The Mark Of Rebirth

Walking through the slums of Hollia, a police officer hummed a tune, his steps light despite the grim surroundings. He was on his way to reclaim an apartment room from a resident who had fallen behind on their rent for quite a while now.

‘ “Farthington Redsworth” Hmph, I knew he would fall behind on his rent again. That useless fellow doesn’t even have a real job.’

While he was walking he suddenly heard a loud shout from a woman coming from the alley a city block ahead, “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!”

Hurriedly running over, he peered into the alley and saw a man being held by the collar of his suit, dangling a few inches off the ground. A woman with striking purple hair held him there effortlessly with one hand. 'Ah, looks like that dude picked the wrong woman to hit on. Tsk tsk...' he thought, shaking his head before continuing on his way.

Farthington flails his hands in the air, “THIS IS GROUNDS FOR A LAWSUIT!” After a brief pause seeing as I wasn’t phased by his threat, he changed his tone of voice. “Ahem, would you be so kind as to let me down now, ma’am?”

Realizing what had just happened I awkwardly let go of his collar, letting his feet make contact with the ground. Walking out of the alley attempting to compose myself, I spoke to Farthington without turning to look at his reaction, “Ahem, next time you need to take action, give me a heads up first.”

Dammit, this isn’t one of those cliche romance novels! There is no need for pointless misunderstandings like this in the first place! I need to get back to the right genre…

Trying to gloss over what had just happened, the two of them walked in silence till they made their way back to the Airblade.

Taking in the unique sight, Farthington inspected the Airblade, “Ah, what a unique vehicle…”

The Airblade had butterfly doors that opened upward instead of outward, similar to a high-end sports car, giving it an air of luxury in Farthington’s eyes.

Climbing into the Airblade, the two of them fastened their seat belts to prepare for the flight.

The electric motors hummed to life, and the Airblade began its ascent, slicing through the crisp morning air. With a powerful surge, it soared into the picturesque sky, leaving the cityscape behind as it headed toward its next destination. The sleek craft cut through the clouds with effortless grace, a testament to the marvels of modern engineering and cutting-edge technology of Trizen.

Throughout the journey, Farthington would repeatedly ask the same question and I would give the same answer each time.

“How much longer will it be till we arrive ma’am?”

“Soon.”

7/29/1060 7:56 AM

In the Continent of Ishunay - on the edge of a nameless rural farming town in the nation of Clefton.

As the Airblade descended, its powerful engines kicked up plumes of dust along its path, creating swirling clouds that danced in its wake. The craft's landing gears extended smoothly, preparing for a perfect touchdown as it neared its destination.

Glancing at Farthington, I held the door handle of the Airblade. “I’m going to find the next candidate. You stay put here while I go look for them.”

With an uninterested tone, Farthington seemingly pulled a book out of nowhere from inside his weathered suit. "Alright," he said, his voice flat and detached.

Stepping out of the Airblade, I turned around once more and pointed a finger at Farthington. "Don’t you dare even think about messing around… Wait—is that your book?"

Taking a closer look at the book Farthington had pulled out, I realized he was reading his own autobiography, pretentiously titled "Magical Me”.

Without displaying even a shred of embarrassment or guilt, he proclaimed, "Indeed, I quite enjoy reading it. Would you care for a copy?"

My face contorted into one of disappointment and disgust blended into a single expression that lasted for a moment.

‘Look at this narcissist…’

Shutting the Airblade’s door, I opened the cargo space and retrieved a cloak, hoping to blend in with the crowd. In Clefton, a Mittelreich country where most locals relied on mana and viewed outsiders from Entwick countries like Tekuno or Erbium with suspicion and disdain, standing out was a risk I couldn't afford.

Opening my map, I noted the location where the second Anomaly had appeared. The map indicated that their appearance had occurred near the town's center. After putting on my cloak, I set off in that direction.

Arriving at the bustling market in the town center 30 minutes later, I found myself enveloped by a vibrant crowd. The air was filled with the sounds of lively chatter, haggling vendors, and the rich aroma of street food. Colorful stalls lined the streets, offering a dazzling array of goods, from fresh produce to intricate handmade crafts. While it wasn't particularly grand, it certainly felt lively.

Deciding whether or not I should utilize the [Developer’s Eye], I surveyed the market. 'Huh, I wonder how long it’s going to take to find this one…' I pondered, observing my distinct surroundings.

‘Well, since I’m already here, I might as well take a look around myself. Who knows, I might suddenly remember something about my past. Yeaaaahhhh, that’s definitely why…’

Strolling through the crowded market with my conscience quelled, I smelled something delectable and was drawn over to a nearby food stall.

The owner of the stall was grilling skewers of chicken over a blazing charcoal grill giving off an enticing aroma.

Noticing my gaze, the owner smiled at me, “Would’ya like to purchase a skewer?”

Afterward, I took a seat on an open bench in the market.

Unable to resist the urge, I ended up buying two of them… Guess I might as well chow down.

Taking a bite of the chicken skewer, my mouth was blessed with its heavenly taste. The tender, juicy meat, perfectly seasoned and grilled to perfection, sent waves of delight through my taste buds.

‘This is fantastic! I haven’t had something this delicious to eat in days…’

While I was scarfing down chicken skewers, I watched as a young man about my age walked up to the owner of the stand from which I had bought my food.

The young man had messy brown hair and forest-green eyes. He wore an oversized white shirt with overalls and old, worn-out boots. In his hands were a few bags of groceries filled with a multitude of different ingredients.

He handed one of those bags to the stall owner and received a chicken skewer in return. He then walked toward the bench where I was sitting and sat down next to me.

'As long as he doesn’t bother me, I don’t mind him sitting here,' I thought, before continuing to savor my chicken skewers in bliss.

As the young man began to eat his chicken skewer, he turned towards me.

In a casual and relaxed tone, he spoke to me as if he were talking to an old friend, “Oh! Mirabel, you seem to have had a glow-up since the last time I saw you… Was your hair always purple or did you dye it somewhere?”

After I finished chewing and swallowing the delectable chicken in my mouth, I gazed up at him.

“I think you have the wrong person. My name isn’t Mirabel.”

His eyebrows shifted up, as if to accentuate his shock. Scratching his head, he remarked, “Really? Are you not from here then? You seemed familiar to me…”

Replying in a casual manner, I said, “I’m just passing through this area looking for someone,” before continuing to eat my chicken skewer. Can’t let it get cold.

“So you’re not from around these parts?” He inquired, his voice giving off a hint of perplexity… or was it suspicion? I’ll have to tread carefully around others here, just in case.

“Yes…”

“Not often do I get to see travelers! May I get your name, then? My name’s Kaelith— Kaelith Hudson.”

‘I shouldn’t give anyone my real name while here in Clefton…’

“It’s–uhm, Trixy…”

“So, Trixy, who exactly are you looking for? I might be able to help you out since— and I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I know pretty much everyone who lives here,” Kaelith remarked with a hint of pride.

“That’s fine, I’ll find them myself. I appreciate the offer, though.”

“Whatever you want. Though, if you ever need any help, just head on over to me and my family’s pad. To get to it, leave from the front entrance of the market and then walk in a straight line until you come upon the blue house with a small red shack.

He then looked up at the evening sky.

“Ah, it’s a bit late, so I oughtta head back. It was nice to meet you, though!”

He gave me a slight nod with a grin and stood up, slinging the bags over his shoulder with some effort. He then began to walk toward the entrance of the market.

‘Well, that was an interesting interaction. I thought that he’d be a little more cautious of me, but it seems like everyone’s relatively friendly around here. Was my assessment wrong..?’

Finishing up the chicken skewer, I stood up and stretched a little, feeling ready to continue the mission.

‘I guess that’s enough slacking off for now, though. I should probably get to work.’

Activating the [Developer's Eye], my surroundings transformed into a complex web of blue code. Every object and person became a series of interconnected lines and data points. As I scanned the area, a familiar flicker of orange caught my attention.

‘Woah! I actually found the Anomaly really fast again! Lady luck must be smiling in my direction recently.’

Deactivating the [Developer’s Eye], I felt a slight throb in my forehead.

Looking in the vicinity where I had seen the light, the only person I saw was Kaelith, marching cheerfully into the distance.