Elias covered his eyes with a hand. The sun was dazzlingly blinding.

After they had eluded their pursuers, they had traveled quietly on foot, but it would only be a matter of time before they were found out. Upon Crystal’s suggestion, they had managed to reach the underground rail system that spanned across the continent—the darkest and safest place to travel safely while avoiding foreign eyes. While there were emergency stops along the way, the underground railway had been solely created for long-distance travel; there would be no fresh air until they reached the other side.

It had taken them over a month. Approximately six to eight hours of walking every day. The emergency stops had had provisions—more combread—inside, and the thought of eating something else had dominated Elias’s mind all the way through.

But right now, the golden sun was all that he saw before him.

“Who knew the sun would be so beautiful?” he commented, turning to Sina. She nodded, giving him a gentle smile.

“It’s good to be back outside,” she agreed. “We should be far away enough now to be safe.”

Elias nodded. “Yeah.”

It had been a long and dark journey, but they had made it. Their pursuers would be thousands of kilometers away, unaware of their location.

He took in a deep breath. The air smelled refreshing in his nostrils and so unbelievably sweet. Never in his life had a month and a half felt so long. He’d only had Sina by his side in the darkness.

Much to his joy, her condition had improved during the journey.

“Crystal?”

“You’re safe. The Shadows are inactive.”

The Shadows had failed to follow them, as well as the automatons and the Engans. It would explain why Sina was recovering. They were at the start of the new beginning now with no one to get in their way.

“Elias, I want to take a bath,” Sina spoke, holding his hand. “There are some buildings nearby.”

“Yeah.”

Elias felt relieved.

“Let’s go take a bath.”

⤙ ◯ ⤚

Elias leaned back, enjoying the steam and hot water.

It had been a difficult journey.

Sina had been very fatigued for more than half of the walk, often falling behind and leaning against the wall. And every time, he’d carried her until she'd felt well enough. Even with the body Crystal was providing him, the weight of time and darkness had tired his mind, and many times he had wondered why his life had led him to where he was. And every time, he would look and Sina and be comforted.

But the walk had been too long and the tunnel too redundant. The initial passion had faded away, replaced with a deep numbness. There had been times where Sina had talked to him where he didn’t hear her words, only noticing when it was over. He’d felt terrible about it. It wasn’t her fault.

Sina also knew too little. Most times, it would him telling her about his childhood, his home, his school, his friends. He was never a good talker, but she was a great listener. But her knowledge of the world was limited, and when his words grew thin, she would not be able to add onto them. Silence had become normal, and that was worse than listening to nonsense.

He’d practiced using his supernatural gift from Sina when the days grew long. Sina’s content smiles were enough to give him the strength to go on, even when progress seemed nonexistent. He was better at it now. But he’d improved at a snail’s pace without her help. All the while, he had wondered—why couldn’t she recover quicker?

Her body scan had displayed nothing unusual. He’d hoped to find the root of their problems, but machines couldn’t detect the supernatural. He’d wondered and wondered when she would get better.

“I’m a terrible person,” Elias muttered, sinking deeper into the water. What would Sina think if she could read his emotions? He feared the thought, and sometimes, he wondered if it would be better if she did not recover at all.

No. He shook his head. She accepted you when she knew it all. She loved you after seeing everything.

He wanted the best for her.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Elias replied. Crystal was looking down on him, her body wrapped around in a towel. “Why are you wearing that?”

“It’s the bath. I had to get into the mood,” she humphed. “Besides, the girl is wearing the same thing.”

“She is?”

He took a moment to imagine it. “Nice. Erm—are my dampeners still working?”

“No, not really.”

“I don’t feel much different.”

“That’s the whole point.”

“Well—tell me when Sina is done.”

“Why do you think I appeared? She’ll be here soon.”

“Here? Soon?”

Elias flinched when the doors to the bath slid open softly. Behind the mist, he could see Sina’s delicate body covered in a towel held by her hands, her long, wet hair pushed to the side across her shoulder. He watched in shock as she wordlessly stepped through the room, eventually dipping her feet and legs into the bath and joining him inside.

“Oh. Hey,” Elias greeted. His head felt warm, accompanied by slight dizziness. Probably because of the bath.

Sina nodded once, closing her eyes. She sighed pleasantly, then looked at him.

“Are you okay? You look red,” she noticed, reaching out a hand to touch his face. He caught it before she could, inching slightly back.

“I’m fine,” he told her. “Er, we shouldn’t be so…close together.”

“Why not?”

“I’m a guy, and you’re a girl. We’re both not…wearing much. It can be dangerous.”

“Dangerous?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

They sat in the water, hearing occasional plips and plops in the water. Elias closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth once more. He heard a muffled sound and dripping water but tried his best not to pay attention to it.

Sina held his hand. He opened his eyes to see the towel removed from her body, laid outside of the water. The steam was thick and the water blurred his perception, but his cheeks warmed up a degree. Sina’s eyes were closed—she was simply enjoying the bath.

He smiled. He closed his eyes again, enjoying her presence.

“In one of the books I read,” Sina began, “there was a girl and a boy in love, just like us.”

“Mhmm,” Elias nodded.

“They also took a bath together.”

“Mhmm.”

“And then they felt good together.”

Elias froze.

“What does feeling good mean?” Sina asked. “I read it over and over, but I didn’t quite understand. The book said things such as, ‘they enjoyed each other’s warmth…’”

“Like we are doing right now,” Elias smiled, holding their hands up. “See?”

“There was more. ‘Their bodies rubbed against each other…’”

“Hugging,” Elias answered. “We hug a lot.”

“Yes, but the characters in the book were feeling euphoria. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that before. Intense pleasure and happiness.”

Sina looked at him in the eyes. “I want to know as well.”

A drop of water rolled down his cheek, and Elias raised a hand to scratch it. He didn’t know what to say. Sina, of all people? When had she read such a book in the first place? And now of all times? It was all still a mystery to him as well. He’d felt strange things, but he hadn’t known what they’d meant.

He still didn’t.

“My dad told me that it’s something you only do with your spouse,” Elias said, his head suddenly feeling clear. “If that rule is violated, then your life will become miserable…”

Something like that.

“You do know what it is,” Sina said. “Maybe you could show me?”

“No, not yet.”

There were still things he hadn’t been able to resolve. Besides, all things required steps.

Elias turned to Sina, looking at her directly in the eyes. “Do you know what marriage is?”

She tilted her head. “Marriage?”

“It’s when you promise to stay with the other person for life.”

“I think that is wonderful.”

“It is,” Elias agreed.

There had been a time when he’d believed that he’d found the one meant for him. He had been so sure. Today, with a different person, he felt the same, if not stronger. If there was anything that he’d learned, it was that nothing was certain. People changed, and environments changed. But now, when it was just the two of them enjoying each other’s presence in a steamy bath, he wanted to believe that he’d spend the rest of his life with her.

“After all of this, do you want to get married?” Elias asked, holding her hand more tightly.

“You wish to spend the rest of your life with me?”

It was as if she’d read his mind. His heart thumped. He’d said it suddenly without much thought. This was hardly the right place or time for a proposal.

But Sina smiled the sweetest smile, embracing him in a hug before he could react.

“I would love to.”

Elias’s face exploded with embarrassment, and his body constricted as if he’d been dunked in liquid nitrogen. Sina pulled away, sensing his rigidness, and looked at him worryingly.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yep, yep!” he nodded frantically. “It’s just a little hot.”

“Hmm…”

“I think I’ll go out now,” he told her, feeling his forehead. “I feel really tired. The beds here looked nice.”

“I’ll go with you as well,” she said.

A thought came into Elias’s mind. Now that they were planning on getting married, did the restrictions his parents had drilled into his mind come off? While his body was too fatigued to do much, he would be allowed to stare now, right?

Growing up, there had been much emphasis on decency, order, and being a proper human. The others had exploded when they’d tasted their first drop of freedom due to Stonneran, but he’d kept himself composed. Perhaps it was because of how he’d hated the shouting between his parents every morning, but he’d restricted himself. Perhaps it was because his dampeners hadn’t come off, but he’d stayed away from carnal matters.

When Sina covered herself with her towel, he realized that he had been staring at her body. Her cheeks had reddened, and she looked at him with a mix of pouting, grinning, and glaring—something he’d never seen before. He quickly turned his face away, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

“That felt strange,” she muttered, putting on her clothes.

“Sorry,” Elias coughed.

Sina? Feeling embarrassed? That was new.

They silently got dressed and met each other at the door. He took Sina’s hand, and they wordlessly walked to where the beds were, unable to look at each other properly in the face. After Elias had made sure that they were safe, he tucked himself into bed next to Sina, who had her back towards him.

“You could make a move,” Crystal told him. “She seems ready.”

I’m not. You of all people should know that. Besides, it’s only the two of us here. Everything can be taken slowly.

“You should have taken some lessons with me. It’s not as scary as you’d think.”

We’re not married.

“We don’t have to be. I’m just an SPC.”

You know I hate that phrase.

He felt Sina’s hand on his once more. That was enough. He needed nothing else.

“Tell me about marriage,” Sina asked, turning towards him. “How does it work?”

“Well, you see…”

He explained to her his hopes and dreams, about rings and dresses and songs and suits until his eyelids began to droop—and he felt her hand on his head, caressing it softly.

“And I’ll cook you food every day…” Elias trailed off.

Now that the excitement and heat had cooled down, all that was left was sleep and peace. The two of them fell asleep together, holding hands while sharing a smile on their faces.

⤙ ◯ ⤚

She was four when she first learned about anatomy.

Her finger was pointed towards the book, her eyes looking up at her father. “I’m a girl?”

“Yes.”

“Is that any different from being a boy?”

“Yes, of course. There are differences in DNA, physique, thought processing, but I doubt that matters to you. Shall we continue the lesson?”

“Okay!”

The hairless girl happily flipped through the pages, her mind absorbing everything that she saw. Muscles, bones, arteries, veins, eyes, brain, and organs—she memorized them all. According to her father, there would be no need to learn about the male body structure as it was irrelevant. She only needed to know about her own.

“There are so many things to memorize,” she giggled happily, tracing her finger over the colored book pages. “These all exist inside of my body. I think that’s amazing.”

“You will learn to control each part,” her father said in a kind voice. “I know you can already control your body efficiently, and this will build on it.”

“Like harder vocabulary!”

“Yes, just like that. Let’s begin with the arm today.”

Every day brought something new. Knowledge was bountiful, her meals were tasty, and she had many friends with whom she could play. They were all different from her, similar in appearance but made of metal, but it made no difference to her. She was a happy being, looking forward to each day and the next.

She was six when she saw her first picture book.

“Today we will learn about art,” her father smiled, revealing a book unlike anything she’d seen before. The images were strange and displaced from reality, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of them.

“It’s pretty,” she giggled, flipping through the pages.

“Yes. This is called a drawn picture book. But it will require something different from you.”

She raised her head, tilting it in confusion. “Like what?”

“Imagination. It is something you cannot copy but must create from within yourself. Don’t memorize what you see. You must feel it. Create what you want to create.”

“I don’t know how to do that.”

“That is why we will learn.”

It was the most fun she ever had. Colors splashed everywhere, and her white dress was drenched with blue, red, green, and gold, illustrating the floor. When she was done, she’d created something that looked all brown and murky and unrecognizable, but her father put the piece in a frame, hanging it on the wall.

“This will be a start,” he smiled, patting her head. “How was it?”

“I felt uncontrolled. But it was fun,” she said honestly. “Will we do more?”

“We will do it often.”

With her introduction to art, music and dance also entered her life. She’d believed that she knew everything, but these were things that had been created by the heart, not by science. While awkward at first, she quickly came to enjoy these things side by side with physics and chemistry, often mixing them which earned praise from her father. She was good at everything she did—and it was natural for her.

At eight, she broke the laws of thermodynamics with just her imagination.

Her powers had always been focused on her body before. Controlling everything that happened inside of her. But now her powers affected her environment. Once she learned how to lift a cup with just her mind, everything else came quickly to her, like a dam being opened to let the water flow. Like it had always been there, sealed deep within until she’d unlocked it. She wasn’t learning new things. It wasn’t her imagination.

Something else was lurking within her.

“Take deep breaths and control it,” her father told her. He knew everything—he always said the right things. So she did, and the rampage within her died down, becoming calm. The room she had been in had deteriorated and partly become dust.

She cried herself to sleep that night. It was the first time her powers had become uncontrollable. She hadn’t realized the presence lurking within, wanting to burst out if she let down her guard. Her father consoled her, telling her that it was okay, but she hated the feeling of something else controlling her body—the feeling of powerlessness as her powers destroyed the environment around her.

By nine, she became friends with the strange presence, making it her own. It didn’t speak, nor did it have a mind of its own, but it reacted when she called for it, coming to her aid. It was a part of her, and she learned how to properly utilize it with her father’s help.

Afterwards, breaking the laws of nature was like breathing to her. Her father delighted in her progress, and she finally understood why she’d been taught various subjects. She could feel different chemicals just by focusing on them and became perceptive to the different forces around her—gravity, magnetism, and even time. The presence within her aided in her understanding, and every day she experimented in a large white room while being guided by her father.

And she began to question the reason for her existence.

“Why am I doing all of these things?” she asked one day during a meal. “There must be a reason for it.”

“Does having fun require reason?”

“I know it’s fun. It just feels pointless. The others don’t practice like I do.”

Her friends weren’t like her. They grew up like her, and they were very smart, but by now she understood that they existed for her. When she wasn’t with them, they were inactive in a small room, recharging their energy.

“You are different,” her father told her.

“I know.”

“No. There are many things I have yet to tell you. You were born for a purpose. You are the one who will save the world.”

“The world? But what’s the world? It’s only you, me, NL118, RM112, and JS921.”

Her father patted her head. “I think it’s about time I showed you the outside world. Can you handle it?”

She nodded expectantly. “I can! I’m already twelve.”

Thus, her father led her into a corridor she’d never seen before with thick metal doors at the end. They entered it, and her stomach sank as the ground pressed up against her legs, taking her upwards. She suddenly felt scared, but her father held her hand, reassuring her.

Her eyes were opened to the sky. There was so much green around her, so much life she’d only felt within herself.

“You’ve only learned about yourself,” her father said, “but now it’s time that you learned about others.”

“You mean that anatomy book wasn’t only about me?” she gaped. “Does that mean there are others like me out there?”

“Slowly, dear. You will learn in due time. But for now, let’s enjoy the breeze.”

The trees, the ants, the flies, the snakes, the rodents, the wasps, the spiders—were all filled with life. They were different from her friends and father. And once more, the presence within her reacted, urging her to reach out to them. After getting her father’s approval, she picked up a grasshopper with her fingers, inspecting it.

“The sensation of vibrancy you’re feeling—is called life,” her father stated. “Cherish it. Each of them is just like you.”

“This small thing is like me?”

“Yes. You are both alive.”

“But you’re alive as well.”

“I am alive, but I don’t possess the life you have. I can never die, but you and the grasshopper—can die.”

“Die?”

“It is called death. When you lose the vibrancy within you and return to nothingness.”

Her father took the grasshopper from her. She froze when he suddenly closed the hand it was in, crushing it. At that instant, the vibrancy vanished, and she learned what death was. It made her dread it, and she shook from the thought of dying herself.

“Will I become like that someday?” she asked, holding onto her father tightly. “Turn into nothing?”

“Yes. Everything that lives will die. But that is why you exist. You will save the world.”

He patted her head gently. “You will be the key that will overcome death.”

“I will?”

Her father nodded. “But for now, let’s take things slowly, yes? I think a picnic sounds good.”

So on the day when she learned about death, she had the most wonderful picnic with her friends and father while watching the trees sway in the wind, feeling the sun on her skin and the birds chirping around her. The world felt so vast that it was scary, but with her father by her side, there was nothing to fear.

“Remember—taking someone’s life away is cruel. I have shown you this with the grasshopper to allow you to understand. Don’t forget it.”

She nodded her head strongly. “I won’t!”

So she found new motivation for her endeavors. Her lessons quickly transitioned towards experimenting with other lives that weren’t her own, controlling and changing them. First were microbes, then bugs—next came mice and rabbits. By fourteen, she was experimenting with monkeys, communicating with them through her power and observing their cells.

“Cell degradation slows down when I exert my life force on it,” the girl sighed, “but it’s not perfect.”

“You’ve slowed it down much more than before,” her father encouraged. “Don’t focus so much on degradation. Cells can be replaced.”

One day, her father showed her two different dolphins—both looked healthy, but she could immediately tell the difference.

“What’s wrong with that?” she asked, frowning at the second animal. The first was happy to see her, splashing water and laughing, but the second simply floated in its tank, moving only to breathe. They were both alive, but the second was so much less…vibrant. She didn’t understand.

“That one has lost its mate,” her father explained. “It won’t be alive for much longer.”

“Will you kill it?”

“No. It will kill itself.”

She couldn’t understand.

“I want you to observe them, and if possible—try to make the second one live. Could you do that for me?”

“I’ll try.”

So her experiments with the dolphins began. Within a month, the second dolphin was flapping its tail in happiness when it saw her. And she knew what would truly please it. Bonding with it was nice, but it was not an animal that thrived in captivity.

“If you let it go in the wild, it will be happy,” she told her father. “Is that possible?”

“It is. But the true task is not to give them momentary pleasure, but eternal life.”

Her sessions continued, each consequent animal being in a worse state than the one before. Some were covered with scars—others were missing body parts. At one point, she feared to bond with them as it would make her understand their pain. It was cruel; it was scary.

They kept coming. She didn’t know how her father was finding all of them.

“Don’t be afraid. The things that happened to them are natural consequences. Don’t let them die. Let them have hope again.”

Some of them—many of them had experienced countless hours of pain. Their life force was dark and murky, tainted with darkness. She knew instinctively that those tainted would die more quickly. With effort and bonding, the taint went away. Those moments made her happy. When she exerted her power, even the darkest of taints could be dispelled.

“Wonderful.”

Her father praised her. She was the savior of the world. She was bringing those that had lost their will to live back. She could mend injuries and heal scars. She was only treating animals, but soon, she would be introduced to others.

Others like herself.

Then one day, she finally met one. A human.

It came in a rectangular box that was glass on one side. Beyond it, she saw it—the pink, wrinkled mass that was connected to countless wires, submerged in liquid.

“What’s the matter, 31?” her father questioned. “You look pale.”

It was alive. Without a body, without a head, without eyes, ears, hair, or limbs. The presence within her screamed out loud, bubbling and boiling, but she kept it in check. She didn’t understand why the sight of it filled her with dread.

It was her first interaction with a Dient.

⤙ ◯ ⤚

Sina’s eyes snapped open. It was quiet around her, but the ringing in her head made her want to vomit. She got up, clutching her face, trying to alleviate the pain and emotions that were rampant inside of her body.

What was that?

Her memories were nonexistent. She’d lost them in the explosion she’d emerged from. But these weren’t memories that the people she’d absorbed possessed. These had appeared out of nowhere, manifesting in her dreams. She hated how unsettled they made her feel, and she quietly got up from bed, making sure not to wake Elias who was sleeping next to her.

The memories were hazy as if she’d seen them from behind frosted glass. But the emotions were clear. Happiness, joy, hopefulness, and—fear. There was a hint of anger trying to emerge, but the dream had ended before it was realized.

Her past. That was what it had to be.

She’d begun to have the dreams from time to time, often unintelligible fragments that she’d believed were from her imagination. But as time passed, so did the dreams lengthen, becoming clearer and clearer. She couldn’t ignore them any longer.

31. Her previous name. She liked the current one better.

The throbbing within her head was becoming more silent. She’d already exited the room to bathe in the moonlight and enjoy the night breeze. After making herself comfortable on a chair, she crossed her arms and closed her eyes.

She didn’t care about who she had been anymore. She had plenty of memories from the residents of the city who were now Shadows, and her current life was Elias was enough to keep her entertained. She liked being loved and loving, feeling the throbs in her chest and the heat in her face whenever Elias held her hand. He was hesitant to do more things, but they could afford to take it slowly.

Being married—she wondered what it would be like. The majority of the memories she had saw it as a wonderful event filled with love and joy. Perhaps the only thing that surpassed it was seeing one’s newborn child. That was a kind of love she didn’t understand.

Love. There had been some of it in her memories as well, though weaker. She’d known how to love before. Years and years of memories, once gone—now returning.

But why?

With the exception of the small army of Shadows she’d brought along through the tunnel, she’d removed her connection from the rest of them, retracting her power back into her body. She’d never used it since then. It now resided deep within her, blocked from emerging to hide it from Elias.

The presence. Were they the same—the one in the dream and her Shadow?

She furrowed her eyebrows. She’d consciously created the Shadow for her protection. The power within her had reacted to her call. Had the strange presence become the Shadow? Was it the reason why her memories were returning?

She’d keep it a secret for now. The memories were unsettling. They didn’t matter at this point in time.

They’d finally rid themselves of their pursuers. Even Ilnam wouldn’t know where she was—unless he was connected to Elias’s ‘benefactor.’

Sina smiled. As long as they didn’t interfere, she would—

Her smile shifted into a frown. Ilnam had told her that she was a weapon. A tool meant to destroy the world. Her father had told her that she was a savior.

Her father. She had a father.

She reached out and touched the top of her head. The sensation of being patted still lingered. Gentle and comforting. He couldn’t remember the man’s face, but she could recall his patient tone and the mild, relaxing scent with a touch of sweetness.

A weapon, or a savior.

She got up from her seat and returned to the bed where Elias was. Sleeping again would bring back the dreams, no doubt. But she was curious about the kind of person she had been before she’d lost her memories. Would Elias love her previous self as well? Her current one was something she’d created. With thousands and thousands of memories within her, she could become anyone. She could fit Elias’s preferences.

Who was she?

She’d been happy before. They were going to begin anew. She still was, but a feeling of angst had begun to gnaw at her insides. When clueless, she could be anything. With her recollections, she would be bound to her past.

She hugged Elias tightly, burying her face in his chest. He muttered something inaudible, but she knew he was thinking of her. She liked the sound of his heartbeat and the feelings of care and love he had when he looked at her.

Sina bit her lip. There had been excitement in Elias during their bath, but a deep tinge of disgust had prevented her from being more aggressive. Her memories told her that making love was full of bliss and pleasure. Elias knew of it as well. But he had been repulsed by the thought behind his arousal, and she’d been hesitant to pursue it. After all, what she knew was not hers. Each individual was different. Some had had their experience early; others had had it late. They were both young—there would be plenty of time to explore.

There were so many things she still didn’t know about Elias. Today had been a new discovery for her. She loved how he sometimes found her boring but struggled against himself to think otherwise. She loved how he put her before himself.

Ilnam had been right. Absorbing someone and digesting their existence completely was satisfying, but getting to know someone like this was much more fulfilling. Two was better than one. She didn’t need to hold other people’s lives for them.

Taking a life is cruel.

The emotions were clearer than the memories. They didn’t belong to others but were solely hers to keep and carry.

You will be the savior of the world. You will give them eternal life.

She’d already taken so many.

Sina closed her eyes.

Elias would love her no matter what.