Triiffic-Soul: Can I Be In Control?

The city, the country of science and development, looked like it had faced a bomb head-on, and in a way, that was very accurate. 

Despite the worry, concern, and chaos in the air, Anlesa never left. Such actions would be more suspicious and would go against the identity of Syrus that had been built up. But they knew it wouldn’t be long before the time to leave arrived. 

Eva tapped her thigh as she walked through the city for the first time in a while. They had been told there wouldn’t be any issue if they explored the city, but Anlesa planned to explore the city anyway. 

Silence and chatter seemed to mix and swirl around each other in the crowds of people. The way people walked had a hesitation in their step. The tone of people’s voices lacked the joy that brought life to the city before. 

[The city has completely changed… again…] (Eva)

[It will settle down eventually. Restless feelings should be expected after everything that has happened.] (Syrus)

[I know… but it still stings.] Eva felt the city’s pain. Watching everyday people being confused and hurt. 

[We just have to hope that it is sooner rather than later.] (Luna)

[Nothing wrong with being like this for a while longer. Better that they sort out all their leadership problems properly, than trying to half-arse it.] (Syrus)

[Reasonable…] Luna replied, but she still felt that sooner was better. 

Eva’s eyes still lingered on the people. The adults who had the world shatter around them. The children who shared various levels of understanding. From the simple chatter, some understood the concept perfectly, cruel betrayal, while others just wanted their parents to smile again. 

People from all roads of life felt the same pain and sadness of betrayal. Abea wasn’t necessarily liked by all; that was simply how politicians were, but most people had a neutral opinion of him. He played his cards carefully so that people knew he helped with improvements and stayed away from anything ugly. 

He wasn’t always in power, but whenever he was in, the people knew; they thought they knew everything would just be stable. To fuss, no chaos, just life being life. 

Anlesa’s eyes always lingered longer on the people they met. People that they wouldn’t bother mentioning to the people back at Arisea Station as a recount of their journey. But still, people whom they met. Merchants they bought from. People they sat at lunch tables with and enjoyed idly chatting, and people Syrus had fun gambling. Just regular people. 

As they walked, Luna knew what she needed to ask. [Did you want to see how your parents are doing?]

[I don’t know.] Eva sombrely replied. [I’m not even sure if I am even ready to see them again.]

[That is fine.] Syrus said bluntly.

[Is it?] (Luna)

[Yes. She knows they are healthy. What else is there to know?] (Syrus)

[...] Luna was mentally giving Syrus the deadeye. Honestly, this was pretty standard for Syrus. She had always leaned more on letting go of past life restraints, though priority had always been Eva’s mental health. If being reunited with her old family was going to be a boon for Eva, then Syrus would ensure it would go peacefully. 

However, at this point, Eva had mentally recovered and grown stronger. Now it appeared to be more of a burden to be closer to her old family. Looking at the new family through a window… 

Luna couldn’t help much either. The only good family she had was the one from this life. Dealing with political dramas was something she learned some skills for, but this was a bit too personal. 

In the end, despite Luna’s quiet hints. They didn’t end up having a glimpse of Eva’s old family. 

The stroll through the city eventually reached its end. They saw the damage they had caused to the city, but it wasn’t the only physical scar that had been left on the city. Other small conflicts had occurred during the investigation and raids that followed. Burn buildings from flames, followed by windows that had been covered up with a cloth. Anlesa was even privy to—thanks to her eavesdropping in the manor—that people had died when conflict with Abea’s former special operatives arose. 

Returning to the manor, they were greeted immediately.

Mary came down the stairs as she heard Syrus enter the manor. “Syrus, can I ask you for some assistance?”

“Sure? What do you need?” Syrus answered without worry. 

“I have some documents that I would like someone with your experience to look at…” Mary gestured, and Syrus followed her up the stairs into a small room that had been converted into an office for her. 

Syrus had already been cemented in Mary’s mind as someone with a lot of experience. Even if she didn’t know what the woman’s history was, Mary trusted Syrus’s words enough to request for help. 

Mary started by giving Syrus an example document. 

They read the document, while worded strangely. It spoke about a boar hunting season in which a large beast was caught but had been lost when the group was harassed by other beasts. However, it was deemed that the boar had died during the chaos.

“Strange…” One document wasn’t enough to clearly see Mary’s need. 

Mary continued to explain the situation. “I have been going through the reports created by Abea’s organisation. There are many different groupings of them, but the current pile I have been shifting through is about strange occurrences and magic.”

“And you need to understand what these strange occurrences were?” Syrus raised an eyebrow. 

Mary's eyes rested on a document that she picked up and read aloud. “The west-eastern fire manifestation was discovered with no signs of life. Orders received, no current plans for follow-up. A simple document, but when I requested a cross-reference, the only thing found was a record of fire starting in those parts and it being deemed not foul play. Perhaps on its own it wouldn’t be much…” Mary read another document. “An unusually large deer was found in the south-southern lands. Outside of the radius. Upon further follow-up. Deer no longer roamed the area. Stop searching.”

Anlesa had a feeling of where this was leading. “There has been the fear that Abea had been hunting Exotic attribute wielders when they get near the country. Even outside the reports on this topic, most of all the reports we found are never specific about what they are referencing. We have been reliant on some clues and information acquired through the prisoners to piece bits of it together.” 

“Were you able to confirm that these documents included information about people being hunted?” 

“No,” Mary said painfully. “The only annoying thing we were able to confirm, which we already figured out, was that the first cardinal direction mentioned is the direction from outside the city, and then the second is the direction from that point.”

Anlesa looked back at the documents. 

[Assassinations huh…] (Eva)

[Do you think they are all Exoitc attribute users?] (Luna)

[I wouldn’t think so. Perhaps there is another list of reports that is for more standard assassination missions, which is why they think this list includes people with Exotic attributes.] (Syrus)

Luna read a few more documents. [Some of these appear to be actual unknown scenarios. Earth collapsing near the mine and a thunderstorm lasting for two weeks in a centralised area, both to be in that category.] 

[Mixing some truth in the unknown…] (Eva) 

[There could be some fakes. If they had a code to differentiate them, then that would throw a purple cat into it.] (Syrus)

[Haven’t heard that one before… Anyway, that would be trouble. So what do we think is the ratio?] (Luna)

[Let’s say there is a mix of fake reports. Reports that are hidden assassinations and reports that discuss strange occurrences that they don’t want the public to know. The actual murderers would be the smallest group.] (Eva)

[I’d say that sounds right. We can always mark what ones we think might be fake.] (Syrus)

Anlesa turned back to Mary. “So you want help in trying to sort these into what are unusual occurrences that we don’t have an explanation for and what are actually someone being killed.” 

“You can leave if this is—” Mary was ready to let Syrus leave if the topic was too uncomfortable. 

“No, it’s fine.” Luna stopped her. “We’ll… do this together.” 

The report reading went for a few hours. Many made absolutely no sense to any of them in the group, but there were some reports that had mentions of how ‘creatures’ acted or how the ‘environment was shaped’ that Syrus used to infer people’s attributes. Those two characteristics appeared to be common ways to encrypt the actual events. 

Mary noted every observation down. This wouldn’t be the only time people would be looking over these documents, but she wanted to be one of those people who tried to discover what was hidden. In an effort to make up for all the people she couldn’t help, despite being a supposed princess. 

[Summer. An unknown disturbance in the west-northern farmland where segments of the land had all items within the premises disappear. Declaration robbery. Under investigation… What a strange report.] (Eva)

[You think it is fake?] (Syrus)

[Actually, no. If they wanted to be fake, then it still feels weird for robbery to be under investigation.] (Eva)

[So likely not a robbery?] (Syrus)

[Probably. Maybe an uprising that was squashed?] Luna looked at the report and wished there was something that clearly defined when these reports were created.

They went through a number of more reports before they spotted a second report that seemed concerning. 

[Unknown kitchenware spotted in the fields. Failed burglary... Under investigation….] For Luna, each word felt painful. This report immediately brought her back to the previous report that occurred in the summer. Her sudden action caused Mary to flinch in confusion. 

Luna quickly panicked and tried to answer. “These two reports. Feel familiar." 

“The robbery and items of robbery?” 

Eva interrupted, knowing where Luna was headed, but at the same time was shocked. “No… The fact that both are labelled as under investigation. We know that it is used as a way to label, well, reports that are still under investigation. There are a higher number of reports that have been listed that appear newer, so I think it is safe to assume that this is a valid method of documentation. So if it was just items stolen and items found, why would they still be under investigation? Just because a criminal wasn’t caught? There are other avenues for that.”

They were able to determine what records were recently made by the quality of the paper. 

“I see… but the incidents could still be connected…” Mary focused on the document.

“Yes, perhaps some sort of attribute had caused nearby items to… relocate… one of the ones that allow for teleportation. I don’t know the specifics of which ones they would be. That is an expert's field of study.” 

“Yes… The art of teleportation is often a well-guarded secret. Each country usually has their own research on the subject, or at least from what I recently read. The actual art is still considered underdeveloped.” Mary was leaning towards the conclusion that there was someone with a powerful teleportation ability running around the city during the time of the report.

However, Luna focused on Summer. There was no year. But if it was summer... 

[...Mum.. Dad…] The sudden reminder of the day shook Luna’s heart.

Syrus breathed in and out to calm Luna. “Check to see if there are any normal reports that happened during the last three summers. These seemed to be on the newer end based on quality but could be at least a year old. Hard to tell without knowing the storage methods.”

“Sure, I can look into that.” Mary nodded, and Luna forced herself away from the investigation. She didn’t want to cause any more trouble. But now, the thought wouldn’t leave her head. 

The hope. The dream. The fear.

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