Around the time the youths found their way into the library's floors, Mi-Yung stood in a wide street, gazing at the sky, and facing a great choice ahead. Unlike a big man who faced two girls like a helpless brute, she wasn't running away from anything, nor did she plan to play internal games with herself.

  She planned to face it, cross it, and deal with it. The street was like a large crossway, without being a road or direction. It was still a street, looking empty, industrial, and wide. The quality of this place was beyond anything Outside would ever know. South Korea wasn't this amazing either, and Mi-Yung knew such ideas and concepts were difficult for her to accept.

  She still missed her true home, her family, and her youth. In fact, there was no youth to think of, as she never really felt small or normal. She was of Songs, and they had bunkers and rare fortresses that primarily lived off the Song Family and powerful Walkers born in South Korea.

  It didn't survive the choice of the century, nor the raids and cracking skies, nor the calamities that wreaked havoc for more than them.

  Mi-Yung stood at the edge of the Northern District, where the Assembly Island was visible at a great distance, though still looking hazy and mysterious, because those old fools made it so. She at least thought so, but not that she would find any answer because she, frankly, didn't care.

  It seemed smaller from this point, but up close, it was much bigger than one would expect. Mi-Yung knew it well since she worked for it, and all of its internal workings were for Walkers alone. It had no regular citizens or visitors up to that time. There were no offices, a canteen, or opportunities for people.

  Wearing her black uniform with a white cloak, her black hair and fair skin made her look stunning. Many people couldn't help but look at her, recognizing her status, position, and beauty.

  Her figure was tall, her steps firm, and her eyes extremely direct and fierce at such a young day. Almost anyone would recognize her as a Walker and Lower Pillar of the Assembly Island simply by the fact that there was none like her. That, and the uniform, as no one had made such a style anywhere.

  Well, for as long as a person cared, watched, and knew, dressing or looking important showed a lot of things. Many people didn't care for that and minded their own business, which was evident in this street. They were busy, taking big leaps for this place every single day, and Walkers weren't in their eyes, but in their hearts.

  Mi-Yung's path was lonely at this hour, and her steps and mind were heavy. She reached the edge of her point and walked toward the shores, where many sizeable buildings kept their bays, businesses, or factories going. Some were fancy-looking, constructing great ships and even greater tools.

  She wasn't coming for them, for there was someone already there, looking at her, for her, or against her.

  “How long will you stare?” Mi-Yung said, looking at no one in particular, since she walked into a specific place that was barren for people. Most workers were already at work, and this industrial complex had its own set of rules. No bothering Walkers, or workers, let alone makers of Assembly. However, someone always walked around, attending to their business or errands.

  From the shadows, a person walked forward, wearing a full black suit, and his bald head shone like a spotless bulb.

  “I tend to believe,” the man said, “that you wouldn't dare to come today, but here we are, met with a choice and terrible times. But if you weren't here, yesterday still happened, and many people do make amends for others because that's care given, and taken care of. Once more, are you the one caring, or creating?”

  “I like dares. For example, I dare to take this step and leap, come there, step inside, and talk it out like adults. Will someone not like it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Surely. Should I dance instead?”

  “Y...yeas?” the man questionably said. “Maybe that would work, yes?”

  Mi-Yung turned to him, eyes sharp and hands resting at her sides. “Ah, I see. That's how you want it. What will happen next? Can I say it, or will you do it instead, Terrence?”

  “I am but a humble servant of the Assembly and a simple janitor.”

  “Looks like Academy fool instead. Seriously, with that suit and personality? I met one asshole yesterday, and I don't want to mind another one.” Mi-Yung pointed and chuckled a little.

  “It's a privilege to wear such clothes. I wouldn't ask for a change of attire, for I am old and fine with it.” Terrance said, adjusting his black tie over an even blacker suit. It was custom-made, which made him appear as if he visited a tailor every day. Unfortunately, his bald head made him stand out, as he was as white as clouds.

  His eyes were sharp, but not as sharp as Mi-Yung's.

  “Never mind. I am used to speaking to idiots. I will step and land, we talk, we reach conclusions, I step out, and we live yet another day. Ok?”

  “Stop. No.” Terrance waved both hands, but it was too late.

  Mi-Yung made up her mind long ago.

  She crouched on the street, hair flowing down her shoulders, reaching to the ground, and her torrential Arcana seeped out, manifesting around her legs like a tree spreading its roots. A few seconds later, she jumped and left waves of azure hues around the ground. Like an arrow, she was gone in a moment, flying over the ocean. Around three miles separated the Federation from that distant island.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Terrance sighed, slapping his bald head, and almost cried.

  “For crying out loud, gods, there is going to be one hell of a day.” He prayed to no gods and disappeared into thin mists that ate him from the inside out.

  High above the ground, Mi-Yung's hair was razor sharp in her leap of a flight. She kicked and moved her Arcana around her legs alone, leaving traces of her Arcalyst around her lower body alone, which made up for this entire leap.

  It was part of her former Skill called Ten Echo Steps, which fused into her Rank 6 Arcalyst a while back. It stemmed from her training and body-infused capabilities, with her kicks being one of her strongest powers, and it showed, as her legs were quite prominent and long.

  Almost everything about her showed a part of her Arcalyst form, bringing forth no small things. Every speck of the past steps mattered, and every learned Skill mended towards it.

  It was her path. Her Emblem! Not everyone got that like her. Mi-Yung didn't even fly up, but her kicks made it so; her thighs visibly grew larger without being out of place, unlike Walkers who pursued the sheer weight of muscles fused with Arcana or Vectors. That could create monsters and rather bizarre proportions, though that wasn't bad or good.

  It was an option. Mi-Yung had it a little different because her Arcalyst was wonderful, and her use of Arcana was rather unique and special. Almost nobody touched on her lines, body, fuses, and Skills as she did.

  In a few dozen seconds, she reached Assembly Island, where she landed with grace as if she jumped from a car. The entire Assembly Island was an enormous stone fortress, devoid of any greenery. It felt unnatural, lifeless, and quite menacing from up close.

  Below the fortress were sharp and dark rocks, unlike the rest of the fortress, which had a darker, more substantial architecture of considerable weight and size. Scattering waves from the ocean hit the cliffs below, making the accessible points nonexistent.

  One had to use a helicopter, land on the upper sections, be a Walker like Mi-Yung, or use appropriate Walkers to gain entry.

  For Mi-Yung, she simply landed on top of the fortress, which was a large conglomeration of hundreds of square buildings, long towers, and all sorts of cubic rooms. It had rough, brutalist architecture, coupled with grey or black-colored blocks, bricks, or large metallic sheets.

  One would think that more colorful bricks would shine much better for the Federation, but it seemed someone had the final say in what it would look like and didn't care how it would look from miles away.

  Not as if people far away from this place cared. Most wouldn't even visit it, let alone watch it with fervent lights in their eyes. In fact, that was preposterous, for even Mi-Yung never once smiled towards this place.

  Mi-Yung often hated to look at it. It was her workplace, where large-scale decisions often changed the pace around the world, and she couldn't choose where to go and when because of it. It also hid monsters and the entire reason for the Assembly's existence.

  The Academy had no physical presence on this island, although it had a significant share of voice. There was a representative who was part of the so-called union of outside forces. It was a loose interpretation of world-scale Walkers, and most places, regardless of their politics, had a degree of unity when it came to hunts and the dangers of the Darks.

  Alan Fain began to support the Federation a few decades ago, and even though his Academy was considered off-the-chart and mysterious, its Walkers and orders were more organized than irregular. He might be eccentric, but he was doing a great deal of work for the world, even if most people disagreed with his methods, let alone appreciated him.

  Mi-Yung didn't think he was all that bad. One had to clutch and do things right to survive, and he did it with Darks and people alike, so no one should hate it to the bone.

  She still disliked him for her own reasons, since no one was free of contempt. It was about understanding, and she had done a fair share of shameless things herself, and more will follow for sure.

  Like today, when she invaded this ground because she wasn't summoned or invited.

  Standing on the large flat surface that felt metallic, sturdy, and like a rock, she looked around the sea and then at the sky, followed by the distant Federation.

  “Well... I made the choice.”

  There was no way inside for her. Invitations were required, or one could use the sides that had weird, massive balconies and semi-closed areas like halls. She didn't want to use them because that would take too damn long for what she wanted to do.

  She didn't need that; Terrance appeared out of thin air as if he was already there, standing firm, and with his hands clutched in a prayer. “Are you sure about this, Song Mi-Yung? The Assembly is here, not truly waiting, as it is a busy time for everyone. Sure, it is always ready for decisions. You shouldn't hurry, no?”

  “Alright. Should I try my feet or arms instead? You chose.” Mi-Yung said, patting Terrance on his shoulder.

  Terrance stopped speaking and felt no responsibility toward her. Even Lower Pillars had their respect, so he sighed, letting her inside by wrapping her in the power of his Space Arcana.

  They faded into the obnoxious darkness and reappeared in a large, bright space with hundreds of lights surrounding the smooth walls and ceiling.

  It looked like a typical hallway, with high ceilings, wide and long curtains, and an enormous carpet instead of cold stone. There was no end in sight, and there were no windows, as everything stretched out to the unknown.

  Mi-Yung stopped touching Terrance and walked in one direction, seemingly knowing where her preferred end was in this endless hallway. There were many doors around the walls as well, but many of them fused to the walls, either with handles or without handles. There were too many of them to count.

  Terrance followed her in silence, pondering and praying to nobody in particular. Reaching the point of no return was no longer possible, and her vacation was more like a kid being jailed in their room over nothing. Mi-Yung didn't like that in the slightest because it wasn't a point that mattered, yet here she was, walking to yet another problem.

  She didn't even break any rules since many do it all the freaking time and many even support it, or others because it wasn't pointless in this age to try and hope for miracles. She met hers, so her moment had arrived.

  Alas, William, Dreadus, Kaufman, and everything else were not so simple.

  She didn't take this path out of spite. It wasn't a choice either. Her momentum was clean, a couple of problems were resolved, and she had a massive head start, too.

  Walking left azure-white waves behind her, wavering like forms of her legs that had lingering stays from her agitation and activated part of her Arcalyst. It was an odd shadow, leaving light steps and moves that weren't hers.

  She wasn't fast at flying, though she could be if her Arcalyst would bloom, manifesting and wanting to fly off into the distant continents. Here, that would be pointless, so even a few miles ended up being way too freaking long.

  Although she was of the Lower kind, she had her privileges, such as entering this place, establishing contacts, making visits, and conversing with other Pillars and Ghosts.

  There were political aspects to this place that sometimes made living here very taxing. Mi-Yung liked that point, as it made actions easier and doing stuff consistent.

  Working around the others was fine, even if the old freaks weren't all good and shady. Many simply couldn't respect her, due to the sheer historical and messy situations and hierarchy of this place.