[21] COMPASS

Both of them hid in an alley of the Etro Avenue, the clothes they stole a week ago could only mask so much of their large bodies.

"What will we tell the boss?" Bebin asked with a frown. "He'll kill us if he discovered we're alive and couldn't complete the task."

Eber smacked his brother on the back of the neck. "That's why we're not going to the hideout. We'll capture our target then kill the girl. That's when we'll return to the hideout."

Bebin nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, brotha."

"We have to be very careful when we enter the Buster stronghold," Eber said softly, moving through the alley. "I don't want them to know we're alive."

"We sure don't, brotha," Bebin said, following behind. "But we broke free from the carts they were carrying us in, I think they already know."

Eber looked back, flushing. "Right… Let's just be reckless then."

"But don't worry, brotha," Bebin said. "We'll find the girl who kicked our asses and we'll kill her."

Eber smacked his brother again. "She didn't kick my ass, okay? I lured her out so I could mark her!"

"But marking is my job, brotha," Bebin said, frowning. "I make a person one pole of the magnet by marking them, while you make rocks touched by them the other pole. I marked that girl before she smashed me into the ground—"

Eber turned around, stopping his creep through the alley. "Who marked her?"

"You did, you did, brotha," Bebin said, tucking in his head. "I did nothing."

Eber patted his brother's head. "Right."

"L-Let's just get going," Bebin said. "After we capture our target, we need to go after her too."

Eber nodded, advancing toward the spiked boundary of the Buster stronghold in which they visited last week.

Bebin rushed in front of him, slamming his palms together as he looked side-to-side. This morning was pretty boring in the Etro Avenue, apparently. He slammed down his palms on the ground before the boundary, softening the road underneath.

"Is it ready for a dive?" Eber asked?

Bebin nodded as he found his alchoskill had softened the ground on the other side of the boundary as well. "Just be sure to—"

Eber cracked his neck before diving into the soft ground. "Granasurge!" He activated his Granasurge, hardening his body. He did it only partially, allowing him to swim through the softened ground.

If he and his brother had not mastered their alchosurge, the girl they fought last week would've killed them with her attacks. But because they could use their Granasurge efficiently, they managed to take her attacks with 'ease'. Granasurge was known as the 'Surge of Durability', after all.

Eber emerged inside of the stronghold's bounds from under the ground, pulling his brother afterward. "If anyone tries to come near you, kill them."

"Right, brotha," Bebin said, following behind toward the entrance of the stronghold. "I'll use Granasurge at the start this time, not save it for later."

"That's a great idea, Beb," Eber said, activating his alchosurge. "Let's find our guy."

They both stepped toward the entrance, hiding behind the columns to not alert the guards at the front boundary gate.

Eber opened the door slowly, letting a foot in before it even opening fully. "Are you ready, Beb?"

Bebin nodded with a smile. "Of course."

Eber whipped open the door, jumping in with his fists pulled back. "Surprise—!"

Bebin landed beside him as they both stood confused in the middle of the main hall. "It feels very quiet, brotha."

"What the hell!" Eber slammed a fist into the ground, cracking the hall's floor. "They ran away!"

"Calm down, brotha," Bebin said, putting a hand on Eber's back. "At least we can get the magnet."

Eber exhaled from his mouth. "Right."

They exited the building, circling to its side, trying to find the impacted ground where Bebin was smashed into by the girl.

"There it is, brotha," Bebin said, pointing ahead.

Eber nodded as he stepped closer to the cracks. "Right." With that, he got onto his knee, picking through the rocks near the ground.

Bebin looked impatiently as Eber sharpened a rock.

"This will work," Eber said, putting the rock with a pointy side onto his palm. "Tell me what it says." Eber activated his alchoskill.

The rock spun around, stopping abruptly soon after, it's pointed side facing a different direction.

"Hmm," Bebin said, looking at the sun after he saw the rock stop. "If the sun is there, then it is pointing toward…

"The south."

Eber pocketed the rock. "Will they be stupid enough to hide in villages down south?"

Bebin shrugged. "Maybe."

"Or will they be hiding in the forest of the giant trees?"

***

Making his way to the main hall for the breakfast, Sliff thought deeper about the eye within him. It was for sure his alchoeye, for upon closing, it Stored his entire Luma. But what confused him more was the shard on which his alchoeye shot a beam of Luma, activating his alchoskill.

Could the shard have any link with his alchoskill?

Sliff reached the hall before he could think of an explanation. He made his way to his usual spot—the table in the near corner, which allowed him to eat without standing out then rush to his room when he was done.

The tables near the center were unoccupied this day, as others stood closer to the table on which Lokius sat. He was popular among the Ravens. But it was indeed weird to let the food get colder and instead generate heat and noise near a person. What could be more important than warm food? He pondered as he sat down.

Sliff dug a spoon into the bowl on his table. He liked to taste the filling before eating it with bread. This light breakfast could be eaten both ways, after all—with or without bread.

As he chewed his bread alone in his table, he saw that everyone started dispersing and settling in their usual spots. He was still learning their faces but he knew most of them by names by now. He immaturely swallowed the food in his mouth when he saw a purple-haired girl approaching his table.

Sliff pounded on his chest. "This is bad. Go away, please."

The girl gripped the chair opposite to him then pulled it back, only to drag it away to the table beside him.

Sliff sighed in relief. "Good."

The girl laughed. "You didn't think I would sit with you, right?"

Sliff shook his head, avoiding her eyes. He had seen this girl a few times before but couldn't remember her name.

She sat with the two other girls on the table to his left. They pointed toward Sliff, chuckling through their whispers.

"What is wrong with them?"

Sliff continued to eat—

The girl sitting opposite to the purple-haired one gestured toward him, inviting Sliff to sit next to her.

"I'm not that dumb," Sliff thought as he flushed, eating faster due to the discomfort he started feeling.

"Don't ignore me," the same girl said. "I know you want to sit with us."

Sliff stood up, taking his plate with him.

"See," the same girl said to her other two friends. "I told you he'd come—" She paused as Sliff passed by their table, leaning to put his plate in the container on the ground.

Sliff turned, not looking toward the girls. "I know what your weakness is because I've known people like you." The image of Verika and Nesina popped up in his head. "You hate when people ignore you, don't you?"

He passed by their table again, minding his own thoughts—

The girl beside the purple-haired one yanked Sliff down by his collar. "Who do you think you are, huh?"

Sliff exhaled softly. "This is bad… I shouldn't have ignored her."

The girl opposite to the table stood. "Why did you ignore us? We know that you don't like to eat alone. We were just trying to help."

"Help," Sliff thought, his expression hardening. "Why would I need help? I'm not in any danger?"

Sliff swatted off the hand grabbing his collar, turning toward the corridor to his room, marching straight on. "Do people really just see me as a helpless little child? Now that I think about it…I can't disprove them.

"But I can… I just have to sleep!"

Sliff started rushing forward, turning left to get to his room—

He bumped into a stranger but the collision was just between their shoulders. "I'm sorry, I was in a hurry."

The man looked in even more of a hurry, as he didn't even mind the whole accident. He just raised a hand, gave a nod, and ran toward the main hall.

Sliff sighed. "He's definitely a messenger. A messenger in a hurry is never a good thing—" He turned away, dashing toward his room with head facing down. "Vyzen… I really want to meet you… I never thought that I will have to become strong to just see you. But I guess that's how things are…"

***

"Master," Lokius said, leaning back from his chair. "The first weekly report of the outside has arrived."

Ragnaul stood from his table, shaking his head. "No need to yell, Lokius. I'm right here."

Lokius leaned toward his table, gritting his teeth and opening his lips. "My bad…"

"Were you followed?" Ragnaul asked the messenger.

The messenger named Jefas shook his head, stepping closer to Ragnaul. "Master Ragnaul…the twins escaped."

"Huh?" Ragnaul said. "They did what—?"

"THE TWINS ESCAPED?" Lokius shouted. "Like the 'twins' twins? The underworld twins?"

Ragnaul slammed on his table. "No need to shout, Lokius." He turned the other way, looking at the table past another. "You held back against them?"

Kylix shrugged. "Oops…"

Ragnaul shook his head, sighing. "I guess they're not a problem… Maybe I'm just paranoid. But after what he said…" He remembered the declaration of war by Python. "Can I really blame myself?"

"They were in the Buster stronghold, Master," Jefas said. "The guards saw them but could not confront them."

"They weren't supposed to risk their lives for nothing, right?" Ragnaul said. "But why return? Why…"

"Sir Drivic and sir Haydon are back," Jefas said. "Sir Alaric is back too."

"Is that so?" Ragnaul said. "Tell them that I want their help to take care of the twins. Tell them to find the twins and…"

Jefas nodded. "Will do, Master."

Ragnaul gestured the messenger to lean closer, whispering to him, "Ask Drivic if he can arrange more Blood of Banishing for me, alright?"

"Will do, Master," Jefas whispered back.

Ragnaul nodded. "Any other reports?"

"Yes, Master," Jafes said. "So…"

***

The door opened with a slide, smoke entering the medical ward.

"You're back, thankfully," Python said. "I was getting bored, you know."

"Gecko just told me that the Kosmos leaders have returned," Mamba said from the doorway. "I've put a spy on them."

"Spy?" Python said in confusion. "Why would you do that?"

"Why do you think they're back?"

Python's eyes lit up. "Because of yours truly."

Mamba nodded. "Do you think they won't get involved with all this? Do you think they won't try to make contact with Sliff Venrio or get close to wherever he's being kept?"

Python opened his mouth, nodding. "Ahh… I get it. They're just your compass to your real target."

"Uh-huh," Mamba said, puffing in smoke, his cigar glowing bright on its tip. "I think I'll personally visit him this time."

"Personally?" Python said, frowning. "Oh how the mighty has fallen. Just hire someone, partner, it won't be safe to just show your face out there."

Mamba snorted with a smirk. "Look what happened the last time I did that."

Python flushed. "I was just looking out for you, man."

"I can't trust anyone," Mamba said, turning away. "I have to do this on my own."

"Why tell me all this then?" Python asked, falling backward.

Mamba glanced over his shoulder with a smile before the door slid close. "I can't trust anyone…except you."

Mamba smiled. "We'll meet soon, Sliff Venrio."