SYSTEM ASCENSION

”Yes. The Ringoff family is about five hundred years old. So we can say we knew about the disciples six hundred years ago. Of course, we don’t know if their history stretched far before the tales.”

”So Ringoff is a disciple family.” Elias said.

”Exactly.” The preacher confirmed. ”Ringoff is the only disciple descendants that naturally come from Qld. The rest are not for this world.”

”But,” Mimi raised her hand. ”You mean the headmaster and his late brother?”

The man chuckled.

”It’s stupid to believe they’re the only Ringoff in this world. They might be the strongest clan in Salvador, no, the strongest clan in the world right now.”

Mimi gulped down.

”So the rest of the disciples belong to another world.” Elias spoke.

”Yes. Mimi is one.”

Elias glanced at her, and she chuckled softly. ”I’m a Kadil.”

”A Kadil?”

The preacher pointed to the paintings. The woman with a single eye.

”That’s a Kadil.”

He stared at the painting and then Mimi.

”Your eyes are two.”

She laughed. ”Silly, I’m half human.”

”Long ago, the disciples mingled among themselves. It’s normal to have a lot of hybrids.” The man continued. ”Unlike the direct bloodline, hybrids like to travel from one world to another, in search of where they suit them. That’s how people like Mimi who don’t even know her home planet came to be born.”

”How did you know this?” He asked.

”I’m a descendant myself. I come from the lineage of the hound of the dark. Haliad.”

”Wow...” Mimi leaned forward. ”you never told me this.”

The man laughed.

Elias continued to stare at him for a moment, before asking.

”Why are you telling us this?”

”Smart question from someone who looked like he rarely thinks.”

Elias frowned as the girl laughed.

’Why does this sound familiar?’

”The disciples uphold the balance between worlds under the void rule. Omeo’s rule. That’s why they’re called upholders. And there is a force that has always fought against the disciples. They are called the disposal.”

”The force,” Elias leaned forward. ”What is it? What’s their purpose?”

”That, I do not know,” the man shrugged. ”However, the upholder found out that they are increasing their numbers to take over everything Omeo rule, and now the upholders are also increasing their numbers to counter the threat.”

”So the disciples are still alive.” Elias bluntly stated.

”I believe so.”

”Why can’t they counter the threat themselves?” She asked.

”The Lord’s rule,”

”Lord’s rule?”

”The direct descendants were told not to interfere directly inside the world, so they are picking people already inside the world.”

”Can’t the lord revoke their rule?” She asked again.

”I don’t know. Who knows what those entities are thinking?”

”Sounds like a game of tag.” Mimi muttered.

”It does not.” Elias objected.

But now he has a clearer view on what was happening. Somehow, he’s the direct offspring of a disciple who might likely be older than black empire.

”Ain’t we in danger?” Mimi asked.

”We are.” The man confirmed. ”That’s why we have to search for each other.”

”What?”

”Together, we’re stronger,” the preacher shrugged. ”The Ringoff are not people to kid with, so we don’t have to worry about them. The other disciples are not in this world, so we can’t really do much.”

”So you want us to search for the hybrids.” Elias completed.

”You catch on fast.”

”How do we find them?” Mimi asked.

”That...” The man laughed. ”I’m not sure.”

”What?!”

”Although, the disciple descendants are different. Ranging from ridiculous amounts of vital energy to abilities that shake the laws of the earth. Teleportation, time manipulation, regeneration, memories rewriting, soul gazing, laws bending, puppetry, you name them.”

”We just have to find odd people.” She nodded.

”If you want to put it that way.”

They had a few more conversations before they departed from the monastery. They didn’t return immediately but patrolled the Ringoff academy market.

She brought many irrelevant things while Elias just paid for everything. They finally returned when the sun had gone down.

They parted ways and both returned to each other’s room.

When Elias got to the corridor, Kael was leaning against the wall, biting on his finger and lost in thought. He silently walked till he got to Kael, and tapped him.

”Aargghh! I don’t want to die!” The latter flinched and backed away and covered his face.

Elias scoffed. ”I would have killed you before you could let a word out.”

As soon as he heard Elias’ voice, he inched closer. ”Where have you been?! I have been waiting for you!”

”Waiting...for me? What for?”

Kael carefully glanced around then shifted even closer. ”I’m...scared. Our room is haunted.”

”...”

”...”

”Are you serious?”

”Damn serious.”

”You’re not.”

”Elias—!” He lowered his voice and glanced back at the door. ”Something is in that room.”

”Why?”

”Two days ago, when I returned, all my clothes were arranged neatly.”

”Does a tidy part of yourself scare you?”.

”No! Listen,” he inched even closer. ”Yesterday was the worst. The bedspread was changed and the previous one washed. The curtains were changed too.”

”Okay?”

”And today, our room looks like a palace! Something is in there.”

”Alright.”

Kael frowned. ”That’s it? Alright?!”

”You’re right. Someone is in there.”

Kael shoved his chest. ”You don’t have to be sarcastic with me.”

”I’m stating facts. Someone is in there.”

Elias’ confirmation seemed to trigger a deep rooted fear. He ran away from the door’s director to Elias’s back.

”Someone is there?!”

”I saw him when I woke up in the dorm.” Elias yawned.

”You mean after the hand lady took you?”

”Yes. I think he brought me back. He should have returned to wherever he came from though...”

”How does that sound logical to you?!”

The duo approached the door, Elias in front and Kael trailing behind. He opened the door and stepped in. The room was indeed different from how it was supposed to be.

Everything was fancier and elegant, like a mini palace, and just a few steps away, a young man was serving tea.

He wore a strange attire that was unknown, silver eyes reflected in the cup. His black skin swallowed the light, and his silver hair almost reached the sole of his feet.

”That’s...him?” Kael peeped from behind Elias’ back.

At the sound of their voices, the young man turned around.

Kael flinched and retraced back, hiding himself perfectly.

The young man put down the jug and took slow steps to them.

”Stop him!” Kael pinched Elias.

Elias tilted his head.

”And you are?”

The young man stared at them for a moment longer, then he smiled.

”I am the hound of the dark. Call me Haliad.”