Chapter 65: The Zodiac
Lilian didn’t say anything for a bit.
Just... sat there. The quiet got so long that Kyle almost asked if she’d even heard him or something.
Then she sighed.
"You’re not wrong," she said. "I’m hiding."
She stood up slowly and walked to the window. Even blind, she moved like she could see everything.
"You ever hear of the Zodiac?"
Kyle shook his head—then realized she couldn’t see it. "No."
"Yeah. Most people haven’t."
She turned to him.
"The Zodiac’s... They’re a powerful organization. Really powerful. They control a lot of things in this world, from the shadows. Politics, trade, and even some kingdoms. Most people don’t even know they exist."
Kyle’s eyes narrowed.
`The Zodiac? Like the twelve signs?`
"There are twelve leaders," Lilian said. "They’re called Towers. Each runs a different part. Different ways, different goals."
Kyle thought about that. Twelve leaders in an organization pulling strings from the darkness.
"What’s that got to do with the kids?" he asked.
Lilian was quiet again.
"The children... They’re an experiment."
Kyle’s jaw tightened. "Experiment?"
"A secret one. Even inside the Zodiac, only a few knew." She hesitated. "I was part of it. Not as a subject — as a guardian. I was supposed to watch over them. Make sure nothing went wrong."
Kyle stared.
"But something did go wrong, right?"
Lilian nodded and turned back to the window.
"In the end, I took the kids... and ran."
The words hung in the air.
Kyle looked at her. The way she stood. Her hands at her sides — calm but not really.
`She’s holding back.`
But she told him something. Better than nothing.
"So the Zodiac’s hunting you," he said. "That’s why you’re here? In this Realm?"
"Yeah."
"And the kids? The eyes?"
Lilian paused.
"That’s... part of the experiment." She faced him again. "I can’t say more."
Kyle wanted to push. Wanted to demand. But he stopped.
`She’s right. I’m not even sure if I’m staying. Why would she trust me with everything?`
He exhaled.
"Fine. Keep it." He paused. "But if I’m gonna be your student, I need to know one thing."
"What?"
"Are they close? The Zodiac. Close to finding you?"
Lilian was silent for a long moment. Then she said, quietly.
"I don’t know."
Kyle’s stomach dropped.
`That... wasn’t great.`
But Lilian must have felt him tense, because she turned from the window and faced him.
"Even if they are close," she said, "getting into this Realm’s hard. Not for someone who doesn’t know how."
Kyle frowned. "How hard?"
"Hard enough that it could take months just to find the door. If they even know we’re here." She paused. "And they might not. This Realm... It’s not well known. I found it by accident years ago."
Kyle let out a breath.
"Alright," he said. "Then, when do we start?"
Lilian tilted her head. "Start what?"
"Training." Kyle’s lips twitched. "You’re my teacher now, yeah?"
Lilian stared at him — or turned her head that way anyway.
Then she smiled.
"Now."
***
Three hours later, Kyle was on his back in the dirt.
The courtyard ground was cold. His chest heaved. His arms felt heavy.
Above him, Lilian stood with her hands clasped behind her back. She hadn’t even broken a sweat.
"Again," she said.
"I can’t," Kyle gasped.
"You can."
"I literally can’t move."
Lilian tilted her head. "Your mouth’s moving."
Kyle groaned.
The sparring — if you could call it that — lasted maybe two minutes. He had thrown everything he had at her. Fear Blade, feints, a desperate kick, trying to use his speed.
Nothing worked.
She moved like she knew where every strike would land before he even thought of it. The blindfold didn’t matter.
At one point, she caught his wrist and just held it. He couldn’t budge.
`Her senses are insane.`
He had thought being blind was a weakness. Nope. She probably heard his heartbeat, felt his breathing, and maybe smelled his sweat.
Or maybe she had some other way of seeing. He didn’t know. But she didn’t use any spells or glowing lights. Just her body. And that was enough.
Kyle pushed up, slowly.
Lilian waited.
"You lean on that dagger too much," she said.
Kyle dusted his shirt. "It’s a good dagger."
"It’s fine. But your style..." She paused. " It’s too direct, with too much force. You fight like a knight."
Kyle frowned.
"Daggers aren’t for trading blows. They’re for gaps, weak spots, blind corners." She stepped closer. "You charged me like a warrior. Not an assassin."
Kyle’s jaw tightened.
`She’s right.`
Back with the party, he never fought alone. Leo took hits. Mira blasted. Alara led.
Now it was just him.
"Why the dagger?" Lilian asked.
Kyle stood up. "’Cause I’m an assassin."
Lilian was quiet for a second.
"You sure?"
Kyle’s eye twitched. "What’s that mean?"
"You move as nobody taught you. Like you’re making it up as you go." Her brow creased. "Your instincts are okay, better than most beginners, sure. But an assassin? No. If you fought like a knight, you’d do better."
Kyle didn’t answer.
She was right. He’d picked assassin ’cause it fit with his real class. Close range. Stealth. Finishers. But he’d never learned.
He just... fought. Used stats. Trusted the blade.
`That’s why I nearly died to Arthur?`
"Is your class common?" Lilian went on. "Did you get it from a card?"
Kyle blinked.
`Card?`
"What are you talking about?" he said.
Lilian’s face changed. Then she said, real slow.
"You... don’t know what class cards are?"
Kyle’s frown got deeper.
"I know what classes are," he said carefully. "I’m one. An assassin." He pause. "What else is there?"
Lilian put her hand on her forehead.
"What rock did you crawl out from?" she muttered.
Then she dropped her hand and sighed.
"I should’ve seen this." She shook her head. "No training. No technique. Fighting like a brawler with a dagger..." Pause. "You’re self-taught. Completely. Aren’t you?"
Kyle didn’t answer.
Lilian turned. Walked toward the courtyard edge.
"Get up," she said. "We’re done for today. But tomorrow... we start over."
"Start over how?"
Lilian glanced back — the blindfold look that still felt like she saw through him.
"Everything," she said. "Classes. Ranks. Class cards. How the world actually works."
She went inside.
Kyle stood there, dust-covered and sore, watching her go.
`Classes have ranks?... Class cards?`
He had never seen that in his system. Just stats and skills.
`What else don’t I know?`
