The gallery buzzed softly with murmured voices and the distant click of heels on marble floors. Sunlight filtered in through high arched windows, painting warm patches across the wooden floor. Jennie Aurelia stood in the center of the east wing, her voice calm and inviting as she guided a small group of tourists through the collection.
"This piece," she said, gesturing toward a serene painting of a foggy valley, "was painted by Ingrid Sørensen after she lost her hearing. She said the silence helped her see colors more vividly."
The group leaned in, intrigued. Jennie's tone carried both reverence and warmth, like she was telling a friend's story. One elderly couple shared a smile, while a young girl whispered, "That's so cool."
Jennie noticed and smiled at the girl. "She used to say that painting was like listening with your eyes."
They moved through the exhibit, Jennie offering patient answers to every question—never rushing, always listening. She even paused to help a boy who had dropped his map, crouching down to hand it back with a kind smile. When an older man asked her twice about the same artist, she answered again without a trace of irritation.
"I just love the way you explain things," a woman from the group said as they reached the end of the tour.
Jennie laughed softly. "Thank you. I guess I just really love talking about art."
As the group dispersed, she gave each of them a polite nod before walking to her usual spot by the tall front window. She leaned against the frame, exhaling slowly. The light from outside caught in her hazel eyes.
And there he was again.
Under the streetlamp across the road, standing like time had forgotten to move him, was the same dark-haired boy—Zazm Mystic. His hands in his coat pockets, that small half-smile playing at his lips.
Jennie couldn't help it—she smiled too. Like it was the most natural thing in the world to see him waiting for her.
She crossed the road, steps soft and familiar now. "So, streetlamp guy," she said, hands tucked into her coat. "Here to ask me another riddle?"
Zazm gave a slow nod. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm here to show you something."
Jennie raised an eyebrow, amused. "A new trick, Mr. Magician?"
Zazm's eyes darkened slightly, and his tone shifted. "Do you still not believe me? That I have superpowers?"
Jennie blinked at the sudden seriousness, then laughed lightly. "Superpowers aren't real. Don't be so silly, Mr. Magician."
Zazm smiled faintly but said nothing, his gaze steady on hers, as if measuring something invisible in the air between them.
Then he finally spoke, "What would it take for you to believe me?"
Jennie grinned. "If you can make me fly, I'll believe you."
She expected a laugh or a playful scoff, but instead Zazm went quiet, as if actually thinking about it. His eyes narrowed, and he tilted his head ever so slightly.
"I can't do that," he said at last. "But... I can teleport you to any place you want in the world. Wherever you wish to go."
Jennie stared at him, caught off guard by the answer. She let out a small, surprised laugh. "You really don't break character, do you?"
Then, suddenly, the seriousness vanished from Zazm's expression. That same carefree, chill smile spread across his face again.
"A good magician never breaks character," he said with a playful shrug.
Jennie rolled her eyes, amused. "Right. Well, goodnight then, Mr. Magician."
She turned and walked away, her footsteps fading into the quiet night. Zazm stood still beneath the streetlamp, watching her retreat into the distance. His gaze lingered on her from the shadows, unreadable.
The streetlight flickered above him, but he didn't move.
He stood there for a while before speaking softly to himself, "She's too kind..."
Turning slowly, he walked away from the lamp and into the shadows. A few steps later, he spotted a bench tucked beneath a cluster of trees, dim and half-swallowed by the darkness. He made his way there and sat down heavily, his gaze drifting toward the sky.
The stars were faint tonight, but his thoughts were louder than ever. His mind a tangled storm of doubt and strategy.
Should he recruit her? Should he let her live her peaceful life?
She was kind, bright, and full of a warmth the world rarely showed him. And yet... he would need people. He would need strength. The days ahead were uncertain, and the truth of what he carried—the power to bend time and space—would eventually demand more than solitude.
He sat there in silence, the weight of the choice pressing down on his chest.
"I need powers," he whispered to the sky. "I need people I can trust. But do I have the right to change their lives for it...?"
The wind blew softly through the trees. He leaned back, his eyes still searching the stars for an answer.
With a quick jump, he got up and brushed his clothes off. His eyes were clear now, resolute.
"Tomorrow," he muttered. "Tomorrow I'll ask her. I'll show her."
He started walking again, back through the shadowed path. "And whatever she says... if it's no, I'll disappear. She'll forget me as just some weird magician."
He paused.
"But if she says yes..."
---
Zazm stood under the lamp, he had become more familiar with the lamp than the actual person, "Should I take the lamp with me too?" He asked himself while smirking.
He heard footsteps in a distance and once he turned around he saw Jennie walking towards him, his smile slightly widened before he carefully looked around and threads started coming out of his mark.
"Yoo, Mr Magician anything special today? Any riddle?" Jennie waved her hand as she walked closer to him.
Zazm gave a quick nod, more eager than usual. "Not today. Today, I have a question. Have you decided yet?"
Jennie tilted her head, puzzled. "Decided what?"
Zazm smirked. "I told you I could teleport you anywhere in the world to prove I have powers. So, where do you want to go?"
Jennie chuckled, playing along. "Alright then, Mr. Magician. Take me to Mount Everest."
Zazm blinked, surprised. His expression tightened in mild panic, and Jennie burst into laughter at his reaction.
"What? Scared of heights?"
He looked off to the side, considering something deeply. Then his voice dropped into a serious note. "It would be seriously cold there."
Jennie laughed even harder. "Of course it would be! It's Mount Everest!"
But then Zazm's smirk widened, and he said quietly, "It won't matter to us."
Jennie stopped laughing. The way he said it, like he actually meant it, made something twist in her chest. She stood still, her smile fading into uncertainty.
Zazm took a step back. He raised his hand slowly, face turning slightly away, eyes closing in quiet focus.
Jennie watched, brows furrowed in confusion—until the air before him began to twist and shimmer. A swirling portal bloomed open like a violet flower, shades of purple and black dancing together in motion. It was beautiful, unreal.
Her heart raced.
She took a step back, her mind reeling. Was it a trick? A dream?
She turned to him, wide-eyed. "Who... who are you?"
Zazm stepped toward the portal but stopped just at the edge, not turning back. "If you want answers... come inside."
And then he walked through it, disappearing into the swirling light.
Jennie stood frozen in place, her breath caught in her throat, her world suddenly turned on its head.
She clenched her fists, eyes locked on the swirling portal. Minutes passed. Still, she stood there, unmoving, torn. A part of her screamed to turn around and walk away—to forget him, to forget this. But another part burned with curiosity.
Her heart thudded in her chest as she took a deep breath. "This is crazy," she whispered. "Absolutely insane."
And yet, her feet moved. Slowly. One after the other. Jennie closed her eyes and jumped into the portal.
When she opened them again, she was standing on a snow-covered peak. The wind howled, but she didn't feel cold. Snow blanketed the ground all around her. White, pure, untouched. She crouched, scooped up a handful of snow, and tossed it. It landed softly, like real snow.
Her breath came in small gasps, but not from the cold—just disbelief. She turned around and saw him.
Zazm stood not far, arms crossed, eyes calm as ever. "Satisfied?"
Jennie took a step back, frightened. "Who are you? How did you do this?"
Zazm's smirk returned, his voice easy and light. "Too many questions at once."
"You said you had superpowers..." she murmured.
"And I meant it."
Her mind spun faster. "But why me? Why are you showing me this? What does this have to do with me?"
Zazm pointed at her, smile never faltering. "Because you have powers too. And that's what concerns me."
Jennie quickly got shocked, surprised even more, but before she could speak anything, Zazm continued. "I don't want to destroy your life or anything. So I'm asking you—if you had powers like mine, would you want to use them to help the world? Or would you rather continue living the life you are?"
Jennie stepped back, more confused than ever. "What does that even mean? Who are you? Powers? Saving the world? What are you talking about?"
Zazm went silent, his expression unreadable.
"Why aren't you answering?!" Jennie shouted, the cold air catching in her throat.
Finally, Zazm spoke. "I can't tell you everything yet. That's not how this works. All I can say is: yes, you have powers—powers that could help people. But if you take that path, it might cost you your normal life. You may never be able to go back."
Jennie stood there, her gaze darkening. "And what if I say I don't want it? What if I just want to go home and forget this ever happened?"
Zazm didn't answer. He simply opened the portal again, stepping aside and gesturing toward it.
"Then go. And I won't bother you again."
The portal shimmered quietly beside them as the snow continued to fall, waiting for her choice.
The silence hung heavy between them and none of them spoke a word, Jennie finally looked up her shiny hair covered with snow, yet she didn't felt cold she didn't knew how it was possible.
She looked him in the eyes and started speaking, Zazm looked at her with all his attention and at her words his eyes widened a little.
"Very well," Zazm spoke as he left the way Infront of the portal and waited for Jennie to walk outside, as he saw her disappear through the portal he stood there, his hair falling on his eyes as he let out a sigh and got out of the portal himself.
He came back to his room and fell on his bed while holding his head from pain, "fuck....I shouldn't have done it."
He grabbed it with both of his arms trying to ease the pain but the more he pressed the more it hurt, he did a little too much ensuring no one finds out anything and now he would pay the price.
He tried to got up but fell down again, he could feel his entire body getting warm, with whatever strength left he reached his pockets and pulled out some pills.
"I'm lucky I bought these in advance," he quickly opened the small bottle and ate 3 tablets without water and just swallowed them.
Cough cough
He hit his neck and chest trying to throw the capsule inside while he slowly felt as if he would lose consioussness. He reached with his hand to put the bottle on the sideshelf of the bed.
The bottle dropped down from his hand and shattered into multiple pieces, he himself lost consioussness and fell down from the bed on the broken glass. He lay there helpless.
---
The restaurant was filled with the sounds of clinking plates and quiet chatter, a warm, ambient hum that seemed to suit the group of unlikely allies sitting at a corner table. It had become something of a ritual for the four of them to meet like this—three Catalysts, or maybe just the ones that Zazm had recruited before.
Jahanox Nova, the stoic one, sat back in his chair, barely touching the food in front of him. His sharp features were set in that usual serious expression, the one that often made people think he was cold and unapproachable. But here, with the three others, he allowed himself a slight, almost imperceptible smirk. He was more relaxed in their company, but it didn't take much to see that his mind was always sharp, always calculating.
Across from him, Kiyomasa Saito was chuckling as he stabbed at a piece of fish on his plate. He was the embodiment of kindness, his naïve nature in sharp contrast to Jahanox's cold demeanor. Kiyomasa was always the one to lighten the mood, always ready to crack a smile, but he could also be serious when the situation called for it.
Caspian Grey, ever the entertainer, leaned back in his chair with a playful glint in his eyes, clearly enjoying the conversation. His clothes were fashionable, like they had been handpicked from the latest runway show, and his charming smile never left his face. Caspian had a way with people—always able to charm his way into any situation, always knowing exactly what to say to get what he wanted.
"So, what's the verdict?" Caspian asked, glancing at Jahanox. "You really think you could beat me in a fight?"
Jahanox didn't even look up from his food, his eyes narrowing just slightly. "If I tried, you'd be in the hospital before you could blink, Caspian."
Caspian laughed, though there was a nervousness to his chuckles. "No way! I'm faster than you think, Jahanox. And besides, I'd avoid the fight altogether." He held up his hands in a mock defense. "I'm a lover, not a fighter to being with."
"Yeah, yeah," Kiyomasa cut in, grinning. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're terrified of Jahanox."
"I'm not terrified," Caspian insisted, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "I'm just... cautious."
Kiyomasa leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, his eyes glinting with mischief. "You mean terrified. You know Jahanox isn't exactly... 'human.'"
Caspian shot him a playful glare. "That's not nice, kid. We're your elders."
Jahanox finally spoke up, his voice cold but somehow carrying a hint of amusement. "It's true. If I wanted, I could crush both of you with a single punch."
The three of them fell silent for a moment, but it didn't last long. Kiyomasa and Caspian exchanged a look, then burst into laughter.
"See?" Caspian said with a grin. "He's going to kill us one day, I swear. This training is going to be the end of me."
Kiyomasa nodded dramatically. "I'm seriously starting to think I should fake an injury just to get out of it. There's no way I'm surviving if he keeps pushing me like this."
Jahanox didn't seem particularly fazed by their teasing. He simply took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.
"Oh, please," Jahanox continued. "You guys should be thanking me for keeping you on your toes. If it wasn't for me, you'd both be sitting around doing nothing, waiting for Zazm to come up with some new ridiculous shit."
Kiyomasa shot him a look. "I'm not doing nothing! I'm... training." He added with a hint of pride.
"Well, training is only part of the equation," Caspian said with a shrug. "It's about being ready for whatever comes next."
Jahanox spoke his tone serious, "You both need to train harder even though you are extremely strong now we never know."
"Ugh," Kiyomasa groaned. "You are making me feel like I'm the only one here not preparing for the apocalypse or something. You're both crazy."
"Just wait until you see his training sessions, Kiyomasa," Caspian added with a grin. "It's a whole new level of 'crazy.' I don't know how you do it, Jahanox. I think I'd be dead in the first five minutes."
Jahanox's lips twitched, a faint smirk appearing at the corners of his mouth. "That's the point. If you survive, you're stronger for it."
The conversation took a quieter turn as the three of them ate in relative peace. But their thoughts couldn't stay on the meal for long, not with everything going on.
Kiyomasa glanced up at Jahanox, his voice softer now. "So... any word from Zazm? How's he doing with the new Catalyst?"
Jahanox hesitated, just for a moment, before he spoke. "I don't know. Zazm doesn't tell me much about his recruits. It's always been... his way of doing things. I trust that he knows what he's doing."
"I bet the new Catalyst is some crazy person, huh?" Caspian chimed in, the usual cocky grin still present on his face. "I mean, Zazm's been pretty picky with his picks, right?"
"Who knows," Jahanox said, his eyes darkening slightly. "We've all got our reasons for this, and I'm sure Zazm has his. But if anyone's going to make it work, it's him."
Kiyomasa nodded thoughtfully. "I hope they're doing alright. I mean, Zazm's always been kind of... mysterious, right?"
Caspian chuckled. "Mysterious? That's putting it mildly. The guy doesn't exactly make it easy to figure him out. But I get it. He's got his reasons."
The conversation lingered on the topic for a while. Despite their teasing and jokes, there was a sense of seriousness beneath it all. None of them truly understood the full extent of Zazm's mission, nor did they fully grasp what it meant to be a Catalyst in this strange new world.
Jahanox, however, had always trusted Zazm. And if there was one thing Jahanox was certain of, it was that Zazm never did anything without a purpose.
As the night wore on and the restaurant became quieter, the group began to finish their meals. They talked about their next training session, their plans, and what the future might hold for all of them.
But through it all, Zazm was never far from their minds.
"What do you think will happen when we all meet up?" Kiyomasa asked, wiping his mouth. "Will things get... harder?"
Jahanox met his gaze, a faint smile playing at his lips. "Harder, yes. But also better."
Caspian leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "Yeah. Because when you throw a bunch of powers into the mix, things are bound to get interesting."
And with that, the evening wound down, but the questions remained, hanging in the air. What was Zazm doing with the new Catalyst? And what did the future hold for all of them?
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