Somewhere else, in a deep, dark forest in the Lancer Trials. Moonlight seeped through the thick trees, illuminating a dirt path in front of a lone figure.

  They moved through the trees with purpose, but not urgency. They had dark clothes, a purple ribbon tied around their waist, and goggles hung around their neck. Every few steps, a violet light pulsed out from under his boots. They had eyes of amethyst. His pace never changed. He turned left at a fork. Then right. Then right again.

  Then left.

  Then right.

  Then left again.

  He stopped. His head tilted, his eyes narrowing slightly.

  “…Hmph.”

  He turned once more.

  Then once again.

  Then stopped.

  "Alright," he said coolly. His voice had a kind of detached malice. "How long do you plan to watch me like a coward?"

  High above in the trees, someone exhaled through their nose.

  A few branches rustled.

  Reno dropped from the tree in a slow, graceful crouch. He stood, rolling one shoulder and brushing moss from his sleeve. Yoku on his left hand.

  “You caught on faster than most,” Yoku said.

  "Alright, you caught me," Reno muttered, right hand in his pocket. "I was going to keep you looping another hour or so."

  "Aye, I’ve got a question," Yoku interjected.

  Reno leaned towards Yoku. “Yeah? What’s up?”

  “Not you, him,” Yoku said. “How did you sense us? Reno and I have superior Dragon Vein suppression. You shouldn’t have been able to catch us.”

  The violet-aura walker chuckled lowly. “Let's just say, my perception is out of this world. That puppet has a conscience, or are you one of those ventriloquists?”

  Reno sighed. “It has a conscience.”

  A pause.

  Yoku mentioned. “Nice of you to join us, stranger.”

  “I’m not here to play with puppets.” The stranger declared.

  “So, that thing has a conscience,” His hand flexed. The violet aura around his legs surged briefly before settling. “You mind explaining what’s up with it?”

  Reno looked down at Yoku. “…Partner.”

  “Partner?” The man raised an eyebrow. “Pfft. Is he supposed to be your therapy toy?”

  Yoku sneered. “Funny. You’re the second person today who thinks they’re clever. First one’s missing their kneecaps and in a ditch.”

  “You always let the puppet talk for you?” the stranger asked.

  Reno rolled a shoulder. “He keeps things honest.”

  A pause.

  Then, quietly: “You got a name, marionette boy?” the stranger said.

  “…Reno.”

  “Reno.” A grin touched the stranger’s lips. “Why did I even bother to ask for your name? I don’t even care.”

  “…And you?” Reno asked.

  The boy began to contemplate. As if he didn’t know what to say.

  “I don’t just tell anyone my name.” the stranger snapped.

  Yoku scoffed. “Were teens always this angsty?”

  “Enough,” Reno muttered to Yoku.

  Yoku hesitated for a moment, then looked towards Reno. He noticed how pensive Reno’s face was, like he was on edge. They had fought people before. What did Reno notice that Yoku hasn't?

  “I’ve got ten beacon cards,” The stranger stepped forward, slow and deliberate. “You wanna fight?”

  Reno didn’t answer for a moment. “I have eleven.”

  “You’ve been hunting.”

  “Maybe.”

  “You kill them all?”

  “Not all.”

  The stranger laughed. “I can’t say the same for my victims.”

  Then the stranger’s smirk sharpened. “So? You gonna hand over your cards? Or do I have to add you to my body count?”

  Catching Reno off guard, violet light exploded from his feet as the stranger shot forward—leaving behind a bang of air.

  The stranger pushed his index finger into Reno’s throat. Puncturing deep.

  Blood spewed from the wound and onto the ground.

  The stranger smirked as his finger dug into Reno and thought: That was easy. This guy is way weaker than he seems.

  Clap

  The attacker looked over and saw Yoku… clap?

  Before he knew it, time reversed. Approximately nine seconds before Yoku clapped.

  Reno was standing unharmed in front of the stranger, like before.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Did we… go back in time?” the stranger grinned. “You can rewind time, that's how you managed to revert me to my original position while I was walking on the path. That’s you’re Yogen.”

  He noticed Reno’s missing scar on his neck, “Wounds are also reversed.”

  “Correct,” Reno announced. “But you’ve got one thing wrong.”

  “That’s my Yogen,” Yoku intoned.

  “With just a mere clap of Yoku’s hands, time shall reverse nine seconds.”

  The stranger looked visibly confused. “An opponent with two Yogens? Never seen that before. This’ll be annoying.”

  “Careful, Reno,” Yoku said. “He moves pretty fast, and that finger technique seems pretty deadly.”

  “Got it,” Reno replied. “You’re always so helpful, Yoku.”

  Yoku shrugged. “Just looking out for you, so we don’t die.”

  The stranger vanished again.

  Reno barely shifted his stance; the boy’s finger came for his jugular once more.

  But this time, Reno swiveled. As Reno dodged, his right hand grazed the stranger’s arm. More specifically, the stranger's index finger

  In an instant, the boy's index finger slid down to the middle of his forearm, grotesquely rearranged like wax. He stumbled back, blinking in confusion.

  “What the?” he muttered, clenching and unclenching his warped hand.

  Reno’s voice was quiet. “It’s my Yogen.”

  Yoku added, “Try not to be so predictable, kid.”

  The boy glared, but there was a glint of intrigue behind his demeanor. “So that’s how it is. You warp the body like a 2D cutout... and your puppet rewinds time.”

  “Correct,” Reno said simply.

  The boy burst forward with a boom, zigzagging mid-dash like a lightning bolt. He reappeared above, crashing down with a leg crackling in violet lightning.

  “Nister Surge!” he yelled.

  Reno dove sideways as the ground exploded in a spray of dirt and shrapnel. A crater was left behind by the attack. The forest trembled with the aftershock.

  Reno took the offensive, vanishing and reappearing behind the stranger using the Body Flicker technique.

  The stranger quickly spun around and swung his arm towards Reno.

  Reno ducked low and reached into his waistband—drawing a gun, unloading three bullets into the stranger’s body, but they didn’t penetrate deep.

  Without staggering, even slightly, he grabbed Reno's wrist.

  The stranger’s open fist began to quickly power up with violet lightning. His fist crackled forward.

  He made contact with Reno’s stomach. The power of the attack, combined with his sheer strength, sent Reno slightly airborne, coughing up blood.

  Yoku clapped once again—reverting time by nine seconds—before Reno used his body flicker technique.

  Reno and his foe stood before each other.

  “A gun, seriously?” the boy said, his expression annoyed. “You coward, just fight with your fists.”

  “Fist, you mean,” Reno said as he pulled out his gun. “I must say, kid, you’re stronger than you look, your basic circulation enhancing your defense is off the charts—not even flinching at being shot three times is impressive. I was also using basic circulation on the outer parts of my body to withstand or at least minimize damage from your punch, but it seemed like you did more damage to me than I did to you.”

  Reno started waving his gun around. “That Kageuchi skill you have is pretty dandy. It burst through my defenses easily.”

  “It’s called Nister Surge,” the stranger said simply.

  A low roll of thunder crossed the forest.

  Yoku looked up. “Hmph. Drama weather.”

  Rain began to fall. Heavy and cold.

  The stranger looked at him for a long moment. Then, finally said, “Ohsia.”

  Reno tilted his head. “What?”

  “My name. You earned it.”

  Yoku blinked. “That was almost... respectful.”

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Ohsia said. “It’s not like I give you my approval. You’re just a pathetic plaything.”

  Yoku mumbled, “Then we should be honored.”

  The rain kept falling, soaking them all in silence.

  Reno narrowed his eyes. “You got family, Ohsia? Someone waiting on the other side?”

  Something changed in Ohsia’s face. Like a crack that didn’t quite reach the surface.

  He looked away.

  “I’ve got no one… anymore,” he said flatly. “Except a copy. And I don’t even think she knows it.”

  Reno’s brows furrowed. “…Copy?”

  “She looks like me. That’s all I have.”

  Yoku and Reno exchanged a glance.

  Reno’s thoughts fully flashed back to the Trial’s first stage. A girl with similar eyes, similar energy. He hadn’t caught her name.

  It was the resemblance that made him ask.

  He leaned down slightly. “I saw her. I think. In the first round. I don’t know her name. But she looks... like you.”

  Ohsia’s posture tensed for a split second. Then relaxed.

  Yoku tilted his head, watching.

  Ohsia turned to go. “Don’t follow me,” he said. “We’re done here.”

  The violet glow returned to his feet. He stepped forward and burst off—gliding into the path, disappearing into the rain.

  As Ohsia withdrew from Reno’s presence, a sentence told to him echoed in his mind: “You’ll know when you find her.”

  Once Ohsia found some distance, he took out a photo from his pocket.

  It was a photo of Aisho.

  The grip on the photo tightened slightly.

  As Ohsia continued to travel, he felt an odd tingly feeling in his chest—his Seishinryu.

  ***

  Silence.

  Yoku finally broke it. “I was thinking the same thing, too, that he looked like that girl from the first stage. But… a copy?"

  “…I don’t think he meant that metaphorically,” Reno said quietly.

  Yoku tilted his head, watching the shadows Ohsia vanished into. “Hey. It’s none of our business, right?”

  “We need to keep an eye on him. And that girl.” Reno said.

  Yoku side-eyed Reno. “What are you suggesting?”

  The rain continued to fall.

  “We should obviously go after him.”

  “Hell. No.”

  “What? I’m just interested…”

  “Reno. What’s up with you lately? Now, you want to go poking your nose into… whatever copy shenanigans Ohsia was talking about. Not only that but before we even arrived at the Lancer Trials… You complimented… A WOMAN.”

  “Yeah? What’s wrong with that?”

  “RENO! YOU NEVER TALK TO PEOPLE!” then slightly quieter, Yoku said. “Let alone, women.”

  “I liked her style.”

  “What happened to the ‘too cool to care’ attitude? You always act disinterested.”

  Reno sighed and began to walk in the direction that Ohsia ran to.

  Yoku’s button eyes nearly popped out at a moment of realization.

  “No. Reno. Don’t tell me…” he said. “You’re trying to get a girlfriend?!”

  Reno made a shocked expression

  “What?!” Reno flinched. “A girlfriend? What? No way?”

  “Yes way! That’s totally what you’re trying to do,” Yoku said. “Am I not enough for you? That you try to chase after girls? Do you know how awkward it would be for me if you got married or went on some date and I was there with you? Does that count as a two-man? And—ugh—don’t even get me started on intimate things—”

  “Relax. You’re losing your mind. If I did get married, went on some date, or got intimate with a woman, obviously I wouldn’t bring you with—”

  “WHAT!” Yoku laughed slightly. “You’re joking. Have you forgotten about what’s underneath this ‘puppet,’ you’re missing a hand—what would she think? And you can’t just get rid of me. I’m your day one.”

  “Yoku. I don’t want to be your boyfriend.”

  “Huh?! I wasn’t suggesting that?!”

  “Aye. It just seemed like it.”

  “Anyways. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your purpose for taking these Lancer Trials.”

  Reno paused for a moment.

  “No, I remember,” he said. “To prove I’m not what the Unnamed Clan made me to be, to catch up to Indra—my only family I have left, and to find a reason to live”

  “That’s right. Wait. Am I not considered family, too?”

  Reno rolled his eyes.

  “Hey!” Yoku snapped. “Don’t you roll your eyes at me.”

  “You are sooooo sensitive.”

  “ME?! SENSITIVE?! NO WAY?!”

  “We'd better get going,” Reno said. He slowly began to run. “We’ll lose track of Ohsia at this rate. He is pretty fast after all. Something is up with him, and I’d like to know.”

  And somewhere deeper in the Trials, the paths of two mirror images began to curve toward each other.

  “Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.”

  — Jeremiah 51:17 (ESV)