By The Blood

He accepted quite fast. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? He thought, then asked, "What are your evolution, and powers?" Karl had to ask to further find more clues from the person before him.

Aurelian seemed hesitant. How could he not be? He was essentially revealing the nature of his powers and possible weaknesses to a stranger with clearly different intentions. But Karl had to maintain a cold gaze, as any sign of weakness might reveal to Aurelian that he wasn’t as powerful as he seemed.

Soon, Aurelian cracked. "I’m a Mind Worm—and my components are all mystical, divided into four powers: Memory Reform, Mind Invisibility, Memory Waning, and Memory Read."

Purely mystical components, Karl noted, judging by the names of the powers. Of course, he didn’t believe for a second that this was the full truth. He himself would lie about his abilities, so why wouldn’t this man do the same?

Aurelian continued, "My abilities work in unison. Memory Reform allows me to change the contents of a person's specific or collective memories, thereby altering how they feel about certain topics or thoughts. I could turn a seemingly kind person into a killer by changing their upbringing." He paused. "The power of the Mind Worm lies in the domain of the mind, particularly thought and psychology. I have some control over the mind tendrils."

Karl’s interest piqued. What are mind tendrils? And what is this domain? I know certain abilities are categorized, such as mystical versus physical, or passive versus active components. But this is the first time I’ve heard about mind tendrils. Did Fredrick know about them and decide not to share? Did he intentionally hide this information, or did he think I wouldn’t need it?

He calmed himself and listened for more.

"Controlling mind tendrils can be difficult," Aurelian continued. "The stronger the emotional attachment to a memory, the harder it is to change. Also, beings of a higher class naturally have stronger mind tendrils, making them impossible to control for those of lower classes."

So what does that make me? A high class? Or maybe I’m only a high-class in name? If the original Karl had gained substantial strength in the past, perhaps he was of a higher class but now remains in a sealed state, maybe because I’ve taken over his body. Karl pondered his theory.

"Mind Invisibility allows me to hide within a person’s psychological blind spot, effectively becoming invisible to them and those around them," Aurelian explained. "However, if they’re sufficiently alert or stimulated, they may still sense my presence, rendering the invisibility useless. But even then, unless they’re of a higher class or possess stronger mental components, they may struggle to recognize me or form a clear mental image of me."

The perfect ability for an assassin, Karl thought, briefly wondering if this component would allow him to kill Galf or even Tyro. Perhaps he could convince Aurelian to do it? But something told him this man might hesitate to kill. Even with all his claims of wanting revenge against the Archon, he hadn’t shown any direct enmity toward the empire. This could be tricky. But at least he’s thorough in his explanation—far better than Jean.

As for Mind Invisibility, Karl wasn’t too concerned. Based on their first encounter, it was clear that the ability hadn’t worked on him.

"Memory Waning allows me to erase memories that need to be reformed," Aurelian said. "Since a Mind Worm can’t alter an existing memory without creating conflicts that could make the subject suspicious, I have to first erase the memories I need to change—or any others that might cause issues." He paused. "This pairs well with Memory Read, which lets me read information from the mind tendrils—specifically, the memories. A Mind Worm instinctively understands which memories are important and what conflicts they might hold. I can then determine the right amount of waning and reform required."

What a collection! Karl felt a twinge of envy, though if given the choice between Aurelian’s abilities and his white flames, it wouldn’t even be close. He’d rather be loud and powerful than weak and silent.

Aurelian lowered his head, saying nothing more.

Is that all? Karl considered. He’s been clear enough in explaining his powers and making me understand that he has no control over me, regardless of my alertness. But how can I use him? He could be a silent helper, but given his past, I doubt he’d comply with everything I say. He wouldn’t want to bring down a noble family, for one. To most citizens of the empire, nobles are seen as working in unison with the ruler, making them inherently special. His thoughts raced, causing a slight headache.

He’s a warrior, meaning he’s accustomed to bloodshed. And from his story, it’s clear he’s no stranger to unpredictable situations. That means he’s had to adapt to win battles, which means making compromises. And judging by how he spoke of Putray, there’s a certain respect in his tone. Even if he hates Putray, a part of him still respects him, meaning he can be changed.

He must have respected the man enough in the past—perhaps even willing to do the things that killed his friends if asked. So, respect works with him. He can be changed; it’ll just take time. Maybe if he follows me around, familiarity will grow into respect? Karl glanced at Aurelian. But that would open me to problems. If he ever turns on me, he’ll have enough knowledge or position to strike. So what I need is an illusion... Keep him close physically, but not actually. He’ll think he’s getting close to me, opening up, but I won’t be doing the same.

Karl froze at a sudden thought. Didn’t he say he was a legionnaire? And he mentioned getting close to his Archon... With his powers, that seems impossible. So either the empire is weaker than it appears, or he has backing. Or... he might be stronger than he’s letting on. I asked about his evolution, and he answered. Could he be lying? Or maybe he told the truth based on the question asked?

Karl finally spoke. "I suppose everyone hides their strength." The statement could be interpreted in many ways, but it seemed to have the desired effect as Aurelian visibly tensed. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. "I don’t think you know who I am," Karl continued. "I don’t like lies. As a believer in God, I’d prefer if you told me the truth." He deliberately didn’t specify which god, believing that Aurelian’s background might trigger some reaction. Not that he believed in either anyway.

After all, when people experience trauma, they often seek solace in deities. Karl felt a sharp, almost unbearable pain in his head but endured it with a cold gaze—never showing any emotion.

Finally, Aurelian spoke with a defeated expression. "I have a shard armor."

Karl violently resisted the urge to smile. This was shard-armor, said to be one of the strongest weapons a person could acquire without undergoing evolution. Of course, Karl did not know the full capabilities of these weapons; he only knew they were incredibly powerful—supposedly even rivaling the swordsmen of Desolations.

"Name?" Karl asked, holding back his excitement while also trying to suppress his emotions. It seemed easier now, perhaps due to cogitation.

With a bit of hesitation, Aurelian replied, "It's called a Mist-Blooded Knight."

"Components?"

Aurelian responded, "It comes with a mist blade that can cut through anything like butter, except other armor and perhaps certain sanguine-enforced barriers. The overall capabilities make me a special class."

Amazing! A special class... And he's mine! "Show me." Karl needed to see it, at least to identify it well in the future.

Aurelian gently tapped his chest, causing a ring of light to shine through his clothes. So, it can be summoned? This was just a theory Karl wanted to test. He needed to know whether the armor functioned like separate components that could be used anytime or whether the man had to be constantly transformed. Karl hoped for the former; the latter would be too much of a burden.

White mist began to form around Aurelian, curling around his hands and condensing into a glass-like sword with droplets of water streaming down its surface. Karl saw his reflection in the weapon. He raised his hand toward Aurelian. "Give it," he said.

The man remained silent for a moment, then handed over the blade. However, as soon as Karl's fingers touched it, the sword vanished into mist, unraveling like a collection of threads. Karl frowned, and Aurelian said, "It's bonded to me, so no one else can use it."

Karl's frown deepened. Now he knows I didn’t know that... Incompetent! He sighed internally, using the hidden capabilities of cogitation to calm himself. He simply thought about staying calm, which strangely worked. Perhaps because his thought speed was increased, a second seemed longer—and all he focused on was staying calm, making it feel real to him. After all, a man can change himself with just his thoughts.

"What other capabilities does it have?" Karl asked, then added, "I assume you had a reason for hiding this from me originally." He eyed Aurelian sharply, causing the man to tense. Karl had said this partly to instill fear and also to cover up his earlier blunder.

Aurelian lowered his head. "It mainly revolves around the mist. I can control it if it comes from me—harden it to create a barrier, turn myself partially into mist, gaining the ability to let objects pass through me, fly, or even slip into enclosed spaces. But it functions like a component in that, after certain uses, it needs time to cool down."

He didn’t explain it as extensively as his other components, confirming my suspicion: he still has loyalty to the empire. That needs to change.

After a few moments, Karl said, "Welcome to the faction. For now, I cannot tell you its name, but I can assign you a rank: Diviner. As for your first task, I will contact you. Your Voicestone mark?"

Karl retreated to the bed, pulling out his blackish-blue Voicestone. Aurelian did the same from his pouch. They brought the stones close together, and the corresponding connection formed. Karl nodded, returning to the bed and sitting. "You can go, and do-not-look-for-me unless I summon you," he said, emphasizing the command.

Aurelian nodded. Without another word, he opened the door, and as the red dust fell, he left the room.

The room fell into silence. Now, how can I make use of him?

What sort of man chooses to dive into a volcano? Dunn rode atop his high steed, accompanied by a few guardsmen who rode more modest horses; not evolved ones.

They were traversing the rough terrain of the Domination—hard rocks, slopes of spiked stone, and ground that seemed shattered by explosions. The sun was obscured by dark clouds, and red dust fell around them, casting a crimson hue over the entire world.

Ahead of them loomed their destination: a blackened mountain, towering countless feet above the ground. Black smoke billowed into the sky, reddish lightning crackling within it, while rivers of molten lava flowed from the peak.

Dunn glanced at the guardsmen. They all seemed terrified, and for good reason. They were racing toward a volcano, and none of them wore shard armor. Any misstep, stray falling rocks, or streams of lava could quickly end their lives—painfully.

Suddenly, Dunn spotted a stray boulder-sized stone hurtling toward them. It was charred black, emitting a deep redness and black smoke. Quickly, he pulled the chain sword from his back, tightened the reins on his horse, and shouted.

"Get ready!" Just then, a boom echoed through the terrain, and the stone collided with a ball of red flames, shattering it into countless tiny pieces. Dunn blinked, startled. Then he saw the one responsible: dressed in the same red shard-armor as him, a figure stood some steps from the foot of the mountain—Adolla!