Hololive Fanfic Outline

by CohenTyPa

A brief overview of my untitled Hololive fanfiction. Circumstances surrounding a mysterious cult bring five unique souls together to save the world.

2. Part 2 Outline

Quick Author's Note

It would be an understatement to say that this story got away from me. I ended up breaking from my normal planning procedure by going into more detail that was absolutely necessary. As a result, the length of part 2 ballooned and I made the decision to split it up further.

So now there are 3 parts. Hopefully, the extra detail in the outline will help keep the page count in the finished product down. I can only hope.

As a final note, I landed on "Strange Myth" as the title for this piece. With the last two parts of the outline uploaded, look forward to the first proper chapter or two in the coming months.

Section 1 - The Calm Before

(Ina)

The former members of the Cult of the Ancient Ones have made great progress in the short time since the organizations downfall. So many have returned to normality, living and working in the city proper. But the scars are still there. Ina sits and listens to the troubles of a small group as they all paint. She isn't a therapist, but they look to her for guidance. And, frankly, she is in the same boat as them.

When the small meeting ends, Ina stays behind. The venue is a former ritual site for the cult situated in a stylish cafe at the top of a hill. She watches the others leave from a balcony. The breeze blowing past makes her feel melancholic. She has a clear vision of the path she and the rest of the former cultists need to take, but there is another feeling nagging at the back of her mind.

The cult's leadership was defeated, but the power they harnessed is still out there. She herself is a conduit for that power, and she can't escape its presence. She isn't entirely sure, but each passing day the sky looks ever so slightly more vibrant.

Kiara arrives at the cafe, pulling Ina out of her introspection. They chat as they make their way home.

(Ame)

Sparks fly as in Ame's workshop as she works on repairing her time machine. She had gutted parts of it to create some of her special gadgets. She has enjoyed herself in this time-making friends and experiencing a world that isn't on the verge of total destruction-but she can't stay here forever. The reason she came back in the first place was to save her own time, so she has to at least confirm that they have been successful.

It is sad to part ways, but there is nothing to say she can't come back to visit. She floats the idea of relocating to this time entirely. The thought makes her feel all warm inside. But there are just so many questions she needs answered: Are her parents still alive in the new future? How has society progressed in the time between? What even is the time difference?

Something crashes, drawing Ame out from under her time machine. Gura, who has been assisting Ame with some small things, sits amongst a pile of scrap and tools. Her friends' futures are another uncertainty burning a hole in her mind. How will they have changed? What might they look like without the corrupting influence of the Cult of the Ancient Ones?

So many possibilities! With Gura's help, Ame puts the finishing touches on the machine and hops into the seat. Its initial activation was rushed, so she intends to treat it more gently this time. Gura asks if she can come along for the test run with stars in her eyes. Ame hesitates, but agrees. What's one little time paradox to the people who changed the future?

Licking her lips, Ame starts flipping switches. The sound of Gura's tail whipping back and forth resonates with Ame's own excited heartbeat. She flips the last switch. The machine whirrs to life and the lights in the workshop flicker as a tremendous amount of power is drawn. Both Ame and Gura are completely still, anticipating the sensation of slipping through the fabric of reality and across time. And then . . .!

Nothing. The machine slowly goes quiet and the lights in the workshop return to normal. Ame furrows her brow. Did she make a mistake in the construction somewhere? Surely not. Is there some difference between travelling backwards and forwards in time? Possibly, but not likely. Ame apologizes to a disappointed Gura. They'll have to try again another day.

(Calli)

Calli strolls through the city, a small bag of groceries in hand. Someone she doesn't know smiles and waves at her as she passes; a former member of the cult, no doubt. She often crosses paths with the former cultists on these casual outings. She doesn't know any of them, but her close association with Ina makes her a familiar face to them.

It is very strange, being recognized at all. As Death's apprentice, her life has mostly been spent in the shadows. Hers is not an identity that the world of the living is meant to know. Still, she doesn't necessarily hate it. She considers joining Kiara in volunteering around the city at least once. She looks down at her phone to propose the idea to Kiara. It doesn't take long to compose the message, but when she looks back up, she finds herself in an unknown alleyway.

Calli turns, taking stock of her surroundings. There are no visible outlets. There are no doors or windows along the walls. How did she get here? She starts to walk and soon approaches a corner. When she turns, however, she finds herself in a similarly blank alley. She continues on, picking up the pace, but the pattern continues. She resorts to entering Limbo Space, traversing the seemingly endless alleyways in a flash.

Yet still she cannot find an end. Forward and back, or up and over she cannot escape. Within Limbo Space, a sense of claustrophobia grips Calli. The walls of the alleyways seem to rise higher and higher, eventually overtaking the strip of visible sky and curling in on themselves. The walls start to close in, threatening to crush her.

Calli's form is not, in truth, her real body. She is a being of spirit. But even so, a sense of dread so intense as to cause her to panic sets in. She runs as quickly impossible to escape, but the alley seems to stretch, the corner growing further and further away. The walls come so close to together that Calli can barely move. She cries out and stumbles out of the alley, gasping for breath. A moment passes before Calli realizes that she has escaped. She spins on the spot, prepared to summon her scythe, but all she sees is an empty alleyway, no different from any other.

Shaken, she rushes home. The Cult of the Ancient Ones has crumbled and its former followers are being rehabilitated. That still doesn't mean the dark powers they unleashed have gone as well.

(Gura)

Gura's mood goes from poor to abysmal as she listens to Calli. The cult is gone, so why do they still need to deal with these things. Ame suggests the phenomenon that assailed Calli isn't related to the cult at all. It doesn't fit their M.O. in the slightest. Their bases might have been maze-like and extensive, but none of that was ever supernatural. And besides, their own party is partially made up of supernatural beings unrelated to the cult. Ina supports Ame's analysis. The power from her tome is essentially the same power the cult leader wanted to harness, and she can't imagine any way to make it do what Calli saw.

Calli nods, agreeing with them. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief. The last thing they need is an old enemy coming back for revenge. Unfortunately, that only makes things more uncertain. For now, the party agrees to investigate tomorrow.

Gura retreats to her room. She grabs her trident and makes her way out the window, using the fire escape to climb to the building's roof. She looks out at the early evening sky and sits, ancient weapon of her people across her lap. It isn't anything special, in truth. Most Atlanteans had some basic training with the three-pronged pole arm, Gura included. She wraps her fingers around the shaft and stands, falling into a stance she barely remembers. She hears a voice-her father's-and clumsily runs through a simple kata.

She was very young when she first learned these forms. She had vague memories of trophies lining shelves. They were her father's pride from his own youth. He definitely had aspirations of Gura following in his footsteps. But that was before . . .

Gura's arms stop mid-exercise and looks at the weapon again. It is silent and has been since they defeated the cult. She is relieved, but also a little lonely. Evil though it may have been, it was all she had left of her old life. Now that it is gone, will she start to forget about Atlantis? Without the constant reminder of that tragedy, will the faces of her parents start to fade away?

She sits on the cold roof, wrapping her tail around her knees and clutches the trident close. So much uncertainty. As much about the past as about the future.

(Kiara)

She's soaring over a great, endless forest. There is a towering mountain range in the distance, so far away as to almost be beyond sight, but visible enough to still be grand. The sky expands all around her, providing the wind on which she glides. A storm forms up ahead, and she watches as the dark clouds drain themselves and disappear.

The sense of freedom is unlike anything Kiara has ever felt. It is almost like the entire sky is hers, and the world down below exists for her to marvel at. She laughs, spinning and explores this magical place. She lands on a branch and peers down at the forest floor. She is stunned by the movement. All sorts of woodland critters go about their lives. Some of them look up, but none of them appear to see her. It's a little lonely, but she is happy to observe from afar.

Life is so abundant here that she can't help feeling excited. Her heart thunders with passion and she takes to the skies once again. How she wishes she could stay in this place forever. She flaps her wings harder and harder, climbing as high as she can. She looks down to see as much of this beautiful place as possible only to find the green tips of the trees right below her still. Has she not actually moved? No . . . that's wrong.

The trees have grown to catch up with her. Or to chase her. She returns her attention to the sky and beats the air frantically. But the trees don't let her go. They rise up past her, soaring higher than she ever could hope to. Breath leaves Kiara's lungs as the trunks of the endless trees start to gather around her. They come closer and closer, fusing into a single wood tuber. And still they grow closer. One of Kiara's wings clips a branch and she tumbles. Down and down. There is no end in sight. All there is below is darkness. Her blood runs cold. That darkness reminds her of the void that tried to steal her flame.

She closes her eyes as it will make the trees and the darkness go away, but it doesn't. She falls deeper and deeper into the darkness-deeper and deeper into despair-until faint light enters her vision. It is small and dim, but undeniably there. It speaks to her, but Kiara can't make out the words. Still, the words spoken by the light strengthen her resolve. She rights herself, not aiming to fly away from the darkness. Instead, she dives, aiming for the very heart of the cold void at the center of this once welcoming paradise. Whatever it is, she will face it head on. If that isn't enough, she'll call her friends for help. She won't give up. Not ever.

The darkness suddenly begins to expand as Kiara finally escapes the wooden tube. All traces of the idyllic world from before are gone. She flaps her wings, hovering in the endless void. It is indeed similar to one from the cult's ritual chamber, but it is not trying to steal her flame. All of a sudden, and for no reason that Kiara can figure out, her attention is drawn to a specific point in the darkness. Anticipation for something unknown arrests her breathing. She hears a single, thundering pulse, like a heartbeat, and wakes up from the nightmare.

She sits up in bed, covered in sweat. Did she just have a nightmare because of Calli's story, or was it something more? It doesn't seem like a coincidence. She tries to put the nightmare out of her mind so she can sleep, but she doesn't get a wink.

Section 2: The Second Descent

(Ina)

The sky is blue with only a handful of puffy white clouds. The temperature is comfortable, like being swaddled in a warm blanket. There hasn't been a nicer day since Ina and Gura escaped the cult compound. Calli leads the party through the city streets. Their destination is the location where Calli experienced the mystery phenomenon.

Ina tightens her grip on her tome. Part of her worries that she will feel something she recognizes. After everything, to find out that the source of her suffering is still around would be too much. So far, though, she feels nothing. When they finally arrive at the unassuming alleyway where Calli emerged from the labyrinth, Ina is shocked and relieved to discover that she feels absolutely nothing.

The party enters the alley. Ame begins her own investigations while Ina takes a breath and opens her tome. Power flows though her and the colors of the shaded alley deepen. She is seeing it for all that it is, and yet there is not a single hint of anything supernatural. Ame doesn't find anything either. Neither Kiara, Calli, nor Gura find anything out of the ordinary. The normalcy of this alley is astounding.

Calli apologizes. Clearly, whatever she ran into before has moved on. It might have even been a freak thing that only happened in this one, isolated instance. Nobody is satisfied by this result, though Ame suggests that it may have been some kind of disturbance in reality. Perhaps whatever the cult did made some waves that only just now reached them. It may also explain why her time machine failed to work. Kiara nods her head, becoming more certain. Ina herself finds solace in the logic. She isn't getting too close to the source of her tome's power, it's just the aftershocks of the cult's rituals.

Satisfied at last, Ina bids the others farewell. She has a counseling session to attend, and as a figurehead of sorts, she has to be there for all the former cultists that want to move on. Ame invites Gura back to her workshop. She wants to test her machine again. Calli intends to return to the apartment, but Kiara takes her arm and drags her off somewhere.

By the time Ina reaches the cafe where the meeting will be held, she is surprised to see some familiar faces. She was sure she'd be early. She smiles and greets the former cultists, but when she suggests they get an early start, they stop her. They are expecting a larger group today. Determined to meet their expectations, Ina prepares the space above the cafe, setting out more chairs than usual. As people start to file in, however, she realizes that she has severely underestimated the number she would need.

The former cultists clear the chairs, opting to stand. They place Ina with her back to the balcony, standing at the head of the congregation. That's what it reminds her of. Her knees begin to shake and her breathing becomes ragged. She pulls an elderly woman-someone who had always been a supportive force within the cult-and informs her of the discomfort. The woman apologizes, making Ina feel more at ease for a moment, but then things change.

There is a sparkle in the woman's eyes as she encourages Ina to tough it out. Ina backs away, startled. She knows that sparkle. Suddenly, she is a child again, staring deep into glittering darkness. There is someone beside her, holding her hand, giving her strength. Then that comforting pressure vanishes.

As Ina backs up against the door to the balcony, the cultists close in, each with that same sparkle in their eyes. They speak, in turn at first, then in unison. Their voices mingle and change to one that is painfully familiar. A voice she never thought she would hear again. The lights dim, as does the noonday sun keeping the world bright outside. The sparkle literally leaves the cultists' eyes, taking to the air. They fall in heaps, starting from the back. Ina's tome grows hot. She pulls it from her pack and holds it close to her chest as the glittering lights coalesce into the shape of a woman.

Ina looks up into Sana's sparkling eyes in disbelief. She hasn't seen this woman since they were children. Since they were both thrown into a mysterious void in order to produce a priestess for the cult to puppet. Sana greets Ina casually, perhaps a touch bashfully. Ina blinks and wonders if it really is her old friend. When she asks if it truly is the Sana she remembers, Sana's face lights up. She embraces Ina with a bubbly energy that clears any and all doubt in Ina's mind.

Emotions well up as Ina returns the embrace. Before Ina had even met Gura, Sana had been there, a fellow child of the cult. As they had both been candidates for the priestess, they were always together. Until that fateful day, when Ina returned from the void. And Sana didn't.

Ina marvels at how much Sana has grown. Sana says the same of Ina, though she isn't exactly surprised. She has been keeping an eye on Ina, after all. She points at the tome in Ina's hands and explains that the power flowing from the book comes from her. Ina is confused, but Sana smiles and leads her out onto the balcony. She says she'll tell her about everything once their back home.

A deep, dark void opens in the air in front of them. Ina gasps as strength leaves her legs. She is powerless to resist as Sana leads her through the portal into nothingness with a genuine smile.

(Ame)

Ame works with excited fervor. With the supernatural interference gone, her time machine should work. She quickly makes some adjustments before jumping into the operator's seat. When she tells Gura to hop in, though, the shark girl hesitates, saying she'll sit this one out. Ame watches her carefully and spots doubt and fear on her friend's face. She decides that it is understandable to feel that way.

For Gura and Ina, as much as for Ame, the future contains a lot of dark possibilities. Ame has felt those sorts of doubts herself, of course. What if things changed too much? What if things haven't changed at all? Time travel is a simple enough concept on the face of it, but the moment one delves deeper into the consequences, things become very complicated.

Ame smiles and teases Gura. No need to give her too hard of a time, but some light-hearted ribbing might help cheer her up. The shark smiles, but still refuses to go. Satisfied that she at least tried, Ame tells Gura she'll be right back. she flips each switch on the operating panel in turn and the machine begins to hum. It sounds mostly the same as their last attempt, but Ame has a good feeling about this one. She flips the last switch and . . .

Nothing. Again. The machine starts to wind down and Ame leans back in her chair. She shoots Gura a disappointed look, hoping for a comforting shrug at least, but Gura just looks at her with that same apologetic look. Ame supposes that is good enough and makes to exit the machine. Then she stops. Looking more closely at Gura, her expression isn't changing at all. In fact, her entire body appears to be frozen in time.

The machine was working, just not as intended. Perhaps she made a mistake in recalibrating the parts she borrowed before. Sighing, Ame starts to flip switches. The mechanical clicks feel terribly loud in her ears, as if to make this latest failure particularly damning. Click, click, click, click . . .

Ame stops, her blood running cold. She isn't imagining the clicking being louder. It's louder because there isn't any other sound. She looks back at the business end of the time machine. It's engine should have taken much more time to wind down, but it has stopped dead. Or rather, it's time is also stopped. Ame's mind races. Her machine stopped time, but the machine itself was frozen in the process? How could that be? She had already proven her theories sound, so there was no room for an oversight like this.

Of all the questions that this strange occurrence raised, one stood out, making her hair stand on end. Why was she not frozen when even the machine she is riding was? A single conclusion presents itself over and over as Ame tries desperately to find another. Her hopes are dashed when she hears footsteps approaching the time machine.

Her machine is frozen because it didn't stop time. Something else did.

Ame's hands drift to her side. She doesn't have any sort of serious weapon on her, but she can improvise if necessary. The footsteps slow, and a gloved hand with long, delicate fingers reaches around the side of the machine. Ame holds her breath as a tall woman strides into her view. She stares directly into the mysterious woman's eyes. Clear, perfectly still pools of blue stare back. The moment seems to stretch. Ame starts to think that she has been frozen in time too, but then she feels her heart beat. A single thump that sends a wave of heat through her body. As if reacting to that same beat, the woman's eyes take on a hostile gleam. Fear washes over Ame as a myriad of emotions appear in the woman's features. Accusation, disgust, hatred . . . Why is this woman looking at her like that?!

Ame tries to speak, but can't find the breath. Her mouth hangs open as the woman takes a sharp breath of her own. Then she speaks. She asks if Ame understands what she has done. Ame swallows and takes a moment to work things out. Time has been stopped. Only Ame and this woman who has appeared out of nowhere are unaffected. The woman seems to be accusing Ame of some wrongdoing. Her eyes drift to the panel of switches. She ponders aloud if this has something to do with the time machine.

The woman bristles. She clarifies that Ame has traveled through time, and in doing so, has irreparably changed the future. There is so much venom in her words that Ame gets confused. Of course she changed the future. That was the whole point. Having her goals questioned lights a fire in Ame. She asks what is wrong with changing such a broken future. The woman scowls, climbing into the time machine. The world around the machine vanishes. It is replaced by an endless, pitch black void.

The woman asks Ame what exactly she thinks time is. Ame opens her mouth, but is at a loss. She thinks back to her many nights of theorizing and testing. When she was trying to travel back, she imagined that time is like a river. It flows strongly in one direction, making traveling up stream very difficult, but not impossible. That was the principle on which she built her machine. And she had proven her theories and assumptions correct.

The woman scoffs and disembarks, stepping out into the void. It isn't visible, but there is apparently solid ground on which to stand. Ame becomes defensive. She asks who the woman is to question her methods and her motivations. The woman shoots Ame a glare that makes her heart stop for a moment. She introduces herself as Ouro Kronii, the warden of time, and she is going to put Ame on trial for a heinous atrocity, here and now.

She starts by correcting Ame's mistaken view of time. It is not like a river. It is a line. Singular. It does not move, it does not flow. It simply is. The collective culmination of all experience. It is Kronii's job to keep watch over this line and verify its continuation. In effect, she assures that what will be will be. This is order. An order that Ame has disrupted.

Ame climbs out of the time machine and clenches her fists. She may have disrupted things, but she did so for a good reason. She changed things so that the future would be less bleak. She refuses to acknowledge that making a better future is in any way a crime. Without averting her gaze, Kronii holds out her hand. A blade appears in her grip, like a large, ornamental clock hand. She waves it in a sharp line, producing a golden line in the air between them.

This line represents time. She waves the blade again, making a perpendicular mark near the middle of the line. Kronii says that this is the time that Ame travelled back to. Time travel in itself is not deviant. The mere presence of aberrant entities does nothing to time. However, with knowledge of the future, it is possible to apply significant pressure to time. She asks Ame what happens when pressure is applied to a single point on a glass rod. Kronii swings her blade once more and the line past the mark vanishes.

A realization dawns on Ame, but she is having trouble processing it. Kronii doesn't wait for her to catch up. The future cannot be changed. In changing the course of history, Ame applied pressure to a point in time, severing it from the future she came from. The amputated future was lost completely. Destroyed. It never existed, and never will. Kronii gestures to the void around them. This is the future that Ame "saved."

Ame's ears start ringing. She can't believe what she is hearing. She tries to deny it, saying that she averted a world-ending threat. Kronii says that in doing so, she extinguished countless lives. This is the truth of her atrocity. The history and potential of an entire universe is gone as the direct result of Ame's actions.

Kronii shoves Ame back onto the time machine and delivers a verdict. Ame will face the same fate as the future she doomed, but first, she will live with the weight of that future's demise.

Everything hits Ame at once. As reality snaps into place, she empties her stomach on the floor of the time machine.

(Gura)

Gura waits. She spins on a stool, plays lazily with some tools, and counts the ceiling tiles over and over. She exhausts all of her patience waiting for Ame and her time machine to return. In the silence, she can't help but wonder. Is she coming back? Gura doesn't know much about time travel, but she figures if you can travel to any point in time, then why not return to the moment you leave?

Maybe the machine isn't that accurate. The control panel is just a bunch of switches, so Gura isn't even sure how Ame makes it go when she wants. Even with that logical explanation, though, her mind moves against her will. Maybe the future that they created by defeating the cult of the Ancient Ones is so much better that she has decided to stay. Maybe there is something there, in that far off time-whenever it is-that is worth leaving Gura and the rest behind.

Or maybe she never really liked them to begin with. Gura recalls how Ame acted when they first met. The suspicion and disdain in her eyes were for the monster Gura was meant to become, but she never could have known how deserving of that distrust Gura really was. The workshop melts away, leaving Gura in a crumbling waste of marble and aquamarine. She takes in the ruined husk of her former home, growing weary. Aimlessly, she begins to wander the streets. She passes a park where she used to play. She spots the shell of a library where her mother often took her. She sees smaller landmarks-a particular tree, now broken, the row of homes that grow in height along the street, a statue of some leader that she never properly learned the name of, and so on.

When she finally comes upon her childhood home, she is seemingly desensitized. Nothing remains of the walls or ceiling. The furniture is gone. The floor is pitted with holes. It is exactly how she remembers it. Exactly how she left it.

A flash of red. The shattered home twists, reconstructing itself. The walls rise again, piece by piece. The furniture comes back together, tiny fragments appearing as if from nowhere. This should be a happy memory; her home restored, but it is a terrible memory. Perhaps her worst. Her parents appear before her, their faces pale and wrinkled with worry. Their mouths move voicelessly as they slowly approach, gesturing towards the trident grasped tightly in her hand. They want to take it from her. But she cannot let it go. The voice told her not to, and she doesn't want her new friend to be mad at her.

A flash of red. Her parents are on the floor. The floor is red. Gura hears a voice, a conspiratorial whisper. She turns and sees herself, grinning mischievously. She didn't want to do it. She looks down. Her hands are red. Her house crumbles. She doesn't want this. She wants to put things back the way they were. She wants this place that she has ruined to go away. The other her whispers in her ear. She can make it go away. Her grip tightens on the trident. She can make it all go away.

A flash of red.

Gura pulls her feet up onto the stool and curls up as tightly as possible. The nightmarish sounds in her memory are deafening in the silent, empty workshop.

(Kiara)

The sun is inching towards the horizon as Kiara walks behind Calli. Her oldest friend has been having trouble relaxing since they defeated the cult in this city. It is just like her to get the most stressed when there is no work to do. So, Kiara gave her something to do. They spent the whole day getting to know the city, something they rarely ever did given the nature of Calli's work.

Kiara smiles. The day is a success as far as she is concerned. Calli's spirits are considerably higher than they were when the investigation of the alleyway came up with nothing. As an added bonus, Kiara's mood is much brighter than it was at the start of the day. She steps up beside Calli so they can discuss what to do about dinner. Kiara is thinking something big and communal that everyone can enjoy. Calli likes the idea, however it is getting late. If they want to do something like that, they'll have to stop by the grocery on the way home.

They make a detour, traveling back into the city. The closer they get to the grocery store, though, the more something feels off. There are so many people walking about. The sidewalks are cramped as if they were smack dab in the middle of a popular tourist destination. They are packed so tightly as they progress that they can't avoid bumping into people. Before they know it, they are separated.

Kiara calls out, quickly finding the pink of Calli's hair, but the more she tries to push through the crowd, the more it seems to push back. A powerful current of bodies pulls Kiara further and further. She jumps up and down, trying to keep an eye on Calli. She sees a strange gap in the crowd form and a large truck barrel through the opening. It is heading straight for Calli. Kiara calls out, but there is no need for concern. Calli disappears in a streak of pink, causing a wave of toppling people as she forces her way towards Kiara. As they are about to be reunited, however, the road they are standing on stretches. In an instant, Calli, who was just in arm's reach, is almost completely beyond sight.

The sudden change takes Kiara's breath away. Her brain races to catch up. It isn't just the road, the entire city has expanded to keep them apart. Kiara shouts and shoves her way through the crowd. She stops as the people bend and tumble at the slightest touch. Grabbing one, she is shocked to discover that these aren't people at all. They appear human, but their features are vague and their skin is cold to the touch. With a flick of her wrist, her weapons appear in her hands. Kiara begins to chop through the crowd, noting how they do not bleed.

The more she cuts, though, the more of them seem to appear. She is surrounded in seconds. One of the not-people grabs her arm, but it is not a hand that grasps her. Instead, a tangle of vines wrap tightly around her arm. More of the things in the crowd leap onto her, their bodies morphing into plant-like masses. Other creatures morph as well, taking the shapes of animals, trees, and even static rock formations.

The nightmare has come to life. Kiara grits her teeth and taps into the eternal flame within her. The vines holding her in place erupt in flames orange and green. She charges straight ahead, burning away all of the strange and twisted creatures in her way. No matter how many she cuts down, though, she doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. A line of trees sprouts, shooting into the sky in front of Kiara. Their trunks expand to block her path. She slices them, but they resist. Fire eats away at the thick bark, but it cannot consume it fast enough.

She spins; trees all around. Her heart beats more and more quickly. It's too much like her nightmare, except that there is no darkness to dive into. No light to pull her from the dream. She has to take care of herself. Kiara takes aim at a single point, where the trees meet, and strikes it again and again. If she can outpace the plant's growth, she can escape and try to reunite with Calli.

A soft voice stops her mid-swing. A woman leans against the trunks of the encircling trees. She appears human, but looking at her feels like standing at the precipice of a verdant valley. Her voice tickles Kiara's ears like a spring breeze. She indeed looks human, but she is clearly so much more. Kiara demands to know who she is. The woman introduces herself as Ceres. She is life, the mother of all things natural. And though her love for her children is endlessly deep, she has no love for Kiara, for something so unnatural could not possibly be her kin.

Kiara braces herself as a stampede crashes through the cage of trees.

(Calli)

A shadow falls over the street where Calli is being boxed in. The people around her are in some sort of stupor and do not react to the building leaning over to crush them all. If she doesn't do something, all of these people will die. She clicks her tongue and enters limbo space, leaping up and out of the crowd. Cutting the building wouldn't do much good, so she aims to pass through it and escape out the other end.

She crashes through a thick window and leaps off of furnishings that somehow aren't falling or sliding. She crashes through the opposite side and exits limbo space. As she expected, the building stops falling towards the street and instead reverses course, straightening out again. It is trying to crush her specifically. She tries to formulate a plan to keep casualties to a minimum, but as she does, a pair of sedans hurdle through the air towards her. Spinning in the air, she slices the cars in half. They explode, sending her careening towards the ground.

As soon as she lands, a train, engine and all, rushes at her like a snake. Even as she bats it away, more machines of industry and transportation attack. The ground beneath her feet buckles and ripples, trying to throw her off balance. It's like the entire city is trying to kill her.

Thinking that, Calli notices a figure sitting on a bench nearby. The girl stands out, still amidst a storm of motion. Though her face is shaded by a hood, Calli can see the girl's eyes. Two beady red dots glowing with hatred. Calli cuts the arm off of an excavator and dashes into the bubble of stillness. She looks down at the girl, making no attempt to mask her nature. She demands to know who the girl is.

The girl states that she has no name. She is a guide, one that oversees the development of civilization. She stands, doffing her hood and revealing the intense determination on her face. Circumstance has prevented her from responding until now, but she will no longer stand for death impeding civilization's progress.

Calli isn't sure what to make of this, but she isn't in a position to consider. Lightning fast, she swings her scythe. Concrete and steel constructions erupt between them, stopping Calli's swing. The nameless girl does not flinch. The concrete pushes Calli back as the girl grabs the steel, the metal morphs into a hammer, more tool than weapon. That doesn't stop the girl from using it as one. She swings her little mallet, smashing Calli's guard and sending her crashing through a statue across the street.

Calli barely gets back to her feet before the pavement beneath her is sucked back towards the overseer. The hammer swings, so Calli enters limbo space. If she can't guard, she'll just dodge. The girl's eyes move, following Calli. Then her arm speeds up. She has intruded into limbo space. The hammer strikes true and Calli is blasted away. It is like fighting Gura when she went berserk. Except, in this case, Calli has no plan to bring this fight to an end.

A wrecking ball swings down from above and Calli obliterates it. She stands, wiping blood from her lip, and shoots a glare at the girl with no name. Civilization is an intimidating opponent. It grows and expands no matter what disaster might befall it.

But death is relentless. Sooner or later, it always wins out.

(Kiara)

Kiara's legs tremble. She is struggling to stay on her feet. Ceres's attacks are relentless, and Kiara can barely protect herself, let alone get an attack in. Ceres speaks as she slowly approaches. She asks Kiara what people call a fire that will not go out. A disaster. Kiara feels a pang in her chest. This woman's disgust is so intense that it makes breathing difficult. When she is within arm's reach, Kiara attacks, but Ceres simply steps past the blade.

The tips of Ceres's fingers bring forth a thicket of plants that wrap tightly around Kiara. She cries out in pain as she is enveloped in green, her legs immobilized, her arms twisted. Ceres continues to taunt and berate her. Kiara shivers as a familiar, smothering pressure surrounds her. Her flame flickers. It isn't the exactly the same, but close enough that Kiara is reminded of the void she experienced in the ritual chamber. It is terrifying.

But it is something she can overcome. She shouts, pulling against the plants around her, wrestling her sword arm free. She slashes, creating a torrent of fire that burns away her restraints. The heat is intense enough that Ceres has to step back. This makes Kiara smile. She isn't as outmatched as she thought, even if her opponent really is life itself.

Ceres scoffs and the circle of trees around them begins to close in. Kiara does not flinch, however. She knows she can't break through the ring, but that won't stop her from trying. The trunks quickly press against her, threatening to crush her, but she continues to smile, defiant. She looks up at the sky-it is a pinprick in this wooden tomb-eager to return to life again and again. Before she is crushed, however, a light appears, descending from that tiny dot of sky.

Kiara knows this light. She can't say exactly how, but she knows it. Furthermore, she knows the sense of warmth it brings. The hope it instills. Kiara watches it drift closer and closer until it is right in front of her face, bright as a star. A pair of hands gently cradle her chin and she hears a voice praising her tenacity. Power flows through Kiara. It is her own power bolstered by unbreakable hope.

Kiara's body erupts in orange and green fire, driving back the ring of trees. No, not just driving them back, burning them to a crisp. She glows with the power of her unending soul and levels her sword against Ceres. The personification of life winces at the heat. Kiara smiles, gloating silently before sprouting a pair of fiery wings. She winks at Ceres before soaring at incredible speed in Calli's direction.

The asphalt below her melts along her course as she tears through the sky. She spots a pair of buildings about to come together in the air, Calli between them. Kiara flies between the buildings, melting their roofs and carrying Calli to safety. Calli thanks her for the save. They land and face off against a girl in a brown cowl who looks extremely agitated. Ceres grows from the ground beside the girl, looking equally agitated. If the girl in brown is anywhere near as strong as Ceres, this will be a brutal fight.

Ceres and the girl begin to argue, however. The girl in brown, a feather in her hair, berates Ceres for not doing her job. Ceres fires back gesturing aggressively towards Kiara and Calli. They stomp their feet and shake their fists and bluster back and forth as if there isn't a fight going on. In any other circumstances, Kiara might think it funny. But these two are anything but. She demands to know what they are after, shouting to get them to quiet down.

The bizarre enemies scowl at each other before pointing. The girl in brown points at Calli, and Ceres points at Kiara. Their goal is to destroy death and the undying phoenix respectively. That much is obvious, but there is no use trying to dig further.

A tall brick wall snakes its way across the road. It shoots between Calli and Kiara, separating them. Strangely, it wraps around Ceres as well. An airplane appears from around a skyscraper and dives directly at Calli on the other side of the wall. Kiara prepares to break through and offer support, but before she can a large tree sprouts, catching the plane in its branches.

Kiara smashes through the wall and rushes towards Calli, who is being harassed by a group of wheels rolling around on their own. Vines descend from the large tree, deftly slipping between Kiara's defenses and restraining her again. They coil tightly around her limbs, threatening to crush them. The girl in brown appears alongside the roar of an engine. Using a chainsaw that definitely wasn't on her person before, she cuts through the vines, freeing Kiara. In the same motion, though, she leaps at Calli, dangerous tool primed to strike.

Sucking in air, Kiara stokes her flame and charges, putting herself between the girl in brown and Calli. The girl in brown looks shocked and holds back her attack, landing a short distance away. She is hesitating for some reason. A row of bushes sprouts around Calli, intercepting the wheels. Ceres emerges from the bushes and lunges at Kiara, who raises her shield. An arm overgrown with bark slams into the shield, nearly knocking Kiara off her feet. The girl in brown swings her chainsaw over Kiara's head, halting another attack. Ceres narrowly avoids the cycling blades.

The standoff that ensues throws Kiara for a loop. The girl in brown stands in defense of Kiara while Ceres appears to be defending Calli. Are these two working together or not? The sky flickers, like a light has been switched off. It only lasts a fraction of a second, but the jarring difference is enough to send chills down Kiara's spine.

Ceres clicks her tongue and accuses the girl in brown of wasting too much time. The girl throws the accusation back at her. The world around them begins to flow like water circling a drain. The girl in brown turns and smiles at Kiara. She says she doesn't have a name, per se, but her friends call her Mumei. She bids Kiara farewell in a perfectly pleasant way before the asphalt swallows her up. Ceres waves to Calli cheerfully before her body collapses into a pile of leaves taken by the wind.

The city snaps back into its proper shape. There are people walking the sidewalks and cars crossing intersections in the distance, but no more than there should be. The normalcy is surreal after the oddity of the encounter. Kiara lets out a long breath, allowing her heat to die down. The danger seems to have passed.

As she walks towards Calli, relieved that her friend is okay, the reaper levels her scythe. She tells Kiara to watch out behind her. Kiara spins, ready to fight, but the person she finds standing a few short feet behind her doesn't look eager to tussle at all.

The woman sparkles, crystalline horns jutting out from either side of her head. She raises her hands and smiles nervously. She introduces herself. Her name is Irys.

Section 3 - A New Threat

(Calli)

The apartment is completely empty when Calli, Kiara, and Irys arrive. Ame's workshop is also empty. Nobody is answering their phones. The possibility that the others were attacked in the same way as Calli and Kiara were weighs heavy on their minds. Irys confirms their suspicions. Calli demands to know what is going on.

Irys begins by explaining herself. She is hope, but also despair; a fundamental concept given shape. Her birth dates back to near the creation of the universe itself. She pauses, an expectant look on her face, but Kiara urges her to continue. Deflating slightly, she explains that a handful of similar concepts were granted consciousness. Chaos, the cosmos, time, and the two they've already met, civilization and nature. They exist both as the embodiment of those concepts themselves and as overseers.

This council of concepts is itself overseen by an Administrator. She pauses for effect again. Calli growls. What does that have to do with she and her friends? Irys twiddles her thumbs. She starts to look a little green. Calli almost snaps at her, but Kiara waves her down, urging Irys to take her time. Irys bows her head and sheepishly raises her hand. She is to blame, she says.

Calli crosses her arms. It would be easy to jump to conclusions, but she gets the feeling she understands. They weren't supposed to defeat the cult of the Ancient Ones. According to Ame's future, anyways. When she presents this theory, Irys nods. The part of her that is despair was tipping the scales towards devastation. It is simply something that happens on occasion. Her dueling natures are in near constant flux. Despair was meant to have been her dominant half, but the efforts of the party pushed it back, allowing the part of her that is hope to awaken.

This premature awakening caught the attention of the Administrator, so the council was granted agency to act on their own. The damage has already been done and cannot be reversed, but the perpetrators must be dealt with before they can cause any more distortions.

It is a difficult situation. On one hand, Calli can relate to the council's mission. She herself is death's apprentice who travels the world dispensing justice to any would-be death worshippers. On the other hand, what they did was the right thing, distortion or no. She wonders aloud if one can even kill a concept.

Irys slams her hands on the table and desperately pleas with Calli not to hurt the council members. It isn't often that they are granted the agency to think and feel, so it is easy for them to get carried away. Above that, they are her friends. Having gained a little more respect for Irys, Calli asks her what the plan is. The council members are the aggressors in this situation. They can't just wait for them to come to their senses.

Kiara suggests they try talking to them, but when she asks what exactly would drive the embodiments of nature and civilization to want them dead, Irys shakes her head. The members of the council are her friends, but she doesn't know everything about them. They have their own reasons informed by their own duties and experiences. All she can say for sure is that they aren't always on a warpath.

Taking that tiny bit of information into account, Calli accepts talking things out as a possible solution. They can't be afraid to defend themselves if necessary, though. Kiara agrees as does Irys, if a little more solemnly. With that settled, a shadow falls over the table.

Ina, Gura, and Ame are missing. They are targets of the council and have likely been attacked. How do they proceed? Once again, Irys raises her hand. It isn't an exact science, but she can detect people with whom she has interacted. The missing three, as well as Calli and Kiara, all qualify. There's just one problem. She can only sense one of them.

This startles Calli and Kiara, but they are determined not to panic. They ask Irys to guide them to whichever of their friends is out there.

(Gura)

Gura stares at the first dark spots on the pavement as rain begins to fall. She breathes in the smell of a city about to be soaked through. The clouds grow darker and darker, and soon enough a downpour drowns out the rest of the world. It's just as well.

Her head just hasn't been on straight lately. That little voice in her mind is gone, and yet she doesn't feel any more sane. If anything, the quiet is darker and colder than the evil whispers. At least when she heard them, she had some to share with. Someone to blame. Someone to deflect all of her guilt on to.

If Gura was asked what her most admirable trait is, she would say her strength. If nothing else, it is something that will always come through. But the weight of those memories-all of those lives-is much more than even she can bear.

The voice used to say that she was right to run away. Why should she have to deal with the grief? She hadn't known what she was doing. She was only a child . . . It was nothing but empty words, but she appreciated the distraction.

Gura drags her feet through puddles as the city darkens, absorbing water and light. The street lamps and glowing signs out front of business bloom in the moist air. The roar of the rain blocks everything out, even making her own thoughts harder to hear. It's almost nice, ignoring the cold and soggy clothes. If it rains any harder, it'll almost be like home.

She looks up. Huge, swollen rain drops pelt her open eyes. If lightning were to strike her down right now, would anyone be sad? Well, her friends would, of course, but they don't know about what Gura did. Maybe she should tell them.

The thought makes her chest tight. What is worse, being treated well despite not deserving it, or being hated outright? Is there really a difference? There has to be. There is. Gura decides that even if she is to be hated, she will at least take solace in the fact that was honest. It is a small comfort, but it's enough to raise her spirits somewhat. It offers her a chance, however slim. Of what, she isn't quite sure. Not forgiveness, but something similar.

She shakes her head and her hair slaps thickly against her forehead. At this point, her hood won't do a thing, so she decides to leave it. Being wet isn't that strange for a shark anyways. If anything, being dry is what's bizarre. Still, it would be nice to get out of the rain for a bit. She gravitates towards a storefront with fashionable clothes on display in the window. The coats on the mannequins look heavy, thick, and warm. Too rich for Gura's blood by a long shot, but nice. A simply parka is much more her speed.

She turns to find a more affordable shop, catching a glimpse of her reflection. She meets her own eyes, but the her in the window isn't right side up. Reflexively, Gura slams her fist into the display window, shattering the glass and the wrong reflection. An alarm sounds, but it sounds distant to her. Her heart drums a panicked beat, and her lungs cry for air. All of it is distant, though. She stands, fixated on the mannequin on the other side of the hole in the glass. Her force of her punch knocked it off of its pedestal. It now lies in pieces on the floor.

A flash of red. A person, not a mannequin, lies in pieces. Blood soaks the ground beneath them.

Gura isn't sure how long she stands there, staring. Eventually, she hears a voice. It is distant at first, like everything else, but when someone grabs her shoulders, she snaps back to reality. Kiara firmly grips her shoulders with a concerned look on her face. Calli is here too, as well as someone Gura doesn't know. When Kiara realizes that Gura is really seeing her, she wells up and pulls Gura close.

Warmth flows from Kiara into Gura's chest and she feels emotions welling up as well. The warmth does not reach her heart, however. For some reason, she doesn't feel happy to see her friends. It doesn't bring her any joy to know that they were worried about her. She returns Kiara's hug out of fear more than anything else.

She recognizes the spiral she is in, but can't see a way to escape it. She puts on a strong face, but it isn't very convincing.

On the way back to the apartment, Gura gets acquainted with Irys. The interaction is . . . awkward. Irys tries to explain that Gura is being targeted by a member of the council, but Gura just can't bring herself to care. She blows off Irys's warnings and dismisses her concerns. Irys insists that she gets a strong feeling of one of her friends from Gura. Getting frustrated, Gura storms off just before they get to the apartment.

Gura finds herself in Ame's workshop. Nobody comes after her, and that's fine. Her mood gets darker and darker. One intrusive thought in particular keeps rearing its head: Maybe she should just leave? She's been here long enough, and things have been going well. All the more reason to get away. She ruins things. She doesn't want to ruin what she's found here.

The more she thinks, the better that idea sounds. If Ame can do it, so can Gura.

Just before she commits to the idea, though, something appears in the periphery of her vision. The time machine has reappeared. A small glint of hope breaches the darkness in Gura's heart. She calls out for Ame. There is no response. She steps closer and is almost scared out of her skin when Ame stumbles out of the machine. She helps her to a stool and pulls up a seat beside her.

It takes a moment to get her talking, but Ame tells Gura what she has experienced. More importantly, she tells her about the atrocity she has committed. Gura's entire body feels cold. She wants to embrace Ame, seeking to give some form of comfort as well as receive it. Beside her is someone who can relate to her own horrific actions. Someone who can alleviate her burden by way of sympathy. At the same time she feels a powerful urge to get away. She doesn't think she can stand seeing one of her friends fall down the same spiral as her.

All she can do is sit here silently, frozen by self doubt. When Ame starts making a low, incoherent noise, she leans in. Ame slams her fists on the table and curses the warden of time with a voice-cracking shout. Gura picks herself up off the floor, wide-eyed.

The time traveler goes on a tirade against time itself. She rejects the notion that she is some horrible monster. She reaffirms her belief in her decisions. She declares her intent to continue living, no matter what. She leaves Gura completely speechless and starts working on something, grumbling to herself all the way.

Gura stands, marveling at Ame's intense will. For a moment, she sees herself with that sort of willpower. She could reject the part of her that won't let go. She could move on. She could . . . A flash of red wipes those hopes away. If she did what Ame is doing, she would never be able to deny the monster that she really is ever again. The weight of that-mental and emotional-is too great for even her immense strength.

She wants to be alone. Needs to be alone. Nobody can help her straighten out this tangle of emotions. So she leaves. She doesn't go too far, but she can't take the hopeful pressure coming off of her friends anymore.

On the roof of the apartment, away from everyone, she sits. She turns her trident in her hands and just thinks.

(Ina)

The human mind is not meant to perceive the full scale of the universe, Ina decides. She follows Sana through a hallway that is frighteningly vague. There are definitely walls-she catches glimpses of them every now and then-but for the most part all she sees is the vast emptiness of space.

They reach a door floating in the void. Sana asks Ina to bear with her while she deals with some business. When she walks through the door, Ina gasps. The room they've entered isn't just floating in a void. It feels much more complex. It's as if the space is constructed from materials she isn't able to comprehend. A room made of concepts with no solid visual identity.

Sana smiles at Ina and asks her to wait by the door before making her way to the center of the room. There is a large table there with seven seats. Sana sits and greets the others. Ina can see three of them other than Sana. The fourth has her back turned to Ina, her chair concealing her. A fifth chair is vacant, while the final chair-the largest of them all-sits as if awaiting the arrival of its owner.

They chat for a bit, and everyone but Sana and the girl Ina can't see seems tense. Something is amiss. One them looks Ina's way, and suddenly she is standing in thick forest. The darkness just beyond the trunks is different from the darkness of space, the darkness of her own magic. It is predatory. The woman speaks, bringing Ina back into the moment. Her soft voice belies the intensity of her words. Suddenly, all of the tension in the room becomes hostility, and all of it is aimed at her.

It's suffocating.

Sana waves everyone down casually, easing the pressure off of Ina. The way she speaks to these people makes it clear that she sees them as friends. What exactly happened to her after she disappeared into the void?

The room goes quiet. They look to the last chair in anticipation. Then, Ina feels it. Reality itself splits and a figure steps through the fissure. The vastness of this being is completely unapproachable. Ina doesn't feel like she is being crushed, she simply can't comprehend even a little bit. She breaks out in a cold sweat when she realizes that it is her ignorance that is keeping her sane.

The figure speaks to the people at the table, their mouth unmoving. Hope has awakened, and the council members must remove the actors responsible. Ina understands the words, but without context, it might as well be nonsense.

A woman with statuesque features, Kronii, assures the being she calls the Administrator that she will erase the one who destroyed the future. The women in white and brown, Fauna and Mumei, begin to bicker, saying that they would have already completed their task if they hadn't gotten in each other's way. The one Ina can't see-the Administrator names her as Baelz-snickers. She brags about staying the course. No reason to fix what isn't broken.

The Administrator eyes Sana and questions her about Ina. In response, Sana stands up, beaming. She rushes over and pulls Ina to the table. She proceeds to introduce her. The skeptical stares are just as suffocating as they were before, but she can at least get a look at Baelz. She is shocked to see that the chair is empty, however. A red mist hangs in the air above the seat, a representation of an absent member, perhaps.

The Administrator scrutinizes Ina as well; a surprisingly benign experience. They voice their approval, causing Sana to cheer and embrace Ina. With everyone addressed, the Administrator calls an end to the meeting and the council members disperse. Ina finds herself following Sana through a hallway that is not a hallway once again.

Sana is excited about all of the catching up they have to do. Ina puts a hold on that, asking to know what all of this is and how Sana is involved first. Her old friend nods and snaps her fingers. A pair of cushiony seats appear behind them and the ambiguous boundaries of the hallway vanish entirely.

She spins a tale of being trapped in a lifeless void, afraid and all alone. She is sure she is going to die, but a being of great power sees her. It enters her, transforming her from a human being to something more akin to a concept. Her perception expands and she awakens at the dawn of time. From there, she gives a brief chronicle of meeting the other council members and becoming friends with them.

Her story culminates in the present day, when she is keeping a careful eye on the cult of the Ancient Ones. She knows what they plan to do, and though she is not ecstatic about their methods, the idea of being reunited with Ina after an eternity is tempting. If the cult had been successful, Ina would have become a vessel for Sana's power, the power of space and the universe. But Ina found another way to connect to Sana's power, allowing them to truly reunite they way they are.

Ina is flabbergasted. Even considering everything she's seen and experienced, it all seems so improbable. Still, she is happy. Losing Sana was devastating, so knowing that she is alive and well makes one of her burdens that much lighter. But it isn't gone completely. Because Sana was chosen instead of Ina, she missed out on so much life, in a much more extreme way than Ina. She excitedly expresses her desire to introduce Sana to the friends she's made.

Sana shakes her head, though. Those new friends have been deemed malicious actors who have harmed the integrity of reality. The Administrator has ordered their erasure. The only thing keeping Ina from suffering the same fate is living here, in Sana's realm.

Ina stands. They have to save her friends. Sana refuses. She doesn't know them. Only Ina matters. Ina demands to be sent back. If Sana won't help, then she'll help them by herself. Again, Sana refuses. She won't let go of the friendship she has reclaimed after eons. Ina wonders how Sana can call herself her friend in this situation. Isn't she doing exactly as the Administrator said, erasing her? She might not disappear entirely, but if she is stuck here, she may as well not exist.

Sana questions if she doesn't exist to Ina, shouting. This place is her. She has always existed here? Did Ina just forget about Sana when she vanished? Did she abandon her? Is being with her really such an unpleasant thing? Worse than being erased? She is crying. She is afraid.

Ina's heart aches, watching her oldest friend break down like this. Sana said that the council members are her friends, but she also mentioned that they don't often get the chance to interact. How lonely must it be to watch over the whole of the universe, privy to everything there is but infinitely distant from all of it? She approaches Sana and looks up into her eyes.

She tells Sana to come with her. She can show her everything she has learned about the world and they can discover so much more together. Sana resists, citing the Administrator's power. Her role is aptly named, as she governs the fundamental forces that the council embodies. Ina does not waver. There would be no reason to erase any sort of malicious actor if the Administrator's power was absolute. They defied the will of the universe once before. They can do it again.

Sana asks if Ina intends to abandon her in the darkness again. Ina embraces her, squeezing tight. She never would have left her behind if she'd had a choice. Now, she has a choice, and she chooses to return hand in hand with Sana. The embodiment of space itself sobs and returns the embrace. She shudders in Ina's arms, and Ina finds herself crying too.

After they calm down, Sana asks what they will do about the other council members. She doesn't want to fight them. She doesn't want anyone she cares about to get hurt. Ina sympathizes, but she isn't sure they'll be able to get by without conflict. Still, they will try. Everyone will make it through this.

Sana is satisfied with this response. The space beside them splits open, revealing the cafe from which they left. It is dark, but when Ina steps through, she sees that the sun is actually about to rise. Sana marvels at the beauty of the silver line of light tracing the outline of the city's buildings. She has seen every astronomical body there is to see, but she has never seen the ways they interact at this scale before.

Ina smiles, but sets her sights beyond the horizon. She doubts the Administrator will take this defection lying down, but she is undeterred.

Now, how to explain this to the others?

Section 4 - Drafting Plans

(Kiara)

Kiara watches the sun rise from the window in her room. The apartment is quiet. Ame locked herself in her workshop as soon as she reappeared, and Gura ran off somewhere again. Calli and Irys are asleep, leaving Kiara alone with her thoughts.

She asks herself what life is. What is it supposed to be? Is there something wrong with her way of doing things? Ceres's hatred would suggest that there is, But Kiara isn't convinced. She's been alive for so long and it has never caused her any trouble, let alone the people around her. If anything, it has been nothing other than good. She's been able to meet so many people, touch so many lives.

An unending soul like hers might not be natural in the strictest sense of the term, but it is who she is. It is how she was born. She will not apologize for being who she is. And she won't stand by and let that part of her be taken away.

Irys doesn't want to them to fight her friends if at all possible. Kiara herself would prefer to find a nonviolent solution, but she isn't sure how she can counter the soul crushing depths of Ceres's hate. Will words be enough? She really isn't sure.

The sound of footsteps draws Kiara's attention just in time to see Irys burst through the door. She can sense Ina. More than that, she can sense a member of the council. Kiara leaps to her feet, rousing Calli and rushing to the door. Irys says they are close by, so they won't have to go far. And as it turns out, they don't even have to leave.

As soon as Kiara opens the door, she runs into Ina, key in hand. She can't decide if she is more startled or relieved in that moment, but she scoops Ina up in a hug regardless. She is so distracted by Ina that she doesn't notice the person peaking around the corner of the entryway. Calli pushes past Kiara, ready to fight, but Ina stops her. That is not an enemy.

Ina introduces Sana to Kiara and Calli, and explains their relationship. Calli apologizes to Sana for assuming the worst. Sana shakes her head. She understands, and was fully expecting it. With that out of the way, her personality flips. Gone is the unsure, frightened woman around the corner. Now, she is as bubbly as can be. She chats with Kiara and Calli-mostly about Ina-warmly and openly. She also answers their questions about the other council members.

Being able to put names to the council members puts Kiara at ease. If they have names, then sure they have some perspective she can approach. She does wonder, though, why Irys didn't tell them all of this before. Shifting her focus, Kiara notices that Irys is being quiet and is mostly distancing herself from the conversations. Kiara stands, offering to get the others drinks.

After delivering the refreshments, she does not return to her seat. Instead she swerves, planting herself beside Irys, who is sitting just out of Sana's point of view. She questions the embodiment of hope. According to Irys, although she would describe the council members as being friends, their relationships can be strained. With only limited periods of cognizance, small arguments and complaints can swell into monumental issues that create tension.

She makes a note of Fauna-a more familiar name for Ceres-and Mumei. Their natures are not inherently opposed, but their goals and ideals often come into conflict. Civilization seeks to expand, edging out nature, while Nature seeks to grow, damaging the integrity of civilization. In Irys's case, this manifests in her natures rubbing the others the wrong way. The last time she spoke to any of the council members, the part of her that is despair was taking hold. As a result, her relationships with them are strained. Her falling out with Baelz, the embodiment of chaos, was particularly messy.

Kiara takes this in, considering. She has seen many a group break apart, never to reconvene for as long as they all lived. But she has as many groups break apart and eventually reconcile. Balancing Irys's dual natures might complicate things, but for now, they should focus on the current dynamic and what Irys wants to do.

Irys takes a deep breath and thanks Kiara. She then moves to speak with Sana. The interaction is tense at first, but after Irys apologizes, Sana happily accepts her back into her life. Seeing this gives Kiara new hope that things can be resolved peacefully after all.

(Calli)

Seeing everyone getting along warms Calli's heart, but they are subtly avoiding talking about the most pressing matters. Namely, how will they approach the coming assaults by the remaining council members? She voices this concern to Irys and Sana.

They consider, but aren't able to come up with anything concrete. Neither of them want to fight their friends, so relying on them for help is out of the question. So, Calli asks Sana specifically for information about the coming threats instead. Namely, why do Mumei and Fauna have such a strong hatred for Calli and Kiara.

Sana lists their grievances plainly. Fauna is the embodiment of nature, essentially making life her domain. Death is a natural part of life's cycle. Without death there can be no growth. A soul that never dies, like Kiara's, is an affront to the very concept of life as Fauna sees it. As for Mumei, she sees death as the ultimate enemy of progress. If nobody had to die, then civilization could expand much more quickly.

Calli rubs her eyes. To think that they were being targeted by fundamental aspects of reality for such petty reasons. Sana assures her that to the overseers of these concepts, there is nothing petty about it. These grievances concern their entire reason for being. This doesn't really help Calli come up with a plan.

Irys chimes in with her own idea. If the reason for this conflict is something that can't be easily resolved, then why not switch opponents? Fauna has an affinity for Calli as Death's apprentice, and Mumei has an affinity for Kiara as a soul that never dies. Conversation between their perceived enemies might be a nonstarter, but they might listen to reason delivered by someone they already respect.

Ina speaks up next. She asks Sana if the other council members really want to follow the Administrator's orders. They all seem so invested in reality and its growth. Erasing a handful of individuals might seem small, but it is a purely reductive act. It does nothing but take away from reality. If given the choice, would any of them choose to join them in opposing the Administrator?

Sana and Irys share a look-the kind of look that can only be shared between people with untold history-and nod. They are certain that the others will see reason. Most of them will, anyways. This is good enough for Calli. She pulls Kiara aside and tries to form a plan.

(Ame)

Ame wipes the sweat from her brow, leaving a greasy streak in its place. Her latest creation is almost complete. It isn't something she ever could have made without this dedicated workspace and readily available resources. She does a test fitting, clamping a pair of form-fitting bracelets to her wrists and ankles. She dons her hat, which is now lined with a similar contraption. The last piece is a belt tightened around her waist. She moves around, checking her range of movement and is satisfied.

A little more work is all it should take to complete her countermeasure, but she needs a break. Placing the pieces on a cluttered desk, she exits the workshop. Guarding her eyes from the harsh rays of the noonday sun, she enters the apartment. What she finds there shocks her. Irys and Sana, both members of the group that Kronii belongs to. Apparently, they are allies, so Ame gives her regards and keeps moving.

She wants to rest, but more importantly, she needs to address something. She enters Gura's room, climbs through the open window, and ascends to the roof. She finds Gura sitting there, trident in hand.

Ame takes a seat next to her friend and just sits in silence for a while. When she returned from the erased future, she unloaded a lot of heavy things on Gura. It didn't occur to her how much those things might have hurt. Since Gura isn't saying anything, Ame starts.

She apologizes. When they first met, Ame was hostile and suspicious. She did her best to hide it, but she knows how antagonistic she was being. She treated Gura and Ina like monsters without ever getting to know them, all because the possibility existed that they would destroy the world in the future. In the end, though, it was Ame who destroyed it. She lays bare her hypocrisy, even if she couldn't have known in advance what would happen.

Then she thanks Gura. Her gratitude is mostly for not turning away from Ame in disgust after finding out what she did, but it is also for being a friend despite it all. Gura says nothing. Her eyes are distant, looking down at the trident in her lap. It is a better reaction than Ame expected. She stands up, dusting herself off as she says goodbye. She leaves an open invitation to help out in the workshop as her final words.

As Ame makes her way back to the fire escape, Gura tells her that she isn't the only monster here. Ame turns, confused. Gura elaborates, telling Ame about the destruction of her home and people, and how their blood is on her hands. Ame returns to Gura's side as she continues to recall the day she destroyed her homeland. Ame listens in silence, stunned, but not entirely surprised. The things Gura is saying reminds her very much of the creature that helped make her future the gnarled ruin it was.

Gura explains that she was actually relieved when Ame told her about the future. She was happy to have someone close who could relate to her pain and guilt. but then Ame exploded, shaking her fist at the powers that be, refusing to accept any of it. Jealousy smothered her relief. She wants to be the type of person that can face her actions instead of running away.

Ame shakes her head. She is running away. To accept responsibility for her actions would be to accept the punishment put before her. She erased the future and everyone in it, so it only makes sense that she be erased too. But she doesn't want to be erased. She is rejecting the atrocity she committed, trying to leave it behind her. If she doesn't, then she may as well just accept her doomed fate.

She stands, feeling motivated to return to work. She leaves Gura with one last sentiment; she traveled back in time to change the future. She won't let the consequences of her actions stop her from moving forward. Gura thanks Ame for reminding her that she isn't alone, but when Ame turns back hoping to see Gura following her, she sees the shark girl curling in on herself.

As she descends the fire escape alone, Ame reminds herself that people deal with things in their own time. For someone who has been running for so long, it must be very difficult to just stand still, let alone change course.

When she passes back through the apartment, she is stopped by the others. they fill her in on their plans to talk the council members down. She flatly refuses. She can appreciate where Irys and Sana are coming from, but her life is being threatened, so she won't hold back. They are disappointed, but Ame doesn't let their mood sway her.

Back in her workshop, Ame picks up where she left off. It isn't clear exactly when the warden of time will come for her, but when she does, Amelia Watson will be ready.

(Ina)

While Calli and Kiara formulate a plan for themselves, Ina sits with Sana and Irys. With Sana on their side, there is one less council member they have to worry about. That still leaves Kronii and Baelz. Sana shakes her head. Kronii is a tough nut to crack. She tends to be stubborn about things she has already set in her mind. Talking her down will be extremely difficult, especially if Ame is unwilling to cooperate.

It seems like they have no choice but to fight her. With everyone's help, minus Irys and Sana, they should be able to hold the warden of time back. But what if Kronii doesn't attack alone? Irys explains that Kronii is something of a perfectionist. In this case, she likely won't attack unless she is sure things will go as she intends. Sana supports this. Mumei and Fauna's attacks are synchronized by necessity. If they weren't, they would interfere in each other's fights. Considering that Calli and Kiara would be occupied, Kronii will most likely attack when the other council members do.

That is troubling, but between Ame, Ina, and Gura, they should be able to do something. That just leaves one. Ina brings up Baelz, but Sana and Irys look away. Just how badly regarded is chaos among the council? Irys and Sana shake their heads furiously. Baelz is still their friend, but she tends to be isolated. Her nature encourages taking a more active role in the world, something that the others aren't keen to do. There is a distance between them all that can be hard to brook. Additionally, the nature of chaos is such that it tends to impinge on the domains of the rest of the council, affecting them in unpredictable ways.

Sana explains that the gap between Baelz and the others has been growing for quite some time now. Ina crosses her arms and thinks. Assuming that each member of the council is only after one target, Baelz could only be going after Gura. This is troubling. Gura is the only one who hasn't been attacked, and yet in the council meeting, Baelz implied things were fine on her end.

The goal is to keep the fight against Kronii in their favor, so it would be a problem if Baelz showed up to divert Gura's attention. Ina asks if either Sana or Irys could erect some kind of barrier to keep Baelz out of the fight for them. They share a look and shake their heads. Baelz is very strong. Sana could put up a barrier, but the more present, influential power of chaos could easily punch through it. If barriers were something Irys was capable of creating, she might stand a chance, but it simply isn't something she can do.

One problem after another. It isn't ideal, but Ina proposes a new plan. Ame and Gura will fight Kronii two-on-one. Ina, in the meantime, will erect a barrier to hold off Baelz if she tries to interfere. She asks Sana if she would be willing to lend her strength to the shield. Since it isn't a direct form of conflict, she agrees, though she still isn't confident that they can keep Baelz out.

That is good enough for Ina. She shifts the conversation to after the fight with Kronii. Specifically, how are they going to talk Baelz out of fighting? Sana and Irys smile and open their mouths as if to offer a plan, but no sound escapes their lips. They end up scratching their heads. Ina asks if they aren't better off dealing with her as they will Kronii. Sana thinks that is for the best, but Irys disagrees. Baelz can be hotheaded, but she isn't some mindless monster. If the council members-Irys in particular-were to apologize for drifting so far away, then she is sure to come to her senses.

Sana isn't sure. She doesn't want her friends on the council to be hurt either, but things aren't in as salvageable a state as they were last time Irys was around. The other council members aren't the only ones who have been drifting away. Baelz has been burning bridges, leaving the Administrator as her closest contact. As a result, she might be the most loyal to the Administrator.

This, understandably, disturbs Irys. Ina thinks of their party's final confrontation with the cult. If Ina had been given time to prepare for Gura's possession by the trident, she would certainly have languished over how to deal with it. Fortunately, it happened quickly, giving her no time to think. She was put in a position where she had no choice but to trust in her friends. No room for doubt.

Could she offer that same comfort to Irys? It doesn't seem likely. But she could do the next best thing. Ina puts a hand on Irys's shoulder. With a gentle squeeze, she assures the embodiment of hope that they will save her friends, one way or another. She asks for her trust. Sana places a hand over Ina's and offers her trust, looking for Irys to follow suit.

Irys smiles, placing a hand over the other two. She trusts them. If they can change the course of history, they can surely save her friends.

Satisfied with everyone's mood, Ina stands and decides to prepare dinner. She's been practicing and is eager to show off what she's learned. From her position in the kitchen, she can see Calli and Kiara planning and Irys and Sana chatting. She'll have to make enough for everyone. An image appears in her mind. All of her friends and the members of the council sitting around the same table, eating and having a good time. It isn't the most solid image, but it remains a possibility.

A possibility she can cling to.

Suddenly, Irys's shoulders jump and an uneasy quiet comes over the room. They can all feel the incoming presence of the council. Not just one, but every remaining member, all at once. It is as they planned, but without time to really prepare, Ina feels her confidence slipping.

Ina sends Irys and Sana down to Ame's workshop. Calli and Kiara tell Ina that they are going to leave the apartment. Their plan isn't very well thought out-if they aren't lucky and things don't fall into place they'll be in trouble-but it's all they have. Ina wishes them luck and rushes to the roof to retrieve Gura.

Section 5 - Strike

(Irys)

The presences bearing down on the city give Irys the shivers. To have just one member of the council turn their attentions on reality is strenuous, but four sets of semi-divine eyes to be focusing on this one point in space and time is stretching her senses to their limits. It's like an itch that can't be scratched or tinnitus that fades into the background but never really goes away. She looks to Sana as they exit the apartment, and sure enough she is sweating too.

They burst through the workshop doors and fill Ame in. She curses, rushing to put the finishing touches on her device. Soon, Ina rushes in with Gura in tow. Irys can feel Bae's attention on the shark stronger than ever, confirming that her attack is coordinated with the others. Ina explains Kiara and Calli's absence.

It is all happening too fast. They've only just settled on the plan, and it isn't clear if they are ready to fight. Ame seems confident in her latest creation, but Gura doesn't look sure at all. Sana urges Ina to erect her barrier immediately. They need to keep Bae out while they deal with Kronii, who can easily slip past the barrier with her power.

Ina produces a tome oozing with power. She opens it, drawing that power into herself. With a word that is alien even to Irys, a bubble of force expands, encasing the workshop. Sana bolsters the shield with her own strength. The setup is complete. All that's left is to wait.

For a while, the only sounds in the room are an inhuman humming coming from Ina and Sana, and the sound of Ame working away at her device. The tension is so thick in the air that Irys can barely breathe. Gura doesn't seem affected by it, but then again she is clearly distracted. A darkness flickers in her mind. Irys can see the despair building inside of her.

Desperate to keep that negativity from taking hold, she approaches Gura and thanks her for standing with them. Gura shrugs it off. Ame is her friend, of course she'll help out. It is an admirable sentiment, but the darkness only grows stronger. Whatever this girl is dealing with, a few kind words aren't going to overcome it.

Ame stands, knocking her stool to the floor. She's completed the device. As she holds the final piece above her head, Irys notices Kronii standing on the other side of the room. She stands with her back straight, looking down her nose at everyone in the room. Her hands rest casually on a sword-styled like the hand of an ornate clock-its point digging into the floor.

Her sudden appearance steals the breath from everybody's lungs. She pointedly avoids looking at Irys or Sana and glares at Ame. The time traveler scolds her for waiting until the device was finished, but Kronii dismisses this. She doesn't have to wait for anything. She chose this moment so that she could crush every last one of Ame's hopes.

She moves. It is faster that Irys can blink. It almost appears as if Kronii is in two places at once. She is standing on the other side of the room, and she is standing beside Ame, a thin streak of blood smeared on her blade. Ame falls to her knees, clutching her side. A dark red stain grows from under her palm.

Gura snarls, but as quickly as she raises her trident, her grip loosens just as quickly. Despair blossoms within her and Irys is helpless to stop it. Irys scolds Kronii for being so ruthless, but the warden of time simply shoots her a dark look. The message is clear: stay in your lane.

Irys grits her teeth. She won't fight, but there is something she can do. Hope and despair are her domain. Normally, she can only bolster these forces, allowing others to soar on wings of hope or sink deeper into the depths of despair. Maybe, in this one instance, she can flip the script. Maybe she can turn Gura's despair into hope!

She focuses on the darkness flowing out of Gura, catching a glimpse of Ame injecting herself with something while Kronii watches. Hope and despair are like oil and water. They don't mix, but they don't erase each other either. If Irys can encourage Gura to focus on hope rather than despair, she can bring her out of the darkness. Diving deep, Irys dredges the depths of Gura's psyche. What she sees is suffocating. There is a tremendous amount of pain at the heart of her darkness, so much so that Irys can barely wade through it. But it is there, she can feel it.

A kernel of light, tiny and weak, but undeniably there. She reaches for it, cradling it in her hands. She imparts warmth and comfort, encouraging that tiny hope to grow and dispel the darkness. Irys isn't sure if this will work as she has never done anything like it, but she is seeing results. The light grows stronger. When she returns her consciousness to her body, she is greeted by the sight of Gura tightening her grip on her trident.

Ame is sliced across the leg, causing her to stumble. The workshop has been ransacked in the short time Irys was delving into Gura's mind. Though, when Kronii is involved the length of time is rendered irrelevant. Irys offers encouragement to Gura once more, telling her that she can still protect the family she has found.

The light of hope peeks through the darkness. It glints in Gura's eyes as she moves forward to assist Ame. Irys watches as the final wisps of darkness are extinguish, only to be bolstered by something even darker than despair.

A red shadow falls over Gura and the light leaves her eyes. She stops moving and the end of her trident falls to the floor, the shaft barely held in her grip. Irys panics. She tries to dive back into Gura's mind, but she is repelled. She tries again, but to no avail. Bae is making her move, but when did she get through the barrier? Neither Ina nor Sana have said anything.

Then it dawns on her. Bae never needed to get through the barrier. She was here, within Gura all along. Their plan had been countered before they'd even made it. Kronii continues to harass Ame, and all Irys can do is plead with Gura to wake up.

(Gura)

Ame is in trouble. She's going to die if Gura doesn't move. But is there any guarantee that Ame will be saved even if she does move? This Kronii character can control time. She's toying with Ame, but at any point, she can simply stop time and kill her without giving Gura or the others any room to act. It's the same with the others, isn't it? The powers they are facing are too great for them to defeat.

Gura falls into herself. She retreats, back through her memories. Her time in the cult is a flash, but the rest is a continuous tapestry of lonely travels. Drifting from one place to another in reverse, shunning connection of any sort, until finally she arrives at the beginning. Her home. The one she ruined. The one they ruined.

Another Gura is standing beside her, looking over the corpse of a civilization. She speaks, reminiscing about life in Atlantis. Her voice sounds like Gura's, but it's just slightly off. She turns, beckoning Gura away from the lost city. Encouraging her to keep running.

Ame said that she was running too, but Gura doesn't see it that way. There is a difference between running away from your past and moving on from it. Ame has her sights set on the future to come, whereas Gura is weighed down by her past. The other Gura frowns, urging Gura to follow. She doesn't. She refuses.

The other Gura snarls. Suddenly, they are standing in the ruins of Gura's house. The walls are burned out. There's blood on the floor. There's blood on her hands. Her heart beats furiously and she feels dizzy, but she keeps her eyes on those memories. The other Gura grabs her shoulders and shakes. She accuses Gura of trying to forget and shirk responsibility. A red mist drifts from her lips along with the scathing words.

Gura shrugs the other her off and walks towards the horrible scene at the core of her trauma. The blood seeping into the floor is spreading from one place. The place where her parents' bodies lay. She kneels beside them, but doesn't dare touch them. She severed the bond they shared, she has no right to seek comfort in their touch now.

When she was a child, she shouldered many expectations. She showed promise. She was strong. Her parents, ever proud, told of all the things she would do. They told everyone else, too. Soon enough, it wasn't just her parents expecting great things, it was her whole neighborhood. Eventually, the whole city knew her name and the possibilities she held.

It was too much for a child.

With great expectations came great shame. People cheered for her, but when she failed to meet their expectations, they scorned her. Even her parents, ever supportive, deflated when she didn't match up with their image of her. She tried to ignore it, but ever disappointed look, every sigh and shrug, stuck with her.

Gura didn't want any of it. The pressure was unbearable. She wanted a way out. And then she heard a voice. It was her voice, but different. It told her that there was an escape. It told her that it could help. It told her exactly what to do.

And she'd done it.

And this was the result.

Gura stands. Two people destroyed Atlantis. Gura was manipulated by a malevolent force, she understands that, but she is still responsible. It was by her hand that her home was destroyed. She turns and looks at the other her . . . no, that isn't right. She looks at the woman who used her image to manipulate her. Red hair, large ears like a rodent's laying flat, asymmetrical clothes making the world around her seem like it is spiraling in on her. Hers is a face that Gura has never seen, yet it feels so familiar.

The council member, Baelz, scowls at Gura, mocking her. How many thousands of years did she try to reject her past, only to choose this very moment to grow a spine? Gura ignores the taunt, asking why she did it. Why did any of this have to happen?

Baelz frowns. Chaos is her essence. A civilization crumbling at the hands of its most promising daughter is about as chaotic as it gets. As for why she used Gura specifically . . . Baelz saw herself in Gura. Someone with incredible power, with the grand expectations of others foisted upon her. Someone who was growing more and more isolated the more they tried to live up those expectations. It was a decision of sympathy. A gesture of mercy for someone who will always be alone. Just like her.

The air behind Baelz flickers. A projection-like image appears above her head. It depicts the workshop. Gura sees Ame being flung from side to side. Blood from dozens of cuts dyes her clothes. The other council member is toying with her.

Baelz shrugs. This has been a fun distraction, but once Kronii takes out Ame, they can get back to normal. Gura's hackles rise, but she is frozen. She has made it this far riding Ame's determination. If she were to die now . . .

Gura grinds her teeth and fixes her gaze on the image. She won't give up hope just yet.

(Kronii)

The time traveler refuses to stay down. Kronii stops time again, moving elegantly between overturned chairs and scattered bits of scrap. A quick swipe of her blade cleaves a shallow, though not insignificant cut in Ame's side. She steps away, allowing time to flow again. Ame staggers, but stays on her feet. She discards another syringe before standing straight, her newest wound already closing.

Between these miracle serums and that rickety time machine, her capacity for invention is mind boggling. If she weren't a world destroying criminal, Kronii might have loved picking her brain. Alas, this is how things must be. Another cut, another injection. It is odd. Kronii is sure Ame had something new prepared. She had waited just long enough for it to be completed so as to crush Ame completely. Ideally, she would have activated whatever it is she has concocted to resist right off the bat. Instead, she seems to be stalling.

Sana's foil, Ina, lowers her barrier. With Bae already nested within the shark there is no reason to keep out intruders. Tentacles sprout from the floor and ceiling and attempt to restrain Kronii. Were she not the warden of time, such a strategy might have worked. She stops time, stepping past the tentacles to cut Ame once again.

She should just finish it. Stop time, kill Ame, go home. That's what the Administrator wants. A quick, clean end to the conflict. But Kronii would not be satisfied with such an abrupt end. Ame needs to truly understand what she has done. She needs to feel pain that reflects the severing of potential caused by the erasure of the future. She says as much as Ame rises, a deep gash in her leg stitching itself together.

More tentacles sprout, swinging aggressively, so Kronii lifts her hand towards Ina and stops her. Kronii has no reason to harm the others' targets. They have not wronged her the way Ame has, so freezing the other woman in place is enough. With Gura in Bae's grasp and Irys and Sana refusing to interfere, Ame is completely isolated. She should have no choice but to play her final card.

And yet she still does not. Kronii cuts her again, demanding to know why. Ame's response is frustrating: She hasn't yet said what she needs to say. Kronii scoffs. She can indulge a doomed criminal a pitiful attempt at self defense.

Ame dusts herself off and stands straight. Impudently, she crosses the workshop and digs her hat from a pile of tools and broken fixtures. She asks in what way was she wrong. Kronii has to suppress a flash of rage. Ame acted in total ignorance. As a result, she erased the future. Ame questions if that is truly such a terrible thing. The future was already in shambles, so isn't it better to wipe the board clean and start again? Kronii grits her teeth. Erasing the future does not only get rid of the pain and suffering. It erases the happiness too. It erases the people, their hopes and dreams. It erases all the good that has been done and would have been done.

Ame's ultimate crime is the erasure of potential. No matter how desperate things were in the former future, they always could have gotten better. As the warden of time, seeing these potentials play out is Kronii's greatest joy.

Ame does not deny any of this, much to Kronii's surprise. But she does not apologize, either. She remains firm in her decision and declares that, even if she knew how things would play out, she would do it all again.

This is the final straw. Kronii stomps her foot and everything stops. The world around them grinds to a halt, leaving just Kronii and Ame in motion. Pointing her blade at Ame, Kronii demands she use her final creation so that Kronii can destroy it and her once and for all. Ame dons her hat and grips the buckle of her belt. With a confident smirk, she presses a switch on the belt.

Suddenly, everything begins to move again. Kronii's eyes widen as her control of time is somehow undermined. Ame glows, a tiny blinding star. When she emerges from that burst of light, she is clad in a sleek suit of armor. She declares that the future she knew might be gone forever, but that doesn't mean they can't build a new one. The potential of the present is still alive and well. A new future will be written, and she will see how it turns out.

Kronii stops time and rushes at Ame. This woman, who has only ever done irreparable damage to time has no right to speak of the future. She thrusts her blade, aiming at Ame's heart. But the time traveler catches it. Sparks fly as the edge slides across Ame's armored fingers. Kronii is stunned. Time should be frozen for everybody, so how is her enemy moving?!

Ame pulls on the sword and plants a kick in Kronii's gut as she is dragged closer. A swift punch-much heavier than a normal human should be capable of-sends Kronii stumbling back to her original position. Irys and Sana are wide-eyed. Ame slides into the simulacrum of a fighting stance. She tells Kronii that she will fight for her own future, as well as her friends' futures. She'll even fight for Kronii's future, if she'll allow it.

Kronii rages, pulling her sword back for another charge, but a tentacle wraps around her wrist. Whatever Ame did to undermine Kronii's control has freed Ina as well. Ame charges while Kronii is distracted and lands a series of shockingly powerful blows.

It is two against one, apparently, but Kronii will not let that imbalance impede her. She is the warden of time, and no mortal could possibly stand against her.

(Bae)

Looking over her shoulder at the image of the workshop, Bae is flabbergasted. A person, no matter how smart or resourceful, shouldn't be able to stand up to time itself. Is Kronii not taking her fight seriously? No matter, as long as Bae can keep Gura in the mire of self-doubt and regret, she can maintain control.

When she looks back at the shark girl, however, she breaks out in a cold sweat. In the thousands of years she's been keeping an eye on Gura, she's never seen her make this expression. It isn't filled with hate or frustration or anger. It is a look of pure determination. Bae desperately tries to spin the events that have just unfolded in her favor, but Gura dismisses her words outright.

Ame and Ina are still fighting. That is all Gura needs to know. It is a brave front for someone who has been running for so long, but Bae can see through it. She has been linked with Gura since the shark was a child. Her emotions are laid bare before her. The scenery changes to depict Atlantis at its height, harkening back to the happiest of Gura's childhood memories. Bae pokes at the uncertainty and hesitation, drawing it out. She can feel Gura's heart rate spike. She can feel her brain screaming with warnings. She can feel the self doubt telling Gura that she is wrong to resist.

But Gura bares her teeth, taking a defiant step forward. She acknowledges everything that Bae confronts her with. She is afraid to face what she has done, but she wants to. She's been running long enough. The scenery shifts back to the ruin on its own.

Bae clicks her tongue. She feels a fool for bragging about how in control she was. If she allows Gura to break through and assist the others, her standing in the council will plummet for sure. She can't take anymore sidelong glances and contempt. She has to make the council acknowledge her again. Even if it means beating the one kindred spirit she has into submission.

She raises her hand, collecting and condensing energy in her palm. She throws the ball of energy, crackling with chaotic might, and it screams through the air directly towards Gura. It is deflected, however, by the tip of a trident of sparkling aquamarine. Gura has realized that this space is inside her mind. That is bad news.

Bae tries again throwing ball after ball, but Gura is unfazed. She charges, closing the gap frightfully quick. Three razor sharp points approach Bae. She has had enough of this shark's impudence, however. She knocks the trident aside and slams her fist into Gura's chest, sending her tumbling back the way she came.

She positions herself above Gura-the Atlantean isn't the only one who can move faster than the eye can follow-and drops her heel. Gura throws herself out of the way as Bae devastates the ground they were standing on. She doesn't let up, continuing her assault.

A great and terrible power was unleashed to destroy Atlantis. Much of that was Gura's own innate strength, but it was greatly bolstered by the apocalyptic power of chaos. Bae reminds Gura of that. They trade blows back and forth, carving a path of devastation through the phantasmal ruins.

They are fighting within Gura's mind and soul, but this space is just as much Bae's as it is Gura's. It would take a great deal of mental fortitude to push Bae out, and she has spent thousands of years ensuring that Gura possesses no such strength.

Crimson lightning falls from the sky, devastating the landscape as Bae exerts control. Her strikes generate thunderous blasts. Her movements twist the space around her. Her voice breaks the sky. She is in control. Nothing has changed. With Gura on the back foot, Bae takes a moment to gloat. She drives those closest to her away. It is in her nature to do so. But she has managed to keep Gura close all this time, and she doesn't ever intend to let her go.

Bae raises her hand, palm to the trembling sky. She curls her fingers in a fierce grip and pulls the heavens down to earth. The ruins of Atlantis are obliterated. Nothing remains but a smoldering crater. And Gura is left standing at the center of it all. Her knees shake and she reflexively pulls her trident close to her chest as she takes in the utter devastation. She knows exactly what she is up against. Bae smiles, triumphant.

Gura plants her feet and holds her trident at the ready. She is shaking like a leaf, but that damnable determination shines through the despair. She charges, thrusting her weapon forward in a last ditch effort to do something. Bae swats it away, almost embarrassed to be party to this pitiful display. But something isn't right.

The trident flies away much too easily. Gura released it on purpose. She takes hold of Bae and throws her over her shoulder. The impact shatters the ground in the crater and forces the air out of Bae's lungs. Pain flares in the small of her back before quickly being numbed by the sheer trauma of the blow. Her ears ring and she sees spots. A fist crashes into her face, driving her head into the dirt. Another. Her body jerks and the flashes of pain grow more intense with each successive hit.

Worse than the pain is the realization that Gura is actually putting Bae on the back foot. It is galling. Humiliating, even. Seeing the other members of the council get along just fine without her drives her up the wall, but this . . . this makes her want to scream at the top of her lungs. So she does.

Power flows out of her like water from a burst dam. The explosion throws Gura to the edge of the crater. Bae pulls herself to her feet, crackling with energy. The power of chaos surrounds her, coagulating, growing more and more dense. It begins to take shape. A torso, arms, legs, and finally a monstrous head. It is an ephemeral thing-its fluid skin dancing with red lightning-but it is very much real. If Bae places herself inside this avatar, it's form will congeal and it will truly manifest in the world of Gura's mind. Whether or not the shark could survive the strain is beyond consideration. Bae is done.

She reaches up, preparing to link herself with the monster. She spots Gura, a wild, desperate look in her eyes, rushing to retrieve her trident and continue the fight, but it is too late. Bae breathes through the monsters lungs. She feels the weight of its limbs. It is about to be her. Then a light descends from the sky-less void above. A familiar, terrible light.

The light fills her vision and a voice reaches her ears. Her heart aches as she rejects the pleading light of hope. And just as she turns her attention back to her monstrous avatar, it bursts. Gura has just launched herself through the core of its being. Bae feels the hole being torn through its chest and cries out. She collapses.

On her knees, she looks up to see Gura approaching, bathed in Irys's light. She looks down on Bae, pity-not hatred or resentment-on her face. A swift strike of the trident rips Bae from Gura's mind.

She finds herself in the council room, alone.

For the first time in millennia, truly, painfully alone.

(Ame)

A beam of eldritch energy shoots over Ame's shoulder, slamming into Kronii's temporal defenses. She follows close behind as the light grinds to a halt midair, slipping through to assail the warden of time. There isn't much room to maneuver in the workshop, even with all of the workstations pushed to the side, so it is easy to stay close

Kronii isn't just standing there and taking it, however. Her movements become faster and sharper with each exchange. She's adapting to Ame's sudden burst of speed and strength. Not good. The armor she created for this fight is powerful-far more efficient and effective than the steroid serums she's been using up to this point-but it has some serious drawbacks. Her movements are quicker, her attacks are stronger, but her body is still that of a normal human being. She won't be able to last running at full capacity for much longer.

With that in mind, she pushes even harder. Ame slips between small clusters of tentacles, dodging Kronii's sword as it cuts the alien appendages down. She throws a punch that should send Kronii flying into the wall, but the space around her fist shimmers. The sensors in her helmet pick up a distortion in time, stopping her punch. It can't stop her for long.

The armor's primary mechanism activates, producing its own distortion to negate Kronii's. The device-situated on her belt-runs white hot, lightly singeing her waist. Her arm freed, she spins, narrowly avoiding the edge of Kronii's blade. They come together and exchange blows. Kronii's sword is long, but she uses it very well in close quarters. Scuffs and scratches in Ame's armor turn to outright fissures and gouges. Ame ducks around, turning Kronii away from Ina, who fires a barrage of lasers at the warden's back.

Kronii grunts, but doesn't falter. She spins, slamming into Ame with a sharp kick that knocks her back. In the moment it takes Ame to recover, Kronii extends a hand towards Ina. Grinding her teeth, she closes her fist. Ina freezes.

Ame activates her belt again, but even as it starts to burn her, Ina does not unfreeze. Whatever Kronii has done, it resists interference from the belt. Ame dashes in to disrupt the hold on Ina another way, but Kronii is more focused than ever. Her expression betrays the strain and effort of the fight as she swings her sword to defend. She incorporates her legs in the exchange, awkwardly twisting her body to meet and counter Ame's punches and kicks. She can't move her free hand, Ame realizes.

She seizes the opening immediately, slipping around behind Kronii. She only manages to get a few shots in before Kronii shifts her grip on her sword and forces Ame to back off. Twisting around her frozen hand, Kronii flashes a desperate smile. She raises her leg and stomps down hard. Ame stops in her tracks, her momentum disappearing entirely. The device in her belt starts to run even hotter. Most of Ame has been frozen in time, but her device is allowing her awareness to stay in sync with the world.

Kronii raises her sword, pointing it at Ame. Her desperate smile melts into a sneer as sweat drips from her chin. She shifts her body-an uncomfortable looking maneuver considering an arm and leg are frozen in time-and gives Ame credit for holding her own. The edge of her blade starts to glow with an ominous blue light. With a swift twist of her wrist, the world in front of Ame starts to unravel.

Ame's eyes widen as she realizes what is happening. She is being undone. She isn't simply being attacked to be killed, she is being torn away from time itself. Slowly-agonizingly slowly-a black void approaches her, reality being peeled away like wrapping paper. Kronii offers her one mercy; she will not act against her friends. Ame is the only target of Kronii's ire, and the Administrator did not order her clean up the other council members' messes.

The sound of her belt device working overtime reaches her ears through the time lock, so Ame tries to move. To her astonishment, she can. Unfortunately, it is like she is moving through a thick syrup. She sees veins bulging in Kronii's face and neck as she tries to maintain the lock.

The void approaches faster than Ame can move. As it reaches her, she sees a flash of blue and the far wall explodes in a cloud of dust. The void collapses, and she stumbles, her momentum returning. She looks to the hole in the wall just in time to see Gura, standing over Kronii, disperse the dust with a swing of her trident. She looks back to Ame and the look on her face is unsettling. Her smile is forced and she looks strained in general.

Whatever she's just had to deal with, it clearly isn't completely resolved, but they aren't in a position to worry about that now. She rushes over, feeling the strain compounding on her muscles and bones, and joins Gura in facing down Kronii, who is standing amidst a pile of destroyed wall. Ina joins them shortly after.

Realizing that the fight has escaped the confines of the workshop, Ame suggests Ina erect a barrier to minimize further damage to the surroundings. Ina hesitates to leave her friends to fight without her, but sees the necessity of it. That leaves Ame and Gura to finish the fight with the warden of time.

(Kronii)

Kronii doesn't bother dusting herself off. She feels humiliated and frustrated. A shell appears high over head, tinged with Sana's energy. It feels like she isn't just fighting Ame or Ina, or even Gura. Sana and Irys are in their corner. And Bae has clearly failed to restrain the shark girl. The deck is stacked against her.

But she is time. She is the one that watches over the progression of reality with the authority to stop and inspect any point she pleases. A few mortal beings with the backing of members of the council cannot stand against her. And yet . . .

Ame moves, rushing towards Kronii with a speed that should be impossible for a mere human. Kronii defends herself, but only barely. Each strike carries unexpected weight. To make matters worse, Gura appears beside them. She spins her trident, knocking Kronii away with the butt of the weapon. And they refuse to give her any more time to recover, giving chase before she even touches down.

With a grunt, Kronii summons her blade and swings with no regard to her surroundings. There is a brief lag before the street beneath Ame and Gura's feet explodes, throwing them both into the air. Gura is a major problem, but Kronii is not a murderer; she won't target anyone other than Ame unless her hands are tied. So, she takes aim at Ame and swings. The air ripples as time itself splits open along the path of her blade. It crashes into Ame, whose belt glows with an intense heat, but is somehow repelled. The attack is split and its force crashes into the surroundings. Buildings collapse and the barrier wavers.

Kronii winds back for another swing, but Gura gets in her way. They clash. Kronii tries to keep an eye on Ame as she lands, but Gura's strength and technique catches her completely off guard. Bae was keeping this monster at bay? In a desperate move, Kronii traps Gura in a time lock, only for Ame to slam into her. The lock breaks and Gura resumes her assault alongside Ame.

This isn't right. It doesn't make sense. Mortals, bound by the relentless passage of time, can't possibly stand against a member of the council. She is the embodiment of a fundamental force of the universe! She strains herself and stops time. She backs off and her distortion collapses thanks to that damnable device on Ame's belt.

Kronii lashes out, shouting at the mortals as they turn to look at her. This is only happening because Kronii showed mercy, allowing Ame time to stew and reflect on her atrocity. Ame tells her that it is too late for regrets. They rush in, Ame following Gura. As the shark occupies Kronii's defense, Ame says that she should have stopped Ame when she had the chance. A solid punch sends Kronii flying.

Ame catches up with her and continues the verbal beat down, punctuating each of her physical strikes with another tongue lashing. She tells Kronii that she should have stopped her before she rebuilt the time machine. She should have stopped her before she and her friends stopped the cult. She should have stopped her before she traveled back in time. She caps off the beating by saying that Kronii should have stopped her before she even built the time machine. By the time she knocks Kronii back down to the ground, her voice is betraying the strain she is under.

Kronii hits the ground, recovering quickly enough to defend herself from Gura. While her sword is locked in a clash with Gura's trident, Kronii tries to rebuke Ame. She says that the future is as uncertain for her as it is for everyone else, and even if she could have known what Ame was trying to do, interfering with the future isn't right. Ame asks why she couldn't have stopped her when she traveled back in time. Surely she would have seen how Ame's actions would have affected the future. Kronii considers this and nearly falters, having to readjust her grip on her blade.

Kronii doesn't have an answer. Ame is right, but she can't accept it. Kronii's failure to stop her is one thing, but Ame facilitated the destruction of the future as it existed. Ame breathes in and declares in a loud voice that she acknowledges the repercussions of her actions. She is sorry that so much was sacrificed to reach her goal, but she will not throw away what she has gained because she feels bad. The future that she knew is gone, but that isn't the end of the world. A new future will come to be. Time will still continue to pass.

Kronii brings up all of the potentials that were eliminated. Ame approaches calmly, placing a hand on Kronii's sword hand. In a quieter voice, she says that the same people might not be born again, but that doesn't mean new people won't be. Those new people will possess new potential. And with the cult's apocalypse averted, many more will have a chance to flourish.

As the last remnant of a apocalyptic future, Ame would rather keep on living, making sure that the future doesn't play out the way it did before. She wants to see the new potentials have a chance to grow and reach fruition. If that means she has to carry the burden of guilt for the rest of her life, so be it.

Strength leaves Kronii's arms, and she realizes that Gura hasn't really been pushing back for a while. She looks at Ame's armored face, conflicted. Can she really place the entire weight of the lost future onto this person? Is she truly wholly responsible? Surely not. There were so many factors at play that Ame alone can't possibly be held above them. All she did was travel back in time, something that Kronii ignored specifically because it wasn't a concern.

The barrier around the area disappears and Kronii spots Irys and Sana approaching. She meets their eyes and can tell that they are worried about her. They didn't want this fight to happen, but they aren't going to try and blame her for causing the destruction of the surrounding buildings. They plead with her to join them. The Administrator is wrong. Kronii, finally, agrees.

Ame's armor flashes and vanishes, seemingly returning to the belt around her waist. Then she collapses. The clothing around her waist is singed black and she has visible burns on her skin. The joints in her legs are swollen and purple. Her hands appear to be horribly damaged as well. Everyone is taken aback, but Irys moves quickly. Her power isn't suited for fighting or most direct intervention, but with hope as her dominant nature, she may be able to allow Ame's body to heal. Assuming she has enough time.

But she doesn't. Fauna might be able to stop Ame from succumbing to her injuries, but there is no guarantee she will join them yet. She keeps trying though. Gura, Ina, and Sana gather around, looking worried and praying. It is all they can do for their friend. They know that it won't help.

Kronii raises her hand and places a time lock on Ame. Irys looks up at her, tears welling up. That isn't the kind of face Kronii wants to see her friends make. She promises to keep Ame frozen in time until they can convince Fauna to help. Barring that, she will hold her in stasis until they find another solution.

She tells them all that she hasn't agreed to join them just yet, but she will use this time to think. The looks of gratitude on everyone's faces push her in one direction in particular.

(Mumei)

She watches them through the windows. Through the headlamps. Through the storm drains and headlights. Cities are Mumei's domain, which makes the other presence watching Kiara and Calli at the same time stand out like a sore thumb. As their quarries pass a small stand of trees planted along the road, Mumei meets Fauna's eyes. Neither of them is excited about working together, but they both acknowledge the necessity of it.

After all, if they didn't work in tandem, they wouldn't be able to resist getting in each other's way. So they coordinate their timing, arguing through gusts of wind and honking horns. Again and again they miss opportunities to swoop down and snatch up their prey. All because Fauna can't commit. Kiara isn't close enough to that bush. Calli is standing between Kiara and that patch of grass. There isn't any nature in this area. One excuse after another. Mumei begins to doubt Fauna's dedication to this task. She doesn't truly need an existing natural feature to attack. She can make one at any time. Assuming Mumei allows her to do so in the city, that is.

Kiara stops and talks with someone passing by. They make small talk-mostly Kiara asking after family members that she apparently has connections to-before moving on. People are the one point that Mumei and Fauna have in common, but neither of them can figure out why she keeps stopping to chat.

Eventually, Kiara comes across a somber looking man in a black suit. Apparently, his grandfather has just passed, and there is a wake being held nearby. Kiara offers her condolences and thanks the man before rushing off, nearly leaving Calli behind.

This is their chance. Mumei urges Fauna to act while there is a space between the reaper and the phoenix, giving her permission to grow through the concrete. With a huff, Fauna agrees.

They rise up out of the sidewalk, standing between Calli and Kiara. The plan is to surprise them, and then separate them before they can react. When Calli's eyes open wide, Mumei is sure their ambush has succeeded. She breathes in, preparing to expand the layout of the city. Before she can, though, Calli calls out to Kiara.

The reaper vanishes for a moment, reappearing behind Mumei. But she doesn't attack. Instead, she grabs Fauna and they both disappear. Mumei blinks. Did they just get . . . reverse ambushed? Kiara strolls up to Mumei with a friendly smile, and despite her mission and the tension therein, Mumei feels herself relax. Kiara asks her to join her on a little errand.

Mumei hesitates. This isn't how things are supposed to go. She can still feel Calli and Fauna-the little trick the reaper employs to disappear can't fool a member of the council-so they are still close enough to fight. Before Mumei can force her way into Calli's bubble, though, Kiara slips her arm under Mumei's and starts dragging her along.

They arrive at small funeral home that is humming with activity. The cramped, sterile smelling space is filled with people, young and old, come to pay respects to a man who has died of old age. Kiara pats Mumei on the shoulder and smiles at her. It is a sad smile. The phoenix leaves her, first stepping up to the open coffin where funeral goers can view the deceased, then mingling with various groups and individuals.

The man who died was a carpenter, and a well traveled one, it seems. Most everyone in attendance has come from far away, and they all seem to have some story to share. Mumei leans against a wall and watches, feeling anxious. This is a tragic scene, with so many here to mourn. But that is to be expected. Death is a tragedy. It is loss. More specifically, it is the loss of wisdom. The deceased may have left behind written records of his travels and experiences. Maybe he recorded videos, too. But no matter how well he planned for his eventual demise, he can't have accounted for every question someone might ask.

That is how progress stalls out. A culture can experience a renaissance, flourishing with advancements in the arts and sciences, but when the geniuses who facilitate that enlightenment die, there is a lull. Sure, they take on students and pass on their knowledge as best they can-ideally-but more often than not, those left behind are left scratching their heads. It can, and has, taken generations for another to be born with the right upbringing or mindset to see what those who came before them saw.

This is the worst sort of environment for Mumei. She can still feel Fauna and Calli nearby, holed up somewhere invisible to the naked eye. The longer she spends in this place, the more she wants to intrude into their bubble and get this whole thing over with.

Mumei shuts her eyes and closes her ears. She wants to give Kiara the benefit of the doubt-assuming she has a point in all of this-but that doesn't mean she has to take in the misery as she waits.

(Fauna)

Fauna taps her foot. She was intrigued when Calli pulled her into this "limbo space," but she is growing impatient. What is the point in following Mumei and Kiara like this? She regards the avatar of civilization slumped against a wall, miserable. Her eyes flit to Kiara for a moment, the urge to leap out and snuff out her flame growing more intense.

She turns to Calli next. The reaper is chatting with an elderly man, one whose physical body is lying in a coffin at the far end of the funeral home. They laugh, the man pointing out specific people in the crowd and reminiscing. It is honestly beautiful seeing life reach its natural end. It is something that Mumei can never seem to grasp.

There was a time, when civilization was first getting off the ground, that Fauna and Mumei worked very closely together. They would watch fledgling families grow and merge with other groups. Observing the ways these groups interacted with and coexisted with the world around them was so exciting. When exactly had they stopped sharing notes?

Calli leaves the old man to reminisce in private in his final moments. Fauna asks her to reveal what the plan is here. What do they hope to accomplish with this setup? Calli shrugs. Apparently, they worked out that the best way to handle Fauna and Mumei was to switch opponents. This part, with the funeral, is all Kiara. Calli is following her lead.

Fauna huffs. It figures that an unnatural immortal soul would prefer a stalling tactic. Even as she glares at Kiara mingling, though, she can't help but notice that Calli is admiring her. It's been on Fauna's mind for a while, so she voices her confusion. Why would death, apprentice or otherwise, be so friendly with someone who never truly dies?

Calli blinks and turns to Fauna confused. Surely Fauna knows how narrow an interpretation that is. Kiara's soul is indeed undying, but that doesn't mean she doesn't die at all. In fact, she does it all the time. Calli figures that Kiara's understanding of death is as deep, if not deeper, than her own. And just like how death is a natural end point of life, it is also a natural starting point. Life, as a rule, contributes to the proliferation of itself, whether that be by giving birth or becoming nourishment. All that's really different about Kiara is that the cycle is self-contained where she is concerned.

Logically, her words make sense, but Fauna's heart simply can't accept it. She tells Calli that a self-contained cycle is itself unnatural. It is still rising from death, something that should not be. She looks back to Mumei looking more and more miserable with each passing second and declares that Calli and Kiara will see how wrong they are. Nature struggles to retaliate, but civilization is a volatile thing. Push too hard against its chosen path, and it is liable to explode.

(Mumei)

Kiara breaks away from the groups in mourning and leans against the wall next to Mumei. She sighs, a slight quiver in her voice. She tells Mumei about the encounter she had with the deceased several decades back. It was brief, but memorable. Kiara marvels at the odds of his funeral taking place in this exact place and time.

Mumei crosses her arms and ponders out loud: How far could civilization have progressed if not for death? This man touched so many lives, had such a resounding positive impact on the people he met, and now he is gone. Had he been able to keep living, how many more people could he have inspired? How many more works could he have completed. All of this sorrow could have been avoided if not for death. Kiara shakes her head, much to Mumei's surprise. She expected Kiara, who has seen so much death, so much wisdom lost, to agree. If anyone should be able to sympathize, it should be the phoenix with an undying soul.

Instead, she tells Mumei to look again. Really watch the people, listen to what they have to say. She does, picking up bits and pieces of conversations happening throughout the building. And she is surprised to hear laughter. The people reminisce, recalling their encounters with the deceased the same way Kiara did. There are tears, yes, but so many of them are accompanied by smiles. Others discuss the man's work and what they learned from him.

But that is what Mumei would expect. These people, students and admirers that they are, will continue to use what the man taught them, but they will inevitably misinterpret something. Knowledge will be misconstrued when filtered through so many different minds. She confronts Kiara with this fact, but the phoenix just sighs and slides down the wall. Kiara pats the floor at Mumei's feet, so she sits as well.

Kiara explains that Mumei isn't wrong, technically. There will be misunderstandings. Things will get lost. But that isn't the end of the world. Rather than worrying about the work that isn't continued, why not support the work that is just beginning? The carpenters who have come to pay their respects might not be able to perfectly recreate the deceased's style or quality, but they will take what they learned from him and incorporate that into their own styles. Or they might not, instead deviating from the path the man followed.

There are indeed lulls in growth and progress when great people pass, but a lull is not a full stop. Kiara poses a question: If ancient architects had not died, living into the present day and leading the design sense of their societies all the while, would things really have progressed further than they have? Would they not have simply stayed where they were when the ancient architects were supposed to have died?

Mumei starts to argue, but quickly trails off. In all her time, has she not occupied her mind with what-ifs just like that? She liked to imagine that civilization would have progressed as it has no matter who was at the helm, but having the same ideas presented to her like this makes her think she might have been mistaken.

Kiara finally smiles. She says that the great minds of history are indeed great, but it is ultimately those who adopt or change their ideas, free of their influence and mindset, that define how civilization grows. Kiara has seen it for herself, so she is sure. Not only that, but Calli has assured her on many occasions that those who escape the mortal coil are often excited by how things might change after they pass on.

Some part of Mumei finds that comforting, but she still can't quite accept it. The conflict between what she has always felt and what she is learning now isn't resolving. She stands, pushing away from the wall. She absently leaves the funeral home, barely aware of Kiara following her. She wanders into the street and exerts pressure on the city around her. In minutes, the streets are clear of both vehicle and pedestrian. Kiara calls out to her softly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Mumei is torn, but one thing is becoming more and more clear as she thinks. Kiara is someone she admires for her undying soul, someone who exemplifies the values Mumei has always held. And yet, their ideas and values don't line up.

Everything Kiara has told her makes sense, but she can't simply abandon what she believes, not only as an individual, but more so as an avatar of civilization.

Mumei turns, gently takes Kiara's hand off of her shoulder, and apologizes. A small patch of pavement beneath Kiara's feet sinks deep into the ground, trapping the phoenix in a claustrophobic asphalt tube. She turns again and meets Calli's eyes. The hatred churning within Mumei is still there, but it is wavering.

Even so, she can't change course now.

(Fauna)

Nothing changes, outwardly, but the city around them is suddenly a very hostile place. Every block of asphalt, every pane of glass, every bar of steel is menacing. And all of that menace is aimed directly at Calli. Fauna steps between Calli and Mumei, intent on protecting the reaper.

It is strange. Just like how Mumei sunk Kiara deep below the surface to keep her out of harm's way, Fauna is exerting pressure to stop Mumei from carrying out her duty. She doesn't quite understand why she cares. If anything, she should be willing to let the avatar of civilization have her way. It would give her a perfect opportunity to carry out the Administrator's orders herself. Wasn't that their original agreement?

Calli steps past Fauna, eyes fixed on Mumei. Her expression is intense, but shockingly lacking in aggression. Fauna urges her to stay back, but Calli keeps going. She asks Mumei why she didn't attack her before now? She has been operating with the blessing of death since prehistory. Death has essentially been a thorn in the side of civilization since its inception, so why now specifically?

Mumei breathes in, her eyes wide. Her gaze slowly drifts down to the road. The city around them flexes, with the taller buildings literally bending down towards them. Calli doesn't look away. Fauna's eyes are wide as well. She hasn't once considered the timing of all of this. Kiara is ancient in terms of the persistence of her soul, so why is it that Fauna is just now trying to end her? Why is that she is so determined to get in Mumei's way right now?

She looks from Calli to Mumei, and the avatar of civilization mirrors her thoughts, asking when exactly it was that they even started going for each other's throats. For some reason, the question strikes Fauna. So much so that she barely notices the pillar of fire rising from the hole where Mumei sunk Kiara. She hears a voice, shouting to look out.

In that moment, Fauna spins. A city bus is moments from crashing through her and into Calli. There isn't enough time move. There isn't enough nature around to escape into. She sees her own shocked expression in the wide windshield. Then the world becomes a blur as a something slams into her from the side. She hears the horrible sound of metal scraping against metal and feels a gentle heat. When she snaps out of her stupor, she realizes what has just occurred.

Kiara has saved her, carrying her out of the path of the bus just before it would have hit her. When the vehicle reached its intended target, Calli split it in two, the halves now lying on either side of her and Mumei. Mumei herself is looking at Fauna and her expression proves an even greater shock than the bus.

Mumei is mortified. Her eyes are filled with a sadness and grief that makes Fauna's heart ache. The avatar of civilization looks at her hands in disbelief. Kiara sets Fauna down, allowing her to stand on her own and steps between her and Mumei. Another shock. The unnatural phoenix is trying to protect the one trying to end her undying existence?

The buildings around them lean in closer and closer as Mumei withdraws in on herself. Calli levels her scythe at council member, but instead of taking a swing, she asks another question. How much of what she wants is her and how much is the Administrator?

Something snaps inside of Fauna. A severe disconnect comes into focus. It is so obvious that she can't imagine how she didn't notice it before now. She wants to protect Calli because death is a natural part of life, but why does she want to destroy Kiara so badly? Even considering the time she spends without agency-when her nature as the mother of life is in full control-when has her distaste for never-ending life been so intense as to want to snuff it out? It strikes her how contradictory it is for life itself to wish for the demise of any living thing.

As this crisis rages inside her mind, a hand enters her view. It is Kiara's, and the phoenix beckons Fauna to follow with a smile. She rests her hand in Kiara's and is dragged over to Calli and Mumei. The two council members look at each other and share an understanding. They've been played, having their emotions manipulated and sent to play assassin for a higher power. They embrace, shock and shame bubbling up as tears.

Calli stands by, giving them space, but Kiara joins in the embrace, sharing her warmth with her enemies. The Administrator really wanted these people gone? What kind of nonsense is that? Calli tells Kiara that they should head back and make sure the others are okay. Kiara agrees, standing and beckoning Fauna and Mumei to follow. They hesitate at first, but smiles from the phoenix and reaper clear the air. It is a little embarrassing after all of that, but they follow their former targets back to their apartment.

(Sana)

The moment Fauna and Mumei follow Calli and Kiara through the door, Sana leaps on them. She squeezes them both tight, tears in her eyes. The both return her hug. There is still a bit of tension between them, but it is considerably less than it has been. It's almost like the last time they were all given agency.

She almost commits to keeping them close like this, except Ame is still in grave danger. She rushes Fauna to Ame's bedside. Fauna gets to work immediately.

With civilization and life itself, the council is practically fully assembled. They are only missing one. Sana glances at Irys. The embodiment of hope looks cheerful, happy to have Mumei and Fauna one their side, but she can't hide the weariness. Sana knows that look, understands the feeling of facing a dear, old friend like this. The problem is, Irys likely won't be able to simply talk Bae down.

Calli calls everyone together and introduces Mumei and Fauna to the others. Gura and Ina welcome them graciously. A new feeling blossoms in Sana's chest. Many times since she was returned to the dawn of the universe she has felt that she belongs when with the council-they are like family in many respects-and with Ina and the rest bolstering their numbers it feels like that family has grown. Sana remembers the Administrator's orders and can't quite believe them. They were supposed to have killed these people? To erase them? Doing such a thing would be a waste.

The universe is vast and mostly empty. What little there is should be cherished. Especially this place, these people.

When Calli brings the Administrator up, Sana is the first to respond. She expresses what she know the other council members must be feeling. They are being manipulated. As the embodiment of fundamental forces of reality, they poses powerful, inhuman natures. As individuals, however, they possess separate, more human natures. It is like those more personal aspects were suppressed.

Kronii suggests that it is well within the Administrator's own nature to manage the council as she sees fit. Sana cannot argue this point, but Calli can. She asks Kronii if, as death, it is not within her nature to end any and all life she encounters. It is a simple comparison-barely functional considering the scale of the powers at play-but it is effective. The other council members go quiet, working through that perspective.

Mumei voices her acceptance that the Administrator has wronged them, but wonders what they could possibly do to retaliate. The Administrator does as her name suggests and could take away the council's agency should they rebel. Shockingly, Ame responds. She struggles to sit up, the most serious of her wounds just about healed, but her mind is most certainly clear. If the Administrator could do as Mumei suggests, why hasn't she stolen away any of their agency thus far? In fact, it is strange that their agency was returned for the task they were given at all.

Sana tilts her head. Without Agency, then they are essentially just forces. They exist, but can't really be channeled towards a specific end without exorbitant difficulty. Waking the council up must have been the Administrator's only option. Ame nods. She offers another deduction: The Administrator can only manipulate the council members at the time they are awoken. Otherwise, there is no reason she could not have stopped any of them from seeing reason and disobeying.

This is all very illuminating, but Fauna isn't sure what good knowing it does them. Ame smirks, shooting a glance at everyone in the room. Knowing these things means that the Administrator is not all powerful. It means that they can fight her, if necessary. Gura voices her agreement, wagging her tail. She still looks tired, but she is doing a good job masking it. Much better than Irys, anyways.

Hope wrings her hands and wonders about Bae. Fighting the Administrator is all well and good, but does that mean they will have to fight Bae too? The others are silent. Bae is a sore spot, but nobody dislikes her. No one on the council wants to fight. The uncertainty drifting over the group is quickly blown away as Gura looks Irys in the eye. She reminds Irys of an interaction the two of them had with Bae at some point. The lines that have been drawn are clear, and even if the council won't fight, Gura won't hesitate.

It's odd. When Ame and the others decided to fight Kronii without Irys and Sana's aid, it was kind of relieving. They wouldn't have to fight their friends. But this time, something is off. No one seems to like it, but the council stays quiet.

Kiara clears her throat. She asks how they are even supposed to get to this Administrator. It isn't like the cult with a physical base of operations they can walk right up to, right? Ina is the first to respond, recounting her experience being transported to the council's domain. She looks to Sana for reassurance, and Sana happily gives it to her.

Calli suggests a vote. Should they play it safe and wait for the Administrator to launch another attack? No one raises their hand. Should they go on the offensive? Kiara, Ina, Gura, and Ame-with a wince-all raise their hands immediately. After a moment, Kronii, Mumei, and then Fauna raise their hands. Sana casts her vote as well, sparing a look for Irys, who still seems troubled.

Looking between the council members and Ina's group, Irys closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Then she thrusts her hand into the air, her face glowing with determination despite the weariness.

+End of Part 2+