The Book

Despite being no longer clad in the Collector suit, Cage drew many looks on his trip back to Yoru's home. And there was no doubt in the newcomer's mind that every furrowed brow and gossiping whisper came from the clumps of dirt covering his robe and the haggard look on his face. At least the death stares had ceased.

Cage lies in the living room of his temporary home, a fresh robe on his body, black hair fanned out around his head, still wet from his shower. One leg leans against the low table beside him, a cushion soft under his head. He stares up at a chandelier hanging from the wooden ceiling, the silver metal twinkling in the blue-white sunlight shining through the window behind him.

Cage had wished to go to his room and pass out until Yoru arrived, but the woman insisted he washes after returning. Cage sighs, his body a hundred pounds heavier than usual. His bad habit of emptying his mind from any and every thought had resurfaced during training, including the thought of the fatigue pounding his muscles with every attack.

Cage berates himself in his mind, and not for his facade of great stamina. It was obvious that Kyro was disturbed by something. The Rajin man had stopped himself, but Cage knew the name that teetered on his tongue. Kyro is another person that is greatly affected by Mavyl's death, and just like with Yoru, he wants to help. The only problem is how he will do that.

To Cage, it seems that Kyro needs help just as much as Yoru does. During their entire training session, the blue-skinned Rajin seemed tired. Drained. Cage still stood no chance against his combat teacher, but it was obvious to him that Kyro was not in his best condition. Did Ingen notice? If he did, then he did not mention it to Cage.

And why would he? No matter what, Cage is still a stranger, sticking his nose into matters that do not concern him.

A stranger to everyone and everything in this universe, Cage does not belong here, and despite his recent luck, he deserves no help from anyone. Kyro, Yoru, and Ingen, could decide to expose him and his taboo origins, and there would be nothing he could do about it. They are risking their own lives by helping him, and it would not be wrong for them to decide Cage is not worth it.

The thought terrifies Cage, but that terror soon turns into a strange peace within his heart. If his saviors wanted to turn their back on him, they already would have. And, even if they do decide that he is not worth the trouble down the road, agonizing over the possibility now will not benefit him in the least.

Cage jolts, leaning up from the cushion as he hears the front door slide open. A second later, Yoru enters the room, still wearing the flattering black dress, her shapely bust accentuated by the tight fabric. She holds a stack of large books against her chest, yellow eyes drooping with melancholy.

That melancholy disappears as Yoru looks at Cage. She smiles broadly, walking toward him, "You're on time. Excellent," she says, setting the books on the table, "How did your training with my brother go?"

Cage returns a smile, the tumultuous thoughts from moments ago pushed down some by the beauty of the woman before him. Even if Yoru is a scary woman at times, her motherly presence calms him, "It went well, I think. I'll have to get used to him when he's training me. It's like he's a different person," he responds.

"Mavyl used to say the same," Yoru says, still smiling, though she gets a distant look in her eyes, "When it comes to combat and war, Kyro is an expert. During his time in the military, other soldiers used to be terrified of him, but in a good way, if that is possible. 'Bloodhound' is the nickname the Utherians gave him, which Kyro embraced. I recorded every battle he was in, and though he would not say the same, every one of his fellow soldiers spoke of how he hunted down and slew the enemy with what his lessers called a terrifying focus. Ingen was considered the second strongest during those years, yet even he had trouble keeping up with my brother."

Cage nods at the words, finding it difficult to not be awe-struck that such a man will be teaching him to fight. Though he furrows his brows, looking up at Yoru with his arm set on the table beside him, "Were they in a squad together?" he asks.

Yoru nods, "Something like that," she says, walking to the opposite side of the table and sitting on a cushion with her legs tucked under her, "Rajin warriors fight in trios, and each group chooses its own members. They are to look out for each other on the battlefield. If one is overwhelmed, the other two come to assist," she pauses, that melancholy appearing again for a split second, "However, that comradery only goes so far."

Yoru sighs, waving a hand through the air, "Anyway, enough about that. I think you should know something before we begin your lesson," she says, staring at Cage, "Kyro told me about the Massor that appeared on Kalar. A message has been sent to the Epochs, and they will be meeting with Kyro and Ingen in secret a week from now. I know that you were with them during the encounter, but obviously I did not mention the detail. Do you know about the Epochs?"

Cage nods, "Yeah, Kyro told me about them," his black eyes drift to the table. Relief lifts through his body. Even if there was no point in agonizing over whether he would be betrayed or not, he would be lying if he said there was not still some anxiety lingering within him. Cage looks at Yoru, "Why are they waiting? And why in secret? Maybe I'm wrong, but the whole situation seems too important to delay. And people should know about something like this," he says.

Yoru hums, resting a hand under her chin. Her lips curl, and those yellow eyes narrow at her student, "What do you think?" She asks.

Cage raises his brows, expecting Yoru to laugh and tell him it was a joke. That moment never comes. She must really want his answer, "Are they busy with other things?" he asks.

"None as important as this," Yoru responds, "Think about what you have seen and heard since coming here, about the Collectors, the Epochs, and the Massors."

Cage hums, the cogs turning in his brain, "The Collectors are criminals and are treated like slaves. But from what I've seen, Rage stones are important to your people, so they are needed, even if no one says it," he says, tapping a finger to the table, "The Epochs are the leaders of the Rajin. They make important decisions and control the military and Collectors through the Rage stones, but they've never appeared in public. And the Massors, they're creatures feared by everyone, but they only appear in the branches and attack large groups."

With a wrinkled forehead, Cage gives his answer, "They think the Collectors could be trying to relieve themselves from ever having to go back to Kalar again," he says, "To them, it should be impossible for a Massor to be on Kalar, so they don't believe Kyro."

Yoru nods, "You are correct, but not completely," she responds, "Kyro and Ingen could very well be trying to escape their duties, but if the Epochs didn't believe them at all, then there would be no meeting, delayed or not. And, just as you said, the Rage Stones are used for control. If it is true that a Massor has appeared there, and that it attacked a group of only two, then the Collectors will no longer be able to visit Kalar, and all of that control will disappear. Not to mention the devastating impact it would have on my people, not just the Collectors and soldiers."

Cage pauses as Yoru finishes speaking. It makes sense, but one thing still bugs him, "I'm still confused about the Rage Stones. I know that they make soldiers and Collectors more powerful, but couldn't they just stop ingesting them if they don't want to be controlled?" he says.

Yoru purses her lips, seeming to be disturbed by something. She gazes at Cage for a moment, sighing, "The Rage Stones are addictive. Extremely so," she says, "After only a few days, the withdrawals can become so terrible that those addicted will murder and steal to get their next fix. Horrible headaches, delirium, weakness, the symptoms only get worse as time goes on. Some can't handle it, so they take their own lives to be rid of the pain."

Cage's eyes widen, "Are Kyro and Ingen addicted to them?" he asks.

"Ingen was at one time, but he was able to quit after becoming a Collector. I thought he would suffer the same fate as so many others, but he pulled through. He was out of commission for two weeks," Yoru says. She pauses, wiping a hand over her face, "My brother, however, has not been so lucky. He's tried many times, only to relapse within a few days. I don't have a way to help him. This is his problem. Still, he's my brother, and I love him."

"We've wasted enough time though, so let's get to what we're here for," Yoru says, pulling the stack of books over to her, "Can you read?"

"Yeah..." Cage replies, "…But not your language."

Yoru tilts her head, visibly confused, "Yet you speak it?" she asks.

The Student shrugs, "I've been able to since I met Kyro. But when we were walking through the city yesterday, I couldn't read a single word from the signs," he says.

Yoru hums, "I'll have to teach you about the three languages," she says, "For now, I will read the text to you, and you will write down important notes in the language that you can read," she unstacks the books and hands one to Cage, "While it is strange that you can speak but not read the language, I can believe it... Knowing your origins."

Cage nods, looking down at the book offered to him. The cover is black leather, blank save for swirling white embroidery like a current of wind. He opens it to reveal blank white pages. A pen is suddenly set on the table in his vision, shaped similarly to the one Alyra from the Foreign Affairs Office used.

"You will use this for self-study. I already planned to have you use it, but I suppose that is a must now," Yoru says. She slides the books before her to the side, taking the largest one and raising it for Cage to see the cover, "This volume details a section of the travels of Tiren and his companions, written by Gira Mersha, one of those companions. Tiren and his companions are worshipped as gods by everyone in the Praesi for what they did during their seven hundred year journey. Each civilization worships a different member, and as you have seen, our people worship Betor, the warrior."

Cage stares at the book, the brown leather old and weathered with an unreadable title embroidered across the front. So this Betor person is the one displayed all over the city, as he had thought. His forehead wrinkles as a question rises in him, "What were those creatures on the gate? The ones that Betor seemed to be fighting," Cage asks.

"Umbra," Yoru responds, "They were terrifying creatures that plagued the Praesi a thousand years ago, and they are also the reason that Tiren and the others are worshipped as they are. People, homes, entire chunks of planets, everything the Umbra touched would disappear and be forgotten. Then Tiren and his companions came, with unthinkable powers that destroyed the Umbra. They traveled to every planet, city, and village, ridding the Praesi of the monsters. And then, after defeating every one of those monsters, they disappeared. They have not been seen since then, but not long after, everything taken by the Umbra began to reappear. They may be dead or lost in the place where the Umbra originated from. There are many theories. However, one thing is true nonetheless; they are the saviors of the Praesi. Men and women that became Gods."

Cage listens to her words intently. Kyro told him about it before, but Yoru is obviously more studied on the subject. However, there is another thing that he wants to know about, and to Cage, it is much more important than Tiren or the Umbra, "Kyro told me this book mentions Earth. I want to know what it says about it," he says, staring into Yoru's bright yellow eyes.

"I already planned on telling you," Yoru says, lips thinning to a line, "But don't expect too much. The text is not exactly... hopeful."

"I know," Cage responds. His expression is firm, even as Yoru begins to speak, telling him that the home he once knew is truly gone forever.