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Chapter 72: The Keys A few days had passed since the incident with the static trap. We were now living rather peacefully, although Roy had insisted on increasing security. A gel-thumbprint scanner replaced the door lock, and vibration sensors sat on window and door frames. A motion sensor hid in the eaves of the porch and security cameras ingeniously disguised as plant pots scanned the exterior of the house. A laser trip beam was recessed into the stair walls. The price tag, about 3 million mesos. Roy had no problem with that though, he'd gotten richer since I had left. Indeed, Mei Ling had upgraded my Buster Sword again, and it could now emit electricity. Alexis was still worried about the intruder though. "If he's not a burglar, what's he here for?" Alexis asked over dinner. Jakito and Jullian were conversing with each other in low tones while Kagome was chatting with Lacus and Mei Ling. Timmias picked at his food quietly and I simply stared at my empty plate. "Come on, just listen to me!" Alexis started shouting. I sighed. "I think I know." I broke the silence. Mei Ling promptly dropped her glass and almost smashed it, if it hadn't been for Lacus. "Almost a year ago, I picked up a dusty book in the Zakum Altar. The book spoke of ancient legends, so I decided to keep it, thinking it might be good entertainment." I explained, magically summoning the book from my backpack. It flew down the stairs and into my open hand. I gave it to Alexis for her to read it. "Funny thing was, the entire book only described one legend when I actually read it. The table of contents shows at least 10 legends too. The other pages had all been blanked out, as if they weren't important." I said as Alexis flipped the book open after inspecting the side. "I checked it for spell residue and found one, the Lies Begone spell." "As the name implies, the spell causes whatever it's cast on to reveal only the truth. In this case, it means that this legend was the only real one out of the 10 in the book." I explained further. Alexis was flipping through the pages with a surprised expression on her face. "This legend." I took the book back from Alexis and flipped it to page 59. The page was titled 'The 4 Mystical Keys'. "According to this book, there are 4 mystical keys scattered throughout the world on certain boss monsters. The keys are named after special elements in the world. Not Fire, Water, Earth and Air if you're thinking about those. Those keys are rumored to be capable of unsealing a powerful weapon if a person has all four. The Time Key, Dimension Key, Reality Key, and Illusion Key." I said. Kagome's mouth fell open. "A powerful weapon?" She asked timidly. I nodded. "The bearer of the key is capable of controlling the element represented by the key. The book says that only people who believe in the legend can see the keys...... and their marks." "Marks?" Roy looked up. I nodded. "The keys don't exist physically. They exist inside the bearer's body. It's not in the book, but I know because......" I sighed. Roy gaped. "Don't tell me you have......" He pointed a finger at me. I nodded. "I got the Time Key from killing Papulatus." I took off my shirt, and the right part of my bra. There, right over the nipple of my right breast, was a big mark of a key. The bow of the key was in the shape of a clock. Alexis recoiled upon seeing it and the boys gasped. Kagome and the rest of the girls simply stared. I put the right part of the bra back on and put my shirt on again. "If the key doesn't exist physically, then how do you break the seal?" A stunned Alexis asked a few minutes later. I looked at her. "The bearer of the key IS the key itself." I explained, holding a hand over my stomach. She gasped. "If I want to unseal the weapon, I'll have to offer my own body as the key, but I need to have all four keys." I sighed. "Then...... How do you take a key off someone else?" Timmias asked. "I need to kill that person and......" I took a deep breath. "eat the mark......" I didn't want to say this. Kagome almost fainted. "That's not the only way. The other person can give up the key willingly." I added. "It's quite possible that the guy was checking for the bearer of a key. I just hope he didn't know it was me. I don't want to have to kill another person..." I stared at the window. "Kill ANOTHER person?" Roy gasped. "Alexis, remember that clone of yours that was with Saevio? She walked in on me once and started trying to beat me up. I......" I turned my gaze on Alexis. She was silent. "I killed her. The feeling when my sword pierced through her heart...... The feeling when the blood sprayed out on me......" I whispered. That was the first time I ever had to kill someone. The feeling was...... really bad. Once again, I felt sorrowful. What if she had been the real Alexis? What if...... "Speaking of her...... I took her sword from her when she died......" I raised a hand and a shrunken sword zoomed into my hand from upstairs. I broke the seal and enlarged it. The sword was about the same size as mine, but shorter and wider. I handed it to Alexis. She stared at the hilt as she accepted it. The entire table was silent. |
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