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The cigarette snuffed. Night took her mighty place outside. Igna leaned over and pulled the window ajar. He stepped towards Nikki’s bed, held his palm over her sweaty forehead, and gave a sympathetic grin.

‘Self-reflection,’ he exited, ‘-is something I do regularly. Evaluating who I am in all this confusion. My limitless life and powers have grown; I don’t feel the urge towards anything. I know deeply if the world were to end, I’d have the Shadow Realm to return. This isn’t the truth for them,’ he stared at the many guards presiding the corridor. Muffled screams and lashes amplified. ‘-People of this world don’t have my luxury. They’re nothing but weak, alas, are brazen in their motion. Nikki’s maladies were caused by God-level mana. The flash of light, tis from the conjuration of an entity beyond the realm’s capacity. It ties into the current predicament. Will Orin be invaded or?’ he pushed Kepm’s door to a foul smell. Svipe took a pause, “-Lyoko, should you be in here?” the latter simply leaned against the frame with another cigarette, “-I’m here to watch,” he closed the door, “-wasn’t Kepm supposed to be scary?” the battered man was all shades of bruised. Dark purple at spots; splatters of blood, he bled profusely, “-fight tooth and nail,” Svipe commented, “-I take ’em literally.”

“Svipe,” he puffed, “-you’re a nasty little interviewer,” Igna stepped towards the tied personage, grabbed the nearest bottle of alcohol, and poured, “-AHHHHHHHHH!”

“So much for being innocent,” Svipe chuckled, “-rubbing salt?”

“If you hurt him too much,” he lifted Kepm’s cheeks and smiled, “-he’ll bleed or pass out. Can’t let that happen. The best way of getting what one wishes,” he scanned the room, “-you, bring me these,” he threw a card, “-is to methodically advance on his fears and deeper despair,” the black-eyed Kepm felt a shiver. He panted, Igna’s sanguine stare, “-GET ME OUT, GET ME OUT!” he stomped and resisted.

Svipe entered the frame, “-tell me what I want and you’ll be cool.”

.....

“Fine, fine,” he exhaled, “-only if you promise him out of the room.”

“I don’t make promises,” said Svipe.

Igna took the cue and walked to the unmanned bar, “-you there, fix me a drink,” he ordered.

Svipe and Kepm’s conversation flowed easier. “-Kepm, we didn’t have to come to this. If only you’d spoken.”

“And have my head skewered after I ratted?”

“No, maybe not skewered. We’d find more human means. Tell me, Kepm, where is she?”

“...”

“Don’t make me regret this,” Svipe leaned, “-I’ve called off the doc. He’ll gladly finish the last rite as painfully as possible. You know,” Kepm glanced, Igna threw a terrifying regard, “-I’ll talk, I’ll talk. No point dragging thi-” *cough, cough,* “-she’s making her way to the port. We’ve arranged a boat. She’ll leave at midnight. Thoas won’t have her killed, I made that promise.”

“So much a promise,” said Svipe, “-why did you tell us?”

“He’s lying,” added Igna, “-the lass’ not on a boat. She’s right here, hiding.”

“What do you mean?”

“Before I give the answer,” he winked at Kepm, “-tell me, Svipe, who are you looking for?”

“Now this remains between us.”

“Fair.”

“We’re looking for Thoas’ illegitimate child. I don’t know the exact way how she came into this world. All I heard and pieced together was this; my master is highly invested in the occult. Part of his great donation is handed to the church. Duquant wanted a prodigy, someone to carry his legacy. He had Mirai, a failure as he put it. Then, they had another. The high priestess had something to do with the matter. Lady Umi wasn’t involved in the process. When he announced the news, we were ordered to remain silent. Only a few chosen ears were allowed the truth. He’d found what he wanted. A daughter not of this world, her abilities and intellect far outweighed what the common folk in Istra had to offer. She was schooled in Hidros until last year when she returned after suddenly dropping out of college. She’s just hit eighteen. With what Mirai did, lord Duquant ordered her a stay at home. Things happened, and the ordeal intensified into what we have today,” he looked at Igna gravely, “-do you understand?”

“A prodigious child returns home with a rebellious nature. The father’s upset and this little guy here,” he walked over, “-isn’t as innocent as he looks. You know something more, don’t you?” Igna peered into his soul, “-there’s more to the story,” he grabbed Kepm’s hair, “-speak the truth,” a wave of purple – the pupils altered briefly, Kepm could see the ultimate truth; nothing, deep inside Igna’s bicolored eyes.

Shoulders dropped, “-Uri of the house Duquant works part-time in my human trafficking business. She coordinates much of the importation and exportation. I recruited her on the street when she led ladies of the night into riches. They found a leader, a teenager who crudely showed them the way both in practice and on the street. The profit spoke for itself.”

The floorboard creaked, and a ball of condensed mana exploded. Sharp splinters spread akin to clusters in a grenade. Those unlucky to be hit in the neck fell to the ground and bled, Igna dodged, ‘-she’s strong,’ he side-stepped. Black hair flowed relentlessly, an oversized dress fluttered about her tiny frame – pale skin and darken eyes growled, ‘-a demon,’ *To the union of mana and live-force, I call upon the Control of the very essence of reality, change to my whims: Mana-Control: Purgatory Flame Variant -The Sword of Waithe,* it conjured and swung in the same motion as the demon went for his neck. ‘-this sensation,’ he made contact, she screeched, jumped onto the ceiling and pounced with a myriad of projectiles made of pure mana. ‘Damn,’ he stared at the attack, the spells went straight through; taking flesh and bones. She landed behind with a grin, “-no more hiding,” she stood and laughed, “-I’m powerful, too powerful for this place. I’m not going to hide anymore. Everyone can die,” a chilling presence gripped her shoulders. She gulped. Bones and charred skin made up the hand – she slowly turned towards the half-skeleton and half-human outline. “Not from this world,” he grinned, she clapped, a shockwave shredded the roof – demonic wings snapped off her back, and a terrified expression forced her out and into the damp night.

*By the power bestowed by the Supreme god Kronos, I, Igna Haggard, inheritor of the sickle, order for the realm to go by mine pace: Time Control – Pause.* a void-like bubble covered all of Istra, *Those below my station art be stopped, those unable to process must be mute. Forget the place, forget the time, and fall to the slumber of hate. Nothing lasts for the end is here: Erasure.* he sprouted his wings, the feathered wings of a dark angel, “-an entity of this caliber lives within Istra?” he flapped, “-someone must have taken advantage of my generosity. I wonder if she’s there, I suppose I must be angry.”

‘Did time stop?’ she darted her focus to no avail, ‘-I can’t feel my body, I can’t feel my wings. The world is at a stand-still, what’s happening... why did I run away from him, just who is he?’ a darker presence suddenly appeared, “-welcome,” he said, taking her head and plunging it into the cold-hard asphalt. The street fissured. Igna’s wound healed whilst she sustained little to no damage.

“Quite the strange being, aren’t you?” he turned her over and smiled, “-a teenager with the strength to refute an SSS-class attack. My sword should have burnt you; it should have taken your life without so much of a blink. Yet, here you are, standing... not exactly standing, laying is more appropriate. Who are you?” he stripped the skirmish dress, “-there it is, I knew you were blessed. Your crest is very interesting,” he narrowed onto her chest, “-the writings, ‘-to one blessed of the shadows,’ and the function, ‘-to be unharmed lest by the founder’ I know this feeling,” he gritted, anger fumed, *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads,* a blade softly took her skin, blood flowed and a familiar aura, ‘-she’s a half-spawn of the Shadow Realm. Gophy...’ he stood over her naked body, “-we need to talk. However,” *Watchers, spectators, names ring high and low, us, unknown to the world’s reality, unknown to the world’s knowledge, have lived in utter solemness for millennia to come and go. Watcher of the Shadow Realm, beckons my might to be fully materialized without prejudice, reality is but my playground, neither god nor demon shall overcome my authority, face me in stride, face me in fear, reality’s what I wish it to be for knowledge is the true strength: Realm Expansion, Shadow Realm Variant – Rantiam.* a cocoon enveloped her body, the fear chilled her mind into unconsciousness. *Mantia – Book of Adows: Yenha, first passage, chapter three, ‘-those burn under the star of Adamesia, the protector of the Skrekal, the guardian of Espei, must obey command from the ancient ones. For only the founder must found the foundation, and for the inheritor, the inheritance must be preserved for integrity. Evolution and change are tied. Protection offered by the realm can and will be revoked, for at the dawn when the sun rises, the moon fades, and in twilight – when the balance is struck, fate crumbles: Orieh.* her symbol split into pieces, the immunity to pain and damage disappeared, “-I must remove your powers.”

“Welcome to the other side, escapee of the Shadows,” he slammed on her arm and cracked bone, “-AHHHHHHHHH!”

“Pain feels good, doesn’t it?” *Realm Retraction,* the eminence of the Shadows lowered; the air lightened. *Present and never changing, present and never yielding. All who wait break and all made are subjected to thine will. I, the humble inheritor of thy power; call upon thee to have mine will answered: Time Control – Reversal.* the broken apartment restored, the clock turned back to the moment before the surprise attack.

*Continuation, Recantation; Those below my station art be stopped, those unable to process must be mute. Forget the place, forget the time, and fall to the slumber of hate. Nothing lasts for the end is here: Erasure.*he clapped, ‘-their memories will be wiped, they won’t remember what happened. This is for the best. Everyone except her,’ he looked at the floorboard being fixed and how she returned to her hiding position. ‘-Let it resume,’ *snap,* a brighter expansion released the area’s stoppage of time. Everything fell into pieces – nothing seemed amiss.

Kepm reached the end of his sentence; “-The profit spoke for itself.” A creek, Igna instantly pulled Tharis and shot twice into the floor. “-WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!” Kepm screamed. Confused stares and worried guards hung on the trigger.

“I found the rat,” Igna winked, “-open the board, she’s alive.”

‘How did he?’ she whimpered, ‘-my vision, it was no premonition... my crest, my crest,’ she looked, ‘-it’s gone...’