At the State Library in northern Dynami, Zarek finally arrived, walking calmly, smoothing his hands, and smiling as he approached the entrance gate.
"Finally."
To Zarek's surprise, expecting to be alone, the gate of the Library opened and someone stepped out. It was Tramen, the one responsible for summoning and bringing the Gyakus into the city and who had met Koji on Port Avenue.
"I didn't expect it to take you so long," Tramen said, descending the entrance stairs nonchalantly and handing Zarek the keys they needed.
"Yeah... I wanted to have some fun along the way, you get me," Zarek replied cheerfully, taking the keys and patting Tramen's chest in a congratulatory gesture for a mission accomplished.
Their eyes shone with the possibility of achieving the objective given to them by the Foundation.
Noticing the lack of presence in the city besides them, Tramen asked Zarek, while casually adjusting his hair.
"And the Tower scum? Did they take such a beating that they won't come here?"
"Considering the only Tower member who fought was Nahome, they didn't even really try," Zarek replied, smiling and heading up the stairs towards the entrance. His concern was minimal, and his tranquility immense, as always.
But a sudden sound, a slow and elegant melody, echoed from inside the library, catching the attention of Zarek and Tramen.
"What's that sound?" Tramen wondered, still calm and seemingly uninterested.
"It's coming from inside," Zarek observed with a slightly forced smile, looking at the library gate.
The beautiful sound guiding them emanated from perfect piano notes. Zarek opened the gate, and Tramen followed close behind when the source of the sound finally appeared.
"Hello, wouldn't you like to help me? I'm accepting small donations," said the talented musician, continuing to play the piano beautifully while speaking.
His charm, reflected in his bright and lively eyes, stood out. This musician was S. James.
"Huh? How did this guy get in here? And where did this piano come from?" Tramen asked Zarek.
Taking a few steps closer to the piano and the musician, Zarek wanted to clear up some doubts with the pianist, his curiosity and slightly confused expression showing it.
"Could you tell me what you're doing here?"
In an animated, charismatic, and even humorous manner, the musician, S. James, responded to Zarek.
"I'm not really as famous as you, Zarek... you're quite feared worldwide. My name is S. James, and I'm just what you see, but I know very well what you're looking for."
"S. James? What kind of name is that?" Tramen commented, mocking and laughing at the musician's name, while Zarek just watched attentively with a slight smile.
"Isn't that why you came here?"
S. James pulled, with his right hand while playing the piano only with his left, the cover of a book titled "The Demons of Oxford," written by British journalist Lenny Chesterton in 1931.
It was instant. Just showing the cover of the book made it clear that this was Zarek and the Foundation's objective. Zarek's eyes reflected his desire the moment he saw the old cover.
Thus, Zarek quickly imposed his voice with seriousness but with a wicked smile at the musician who continued to play the piano.
"Hand over the cover, and I won't kill you."
Without fear or dread of Zarek, just with his serenity while making the piano sound brighten the abandoned city, S. James responded.
"Kill me... I think that one wouldn't let you; he loves me too much," he said, pointing to the open library door and someone who had just opened it.
Who was it?
It was Sam, with a serious face, focused eyes, and a secure posture. Before Zarek or Tramen could try anything, he exclaimed.
"Vide: Ambiente!"
This "Ambiente" technique allowed the user to manipulate and control the environment around them in various ways. This technique granted the bearer the ability to alter environmental conditions to create strategic advantages in combat, defense, and other situations. The derivative abilities of "Ambiente" included climate manipulation, terrain alteration, and the creation of environmental illusions.
And then, Sam finished speaking.
"Pleno Nada!"
"Pleno Nada" is a derivative ability within the "Ambiente" technique. This ability gave the user the power to create areas where all forms of energy, including magic, life force, and even light and sound, are completely nullified. These "Pleno Nada" zones are like energy vacuums, where any activity or ability is suppressed, creating an environment of complete neutrality.
Suddenly, with the application of Pleno Nada, the entire environment they were in transformed into a dark and infinite setting, with nothing around. Sam, with his ability, took Zarek and Tramen to Pleno Nada while S. James remained in the normal reality.
"How are you, Sam?" Zarek recognized Sam, showing the bond of friendship and familiarity between the two holders.
"I don't know whether to hit you or hug you," Sam said, appearing in the infinite room with a discreet smile and a friendly expression towards Zarek.
"I didn't know your technique had advanced this much. It seems your relationship with your demon is going very well, isn't it?"
With a more serious expression, Sam replied.
"Vide (the demon with whom Sam has a pact) and I are fine. My technique is advancing, but it's still far from your amplitude."
Amplitude was a term exclusively used by holders, referring to the peak of their techniques. Essentially, Amplitude was the name given to the moment when a holder finally reached the maximum power their technique could provide. Such a feat remained unattainable, as no holder in the entire world had managed to reach their full Amplitude.
This term, used to refer to the peak of holders' techniques, should not be confused with the Natural Amplitude of Tahiko, which set him apart from the rest. Tahiko naturally already possessed amplitude (hence Natural Amplitude), meaning the maximum of his technique. However, he needed to evolve physically and mentally as a holder to enjoy the full extent of his technique.
This was different from other holders, who faced much greater difficulty in achieving amplitude. It's no wonder that no holder in the world possessed such expressiveness of their technique, according to public information provided by the Alliance and the Tower.
Sam stood firmly, his face reflecting unwavering seriousness while his eyes never stopped observing Zarek's every move.
"I can't let you do what you want, much less accomplish anything under the Foundation's orders. I'm sure I'll need to use Relocation with you," he declared, his determination visible in his confident posture and voice filled with conviction.
Relocation was an advanced ability of "Pleno Nada," giving the user the power to decide the geographical relocation of opponents within the zone. As "Pleno Nada" instigated the absolute negation of energies, powers, and even the geography of bodies, the opponent, when in the Void, could be relocated anywhere in the world. This meant that the user could, for example, send the opponent instantly to China or any other desired location.
Zarek chuckled lightly, a cynical smile forming on his lips. He tilted his head to the side with a mix of challenge and amusement.
"Do you think I'm an idiot, Sam? I already know these things, and blah blah, you just want to be the man of justice, don't you?" he said, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"If you can leave the city, do something else, or simply stop doing things for the Foundation, I'll owe you one... but if you do none of the things I mentioned, I'll start finding your presence strange," his serene features contrasting with Zarek's provocation.
Zarek let out a quick and loud laugh, and his expression softened for a moment.
"Ha! Ha! Okay, Sam. It'll be nice to meet you again some other time," he said with that insolent smile on his lips.
The atmosphere was loaded with tension, but Zarek merely gestured with his right hand, making the classic thumbs-up sign, as the infinite room began to slowly dissolve around him and his relocation was applied.
"Relocation!"
When Sam reappeared, Zarek and Tramen had already been relocated and thus vanished, disappearing from the library. The pianist, S. James, was still sitting in the chair in front of the piano, sipping tea with a look of surprise on his face.
"Already? Where did you send them?" he asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
Sam gave a discreet smile, still with the same calm he had shown throughout the situation.
"I sent them far away. I think they'll enjoy sightseeing in Egypt."
In the sky, the sound of the Tower Special Forces helicopters arrived incredibly late, with the chaos in Dynami already over and hundreds of thousands of dead scattered throughout the city.
The military jets lent by the Alliance also crossed the cloudy and dark sky of Dynami, their shadows cast on the dense clouds.
On the ground, agent Nahome stood beside Saik, both barely able to stand after the intense battles with Zarek. They watched the swift and technological aircraft fly over the devastated, dead, and abandoned metropolis.
"Why did they only arrive now?" Saik questioned, his eyes fixed on the trails left by the jets in the clouds, his voice laden with frustration and disbelief.
Nahome remained silent, guilt gnawing at him despite the facade of security he tried to maintain. He bitterly remembered what he had told Commander Ava when he rejected reinforcements for a possible confrontation with Zarek.
"Commander, it won't be necessary. I won't take long, and even if I need help, I'll find a way to survive."
Nahome, Chapter 11.
At the State Library, Sam and S. James exited the building to see the arrival of the so-called "falcons of justice."
"Look at that, the falcons of justice arrived a bit late," S. James mocked, giving Sam a light punch on the arm and starting to descend the entrance stairs.
"They never learn," Sam stated with a look of disapproval, referring to the Tower and the Alliance.
The jets and fighters flew over the city, stupidly looking for survivors and allies, but their delay was glaring.
Sam descended the stairs, accompanying S. James to leave the city for good. However, as they passed by one of the few houses still with an intact roof, Sam spotted a television on through the window. He stopped, intrigued, and approached.
"What is it?" James asked, finding Sam's behavior strange.
Both approached the window to see what was being broadcast. The news was on, showing images of the chaos and a journalist angry and pointing out the federal failures regarding recent events in Dynami.
The journalist, Sara Wanderick, raged with her voice full of anger and indignation on the country's largest broadcaster's news program.
"It is inconceivable, absolutely outrageous, the irresponsibility and insensitivity shown by the Federal Government, the Tower, and the Alliance regarding the chaos in Dynami. The absurd delay in the arrival of special reinforcements is an affront to the memory of all those who lost their lives. How can they justify this lack of action?"
She took a deep breath, trying to contain her emotion, but her fury was palpable in every word.
"There was no sincere alert from the Tower or the Alliance about the true threat we faced. Six Gyakus were seen destroying everything in their path, killing, devouring, pulverizing, and crushing people indiscriminately. Children, babies, pregnant mothers, good men... all were victims of this atrocity. More than 2 million people lost their lives! This is more than a number; these are stories, families, shattered dreams."
The journalist pounded the table with her clenched fist, her face red with anger.
"And where were our so-called 'falcons of justice'? They arrived late when it was already too late. The Special Forces of the Tower and the Alliance appeared only to fly over a devastated, dead city. The Armed Forces were wiped out, unable to stop the catastrophe.
"Who are we going to believe now? Who are we going to listen to? What are we going to cling to if those who should protect us, those who call themselves our falcons of justice, arrive too late and show no concern for the death of more than 2 million people?
The studio was in absolute silence, the gravity of her words echoing in the air.
"We are alone, left to our own fate. It is a dark moment for all of us, and we need to demand responsibility, action, and compassion from those in power. We can no longer accept empty promises and lame excuses. We need real guardians, real heroes, not frauds who only show up to pick up the pieces."
She ended the broadcast with a firm and determined look, knowing her message would resonate in every home, in every heart still seeking justice and safety in a world seemingly falling apart.