The Visitor

Chapter 11

"I'm home!" Astral called out before remembering that today was a school day, and Akari would be at work. Neither her nor Yuma would be here to welcome him home, so he settled for texting them both, saying that he'd tell them the details when they came home.

Finally, he settled on the couch and breathed a sigh of relief. He was somehow found innocent, but after a day of simply observing? When did Droite and Gauche ever agree that he was innocent? Well, from the look of the woman's face, that was never an agreement...

What happened while I was away? Astral asked himself. What kind of talk did they have?

Did they have a talk at all?

"You have an effect on people."

Astral jumped, hearing the voice coming from the cards again. Quickly, he put his hand to his chest and brought out a card, which happened to be the 39 card. "Did you say something?" Though he couldn't really believe that it was happening since this card was silent from the moment he got it.

"You could learn so much more if you'd just let yourself find the other cards," the card was saying. "They're scattered around this city, where the victims laid."

"Victims of who? I've been having mixed feelings and thoughts about those who've died. If you're another person talking to me, then tell me: am I the one causing these deaths?"

"You're convinced you're not responsible. Whether I tell you or not, it doesn't matter. But look for the cards. They're still there; no one has seen them."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Information." The voice faded out, leaving that one word echoing through his head.

Information about his origins, he assumed, but there was no reason to get any information on that. Putting the card away, Astral started on making food for his siblings as a pleasant surprise.

~.~.~

"You're back!!" Yuma exclaimed as soon as he got home, tackling his brother in a hug. "I thought they would keep you for longer!"

Astral hugged Yuma back with a bright smile. "I suppose my one night there was enough for Droite, but Gauche was taken aback. I suppose I am too."

"I guess it is weird," Yuma mused, but the musing didn't last long. "But at least we know you're not the person committing the crimes! It's gotta be some lookalike, right?"

"I suppose so." He wanted to ask more, but Astral figured Yuma would be hungry. "I made some food in case you and Akari were hungry. Go ahead and eat, we can talk more upstairs if you like."

At this, Yuma brightened up even more. "You're the best! Thanks." The boy hurried into the kitchen as though it would be his last meal ever. Astral watched with a shake of his head, smiling and forgetting his worries.

When Akari came home, she was just as relieved as Yuma to have her brother back. Astral smiled and returned her bear hug, but he couldn't help but wonder if her reaction was over-the-top. Why was she so worried? He was just being questioned. Sure, there was a chance he'd be detained, but that possibility was slim.

Wasn't it?

That night, after they'd all spent some time together and after Yuma's and Akari's work was done, they all went to bed. In the end, Yuma and Astral didn't talk about what happened during his stay with Gauche and Droite. Yuma spent the night in the hammock, so he didn't notice Astral's tossing and turning.

He couldn't sleep. The voice's words were echoing in his mind, bouncing off the walls of his brain so much that he couldn't so much as close his eyes. Finally, as he laid on his side, he pulled out the three cards he had in his possession. Number 8, Number 25, and Number 39. Apparently, 39 held the majority of his memories. Well, that was what Astral guessed. It was given to him by the man who visited his bedside, so it must be important.

Suddenly Number 39 started glowing. Astral watched in slight awe, sending the other cards back into himself. He silently got up, feeling a tugging sensation. He followed it almost mindlessly.

Turn off your glow. Someone could see.

And so he did. Somehow, he dimmed down his natural glow so he looked like a near invisible ghost. He continued to follow the tugging and found himself at the spot where he and Yuma found Cathy dead.

"Why are we here?" Astral inaudibly whispered.

Then the voice of the man who gave him the card responded. "Look closely. A card is here."

Astral knelt down to the ground. He could still sense her presence here, and something about it felt familiar. He ran his hands along the ground until they brushed over something smooth, a stark contrast to the rough cement. He picked up the card. Number 30.

The card absorbed itself into him, this time not causing any pain for some reason. Take what is ours. Take what we need.

"What we need? What does that mean?"

"You'll know eventually. Keep searching."

Though he didn't like what he was told, he followed the orders nonetheless. Four cards soon became five became six became ten became twenty and so on and so forth. With each card, a new command came to him. The good ones. Their essences. We need it. There were a few held actual memories. Some kind of training was going on, but it was so fuzzy since they were memories of when he was very young. Stealth, hunting, efficient elimination of a target, all drilled into his young mind via mental simulation. He didn't think he was beyond the age of three when that information and training was given to him.

What was he training for?

"No time now. Get to bed and go to sleep. You can continue tomorrow night."

Astral didn't argue. He made his way back home, flopped into his bed, and went to sleep. His dreams were a concoction of the several voices, commands, and vague memories. These followed him into deep sleep.