Next morning arrived with the usual sense of commotion, and the girls’ unusual sense of disregard. Today was going to be their second day off, and after how the previous had gone, they wanted nothing more than the opportunity to spend it doing absolutely nothing.

Riyxia’s spectre wandered back through the door, resolving that everything was going as normal, and that she should go back to relaxing. Even as a spectre, she just wanted to take it easy and lounge around in the room, much like she had simply done over the course of the entire night. Vwyx’s eyes opened slightly as Riyxia returned, a signal that she should just resume sleeping. Sryine didn’t even stir, just sleeping right through everything.

Jwyexzn however was up and about, hardly getting any rest during the past night, and not entirely encouraged to make any further attempts at success. So it was some secret organization that had the ability to make artificial people for some kind of wild nefarious scheme. Somehow, that actually sounded a lot like something his sister’s friends would be into. Even if that made sense, it didn’t change anything, he was fairly certain his sister wouldn’t even spare his life if he ended up ruining any of their great plans. The scope of the situation was insane, way bigger than his pay grade, his life could be snuffed out in this current at any time, for even the slightest mistake. The only thankful part of this ugly situation was that it might be impossible for things to get any worse.

“Oh, good sir, I remember your face from yesterday. The city center mall, on the train? I’m doing a.. school project, but it seems my.. instrument got damaged when I bumped into someone yesterday. The girls that you were following, it was one of them. Do you know where I can find them, maybe so that I can at least ask them a few questions?” “Oh hells, I remember you, you’re that student that showed up sometime after the academy. Take it from me, you don’t want to stick your nose into stuff like this, it’s way above you and there is only a slim chance you would make it out alive. You have absolutely no idea what you’re dealing with here.” The student from before had actually managed to slip into the Hunters by simply passing off the visit as a school project, just the same story he had given Jwyexzn. Riyxia might have given him the slip yesterday, but the fact that all three girls were wearing uniforms that could be identified as Hunter in design made it all too obvious for him to know where he should be searching next. He had gotten up bright and early to take up the task of his next survey.

“Oh, you know as well, that makes things much easier. I was afraid I was the only one who knew that the destructive force of the astral flame was walking around our city in an attempt to ultimately engineer the destruction of the entire world.” “I.. is.. What? Where did you get such a wild idea from?” “From my instruments, it’s detected all three traces of the astral flame, a force designed to cause absolute destruction. Certainly you’re aware of the number of times you’ve felt like you were being watched, but no one was actually there?” The student’s question caused Jwyexzn to freeze. The times he was spotted in the shadows, even his detection from his perfect disguise along the transit route. He could even recall the girls jumping the two thieves in the underground tunnel, as if they knew they were there. The time they were waiting for the train, he recalled the guy staring at the same instrument with concern, and then soon after his disguise was identified. Maybe it wasn’t such a wild idea after all.

But if that was true, then the group backing up the girls were some serious world-class villains, people who would do whatever it takes to bring the world to its ultimate destruction. With power like that, getting caught wouldn’t even be a painless death. Riyxia herself was probably something more than a monster, but a full-fledged demon. There was in fact nothing to prove that all three of the girls were demons as well, only pretending to be kind and innocent so that they would be free to fulfill their catastrophic desires. The color drained from Jwyexzn’s face as his paranoia soared to new heights. And yet, here was someone who had instruments that were designed for this sort of thing, like some kind of hero of legend. That was how these things started, weren’t they? This put him in a tight spot, he wanted to make sure he could help the guy, without being caught helping the guy, something he could bluff his way out of later.

“Oh, you guys play some kind of game together? I knew it was some kind of weird game you were shouting about earlier. Seriously though, this is the hunters we’re talking about, you just don’t walk into this place so casually, they aren’t the sort of people you want a bad reputation with. If people knew you had shown up simply because of some wild game, they wouldn’t take it very well. Seriously, you’re going to want to focus on that school project of yours, and just leave everything else for later.” Jwyexzn drew upon his best bluff for the occasion, making use of his previous misconceptions to further additional misdirection. With such a bluff constructed to lead him forwards, he took to trying to guide the guy towards where he believed the girl’s room was. He had seen them come and go frequently over the past days, so he had a pretty substantial idea on exactly where he was going.

“You really don’t want to go that way, guys. It seems that section is for girls only.” “What? Really?” “Yeah, I almost fell for the same mistake myself just recently. If you two want to stay out of trouble, you had best instead stay in the common area and just wait for them to show up on their own terms.” Hyusziq was still thankful nothing had gone wrong that day, and hoped to pass Jwyexzn the same fortune of escaping such problems as well. He really believed that the section needed a proper sign, to ensure there weren’t any similar accidents. Maybe a signage project would earn him a bit of spare Qeld while Riyxia worked on more lucrative projects.

As he considered such thoughts, he noticed Jwyexzn’s companion pulling out a strange instrument and using it to check around, specifically in the direction of the three girls. This was both suspicious and alarming. As he casually continued to stick around the two of them, he pulled out his cell and quickly composed a text message. He decided that it might be smartest to stick around and make sure things had a decent resolution. However, the two guys were quick to discover that the girls weren’t in any hurry, leaving them without recourse but to find a more comfortable place to wait.

At one point, Riyxia’s restlessness got the better of her, so she swapped from lounging around as a specter to simply lounging around physically. Vwyx was next to awaken, taking note of Riyxia doing a lot of nothing, without even having her spectre wandering around. A quiet morning sounded great to her, she wasn’t able to sleep anymore either, but she was in no hurry to get out of bed otherwise, pulling out her cell and just casually going over it as usual. Sryine was again the last one to wake up, and also took account of the laziness of the situation. It also sounded like a good idea for her, until she also picked up her cell and caught the messages that had arrived once it was provided with her focus. She bolted upright to attention, visibly alarmed, even despite all her efforts to try and remain calm.

“Okay, this is really bad. Riyxia, you certainly won’t like this either. It seems Hyusziq found Jwyexzn trying to snoop around this morning, even caught him trying to approach our room, only keeping him out by saying it’s a girls’ only section. It seems Jwyexzn wasn’t alone here, Hyusziq says there is also some guy from the academy with him, carrying a strange suspicious instrument that he keeps using in our direction.” Sryine had everyone’s attention at the word ‘academy’. Riyxia started off to check things out as her spectre, only to be stopped by Vwyx shaking her head. “You said that thing can see things, are you sure that’s a smart idea.” Vwyx had a really good point, Riyxia had no way to actually defend herself as a spectre and had no idea what the guy was otherwise capable of. All they knew was that he could see spectres, which alone removed any advantage they could have gained from Riyxia going off to explore.

“Actually, wouldn’t things work better the other way around? If that thing can see spectres, it’s not like it sees normal people. What would happen if Riyxia just tried to keep her spectre relaxing here, and physically tried to sneak out and find out what was going on?” “What’s the difference then if it is any of us doing it then? Couldn’t you even just stealth invisible and have the easiest time here?” Sryine took a moment to honestly consider Vwyx’s idea, realizing that it might indeed be a better answer. However, this time Riyxia was the one to shake her head. “No, we don’t know for certain if it’s just me. Remember, I can see a shimmer from you both as well, something I can’t see from anyone else. I know he can detect my spectre, but there is a half decent chance he can also detect the shimmers I see in you both. The most likely case is that the only safe recourse is for me to go out there while managing to keep my spectre in this room in my place.” Riyxia was dreading the fact that there wouldn’t be a way she would be capable of leaving covered by an invisibility illusion from such a distance. Sryine was only capable of such a thing from a limited distance, it quickly faded overtime once beyond her reach of control. Her own gift had similar limitations, and otherwise had no impact on herself. Vwyx might be able to do a few things with her gift, the effects being far more permanent, but most considerations of disguises would probably end as well as they had with Jwyexzn originally. She had nothing she could depend upon but her own natural ability.

She had her spectre settle onto the bed, as if she was resting, and waited for the other two to emulate something similar. Then, she opened the door quietly and peeked outside. There were still plenty of noises echoing around, but absolutely no one nearby. Everyone else was well adjusted to having been up and about for a while now, no one else remained within the confines of their rooms. She made her way through the halls towards where the guys would be waiting. Peering around the corner using the cover of a large banner to shelter her from any eyes, she managed to figure out the three guys waiting for them. She seemed safe, the three of them were indeed still focused on the direction of her room, not specifically herself. However, she had no idea how she would proceed from here. Much like her as a spectre, she was given the option to watch like this, but there really wasn’t much she could do about the situation. Should she try to sneak forward, draw a commotion, and then make a break for the door? She could continue remaining stealthy without her spectre, but the increase of activity and distance both would certainly bring her spectre back to her, making her far too easy to be tracked.

While pondering a suitable course of action, she found herself grabbed from behind and pulled into a nearby room, quietly and discreetly. “I suspected something unusual was afoot, and your suspicious behaviour seems all too ready to prove it. Care to let me know what’s going on around here?” “Ayzherie. Sorry, Hyusziq was just telling me that there was someone trying to sneak some creepy intrusive pictures with that weird instrument of his. It’s that guy with Jwyexzn, someone I bumped into yesterday at the academy that had decided ever since to follow me with that instrument of his, being a real creep. Seems that, if it wasn’t for the other guys, he would have came right up to our door with the thing and caught us in our sleep.” Ayzherie did not like this assessment of the situation from Riyxia. She stepped out of the room and confronted the guys directly, before suddenly taking claim of the instrument in question.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t authorize the use of such equipment in this area, I’m going to have to confiscate this from you. If you want it returned, please have your institution forward us a formal request so that we can discuss this breach of etiquette with your instructors directly.” Ayzherie returned quickly with the instrument and handed it directly to Riyxia, leaving the guys standing there speechless. “Here, I’ll let you hold on to it, you understand it better than I would. Yes, I’m aware that there was a suspicious individual visiting from the academy, who even more suspiciously I had found waiting there all too obviously for you and the other girls to exit. However, I’m well aware that this thing probably is not designed to take simple pictures, it does something far more advanced than you’re letting on. Be aware that our organization understands the need for personal privacy and the secrets beneath it, but that sometimes such personal needs must then be brought to light in order for them to be handled appropriately. Everyone around here is entitled to their secrets, and not a soul would breach that trust.” Ayzherie settled down again on the side of her own bed, making it clear that this room was her own personal domain. In the simplicity of the environment, Riyxia was finding it suspicious that Ayzherie was once again in another set of simple clothes quite alike the ones worn the first day they met.

“How about this for a fine example. You’ve been here a while, and yet I would be certain that you haven’t heard a peep as to why I’ve been frequently left to my own room, not a single word about how I happen to be unwell at this moment. Relax, it’s nothing contagious, but I can tell you that I wholly recommend never using yourself as a focus. Having failed to take such advice myself, I find myself being much of a burden to my own crew over the span of lunar cycles ever since, the whole experience leaving me rather vulnerable and giftless. Yes, I am fully aware of how dangerous it is letting people know that I have no ability to take care of myself, even in my own defense. However, I also understand that keeping such knowledge to myself makes for a greater liability, it prevents you from taking proper action in the event you would have reason to expect myself able to take action. As is, I can’t even use my own cell anymore, a fine example of how the lack of knowledge could lead to poor assumptions in communication which could itself be disastrous. I know that you yourself have your own similar secrets, something you fear to share, fear the knowledge will turn against you. Understand that ignorance can also turn against you, but that you have people interested in being your support. Anyway, I expect you would desire to speak with your friends on the matter either way, the least regarding that instrument there. I will be around, should you change your mind.” Ayzherie took to relaxing on her bed at that point, her dismissal only an expectation with no form of enforcement, like Riyxia was free to leave or stay as she wished, but the conversation was over. Conversation.. or lesson, it was much more like a lesson. Either way, Riyxia had no reason to intrude further, so she carefully slipped out of the room and returned to her own.

“Vwyx, can you look into this thing, figure out how it works and what it does? I think you’re probably the most qualified of us three in that area. Sryine, the two of us might take up one of your invisibility illusions and go see what else we can learn, if things still remain safe enough to do so. We should first figure out if this is the right instrument.” “Oh wow, yeah, this would be the right one. You were also right, this thing is detecting three things here, all three of us. Actually, that’s kinda neat. Sryine, this thing is really good at pointing to exactly where you are, like a fancy compass. It seems to be good at pointing to myself just as efficiently. Riyxia, can you do your thing too, so I can see what happens? … Yup, point to the light, not to the body. It’s pretty obvious figuring out how it works, how to read it, but what I can’t understand is what it’s reading or how it works. I could consider taking it apart to try and figure out more, but without documentation, I’m just going to find a bunch of pieces I still can’t figure out. He’s a student, the guy is certain to be carrying notes, especially so that he can relate his readings to his findings. Sryine, you’re a bookworm, see if you can get ahold of any papers he’s carrying that might shed more light on what he’s working with.” Riyxia knew Vwyx would have things under control quick enough. Still, they needed more information, and Vwyx had a decent plan to achieve it. Leaving Vwyx with the instrument, Sryine and Riyxia started towards the area where the guys would be waiting, both concealed in an illusion of invisibility.

Coincidently, the guy was actually digging through his backpack when they arrived. He placed a number of books on a table until he pulled out what he had been searching for, a second duplicate of the previous instrument. Sryine and Riyxia couldn’t share a glance in their current state, but both knew what the other was thinking. If the guy managed to turn his backup instrument on, he would instantly find out they were there invisible not far from him. Riyxia knew first hand that not even Sryine’s invisibility was enough to hide the appearance of their shimmer-thing. Riyxia snatched it from his hands, still retaining her invisibility, and let Sryine supply it too with some added invisibility. The guy started forwards in shock, completely unaware at what had just happened. Having abandoned his bag, Sryine fell in behind him and started poking through the books. When the books started making too much noise, she gave up and just cloaked the entire bag. The guy then managed to spin around to discover the remainder of his stuff had vanished.

Jwyexzn was not ignorant as to what was going on, having witnessed such invisibility for himself before. He was reasonably certain as to where such supplies had gone. In much the same way, he was also not unaccustomed to being in places he didn’t belong. However, the situation was a matter of life and death, simple things like ordinary residential rules would have to be set aside for more important matters. While the academy student flustered about in search of all of his equipment, Jwyexzn fell back into the shadows. Prowling from shadow to shadow of the corridor, he made his way towards a door and gave it a knock from the shadows, familiar voices speaking faintly inside. The door opened to no one standing there, giving opportunity for Jwyexzn to step free from the shadows on the far end of the room.

“I figured that was you back there, and I felt I had to include myself before you took any rash actions in your discoveries. The guy had already made plain about his knowledge about something called the Astral Flame, and how his instruments and records relate to the same subject. Yes, he let me know that all three of you have traces of the Astral Flame inside you, a sign that your presence heralds the end of the world. I also know that stopping you is entirely impossible, so instead I hope it might be possible to pledge some form of allegiance, so that I can prove my loyalty and thus be spared some measure of the worst of things.” Jwyexzn had returned once again to plead for his life, or whatever measure of advantage in that area he could by any consideration be granted. It wasn’t missed by him that there would be no way to sustain his life as it was if the world was itself destroyed, but maybe there was an alternative to simple death he would find more preferable.

None of the girls were even following along with his plees, having instead been startled by important words such as the Astral Flame. While such a name was not familiar, Sryine and Vwyx could personally remember something that would suit a flame by a significant title, lending them to believe that it wasn’t nearly as wild as the usual paranoia Jwyexzn shared.