Daphne led Lynn out of the alley and onto a skimmer.
Lynn sat quietly in the back row, saying nothing.
He hadn't withdrawn from the sensing state, and now noticed that the resonance of Daphne's Black Moon relic had completely vanished. He could no longer sense it nor feel that faint ability to control it.
A question suddenly rose in Lynn's mind, and he asked:
"Lady Daphne, I'd like to know… aside from detecting other Black Moon relics nearby, does the sensing state have any other functions?"
"None," Daphne replied without hesitation. She turned her head to look at him.
"I know what you're thinking, that perhaps this state could serve some other purpose.
"All I can tell you is this: you're not the only one who's had that feeling. But as of now, no one has ever discovered any additional uses.
"If there were, it wouldn't be called the sensing state."
Lynn gave a slight nod of agreement, though inwardly he found it stranger still.
But the truth was, he simply lacked too much information. He didn't even possess a true Black Moon relic of his own. No matter how much he speculated, he couldn't reach any useful conclusions.
So he relaxed his brow and turned his attention to the skimmer itself.
He actually owned one back in Emerald City, but he'd left it behind.
Part of the reason was that he'd traveled here by teleportation array, and transporting a skimmer that way was prohibitively expensive. And even if he had managed to bring it, piloting a skimmer legally within Silver Ring City required a slew of permits and registrations, each of them costly.
By the time you added it all up, it would be cheaper to buy a brand new skimmer altogether.
The one Daphne piloted was far more refined than his old one, which hadn't even had proper seats. Its interior was elegant, its flight smooth and steady, clearly a higher-grade, more expensive model.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked.
"You'll see when we arrive," Daphne replied. "It's one of the Association's contact points."
Lynn glanced out the window and noticed they were headed toward the Middle District. That eased him somewhat.
…
The skimmer finally descended before a bustling high-rise tower. Daphne led Lynn to the 13th floor, into a modest robe shop.
The store wasn't large, its shelves were crowded, and the atmosphere was dim and cramped.
At the counter by the door sat an elderly woman.
Daphne ignored her completely, guiding Lynn deeper into the shop.
They wound their way past rows of hanging robes, down a narrow aisle, until they stopped at the back wall. There, Daphne produced a plain, black disk.
No bigger than a thumb, with a hollow center, strung on a cord like some simple trinket.
But when she pressed it against a pattern on the wall, it lit with a faint, eerie glow.
Moments later, a hidden panel slid open, revealing a small doorway.
"Come," Daphne said, stepping through first.
Lynn followed, a flicker of anticipation on his face, only to be sorely disappointed once inside.
Beyond the door lay nothing but a cramped little chamber. A black table stood against the wall, a square black box placed neatly on top. Aside from that, the only feature was a single glowing crystal lamp overhead.
"Sign this, then choose a codename for yourself. I'll submit the request and have your identity badge made."
Daphne stepped to the box and placed her own badge atop it. From the center rose a crystalline control node.
Resting her hand on it, she withdrew a contract and handed it to Lynn.
"Oh, and one more thing, your badge can be customized. Choose a design that's easy to carry and won't draw attention."
Lynn frowned inwardly as he accepted the contract and read through it carefully. After a moment, his expression eased slightly.
The agreement contained nothing overly harsh; nearly all of its terms revolved around confidentiality.
Just then, a new thought struck him. Instead of signing right away, he raised his head and asked:
"Lady Daphne, if the entire contract is just about secrecy… why does the Association insist on such a high level of concealment? The Black Moon Academy has been gone for tens of thousands of years. If all we're doing is exploring it, why hide so much?"
Daphne studied him for a moment, then answered with a question of her own:
"Do you know how the Black Moon Academy was destroyed?"
"I don't," Lynn admitted with a shake of his head.
"Neither do we," Daphne replied. "But we do know this: the hand behind it may still exist.
"One person stumbling across a relic or two is insignificant. No one cares about that.
"But a group of people, each bearing Black Moon relics, gathering together with the intent to explore that ancient academy…? Then secrecy becomes not just prudent, it's essential."
Lynn was still skeptical, but Daphne continued:
"Even if the power that destroyed the Black Moon Academy no longer exists, there are still countless factions and individuals in this world chasing after the remnants of that ancient, mighty school.
"In front of such a vast treasure, everyone is a rival."
Her voice hardened slightly.
"So the Association conceals itself not only from outsiders, but internally as well. Only I, as your sponsor, and a handful of senior members will know your true identity. …Have you thought of a codename yet?"
Lynn paused in thought, then said, "Highwind."
Perhaps only someone from his past life would understand the deeper meaning of the phrase, "a moonless night, the wind high."
"Highwind, hm…" Daphne repeated softly. She turned back to the black box and began registering his membership. Then, as though remembering something, she looked over her shoulder and added:
"Oh, my codename is Rose. The next time you're around Association members, remember to call me by that.
"I could have kept my real identity from you, but I chose to reveal it. You're the only one in the Association who knows who I really am. I hope in the future, we can help each other."
So… the Association isn't as harmonious as she makes it sound.
Lynn gave her a calm glance, then signed the contract. In a low voice, he replied, "I will."
…
…
By noon, Lynn was back in his dorm at Sobe Tower.
He sat on the sofa by the window, turning over a brown button in his hand.
This was the identity badge he'd been issued by the Black Moon Exploration Association. After helping him complete the process, Daphne had departed on her own.
Before leaving, she had told him that the Association occasionally held gatherings and that he was welcome to attend.
Beyond that, she had said nothing more.
No demands. No instructions.
As though her only purpose had been to bring him into this strange Black Moon Exploration Association.
Nothing else.
Lynn slipped the badge away, his expression calm but cold.
No matter how pleasantly Daphne spoke, it didn't erase the truth that she had nearly killed him.
He suspected that if he had been just another ordinary apprentice, he never would have been offered any so-called entry trial. Daphne would have slain him outright and taken whatever relic she thought he carried.
The only reason she hadn't… was because she believed the relic he bore was of low grade, and because he was a Golden Thorn apprentice not worth the risk.
As for her pushing him into the Association? Daphne surely had her own reasons.
Perhaps she wanted an ally against rivals within the group. Or perhaps something else entirely.
Lynn set his thoughts aside and entered his meditation chamber, ready to probe deeper into Void White Lightning.
Whatever schemes Daphne had, whatever conspiracies brewed outside, the best path for him remained the same: strengthening himself.
He closed the door behind him and sat cross-legged on the cushion.
Once he had adjusted his state of mind, he focused solely on the first part of Void White Lightning and began his Insight.
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