The darkness was absolute. The slow beat of a heart and the steady draw of breath permeated the environment. The only sensation from the outside world was the feeling of a small stone tucked in palm.

Alright, I managed to hold onto it. Now I just have to figure out how it works.

The world grew still, a single quiet moment stretched into eternity. The dim form of a bed emerged, a few items of nearby furniture concealed in mist.

Okay… I was right, this tag gave Wickham his power. I can’t believe I almost let it slip through my fingers. It’s surprisingly intuitive too. Does the arte contain some level of intelligence? Hard to say.

I’ve never heard of something like this, so I suppose I get to name it. It seems to work something like a WebComm, so how about the Thread Line Arte? It won’t win any awards, but I think the crusty old spider would approve.

Now, can it take me somewhere other than this bedroom.

The world pushed away, shrinking small enough to fit in one hand. It rotated to and fro, until centering on the six continents of Esper—mostly clustered in the southern hemisphere.

I… am I… finally… ?

Time slipped. A surge of emotions broke through the calm. Laughter shattered the quiet air.

Okay… Okay… easy. Take it easy. Deep breaths… so to speak…

Hah. Hah. I’m such a comedian. Better tender my resignation to the Mercenary Guild.

…

Anyway, this… this is fantastic beyond words. I can go anywhere on Esper. It’s been so long, I’m not even sure where I would want to go.

The world pulled in, then slipped between various locations until it settled on a narrow strip of land connecting the Northwest and Southwest continents. The great Outer Sea stretched further west, while the Inner Sea was tucked in to the east. Between those two oceans was a pair of mountain ranges, touching at the isthmus. Far to the south, after easing through rolling hills and gentle plains, lay the vast city of Seitoji. The smaller city of Duroterra was similarly situated to the north.

Ah, the Yingshan mountains. How long has it been?

A morbid curiosity.

The mountains expanded, growing to their true scale, then shifted around until they arrived at a wide ledge high above a long valley. The view gravitated towards a pile of stones.

A ripple of anger.

Is this the place? Can I get under these rocks?

Okay, that’s… interesting. If I poke around I can feel inside. His knives are there, so then this is… this is where…

A wave of remorse, yearning for a path untraveled.

Gods no, no dwelling on the past. Anyway, someone took his swords. I hope they bring nothing but misfortune.

Sadness clawed from the depths.

What am I even doing here?

The mountains receded, diminishing from view until they were little more than a line of ridges on a great sphere of black mist. The whole world sat in murky shadows, something like a cloud of soot undulating on its surface.

This must be a vision of all the malhahons on Esper. It’s like the whole world in the palm of my hand.

The mostly uniform motion of the dark particles was interrupted by a ripple centered on the Eastern continent. A closer examination revealed it to be coming from a point deep in a vast mountain range to the south.

What’s that?

The world drew in to the disturbance, growing in detail until it was revealed to be emanating from a roiling mass of black smoke on the edge of a cliff. The cliff itself overlooked a narrow valley, with a small village nestled at the bottom, surrounded by a vast forest. The misty figure was almost the shape of a man.

What are these wispy tendril things? Can I touch th—

“You’re right, I don’t like it at all.”

A jolt of shock.

What was that! Could I hear that person speaking? Is that normal for Thread Line? Everything’s been otherwise so quiet…. Can I do it again?

“—hardly ideal, but I guess you’re right. Still, I feel like there has to be a better— what?”

I seem to be listening to half a conversation. This man doesn’t sound like a native Seitojin, although I would guess he’s speaking to one.

“I think someone is watching us.”

Does he mean me? And who is us? Am I intercepting a WebComm?

“It could be, but I doubt it. If the Black Temple had the Oracle Stone and was looking for me, I doubt they’d be so careless as to get this close.”

The Oracle Stone? Does he mean my Thread Line Arte? Maybe it already had a name, though I like mine better. Still, I’m sure Wickham didn’t have anything to do with the Black Temple.

“No, I’d guess they have a different one. I mean, the stone I found was merely an ODA from a snake. There’s no reason to expect there couldn’t be more. Still, our watcher’s very interested in us.”

Should I get out of here? I doubt there’s any danger, though this man seems to know more about Thread Line than I do.

“That’s a good question. It depends on a lot of factors. If their stone is similar to mine, then I’d guess they can’t hear you. They might be able to hear me though, our connection isn’t exactly stable.” The impression of muted laughter. “Yeah, that too.”

Bleh. Even if there isn’t any danger, listening to half a conversation is frustrating. Maybe I should go somewhere else…

“It’s possible. I have some ideas, at least, but there are so many unknowns it might not be. Still, it’s worth a shot.”

Okay…? He seems to have shut up. I guess I’m— Wait… are those weird tendrils moving?

Ensnared in a tangled web. A surge of panic.

Let go of me! What the fuck are you doing you—

“Hello?” said the man’s voice, now perfectly clear. “What’s your name?”