I found him.
I actually found him.
I can't believe this actually worked.
That he would just...raise his hand like that.
A thousand people, and he just responded to me calling out to him.
I didn't know his number.
I didn't even really know where to look.
Sure, I could have had the guards search the block for him, but that would only have stirred a whole lot of unrest.
Unrest I cannot risk at this point.
Plus, I only would have had a rather vague description and I know, from personal experience no less, that all of the humans looks more or less the same for the guards...it's probably the same for them, when they look at us, now that I think about it.
We arrive at the overview room of the garden and I briefly snap out of my thoughts, trying to figure out my next steps.
Alright Nym, remember, this is probably not the Sirus you know.
Nobody here knows anything about Tisis.
Why in the world did I even go looking for him?
Just to see if he actually really exists?
Big deal, my subconscious probably pulled up the information of some random dude my age to help me deal with the trauma...
"Are you...feeling well, Jor Lushomagan?" one of my guards asks me.
I snap back out of it, shake my head, walk over to one of the chairs and motion for Sirus to sit down to the other chair, just like I've done quite a number of times in the past days and weeks.
Sirus just looks at me with curious eyes, but doesn't talk.
He's nervous.
Not a big surprise.
According to his file, he's been a real sweetheart during his time here, picking small fights every now and then and causing trouble occasionally.
Nothing major enough for him to be sent away, but he apparently received punishment multiple times.
I'm really not surprised that he's wary of us.
We talk a little about his life with us, but his answers match what one should expect from a resident of block D in his age and with his background.
Normally I would have dismissed him at this point.
But something feels...off.
I know Sirus.
I've gone through the depths of Ede's infernos with him...quite literally at that.
I've fought monsters with him.
I've talked so many hours about so many things with him.
I know Sirus.
And this person, sitting in front of me...is not Sirus.
It is not the person I grew to know.
I let out a deep sigh and finally ask, "Mr...Loctor. Did you ever hear the word 'Tisis' before?"
I feel silly the instant I ask the question and a realization hits me.
Of course this isn't the Sirus I know.
The Sirus I know is a fabrication of my mind.
Sure, the looks match, but that's from the information I pulled up about him.
All of it...a mere fabrication.
"Nym? Are you alright? You look a little pale," a familiar voice suddenly calls out to me.
A raspy voice, garbed by a hostile world.
A voice that has had too little water.
A voice that has seen too many terrors.
The voice of a survivor.
I look up from my thoughts and spot something on his left hand.
"Mr. Loctor, this...scar on your hand. Where did you get that?"
Sirus raises his hand in surprise, looks at the scar and finally replies after a little moment, "Ah yes, an unfortunate accident a while back with one of the..."
"Bullshit."
"...pardon?"
I look up to the guards as I feel a tear running down my cheeks.
This scar...it is clearly from a bite wound.
A recent one too.
I can see the markings of teeth as bright as day.
And there is no machine or device in the entirety of the gardens or anywhere else he would possibly have access to, that could have caused them.
I'm not an expert, but if I were to wager a guess, these bite marks match what I would expect the bite of a canine I happened to know.
And then there's something else too...his matter of speech suddenly changed.
An illusion.
It is all an illusion.
I suspected it all along, but this is the first time I have some sort of proof.
Someone is playing a game with me...though I really don't know who...or why.
But fine, time to call them out on their bullshit.
And see where that takes me.
In the worst case, I make a complete fool of myself and get sent to counseling.
One of the perks of being the captains daughter.
"This is a bite wound, Mr. Loctor. It is impossible for you to have gotten it in the garden. I know every machine and every device in these gardens. And I know the wounds they can cause, if mishandled. This wound...is from Zero. Your giant dog. He bit you. It's quite a deep wound too. Care to tell me what happened?"
The image of Sirus gives me a wry smile and responds, "I'm afraid that you must be mistaken, Nym. This wound is from..."
"Stop. Rewind. How do you know that name? Nobody calls me that. Ever."
"Well...it is...a...natural shortening of your real name. Nympromedonalas, wasn't it?"
I throw back my head and begin to laugh.
"What..."
"Look, I don't know who you are or what game you are playing, but no human ever managed to remember my name, how to spell or even just pronounce it. Yet it just rolled off your tongue as if it was the most natural thing in the world. That's why Sirus immediately shortened it to 'Nym' upon our arrival."
All of a sudden, the world around me falls dark and I get encircled by a white glowing, faintly pulsing light.
"You have a sharp mind, young lady."
"...who are you? Why do this?"
"...child of Garkla, your companion is on a road to self-destruction."
"He always is, answer my questions!"
The pulsing light remains silent for a few moments and finally replies, "Find me. Then I shall answer all of your questions. Your companion can lead the way."
"Wait!" I shout, but the light disappears, leaving me back in darkness.
Another second later, I can feel the familiar freshness of water and...a strange sensation.
Like...a sense of where I need to go.
It's a strange feeling, to say the least.
After a little while of swimming in the direction this newfound 'inner compass' is telling me, I see light in the distance.
The surface cannot be much farther now.
Wait for me Sirus.
I'm coming.