Deus Didymus: Rend

Chapter Seventy-Three: Pairs

Bae flipped through the various ecology books stacked next to him. He squinted at the words shaded underneath the academy tree's protection before turning to the illustrations provided.

"What are you looking at?"

The boy lifted his head to find Rei bending forward. Her hands rested on her knees, providing support, but also allowing her short hair to flow in the wind.

"Animals," Bae replied.

Rei crouched down, skimming the book's contents, "What for?"

Bae flipped the page, mindlessly taking in its contents. His eyes followed the trail of words, but his mind paid no attention to their meanings.

"Oppa." Rei took a breath-one meant to supply her next words, but nothing came.

A frown spread across the young girl's face. Along the field, many students trained, taking their alleles and bodies alike to their limits. Though the atmosphere dulled in Y/n's absence, part of Rei believed things would return to normal.

"Kami hyung has been gone for too long. I plan on looking for him myself," Bae started. "I've been focusing on getting comfortable with my allele for too long that I haven't made it useful."

Rei eyed the large bird splayed across the book's pages,"By yourself? How are you going to find him? Mr. Shin is in a completely different world of power compared to us."

"I'll just have to get stronger."

Rei's curious expression disappeared with worry taking its place. Bae's words rang in her head with an uncomfortable familiarity.

"You're not planning on leaving, are you?"

"It'll be a mission," Bae reassured. "I'm not going to disappear like Y/n."

A pause threw Rei into thought. She questioned her position in the world. She questioned the reality of her situation; she questioned the worth of everything as is.

With Ji Hoon's passing, IZLand as a whole no longer felt safe. The country still had by far the most Hanams, but the unfathomable wall of strength they grew accustomed to protecting them no longer stood as tall and mighty. If Park Ji Hoon can die, no one is safe.

"Did Y/n actually lose his allele on your guys' mission?"

Bae nodded, "It's probably for the best that he stepped down. Without an allele, he's no different from a normal soldier."

"Was he different from a normal soldier with his allele? All they do is wield weapons, and that's what he did," Rei reasoned.

"I guess you're right," Bae mumbled. "He still had that 'selfless state' thing though; that was definitely abnormal. There's also his breathing techniques."

"Do you ever wonder what he's doing now?"

"Probably getting into trouble like he always does," Bae chuckled.

The boy closed his book, heaving a heavy sigh. With great care, he wove the image of a bird, darkening the surrounding shadows. Rei's, Bae's, the tree's, and even the shadows of the grass melded together, creating a silhouette of a bird in the open sun. The bird, crow in shape, rose from the ground, eclipsing both students in size.

"Wow... That looks just like Mr. Shin's!" Rei exclaimed.

"It still takes too much to make," Bae mumbled.

Rei placed her hand on the bird. The void-like creature felt like a trick to her senses; it stopped her hand like any normal animal would, yet it every part of her told her it shouldn't.