So, how did things change so drastically? How did he suddenly become such an important figure in the war?
It probably happened when he was chosen to confront Kais and send him to the legendary Psychic Island. His ability tells him that is why his life changed so drastically. But, as it is the very ability that caused him to give up on his dream and join Vermillion, he refuses to believe in it without question.
So, he finds ways to contradict it. Like, in that mission, his friend and fellow Ember, Mohammed Unman, was also present. And also there was Garfield, who ordered the mission and thus was also quite involved. And it doesn't seem like they suddenly had their life turned upside down. So, doesn't that mean that confronting Kais wouldn't have necessarily led him down this path?
In that case, the incident that turned his life upside-down must be the mission to hunt Ethan. If that had never been given to him, if it had been given to someone else, he wouldn't have fallen in Ethan's trap and been killed that night.
In that case, he would never have met the perpetrator of the most heinous massacre in the recent history of mankind and never known about the existence of Vampires and Ghosts. He would also probably have never fallen in the middle of the Vampire Kingdom's troubles and his friend, Abgere, would have not gone on a hunt for all Hellfires and the Phoenix.
It is certainly quite convenient to think that way, isn't it?
This way, he can keep thinking that he is just unfortunate that this all happened to him and play the victim. This would certainly help his pain, his anger and his guilt.
The only problem with thinking this way is - is simply that it is not true. And the one part of him that is supernatural gives him a desire that makes him realize that it simply is not the correct answer. No matter how much he wants to contradict it, he knows what his ability does very well.
But, even without it, could he really think misfortune is all it would have taken for his predicament to come about, especially when the world is thriving on the shoulders of liers, cheaters and manipulators?
Is it not at all possible that Ethan Kales would have used Sneha's presence as an ally to Vermillion to make sure a gullible person like him is sent after him so it's easy to fool him? After all, that would make sure that no one else more capable than him comes after Ethan and so he would be able to leave for the Island without much worry.
It's certainly possible. And Ro Garland does realize that. If only he follows his desire to think that way and dig a little deeper to find proof of this, he would realize that it is a miscorrect assumption as well.
What he doesn't realize right now is that while Ethan had taken precautions, he had not ever risked using Sneha's position in such a way that would draw suspicion on her.
But, on the other hand, there was someone else who had used their position in such a way. That position being used was that of the strategist of a kingdom and the person using it was, obviously, Bronzer.
He had asked Barry to find someone who could continue his research.
For that, they needed a man with the mind of a scientist in the medicinal field but also very exceptional at his craft and in-know about the supernatural plus a desire to rebel against it. Forget finding a man like that, it was hard to even think that another man like that besides Barry would exist.
And yet, there was someone out there like that, someone who had a knack for solving problems, someone perfect for this job. And Barry found that someone - he found him when that man was sent to Kais by Vermillion.
He found that man, and he told the strategist about him.
The strategist who knew about Ethan's plans because he had predicted them told Barry of a simple way to bring Ro to their side, to have him come to their side as a Ghost.
All Barry had to do was mind control Garfield, the Volcano under whom Ro was working at the time, and give Ro the mission to go after Ethan Kales. Consequently, Ethan was sent a message by Bronzer telling him that Vermillion had sent someone after him.
Neither did Bronzer expect to nor was Ethan fooled by it. He knew that whether Vermillion sent that 'someone' or not, Bronzer would have been responsible for it.
And so, Ethan would send that someone to the afterlife, as a begrudging answer to Bronzer, an all too predictable action by Ethan that would still seem unpredictable to those that aren't Bronzer. Still, feeling somewhat guilty about involving Ro in all that despite him having nothing to do with anything, Ethan at least told him that Ghosts exist so Ro would know that he would become one after being killed.
And that led to everything that happened after that, from meeting Barry to going to the Island to being exposed to so many secrets of the world that going back no longer remained an option for the poor Half-Psychic.
Before he ever got a chance to do something about it, his friend Abgere, who had lost the one person holding him back from becoming a bonafide murderer, had gone on his own rogue mission that he had been planning for as long as Ro had known him.
So, what would happen now?
In the not so distant future, Abgere would come up against someone he cannot defeat no matter how hard he tries, and it would cost him everything, including his own life.
On the other hand, Ro could continue to do what he had been doing for the past 12 years - grunt work. Only this time he would be working not for sociopaths but literally a race that eats humans and drinks their blood.
Ro could try to not follow them, but he would probably be killed. If he does succeed in escaping from them somehow, he would be killed by some other supernatural faction because he knows too much about things that he shouldn't have any idea about.
Hence, there was nowhere to go.
What had happened to him in the past few days, it was truly the definition of the entire life falling apart, of having no idea where to go next, of losing hope.
As such, he was starting to submit to the idea that suicide was the best option left for him.
However,
Bronzer: "There's a virus I want you to create."
After 12 years of loss, he was given a chance to work as a Virologist,
Bronzer: "That virus should be able to weaken Psychics, and essentially bring Vermillion down."
and his work would lead to the fall of those who had tormented his life for the past 12 years.
Bronzer: "Your ability should help you with that, not to mention your academic expertise."
He had tried to stop listening to the ability of his whenever it came to anything important. He had reserved it for missions, never listening to it for learning any secrets. He had done so because he had come to realize what the cost of learning secrets one is not meant to know could cost.
However.
Bronzer: "So, how about it?"
That very ability that made him give up on his ambition, that very ability that had thrown a man whose family was known for saving lives into a place where taking lives was the norm, that ability could now help him change the fate of the world itself.
If he said no to Bronzer, the entire Vampire Kingdom would be doomed.
If he said yes to Bronzer, the entire Psychic race would be doomed.
After years of powerlessness and self-pity, he had gained this much importance, this much clout, this much power.
It was as if the forces governing the world were making up for all the misery he had suffered through in his life.
So,
Ro: "Of course I would damn those bastards."
Of course he would make the Hellfires and the Phoenix pay for all they have done.
Of course he would save his friend Abgere.
Of course he would help the Vampire Kingdom, the very definition of fighting back even when you are weak, something he couldn't bring himself to do all his life.
He may not be a Vampire, but there is no other faction Ro Garland could bring himself to support other than the Vampire Kingdom that stands against those he hates, stands against those it may not be able to defeat, and does not back down.
And what we would give them, the virus that would change the war itself, would be called,
Ro: "Mortifer Psychica"
*******************************
Ouch! Getting edgy there, Ro-san! >_<
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Kesley, a highly developed urban area most prominently known for the fact that Vermillion's main base of operations is in it. It is the 'business hub', as some like you to call it, of the western-European nation known as Orland Union of States, or simply Orland Union.
That said though, while Kesley is certainly the most economically prosperous city in this relatively small but advanced nation, there are certain other cities that have quite a bit of fame as well.
One of them is the capital city, Ruri. While it's known for many things even aside from the fact that it is the capital, what it is most prominent for in the supernatural world is the fact that Vampire Kingdom has set camp here. Bronzer, Reid and Darcy have been operating mainly from here for a while. However, now they have also been joined by the Four Great Generals and Valdis, including a lot of other important Generals in the Vampire Kingdom.
Ruri and Kesley are almost a 1000 kilometers away, with Ruri being at the north and Kesley being in the southern parts of Orland Union. A city that will almost form a right triangle with the two would be Frilis.
Frilis is in the north-eastern parts of the nation, at a distance of 350 kilometers from Ruri and 1075 kilometers from Kesley. It isn't exactly among the most prosperous of the cities in Orland Union but it is where Kais used to live, as well as where Julius Rome used to live.
The neighbouring city to that is a slightly better known city by the name of Gorto and it is the place Ethan Kales was given a house in by Abyss. Between Gorto and Frilis comes the lands where Halogen Dietrich's church was in.
As of now, the third faction has taken Trisha, whose house was in a different but not very important city of Orland Union, to the most eastern borders of the nation, where the mountains are, where the Aural Groups live as monks.
Basically, they are in the most eastern part of the nation, while the Phoenix and Vermillion's base is in the southernmost part of the nation. At the same time, the Vampire Kingdom's base is in the northern parts of the nation.
Who does that leave Gorto and Ethan's house to? No one.
So, anyone could break into his house and search through all his belongings.
And that is exactly what the three Hellfires, Vaika Smith, Akio Miyamoto and Halogen Dietrich, are trying to do.
Akio: "Tell me again why we have to bother coming to this place."
Standing in front of Ethan's house, and with an exasperated sigh and a bored expression, he asks the other two.
Halogen: "Miyamoto-san, it's because the man this is the abode of is highly likely to have connections with Abgere. We may a find a clue as to where Abgere is right now."
Halogen replies with a smiling face, making a vein pop up on Akio's forehead as he hears the '-san' at the end of his name despite telling Halogen not to use it.
However,
Vaika: "This guy is good."
Vaika says, rubbing sweat off his forehead.
Vaika: "I have been trying to open the lock on his door through telekinesis but it doesn't seem like it'll work. Breaking through force might be our only option."
Akio: "Why not do it then?"
Vaika: "Right."
Nodding once, he steps back and uses Aura Manipulation to charge up his fists, and after he has charged enough, he simply punches the door to break it open.
And it opens. However,
Halogen: "Oh my, what is that?!"
What comes in their sight is the scene of dozens of books stacked one upon the other and blocking the way in.
Akio: "Is that supposed to be a fortress or something? It's pretty lame if that is the case."
Vaika nods but then notices that the books kept there are all related to supernaturals. Titles like 'The History of Vermillion', 'The Controversies of Vermillion', 'The Psychic Island: Truth or Myth', etc are lined up at the top.
Noticing that, the other two grow cautious as well.
Halogen: "Well, well, it's like he knew we were going to come here."
Saying so, Halogen picks up the book closest to him, 'The History of Vermillion', and opens it with caution.
As he opens it though, there end up being no booby traps awaiting him inside the book and his caution almost goes to waste, almost. Instead of any traps there, he notices something else.
Halogen: "My ancestor, Jonas Dietrich, wrote this book. It is said to be the most accurate book to read if one wants to find out about the origins of Vermillion and how it developed itself so long ago, as well as how it sustained itself when the war between Ozyllus and Abyss was going on."
Akio: "Yes, we know all that. What about it?"
Halogen: "Well, looks like someone thinks it's NOT that accurate."
With a disgruntled expression, the fake priest shows the book to the other two. For anyone who likes to keep things as clean or untouched as possible, seeing this book would be a nightmare come to life.
Not only is every single paragraph marked with an ugly marker pen, and not only are countless lines labelled as 'lies', but the very book itself at its index page has a bookmark with 'INACCURATE AND PURPOSEFULLY DECEPTIVE' written on top of it.
Vaika: "This was done by Ethan Kales, huh?"
Akio: "Doesn't seem like anyone else could have done it."
Vaika, putting his hand on his chin, smiles and wonders, leaving the other two guessing for what is going on in his head.
Halogen: "Mr. Smith, while I love enigmas and people keeping secrets from one another, now may not be the best time to do that."
With a conflicted tone and genuinely disgusted voice, Halogen Dietrich says as he puts the book back and picks up another one. This time it is 'The Psychic Island: Truth or Myth'. Just like before though, this is marked countless times and the index page has a bookmark saying 'BULLSHIT AND OVER EXAGGERATED'.
Vaika: "Analyze these markings and tell me, how long ago do you think they were made?"
He asks of the other two, who do as he says.
Akio: "It seems these markings were made a few years ago, about four to five years ago."
Akio gives the results of his analysis, only to then realize what Vaika is getting at.
Vaika: "He made these markings, labelling things as 'inaccurate' and 'deceptive' before he even went to the Psychic Island, before the war even started, before The Dragon Alliance even existed."
Akio: "...!"
Halogen: "...!"
Vaika: "This man has known about the inaccuracy of these scriptures for so long now. It's like some outside force helped him in finding all this out."
Being the upper echelon of Vermillion, the three know about the lies in the written history. So, unlike anyone else who would just call Ethan a Satanist for dismissing all of their ancestor's great deeds as lies, the three of them know that he is someone who has known about far too much for too long.
There was no way he could have done all this if he had never met Abyss. And while the fact that he was helped by Abyss is still not known to everyone, the fact that he was helped by someone is obvious for the three Hellfires to see.
Realizing everything, Akio sighs and says,
Akio: "Let's go and search the rest of the place."
Halogen puts the book back, scouring the place with narrowed eyes while Vaika steps forward and heads into other rooms to search.
*******************************
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