Ron studied her, his gaze a sharp instrument trying to peel back the layers of the woman before them. When Rhea finally met his eyes, she didn't flinch; instead, she offered a smile so disarmingly warm that Ron found himself glancing away, a rare flicker of discomfort crossing his face.
Lian tracked the exchange, his eyes darting between his stoic bodyguard and the newcomer. "So… should I call you Rhea, or something else?"
"Rhea is fine, Master Leuliang," she replied, her voice smooth as polished silk.
"Why are you two so calm?" Nox finally exploded, his voice cracking the tension. He gestured wildly at the space she occupied. "She appeared out of thin air! Poof! Right in front of us!"
"This isn't my first time witnessing the impossible, Champ," Lian replied, his voice weary.
Ron exhaled a long, controlled breath. "Nox, we've seen chasms tear through the world without warning. Compared to that, a woman appearing isn't exactly a shock to the system."
"I know that!" Nox protested, his face flushing. "But she's human. Like us. How is that even possible?"
"Champ, be quiet," Lian snapped, his patience fraying. He turned back to Rhea, his expression softening slightly. "You can ignore them. Just call me Lian."
While Nox sulked and Ron resumed his silent vigil, Outer—the shadow at Lian's side—bared his teeth, a low, guttural vibration echoing in his chest.
Rhea ignored Outer, looking at Lian with a gaze that could only be described as reverent. "Very well, Master Lian."
Lian let out a heavy sigh, the weight of leadership pressing on his shoulders. He glanced at his bodyguard. "Blondie, you've got questions, don't you?"
"Yes," Ron answered instantly.
"And you, Champ?"
"Obviously," Nox grumbled, crossing his arms.
"You're both former military police," Lian noted, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Consider this a field interrogation. Proceed."
Nox clicked his tongue, but the professional spark returned to his eyes. Ron stepped forward, his posture shifting into the measured grace of a seasoned investigator.
"I'm Ron Eosvile, Lian's bodyguard. A pleasure," he said, though his eyes remained wary.
"I'm Nox Eosvile," Nox added, his voice stiff and formal.
At the mention of the name, Rhea's composure faltered. "Eosvile…" she murmured, the word hanging in the air like an unfinished prayer.
"Is something wrong, Miss Rhea?" Ron asked, his instincts screaming.
"No," she replied, though the brevity of her answer spoke volumes.
Lian isn't speaking with her? Outer's voice echoed in Lian's mind.
Aren't you the one who dislikes her? Lian shot back telepathically.
The creature lowered its massive head. Outer was wrong.
No. Just observe for now.
Outer gave a sharp nod, his blank eyes never leaving Rhea.
Nox, never one for subtlety, leaned in closer to her. "Your eyes… they're like gemstones. I've never seen anything like them. No—wait. Focus. How did you get here?"
"I'll answer the first part," Rhea said, regaining her footing. "Gem-like eyes are a common trait among those born in Ipsix—"
"Ipsix?" Ron interrupted, the name tasting foreign and dangerous on his tongue.
A sudden, stabbing pain lanced through Lian's temples. He winced, clutching his head.
Lian, are you alright? Outer pleaded, his form flickering with anxiety.
"Y-Yeah," Lian muttered through gritted teeth.
"Perhaps a brief explanation is in order," Rhea said, her eyes filled with pity. "Ipsix is a world that mirrors Syntax. It is the domain where the World Observers reside—those who enforce Ahkam, the Sacred Law to maintain interworld stability."
Nox scratched his head, his face scrunched in confusion. "Skip the lecture. We can talk while we're moving. This place gives me the creeps."
Ron sighed but didn't argue. "I'll repeat Nox's question. How did you manifest here?"
"I appeared because of the octagonal symbol Miss Serenity entrusted to Master Lian."
Lian looked down at his palm. The skin was clear, the mark having receded into the flesh as if it had never been there.
"That's the catalyst?" Ron asked, his skepticism clear.
Rhea stepped closer to Lian, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Master Lian… are you truly prepared to accept the truth behind the symbol Lady Serenity gave you?"
The air grew cold. Lian didn't hesitate. "I'm ready."
"Actually, Master Lian is—" Rhea's voice suddenly hitched. She clutched her throat, her face contorting as she gasped for air.
Master Honest's seal is flawless; it even affects me like this, she thought desperately, her lungs burning. Miss, I hope you are alright.
"Are you okay?" Nox took a step forward, alarmed.
"What's happening?" Ron muttered, reaching for his weapon. Lian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the struggling woman.
"I'm sorry," Rhea wheezed, "it seems Master Honest—"
"Honest?" Lian whispered.
The name acted like a trigger. Lian's face turned deathly pale, beads of icy sweat erupting on his forehead. He grabbed his head as if trying to keep his skull from splitting open.
"What is it, Master Lian?" Rhea tried to rush to him, but Outer surged forward to embrace him.
Outer manifested fully—a nightmare of sharp white teeth and void-like eyes. A chilling, predatory breath exhaled from the beast, turning the air into a physical weight that made their skin crawl. They weren't just looking at a monster; they were prey cornered by a ravenous beast.
Nox's legs trembled, his bravado vanishing. Ron's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, his breath coming in ragged hitches. Rhea collapsed to her knees, paralyzed by the sheer malice radiating from Outer.
Lian let out a guttural groan of agony, and then, Outer let out a roar that shattered the silence of the wasteland. It wasn't just a sound; it was a shockwave of pure rage.
"Damn it, my ears! What's wrong with him?" Nox screamed, doubling over.
Ron grimaced, shielding his ears. "Rhea! You mentioned Honest—who is he?"
Trembling in the dirt, Rhea stammered, "Ho-Honest... He is Mi-Miss Serenity's... brother..."
Outer roared again, a sound even more deafening than the last, vibrating in their very bones.
"The experiments... Ipsix... and Honest..." Ron's eyes sharpened as a terrible realization dawned on him.
He looked at the agonizing Lian, then back to Rhea. "Was Lian a subject?"
Before she could answer, Lian's strength faltered. He collapsed, slipping into unconsciousness. Outer ceased his roaring instantly, settling into a low, predatory crouch over Lian's body, guarding his master with a silent, terrifying intensity.
The three of them stood there, gasping for air as the pressure finally lifted. Then, as if the strings holding them up had been cut, Ron and Nox's legs gave out, and they thudded onto the dry earth.
***
A few minutes passed in a heavy, ringing silence. When the world stopped spinning, Ron turned his head toward Rhea. "Was Lian an experimental subject at Ipsix because of this 'Honest'?"
Nox's eyes widened, his head snapping toward Ron. Rhea said nothing, her silence more damning than any confession.
"What are you talking about, Ron?" Nox snapped, his voice shaking.
"Think back, Nox. Remember Lian's reaction when I told him we were Bhairin's experiments?"
Nox searched his memory, his face pale. "He got a headache... and Outer... he roared then, too."
"Exactly," Ron replied.
Rhea remained curled on the ground, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
Ron looked at the guarding beast. "This time, the roar was different. It wasn't just pain."
"It was like an explosion," Nox whispered.
"He got angry," Ron corrected. "The moment that name—Honest—was mentioned, Outer wanted to kill everything in sight."
"No way..."
Rhea finally looked up, her face streaked with tears.
Ron took a deep, steadying breath. "Is Lian a victim of those experiments, Rhea?"
Rhea didn't speak. She couldn't. But the tears flowed faster, and she looked away in shame. I am so sorry, she thought, the words trapped behind the seal on her heart.
Nox bit his lip, staring at the jagged crater Lian had carved into the earth earlier.
"Are Serenity and Honest involved in this?" Ron inquired.
Nox picked up a small stone, tossing it into the abyss of the crater. He stood up slowly, his joints popping.
"Forget it, Ron. She won't answer. She's probably been silenced by whatever power those people in Ipsix hold."
"So... Lian really is just like us," Ron whispered. "A victim."
Ron walked to the edge of the crater, staring into the empty void.
Father, Mother... we've finally found a glimmer of the truth. Now you can rest.
A single, stray tear fell from his eye, vanishing into the darkness below before he could wipe it away.
Nox stepped up beside him until they stood shoulder-to-shoulder. "Do you think Honest is the mastermind, Ron?"
"We have no proof, Nox. This is a web more complex than any case we ever handled on the force."
Nox looked away, his voice softening. "Can you forgive him, now?" He paused, then added even more quietly, "Can you forgive Lian for what he is?"
"I... I can offer him my sympathy," Ron admitted, his tone sincere. "But not my forgiveness."
Nox gave a thin, weary smile. "Same here. But at least we know we're guarding the right person. He's not the monster. He's the one the monsters created."
"That's unusual for you, Nox. Getting sentimental?" Ron teased, though there was no bite in it.
Nox patted Ron's shoulder. "Shut up. What about Rhea? Can we trust her?"
"We're the bodyguards," Ron said, a small chuckle escaping him. "We'll let the boss decide when he wakes up."
"Yeah. Doing this kind of thing once in a while isn't so bad."
Nox looked across the chasm. Bhairin was still sprawled out, a broken silhouette on the horizon.
"Hey, Ron! Look, Bhairin is still in dreamland!"
"Hmph. Leave him," Ron said, his voice cold again. "He needs to learn what it's like to sleep with the earth as his bed and the sky as his roof. It's more than he deserves."
Ron looked toward Lian and Outer, his fingers curling into a tight, white-knuckled fist. The truth was out, but the war had only just begun.
To be Continued…