The word lost has many meanings.
In that first Distortion before I met Pedro.
My mother's passing when I was young.
The pursuit of purpose.
But when a statement is voiced by a child, it is said to be in its most literal form.
"Im lost." the girl cried.
Tears travelled without restraint, as if she didn't fear her eyes becoming puffy, or becoming dehydrated.
Rena knelt down beside her, face softened— despite Ezra never seeing this side to her before it looked natural.
"It's okay, do you know where your house is?" Rena asked.
The girl sniffed, scrubbing her nose with her sleeve.
"I–I'm not allowed to g-g-go home."
Rena reached out her arm wiping the girl's tears with her own sleeve, giving her a big smile.
"Do you want to come back to the estate with us?"
She then leaned in closer, whispering out loud into the girl's ear.
"He looks a meanie but he's actually a superhero."
The girl looked Ezra up and down as he awkwardly tried to produce a smile; instead looking a little terrified himself.
"A super hero?" she wiped her tears.
"But my house is on the estate."
"How did you end up out here? Are you alone?" Rena asked.
The girl pointed to the trees, which gave no answers under the night sky.
"We were all together, but K-Kiro told me to run in the forest."
The grill gripped onto the seams on her skirt, looking down. Ezra couldn't help but notice the discomfort air was giving him. At first he thought it was his own anxiety but no it was something different.
"Who's Kiro?" he asked.
"My big brother."
The girl straightened a little, as if she had remembered something important.
"Hes really tall and strong. He was even chosen for the nine-tale."
Rena's smile was already docked, but the anchor behind her eyes was drawn. The face of someone who was unfortunately proven right. Even without looking, Ezra could see it.
- Hanazaki, Estate: surveillance office - -
The dim lights hummed, perfectly leaching over the widespread collection of monitors.
Ciro sat in front of the computer with Omi perched over him watching the screen.
"Sorry I didn't ask your permission first." scrolling through the files.
Omi let out a faint laugh.
"It's fine, Ezra told me earlier.
Ciro zoomed into a single frame of camera feed– an miniscule moment before the distortion opened on docks. The footage quality was barely visible.
"Then Dex said just to click— here.. And — boom."
The quality now near to perfect, highlighted a masked appearing and vanishing immediately with the distortion. His figure was large and narrow.
The mask was carved pale and dense, closer to bone than wood. Its surface was uneven. Its teeth were blunt and human, eyes long and narrow pointing down— not in anger, but something closer to exhaustion. A face that had already accepted suffering.
"Binko." Omi said without hesitation.
Ciro's face was equally confused and intrigued.
"You know who they are?" Ciro asked.
"No… but the mask it's Binko. An ancient god of poverty."
Omi immediately stood up — but the door swung open, as Ezra and a small girl entered the room, while Rena stood leaning on the door frame.
"Ezra?"
Mai sat wrapped in a borrowed coat by the time questions ended.
Although it didn't take too long for the story to surface; even through the girl's stutters and sudden shyness, perhaps from talking directly to Prince OPrince the first time.
The children had been taken to the mountains under the pretense of training, a decision even supported by their parents. A blessing. A privilege, they were told. Mai was the youngest out of a group of children, and her brother Kiro the oldest; the chosen one. The one chosen to inherit the Nine Tale Divine.
"Dont worry Mai, we'll find the others." Omi said gently, leading the small girl's smile of admiration to grow larger.
Though he attempted to keep a calm face his frustration was clear. Biting the corner of his lip. He kept his fist firmly clutched.
He rushed over one of the guards to show Mai to a room to stay in. Then smashed his fist into the metal table as soon as the girl was too far to hear.
"Takeo. He would never go against my fathers word like this." he said with soft rage.
"It seems the people have lost their faith. So much so they would damn their own children."
He gave a quick glance towards his guards before they all instantly scattered.
"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is the nine tale ritual?" Ciro asked.
Omi took a moment to regain his composure before going back to his usual tone.
"Nine children are souls bound to the chosen vessel, giving the user nine different paths of action for each movement." But he grew quieter the further he explained.
"This divine used to be the crown of the dynasty, making its user emperor. But the user would always die young, probably due to the human vessel not being able to house nine souls." He added as Ezra and Ciro listened intently.
Then left out a soft laugh— or maybe a sigh.
"After realising the dynasty can't be run by someone so close to death they chose to make change. Instead my family line became royalty, and the nine tale became nothing more than a weapon."
"So you decided to abolish the ritual?" Ezra asked.
Omi paused.
"No… it was my fathers decision, I'm just following his beliefs," he said.
Lord Hanazaki had passed almost a decade ago, leaving his only child to lead the dynasty through war. Despite his young age Omi managed to maintain the dynasties standing both on the island and in the East. Despite his standing, Omi was yet to take the title of King.
Suddenly one of the guards barged into the office.
"We have him."