Revelation Pt. 1

I peeked my head around the corner to see a squad of coatsmen passing by. It looks like the local enforcers have been called to action.

"I hope Loki's okay," I said.

"She'll be fine," Zephyr mumbled. "She's a Calypso. Hey, come here and help me out."

I walked over and knelt down next to her. A large part of her bloodied leg was busted open, revealing the machines and circuits that ran along her veins. She handed me a tiny cube with two prongs sticking out.

"See the mainframe?" she asked.

"Yeah," I gulped.

"There's a small socket near the center. Should see two holes. Stick the side with the prongs into those holes."

"But... W-what if I fuck up?"

"You won't. Just... go slowly."

Carefully, I lifted the cube over the open wound. As disgusting as it looked, I kept my eyes still. Just stick the pronged side into the two holes.

"Gently, now," Zephyr gulped.

After the most stressful couple of seconds in my life, I finally attached the cube to the mainframe. Zephyr jolted up and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Done," she said. "Good work."

"Phew... Even the augmented feel pain, huh?" I chuckled.

"Of course we do. We may have replaced some of our flesh with machines, but that doesn't mean our nervous system was completely wiped."

"Makes sense."

Suddenly, a sharp pain emitted from my hips as I clutched it.

"Strider!" Zephyr called out.

I released my hand to find it covered in blood. Looks like the adrenaline finally died down. I lifted my shirt to find a bleeding gash.

"Shit..." I grunted.

"Sit down," Zephyr demanded.

I crouched against the brick wall behind me while she began shuffling through her satchel. She pulled out a cell reconstruction module and stuck it above the wound. After that, she wrapped a bandage around my entire waist.

"I... I dragged us down, didn't I?" I suddenly muttered.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You know exactly what I mean. You and Loki had to worry yourselves with me. If I wasn't here, you could've been inside the Spire by now."

This time, she said nothing. I know it's true, and she can't even deny it. In hindsight, I don't even know what I was thinking. Calypso's bounty far outweighs mine. That alone is proof that I'm nowhere near their level.

"I keep telling myself that I'm enough..." I chuckled. "That I'm capable of standing against the High Order along with you guys. But... What kind of delusion is that? In the end, I didn't do shit, you got injured while protecting me, and Loki..."

"So what are you gonna do about it?" Zephyr asked.

"What...?"

She stood up and met with an apathetic gaze.

"You're saying that you're not enough. Okay? And? Do you plan on staying like that? Or will you finally do what we all had to do in order to make an impact?"

As much as I could try to deny it, I knew exactly what she meant: augmentations. As of right now, that's the only way for me to get stronger. How ironic. The only thing that gives me a chance to oppose the High Order is the very same thing that I hate them for.

Suddenly, a massive storm of red was shot up into the sky, almost covering the entirety of the Spire. Zephyr jumped off the ground and stood with wide eyes as she stared at the thick fog.

"Loki...?" she muttered.

"Astrid, give me a sitrep!" Holiday abruptly yelled through the comms. "Zephyr!"

"I'm here, Holiday," she replied. "Send traffic."

"Anyone, do you copy?!"

"Captain, it's me!"

However, she was answered only by static noise.

"Strider to Holiday," I said.

That, too, was met with silence.

"I'm going back up there," Zephyr affirmed. "Loki's gone into overdrive."

"Overdrive?" I gulped. "What's gonna happen to her?"

"That's..." but she hesitated to say the rest.

The last time I heard anything about 'overdrive' was when Zephyr was about to use that to save me from General Sigastiris a while back. Apparently, it's a huge thing, and Holiday even slapped her for attempting it.

"I'm leaving now," Zephyr said. "Get as far away from here as you. This area will be swarming with coatsmen soon."

"... Understood," I reluctantly answered.

"Code: Temporal Acceleration."

Just like that, she was gone in a swift blur. The pain hasn't completely subsided yet. Nonetheless, I forced myself to stand up. I need to move.

The system of alleyways in the Golden District isn't as complex as those found in the undercity. While it's a lot cleaner and generally easier to navigate, it is nowhere near as long. When the trail ended, I had to run across the street and into the next series of buildings.

After running around for a bit, I somehow landed in the neighborhood where I live. A part of me wondered how Mother would react if she saw me like this, but that's out of the question.

I found myself blending in with a small crowd that was making their way down a sidewalk. Of course, I covered myself with my cloak as best as I could. Wouldn't want people seeing all this blood.

From the looks of it, coatsmen were standing guard all over the place. Zephyr wasn't lying. They moved so damn fast.

Once we passed another alleyway, I branched off into it and took off.

"Hey, you!" a voice shouted from behind me.

I turned around to see a duo of coatsmen looking at me from the entrance to the alley. Without a second thought, I broke into a sprint.

"Stop right there!" he shouted.

I took a corner and shoved myself into a small divot in the wall. The footsteps were getting closer until they came to a halt at the intersection.

"Tsk... You go that way!" the coatsman said to the other.

Without checking the divot, one of them passed me up as he began shouting into his pager.

"This is Dias, GD Division Five," I heard him say. "We've got a suspect on the run. Looks to be Strider. Requesting immediate backup."

Shit... How did they catch onto me so quickly? If only I didn't have this damned injury, this would've gone a lot more smooth.

"And who do we have here?" said an elegant voice.

I quickly swung my dagger, but whoever it was seemed to be way faster. He grabbed my arm, held it in a lock, and pushed me against the wall.

"Now, now, that's no way to greet an acquaintance, is it?" he chuckled. "Or perhaps that's how you New Olympians give your regards."

Like a candle that had suddenly been sniffed out, something hit me. That voice... It's extremely distinguishable that I feel like I recognize it. I slowly turned my head around, and from the corner of my eye, I saw him. Long, white hair and pure eyes that were almost angelic.

"S-Sir...?" I called out.

"It's been a while, my friend," he smiled as he let go. "Last time I saw you, you were looking for your mother. Now, how is it that I find you here being chased by the authorities?"

"You... recognize me?"

"Indeed, I do. You have a striking resemble to-"

He stopped himself before he could finish that sentence.

"Never mind," he then said. "Do be on your way. I'll direct any incoming troublemakers away."

"... Why are you helping?" I asked.

"There is hardly any time for me to explain, wouldn't you agree? Just think of me as your own... hm... personal guardian angel. Quickly, now. You mustn't delay any longer."

As hesitant as I was, I continued my quiet steps through the alley, exercising the utmost caution.

Already, a bunch of coatsmen were running around all over the place. I had to get creative with my hiding spots. Everything in sight was considered a tool. Dumpster bins, vacated lots, and the random sheds that people have hanging around.

Eventually, I made it to the end of this residential strip. I slowly shifted around to scan the entire area. Apart from the many people who were gathering at the sight of the red mist, a bunch of coatsmen were spread around, trying to guide people back.

I still have a ways to go before I can make it out of the Golden District. I just need to keep quiet and continue.

"Excuse me, sir," a woman's voice called from behind me. "Are you-"

I gave her no time to continue, as I rapidly turned around with my dagger aimed directly at her neck. However, she did not flinch, not even the slightest reaction. Instead, it was me... who stumbled back.

Standing in front of me was a beautiful woman in a white dress and a pink apron. Her head of black flowed past the side of her head, as it was tied into a ponytail towards the back. Those red eyes were soft. Even as a dagger was held to her neck, they still showed me kindness. That's how she has always been. And the more I looked at her, the more those eyes steadily grew wider.

It seemed as though time had stopped. Even if it truly had stopped, I still wouldn't have been able to figure out what to say.

"... Sol...?" she whispered.

"... Mo... Mother..."

She sees me. She knows. That's all there is to it, and no amount of words could justify my appearance right now.