I walked out of the guest room, Arin just didn't know that the White Mage was doing this for a better world, a fair world, a world ruled with discipline and respect for others. She was too young to understand the meaning of this world, 'eat or be eaten' are the rules in this game called life. I sighed, and walked toward Vieren.

"Ah, hello. Are you here to help with the master's research?" He asked me politely with a small smile.

"My name is Vieren, Aurora's minor magician. I'm a minor, but you never know what will happen. Ha ha ha!"

"We could always use an extra hand. We mainly need substances related to light. Could you help us get materials from the Neon Bats? Great! Then I'll leave this up to you."

"Why can't you get those yourself? Are you too lazy to hunt down some bats?"

"Hm? Oh no, I'm not being lazy. I'll be... Brushing up on my magic skills! Yeah..."

Like someone that stupid would believe in that lie.

I went over to the forest, and hunted down those Neon Bats. "Ugh, they look like ugly black pigs on wings."

I took those faint glowing substances, and placed them in my bag, let me just say this. I wasn't eager to grab something that looked like manure with magical particles emitting from it. More or less from a pig bat.

"Thank you. This will be a big help for our researchers. I hope one day that they will at least have half of the knowledge our master has."

"If it's okay with you, can you please do Mars a favor? I know you two don't get along, ha ha ha."

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen the White Mage around lately."

"Yes, he has been working harder in his experiments since a month ago. Nobody but the chief magician Mars can go in the master's laboratory."

"Good. you can go ask Mars what he needs. I suggest you two become GOOD friends. He'll hook you up with all kinds of perks around here. I'm sure!"

I went to Mars as Vieren suggested. He was a nice guy, maybe too nice? I don't really know.

"Do you need help with the research?"

"What? Are you helping out with the research today as well?"

"I can't read your thoughts at all. What good is for you to be in this place?…Well, it's not such a bad thing for us."

"There are strange crystals in the forest at the back of the temple. If you break it, an unknown mass of light comes out. Can you gather up the materials found in these crystals?"

"Master does not care for wealth nor fame. He's above materialistic concerns. One day, he'll do great things."

I went off to smash those crystals. I started to smash one of them, suddenly a small glowing creature came out of it. It looked kind of cute, and I didn't dare to kill such things. It looked like it wanted a hug or something. Then it started to attack me. "How, looks can really deceive.". I took out my gun and shot it several times, grabbing those crystals, I went off to Mars.

"Did you get them all?"

I nodded my head.

"Hm... Actually the kid named Arin cam by here earlier."

'Arin? Why on earth would she want to talk to Mars?' I thought about it for a moment, when the silence was broken.

"That child bore a strong hatred towards the Omens. She came to me several times a day and asked me when the Omens could be eradicated. It was troublesome, so I told her bluntly… That's what's troubling me right now."

"I regret saying that to the child. Can you give her these for me?"

He handed me a bag of special magician star candy.

"Children loves sweets, don't they? I hope she cheers up."

I back to the room and went to find Arin.

"…? Where did the kid go?" My eyes scanned the room, there was no sign of Arin, only the letter that was on the bed.

I opened it and saw the untidy handwriting, it was probably Arin's.

'To Mercenary,

I heard it from Mars earlier. The Omens weren't that big of a problem, he said. The Aurora needs to pursue a much more bigger truth, and that's why they can't focus on problems little as this. I don't understand what 'bigger truth' is. My goal is to take out the Omens. Whenever I picture the day that my mom and dad died, I can't sleep. That's not a small problem. Even if I'm alone, I'm going to investigate places near here. The Omens appeared much more frequently especially since last month. Don't worry too much. In case I don't come back, I'll just say it now. Thanks for everything.

Best regards,

Arin.'

"That stupid kid…!"

"Wh-what's that? I've never seen such a big omen!" Arin trembled at the size of the Omen, it was at least two times bigger now, but was that even possible?

"…! No way!"

"This is bad. I have to go back and tell mercenary…"

'I'm going to go search for Arin, she couldn't have gotten far.'

I went out and saw numerous Omens around me, I started to shoot them. I saw Arin lying on the ground and knelt beside her. "Are you okay? Do you need any health potions?"

"Mercenary… Run. It's dangerous." She said weakly.

"I took care of the Omens. Relax."

"Mercenary, Get out from 'there'..." She passed out. I started to carry her back to Aurora.

"Asleep, huh. How many times do I have to save you, little bugger?" Arin is breathing, but is hot as fire. I couldn't do anything but watch.

"Perhaps… No, let's not think gloomy thoughts. Let's just keep her under watch."

"She's not waking up, what time is it? I'll keep an eye on her. She'll wake up soon."

'Time sinks heavily.'

'Come to think of it, the kid was trying to tell me something before.'

'What could it be?'

"Omens… and a month passing by…" I whispered to myself.

'…!'

'Suddenly, the light bulb lit up inside my head.'

'The information was piecing itself together.'

"Why are there so much Omens here? Is it because of the darkness?"

"The Omens appeared much more frequently, especially since last month."

"The White Mage has been working harder in his experiments since last month"

"I haven't seen… such a big Omen…"

"Mercenary…Run."

'Years passed since the White Mage began his experment in the Aurora.'

'Years also passed since the first Omens appeared.'

'A month passed since the White Mage locked his door and immersed himself in researching.'

'A month also passed since the Omens increased in number around these parts.'

'How did I not figure this out sooner?'

'The words the White Mage said to me came to mind.'

"I am someone that wants to climb over the wall"

"'The ultimate light can only be found in the ultimate darkness.' Is this what you meant, White Mage?"

"I can feel my blood going cold. Of course, jumping to conclusions is off limits. But I feel confident about it."

"If my guesses are correct, I have to stop the White Mage's research immediately. But, I have to confirm something with the White Mage himself before I do it."

"The key to the locked door of the White Mage's laboratory must be in the chief magician's hands, Mars."

I went to Mars to confront the master.

"I'm sorry. Elphidos, I didn't think the problem would get bigger. Yes? You need to meet the master?" He looked at me.

"I can't let you do that. Master is immersed in the final research."

"Let me see the White Mage." I said sternly.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you disturb his research. If you disturb him now, everything will go back to the beginning. What is the reason you need to meet him now?"

I started to blurt out the whole situation about the Omens.

"…! What? What did you say just now?"

"The White Mage needs to stop his research right now."

"Omens were the shadows created by the immense research done by the White Mage. If he stops now, the problem won't get bigger."

"Please stop jumping to conclusions. There's no way that's possible!" Vieren didn't help in the White Mage's research, so he doesn't have a clue about what he was doing.

"If you think I'm wrong, contradict me, Mars." I replied confidently.

"To be honest, I knew about it."

"The 'Omens' you talked about, I knew that they were side effects from master's researches. I knew from the substances that the child gave him."

"No way… Chief magician, is that true?" Vieren asked Mars in a worried tone.

"Did the White Mage himself know that truth? …He must have known about the sacrifices of numerous people because of the Omens and yet, he continued his research?" I started to feel my blood boiling. How could he do that! Even to his own people!

"It was unavoidable. As the light grows stronger, the shadow increases in size. Using the corrupted world as a sacrifice, a better world could be made… Those were master's thoughts. That's why he began to push himself harder." I knew it, he wanted to follow him until the end. He felt the same way about the world as me.

"…I'm sorry. I just wanted to believe in master until the end." Exactly what I thought.

"Open the door now. If you don't, I'll do it by force."

"If you come out that way, I have no choice but to stop you." Mars got his staff ready.

"Ah, stop the fighting, both of you!" Vieren shouted.

"Its loud out there." The White Mage emerged out of his laboratory with a unstable aura following him.

"!"

"White Mage...?"

'The words that came from the other side of the room sent a shiver down my back.'

'Was that the voice of the man I knew?'

"I succeeded, and at the same time, I failed. I researched about the light as I violated taboos. And finally, I was successful in climbing over the wall."

"However… there was no such thing as the ultimate light. It was not because I couldn't reach it, but it just never existed in the first place. As long as there is light, darkness existed alongside it."

"However, the ultimate darkness existed. This is the conclusion I've reached."

"…!? Master, what-"

"Open the door right now, Mars! Let's go in the laboratory!" Vieren and Mars followed me towards the Laboratory.

'….!'

'As if roots wrapped itself around my body, I couldn't move.'

'Everyone there knew immdiately.'

—'That' was no longer human.

"…Haha, master…?! What is…?! If you're trying to suprise us, please stop. It's not fu—" Vieren said

"…! No, Vieren! Everyone get out!"

"White Mage, stop! You can still come back!"

"It's too late."

The darkness consumed him, and the White Mage disappeared.

'…I can hear the rain.'

'My body… can still move.'

'How long was I out?'

The birth of the Transcendent of Light.

"He has been devoured by darkness while researching the ultimate light."

"The power of light was too deep and wide. We felt like children who reached their hands up to touch the sky. We were powerless, like the paper boat that was thrown away to the open sea… Only if we had stopped there…"

"Since I don't know when, I found out that master was breaking the taboos. I knew his ways of researching was wrong, but I wanted to trust him. I was curious of the world he would show us. About the things that were over the light."

"It's too late to feel regretful now… *Cough, cough* I have a favor. Please stop master. Who knows if we could still turn him back?" Mars said weakly, as he took in his final breath.

"Is it the end…? I'm sorry…."

"Haah… I can't see. Is there someone there?"

"It's you. Haha, I said so before? Life is a comedy which you can't figure out the future. I'd never thought that my last moments would be caused by the Magician of light… *Cough, cough*"

'He's not in good condition, it might be a miracle that he didn't die.'

"Kate… I'm sorry. And to our child who hasn't been born yet…" He smiled as tears dropped from his eyes, his breath slowed down. He had a family to care for. He has his own meaning to stay alive. But it is unfair.

I don't want them to die yet. Not now. They're my friends. I'm so sorry... Vieren, Mars...

A/N:Wow, even though its exam week, I'm still continuing. Whelp, these are like pain relievers.