I used my day off to train and prepare for anything Jade had planned today. After calming my mind, I got dressed, took my blade off the wall, and made my way out the door.
"Goodbye, Maxwell."
I said to nobody as I walked out the door. The day was breezy but warmer than yesterday. Morning dew from the rain made the air cleaner. As I approached the gates, my leg shook like it had a mind of its own.
"Eeeeeh?!"
I cried, earning the attention of the knights. Of course, it was just my phone scaring the living daylights out of me. As I looked at the screen, Jade's name popped up.
"H-Hello?"
I answered a tad meekly.
"Feodora, are you in the city yet?"
"I'm right outside the east gates."
I replied.
"Good, I'm coming to meet you. Today, you and I are going on an investigation. Something's come up, and I need you on this lead."
"Right."
She hung up.
I walked inside the city and wandered around until she showed up. Kids were playing, and it was a completely different feeling to yesterday. I could even see Radiant's in suits walking about. It seemed that the Radiant Order was patrolling or doing their own investigations.
"Hm."
I could feel a difference in the air compared to the first day I came here. It felt a bit more oppressive than usual.
"Feodora."
I turned to see Jade's perfect stride as she approached me. She stopped at my feet and tilted her head.
"Did you enjoy your day off?"
She asked.
"I did. I was able to relax and decompress."
The knight smiled.
"I know you said you're not one to socialize but after watching you these last few days, I think you're selling yourself short."
"What do you mean?"
She gave me a light smile.
"Quite a lot of people like you, you know, Feodora?"
"H-Huh?"
The knight teased.
"Eve and Vivian see good in you. Mellissa and Yuuna also gave you glowing reviews. And even Terra, the knight really wants you to join."
I scratched my cheek. I forgot all about Terra's strange proposal to have me join the knights. It seemed that she was spreading the good word of her attempts to anyone willing listener.
"What I'm saying Feodora is, when all of this is said and done, consider coming into Radiant City on occasion."
My creed told me to stay alone, stay in the shadows. If I would have followed it, I wouldn't have been caught up in these investigations to start. But that didn't mean I wasn't enjoying some of these interactions in a way.
People are scary and that hasn't changed.
"Jade."
"Yes, Feodora?"
"What about you? What do you think of me?"
The Radiant crossed her arms and gave me a smirk.
"You're interesting and more than just a tool for me to use."
She admitted.
"I know you're stronger than what you've shown. And to be honest, I want to see how strong you really are one day."
Jade put a finger to my forehead.
"And that's why I'm so interested in you. You're more than just the key to victory for me."
"More?"
I asked.
My chest twisted as the beautiful Jade's smile radiated on me.
"Yes, you're my little hermit girl."
Jade chuckled.
"I'm not a hermit."
I complained with a smirk across my face.
She put her hands on her hips, gave me a self-satisfied smile then turned her heels.
"Let's go. We are going back to the Baron Group."
"The Baron Group again?"
"Yes, it turns out that there was a pilgrimage of people who never returned from their trip. Around sixteen of them. They just up and vanished. This feels just like my investigation."
Jade explained.
"Nobody knows what happened to them?"
"Abigail was investigating it the day we went searching for her. She was obviously trying to keep it under the radar. Apparently, she sent out Caesar to look for them and he hasn't come back either."
I thought about that man who had a sharp face and eye patch.
"Oh right, Caesar. How did you find out about this?"
"While investigating the bombings and the Baron Group I overheard them chatting about those missing people in the pilgrimage group. That led to me interrogating Abigail, and she confessed what was going on. It was either she confessed, or we'd bring in the Radiant Order."
The Radiant knight sighed.
"And Abigail has major issues with the Radiant Order. It was the only threat that would work. So, we established that you, me, her, and her little sister, Lana would join a set of followers and scope out what happened."
"Abigail doesn't like the Radiant Order?"
I asked.
Jade shook her head.
"The Pasco family has trust issues when it comes to the Radiants. I wouldn't they're distrust is unfounded."
Jade closed her eyes.
"There were dark events that happened before the Baron Group was truly established, Feodora."
"Dark events?"
"Yes, and if I was in Abigails shoes, I wouldn't trust us either."
The Baron Group was a mystery to me. It sounded like there was a lot of history I still had to uncover to know what she meant.
When we reached the Baron group, a few members came up to us. They circled around us as Jade announced.
"We're here to see Abigail Pasco."
Jade declared.
"Yes, she informed us. Our goddess would like it if you came to our library and waited there for her."
They led us over to the library. It was massive and took me by surprise. I suddenly remembered that I needed to buy a few books. Mentally, I kept that in mind.
"Please wait here until she arrives."
The group of members left us as we stood there in the middle of the room. They closed the door, giving us a bit of privacy.
"Since we're alone, Feodora, I want to make sure you understand something."
Jade looked at me.
"When dealing with Abigail, she's very persuasive in her tactics to get what she wants. I don't need you getting sucked into her words easily."
"What do you mean, Jade?"
The morning sun filtered through the glass behind us, making Jade's face tone a soft red. She closed her eyes and pondered for a moment.
"Abigail is strong in all four elements. She uses those abilities to seduce whoever she pleases."
The knight closed her eyes.
"Did you notice that sweet scent that she produces at times?"
I recalled the first time I met her. She flapped her wings, and I smelled something eye-catching.
"Yes, I do."
"Abigail uses her elements to produce that. Water vaporized by fire, scented with earth, and sent by her wind. Only she can produce a spectrum that fine."
I put my finger to my lip.
"Then how do I combat her, Jade?"
I asked.
"When you smell that sweet scent, do your best to raise your resistance by channeling your fire, water, earth, and wind spectrums. By doing that, you can attempt to stop Abigail's suggestion from controlling you."
Just the idea of someone crawling into my mind made me shiver.
"Thanks for the heads up, I guess."
Jade nodded.
"I just don't need you being a lifeless zombie as we work with her. I need you for more important things."
The knight looked me in the eye.
"Some spectrum can be used to influence what you think or see. Keep that in mind when interacting with Abigail and this investigation in general."
She smirked as she pointed at me.
"I do have one other thing to talk with you about, Feodora. And that is your ability to use the chaos element."
The chaos element is the seventh element created by the Radiants. It can enchant weapons along with other more powerful attributes. The seventh element can also increase the power of any other six. Maxwell taught me powerful techniques using it.
"What about the chaos element?"
I asked.
Jade moved closer and pressed her finger on my chest.
"As a Radiant, I can see the blur of the chaos element within you. Normal vessels can't see the hidden attributes as we can."
She guided her finger to my heart.
"There is a slight blur around here that shows me that you are well versed in the chaos element."
The knight stared at me intensely.
I closed my eyes. I knew just what she was talking about. It was the next level of shadow craft that Maxwell beat into me. Using the chaos element as an enhancer.
They are dangerous, and I was told to only use them sparingly. Destructive crafts that would make me one with the dark. Jade pushed her finger further on my chest.
"But it's just not that in there. There is a more distorted blur that I can see. I have no idea what that is but it's powerful, Feodora"
I was slightly confused by this, so I asked.
"What do you mean?"
Jade tilted her head.
"Ah… you don't know how to unlock it either. You don't know what will unlock that deep-seated power within you."
Jade probed.
I knew of the dangerous level of shadow crafts. The ones I was beaten into using sparingly. But could there be another piece to my training that even Maxwell hid within me?
I couldn't understand why he would do something like that. My mind began to channel the chaos element within my body. I felt the shadow crafts and the destructive versions that I hid from the world for now but nothing else.
"I can't perceive what you see, Jade because I'm not a Radiant like you?"
I asked.
What could Maxwell have hidden within me using the chaos element that even I don't know?
"And that right there… is a Trickster's doing, Feodora. To embed you with something that even you didn't know existed."
"Trickster's doing?"
"Hm, it seems we're out of time."
Jade said as she turned to the door. The goddess we were waiting for entered inside.
"Ah, Jade! And Feodora Cicer, was it?"
That charming voice was amplified by the vast library. The goddess stepped inside with elegance as her heels clicked on the floor. On the side of her was that brat Lana, her little sister. Behind them was a group of followers in white cloaks.
"Hello, Abigail."
Jade said with a nod.
Lana looked at me and pushed her tongue out.
"Meeh!"
I sighed, not wanting to deal with her attitude.
"It looks like today you two will be coming with us. Let me explain what's going on."
The goddess spoke. All eyes fell on her. Calmly she looked at me. I could clearly see the apprehension in her body language.
"As of today, there are twenty people from my congregation that have gone missing."