Dawn arrived. The duo left their inn to the meeting spot, to meet someone from the Explorer’s Guild. One in full torso armour and cape, her sword dangling at her waist.

  The other one wasn’t in robe any longer. he wore a buttoned up shirt with baggy black pants. A red scarf around his neck swayed gently against the cold morning wind. His shirt of deep violet wasn’t tucked in at all. His shirt shoulders bore intricate design of flower and laurels underneath.

  Arlene shook her head every time she saw that design. It wasn’t the design that got her rolled her eyes. It was the fact if observed carefully, they were actually heavily armoured shoulder pads disguising as a design. The look on his face was leaning to a slightly annoyance way.

  The new outfit he wore was what Arlene chose for him or rather forced upon him before leaving for the quest. He walked or rather waddled, limping about because she asked him to dismiss the staff.

  “You can get the staff out if it helps you walk straight you know? Don’t have to abide by everything I ask.”

  “You wanna know the real secret why I wear robe all the time?”

  “Is it so it fit with the staff aesthetic?”

  “Because it’s cool and also, I could just float without people knowing.”

  “You can’t do that.”

  A beat later, he just floated a few centimetres off the ground.

  Arlene squinted her eyes, narrowing at him. “No wonder why you looked shorter than before.” A shrug off her shoulders, “So do you feel like exploding again from walking?”

  He landed back gracefully, in his mind anyway. Shaking his head and faced ahead.

  The road in the city was already filled with people, particularly those delivering newspaper, crates of milks or any other logistical natures. The smell of roast coffee or steamed buns from nearby houses and stalls filled the air.

  The sun wasn’t above the wall yet it was bright like it was midday in the city. This was due to the numerous street lamps darted across, faintly glowing still until the sun was fully above dawn. It was playing peekaboo with those behind the walls, though some of the light was able to get through. The duo walked toward its direction. Arlene was fine while Wattyson kept blinking and shutting his eyes to radiant light.

  His arm raised, his fingers flexing around in an empty space. A distortion, a small mismatch in the spatial air formed and simmered before vanishing as he lowered his arm down.

  She eyed the entire thing, then to him. Her eyebrow raised and a smirk played. “Are you not going to pull something out of that maginithingy to cover your eyes?”

  A quiet surrendering sigh from the bothered man, “We’re in public, I’ll think of another way.”

  The red scarf came off, he repositioning it around his head and tying them to cover his eyes. She looked to him, a gap formed in her mouth though small. Her eyes staring at this enigma with curiosity, concern and a bit of confusion.

  “Why are you doing that?”

  He had a half smile and scoffed, “So I don’t get blinded by the sun.”

  “It’s like a sliver of light, and how are you going to see where you’re going?!”

  “Easy. I have you to guide me.”

  “Uh huh… and you think doing this is less embarrassing than poking into that black hole storage of yours in public.”

  “For all they know, they’ll see the Chosen One guiding a blind man.”

  She didn’t reply. What else to reply to beside intervention. She slapped the tying hands… Multiple times to stop him. She offered another alternative. To the leather bag she went and brought out something that would solve this clearly a non-issue. A pair of spectacle shades.

  No words were needed. She handed it to him, hovering the spectacle right above his face and then shoved it onto his eyes. It landed perfectly between the temple of his nose.

  “What is this? Everything seems darker.”

  “It’s called sunglasses, Watty.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “Well, deal with it.”

  They continued down the street nearing the gate now. The crowded market stalls and shops when they entered yesterday was still in preparation today. No people cluttering up the street. It was still early dawn after all.

  “Hey,” he said as he took off the glasses and handed it back to her. “Where’s this Explorer’s Guild individual anyway?”

  “Oh they’ll be in the forest ahead.”

  “How do they know… we’ll be meeting up there like… we accepted the quest yesterday.”

  “I told the receptionist to relay the information to them. Because a certain weirdo was emotionally exhausted.”

  He only hummed in response. His hands went to his sides, forgetting there weren’t pocket there. Old habits.

  “Say,” he started again. “What’s the Explorer’s Guild?”

  “Oh? You’re finally interested in the world beside the Red Grove?”

  “I might as well… what do they do?”

  “They explore.”

  “I get that. Anything else?”

  “Uhh… they map any new things happening in the wilderness and ecology related stuffs.”

  “And they deemed the Unobios near the road to Toulasi something that shouldn’t happened?”

  “Yeah. I’m aware that Unobios is like a pack animal and have a period of migration. They shouldn’t be yet this late in the year.”

  “Right… any thoughts?”

  She titled her head up, angling slightly to the side as she thought.

  “Well… maybe just an invasive predator is forcing them? Or a camp of monsters Or…” She trailed off while eyeing his side profile. “What if its supernatural related? What do you think?”

  “Unlikely. Supernatural like to hang around other people. It’s how they stay hidden.”

  “You don’t suppose they hide in nature to do the same?”

  “No. Otherwise they would be the natural as opposed to supernatural. I doubt they can survive in the wild.”

  Past the gate where the guards stood and saluted Arlene to the shallow plain and edge of the forest, the sun sat comfortably at the height of dawn now. The dark oak trees stood tall and firmly. The treeline itself seemed to be uniform, all the trunks were in a straight line formation daring not to past.

  Awaited us was a person in a grey coat and messy brown hair. Their back was turning to the duo, and their hands were moving, writing. Upon getting closer, the person in question had a shoulder patch of the Explorer’s Guild; an anchor mixed with a binocular. Why did the Explorer’s Guild have a crest more related to maritime?

  Getting closer now it became clear. This person had an expression of undivided focus on the notepad she was writing. Beside her a small leather satchel resting on her feet. Part of what thought to be her messy hair was a cat ear. She only had one ear.

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  “Isn’t this…” Arlene trailed off, seeing the figure. The lean female in grey coats was the same one back when they arrived in Toulasi. That unsettling neko girl. She was the explorer’s guild they were supposed to accompany?

  “Oh, it’s her.”

  She side-eyed Wattyson. “You do realise this is the one you were unsettled by when we got here? What do you think?”

  He tip toed and shrugged before settling back down. “I think we’ll be fine.”

  Not something she wanted to hear, frowning at the remark. Nevertheless, she paced herself slightly in front of Wattyson.

  Without getting too close at social distance, she shouted in the distance calling her out. “Hey! Are you the explorer Anire?”

  The neko’s hair frizzled as she turned back. She bore a focused expression before slowly breaking into a small still smile. She stood up, dusting off her skirt and stocking up to her thigh. Her hand dropped the notepad and pencil right into the gaping maw of her leather bag.

  “Ahhh~” Anire let out. “The Chosen One!” She yelled back as she took up her bag and strolled toward them, looking toward the person next to Arlene. “This is?”

  “Wattyson. A weirdo I picked up.” She swiftly elbowed his side. Introduce yourself!

  A long drawn out sigh to the trying to keep it professional Arlene and Anire who was just tilting her head to him, still smiling, eyes of crimson with darted line looking at him.

  He reached down to his pocket then pulling out a small rectangular object. Showing it to Anire. “Rank C Adventurer,” in a dry and tired tone. The ID Card was backward. Arlene rotated his wrist for him to show the right side.

  Anire clapped her hands, lazily flapping them against one another. Her neko ear flicked up and down along with the motion. “I am Anire, Senior Explorer in the Explorer’s Guild.” She kept staring at Wattyson, taking large steps as she walked around him. “Ahhh~ I knew it… You have no mana at all.”

  The Chosen One placed a palm over Anire’s shoulder. “What do you mean? How do you know?”

  A side of her smile reached to the side with no ear. “I can see it. The mana flow. You, Chosen One, are boundless in it!” She backed off and made a square with her finger, picturing Wattyson. “While he is void of it!”

  “Was that why… you were staring at us? We noticed you when we first got here. If you’re a danger to us—“

  “Ahhh~ Of course! As someone who could see the mana flow in people, how could one not marvel at the sight of you who are unlimited in mana?!”

  “Hey,” a sharp voice cut through the two from him looking down at the grass high to the ankle. His eyes were half shut. Silence and anticipation to what he might say next. A yawn. “Can we go now?”

  Anire tilted half her body to the left, seemingly settled back into a small still smile. “Yes! Let us depart!” She spun around and standing up straight, her ear flicked forward. “I’ll debrief you on the way.”

  The trio now traversed with their quest. Into the forest they went, the tall tree roofs only letting a few sunlights through. The damp soil let out aroma of wet moss in the air. Arlene raised her hands and muttered out ‘light’, forming a floating illuminating orb to shine their surroundings. She was walking side by side with Anire, her hand resting calmly on the sword’s pommel. Wattyson was walking behind, trying hard not to float so he didn’t have to walk.

  Anire walked swaying her hands up high and down low. Her coat sleeves stretched to cover her hands. “The quest is to find out what’s pushing the Unobios out of their habitats,” she began. “According to what we know so far, it is likely due to another invasive predator invading this environment. However, other explorers reported a surge of mana flowing violently through the forest.”

  “You said you could see mana flow. Do you see anything?”

  Anire narrowed her right eyes, the darted lines connected as she squinted further. Then a snap back to full open. “Nope! Not that unusual so far. Though I have some hypothesis if you want to hear them?”

  “On what?”

  “On the two reports. First is the most logical after all while the latter is speculation. No one near Toulasi could see mana flow after all.”

  “Okay… give me your first one.”

  “Very well!” she jumped and spun then sat leaning against a crooked tree. “Have a seat. I think we should just rest until something happened. No use searching through nothing.”

  Arlene sat next to her while Wattyson chose to walk off. Anire eyed the rank C adventurer still smiling.

  “He’s going to be alright,” remarked Arlene.

  “Oh I know~. He’s a walking void, nothing here would equal to him.”

  “Huh? And how would you know that?”

  Anire turned slowly to her seated escort. “Because I stared at both of you. My gut instinct told me to run but I can’t help but marvel. Two opposite polar of eternity. One of infinite and One of empty void.” A chuckle to herself. “I saw it too when he stared at me back. I got goosebump yet I can’t help but stared back in awestruck, hehehe~”

  “Tell me about it another time… tell me your hypothesis.”

  “Ah right!” Anire faked a cough. “Firstly, it is highly possible it could just be another invasive species wrecking the place. Other explorers found mucus and footprints not supposed to be local in this environment. Explorers suspected it might be a bipedal creature that spit out lightning. However, I think we’re witnessing something even more marvellous!”

  “You think there’s another animal much stronger than what your colleague suggested?”

  “I think the invasive predator they think of could be a byproduct from the war. Your war. The world’s war.”

  “How would that be possible? Toulasi was far from the frontline.”

  “It didn’t stop monsters from living and attacking all over the world, did it?”

  Arlene stopped asking and thought to herself. If what she said is true… then there’s something or someone in the world spreading the Dark Lord’s Legion techs. Someone is benefitting from this. She spoke up again, “What’s your evidences behind this?”

  Anire smirked as she pulled out a glass of vial from her bag. The liquid inside was shimmering and bursting small bubbles. Glowing faintly purple then switched to black then red, a continued rotating with short interval. “This is my evidence! It’s a blood of an organism that shouldn’t be here!”

  She dropped it back into her bag. Not caring if it was going shatter inside or not. “I got it when I went inside by myself yesterday on this tree.” Her hand tapped the crooked tree behind her. “That’s why I said there’s no point searching through nothing. Let’s wait until a roar happened.”

  “What about your other hypothesis?”

  “Hmmm… about the mana surge report? I have my doubts.” She scratched her chin. “The Explorer that went to explore this forest reported sign of fatigue and nauseous. Fatigue would be understandable but nauseous as well? Could be a sign of mana deficient. It could also be from that byproduct predator… hehehe… I can’t wait to see if my theory is proven correct.”

  Anire laughed softly before leaning toward Arlene. “I have been hoping to meet you! I was overjoyed when I saw you here in Toulasi!”

  Arlene leaned back slightly to the ruby eyes staring at her in awe struck. “Y-Y-You were?”

  “Mmm~ I have been looking up to you after all!” The neko's ear twitched sideway. “The Great Chosen One… Mmm you looked even marvellous up close.”

  Arlene could see this explorer’s eyes. The darted line connected again as she stared wide eyes to her. She was only seen in pure mana which according to Anire, boundless vessel of mana. The neko girl was giggling to herself before leaning back out.

  “Excuse me,” she faked another cough as she reached into her bag again, bringing out another vial. “Can you help me with my hobby? Can you drink this?”

  The vial was glowing in rainbow, seemingly bubbly inside that tiny and long vial. Held only by a small knob on top.

  “You want me… to drink that?!”

  “Mmhmm! I don’t have as many mana for my experiment. I can see them and avoid any violent mana winds but I don’t possess enough to use advanced magic. I compensate for this by making this temporary mana potion to boost myself.” Her eyes narrowed to Arlene. “I want to see what happened if someone like you were to drink it!” She gently put the vial next to her then pressed her hands together. “Please!”

  “What? No! Beside you said yourself I have limitless mana. What would be the point in drinking this?”

  “I don’t know! I drank my own concoction and it works! I want to see if it does anything to you!”

  “No!” Arlene stood up, extending her hand to Anire. “Come on. Let’s get back to investigating.”

  Anire stared at that soft yet worn palm of the Chosen One. Another chuckle as she took her hand, standing back up. “Very well~” She began striding forward, leading Arlene.

  “We should find wherever Wattyson is. Can you use your ability to see the mana flow to find him?”

  “Hehehe~ I can’t. He is void of mana remember.”

  “Right… I forgot about that.”

  Wait… if what this explorer said is true… How did Wattyson get measured in the Adventurer’s Guild?

  The thought didn’t leave her, and now would be a good time to ask while searching for him. “Hey, Anire?”

  “Yes~ Chosen One?”

  “Just call me Arlene. Can you explain more why you think Wattyson is void of magic?”

  “Hmmm…” Anire’s coat sleeve hovered and covering her mouth. “You are aware of how mana work yes?”

  “Of course. It exists in everything though some are minimal than other.”

  “Yes! Ahhh~ the living invisible force of the world! It is with them we could channel magic out of our body. Though to do so you would need to understand how the flow work hence the required to chant and bend the mana to your will and imagination.” Her hand hovered out, casting light too.

  “Take this light for example, yours earlier was bright. So bright it illuminated the entire forest. Mine however is feint, a mere spark to your blinding light. It is not because Light requires a lot of mana. It’s because my understanding and want of light is not as much as you. I’m contend with this amount of light. My magic knows this because it came from my mana inside.”

  “That is how mana work yes, is this some kind of… metaphor?”

  “Yes~. To someone like Wattyson, by all known laws he shouldn’t be able to cast anything at all. Yet on his adventure’s card, he had A+ on Fire and B+ on Earth. The question beckoned. How could he have those aptitudes when he had no mana at all?”

  “Do you think only he in the world that has no mana?”

  “It is precisely because he’s one out of twenty people with no mana, yet with affinity for one of the element!” Anire’s face into a grin. “I want to find out. I want to understand. I want to know.”

  Arlene paced forward, stopping in front of her. “I know you mean well. What you will do will help me understand him better too. However,” her hand rested to the pommel. “If you are to harm him, I will not hesitate to subdue you.”

  Anire smirked even wider. “Have no fear, Chosen One~ I will not do anything without consent! I didn’t force you to drink the vial when you said no. You have my words.”

  A small stare before softening, Arlene sighed as she turned around and began walking again. Resuming the search. “Then we can work together just fine.”

  Few minutes turned to ten till they found the werido. He was… using a random branch of tree while poking an annoyed Unobios. He kept poking the ivory horn while the creature just huffed at him. They stood and watched when the Unobios finally got up. It swiped its flimsy tail at Wattyson then trotted away to find another place to sleep. Wattyson shrugged off the part he got hit at then just followed the creature.

  Anire looked with glee. “Hehehe~ the perfect test subject.” She got a side eyed from Arlene.

  Arlene sighed once more. “Let’s go get him then we can resume the investigation.”