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A slice of chicken pot pie awaited me by the foot of the door to my room.

Mr. Potternuggets and his daughter must've left it there for me. I didn't get to join them for dinner after all. They truly treated me as one of their own.

The gesture alone alleviated some of the anxiety I harbored. Kindness was an effective medicine for the soul.

I brought the lukewarm plate inside and flumped on my bed. For some reason, I was hesitant to open the envelope in my hand.

I proceeded to quietly eat my food, constantly eyeing the letter resting on my lap. It was an uncomfortable dinner—filled with dull chewing noises and a heavy atmosphere.

Truthfully, I was craving company.

This was the first dinnertime I experienced alone in years. No longer was I accompanied by loud chitter chatters and hearty laughs.

There was simply me, myself, and I.

After finishing the meal, I could hardly recall how it tasted. I only felt the cold loneliness creeping in.

I would've cried then, but the tears wouldn't come out. My eyes stayed completely dry as thoughts of Melyn's suffering spread through my mind.

Ah... it's no good... The pressure's getting to me again...

The old me would have definitely laughed at my current state. The very thought of forming connections with people, let alone slum dwellers, was utterly inconceivable to my past self.

And yet here I was, affected beyond belief... Hoping one day I could relive those carefree days once more...

It all came back to the letter before me.

Endeavoring to return our lives back to some semblance of normalcy was easier said than done. I was up against an invisible enemy here. An enemy that pervaded Velatya like a noxious gas.

Who better to seek council from than Rysef? My hope was he could shed some light on the dark cloud that loomed over Yarzon City.

However, that hope was sullied by the seeds of uncertainty.

If this letter didn't contain the answers I was searching for... then I remained at a disadvantage. And when opposing the Church, any disadvantage guaranteed your demise.

Rysef... I pray you gave up everything you knew about the enemy...

I scuttled over to the windows and drew the curtains shut. And I returned to my bed and pulled the bedside candle closer.

In my hands was a message stained with blood... in more ways than one.

I brought out my tension wrench and used it as a makeshift letter opener. Unsealing the flap, I was greeted with three pieces of ink-laden parchment.

The handwriting was rough but legible. It was no doubt written with the Ashen Thief's large sausage fingers.

Alright, what do you have for me Master Rysef..?

I cleared my throat and started with the frontmost page.

「To my dear and effeminate apprentice, who I expect has grown from his frail form into a passably built young man in the near future,」

I nearly scrunched the paper as I read the sentence out loud.

Even well into the afterlife, Rysef knew how to push my buttons.

I sighed and continued, slightly annoyed by the opening line yet somewhat eased by the Ashen Thief's flippant tone.

「If you are reading this, then the worst has regrettably come to pass, and I am no longer with you. Whether you were cognizant of the fact or not at the time of reading this is irrelevant. What's important is that this message has found its way into your hands.

At the time of writing this, we'd just fought over your involvement in the drug peddler base raid. I hope you've come to forgive me for my harsh reprimands. It was the first time in a while I was faced with a situation completely out of my control.」

I was bemused by his remark. Was what I did that shocking..?

Of course, Rysef went on to explain this.

「I'll be frank with you, you haven't any idea of the circumstances surrounding me. I'm sure by the time you're reading this, you'd have already uncovered some bits and pieces of my past. However, the full picture is something only a few have grasped.

Remember Seyna's words back in the churchyard? My ashen hair merely hides the truth you know?

Now, does the Kuumna ring any bells for you?」

The Kuumna?

I'd never heard of such a race. None of the countries listed on the world map matched up with the name and thinking back to Battleshift lore bore no fruit.

「Chances are, you have no idea what I'm referring to. That's unsurprising. The Church has gone above and beyond to scrub all mention of us from the records of history.

Rather, you'll probably know us as the"Nephilim"—accursed beings linked with the sacrilegious.」

And there it was. The revelation I'd been waiting for.

「For a near millennium, my people have been persecuted by all of Velatya. As we are a race of giants innately gifted in the arcane arts, it was only natural the rest of the world would fear our existence.

Lakua, my master and founder of our district, was also a Kuumna. He was the one who taught me the spell to greatly shrink my form. The hex may be painful, but its usage is wholly necessary for travel outside our tribe, lest we get hunted down by those who abhor us.

I often turn to liquor to combat the excruciating effects of the spell. I posthumously apologize if my drunken tirades irritated you then. I just couldn't help myself.」

So that's why you'd always drown yourself in booze...

My feelings towards the Ashen Thief gradually softened as I perused the letter. His background was more complicated than I initially thought it'd be.

I was slowly beginning to understand why he did the things he did.

Moving on to the second page, I was bombarded by a wall of text.

「My merry excursions aside, the reason I reveal my heritage to you alone is that I've become increasingly aware of the power you possess over the last few days. A power I've lost with your coming.

The ability to peer into the future—the talent sought by many.」

Coming across that line, my heart stopped for a second.

It never occurred to me that Rysef was conscious of my prophetic dreams.

Even in the chilly night air, I managed to work up a sweat.

「I became suspicious of the possibility from the second you arrived, but I could never think of an apt explanation. Clairvoyance is a gift that solely belongs to the Kuunmas. The fact that a Merulean like you was able to rob me of it was... frightening to say the least. And so I took you in as my apprentice to watch over you. To make sure you didn't use the ability for your own nefarious purposes.

I'll be honest, for the longest time I had you pinned for a Church spy. There was no other plausible justification for the sudden appearance of a Merulean who just so happened to harbor the means of stealing my gift. Sounded no different than any cunning plot from the Church. There were many points where I contemplated snuffing your life out.

I'd frequently wonder if your death would bring back the powers I sorely needed to protect the district. But as Melyn was infatuated with you, I couldn't go through with my twisted ideas. And eventually, I too became attached to you.

I can't stress enough how sorry I am for even considering you an enemy. There was no way a boy like you would knowingly harm any of us.」

I ignored his patronizing comment and shakily exhaled.

I understood Rysef had thousands of slum dwellers in the palm of his hand, and that he was responsible for all of their lives.

But the measures he was willing to take to ensure the safety of his people bordered on insanity. He'd indubitably murder a child without hesitation if it ensured the Lakua District's survival.

For him, reaching such a decision was normal; it was to be expected. I just couldn't imagine myself being bold enough to make that choice.

The only people I ever owned belonged to my guild... I could never pass judgment on whether they should live or die...

Then again, Battleshift did produce a cult of people who thought they could do otherwise.

「Unfortunately, that still means I am currently without my prescience. And as you are presumably reading this after my untimely demise, it is safe to say I never did get it back.

Here's a word of advice, from one seer to another: hone your abilities starting now.

I'm certain you've experienced the prophetic dreams and ensuing bouts of déjà vu. It must be frustrating to recall your visions only after the events have transpired. But in case you weren't aware, this is also how we Kuumna peer into the future. Or at least part of the process.

The gift of clairvoyance acts as a sixth sense. And like all senses, it can be sharpened through frequent and proper use.」

Wait... how do you..?

I paid close attention to his instructions and etched them onto my mind.

「"How do I turn these vague recollections into accurate divinations?" I hear you ask.

Well, my dear protégé... it's quite simple.

All you need to do is forecast the future through sheer logic and reasoning. Only then will you know what lies ahead.」

That... wasn't the answer I was looking for...

He was essentially telling me to play around with the possibilities in my head like some knock-off Sherlock.

But astonishingly, there were some grounds for his straightforward response.

「Have you ever stumbled upon a dream you'd forgotten through thinking about something else entirely random? It's sort of the same principle... with a more factual basis.

If you happen to correctly surmise what's to come, your prophetic dreams will naturally resurface in perfect clarity so as to confirm your prediction. That's how I've done it, that's how Lakua has done it, and that's how I hope you'll do it.

From what I've seen, your deduction skills are exceptional, and I am confident you've only gotten better. Soon you'll learn what it's like to never be wrong.

Do not rely on the visions. They merely serve as verifications of your hypotheses. Forcing yourself to remember them will lead only to frustration, and in many cases among my people, it has led to insanity.

Take this as guidance and a warning.」

The second page ended, leaving me more unsettled than enlightened.

Rysef's elucidation made several things clear though.

Including why he was still able to foretell future events long after I'd inherited his powers. He was just that much of a master detective.

Forget Ashen Thief... he was an Ashen Sleuth..!

My admiration for my late master aside, I was now on the final page. While his exposition regarding my clairvoyance was greatly appreciated, I found myself none the wiser when it came to the Church.

I kept my fingers crossed that this last page would contain the information I was seeking.

「If you've reached this point in the letter, you've either a) read through the last two pages or b) foolishly believed this was the first page. My money's on the latter, so scram if you've started with this!」

Never mind... maybe I jinxed myself...

I collapsed back onto my bed and resumed reading while lying down.

「Alright... if this is truly the page you're on, then brace yourself. The contents of this part are HIGHLY sensitive. I urge you to burn this parchment along with the other two pages. Have a candle on standby and do not read this out loud.

What I'm about to reveal to you must not be shared with anyone else under any circumstances. Not until all of Velatya has seen the truth. This includes Melyn and Lia. I entrust you with this secret because I believe you hold the potential to preserve the slum dwellers from destruction.」

I was taken aback by the change in tenor.

And swiftly I sat bolt upright as the reality finally dawned on me.

「"Vel is real. But far is he from a god."

Or so Master Lakua told me shortly after handing over the Lakua District to me. The gravity in his voice led me to believe he'd witnessed the false deity himself. Those were incidentally his last words before he departed for Merulea and vanished.

When I told you it wasn't the Church who took his life, I was merely going by gut feeling. In truth, I haven't a clue of his whereabouts or fate. If Vel was a real entity like he stated, and he went off to face him, there's a good chance he was defeated by the guy.

That being said, it's entirely possible he retreated to our tribe on the continent of Beafroux. I assume I'll never definitely know.」

Rysef's story eerily echoed God's sentiments.

「Don't mistake me for that false god, Vel. If anything... he's an adversary even I'm wary of.」

What exactly was a false god..? Human? Supernatural?

And if this Vel was capable of defeating the Ashen Thief's master of all people... how powerful was this being..? I shuddered even thinking about it.

「Do you now understand why no one can learn of this?

If people knew Vel existed... the Church would only get stronger. They're fueled by believers, and confirmation of their god's existence especially from me, the Ashen Thief, is sure to bolster support for this fanatical cult of psychopaths. Keep that in mind if you plan on disobeying my orders to destroy the letter.」

I glanced at the fluttering candle flame beside me.

「That being said... I'm sure you've got a lot on your plate right now. What with me being dead and all. What matters at the moment is who you're with. You can put Vel and the Church on the backburner until you sort everything out.

Speaking of which how's Mel..?」

The light flickered as the pain in my chest grew.

「If she's with you, tell her I'm sorry for letting her down. If she isn't with you, then I'm sorry for your loss. However, and this is what I'm leaning towards, if she walks the fine line between living and lifelessness, especially due to my passing, then I have one thing to say to you.

You're no longer obligated to watch over her on my behalf. Do as you see fit.」

Rysef never failed to surprise me. I could never anticipate his line of thinking.

So... I don't have to feel responsible for her anymore, right..? I'm free from the shackles of babysitting her..?

「Well... you ponder over that for a bit.

Come what may, this is where my letter ends. I've been careful not to overload your little mind with unnecessary details. There's so much I wanted to tell you in person. If Lia hasn't kicked the bucket, I suppose you can wring some useful intel from her.

Otherwise, you can cast around Jazga for knowledge with that charisma of yours. Furtively, capiche? No more busting large holes in the middle of street blocks.

Apologies if this feels like a lot to process, but seeing your spirit earlier today had me thinking: you seriously are a spitting image of Seyna when she was younger... But that's a tale you'll have to uncover for yourself.

And if all else fails, I'll be eagerly awaiting you in the pits of hell! Haha!

Sincerely,

Rysef, the Ashen Thief」

Bvvv!

On that fitting note, I lit the three parchments with the candle and let them burn away. A warm orange hue tinted the room and faded into darkness as the embers died.

As the envelope itself contained no information whatsoever, I stored it under my bed as a keepsake. And I stared up into the ceiling where the wisps of smoke had settled and dissipated.

There wasn't as much information as I'd liked there to be, but it was enough to go off on for the moment.

It's all up to me... huh..?

The old me would've loved the prospect. The very thought of being the chosen one in an epic fantasy world was a fanciful notion most would wish for.

But right now... the thought sickened me to the stomach.

Why me..?

I silently mulled over this cruel fate I was pushed into.

But it wouldn't change, no matter how much I lamented the role.

In lieu, I thought about the goal closest to me. Or in this instance, the girl who'd become the furthest point in my universe.

If Rysef says I don't have to care for her... then it's alright to brush her aside for now, isn't it..?

But my thoughts weren't aligned with my actions. They never were. Without realizing it, I was already by my door clutching the door handle.

The guilt I shouldn't have been experiencing spurred me toward her room.

And I wistfully stared at her bedroom door.

I wasn't doing this for her. I was doing this for myself. Even if I didn't have to, I'd do it.

Noticing the door was unlocked, I softly pushed it open, expecting to see the thief girl I'd always see.

The frustratingly overbearing, yet kindhearted older sister. The surprisingly prim and proper Beafrouxian with a mischievous glint in her crimson eye. The last person in Velatya I thought I'd call a friend.

And the summer's day who I thought would never disappear.

「Melyn..?」

But it appeared as though the most stalwart of seasons were not immune to the winds of change.

「Melyn?!」

And you never knew how much you miss the blinding sun until it's gone

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