Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 547: Takeaway

Chapter 547: Takeaway

/Day 12 of the month of Eos/

Do you think it was right to allow Anastasia to leave the way she did?... She seemed devastated. I can’t even begin to wonder how she felt learning about the horrors that had happened in her absence.

"There would have been no difference even if she had been awake. Perhaps, she would have died considering she’d be willing to give up her life for others to survive." Alex replied as he stood before a full-body mirror. "She needs some space so it’s best not to keep her grounded."

She has always been quite fragile emotionally and mentally. Perhaps it would have been best to keep some things from her.

Alex shook his head. "Running away from inevitability is futile. She should know now so she can do whatever she wishes to do. Don’t worry, Ana is strong. She will be okay."

I guess you are right. Hopefully, she does not judge herself too much.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, drawing the attention of the duo.

Humphrey disappeared just as the door knob was turned and the door opened, to reveal a familiar face at the other end.

"Everything is set, your presence is required on stage." Headmaster Roland of Farfouth remarked as he stepped into the room.

Alex nodded. "Thank you for helping me with this. Without your help, none of this would have been possible."

"You don’t have to thank me," Roland replied. "In the first place, the backing of the Family Heads helped to expedite the process."

"But you were the one that reached out to the Truth Academy to arrange this meeting and for that, I am grateful."

"Bah, it’s fine. No need to say so much." Roland intoned, feigning nonchalance only for melancholy to manifest moments later. "How were his last moments?"

"They were peaceful, I made sure of it."

Roland nodded. "That’s good to hear."

Letting out a sigh, Roland inquired. "Are you sure it would work?... The steam engine is an enigmatic tool that those at the Truth Academy still struggle to perfect. I don’t mean to scare you but if you end up wasting their time, don’t expect them to be lenient."

Alex chuckled. "Don’t worry. Just make sure to mark today as a historical event in human history."

"Hah, alright then, I look forward to seeing what you have for us."

With that, Roland left, closing the door behind him as he did so.

***

The meeting was to take place in the central auditorium of Farfouth, a grand hall half filled with professors, scholars, and, most importantly, TruthSeekers.

Murmurs flew around, marking the three categories of people that were present; the first were those who doubted the feasibility of what was to be presented today, the second were those who were ready to believe, and the third were those curious to know in what direction the presentation would go.

It was into such a hall that Alex entered, though not as Alexander Regulus, but as Emily Regulus.

Confusion set in as the audience wondered what a teenager was doing on stage.

In a moment suffused with tension, Alex uttered his first words with a feminine cadence.

"Ladies and gentlemen..."

***

He had expected torture, had prepared his mind to remain unbroken, to resist till his last breath.

But nothing could have prevented him from the emptiness within him.

Sayda had done something, causing him to be incapable of having feelings or emotions.

He felt empty, so empty that he couldn’t even despair even if he wanted to.

This was why, despite learning about Emily’s demise through the dissipation of the link he’d placed in her, Douglas was unable to even mourn her death.

Apart from that, he found himself unable to move off his own free will.

His capability to feel and think for himself was robbed so cleanly that he wondered if he was even human.

The subtle crashes of the waves against the ship echoed outside causing him to look toward a window, the subtle yearning to bathe in the golden rays of the Lightbringer vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

He despaired and even that was taken away.

Just then, the doors to the room he was in swung open. Sayda stepped in with a bucket of greasy meat, her lips smeared in the oily substance.

"How do you feel?" She asked with a mocking smile on her lips.

Douglas wished to glare at her but alas, even that was taken away.

Seeing this, Sayda remarked. "I can already imagine when you’d beg me for just a few seconds of emotions so you can feel human when you’d get used to following me around like a dog. At that time, wouldn’t it be fun to see how far you are willing to go to feel human?"

Douglas went wide-eyed before his eyes dropped down again.

He couldn’t even be alarmed and just as hopelessness threatened to wash over him, even that was taken away as well.

***

Ana sat on the roof, overlooking Hillsborough, a town now devoid of residents.

She’d returned from a trip around the Empire, unsure of what to make of the wanton destruction she’d come across at each place she’d passed.

Save for BlackWatch and the Central region, Zion was in shambles and it would take decades for it to begin to regain some semblance of what it once was.

A fleeting thought crossed her mind, causing her to wonder if there would have been a different outcome if she had been awake but knowing how dangerous regret was, she let it go before it took root within her.

Just then, she noticed Ulysses practicing his Abilities on the empty street and so moved to join him.

Startled at first, Ulysses quickly regained himself. "Miss Ana, you are back."

"I am." Ana nodded, scrutinizing him with keen eyes before remarking. "Alex said you are a new member of Constellations with the codename, Circinus."

"I guess so," Ulysses replied.

"Well, I am here to officially accept you into the fold. Sorry, usually we have a big event in a grand hall with a sky filled with shiny things."

"It’s fine, honestly, I doubt I’d be okay with such an elaborate celebration."

"I heard your family died during the first week of Astra," Ana muttered softly.

Melancholy settled upon Ulysses as he replied. "It’s fine. They died doing what they love, and that’s what matters."

"Exactly. Don’t worry, I’m also the only one left of my family so I have a feeling we are going to be doing a whole lot of bonding." Ana said as she placed a hand on Ulysses’ shoulder.

"That... I’m not the last Nester though."

"Eh?"

"There are Nesters scattered across Eventide, exploring the continents."

"Wait, so your family that died..."

"They are my family because they were the ones that were there since I was born. My father and a few other relatives."

"I see. What about your mom?"

"According to my father, she left after giving birth to me, taking my twin sister along with her."

"She abandoned you?" Ana couldn’t be more appalled.

Ulysses coughed awkwardly. "Actually, it’s a normal thing."

"It is?"

"She is a Nester just like my father, so naturally, the exploration must continue but she wasn’t interested in coming to Ra’as and instead wished to continue exploring Henos, hence, the reason for the split."

"... I see," Ana muttered. "You Nesters are quite unique."

"Maybe."

"Well, I guess that means you aren’t the last of your people."

Ulysses didn’t know why but Ana seemed to radiate a sense of disappointment in that moment.

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