"So he's here," a voice echoed with a strange mix of excitement and malice. The words rippled through a dark chamber filled with swirling shadows and arcane symbols that pulsed with faint light.
Beyond Knowone stood at the center, his form barely illuminated by the glow of a large, floating crystal that reflected scenes of Yoru receiving his robes. His sharp gaze fixated on the boy, and a twisted, satisfied grin crept across his face.
"I have been waiting for a long time for this moment," he muttered softly, his voice dripping with wicked intent. His words lingered in the air like a chilling whisper, carrying a weight of hidden meaning.
With a slow, deliberate motion, Beyond Knowone raised his hand, fingers curling as if grasping something unseen. The crystal flickered, distorting Yoru's image for a brief moment before it steadied again. "The Power of Division… A perfect balance, and yet so unstable. You truly are a fascinating anomaly, Yoru Sato."
He laughed under his breath, the sound cold and unnerving. "Soon… soon you'll understand what your power truly means—and when you do, I'll be there, waiting for you."
The shadows in the room seemed to come alive, twisting and writhing as if they were responding to his emotions. Beyond Knowone turned away from the crystal and walked deeper into the darkness, his voice fading into the void.
"Let the game begin."
Yoru and Petra walked through the winding path in silence, their footsteps echoing softly against the stone ground. Yoru's gaze remained fixed ahead, his thoughts swirling like an endless storm. Breaking the quiet, he finally spoke, his voice uncertain but steady.
"By the way," Yoru began, "I still don't get some of the answers yet."
Petra glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her lips curling into a small smirk. "You ask too many questions, don't you?" she teased, though her tone carried a faint edge of exhaustion.
Yoru shook his head, his brow furrowed in frustration. "No, I mean… I still don't understand why you all separated me from my mother." He hesitated, his voice softening. "Why did you take me away from her?"
Petra's expression darkened. She looked away as though gathering her thoughts, then spoke carefully. "It's because we needed to investigate your abilities. If you'd stayed in the village for much longer…" she paused, her gaze hardening, "it would've been a huge problem. For you. For your mother. For everyone."
Yoru stopped in his tracks, confusion flashing across his face. "What kind of trouble are you talking about?"
Petra sighed, a shadow crossing her features. Her tone grew serious, almost grim. "If you stayed in that village… there was a chance that the Dark Reflecters would come for you. Either they'd attack you outright—or worse—they'd take you."
Yoru's heart skipped a beat. "Take me?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
Petra turned to face him, her expression solemn. "You don't understand how valuable you are, Yoru. Beyond Knowone… he's been searching for something—or someone—like you for a long time. When you awakened your abilities, even unknowingly, it sent a signal. A ripple of power that couldn't be ignored." She clenched her fists at her sides. "If you'd stayed, they would've found you. Your village wouldn't have stood a chance."
Yoru's fists tightened, his knuckles white. "But why separate me from my mother?" he asked, his voice trembling. "She could've helped me… We could've escaped together."
Petra's gaze softened, a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. "Your mother is strong, but this—this is something far beyond her ability to protect you from. The Stellar Priest decided to bring you here because it was the only way to keep you safe. It wasn't an easy decision, Yoru, but it had to be done."
Yoru looked down at the ground, the weight of her words sinking in. His voice wavered as he spoke. "So… all of this… everything that's happening… It's because of me? Because of these powers I never asked for?"
Petra stepped closer, her expression unwavering yet gentle. "No one asks for the fate they're given, Yoru. But you have a choice in how you face it. This path… it's not an easy one. And it's not fair. But you aren't alone. We're here to help you."
Yoru looked up at her, the uncertainty still lingering in his eyes. His voice was low, almost pained. "And what if I don't want to be a Reflecter? What if I just want to go back to my old life?"
For a moment, Petra's stoic mask faltered, replaced by something that looked almost like regret. She gave a faint, melancholic smile. "Sometimes, the life we want and the life we're meant for aren't the same. But the choice… the choice is still yours."
She turned back toward the path and continued walking, leaving Yoru standing still, his thoughts a heavy weight pressing against his chest. He clenched his fists at his sides, staring at the long road ahead.
What am I supposed to do now?
Petra turned slightly, her voice breaking the silence once more. "And if I say so… you can't give up as a Reflecter now."
Yoru's eyes narrowed as he turned toward her, confusion evident on his face. "What do you mean by that?"
Petra met his questioning gaze with a quiet determination. "It's because, as a Reflecter, you now bear the responsibility of protecting those in the town. You have to get stronger for their sake, Yoru."
Yoru frowned, her words pressing against the growing weight in his chest. Before he could respond, Petra added, her tone softening, "And maybe you don't know this… but your mother used to visit you every day while you were unconscious."
Yoru froze, his eyes widening in shock. "Wait, what? My mother came to see me?"
Petra nodded, a faint smile touching her lips. "She never gave up on you—not even once."
Yoru's voice trembled as the pieces failed to fit together. "But… why was I unconscious for thirteen years? What happened to me?"
Petra let out a long sigh, scratching her head as though unsure how to explain. "Ah, that…" She paused, avoiding his gaze for a moment. "Well, we were trying to seal your powers. At first, we thought one seal would be enough to contain you… to keep your abilities under control so we could investigate."
Yoru raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "And?"
Petra sighed even deeper this time. "And it wasn't enough. So we added more. And when that wasn't enough, we added even more. Eventually…"
Yoru's eyes widened as he leaned forward. "Eventually what?"
"We chained you up and filled the entire room with seals," Petra admitted, her voice nonchalant, as though it were no big deal.
"What?" Yoru exclaimed, his voice echoing down the corridor. "You—You chained me up? Sealed me like some kind of monster?"
Petra winced at his outburst and raised her hands defensively. "Hey, hey, calm down! It wasn't like we had a choice. Your powers were going berserk. Without all those seals, you could've destroyed the entire place!"
Yoru ran a hand through his hair, trying to process the insanity of what he was hearing. "This is ridiculous…! And you're telling me all of that still didn't work?"
"Not completely," Petra admitted, shrugging. "Seals don't completely erase abilities—they just suppress them. At most, they can reduce your power to about eighty percent of its full potential. But yours…" She gave him a meaningful look. "Yours kept growing. The more we suppressed it, the more berserk it became. It was like trying to put out a wildfire with a single bucket of water."
Yoru stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. "And you're telling me this now? Thirteen years later?"
Petra grinned sheepishly. "Better late than never, right?"
Yoru groaned, burying his face in his hands. "This can't be happening…"
Petra patted him on the back, clearly amused despite his frustration. "Come on, Yoru. Look at the bright side—you're awake now, aren't you? And you've got a whole new journey ahead of you."
"Some 'bright side,'" Yoru muttered, shaking his head. But deep down, the pieces were starting to come together. The seals. The chains. The mysterious power surging within him.
What kind of Reflecter am I? he wondered silently, his resolve hardening as they continued walking forward. And what's waiting for me at the end of this road?
Petra gave Yoru a mischievous smile as they continued walking. "Well, after sealing didn't work completely, we cast another spell on you."
Yoru frowned, suspicion etched into his face. "Another spell? What did this one do?"
Petra tilted her head, her voice casual as if discussing the weather. "The more your power flowed… the more the spell consumed it."
Yoru paused mid-step, his eyes narrowing. "And what exactly does that mean?"
Petra chuckled softly, the corners of her mouth lifting into an amused smile. "Oh, it's nothing bad! Thanks to that spell, we didn't have to worry about things like food or resources."
Yoru blinked in disbelief. "Wait… what?"
Petra waved her hand nonchalantly. "You heard me. The spell drained some of your overflowing power, and we used that energy to create food and other essential resources for the island. You were kind of like… our endless power source."
Yoru stopped walking altogether, staring at her with wide eyes. "You're telling me… you turned me into a human generator? And you used my powers to grow food?"
Petra burst into laughter, clearly enjoying his reaction. "Well, when you put it like that, it does sound a little extreme. But hey—it worked perfectly! Thanks to you, the Reflecters didn't have to worry about anything."
Yoru ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "Unbelievable. So not only did you chain me up, seal me, and keep me unconscious for thirteen years, but you also used me as a power plant? And now I'm supposed to just accept all of this?"
Petra grinned cheekily. "Well, you're awake now, aren't you? And you don't look like you're starving, so I'd say it all worked out!"
Yoru groaned, shaking his head. "This has to be some kind of nightmare."
Petra gave him a light pat on the shoulder. "Cheer up, Yoru. You're special—that's just how it is. And besides, you've got plenty of time to make up for those thirteen years."
Yoru glared at her, though there wasn't much heat behind it. "Yeah, I'll make up for it all right—starting with whoever decided this was a good idea."
Petra just laughed again as they resumed walking, her voice echoing through the empty hallway. "Come on, it wasn't that bad… was it?"
Yoru didn't answer, though the exasperated sigh he let out said everything. How did my life come to this? he thought, his mind still spinning from everything Petra had just revealed.
Petra tilted her head slightly, her tone turning casual yet informative. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you—there are three kinds of ability users."
Yoru glanced at her, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "Three kinds?"
Petra nodded as she counted on her fingers. "First, Passive users. Their abilities work automatically under specific terms and conditions—kind of like a background process."
Yoru listened intently as she continued, "Second, Active users. They can control their abilities at will. Whenever they want to activate them, they do."
She then paused for a moment, her lips curling into a grin. "And finally, Sub Active users. Their abilities don't need activation—they flow through the user constantly, whether they like it or not."
Yoru raised an eyebrow and asked, "So… I have the Sub Active ability?"
Petra turned toward him and nodded eagerly. "Bingo!" Her face lit up with excitement, and with a joyful cheer, she spun around and began skipping forward, her movements light and full of energy. "You're pretty special, you know? Not everyone gets a Sub Active ability!"
Yoru slowed his pace slightly, watching her with a faint smile. He couldn't help but chuckle softly at her boundless enthusiasm. For the first time in a while, his heart felt just a little bit lighter.