"That's what happened. The next thing I remember, I was here... with you."

The weight of Aloe's words settled upon my shoulders as she concluded her account of what happened.

I had listened intently, every syllable carving deeper into the tapestry of my own existence. And when her voice faded into the silence of the room, a heavy sigh escaped my lips, a mingling of regret and understanding.

"It's my fault," I murmured, my voice barely a whisper, as if confessing to the very essence of my being. "If Kuzon saw those memories... then he knows."

Aloe's gaze softened, her eyes reflecting a mixture of empathy and reassurance. "Jared, what do you mean by that?" She asked gently, her voice imbued with sincerity. "I'm totally confused, to be honest."

Hesitation clutched my heart as I stared at her. Guilt, mixed with a genuine reflection of my actions began to surface.

"You have to tell me, Jared. First Kuzon, and now you. I don't like the way you two just hide things from me, and I'm left completely unaware of everything."

Her words stung, considering that was how I had been treating both of them all this time. I was wrapped in my own world, while spoonfeeding them whatever I wanted when it was convenient.

And now, it had blown in my face.

"No more secrets, Jared. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt at least. I'll hear you out, so please..." She stopped speaking, her widened eyes waiting for my response.

I nodded my head slowly, acknowledging the truth in her words, yet unable to absolve myself of the weight of responsibility.

"I... used [The Moon]. I split myself into two. I did it so I could help those Aliens and also continue the mission."

Aloe's eyes widened in recognition, the realization dawning upon her features. "Kazen's Arcana," she whispered, the words hanging in the air. "[The Moon]'s replication ability... you actually used it?"

I nodded, a mixture of regret and self-awareness washing over me. "Yes," I admitted, my voice heavy with the weight of my own mistakes.

"I somehow convinced myself I was doing it for the good of those people, but now that I think about it... I was just indulging in my curiosity."

I wanted to try something out, finding a loophole to the constraint we had. So, I used the Arcana without telling anyone.

"I suspect what I did is what is currently affecting me."

"Jared... I don't think you realize just how dangerous and volatile that Arcana is." Aloe began to mutter, her voice breaking a little while concern was etched on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"It's Kazen's Arcana. I studied under her to understand and master Aether, and while doing so, she told me details about [The Moon]." She sighed.

'Ah, that's true...'

"Sure, you should already know of its ability to replicate the essence or structure of anything perfectly." She began, her voice carrying a gentle tone of explanation, though I could sense a dark foreboding behind it.

"Like a reflection on a completely still surface, it'll give you an exact replica of what you desire."

What made [The Moon] so amazing was its ability to even apply this ability to living things, or soul-based entities and concepts.

"There exist no two things that are alike, especially those living. We possess different markers, and are comprised of different properties, no matter how little. Yet, [The Moon] defies that logic and manages to create an exact copy of anything."

All she said were in tandem with what I already knew. However, it seemed like this was only just the surface.

"While it allows the user to create an exact copy of themselves or an object, down to the smallest detail, the replication process is delicate, requiring precise expertise and an intricate ratio." Her tone suddenly grew heavier, and I could see the seriousness in her eyes.

"Just as how a distorted surface will yield an unbalanced result, or will generate an altered form that is different from the original, so also does [The Moon]."

"Are you saying I generated an altered duplicate? But that doesn't justify how I feel weakened, or why my personality seems a bit different from what I remember." I asked, my fingers twitching a little.

"[The Moon] doesn't just generate out of thin air. It uses pre-existing materials to it. Usually, it scans the user, creating a duplicate of them from the balance. It acts like fusion and fission, complete and equal, with both sides being equal and perfectly balanced. However... in the case where the surface is distorted, it can add or subtract from the source material to the duplicate."

"What are you saying, Aloe?"

"I'm saying that you may have had some elements of yourself removed in the fission process, leaving you incomplete." As she said this, my eyes widened.

"What?!"

I wasn't surprised. No, this was actually confirming a gnawing fear of mine. The fact that Aloe reinforced what I was already beginning to think was the problem.

"Looks like I messed up."

"Big time. I don't know what caused you to pass out, to be honest. It could be an effect of [The Moon], or maybe something else. But the fact that you seem to be agreeing with me shows that there are some parts of yourself that you've realized are missing."

'She catches on quickly...' I thought to myself, nodding at her words.

"Care to give an example?"

There were very obvious examples I could tell her, so I did.

The fact that I felt more timid and unsure of everything was one. I lacked something within me that caused me to be so confident and decisive.historical

Perhaps my other half had it.

*

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[A/N]

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