Lukas limped slightly as he left the recovery room. There wasn't any pain in his body, although there was some soreness in his limbs. Otherwise, he was fine, and he quickly made his way downstairs to the main floor.
It was a little before noon, maybe half an hour at most. A few people were eating away, but Kai and Skyla weren't there. Although he could continue his assignment and search the forest around Mistfell. He wanted a break, half a day at most. So he grabbed his supplies and went to the riverbank.
The air was colder than yesterday, and the wind was sharper. But the sun was warm and the breeze was gentle. It was a nice day out after the previous storm. Yet, for some reason, everything felt a little different to Lukas.
It wasn't like yesterday when the whole world seemed to change before his eyes. No, it was more akin to an intuitive difference in how Lukas perceived the world. Everything was clearer and brighter, and his mind was able to break it all down faster than before. It was like he was reborn, better than before.
As he sat by the river, he pondered the cause and meaning behind the subtle shift in perception. Did he really grow in yesterday's fight? Maybe, but would becoming more skilled or stronger cause a change like this? It didn't make sense in his head.
But that could wait for now. He had to write another report for the ghast he encountered. It was another normal one, but it was dangerously skilled. Perhaps it had more experience than the other ghasts?
'...Due to the storm present that afternoon, and later into the evening, it was difficult to track and see the ghast. As a result, the only description of its appearance can be detailed by Tempest. As he was the one who ultimately killed the foul beast, and thus was the only one able to get a clear look at its corpse...'
As he wrote, he saw the shadow of someone approach him. Instinctively, he stopped how journaling and turned to face them.
"LUKAS! I didn't know you were here! How have you been?"
To his surprise, it was Oak! He wasn't too close to him, but he was the first person he had seen in the Fortissimo, other than Bene.
"Well... it's been rough. Over the last week, I have encountered two ghasts, and the entire group encounters two or three a day."
"Really!?"
Lukas sighed, and the downstream wind blew in his face.
"Yeah... Skyla's tracking a special one in the forests, although she hasn't seen it in a while and hasn't been able to kill it yet. I'm doing alright I guess... But, why are you here?"
"Oh, well I was called over after a loss of members. I was in Bellrock with a few other subdivision members until yesterday. That storm was rough, at least I caught the edge of it."
He sat down next to Lukas, looking at the river with a smile on his face.
"This place is kind of strange, there's nobody here! What a strange place."
Lukas resumed his documentation, only partially listening to Oak and his rambling about where he'd been.
"...and then there was this HUGE snake! But my hand went right through it!'
By now, Oak was on his back staring into the sky.
"Hey, what are you doing? Writing something?"
Lukas looked over at him and saw the curious look on his face.
"I'm writing a report on the recent ghast I encountered. I have to do them myself since I'm not in a subdivision."
"Really? That's weird, do you just have to remember everything? Oh, do you have to deliver them to Wels? Wait, you probably use the crows. I could never do that, having to write that much. I can't really write too well. While I was in Bellrock, Karve was teaching me a little, but I can't wrap my head around it. Oh also..."
As Oak continued to ramble, a thought came to Lukas. It was as he reflected about yesterday, he remembered an ethereal song that sang to him a distant melody. He couldn't remember how it went, but he knew he heard it.
He wondered if he was not the only person to hear this song, perhaps others have experienced something similar.
"Hey Oak, have you ever heard a sound around you, like a distant melody?"
"I- uh, what? No..? I don't think I know what you're talking about."
"Never mind, just a random thought."
Even if someone knew about it, it was unlikely he would find them that soon. Or that they would know what he was talking about. But, he still held out hope that maybe he could find some answers to what it was he felt.
"Hey Oak, out of curiosity, what's your Frequency? I haven't seen you use one."
"Huh? I thought I told you already. But, uh, it's kind of weird. So, I can touch something and make it disappear? Then, I can... summon it later..? I don't know how to explain it, but I haven't seen someone with a Frequency as strange as mine. Here why don't I show you."
With that, Oak got up and walked down to the river. There, he up a small stone before coming back. He held lightly in his right hand.
"Gha"
The stone vanished in the blink of an eye. Oak didn't even seem too fazed by it, not even somewhat affected by it.
"Does that tire you out at all?"
"No, not really. But it's not I can do too much with it. If something is more large or complex it's a little tiring I guess. If it's too big or complex I can't use my Frequency at all."
He brought his left hand into the same position as his right, outward with his palm facing the sky.
"Ko"
In another instant, the stone was back, the exact same as before, but now in his left hand.
"It's not incredibly useful, but it's just weird. I guess it's helped in the past but..."
Oak sighed, leaving his thoughts unfinished.
"What about you, what's your Frequency? I can't see auras, but sometimes I sense yours and it's very strange."
"Oh, you can sense other people's auras?"
"Yeah! You can't?"
"No, I know Bene can see them, but I can only sense my own. As for my Frequency... honestly, you probably won't believe me... but I can go five seconds back in time."