Chapter 82 “The Fire That Exists Only In Memory!”
Nina went back to her room and slept.
In this world, most people go to bed early and get up early because the time after the sun recedes is dangerous. The shimmer of the World’s Creation could make the world warp to its peak, and even if there are lights in the city, people must still face the night with caution.
Duncan didn’t feel the slightest bit sleepy tonight though. He turned off the lights in the house and came to the window in his shirt, casually admiring the night view of the city-state of Pland while reminiscing about his conversation with Nina after dinner.
Nina remembers a fire, and the rest of his body remembers when they fled from that collapsing building. That night, the streets were in a frenzy, with cries and screams of fear shrouded in the fog. Yet, only the two of them remember that dreadful flame in this modern day.
Nina had spoken to other adults about it of course. However, they all dismissed it as a deranged memory after a child experienced some traumatic event. This was reinforced by the newspaper from eleven years ago claiming there’s only a factory leak at the lower sector near the Crossroad.
Duncan frowned slightly, musing over another suspicious point he found – that was “himself”.
According to Nina’s recount, “Uncle Duncan” doesn’t remember the fire. Only she does. The girl even mentioned it to Uncle Duncan (although it should be “Ron” at the time) when she was a child. However, like all the other adults, her Uncle Duncan dismissed the idea of the kid being scared and hallucinating.
Where did things go wrong? Why did Nina’s uncle not remember the fire at all, yet I can clearly find the corresponding image in the depths of this body? Is that Ron lying to his niece all this time? Or was the memory unsealed because I took over this body?
Duncan unconsciously tapped his fingers on the windowsill, silently mulling over the timeline.
According to what he gathered from the Sunists:
Eleven years ago, the sun fragment first appeared in the territory of the city-state of Pland, causing a large range vision to occur inside the city limits. That’s also the year Nina became orphaned. Even though many civilians were affected, no one seemed to remember the fire besides from Nina.
Since then, the sun fragment has been dormant with no signs of further activity.
Then moving forward to four years ago, the followers of the sun god tried to awaken the sleeping sun fragment again. That incident got extinguished by the newly promoted Inquisitor Vanna and dealt a heavy blow to those cultists. Since then, the church of the sun was effectively expelled from Pland following that massive purge.
However, that doesn’t mean the failed ritual didn’t have an effect. On the contrary, the energy gathered from the dead had stirred the slumbering sun fragment.
At that time, the “uncle”, who Nina had depended on since being orphaned, contracted a strange disease. The illness eventually tormented the man to the point that he would resort to any remedy, including joining the ranks of the sun cult as a minion.
Moving further forward to a time not long ago. The news of the active sun fragment began attracting suntists to re-gather in the city to hold a sacrificial ceremony. That’s when Duncan happened to step in and get involved.
Throughout the timeline, many things seem to be faintly connected, but all lack key evidence to prove.
But the most suspicious thing remains to be the event from eleven years ago when the sun fragment caused a huge vision.
Did the city-state authorities erase the truth of that accident and erase the traces of the fire? And then for the sake of maintaining order, the whole thing was publicized as a collective hallucination caused by a leak in the factory?
But that doesn’t explain why the fire doesn’t exist in many people’s memories at all – unless the authorities have gone to great lengths to reshape the memories of all involved.
And there is another point. In this world, anomalies and visions are open to the public. So even children know the existence and harmfulness of supernatural things. The authorities are obviously aware of this and have always adhered to the policy of announcing dangers in advance to ensure that citizens have a sense of self-preservation. So if it is really just a fire caused by supernatural powers… why do they have to hide it?
Unless…… There is a more significant issue behind the fire, so much so that even the disclosure of news can cause some domino effect of spreading.
Duncan frowned suddenly at thinking this.
Or there is another possibility….
The phenomenon is strange in nature. In many cases, the harm it causes is not only limited to the physical level but even distorts human cognition and the information written down on paper. What if…. What if the sun fragment had contaminated everything from civilians to the very top of the city government?
A part of Duncan felt like he was going a little too far in his theories. As a novice in the field of supernatural events, his imagination lacked credible support. But on the other hand, he also couldn’t stop driving toward these theories.
People’s memories, the authorities’ records, and even the archives written a decade ago could be distorted and replaced. Of course, something like that would’ve been dismissed by him right away in the past. However, he couldn’t be a stronger believer in this phenomonon.
Why? Because the place where he was located now was called “Duncan Antique Shop”, a business that specializes in selling counterfeits to the locals.
With a gentle sigh, Duncan lowered his head and looked through the second-floor window and onto the street illuminated by gas lamps.
Now there was only one question left – why does Nina remember the fire when everything else said otherwise. This was crucial and the key to solving the big question.
……
Upper Sector of Pland, in a mansion belonging to the managing official.
Vanna jerks awake from a terrible nightmare.
But this time, the nightmare was no longer related to the Black Sun like it usually does, nor did it point to the Vanished returning from subspace. Instead, she dreamt about what happened when she was a child.
That foggy night where it’s filled with blood and smoke, all she could remember were the horrendous screams of panicking mobs trying to flee from the pursuing shadows. All Vanna could do as a helpless child of twelve was watch it all burn.
Knowing she would not get any rest tonight, the inquisitor pulled herself up from bed and came before the dresser where a mirror stood. Looking at her own reflection, the lady was clearly not feeling well until she whispered the storm goddess’s name. Once done, a wave of peace and clarity returned to the female inquisitor.
“At least I’m not dreaming of that ship now…”
As soon as her voice fell, the lady suddenly heard footsteps from the corridor where a knock promptly came from the door: “Vanna? Vanna, are you having nightmares again?”
It was her uncle’s voice – the most admired administrator of the city-state.
“I’m okay.” Vanna steadied herself and sorted her clothes a bit before opening the door.
Dante Wayne, a gray-haired and not too burly man, stood at the doorway and watched his niece with concern.
Having lost an eye in an incident, the man now possesses an eyeball made of ruby with delicate gold patterns inside the eyeball. The hideous scars from eleven years would’ve scared any unfamiliar adult, let alone a child. Still, Vanna knew how kind and fair her uncle was at heart despite the stern face.
“Yaaa, I had a nightmare,” she rubbed those eyes, her tone a little helpless, “I didn’t expect to wake you up.”
“Don’t fret about it. I’m old. I’m a light sleeper.” Dante Wayne continued showing a concerned face, “Dreaming of childhood again?”
“Mhmm, that incident again.”