The city was a truly beautiful place. Now that the sky had darkened, automatic lights had come on, lighting the city in an unearthly brilliant glow. Off to the side, the lights reflected off the ocean’s surface. Avrai had always been known for its beauty, and for its costal location.

As they climbed up the hill, toward the capitol building they marveled at the beautiful architecture and the illusions it was capable of. Some buildings gave the appearance of bulging out in certain places, due to the lighting on it. Others seemed to wink in and out of existence, as their lights flickered on and off.

“Yes…” Collin said softly. “This is Avrai…”

“Was it always this… strange?” Tella asked. Collin nodded.

“It seemed stranger than normal right now because there aren’t people everywhere… So all this motion seems unnatural…” he paused sighing, “All these buildings weren’t here until about twenty years ago. It was then that Area made so many of its amazing technological advances that led to all of this.”

“Because of her…” Will murmured. “That’s when she moved…” no one was paying him any attention though, and failed to hear his words. Will sighed, gazing at one of the towers.  The wanderer watched the capitol building, unable to take her eyes off it. She lifted her hand and let her staff appear. She held it protectively. It was only then that she realized it was glowing with a greenish tint. She stared at it a moment, wondering what this could mean. All sorts of thoughts ran through her head, but nothing seemed to make any sense.

“I think something is happening to my staff.” She said. Her friends paused, looking at her strangely. The wanderer, seeing their confused expressions repeated herself. Again, her friends looked at her strangely. Slowly, Tella opened her mouth and spoke, but the words that came out were… a completely different language. The wanderer gasped, looking at them helplessly. They all began to talk, none of them making any sense. The wanderer clamped her hands over her ears. What was happening now? Demus spoke loudly through their noise. He seemed to be scolding them. They stared back at him, Will saying something but Demus just shook his head. Demus then turned to the wanderer and gazed at her a moment. He spoke something softly, pointed to her staff and then to the capitol building. He spoke one more word, and they all began walking again. The wanderer nodded slowly and followed them closely.

“Something’s gone wrong…” Tella murmured. “Whatever power Azrael had over the wanderer, the ability he gave her to understand us, has just broken…”

“It’s because we’re so close to Her.” Will said.

“Her?” Tella asked. Will nodded.

“Minerva.” He answered.

“Minerva?” Demus asked. “What are you talking about? She ruled over Iyokia… And wasn’t she supposed to have died?”

“She didn’t die.” Will said. “She moved here… Twenty years ago.” They stared at him as they walked. Will looked down at the ground avoiding their eyes.

“How can you know that?” Tella asked. Will closed his eyes and didn’t respond.

“Ugg… You.” Tella grumbled. They were quickly approaching the top of the hill. As they drew nearer the building Demus paused, frowning. His ears were beginning to ring again. He winced at the almost painful sensation. It was the same kind of ringing he had gotten from looking at Will, though, he hadn’t felt it today. But now…

“Look!” Collin cried out, rushing toward the door. They all ran up to the doors, and stopped behind Collin. Long gouged letters had been scratched into the glass. It read,

COME

Collin shivered.

“This is Mahito’s handwriting.” He said quietly. They stared in silence at the word.

“This is a trap.” Demus said.

“I agree.” Tella nodded backing away, “We can’t just go barging in.”

“No, we have to go in.” Will said stepping forward.

“We’ll be killed!” Tella squeaked. Will gazed at her smiling slightly.

“That’s never stopped you before, has it?” Tella paused at his words and looked away. Will closed his eyes and continued.

“Besides, we have something that she is afraid of.” He said, looking over at the wanderer. “We have the talisman of the heart. The only thing that can hurt Minerva.”

“Hurt… her?” Demus asked. Will touched the glass door.

“…Kill her.” He corrected softly. With that, he opened the door, and stepped into darkness.

 

 

Collin recognized the dark lobby. They stepped in, making soft clunking sounds as they walked across its marble floors. The sounds echoes off the wall hard walls, giving the whole place a cavernous feel. If it had been well lit, the room would not have been as creepy as it was. The decorations were pleasing to the eye; beautiful golden and blue tassels hung next to Arean crests on the walls.

“Which way….?” Tella asked softly, almost afraid to speak. No one answered, but they all looked down to the doors at the far end of the hall.

The wanderer took the lead, stepping carefully, leading them toward the double doors. Demus and Collin and Will followed her closely, while Tella hung back. She glanced around the room as she walked and shivered. She had expected to feel the overwhelming power of Arean around her, but she couldn’t feel it at all. Instead, she was feeling a strange almost alien power in the air.

The wanderer paused only a moment as she opened the doors. Peeking in, she was met by a long winding staircase. The wanderer frowned, and spoke, though no one understood her. She sighed and stepped through the doors.

“We have to go up?” Collin asked.

“Yes.” Will said as they began to climb. After a few minutes of climbing, they had expected to see the end, but instead, the only sight that greeted them was more stairs.

“How far up are we going?” Demus asked.

“I don’t know…” Collin said. “I’ve only been on the first floor.” They continued up as quickly as possible. Tella was still stuck in the back, frowning as she contemplated something. She sighed and almost reluctantly reached out and touched Will’s arm in front of her. He turned around blinking.

“Hm?” he asked, walking slower to let her catch up.

“Will,” she began softly so the others couldn’t hear, “Will, you… you won’t leave us, will you?” Will paused, frowning.

“Leave you?” he asked. “Why would I leave you?” Tella looked down, unwilling to meet his eyes as they walked.

She’s like a child… Just like… Will paused a moment as a realization stuck him. Just like Fairien can be sometimes. They are very… similar.

“I won’t leave you.” He said quietly. Tella smiled, feeling a little stupid, but feeling better despite it.

“If you die I’ll kill you.” She said. Will rolled his eyes.

“Why are you worried about me? It’s the wanderer you should be worried about.” Tella smiled again, shaking her head.

“I think… I think there’s more to you than meets the eye.” Tella said.

“You’re just getting that are you?” Will asked. 

“Shut up idiot!” she said fondly.

“I see a door.” Demus said from the front. “We must have reached the top.” They all climbed up the last of the stairs and grouped around the door, pausing before opening it.

“If we open this door we commit ourselves.” Collin said softly.

“We’ve already committed ourselves.” Will responded.

“That’s true, but after this, there is absolutely no turning back.” Collin said.

“We couldn’t leave.” Demus said.

“Yes but…” Tella sighed, “We don’t know what we’re here for.”

“I think we’ll find out soon enough.” Will said, reaching for the door. As he did the wanderer reached out and grabbed his hand, stopping him. Will looked up at her, pausing. The wanderer smiled back at him and then looked out at her friends.

“Tella,” she said, turning to look at her, “Collin, Demus,” she looked at each of her friends in turn, then looked back at Will. “Will.” she finished. She opened her mouth to say something more, but stopped, remembering that they wouldn’t understand her. Slowly, she nodded and took her hand away from Will’s arm. He nodded, and turned the handle, opening the door.

 

 

The wanderer jerked back, feeling an unexpected blast of cold wind blow across her skin. She cried out, realizing that it was air from the outside, and they were on a roof of sorts. It was a large roof, with glass walls, surrounding the entire rounded building, forming a dome with a large opening at the top, through which the wind was coming. As the wanderer brought her eyes down from the opening she spotted a lone figure standing in the exact center of the round roof. Immediately, she recognized the figure as Mahito.

“Hey!” Tella shouted, “Hey, Mahito, mind telling us what’s going on? Where is everyone?” Mahito did not move.

“I would suggest caution Tella.” Demus muttered as they slowly moved forward.

“Caution? Huh.” Tella growled lowly, taking out her staff.

“What’s going on here Mahito?” Collin said angrily. “Where are the people of Avrai?” Mahito’s eyes closed, but beyond that he did not move. After a long paused he slowly answered,

“In Avrai.” He said quietly.

“In Avrai?!” Tella shouted, “Don’t lie to us! Stop acting so weird and tell us what’s going on!” she shouted, growing angry. Mahito remained motionless. With a final growl, Tella ran forward, holding her staff out in front her, building up a powerful spell.

“Tella!” Demus shouted, as everyone watched, too late to stop her. She jumped up, ready to bring her staff down, but just as before, Tella found herself suspended in the air, unable to fall and unable to move.  She moaned, angry that she had fallen for the same trick again.

“Idiot!” Will shouted, rushing forward.

Stop! Fairien told him loudly. Will found his legs jerk to a halt, glued in place. He gasped at completely helpless feeling spreading through him.

Fairien! He cried.

Just a minute. You can’t go near Mahito.

But! Will tried to move, but by that time, Tella was being lowered. Slowly her legs touched the ground and she crumpled to her knees, scooting back. Demus, Collin and the wanderer ran past Will, pulling Tella back.

“Th-There’s something here…” Tella stuttered, her eyes wide as she stared at Mahito. “Something really powerful… All around him.” Mahito suddenly moved, his knees bending as he fell into a sitting position. Slowly, he moved his hand, taking something out of his cloak. Demus gasped upon seeing it.

“The mirror.” Collin whispered. Will shivered, remembering Fairien’s warning. Looking closer at Mahito, Will could see beads of sweat, rolling down his face as his eyes stared emptily ahead.

“He’s looked in.” Collin gasped.

“I’ve done more than look into it.” Mahito answered softly, his voice taking on power. He smiled darkly, his smiled still tainted by the emptiness. “… She’s here.”

“She…” Demus frowned. “Minerva…?” Mahito nodded, straitening his backbone.

 “What do you mean?” Tella asked. Mahito shrugged and moved his hands to the hinges, tracing the lines of the mirror.

“What do you mean? What do you mean?…” he chanted softly. “Ask the boy. He knows.”

“The boy?” Tella frowned, looking over at Collin. Collin shrugged and looked back at Mahito. Mahito laughed and shook his head. Will frowned, shivering again.

“Where is Minerva?” Demus asked, “Is she here?” Mahito’s head snapped up as he stared at Demus. Slowly, he drew himself up, standing to watch them.

“Of course she is.” He said nodding, “You will meet the dictator soon.” He raised a hand. A moment passed and nothing happened.

“What are you doing Mahi-” Tella began, but stopped as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. The wanderer stood, watching Mahito with the rest of them, but as Mahito had raised his hand, the air around her began to thicken. She hadn’t noticed it at first, but now the air was closing around her, crackling with power, choking her. She tried to free herself, but found that she couldn’t move. Mahito smiled as she fell to her knees.

“Don’t touch her!” he warned to others, who had gathered around her. “Or you will suffer.”

“Wanderer!” Tella shouted and cursed, turning to glare at Mahito. “Don’t you dare kill her!”

“I do not relish the deed of murder,” Demus said drawing his sword, “But in your case, I might make an exception.” Mahito sighed, angrily shaking his head.

“You’re all idiots.” He said. “It doesn’t matter what you do.” He dropped his head, fingering the mirror again. “She won’t die. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t kill the wanderer. She just needs to be kept safe…” he waved his hand and the wanderer fell all the way to the ground, her eyes closing as she slipped out of consciousness. The air around her continued to crackle.

“Mahito, would you at least make an attempt to make some sense?” Tella growled.

“Be quiet Tella…” Collin murmured. “Something’s wrong with him…” Mahito drew back, eying them a change coming over his features. He then bowed his head, like a child.

“I have to set the stage now.” He murmured. “So, stand away from the walls.”

“What?” Tella asked. As she finished speaking, the glass walls jolted, the dome slowly moving apart. It blossomed, the walls splitting off into sharp petals, splaying themselves open to the sky. The wind rushed in, stronger than before. Mahito watched the walls as his long hair blew across his face. He then turned, gazing at each of them.

“What are you doing?” Collin whispered.

“I don’t have a choice anymore.” Mahito said softly. “I don’t think I would bring this if I did…”

“What choice?” Tella shouted.

“You’re going to summon Minerva, aren’t you?!” Will asked glaring at him. Mahito nodded.

“That’s all I’m good for…” he said quietly.

“Summon?” Demus murmured in amazement.

“Mahito,” Collin said, stepping forward slightly, “How can you have no choice? What are you talking about? Of course you have a choice! You always have a choice!” Mahito brought his eyes up to Collin’s, glaring at him.

“No.” he murmured, “… I have no choice in my sins.” Collin gritted his teeth in anger.

“How dare you say that! Everyone has a choice in their sins! That’s what makes them sins!”

“Well, I’m not like everyone else!” Mahito shouted, “…I’m just…” he paused, “I guess you deserve to know… The truth is, I’m just a genetic project. Started by the government… It was called Project A…”

“Project A?” Collin asked. “So what. What is that?”

“ I was trying to find out more about the project when I bumped into you all at the labs… I destroyed the labs, hoping that I could trigger a backup operation…”

“A what?” Tella asked softly.

“Back up operation- when a system of computers are destroyed, such as those in the labs, all the information is sent to the central database, even secret files that could not be accessed previously… That’s what I was hoping for… And that’s what I got.” He sighed, continuing, “Project A was created to be a container and a summoner… For Minerva, the Mind of our World.”

“I see.” Tella said, “Since Area doesn’t have royalty to be summoners they had to create a person themselves that could manage it…”

“So, that’s what you are?” Demus asked.  Mahito nodded.

“My body was created to hold an immense amount of power… That’s why I can summon magic with my hands. That’s why I can do things that no one else can… But a lot of stuff has gone wrong,” he sniffed. “I’m not a very good container. Whenever Minerva comes near me my mind goes wrong…” his voice was young sounding and his words had become childish. “… Bad things… happen.” Demus frowned at the changes Mahito was going through. It seemed that with each new minute he became someone else.

 “What exactly would you contain?” Tella asked softly, though she already knew the answer.

“He would contain Minerva herself.” Will murmured.

“You don’t have to summon her.” Collin said. Mahito’s head snapped up as he glared at Collin.

“Of course I do.” He said angrily. “I have no other purpose! Would you deny me that?”

“You don’t deserve a purpose!” Collin spat back, “besides, what good do you think bringing her here will do?” Mahito rolled his eyes.

“That’s not for me to decide.” He said. “It’s not my choice anymore… She’s here… Around me…” he dropped his voice and said quietly, “Inside of me…” he closed his eyes. Will frowned, suddenly feeling pity for Mahito. He knew how it felt to have another spirit within his own… He shuddered, realizing how terrible it would feel if that spirit were unwelcome.

“I’m sorry…” Mahito said softly, “I’m sorry to all of you… and I’m sorry…” he opened his eyes and looked over at Collin. “I…” he began. Collin jerked his eyes downward.

“Shut up.” He hissed. Mahito flinched but nodded slowly. He stepped back and as he did, they noticed a slight blue glow beginning to build around him.

“I think I’ll have to break my promise…” he said, “This is going to hurt the wanderer, now that I think about it…” he said and closed his eyes. The wanderer cried out suddenly, her eyes snapping open as the air around her crackled. She curled her body in pain, gasping.

“Mahito! Stop it!” Tella screamed.

“He’s going to kill her!” Collin gasped.

“We’ve got to get her out of there… but-” Tella stared wide-eyed at the mass of crackling air around the wanderer. She cursed helplessly.

“Oh,” Demus gasped as he remembered something. He looked slowly down at his sword, and then, looked at the wanderer.

“If this truly is the talisman, then maybe…” Demus gritted his teeth and jumped forward, charging his sword and thrusting it into the mass of crackling air around the wanderer. The energy sparked, running down the sword, hitting it and throwing Demus back. He shouted, falling back, as the sword was ripped from his hands.

“Demus!” Collin shouted as he and Tella ran to him. Will watched them, standing back. Somehow, this all didn’t seem real. It was as though he were watching it all play out before him, and he was unable to take part in it.

“Demus, are you okay?” Tella asked, pulling him up. Demus nodded, looking over to his left. The sword lay, a few feet away, broken and charred. The wanderer gasped a last time and went still, her eyes staring forward blankly. Mahito laughed softly, sadly. They all turned slowly to look at him. His pupils had contracted until they were almost dots within his eyes. He stepped toward them, moving close enough so that he could look down on the wanderer.

“Poor little child.” He whispered. “Her very existence is hanging in the balance, because the Soul has no power here.”

“Mahito…” Tella murmured, staring at him fearfully.

“That’s not Mahito.” Demus said quietly. Will nodded, staring coldly at Mahito’s figure.

“You’re correct.” Mahito said, turning to face them. “I am Minerva.”