Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided-Chapter 242. The Phantom Pain

242. The Phantom Pain

In the quiet afternoon, Zetius sat on the window table, his gaze drifting out to the medieval village below.

Beyond the inner castle wall, the maids flocked about their lives, carrying baskets of clothes to the laundry. The female royal guard with her spear exchanged her shift with a new one. They chatted about some fun topic before she strode off.

In the far town square, he saw new arrivals teleport through the anchor platform, trying to get their clearance from the spear-bearing guards.

Every Thursday had this lively vibe — bards performing at the Griffin Inn — and thus, there were many visitors to Borealis castle. However, the security remained very tight, which frustrated the traders and visitors alike.

The empress understood that her people inside the castle often felt like prisoners. Not that they actually were, of course... unlike Zetius.

He wondered when she’d allow him to visit his friends. Perhaps when he managed to master Omit casting and ascend to another level. That was why he wanted to work hard.

How’s Lupus doing? Zetius often thought about that. It had been weeks since she rejected him outright, but he just couldn’t get her out of his mind.

It was that lovely version of her, the one engraved in his heart, that had died when Jack fell. The thought of regret and inadequacy sent a sharp, hot rage through his veins. He ground his molars and squeezed his eyes shut.

Enough with the what-ifs.

“Zetius!” Cartier whispered into his ear.

“WHA?” Zetius bolted from his chair, almost knocking the books from his desk.

He scowled at the mischievous kids, Cartier and Cubie, giggling at one another. It must have been Cubie’s idea again.

“So, what were you dreaming about? Some girl, perhaps?” Cartier quipped, clasping a book under her arm.

“No… I was just listening to the bards playing in the town square,” Zetius said, crossing his arms.

“Really?” Cartier flipped her ear up and listened. She narrowed her eyes in scepticism. “You’re lying. You can’t hear it from here.”

“I have a great sense of hearing,” Zetius argued with a cheeky grin.

“Fine!” Cartier waved for him to follow her to the main desk in the centre of the room.

“So what do you want?” Zetius followed at her heels, while Cubie floated lazily beside him.

“I’ll just get confirmation from the Owls!” Cartier pulled his arm and sat next to Triss with the book, the one he had found earlier, opened flat onto the desk.

“The Owls?” Zetius frowned. That’d be the first time he heard of such a thing.

“It’s the Owls of Noctua, the great organisation of scribes,” Triss explained with her sweet smile.

“So! Empusa is the terrifying demoness, right?” Cartier said, a spark in her eyes, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.

“Okay...” Zetius paused, touching his chin. “Wait—didn’t the report from Ziyue say that she’s a demigoddess?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk! The term 'demigoddess' would imply that she’s from a god and a mortal, which is not true.” Cartier smirked and shook her head. “You can’t just trust anything that is coming out of arc comm. It’s sometimes false information. That’s what the Scribes of Noctua are for. They verify these facts through their grand collection of scrolls and historical texts.”

“Ah, I see. That’s impressive!” Zetius nodded along.

Cartier pointed at the feature on the page. “Empusa had a grotesque but distinct appearance: a copper leg and a donkey leg. She’s the emissary of Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft!”

“Yeah, I suppose so.” Zetius almost yawned; he had to force his mouth shut.

“The lore said she could shapeshift to lure young men and eat them. Isn’t that interesting?” Cartier added from her note.

“And how does that relate to why her essence can be used for draining people's mana?” Zetius questioned her.

“I’m glad you asked!” Cartier flipped through her own notes. “So, her essence was life-draining power. Life is mana, so in this context, it can be interpreted as draining the mana itself!”

“Hmm,” Zetius hummed softly. “That makes sense. It explains why Master Ignius used it to extend his capacity for D’Arcane.”

“Yes!” Cartier exclaimed. “Technically, I know what D’Arcane is, although I don’t actually know what it is…”

“That’s valid, Cartier. It’s impossible to find information on it. Anything related to D’Arcane was either banned or destroyed after the second apocalypse.” Triss lifted her finger, and Cartier nodded in agreement.

“D’Arcane is dark magic that defies the very calculus of Arcana Magicka,” Zetius chimed in, his tone laced with confidence.

Cartier blinked in surprise, her tail wiggling. “Eh?”

“By utilising the flesh and mana potential of living beings, D’Arcane can tap into the mana reserve in the fourth dimension,” Zetius continued. His private study for D’Arcane came to fruition.

“That fourth dimension is time, right?” Cubie puckered her lips.

“Correct,” Zetius replied. When everyone seemed to grasp the concept, their eyes drifting left and right, he spelled it out. “So… imagine the potential of how much mana a mage can create in their lifespan. D’Arcane can exploit that potential mana to fuel its powerful magic.”

“Ah!—Wait…” Cartier’s ear perked up and down again, digesting the implications.

“It’s forbidden because the nature of this magic requires life sacrifice,” Triss concluded and interlaced her fingers.

“You’re getting the hang of it now, Triss,” Zetius beamed, which prompted her to smile too.

A sudden coldness touched his neck. Zetius remembered the runic circle in space, before the light of punishment. Sweat sheened on his skin. “The power of seventy million entire lifespans… That’s more than enough to split the moon,” he grunted, his voice sombre.

“O’ All-mother, I pray for those often…” Triss added, her voice wavered slightly.

“I figure that the issue with D’Arcane is that there’s no proper way to address that absurd amount of mana, hence the grand spell would require the ritual. How did Ignius manage to siphon the mana of the people in the Quagmire prison? And where did the tremendous amount of mana go? Tsk! I don't have enough information to make an assumption on this…” Zetius rumbled on and on.

While Cubie and Triss simply smiled at his deep contemplation, Cartier watched him, her gaze narrowing. “Huh? How did you know so much about D’Arcane, Zetius?”

“Well, I read it somewhere,” he trailed off.

Taking a step, Cartier fisted her hips. “Really? You’re not hiding anything, are you?” She scanned for any bulge in his arc coat. “Perhaps you have some secret tome tucked away somewhere.”

“You can’t!” Triss swiftly snatched her away before she did the unthinkable again.

“Cartier! You said Empusa’s origin was not of gods and mortals, but that she’s a demoness?” Zetius asked, his thoughts raced.

“I did say that.” Cartier nodded.

“Then… It’s all related somehow…” Zetius mumbled, his gaze straying upward.

“What’s related?” Cartier tilted her head, confused.

“I get it now!” Zetius snapped his fingers, his lips curling up. “The demonic infestation, the damned souls, and now this... the Empusa arc necklace. Everything is connected to the realm of the dead. Hades…”

“Hades?” Triss’s eyes widened, her hand flying to her lips.

“Yes! Ignius must be getting help from the lord of the underworld,” Zetius concluded, his fingers tracing through his fringe, lifting it.

“But why? He’s not one of the gods of the apocalypse,” Triss said, leaving them with more questions than answers. The room grew eerily quiet.

How do we fight against them? And where is Ignius? The question frustrated him to the core. And if Master Ignius appears now, how do I fight against him?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Zetius stared at his trembling hand. He feared the worst — that he wouldn’t have enough time to prepare for the emergence of the full demonic force and Ignius himself.

“It can’t be all-powerful! There must be a weakness to this!” Cartier suggested, flipping through her document. The pages flew with a soft shiff, shiff, shiff, but eventually, she couldn’t find anything.

Zetius worked his gum, calming his nerves. After a beat, he started, “Cartier, great find. I think we should report this to the empress.”

“Agreed! I’ll ask if she has any insight into this; she’s knowledgeable in mythology as well. She’s even more resourceful than we are. I’m sure she’ll think of something!” Cartier said.

While Cartier was noting everything down in her notebook, Zetius added, “Then we’ll schedule time with the empress as soon as possible.”

After a moment of silence, Cubie nudged Zetius. “Hey, do you think we can ask the Empress if we can see Mama?”

“Mama?” Cartier overheard, raising her face. Did I hear that correctly? Cubie’s a construct. She can’t possibly have a mum, right? She’s not born like mortals do. I always assumed she’s an orphan like me…

A strange, cold feeling welled up in her heart. She felt a sudden, sharp distance between herself and Cubie.

“Yeah… I think it’s been a while. Perhaps we can have a short visit to Solis Aeternum,” Zetius said with a smile. “I’ll try to ask the empress for a short leave, maybe she’ll say yes.”

“Yay!” Cubie cheered and bounced around. “Cartier, Triss, you wanna come with us?”

“I’d love to!” Triss chuckled.

Suddenly, Cartier’s face stiffened. She realised with a cold, sinking feeling that it was envy — the ugliest emotion of all.

“Cubie… how can you have a mother?” Her voice hardened into a cold, flat tone. Her fingers clawed at the edge of her book, wrinkling the papers.

“Of course, I do. My mother is Aurelia!” Cubie chirped in glee.

“Wow…” Cartier said flatly, a sudden heat bubbling up, numbing her face. “What about Triss?” She forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

“Yes. My mother is a botanist who loves to brew various types of tea. If you ever visit Poranthis, I’d like to invite everyone to visit my mother and our little tea house!” Triss beamed.

“Oh, great.” Cartier bit her lip, then turned to Zetius. “What about you, Zetius?”

She had desperately hoped to find common ground, someone who shared her suffering, her loneliness, and her loss.

“My mother is an adventurous one, but she’s lovely and… enigmatic,” Zetius then scratched his hair awkwardly. “She likes to travel, so I think she’s somewhere far away right now.”

“Wow… so great…” Cartier’s gaze fell to the carpet; her heart felt like it had shattered. I’m the only black sheep, after all.

And when they all left — which she knew they would, eventually — she would be left alone in this empty library.

I’ll be all alone again, won’t I?

Cartier’s hands curled into trembling fists. Her notebook fell onto the ground.

The light chitchat ceased, replaced by a thick, awkward silence.

Sensing something in the air, Zetius knelt to Cartier’s level. He picked up her notebook and handed it to her.

“Cartier… I know you lost your mother…” Zetius searched her glassy eyes, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze. “I know what loss feels like—”

“What do you know about loss?!” Cartier exploded, her face flushing a deep, envious red.

“Cartier?!” Triss gasped, shocked.

“I…” Zetius choked, blindsided. “I understand—”

“Don’t pretend to know how I feel!” Cartier blurted, tears flooding her eyes. She knocked the book from Zetius’s hand and bolted from the room, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

“Cartier, wait!” Zetius called, but she didn’t listen, not even looking back. He could only hear her footsteps fading away.

“Cartier… what’s wrong with her?” Cubie mumbled, her face etched with concern.

Once Zetius picked up the book from the ground, a page was sticking out, marked with the sketch of a woman and a child — Cartier and her mother. She was a kind-looking lady, her big blue eyes curled at the corners, filled with sweetness and warmth.

She must miss her mother so much. Poor girl. I have to talk to her. Zetius was about to follow, but Triss placed her hand on his chest.

“Please, let me talk to her,” Triss said, closing her eyes slowly.

“But—”

“Please, Zetius.” Triss’s eyes filled with a quiet resolution, one that said he had to trust her on this.

With a silent nod, Zetius stepped out of the way and gestured for her to go.

After a long search, Triss found Cartier’s tail poking out from behind an apple tree near the south wall. She hadn’t really gone that far, and her loud sniffing was still audible from ten metres away.

Triss approached the crying girl, her shadow casting over Cartier's flopped ears and dark hair. Cartier was hugging her knees, her face buried in them.

“Can I sit here with you?” Triss asked, her tone softer than usual.

There was no response, no denial, no acceptance. Triss bent her knees and sat down next to her, watching the white birds circle in the sky.

The soft, festive songs from the town square occasionally drifted through on the breeze, but this part of the inner wall was quiet. For a long time, Triss leaned on the grass, silently offering Cartier comfort. She just needed someone to be there.

Eventually, the soft whimpers faded, leaving only the rustling of the wind. Cartier lifted her face, her eyes red and puffy. “Sorry…”

“It’s fine, Little Cartier.” Triss gently brushed her hair; the dark, sleek strands glittered in the afternoon light.

“My mother… she was the reason I survived the blast. I didn’t know it at first, but she was secretly an arcanist. Her…” She faltered. Triss simply smiled and waited for her to continue. “Her Phoros protected us until the wreckage collapsed.”

“She sounds like a wonderful mother. Your memory of her is filled with so much love and joy,” Triss said.

Cartier bit her trembling lip, feeling a fresh rush of tears, but she held them back. “She was the best.”

“Mhm…” Triss watched her with a sympathetic gaze, letting her speak.

“I was so scared of the dark when we were stuck inside the rocks. Her voice comforted me until… until she wasn't there anymore…” She sniffed, warm tears welling up again. “If it weren't for the empress, I… I would have joined her, too.”

She was the sole survivor of Namvie. Every friend and family member she once had completely disappeared, leaving nothing but ashes. Triss thought.

Cartier's sorrow twisted into scorn, her voice becoming rough. “He has no right to understand. He acts like he knows pain and loss. He gets to be the Champion of Gaia, and even the empress trusts him. He hasn’t had to prove anything! He just keeps his happy face all the time. He has no right... he has no right…”

Cartier’s envy was so palpable it seemed to seep from her pores.

“Mhm…” Triss closed her eyes, simply listening.

“Don’t you think so?” Cartier asked, her voice tight. “He’s born a prince, and the chosen one, favoured by the gods. Look at him! He is so perfect. His skin has no blemishes, no flaws. He has no single fault. I just hate it when he blatantly said he understood loss… How could he know anything?” Her voice boiled with the seething poison of envy.

“If I were to share what I have seen of his story, would you be open to hearing it?” Triss eventually spoke up, her fingers stopping their gentle stroking.

Cartier glanced at Triss, flabbergasted for a moment. “With Proleptis?”

Triss nodded gently. “Yes.”

“Then yes,” Cartier eagerly shifted in her seat, tucking her legs beneath her.

So, Triss spoke. Her voice was soft, yet unwavering, as she recounted the tale of a tragic hero. She told Cartier of a simple DebrisX collector named Jack Squire and the fateful envoy mission for Solis Aeternum. Triss held nothing back, detailing his impossible journey from low orbit, the desperate battles, and the agonising finality of the border skirmish. She spoke of the man who drew his last breath in the dirt, and the visceral scene of his final crawl — a memory that still lingered in her own mind to this day.

Cartier listened with full attention, her heart aching with empathy for his death. But she almost didn’t believe it when Triss revealed that Jack Squire was, in fact, Zetius.

“So… I was wrong about him. I~I didn’t know that…” Cartier said, her voice filled with deep regret. “Why didn’t you tell me, Triss?”

“Because he wouldn’t have wanted you to feel sad for him,” Triss replied.

“But he’s hurting. He’s been in pain all this time. Why didn’t he tell me? At least he could have told you.”

“I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t have my essence,” Triss admitted, her eyes growing distant as they watched the orange sky.

“Sometimes, the one who hurts the most isn’t the one who cries the loudest. For him, self-restraint and silence are his grieving.”

Cartier shuddered, her heart feeling heavy and broken. She chewed on her lip. She thought Zetius didn't know pain and loss, but it was the complete opposite. He knew all too well.

“He is the type that wants those around him to feel comfort. You feel it too, right? The sense of ease and joy when you’re around him.”

“Mhm…” Conflicted, Cartier didn’t want to admit that she didn't want him to leave. She didn't want Triss, Cubie, or Zetius to disappear. She had been terrified to her core when they mentioned going to the outside world, very far from their cosy room in the library.

Triss glanced at the sky, taking a deep breath. “In my eyes, he’s more than just a war veteran, more than the Champion of Gaia. He’s…”

“The songless hero…” Cartier filled in the void.

Triss’s mouth fell open in surprise, then she chuckled softly in agreement.

“Now I feel terrible. I lashed out, cried to myself, and even took advantage of his kindness.” Cartier shrank, “I’m such a petulant child.”

“You were,” Triss stressed, then shook her head. “But the only one who can realise that is you, Cartier. You’re the smart one.”

“You’re too kind, Triss.” Cartier chuckled for the first time, sensing a new bliss in her heart. She knew they might part one day, but when she needed them, they’d come. That put her at ease. Friends I can trust... No, they’re like my family.

“Over there!” Cubie shielded her eyes with her four fingers, pointing at Triss and Cartier under the apple tree. Zetius shuffled toward them, his expression full of concern.

Triss rested her head on the soft bark. “Go ahead, Cartier,” she urged softly.

Cartier stood up and confronted him, feeling so terrible she couldn’t stop fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.

“Cartier… I…” Zetius knelt before her, matching her eye level. He rummaged through his coat pocket and pulled out her notebook. “You dropped this—”

Abruptly, Cartier jumped forward, her arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders. “Zetius, I didn’t know... I didn't know you’d gone through so much. I’m so sorry. I didn’t…” She sniffed between words. “I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me.”

“Your apology is accepted, Cartier.” Zetius returned the gesture with a soft pat on her head. “I feel like we both understand each other a little better now.”

Zetius met his gaze with Triss before he worded them in silent, “Thank you.”

Cubie and Triss watched from the sidelines, chuckling lightheartedly at one another.

After a brief embrace, they parted, and Zetius handed her the book properly this time. “Your mother is a kind soul. Her eyes and her face… part of her will stay with you forever, Cartier.”

His words struck her heart in a way no one else's ever had. She no longer wanted to cry. She hugged her notebook tightly.

“Zetius, thank you…”