85 Captured Ethan

Illusion, huh. How the heck's that gonna help me? Is that gonna protect me? I was hoping for something that could attack an enemy or even shield me from something but an illusion?

"Excuse me, Iksha. But can I change my, errr... peculiarity? I just don't think it's gonna be of any use."

"I'm sorry but no. You cannot change it anymore. Besides, you're the first to have ever recieved an illusion casting ability. Peculiarities are supposed to be there to protect the one who possess it from their greatest fear. How come yours is an illusion? Are you afraid of reality perhaps?"

"That... I — I don't know. I haven't thought that far."

"Well, there's that. There's nothing we can do about it anymore," she said as she scanned the surrounding. "And now that I've held my end of the promise, it's your turn, Sean. Learn the history of this place. And if ever you decided to break your words or even forget about it, then the mortema dwelling in your heart right now will kill you."

"But wait! I don't think that's fair. The one I got was of little to no use to me and the one you're making me do pretty much requires a lot of effort. At least give me a clue or something." I told her, but she only smiled.

"I think you were shown all the clues already, Sean. Haven't that kid, Mashneh showed you their village? What about the gatekeeper you've given a name? And the room that I showed you? You've pretty much got all the clues you need, Sean." While she was saying that, her legs were slowly changing into tentacles. The surrounding was slowly collapsing.

And the next scenes happened way too fast. She muttered something under her breath. I don't understand any of it. And she suddenly pushed me towards the collapsing fragments.

My vision was filled with nothing but the broken fragments of that world as I feel myself being sucked somewhere. I looked at her one last time, I saw her open her lips to say something, but instead of hearing her with my ears. I heard her voice ringing inside my head. But it didn't sound like her voice anymore. It sounded like the one who spoke to me one time at the Veritas and that one time in the village Mashneh showed me.

My eyes turned wide in realization. I tried to ask her a question, but it was too late. I'm no longer in that world.

My head was so light and I staggered a bit as I collided with something cold and hard. I squinted my eyes before I finally got a clear view of what was in front. A gigantic lion statue.

"Congratulations, Mr. Jack." I froze when I suddenly heard a voice coming from my back.

I slowly turned my head to see who it was and I couldn't be any more surprised. For it was Liam. How could I forget him? He left quite an impression on me. He's that lanky man from Veritas who was missing a thumb in one of his hands.

Wait! Why is he here? At the exact timing.

But what surprised me more was what he was holding. It was a cage with a rabbit in it. And I'm certain that that rabbit was Ethan.

"Oh! Do you perhaps recognize this little fellow over here, Mr. Jack?" he asked.

How the heck did Ethan got himself in this situation? But the greater question was Liam. How'd he known I'd be here? Wait! That's not it. From what I'm seeing, I think I'm in the maze garden in veritas right now. Was he a peculiar too? And how's this place related to Iksha's world?

"Mr. Jack?"

"Oh! Forgive me. Uhh, yes. I think I recognize that rabbit."

"I see," he said before shoving the cage to me. "Then if you don't mind, Mr. Jack. Please descipline that rabbit of yours to not get into somebody else's property. Hmm? Because the next time I see that rabbit here, he might end up in somebody else's plate. You understand, Mr Jack?"

"R-Right! I will DEFINITELY discipline this rabbit."

"Okay, so where were we? Right! Again, congratulations, Mr. Jack. But I must tell you that your life is pretty much in danger right now. So be careful not to reveal what you are," he said. "I wished to arrange a personal meeting with you, Mr. Jack. Are you perhaps available tomorrow night?"