Caris

We entered the castle, trying not to make any noise. The surrounding smells exactly like the battlefield, full of death and decay.

Water dripped somewhere in the distance and the ground felt wet on my bare feet.

Eww.

Can't you detect the other person here?

Sure, but if I do they will know where we are too.

Wouldn't they already know? I'm sure they were looking at us from the window.

True. Ok, give me a second.

While Kefi did what she needed to do, I continued walking as lightly as possible, just like Aurora taught me.

"You have to learn to hide your footsteps. If you can conceal your magic and your footsteps, it will be the best stealth move you can learn. So from now on, every time I hear your footstep, I will randomly throw something at you."

After weeks of that brutal training, I can silence my footsteps at will. I feel grateful to Aurora for being so strict with me but then, I still got hurt several times with a vase crashing on my head.

Then again, I have become better at dodging as well, so it wasn't for nothing.

I let out a sigh, as these memories came out of nowhere.

What's wrong?

Nothing. Remind me to do something nice for Aurora once we get back.

Oh~? Why?

Aren't you supposed to be doing something else?

Oh, right. Now, close your eyes and relax.

Doing as Kefi instructed, I closed my eyes, giving her full control of my body. In a flash, my eyes opened and I realized that I am using Kefi's eyes when I saw things I haven't seen before.

The mild feelings that surrounded me heightened to a painful degree. Everything became so loud and my body almost crumbled to the floor.

The walls have always been covered with misery and pain but this time they seemed to cry out. Everywhere I looked, I could hear the voices screaming for mercy and begging for help.

No one ever came in the end and they died waiting, hoping.

"Huh? What's this?" I felt something run down my eyes. Raising my hand to my cheek, I could see that it was ... water?

"Are you ok, Meraki?"

"Water's coming from my eyes," I said, trying to wipe them away but they just keep spilling out.

"My. My. What a kindhearted child." A voice came from the shadows, filled with mocking pity.

"Who are you?" I asked, my vision getting blurred by the water.

"Now, now. There is no need to cry, it's ok." A man with a lab coat appeared in front of me and wiped my tears away.

What is going on? When did he get here? Meraki, get away from him.

I couldn't move, staring into his crimson eyes. My body stiffened but refused to budge. There was no soul behind those eyes.

His hand remained on my face, as though he is inspecting me. The voices and the feeling of despair grew further but … I couldn't understand the feeling.

I know it is despair but I can't seem to feel it myself. Even looking at the man now, I felt nothing.

Even if I'm crying, I still feel nothing.

"Amazing." The man grabbed my cheeks harder, causing me to flinch.

"What is?" I asked, trying to make his face out but I couldn't look away from his eyes.

Meraki. Move.

I can't.

"You. Are you even human?" He asked, sounding surprised.

"Huh? What do I look like then? A giraffe?" Kefi came out, trying to move but she also became stuck looking into his eyes.

"Who are you?" He immediately sounded disinterested with Kefi. "Bring the other girl back. You're nothing interesting."

"Excuse me?! I am plenty interesting. Come here and I'll show you."

"Boring." The man started to turn away from us in disappointment.

Good, Kefi. Just a little more.

The moment he looked away, I could move my body again and I grabbed a loose stone off the wall, throwing it at him.

"There you are." He turned back, instantly making contact with the brick.

My body started to move to run away.

"What are you doing?" I asked, stopping.

"Running away? What does it look like?"

"Why?" The noise and my tears are gone but not the feeling of despair that still clung to me like a leech.

"Why not?"

"Yes, why would you run away from me? I am harmless." The man stood up, his neck at a very odd angle. With a few hand movements, his head went back to normal.

"Who are you?" I asked, getting ready to fight.

"Now. Now. There is no need to be cautious around me." He spread his arms wide, "See? I'm harmless."

"Right. So were you the one that turned those people into that?" I asked.

Kefi snapped her fingers and an orb of light formed in my hands, we could finally see the man's face full of disgust.

He had tangerine coloured hair and wore glasses, the only things that stood out about him are the odd haircut and red eyes. His hair looked like it went through a shredder.

"Don't insult me like that. Those that created that … creature, are beneath me." He said with an air of pomp.

"Then who might you be?" I asked again, this man just loves dodging my question.

"I am merely a wandering scientist that happened to stumble across this place and witness everything that happened. Say, are you a Sagepice?" He asked, looking me up and down.

"How did you know?!" Kefi came out, narrowing our eyes at him.

"I saw you as a snake so … it's obvious. Only the Sagepice family is able to make bonds with the snake spirits." He didn't even look at us the moment Kefi spoke. "Can I just talk to the other one?"

"You know what? No. I'm not going to let you talk to Meraki. Why are you so interested in her anyway?" Kefi huffed.

Kefi, you're too petty.

I don't care if she takes over but if he isn't related to this then we are just wasting time, here.

"Ok, excuse me. But I have something else to do." I said and began walking away.

Kefi, do what you did before again. I need to find them.

Eh? Shouldn't you be more concerned with what's in front of you? That man was able to immobilize the both of us, he must be powerful.

Maybe. Now, do that again.

Meraki ... Fine, I'll lend you my eyes again.

"Wait!" The man grabbed onto my shoulder and it took everything in me to hold Kefi back from making a hole in his stomach.

"What?" I asked, barely casting him a glance.

"I want to talk more with you." He said a creepy look on his face.

"Eww. Creepy old man. You know that she's a minor still right? Eww." Kefi shouted, looking at him with disgust.

"I don't. Excuse me, again." I brushed his hand off my shoulder and walked away.

"You won't find them in this castle." The man called out, a smug look on his face when I turned around.

"I can feel them though."

He shook his head and clicked his tongue, "Its common magic. They are here but they aren't at the same time."

"What are you talking about?"

"No way, they have that kind of magic? How?" Kefi came out, seems she understood what he's saying.

"They have experimented on the magical properties from the plants, they'll have tricks up their sleeves for sure. Of course, it doesn't affect someone like me." He looks so proud of himself as he said this.

"What's this about?" I asked.

"Well, there is this thing. I don't even know if I should call it magic or not, but it's a powerful spell. It separates a person from their body, so no one can detect them. They could be here right now and we wouldn't know."

"Isn't that just them dying and turning to ghosts?"

The man laughed at my reply, someone seems to be enjoying himself.

"Not really, Miss Sagepice. This spell takes a lot of magic to perform and, once separated from their body, they become more powerful than before. Because the limitations of the human body aren't there anymore. So, if you can sense them and know where they are …"

"It's a trap." Kefi finished his sentence, worry in her voice.

"Can you take care of this, Kefi?"

" … No. If it was in the spirit world then they are no match for me. But since it is the physical world and they aren't technically spirits either, so there's not much I can do."

"So, we have to rely on him?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Everyone has limitations. You." I said, pointing to him.

"Caris, Miss Sagepice, Caris Lupin. At your service." He bowed as he introduced himself.

"Caris. Looks like you'll be needed after all."

"I will do whatever you ask of me, under one condition."

"I knew it, this man has an ulterior motive. Out with it, how much money? Or is it mana?"

"None of those. I only wish to be allowed to accompany you for an extended period of time. Please do not look at me like that. I promise my intentions are good, mostly." He said, smiling brightly.

"Should we trust him?" Kefi asked, still looking at him in disgust.

"Should we reject someone smiling so innocently?"

"Meraki. Are you?"

"The opportunity just presented itself. Ok, I agree with your condition."

"Really?! Yes! Thank you, Miss Sagepice!" He jumped around like a kid who got permission from his parents to do whatever he wants.

"Meraki."

"Pardon?"

"Just call me Meraki."

"O-ok. I'll do that right away! Meraki!"

"You trust him? This easily? Are you really the Meraki I know?"

"The more the merrier right? Plus. I'm curious about him too. He has this aura of a dead person but he's alive. Even when he smiles, it never reaches his eyes."

"But ... whatever. One problem at a time."