「Broken Compass」The Third Eye

Chapter 19

The petals strewn across the ground began to decay and wither before Hoku's eyes. 

Like a distant tide, the rot advanced toward the few petals near his boots. 

A shiver coursed through Hoku as an indescribable cold energy encompassed him.

Fleur hastened away from Li, scrambling over to Mars and Yu-ze.

As Abel approached them, his fingertips emitted a faint blue glow. 

Feeling an inexplicable weight, Hoku's gaze was drawn to a barren tree in the distance, positioned to Li's right. 

His lips parted, sensing something amiss; the soil around the stump shifted.

Boom!

Li seemed to anticipate the tree's fall, its roots violently torn from the earth, crashing down unexpectedly. 

He glanced at Li, who had lunged toward Hoku, rolling amidst the debris before swiftly sitting up. 

His sword had been unsheathed and was thrust into the ground before Hoku. 

Using the hilt for support, Li steadied himself with a low grunt.

He pushed his sword beneath his mantle, before extending a hand toward Hoku.

"Hand her to me."

Hoku glanced sideways at Juno, her head still resting peacefully on his shoulder. 

He nodded, bending down to gently release her legs.

Juno's head lolled across his shoulder blades as Li assisted in lifting her from his back. 

The relief in his arms nearly quelled his fear.

Just as Hoku was about to offer assistance, Li had already secured her limp figure.

"I told you, no! We don't have time for this, Yu-ze. We can carry you through Abel's Astrapie. You won't slow us down."

Hoku blinked, momentarily unsure who had shouted.

He peered in the other direction and found Mars glaring at Yu-ze, who had draped an arm over Fleur's shoulders.

The fatigue was very visible in Yu-ze's features.

"If there were fewer than two, I might've yielded to your insistence. But we've made too many mistakes," he replied, with a hoarse tone. "I don't think this will be our last sequence."

Although puzzled at first, Hoku soon understood the cause of their dispute.

'Is he asking to be left behind…?'

"Mars, we need to go," Fleur interjected.

"I'm sorry, but I think Yu-ze is right. We'll return for him if this sequence isn't over by the time we leave this nest."

She squinted, her eyes revealing a mix of concern and sorrow.

Mars remained silent, slumping his shoulders as his fingers pinched something beneath his clothing.

A palpable sense of defeat overcame him.

Hoku hesitated, ready to intervene and plead on Yu-ze's behalf when Mars continued.

"Abel… hand me your pendulum."

Mars inhaled deeply, gathering himself from the depths of regret, then carefully took the dowsing pendulum from Abel.

"I never understand why you feel compelled to be so selfless, especially when it brings irreversible consequences for yourself." Mars paused.

Near the roots of countless trees, a low, gravelly growl resonated from behind the group.

Hoku's heart sank, cold dread settling in his stomach as his eyes darted toward the source of the unsettling sound.

Yet, no one else seemed to acknowledge it.

Mars gripped the bird-shaped end of the chain, ignoring the discomfort from its sharp beak and blunt wings pressing into his palm.

All but one remained oblivious as Mars reached inside his shirt collar, retrieving a plain star-shaped pendant with a long point at the end of its silver-plated structure.

Abel glanced down; the debris had darkened further, mingling with the dried blood from Yu-ze's mouth and nose.

Mars swiftly removed the pendant from around his neck, the brown-knotted string slipping off effortlessly.

He stole a brief glance at its cold appearance, then resumed speaking to Yu-ze.

Meanwhile, Hoku's eyes fixed on the cloaked figure emerging from the shadows beneath the branches.

It wielded a perplexingly shaped staff, nearly matching its height.

"—Unfortunantly, I don't think I'll ever be able to change that instinct of yours," Mars concluded.

Fleur averted her gaze as Mars positioned his fingers between the star's points, raising it over his eye.

The slender figure approached slowly, stabbing the sharpened end of its staff into the ground before lifting it and piercing a new spot through the leaves.

'Is it humming?' Hoku wondered, disturbed by the fragmented, lullaby-like melody.

"There's something—something is approaching—" Hoku's voice faltered, as an overwhelming urge to flee gripped him.

His gaze swept over the others amidst the dense foliage.

Mars tilted his head back as if preparing for an unusual ritual.

With a sudden, almost manic resolve, he plunged the sharp end of the pendant into his right eye.

Hoku's jaw dropped in sheer disbelief as Mars withdrew the pendant.

Lowering his head, a viscous, ebony fluid began to ooze from the wound.

This was unlike any blood Hoku had ever encountered.

The dark substance seeped from Mars' eye, forming sinuous tendrils.

Mars remained silent, as if impervious to the pain.

A wave of revulsion washed over Hoku as he watched the inky liquid spread from Mars' socket.

Suddenly, Li seized Hoku's arm, pulling him toward the group with an unyielding grip.

"We must move," he ordered, leaving no room for dissent.

As Hoku stumbled closer, Yu-ze's voice reached his ears, "Fleur, release him now."

Fleur turned, her face etched with solemnity.

She then carried him to a nearby tree, positioning him against its sturdy trunk.

Mars paid them no heed, his gaze fixed upward.

Deliberately, he spread his fingers around his injured eye.

Gradually, a luminous, yellow core emerged, filling the hollow with a glow reminiscent of a miniature sun.

The eerie light cast elongated, distorted shadows around them.

In a calm tone, Mars intoned, "Redirect this pendulum's power onto the holder… and undo my third eye."

An unexpected chill permeated the ground beneath their feet.

Before Hoku could react, a force pulled him downward, submerging him into a dense, viscous substance.

The clinging sensation was repugnant, adhering to his skin like thick syrup, restricting his movements during his brief struggle.

The surroundings began to dissolve into obscurity.

. . .

"You have quite an unpredictable nature."

The Memoir Chapter 17

Objective 11

To: Flyingduck2112@*****

CC: Aliceliddle2106@*****

Subject: Contract reminder!

Hello, 'Beholder'.

We hope this system message finds you well! We are contacting you to remind you that your contract with "Alice Liddle" may expire if not used before the next sequence.

Failure to utilize any exchanges made in the contract will result in the extermination of resources toward both parties.

Your "rabbit hole" will require immediate use if you wish to continue your contract.

We apologize for the inconvenience and wish you all the best with future experiences.

Thank you for choosing Contracts [category: Clavier Trade]!

Sincerely,

Your automated service provider.

Attachment: Hoku, don't forget about this! I printed the message receipt here so you would remember. If you put me in debt again, I will force you to do labor for compensation. I don't care if you're still a kid—technically, I am too.

Don't forget you punk!

Rule 21

The Nine Eyes are a collection of hidden fragments, deliberately concealed from all perception. Aside from the Prism that is concealed in the central stream, these Nine Eyes serve as the secondary pillars of the Sequel. Their role is to stabilize this interconnected universe of distinct "worlds," as timelines that are not meant to overlap coexist here. Each "world" contains a separate "catalog" that the abundant creator has woven into the Mantras, simulating various epochs that once existed as centuries or eras in the original universe. This design emerged to expand upon what began as a solitary star, intended as an alternate planet to safeguard an enigmatic source of significance belonging to an individual known as the "Story Keeper"—the original architect of this intricate series of worlds.

Currently, our understanding of the Nine Eyes is limited; they appear to play a role in separating each mantra. Initially, we speculated that these fragments were responsible for the barriers between mantras, but we soon discovered that they were not the source of that function. We eagerly await clarity on how the Nine Eyes exert their influence, especially given that they seem to exist merely as placid monuments.

How can something eternally anchored in place channel 'division' across diverse worlds? Perhaps these fragments govern an external species, acting as vessels for their control.

If this is true, we should prepare for the possibility that the external entity could be human, as such power would need a stable vessel. Creatures unable to withstand even an elixir's energy would likely be unsuitable, as their instability could threaten the balance it aims to preserve. 

A human conduit could fundamentally change our understanding of the Nine Eyes and their influence in the universe. 

It would ultimately mean we need to kill our own companions.

-The Memoir Chapter 17 End-