Magic.
It's is known to many as illusions, tricks, lies, deceit. But to the citizens of Arcadia, Magic means everything.
Magic comes from within. But not everyone can harness that power. Just as there are many ways to do martial arts, there are als...
"You are Shadow's descendant. Your DNA matches 90% of Shadow's DNA. Explains why you can manipulate the Shadow energy like Shadow himself." Tzuyu nonchalantly explained.
"Why do you sound so bored? This is a big deal, like its a HUGE DEAL?!!" Nayeon made the 'blows my mind' gesture.
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"Why didn't you tell us you were the son of the MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN ARCADIA??!!" Dahyun jumped from her seat.
"He's not the son. He's the DESCENDANT." Chaeyoung emphasized the word.
"So, what's the difference?" Dahyun slumped back into her chair.
"He's not the direct son." Tzuyu butted in. "Shadow didn't reproduce with another-"
"The children, Tzuyu!!" Jihyo interrupts. Nayeon closes Dahyun and Chaeng's ears.
"Sorry, Safe mode activated." Tzuyu outputted. "He isn't Shadow's son, rather one of his sons."
"One of?" Y/N asked.
"Shadow created many offspring in hopes to transfer his mind from one to the next. That's how he has lived for so long." Tzuyu explained. "The criteria is that the son has to inherit his ability to manipulate shadow energy, or else they were terminated."
"How do you know all this?" Nayeon asked.
"Umm....We are the ones who kinda helped...." Jihyo looked down and played with her fingers. "..make those people..."
"Well then why am I not in some test tube?" Y/N asked.
"A long time ago, there was a break-in by some protestors who found out about this cycle and voted against it. They managed to free the offsprings, but we had implanted chips and tracked most of them down." Tzuyu explained. "We lost a few, and Shadow was furious. I'm guessing you're one of the ones who got away."
"Wait, i think I can check." Jihyo ran off somewhere and came back with a barcode scanner.
"Stay still." Jihyo held the scanner to Y/N's neck, and it let out a beep.
"CLONE #2417 IDENTIFIED." It let out another beep, confirming that Y/N was one of them.
"Damn, so my life is a lie?" Y/N asked in disbelief.
"Well, you got away. That's a plus. You don't know how many kids I've had to put down for Shadow." Jihyo recalled.
"So where do we go from here?" Chaeng asked. "I mean it's interesting that he's a descendant, but what does that have to do with our main mission?"
"His ability to manipulate Shadow Energy makes him a very valuable asset to Shadow." Jihyo explained. "Shadow can't just let him go unnoticed, because you have the potential to overthrow him."
"Adding to that, Shadow has already succeeded in taking over the Stray lands." Tzuyu added. "If I'm reading Mina's messages correctly, he's going for the Far Lands next."
"What's so special there?" Dahyun asked.
"That is where the Heralds test rocket ships and nuclear bombs." Jihyo's mood suddenly changed. "If Shadow attacks, he will break the agreement between the Heralds and him. We don't have much power to fight back either." She expressed with worry.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Dahyun mumbled.
"You don't understand." Jihyo growled. "If he gets control of the rockets, he can take over not just Arcadia, but the planets surrounding our solar system! Total universal domination."
"I think you're overreacting." Chaeng tried to calm her down.
"No...this is bad...this is bad...." Jihyo started to lose control. She grasped at her hair in frustration. "With the power of the nuclear bombs, he could infect the whole of Arcadia with Shadow energy...."
"Jihyo? Are you okay?" Y/N held his hand out.
"No..no...nonono...." Jihyo started to tear up. "I-I-I've seen what the Shadow Mind can do. I've seen it unleash hell upon someone's weak and unprepared mind." She crumbled in front of them.
In an unexpected move, Y/N stood up and walked over, to give her a hug. Jihyo was taken aback, but she didn't mind.
"And you wouldn't even hug me in the forest...." Nayeon pouted at Y/N mockingly. Y/N just snickered.
"I'm sorry...*sniff*" Tzuyu offered tissues and Jihyo blew her nose.
"Now, are you really okay?" Y/N rested his hand on Jihyo's shoulder.
"I..." She stammered. "I had a..a boyfriend. He loved me as much as I loved....loved him. He was perfect to me as I was to him..."
"That was around the time i invented the TDG-9 for the Legion." She continued. "I wanted to test it out and h-he volunteered. It worked fine at first, but he started to....change."
"It was subtle at first. Short bursts of anger, sudden twitching in his hands, rise in testosterone, but i paid no attention to it thinking it was some side effects that would just pass."
"Days...weeks...months went by. He started becoming more aggressive, and he wanted more of the drug. I obliged because it was the only thing that calmed him down. I grew more terrified of him every passing day."
"One day, I needed to be at the lab urgently, but he blocked my way asking for more pills before he lets me go. I told him later.....and that's when he hit me."
Everyone gasped in horror.
"He didn't stop...." Jihyo put her head in her hands, trying to stop the tears from flowing. "H-he just kept hitting and hitting.....until he grew tired and thrashed the house. I ran to Mina's place that night to cry it out."
"Who's Mina?" Chaeng whispered to Y/N.
"One of the Heralds who work here." Y/N whispered back.
"T-The next morning....i reentered the place... the place I once c-called home..." Jihyo paused.
"And found his body hanging from the ceiling by a r-rope." The pain and agony from Jihyo started to pour out in waves of tears.
"Then what happened?" Chaeng asked, eager for a conclusion.
"I-I found a note. It was from him. He told me how much of a jerk he realized he was after he came down from the high, and he couldn't live with himself knowing he hurt me."
"Sorry. If there's anything, we're here." Y/N gestured to the group.
"Thanks." Jihyo smiled weakly and wiped her tears away.
