LOTM: Traveling between epoch

Chapter: Shadow and Ink on the Gray Fog

Before attending the Tarot Club that day, Eli Walker had made ample preparations.

He began with a secret ritual, invoking sacrificial and spiritual magic to temporarily borrow the ability of a Wraith to transform into a spirit body. Then, within the shroud of his spirit form, he carefully accommodated the Sealed Artifact formed from the fusion of a Bard characteristic.

His plan was simple but bold: use the unique metaphysical laws of the Gray Fog, which stood apart from the historical timelines of the real world, to test the capability of the "Crimson Star." If the theory held, he could transmit even material objects across eras, bestowing a Sealed Artifact from the Fifth Epoch to his past self in the Fourth Epoch.

The result was a half-failure.

The Sealed Artifact within Eli's spirit body never crossed time. Instead, it was pulverized by some unknown power beyond the mist, the fragments dissolving into raw Beyonder characteristics before they could reconstitute.

Worse still, those fragments were reabsorbed directly into Eli's spirit body.

"What am I supposed to do with a Bard characteristic?" Eli groaned internally.

He felt the itch to "eulogize" the Sun.

"The Kingdom of the Sun... The Emperor of Intis... Emperor Roselle?" he asked aloud, coughing lightly to cover his annoyance.

This was the man who had kicked off the Fifth Epoch—Emperor Roselle Gustav.

Although Eli wanted to curse the entire Sun Pathway for being a scam, he kept a straight face.

"Yes, him," replied the Fool, smiling beneath the gray mist. "I ask that you all collect his diary, provisionally called a 'diary.'"

"I heard that these diaries were written in mysterious symbols the Emperor invented himself?" Justice Audrey asked with interest.

"Correct. As far as I know, no one has yet discovered how to interpret them," the Fool replied evenly.

That he could understand them was becoming increasingly suspicious to Alger the Hanged Man.

"Roselle still has living descendants," he added slowly. "Even the Church of Steam cannot decipher his writing. That can only mean these diaries served another purpose."

"Their indecipherability is actually a good thing. Knowledge has weight," Eli commented absentmindedly.

Most of his thoughts were still on the failed experiment. Though technically a failure, it proved one important point: transfer was possible, even if only partially. He hadn't transmitted the Sealed Artifact within his body, but one outside it—an encouraging sign.

Klein, the Fool, silently took note. The idea that Roselle had left behind indecipherable diaries now seemed less arbitrary. Could it be they were messages for future transmigrators?

How had Roselle known there would be another?

The weight of the diary suddenly grew heavier in Klein's heart.

"Miss Justice, let us try something together," he said, refocusing. He began teaching Audrey how to project her inner thoughts onto a spiritual medium.

"Mr. Fool, can you read minds?" Audrey asked, somewhat nervously.

This future Telepathist feared the notion of mind-reading.

"No, I merely guide you to imprint the thoughts you wish to express," Klein said in a calm, comforting tone.

Eli lifted his hand, threads of spirituality weaving into black paper. His fingers moved as though writing with ink, but instead emitted pure white runes that glowed faintly on the dark surface.

Spirituality as parchment, mind as quill. Corruption as base, purity as form.

It was a symbolic act.

The Fool and the others watched as the word "Praise the Fool" emerged in ancient Fusac script across the glowing surface.

Praise the Fool? Klein's eyebrow twitched.

Why did this feel like someone was trying to jinx him?

"Angel, you're amazing," Audrey beamed. "That's not something ordinary Beyonders can do."

"Even weak spirits can manifest illusions or tamper with perception," Eli replied with a slight smile. "So why not a human?"

He crushed the glowing paper into spiritual fragments and thought to himself: Was this the Bard characteristic taking root?

Secrets Supplicant + Bard... Was this a prelude to fanaticism?

Fortunately, he had no faith. Probably.

"I believe in equivalent exchange," the Fool continued. "If you can provide more pages of the diary, I shall offer you appropriate rewards."

Audrey smiled brightly. "That's wonderful."

Then, she turned to her fellow Club members.

"Gentlemen, do you have any advice for a new Spectator?"

Eli and Alger exchanged glances.

Alger spoke first: "You must remember, a Spectator is only a Spectator. Detached observation allows you to perceive others' genuine intentions."

Audrey nodded solemnly and looked to Eli.

"Observation is merely the means," he said slowly. "Manipulation is the goal."

Alger frowned slightly. Eli continued:

"Whether you're holding a gun to force the actor to dance, or using social ties to twist the script—what matters is that the 'Spectator's' opinion becomes indispensable."

Are you an angel or a demon? Klein mused, observing the young man whose dark hair fell like a waterfall across the high-backed chair.

"Angel, I don't quite understand," Audrey admitted.

"Must a Sailor remain forever tied to a ship?" Eli asked rhetorically.

"A true Sailor knows, the moment he sets foot on the sea, that he is meant to challenge the Storm."

Three simple sentences, and Alger felt thoroughly defeated.

Audrey was stunned.

Even though she remained wary of Eli's ideas about manipulating others, she could not deny their philosophical clarity.

And so, the fog of the Tarot Club thickened with ideas and ambitions, all beneath the gaze of the Fool.

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