Chapter 56

"Clear skies, warm sun... What prime flying weather this is!" Rook said bright and early in the morning.

"Uh... Yeah, sure," Epel mumbled. I shared his sentiment. We had spent the whole night traveling without a wink of sleep. Even though I was only a passenger, I was exhausted.

"Hm? You seem a bit distant, Epel. Are you feeling fatigued from our long-distance flight?"

"Well, there is that, but... I'm still floored."

Rook looked at him curiously. "About what?"

"Your family villas were spectacular!"

"Oh, that's what this is about! Well, you're always welcome to pop by for a visit."

"Those villas were mighty fine. I couldn't imagine just swingin' by on a lark... You know what I mean, right, Ona?"

I smiled slightly. "They were incredible." They were the highlight of the trip.

Rook laughed. "Perhaps I'll invite Vil and the whole NRC tribe over for a pajama party. My siblings do use them at times... But I'm sure they'd be happy to let me use one, as long as I notify them in advance."

"Oh, you've got siblings, Rook?" said Epel. "How many do you have?"

"Five. Two are older than me, and three are younger."

"Oh, so there are six of you..." Epel's eyes widened. "Wait, six is kind of a lot!"

"Yes, we're rather a large clan. We only get together about once a year, as it's difficult for everyone's schedules to line up. But things get quite lively when we're together! Hahaha!"

"It's strange. The more I learn about you, the more mysterious you become."

Rook suddenly became alert. "Oh! Epel. Ona. Floyd."

"Hm?" said Floyd. He had been flying upside down, ignoring our conversation.

"We are approaching the area where my mark from Arrow Afar faded."

"And that's where the Island of Woe is?" Epel said.

"Yes. Let us descend."

"Finally!" Floyd said. "I hope we get some action!"

"And I hope everything goes smoothly," I said. We flew down until we hovered above the ocean.

"Huh... I don't see any sandbars, much less an island," Epel said. "Are you sure this is the place, Rook?"

"I'm certain of it," said Rook. "There's no question Vil's group is here!"

"Then what do we do?" I asked.

Rook smiled. "We make ourselves known." To my astonishment, he sent a spell hurling towards the ocean. It seemed to bounce off in mid-air, but I knew it must have hit something. He then raised his voice. "Bonjour, islanders of woe! I am a seeker and defender of beauty. They call me Rook Hunt, le Chasseur d'Amour! One of the people you abducted was my boon companion. Now I have come to rescue Vil Schoenheit from mortal peril!"

It did not take long for several figures to appear out of the ocean. "We've got visual on the assailant," said one of them. "Proceeding with capture."

"Ah!" Epel exclaimed. "It's the armored guys that took Vil and the others! I guess that means you were right, Rook. Yer signature spell's somethin' else!"

"Listen up, all both of you," Rook said. "We will go through the motion and fight for a while, then promptly surrender."

"What?" Floyd said with a frown. "I can take them!"

"I'm sure you can, but that's not the point," I said. "We need to focus on our objective."

Rook nodded. "Precisely. Remember, our goal is not to win."

"We want them to take us prisoner and bring us inside, right?" said Epel.

"Oui. We are at a tremendous disadvantage against their troops. First, I will secure us a battlefield." Rook cast a spell on the water, freezing it.

"You froze the water into an island of ice!" I said, impressed.

"That should do. Now, let the curtain rise upon our battle for beauté and l'amour!"

"Alright!" We all made it to the ice. I got off the broom and stood to the side while Epel, Floyd, and Rook fought the men. The battle lasted quite a while until my friends pretended to be overcome.

"Rgh... I can't go on! GUH!" Rook dramatically fell to the ground.

Epel fell as well. "Oh no... They got meee..."

"Alas..." I moaned before falling.

"Shrimpy! No!" Floyd cried before collapsing beside me. Then I heard a strange sound.

"I hear wails of lamentation from under the sea..." said Rook.

"Wait, is the Island of Woe underwater?!" Epel said. Sure enough, it seemed like a gate was opening in the water, revealing a hidden city.

"Starting transfer," said one of the men. "Employing blind and stun spells on targets."

"Huh?!" Epel cried. "Whoa!"

"Gah!" I shouted. I felt a small electric shock, and then everything went black.

I had a dream. A man held a woman captive. He wanted to take down another man, so he asked the woman to find his weakness in exchange for her freedom. Was that really freedom though? As I came back to consciousness, I heard Idia's voice.

"Seriously, guys..." he said. "This isn't a video game. You don't respawn IRL. Remember that the next time you wanna do something so boneheaded. You're lucky I'm the one in charge right now. If it were anyone else, you'd be gone."

I groaned as I opened my eyes. I gasped when I saw a city before me. "Whoa."

"Wow..." said Epel. "It's a whole underwater city!"

"Yes," said Rook. "We have truly arrived at our destination. The Island of Woe!"

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but this isn't some tourist destination," said Idia. "You can't just roll up on your broom like, 'Me and the boys looking for classmates!' You guys got a screw loose or something?"

I raised my hand. "I'm a girl."

"Whatever."

"Rude," Floyd said.

"Whoa... Idia's really here!" said Epel.

"So the Roi des Dragons spoke the truth," said Rook. "He claimed that Idia Shroud was the Watchman of the Island of Woe, who governs Styx. Goodness... I truly am shocked."

"That makes two of us," said Idia. "How'd you get here?"

"Before I answer that, might I have confirmation of one thing? Are those who were abducted safe?"

"I'm gettin' sick of this cloak-and-dagger act, so sure, I'll tell you. Yes, they're all full of life to an annoying degree."

I let out a breath of relief. "Oh, good."

"Wonderful!" said Rook. "I've been so worried, I thought I might burst!"

Idia stared at us. "But like... The Charon troops trounced you back at school. Why did you follow us when you knew you couldn't beat 'em?"

"The odds of success do not change the rightness of an action," I said. "My dear friends could have been sent off to their deaths, for all I knew. I would never have been able to live with myself if I didn't even try to do anything."

Idia did not look impressed. "You're one of those types, I see."

"I came to protect her," Floyd said.

Idia turned to Rook and Epel. "And you?"

"I told you—Vil is in mortal peril," Rook said.

"Mortal peril," Ortho said. "My searches indicate this is a state of grave danger involving the risk of death. You've said this a few times now, Rook Hunt. Is Vil Schoenheit afflicted with something that endangers his life?"

"No, but he might, given time. We have come to avert a terrible crisis for Vil. I care not what happens to me, as long as my dear friend is safe. Please, I implore you, could you deliver this to him?" Rook whipped out an array of bottles.

"What's all this stuff?" said Idia. "Doesn't really look like medicine."

"Scanning bottle ingredients," said Ortho. "Main ingredients: water, vitamin C, collagen, essential oils... Wait, are these...?"

"Indeed!" Rook said happily. "They are dear Vil's skincare products!"

"THEY'RE NOT LIFE-SAVING MEDICINE?!" Idia shouted. "Wha... It's really just a buncha creams and stuff? You're not, like, trying to smuggle in some dangerous potions to help them break out?"

"I've just finished scanning the whole set," said Ortho. "There are no corrosive fluids or any other toxic ingredients. While they do contain moisturizing agents and a cantrip-level enchantment... They appear to be honest-to-goodness homemade skincare products."

"Dude... I don't even know where to start. It's CLEARLY not worth risking your life over skin creams. Like, ever."

Rook gasped. "How can you say that, Roi de sa Chambre?! You are right—there is nothing more sacred than life. However, some of us hold aesthetic principles in such high regard, we're willing to stake our lives on them."

"Yeah!" said Epel. "You're just sayin' that 'cuz you don't know how scary Vil gets when you skip yer skincare routine! It's BAD NEWS, ah tell ya!"

"Okay, you don't have shout..." Idia muttered. "So... You guys don't have any other demands? That's it?"

"Oui!" said Rook.

"Wow, attacking the Island of Woe just to deliver cosmetics..." Ortho said. "Even with Styx's supercomputer system... Your behavioral patterns are impossible to predict. We should probably save this data as an edge case."

"Okay, I get why Rook and Epel are here," Idia said. "Well, I don't GET it, but I get it. But that doesn't explain why the prefect of Ramshackle Dorm came along..." His eyes shifted to Floyd. "And her bodyguard." He looked at me. "Are you here to deliver some cat food to Grim? Or like, a grooming brush?"

"I'm here to bring Grim back," I said.

"Sorry, I don't think I heard you right. You mind runnin' that by me again? I must've had a chunk of brimstone wedged in my ear or something."

"Trickster is here as the prefect of Ramshackle to retrieve Grim, the one other student in said dorm," said Rook.

"I wasn't actually asking you to repeat it. I obviously heard every word. Is your sarcasm detector broken? I guess SOME PEOPLE let their emotions get the better of 'em, and they pull wannabe hero stunts, even when they got no real skills. Well, unlike YOU guys, I'm busy. I've got better things to do than listen to speeches about friendship."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You might think differently if you had friends."

"Ouch," Floyd said, sounding amused.

I glanced at Ortho before looking back at Idia. "The people you abducted are not just my friends. They're my ohana. That means family. What would you do if someone kidnapped your brother? Stand by because you know you would lose?"

Idia's eyes widened in shock. "They're not in any danger. We're running tests on them. That's all. They'll be let go soon. You're overreacting."

I am stunned by this response. "Tests? Then why were we attacked? Why didn't you just ask them to come?"

"They didn't want to give them a choice," Floyd said. "They're a super secret organization. What if everyone had refused? I would."

I shook my head, amazed at the implications of all this. "Incredible." I glared at Idia. "And, you know what? This isn't about my emotions ruling me. This is about justice. You had no right to do what you did, secret organization or not. You can't attack people just because you want to run some tests - tests that require consent without duress."

Idia sighed. "Look, you're from another world, and things are different there."

I shook my head. "Human rights are universal. What's wrong is wrong no matter what world you're in. Do you have any idea what you put me and the others through? Ace and Deuce were injured trying to protect Jamil and Vil! Me and everyone else were convinced our friends were headed to their deaths. Do you have any idea what kind of trauma you've inflicted on all of us? Do you really expect to get away with it?"

"Not to worry," Ortho said much too cheerfully. "Everything will be fine in the end."

"You're going to wipe our memories, aren't you?" Floyd said.

Ortho seemed surprised. "Very good, Floyd Leech!"

Floyd shrugged. "It's the only reason a secret organization wouldn't care about being discrete."

"You weren't supposed to know that," Idia said, "but are you happy now?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "No, I'm not happy now. Wiping our memories makes it even worse! First, you traumatize people, and then you make it impossible for them to get over that trauma by erasing their memories? Having no memory of an event doesn't make the psychological effects of that trauma disappear! Do you have any idea the harm repression can cause? And to do that to people who have overblotted and clearly already have issues to work through? You're just asking for trouble! You guys are the worst. Do you feel no empathy for others at all?"

"Of course we do!" Ortho said, sounding sincere. "I was unaware of the problems you raised. I would be happy to listen to your concerns before you leave."

I looked at him suspiciously before nodding. "Fine." My anger was still high, but that was probably the best I will get for now.

Ortho turned to Idia. "Should we ship them back to Night Raven College, then?"

"I'd like to, but..." Idia said warily. "...Ortho, c'mere a sec." The two of them moved away to speak quietly to each other.

"That was quite the outburst, Little Shrimpy," Floyd said in a low voice.

"This has affected her really hard," Epel said quietly. "She nearly had a panic attack when we were attacked."

Floyd put an arm around my shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll get your justice."

I smiled slightly as I leaned against him. "Thanks, Floyd."

"Okay!" Ortho said, returning with Idia. "Rook Hunt. Epel Felmier. Floyd Leech. And Ona. We've got lots of questions for all of you. Would you please come with me?"

"Oui," said Rook. "But might we be allowed to at least glimpse Vil and others first? I would feel so much better if I saw they were well."

"No contact with the subjects is permitted until the tests are complete. Sorry. I'll make sure you get to see each other once we're done, though. So please, just be patient."

"I see... Very well. I suppose I should be grateful you're letting us stay at all."

"So, uh... I'm going back to HQ now," Idia said. "As for this new banner of troublemakers—don't get any more funny ideas. Just behave and do as Ortho says. Later." He turned to leave.

Rook stepped forward. "Idia, wait!"

Idia stopped and turned around. "What? Was there something else?"

"You're forgetting Vil's skincare products. Could you please make certain he gets them?"

Idia sighed. "K. I'll pass 'em along as soon as all the tests are done."

Rook smiled brightly. "Merci, Roi de sa Chambre!"

"Could you at least TRY to read the room? Ugh, you are so exhausting..." Idia then took off in some sort of weird, flying contraption.

"Whoa!" Epel exclaimed. "What was that thing he took off in?! It was super rad!"

"That was a Styx-made technomantic vehicle," Ortho said. "We call them Chariots. Most of the island residents don't live in the ancient city here on the seabed level. They reside in the residential block of Oceanus, which is the outer wall covering the island. We've got maglev trains and elevators... But flying machines are still the most efficient way to get around."

"Right, the outer wall... It just looks like sky up there, but I guess we ARE underwater. It's wild seeing the sky at the bottom of the ocean..."

"Humans receive remarkable physical and mental benefits from natural light. So, we use all kinds of advanced technologies to emulate life on land as much as possible. In addition to the inner wall's artificial sky, we also have different weather and seasons. There are forests and rivers too."

Epel appeared to be in awe. "Well ah'll be..."

"What marvelous technology," said Rook. "I can hardly believe we're on the ocean floor myself."

"Heh heh! I know, right?" said Ortho. "It's much more pleasant down here than it is on land!"

"You can't beat real ocean living," Floyd said.

"And speaking of marvelous, I cannot help but marvel at the beautiful architecture around us," said Rook. "Those columns are very distinctive. They remind me of ones in the ruins in the Kingdom of Heroes."

"From what I understand, the Island of Woe used to be part of the Kingdom of Heroes way back when," Ortho said. "The buildings here in this ancient city are vestiges of that time."

"My word! So these buildings are historic relics? They've been preserved remarkably well!"

"What's that giant pillar in the middle?" Epel asked.

"That connects to the Oceanus Gate, the entrance you came in through," said Ortho. "It's Styx's headquarters. The column goes down through the island and then waaay deeper."

" And that's where Grim and the others are?" I said.

"There are a bunch of Phantoms buried beneath that pillar. They're currently asleep and frozen... But still, don't go wandering over there just because you're curious. You wouldn't want to end up like me." Ortho suddenly appeared sad.

"Monsieur Marionette?" Rook said gently. "What's the matter?"

Ortho suddenly brightened again. "Nothing! Point is, there are many dangerous areas on this island, so don't go wandering about like tourists. Now, let's get going. Follow me."

We followed Ortho into a high tech looking training facility room. The boy proceeded to make us sign NDAs. I tried to refuse, but he said he wouldn't listen to my complaints unless I signed it. There is no way these would hold up in court anyway, so I signed it. Then Ortho asked us about our motivations and experiences. Afterwards, he allowed me to vent my complaints about his organization and offer several solutions. I doubted if any changes would actually be made, but I had to try.

"Thank you for signing the NDAs," Ortho said once we finished. "And I appreciate you telling me about how you got here and what your motives were. Admittedly, your story is so peculiar that I question whether this data would be useful for disaster prevention."

"Oh, really?" said Rook. "I thought our motives were perfectly reasonable."

"One of you came to deliver skincare products to a subject. One was just mad about losing a fight. One of you wanted to speak with a subject and criticize the organization. And one of you came to protect another. Humans behave in such incomprehensible—I mean, unpredictable ways."

"I think my response was valid and natural," I said.

"But what really surprises me is how you got here. Rook Hunt's signature spell, Arrow Afar. As soon as you gave me this information... I immediately understood why you asked to see Vil and the others. You were going to use your signature spell on them so you could find their location, weren't you?"

"Heh heh heh... You have me dead to rights," Rook said.

"I knew it! Idia was right—you can't take your eyes off Night Raven College students for a second!"

Rook's expression turned serious. "Had Styx been doing something terrible to them... I was fully prepared to take drastic measures. But now you've given me a proper explanation, Ortho. I knew the medical mages on Sage's Island had treated them after their overblots... But I feel much better knowing Styx is giving them special exams and blot treatments."

"Well, I don't," I muttered. "Your goals may be acceptable, but your methods leave much to be desired."

"I agree with Ona," Epel said. "Why did Styx abduct them like that? If you weren't going to do anything bad, you could've just explained things before taking them."

"I'm sorry about that," Ortho said. "Most of the time, our subjects aren't exactly the type you can reason with. So we prioritize securing the target first to minimize damage all around. Then we conduct our investigation. That part's non-negotiable. Overblotted mages are essentially monsters incapable of reason, just a mass of hunger and delusion. They're dangerous creatures that will do anything to get what they want."

"My friends were fine!" I said. "You clearly didn't have enough information, and your people should be trained to access actual danger levels before attack. The way you did it maximized damage!"

"You really messed up if Ona is angry with you," Floyd said with a low growl, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I understand, but consider how many people have overblotted in such a short timeframe," Ortho said. "It's practically unheard of. Styx had to cover their bases. Fortunately, we've now been able to verify that they've all returned to normal. But we had to be prepared for the worst. There hasn't been a single death among the overblotters OR the people around them. You guys are really lucky!"

"Maybe it wasn't luck. Jade thinks Little Shrimpy plays a role in all this. She was present during each on of the overblot incidents."

Ortho gasped. "Do you think Ona is causing this to happen?"

"No!" I said quickly. "I mean, I considered that, but Jade thought..." I bit my lip and looked away.

"Absolutely not," Floyd said firmly. "What they did was their own fault. Jade thinks Ona's presence is the reason why there were no casualties."

"Really?" Ortho said, sounding curious. "Is Jade Leech versed in the subject of blot?"

"Well, no..."

"Jade is extremely perceptive and smart," I explained. "And he knows he very well. Floyd and I trust his judgment."

Ortho nodded. "Then go ahead."

I took a deep breath. "Well, I don't know what exactly is going on, but Jade thinks it's possible that something I'm doing is having a positive effect on the overblotters. I think, perhaps, you need to reevaluate how you treat them. A more empathetic and humanitarian approach may provide better results."

"Interesting," Ortho said. "Would you be willing to return talk about your experiences?"

"Sure - as long as you ask me politely and don't abduct me."

"She's not going anywhere without Jade or me to make sure you don't pull anything," Floyd said darkly.

Ortho frowned. "I will speak to my brother about it."

"Whether or not Ona had an influence, we have all been truly fortunate," Rook said. "Sometimes I have nightmares about the day Vil overblotted and wake up in a cold sweat. I thought I was watching him more closely than any of his five million Magicam followers, and from a closer vantage point than any mirror. But what did I truly see, when I stood at his side?"

"Oh, Rook..." Epel said sadly.

"I apologize. There is no use crying over spilled milk. Besides... We cannot say his overblot would've been averted if I'd simply reached out to him. It would be the height of arrogance to claim I could've been his savior. Vil's anger and despair are his alone. The same can be said for the others."

"If you understand that, then why did you come here, Rook Hunt?" said Ortho.

"So that I could tell myself, 'I did what I could.'"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I didn't do this for anyone else. I was following my own aesthetic principles."

"You really are odd."

"As for me, I was following my moral principles," I said. "I would do anything to help my friends - and people in general if I'm able to do so." I paused as I considered Rook's words. "We can't save people, it's true. They have to do that themselves. What we can do is help them so the right path so they can choose it themselves. That's what I always aim to do."

Ortho nodded. "I see. I've acquired some fascinating data today. Thanks! Anyway, I should probably get back to HQ now. I've scheduled your lunch and dinner for 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. respectively. If you wish to change your dining schedule, please use the intercom by the door to call a technician. Just speak to the screen to activate the virtual assistant. We've got lots of games and movies too. Feel free to browse them if you get bored."

Epel immediately checked out the movies. "Whoa, cool! This movie list's huge, and it's got a bunch of new releases on it." Meanwhile, all I could think about was how much I wished the tests would be finished soon.

"Merci!" said Rook. "You've been most gracious, Ortho."

"Just sit tight until we've finished with everyone's examinations," said Ortho. Then he flew away.

I stared after the place he has just been for a long moment, thinking about something. Finally, I turned to Rook. "Hey, Rook? You call Ortho, Marionette. Does that mean he's not...?"

"Not human," Rook finished for me. "Correct. He is a robot."

I bit my lip as I considered this. "Then he can't feel empathy. There's no way he's going to get any changes implemented." I sighed.

"It'll be alright, Little Shrimpy," Floyd said gently. "Azul and the others will be fine, and we'll soon be home."

I wondered if that was true. This whole thing seemed very anti-climactic. I would not think much of it except for the dreams I kept having. The dreams had to have something to do with this adventure. Jade had promised to help me decipher them, but he was not there. I felt an ache in my chest as I thought about him. "Jade doesn't know that. He still thinks we're in mortal danger."

Floyd gave me a sympathetic look. "Yeah, that's true. I miss him too." His expression suddenly hardened into anger. "Styx has caused a lot of collateral damage. I wish we could make them pay."

I clenched my fists as I stared at the floor. "We can't. There's nothing we can do. We can't make them listen to us, and we can't overpower them. They've caused so many people so much pain, and they probably see us as the bad guys! The worst part is that we won't even be able to remember all this. How are we ever supposed to get over it? How am I supposed to move on? I - I can't do this. I can't..." My heart suddenly started beating rapidly, and my breathing grew shallow.

"Little Shrimpy?" Floyd said in concern. He tried to put his arm around me, but I pushed him away.

"No!" I shouted. Right now, his touch felt suffocating.

"What's wrong?!" Floyd sounded anxious. He looked around frantically while I started to break down.

"Oh no!" Epel exclaimed. "This happened after we were attacked. She's panicking. You have to do what Jade did!"

"What did Jade do?!"

"Talk to her calmly and slowly," Rook said. "Let her know you're there for her. Have her take a breath and count to ten."

"O-Okay." Floyd slowly approached me, his face full of concern. "Ona?" He reached out to me again, but I jerked away. "It's going to be alright, Little Shrimpy. I'm here."

"I - I know," I said. "I just..." I wrapped my arms around myself as my vision blurred with tears. Everything was piling up on me, and I didn't know how to handle it. I just wanted everything to stop.

"Take a deep breath. Can you do that for me? Pretend I'm Jade."

I laughed weakly. "You don't have to be Jade." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I felt slightly better, but I was still very shaky.

"You're doing good. Now count to ten."

I shook my head. "I don't think-"

"I'll do it with you. One, two, three..."

I took a deep breath and started counting with Floyd. I felt much calmer by the time I was done. I looked at him in relief. "Thanks, Floyd. You can hug me now." I opened my arms for him.

Floyd smile warmly as he approached me. He slowly wrapped his arms around me, being a lot gentler than usually. I let out a sigh of relief as I rested my head against his chest. "It's going to be alright, Shrimpy. We'll get through this. We'll get back home to Jade."

"But none of us will remember anything. That probably includes everything Jade and you told me after the attack." I looked up at him with blurry eyes. "Jade finally opened up to me, and I don't want to forget."

Floyd's eyes shone with compassion as he gazed at me. "That's what you're so worried about? Forgetting what you learned about how much Jade cares about you?"

"That and how our bond was strengthened. I don't want to lose that. With either of you."

Floyd smiled. "Our bond isn't going to go away even if you can't remember the reason for it. And I've been trying to get Jade to open up to you for ages. I was going to keep trying before the attack, and I'll keep trying even if we forget the attack. I want you two to be as close as you want to be. I would do anything to see you two happy."

A warm feeling filled me, and I smiled back at him. "Thank you." I hugged him tighter. "You're an amazing friend and brother."

Floyd laughed lightly. "I try my best."

I pulled away from him and noticed Epel and Rook watching us. They were not giving us the usual look I was used to when I was with the twins. Instead, it seemed like... admiration? "What?" I said.

Epel smiled slightly. "I was just thinking... You're really lucky to have Floyd as a friend." He paused. "And Jade too." Rook nodded his agreement.

I grinned at them. "Yes, I am."

A/N: Did anyone else want to yell at Idia and Ortho when we finally talked to them? Anyway, happy birthday to Jade and Floyd! I liked Jade's opening lines when you first logged in. He actually gave a genuine answer about what he wanted. It's much better than last year when he pushed his attention onto Floyd and took on his server role. And I definitely want to go hiking with him haha. Floyd's was funny. It seems like he didn't realize that what he said was intimidating people even if he didn't mean to be threatening. Perhaps it would work for us if he was there with us lol. Also, I like how Azul agrees to dance with us in the masquerade event (even though he has mentioned before that he doesn't like dancing). His outfit was beautiful. I loved all the shells.