Chapter 22: The Observer

  The night deepened over Prismara as its citizens fell into deep slumber. Through the city's shadows one hear distant echoes—a haunting medley of ughter and howls and growls of some unknown animals. In the darkness, those who shunned sleep wahe narrow alleys, their footsteps barely whispering against the long lonely streets. A tattered neer tumbled across the empty street, dang with the bitter wind like an urban tumbleweed. Silvery moonlight bathed the city in ahereal glow, transf mundane architecture into a grand theater. Behind the eternally quiet darkness of night, a hidden artist observed through mist, weaving illusions for an unsuspeg audience.

  The night's lead performers, rad and Anira, stood atop an unfinished building, its skeletal framework standing tall among its neighbours. Light mist swirled around them for a heartbeat before dissolving into nothingness. The duo watched the city as if they were the master of night watg over its gray.

  "Anira," rad said, his deep blue eyes meeting her crimson ones, "our first challenge is distance. What are ygestions?"

  "My lord," she replied, her voice soft as silk, "that vehicle below offers a solution."

  "And its driver?" rad asked, a hint of threading through his whispered words.

  Ability: Teleportation

  Ability: Entity Possession

  Anira vanished in an instant into the thin air, materializing ihe moving vehicle. The car lurched to a halt with precision, its tires barely whispering against the pavement.

  Her powers are like some character who is a level 100 boss from a video game. Who could possibly stand against abilities of this magnitude?

  rad jumped with fluid grace, eaent calcuted as he used stones edges and wooden beams as his path. Reag the bck car, he found himself fag an elderly gentleman in a top hat and pristine bck coat. The man's lips parted, and out flowed a voice that beloo someone else entirely.

  "Your chariot awaits, my lord."

  Sliding into the fro, rad watched as Anira, wearing the old man's form like a borrowed coat, guided their vessel through empty streets. Their target loomed ahead—the museum. Their prize—Alexander Gustavo's legendary artifact.

  Aurelius National Museum, 1:20 AM

  The marble halls echoed with footsteps as a young lieutenant ducted his rounds. His polished cap gleamed in the dim light, the name badge on his left pocket identifying him as part of Prismara's elite. The Prime state's police foranded respect throughout Aurelius, but here in the capital, they achieved a level of excellehat had bee legend.

  "Be on yuard all the time, Be vigint, Vigince is our shield," the lieutenant reminded his men, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "Even a small mistake and carelessness cause catastrophe."

  "Uood, sir!" Two guards so attention, their sharp practical swords and modern maery with some unknown arrow-like meism creating an odd juxtaposition of old and new.

  "The Captain arrives tomorrow," he tinued, reag for his cigarette case. "She warns of potential criminal activity in Prismara. We must exceed even our usual standards." Smoke curled from his lit cigarette as he turned away.

  "This is Lieutenant's fifth cigarette, whenever he gets excited he ot trol himself from smoking" one guard whispered.

  "Careful," his panion cautioned, eyes darting nervously. "His hearing is as sharp as his bde. Some say he is not even human."

  "The halls are empty. Besides," the first guard rexed slightly, "who wouldn't be excited? The Captain's ing."

  A resigned sigh escaped his lips.

  "Well their history ruraiogether at the academy, I heard they were not on good terms when they first met."

  "Perhaps, but everyone knows the Captain's reputation. Her pursuit of justiows no promise, especially regarding crimes against women."

  "Like that i in Intellex with the sve trader, If the lieutenant were not there she might have killed that guy. She is even more inhuman thaenant"

  "Speaking of Intellex," the guard leaned closer, "have you heard what they're saying?"

  "What rumors now?"

  "Silence." Lieutenant Derrick Das's voice cut through their versation like a bde. "If I hear any more sound from you two, your heads will roll on the ground."

  "Sir!" The guards straighteheir focus returning to their charge—an a firearm shaped junk, its rusted form belying its historical significe. Most sidered it worthless in bat, yet here it sat, under elite prote.

  Derrick Das was a walking tradis—a gentle soul capable of terrible violence, a warm smile that could apahal force. His reputation at the military academy had been stelr until joining the Aurelius Essentia Agency. There, a younger woman had bested him, her prodigious talents elevatio Captain of AEA.

  I am already a Tier 8 Essentia, yet still insuffit. To stand beside her, I must transd my limits. trol. Efficy. Growth.

  Derrick's mind was uo focus when a certain image of a girl surfaced in his mind.

  Perhaps anarette will clear my thoughts.

  Derrick stepped into the chill night air, moonlight casting long shadows across the museum's facade. An unnatural stillness gripped the street—no stray cats prowled, no night birds called. His Essentia seingles sending warning to his mind.

  This silence... it's as if the night itself holds its breath, c from something unseen.

  As he ignited his family's heirloom lighter, a soft thud reached his enhanced hearing. His body responded instantly, superhuman reflexes ung him toward the sound. Through the dim light, he glimpsed a figure of medium height, their clothing seeming to drink in the darkness itself. The museum's subdued lighting made details difficult to dis, but Derrick wasted no time. His warning whistle pierced the night, jolting the city from its slumber. Guards rushed toward the signal as lights bzed to life throughout the building. Two of his men y unscious before William the First's sword—a priceless artifact from Sternfall kingdom that would fetch a fortune in shadow markets.

  "One more step meah," Derrianded, his voice steady. "Remove your mask and state your purpose." He addressed the cloaked figure whose face bore peared to be living shadow—a mask born from the abyss itself, formless and vast as night, revealing only pierg blue eyes that seemed to hold a secrets.

  The masked man stood motionless, his presence suggesting ownership of not just the space, but time itself. His smile carried mysteries beyond mortal uanding, as if he were keeper of knowledge from beyond the veil of reality. His cloak rippled in a ent wind, and darkness itself seemed to tremble in his presence.

  Minutes Earlier

  "Our stage is ready," rad murmured, studying the museum's imposing silhouette against the night sky. The building's cssical architecture seemed frozen in time carrying tless stories within.

  "Security has doubled since my st observation," he noted, eyes narrowing as he assessed their opposition.

  "Your strategy, my lord?" Anira's voice carried both devotion and deadly capability.

  Seeing rad didn't say anything Anira added,

  "My lord, we should expect there will be at least one Essentia. Beings above tier 6 are rare in such mundane posts, yet we must prepare for any possibility. I could hahis alone—"

  "No," rad interjected softly. "Your skills are essential, but this is also my opportunity frowth. Tonight, I will craft a new identity, one of many masks I'll need for the future ahead."

  "As you wish, my lord."

  "Let us give Prismara a performance worthy of legend," rad smiled, eyes gleaming. "I have just the right pn."

  The guards stood fixed in a position, those without Essentia abilities trembling before the stranger's otherworldly presence. Fear rippled through their ranks like a physical force.

  "Your silence damns you," Derrick warned, bde ready. "Identify yourself. How did you pee our defenses?" He maintained perfe, prepared to strike while proteg the priceless artifacts surrounding them.

  A voice echoed through the museum—deep as o trenches, a as the world itself, each word yered with cryptic meaning:

  "I am the Eye Behind Mist, puppeteer of fate in this era. Remember me as The Observer."

  The Observer? Eye Behind Mist? From the sound of it, it looks like he might be a minimum tier 7, not some on thief. Why would a being of such apparent power target a simple museum piece?

  As questions flooded Derrick's mind, mist began coalesg around the figure. Years of training took over as Derriitiated his attack.

  Ability: Psma Bolt Proje

  Though the teique drained signifit Brahman, making it rarely suitable as an opening move, Derrick wouldn't risk his quarry's escape. Yet the attack found net—the man had vanished as if he'd never existed, leaving the guards to marvel at what seemed impossible magic. Chaos erupted through the once-quiet night.

  Derrick's gaze fell to William the First's sword—untouched, undisturbed.

  Did he fail to cim his prize? No... such simple thinking won't uhis mystery. A being of his caliber must have achieved his true purpose. Perhaps this was merely... an introdu? The Captain must know of this immediately. Captain might have predicted something like this, which is why she warned me.

  "At st," rad exhaled, admiring their prize in the safety of his own hands. "Though I must admit, maintaining such a grandiose persona proved more taxing than expected."

  "You were magnifit, my lord," Anira responded, her gloved hands folded elegantly before her.

  "Anira?" rad's voice softened with . "You're exhausted, aren't you?"

  "Yes, my lord. Multiple teleportations drain siderable energy, and the entity possession taxed me severely. I apologize for my current weakness—I fear I'll be of little use for some time."

  "What are you talking about? We've achieved our objective perfectly. Rest is our priority now. No one will disturb us here."

  "Take these few hours to recover. We'll depart before dawn."

  "Thank you, my lord. A brief rest should restore me." Anira settled onto rad's bed, her movements betraying her fatigue.

  Pardon me, Miss Anira, but that's actually my bed...

  A thought struck him. "Anira, your recovery would be faster in my shadow. Should you return there?"

  Anira lifted her gaze to meet his crimson eyes pleading silently with her master to resider the order.

  Those eyes... How anyo such a look?

  "Well," he ceded with a soft chuckle, "we did pay for both beds. It would be wasteful not to use them."

  rad had secured this room during his m visit, anticipating the night's events. The 228 sili rate, even with the seasonal dist, had e from his personal funds.

  "Ani—" His words trailed off as he noticed Anira had already drifted into sleep.

  "Truly remarkable," he mused. "While I pyed at being mysterious, you performed the real miracles."

  The woman who had demonstrated godlike power now y vulnerable as a sleeping child. rad approached quietly, lifting her legs fully onto the bed and drawing a thiket over her pale form as the night's chill deepened. Anira slept peacefully, absolute trust in her master's prote evident in her serene expression.

  "You truly are the most extraordinary being I've ever known," he whispered.

  “My lord, don't fet about dining together” Anira whispered in her sleep.

  rad looked at her with surprised

  You did remember that. Huh?

  That night, Anira's dreams were filled with beauty, warmth, and the presence of the one person who meant everything to her.