(JEFF'S POV)
Chixia's and the other's boots echoed in the alley as they came running to their location.
"Rover! Jeff!" she called, breathless. "Did you find them?"
"As a matter of fact," he said,"we did. Yes and they're from the Black Shores."
The color drained from Chixia's face.
"What? Seriously? No way…" her usual spark flickering into disbelief.
Rover stepped forward, her hand gently opening to reveal a delicate flower.
"They gave us this," she said softly. "A Blake Bloom."
Verina's head snapped up.
"As I expected," she murmured, voice almost reverent. "This flower is indeed a type of Remnant plant." Her fingers hovered just above the bloom, careful not to touch it. "And it contains a very unique kind of Resonance Energy… the concentration is much higher than usual, too."
Chixia exhaled sharply, planting her hands on her hips. "No way. Are they really from the Black Shores?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes,"Tsk… not as mysterious as people make 'em out to be. Well, at least they're good at running—I'll give them that."
Yangyang, who had been quiet until now, crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"What did they tell you?" she asked.
"We made a deal with them," he said after a moment.
So he told them everything.
When he finished, the group stood silent for a moment.
Yangyang's brows furrowed. "That place…" she murmured. "I've only heard of it—it's supposed to be an abandoned research institution. There's nothing special about it." Her tone wavered slightly, uncertainty creeping in. "Because of the dangerous weather conditions in Whining Aix's Mire, it's been ages since anyone went there."
Chixia's grin returned, mischievous and bright even in the fog. She clapped Jeff on the back, nearly making him stumble.
"Don't worry, Yangyang! We all know how strong this power couple is!"
Rover's cheeks instantly flushed a deep pink. She ducked her head, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear as Jeff glanced away, trying and failing to hide a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips clearly pleased at Chixia's comment.
Yangyang sighed but smiled faintly, warmth softening her features. "Okay… Rover, Jeff, I'll inform the Academy about this. They'll help transmit your data from the Resonance Nexus. Once that's done, the Beacon in Whining Aix's Mire should be unlocked for you."
Her gaze lingered on the two of them for a beat longer, concern flickering in her eyes. "There have been frequent Tacet Field activities recently," she warned. "If you're both going there alone, please—be careful."
Chixia threw a thumbs-up with her usual spark. "Just ring us whenever you need a hand!" she said, flashing a grin. "We'll come rushing in, hero-style!"
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| Whining Aix Mire |
The air was thick with mist, carrying the metallic tang of wet soil and something… otherworldly.
"Heya, Rover! Hey Jeff!" Aalto called out, waving a gloved hand with that lazy grin plastered across his face. "I've sent the coordinates of that CSC research facility to your Terminal."
Jeff tilted his head slightly,"Got it,"
Aalto jogged ahead, boots crunching against the gravel. "Now that we're in the same boat, let me fill you in before we dive into this madness," he said, his voice dropping into that dramatic storyteller cadence he loved.
"The Court of Savantae," he began, gesturing animatedly with both hands. "A mysterious scientific research organization. They were known for their work in Automata Mechanics, sure—but that's not what made them famous."
He paused, eyes glinting mischievously. "It was their bizarre experiments. You've heard of the psychedelic black light coming from Mourning Aix's Mire, right? That freaky ring in the water? People say it's the lake monster's doing…"
Rover's eyes brightened, curiosity sparkling like the light reflecting off the surface of the Mire. "And then what happened?" she said, leaning forward slightly, the corners of her lips curling into an excited grin.
Jeff couldn't help but glance her way—the way her hair swayed with each movement, the childlike wonder in her voice. Damn, Rover's actually invested, he thought, lips twitching into a faint smile. Now I'm curious too… Maybe that facility has the answers I've been looking for.
"What kind of stories have you been listening to?" Jeff muttered, crossing his arms, though there was amusement in his tone.
Aalto laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Old habits die hard! But wait, the big part's coming up." His voice dipped low, as though he were sharing a secret meant only for them. "One day, out of nowhere, every single Court of Savantae member vanished. Poof—gone. The last words left behind by their chairman were—"
He raised a finger dramatically. "'You want my research? You can have it! I left everything I gathered in the Court's labs. Now… you'll just have to find it.'"
Rover blinked. "That's… creepy," she murmured.
Aalto chuckled. "Creepy but cool! What do you think, Rover? Jeff? Doesn't it make your blood pump a little?"
Jeff turned away, the faintest roll of his eyes. "Enough of this," he said, his jacket swaying as he started walking ahead. "Let's go."
"Ha! I knew you'd be into this," Aalto said, chasing after him with a grin. "But jokes aside, we do have a mission."
"Were leaving now," Jeff replied coolly. "Rover, let's move."
Rover gave Aalto a small shrug, smiling apologetically before following Jeff's pace, her steps light but certain.
"Wait, don't go!" Aalto called after them, throwing his hands up. "We really do have an important mission!"
Encore sighed softly beside him. "Aalto, you really don't know when to stop, huh?"
Aalto ignored the jab. "Anyway," he continued, catching up. "We've set up Resonance Beacons all over the world to monitor the Lament. Collecting data, predicting outbreaks—you know, saving the world kind of stuff."
He tapped the device on his arm. "But after the Court of Savantae vanished, the Beacons near their facilities were damaged. Recently, one's gone completely silent. That's why we're here—to find it. Maybe even… find something else."
Encore crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "You mean treasure."
Aalto smirked. "It's called seizing the opportunity while you can! You'll understand when you're older."
Jeff exhaled slowly through his nose. "You talk too much."
Before Aalto could reply, the ground trembled. The air shimmered like heat waves, and a sickly distortion rippled outward then suddenly, the mist split open.
Shapes emerged from the fog Tacet Discords, dozens of them, crawling and screeching as if the Mire itself had spat them out.
Aalto's TD Detector crackled uselessly on his belt. "Huh? Is this thing broken? It didn't even warn us!"
Encore drew her weapon in one swift motion. "That's because they all just appeared outta nowhere!"
Aalto's smirk faded. "Weird…" He steadied his stance, eyes sharp now. "Anyway, let's deal with them!"
Jeff already had his sidearm drawn, energy pulsing faintly along the barrel as his Resonance flared to life.
"Jeff," she said, voice low and steady, "stay close to me."
He met his gaze, a flicker of warmth in her eyes despite the chaos erupting around them. "You got it."
And as the Tacet Discords lunged, their auras collided Jeff's power surging, echoing Rover's perfectly.
His eyes narrowed. Aiming at the head of the Tacet Discords. He didn't waste words.
Five shots.
Each one cracked through the air like thunder.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Every bullet found its mark five Tacet Discords down, shimmering into motes of corrupted light that scattered like ash. The recoil echoed briefly, then silence.
Aalto's jaw slackened.
"Goddamn," he muttered under his breath, half in disbelief, half in admiration. "You didn't even give them a chance, huh?"
Jeff simply twirled his pistol once before holstering it, the faintest smirk ghosting his lips.
Rover, unwilling to be outdone, gripped her sword and stepped forward. Her Resonance flared. "Not letting you have all the fun," she said with a grin, then dashed ahead.
She slashed through three Tacet Discords in one continuous motion. The first fell in a single horizontal cut; the second she spun into, blade dancing through air; the third — she leapt, landing with a downward strike that shattered the creature into particles of light.
"Begone!" she shouted, the word cutting through the chaos as her Resonance rippled outward, dispersing the mist around her.
Aalto whistled, reloading his weapon in a practiced flick. "Alright, alright, time for the support act."
He raised his pistol and a ripple of blue light surged forward, stunning a cluster of enemies mid-charge.
"How's that for a magic trick?" he called out, his grin cocky but his aim true.
Encore didn't even look up from adjusting her gear, her eyes glowing faintly red as she raised her arm. "Here comes Encore,"
Her resonance burst forth — a brilliant crimson wave that tore through ten enemies in one sweep bombarding them. The sound was like shattering glass and lightning combined, followed by silence and drifting Resonance particles that glowed faintly as they fell.
Jeff blinked, genuinely impressed.
Damn, he thought. I forgot how overpowered Encore's Forte is. If I could replicate that… I'd be unstoppable.
Rover turned. "Only ten left," she said, breathing slightly ragged, strands of hair sticking to her cheek.
Jeff's eyes hardened, voice calm but edged with command. "Everyone stay back. I got this."
Aalto started to protest but stopped when he saw Jeff's expression. "...Fine. Your show, sharpshooter."
They all stepped back, giving him space.
Then his Tacet Mark in his neck began to burn with light, flaring like wildfire. The energy traveled up to his left eye, which ignited with icy luminescence.
A chill wind whipped through the mire. The moisture in the air froze instantly, forming crystalline patterns midair. Behind Jeff, ice projections shimmered into existence sharp, symmetrical blades hovering in formation like wings of frost.
Rover froze where she stood, eyes wide. The light from Jeff's resonance painted her face in shades of pale blue. "Jeff…"
Encore's eyes softened, a small smile breaking through her stoic face. "It's so… pretty."
Jeff didn't respond. His gaze was locked on the remaining Tacet Discords surging toward him. He raised his hand slightly
"Begone,"
The ice projectiles launched one after another in perfect rhythm, a rapid bombardment that shattered the advancing enemies before they could even react. Each strike hit with the precision of a sniper shot, each detonation sending crystalline shards flying.
The mire was filled with the sound of ice cracking and Discords wailing.
When the final projectile struck, silence fell. The mist parted, leaving only faint trails of blue energy dissolving into the air.
Jeff exhaled slowly. The mark on his neck dimmed, retracting back into stillness. The glow faded from his eye, leaving only his usual steady gaze.
He holstered his weapon and walked calmly forward, boots crunching against frozen mud. Without a word, he knelt, collecting the Echo fragments.
When he stood again, he looked at the three of them — Aalto, Rover, Encore — still frozen in stunned silence.
"Let's go," Jeff said simply, his tone flat but his eyes glinting faintly with unspoken confidence.
Rover smiled faintly, stepping beside him. "Show off."
He looked her way, a small grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
And together, they moved deeper into the glowing mire.