Reason and Doubt

1

The second day of the festival was the start of our reconnaissance mission. We planned to do it on the first day, but we were simply too tired to do anything after we arrived.

Jennifer and I were given a small room with a single bed because space was limited in the village, and we were supposed to be a couple. I considered simply rooming with Allen again, but he was stuck with Hakan and Dak in a similarly sized room. Good luck.

“Let’s just deal with it and crash,” Jennifer said.

“Want me to sleep on the floor?” I offered.

“How very gentlemanly of you,” she replied.

Without another word, she prepared the bed for the both of us. “Stick to your side, and I’ll stick to mine. Let’s just be adults about this.”

I could totally interpret those words in two different ways, which did not help. Luckily for me, exhaustion was a thing, and we really did have a long week ahead of us.

So why was Jennifer so grumpy when we ate breakfast the following morning?

“Look at you, getting a good night’s rest,” she said, sarcasm hitting me harder than the shinza milk served to us.

We could’ve started our investigation there in the east residential block, which looked like the inside of ten apartment buildings connected at the balconies, but time was of the essence and the chance of anything sacred being hidden in this place was low. Plus the fact that, architecturally speaking, the integrity of the place made me a bit uncomfortable.

So the three of us decided to scope out the recreation block first.

We made our way to the central plaza, then turned northward, crossing over two connecting bridges, which were essentially long hallways filled with murals and sculptures. They sometimes had stairs or curved a little, but the general direction was the same.

A villager handed us a map the night before and it was identical to the sketch Jennifer made. That meant every plan and simulation we had prepared were getting put to good use.

“Every night they will perform the legend of Yunha,” Jennifer explained as we walked, “mostly done in song. They will do it in parts with different singers.”

“All from the village, right?” I asked.

“Correct, and they’re done by different families.”

“So there’s really no chance getting Allen to sing, then.”

I was primarily teasing to get a rise out of the man, but to my surprise Allen did not protest. In fact, he looked expectantly at Jennifer as if he wanted to hear a different answer. And he kinda did.

“He might be able to get close,” Jennifer said. “I only heard about this in passing, but on the last day of the festival, everyone willing to lend their voice is allowed to stand in the front row, as long as they can memorize the lyrics and, you know, be able to sing. That’s probably the closest any of us can get to the ritual. But remember that we only need to do this if the gemstone we need to destroy is the same thing they’ll use on stage.”

“If not, then we’ll continue with our masked—” I started to say, but Allen cut me off.

“I’ll do it,” the man said. “You two have done so much for this mission already and this might be my only chance to contribute. So… so I’ll do it!”

Jennifer and I looked at each other.

“That’s cool, man,” I said as I squeezed Allen’s shoulder. “But don’t for a second think you haven’t contributed to the mission. You’ve had my back several times when we go out hunting, and all I’ve done so far is make friends with the guild and hone my abilities in combat in case we need to fight. We’re literally in the same boat, dude. It’s Jennifer who’s really done all the work.”

Allen scratched his cheek. “I didn’t want to say it like that, but… she did do most of the research.”

Jennifer jumped to hug both of us from our necks. “You idiots, we’re all in this together! You dealt with the Everdark and got along with the guild—who’s about to start negotiations some time today by the way—which includes both Meifan and Tori. We need to know what happens there. I’m also counting on you two after we steal and destroy our target. I don’t think a single person here will be happy. Securing a place to escape is just as vital.”

We all fell silent as we considered the gravity of our real mission.

Eventually, we reached the recreational block and marveled at the sight. Its layout was octagonal and massive, each side of the wall having a different pattern. One looked like it was made of bricks, another had a stone veneer, there were tree patterns, sculptures. There was even one that looked like it was the side of a skyscraper with glass windows, though of course it didn’t look out into the Everdark.

The village itself as a whole looked like a mish mash of different styles from different cultures, not just in the variety of color they employed but the texture and material used. Architecture was all about math and how things worked together, and this place had that, but ultimately the best way to describe the village was an abstract painting. And the recreational block was probably the best representation of that.

“Great, more symbols I can’t read,” Jennifer muttered as she stared at the ceiling.

“Which part,” I asked, then she pointed towards a portion close to us near the exit.

“I’ve gotten good at reading ancient texts,” Jennifer said, a hint of pride in her voice. “My backstory had me graduating from a prestigious magic academy, so some of its lessons slowly came back to me.”

“Right,” I said, lost in thought. “The place I supposedly whisked you away from, when we first met.”

Jennifer blushed, but something about the writing bugged me too. “Is this script based on anything?”

“Not that I know of,” she replied.

I could’ve sworn I’ve seen that writing before. It almost looked like… graffiti?

And then it came to me. Weird. But it probably wasn’t relevant.

“Forehead gemstone,” I muttered. “Yeah, that’s it.”

Funny coincidence.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing, let’s check out the stage.”

Not relevant at all. It wasn’t possible.

Jennifer pushed her elbow to my side as we walked. “Look at that engineering power at work. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you trying to decipher this place open.”

“I wish,” I said. “I think you’re expecting too much from my educational background, I barely started my second year. The best I can tell you is that this place was probably repaired using parts from different buildings. But anyone with eyes can tell you that.”

“You never know though,” Jennifer said, “maybe there’s a hidden room or something.”

“Or the village transforms?” Allen added.

I groaned. “I know magic is a thing, but—okay, actually let’s not put either of those off the table.”

The stage was an elevated platform near the northmost end of the recreation block. It had two levels connected by half-circle stairs on both sides, and both floors were decorated with wooden screens, pedestals and potted plants. A couple of people were up there, rehearsing their performance.

“Oh, perfect,” Jennifer said. “I see Hakan over there talking to some villagers. You might want to speak with him if you intend to sing, Allen. I heard about the front row thing from him.”

“Really?” I said in surprise.

“Man has a loud voice,” Jennifer said with a shrug. “Said it was a waste if he didn’t participate in the activities. You might be able to learn the lyrics from him.”

“Okay,” Allen said with clenched fists. “If we sing together, I think I’ll feel more confident.”

“He is a guild member though,” I said. “Don’t forget that. He might be a hindrance to us in the end.”

Allen gulped. “I’ll… think of something.”

“Now look up on stage,” Jennifer gestured with her chin. “See the tall guy with black hair? I think that’s Kazha. We might learn a few more things if we talk to him.”

2

Jen took her time wandering around the stage, looking for any possible entry and exit points. Unfortunately, the only real way out of this place was the bridge connecting it to the central plaza. How did ventilation even work here? Ryota was trying to piece that last night too.

The win condition of this mission was to steal the gemstone, destroy it in front of the villagers, and then escape. The last part was the trickiest part. Escape as in reach safety? Escape as in keep running? If this mission could be finished at any time, then would they win as soon as they destroyed the gemstone and run? She wished she had the time to clarify that before getting sent here.

Something to remember for next time…

If there was a next time. Jen considered that as her prize question, but it would only be a waste. If the answer was yes, they keep going. If the answer was no, they stop. But at some point, these missions had to stop.

Jen was having too much fun living in this world and planning this heist. That was bad. Sure, she was saving the universe, but she knew all too well the dangers of getting too deep in the job—in her fake identity.

And it doesn’t help that my memories keep pushing my undying love for Ryota. She wanted to punch the guy, and it wasn’t even his fault. Maybe I’d smack the arbiter when we get back.

When she looked back at the stage, Ryota was up on it… and waving back at her. How did he get up there?

Jen hurried up on the stage and was suddenly confronted by the looming figure of a man in a white kimono and a red mask shaped like a bird. He looked down at her, then removed the mask, revealing the smiling face of Kazha-Din Yuna.

“Apologies, I thought I’d show you what its like,” he said. “My wife just finished making this yesterday.”

Jen laughed. “It looks good. We saw you and thought we’d say hello. I didn’t think you’d let us up on stage.”

“It was my idea,” Ryota said. Of course it was.

Jen looked down from the stage and the distance to the exit was actually pretty far. Maybe they should make something that would block the exit after they made an escape.

“Just like the Melbourne job,” father’s voice said. “Smart.”

Jen slapped the memory away.

“It’s perfectly fine,” Kazha said after Ryota asked him something. “But no, the song must be done by the families of Yunha. We’re the only ones allowed to use magic.”

“I heard about that,” Ryota said. “But do you have practice using the gemstones? It is similar to regular magic gemstones people use, right? Like Jennifer’s.”

Kazha laughed. “It’s not so much practice, but the song has been ingrained in our family line for ages. It’s really the only magic we know. Ah, but our gemstones are special. I have it here, actually.” He walked to the other side of the stage and opened a box. He took out a necklace that held a large medallion embedded with a magic gemstone gleaming in gold.

Jen’s eyes widened. It was right here. Right now.

Was this it? Could she just take it, blast it with her sun magic in front of the people here, then run with Allen and Ryota?

Goodness, it looked so beautiful. Not only was it gold, it gleamed magically in that color.

“Isn’t it the same as that time, Jenny?” her father said. “That day we all planned an entire year for. Your mother and I. Your brother. Even you, young as you were.”

In her mind’s eye, Jen saw her father, an unassuming man who worked unassuming jobs. That year he was an electrician hired to fix the lights at the bank. He had it all figured out.

At the end of that day, father wasn’t even cautious. He usually was. But that day, he opened the blue suitcase just to show Jen the heaps of gold he stole. He was so proud.

“Yes… the day you betrayed me. The day you betrayed your entire family.”

The police were quick to come. The detective, the lawyer. They were quick too in making sure Jen was safe. Her father knew immediately that she ratted them out. He knew and he was disappointed. Not a single word was said.

So why the hell do you keep talking now?

It was this damned mission. It was fate choosing her for this specifically because of the skills her father trained her to do.

But to hell with this.

Jen could end it right now. She could—

Ryota suddenly grabbed her hand. “Let me guess, Jennifer. You want something like this for our wedding?”

Jen blinked. “Huh?”

“Sorry, Kazha,” Ryota laughed. “My fiancée is obsessed with magic gemstones. This is a rare one, yeah? I don’t think I can even read what that symbol says.”

“It means ‘soul’,” Kazha said. “And it’s fine, it’s fine. The first time I met Jennifer at the Yan Tak, I kept asking her about her sun gemstone as well. I promised her I’d show her our sacred gemstone on stage, though I originally planned it to be during the performance. But don’t worry, all eight family gemstones will be on stage at that last day, so the spectacle of it would still be a surprise!”

“Eight?” Jen said in shock.

“Oh, did I… forget to mention that? Each singer has one, each corresponding to the many heralds in the legend.”

“Is that right…” Ryota said. “Speaking of the legend, wasn’t Yunha given a treasure by a herald? Something about it causing the curse?”

“Ah, you know our story well,” Kazha said with a nod. “This is true. In fact, you will see the story done tonight in song at the first performance.”

Ryota squeezed Jen’s hand tightly and grinned at her as if to show his excitement. “Not to spoil myself of the story, Kazha, but is that gemstone the exact same one from the legend? We wouldn’t be cursed… would we?”

Kazha laughed. It was more of a polite laugh, but it had genuine humor. “I haven’t heard that said in years. I suppose you’re both southerners. No, Master Ryota, this thing was fashioned by artisans of old specifically for the eight founding families to use. I assure you the real gemstone of legend is buried deep in the Everdark and won’t hurt anyone.”

3

“So, it’s true?” Allen said, face pale. “I only caught the last part, but is our target not even in this village?”

The three of us found ourselves back at the central plaza. I wanted to spend more time looking around the ceremonial stage, but we excused ourselves when more singers came to rehearse and fled back here.

Jennifer in particular looked completely defeated. She was all smiles back there, but as soon as we reached the connecting bridge, she was dead silent and unresponsive.

I gave Allen a sharp look and shook my head. “Do you mind getting us something warm to drink from the food stands?” I said. “I’ll stay with Jennifer for now.”

“Oh, um, o-okay,” Allen replied as he scurried away.

Jennifer sat the edge of the fountain in the middle of the plaza, staring at the water and the lanterns that made it glow. The village had good irrigation, I thought, but now wasn’t the time.

I awkwardly sat next to Jennifer… then un-awkwardly put my arm around her shoulders. My fake memory had me doing something similar in the past.

Jennifer looked at me in surprise.

“You like my performance back there?” I asked. “I was trying to see if I can act like you. I think I oversold the enthusiastic goofball part, but I got us a bit of information.”

Jennifer looked down again.

“Now, now, fiancée. I know he said the gemstone is buried in the Everdark, but I still think its here. You did not waste doing all that work getting us here just to fail.”

“But…”

“The arbiter might be a bit clumsy. Okay, very clumsy, but remember that her goal is for us to win. So much so that she wasn’t willing to interfere with fate by giving us too much help. But you know what she gave us? Information that we should ‘steal the treasured gemstone from the natives in the village’. Saying anything else would just guarantee us failure. Now that won’t be saving the universe now, would it?”

“It’s still here…”

“That’s right.”

“I almost destroyed that gemstone.”

“You did? Well, good thing I stopped you then. Turns out there was eight of them. One for each herald, huh? Funny that there were only two heralds mentioned in the legend. The one that helped with the ascension and the Esecha fellow.”

Jennifer shook her head. “That part really confused me.”

“You know, I don’t think the legend is accurate enough for us to fully rely in it. I don’t think the villagers all know exactly what happened centuries ago either.”

“That sucks!” Jennifer said loudly. “This sucks!”

“Guess we have less reason to rush the stage now. There are eight gemstones, but our mission only indicates ‘the treasured gemstone’. Meaning one. It could be one of the eight. Or none of them.”

“So now what?”

“Well, according to our plan, we still have the rest of today and tomorrow to do reconnaissance. Five days to plan. And then one day to execute plan with another day for safety.”

“Some plan I made...”

“It’s much better than anything I’d come up with,” I said, adding a bit of ironic pride in my voice. “And Allen’s cool but I don’t think he’s the type who can plan out a heist either.”

Jennifer lowered her head.

“Look, I won’t press you if you don’t want to talk about it, but—”

“I come from a family of con artists.”

I blinked in surprise. Then slowly looked at Jennifer. She still had her head down.

“I know how to do stuff—or, well, pretend I know how to do stuff because my family did it for years.”

“So the modelling thing was…”

“Oh, it’s real. I got out of that life and the rest of my family is in prison for it.”

“Oh.”

Well… damn. How do I console that? My theory was that Jennifer was a model who aspired to be an actress and was studying a role about detectives or thieves or something along those lines. I definitely wasn’t expecting her to actually be a thief.

Or was she?

“You know what you are?” I asked.

Silence.

“You’re a champion of fate. Whose idea was it again? Maya, right?”

Jennifer let out a soft chuckle.

“Well, you are. So am I. And so is Allen. Maya, Virgilia, Clare, and Julio are too. Thief, model, fashion designer. That might be you too, but right now we’re here to save the universe and you were putting your skill set to good use. Right now, I think that’s all that matters.”

Jennifer wrapped her arm around my lower back. “Thanks for cheering me up, fiancée,” she said, putting her head on my shoulder, just like that time on the wagon. “Guess you finally decided to make a move, huh?”

“Umm…”

“Don’t worry. I know you have Ilyana.”

“Wait, how did you—”

“You were saying her name all night, dude. That’s the girl you like, right?”

“I was? Uh… yes. Yes, it is.”

“Well, I’m cheering for you. You’re not half bad.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“So… now what? We continue with our original plan minus the rushing-the-stage part? Maybe my thief powers will actually come in handy when we search this place.”

“Sure. I’ll get on with asking Meifan and Tori about the guild’s meeting with the village chief. But before that…”

I saw Allen walking towards our direction with two cups of something. He stopped halfway through and blushed. Shit, Jennifer and I totally look like a couple with our arms around each other like this.

“But before that, what?”

“Huh? Oh.” I looked around the central plaza. “I think I’ll go snoop around too. Take this place for example. It’s way too big for what used to be a castle. Walls were removed, and pillars were put in their place. Why do you think that is?”

“So it’s roomy and people can move around better?”

“Exactly. It’s meant to be a central hub. However this place was built, I think it was deliberately designed. If you have the ability to do that and you want to hide a treasure, then..?”

“Finally, your engineer powers!”

“Don’t get too excited, but yeah. I may or may not be onto something.” I tapped her shoulder, then lifted my arm to stand up. “Let’s go get Allen before he gets the wrong idea about us again.”