The Cipher: Locks and Keys

Following their encounter with Lockey and Rina, Cassian, Mira, Titan, and Glutton return to the Red Blood hideout.

An air of tension fills the room as they enter.

As they approach the shadowy figure of their leader, Cassian kneels in submission. "I have gathered intelligence, Lord Rades," he says, his voice trembling.

Lord Rades, his face concealed by darkness, slowly raises his head. "Is he part?" he asks, his tone cold and calculated.

"From the power he possessed, I am certain he is one," Cassian confirms, his confidence growing as he shares the details of their encounter with Lockey.

Lord Rades leans forward, his interest piqued. "And the girl?"

"She seems to be living well and strong," Cassian replies, a hint of frustration in his voice.

A sly grin spreads across Lord Rades' hidden face. "You may leave," he says, dismissing Cassian and the others with a wave of his hand.

Having returned home after the intense interrogation at the WCM headquarters, Lockey found himself lost in thought. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his past and his powers than he had initially realised.

Lockey's gaze fell upon the mysterious book he had hidden away. With a sense of determination, he picked it up and began examining its contents once more. "I can understand the language, but it doesn't seem to make sense to me," Lockey muttered to himself, his frustration growing.

Setting the book aside, he turned his attention to the mysterious green card that accompanied it. As he held the card in his hand, he couldn't help but wonder about its significance and the connection it might have to his past.

Suddenly, his mind flashed back to the interrogation, recalling the moment when a WCM member had asked him, "You emit a strong energy. Is there anything you'd like to share?"

Lockey pondered the meaning of those words, "I wonder what he meant by energy," he mused, lost in thought.

As he lifted his key in the air, he couldn't help but think of Rina's revelation. "To think Rina has the same key I do, just with different designs," Lockey whispered, marvelling at the connection between them.

Curiosity filled his mind as he wondered if Marco and Baek might also possess similar keys. "Rina said something about Marco having one. I wonder if Baek has one too," Lockey thought, his frustration mounting as he struggled to piece together the mystery.

Realising that he wouldn't find the answers he sought through mere contemplation, Lockey sighed, "Thinking won't get me anywhere." With a resigned shrug, he decided to put his pondering aside for the night. "Guess it's already too late. I need to get some sleep," he muttered, preparing for the challenges that awaited him in the days to come.

As the sun rose on a new day, Lockey found himself back at the Fairy Tale Guild, preparing for another day of school. He moved through the halls with a sense of determination, still grappling with the questions that had plagued him the previous night.

Unknown to Lockey, the eyes of his fellow students were fixed on him as he walked. Whispers filled the air, and it was clear that his presence had stirred up an atmosphere of curiosity and unease. "They look like they've seen a ghost," Lockey thought to himself, feeling the weight of their gazes.

As he continued through the school, Lockey heard a faint voice calling out to him. "Lockey, over here," the voice whispered. Recognising Baek's voice, Lockey followed the sound until he discovered his friend hiding under a table.

Confused by Baek's strange behaviour, Lockey asked, "Why are you hiding under the table? Did yesterday's attack leave you in shock?" Baek, sweating and clearly anxious, replied, "It's not the event, but the other students."

Lockey looked around, finally noticing the eyes that were fixated on him. "I see. So what?" he asked, still not fully grasping the situation.

Surprised that Lockey hadn't yet realised the reason behind the students' behaviour, Baek got up from the table and explained, "They're curious about you, Lockey. They've heard whispers about your powers and want to know more."

As the realization dawned on him, Lockey couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

As Lockey walked through the school, the murmur of students' voices followed him like a swelling tide. Snippets of conversation reached their ears: "I heard he defeated those intruders," "What kind of power does he have?" and even "Is he a God who came down to earth to save us?"

Lockey couldn't help but feel uneasy about the attention and speculation. He didn't enjoy being the subject of such intense curiosity and scrutiny.

Suddenly, Lockey was called to the headmaster's office.

Upon reaching the door, Lockey knocked tentatively. A voice from within called out, "Enter." They stepped inside, finding themselves in the presence of the vice headmaster.

Entering the office, he met Rina, and Marco

"Take a seat," the vice headmaster said, gesturing to the chairs before his desk. "As you may have all noticed, most of the students have found out about your powers."

Lockey, curious about the school's stance on this development, asked, "Wasn't it indicated that everyone is welcome here?"

The vice headmaster replied, "It was, but you never told us you belonged to that class. We would have placed you in a different section had we known." He paused before continuing, Marco interrupting, "Now, how do you plan to solve this problem? Everyone is asking me lots of questions, like a pack of journalists."

Marco, visibly anxious, exclaimed, "What do you intend to do?"

The vice headmaster answered calmly, "We are going to isolate you from the rest of the students in a special class. Right now, we have only confirmed the three of you, but there's a possibility that other students may possess powers as well."

Lockey, seeking to understand the school's decision to accept people with powers, inquired, "Why did this school decide to accept people with power status in the first place?"

The vice headmaster replied, "Well, it was all Mr. Golder, the headmaster's plan." Before Lockey could ask any further questions, the vice headmaster concluded the meeting. "You are now dismissed."

As the trio left the vice headmaster's office, Lockey found himself curious about the origins of their mysterious keys. He turned to Rina and Marco, hoping to find answers to the questions that had been plaguing him.

Rina hesitated for a moment before sharing her story. "Well, it's quite a long story, but to cut it short, it was after both of my parents died," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I could feel a change in my body, as if something was awakening inside me. I first came into contact with the key when a kid made fun of my friend. It just manifested out of nowhere, and since then, I've always kept it close."

Lockey listened intently, his eyes filled with empathy as he tried to comprehend the depth of Rina's experiences. "I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for you,"

Marco chuckled nervously, breaking the tension that had settled over the group. "I really don't remember how I got mine, to be honest," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "What I do remember is a shop robbery. The sound of gunfire made my heart skip a beat, and I eventually passed out. When I woke up, I felt different—maybe because I was in a dumpster at the time."

Lockey and Rina exchanged amused glances before bursting into laughter. "That's one way to awaken your powers, I suppose," Lockey said, grinning.

As their laughter subsided, the three took a moment to appreciate the strange circumstances that had brought them together.