6 - Departure

After a gruesome battle against the demon Ayimu, Kaika is healed up by her allies Peyton and Monoso, and they prepare for a task to help Kaika's progress with her Spiritual Pact.

Monoso’s POV

My right leg was fidgeting, going up and down to keep it from falling asleep. I was patient, sitting at the table of this abandoned warehouse hideout. I had insisted on having Peyton go and find Kaika, the warnings that my Pact Spirit, Slyph, had told me about Kaika’s encounter. It was set in stone that she is affiliated with the most powerful Spiritual Pact in existence, but she is yet too inexperienced to make the best beneficials come out of it. So, when I heard of Kaika’s encounter with Rank VI of the Death Keepers, it would only end with a definite loss. I had fought against this very same Death Keeper, and I do have trouble against such a demon myself. Hopefully Peyton would be able to fend the demon off in order to rush Kaika here for medical treatment, if that was necessary.

I anticipated this, it was her first real battle after all. So we don’t lag on trying to get Kaika back to moderate health, I began to set up the many extraordinary ingredients for a medical procedure. It wasn’t really real ingredients for actual medications, but ingredients from the Spirit World. It would be impossible to find the equivalents of these ingredients to real life items, but I am able to use them for beneficial results. Careful and rushing at once, I began to crush periwinkle-colored leaves in a small bowl, the leaves being a part of a Sanitatum bonsai tree. It was a restless process, as the slightest of mistakes would end in great troubles if it were used to Kaika-chan, who is in the worst of all conditions at the moment. If my timing on starting this process is correct, Peyton should arrive soon with Kaika right….about...now.

“Hey! Is the magic healing s**t ready! Kaika’s gonna roll over dead if you didn’t start!” Peyton’s rowdy and loud voice could be heard as the main doorway of this warehouse hideout was kicked open by the reckless blonde. It was expected, so I didn’t need to respond by looking or speaking. I only gestured him to come this way, finishing up the mushy solution of Sanitatum leaves I crushed in a bowl. Seeing my silent response, the blonde rushes towards the couch that was near my work area, and gently rested the girl onto the couch’s cushions.

“It’s almost ready, just keep an eye on her in case something happens,” I explained as I kept on working diligently. Peyton only grunted in defeat, crossing his arms, and sits at his “favorite chair.” It was a worn out lounging chair, which wasn’t really cleaned at all and still isn’t since we had this place as a hideout. I only roll my eyes to myself, and then finished up making the healing solution for Kaika. I don’t have much experience in the Living World medical procedures, but I can remember for a slight time that I trained in the Spiritual World to master my healing proficiencies. Leaving no room for mistakes or mismeasurements, I let a single drop of the mushy ailments make contact with each single wound on her body. That’s the gist of Spiritual World medical treatments, just using the right amount and right ailments is all you need to know. Sounds simple, but it is actually a specific requirement for the kind of pact bearer I am. Being the Spiritual Pact Bearer of the Forest, there are two types on how to use the pact’s power to your advantage. In my affinity, it’s either support attacks or major healing skills. I do some frontline combat, but my abilities aren’t that structured to work in the best possible way. That’s why I only stick around to heal others and give a supporting hand in enhancing the limits of my allies.

“And that should do it. I wouldn’t want to give her an overdosage of the healing ailments. Gladly, I can say that she will be fully recovered in about two days’ time,” I break the silence with relief, putting aside the spiritual medication on the table. Peyton gave off a nod, not being the type to listen to all details. After joining up with him for about a few weeks, I already figured out that all he would respond to, is the raw and prominent information. Simply, he just wants to get straight to the point.

“I think I have Luki’s number, everybody knows that Kaika’s living with her now...ever since that day. Just so they don’t freak out on where she is, I’m just gonna say that she’s staying over with me,” Peyton offered, taking out his cellphone and dialing the girl’s number. At least that’s productive, so no one assumes that there’s something fishy with Kaika.

“Of course. I have a feeling that we have to keep watch over Kaika closely. Miki is depending on us to watch over her until she finally gets used to the adjustments. It has only been a few days with the Spiritual Pact. I’m certain that the Death Keepers are persistent in killing her while she is possibly at her most vulnerable,” I brought up many things that will be first-priority, along with support information pertaining on Kaika’s given state in the situation. For Pact Bearers with the affinity of “Life Energy” is almost rare, only because of the requirement of high amounts of Soul Energy of an individual. Kaika happened to be the one out of trillions to have this condition, the potential for the pact.

“Yeah, duty calls. I heard you. We’re tight with our hands right now Monoso. Don’t you fricken’ forget that we have to recover seven pieces of spirit fossils too! Miki did say that she doesn’t have her own Spirit Shard yet, so…” Peyton kicked his feet up on the dusty coffee table, and raised his voice a bit to signify the importance of another task. Oh, that. If Kaika doesn’t have her Spirit Shard yet, she wouldn’t have a proper catalyst to shift into her Partial (and later on her Full) Mode quick enough. It is possible to activate Partial Mode through will, but takes longer without the support of her Spirit Shard. Yet, it’s impossible to activate the Full Mode as it needs full distribution of her Soul to happen. I would have to explain to Kaika later about Spirit Shards when she is ready for that task.

“That’s first-priority also, but don’t overlook that Kaika has yet to recover. Want her to be in pain when we help her forge the Spirit Shard from the spirit fossils,” I agree with him, and then point out that process of forging a Spirit Shard would be extremely painful for Kaika if she wasn’t rested properly beforehand. This is what I meant when he doesn’t pay attention to small details and just wants to be straight on the point with the obvious.

“Okay, so we wait for her heal up then we search for those spirit fossils. That’s all I need to know,” Peyton says to shut me up, and obviously says out loud that he doesn’t need the small details. See what I meant earlier. Not wanting to waste any breath or prompt him to speak out in his straightforward antics, I only let out a silent sigh, and then glance over at Kaika. She appeared to be asleep soundly, giving me the sign that the medication was already kicking in. That was one relief released in my mental state. I wonder if she is really up for the role of the Pact Bearer…

*~*~*~*~*

Kaika’s POV

After that huge beating I took from the demon b***h, I knew that I had to really focus on bettering myself mentally and physically. On a lesser part, my technique and skill was predictable and reckless, giving so many open spots to the demon to attack me. Secondly, I was shaken in fear and blinded by anger, respectively from the horrid sight of my friends’ “decorated” in the gym and the sadistic display that Ayimu appeared to me as. All I wanted to do right now was to go off on my own, and show that demon a piece of my mind. Then again, I haven’t done much productivity ever since I joined up with Peyton and Monoso. Plus, I need to get some experience of this Spiritual Pact and figure out how to out-play the tricky demon. I could tell from Miki’s absence throughout that fight, she knew that it was a lost cause to fight against a high-reigning demon at my earlier state. As much as I want to deny that being true, I have to admit it. I need to get a more clear understanding on what’s going on, or I would be just someone putting more unnecessary danger on everyone else.

I couldn’t feel my body at all, all I felt was numbness around me...it was like some mental hell to what I was physically. It wasn’t as painful as the time I thought I died protecting Kuro, that’s for sure...but it still hurtful to feel the pain ring throughout my body. I’m not sure how much time has passed, but I began to feel like all of that pain was being drained out, giving me relief as it slowly faded away. By the time all of that pain evaporated like that, I was able to open my eyes. My eyes wanted to snap back into the darkness, the bright light of the room was too blinding when I first wake up, but they readjust to this lighting. Then I realize what was going on.

I was back at the warehouse hideout, laid down on the couch in the middle of the main room. I remember Peyton saving me at the last second before I would be killed by the demon, and I assumed that he had brought me back here for recovery. My eyes dart over to where Peyton and Monoso were, seeming to discuss an important matter. I could tell, because it’s rare to see Peyton actually serious. This seemed to be one of those rare moments, you could definitely tell the seriousness in his face as he tried to settle something with Monoso. They haven’t noticed my awakening yet, but they must had been watching over me for a long time. I didn’t want to rest for too long, I still had other things to settle, like tracking down Ayimu! Determined to start my path again, I quickly sat up from the couch, but I felt every muscle in my body lock in high strain. The pain suddenly came back again, but for only a moment that I let out a small yelp while falling back into a lying position on the couch.

“K-Kaika!” Monoso gasped once he heard my yelp of pain, giving a dismissing hand to Peyton to stop whatever they were talking about. Quick to my side, Monoso helped me reposition to a more comfortable position, where I started to feel all of the returning pain go away. Maybe to check my condition, he covers his hand in bright green mists and holds it over my chest before rearing his hand away.

“It’s crucial that you get your rest, you’re still in bad condition. I managed to heal you enough that you wouldn’t be experiencing the worst conditions earlier. Yet, we can’t allow you to do anything wild until you’re at full recovery,” Monoso said to me solemnly, as if he tried to reassure me that it’s all for my own good. Oh, I think I got the point of “recovery” once all of that missing pain came back to me when I tried to get up. Plus, I’m guessing that he’s the medic in the Pact Bearer group, since Peyton’s just straight on attacking.

“Yeah...I’ve noticed that...thanks for telling me that…” I say in an almost sarcastic way, but didn’t want to be so harsh on my new teammates. If that’s the case...that is. I mean, both of them saved my life, or else my story could had ended early. Peyton with dragging me out of there, and Monoso with restoring most of my really bad wounds. Then again, there was one thing that I wanted to ask from the both of them.

“Actually...I’m curious about something…” I mumbled softly, trying not to sound weird in any way. I guess it would be bought easily, I was trying to recover after all. Monoso rose an eyebrow in confusion, and seemed to glance over to Peyton for any support. Peyton didn’t seem that all focused, him and eating a ton of buffalo wings again. Seeing that there was no answer from the blonde teen, Monoso let out a sigh.

“Yes, we were talking about something. It pertains on you very much,” Monoso let out the truth, seeing no reason to keep it from me. Yeah, it’s about me, so this is what I should listen towards.

“Go on, I’m listening,” I said again in that soft voice, but it began to raise a little due to my seriousness towards the topic.

“We’ve noticed that you don’t have an important asset on you...and I suppose that Miki hasn’t told you about it yet. Once you’re fully recovered, we will help you obtain your own Spirit Shard. Miki might have more accurate information on it, since it differs with different Pact Bearers each time. All that is relatable to every single Pact Bearer with a Spirit Shard, is that it helps distribute power to your Partial Mode, and it’s necessary to have if you’re going to access your Full Mode. I don’t want to drop too much details on you, so I’ll tell you as the time goes on,” Monoso began explaining that I really needed a Spirit Shard, which sounds like some artifact that Pact Bearers have to have with them. I wasn’t really set on what it could be used for, but it rung a bell once he said that it’s necessary to access my Full Mode. If I was going to get stronger, I needed that Spirit Shard as soon as possible...as soon as I heal up too.

“Oh...cool. I’ll keep that in mind...thanks for filling me in Monoso,” I mumbled to him, giving my understanding towards him, reassuring him that I completely listened to his words. He didn’t reply back in words, but gave a light smile as he stood up and went over to speak of some other things that were irrelevant to Peyton. I didn’t see much reason to stay awake anymore, that Monoso or even Peyton had anything else to spill on me and that I needed to rest myself into full recovery. Heck, I haven’t even seen Miki at all, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen that pact spirit anywhere. For a few minutes, I blankly stared at the barren ceiling above me, and soon, I was drawn into a more comfortable sleep. Drawn back to a confusing dream…

*~*~*~*~*

Falling into a dream-like state, I see myself falling through an endless void of darkness, so dark, I couldn’t see myself. It was just...pitch black darkness everywhere. Soon enough, all I could feel myself doing was darting my eyes everywhere. Along with the supposed absence of my body within this dream, the feeling of my body was also absent...gone. I thought this dream would be just this, just the darkness surrounding my absent body, just the color black all around me. No, this wasn’t entirely the whole dream...there was something else, taking a slow change to finally reveal itself to me. The dream was only beginning. A single ray of light finds its way to me, breaking apart the darkness everywhere. Very soon, the void around me became pure white, as if the ray of light had changed the entire dreamy sequence. The only distinguishable part of the white void, was the thick coat of foggy mist in front of me. I wasn’t sure what it was here for, since dreams aren’t really meant to have real world physics in them. Before I could continue to question myself on why I’m having such a weird dream, the mist in front of me begins to show a certain scene in front of me, and I started to retain my focus towards this mist. It wasn’t long until this mist began to show an empty grassland, with only a single dirt path that seemed almost unused for many years. At first, I thought it was going to play a scene that I would watch from this spot, but it wasn’t going to be like that. For what felt like a few minutes, nothing has progressed, changed, or even rewinded with the grassy scene I saw before me. Then I assumed that it was the opposite than what I thought it was before: I need to enter the scene and then watch it as if I was really there. Yeah...enter the scene, that was it. This mist could be some type of dream portal...heck, I’m not even sure what I’m rambling off to myself in a dream. There was no way that people, like Peyton and Monoso, would even hear me, hear my voice in this dream. It might be possible with Miki and the possible pact spirits of Peyton and Monoso, but that wasn’t my true concerns at the moment. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of “non-existent” dream air, I blindly plunged myself into the mist, and the wild transition of my five senses was quick and almost surreal.

Before I knew it, I saw myself in that very same grassy plain that I was standing in...but the only difference was that I wasn’t really alone. To my sight, I saw a man that seemed to be somewhere near Monoso’s age, his hazel eyes were drawing me in. As much as I’m in a relationship with Sota, this boy was just so...attractive...and perfectly lured my sight towards him. Wait...what the hell was I even doing? I had to be here in a dream for a purpose, and it wasn’t to stare like a drooling dog at this man. Yet...it had be sooner or later ‘till this man realizes that there’s a regular teenage gawking at his alluring figure. Moments continue to pass on, this man does not recognize that I was still staring at him in interest, and it finally came to me in a realization. My presence in this “dream” world was just like a ghost, a spirit, unable to interact with whatever is living in this world.

I should had known that, even if I had this Spiritual Pact for about a week now. Guess I might as well stick around this guy and see what’s going to happen next. If the dream world drops me right next to this man, then there had to be something really important that happens that I have to see it. As if I were watching a movie, I stayed silent and gave my full attention to this dream. The man gave out a loud sigh to no one in particular, and grudgingly treaded onwards on the straight dust dirt path in the vast grasslands. It seemed like it would be awhile in order for “something” to happen, this environment gave me the boring feel that was definite.

“When will all of this end?...where would I end up?...” the man spoke very clearly, as if he was expecting a reply or his own answers. Alright, I needed to think here. He was clearly alone, there was no one accompanying him. Yet, it was like he was talking to nothing but thin air. ….wait, that’s the key word. Thin air. That’s something...he wasn’t really alone. We both had to be related in some way, and it had to explain why I was experiencing a dream of some person of the distant past. It couldn’t be biologically, we don’t look alike at all. Then, it hits me right at the face, an obvious realization that I should had made some time ago when the dream began. We were both pact bearers. It had to be it, and that he was really speaking to his pact spirit for advice. I wasn’t so sure what pact he had though, if it were the same affinity as me. If it were, then Miki is definitely involved in it, she’s like some spirit that’s lived thousands of thousands of years.

“...yes, I know who I am. I know what I’m aiming for...but is it really worth it?” the man continues on with the “talking to yourself” act. It wasn’t an act though, and this confirmed it to me. He really is a pact bearer, that he was speaking to a possible pact spirit. Am I supposed to learn something from this dream? Learn something from this “spiritual” ancestor? Or was it answers to the whole origins of the “Shadow Replicas?” There had to be something, I know it. Or was it that I was too oblivious and dumb-founded to figure out what am I supposed to get from this whole experience? All I had to say for all of this...was that I was never so sure on what could be the answer.

Before I would begin to crush my thoughts with all of those questions, my attention was brought back to the dream’s sequence. Something important began to occur. I wasn’t so sure what was happening, but it definitely gave me goosebumps that went up my spine. It was similar to the horde of Shadow Replicas’ on the day of my parents’ deaths, many monstrous figures made of shadows arose from the ground to surround the lone man. Paranoia flooded in my mind, prompting me to scream out to warn the man. Then I was repeatedly reminded that this was a dream, I cannot do anything about it. The only thing that I was able to do...was watch this play out helplessly.

“...this again,” the man whispers in annoyance, signifying that he has run into this demonic creatures before in the long run.  His immediate reaction to the appearance of the shadow replicas started with the summoning of his weapon, a weapon that resembled a boomerang and a katana mashed together. The moment he gets his special weapon out, probably from a “Full Mode” activation, the action of the upcoming battle begins. When I expected gushes of blood to burst out of this man, assuming that the enormous force of the Shadow Replicas seemed too great for only one pact bearer. You could probably tell that I was absolutely wrong.

I couldn’t exactly guess on the top of my head on what he whispered silently, but as soon as I saw that magic crest of the Pact Bearers, this was a spell… In complete deadly brilliance, a synchronized set of powerful sparks exploded all around the man, pushing away the menacing threats of Shadow Replicas without a problem. Seeing the perfect chance to put in a critical strike at the Shadow Replicas now, the man throws the boomerang-katana with great accuracy towards the creatures. The weapon seemed to be stored with the same kind of energy that I use when in battle, but it appeared as if he had mastered using such energy. Not only one Shadow Replica was destroyed upon contact of the boomerang-katana, but a chain of Shadow Replicas feel. One by one, and I see why he had made sure that the creatures were in stunned in a circle around him. The moment the last Shadow Replica was defeated, the man held out his hand to call back his weapon to him, the boomerang-katana obediently coming back to his hand. As if nothing had happened, the man continued onwards on his aimless way, to a direction that I don’t know about. All I can specify is that it had to be very important to him...a true goal.

Upon that moment, the dream phase began to fade, the playback of this past event began to falter. I didn’t want it to end though, I wanted to know more about this “spiritual” ancestor, to figure out if he came close to truly defeating the threat so I could figure out what to do myself. Sadly, that wasn’t going to happen, the dream wasn’t really listening to my mental train of demands. Ignorantly desperate, I try to throw myself at the dreamy mist of memories, but like mist, I only go through it like air. Getting myself back on my feet after throwing myself, I turn to see that there was one thing that seemed different before the dream’s memory stopped. Upon my surprise (or expectancy), I see a girl try to catch up to this man, and I couldn’t tell who it was due to a straw hat shading the details of the girl’s face. It was definitely a young girl, either related to this man or a friend of his. The very last thing I experience before being thrown back out of the dream, back to reality, I hear the girl cry out to the man: “Please don’t go, Damiel…”

*~*~*~*~*

Escaping from the dizzy spell that the sleepiness has placed on me, I groaned with fatigue as I arose from the couch I was resting on. Makes me wonder how long I was knocked out, that dream felt so short but it was certain that time passes quick when you’re asleep in a dream. Almost forgetting about my condition, I sit up immediately, the missing pain came straight back at me. I didn’t want to cry out in pain again, not this time. I didn’t want to be the one that would succumb to the pain, I wanted to overcome it this time. My only response to the pain was the gritting of my teeth, forcing back the cries of pain that I would otherwise let out. As if that dream had special remedial benefits, the pain obediently listens to my mental cries, disappearing and fading back into nothingness. From there, I felt somewhat better, just sore. At least it wasn’t so serious as before.

Determined to obtain this “Spirit Shard” that Monoso had mentioned to me before, I carefully stood myself up from the couch, stumbling a bit but retaining my balance. To my legs (and pretty much the rest of my body), it felt like almost forever that I’ve got myself into action. Again, I fought against the soreness and pushed forwards. My eyes scanned the hideout’s main room to see that only Monoso was present, reading a book. Where Peyton was, I guessed he was training in the other room. Walking over to him, I was given a look of slight surprise from Monoso. He wasn’t really expecting me to be recovered that fast, given that he was the healer of the group.

“Kaika, are you...are you feeling better?” Monoso asked in concern, raising an eyebrow at me. His stare was serious, no time for jokes.

“I’m more than better, when are we heading out for that Spirit Shard?” I got straight to the point, I didn’t want to waste any time. Who even knows when that demon Ayimu would be out causing havoc again? For me, it was now or never.

“If you’re so sure that you can go, we can go right now. It’s not so far from here, and I’ll explain the rest of this to you on the way,” Monoso wasn’t so sure on my choice, but went with it anyways. I mean, I suppose he wasn’t trying to hold me back until it’s definite that my condition wasn’t fit for this. Except I was ready for this definitely.

“Just hold on here Kaika, I need to get Peyton. He’s still training in the training room, and he does get worked up and too much into his practicing,” Monoso added on, walking towards the training room to fetch over the blonde pact bearer. I just gave a blunt nod and watched him go, that I was alone for a short while. That dream repeated a little in my head, that cry of the girl to the man called “Damiel.” I must be connected to that man spiritually, it was clear we both had the same kind of affinity. Now it reminds me that I had something to ask Miki since that dream happened.

“Hey! If you’re around here Miki, can you come over here so I can ask you something?” I called out inside this large empty room, waiting for the sudden response of the spirit. Silence greeted me for a short time, but it was pushed away by the spirit’s presence.

“Yes, is there something that we must discuss? For your spirit shard as an example. I’m sure enough that Monoso would explain the matter as well as I would,” Miki appeared at my side, talking with an emotionless expression that tried to show reassurance.

“Yeah...you know about the dream I had while I was out?” I asked immediately, the wanting for answers was eating me up inside. I needed those answers.

“A dream?.....I do not know of such thing. Even if you explain the dream in detail, I will not be able to answer to your needs. Please forgive me for my lack of important information, Kaika-sama,” Miki spoke with no emotion, but something in my mind was warning me something. I’m not sure why...but is Miki actually trying to hide the truth from me? That pause in her words did not add up to Miki’s usual emotionless and blunt self. It just doesn’t make any sense.

“Are you sure?...I mean, that dream felt like a vision of the past...or something like that,” I had to make sure that Miki would respond in any way that felt like lying, so I pretended like I wanted to make sure.

“I am positive that I do not know of what dream or vision you may had experienced,” Miki bluntly waves me off, not giving me any other information that would benefit me. I’m not so sure if she was lying to me or not, but there wasn’t much else I could do that would show me that she was showing the truth or she would spill the beans. I let out a sigh, but I’m sure enough that something was off.

“Alright...oh, and Miki, just call me Kaika. No “sama” or anything related to that. Just Kaika. It’s a little more...natural for me,” I give up in my attempts to pry any other information from the spirit, and also add that I wasn’t so comfortable in being called “Kaika-sama.” I’m not really someone of worth to be called that. I was just a normal girl that was given spiritual powers because of a much wiser and powerful spiritual being like Miki. It should be me saying “Miki-sama” to her, but I wasn’t much a “honorific” user in the long run.

“That is fine by me...Kaika,” Miki agreed with a hint of struggle in her voice. It was the first time I’ve heard a change of emotion in the spirit, seeing that even the wisest of the Elder Spirits had trouble from going off of modest actions… It was actually a bit cute too, once I thought about it.

“I guess that’s close enough…” I mumbled to myself in some sarcasm. Miki only stared at me with blank curiosity. Guess she doesn’t know what sarcasm was in the first place. Soon enough, I saw Peyton and Monoso walking into the room, and it made me wonder what took Monoso so long to drag Peyton over here.

“Sorry if I took so long Kaika. Sparring,” Monoso sighed and seemed a bit tired out. Oh, guess that answers my question.

“Yeah, Monoso’s quite easy to go head on at,” Peyton grinned at me, twirling his beloved dual guns in both of his hands. Behind him, Monoso only shrugged in defeat, even he couldn’t handle Peyton’s readiness for battle.

“So I’m guessing that Miki’s gone told you about what was going on,” Peyton turned his attention to Miki, still talking in his joking voice even if it were a serious situation regarding my “Spirit Shard.”

“Not really, but just needed to get some details from Miki here. I didn’t really ask her about the Spirit Shard mission we’re gonna go on for me,” I merely answered, not even thinking of the dream anymore. The Spirit Shard sounded like the main priority at hand, so I might as well focus on it too.

“Yes, about the Spirit Shard task for Kaika… We need to track down those pieces of the Spirit Fossils quick with haste. I do know that some Spirit Fossils are appearing of the place called “Downtown” around these parts,” Miki explained to us, expressing her knowledge to us. At the same time, I also took in mind that Miki wasn’t so used to the modern world yet.

“Yeah yeah yeah, can we go and get this done so I know what to do?” I blurted out. I couldn’t help myself, the urge to get myself a Spirit Shard was rising if they kept on talking about it but not explaining to me what exactly is it so important. Maybe I was a little too sudden, because it took awhile for the others to come up with a great response to my blurting out.

“Alright, let’s head out. On the way, I’m going to explain why exactly you need it Kaika. C’mon,” Monoso finally breaks the silence, sighing a bit to himself. I felt a little bad for pressuring him, but it just felt like we needed to get this on the road soon before the anticipation kills me. Guess my devotion to get things done with a snap and Peyton’s bluntness is adding up stress for poor Monoso. Wasn’t much I could do to prevent it anyways. Following along with the crowd, I linger near the back as Monoso and Peyton took the front. As if she were trusting the two and myself on this task, Miki suddenly disappears from sight without any warning of doing that. I only kept up with the others, knowing that this was all being done for my sake in the future.

“Sooooo...can you start explaining the ropes about the Spirit Shard? We are getting me one, right?” I asked Monoso once I caught up to them, curious about why it happened to be so important at the time. I mean, I had to know first before actually getting one, wouldn’t want to break something that important that early.

“Oh, yeah. Almost forgot about that. It’s pretty basic. A Spirit Shard is a special artifact to be used by Spiritual Pact Bearers to help access their Partial Mode and later their Full Mode. And since in some time soon, you’re going to activate your Full Mode, we need to get your Spirit Shard right away. Here’s some things you have to know or else you might kill yourself in the long run. The Spirit Shard that you’ll get is linked with your soul, like your entire lifespan in a crystal form. Accidentally destroy that crystal, you go down with it. Just keep that in mind, there were one too many times where I almost destroyed my own Spirit Shard,” Monoso explained to me, happening to know a lot about it. I nearly felt myself gulp loudly once he said that I could die if my own Spirit Shard was destroyed or fractured in any way. It’s like you hold someone’s lifespan in your hands, and being a little clumsy, it’s a leap of faith for me.

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind, I swear,” I nodded and continued walking, following them out of the dump.  So this Spirit Shard is something to be excited for and to be watched carefully for, I think I could barely live with that in mind.

“Oh...one more thing,” I mumble without thinking about it, and I catch Monoso’s attention.

“And that is?” he rose an eyebrow at me with concern.

“Can I...just hold your Spirit Shard for a moment? I’ll be careful,” I asked, curiosity just eating me up to feel an actual Spirit Shard. In hesitation, Monoso takes a moment to think about it, and then gives in as he reaches in his backpack for the artifact.

“Here, just please, don’t kill me with it,” Monoso said with some fear, handing me what seemed like a diamond of vibrant green glow. I nod once and cradle the fragile crystal in my hands, it’s energy seemed so soothing and felt pure. I had to remind myself several times in my head that I was literally holding Monoso’s soul in my hands, that a single slip-up could actually kill him in the process. Before I would eventually do such a thing, I immediately and gently handed back the Spirit Shard to Monoso.

“You know...your Soul’s energy is...warm,” I commented on the experience as he puts the artifact back into his backpack.  A light smile appeared on Monoso’s face, and he opened his mouth to reply back to my subtle “compliment.”

“Hey guys! Sorry to interrupt the whole Soul appreciation, but we’ve got to move,” Peyton called out to us, already some distance away. He also took the liberty to tease us, as if Monoso and I had something for each other. For a moment, I blush, since I only wanted to comment on what I felt from the Spirit Shard and not in a way of flirting. Quickly, I gestured Monoso to catch up, heading towards Peyton across the street. Thank god for it being a quiet road, or else people would had saw the crystal. The rest of the way was silence, occasionally with the “guidance” of both Peyton and Monoso. Though, I wondered if this was going to be a simple task, if Ayimu was tailing us without our knowledge of it. All I could ever do until we get there, was to keep on going and hope for the best.