Chapter cover: Lea Stellar in a foetal position which shaped like a reversed 6. Her eyes were filled with hopelessness as across her was the corpse of the child she failed to save.
...
Aozaki Yoko was doing some minor changes with a cilent's doll arm when she heard a scream. She calmly placed her tools back to their places and strut to the place where Lea was sleeping. She navigated her way through the towering paper stacks and mini-experiments – none she took noticed, until she found Lea.
Lea Stellar was in fetal position, her knuckles were white as she gripped the thin blanket too tightly. Even though Aozaki's lab was warm, Lea was shivering.
And she was sweating profusely.
Aozaki heard some rush of footsteps and there came the master thief, Phantom. She placed a finger to her own lips, gesturing him to be quiet before approaching Lea, but waited for a few minutes to observe her and then, gingerly touched the younger child.
The poor soul flinched from her touch, eyes still shut and muttering incoherent things. "Please…no…no more…0…1…2…3…"
Lea practically radiated fear – fear of someone who isn't there.
Aozaki sighed and shook her at the thief. "Get some sleep – she'll be fine…"
I hope. She added mentally and went to sit on a chair. The thief did not obey as he went to Lea's side and checked on her with concern etched in his features. His eyes showed no surprise – meaning he must have seen the episode at least once.
"What happened to her? She never tells me the details – and she refused to tell me anything related to her nightmares." Phantom said, his eyes darted to Aozaki who looked away and heaved a heavy sigh.
Aozaki closed her eyes – she could still remember the terrible state of a younger Lea Stellar. Instead of bright round eyes, they were dead, devoid of emotion. There was blood on her clothes and Aozaki suspected Lea was tortured physically as her fingers were still pink – raw from constant regeneration. There were signs of white hair, but not too much to overcome her untidy obsidian coloured hair. Her mouth was slightly bloodied – and the blood was fresh.
Instead of the Stellar's training garb, which was fitting suits, but comfortable to wear and easy to move around – Lea wore a single black T-shirt, which matched her eyes, and crimson coloured pants.
There were a stench of rotten flesh and signs of scuffles in the room. The splinters of a wooden chair…dented walls of the metallic room, and shrapnel of broken checkered tiles. Some parts of the walls looked as if they have been pierced by a spear – and under the dim lighting of the stupid room, Aozaki couldn't tell, especially when they blend in with the darkness.
Far to Aozaki's right, the poor kidnapper was killed by pierced through the gut by some weird dark substance – it was black liquid, but it pulsed with power and it was solid enough to pierce through a human's body.
There was a single mask on Lea's feet, the upper right of the mask was dyed red with someone's blood – and its shape was plain, something most people would wear for scares.
Then, Lea Stellar laid her eyes on the alchemist and tensed, ready to fight, sky blue mana surrounded her – protecting her and fortifying her defenses, which is also her offense.
Lea Stellar looked very different from the single photo Aozaki Yoko was given prior her acceptance of the request.
And it was a wonder how a half-trained warrior, and Lea was only five – and her control over her own mana was something Aozaki haven't seen for years.
However, weakened by the earlier fight and the amount of blood loss and exhaustion – Aozaki neutralized Lea Stellar easily, even if Lea Stellar did surprise her with her own control of blood – which explains the pseudo-solid spears around the room.
If Aozaki have to term the pseudo-solid spears which can bend under the younger's child will; it would be liquid muscle.
"Aozaki?" Phantom's voice snapped her out of her past. The alchemist blinked a few times before she focused on Phantom, who was sitting on a table opposite her as he couldn't be bothered to find a better chair.
"Sorry, what were you saying?"
Phantom tucked his arms. "What happened to Lea Stellar in the past?"
"I guess you know what she's suffering from…"
Phantom's smile suddenly had a small curve at the corners. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD."
Aozaki took her cigarette box out and untucked her wrinkled shirt before lighting up one last cigarette. She intended to savour the taste and relieve her stress. Despite having a different body, her mind would not let go of the addiction.
"At least it's not too bad…these days from what I heard. When I first rescued her, she refused to eat anything. It was a tough time for the clan of stars too. Just a week before she was rescued, her parents passed away…or should I say, killed in their last battle." Aozaki tapped the ashes away. "If her torturer is connected to the very same…organization…." She trailed off before stating her thoughts.
"Lea snapped emotionally and mentally if she heard the devastating news. Even if the fire is put out-"
"The smoke lingers…" Phantom finished. "And what of this organization you spoke of?"
Aozaki considered her options. Saying things that were better left forgotten to a normal human is dangerous – especially the world they all stepped into was dark enough to make the surface's darkness looked like light.
Aozaki waved it away and scowled. "Better leave it in the past – even the name itself left a bitter taste." Under Phantom's sneaky look, the alchemist added, "It's a hidden war – and trust me, you won't find anything."
Phantom had a defiant look. A good one – it's no wonder he has the courage to fight against the corrupted Transcendent of Light.
A little bit of information won't harm him, just enough to sate his curiosity.
"Because we fought in another dimension." Aozaki crushed the stump in her hands and laughed softly. "Is it in the Maple World? Yes, but what World?"
Now there's denial in Phantom's face. He is refusing the other possibility.
Fool. Aozaki thought.
There is no point avoiding the truth and surround yourself with fragile lies.
"Stop." Lea spoke in a commanding tone. Aozaki blinked twice and finally spotted the girl, her hair was a mess, and her eyes were dull – her skin was paler than usual. The alchemist smiled and waited.
"Don't get him involved with our world," Once those words left her mouth, Phantom's eyes widened a fraction before it went back to normal. Unfortunately, Phantom didn't hide his intentions quite well as Lea popped her index finger – a habit of hers when she was serious.
Aozaki gave her a two-finger salute out of sheer respect. "When did you wake up?"
Lea refused to answer, and instead glared at Phantom with distrustful look. "Mr, please rest, Aozaki – we will continue this conversation later and I expect you as a fellow friend, to teach Phantom the Origin theory."
Aozaki raised her thin eyebrows. She didn't exactly expect the first one, and the latter was a pain in the ass.
The alchemist has a thousand things to say, but she chose this instead. "As you wish, my little friend."
That brat has grown up.
Is what Aozaki thought as she watched Lea's retreating back.
XXX
Aozaki watched the blue sparks flew above her head as she fixed the doll arm. It was almost complete – the simple modification to prevent possession, like spirit possession should work.
Should. Ah, but she's confident in her abilities.
The alchemist mended it up with a string, identical to the colour of the doll arm. She stretched her back once she was done with her job and tucked her loose ashen coloured hair behind her ear and smiled at her masterpiece.
Now that she was done, she wrapped the doll arm with a piece of paper and put a little sticky note. It is almost time for Lea Stellar to wake up, especially since it's almost the first light.
She was about to reach her cigarette pack when she suddenly remembered it was finished. She felt disheartened, but brighten up at the thought of torturing her guests. Although Lea refused to be bullied, with the right buttons – Aozaki Yoko can make Lea do some…fishy errands.
There was a dull thud by one of the blackboards out of respect.
"Com'in." Aozaki said, letting her hometown accent rolled off her tongue. Her workshop is huge, and there were no separate rooms – therefore, the blackboards; especially cleaned ones, were substituted as dividers. The doors were just empty space.
She stood up and went to the right, where there was another blackboard, and to discourage any privacy-intruder, there was a small bounded field within the makeshift room. Most visitors wouldn't even realize that unless they try to breach the defense as they wouldn't see the magic circle, glowing faintly red as hundreds of formula over the years accumulate and strengthen it.
The power source was Aozaki Yoko's own mana. As long as she didn't leave the lab, it will be activated constantly. If she does need to leave her lab for a long time, the S-grade mana stones – the greatest and also the most expensive gem stones (also placed on Phantom's cane, the alchemist noted) – filled with her B+ grade mana quality would suffice.
When she turned left the room, the greys met.
…
…
Aozaki Yoko's expression was priceless – if she had a cigarette in her mouth, it would definitely be dropped onto the marble floor, and forgotten. She was stunned for a while until Jake waved a hand over her face, snapping her out of her daze.
"Jake?! How the fuck did you get here?" She hissed in a dialect from Mu Lung.
The bishop smiled and spread his arms. "'cause I'm me!" Jake replied in the same dialect too.
He had to look down a little since he was slightly taller than the woman.
"Oh…okay." The alchemist sounded unsure, very and before she realized it, Jake embraced her.
Although caught off-guard, the alchemist patted his back. "The title isn't for show…" She muttered before Jake released the older alchemist with a smile.
"So…" Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "How did you pass through my defenses without my notice?"
If Jake was honest, her bounded field was a tough work. Anyone who doesn't have a strong magic resistance would've turned tail long ago. Throughout the breaching, Jake and his solemn companion were putting up their mental guard. It was simple, but effective – and their mana was enough together to last more than four hours – if his calculation is correct.
Which is more than Jake needed.
"Patience and time and," Jake paused enough for Aozaki to anticipate something dramatic.
"Luck!" finished the Bishop and he pulled out his duffel bag and thrust the cigarette brand which the alchemist always smoke onto Aozaki's hand. She didn't look exactly happy to see him. And from her body language – Jake could tell Aozaki was annoyed, especially with her constant tapping of her left hand, which was holding her favourite cigarette pack.
She looked as if she was debating her actions.
Finally, Aozaki heaved a heavy sigh and slapped his back when she passed him. "As long as you didn't bring a friend along…"
Jake immediately felt guilty. Unfortunately or fortunately, there will be hell.
As soon as that came to his mind, Aozaki's voice echoed, "Lea, can you deliver a parcel to my client?!"
There was a long silence. "As long as you teach Phantom about the theory!" came his little sister's reply.
Well, shit!