With nowhere else to go, the two hesitantly follow the path. Whenever they take a step, a dim light shines where their feet are before slowly fading away. As they continued, a soothing melody got louder while lowly whispers could be heard.

  “Uhm, Jonathan?” Olya says, calling out to someone.

  Jonathan? Who's that? It sounds familiar…

  “Jonathan?” She repeats.

  “Agami, your disguise,” Tenmei says to the forgetful man.

  Realising she is calling for him, he quickly looks to her, “Yes, Ol- I mean Kelly, haha.”

  “My hand.”

  He was subconsciously tightening his grip out of nervousness, quickly letting go, he apologised, “I'm so sorry, I didn't-”

  She places her finger over his mouth to shush him, “It's alright, you can apologise later. Right now, we need to hear what the Navigator wishes.”

  Nodding in understanding, she takes his arm and they continue down the dimly lit path. As they continued to walk down the path, Agami couldn't help but be taken in by the soothing nature of the path. He willfully lets his mind drift. As he does so, he slips into thinking about his journey thus far. But what was before that, he wonders. Letting his curiosity take him further, he remembers standing at a funeral. A funeral…but for whom…he tries to think about it deeper and realises it was for the Stilmurs.

  No, that can't be! They're dead?!

  His thoughts are interrupted as Olya pulls his shoulder. Looking around, he finds they have arrived at a large gathering of Ascenders. The venue was darkened with a projection of stars on the ceiling. At the far front, a stage was set up, with some of the crew doing last-minute checks. To his left stood a rather busy food cart, and to his right, a worship circle which was busier than any other area there. Olya moves closer toward him and whispers, “Something is strange. The air smells weird.”

  After she finishes, Agami quickly looks around and notices that while projections of the stars are on the ceiling, some devices are quietly humidifying the room. He quickly leans toward her and whispers, “What now? We can't ri-”

  She immediately covers his mouth, “We do not speak about non-believers in the presence of our Navigator. We hear our savior's wishes, then carry them out.”

  Confused, Tenmei communicates to Agami, “You should not speak or whisper freely here, we cannot risk anyone hearing you. Olya is doing her best to maintain cover, just follow her lead.”

  Trusting his allies, Agami can only nod and follow. The two waited while more Ascenders entered the venue, the noise of excited chatter increasing with the crowd. As they watched the crowd grow, they became more silent, trying to fight off the pressure and the gas being pumped throughout the room. Agami solely focused on maintaining focus, while Olya kept an eye out while pretending to be a curious member, watching for anything suspicious but maintaining her guise.

  After several minutes have passed, the lights dim, and the stage brightens. The Ascenders become quiet and rush toward the center, eager to watch. An unseen orchestra plays and a voice booms from the stage, “True believers, our Navigator thanks you for your attendance. For today, he shall bless us with words he deemed ‘imperative for Ascension’!”

  The crowd roars in excitement and cheer upon hearing the announcer, deafening both Agami and Olya.

  “Now, to deliver our Navigator's words upon us, is none other than his most trusted follower and prophet: MARKOV VORDIER!” The crowd becomes unexpectedly louder as a man steps out from behind the curtain. He is sharply dressed with a white suit and a steel-tipped shoe. He wore a dazzling smile that complemented his slicked-back brown hair. As he stands on the stage, the crowd still screams, some praying and others even crying for him.

  Wasn't he the guy killed by Ken?

  Agami looks over to Olya, who shares a confused expression. Unsure what to make of it, he decides to listen on.

  Once the crowd quieted down, he said, “My brothers and sisters, as you may have heard, an assassin was sent to take my life. Unfortunately, he succeeded, and I lost my life.” He paused, and the crowd remained silent, listening intently. “But through the Navigator's will, he guided my soul back to this world, for HIS POWER IS INFINITE!” The crowd broke into roars of cheers again. Once they became silent, he continued, “While I was recovering, I heard that some of ours have lost their lives seeking revenge against me, some losing their lives to hunt down our enemies. But I have harrowing news for all of you. A group of people is trying to send our faithful Navigator back to the beyond, forcing him to forsake us!”

  The crowd breaks into murmurs, some in shock while others are angered by the news. Raising his hand to command silence, the crowd immediately obeys, “Now, now. The Navigator is aware of this and to ensure he can still serve and save all of you, he has announced that it is time for the Ascension!” The crowd is stirred even more, some in surprise and excitement.

  “In five days, when the moon is at its highest, we shall ascend from the pen that touches the sky!” As he finishes, the crowd erupts into cheers and shouts, everyone celebrating in different ways. “So to prepare for the Ascension, let us pray and offer our thanks to The Navigator. And to make this night even more special…” He pauses as the doors behind the crowd open, a large group of people appear, and the crowd makes way for them to enter as they walk toward the centre of the circle, “-we will welcome these lost souls and help them to follow the Navigator's guidance or remain forever lost.”

  As the crowd passes them, Agami notices how many of them are nervous, barely making any eye contact. In the crowd, he sees a familiar figure, standing above the rest due to his height. It was Byron, the man he and Tenmei defeated earlier. But he looked a bit more out of it than the last time they met. Realising Byron could blow his cover, he hides his face and quickly looks to Olya, who is watching the ceremony play out. “We need to leave, now!”

  “What, are you insane? We will look suspicious!” She replies quickly.

  “It doesn't matter, one of the guys, I know him. He was there when Tenmei and I defeated his boss.”

  Understanding the levity of the situation, she hesitantly nods and they begin making their way to the side entrance. They push past the crowds that barely acknowledge their presence, and before they can reach the door, they are stopped by one of the guards.

  “Sir, ma'am. Is something wrong?” The guard asks, blocking their way out.

  “Oh, our…dog is sick and we-...we need to go check on him. The vet that's taking care of him requires our information, and we need to leave…now,” Olya responds, her lying skills really needing work.

  “That is rather unfortunate, would you not wish to stay a bit longer until the prayer is over. The Navigator will surely hear your wishes and heal him.”

  “It's urgent, we will make up for it later, but our dog needs us,” Agami interrupts. The guard raises his eyebrow in suspicion, but still moves aside for them.

  “All the best for tonight then,” he coldly replies.

  As the two step outside, they find themselves in a hallway, the exit on the far end. They slowly start walking toward the exit, but as they continue, some of the security and staff begin walking toward them. Realising that their cover may be under suspicion, they begin walking faster. Making it to the door, they reach for the handle, only to find it locked. Turning around, they are surrounded.

  “So we had some snakes amongst us. The Navigator will be displeased,” one of the staff coldly says.

  The guard in the center takes a deep sigh and walks toward them. Ready to fight, Agami and Olya take a fighting pose, but the approaching guard doesn't flinch. Once he reaches them, he leans in and whispers to the cautious duo, “Honestly, it's a good thing I was here.” Fixing his glasses, he adds, “Olya, Agami, follow my lead.”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  The stranger turns around and, without a moment's notice, he smashes one of the guards' heads with his baton, knocking them out. Catching the guards unaware, he takes advantage of the confusion and steals the gun from another, shooting the right waiter's leg, incapacitating him. A far guard starts shooting at him. He runs toward the aggressor, somehow dodging all the bullets coming his way. Upon reaching him, the man throws him to the ground and breaks his arm.

  Returning to his senses, Agami gets ready to join in, but before he can throw a punch, Olya delivers a roundhouse kick to the head of one of the waiters, causing them to spin in the air before hitting the ground. Within seconds, a jetstream quickly shoots out of her legs, causing her to swiftly spin and knock out the baton in the other guard's hand. Without wasting motion, she pulls back her right leg and activates the stream again, causing another one of her kicks to fly forward into the guards, sending them flying.

  “Agami, we should break the door while they are keeping them busy,” Tenmei says, returning Agami’s attention.

  “Got it,” Agami responds, immediately turning his attention to the door. Getting ready to punch through, he notices his jacket is preventing him from opening his vent. He hurriedly takes it off and focuses, although the ensuing chaos behind him isn't helping.

  After a brief moment, he barely synchronises his punch with the stream and bursts through the door. With an unconventional way out, Agami grabs his jacket before escaping with Olya and the stranger.

  Running from the convention centre, the stranger removes some of their clothing, revealing themselves to be Danzo.

  “Danzo?!” Agami says in surprise, “How did-”

  “No time to explain, we need to get out of here. Now!” He hurriedly replies. As the three ran through the street, they followed Danzo. For some unknown reason, as they rushed through the streets, he seemed to know where they were placed and the routes they were going to take to cut them off. Reaching the Cloudy River without another confrontation, the three finally stop to breathe.

  Taking the opportunity, Agami speaks to him, albeit struggling to catch his breath, “How did you… know where to find us?”

  “Dad told me to keep an eye on you guys. I have been stalking you since you left the diner,” Danzo responds, already recovered from their late-night sprint. After replying, he gestures to them to follow as they walk across the lobby.

  He was watching us the whole time?

  As the three walked, they attracted onlookers due to their damaged clothing. Paying no mind to them, Agami continues, “He knew this was going to happen?”

  “No, he didn't want the risk, so he sent me in,” Danzo replies, pressing the elevator button. He turns around to face his brother, “Agami, you are still new to the way this side of the world works. Dad wanted you to get the exposure, but didn't want you to die in the process. Well, again. He sent me in because I'm quite covert, and seeing what happened, it was the right call. You will get there eventually.” While he was speaking, the elevator had arrived and the three stepped in, Olya pressing the button to take them to the eighth floor.

  “But for your first mission, not bad,” Olya says while they wait, “You need to work a bit on the awareness side, but again, not the worst.”

  “Thanks,” after saying that, something bothers Agami, turning to Danzo, he asks, “By the way, how were you able to do all that?”

  “Do what?” Danzo replies confusedly.

  “The bullet dodging and knowing where the Ascenders were.”

  “Oh, heh, that. I'd rather tell you about it some other time, while the Ascenders won't confront us directly, they still have ears everywhere.”

  They know we’re being watched?

  Noticing the confusion on his face, Olya chuckles, “Don't worry about it, Agami. Neither Baltro nor his people won't get anywhere near this hotel, especially with Gearfried or your parents here. They would have better chances of survival fighting a volcano.”

  Even with that bit of assurance, Agami can't help but feel trapped. The conversation dying down, Agami shifts his mind to escape. He can't shake the feeling of being a burden. He was the reason their cover was blown. Olya would have been able to break down the door. If he kept his cool, it would have been a clean breakaway.

  The elevator arrives on the eighth floor. Stepping out and walking toward their room, Tenmei reappears, “Should be safe now. You look down, what is the matter, Agami?”

  “Oh, sorry. I just felt like I was a liability during that escape,” he somberly replies.

  “Really? From my point of view, you did exceptionally well, deserving of merit.”

  “How so?” The Agami asks.

  “Firstly, when you saw Byron, you immediately chose to leave. If he had identified you, you and Olya would not have been able to escape. Secondly, you covered for Olya when she failed to convince the guard, giving you a chance to leave. The only reason they found out about you was that you started running; if you hadn't left, you would have been dead. And finally, you broke open the door, giving you a chance to get out before things got worse. Just remember this: making a meaningful contribution can sometimes come from subtleties. So in my eyes, you did wonderful.”

  Agami remains silent as he is unsure whether Tenmei was exaggerating or protecting his feelings. Nevertheless, maybe there is some truth in his words, and for Agami, that was more than enough.

  “Thank you,” he replies, gently smiling.

  Reaching their room, Danzo opens the door. Looking inside, it seems that everyone turned in for the night, except for Gearfried and Sora. Sora sits on the sofa playing on Vito's handheld gaming station whilst Gearfried is on the balcony smoking. Looking to his left, Sora does a double-take and perks up in excitement as they enter the room. Placing the device on the table, he happily walks towards and hugs them, happy about their return.

  “I was so worried about you guys. I could barely do anything but play games, “He says with a complaining tone.

  The brothers give him a sharp look before he stops. The sliding door opens, and Gearfried enters, promptly saying, “I'm assuming things went sideways?”

  “Don't be so negative, Gears. They had it in the bag,” Sora replies.

  “Is that why you sent Danzo?” He coolly replies.

  He quickly looks to Danzo and back to Gearfried, “Who's to say Danzo didn't cause the issue?”

  “Oi,” Danzo responds, a pang of annoyance evident on his face. Taking it in jest, Sora and Gearfried laugh.

  After calming down, Agami and Olya explain what they witnessed at the Milton recreational center. After hearing their accounts, Sora and Gearfried become concerned.

  “Hmm, no matter how you look at it. This Ascension they keep talking about isn't good,” Sora says.

  Tenmei appears from Agami’s arm and responds, “Agreed. But knowing Baltro, there is probably a reason he cannot begin now.”

  Sora doesn't respond, as Tenmei forgot he can't see him. Seeing the issue, Agami says, “Tenmei thinks that there is a reason for Baltro waiting five days before the Ascension.”

  “Hrm…interesting. Let me check something and get back to you.” Gearfried responds, talking on his phone and checking.

  “Markov's presence is also bothering me. Didn't Ken say he assassinated him?” Danzo says, “We will need to confirm this when we see him again.”

  “Speaking of Ken, where did he say he would meet you guys after infiltration?” Sora interrupts.

  Olya answers Sora, “He said he will rendezvous with us here.”

  “Did he say when?” Sora follows up, only to be answered with a shake of Olya's head.

  “Who would have guessed?” Gearfried answers from his computer, “It seems that five days from now, there is going to be a mass event held at the Sand De Royale hotel. Anyone and everyone is invited with VIPs at the top…and from what I can guess, Baltro as well.” He finishes, scratching his stubbled beard in thought.

  “I had a feeling he would pull something like this,” Tenmei says.

  “What do you mean?” A curious Agami asks.

  “He is planning to pull out all the stops. He is gathering his followers from around the world and trying to snare some unaware passersby, too. He must be worried about our presence.” Tenmei replies.

  Is he that afraid?

  “Why doesn't he just run, Tenmei?” Agami continues asking.

  “He would not dare. Baltro knows a leader with a home advantage would not run when they are at their strongest, especially with the way his followers look at him.”

  “And the tower is his masterpiece,” Danzo interrupts, “The Sand de Royale was only built three years ago and was headed by Markov.”

  “That adds even more reason for him to stay in Phanasma,” Tenmei replies.

  “Is he seeking rebirth?” Agami asks.

  “No, his mortal body limited him too much; that is why the benefactors wanted to be between in the beyond, but not past it, there is power to gain there,” Tenmei adds, his voice sounding more serious, thinking deeply about the topic.

  Before they can continue their conversation, Sora interrupts, “Guys, it's cool and all you can speak to Tenmei, but can you keep us in the loop?"

  “Oh, sorry. Baltro is planning to make his move on the day. Tenmei is trying to figure out what Baltro is after,” Danzo quickly responds.

  “Maybe he is getting some sort of power-up. You know, to make him unstoppable.” Sora adds.

  They all look at each other confused, before Gearfried speaks, “This isn't one of the kids' cartoons, you know.”

  “I know that, but a lot of these kinds of fights usually end up with something like that. If you want followers, you want more power. The question is what is it going to be in the form of? Some complicated, nuanced, and powerful ability. Raw strength. A powerful weapon or item. Or they may be calling forth something unknown,” Sora continues, standing up and taking a light stretch. “No point wasting time wondering, I'm going to sleep. I suggest you guys gear up, we now have a deadline.”