Ten miles outside of Petersburg, Virginia, Joki moved briskly toward what looked like a facility. The air was cold, aggressive winds slamming against him as he scanned the barren landscape.
"So, everyone cleared out the moment they sensed I was coming. What a bunch of damn cowards. Still, hard to believe a facility like this is even operating in a society like ours," Joki muttered.
Before him stood the Hopewell Research Facility.
Joki had waited until Dawn was long gone before making his move. Teleporting to Hopewell had already cost him twenty percent of his Reiki, but it was worth it to get in and out without a trace.
My Reiki shouldn't be a problem. Doubt anyone here can actually pose a threat. No one in this city has... except one.
He pressed his palm against the facility's door and pushed it open. A stench immediately hit him—a vile mix that could only be described as death. He covered his nose, but before he could take another step, armed guards confronted him.
"State your name and what you're doing here—"
"You might want to rethink where that gun's pointed. Who the hell do you think I am?"
The guards tensed. Joki stood still, his expression unreadable, but the weight of his presence was unbearable. His Reiki exuded unshakable confidence.
"I have no interest in killing anyone today," Joki said. "But the two of you will decide if everyone in this building lives or dies. Drop your weapons."
The guards ignored him and opened fire.
Joki dodged effortlessly. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind them. Their heads fell cleanly from their bodies before they could even register what had happened.
Unfazed, Joki walked deeper into the facility. The scent of death intensified, but then he heard something—a child crying. He sprinted in the direction of the sound.
Turning a corner, he froze. A boy lay on the floor, shaking, barely breathing. His eyes were bloodshot.
"Hey, kid. What happened to you?"
"The bad men... they..."
The boy couldn't finish. Joki placed a hand on his chest and focused. Instantly, the child was healed, his body restored. He looked up at Joki, crying again—this time with relief.
"Sir... thank you. I thought I was going to die. They said I was expendable."
Joki clenched his fist.
"Where are the people who did this? You were nearly dead just moments ago. That means they left you here recently. I need answers."
The boy pointed west, toward the end of the hall.
"Over there. I wanna come with you. You saved me, so let me help!"
Joki didn't respond. He walked forward, ignoring the boy's plea. As the child tried to follow, he suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed, gasping for air.
Joki didn't look back.
His ability, Immanence, could twist reality itself. He had healed the boy temporarily, but once the child left his original spot, the effect wore off. Joki's Reiki had only dropped to seventy three percent due to the restrictions he set.
"Sir, please. Come back...you can't just leave me here to die. I...have answers, I can help you...sir, you're not just gonna...leave me out here right? You're...just like them..."
The boy fell silent. Dead.
Joki kept walking, his head lowered. He didn't allow himself to cry. Not yet. There were more children here. And more horrors to face.
At the end of the hall, Joki paused. Several doors stood before him. One emitted a noise he could feel in his soul.
He reached for the knob, freezing as he heard the crying from the room stop.
"I'm... so sorry."
He opened the door.
Inside, a pale child was strapped to a machine, blood leaking from his mouth. Dead. Joki didn't attack the scientists in the room. Not yet. He breathed deeply, collecting himself.
"What is the point of this? Before anything else happens, someone explain to me: Why are children's lives so meaningless to you all?"
Silence. Then a man in a black lab coat stepped forward, covering the child's body.
"What kind of question is that? Since when do lives have meaning in this world?"
"Human life never lost its meaning. You've just lost faith. Instead of searching for what good remains, you experiment on kids. So again, why are you doing this?"
The man laughed bitterly. His voice echoed in the sterile room.
"We're all just slaves. You speak of hope, but we're being offered peace. Why chase serenity when it can be handed to us? All it costs... is a few worthless children."
That broke Joki.
The scientists in the back moved to stop him, but it was too late. Joki punched the man in the coat so hard he was sent flying through the wall.
Sirens blared.
Joki grabbed the other two scientists and slammed their heads into the ground. Instant death.
He walked toward the exit, sparing one glance at the boy he failed to save.
Guilt washed over him. But he didn't turn back.
Damn it. I let my emotions win. But I had to do something. Hopewell will just refill its ranks. They always do. Even Dawn dealt with these bastards before.
Joki exited through the shattered front door and vanished. Dropping his Reiki to fifty three percent
An hour later.
He meditated. Immanence carried heavy side effects. Even now, after an hour, he had only regained forty percent of his Reiki. But something felt wrong.
Dawn's been gone longer than expected. Maybe... he really left. If he did... still, I'm glad I could help during those three weeks.
A knock at the door.
Joki opened it, surprised to see Kazu and Aero. Kazu nearly collapsed; Joki caught him.
"Who the hell are you, and why are you with Aero?"
Kazu gasped for breath. Aero floated in front of Joki.
"Mission... successful... Kazu brought... back to... safety..."
Aero vanished.
Confused, Joki laid Kazu on a chair, fetched water, and handed it to him. Kazu drank, breathing slowly.
"What the hell is going on? You're lucky I don't throw you out. Where's Dawn? Aero's here, but he's not."
"I don't know. We were attacked by a creature. Dawn defeated it. But then a man knocked me out. I don't remember what happened after."
Joki gritted his teeth. Leaving for Hopewell was a mistake. He exhaled slowly, walking to the door.
"I see. I'm sorry. I hope Dawn's okay. You're free to leave."
Kazu's eyes widened. He stormed over to Joki, furious.
"Free to leave? That gust of wind led me here. That means you're connected to Dawn. Why would I just walk away?"
"Dawn's not my family. We're not related. I only knew him for three weeks. He's not my responsi—"
"Bullshit! You… you knew, didn't you? I can see it on your face. You know that by taking Dawn in, you made him your responsibility. He mentioned a sensei—said it in a goofy way—but even then, he admitted that sensei felt more like a father to him sometimes."
Joki froze. The memories hit him. Dawn's smile. His laughter. Moments of happiness Joki hadn't felt in years.
He closed the door, sat down.
"Even if I care... if Dawn was taken, and you don't remember who did it... then how the hell do we find him?"
"Actually, I sorta remember. The guy wore a red coat. Medium-length hair."
Joki's eyes narrowed. A name began forming in his mind. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
"I think I know who it was. His name... was Kashikoi. He was like a brother. A friend. It's hard to believe he'd go after Dawn. But it fits. If it's him, we need to be careful."
"Actually... I might know which direction he went. Aero gave me this cabin's location, but there was something else. Something strange."
Kazu returned to his seat, closing his eyes.
"Wind doesn't think. It reacts. Aero's pressure shifted when I crossed the ridge. It felt like a nudge. I followed his flow south. There was no life. No birds. No insects. Just silence for a quarter mile."
"So you're guessing based on silence?"
"Not guessing. Observing. When someone moves a body—dead or alive—they leave more than footprints. Dawn leaks Reiki, even when unconscious. An hour might have passed, but the trail isn't gone. If we hurry, we can follow it."
Joki was speechless.
"Kid... how old are you?"
"Fifteen. Why?"
Joki had a thousand questions, but time was ticking. Every minute reduced their chances of finding Dawn.
He opened the door again, this time waiting for Kazu.
"Let's go. You lead. Don't worry about how we'll get there. I'll handle that."
Kazu nodded, following without hesitation. Together, they began their search for Dawn.