Inverse System

Chapter 154 - Confronting Your Past

"Rein, I got him out! He said he can help yo—" Emria exclaimed as she and Zane exited the cell, seeing the hallway that lead out to the cavern blocked by a pile of rubble.

"So that's what that loud sound was…" Zane put his hand on the rubble.

"Oh…" Emria said discouragingly. "Will we need to find another way out?" She inquired.

"No, I've got this. Stand back," Zane commanded.

Emria walked back and stood a safe distance away from Zane, who was taking deep, steady breaths, closing his eyes, entering a serene state of mind. He then opened his eyes suddenly and put his hands out, releasing a burst of raging wind at the pile of rubble blocking their way. This sent the rubble flying away, carving out a large hole in the entrance of the hallway, allowing them to escape through it.

As Zane calmed down, he heard clapping emerging from behind him, Emria applauding him for his showing.

"That was cool!" She exclaimed enthusiastically. "But if you're that powerful, why didn't you just bust yourself out?" She curiously asked.

"Those handcuffs had Spring weakening properties," he explained as he walked out into the sunlight of the roofless cave. "That's why I was only able to send small gusts of wind through the vents," he said as he put his hand on his forehead, blocking the beaming light of the bright sun, which he had missed for weeks.

"I think Rein's on top of the rubble," Emria joined him outside. "You promised you'd keep your cool, right?" Emria made sure, to which Zane nodded as he picked her up and jumped out from the hole onto the layer of broken stones and dirt.

As Zane set Emria down, he looked out into the vast cavern seeing a black-haired man standing in the distance, with the corpses of 3 others resting scattered around him. The black hair he saw suddenly changed to white as Emria ran towards it.

"Rein!" She yelled, catching his attention, turning around in a laughing mood.

"Hey, looks like you got big bro out of there," Rein remarked as Emria rushed in to hug him.

"Yep, I helped big bro escape," she repeated, to which Rein laughed, finding it funny that she also called him 'big bro'.

Rein's laugh faded away as he looked back up, adopting a stern expression as his eyes landed on Zane, who was walking towards the 2 reluctantly. As the 2 gazed at each other, no words were exchanged for a while, simply staring at one another intently.

"So then, it was you under that metal mask back then," Zane broke the silence, no motion being made by either of them. "And you can change your hair color it seems. So, you've been right under my nose this entire time…" He continued, Rein not reacting to any of the words he said.

The silence grew again, a long, nervewracking pause in the conversation, to which Emria was listening intently. Once again, Zane grit his teeth, then broke the silence, beginning to lose his cool in the situation.

"You're just gonna stay silent again?! Explain yourself!" He cried out, again, Rein staying silent.

Zane's hands began trembling further as he diverted his gaze off of Rein, looking down at the ground in contempt. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, and in a painful deliberation, he spoke.

"I'm sorry…"

Those words finally induced a reaction in Rein, making him raise his eyebrow in surprise.

"So then, Emria told you the truth?" Rein finally spoke, Zane looking back up and nodding in affirmation.

"Yes, mostly…"

"So you know that it wasn't me, right? And you know the true culprit behind this case, don't you?" Rein assured.

"Yes…"

"Good. Then let's go meet up with Chloe," Rein directed as he jumped up to the surface, holding Emria in his arms as Zane followed.

As they landed in the cemetery on the outskirts of the crater, they saw Chloe, along with the Econican prince, who was resting on the ground, his arms broken. She sat there with a look of worry plastered across her visage, which was replaced with an expression of jubilation as the 3 emerged from inside the hole, immediately perking up and running to hug her brother.

"Brother! I'm so glad you're okay…" She cried, Zane hugging her back, smiling warmly.

"Thanks for worrying about me Chloe. And I formally thank all of you for saving me," as Zane broke away from the hug, he bowed his head down to Rein and Emria in gratitude, then walked over to Sho's side.

"Heh, it looks like your face is as smug as ever, bagpipe," Sho snarked wearily as Zane walked to his side.

"I could say the same to you, arson," he retorted, smiling at him. "But really though, thank you, Sho Econ," Zane bowed down, to which Sho blushed and looked away.

"Y-you know I'm not good at taking gratitude, you bastard," he feebly grunted as the rest of the group laughed.

"Look! You made Sho go all tsundere mode," Emria pointed out while laughing, furthering the helpless man's anger.

However, their laughter was cut short by a sudden sound to their side, a voice that yelled out to them in hostility.

"Freeze! In the name of the King!" An army of soldiers suddenly appeared in front of them, beginning to encroach around the group to surround them.

The leader of the army, a muscular black-haired man with scars on his face, emerged from the crowd, holding his one-handed great sword out intimidatingly.

"Artus!" Zane growled as he readied himself for battle, staring intensely at his former knight.

Artus shook his head in disappointment as if the prince had done something he shouldn't have.

"Your actions truly sadden me, your highness. And you as well my princess," Artus expressed, his eyes closed firmly. "You could have peacefully remained in custody, and I wouldn't have to do this," he opened his eyes and released a wave of intimidation from his sheer aura, making everyone but Rein sweat nervously.. "However, now, you've forced my hand. I apologize for what's about to happen…"