Stubborn Memories

Sometime later, Al found himself meditative, cradling the stone Romann had given him. Its surface bore a dim, grayish-blue rune. Al readied himself mentally, even though Romann had left them without explicit instructions on its usage. Having grown accustomed to interacting with his C-stone and Ever-life stones, Al felt confident the rune stone operated on similar principles. Determinedly, he meditated with the rune stone in his palms.

In an instant, the world vanished before him, replaced by a new reality. Al's hands, or rather, the hands of someone else, filled his vision. A commanding voice cut through the air, urging him to hurry.

He tossed a weighty, star-shaped contraption on his back. The burden threatened to overwhelm him, but he summoned his strength to bear it. People hurried past him, their voices blending into a chorus of urgency.

Compelled by the body he now inhabited, Al secured the heavy contraption on his back and followed the people who had passed him, determined to keep pace.

The body he inhabited turned, casting a fleeting glance back at the corridor nestled against the base of a towering mountain. The distant echo of artillery reverberated through the air, each detonation a reminder of the imminent danger that loomed.

"Martin, for the love of all that is sacred, what are you waiting for? We are all waiting on you!" a voice erupted, commanding obedience. The person Al inhabited responded, their voice laced with determination and indifference. "Yes, Teacher, this student understands the task and shall fulfill it!"

Al's mind raced, processing the unfolding events. A realization crystalized within him — what he witnessed was not the present but a memory unfolding through the eyes of someone named Martin. Time itself had shifted, thrusting Al into this moment, a mere observer in the static information within the runestone.

Still resolute and alone, Martin ventured into the surrounding forest's depths.

Five figures stood behind, their impatience palpable, awaiting his return. Moments stretched into hours as Martin pressed forward, burdened by the weighty contraption on his back.

The rumble of artillery grew ever closer, the thunderous boom punctuating the air. Al's senses sharpened, taking in the sight of distant trees collapsing under the onslaught.

Though rationality whispered that he faced no real danger, every fiber of his being screamed for escape. And just as the thought took hold, Martin abruptly altered his course, something seemed to guide him.

With a surge of determination, Martin deviated from the previous path, steering away from the encroaching peril.

Moments later, a deafening explosion erupted where Martin had stood just seconds ago, engulfing the surroundings in chaos. Martin dodged death in such a way until the explosions became more frequent.

Al's senses became overwhelmed by a resounding ringing, his hearing momentarily consumed by a deafening aftermath. The body he inhabited, once whole, now lay torn asunder. Martin's flesh and limbs mangled, his neck dislocated, and his severed legs. Yet, despite the horrifying state of his body, Martin clung to a thread of life, a gurgling sound growing louder amidst the fading ring.

Then, a remarkable transformation unfolded before Al's mind's eye. The A.R.C within Martin's navel whirled with a rhythmic pace, triggering a vibrating reaction in the dark bracelet adorning his left wrist.

In a matter of seconds, Martin's body reconstituted itself, mending every wound and restoring him to his former state. Without skipping a beat, he reached down to retrieve the unscathed metal object, his purpose unwavering. With an otherworldly resilience, Martin continued his march, the same determined pace as before.

Questions swirled in Al's mind. Did he possess immortality, or was this a manifestation of his etheric shell's power? Though his intuition leaned towards the latter, the nature of Martin's power lingered.

A day and night passed, and the march was unrelenting until Martin arrived at the rear of a small military battalion. Staying concealed at the forest's edge, he ensured his presence went unnoticed as he placed the metal contraption upon the ground.

As Martin directed his will into it, the object began autonomously expanding, unfolding into a pentagonal structure the size of a small table. At its center, a clear crystal pulsated with intense vibrations, emitting a light that connected with the metallic perimeter. Ascending the structure, Martin closed his eyes, attuning his own vibration to the resonant frequency of the metal formation.

When he opened his eyes, the familiar sight of the mountain's base greeted him again, a testament to the mysterious power of the metal contraption. He had teleported.

Standing upon a similar metal contraption carefully arranged at the mountain's base, Martin was surrounded by the other five individuals waiting for him. Among them, the figure he addressed as "Teacher" assumed command, issuing precise instructions and directing the others in a specific order.

One by one, they vanished, teleported to their intended destinations. Martin, however, remained, his quick return to the corridor driven by an urgency to retrieve his weapon. Hastily, he raced back to the metal pentagon formation.

As Martin teleported outside the military battalion, he was disappointed. The others had already finished their slaughter and were heading back towards the teleporter. Mockery hung heavy in the air as one of the five jeered at Martin: "Too late again, Martin. Seems you're nothing more than a donkey!" A sting of humiliation accompanied the words, but Martin remained resolute, absorbing the verbal blow with unwavering determination.

His teacher, the last to depart, delivered a curt message before teleporting. "Take the five-Point Transportal back. We will proceed to annihilate the next battalion in three days. Make haste, Martin." Nodding in acknowledgment, Martin patiently waited for his teacher to disappear before dismantling the metal formation.

In the next instant, Al found himself back in his own body, his limbs again under his control. The vision he had witnessed belonged to an individual with a Stubborn Will, his memory captured within the stone he held.

Pondering the significance of the experience, Al couldn't help but wonder why that particular memory had been chosen to be passed down. Nonetheless, he better understood the potential power within his own Stubborn Will. Yet, the visceral imagery of Martin's mutilation sent shivers down Al's spine.

After immersing himself in the memories of various individuals who possessed Stubborn Will, Al donned the gray robe bestowed upon him by Romann, assuming a more contemplative guise. With the red book in hand, he delved into its contents, finding solace in the tranquility of uninterrupted study. Unlike his companions, burdened with pressing tasks, Al enjoyed a rare respite, allowing him to delve deeper into his curiosities.

Days passed in quiet seclusion until a knock at the door shattered the stillness of his dwelling. Startled, Al opened the door to find Louise standing before him, garbed in her gray robe, her small drum hanging at her side.

She regarded him with a silent intensity, causing him to instinctively retreat a step. Breaking the silence, she remarked, "You look so different without that clunky, rusted armor." Al's brow furrowed, interrupting her with a terse question, "What do you want?"

Louise's demeanor swiftly transformed, her countenance adopting a seriousness befitting the weight of her position as second in command. "Cesar has informed us that we will be completing our team's assigned task right now. Our rendezvous point lies just outside the mountain's base, next to exit 43. The mission carries a substantial risk factor, with a 70% chance of fatal casualties. I hope you take this more seriously than you took the run." Having relayed her message, she swiftly departed.

Al was taken aback by Louise's unexpected display of concern. As her presence faded from view, he directed his gaze downward, taking in the strange knife clasped in his hand and the chain connecting to his ring. Uncertainty mingled with curiosity.

Nestled in a small hollowed-out hill just outside the mountain, Cesar paced back and forth, his form draped in the distinctive gray robe gifted to him by Romann. However, what set him apart was the crimson sash adorning his waist and the beautifully adorned spear he wielded, emanating an air of superiority. Though his countenance exuded confidence and determination, he concealed a hidden anxiety deep within. This was the first assignment for their phantom seed, and he bore the weight of leadership upon his shoulders.

Standing beside him was a young woman with dark hair, Ellie, and a perplexed young man, Jin. They had prolonged discussions with Cesar, exchanging thoughts and concerns. Ellie, her voice tinged with a high pitch, sought to alleviate their apprehensions. "There's no use in stressing, guys. Louise went to fetch Al and Yusuf, and once they join us, we can devise a better plan."

Jin, visibly uneasy, interjected, "But we don't know how much time we have before our targets shift their position." His words hung in the air, hinting at unspoken thoughts.

Abruptly, Cesar halted his restless pacing, authoritatively addressing both Ellie and Jin: "Enough. We've circled this topic for far too long. Jin, you will not pursue them. We shall proceed with caution, ensuring precision in our actions. We will do this once, and we will do it the right way."

The two teammates exchanged glances and then turned their attention to Cesar, silently acknowledging his directive. They stood united, awaiting the rest of the team's arrival.

Without warning, knocking reverberated from the metallic hatch in the ground, the entrance of exit 47. Another phantom seed had arrived, completing their mission before swiftly departing. After half an hour, the hatch emitted another series of knocks, slowly revealing Al as he opened it.

Surprise flickered across his face upon finding three teammates awaiting him at the tunnel's end. "Oh, I guess I'm not the first one," Al remarked, joining the small group. Surveying his surroundings, he found himself in a circular toroidal room, its diameter comparable to that of a sizable school bus. Cesar and the others sat around a wooden table near the chamber's exit. Al joined them, eagerly absorbing the briefing on the imminent operation.

Within fifteen minutes, another round of knocking echoed through the chamber, heralding the arrival of Yusuf, followed closely by Louise. At last, they were all together. Assuming his role as the leader, Cesar commenced a detailed explanation of his intentions.

"As we are all aware, Romann presented us with a high-level task, fetching a bounty of 650+ merits for the death of three hybrids. I intentionally withheld this information to ensure it didn't distract from your respective tasks and training," Cesar disclosed.

He paused, uncertainty briefly clouding his expression, before resolutely continuing, "However, I recently encountered one of the hybrids while assisting Jin with his task. Stealthily trailing the hybrid without detection, we observed as it descended into a hole in the forest floor. Choosing not to follow further Jin and I marked the spot and immediately returned, encountering Ellie along the way. She had just completed her assignment and, joined us. Without delay, we summoned Louise and assembled the team. The best chance to take them complete our task is right now."

After roughly thirty minutes of intense discussions on formations and designations, the team swiftly departed the toroidal chamber, sprinting through the dense woods, with Cesar leading the charge.