Chapter 115: Mehko Wishes
Scáth laughed lightly with hints of disbelief in it. "These guys want to go to other planets? I thought they were just doing odd experiments and pushing the boundaries of the medical field, but... It seems I was still underestimating them."
Roana shook her head slowly, her golden eyes scanning the documents with intensity. "We all were. They want to discover the secrets of dimensions to shuttle themselves to various planets. If they could do this, then..."
Marie’s eyes lit up, and she bounced on her feet with barely contained excitement. "That sounds amazing! I can’t help but imagine the places you could visit and explore... And yet, I am surprised this is coming from a place like Mehko... I can’t believe they want that."
Scáth hummed, caressing her chin thoughtfully. "Regardless, the thought of going to other planets doesn’t sound so bad. Might even lead to some amazing adventures. Maybe a planet completely covered in water, filled with sea creatures and disasters."
Marie’s grin as she says. "Or a planet where one side is frozen in time and the other is filled with twisting and warping space!"
Scáth chuckled with a nod. "That’s interesting. What about a planet that turns completely dark at night, which is when all creatures rush out to hunt, and then in the morning, all creatures sleep?"
Marie hummed before pointing out another one. "Or one where gravity shifts direction every hour!"
"A planet made entirely of crystal that refracts reality!"
"One where the sky is an ocean and you fall upward!"
Roana sighed heavily, watching Marie and Scáth go back and forth with increasingly elaborate planetary descriptions. She gently rubbed her forehead while Reinhard lips twitched at this sight but then something stood out to him.
Reinhard asked with a raised brow. "Who is Professor Atlas, and what is the higher-dimension theory?"
Roana’s golden eyes shifted to Reinharad and she says. "He’s the current director of the Knowledge Association, a group of people who come together to share their knowledge and propose theories." She paused as she organized her thoughts. "As for the higher-dimensions, Professor Atlas believes there exist bigger and greater dimensions above us that encompass our own. And that these higher-dimensions separate us from the Throne of Myth where the Beast Spirits reside."
Reinhard’s eyes widened with surprise. "Why does he believe that? Why not think Beast Spirits exist in another dimension or reality?"
"Because apparently those at the True Beast rank are able to perceive their connection with their Beast Spirit." Marie said, her earlier playfulness fading into seriousness. "And all of them said they saw their connection leading into a pillar of light that rushes all the way up toward a swirling golden light."
Roana nodded confirmation. "One of them had spatial skills and an extreme grasp over the laws of space. They admitted that the swirling golden light exhibits not only the aura of a higher space, but she felt like there was infinite space between her and that golden light."
Reinhard processed the information with his mind connecting implications. "Okay, I can see why the Professor would come up with that theory. But I’m guessing he hasn’t proven it true?"
Roana sighed. "That’s because it’s impossible to really prove unless one is able to go through into that golden light. But from what I heard, none have tried." She paused, then added, "But that’s besides the point. The fact that Mekhko believes portals can help them see if Professor Atlas’s words are true or not is interesting."
Reinhard nodded and continued reading through the documents, his expression growing progressively darker.
The report continued, describing how they’d finally found a method that might possibly work. But not through Phantasm Beasts who hadn’t shown the ability to breach into different dimensions or travel to other planets.
The Mekhko Researchers proposed using a Beast Spirit instead.
"They seem to believe in Professor Atlas’s theory about the Throne of Myth being in a higher-dimension." Roana commented, her finger tracing across the text.
Reinhard hummed acknowledgment as he continued reading. The documents described an internal conflict with some researchers pushing against the act as too dangerous, others pointing out there was no way to even bring a Beast Spirit down.
The idea had been swept away for years, and deemed impossible fantasy.
Until a researcher named Ingus gathered them and presented the journals of Salem Town.
Once they read through those journals, everything changed. Everyone began seeing it might be possible to bring down a Beast Spirit and while some still pushed against it, multiple members pointed out the potential benefits.
Traveling to other dimensions could let them learn better technology that would help with crops, food, and medicine.
Technology that would help the world, make it so none would go hungry. Common medicine that could cure even the almost impossible afflictions like the Dark Tide Curse.
Enough food for the entire world.
Reinhard trembled at that part, his teeth catching his lower lip.
Dark Tide Curse.
Reinhard’s mind brought up images he tried so hard to keep buried.
Klein’s room at night where the door was closed but not locked, in case something went wrong and Reinhard needed to get inside quickly.
Reinhard back pressed against that door, his hands covering his face as Klein scream echoed from behind the door.
Klein was begging for help, crying for someone to stop the pain, for someone to make it end, and crying for Reinhard.
But Reinhard could do nothing.
He could do nothing but sit there with his back against wood while his little brother suffered through the curse’s effects, and hating himself.
The image in his mind shifted.
Morning light streamed through a window, revealing Klein’s room in detail. The bed sheets soaked with blood with some of the blood spilling on the floor.
Ropes and chains hanging from the bedframe were covered in blood as they were the only thing keeping Klein from hurting himself.
Reinhard cleaned those chains, wiping blood from metal links, his hands moving mechanically while his mind screamed. His hand trembled at every part of the chain he wiped off and the voices that kept calling disgusting and trash for not doing something.
The chains clinked softly with each movement, and it was a sound that haunted his dreams. Physical evidence of his failure and of his inability to protect someone he’d sworn to save.
Then the image changes to Anna standing in the doorway with tears falling down on her face. Reinhard gently caressed her hair while she clutched his shirt and felt his chest hurt when she began speaking. Marie asked what they were going to do for Klein while looking at him with terrified and hopefully eyes.
But Reinhard didn’t have an answer and that hurt more than the screaming.
And Klein himself, after the worst had passed, kept on putting on a smile. trying to smile. Trying to reassure Reinhard that it was okay, that he was fine, that Reinhard didn’t need to feel guilty.
That forced smile cut deeper than any accusation could have and made him want to look away.
If the Mekhko Researchers could really find the cure... If they could really get their hands on better technology...
Reinhard’s imagination painted new images that were hopeful. Klein slept peacefully through the night, no screaming, no pain.
The bed was clean, the chains removed and melted down because they’d never be needed again. Anna smiles happily without that underlying terror, and Klein laughs, running, living instead of just surviving.
"Of course, they convinced the rest with promises like this." Roana’s voice cut through his thoughts. "But did they ever ask and wonder what the cost would be just to reach that point?"
Reinhard trembled harder, his hand moving away from the report to clutch his thigh. His fingers dug in hard enough to hurt, using pain to anchor himself.
Marie’s hand appeared and then she gently held his.