Arriving at the City, Their Purpose, How Life Was Born, The First Ouroboros

The group closed in on the great sword. Higher platforms and eroded cliff rocks still lurked on both sides of the path. Giant fungi-like plants dominated the flora habitat. Air was slightly foggy.

The group stopped and looked up, with Eunie commenting at the scenery, "Phwoo... Well aren't you a ginormous sparker!"

Sena: "Whoa... Where's the top?!"

Noah: "We finally made it, huh..."

Taion: "Quite..."

Mio breathed out with awe, until he heard Noah, "Let's get to the base of the sword. Guernica told us to come here. There has to be something."

Lanz warned, "Be on your guard, yeah? 'Cause we've reeealllly been pushing our luck lately."

Eunie teased back at him, "Whoooa... That's one for the books."

"Shaddup."

Noah: "Lanz is right, though. Keep your eyes peeled." They still have some route to take.

Translator's note on environment: Green fog enshrouded the environment. Pink, or reddish colored deer lurked the area of short trees with reddish leaves, and is that a lake? Floating jelly fish soared low above the ground. There was a firefly in the distance. Fungi, short or tall, shared the land with the trees with coral-looking leaves. Caterpillars, wolves, and eagles made it their home. There are small patches of grass with easily-ignored flowers. This, is Great Sword's Base, of Cadensia Region.

Mio was daydreaming as they continued, when some soft sounds caught her attention. She stopped and looked up. Noah, noticing her actions, queried, "What's wrong? Mio?"

"I hear... a strange sound."

"Sound?" The group waited for whatever's lurking. A few moments later, the sound of spinning engine blades grew.

Taion questioned, "Wh-what is that noise?!"

Sena alerted, "Something's wrong here! Noah!"

Noah tried to sense where the sound came from. As he triangulated their position, he looked up and saw two Lost Numbers' ships exiting their cloak, slowly lowering themselves onto the ground before them. As the doors lowered, soldiers leave the ship,surrounded their flanks. The group called their weapons and be prepared for battle.

Eunie: "Wh-what the-? Who are they?"

Noah: "Those Levnises¹... They're the ones that attacked the Castle."

Taion already noticed, "Yes, no question."

Lanz: "Which means...?"

A woman leave one of the ship, with the girl that picked up Guernica's eyepatches and followed them to the hovering reefs accompanying behind as a sidekick. Both were wearing eyepatches. They stop as the older woman, the one in the lead, observed the group.

Mio was observing one of the solders. They weren't drawing their weapons, just had his/her hands crossed, wearing a brown helmet with two holes for the eyes, the screen so dark she can't see his eyes. Noah was upset, moved his feet and stood in front of Mio, to protect her. Mio eyes widened at his gesture. The woman eyes tightened at what she saw. Then, she approached them.

Before she arrived, the brown helmet guy spoke to Noah, "Sheathe your weapons. We're not looking for a fight."

"What the-?"

Another guy to the left of the first guy explained. "We are the Lost Numbers. Sworn enemies of Moebius."

Eunie: "What?"

Taion was equally shocked, "There are others standing against Moebius?!"

Now that the woman and the girl arrived, the group turned their attention to the two, the only two that didn't wear a helmet.

"The name's Monica. Monica Vandham." She wore black tight shirt that suits for fighting, perhaps fighting suit, including gauntlets and leggings. She had short hairs, and some creeks² on her eyes. The eyes had brown iris, slightly thick eyebrows and eyelashes, with average-sized ears. Neck-long brown hair, coarsely wiggly. "The man who entrusted Ouroboros to you... I'm his daughter."

Eunie: "'Daughter'...?" She clearly hadn't heard of the phrase before, given that they are the only generations that don't need to give birth to anyone.

Noah: "You know Guernica?"

She nodded, continued, "You're headed for the City, ain't ya?"

Mio: "How do you-?"

"That's our base of operations. Come on."

"Wha...?!" While she try to convince them, they hadn't put down their weapons.

"Shania. Take point." Monica spoke to her sidekick, the girl with two pony tails, thin eye brows, large turquoise iris, and neck-long hairs on both side that covered her ears. She also wore a fighting suit, presumably a fighting suit, with dark red stripes on the edges. Oh, on their eyepatches, there was a symbol.³

"Yeah, all right." Shania took steps towards the group, stopped just a few steps in front of them.

Sena: "Uh?"

She scanned the group for a second before speaking, "Stay close." Then, she turned and lead the way, didn't bother to wait for them. Noah looked at Mio over his shoulders, and they both nodded to each other. Sheathing their weapons, the group followed Monica and Shania while the other soldiers watched them off.

Manana turned to look at the shades of red caressed by the evening sun; the group followed glance; she commented, "Levnis from earlier disappeared in sky."

Monica, now had another two helmet-soldier sidekicks, agreed, "Yep. Oh, and before we take you to the City, you have to wear these." The helmet soldiers walked up to the group and distributed them eyepatches; these without any logos on them.

Noah: "Eyepatches?"

Pointing to her own eyepatches, Monica remarked, "They're the same as the ones we wear. Put them over the eye where your Iris is." Seeing them feeling dubious, she continued, "What? They won't hurt you." Noah turned to the group; they tacitly nodded to each other.

(After wearing their eyepatches)

Monica checked that all had wore it before she continued, "Thanks for the cooperation. We appreciate this." Noah and Mio looked at each other, still aren't sure what the eyepatches are for. Monica cared to explain, "So, I said we aren't hostile, but that might not be enough to earn your trust, I'm guessing. If it lays your fears to rest, you can treat me as your prisoner until we reach the City."

Noah was surprised at the notion, "Huh?"

Eunie seconded, "Yeah, that doesn't sound right, darlin'."

"Don't want a prisoner? Whatever, I'll be your escort then. I should point out, you won't find anyone better with a mace in the Lost Numbers."

Lanz sniped back with hostility, "Yeah, well, don't bash us about with it or anything."

"If I wanted to, then your attitude would have earned you a thrashing already." To which he just waved his hands on the air, whatever...

Then, Monica walked closer to Noah and examined him; the group wasn't sure what she's up to. Noah just turned to Mio and both nodded to each other. Monica stopped her observation, turned to Shania, whom was losing patience, and continued, "So, let's be on our way. Shania'll show you how to go." She was probably relived it was time to go.

The group arrived at the base of the sword, stopped there. Lanz turned to Monica and questioned, "... And how are we meant to get to the City from here?"

Sena: "Um yeah, this is a dead end."

Monica: "Wrong." Shania walked up and the group watched the wall slid to the side; they were shocked.

Manana: "MEH?!"

Eunie: "A door!"

Monica: "This leads into the Great Sword. The City's this way."

As the group walked up to the door, Taion examined it and commented, "What a masterful disguise." The door was probably very thick, probably 3 meters thick, seemingly made of metal. It's a wonder how much force required to slide it apart.

Mio: "Huh. When Ethel said there was nothing of interest in Swordmarch..."

Noah: "Guess she never found this."

Shania was losing her patience, urged, "Hey, you guys done? Can we get going?" She immediately walked into the great sword, which was a tunnel, the road seemingly made of metal tubings. There were sand/dirt that covered some cog wheels to the side.

As the group ascended an elevator, the group stood on the side with the elevator button while the Lost Numbers on the other side, all except Monica facing them. Red lights seemed to blink on the elevator button. Eunie walked forward and started a conversation, "So, Guernica, that's... That wrinkly guy...? Back then?"

She turned to Noah, to which he nodded, "Yeah..."

"You said you were his 'daughter'. What's that mean?"

Monica: "I completely forgot... You don't understand the concept of parenthood. I'll explain later."

Taion: "'Later', meaning... In the City?"

"That's where the elevator's taking us." Noah and Mio gasped, perhaps finally to arrive at their destination. Monica continued, "You'll be needing those eyepatches now."

Noah: "And what for?"

"Those... put a spanner⁴ in Moebius's recon."

"Moebius's?!"

She nodded and continued, "When you become Ouroboros, your Irises change. And they start emitting a weak radio signal. And so... we're blocking that signal."

"With these things...? What about yours? Are you... Ouroboros too?"

"Eh, we'll go with that."

"Sorry...?"

"Ya see..." She removed her eyepatches temporarily⁵ to show the yellow Ouroboros symbol on her Iris, "We're bound by Ouroboros blood."

The helmet guy removed his helmet, revealed a face of slightly tanned, short thick hair, brown iris, average ears, nothing too special to describe. The other guy also removed his helmet, urr, more pale skinned, maybe? They're about the same height. Both wore the eyepatches too. ⁶ Monica wore back her eyepatches.

That makes the group more confused, Noah asking, "Just what... are you?"

Meanwhile, the elevator finally came to a halt before he had his chance to receive an answer.

The peak of the sword was covered with snow. A metal meshed platform attached to the ground stretches out from the main body of the sword. The group stepped on it and stopped by its edge. Clouds were far below; while individual features were difficult to observe, we could see islands isolated by large stretches of water. Straight ahead at the 'very edge of the world', was (presumably) Agnus's Castle.

Lanz loved the scene, "Wahahahaha! We're so high up!"

Mio was enjoying it too, "What a view... I've never seen anything like it!"

Taion: "Certainly takes your breath away." They had a moment of silence, relaxed.

Shania, impatient as usual, cut the group short, "Can you save your observations for later? Come on!" The group turned to see her already walking away, leading the way, not waiting for their reply. Monica didn't reject, followed behind her.

Translator's note on environment: This place of snowy metal peak had its own habitat. Bunnit roamed the area. There were metal joints not shielded by fences that connected from one end of the thin platform to another thin platform. Snow-looking eagles flapped their wings and landed to rest itself. A long-winged bird soared high above without rest. Fall off and you're in oblivion. This, is Great Sword's Hilt, without a region.

"Entrance's up ahead." Shania nudged to turn right at the end of the path. Two automatons and two soldiers stood at each side of the door. There was a machine with several lines on one side, unsure what it controls.

After the group entered the building, in a tunnel leading up to the city, with metallic walls, Shania and Monica removed their eyepatches, turned to the group, "You can take the eyepatches off now. Won't need them past this point."

Noah: "O-oh, right... And you're sure about that?"

"The City's got some signal-jamming tech that functions just like the eyepatches, blocking detection by Moebius. We're safe inside. You have my word."

Taion hypothesized, "I suppose that must be the reason why they haven't been able to discover the City thus far."

Monica agreed, "You got that right. This place is our last redoubt, and our sole haven in this world. But as soon as we step outside, Moebius are all over us, like a bad wool sweater. So what I'm saying is, don't forget your eyepatches when you're out and about. That's all."

Noah nodded, "I hear you, loud and clear. We'll remember." They proceed to remove their eyepatches.

Translator's note on environment: Looking like an underground town without sunlight all day long, illuminated by light bulb surely, packed with buildings. Streetlights and shops opened on both side of the road. There were metal beams that connected above the road, with fluorescent lights installed on it. Kids were running around, some sat at the empty tables in between buildings seemingly made of metal boxes; adults just strolling or chatting with each other. Some buildings are tall, others are short; and there was an area where one of the ship parked, surrounded by containers. This, is the City, without a region.

"This is the... City?" Mio and the others were flabbergasted at the nothing-like-before scene. It looks more modern, and more differed in architecture, probably also culturally different, than their colonies. Just at the end of the tunnel was a metal-grid platform, tall enough to view the city, consisting of mostly 2-3 story buildings. Monica and Shania gave them time to awe themselves, while chatting in the distance.

Taion: "It sure took us long enough. We shouldn't relax just yet, though."

Eunie can't believe her ears, "Why the spark not?"

"We don't even know if they're really our allies yet. We can't get complacent."

Noah: "Still on guard, huh?"

He added some harshness to his tone, "Unlike some of your daydreamers, yes."

Noah turned to face the City's view, speaking with his back on him, "I'd like to believe them. Their eyes... They look the same as his." He was comparing Monica's to Guernica's.

Mio recalled, "They said they opposed Moebius, didn't they? It should be OK then, to trust them...?"

Lanz agreed, "'The enemy of our enemy is our friend.' Gotcha!"

Taion: "Bloody sparks... Why do I bother?"

Noah appreciated, "Thank you, Taion. For looking out for us."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. I'll follow your lead. But please, stay vigilant." Eunie smiled at his reaction.

Seriously speaking and nodding, "Of course we will."

"Ouroboros...?" Shania lead the way while they walked through one of the busiest street in the city, both sides shops and markets. Male and female wearing mundane clothing stood by the side of the road, locking their gaze on the group while speaking softly of them, treating them like a group of monkey passing through the road, a rare scene, a rare species.

"Ouroboros, yeah."

"So they're Ouroboros?"

"And they're from Keves and Agnus...?"

"But they're just a bunch o'kids!"

"Watch yourselves! They could be secret spies!"

"It's over... This place'll be a warzone." Monica tailed behind. The group continued walking, not stopping to hiss at them or what.

Mio, her ears tall as she caught the signal from the noise, commented, "They're all whispering about us..."

Lanz: "I feel... we're not exactly welcome here." They groups kept their voice low.

Taion: "'Uninvited guests', one might say."

Eunie didn't understand, "They're the ones who led us here."

Then, something caught Sena's eyes, "Oh, hey... Doesn't she look similar to the Moebius we fought at Colony 4?" It was a man/woman with his/her back lying on the barrel.

Riku: "It true... Wrinkly prunefaces abound here!"

Then, some kids rushed past the group from the side, "Manana spy tiny people too! Is whole undiscovered race!"

Noah rejected her hypothesis, "No... They must be... humans just like us."

As they reached the end of that road into a plus ('+') junction, a group approached from the right, and a man in lead called out, "So you're Ouroboros, eh?"

"Huh?" Noah stopped to face the group. Five person wearing the same black shirt, probably military. Facial features are distinguishable from their difference in eye color, slight difference in height, and hair style; but these are too difficult for the author to put into comparative words.

Another woman commented, "You've got what, one or two years left? Some hope you are."

Two of them had dark skin, but this one talking had blonde hair, "Dunno why Vandham wasted that power on you... What was he thinking?"

Mio felt miserable. Taion, the (only) one whom haven't put down his guard, was ready to put up a fight, "Whats your problem?! Mind your manners!"

Monica stepped forward as the mediator, stopped beside the other group, facing the group, "Lemme introduce ya. These were our Ouroboros candidates. They trained relentlessly to fight against Moebius... Each and every one of them. That includes Shania there." Noah turned to look at Shania to his left, while she turned to face away from them.

"Candidates?"

The other dark skin guy with dark hair made a gruff comment, "You happy? That you stole Ouroboros from us?"

The group gasped, but they understood why the sourness and bitterness in their tone.⁷

Monica put an end to the heightened atmosphere, "All right, that's enough. Whatever the reason, the old man did choose 'em. To be fair, they have gone against quite a few Moebius already. They're the real thing all right. You heard Shania's reports."

Taion caught the words, "What reports?"

"I had her monitor your actions with extreme scrutiny. All the way from the valley."

Noah: "Huh?"

Sena turned to Shania, "Since way back then...?" They never noticed.

Shania: "Heh." She wasn't happy, her nose pointed up high.

Monica continued to persuade the five, "Together, we are united in our cause."

One of the woman voiced out, "Ms. Vandham..."

The dark skin black hair effetely replied, "Uh... All right then." Then, they leave 'admitting defeat'. He turned to take a last look at the group while continued walking over his shoulder; the group just watched them off.

Noah: "Hooooo....."

Monica now turned to the group, "Please, it's not their fault. They're not a bad lot, really."

Lanz gritted his teeth, his temper easily ignited, "That's easy for you to say..."

Eunie wasn't looking very easy to put it down, either. Folded her arms, she added, "Well, that was awkward as all ash."

Shania spoke nothing, continued to lead the way, and the group followed.

As they continued their pathway, Noah fall back to had more questions for Monica, "You, uh... You said that you were monitoring us earlier. So is that why? Why you stormed the Castle?"

"After the Ouroboros Stone activated, Shania relayed the info straight back to us. So I'd been looking for a chance to contact you."

"Oh, really?"

"We reckoned that you would just head straight here... What we did not expect was for you to dive straight into the heart of the enemy's base."

"Ah..."

Raising her voice, perhaps to let the whole group hearing it, "I was flipping out. Your actions were so reckless. I started to wonder if our 'saviors' were just a buncha ravin' lunatics. It kinda looked that way."

Mio spoke from over her shoulder, "That's a little..."

Sena finished her sentence, "Too harsh..."

"Heheh, sorry... Poor choice of words. How about 'hotheads'?"

Eunie: "Yeah, that's not a lot better..." The group was currently descending a red ramp (red of wood, but also the city's dark illumination), towards a green-lit area (the end of the ramp, though some part of the red also had greens as they installed green fluorescent lamps to the side).

"Still, it helped us complete one of our primary objectives: Securing a number of growth modules."

Noah: "What are those?"

"I'll show you. You'll find it quite interesting. It's the very reason why we fight."

At the end of the pathway was one of the 'edge' of the city. As they peered over the fences, stood in a row, they saw a huge glass window installed below, looking down on the sword's hilt guard: an icy land not very far below littered with unburied corpses.

Monica: "We're now more or less above the sword's hilt guard. Even this place was once ravaged by war. By Keves and Agnus."

Taion questioned, "Has the war really spread this far...?"

Mio commented, "There's even more... More husks underneath..."

Eunie's eyes jittered as she saw the number of deaths piling up. Her left hand shuddered uncontrollably, and she tried to press it down with her right. Taion saw her gritting teeth and teary eyes, her shuddering body; until she felt some warm in her hands. It was... Sena; she put one of her hand over hers. "Ah... Thanks..." Sena nodded back lightly.

Monica continued, "This right here is what the world is really like. Designed to keep us shackled." By now, Eunie had calmed down⁸, putting her hands back to her side, and Sena turned her direction towards the husks.

Noah: "Keep us shackled...?" The group reminisced for a moment as they tried to think of the philosophical question Monica posed to them.

At the end of the path, the double-door slid open for the group to enter. Noah took the first step into the room, followed by Mio and the others. She was first to take note to her left, "Aren't those..."

Noah finished her sentence, "Cradles!" A giant glass displaying rows and rows of cylinders, each cylinder fitted with lots of orange pods. They put what they raided from the Castle here.

Monica explained, "Your so-called 'cradles' are the growth modules that birthed you. You were conscripted from birth, trained to kill one another ruthlessly, and steal each other's life. That life energy pours into the Flame Clocks, becoming the fuel that feeds Moebius." Noah gasped at the truth.

Monica continued, "In order for Moebius to exist, they must continue to claim life energy. And these 'cradles' right here... They're used to recycle your lives." Just then, a robot/levnis delivered the growth module containing Ethel's pod, whom drove away after finishing its job. Noah fixated his eyes on this cradle.

Noah: "Ethel..."

"Yeah... You live your lives in servitude so that Moebius can exist. And even in death, there's no release. You'll just keep getting recycled."

Mio turned to her, "No way..."

Monica joined eyes with her, "There's your shackles." The group stopped as they tried to digest a concept that go against their held paradigm. She continued a moment later, "Soldiers bound by Moebius's shackles are destined only for mutual destruction. Those who lose their lives in battle, they're reborn anew... They wake from a Castle cradle, a blank slate without a scrap of their former memories."

Eunie: "Wait... Then... that husk I saw..." Her tone dropped lower and lower as she recalled the husk she saw on the old battlefield, the fallen of the Golden Clock, her husk.

Monica didn't stop for long, "But... if we keep our lives bound to the bodies, as we're doing here, they're of no use to them. This way, we can whittle away at their power..."

Noah: "So you've been doing this... over and over again, then?"

"That's right. You don't wanna know for how long, believe me. And yet... The price we pay to take down just a handful of Moebius... is immeasurable." She closed her eyes to remember the loss. Noah clenched his fist at her words. The group caught eye with her, "The City's residents? We're all descendants of the first Ouroboros."

Mio: "The first Ouroboros?!"

Taion had heard the words a lot of time, still hadn't had a definition: "What's a 'descendant'?"

Monica: "Er... Right. That's not a word you'd have any use for either, I suppose. Better to see for yourselves. Come, I'll show you." She lead the way out, Shania followed immediately. The group slowly took steps.

Monica and Shania brought the group to a hospital, where pregnant woman sat on their benches, while their husband stood in front, chatting with them. A husband lend a hand to a pregnant woman as she walked with care. The group was awed at the scene, surrounded by 'pot belly'.

Mio: "Where are we?"

Monica: "This is a maternity ward." She stopped and explain to them.

"'Maternity'?"

Two guys chatting heard them talking. One with gray hair, panda eyes -- probably didn't sleep well for decades. He had some tools attached to his pockets. He also wore black gloves. Another young guy of brown hair, smooth shiny jacket, wearing a watch.

Monica nudged to the older guy, "Doctor. May I?" The doctor turned to the young lad and spoke for a while. He nodded, and the doctor nodded back to Monica. Monica turned to the group and asked them to wait outside while she walked in, closing the door behind her. Noah turned to Mio, the others looked at each other, not sure what had happened.

Meanwhile, Noah, Eunie, and Lanz chatted in a subgroup, Taion and Sena in one, Riku and Manana another, Mio kept observing the surrounding area. She first noticed Monica opening the door, catching all others' attention, as she nudged, "Come."

They gathered around a bed, separated by a green curtains, which the doctor pushed it aside. A baby crying. Mio gasped as she saw the newborn. The lad that gave permission before stood beside his wife, whom held the baby by her hands.⁹

The man moved towards the end of the end, nudging to the group to come forward and take a closer look. The group turned to Monica, asking for attention. She nodded in return.¹⁰

The group took steps as they tacitly organized themselves around the bed.

Taion commented, "It's so... small..."

Sena, overwhelmed in her tone, "It's a little... person!"

Mio bent forward to take a closer look.

Riku: "It so teensy-tiny, but it move!"

Manana: "Much rejoicing!"

Seeing the baby cry, Mio wasn't sure what to do, a slight panic in her tone as she attempt to think of some way to calm her down, "Uh..."

Her mom called out, "It's OK to touch her."

"Uh..."

"Gently now..."

Mio curled her fingers and gently put the back of her fingers on the baby's head; she felt the warmth she never felt before; then she held her head and gently caressed her, "She's so warm..."

"Place... one finger." The woman showed her pinky, to which Mio followed, "in her palm." The baby now seemed to stop crying. Mio slowly lowered her finger; as it touched her palm, the baby unconsciously grabbed it while she kept giggling. Mio gasped as she felt the connection.

Her eyes made rapid movements as she tried to digest what she felt. Her tone flushed with excitement, she called out, "Hey, Sena... Look at this! You need to try it too!"

"Hoooooo..." Taion's curiosity rocketed to maximum. He kept changing location, peering over Sena's right shoulder, over her left shoulder, as he tried to get a better look while Sena slowly touched her.

"Whoooa, you're right! Mimi, it's incredible!"

Taion finally couldn't resist it, calling out in a high tone as he shoved Sena aside, "L-let me have a turn!" He shakily lowered his hand while Mio step aside, opening the space for him. "Wh-! Hahahahah!" The joy and excitement he felt. The doctor and Monica mirrored his reaction. Looking to Sena, "This is... incredible, Sena!" She agreed with a smile.

Now, Noah had a turn to have his pinky grabbed by the baby, with Mio's face beside his. He turned to look at Mio. She saw his gaze, slightly tilted her head and eyes towards him, but dared not to look at him directly, and returned a smile with a slight nod. They quickly turned their attention towards the baby thereafter.

Monica had their attention after they all tried, "Funny, right? But this is... human beings' true nature. If you want the ins and outs, go and ask the doctor."

The doctor humbly smiled at them, then called out, "All right then, lads and lasses. Who wants to know how babies are made?" He raised his hand. Everyone in the group raised their hands (and wings, for the Nopon), certainly very excited and very curious. "Hmm... Well, you're in for a surprise. Buckle up!" The group looked at each other, don't know what the surprise is.

The group left the maternity ward. Gifted with their new knowledge, they now see things differently¹¹. Kids chasing after each other, passing in front of them, amidst laughters. Noah saw 3 kids gathered around as they spoke and laughed. Eunie and Taion, in another direction, saw a dad held one of the kid high up in the air while is mum watched, smiling. Other kids ran off heading to unknown direction. Where Lanz and Sena looked, an old lad and another woman walking while chatting with each other, the woman's hair gray, with wrinkles on their face.

In another direction where Noah¹² and Mio looked. A couple sitting on a bench under the tree dating each other, hands held together, and... they kissed each other, publicly displayed their act to the newly aware Noah and Mio. "Urg...." "Ahhhh...." Awkwardness filled the atmosphere; they unconsciously turned to each other. Their conscious mind took over a moment later, as their eyes and mouth widened, surprised that the other looking at themselves, even thinking the same. They tried to remove the awkwardness by turning their heads away simultaneously, Noah as if looking to a tree with his hands grasping his waist, Mio as if looking at the floor with his hands around her chest.

Monica might have noticed their reaction, don't know when appeared between them and the kissing couple. "This is how it should be. This, is human nature." She turned as she referred to the three kids speaking and laughing, then turned to the guy 'throwing' his child high up in the air, then to the old guy and woman chatting, "We are born defenseless, grow up, then those who find a spouse create new life together... age, then return to the earth.¹³"

That was info for the two to digest. Mio seemed to felt positive overall experience so far with the city folk.

The group gathered by the memorial, where names of the soldiers were carved by the obsidian stone walls, arranged in a circle like Stonehenge; even if their corpses weren't retrieved, they will be remembered forever for their sacrifice. There, Shania handed Monica Guernica's eyepatch. "Thank you. I mean it."

Perhaps it's a ritual, she laid it on one of the memorial rock while Shania walked aside. The group waited while she reminisced for a moment. As she stood up, Noah immediately shot her a question,

"Monica... What was that word you used...? 'Spouse'?"

"A partner in romance."

Mio: "Rom-?"

She looked up at the names on the rock as she continued, "The feeling of having someone very precious to you... That'd be one way of putting it." Then, she turned to the memorial rock on her right, to which the group followed glance. There was a woman slightly touching the name of her loved ones, feeling it, shedding tears. Turning to another memorial rock, a man brought a male kid, perhaps his dad or his brother, reminiscing together.

Monica: "You'll understand too someday." Turning to the group, she saw Mio and Noah looking at each other. She recalled how Noah unconsciously shielded Mio when the Lost Numbers surrounded them. Shaking her head, "Or... It might be that you already do." Noah and Mio don't know what to say at her words, only could squeezed their eyelids a little.

The group had their final look at the various people standing in front of the memorials. Mio gasped at the scene that blew her mind with fresh insights. Maybe that's her purpose found, her legacy? Or perhaps she felt grateful?

The group entered a room where checkered tiling filled a hexagon in the middle, and strips stretches from each of its side. Other parts were covered with black tiling. On the black tiling stood the metal statues. Shania dropped behind a lot, while Monica led the group into the room.

Eunie: "Taion... Look." In the middle of the hexagon was a replica of the Ouroboros Stone.

"Mm. It looks the same as the one before."

Noah scanned the surrounding statues, questioned, "Who are they?"

Monica: "The first Ouroboros. The Founders, we call 'em."

One statue, a guy, with a pair of scientific glasses (that offers intense magnification, like a portable microscope) above his head. Another wearing a long coat and a piece of cloth swaying behind his back like Batmans'. Yet another having cat ears.

"The first Ouroboros...?"

Referring to the one with cat ears, Sena: "That one... She looks a bit like Mimi."

Eunie's eyes turned to the next. Someone with a short jacket and a band over his head, making the Chinese posture of greeting/parting with someone (fist on your left punched onto a palm on your right).¹⁴ She called out: "Look at this. He's got Noah's chin!"

Lanz: "And the others. Don't look like anyone." Another man with sharp hair and a jacket so short it can't be tightened, showing his chest. He had buff muscles seemingly, and hair jelled. A final woman , wearing a blouse with ponytail.

Noah turned to Monica for an introduction, "Tell us about them."

She started her story, "Long, long ago, they gained the power of Ouroboros. It let them match Moebius blow-for-blow. The City folk you see here? We're all descended from them."

"Bound... by their blood..." To which she nodded.

"It was the Queens... So they say. Keves and Agnus... Their powers united created Ouroboros. Ouroboros are the only ones that can take down a Moebius. Although... there can only be six Ouroboros alive at one time."

Looking to the Ouroboros Stone, she continued, "By activating the stone's cage here, those with aptitude can become Ouroboros." On that comment, Shania looked down with gruesome, unsatisfied.

Sena: "Only six? Why so few of them...?"

Mio: "I get it... That's why they got... so upset." That's referring to the Ouroboros candidate.

Monica: "Finally clicked? There's only so many seats and Stones. The one that my father was moving, it took a long time to be found..."

"Huh..." Noah puffed out air as the stones pressed harder on his heart.

Lanz had questions, "Think I'm finally getting the gist of this whole Ouroboros deal... But the Queens?"

Monica: "Not those sham figureheads in the Castles. The real Queens."

Eunie gave it thumbs up, "Yesss, real Queens! I knew that soulless piece of clockwork junk wasn't the real deal."

Mio: "Does that mean... our Queen is false too?"

"Mm. We're still trying to pinpoint the true Queens. They're out there somewhere, sleeping."

Taion: "What for?"

"Why else? To take our world back from Moebius, and set things to rights. The true Queens will help us there."

Lanz was confused, "Hang on a bleedin' second. Ouroboros were born, like 'generations' ago, right? But you said the Queens are sleeping? And there humans who can even live that long?"

"Now that, I don't know too much about."

"Then what do you know?"

"Well, the legend goes that... both of the Queens, their lifespans are supposed to be incomparably longer than ours."

Eunie felt unbelievable, "And you're pinning your hopes on that?"

"At the moment, that's about all we can do."

After the group took a moment to digest the new information, Noah proceeded to the next question, "All right. So... When the world is 'back to rights'... Then what?"

"The people you've seen here? The way they live their lives? That could be everyone. Babies, children, adults, the old... They're all a part of nature's cycle."

Mio: "And that would go... for us too?"

"Umh..." She nodded in agreement. "There'll be more to life than just fighting to survive. We'll weave the tale... that we were always meant to tell."

She recalled what she heard from Guernica's last moments,

"Don't give up. Ten years? You kids deserve better. The only thing that can change all this... is the will of Ouroboros... you kids, and you alone..."

Monica continued with a plot twist, "Though... some of us around here still ain't too keen on the idea."

"What?"

Noah: "So those people... From before...?"

Monica: "They're happy living in the moment. As long as they can hide away and cover their eyes, they don't give a damn about the rest." She walked past the group, stopped facing the entrance.

Lanz: "So our lives mean nothing to 'em?"

"If they can't see or hear you, then as far as they're concerned, you don't even exist."

Noah: "Closing their eyes... to what's in front of them."

"Lot o' folks here think that way."

Mio: "But that's... That's just like Moebius. Then the only difference is... whether or not they benefit directly."

"You catch on quick. I can see why my dad chose you guys." Turning to the group, "But the will of the Founders... It lives on in us warriors. Moebius can't reign forever. If we can continue freeing young folk like you... maybe life can get back to how it should be. That would be best for all of us."

Noah agreed, "For sure. I'm with you. I think we'd have to be lunatics not to believe you, after what you've shown us..."

"Ha..."

Mio seconded him, and got into her appreciation stance, "I believe it too. Seeing how you live your lives... It made me feel really envious. Feeling that warmth... A part of nature's cycle... We need to protect that."

Sena: "I agree." Mio turned to look at her, whom was looking on the ground, trying to find words to describe her feelings, "It was so... precious." Shania looked at her and listened to her; we don't know what's on her mind.

Stopping outside the 'First Ouroboros' room, Monica called out, "Shania." She nodded back.

Riku had an urgent question: "More walking to do?" Manana was looking tired.

Monica: "This is the last stretch. Let's get you to the dorms." Shania turned and lead the way up the staircase to her left. The group followed.

Outside of a building, with red banner hanging near the entrance, and some very short fence, probably only can prevent baby from crossing it. A man stood with his back by a beam, back leaning on it.

Monica: "This is the dorm for young Lost Numbers soldiers. You can sleep here while you're in the City. You can ask that guy about your rooms." She turned to that back-leaning guy and he waved back to them. Then, she continued, "Oh, and sadly, there's no kitchen in the building. A lot of the single soldiers eat at the Michiba Canteen." Then, pointing to a small 'park' surrounded by a few trees, "But if you want to do your own cooking, feel free to use that empty plot of land over there."

Noah: "Got it. Thank you, Monica." Manana fluttered her wings from behind, hearing the word 'cooking'.

"Tomorrow, we have a lot to discuss."

"Agreed. How shall we arrange that?"

"Meet me in the Lost Numbers war room. It's the place down the lift from near the Praetorian Hill which we passed on the way here. I'll let you know closer to the time." He nodded back.

She turned, about to leave the group alone, "Oh, before I forget. You're free to explore the City as you will."

Mio: "Is that really OK?"

"I said we weren't hostile, right? I thought you'd be pleased not to have me breathing down your necks."

Noah shook his head, the others equally disagreed, "No, we're grateful. Thanks for everything." Shania turned to leave, and Monica followed. The group watched them off.

In the dark, outside of the dorm, at the patch of 'park' (actually a square) Monica told them where they could cook. Noah was sitting alone on a bench, looking at the trees, at the empty space, at the buildings, lost in his thoughts. He recalled conversations with Monica earlier, after visiting the statue place, on their way to the dorms.

"N, you say?"

"You know him?"

"I know of him, definitely. He's been a real thorn in the City's side."

"Sounds rough..."

"He slaughtered many of my people in cold blood."

"Oh..."

"Why bring him up?"

"Ah! Well... No reason."

"Hmm?" She felt there's something he isn't willing to say, yet. Stopping in his path, Noah turned to have a last look at the statue from the direction where he could see, the statue that made the Chinese greeting/parting posture. He felt there must be something with him.

Back in the present, as he tried to sort out the linking trees of thoughts, breathing out air showing his shaky feeling. Until Mio called out from his right, "What's wrong?" She continued while he turned to face her, "Is it something Monica said? Is there a problem?"

"No... Don't worry about it. It's just a passing thought." He turned away from her.

"Yeah?" Wasn't invited into his inner mind. She continued sharing something unrelated, "Oh, I got some news earlier. We're not sleeping in tomorrow, our briefing starts early. Get some rest while you can."

Turning back to make eye contact with her, "Yeah... I'll do that."

"OK. Good night."

With a soft tone, "Yeah. Night." Then, she turned to head back to the dorm. He watched her leave before returning back to his thoughts. "Huh..."

Footnotes:

---

1: He meant the ship

2: wrinkles

3: These are related to their Houses, and we'll look at Six Houses in Appendix B.

4: 'Spanner' means 'wrench' online, but by contextual meaning, it probably means 'block' or 'apocrypha'.

5: Not scared of the Moebius receiving the signal temporarily, eh?

6: Sorry, one had deficiency describing faces, deficient with vocabularies to describe faces, and how to describe faces. Never studied it before, and haven't study it yet.

7: Note: they only understood because they say 'stole' and the word linking to their feelings. Read more later and you'll know why they haven't understood the real reason they felt upset.

8: reached equanimity.

9: We'll ignore describing the cliché instruments monitoring whatever stuffs, though it's wonderful they preserved such technology after the Great Destruction by Klaus, if you know what one meant.

10: One can't hold this back, but thought it would affect the mood of the main story so...: Shania kept showing her ugly dull face all the time, very, very sad, very, very depressed, looking via her bottom left at all time.

11: That is, kids no longer a different species.

12: He now turned to where Mio looked, probably, but we don't know because there's no frame that showed him turning his head.

13: What a coincidence, 'Earth' as in 'Earth', or just the soil?

14: Though, the Chinese greeting posture should have the fingers of the palm straight, and this one wrapped around the fist, so it's not exactly the greeting posture, more like 'ready for a fight'?