Zara appeared terrified, but she sat down with me to talk. I kept some information to myself, but I told her what she needed to know about Riala. How “I” had researched the water sources with the help of my Calling, how Riala had learned about it, that I had snuck out to the water source to do my experiments in secret, and that Riala had followed me last night. I recounted the beast attacking us, me using the water source as a weapon against it, and how something had happened to us. It probably would not have sounded very believable if Riala wasn’t sitting right there with us, confirming my story. And if we didn’t strike fear into her for a reason she didn’t understand.

The most important piece of information, however, would be that the guards might come looking for Riala. If that happened, I didn’t know what would happen next. Based on the reaction of the guards and Zara, I guessed that we were having the same ominous air as beasts around us. Probably from the mana. Until we found a solution to that, it wouldn’t be safe to let her younger sister walk around outside.

I bowed my head slightly. “I’m sorry, Zara, Riala. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

She had listened to everything I had to say in silence, and looked scared for most of it. After I was done, however, my head still bowed, I noticed her standing before me. I had just lifted my head to look at her when she slapped me hard across the face.

“How could you get Riala involved in that!? She could be dead!! And now you’re telling me to lock her up like some kind of monster!?”

Riala jumped up and quickly put herself between us. 

“Stop, Sis! It was my fault! I followed him!” she said.

I doubted she could truly understand what was happening. When she had woken up I told her that something had happened to us and that we would have to be careful about meeting other people, but that was about it. She was a little girl, I figured all she would care about would be getting home to her sister.

“No, Riala! He is the one doing illegal things! And he’s the one who got you involved! I want him out right this second!”

Zara tried pushing Riala out of the way, but she wouldn’t let her.

“Please let him stay for a little bit, Sis!”

The two of them struggled for a moment, before Zara took a step back. “Why would I let him stay here!?”

“Tomar saved me! I followed him, and we saw the beast when he wanted to bring me home! It was my fault! And he saved the guards too!”

I hadn’t gone into that much detail during my explanation to Zara. Not that it would’ve made much of a difference coming from me at that moment. From her little sister, however, there was at least some weight to it. Except that I didn’t think it was Riala’s fault. The way Miles had told the story, the beast had probably watched him for a while, but only showed itself when he was heading back with the girl. I should’ve corrected her, but the look on Zara’s face told me that Riala’s pleading was paying off. Desperation beat out honesty. I have to talk to Riala later.

Zara was struggling with what her sister had asked of her, but she eventually relented. “When are you planning to leave,” she spat.

“Tomorrow morning,” I said. I needed a break, some time to think, and maybe a bite to eat and some water. I had yet to come up with a follow up plan, but if she was willing to grant me that much, it would be a start.

“Tomorrow morning,” she said declaratively, before taking Riala’s hand and leaving the room.

‘That could’ve gone worse...’ Miles commented.

“Hmhm,” I agreed.

***

Zara was anything but happy about me being here, but after hours of running, hiding, and sneaking around, her vicious stares were a small price to pay for being able to lean back and relax for a time. Eventually she allowed me to stay in their parents’ former bedroom for the moment, though that was probably just to get me out of her sight.

I was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Even though I couldn’t sleep, it was relaxing. I didn’t like being an unwanted guest, but I had really needed this.

“Do you think they will kill us on sight?” I asked Miles. That was my greatest fear. We had avoided other people on the way here, but Zara’s reaction had been eye-opening. It would be bad if others saw us the same way. However, if I could explain myself to the authorities, maybe they would be more understanding than I thought. My whole life I had heard stories about Mad Ones, people with voices in their heads, getting killed immediately. That was under entirely different circumstances though.

‘Honestly, I don’t know,’ Miles said. ‘I want to say the worst that could happen is that they lock us up, but in my world we wouldn’t kill Mad Ones either if we could avoid it. If they’re really that eager to take down any kind of danger to the citizens... anything is possible I guess.’

“I think I might’ve liked it better when you were certain about everything. It made me feel safe,” I said with a sad smile.

‘I won’t lie to you again.’

“That’s good too...”

The only way to truly get out of this would be to come clean. At least to some degree. Especially now that Riala was involved. I would have to go to the authorities and make my case. We had done something illegal, several things actually, but we didn’t have bad intentions, and we didn’t hurt anyone. They have to see that. They just have to.

“We’ll go with that plan then. We will surrender and hope for the best.”

‘Maybe we could prepare for the worst case though.’

“How?”

‘It was your theory that we appear to have mana streaming out of us.’

Mana... He was suggesting that we test Omega on my body again. That we use it as a water source, the “vessel” for a script. However, this brought back memories of the cube first crumbling and then blasting apart. Not exactly something I would want for myself.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We don’t know what will happen.”

‘We could start with a very simple script, a tiny amount of output, no force, something that would barely even register on a water source. Maybe it comes with some risks, but if we can truly use scripts, we could defend ourselves.’

Without any more information, it would be impossible to say whether this idea was dangerous or not. Just like we didn’t know what would happen once we reveal ourselves. However, if this worked, our chances of getting through the second part alive would be better.

“Does this actually make sense or am I just talking myself into it because I’m curious?” I asked out loud without meaning to.

‘If my theories are right, and you are taking over traits of mine, I think curiosity might be playing a big part,’ Miles said and I felt like he was smiling a little.

Unfortunately, there was a hurdle. I explained what I wanted to test to Zara, and that I’d like to borrow a few blue stones for it, but she would have none of it. After hearing what had happened to the water source, she thought myself insane for even asking.

I went back to the bedroom. There were blue stones at my house, but if the guards were still searching for me, they would probably be looking there. Maybe they were even monitoring the house. It also wasn’t early in the morning anymore, and avoiding people would be much harder now.

That’s when the door to the room opened slightly and Riala slipped in, blue stones in one hand, ink in the other. She closed the door again and held the items out to me. “You can have it if you let me watch!” she said.

“Riala... your sister isn’t wrong. I have no idea what will happen. I can’t let you get hurt again.”

She looked back and forth between her hands and me, thinking about something, until she suddenly sat down and started drawing sigils on her arm. “I will test it then!”

“Ah!” I jumped up and took the quill away from her before she could finish. As I let out a sigh of relief, I examined her arm. The script was practically perfect. “How are you this good?”

“I practiced!” she said with a wide smile.

What is with this kid... Would she just try it on her own the moment I turned around? That could end very badly. And she didn’t know the meaning of the sigils, what if she made a mistake and then... I can’t let that happen.

“I will do it. But you need to promise me not to try it yourself, okay? I’m serious. It’s dangerous,” I said.

“Okay!”

Did she just manipulate me? I thought with another sigh. I led her to one corner of the room while I went to the one on the other side, so we would be as far apart from each other as possible. “Stay there.”

I took the quill and listened to Miles’ instructions. I was about to start drawing when I looked first to the quill in my hand and then to my arm holding it. “You do it,” I whispered.

Goodwill, I thought. He would be faster, more precise, and wouldn’t have to dictate everything to me first. Also, our differences had partially come from him being trapped in my mind with seemingly no hope of escape. Maybe this would help us. It was important to him.

Miles waited a moment and then started drawing an Omega script on the palm of my hand. One similar to that of a water source, but a few of the variables were different. It took him barely half the amount of time I usually needed. When he was done, I held my arm forward, with my palm facing the floor.

As soon as I placed a blue stone on the back of my hand, the pain from last night came back. It wasn’t as strong, but it was uncomfortable and the shock almost made me drop the stone. The burning sensation traveled through my body and to my hand, before I saw the stone grow smaller and a tiny amount of water streamed down from my hand to the floor. “Wow...”

After catching some of it with my other hand, I examined the water. It looked normal and smelled neutral. A careful taste test confirmed that it was ordinary water.

Riala saw my amazement at the successful test and came running over. “Me too!”

In my excitement I was about to happily draw the script onto her arm as well, when I forcefully shook myself out of it. What am I doing?

“I can’t, Riala. Your sister would kill me,” I said, which garnered me a pout. That reminded me, however, the girl had come in here, but last I heard she had been supposed to stay in her room. Would Zara come looking for her?

“Actually, where is your sister?”

“She’s getting more water,” Riala said with a laugh.

‘That is kind of funny.’

“That is kind of funny.”

Miles and I said while looking at the puddle on the floor.

***

“Captain Lera!” a guard said while jogging towards the captain. “We have received information that the suspect is hiding in a residence in the south-east!”

“Finally,” the captain said. “Gather your men, Jara, we’re leaving immediately.”

“Sir, there is one more piece of information. We have been told the suspect... believes himself to be a living water source.”

The captain was perplexed. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“We don’t have any details, but the informant has talked to the suspect and the boy has supposedly mentioned being able to turn his own body into a water source, that he is capable of producing water on his own.”

This information was quite critical. The suspect, Tomar Remor, was believed to have destroyed a water source, as well as having used it as a dangerous weapon. As nonsensical as it sounded, if he was able to produce water on his own in the same manner, this boy might be more dangerous than he thought. Even without access to a water source. He couldn’t take him lightly.

“Inform Eissen to gather his squad as well!”

“Yes, sir!” Jara said with a salute and left.