Well hello everyone! I have returned. Although this time I have a legitimate reason.

The computer who served me honorably for eight years died a while back. I only just recently got a new one, so I could start writing again. Honestly, having no computer for that long was so annoying...Anyway!

Enjoy!

"Apate? Apate."

Apate jumped out of her stupor when she realized she was being addressed, coming back to reality. She'd forgotten that she was in the Disciples meeting room, all of her colleagues staring at her.

"What?" She asked, "sorry, I wasn't listening." Cain shook his head with a soft smirk at this.

"I asked how the follower resettlement program is going," he said. "Zomrus put them in your district, so they're in your care." Ah, right. That.

It had been a few days since she'd returned to the Capital with the followers from her home. Since then, Zomrus had graciously allowed her to have them under her rule in her district.

"It's going well," she replied. "The group has set up near the district entrance and opened a church. Granted, I don't think anyone is particularly happy about that part. But yes, it's going well."

"Did you have any issues resettling the people who used to live near the gate?" Thanatos asked. Apate shook her head.

"No," she said. "Honestly, they seemed pleased to be able to go further away from the castle."

"That's good," Cain said. "They're faithful followers, so Zomrus wants them to be as close to us as possible."

"Why not give them some space in the castle, then?" Momus asked, "it's huge."

"Because the castle serves as Zomrus' sanctuary here on Earthland," Cain told him. "He does not want mortals within the walls unless he permits them to be there."

"Can we get back on track?" Thanatos asked, "we need to do something about the aqueduct supplying water in the Eastern districts cracking the other day."

As the other Disciples began to talk about other issues, Apate once again zoned off. She was far to preoccupied with her own thoughts to care about ruling and looking after people.

Ever since she had brought the followers back, a pit had settled in her stomach. It refused to go away, and she didn't know what it was. It couldn't be illness or hunger, as being divine did away with those earthly afflictions. It was making her increasingly uncomfortable the more time passed, which was just another thing to add to the list.

Apate didn't want to admit it to herself, but she knew deep down she was also annoyed about her parents. The way they had spoken about Jason, like they didn't love him because he had betrayed Zomrus had chilled her blood. She knew what her brother had done was heinous, but to deny him as their son entirely? Right to her face as well? She could not shake the look she had seen on her mothers face when she realized it was not her who was in trouble, but her 'son'.

Relief.

Relief that she was not in trouble for her sons actions. Relief that Zomrus had not deigned to have them killed. She hadn't shown even an inkling of a concern for Jason or his situation. Did they even love him, ever?

Did they love her?

Moreover, Apate could not shake the feeling that she was forgetting something. Why was it taking her memory so long to clear up after becoming divine? This was infuriating.

Before long the Disciple meeting came to an end, and Apate was allowed to leave. She did quickly and without speaking to the others, which may have made her look rude. She didn't really care, though. She had more important things to worry about.

"Apate!" Someone called her name, so she turned around to see Philotis jogging after her, a smile on her face.

"Philotis," she greeted with a soft smile. "Can I help with something?" The Disciple of Friendhship's smile widened, but as usual there was no warmth behind it. The girl unnerved her greatly as a result.

"I just wanted to see how're you're doing," she said as she reached her. "Is your mind still foggy?" Apate nodded as the pair walked together, their footsteps echoing around them hollowly.

"Yes," she said, "I do not remember much of anything prior to ascending, I'm afraid." Philotis frowned at this.

"That's so sad," she said. "I wonder why your mind hasn't been healed yet."

"I wish I could tell you," Apate said wistfully. "Maybe it's better I don't know."

"Why's that?" Apate frowned and chuckled softly.

"Maybe whatever is in there will only sway my heart. Maybe knowing so little about the events after I was sent there to keep an eye on Jason keeps me from faltering." Philotis did not reply righty away, so Apate turned to look at her. The look disappeared quickly, but not quick enough. Apate saw her ally with an odd expression on her face. She could not tell what exactly it was, but she masked it quickly.

"Maybe," Philotis said. "I'd tell you what happened, but I wasn't there. No one was, except for Jason." Apate nodded along quietly.

"I suppose I'll ask him whenever we find him," she said.

"Speaking of family," Philotis said, "I actually did have something to talk to you about."

"Which is?"

The two of them exited the castle and walked towards the 1st District, which Philotis ruled over.

"As you may recall, we all have a powerful guild within our borders," she said. "I have Mermaid Heel in mine. Recently, Kagura Mikazuchi and her daughter Nami have been requesting time to visit their family, a father and son. Sabertooth is in your border, correct?"

Oh, right.

"Yes, it is," she replied. "Are you going to allow that?" Philotis shrugged.

"I will," she said. "Unlike the others, I don't think an iron fist makes you a good ruler. You have to give your followers some perks, some leeway, so they don't revolt against you, you know? Nemesis and Deimos think my district will revolt first, but if you ask me it's them that will lose control."

That made sense. Apate was also of the opinion that an iron fist rule did not help, especially after a hostile takeover.

"I see," she said. "That's a sensible thought process." Philotis smiled at her, but this time there was some genuine warmth beneath it.

"Thank you," she said. "Family's only work if you have some unity and friendship." The statement made perfect sense, but Apate saw weight in Philotis' eyes as she said it. What was she carrying that was so heavy?

"Well I'm fine with it," she said.

"Good," Philotis replied. "Stay here, I'll go retrieve the two of them and meet you back here. Keep an eye on them though, don't want any secret messages being sent or anything."

"I will," she said. Philotis nodded and snapped her fingers, disappearing into thin air. Philotis sighed and leaned up against the wall of the district, whistling a little tune as she waited. She looked up as she did so, admiring the height of the wall.

The black stone wall that circled the castle and separated the districts was at least fifty feet tall, and several meters thick. The walls black color came from the magic canceller stone it was created from, which worked as a counter to any attacks or revolts breaking it down. The wall circled the castle, each district having a numbered gate above it to symbolize which one it was. One could not see the end of any district looking from the gateway, as each stretched for miles. What would have taken centuries to make by human hands had been erected in mere moments by Zomrus.

That was what power over everything and everyone allowed you to do.

"Here we are," Apate looked over as Philotis reappeared, two women with her. The elder of the two, Kagura, had purple hair and hazel eyes, but her daughter Nami clearly took after her father, as her hair was black and eyes red. They both were dressed casually in a white and black shirt respectively with jeans, and obviously had no weapons. Apate also noted they did not have magic-cancelling marks on their wrists, which all powerful wizards were required to have.

"Take good care of them, Philotis said with a laugh. "Don't want my precious citizens getting treated poorly." Apate snorted.

"I'll be sure to treat them well," she said. "What are you going to do while we do this?"

"I have to talk to Geras about magic items to aid the elderly," she said. "Take them home once their done, okay?" Apate nodded, and Philotis once again disappeared into thin air. She turned and looked at the two women, who seemed to shrink under her gaze. They both bowed to her, but neither seemed very pleased about it.

"...Thank you for your kindness, Master Apate," Kagura said. "We understand we are not owed this." Nami only nodded along, but Apate scoffed.

"Please do not call me Master or anything of the sort, she said. "It's weird. Come on, let's go." Together the trio crossed the massive courtyard towards the 10th District, where Sabertooth was under her control. As they passed through the gate, people took notice of her and ran for cover. Some stayed rooted in fear, while others tripped over each other to get away. The crowd parted like she carried the plague, making it easy to get deeper into the district. A part of her was pleased that no one got in their way, but the looks she saw directed at her were unnerving to say the least. Well, thankfully none of the followers she'd settled nearby had seen her. That would have just made this more awkward for her.

She cast a glance over her shoulder at the pair following her, and saw neither were looking at her. They were looking anywhere else, perhaps scanning for someone they knew. Apate frowned and turned back around, wondering to herself why her chest was tightening.

"So why don't you guys have magic-cancelling marks?" She asked. "I thought powerful wizards needed them by law."

"...Master Philotis says she does not believe in taking away our magic from us," Kagura replied. "She said she views it as a fundamental right." The more she heard about Philotis' district, the more she wondered why Deimos had such a problem with it.

"I assume she let's you know what happens if you abuse that right," she said.

"O-Of course!" Nami said, finally speaking. "we would never misuse that right!"

"Glad to hear it," she said back. "So, who are we looking for?"

"Their names are Rogue and Keita," Kagura said. "You'll know him when you see him, his hair and eyes are the same as Nami's." So, she'd been right when she said Nami took after her Dad. Score one for her.

Soon enough, the three of them made it to the makeshift guild hall for Sabertooth. The guild halls in each district really only served as points to corral powerful wizards and keep an eye on them, a guild hall in name only. As such, all powerful wizards and Sabertooth members were required to check in there every few days. The 'hall' in question was a building larger than those around, with a statue of a sabretooth cat outside. As she went to the doors, they flew open without a word or action from her, allowing them entrance.

As soon as she entered, everyone within scrambled to kneel. She surveyed the hall quietly, observing how some were at tables, while the bar was also crowded with those looking for someway to forget their circumstances.

"Relax," she said. "I'm only here by request of Kagura Mikazuchi. Are their people here named Rogue and Keita here?" Someone near the bar slowly got to his feet, and he sure as hell reminded her of Nami. Rogue was also dressed casually, the only difference being a relatively ornate cloak he had on. She spared a thought to wonder where he'd gotten it from.

"Dad!" Nami shouted, running from behind Apate and right for him. "You're alive!" Rogue caught his daughter in his arms and held her close, seeming to relish in the contact. Apate looked over her shoulder at Kagura, who watched her back warily.

"Well?" she asked, "what are you waiting for, permission?" Kagura shrugged her shoulders weakly, and Apate realized she actually was. Trying to ignore the red trying to dust her face, she coughed and gestured for her to go. Kagura followed after her daughter and also ran to Rogue, who shifted Nami to his right arm to catch her in his left.

"Thank God you're both okay," he said weakly. Apate looked around at everyone else, who was still bowing.

"Well?" she asked, "go about your business. I'm not here to interrupt." None of those present seemed too sure about this, but they all stood and did as she asked. Several people walked for the reunited family, just as she was. Philotis had asked her to keep an eye on them, so she would. She'd also keep her distance too, as she didn't want to intrude on a family reunion.

So, she stood ten or so feet from them and leaned against the pillar behind her, watching as they finally let go of each other.

"Are you both okay?" Rogue asked, inspecting his daughter's face, then his wife's. "Are you being fed? No slave labor or anything?"

"We're fine," Kagura replied, raising her hand to hold the hand Rogue had on her cheek. "Philotis is...Well, she's as kind as one could expect her to be." A load of tension seemed to be lifted from Rogue's shoulders at this, as he exhaled loudly.

"Thank God," he said again.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Nami asked him, still wrapped in his arm. "Are you being treated alright?"

"Yes," he said, casting a glance at Apate before quickly looking back at his daughter. "Apate is a fine ruler." Apate liked to think she was better than 'fine', but she couldn't very well expect a prisoner to say she was nice or cool.

"Where's Keita?" Nami asked, looking around. "I don't see him anywhere." Rogue's face tightened at this, and he once again looked up at her. She met his gaze lazily.

"He's...not here," Rogue replied slowly.

"What?!" Kagura asked. "Where is he?!"

"..."

"...Rogue," Kagura said, her voice shaking. "Where is my son? Where is my baby boy?"

Why wasn't my mom that worried about her son?

"He's fine," Rogue said to her. "At least, I hope he is. Right when we got attacked by those wraiths, marks appeared around his wrists. None of the wraiths were attacking him, so...So he shadow-traveled to Michael. we knew something had gone wrong with the attack on the Demon Lords, so...So he went to them. He'd be with them."

"He's with Sting, Orga and the others," a woman with white hair said, putting a hand on Kagura's shoulder. "He's safe, I promise you." Kagura had a look of total disbelief on her face, and Apate felt her own heart beat painfully for her. She knew what it was to find a family member was missing, a fugitive.

"He's..." Kagura tried, sinking to her knees. "...He's out there?"

"I swear he's okay, Kagura," Rogue said, getting down on her level. "He's fine, I swear to you."

"...Don't promise me something so unrealistic," Kagura said weakly. "He's out there against the God of Death, with only a few allies. He could be dead."

"Don't say that!" Nami said, also getting down to look at her mother. "Keita's strong! He's not so weak as to die to some wraiths! Have faith in him!" Kagura could not muster a reply, and instead fell into rogue's chest. He held her closely as her body shook, clearly suppressing a wail only a mother missing her son could let out. Seeing what she knew was a powerful, strong woman break down made Apate feel horrible. More than that, she was angry.

Not at them, at her own family.

This was the exact situation she wanted for herself. It was even similar, but not the same. A family consisting of a mother, father and eldest daughter reuniting after being separated. finding out the youngest son was missing. But where Kagura lamented and wailed for Keita, Apate's mother had not shown an inch of respect or love for Jason. Where Kagura looked as though the heartbreak might kill her, her own mother was pleased to find out she was not on the hook for Jason's actions. She clenched her fists as she thought about her own parents, unable to stop comparing them to Rogue and Kagura. Worse still, she knew the same applied to her. If she strayed from the path, her parents would toss her aside as well. Their love was reliant on her continuing to serve. All the things Zomrus could do, yet somehow she wasn't allowed to have a real family who loved her no matter what.

This is really supposed to be a perfect world? It barely qualifies as a good one.

Apate could not have known it at that time, but this event had planted seeds within her.

Seeds of doubt.

Nashi lamented the loss of heat from the sun.

Not that she needed it herself, but since it had been getting colder and colder as of late, she'd been forced to leave her magic on passively for the entire day and night to keep the others warm. Well, not during the entire day, but long enough that she was exhausted by the time they stopped for the night.

Jumping over a massive tree root sticking out of the ground, Nashi turned and helped Steph get across it as well. The girl had been sticking close to her as of late, which made her feel happy. It was nice to see her coming back out of her shell bit by bit, even if it was a slow process. Even still, only a few days after their talk and she seemed to be getting better.

"Oh my God, can we stop already?" Rina demanded from the back of the pack. "I don't wanna walk anymore." Nashi grimaced at the sound of her voice. She was reaching her limit with those three.

"I need to rest my feet too," Winter called. "Simon, stop. We're waiting here." Nashi looked back towards Simon, who seemed to have stopped.

"Take a break," he said, looking over his shoulder. "We'll keep going in an hour."

"How about we go when we say?" Katsuchi asked, resting against a tree. "You don't tell us what to do."

"Whatever you say," Simon replied, simply giving in instead of arguing. It did seem to be the better way to address the God Slayers.

"Nashi," someone said. Turning, she saw Elise approaching her.

"Hey," she greeted. "What is it?"

"Come on a short hunt with me," the iron dragon said.

'Why?" Nashi asked, "we're not short on food or anything." Elise's eyebrow twitched.

"Because I need to get out of this camp," she said through gritted teeth. "And quickly, before I lose my patience." casting a glance over at the God Slayer's, Nashi nodded at her.

"Okay, right behind you," she said. Elise turned to walk out of camp, so she turned to Simon, "Elise and I will be back soon," she said, "don't worry about us unless we don't come back in an hour."

"Stay safe and off the roads," Simon replied, rubbing his neck as he sat down under a big oak tree. Nodding, Nashi turned and jugged to catch up with Elise. Once she had, the two of them walked into the woods and left the safety of the others, into the brush.

Nashi had to admit, the silence of a smaller group moving through the woods was a much better sound than a ton of people. She relished in the silence as they walked, scanning for any small game they could kill and bring back.

"Thanks for coming with me," Elise said after an extended silence. "I really just needed to get away from those three."

"I feel you," Nashi agreed. "I'm getting pretty fed up with it too."

"If we don't get to where we're going soon, I'm gonna lose it."

"Well we have to almost be there," Nashi said. "We've been going for a while now."

"I hope so," Elise grunted as she pushed a brush out of their way. "I noticed Steph's been in a better mood recently. Did you guys talk? she seems to be clinging to you."

"Hm? Oh yeah, we did." Nashi thought back to her and Steph's talk, smiling weakly. "She came to me one night asking about how I felt when my other half died...Or, I guess, the real Nashi.

"Don't say that crap," Elise hissed angrily, "It's you, and you know that."

"Right, sorry," Nashi said.

"Well? What did you say to her?"

"I told her about how I wanted to give up after that happened, just crawl in a hole and die. But, if I did that, I'd be spitting on Nashi's memory. Letting her die for nothing. Letting Rocky die for nothing, too. I said we can't get hung up on what we've lost, when there's still so much to protect."

"And what did she say?" Elise asked. Nashi scoffed.

"Nothing concrete," she said, "just joked about how she might fall for me if I wasn't careful." Elise snorted.

"So she joked you off," she replied.

"I don't think so," Nashi replied. "Like you said, she has been in a better mood recently."

"Mm, maybe." Elise was silent as they stopped on a small hill, overlooking a tiny creek. Nashi regarded the pool of water quietly, Elise putting her hand on the tree next to them. Then she scoffed.

"What?" Nashi asked, turning to her.

"Nothing," Elise replied, looking back at the pool of water. "Just, this hill...for some reason, it reminded me of when I apologized for bullying you."

If Nashi had not had a near perfect memory or everything that had happened prior to her first death, she might have forgotten what Elise meant. But she remembered it vividly, like it was yesterday. They'd been on a hill overlooking a valley near Magnolia. Elise had found her, and apologized after Nashi's outburst earlier in the day because her Dad had come home.

"I guess so," Nashi said. "Seems like a lifetime ago now."

"Yeah," Elise said wistfully. "Wish we were back then. No end of the world, no lives on our shoulders. Just...little shit. Stuff kids worried about." Nashi smiled weakly.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Just kid stuff."

Leaving the hill behind, the two continued on in silence. Neither really had anything to say, so they simply walked and enjoyed each others company. Nashi liked it. It made her forget, even if for a moment, everything that was happening. Elise slid down a large hill in front of them, and as Nashi followed she saw a weird look on her friends face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked. Elise frowned and turned away.

"Nothing," she said.

"Oh shut up and tell me," Nashi said, "do I have a pimple or something? Not cleaning yourself for a while does that."

"Not it's nothing like that."

"Then what?" Elise stayed silent for a moment, eyes far away. Finally, she closed her eyes and sighed.

"There's a part of me that still expects to look back and see you and Drake behind me," she said quietly.

The following silence was not like the one before. This one was heavy and sad, as both girls thought about the third Dragon Slayer of their trio. It had been months since they had seen Drake, with no sign he was okay or coming back for them. Did he even have any idea what had happened? Did he also get marked? Or was he dead and it didn't matter.

"I miss him too," Nashi admitted quietly. "But he's still out there, and he'll find us. I know he will."

"Maybe," Elise agreed, lower lip trembling. It occurred to Nashi then that Elise really did care about Drake more than she let on. Of course she knew she cared, but enough to bring her to near tears at the mention of him?

"Careful," Nashi said with a soft smile. "Wouldn't want Drake to see you crying over him, would you?" Elise let out an actual laugh and wiped at her eyes.

"Last thing I want is that fuck to see me cry over him," she said defiantly. "He better not listen to my thoughts when he comes back either, or they'll quickly change to punching him in the head." nashi laughed as well, the thought bringing her legitimate joy for the first time in a while.

"He better not read mine either," she said. "I'd be embarrassed." Elise smirked at this.

"Oh yeah?" She asked, "what would you be thinking about?" Nashi raised an eyebrow at the other girl.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Elise shrugged innocently as they rounded a large tree.

"If what I saw is real, I bet he'd be reading some filthy thoughts, wouldn't he?"

Nashi's face flushed red and her hair ignited.

"What?!" She exclaimed, "w-what makes you think that?!"

"Well, seeing as you're literally burning up at the thought, seems I was right." Nashi groaned and turned away, patting at her hair to douse the fire. Damn her emotions! "Besides, you think you're slick, but you aren't. I see all those sneaky looks you gave him. Nobody didn't see it."

"I-I never did any such thing!"

"Sure you didn't," Elise replied. "Just so you know, no one doesn't know. We all do."

"...All of you?" Nashi asked timidly. Elise snorted.

"Well, some of us are probably just assuming seeing as you two were attached at the hip since childhood, but it's changed since we defeated Zeus. The way you look at him changed, anyway."

Nashi realized painfully that Elise's statement lined up exactly to where her, as in Luna, would have developed more intense feelings for Drake. This caused guilt to surge through her system, her desire to not sully her sister's best friend battling her lust.

"I-I don't know what you mean," Nashi said, looking away again. Elise just scoffed.

"Sure sure," she said. "Whatever you want. Look, when, and I do mean when he comes back, talk to him about it. Tell him how you feel, before either of you bite the dust. Don't want to lose one or the other without saying that, huh?" Nashi was way to flustered from this conversation, she needed to divert Elise's attention away from herself.

"I will if you do," she fired back at the other girl.

"Huh?"

"If you tell Keita how you feel before this is over, I'll tell Drake." It was Elise's turn to flush red, expression turning surprised.

"W-What gave you the impression I like Keita?" She asked. Nashi smirked, recalling the future timeline where Elise and Keita had married and had a child together. If certain events from that future were still destined to happen, then she was betting on that one being true.

"If I'm not slick, neither are you," she said. "Odd how whenever you go out to hunt alone, Keita shadow travels to you so you're both alone. Anything we should know about?" Elise flushed at the insinuation, frowning with a pathetic scowl on her face.

"You know as well as I do that if Keita and I were sneaking away to bang, you'd smell it on us," she said. "We wouldn't have been able to wash it off!"

"I don't know what you mean," Nashi answered innocently. "I'm just saying, you two are often alone."

"That's because-argh!" Elise growled, running her hands through her hair angrily, making Nashi giggle. Elise was so cute when she was embarrassed.

"You're not doing yourself any favors," she said pointedly. Elise growled again before turning back to her.

"Fine, you're on!" Elise replied, jabbing a finger into her chest. "If I tell Keita before this is over, you have to tell Drake! You got that?!"

"Sure do," Nashi agreed. "Shake on it?" She held her hand out for Elise to shake, who took it and shook. Now they were agreed.

"Be prepared to lose," Elise grumbled. "I'm not gonna lose this bet."

"I'm sure you won't," Nashi said. "Besides, we didn't really 'bet' anything. It was an agreement."

Shut up," Elise replied, looking away from her. Nashi just smiled softly and followed after the girl as they continued to hunt.

Even if it had been just for a moment, Nashi had felt like she and Elise were normal girls. That there was no apocalypse, no ending of the world, no prophecies or heroes. Just two girls arguing over the boys they were interested in and getting embarrassed over it. It was almost comical how out of place that argument was in the grand scheme of everything. and yet, Nashi still felt warmth blossoming in her chest. It had felt good to diver her attention off the end of the world, even if just for a minute or two. Maybe she'd have to talk to Elise more frequently, and maybe they could act like it was the old times.

Before either of them could say another word to one another, both of them froze in place. If Elise had smelled what Nashi had, they were both alarmed.

"Wraith?" Elise asked.

"Wraith," Nashi confirmed. "Just one though, which is odd. It's never just one."

"I don't smell any others, though," Elise said, brow furrowing. "I don't like this."

"Should we go tell the others?" Nashi asked warily. Elise made a face, thinking.

"I think we should check it out," Elise replied. "See just why exactly there's only one wraith out here." Nashi could see the logic in that. Nodding, both girls crouched slightly and tread lightly through the woods, following the scent of the wraith. The scent trail led them further and further away from the others, as the wraith seemed to be heading North-East. That was bad though, as it meant it would intersect with them soon enough if the kept to their Northward direction. What was it doing out here? was it just some lost soul? A wraith who'd been left behind by a larger hunting party? It was impossible to tell.

As the scent grew stronger, so too did the magic power the wraith had left in it's wake. The more they followed, the more her stomach turned. This was clearly an abnormal creature, as it's strength was off the charts compared to the average wraith. What the hell was going on here?

Elise held up a hand to stop her, so they stopped. Elise gestured her head forward, so Nashi squinted to look through the trees. There, through the brush maybe a hundred feet away, was the wraith in question. The magic power had amplified even more since they'd gotten so close, so much so that sweat began to trickle down her forehead. Elise gestured forward, and the two began to creep towards the wraith slowly. Every step made more magic power weigh on their shoulders, so much so Nashi was scared of what would happen if they were spotted. This thing was dangerous, that much was clear. However, once they got close enough to identify what they were looking at, Nashi's eyes widened.

It was a little girl.

The girl was clearly young, a child, but Nashi wasn't blind. Dark magic power practically leaked from her frame, a power that was scarily reminiscent of Zomrus. Her black hair was tied up in innocent looking pigtails, but she was anything but innocent and powerless. The girl had her hands behind her back as she examined the woods ahead of her, humming to herself.

"This is seriously hard," she said to herself, her voice raspy but very clearly a child's. "Where are these people? This is like finding a needle in a haystack."

Nashi cast a worried glance at Elise, who also looked afraid. It was pretty obvious this girl was hunting them. The child raised her hand to her head, frowning.

"You guys find them?" She asked, "...No? Man, that's so lame. Should we keep looking? I'm almost to the Norther shoreline from what I saw...Okay, I'll get to the coast and look around, see if I can find anything. Good luck you guys!" Severing the telepathic connection, the little girl crouched down. With an explosion of power she shot through the woods away from Nashi and Elise, which was good. If she'd come towards them, they'd have been spotted. And she'd probably have had a heart attack from the jump scare of the girl flying off. After a few seconds, both her and Elise acted as one, turning and breaking into a mad sprint back the way they came.

"We need to get the hell out of here!" Elise shouted as they ran. "That thing is looking for us!"

"There's more of them, too!" Nashi replied. "If she keeps going North, she'll run into us and we'll be found out!"

"As if things couldn't get any worse!" Elise shouted angrily.

So much for a stop to relax.

So recently I wrote out a rough draft of this final arc for my own sanity, and...I think this is going to be longer than I intended. There's so many things and characters who need to be moved into place, character arcs to finish and plot threads to resolve...This is definitely not ending this year, and honestly maybe not even the year after. Yay?

I hope you enjoyed!