Yan gulped a few times as he stared at the bottle. His eyes wandered to the boy with bright red hair in the middle striking a conversation with Clyde.
Yuni occasionally chimed in.
Despite it being his fourth mission with one being successful, he is familiar with ACA far longer than anyone.
'Dad used to tell us all about the rookies. How they over-prepare or how they make mistakes and often get themselves killed.'
Yan remembered all the stories his father told them during their bedtime. He remembered them by heart.
It served as a way to prepare for their journey. Yet,
'What type of person are you Becker?' Yan had a hard time figuring it out. He felt something was off about him.
Unlike most rookies, he didn't overly prepared. Or rather he had no preparation at all. His knowledge was extremely surface-level at best and his trust in other free agents was alarming.
"You've been staring at him for a while now." Clyde suddenly called out. Yan chuckled,
"And you're quite perceptive. Yes. I have been staring."
Yan looked at Matthew as he addressed him,
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
Matthew looked deep in the eyes.
"Just someone looking for answers," Matthew answered vaguely. Yan didn't mind. Considering all of them were just acquaintances based on circumstances he accepted the answer. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling of something amiss.
"You came to the wrong place pal. This place is for killing or being killed." Yuni replied as she shook her head.
Clyde also looked at Matthew with confusion. But he didn't voice his thoughts.
"Sounds morbid." Matthew raised his eyebrow and addressed Clyde next.
"By the way, I have been meaning to ask you, i heard you two talking about Gifts. Are you guys a Beholder?" Everyone could hear his fascination from his words.
Although the question was directed at Clyde it was Yuni who replied,
"Yep. RCUVA certified. Look..." Yuni took out a card and showed it to Matthew. He saw Yan and Clyde facepalming as he took the card.
The card was made out of very hard but flexible material. It had a slight black glint to it. On the back were five rings in a circle each with a different symbol.
Matthew recognized them. But he turned it over to see the front of the card.
[Name: Kiara L. Orpiron
Gift: Upsurge
Attribute: Mutation
VRS: High Green]
It was written in a simple Himanian Language.
"Wow!" Matthew gasped as he inspected the card from every angel.
"This is your first time seeing a Beholder?" Yuni asked with pride.
"Yeah. It's..." Matthew couldn't take his eyes off the card. He always heard about them. He used to see them on TV sometimes fighting Void Creatures.
"Do you also have one of these?" Matthew asked Clyde who just sighed and said,
"Yes. All Beholders must register with RCUVA. And you're not supposed to show anyone that."
Yan hid his face out of embarrassment. Yuni simply shrugged,
"He's harmless. What's he gonna do?"
Matthew felt it was meant both as an insult and as a compliment.
"Yuni..." Yan looked defeated.
"Fine...I should take that." Yuni reach out as Matthew gave it back. Matthew looked at Clyde and asked.
"Wait if you're not supposed to show it, how did you know she was a beholder."
Clyde glanced at Yan and Yuni before looking at Matthew.
"*sigh* Fine. It's my gift. Here."
Clyde also showed his. Yan was taken aback.
Matthew once again took a look. Same card just different writing.
[Name: Clydus Moroth
Gift: Scan
Attribute: Absorption
VRS: Low Green]
"Your name is Clydus?" Matthew smirked at Clyde.
"Ignore it." He snatched it back. Yan shuffled in his pocket and also bought out a card.
"Wait you're a beholder too?" Matthew was surprised.
"I am. It's only fair that I too share it with you."
[Name: Kiri L. Orpiron
Gift: Memory
Attribute: Absorption
VRS: Not Detectable]
"Wait you both have the same attribute why you're weaker than him?" Matthew gave back the card as he asked the question.
Both Yuni and Clyde knew but Yan was the one who answered.
"My VRS... it's low."
Matthew tilted his head. Seemingly getting the memo Yan continued,
"It's the Void Radiation Signature. Every Beholder emits some Void Radiation. The higher the radiations the stronger Gift and..."
"And more dangerous the Gift." Clyde finished his sentence.
"Oh." Matthew could simply reply as an awkward atmosphere fall on them. He quickly tried to change the subject,
"What about attributes? I saw both of you have the same." Matthew asked Yan.
"Yes. We both have Absorption type Attributes. But Yuni has a Mutation type."
"The superior type," Yuni added promptly.
"No, it's not." Clyde frowned.
"You still say that after losing to me?" Yuni snorted as Clyde took a deep breath as he mumbled 'not worth it' to himself. Yan simply shook his head,
"All gifts have one of three attributes. Emission, Mutation, or Absorption. Each also has a suppression effect on one another."
He took a bottle, his phone, and a small pebble from the ground. He set them up in a triangle.
"This bottle is Emission. This phone is Absorption and this Pebble is Mutation."
Yuni hit him with a sharp elbow and said with a pout,
"You're doing this on purpose aren't you?"
"Whatever you could mean?" Yan smirked as Matthew watched on with fascination.
"Every Beholder has a Void Energy Reserve. This correlate to VRS. The higher the reserve the more the VRS."
Matthew nodded as Yan lifted the water bottle.
"Emission type have a higher amount of Void Energy Reserve. Which can be siphoned out to attack."
Matthew watched as Yan picked up the phone next.
"Absorption has the lowest amount of Void Energy Reserve. But it can convert the energy to enhance physical attributes. Like how I have superior memory..."
"Or how I can scan anything to figure out its weakness or attribute," Clyde said from the side. Yan gave a nod and continued.
"Mutation have no Void Energy Reserve. Unlike others, however, their body acts as a medium for the manifestation of the gift."
"Which is why I'm the strongest," Yuni said with pride.
"Among all three Mutations are the strongest as they are physically more powerful. But..." Yan raised his hand.
"Emission type can shatter a Mutation type," Clyde replied as he smirked at Yuni.
"Hmph. You're still salty over losing." Yuni rolled her eyes as Yan chimed in.
"Emission types are weak against Absorption as we can simply absorb their attack to enhance our attributes. We are not invincible however as..."
"As you can be overwhelmed by Mutation type."
Matthew completed his sentence. Clyde and Yan looked a bit surprised but Matthew continued.
"Is it because Mutation has no Void Enegery for you to absorb?"
Matthew said with a thoughtful look as Yan nodded. Clyde simply closed his eyes.
"Precisely. This is called the Suppression of Attribute." Yan concluded.
Matthew sorted all the information in his mind as he nodded.
"Thank you for explaining."
"You're welcome," Yan replied.
"I still can't believe I'm seeing three beholders..." Matthew grabbed his head as he felt a slight headache.
Clyde shrugged as he pointed out,
"Eh. Gifts are common among Agents. It's rare to find Agents without gifts. How did you even become an agent?"
Matthew shrugged when a gust of wind suddenly blew out all the candles.
*cling* *seekk*
Both Clyde and Yuni unsheathed their weapons as they faced the direction of the gale.
Matthew wrinkled his nose,
"What's that smell?"
He couldn't describe it. Yet somehow find it very familiar. It was nauseating.
"Blood."
Yan replied as he hugged the wall and supported himself up.
"Fresh blood." Clyde corrected.
"It's coming from the open hallway," Yuni said.
Matthew shone the light ahead.
The light disappeared among the darkness inviting them over.
"Looks like we are out of time," Matthew spoke out loud.
''They want us to move on. I would prefer a more verbal one but hey it is what it is." Matthew elaborated. He walked past Yuni and Clyde and moved ahead.
All three looked at his back as he stopped and looked back.
"Come on. It's not like you guys have any way to go. Why not just move forward?"
Yan and Yuni looked at each other as Clyde was silent. All three watched his figure as he moved on.
All of them knew it was a trap. Despite their experience, they couldn't help but hesitate. But the echoing steps in the corridor, as Matthew moved bounced in their head.
Clyde was the first one to move. Yuni looked back as Yan gave her nod. She moved to support him but Yan refused.
He used the wall and moved behind them as they all made their way toward the hallway.