Though Diego no longer showed the shock he had initially felt when Sebastian vanished before him, later on, as he deceptively guided his officials forward along the path Sebastian had once taken before teleporting, he began to think differently. No longer reactive, Diego forced himself into a proactive state of mind, trying to reason carefully about where Sebastian might have teleported if given the choice.
He remembered Sebastian's words about Maru being trapped on an island called Coilspire, however the new development made him wonder whether if Sebastian had being leading them to the path that led to Maru or he had been hatching a mischievous plan. Sebastian disappearance also brought a storm of questions into Diego's mind.
Questions like: Where was Sebastian? Where was Maru? Was Sebastian truly giving them the right path that led to Maru's prison when he was held captive? If Sebastian's teleportation powers left no energy trail, what technique had he used? And how had he achieved such a technique? When Diego itemized these questions at the center of his mind, he realized they were born from reaction—instinctive doubts springing forward in the wake of Sebastian's disappearance.
Yet if he was to lead his officials and the soul beings now following him, he could not allow his mind to be consumed by matters beyond his control. Instead, he forced himself to think about what he could control, asking questions that might yield actionable answers.
By narrowing his focus, Diego hoped to carve a path forward, to deduce Sebastian's destination or Maru's location through reason and persistence, and ultimately prove that his leadership was not shaken by uncertainty but strengthened by resolve.
So with his mind sorted and his doubts temporarily silenced, Diego asked himself one crucial question: Where are we? First and foremost, it was vital for him to understand where the path they were following was truly leading. If there were surprises nearby, or if Sebastian had deliberately guided them into a trap, Diego needed to know.
It could also be that they were approaching a landmark he recognized, or perhaps even nearing an island where Maru might be imprisoned. Yet discovering their exact location and destination was not as simple as Diego hoped.
Despite his monstrous control over energy and his mastery of techniques that could bend reality, there were still mundane situations where his power offered no help. This was one of them—an ordinary but critical limitation that left him momentarily vulnerable, forced to rely on observation, deduction, and the fragile trust of those following him.
He could not do things like channel the energy within his body into his eye sockets to enhance his vision, nor could he manipulate the energy in the atmosphere to map out the topography of the route or discern where the path was truly leading. Diego's talents were forged in battle, his abilities honed for combat, making him a master of confrontation and destruction.
Since he saw no value in tasks that, to him, carried no meaning and were far too simple for someone of his stature, he dismissed them outright. Such tasks he contemptuously referred to as domestic tasks, trivial matters beneath his concern.
Because of this disdain, he had never trained his abilities to facilitate or enhance mundane functions, leaving him blind in situations where brute strength, super speed and combat mastery offered no advantage. It was a weakness he rarely acknowledged, but one that now gnawed at him as he pressed forward, uncertain of what lay ahead.
Hence, he was not able to figure out where the path they were on was truly leading. Yet although Diego himself could not discern the route, that did not mean he lacked options. He could always call upon others—beings whose abilities were fine‑tuned for mundane but essential tasks such as navigation and orientation—to determine their location.
Diego had almost summoned such an individual, but before he could extend the invitation, a chilling realization struck him. If he called upon an official so openly, or worse, asked them directly where they were, it would expose the truth: that he had no idea where they stood or where they were heading.
Such an admission would shatter the illusion of certainty he had carefully maintained, undermining his authority and planting doubt in the minds of his officials and planting doubt in the minds of his officials and followers. For Diego, ignorance was dangerous, but appearing ignorant was far worse, so he swallowed the impulse and pressed forward, determined to conceal his weakness until he found another way.
Diego knew he could not continue moving blindly along the path without a plan or clear direction, so he decided to order his officials and a select group of soul beings—like‑minded individuals who had aligned themselves with his cause and formed a small army—to rest for a while. The abrupt command startled them, for it was unusual for their leader to halt progress so suddenly, and many felt something was amiss.
Yet despite their unease, they complied without hesitation, unwilling to question Diego's authority. The other soul beings obeyed promptly as well, grateful for the pause, and used the opportunity to replenish the energy they had expended during the arduous journey. Diego, meanwhile, concealed his uncertainty behind the mask of command, projecting strength even as he quietly considered his next move.
As for Diego, he sought out a secluded place, far from the eyes of his officials and the soul beings who followed him, ensuring none were prying, scrying, or secretly watching his movements. Once alone, he drifted at full speed, pushing himself beyond his limits, scouring the terrain with relentless focus.
He mapped the entire region, cataloging unique and remarkable landmarks, assigning value even to places that seemed insignificant, and using the location of his stationed army as the center point. From there, he calculated the distances to each marked site, building a mental topography of the land.
Yet despite his vigorous efforts, despite the precision with which he charted every landmark, one question continued to burn at the core of his mind: Where did Sebastian vanish to? The thought gnawed at him with every step, a reminder that no matter how thoroughly he mapped the world around him, the mystery of Sebastian's disappearance remained unsolved, haunting him like a shadow he could not escape.