We landed heavily on something cold, among the silent darkness again.

  But this time, the darkness was normal, not a black void - we were in a dark room.

  It was only dark and quiet just for a moment, though.

  I didn’t even get to properly stand up or say anything before a cacophony of noises and flashing lights assaulted my senses.

  -Alarm system!? - I heard a groan next to me.

  Definitely was.

  -What is this, some groundhog day? - I moaned and quickly stood up.

  Behind me, on the pedestal and everywhere nearby, there was a scattering of shards of something that looked like glass. It was standing in the spotlight, a singular white beam of light shining on it from somewhere above us. I mean, besides the sirens and red blinking alarm lights.

  -Let’s get the fuck out! - barked Mike, already on his feet, and casting some spell. - I guess a portal? That would be the quickest…

  -Don’t bother, they aren’t that stupid to…

  -Done!

  -What?!

  That was unexpected.

  I thought that if they managed to seal us inside… whatever that was, they would at least expand the portal suppression field or whatever that was, to the whole cell… or vault…?

  The more I looked at it, the more it looked like.

  A small room with a pedestal, with walls simple but sturdy-looking. The blinking lights were giving me small glimpses of some strange items on the walls that definitely felt magical…

  -Just fucking go! - he hurried me up.

  Right. There was no time to actually try and ascertain what I was looking at.

  Mike already made a portal. Supposedly working.

  -Fine!

  I leaped towards the glowing opening on the wall nearby, fully expecting for it to not work.

  But…

  It worked absolutely fine.

  A moment later I was spit out in… yet another forest.

  I couldn’t help but sigh with resignation.

  Why the hell was it always a forest?

  I turned back to see Mike jump out of the opening and promptly close it, leaving behind us just a tree.

  -We are back - he said, breathing heavily.

  -It would seem so - I nodded. - Do you really not have any better destinations to use? Forest again?

  -Sorry, I am not really full on the fucking anchors… - he groaned. - I am tired of it as well…

  -What, portals really take that much out of you?

  -Next time you make one and then you'll see - he replied.

  That was actually a good idea. I probably should stock up on some anchors or something…

  -Anyway, where are we? - I asked. - I mean, I see the forest…

  -I said it already. We are back.

  -Oh. You meant that literally?

  -Yeah… We probably should move.

  -Eh…

  -What? You want to make things easy for them?

  -Well no, but it’s not like they can’t track us…

  -Still…

  -And did you even feel someone chasing us? - I asked. - You were the last one in that room.

  He furled his brow.

  -Actually… not really.

  -Weird, right? Considering all those blaring alarms…

  -Yeah… The security seemed to be lacking…

  -Or more like non-existing.

  I sighed, sitting down near a tree.

  -Yeah, that always confuses me. One moment they seem to have infinite resources and be almost omnipotent…

  -Let’s not be too…

  -... and the next they are just completely useless. So which is it?

  -I am not going to lie… I sort of was overestimating them for a while - he agreed. - I mean, can you blame me? The whole barrier, ability to mess with the whole island…

  -I get you - I agreed. - I am the same. It’s just weird. I can’t put my finger on it, but the whole MIRE… they seem like…

  -Close to collapse? - asked Mike. - Hardly. You seen how many people they sent.

  -Yeah! That’s the thing. The people keep appearing, but almost a moment later, they are gone. Like our jail for example! - I pointed out. - While we were out there, they seemed to have infinite people to chase us. But, the moment we were locked down, they seemed to disappear. And after we escaped, there seems to be almost no people pursuing us. Hell, there were almost none keeping us there locked down in the first place. Like… they forgot or something…

  -While I know that sounds a bit self-centered from me - he said - but I don’t think they would forget ME. ME out of all people…

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  -It does sound like that - I shrugged. - I mean, it doesn’t make sense, but…

  -Fuck them - he puffed. - Without me, they wouldn’t be even fucking existing.

  -Let’s not get too…

  -You too! - he continued. - Without our research, the MIRE would be scrapped like most of the government projects.

  -Weren’t we supposed to be private at some point…? - I asked.

  -Eh, private, government funded, same thing - he shrugged. - You think private companies don’t get hired by governments or something.

  -It’s not the same… but, yeah, whatever.

  -Wait… you think that it could be it?

  -What?

  -That they are defunded.

  -Defunded?

  -Or bankrupting. Whatever you want to call it.

  -Well… they still definitely use Origin Crystal - I pointed out. - And do have some technology mixed with magic.

  -True… but that’s not really much isn’t it?

  -”Much”? Having something akin to magitech is not “much” - I asked, not able to believe what I’ve been hearing. - Wasn’t that the main problem of magic? That if ever combined would completely break the balance of power?

  -Sure! - he agreed. - But don’t you think that if it was so powerful, wouldn’t there be more of it?

  -If they were able to produce it, maybe - I agreed. - But it’s not like they would’ve put that technology into every single vacuum cleaner, you know what I mean?

  -Sure. But we aren’t the dirty food that needs vacuuming - he pointed out. - They would be using every resource available.

  -And they did. That’s how we know, right.

  -Yeah. And how much have we seen? Technology using magic? Or vice versa?

  He had a point.

  -You’d think they would replace us as soon as they could, right? - he continued. - Then the production would continue and hasten…

  -Wait. Continue? They had something already?

  -Of course they did. I am looking at it.

  -Ah. Well, true…

  -Right? And after that…

  -Okay. What you are implying is that we were the only ones able to create something like that? The three of us?

  -Precisely. And since none of us were with them any more, they straight up started losing more and more…

  -...and there are done…

  -Hopefully - he nodded. - I mean, this whole operation was pretty much a gamble on their part.

  -Eh. Still is. I don’t think they are done.

  -Me neither, but I don’t think they can contain us any more. We are only getting stronger and they are getting weaker.

  -So playing for time is working for us - I said a bit irritated. - Eh.

  -Why are you so sour? - he asked. - That’s great news!

  -Of course. I am tired of waiting, though.

  -We don’t have to wait! We can just live and be unbothered! As long as we are careful, we are fine!

  -Still. Don’t think that will be annoying down the line? Especially to you. Weren’t you supposed to start your experiments on your own body again? Wouldn’t that just lead them to you?

  -It’s not really “experiments” - he replied, not very happy I described it that way - but maybe, okay. If I am careful, they can’t do shit, especially if that’s the extent of their ability. And since when do you care?

  -I don’t think…

  I paused.

  -Wait. Why do I care? And why are you telling me this? Weren’t we just not so long ago at odds?

  Mike looked at me strangely and blinked.

  -I just…

  He also stopped, realizing what he just said.

  -Yeah. Why do we care? Why are we working together?

  I couldn’t help but laugh.

  -What’s so funny? - he barked.

  -Well, the fact that this shit happened again.

  -Again? You know what’s going on?!

  -Sort of… - I replied. - I know that it’s not the first time I’ve felt like I’ve been acting like I'm not myself and my actions weren’t exactly… well, making sense.

  -You can say that again… - he mumbled.

  -Right?

  -Why are you so happy about that?!

  -Happy? Hell no, I am absolutely livid.

  -Your face doesn’t really look like…

  -Oh come on, it’s not like that - I interrupted him. - Sure. I am angry. I don’t understand. So what?

  -So what?! Don’t you care about your own self?! What’s wrong with you?!

  -I just accepted that it’s what’s going to happen to me, that’s all. So it seems like it also hit you.

  -What hit me?! What is this mysterious phenomenon you aren’t telling me about?!

  -Come on, think. Out of all people, you probably should come to realization first.

  -Me?!

  -Oh for fucks… - I groaned. - We are just getting assimilated.

  He paused and looked at me.

  -Assimilated. To who exactly?

  -I don’t think it works like that.

  -Oh, but I do.

  -Come on. You said it yourself, I should know better. And I know that to be assimilated means…

  -Weaker mana being absorbed by the stronger, yes, yes… - I waved him off. - Or soul. Or mind. Whatever you want to call it.

  -Yep. So, what is this that…

  -And did you ever think about what happens when two minds of the same power clash?

  -That is impossible. You know that. Nothing can be identical in nature, they're always…

  -Yeah, sure. In nature.

  -Okay, look - he raised his brow. - I know we are by this point hardly natural beings… - he said, looking at my crystal form. - But we still have mana, we didn’t change that or anything…

  -Anything? We didn’t change anything about our mana? - I interrupted him. - Think. We changed exactly that: our amounts of mana. Maybe indirectly, sure, but that’s what happened.

  -So? But we still aren’t the same!

  -But we have the ability to become the same. The same power, that is.

  -What…? Come on, I can clearly tell that we have different mana capacities. Are you just trying to tell me that there’s someone more powerful than you but just wording that weirdly or what?

  -Nope. As for this, I don’t think there’s someone stronger than… well, me at this point.

  -And you complained about me being full of myself.

  -I said “at this point”. Doesn’t mean it’s not constantly changing.

  -Yeah, I get you, you’re the perfect battery. I am aware. Hard to imagine something stronger than a leyline…

  -And that’s the exact issue. I am essentially a leyline now.

  He looked at me with concern.

  -That’s what you meant by “assimilation”?

  -Something like that. At least that’s what I think is going on.

  -Wait… so a leyline… all that mana being too much for you… Wait. That makes no sense. You have to be at least somewhat sentient to be able to do something like this… It’s…

  -That’s why I said it’s just what I think. I can’t be sure any more.

  -”Any more”?

  -Look, there’s been a lot going on and a lot that I thought was sure appeared completely different moments later, so I’m leaving myself some way to be wrong, okay? - I replied. - You’re welcome to figure it out better by yourself.

  -Well, if it’s happening to you, I can hardly “figure it out” without some tests. And those I can’t do without your input.

  -Oh, yes you can. What? - I asked, seeing as he was giving me an annoyed look.

  -I know we are not exactly friendly, but I’d rather not start fighting again. And I feel like experiments without your consent is the easiest way to receive a fistful of crystal to the face.

  -That it is.

  -So then how…

  -Think, you idiot. You forgot that I am not the only one with Crystal? And not the only one that not so long ago was absorbing a rather large part of leyline?

  He paused for a second, realizing what I meant.