NORTH CALUM
VEILBREAKERS NEST
The Veilbreakers gathered for an urgent meeting to address the pressing situation they were facing. The atmosphere was tense, and their expressions were devoid of any lightheartedness.
“How did this happen?” Keiro exclaimed, his fists clenched tightly on the table.
“This is completely unexpected. I never anticipated that his body would remain unchanged,” said Cresson.
Rinporter pondered aloud, “Does this mean he was truly murdered?”
Grovan joined in the discussion. “It certainly seems that way. But who killed him? And who was responsible for destroying the lab?”
It was expected that the imposter President’s disguise would last for six months, but something unexpected occurred. Instead of the anticipated timeframe, only two days had passed before his untimely demise. Despite the official ruling of a natural cause of death, the Veilbreakers held a different belief. There was a strong conviction among them that his death was not simply a result of a heart attack, despite the absence of visible signs of a struggle or concrete physical evidence pointing towards murder.
“I’m certain that the deceased body was the Arcanian. He was unable to possess the Vice President’s body. I’m confident in this conclusion because the Vice President showed no adverse reaction to my perfume when I spoke with him. He is not allergic to menthol. Furthermore, we have been closely monitoring his behavior, and he did not exhibit any unusual actions during his encounters with the imposter President,” Keiro asserted.
“If that is the case, then it confirms that the Vice President is a human,” Cresson remarked.
“What if Arcanians can indeed experience heart attacks while in human form? Could that be a possibility?” Rinporter inquired.
“Even if that were true, the destruction of Arcane Lab Zero-One contradicts that notion. Unless, of course, the Black Marzec discovered its existence and deliberately destroyed it . . .” Grovan trailed off, deep in thought. “If that were the case, then everything would align with these findings. That’s it!” he exclaimed with enthusiasm, pounding his fist on the table. The impact was so forceful that the table split in half.
Everyone was taken aback, causing them all to rise from their seats, including Grovan himself, in astonishment at what he had just done.
“What was that? How did you become so strong?” Rinporter asked, his eyes still wide with surprise.
“I have no idea. I didn’t even exert much force,” he replied, bewildered. “How did I manage that? Could I suddenly have superhuman strength?”
“It could be the side effects of the Helthier. When I analyzed your blood sample, I didn’t find anything unusual. Perhaps the Helthier is only now reacting to your DNA,” Cresson speculated. “But that’s absurd, considering Elthier is known to suppress superpowers. I’ll have to analyze your DNA again.”
Keiro interjected with concern, “How are you feeling, Grovan?”
“Better than best,” he responded with a grin. Then, his expression turned stern. “But what about our mission now?”
Keiro let out a deep sigh. “Considering the current situation, it appears we have hit a dead end.” 
__________
SUMMER, JULY 2017
NORTH CALUM
VEILBREAKERS NEST
After completing a patrol of Ranaheim and successfully subduing yet another evil conjurer, Keiro then utilized his portal ring to return to the hideout. Making his way directly to the small lab, he found Cresson engrossed in studying Grovan’s blood sample through a microscope, adding a drop of clear liquid to it. “How’s it going?”
Cresson straightened up, sighing in response. “I’ve conducted numerous experiments and formulated additional solutions, but I still haven’t found a way to inhibit the Arcanian DNA completely.”
“I see. Where is he now?”
“He’s upstairs, most likely feeling upset.”
Keiro responded with a tight-lipped smile and encouraged him, saying, “Keep going.” He then proceeded towards Grovan’s room.
Inside, Grovan was lying on the bed, lost in thought while staring at the ceiling. Startled by the sound of the door opening, he swiftly pulled the blanket over himself.
Concerned, Keiro approached and gently tugged at the blanket to uncover him, only to be taken aback by what he saw. Grovan’s skin had completely turned a shimmering shade of purple, resembling glimmering specks of glitter, much like the Arcanians’. Keiro couldn’t help but express his surprise, “What happened?”
Sitting up with a pout, Grovan sighed. “I don’t know. My condition has worsened. The antidote suddenly stopped working, even though Cres had already increased the dosage to the maximum.”
Two years ago, he started experiencing sudden bursts of superhuman strength, which initially led them to believe he had developed a superpower akin to the conjurers. But unlike them whose eyes would glow when using their powers, his eyes remained unaffected. Consequently, Cresson deduced that it was simply a side effect of the Helthier injection in a human. This phenomenon persisted for a few months before abruptly vanishing. Following this, he developed mild allergic reactions to menthol, which were effectively managed by taking loratadine.
However, in December 2016, a remarkable change occurred. His skin started to shimmer with a glittering effect, and gradually, a small portion of his skin began to turn a shade of purple. Cresson dedicated months to formulating an antidote. He combined Grovan’s DNA with additional human DNA to create a solution that temporarily slowed down the spread of the Arcanian effect. Over time, the dosage of the antidote had to be increased each month to maintain its effectiveness. Regrettably, the present situation revealed that it was no longer able to counteract the Arcanian transformation.
“What’s with that face?” Grovan asked, chuckling as Keiro’s expression turned somber.
“I blame myself for this. I should have insisted that you come with us. Leaving you with Dr. Johnson was a mistake.”
“Nah, it’s not your fault. Why do you always take the blame? What happened to them and me wasn’t your doing,” he reassured as he stood up. “Don’t worry, I won’t die . . . or at least, I hope not. I don’t wanna kill a human just to survive.”
Keiro looked at him intently. “You’re not an Arcanian. You’re a human. I promise you; you won’t die. I won’t allow it.”
“I have faith in you.” Grovan smiled. “Let’s go.”
Both headed back to the basement and entered the lab. They approached Cresson, finding him seated on a swivel chair, his gaze fixed on the floor.
“Based on his expression, it seems there’s no way for me to revert to normal,” Grovan remarked, laughing.
“This is not a laughing matter,” Keiro responded sternly.
Cresson sighed, his shoulders slumping as he reluctantly lifted his gaze from the floor. “A potential cure for Grovan might lie in genetic modification—melding his DNA with a conjurer’s—”
“Wow! Is that even possible?” Grovan interjected.
“Yes, it is. However, there could be additional side effects if we pursue it.”
“As long as it halts the Arcanian transformation, I believe it’s worth considering,” Keiro said and turned to Grovan. “Are you comfortable with becoming like us? A conjurer?”
He chuckled. “Absolutely! Having a superpower would be amazing! Imagine if I had the DNA of all three of you. I could manipulate strings, create portals, and even delve into memories. How cool would that be?”
Cresson cleared his throat, his expression turning serious. “That would be risky. Your body may not be able to handle such a combination. However, this process will take several years to complete, and I understand that this news may not be uplifting.” He let out a heavy sigh and placed a palm on his forehead. “I’m at a loss of what to do next. I apologize if I’m not skilled enough to find a cure for you.”
The room fell into a deep silence as Keiro glanced at Grovan, who appeared lost in thought. Suddenly, he began muttering words to himself. “A cure . . . is it a disease? A cure . . . if it is . . . then . . .” His eyes widened, and he blurted out, “What if I ask Vanarah to try and heal me? Do you think she would agree?”
Cresson sighed. “It’s not as simple as it sounds, Grovan. Your condition is quite complex.”
He shrugged. “We won’t know until we try, right?”
Keiro nodded. “Let’s give it a shot. Will you ask Vanarah, Cres?”
“Okay.”