deeper state of focus. 

 “Little bit…” twin put the fragment that looked slightly melted now onto the table before letting out a somewhat frustrated sigh.

 Raziel hummed. Even his sensitivity was enough to tell that their Light was different. His closer to nature of his Relic, Arian's more neutral due to lack of anything to stain it. Their memory exchanges made it all clearer. 

 “Tea?” A golden eye flickered from the piece of metal to Raz before a positive groan left Arian's throat. Progress felt slow and that was with results of each getting twice the experience due to exchange of memories…

***

 They left their apartment before sunrise making their way towards the one of two stations actual distance between which was the smallest. Bags were thrice checked, preparations too. Hopefully that would cut time in another dimension to a decade or two instead of hundreds of years…

 Both knew this road and a few other ways to get to their separation point, near the train station so it was more than understandable for them to notice something out of place. Proxies… Index Finger's executive branch, primarily fighters also some had different specialties. But not four proxies were what made the twins pause but a familiar face wearing a Proxy uniform… 

 “Hey kid… or kids I guess?” Hans. He looked different. More scars, eyes not as bright nor was his expression as cheerful and carefree as before. In his right hand was… a spear. An unfamiliar, ancient piece of solid bone carved into this shape that also, for some reason, took on a bright red color. Under white cloak  bandages could be seen.

 Arian blinked, trying to make sure his sensitivity towards Relics was not malfunctioning. Spear was… weird. It aminated potent bloodlust yet it seemed a bit… shallow? Like an actor who didn't truly live through acting, didn't feel his own character. 

 The bandages on the other hand were familiar enough to recognize fully. Saint's shroud. So much of it that it likely was either much higher quality or covered his whole body if it was like small piece they possessed in potency per volume. 

 His thoughts were stopped by more words leaving mouth of his former mentor. “Heard you got reputation now… Liu allied Atelier apprentice and helping slay a Red weaver…” 

 There was echo of melancholy and hint of regret mixed with strong resignation in his words and it was all clearer to empathetic sensitivity of the two.

 “Only one with a golden eye may fight the spearman” one of the four speaks up, staring at Raziel. Twins share a look. Proxies don't feel as strong and in the worst case they can simply return on another day or choose a different path but… Arian nods, stepping between the Proxies who remain standing, blocking Raziel's path while one of them keeps an eye on two future fighters. 

 “Ah… sorry that I didn't call, kinda hard after they swooped down on me” Arian nods as their former mentor whistles “nice spear…”

 “Yours isn't half bad either” gold eyed twin replies with a weak smile “relic replica I assume? Feels a bit shallow to be a real thing…”

 Replicas… Arian and Raziel saw and felt a few in Dieci library but this was the first time seeing a replica of something powerful and one so faulty too. Sadly Dieci put a steep price tag on knowledge of how to make replicas of even lower grade Relics so they could only theorize on the process and materials involved.

 “You can tell huh? Yeah, I couldn't handle the real one… It was temperamental and thirsty for blood, I nearly killed a few guards before higher up subdued me" the man admitted shamelessly before adding “They gave me all that… just because of a damned piece of paper! None of my merit… honestly kid, it felt insulting… but enough talk!”

 Then he smoothly transmissioning into a more battle ready stance “show me your best kid… paper said that only one leaves this place alive and I'd like to see all you've got!” 

 Arian didn't respond verbally. Instead he attacked. Relic Replica met Dhó Gae Bolg. Hans was stronger than they remembered him… but not as monstrous, not even one fifth of Iori. She did visit them and did, again, kick them both into dust. Mang, Shin, better control over Tsumukari and the upgraded spear held by Arian only made her hold back a little less than before. 

 When Hans tried to headbutt him Arian bent back and made a smooth, turning sidestep around his mentor's left side, letting his spear slide against the Replica..  Then he pushed back. They both made a bit of distance before Hans went for a chain of stabs. 

 Arian flinched out of the way of one, then another, more strikes. Spear seemed to be adjusting attacks mid action, pulling the user into the right direction to draw blood.

 The diagonal slash was supported by flaming exhausts at the other end of the spear while the tip shined, heating up. Hans was forced to stab his spear into the ground to block it but near immediately found that Arian was spinning… kick landing firmly in his gut before he could raise a hand. 

 “Oof… that I actually felt but meh kid, not gonna stick” Arian could tell. His mentor was likely not that easy anymore. A dagger was thrown and Hans dodged “huh?” 

 Toxic gas ampulla exploded together with flame from exhausts of the dagger. But… Hans attacked near immediately, seemingly unaffected. Arian sighed as he blocked slash and bashed away the stab. So the shroud was potent enough to show poison resistance increase… not ideal. 

 “Is that all you have, kid?” Stab dodged, stab sidestepped and bashed away, slash down rolled under and an opening! Additionally reinforced nuovo fabric didn't put up enough resistance, saint's shroud wasn't sturdy to begin with. Stench of burnt flesh hit his nose. 

 Headbutt hit his forehead painfully and Hans kicked him back “Ha… never liked using it that way…” his wound was rapidly closing, also it might still take a minute for it to fully disappear. Arian looked a bit abashed by such use of a Relic but it was effective, so valid. “Ready to die?” 

 There was no more warning. Red pulse of power spread off of the spear, Hans's eyes lost their usual calm replaced by joy mixed with bloodlust. His intent to kill was… not much, compared to Iori. Not bad for grade 4 made Proxy. 

 The battle grew faster. Raziel saw the blood red spear tear their nuovo fabric and metallic web, leave clear dents and swath on armor plates. Arian managed to limit actual damage to bruises and cut on the cheek which was barely healing. Yes without Shin it wouldn't come fast but…”Cursed… A cursed Relic working both ways likely, nullified by another… is his death worth this much?”

 “Prescript is to be followed” the more mechanical voice answered him,one of the proxies clearly was using more than a few substitute parts to replace weaker flesh with assuredness of technology. 

 Arian let go. His head cleared a little be it from pain or seeing his mentor twisted by the Replica of the cursed spear… The best he could do is honor him and give it his all. On a later date Index would lose a lot of things… that was a promise.

 The red glowing fog clad proxy stumbled when the next clash was more equal. Strength gifted by spear lifting body limiters met Shin. Golden warmth against maddened thirsting bloody crimson. 

 Bashed away stab followed by his own, blocked slash and pull on the shaft but Hans held firmly onto the cursed thing. Even cracked ribs from one Luna empowered kick didn't make him let go.

 “Raaah! Die you Brat!” Hans managed to roar out as his eyes, for a bare second, shined with pride and… warmth. Cleaner Light managing to crack the curse a little “Gae Bolg!” 

 Crimson glow pulsed, beating faster, man's heart going into overdrive as his body started cannibalising itself for power. His gaze met Arian's.

 One of the twins recalled it. Old spear gifted to him. Pride this man had in his success. Time they spent rarely together, talking or his mentor dragging him to the rooftops to watch the City lights.

 The joy of the connection, the gratitude of lessons taught, perhaps also the sorrow… 

 One ring of glowing gold appeared around spear tip of the vibrating, heated spear. Second formed. Third flickered but dispersed. Golden Aura of shin condensed itself closer to the weapon and the body of the its origination point.

 “Dhó Gae Bolg…” spears exhausts exploded in fire mixed with Light. The cursed spear roared to meet his heart but…

 Two spearheads met. Few moments of two powers clashing stretching the perception of both fighters. Hans grinned as the Replica cracked under pressure. A golden spear of flame tore through his heart…

 “Huh…” Light of dispersing Lunas washed away the veil of bloodlust from man's eyes “You did good kid… I'll say hi to Vinc…” he coughed up blood, struggling to stay awake “don't come soon…”

 “I won't… uncle, tell dad I said hi” weak nod was the last thing his mentor did. 

 “So it's complete…” proxy spoke before starting to walk away. Raziel was a little surprised they didn't retrieve the body but… he wouldn't mind being able to bury Hans himself, somewhere good like under one of the fruit garden trees he showed them long ago. Relics were interesting but secondary to the fresh hit of sorrow. 

 “We will continue as planned” Arian spoke as he pulled back the weapon. Raziel nodded knowingly. Processing would come more easily during intense training be it of mind or body. 

***

 Raziel returned home. Injector and sensor were ready, clock connected to the real time timetable of Warp Trains showed time as intended…

 “Good luck there…” he spoke before slowly drifting off to sleep under the effects of a drug as well as his meditation that focused towards bringing one into the desired state.

Chapter Text

 Boarding went smoothly. Arian also was happy to confirm that the innards of the wagons lacked visual ways of recording, as was stated in multiple sources. The aggression senses were there sure, but those were much less important. He took his place and started watching, tracking those who were slowly filling his wagon and future training ground. 

 It was slow, after all, some came to their seats a bit beforehand. Still eventually doors closed Arian felt the shift. His body seemed to… stop. Not freeze but state it was in seemed stable, static in a few ways even if still could feel and move. Of course, after less than a minute people started to worry. Arian took his time, two Lunas manifesting around his neck but hidden by high collar and the hood “((Sleep))” 

 Whisper yet it hit each mind like a freight train. The only one who showed a hint of resistance was a woman in M Corp employee uniform, also it was definitely not a clerk one, closer in style to guard branch K Corp uniform. She was likely at least somewhat useful, potentially. 

 It took a bit of time to do two things. Pile sleeping bodies near one end in a way they won't choke, because even if they wouldn't hunger or need air he did not feel like torturing people who didn't do much bad to him. Put signal strings with bells near each door. Now… he could start training by their preplanned program. 

***

 Without distractions for food and only mental exhaustion accumulating, Arian found himself very productive. In past life web and apps as well as ads did a great job making people incapable of focus and rewiring the brain to work on easily accessible dopamine. 

 In this one Head and even corporations chose a far more rational approach for a long run. There were barely any free porn sites, ads only used for a few products of corporations, games limited to either skill and mind-dependent or in the form of game clubs with playing machines. Web of the City was far less crowded, more functional place that didn't get clattered because allowance to actually leave information there had a price.

 Sure, you could chat between devices but there were no online games. Literally none aside from using chat for chess games or something similar. Arian and Raziel tried to get to hows and whys but Dieci had scarce records on the topic aside from Head and corporations unitedly disallowing such lowering of overall human ability to learn and work. 

 Good, both twins liked it that way much much more. They wouldn't have given in given the possibility to grow as a fixer giving them far more real power… but lack of that unpleasant noise everywhere in digital space was very welcome. 

 One way or another… training. It was cut between three categories. Theoretical, learning plus periodical testing as well as writing down ideas and models for the future execution. Physical, which included shadow fighting hand to hand, using a spear, using daggers. Light based, which was Shin focus, Luna manifestation and shaping of material with Light. 

 Breaks were mandatory. Reading through literature unrelated to work or plans, playing chess with a chess bot on the phone. It wasn't AI by any means but it did record tactics and adapt in a limited manner. Oh, he found out the device charge in here was fixed… or at least used so slowly it didn't seem to go down. Sure there was a signal here, but you didn't need it to operate an electronic book. 

 Meditation… The first time he went through his mechanical clock showed that currently he could feel time in a ratio of 1/9. Progress of the last month was there also after the fight with Hans Light felt a little more receptive to his will. Enforced Mang: Voice commands to himself to sleep for set time did work but he didn't use them very often as meditation could empty his mind well enough to relax mentally and physically toxin accumulation seemed to just not happen… Honestly the more Arian thought about it all the more flabbergasted he was by the mixture of W Corp and T Corp work. Miracle made in hell was honestly as awe inspiring and wonderful as it was horrifically terrifying.

 Another kata with the daggers ended when a bell rang, the door being forced open. A rather tall man, covered with cuts, blood from which sticking to him as if pulled back by unseen force, was trying his best to pull apart the doors. 

 Seven second. It now took this long to manifest 2 Mang rings. Barely fifth week of his training. Many books on biology, gear building, weapons and armor… “((Stop…)” 

 Man did and another command followed, weak and cracked mind faltering with barely any resistance. Then Arian started asking. The wagon where man was mostly already is dead, well as dead as they can go but torn to shreds at least. “Hmmm… I'll give you mercy”

 Another passenger shut down into dreamless, enforced slumber.

***

 Eina blinked, her eyes slowly opening. Where… ah yes Warp Train malfunctioned and… the voice. It told her to sleep and now she was awake?

 “Seems like you aren't in any pain? Good” same voice spoke. She turned around to see a man. One who sat three seats forward from her. He held a spear, one definitely not cheap. His stance was relaxed but she knew better.

 “May I ask… what is happening?” Her voice was shaky, her fingers reached her belt, trusty Zwei gear based batons still there. The man nodded, his expression slightly hesitant and… worried? 

 Arian hadn't thought that seeing a stranger in denial, then anger, then all the way to acceptance would be this… disturbing. Her breakdown wasn't pretty but to his great relief she held back from crying after seeing how blood acted through the partially open door. He of course could try using Light infusing to force matter away but he only tried healing himself from micro cuts, which worked also there was seemingly no natural regeneration at work. 

 He did his best, which wasn't much, to calm her down. A bit of music, headpets, speaking in a calm, steady voice to her. Eventually she managed to calm down enough to listen to him with more awareness and focus. 

 Eina took in a deep breath as she tried her best to just let go of everything and let music wash away the thoughts of today… 

 She was not a crazy strong fixer, barely passing grade 6 without her corporate equipment which she currently didn't have on her. Her uniform was very much not so special as corporations give cheap brand clothing to their workers, not the work suits that sometimes match grade 4 or 3 fixers level of gear quality! She was not a training maniac who could just do that either… honestly she understands why he didn't tell anyone about this but willingly walking into what you think may be HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF HELL?! Eina didn't get Arian at all and she hoped, really hoped there might be someone else here still remotely sane not torn to pieces, even if he didn't seem that bad. 

 It took her only three days to ask for actual training and games. Chess bot was all good but Arian admitted inwardly that living company was indeed a vital part of his plan he nor Raziel thought through deeply enough. He was rather lucky that the blonde with a quite beautiful pair of orange eyes and pale skin was cooperative…

 It took Eina less than a month to start moving towards the same learning routine as he. Of course they changed it a little. Question exchanges on different topics read before, critics towards spars with their shadows, exchange on advice on how to use each other's weapons. Sometimes they had fun combining shadow sparring and purely word based chess games, it helped memory training…

 It took them two months to figure out… they couldn't get horny, like at all. Detaching strings of saliva from each other was messy too but their bodies seemed to not react much. Damn the twisted physics of this place… Time kept going yet standing somewhat still in the Warp Train.

 “Ah… it's… warm” Eina felt whatever he called Light slowly moving inside her. It was so… warm, not physically or at least not in a way physical heat would affect you. 

 Arian hummed. He tried both silver and golden Light yet none seemed to be capable of taking roots in Eina to make her capable of using it. Perhaps he lacked skill or power to do so, it was possible that the Warp Train travel dimension disallowed the awakening of Light, perhaps it was simply impossible to do this way? It was too pure because she didn't go through purification and as such his Light didn't fit her? 

 As sad as this was, they kept going. Training, reading, playing and talking about each other…

 Eina… orange eyes, gold blonde hair with rare streaks of deep violet from her mother's side. She was 23 years old. Her biological father, a fixer, died in her youth when she wasn't even four yet. Mother remarried an officer of M Corp guard squad a year and half later who trained Eina from early years for self defense mostly but daughter felt she wouldn't mind joining him eventually.

 Her parents were good people. Not best but nice enough, especially by City standards. Her mother was kind of always worried for her new dad and Eina. Derek, her adopted father, was a dutiful hard working man noticeable flaw being only his love for high quality tea leaves and sweets. 

 She loved dumplings with cherries and adored geckos. Her mother had a pet, a young black cat her father found on the way home as a kitten. Said cat, called Bart, loved sleeping on Eina’s pillow as such she was often woken by him stepping on her face. 

 Arian… couldn't tell her as much. Not about his bond with Raziel nor his own past life… but he did tell her about Ruins, some of the Relics, simpler normal jobs, many things that wouldn't be strange for the City nor interest a corporation more than any other deep diver. She likely felt it but neither did she talk much about whatever M Corp did inside more guarded areas. She didn't ask about Light much but did promise to not tell, even if he doubted she'd withstand torture for long if a skilled individual or one with good enough tools tried it. 

 “I'll definitely visit you after…” he simply nodded. There wasn't a need to say it, to remind them of possible decades to come. In the worst case he'd put her to sleep again, this time willingly, and start meditating or perhaps try going to other wagons…

 Time kept turning… yet it was frozen in place. 

***

 Wagon after theirs was a bloody place, last two survivors were too damaged to do more than crawl and whale wheezing out the air. Arian made them sleep hoping it would numb their minds until time to reverse it all came. 

 In the next… they found two people. Ring finger members. A young girl and a tall yet thin elderly man, both with black hair, also girl had it cut much shorter than her senior whose straight, midnight black strands ended on the level of his lower ribs. 

 “My my… guests?” His black eyes focused on them, away from smeared blood strokes made into a very well done outline of a woman's face, quite a beautiful one if not for the grim gore foundation of it all. “Sane too… where are my manners, I'm Alberto D Salem, Ring Docent and this is Mira, my apprentice and Ring Student” 

 Arian nodded before looking at Eina, she looked distinctly less comfortable then himself. Understandable, after all she didn't have his experience despite the age being close. Guard job wasn't usually involving things like Red weaver, bloodfiends, abnormalities or anything close to the level of bloody, gruesome or mind boggling. “I greet you, Docent Alberto, Student Mira… Grade 5 Fixer Arian of the Nail Office”

 “You surely need retaking the exam… those movements and eyes are not grade five” artist stated honestly “Taking a walk I assume? Sadly we are yet to find anyone in five wagons forward, the sixth is blocked by piled, torn bodies…” 

 Mira nodded silently before… using sign language? Arian hummed thoughtfully. There were few illnesses incurable in the City. Cancer was fixed here, pricey sure but far from impossible to deal with as were most genetic flaws too.

 “Ah… of course dear” Docent nodded after returning his attention to them “my apologies, Mira here, before I found her talent to refine it, had  a wasteful teacher who thought her vocal cords could be used elsewhere…” 

 That's how they met their weird new acquaintance and the train neighbors who eventually moved to their much cleaner wagon.

 Alberto was… an interesting man. He found utter delight in crushing them all in chess, checkers and domino too. Latter was made by Arian using Light to reshape certain pieces of solid materials they found. Reading wise he was more of a drama and detective loving man, loving riddle solving which added a layer to when it was his turn to quiz them on knowledge of theory found in Arian's book storage device. 

 Appreciation for more classic arts, not made from or based in human suffering, made him an outlier in the Ring, baring him from Maestro status despite experience, battle prowess and knowledge. He practiced with blood because they simply didn't have much with them. 

 Arian very much adored his ability for flowery yet on point criticism of fighting style. Also fighting for real wasn't really a good idea here Alberto could very well show and pinpoint mistakes in how a lure move was made, a false direction signaled. 

 His two handed flambard made from surprisingly light and durable alloy that had colors akin to bismuth could move with such grace and smoothness that only lack of speed, fairly big one, made Arian not think that man could potentially give Iori a challenge. Flickering colors only made the effect worse… for the opponents.

 Yes they got some practice by going in the opposite direction. Three whole wagons of minced meat, broken bones and partially torn apart “survivors” who attacked at sight or were catatonic. 

 Mira was… timid. Her purple eyes were often squinted. Learning sign language didn't take Eina and Arian long, plus she could type things in too. The girl loved romance with good endings. She adored cats and couldn't get enough of music, especially one of Celtic style, that Arian happily shared. 

 Her primary weapons were a pair of tantos with a shocker built into the handles and special, barely visible grooves for spread of venom along the blade. 

 She was… a nascent mangaka, at least it seemed so to Arian from description of her pieces, usually formed by chained together pictures with small bits of text attached to each making a united short piece of a story. 

***

 “Hmmm… adequate” Alberto grinned, his pale, aged face taking on a satisfied expression. It was Eina to earn first victory in chess against him. Over three months after their first meeting. M Corp guard let out a cheerful yell. 

 Mira, sitting on Arian's lap while both had one ear pod in use, smiled smugly. She met the fixer's gaze before signing “told you”. 

 “You did… So what do you want to ask about?” They made bets, yes. Not often and nothing too big, with limits to what one could ask about or ask for. But it made games feel more interesting, stakes did that to any form of activity. 

 The youngest member of Abnormal Untimely Readers, as Alberto dubbed their gathering, showed him the screen of a device on which was a piece of text. Simple single sentence “Sing while using Light” 

 Arian let out a reverberating hum, his expression turning pensive. He usually limited it to very short, one word, commands or not complicated sentences practicing on a few maddened they found in relative wholeness of body but not mind. After all he needed to enforce his will onto the W Corp cleanup crew when the journey was over and that required practice. Alberto helped, so did Eina and Mira but he preferred to not use enforcement on them. Hypocritical yes, selfish too, but he didn't deny it. 

 What Mira wanted him to try could be a good way to train… Perhaps he'll learn to show his memories to others instead of reading recent ones? 

***

 Alberto was born into the Ring. His parents were kind, if not very talented… he loved them nonetheless. “Hmmm…”

 His eyes refocused on preparations his apprentice betted their friend into. Yes, this young boy with an old, scarred look in his eyes, was very much what Alberto considered a friend. 

 He still recalled their death by Index messenger. More precisely, this doll made from a broken human being carried a piece of paper that ordered multiple neighbors to cooperate and kill his parents in a public, torturous way. Fate, or prescript, following fanatics. One of the topics Arian opened up on… to think a mere random, vibration catching machine and a human interpreter caused it. Alberto was very willing to offer his aid in potential revenge. 

 Truly The City needed something… and the old man couldn't help but gaze at the Light young man used with longing that mayhaps he'll see that day come? 

 What little good Alberto could do as a Ring member was teaching people well so they could pass the tests… and saving a girl which reminded him too much of his long dead mother. 

 His thoughts ceased as the melody started. His friend walked wagons away to rehearse, unwilling to grace their ears with an unprepared act of voice and power coalescing together. He could respect this.

 Aura of beautiful, warm, dancing tongues of gold flame like power shrouded Arian. One ring, then another, formed around his neck. 

Falling fast asleep 

May this little boy find blissful dreams 

 Sorrow, pain, loneliness and hopeless despair. It all hit him together with… an image? No, a memory shifting, vague but discernable enough. He could feel snow prickling at his skin. Chilling touch of wind. 

Among the ash and the flames that light up the night sky 

One by one, falling softly 

 Vision shifted as did emotions in the words. Flying drones, footage, war. Hate, disgust, powerlessness. But where… when? 

With your silhouette Casting shadows of your lovely face 

I watched the sky as a million dreams are shining 

Little dreams, little dreamer 

 A night sky, clear as Alberto only saw in pictures made by those daring bunch who travel beyond even outskirts to see a sky free of light pollution. Serenity, joy, hope… desire to just stay here forever.

Within the tender night, your silver eyes were trembling 

That moment you shined pure, born anew into this world

 Eyes opening, one of a boy younger from any previous vision. Looking at an older man smiling at him warmly…

Across a million years, time has brought us here Our prayers burn into the Earth back where they shall return to time 

 It went on, repeating another time, slightly different visions. Of a young man standing atop of a building alone, of rioting populace, of the ocean shoreline where water was clear much unlike Great Lake, of a fixer standing against a Bloodfiend on his lonesome.

 “Bravo….” Alberto registered his own elated, quite yet no less emotion filled words. Yes, this was it! Perhaps… a seedling for now but… even if it was mere chance. Aged man who now looked as if he lost a few years off his age smiled brightly while teary eyed Eina did her best to remove the tears blurring her vision. Mira just stepped closer and hugged Arian. 

***

 Over four years passed. Not as much for them due to meditation also Eina's skill still was hanging behind all three of them in that matter but even she managed a one to six ratio now, also Alberto and Arian could go to one to fifteen and twenty one respectively. Enforced sleep helped them all too.

 They had read through a lot of books, more than once in most cases. Good that he had multiple flash drives, some with empty space allowing them to write stories together or on their own to share later.

 A limited variant of D&D was possible too also it took them a while to make it even relatively balanced and fun. But if anything they did have it was time here. 

 “You did well kid…” words of Hans echoed through his memory. Silver Light stimulation helped it even more. The sorrow of losing a mentor, gratefulness for all the past times together, joy of that bond existing for as long as it did. Slowly… three rings hummed to life. 

 Three Lunas all wrapped around his wrist area. It took a while for him to get this far, also honestly he touched the number of them only recently, if two months counted as such. Stable three required simultaneous spread focus on each feeling together with giving power they provoked into a form that allowed a certain frequency of Light to be more easily directed. As such the complexity of bringing out every new Luna was nonlinear. 

 “My congratulations… I guess now I owe Eina another embarrassing story revelation” Docent of the Ring let out a dramatic sigh of faux sorrow. They bet on that? “Mayhaps I can interest you in trying to put together a blueprint of my weapon upgrade?” 

 “Why not… also I don't know if you'll be able to keep the beauty of it” fixer and craftsman agreed easily. It would be an interesting challenge to try if nothing else and he saw plenty of beautiful yet powerful weapons in the photo album kept by Elidur through Raziel's memories.

 It was another two months into Luna oriented practice that Arian figured out an interesting new trick… Sinful and Virtuous Lunas. More potent variants focused on feelings connected to certain Sin or Virtue respectively through memories closely connected to one acting on either. 

 “Ah…” a deep sigh left his lips. There was a resounding hum through the air as a single Mang ring took on a shade of red. Pulsing, trembling, hot hue of blood. The hate, the pain, the desire to erase. Wrath. 

 Sinful or Virtuous Lunas were harder to manifest, requiring emotions to be present yet directed, like using a steam engine in a way while controlling both temperature, direction and width of the exhausts. His skill was insufficient to use two separate modified Lunas, especially not of opposing spectrums but at the very least he was slowly cutting the time required to call forth this form… also he was yet to be capable of calling out even normal Luna after this, perhaps he should try calling two of them before forming a Sinful from one? 

***

 Their first “new year” celebration was rather calm aside from the heated twisted D&D journey going on. Mira managed quite a beautiful dance with ribbons performance for them. Alberto used strings and warning bells Arian had to play music. Eina presented them a digital drawing, oh how thankful Arian was for installing that modification to his tablet on Raziel's advice, on which each of them was reimagined as a certain cat breed. Honestly it was endearing. Arian himself sang again, this time choosing less sad and tear incentive song, instead drawing on his favourites and singing away Мельница - Дракон. 

 They still trained and read but each next cycle slowly solidified memorized information into something which was hard to forget at all. Not to the “I know every line in a book” yet, aside from Arian who did have that problem…

 None spent a lot of time outside meditation, usually cutting it to one to six ratio per day with meditation taking those six. It would shorten the wait throughout the years by a lot, but sanity was more important here, especially here. 

 None wanted to wake even intact sleeping people too because by looking through their things, looks and clothing they could tell that none aside from those already awake were fixers or anything remotely alike. One looked like a corporational scientist assistant and had a fitting identification card from U Corp. But… none of the four was sure it was a good idea, vote three against one, surprisingly one being Mira, they booted the idea. 

 Time started running faster as more skill in meditation was gained, deeper state capable of lifting mental fatigue and in absence of physical one? It was even better than sleep which they still, if rarely, partook in. Arian managed to make others dream too, also sadly didn't yet manage to reverse it onto himself for some reason.

 But it was a third year and half when a breakthrough in his understanding of Lunas and Light overall came by to hit him…

 While Eina and Mira sharpened their skills in either hand to hand or weapon using combat he spent more time trying to master Light. Steadily shifting of physical inanimate objects became easier, faster, especially if he put Lunas behind the act… but more importantly? Kindness infused Virtuous Luna made it easier to restore living. He managed to piece together the torn apart arm of someone in a nearby wagon also finding whose it was didn't seem possible. 

 Sadly the number of Lunas seemed stagnant at four, also he was managing to pull off one modified and two normal Lunas simultaneously by now… Going through his own memories of past life gave him an idea of where to go around it. Lunas could grow in radius, now question was how?

 With a new avenue for exploration his work kept going slowly, bit by bit. 

***

 Eina slowly hummed a melody that got stuck in her head hard after their second year here… truly time was a cruel yet beautiful thing. She imagined just how hard it would be to return to “normal” as Arian was more than willing to not leave them to the W Corp cleanup crew.

 After he managed to heal another back into wholeness, even if just a hand, she asked to train her more harshly. It took a month to convince Alberto and Arian, with some aid of Mira who understood her desire better than those two.

 Pain… she found it strange how now, by fifth year, she no longer screamed from a finger severed or her lung pierced through. Training naked, Alberto's inventiveness be damned, was embarrassing but it taught her better focus… and made a few interesting memories. Of course it wasn't always that way. Arian could reshape materials back into shape need be, but variety was good to have. 

 Now she was better. Skill alone of course could only do so much with modifications but both Alberto and Arian knew and were willing to help her get augmented after they left this train…

 Wasn't that a scary thought? Needing food, sleep, not waking up to the same ceiling and familiar music from a loudspeaker… No discussing which is the cuter cat breed… No touch of cool, serene, calming silver light when she felt like cracks appeared in her mind again…

 “Another round dear student?” Alberto asked as Arian reattached and put back together her guts. Eina nodded firmly. She needed to be more than she ever was to one day face The City again…

***

 A Luna wrapped around his wrist slowly grew in radius. Figuring the mechanism took only, ha ha, two months of work. It took over a year to refine into a remotely battle useful state. 

 Growth of the Mang ring size depended on… how deeply you could immerse yourself in a certain moment and how many reasons to trigger one emotion you could find in it. Each next use didn't require new, but you could control the “input” as such potency correlated to the radius of the ring… But it was a method limited by the content of the memories.

 As such Arian looked for alternatives and… did find one, not without its own downsides of course. Mang: Spiral it was dubbed.

 If bigger Luna required focus on one memory, Spiral required one to slowly cycle through memory connected to one used for initial Luna formation in which the same emotion could be found. The more you can cycle through without losing grasp on previous the longer and more potent the spiral resulting from it. 

 Minuses? You can't create two spirals, or spiral and normal Luna, directed at one action. Separate? Sure like normal Luna in the eye and a spiral around the neck, but not the same point of application. Another minus that unlike bigger Luna, spiral was still too time consuming to make to use in battle consistently instead of making it a move that required preparation, especially if you wanted to make it from more than three coils which is what he called each circle worth length cut in a spiral. 

 Also he was yet to succeed in using the Sinful or Virtuous variant of Lunar spiral, alternative way to call Mang: Spiral, unlike just the bigger variant of Luna which more easily accepted the shift.

 “Ready to lose again dear friend?” Docent of the Ring asked with a smug yet excited expression. After Arian pulled on memories of Hearthstone they all got into drawing pictures and making up cards for them… now they had, not well balanced but enthusiasm driven version with over thousand cards spread over four classes. 

***

 Mira helped Arian go through the wagon again, looking for more whole individuals. It was year eight for them now… she still remembered his sincere promise to help her speak again when they get out of here. 

 Why were they looking for less widely spread, torn apart, smeared across the walls humans? Arian was practicing restoration of a whole. He managed one with not so damaged person in close by wagon. Restored man woke up but was quite mad so now he was asleep…

 Her and Eina got better. Not good enough for either Alberto or Arian to go all out, not close, but their skill and depth of understanding these two grew enough to sometimes land a hit or two, make a lure that didn't get noticed and planned around etc. Mira didn't like pain much but she hated being weak and being unable to protect gramps much, much more. 

 Gramps was getting better… which she felt a little bit scared of because he was already one of the better fighters she knew to begin with. 

 Mira squinted her eyes, focusing on discerning how messed up and interwoven another batch of bodies was. 

 Gramps… she wasn't actually her relative but they weren't worth recalling. Big sis Eina and big brother Arian were more family than those people…

 “You okay? We can return if you don't feel up to it…” his warm, soothing light washed over her protectively. The girl smiled and shook her head. 

***

 “Do things remember anything?” Mira once asked via writing while he was shaping a piece of metal again. It made him pause.

 How did he forget that? Raziel had a sword that made more swords, they both more or less had Reinforcement via Shin. Why didn't he thinks towards one of the big missing pieces of their potential Shirou tool kit? 

 “thanks Mira… that's actually a good idea” he gently ruffled her hair, smiling only wider as she pouted and started straightening it out.

 This became his main side project in the next months. At first he barely could tell the difference of materials through the Light but bit by bit he managed to feel glimpses. Temperatures, voices, blurry echoes of light reflected off of it creating visions, weight of time and inner structure… Sadly it was far too focus needy to use mid fight and to actually use gained information, but nonetheless potentially invaluable. Perhaps this will help to create Replicas?

***

 Shift was… sudden. Ten years, one week, two days, seven hours, ten minutes and fifty two seconds since the entrance to another dimension the Warp Train shifted back into normal time-space. Aur, shortened from their team name given by Alberto, members felt it very very clearly. Of course they were in a time dilation bubble that gave W Corp cleanup crew time to actually process the passengers but still…

 Somewhere in the City, in a building near Nail Office, certain twin started swearing worse than any sailor. Assault of experience from his twin didn't make his brain short-circuit, nor did it make vessels burst or heart stop, but a headache mixed with full body tremor of too many experiences shoved into him did hurt… Shin snoozed it a little also keeping it active took a lot from him in such state… he managed thanks to new experience.

 “Oh…” Ring Docent was first to react out loud to the shift in the sensation. “So it was a decade and a bit huh? Another bet goes to Mira I guess…”

 Arian hummed, spiral of cold silver forming around his neck while one eye he didn't close slowly started glowing, one Luna in it was deep purple of Pride. Sin that aided enforcement of will over others be it objects or people, perhaps even the world itself. 

 “We remember the map, worry not…” Eina spoke up reassuringly, more for herself than fixer-friend-mentor and the only reason she didn't end up mad and processed later. 

 Mira nodded, smiling and letting a bit of mirth show on her face. She was looking forward to trying his cooking and just spending time how they couldn't really do in here. 

***

 It took the W Corp cleanup crew a minute to get through wagons before one wall of corpses was blocked by. “Silent… easy work?”

 “Hope more buddy…” another one of the crew, older and more scarred, stated sarcastically. Yet until they went few more down it was indeed calm… they even found a few passengers seemingly… asleep? “Hella weird…” 

 “Opening” female cleanup crew member spoke. Door opened. It was clean? Were those just four people? Wha-

 Purple glimmer made him focus solely on it. “(((Do not notice us, proceed as normal, nothing strange occured, sleeping are to be carefully placed in the seats, we must not be reversed)))” 

 The oldest janitor felt a hint of worry, fear and something else shift in his gut but the voice. How could he disobey the voice of someone so much higher? No, he was simply fulfilling his own purpose! 

 The crew proceeded with their work. Four individuals took their seats last, undisturbed and unbothered by the W Corp workers. One of the crew who set the return of passengers to their previous state manually blocked the action and edited the file, as such nothing weird seemed to occur in the registry…

***

 It did not take Cecilia much time at all to notice Raziel was strange today. His expression mixed together a good part of irritation, joy and sheer elation. She only saw him show after bringing Tsumukari Muramasa from the dive and finally getting that weird shiny whispering water. 

 But worse? His movements… They were refined, too refined, like he learned to do everything better, cleaner, using less and making so motion was smooth enough to not clearly give away to what was to follow! 

 “Hey…” she grabbed his shoulder gently, squeezing it a little. He stared at her, breaking away from the cup of tea he slowly drank after a dose of diluted K serum and a painkiller pill. “Did you by chance buy black market N Corp canned experience?” 

 “Oh? I guess you'd get the impression… no, I'm not that stupid” he chuckled, it was a bit trembling, unnervingly cracked sound. “Say… you and Max can come for barbecue? I'd love sharing” she nodded. That was their little code for big secret related talk. She hoped it wasn't too bad…

***

 “You utter, absolute, idiotic imbeciles! Why couldn't you just ask for help?! You could have gone mad if you weren't lucky for it to be ten years only! Ten years Arian! Nearly one third of your life experience now is in that damned train!!” Head of the Nail Office watched his second in command chew out two younger fixers who now were likely far beyond a grade 4 if they didn't hold back their tricks.

 Maximilian slowly pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a deep sigh. Arian returned, the shift in him even clearer than it was on Raziel. Cecilia, sitting next to him, finally sat down, a bit tired of screaming.

 “Honestly… only you two! How did you even think about it…?! What if you…” she sobbed, biting her lower lip “I'm happy you are still sane…”

 “Indeed… I did not expect to feel a shift like that, to think it was your idiocy that managed to make not just Index act up but disrupt my vision” Purple Tear just… walked out of thin air into the room. Then she hit Arian on the head, hard, with a sheathed sword that was behind her back moment ago, making young fixer hiss. 

 “We don't have your time Tear, neither do we have raw talent or deep modification…” Max wasn't sure who those were meant to characterize “Our learning speed is mere double of normal due to experience share! We wouldn't be strong enough in time to do it…” 

 “Yes, but you risked too much… your connection might have led to mad, Light wielding Raziel here very close to Nail Office with multiple Relics of grades above third” her factual, cold statement made Max very much shiver. He was skilled, more augmented, yes, but what little kid showed of Light wasn't anything to scoff at… honed by ten years plus Relics that bordered on gear of grade 1 fixers? He'd likely due, not too fast, but win wasn't on the table for him alone at the very least.

 “Worst case we could enforce long sleep cycles leaving only triggers to warn us of exit to normal reality so…” Arian tried but even he wasn't as assured looking now.

 “Your only saner act was actually finding company… as unpleasant as the situation you made for yourself was you now have more skilled allies at least” Iori cut him off giving him a look Max could only read as very irritated and annoyed. “You are going to properly rest, recover from your blunder and let others actually help, your paranoia isn't unwarranted but these two proved themselves to you already didn't they?” 

 Maximilian admitted it hurt a bit that the kid planned it all and left little to no warning system aside from what should have reversed Raziel if he died and a few locks that would likely hold Raz inside the workshop for a while. 

 Raziel was first to stand up. He slowly hugged Cecilia, petting her head only for her to hug him with a death grip, her sobs only subsiding a little as his body started glowing gold “sorry… We simply wanted to carry it out without pulling you into the potential hell… or corporate hunt..”

 “Understandable… I know you won't tell everything, likely never which is ok” Max finally spoke up, looking into silver and blue eyes “but you need to lean on others a bit more, those Proxies might have killed you two easily if not for their papers… You could have not been alone there to begin with…” 

 The young man, perhaps not in mind anymore, nodded solemnly. Arian let out a sigh, his gaze slowly moving to Iori “Fine… so let me tell you a bit more about it then…”

 M Corp employees and saner than usual Finger members were … interesting company, Max could tell. Sheer knowledge now stacked in boys heads now rivaled some professional doctors and gear engineers if in theory alone for the most part. Light… he wasn't able to judge but Iori's flabbergasted, widened eyes and tone of voice when she asked a single “what?” told him enough about how… abnormal managing this much with it was in the eyes of a Color. 

 “You…” the Purple Tear stepped closer to Arian before… placing her palm on his head and ruffling his hair a little. Her tone calmer, less biting too “did well in the time you stole from yourself… do not think it absolves your idiocy” her voice returned to harsher time. “When will that meeting happen?” 

 “We agreed to three days” was the answer. Arian, less so than Raziel who was still getting a bear hug from Cecilia, looked quite shocked at Color's action, not that Max wasn't. “Around eleven o'clock…” 

 “Good, I'll be there, do not warn them” she looked at both, getting rather stiff nods as a perceivable pulse of pressure rushed through the room. Then she was gone…

***

 Iori appeared atop of the old building in the Outskirts. She rubbed her temples before letting out a deep sigh. 

 Docent that should have died protecting his young student whom a certain Ring Maestro wanted to use as art material. The young girl whose fate was not bright enough to even grasp most likely outcomes before. A youth with a stolen voice meant to never bloom. 

 Now? She could feel and glimpse more easily. Not like stronger, brighter strings yet not easily missed either. Truly this boy had no idea about ripples produced… but, to her surprise, none seemed too negative to any of the key points for now. 

 She looked up at the night sky, searching for constellations she used to help her dear child find within that vast darkness and stepped through space. There were other students requiring her attention…

***

 It took Eina quite a bit of effort to convince mom and dad that she was ok… and to find a way to use anything but Warp Train now to get to job, but she wasn't going to use it again, like ever, without Arian there to give her an enforced nap. 

 Being hungry again felt weird, so did the overall world around after prolonged isolation… but she managed to hold back some of her reactions, still showing dad a bit of her gained skills, planning to gradually open it fully and get a fair fixer grade. Perhaps she'll join an Office instead of staying in a corporation… she didn't like thinking just what M Corp might be using to make those moonstones.

 Sooner than later she found the Nail Office and the building nearby before pressing a button on a panel, ringing the call to specific floor and apartment “ah… Hi! it's Eina”

 “Hm? Yes, come on in” that wasn't Arian. Perhaps his brother Raziel? They sounded close but not exactly, at least to her. 

 Soon she was inside. Her eyes were flickering around the place. Bookcases, silk, pieces of clothing, small Relics like fairy lens or fragments of a saint's shroud… and Raziel. His eyes were a hint less tired than Arian's yet somehow didn't feel younger… 

 “Hmmm….” She turned sharply, her hand moving to land a neck chop and froze, her whole body going rigid. She met purple eyes, gaze piercing, curious, a bit suspicious, expression on a pale face akin to a cold, smug mask. Worst was a hint, an inkling of deadly intent that made her feel like first times against Arian going not so easy, multiplied by eleven “Not too bad…”

 “I told you so dear lady, one of my fine students if not as utterly monstrous in potential like yours” Alberto's voice sounded behind her making Eina feel a little less stiff. “Worry not child, we are just fine and so you'll be…” 

 “I'll make some tea…” Raz left the room. Eina looked behind her. Alberto was sitting on a chair hidden from view by the door, Mira sitting on one further away, right next to standing Arian. 

 Student? Who… then it clicked. Her father had shown her most noteworthy faces City knew. “P-purrple.. tear?” Snake-like eyes squinted a little, making smug expressions a little more predatory. 

 AUR gathered, so did twins and their teacher. “you did better today…” Iori commented. Time in the Warp Train made her student fairly better, not just with Light or weapons. His overall control over himself grew a fair bit. “But one way or another…” her eyes shifted towards the other three individuals. “know this much, my student trusts you enough to ask for your lives to remain despite potential leaks… do not make him regret that” 

 She shot twins a short, less bone rattling look before blurring in the air… “You could have warned us, my friend?” Alberto, not so surprised, received a nod “ah, understandable, such as herself would prefer raw reactions I guess…”

 “You are one to talk…” Raziel took a sip of tea “you agreed that Arian was and I quote ‘too fast acting, stubborn youth’ Docent” the Ring member let out a chuckle. Not trying to disagree or excuse his own words. After all, it would be quite dishonest. 

  “Haaa… not that you are wrong, we did go into it with some things not as well thought after as they could have been if we sought advice” Arian's voice cut in while his hands were going through vials and bottles in a cupboard. 

 “Is she really your teacher?” Eina mustered her strength, her voice still a bit shaky. 

 “Recent one, well if you can call it that way… she doesn't visit too often but she did teach us things” his eyes moved to Mira “okay little one… I have prosthetics ready, let's go to the other room where I can start…” 

 Mira simply followed him. Raziel staid with Eina and Alberto. “I must admit… after so long with my student I didn't think you'd be this…”

 “Alike? Well, another small secret, we share experiences… all of it, literally… I lived through those years during sleep” Eina blinked. This… It was like a Singularity? Relic of some sort? Was it something inborn? 

 “Ah… that would explain it a bit better” was all Alberto D Salem responded with also inwardly his anomalous student became even more of a mystery in his eyes. Such people didn't just appear. Purple Tear didn't take in students just because they had aptitude either. Dangerous such nexuses of strangeness were, but interesting just as much and riddles and mysteries were his weakness. 

 It took Arian less than half an hour to open Mira's throat, attach everything into place and correctly seal it via big Luna of Kindness. “Wakey wakey…” he gently poked her nose, turning off a small sleep inducing , pain numbing device that some of the City medics used instead of anesthesia. It was something that J Corp produced as part of their target specific, weak locking mechanisms. 

 Mira blinked, she put her hand over her throat, took a few breaths and tried to speak “Ar-ri?...” It was quite, a bit unsteady, but she managed a word out. Arian nodded, smiling as the short girl lounched herself at him, tightly hugging his neck.

***

 Of course Raziel and Arian didn't open up too much information to AUR trio. Maximilian and Cecilia received a bit more information, still not as much as two that were once one and Iori shared. Sadly it was both dangerous and unpredictable to give them more information, especially about the future possibilities. 

 Still what little was revealed made it easier for twins to talk and live overall. There were people they could trust more and Iori showed that she did care which was surprising. Neither Arian nor Raziel thought she'd care for them much without them becoming truly critical for plans or prolonged exposure… but perhaps they overestimated the cynicism Iori carried. 

 During the next… lesson she thoughtfully and thoroughly tested their increased battle potential with and without Tsumukari Muramasa, with and without Lunas, Shin or Light based shaping. 

 Did they do better? Well yes, but actually no… “Hmm… with your self healing and repair I won't need to hold back as much now, good” 

 Arian, laying flat on the ground, huffed while focusing on forcing his ribcage back into being whole instead of shards. Four Lunas worth of force… Iori still could stop them. She had raw power to overwhelm them, speed woman shown was hard to follow even with four Lunas in one eye too… utterly terrifying but so good too, because they had something to strive towards.

 “That Temperance Luna you called it? It can handle a fair hit of a grade two worth their salt, also a bit gear dependent…” she noted before sheathing her rapier. “You'll need a lot of painful practice to actually make these tricks fit into a style instead of having separate moves you try chaining together on a fly…”

 Raziel took another deep breath. Luna enhanced, especially Sinful Wrath or Virtuous Patience, worked well with Tsumukari. First allowed to create more fire easily and pour more power, but drained him faster. Second made leakage and losses to the sides cut to near zero, helped condensing of power… neither were enough to make Iori do anything more than sweat when azure and violet slash of flame flew by her. 

 “But… you do deserve a reward” she threw them two small boxes, size smaller than their first at least twice over. “A while ago there was Gray Serpent, one of a few Colors strongly associated with a corporation… he was the head of F Corp security at the time we met…” Iori began while slowly turning the lid of a thermos with tea they made from leaves she brought. Some top tier S Corp product from what she said. “prideful old man took pride in his skills, which he did have… but they weren't inborn nor simply trained” 

 Arian recognized a marking on the item. F Corp. Unlocking or opening, conceptually, based Singularity.

 “Unlocking ability to feel and consciously interfere with your own subconscious reactions, instincts, engrained skills… Pain receptor control, direct interference with muscle movement on micro level, hold over your own digestion, heartbeat, breathing, hormonal balance, production and output of certain glands… Of course you can just let it flow naturally, but you'll never stop feeling it in the back of your head” Raziel both loved and hated the implications. It actually explained Iori's unnatural smoothness and grace as even highly augmented rarely moved like that 

 “He laughed, saying it drove most mad quite swiftly but your meditation practice and stolen years show you have potential to at least try reaching some of his skills… Focus on one thing, better together but if you must one each, because unlike him you do not have decades upon decades of relative peace, as much as City can have that” They both nodded. It would be a hard choice but nonetheless worth making. 

 “How did he die?” Arian asked, his gaze slowly peeled off the Pandora's box on his palm. 

 Iori smiled, expression both cruel and nostalgic, a bit sad yet not without a tad bit of satisfaction. “Slowly… drowning, fighting, torn to shreds in the Great Lake until there wasn't a thing left” 

***

 To surprise of the two platinum blonde children they were later that day informed that they'll have a babysitter watching over them while their mentor will be gone to do important things…

Chapter Text

 The unlocking process wasn't the worst. Adaptation of the other hand was somewhere close with highly unpleasant experiences of both lives. The ability to feel, “hear” the signals and results, how the body reacts more deeply, how certain processes start and stop was… overwhelming. Experience exchange was also very “bright” moments because of information influx and echo that permeated the nervous system. 

 A solution was found swiftly under such pressure. Silver light Shin. Constant usage of it was hard to hide which made twins desperately pull on their control eventually pushing the glow under the skin, leaving only clear indication of the activity in the slightly glowing eyes.

 Meditation helped but not at first. Experience reminded them of Voices of Ruins to an extent but more invasive and not as coherent. After all subconscious didn't function as the conscious segment of the mind, as such signals weren't in a form easily understood by human consciousness but very clear to subconscious, instinct driven parts…

 Over two weeks passed until they managed to build an inner muffling wall that they could willingly pull away to “hear” the “melody” of the orchestra that were their bodily systems. Each gland, muscle groups and even individual smaller parts of them, orders flowing to their lungs, heart, stomach, digestive system and more… and so began their careful, tentative attempts at interference…

 “Fifth time…” Arian swore under his breath as he felt bone crack from excessive force muscle created after his attempt of interfering with the signal again.

 They used rock, paper, scissors to see who gets what. He ended up with muscle control for improvement of motion and strength as they could over inbuilt human limits while Raziel was working on blood circulation in conjunction with breathing patterns to increase efficiency of those in battle. 

 Due to fleshcraft broken bones, torn muscles or even inner bleedings from accidentally bursting veins were not lethal… also pain was a fine teacher, so they weren't exactly making the same mistakes twice or at least in the same place.

 Raziel didn't respond. He was going through increasingly intense kata with perfect shape and weight copy of Tsumukari, testing each pattern between breathing, heartbeat and overall body functions. 

 “Hey you two! Time to get out a little” Raz slowly, smoothly glided out of the position meant for a strike. He looked at Cecilia with a hint of worry, perhaps even wariness. “What's that look for?”

 “We don't exactly enjoy being the dressing doll…” Arian commented but second in command of the Nail grinned.

 “But you so do enjoy seeing me in different things… especially when there isn't much getting covered~” she spoke in a teasing manner, her sing-song voice carrying both pride and hint of firmness found only in factual knowledge or experience, or both. “Anyway! Get dressed up, we are going to a Nest restaurant today! Max is paying…” 

 Her giggle made the twins pity Nail Office head a little. 

***

 Docent of the Ring hummed thoughtfully looking at a rather rare occurrence. He found a creator who shared some of his taste for more classic forms of art, one outside the Fingers too. Her work was unrefined, hastily made, but it had all the soul in it that many of his colleges couldn't ever imagine putting into their pieces…

 To think a young soul from a Nest could create such a piece. Honestly impressive. Perhaps he'll show it to the twins later on. Out of the AUR their drawing skills were still quite a bit behind the others and they always found inspiration if soulful creations of others. 

 “Where… did you get this?” Alberto did not expect such a reaction. Fear, worry, shock. Well hidden yes but he knew Arian better than many people, he could tell. 

 “A young woman sent it to me, she seems to be a fan of mine…” Arian slowly inspected the image, his eyes moving from fish to the golden sprout. Alberto rarely saw the boy shudder so clearly, but then he shook his head, retaking a firmer hold of his own emotions. “Her name is…”

 “Carmen… isn't it?” Alberto blinked. “To think paths cross this way… did anything else happen? Strange or dangerous?”

 It took Docent a few moments to recall “Yes, one of Maestros tried to buy Mira off of me… fortunately she was with you at the time and he didn't seem too eager to fight without his target in range…” 

 “In other words if she was you'd likely have died, never to respond to Carmen…” it was likely yes. Alberto was still a little confused yet also intrigued by his student’s ability to just know things sometimes without any prior exposure or connection to be found. Perhaps it was why Purple Tear chose him? Similar hmmm… capabilities? 

 Of course he didn't pry into it. That would be very much useless as he learned within the Train. As such Alberto simply will continue to observe and give advice where he can…

***

 “So… he is your… friend?” A girl with bright sapphire blue eyes asked the purple eyed Color.

 “More akin to an inexperienced but very energetic youth that can be a good ally if I don't let him break his head against the next wall he finds…” there was a hint of fond exasperation in Iori's voice. Of course at first the boy felt more like a risk, unneeded one at that. Then he got a bit of her respect, worth listening to at the very least. Now? She could see hints of something very similar… Iori knew not why he felt so much for lives in the timeline he never existed it but there was enough overlap for her to know what such an individual was like. Someone akin to herself if different. 

 “Is he a fixer too?” The brother of the girl asked, his more lush, wavy hair still a bit messy. His eyes of a duller, gray hue of blue. 

 “Indeed, he can train you up a little and there is more to learn from him than just that… but do not try mimicking him too much” Color warned before gently placing her hands on their shoulders. Space bent under the pressure of her step. 

 Kali was already there, looking over the blueprint of a weapon. Perhaps an upgrade she wanted to buy eventually. Raziel was helping her, shuffling through the parts for exhausts that would fit better to her desired weapon proportions. Arian on the other hand noticed them immediately, his eyes widening a little when he understood who they were going to be babysitting… 

 Iori placed a rather small but tightly packed bag of things down. “I will return in approximately a week and two days, if nothing unexpected happens on the way”

 The gold eyed twin nodded before words left his lips “Tea before you go?” To which Color merely shook her head. He threw a thermos which she caught, giving a short, thankful nod.

 “Be good, do listen to them but be careful not to get dragged into trouble too big… also don't hold back on training, they can handle it and won't spread it” both platinum blondes nodded. Purple blur soon vanished from the room.

 “So… you are the brats she was looking after?” Kali hummed, looking at two other charges of her mentor. “I'm Kali…” she stretched out a fist, more friendly kind of greetings in her birthplace and districts nearby. Angelica happily responded “hm not bad…” 

 Arian hummed thoughtfully. He could tell children weren't normal. Of course they didn't expect corporation experiment results to be average but still. They looked relatively normal for the age of ten or twelve, in the case of the girl and the boy respectively but he could tell abnormal strength and reaction speed from their movements. 

 “So… I'm Arian, this is my brother Raziel, you already know Kali here” did he hear a huff? “What are your names?” 

 “Argalia / Angelica” they responded near simultaneously speaking over each other a little. Their gaze flickered between one another and the other three room occupants, both embarrassed, a bit annoyed and amused in case of the brother and sister respectively. 

 It was a bit late for breakfast, early for lunch but brothers happily made some food for two youngest present members of “Under Iori's Wing” club. 

 “Why… Do you have eyes like Miss Iori?” Angelica stared at Raziel who blinked, a little confused by comparison if anything “sad, knowing… like you know and feel sad because of it” that made a bit more sense.

 “Knowledge of things is sometimes hard to carry, makes you a bit lonelier too… worry not for that child, grow stronger, then sad things will be easier to prevent for us, Iori or yourself okay?” The reincarnated, then split individual tried his best to not let too many emotions show. His hand extended slowly but seeing no wariness nor negative reaction he gently pet Angelica on the head. Argalia spoke up.

 “Did I do something wrong? Miss Iori spaces out sometimes, especially when I tried playing piano… she looked through me, not like you” Arian shook his head. 

 “No, but… you know scars?” the boy nodded, his eyes giving away an extent of familiarity with the concept “they heal but remain… some on mind hurt, echo even if long long time passes” 

 “So… she wasn't looking at me?” Arian nodded “can I… if I play in a good way can it heal better?”

 “That's… actually not the worst idea” Kali cut in, finishing her plate “also you'll need help building positive over negative…” 

 Older twins could agree with that idea. They didn't like thinking just how deep some scars on Color's mind might have gotten from repeated attempts… how many Argalias she witnessed the fall of, how many Angelicas died and Rolands went on rampage… Trying to heal that? Would be hell of a challenge but trying is all they had to do. Doing nothing was worse by a big margin. 

***

 Arian had to agree that, in comparison to even Kali who agreed with him, these two were quite a pair of little monsters. They were stronger, over twice for their age and size, and much faster to react, senses sharper too. 

 Honestly if not for now near passive silver light Shin older twins possessed kids could have actually landed hits, if not for a large difference in experience… which wasn't really that large. Argalia and Angelica were clearly trained to kill things, not just humans. They also had no large weapon preference aside from the boy leaning into polearm type weapons where the girl had no clear preference built up yet. 

 Other than this? Their education was not as good or wide. Basic first aid, map reading, stealth. Not so much in any other subject. 

 Kali, who got interested in other languages she saw in books older twins made through N Corp tech and proved stubborn enough to learn more than one simultaneously, happily helped the two check their basic language skills. 

 Arian took physics, chemistry, engineering and biology, cooking too. Raziel happily took over gear usage, caretaking and City dangers as well as some information on Ruins. Kali very much needed lessons still so older twins had three students more often than not.

 Argalia and Angelica did not join them on work, unlike Kali who could help around and now was proud grade 6 Fixer after beating multiple such in district 23. 

 “Hmmm…. It sounds a bit wrong” Argalia noted after another attempt at reassembling a Phoenix Feather. The boy's hearing was keener than other senses, to a point he used it to check things like boiling water temperature or how gear worked without eyes. Plus he had clear talent for analysis and mimicry of others after observing, also actually pulling off some moves and precision required gave him trouble.

 “Mhm… I think we got the spring length a bit wrong…” Kali added, swinging it. Much like she learned great in battles, she was kinetic learner in other ways, or at least more touch and feel oriented. Writing over listening or reading. 

 “Let me check the order…” Angelica pulled out one of the lists in a stack of papers. Pure theory learner leaning into visual ways of remembering. 

 Overall three fit curiously well together. Sensor specialist and in battle analysis would be on Argalia, main brute force from Kali, more planning side and bag of tricks role for Angelica. Her future version's tool kit in the gloves proved it nicely. 

***

 It was closer to the weekend when the older two asked their three students for help. Younger pair and Kali knew of the Light and certain abilities it could grant. “So… what will you do with it?” 

 Two golden eyes focused on Arian's hands. Around his wrists were rings of glowing energy. One on the left was sunny yellow which was for Charity, on the right was the more familiar fresh grass green glow of Kindness. 

 “Simply put? We already tried it on each other in big and small doses… while healing you from sparring we felt how much information you could process too” he explained. Indeed, they traced all three students through the Light. It gave them interesting ideas to add to their modifications thanks to platinum blondes. Kali didn't feel far off the normal humans aside from harsh life and training that left marks on muscles, nervous system, bones too. They fixed negatives without damaging now engraved skills to the best of their ability. 

 “So using Charity we will… Give you the possibility to see our certain memory, worry not we are trained to limit access so you shouldn't see anything aside from a specific one” Arian looked into Kali's eyes. She seemed a bit embarrassed? 

 “Sure… okay… how do I?” He smiled and knowing her simply placed his palm on her head, letting himself fall into a meditation state.

 Kali blinked. She felt the smell of coffee, baked goods and saw the Nest of 11th outside the windows of the cafe. She felt fingers moving and heard echoes of his thoughts, could tell why and how, like she did it many times before. Then it was cut off “does it hurt?” 

 She shook her head “Hella weird … Do you want me to try making that specific coffee?” 

 “Why, yes… if this proves effective I can potentially pour hours of reading experience into you” he grinned, then a younger voice cut in.

 “Why not do that for fighting skills?” Angelica asked but then answered her own question “body?...”

 “Yes… I and Arian are nearly identical, we don't need much modification to the remembered movement done to make it work… but women's and men’s body structure and build are too different, even the same gender will have different height, weight, certain muscle groups simply less or more developed… senses too come into play, you wouldn't be able to use Argalia’s hearing as you are now” Raziel explained, getting a nod of understanding from the girl. Good, older twins really were relieved with their young charges' ability to actually grasp meaning over words. It was refreshing compared to experience with tutoring students of their previous lifetime. 

 Also the dynamic of the two… mutual support without overbearing, mutual joy in growth without jealousy, made Raziel a bit sad they never had a sibling before. Arian and him were but parts of a whole, even if they might have many things separate. “Could you… limit it? Like show only sound and video?” 

 Argalia's suggestion made both redhead twins pause. Huh, they didn't think about that idea… “we'll try on each other first, if it works we'll show you ok?” the boy nodded with a small smile on his face. He liked their stories of battles quite a bit. 

***

 Time passed by, bit by bit. Of course eventually Max and Cecilia came to visit, so did Mira during the other day…

 “Hm… you like them kid?” Angelica met Maximilian's gaze, nodding slowly as she flexed her fingers. She was wearing training gauntlets Arian helped adjust to her size. “Good… take a stance…” 

 Angelica did, doing her best to combine what she read, saw and already knew. Mister Max was not as rough as Iori. Miss Cecilia was … nice, if a bit too energetic. Angelica still enjoyed shopping very much, if more so due to seeing Argalia blushing and confused. Her brother was dear to her and seeing him melt a little from his usual cool, smug mask mimicked off of their adopted mother was nice.

 Dodge under straight, roll to the side to evade a kick, jump up and side step a downward left hook to try landing a punch to the guts. 

 Iori was late. She did send a message, sure, but it didn't stop Angelica from worrying if something went wrong…

 She was smaller, thinner, harder to hit, lighter too so blocking Max was an ill-advised option. As such, the young girl did her best to try stepping into zones that would make the tall man turn, wasting time or repositioning, giving her opportunity to strike… but she fell for another trap opening, eventually.

 These days were… strangely warm. Lessons with other twins were interesting. Kali was fun to spar against… twins had better grasp and teamwork than her and brother, which hit her pride a little making her only work harder. Music, books, food, people… it felt too unlikely City she got so used to. 

 “Not bad, for your age especially” he let go of his hold, unwrapping his hand from around her neck. They both then heard the door to the training room open, Cecilia coming in, grinning from ear to ear while carrying packages from a bakery… Angelica hoped brother and was doing ok.

 It has been a while since Mira did not feel like the youngest in the group, be it an overall circle gathered around glue that were redhead twins or just AUR. It was… kinda nice, especially because someone else here appreciated the music.

 Currently she and Argalia were listening to one of the playlists on the music player Arian gifted her after their first meeting outside the train. Each using one earphone each. 

 Argalia was simultaneously observing seamster work of Arian who was weaving together nuovo strings of dark greenish shade. Then Raziel and Kali, who seemed a bit sleepy after night courier jobs, walked in. Both him and Mira looked at the redheads. “Come on… I have a lesson idea, connected to music so you won't miss on going through the playlists too much…” 

 Slightly amused, playful, expectant expressions Raziel wore made Argalia recall Iori when she was going to give a particularly infuriating or/and new task or lesson…

 He wasn't wrong, not completely. Also seeing the somewhat embarrassed and stiff big sister, which they were through Iori's adoption if anything, slowly relax and dance in unison with Raziel was… a little inspiring? Eye opening. 

 A person had a rhythm, a song they were, so if you listened you could understand them and the more instruments, voice tones and rhythms you discerned the better you could use understanding…

 Mira and him had none of Kali's already formed trust in Raz, nor Raziel's experience and adaptiveness…. But they both loved music and let the rhythm flow. Mira stepped on his toes once or twice, he fumbled too but eventually they started moving without interference, only helping each other do it smoothly. 

 “Oh? Argy you found a friend?” His head snapped to the side, eyes widening a little. He did not like giving sister more teasing material… oh well, for such an enjoyable pass time it was worth it anyway…

***

 Kali grinned, her prototype upgrade falling to pierce the stone floor by a few centimeters. “Awesome…” 

 The bursts of fire and raw power added together with the speed? She now could split bigger, more boney and tough things in Ruins into pieces without problems. Also, ammo wasn't really cheap so it was kept for actually troublesome things.

 “Why did you leave?.../Here bite in, he is fresh!/… Not worth our time” she clicked her tongue, clenching the handle, grinding her teeth against each other when Raziel, rather gently, bonked her on the head with sheathed Tsumukari Muramasa. “We stop here then…”

 Depth she could make herself deaf to the Voices of Ruins to was increasing but it was slow, at least in comparison to records Raz had even before his splitting. It made her a bit angry, which he happily directed into spars or lessons by finding and letting her fight things here.

 She found her first Relic too. A saint's shroud piece, rather lengthy too if thin ribbon. Enough to wrap her arm in a singular layer from upper biceps to the palm. 

 “Yeah… Do we have coffee?” It helped her when she knew there was more energy running in her. Unlike hag or weird eyes, nickname of both redhead twins, she did not go far against voices through meditation. It was far easier for her to build a wall by focusing on some kind of activity no matter how small, like snapping fingers into a melody or counting heartbeat rate while walking. Coffee, for some reason, helped her with that even if tea made it marginally easier to sit still and go through boring things. 

 Raziel nodded with a small smile and waved his hand invitingly. So it was time to test her map memory again…

***

 Tracing information off of the Replica proved… useless for the most part. Glimpses of technology and how weird giant fish bone was used to host an imprint of a genuine Cursed Relic through bloodbath of the victims? Not really useful as there was clearly more to it. 

 One useful piece was what Hans did near the battle's very end. Relic Overload. Function built into the Replica in an unknown way… but feeling of it? They could, very much, do it through the Light.

 Relic had a foundational structure within it made by power of the Sea of Possibility, crystallization of its existence slowly glowing by reflecting and allowing surround Light pass through it.

 But… what if you forcefully feed it? You get Overload. Shirt burst of power that either destroys or damages the Relic.

 Of course it required feeling the structure of it so Light user would need to either have good aptitude for the Relic or be sensitive and able to trace its structure. 

 Raziel, understandably, preferred to not ever try overloading Tsumukari Muramasa. It was both too precious and potentially very very devastating if overloaded. As such? They used something small and not important in comparison.

 “So… around fifteen times the effect potency for around seven seconds? We should try using Luna of Virtue aligned with their prime function” Arian noted down the results of overloading a small cut off piece of the saint's shroud. 

 “Good idea… also I'm curious to try a fairy lens honestly, could we glimpse deeper with it?” Raziel thought out loud and his other half had to agree. The potential to see deeper into the existence of others was tempting…

***

 It wasn't often Hana called for outside specialists but they were forced to. One of their young agents managed to get herself trapped by a Relic possessed by a Finger member, from description it was Thumb but they lacked firearms of any form and the clothes were bloodied, damaged, a bit too big too. 

 Due to that more than a few divers, Dieci members and some of the scientists from Nests who attempted working with Relics were gathered here.

 Raziel hummed thoughtfully. Alisa too was here, pleased to see him even if they didn't have too much to exchange in information. His eyes drifted back to… Mirinae, incased in amber like substance. It made sense why she was so young in Ruina now. Relic likely either lost charge or was hacked, but she didn't age within it. 

 “Anything you might be able to extract from long distance?” the Dieci librarian-diver asked. Her eyes as always carried hint of curiosity and type of near childlike wonder. He liked that about her. City twisted too many enthusiastic, decent people. He was lucky to meet so many better, saner once. 

 “Not much aside from degree of conceptual foundation… but I think you could tell just as much too” the woman smiled, happy to receive a truthful compliment yet her eyes kept gazing at him “natural foundation, element of time, from what cameras got what we see is a fragment produced by a reaction between Relic and a catalyst… likely having root and how amber being found near sea water…” 

 Footage showed that sap that shot off the branch after a swing motion of a “thumb” member only started spreading and crystalizing after salty water was spewed out of a water pistol. 

 Honestly the level of weird made Raziel point at the Index silently… if one wanted to mask themselves as a Thumb they could grab the weapon of the killed member. Using such… niche Relic was also not their style at all nor did actual Thumb have reasons to target Mirinae, her father didn't have jobs connected to fighting Fingers from what he knew. Also perhaps he was biased and didn't have all the facts.

 “I don't need you to try replicating it… I want my daughter out of it” gruff, annoyed voice spoke, making one of the few scientists here flinch visibly under gaze of a grade 1 Hana Fixer. Mirinae’s father, Alexandras. Raz found it slightly strange how genes of such a man lost fight to his wife's genetics in both eye and hair color. “Does any of you bunch have something that can get her out? I will give you my word and an official contract of non-disclosure if you do… on top of grade 2 job pay” 

 That was… a lot. But seeing Alisa’s reaction Raziel knew Dieci were not very likely to pull out one of their trump cards even for such a potentially useful ally in Hana. On the other hand he did have to try, as such he gave barely visible nod to the man before they were dismissed. 

 Then his eyes caught a face… one of the scientists brought a trainee, an intern. One who had fair skin, golden eyes and shirt, unruly black hair. Raziel's eyes, flickering with silver glow that brightened for a moment caught name on the bage. Ayin. 

 Alisa felt a hint of bloodlust, turning to her acquaintance, than to where his eyes were directed in confusion…

***

 Dark blue eyes tracked the young grade 5, also he clearly was already above that by at least one grade. Alexandras did not feel any lie during their talk before the young man began his attempt.

 He recalled his daughter talking about an interesting boy some years ago. Getting footage wasn't hard. Raziel… he wasn't a big fish but looking at feats he had accumulated? Perhaps boy simply disliked publicity. Not a bad thing by itself but usually it meant hiding something. 

 Arian. Genetically close, like a twin, yet no clone. Got examined as a top grade 5 few months ago yet primarily worked with Liu giving them cheaper source of nuovo fabric of seemingly higher quality than most Tailors offered. Only some of red weaver extracted materials matched. Yes, quantity was small, but still. 

 Most interesting? Original parents of Raziel did not have twins… but weirder things came from Ruins. Alex fought multiple such and knew some divers who returned far less human that Raziel and his twin. 

 “I will begin now…” grade 1 focused on the sheath. Then young man took out… a Relic. Powerful, clearly high grade one that seemed to sing along to his movements. Aptitude… not even the Head had any clear understanding what factors made up the level of it each person had for certain Relics. 

 More than a few powerful ones never found new True Owners. Yes, that could help… also the heat and sharpness made father worry for his daughter.

 Raziel focused on Temperance. He needed the Relic to only burn out the charge the other Relic's result had holding Mirinae inside in halted time. Slowly blade's tip touched the amber where it was thickest, furthest away from the trapped woman.

 Through Tsumukari he felt it. Slowly dwindling power that was holding together the cage. Sadly using severing would likely damage the prisoner, so Raz was forced into long game usage of secondary, elemental alignment Relic possessed. 

 By how the amber showed damage he also understood its defense mechanism from non-Relic attacks that were attempted at it. That kinetic, thermal or other attempts were stored in halted form only showing when main function started requiring too much power. 

 Amber slowly started to melt, crack too. It took full fourty seven minutes for Alexander to see boy slowly retract the weapon “You can't?”

 “Shouldn't… It is now but less durable, normal things should have enough punch to break it, but it'll immediately cut the effect of stopped time for her too, you have those who can do it with fitness and medics on call right?” Grade 1 nodded, looking back at one of his subordinates. 

 It took five minutes to prepare. Crack resounded as multiple points were struck, freeing the woman inside the crystal cage. Some pieces fell off with pieces of skin stuck to them, her hair took the worst hit yet nothing small K serum dose couldn't fix in a second. “F-fat-ther?...” 

 Alexandras helped his daughter stand up. Second person she saw after what felt like days if not weeks in complete blackness was… a familiar boy with red hair. Older but very much recognizable.

 It was hours later when Raziel was called into Alexandras’s office. “My apologies… results of the check-up were… unpleasant” 

 Young man nodded, taking a seat, momentarily looking to the window overlooking the City. “May I ask what irritated you so?” 

 “She felt it… only her senses and body did not age a second, but she was in the total void for the whole time… if it wasn't for your aid she'd likely required T Corp reversal aid” ah, that explained a bit more. Also it raised Relic danger level by a few fair points. “Your pay was already sent to your account… but if you have something you'd like to ask, within reason, I will listen” 

 “Does Hana hold any… similar tools?” He tilted his head towards his sheathed weapon. Grade 1 nodded. 

 “None found new True Owners as you may guess, usually such things also are… picky and not exactly sharing kind, we tried” that was interesting information. He'll need to see how high grade Relic needs to be to start disliking presence of other similar grade things. 

 “Hm… In that case, let me examine two, not take nor try but only examine… I will in return give you a useful piece of information” Alexandras raised an eyebrow. That was not exactly what he had in mind, but perhaps it was diver thing. 

***

 Hours later Raziel left. Hana did not, in fact, know that a Finger had ability to make Replicas and had a high grade Cursed Relic. What little he managed to get from the Replica gave them a string as not many things had such big bones to begin with. As such they were likely to find clews in districts near the Great Lake. 

 Young man grinned. Treasury of Hana was vast and made him feel both awe and sadness. Weapons, pieces of armor, plant like and even Relics that took on forms of books, scrolls, tablets. He caught glimpse of one such made of Emerald but Alexandras spoke against that one, giving him record of how many gone mad after barely touching, speaking in mixture of unknown languages. 

 But he did get things out of it. Two Relics to examine. Two things which gave him headache by using tracing to look as deeply as he could…

 Arondight. Lancelot's sword. Fae crafted weapon gifted by the Lady of the Lake. It was… wonderful. To human hand could craft the way it was made, no word was encompassing enough for meaning carried by language of Fairy kin inscribed… Raziel managed to grasp only surface level and glimpse at how truly deep the Relic was, he could feel that going any deeper would likely kill him. 

 He was sadly unfit for it. It needed a Perfect Knight and Tsumukari indeed didn't seem to react kindly to his close contact with fellow powerful Relic. 

 Second one was less strongly rejected by Tsumukari. Hammer of Hephaestus, sadly it wasn't full but a fragment. Cracked hammerhead missing over half of the mass, handle broken at the half. Still… it carried power, experience, knowledge, a spark of Divine intuition for the craft. It wanted to Make but need Fire of Passion to work with anyone. 

 Alexandras didn't go in alone with him. Relic storage caretaker was quite curious to add new information as their records didn't always even have names, nothing to say about requirements… as such offered such information Hana worker was eager to exchange it. 

 Raziel smiled. Dragon scales, mostly red but a few rare white extremely resistance to negative temperatures and great insulators were what got Raziel's attention. His information was worth nine such… but he hoped to replicate more eventually.

 Interesting also were Hana’s own notes on this particular type of Relic. Put together into armor sets dragon sales of the same color raised durability, melting point and resistance to acids of all in the set by a certain percentage depending on two factors. First was just sheer numbers but the second was quality. There were more or less powerful scales of each color and putting together more powerful ones would get much better results than stacking together more weak…

***

 Arian, at home, examined results of his experiments over last months and some time before the Training Train Trip, how he and Raz jokingly called their not so sane attempt at using W Corp for man-made hell boxes for their own good.

 Nuovo fabric made from parts of different… not so normal monsters from the Great Lake proved to be quite interesting raw material indeed.

 Eel based conductive silk was interesting because it was potential replacement of some lower quality, for The City and not his past life which lacked some of the more normal tech from here too, conductive alloys used in wires. It also made a not so bad, by City standards, accumulator which wasn't surprising and useful too, at least potentially. Perhaps some shock usage specialized Offices will pay good price for it later down the line, or Liu who like lightning over classic fire. 

 Certain fish who could produce liquid akin in qualities to nitrogen were by themselves highly resistant to low temperatures, as such resulting fabric was too and was a good insulator. Sadly it wasn't non-flammable but that could be fixed with later stage treatment. 

 More curious was silk made from certain subspecies of crabs that had rather high metal content in their body due to living near scrapyard. Of course resulting strings weren't yet like metal wire, as such not fit to be reforged into metal plating… but they were closer to that than any other thing Arian managed to make synthesizer produce to this day. Using material manipulation through Light he could keep nuovo’s qualities of being closer to “living” as such better for Light conduction and accumulation while retaining metal's qualities too. 

 But most fascinating? Bloodbag based one. Exposure to blood let it do two things. Limited self regeneration and forming of thin crystal armor which was sadly quite brittle and weak… sadly they only had one actual bloodfiend body so Arian had to practice on lower quality materials to refine the process first… for some Head damned reason both functions worked slower when material was submerged in water. 

***

 Iori smiled, expression both smug and somewhat satisfied, perhaps a little bit sympathetic but that was hidden deep down. “At the very least you had enough mindfulness to inform me of potential shift…” 

 Raz sighed. Since she stopped being as cold as during first two meetings Iori did raise the “mysterious” and “enigmatic” meter with them, making hints less clear where it wasn't harmful, giving riddles. Alberto and her, few rare times two met, could talk in ways that made Mira very very confused, not that surrounding people were much better either. “So no critical damage… good, now do tell, did you know any True Owners of Arondight or Hammer of Hephaestus?” 

 “Hana had many treasures hoarded, not unlike a dragon are they?” She sipped her tea “Mmm… you should put less honey, sweetness dulls taste of berries too much, temperature was a bit too low too as you haven’t counter in for berries being cool on their own” at least Iori was truthful and good critic on tea making. 

 “So no clear users… hmmm” Raziel look at the specific shelf of his personal study. Room rarely open to anyone but himself unlike the workshop. There stood copies of texts of future possibilities and fullness of his collected knowledge on Light, Abnormality records both L Corp, which he found and any variants later faced by Limbus, there remained encyclopedia of Relics too. “Don mayhaps? A dreaming bloodfiend with sword of Lancelot would be a bit poetic, seeing roots of her name in a delusional knight wannabe…”

 “True also unlikely that dragon will part with it, unlike Lady of the Lake” Color spoke, somewhat curious.

 “Bargained with serpent can be…” Raziel responded with a small smile. “After all none of us wants foolish ambition of the girl who betrayed trust of the smoker to be realized?” At that they both agreed. 

 Sadly removing some threats will create ripples too big and hide some things those threats found, making them unreachable for a while. As such for now those individuals lived with blade of Damocles hanging out of their sight. 

***

 Good part of next two months twins spent free time each had on practice of the theoretical projects Arian built on foundation of knowledge he went through on the train. Honestly two platinum blondes were in not a small way, helping without knowing. 

 Combination of Raziel's and Arian's unlocked direct access to feeling and manual control over inner system together with their Light let them look and feel others more deeply than they ever could have hoped before…

 Of course they didn't just test intended changes on their own replicated flesh from faulty K serum through fleshcraft. Some of the Rats they met on practice dives with Kali went through not so pleasant tests, mostly surviving and most of those not going mad nor becoming crippled. Of course they died after anyway, twins didn't need upgraded Rats or spreading words.

 By the end of it? They still asked Cecilia and Max to help organize a meeting with Zhu. Liu's office head was more than happy to exchange doctor and room with good vital sign tracking technology in exchange for non-disclosure from everyone involved, getting in return the possibility to get some of those upgrades for a limited number of Liu members. Not a bad exchange. 

 “Ready?” Arian asked Raziel. His twin huffed. They repeated most stages separately, in fragments of full chain and together more than once on bodies they understood worse than their own. There wasn't a reason to feel wariness over your own actions after this much preparation…

 Without any more words Raziel slowly started falling asleep, lowering his own vitals into a temporary coma-like state. Arian got to work…

 Zhu couldn't help but feel like he was in the presence of something grand. He was not unfamiliar with abilities of Relic users stemming from long contact with individual items or mutations caused by deep dives into Ruins… but this didn't look nor feel like either.

 His eyes moved to Nail Office members who seemed much calmer, knowing. “This… is his normal?”

 “No, a kid doesn't usually go this far… but he can do weird things from time to time” Max admitted with a small, proud smile. 

 Cecilia grimaced as Arian kept slowly moving his glowing, open palms, encased in circles of glowing, one green and  one orange. She could see muscles under Raziel's skin rippling and slowly condensing. “Ah… honestly sometimes I think he needs someone to help him settle down instead of those things”

 “He isn't the one to stop or go halfway is he?” Zhu saw a shift of… something on their faces. It reminded him of when someone reminded him of very stupid but not overly costly mistakes, still stinging on his memory. 

 “No, he is very much not… planning on going next?” Maximilian asked while Arian finished up the stages that didn't require opening his twin up. 

 “Depending on results…” was all Liu fixer said. Then Arian pulled out a vat with a… heart. Second heart. 

 It didn't stop at that. An additional kidney was added. A highly nutritious mixture was fed into the body and it grew, muscles rippling, bones shifting which was clearer now that part of the body was open wide. Zhu felt… a little awed, sick and curious about just what pushed a man so young to go this far? 

 They looked at the vitals. The nervous system was… brighter and more, spiderweb denser and spread a bit deeper into where it wasn't. Two hearts worked in tandem. Bone structure didn't change too much, only becoming denser, similar things happened to now regrown muscle structures including lungs and heart too. 

 “He modified the blood… the bone marrow and the spinal cord, brain too, also nervous system was touched overall the least” doctor said, his eyes glimmering in mixture of scientific curiosity and joy with added confusion “oh why such talents go to the fixer side? Such abilities could do much good…”

 “Without Corporation or worse, Head gobbling them up for personal use?” Zhu asked rhetorically. The doctor let out a sigh, after all he understood. More than one friend he knew now was a caged bird and their abilities weren't half as abnormal. Fixers were less targeted because they were part of the force, Association fixers even more so. 

 “What is he… are those augmentation tattoos tools?!” The doctor returned his gaze to the operation room. Indeed, Arian started adding a web of reinforcing and muscle aiding tattoos onto his organs, certain muscle groups and under the skin layer, easily peeling it off to return it after. 

 Zhu hummed. Perhaps he'd ask if the youngster wanted to test himself after with him rather than someone else?

***

 Raziel felt… different. Rhythms of inner functions shifted, his sensitivity growing due to improvement of the nervous system. Now he could track everything more deeply. His eyes moved to his sparring partner. Zhu offered and why would Raz not agree? 

 “I'll let you have the first move…” Liu's office head smiled. It wasn't unreasonable. Raziel's modifications weren't unique, just more biological and deep than rougher, technological augments. There were also ways to obtain certain mutations. Another thing was that humans of the City simply could push themselves and grow further than his first life analogues be in reaction speed, muscle strength or sheer skill. 

 Spear, training one being not as techy yet sturdy and sharp still, felt lighter… even with no Light used it felt like he was holding a hollow plastic tube rather than a hunk of metal. 

 Step… Zhu dodged the kick off stab and subsequent slash. His guandao swung diagonally and was easily blocked. Liu fixer let go, not holding back. 

 Raziel smiled. Fast, capable of prediction, strong too. Without modifications made Zhu would have required Light to not feel pressured. But now? His reaction speed and clarity of thought made it possible without any Light at all. 

 Spear clashed with Liu's polearm with a resounding clang that slightly bent the weapon. Clashes became a chain, a melody. Liu started moving around more, attacking from angles not used before, running up and kicking off walls to use more weight and openings. 

 Raziel danced. Cecilia saw a hint of silver glow in his eyes shimmer to life after a shallow yet long cut graced his shoulder, closing quite rapidly. 

 “Wish to kick it up a notch?” Raziel offered with a genuine smile. Maximilian felt… nostalgic. That was the seed of Hans’s sincere love for good fights taking bloom.

 “I do… worry not, recordings were turned off before we entered” the younger fixer nodded gratefully… and let go, letting silver light shroud him and his weapon. Zhu took a stance, preparing himself, fully letting his mind shift into battle mode…

 Clang echoed louder, arena floor trembling from force behind a meeting of two strikes, then one more and another. Training tools bent, chipped, cracked under strain. 

 Raziel was happy. Zhu showed his cards. Serpent-like evasion flowing into deadly, powerful blows. Like a Chinese dragon, flowing around each move made against him to then use his claws and fangs. 

 Of course Zhu lacked sheer vastness between Iori and twins but… experience mattered and Liu fought for decades. Twins shared experience let them close many gaps but they weren't yet there. Raw force overwhelming was possible… but utterly boring and still vulnerable to redirection of movement. 

 “Hmmm… I hope my little dragon will grow up to surpass me this much in comparison to my youth…” the Liu fixer mumbled quietly but Raziel heard him clearly. 

 “If you'll ask, I'll be happy to aid… you did plenty for me and mine as is” Raziel spoke, smiling at man's somewhat surprised expression.

 “Hm… I'll keep it in mind but for now I hope she can have a better childhood than I had mine” the younger fixer nodded, understanding at least a little. He knew the feeling of hoping your students will do better than you did. 

***

 Iori let out a satisfied hum. Twins were shaping up nicely, also they needed more time to get used to changes they applied onto themselves. “Now… I'll allow you to glimpse at my form” 

 Oh their shocked faces were so so humorous. She kept smiling before Arian rolled his eyes while putting together his second heart. Yes, she pushed the brutality of her training fights higher, after all they could handle it better than nearly anyone she met due to fleshcraft, their upgrades, Light reinforcement, unlocked subconscious process sensation and control all put together nicely, further sharpened by their constantly exchanged experience… 

 “We oh so gratefully accept” Raziel spoke as his jaw slowly pieces itself back together from dust like state, skin knitting itself together. 

 A few minutes later, after two twins worked together to process more information, the redheads sat in … stunned silence. 

 There were two big facts that caused it. Iori was not modified by the same corporation as platinum blondes, her changes were both deeper and based in different paths. Yes paths. 

 Iori was a combination of two paths of modification. Limited application of technology, mostly because some materials in her cells weren't naturally found in any form aside from parts making them up. But that's like saying forest is a bunch of not yet diamonds. True but far away from one another. Aside from what looked like AI core wrapped in nervous tissue stuck onto a porous layer of a Relic ice! The one that never melts you know? More or less Iori had an additional super processor in her body. 

 Why would she need one? Aside from having higher tier, artificial material improved muscles and bones her nervous system wasn't just upgraded and slightly wider. It was rebuilt from ground up in some places. 

 All five senses had more nervous tissue used to both perceive and transfer signals. Her sensory organs mimicked those of animals who had a vastly superior spectrum of each of those senses. That explained why her brain was denser and a different function area partition. 

 She also had what seemed to be part of a brain modified to mimic bee magnetic field perception… which was a weird, somewhat terrifying thing to think about. 

 More or less? Iori was a chimera. Successful, monstrously powerful, smart beyond likely most living beings, wise to a similar degree, being crafted with precision of a machine and grace of an artist in their field using many pieces of the puzzle to make a masterpiece. 

 But over anything? Raziel felt… strangely solemn. He didn't say much, just standing up and giving her a hug. 

 If Angelica and Argalia still carried scars on their souls, such as reacting a bit violently to smell of alcohol and medicines as well as dominantly white spaces or certain sounds… he didn't want to think how much she went through to get this far and deep into the road of power. 

 “My my… you wanted to touch what you felt?” yet her usually teasing tone felt a bit hollow to his ears.

 “Ah… no” he shook his head “we'll stay around so… you won't need to do it alone ok? Hypocritical hearing it from us maybe…”

 “But you aren't going into hell alone, not even if you do try now Iori-san” that made her chuckle, and the sound was a bit shaky, trembling. 

 “Hm… what clingy student I got” but there wasn't any bite there in her words, maybe a bit of gratitude behind those tired purple eyes. Who knows? 

***

 Deep in the district 13th an Index member towards an old style, yet well preserved building surrounded by high walls and bushes… 

 If the heretic kept interfering with the Will of the City they'd show him something to finally crack the cursed blade that dared touch the strings beyond any human… only meant for Divine…

Chapter Text

[ Records#7

 Abnormality Data 

 Designation - Ruthless Thing Time 

 Danger classification - ZAYIN / TETH

 Damage types: sanity ( white ) attack through creating weakened variants of the target's past or closely connected. Those echoes can deal physical ( red ) damage but cannot replicate most special abilities of weapons, like Liu fire, nor special abilities of people.

 Also can deal mixed ( black ) damage by creating sand based structures that force one to relive bright moments of time, again and again.

 Action patterns: it is not inherently aggressive but will enact its first attack on anyone it tracks in range which can result in both reflective talk with echo or fight depending on individual's mood, willpower and sanity state.

 The second attack type shows itself if the sand clock is attacked also it may form shapes of things connected to memory of time fragment echo comes from passively. 

 Can use sand to manifest copies with only fragments of true power but less limited than normal Echoes, up to three by colors of sand inside the clock ( white, black, red ) that deal mixed ( black ) damage and require at least four lethal hits to down. Blueprints of those usually come from individuals that the target considered strong, but only target's knowledge and experience of them is used.

 It likes old things and old people more than those new and young. ]

[ Records#8

 Relic Data 

 Saint's shroud 

 Classification from 8C-H to 1U-H ( depending on size and quality )

 True Owner: None

Mythical Foundation: Shroud of a Saint 

 Virtue Aptitude: Perseverance and Chastity 

Sin Aptitude: Sloth 

Main Element: Life 

Main Concept: Healing 

 Abilities ( dependent on size and quality ):

 Saint's mercy - Minor to Greater increase of regeneration both physical and mental ( All ) 

 Saint's protection - Minor to Mid increase of poison and white damage resistance. ( Grade6 or greater )

 Martyr’s Perseverance - bleeding of the user causes increase in potency of previous ability and allows for limited kinetic energy Absorption. ( Grade 3 or greater ) 

 Miracle of Faith - burning the shroud to perform a miracle ( Grade 1 only in hands of True Owner ) ]

[ Records#9

 Luna / Mang subtypes - Virtues and Sins.

***

Sinful 

Wrath - elemental alignment is fire, conceptual is destruction, increases energy output in exchange for stamina drain rate, primary color is red.

Pride - conceptual alignment is domination, elemental is gravity, increases ease of enforced will, primary color is purple. 

Envy - elemental alignment is lightning, conceptual is mimicry, increases ability to learn, primary color is green.

Lust - conceptual alignment is connection, elemental is wind, increase ability to spread, primary color is pink.

Greed / Gluttony - conceptual alignment of consumption, elemental is wood, increases ability to take, primary color is gold. 

Gloom - elemental alignment is water, conceptual is pressure, increases ability to deal mental damage, primary color is blue.

Sloth - elemental alignment is time, conceptual is stagnation, increases ability to slow down things, primary color is gray. 

***

Virtuous 

Patience - elemental alignment is stone, conceptual is accumulation, increases ability to condense power, primary color is gold.

Humility - element alignment of wind, conceptual is limitation, increases ability to oppose will, primary color is light blue. 

Kindness - elemental alignment of wood, conceptual is restoration, increases ability to heal, primary color is green.

Chastity -  elemental alignment is water, conceptual is cleansing, increases ability to purify, primary color is white. 

Temperance / Charity - elemental alignment of metal, conceptual is bettering / giving, increases ability to refine / share, primary color is orange / yellow. 

Perseverance - elemental alignment is life, conceptual is continuation, increases ability to go on, primary color is red.

Diligence - elemental alignment is crystal, conceptual is stability, increases ability to ignore negative effects coming from surrounding, primary color is azure blue. 

***

Data on alignment and interactions

 Distortions - if the foundation, cause of the breakdown, of one is connected to emotions bound to a Sin then a strongly opposing force of respective Virtue can make it easier for others to reach a distorted person and aid them in reversing the process. 

 Abnormalities - if the Abnormality is strongly connected to a Sin, a Virtue empowered Luna will give attacks against it greater effectiveness. 

 Fusion of Two sides - aside from simultaneous use to create fused effects of different Sins or Virtues it is possible to fuse those opposites.

 It requires great depth of understanding of oneself in both ways, no small amount of skill with Light and willpower to hold opposite powers from clashing making them work together. 

 Spreading buff through Lust and Perseverance? Perhaps Patience and Wrath made it into one, focused and utterly devastating attack? Many ways there are to it.]

Chapter Text

 Two friends finally got through piles of paperwork and requests to properly visit and ask Cecilia about things. They knew they were a bit late with it all, but still wanted to make sure nothing was overly wrong even if no clear indication of such outcome seemed to be there from their limited communication.

 One of the clerks informed them that currently Cecilia was in Arian's workshop so two made their way there…

You are the heart of my Temple of Thought 

 They heard quiet music, muffled by walls and closed doors coming from their targeted location. Not overly energetic, slow, pleasant melody playing along the words. 

So you can let go of your fears…

 “Hm? Who's there?” After their knocking, a familiar voice spoke up from behind the door. Cecilia was as always a quiet walker. 

 “It's us Lia, Oscar and I wanted to see if…” Salvador didn't finish when the door swung open and two got rather swiftly pulled into bear hug, each getting their neck wrapped around by the right and left hand of the woman respectively. They followed her into the workshop’s main room soon afterwards.

 “New faces I see? Greetings” unfamiliar man smiled to the two new arrivals. “I'm Alberto, nice to meet those who Arian spoke about…” 

 “Master D Salem?” Oscar's eyes widened a little. This man was known well in certain artistic circles of the City after all.

 Salvador, seeing no clear danger, looked around. There were some new prototypes, more bookshelves filled up by what were likely results of research. Arian was focused on putting finishing touches on what looked like a rather elegant gauntlet made up of many thin plates of metal on the outside, aligned to perfectly hug the hand until the elbow without overly restricting possibilities of motion. 

 “Ah, nice to meet a fan or a college, perchance?” Docent of the ring inquired curiously. Cecilia went to the small kitchen connected to the main room via a small corridor to turn on the kettle. 

 “Hm, not a competent one but carving from stone is a hobby of mine” Zwei fixer replied with a small smile. “How did you find yourself here if I may ask?”

 “Ah, that's a tale worth being told by the protagonist himself… would you be so kind, dear student?” Arian turned his head, blinking as his eyes refocused on surrounding, Light pulsing in his eyes and coating his fingers dimming. 

 “Hmm… I will warn you, if you want information you should know that spread of it will get a Color coming after you, a Purple Tear to be exact” Salvador raised an eyebrow. Cecilia, who just returned with cups and the teapot nodded in confirmation. 

 Two friends shared a look before giving a their of accepting nods…

***

 “Youth… really is time for gambling isn't it? I won't chew you out because likely it was done, but you did well on learning from it if my friend's look is anything to go by” Oscar spoke up. Honestly Salvador thought that another hit on that nail might do the young man good. Knowledge of Singularities inner mechanism aside… the plan itself was gambling too many things for time. 

 Yes, the result spoke for themselves as they both could see and feel how much sharper yet smoother and firmer every move and gaze of the young man was but still. The price wasn't small even after victory. 

 “Trust me, dear college, dear student of mine got his fairest share of that… including one from a Color which, due to his new abilities in healing, was very very deeply ingrained” that made Salvador shiver actually. He had some joint training with Zwei’s grade 1 and four against one was easy for those. Colors usually stood as far away from grade 1 as a grade 5 is from grade 2 power wise, at the minimum! 

 “You should know she only got rougher as I got better… especially recently” that raised the eyebrows of two Zwei fixers again.

 “Mhm… our boy Raziel here went against Zhu of Liu you know? Arian of course got all the same upgrades…” Cecilia spoke proudly while ruffling the young man's hair, making Arian grumble under his breath. 

 Explanation was… more scientific when Arian started cutting into the more emotional storytelling style of their friend. It was impressive nonetheless and through Light technique the young man refined he showed visual and sound only fragments of Cecilia's own memories of the duel. 

 “Also I don't think we'll handle something this high in depth in quality even with that discount you offered us… but what about a tattoo job only?” It was Oscar who let the question out first. Salvador agreed, also made himself a note in mind to open an account segment and get to accumulating some money from jobs for future augmentations. Unlike purely technological ones these wouldn't require repeated upkeep aside from food and perhaps visit to Arian in case of some medical problems. 

 Redhead hummed thoughtfully, doing a few calculations in mind before telling two the approximate price. Still high but not horribly crippling.

 “I also, aside from special nuovo, can offer you ink modifications for higher resistance to certain effects…” Arian added with a smug smile. He took no little pride in figuring out how to safely use parts of different mutants as ink ingredients and not cause side effects to show from deep exposure. 

 Later Alberto and Oscar started discussion on their art forms while Salvador happily shared a few funny job stories with Cecilia and Arian, who was always happy to get more knowledge on City districts he was yet to experience personally. 

***

 Time kept running and Iori dropped off the younger twins again… They were pretty happy to be back and Iori didn't mind both helping around to learn about how the fixer Offices work either, so Nail now had two young helpers from time to time.

 Aside from that? Arian got to give Kali her augmenting tattoo using schematics similar to his own. After all she mostly finished growing by now unlike blonde twins. His fellow redhead chose to make it outwardly invisible which he actually supported, after all his spiderweb tattoo was redone by him eventually in similar manner. He had nothing against people wearing art, but it wasn't his style. 

 “Could you… use the Light like that?” Argalia asked one time when they were having a joint training session with Cecilia using blindfolds. Young boy was, understandably, winning against even redhead twins from time to time, due to his speciality and talent leaning into hearing. 

 “Like… a bat?... Actually I don't know” use of Light for long range, area of effect information gathering was something Arian honestly overlooked focusing far more on enhancement of already existing senses. That was… a honestly stupid mistake. He was quite sure certain Abnormalities likely could go around normal human senses while they would be very clearly visible to Light based techniques.

 Raziel nodded solemnly yet also a little happy.”Worry not Blue Singer we'll teach you if your idea works out, when you'll get there…”

 Much like with Kali, neither of the two, that were once one, minded helping the future Colors reaching the Sea, purifying the water and then mastering the Light. Also it was still too early in their opinion to let two blondes go even to the closer to surface layers of Ruins. Argalia and Angelica might have skill equivalent to some mid level 6 grades already, without any gear counted in, but Raziel and Arian thought that they needed more time to build mental strength over bodily, experience life, grow firmer in their image of Self to withstand the Voices of Ruins…

 Throughout the next few days Arian and Raziel tried it, letting out waves of very surface level tracing intent charged Light without any other intent or desire but to see, know and feel things about the surroundings.

 It wasn't very good at first. It didn't reach further than four meter radius. Vague pictures made out of smashed together pieces of different screens, as if someone tried fusing different camera viewpoints by hammering them together. Some pieces lacked any colors but shades of gray, other parts showed colors of temperature instead…

 Yet it worked… and practice would make perfect eventually. Isolating certain information streams wasn't anything too new to them as they did it with mastering of memory sharing, cutting off feelings of the body, thoughts that one had in a moment and more. 

 All they needed to one day guide Argalia well was time and practice in different environments…

***

 Kali grinned, polishing her weapon after practical testing. Not a prototype but more refined, finished form with blade edge similar to Arian's spear, with more than a few exhausts to add power to both stabs and slashes, even an inbuilt bio lock so no one but her could use it to the fullest. 

 Argalia was practicing with his secondary weapon, aside from his favorite, beloved scythe, which were throwing daggers. Angelica, understanding that mastering weapons simultaneously was a bad idea even before visits to redheads, focused on what those could help her refine. Spear and pair of daggers. 

 Of course their models were adjusted by Raziel to fit their height, weight and overall abilities so they wouldn't need to adjust too much after growing up even if he knew they learned fast. 

 “Okay… your lessons are over for today, Cecilia is suggesting an outing for dinner and Iori said it was ok to bring you with us to the Nest” Arian spoke up, entering the room. 

 “Where are we going?” Kali kicked herself up from sitting position, throwing the sword onto her shoulder. Her “Custos Flammifer”. A bit too epic of a name, old language too, but Raziel had all the right as a creator of it. Plus she liked the meaning. Guardian Flame-bearer. 

 Perhaps it wasn't real but Kali felt warmth, not physical but different, from the weapon. Acceptance, desire to protect too. Raziel's own emotions echoing through Light he used to help shaping, refining and fine-tuning the weapon for his friend and student, knowingly or not making small steps towards what it took to craft Relics. 

 “Well… Cecilia kinda wanted you two to suggest the place, even if we didn't exactly tell you about too many of them…” his expression shifted, slightly guilty. It was mostly because cooking here was cheaper and both Raziel and Arian got good enough to match certain cafes if not surpass them. Arian's side job still went on, also less often now. 

 After a short pause the blonde girl asked “Will you be working in the coffee cafe this evening?” getting a nod she grinned “then let's go there!” 

 Argalia didn't mind… also he made sure his sister agreed to visit Fallen Eden next time they get to choose the place. 

 Kali just followed and when they got there Arian was already working, a man with blue hair chatting with him while her fellow redhead prepared the order.

 That was first, out of the future many, times Daniel and Kali met each other…

***

 Redhead twins were in deep meditation, their forms clad in pulsing waves of silver light that slowly gathered closer to their palms. Their mastery of shaping existing matter and working on information passing through Light already wasn't anything to scoff at… so they were attempting to unite the two pieces into something different.

 Angela was unique in many ways. AI that existed in connection to the Seed of Light project for all of her existence, going through cycle after cycle, her Ego blooming within epicenter of the resulting power explosion. Her mastery over Light given material form was bordering on something akin to Divine Authority within her Domain.

 It could be compared to a Reality Marble in more than one way, which probably eased her manipulations within Library borders…

 But they digressed… currently they weren't trying anything that crazy yet. No, currently Raziel and Arian were trying to use two different spectrums, one each, to fulfil a task. 

 Raziel was using a mixture of Humility and Temperance Virtues charged Lunas to aid formation of silver Light into the shape and solidity of a chain they traced information off of. First one used to apply restriction upon whoever would be chained, aid form through conceptual filling. Second was close to the power of Tsumukari Muramasa, specifically the frequency the Relic let out when power gave form to surrounding matter. 

 Arian was attempting a similar feat using a mixture of Sloth and Pride respectively. Sloth was here to restrict, bind while Pride was utilized to ease the process of shaping the Light outside the body. 

 Sadly they were yet to master any Sin and Virtue enough to use them in true unison instead of directing them on separate tasks without explosive results… but even with usage of these modified Lunas neither got overly far. 

 “Perhaps we should attempt an emotional push for the first manifestation to become… complete?” A blue eye flickered to his fellow half which made said half squint his eyes a little more before letting go of flickering, flowing strings of Light that didn't seem to have any intent to keep the shape together even when he barely held together the first two links of a chain!

 “It might be useful… even if holding Sinful Luna simultaneously with that will be not so easy” Raziel simply shrugged at that. Not like any project they took their time trying was easy or simple to begin with.

 “Perhaps we also missed another thing?” Arian started thinking outloud, his eyes closing. The density of light over his hand grew until it was akin to a ball of silver, glowing fog. “We are trying to use memories… but we aren't truly doing it, are we? Storage isn't enough, knowledge isn't, we need to fill a vessel…” 

 Raziel blinked before facepalming, hard. Oh yes, they did indeed not do it right did they? Instead of directly pouring information into Light they tried to connect it to data stored within them instead…

 It took them days of trying, at first projecting copied echoes of their memories onto physical items and minor Relics to check how they'd accept it, then slowly moving to just pure Light.  It was… different from shaping, very much so. Just as far from connection and transfer of memories between two minds or more. As such required a different approach which they were somewhat blind to without some time spent hitting a wall with their heads. 

 “Ha… how does that feel?” Arian grinned. Sadly their control was insufficient to infuse power of more than one Sin or Virtue into ethereal, yet solid feeling silver chains. 

 “Not… bad” currently they were testing Pride's primary elemental alignment. Gravity. Honestly G Corp might get curious if they use it too openly… but as long as nothing was truly stolen no law would be broken, as such no repercussions would come from the Head. 

 Humility would be useful against those more powerful or prideful, self assured more than anything. Sloth worked alright to temporarily slow down or seal attacks caught for a short time. Temperance on the other hand… it could give chains self-repair and strengthening functions that only required to feed it more Light. 

 It was good progress and useful application but both agreed to not spread themselves any thinner with new Light techniques for at least two months or so if nothing unexpected happens…

***

 “What will you call it?” Raziel asked Kali. They stood near a… River. One of those that came from Sea of Possibility yet were diluted enough to carry singular dominant effect.

 This one was interesting in a few ways. It was accidentally found by Kali overusing her weapon on a tunnel floor and finding an entrance to a separate segment of a cave system they found no other entrances to. 

 It,if you simply touched water, would make sensations come with slight time difference, come later by seconds. Tested on Rats. It could fully freeze things in time if you submerged something in it and unlike the Mirinae situation it also worked on mind fully, making no time seemingly pass.

 “I'm bad at naming you know?” He shrugged in return “ah fine, so it'll be the River of Niflheim now!”

 “Northern myths? Not a bad source I guess” Raziel agreed absentmindedly. His thoughts were elsewhere. They were on a far away possibility and how to assure that Sephiras, if neither him nor Iori thought up a better sure hit way to execute Seed of Light, at least had good, human bodies and not boxes, more intact memories, better life quality. That was part of why he so desperately dug into fleshcraft and augmentation after all… 

***

 Only clashes of metal against chitin or bone broke the rather deafening silence of the corridors within the depth of Ruins. Raziel observed, letting Kali get more used to fighting strange, abhorrent things that dwelled here…

 Her stubbornness and sheer willpower mixed with abnormal learning speed through constant challenge and battles let her rate of descending deeper grow faster than his. Young Man felt jealous, but in a good way, more like proud and happy that she managed to pull it all off. 

 Custos Flammifer roared, flames spewed from exhausts propelling it down in an arc that left the giant centipede-hydra being born of faulty K serum and some experimental artificial bug strain lost one of the last two heads. The one remaining tried crawling away, pulling the burnt, cut, pierced and crushed body pieces with it… not that it helped it. “Ha… are we there yet?” 

 The question made him smile. Raziel simply took off towards the tunnel leading them closer to the shore of The Source. 

 Kali…. Stood. It felt weird to finally be here. See and feel pressure of the Voices of Ruins where they were strongest yet feel barely annoyed. What took Raziel more than a year she managed in few months from her first dive…

 Her eyes from behind the mask were fixed on the vial of the liquid she extracted. Swirling at uneven intervals, constantly shifting color, solidity, thickness, perhaps any characteristics there were possible really. Now it was time to start her own path towards purifying this thing into what will grant her Light… to never be weaker again and always protect those she wishes to see protected…

 Of course their way up couldn't be this simple, could it? Kali swore under her breath, dodging a barrage of blood gem shards before her sword sliced through two bloodbags that tried to jump her…

 Raziel was busy with the bloodfiend who was ordering these things. There were many of them, all neatly separated into groups of shooters, shielders, cutters and a few others wielding different pieces of gear made of blood gems.

 Bloodfiend himself? “You'll know the pain and despair for daring to take  our Fifth Kindred! I so swear by my name of Charles who our beloved father knighted as Knight of Crimson Ruby!” Pompous, snotty, prideful piece of bloody shit. Fast and not too weak but he was taking them on using numbers of bloodbags, tactics and positioning. 

 “Aah… Kali! Dance!” Oh she loved her second teacher in such moments. All the learning of tactics against different enemies was far more effectively learned through practice. She jumped upwards, using the next burst of flame to propel herself while slashing another shielder bloodbag…

 The bloodfiend watched. His red eyes widened, his long, stylish black hair hidden by crimson helmet standing on ends when… battlefield turned into nothing but blades. Floor, walls, even ceiling, all sprouted swords that were burning hot yet solid, piercing his troops. “You insolent insects! I'll break your bones and make you watch as I turn this girl into a bloodbag before defiling he-” 

 Charles hoped taunt would make the girl give him an opening to take a hostage. She seemed powerful but not on his level, unlike the man. Those Index flunkies lied, saying he wasn't above grade 3 fixers… he should run. What he didn't understand was… why was he pulled towards the man?! 

 Raziel grinned when the Sinful Lunar spiral of Pride yanked the commander away from his soldiers. Kali fell down, her sword mimicking a guillotine propelled by flames… but bloodfiend managed to throw out blood gem spikes, rooting himself in place and only losing one hand to the elbow. 

 “Raaaaaaaeeeh!” a pained screech of fury echoed through the tunnels. Blood from bloodbags was pulled towards the bloodfiend in one wave, crystalizing into roughly shaped humanoid form with liquid blood filled cocoon within. 

 Raziel couldn't help but click his tongue while dodging a barrage of crystal needles. He wasn't particularly eager to use more Light here, so close to the Sea as they were barely one floor of height worth above it, due to how The Source might react… he signaled Kali and they made haste, luring the thing away from still not drained corpses and the area itself. Of course the bloodfiend tried dropping the ceiling on them by shooting exploding projectiles…

 “Gggrrrrruuu…” deep, trembling roar echoed from within the golem of blood as a chain of Sloth weaved itself around its legs, slowing down every process if not by much, enough to give two fixers distance. Also making it so the bloodfiend couldn't dodge a vibro blade dagger with an attached napalm grenade. 

 Kali looked at Raziel, who was likely grinning under his mask. Big Luna of Patience and two normal golden ones hugged the blade of Tsumukari Muramasa near the guard. She finished reloading her weapon. Golem's steps weren't quiet nor was he trying to be subtle. 

 “You will bleed!” Golem became thinner, yet still was definitely too heavy for the owner to move with his normal speed. Kali took a deep breath. 

 Slash of white and azure cut the tunnel, leaving lines of melting stone. The horizontal line made the golem step back, yet it wasn't that short. Bloodfiend’s helmet-protected head still felt the heat as the piece of armor was melted and charred. “Yooouu!” 

 Kali saw blood crystals melt away, bloodfiend pouncing at Raziel in blind rage and hunger born of continued need for regeneration. Then she felt an explosion of heat… Sinful Lunar spiral of Wrath wrapped around Raziel's forearm and spreading onto the weapon. 

 She jumped back but kept watching. Bloodfiend met a stab of azure-violet blade that was followed by a thin, white tornado of flames that threw the armored man into the nearby wall. Blood based armor crumbled, charred skin cracking, seething blood boiling away. “Fa…ther wil… fi… yo…” 

 Bloodfiend passed out, still barely alive, not that it would remain that for more than a moment longer…

 Raziel swore under his breath. Third meeting with an actual bloodfiend, seventh with organized bloodbag groups, ninth with just bloodbags throughout these two last months. So that old conflict came from the dead? Not ideal, but he and Arian had grown and there were more than a few ideas how to deal with bigger fish. 

 His eyes moved to Kali. She did good. Her new nuovo fabric based gear, a special one of course, helped her greatly as she felt hits blocked better, making her learn faster in fights. Iori liked her progress too, saying she'll likely go further than her “canon” counterpart… Raziel would make sure that will come true. 

***

 Golden eyes slowly closed as she breathed in and out. She kept practicing with her weapon in the training room, slowly sliding through positions, strikes, stabs and acrobatic moves. 

 A vial of water from The Source was in a tight necklace on her neck. Meditation was harder to her than steady rhythm brought by repeated, rehearsed movements. 

 Raziel seemed… proud that the liquid was losing colors rapidly. It was a bit flustering for her to see him praise her stubbornness in facing flaws, sins, everything that it took to finally purify the power of the Sea of Possibility into Light and prepare herself for it. She wasn't sure what he meant, but Kali wasn't sure she'd even get anything like his weird vision of his “previous” self which he didn't tell details on. 

 Days kept coming, ending. Kali kept going , sometimes recalling each step to make cutting through the next wall easier. Perhaps it wasn't as methodical nor smooth, but with her body dancing along the memories of battle these things came easier…

 She knew fear intimately and wouldn't live if she didn't face what she was afraid of. Kali also understood shame… of her origin, what she needed to do, yet Raziel was right. She lived and kept herself together, not becoming what many did. 

 Her squinted eyes were reflected in the polished blade…

 Guilt… for not being strong enough to save. Yet she knew the old man and even her fellow kids wouldn't want her to dwell, to die more likely because of the past mistakes. Neither was grief worth much where death walked behind your shoulder. She could wish them a better next life though, sincerely and truly because they deserved it. She would keep going, for herself and still living, but not forgetting good times they had with those gone.

 Illusions and lies…most of them were away from her youth and last few, that she was alone like that in the City, broke thanks to the Nail Office and two brats Iori brought. 

 Attachments… she let go of many, holding, protecting few so at best? She could accept possessing those. 

 Thinking of Iori helped her let go of distance. The world could feel vast but void, yet all that had meaning? Much closer even when far away. And Transience? It was much like attachments, you could only struggle against the river and break… or overturn the flow and carve a new one for it, one you'll forge.

 Within the liquid from The Source gold and beautiful, not angry but warm, lively red took their dominant place… 

 Sins… were harder yet easier. Gluttony, she saw and hated, similarly she saw Greed. Knowing how much you need and the difference between needs and wants was important to keep living well without doing what damned chefs did. Envy… she knew it too but… seeing the insides of the Nests helped, memories of others did too. 

 Pride? Her ideals, her strength, her hair if a little. Yet was she doing it for pride? No, not at all. To look herself in the eyes in a mirror and not feel ashamed, to live, to just be a bit more beautiful. 

 Sloth? That was likely Sinful Luna she'll have anti talent for….  Gloom too. She saw too many consumed by it much like some did physically devour their fellows…

 Lust? She saw it and honestly didn't find appeal in drowning in different kinds of poison. For body or mind and soul, they were all disgusting. 

 Wrath. At the City, Fate, everything. Yet, she could do something now, push through,prove them wrong and help others do so until it all came crashing down. To build a future with all their might one has to face themselves. 

 It took her exactly six days to do it. Under watchful eyes of Iori, Raziel and Arian as well as Cecilia Kali drank the shining gold-red liquid Light in one shot…

 She blinked, looking at a… dream? No, a memory forged from a piece of her favourite picture book story the old man told. Field of flowers, orange and purple sunrise, white sand beach near roaring ocean, lush forest that didn't create darkness within, only thin pleasant shades… and a small house where a retired fixer and his female colleague escaper from a Corporation took rest after killing a monster that plagued the capital, getting freedom and plenty of coin as a reward.

 Of course there were details here, her own wishes. Pictures with friends and their families on walls, plenty of trinkets from travels gathered and… a yet to be filled crib. Yeah, this feels right and good that others won't see that

 Kali blinked, opening her eyes. Her body was pulsing with something… new yet so so familiar,like water simply nourished and awoke a sleeping seed. She let the impulse of power spread through her easily.

 Iori blinked, so did Raziel and others when Kali's body started glowing, clad in gold and red fog of Shin. Twins discerned the feeling easily… Determination, Desire for Protection and Living, that's what red was for…

 Purple Tear let out a very uncharacteristic yep sound when her student yanked her into a hug. It felt too warm and safe for her to even try tutting Kali…

***

 Arian rarely had time for dives but now that Kali awoke Light? Raziel happily switched some timetable tasks. He was better fit to teach her over Arian. It was relaxing to explore and have more dangerous, living opponents from time to time even if very rare few matched Arian here at the moment. 

 He heard… sound of battle and something else. At such depth they knew many things already. Probably could make a bestiary for 11th and nearby district Ruin segments too. An unpleasant sense of familiarity hit him after a wide, potent wave of Light Sonar spread and returned an echo of … something twisted fighting a woman. 

 Shin pulsed to life and a pair of Mang hugged his ankles, glowing light blue of Humility that made the air shift into wind helping him along…

***

 Bari dodged out of the way of the twisted being. Once a human that drank from the River too close to the Sea, now slowly melting into a cocoon for embodiment of idea, story piece, myth. He devoured his group mates too, making the abomination all the bigger and worse…

 He shifted again, flesh melting to let one see scales that didn't as easily let her weapons through and hands slowly cracked, skin torn by feathers trying to come out of it. Beaks and sharp, needle teethed mouths opened singing with alluring, sing-song voices of those cherished…

 “Bari why don't you aid the joining most pleasurable? / Bari… why? / Big sis… not coming?” The arrow went loose and one more head was pierced. The being kept dragging its obese, twisted, shifting form mimicking interpretations of sirens to her. 

 Then an explosion rang. Burning spear, glowing with boiling golden light sliced through the constantly changing flesh and… regeneration seemed to slow down. Two pairs of eyes met, gold and silver looking with recognition and surprise into a pair of light blue. 

 Spear was yanked into his grip as Arian landed to the left of the beast after dodging a pitiful attempt at grabbing. Then it started talking… “Why don't you come to us? / Wouldn't you want me to be yours, not his? / Why not join us now?” 

 Bari felt a wave of… something. Bloodlust but within Light that pulsed off of the man she felt disgust/anger/pity/sadness/determination. As the beast let out multiple jets of clear yet sticky fluid to try trapping the new target the man simply moved. 

 Knight of the White Moon felt… a hint of shock. Those movements reminded her of the Purple Tear to some extent. Not as fast or smooth yet similar in a few ways. “Keep attacking…” 

 His words snapped her out of it. While the man danced around arms trying to reach, long necks trying to stretch and bit as well as shots of viscous sludge she landed shot, the another, one more. “Back off!”

 He did, after severing another head into two halves with a heated, singing blade. Explosion rang, shock and freezing cold making the nascent abnormality scream as its vessel was damaged… then they felt it. 

 A spiral of burning, angry, Wrathful, red spun itself around the shaft of the weapon before it was brought down roughly, mid jump over the beast, leaving a long, deep, scorched gash. 

 Dancing went on… power that the thing possessed dwindled until it started to turn to nothing but distorted, damaged flesh twisted by power that didn't have time to take root in an improper, weak vessel.

 “Ha… to think I'll meet you, Bari” she quirked an eyebrow. He smiled before pulling out a thermos and offering it to her “tea?” letting out a sigh she accepted it. He could have attacked many times before, plus she felt not a hint of intent for harm. 

 It was pleasant. Hot, with berries and honey, rich and well made even if she could tell it was stored for a few hours already. “How do you know me?”

 “I know things… I know Iori too” that explained little as they didn't cross paths. Saw each other? Maybe but not much more. “Would you be willing to meet at a later date? I have things not meant for accidental addition ears I wish to discuss…” 

 She looked into his eyes, deeply as she could, listening to her instincts. He actually blushed a little bit from such a gaze. It reminded her of Sancho a little bit. Dreamy eyes, yet his were as much duller as much they were determined, focused, aged by experience and not just time alone. Bari nodded. 

 They shared a simple meal, exchanged contacts and possible meeting points if one may need to find another sooner or in an emergency situation. 

 Knight also carried with her a thought about one of many smaller offers the man… no Arian, made. “Mhm…” she nodded to her own thoughts, determined to buy some physical book copies from him, some of which she saw and glimpsed at on his tablet. 

Chapter Text

 It did not take Kali long to grasp the idea behind Lunas and Shin as well as some of the Sin and Virtue variants, excluding some. Raziel's and Arian's experience glimpses were very useful too. Also their silver was far from her red Light hue variant there still was overlap when they weren't using those specifically. 

 First thing Kali tried to do is think up a technique that would be easier to start off and not as hard to keep going. After all, to make such “passive skill” would ease everything later by making the body passively adept…. As such she took inspiration from Dragons whose heart, in some fantasy stories, worked as a magic pump for their blood too, making that liquid much more potent.

 What did Kali do using that example? Wrapped a Lunar spiral around her heart, passively infusing her blood with Light non stop while giving her limited heartbeat rate control to boot. Not letting the created structure fall apart was easier than creating by fair margin. 

 “Ha… not bad hm?” she grinned toothily, her bruises and cuts pulsing with red and gold as they healed. Mang: Heart or Light Blood infusion proved a very interesting and potent technique. Light made blood better, more energy rich, more capable of closing wounds and less “wanting” to leave the body as well as intended paths to begin with. 

 More or less it gave minor amplification to muscle strength, thought and reaction speed by raising blood circulation system efficiency, but majorly increased stamina and passive regeneration. All of those did not interfere with Shin, stacking or summing together, whoever you'd prefer to word it for yourself. 

 Due to Light getting accumulated in specific body part more densely it also made adaptation of it faster compared to more spread out effect of Raziel's and Arian's passive under skin Shin. Kali's blood became better at a noticeably more rapid pace. As such two adopted the method.

 “Indeed…” Raziel noted while Arian and Kali finished sparing. He let go of the big sinful Luna of Pride that made them both feel nearly two times the force of gravity. Not a truly new training method but Kali wouldn't get much good out of it without Light helping her both fight, heal and adapt faster. “If you'll pull off the Virtuous Lunar spiral of Kindness or more likely Perseverance… I doubt there will be many to match your survivability” 

 “Mhm… not like you'll have statistics of it collected from the two of you by then which will do better?” She huffed, letting out a rhetorical question. Not that she actually felt bad or anything. Kali very much respected the diligence, meticulousness, passion and ability for structuring of information. She still was having plenty of trouble with many things, only few coming naturally, even after twins shared some of their experience both with words, training allowing her to feel it on herself and memory connection. 

 “Worry not we will” it was the other twin that spoke up next as his cracked falang healed back into being whole. “And will probably write a guidebook… Argalia and Angelica will join the numbers of Light users eventually, maybe Max or Lia too…”

 “And your AUR? Or someone else?” silver eyes redheads seemed pensive for a few moments before one of them spoke up. Spreading knowledge of how to obtain Light might create additional troubles along the way, additional risk factors and stronger enemies too. 

 “Likely, but later, perhaps in a few months, after all they have jobs, families in some cases too” it was a simple statement of a fact. Not all were ready for risks of the depth even with aid of experienced divers. Not even bodily harm made some doubtful but one for their minds and common sense… which was fair and understandable. 

***

 Kali felt a bit… thoughtful, a bit embarrassed, slightly flustered. Her enhanced empathetic senses together with her inborn instincts sharpened by experience were unitedly quite strong. At least halfway stronger than Raziel and Arian had initially, by their own estimations via range and details she could tell. 

 It wasn't too bad… aside from lustful looks on streets now being much easier to notice, irritating her greatly. Cecilia's energy felt far more contagious too, her enthusiasm… Raziel's steadiness and soothing heat, far away echoes of the forge and fire he emanated. Arian's cooler, less open but still calming presence. 

 She was curious to get a better feel on Iori later. After her awakening it took time to start properly analysing incoming information which sadly robbed her of the opportunity to know exactly what her first mentor felt during that hug, even if she could guess by her response. 

 Her eyes drifted towards the window. For some reason Kali felt a little on edge…

***

 Iori hated such situations… new situations were unpleasant by now, but less so thanks to positives her new students brought along…

 But when you feel, see vague glimpses that interfering will potentially stagnate their growth? Even if their survival chances feel not so good… Iori hated such choices, but making them was a duty.

 As such Purple Tear observed making a promise to help her student snuff out the driving flame behind Index's beating heart for putting someone she cared for into such danger and making her make such choices again…

***

 Garion looked out of the window. Beholders reported possible anomalous activity worth observing but not worth dispatching serious forces against, at least not yet.

 Arbiter hummed before she started walking towards the teleportation room. Such things were better done from closer distance, not using screens or technology no matter how refined. 

 She wished to feel it with her own skin, see with her own eyes… Perchance, hopefully it'll make time in-between missions a bit less stale. 

 Sooner than later rain came pouring down onto the City…

***

 It wasn't an unusual day nor a stranger or eerie evening. Raziel simply took a stride, trying to find the reason behind the rather strange silence in the upper, near surface tunnels that started near noon yesterday. 

 Arian, AUR, Kali, Salvador and Oscar were all likely in their workshop. Iori promised to drop Argalia and Angelica next week for a period of at least two weeks. He was looking forward to seeing them pester Kali for more stories of Ruins. He and Arian both were also looking to a meeting with Bari who finally chose a location and time she was comfortable with…

 Suddenly his empathetic and Light sonar caught… something. Old, aged like wine, hunger yet together with acceptance that felt acidic, wrong. Pride and ocean of power not unlike that Third Kindred… also multiplied by at least ten, if not fifteen or more…

 “First Kindred…” Raziel mumbled as his body moved, evading a web of thin, extremely fast blood string, one of which fizzled out due to meeting white hot blade of Tsumukari Muramasa.

 “Indeed…” he was… pale, extremely so. His eyes were droopy, deeply seated, looking like a pair of burning wells of red in the dim light of the tunnel. His black goat beard, carefully cut mustache and shoulder long hair made him look aristocratic, matching well with a classic suit made in gray, black and red hues. He was tall, muscular, his steps smooth and silent. “So it is you who those lambs call a heretic? Not that names Fated prey gives each other matter…” 

 He didn't sound malicious, more cold, apathetic, like stating a scientifically proven fact. With his words the next attack came, less precise, not as subtle… “I see you disagree? But it matters little, after all it is Fate of us, bloodfiends to hunger and devour you humans, it is your Fate to be our prey…” 

 Raz blocked one of the flying, dancing swords of blood, evaded slash from another and barely jumped over two more trying to slice off his feet. His Shin became brighter, light blue Mang rings adoring his wrists. “You may resist longer, even kill some lesser kin but ultimately? Much like opposing certain Rules spells doom in this City, you'll be food…” 

 Swords sped up, so did Raziel. The lunar spiral around his heart burned, turning hot, pulsing orange of Temperance. Finally one of the blades sliced through his defenses, leaving a long, unpleasant wound on his calf. Each sword had a wavy blade… “hm? Interesting…” 

 First Kindred of 13th District, Vladimir Volkov, over eight centuries old, hummed seeing his weapon crack and boil. Blood of this fixer seemed burning, shining with hints of flaming orange and unpleasantly pure silver. He couldn't grasp it either… couldn't pull on it… his regeneration was quite high as well, for a human not associated with the Head or certain Corporations.

 Bloodfiend added a few small, swift arrowhead shaped constructs to the dance but before they could strike… two rings around his wrists expanded and wind picked up. Three, four, seven strikes in conjunction created web of flaming blades expanding in a sphere, forcing Vlad to form a crystal wall … yet it fizzled out near instantly.

 “Fate… you accepted it?” Question came as bloodfiend looked down upon his, swiftly reforming yet burnt skin. Red eyes met burning silver and blue. 

 “Why wouldn't I? Also you struggle curiously, think not of aid… my children will deal with your fellows” boys reaction was… not what First Kindred expected. His expression was still call, a bit smug even, as if unafraid, unbothered. 

 Raziel smiled. He couldn't be sure, but he trusted those at home to live, to win. His job was to do his best here…

 “Oh? Really now?” Heat coming off of the blade picked up, white shifting to azure and violet colors while blood vessels closer to skin surface seemed to be lit up with a warm orange glow. “Then come who follows fate… let me show how it is Severed!”

 Playtime, testing waters, that was now over. Two made their moves, stone shattering under sheer force and air screaming due to the speed. 

 Relic met a blade of old, powerful, highly condensed blood crystal that was much heavier than most conventional weapons this size but strength of First Kindred and control over his own blood compensated for the problem. Yet… Relic didn't crack, neither did the young man get pushed back, even if his feet dug deeper into the floor due the forces meeting in a clash. 

 Age gave bloodfiend upper hand in mastery but… Vladimir had no experience with Mang. His eyes widened when another ring of light, pure white, formed around man's throat for him to spew out… pure water?! 

 Raziel grinned. Moment was enough to both dodge incoming stabs from two remaining flying weapons and strike down. 

 Bloodfiend dodged the slash… but not the blades erupting from the floor. Which didn't pierce deep, held back by blood from cut wounds. Then Vladimir counterattacked. 

 Raz clicked his tongue. Another flying sword vanished in a wave of fire, helping bloodfiend block part of the attack. His opponent shut his eyes and put some blood gem over ears, not seeing nor hearing the water. “You are… annoying, understandable I guess… otherwise my kin wouldn't have died by you, all the sweeter will be your despair spiced blood” 

 Another heavy yet fast vertical slash, clash, barely blocked kick forcing them to jump back from each other. “I don't think you'll live through drinking it…” 

 They continued to exchange strikes. Vlad's coat felt far too heavy and sturdy for even high end nuovo. Raziel showed ability to regenerate more serious wounds, even putting back a severed wrist. 

 Temperance… betterment… forging. Where is one forged anew? Through challenge, through pain and tested, broken limits. Those were plentiful now. Edge of death grazing the young soul closer and closer with each step. Light and Relic resonated, each second of battle making Raziel a little bit better, far more rapidly than even during sparring sessions with Iori. Perhaps the closest would be the first battle two had with her?

 Another exchange ended, burns and cuts on Vlad closing far faster than bruises, cracks in bones and bleeding wounds on the young Relic wielder…

 The bloodfiend laughed. His long, black cloak suddenly… exploded. It was condensed blood crystal, a lot of it held tightly, perhaps more so than his sword. “Why, I'll dilute it… now, be a good lamb, drown…” 

 Bloodfiend's hunger and glee hit Raziel's empathetic senses together as well as… echoes. Echoes of every living being drained for that blood, screaming, begging, swearing, crying…

 Raziel let go of Humility and Chastity Lunas, instead focusing all into the sword which answered readily. A wave of blood, weapons and strings coming from many directions simultaneously moved…

 The joy, the nostalgia, the sorrow, the pain… And too determination. Red Luna of Perseverance followed by white of Chastity, then three made of pure silver. Shin around him took on orange and white hues, taking form more akin to fire than fog, wrapping around him tightly, blood strings fizzling and weapons cracking apart. Simultaneously a lunar spiral wrapped around his neck…

 Vladimir blinked… A short moment later his instincts made him arise three walls of crystalized blood but it was not enough! He couldn't hear the words but read the lips. Barely moving as this… human… burnt through his attack.

 “((((Sever… Tsumukari Muramasa!))))” and the sword broke through the walls, it cut through blood that tried to solidify around it, through the tight muscles of the First Kindred. Words echoed through old mind, not breaking, nor forcing, just making it so his reaction to attempt stopping the act performed on him was performed slightly later… most of the voice's power going through the blade, into aiding its function that slept for a long while. 

 The heart of old Bloodfiend met the burning blade. It didn't just burn flash or cut the organ. It took aim at something deeper. Not deep enough to Sever who he was before becoming Bloodfiend from his blood hungry part, but deep enough to touch and cut strings that let him syphon away the hunger…

 Simultaneously hunger Vladimir felt skyrocketed, flooding back into him. Familiar knowledge of his children existing ceased. He roared, his rough, crude strike at the abhorrent human filth sending Raziel into the ceiling and crashing right through it onto moonlit streets of the Backstreets of district 11t.  Vladimir's bloodlust mixed with mind stifling hunger poured out making many people at the surface feel primal terror, some immediately grabbing onto weapons while others passed out or just froze. 

***

 While Raziel met his foe the Nail Office came under attack by the swarm made of bloodbags under command of three Second Kindred of Vladimir. More than a few were caught in a crossfire, some other fixers and even Rats joining in the the battle against unwanted guests. 

 The oldest was Oleg. Tall man who mastered father's gift of blood weapons making. His red armor hid most of his features. To the left arm was attached a shield with jagged edges while in the other rested a long, wavy sword, too long to normally be used in one hand.

 “It is time…” his voice bellowed, seemingly quiet yet heard by others clearly anyways.

 After him was Margaret. Her elegant black and red dress fluttered with the wind, thin yet powerful, wide wings of blood helping her glide as many, barely visible strings of crimson spread underneath.

 “Indeed, let us make our dear father proud! Time to dance my puppets!” Strings trembled, catching people, digging into their bodies and giving her direct control, if limited to simpler orders. 

 Last, youngest, was Theodore. He was less armored than his older brother, not holding himself as pridefully as sister. He was whose Kindred died by Raziel's hand last. The hoard of bloodbags near him was the most organized and largest in numbers. 

 He simply nodded solemnly and silently ordered, bloodbags shifting formation and firing patterns to cut the most troublesome few into smaller groups, one per each of them. Theo did try telling them to join forces and snuff out enemies with raw force but his father and older siblings took pride over logic. They forgot or perhaps didn't wish to think about the potential and strength of humans, especially because they both trusted their father's vision of their Fate as predators over human kin being prey without any doubt… Letting out a sigh he followed orders… 

***

 Arian dodged another set of ball on chain throwing bloodbags and sliced apart a shielder with his Dhó Gae Bolg, letting Max pounce and crash skulls of more shooters… then they were forced to dodge a sudden, powerful slam with a large tear shaped shield.

 “Your Fate ends tonight insects… you may swear your loyalty to us and we might grant you use beyond your short-lived exi-” Oleg didn't get to finish his speech as a series of stabs made him block and parry “Insolent bug!” 

 Arian dodged the slash, both sword and resulting arc of blood that cut down multiple bloodbags behind him. Maximilian took his chance but his shock infused strike barely cracked the armor.

 Oleg had experience but… he was slower. Yes, mass granted him power making two only evade or dodge, rarely redirect attacks but that was all he had. Armor repaired itself very slowly and old bloodfiend seemed to care little for usage or lives of bloodbags aside from making them throw themselves at fixers. 

 Arian evaded another slashing move with a shield and slid under a slash. Max was getting near him after fending off another bunch of bloodbags “holding ok old man?”

 “Good…” Nail Office head smiled. Under his clothing one third of the saint's shroud taken off of Hans and charged up by Arian worked, making his stamina go down much slower and taking care of most minor wounds. “Plan?” 

 “Nail to the coffin…” a trick they worked on from time to time during joint training sessions. 

 “You think I'll let you?” Oleg burst into motion, using tubes of crystal on his armor and exploding blood within, creating propulsion that threw him forward. 

 Bloodfiend crashed into the building, nearly breaking through the second wall of a large room after going through the outer one. It took him a moment to pull himself out. Tricking of water from the broken tube made Oleg shudder but he did as father taught and used a fog of blood, shutting his eyes and ears. “(Oh? You really are like a bull, come here! I have a red cloth!)” 

 Knight in blood made armor didn't roar, but did answer. He didn't think about how he was hearing a voice to begin with. Slashing blood arc, then charging. 

 “You cannot run forever!” Oleg spoke without hearing his own words as Arian dodged again and again, fog of blood growing thinner due to constant heat given off by the spear. Suddenly the bloodfiend felt the next attack crack his shield with weight it shouldn't have had.

 “(Why would I, oh fool in red?)” why could he hear him?! How?! Suddenly fog shifted and Oleg felt fist hit his back with monstrous strength, cracking his spine between shoulder blades midpoints, ribs piercing his lungs. 

 Maximilian jumped back, Light Arian infused him with dwindling as the power it gave was used. Armor bloodfiend wore exploded into spikes. 

 He and redhead shared a swift look, nodding. The plan was working indeed… 

***

 “Come on! Dance for me! Hahaha!” Alberto huffed, his blade a blur of motion as he made sure to cut every string directed for attempted control on Eina and Mira who were doing their best to thin out the bloodbags and cutting strings attached to not yet turned. 

 Kali, clad in red Shin and her blade ablaze from Sinful Luna of Wrath, kept on attempts to charge, forcing flying bloodfiend to dodge and pull away, tearing strings between her and certain individuals.

 “This is the true art! After all it represents what you are! Chained by Fate and today you'll feel it prope-” Margaret was nearly blinded by an outburst of flames. Kali's slash, seemingly too far to reach her, resulted in fire being taken for a ride on a red Light arc.

 “You dare!” bloodfiend screeched as she nearly fell, barely repairing her wing in time before she could fall to the ground, also her hair and dress were not as fast to regrow. 

 “Your puppet show is amature, I guess effort and time couldn't overcome an anti talent?” Ring Docent chuckled seeing enraged gaze flicker towards him together with much more raw, wild attack which he and two girls simply dodged while cutting through more bloodbags. Armored they might have been but the young looking bloodfiend was far from masterful tacticians. 

 Multiple people were drained dry through her strings before she attempted to just drown him out in spiked whips of blood… but Kali got a hit in. Burning sword roared, exhausts spewing out flames that turned white hot as Light infusion amplified the reaction. 

 “Yo-uuu!” Rapid regeneration helped bloodfiend, but she was forced to drain some of the bloodbags. “You dared to damage my eternal beauty?!” 

 “Beautiful? Well, this is City of vice, it is a matter of time someone willing to try overaged products will show up…” roar of pure outrage followed Alberto's declaration. Inwardly he was honestly shocked how effective such provocation was on someone this old. Multiple corpses on strings exploded into blood crystal shrapnel. 

 Kali used her Custos Flammifer to create a wider, yet still potent wave of fire, shielding Eina while Mira blocked some, others intercepted by blur of the colorful, vibrating sword of her teacher.

 “For daring to smear by pure form I'll make you kill each other before turning you into toys!” Multiple bloodbags turned into lances of blood that exploded on contact, thrown via many strings pulled together. 

 It made all four dodge, even Kali not really wanting to take such hits “yes! Run! Give me the chase!” 

 “Your wish for cleanness is worthless when your every action gives off a stench of fear…” the bloodfiend gripped her strings more firmly, roughly. She didn't roar but continued to frantically, frenziedly attack and use a limited number of dwindling puppets as well as bloodbags under her command…

***

 Cecilia snaked through attack patterns. Honestly she hated enemies like this. Reminded of Corp commanders a bit too much. 

 While she used her venom clad daggers, throwing needles, needle shooter and grenades Raz helped make to swiftly disable as many troops as possible Oscar and Salvador took chase, forcing the commander to move. 

 Theodore hummed, his blood crystal art speciality, unlike that of his brethren, was far more self centered. Waving his hand he made multiple bloodbags carrying blood gem shields shift, their weapons melting into long tubes, part of material becoming bullets and the smallest part detonating inside. 

 Salvador dodged the shot, Oscar managed to block most of it with his lance and the rest not being able to pierce defenses of his new gear and tattoos. 

 Theo squinted his eyes as fixers pressed on. Coordinating efforts against other humans joining the fight and this assassin while running from these two was getting tedious… brother and sister were too careless with resources… again. 

 The bloodfiend barely blocked the venom clad needle with his blood crystal covered gauntlet… but then the handle carrying a vial of acid exploded making him hiss. 

 Oscar used his lance to launch Salvador up into the roof and the sun blade was lunged forward only blocked by two nearby bloodbags that exploded, their blood swiftly forming a wall. “You… are quite persistent…” 

 Cecilia swore under her breath as she saw Salvador getting thrown back by an explosion of blood crystal wall. 

***

 Garion hummed. Technically bloodfiends were violating some rules with those blood gem based guns… but they'd be dead soon anyway. 

 A sudden outlet of bloodlust made her switch attention to a street where a figure flew out of the ground, through a tunnel roof. 

 Somewhere else Iori calmed herself, taking firmer hold on the handle of her rapier. 

 In a dark room, in certain guarded areas of Ruins under district 11th a woman with blood red eyes smiled. “You underestimated them again… Didn't you, youngling?” 

***

 Something snapped… a chord struck and then cut while simultaneously being heated up rapidly. The echo of pain hit the three together with thirst, as if it was no longer shared but each for themselves… It was true in a way, after all the burning blade struck the knot, sending the web tumbling down.

 Oleg’s armor melted, cracked, turning into sludge that tried to pull in the bloodbags, draining them immediately. His eyes were glowing brighter than ever before as he launched himself towards a tall building of a multistory house only to feel heat that pierced his outer layer, stuck in his back a bit below the ribs. 

 His eyes flickered, stopping and focusing on blood. Dripping down from an open small cut on a cheek. Shining, potent, heavenly smelling blood of that redhead spearman whose weapon now burnt his guts… much less charged than before but… He needed…Oleg bellowed as he charged.

 And his head exploded as it met the shining fist of Maximilian crackling with electricity. The large body fell, blood spilling down, making bloodbags charge to lick it, becoming easier targets for the fixers.

 “Ff-faaathzzzeee…” Margaret screeched as she pounced at the nearest source of potent, needed, wanted liquid. Kali blocked the maddened bloodfiend whose dress turned into ribbons trying to wrap around her now, pull her closer to that hungry piece of crap. Bloodfiend didn't seem to care that grabbing onto the blade burned her hands. 

 Flambard cut off one arm of the bloodfiend, throwing daggers hit her eyes and spinning slash followed after a kick to the stomach. Vertical line of whitish flames and red Light fused into one ended the bloodfiend for good. 

 Theodore roared, his instincts screaming for blood and needing to share this curse to lessen it. A flood of blood from bloodbags satiated him little, but blissful seconds were enough for him to miss a lance thrown into him and when he fell over the rooftop edge a pair of daggers filled with venom met him, one from under lower jaw, one into his eye… then he was cut by searing hot blade that was orange like warm sunrise…

***

 Raziel dodged more grabby liquid-crystal arms trying to tear pieces out of him. First Kindred’s maddened, predatory eyes kept following him even as he continually caught and drained whoever his blood appendages could reach. His previously human form seemed to break down to an extent, shadowy blackness with cracks of pulsing red overtaking his skin, previously stable suit made out of well controlled blood crystal fusing onto him and melting to reform as additional limbs, wings and artificial outer skeleton.

 He needed to finish this fast or the thing would rapidly drain the district… His sword answered to his desire. Familiar power blazed to life within him and so did the timer. Perhaps longer than one he had against Iori but still not one allowing for prolonged combat…

 Together with it Tsumukari cried, few barely noticeable drops of white hot molten metal it birthed easily permeated the gloves, entering the body, letting the bond grow further… because eventually the Sword would be Him too.  

 Vlad roared as his wings clapped, sending rain of needles at his prey whose flame seemed to jump in intensity and potency, many small projectiles fizzling out before they reached even three meter radius around the Relic wielder. Then he pounced with speed you wouldn't expect from his current mass…

 Tsumukari Muramasa was stabbed into the ground. Moment later many chains of metal and stone erupted, clad in silver light mixed with light blue. “(((Stop…)))” 

 A maddened mind shrugged off the words yet gravity behind them didn't, multiplying the weight Vlad felt pulling him down. He threw outward his clawed arms and tentacles of blood…

 Evade, dodge, slash away and burn. Raziel would smile if he didn't know and feel how temporary this level of power was. Beast broke most of the chains, effect of Light fading due to monstrous power attempted to be contained by them. 

 The flood of blood Vlad called to him exploded outward. Chains flew through the air, hooks trying to reach the fixer. Strings trying to weave a cocoon of vectors… yet it didn't work. Another explosion of heat, two slashes of fire. First fizzled out many attacks or pushed them out of intended course, second left a boiling, fizzling, searing hot scar on the body. 

 Raziel knew it was now all or nothing. He let go of Temperance and Humility, only one Luna of Patience remained  around his sword’s guard as five spiked pure silver chains of condensed Light exploded from his back and wrapped around Vladimir tighter and tighter by a second. The beast charged forward, not resisting the pull, only trying to free some of its limbs… 

 Chains shook, arching, a wave of force went through them throwing the beast upwards as they shattered near their beginning, letting Raziel step right under where Vlad was mid air. 

 “(Sever…)” was his wish. To sever this pitiful creature's curse, to sever the Fate that brought such suffering, to sever who followed and aided such things and the accursed machine that was a conduit of it too…

 Blade hummed, agreement clear in music of scorching hot metal. Shin disappeared, Lunas broke and the lunar spiral around his heart dimmed out of existence, all Light poured into a single strike. 

 A single slash followed and many in that district and beyond it saw an arc of beautiful silver fire reminiscent of a crescent moon rising upwards, dimming slowly under the starting rain….

***

 Neither of the twins were expecting guests, aside from those they actually called but those wouldn't come days before agreed time. So they didn't particularly feel like being overly nice to whoever it was… 

 “Who…” but Raziel didn't expect Mirinae of all people to come here. After all they had reported and told Hana Association workers what happened two days ago. “What brings you here?”’

 “You are called before Hana” she kept her tone official but somehow Raziel could tell she was both giddy, a bit excited and happy? “I'm happy to see you are well…”

 He wasn't. Whatever he did during use of Blaze of Determination drained him enough to stay asleep for over 12 hours and feel like he was hungover and gained additional mass, his thoughts still were sluggish and Light was harder to grasp. Arian was helpful, but it seemed like Light healing and K serum had limits to how deep they reached. 

 “Summoning… official… what?” He took the letter, opened it and… froze. It was a call yes. One for rank designation update. There was only one such that required personally bringing someone to Hana. Color granting. In around three hours. “I'll be there… Give me ten minutes ok?” 

 The girl nodded, noticing Arian and waving him in greetings. Raz passed the letter on and Arian promptly spewed out his morning tea, coughing violently before blinking multiple times and letting out a deep, annoyed sigh. 

***

 Raziel wore his best combat suit. Official gatherings of fixers rarely required formal wear, allowing either a more casual or battle ready dress code most of the time. This wasn't an exception. Arian followed, one friend or another individual was allowed to visit with future Color. 

 The council room was…. White. Many screens in it lit up, only three people present physically aside from a few Hana guards. Alexandras was the closest Hana Office head, Purple Tear and Indigo Elder. 

 Screens lit on, most remaining in sound only but Raziel saw two people with cameras turned on. One lit up with marking “North Hana Branch Director” another with “South Hana Section 2 Office Director”.

 “Hm so that's who the news are all about? A fancy sword wielding youngster?” an old, slightly tanned, man with long, curly ashen gray hair smiled from the first screen. His dark brown eyes gave off an apathetic vibe, yet Raziel felt a sharp, analytic gaze hidden behind a fine tuned mask. Jump in sensitivity was annoying yet helpful. 

 “Ha… as always cranky old friend?” Elder chuckled softly before looking at Raziel. “It is good to see you, young man… you brewed quite a storm”

 “Plenty of trouble… Index's involvement makes it all worse too” woman from the second screen spoke. She looked younger than most here. Piercing blue eyes and long, black, straight hair clashing with her white uniform. “Now, to the current prerogative… You are to be designated a Color, you have right to suggest either first or second segment of the designation, you will be given access to missions of your level and will be able to choose reward in cash or whatever Corporation or Association giving the request can offer aside from City rule breaking” 

 That sounded good enough. “Silver… I choose silver, also any other duties?” 

 “Indeed, you are currently fifth active Color, two more either inactive or unknown…” A hologram of the City map appeared “You will be required to watch for Syndicate, Bloodfiend, Mutants or similar dangers to the integrity of the City in your and nearby districts, also inner Nest problems can be called private by respective corporations… You also will get access to private gear shops in Hana and have right to ask for Relics from our storage as reward payment, price list will be sent to you later”

 “Size of such problems, how big do they need to be for authorized interference?” an old man cut in to answer.

 “You fought one, most smaller things just don't need that much force brat… also if you want to go pick kittens off trees go on” his cackling laugh wasn't joined by anyone “ah, no humour in you lot…”

 “Hmmm… I suggest, Silver Restriction” voice from black screen marked “South Hana Section 1 Director”. “Those chains were catchy, and someone already has a fiery name….” 

 After a few moments it was agreed on. Raziel left the room, Arian following after him… they met one they didn't really think they'd meet for a while in one of the corridors. 

 Black eyes, black hair with a layer of golden strands that seemed to be under the black. A pair of Claws following closely behind their Arbiter.

 “Hmmm…..” Garion stepped closer “you didn't burn out, good” she smiled just a little, her gaze bore into him, somewhere in his being, not just body. “Not like me, far less refined… very human…” 

 “Like you?” Raziel asked. Garion smirked before… grabbing his hand to put it against her chest underneath the hood. 

 He would probably feel flustered and not a little afraid if he didn't feel THEM. His Light sense SCREAMED.

Mechanical, cool, cold, gray, black

Clanking of chains, pulling of strings together, hammer hitting metal to enforce shape…

R̶̖͂͌ę̷̺̞̠̺̓̔͒̓͘͜s̸̡̺̖̳̺̙̮͕̞̥͈̬̖̟̀̊̆͛͑̾̀ͅt̵̩̼̥͍̹͐͋̔̾̽̈̎̈́̇͝r̵̡̧͍̃͛́̿͗̍̂́̈́͋͘͜i̸̪̍͋̄͑̌c̵̨̯̱͕͈̝̟̋̏̂͗́́́̉̿͛͑̏̂̚͠ţ̴̹̬̩̫̫͍̘͈̠̅͊́́̿̐͐̓̌̿̏̚/̷̯̝͚̫͔̰̲͇̱̟̜̖̈̾̾̅͜B̴̡̗̳͕̞̺̟͔̱̼͔̬̣̈́̉̈́͑͌͊̿̕͝i̴̪̬̪͍̝̦͈̤̞̠̎̒͋n̸͉̘͕̙͖̰̣̼̫̘͓͙̦̖̎̈́͑̍̑͗͐ͅd̷̡̰͓̲̗̪̦̳̞̾̋̀̂̍̾̔̏̂͊̊̅̈́̾̕/̸̻̐͊̈́̓̈́͗͝C̷̨̛͚͙̬̭͔̦̙̼̝̠͐̆̽͐̋̄͐̒̈́̊̇̚ạ̶̘͉̟̙͎͍͎̊͛͆̀̈͗̎͛̆̌ẗ̸̛͈̫̪̘̱̟͉̦͌̋̐̏̋̌͌̌̆͛̚͠ć̷̞̲͚̞̝͙̟͔̰̫̥̱̞̳͎̉̃̈́͝ḩ̴̨̳͚̪̤̝̝͈͎̫͋̇̉

White, mixed, moving yet still

Opening of a window, ice losing all form, matter losing stability until all was energy again…

F̶̛͚̥͙͔̠̬̞̣̹̺̮̉̃͑̋͒r̴̡̖̭̘̠͙͍̝̲͈̫̾̇̅̈́̾͐̀̓̾̆͌̀͑͝͝e̸̥̦̼̣͓̎͋͂́̈̑̀̏̑̾̾͒̚̚ȩ̶̨̞͎̼͇̠͎̟̂͊̒́̈́/̷̢̛̞̜̲͈̃̈́̋̆͑͐̅͐̂̔̚̕̚ͅÙ̴̧̩̲̟̺̦̝̻̦̇̽̾̏̿̑̀̈́͒̿͘̕̕͝n̴̢̫̱͙̫̖̻̱̥̑̀̀̀̾̓̒̚͝b̴̧͕̬̜̭̣̟̫̪̫͘͠ͅį̵̯͍͖̐́ṉ̸̡̻̘͍̞̩̝͓̭͙̰̪̰̊̍ͅḍ̷̂̾̂́̽͒̔̈̚/̶̼̣̣͐̒̓̽̈́͝O̸̢̯̗̰̱͚̦̥̳͚̼̙̙̫̊͑̌͜͠p̶̡̢͓̠̎͂̊́̈͒̈͆̾̕ę̶̤͓̩̒̀͋͘͘͝m̵̨̢͈͖͔̻̹̟̗̣̥̤̗̎̈́͑͛͐̀

Sandy, moving, carving 

Aging, reversal of time, rusting and restoration, sand becoming a mountain anew and then melting into oceans of lava before the planet was ready to bear life…

F̶̢̛̻͚͓̮͕̀͂̔͒̐̀̒̿͘ͅͅl̸͕̘̖͔̦̫̗̼̳̲̯͈̙̰̒̉̊̿́̉̕͜o̴̤̘͑̿́́͒̊͆́̈͆̾̀͌̚͠w̷̛̦̺̻̺̭̥̻͔̉̀̎͗͗́̄̈́̕,̷̧̨̠̯͚̪̱̬̠̜͉͍̘͔̉́͗̏̏̋̋ ̶̨̢̪̳̑̈́̊̒̈͆͆͐̈͝ŗ̸̧͈͎͖͉͍̯͚̘͙̭̀͆̉́͛̑̄͆̊̈͠ë̶̢̛̦̩̰͍͎́̓̄̇̽v̸̨͔̪̹͍̘̱̫̞̪͔͇͊͛̈́̇̓̃͜ͅè̶̲̠̗͉͕͔͔̾̈͒̃̌̍̇̍͌ŗ̶̗̬͈̪̦͖̲̫̱̞͊͊͋̃̓̿͜͜͝s̶̨̛̬̪̥̠̼̱͐̾͒͌̈́͆̋̎͐͘͜͝e̵̡̛̬̪̩̖̪̭͓͍̠͌̃̋̈̆̑̾̄̐̿̆̉̕͝,̷̨̮̔́̈̽̔̓̈͌͐̿̕ ̸̫̤͙͓̭̲͍͓͕̐̏͗͋͂̈͆̐͂̍͒̕͝t̴̡̛̛͓͓̹̱̻̟͓͔̜̯̯̟̲̭̓̈́͑̑̌̿̓̿̒̐̃ȭ̸̢̺̦̭̲̻̘̭̹̤̪̣̼́͒̓̐͝ͅk̴̛̳̺̩̩̎̆̍͋̀͂̾̀̐̕͜ ̶̛̻̥͕͈̩̝̺̣̞̠̘͕̻͚̈́̊͒̌̈́͛̓̍̓̉̕͝ͅT̴̰͂̎̀̚͝į̷̡͎̫̺̜̦̬͍̝̂̆͌͂̆́̊̐̒̎͘̚͝͝k̶̨͕̞̝̜͐̑̇̉̆͊̒̐̃̀̀̆͘̕͝,̵̙̥̉͆̀̃͆͒͒̈̎͒̓͘͝͝ ̷͚͕̪͐͗͘ͅc̵͙͖͖̳̖͔̹̖̹̬̯̓͋̂͛̎ͅo̶̧̻̞̰̫̥̹̰̮͌̓͗͛̄͒̆͋͆͝u̴͈̲̤͓͒̒̂͐̈́̅͊͊̐̊̈́̓͝͝ṋ̷̰̟̟̈́̎͑̂̅̊̐͑̕ͅṱ̵͖̐̎̓͑͛͊̏̾̊̌̓̕̕

 He pulled back frenziedly, not wanting to hear even one more and to Raziel's joy she did let him go. “Ah, you do feel them too… Do you hear them?” She asked with a genuine curiosity shining in those black orbs. 

 “I do… do you, always?” Arbiter smiled widely before shrugging as if to say ‘who knows’. Then she continues her walk leaving flabbergasted twins alone. Raziel took a minute, looking outside the window to calm down. Whatever Singularities were… he did not want to touch those again without becoming stronger. 

 By the expression his twin had, Arian was not looking forward to feeling this particular memory on his own side…

***

 Carmen felt excited, a bit scared and all the while happy. She sat in the Coffee Dawn, behind the same table as one of the best, in her humble opinion, artists of the City!

 “It is a rare delicacy to old eyes to see such burning passion young miss” Alberto chuckled softly while Mira took her time asking Arian advice on what she should try. 

 “Thank you… it is an honor to meet you! Could you give me an autograph? I have an album with pictures of your works…” she took a deep breath “sorry…”

 “No need, believe me it is a joy to see such honest energy instead of a mask projecting hollow enthusiasm…” Docent took a sip of coffee. “But I'm far more curious about your work, well done I must say”

 The young woman blushed, her cheeks turning to red hue. “It isn't that good…”

 “Believe me young miss, better than many, done with a dream burning in your heart…” he noted reaction, twitch, eyes flickering, her fingers gripping her skirt a little “you have something else you'd like to ask?”

 “Could you… tell me who made that light?” Alberto blinked “the Silver moon… I wasn't near but some people I ask about it say it gave off… a feeling” 

 “Ah… you seek a light? What for?” Carmen took a deep breath, her expression turning more serious, determined too. 

 “I… want to cure people…it is hard to explain…” Alberto gestured for her to go on. He saw Arian paying a rather close, unusual amount of attention. 

 So the young girl told him. About how she started noticing that people seemed sick, even those happier ending up not as “bright” and their happiness rarely lasting. About her desire to find a root, reason why it all was… and failing, as reasons seemed without number… only to feel more determined, more resolute that change was needed. Somehow… and she didn't know how. 

 That was until she started gathering information about divers, Ruins, stories of Rivers and things born there. 

 “So please… even if you think I'm mad, I'll pay you, help you in what way I can… help me find the man who found light in the Ruins…” Alberto smiled seeing the sheer passion, hearing it. Honestly he wasn't surprised now that his student was curious about her. 

 “You gathered some information, but not all it seems… fine, young miss” that made her look up hopefully “I will tell you, but in exchange… you'll learn from me how to draw better” 

 Arian, who previously got quite caught up in passionate, hopeful and bright speech found himself smiling wider seeing a little flustered, shocked but happy face of the woman he hoped to meet for a while as much as he, and Raziel, dreaded it…

 She was all they imagined and more…

Chapter Text

 Kali let a small smile appear on her face when two platinum blonde projectiles hit her, hugging her tightly only to switch to other redheads soon after. Iori stood, looking very very tired and… guilty? Kali didn't expect that feeling to be prominent. 

 “I… need to talk to you three” her voice wasn't as steady as usual, perhaps slightly less firmly controlled. It took Raziel and Arian a minute to send younger twins to let elder siblings talk to Iori privately… treats in the fridge were helpful like that also Kali didn't doubt Argalia and Angelica could read the room well enough. “Ah…” 

 Raziel expected a lot of things. Some of their joint ventures not bearing fruit, perhaps something going worse with his interference but not a hug. Tight, somewhat strained, stiff motion with which Iori easily managed to drag all three into her grasp. It took her a minute to let them go and actually speak. 

 “I hate such choices…” she started, gratefully accepting thermos with tea and taking a seat on the sofa. “When you vaguely see chances and either make it safer for others or give them a chance to try yet to fail, lethally more often be it for mind or body …” her purple eyes moved to Kali, then to Arian, lastly to Raziel. “You could have died but your growth spiked, each of you will have an easier time in the future, likely, but…”

 Kali felt a bit dizzy. It was hard to imagine what she herself would do given a crossroad like this… she wanted to protect but overdoing it wouldn't do good… gold eyes dimmed a little. She didn't like seeing strongest woman she knew this shaken. Not because it broke some image, but because it meant Iori was hurting deep inside.

 Iori felt a hand land on her left shoulder, squeezing it carefully. She raised her gaze, meeting a warm, worried one of her female apprentice. 

 “Seeing the possibility of death…” Raziel hummed before slowly kneeling down to keep his eyes on the same level as Iori's. “I won't say I get it, I don't… but thank you, for worrying, for caring, for training us so we did live through it” 

 The Purple Tear smiled. It was a shaky expression, one that hadn't graced her face this way throughout multiple attempts if not longer. Then feelings washed over her as three redheads, for a short moment, used the Light making room slightly brighter in hues of red, gold and silver. 

 Raziel felt hint of guilt. For all understanding of the experienced Color they had via knowledge it was far different in real life situations. At least they still managed to come out alive, whole and better ready for the future…

***

 “Are you feeling alright?” blue eyes were fixed on Raziel, who let out a hum of confirmation in response, reaching out and ruffling Argalia's hair a little. 

 Angelica was sitting by Kali's side while munching on a pancake with filling mixed from fruits, chocolate and curd. The girl was not as vocal but being near her big sister, who was still there, calmed her just alright. 

 “As draining as the fight was we are all recovered by now” the other redhead reassured while pouring tea into the cups.

 “First Kindred… ah, enigmatic bunch” Iori clicked her tongue. For all her experience she rarely interacted with things or individuals that didn't seem vital to the path of the World and more than a few First Kindred were recluse to a point of fading into outright myths of the City. The extent of their power was known by very few examples, most coming from Corporative Wars and war against machines because former sometimes disturbed them and latter made them, if temporarily, join forces with other City denizens. 

 “Powerful, but it seems they don't spend much time refining their abilities… otherwise they should have been far beyond what we saw” it was a fair point. Kali was still a bit baffled by how limited the skill set of each Kindred was, aside from perhaps their Father. You could learn far more with being immortal…

 “Anyway… any activity you'd like to try outside of your lessons?” Arian cut in, shifting the topic not so subtly. Not that Argalia or Angelica seemed to mind that. 

 “Could you and big sis guide us through near surface tunnels? We learned maps by hard already” was what the young blonde asked.

 Sharing a look with Kali, Raziel gave a nod. It was time to start giving them more practical experience…

***

 Of course neither Kali nor Raziel allowed two youngsters to go too deep. Even with special nuovo gear from Arian and weapons Raziel fine tuned for them as well as knowledge of the maps even closer to surface territory of Ruins could drop surprises onto the divers be it mutants, some Rats forming a cult, strange Cursed Relic or even an Abnormality that was passive or slumbering somewhere rarely visited…

 To the joy of Kali and her fellow redheads Argalia and Angelica did not find too many weird things. Also they did manage to find Rat nest fused with organ harvesting rooms which lead to two platinum blondes exterminating said nest and Raziel with Kali only catching and throwing back the runners…

 Idiot or perhaps particularly mad Rat even used bloodbag organs attempting to get power via transplanting them to others. Resulting humans turned into cannibals who could, to a very limited extent, use blood crystals usually sprouting in the form of armor, blades or more rarely bony wings. Sadly they required blood often and normal food seemed much duller to their taste.. as such they turned to cannibalism. Kali personally burnt every last one of them as well as research notes…

 In the meantime Arian worked on the moonstone. The result of Singularity at work was not something he was capable of replicating yet, the way Light within it was twisted and turned was too complex, deep and to an extent inhuman in logic. It made Arian only more wary yet curious about just how a Singularity is made… aside from those that are just made by collection of byproducts from Abnormalities, read current L and K Corp.

 But… he managed to feel how the Light was twisted into a shield around a person and based on that started working on shaping his own Light into barriers using befitting Sins and Virtues to figure out which fit what function best in this particular branch of Light arts. 

 Sadly he was yet to figure out how to imprint an “instruction” or “formula” for Light to follow and power onto objects…

***

 Five Lunas slowly formed in his eyes. Each possessing a slightly wider radius than the previous, fifth outlining the iris itself. Mixture of glowing golden and cool silver staring at himself through the mirror.

 Arian hummed. The effect, aside from making sight sharper even further, gave other side effects. It was easier to see in the dark yet overall brightness didn't rise. It was easier to see further too…

 But more importantly? Souls. He could see souls or at least extension of them. This was a somewhat composite skill.

 The first part was akin to Moses’s sight. Sadly only Kali, Raziel and Arian himself showed nascent Ego. It was partially transparent, flicking, vague outlines of armor. It required them to temporarily cut off other senses to see more clearly in this spectrum…

 Kali's was familiar yet it had more orange accents, fiery feel about it. It was also not as heavy, more lean and body hugging.

 Raziel's and his own were near identical armor made of silver with what seemed to be wings, horns and tail with iridescent glow coming from under the segments. Also his was smoother and thinner, without dominant colors in the glowing lines whether Raziel's had dominant orange, red and yellow.

 The second part was akin to a much more precise fairy lens that could tell you not just the brightest emotions of the current state but also more subtle shades, showing where one felt pain if it was physical too. 

 Hearing allowed for intake of similar information which they dubbed Soul Song, also sadly neither of the two had affinity for such a way of perceiving this information as such it would require further training to be useful as Soul Sight already was…

 More importantly? They could now, more precisely see the flow of Light in themselves and others which lead to them attempting a certain theoretical technique Arian thought up on the train ride but to this day felt they weren't ready to try dipping their toes into. 

 Resonance. When two unite, the result will be bigger than a simple sum of parts if done correctly. Raziel and Arian could do it easily because their Soul Song was very similar as is, which made it easier. Also, attempts to fuse effects of Sins and Virtues used by each separately failed…

 But they managed to amplify Light techniques by over twenty percent! Sure it required physical touch and deep enough understanding of the other person, but the potential was there! 

 As such they wanted to Resonance with someone else… and the only candidate was Kali as a single Light user outside of themselves.

***

 Kali didn't really mind the idea of putting forces together that way… also she felt really weird when Arian let her “hear” their and her own soul song via memory connection. Was that ability a bit invasive? Sure, but she trusted the two well enough and Iori didn't need Light to read them just as well most of the time. 

 “Okay… lets start with the simpler part” Raziel took her hand, their fingers interweaving into a firm lock as his gold and silver Shin slowly rose up from under his skin. She let her own red and gold join it. “Now… match the rhythm…” 

 Wasn't that a vague advice… but she recalled his soul song, then her own. They were different, like two choirs where hers definitely had fewer instruments yet felt more lively and new in ways that were hard to explain. 

 Minutes passed as Arian observed. It was going pretty much nowhere, also Kali's rhythm was shifting she was seemingly going blind. Which she was. Then Raziel started his own part…

 Kali felt the shift. Waves of his power becoming a bit better matched to hers, rhythm of motion energy took adjusting. She mimicked him, but then felt that it wouldn't be truly possible… so instead Kali chose to do what they did in dancing. Guide and allow to be led by another. 

 Raziel sensed it, her song shifting to match, amplifying his own. He returned the favour. Slowly the red, silver and gold mixed together, gold becoming more vibrant as waves seemed to align and heighten one another while red and silver seemingly coexisted without a problem… then it clicked into place. 

 The last wave matched, two choirs becoming near indistinguishable for a moment. Red appeared in Raziel's Light and so did silver in Kali's. 

 Golden eyes found silver and blue. Kali didn't intend to see… but the window was open already. What was instinctive for two halves wasn't such for two separate, foundationally different individuals.

∆∆∆

 She saw a boy whose trembling hands dropped a knife, unable to push it further, through the pain and instinctual compulsion of the body…

 Kali felt despair and sorrow, crushing loneliness of losing those few he bonded with, his family, no matter how many mistakes each side made…

 She witnessed his dreams. Aimless walks and lines that kept getting printed by one who tired, gloom filled eyes were reflected by the dimming screen of a laptop.

 Kali senses the hope/pain/sympathy of a reader drowning himself in stories of The City, Lobotomy Corporation, Library of Ruina, Limbus Company… she saw her.

 Gebura… information kept flowing… Red Mist, death by Garion’s hand and rebirth as one of few. Angela made in image of Carmen… who was Carmen? 

 Visions kept going. Real life in a world so vast yet so small, so seemingly beautiful yet not any less rotten if you look under the skin. Stories one boy/teen/man drowned in until…

 Until in a cold, lonely forest his soul departed…

 Kali wanted to scream as Abyss clawed at His mind and… couldn't help but feel a hint of his very own doubt. 

 In worthiness, in right to live, in if it is but a dream of dying mind…

 Outrage at some art pieces? Perhaps yes. Sadness from secrecy? Too. But… there also was sympathy. His pain wasn't like hers, but it was nonetheless real, prolonged, scars left still aching in reminder of just how abhorrent and deafening the feeling of being weak was…

 Visions kept flowing… she let them. About a boy slowly pressured by the world until he cracked, about the world of possible futures written in texts and what he already did to deny Fate.

 About a father lost before words were said, about a mentor killed and ten years of willingly locked cage… 

 About each step that it took to purify the Light and face the past, to gain power required to build a different path forward for the few and by extension for many…

∆∆∆

 Her grasp on his hand became iron…

∆∆∆

 She was small, so so small. The old man was kind. His voice soothed the ache somewhere deep in the girl's soul. 

 Raziel tried to pull away yet… Kali seemingly didn't. She just kept the created channel wide open.

 Fear? Yes, but too came sorrow. It is not her burden. He cared too much. Rejection wouldn't hurt as much as seeing her wither because of the future he wanted to change…

 Old story teller's voice kept going. About strength of unity, about land far where peaceful, warm days could be found. 

 Older now Kali fought. For food, survival of herself and others. The grief and self-hate for weakness burned within… He witnessed her neighbors attempt to rob her… His eyes looked through hers at their blood trickling down the walls. 

 First meeting with Iori… training and… their first meeting too. Of how she felt when Light awoke within her… and how proud and happy she was to be Raziel's friend, fellow big sibling to two platinum twins, someone else trying to crack Iori's shell…

 It was too much…

∆∆∆

 Arian knew something was wrong. He felt the connection they had… shift, as if something was opened elsewhere on Raziel's end, he could guess to whom but cutting it forcefully was unwise. Their minds could be damaged… but to his relief Kali unlocked her fingers that were tightly gripping Raziel's hand. 

 Her Light pulsed. A moment and a loud crack resounded… Kali's fist digging into the floor without her skin being as much as scratched. She took a few deep breaths before looking into Raziel's foggy, teary eyes “Explain…now…” not that her own were without hint of forming tears either. 

 “Iori… she should be here, too” his twin stammered out, steading his own breathing. Kali hummed, her expression losing some anger while remaining focused. She turned to Arian, who simply nodded before making a call. 

***

 Iori… did not expect such tension in the air to appear since her last visit. Kali's eyes especially seemed to carry a sharper gaze, more inspecting than before. “My my… to think I'd witness first family quarrel…” 

 That did ease them up through embarrassment but not by half as much as she hoped, so she looked to Kali who nodded in the direction of the two. It took less than a moment for Raziel to start talking.

 “Ah.. let me start where it all actually started, shall I?” His voice seemed to tremble. Arian placed his hand on Raz's shoulder, pure silver light washing over both. It calmed the first if only by a little.

 Iori… did not expect this to be the source of his knowledge. Not that it mattered by much. It was valid that was all that mattered. Glimpse of Abyss on the other hand made her uncomfortable in a way she didn't know existed. Also perhaps it was no small hint of feeling best translated as “ready for worst” that made her feel that. Her newer students did not show such a state even after Hans died by their hand… 

 “You are wrong to say your source is too shallow…” that made all three stare at her “In at least three separate worlds I witnessed books about what seem to be variants of your own, fragments of separate eras that have nothing to do with this world's genuine history of course… similar matches perhaps could be found but I rarely bothered with fantasy books on my way…” 

 The boy seemed slightly less downcast as he went on. About Raziel, the boy who died of grief, and how his and Vincent's life was. Of his plans that were based on knowledge of possibilities…

 “So… you plan to help Carmen any try to make it better… but?” Kali turned to Iori who sighed heavily.

 “In multiple, over ten, worlds where Carmen's death by her own hand is prevented she later becomes either Head's personal new Singularity, apocalyptic abnormality or torn apart source of power that many factions use roughly… those timelines usually don't live long after, at least City within them doesn't” Iori stated coldly her eyes looking somewhere far away “Similar situation comes from blocking passage of multiple other things, subverting the First Smoke War, Seed of Light completion and Library ‘good ending’... Those things also are more likely to happen overall, the world moves that way… Also it isn't hopeless as one of my iterations confirmed, and as did Raziel's information… better or worse results can be found on the same road"

 “So we either find way to fuck Fate or follow script points… with some freedom only in-between?” older Color responded with a nod. “That's… fucked up as all hells…” 

 “You… aren't going to..” Raziel was cut off by a rough but firm grip of his head before Kali… ruffled his hair. 

 “I can't judge you for past life, you changed and that takes a lot… I saw many who wasted second chances too” there was no small sadness in her voice, also sympathy in the gaze she fixed on him. Raziel didn't turn away. “So… I don't care, you live now, see me as me, I can feel that…”

 Yes. Resonance caused their mutual empathy to seemingly jump in quality quite sharply… wasn't that an uncomfortable yet soothing fact. 

 Kali's smile turned warmer. Literal experience of the other side, other person's viewpoint together with emotions, did make it easier to sympathize with pains, challenges and fears alike. She knew he also saw her end too. It was a fair deal, if a bit sudden for both parties.

 “Ah, anyway… I won't push you away… just know I'll cut you into pieces if you try printing or storing those pictures in digital ok?” Her smile turned fake sweet but Raziel let out a watery chuckle, relief flooding his whole being. 

 Iori hummed, nodding before gently fixing his ruffled hair. “I agree with my student… you are still my clingy, not always careful, dreamer of a student who makes fine tea and is a good enough figure for his younger siblings… doubt that not, both of you” her gaze moved to Arian, who nodded gratefully. 

 Two halves and old Color both felt a bit relieved that they weren't as alone in this anymore even if the sad one they all cared for was now too burdened by knowledge of the possibilities… yet with a new perspective? Perhaps they'll be able to find a way to trick destiny off of such a sacrifice heavy path. Even if not? They were together, that made it easier already. 

 A few days later, redhead twins and Kali finalized a blueprint for her future body upgrade path, similar to his own with few personal touches to match her fighting style better…

***

 Kali took a deep breath. Having an additional heart was weird but not in a bad way. Due to Arian's experiments they figured out that if you wrapped different Virtue lunar spirals around each effect could work just ok together. Kindness for regeneration speed and Humility that made air carrying efficiency higher due to connection with the wind element. 

 Also she preferred mixing Perseverance with Temperance. It allowed her to push further and made the continually growing tempo easier to keep up, plus the latter made it so the body adapted faster where Kindness only healed even if it did that faster, more efficiently and simultaneously soothed pain…

 “Ready for another round student dear? With your current skill set and augments you won't need too long to rise up to proper station” Iori shot her a smug grin, challenging, inviting too. 

 “Yeah I am… also I'd prefer to not be Mist… honestly why would they give such a weird nickname? Veto it out when I get there will you?” Purple Tear simply shrugged and then blurred. 

 Custos Flammifer met the heavy black blade matching it in length…

 Angelica and Argalia, watching from the sides together with redhead twins could barely follow when Iori started truly trying and current Kali did manage to make her mentor do that. 

 Red blur with hints of orange and yellow flame continually clashed with purple one, sometimes jumping off of vertical walls of the ruins that filled vast Outskirts, other times clashing mid air. 

 “Will we get this good too?” The girl's question made Raziel move some of his attention from the rapidly growing pace of the sparring session. 

 “As you are now, in her age your body won't be as good in a few aspects, after all we did a lot of work to get ourselves this far up…” he started explaining “but with Light? You'd likely be able to match her if you surpass her mastery of it… plus it depends on the situation you will gauge the ‘good’ by to begin with…” 

 “mhm… will you teach me healing with the Light?” That made Raziel pause a little, throwing Angelica a questioning gaze. “I want to be able to keep myself and others alive better… I don't think I'll match single weapon mastery of big sis or yourself, even if I get all Relics somewhere… but the skill is not unreachable right?” 

 “Hmmm… true, I'll add required theory to your additional reading, we'll look at what you might have already read through at home ok?” His fingers fixed her hair, slightly ruffled by wind picking up from Color and yet to be Color battling all out, at least on one end. 

 Arian, who watched silently, couldn't help but smile. Kali's Ego… was slowly waking up. The more she fought, the brighter her emotions burned, the more potent Light grew, the closer she was to her Ego blooming. Hopefully it wouldn't require Garion nearly killing her to truly make it open…

***

 Carmen took a deep breath, looked into the mirror and checked her clothing and hair again. Two weeks passed and Alberto finally told her that she passed. Her drawings still were hastily made but she learned to control and direct that energy, make it so her hands didn't tremble as much, her eyes didn't shift focus every few moments to envision a new detail…

 She liked it too. Now her works could encompass more of her own thoughts and help her organize her own ideas and plans a bit better. 

 Now she was going to meet him. A Color. Youngest Color in his decade, as the previous decade saw one even younger become a Color. Well known diver. Wielder of what most sources agreed was a grade 2 Relic at the very least. 

 But to see her vision through, find and distribute that cure, to no longer see people who slowly dim until they no longer have anything to shine from within… she'll do her best and more. 

 It took her some time to get to district 11th. Carmen was unsure why Alberto advised to never use Warp Trains but she preferred other ways anyway, she never liked transport without at least some possibility to look outside. Sooner than expected the car stopped near the Nail Office, looking quite fresh after rebuilding not so long ago was finished up. 

 “Ah, good morning young miss” Alberto greeted her with a warm smile which she happily returned, following him through an alley to the door into one of nearby buildings. “Ready?”

 “As I'll ever be…” she took a deep breath. Alberto opened the door, letting her in and closing it after. 

 It was a rather cozy place with plenty of wood planks in orange and brown colors adoring the ceiling, walls and floor. Slightly lighter brown furniture didn't seem out of place either. Her eyes flickered towards pictures on the walls, hidden behind glass held within frames. 

 A young boy with silver eyes standing near a smiling man, both looking into the camera. A tall lady hugging the same boy, also now closer to the looks of a teenager. Two near identical young men standing together with that lady, a little grumpy looking man and two Zwei fixers. 

 “How time flies…” his words made Carmen return attention to where they were walking. A half opened door to a brighter lit room let the music out enough to hear, also it was definitely turned to quieter settings. 

Sacrifice my embers

Forge me better for

 It seemed solemn, yet resolute, a voice filled with exhaustion just as it was with determination… rhythm not overly fast yet carrying energy, motion. 

Burn away remainders

I am flesh no more

 “Hm? Ah you are here…” as Alberto opened the door she saw him. Tall, pale yet fair skin, short red hair that seemed closer to the shade of autumn leaves and fire than blood. Two eyes, one shining silver and the other azure blue… and there was definitely a weak but noticeable glow behind his irises “Greetings miss Carmen, it is nice to meet you…” he was genuine yet…

 “Why are your eyes so sad and … old” she mumbled, barely audible yet his expression told her clearly he heard her “I'm sorry it's…”

 “Mhm… no need, you aren't exactly wrong in your analysis” his smile turned slightly sadder. Then a woman walked in, one Carmen didn't see on the pictures. Red eyes met molten gold, glowing with similar power if a bit less contained. “Ah, thanks Kali…”

 “No prob…” She placed a teapot and cups down on a smooth table seemingly made of gray marble with cracks filled by golden, metallic looking material. 

 “So then… I do know why you are here” Carmen looked up at him, finding his sharp yet slightly curious gaze “I can tell you about Ruins, about Light, about even how this is done…” 

 His whole body pulsed, beautiful, warm golden fog wrapping around him like a blanket, hints of cooler, calmer silver here and there. He stretched out his palm, letting Carmen grasp it.

 It was… warmth of something not physical. Like echo of joy, hope, wonder of dreaming and happiness of success all mixed up together. Then it faded just as it came. Without a sound or warning. “But, I wish to know just why you wish to use it? What is your motive?” 

 She smiled, holding onto the feeling this Light shined with and started to speak. Of pain she saw in eyes and acts of those in Nests, how it affected the lives and reasons she found, without number but ultimately not dissimilar in roots. Lack of understanding yourself, lack of individual power, lack of empathy in a way too. 

 “What do you know of suffering outside the Nests?” Kali cut in, her voice giving off a metallic tone. Raziel smiled, it was her genuine question after all, he too was curious. 

 “Not much… but I want to know, I want to understand them too because to make the cure help all I cannot just cut them away” red eyed girl said firmly before shooting back a question of her own “do you know of challenges Nest dwellers go through?” 

 “Hm… not much” she did learn some things through Nail and AUR, but not so much about inner corporation workings and Nests. Iori, Arian and Raziel  only more recently started filling in that particular gap.

 “Then… how about exchange? I tell you, you tell me?” Kali found herself nodding. Carmen suddenly looked back at smiling Raziel “ah, I got a bit sidetracked…”

 “You apologize too much, no need, I am not offended… those words show you well enough” he chuckled before letting out a small sigh. “Well then Carmen, you don't mind me calling you that right?” a nod was her response “Let me tell you about the Ruins then…”

 Carmen heard of them, what she gathered throughout life and last weeks still wasn't much. Dieci traded information but prices weren't something her family would be willing to part with easily, her scientific side jobs didn't earn that much either. So she listened…

 About Relics in all forms they came, even being given a fairy lens to try and seeing a slightly unsheathed blade of Tsumukari Muramasa which gave off a somehow lamenting, warm sensation towards her. About mutants, failed experiments and byproducts of Singularities of each Corporation creating different kinds of hell down there. About… Abnormalities. 

 “They are a concept, a myth, an act imprinted upon existence and given form by power of The Source… some malevolent, other passive, you may mistake few for a particularly strange Relic, border is quite thin at time” he spoke with hint of nostalgia yet also some of old, already burnt out irritation “they are ultimately immortal in common sense… Also I guess a Concept Incinerator might work on them properly, that is a theory only… I met two personally” 

 He threw her a… journal. Rather a thin book. Pictures, notes, classification by danger level, which Sin and Virtue they might be close to, primary type of damage dealt, many small things. 

 “They can produce byproducts rich with the power of The Source already purified of many impurities, yet more strongly tainted by their own shade of them…” explanation continued onwards.

 They moved to The Source, Sea of Possibility, beginning of Rivers which he knew of factual existence for three separate ones, each carrying onwards only a fragment of power behind the Sea. “I also guess that The Source likely exits into our world at more than just points I know, so if you want to not be seen by big fish…”

 “I'll need to find one such point in Outskirts” Carmen completed the sentence, to which he nodded “that's… a lot, more than I hoped really…” her fingers traced the pages slowly. “But how did you purify it? Can it be… done at mass?” 

 “Unlikely…” Raziel stood up, he then opened a shelf, bringing out a tiny vial wrapped in red cloth… Carmen started hearing voices as he unwrapped it. Liquid inside… seemed to have little care for laws of physics. “This is what it feels like… impure, echoing with hint of human collective behind it, to purify you must face your own flaws, sins, let go and accept yourself in many small things making up each dark corner of the self… and that purified Light is unlikely to work properly on others, because even throughout the process you will leave a mark on it nonetheless” 

 She managed to collect her thoughts after he blocked out the voices again. Carmen's eyes stopped being as foggy “is it worse near … it?”

 “Much… tenfold is somewhere halfway there and near it? They are practically drowning your thoughts out if you don't learn or use very high end moonstone, also it doesn't help when you are next to it during gathering” it was Kali who answered this time.

 “Ah… but if you found a way, there should be more… another path, better fit for mass production if less effective…” Raziel shrugged before sitting down after vial returned to its place. “I know it is much to ask but, will you help me to find the cure and heal people of the City?” 

 “Daring, bold even…” Carmen felt… authority, weight slowly pressed into her being as wide, deep purple circles shined to life, outlining his irises. Yet she kept her gaze steady. She needed it, she must, for those who never had a chance to see even a hint of light, for everyone whose shining was snuffed out. In Nests, Backstreet, Ruins, Outskirts and even the Head… weight vanished. “You have the spirit… but I cannot, not now at the very least”

 She looked at him, slightly hurt but understanding too. Not many would agree for nothing. It wasn't the first such try, if more painful than others. “It is okay, I…” 

 Carmen felt warm. She turned to see a redhead with golden eyes, glowing pleasant, steady red that made her feel at home, safe, assured that all would be good “Thank you Kali… I did not reject you, in the long run, it is simply that your project must first build up a foundation before attention a Color brings can be handled by it…”

 Ah, she felt a bit stupid. A Color was a big deal, many would likely attempt prying into what a Color supported before they could do much. It would raise chances of something getting stolen a lot. Her apologetic look made him smile. 

 “As such I will be more than happy to consult you, discreetly… there is also someone you can ask here” he nodded towards… Kali. Carmen turned to the woman. She met her look. It was slightly amused, a hint sad or maybe worried for some reason. Did she look that bad due to worrying? Carmen very much hoped not. 

 “I'm Carmen… Please, help me understand what plagues those I couldn't see and please, help me cure this City!” Kali grinned, cracking a smile before replying. 

 “I'm Kali, sure thing ruby eyes…” Was that a nickname she was just assigned? Why did Carmen feel a little warm inside from it? She didn't have many friends after starting her search for a cure so it felt good to be accepted a bit more, especially by those who seemed to be on board with her idea. 

 Alberto let out a small chuckle seeing a slightly flustered scientist… But subtler reactions of his student and Kali made him more curious as to why they seemed both familiar and a bit sad to see her for the… first time? 

***

 Iori hummed as she watched a young looking woman with blue hair try a cookie. Her student, Arian in this particular case, managed to find someone she had limited information on aside from level of skill, gear and theorized age. He wasn't trying to pry information out, nor weaving web around the girl, after all Iori was older by a fair margin than anyone aside from a few First Kindred. No, her student was being surprisingly gentle here.

 “So any particular genre preferences?” He asked while going through movies on his digital storage. Bari hummed thoughtfully.

 “Anything not related to war or mysteries…” interesting taste, also Iori knew more than a few like that or similar throughout her years. “But may I ask… how do you know me?”

 “Hm… how much do you know about fate or future reading related abilities?” That made Bari stiffen a little but some curiosity shined in her eyes still. 

 “You know me somewhen there… or knew through someone?” Then the girl blinked, realizing something “san…”

 “Mhm… don't worry, neither of us plan on interfering with that individual, aside from trading you some books for her” Iori smiled. Limbus… bunch of misfits on a bus. In past tries she didn't pry too deeply into them aside from their later conflict with Dias and involvement of few in Second Smoke War. 

 “Thank you…” then, hesitantly, she added “do you think I did the right thing?”

 “That is a very hard question to answer… I don't know, simply put” Arian replied before continuing “I don't know you, don't personally know Don or Sancho here, now at the very least… I know you tried, what it will lead to is another question altogether” 

 “Mhm…” the girl seemed a bit more gloomy. Iori hummed, bringing attention to herself.

 “Take it from someone who made mistakes and active actions more monstrous than some of the corporations, on my own” Purple Tear looked into the eyes of the Knight of the White Moon. “You can only move on and try fixing mistakes, stone for them, drowning in guilt, shame or regret leads to nowhere but abyss…”

 “Thank you…” there was a subtle, grateful smile on face when Bari answered. Knights didn't know what to do back then, so she tried to just save who she cherished from further pain. Once steadfast, self-assured, she didn't feel that after the fall of her friend. The dream she helped inspire turned into a nightmare. It weighed on her still even if she liked to forget, placing onto herself a mask of the honorable fixer she preached of. 

 For some reason watching a movie helped. Silence helped. The company of a man who fought by her side and a Color with eyes older than her own felt… relieving. Also the movie was an unfamiliar one. About a castle in the sky, human greed, bonds and freedom. It was a bit naive, yet that brightness… she missed it, so much, in this City. 

 Warmth, gentle and one as if asking for permission touched her thoughts. She turned to see a man with golden and silver eyes clad in familiar golden light. She moved her hand, letting him put his over hers.

 The joys, the dreams, the hopes and moments of happiness. Bari felt those memories brighten a little, not destroying or erasing the dark, painful ones yet still helping. She made mistakes, she hid behind a mask, she was a bad friend for not helping Don more, not trying to think of how her actions might affect him and his children. All to feel that hole in her heart made after she “forgot” how to age and saw all she loved slowly turn into dust under the flow of time… 

 Letting out a sigh Bari looked up, her expression not smug one of an honorable fixer who knows it all, but more resolute one of a lonely wanderer who hoped it wasn't yet too late to try and fix things. “Thank you… may I call you a friend sir Arian?” 

 “You may” he smiled at her. Iori let her smile turn a little more smug.

 “Good to see you brighten up a bit” old Color spoke “If you wish, do ask for aid… I learned that sometimes going solo leads to naught but hurting both yourself and others…” she shot Arian a rather annoyed look, even if she too had such experiences, not all ending as smoothly either.

 “Hm… and the price?” Bari asked, her voice not as quiet as before, a bit more firm too. 

 “Why, we too have things we wish to achieve, so an exchange would be fair, wouldn't it?” To that Knight of the White Moon nodded in agreement.

Chapter Text

[ Records#10

 Primary Sin / Virtue 

 Much like Ego forms is something an individual has affinity for or how Relics allow one to see degree of aptitude towards one or the other item Sins and Virtues used to modify Lunas and to some degree effect manifestation of Light differ from person to person in which they more easily channel.

 Sin and Virtue of one person do not always stand at the opposition and aren't always even related to the method an individual uses to control their Sin.

 For example one with primary Pride may carry high affinity for Virtue of Charity without those two clashing much, coexisting without interference at most times.

 Of course each individual can learn to channel any Sin or Virtue as long as they have dedication and some degree of experience with associated actions and feelings but what they possess Affinity for will come much more easily.

 Some cases show dual affinity for Sins or Virtues also those usually are individually weaker than affinity of people who possess focus on singular Sin and Virtue. ]

[ Records#11

 Relic Data 

 Tsumukari Muramasa 

 Classification 2U-H 

 True Owner: Raziel 

Mythical Foundation: Man-made Replica of Divine Blade 

Virtue Aptitude: Perseverance and Temperance 

Sin Aptitude: Gluttony and Lust 

Main Element: Fire and Metal 

Main Concept: Severing 

 Abilities: 

 Echoing Forge - mental defense that wards the user's mind with echoes of the forge.

 Blade Birth - recreation of blades from fitting materials in the surrounding.

 Forge Self - temporary prosthetic creation if required. Gradual body and mind strengthening through pain, challenge, desire and willpower. 

 Blaze of Determination - short burst of power, durability and reaction speed, great drain mentally and physically, all other abilities can be used more freely.

 Sever through the Void - ability to target non physical connections and existences with any severing attack. 

 Cleanly In Two - ability to sever anything on a foundational level into two even parts. Some uses will result in creation of duplicates but reversion of ability can destroy those. 

 [PASSIVE SKILL DATA LOCKED]

 [ACTIVE ABILITY DATA LOCKED] ]

[ Records#12

 A Corp Data center “Melchior”

 Personal journal of Arbiter project, unit Z-0023 

 Year 89X 

 Authorization Level A- [ limited access permitted ]