“But Robin, what if he's part of it all?” Jasmine asked. “Wouldn't that be dangerous?”
Robin patted her sword. “I’ve broken one, and I can break it again…but unless you can get him to stop making those items, then this will continue to happen. I am going merely to test him.”
“Well…that's true…you did break one…” Jasmine admitted. “But that may have been pure luck! There's no guarantee that you can break another one!”
“In that case, I will leave it up to you to remove it from me. You and your crew have my permission to attack and take me down. You can do it…right?” Robin asked, looking at Jasmine.
‘She can go forward because she trusts in us…in me..’ Jasmine suddenly realized.
“... Christian won't approve.” Jasmine turned her head aside.
“Christian doesn't decide things for me.” Robin replied.
“Not even if- if he loves you?” Jasmine asked.
“...Then…even more so… he mustn’t know.” Robin sighed. “Otherwise he would be the first to jump in ahead of me.”
“And what’s wrong with that? Let my foolish cousin be of use to you, for a change!” Jasmine snorted.
“Either way, I’m the best chance we’ve got. You can't do it because you're the only one who can undo the slave crest once it appears. And I’ve already encountered it before, so it’ll be easier for me.” Robin ignored her suggestion.
“Robin. Why not my cousin? I want an answer.” Jasmine insisted, seeing her skirt around the topic.
“...” Robin sighed. “Because I don't want to lose anyone else who is important to me. Not you, or Keith, not Ponzu or Gerard…not Elise, not anyone.” Robin said, feeling pathetic.
She looked down at the image of the slavery device and sighed. “But, the more important you become, the more I understand that I am really quite powerless. There are things I don't understand here which could ensure that any one of us is dead before the morning, or even before the hour.”
“Robin…” Jasmine was surprised. Robin seemed surprisingly vulnerable right now.
“I can give up many things, but on this point, I won't budge. I would become a shield for you all, if I could. But to allow any of you to be preyed upon by someone else…T-to allow even the slightest possibility of losing any of you.…I can’t. I won't. I will not allow it to happen.” Robin said.
“This was about my cousin.” Jasmine said quietly. “Robin, do you already love him that much?”
“...I…don't know…probably. Which is why I should keep my distance for now.” Robin shook her head.
“Why must you keep your distance?” Jasmine asked.
“Because growing my affection will only make it more painful when I leave.” Robin winced. “Jasmine…I am not as strong as you think I am. I am also human, like you. I am prone to errors in judgement, and acting on my emotions. And when I treasure someone, that is something most painful to me.”
“...Why?” Popped out. Jasmine wanted to slap herself immediately after asking that. ‘me and my curiosity….darnit.’ she regretted asking as soon as she asked.
“I’ve already lost those I treasured once. The idea of it happening again…is agonizing.”
Robin’s voice was quiet, and calm. But that seemed to make it even worse. Robin's eyes were reddened around the rims, but there were no tears. In that moment, her spirit felt drained of life and light, of joy and happiness, of the essence of existence. It was as if she could fade away and disappear into the air, right where she stood. There was no blood, but it seemed as if her heart were bleeding, wounded dreadfully by the losses she had suffered. Robin sighed softly.
I won't let it happen again.” Robin smiled gently, quietly, briefly. She nodded a small bow to excuse herself and walked out of the room. Jasmine stood there for a moment, silently reproaching herself, before heading out after Robin.
~-~
Briar lifted an ear, curiously. “It seems they are not coming back for the time being.” She said from where she was leaning against the wall.
“What makes you say that?” Keith asked.
“Their footsteps are moving away from us.” Briar closed one eye. “And it seems Robin is heading somewhere.”
“What? Where is he going?” Christian asked.
“Hmmm…Shall we go see?” Briar tilted her head with a grin.
“How? If you can't tell, we aren't allowed to walk down this hallway without a magi present. See?” Christian pushed his hand against a barrier which was glowing red.
“Who said we're walking anywhere?” Briar asked, blinking her eyes.
“Look, even if we're flying, we still can't get through these hallways.” Christian explained.
“You say that, but we're not flying either.” Briar grinned. “But, it would do no good until Robin has already arrived at their destination, so I ask you to wait for a bit, and be quiet. I need to keep listening to his footsteps, after all.”
Christian shut up, but his expression was one of clear dissatisfaction.
“Now…let's see..” Briar closed one eye as she gazed off into space, accessing the waypoint.
‘Sorry, Little Sister, but I really can't let you head off on a warpath on your own like that.’ Briar chuckled to herself.
Waypoints are useful things. They can be attached to anything, anywhere. There's the stationary kind, which is connected to a specific location. And there's the moving kind, which is attached to an object on a person. The area fifty feet around a waypoint is visible, and can be used to confirm that no one is present at the time of use.
The only requirement for attachment is that it cannot be alive. It also requires an elemental crystal, and a specific technique that only a handful of individuals know, currently. Waypoints can be used for several things: quick travel, observation, and…eavesdropping.
While waypoints are made of elemental crystals, using their functions is not considered an invocation. Therefore, no barriers can block it, despite there being multiple points of isolation barriers in between.
But, while it is useful, it is also dangerous in the hands of those who are not of good intent. Therefore, this waypoint system is limited only to those considered trustworthy to the True Nighters.
Briar currently had a waypoint placed on her bowstaff, in case of emergencies. But after what had happened last night, she had silently placed another waypoint on Robin's mask.
And that is what she was currently using to keep an eye on Robin…
~-~
Robin was walking down the hallway at a fast clip towards Magi Aaren’s workshop.
“Robin? …Robin slow down….STOP!” Jasmine called out, panting for breath again.
Robin stopped in the hallway, and turned around, noticing Jasmine's dilemma.
“Ah..” Robin scratches at her cheek. “...Sorry.”
“I hope you weren't thinking about barging in there without me…Hoo!” Jasmine finally caught her breath back. “After all, even though I don't look it, I am a Magi.”
“...Jasmine. I hope that you can keep your distance from me once I speak with him. If he truly is the person behind that tragedy…I don't want to hurt you.” Robin said.
“That should be my line.” Jasmine snorted. “You worry too much about us. We aren't that fragile. And you…there's no need for you to get your hands dirty on my account. A Magi’s sins should be judged by a Magi. It's as simple as that.” Jasmine caught up to Robin and patted her on the arm. “Why don't you give your teacher a chance to show off, hmm?”
Robin sighed. “...Fine. But if anyone is going near him, it’ll be me.”
“All right then!” Jasmine smiled.
Jasmine used her authority to unlock Magi Aaren’s workshop room. She and Robin entered at the same time.
“What is et? Didn't Ah tell you not ta enter unless’n et was important business?” A dwarf was bent over his desk, working on something. “Well, what is et? Ah don't have all day.”
“Are you Magi Aaren?” Robin asked.
“...” Magi Aaren paused, realizing that it wasn't who he thought it was. He looked up from his desk and turned around with a scowl.
“And who are you ta be barging in here with Magi Jasmine?”
“I'm Hero Robin.” Robin replied. “I’ve come to ask about a device you made seven years ago…Do you remember it?”
“Hmm? Oh! Aye! That one! ‘Twas a strange order to be sure. Well, what about it?” Magi Aaren asked, seeming to be completely up front and open about it.