I created my own system

Apollo's travel at Mahika was fruitful, there was more connection to Nero just like what Alicia had said before though it was mainly due to Arevano's words about Dominos. However at first he thought that it was just a theory that need more investigation since he still have no solid evidence that can held Nero as Dominos, he still need more. Something, anything, another evidence that could point Nero as Dominos, that he was really the mage that possibly behind all the chaos that plague th empire. So he asked the old spirit again, he just wants to be sure, he doesn't want to based his judgment by circumtantial connection of the two individuals. Even when Arevano explain that the Nero that Apollo frequent talks about may be the Dominos he knew from the past. Even when Alicia also told him that Nero may have some connections with Elias, he still wanted to find another undeniable proof to all will tie all the speculation he has.

"Sir Arevano, do you still have memories about his research material"

"Memories of his research? Why lad, don't tell me ..."

"No worries I may be lunatic at times but not the same as him, I just want to confirm something"

The former mage just nodded his head and with a wave of his finger a light flew towards Apollo's head. For a moment there was a mild headache but it was immediately replaced by vivid images and voices. The memory brought him to a room, it was a study filled with notes and study materials. It was a bit messy with scrolls clattered on the ground, the quil and ink were sprayed on the table with parchment papers filled with unfinished writings. Apollo bound inside the past walk throught the fragment, books were arrange the perfectly then at the side of the room was a chalk board filled with words used in the past. The boy looked at the room it was messy but somehow felt organized. His eyes then darted towards a young man he was walking with more research materials. Apollo just observed him, he was after all the man that might connect all the dots.

"Dominos" Apollo mutters feeling a sense of nostalgia as he spoke that name. Though he immediately dismissed such emotion and went towards the thing he needs to do.

In some other place another Apollo stood in an office away from Mahika, it was actually in the kingdom of Nadezhda, in the room once used by the most powerful man there.

"Now lets see where was it again" the boy disguised in his demon form said as he took the passage towards a place he once venture when he went there.

"Hmmmm.....lets see where it is"

He then flick his finger and all the hidden compartments that lies into the underground office appeared. All the documents, materials and equipment float into the air revealing themselves.

"Did the archduke purposely left this place the way it is? It even looked Iike they didn't turn this place upside and down before. He even remember how the furnitures were send flying into the air as they search the place.

"Well its good they left the original documents here recording and taking a copy of it.

Apollo sat on the edge of a desk inside Nero's old office—his demon-disguised being taller and bigger in size made the chair look small though that didn't bother him. The room was still tidy, organized, making Apollo believed that Nero will return here that is why the archduk left it as it was before they broke in. And just like they did he will do the same after he gets what he wants.

He then laid out the notes he found. Written in sleek, calculated ink were rows of magical theories, spell constructs, and equations.

"Now this is interesting" he mutters seeing how the handwriting was different from Dominos. However Apollo didn't looked disappointed instead he continue reading.

Then a she continue comparing the handwriting of the two, he felt it, something was off.

"Well I already expected this"

[Creator, would you like me to begin the analysis?]

Apollo nodded his head in answer immediately

"Yes. Cross-reference the handwriting with the memory fragment Arevano gave me."

Jeremiah run the analysis while Apollo also did the same he read the research paper and compare them to how Dominos construct his own materials.

"I should probably look for more of his old research"

He decided so another Apollo who was hiding into the shadows of the imperial palace went on and search Nero's old writing materials. Adding it to the data that Jeremiah was analyzinng.

"Look here," Apollo muttered, pointing to a section of equations in Nero's parchment. "These aren't just written—they're placed. Structured the same way Dominos did in his old research."

As more data was presented soon enought the results came.

[Analysis complete!

Confirmed. Pattern alignment detected: 87.4% structural similarity in the equation arrangements. Both writers prioritize a writing style. Though Neros was modified it still similar to an outdated technique from the mages in Mahika which is prominent in Dominos' style.]

"Even the slant of the symbols I can see" Apollo narrowed his eyes. "Dominos draws of runes is also similar to Nero"

[Even when altering his handwriting, Nero retained habitual stroke pressure. Micro-pressing reveals an underlying habitual flow matching Dominos' neuro-motor rhythm.]

Apollo nodded pleased with the results.

"Well its good we have Nero's recorded past here, using the authority of time to see his time here we can see how he move his hand whenever he writes"

That kind of rhythmic pattern wasn't something easily mimicked. It was subconscious—muscle memory passed through years of study. Even in disguise once you felt safe and alone you are bound to slip up and return to old habits.

"…He is Dominos," Apollo whispered while still fliiping through the files.

But then he stop and added, "We are done with the handwriting, lets move to the next one"

In the memory Arevano provided, Apollo watched Dominos walk across the room again. There was an impatient flick of the wrist, a half-twirl of the quill before writing, and a habit of pausing mid-sentence to mutter to himself.

Back in the present, he recalled in a memory which was provided of the authority of time, that during strategy meetings how Nero would tap twice on the table before speaking. That same flick of the wrist. That same muttering under his breath before casting.

[Voice pattern match: 74.1% linguistic rhythm synchronization. Both individuals favor accents and tunes that is similar to how mages in Mahika speaks. Their emotional flow spikes in the same contexts especially when discussing control or perfection.]

"Its really him," Apollo said, voice low. "It seems sir Arevano was right. Though I don't know which parts of my stories made him reach such conclusion I am still thankful about his insight"

The Apollo in Nadezhda and in the imperial palace finally left as they achieve what they wanted.

Back at the Apollo in Mahika, he finally ended his tour with the memory Arevano showed him. As he opened his eyes he saw the look in the former Mage's face.

"So? I wasn't wrong, right?"

Apollo nodded with a smile surrendering at the Mage's brilliant insight.

"And here you even doubted me"

"Sorry I just wanted to be sure"

"Then what made me believe what exactly did you need in the memory?"

"Oh that, I just did a simple comparing"

He held out both parchments, letting them float side by side once more. The evidence was circumstantial, but too precise. It was the kind of mimicry only someone deeply connected to both lives could maintain.

"where did you get this?"

"From Nero's office and childhood writing book, though they are copies they retain the same aspect of writing as the original"

"So with these it finally hit you I was right" he laugh a bit as he said that, he sounded happy I about winning over something.

Apollo was happy that the old spirit was getting energetic so he continue to explain.

"The handwriting may differ. But the soul that wrote them…"

"…is the same," Arevano finished for him.

"It seems no matter what life he takes on, a part of him here will always resurface whenever he go"

Apollo just nodded glad seeing the energetic side of the former mage,

Back at the ruined temple Alicia and Apollo stood in the middle of the abandoned and wrecked place. Desolate and barren of any presence. The two had forgotten the place's history as soon as Alya help them identifying the place they immediately decided that their destination is set.

After all the investigation he did the entire night it help him have an idea of what the shadow of Elias was saying. About Dominos and Nero.

"Now I have another damn problem" he thought as he felt the surge of energy from the fragments.

"I'll help don't worry" Alicia said as a way of consoling him.