Resurrection Arc 2

Kaizo stood by the main holo table, looking at the data of the Umbran Society case.

Earth is not a completely magical planet. Its people have learned science and technologies to a certain extent. Some people still believe in magic. But most of them are senseless cults based on superstitious thoughts.

Without any solid evidence, it's hard to think that the Umbran society truly uses real magic or just a role-play group pretending to know magic. Regardless, the group is suspected to have casualties on innocent people. This cannot be overlooked.

Kaizo leaned back to his chair. All these magic cases start to make him feel weary again. He let out a sigh and took a moment to close his eyes.

"My love, my love, my fearless love…." a voice whispered

Kaizo jolted from his chair. The voice is so close Kaizo almost thought it was in his head. He looked at a black crown at the edge of his table. It's the obsidian crown from TrEs-2b. The only thing left after the incident on that dark planet.

When everyone was busy dealing with monsters, Maskmana took the crown in the spur of the moment. No one knows about the crown. Everyone thought the crown was lost along with Axion's death. Kaizo insisted Maskmana let him keep the crown for research purposes. Although reluctant, Maskmana gave in and left the crown in Kaizo's hand.

The crown has been whispering to him since her passing. Sometimes the whispering sound is unknown to him. But sometimes, it mimics Axion's voice. The more tired Kaizo is, the more he can hear Axion's voice from the crown. Making Kaizo question what is real. Every time Kaizo tried to wear it, his head hurts. It feels like his head is going to break apart. He's been looking for ways to use the crown but to no avail.

He pressed his forehead as he leaned back on his chair. He glances at a smaller sub-holo table not far from him. He thought for a moment before he approached that table. He opens his personal research of magic. Several spells and magic reports spread on the holographic screen. He looked at them carefully. At the lower-left corner, a picture sticks out under a file. He pulled out the picture along with the attached report.

It's the picture taken on Planet Circus when Axion froze the entire coliseum. Under the picture is a description of ice magic, its known effect, and the report of the Planet Circus case.

Kaizo slowly lifts his hand and touches Axion's small figure in the picture. His fingers went through the holographic screen. Her galant stance standing in the middle of the coliseum with slightly frozen hands is mesmerizing to those who see.

His face turned grim, reminiscing of the past with her.

"When was it, I wonder…

When I begin to fall for her"

Never in his life, Kaizo would think to get attached to someone.

Only after he lost Axion, does he realize his feelings. By the time he knows, she's already gone before he could even tell her how he feels.

Kaizo continues to sweep through the data. From elemental magic to dark magic, Kaizo looks through it all in a desperate attempt to remember her. Until he came across a magic item.

A wind affinity magic item that can be used to find a location or send a message.

"This…," Kaizo mumbled.

He pressed a button on his watch.

"Lahap, tell everyone to assemble now," said Kaizo.

Shortly later, Lahap, Fang, and Suhani enter the room.

"I found something," said Kaizo. He showed a picture of a conch on the holographic screen.

"This is a magic conch commonly found in Ocrillon. With certain wind spells, it can help us find the Umbran mages," said Kaizo.

"How? None of us can use magic," said Fang.

"Maybe you can do something around that part," said Kaizo as he looked at Suhani. "You said you can sense magical energy despite not being a mage. Can you find a way to use it?"

"I can try," Suhani replied.

Kaizo handed over the conch.

"So how does this work?" Suhani asks as she turns the conch around in her hand.

"Do you know the myth where you can hear the sound of the sea through the conch?"

"Yes."

"People of Ocrillon believed conches are the house of wave and wind spirits. By chanting a wind spell, the wind spirits will tell you where to go through the conch," said Kaizo.

"Do you think it'll work on Earth?" Fang asked with doubt.

"Put the bedtime story aside, magic, in a way, is a complex science. If Suhani can get the sense of science in magic energy, then she should be able to grasp the science in using magic," said Kaizo.

"I can't say for sure. But it's worth trying," said Suhani. She turned to Kaizo. "So all I have to do is chant the spell and listen through the conch?"

"Usually, yes. The item has a high wind affinity. So I think it's best to do it in places with strong wind," said Kaizo.

Suhani and Fang nodded at each other. They took the conch outside to a cliff near the beach.

The wind blows, brushing Suhani's long hair as the waves rush to the shore. She gazes into the horizon, looking at the slowly sinking sun. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she imagines feeling the energy around her. With hope, she lifted the conch and began chanting a spell.

Ad spiritus venti veritatem quaero

She softly whispered the spell. Bits of sand slowly flew around her. Fang could almost see them glitter. Voices begin to lightly whisper. Suhani tried to sharpen her ears. She put the conch on her ear and listened carefully. She can hear people talking through the conch. Voices overlap one another.

Fang looked at her curiously. "Suhani?"

"... I can't make out anything. It's like hundreds of people talking at the same time," said Suhani.

"There must be a way to listen only to what I want to hear," she thought to herself.

Suhani sharpens her focus. She takes her mind back to the night when she saw the kidnapping incident. A long-haired woman with a red top. A group of men with a black robe. A black SUV, driving away as soon as the woman is taken inside.

The voices slowly subside and Suhani was slowly able to comprehend what was being said.

We saw them…

On a cold night before the full moon

A maiden in red was taken

"Tell me. Where did they take her?" Suhani whispered.

North…

To the hole of murder

Where maiden fall

And the tide perilous

She tried to ask for more clues. But the conch stopped speaking.

Fang slowly approaches her. "Did you find anything?"

She slowly shook her head. "I don't understand…."