But Fredrick hadn't fallen. And Karl couldn't hesitate any longer.
With a sudden burst of resolve, Karl jumped. The mist rushed past him, cold and biting against his skin. The stone wall blurred beside him as he shot upward. If I hit the wall... The thought crossed his mind briefly, but he pushed it aside, gritting his teeth. Don't fall. Just don't fall.
After what felt like an eternity, he stopped—suspended in mid-air, teetering on the brink of descent.
"How was it?" Fredrick's voice broke the silence.
Karl glanced to the side, spotting Fredrick standing casually on the wall, his ever-present smile greeting him like an old friend.
Before Karl could respond, his body began to plummet. His stomach lurched, and for a moment, panic threatened to take hold. Help! he wanted to shout, but no sound escaped his lips. His mind raced, weighing the options: scream and alert the guards, or fall and hope to survive. Neither choice offered comfort, but one was slightly less certain of death. He chose the latter.
"Don't worry." Fredrick's hand shot out, grabbing Karl's wrist before he slipped too far. With surprising ease, he pulled Karl up, setting him down gently atop the wall.
"Amazing," Fredrick said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I really want to see how strong you'll become."
Karl stared at him, the realization dawning slowly: This man is insane. He forced down a sigh and turned his gaze toward the landscape beyond. A large cannon sat a few steps away, facing outward into the empty fields beyond. Karl's frown deepened, but before he could think too much about it, Fredrick spoke again.
"Alright, now we jump down."
Karl blinked. "Jump... down?" His mind reeled. Didn't Fredrick just say he wasn't sure about his durability? How can he be sure I'll survive? He paused, reconsidering his thoughts. Why am I even doubting this? I just chose to fall in silence earlier... maybe I'm becoming like him. The thought made his stomach twist. Why would I want to be like Fredrick?
"Don't worry," Fredrick said, his tone light and reassuring. "I'm carrying you down."
Before Karl could respond, Fredrick grabbed hold of him and jumped off the stone railing. As they descended, Karl caught a glimpse of silhouettes and lights approaching through the mist—likely the wall guards.
They plummeted through the mist, the wind whipping past their faces. Karl looked down, watching the ground rush up to meet them. But Fredrick landed effortlessly, setting Karl down gently on his feet. He smiled as if they had just completed a casual stroll.
"That was fun, right?"
Karl didn't respond. His eyes were locked on the landscape ahead.
The land beyond the city walls was barren, save for a few twisted trees crowned with red dust. The ground was covered in a thin layer of red dust that kicked up as they walked. Karl stayed close to Fredrick, wary of the quiet gloom that surrounded them. He glanced occasionally at the heaps of red dust carted from the city, wondering how the world hadn't yet drowned in it. From what he knew, the dust eventually broke down, blending into the soil—supposedly excellent manure for crops.
After some time, Karl broke the silence. "Where exactly are we going?"
Fredrick smiled that familiar smile. "There." He pointed toward a small hill in the distance.
Karl followed Fredrick's gaze. Beyond the hill, a vast forest loomed, its treetops dusted with red. Around them, heaps of red dust rose high, nearly as tall as some of the trees. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting a faint crimson hue across the forest, painting everything in a bloody gloom.
"Let's go," Fredrick said, his voice steady but tinged with excitement. He turned to Karl, and for a brief moment, his eyes gleamed with an eerie red light.
They walked in silence, the forest looming ahead, its towering wall of trees absorbing the faint moonlight.
The mist clung to the trunks, swirling in restless eddies. Karl's steps slowed as they neared the treeline, unease prickling at the back of his neck—not fear, but the uncertainty of the unknown. Anything could happen.
The trees were unlike any Karl had seen before. Their bark was thick and blackened as if charred by fire, and their leaves, once green, had begun to shift toward a deep red. Some leaves had already darkened to a crimson shade, adding to the stillness of the place.
Fredrick glanced at him, his ever-present smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You need to learn balance," he said, crouching low. "From now on, we'll be using the trees to move." Without waiting for a response, he leaped into the air, landing gracefully on one of the high branches. He looked down at Karl, still smiling. "Jump."
Karl stared at the trees. They weren't as tall as the city walls, but the idea of moving through them seemed absurd. Walking would be quieter, and safer. Besides, he lacked Fredrick's agility. One misstep, and he would plummet to the ground. And who knew what lurked within the forest?
Fredrick's voice cut through his hesitation. "We have a lot to do tonight. Just do it."
Karl's gaze shifted back to the trees. They were massive, their branches easily thick enough to hold his weight. He took a deep breath, crouched, and jumped.
His leap sent him higher than expected, far above the treetops. For a brief moment, Karl caught a view of the vast forest stretching beneath him, the red-stained leaves shimmering under the moonlight. Mountains loomed in the distance, obscured by the gray mist. The beauty of it all washed over him, calming the thoughts in his mind.
But gravity pulled him back, and he began to fall. His eyes widened as the ground rushed up to meet him, but his breath remained steady. Just as panic threatened to surface, a familiar figure appeared.
Fredrick.
The man grabbed Karl's shoulder in mid-air, his movements fluid and controlled. They fell together, landing on a thick branch with barely a rustle. "You need to learn to control your strength," Fredrick said, setting Karl down beside him. His smile hadn't faltered.
Karl nodded, casting a glance at the branch beneath his feet. It was wide, almost as thick as a man's torso, and it bore their combined weight without a groan.
The moonlight filtered through the canopy in thin, silvery, and red rays, casting long shadows on the forest floor. The mist swirled around the trees like a tide, adding to the sense of isolation.
"Let's go," Fredrick called out before leaping to another branch, his movements swift and sure.
Karl watched him for a moment. He smiles just as much as Astrid. The thought crossed his mind unbidden. Then, he bent his knees and jumped again, this time using less force.
But he misjudged.
Instead of landing on a branch, he hurtled toward the tree trunk. The rough bark rushed toward him at a terrifying speed, but before he could crash, Fredrick's hand found his shoulder once more, pulling him to safety.
"This will take a while," Fredrick said, landing effortlessly on another branch, Karl in tow. He paused, glancing at Karl with an odd gleam in his eye. "Should I just enter you?"
Karl froze, unsure of what Fredrick meant.
"If I did," Fredrick continued, "it would make things easier. But it would permanently condemn part of your body. And if I wanted full control... well, that would mean sacrificing your life. At least for when I have to come out." His tone was light, almost casual, as if discussing something trivial.
If he possesses me, he could kill me when he comes out? The realization settled heavily in Karl's mind. He said nothing, letting the thought simmer in silence.
They resumed their strange training. Time passed in a blur of leaps and near-misses, Karl either plummeting to the ground or crashing into tree trunks. Each time, Fredrick was there to catch him, his patience unwavering.
An hour later, Fredrick stood on an opposite tree, his arms spread wide like a mother welcoming her child. "That's it," he called out.
Karl stood on another branch, taking a steadying breath. He bent his knees and jumped. The wind tousled his hair, and for a brief moment, exhilaration surged through him. He was finally getting the hang of it. Fredrick's figure drew closer, his welcoming smile never fading.
Yes! Karl's heart swelled with a sense of accomplishment.
He landed beside Fredrick, his feet firm on the branch though his legs still shook slightly from the exertion.
"You should've jumped into my arms," Fredrick said, dropping his hands with a mock sigh. "But you're a fast learner—or should I say fast recollection?"
Recollection? Karl frowned. Still talking about my memories... or his? Why had he made that slip?
"Alright, let's keep moving." Fredrick's tone was light as he kicked off the branch, leaping from one tree to another with practiced ease.
Karl followed, though more cautiously. His movements were slower, each step measured to avoid another fall.
Eventually, Fredrick came to a stop, perched on a branch that overlooked something below. Karl hurried to catch up, landing beside him.
_______
SURROUNDED BY TREES, dusted with red dust, the moonlight seeped through the overcast sky, casting an eerie glow over the mist-shrouded world. Karl and Fredrick stood atop a large tree, its branches wide enough to support their weight. The tree rose nearly ten feet tall, stretching out alongside others in the fog-laden forest.
"Pay attention," Fredrick whispered, his voice low. "This is where the Pure White Ministry breeds its sanguine creatures, and they have ten in their branch."
Ahead, in the middle of a clearing, a cluster of wooden sheds, shacks, and buildings stood enclosed by half-stone fences. The roughly laid cobblestone streets were overgrown with weeds sprouting between the cracks. At the village's center loomed a cathedral, its form resembling numerous spears merged together to create a single tower. Its smooth gray exterior reflected the moonlight, casting a soft, ghostly glow over the quiet village, like a beacon in the dark.
Karl observed the scene from the tree's height, noting the village's eerie stillness and apparent emptiness.
"This is the breeding ground for the Pure White Ministry," Fredrick continued, "specifically inside that cathedral."
Karl's eyes settled on the building. The cathedral wasn't large—certainly smaller than the abandoned one he had seen in the city. "The building's small," he remarked, his clothes fluttering gently in the breeze.
"It's not small on the inside," Fredrick replied. "It's much bigger within."
Bigger on the inside? Karl's thoughts shifted as a figure emerged from the cathedral's entrance. Who is that?
"It's starting," Fredrick said ominously.
Startin-? Karl thought, but before he could react, a loud ringing suddenly pierced his ears, throwing him off balance. Dizzy and disoriented, he staggered, nearly toppling off the tree branch. Fredrick reached out, steadying him just in time.
Karl gritted his teeth as the ringing intensified, drowning out everything around him—even his own breathing.
The overwhelming noise was all he could hear, an assault on his senses.
Clenching his fists, he endured the pain because there was nothing else he could do. Eventually, the sound faded, leaving him breathless as though it had never existed.
What was that? Karl wondered, struggling to steady his breath and hoping they hadn't been detected.
"You've got sharp senses," Fredrick said with a smile. "I didn't even hear it that loudly." He seemed proud, nodding in approval. Then his gaze shifted downward, toward the village. "Ah, that's what you heard."
Still confused, Karl looked back toward the cathedral: Two figures dressed in silver armor had emerged from the entrance. Their armor was minimal, protecting only their arms, legs, and shoulders, while their chests were covered in plain white shirts. The figures dragged large chains behind them as they moved.
"Those are pawns," Fredrick explained. "Each ministry has them. They're typically of the ordinary class, having evolved only once. They rarely get the chance to evolve again, either dying in battles as collateral under invigilators or being captured by depraved sanguines for experiments." He crossed his arms. "I think I've 'rebirthed' about thirty pawns myself. Took care of them like my own children afterward."
Karl studied Fredrick for a moment. So much for evil factions being the bad ones. The ministry seems just as twisted—perhaps worse—since they hide behind talks of morality.
Suddenly, the pawns below began struggling with their chains. With renewed effort, they gripped the heavy links and pulled harder. Another loud ringing echoed through the air, forcing Karl to cover his ears once more. The pawns strained, dragging something into view.