"Damnnit… it closed right before we got here."
Ciro tugged at his compass as if it might suddenly wake up and do something useful. Ezra crouched beside him, sliding off his glasses and letting his eyes scan the area.
The distortion the guards had reported had led them to a small shrine just beyond the Hanazaki estates barrier. No road, only a narrow foot path cutting through the trees.
"It makes no sense for a build up to happen this close to the barrier." Ezra muttered, gaze tracing every inch of the clearing.
Ciro stepped beneath the torii gate.
"You said this place has been abandoned for a while now right?"
"Yes. An old shrine. People used to come here to pray for good fortune."
The shrine itself was tiny— little more than a gate and a single miniature building no larger than a wardrobe. Vines clung to the wood, making it look as if it was born with nature too.
Gia hopped forward, trying to block Ezra's sightline.
"What are you looking at?"
Ezra immediately shifted his gaze away, which only made her more curious.
"Your eyes are your divine right? That's why you're always covering them?"
Ezra didn't answer. Instead he drifted deeper into the trees, Gia trailing at his side. The leaves here were orange— unnaturally vivid against the rest of the forest. The place felt peaceful, too untouched to have birthed a distortion.
"My divine is useless. I can see ash clearly but it messes with my other senses. Even my cos sensitivity."
Gia leaned into him with a dramatic groan. Loud, chaotic but endearing. Ezra never had a little sister, but if he imagined one, she would probably look like this.
"My divine is useless too… at least to me." Gia said, twirling in place.
"It's meant for somebody smart. Smarter than me."
She suddenly gasped and dropped to the ground. Ezra snapped towards her only to see her holding up a purple flower, smiling like she uncovered a rare treasure.
"Ciros super strong. He got promoted to a kinsman only a few years into joining the organisation."
She brushed the dirt off her knees and continued.
"Re's a genius. He's been trying to teach me… but it's just all too complicated. I think my brain actually melts."
She ruffled her hair in frustration, then marched ahead proudly as if nothing had happened.
Ezra watched her, an ache tugging somewhere deep inside.
So that's what Ciro meant on the train. She reminds me of Lyla…
"Can I run you through my thoughts?"
Gia spun around scratching her cheek.
"…I guess."
"Omi mentioned before, these distortions were supposedly taking people with them. But no one was around when it opened and there's no reason for anyone to come to a place like this."
Ezra pointed through the trees in the direction of Hanazaki estate.
"Distortions make convenient hiding spots. It takes a while for them to show up on the compass especially if they're constantly shifting scale."
A spark lit in Gia's eyes.
"Someone camped out here. Just outside the barrier?" She said proud of herself.
"Something like that."
"You know a lot about distortions…" Re's voice slid into the conversation from nowhere.
Ezra and Gia froze looking back at him surprised, not realising he had been behind them the entire time.
"It's rare for some our age to know so much about distortions."
Gia grabbed his shoulder, leaning in with laser intensity.
"…Gia, please. I have a girlfriend."
She stormed off. Probably a daily occurrence.
Ezra adjusted his glasses and glanced towards Re. They were yet to have their first real interaction.
"Maybe we should come up with our next move before we meet up with each oth…" Ezra failed to finish.
They were suddenly back beneath the torii gate again. Omi stood waiting, Ciro gone.
"What happened to Ciro?" Gia asked.
"He wandered deeper in, looking for more evidence."
Gia stomped her foot, digging it into the dirt.
"So he doesn't trust us huh…"
Ezra exhaled slowly.
Something was wrong. The shadows around the shine moved weirdly. Like it was circling prey. Ciro must have realised as well.
***
Ciro followed until he was far from the others. He stopped in a clearing of soft orange leaves.
"Okay Rena, you can come out now."
A girl rose from the shadows as if she was climbing from a deep river. Pitch black eyes, pitch black hair— except for the purple steak running through some strands.
"…you weren't supposed to realise." She muttered.
Ciro crouched with a long, suffering groan.
"Why did they send you? I thought they trusted me by now."
"I'm not here for you. You've got a new kid full of mysteries, and I'm a good learner."
Ciro stood, dusting himself off.
"Kid huh…Aren't you the same age?"
He smirked before waving her off, and headed back.
***
Ezra was still inspecting the shrine, running his fingers along the surface. No peeling paint. No rot. No weathering. Perfect even after years of abandoned. It reminded him of Pedro's stories about the east. Places built so well they lived forever.
"Oh Ciro backs!" Gia shouted.
Ciro stumbled out of the trees, scratching his head sheepishly.
"It was just a rat."
Everyone stared at Ciro. Re let out a soft, unexpected laugh and somehow that tiny sound broke the tension. Everyone chuckled with him. The moment felt lighter.
Ciro stepped over to Ezra and placed a steady hand on his shoulder.
"So, what's your read?"
Ezra took a breath, letting the responsibility settle. Ciro was giving a floor.
"I think something might be using unstable distortion to hide. Close enough to watch the estate without crossing the barrier. Tons of people in one place, easy prey. Or it could be waiting for someone with a higher cos to step outside."
Ciro grinned and gave him a wink before taking over.
"Then here's what we'll do. Station watchers around the outer radius of the barrier. Subtle ones. If anything moves I'll get to them first."
He turned to the younger sorcerers and ruffled Re's hair— earring him silent death stare, before pulling everyone into a huddle.
"In the meantime my brilliant apprentices will clean up low level distortions that are popping up around the island."
He bowed towards Omi, the gesture genuine.
"I promise, we won't let the ash take over Shia."
The group formed a small circle, hands stacked in the centre. Ezra felt a strange warmth, belonging to purpose.
"Hold on… let me add Dex." Ciro said, patting his pockets looking for his phone.
But before he could join back in.
"Pale Meridian!"
Gia and Re threw up their fists.
Ezra blinked, then lifted his hand too.
"…Pale meridian!"