There was only one pen, so we had to take turns writing our wills. I was the last to go. I propped up my knee and smoothed the paper over it, at an angle where no one else could see, and pretended to focus my eyes on it.

Of course, when it came to writing, I had to rely on touch and muscle memory alone. I’d just have to hope whoever read it could deal with some bad handwriting.

The first thing I wrote down was my speculations about the best way to survive this Fantasm World.

Then I wrote down what I wanted for my funeral. I didn’t know how they did it in Iyiria, and they probably didn’t know how we did it in Korea either, so I felt like I had to specify traditional burial customs. Except I didn’t have any living relatives to be my chief mourner and arrange the rites, and no one to serve the farewell meal. So really… I just hoped someone would burn incense at my altar before I was buried.

And of course, for my gravestone, there was a list of names that had to be engraved alongside mine.

Once I finished writing, I folded the paper and held it out to Veric.

“You want me to hold onto it?”

“Isn’t it nice? If something happens to me, you won’t even have to go back for my body.”

“Ha ha, very funny.”

“Also, you can keep it dry while moving underwater. Unlike me.”

Veric finally stopped arguing with me and reached out to take it.

I took the opportunity to lean in and whisper.

“Veric, it would be best to assume that this endeavor will go wrong.”

I let go of the paper and stepped back, expression neutral. Veric didn’t say anything. She tucked the paper calmly into her pocket, right alongside her own will.

We gathered up our supplies and cleaned our campsite to obscure our traces. While Luka was repacking the makeshift bag that had been made out of Acacius’ coat, I took the opportunity to reassess if there was anything I wanted to keep on my person.

In the end, I only took the compass and an extra net amulet from the sacrificial flow frame.

I wiped Professor Raoul’s name off the compass and went to Hanan.

“Hanan, do you know what this is?”

Hanan took it from my hands and examined the serpentine patterns inscribed onto the metal.

“This appears to be an artifact of the Scribe.” She pointed to the blank space on the compass where I’d written in names before. “You would need a special ink to write here and activate its effects.”

“Special ink?”

“Typically, one would use Scribe’s Ink, but substitutes can be made from other materials, so long as they have a connection to the Scribe.”

Was it weird that my blood worked on it?

I took the compass back with a sigh. “And here I was, thinking it might be useful.” I tucked it away into my pocket with a look of disappointment. “Do you have a way to find Ozias? It’s not easy searching for someone in these caverns.”

I wasn’t being unfairly mistrustful of Hanan, okay? She was an ally now, after all. I just… didn’t want to reveal any cards I didn’t have to.

Veric and Luka glanced at me at that, but thankfully, neither of them said anything.

“We should be able to find him by the signs he’s left behind,” Hanan replied. “But it may take some time. Is everyone rested and ready?”

At everyone’s affirmative answer, we set off.

Hanan took the lead. Veric fell back to walk by Luka’s side, leaning in to talk to him quietly, so I took the opportunity to settle next to Roxana.

“Roxana, what are the limits of your healing?”

“It depends on how much phaenescence I have. Something like replenishing your stamina is as simple as walking. But sealing wounds and regenerating body parts takes time, energy, and concentration. I’m also not at the level of regrowing limbs yet.”

“What about reattaching them?”

“I think I could do it if the limb was still intact. But I can’t do anything if you receive an instantly fatal attack… So you should protect your vitals. Luka and Veric might be fine, but you won’t be. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t have a good feeling about what’s coming next. It would be good to prepare in advance.”

After we exchanged a few more words, I went to walk with Hanan up ahead.

Every now and then, she would pull aside a patch of hanging moss to reveal a glowing sigil on the rock underneath. When she touched the sigil, it would dissolve into a stream of light that flowed in a certain direction before disappearing. As we followed their trail, the hidden sigils became brighter, perhaps indicating that they had been placed more recently.

Hanan’s familiarity with the caverns definitely shone through. Although I could see traces where people had passed through, I couldn’t guess where the next sigil would be hidden the way she could.

Thinking about what I’d seen in my vision, I said, “Hanan, how long have you been with the Broken Kaleidoscope?”

“Over five years now.”

“Then do you know about the visual catastrophe that strikes on the fourth day?”

“We have speculations,” Hanan said. “In this Fantasm World’s history, this island has actually been completely isolated from the mainland for around three months in an effort to quarantine itself from the catastrophe. Locking eyes with someone who has been affected by the catastrophe will inevitably end in your death, and contact with anything that has been contaminated will do the same. The current theory is that the catastrophe is a sort of epidemic that attacks and destroys the soul.”

“Does it affect all living things? What about inanimate objects?”

“Anything that is visible can be contaminated, and should not be looked at. However, the power of the Eye of the Kaleidoscope can resist it.” Hanan sighed. “That is why this island was so important. This is the breeding ground of the migratory Kalos Butterflies, whose eyes and wings are used to channel the power of the Kaleidoscope. Once they died out, there was no effective resistance against the catastrophe.”

“If they’re all so resistant, why did they die out?”

“Usually, body parts are collected from butterflies that have already completed the breeding cycle and passed away. However, due to the catastrophe, they were hunted on the mainland by people who wanted to live on longer, and their numbers declined. Once the catastrophe reached this island, the inhabitants here began killing freshly hatched butterflies as well. Therefore, under the desperation of the humans that once protected them, they went extinct.”

Wow.

Hahaha.

And I was supposed to trust people in this kind of situation? Fuck.

“Is it really feasible to survive the catastrophe just by keeping your eyes closed?”

Hanan laughed dryly. “At the very least, there is a higher chance than if you keep them open.”

We were so screwed.

I thought I understood what the [Last Genesis of the Kaleidoscope] was now. Unlike the other butterflies, it had been born blind. Because of that, if I had to guess, people targeted other butterflies first.

Eventually, only this butterfly was left — perhaps the last of its species. And once it died, any means of perpetuating the Kaleidoscope went with it.

In conclusion…

The [Last Genesis]’ wish was impossible unless the catastrophe was solved.

“How does the power of the Kaleidoscope work, anyways?” I said casually. “All these explanations are rather abstract.”

“That’s a bit of a complicated answer. Why don’t I explain more once the situation is addressed?”

“Well, it would be great, if we had the opportunity… Can you at least tell me why your organization is called the Broken Kaleidoscope?”

Hanan was silent for a while, and then she let out a melancholy sigh.

“Every Eye within the KP system has been extracted to Kosmonymia. Only the Eye of the Kaleidoscope has never been obtained, because this Fantasm World has never been solved.”

“And without that Eye, you can’t express the full power of the Kaleidoscope?”

“Indeed.”

She sighed again.

“After this incident, I wonder how much funding we will still have.”

I really felt like that was the least of our problems right now.

Soon after, a small golden light drifted out of the caverns ahead and floated in front of Hanan like a firefly. When she touched it, it expanded into a circular sigil.

Hanan spoke into it. “Ozias, this is Hanan. I have a lead on addressing the situation. Come as quickly as you can; don’t let anyone track you.”

She waved her hand over the sigil. It shrank back down and flew away.

“Ozias should be able to find us soon. Let us search for a suitable place to wait.”

We explored the nearby area before settling for a spacious cave with a mossy floor, blooming with blue flowers. The flooding water hadn’t reached the area, but the plants were still fed by small trickles of water flowing down the walls from the rocks. There were Kalos butterflies feeding here, blue wings blending in with the flower petals.

Hanan took a short metal rod from her belt sash and drew a glowing line across both exits of the cave, explaining that it would let her detect if anyone stepped across it.

“I will keep watch,” she added, pulling a glassy, orb-like artifact out from a necklace around her neck. “This is one of the Eyes, the Eye of Clairvoyance. It can be used to survey the area around you, so long as it has recently been seen by a living thing.”

“That’s a strange condition,” I said.

“It operates on the principle that the eye leaves traces of the soul’s power. It draws on that lingering power to manifest and ‘see’ an area.”

She held the orb between her hands and closed her eyes. A new perspective opened up, viewing the cavern from above Hanan’s head. My skin prickled under its cold and clear gaze. It was a familiar sensation.

The Eye that had been looking for us must have been the Eye of Clairvoyance.

But any potential traitor from the Broken Kaleidoscope would know how to use the Eyes, right? Hanan had told us so much, and not to mention, she was working towards a common goal with us right now.

So it should be fine, right?

I felt terrible.

I manifested [Caller] in my hand and ran my thumb over its blade to soothe my nerves while I waited.

After around half an hour of rest, someone entered the range of Hanan’s Eye. Ozias looked worse for wear, with stained robes and a cracked lens. He was carrying a torch-like device powered by a light crystal, and he strode forward with grim purpose.

Hanan’s Eye winked out of existence, and the cold sensation of being watched went with it. She opened her eyes. “Ozias is approaching.”

Everyone stood up. Veric stretched her arms, Roxana followed Hanan’s gaze to the cave entrance, and Luka placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Don’t worry, everyone,” Hanan said in a soft voice. “If anything happens, I have certain methods of my own.”

She didn’t explain any further.

Ozias soon appeared in sight. He stepped across the line at the cave entrance and walked towards our group, stopping a few meters away. When he let go of the torch, it stayed floating in the air like a lantern.

“Hello, Ozias,” said Hanan. “It is good that you could make it here.”

“Hanan.” He nodded curtly. “Who are they?”

“They are students who have the capability to solve our problems.”

Veric cleared her throat. “Hello, Ozias. I’m… Verica, a priestess of the Dragon Shrine. If you wouldn’t mind, could I use the Hierarch’s power to verify your identity?”

Ozias grunted. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you. Please hold still.”

She approached him just as she had with Professor Raoul, one hand over her sternum, and one hand placed over Ozias’ forehead. He had to bend down to accommodate the height difference. His eyes fell on the golden dagger at her waist.

Veric murmured a prayer, and blue light pulsed from her hand.

Ozias’ appearance remained unchanged.

“Satisfied?”

“Yes.”

Veric stepped back, deferring once more to Hanan.

Hanan smiled and turned to face us students.

“As I’ve said before, this is Ozias Reuter, a senior researcher with a deep background in communication systems. How about we all introduce ourselves?”

Behind her, Ozias flicked his hand.

“Cut.”

“Hanan!” I shouted.

Too late.

In a flash of blood and light, Hanan’s head fell off.

As her body tilted forward and fell, a set of copper-green beads the size of a peach pit flew out from under Ozias’ sleeves and arranged themselves behind him in a halo. With a gesture of his hand, an identically colored dagger flew back towards him, transforming back into a bead, and took its place in the halo.

Luka drew his sword and slashed at the halo, sending out a crescent arc of black aura. Veric lunged for Ozias’ arm, dragon claws forming around her hands.

Ozias blocked Veric’s attack with one hand and made a slashing motion with the other. A second bead flew out and cleaved Luka’s aura attack in two. As Veric came swinging at him with her other hand, he ducked and slipped behind her, snagging the golden dagger from her belt as he did.

Luka ran forward to Veric’s side. I tackled Roxana before she could do the same. The two of us tumbled behind a stone formation just as the remaining beads from Ozias’ halo shot out at us. In a series of catastrophic bangs, rock chips and dust fell around us. Roxana screamed.

“Roxana!” I pulled myself up, shaking her by the shoulder. “You’re the healer. You have to keep yourself safe before the rest of us!”

“I, I can’t heal a decapitation—”

“Then don’t. Forget about Hanan! What can you do now?”

Roxana took a few deep breaths. Then she pushed me away and got up, peeking around the rock.

She gasped.

Luka, Veric, and Ozias were locked in battle, so they weren’t looking at Hanan’s body. But they really should have been.

Three white circles had manifested above Hanan’s head. One of them was dim and cracked. From the second circle, a pair of unnaturally white hands emerged, holding a pair of scissors and a needle strung with white thread.

They reached out, too long and with too many joints to be human, and placed Hanan’s head back onto her neck, stitching it neatly back into place. The scissors snipped loudly as they cut the thread, and as the arms withdrew back into the white circle, it cracked and went dim.

As the circles disappeared, Hanan groaned and got up.

She raised her eyes to Ozias’ back.

Luka and Veric, catching sight of her, attacked Ozias with renewed vigor.

And so, unimpeded, Hanan lifted her hand and pointed at Ozias.

“[First Seal: Hierarch’s Favor.]”

Her voice reverberated like a temple bell.

“What?”

Ozias turned his head sharply. He backed away from his melee exchange with Veric, but she crouched and swept her leg forward to kick at the side of his knee. When Ozias dodged that, the tail of her dragon phantom followed in a larger arc and swept his leg out from under him.

Luka appeared by the falling Ozias’ side, stabbing forward with his sword. Ozias kicked into a horizontal roll mid-air, butterfly robes flaring as he spun, and sent all his beads to counter Luka’s following onslaught of sword strikes.

So when a pair of black swords appeared, one above Ozias and one above Hanan, he couldn’t dodge in time.

The swords fell, piercing through Hanan and Ozias’ backs. They both cried out, but not a drop of blood was shed. Ozias messed up in landing and fell to the ground.

Hanan spoke again.

“[Second Seal: Parallel Calculation.]”

A second pair of swords fell. Ozias howled, and his beads scattered. Hanan fell down to one knee, but her eyes didn’t waver, focused on Ozias with an iron will.

“Hanan!” Ozias roared. “Is this what you prepared to counter me?”

He held out his hand and caught a single bead that transformed into a thin sword. In the other hand, he held the golden dagger. Switching from offensive to defensive, he parried Veric and Luka’s attacks and put some distance between them.

Five teal cards flew out from his sleeve to hover in the air before him, flipping to face Luka, Veric, and Hanan.

Hanan spoke once more.

“[Third Seal: Communication.]”

Two swords fell. The cards flickered and stilled, and slowly, they faded away.

Ozias opened his mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came out. His expression changed rapidly, and his eyes grew cold and furious.

A green fire spread from his hands, covering his sword and dagger. He threw the sword out to land at one cavern entrance, where the fire spread to block it, and he moved to stand at the other. His actions were clear. He didn’t intend to let us go.

Hanan slowly sank down to both knees. She was breathing heavily, and beads of sweat rolled down her face.

“I can only seal three abilities,” she gasped. “Finish it quickly.”

“Thank you, Hanan,” said Veric quietly.

Without a moment more of hesitation, she charged.

Luka flitted after her like a shadow. Roxana couldn’t tear her eyes away.

“Roxana,” I said softly. “Focus.”

She took a deep breath, clasped her hands, and prayed.

“O lady of sorrows, who grants us succor and relief, take pity on these poor souls.”

A faint blue field of light rippled outwards, spreading to cover the cavern. The pain that had been plaguing me drained away like a dream.

Roxana bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Acacius, what the hell is going on with you?”

I said, “I need a favor from you.”

“What is it?”

“We need to get Hanan off the field so that she won’t be harmed in the fight. I’ll go, but I need you to keep your eyes on me from here.”

Without someone watching me, I couldn’t see what I was doing.

Roxana forced her eyes open and looked back at me.

She nodded.

“As long as you don’t die, I’ll bring you back.”

“Good. I’m counting on you.”

Even as I got up, though, I couldn’t get rid of the dread pressing down on my chest.

Something had gone wrong, as expected. Was this where I was going to die?

I didn’t know. Everything was out of control. But even so, I couldn’t afford not to act.

I watched the fight through their eyes, waited for an opportunity, and ran.

Chapter 29 Chapter 31