Qi, an incredible thing that didn’t exist in the world of Alterian, was exactly what Beatrix could use to her advantage. Outside the ntal institution, caras swept from side to side, their chanical eyes tracking every inch of the outer walls.
In Pagna, there was nothing quite like them. But during their ti in Alterian, the Pagna warriors had learned fast. They had asked Raze countless questions about this world’s strange devices, and he’d pointed out that caras weren’t only inside buildings, they were all over the streets as well. Constant eyes, always watching.
That was why Beatrix moved when she did, at the perfect rhythm. Pouring Qi into her foot, she dashed forward and pressed her body against the cold wall. The wind barely shifted as she moved again, her timing precise. She slipped between the cara’s turning arcs like a whisper of air, hiding in the blind spots.
Then she caught it, a faint scent drifting through the air. She followed it carefully until she was certain. Drawing her sword, she took one quiet breath and activated its cursed ability. In the next instant, her body phased straight through the door and into the building beyond.
Beatrix found herself standing on the tiled floor of a restroom. The sll told her what kind of place it was before she even looked around.
"Going right into the toilets wasn’t my idea of what I’d be doing when I ca here," she muttered under her breath, grimacing slightly. "But if it’s to help everyone else, then so be it."
The bathroom was empty. Judging by its location, this had to be the staff washroom rather than one used by the patients. She quickly moved into a stall and closed the door behind her, gathering her thoughts.
This is a ntal institution, she reminded herself. They’ll have plenty of areas that look strange or off-limits. Even though we’re far from the main city, they still have to appear as if they’re running a legitimate facility. The real secret will be hidden under sothing ordinary, sothing that looks harmless from the outside.
She knew wandering aimlessly inside the building would get her caught. Though Alterian mages had powerful abilities, what the warriors of Pagna could do often seed beyond belief. To them, it would look superhuman.
Beatrix focused her Qi and began circulating it through her body, moving it up toward her ears. Her hearing sharpened instantly. The faintest noises layered on top of each other, murmurs, footsteps, the tallic hum of machinery sowhere in the distance.
Now she needed to separate them. Focus.
This was a skill she had practiced countless tis. Even in battle, sound was a weapon; the warriors of Pagna were trained to hear the shift of a blade or the draw of breath before a strike.
Slowly, the individual sounds began to distinguish themselves. Mumbled words under soone’s breath. The distant echo of tal against tal. And then... screaming.
High-pitched, ragged screams.
It was impossible to tell who they belonged to or what was happening, but it didn’t sound like the sort of noise that belonged in a place of healing. There was fear in it, raw and heavy.
She strained harder to listen. There were no voices of comfort, no doctors or nurses talking. Just the occasional pleading, the sound of sothing scraping.
If there are people making that much noise, they’ll want to keep it hidden, Beatrix thought. Which ans the rooms must be soundproofed. Maybe I can track where that’s coming from.
And then, a cry rose above the rest:
"No! No! Please, don’t take there! I don’t want to! Not again, anything but that!"
The voice was hoarse and desperate.
Beatrix’s eyes narrowed. They’re taking soone sowhere... If they want to hide what’s going on, the most likely thing to do would be to go down, as deep as possible.
Quietly, she lifted her staff and pressed it to the floor. The Qi flowing through her weapon shifted, reshaping the ground beneath her feet. The solid tiles rippled, opening just enough space for her to drop through.
She landed silently in the restroom below, another identical stall, this one in the lower level of the building. She imdiately sealed the hole above her.
The screams were louder here. There were several distinct voices echoing through the halls. She could sense them even through the walls , their energy, their fear.
Creeping forward, Beatrix pressed her fingers against the wall. Qi pulsed through her skin, and she pushed lightly. The solid surface cracked and gave way beneath her touch, leaving a tiny hole.
She leaned close, peering through.
The wall was thick , far thicker than it should have been, but that was nothing for her strength. Even among the warriors of Pagna, what she had just done would have been considered extraordinary.
Through the hole, she saw a man. He was bound in a straitjacket, sitting in an empty, padded room. His head hung low, his body rocking slowly back and forth. No attendants. No guards. Just him, locked away in silence.
Beatrix’s grip on her staff tightened.
Using her artifact once again, she shifted the wall aside, the stone parting like soft clay. She stepped through into the room and sealed the opening behind her with a wave of her hand.
Up close, the man didn’t react to her presence. His eyes were open, but unfocused, lost sowhere deep in his mind. His lips moved slightly, whispering words she couldn’t make out.
"Can you hear ?" Beatrix asked softly. She crouched a few steps away, lowering her voice so she wouldn’t startle him. "What’s going on here?"
The man didn’t answer. His head twitched once, then stilled again.
Beatrix exhaled slowly. Whatever they were doing here, it had clearly broken him, or perhaps it was sothing far worse than that.
At least now, she had a starting point. If she could move through these rooms one by one, she might uncover the truth. And if she found sothing undeniable, sothing Alen and Raze could use... then all of this risk would be worth it.
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