The very next day, Xander found himself waiting at his spot longer than he expected. The morning breeze feeling slightly colder and the chirping of birds sounding more empty with the lack of a certain presence.
"Where's Kuro? I've never seen him this late before... No, I shouldn't assume the worse just yet." Xander muttered to himself.
"Oh hey, Xander-senpai! Waiting for someone?" Kumari said, bursting his thoughts away.
Xander turned around, less surprised than last time. "Oh, hey Kumari-san. I was waiting for Kuro—have you seen him around?" He asked.
"Not, in the slightest. Maybe he's already at work, I went past his house and it seemed to be empty, wonder where his sister went." Kumari answered.
"I see... Yea maybe he's at work already. He's done that sometimes, waking up earlier than me and going to work. He's quite the worker, I respect that part about him though." Xander said, beginning to walk.
"Yup, he hasn't ever failed to be a dependable ally at work. Especially with you by his side." Kumari said, following Xander's lead.
"Me?" Xander questioned, curious.
"Of course, you two are like two peas in a pod when your working together. If he was without you, I bet he'd be worse in performance—like a mismatched relic set." Kumari teased.
"You really think so? I always thought he was out of my league. So I strived to be someone who can be right by his side no matter what." Xander muttered, rubbing his neck, sheepishly.
"See, you two are like best friends who couldn't live without the other." Kumari giggled.
"Huh, I guess your right." Xander replied with a smile.
Back deep in the Illusionary Forest.
"I'm utterly lost, a random system tries to kill me, and of course my spawn point had to be a enchanted forest." Caedis muttered, sitting on a tree stump.
"I have a programmers terminal—which is great—except for the fact that it drained all my 'flux'. So great, fluxless and in a forest that loops me to same area." Caedis sighed.
Caedis had decided a minute ago, he'd just simply explore. Until the very hard fact hit him. He had practically moved no where, he had walked right back to the same area. Same trees, same mushrooms, same bird's chirping.
However, as he sat suddenly something caught his eye—a flux butterfly. So Caedis stood up from the tree stump, a bit hesitant as it slowly approached him.
"I've always been an animal guy, though I'm not truly sure I can trust the animals in this forest." Caedis thought.
The flux butterfly however, just merely fluttered closer before perching on his shoulder.
"H-Huh, oh. The little guy, seems nice enough." Caedis thought.
So he gave it a gentle pat with a finger, making sure not to apply too much pressure. The good moment didn't last however, as noise footsteps and then of bush rustling suddenly came from behind him.
"Thank the heavens Zyro sent a butterfly to guide us to the light." Aedis said.
"Indeed." Alena added.
As the group emerged, Aedis stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Caedis' back.
"Wait, there's someone here." Aedis said, holding one of his arms out stopping them.
Caedis had gotten a bit tired of the predicament he was since entering this world as such was upset, rightfully so, his voice becoming low and cold.
"Four of you. I counted four sets of footsteps, am I wrong?" Caedis said, not even bothering to turn around.
For some reason at that very moment, the air felt stiff, dark, like there was a lack of oxygen. The entire crew haulted all motions as they witnessed this.
"W-who is this guy?! T-This aura... it's incredibly overwhelming!" Aedis thought, as it got slightly harder to breathe.
Kuro immediately stepped forwards with his sword in hand. "W-Who are you?!" He exclaimed.
The man in front of them, clad in fancy butler attire with curly black hair. Yet, the presence of the man was as if a king was seeing if they were worthy of even being alive.
"M-My lord! God of Anomalies, please forgive me for not noticing you sooner—as your apostle, Aedis." Aedis said, kneeling down his eyes looking up but his head touching the dirt.
The three were in total shock, granted Aedis didn't truly believe the man in front of them was the God of Anomalies, but man had made such lies look like reality in his eyes.
Caedis who still wasn't even facing them looked visibly bewildered.
"The man seems to be wanting you to play along sire." The system said, audible only to him.
"I see..." Caedis replied inwardly.
So Caedis decided to play along, in the very least he wouldn't be attacked. With zero flux and no special way to defend himself, this was a no brainer.
Caedis then slowly turned, his gaze dark and his face stoic.
"Hmph. I was wondering when it would occur to you." Caedis said, as if he was truly a divine deity looking at worms.
"M-My apologies my lord." Aedis said, he snapped his finger signal the others to kneel.
So the others did, they didn't want to risk angering a god after all.
"So, why is it that you now stand before me?" Caedis asked.
"W-We saw a streak of light in the sky. I-It came from here so we came to investigate." Aedis replied.
"Is that so? I didn't expect that... If within my power, I'll have to make less of an entry next time." Caedis muttered.
"M-My lord." Aedis started with as he looked at Kuro. "This boy right here wishes to serve you, he is also an anomaly like yourself."
Kuro, who had to muster most of his courage to even raise his blade to the man was quite sure that this would end smoothly.
"T-That's right, Lord of Anomalies." Kuro said.
"Hm?" Caedis said, quite surprised though obviously hiding it.
"Boy, stand." Caedis commanded, in a somewhat gentle tone.
"Y-Yes!" Kuro said, shooting upright almost immediately.
Caedis raised a finger toward him—sharp, deliberate, clearly threatening. However, before panic or anything else could happen as if understanding the situation the flux butterfly flew atop of Kuro's head.
Caedis then smirked. "Your accepted, anything my creatures deems worthy... are welcome to serve me."
Kuro was shocked, emotions were actually running through him for the first time. Fear obviously but as well as gratitude and happiness, for the first time he actually felt something for once even if he still mostly emotionless.
"I-I will not disappoint you!" Kuro said, before bowing.
Turning his gaze to another Caedis then spoke.
"You there, are you his twin, you look closely alike?" Caedis asked, pointing to Shiro.
"A-Ah, y-yes I-I'm Shiro, if you wish to make use of me, I will gladly serve you if you wish." Shiro stammered, as he stood up.
"Lastly, you." Caedis said, pointing to Alena.
Aedis quickly intervened not wanting Caedis to eliminate Alena on the spot.
"M-My lord, I assure you—" Aedis said, before he was cut off.
Caedis had raised his hand, clearly asking for silence.
"Young Lady?" Caedis asked, coldly.
"I-I'm Alena, Lord of Anomalies. I-I am... an apostle of The Fool. However, I assure you I have no ill will towards you." Alena said, clearly scared for her life.
Caedis merely glared at her, with his cold eyes. Before he could utter a word however, the two had arrived.
"We're here! Are you guys ok?!" Cecelia voice rang out.
Zyro who was beside her then spoke as he witnessed the sight before him. "What in the world?"
"M-My lord, do not harm them!" Aedis stammered quickly. "He is but a priest who idolizes you, and that is his daughter."
"L-Lord? You mean this is..." Zyro added.
The moment he had realized who this man was he kneeled as well, bring his daughter to kneel as well.
"I-I'm sorry for not noticing sooner, Lord of Anomalies. We are but humble followers." Zyro said.
Caedis pinched the bridge of his nose. "This situation is getting out of hand quickly. How irritating..." he muttered aloud.
"M-My lord are you displeased with our numbers?" Aedis asked.
"My apologies, not you all. There seems to be someone watching us as we speak." Caedis explained, glancing at a shady area underneath a tree.
A voice suddenly rang from the shade.
"So you noticed, you might indeed be a god." The voice said.
"It wasn't hard to notice your presence in the slightest." Caedis said calmly.
In truth, the only reason he was able to even feel the presence of the being was due to flux butterflies that were surveying the area. It seemed he was somehow linked to them.
"Master Silvan?" Zyro questioned, a bit surprised.
"You know this person?" Caedis asked.
Zyro then looked at Caedis ready to explain. "Y-Yes. My lord, that is Master Silvan the being who protects the Illusionary Forest."
Just then Silvan came out from the shade revealing his full body. His hair smooth and green like the leaves of the trees, his body tanned, unique green marks were etched on his face. On his head lied a crown made of thorns, yet they look so passive and harmless.
He wore no shirt on revealing the green marking that ran across his arms to his chest. His pants quite ordinary and his shoes as well, with a bird perched on his shoulder.
"Protector of the forest huh, I don't know much about this god which I must feign as but he had to reign over it if these people worship him right? If i'm wrong I'll just keep the act up." Caedis thought.
Caedis smirked, before letting a slight dark chuckle. "Here I was about to kill you, yet it seems you've done a perfect work of keeping my creation safe." He said.
"Your creation?" Silvan echoed, with a brow raised.
"Indeed, I created this place. This entire forest is—an extension of myself, which I hold very dear so I thank you." Caedis replied.
"Y-You... Surely you jest!" Silvan growled, his jaw clenching.
"I do no such thing, do you want to test my authority?" Caedis replied, with a dark glare.
Silvan merely stayed quiet before uttering his next words. "To even gain a flux butterflies obedience shows you speak of the truth. However, I cannot come to terms with this information you utter, so I will take my momentary leave."
With those words, his body dissolved into a flurry of leaves, scattering into the breeze and the bird flying away.
Caedis sighed, clearly this wasn't the type of thing he was made for. He was a good enough actor back in japan when he was a teen but he never saw it as his passion, so he gave up on it.
Caedis then turned to the group, making them slightly flinch.
"Do you all perhaps live somewhere? I'd like to further speak with you all." Caedis said.
"Y-yes my lord do follow us." Aedis said, standing up and starting to lead the crew back.
None of them realizing, a large growing collective cloud of flux butterflies was following behind Caedis's back during their quiet walk back.
-----------------
Back in Japan, during lunch break. Kumari sat down near Xander with baited breath.
"So?" Xander asked.
"Nope, Mr. Odari said that he had stayed here last night but he left around one am so he doesn't know where Kuro went." Kumari replied.
"Shit, what could've even happened?!" Xander said, slapping his hands on his face.
"I don't understand it either. When we came into the office when work started all his stuff was at his cubicle. His briefcase, his umbrella, his jacket, even papers of some of the models he was working on!" Kumari added.
"Me neither, but we know something for certain. Something happened at two am so we'll stay today and figure out exactly what happened!" Xander resolved.
"I'm right along with you." Kumari said, balling her fist.
"Oh, onto other news apparently, the lily princess disappeared too." Kumari added.
"W-What?!" Xander said shocked.
"It's quite similar to this actually, apparently it was while she was taking a shower. People are saying its a kidnap, I'm not sure what to make of the situation though." Kumari explained.
"W-Wait this happened last night as well?!" Xander asked.
"Yup, strange. You don't think there's a mass kidnapper around here is there?" Kumari replied.
"That mail though, I got a mail from her!" Xander explained.
"You did?" Kumari asked.
"Yea, I got it in my mail this morning and so I brought it along to show Kuro. I already read it but I wanted to see his face to it." Xander said.
"I see, what's it say Xander-senpai?" Kumari asked.
Xander grabbed the mail from his briefcase and opened, before starting to read it.
"Dear Xander & Kuro,
I was quite surprised to see you there by the restaurant yesterday. Seems like Xander is the same, you too Kuro. So, I asked my people to do some research to find out where you lived so I could send this mail. Is that creepy? I hope it isn't, I just didn't know where you lived so I hope you don't mind.
Besides that I want to invite you to a private café I know of, the food is nice. So I'd love to hang out with you two again, if you want to invite an extra friend your free to bring them as well.
-Love your childhood friend Haruka."
"You met her at a restaurant yesterday? Why didn't you tell me?" Kumari said, puffing her cheeks.
"H-Hey! We didn't get the chance to!" Xander defended.
Kumari just pouted in response.
"But this raises new questions, she sent someone to deliver this mail to both me and Kuro however now she's missing." Xander said, getting serious again.
"Meaning, your most likely the next target, correct Xander-senpai?" Kumari asked.
"Yup, so no matter what happens now. I'm definitely involved now, and they might target you as well since your close to me. So best bet we stick together when we stay until overtime." Xander answered.
"We're about to do something dangerous, but hey as long as were together we'll do fine." Kumari said, giving a reassuring smiling.
"Yup!" Xander replied.
-----------------
In the realm of the gods, another meeting was being held.
"Now, that attendance has been completed, you may now begin your meeting." Melody said.