The Union

Lumia opened her eyes in a strange room.

Where was she? Last thing she remembered was attacking the guards with all her energy left, and her magic came out. She wasn't expecting that at all. She analyzed her surroundings. This room was fairly luxurious, with all the polish and expensive looking furnitures. The garments on her looked posh too. As she was evaluating the room and her situation, a gold haired man in a casual but noble-looking outfit came into the room.

'Oh, you're awake.'

The man didn't show any particular emotion when he was talking. Lumia sensed that he wasn't hostile, but she still decided to keep her guard up.

' Who are you? And, where am I?'

The man retracted a little to show his inhostility.

' Relax, i'm not your enemy. After all, I was the one who saved you from getting arrested. '

' What? '

' That's right. Do you not remember? You attacked a guard. That's a crime in the Union. '

' Oh.. then, I should thank you? But still, you haven't told me who you are. '

' I'm Sablos, known as the Revenant. And you are? '

' I'm Lumia.'

' Alright Lumia, can you tell me what you were doing attacking the guards? You also looked so pauper that I decided to get you all cleaned. '

' I noticed.. thank you. Was it not pretty self explanatory there? I was on the verge of death before stumbling upon this place. '

' And i'm asking why you were on the verge of death. '

Lumia looked puzzled as to how to answer this question. Should she tell the truth about herself?

' I was attacked by desert animals.'

Sablos knew she was lying. Her body expressions gave it up.

' Uh-huh. And what were you doing before that? '

' I.. had business to tend to here. '

' Then I guess your stamp of approval got taken away by the animals huh? May I ask where you were from, Lumia. '

Sablos caught Lumia, because she was a newcomer to this realm and didn't know anywhere besides this 'Union'. She decided to make up a lie based on Diche's information.

' Uhh.. The empire. I'm from Morella. '

' But you used magic, Lumia. Magic users in Morella are nobles. And I know all of the nobles from Morella. You are not one of them. Also, according to my knowledge, there are no light magic household in Morella. '

Lumia was sweating profusely. Sablos noticed that and backtracked.

' Like I said, i'm not your enemy. So just tell me the truth. '

Lumia gave up and told the truth. After all, this man saved her from arrest.

' The truth is.. I'm not from this realm.'

' What do you mean? '

' I come from a planet called Orbis.'

Sablos didn't expect this turn of events at all. He thought maybe she was a spy or an informant from upper floors, hell, even a temple survivor would've been more likely but this?

" Weird... I've never heard of anyone in the realm's history coming to the realm from outside. And she's able to use light magic too? How peculiar."

' Okay, tell me more. What is your purpose coming here?'

' I'm here to find someone called Polaris. Do you know him? '

' Do you mean Polaris, the Astral researcher? I'm afraid he's not here. '

' Do you know where he is? I need to talk to him.'

' I don't know where he resides but.. he is not in Paradise. '

'Paradise?'

' Ah.. you wouldn't know since you're from the outside. The 1st floor is called Paradise.'

Lumia was disappointed that Polaris wasn't here in the 1st floor, more than that, his current whereabouts were unknown. He needed to talk to him about Diche.

' So where can I get more information about him? '

' I'm afraid I don't know.'

Sablos was lying. She could get information about Polaris in Morella but that would be too dangerous. The information on Polaris was banned there and moreover, this girl just woke up. She wasn't fit for Morella yet, pursuing illegal information. Somehow he sensed that if he had told the truth, the girl would've gone there immediately.

Lumia looked with despair upon hearing Sablos' answer. What was she supposed to do? Ask anyone she comes across with Polaris? That would be too inefficient.

' OK, i'm going to a library, If you'll excuse me. '

Lumia got up from her bed, but she immediately fell.

' Ugh!'

' You're not in the condition to walk freely. Relax, we have plenty of time. '

Sablos helped Lumia get back to her bed again.

' why are you helping me?'

Since Lumia wasn't from this realm, Sablos decided to outright tell the truth.

' Because I need someone like you in my plan. And from the looks of it, you clearly need someone like me to help you navigate through this realm. Is that not so?

Lumia was baffled by this man's cunning attitude. He didn't come off as arrogant, more like, he was playing the strings to get the desired outcome of this conversation.

She answered with a sigh. He looked like he knew the answer anyway.

'That's right. What's your plan? '

' That.. is a long story.'