"Oi. Wake up."

Caractacus, Phoebe, and Evelot blinked their eyes, shedding the foggy haze reflecting across them. They shook their heads, adjusting their eyes to the low light, and found a heavily damaged Amos standing in front of them.

"EEP!" Evelot gasped. "Ammo! What happened to you?!"

"…I fell down some stairs."

"…What?!"

As the Mimikyu fussed over his injuries, Phoebe massaged her head and groaned aloud. "Wha…?" She found a piece of chalky rock clutched between her teeth. Confused, she spat it out and stood up. "What happened? Where are we?"

Caractacus massaged his temple. "Strange. We just entered the asylum a moment ago. How did we end up here?"

Amos rolled his eyes. "Seriously? You idiots don't remember passing out halfway down here?"

Phoebe glared. "Eh?"

"Yeah. You fell asleep when we got down here. Exhausted yourselves trekking around this dump, so you took a nap here while I had to guard your lazy asses."

"Tired? I wasn't…" Phoebe groaned and rubbed her head again. "Ugh. Then again, I do feel a bit sleepy." She yawned and stretched out her limps. "Yeesh, we all seriously passed out? What a way to start the day."

"How could you have done this much damage to yourself falling down the stairs?!" Evelot screamed, scrambling around the Gligar with bandages. "You're still recovering from Skeleton Water!"

"H-Hey! Get the hell off me!"

Caractacus walked out of the small room and checked the dilapidated walls, noting the intense damage they accumulated. "This place is even more ruinous than I thought. Well, did you discover anything while we were out?"

Amos pushed Evelot off after she mummified him halfway in bandages. "Actually, I have. You notice these strange vines growing through the asylum?"

Phoebe looked them up and down. "Huh, yeah. Never seen anything like it."

Amos pointed down the hall. "I've been using my Sand Sensory to trace their origin, and I think it might lead us to Abel Underhill. I think these vines are coming from him."

"…" Caractacus glared. "What do you mean coming from him?"

"I have an…unfortunate hunch to some strange evidence I've collected. You'll see what I mean when we get there."

Amos gestured them along and made way through the hall, the rest of the company following behind him. Phoebe crossed her arms and huffed. "This bozo falls down a flight of stairs and does all the leg work while we were snoozing for who-knows how long? Ugh, I'm never going to hear the end of this."

Evelot giggled awkwardly. "Oh, I'm sure he didn't want to bother us. It was nice of him to let us rest—" She paused on the Aipom's face. "Uh, Phoebe?"

"Hmm?"

"Why…do you have facial hair and pronounced eyebrows?"

"…" Phoebe ran her hand across her face and inspected the chalky dust coated in her fur. Her eye twitched. "LAMECASTER!" She hurtled across the hallway and landed on his shoulders, pulling on his ears. "What did you do to me while I was asleep?!"

"AGH! Get the fuck off me, you insane bitch!"

"Oh, you think you're funny, don't ya?!"

"Not as funny as you, clearly!"

"Oh, that tears it!"

Evelot groaned as the two pulled and strangled at each other through the hallway. "If this is how they show affection, I'm not sure I'm a fan of it."

Caractacus laughed. "Quite the colorful group we have here."

The Broken Glass company turned right and exited their way from the hallway, all but the Gligar unaware of the body of the nameless assassin buried beneath the stone. All that was visible were the hollow eyes visible from within the cracks, forever lifeless as they were in life.

After finding his way back to the stairwell clustered with speckled roots, Amos took the lead hacking his way through. Little by little, he carved a path open, taking the journey one step at a time. Each time he sliced through the vines, a ghastly wail echoed from below, louder than ever.

"EEP!" Evelot jumped onto Phoebe's head, shivering. "W-What is that?!"

Caractacus glared. "Those moans sound…familiar." He felt up the vines and inspected them closely. He sniffed them. "That's an unusual scent. What kind of flora could grow down here? Are you sure Abel's down here?"

Amos nodded. "This is the only part of the asylum I haven't been able to inspect, and these vines definitely have something to do with his being down here."

Phoebe glared. "Well, that's a good sign he's still alive, right?"

"Maybe, but I noticed something when I was scanning down here. I definitely believe he's here, but there's something…I'm not sure how to describe it, but there's something strange about these roots and where they're growing from."

Evelot gulped. "A-Are they poisonous? Cursed? Oh Arceus, they're cursed, aren't they?! We've awakened the spirits of the asylum's long dead patients!"

Caractacus rolled his eyes. "As far as I know, Ghost-Types can't be resurrected once they pass on, so I doubt there will be any spirit risings within the next few minutes." He scratched his chin. "Even so, there's an unusual aura about these vines. It's like they're manifesting—"

"Psionic energy," Amos finished.

"…" Caractacus glared. "Abel? Abel?! Are you down there? It's me, Caractacus MacGyver! Can you hear me?!

"…"

"Abe—"

"OooooOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOHHHHHH!"

"EEEEEEEEEK!" Evelot tightly wrapped herself around Phoebe's head. "I'm done! Let's leave! Now!"

"Eve, you're ch-choking me!" Phoebe wheezed.

Caractacus grimaced. "What the hell is going on?"

Amos sliced through another wall of vines. His eyes widened at the blue glow manifesting through the final few layers, almost like a row of lanterns were alight. He glared and reared his arm back. "We're about to find out."

He hacked and sliced several more times before kicking through the final layer of vines. The group peeked their heads into the basement, their vision assaulted by the first signs of actual lighting in forever. Much like the rest of the asylum, it was a decrepit arrangement of stone withered by the passage of time.

However, what stood out about the basement was the arrangement of vines, finely matted across every perceivable surface unlike the tangled mess that encroached over the upper layers of the underground facility. At the center of these root masses was the source: a misshapen tree fused into the wall.

Like an infection, the tree-like mass dug its roots through the wall, festering with that unusual glow. Branches and leaves pressed against the wall with leaves decorating the floor, crunching under their feet as they stepped closer. The source of the intense light came from the center of the tree: an orb of blue light that seemed to pulsate like a heart. If they kept silent, they could even hear its thumping with each pulse.

Caractacus glared. "What the…?"

Phoebe whistled. "That's one hell of a tree."

"I'll say," Amos muttered. "Something like this growing in the Outlands? I've never seen anything like it."

Evelot ran her hand along the roots. "These feel smoother than the rugged texture of the ones upstairs. Almost like they've been kept it better condition."

Caractacus scratched behind his head. "I didn't take Abel for a gardener, but I'm impressed. Speaking of which, where the hell is he? I could've sworn those were his moans we were hearing. They sounded just like the groans he was making last I saw him."

Phoebe sniffed the air. "Well, something definitely reeks down here. The loser probably hasn't had a bath in months."

Amos scratched his chin. "I thought he was down here. I thought I sensed a living creature by the tree. Come to think of it, there's no other way out of this room. How could he get through the root cluster?"

Phoebe snapped her tail fingers. "Secret passage. That's the answer." She ran up to the walls and squeezed her hands through the roots to feel up the stone. "There's got to be a trigger or something."

Caractacus laughed. "This asylum has to be hundreds of years old. The mechanisms needed to make the secret passage you're thinking of wouldn't come to Virdis until the land of Johto sailed here."

She rolled her eye. "Oh, look at me, I'm Caractacus and I'm smarter than everyone in the room."

"Mocking me doesn't mean that statement is false," he countered smugly.

Amos groaned. "Rags, can you give us a hand? Maybe a potion or something to figure out where he—"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The group jumped as Evelot suddenly flung herself back into Amos' arms. "What the fuck!" he yelled. "Don't spook us like that!"

"Th-That, I, ah…AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" She pressed herself against his chest with tears bursting from her eyes. "Th-Th-Th-Th-The t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t—"

"Spit it out already," Caractacus groaned.

"T-T-T-TREE! The TREE! W-W-Where the light is!"

A sudden chill ran up their spines, following where the Mimikyu pointed. They craned their heads around, staring at the center of the ingrown tree. For a moment, it looked like any other save for its unusual shape. However, because of the light it was emitting, they failed to catch the other growth coming from within the bark.

A shape protruded from the bark, wooden and malformed.

The light pulsating from within the tree. The one that resembled a heart.

It didn't just resemble a heart.

It was a heart.

A heart…that belonged to the mutated Hypno fused within the lumber.

29th Summer Moon, 907 – About Seven Months Ago…

Abel Underhill occasionally checked over his shoulder as if someone could pop up and disturb him amidst his sneaking. He had to leave as soon as he could, packing whatever necessities he needed for the road. He needed to find somewhere to lay low and bide his time.

He needed to put an end to the madness he and his brother started.

He spared a glance at the wall once pinned with an assortment of notes, schematics, and dreams. Now it was just a blank, barren wall reminding him of the destruction he caused with his mind.

Finally, his eyes fell on the dust-covered project he long since abandoned in the recent months. It was a metal sphere, seemingly ordinary if not a bit out of place. However, the secrets it held within could change the very nature of their world had he been allowed to finish it.

Its true purpose was of a…melancholic nature.

He placed his hand upon the sphere, running his thumb across the codename etched into its surface.

Talos – Model: MGear

"Sorry, Dolors. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." He pulled his gray hood on, sighed, and picked up his bag. "I just need to find somewhere that'll listen to me, then we can get started on putting an end to this. Putting an end to the Arcania Kingdom's part in this comes first—"

"Scheming in the dark, little brother?" Abel narrowed his eyes as lantern lights ignited over the lab. He glanced over his shoulder as Cain entered the once darkened lab, playing with his monocle. "The light makes everything so much easier to work."

"I work better in the dark," he grumbled. "I actually have somewhere to be." He started walking to the exit. "If you'll excuse me—"

He stopped short of a psionic slash rushing past his foot. Unfazed, he turned his gaze back to his older brother, who twirled his smoking pendulum by his pinky. He chuckled softly. "You played me for a fool long enough, little brother, but you don't have to hide the truth from me." He flashed his cold stare at the Hypno. "I found the letters from your secret pen pal."

"…" Abel tightened the strap on his bag. "You were snooping in my chamber?"

"Good thing I did, otherwise you would've blown the whistle early on Project Talos. And after you cracked the code to complete our ancestor's dream, too. Shame on you."

Abel glared. "Cain, get out of my way."

"What's your precious Dolors going to think when she finds out you walked out on her? You promised to save her, and now you're not even going to keep your promise? I never took you as a callous man, Abel. You filled that poor woman's head with hope, and now you're just giving up on our research."

Abel shoved the older Hypno back. "I know Dolors will hate me for this, but I just can't go on with this."

Cain smirked. "Because you got caught? Or because you decided to grow a conscience?"

"This isn't right. What we're doing, this isn't right. We've been meddling in the affairs of Virdis for too long. I just wanted somewhere to start over."

"I gave us that opportunity."

"You set the orphanage on fire to make it look like we died."

"They don't matter. We're special. We're important."

Abel scoffed. "Still have that chip on your shoulder that I was blessed with Underhill's knowledge and you weren't?"

Cain's smirk grew, though there was a subtle twitch in his eye. "Let's not throw around petty insults with each other. Abel, you're my beloved brother, but I can't have you foiling all our hard work just for your pride."

"The things we've done—"

"A means to the end. To cure this broken region and restore it to true order."

"You mean suppressing the freedom of others."

"What's the difference? That's why laws were made."

Abel clenched his teeth. "We've been manipulating Outlanders to do our bidding. We hired Great Gate to launch that massacre on Arcania. We weakened them to better control them." He covered his face and growled. "I can't take this anymore. I don't care if Dolors hates me forever. This ideal world Terrowin is fixated on? I can't condone it. Now that those thieves are starting to snoop around into the Dukes of Buzzard's business, it's only a matter of time before the Wraith gets traced back to us. For heaven's sake, the Wraith. The things we did with the original samples. It makes me sick. What you made me do."

"Now Abel—"

"How do you think I felt having to tell a little Buneary girl that her mother died from a fever despite knowing the truth?!" he snapped. "I hated myself for that, but I kept shoving my feelings down because I wanted to believe Terrowin knew what was best. But…I can't keep going on after this. After what you did to that kid—"

"If I hadn't intervened, he would've exposed the truth much earlier. As far as they're concern, Pasco was the one who killed him, not me. That's what you get for trusting a conspiracy theorist with our secrets." Cain smirked. "You were going to finally blow the whistle to him, weren't you?"

"…" Abel looked away.

"You've been having these thoughts for years now, haven't you? Tsk, tsk. Little brother, you are a disappointment."

"…Get out of my way, Cain."

"Unfortunately, I can't let you do that." Cain started spinning his pendulum, charging it with psychic energy. "We have all the pieces to complete Project Talos. Sooner or later, Master Terrowin will see that we need to use a show of force. Our years of scheming with Wraith will soon make way for the return of Last Autumn."

Abel glared. "I said get out of my way, Cain." He extended his arm to the side. Psychic energy crackled from his palm, striking down on the floor. A stone spear materialized itself from below, rising into his hand. He plucked it free and raised it in Cain's direction. "Don't make me kill you."

Cain laughed. "See, that's the difference between you and me, little brother. You value life. I, on the other hand?" He gripped his pendulum and struck first.

Abel jumped out of the way as the psionic slashes cleaved across the lab, tearing through his bag filled with notes and evidence.

"I value the progression of science."

The Broken Glass Alchemical Company found themselves frozen with terror at the grotesque display hidden behind the light of the unusual heart beating within the tree. So subtle upon first witnessing, the details in front of them were forever burned into their memory.

Fused within this unnatural tree was none other than the body of a Hypno. His lower half had been completely melded with the tree, nothing more than a cluster of speckled roots from the waist down. His arms, up to the elbow, had melded within the tree. They could clearly see the points at which they were once hands by the strange growth of the roots along the tree's sides, like unnaturally large hands splayed out as a pair of wings. Roots grew out from the neck and shoulders, interweaving themselves through the wood.

The upper half of his face, everything partially above his nose, had been fused with the wooden growth. Only a twisted distortion within the face indicated the existence of eyes.

Though all were disturbed by the sight, Caractacus was perhaps the most perturbed. "I…A-Abel? Is that you?"

The group flinched as the head started to move, struggling to adjust itself ever so slightly. The lips parted, a puff of blue spores escaping like an exhale. Rightfully freaked out, everyone backed off and fanned the spore away in fear of the infection spreading.

"C…Caractacus?" it spoke.

His eyes widened. "Y-Yes. Abel, it's me, Caractacus. Is that really…you?"

The mutated Hypno lingered in silence for a moment before a broken chuckle escaped his lips. "I…must apologize. I would've tidied up had I known I'd have company."

Caractacus clenched his teeth. "Are you seriously…making jokes right now?! What happened to you?!"

"I think I'm going to be sick…" Evelot groaned, turning away from the growth.

"Is…someone else with you?"

Amos glared, pushed down his disgust, and approached the growth. "There's four of us in total, but two of us might be of importance: Evelot Faucher and Amos Lancaster. Those ring any bells?"

"…So, it's true. A Faucher really did survive?" Abel sighed. "This…is most unfortunate."

He scoffed. "Yeah. Real big fucking deal."

"…Amos Lancaster. You are one of…the Dukes of Buzzard. You were captured…some time ago."

"Yeah. I was. As well as the rest of my team. And your brother was so kind to pay us a visit at an Outlands prison! Really fucking appreciated being sliced up, by the way!"

"…" Abel sighed. "Please…forgive my brother. He does not know better—"

"Oh, I think he knows plenty! Maybe keep a leash on him or something! Or better yet, put a bullet through his skull—MMM?!" Caractacus placed his paw over the Gligar's mouth.

"Perhaps we should focus on the matter at paw before we dump our frustrations on a man who has been the victim of what could only be described as a war crime." After Amos calmed down, Caractacus sighed before looking up at the withered Hypno. "Is…this what was plaguing you when you last visited? What even…is this?"

"Disgusting, that's what," Phoebe mumbled.

Abel chuckled drearily. "The results of my arrogance, I suppose. Cain always lacked our ancestor's natural talent, but he was a hard worker. Always finding ways to break the bonds between nature and science." He frowned. "One of his experiments from preserving Master Terrowin. An experimental prototype of the drug he's been perfecting. Actually, it might already be finished."

"D-Drug? What?" Evelot mumbled, still unable to look at the mutated Hypno directly.

"Master Terrowin…has been on the final stages of life in the last several years, kept alive purely by the genius of my brother. He should've been dead well over a decade ago had Cain not worked to extend his life. He's been working on something to give Master Terrowin that final boost in strength. Something to bring him back into his prime. Of course, the side effects are…disastrous."

"This, I suppose?" Amos asked.

"The drug wasn't meant to be administered into anything other than Master Terrowin. I was exceeding in my fight with Cain, so he pulled one last dirty trick and injected me with the prototype drug. That's why I came here. I couldn't risk…anyone seeing me in this state. It would've incited too much panic."

"I-I-I-I believe that," Evelot whimpered.

Phoebe glared. "Why did this happen in the first place? What did you do to incite this kind of torture? From your own brother, no less?"

Abel sighed. "A lapse in judgment, or perhaps I finally took a moment to reflect on Last Autumn's actions. Maybe I have for a long time." He sighed. "I traveled around Virdis a lot, mostly to conduct research under the guise of a doctor. We've been experimenting with ways to seize power under the noses of the ten kingdoms. One such way was—"

"Through Wraith?" Phoebe guessed.

"A miracle poison that we had to obtain for ourselves after our first few experiments with it. Cain wanted to push the boundaries of that poison, using it as a deterrent to remove any unwanted factors from completing our goal."

Amos glared. "So, you sent someone to kill the Fauchers and steal their research?"

"…Evelot Faucher, was it?" Abel bowed his head. "I am truly sorry for the pain we've caused you."

Evelot gulped. "I…I don't understand. Y-You could've just stolen the Wraith. You could've just stolen our notes for Rainbow. Why…W-Why did my family have to be murdered over it?"

"…Admittedly, we didn't originally intend for that, though Cain wouldn't have cared either way. The…mercenary we hired, however? She saw the Fauchers as a blight on the region that needed to be exterminated."

Evelot's eyes widened. "You…You do know who killed them? Wh-Who murdered my—"

Phoebe immediately covered the Mimikyu's ears. "Alright, that's enough of that."

Amos raised his brow at them briefly before turning back to Abel. "What exactly is Last Autumn's end goal?"

"…" Abel closed his eyes. "The complete subjugation of Virdis and the restoration of the old kingdom. Master Terrowin, he…he's been alive longer than any of us. He's seen how Virdis has changed. He's seen the wars, the greed, the terror brought through manipulation, force, torture, and all. He is a living account of our sins. He wants to bring Virdis back to a time of simplicity where peace reigns supreme, and he'll make sure this never happens again."

Amos glared. "And…does this have anything to do with something called Logos?"

"I assume Caractacus told you about that." Abel sighed. "I want you all to listen to me carefully: Logos, even to us, is still an enigma. We do not know the full extent of its power and history. We only know the basics. Logos is an ancient legion of creatures that scattered across the world eons ago. Their origins remain unknown, and we may never discover their secrets in our lifetime. However, we've learned much. They're adaptable, for one thing. Depending on how they're utilized, they can direct their near limitless potential to a single cause."

Caractacus tilted his head. "You mean to say there's more of these things? Not just in Virdis?"

"You hear a lot of legends outside the coasts of Virdis. Some could just be that, legends. Others, however? Maybe not. Like I said, these things appeared eons ago. It wouldn't take long for other civilizations to realize the potential of their power. Even one of them could bring great power to an individual as told from the archives of Old Virdis."

"What…do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"Logos can grant its power in two forms, one directly and one indirectly. Two halves of the same concept, forged by a user's willpower, but manifested by different means. These forms are referred to…as Heavenly Emotion and Inherited Will."

"Uuuugh…ugh…"

Having barely escaped his battle with Cain, Abel Underhill ventured out into the Outlands, dragging himself along with barely a spark of life keeping him standing. He clutched at the spot his brother had stabbed him with the injector. He had pulled back his sleeve, eying the concerning green blemish corrupting the veins below his skin.

He barely had the strength to get by. Any attempt to thwart Last Autumn would sooner lead to his end. How long until they sent The Ghost after him? Or worse, call upon one of Terrowin's many loyal subjects to hunt him down? Any one of them could be parading through the Outlands. Nowhere was safe.

He needed to get the word out and fast.

By some miracle, he found something.

Traveling close to the border separating the Outlands from its former territory of Wick, he spotted a group of traveling merchants making their way through, carrying crates by wagon. The emblem across the wagons indicated they were a hired party for a noble house. Strange to see anyone traversing the Outlands, though he supposed cutting through was preferable to circling around the lawless desert.

Still, it was enough.

"E-Excuse me!" Abel wheezed, calling out to the merchants.

One of them, a Shiinotic, reached for the revolver at his side. "Don't come any closer, Outlander, or else."

Abel raised his hands, wincing from the pain in his arm. "Aaaagh. Look, I'm not here to start any trouble." He cautiously inched closer. "Please, j-just…just listen. Where are you gentlemen heading?"

Keeping one hand on his gun, the mushroom answered, "We're merchants of a noble house of Verde. Why do you ask?"

Abel carefully reached behind his waist and produced a scroll. "Listen, if it's not too much trouble, I just need you to send this scroll out to anyone. Anyone at all. It's not much, but it's imperative someone of great authority gets their hands on this. It could make the difference between life and death."

The merchant seemed skeptical. "This feels like a trick."

Abel winced. "Please. It's one scroll, that's it. It's a warning about the Arcania Kingdom. I need someone to respond to this message."

"…" The merchant sighed and leaned over to take the scroll from him. "Fine. I'll deliver it for you."

Abel sighed in relief. "Thank you. Thank you…"

It wasn't much, but he hoped the letter would be useful to someone. He felt bad for putting the Arcania Kingdom in a bad light, but he needed to draw attention to the issue. Whatever it took to get results.

"Heavenly Emotion?" Amos muttered.

"Inherited Will?" Phoebe asked.

Abel nodded. "These are powers bestowed upon by Logos, usually gifted to keen individuals. They vary in their usage depending on how the user manifests through sheer force of will and emotion. The benefits they grant are…astronomical."

Caractacus stroked his chin. "I've heard of Inherited Will, but I'm not familiar with Heavenly Emotion."

"Despite their rarities, Heavenly Emotion is exceedingly difficult to obtain. It's actually a form accidentally gifted rather than bestowed naturally." Abel tilted his head back. "Not many know about this, but every bloodline that was in Virdis during the invasion two hundred years ago was gifted a small fragment of Logos' influence. This gives them a nearly untraceable form of their power."

"Whaaaaat?" Amos asked. "Wait, does that mean we have Logos' power in us?"

"Untraceable, but yes. Some more than others depending on their bloodlines. The MacGyvers, for example, have a stronger connection to Logos than they realized."

Caractacus raised his brow. "Really?"

"Have any of you ever gone near the Great Ruins and felt this…unsettling dread that compels you to leave?"

Evelot grimaced. "Y-Yeah…"

"Vaguely," Amos muttered.

Abel nodded. "I don't know the full details, but that is the will of Logos. Someone used Logos during the tail end of the war, a last-ditch effort to expunge the intruders by influencing them to leave the region. However, for whatever reason, the range of this influence only traveled so far. Thus, unless you've learned to conquer this feeling of dread within yourself, you'll feel this urge to escape the effected zone. Fearing for your life."

Phoebe glared. "Is that why everyone thinks the ruins are haunted? Why they've remained unconquered for two hundred years?"

"Sometimes it's better not to tempt the fate of spirits, even if they are imaginary." He sighed. "However, this fragment of power had some…interesting side effects. They're rare, and for good reason. The power of Heavenly Emotion can only be obtained under extreme circumstances. One must have a great physical prowess and a sharpened mind working in tandem. These are doable, but the trigger to achieving Heavenly Emotion is something much more sinister: a brush with death."

Phoebe raised her brow. "Death?"

"It's possible for a creature of great renown and power to bring themselves back to life through means of Heavenly Emotion, the final trigger to unlocking itself. However, this window is incredibly brief. You must channel an abnormal sense of willpower, that urge to keep fighting even when death is certain, and there's a one percent chance you'll trigger an explosive surge of power from your heart. That is the depths of Heavenly Emotion. If one can overcome that pain, they'll be blessed with unimaginable mastery over their aura."

Phoebe winced. "Yikes. No wonder it's so rare."

"Inherited Will is rare as well, but easier to obtain. It's granted directly by Logos, but its real strength comes from inheritance. Whenever a user passes on, the next child born within the bloodline will receive the blessing. They'll inherit the will of the previous users, a subconscious understanding of their experiences. Because of this, there tends to be a fixation on similar fighting styles. They can channel this power through a single move and greatly enhance its capabilities beyond the normal limits. The possibilities are…frightening, to say the least."

Amos glared. "This is the power of Logos? And Last Autumn has their hands on it?" He scowled. "Well, all the more reason to find them and bust their operation. You want someone to take them down for you? We'll happily oblige—"

"I'm afraid you misunderstand my desperation," Abel interrupted. "I did seek help, but it was purely as a last resort. I'm sorry to say, but it's better you do not pursue Last Autumn. Though Terrowin is a man of principles and boundless kindness, there's a darkness festering within him that only comes out when he feels the world is turning deeper and deeper into corruption. He'll do anything to preserve his vision of peace, even if he must forgo his outlook of pacifism to commit terrible deeds. I am aware of what Last Autumn plans to do should they be forced to take…drastic measures."

Caractacus groaned. "Abe, this is a lot to take in, and I'm still trying to process the fact you've been turned into bloodstained tree. So, those old ruins where I found Alpha? You're telling me everything I've learned about them is true? Logos is some thing from beyond the sky? Unimaginable power that can perform miracles? And you're telling us to just run away?"

Abel frowned. "Caractacus, my friend, this is not a fight you want. There are some mysteries in this world that shouldn't be pursued. Dark secrets obtained from studying these creatures. The original arbiters cursed us with this knowledge. Why else are our bloodlines blessed with their vast intellect? We're connected to Logos as well. Our own form of Inherited Will. Wisdom. Blueprints. Secrets of the great beyond. And that knowledge can drive a man to madness. And now they're going to unleash unspeakable terror upon Virdis if they're allowed to complete the project."

Amos crossed his arms. "What project?"

"…" He sighed. "Project Talos."

Caractacus raised his brow. "That name again. What is a talos?"

"It's not a what, it's a who. A theoretical concept. You're all familiar with the legends of how certain Pokémon came to be. Golett being born of spectral energy infused into clay bodies? Toxic waste gaining sentience into Grimer? Born by chance from layers of salt in the ground, giving rise to Nacli? We are creatures of miracles ourselves. But all of us share one common trait: a soul."

"A soul?" Caractacus mumbled.

"Do not mock the concept, MacGyver. The soul is a very real thing whether or not you believe in higher powers. My point is all us creatures have souls that give our life purpose. Meaning. However, Talos was once an…ancient attempt to give life to something. Not by chance, but with purpose. Of course, in those days, we simply lacked the understanding of this phenomenon. It was merely a fantasy to creature a soulless creature. However, recent…discoveries have changed that possibility."

Phoebe grimaced. "And this has something to do with the Arcania Kingdom?"

"They're all connected—" Abel paused, coughing up another cloud of spores. "Uuugh. I…I sent that message warning people of Arcania in hopes they'd take action. If Project Talos is allowed to live, there will be a great shift in history. They already have two of the main components: a fuel source and a means of puppeteering Talos. The material, however, is lacking. And the only place they'll be able to obtain it…is the deep levels of the Subterra Kingdom."

Amos glared. "Okay, so you're saying if this Talos thing is built, hell on Virdis? All the more reason to strike back—"

"There is another component, however." Abel lifted his head. "They need a means to make Talos a weapon of destruction. That means infusing the very essence of the fuel source into the material itself. And you all have the key to that in your possession."

"…" Everyone's eyes slowly turned onto Evelot, who suddenly felt self-conscious by their staring. "W-What?" she mumbled.

Phoebe's eye widened. "They're not looking for her just to make more Wraith with the Rainbow. They need Rainbow to complete this Talos thing."

"Exactly," Abel groaned.

Amos scowled. "And with the limited supply they have, they won't have enough to make a meaningful difference should they launch a war."

"Seeing as she is the last surviving Faucher, she is the key to winning this war. Her knowledge is the only thing keeping Virdis from collapsing into an endless war."

Evelot narrowed her eyes worriedly. "All of this because of me?"

Caractacus grunted. "Well, that's rather useful information. So, as long as she's still alive—"

"Tac!" Phoebe snapped.

"I'm not suggesting we kill her, obviously, but you understand where I'm coming from. Evelot's got a target painted on her back."

"And Last Autumn will eventually realize they can't have her surviving to restart the Faucher Clan," Abel continued. "After all, not only would escape their clutches, but a new generation of Faucher would create a worse predicament to their plans."

Amos glared. "What do you mean exactly? How would Evelot continuing her bloodline change anything?"

"…" Abel shifted uncomfortably. "Caractacus. I sensed it the moment she entered this room. You know, don't you?"

Caractacus' eyes widened. "Uh, what?"

"…Oh dear. Is that the reason you've been tagging along with these three?"

Phoebe squinted in suspicion at the Boltund. "Tac, what's he talking about? You said you were coming with us because we had similar destinations. What exactly were you talking about?"

Abel sighed. "I've peered more and more into Logos during my time with Last Autumn, and it granted me many advantages, such as seeing what can't be seen."

Caractacus looked away. "Abe, stop talking—"

"When were you going to tell these three that Evelot Faucher…was carrying an Inherited Will?"

"What the heck is wrong with you, Abe?" Caractacus grumbled as he watched the Hypno stumble out of the cave. "First you pop in for a surprise visit looking like you caught the plague at the bottom of the ocean, now you're leaving?"

Abel panted heavily, keeping his hand to the wall. "B-Beware…the Arcania Kingdom. Beware…Talos."

Caractacus rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, you babbled this nonsense to me already. Maybe try explaining it?"

"…" Abel pinched between his eyes, feeling sweat dripping down his face. "Caractacus, I'm…I'm sorry. I just…I just wanted to see you one last time."

The hound frowned. "Did something happen on your end?"

"…Please stay safe." Abel tried to walk outside the cave, but Caractacus caught his shoulder.

In a rare show of sympathy, Caractacus relaxed his firm expression, looking to his friend in concern. "Abe, what happened before you arrived? Did something happen on your end? Did you brother do this to you?"

"…" Abel looked down at his hand, hiding the sprout seeping out from under his skin. He grimaced. "Caractacus, l-listen…listen to this carefully. I have…committed many sinful deeds. I wish not for you to be caught up in my business. Everything I've told you about Logos? Please…Please do not pursue the truth further. I only came here to…to tell you…as a warning. A new…new era is coming, and I don't want you caught up in that madness. I don't want to lose another person in my selfishness."

Caractacus frowned. "Abe—"

"Please. Just…" He stumbled out of the cave, leaving the Boltund behind. He dared not look back at his sorrowful friend. "Just please…stay safe should the future devolve into this inevitable war."

"Evelot has a WHAT?!" Amos and Phoebe gasped.

"W-What?" Evelot mumbled.

Caractacus groaned. "Dammit…"

Abel nodded sagely. "I sensed the familiar powers of Logos through both Caractacus and Evelot, but hers carries a more potent form. I've only sensed that potency from Master Terrowin. She most certainly possesses an Inherited Will. Curious, though. I didn't think the Fauchers ever had children mixed with any of the Laurus Vanguard. And hers? It feels to be in its infancy."

Phoebe ignored the mutated Hypno and set her sights on Caractacus. "What the fuck is this about?! You mean to tell me my best friend has some hidden power that would give Last Autumn more incentive to chase her down?!"

Caractacus winced. "I…never confirmed whether or not that was the case. I only had Alpha's readings to go off of—"

"But you knew there was something up with her and didn't tell us?!"

He glared. "You're making a big deal out of nothing."

"What I'm hearing is that you're treating her like one of your science experiments! You only came with us to observe her, didn't you?!"

"…" He looked aside and shrugged.

"Not denying it, huh?!"

"Phoebe, calm down!" Amos snapped. "This isn't the place to get heated." He sighed and glared back at Abel. "If what you're saying is true, how could Evelot have this…Inherited Will thing? More importantly, how worried should we be?"

Abel grimaced. "For one, Terrowin wouldn't want a power like that to mature, especially from someone who may carry a grudge against him. The issue…is that Terrowin's bloodline is in direct opposition with the bloodlines of the Laurus Vanguard. Though I do not understand how a Faucher even obtained this power, Terrowin would see her as a larger threat if he were to learn the truth, especially if she ever fully manifests its power. Meaning, if she stands against his ideals, they will use every means to extract the Rainbow formula out of her before disposing of her, ending what will eventually become a dangerous cycle."

Amos slumped his shoulders. "Just to be clear: she holds the key to igniting a war led by Last Autumn, and she could potentially become someone who will oppose Last Autumn?"

"Precisely. Inherited Wills are dangerous business if you spite a bloodline. They'll remember. Deep within their auras, they will remember."

"…Dammit." Amos covered his face. "Dammit. And we've been making her a bigger target on their radar after that debacle in Scornpeak. We have mercenaries working under Cain looking for her."

"This is why I object to you pursuing action any further. Your main priority should be getting Evelot out of the Virdis region. As far away as you can take her. At this stage, she's too much of a wild card."

Amos glanced back at Evelot, who hugged herself and shook against Phoebe's side. "I…I never wanted any one w-worrying over me. I didn't think…I would be this much of a burden…"

"Eve, no…" Phoebe hushed, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

Amos frowned. "Rags—" He winced as Abel started coughing and wheezing violently, huffing another cloud of spores. "Yeesh."

Abel panted tiredly. "I…I prayed I could give someone…anyone the chance to prepare for when they strike. That was my…last reason to live. Everything…is in constant pain. I wish not to live longer in this agonizing state. Please…Please put me out of my misery. I wish not to stay like this a moment longer."

"…" Amos closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Turning back to the others, he asked, "Have we gotten everything we need to hear?"

Caractacus looked aside. "Just about."

Phoebe snarled at the hound. "Just enough."

Evelot only sniffled, holding herself against Phoebe.

Amos nodded, then twisted his mechanical pincer. "Then we're done here. You three head back up and get Magni up to speed. We'll…figure out what to do from there."

Phoebe nodded. "Right." She picked Evelot up in her arms. "Tac. You and I are going to have a long talk once we get back up to the surface."

He rolled his eyes and started following her to the stairs. "I look forward to it."

Amos waited a moment, listening to their footsteps as they climbed to the upper level of the asylum. Sensing they were making their way back the way they came in, he sighed to himself before loading a bullet into his pincer.

"I am sorry for burdening all of you with this information," Abel said. "I just couldn't leave this world without—"

"Don't waste your last words on that shit. I get it." He closed his pincer and took aim. "You sure you want this?"

"…Amos Lancaster, why did you come all this way? I remember in the reports that you were a rather uncouth individual, yet I sense you've changed. Was it because of your brush with death by my brother's hands?"

"Something like that. I've had a lot of time to think, you could say."

"Well then. I wish to leave this world hoping I did some good for once."

"…" Amos lowered his pincer. "You said something about Evelot's Inherited Will. You said it seemed unlikely."

"I've had a lot of time to reflect on my actions, and looking into the Faucher family post-mortem put things into perspective. However, I never once came across any information that said a Laurus Vanguard married into the family. Not even records of a child with undocumented parents."

"How would she obtain an Inherited Will?"

"Through Logos, but it's a ritual performed by a sizeable cluster. I doubt she would have access to that many." He paused for a moment. "There…well, I don't know what to make of her condition, but that potency I mentioned? Hers feels more condensed. Immature and recent, but condensed. She must've obtained it through a different means. That's the only explanation I have."

"…"

"Do you have any other questions?"

"…" Amos sighed. "If Evelot were to die, that would keep Last Autumn from taking over Virdis. Right?"

"Good sir, are you considering killing Evelot Faucher?"

"…" He scoffed. "Don't be stupid. I'm a part of the Broken Glass Alchemical Company. Wouldn't reflect well on me to put a bullet through my boss' head."

Abel chuckled softly. "Of course."

"I won't let them anywhere near her."

"Good man." Abel eased himself and relaxed into the wooden growth. "I am ready."

Amos raised his pincer gun. "Sorry about this."

"Don't be. Just promise me one thing."

Amos turned his pincer.

"Please…Please do all in your power to save Virdis. Save our home—"

BANG!

The glowing heart splattered over the ground from a single shot. Amos blew on his smoking pincer and watched the mutated Hypno instantly go limp. All around, the speckled patterns decorating the roots and vines started to disappear, steaming from the plants like wisps of smoke. Darkness fell over the basement instantly.

Ams breathed a sigh and turned his back to the former scientist. "You're asking the wrong Gligar to save the world." He shook his head and started for the stairs. "But I promise…to make a Virdis worthy of Evelot's vision. I owe her that much."