Diana stared at the man in disbelief.
What he just said was impossible.
No one, not even the greatest Caster in Laterano could replicate Mostima's Arts. It almost drove them mad at how unknown Mostima's powers were. Her Arts were not only unique, but they were also unknown. The Fallen did not use Originium to power her Arts. It was like she was getting energy from somewhere else.
Somewhere that Laterano was not able to identify. Not even Mostima knows.
However, not only did this man, who came out of nowhere, able to use one of her Arts - something that should be impossible - he even modified it to suit him.
As Diana was in her own world, Nian stared at her brother. She stared at him like she was trying to decode him.
What her brother just did was something that no mortal should be able to do.
The sensation that she just felt just now… The shivers still linger in her spine as she remembers it.
Mortals like to think that they could control time but in reality, most Arts in this world that claim to be able to do so were just lies. They just slow their targets.
But what Lin Ye just did.
He made time to kneel before him. The light around them slowed down, making the colour change. The sound was moving at a slower pace, making it almost non-existent. The only reason why the bird did not notice this was because she was going at the same pace. For a deity like Nian, it was clear that Lin Ye controlled time to his will.
He truly made time halt and made sure his enemies were conscious… They would kill themselves.
Why?
Because they would rather die than be in that world for even a second more.
Senses would disappear.
No light.
No sound.
Nothing.
The void.
A place that should not exist.
No one, not even immortals could stay sane in that world, no matter how strong their will was.
And the person beside her, he could send anyone to that world with just a simple gunshot near them.
Nian like to say that she was braver than most but even she was afraid of anyone who held such power at their fingertips. If she knew anyone with that power, getting as far away from that person was her first reaction.
Her very being was begging her to move.
However…
"Nian?" Finally realizing how quiet she was being, Lin Ye stared at her in concern. He gently placed his hand above hers on the sofa, "Did I hurt you?"
"…"
Her very heart wanted nothing more than to just stay by this man's side. The way that he worried about her even when she was a being that mortal could only dream of hurting.
But that did not matter to this man.
She was no god to him.
In his eyes, she was only Nian.
His self-proclaimed little sister.
And he was not a monster.
He was her Gege.
There was nothing to worry about.
With that realization, Nian's face finally softened.
"… It's nothing, Gege. I'm fine. I just had something on my mind," She reassured him as Nian gripped her hand, "You're here after all."
Hearing this, Lin Ye finally relaxed his body. When he saw how tense Nian was just now, he thought that he might have injured her in his little demonstration. Luckily she was fine.
After confirming that nothing was wrong, Lin Ye looked back at Miss Birdie and smiled.
"So? Are we going to continue this discussion or not here?" Although what he said sounded harsh, Lin Ye's tone did not match it. He was patiently waiting for Diana to get ready.
She noticed this as well. And only making this man more of an anomaly than ever now.
Who is this man?
Although she had a lot of questions for him, the overseer held it all back for now and dug into the bag beside her.
Both siblings arched their heads to see what was in it. After a while, Diana finally pulled out two things.
Both were familiar to the psychologist.
In both of her were staff that was owned by a certain Fallen.
"Those are Mostima's right?" Lin Ye asked, curious about why she brought the two staff.
"Black Lock and White Key. Those are their names," Diana looked at the two staff and explained, "They held mysteries that even their holder is clueless."
Lin Ye crossed his hand and hummed. His eyes glanced at the two and took in all the details that they had.
Black Lock had a circular frame at its end and was black. With how it reminded him of a lock, Lin ye guessed that was where its name came from.
The other was white and had a narrower end on it compared to its other half. With how it resembled some type of key, that must be the reason for its name too.
The longer that he stared at the two and clearer that they are more than they looked.
Looking away from them, he focused his attention on Mostima's Overseer.
"Did Mostima really just give them to you? They must mean a lot to her."
Diana stared at him and glanced back at the two things in her hands.
"These were the reasons why Mostima is like this now," Diana explained, "We tried to understand more about the two of them, but all came to a dead end."
Then she raised her eyes towards him.
"However, we do know one thing. They help us to communicate with it."
Even without Lin Ye asking he knew who she was referring to. With how forced she said the last word, it was like she was talking while biting broken glass.
"Abomination." Lin Ye stated.
"Yes. These two helped people interact with the being." Diana nodded.
Lin Ye finally realized how paled she was now just by holding the two.
"The council did a test on them," Diana explained, "They found that only Mostima was able to use them. They theorized the reason why this is, she was the only one that was able to use her unique Arts. The council tried to replicate her Arts but they failed. They never confirm this hypothesis because no one was able to replicate her Arts."
Then she stared at him.
"That was the case until now," Diana revealed, "You are the only known person who used her Arts."
Lin Ye hummed at this.
"You want me," He pointed at himself then towards the two staff in her hands, "To hold the two of them to talk with that Demon?"
Diana nodded.
"You're correct. If we know what that thing wants, we might be able to help Mostima in her condition," Diana finally showed her true plan.
Lin Ye thought hard about this. He glanced to his side.
"Nian? Is there anything suspicious about the two?" He pointed at the two staff in front of them, "Do you sense anything strange?"
Nian's eyes never left the two staff. She reached out to them and hovered her hand just above the two. She then gave each a quick grip.
Sensing there was nothing wrong with them, Nian glanced back at her brother.
"Everything seemed fine." She simply replied to him.
He nodded a thank you to her and glanced back at the two.
"Wait a minute."
Lin Ye was about to reach out towards them but was stopped by Diana pulling the two staff away from him.
He saw a confused expression on the bird woman.
"Is something the matter?" He innocently asked.
"Are you really taking this seriously?!" She harshly said to him.
This only made him even more confused.
"Were you not hearing what I just said? Only people that can use the same Arts as her can sense them. She…." Dian looked at Nina and back to him, "Is not like you."
Lin Ye nodded at this.
"So you're saying something will happen if I touch them?" He asked.
"Yes," She glared at him, "Are you still going to do this?"
Lin Ye thought about this and glanced back at Nian.
"You sure?" He asked her again.
Nian nodded.
Getting this reply, Lin Ye stared back at the angry bird in front of him.
"Is this really the only way we can help Mostima?" The Doctor seriously asked her.
This made the grip that she had on the two staff tighten.
"This is the only thing I could come up with," She shamefully admitted, "The council had already given up on her. So this is the only-"
"So let's do it then."
She was interrupted by his fast reply.
Diana stared at him in disbelief.
"… Why?" Her voice was barely a whisper as she asked this.
"Why what?" He asked back.
"Why are you helping her?" Diana finally asked.
This question was something she wanted to ask at the very moment that she met him.
Why was he doing all of this?
Why help Mostima?
What did he gain from all of this?
This man came out of nowhere but was now playing a big role in Mostima's life now.
Mostima, a person who guards her heart like no other, opened it to this man.
Why?
"… I think," Lin Ye smiled. However, his smile was not from her or to the girl beside him.
It was for him.
"I think Mostima is someone special to me."
"…"
Diana was lost for words.
She looked down at the two staff and back at the man.
Then she slowly held it out towards him.
Seeing this, Lin Ye reached out and gripped the two of them at the same time.
It happened instantly.
What happened after was something the two women will not forget.
The two earrings on his ear shattered.
And his body flopped onto the floor with a loud thud.
His heart stopped.
Silence.
Then, a scream.
"Gege!"
{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}
It was dark.
He couldn't feel anything.
He couldn't see anything.
He couldn't hear anything.
There was nothing.
Lin Ye should have panicked.
Screamed.
Wailed.
Anything.
However, he… did not feel like doing all of them.
The… nothingness.
It was… comforting…
However, it ended.
A voice echoed in the void
"-"
Lin Ye recognised it.
"Y-"
It was hers.
"Ye."
It was.
"Ye?"
A shake on his shoulder snapped him out of his daze.
Lin Ye looked to his side and noticed a hand on his shoulder. He followed the hand and stared at its owner.
His eyes widened at who he was looking up to.
"Mom?" This voice was almost lost in the wind with how quiet it was.
The woman was just as he remembered. The black hair that he got from her was as long and beautiful as he remembered it was. Her gentle eyes stared at him worryingly.
She bent down and rested her hand on his head.
"Something the matter? You were staring at the dumpster for a long time."
"Dumpster? He looked back in front of him and true to her word in front of him was a dumpster.
… Odd
"Did you forget something back at the hospital? We have to get it now. We won't be going there anymore."
"What?"
He did not understand what she meant.
"You are now allowed to go back now. Did you already forget?" She messed up his hair with a smile, "We can't have that. You can go to school now too. It will be your first day going to class too!"
"… I am healthy?"
"Yes!" She cheerfully answered, "Are you excited for tomorrow?"
Lin Ye looked back at the dumpster. His eyes lingered on it for a while before she looked back at his… Mom.
Lin Ye smiled at her.
"I can't wait."
{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}
A mother could be seen holding on to her son's hand as she guided the two of them back home.
What the two of them did not notice was just behind the dumpster that the son was staring at had a white cat sleeping peacefully.
That and a hooded man standing on a building.
"Hmm. It seemed he did not need White. His life does seem bright though. Let's see what life you will have now?" The man smiled as he watched the pair slowly making their way home.
"I can't wait."
{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}
Draft: Jaq
Proofread: Discord
Edit: Jaq
