It's been so long since she used that room. It was exactly as she hads left it. No one used it since Alice and her mark, the Shadow Cheshire- one cheeky little fella. She put the child in the huge bed of Alice.

She needed to change de design of the room but before she could do it, the child started to wake up. – Well he is an Original, no doubt he'll wake up sooner than later- thought Darkness.

- Where I am? What happ.. Stella! – The child looked left and right, and finally focused on Darkness -Where is Stella? What did you to her? - He glared at her.

- Me? I didn't do anything, she was like… that... before I arrived – and that seemed to hit hard on the child, the realization of his deed made him puke beside de bed – oh, sorry, I didn't mean to...– said Darkness worried that her lack of socialization in the last years had made her crude.

She snapped her fingers to clean the flor – Come, child let me clean you too, look here – she approached him, but he yanked.

– Don't touch me! Who are you? Where is this place? Where is Stella? – He yelled.

– Ugh so many questions, calm do- but he was no longer there, he was running to the door and then, gone- Why do they always run? They are the ones who call me, no?- Said Darkness while scratching her head, slowly reaching to the door.

He ran as fast as he could, but the place was big. Finally, the big door - that must be the entrance- he thought.

He was outside, it was bright. When he could see the landscape, his legs gave up. As far as his eyes could reach, and that was a lot given his quirk, there were only three colors, blue, green and gold and nothingness.

Short grass with no bushes or trees, a sky without a single cloud and two golden roads in V form that went to the nothingness. And there she was waiting him, arms crossed.

– Took you long, uh?- she said smirking with little amusement in her eyes. - You need to calm down so we can talk. If I talk, I can answer your questions. If you run after asking, I may end up talking to the air. And I don't like that. I'm not a crazy person- Darkness said with annoyance.

He looked behind him, to the door, which closed with a loud bang and disappeared – No no, you are not going back there until we talk. Seems that closed places make you uncomfortable, given the situation back there. I personally think this open place is a little more eerie in comparison, but suit yourself – Said Darkness rising her shoulders while picking her little finger nail. For him now, only remained an extremely huge tree, and nowhere to go.

He was resigned, now that he had calmed down, he could think more logically, as his father taught him. That helped to push the pain in his heart a little, that remained him sane for the time being. He's been in worse situations- he thought- just recently... No, don't go there. Not now. - This woman didn't seem with bad intentions toward him, his wounds were healing faster, and he needed to go back ASAP, things weren't good before it had gotten worse. He would make her take him back, since those roads weren't for walking, and this place was her realm, he felt that. First with logic, in last resource by force, if needed. Though she looked calm, his gut told him she was a dangerous force that he didn't want to mess with.

He sat abruptly, legs crossed in the grass, hands in his knees, puffing a flock of his hair that touched his nose.

- Good child –said Darkness.

– Talk then, not crazy person but extremely suspicious and possible kidnaper- he said.

– Not such a good child – said Darkness pouting while sitting in front of him, legs crossed and puffin her bangs. And for some reason that small gesture of her felt so familiar for him.

- Well then, your father must have raised you accordingly, introductions are first – said Darkness with a big simile, smiles always eases the awkwardness, she thought.

- Weren't you the one who was going to answer my questions? Why should I introduce myself first, you came to me- he said angrily, knowing this was taking time he didn't have.

- I'm the older one, so go on – said darkness trying to keep her smile.

– There is no wa- he started to rebuke her with the idea to tell her how hurried he was, but stopped midway, the breeze changed, it was colder, a chill in his neck told him she was getting annoyed, her pupils had become slightly larger and her hair that one could have thought it was been blown by the wind, actually was moving by itself like snakes. All that, with the smile she was barely holding. It was a creepy sight to see.

– ok..okay, umm, I'm Kaoru Aizawa, 22 years old, code name Midnight Sun, the youngest of the First Unit of the Impartials of Japan, son of the hero Eraser Head. As his teachings, logic is what usually moves me to action but oddly enough I strongly believe in a higher force that provides me with protection and power ups my quirk, I'm not religious, but I thank my victories to that. Last night when she… when everything seemed to fall apart, I called it but nothing happened, I lost her…- he couldn't go on, he had said to himself not to go in that direction and yet…

- But something did happen. Me – Said Darkness, smiling gently – Well you called me, so I'm here. Hi Kaoru, nice to finally meet you. I'm your mom. –

- Wha..- Kaoru, who has been watching his clenched and trembling hands, raised his head like a whip in shock.- He was being serious and she was mocking him?- Kaoru thought but instantly changed his mind when he saw her face.

Like a veil was removed from his eyes, he saw all that she was. She was monstrous but beautiful, a true force of nature, not human -how could he been able to see her as one? - He wandered. Her pupils had no end; her hair wasn't that, it was alive with shadows of all shades. Her skin glowed, in contrast to that darkness, in the same color as his left eye glowed when using his quirk -or other powers only his closest knew-. That was that had given him his code name, the sun in middle of his midnight-black hair. Now he knew that eye and hair weren't from his father.

– That's not proper introduction… mom – Kaoru said the first thing that came to his head.

- Oh, right, my social skills are rusty, after so many years here. I'm the darkness, of all times and universes, I won't say my age but you can guess it's a big number. I mostly reside here, except when my children call me. But I have many children in many times and universes, most of them are little Shadows, something like what you would call quirks, but with consciousness. Only few are human, or mostly human, but they have little of me so they are the Descendants of my bore children. – She looked at Kaoru with an animal like curiosity- You are the first I met that is human but no Descendant, so I might given birth to you directly. One of the... if not the only… Original. – She reached to touch his face but stopped midway and smiled to herself while scratching the side of her face

- But as you can see, for me, that didn't happen yet, seems it is my future self the one who birthed you. Since last night was the first time I saw your father while he was running to you, right before we left. I think he recognized me; he looked sad – said Darkness with a regretful smile – I'm sorry for the trouble I would give you, my loved ones. – Kaoru hugged her, before she could finish, impulsively so, he didn't liked her regretful face, she shouldn't regret them

– Oh I don't regret you Kaoru, or your father, I regret that my limitations may hurt you in your past- said Darkness while returning the hug. - I didn't say anything, how could she.. -Kaoru, breaking the hug thought while looking at their grabbed hands.

– Well you are touching me; we both are my darkness so I can hear, as I heard your call- Said Darkness giggling.

- My call…so can she be saved? Stella. – Hope started to rise in his heart, and Darkness knew she had to kill it fast before it would grow and hurt him more. – No Kaoru, I can't. Not her. – And Kaoru's eyes deepened in hollowness- She's been rooted. I will search why, I swear. But rooted events cannot be changed or we might break time and space. - Kaoru started to wonder but it didn't even take a second for Darkness to respond.

-Oh.. umm rooted events mean that those events are needed for the time to be hold and constructed. It's like a net; each knot is connected by a string to the other. Time is strong as strong is the net. Within it is where space is guarded. Each universe or net is connected to other nets in different strings or knots, so if one breaks, as well does the others. My existence is to maintain the strength of the nets and maintain the equilibrium of the space and time.-

Darkness saw straight to Kaoru's eyes as searching understanding - So, I cannot save her. That will be erasing a knot. But we can search why it had to be that event. You can stay here for a whi- Kaoru let go of Darkness hands and stood up fast, his breath raged.

– No! My home is in great danger; things truly awful have been happening, one after another, none of that disturbed your nets? I have to go back to help, to stop him… ha... hahaha- Kaoru laughed hysterically grabbing his face – how can I stop the dead, how to get in that head, should I become crazy like him? – Now it was Darkness who reached to hug Kaoru from his crouched back, his pain was a burden she couldn't take away but one she could share.

– Mom – Kaoru placed his head on Darkness shoulder- I'm just following the consequences of his deeds and the trail of bodies he leaves, I'm not stopping any of it… I need to go to bury.. her- Darkness felt the wetness in her shoulder and the pain crushed her heart but she wouldn't stop him he needed that moment, it was just for him

– My boy this place is my realm, not a minute has elapsed in your world, take all the time, it's yours by right – and with that Kaoru cried as he hadn't done in a long long time in his mother embrace.

He was again in that enormous bed, for someone of 9 to 10 meters of high, to get down he should jump, but he was exhausted from the cry. He covered his flushed face with the sheets, how could he bawl that way with his age, well it was his mom, but that was their first encounter, not the best introduction ever.

- Hunn you wake up? I can hear your mental screams. Wanna eat something? – Said Darkness while entering from the huge door, all smiley, but her eyes were slightly puffed, she blushed.

-Don't say anything- he realized she was reading his mind but they weren't touching- it's because you are inside de Tree, the Tree is also a part of me. Also you bawled your eyes out just now, what's wrong with me sobbing a little – she pouted and appeared sitting in the bed

-Come eat- said as snapping her fingers making appear a tray of pasta with wine and water- Atlantian pasta, taught by the queen herself, the recipe said to be passed from the original generation, now I get It must be you, taste it, you will love it- Kaoru intrigued tasted it, it was a explosion of flavor in his mouth, there was something kind of fruity in the curled pasta similar to orange, the tomato sauce was slightly spicy accompanied with little portions of crescent moon shaped fish meat.

- What is this? – asked Kaoru fascinated

- Well the pasta is made with the seeds of bergamot and grapefruit , while the tomato sauce has blood of the Aenictus warriors- Kaoru started to choke.

- Oh here, drink water, it's a warrior ant, it gives the exact amount of spiciness needed – Said Darkness kissing her fingers in a Italian mannerism- and lastly crescent moon shaped liver of the arachnid fish of Atlantia, that's the local touch they changed it, it varies in the other Descendants I knew. – Kaoru couldn't deny it was tasty but maybe he didn't have to know the recipe.

- Uh mum, what is your name? The real one- asked Kaoru in order to think in other thing than the ingredients of his food.

- Well before being Darkness I had one, a human one, but I have forgotten it, I didn't liked it anyways, I hated that life. So Darkness is what I am, what I love to be, is my essence and no one is like me, so the word is my whole. But for social sake I had many names in different universes, times and places. What was the name your father told you I had?

- Lilith- said Kaoru while taking another mouthful of the pasta.

- Quite fitting, I knew her, a lovely child. One of my first children, the Shadow Lucy became her mark. Well that will be my real name from now on. Lilith, mother of Kaoru. I love it. That is what I am now. I haven't birthed you yet but I adore you already- She said while wiping Kaoru's mouth, making him blush.

- What is a mark? Do I have one? I have the feeling that is where the power comes from- asked Kaoru changing the topic so he could stop blushing.

- A mark is where my children reside in their host, the Shadow ones. The mark appears when I extend my hand to help to those related to the call of another of my children. Some times that mark is just a protection, other it evolves. It could be something like the quirks you have in your world, but not every world have that concept so it's harder for them in that case. In rare occasions the mark evolves reaching a consciousness. Most of the cases it is because they are in constant contact with one or many knots in the net. When this children call or the Descendants call is mostly the case when the net is breaking, otherwise they wouldn't be calling- Said Lilith with an anguished smile.

- Are their calls like mine? – Asked Kaoru knowing well his call was a devastating one ridden of all hope and the will to fight, to live.

- Yes mostly, darkness does not despair in face of the calamity since the obscurity of the soul is their home, they dive in the dark to find hope, their strength does not falter when everybody turns their backs, time is in their side, it ensures them hope is there, even if they don't know how so. If they succumb, then time has failed. If time has failed the net is weak. If they turn themselves into calamity then, while grieving, they can break all the nets. So I must go to bring them peace and restore the net- Lilith face was unreadable as she faced the huge window-

Kaoru looked in the same direction - Not all of them could be brought to peace uh?- Lilith didn't answered, she didn't needed to, Kaoru knew better, it was a close one for him too.

- Those roads outside aren't made for walking either- Kaoru guessed.

-No, those are their memories, their life, and all its possibilities, the life that I couldn't make them love again. All four of them pierce constantly the core of this Tree, so I won't forget to put a better fight- said Lilith smiling finally, as if the punishment was satisfactory for her.

- That's why you brought me here; in case I would go berserk I wouldn't destroy the knot... Don't look at me like that, I get it really- said Kaoru, and he truly got it, he didn't want hurt anyone of the people there, and he didn't need to release his rage for now. That would come in a proper time with the right opponent. That was the promise time had given him, his hope. What he needed now was to confront and let go of his sadness and impotence in her embrace, so he could accept freely that new hope and will to live. He needed let Stella go. But not yet. Soon though. And he knew Lilith heard that too.

Kaoru kept looking to the window and finally asked while resuming with his pasta - So, why the furniture so big? Not that you are that big- Well she was in the petite side but was that her true form? Kaoru thought.

- No this is not my true form, I don't have human form, I lost it when I became the Darkness. And Darkness is immensurable. I'm still in every place and time while we speak, also I'm this Tree, the Tree of Life, but my consciousness… how to say… I try to put it in one place so I don't scatter. I chose this body after meeting with a Greek demigoddess, also a Descendant- said Lilith while playing with a lock of her hair.

- Oh and this isn't my bedroom, this is from Alice, she had the mark of my child Cheshire, he was playful and liked to turn Alice in different shapes and sizes, so this place accommodated to her power while she was here. Seems it remained huge. I will make a room for you. Everyone has their special place in this Tree. – She snapped her fingers making the try disappear since Kaoru had already finished eating.

- Now that you finished eating, let's go outside to catch some fresh air. I want you to tell me about your world - Said Lilith playfully like something fun was about to happen. But Kaoru knew better, the next talk was going to be the hardest one for him, so it was obvious she wanted him in some place he could go berserk freely if needed.

– No child, you could go berserk here and it wouldn't be a problem anyways. I just wanted for you to stretch your legs after 40 hours of sleeping- Kaoru almost fell from the bed but Darkness grabbed him by the collar, that could been a nasty fall

- And I wanted to hear histories form your past, childhood to now. Come- She took his hand and they were in the kitchen preparing food for a picnic, he wasn't hungry but it made him happy see her all hipped up, he wouldn't ruin it for her- Oh but I'm listening- Lilith giggled- It doesn't matter if you're not hungry now when we reach outside it will be nighttime- but from the window looked midday Kaoru thought concerned.

When they reached the door all the sudden the sky outside turned black and full of stars, Kaoru only recognized a few - Here are my favorites stars of every universe- Lilith said while sitting in the grass further away from the Tree shadow, as she snapped her fingers and a blanket appeared under them.

- I rushed time a couple of hours, so you must be hungry- And it hit Kaoru like a hammer, he was famished, it wasn't a couple of hours, it felt like he hadn't eaten for two days. – More or less – Lilith confirmed laughing. What a weird mom…Oh shit, she heard. And now she was pouting again.

- Come on, I didn't mean it like that, it was in a good weirdly kind of way of starving your son just to keep feeding him- Ah he didn't know anymore what was he saying, but she started laughing, hard, her hair growed long, dancing, her skin reflected the night sky brightly- You are. such. a silly boy. Kaoru. - She was gasping for air.

- Ahh hadn't laugh like that in long. – Her hair and skin returned to normal and made Kaoru think how long that was, how long since she talked with other person, if she was lonely. He had his father, friends and comrades...

- Well time here is different and I'm not always awake, sometimes it is lonely but not for long since the calls are always there. But now, tell me about you from the beginning- Lilith said while the picnic displayed itself before them.