Phantaminum

The Ark of Knowledge floated proudly floated in the air as it strode forth without stop. The dome shaped airship, the residential area and the battleship of the Po Bidau family looked majestic as always.

The people went about their ways, this day only more in number. For one of the head librarians was going to do a public reading today. It was always a festive atmosphere when that happened. The normal librarians had little substance when it came to reading. Knowledge was welcome to everyone in the Po Bidau family, barring a few secret books that only the family head and a few members of the family knew.

But there was a hierarchial arrangement based on status that determined which types of books one was allowed to show at a public reading. The Higher the rank, the larger and more grand the public reading that could be held.

For that reason, the various head librarians held a pivotal role in the family; extending further than them being a leader of a branch or a strong member to fall back on. They were also a source of entertainment and bliss.

Various people with glasses and monocles walked along the rarely seen busy streets of the Ark. They all held a look of joy and excitement on their visage.

Gustang stood atop the tallest tower of the Ark and looked down at all of this with a solemn expression. His feelings were hard to decipher. He had a scholarly air around him and had the disposition of a poet. His glasses shone in the ambient light, giving him a particularly striking look.

He thought back to the conversation he had with the new irregular. From the short exchange of words alone, Gustang knew his intentions all too well. He wasn't the type of stay down. People like him would stir up trouble anywhere they went; anything that came in front of him would be forcible removed.

And with the strength he had shown at floor 30 alone, Gustang didn't doubt for a moment his ability to do so. Eventually, he would catch up. And that time wouldn't be too far off...

That ability of his.... Gustang narrowed his eyes, thinking back to the uncanny ability of the irregular.

The Power to take others' place.

It was a frightening power. One that seemed weirdly familiar to Gustang. As a matter of fact, it hit a little too close to home.

Once again... my ignorance is coming in the way of my decision making. His eyes glossed over. Something that had been happening far too often these days.

There doesn't seem to be a limit to his ability... But should such a thing even be possible? Infinitely multiplying, with each clone being exactly as powerful... it seems too far-fetched to even be considered real... and yet... He remembered the words of one of his clones.

'Until I can kill you' he had said.

Gustang remembered the strange shiver that had gone down his spine at that very moment. It wasn't something that happened randomly. He couldn't help but realize it. He had to. Something was very very wrong.

And it would only get worse if it were allowed to fester.

"Proust." He said, softly.

Instantly, a large cyan humanoid creature appeared in the air behind him. The creature had a head not unlike that of a dear and donned glasses on his face.

"Sir." His deep voice bellowed.

"Send Tiara to my office. I have something to speak to her." Gustang declared.

"Will do, sir." Proust said and disappeared.

Gustang spoke, seemingly to the air, "You wanted to know your marriage partner before marriage right?"

Surprisingly, a smile blossomed on his face.

Chaos will again grace the Tower... He looked towards the sky.

And perhaps... the stars will finally have a chance at shining through.

Gustang felt the spell on his office room activate. Someone had arrived outside.

He leapt through space and instantly arrived at his office.

Then, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket, he said, "Come in."

The door opened without sound, and in came a beautiful young woman. She was fair skinned and glamorous. Her pretty yellow hair cascaded down her head and dropped down to her back, supporting two braids at the front that extended to her bosom. Her face donned clear glasses that stood over her yellow eyes and she had the disposition of a typical book worm.

Her attire was proper, including a long white dress and brown shoes. In her arms, she cradled a large book and pressed it to her chest as if afraid to let go.

It was none other than Po Bidau Tiara, the Po Bidau's Princess.

Entering into the room, she smiled at Gustang.

"Good evening, Father. How have you called me today?"

"You were pretty quick getting here." Gustang joked, taking a puff from his now lit cigarette. However, with his monotonous tone to go along with it, it sounded more condescending than light fun.

"Of course. It is my duty to follow your orders as efficiently as possible." Tiara said without missing beat.

Gustang only nodded and began.

"I have a task for you."

"Task?"

"That's right." He said. "You must have heard about the Silent Leviathan correct?"

Tiara's eyes lit up with a strange excitement.

"I have. Winston Heath, if my memory serves me right." She said.

"That's right. I want you to find him." He continued. "Find him and get to know him. That is what you must do."

Tiara stared at him for a split second with a blooming confusion.

"By getting to know him, father, what is it that you mean?" She asked, her face still impassive, barring the strange expression that her eyes conveyed.

"You are going to be married to Winston Heath." And so, Gustang dropped the bombshell without even attempting to ease her in. "I spoke to him. He's a strange person, as are all irregulars. And the way things are currently, I hold no doubts that he would become an enemy. To stop that, I wish to have him by our side permanently.

"But he said he would not like a marriage without getting to know the other party first. So this is how it turned out." Gustang finished his speech and met Tiara's eye. He extended the cigarette to his mouth and took a puff.

"And so, you will get to know him. Eventually get him to our side."

Tiara was quiet for a moment before she spoke.

"May I suggest something, Father?" She said.

Gustang stayed unmoving; a signal for her to continue.

"What if I eliminate the threat entirely?" Suddenly, a slime bloomed over her lips and her eyes held a fiery luster. "What if I can kill that man? Then I won't have to marry him and your worries will be solved."

Gustang narrowed his eyes in thought.

"If you can accomplish that, you may. But exercise caution." Gustang said simply. He would not outright deny her suggestion. It would only lead to some complications later down the line. It was better for parents to let the children follow through with their crazy plans. Especially so for someone like Tiara. Something batshit insane like this might just work in favor for the cracked ones.

Tiara giggled at his response and bowed.

"Thank you father!"

"Then, you may leave." Gustang nodded and took another puff from his cigarette.

Tiara didn't linger. And the door closed with a soft thud.

The man stood in his office with a still face; deep in thought.

~~~

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Hwaryun found herself stranded amidst an infinite ocean of gray fog. She stood over it, yet the fog continued to impede her vision. She looked around herself with a cold clarity. Then, her eyes widened. That's right. Eyes. Plural.

She touched her right eye which had been damaged at the test floor.

"Is this a dream?" The thought instantly covered her mind, calming her nervous psyche.

She looked around herself, finding her thoughts getting more chaotic the more she looked around.

This is just like that time... She thought to herself in foreboding. Some years ago, she had found herself in a similar scenery. Only then, she had seen something she wasn't sure if she should have. She had seen the harbringer of all secrets, the one that lords over all the mysteries in the Tower.

She had seen 'him'. She had realized at that time why Lord Khel Hellam had been so overwhelmed by what he had seen. It was simply too much to process.

And that was also the day she had locked herself up for weeks to come.

That's right. This must also be related to Winston somehow... She thought. Before passing out, she remembered herself repeating his name.

The Beacon of Destiny.

The Uncontrollable Cosmic Error.

Traveller of the Endless World.

And now, she was here.

She braced herself, preparing for whatever vision she was going to be shown this time. And yet, nothing came.

She waited and waited and waited. Then she waited some more. Did she mention that she waited?

Yet there was nothing. No change in the grey fog, nothing.

She narrowed her eyes and walked forward. The grey fog shifted as her feet probed it. She strode forth in the sea of mist like a lonesome boat across an insurmountable ocean.

And after some time, the area began to change.

The monotony of the fog was broken by large monolithic structures growing out of it as if trying to escape the clutches of whatever if was that held them. One of them Hwaryun tried to read send shivers down her spine.

It was written in Macsethian, but also the ancient languages that the Family Heads had brought along with them from outside the tower along with every other that already existed inside it.

If she had to describe it, it was an amalgamation of every single language ever witnessed in the tower.

It described a scene. One in history where Phantaminum had murdered his way through the Jahad forces. It was explained in vivid detail, down to the last movement as if someone had personally gone there and written down every last detail.

And then, her vision expanded.

Her eyes darted around, finding herself at the hallways that had been painted red by the blood of the Jahad forces. She widened her eyes and looked in a particular direction. There, she saw a man.

She could not accurately judge his features. Even the colour of his hair or his height. It was all covered by a layer of fog.

But then, the man turned to her.

She knew who he was.

Phantaminum.

What? When? Where?

Why had she come come? How did she even arrive here? Who is she? What is her name?

Questions flooded her mind as the 'being' before her smiled at her.

"You aren't supposed to be here." He said.

And then, Hwaryun woke up with a jerk.

Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff!

She took heavy breaths, trying to calm down her heart that seemed to want to jump out of her chest.

She looked around her. She was laid onto a neat beat. The room itself was pretty sizable and not too noteworthy.

Just then, her eyes widened. Yes. Eyes. Plural.

She looked beside the bed where a small table was. And atop was table was a small paper figurine with a hole in its head and a note at the side.

She took on the note and opened it.

[I healed your eye. Come outside when you wake up. Tell one of the rankers to guide you, or you know, just do it yourself. Cheers~~]

It was Winston's letter, no doubt.

Inexplicably, a smile stretched out on her face.

This new God of her's... well, he brought plenty of dangers but at least he had a heart.

~~~

A/N: Throw some stones and leave a review.

Volume two will soon enter it's final arc, the Hell Train!!!!!

Stay tuned for that, I have big things planned.

Cheers~~~~