"Gods, my head aches," Liana mumbled, walking to Quartz-Core.

After leaving the gates, she remembered where Alexander must have dropped his bag, and decided to go get it for him.

She went into the library and described the bag to the librarian.

"Oh, it's with Guardian Sylvia. She said it belonged to someone she knew, so she took it," said the Librarian.

Yes, Sylvia's real rank was announced as well.

"Alright, thank you," Liana nodded.

"Looking for me?" a familiar voice came from behind.

"Came looking for the brat's bag," Liana replied, turning to Sylvia.

Sylvia raised her hand, the bag in it. "That's settled."

"He's somewhere outside," said Liana.

"Liana Damon," someone called, from upstairs.

"What did I do wrong?" Liana muttered, looking up. It was Elite Sebastien.

"Can you spare me a minute of your time?" he asked.

Liana looked to Sylvia and then back to the man, nodding slowly. "Ookay."

"I'll be off," Sylvia smiled, hugging Liana, before heading for the door.

Liana gulped as she went upstairs, not knowing what exactly Elite Sebastien wanted to talk to her about.

The conversation was brief and Liana left the library, but before she could leave, she spotted Alexander sneaking towards a building. "What is he doing? It can not perhaps be that..." she trailed, remembering her theory of the boy being a slave to Nolan. "I knew it. He's on a mission for that idiot. Does he also know that people are after Nolan, or is he just being used? I need to find out what Nolan put him up to. Why should I be left in the dark? That Selena must know something as well."

Liana went after Alexander, not understanding why she was feeling angry. However, when she got there Alexander was missing, but from the building exited Elite Loretta.

Liana hid and waited for Elite Loretta to pass, before coming out and spotting Alexander who was coming out from behind a pillar.

She followed him, but it turned out he was going home after all. Liana knew he would return, and just as she expected, he did.

She followed him and realized he was after Elite Loretta to begin with, raising her suspicions on what Selena had been saying.

They were almost caught a few times, but the last one had to be it.

"Why are you here?" Elite Loretta asked, stopping.

Liana quickly went to the nearest door, but it was locked. So was the next, and the next.

At the time, Elite Loretta had started opening doors and Liana had started to panic, before she rushed over to the one Alexander entered, while Elite Loretta was still checking one of the rooms.

"Shh," Liana shushed Alexander, as she entered his hiding spot, closing the door.

"Liana? What are you doing here?" Alexander whispered.

"Would you shut up and wait for the woman to leave first?!" Liana snapped in a hushed tone.

After a few seconds, they heard no noise. Liana peeped out and confirmed that Elite Loretta had left.

"Mind explaining what you are doing here now?" Alexander asked as they left the room and closed the door.

"What are 'you' doing here?" Liana asked.

"That's none of your business."

"The same goes."

Alexander squinted and then sighed. "I think Selena's right. Elite Loretta does seem suspicious to me, and I was about to find out what she was up to. She looked uneasy coming here earlier. And let me guess. You followed me because you thought Master sent me."

Liana blinked. "Pfft, noo. Absolutely not. I uh... also was suspicious. Then I bumped into you, yes."

Alexander stared blankly, not believing her in the slightest.

"She might get away. Let's go," Liana whispered, moving forward. Alexander rolled his eyes and followed her.

"Why do you call Nolan Master anyway?" Liana asked as they walked by the pillars together.

Alexander raised a brow, caught off guard by the question. "Oh that? I just call him that because I'm his disciple."

"When did that happen?"

"When he did not kill me, I guess. I'm not being forced to do anything though, don't get me wrong. He's never even told me to do anything yet. Just trains me. I don't think he trusts my loyalty yet."

"Wow. That's a lot," Liana muttered in a bored tone, but his next words got her interested.

"Besides, he kind of reminds me of... my brother," Alexander said. "Ever since that day he almost... you know, killed me, I have been feeling like he was someone familiar. And the more I got to know him, he started to remind me off my brother. He's not the one though," he laughed. "My brother's... well, dead."

"Oh, sorry about that," Liana said, feeling sorry for the boy.

"No, it's fine. I'm just glad I found someone like him again. Someone who makes me feel like I'm not just a stupid child." His voiced dropped lower, "Not like they do."

"What do you mean?" Liana asked, feeling a pang of guilt, but wondering who the 'they' he was talking about are.

Alexander raised a hand. "Shh. I hear something."

They moved closer to one of the bigger doors, probably an office, and stood by the side to eavesdrop. Elite Loretta was speaking with someone. A man.

"...I believe you understand what to do," the man said.

"He must already be feeling uneasy with the upgraded rank. But... are you sure he's not planning something already? Even before you said he was the one, I have tried making use of him, but it was futile. He read through everything," Loretta said.

"Mm, we might still have the upper hand, but you are right. He has broken a lot of people out of script, and the rate of his predictability is reducing fast. It's as if he is trying to reach somethings before us," The man replied. "I was only able to help you use the compulsion on the girl for the moment. His influence on her refused a full blown compulsion. He's nearly breaking her out as well."

"How long before he gains it?" Loretta questioned, her voice lower.

"He has already gained it. The question is how long before he uses it. If he fully understands his occupation before the plan is completely set, we may have no choice but to reveal the threat to him," the man muttered, cautiously.

"Why can't we just kill him before then? He's not even strong yet. Has the wits and experience, but beyond that is nothing," Elite Loretta suggested.

The man laughed. "You really think that? The Chained Regressor is not alone, Loretta. He will not let us discard of the Chained Regressor that easily. There are points, people and demons he has allowed, able to put an end to our target. A lot, I would say. However, time plays a crucial role on when they will be eligible, and it also depends on the Chained Regressors' own resistance."

"Who is 'He?' The one helping the Chained Regressor," Elite Loretta.

The man chuckled lightly. "A traitor who's name is not to be known by a mere mortal of your class. Even those above do not say his name."

Elite Loretta remained quiet, then the man spoke again, "Though, one of the few ways open for his demise is through a demon that's already on rampage. It bears the name... Kraxus. We just have to find a way to get him to it."

Liana and Alexander looked at themselves, wide-eyed.

"She's evil," Alexander whispered.

"They want to kill someone named the Chained Regressor," Liana muttered.

"Kind of a title is that? Regression is a fantasy. Maybe it's metaphorical," Alexander said to her.

But Liana's eyes further widened the more she thought about it. A few memories crossed her mind, all pointing at one person: Nolan.

Back when they were being recruited, Ace Cyndy asked what they did, and Nolan's answer was: "I live and live again and again."

When Nolan tied her up after the incident with Alexander, he said some people were after him. He also said: "Believe me when I say I've had to deal with them more than a thousand times."

How did Nolan know a lot about the guild, if he was just leaving the village for the first time?

He also asked Sylvia what she was doing in the Cerulean Guardians, as if he was expecting her to be somewhere else, even though he just met her.

Again, when they got Maximus cornered, Maximus said something related to this: "You're all pawns in this game, and the Chained Regressor is the only player."

All these could not just be coincidences. "I-I don't think it is me...metaphorical," she whispered.

Alexander gasped, and whispered, "You know one? You know who they are talking about? Wait, I even think I heard that name somewhere. It was when Maximus..." he trailed, finally wrapping his head around it. "No. Nooo. No no no. This is a joke right?"

Before Liana could reply, a voice came from behind her.

"Hey, what are you guys doing there? Turn around. Who are you?"

They were both startled, but Liana quickly found her calm. "Brat," she muttered, as the footsteps of whoever it was got closer. From inside the office, the conversation also stopped and someone started coming towards the door.

"Yes? What do we do?" Alexander whispered, clearly panicking.

The door knob turned, and Liana said the only thing that they could possibly do at the moment: "Run!"

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