“Could you repeat that?”

“Yes, sir. According to our guards, the suspect used the water source as a weapon to attack a class three beast and nearly killed it.”

Captain Lera was speechless. He looked to the target of the supposed attack. It had a round hole in its chest, similar to the beast from two weeks ago, and a part of its head was missing. According to the reports, both wounds had been caused by water shooting out of the water source, which had apparently been destroyed during the second shot. His guards couldn’t explain how this had been accomplished, but with four eyewitnesses there wasn’t much room for debate.

“And the suspect is Tomar Remor?”

“Yes, sir. The description matches him. A young girl was with him, but we have yet to identify her.”

Two beasts, two attacks, similar wounds, and both were linked to Tomar Remor. Captain Lera had already been suspicious after the first incident, but now he had proof.

He looked towards the chain that the water source had previously been attached to. The last time he had been here, the cube was scratched up and the sigils had partially been replaced with chalk. If the suspect had done something to the water source to make it behave in this unusual way, it might be connected to the sigils. His guards hadn’t paid attention to the cube tonight, but he was sure that it couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Get me the priest who restored the sigils after the last incident,” Captain Lera ordered the guard, who saluted and left immediately.

The guards had lost the suspect for the moment, but multiple teams were searching for him. According to the eyewitnesses, the boy had fled the scene after the beast died. He was reported to have had an ominous air around him, similar to that of a beast. This, in combination with what he had done, had the guards flustered for but a moment. A single moment that the boy had taken full advantage of to make his escape.

Based on everything that had happened, the captain had considered the possibility of Tomar being a Mad One in disguise, who had used an unknown ability to injure the first beast. Now, however, he had no idea what he was dealing with. The boy was a potential threat and had to be apprehended. However, if he had really modified a water source somehow, there could be value in catching him alive.

The captain left the scene to update his men and make a report to the king. It would be a long night for them.

***

I woke up in a shed with Riala leaning against me. It was still dark, so I couldn’t have been asleep for long. Looking around, it seemed like nothing had changed. Same position, same shed. I hadn’t planned to nod off, but it must’ve happened while I was trying to calm Riala.

“You didn’t move me,” I said.

‘No...’

We sat in silence for a while. I wasn’t sure where to go from here. The pain had subsided substantially, but the mist was still there. Both on me and on Riala. I couldn’t say if it would be harmful, but for the moment it seemed to be fine. However, the situation was anything but.

I had fled from the guards. Even though I had feared for my life, for our lives, it might’ve been a mistake. Had there been other options? I could’ve tried to explain things. Maybe that my Calling gave me knowledge about the sigils. That wouldn’t even have been a lie, and I wouldn’t have to say anything about a voice in my head.

But my mother and I hadn’t thought that approach through yet, when we had talked about what could be done with the water sources. The temple would be in an uproar about modifying scripture sigils. In addition to that, what I had demonstrated earlier was not a fun little script, but one that could kill a beast. Weapon possession was illegal for civilians. I couldn’t imagine them looking kindly at some kid who would be able to turn a water source into a dangerous weapon. If you lined up a few people in front of it...

This led me to only one conclusion. Fleeing, at least for the moment, had been the right choice. Best case scenario, they would’ve arrested me, and I could still try to surrender peacefully. Maybe that would even work better when the guards weren’t as agitated. Okay, I don’t think I made a mistake.

Next question, what would I do now? I looked down at Riala. She would have to be the priority. I couldn’t drag her into whatever was about to happen. I would have to get her home. At the same time, Zara was somewhat of a friend. Maybe I could hide there for a little bit, while I’m gathering my thoughts. Staying in one place for too long would make it easier for them to find me, so I should get out of this shed. Sounds like a plan.

The last problem was Miles... Just briefly thinking about what he had done made me angry, but I was also stuck with him. Maybe I would’ve left him right here and now if I could, but that wasn’t an option. And whatever happened next, I would most likely need him. Especially if I wanted to pretend to have received some “Sigil Researcher Calling.” I didn’t have enough knowledge about Omega. Maybe I could draw one or two scripts, but it wouldn’t be enough to be convincing. Not to mention that I would also lose the ability to do my job without him, which would be equally suspicious.

As I was contemplating my situation, I had another question. Was my mind always this clear? I went through my problems and options step by step and quickly came to reasonable conclusions and solutions. At least temporary ones. Was it just that I was forced to think for myself? Or was there more to it? This I didn’t have any answers to yet.

In any case, I needed Miles. And he would need me, one way or another. It would come down to trust. Would we fight each other or cooperate? We both had our advantages over the other, but it would be easier for everyone involved if we worked together. My mind was made up.

“Miles,” I said in a quiet voice, to not wake Riala. “I need you to promise me something. Never use my body like that again. You said you’re sorry, right? Prove it. In turn, I promise that we’ll get you out of there, sooner or later.”

He didn’t say anything at first, but eventually his response came. “I promise.”

Miles was quiet, but it was different from his usual quietness. He wasn’t distracted or secretive, he sounded deeply apologetic. He had messed up royally and he knew it. Saying that I fully trusted him would’ve been too much, but I would try. Like Mother would.

***

Oryn Tilia had been woken by a guard in the middle of the night and was escorted to the eastern guard station. With a sleepy face, disheveled hair, and a white robe that he had hastily put on, he stood before Captain Lera.

“You restored the chained water source two weeks ago?”

“Yea—h,” Oryn said with a small yawn.

“Was there anything unusual about it?”

Oryn’s ears perked up. The water source? Unusual? he thought. There had been something unusual, and now he was questioned by a guard after a beast had appeared. He knew something must’ve happened.

“Well, the scripture was mostly gone, parts of it replaced with chalk. Unfortunately, that happens from time to time. However, the replacement sigils were drawn very well. And there was one sigil I have never seen before.”

This was another confirmation for the captain’s theory. The scripture had been changed and there had been unknown sigils on the cube. Even though they didn’t have all the details yet, they could assume that Tomar would be dangerous in the vicinity of water sources. This was all the information he needed.

“Thank you,” Captain Lera said, “you may go now.”

“That’s it? What—” the priest started, but the captain had already turned around and was walking away. Oryn was wide awake now. Something was happening, but he wouldn’t get any more answers here. As the one responsible for restoring divine instruments in the case of damaged sigils, however, his curiosity had been piqued. He would have to make a report to the High Priest.

***

A guard stood in front of a house and knocked on the door. It was early in the morning, when not everybody would be awake yet, but the door flew open right away.

“Have you found my sister!?” a young woman asked.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Fera, we haven’t found her yet. However, a young girl was seen at the scene of tonight’s beast incident. She was with a suspect we assume to be ‘Tomar Remor.’ Based on your description, it could’ve been your sister.”

When Zara had woken up to the warning bells in the middle of the night she had gone to check on her younger sister, but couldn’t find her anywhere. Even though the curfew was still in effect, she immediately ran out the door and went to the first guard she could find, to tell them about Riala having gone missing. Given the situation, the guard let Zara go, but he asked her to stay at home, while promising to update her as soon as he had any new information.

“She was there!? Why was she with Tomar!?”

Zara wanted to run out the door right away and find the two of them, but the guard stopped her. If Riala was to return home, it would be better for Zara to be here. Reluctantly, she agreed to stay back. She gave the guard a brief description of the relationship between Tomar and the sisters and then the guard left.

Only seconds after he had left, she heard the house’s backdoor open. She had barely turned around when her sister flew into her arms.

“Sis!”

“Riala!”

Zara was ecstatic for a moment, before a scared look crept onto her face. She started shaking and slowly pushed the girl away by her shoulders to look at her. “W-what happened to you?”

She didn’t know what it was, but something felt off about her sister. She wanted to embrace her, but she was also scared of her. Her eyes fell onto another person who had entered the house with Riala and her eyes went even wider. Whatever was going on with her sister, it was even worse with this boy. She pressed her sister against her again in reflex and shuffled backwards to put more distance between them.

“T-Tomar?”

“Don’t be scared. Especially not of Riala. Please.”

“I’m okay, Sis,” the young girl said, hugging her sister.

“I don’t have all the answers, Zara. But I’ll try to explain as much as I can.”