Ascenders Rift

The night was a cold one, painting a shade of bitterness to this already dark atmosphere. The scene within the gardens of the Morning Star Academy was now one of further silence, as if one looked closely, they would see the figures of Evan, Angeline, Hank, Thomas, and Breya standing at opposing ends. A vague blueish hue had created something akin to an energy field for a region of a few dozen meters, an area created by spherical shaped machines that floated in the air.

Evan paid no mind the Muffling Drones as he looked at the previous number two Ascenders Party in silence, calmly awaiting their questions.

Angeline, having noticed the barriers finally spoke while looking at Evan, "Sir Evan, I had my suspicions in the mountains, but after hearing my sister's recent reports of your capabilities, or rather... knowledge. I have come to believe that you're not as simple as you appear. We've done our lookups, and from what we've learned, we found that you were no more than an average child a few years ago. Our meeting today has to do with quite a few things, first, why don't you tell us how you got your knowledge? How could a prisoner be even more aware of the world's current predicaments even more so than our sector?"

Hank and Thomas each had their hands placed to their sides above concealed weapons as their faces were solemn, while Angeline and Breya remained calm as they looked at Evan deeply.

However, as Evan heard those words, he grinned and replied, "Already questioning my source... hmm, fine, I can tell you, but why don't you first act with a bit of courtesy. It is a known fact that for any who inquire a given subject to first give an introduction of themselves."

Hank, hearing this scoffed as he looked at Evan's manner, "This cheeky brat..."

Thomas shook his head and muttered, "Well, it's not like we can blame him. We just came out of the blue and started questioning him from the get-go."

Breya snickered as she heard the two mutterings, she looked at her sister Angeline who looked at Evan with an even more curious look as she spoke, "Sir Evan, I do believe that it would be pointless for us to do so. After all, judging by your stance, you seem to be quite knowledgeable of our sector already."

Evan didn't deny this; he shifted his sights to the side, gazing at the beaming lights from the buildings in the distance as he spoke, "Indeed, your MSS is a pretty powerful military group after all. I've heard that your task is to focus on private military activities for the betterment of humanity. Much like those other Special Elite Military combat forces of the south and the east. I suppose that you being here to facilitate with the development of the Morning Star students is nothing more than a cover-up to glean a certain party's objectives."

It was at this point, Angeline's eyes narrowed as she spoke in an icy manner, "How much do you really know?"

Breya, Hank, and Thomas also placed their hands on the weapons as they look at Evan with a grim look.

Evan calmly chuckled at this scene; his demeanor was no different from a man in his late thirties, causing Angeline, Hank, and Thomas to show puzzled looks on their faces.

Evan spoke in reply, "Let's just say that I know a few things..."

As Evan said this, the air grew tense as Angeline's hair began to rise. Breya's eyes flashed with hesitancy as she trembled a bit, but before the situation could turn worse, Evan spoke again, "But, with regards to your earlier question, I can still give you an answer."

Angeline hearing this soon after returned to normal as she lifted her hand for Hank and Thomas, to return to normal.

Evan merely acted as if he didn't notice this and continued, "You may not be aware, but there was a time before I was tossed into the prison, where I had encountered an individual. From that person, I've come to learn many things in the world, things that I'd never thought possible."

Angeline, who heard this had a curious look; her eyes flashed when she spoke, "Where is this individual? What's his name?"

Evan shook his head and replied, "He didn't leave behind anything, not even his name, this man seemed to have been broken as if he'd lost everything, on the verge of death itself. You could say that this fellow had only wanted to pass on his last wishes, or in this case, his knowledge."

When Evan spoke, his eyes flashed with a melancholic look, causing his body to emanate an air of rich experience and sorrow.

Angeline and the others were surprised as she thought, "This kid... what could he have witnessed to gain such a demeanor?"

Angeline wanted to ponder more, but Evan soon snapped out of his daze as he spoke again, "So does that answer your concerns?"

Angeline, who had snapped out of her thoughts, looked at Evan deeply as she asked, "So, you expect us to believe that some random guy gave you a mass of information and then just vanished like air?"

Evan smirked as he shrugged his shoulders and replied in a tone fit for his age, "Well, yeah... not like I have anything else to share."

Hank and the others felt his current expression to be funny, Angeline, however, looked at Evan keenly before she sighed and spoke, "Fine... I'll take your word at face value for now. On to the next question, I've found that I cannot see your accurate stats, my sister has also noted this, how do you explain this?"

Evan swept his eyes across Breya, who lowered her head embarrassedly before he spoke, "Naturally, there are ways to only show observers that which they need to see."

Angeline's eyes widened as she grew a bit excited while in thought, "Such a thing was possible? If we have this just how many could be protected from RADA..."

Evan seemed to have sensed her thoughts. He spoke once more, "However, although the price for it is nothing, it doesn't mean that I'll willingly give it to just anyone."

Angeline soon came back to reality, she looked at Evan with a frown as she spoke, "Sir Evan, what is your meaning? Are you saying that you would selfishly avoid acting in the benefit of humanity's interest?"

Evan shook his head and replied, "Miss Angeline... you seem to be a bit confused; this is naturally my discovery and how I use it is sole to my discretion. On another note, even if I did share it with your MSS, could your entire group be trusted?"

Angeline knitted her brows, as Hank and Thomas gave Evan a severe look as he spoke, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Evan sighed as he replied while flipping his wrist, making a black card appear, "Are you confident that your MSS is free from RADA's influence?"

As Angeline and the others heard this, their faces changed as they finally knew what he meant. After a short while, Angeline looked at Evan hesitantly before she spoke, "Our group is 100 percent secure, there is no way we could have spies in our forces after so many years of working together."

"That's right; we know each of our comrades like the back of our hands..." Hank said from the side.

Evan shook his head at those words as he spoke, "If I'm not wrong, that Alan should have once been a part of the MSS, correct?"

Angeline wasn't surprised that Evan knew Alan, as they had not so long ago discussed him privately. She looked at him and asked, "So what? Are you trying to say Alan is a traitor to our cause?"

Evan shook his head and replied, "No, it's quite the opposite. Hmm, you remember Alan, but there's another character I'd like to inquire from you. Do you know someone called Ralph?"

As Angeline and the others heard this, they were once more surprised, they looked at him and spoke.

"Ralph was from the same generation as Alan; he was his second in command, a courageous and talented ex-agent. After Alan retired and went to serve the prince, Ralph had naturally gone with him. Is there something that you're trying to imply about Ralph?" Hank asked a bit flustered.

Angeline and the others looked on silently as they waited for Evan's words, Evan smiled as his eyes gleamed when he replied, "What if I told you that he was a traitor? One under the direct command of RADA."

"What?"

"That's nonsense! How could he betray our cause? Even if he didn't, Alan would have spoken of it."

The angry voices of Hang and Thomas sounded, as Breya and Angeline looked at Evan in shock. After a moment, Angeline gripped her trembling fist and spoke.

"Sir Evan, you're not joking, are you? Did this happen?"

Evan looked at Angeline and nodded as he spoke, "It is so, but if you do not believe me, then you can speak with Alan in your own time."

Angeline now had a complicated look on her face; she felt that Evan wouldn't lie about such things based on her previous discussion with Alan and noting the importance Alan had placed on him.

Her fists trembled as he bit her lips and cursed to herself as she recalled her previous meeting with Alan, "Why? Why didn't you tell me about it?"

Evan saw her current look and couldn't help but sigh; he no longer paid attention and rose to his feet. As this happened, Hank and the others roused from their turmoil as they grew a bit cautious.

After ignoring their reactions, Evan spoke, "I believe that I've shared enough details for you to ascertain that I'm no kind of a direct threat. Therefore, I shall now be taking my leave."

As Evan spoke, he began to leave the area, but Angeline, who had recovered, looked at him and spoke, "Sir Evan, you are correct, with this we can at least assume that you are not our enemies. Since we have a common foe, for taking up your time, I shall leave you with a bit of information."

Evan halted his steps and turned around to listen to her words, Angeline seeing this spoke again, "We've done our research, and have found that RADA is planning to do something with people of a certain class. While we are still not certain of what it is, there are rumors among their ranks of people going missing. However, that is just one of the things on their agendas; they are similarly searching for someone. I don't know who they are looking for, but I know that my companions and I are on those lists as suspects as their experts have only recently started to gather information about us. We can keep them away because of our background. But no one knows what will happen to the others on that list. It's highly likely that the person they're looking for is someone who was in the mountain range at the same time as us. You should take care of your status..."

As she said this, Angeline no longer waited for Evan's reply, her figure blurred and vanished into the dark of night along with Hank and Thomas.

Breya looked at Evan for a moment before she prepared to leave, but at this time, she heard an object hurling towards her.

Swish! With quick reactions, Breya grabbed the object that was sent towards her. Her eyes then showed a curious look as she saw the small box with four odd-looking pendants.

Evan looked at her and spoke, "Take it, each of you must wear one. It can prevent your stats from being seen, just sent a strand of your battle energies within it, and command it of what you wish to hide. Also, make sure you tell them not to let anyone else see it, not even those trusted comrades from the MSS."

Breya remained silent for a whole before she spoke, "Thanks."

As she said this, she turned and vanished in the dark. At this moment, Evan stood silently within the garden field while in thought, "Hmm, they want to catch me, but there are just too many suspects on their lists. The only way they'll find me is if they can tell my energies apart from the Lesser Space. Hmph, even if I am on that list it won't be so easy to figure me out…"

As Evan said this, his lips curved into a smile as he took a step forward into the dark as he muttered, "It's still a long road ahead, and I want to see just how far they will go, who will they send to apprehend me? Is it that Amule?"

After his words, Evan then faded into the black of the surroundings, leaving behind the tranquil scene.