Preface

What evoke one to translate the video into a book, is perhaps an urge. Life is hard. 2023-4 was a little eventful, plus a lot of emotions. And from the rise and fall of emotions, one would like someone to walk by my side, but one don't know yet how; and if one know, if one could muster the courage to do it. In the moment of learning more and more from reading more and more books and linking knowledge together for application, one had a proxy to guide one, when life was still. Or at the very least, to fill in the time where one do not want to do anything else. And so starts the translating that, little by little, took more than half a year to complete. In the process, the journey of the protagonist walks alongside the journey one walks in this real world. Together, hand in hand, we aim for our destiny.

One used the word "translator" to signify oneself. Initially, one uses "writer", meaning "someone who writes". But the definition one suggested for the word 'writer' might be confused by readers whom does not read this paragraph, and consider 'writer' = 'author'. Searching through the writing world, one came across some non-English books being translated into English, and they called themselves "translated by" (and hence "translator"). They translate from one language to another. Isn't that the job of one? To translate a video cutscene into words; that's also a translation! Therefore, one'll refer to oneself as "translator" when one make notes here and there.

Ever since 2021, one had written a lot of blogs, but most of them are about one's feelings, one's learnings (work and non-work), and basically, non-fiction. This is the first time one touches anything fiction; and to be honest, it's really hard. The method of writing non-fiction and the method of writing fiction, even if one's just translating, is totally different. For a non-fiction that does not include philosophy, the difficulty came from verifying the facts -- the researches from hundreds to thousands of sites can make you eat a headache painkiller every day as your eyes multitask to syntopically read through text here and there. Luckily, most non-fiction one writes on one's blog are philosophical, so one uses one's experience and opinions as a basis to write about, throwing away most nerve-wracking researches and ask the reader to actively proof that one is wrong themselves instead (passing the buck/responsibility, eh!). But the difficulty of fiction is different -- for words, words that are bland and straight and all looking the same, trying to express emotions, is futile. Honestly speaking, they cannot replace the variation of "sound" that more easily expresses emotions. That the author and playwright of some wonderful plays and fictions, to one, is not something one could copycat -- they're too excellent one cannot.

So, in the writing ahead, you'd see that the writings one did improve with chapters. One initially started bland conversations, and try to fill in the pause with descriptions and explanations and whatever one can notice on the screen. This section had greatly improved one's observation skills -- when combined with books like Outside Lies Magic by John Stilgoe, and Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit -- now one can notice things one don't see. Then, as writing proceeds, one focused more on expressing the emotional parts, dropping most of the "watery words" (explanations and descriptions to add more to word cound but makes the reader felt, 'all these have no meaning, it's just there to fill the space and increase the no. of word count' stuffs). Of course, there are still some, just less dramatic, and if it's only purely conversations, why do one even translate it? Everyone can hear what's being spoken! One also have difficulty refraining from explaining some emotions from one's point of view, unfortunately. Towards the end, that was less -- for one thought more on letting the reader interpret the emotions more by themselves. But on the beginning, one'll state it clearly how one perceived such emotions. Also at the back, after some experientation, one finally manage to adapt a range of loudness, from "soft", to "normal", to "loud", to "DESPERATE". Different people have different baseline, and actually, they don't just have 4 classification. In fact, one don't know how to do "very soft". More confusingly, the italics and bold are solely adapted to loudness. When the person speaks in their heart/brain, one'd encase it "in italics, to signify thinking in their brain." Then, when one want to emphasize some "soft desperate", one unfortunately also uses italics. Markdown isn't integrated with "underlining" feature; perhaps there's an extension/library one could use to make it happen, but one didn't. So, reader might have a hard time trying to immediately understand. In all case, feel free to compare it to the actual video and you'd experience something of a more fuller sense than this book, purely in words.

Now that the road had come to the end for one, it's time for you to start your road, to walk alongside the characters in the story, and intertwine your feelings with them. Read on!

Note: the actual main storyline isn't exactly as below. In fact, one added some extra stuffs (like the Side Stories, and some others, which one'll notify you at the start of the page that it's added in) that feels like it belongs there. Those that cannot belong will either be added at random, or added in the More About. Some of the stories in More About assumed you have a previous knowledge of another story. One had been careful to remind you the need, but one isn't perfect, hence one can't know all. In any case, post them on the discussions on GitHub and one'll check.

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Prologue

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. It was one minute to 6 in the evening. The sky emanates a red-orange hue. Lights were already on. The city square was busy.

A little girl with wings on the back of her head was running and jumping, pushing and shoving through the crowd. She was clearly on her way, not noticing even when stepped on a puddle. A while later, she turned to her back, waiving to her friends: "Come on! Hurry up! The Queen's anniversary is going to start without us, guys!"

A grey-skin boy was tailing behind closely, acknowledged immediately, "Yeah, move your feet! Hop hop! Run like you mean it!" and continue running behind the girl.

Two other boys, one thin, another chubby, was panting trying to catch up with the two. "Slow down, guys!" The fat boy, green haired, his hair so long his right eye was covered, had to push himself others on the side for someone his size to tune his direction while passing between the crowds. Nonetheless, we could see his eyes lighting up, asking, "Is it true, though, there's gonna be fireworks!"

The third boy, long hair tied to a pony tail, stopped and turned for a moment to look at him before continue running, while replying, "yeah, saw them setting up yesterday. There were loads of them. It'll be worth it. Promise!"

As soon as he finished his sentence, everyone looked up into the night sky. The sound of fireworks shooting up in the distant. To his right, fireworks had already launched while they were still running. It was too late. He stopped and looked at it. The fat boy slowly catching up to him.

"Ahahah" The distant sounds of children splashing at each other while laughing in the square's fountain. The winged girl arrived at the square first, the grey-skin boy followed. She turned to her back and wave to the other 2 guys, as if saying, "over here!"

The fat boy dashed past the pony-tail boy without turning his head to look at him while waving his hand back. Awestruck, the pony-tail boy was slow to react, and followed a second later. The girl and the grey-skin boy, assured that they didn't fall behind, continue to lead their way.

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Time didn't wait for them. The cranking sound of the mechanical clock continues. The long hand struck zero, and it's officially 6 p.m when pigeons were flying around, the pony-tail boy was still running, and time suddenly stop.

He slowed down to a walk. He looked around, surprised everything around him came to a stop. Pigeons stretching their wings defy Newton's 2nd law, stopping in mid air. People froze in their position. Water droplets float. The pony-tail boy was the only person who could move at that moment. Something abnormal is happening, he thought. The sound of the mechanical clock continued ticking. Yet even his 3 friends, smiling and waving back at him, were frozen. 'Not good. This isn't real.' He closed his eyes, hoping that everything will return to normal. He opened his eyes. No, nothing changed.

Suddenly, a large, dark patch of shadow falls within the glimpse of his vision. He turned back and looked up in the sky. A really large object, a planet, cast upon the red-orange hue, filling up more and more of the remaining sky as it moves toward him. Its shadow blocks the remaining light shining upon the town. With his eyes and jaws wide, blackout.

Seen from space, two planets, one emanating yellow globules of energy, another blue, attracted towards one another, forming strides that closely resembles magnetic field lines when two magnets, North and South Pole, point towards each other. As the planets moved closer to each other, collision was inevitable. A large burst of greenish energy was released upon contact, light released so bright that the nearby space whiteout.

On the surface of a planet (perhaps the remnants of the collision? We don't know), overlooking a mountain the shape of an animal's head. A snow-capped mountain the shape of an animal's head stood out against the clear blue sky. Amid peace, a globule of energy emerged from inexistent slightly right of the mountain's center line, expanded quickly, and swallowed a hole in it. The mountain was split in half. As the energy vanished, stones were sent circulating around the point of impact, while a shockwave gust through our point of vision. Turning our attention to the flat plains, more energy globules appear and disappear, carving crevasses like children making drawings out of snow.

Moving past these events, the green flat plains were replaced with black soil. Dust particles filled the air, blocking the lights. We can hear distant roar and shouts. As we get closer, we see large humanoid machines with wheels moving forward. Beam weapons, guns and cannons were firing at each other. The largest of the machines roll behind, and is the only machine not equip with any weapon as far as one can tell. Instead, a clocklike structure that looks like a gauge containing blue flames roaring within seems to play an important role. Let's call it the flame clock. Currently, it's one-third full.

What does the narratives tell us:

Two colossal marshal nations locked in war. Keves and Agnus.

There are 2 nations, differentiated by colors. So far, we spoke about the blue nation, they're Keves. Agnus shone with a yellow-green hue. The standard melee weapon for Keves is a single broadsword, while Agnus are seen holding 2 thin katana-shaped sword. Even the humanoid machines were different. We described Keves with their wheels; while Agnus floats its torso above a ball bearing, signifying higher technology than Keves.

An Agnus soldier fall onto the ground, his helmet roll to the side. He look up, gasping, as if he hadn't had enough of life. His hand raised mid air, but to no avail. With his eyes opened, he died. A few seconds later, his corpse dried up really quickly, as if he'd turn into a stone, as if, he seen Medusa. More red particles float out of his corpse into the sky. As many of his kind, Keves or Agnus, died, more and more red particles filled the air, and the direction of their travel? The flame clock. The red particles replenished the gauge, now already at half full.

What do we need to survive? Water? ... But what we need most, is life itself.

Looking into the right eyes retina of the soldiers, we saw a reflection of the flame clock. It seems that they're no longer in control of their own body. They got braver, marching towards the enemy disregarding their lives. They got stronger, slicing through enemies like harvesting wheat.

Taken the flames, becoming your own, in turn.

Agnus, seeing the bravery of Keves soldiers, decide for a tactical retreat. The war machines fill the places of soldiers, aiming their cannon at Keves' soldiers, ready to fire. The Keves' soldier knows what would happen next, turned their back and ran for their lives. Alas, it's too late. Many beams of yellow-green hue slice through the ground where they were, wiping left to right, taking lives wherever the beam swiped. It proved tactical, as Agnus soldiers rushed to fill the empty space, while thrusting their sword and firing their guns at the Keves who had their back facing them.

While the others, the one whose essence is stolen, leaves only a husk.

There was a red-suit humanoid figure standing atop the shoulder of the flame clock machine, though we don't have a closer look yet to who they are. Perhaps the manager?

Keves wasn't giving up. A commander standing around the bottom of the flame clock machine, surrounded by soldiers facing their gun towards the field, shouted into his bluetooth:

"Bombardier. What are you playing at? How can we claim their life if you blow up the whole sparking thing?! Cripple them! Aim lower!"

"Y-yessir! Lowering aim, sir!" We cannot be sure what machine a bombardier is controlling, yet we know it's equipped with a weapon, aiming at the belly of Agnus' flame clock machine. Few seconds after a shot is fired, it ripped through the belly, shaking its support. The hands of the machine, attached perhaps by visible electromagnetic beam, went off, and one of its arms came smashing down to the ground. The loss proved vital, as Keves' flame clock now draws more red particles than Agnus'. Defeat isn't near, but not far either.

Fighting in order to live, and living to fight. That's the way of our world, Aionios.

Enough with the faceless. A group of young adult marching towards their enemies, one with a pony tail, thin, moderately tall; another grey-skin, very tall, very buff and muscular; a woman with two short wings behind her head, slim; and a short egglike creature, their face features on their green torso, very short legs, hands that resembles wings, we'll call them "Nopon". Countless of faceless soldiers followed their lead.

Because slowly but surely, our world is now dying. Even though, we have yet to realize that fate.

On the right eye of the pony-tail guy, we could see his flame clock iris turning yellow. From his vision, an interface appeared, with some information at both sides, the flame clock gauge on the lower left. When he focuses his attention, a sword-like blade floats into his center of focus, and a moment later, the same blade materialize in his hand. Others also summoned their weapons.

He swooshed and slashed, cutting grass... ahem... cutting through a few Agnus soldiers, before finally raising his weapon in front of his head to block an attack from an enemy. He caught a glimpse of the grey-skin guy suffering a blow from an Agnus soldier.

"Lanz," he called out.

Lanz, finishing off his enemy, turned back and looked at him, "Worry about yourself, Noah. There's still more of them."

(As if he needs to explain) "Even so, urg..." The strength of Noah's enemy became unbearable, breaking his defence. He thrust his hand forward, pushing the enemy off balance. Before he could finish him off, someone behind the Agnus soldier fired at him/her, finishing him/her off. He didn't stop, turning his attention and his aim at another soldier, while shouting back at Noah and Lanz, "Shut it! Stop flapping your gums and move."

The winged girl's blade was a long stick, with one end a cannon opening, another end looks like the blade of ceiling fan that rotates. She called out, "Yeah, we got more incoming."

Seems like Noah agreed it's not the right time for explanations. He turned his back while others joined him in a triangular position. Together, they face the hoards of Agnus soldiers running towards them, while they got into fighting stance.

(Several minutes later, after laying their enemies down)

Noah and his team looked at the front line. Agnus' war machines were rolling in from the flanks, firing their cannons at Keves' war machines. They managed to lay a few down before the Keves' reacted. Noah shouting to Lanz: "They outflanked us?! Lanz, The front line!"

Lanz aligned his gaze with Noah's. "That Trish's team?" Then, turned to his back to face the winged girl, "Eunie, How're things with Kite? What about our backup?"

Eunie, standing beside the green Nopon, both turned and face another direction. Soldiers and war machines, both Agnus and Keves, were exchanging shots. She replied, "Looks like they were busy guarding the artillery. They're not goin' anywhere." After concluding, she turned around to face the team, and make a suggestion "Anyone's moving right now, it's us!"

Noah lower his head and look to the ground, sorting his mind for a decision. Yet, he was cut short when the ground shook, it's source from his left, where the frontline is. Another Keves' war machine down. Agnus war machines were pushing forward. Realizing that there's no time to lose, he turned to his team and nudged, "Let's go! If the front line breaks, we're all dead!" Never forgetting his explanation, huh...

"But, the position..." Lanz refuted. His speech was cut short with a small shockwave coming from the backup team. An Agnus war machine fell to the ground, bursting in flames. A faceless Keves soldier faced them and affirmed, "We can handle these ourselves. Go on! Move it!"

Noah looked at him for a while, looked down for a second, before returning his glaze and gently nodded. The soldier nodded back in agreement before turning to face the Agnus soldiers. The team then moved their feet, dashing past exchanging beams that whipped down their sides. Red particles continued rising from the ground, floating into the air.

Suddenly, they was a dark shadow grew in front of them, forcing them to an abrupt stop and turned their glaze up. Thud, crank, crank. Something just smashed into the ground before them. They could hear the moving arms of machines. An Agnus war machine just landed before them, opening its arms as if to welcome their death. Lanz gasped, "A Levnis!"

"That's what hitting us? Well now we know." Noah replied.

"It's do or die, Noah!" Eunie shouted, perhaps she knew it's not time to let Noah decide if he needs to think. She summoned her blade, Lanz and Noah followed. "Got it!"

(Some time later)

Several explosions in the Levnis's chest and joints, sent it toppling down. The group looked from a ledge the situation of the battle. Too many levnises destroyed. Too many corpses laid on the ground, unattended amidst the busyness of massacre. The remains continued to fight till the last. Clearly, the Keves outnumbered the Agnus. The last few were slained without mercy. The Agnus that fell to the ground never had a chance to stand up; a sword already thrusted into his chest while he tried.

With the last soldier down, the Agnus' flame clock levnis lost its electromagnetic beam that hold its joints together. Pieces crashed down the floor, sending shockwaves to its vicinity. The Keves that were still alive were so tired they had to hold onto their blades, using it as a stick to remain standing. Upon seeing their final subject, the flame clock levnis, down; regained their strength, removed their dependency on their blade, and managed to ran forward, throwing both arms into the air and shouted, "Victory!" The announcement reached the rest of the team immediately, and they all danced in joy, some raising their blades above their heads. "Haaaaa!!!!" "Victory is ours!" "We won!"

Lanz and Eunie were no different from the others. They sheathed their blades and joined in the party. Noah, however, wasn't amused. He was bemused, perhaps he questioned the need to take other people's lives, their purpose, its meaning. Meanwhile, with no one noticing his weirdness amongst a crowd, shouts continued, "We won!" "Your lives are ours!"

Perhaps they were too tired. A few moments later, they stopped, and the air silenced. Lanz was sitting on the ground, Eunie and Noah standing, yet they didn't break the silence. Noah was still reflecting, all that we know of.

Memories of the Past: Born for War

Somewhere far away from the battlefield, unknown number of years earlier.

A dark, navy blue castle, inverted funnel shaped; it's middle pierced high into the dark cumulonimbus-like sky, clouds arranged themselves in hurricane-like shape with its eye the tallest part of the castle.

Somewhere inside the castle, a winged woman, too dark to see her facial features, was holding a staff, standing before a throne. As if she received some signal, she raised her staff into mid-air, and its tips released a bright green light for a few seconds, after which we could hear machinery cranking coming from the hall. Metal vessels rose from the ground. Each metal vessels are lined with pods filled with orange liquids, like how corn kernel lined themselves on the cob.

Taking a closer look, an embryo was floating inside the orange liquid. As bubbles emerged and washed through the embryo, the embryo transformed into a child around age 10, eyes shut, laying inside the chamber, wearing clothes (???). God knows what fertilizer did the winged woman gave them; not even cancer can grow at this rate! Nor do they need oxygen, as no tubings were attached to their mouth or nose, like baby submerged in amniotic fluid; except a baby can get its oxygen from the umbilical cord, this has nothing.

Probably not long later, at a training ground, daytime. A Kevesi Levnis propelled itself on the air towards the landing point inside the training ground, stretching its arms while lowering itself onto the ground. After it landed, its doors opened, and young Kevesi soldiers marched out from the Levnises. These seems untrained, perhaps they just got "borned" from the castle. In the crowd, we spot Noah, Lanz, Eunie, that fat guy, all as a child, the age we first saw them during the Queen's anniversary. They were lining up in perfect rows and columns.

Every one of us, is born looking like this. As soldiers. As weapons for slaying Agnians... Yes. All of us live only to fight.

Moving on, young soldiers were exchanging blows with each other, enhancing their melee weapon wielding skills. They were inside a training chamber, surrounded by fences, without roofs.

On the other side of the fence is another fenced clearings. Instead of empty space, boxes and tall obstacles estimated around 2 meters high, both made of metals, lined around. This is an arena for team battle. Here, Noah was fighting another young Kevesi, winged head, curly hairs, with speckles on his face.

"Tch! Cut that out!" while the Kevesi was dealing blows at Noah, with Noah defending and dodging, "Stupid! Noah!" Noah danced around the blade, yet before he could catch a breath, bullets swirled past him and hit the obstacles behind him. He quickly made a dash towards Lanz, whom was holding a broadsword larger than his shoulder width. The broadsword is capable of generating a frequency shield that could stop bullets on its path.

"Nice one, Lanz!"

"Too early for that! Look, it's you they're after here!" Lanz replied to Noah. Eunie was an obstacle away from them, firing bullets with her blade at the winged boy. Yet, before bullets could kick him out, a girl wielding a broadsword similar to Lanz managed to slide in front of him, generating a frequency shield, and blocked all incoming bullets.

While suppressing fire, Eunie shouted back at the boys, "Just take out their Attackers and we're golden. They're gonna get it handed to 'em." Perhaps her speech diverted her attention; a bullet whoozed past her, after which she hid behind metal barriers taller than her, complaining, "Flickerin' Hoope... You're as slippery as Noah sometimes!" Apparently, Hoope was still firing her way while she speaks. Only after finishing her sentence did Eunie continued firing at the winged boy (with the girl still blocking).

The winged boy wasn't amused with Eunie's speaking: "Eunie... Chick never shuts up." Putting his hand on his bluetooth, he shouted into it, "Kite! Ranged Arts!"

Kite, whom hold a staff taller than him, heard the signal and replied, "Easy!" He stuck his head beside the obstacle where he was hiding and saw Hoope dashing for another obstacle in front of his, firing at Noah as soon as his torso was blocked from their vision.

Kite emerged from his hiding place, raising his staff into midair. Droplets of energy particles whooshed in, and moments later, formed 3 globules of energy ball beside and above the staff. Kite targeted his shots at Eunie. Eunie, whom continued to hide behind obstacles after firing a few shots, heard the drag the energy ball made with air particles, looked up into the sky, and immediately make a run for her life. Yet, the energy ball seems to incorporated with a tracking system, zoomed past the top of the obstacles, took a turn midair, before hitting the ground behind Eunie, exploded and sent her hurling into the air for a moment, as she slammed and slid herself on the ground. "Ahhhhh!"

Lanz heard her shouts, turned to look at her. "Eunie!" He pulled his broadsword with him, running towards Eunie's direction. Hoope, seeing that Eunie was in his shooting range, clear of obstacles, fired a shot at her before she could get up. Lanz managed to pull in front of Eunie on time, intercepting the bullet, shielding her while she struggled to get up.

"Didn't account for Kite... Ugh... I snuffed this up." She was heavily injured, coughing while both of her hands supported her torso. As if about to faint, she saw the fat boy, holding a really short staff, running towards her. Upon arrival, he hold his staff over her, which drew the energy particles from the air and created a green ring centered around Eunie. Green energy particles entering Eunie's body made her glow. A few moments later, her wounds, internal and external, were gone. She was healed.

With a concerned facial expression, the fat boy looked at Eunie and asked, "You OK, Eunie?" Eunie summoned enough strength to stand up, replied while summoning her blade, "Cheers for that. You're a lifesaver, Joran!"

The winged boy saw the drama and was pissed off, "Sparkin' deadweight...!" He moved towards Hoope, whom now stands beside Kite, the girl shielding behind. Together, they hid themselves behind obstacles. It's time for a meeting.

"Hey! Change of plan! Kite, you keep firing, and don't stop."

Kite questioned, "At what?"

"Whatever you want."

"Huh?" Kite was clearly confused.

The winged boy looked at him, hands crossed, and said: "Go ballistic. Just draw their attention," then turned and face Hoope, "'Cause what we're after here, is that lame duck." He was referring to Joran.

Hoope wasn't convinced, "Joran?! But he's bottom of the class. Why bother?"

The winged boy explained: "Thing is, the brat's still a decent Healer. Get it?"

The girl seems to got it: "Ahh, right. So we're playing by the book here." (In game, you want to kill the healer first, or whatever damage you dealt would be reduced or even cancelled out)

The winged guy agreed, "Pisses me off, but the fight'll be good as won!" He was determined.

"Yeah!" All replied in unison, as they dashed out to their positions. Kite ignored precision, blasting the floor with his ranged arts.

Lanz make a run for the boxes, sitting down while signaling in his bluetooth: "Eunie! Take out Kite!"

Meanwhile, Eunie was trying to intercept Hoope, when one of Kite's ranged arts blasted in front of her. "Can't! They've got the advantage, AND they're behind cover!"

"Noah! Can we flank 'em?" Noah was running with Joran behind, jumping to and fro dodging Kite's ranged arts. Joran was slower and less adept to speed. A blast landed in front of him while he gripped strongly onto his staff, lifting it in front of his face to cover from the dust. "Noah!" Lanz was shouting without hearing a reply.

Meanwhile, the winged boy signaled to the broadsword girl their direction, and they ran towards Joran's position. Noah saw them moved, but wasn't yet sure of their intention. "They're not in their usual formation..."

Hoope did not give him time to think it through. A bullet was shot where Noah pop his head out. Eunie joined Noah a moment later, aiming her cannon to return fire. Noah was attuned to an energy ball on Eunie's current position. He took for a run, jumped and hugged Eunie; together, they slid out of their way before the energy ball blasted by their side. That's enough time for him to think, "We're snuffed! Kite's just a decoy! So they're really after..." There's only one guy left.

"Urg.." Lanz took his broadsword and get running towards Joran. He hadn't got much time, as the winged boy and the broadsword girl was already near. Joran raised his staff to his face in a defensive stance. The winged boy sliced towards him. Just as we thought he's out, Lanz managed to intercept on time, the remaining shockwave sent Joran falling on his back, "err huh."

"Quick thinking, Lanz!" the winged boy exclaimed. Yet, with 2 against 1, the situation don't change, even if Lanz's specialized in defense. Upon sticking his sword into the ground, a frequency shield capped him and Joran. Both swings their weapon at the shield, "Tough guy! But ya can't hold out forever."

"Spark" Noah, realizing their situation, make a run to help out Lanz; yet Hoope's bullet wasn't ignorable.

"Noah!" Eunie tried to catch up with Noah, but she was held back by Kite's ranged arts.

"Lanz...!" Joran exclaimed in a long tone, eyes wide open as if he was about to cry.

"Rrgh...! You stay put... They wanna take you outta the running!" Lanz gritted his teeth.

"Yaaaaa!" A final blow from the winged boy, and the frequency shield was zeroed. Joran shielded his face, "Yeah, but...!"

Lanz cut him short, wasn't giving up, "Don't you leave that snuffing spot!" He had to deal with 2 positions at the same time, sliding his broadsword left and right in the least possible movement. A strong hit came his way, and his broadsword went out of hand. He caught it a moment later with his left hand before another blow was delivered.

Joran was desperate, perhaps desolate, both hands on the floor, "Why would you..." He gritted his teeth, and suddenly make for a run. Lanz couldn't believed his eyes, as if Joran had not followed his instructions.

Noah and Eunie was still trapped. After another hit, the winged boy handed Lanz over to the broadsword girl, himself running towards their ultimate target. While Joran was running, a ball of energy emerged from his staff. As the energy accumulated to its threshold, he turned and pointed his staff towards Lanz, "All that I am, is yours..."

A green beam of energy zoomed past the winged boy, whom temporarily stopped in his past, perhaps realizing that's the end of Joran. He didn't try to intercept the beam either. He just looked at Lanz and saw the beam entered him, healing him. Joran ran out of breadth and collapsed on the floor, face down. "Now... you can carry on..."

The winged boy wasn't amused, slowly walking over in front of him, sword over his shoulder, "You shoulda done that much SOONER!" With the last word, he sliced down at Joran.

Badges, with its upper side broader than its lower, shaped like a wing, with two swords crossed as its symbol, was awarded to all members of the winged boy's team. Only the best team, theirs, were rewarded. The winged boy grinned, looking at the various recruits standing below while they were "on stage." He felt superior to the those standing below.

Even with Joran's final help, Lanz, Eunie, and Noah didn't make it. Noah wasn't disappointed, but he was the exception, not the rule.

Afterwards, in another scene, just Noah's team. Joran was shuddering in a corner. Lanz, with gritted teeth, went up to him, snatched him by his right shoulder with his left hand, pulled him up and towards him, clenched his right palm into a fist, holding it up aiming at Joran. Noah went up and hold the wrist of his fist. "Get off me!"

Releasing and pushed back Joran with Noah's still holding his wrist, he exclaimed, "Had to go and play the hero, didn't he?"

Noah lowered his fist down, questioned, "You really think you could've taken 'em?"

"Urggg" Lanz turned around, pulling off his hands.¹

Eunie, whom was laying her back to a nearby tall obstacle, took step and walked towards them, looking first at Noah, then focusing on Lanz: "I think Joran did the right thing. If he hadn't used his powers back there, you'd have been first out of the running!"

Lanz turned to face Eunie, walking closer and closer towards her as words flow: "Yeah, but still... Didn't have to go get himself killed for it!"

Eunie, her head only reached Lanz's shoulder, had to bend her back to look at his face. Noah interrupted, "Come on. He was trying to protect you! He lured in Garvel's gang. Gave us a chance to turn it around."

"Urg..." Lanz faced the other side again. Joran didn't speak a word, his eyes on the floor. Noah and Eunie was looking at Lanz, continued: "You know who wasn't up to it? We weren't."

Lanz have trouble acknowledging his weakness, turned to him and exclaimed, "Yeah, BUT!"

"Just stop it!" Joran had enough, shouted. "No. More. Arguing... It's my fault. I should've... just done a better job. (breathe) Then we'd have won." He was on the verge of tears.

Noah tried to soothed him, "Hey!"

Joran continued, "So much for getting to the final, huh... Sorry... I let us down on your big day... I'm so... sorry!" He ran off, wiping his tears on the way. Lanz couldn't stand the crying, faced away.

Noah was confused, "What big day...?"

Eunie snapped, "The birth-day."

Noah looked at her, even more confused... "What- Whose?"

"Yours dummy! It's your second term, right? Remember?"

Noah's eyes was wide opened. "Ah..." He just realized.

Gingerly treaded in small step towards Lanz, like a fairy dancing, hands crossed, "A win would've been a nice surprise. Lanz was pretty fired up too, weren't ya?" Perhaps she was trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

Lanz shooked his head a bit, turned to Eunie, "Cut it out!" Then walked off.

"Hey!" Noah called out to him.

Lanz, looking back from the tip of his glimpse, "What?"

"You'll apologize, right?" said Noah.

"... Might do, might not." Lanz spoke while he walked off. Eunie put her arms on her waist, walked up to line up with Noah, watching off Lanz.

We each have a lifespan of 10 years. We call them terms. Life begins with our first term, and ends at the close of our tenth. And over the course of those 10 years, we fight, continually. Though in reality, there aren't that many who can hold their flame for the whole 10 years. Most lose their lives on the battlefield, before they reach year 10. But those who do survive to the end... are honored in a special service.

The next day, at the training grounds. Noah, Lanz, and Eunie were standing in a circle. Soldiers were seen walking, some gathered together, speaking to each other. A group of younger term soldiers dashed out a door near them, past them, and went out of view. The green Nopon joined Noah's and the others.

We call it... the Homecoming.

As if he sensed something, Noah turned his head and looked twoards his right, as Joran was stampeding towards them. He shouted, "Morning, Joran!"

As Joran approached, he replied with an upbeat tone, "Hey Noah, morning." Awkwardly, "Morning, uh... Lanz..."

"Hmph." Lanz snorted, turned his head away, and ran off. Joran might had thought he hadn't forgave him; translator thought he probably wasn't satisfied with himself, or he couldn't lower his head. "Get a move on! Quick, we're gonna miss the Homecoming!" Lanz was shouting at them from a distance, hands on his waist. Soldiers were dashing past them while he stopped and waited.

That changed the subject and the atmosphere. "First one they've ever had here, right?" Eunie exclaimed.

"Yeah, isn't it awesome!" Lanz replied. Together, they ran off. Noah looked at Joran and nodded to him, which he nodded back, and they ran after them. Reminds of similar situation in another hyperspace? Except now with an extra green Nopon following.

Footnotes:

---

1: Eunie was standing near them, arms crossed.

Homecoming, Off Seers, Shower

A winged man knelt before a humanoid wearing a red suit, with a purple glowing core attached to his/her chest (like Iron Man's core), similar to the one we seen from afar standing on the shoulder of the flame clock levnis during the battle. The suit covered all his/her features, including his/her face, and the only exposed features is the yellow-orange sharp eyes, as if (s)he had the eyes of a jaguar, locking on to a prey. The winged man raised his head to look at him.

Behind the winged man, we saw soldiers lined up, including Noah and his team.

The red-suit humanoid turned from looking at the winged man, to the other direction. There were also soldiers lined facing him, the winged man, and Noah and the other soldiers. They stand on both sides, with a middle alleyway, which he walked till near its end, then turn left and give way to a winged woman. It's the woman we saw inside the castle whom gave embryo fertilizers! She wore a silver-white mask, silver hair spreaded around, with the hair in front of her chest curled forward.

Lanz: "Whoa! Even the Queen's come out!"

"So that's Her Majesty, huh?" Eunie was awestruck.

"Wow... I've never seen her before..." Behind them stood Joran and Noah, where Joran expressed his excitement.

Noah was thinking of something else, he just agreed like an automatic responder: "Hmm..."

The Queen step forward and walk the central alleyway, and stop before the winged man. The winged man was still knelt, one leg on the floor, another bent; one hand on his bent leg, another fist on the floor. The soldiers beside the alleyway hold up their flutes, bring it to their lips, and the homecoming melody filled the air in unison.

Noah had lots of questions. We can't know what he thought, but he was focusing on a guy in particular. The guys had yellow long hair, tied to a loose ponytail behind. He is one of the choir team, currently holding his black flute and playing it. We saw logo that represent how much terms they had back of his palm. The logo composed of 5 diamonds, each diamond had a smaller diamond within; so a double-decked diamond. One of the diamond lay in the central, while the other four lay north, east, south, and west of the central. The diamond on the east and west had an extra line cutting through the diamonds, parallel to the north-south diamonds. The western diamond and line, plus the central diamond, was still red; while the other 3 diamonds and lines already greyed out. He hadn't got much time left. We haven't saw Eunie's or Noah's, but on young Lanz, it's located on his chin, which is mostly red, signifying he was still young then.

While Noah was thinking, the Queen held both her hands up into the air, as if to embrace the winged guy. Yellow specks of particles suddenly appeared from his body, to which he looked at them; perhaps realizing it's time, held his hands up into the sky and looked up, to see the last of the world before his time. As we focused our attention on the red-suit humanoid, (s)he probably is thinking something else, though behind the mask, we can't know for sure.

"So cool!" gasped Joran.

Lanz held both of his palms into fists, "I heard the stories, but this is just wild!" Then, in a lighter tone, "That's gonna be me someday! Just you try and stop me! You guys, too. You're totally making it with me!" Pointing towards Joran and the others.

"Of course!" Eunie replied.

"Uhm..." Joran was hesitating.

"And you, Noah! Right?!" Lanz looked towards Noah. Noah was still in his world, responded without acknowledging, "Huh? Sure..." Perhaps coming back from his world, he realized his tone wasn't firm enough: "Yeah, you bet." One could see some seeds planted in him, waiting to germinate.

Our lives came from the Queen, and we all lived for a chance to take part in the Homecoming. The chance... to return to the Queen's embrace. Carrying out 10 years of service, fighting. That was our whole world. Nobody ever thought to question it. Until that day...

Probably referring the guy whom Noah looked up to.

Back in the battlefield. Noah was playing the flute, similar melody to those of homecoming. Previously red particles floating in the sky turned blue. Husks, Agnes or Keves, glowed blue, emanating more blue particles as the melody hummed. Kevesi levnises drove over Agnus' soldiers husks. Kevesi soldiers stepped on their torso, careful not on step on their hands and legs or they would lose balance easily. Most were yawning, looking down, exhausted. Flying levnises, after loaded the soldiers, changed to flying form, retracted their ground support, and blasted off into the air. The flame clock levnises had already gone, not seen anywhere. All except Noah's team, whom waited for Noah as he played the melody.

Lanz sat where he was, Eunie, the other guy, and the green nopon stood. As he completed and stuffed his flute into his back pocket, he looked down from his vantage point, reminisced for all soldiers. Some Kevesi were so badly injured their colleagues had their arms over their shoulder, helping them walk.

"Do you have to?" Lanz sounded, not looking at Noah.

Noah: "Huh?"

"You shouldn't be sending those guys off like that."

"What? Why not?"

"Why are you like this, Noah? It's Agnus! Our enemy?"

"Well, yeah... They don't have an off-seer, though. To send them."

Eunie sniped back, "Yep. They all bit the dust, thanks to us."

"So what?" Lanz shrugged.

"Look, there's no rule not to." Noah tried to explain. Lanz wasn't about to hear his explanation anyways.

"Then, what, you're just gonna... keep going? I don't get you, Noah."

"I know we're putting our lives on the line. But still..."

Eunie had enough of his explanation, "Yeah, yeah, we get it already.'Friend or foe, someone has to lay them to rest.'" She speak words Noah had spoken before, in a deeper voice to imitate, while trod-ing up towards him, stopping to stand by his side. "'For that is my role as an off-seer.' Right?!" With the last word, she knocked his chest with her elbow.

Noah turned and looked at her: "Uh... Is my voice that deep?" More concerned about the imitation than the content, huh?

Eunie wasn't impressed, hands on her waist, looking up at him. "Shut it, you. I wasn't trying to be anyone specific." Then, changed the topic, "Right, I've had about enough of all this depressing crap. Let's head back and hit the showers. I'm all gunked up with blood and sweat."

She walked off, eyeing her elbows where blood and sweat stained. Lanz stood up. The last of the levnises had already roll off or flew off. Lanz, looking them off, complained, "Uhh... Bye, transport. Guess we'd missed it again..."

Eunie eyes wide opened as she took two steps forward, as if trying to retain the levnises, complaining, "Oh... bollocks! Ugh, Noah always does this! How many times is it we've had to walk home now?!" Then, they walked off.

Noah took a final look at the battlefield by himself, still had many questions in his head, before turning and joined the team.

Translator's note on the environment: Between this battlefield region and where their colony was, was called Everblight Plain. It was located in the Aetia Region. The roads between the two locations was filled with relatively weak monsters, like "bunnits," rabbits white, brown, or black, with a mace attached to the tip of their tails; or "wisp," which are wasp-like creatures, where the "night wisp" glow in the dark while the morning ones don't, and other insectoids and animals.

(Upon arrival at the colony)

The flame clock levnis parked in the middle of the colony. Around it, rectangular bunker camps made of metal roofs were set up; they are the barracks. Below it from a distance, we saw a cloth tent covering many tables, probably the canteen. There were also some barrels of unknown use, to the right of the canteen. To its right, another metal bunker structure, the shower. It was evening, street-lights holding with very long fluorescent filament stood, itself emanating yellow-orange hue against the yellow-orange light from the setting sun.

"Ah, made it back at last. What a hike!" Good old Lanz.

The green nopon speak, and we finally know his name: "Such long walkings tough on legs of Riku... Riku totally popped."

Noah turned to look at the flame clock levnis: "It was a massive battle, but we don't seem to have taken too many injuries, fortunately."

To which Lanz replied, "Yeah, well, I guess that's the upside of going against a low-rank, no-mark colony like that."

Eunie: "On the flipside, we didn't manage to fill up the Flame Clock all that much..."

The last guy whom shot when Noah first blocked and signaled to Lanz, slightly dark skin, with his hair stripped with rolls, named Mwamba. "Ah, it's all for the best. At least we've all come back in one piece."

Noah: "I agree. And anyway, we should be all right on that front, for the time being."

Riku: "Noah, talking out here just waste time. How about friends move chatter into bath."

"Good thinking! Let's do that." Slow response, Eunie...

Translator's note on environment: Each colony had their names. Kevesi colonies used the numbering system, so Noah's colony is Colony 9 (which they're currently at). On the other hand, Agnian colonies used the alphabetical system, e.g. Colony Alpha (A).

Inside the shower.

Men and women shared the same shower room, without cover. Nopon too! All stripped themselves naked, of course. Mist from hot water greatly reduced the proximity of our vision, reaching Noah's chest. Noah turned off the knob to the shower, water stopped splashing out the shower head.

Noah turned and walked towards a shared spa, putting one feet before the other. To his front left, Eunie was already in the spa, leaning her back onto the walls, her hands on the wall¹. "Ahhh" Noah sighed. Feels refreshing. We could also see nopons in the pool; floating and swimming around.

"Say... You know how you became an off-seer... after what happened...?" Eunie began the conversation, slightly bending forward towards Noah, concentrating her attention.

"Hm?" Noah took a more relaxing stance, curved his back more until his shoulders were immersed in the waters. "Uh... I guess, yeah..."

Memories: Flames rolled all around, Joran standing in the middle. Rocks came tumbling down around him. One can't read his facial emotions, which they seem neutral; no desperation, no smiles either. As more boulders came smashing down, he was buried alive.

"Does it... still hurt?" Eunie prompt.

Noah turned his head and looked at her, then looked up, changing his posture while he speak: "No... I can't say I'm totally over it... but I'm getting there. I've sent... so many of our comrades. A lot's happened." ²

"Both for me... and those sent on." He recalled the first homecoming they've seen, the focus was the yellow-haired guy.

"Mmm." Eunie dipped her body lower, her chin touching the water surface. Noah turned to face another direction, changing the subject, "Anyway, worry about him."

Lanz was showering next to Mwamba. Something on his right shoulder seemed to pissed him off, while Mwamba was offering his help. He smiled back and rejected as if nothing happened, and they chatted a bit.

Noah: "Poor guy. Pushes himself too hard."

Eunie: "What can we do. He's been like this for ages."

Memories: Flames surrounded, young Lanz running towards Joran, Noah held his left arms with both hands, tugged him out of the flames. Lanz stretches his right arm, eyes wide opened, trying to reach Joran, mumbling "No! No!" all the time. Pebbles fell in front of him.

Eunie, putting her arms behind her head, shut her eyes: "He never got to apologize. So... You know..."

Lanz seemed to be done with showering, showing up behind Noah: "Hm? You guys talking about the battle?" Then, putting his feet and lower himself into the water beside Noah, "Don't worry about the bonus points... 'cause I'll have nabbed 'em all!"

That rigid change of subject must've interruped Eunie's reminiscing moments. She stood up and look, her body slightly leaned forward, at Lanz, "Er... the snuff you on about? I'll have you know I clocked up a fair bit more!"

Lanz didn't agree, and was probably emotionally hijacked, also stood up and face Eunie, her hands waving and pointing at himself, "Oh, yeah, sure. I'm the one who took the heavy off its hinges. They give you loads of points."

"Ooh, big deal!" Eunie walked up to him slowly, cutting him. "If that heal had come a few seconds later, you'd be sleeping in the dirt!"

Lanz: "Uh, yeah, no, uh-uh... That was part of the plan. You couldn't tell? I just felt like giving you the credit. But don't worry, you can thank me later."

Noah watched the drama for a while and wasn't interested in getting involved, sliding slightly away from the center point of conflict, and look up through the small window at the top of the shower bunker. Through it, stars of varying brightness paste themselves against the dark sky, illuminated dimly by the remaining sunlight. Seen from outside, two waterfalls fall from a ledge to the right of the colony, the ledge protruding, making a horn shape, while other protrudes irregularly. Few clouds covered a small portion of the stars.

Eunie: "Huh? You're a right muppet, Lanz..."

Finishing their shower (and quarrel), Noah walked up to the team, the last to finish dressing up. Lanz, with his hands behind his heads, yawned. "All right then! Off to bed with me."

Eunie agreed, turning to face Noah, "Yeah... All that walking's really done a number on me!"

Noah felt awkward, scratching the back of his neck, "I'm sorry..."

Eunie already forgave him, knowing he wouldn't have changed his mind anyways, "Hehe! Come on, let's go!"

"Yeah!"

"Meh meh!" And they walked off to bed.

Footnotes:

---

1: or floor

2: Riku was swimming in the distance on the spa. (Didn't want to put this in as it disturbs the flow)

Emergency: On Their Way To A New Battle

At the break of dawn. The early sunlight reflected on nature's surface, presenting a relaxing, darker hue to the eyes. Street lamps were still illuminating. Except those watching the night, soldiers were still sleeping in their barracks. A high-pitch siren disturbed the serenity. Noah, upon hearing the siren, jumped and sit up on his bed for a moment, before realizing what was happening. He ran outside to see soldiers already dressed, running towards the assembly point.

"An emergency assembly?"

The rest of the team got up slower, came out of the barrack. Eunie was stretching her arms and yawning, "It's the crack of dawn, guys..."

"Ugh, why...?" complained Lanz.

Noah: "No idea. We'd better take a look." Together, Noah, Eunie, Lanz, Mwamba, and Riku joined in the running.

Soldiers were already lined up in the assembly square. About the last to arrive, Eunie and the rest stood at the final row, herself still yawning, "Remind me, what're we lining up for here?"

Mwamba probably had got the news somewhere: "Royal decree from the Castle. They say an enemy armored unit's approaching this area."

Lanz: "Come on, man... I just got to sleep and everything..."

Riku: "Friend's fault for staying up late!"

Hearing this, Lanz was getting angry, "And whose fault was it I couldn't sleep? I asked you to do the maintenance on my power frame, but you totally messed up my settings!"

"Oho? Ahh. That probably different frame." Riku wouldn't accept the blame, explaining in his favor: "Riku is popular guypon, crushed by weight of fans asking to do favors. Sometimes mix up orders. Meh. If configs bamboozle, why not fix by self?"

Lanz was closing his eyes, "patiently" suppressing his anger trying to calm down. Yet, that's too much for his patience. He get into an angry stance, shadowing Riku: "That's why I didn't get any sleep, furball!"

He hadn't managed to get into action when the commander's voice attracted their attention. "I'm here to announce today's mission." Probably it's more important to listen to the commander than beating up Riku, he stood back in line, while the commander continued, ignoring him:¹ "You have one target. It's currently on course for the suppresion area, here."

The commander tappd twice on his temple, his right iris glowed yellow as information of a map was broadcasted to everyone's irises. To receive the broadcast, the soldiers all tapped twice on their temple to activate their iris. On the center, we see a 3D map with mountains and valleys, and a blue dot appearing, their target.

"Judging from the mass, it's expected to be large in size." As he spoke, the blue dot plotted an expected route, ending at another blue dot. The mapped zoomed out in the process.² The ending blue dot is probably the intercepting location. "And based on its speed, we estimate it will reach the Alfeto Valley at 0100 hours."

As the commander release his hand from his temple and stop broadcasting, he continued: "Notably, the target's emitting a considerable amount of ether energy. As for your mission, deploy at the canyon by the designated time. Investigate and destroy the source of ether." As he finished his sentence, the others release their hands from their temples, stopped receiving visuals.

"Commander, one question." a faceless soldier asked.

"Go."

"About this target... Can we assume it's from Agnus?"

"We don't know. We haven't been able to confirm, but it seems that they're also gunning for it. This would suggest it should be seen as part of... a different enemy force."

He turned to the others, "Combat with Agnian troops in the area is also expected. Details will be sent to your Iris after deployment. Clear? You are to remain vigilant throughout the operation. Dismissed!"

The soldiers put their feet together, raised their right arm and hold it into a fist, palm facing their shoulder, a sign similar to "aye, aye, captain!"

They gathered at the back entrance of the colony.³ Soldiers and levnises lined up, preparing for departure. Two main types of levnises we can see here, excluding the transporter which carry soldiers that can fly in the air. One already appeared in the battle against Agnus earlier, does not have legs but two wheels installed at an angle at the bottom tip of their torso. Two larger wheels that were used as both a moving mechanism and a rotating saw were equipped to its arms.⁴ It's head bent forward, aiming at the floor.

Another levnis stand straight up, with 4 legs, each tip of the legs were like that of a compass you used in primary school to draw circles. It's left hand was equipped with a blade, it's right an oval shield.⁵

Lanz was impressed: "Yeaeeah... Now we're bringing out the big guns!"

Noah was concerned. He feel that something wasn't right, and it had been ages since the whole colony went all out. He went into deep thought "Hm..."

Lanz would like to know what he's thinking, "What's up?"

"Our rank... it is Copper, right?" Noah wanted to confirm.

Eunie took a step forward from their back to line up with them, replying in a giggle tone: "Talking about colony ranks? I mean, we did win big yesterday. It'll only be a matter of time before we make Iron. That'll be it."

"Uh... Yeah, I dunno... about that." Perhaps advancing from Copper to Iron wasn't as easy as it sounds.

===

Riku had been mysterious, far more knowledgable than the rest of the team, "Oho? Looks like they rolling out Silver rank for this operation."

"Silver rank! What would they be doing here...?" Noah and Lanz, shocked, turned and faced Riku, before turning to face each other.

Lanz shrugged: "Orders are orders. Can't complain about the help, though."

A soldier came to the front, interrupting their conversation, "We're moving out. Wedge formation until Point D! Don't fall behind!" As he finished, levnises lead the ways while soldiers followed.

Translator's note on environment: Yellow grass grows all over the place, clearly lacking chlorophyll. Lots of plateau and rocks sticking out from the earth. A river cuts through the land. Red flamingos with white belly were seen gathering by the river bank. Waterfall from a distance falling off unclimbable cliffs, refilling the river. Eagles circling the air, looking for its prey. Deers munched on grass, gathered in groups. Very few trees stood on the Yzana Plains, Aetia Region.

As they traversed, they saw a squad of soldiers being stopped by wolf with silver-gray skin, red manes.

Eunie: "Hey, check it out!"

Lanz: "The spearhead squad."

Mwamba: "Huh, Volffs? They're not much of an emeny if you take 'em on one at a time. Still..." Apparently, the wolf belonged to the "volff" family.

Noah: "The main objective of the op is still ahead. If these guys've hit an impasse, we ought to help them."

Eunie: "I thought you'd say something like that."

They ran in and joined the squad, drawing their weapons and helped the soldiers.

(Some moments later)

As the volffs die, "lives" emanate from their glowing-red corpses, rose into the air, and entered their flame clock. From their irises, pixels representing "lives" were seen entering the flame clock on the left, though it replenishes nil amount. A faceless soldier complained about it: "This all we've getting? Gonna need something a bit more meaty about now."

Another faceless soldier: "Tell me about it. Colony we fought the other day? Dirt rank. Hardly filled up the Flame Clock at all." Eunie and his team watched them leave as they talked.

Noah turned to look at the team: "Lanz, Eunie."

Lanz: "Yeah?"

"No heroics this time. Keep your heads screwed on."

Lanz always wanted to be the hero, rebutted: "Pfft, come on man. No one ever tell you? I'm a hero in the making, I am! Without my heroics, our combat unit would be right up the..."

"Lanz!" Noah glared at him, cut him short, with a serious look on his face.

A second later, Lanz: "...creek!"

Noah walked up to him, nudged to him: "Come on. Stop being so cocky."

"I-it was just a joke, mate... No need to glare..." Lanz body was bending backwards, seldom seeing Noah being so serious, but he agreed to compromise.

Eunie came by his side, concerned, "Is it that bad?"

"Yeah... Something's... not right here. Somethings just feels... off." He can't be sure, but his unconscious gathered information he's not aware from the atmosphere.

Mwamba joined in, "Noah's intuition's never wrong."

Riku agreed: "Friends better listen to Noah."

Lanz: "Got it." They continued on the rocky trail. Down and up, we could see a cloud so near to the ground as if it could be touched. Plateau stretched the side of the trail, like a broken bridge, shadowing it. Somewhere in between to the right, we could see it's a ridge which they could fall off if they weren't careful. Mountains of unmeasurable height stretch far into the clouds in the far background. The walls of the cliffs were rocky.

Translator's note on environment: In the distant, vines curled along tall pillars of rocks that supported a plateau, like a mushroom. A spring with "krabble" ⁶ gathered around it. Below a tree, apparently dead, laid some patches of red, too far to ascertain what it was. To both sides, cliffs sandwiched the path. Alfeto Valey, in the Aetia Region. As usual, the animals roamed the region.

Stopping before a large rock, Riku pulled out a ball from his pocket. On the top of the ball is a blue core, which projected a screen like a hologram, displaying the map. He confirmed their location, turned to the team and said, "Rendezvous point up ahead!"

Lanz: "Since Nopon can't use Irises, isn't it a pain to have to keep fiddling with a terminal?"

"No fear. Riku take it in stride. Also, if pretend to not look at terminal, can ignore all sort of troublesome and tiresome communications." ⁷

"Whoa, that's kinda smart."

Suddenly, a monster jumped out of the ground where the rock was before. Apparently, it was buried underground, with its back the shape of a rock, slightly more shiny and reflective than the coarse rocks we see around the valley, but nevertheless of the same color. The protrudes look like stegosaures. As it shook dirt off his head, he turned and face the team.

"Riku! Watch out!" Noah shouted.

Riku took cover behind Noah, while Mwamba exclaimed, "It was camouflaged as a rock...?" ⁸

Eunie: "We're gonna have to face it!"

Noah: "Here it comes!"

(After the battle) ⁹

Mwamba was looking at the term symbol on the back of his left hand. The only red being the inner central diamond. He hadn't got much time left. He looked like he was looking forward to Homecoming.

The team saw his action, and Eunie questioned: "So... It's gonna be next month?"

"Yeah... Just a little longer." Mwamba replied.

Lanz: "You're something else, Mwamba. The pride of Colony 9." Lanz's term symbol also had red on the central diamond left, except it also filled the outer diamond, not just the inner.

"Aww, you guys. I've finally made it this far."

Eunie: "What's up?"

Mwamba, covering the symbol with his right palm, "Well... Thing is... I was thinking, after this op, I think I'm gonna go and put in a transfer to the salvage corps. You never know what'll happen on the battlefield, right?"

As he looked up and put his hands down, "You can laugh at me, if you want."

"I ain't laughing, man." Lanz looked seriously at Mwamba, whom raised his eyebrow hearing the comment. "We've only been alive this long because you've always had our backs."

Eunie agreed: "Yep. We owe you a ton. Just make sure you get to your Homecoming, OK?"

Mwamba was grateful, his tone was about to burst into tears: "Lanz, Eunie... You guys..."

"Mwamba," Riku interrupted, "Now not time to relax tear ducts. Let down guard, and you fill Flame Clock of someone else."

Lanz: "Riku, come on!"

Mwamba: "Ha ha! Well, you don't mince words! You are right though."

Noah was lost in his thoughts, when Mwamba interrupted him, "Sorry, Noah."

Noah looked up, confused, "Huh? Oh, no, it's not that. I guess I was just thinking about your Homecoming. It made me feel a little sad..."

In a deeper, teary tone, Mwamba: "Noah..."

Noah encouraged him: "Mwamba, salvage is an important service. Don't feel like you owe us anything."

"Thank you so much, Noah." Changing to a higher tone, like when you're shouting instructions: "Right then! Let's get this operation done! Next month's a-Homecomin'!"

As the group speak, Noah recalled his memories.

Memories

An evening long ago, at the training ground, Noah and Joran sitting side by side. Perhaps it was after the Homecoming.

"I'd love to make it to my Homecoming - maybe if I'm lucky..." said Joran. As he spoke, some bruises on his cheek hurts. He groaned in pain while gently put his fingers on the bruised area.

Noah turned to him and encouraged: "Of course you'll make it, we all will."

"I wonder... I mean, I'm not like you guys... I'm so clumsy."¹⁰

"Come on, you're not! What about the last match? You did way better than everyone else!"

"We still lost though, right? It's OK. I've sort of half given up already." He lowered his head in desolation.

"Joran..."

He raised his head, the light in his eyes, we saw something affirmative inside, "Well, at least...¹¹ When I do die, I want to at least be of some use."

Noah can't stand it, stood up and walk in front of him: "Enough of that!"

Joran raised his head to look at him: "Whuh?"

"Don't talk like that! ¹² I've always told you we're a team, haven't I? That means now... and always."

"Aww..." Joran was grateful, lowering his eyelids in a more relaxed position.

(another scene)

Flames raged. Lanz ran towards Joran, trying to pull him out of the location. Joran resisted, bent with his shoulders forward, put both his palms on Lanz's chest, and shoved him away. As Lanz flew backwards, his right arm stretched out in his direction reaching out to Joran, eyes wide opened, stones came tumbling down. Joran looked at the live he saved, satisfied. A moment later, he was buried alive before Lanz's eyes.

(End of memory)

"Noah... Noah!" Mwamba brought Noah back to the present, and told the team. "I'm gotta go on ahead. We got a call -- Martha's team has a spot free, apparently."

"Ahh, right." Noah affirmed.

"Do me a favor?" Mwamba requested, "Come along with me, to the office."

"When you apply?"

Mwamba nodded. Noah: "Got it! The commander can be... intense."

Mwamba grinned, "E-xact-ly... Later!" With his last words, he ran off to the distance, the rest of the team watching.

Eunie: "We made it to the rendezvous point faster than I thought we would." A huge tree located near a cliff. A bonfire was burning below the tree. Around the tree in a circle were small rocks, similar to that of the path, with grass growing by the side of the trail leading towards it.

Noah: "Mwamba did help us a lot along the way."

A levnis parked at a distance the opposite direction of the cliff¹³, Lanz: "Mwamba's team... They're not here yet." Scratching his head, he don't understand how he could be faster but not yet arrived.

Noah explained, "Martha's squad was leading the way. They'll be at a different rendezvous point, I expect." Double tapping his temple, he checked for new information on the iris. "The mission hasn't changed. We'll stand by round here till the scheduled start of the operation."

Eunie acknowledged and suggested: "Roger that! Should we grab a bite to eat?"

Lanz agreed, "Good shout!" Then, Lanz and Eunie walked up to the bonfire. Noah still stuck and deep in his thoughts, as Riku prompted: "Noah... Something up?"

Noah shook his head, "I've just got this uneasy feeling... It won't go away."

Eunie and Lanz turned to face him, Eunie: "The thing we were talking about before?"

Lanz preferred not to think too much: "Mate, you're thinking too hard, as usual. Think it could just be the pressure weighing on you a bit?"

Noah shook his head, as if to shake the feeling off, "Heh, yeah, maybe." Soldiers could be seen behind him, standing at watchpoint, some patrolling.

Lanz: "Oh, for snuff's sake." He and Eunie walked up to Noah, "We've still got a bit of time. How about blowing off a bit of steam with a quick sparring sesh?" Looks like they gave up the eating break.

Eunie wasn't too happy with his decision, "Huh? C'mon, we've got the operation soon. Shouldn't we just rest?"

Lanz disagreed, "Nah, this is exactly the sort of time you want to get your heart rate up. Nothing like going toe-to-toe to get out of your head. Really helps you focus."

Riku: "Never mind empty-headed proposal of Lanz, Noah."

"Shut it, fluff-bag!"

"Riku vote for having mindful moment in quiet place. Checking in on state of self!"

"OK..." Noah turned to Lanz, "Thank you, Lanz. Why don't we train a bit now so we can give it everything in the battle?"

Lanz was excited Noah took his idea to heart: "Nice!" Eunie just shook her head and shrugged, like everyone's out of their mind. Riku flapped his wings.

Footnotes

---

1: Since he's not disturbing the others nor interrupting him, except Riku, anyways.

2: Translator can't make much out of the map when the contours were all in yellow, and the valley wasn't very clear, sorry...

3: When they returned from Everblight plain earlier, they entered the colony from its front entrance.

4: Imagined it as the extinct bird that have claws on their wings, which they used to fight, but have short legs.

5: It looks like the spider woman whom had their lower torso that of a spider and spider legs, but upper torso of a human.

6: In real life, they were animals that steal other animal's shell to use as their shelter, usually living on seabed.

7: Unsure whether by "troublesome and tiresome" he meant by "as if one was handling an iris," or hearing complain from others.

8: Translator's note: One assumed you lived in this region for so long, yet you never met this monster? Oh dear...

9: Lives emanate from its corpse.

10: He massaged the bruised spot as he speak.

11: Noah: "Hmm..."

12: Putting his arms on his waist.

13: Noah's front is the cliff, his back is the levnis.

The Operation, Ouroboros, and Moebius

A few hours later. The sky already turned dark. The glimmer of fire sparks lit their proximity. Noah checked his iris: "It's almost time. Let's review the details of the operation. Our mission objective lies in Alfeto Valley. An unidentified ether source has been reported. We are tasked with surveying it and destroying it."

"Waypoint marked out on map now. Please to have look at waypoint on map!" Riku added.

The party nodded. Noah continued: "The advance party should have already arrived at the planned contact point."

Eunie: "It's time we headed out too, then!"

Lanz was getting excited: "Let's get the snuff out of here. A royal decree, eh? I don't know about all this... But let's get out there and square it away as quick as we can!"

It was foggy. A few specks of purple particles floated in the night sky before disappearing into inexistence. As they ran to above a ledge, they got down to check the situation: "It's really supposed to be here? I don't see much," questioned Lanz.

"Shh" With his iris, Noah scanned the horizon. Agnian levnises came into vision. One, like before, its torso floated on a rolling ball, it's arms equipped with blades. Another levnis is slightly larger, floats in the air, looked like someone wearing a white coat, with two balls attached to its shoulder joints. "Agnian troops."

Eunie: "Seriously?"

Noah: "They're still far off. They haven't spotted us."

Lanz: "Goin' in?"

"We don't have permission to engage. The only thing we need to focus on... is our target." ¹

As he tried to transmit information to other squads with his iris, an error screen popped up, with a message: "Communications down due to black fog interference."

He turned and pointed to a faceless soldier, whom came forward: "What?"

"Heads up. Enemies at two o'clock. Go tell the main force. I'm worried about Mwamba and the others. I think we'll go on alone."

"Ok then. I'll handle it." The faceless soldier ran back where he was, where other soldiers and levnises were, while Noah and his team crossed to the side, a ledge for them to enter the lower areas.

Reaching the bottom of the ledge, they knelt down while Noah scanned the horizon with his iris. A "commence mission" popped onto the center of the screen. Kevesi levnises started firing their cannons onto mid air... no, it hit an invisible ship floating in the sky. As fires raged at point of impact, the invisible shield cloaked it from outside view.

Agnian levnises weren't late to join the party either. A few blast and the invisible shield almost lose its invisibility status.

Noah, watching from his position, questioned: "Is that it? It's not Kevesi... Definitely not Agnian either..."

Lanz: "The spark is that?"

One more hit, the invisible shield was zeroed. A ship came into view, floating in the air, army green seen under the blast' illumination, looked like a space ship combined with a submarine. Several pixels of of light emanates from the side, aggregate in 3 groups. It's rocket engine that gave it forward thrust emit a yellow-orange hue.

As it released its legs, the tip resembles a rocket-engine nozzle, which they could tune the direction as it land.

Eunie: "It's coming down."

The landing wasn't entirely a success. As it crossed a ledge, it's belly smashed on the ledge. Sparks and flames engulfed the point of contact as it lose balance and smashed into the dirt, dragging along for a distance before coming to a stop. A ring was ejected from one of the pixelated light group.

The Kevesi and Agnians, seeing their target down, did not went first after the target but after each other. Beams and bullets exchanged, levnises destroyed, soldiers killed.

Lanz exclaimed: "Starting without us!"

Noah: "We need to keep moving. Head to the target."

Eunie: "You got it."

It wasn't a smooth ride. Noah and his team just destroyed a ball-bearing Agnian levnises. They were panting. Yet, more Agnian levnises and soldiers were seen from behind where they'd engaged. Noah and Lanz turned, ran towards the soldiers, each blow downed a soldier. An Agnian levnis not far away in a trajectory shoot its blade towards Noah. Lanz ran up and activated the shield, which the blade bit into, turning itself like a drill before the shield shattered. The Agnian levnis was about to continue when it suffered beams from a nearby Kevesi levnis, destroyed it.

Lanz and Noah exchanged glance, ran off in opposite direction. Lanz summoned his blade and swung at the 3 soldiers whom blocked his way.

A levnis knocked some Kevesi soldiers down. Eunie stuck her staff onto the ground, a green ring encircles them, healing them. As if she sensed something, she squeezed her staff through her armpits, aiming backwards and fired. Two agnian soldiers at the top of the ledge behind her was shot down before they could do anything. She turned her staff back toward the ground, an orange ring replaced the green, the soldiers seem to increased in strength.

Noah hopped off a ledge while the last Kevesi killed. Several Agnians approached him in a fan shape formation, with one ran forward and exchanged hits while the other watched. ² As Noah repelled him, he calculated a series of blows and executed them thereafter as the Agnians turned into husks.

As he looked at his iris, he noticed his flame clock filled up: "My Flame Clock... It's filling up... but..." The "lives" weren't moving in any particular direction, nor the flame clock levnises nearby either. An unexplained phenomena.

As they regrouped, Noah lead them towards their actual target. A robot sharing a head and a torso, face towards them, it's 3 beam of lights which made up its face flickers for a moment, determined they're enemy, and started firing bullets at them. Noah sliced some bullet away while Lanz raised a shield a second later. The automaton stopped firing while reducing its distance with another automaton that joined it.

Eunie: "What are these things?"

Riku: "There no pilot inside!"

Lanz changed stance to offensive: "They're automatons."

(A while later, battle completed)

The battlefield raged with flames. Beams were still being exchanged. With his iris, Noah located their target, a bright green blob of light.³ "Is that it?"

Nodding to the others, they ran towards it.

Kevesi and Agnians teamed up against the ship's crew. Boxed fell out of the ship earlier piled the area. Large and small flames rose from the ground in the distance.

A muscular man was hiding behind boxes arranged like a barrier, firing at enemies with his machine gun, got down to catch a breathe. The dark night, plus him wearing a pair of goggles, could not render his facial features; we could only see his moustache and a thick hair. "Damn it! Fighting both of 'em? That's gonna be a tough break. But what did I expect?"

The source of ether, an egg-shaped structure, some space split its upper and lower part of its shell. Ether lines were distinctive characteristic. "They'll do just about anything... for our precious Ouroboros Stone."

He wasn't alone. Two others in a fan formation behind boxes firing at enemy from forward direction.⁴

As one automaton went down, one of his colleague, dark skin, oval face, wearing an eyepatch, signaled to the muscular guy,"Guernica! That's the last of the Automatons! We won't last long!"

The other guy wearing glasses kept firing. Guernica looked at him, shouted: "The battle unit's still holding. (paused) Go, save yourself! Get that Stone to the City!"

"Argh!" Just as he finished his sentence, the eyeglasses guy suffered a blast, dead on the spot. Guernica whom continued firing, eyed the situation, "Zuo!"

As he made his way towards Zuo, he heard another shout: "Arrrghhh!" It came from the eyepatch colleague.

Guernica looked up onto the ledge where bullets hit his colleague. Agnian soldiers were lining up, pointing their guns at him. He made a few shots that brought them down. That's the last of 'em, Kevesi and Agnians. No more faceless soldiers, no more levnises at where he was.

Guernica quickly ran towards the eyepatch colleague, almost dead. He put his hands on his shoulders, the guy brought his hands up and put it on his palm. "Guernica. S-sorry... I should... have been more... perceptive..."

Guernica wrapped both his hands around the eyepatch guys' hand, as if to reassure him. "Yew!" He coughed, head fell to his side, and that's the last of him. "YEW!!!"

Noah and his team approached their destination, hid behind tree barks. Lanz scanned for details with his iris, "There it is. The ether source."

Eunie: "First there was those Automatons. Now another unknown weapon."

Noah and his team learned a lot of new things today: "What in the flames... are we even fighting? No, not just us... Agnus too..."

Guernica laid beside the Ouroboros Stone, "So you made it this far. It'll have to be here."

Eunie: "Noah. Look." She was pointing to Guernica.

Lanz: "Is that... a man?" ⁵

Noah stood up: "He's no Agnian soldier. What is he? Was he controlling those Automatons, maybe?" He dugged low as he emerged from his hiding place, made his way towards Guernica. Suddenly, paper cards flew at him. Eunie saw him in danger, got out and pointed her rifle⁶ at the Agnian soldier, wearing a helmet. A paper card floated behind his left shoulder, cut into the shape of a dove-shaped kite, with eyes encarved within it.

The agnian soldier, suffering shots, hid himself behind tree trunks while bullets swooshed past.

From another direction, an agnian girl wearing a helmet, white dress with orange linen⁷, two semicircle rings with its sharp tip glowing yellow.

Lanz drew the machine gun encapsulated within its broadsword and fired at the girl. The girl was agile, dodged all his shot as she made her way towards him, jumped into the air toward Lanz while he brought his sword up to block.

Noah's sword cut at the point of contact, separating the girl and Lanz. Her team, the guy and another girl carrying a massive hammer, so massive it could fit her inside⁸ if it was hollow, in wedge formation.

"Kevesi troops..." The double-ringed girl sounded.

"Three of 'em." Said the hammer girl.

"It seems... we are just about the only ones left." The card weapon guy spoke, and turned his head at the Ouroboros Stone, "And there's our objective."

"Noah," Eunie signaled.

Noah, seeing they had no choice, raised his blade in affirmation, "Yeah. We'll have to fight."

The card guy: "Mio."

The girl with high agility, double-ringed weapon, Mio, agreed, "Got it."

(Some fights later)

As Noah sliced his blade, it shattered Mio's helmet into pieces, revealing her face. Her silver hair was short, reaching her shoulder. Her yellow-ochre iris gleamed in the darkness. Her ears stuck towards the top of her head, resembled that of a cat. Her broken helmet did not stop them from exchanging hits.⁹

Meanwhile, Guernica looked from a distance. "These kids are gonna end up stealing each other's life force..." He held his hand up, clenched into a fist, "And me... I've robbed them even of that kindness."

Memories: Guernica was piloting an automaton-like robot, but larger, torso stick out, handling a gatling gun¹⁰ and firing it at the Kevesi soldiers.

The hammer girl, her helmet already broken, emerged by Mio's side, jumped into the air, about to slammed into Noah. "Huh?! Where did...?!" Noah was shocked as he didn't see how did she appeared from behind Mio.

"Call that a swing?" Lanz sounded and emerged from behind Noah, set up a shield while her hammer smashed onto it. "You're way too slow!" She shattered the shield while Newton's Third Law brought her back up into the air.

"He blocked it! No way!" Her shocking face did not prevent her from back-somersault to land beside Mio. We could see she was slightly tanned, with visible blue veins on both her arms, while characteristically a blue flame lit one side of her hair, as a feature, not a bug.

Suffering the blow wasn't easy for Lanz either, "Gah! For a little munchkin, she sure packs a real wallop!" He had to shook the numbness off his right hand.

A distance away, Eunie was dodging the array of dove-like cards, as she hid behind a rock, looking at the guy, also lost his helmet: "Urg... How many of those cards has this geek got?!"

From a distance, we see cards flying around him in circles. He put his hands to his nose and pushed his black-frame glasses up, a stereotypical 'genius dude'. He had tanned brown skin, thick hair. "There's no escape! When my Mondo have you... They'll follow you to the ends of the world!"

As he finished his sentence, he swiped the Mondo at Eunie, some transformed into bird shape, others remained kite shape, flew at her. "Spark that! Why don't you back off?!" Sticking her staff onto the ground, she sent an invisible shockwave that shattered the bird shaped Mondo, while other Mondo we didn't saw their fate. The guy protected his face from the back-flying burning cards, awed: "ahh (gasp)... How did she fool my Mondo?!"

Eunie ran off while shouting from the distance, "Creep. Try followin' that!"

Meanwhile, Mio and the hammer girl landed behind him, as he turned towards Mio's direction. Eunie stopped beside Noah and Lanz; Noah exclaimed, panting: "These guys are tough..."

Eunie agreed: "I hate to say it, but I think you're right."

Lanz: "These are no grunts. That gear... Special Forces?" He was pointing towards Mio's weapon.

Eunie agreed: "Yeah, deffo. That'll be why they've got an off-seer with 'em."

Mio ran towards them while Lanz prepared his machine gun, saying: "Well, so are we! Even-stevens, Right?!"

The Mondo backed Mio up while she made her way to the team. One slice knocked Eunie off to the side, as she concentrated on Noah. Noah spoke to himself while he was busy blocking, "How can she react so quickly?! Can't seem to... hit her!"

As his sword traversed her ears, a sharp-pitch sound generated from the sword damaged her ears. She held up her left hand to soothed its pain, holding another at Noah.

"What's... What's that sound?"

(Note from the translator: For this rest of this section, Noah's and Mio's thoughts would be rendered in italics.)

Noah continued to analyze the situation while they exchanged hits: "She's so fast... And yet... her moves are really simple... It's almost... like they have a rhythm..."

The word "rhythm" reminded him of something: "The Agnian off-seeing tune? I know how that goes..." He looked at her steps, counted, "One, two, three, four... One, two, three!"

Noah turned to the side, ears facing Mio. Mio was shocked at his action, "He's not even looking at me?!"

Noah relied on the tempo rather than his vision, "One, two, three, four... One, two..."

"There!" He gripped his blade, sliced his sword vertically as Mio jumped back just on time. Some pieces of her shirt fell off, in shocked, "He hit me?!" As she landed, Noah thrusted forward and sent one of her ring flying off into the air, which she caught as it fell back down, still awed: "Why you...!"

As they exchanged blows, Noah's brain managed to catch an empty window for clear thinking. "Hang on...The fighting's stopped?" He looked and listened, no sounds nor sights coming from the distance. Lanz and the others were seen exhausted, lending support from their weapons while bending forward. Only Noah and Mio continued their fights, "When did that...?"

"At this rate, one of us is going to get killed... No, maybe both of us will..." He stopped moving forward, need time to think, "Something strange is going on. We shouldn't be fighting like this." Unconsciously, he spoke out: "We should run!" He immediately realized what he had spoke from his unconscious, shock-ridden: "Run? Was it... me who just said that?What is this? There's no time to think.. Have to trust my gut... This is all too real! I hope I'll be able to..."

Mio was seen gritting her teeth, stopping to face him. "get through... to her...!" She didn't stop for long before running towards him. As he blocked her attacks, spoke out to her: "You are an off-seer! From Agnus, right?!"

"What the...?"

"So you are, then! Why are you fighting me?"

"As if you can talk?! You're the ones attacking us! What, too scared to fight now? Too late!"

"It's not to do with fear. It's that sound... You can hear it too, I know you can!" He raised his voice on the second sentence.

Mio could only replied with a standard reason, "We're fighting because there are enemies to kill! You think we'll just let you go?!" Meanwhile, Lanz and the others continued their exchange.

Noah: "Ugh...! This is bad... At this rate...!" Then prompted while thrusting his sword forward, "Is that all you have to say, Agnus?"¹¹

Noah landed a hit which Mio blocked, shouting to her: "I'm telling you..."

Mio shouted back: "Enough! I'm telling you that you're full of it! Take that!" His sword thrusted towards her, just a few centimeters from her neck. Her ring thrusted towards him, short of his torso. Both dodged aside as they flew and looked at each other, sliding on the floor with their trajectory before turning and got up.

"Do I really have to kill her? But she's so fast... If I lose focus for a second, I'm done for!" Noah was questioning himself.

Mio wiped her sweat from her chin, speaking to herself: "These Kevesi off-seers... I thought they were just window dressing. But he's different... And there's his sword... What's up with that?"

Noah's sword, a blue ring joined its handle to its blade. While the outer blade glowed in blue, vibrating at a fast pace, it's skeleton was filled with green liquid.

Guernica took notice of his sword, a situation he hadn't yet understood: "Uh...? What's that?!" Looking back at the Ouroboros Stone, lit with the same color as Noah's sword's skeleton, realized: "Ahh I see... I s'pose this is the reason I'm here then, eh? Heh! Guess this is what they call fate. Fine then. Time for Guernica Vandham... to make an entrance!"

As Noah and Mio's face glared close to each other, eye for eye, Guernica unsheathed his flare pistol, pointed it towards the sky and fire a shot. The flare shoned so brightly that Noah and Mio look from the tip of their eye toward the flare, and saw Guernica jumping right at them, both his hands pressed against their torso, bringing them to the ground. As Noah exclaimed: "What the...!"

Guernica asked, continued pressing them to the ground: "What do you all think you're doing? Why the fighting?!"

Noah didn't get it¹², "What's this... guy saying?"

Guernica pressed him back into the ground, "Just why? Answer me!" Lanz and the others, seeing their situation, ran from both flanks of Guernica and stopped at a distance.

Mio used her reply as a chance to get back up: "What do you mean, 'why'? If I see an enemy, I fight! So don't you... interfere!!!" With her final word, she broke free from his grip, landed in front of her teammates. She ran forward, trying to finished Guernica first, but before she could slashed her weapons, Guernica fist punched her stomach while she lost her strength to remain standing, pressing her whole weight against his fist for support.

Guernica lower his hand a bit before letting her fell to the ground, "Pull the wool from your eyes, kid. Think about your real target: that thing!" He pointed at the Ouroboros Stone, and put his fist on his chest, leaning forward, "And me!"

Turning to face the others, he continued, "No, you just have your little scrap. D'you have any idea, who the real enemy is?" He held his fist up high into the air, "It's over!" He punched down to the floor, sending a shockwave. Dirt, Noah, Mio, and dust particles rippled away from the point of contact.

His hands dangling from his shoulder while he stood up, continued his speech: "Now. Is that all you need to fight? Truly? That's all?" He looked up at the sky.

The Mondo guy immediately replied, "Of course. Countless comrades have lost their lives, thanks to this filth." He nudged at Noah's team direction.

Lanz walked forward, looking at Mio's team, "Oh really now? I could say the exact same thing. What'd you think it's like for us? Losing friend, after friend..." Mio's team raised their blade in a defensive stance in case he march towards them. "You steal everything from us!"

Eunie got up and lined up with Lanz, "You think we're even just because both sides do some killing? What good's filling up these flickering Clocks in our eyes! It'll never replace the friends we've lost. That's why!" Her right eye revealed the flame clock as she spoke to them.

Noah reasoned from behind: "We aren't fighting because we want to."

Eunie was awed, darkened the flame clock and looked back at him, questioned, "We're not?"

Noah walked forward: "We can see our lives written before our eyes. Fighting is all we have! Is it any wonder... we lose loved ones? Or have to take them from others?" As he stopped beside Guernica, "All of us... We have to fight so we can go on living!" ¹³

Mio drew a breathe at his conclusion, never thought about it before.

Noah looked to the side, raised his voice and questioned, "Just who decided that this was how it should be? If I knew who they were, or where, I'd..." He paused to think what actions he would want to take, while Guernica interrupted him.

"I know who they are. You'll what?" He went up to him, shadowing him. Noah's eye lit up as he heard that he had an answer.

Noah looked up at him, while Guernica scanned his attire, prompted, "You're an off-seer, eh?" He put his hands on his chin, like when you're thinking. The blade was emanating the sound Mio heard just now. "I guess I can trust you with this. You better listen up now." He walked up to him and slightly touched his chest with his fingers. "'Cause the face of your real enemy is..."

Suddenly, a glowing yellow object the shape of a scythe pierced him in the chest. As the object emerged behind his torso, purple specks released into the air, several purple electricity flowed through his torso while he fell to the ground, groaning in pain. The Mondo guy was first to react, his Mondo flewed past Noah and his team while the rest turned to face the direction.

Thud, thud, thud.¹⁴ A monster, it's chest had two rings, with a smaller ring inside, displaying a "infinity symbol" (or moebius strip). Leaf-like lobes and incision carved into its both sides, emanating a dark blue glow, probably its arms; walking towards them.

From behind the bark, Mwamba's body first appeared, dangling, as Noah immediately reacted, "Mwamba..."

Mwamba looked at Noah, having a hard time replying, "N... Noah! I... I messed up..." The creature probably waited for him to finish his sentence before emerging from behind the bark. Mwamba was held on its right hand. With a brighter background light and angle, we could see some crystal-like structure emerged from its shoulders. It had two horn resembling a bull's horn, sharp jaguar-like eyes like those of the red-suit guy we seen during homecoming. It's skin dark red, like those of the red-suit guy. We could see its teeth as sharp as razors. It had rings on its torso, as if it was playing hula hoop.

His left hand gripped an Agnian, "Mio...H... Help me, Mio...!"

"Hackt!" Mio shouted back.

As it walked closer, Noah's blade reverberate at an even higher frequency, to which he almost can't grip on it. "My Blade... What the...?"

He looked up¹⁵, hearing Mwamba's and Hackt's groans, "Mwamba?!"

The monster did not stop. Lanz's voice was shaking, "Wh-what is that thing?!"

Eunie replied, "Never seen anything like that before..." Yet, recalling from another hyperspace:

Eunie's unknown memories: A monster similarly resembled this, but without horns, flat head, jaguar eyed but glowing purple, brought it's sharp yellow-glowing nails in front of adult Eunie. Smoke rising from the distance. A tall rock seen pierced into the sky in the background.

"Eunie! Eunie! What's wrong?!" As Lanz tried to get Eunie's attention back, she gasp as her eyes opened to its maximum and took a step backward. "What is it? Seen that thing before?!"

Eunie didn't understand where her memory came from; it wasn't from her younger self, at her current reincarnation: "No, h-how could I have?"

Lanz: "Noah?"

"No, never. This is no normal creature... It's something else."

"Oi, oi! Don't go stopping on my account. Get back to killin' each other! Come on. I thought that was your whole 'raison d'être'?" As the monster spoke, its eyes turned red, an infinity symbol appeared inside its eyes.

Mio was shocked, "It's... speaking?!"

Guernica, badly injured, held his hand by the wound, "M-Moebius..."

The moebius continued:

Moebius continued: "What's wrong? Too worried about your buddies to fight?" He¹⁶ held them up a little, concluded, "Can't have that! All right!" He held them high up into the air while Noah looked. He pressed hard, they made their final groan as he released his hand, their husk dropped to the ground while he made a series of action that looked like a wolf tearing meat from its prey.

"Mwamba!" Noah shouted. Mio gasped.

Lanz: "Grgh, you scum!"

Moebius: "Oh, wow. This is some entertainment." He signaled at the Ouroboros Stone, "Two rival factions, murdering each other over one little rock." Then, he held both hands towards the Ouroboros Stone while walking taking a few steps towards it: "Well! Your objective is staring you in the face! Try and take it! 'Course, you'll be dead before you can lay a finger on it." Then, stopping at a series of ledges, he put his feet on the first ledge, hands supporting on that feet while he sat down on the second ledge. "Don't you just love it? Don't you wanna savor it? The sweet taste of a life cut short!"

Lanz: "Ngh... You mudder!" Lanz and Eunie can't stand it anymore, both running towards him.

"Wait, Lanz! Eunie!" Noah shouted back, but they don't seem like they could calm down, so he had no choice but to run after them.

On the other side, Mio was enraged and started running towards him too, "You killed Hackt!"

The hammer girl was worried about her, running up behind, "Mimi!"

The intelligent guy probably thought it wasn't intelligent to make such move, but he, like Noah, had no choice but to run after them: "Spark!"

Guernica struggled and got up. He managed to get onto the manually-controlled robot which he brought with him, it's thrusters activated as it got up from the ground, warming up. He was sitting in the controller's seat, seen from the glass windows.

The moebius shot his fingernail at where Noah and Mio team ran, hit the ground, sending smoke rippling outward, covering our view. As he stood up and slashed its finger at Noah, Lanz got in front of him, it's fingers almost knock on his broadsword.

Suddenly, Guernica's robot flanked him, like how he flanked Noah and Mio earlier, pressing on the moebius's chest as they dragged along. It's other arm, clearly resembles a grip, punched towards the moebius, whom held his right arm and caught the grip. "Hmph. Well... What did I expect?"

The robot, about three times the size of Moebius, wasn't holding on to its torso. It stood up, threw the grip to the side, while gripping the arm of the grip with both of its arms, swinging it with himself as the center of rotation. "That's about... all you're... good for!" About half a round, the robot's arm broke off, sending the machine flying in a short distance. The moebius still gripped onto the arm, which he threw to the side.

Guernica, seated in his seat, called back: "Well, crud. Helluva throwing arm. But y'know... I ain't... takin' that lying down!" The other robot arm, equipped with a gatling gun, fired at the moebius as he walked towards the robot. Most of the hit missed. Some that shot, he deflected them to the side by flinching his arms. Then, he pointed his fingernails at the robot, it glowed more yellow, and shot. The robot bursted into flames.

Like a frog, he jumped forward and punched into the driving seat, shattering the glass. Guernica groaned in pain. Noah watched him sticking his hands through the windows, grabbing Guernica out and held him up dangling.

Noah: "Leave him alone..." His right eye glowed blue, and he ran towards the Moebius: "Let him go!" On his mark, the others (including Mio's team) quickly followed behind. The Mondo guy actually stopped for a second to think before he make his way.

Noah jumped, his sword seemed to slice the moebius' hand, whom released Guernica witha few red "lives" burst from the point of contact. Noah hit the floor beside Guernica.

"Tsk. Don't get on yer high horse. You're nothing more..." The moebius got angry, standing up, a ball of purple energy ball glowed from his left hand with electrical current flowing on its surface. "than a grunt!" He jumped mid-air and punched in front of the ground where Noah was, sending him flying backward. Lanz was in his trajectory and stop him on his track, after which Lanz summoned his blade.

Moebius: "You've got a real death wish. Maybe I'll take care of you first! How 'bout that!" He pointed his fingers up, nudged Noah and the others.

(Halfway through the fight)

The moebius slid back, jumped into the air, his yellow fingernail shot towards the ground right in front of the hammer girl. A purple electric emits from it sent her flying backwards. Eunie ran towards her, casted a healing ring. She climbed, with her feet knelt on the floor, looked at Eunie: "Uhh... Thanks for that."

Eunie wasn't appreciating it, "Pfft... If you're done thanking me maybe you can get up!" She continued, reload her rifle and pointed it at the moebius and shoot, "We have to beat him together or we're dead in the mud!"

The moebius didn't even bothered blocking, letting it explode in his face. He was busy breaking Lanz's defense. Two hits and his broadsword flew off his hand. The moebius brought both hands up, a purple energy ball gathered, and smashed it towards him. The Mondo guy got in front of him, his Mondo arranged in defensive form, blocked the ball of energy on time. Red and black particles emit from the point of contact, red electricity flowed across the mondos. Signaling to Lanz: "Get out the way! You're just slowing me down!"

"Tch... The nerve on this guy!" Lanz gritted his teeth, swung his broadsword at the legs of the mondo guy, which he retreated his mondo and jumped to prevent being hit, and the moebius slid back for the same reason.

As the battle continues, Guernica crawled on all fours towards the Ouroboros Stone. He supported himself with both hands on the egg¹⁷, then start punching the top of the egg with his right fist continuously. "Start working...! Wooork!!!" Blows he landed more furiously.

After a few punches, he talked to the egg, which isn't responding: "Ugh... If you don't start up soon..."

As if it listened, its upper shell starts cracking aside. Seeing his success, he continued his course, landing a hit with each phrase, "Those kids...!" Each harder than before, "And the world!" It's almost fully cracked open, as it started revealing a bottle with metal mesh. A second later, blue particles and smoke emanates from the gap, it's force sent Guernica fell on his back.

He didn't mind a bit. He had succeeded, "Ahahahah! That's what I'm talkin' about. Looks like it wasn't all for nothing!" The egg opened up, it's upper shell sliding downwards, covering its lower shell, fully revealing the mesh bottle.

Meanwhile, the moebius swing around and send his fingernails, hitting the ground before Mio as she fell. "One down, good start!" The moebius walked up to her, his fingernail thrusted towards her. She was still on the ground. Noah emerged from the left and deflected his fingernail, looked back at Mio, before grabbing her by the neck to help her move out of the way. A few steps later, she fell on the ground while they looked back, the moebius just took a step forward, shadowing them. It raised its left arm up, prepare to thrust his fingernail at the two, "Two for one!" Mio stood up behind Noah, whom pointed his blade at the Moebius.

Just before the fingernail sliced through Noah and Mio, Guernica got up again, his palm on the metal bottle, and press it downwards, which totally activated the egg. "It's not over yet!!!" Green ether in gaseous state blew off, like a high pressure liquid whom found a hole to release its pressure. As the gas flowed over Guernica's body, we saw his soul threw up into the air, separated from his body.

A moment after the first ripple, the ether, initially only showering Guernica, expands with the second ripple and hit Noah and the others, also sending their soul out of their body. Time seemed to stop as their soul rose into the air, with the egg still releasing ripples of energy.

Focusing on Noah's right eye, where Eunie displayed the flame clock earlier, the flame clock changed shape and form a full circle, materialize into a clear shape, like a blue snake biting its own tail. In its full glory, Noah's soul was brought into a world filled with yellow clouds.

"The off seer?... Really?" He saw several Mio's memories. A Mio was playing her flute. Another Mio at the top left look at where he stood. "Miyabi?..." The top left changed picture into a girl, which we'll assume it's Miyabi. The middle was the hammer girl lowering her head, fence in the background, rose her head, "This is what...". Miyabi appeared on the bottom right corner too. "Such a waste..." "Mio..." The central image changed to Miyabi, handing Mio her flute.

As fragments and fragments of Mio's memory swapped and filled the yellow clouds surrounding Noah, he managed to catch a glimpse of her past. "Mio, take this. I'm giving you my whole self. So please. Let me..." "Miyabiiiiii!!!" Mio shouted in the final scene Noah saw.

Mio was in the same situation as Noah, except she saw his memory surrounding her instead. Her left eye, originally holding the Agnian flame clock, demonstrated a yellow snake-biting-tail ring. "Stop crying then!" (Noah telling Joran in his memory.)

As we zoomed out, we see them reflecting on the ground. If you try stand on a mirror and look down at yourself, that's just exactly how they stood, except if Noah look down, he would saw Mio in the mirror. They were separated by a thin sheet of transparent floor, but didn't look at each other.

As memories swirled around, two separate yellow tornadoes encircles and engulfed both of them. They disappeared from head and leg towards the center of their torso. The final product was two ball that resembles like the Chinese Golden Elixir (金丹)¹⁸. These two ball, Noah's blue, Mio's yellow, slammed towards each other, releasing a bright yellow ball of light as they collided. As the light dimmed out, a top-shaped core appeared, which we'll call it the Ouroboros Core.

The ouroboros core looked like two bowls capped on top of each other, covering its content, forming a toroidal shape. Each "bowl" had 3 circles, one at the tip (like the bottom of the bowl), one at the top like its circumference, and one in the middle, which you can imagine a circumference drawn between the top and the bottom.¹⁹ Between the top and the middle, various inscriptions too complicated to put into words carved its surface. The two bowls don't touch each other, hence some space in between.

As the ouroboros core emerged from thin air, blue stripes encircling it, the moebius covered his eyes, perhaps seeing the bright light from before. A purple-shaped monster materialize from the core, immediately punched the moebius whom slid backwards, fell a tree, before hitting on the cliff wall.

"What did I just... do...?" Noah was confused by his actions. He took up his arms and looked at it. It was purple in color, with some veins resembling blood vessels on its surface, orange fluid flowing within it. Such orange veins formed a ring on his wrist. As he flipped his hand to look at its back, four such veins stretched from in between his fingers towards his wrist. "What...? This hand..." Then, both Noah and Mio sounded: "Is it... mine?"

He and she turned back to look at his/her teammates. They were in their defensive stance, as if (s)he was their enemies. "Huh?" Noah and Mio gasped. "H-how are you inside me?!"

The Ouroboros core was located at their chest, a ring stretches like a hula hoop dangling by the neck. The face had some furs by its neck. Eyes sharp, glowing brightly yellow-orange. There was a larger eye-looking feature on each side of their temple. As energy flowed through the veins, it glows brighter; as it leaves, it returned to its dimmer glow.

"Inside...? Hold on... Are we...?!"

As they stood up, we could see a tentacle dangling towards its back. It had a single horn, like that of a unicorn, pierced from its head. There was a sword sheathed on its back.

The moebius fling its right arm, throwing the tree bark to the side, exclaimed, "Well, you sure catch on quick." He stood up, laughing, "So, you got yourselves an Interlink going, eh? Guess I've gotta give the old fool credit where it's due."

As he spoke, we could see steam rising from the ouroboros core. Its skin color glow and un-glow at a rhythm. Looking at their arms, Noah and Mio prompted to the moebius, "Uhh.... Interlink?"

The moebius walked up to them, explaining²⁰ "Well, whatever. That form you just merged into? It's called 'Ouroboros'. Sear that into yer skulls."

"Ouroboros?"

The moebius didn't wait for them to absorb the information, continued: "Oh, and... Me, I'm Moebius. We look a bit alike, don't we? When Keves and Agnus come together in unity, you're practically one step away from being on the same level as us." He opened his arms, as if to welcome the new Ouroboros.

Noah: "So we're..." then Noah and Mio: "One Being...?"

The moebius continued, "Ehh, to put it bluntly, you're failures. Fact is, the two of us are mortal enemies."

"Enemies?" Noah and Mio unconsciously get into defensive chance, as their soldier instinct, hearing this word.

The moebius seemed like finished his explanation, or perhaps, out of patience, didn't wait for their reply either: "You got the picture? No further questions? Then let's get back on the dance floor!"

Footnotes:

---

1: Noah looked back at him from the tip of his sight, before turning back to look at the Agnian troops.

2: Movie always have some stupid scene. In real life, you'd have outnumbered them in the first place, not letting your colleague wasting their energy in a duel, and not giving your enemy any chance.

3: It actually emanates a ring every second, like how the GPS blue dot when it showed location.

4: Behind them was a cliff so high that no enemy was there; maybe they could if someone climbed up and sniped down...

5: Yes, they never saw a man outside of Kevesi and Agnian. That was their whole world.

6: Eunie's weapon is a staff-rifle, on one end, it's a staff, on the other end, it's a rifle.

7: one of the standard Agnian soldier suit

8: translator think she's probably less than 1.5 meters, assuming Noah around 1.7 meters, and Lanz 1.9 meters.

9: A stupid scene here, Noah ran right into a flame and emerged unscathed, can you believe it?

10: Like how you handle a tank when a soldier got out its top and handle the gun

11: Eunie was seen firing a shot at the Mondos, which lined vertically like an array of shields

12: Or maybe, he was focusing on getting away from his grip, so he can't think properly.

13: Perhaps this was the thing he had been thinking about for so long, lost in his mind without ever saying it out.

14: "er ung, er ung", FRENCH, NOT ENGLISH pronounciation of the alphabets, the sound of the joints of robots when they walked due to air pressure applied on the piston.

15: no time to figure out what the heck is going on with his blade

16: We'll assume it's male, for it sounded male-ish, though we'll use "he" and "it" interchangeably, for "it" assumes the "monster," while "he" assumes his gender.

17: the Ouroboros Stone, egg-shaped.

18: Unfortunately, the translator don't know if there are anything that resembles the Chinese Golden Elixir in the English world.

19: If squashed on a flat 2D surface, it'll look like the tree's concentric ring.

20: Probably he was enjoying the time, so he don't mind spending some time explaining what was going on to them.

The Death of Guernica Vandham

The skin of the ouroboros now glowing bright pink. A punch sent the moebies into the air, while it leapt towards it. As the moebius did a sit up mid-air, the ouroboros appeared behind it and smashed it back into the ground. Dust rose at the collision point, blocking our view of his status. The others watched the battle. Guernica was breathing heavity. Red grass tiled their battle location, while taller grass, the top of its tip looked like grain, glowing dark blue, less concentrated than the red. Mountains surrounded the area.

The ouroboros landed as the moebius walked out of the dust. "Hahaha! Pretty good! Weeell, what a tough'un. Enough. We'll say I lost this one, yeah?" What dark-blue flows through the moebius then now flowed orange or bright yellow. He pat dust off his right shoulder while walking towards the ouroboros.

"Who is he talking to?" Mio questioned, to which Noah answered, "No idea. But..."

The moebius laughed so hard as if his lungs were falling out, as he continued, "Got a parting gift for you. Don't worry, there's plenty to go round."

He looked up into the sky, eyes projecting red laser as the moebius strip/infinity symbol glows bright red against the dark misty sky, so bright the surrounding mist glowed dark red. Red particles seemed to flowed into it. From a ledge afar, at the other side of the mountain, a red-suit humanoid with a purple core in its chest that we seen earlier from the Homecoming, presumably a moebius untransformed, watched the sign afar. At an even further place, beside a standing rock, another red-suit moebius watched the sign. A humanoid with several strips of red flowed from his/her arms, and some in his/her torso, long hair against the fog-ridden sky, had no difficulty seeing the glowing red, like a satellite. Around the sky, we could see some sparkles of electricity in the thick clouds.

Back at the battlefield, as the moebius strip flared, he told them: "And now, the whole world will be your enemy." The others looked at the symbol, nothing they could do to prevent it. "I wonder how your lives will turn out. I'll enjoy watching you." He gripped his left hand before teleporting away, transforming into purple particles that evaporated without a clear direction. Purple fog emerged where he evaporated from.

Steam rose from the ouroboros skin, and an emergency sound that symbolizes core overheating can be heard. "Who in the... Who even was that...?" Noah questioned the identity of the moebius. Reaching their maximum, The ouroborus disappeared in blue particles, while Noah and Mio, separated, reappeared as blue particles and strips materialized them mid-air, faling to the ground thereafter. They looked at their hands, then glanced at each other.

Eunie first saw their transformation, exclaimed: "N-Noah!" Lanz followed her glaze. Lanz asked as they ran towards him: "W-was that... Was that you guys just now?"

From the other direction, the mondo guy and the hammer girl ran towards Mio, "Mio, what's happening here? What's going on?"

Mio herself was confused, "I... don't..."

Eunie suddenly reacted with a gasp, sending anxiety signal to everyone. Eunie, Lanz, the hammer girl, and the mondo guy went into defensive stance, pointing their weapons at each other.

Guernica was walking step by step, each step more difficult than the last one, hands covering his wounds: "Hold it right there! You guys... Put away your weapons. You aren't... You're not enemies... now..."

"We're not?" The hammer girl questioned.

"Then..." Before the mondo guy could asked for more, Guernica made an action that resembles spitting blood into the air, as he kneeled, fell forward onto the ground. Mio, concerned, ran towards him as Noah followed; the rest followed behind, weapons unsheathed.

Mio and Noah, each holding one side of Guernica, laid his back on the ruins of the manual robot he controlled earlier, before taking a step back, knelt-sitting¹ before him.

"Thanks..." He put his hands onto the glasses he was wearing and took it off. The glasses, so huge it covered his forehead, a few centimeters thick, and the protruding of the glasses like one that would be wore by a scientist. Below it revealed a face old with wrinkles, a huge nose, moustache around his mouth and chin up to his ears. Two thick scars made a cross on his face, intercepting between his eyes, above his nose. He was wearing an eyepatch that covered his left eye.

Everyone was shocked by his facial features: "His skin's all wrinkled."

"Yeah." By now, Lanz and the others already sheathed their weapons.

To which Guernica replied, "Haha. It's called getting old, this."

"Old?" Noah and the others seemed not to heard of the phrase before.

"Well... Must be your first time, huh. Seeing a human... like me, I mean." He scanned the group. Speaking without stopping seemed to burnt his wound, "Urg..." He groaned in pain as he tilted his head backwards and closed his eyes to soften the suffering. Mio was concerned, moved a bit forward, but didn't take any actions thereafter.

He continued: "Well then. Looks like my plan was a success."

Eunie prompted: "What plan?"

"You six... You're now Ouroboros. Check the Flame Clocks in your Irises. Do they look different to you?" They looked at each other, Eunie and Lanz, Mondo guy and hammer girl. Noah gasped before Mio, her looking at him.

"Ah! Huh. Now you mention it..." He turned to face Mio, the ouroboros symbol flaming in his right eye. Mio exclaimed, "Our Flame Clocks have changed shape?!"

"You see it? That's the Ouroboros Ring. Guess I did good... entrusting this power to you..." Mio sighed. Guernica focused on her term symbol located on her neck. "That mark there... Late tenth term, eh? Three months left. Till your Homecoming - that about right?"

She put her hands up, as if to touch the term symbol, but put it down.² "As for the rest of you... You're probably about 2 years off, right?"

Having a clearer look at the term symbol, let's update our belief. The term symbol wasn't comprised of an outer diamond and inner diamond. Instead, it had five diamonds with a single dot at each of the diamond center. Except for the center, the other diamonds had a long tail that lay parallel to one side of the central diamond, forming what one called an outer central diamond. Hence, the original central diamond we'll called the inner central diamond. Followed by a dot in the center. The parallel line description don't changed. Mio only had the central dot red; while the others had the inner central diamond and the central dot red.

"Ahhh..." Guernica breathed out, "Me? I've been alive sixty years. Or should I say sixty terms, by your counting. Yeah. I've been alive six times longer than you lot. This is how people are really meant to be."

Black fog fills the darkens sky, itself already brighter than since they fought Moebius. "Listen, folks... That's not all. There's still... something else that needs to be done." As he breathed out, his chest droop down, his head tilted forward. "You guys... You wanna survive?"

He forced his head up to meet eye contact with the others, "Live on? Hold the torch?"

Mio haven't considered it deeply, turned to look at the other direction, as if feeling guilty about it. "You kids don't need to be fighting each other. Not... any more. But... that doesn't mean you get to relax. From this moment on, those Moebius bastards are never gonna leave you alone. Because now, kids... You share a common destiny. They'll hunt you constantly, relentlessly, without rest."

The sky brightens again as he spoke. Except for the cliffs, we could see trees without much leaves; those leaves left were grey. Vines climbed rocks at certain places.

"Even so... There's one place that might give you a chance: Swordmarch. The land pierced by a great sword. You gotta find our hope... Our City... It's the only way you're gonna defeat the real enemy... And reclaim what was lost..."

Behind the hammer girl stood a pinkish Nopon, wearing a white hat, with a wok attached to her back.³ Some yellow glowing fluid like blood vessels of the wok constantly flow outwards, the "window" lined the outer circumference of the wok.

"The way the world, and life... should be. And listen." Yellow particles start floating out of Guernica, his skin lightly illuminating. As he spoke, more and more of the particles got released. "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..." With his last phrase, he totally particlize⁴. Only his shirt remained, no husk. Yet, even his shirt glowed yellow after he particlize.

Mio and the others looked as his particles floated up into the sky. She stood up, drawing her flute out from her back pocket. Noah saw her action without doing anything. Eunie looked at her: "Hey. Is she..."

Lanz: "Yeah. An Agnian off-seer."

The melody played as she brought it to her lips. Noah, reminiscing, reached for his flute, stood up, while the agnians watched him joined her.

Mio opened her eyes and looked in his direction upon hearing a different melody, withdrawing her flute a second later. Noah missed her melody, opened his eyes and sent an affirmative nod to play together. Mio then continued.

Both of them closed their eyes and concentrated on the melody. All floated particles, yellow or red, changed blue in the process. Guernica's shirt now lay flat on the ground, of course emanating blue particles. So too the soldier's husks located around the battlefield. Even the black fog could not dim the lights the blue particles emanated.

Lanz reminisced: "Mwamba..."

Eunie: "So close to making it..."

The agnians sighed.

As their joint melody came to an end, Mio looked to Noah with grateful eyes, "Thank you. For doing this with me."

"Well... This is what we're meant to do. To send on the voices of the departed, is an off-seer's purpose..."

Mio's memories: By a cliffside overlooking the evening sky, rocks protruding in the distance. Miyabi stood beside Mio and told her, "To send on the voices of the departed is an off-seer's purpose..." Blue particles rose into the air around them.

Back in the moment, perhaps it reminded Mio of what she don't want to reminisce, quickly nodded and ended the topic: "Right."

Lanz discussed with Eunie for a while and signaled to Noah, "We're leaving. Noah, Eunie." The he walked off, Eunie behind him.

Noah turned to look at him, asking, "What's up?"

Both paused and looked at him, Lanz explaining: "The mission's over. We've got an obligation. Need to report the sitch."

The mondo guy walked up a distance behind Mio and agreed, "As do we. Time to withdraw. Mio, Sena."

Mio was still stuck in the hopes of Guernica, immediately turned to them and proclaimed, "Huh? But..."

The mondo guy snapped, "'But', what?"

Mio breathe out, "Come on, Taion. Don't be rude."

"It's hardly the time for pleasantries." He pushed his glasses up as he explained, "We lost a great many of our comrades. We have to inform those still in the Colony."

Lanz, complaining: "And we're any different? If you snuffheads hadn't come charging in..."

Taion was heated up with Lanz, "Indeed? Well, why don't we settle this here, right now?"

Eunie agreed, "Yeah, bring it! I reckon I could go for some payback!"

As Lanz moved forward, Noah moved up, his hand held up to block his trajectory, "Lanz." Lanz looked at him.

"Yeah?"

"That's enough."

"What d'ya mean?!" Lanz and Eunie weren't satisfied with his reply.

"There's no point."

Lanz raised his voice: "Seriously?!"

Noah looked at Mio, putting down his hands, "Before, when she and I transformed, I felt her thoughts... or maybe her memories. There were so many. And then they were a part of me. There were so many different fragments... Hard to tell them apart. But even then... I understood. She's..."

Mio was looking down, probably around the ground where Noah's feet was. "She's lost a lot fighting us... Keves too away so much. She's experienced a lot of grief."

Lanz: "Transformed... You mean... the big'un?"

"Yeah," Noah nodded and looked at him.

Mio looked towards them, "I felt it as well. Your grief... It was like mine."

Taion rebutted, "Yeah, well..."

Mio didn't let him finished, turned to look at him, raising her voice to cut him "And in one of those memories...!"

"Mio..."

"Is something that could be our fault." Mio's voice filled with anxiety. "That's what it's like... in war, I suppose." She turned away, facing down, couldn't met Taion's visual contact.

"Hm" Taion turned, pushing his glasses (again!!!)⁵

Riku walked forward and asked, "So, what is plan from here? Sun kind enough to show face, but will hide again if this drag on."

The cooking pot Nopon flapped its wings, letting her jump up the height of Sena's head twice. "True, true! Time is wasting itself."

Noah made the decision, "You're right. Let's go. A lot's happened, but that seems best. You made the right decision, Lanz. Sorry. For confusing things." The surrounding already turned bright.⁶

"Ahh, don't worry 'bout it." Lanz shook his head.

"Mio, shall we leave it at that?" Taion prompted.

"Um. Yeah."

Then turned to face Lanz, "There you have it. I sincerely hope for your safe return."

Lanz: "You take care too. Take care not to die in a ditch somewhere, that is." Then he walked off past where Taion was, Eunie followed behind. That's the direction to Colony 9.

Taion speak from the tip of his vision, at Lanz, "The next time we meet, it will be as enemies. Don't forget that." Lanz paused his step, Eunie turned to look at Taion.

Lanz waved his arms in the air, "Hah! Don't worry, I've got a good memory," and continued walking off with Eunie. Sena saw them off.

"Hmph." (breathing out from his nose hard). Taion then walked in the opposite direction, Sena followed, Mio still standing still.

Noah looked at Lanz and Eunie for a while, where Taion and Sena already behind him. He took the step first, past Mio, whom quicken her step to not face him. A short distance and they both slowed and stopped, turned and looked once more at each other. She was already looking at him. In a moment, she turned away first, took steps to her group, and he followed a moment later.

Maybe what just happened was like the sea of mist surrounding them, appears in the break of dawn, but as the sun rise, disappeared into inexistence.

A blue flame clock levnis, half-filled, its eyes shone bright red against the misty sky. It looked like Colony 9, but one can't recognize. Where its wheel was located, a bridge stretched toward a ground, allowing entry into the levnis. The flame clock levnis had its right arm resembles a beam cannon, one extremely huge. Barriers were set up beside falloffs. We could see one barrack, two tents, each with one or more table. An oil lamp was seen under both tents. The street lights were still turned on. Soldiers were chatting, walking around, or in their post.

The commander of Colony 9: "It's the enemy... The enemy's approaching." Faceless soldier, triggered, turned to look at his direction. Those sitting down stood up. Their Irises, including the commander's, glowed red. So red that the orange screen covering their eyes could not cover its glow. "Our sworn enemy..."

Behind the commander, a Moebius with a huge helmet, and a "W" stuck on top of its forehead, stood with his arm crossed. He probably hijacked their mind as long as the red in their irises don't go away.

Footnotes:

---

1: If you know how Japanese sit before a low table in the past, it looks like a knelt, but perhaps not exactly.

2: An extra description of Mio. She had a core at her chest, diamond shaped, split upper-left-half magenta, lower-right-half cyan.

3: Riku had a sword-like structure attached to his back.

4: pronounced "particle-lize".

5: The snuff with this genius pose.

6: We could see undergrowth with red leaves growing below trees, which one couldn't clearly describe how it looks except one single flexible trunk with long leaves shaped like a ship sticking out of its trunk.

Hunted Down, Reunion

As they traverse the route back to the colony, Riku walked up to be between the other three, sluggishly: "Ahhh (yawning)... Riku so sleepy... Could do with long soak in bath."

Eunie teased, "Oh, to be a carefree Nopon."

Lanz encouraged, "Just hold out a little longer. We'll be back soo-... Oh!" His face turned into a smile. From a distance, Kevesi soldiers with red irises marching towards them. "Look, friendlies! Hey! It's me! Lanz from-"

Suddenly, a bullet flew past a head.¹ Soldiers marched in rows towards them, the front row aiming their guns and firing relentlessly. By this time, the group hid themselves behind a rock protruding from the valley's wall. Soldiers from the second row summoned their blade.

Lanz can't believe what just happened. He attempted to signal his identity, "Cut it out! We're your friends here! From Colony 9!" To which his reply was a bullet carving some pebbles out of the wall they're hiding at.

Eunie: "They're not listening, Lanz!"

Lanz was infuriated, as if being misunderstood, "The spark? Don't they recognize us?... Noah, erm..."

As soldiers marched towards their location, Noah had limited time to assess the situation. The first row stopped a few hundred meters away, the second row surpassed the first, marching towards them with their blades. Lanz reminded, "Noah!"

Noah made a decision: "We'll just have to fight back!"

Lanz raised his tone: "Fight back? You crazy?!"

"Just... don't kill them." Then, he walked out of the cover. Lanz and Eunie followed, Eunie: "Oh, is that all?!"

Riku too: "Easier said than done."

Noah: "Whine later... It's time!"

As they fell the last soldiers in their reach, the first row soldiers, whom stopped at the next tiny hill, fired their guns at them. Lanz raised his shield, confused, "Crap, what is going on?! We're on the same side!"

Eunie: "They keep coming, Noah!" More melee soldiers surpassed the first row, whom continued their shootings, while the group ducked behind where they hid before.

As Noah recalled the moebius's words: "And now, the whole world will be your enemy. I wonder how your lives will turn out. I'll enjoy watching you," he seemed to understand what he meant, murmured, "The world our... enemy...?"

Eunie didn't understood the sudden murmur, "Huh? What was that?"

"If we get any closer to Colony 9, we're just going to end up getting surrounded. We've no choice. We're gonna have to head back!" The others nodded in agreement. They ran into the distance in the midst of gunshots.

Meanwhile, Mio's team weren't in a better situation, either. As they ran from blaring bullets, agnian soldiers, their iris blood red, followed. They managed to take cover as the path turned right. Taion was observing the soldiers' status while Sena questioned, "How are they so good at finding us?!"

Mio wasn't any clearer than her, "What's going on here? Taion?"

"I..." He continued his observations. As the soldiers approached, he noticed the blood red iris, emotionless face, "That light... Is that...?!"

"What is it?"

"I'll explain later. Right now, we need to focus on getting out of here." The others agreed. They continued their path.

Translator's note on environment: Where they battled the moebius just now, the ground paved with red grass, low undergrowth with red leaves that stood about a meter or two, a waterfall somewhere, surrounded by cliffs, habitats to volffs, eagles with 4 wings (two above the other two, called "quadwing"), almost bald trees with their rare leaves dyed silver, some deers like those from Yzana Plains, is called Melnath's Shoulder, located in the Aetia Region.

As Mio's team entered Melnath's shoulders, an agnian soldier got in their way. She stopped right in her path, "Oh no! Guess they knew we'd come here..."

The Gamma² Soldier: "You're the ones that raided the Colony! I ain't lettin' you get away!" He drew his halberd and pointed at them.

The pink nopon, Manana, exclaimed, "Oh! Someone having real bad mood..."

Sena: "But why...? It's like nobody recognizes us..."

Taion: "As of this moment, the point is moot. Clearly, we ought to prioritize our physical safety."

"But..."

"Sena! Come on. You don't want to get slaughtered by our allies, do you...?"

Mio: "I don't get it at all... But we can't go back to Colony Gamma with things like this. Taion. Is there somewhere we can hide out?"

Taion: "I suppose where we bade farewell to our new 'friends' might do."

"Understood. Let's try to slow him down at most."

"Exactly my thoughts."

Sena's emotion: "(sob)".

Where Guernica's ship were previously. Eunie was sitting on the ground, leaning on one of the box. Lanz leaned on a taller box, standing. Riku stood by his side. Noah sat on one of the boxes. As Mio's team approached from a distance, she stopped for a while, surprised yet unsurprised their new friends were here.

"Huh?" Noah raised his head to register their presence.

"What?" Sena, with a surprising tone. Sena and Taion wasn't as calm as Mio.

Lanz boringly exclaimed: "You lot..."

Noah and Mio had eye contact, being quiet. Perhaps, they hadn't thought of a reunion so fast, after all the memories they shared.

The morning sun shines bright, illuminating the valley. The clouds skirted the top of the hills. A day passed, and it turned night.³

Hours passed. The kevesi hadn't changed their position yet. Mio and Sena were sitting opposite them, on two of the boxes, Taion standing, with Manana by his side. Taion prompted: "Much as I love a friendly reunion... What exactly are we doing here?"

Lanz instantaneously reacted: "Yeah. Beats me. I'm starting to get antsy here."

Mio: "Mmm. What he said."

Taion, with a heavy tone: "And how do you suppose we feel?"

Sena: "Taion, don't be like this... Reel it in a little."

Mio was focusing on Noah. He looked at the floor, sorting out the information they had, as Guernica's voice stood out: "You guys... You wanna survive? Live on? Hold the torch?" Then, he opened his mouth, "Good question."

Mio: "What?"

He stood up and announced: "Guys... Let's live. Let's survive."

Eunie: "What kinda pep talk is that? 'Course we're gonna survive!"

"Well then... We know where to go. The City."

Lanz stood up straight to focus, looking at him: "The Cit-?! What are you even..."

He turned and faced him, "In the eyes of the world at large... we're outlaws now. We can't... go back to the Colony."

Both groups recalled how they were chased down by the soldiers. Their determined fire, to go after them until they die. Taion: "The soldiers... Their Irises glowed blood red. Just like his did."⁴

Mio: "Right, I remember."

"This is just conjecture, but what if... those soldiers are perceiving us as enemies?"

"Because of the red Irises?"

"Correct."

Lanz rebutted, "But... what's even up with the Colony? Did that freak do that? How?"

"We don't know the method, but it's logical to think he did something."

Noah tried to convince his Agnians friends: "That's exactly right. That's it. So, instead of going off our separate ways, we stand a better chance... if we all work together. Right?"

Taion was dumbstruck for a second, "I suppose I can't deny that."

"If we are gonna be running, we might as well have some kind of aim, right? People on opposite sides, working together. Do you see?"

Eunie asked, "You're saying we can survive that way?" Noah turned to her and nod.

Lanz was still living in the Old World, "Dude... What are we doing about the Homecoming?"

He turned and faced him, "Lanz. Are you being serious?"

Lanz stuttered. Noah continued, "Come on. You have to understand... If you still want to go after all this, I won't stop you. But... before you do..." Noah turned and look at the Agnians, Lanz following his glance, "You'll have to kill our friends here."

===

Sena stood up, and together with Taion got into a defensive posture. A few moments later, Noah continued, "Is that even... how our lives are supposed to go?" He turned back to face Lanz.

"Remember that ceremony, long ago?"⁵

"But after our Homecoming, what's left?"

Lanz thrusted forward, "Think of the praise they got, up there! Up on that shining platform."

Noah glanced down, replied, "To me, it was like a pillar of husks."

Lanz gasped, took a step back. "A terrible altar... built upon countless lives... You want that as your legacy? You're really OK with that?"

Mio eyes widened. Lanz leaned back onto the boxes, hands crossed. "Well... what'd you want me to do?"

"I can't... answer that for you. I don't know everything. But we need answers. I say we go out... and find them. I want to know... Why were we entrusted with these powers? What did he mean by, the 'real enemy?'"

Mio: "So... the City?"

He turned to look at her, nod, "Yeah."

Sena sat back down, turned her look at Mio's, "What did he say? 'A land pierced by a great sword'?"

Eunie recalled something, "Oh, right. That sword. Y'know, that massive one, way down south."

We couldn't see anything against the night blanket of stars; but in the morning light, a sword seemed to made of rocks pierced in the distant background, it's features faintly seen.

Mio recalled: "Defeat the real enemy, and restore the world to order." She held her hand up in agreement, "Well, then... I guess you can count me in!"

Taion looked at her: "Mio?!"

"I think... I'd like to trust that man. Besides, how can we even fight any more, after all we've been through?" She spoke as she lowered her hands, exchanging glances with her teammates.

Taion disagreed, raised his voice, "They are the enemy!"

Mio, sternly: "They were the enemy." He recalled what Noah's group had done, fighting by their side, with the Moebius. He looked at the side, away from her glance.

"OK! I'm with Mimi on this one!" Sena raised her hand too. Both girl smiled back on him, hoping for his support.

Taion looked away, putting his hands on his waist, stuttered, "I-it may be to our advantage. I'll admit that, at least." They looked back to Noah's group. Noah and Eunie faced Lanz.

Lanz don't seem prepared to compromise, turned his head around, "Oi, what's that look for? Don't just stare at me. It's creepy."

To which Noah replied, "We're gonna need an answer soon."

"Do I even had a choice?" He tilted his head downward, closed his eyes, then raised his arm in refusant.

Noah turned his attention to Eunie, "Guess there's nothin' for it!" She raised her hand as she replied, breezily.

Noah nodded: "Good!" He jumped onto the obstacle where he sat before, overlooking his new expanded team, and introduced, "My name's Noah. Colony 9, Special Forces Unit. As you know, I'm an off-seer. These three, Lanz, Eunie, and Riku, are my long-term friends. Oh, and..." He pulled out his flute, looking at it, "This is my passion. Someday I'd like to play my own melodies. Not just... the same old music that I learned in training. Ok!" He tucked it backed into his pockets.

Lanz was perplexed, got up and looked at him, "Uh, what is this? Feels like a surprise inspection or something..."

Noah put his feet on the ground, "It'll help. In the long run."

"Come on, man... Really?"

Mio smiled, then stood up, "I'm called Mio. I'm an off-seer in Colony Gamma's musical unit. Erm." She scratched her head for a moment, probably boasting "I can do the hundred metri in seven seconds. Pretty quick on my toes, I guess."

Eunie was amused: "You go, girl."

"And... I keep a diary." She retrieved her diary out from her back pocket.⁶ She held it with both hands, enthusiastically, "I like writing down what happens. I never miss a single day!"

Eunie got up, "Eunie's the name. Special Forces Unit, Colony 9. We act as Noah's escort. Me and the boys? Inseparable since we left the pod. My special move's Group Heal. It's great at healing my allies all at once. My hobby..." She looked to the side, thought for a while, before looking back, "Collecting Fourtune Clovers, I guess."

Sena stood up, in a lively but stuttering voice, no doubt she was shy: "And I'm Sena! I-I've been Mio's roomie, uhh... ever since I was posted to Colony Gamma!" She turned to face Mio, seeking for affirmation. As she scratched her head, "My special move... I'm just crazy strong... I guess?" Then, she bent her elbows as if to show her (invisible) biceps, "I don't look it, but I can lift far more than my own weight!" As she put it down, "My hobby is... lifting!" She ended with a jiggle.

Eunie found Lanz a buddie: "Oh! There you go Lanz, got a muscle-buddy!" Lanz shooked his head. They all looked at Lanz and Taion. They weren't speaking for the moment.

Taion looked at Mio and Sena for a moment before he sniped, "Tsk." As he compromised and looked at his new "friends": "Well... I'm Taion. I'm part of Operations and Planning in Colony Gamma's survey branch. For this mission, I was assigned as support for the off-seer."

As he paused, Sena tried to encouraged him to speak more, "And...? Go on! Your special move...?"

"I don't have a special move!" The mondo⁷ flapped its wings a little, seemingly disagreed. Then, it looked at Taion, whom looked back, and it flapped once to encourage him. "Urgh... What's the point? Why share details like that? I don't have... hobbies." The mondo look depressed. With the last word, it fell on its back, twisted, while gliding towards the ground.

Eunie smiled back at him: "Wow, Colony Dull."

He walked up front, "Riku! In Colony 9, Riku was head of maintenance and crafting. And... these are attendants of Riku. They at your disposal."

Lanz wasn't happy, complained, "What's this 'attendants' crap?"

She stretched her wings, jumped around, as she introduced herself, "I, Manana! Manana was cookypon in Colony of Mio and others! Manana master of food: stews, baked goods, fry-ups... Can even cook up a mean Gonzalez eyeball!" The last as if to raise goose bumps.

Eunie felt yucky, "Eyeball..."

Sena: "I didn't realize both Agnus and Keves assign Nopon to their off-seer squads. Weird coincidence, huh?"

Taion agreed, "Yeah. Wouldn't have expected similarities there." Meanwhile, Manana was dancing happily. She put her winged arms into the air.

"Hmph..." Everyone looked at the very reluctant guy. Noah had to nudge, "Come on."

He got up from leaning back, "Uh, my name's... Lanz. I'm from the same Colony as Noah. I work as the unit's defense. My special move... Ah, you figure it out! Urgh! Do we have to do this rubbish?"

Noah assumed patience, "Just bear with us. We can plan, now that you've joined."

He still can't accept their circumstances, "So you're acting like we're a team already? Urgh... sparks alive! Fine then. I'm with you."

Riku raised his wings. Eunie was shocked with his agreement, "You totally sure?!"

"What else do I do? Not like we've got much choice." Then he faced Noah, "So, what's our angle?"

"We have made some distance, but we're still in the colony's search zone. Luckily, we don't have any colonies south of here. And you?" He prompted at the agnians, to which Mio replied,

"We shouldn't have any colonies mobilized either."

As Noah spoke, Eunie looked at her clothes she's wearing. Then, she bent down to where she stood, as if to look for labels which describes the box's content. Then, she looked to her right, walked to another box.

Sena: "So we... go south, then?"

"Yeah!" Noah nod and agreed with Sena. Then, he turned his head to Eunie, "Um, what are you... doing there?"

Eunie was already searching the box. As Noah prompted, she replied frivolously, "Hm? Well our clothes...are pretty filthy. Just wondered if there was anythin' to change into." Then, some shirt caught her eye, to which she pulled it out, "Oh! Fashion and utility!" She held a green and black jacket-like furry clothes between her hands.

Sena agreed, "I need a change of clothes too." She tucked her hands to her back, embarrassed, "'Cause these are, uh... yeah."

Noah pushed for more, "Don't stop at clothes. Have a look around. Take anything that could come in useful.

Noah lifted one of the metal lid and put it on the floor. We could see several stacks of clothes arranged inside. "Hey... these are all clothing containers."

"Cooking ingredients here!" Manana and Riku found her favorite, her eyes shining stars, "Itchy to get at these!"

Taion searched a box between the two mentioned, "There's one with equipment too."

Lanz searched the one left to Noah. He picked out two gauntlets, "Not exactly equipped to match our setup... Eh, we'll just have to deal." Noah nodded his head, looking at him.

"Hmmm," Taion snorted. Sena saw his reaction, prompted, "What's with the frown? Have they got nothing in your size?"

Taion held out a black pant with copper strip to one of its legs, "Well... This fabric is awfully thin. It doesn't seem very reliable."

Mio rebutted, "You can't expect luxury, can you? Bound to be better than nothing. Unless... you're happy with what you have now?"

Taion can't deny, "N-no, I'll wear it! We all have to make sacrifices."

Sena found something, "Ooh! Y'know, I might be able to rock this jacket!" She brought out a dark jacket.

Mio pulled out one woolly silver jacket with dark collars, "Maybe I'll go for this one? I like the colors." She and Sena exchanged views on each other's choice.

Lanz also found something, "Not exactly the freshest threads, eh?" He pulled out a dark shirt, seemed very small to his size.

Noah: "Maybe it's on the old side, but there's no tears. It'll be fine." He brought out a red one.

Sena: "They've got lotsa funny designs here, huh?"

Eunie: "They sure do."

"Some of the stuff's like... How do you even put it on?"

Noah turned behind and found the girls already put on their desired clothings. They were moving their arms and feet, tucking it into position, possibly getting the buttons done, or maybe just moving around after they wore it to see if it's loose enough to not interfere with battle. Eunie: "Pretty easy to move in this! Score." They moved their hands and feets, testing if it interferes with battle.

Sena, "Oh yeah? Are there any more of those?"

Eunie: "Sorry, just this."

"Aww, shoot..."

As Noah moved his glance, he focused on Mio for quite too long. She stepped on the ground to test her new shoes/boots, then pulled the new gloves she got. As if she felt something, she turned back to Noah, asked, "What is it? Not gonna change?"

Noah was taken by surprise, stuttered, "Huh?! Um... y-yeah, I... Hang on!" He gave a quick glance to Lanz, whom nod back as if something was going on. Then, he looked into the box, sounded nervously while he chose his attires. "Still gotta... uh - change my boots, I guess...?" He turned to look at Lanz, ask if asking for support. All the girls were looking at their drama.

Lanz himself got nervous, and stuttered back, "Y-your boots? Uhh... You'll need a hand with those, yeah?" Then, he and Noah turned back and grabbed whatever they chose. As he hugged the stack, he dashed to somewhere afar, with Noah following behind.

Taion almost didn't caught up with them, "W-w-wait, I can help!" He picked up his pace and ran off.

"Ahh?"⁸ Sena tilted her head to her left, as if to assess the situation, or to look through something blocking her sight of the boys. Eunie: "What spooked them? They could've just changed here."⁹

Sena: "They went pretty far off, huh..."

Mio eyes wide opened: "Ahuh?"

Meanwhile, Riku and Manana were flapping their wings furiously, dozens of potatoes, turnips, and some other unrecognizable fruits piled up behind them.

Nighttime.

They made a fire and gathered around. Eunie was lying down on a sleeping back, hands behind her head. Right to her head, Riku and Manana were chatting. Below her legs, Noah sat. Behind him, Lanz was doing pushups. Opposite of Eunie, across the bonfire, Mio was writing in her diary. Far to her left, Taion was drinking tea¹⁰; and between them, Sena was doing pushups. There were some glowing cyan lamp placed around them, which translator isn't sure what that was.

As she wrote, her necks felt sore. She closed her eyes, and looked up, twisted her neck a bit to relief the sore, before looking back down. She was right-handed.

Noah interrupted her as he walked and stood beside her, "Is that...?" Mio turned her attention to him. Both looked at her notebook. On the left, some illegible writings. On the right, with some title at the top, several diamonds chained together. Each chain (each row) contains 5 diamonds, 6 chains (rows) in total. ¹¹ The first two chains had their diamonds slashed out, and the third, two of them slashed out.

"Yeah. My time left. Heh. Think about it. Wouldn't wanna lose track of time, and just run out." As she closed her diary, "Today, it's exactly three months... Three more months... and then I'll be gone from this world." She looked down at her diary in her thoughts. Noah looked at and listened to her, without interrupting.

"I've thought about this a lot. About what I can achieve... What I'll leave behind... (sigh)" As she looked up to the bonfire, torso slightly leaned forward, "I've sent off so many... who felt the same."

Noah tried to get in sync with her, "I see... So, that's why you trusted that guy?" To which she nodded. "You hope to... live more?"

She looked up at him, "I dunno," then looked back down, explained, "Doesn't matter."

Noah sighed, while Mio continued, "But... You and me, just talking like this... I think that's kinda amazing." She looked back at him, grateful, "And if there really is hope... in that place that the man mentioned..."

Noah's eyebrow moved closer to his eyes: "Is that... what you'd want for a legacy?"

"Huh..." Mio sighed, "Weird question." As the atmosphere relaxed, he went up and sat beside her, armlength distance between. Both enjoyed the silence looking at the bonfire; perhaps feeling awkward and uneasy, as he put his hands on his feet, hers caught on the head of the diary, put on her lap.

Noah broke the silence, "Those who can leave their legacy... Are they content at the end?"

"Huh?" By now, Lanz and Sena had finished their workout. Lanz was sit-sleeping, sitting on his sleeping bag. Both nopons drew out their sleeping bag, far asleep. Eunie still hadn't change. Sena was drinking tea with Taion.

Noah continued, "And the ones left behind... Can they really come to terms with that?"

"That's food for thought. Huh."

"I think about it all the time. What we leave... when we're gone... What that connection truly means."

"Connection, eh?" She sat straight up, both hands withdrew to the center of the diary, squeezed into a fist lightly; her right hand still holding the pencil. "Heavy stuff."

"Yeah." He looked at the sky, "That's life, I guess." The stars looked back at him.

Somewhere near the fallen Guernica ship? A girl walked up towards the ship. She was wearing boots, shorts, pigtails. She walked up towards where Guernica's shirt remained, picked up his eyepatch. As she walked off into the distance, the ouroboros stone, previously still have ether flowing through its veins, shutted down completely. An object with three legs, each leg pointed like a compass¹², it's top flat, shaped like a cross, and four red comma-shaped dots at four sides, pointing towards its center, fell off; before, attached to the egg, the center part between its three legs had blue mist glowing.

Mio's Diary: Agnus and Keves, working together as a team... Taion seems a little dissatisfied, but at the time, his thinking was quite aligned with mine. Finding a path that lets us all live... I will make that my mission.

Footnotes:

---

1: He would have died if he hadn't dodged as fast as his battle instinct brought him.

2: "Gamma" means "Colony Gamma".

3: This, we used the 2nd video described in the prologue's notes. Because time is changeable in the game, the first video moved from night to day; while this we referred to switched vice versa. Though, one'll add extra description from the first video, because features are easier to spot than during the night.

4: The moebius irises.

5: He was referring to the Homecoming they saw when they were young.

6: Yeah, they got a secret tunnel in their back pocket that can store infinite amount of things, of any size.

7: Remember, by his left shoulder, always, in or out of battle

8: Mio sounded

9: Remember, they showered in a mixed bathroom usually.

10: This is a hindsight bias we used, after some thought

11: So, \(5 \times 6 = 30 \text{ days} \).

12: for drawing circles, the sharp side

Memories: Silvercoat Ethel

Flames burning in the night. Agnian levnises rounded up against a Kevesi's, it dropped and exploded. More Agnian levnises marched forward, destroying everything it rolled into. As they moved, they searched for signs of living Kevesi.

The young Noah, hiding behind an obstacle with Eunie, seen the scanning levnises disappeared into the distance. He signaled to Eunie with his right hand, whom nodded her head, then ran off the other direction. Noah followed behind.

Lanz sobbed while he ran, his arms wiping his tears. Noah shouted at him from beside, "Stop crying, Lanz! It won't change anything! For now, just run!" He seemed to listen, putting his arms into a running pose. Riku and another guy (maybe Garland?) were running with them.

Eunie signaled, "Noah! Over here!" She pointed at a direction. "We can go through here, and then we're out!" As she finished, she made a turn to the right.

"All right!"

An Agnian levnises emerged from the junction along their escape route. Eunie cried, "Oh no!"

"Sparks! We almost made it..." Noah exclaimed as they backed down in small steps, away from the levnis.

Too late. The levnis spotted them, it's beam weapon preparing to fire.

Before it does, someone ran above the roof beside it, jumped off the roof, dove down and sliced. In a moment, the levnis bursted into flames as the young soldier covered their face with their arms. Black smoke washed over them. When they looked, a young girl about their age, maybe slightly older, wielding two swords, silver hair reaching her neck, landed on the fallen levnis. She turned and faced the kids. We could now see that she had silver iris, pointed chin. Her term symbol located at her breast.

After the battle. Soldiers gathered in 3 to 5 around a bonfire, with many set up. Some walked around. They all were quiet, looking down. Lanz had his hands over his face, as if to hide his tears, or to pinch his nose to silence from crying out aloud.

The silver-haired girl approached, took a moment to catch eye contact with Eunie and Noah before turning her attention at Lanz. She lowered her head, her chin almost touching her chest, "I'm sorry..."

Noah looked up at her, "Huh?"

"If I'd been just a bit faster, I could have saved many more lives..." It looks as if there were tears in her eyes; or maybe, she was just blaming herself. Silence filled the air.

Noah broke the silence, "Uh, who are-?"

She looked up, smiled at him, "I'm Ethel, from Colony 4."

Eunie exclaimed, "Silvercoat Ethel...! She pushed her Colony, all the way to rank Silver, and in her third term at that."

"Some do call me that.", then she lightened her voice, "However, a person's worth isn't in their color. It's here." She touched her heart. Noah seemed shocked.

She turned and scanned Noah's blade, still held in his hands, eyes widened. "Nice Blade you've got." Then, she turned and walked off into the distance before he could say anything. He and Eunie watched her disappeared into the night sky.

In a theatre. A projector was replaying the fight scene between the ouroboros and the moebius earlier. It's a huge room. The projected screen seemed small compared to it's volume, and perhaps only occupied a-fifth of the front wall. We could see some storey-like structure on both side of the walls,¹ with many seats laid on a single floor, like that of a Church, one behind another.

As the screen turns dark, the room lost all its illumination. The moebius that fought at Melnath's Shoulder a while ago walked into the room, still in its gigantic form, "Wow, tough guys, eh? It's a wild ride, this 'passage of fate'. We got ourselves a nice little awakening."

A light shone on a red-suit humanoid, as if she² was staged. Her hand by her waist, wearing a helmet that covered everything but her eyes (as usual); her helmet had a ring about her chin, with a crown-like structure above her head. "You were all talk when you left here, but you've nothing to show for it, D."

"Oh, spare me, P. "After all, I did precisely what I was meant to do." As he finished the sentence, he transformed into the red-suit form. We could see his mask having two horns, with two artefacts dangling near its tips like earrings. The top of the helmet had a flat surface, 45° to the horizontal, reflected light brightly. Behind him, a joker face like helmet moebius was seen... or was it his tail, if he had one?

P: "So? About that huge bet of yours... Pray tell us, who won?"

Another moebius came into the scene. He looked chubby, his helmet seen like a chicken head with a crown from the side. From the front, two fan-shaped horn protruded from the top of his nose. He also had a really high collar, like a wall that blocked a third of the back of his head. "Pah... A draw, I think. And with two whole Colonies on the field! We should've sallied forth in the first place. The whole thing would've been done by teatime. (urghahahaha)"

A new moebius, mouth with a protruding structure that resembles a machine gun, rebutted: "It was J who insisted on it. I'd thought that that had already been communicated." It looked like some semiconductor-colored flat pieces protrude parallel to the top of his head, slightly longer towards his back, like a cap with a tongue wore backward.

A female moebius walked in from behind the machine-gun mouth moebius, from his right to his left. We could see short dangling tentacles (hardened) from her side of her forehead. "In that case... I believe it's my turn next..."

The machine guy rebutted, again: "H, I'm pretty sure you already had your kicks the other day when you wiped out Colony 8, no? Surely the turn is mine."

A guy with some purple specks flowing like fire, we could see his long hair, but not other features given that he's not under a spotlight, joined in, "Honestly, you make more noise than the rabble at a feast..."

All the moebius turned to face him, "Z!"

"Even if you did stop its raging flow, it will soon burst through. All it takes is the slightest fissure."

"And that is fate... I told you before, haven't I, D?" The moebius whom without a helmet, with red lines forming their body sketches, walked in. This is the special moebius we saw earlier.³ He had an X behind his chest. Behind him, another moebius, also red light shaping his/her body structure, with a ">" symbol but facing the mouth of that symbol facing upwards, carved to his/her chest. As The X guy finished, the X symbol flickered.

D folded his hands around his chest, "Bah... The gang's all here again."

After a moment of silence, Z closed his eyes, the X-symbol guy asked, "K... Will you go?"

A new moebius with round head, like those of a motorcycle helmet, and a fan protruding from his shirt, like those really long collars that stuck out, rising so high it's almost as tall as his head, get into the scene. "If you say I go... I go." As he finished, he teleported, purple particles floating around. Light turned off.

As the decision was made, other moebius teleported away, lights off.

Z: "Well then... Let us see how far the flow brings them this time..." All lights turned off.

Footnotes:

---

1: Unsure if people could stand there or just decorations

2: Feminine determined based on voice, and perhaps, one's biases and prejudices on higher tone seemed feminine, though it isn't always true.

3: Recall the last guy whom looked at the projected moebius symbol when they transformed to ouroboros the last time.

The Journey

The morning sun cast on the environment, brightly reflecting its surface. Lanz, his eyes closed, performing moves that resembles Kung Fu. As if he tries to channel energy towards Sena, "Hnnnnaaaaaaagh!", his eyes opened, sharply focused on her. Sena was no different, random move out of sync with Lanz. "Yeaaaaaaaah!" "Huaaaaaaaaah!" "Wuaaaaaaaaah!"

Lanz new attire, sleeveless T-shirt, equipped with his "power" gloves and leggings, all black. Sena wore a sexy attire that covered only her breast, and shorts, silver gauntlets, leggings, and boots. Inside was very long black socks nearly reaching her hips, and very long gloves that's nearly reaching her shoulder.

Taion, standing where a referree would have stand, watched, softly but sternly spoke, "Guys... What do you think you're doing?"

His new attire, the pants as described before, silvery-white boots, silvery-white clothes, with a line of black running down beside the zip. The collars and the cuff dyed orange. He seemed to wore an inner shirt with long sleeves. An orange scarf wrapped around his neck, it's long side dangling to reach his foot.

Sena actually hadn't noticed him all along, called out: "Oh, Taion. Morning!"

Lanz greeted, in an upbeat tone despite the day before, "Hey! Did we wake you?" Didn't hear any embarrassment in his tone. They continued their moves as they greeted him.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't gone and woken up the whole forsaken continent. So?"

He stopped the moves, Sena followed, to explain his motives, "Oh, this? We reckoned we might be able to do the same as what Noah and Mio did."

"You reckoned? You mean the Ouroboros thing?"

Sena was excited, "Yeah! How badass was that?! We thought if we pulled it off, it'd raise our chances of survival a whole bunch!"

Taion: "And you think it's that easy?"

"Huh? I mean..."

He, with a stern look, walked in between and past them, and faced the rocky walls in the distance. He stopped at the end of the grass patch, just before the shiny smooth-looking rocks that paved the floor. "I don't mean to burst your bubble here, but don't you think... maybe that power's meant only for them?"

Sena rebutted, "Yeah, but that Moebius guy... He did refer to 'us'... I just thought..."

Taion turned to look at her, "You thought maybe you could transform as well?" Sena nodded, though her look was less certain.

"What makes you think it would be you two, anyway? Say it is possible. It could be me and Lanz."

Sena voice got softer, "It's just... kind of a feeling."

Lanz looked at her, brought his hands up, to cut her uncertainty off by reverberating her feelings, "Yeah, just a hunch. Right?" Then, he turned and questioned, "Something wrong?"

"Not at all. Then... I-I guess... that leaves me with her." Eunie, in the distance, was stretching, perhaps she just woke up. Noah and Mio were chatting in the distance, Riku tries to wake Manana up. Belongings lay down on the ground, with Taion's kettle¹ on one table, a white bottle, presumably holding tea, on another. With a sigh, he shook his head, "I envy you, I really do."

Lanz prompted: "Aw, what're you moaning about now?"

He returned a snide remark, pushing his glasses up (again!!!) "Let's drop it. I don't want us bickering this early. Especially... not now we seem to be sharing a common destiny. We happy few." As if to not look at their reaction, he turned his back towards them.

Sena replied in a lighter tone, but serious, "If I didn't know better... I'd say you were trying to get us all worked up!"

He closed his eyes, "Think whatever you want."

"I think you might be on the mark, though." Mio's sounded from the distance. He turned and saw Mio and Noah walking towards them. Riku, Eunie, and Manana closely followed behind.

"Oh?"

Noah supported, "We were all there, every one of us. In the same situation."

"Now hold on..."

Noah continued anyways, looking down halfway to recall what had happened, what he felt before, "The only difference was... I was set... on protecting Mio. Protecting all of you guys. And then, I suddenly transformed."

"That's it? That's all it took?"

"Yeah."

"So you can take that form via a strong desire, or emotion?"

"Possibly."

Eunie said jokingly, "Probably too much to ask of Professor Grump here."

"What, me?"

Eunie walked up to him, "Well, who'd you think?"

"And you any different?"

"What, me?" She stopped at an arm length from him, then burst out, as if she had heard the funniest thing in the world, "Ahah! As if I'm gonna join with you."

Noah: "Eunie..."

She turned back and faced them, "Come on, though..."

Mio: "You're not going to manage this overnight. Not the way you all are right now. Even so... It can't hurt to have a little hope, can it?"

Taion processed her sentence for a while, before pushing his glasses up, "Hrm. I suppose there's logic in that." Eunie folded her arms, looked at him.

Gathered around, Noah asked, "OK. Everyone ready?"

Mio nodded in agreement: "Yeah."

Mio wore a silver coat, its sleeve reaching her elbow, with tighter black cuff, possibly fabric that greatly prevents air from blowing right through. A clover-shape orange tie with two short tails stuck to her belly. She wore a sleeveless T-shirt, white with two black stripes running down her chest. A long black socks covering her whole feet protected from the white leggings that reached just below her ankle, tied by an orange strip like how a Karate belt looks.

There wasn't much to describe Noah and Eunie. Noah wore a red jacket, black pants. Eunie, a green plus black jacket, black pants, and white running shoes.

Manana: "Tasty treats... Check!"

Lanz: "I just took a quick look-see, and this equipment seems surprisingly quality." Then, turning to Sena, "Dontcha think?"

Sena scratched her head, in half agreement, "Uh, yeah! Looks that way!"

Noah scanned his team². He then turned and looked at the great sword, far beyond the distance, so tall even the hills that surrounded the valley couldn't block their view. The others followed.

Mio: "The 'City' we're headed for... Looks like it'll be a long journey."

Taion activated his Iris: "I've found us a route heading south. Will that work for you?"

All tapped on their temple, Mio appreciated, "Thanks, Taion."

Eunie was surprised, "Hey! You've got some real handy data there."

Mio: "I guess we should head through the caves, and toward Millick Meadows first, then."

Noah: "Chin up, guys. Let's get going." All nod in agreement.

³

Rain poured hard, deafening. Eunie took her step towards Guernica remains. Where his shirt lies, zip half pulled down, dried blood stained where he'd been pierced. A triangular dog tag hang besides the zip.

"Are these his dog tags?"

Noah, Lanz, and Riku walked up from behind her. Noah knelt by her side while Lanz stood beside him. From the other side, Mio and her team looked down, her hands gripped together in front. Sena put her hand to her heart.

Noah read out the writings on the dog tag, "Guernica... Vandham... I guess that's his name." Thunders roared in the background.

Eunie, looking sad, "That's great..."

Noah wasn't sure what he meant, turned and looked at her, "Huh?"

In a low tone, "I kinda hated the idea of not even knowing who he was."

Noah's vision was on her for a moment, trying to read her feelings, before nodding and acknowledging, "Right, yeah. Let's remember him... as the man who gave us a goal, and the ability to choose."

Eunie finished in a sighing intonation, "Yeah..." They embraced the moment.

Translator's note on environment: A tall plateau stretched out, like the jaws of a crocodile wide open, stalactites hung like teeth from its bottom, held from collapsing by several pillars. We could see similar plateau in the distance. Very very far away, behind clouds, a tall mountain the shape of an animal, like a reindeer resting, the direction of its "head" facing the great sword. Second scene, we could also see steps of plateau, with a waterfall in the distance. A red vine for climbing from the lower to the upper plateau lurked around its center. The remains like the building emerged from the ground, birds resting on it. Third scene, some rusty remains of a building, demolished, lay together on the ground. Yellow-green grass paved the meadow. Lofty rocky platforms surrounded the location. A waterfall about 3 meters fell from a river to the remain's left, and a brog (purple frog) made the opposite river bank its habitat. Fourth scene, the crocodile jaw platform is at the top right, still a distance away. River flowed beyond the scene. Some blue mantis shrimp roamed the river banks. This, is Millick Meadows, of Aetia Region.

The group was walking down hill. Lanz and Sena were chatting, leading the way with Eunie. Riku and Manana behind them, followed by Taion, Mio, and Noah far behind. As Noah stopped, he called for their attention, "Hey guys... Could I have a moment?"

"Meh." "Hm" "Yeah? Wassup?" Everyone turned and faced him.

"There's something that I forgot to tell you."

Manana reacted instantaneously, "I-It's about who in charge of din-din duties?"

"No... From now on, I want us to avoid combat as much as possible. So... Keves... Agnus... If either of them decide to put up a fight, don't kill them. OK?"

Eunie questioned, "Not saying I'm against the idea... But why?"

Lanz proposed, "Guess it'd suck having to draw on our allies."

Sena: "Do we just knock them out cold or something?"

Noah agreed and added, "Or get them to surrender."

Taion: "How kind of you."

"Huh?"

"I'm sure our past victims will appreciate that." His hands tucked on his waist, closed his eyes, head slightly facing away from him.

Lanz spit words out from between his teeth, gritted, "You little-"

Noah, sternly and seriously, "We don't need to take any more lives. There's... no point."

To which he sighed.

Noah continued, "There's a reason we met. There has to be."

Mio: "You think?"

"Back then, if we hadn't met each other, we wouldn't be here like this now."

"Even though we're being chased... by both nations at once?" Mio questioned.

"We get chased, we run. Easy."

There was a silent for a moment as he scanned their faces. As he established eye contact with Mio, she replied, "A smart new decision." She nodded in agreement, he nodded back. As he turned his glaze towards the great sword behind him, "We'll keep on running... to that sword." Others focused their sight on the target.

The wood melts in the bonfire. Sena and Lanz were sitting around it, about perpendicular to the bonfire. She was enjoying her moment looking at the bonfire, as Lanz broke the silence, "Ugh. Talk about bad blood."

Sena replied in a relaxed tone, "Just give it time. It's early days!"

"Maybe so..."

As she observed his muscles, having some lines carved like leaf veins onto it, she wondered: "Funny pattern you got there."

"You can talk. You've got those shiny chest doo-dads." He look at her chest, a cyan circle core attached. Inside the core, it's as if there were some oily liquid flowing. Inverted L lines glowing cyan stretched both sides on the bottom of it. She also had such lines on her arms.

As if looking at her chest core, she explained, "We've... always had these."

Lanz continued, "You know. I've never even thought of myself as strange before."

Mio sounded from another side, "So many things... taken for granted... We're pretty different, huh? Worlds apart." Mio and Taion walked towards them from a distance, stopped by the table to the left of Sena, with Taion's teapot and some cups on top, standing.

Taion rebutted, turning to Mio "No one's worlds apart. If anything, we should be questioning all that we've thought to be true."

She turned to her back and looked at the distance. Riku and Manana were playing with dirt. Noah was further in the background, lost in his thoughts, his back facing them. Taion continued, "Differences... are all a matter of perspective."

"Hehe... Our skeptics."

From their right, Eunie joined in, threw a question to Taion, "Hey! Are you always like this?"

"Of course. It's my nature." He immediately replied, hands on his waist.

"Hmm..." Eunie closed her eyes partially, then turned to face away, "Personally, I think it's easier to take things at face value, you know?"

Taion spoke as his head looked downward, "Now wouldn't that be nice."⁴

Eunie was provoked, raising her voice as she stomped towards him, stopped by an arms length away, "Eh? You makin' fun of me?"

"All I said was, it would be nice." Taion patiently replied, eyes meeting hers. Mio stood beside them, Sena and Lanz still sat at their original location, watching their drama.

"Oh-ho-ho, no, you don't!" Eunie didn't seemed to believe his genuineness. "You just called me an airhead, you jerk!"

"This is just... How long are you going to drag this out?" Lanz and Sena looked at each other, unsure about why this couple was quarrelling.

"Far as long as I sparking need to! Until you come clean, four-eyes." Meanwhile, Riku and Manana had just finished meddling with their soil and walked out of sight. Their fights in the distance cut Noah's from his thought. He turned and faced their direction as he heard Taion from the distance, "I can't believe this. Someone shoot me."

⁵

After they regrouped.

Suddenly, something caught Sena's eyes. "What's that? Hey, Mimi, you can see the Ferronis⁶, over by the side of the big outcrop there, right?"

They turned to her direction, "Oh yeah!" Hearing of Ferronis, the group got defensive. Taion first checked his iris, "Odd. I don't have any data about a colony established in this locale."

Eunie: "Odd for sure... Noah, take a good look. Isn't it kinda... old?"

As they looked into the distance, it was the rusty junk that laid demolished along the low coast beside the river we saw earlier. They were on high ground, land rolled out below them. "It does look like it's seen quite a bit of service."

Lanz: "Yeah. I don't think they make 'em like that any more."

Mio: "Erm... Do you think it's safe to be around?"

Eunie crossed her arms: "You're freaking me out a bit here, Mio."

Sena: "Sorry!" Perhaps she felt sorry for alerting them on an inexistent threat.

Taion: "I don't think an apology is necessary."

Mio asked him, "Do you think there could be some useful resources and stuff in there still?"

"A possibility, certainly." Then, he turned and face Noah, "It's in the general direction of our objective. Why not investigate it?"

He agreed, "All right. Let's check it out!"

As they arrived in the evening, Mio: "Crustips", the blue mantis shrimp, roamed the Ferronis Hulk. After they eradicated all the crustips, they rested there for the night.

Footnotes:

---

1: This looked like the modern electric kettle they offered usually at hotels in some countries that translator went before, like Malaysia.

2: From here on, when we mean team, we mean the expanded team, including Mio and the other.

3: This is Variant B of the cutscene. Variant A is similar, which we'll put it in the appendix, including what's the difference between them.

4: Translator didn't catch what he's thinking at that moment, nor do one understand whether he means it or not.

5: From this point onward till the end of this section, views will be taken from the 3rd video.

6: Ferronis means "flame clock levnis". From now onwards, we'll call it a ferronis.

Consul K and Silvercoat Ethel

Inside a workshop. Several Kevesi soldiers overlooking a hanging levnis with two giant copper wheel, two horns 45° pointing at the top, and one facing down, it's head faced down. It was hung by several threads. An faceless soldier was shouting instructions, "No, no, no! More to the right!" The threads hanging the levnis moves with it. "Right there! Start lowering!"

The sound of engines revved as the levnis come down. Thud. Soldiers walked towards it for inspection. He shouted more commands, "Make sure it's airtight. Sand around here? Finer than Ruska flour."

A soldier, thick hair, slightly dark skin, not wearing a helmet, suggested, "I could do a triple weld."¹

"Sure. Long as the output's stable." He gave a green light before walking off.

"Yessir."

Meanwhile, a soldier wearing a green hat like that of a nurse, thick hair covering his ears, moved towards a guy half a head taller than him, buff, his hair also thick and long. The tall guy was overlooking some hexagonal-prism-shaped metal containers. As he approached, he asked, "What's up with the K rounds? We're two caches short! Hope you didn't snuff up the order!"

The guy turned and faced him. He had two groups of hairs dangling in front of his eyes. As if being attacked, he sniped back, "I don't know, OK? Got a problem, take it up with logistics."

The guy with the nurse hat, we could see his irises red. He stated, "We're just a Dirt-rank colony, low as they come. You think the Castle gives a crap?" He looked to the other side, slightly lowering his voice with the last sentence.

"Queen's Oath, this pisses me off. We get better scores than any sparkin' colony out there."

The nurse-hat whispered to him, "Did you know? For Tin-rank field rations, I hear they get Ardun meat."

"Really? And... us mudders?" He also lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Trust me, you really don't wanna know."

"Ahhh..." He sighed, his left arm tucked to his waist. We could see his eyebrows shaped like a glisser. He wore a heavy jacket with zips that ends around his chest, and a sweater inside. From behind, we could blurry see a woman with silver hair and silver coat, accompanied by a man, walking towards their direction. The workshop was huge, and there was a huge workshop door that linked to the outside. All we could see was yellow sky. The interior walls looked rusty. The floor were metallic.

"I miss the good old Silver days. Didn't have to rely on rations back then. We had cooks come and serve us right on the front line. Used to get Armu sirloin, we did."

As he spoke, other soldiers, seeing the silver-coat, her silver hair spreaded like waterfall, length to her waist, continued walking with the accompanying guys. Other soldiers bent their arms, palm facing inwards just over their shoulders, held into a fist, legs together and stood straight, stopped whatever they were doing, as she passed. They didn't notice her arrival.

"Seriously?!" Perhaps the nurse-hat guy wasn't from their Silver rank colony before. As the woman stopped, they still hadn't noticed her. A soldier working at the levnis wheel had to signaled at them in a loud whispering tone, "Ah- Hey!"

The buff guy turned to face him, sniped impatiently, "What now?" As he turned, his eyes glanced the silvercoat. "...Urk!" He quickly do the welcoming pose, chest forward. Here, we could see he had yellow irises. He probably felt scared or awkward, being found out complaining of their situations than getting the work done.

The nurse-hat guy only reacted after he did the welcoming pose. He quickly face his direction, gritted his teeth as if biting his tongue, and did the same pose.

The woman, irises mostly turquoise with some magenta, long thick forward-pointing brown eyelashes, wore metal plates at her shoulder, "My own indiscretion... has caused you difficulties. I'm sorry."

The guy standing behind her had brown skin, wore a power suit, thick hair that curved at its edge, and no other features the translator could describe other than strips of orange on his power suit.

The nurse-hat guy anxiously blurted out, "N-no! We would never... Our apologies, Commander Ethel!"

To which the tall guy added immediately, "That was all, uh, just banter! Believe me, we had... no intention of-"

Ethel cut her explanations short, "You enjoyed eating Armu steak, did you?"

The guy relaxed his eyebrows, probably known Ethel for long that she won't punish him for this time, or maybe just recalling, "Uh... Yes, I did! Tastiest food I ever ate!"²

"I liked it as well. And I hope we will have it again. So lend me your strength." She scanned the both of them.

The nurse-hat replied, "Ma'am! Yes, ma'am!" And the tall guy nodded.

Ethel maintained her eye contact for a second before turning and walking off, the guy followed closely behind. Their watched her leaving, fist up.

Outside the building, the guy behind Ethel asked, like chatting with an old friend, "I don't see what's wrong with Volff, personally."

Ethel facetiously replied, "Pfft. That's because you have poor taste. I'm jealous."

"Well, trade you my taste buds?"

"No, thank you. My mouth'd turn as foul as yours" The path they walked on consist of fine sands and dirt. Those beside the path were more coarse, grass grown sparingly. She stopped at about the end of the route, beyond which are coarse dirt, sand, grass, and some larger stones.

"Hahaha! True that." Where she overlooked was barren. Some taller pillar of rocks lurked at the edge of vision. A bonfire could be seen lit near those rocks.

If we look from the side, to her left, the double-wheel of the Ferronis with cyan tread and inner rim. Where they walked out had been barricaded, and a watchtower located at the entrance. A tent that opened in all direction, like the canteen in Colony 9, was seen inside, but we aren't sure what it hosts. Another watchtower could be seen behind it. We could barely see the plateau in the distance, as the misty dust heavily blurred our vision.

Looking from their front, we could see metal barracks behind them. The guy, with his hands on his waist, scanned the horizon, exclaimed, "They cleared out real fast."

Ethel changed the topic, "I hear the attending Consul... is a particularly punctual sort of character."

The guy complained, "Please not another stickler for the rules..."

"Can't be long now..."

"Yeah... Got about five minutes to go... Whoa!" As if he glanced something to his right, he raised his voice. "Well, well, Consul dear. Your reputation certainly precedes you..." Ethel followed his glance. Some tall irregular plateau stood in the distance. A watchtower was placed at the end of the barricades. There were even some weird plants, like flowers with half-opened petals, with some part of it glowing yellow, growing next to a rock just in front of the watchtower. As the sound revved through the air, a transporting levnis emerged from the dusty air, travelling toward their direction.

Zooming in, there were some short trees, probably just 2-5 meters, growing rarely. Some more of those half-opened petals flowered plants grew.

As the flying levnis made a turn, from where the levnis is currently at³, the Ferronis came fully into view. It had very long claws, each held up by double-wheels with cyan treads (yes, the one we seen left of Ethel earlier.) Two pointed spear-head stuck out to both sides of the rim, and in between, a tombstone-shaped metal with a steering-wheel-like structure at the bottom part. To both sides of the levnis body, we see even more giant wheels, as tall as the levnis body itself, about 2 times taller than the wheels on the claws. The watchtower was about a third of the smaller claw wheels. The levnis seemed to hugged their settlements between its claws. We could also see a tall entrance into the body of the Ferronis from a distance. A bird nest fern like, but colored more like trees in Avatar, grew near a rock where the transporter levnis flew past.

As the transporter reached its landing spots, six legs got stretched out and landed in front of Ethel and the guy.

"Ugh! Sparks' sake, a hover type...?" The guy put his hands over his face, facing his ears at the levnis, eyes closed from the dust. "I mean, did they not get the memo about the terrain here?" ⁴ We could already see soldiers lining up behind Ethel and the guy as the levnis dropped.

As the door opened, Consul K, or rather, Moebius K, strodded down the platform. The others held up their right hand into a fist, the Kevesi welcoming pose. "(coughing)... Ohh, why is it so insufferably dusty around here?" He shook his right hand like how you would pinch a dirty piece of table cloth. "Clearly... the place befits its Dirt-rank status."

Ethel replied, "The rainy season will soon be upon us. I ask your patience, for just this short while."

Putthing his hands on his chin, "Is that so? Then, leaving aside the issue of cleanliness... " He scanned the surrounding with his blood-red-tinted vision, some purple foggy structure were visible, "Just what is with all this fog? I don't take kindly to my vision being obfuscated..."

Perhaps he had given up on complaining, not wanting to stand out in the dust further, asked, "Oh, forget it. So? Where are my quarters?"

"Yes, this way." Ethel lead the way, K followed, and the guy followed behind before the rest of the soldiers.

A huge room tiled with wooden planks, along the slanted top were diamond-shaped metal grids with glass windows. Below are the "top beams" of the house, followed by "bottom beams". In between, we could see some displays on one side, with yellow fluorescent light to the other side, just below the windows. A metal plaque with kevesi symbol hung below the bottom beams, below the fluorescent lights. The consul walked below this plaque, sitting down with his hands on the table. An oil lamp could be seen placed on one edge of the table.

Never stopped complaining, "Guh, what a filthy room! How the Dirt rank has fallen..." Scanning the room, we could see some dustbin and two-layer cupboard, with a paper notice stuck in between them. "Ah, I suppose that would be something to take up with the Castle."

Ethel: "Our Ferronis is an old model. I understand your displeasure... but please don't escalate this."

"Do I detect some defiance?" K wasn't happy with things outside his control.

"N-No, no, that was never my-" She furiously tried to explain, shaking her head.

"Relax, girl. I jest. Now then, let's cut the chitchat and talk business." He brought both hands together, his right folded on his left fist. "I'd like you to eradicate some vermin for me." His eyes seemed to be closed, we could not see his iris or anything from the eye opening of the helmet.

"Vermin? By your leave, sir, we've detected no movement from Agnian Ferronises around this area..." She turned to the guy who followed her around, whom nodded in agreement.

K explained himself, "Not Agnus! People. Soldiers. A band of deserters from both sides. Well, something like that."

Ethel was curious, "Agnus and Keves... both?"

As he put his hands on his cheek, "Hah! I think it's best you see for yourself. Hmm? This is expressly at the Queen's behest. Don't foul this up." As he finished, he opened his eyelids, and the moebius icon glowed.

Back at where the Kevesi queen is, the pods still beside. She stood before the giant structure, her "seat," holding her staff. OK. Her seat isn't actually a seat. It is a metal platform, 5 metal "arms" stretches from its center at about equal distance. Two "armrest" like feature stood beside⁵. Above, we could see a flame clock, the left filled yellow like Agnian, the right glowed blue like Kevesi, touching each other at 12 o'clock. Two of "<" and ">" each lay at both sides.

Footnotes:

---

1: A fact, his height is about the radius of the levnis' wheel.

2: Ahem, ahem, unconscious reaction to delicious food.

3: Still in the air

4: How he got to talk amidst the dust was incredulous.

5: But if those were armrest, even if the queen held out her hand straight, she wouldn't have touch both at once, for her hands can't reach both.

Adventures Crossing the Desert

Next morning, after they woke up. Lanz, Eunie and Sena were stretching. Riku was helping Manana with folding up her sleeping bag while she watched. Mio was observing Taion by the table. Then, she turned her attention to Noah, whom was checking his iris. On his copper-tinted screen, he was scrolling through some soldier's information. One of them looked like the guy following behind Ethel, another one never saw before.

She walked up to him, prompted, "Looking at something?"

His eyes still focused on his screen, "Oh, nothing in particular, really. It's just kind of a habit. Checking our status, the war... Watching for info updates..." Laughing at himself, "Silly... I don't know why I still bother to check it any more. Not like there'd be updates..." Then, with his iris activated, he turned and meet her eyes.

"Ah" With Mio filling his screen, her outline was glowing orange, to which he never seen before. As he glanced upwards to the top of her head, an orange¹ symbol that resembles Mio's blade came into existence. "What is it?"

"An icon just popped up -- over your head."

"Huh?" She activated her iris to check if she sees the same. Glancing over his head, "Oh yeah. Now I can see an icon for you as well." She saw an orange icon that resembled Noah's blade.

"When did we unlock a feature like this? I've never noticed it before." Evoked by their conversation, others formed a circle with them. Noah turned his head to face Taion and Sena. On Taion's head, a symbol with an "8" outline; on Sena's a hammer. Both were blood red. Switching attention to Lanz and Eunie, Lanz had his broadsword, Eunie her rifle-staff. Both were also blood red.

Glancing back at Mio's, "Yours seems to be... the only one not locked."

He tried clicking on it. Mio wasn't checking on her iris by now. She was galvanized, seeing before her eyes his outer jacket turned into one mirroring hers.

"Huh!" Having shocked, she drew a step backward. Noah scanned his new clothing, "Wha-?" (in a high tone)

Manana and the others weren't less surprised, "Ohoho-"

Eunie: "He's lit up like a sparkin' lightbulb!"

Noah reactivated his iris to check for more information. "I guess there must still... be more to this feature." He tried summoning his blades. Two rings appeared on both his hands, Mio's blade.

Sena exclaimed, "Hey, that's Mimi's!"

Lanz: "What in the blazes...?"

As he closed his eyes, his "soul" was practicing moves with the new blade in the yellow-cloud space, like those he was in when he transformed to Ouroboros the other day. "I've never used this kind of Blade before, but all the techniques I can use with it are flashing before my eyes."

Mio was eager to try, her smooth silver jacket replaced with one flurry dark red. Then, she withdrew Noah's blade. Closing her eyes, she saw what Noah meant. "It's so weird... Not like... we suddenly just gained the knowledge out of the blue. But... as if it were always ingrained deep within us. Strange..."

Sena eyed on Mio while she activated her iris, yet was blood red. "Aww, doesn't look like I can get Mimi's gear. Now that's a shame..." As she looked, Noah and Mio sheathed their blades.

===

By now, the group were stoked. "Mm... This is?" As she gasped, Eunie's clothing transformed to Taion's, including the orange scarf. Yet, she wasn't satisfied, "How come I got moodyguts's and not Noah's huh?" As she turned and looked at "moodyguts," his jacket changed to hers.

After scanning his new attire, he looked back at her equally curious: "That's what I'd like to know. Your class is the only one I can seem to pick, unfortunately."

Then, Lanz long coat turned into a thin silver ones, with its inside egg-yolk yellow. Sena, before she transformed, also wore one of those; after, Lanz's long coat. They tried summoning their blades, him wielding Sena's hammer, and she carried his broadsword.

Feeling its weight, he exclaimed, "Whoa... You can lug this thing about without a power frame? Not bad!"

As he looked at her, she was scratching her head showered with his praise. She smiled back at him, after which they withdrew their new blades.

Eunie, "Dunno how this is even working, but cool!"

Taion, "But is this all part of Ouroboros, too? If it gives us more options in battle, I'm all for it."

Sena agreed, "Yeah, I wanna take this new Blade out for a spin!"

Mio turned to Noah, asked, "From here, we head due south, right?" He nodded back.

He turned to the others, "Perfect. We can test them out on the road." He activated his iris, and his clothes returned to his; same with Mio.

After a test battle, they sheathed their blades. Noah described his experience to Mio, "I felt a lot more nimble there, like the way you usually fight."

She looked at him, excited: "It looked like second-nature to you. It was crazy."

"You should have seen yourself!"

"Hehe, I think I could've thrashed you! With a little more practice..."

Eunie turned to Lanz, her hands behind her head, "Y'know, it's totally bananas... Ouroboros is bonkers powerful."

Lanz was stoked, "Right?"

Sena activated her iris and looked at Mio, seeing something different. While most of the upper part still blood red, orange started to fill the bottom part, like water in partially-filled bottle. "Ah! The gauge for the locked icon has filled right up!"

She reaffirmed after doing the same, "Same here!" Turning to Taion, it's no difference.

Taion drew conclusion, "So, logically, if we gain enough experience by fighting together, we'll become able to use each other's classes.That seems to be it." Then, he changed the topic, "As much as I'd like to experiment... "

Noah read his mind and completed his sentence, "Yeah, I guess we shouldn't stay in one place for too long."

"Right."

Lanz agreed, "Well, better get ourselves down south!"

In a valley, where lights were poor. Taion called for a pause, "Hold it a moment..." As everyone turned and faced him, he continued, "I have a proposal as to our next route."

Mio: "OK. Shoot."

"I'll send you the map data." As they checked their irises, a map with blue dot showed their current location. They were currently at an intersection, with two routes, one to the East, another to the West. "Broadly speaking, it's either east or west. I would suggest we go west." As he finished, he drew a line on the map to visualize.

"Why's that?"

"The area to the west is under Agnus's control. There is a certain degree of risk, as they'll have deployed a number of units... but it's the quickest way to get south."

"What about the east route?" Noah drew a line to the East, prompting for more info.

To which he replied, "No man's land. None of the colonies have laid claim to it as of yet. However, we'd suffer a significant time loss."

Sena: "Time... versus risk."

Lanz was concerned, "Wait a sec. We're gonna stir up the Skeeter nest?"

Taion looked at him, "I only said there was a 'degree' of risk." He tried to drum it up with livelier tone, "Really, it's not so bad."

Eunie wasn't convinced, wrapping her arms around her chest "But Agnian troops are deployed there, yeah?"

"Yes."

"And we're still gonna go?"

"All I said is that it would be more efficient."

"Efficient."²

Sena seconded him: "Well, maybe we do need to be more efficient! Faster is better! We don't wanna be dragging our heels forever... right?"

Mio, with her arms crossed: "Hey! I just have to ask... Are you trying to push some agenda?"

He was pushing his glasses up (again), perhaps gotten caught? "Wha-? No... Certainly not..."

"But you admit the east route is the safer option. That's just strange. Why wouldn't you pick the safe way?" Mio pressed for more.

"Because time is of the-"

She cut him off, "Look. There you go again."

He sighed, continued, "That's not all, though! It's all wasteland to the east. The... the heat! It'll be unbearable!"

Sena agreed, both hands under her cheeks held into a fist and nodding to her, "Er... Yeah, you're gonna melt in the sun!"

Mio shook her head, "I'm fine with your choice. But we need to think about everyone's safety."

Lanz: "Noah, what's your take?"

"Me? Uhh..." Noah was watching their drama, haven't thought about his own decision. The Agnians turned their focus to him and waited. He looked down for a while, reminiscing his chat with Mio's, on her diary, on how she felt happy speaking to him just like that, on her smile. His raised his head, their eyes met. A few moments later, he seconded Mio's decision, "I think... I'd rather take the safe route."

Mio nodded back at him, grasping her hands together, palm on fist, putting it to her chest, thanking him in silence. Sena and Taion's slightly closed their eyes, heads tilted down in disappointment. He did not dismiss their worries. "As for the heat... We can probably figure something out."

Lanz: "There. Four against two."

Taion scoffed. Mio tried to convince the others, "Taion... Sena..." Sena looked towards Taion, he paused. "Please..."

With a sigh, he compromised, "Ngh... Fine, then. If you absolutely insist." Sena nodded back at her.

With a cheerful tone "Then it's settled!" As she walked towards the east route, taking the lead, "C'mon, cheer up guys! We're outta here!" Everyone followed behind. Noah was last to followed, his eyes on hers as she continued, perhaps relieved to had made her day.

Translator's Note on Environment: A tall pillar made of irregular rocks stood in the center. Copper-colored birds with wings stretching meters, like the wandering albatross but not really, one rest on the platform, another flew around. We could also see some deer in the distance with green tails. Also smaller animals like "bunnit" (rabbit with the tail of a squirrel). There were lofty platforms to both sides, like a sandy valley. Plants were rare, with only a few grass stucking out here and there. Behind the scene was a tall bridge that joined both platforms at the entrance. Sand could be seen falling down. There were also red short trees, like those saw in Ethel's colony in the distance as we entered the dune. Most sands were brown, but there was a patch of white sand aggregated as well. Irregular pillars of rock stuck out here and there. There was two platform in the distance, like two fingers about to crush the desert. This is Eagus Wilderness, of Fornis Region.

The blaring sun shone on the rocky floor. Flora and fauna were rare: two species, one was the red-leaved low tree we saw when consul K visited Ethel; another with long purple sword-like leaves that spreaded from its center, at about the same angle, making a fan-like structure. The latter shrub grows tall or short. Behind them is a platform which leads to a sandy dune, surrounded by even higher rocks on the other sides. The rocks seemed to be carved out from the center, as it looked to translator like an annihilation event happened and caused the shape. The group were walking really slow, exhausted from the unbearable heat. Sena and Mio were falling far behind, both took off their jackets.³

"Ugggh... So... hot..." Mio's face was blushing red, her steps unstable as she leaned on Sena whom helped her move forward, herself sweltering. "Can't... go... on..." As she finished, she dropped her body weight totally on Sena.

Sena had her hands over her shoulders, "Keep it together now, Mimi! I'll drag you along myself if I have to!"

Lanz overheard their conversation: "I mean, I get that it's hot, but really?"

"Whether we're talking food or weather, Mio does not take to heat." Taion replied, looking back at her, "I knew this would happen." Probably why he preferred the detour earlier.

Noah: "Heat's never bothered you, has it, Lanz?"

Lanz smiled, showing his left arm's biceps, "Nnnope. I'm made of sterner stuff."

Noah took a look at Mio. Her eyes totally closed, ears drooped down. Then, he exclaimed in a lower tone, "Honestly, I'm starting to feel a little worn out. Spot to rest would be nice about now."

Something caught Sena's attention in the distance, "Hey, look! There!" The group turned to her. Mio's head totally bent down as she told her, "Mimi, look! It's water! There's an oasis!"

"Wa...w-water...?" She strenuously carried her head up to look at the distance. With blurry vision, she saw a glimmering spot, lights casting on it. The reflection from the pool was blinding. On the left of the water, there was a taller platform with a cave entrance to its end. On the right before the pool, there was a plant that looked like bird nest fern growing on the floor.

"Yeah, water!"

"Water!!!" Suddenly, she regained all her strengths. Her eyes lit up bright, focused on that pool of water. Her ears stood up straight. She no longer depended on Sena.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Sena encouraged.

"Yeah!" Immediately, she dashed past the group with Sena followed. The group quickly got to the side, leaving a trail for them. Lanz and the others can't believed their eyes.

Lanz: "Oh, come on. Talk about overreacting."

Taion: "We should be thankful they're back in high spirits." His Mondo was up in the air when they dashed past, and it spiralled back down slowly.

Noah wasn't feeling too hopeful, "Let's just hope it's not a mirage..." They slowly took steps behind those dashing two.

Riku and Manana emerged from underwater. Sena was backstroking to float. Mio did some buoyancy breaststroke. "Ahahah! Nice and cool!" Now that she regained strength, she could play a while with the water, splashing up.

Sena: "Thank the Clock..."

"Ooooooooh...ahhh" Eunie had took off her jacket, ran and jumped, hands flung on top with bent knee, diving into the water. She landed in between the four, some water splashed around.

"Aw'right then... My turn!" Lanz took his jacket off, move backwards a few step, preparing for a run.

Noah and Taion turned their attention to him, with the former asking: "You too?"

He stretched his hands to his back and rolled his heads to warmup. "Don't happen every day!" As he finished, he made a run and jumped, "Yeeeeee...ahhhhhh!" He aimed to land at the center of the group.

"Waah?!" Sena and the group were shocked to see a huge shadow coming in their direction. His knees were bent while he soared. As he reached his desired landing point, he flung his arms up and stretched his legs straight, the others watching him slammed into the water as the ripple pushed the girls away from the point of contact. The nopons sink into the water, slowly floating up a moment later, fainted.

Eunie breathed hard as she emerged from underwater, turned to face where Lanz dived immediately, punching the water as she speaks, "You muppet!"

Lanz emerged a moment later, some water sprayed at Mio whom was very near him, which she blocked with her hands. "NEVER do that again!"

Lanz turned to his back, trying to soothe Eunie's anger, "C'mon! You're already soaking wet anyway! What difference does it make?" He swam off, freestyle, into the distance as he finished.

Eunie sniped back, "The difference is, you're an arsehole! What snuffin' difference..." Then, she pat one side of her temple hard, her head rolled in the other direction, "Uggh, I've got water in my ears now...!"

From a higher location, we could see where the Noah and Taion stood at an elevated platform, compared to the oasis bank on the opposite side. As those guys watched the drama, Mio and Sena regrouped, the nopons still fainted floating, and Eunie was trying to catch Lanz. Noah asked, "Staying here, are you?"

He immediately checked his iris, "I've got something to take care of.I'll send it to you now."

Noah checked it. "A map?"

"From a survey branch." There were several locations marked green, some cover huge distance, others puny. "Annihilation events occur frequently here."

Noah deactivated his iris and faced him, "Annihilation events? You mean..."

We were reminded by the two planets approaching each other, a huge blast of energy released, then looking at the animal-like snowy peak, a ball of energy emerged from nowhere and carved it into two as it disappeared later.

Taion nodded back. He turned to look at the opposite direction, "Look." This confirmed translator's guess earlier. (Though, something weird being a rock was floating mid-air, even though it's not an anti-gravity mechanism). ⁴ Further away, we could see a platform stretched to the right.

"It happens here too." They turned their attention to the Oasis walls, which were also carved out by annihilation event.

"Given our route, we should take the safest way possible." He continued.

"Very cautious of you."

"It's my duty to be." He continued checking his iris.

"Thank you." He patted him on his shoulder, as if giving him the job.

Taion was shocked, turned his attention to him, "Uh... Sure." He saw him walked to the back, taking off his jacket. Then, he ran, jumped, and dived. Another big water splashed up, and we could hear the girls roared in the distance. "Whoa!"

Footnotes:

---

1: The color isn't exactly orange, but something like copper orange; but just to make things easy, we'll just say orange without mentioning its shade.

2: One didn't recognize whose voice is this, Mio or Eunie.

3: The others don't took off their jackets.

4: There were some machines behind Taion, which is a nopon travelling merchant stall; but that's inexistent if you play the game the first time; only existed if you replay, so we'll emit it.

Memories: Lucky Seven

As the night falls, they continued traversing their path, oasis beyond sight limit. Patches of grass now grows on both sides of the path. Gusting winds brought with them dusty sands, tampering one's vision. The destination? Nowhere to be seen. Rocks and detours, all that is. Plants glowed amidst the foggy air, like cat's eyes in the dark. Mio scanned for Noah, him far behind. She stopped and waited for him, walking beside him thereafter.

"Hey! Can I ask you something?" Curiosity lurked in her. "It's special, isn't it? Your Blade, I mean."

"Huh?"

"Sometimes, one part of it... glows. Why's that?"

In a lively, whispering tone: "Ah...! You can tell? That's amazing..."

"It's hard not to."

"Ah, right." There was a moment of silence as she waited.

Then, she asked, in a whispering tone, "Is it a secret?"

"No, I can tell you."

(Start of Memories)

The training ground. Young Noah, wearing a healmet and bullet-proof vest, along with other soldiers, drew his blade, a standard Kevesi sword. Others, with their broadsword or staffs or whatever, were already practicing by themselves, while he still tried to get a hold of it. Soldiers gathered in groups when they practiced; swords slicing the air; square gloves with four "well-shaped" protrudes, glowing cyan punching the air; guns shooting at the static humanoid targets in the gun range; long staff put into the air, ether meteor strikes the ground in front of them as they released, with a small explosion. Still, others practiced against each other.

Noah's group gathered by the fence, Lanz practicing while the others warming up. Eunie summoned and swung her blade like a Kung Fu monk swinging his wooden stick around. Then, pointing her rifle at nowhere, the staff rotates as ether energy got sucked in, releasing in a single shot. As it flew into the distance, Newton's third law took her off balance, jumping single-legged several times before landing on both feet, panting. She reloaded to try again.

His hands stretched out, one palm facing up, another down. A mace-like blade appeared, with a ball of energy glowing brightly at its top. He gripped it with his right hand, pointed it to his front, attempting to summon an attack but ended up drawing a green ring around him. Electric sparkled on the circumference of the ring. He looked at his blade, disappointed, but gritted his teeth, tried and tried, to no avail. With all his might, the ring suddenly glowed brightly; its range increased, but still no signs of damaging ranged arts. As he finished up, he wiped his sweat.

Noah didn't summon a blade; instead, gripped the training blade he had before. It was laid against the fence. He focused his mind, practiced slashing in sync with his breath.

"Noah, my man... Are you still playing around with that little toy?" Garvel approached with his team as they practiced. Eunie and Joran stopped and looked.

The broadsword girl sneered, "Have you considered a Nopon weapon? You might actually get somewhere with that." Noah didn't stop.

"Oi! You deaf or what, Noah?!" Garvel wasn't giving up.

Joran, with trembled voice, "Garvel!? Noah, this is bad..."

"Heh. Not even a peep? Don't need to pay us any attention?"

"Oh please... I wasn't ignoring you. Once I finish this set... we can chat!" Noah sounded as he made a slash that reverberated the air. The shockwave, or perhaps their shock, made them took a step back.

Eunie and Joran wasn't less shocked, Eunie turned into a smirk, as if showing off. Noah waited for a while before breathing out and stood up, turning his attention to Garvel.

"Well? What were you saying?"

"Noah... For dead weight, you're a right snuffing peacock!" As if what he did put him down, or perhaps, he was just jealous of his skills. He ran towards Noah and sliced a set of moves, him dodging them.

"Ugh, you...!" His sword can't beat his agility. "You slippery little mudder!" Several slashes and a thrust later, Noah put his leg on his blade and pressed it to the ground. He was dumbstrucked as Noah put his blade over his neck.

"Well, anything else?" Noah asked patiently.

"You... snuffin' weakling!" He broked away from his legs by slicing his sword upwards, kicking Noah in the chest concurrently. Noah put his hand over the injured spot as Garvel sliced his training sword in half. Noah fell to the ground, one hand in a knelt position.

"Blast it all!" He punched Noah's face, he landed on his side, groaning in pain. Garvel wasn't satisfied, "Oh, you'll... get it now!", he was about to slice Noah as Lanz blocked his attacks.

A few breath to figure out what happened, he turned to look to his left, exclaimed,

"L-Lanz?!"

"Break it up now. Didn't know you could be so petty, Garvel."

"Peh. Ain't got no time for this musclehead." He bit his words between his teeth and put his sword on his shoulder.

"Wanna say that again?" Lanz was provoked.

"Hmph! We'll settle this properly... In tomorrow's trial!" He sheathed his blade, turned and walked away, shouting to his group along the way. "Move it!" Noah's team watched them off.

"Noah, are you OK?" Joran quickly ran up to his side, still laying on the ground.

By a ladder inside the training ground, they were sitting at different heights, with Eunie laying her back against a wall. Lanz turned and faced Noah, "Don't let it get to you. Guys like that are the first ones to snuff it in a real battle."

"No, I'm not worried about him. I really can't call my weapon, though... I worry I'll end up being a burden."

"Never thought that here, not even once."

"Thanks... Kind of you to say."

"It's just the truth!" He watched him stood up and walked away, "Where are you going?"

He paused and turned to him "To visit Riku. Since it broke. The trial -- it's tomorrow. I'm gonna need a new weapon for that." The others stood up and followed him through the alleyway.

Riku's place, with some cylinders in the background, and rusty floor, or perhaps dirt floor. A silvery sharp blade with a hole where the handle and the blade joined, laid atop two stands, a weapon holder, displayed in the center of the room. The handle was purple in its center, with a snake-liked gold curled around it.

"What's this?" Noah asked.

Riku folded his wings and introduced, "Magic sword, Lucky Seven! In distant past, were seven legendary swordsmithpon. Over course of seven years, forged sword from seven types of steel. No other sword like it in existing."

"Magic?" The kids weren't convinced.

"Lucky Seven?" Lanz questioned.

Riku tried to prove it, "Lanz, please to give good cleave with Blade and split clean in halves."

"Sure 'bout that? Better not pull some, 'You break it, you bought it' sneaky sorta deal..."

Riku opened his eyes wide, reaffirmed "Riku would never dream! Just put all of heft into mighty swing!"

"Weird ask... Err, sure!" He summoned his blade, "You want me to cut it, I'll cut it, I guess." He put his broadsword over his head, "Here it comes!"

A single slice and his broadsword split clean. Riku smiled at the result, while Lanz observed as he sheathed his blade, exclaimed, "Queen's beans! There's not even a nick in it!" The others went up nearer to confirm.

"Friend surprised? Indeed, is most prized of swords. Even armor of Ferronis get sliced to itsy bits!" Noah's eyes couldn't leave Lucky Seven now, but his look, to the translator, was pitying, as if the sword had done something wrong.

He dipped his head, speaking without confidence, "I think... I'll pass." Lanz and Eunie looked at him, shocked.

"Pass?" Riku wasn't sure why. "So, you not have need for?"

"Yeah. It's too strong."

"Hmmmm..." Riku thought for a while, perhaps on how to convince him, asked again, "Noah want Lanz and friends to kick buckets?"

He instantaneously rebutted, "No, what the spark?!"

"Same as letting friends die." He pressed on, now on a heated debate.

"No it's not."

"If friends not fight, cannot survive."

"Sure, but I don't need to use your sword."

"Then, why Noah not call Blade?" The others was confused what he meant.

Noah explained, "It's not out of choice, I just can't..."

Riku cut him off, sharply looking at him, "False! Riku see through like transparent!" Noah drew a step back. He continued, "Noah can call Blade! Just no big desire of fighting spirit!"

"Riku..."

Lanz prompted, "Hey, is he serious?" He sighed, like one whom lost all hopes. Lanz took a step forward, raising his tone "Noah?" A blade appeared before his face. Noah drew out his blade, a standard red Kevesi blade¹, then sheathed it. Lanz took a step backward.

"What the... All this time, huh?" he took a step backward, shocked and questioned. Noah looked down, didn't want to look at the others.

Riku continued his lecture, "If death is not option, should live. Only way is fight like life depends. Thinking of self... alone... is way of coward. Though, Riku know feeling well."

"I'm afraid..." He blurted out, tempestuously.

"Of fighting, you mean?" Lanz asked. He shook his head.

"Of this world. It's so brutal and relentless. And I'm afraid of what... we might... become."

"Mate..." Lanz looked at him, concerned.

Riku the mentor cheered him, "Ohoho! Riku knew Noah was hero material!"

"Huh?" Noah wasn't sure what he meant.

Riku looked at Lucky Seven, explained, "It true this sword possess incredible power. Might even rob enemies of many-much lives, yes. But, only those who understand nature of terror have right to wield..." Then, he looked back at Noah, "Eh, quote masterpon of Riku, anyhaps."

"So, if Noah can call Blade now, can still keep Lucky Seven, maybe in some kind of disguise. In different words, can turn it into sheath."

"Sheath...?"

"Can use it in fights like normal. But if ever push come to shove... Time will come when Noah truly need Lucky Seven's strength. Then, is only matter of drawing."

"When I truly need its... strength." His eyes laid on the sword, thinking, but hadn't understood yet.

"Exact," Riku assured, "If Noah never lose sight of that feeling, one day, such time surely come."

He looked back at Riku, "That is, if I can master it..."

"If fail to master, just give back. Can pick out different one!" Riku assured.

"Ah, right..." He seemed convinced.

"Please not to feel specially indebted to Riku -- just take! No need for overthinkings!"

By now, he had cheered up a little, "Hah! OK. I accept your offer. Oh, and... Riku?"

"What is?"

"Mind if I... change the name?"

"Meh?"

He smiled back and scratched his neck, "'Lucky Seven' just isn't doing it for me..."

"Aww...." Riku looked disappointed, with a long sigh.

(End of Memories)

The group continued their travel, sandy winds still blowing fro their side, and we still can see the two pillars behind them, as if they hadn't traveled any distance all this time Noah was storytelling. Mio curiously asked, "So... what name did you end up picking?"

"Huh? Uh... Name?" He turned to look at the sky, low on emotion.

"Uh-huh!" She teased him, "You don't wanna say? Or what, is it that embarrassing?"

"N-no... It's not embarrassing. That's not it." He looked down at the ground, denying.

Mio giggled, "Haha... I'm getting strong... emotional vibes here."

"I wouldn't say 'emotional' per se... Rather..." He looked up into the sky, lost in thoughts, maybe thinking of the correct word to express his feelings, blurted out quickly "something I miss. Yeah." She looked at him for a while, sighed, perhaps didn't see success cheering him up. He then told her, "You know, you're the second one that's noticed this weapon."

"Really? Is that something special?"

"It is."

"And the first? Who was it?"

"She's incredible," he replied indirectly, "and we... owe her our lives." They finally reached the detour to turn left, after a long walk. Noah and Mio had closed in behind Riku and Manana, and the others.

Ethel's colony. Streetlights turned on, but its range was limited by the extremely dusty air. The lights by the platform and ferronis control room displayed red. Soldiers were seen chatting at the platform extending on the same level as the control room's roof. Ethel stood inside the control room, looking out of the glass windows, her Iris glowed blood red.

Footnotes:

---

1: The "red" probably being the only difference, while other designs, like a "startup" button as its joint, is purely cosmetics.

Confronting Ethel, Confronting K, Smashing The Flame Clock

Lanz noticed something unusual, something stood out of the bleak environment. He walked towards it, Eunie followed behind. He knelt on one leg and examined the footsteps. "This'll be sketchy."

"Yeah... Agreed."

The rest of the team, noticing their absence, now gathered around them. Manana prompted, "What friends afraid of, hmm?"

Noah: "I'm seeing signs of patrols. Was it Colony 4...?"

Mio: "Colony 4?"

Riku explained, "Colony of badbutt elites, led by commander of great repute. Whole rest of Keves acknowledge their superiority."

Taion: "Are you certain? This is Nih'l Valley!"

Apart from the tall valley wall, there were another layer of lower platform that shrouded where they stood.

Lanz stood up, "Right. Like Riku said."

"But how can this be? How can their zone of control extend this far out...?"

Suddenly, a loud noise could be felt afar, the ground trembling with increasing magnitude. Sena first felt its presence, "Huh? Anyone feel that?" That alerted the others.

"A quake?" Mio asked.

Noah was the only one not in defensive posture: "No, it's..." He sensed its source, "Over there!"

Ethel's ferronis's claws appeared from behind a tall stone, its wheels crushing the stone into pieces, any stone, as it rolled on its path. The ferronis, its flame clock a third full, drove and parked at a distance from the group. Levnises and soldiers, appearing from beneath the ferronis, marched towards their location. From its top, blue globules of energy, cannonballs, were fired and landed in front of where the group stood, spitting out flames as it hits the ground.

The group ran for their life, dodging to keep themselves outside the blast radius. Just as they were about to run out of the valley, two cannonballs hit the walls of the valley, sending pebbles falling down, forcing the group to a halt as they watched rocks tumbling down as they turned and ran in the opposite direction.

Atop the head of the ferronis, ethel and her bodyguard, standing with their hands behind, watched, shouting at them, "There you are. You monsters." The guy raised his hand, ordered the volleys to stop firing as they waited for the dust to clear. From atop, we can see the rocks that tumbled down closed off the back route, while the ferronis occupied the front route.

"Us, monsters?" Noah couldn't believed his ears.

Then, Eunie pointed towards the top of the ferronis, "Noah, look!"

"That's... Ethel!"

Mio: "You said... Ethel? You mean Silvercoat Ethel?"

Lanz was surprised: "You know about her?"

"Even in Agnus, the name has spread far and wide. Silvercoat Ethel... A veteral soldier unmatched in strength. People would whisper... about how she felled three colonies at once with just a hundred troops!"

Eunie rebutted, "Yeah, but... this is Ethel!" Noah turned his attention back at Ethel, thinking of a solution.

Taion immediately spit out, "We know her name! So?"

"So, she helped us out once before! She was strong, but kind. She could still help." Then, Noah took bold steps out into the open. Eunie saw his move, prompted, "Noah?"

"It might not work, but..."

Taion raised his voice: "Noah!"

"It's all right!" Then, he dashed off by himself towards Ethel's ferronis. Ethel watched his move, but saw him as some abominable monsters enshrouded in thick black smoke with two red eyes glowing in the dark. Noah stopped in front of the ferronis, shouted at her, "Ethel! It's me! Noah, from Colony 9! You know us, you saved us back in Colony 14! You praised my Blade... You must remember!"

Ethel: "You say I helped you... in Colony 14?"

"You did!"

"Really?" She closed her eyes for a second, reopened them, trying to peer through the dark clouds but failed. "I've no recollection of helping, you!" Cannonballs with its trajectory targeting Noah flew as she spoke her last word. Noah ran just before flames engulfed where he stood, Lanz quickly stood out from behind the obstacle and stretched his hand out. As he caught Noah, he slung him behind the obstacle and blocked the attacks.¹ The cannonball landed so close, sending dust into the air, almost dislodging the group's balance.

"This is far from 'all right'!" Taion complained as they gathered around him, whom was sitting on the ground.

Mio: "It's pointless..."

"Sorry. I thought I could convince her. Should've known it wouldn't work."

Volleys blasting every inch of the ground in front of them like they costed nothing. The bodyguard again ordered for a stop as dust obscured their views.

Ethel: "Taking cover? Bad move." As her red iris glowed even brighter, she gained red-tinted X-ray vision that filtered out every obstacle, revealing the group's current location.

"Very well done, Ethel." Sitting in his quarters (presumably inside the ferronis), K was satisfied. He had borrowed his X-ray vision to Ethel, eyelids closed as the moebius sign glowed in his right eye. "I do so love your loyalty. Now, the enemy is before you. Chase them to the ends of the world. Not a single one of them can escape."

The bodyguard then ordered the levnises and soldiers to advance into the dusty air.

Lanz knocked out a soldier with the back of his handle, assuring himself, "Ngh! Yep, just keem 'em coming, no problem!"

Noah faced the opposite direction, looked into the night sky as brightly-lit balls fell from the sky at them. They quickly escaped their current position.

Riku: "Risky business!"

Eunie looked up while she ran, "Doesn't help that their cannons are way too accurate!"

Mio: "They shouldn't be able to see us from over there." The head of the ferronis wasn't visible from their hiding place, and they assumed vice versa.

"How they know location of Manana and friends?!"

As they passed some narrower part of the valley, Taion looked up into the sky, reminded, "The Iris."

"Meh?"

"Her red Iris is doing this. It's relaying our exact position to her troops!"

"Snuff this..." Lanz put one hand on his back and another on the back of his head as he trodded backwards, as if pulled by gravity than his own muscles.

Eunie shouted, "Lanz! 6 o'clock!"

"Spark!" He complained as he summoned his blade, squads of soldiers approaching from a distance.

"Again!?" More volleys caught Noah's eyes. Lanz and Taion raised the shields as it barraged in front of them. One of the blast devoured the soldiers that was just about to approach them, leaving husks behind.

Taion was surprised, "The soldiers!"

"Their whole squad?! Those heartless mudders..." Lanz was ruffled.

Noah: "Guys, pull back to the cave!"

Sena: "What cave?"

He looked behind, a cave entrance at a distance. "We're sitting Bunnits out here. In there, we can take cover from the volleys."

Lanz: "And after that?"

"Think about that later."

"No Plan B?"

"I didn't have time!" He lead the way and took for a run while the others followed.

K watched with both his eyelids opened. "You can't run from me, brats." He closed his eyelids and the moebius sign appeared again, playfully announced "I've got my eye on you!"

His x-ray vision was focusing on the group as purple fog disturbed his vision, rendering them unstable.

"Black fog...?" As the group continued running, Taion held his step. All the time he planned to not let the annihilation events determining their lives, and here they were.

K wasn't amused either, "Ugh, really? Suddenly fog? Heh! Ah, no big deal. It'll hardly slow me down. I still have eyes on the prize." With stuttering interruption, we could see Taion falling far behind, trying to catch up with the group.

Inside the cave outlandishly bright (given there were no glowing light source at their location), Taion was lost in thought, analyzing the situation.

"Hmmm..." Lanz seethed. As he saw Taion thinking, prompted: "Hey, Taion! Have you been hit?"²

"No..."

"Then what?"

"The enemy's acting strangely. Something's off."

Mio: "Off how?"

"Even when we engage, the other soldiers don't provide backup. It's like none of them have been given orders."

Eunie, from behind him, "You're overthinkin' it."

"I thought I was, at first..." Then, he turned to get someone to perhaps second him, perhaps noticed the same thing as he did "Hey, Noah!"

Noah nodded, "Yeah. I agree with Taion. They did seem kind of slow to respond."

Noah's words probably triggered something "Oh, no." He looked back towards the entrance. We could see the cave wall about 5 meters above them, with what seemingly looked like scratches.

There was an oasis below the elevated platform at the end of the tunnel.

Noah: "We can get down from the left side. With any luck, we can lead them the wrong way. (gasp)"

Suddenly, the ground was shaking. The ferronis parked itself to their right. Ethel jumped down from the head of the ferronis and landed in front of them.³

Eunie: "Ethel!"

"So unfortunate." As Ethel spoke, soldiers and levnises emerged from the tunnel and cut off their retreat route.

Taion: "Huh! She read us like a book!"

Noah: "Ethel! Do you really not recognize us at all?!"

"Disgusting..."

"Huh?"

"The sight of you things speaking the words of man... It makes my skin crawl!" She summoned her blades, prepared to fight.

"Ugh... We'll never get through..."

Lanz: "Come off it! Just what the spark does she see us as, Gogols⁴?"

Eunie drew her blade, "She's right there. Why don't you ask her?"

"Like we'll get a straight answer!" Her eyes now glowed bright orange, like someone stuffing the sun into her eyes.

One of her blade dug into the ground as she slid backward. She looked up, jumped into the air, and sliced, releasing a sword wave into the air, which Lanz blocked. The group now had their backs on the ferronis. Yet, the shockwave released was so strong a plateau in front of the ferronis came crashing down.

Lanz: "Ugh! She's way too good!" He resummoned his blade, knocked out by her sword wave earlier.

Eunie: "Well, I guess we don't call her Silvercoat Ethel for nothing, eh?!"

"Tight pinch keeps getting tighter!!!" Manana exclaimed.

"Mimi?"

"Understood." She then looked at Noah, asked, "Ready?"

Noah refused: "We can't."

"But... why not?"

"It's too powerful. We could just wind up killing her." Ethel strode nearer before stopping by a distance.

"Yes, but..." Ethel's approach cut her before she could finish.

Suddenly, her red iris seemed disturbed. She dropped both her blades as she covered it with both hands, crying in pain.

Noah: "What happened? She just stopped...?"

As she glanced at them with her other eye, the abominable monsters she saw so far was no longer stable. The actual form of the group appeared before her eyes in flashes, though insufficient for her to recognize: "Whh-what's... What am I... fighting against here...?"

Noah saw the chance, withdrew his blade, "Maybe now..." Then, he shouted out to her, "Ethel! It's me! It's Noah!"

"Did... you say... Noah...?"

He took a step forward. "Ethel!" It's not just the voice, but K had filtered the speech she heard. Meanwhile, K's moebius iris glowed stronger, trying to regain control.

"Oh, if needs must." He no longer sit behind the scene, teleported from his room. Seeing Ethel falling onto the ground, Noah tried to ran towards her as a purple electrical barrage fell from above, one foot in front of him. He evaded by taking 3 steps backwards.

K teleported in front of Ethel. She looked up, "C...Consul..."

"Really. This is why I can't stand fog." He shook his hands of the surrounding air. "And we were just getting to the good part..."

Noah's blade resummoned, now vibrating tempestuously.

"C-Consul... I... I'm... What... What am I...?" She looked up at him, trying to get an answer; but faced the ground as she got more confused.

K sniped back, "Silence! You were pathetic!" A new purple electrical barrage hit her as she groaned in pain, fainted thereafter. K walked away from her, towards the group.

"Ethel!!!"

"Heh. I suppose it's more fun this way." He get into a boxing stance, untransformed, mischeviously, "Well...? Don't you agree? It's the big bad boss. Boo!"

K was knocked back, panting as he was dragged along the floor.

"Did we do it?" Eunie was panting as well.

Noah: "Wait! Something's wrong."

As he stood up, purple electrical current illuminates his vicinity. The electricity, now turned pinkish, grew into a dome-shape in front of the group. As it rotates, purple-pink particles from the surrounding enters his body as he transformed.

Taion: "The light's being drawn in..."

Sena: "The same as when Noah and Mimi...?" After which they gasped.

Mio: "He transformed... He looks exactly like that other one...!⁵"

Well, not exactly the same. The one before had sharp (canines) teeth, this had flat teeth (molars). His right iris glowing red with the moebius symbol. He had a fin-like structure on his chin. His head had a fan-like very thick structure, like that of a bull. He had very strong muscles, a single moebius core⁶ attached to his chest (the last one got two, if you remember), and "leaf-like veins" on his hips and the under of back of his arm. A hula-hoop ring encircled his waist, floating.

"That Iris... So he was the one controlling the troops?!" Taion noticed.

Noah: "Moebius..." His blade's fluttered at an even higher frequency, emitting a higher pitch sound, the ouroboros sign could be seen on the ring that joined the blade and the handle.

Lanz: "But he's looking pretty hurt... Come on!"

"Waaaaaaa!" K opened his arms wide, "lives" were drawn in both from the battlefield and from the flame clock. The "lives" from the flame clock was "filtered" into green than red before entering him.

"Wha...?!" Lanz was shocked. The holes in his body illuminates green as it disappeared.

Eunie: "His wounds... They look like they're healing!"

Soldiers standing around, not joining the fights, were unable to lock their "lives". They collapsed as "lives" were sucked out of them forcibly. Levnises fell to the ground as the "liveless" soldiers lose control of it.

Lanz and Sena were running towards K as he was healing. K put his arms over his chest, like how boxing players protected their face, deflecting their attacks. As he landed on the ground, he looked back, "Any good?!"

His face emerged from behind his arms, moebius ring glowing. The flame clock, seemingly one-fifth filled, more 'lives' were drawn from. More soldiers fell onto the ground. Taion scanned his vicinity, "He did it again!" Then, looking at the flame clock, "No way... He's stealing from the Clocks?!"

Noah gasped as K laughed, "Hahahahahah! My dear boy... Your vaunted intuition... is shit!!!" A purple ball of energy wrapped around his right fist as he punched in on to the floor, sending shockwaves that threw the crew flying backwards. Ether bullets and Monds were fired before they fell to the ground. He didn't care about blocking, in a "meh" shrug posture.⁷

K continued, "I'm not 'stealing' from them. I, as Moebius, have the right to do with the Flame Clocks as I please." Mio and Lanz were launching their attacks on his backs.

He continued to draw more 'lives' from the Flame Clock, now one-tenth of its full gauge, and more soldiers fell to the ground. "You may hurt me as much as your hearts desire... But where there is life and vitality... I'm afraid I... shall... not... fall."

The holes on his body were glowing with green particles. They dissipated as he bent and put his index finger on Noah's blade, dragging it as it injured him, then healed almost immediately after. Noah watched his performance in front of his eyes, gritting his teeth but not daring to attack.

"Come now. Whyyy don't you give it your best shot..." Then, he stood up, dancing, "and HAVE AT ME!!!" As he turned his body to face Lanz, walked a few steps, and turned his face backwards, directing his speech at Noah, "Hahahaha... If you think you can!"

Noah saw that Ethel was wriggling on the floor as life was sucked out of her. Then, he shouted at the others, "Stop attacking! Eunie! Lanz!"

Lanz didn't obey his commands, slicing K on his legs as he replied, "You must be sparkin' joking!"

Eunie jumped on his shoulders and stuck her rifle in between his muscles (which have holes, for some design reasons), firing shots as she replied, "If we let up now, he'll take us down!"

"But... our friends from Colony 4...!"

The moebius punched the floor in front of him, sending rocks and smoke tumbling in a ripple. Giant rocks were sent his ways, which he didn't react. A group of mondos knocked him outside the affected region, a rock landing in front of him as he fell to the ground.

Taion: "Wake up, Noah! They're not your friends any more. They're his fuel!"

"Even so...!" He stood up, Mio ran to his left.

"Haaaaahahahahahah!⁸ These soldiers will nourish me like Glitter Radishes in season, and we can always grow plenty more!" He made dancing moves, treading his way with his backs facing them as he continued, "If I need a little extra, I can pluck them whenever I want!"

Noah was floundered, "He's killing more of our friends... the more we hit him! There has got to be a way..." Then, as he thought, he looked up, reminded by the Flame Clock, "What if we... But then..."

Mio urged, "What? Did you think of something? (pause) Come on!"

"The Flame Clock... What if we smashed it?"

"You what? How should I know something li-⁹... Do you mean..." Mio get what he was trying to convey.

The Moebius, glowed in purple, now floated up to the front of the Flame Clock. Noah continued to doubt, "But... What if we just end up killing everybody...?"

Both Noah and Mio were now half-knelt (with one leg) on the ground. Mio tried to convince him to try it out, "If we keep fighting like this... we're all dead."

"Rock and a hard place, huh..." Risk the Colony 4 soldiers dying, or risk them all dying.

The ferronis's wheel moved as it reversed.

"Whatever life is lost... I won't let you shoulder it all alone!" She looked at the direction of the ferronis with intensity.

"Mio..."

Above the ferronis, there stood 3 pillars aligning about parallel to each other. Electricity were released from all 3 pillars, centering on the center pillar, which a globule of purple energy ball aggregated. K was still floating below the head and the flame clock of the ferronis, about the height of the ferronis's 'chest'.

"Hah. I think it's about time we entered the final act!" The ferronis stood up on both legs, both legs had their ankles bent in front. He raised his right index finger, and the purple electric shot out a beam barrage on the ground in front of it, slicing the floor, sending mud flying off on both sides. Noah and Mio rolled towards their left as the beam sliced through their former position. As the beam were dragged about, it sliced not only the floor, leaving flames burning out of the 'hell hole' but sliced through the valley wall behind it before the rest of the beam blasted into the distance.

This was enough to tip his judgment. "All right... We'll try it!" Mio nodded back. Then, he turned and shouted, "Lanz!"

"What's up?" The group were on the other side of the flames, behind covers. Taion and Eunie were together, Sena in front of them while Lanz beside them on another rock.

"Draw his attention for me!"

"And then what?"

"I'll get in close... and destroy the Flame Clock!"

"Wha- But... If you do that..."

Noah and Mio looked at him sternly and obstinately, "We've got to. It's the only way. On my head be it!"

Lanz was shocked by their unshakeable decision. "(gasp) The spark are you on about? I'm not gonna let you take the fall alone!"

Noah and Mio eyed on Lanz as he analyzed the situation. K was ready for another beam barrage, his right hands held up in a readied position. "Nngh, snuff it. Fine! Have it your way. Get going! Eunie!"

"Cover fire? Leave it to me!"

"Taion! Sena! We need you too!"

Taion was shocked and confused for an instruction from a dumb head, "Huh?" Then, he laughed and smiled back, "Understood!"

"Just say when, guys!"

Noah: "Thanks, everyone... I'll count down from three!" Noah moved to the other side of their hiding place, counting, "Three... Two... One...!" The group stood up as they got ready. As he dashed, he shouted, "Let's go!"

From K's blood-red tinted vision, we can see they were separated into groups of 2 from 3 different direction. "Heh. I know what you're thinking. However..."

The ball rose up high into the air, firing in multiple directions. "If I keep on firing potshots... I'm bound to hit one of you sooner or later." The electrical beam barraged the ground at random. "Preferably SOONER!"

As Noah dashed, one of the beams exploded very near him, toppling him as he screamed unconsciously. Running in front of him, Mio turned her attention as another beam hit behind her, sending her towards Noah.

Lanz, back to back with Sena, saw their situation, "Oh crap!" They quickly dashed towards them. Noah on his feet, jumped towards Mio as he saw her fall, held his hands out to reach for her.

"Noaaaah!!!" "Mimi!!!!" As they held their hands out in sync, their will to protect had reached its threshold. A blue dim light illuminated their body surface, and swirling blue strips engulfed their flesh, reappearing in the yellow-smoke space.

Lanz, still floating in the air with hands held out position, Sena's memory floated around him. He quickly regained his step on the ground. Sena was no different with Lanz's memory instead. Their iris glowed with the ouroboros ring as they watched the shared memory fragments. Lanz, realizing what happened, smiled as yellow swirling bands swirled and engulfed them, turning them into circle core, which collided together and formed the ouroboros core. Outside, the ouroboros core reappeared as they transformed.

This was a purple cone-shaped head monster, with two string-shaped structure curled around their back, it's sword-like tip pointed to the front. There was a hula-hoop ring by their neck. Two spikes protruded from their back up, as if you sheathed two spears on both side of your shoulder with its tip pointing up. There are two bright eyes that replaced the temple, and similar half-eye that replaced his ears. Two shields were located at the back of their arms. It's leg 'wore' a high heeled.¹⁰

Just before the electrical barrage landed, he extended a purple frequency shield as his back faced. He was above Noah and Mio, the frequency shield created a dome that prevented multiple strikes from landing on the ground. Eunie and Taion looked from afar.

As the electrical barrage dissipated, Lanz's ouroboros ¹¹ landed in front of them, Noah prompted: "Lanz... That form... You mean..." He released Mio as she got up on her feet.

Sena didn't like to be forgotten, "Hey, I'm here too!"

Mio: "Sena as well? So then..."

K didn't give them time, was happy they gathered together than splitted out, "Well, lookee here... Fooound you." He threw a beam at them, which Lanz's ouroboros blocked, both hands over his head.

Lanz: "That mudder..."

Taion spreaded out his Mondo, Eunie stuck her staff onto the ground; their combination created a huge healing ring that rejuvenated the Ouroboros (and Mio and Noah, they were probably injured).

Sena warned, "Lanz! We can't keep this up!"

"Gotta... stick it out..." Lanz persisted. Eunie and Taion struggling to heal them, while Mio blocked her face from the brightness of the beam. "(disappointed grunt) Was that it?"

K: "All right. Now for the coup de grâce." He gathered an even larger ball of energy, so large it's almost as large as the head of the ferronis, and certainly larger than his transformed form. With both hands on top of his head, "Get a load of this!" This launch broke his defense, sending Mio and Noah flying off as Lanz's ouroboros got hit in the center of the beam.

Eunie looked up into the air, her eyes closed, shouted, "Noah! Lanz!" A blue glow along the surface of her body responded to her desire to protect, and was brought into the yellow-cloud space.

She opened her eyes as sounds from Taion's memory fragments interrupted her. She looked around to see his history. Taion was in a posture as if he's about to fall, a shocking face as he absorbs Eunie's memory fragments.

The yellow ring devoured them as they turned into the a circle core, collided and formed the ouroboros core. In the outside world, the healing ring exploded and formed a dome, sending a shockwave was sent into the distance, replenishing her teammates. The other four was glowing bright green as they got up from the ground.

Noah looked at his hands, "My wounds..."

Lanz's ouroboros also looked at his hands, "They're already gone."

As the dust thinned out, a thin ouroboros with two wings on her head, two broadsord-like structure floating on both sides; two pairs butterfly-wing like structure stuck out at the back of both her feet, one pair on each side; and two eye-like structure on her temple/ears, appeared. There was a hula-hoop ring, it's circumference attached to her back, 'pointing' slightly upwards¹², with two spike-like structure at slightly less than halfway through the ring.¹³

Looking at herself, Eunie exclaimed, "Did I... Uh... I did this?!"

Lanz's ouroboros: "Whoa..."

Taion sounded, "There's time for that later!"

Eunie was reminded, "Ah, right!" Then, looked at Noah and Mio, "Noah! Mio! Now's our chance!"

"Yeah!"

Meanwhile, K couldn't see anything, now that the black fog grew thicker, "Wha... The fog?!" He complained while tilting his head left to right in search for the team, "This is absurd! Can't see a damn thing... Ugggh!!! Where are they?! Where?"

On his UI, wherever he scanned, he could only see fog. "Where have they gone? I can't see... Can't see anything!" He covered both of his eyes with his hands.

Meanwhile, Lanz's ouroboros had got behind, launched himself high up into the air as he shouted at K, "Hey, mudder... Catch!"

He punched on K, sending him flying towards the floor before K could react. While he was flying,¹⁴, he didn't stop complaining, "Why you little... When did you get the jump on me? Well, in that case..."

Suddenly, Eunie's ouroboros appeared in front of him, "Now you decide to open your eyes? Bad sparking shout!" She caught his arms and give him extra force to reach the ground quicker. Her blades on both sides opened up like the wings of a butterfly. He crashed on the ground, sending dirt flying up but didn't create a crater.

As he struggled to stood up, "I... can't heal...!"

"Now, ain't that a snuffin' shame?!" While he was "three" on the ground, one hand on one of his bent leg, Lanz's ouroboros punched him on to the ground just as he was about to stand up, like a police pressing the criminal face onto the floor. He shouted out, "Go now! Do it!!!!"

Noah's ouroboros flew up straight at the Flame Clock, the sword from his back now held on his right arm, "Mio!"

"Yeah!"

Swords against Flame Clock, didn't even create a dent. As the sword got deflected, Noah can't believed his eyes, "Huh?! What the?! Did that not do it?!"

Mio: "How is it so strong?"

"Then... we'll try!" Lanz's and Eunie's Ouroboros, side by side, smashed at it full force, no change in shape. They slowly floated back on to the ground, like feathers.

Lanz: "No use... Bloody embers..."

K on his feet, danced¹⁵, embraced the ground, "Haaaaaaa.... Haaaa.. Haaa...! Oh, the futility! The Flame Clock... is life itself. One might say, a coalescence of the will to live. I very much doubt it's going to break THAT easily now, is it?"

As they dropped to the ground, Eunie's Ouroboros tucked her butterfly wings back.

Noah¹⁶, disappointed: "Sparks... We almost had it, too..."

"Hah. A fool's errand indeed." Purple mist¹⁷ evaporated around him. The Flame Clock sent beams of green to heal his wounds, as he joyfully continued, "But you now, I appreciate what you've done. For bringing your lovely selves... SO. CLOSE. UP. Because now I can look upon you..." with his index finger pointed on his right iris, "in all. your. radiance."

"Wahahahah" Arms embracing the air, he regained control of the beam barrage.

"M-meeeeeh..." Suddenly, Manana sounded from the side, with very short stones encircled them. "Lightning... s-so frightening!"

Riku tried patting on her, "I-it all be OK... Noah and friends will set things right!" Riku turned to meet his eyes with Noah, to remind him what he had bestowed with him.

Even armor of Ferronis get sliced to itsy bits!

That's the last piece of the puzzle he needed. Looking at the Ouroboros's blade, "If it can really take a Ferronis clean out... then maybe...!" Let's enjoy two second of silence.

"Mio! Try again! Cancel the Interlink after we jump!"

"What's the plan?"

"Looks like the time's come!"

"What are you talking about...?" Her eyes widened, only to realize the story from earlier, "Fine then. Ready when you are!"

They jumped back up at the Flame Clock with Lanz surprised, "Noah! What are you-"

They arrived in front of K, kicked him towards the ground and used him as a stepping stone to get higher up, even higher than the energy ball on top of the ferronis. Mio and Noah, separated at the top of the crescendo, with K watching as he fell backwards, "Y-your Interlink... But why?"

Noah held the sword scabbard with his left, the handle with his right. As the blue circle light on the sword ring faded, he shattered the scabbard withdrewing Lucky Seven; the pieces recombined into a red glove gauntlet, wrapped around his left arm.

Turning his head to his left, Mio's eyes met his, nodded at him as they flew closer to each other, grabbed each other's hand as they were within reach, then put their hands behind each other's chest, even closer together. As their dives came to an end, he raised Lucky Seven up high, gently pierced it into the as-hard-as-tofu Flame Clock, gritting his teeth, "HUUUUUURRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

Every inch they cut, 'lives' escaped the container, until it was in half, and Noah and Mio, his sword now withdrew from the Ferronis, free falling back to the ground. The container lost its purpose, blood spilled like water fountains from its wound.

K, still on his way to the ground "Im...impossible!" He held out his hands, trying to reach for the Flame Clock, moaned "The Flame Clocks cannot be broken! What is this?! Who. are. these. people.?!" He noticed Lanz's ouroboros appeared below the blood fountain, but that's not the point of attention.

'Lives' swiftly showered the ground, seemed not to enter the fallen soldiers yet, to the translator. K looked at his body, "Waaaa... The Flame Clock's power, utterly lost... No..." The purple glow on his skin diminished, leaving the dark purple flesh. "But hooow?!"

The Ferronis couldn't maintain standing, crashed on one side on the floor.

In the meantime, Lanz and Mio had landed on top of Lanz's ouroboros. Noah had sheathed the Lucky Seven back into its sheathed. He asked, "How's Ethel? Everyone OK?"

Then, he and Mio stood up as Lanz's ouroboros touched down, jumping onto the floor. Eunie and Taion had cancelled their interlink, with Eunie replying, "She's gonna be fine."

Taion added, "Seems she only lost consciousness." They were facing K, who wasn't awake from the shock.

"Right... That's good." Mio was scanning Lanz's ouroboros for a while, as he turned and saw Noah took a few steps forward, pointing his sword at K, whom had one-foot-knelt on the ground. "Which leaves..." Lanz also cancelled the interlink now.

Eunie finished his sentence, "Someone who deserves a real thrashin'!"

Lanz walked up as he and Sena summoned their blades, joining the others, "Playing with our lives like they're nothing... You're dead meat!"

K had just stood up and faced them.

"No... Nooooo!" Black smoke were escaping from a fatal wound in his chest, which he pressed against with his right hand. He held his left hand and head up onto the sky, asked, "But... why?! How could I have failed?! I just... wanted to play around a little more!¹⁸ Nooo... I don't want to diiiiieeee!!" He couldn't suppressed the black smoke anymore, escaping from his body like a fountain spitting water.

Noah was panting as he considered K's legacy. Certain that he fell forever, they sheathed their blades. It transformed back to humanoid form. They walked up to him.

Eunie: "Just playin' around, was he? Let's take a look at this ugly mudder's face."

"Yeah." Lanz agreed, knelt down beside his corpse as he tried to remove his helmet. "Stuck tight. How d'you get this thing off?" He found the button to release, a click sounded. "Ah!"

As the helmet evaporated off with a red glow, we saw an old man's face with wrinkles, short hair combed back into a fashion with applied gel, pointed ears with earrings, huge nose, thick brows, eyes wide opened grasping for more lives, mouth opened too, triangular chin, slicked-back dark hair. "(gasp) This guy..."

Taion: "He's so different from us... Is this what Consuls look like?"

Eunie: "All wrinkled... Just like Guernica. Is this what aging's like?" She turned and asked Noah.

To which he replied, "I dunno."

Ethel, awaken, slowly got off the ground. Noah saw her standing up. As her vision returned, she had a clear look at the group. The others were alerted by her awakening and turned to her, as she recalled Noah's face, "Ah... It's you..."

After Noah told her the whole story, she replied "I see. I'm so sorry. All I remember is that I was fighting against some abhorrent creatures... And you tell me it was you..." Then, she turned towards K, blue moats started to float out of his remains as she walked towards him.

Taking a clear look at his face, "So this is the Consul... This is how he really looks." Then, he evaporated into lights.

Eunie exclaimed, "He's fading... Just like during a Homecoming..."

As Noah looked at his moat, it seemed to brushed through him, hearing the remainder of his wish, "Nooo... I don't want to diiiieeee!!!" Noah's eyes lit up, wide opened. He looked up at the moat, seemingly realized something, and made his decision.

As he took out his flute from his back pocket, Lanz pugnaciously reprimanded, "Nope, no way. You're not sending him on. You realize how messed up that is?"

"Huh? You think so?" He lowered his flute as others focused on him.

"How do you not... Think about the things this guy did!"

Taion agreed and added, "He tried to kill us all, and rob the soldiers of their remaining life!"

"You're right. Both of you are right." Then, he turned to her and asked, "And Mio?"

Mio got awestruck for a second before replying, "Honestly..." She looked down to not face him, "I'm not... sure I would."

"OK..." He respected her beliefs. There was a moment of silence as he looked at the floating particles. Then, he made up his mind to go forward, with Lanz admonishingly cut him off, once again, "Oh, well just do it anyway!"¹⁹

He put his flute down again as he shared his feelings, "Just now... I felt his essence... brush past me. It felt just the same as ours." Then, he lifted the flute back to levelled with his lips, "So... I feel I have to do this, y'know?"

Mio, looking at him, recalled,

Mio's memories: Miyabi, crouched down; her hands hugging her legs, spoke out, "Mio... Have you ever touched a mote of light from a Kevesi?"

Mio standing beside her holding her flute, shook her head. Miyabi wasn't looking at her; perhaps she wasn't expecting a reply anyways.

Miyabi held out her left hand, "They're the same as ours. On the other side, the people live hoping the same things as us."

As she looked at Noah whom started the melody, she brought out her flute and joined him. He looked at her for a second, the melody undisturbed. Blue moat rose from his costume as it sounded, illuminating the ground in its vicinity.

Taion: "Well, he's started now."

Lanz explained, "Sometimes... he's just... too kind."

Sena tried to support them, "That or he just loves his job."

Manana asked, "He too 'by the book'!"

Eunie replied, "An airhead -- that's what he is. Don't think he's thinkin' about it too deeply."

Lanz crossed his arms, "Just doing it because it's part of his nature, eh?" Then, closed his eyes and shook his head, "Mmm... Weirdo."

Taion: "I concur."

"Mimi..."

Most of the essence floated straight up, as if into the heaven. As the melody ended, Mio stucked her flute back into her pocket, Noah's lowered it. He turned to her and apologized, "Sorry... You didn't have to help."

She shook her head, "It's fine. It's our duty."

"I'm worried... I didn't play well."

"But why? You did it expertly, just like last time."

"I still... can't stop shaking."

"Because of the Flame Clock?"

"Yeah... I was... terrified."

She looked up at the sky, lightheartedly told him, "Still... All thanks to your decision, we're alive." Then, she looked back at him, "You're really... something."

He didn't face her, "It was... a team effort." Then, he turned and look at the others, Ethel inclusive. Then, he looked up and see the final of the moats floating into the distance.

Footnotes:

1: It's not on screen, one just assume this is what he did as he did not hide just before a volley was about to hit him.

2: Translator wasn't sure how one could associate a thinking pose to "being hit", but oh well...

3: God knows how she did that without breaking her legs.

4: Gogols are a gorilla-like monster in the game

5: The latter sentence, translator actually can't recognize who spoke it, but associated it with Mio as the female voice doesn't sound like any others either.

6: This was the double-ring with an infinity sign in the middle, transparent purple

7: Unfortunately, one can't describe this better than this emoji: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

8: The first "haaaaa", if you were to imitate, you should laugh it in one go until your lungs deflated more flat than they usually does in normal breathing.

9: "li-" is "like" in full.

10: Meaning, as if it was wearing a high heel shoes; but it's an integrated one, not an external 'shoes'.

11: From now on, we'll name the Ouroboros based on who was controlling the ouroboros. With hindsight bias to look into the future, we would know there were 6 forms of ouroboros altogether, corresponds to our 6 protagonists, so you won't get confused.

12: Maybe 20° or so.

13: Imagine a straight rope with spikes on both ends, folded into a circle; the extra that overlaps will be on both sides of the ring, the point of overlap attached to her back.

14: which seemed to take somewhat too long for the distance between his original position and the floor and his flying velocity

15: God knows how he had been beaten so badly and still didn't forgot the dance.

16: Or was it Lanz, translator can't recognize the exact tone, though the Ouroboros in the picture looked like Noah's to one's eyes.

17: Moebius's energy.

18: Yeah, your dance, yeah.

19: This is spoke in an opposite tone, to mean the opposite of what you had spoken.

Colony 4, The Queens, and The Consuls

The ferronis, tilted on one side, its body features enshrouded in dust, rendering only its wheels and lights viewable. Dusty winds never stop blowing. The soldiers now woke from the ground, including Ethel's bodyguard. In the distance, we could see Ethel leading, the group followed behind. Oh, and a blurry platform, a rock on the platform, and a large fern, to add to the collection.

"Commander!" They dashed at her as they called out. The bodyguard first fixated his sights to Ethel's left, occupied by the Kevesi of the team, then to the right, where Mio and the other Agnians were following up.

"You're Agnus!" Alerted, he drew his blade, a broadsword like that of Lanz. Other soldiers behind him too. The group, including Noah's, got into a defensive posture, though didn't summon their blades.

"Lower your weapons, Bolearis!" Ethel ordered irrefutably.

Bolearis, the bodyguard, flabbergasted, "Come again?"

"I'll explain everything to you later. Please, Bolearis." She looked at him firmly, the last sentence in a softer tone.

Probably he wanted to grant her a favor, or maybe her orders were undoubted in nature, he obeyed, "Uh, sure..." The other soldiers withdrew their blades after him. The group cancelled their defensive posture afterwards.

"Then it seems, the Flame Clock is indeed gone, as you say..." Ethel was examining her iris, the Flame Clock originally at the bottom left wasn't displayed anymore. Bolearis and another guy were checking their irises too.

"And yet... I'm seeing nothing of these symbols you speak of. It seems evident you possess something... that we do not have." Confusingly, despite not being an ouroboros, her right iris displayed a "full-ring" like that of an ouroboros; similarly with Bolearis. Though, she certainly don't seem like she could switch classes with any of the others; there wasn't any weapon symbols displayed.

Currently, they were inside a room, but we don't have a full view of the room. An "oil lamp" could be seen on a table behind Ethel. The room was relatively empty where the group stood.

"I see... Sorry. For getting you involved." Noah apologized.

"No need to apologize. Exceptional as this is, I consider it a blessing to be freed from constant battle." She folded her arms as she spoke; the others ended their Iris examination.

"Glad to hear you say that. I was pretty worried."

Mio: "Are you sure... it's OK for us... to be hanging around here?"

One of her hands on her waist, she explained, "My troops are under strict orders. It's true you three are affiliated with Agnus... but we also owe you our lives. We should count our blessings, no?"

As they were leaving the ferronis, walking on the ground where the nurse-hat guy were dealing with lowering some levnises at the start of this chapter, soldiers on atop the platforms and standing by the sides, as if it's a "welcoming event," watched them as if they were a rare species living in the zoo. The ground floor of the ferronis where they walked seemed to have been cleared.¹ Mio and the others looked at the soldiers around them as they passed.

Eunie: "This feels awkward..."

Noah reassured, "We can stick it out."

Mio: "Sorry... This is kind of our fault."

"Don't worry about it. You heard Ethel, right?"

"Mm-"She nodded as they walked out into the darkness, living quarters seen outside.

Inside their assigned barracks, with beds on both sides of the entrance, and stools directly facing the entrance. Everyone was sitting except for Taion (and the Nopons), whom was thinking and recalling, speaking out his thoughts, "The Consul we fought back there..."

He looked up, Eunie pressed forward, "Uh-huh?"

"Oddly... he was strikingly similar to our own Consul." Behind Taion was the entrance, it's zip/doors wide opened. Directly opposite them, it looked like some shops or canteens with unrecognizable structures, perhaps a storefront?

Lanz blurted out, "Both sides are gonna have Consuls. Why's that odd?"

"More accurately, not just similar... They're the same."

Noah's eyelids and voice raised, "They're the same...? Are they really?" He turned to Mio and Sena sitting opposite of him, and both nodded back.

Taion continued, "Our colonies regard each other as enemies. But... if the Consuls giving the orders are the same, it means..."

Lanz pressed for more, "It means...?"

"Hmmm...."

Lanz impatiently demanded, "Come on... Just spit it out, man!"

Eunie added, "Are Consuls such a big deal? I thought they were everywhere, like your run-of-the-mill Nopon."

Both Riku and Manana jumped on their tiny feet, both "got shot by an arrow lying down"², strongly rebutted against her comments "Riku refuse to let remark of Eunie slide."

Manana supported him, "Got that right! Nopon are rare species world cannot live without! Protect at all cost!" Both of them had their wings tucked, as if they put their "hands" around their "waist".

Feeling awkward, Sena returned to the subject, "Uhh... Leaving Nopon out of this..." She turned to face Taion, "What's this mean? That these guys are mega suspicious?"

"Yes. I suspect they may be more deeply involved than we thought."

Eunie turned her attention away from the Nopon towards him, prompting for more, "Involved how, though? With what?"

"With the reason why we fight... With deciding our fate."

"Our fate." Mio looked down and think. Moment of silence befalled them as they connected the chains of thoughts.

Eunie broke the silence, "And the Queens? You think... they're in cahoots?"

He prompted as he put his hands around his chest, "What can you tell us about your Queen?"

Lanz: "I think we've only laid eyes on her once. Right?" He turned to Noah.

Noah seconded, "Yeah, at the Homecoming, I think. She had long, silver hair..."

Eunie added to the description: "Yup, real dignified. Proper pretty wings too."

Mio asked, "Wings? Like yours, Eunie?"

She pinched her right wings with her hand as she replied, "Sort of... But they were much more of a shining white."

Sena took over the conversation as she recalled, "Well, as for our Queen... She was relly elegant... Refined and graceful... And her ears... They were super long!"

She gracefully appeared behind Mio and held her palms up behind her ears, showing how long they were compared to Mio's, "Up to here!"

Eunie: "Hmm... Guess that means our Queens are different folks all right."

Lanz: "The Consuls are... kinda like the Queen's servants, right?"

Taion: "The Castle's. Their role... is to convey the Queen's directives to the colonies, along with handling admin and decision-making."

Eunie: "So, what? If we explain the deal to the Queen, you think she might actually get the picture, yeah?"

Lanz was optimistic: "Pretty much."

Taion was rather pessimistic, "I don't recommend getting your hopes up."

"Oh, yeah?"

Pushing his eyeglasses up, he continued, "The Queens sit at the very pinnacle of the hierarchy."

In a lower tone, more disappointments, "So you think they won't even give us the time of day, huh?"

"I'm saying they might be the same as the Consuls: our enemy."

Eunie, shocked, hadn't considered that thought: "What?" All enjoyed a moment of silence as they tried to digest the theory. Sena had sat back at her original seat, on her bed.

Mio added, "Also... Somehow, that Consul... He became Moebius."

Noah: "Or maybe... Moebius is the Consuls." Taion nodded to his conclusion.

Taion continued, "The situation's already dire enough. It'd be best to temper our expectations." The group fell into silence as someone sighed.

Atop the Kevesi castle. From this angle, we could see the double-flame-clock (6 o'clock-12 o'clock clockwise Agnian flames, anticlockwise Kevesi flame.) Two "thunder needle" pierced to the dark clouds above it. It seemed like the clouds was mixed with black fog.

Inside the queen's room, The Queen stood at her "seat" while soldiers lined up on both sides of the central pathway. A Consul was seen reporting to the Kevesi Queen.

"Is that so?" The Queen asked. "Colony 4..." The Consul, wearing a helmet that looked like a duck with its beak twisted pointing downwards, some wavy shape at both side of the helmet, skinny, and nothing else stood out, nodded.

The Queen held her staff, pointing it in front of her, ordered, sounding venomously, "Henceforth... all orders are rescinded. Eliminate Ouroboros at all cost! Make this known throughout the colonies!"

In the Agnian Castle, itself a building behind gates and walls. The building's has a square base, followed by a reversed pyramidon top of it, joined by a smaller room on its seemingly second or third floor. The largest square area was at the penultimate layer, covered a "normal" roof (that slanted down) as the final layer, and some roof designs like flaps.

Inside the room, the Queen stood on her "seat", a taller platform. Some flames were lit atop a metal pot that were placed on 3-legged stands. The tiles looked wooden, to translator, comparable with ancient Greek designs. Soldiers lined in a "triangular" shape, and probably a Consul reporting to her, though with the darkness, we couldn't see clearly other than its outer figure.

The Agnian Queen, wearing a mask, short hair, 'very tall ears' (looked to translator like metallic horns, to be honest), announced acrimoniously, "Ouroboros... has no place in this world. Their existence... must be erased without a trace!"

Update on the diamonds: Four rows of diamonds slashed out, the fifth row 2 of 5 slashed. Seemingly, 10 days had passed since the previous chapter.

Mio's Diary: We have endured the fierce fighting at Colony 4, and learned that the Consuls and Moebius are one and the same. Truths we took for granted continue to crumble at our feet... We have spent so long blindly walking the path set before us, without question. But we are more curious now, of our future selves... Of our purpose...

Footnotes:

1: Clearly, the ferronis already drove back to where it was originally at the beginning of this section.

2: This is a Chinese phrase, called 躺着也中枪。

Memories: Lambda, Taion, and Nimue

Cliffs higher than the clouds boundaried the valley, where steps of giant, long waterfall splashed on the lake below, creating misty vapor that shrouded its leg. Plants grown horizontally hung between the waterfall, and to both sides. A huge Agnian Ferronis stood with its two legs on the same level as the lake. On an island in front of it, several soldiers could be seen standing and communicating.

An Agnian, gelled spiky short hair, some remnants of his hair cut short by his ears, checking his iris, "... So, split into 3 units, our main troops go wide, and first to make contact withdraws...? What are you, a coward?"

Behind him stood a female soldier, young, seemingly having cat-ear-shaped hair, grew to her neck. At her left, a blue-haired Agnian, both ears with cyan crystals. They were checking their irises. Directly in front of him stood Taion, which the guy directed his speech to; and to Taion's right, a brown-skinned smooth long hair tied to a pony-tail boy, also checking his irises. A nurse-hat indigo-haired girl with some cyan-like horn, young, stood behind Taion.

Young Taion wasn't provoked by his remarks, "What was that?"

"Huh?" He replied blandly, a head taller than Taion.

Taion's body leaned forward, ardently pressed for more, "I asked you what you said! You think I'm scared, is that it?! I'll have you know my plan is textbook!"

The brown skin guy came forward and, with his arms, pushed him backward, "Drop it, Taion."

"...Let go!" Taion sniped at him, then he continued to speak to the gelled-hair, "Colony 13 is a complete enigma. Our data is incomplete."

The Agnian patiently rebutted, "It's just way too cautious, you clod. It's tedious, and it's dull." Then, he pointed to the Ferronis's Flame Clock, asked, "Can you see that?"

"If we don't eat now, we'll starve." The Flame Clock was only a-tenth filled, raising his voice, "We don't have the time to mess around!"

Taion rebutted, "What does-"

He cut Taion, lowering back his tone, "Look, Taiky-boy... I mean, we're Iron Lambda, yeah? The colony led by Commander Isurd. And this is some no-name backwater. We hit from the side, and we hit hard. Am I wrong?"

Taion scoffed for a while, lowering his head, floundered.

The guy pressed on, "What we need is momentum! Gotta play hard to win big!" He left Taion speechless.

In a tent room, lit by standing lights. Taion, with his dull face, stood while a female's voice sounded, "Right, I see..."

A female standing front-right of Taion was checking her iris. She had a clover-shaped brown string tied to her chest and beside her skirt. She had indigo hair, indigo iris, half of her forehead covered by hair, while the other part had 2 cyan translucent ice crystal pikes grew out like a horn. The crystal like structure also covered her palm and half of her arm adjoining her palm. She continued, "One team draws the sentries away, then the main force can strike en masse, where the flank will be left loosely defended."

On the map,¹ four blue dots on one side drawing many triangles² away to the right of the map, and there were three other blue dots to the left of the map. As she spoke, the three blue dots on the left moved towards a large triangle at the top left, probably Kevesi's ferronis. The four blue dot engaged with the smaller triangles following them on the right. "Seems optimal."

The girl stood in front of a table. Seated behind the table was a guy, probably Commander Isurd, scruffy-haired. The girl turned to Taion, "Is that right, Taion?"

Taion wasn't focusing, softly replied after the initial 'what is happening', "Huh-? Yes. Correct."

There was a moment of silence as their eyes met. "All right. If that's your opinion, we'll approve it. Yes, Isurd?" She turned to face the commander behind the table.

We can see there was two blue lines that drew like tears down both side of his face, extending from the midpoint of his eyes towards his neck. It continued above on his forehead, joined with a dip at the middle, with an "I" or "1" above it. He agreed, "Yes. If you say it'll work, I trust you. Happy, Taion?"

"Y-yes..." Taion weakly replied.

An Agnian soldier entered the tent at this moment, drawing their attention, "Commander, Strategist. It's almost time. The new Consul should be arriving from the Castle soon."

Isurd replied, "Of course. On my way."

The girl took out a time-showing machine that looked like a stopwatch with a cover from the back of her pocket, "My, that time already?" It was showing 9 o'clock. As Isurd walked to the front from behind the table, he prompted, "Nimue, why are you still using that gizmo?"

Nimue rebutted, "Now, that's not very polite, Isurd. This mechanical 'gizmo' is much more precise than the Iris clock... And unaffected by the black fog. Right, Taion?"

Taion, still lost in his thought, he stuttered back, "Huh? R-right...!" Their eyes met for a moment, the commander smiled for a while as he walked off, Nimue followed behind, and the soldier followed, exiting the tent. Taion saw them off.

In absolute darkness, someone wearing a Kevesi suit with a helmet, his eyes leaves a red trail as he moved, fired something at a distance. It landed in front of some Agnian soldiers, creating purple fog (Maybe poison? Certainly not black fog.) that blocked their vision and their oxygen intake. An Agnian soldier, holding his twin blades, cried out, "I can't see a thing! Seargeant?! Where are you?! Seargeant?!" He looked around him as he spoke.

"Wha... What's going on?!" A Kevesi soldier moved behind an Agnian soldier as he was still figuring out the situation, drew out his blade, and stuck it on him. His 'lives' escaped immediately. Other soldiers, one by one, were no different.

"Agh!" More and more soldiers die, only one with twin blades managed to ran out of the thick purple fog, mixed with 'lives'. As he exit the fog, he fell to the ground, his blades sheathed. Kevesi soldiers watched him struggled, slowly approaching from behind. As he tried to crawl away, the soldier arrived and stuck his blade onto him. He immediately returned to the Queen.

Agnian soldiers ran through a platform, arrived at the artificial bank of a gushing stream. They turned and faced the other direction. Purple smoke engulfed the distant area. We could see man-made structure in the huge cavern, seemingly a mine. Nimue and Taion was between the team.

Nimue turned and faced Taion, "There should be an exit through the southern water vein. Head straight for that."

Taion: "And you, Ma'am?"

"We'll hold the line here, keep them occupied."

Taion stomped forward, pugnaciously stared at her, "Begging your pardon, that's idiocy. And certain death!"

"Taion..." She took few steps forward and put both her hands on Taion's shoulders.

"You can't..."

"You all still have a future. Until the day of your Homecoming... Please, just live." Then, she held up his right hand, "And here..." She put the stopwatch into his hands.

Taion was afraid, "I-I couldn't...!" He looked up at Nimue, "I won't! Don't do this, ma'am!"

"Listen. I need you to live, Taion. You must! Flee for the colony!" She was smiling at him, he felt he's gonna lost something in this moment, his mouth wide opened, dumbstruck.

Nimue turned and dashed into the distance, several faceless soldiers followed behind. The young soldiers, the brown skinned pony-tail guy from earlier shouted, "Taion, get moving! Hurry!"

Taion snapped, "How?! How can I?!" He was still looking at where Nimue left, his hands still held the stopwatch. The young soldier with her ears crystal left, the pony-tail soldier grabbed Taion's by his left arm, dragged him along, "Taion!"

"Ma'am!" Taion shouted back, her hands stretched as if to reach Nimue.³

They jumped into the gushing current. As Taion emerged from underwater, as he was being washed with the current towards an opening, probably a waterfall, shouted with despair, "Ma'am! Nimue!"

A light came on, a Moebius wearing a feathered cape appeared, "Shouldnt've put so much stock in your Irises, K." He had a "horn" structure that stick out behind his helmet, like the motorcycle exhaust pipes, and some "earrings" that hung at the middle of the horn. "That is what you get!"

The moebius with a W on his head rebutted, "It's just bad luck. The plan was sound. If not for the black fog."

Ok, not a single horn, but double horn, the first moebius, looking from this angle. It looked like the moebius Noah and Mio first fought to the translator, "It's all about the skinfeel. You've only got eyes up front. That's why K lost. Sounds, the air, breathing... When you can feel all that, you don't need the Iris."

A female moebius, tall hat like that of a chef, and a fat ring wrapped around her neck, "And for all that, you still slunk back, tail between legs. Are you forgetting that fact?"

That fat moebius with fan-like structure sticking from his eyebrow teased, "Hehehehehehe, He's awful forgetful, isn't he? Huh!⁴"

The bull moebius crossed his hands, rebutted, "So? I'm still breathing, ain't I? I had a ball with them kids, right until I had to scarper."

The snakehead Medusa moebius came online, "Excuses are ten a penny."

The cowhead took a step forward at the medusa, "What are you implying...?"

"'Scuse me...?" A joker hat walked into the scene, "Is this a private party, or can I interject?" (S)He⁵ continued, "I was thinking I might head out alone next. Is that allowed?"

The cowhead interjected, folded his arms, "You wanna see with your own Iris, eh?"

"Pretty much."

Then, (s)he put his/her hands on the back of his/her neck, in a relaxed posture, "Plus there's Isurd in Colony Lambda, right? It'll be an extremely amusing situation. Don't you think?" Then, (s)he put his/her hands down, "Yeah. We'll have fun. I'm sure."

The cowhead first nodded in agreement, the lights went dark. Others followed to agree before leaving. He turned to his back before the lights went out.

Footnotes:

---

1: Surprisingly, flame clock showed gauge half-filled, doesn't seem to fit the previous scene.

2: One counted seven.

3: He probably kept the stopwatch not in the scene, otherwise, it would had dropped if not, given he reached his hands out palms wide opened, facing down.

4: This sounded with the Chinese "fourth tone", rather than "second tone".

5: Some words are male-ish, other words were spoken feminine. The gender, hence, can't be determined via the voice alone.

Cammuravi, Life, Helping Ethel, Goodbye Colony 4

Bolearis was speaking a a guy as he looked beside him. Then, he continued a sentence with him¹ before walking off. Noah and the others were entering the ferronis as he approached, asked, "You lot sleep all right?" The person he talked to walked off towards another direction.

Noah: "Yeah, like a log. Thanks for the room. You cleaned it out just for us?"

Borealis shook his head, "Nah, don't sweat it. Just a token from us higher-ups. My Iris's clock... I couldn't quite believe it."

The scene turned to the barren desert outside, "hox" with brown manes, a horn, black fur, and a squirrel-like tail scurried around. A lake or an oasis could be seen by the distance, with a red-leaf tree grew on this side, and some taller rocks that made up walls on the other side. Grass grew sparingly amongst the sandy dirt.

"So I went outside, hunted down a Hox as a test."

"And?"

He shook his head, in an exciting tone: "Didn't get snuff all. The Flame Clock didn't show, and neither did any motes." Then, he calmly spoke, "Looks like it's real."

Noah nodded: "Yeah. We were baffled too, at first."

"Anyway, we're all thankful to you. Flame Clocks don't work so good when you're Dirt. Hated having to worry about when my number might be up."

Lanz instantaneously reacted, "Wait, Dirt...? I thought Ethel's rank was Silver? It was when she saved our hides, wasn't it?"

Borealis looked for a while, then closed his eyes, "Well. Snuff happens."

(Start of Memories)

Borealis continued to speak to the team as he recalled, "Cammuravi... Heard of him?"

In a battleground covered by dark dirt. Nothing was growing in the area. The distant mountains enclosed the duet ground. A guy with a hand by his forehead, a short beard along his chin to his ears, having a flaming head and flaming red-painted shoulder plate, his weapon that of a broad-tipped yellow-green glowing spear. He was driving a ferronis, inside its control room.

"Call him the 'Smoldering'."

His ferronis, a flame clock in the middle of his chest, with some plates that stuck out of his shoulders and back, wielded a flaming spear. At the distance, we could see another Agnian ferronis not joining the fight. Levnises were seen lined up in front of the "living quarter" ferronis.

"The greatest warrior in all of Agnus. The commander loves to spar with the guy."

Ethel wielded another ferronis, with rings to its shouders, wielding dual sword, fighting Cammuravi.

Mio: "I know him. They say his spear technique is unparalled; that and he's an ace Ferronis pilot. Wow... So Cammuravi and Ethel were rivals..."

Soldiers, including Bolearis, stood straight with levnises behind them, watched the duel.

Borealis continued, "That's right. We've fought against him who knows how many times now. Took our share of damage... But then, so did they."

"One time, one of his Ferronis's knee joints blew clean out." Electric sparks appeared on Cammuravi's ferronis's right knee joint, causing it to fell to the ground. Ethel took the chance and slayed fragments out of Cammuravi's ferronis as it fell backwards. Cammuravi climbed out of his ferronis thereafter.

"Ahh, most likely, it was a failure of maintenance. The commander could've ended it then and there."

Ethel's ferronis's sword pointed at Cammuravi as he knelt² Ethel did nothing to him. They looked at each other, not moving. Ethel looked through the eyes of her ferronis.

"But no..."

(End of Memories)

Ethel approached from behind him, "Telling other people's tales again? Not very endearing. Cut it out." She stopped beside Bolearis, looking at him.

Bolearis was shocked by her appearing, shouted, "C-Commander?! A-apologies, ma'am..."

She scoffed, "I'm joking."

Noah prompted for a continuation, or maybe, for an explanation: "Ethel."

Ethel continued, "It became a tremendous scandal. The Castle stripped our colony of our Silver rank, demoting us to Dirt." Then, she turned to her right, looking over Bolearis, "but look!" The other faced where she looked.

Soldiers were meddling with the hexagonal-prism-shaped cylinder. Some soldier were soldering something. Others stood as they listened to a higher ups speaking, then did the Kevesi welcoming stance.

"They were made the lowest of the low... and still they chose to stick by me. Even though it meant having to live day to day... That, is why I must prevail, over him."

Mio, in her appreciation stance (palms wraping around fist, put it to her chest, optionally looking down if she's thinking): "Huh? But you're..."

"Free from the yoke of the Flame Clock, yes certainly. However, this is another matter." She folded her hands and shook her head.

Noah wanted something more precise: "What is it about, then?"

"Hunger. Pride. Desire. Joy, maybe... It's a little hard to put into words... But something along those lines. I haven't all the time in the world,... and my troops understand this full well. For me..." She paused for a while, "well, all of us, really... a rematch with Cammuravi is everything. And that... will give purpose to the remainder of our lives."

Mio: "A purpose... to life..."

As Mio was thinking and absorbing, Taion interrupted, "Right, OK... On an emotional level, I could understand."

Eunie was fascinated that a logic-head could be 'emotional', folded her hand and teased, "Wow, really?"

Taion rebutted, "I didn't say I agreed. I just see her point of view, that's all."

Ethel: "Ahh all right now. Let's put a pin in the philosophizing." She turned to Noah, changing the topic, "When we talked last night, you said your destination was... Swordmarch, as I recall?"

"Right." Noah nodded.

"Come along." She and Bolearis lead the way.

Inside the ferronis commander's room, tables arranged in a rectangular shape with 3 sides closed, the only side opened was towards the entrance. The group stood there facing the glass panes (windows). Ethel was transferring data to their iris.

"This right here is Swordmarch." A map came onto their screen. There was a huge hole in the middle of the map, presumably not land, or maybe impassable. "Well, that part is common knowledge, I suppose."

Ethel continued, "To get there, you have a few possible routes." Plotted on the left of the 'impassable'³ was their current location, and they need to get to the right. "Mainly, the northern and the southern." (Both routes go around the impassable). The southern route seemed like lands, nothing too special. The northern route seemed to be joined by something "empty", and since they aren't impassable, we'll assume it's water bodies for now, maybe sea or ocean, given their wideness.

"And then, the direct route, cutting through the ocean vortex." This directly cut through the 'impassable', the ocean vortex as they called it.

Taion, in a shocking voice, "You don't say... That works?"

Ethel shook her head, "Nobody's done it before."

Eunie: "Such a tease..."

Strong winds, that comparable to a giant hurricane or giant tornadoes, blew on the surface of a sea, drawing misty water vapor with it. A Kevesi ferronis is seen trying to penetrate the strong wind. "You can try to approach it from sea or from air..."

"but soon as you're close to it, you'll end up being ripped to shreds." Electric sparkles from the ferronis, itself blasting into flames, taken up into the tornado as it blasted completely.

"Trust me, it's not just the waves and the wind. We believe there's some other force at play there. And so... Through elimination then, these two." The line that cut through the 'impassable' was erased from the map, and she continued, "and quite frankly, I wouldn't advise going north." The northern line changed from blue to red.

Noah asked, "Why's that?"

Ethel took her fingers off her temple, "the road's dangerous, and it runs right past Agnus Castle territory. You'd have a hard time getting through." She shook her head.

Sena praised Taion, "Taion, turns out you were right!"

Taion pushed up his glasses as he enjoyed the vanity, "As always."

Ethel added, "Additionally, you are Ouroboros. If you face another Colony, you may find the same thing happening as did with us."

Lanz folded his arms: "I'd feel safe betting on it."

Ethel continued, "If you go south, the battle lines are relatively fixed. If you can proceed along this route, you'll get there in about two months."

Mio looked down, "Two months..."

Noah sighed.

Ethel degraded their hope even more: "But..."

Sena: "But? There's more?"

"Even if you reach the Sword... This... 'City', yes? It's hard to believe you would find it there. It seems far-fetched."

Noah: "How so?"

Ethel shared an experience, shooked her head "Once, we had to advance across this region ourselves. It was empty. Nothing but the Sword piercing the landscape. And then... There's that word you mentioned, 'City'. What could that possibly mean? Is it a person? Or a thing?"

Eunie turned to Lanz, "When Guernica talked about it, it sounded kinda like a colony...?"

Lanz: "Uh...? I was pretty sure it was an object..."

Ethel pressed on, "Will you still go there? Regardless?"

Noah nodded, affirmed, "Yeah... That was the idea... For a chance to live on." Mio looked at him, as well as Ethel. There was a moment of silence.

Ethel disrupted the silence, closed her eyes, "Then there's no more to say. Bolearis!" She turned to face him, whom stood straight like a palm.

"Ma'am!" He shouted back.

"Our guests will be leaving soon. Let's give them any assistance we can."

"No worries!"

Then, she turned to the group: "Feel free to use the facilities here at your leisure. Get ready for what's ahead."

In front of a canteen, Mio and Sena could be seen lining up by a canteen to take some food. A kevesi soldier before them took two rolls with mixed stuffs inside, unrecognizable to the translator, two brown buns maybe, and some tomato-colored soup, all on a tray with sections, before he walked off. Two trays could be seen put in front of Mio and Sena, the rolls weren't ready yet so they waited. Sena was looking down nervously. Soldiers like the brute guy who talked about Ardun meat to the nurse-hat stood at one leg of the tent with another female soldier, looking at them. Other soldiers seated by the table or walking in the canteen looked in their direction too. Mio was undisturbed.

Sena turned to Mio, "Uhh, Mimi...?"

She loudly replied without shame, "Relax. We're just doing what Ethel said. Just using the facilities at our leisure. You have to eat, else you won't grow."

Sena eyed the soldiers from the tip of her eyes, whispered, "It's just..."

"Don't let them get to you, yeah?" She smiled back at Sena.

"Ummm...⁴"

Someone sounded from behind, "Hey." They turned. It was the third guy when they first released their flame clocks, stood beside Bolearis and behind Ethel when they first drove the fallen ferronis back to its original location. He had some weird scruffy hairs covering one side of his forehead, and his ears too. He stood behind the girls as they turned to face him.

He showed them something, to which Mio asked, "What is this?" Translator couldn't recognize the object, probably a brown hankerchief? Or some remnants of clothes?

He continued, "It used to belong to my friend. He always wore it, till last year." Mio breathed in deeply.

"Yes. He died. Fighting against Colony Psi. You animals killed him. Shot him right here." He pointed his index finger at Mio's glabella⁵, "Clean through." He put his index finger down.

Sena shouted back at him, "You're wrong! We're actually from Colony Gam-"

Mio raised her hand in front of Sena to silence her.

"Mimi, what?"

Mio ignored Sena, looked at him as she put down her hand, "If that's what you want, go ahead and shoot. It's not like I'm a hard target."

"Now we're talking." He looked at her term symbol, sneered, "Oh, what? You're nearly done anyway. Well then, keep your lousy embers. Die today, or in three months' time... Not much difference." Mio gasped.

He turned his body to his side, head still on Mio, "Ah, just... mind you don't get poisoned before your time's up." They watched as he walked away.

Sena commented, "What a jerk! So uncalled for."

"Sena. It's fine. He was right, we did kill people. Maybe not his friend, but certainly others." They turned back to face where their food tray was.

Sena rebutted, "We had no choice! If we hadn't've, we'd be goners."

Mio repeated: "We had no choice... Yeah, that was clear, until now. But not any more. Right?"

"Uh-huh!" Sena nodded.

She turned to look at the guy, still walking in the distance, as Mio continued, "There's a chance... we can make amends. Even if we're misunderstood..."

Suddenly, some food was put on her tray. Hearing the sound, they turned and and found extra portions piling up, like hills, which translator counted 10 of them⁶. "Huh?"

The person whom served them, wearing a black short chef hat, having tanner skin to both sides, split at the middle of both his eyes, red iris, smiled to the girls, "On the house. Eat your fill, friend."

Mio: "Huh?"

"We're Dirt rank, remember? Life ain't easy here, but you did help. Besides... You gave us a choice. (pause) The choice not to fight. Now, we won't have to take others' lives. I've... I've wished for this. And you made it true. Thanks for that." He added the same mountaineous portion to Sena's tray before moving off.

Mio saw him off, smiling. At least she had made someone's life happier, despite.

(Start of Ethel's Hero Quest) 7

One morning. Seated by the rectangular dining table, Lanz, seated at the short edge, took the lead, "OK. So what now?"

Taion, to his left, analyzed the situation: "I believe the southward route is currently blocked by rockfall. I would estimate that clearing it will take some time..."

Noah, seated directly in front of Taion, agreed: "I guess we'll just have to wait till it's done..."

Mio, sitting next to Taion: "Uh, guys. Can I say something?"

Eunie, hamburgering Riku with Noah, got into a focused position, "Huh? Sounds heavy..."

"I've been thinking and... I think there might be something else that we could try."

Taion: "You mean, about Colony 4...? It's hardly your responsibility."

"Taion, it's not quite like that... I mean, if I see someone in trouble, I just want to help them. Maybe it's not a sense of responsibility, exactly. It's more like a natural reaction."

"Oh... You feel that even for a former enemy?"

She nodded. "That's how I feel about it... Right now, at least."

Sena, sitting next to Mio, "Mimi... Your heart's big enough for everyone to have a slice."

Noah seconded Mio, "OK, well, no time like the present! Let's do something to help!"

Lanz: "Yeah, why not? Ethel helped us out way back, after all."

Eunie, getting back to her relaxed position⁸: "Now we've got a chance to give something back, right?"

Taion: "... I suppose it'll help us earn their trust. And kill a bit of time, maybe."

"I... I think Mimi's right!"

"Guys... Thanks."

Lanz, moving the topic forward, "Right, well, that was heartwarming, to be sure. But what are we going to do the help exactly?"

"Lanz, you need to expend some mental energy on it yourself instead of blurting questions. I get this may be tricky for you."

"Oi, watch it, buddy!" Lanz snapped back at Taion.

Noah suggested: "Well, if we're going to do that, perhaps a little intelligence-gathering is in order."

Eunie seconded, "Yeah, I guess we gotta. It's one thing to want to lend a hand, another to know where to stick it."

Mio: "I guess we'd better ask around the colony then!"

Sena looked down, "Hmm..."

Mio asked, "Still feeling weird about this?"

"N-no... It's just..."

Eunie: "What, worried about helping the bad guys? It's a bit late for that, love. Anyway, if anyone tries to stir the pot again, we'll just punt 'em under a Levnis, right?" Then, she wryly glanced sidewards, "And by 'we', I mean Lanz, obviously."

Before Lanz could reply, Taion interrupted, "I'd like to call ixnay on the punting, if it's not too much bother. I'm afraid it would get quite messy."

Lanz: "C'mon... It was just a figure of speech, mate." Taion tilted his head aside in disagreement.

Noah: "OK then! Everyone good to start asking round the colony to find out how we can help?"

(A day passed, evening. They were seating around another dining table at the canteen, after they gathered the intel.)

Noah took the head start: "All right, let's recap."

Taion: "Injuries from local monsters, trouble owing to the Colony's location... There were also some more urgent cases, with more wounded appearing by the day."

Sena: "Yeah, the medic team seemed super busy..."

Mio: "It sounded like they couldn't provide adequate care, so they had always more patients coming in."

Lanz suggested, folded his arms, "I got the feeling they could deal with the staffing problem if they didn't also have a 'not enough stuff' problem..."

Sena: "You mean, if they had, like, drugs and bandages?"

Taion: "Those kinds of medical supplies are difficult to craft without specialized facilities."

Eunie: "Well, we're in the arse end of nowhere, and therefore bang out of luck."⁹

Taion: "Precisely. It's only a matter of time before all the supplies start running out."

Lanz: "Spark it all. So what, we're up a creek with no paddle...?" The group breathed out hard, been going in circles.

Mio: "But we have to do something...!"

"Hmm..." Noah was thinking for a solution, eyes closed.

Taion: "...Ah! Hang on... No, that wouldn't... Or would it...?"

Eunie got annoyed, "Taion, if you've got something to say, then do, or by the Queen's knuckles, I'll slap you."

"Yes, but... Hmm, then again..." Confirmation is more important than Queen's knuckles, eh?

Noah prompted, "What is it, Taion?"

Mio: "Did you come up with something?"

"... First of all, I have to say there's no guarantee."

Lanz: "Spit it out, man. We can work out the kinks later."

"... I hear you. Then let's leave, this instant."

Eunie found it insane, "You wot? Oi! Where are we off to now?!"

"Galghour's Menhir. If we're lucky, we might make it in time."

"In time for what? You're not making sense!"

"I said we have to go this instant. I'll explain when we get there."

Noah: "Eunie, drop it. Let's just do as he says." Eunie shook her head, but whatever.

===

After the group left their tables, on the way to exiting the colony, Bolearis came running up towards them, "Hey, you lot! Got a second?" He sounded agitated, like he lost his coolness.

Noah prompted, "What's up, Bolearis?"

"It's the commander!"

Eunie: "What's the commander?"

"I haven't seen her for ages! Do you know where she is?"

Sena: "Um, I don't think we've seen her?"

"Are you sure? You haven't seen her at all? Think very carefully!" He bombarded them with really fast speech. The group looked at each other, they shook their head, raised their arms, shrugged.

Bolearis was disappointed, spitting out his worries, "She wouldn't hesitate to die for the colony if it came down to it! And she's so strong, that she'll bear any burden alone, however heavy! If anything were to happen to her, then Colony 4... then we'd...!"

Lanz: "OK, OK, calm down."

"Ugh... S-sorry. Got carried away."

"Yeah... Yeah, don't worry about it."

"If you see her, just tell me, OK? Sorry to have kept you."

Noah: "Y-yeah..." Then, he walked off in the direction of the ferronis, the others towards the left where the entrance was.

(Outside at an elevated platform, probably Galghour's Menhir)

Noah saw Ethel in the distance: "Ethel?" Where she stood, the ferronis lay in the distance to the left.

Ethel turned as the group approached her, "Oh, it's you..."

Mio prompted, "What are you doing here?"

"That's what I was-" Ethel shook her head.

Something caught Sena's eyes, "Wait, look over there!"

To their right, there was a huge patch of red smoke arising. It came from behind a half-buried ring.

Noah was reminded of something: "Was that a supply drop?"

Ethel replied, "Yes. Sent from Agnus."

Noah: "How can you tell?" Behind them, quicksand was flowing down from a higher platform.

"We got word that an advance troop from Agnus had been seen in the area. And if they're in the middle of enemy territory, it has to be due to some kind of operation. The supply drop must be timed for the arrival of a main force."

Taion cut in, "Funnily enough, it's that supply drop we're after."

The others were surprised, and Noah prompted, "Did you know about the Agnian troops, Taion?"

"I've known about the presence of Agnian forces in this region for a while. I could never verify that supplies were being dropped, but I won't say I didn't suspect."

Eunie stoically replied, "Oh yeah? Well, looks like you can verify it now."

Ethel figured their motives from their conversations, "From the way that you're talking, it sounds as though you're after supplies too."

Noah explained, "Well, medical supplies specifically. We thought Colony 4 might need them."

"I see. Then it looks as though we happen to have the same goal."

Mio was surprised: "Really...?"

Lanz complained to her: "Bolearis was looking for you. You didn't actually come alone, did you?"

"Uh-huh... I actually did. Your understanding of the situation is correct." She shook her head, "and I can't risk any more casualties."

"So you thought you'd go and take care of this yourself, huh." A giant triceraptor-like creature lurked in the distance, very near to the ferronis wheel.

Mio: "In that case, we-"

"I said I couldn't afford any more casualties, and that includes you. I appreciate that you're willing, but Colony 4 is my responsibility."

Noah reprimanded, "We want to work with you, Ethel."

"Be that as it may..."

Mio cut her off, "We've already made our minds up. That's why we're here."

Ethel tried to dissuade her, "You might end up having to cross swords with people from your own country.¹⁰" Noah looked at Mio. She got into her appreciation stance, didn't know how to choose for the moment.

Noah helped her redirect the question back at Ethel, attracting her attention, "Talking about avoiding casualties... You know that includes you too, Ethel, don't you?" Mio looked back at Ethel, nodded in agreement.

"Hm..." Ethel lowered her eyebrow, sternly looking at him. Noah frowned back, weren't willing to give in either.

Ethel finally compromised, "... I yield. I can't very well refuse you now."

Lanz affirmed, "Don't worry, Ethel. We're not who we used to be." He's referring to their kids stage long ago when Ethel saved them.

Eunie: "Yeah, we won't drag you down."

Taion ushered, "Then if we're agreed, let's hurry and pick up those supplies."

"Apologies. And thank you all."

Nighttime. As they approached, they saw two Agnian soldiers standing in front of the supplies, surrounded by wolves. Several Agnian corpses were already lying around them.

Lanz: "H-Hey... Something's not right."

Sena: "W-what do we do?"

Taion: "Huh?"

Noah: "No time to daydream. We have to hurry!" Ethel made the first move, summoned her blade and ran towards the wolves, slicing one on her way and killing it.

The group caught up from behind, Noah shouting to her, "Ethel!"

"You're right, Noah. We have no time to waste... Let's rout those nuisances." Together, they summoned their blades and face the wolves, which now turned to face them. The two Agnian soldiers ran off to the side, away from battle.

(After the fight.)

Lanz, after sheathing his blade: "Phew, glad that's over."

The rest of the group sheathed their blades too, except Ethel. Eunie reminded them, "Yeah, just one thing left." The two injured Agnian soldiers were standing between them and the supplies.

Mio, in a whisper¹¹: "Ethel." She wouldn't want to have their blades pointed at Agnian soldiers, but she couldn't help Ethel made her decision, either. She was worried about her decision.

"Huh." Ethel sheathed her blade, to the Agnus soldier's surprise.

"Wh-what?"

She shouted at them: "Take your wounded and get out." A second later, she shouted to them sternly, "Leave now." They quickly ran off into the distance as she watched them off.

She closed her eyes, directing her question, "Did I do the right thing just now... as a Kevesi commander?"

Noah reaffirmed, "There was never a reason for any of us to fight in the first place. You did the right thing, in my opinion."

She turned and faced him, "The actions you believe to be correct don't always lead to good outcomes. Some situations aren't salvageable. That's the nature of war." Then, looking down on the ground, "It's beyond anyone's control..."

"Ethel..."

After having some time for herself, "I'm sorry. What a tedious thing to talk about." Then, she looked at the supply drop, "We'll recover the supplies and head back to Colony 4. I'm afraid I'll need you all a while longer."

(After they recovered the supply drop, as they crossed the barricades to enter the colony)

Bolearis shouted from a distance, "Commander! Commander! Commander Ethel!!!" He ran up to her and complained, "I looked for you everywhere! Where in blazes were you?!"

Ethel patiently replied with instructions, "I went to fetch medical supplies. Distribute them to the med team."

Bolearis unconsciously acknowledged, "Yes ma'am, I'll-" Then, he realized he almost got sidetracked, "W- ah, wait! No, Oh no, no you don't!"

"I'm sorry for making you worry. Just, please. I did this for everyone."

"I understand your feelings, but... Agh! Well, I suppose at least you're unharmed." He don't know how to put the situation into words, maybe.

Ethel turned to Noah's team: "That's twice you've helped me out. I owe you another one."

Lanz: "Nah, don't worry about it. We were acting of our own free will."

Ethel smiled back, "Then to reward your efforts, I'll work on getting our injured up and about again." Then, she turned to her bodyguard, "Come, Bolearis."

Bolearis did the Kevesi welcoming stance, "Uh! Coming!" Noah and the team watched as they walked off into the distance. Bolearis walked in line with Ethel, not like the usual one step behind.

Noah called out, "Ethel."

"Hm? What's wrong, Noah?" Noah closed the distance between them as both turned to face him. The rest of the group watched without moving.

"I was thinking about what you said. 'The actions you believe to be correct don't always lead to good outcomes.' "

"Mm..."

"If someone like you says it, then I don't doubt it's probably true... But, back then. You helped us. You saved us. You risked your life. Thanks to you, we're alive right now. I can say with certainty, that's a good outcome. That's the only thing I'm certain of, actually."

"Noah, you..." She felt speechless. Lanz and Eunie came up front and stood one step behind Noah, to support him. "And we never properly thanked you."

Lanz was reminded: "Huh, so we didn't."

Eunie too: "Oh, yeah!"

Together, they did the Kevesi welcoming stance, with Noah speaking, "Silvercoat Ethel, we want to formally thank you for your courage."

Ethel lowered her eyebrow, "Heh..." She and Bolearis replied back with the Kevesi welcoming stance. She admitted, "I can hardly recognize the three of you." As she turned to her back, "I'll continue to do my best to live up to my nickname." Then, she walked off into the distance with Bolearis.

Mio got into her appreciation stance as she looked at the three.

(End of Ethel's Hero Quest)

A quiet night.

In their assigned barracks, Mio was alone, combing her hair, looking at a handheld palm-sized mirror. It reflected her term symbol. She looked at it closely, concerned, "Another bit... thinner, I think..."

"Haaaah... Best bath ever." Sena gleefully exclaimed as she got near the tent. Mio turned and saw her walking in, then returned to comb the left side of her hair with her right hand crossed over in front of her.

"Mm? You takin' a dip, Mimi? It's nice and warm!"

"Uh, I might skip today. It wasn't really a sweaty one..." She tried to sound confident, replying with loud and clear voice.

"Whaaaaat?! How can you miss a hot bath opportunity? Then again, I guess when you smell so nice already, maybe it's no problem" She walked and sit by her bed, facing Mio. Mio turned her head slightly to face her, but since she sat at the short edge of the bed, her body still faced forward.

Sena continued: "Are you, um... embarrassed about other people seeing you? There's no need to be! Miss Ethel thought of everything. She even managed to give us a window when the bath'd be empty."

Mio was looking down, her fingers pressed against her bed, perhaps thinking about something or maybe just ears facing Sena. As Sena finished, she looked at her, commented, "Ah, yes. I didn't know that." She smiled for a while before turning away, her smile faded, perhaps thinking about her time left, and what she wanted to do while she last.

Sena caught her tempestuousness slightly, but before she could think deeper, Mio stood up, "I guess maybe I will take... a dip."

Sena cheerily replied, "Attagirl!"

"Mm, OK. Don't wait for me."

"All right, then. Have a good one!" As she saw Mio off, "And g'nite!"

"Yeah, good night, Sena." She turned to face her as she was about to leave the tent, the last word was dampened.

After several steps, she stopped amidst the tents, in the middle of the road. Breathing out air, as if to breathe out all the worries and anguish, had a moment for herself, looking down at the soil. The street was empty. As she looked up, a three-quarter moon¹² hung high on the partially-clouded sky. Stars blanketed the dark nights. It's the end of another day.

The next morning. Noah was checking his iris. He announced to the team, sitting and standing around in their tent, "They should be finished clearing the landslide soon. We'll be able to set out to Ribbi Flats."

Taion paid his tribute, "Colony 4's engineers are excellent. They took care of that faster than I thought they would."

Eunie: "I guess we'll be saying bye-bye to Colony 4."

Mio: "Ethel and the others have been good to us. I'd like to see her before I go."

Sena: "Yeah, I want to do that too."

Lanz: "I guess we all should. Let's go mob Command!"

(In the command center)

Ethel: "I have to ask, before you go. Why is it that you stick together?"

Lanz thought it was due to situation, "Given what's what, we pretty much have to."

Taion accepted his explanation, added, "Considering how everybody attacks us on sight now..."

Noah: "At this point, I suppose... it just panned out this way."

Ethel disagreed: "You really think so? That's not really how it looks to me."

"Well, one thing's for sure. We were sworn enemies once. And yet, we all share the will to live in the now. Before becoming Ouroboros, I never realized. But that common will, it was reason enough to stick together."

"I see... Not everyone makes the choice to fight willingly. Lanz said that you 'have to'. Well, right now every one of us has to." Then, she looked up, "There's no question it would be better if they didn't." She turned back at the group, "Your journey may have started out of necessity, but now, you're pushing forwards towards a common goal. And that... That might be all we want, and all that we wish the world could be."

Mio, focusing her sights on Ethel, picked up her words, murmured to herself, "What we wish... it could be...?"

Outside by an entrance. A transporting levnis parked there lowered its front door. Some soldiers were boarding it with Ethel and Bolearis watching from behind. The group approached Ethel from her back. Noah prompted, "You're heading out as well?"

Ethel galvanized him, "As soon as we're done here, I'll make for the Castle."

"What?!"

"You forget, I am the commander. We haven't revolted against our nation, so... I have to report in."

"Ethel, are you sure?"

"Oh, don't worry. I'll be leaving you out of it."

Noah dissuaded, "That's not it. The Consul earlier turned Moebius. Were it to..."

"If you mean that monster, I'm well aware of the risk."

"Then why?" He asked softly.

"Because it's my responsibility to those I command. As for the Consul, we can say he died in an accident."

Lanz proposed after a short pause, "And you can't do it remotely?"

"Now that the Consul and Flame Clock are both lost to us, I have to make a report, and not over comms. I have to requisition more supplies, too."

Noah had a sense of foreboding, "And what if... What if they fit you with a new Clock?"

Ethel laughed it off, "Hah... I can worry about that then."

Lanz effetely asked: "You're fine with it? Really?"

"Don't get preoccupied with us. Keep to your path. Follow it, wherever it may lead you. Life is short."

Noah stoically replied, "I suppose."

Ethel: "Hey. While we're all still here, one more word of warning."

"Hm?"

"The Consul was attempting to remove you from the picture. In light of that, you'll likely come up against hostility. But listen. You should keep engagement to a minimum. Keves, or Agnus. That goes for both of them."

Mio reprimanded, "But... If we break their Clocks, just like with Colony 4 here, they would... Well, they would be free, wouldn't they?"

"You'd do well to remember not everyone thinks the same as I do, even within this colony. Many still haven't come to accept their new reality."

Sena: "Ah!" She was reminded by the guy whom sneered at them earlier in the canteen.

"To make things even more fraught, in other colonies, there are those who are more than willing to fight... as you'd expect."

Taion summarized her warning, "So it's no use appealing to their sense of compassion or hoping they'll treat us fairly, is that it?"

Mio turned to look at him, scoffed at his conclusion. Ethel agreed, "Yes, precisely. You will change the fate of others, just by virtue of coming into contact with them. It's quite the burden. You may not want the responsibility."

Noah: "A burden... Perhaps..."

"All that said, you get embers on your coat, you have to brush them off. If push comes to shove, do not flinch. Do whatever it takes, for the greater good. I wish you all a smooth and fruitful journey."

Noah and Mio nodded back to her before turning left and continuing their path. The others followed behind.

As Ethel and Bolearis watched them off, Ethel commented, "Ouroboros, huh? If only... we could have been there as well..."

Bolearis turned to look at her. She strode in front of him almost immediately towards the (transporting) levnis, he followed behind.

(After exiting the colony, before setting off)

Taion: "We should check the route data again. Make sure we're on the right path. We're on course for Swordmarch. But first, we'll need to take the south-east road through Ribbi Flats." They turned to face the direction they are to go. It was across a pond or small oasis where Borealis recalled where he killed some hox that lurked there before.

Noah: "Ah, yes. That's the route that Ethel recommended."

"Correct."

Mio: "She said the battlefront are pretty static at the moment, but do we have any intel about colony development?"

Eunie: "As far as Ethel and Colony 4 is concerned, we've got a pretty good idea... But what about any others?"

Lanz: "I wouldn't expect any shenanigans all the way out here..."

Noah: "In any case, we mustn't let our guard down along the way."

Taion, pushing his glasses up, "Danger could be lurking anywhere in the background, so insecurity stalks us... Not much we can do about that, though."

Lanz was optimistic, "Ah, c'mon man. We'll muddle through."

Shaking his head, "Let's hope so."

Noah: "Hey, I mean, if we run into another colony, it isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Lanz was pessimistic this time, "Uhh... Are you sure about that? It doesn't matter if we run into Agnus or Keves. Either one would mean getting into a dust-up."

Noah immediately forgot Ethel's warning, "True, but what I meant was... If we destroyed their Flame Clock, we'd set everyone free, like we did for Colony 4."

Eunie folded her arms, "Easy to say..."

"Well, sure, I mean... if conditions allow it."

Taion: "If we're 'brushing off embers', we'll have no choice in the matter."

Mio: "...That's right."

As the atmosphere got too pessimistic, Eunie tried to turn it around, "Hey, maybe it's better if we put off worrying about that until the time comes."

Lanz agreed, "Eunie's speaking sense there."

Mio seconded, "True. We can just react to events as they happen. Play it by ear."

Sena was happy with that, "Gotcha! I'll apply myself to that!" They took off in to the distance thereafter.

Footnotes:

---

1: Maybe something like "continue later"?

2: Because he was getting up, so he knelt, of course.

3: We'll assume it's impassable without special transport.

4: On the verge of crying sound.

5: Actually, moving up the glabella, you'd find a hole. Unfortunately, one couldn't find what it's called.

6: Oh, boy, that soldier whom only got two...

7: After completing this quest, Ethel could join the group, fighting as the 7th character.

8: With one foot on her chair.

9: This is an unspeeched scene, so without the voice, one couldn't put emphasis or commas between sentences by one's ears.

10: Do they have the idea of 'country'?

11: Ethel probably didn't hear her, but we don't know

12: Wait there's moon??? After the world split and recombine??? Did they share a moon? It's unclear.

Ribbi Flats and Valdi

Translator's note on environment: By a riverside, some fluffy animals called "kapiba" could be seen, with yellow furs and poop-brown head, short horns, occpying a rocky river bank. Further ahead, green and brown grass carpeted the uneven surface. A triceraptor-like creature lurked in the distance. Trees that shoot up like pine were occasionally seen. Beyond, we could see tall mountaineous regions, sometimes screwlike, other times nail-like. Taos appeared in the distance. Another scene, water falls from a huge circular-ish hole down to a river below. The bank roofed by the water-falling platform looked sandy-white, while the opposite side of the bank, yellow-back green brogs made it their home, together with some trees. Yet another scene. Cloud lurks below the edge of the ground towards infinity. Triceraptor-like creatures occupied the platform. At a distance, we could see a tall cylindrical rock like an island on clouds with some unknown creatures¹. A Taos flew above the clouds. In the background, some snowy peaks hid behind thin clouds. It was the monster-shaped snowy mountain that got its body destroyed by an annihilation event we seen earlier. Despite being flat, this area had lots of staircased platforms, layer by layer. This, is Ribbi Flats, of Fornis Region.

The group were walking up some rocky slope by a body of water to their right when Eunie called out, "Hey! Over there!" At the top of the slope was a tree. She turned to face the group, "If we set up camp there, we'll have good visibility. Think it's time we took a break?"

"Riku, for one, want to rest, anyway! Relentless walking has left legs like numbed-out sausages..."

Manana, triggered by food, waved her wings, "Sausages indeed! Mealtime is here!"

Mio: "Sounds good." Turning to Eunie, "Let's go for it, I say. Should we rest in shifts? I can take sentry duty first."

"Ah, Mimi! Let me back you up on that!"

Noah nodded, "OK! Then let's take a break there."

Night time.

To the right of the path was the tree, a big rock stood beside the tree. The groups, seated in two, formed a diamond. Assuming the tree as the "top" of a diamond, Noah and Riku were on the "right edge" of the diamond, with Riku showing Noah something circular while he listened to him. Taion and Manana, him sitting by a table with his teapot and teacup, and Manana stood on top of a box with her tea served, talking to Taion. They were on the "left edge" of the diamond. Eunie and Lanz, perpedicular to each other, slept with their back on the tree trunk. A waterfall could be seen in the distance, beyond the road. Mio and Sena were looking in their direction, their back facing some laddered ledge, totalled probably a few meters high. Their emotions seemed neutral to one.

Further "right" of the diamond were ledge that seems to fall down to infinity, just empty space. Further, some taller ledges could be seen.

Perhaps something came into her mind, Sena sorrowly commented suddenly, "Meanies..."

"What was that, Sena?"

"It's just, I was up all night thinking. Those guys are so selfish."

Mio didn't get it, "Selfish how...?"

"You know what I mean! Every time we Interlink, they're the ones taking the lead! And me? All I do is watch..."

"Ohh, that's what you mean."

"Tell me you don't think so too?"

"Maybe not 'selfish', but like... 'Hey, why didn't you move that way?!', and stuff like that, yeah..."

"Yeah, right?!"

"So, you'd prefer to take the reins?"

Sena looked down, "I just wanna do more! Like, pull my weight... Y'know?"

Mio laughed at her, "Hahah, that's so you, Sena." She turned to look towards Noah and Riku, shared, "I think it's probably fine, though. They're just being protective, I think."

Sena looked at her, "Like what Noah said? Yeah.²"

"I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure we'll get our turn." Noah was tuned in on Riku he didn't see her glancing at him.

"You sure?"

She turned to her and affirmed, "Yeah. Positive." They looked off in Eunie's direction, enjoying the moments of tranquility.

(Start of Valdi's Hero Quest)

By a watering hole, water falling from a platform that stretched out far from a cliff wall. Sena was looking up towards their destination, with a trembling voice, "Probably shouldn't be climbing up this one, huh..."

Taion insisted on following the plan, "But, this is the route Ethel told us to take, no question."

Mio: "Well, I guess that means... We'll just, uh... have to keep going then." Where the group stood, tall grass grows as high as their ankle, with some patches of dark pink flowers less seen.

Zooming out to the very top, we can now see the group's head wasn't larger than a dot. Someone with probably lemon grass colored hair, a barrel-like backpack strapped to his upper shoulder, darker skin, looking downward.

As he stood up for his next action, someone ping him on his iris, "Hey, Valdi? Where are you?"

"Huh? Outside the colony."

"Well yeah, I know that! It's bad. The Consul's searching for you."

"Gotcha! Just make up something." He had a gauntlet attached to his right hand, the gauntlet so huge it seems designed for someone twice his size. The central diamond and the left line plus its diamond was still red, his term symbol. He wore some microscopic goggles that people probably use for wielding on his forehead. He had a cylindrical object strapped to his right on his waist.

"Sorry? 'Make up'?!" From behind, two levnises came up, perhaps under his control: one for the wheel model Kevesi levnis, another with the four-legged model Kevesi levnis.³

Back at the bottom, Noah signaled to the group, "Let's look for a place we can climb from. I'll take a look around here."

Eunie: "OK. I'll check out over here." Individually, they spreaded out searching. As Eunie strodded slowly towards a cliff wall, Thud! The four-legged levnis landed in front of her, sending dirt blanketing her direction.

"Oh, crap."⁴ She turned and ran after she complaint, her back facing the levnis. Manana felt the ground trembling, and noticed a wheeled levnis going after her, turned to her back and ran too!

Noah, from the distance, saw the group in danger, shouted to the rest of the group, "Guys, get back!" They gathered and ran towards Eunie and Manana, then faced the two levnises together. Valdi stood on top of one of his levnis, shouted to the group, frivolously⁵, "Ouroboros! Fight me!" He drew out his weapon, a lance-like gun.

Manana, now realizing out of danger, trodded in front of Valdi, complaining, "That was close call! Almost flattened like buttery pancake!"

Valdi looked at the nopon for a while, "Ah, sorry."

"Apology grudgingly accepted." The others in the group, in their defensive stance but without weapons drawn, was floundered, unsure of the situation.

Valdi politely asked, "Hey... Are you Ouroboros too?"

"Factually untrue. Manana is just Manana."

"Ahh, that's a relief! I really didn't want to have to fight a Nopon. Oh... Valdi, by the way. If I may?"

"Mmeh? Is pleasu-"

Taion couldn't stand it anymore, his Mondo swooped past Manana towards Valdi while shouting at them, "What are you guys doing?!"

Lanz bashed one of the levnis's leg. Valdi twisted to his back to dodge the Mondos, jumping to the ground, seeing it fun, "Woohoohoo! That was awesome!"

Lanz: "We're the ones you've got beef with. Come on, bring it!" The others drew their blade.

Valdi walked in front of his levnises as he unsheathed his weapon, laughed at them, "Hehe... You can't beat me. Here i come!"

(After the battle)

Valdi was assessing the damage done to his levnises, enthused, "Whoa. The joints are all burned out... And the state of this armor." Then, turning to the group, "Hey, show me that again!"

Lanz, getting out of sync, "Show you what?"

In the distance, we could see some deer-like animal. Further, trees, fan-like leaves with reddish tips, and green pine-like trees. There were also some relatively narrow slopes that curved their way around the mountain body.

"Those moves you pulled! I've never seen anyone smash up a Levnis like that! I need to figure out how you guys managed to do it."

Riku disagreed, "Nothing to observe. Frame was structurally poor. Evident that driving wheel could not withstand torque."

"The driving wheel, you say..." Turning to assess the wheel and producing hypothesis, "I wonder if it's because it was upgraded from lightweight to a more heavy assault style? Did I mess up the handling? But the armor had to withstand a charge, I had to fudge the weight to keep a good turning circle..."

Riku watched him talking to himself, speechless... Valdi turned to face him after a while, "Yes... You're absolutely right! I can't believe you could tell with just one look! Hey, would you teach me everything you know?"

"Noah..." Riku couldn't handle it, seeking help.

"Uh... Who exactly are you?"

"Oh, I'm Valdi. Levnis builder from Colony 30! I heard that anyone who defeats you gets a whole buttload of supplies from the Castle as a reward... But err yeah⁶, you won, so it's all good."

Lanz, being hypersensitive, snapped at him, "Oh, yeah, everything's just hunky-dory! What the snuff are you playing at?!"

To which he patiently replied, "Not playing anything!"

Noah: "You're really a mechanic? From Colony 30? Who's the commander for that one again?"

"Ohhh, yeah, that would be me."

The group were surprised. Lanz: "Pull the other one!"

"Woooo⁷ wow, don't look so surprised!"

Taion recalled, "I did hear that Colony 30's commander was the greatest mechanic in Keves..."

"Not sure I would say 'greatest', but I am bonkers about Levnises!"

As they spoke, Yuzet was ringing his iris, shouted to him, "Valdi!"

He turned aside and answered, "Hey, Yuzet! What's up?"

"Surely that's my line?! The Levnis signal just cut out... What happened?!"

"Oh, it just got a bit bashed about. Everything's fine. I'll be back home soon." Then, he cut the line as he finished.

Sena asked, curiously, "You're going back alone?"

"Huh?"

"I... I was just wondering how you expect to manage that."

"Oh! Oh, it's fine. The Colony's not that far away. I'll just cannibalize these bits and pieces into a new Levnis, quick as you like."

Mio: "That'd take so much salvaging..."

"Oh, huh." After doing some estimation, shook his head, "...Ahahah, maybe I can't do it alone...?" The group just shrugged.

Noah commented, sighed, "...How did I know it would come to this?"

Lanz grudgingly propose to help, putting his hands by the back of his head, "Ehhh... Guess we'll do your grunt work. All right, hit us. What's the shopping list?"

"You'd really help me?!"

"Well, we're not gonna leave you alone to fend for yourself..."

"Thank you so much, large man!"

"Lanz, man... I mean, Lanz."

"Then Lanz I shall call you! Let's get cracking! I'll send the likeliest sites for debris to your Iris."

(Arriving at one of the site)

The group was standing by a grassy location, below a tree. Valdi stood at a distance in front of them, inspecting, "Yeah... This is looking good." Then, unsatisfactorily, "But man, even so... Seeing all this Levnis wreckage..." There laid a broken pile of levnis on the grassy floor in front of him.

Mio sympathized, "That's how battle always feels after. Just sad."

"Yeah, pretty tragic. Makes me wanna fix 'em all right back up."

Lanz can't stand it, "Look here, you..."

Valdi turned to face them, continuing, "Listen... I had this injury once. It really did a number on me, physically and mentally. That's when my masterpon told me-"

Lanz interrupted, "Wait, 'masterpon'?"

"Oh, it's Nopon for 'really great person'! So anyway, my masterpon told me this: 'Be a friend to all, and an enemy of none.'⁸"

Sena, trying to take in, "Be a friend to all...?"

"Yy-yeah. I guess after that... seeing wrecked Levnises got me thinking about stuff. A little elbow grease and I could just get them back on their feet. My pals here wouldn't want me to give up on them either."

Mio commented, "You're very sweet."

He shook his head, "Ahhh, don't get me wrong. It's just that, as a mechanic, you can't start getting moody just because something's broken. 'Not all wars are fought on the battlefield'⁹, right?"

Riku changed the topic, "That gauntlet... Valdi built it by self?" He was referring to his right hand huge metal arm and fingers.

"This? My masterpon gave this to me. To celebrate my recovery!" Then he continued, "Caught your eye, has it? You wanna see more?"

Riku denied his offer, "No... No special interest."

Tucking his hands on his waist, "C'mon, don't be shy now!"

"Riku is not shy!"

Lanz: "What I'm getting from all this is that you really like this 'masterpon' of yours, huh."

"Yeah. He was really harsh on me sometimes, but he was ten times the mechanic I could ever be!"

Manana wondered, "If compare masterpon and Riku, who is most excellent?"

Valdi couldn't decide, "Hm, good question. I... I think that your friend here has a keen eye. You know, I would love to get to speak with him..."

"Secrets of Riku are closely guarded."

"You don't say! I can't wait!"

"... Friend even listening to Riku?"

===

(At another location)

Valdi: "Ah! There! I want the parts from that big guy!"

In the distance, Keves and Agnus levnises plus a few soldiers were fighting each other. In the background, mist covered the tall cylindrical¹⁰ rock that has a tree on top, maybe the same as what we've seen earlier but from an even further distance?

Manana: "Which big guy?"

"The Kevesi... Wait. The damage to the leg here... I fixed this, not long ago. It was from another colony..."

Suddenly, the Kevesi levnis reversed and drove towards the Agnian levnis at high speed, and before it could react, smashed into it, breaking it literally.

"Ahh!" Valdi couldn't believed his eyes, shouted out.

Manana: "This horrible..."

"Augh..." Valdi turned away, didn't want to look how care less the levnis driver was.

"Valdi... OK?"

The levnis was approaching them as Valdi was figuring out, "I get it... So this is how my Levnises have been treated..."

Lanz alerted him calmly, "Sorry to rush you, mate, but we don't have time to be standing around."

He turned to face him, "Huh? What's happening?" Towards the direction he was looking, all we could see were rocky cliff walls, pine-like trees, giant rocks, and grassy lands.

Mio took the time explaining, "Well, we are outlaws, so..."

Noah took over: "They've marked us all as a target."

"What?!"

Lanz: "Gotta do what you gotta do. Let's get this over with!" They drew their blades and prepared for battle.

(After the finished the battle and traveled to yet another location.)

The ground looked metallic, like those inside the ferronis from Colony 4. There were hexagonal prism-shaped chests/boxes placed around the edges. This looks like a barren valley to the translator, light had difficulty penetrating into this location, a narrow valley.

Noah: "What is this place?"

Valdi explained, "It's just where I stored some of the junk I've picked up. Can't keep it all at the colony. You know how it is."

Taion prompted, "I see. So you're recycling the parts as you deem necessary."

"Yeah! The supplies from the Castle just aren't gonna cut it. We have a lot of very particular mechanics, and a lot of requests from the pilots to boot. We even get commissioned to repair the Levnises from other colonies."

Manana: "Seems like awful much effort for not much reward..."

"Not true! We're having a blast with it! Our Nopon are all highly skilled, and our lieutenant has a good head on his shoulders. So, uh... remind me... What was it we were trying to do again?" Finally getting to the main topic.

Lanz impatiently replied, "Picking up parts!"

"Oh, yeah! Right! Well... for the body, I'd need..." He ran towards the boxes, probably containing the scraps, and scanned for something that fits, "Ah! Something like this! Yeah, that fits the bill."

Eunie doubted, hands crossed "Is this guy really cut out to be a commander?"

Mio, standing beside her, "He's a skilled mechanic for sure, but I imagine he gives his aides quite the headache..."

(Returning to the original location where the group battled Valdi, after finished salvaging)

"Thanks, guys. Looks like all the parts are accounted for. This is enough to build a Levnis."

Manana noticed he had spoken in a low tone, "What wrong, Valdi? Spirits seem middling to low."

"Hmm... I thought that with a Levnis, I'd be able to protect my friends; That no one would have to get hurt. But... just building them and fixing them up isn't going to make life rosy again. My pals just do as they're ordered. They go out, they fight... and they hurt people. And I'm the one responsible. If you're gonna blame someone for causing all those casualties... blame me."

Riku tried assuring, "Valdi is doing perfectly normal job of mechanic. Issue of orders not your fault."

"But..."

Lanz proposed, "This doesn't sit right with you, does it? So make something new. Why d'you always have to make stuff for fighting? Why not try a different tack?"

"A different tack...?" That strikes imaginative sparkles. "Like... a Levnis, but not equipped for combat...?"

"Obviously, I dunno the nitty-gritty, but I'm sure it's not totally off the table, right? This ain't the time to give up! Right?"

"Huh! Yeah! Lanz! You couldn't be more right! I shouldn't be led by the whims of others when I make my sweet little mecha. Thanks, Lanz, and all of you. I'll be back in a jiffy!"

(After some time)

"It's done!" A tiny levnis about the size of Valdi appeared, a mecha-robot, humanoid-like.

Noah was surprised, "Wow. That fast, huh."

Eunie commented, "It's looking a little on the small side, no? Is that... how you wanted it?"

"Yeah! He wouldn't last long in a real battle, but he can follow simple commands. Right now, his only directive is to take care of me. But that's just fine. He's a good guy."

Lanz, perhaps out of patience for progress stagnation¹¹, "Right then. Guess our job here's done, so..."

Valdi: "Yeah. Don't worry. I can get back home just fine on my own."

Suddenly Consul Q's voice appeared, "Oh, damn and blast. And I came all this way."

"Huh!" Valdi was shocked with the sloped-head helmet consul appearing. He wore a helmet that resembles probably a head armor like those in the old days, maybe Roman? To the translator, it looked like a KFC sign, for no reason.

Mio: "A Consul!"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ouroboros." Before the group could speak, "Ahhhh, fear not. I have no interest in stirring the pot. I was simply curious as to why our dear Valdi hadn't returned. You promised us you would build the Ultimate Levnis, did you not? How much longer do you expect us to wait? Ahh, you Agnian dogs...¹² How I shall delight in crushing you beneath my boot!"

"About that... Actually, I've decided to-"

Q cut him off, "How many times must I say it? Games are for winning. That's what's matters! Consider. If we were to lose the initiative, we would be the ones trampled beneath their boots!"

"Yes, but..."

Q lost his patience with Valdi's defiance, "Ehhhh...¹³ Valdi, my boy... Who was it that said he'd be fine, so long as he could tinker away with Levnises?! Because I clearly remember those words!" As his tone got angrier, he snapped at him, "If you've got time to be flapping those lips, you've got time to be working those hands." The carrot was given, now for the stick, threatening, "Should you fail in your duty, I won't be held accountable for what happens to your friends in the colony..."

Lanz felt insulted, "Snuff you, arsehole! The more that comes out of your gob, the more I wanna smack-"

Valdi cut him off, "Understood. I'm heading back."

"Valdi!"

"Don't worry. I've made up my mind." Then, he followed Consul Q back.

The group gathered together after they left. Sena was thinking, "Ultimate Levnis, he said... I'm a little worried now."

Taion analyzed the situation, "It's unlikely to bode well for us. Ideally, we'd want to prevent it being deployed in battle."

Sena viscerally replied, "Oh yeah, there's that too... But I was more worried about how Valdi feels."

Lanz repeated, "He said he'd made up his mind. Doesn't sound like he's gonna be finishing his ultimate anything to me. More like..."

Riku finished, "He want to destroy it."

Suddenly, the small mecha-robot, whom Valdi left it with the group, ran off into the distance. Lanz was shocked, as well as the others, "Huh?!"

Mio: "It's going off on its own?"

Riku: "It following Valdi. Adhering to directive of 'protect'."

Lanz, asking for instruction what to do next, "Noah..."

"Yeah. We're following it."

In the Colony. A large levnis, the Ultimate Levnis, placed with its back facing some cliff walls. There were some bridge/walkways on the "second floor". Valdi stood in front of the Ultimate levnis, inspecting it while Q watched.

"You've wasted time. I'm afraid you'll have to pick up the pace. Because if you can't... Well, you know the stakes. The game will soon resume. We have precious little time."

Behind Q, it was oddly barren, nothing more than floor and ladders and cliff walls. Q, as he finished speaking, turned and walked towards the entrance.

Valdi, caressing one of the Levnis's leg, "If I do as I'm told... You'll... You'll end up hurting so many people. Don't worry." He put his forehead on the leg, "I refuse to put you through that."

He stood back and scanned the surrounding, then gave the Ultimate Levnis one last look. "The next time we meet, I'll make you into the best Levnis there ever was." As he withdrew his weapon to destroy it, Q teleported in front of him.

"So that's the game we're playing, is it now?" With his elbow, he knocked him back, his blade sheathed as he dropped onto the floor. Q walked by his side, kicked him hard in the belly while he was still groaning in pain, "You little upstart!!!"

Then, with a very disappointing sigh, "This is a case of falling in with the wrong crowd, isn't it? I'm very disappointed." Then, he teleported into the control room of the Ultimate Levnis, it started and walked down the maintenance platform it was on.

"Hm... It's about halfway through the projected schedule... But this will have to do." The Levnis had quite short legs and small torso, compared to the width of its shoulders and arms¹⁴, equipped with grips. It walked towards Valdi slowly.

Valdi, still laying flat on the ground, tilted his head up at the Levnis, "What are you gonna do?"

"I will have it achieve its intended purpose. But, first of all... I believe you need a little... discipline." With the grip, he punched towards Valdi, he closed his eyes and prepared for his death.

Upon hearing a metallic sound smashing against each other, feeling not hurt, Valdi looked up. The small mecha-robot raised a frequency shield in front of him.

"Wait a sec..."

Q was surprised too, "Excuse me? What is this junk? Move aside!" He landed a dozens of punches as he spoke. As the shield got zeroed, the mecha robot flew aside, electric sparkles on its joints as it stood up slowly.

Valdi shouted at it, "Stop it! Just stop."

Unfortunately, he didn't program that feature. It ran towards Valdi, kicked him aside and blocked yet another punch from the Ultimate Levnis.

"You've done enough. I never wanted this." Sorrow filled the climate as its joints dislocated suffering blows. "You weren't supposed to protect me like this..." Finally, its leg joints broke down, collapsing on the floor.

"Ugh! Worthless drivel!" Q kicked it aside. Valdi was preparing to ran up to it when Lanz appeared from behind, lending him a helping hand.

"Lanz?! But how?"

The group had drawn their blades and stood between him and the Ultimate Levnis.

"Thank your little pal here." Valdi looked at the mecha-robot, with only one hand and one leg attached.

Sena: "Your buddy led us all the way to you!"

As it still tried to reach towards its broken leg between it and the Ultimate Levnis, Q got angry, ignoring the group and focused on it, "Glorified tin opener! You dare attack me?!" He raised the Ultimate Levnis's leg on top of it.

Valdi broke off Lanz's hand and ran towards the mecha robot, tears flying backwards, hands held out, "Don't do it! Please, stop!!!"¹⁵

Too late! Q stepped on the mecha-robot, smoke enshrouded its legs. Raising it revealed dislocated parts on the sooty ground. Valdi collapsed onto the floor in vain hope.

Q enjoyed his reaction with his annoyance destroyed, laughing hard, "Wahahahahhahaha! Any tool that defies the orders of its master is trash! Destined for the scrapyard!"

Valdi rebutted in tears, "It's not trash! Levnises have always, always protected the things I care about. I'm so small and pathetic. But, they taught me that... that I'm worth something." As he climbed on his feet, "That's why I chose to be a mechanic. Not this..." Facing Q, "Not for something as sad as this!"

"Why should you care about a hunk of metal? Hahahaha" The group ran beside him to face Q, as he continued, "If you oppose me, I'll do away with you -- full stop!"

Lanz: "Quit your yapping and let's get scrapping!"

(After destroying the Ultimate Levnis.)

Q got out of the control room, puffing out smoke, "Nghh... Useless piece of junk! Forget it. A Consul needs no crutch to lean on! "

As he spoke, the levnis exploded to his surprise, "Aaargh...!" He was nowhere to be seen, maybe dead, but probably teleported away since there weren't any corpses.

Valdi looked back at the broken mecha-robot, without the Consul disturbing them, "Ahh, I'm sorry! I... I couldn't do anything..."

Lanz rebutted, "I wouldn't say that. At the very least, this little guy got to live the way you wanted him to."

"... Well, I sure hope so. Thanks. For rescuing me." By now, we could see two transporting levnis had been parked behind the group, don't know when it appeared. Turning back to the mecha-robot, "Next time, I'll be sure to give you a tougher body, Mechafriend."

"Mechafriend?"

"Gotta have a name, right? This little guy isn't meant for battle. He's a fellow companion... and a friend. So yeah. Thanks, guys! I'm not going to focus my efforts just on repairing Levnises any more. I'll be working hard to figure out the best way to protect us all - in the truest sense! Oh, but, uh... I guess that'd mean doing something about all our Flame Clocks, huh..."

Noah took over, "About that... We could always smash Colony 30's Flame Clock? It'd mean that everyone in the colony wouldn't have to fight any more. The Levnises too." Behind him, there was some staircase leading to the second floor. Seemingly, this colony was built with 3 sides bordering the cliff wall.

"You can do that?!"

"We can. I can't guarantee that things will go smoothly for you after, though... "

"I wouldn't say things are going particularly great as they stand anyway. If I can make a difference for people, and not just Levnises... Let's do it. Let's make this happen!"

As Mio and Noah looked at the Ferronis that seemed to had its body behind some cliff wall, or atop it, one don't know; Noah shouted, "Here we go!" and they transformed into Ouroboros, dashing towards the Flame Clock, jumped, cancelled the Interlink mid-air, as Noah slashed the Flame Clock himself¹⁶. The half-filled gauge spilled out "lives" like a cut arteries, half of the Flame Clock dislodged, dropped onto the ground below by the pull of gravity, emitting soot and smoke as it crashed.

Valdi, looking at the Flame Clock, was amazed, "It really broke..."

Eunie: "Hey, you OK there?"

Suddenly getting into a defensive posture, "Wait, don't move a muscle! There might be some valuable materials lying around!"

Eunie shook her head, "Nothing worth bothering about, believe me..."

Lanz prompted, "How are you feeling? It's gotta sting, right? It was a big deal for you."

"Lanz, you seem more stung than me."

"Come on, man, no."

"I'm fine. I mean, sure, it's a big change of perspective. But like I said before, I'd already made up my mind."

"True that."

"Heh! Hey, um... Could I help you guys with your mission, in return? It'd be the least I could do."

Riku asked, "Valdi realize what Valdi saying?"

"I've never been more sure!"

Manana excitedly agreed, "For sure!"

Noah: "Thank you. We appreciate it."

Mio added, "Looking forward to it!"

Valdi joined, "Haha, me too. Count me in!"

(End of Valdi's Hero Quest)

Footnotes:

---

1: This could only be seen on the morning scene, second video.

2: One can't be sure whether she answered her own question or...

3: If you remember in Chapter 1, before Eunie and the others took off, there are 2 types of Kevesi levnis, and there are also 2 types of Agnian levnis that joined the battle; at least, one only spotted these 2 types so far.

4: Surprisingly, Eunie didn't jump backwards nor drawing her weapons unconsciously.

5: Google Translate doesn't translate "中二", which is what describes his behavior right now; basically, it means a person whom read too much Chinese novels and cannot distinguish between living inside a novel or living outside the novel, so whatever they read inside the novel they brought it outside of the novel; similarly, those whom watched anime like Naruto etc. will also move around and not just dressed up like a Naruto, but also behave like Naruto.

6: This had been fitted to the voice than the wordings.

7: Blowing wind without making sound from your throat box out of your mouth

8: Translator don't know if one agree with this or not without thinking it thoroughly. Edit: Probably, but we don't always have the choice, for we could only control oneself, but not others.

9: Logically speaking, that's correct. One can't deny.

10: Actually square-ish

11: Really, one want to call it 'stagnanity', even when that word didn't exist in the Cambridge Online Dictionary.

12: It's unsure whether he's referring to Mio and the others, or he thought about Agnian in general.

13: Sucking in air hard, and breathing out hard, a.k.a. deep breath.

14: Like a buff guy whom trained only the upper torso but left out the lower ones.

15: Also, the direction he ran to had the ferronis, seemingly incorporated into the cliff body??? Maybe because of the angle.

16: Mio was behind him, probably landed before him.

Getting Old, Saffronia, Eunie's Recall

Translator's note on environment: By a lakeside, some gray¹ krabble gathered by the barren rocky side of the bank. On the opposite grassy side, there were some platforms arranged in steps. A cyan-white long snake-like dragon slithered through the air. In the distance, we could see mountains and even higher platforms, trees grew more plentifully. Another scene, icy-top mountains lay in the background. We could see some lake/river below the camera, some red-mane wolves occupied and resting on an elevated platform adjacent to the bank. A single tree full of red leaves stood out in the distance. Trees are more broad like Africa's Yellowwood (a tall bark without any branches except at the very top) rather than purely pine, though both existed. Yet another scene, by a river. An animal with a light attached to its head, like a lantern, strodding beside a river. We could also see some rhinoceros-like animals, armu, grazing in the meadow on the same side of the bank. At the edge of the river, there were deserts occupied trees with leaves arranged in a fan-shape, and something that looked like a Kevesi ferronis or ruins, half covered, to the left of the desert. This, is Rae-Bel Tableland, of Fornis Region.

As the group tramped on the grass fields near a gushing river, they saw some of the armu grazing in the distance. The red-leaf tree was seen far away, at the other side of the river. The group paused their steps, as Noah and Mio stopped side by side, Taion and the others was somewhere further away from them, chatting.

Noah examined the armu group, commented, "That's funny. I'd never noticed that before..."

Mio questioned, "Oh, do they... not have Armus where you're from?"

"Yeah... I meant 'getting old'. Is that what that is?" There was a baby armu on the left, grazing. A larger armu in the middle, its back grew a hardened skin, armor-like, with short horns, also grazing. The oldest stood to the right, fully grown horns and head plates and back plates, rough leg skins, also grazing.

They were reminded by the wrinkles on Guernica. "It's called getting old, this."

Noah continued, "That smaller Armu over there. It starts little, but grows over time. Becomes like the bigger one. All the creatures do it... But we never change that much.²"

Mio's eyebrows raised up, "Huh..."

"It's such a basic fact. So why haven't we realized it before...?" She turned to look at him, before turning back and enjoy the view of the armus.

This scene was watched in the projector room by the moebius, particularly, the moebius with the X on his chest, wearing a mask rather than a helmet. The golden mask covered half of his face above his nose. As if replying to Noah, "Realization leads to hope... Which in due time turns to despair. The significance of the stasis, is driven ever deeper within... "

A moebius that looked like a bird nose pointed downwards, like a medieval Roman Armor head plate, commented, "A moment in time. A sublime experience. That brilliance, it shines ascendant over all else."

A female moebius with a butterfly mask over her eyes, wearing a helmet, "That's why it takes so much frickin' work. Working stinks..."

Z, with purple dendrites-like shape stretching from the tip of his lips, white hair, red iris "They all learn sooner or later. They learn how priceless it was, how grossly irreplaceable. The 'Eclipse'³ grows near..." The moebius sign appeared on his right iris, triggering the moebius sign on the other moebius' (both) irises, except for the golden mask X guy, with only his right iris glowing. The projector focused on Mio's term symbol.

Back to the scene, Mio's term symbol only had the center dot remaining⁴. Mio spoke out, "They get along nice... Must be good friends."

Noah: "It's funny. Just looking at these guys... It puts your mind at ease."

"Mhm!" Mio nodded, agreed.

Noah asked, "Is it... an effect of becoming Ouroboros?"

"Good question. Still, I think I could... get used to this." She thought for a while, their situations irrevocable.

Noah nodded, "Yeah... Me too."⁵

As the group tramped down the grassy surface to the left of the red-leaves tree, whom grew with its bark by a rocky platform. Taion, penultimate on the line, stopped and glanced at it. Others in front didn't notice his absence. Noah stopped after he surpassed him, seeing he didn't follow up.

Taion took step towards the red-leaves tree, Noah following behind. The evening sun caressed the leaves, glittered as it reflected off its surface.

"Did you find something?" Noah sounded from behind.

"Hm? No..." Surprised that someone followed him, he spoke in a low tone, "Just brings me back a bit... It reminded me of someone."

"Oh yeah?" Noah was eager to know.

(Start of Taion's Memories)

Young Taion, inside an Agnian camp with Nimue, looking at a picture with pitch dark walls of unknown material. Red leaves covered quite a lot of its surface. At the very end (or the very top)⁶, a hole with blue sky and white clouds. He asked Nimue, "What is this?"

"A Saffronia." Nimue sounded from in front.

"I know that. But, I've never seen one in such full bloom before."

"Heh. It's special."

"Huh... So, why give this to me?"

"It's a treasure of mine." She glanced away, reminisced nostalgically, "I'd like to go back someday. To where this was taken... It's a dream I have..."

As Taion looked at her reaction, glancing back at the photo, she brought out her stopwatch gadget. Nimue opened it up to look at it, "Not that I have all that much time to spare." Her term symbol, on her left arm, showed the central dot and half of the central diamond red. She grabbed it into her fist and putting it to her chest, lowering her head and closing her eyes, as if to bring her back where she wanted to go in the moment, "But soon..."

Taion watched her reactions in silence.

(End of Taion's Memories)

He sighed, "She was the one who taught me strategy... Who taught me how to fight using the Mondo." The Mondo appeared in front of him, danced in front of him before floating sideway out of the scene. They glanced at it as Taion spoke.

"Sorry..." Perhaps he apologized for having someone to share his worries.

To which Noah replied, "Not to worry..."

"But why...? Why did she show me that picture...?" He looked down, still curious, perhaps with some regret.

Walking in front of him, Noah, glancing at the Saffronia, suggested, "I suppose she wanted to share it with you. The memory."

"Is that... why she..."

"You know... It's not unheard of."

"Huh?" He wasn't sure what he meant.

He turned, tap Taion's right shoulder lightly as he walked off towards where the group was, Taion followed with his sight. Only he had the answers to his own questions. The ground below the Saffronia bloomed with orange flowers, traced its path towards the dirt road in the distance. The front group still hadn't notice the two guys missing far behind. Turning and taking a final look at the Saffronia, he followed thereafter.

Someone watched the group traversed from his/her iris. It was Isurd, inside an Agnian camp, perhaps in Colony Lambda's headquarters.

"These soldiers... Taion?!" He turned off his iris, turning his attention to the joker helmet consul, asked, "These are your targets... sir?"

The joker face bounced side to side as he walked, closing their distance, and put his hands behind his necks, looking up at Isurd (since his head as in line with Isurd's lower torso) "Yep. You'll handle it, right?"

"And it's... because they're consorting with enemy soldiers? If that's so, shouldn't we question them first?"

The consul, putting his hands down, sighed, "Ugh, you're a hell of a stickler, aren't you? I could just go and do it the K way..." The moebius sign glowed in his right iris. Both of Isurd's cornea lose its light, left iris glowed in red like that of Ethel previously.

That was just a while before he gave up, the moebius symbol lose its light. "Ugh... forget it." He turned to his back and walked some distance, as Isurd came back to life. "There's just no zest. This time, I'm gonna take a different angle."

Isurd, unsure of what had happened, spoke out, "C-Consul...?"

The consul turned to face Isurd, "Heh. Let's do this, Isurd." He squatted, hands hugging himself, as if a ball of energy was suppressed within. Dark energy released to its surrounding shook the floor. Isurd, confounded, backed up into a defensive posture.

"Go on, spill it for me... Gimme all you're feeling, deep inside!" As he finished, he opened his arms, as if to embrace, the ball of energy shone so bright that Isurd had to block his face to prevent blinded by it. The bright light engulfed the whole tent.

Approaching an old battlefield. Ruins laid on the barren sooty ground, itself surrounded by higher platforms. Wind blew hard on the surface of the battlefield. Icy mountains could be seen beyond the distance. Kevesi corpses, levnises shards, filled all over the place. The atmosphere was foreboding. Noah commented as they stopped, "This is awful..."

Mio, to his 4 o'clock, added, "It doesn't look recent. Been here a while. And the battle, it must've been massive." Some fragments, seemingly ferronis shards, rusty and half buried in the ground.

Taion: "It's not just infantry. I see Ferronis wreckage strewn all over."

Lanz thought forward, "There could be stuff here we can reuse. We should look."

To which Noah agreed, "Yeah, good idea. Let's split up and have a look around." They split individually in different directions.

Disagreeing with Lanz after she left, Eunie strodded as she scanned her vicinity, levnises wreckages beside where she walked "'Stuff we can reuse', my wings... All this junk is rusted through..."

"Huh?" Something shiny and looking new on the ground caught her attention. She squatted to pick it up. It was a circular object. As she stood back up, sighed with disappointment, "Ugh, no love. The connector's the wrong size..." She threw it on the floor, turning her attention elsewhere.

Somewhere in the distance where she threw it caught her attention. Beside some ferronis and levnis wreckages, a silhouette figure seemingly down on the floor⁷. She approached the figurine, whom had a neck-long hair, with wings like that of Eunie. "This one's Kevesi... You've been here for... quite a while..."

She bent down, looking at a dog tag attached to its shirt. She removed it onto her hands, scanned it with her iris to decipher it:

Name: Eunie
Affiliation: Colony 18
Class: Sharpshooter

She was confounded. Her iris constricted as she questioned herself, horrified, "Wha-what is this-?! Wh-why is my name on here?!" As if taken back by some unbeknownst memories...

(Start of Eunie's Recall8)

Kevesi soldiers, holding their weapons, marched through the battlefield, their ferronis following behind. A moebius high up in the air released its shots like feathers shooting in all directions, blasting the floor inches by inches, soldiers laid down as dirt enshrouded the air. Struggling to stand up between levnises ruins, flames burning, the triangular head moebius stared at her with its leopard-like sharp purple eyes, showing her its sharp canines. Trembling in agony, she effetely watched its glowing fingernails brought closer to her forehead.

(End of Eunie's Recall)

Imagined how you breathed vigorously, woken up by a haunting nightmare.

"Eunie... Eunie!" At first, she heard a blurry voice calling out for her, on second tone, her brain registered it was Lanz, gasping as her head rebounced. Looking at her back, his hands around his waist, inspectingly asked, "Did you find anything worthwhile?"

"Huh?!" She slightly turned her head, looking to him from the tip of her eyes. She partially tuned in as most of her conscious and unconscious lingered on the recall.

Lanz repeated, "I said, didja find anything we might be able to salvage?"

Tremblingly, she replied, "N-nope! Nothing at all... Not here."

"Seriously? You were here all frozen, so I figured you must've struck something gold..." He turned and walked away into the distance, didn't prod deeper. Having no one to disturb her, she continued to sort her feelings. Lanz approached a piece of levnis scraps as he turned to her, nudging, "C'mon, help me shift this thing here, wouldja?"

Unconsciously, she stood up, turning to him, "Y-yeah, all right!" As he squatted to find a place where he could lay his hands, Eunie walked to him halfway before stopping, turning back to glance at the figurine, as if trying to see herself mirrored. As the atmosphere became heavier, she turned away to dissuade herself, "Uh-uh... No way that was me." She turned down to look at the dog tag, still holding in her palm, "Just... someone with the same name as me... A coincidence..." Then, she walked towards Lanz, as if nothing had happened. The figurine seemingly glanced in her direction.

Sena and Manana were squatting, doing nothing, as they heard Noah shouting, "Hey! Over here!"

As the group gathered around him, Mio seemingly recognized it: "Uh... it's...A golden Flame Clock... But wrecked. I've never seen one."

Taion exclaimed, "A real golden Flame Clock."

Lanz: "Ain't that strange? We're talkin' Gold rank -- the shiny pinnacle of every Colony's ambition. And this is how we find it?"

Eunie, seemingly calmed temporarily, crossed her arms, commented as she inspected the clock, "It's, uh... Kevesi, isn't it?"

To which Noah affirmed: "Yeah. Has to be."

Taion looked back at the battlefield behind, "For all that, I'm not seeing any Agnian corpses or weapons. What does it mean?"

Noah didn't understood either, "Sparks... How could they have ended up this way...?"

While they were thinking, the ground shook. The group turned to its core, back facing the Flame Clock, with Eunie complaining, "Aw, come on. Not a-sparkin'-gain?!"

An Agnian levnis with four arms, humanoid structure, and a long pike on its head, drilled its way up, opening up once it floated mid-air, facing the group as it shook away dirt on its body. The group summoned their weapons, prepared for a fight.

(After the battle)

Lanz commented, "What a faff, just one stray Levnis? Barely worth the effort..."

Noah agreed, "Yeah... Doesn't seem to be what did this Colony in."

Taion seemed to have joined some dots, "I see... It was revenge...? Commander, you did it..."

Lanz continued, "So this... works on its own?"

To which Taion replied, "Yes. That's a standard Castle-issue autonomous sentry Levnis. It doesn't need human operators." All non-Nopon turned to face Taion, except for Eunie, whom was still stuck in her thoughts, and Mio, whom walked up to the Levnis, caught by a symbol encarved.

She looked at the symbol engraved on the levnis's plate, asked, "Hey, this symbol... It's Lambda's, right?" She turned to Taion.

Sena was triggered, turned to him, "Huh? Taion, weren't you with-"

As if something painful triggered his memory. He didn't reply them, instead suggested, "Ahh... We need to get away from here. Though it was unmanned, it's sure to have transmitted its combat data to the Colony. They might even be able to work out we're the ones it was fighting."

Lanz saw the logic, "Right... Well, don't reckon there's anything more of use here. Let's go, Noah."

"Gotcha." He nodded.

They moved in front of Eunie, her head lowered as she was still caught in her thought, frozen in her place. Noah called out, "Mio?"

"Mm" She nodded, looked at Sena, whom nodded, and followed.

Taion, the penultimate to leave, turned to find Eunie frozen. She had been holding her wobbling breathe all this time, breathed it out as the group leave. She put her right palm on her left fist, pushing it down as it shudders uncontrollably, perhaps holding the dog tag. "Eunie...?" He watched and called out softly, but didn't disturb her.

Leaving the battlefield behind, the group continued on a paved road with grass growing beside. Taion, noticing Eunie's low mood, called out, "Everybody, listen up." As everyone turned to him, he continued, "We've entered Colony Lambda's territory. That means that the probability of our encountering Agnus forces is very high. Before we get any closer to their patrolled zone, we should prepare ourselves by resting."

Noah turned to everyone, whom had "no objections here."

And Mio added, "Or here. Let's go with Taion's plan!" They headed for a lit fireplace just up ahead.

Night falls. Mio slept between Riku and Manana on the same sleeping bag. Eunie laid down her sleeping bag besides the bonfire, sitting up and looking at it. Taion was busy making tea; Sena and Lanz performed maintenance on their weapons; Noah, practicing his slashing skills. Eunie's eyelids gradually closed as she felt drowsy.

(Start of Eunie's Recall)

They were running in a direction, the ferronis followed behind. Levnises and guns fired shots at distant barriers (giant rocks), clearing a path. Suddenly, a soldier to Eunie's 1 o'clock groaned in pain and fell to the ground. There was a giant blast in that direction that shook her off balance. The blast released a cloud of dust and smoke into the air.

A moebius darted out from behind the dust in to mid-air. As Eunie looked up, awed, it shot fiery purple-red shots in all direction, blasting the ground inch by inch. Nothing hit her. As she struggled to stand up, the dust cleared to reveal fallen soldiers, their 'lives' escaping their corpses.

Gasping, the moebius smashed into the ground to her 11 o'clock, didn't gave her a chance to accept her fate. It darted towards the ferronis, dragging its arms on its side with its glowing yellow fingernails attached to the end of its limbs⁹, slicing down levnises and soldiers that stood on its way. Eunie, confounded, retreated her steps effetely as she watched the levnises exploded, corpses flew mid-air, smoke engulfed the distance while flames seared.

The ferronis still move forward. As she turned to it, energy balls blasted its neck area, detaching its neck (and its Flame Clock) from its torso. She backed up into a defensive posture, pointing her rifle at the ferronis; the flame-engulfed torso came tumbling down with the moebius hanging on it.

As dust cleared, she found herself buried below some wreckages, looking at flames and 'lives' evaporating through a hole in front of her. As she climbed out of the flame-raging levnises' shards, coughing out the thick smoke that deprived the surrounding of fresh air, she struggled and stood up, limply taking steps forward.

Pomp! The moebius landed in front of her. She stood frozen, looking at the monster's face that brought agony to their colony. Effetely, her feet loses the energy to carry her weight, she stumped forward and knelt-sitting on the ground. The moebius squatted to glean at her with its triangular face, sharp teeth, at bat-like ears. It showed her the sharpness of its fingernails, turned and pointed it at her forehead, which slowly closed in and moved to point at her right iris. With trembling breathe, it was brought about 5 mm from the retina, as...

(End of Eunie's Recall)

Eunie, her head drooped in a sitting position, bounced up as she woke from her nightmare, gasping for air. Nobody seemed to notice her reaction. As she stopped gasping, the sounds of burning firewood filled the serene atmosphere. She looked down, holding her chilling left arm up, shuddering. While she struggled to clench it into a fist, a hand holding a cup appeared on the left of her vision. Surprised, she turned to find Taion holding out a cup of tea he made for her.

"Oh, thank you..." She received the cup with both her wobbly arms. Water vapor floated off the dark-colored tea, warming her hands. She took a sip from it while Taion sat beside her, also taking a sip from his cup. When one took a sip from tea, one is obliged to breathe it out, like how cigarette-smoking people breathe out smoke from their mouth. What breathed out with tea isn't smoke, but the heavy burden that pressed on one's heart; and in this case, on Eunie's chest, as she commented, "Smells good."

Perhaps he struggled to incorporate emotions into words, explained it away with the tea's description. "Obviously. It's a Sirius Anemone. A rare flower from the Urayan mountains, crushed and extracted."

"Wow, look at you. Sounds like a hobby." As she took another sip from it, she carelessly replied, her attention diverted to focus on him than her nightmare.

Taion, flattered, "Hmph... And a practical one, at that."

"Yeah..."

As she looked at him, he glanced over the tip of his eyes at her hands and the cup she held, continued, "Like I said... practical... Glad it worked." She turned to look at her cup as she listened to him.

Surprised, she turned towards him, "Ah! You noticed?"

He continued, his eyes looking away from hers, "I did. Mine do that too."

"Uh?" Perhaps she was confused, perhaps curious.

"I put down my weapon, look around at my companions, and feel relief.Thinking 'finally, another day down'." Lanz and Sena now practiced bashing, as Taion continued, "Then I think of tomorrow and the tremors are back. Will I see the same faces when I wake...? Will I even be around to see them...? Hah." Mio turned, torso facing upwards, as he¹⁰ spoke.

"Easy with the mark, I s'pose. You know when it's coming. But when you're in a scrap..."

"Can you really speak for them, though? For someone nearing the end?"

"Huh?"

"Because I couldn't tell you. All we can possibly do is wonder what it's like. What can one feel? Contentment, perhaps...? Or sheer horror...?"

"I'd really hope it's... not fear."

"Me too." He looked down at his term symbol on his palm, central circle and central triangle red. As he stood up, "That's just it..." He and Eunie turned their attention to the sleeping Mio on their left, the only tenth term amongst them.

The bonfire was now a pile of ashes. Irregular mountains lurked in the distance, blurry. The path leads up a slope. Trees and grass and flower bushes grew by the side of the road, with short elevated platforms occasionally. The group gathered in a circle somewhere further from the bonfire, checking their iris.

"Shouldn't we just hoof it and blitz through as quick as we can?" Lanz suggested, plotting a route from their current location through the main path, to another location.¹¹

Eunie disagreed, "Nah, I reckon we ought to avoid spots where those Moebius sickos could get the jump on us."

"Unless I'm mistaken..." Taion commented, "This region is under the control of Lambda. That is the Colony I originally belonged to."

"You don't say!" Noah was surprised, deactivating his iris as he turned towards Taion. The others followed.

Mio prompted, "Then... The Levnis yesterday...?"

"Yeah. It was Colony Lambda's. Definitely."

Sena, lowering her head, and looking up from the top of her eyes, as if inquiring, careful not to struck any chord, "Isn't that... Isn't that bad for us?"

"Hmm..." Taion looked down, unsure how to reply. Eunie changed the topic, asking, "All right, so you know this area?"

"I took part in... seizing this area."

Mio: "All right then. Any suggestions?"

"Oh, er..." As he was lingering in his memories, his attention span was cut short, unable to reply.

Mio urged, "Come on."

With unstable voice, he activated his iris, plotting another sinusoidal-shaped path to the right of the main path, "L-Let's see... There should be some nearby tunnels we could use." The others checked their iris as he transferred the data to them.

Lanz agreed, "Sounds good to me. We might still get enemies, but underground, at least we won't have to worry about lunking Ferronises and that."

Riki eyes shone, together with Manana's, "Tunnels! Thrill of explore! Riku already on treasure-scent!"

"Ohohohoho!" Manana laughed with agreement, flapping her wings as she danced up and down.

Noah turned to him, "Seems like that's the way to go then."

Taion quickly rejected, stuttering, "Uh...O-One moment. These tunnels have been disused for a long time. There's a very real risk of a cave-in. If it comes down to it, escape options may also be in short supply..."

Lanz was as optimistic as usual, "Nah, nah, nah. You're the one who came out with it. Unless, you got any other plans? You better not want us to just camp out here forever."

"No, obviously..."

Mio didn't like the negativity and inability of deciding, rounding the situation up, "All right, let's back it up! Any route we can take will have some attendant risk or other. At this point, I'll settle for any choice that makes our lives easier. Enough with the doom-mongering. Just keep it positive. Things'll work out somehow." Her hands crossed across her chest.

"Mimi, what's up with you?" Sena hadn't seen her in such serious tone.¹²

Eunie teased, putting her hands behind her neck, "Sounds like little Miss Senior's decided to pull rank, eh?" Then, with a deeper voice, "Roger that, ma'am!"

Mio was serious with it, "Oh, shut up already."

Noah made the final decision, "Right. Let's go. We'll check out those tunnels." He took the lead towards the tunnels.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Mio shouted after him as she ran to walk beside him. The others followed behind without objections.

As they made their way up a slope, Eunie was speaking to Noah, Manana with Mio (and Riku beside her). The road was barren, composed of dark soil in total, surrounded by cliffs (they're in a valley, probably). Taion and Lanz, walking at the end, with Taion starting a conversation with Lanz.

"I envy you."

"Whuh?" He turned to him as they kept on with their steps.

"That unfounded confidence of yours. I almost wish I could take some."

"I'd rather do something than sit farting about for hours, and then do nothing anyway. I like my way better."

"That sounded rather pointed."

"Oh, did it?" He looked up at the sky. After a few steps of silence, he continued, "Anyway, I'm not confident. I just... have to keep moving. That's all."

"I don't get you."

Turning the topic on Taion, "I mean yourself, why d'you always take a back seat?"

"Whuh?"

"You scared?"

"Uh-huh..." He probably agreed with it, looking low.

Hearing no reply from him, Lanz continued, "Noah, he... He likes to say, 'Don't blame yourself'. He knows why I can't stay still, and he gets it, all right. Tells me it's not healthy, yeah?" Then, with a very low tone, reminiscing about Joran, "But it's easier said. Anyhow, not like I can just wish him back. I mean, what else can I do?" Then, continued with his advice, "S'how it goes. Same deal with you, right?"

"Ur, uh..." He probably don't understand the head and tails of the story, nor did he knows how to reply.

Lanz didn't expect an answer from him anyways, in an enthusiastic tone, "Eh, to be fair... That whole prudent schtick of yours? Got its merits!"

Taion rebutted, "Bu-... That's the opposite of what you said before."

"I guess I'm taking it back, then! Bahahahaha!" To which Taion just shook his head. Though, it did make Taion calm down somewhat.

Footnotes:

---

1: Seen only in daylight scene, second video

2: 10 years old to 20 years old doesn't change much? BTW, 10 years old is just one's estimate, it may be 12 years old to 22 years old, one don't know.

3: Homecoming events were done during the Eclipse.

4: As we mentioned before.

5: It wasn't sure if they means the same 'this', Noah probably means getting old, but one thinks Mio not. One could also consider 'this' being the situation they're in, the life they lived.

6: Author couldn't recognize the perspective of the picture.

7: Bent down? Knelt down? Sat down? One don't know.

8: A recall is a piece of memory from before your current reincarnation.

9: Note, this is stupid, because if you dart, you want to reduce drag, so don't follow this stupid posture in real life.

10: Of course, referring to Taion.

11: The translator could make nothing else, where the colony was located, nor any other features, from the given map.

12: One isn't sure if one should add a 'before' or 'in a long time' to the back, for one don't have their memory, so we'll leave it cut short there.

Riku and Manana

Translator's note on environment: Tunnel ceilings supported by metal beams from collapsing. Caterpillars¹ with glowing green spikes on its back, roamed the ground; while copper winged bats roamed the air. Another scene. An island platform with grass, tress growing on the bottom side of it, had an entrance/exit. Krabbles crawled on the platform. In the distance, stingray-like Laia romaed the "cloud sea". A beam shoned from above illuminates the undulating misty clouds. Some crystals, like frozen ice, hung from the ceiling. Yet another scene. Spider webs filled the area, sticking themselves to stone pillars and walls. There were some metal fence in the distance. Finally, an unending tunnel with metal support every fixed distance; the walls had glowing specks of blue. This, is Urayan Tunnels, in the Pentelas Region.

(Start of Riku and Manana's Hero Quest)2

Entering the tunnel. The slopes lead to a lift in the distance, which took the central stage. Two green-spikes caterpillars lurked in front of the lift. Standing on the top of the slope, Noah turned to the group and warned, "We don't know what lies ahead, so let's go carefully."

Taion agreed, "Indeed. I want to be out of here as fast as possible, but haste can only spell trouble."

Riku step ahead and scanned the area, commented, "This place rich in ore and gemstone! Speed is of essence! All treasure will belong to Riku!"

Manana: "Oho? Riku seem mighty excitey."

Riku changed into a serious looking face before he turned towards Manana and the others, explained, "... Gemstone have many use. They probably useful later to us."

"Riku sound unusually enthused. Took to be cool and brooding type."

Riku, scratching his head (or rather, hairs), "... It something of a hobby."

"Ohhhh... hobby of Manana is cooking!"

"Riku well aware..."

Noah asked, "Riku, if we find any nice gemstones, should we bring them to you?"

"If friends get chance, then please. Gemstone with good potential will be good investment for future."

Lanz wasn't too optimistic, "I don't think we're just gonna happen across priceless gemstones, but OK."³

"Nopon very pacifistic and don't fight, but would hate not to lend support."

"If Manana fight, that mean Manana not become burden?"

Eunie disrupted her from classifying herself as burdening, "Don't you worry about things like that. Everyone has their bit to do."

"If Manana could Interlink, Manana surely to be of good use."

Riku: "If we could do such thing, would have done ages ago..."

Noah cut the conversation short, "Right. Anyway, getting out of these tunnels is the main priority. But let's keep an eye out for any ore along the way. We can't afford to overlook anything that might help us later."

Riku agreed, "Understood. That good enough."

Lanz grudgingly, lazily replied, putting his hands behind his head, "Yeaaaah, go on. I'll give you a hand."

Riku was surprised. "Even Lanz? That turn up for the books..."

"Always good to have a few favors to call in, yeah?"

"...Riku knew it."

(As they approached the lift)

Sena clicked on the button that calls the elevator. The light on the panel turned red. "Hmm, doesn't look like it's working, guys."

Riku approached the panel and inspected for its cause, commented, "It need electricity. But if no ether cylinder, no electricity."

Mio suggested, "Let's have a look around, shall we?"

Taion agreed, "That sounds like a plan."

Inside the lift control room. A grid window panes filled the side of the wall facing the cave. Control panels were installed on all sides of the room. Noah installed an ether cylinder into the accepting slot. Then, Taion switch power on on another panel. As power returns, (cave) lights at the lower area of the cave immediately illuminates.

With the lights, we could now see metallic tiles installed on rocky floors, and some ladders leading up to an elevated platform hosting some chests. There seemed to be wires hanging above, but translator couldn't make up what it is. The surrounding area is mostly barren: metal pillars, rocks, platforms, lights, floors, that accounted for most.

The lift call button also turned green as a result.

Back in the control room, as they saw the elevator moving, Manana danced gleefully, "Ohoho! It move!"

Riku announced to the team, "Now elevator behave self."

Eunie praised him, "Nice job, Riku. Always good to have a grease-Nopon that knows their way around techy things."

His 'nose' stood high, enjoyed the flattery, "This? Piece of pollen orb⁴ for Riku."

Noah: "OK, let's go."

(Upon arrival at the lift)

Some spiders, brown torso, and yellow abdomen with patches of irregularly shaped brown, dropped to the floor. The team got defensive as Lanz complained, "Gah, 'course there's monsters!"

Taion couldn't see a way around "Oh well, then. Nothing else for it, it seems."

Eunie agreed: "We don't have time to burn here. Let's ash 'em up, yeah?" They drew their blades as she finished.

Manana, her eyes shining, seemed to have made up her mind. She withdrew her wok hung behind her, a silvery with two loop handles, its diameter slightly smaller than her torso, and a fork and a knife made a 'cross' symbol at the wok's bottom, a circle containing 3 diamond-shaped stars, like those of Manana's blinking eyes, on top of where the 'cross' intercepted. "Manana help with fighting!"

"...Huh?" That caught Mio's attention as she looked towards Manana, just in time to see her spinning with the wok held over her head, generally in the direction of the spiders. As the team followed their glaze, "Meeeeeeeeeh-eh-eh!" The spiders were toppled, probably killed, where she landed blows.

Sena raised her voice by an octave of two, shouted out, "Manana?!"

Taion was shocked as well, "Don't be so rash-!"

"Manana did it!" After all the spiders went down, she congratulated herself while continued spinning. Riku closed his eyes in advance, foreboded something.

Mio realized an instant later, shouted to her, "Oh no! Manana, stop!"

"Manana cannot stop pot in mid-spiiin!"

Sena called out, "Watch out!" Then, she closed her eyes just before hearing the wok smashed against the rocky walls where she headed. Manana laid on the floor with the wok by her side.

With Mio on the lead, they ran up to her, "Um, Manana? Are you OK?!"

Sena, seemingly about to cry (in a worried voice), "Manana, please be OK!"

As she finished, Manana's eyes popped open, swooped her way up on her feet, concurrently got hold of her wok and stuffed it to her back as she stood, serenely spoke, "Manana is fine! Only heart go pitter-patter."

Noah, scratching his head, "Just watching you made my heart go pitter-patter."

Lanz shook his head, "Seriously, Manana, that was wild."

Mio, in her appreciation stance: "Phew... I'm glad you're safe, anyway."

As if she proved herself worthwhile, "See, Manana is good for many-much things beside cooking!"

Riku ruffled, with his wings wide opened, "Manana rush in like crazypon just to prove that?!"

Manana nodded frivolously, "Is important to demonstrate through action!"

Riku rebutted stodgily, "Manana did not just throw pot. Threw whole self along with it."

Manana turned to her back to show her pot, explaining, "Is special heavy-duty pot, also for self-defense. Exclusive Nopon brand!"

"Th-that not a thing..." Riku was speechless...

Mio stood in for him, "Manana, you have to understand that poor Riku was worried about you!"

Manana turned to look at Riku, trying to ascertain, "Is truth?!"

Riku, perhaps shy, or perhaps to save face, turned away from looking at her, "Not so much truth..."

"That very considerate! But Manana is really fine."

Lanz looked at Riku, "Yeah, that's right. Worrying too much isn't good for you either."

"Exactly. That why Riku not worry."

Eunie teased him, "Your blushy little cheeks aren't fooling anyone. Don't be ashamed!"

"No shame here! Noah, please come to defense of Riku."

Noah laughed at his reaction, "Hehehehe, you just didn't want your friend to be hurt. Shall we leave it at that?"

"Meh." Riku dropped his head as that's not the reply he wanted to hear, but seemingly there wasn't anyone to back him up, could only accept grudgingly.

That did cheer up the group. Noah cheerily turned to Manana, warned, "But Riku's right. No more crazy antics in the name of helping each other out, OK?"

"Manana understand! Not to do crazy antic in future."

Noah nodded, as Taion concluded, "Then it's settled. Let us descend." The group took for the lift.

Upon arriving at the bottom, the group walked down the ladder connecting the elevator's platform to the rocky ground. There was a route to the right, but something behind the huge rock that defined the route's boundary caught Sena's eyes. It was some "liquid lime colored"⁵ open-air crystal. She shouted out, "Huh? Is it just me or is that rock sparkling?"

"Hoho! Maybe is-" That alerted Riku, running off towards the direction. We could see a tunnel leading to an open space on the left of the crystal.

The group followed behind as he assiduously inspected it, the excitement died down, "No. Just ordinary rock."

Mio: "What about this? I can't tell them apart..."

Riku assured, "That OK! That what Riku here for!"

"It's a good thing you're with us, Riku."

"Leave to Riku! First, Riku and friends search area!"

Sena: "Hey, I found one!" They stopped by another "liquid lime" crystal stuck between a rock cavity. These had darker greens compared to the former, and some undulating liquid seemed incorporated in it.

Riku walked towards it, inspected it, and rejected it, "No, this not right. But is useful, so Riku take it." He scrapped a piece from the ore/crystal and stuffed it in his pocket.

By yet another site, Eunie asked, "Isn't this one?" Still lime-colored, but seemingly glowed even dimmer than the one before.

"It look like, but is not. Observe here precisely. Intensity of luster grow dim."

Eunie squatted down to look where he pointed, but unsuccessfully observe any difference, lazily replied, "OK, I believe you."

"But it not useless! Keep hold for now." Another piece into his pocket.

By yet another site, we could see some supporting metal beams to the left of the crystal. Taion squatted beside Riku, probability-wise bet it's not, "This is... not one."

Riku, surprised and not surprised that Taion could differentiate, "Oho? This might be valuable at later time, so we should keep." This one glows brighter than the others earlier. Yet another piece into his pocket!

"OK, got it."

The group exited the tunnel into the area surrounded by cloud sky. They tramped down the green-algae-looking floor as Manana called out to Riku, whom was in front of her, "Riku seem to find great joy in rocks. He pick up so many!"

He stopped and turned to glance at her, "Gemstone and ore are different from normal rock scattered around. And ore we pick up from before have great utility." The others stopped to eavesdrop on their conversations.

In a disappointed tone, "Manana not rock scientist..."

Sena, stoked, joined the conversation "You can identify them all, Riku! You sure know a lot about rocks."

"Riku know thing or two."

Lanz didn't agree with his self-deprecation, "Don't be modest. You've got skills, mate. You should be an appraiser."

"Cease with flattering."

Sena debated against, "It's not flattery! It's good to have a hobby!"

"Manana in agreement!" Riku turned and faced another direction.

Lanz teasingly called out to him: "It's pretty good that we were able to come out rock-collecting, huh, Riku?"

Riku felt seriously offended, replied sternly, "Ore and gemstone! Not rock! From supply material to maintenance work, that Riku's job. It solemn responsibility to keep important equipment in tip-top order so everyone can come back alive." Then, looking sideways, picking on him, "Just doing own job. Not like Lanz."

"You what? I'm pretty much... almost... sort of doing it!"

Sena was impressed with his attitude, "Wow... You really give yourself a lot of responsibility, Riku."

Riku, scratching his head, trying to put a halt to the conversation that focused on him, "Too much talking. Out of Riku's character."

Noah disagreed, "Not at all. Understanding each other better isn't a bad thing, is it?"

Manana agreed. She walked a few steps and stood beside Riku, looking at his eyes, "That right. Become better friends is important."

Mio added, "We need to learn more about each other to become better friends, right?"

"That exactly truth. Learning about each other very important deal!" Manana backed her up. As if a light bulb shone above her head, "Ah, Manana has idea! Next, Manana will show faaaavorite thing!"

Riku was confused, "Next? It not about taking turns..."

Manana fluttered herself and her wings, discounted Riku's sternness nor his rebute, "Bate breath in readiness! Manana show you her specialty! You learn soon!"

"Over there is good place. Time for break!"

It looked like the remnants, a corner of a building. Where bricks had been demolished, plants climbed the surface. Stone pillars with platform remnants told us there used to be multiple storey. A bonfire was lit at the center of the structure. To its right, there was another remnant, this time circular and about one and a half storey high. On another remnants across the "cloud sea"⁶, another island with a structure that looked like a top stood itself, seemingly connected to the island the group was on via a rope. Trees grew in the distant, inaccessible small platforms.

Sat around the bonfire, Lanz appreciated Manana's cooking: "Mmm, so tasty! Nothing like a hearty meal to keep you going for the long haul!"

Noah nodded, "It even wakes you up somehow."

Sena: "Endless rations⁷ are so boring. You need to spice it up like this!"

"Manana couldn't agree more!" Then, she 'logically' targeted someone, "Taion only cook tragedies, so Manana work hard to learn cooking!"

Eunie was aroused, curious to learn more about his cooking, bent forward to keep her attention on her, "Ha! First I've heard of it. Is he that bad?"

That brings back memories, as she replied in a very low tone, "It very horrible."

Sitting beside Eunie, his hands crossed and explained himself, "Actually, my cooking just focuses more on efficient absorption of nutrients, and convenient portability. And I've actually optimized it."

Eunie jokingly asked: "...You mean it used to be even worse?"

"H-hey, now, I like Taion's cooking! It's... unique!" Mio disagreed, backed Taion up, in a chuffed intonation.

Noah offered a recourse, "It's OK. Swallow it down quickly and you'll probably be fine."

Sena, astonished, speaking to herself. "Do you... Do you really think you're helping...?"

"Is there second helping?" Riku looked to Manana, hoping for another portion.

"Oh yeah?" Lanz was alerted.

"...What?"

"What's this, Riku? Your favorite food or something?" He noticed something new about Riku, curiously prompted.

Rejecting his hypothesis to save his face with plenty of explanations, as usual, "Is not favorite. Is taste of Manana hard work, and is rude not to clean plate."

"Actually, Manana season with frazzlefish to bring out hidden flavor. Manana pleased Riku notice!" She was touching the ends of her feathers together, like how a human would used his/her index finger, gently touching the tip of each other as one speaks.

With an 'urmmmm' tone, tremblingly, he confessed, "Meeeehhh... Riku not know that actually."

Manana was confounded to her wrong hypothesis. "You not know? Well, Manana only happy you know now! And... Manana bring Riku whole mountain of seconds!" She trodded off into the distance, away from the bonfire.

Lanz, unsure who he's targeting the question to, prompted, "You think he minds?"

Mio answered, "It was so good he had seconds. And Manana knows how much he liked her cooking. I don't see the problem."

Sena added, "She was so happy."

Noah praised, "I think her ability to accept people's words upfront is one of her best points."

Mio: "Haha, maybe she's a little too upfront."

Taion added, "And her air of innocence is... characteristic of Nopon." Behind, we could see some brick-red walls covered with cement-colored, cement? Short patches of grass decorated the algae-ish surface. To the right of Taion, there was a path that made a perpendicular turn to its right⁸.

Eunie: "Upfront and innocent, huh..." She turned to look at Riku, referring to something.

He seemed to get what she meant with the descriptions, rebutted, "Riku is also good honest Nopon."

"Let's not get into that..." Eunie seemed unconvinced.

Sena brought the topic back to the 'rocks' of his, adored, "You were so serious when you were looking for the ore and gems. It's really good to be able to throw yourself into stuff like that so passionately. Like, into the things you love!"

To which he replied, "Sena is good person. Is shame Lanz lacking this quality..."

"Why are you always picking on me?!" Ouch! There was a description for this situation: 'Sitting at home doing nothing, a wok smashed on you unexpectedly'⁹.

Noah provided a respite on the pugnacious atmosphere, "Just up ahead might be Riku's treasure."

Sena, stoked, "Then let's go treasure-hunting!"

"Yes! Riku get mighty whiff of treasure here!"

Noah, putting an end on the conversation, "OK, let's have a quick breather and then start the search."¹⁰

"As Noah wish! We definitely find it!"

As they entered a cave with some grass growing in a semicircle on the dry soil, Mio looked to her right. Some reddish ore revealed itself in open space. Spiderwebs seemingly blocked the way between them and the ore. "Huh? Hey isn't that...?"

Spiderwebs grew also on the group, and some of them stood on it¹¹. "Ohoho! Now that what Riku call a gemstone!"¹²

"Manana will bring back!" She immediately dashed towards the stone.

"Gemstone need careful handling. Riku will also go." He dashed after Manana after explaining his excitement away with reasoning. The group strodded slowly behind them, as Noah casually looked upwards, immediately alarmed and shouted, "Wait! Riku! Manana!"

Too late. They already arrived at the reddish ore. As they heard him, they turned and saw a spider with buff muscles on its cursive legs, two pair of fangs that in front of a face that looked like a bat, and two bat-like ears that had lime-green liquid flowing in its veins, stretching from where the "ears" of the bat's face, and patches of glowing turquoise on its abdomen. The spider approached Riku and Manana.

Manana: "Meh-meh-meh?!"

Riku: "This blight on personal record..."

Lanz shouted to them, "Wait there, we're coming!" Yet, smaller arachnids appeared behind the giant spider, facing the group and preventing them from disturbing their "mother" about to enjoy her feast.

Taion: "No good, they're coming this way too!"

Mio warned, "Drop the gem! The monsters seem to be after them!"

Riku wasn't willing, "Meeeeeeehhhh...!"

Manana pugnaciously rebutted, "That is precious thing! Cannot be thrown away!"

Riku, with a sorry and regret look, apologized to Manana, "Sorry to bundle Manana up in recklessness of Riku. Manana must throw gemstone over that way."

"But it your treasure, Riku!" She was surprised Riku willingly gave up his hobby for her life.

With a shaking voice, perhaps trying to suppress the difficulty in choosing, or maybe time wasn't on their side, "True... But if Manana throw, then monsters go also."

Manana refused, "Riku giving up too easy!"

"Meh-meh?!"

As if everything was under her control, "This nothing-trouble! And also... Riku say he get every treasure!"

"But Nopon not fight!" He looked down, finding excuses for both of them.¹³

"That irrelevant! Should become like Mio and Noah! If Riku and Manana work together, this piece of pollen orb! Riku not agree?"

"Manana..." His eyes met hers, encouraged his, "Riku agree. Riku not give up in this place!" Then, walked up to face the giant spider, "Riku here to get treasures and beat monsters!"

Manana joined in, "Manana can be behind that!"

"Is not yet time..." He drew out the weapon attached to his back, held it with his wings. It shaped like a gun.

"... for give up!" Manana finished his sentence, drew out the wok and joined him.

"One, two..." They dashed past so quickly that the queen arachnid was sent into the air as they swooshed below her belly. She dropped to the ground while RIku and Manana arrived in front of Noah and the others.

Manana, fluttering her wings, "Magnificent success!"

Lanz was amazed, "Nice job, you two! What a team!"

Sena, with a worried voice, "I'm so glad you made it back!"

"Manana sorry for causing worry." She answered in a lower tone.

As Riku and Manana turned to face the queen arachnid, now got on its feet and turned its attention towards the group, Riku commented, "Now we see real Nopon potential!"

"That right! Maybe it impossible for one Nopon..."

"But not for two!"

"Together-fighting is better!" The group drew their blades and face the arachnids.

(After the fight.)

The group stood to face Riku and Manana. Lanz was relieved, "Phew. I didn't know how that was going to end."

Noah added, "Right? I was so surprised to see that from Riku and Manana!" We could see a tree growing in the background, by the way. More were growing on top of a taller platform filled with spiderwebs, behind Lanz, if Riku looked up at his face (from that angle).

Mio too, "I didn't know they could fight like that."

Riku clarified with sternness, "Riku is superior Nopon! Everyone know still Nopon run deep."

Lanz couldn't stand it, "Come off it, you aren't running anywhere."

Sena, "But now we know you can fight with us. How reassuring is that?!"

Manana, twinkles in her eyes, "We sorry for worry. But we learn that combine power together mean we can fight!" As she drew out the extracted magenta-ish crystal, "And that not all! We fetch back nice stash of gemstone!"

"Thanks for doing that, guys!"

Riku accepted it, "Yes! Getting best treasure is thanks to Riku."

Lanz, shaking his head, "Someone sounds chuffed with himself."

Taion suggested an end to the conversation, "Looks like the danger's passed for now. Let's keep going."

Noah agreed, "Right. We're still not out of these tunnels. Keep your guards up, everyone."

"Manana do Manana's best!"

Mio was enthused, "Haha, you're an asset to the team, you two!"

Riku looked away, explained away humbly, "... Riku just doing job." Manana looked at him, silently knew he was enjoying the flattery, and perhaps relieved they had got closer.

(End of Riku and Manana's Hero Quest)

Footnotes:

---

1: One knew this later.

2: You'll know why it's Riku and Manana as you progress on with the story.

3: If you look behind the scene with the first video, you could see a character that was never introduced. That person actually could be anybody, because in game, there's a 7th slot for a hero like Ethel or Cammuravi to join in and appear in scene, but they never spoke or do anything out of the common, so we'll omit them in the future unless they participated. And by the way, that hero was actually Teach.

4: Pollen orb was something that originated in the Nopon village. First introduced in Xenoblade Chronicles 1, it was said to have some addictive effect, like the addictive drugs we abused today.

5: RGB hex = #cdf80c

6: Actually, there wasn't much clouds seen on this direction, but empty space.

7: These were the foods given to the colony, in 'rations', especially when the colony were lower rankings, if you heard the nurse hat guy speaking from before, in Ethel's colony before the assault.

8: So, if you drew an line that joined Taion and the brick wall, the route would be parallel to that line

9: "人在家中坐，锅从天上来"

10: Manana still hadn't come back, though...

11: Without getting stuck on it, to one's amazement.

12: Manana is now back online!

13: Bro! The spider is really patient watching them quarrel, huh?!

Ambushed, Colony Lambda, Consul J

Continuing their journey on a flat surface, the surrounding barren; a slope located behind them, and some tunnels in their direction of travel. Halfway through, soldiers wearing Agnian armor fired some blasts that draws a purple tail as they flew. Hitting the ground in front of the group, it blasted, purple smoke released, blocking their view of the tunnel.

Defensively posed, more shots fired on to behind them, cutting their retreat route. Lanz gasped, "What the-... smokescreen?!"

Riku took a few breath, then covered his nose as he warned: "It smell weird! This... not just normal smoke!¹"

Taion, standing to his 5 o'clock, immediately covered his nose as he warned. The others quickly followed, backs facing each other in a circle. Soldiers with twin blades moved, their visor dragged a red trail as (s)he moved towards Noah.

Noah managed to react in time, swords bashing together as he sliced back. The soldier was quick to respond, retreated before (s)he suffered any injury, and vanished into the smoke. "They're hiding in the smoke!" The others withdrew their weapons.²

Mio's sharp ears counted the footsteps, then warned, "More incoming!"

An Agnian was driving towards Eunie. Mio, standing to her right, heard its arrival and moved to block for her. Yet, she felt a weakness and numbness, "Huh? My legs?!"

Her attention turned to her faltering legs, the soldier took the chance to slash just as her attention retargeted, sending her on to the ground. "Ahhhh!"

"Mimi!" Sena's hammer landed empty, though managed to prevent him/her from taking advanced actions. While she helped her up, (two) soldiers carrying guns appeared from their front, fired more somnolent gas at the group.

Lanz ran and blocked for Mio and Sena, warned "This smoke... Don't breathe it in!" Sticking his broadsword into the ground, he withdrew the hidden machine gun and fired at the gunned soldiers. Their agile movement dodged his bullets as they retrieved behind the smoke. Perhaps unaware, or perhaps believed in his teammates, he didn't turn to face a twin-blade soldier approaching from behind.

"Who the spark are they?!" Eunie had his back.

Manana replied, her wok 'shield' carried in front of her, "Soldiers from Agnus, duh!"

Taion deflected a soldier with his Mondo, commented, "I... I know this maneuver...!"

"What is it?" Noah, to the right of him, prompted for more.

"One of Colony 13's little specialties." That brought him back to the past memories, how Lambda's soldiers were slaughtered by the Kevesi without mercy.

Lanz, still firing his guns, "So, you've seen this before? But... wait a mo, these mudders are Agnian!"

"I don't get it... Why this specific tactic...?" His mondo made a barrier in front of him, giving him the time to think and hypothesized, "Could it be... the commander...?!"

Even without soldiers attacking them, the soldiers whom initially fired the shots, standing at a higher platform to both side of their route, continued firing more smoke, making it thicker.

Eunie now laid her back on Taion, "This is looking grim... There's no way to tell where they're gonna come from next!"

"Urgggg..." Recalling how they had handled it from before, he commented, "Water."

"Water?" Eunie wasn't sure what he's talking about.

"Yeah. There are water veins in these caves. We can use them to make an escape."

"You sayin' make a dash for it?"

"Errrr...." Taion's eye scanned the vicinity as he continued to analyze the situation, to take in more information. Red trail were encircling them while others waited for him.

Lanz, still firing his gun at a single direction, urged, "Taion, decide! Look, I trust your judgment!"

"You do...?" His fist clenched, had no choice but nodded, then shouted to the group, "All right... We'll have to run. I judge it to be the best option right now!"

"All I needed to hear. Let's move! Lead the way!" Lanz was relieved, sheathing his machine gun as he had his back.

"I'm on it." He make for a run, the others followed, two by two.

They arrived before the gushing river, cleared of anesthetic smoke. There was some roof structure behind them, and he stood where he and Nimue stood before, on the wooden (or maybe metallic) platform facing the river. "This is it!"

All except Eunie walked up to assess the river, Eunie on the lookout. Except for some metal beams to her 10 o'clock, above the slope in front of Eunie, purple smoke were quick to spread towards their direction.

While Noah was making further analysis, or to ask his gut, Eunie called out, "They're here! Can't see 'em, but it's a real welcome party."

No more time to think. He looked towards Mio, whom nodded back at him. The final decision had been made, "Time to go! Big breath, then jump!" He took the lead and plunged head first into the stream.

The group were running from rocky ground towards grassy, leafy, flowery, ground. A tree, beside a cylindrical rock, the base of a waterfall in the distant, the evaporating water vapor/mist enshrouded our view of what's behind.

Just as they dashed past the tree, Noah, on the lead, stopped on his track, and others were quick to follow. The ground shook, loud noise from where they were facing, which is actually a base of another waterfall. Defensively, they watched as a pike with an Agnian Flame Clock, half-filled, emerged from behind. It was so huge its torso temporarily cut the whole width of the waterfall from reaching where it normally reach. Fully emerged, it drove and landed in front of the group, shadowing them from the sunlight with its Flame Clock. With waters still dripping, it extended both its legs and landed on the edge of the island before them, sending dirt splashing up, and it "turned on" its eyes.

From below it, levnises of various types (the ball bearing type with two swords on its hand which we saw during the Guernica mission, and the four-armed autonomous levnis they fought back at the Colony 18's battlefield) surrounded them.

Isurd, his right iris blood red, walked out of the ferronis on the higher platform (a platform higher than the horn above the Flame Clock).

Taion's eyes gleamed, "I knew it... Commander Isurd!"

Isurd sneeringly shouted back, "Long time no see, Taion!"

"That guy..." Eunie recognized him from Taion's past memories.

"So they got to you too. Commander!" Taion shouted back. "Did they order you to destroy Ouroboros too?" Soldiers now joined the levnises, encircling them.

Isurd replied, "Not... exactly."

"Huh?"

"You must've worked it out. This strategy... mirrors that day. When Nimue's life... was cut short!" His voice, sharp and vicious, struck at Taion's emotional chord.

Taion's iris widened. The commander, joyful his tactic worked out, continued, "I figured you would try to use that route to flee. That's how I knew to wait right here. And so I replicated the conditions of that day to a tee."

Taion took a step backward, questioned, "But why do such thing?!"

Starting with a calm tone, then undulating, lively, "Why? Well, let's see... In a nutshell... To remind you- of your past! To make you relive it, and drive you to despair! To break your heart! To steal all that you hold dear!" Clenching his fist tempestuously in front of him, "To ruin you to your very core! Wahahahahahahahah!"

"That is my revenge! It's payback for Nimue dying with her wish unfulfilled! It's your own past! Its finally caught up with you!" He pugnaciously sneered at him.

There was a moment of silence, and Taion seemed stoical. A moment later, the stone weighted too deep in his heart. He closed his eyes, looked down, and his breathe betrayed him, recalling his conversation with Isurd after the mission.

(Start of Taion's memories)

In the dimly-lit commander's tent, young Taion spoke something³ to the commander. Isurd listened attentively, gently nodded as he finished. Then, Taion looked down to his 11 o'clock in agony. Isurd took two steps forward, put his hand on his shoulder. Perhaps distracted, he brought out Nimue's stopwatch gadget from his pocket, held it on his palm, glancing at it.

Isurd took his hands off him, calmly asked, "Nimue gave it to you, right? You should hold on to it."

With a tone trying to hold back his tears, "It was... my fault... My pride led to her death. If only I'd presented a less reckless plan... The strategist would never have... Nimue would..." He gripped on to the gadget forcefully.

As tears aggregated, he held out the gadget straight at the commander, not daring to look at him as he wept. Whimperingly, "It- It's too much for me..." Then, he put his hands down⁴ "I don't... I don't deserve this..." As he spoke, he took steps backward, and leave thereafter.

Isurd right palm held upwards⁵, looking at him leaving, didn't say a thing nor tried retaining him.

(End of Taion's memories)

The smiling, red-iris Isurd looked down on Taion, watching him grieved his past loss.

"It's true... It is my fault..." His fingers slowly and tremblingly clenched into a grip, "You were the kindest man I knew, Commander..." Then, raised his tone two octaves, "But I made you use the same enemy tactic that cost Nimue her life..." He looked up at him, "I drove you to such desperation, and now... you're determined to kill me..."

Calmly spoken, "Precisely right, Taion." As he finished, he turned to re-enter the torso of the Ferronis. Before he entered the door, he looked to his side, "The past..." then turn to him, in a vicious tone, "has come back to haunt you!" Then turned and walked in.

Bang! The ferronis's leg dragged along the muddy ground, its "hands" tucked into the ground to increase drag, sending dirt into the air. The group, with water halfway up to their ankle, stood and watched. Isurd almost lose balance inside the ferronis control room, tempestuously snapped at them, "Lay down and die already!"

As the ferronis tilted its head upwards, beams emanated from around the edge of its disc plate (that looks like a turtle's shell), top and bottom, in all direction. The beam randomly swing itself to cover all possible regions, though there was a chance it tracked down the group's location and, working together, chased after them. Beams that pierced into the ground sent dirt and rocks flying where it sliced through.

The group groaned as they dodged the beam, flying backwards. Someone as agile as Mio acrobatically jumped sideways as it swooped past. As for the heavy Lanz, where he can't dodged, he raised a shield to block the passing attacks.

Behind the ferronis, trees grew on top of the waterfall. There was a cement-looking building on one of the top, unsure what it was.

Taion stood stationary, looking up at the Ferronis, shouted out,"Commander Isurd...! Please... Please, stop this now!"

Eunie was rolling on the water before she got up on her feet, shouting, "Taion..." We could see two beams drilling through some rock and dirt, closing in to Eunie. She ran after Taion, hugged⁶ and dislodged him just before a beam zoomed past his left. They were headed towards water.

His attention locked to the Ferronis; he held out his left hand, trying to reach out for something, perhaps the commander's heart? His mouth wide opened, still trying to convince him. Time passed really slow. He could see the blue sky with mostly cirrus clouds, a horn stuck out to the left, blurred in the background, some trees at the edge of his vision; but mostly, the various feathers (of unknown species and unknown origin) that floated down; his hands, in a grabbing posture, trying to reach out to the one nearest.

His trial wasn't futile; the feather floated closer and closer to his hands. As he blinked his eye, the Ouroboros symbol glowed in his left Iris, the feather finally within reach, and he grabbed on to it. Cyan lights covered his body surface as they plunged into the water, and splashed not just where they collide with it, and also around it.

A bright light brought them into the yellow-smoke memory space. "If you haven't used this power back there, you'll be... a win would've been a nice surprise... quick! we're going to miss the homecoming... first one they've ever had here, right? Eunie!!!" On Eunie's side, Isurd and Nimue surrounded her, The swirling yellow strips swallowed as they transformed into globules, collided, and formed the Ouroboros Core.

Water was rippling vigorously, ald temporarily calmed down a little, before the bubbling burst, splashing water up tens of meters up high.

"What the...?" Isurd was surprised. Taion's Ouroboros, wearing a white robe, with female-like hands, black slim fingers; the conical-shaped sleeves that tightened around his elbow displayed veins of purple and orange (classical ouroboros color), cyan feather on the edge of the sleeve. We could also see cyan feathers arranged in flower petals behind his heads, and it seemed a visor attached to his forehead. A ring that grew out of his chest, tilted 15° to the vertical, it closed behind his head, and 4 feathers attached to it. It also had knee plates on its ankle. Oh, let's not forget the triangle mouth with metallic moustache.

As it glanced at the Ferronis, water splashed meters high encircled it; with its fall, emerged more replicas of Taion's Ouroboros, all floating mid-air. Soldiers⁷ on the ground aiming their guns incessantly changing their aims. Isurd himself was horrified to identify, switching his view angle as he questioned, "Wh-which one?! Which one's real?"

He figured the easiest way to determine is to destroy all of them. Cannon beams zipped past, most of them burnt like burning papers, with smoke released, before turning into dust and paper scraps. "This one?!" He waved his hands to his left. Taion's Ouroboroses doesn't stay still after Isurd's initial action, dodging the beams athletically. Yet, the concentration of the beam caught up with them in the end, shattering them.

"How about here?!" He now turned to his right, the same thing happened; he still hadn't distinguished him from his doppelgängers. His teeth gritted, he scanned for more; only paper scraps floated to the ground behind him⁸. Then, something above the ferronis caught his eyes; he gaped at it.

A massive boulder not much smaller or larger than the disc plate on the ferronis floating above it, shadowing it. Taion's Ouroboros was at the bottom of the boulder, 'creating antigravity' on it. As he lowered his arms, the boulder plotted a trajectory towards the top of the ferronis while Isurd watched effetely in horror. "Urg!" To prepare for the impact, he crossed his arms above his face, hoping it would've blocked it.

The last moment before impact, the ferronis already lowered its torso to prepare for impact, they did not touch. The boulder disappeared into scraps of paper that polluted the atmosphere. The groups, Sena beside Lanz on a ground, Mio behind Noah stood on knee-high water, watched as the pieces dropped. The pieces shaped like Mondo, except there were red patches that decorated it.

Isurd got out of his protective stance, feeling humiliated, "Wha- Another illusion?!"

Noah held out his hands as a Mondo with drawn symbols on its back and triangles of red patches folded on it, landed on his palm⁹. The Mondo aptly stood up, waved at him, before turning to its left and jumped off.

"Gh... Playing me for a fool?! AAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH, I'll show you a fool! I'll blow you away, you and all your rustling phantoms!" Isurd turned around as he whipped the air, before sighting Taion in the distance, beside where a giant wheel-like structure half stuck into some platform. Exasperated, he activated the central cannon located on the chest of the ferronis. The metal structure opened up to reveal the cannon, its inner structure signifies those of an airplane's engine, pushed out of its chest before aiming at Taion's Ouroboros, gathering a huge yellow globules of energy only comparable to Ethel's ferronis's purple lightning ball that K maneuvered before.

"Whoa... Intense... I can't defend against that..." Lanz, flabbergasted, shook his head in confirmation. Sena watched intensely at Taion's Ouroboros as she convinced herself, "If Taion took the Ouroboros form... I can too!" She sheathed her weapons as she ran towards the ferronis, calling out, "Lanz! Come with me!"

"You insane!" Lanz was shocked. He stood up and sheathed his weapon.

"Just trust me! Hurry!" She galvanized him to run after her!

"It's over! TAION!" Isurd, his mind now totally hijacked...

Sena, with an unwavering voice, the Ouroboros symbol started glowing her left iris as she made her speech, "Taion, all of you... I won't let this creep... lay a finger on anyone!" Lanz was now running beside her. At the end of the island was an elevated rock, which they jumped, hands reaching out as blue spirals engulfed them.

"Quick thinking Lanz... Get off me, had to be the hero... Come on, he's trying to protect you... just stop it... no more arguing... you gonna hit something..."¹⁰ "we... haven't met before, have we?" The last voice was Mio's in Sena's memory; they both watched until yellow spirals encircled them, engulfed them, collided, and generated the Ouroboros Core.

Still flying in mid-air, an Ouroboros with a pair of wings that shaped like palms, and two butterfly-winged shape 'knives' below it, floated behind her. Her braided hair formed a tail that resembled a whip, with a burning ring at the end of the 'whip'. It jumped and landed beside the left knee of the ferronis, palms holding in front in a 'ready to push' position. Jet engine flames burnt behind her 'shoes', which was like roller coaster, dragging along the ground. She laid her right hand on the feet as she continually dragged along its circumference until she reached a calculated position, stopped herself with another hand gripping on it, hugging its leg. Her eyes blinked a moment.

Inside the control room, Isurd hadn't noticed her arrival until the ground shook below him. He turned and saw Sena's Ouroboros pulling its left leg upwards, the jet engine on her legs blasted at full speed, sending black smoke in the direction of of its blast, she shouted for strength "ErrrrrrrrrAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!".

"WhhhhhhhoooooooaaaaaaaOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Isurd was horrified as he lost his footings, his bent his knee and put his hands on the ground to regain balance.

As she threw the leg up on to the air, she spinned along her vertical axis, her 'whip' transformed withdrawn and transformed into a hammer; the wings still on he handle side, while the giant hammer (with butterfly wings attached to its back) on the other side.

"ErrrrrrrrrAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" She launched herself towards the tossed leg, vision locked onto it, smashing it so hard it reached a new equilibrium: to land on its back.

"No...! Unacceptable!" With Isurd voice emanating from the control room, the cannon aggregated to its threshold, a beam shot into the open air while the ferronis fell first on its left side¹¹, before landing on its back. We could now see the ferronis is actually turtle shape, and not two legs but four, just like a real turtle, now that its legs faced upwards.

As it crashed down, soldiers and levnises were running for their lives. Some soldiers looked back just to get themselved tossed by the immense rippling shockwave, dragged along the water. Sena's Ouroboros clung tight to a rock stuck from underwater to prevent the shockwave from sending her flying off. Only now was Taion's Ouroboros floated and stopped landing, a relatively low height from the water surface.

The ferronis wasn't giving up so readily. Its cannons retained its ability to fire despite being toppled. With such desperation, it no longer looked out for its own soldiers, the willingness to sacrifice whoever was in its way. Sena's Ouroboros jumped in all directions, dodging them with agile. She sometimes passed very near Agnian soldiers, the beam zwooped past and killed them while targeting her.

Mio and Noah regrouped, back to back, overlooking the Flame Clock to their side (or rather, they stood in front of the Flame Clock). "The Flame Clock! It has to go!"

As Mio finished her sentence, a beam sliced between them; they dodged to both sides, both their currently travelling paths joined to form an oval/ellipsoidal shape, each carefully avoided the beams. Noah started to chant Ethel's final warning, "Embers on coat... Brush them off."

"If push comes to shove, do not flinch!" Mio continued the sentence. They ran to intersect one another.

"Do whatever it takes!"

Then together, "For the greater good!" Running side by side, blue lights enshrouded their surface, and...

"The dead don't think anything...They don't speak, to me... Stop crying, Lanz! It won't change anything... it's the feeling you..." "I was top of the rankings in all... is that why you're here?... is that why you're being an off-seer?" They joined course into an Ouroboros Core, Mio's Ouroboros, purple hairs flowed behind like a waterfall. Rings attached to behind its elbow and to its side, with two more below the legs that acts like "ice-skater", though it was so light it could skate on top of the water surface. It also had a pair of cat-like ears.

The beam tried to reach her, but she changed directions so fast it leaves afterimages. Perhaps Isurd had calculated where it would land in the future, fired several beams together at a single point, water vapor and smokes enshrouded his view. Yellow electric sparkles flowed through its surface.

Suddenly, water splashed, together with Mio's Ouroboros, so high it seemed to reached the higher platforms where trees grew. Mio's Ouroboros did plenty of somersault while in air, until it reached the highest point the force could brought her to. Aiming at the central cannon, she pushed both legs and both hands behind to increase their speed towards the Ferronis, as she called out to Noah, "Better make it count!" Then, they cancelled the Interlink.

"I was planning to!" He replied, Lucky Seven already unsheathed by the time they cancelled. His legs were folded to push forward faster, Mio behind him to provide a platform he could push on. She flew backwards into the air while he dived even faster towards the Ferronis.

The ferronis central cannon was already at its tipping point, blasted in Noah's direction. He held out his left-arm gauntlet (the Lucky Seven sheathe that transformed) and surprisingly, it prevented the beam from going further, forming a 'heliosphere' of radiating rainbow around him as continued to move even closer to the Ferronis.

As the beam came to a close¹², he swung his body to his left, his left arm in a punching position, with the Lucky Seven horizontally position to his left, as if to slice something from left to right; he did slice it, though not for slicing the clock but slicing the air to give him force.

As he targeted the Flame Clock, he grabbed the Lucky Seven's handle with both hands, its tip facing down, finally piercing into the Flame Clock. 'Lives' splattered from its wounds, immediately the high-pressure 'lives' splashed out analogous to a broken artery spilling blood. Less concentrated 'lives' splashed out towards the side, and the Flame Clock quickly drained of its gauge. No more 'lives' splashing out, but none within either, and the Ferronis shut down.

Dual-blade Agnian soldiers surrounded the group, now cancelled their Interlink. Isurd dropped hands on the ground, his effete feet had trouble supporting his weight. He struggled back up, walked a few more steps and stopped beside an Agnian soldier, panting with each step.

Taion dashed and stopped below Noah's blade, held his arms wide, blocking Isurd, whom was directly in front of Noah before, from progressing further. "Come on... Enough is enough, Commander... There's no reason for us to be fighting each other. If you still need a life to satisfy you, you can have mine."

"Taion?!" Feeling unacceptable, Eunie loudly called out.

Touching both hands on his heart, "If that helps put your heart at ease... If it settles the debt I owe Nimue... I'll do it."

"Eehehehehehehehehe, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!" As if he heard the most funny thing ever, he laughed and laughed, and turned into a mud statue before crashing into the ground; a puddle of dark mud¹³ crashed into the light brown soil, forming a puddle of polluting substance.

"Whuh?" Taion took a step back, the others sheathed their blades. "_C-Commander?!__"

Riku and Manana joined the team from their hiding place, with Riku asking, "He turn into mud pie?" The other Agnian soldiers had their blade sheathed too.

Above the mud, purple specks of particles gradually aggregated, and Consul J materialized before their eyes. He scanned the horizon left and right before speaking to the group, "Have you ever felt so much fondness, that it made you... quiver?"

"Huh? That voice..." Something deep and stagnant in his memory triggered. Mio was curious.

Pacing left and right, he introduced, "Long time no see... You forgot about me... I missed you... All these sayings that have to do with time... They ring so insufferably hollow, when you only have ten years on the clock. It doesn't feel real. But you know..."

"No... It can't be..." Stopping few meters in front of Eunie, she realized it too.

Turning to face them one by one as he called out names, "Noah... Eunie... Riku... Lanz... I have to tell you... I'm overwhelmed with emotion!" He raised his right hand, clicked on a button behind his neck; the helmet spiralled into nothingness, revealing his face, which the Kevesi gasped, eyes wide opened,

Lanz, surprisingly, "Joran!"

"Sincerely... I'm on the verge of tears."

"Joran... But you...!" He took two steps forward, can't believe his eyes.

"Joran...?" Sena watched his reaction,

Mio, one step behind him¹⁴, prompted, "You know him?" He didn't reply, but she recalled what she saw in his past memories, "Wait... I know him... Yes, Joran... amid the rubble and the flames..."

Sena lightly called out, "He died in a battle with Agnus... They were all friends."

Taion skeptically challenged the notion, "But wait... How does that work? H-How can he be...?!"

Mio: "Assuming the memories we saw were correct... " She and Sena turned to face Noah, with Sena prompting for assurances,

"Noah...?" He displayed in inscrutable face, though his quivering breathe a few seconds later gave it up. Lanz drew their attention, walking towards Joran, "Joran! You're... You're our Joran! Y-you were alive?!" He stopped a few steps away from him.

In a gleeful tone, he returned the question, "Was I alive? Hah! Of course not. I did die on that day! Evidently! That's why I can be here now!" His speech moved with lively body emotions, putting his hands on his chest, then held it out in front of him, then held it out wide as if to embrace. "You can call me J! Guess what?" Using his right hand, he pushed the long dark green hair that hid his right iris so they could watch the glowing Moebius ring in it, "I'm a proud member of Moebius now!"

"No...! You can't mean it...?!" with a shaking voice, Noah, and the other Kevesi, took a step backward, couldn't believe their eyes.

"J-Joran..." Eunie sadly, softly called out.

"You see, they gave me this incredible power... I can take... people's memories... and refashion them into my very own mudpuppets." He squatted down to look at the pile of mud Isurd formed.

Lanz: "Mudpuppets...?"

"'Refashion' my wings!" Her tone suppressed her anger.

He stood up, took a few steps to his right before teleported behind an Agnian soldier, stabbed him with a short knife from behind. The group gasped at what he did.

"N-not yet... I can still..." The soldier called out, his tone getting deeper as he turned into a mud statue, then fell under gravity, creating another puddle of mud in front of Joran. The group breathe shakily, can't believed their eyes, nor could they assign the current Joran to their Joran in memory.

His knives held out, he teleported and repeated the same thing; this time, a female soldier, but her tone nor her fate changed, "I don't wanna die! Don't make me die here, please!"

"I told you we shouldn't have come here... You just had to make me..."

He explained; the group had been facing him even as he changed target: "The body may be mud, but their minds are the real deal. But without hearts, they're pretty quick to tell you what's on their minds!" This time, he didn't teleport, but walked slowly in a circle around the group.

"Grrrrffffttt!!!" Taion angrily snorted, but effetely didn't stop him.

"Joran..." Noah pitifully watched what he did.

"To be honest... These nobodies are beneath me. Noah, Eunie, or Lanz... You'd make good puppets." As he finished the last of the Agnian soldiers, his tone turned gloating, "What profound and clear-sighted words would your cold lips utter? I've so wished to hear... Why did you have to go and become Ouroboros, hm? Hehehehehehehehheheheheh..."

Eunie questioned him, "J-Joran... You were never like this! What did they do to you?!"

"What do you think you knew of me? You didn't know anything." Her assumptions challenged, she can't believe it. "I am only myself, Eunie." In disappointment, she looked down.

"The realest, truest, me! I don't need to hide any more! I can finally be me!" He bent forward, his eyes wide opened, hands held up with palms facing his face, "Becoming Moebius? Best thing that ever happened to me!" Touched his right hand on his heart, tone getting higher and higher, "I want you to feel it...! Feel the joy I feel!" His hands wide opened, as if to embrace them, "Feel my absolute elation!" Then, he drew his weapon, prepare to fight them.

Final note about the environment, there was a bridge behind where he stood, trees and rocky hills in the distance. It seemed like a waterfall falling into unlimited zone¹⁵ below the bridge.

(After the fight)

The group sheathed their blades, Joran eyes wide opened, embracing, asked for feedback, "Did you get a good taste of it? Of my elation...?"

"Cut the crap!" Lanz clenched his fist, utterly disappointed with him, "What're ya droning on about?! I don't buy it... I refuse to believe you're him...! You aren't our Joran! Joran saved our lives!"

(Start of Kevesi's Memories)

Dark and dusty sky; not even the raging flames could lit its vicinity. Patrolling Agnian levnises slicing buildings where it passed, which exploded. Along a path, young Noah leading the way; Eunie, Joran, and Riku followed behind, panting; Lanz and Garvel last. Explosions released shockwaves that shook the ground.

There was a "meteor" that blasted at a building 11 o'clock their direction, shattering a metal beam support, it fell towards where the group were about to trespass. "YurrrrrrrrrrAHHHHHHHHH" They darted, jumped, dragged, and rolled on the ground, barely dodging the beam. Unfortunately, Lanz and Garvel didn't made it. His lower torso buried by the beam; Garvel completely under. Lanz had trouble dragging himself out, "UUUUURRRRRHHHHH!!!"

"Lanz! Garvel!" Noah called out, he darted a few steps, but Eunie held him back by his arms,

"No time! Look! Above!" Flames raging behind a whole storey made of metal, flames sparkles where beams were supporting it. It tilted 10 extra degrees towards their path.

"We can't-"

"Noah!" Eunie cut him off. He turned to look at her. Lanz was still groaning as he tried to force himself.

"Move it!" Garvel called out to Noah and the others.

"Lanz!" Noah watched back in agony.

"We can take care of ourselves! Just go!" Noah gritted his teeth between the decision to leave or to save him, frozen. Eunie still held his arms. Joran didn't wait; he darted towards Lanz and Garvel, supported himself to push the metal beam upwards.

Lanz was surprised. "Jo-Joran?!"

"Nggggggggg..." It was too heavy for him. "Wh... Why are-" Garvel equally.

"You dumb clod... Come on... Joran..." Lanz hoped he would run and save his asses. Joran adamantly ignored and continued his effort. That convinced Noah and the others,

"Joran!" He dashed towards him, the others followed. Together, they raised the beam enough for Lanz to climb out.He held his hands to Garvel thereafter and pulled him out too. The beam crashed onto the floor as the group released their push; Lanz was sitting down. Garvel on all fours; Riku and Eunie rushed to help him up.

Noah turned to Lanz, held his hands to offer him a pull, "You hurt? Can you run?"

"Yeah, more or less..." As he stood, he turned to look around him. Eunie hold on to Garvel's arm; he found Joran panting to his right, questioned, "Joran... Why...?" Their eyes met, disturbed by Noah's arm on Lanz's shoulder,

"We should go!"

Lanz turned to face him, "Yeah." The group continued running, Joran and Lanz stood still for a moment. He nodded to Joran before they started walking, with Joran a step behind¹⁶

Metal creaking sound caught Joran's attention. He turned to back, upwards, and whimpered horifically. The group stopped at the distress signal he sent. "Huh?"

The metal storey finally put too much stress on its support, came crashing down towards Lanz and Joran.

"Watch out!" Joran, his hands on Lanz's chest, shoved him away. His action took him aghast; his eyes fixed on him. Flames burning behind, rocks tumbling around, Joran smiled back at him, his destiny fulfilled. Lanz's right arm held out, his last effort to reach him in agony. Smaller and smaller as he flew farther and farther; separated by an imaginary sheathe of rocks and pebbles, before the whole floor buried him alive.

"Ahhhhh!" The ground shielded their face from the dust and shards; Lanz effetely sat on the ground; the group took a moment to realize what they had lost, forever.

"Joran...? Joran?" He stood up and took steps toward the debris, only to had Noah grabbing his left arm. Unconvinced, he forcefully pushed, "Joran! Jooooraaaaaannnn!!!!!" Noah hugged him from behind, dragged him away as more rubble, flames, and rocks covered the existing remnants. What was buried was not only Joran, but his choice to apologize, his choice to say, "Thank you."

(End of Kevesi's Memories)

"You don't get it? You honestly don't get it? In that instant, I rose above you miserable fools! By saving your... worthless! Piddling! Lives!" He held his hands in front of him, as if clenching his fist would crush Lanz from his head into his torso¹⁷. Joyfully, "It was indescribable, Lanz!"

Lanz took a step backward, disappointed at his adamant, sharing no similitude in emotions. Noah looked at him pitifully, "Joran..."

"Ahh, wasn't this fun?" He turned with his back facing them, "I guess I'll call it a day here." He dancingly took steps forward, "Can't be hoarding all the fun for myself now. Gotta leave some for the next guy or gal."

"Say what?" Lanz was flabbergasted. With his back facing them, Joran spoke,

"I should thank you, Lanz." Lanz's contracted his eyelid's muscles as he watched Joran turned to see him from the tip of his eyes, between his long hairs, "'Cause I get to be like this now, and I owe it to you." Purple particles arose from his body as he spoke, "Toodles!" Then disappeared into thin air.¹⁸

The group retained vision where he left for a moment while they calmed themselves, their minds unconsciously sorting out the clash between sorrow and gleefulness that filled the atmosphere.

Footnotes:

---

1: The translator think this is Riku, but the word 'smoke' seemed like Taion's voice.

2: Which means, they no longer block their nose!

3: We couldn't hear what this something is.

4: Translator couldn't see whether he gave it to him or not.

5: Again, one couldn't see whether there is any gadget on his hand or not

6: her hands around his neck

7: We could see not just normal soldiers, but also those wearing special helmet that probably protected them from sniffing in purple gas.

8: All that we could see.

9: And Mio watching.

10: Sena almost toppled as she put a few steps in front just to rebalance.

11: The beam probably give laid some physics force on the ferronis, via Newton's third law, that changed its course slightly.

12: Meaning, it blasted only for n seconds, and after that, no more.

13: See second video; there were some rendering issue with first video that showed it gray.

14: 8 o'clock

15: "unlimited" means "inaccessible", which means, no game data available, which means, if you jumped down, you'd get teleported to a checkpoint near where you jumped.

16: To his 5 o'clock.

17: Due to distance, your hands can 'measure/grab' huge object, like trees, imaginarily, if you stood far enough from it, if you get what one means.

18: As one mentioned, there were rendering errors with the first video, no purple particles; see the second video instead.

Isurd, Off-Seer Purpose, Emotional Recourse

(Need to edit the one before this)

Translator's Note on Environment: On the platform where the rusty abandoned wheel we saw before, puny animals (squirrel-like, but looked like bunnits, dark gray) running along the path 'behind' it (if the waterfall where a 'triangle' stood out of it was called 'forward'). Trees, ferns, and grass paved the shoulder of the road. Another scene: Waterfall falling in layers, each step with a platform. Several animals with like 'balls', arranged in a circle, like flower petals, submerged below the water surface in the platform. This drowned platform is accessible from a path to the left of it, seen from image's point of view. An eagle soared above the flower petal animals. There were high-tech buildings at a platform higher than where the flower-petal animals made their home. And of course, trees that grew slightly towards the horizontal, their roots stuck on the vertical platform between the waterfall. Yet another scene. Waterfall scene in the distance, behind some rocks. In between the rocks and the waterfall, some pea-pods like trees stood taller than the rocks, their leaves more blue than green. On the 'pond', high-tech buildings (with glass windows, translucent tiles, or metal-looking structure) buried into the rocks to the right of the image. In front of them, an island with an Agnian levnis. In the same direction, in 'front' of the island, waterfall down to lower level. Final scene: rainbows! Lambda's Ferronis seen on the bottom left of the image, relatively far from the stepped waterfalls. This, is Great Cotte Falls, of Pentelas Region.

The evening sunlight caressed the soil and water vapor, the latter enshrouded the fallen Ferronis. The group tramped on a shady area of the island. The sound of water fall from behind. Tents laid in front of them, mostly along the rocky walls. Streetlights only lit several areas around the tents. Agnian soldiers laid on the floor. The group stopped before the erected barriers (only to the side, the invisible 'door' had no barriers) to observe the situation.

Riku: "Everybody flat on ground..." He started running toward the one nearest, the group followed thereafter. They gathered around him/her to inspect his/her situation.¹

Sena: "At least they're breathing."²

Manana: "Friends all OK?"

Lanz: "Looks like they're just passed out."

Noah: "Even so... There's cause for concern." He looked at Lanz, whom nodded to him. They both, together with Riku, ran into the distance, we don't know what they do, but translator guessed they went to inspect other soldiers.

Taion stood by himself, confounded by the situation. Eunie and Mio approached him, with Eunie attracting his attention, "Taion!"

"...Uh?" He turned around and faced them.

"We need to find the real commander, right?"

Mio assured him, "We'll keep an eye on this place. You go and make sure Commander Isurd is safe."

"Wait, but..." He tried refuting unconsciously before his logical mind overrides his unconscious, "...No, sorry, you're right. I'll go now, be back soon!" They watched him off into the distance, Mio doing her appreciation stance.

As if everything was as before, he had no trouble finding the commander's camp; or maybe it's just too obvious. Isurd and two soldiers, one of the latter not wearing a helmet, laid on the (seemingly) carpeted floor encircled the table. Taion exclaimed, perhaps relieved to see him, "Commander Isurd!!!" He ran and knelt by his side, "...It's good to see you."

Laying on a bed, Isurd eyes squinted as his eye muscles relaxed, opened. Translator assumed the place an infirmary, with beds lying on opposite sides like in the real hospital, a path in the middle. The ground was soil, no tiles. There is a tent above, and some foldable 'walls' behind each beds. The tent was unoccupied, only Isurd and Taion. Raising his head while his body laid flat on the bed, his hand on his chest, he turned to the guy sitting beside him, "Taion..." He looked at him without speaking for a moment.

Taion explained the situation to Isurd, whom was sitting up. The group gathered around, sitting on the beds or standing (and Nopons standing on the beds).

"So that's what happened..." He put his head on his forehead, trying hard to recall but failed. "I'm sorry. I don't remember a thing. Except for that... Consul's silhouette..."

He looked at Taion, asked, "Did I... say anything to you? I didn't..." then turned to the rest of the group, "say something... hurtful, did I...?" His tone seemed on-the-verge of tears.

A few seconds of silence, Taion, to not hurt his feelings, answered in a high tone, as if to assure him, "Not at all... You were your usual self, Commander. Our pride and joy, the same as always."

Eunie squinted his eyes, "Taion..." The willingness to conceal a painful fact and make someone's day, to bite one own's tongue and no one else.

Isurd looked into his eyes for a while, before looking down, his eyes closed, I see... I'm sorry." Then, he brought out something from his pocket that took Taion by surprise,

"I-Is that...?!"

Nimue's stopwatch. He looked at it, reminisced their shared past, as he shared his thoughts of her and him, "Nimue... She always cared so much about you. You possess... an acuity that sets you apart. You'll be an elite, head and shoulders above the likes of us. Nimue... She wouldn't stop going on about you."

Taion shakily breathed out as he listened to him sharing his emotions, eyes fixated on the gadget. The commander raised his head to look at him, "So someone called you a coward? Nonsense." Taion probably tried to hide his tears from him, turned to the other side as Isurd continued, "Considerate's what you are. Perhaps to a fault. You heeded a comrade's opinion. Isn't that right?" He was trying hard to hold his tears from leaking.

Looking back at the stopwatch, "Here's another thing she mentioned: That if you led us... If we could gain victory through your kindness, she'd have loved to see it." His iris constricted as he was reminded of Nimue's final moments, her look, her hopes, passed on to him. He closed his eyes to shed tears, clenched his fist.

Isurd stood up in front of Taion and handed over the stopwatch, "Even if it's too much, it should be yours to carry." Taion looked up at him, to which he nodded in assurance. He took two steps forward, received the stopwatch into his hands.

"And if you keep it safe... someday... I'd like you to go visit her."

"Huh? How can I... visit...?" Taion reflexively, shockingly, asked, the second tone softer as his mind figured it may just be a dream that can't be fulfilled.

Anyways, he attentively listened as Isurd continued, "At the Cadensia frontier, beyond the Farlaine Underpass, there's a place where Saffronias bloom. Nimue always loved their flowers... And one of them was especially brilliant... I'd like you to bury it there." As he returned his look on the stopwatch, he groaned in pain, heart pain, and clenched his fist around the gadget.

"That'll show her, beyond all doubt, your victory through kindness." Taion closed his eyes, brought the gadget to his chest, and embraced.

Taion seemed to leave the commander's tent, the group was waiting for him outside, Mio asking, "How's Commander Isurd?"

"It sounds like he's eager to jump back into work. I do wish he'd rest up first, but... That's the kind of man he is."

Sena: "...Ah, um, good to hear he's feeling well, at least..."

Noah added: "The other soldiers are waking up, too."

Taion nodded, "Very interesting."

Lanz nudged, "Someone should bring them up to speed, but we're just outsiders, after all... This is your manor, right? You should do the honors and fill everyone in."

"That is being taken care of. Commander Isurd is going to get the colony troops back in line shortly."

Eunie: "OK... So, it sounds like it's fine for us to just walk around like normal then."

Noah and Mio, standing beside each other, turned and look at each others' eyes. They nodded to each other in assurance as Noah voiced out, "On that note, there's something I'd like to check."

Mio added, "Taion, will you come along?"

"...Huh...? Sure. Where are we going?"

Mio, in her appreciation stance, replied, "Out of Colony Lambda."

Encircled by the remains of mud puppets, Noah and Mio played the melody. Blue moats rose from the remains³ Agnian soldiers gathered behind them, watching them sending them off. Sena, Lanz, Riku, and Manana too, but they weren't standing with the other soldiers. They were facing the direction of the bridge, in front of a waterfall.

Soldiers did the Agnian welcoming stance⁴ as they sent their colleagues off. Others too sad just stood still, shaking their heads sometimes.

"They were literal clods, man. Nobody's actually died. Who you doin' that for?" Lanz, arms crossed, wasn't convinced of their acts.

"Lanz got no tact. Do too... is about... atoning." Riku lectured, as if he knows a lot about it.

Sena was equally confused, "Riku, whatcha sayin' there?"

Riku recalled the same question he directed at Noah earlier, while they were walking out of Lambda.

Noah: "Why are we seeing them off? I know they were only hollow vessels... But ultimately, we chose to fight... and kill them... And nothing can change that fact. Even if there's no one to actually see off, we have to atone for that."

"In nutshell..."

Sena: "Oh, I see..."

"Atonement, huh...?" Lanz looked up at the two, unsure if he's convinced or not. Taion was far behind Lanz and Sena, watching the scene too.

Eunie voice appeared from behind as she walked to join him, "Hey, is Isurd OK with this? It's kinda... "

"Yeah!... He doesn't mind."

"Allll right... Guess you're all weirdos. Still, kinda strange. I wonder when it all started..."

"I couldn't tell you exactly when, but, I would surmise it started out as a kind of process for the upkeep of the world."

"Sounds like a crazy kind of process. This is all going way over my head." She crossed her arms.

Taion provided a cogent reason, "Quite simple actually. It gives a sense of security. Lets you think your dead friends are looking out for you from above. Alleviating feelings of guilt, and of loss. That's how I understand it."

"Yeah, OK, but... Ain't there plenty of people who don't care about that?" She recalled how Noah used to atone for dead Agnian and Kevesi soldiers after the battle with the Dirt Rank in Colony 9. Soldiers stepped on other corpses, levnises trampled their way through.

"What matters is that it is there. You don't need to pay attention. You don't need to do anything. But the way it is designed, if you think about it, it just works. We are told our life is born from the Queen, and to the Queen it returns. However, that's only if you make it to your Homecoming. But what of the others...? What of those who fall on the battlefield? Nobody knows. Where do they go? Seeing motes rise into the sky serves to dispel any unease. You end up believing, well... They're going somewhere. "

Eunie looked up to him, prompted for more, "But where is... 'somewhere'? The Queen's place?"

He looked back at her, "No clue..."

"You what, mate? That's kinda noncommittal for you." She put her hands behind her heads.

"Disappointed?" He teased back, looking at her.

"Nah, not fussed." Together, they embraced the moments the moats floated into the sky, grief over the dead while enjoying the silence, as the melody was coming to an end.

Slightly outside Colony Lambda's garrison, but still under the shade, Manana stood on a box, preparing the dishes. Sena was busy chopping some ingredients, seemingly. Mio stirred the cooking soup a little, before taking a ladle to taste it. They were about 1 o'clock from the bonfire.

After blowing it a few times, she took a sip, "Urg, ahh..." The content was still too hot for her tongue. Manana and Sena smiled at her⁵. It seemed like they were cooking tomato soup. There were also some cabbages on the table.

Suddenly, someone sounded from behind, "You lot, why're you making that stuff out here?" They turned to face him. It was Lanz. "Colony's got a perfectly good kitchen."

Far away behind Lanz, near the edge of the shade, Noah was practicing his sword. There were water falling from above at the edge, shrouding Lambda from outside view. He turned to watch the conversations.

Mio, embarrassedly chuckled, replied, "Out of commission, apparently." Then, folded her arms, "Somebody made a real mess of the place."

Sena felt nervous, looked back at her, "Wh... Hold on a sec!"

"Sorry, Mio..." Lanz apologized for unknown reasons, then walked away. The girls watched him off.

Sena stutteringly tried to explain away the nervousness, "I-... If we hadn't done what we did, chances are we would've all been dead by now! Uh, th-that's why we...!"

Mio frivolously⁶ assured her, "It's all right, everyone understand why. You were really brave, Sena."

"Uh... really? You're not just saying that?"

"N-Nope!"

At another location. Riku, his uncanny laughter raised goosebumps, "Meh-heh-hehhh! This real thrill of travel! Excitement moun-TINGGGG!!!" He was facing his toolbox, which contained a Mondo, a circular disc with a metal outer ring, glowing blue inner ring, and matted black filled circle inside; a cup with handle; an empty Ether cylinder.

Noah was about 2 o'clock to his direction, very near, estranged at his gleefulness, but observed without disturbance. The two turned their attention to Lanz, approaching, "Hah... Seriously... Nopon can be a bit too easygoing." he walked off immediately after he commented. Riku just watched him off, seemingly not offended.

He walked away, muscle tensed, emotionally stodgy, when Noah sounded from behind. "Everyone deals with things in their own way." They had their backs facing each other, Noah holding his sword up.

"Is that right? And why are you acting all normal?" He turned to him, "It was Joran! He was... He looked just like his old self!"

Noah put his sword down, turned to face him, stodgily, "I suppose... you think you're the reason for that, do you?"

"Huh?"

"In that case, I'm tell you to drop it right now. So Joran turned up. That alone isn't so bad."

Pugnaciously, he rebutted, "'Course it is!"

"Figuring out why it happened... That's what we should do!"

"Whaddya mean... 'why it happened'...?"

He turned to his right and walked a few steps, with Lanz's eyes on him, as he continued, "The reason we became Ouroboros... The reason the world looks like this. It's all connected... I'm sure of it..."

Lanz, superciliously, "Or maybe you just want it that way."

Noah accepted it, turned to face him, "Better than being stuck in the past."

"Uhhh..." Lanz felt hearthurt. His head down, announced "I won't... I can't... I'll NEVER! SNUFFING FORGET!!!" Then, he walked away towards the waterfall, all tensed. Noah watched him off.

Then, he looked to his right, where the Ferronis had fallen, thought to himself, "There shouldn't be any life in those bodies... But the motes still rose... So that means... I knew it."

He brought out his flute as he recalled.

(Start of Noah's Memories)

In the evening sun, transporting levnises parked on an elevated platform; soldiers tiredly walked around the battlefield littered with levnises wreckages; some levnises drove down a hill. On a platform below the tallest point of the hill, Noah stood overlooking the battlefield. Someone sounded from his right, he turned to him.

"The dead don't think anything. They don't speak. But... survivors speak for them. To celebrate their life... and death." It was the guy whom he looked up on during the Homecoming when they were younger. He walked past him, Noah's eye fixated on him, as he stopped at the edge of the ledge.

"That's why... I'm here." He brought out his flute and played a melody; the melody seemed to differ from the usual Kevesi tune.

As blue moats rose from the corpses, both Kevesi and Agnians, transporting levnises fully boarded retracted their legs and zoomed into the distance; war levnises drove on the ground away in similar directions⁷ Several tired soldiers effetely pushed their bodies forward, a step after another, no attention to care about their surroundings. Noah just watched the moats, listening to his melody, quietly.

(End of Noah's Memories)

He removed his glance on his flute and looked into the distance; Lanz smaller and smaller in his view, talking to himself, "Lanz... We are still alive..."

Consider the barriers from the colony entrance to be its 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock; to it's 11 o'clock, there was a huge rock several meters tall, and an Agnian levnis parked tens of meters away to its left. Lanz was sitting behind the rock⁸; Eunie walking towards him from behind the parked Levnis. She commented while she was still walking, "It ain't like you to sulk like this."

"Piss off..."

"Noah bust your chops?"

"Urg..." He faced away from her.

With a joking look, "Mmm-hmm... Maybe not, but I'm getting warmer." Then, she dropped and sat to his left.

Lanz sneered at her, "Eunie, for sparks' sake, read the room."

Hushed, she replied, "Hard pass. Look Lanz, I was there too."

"Ahhh!" Lanz whimpered.

"No one's asking you to forget. Noah's just saying, move on."

"Ah, Noah. He's always a step ahead, eh?"

"You know he's an off-seer. He's closer to it all than we are. To the ones who're gone..."

In a softer tone, "Being left, it... It ain't easy."

"I know. Still... I don't wanna disappear."

There was a moment of silence as Lanz considered her feelings, and relinquished his current feelings, "Yeah... Yeah, you're right. Not like... we can afford to go just yet." They looked at nature; mist blew from one side to another by wind. Some teeth-like rock pillars shrouded by black fog. To the far side, there were other pillars that looked like elephant's tusk; together they made a structure that resembled a temple.

'Lives' flowing into a Kevesi Flame Clock, half full, the Ferronis head shaped like a... jellyfish? Agnian soldiers fall as Kevesi soldiers and levnises marched forward. There was a new type of levnis: one that with four legs, two swords, and stood really tall. The center of its grip, capable of firing dispersed beams in in a conical shape wherever it points. The soldiers roared as they marched towards victory.

In contrast, Agnian soldiers were mostly corpses on the floor; its Flame Clock barely alight. One of the Agnian soldier, suffering heavy injuries, struggled to walk away from the battlefield; each steps was suffering. A Kevesi soldier holding a blade ran after him, stopped a few meters behind him.

As if noticing his existence, the Agnian turned his head to him. Then, "Yaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" he dashed towards the Agnian, whom withdrew his dual blades as he got near and slashed an X in front, "Gyah!" The Kevesi soldier jumped before he slashed him, holding his swords over his head, and smashed down on the ground. Their backs were facing each other for a second before they stood up in synchrony, the Agnian suffered fatal injury, dropped his blades, let out a 'vomiting blood' sound, and fell to the ground.

Panting heavily, he turned to confirm the Agnian died. Upon seeing 'lives' arisen from his corpse, he raised his sword high, called out, "The Agnian commander... bites the dust!"

Unfortunately, an unmasked Agnian soldier with crystals growing around her ears, some zig-zag cyan lines similar to Isurd growing from her ears down to her body, shoulder-long hair, blue iris, ran towards the Kevesi from behind and stabbed him as he turned, while shouting, "I'LL KILL YOU!!!" In a weeping tone, she looked at him, continued, "He had two months to go... And you mudders killed him...!"

She stabbed deeper into his chest, he made 'vomiting blood' sound, stiffly fall to his back, sheathing his blade in the process, and landed on his back. The woman watched 'lives' rose from his corpses a few seconds later as she took two steps backward.

As she grief, bullet shot her right on her forehead; her last words before she fell on her backs was "Seguy... Forgive me..."⁹. Lying to her side beside the Agnian Commander's corpse, Flames in her Iris died down and concluded the battle.

This scene was replicated in the Moebius projector room. As the screen turned blank, we focus on a 16-sided roulette, with 3 concentric rings that divided it into 3 layers. The most inner layer (a.k.a. the 4th layer) don't count, as it was just a white axle. Metallic figurine pawns were put on some of the segments; those that had pawns standing lit up; and some conquered an 'area' had the whole section lit up even if there weren't standing pawn on it. The pawns had different shapes, representing soldiers wielding blade, lance, staffs. One of the soldier pawn laid horizontally, its cyan light dim out.

"All dead, all done!"

"Ngah!"

Two Consul, one thin, one buff, sat by the table with the roulette. Here, we could see more pawns outside the roulette, and there was a dark glass emanating 'lives' from it in the middle of the roulette, floating above the axle.

"Ahhh... Did you hear those dulcet death throes, though? 'Seguy... Forgive me...' Forgive what? Why's she apologizing? Uch, humans." This Consul whom spoke had a very tall prism helmet, with two hose that stuck from outside into his nose, seemingly oxygen pipes. And he sounded like a duck.

"Tch... Such useless pawns." This female Consul had a regular bird-shaped helmet with some 'wings' stuck to her top.

"So I win then...?" He grabbed the glass and drank the 'lives' in it; the Moebius symbol in his Iris glowed as he finished gulping them down.

They were sitting on the stage, just before the projector. On the front few rows, Z sat near the middle pathway, while the golden-mask with an X-shape on his chest stood on the pathway, a step behind him, watching. He looked down on these two Consuls, "Tch..."

Nauseating... Might we infer from that, N?"

"Is there naught here but these vulgar pleasures?"

"Hah... I see why you would feel that way. But, you have not the luxury." More about Z: white long hair, tall sharp-tipped ears, purple lines on his face like dendrites, green-cyan¹⁰ skin, and purple smoke escaping the two dendrites directly above his eyes, orange-reddish iris.

"Say what you mean." He turned to look at him.

"Pleasures and sorrows, meetings and partings, their roots are the same... Tolerance of existence is at the heart of them all."

"You want me to frolic with them?"

"You shall find there's no such thing as luxury in this world. Everything buds from but a single thought. That you yourself are here... is proof definite thereof."

"Hmph..." He looked away, unconvinced.

Z continued, "You need not understand. You can simply remain as you are... That is enough."

Update on the Diamonds: On a new page, only two of the diamonds in the first row cancelled out.

Mio's Diary: We all have secrets, deep within... Memories we can never erase... Difficult experiences... It's just a distant dream of mine right now... But if we can just reach out to each other, even a little, we can tease out those delicate shapes. Then, with time, our bonds will grow stronger. Until one day...

Footnotes:

---

1: Translator couldn't see the face, nor even the head with helmets!

2: The girl whom stood behind Sena was Alexandria, translator think... If you'd remember Taion asked which path to take before entering the desert, the other path was 'Agnian territory', and yes, it was Colony Iota's territory, Alexandria's the commander.

3: Again, rendering error, please see second video.

4: Clench your right hand into a fist and put it by your heart.

5: Instead of asking "Are you okay?".

6: took it lightly.

7: Air route and land route differs slightly.

8: Seen from the colony entrance, it is 'behind'.

9: In a calm tone.

10: RGB = #788983

N and Cammuravi

Beams flared through the air; 'lives' floated near the ground. Agnian levnises retreated to under the foot of a Ferronis, with shades of dark red. Flames flared the battlefield. Inside a room, probably the Ferronis control center, Cammuravi, his arms folded, eyes, closed, meditated amidst the seemingly dire situation.

Kevesi levnises and soldiers marched forwards, pushing their frontline. Flames blasted at Cammuravi's Ferronis does not deal any visible damage. The Kevesi had no difficulty finding their target amidst thick cloud of dust. Some Agnian soldiers exchanged blows with the Kevesi; all fall to the ground, turn into corpses, and 'lives' floated off their remains.

The hand-wheel levnises seemingly modified, had two pointed structure behind which fired cannons towards the frontline.

On a balcony, Cammuravi's Ferronis directly facing it from afar. The various 'lives' that filled the battlefield like virus infection¹. The Kevesi commander stood on it overlooking the field, with a Consul standing to his 7 o'clock. Lives' were filling the Flame Clock stuck on the jelly-fish head ferronis, which had probably 12 holes that illuminates red on its 'mouth'. "It's... I-it's...! It's rising! We're getting more life!"

As he spoke, his Flame Clock rose from quarterly filled to half filled, "This is Colony Delta? That's Smoldering Cammuravi...! His valor, it's the stuff of legends, but..." Cammuravi's Flame Clock drained near zero as Agnian soldiers fall; his confidence skyrocketed even before it was over, "We can win! We're gonna make it! Consul, Sir!" The cone-hat cork-head Consul watched his excitement and greed ballooned without making a single remark.

His jelly-fish head Ferronis, one-fifth the height of Cammuravi's Ferronis, had a gatling gun attached to its back. It fired several shots from down to up at Cammuravi's Ferronis; black smoke rose where it was hit, and it started drifting backwards as Newton's Third Law work out. "Right! All troops! Full advance, and don't let up! Don't let a single life slip from your grasp!!!"

Cammuravi was still meditating, his hands crossed. The previously dark screen made of hexagonal tiles now lit up, displaying real time view of the battlefield surrounding the Ferronis. Some green triangulation points came into existence and finally locked on the joints of the Kevesi Ferronis, triangulation point turning yellow upon locking; two at the bottom of the Ferronis's feet, two at the joints of the feet to the torso, one at the gatling gun, and one on the head.

He opened his eyes, his left iris blinked for a moment. The Ferronis came alive; steam blew out from its armpits raised it mid-air. It's chest-plates split and released more steam; it's Flame Clock tilted upwards to release the "feet" that was sheathed behind it. Then, it dropped back onto the ground, soil spattered on the point of contact. It had a wing-like structure floating behind it now, with two broadsword-like structure that pointed upwards. In the middle was the Ferronis's weapon, a spear.

The Kevesi commander was taken aback by the ferronis transformation, "Huh? Wh-what the?! What's... that Ferronis?!" As the wing constricted, the spear shot straight up into mid-air, fell back down, and caught on its arm. As the tip of the spear lighted aflame, Cammuravi took the honor and slashed from right to left, bringing dusty flames towards the Kevesi soldiers. Strong winds prevented them from advancing. Then, he made another slash from left to right, the surrounding air heated and burned with a fiery shockwave traversing the direction of the Kevesi's Ferronis, before it pointed the spear towards the Ferronis.

"Listen here... You've done well to come this far! But now... Smoldering Cammuravi... takes the field." He did a few slash, swoop, and caress his spear, to show it off.

How high his confidence ballooned, how deep the trench he fell. "No... No way! He let us think we had them pinned... But really... we were the ones... that were trapped?!" Cammuravi's Ferronis advanced the battlefield, together with the remaining Agnian soldiers, Kevesi soldiers were now the ones that can't stand a single hit. (There were no Agnian levnises seen, though. )

Cammuravi continued to waved his spear as his Ferronis advanced towards the Kevesi's Ferronis. "S-spark this! Everyone, pull back! Full retreat! We gotta leg it before-!" Too late! The Consul watched his failure, turned and teleported away before Cammuravi shove his spear through the neck of the Ferronis, detaching it as black smoke rose into the air.{{foornote: Perspective-wise, or maybe because of the transformation, Cammuravi's ferronis is now two-third the height of the Kevesi's Ferronis. Plus, the 'wings' didn't follow where he moved; perhaps he left it behind?}} "Ahhhh!"

The remaining 'lives' from the battlefield were absorbed into Cammuravi's ferronis, as he climbed onto the shoulder (above the Flame Clock) and just look forward, unsure what he's thinking of, nor what he felt.

Seemingly in a jail room; the huge barred windows high up on the several-storey-tall room; stars filled the night. Cammuravi sat in the middle of the room; starlight lit the ground through the window. Footsteps sounded behind him as he voiced out, "Just who are you? Perhaps a guard? Perhaps not."

"Well, well. 'Smoldering Cammuravi'... Your name... is no mere affectation." N sounded from behind, looking at him through the jail door, stopped before it. Cammuravi stood up and turned to face him.

"A Consul...? No... You're..." Before he could finish, the Moebius symbol lit up on N's right Iris.

Footnotes:

---

1: Seriously, if you'd played Oxygen Not Included and turn on the view for virus on the air, you'd know what one said.

A Dragon Against Their Journey

Outside Lambda, the group gathered together, where the Ferronis and the waterfall behind the scene. Eunie was playing with the tip of her wings, Lanz stretching. Manana jumped and fluttered as she happily spoke with Noah. With his hands at the back of his head, Lanz announced to Noah and Mio, "Ready to go!"

Noah: "OK, then let's go."

Riku asked, "How we go on from here?"

Eunie complaint, "I got completely turned around in all those sparking tunnels, and then the joyride down those rapids... I've got to say, I have absolutely no sparking clue where we are." She probably didn't like the last part of their journey, folding her arms together.

Taion flipped his hair as he backed her up, "You needn't worry on that count. Commander Isurd provided us with the necessary topographical data."

"Oh, nice! Legend." She was amazed!

As he transferred the data to their Iris, he continued, "All the water that runs from the Urayan mountains makes for difficult terrain. Actually, rather than constantly checking the data and explaining myself, I think it'd be better if I just tell you where to go..."

Lanz agreed, "Yeah, sounds good. Lead the way!"

Sena seconded, "Totes! We have every faith in you, Taion!"

"This is the bottom of the waterfall. Let's see if we can get to the middle level first."

Noah asked, "Should we aim to get above Colony Lambda?"

"Basically, yes." He looked into the distance where the bridge we saw from earlier when fighting Joran. There was a platform at the end of the L-shaped bridge, connected to the shallow water, sloped upwards. "To get to the middle levels, we'll need to head up and around."

"Got it."

Manana punched her wings into the air, "Departure time!" Lanz took the lead as the group followed. Mio fell behind as she met with Taion and asked,

"Did you get to say everything you wanted to say to Commander Isurd in the end?"

"...More or less."

In her appreciation stance, she felt relieved, "Well... OK, that's good." Taion facial expression seemed more regret than relieved, though. As he turned to look behind Mio, where the Ferronis stood, perhaps it brought back memories for a moment.

Then, turning back towards Mio, he urged, "Let's go." Mio watched him walked a few steps before following behind...

(Somewhere, at some time, on their path)

The group withdrew their blades as a purple winged dragon, four horns with blue carvings on them, blocked their way. There were also illuminated blue carving on its feet. ITs tails were strong and spiky; it's wings, stretched out, bony... It roared at them, its tongue jiggered as it roared.

(Some time into the battle)

Lanz's Ouroboros was overheating, with an emergency sound, as it dragged backwards towards where Riku and Manana were hiding. It punched its hands into the ground to increase drag. The dragon was still standing, rotate its head from left to right as it roared out, so loud it released shockwaves into the air.

"Would you just... DIE already!" He ran towards the dragon while it was busy roaring, and punched upwards on its chin, decapacitating it immediately, dust and soil splattered around where it fell. One side of the surrounding were tall cliff walls.

"Huh..." Lanz puffed out, relieved that it had finally gone. His ouroboros weren't the only one overheating; we could see Noah's Ouroboros behind overheating as well. Steam were evaporating from their Ouroboros. "Ahh... Finally..." As Lanz tried to wiped his sweat, or perhaps scratched his head, it burned him, "Ugh... Ugh...!" He immediately cancelled the Interlink; the group followed.

On the other side of the cliff wall was a pond where water falls to; we could see the high tech building and another waterfall far behind. Scratching his head, Lanz asked, "Hey, can we do something about this sparking noise?"

Eunie and Taion walked up to join him, with Eunie equally had no solution for it, "How would I know? Just cancel the Interlink or something, I guess." She folded her arms, while Taion folded one arm, another hand clenched softly and put in front of his mouth, elbow rested on his folded arm, in his thinking position.

Noah looked to the ground as his arms folded, thinking and reported his findings, "It only starts after an extended period after our bodies start to heat up."

Taion added, "To me it sounds like a warning. For something."

Mio: "A warning... Mmm... What do you think'll happen if we leave it?" The group was eager to know.

"Huh...? I don't have much desire to find out." He pushed his glasses up as he confidently replied.

Sena turned to Lanz, prompted, "Think it's something... dangerous?"

To which Lanz replied, "Well it can't be anything fun. You expect balloons and confetti with that noise?"

"Maybe not."

Noah, his palms held out in front of him as he looked at them, "Hmm..." We don't know what he saw.

Inside the dark Moebius theatre, lights lit up as Moebius arrived on the scene.

The female chef-hat shaped helmet spoke first, "Aww, too bad, J!"

Joran, his helmet wore back up, stared at her without saying anything.

The fat moebius, fan-shaped extended from his eyebrow, always partnering with the female, teased, "Hnnnnnngh! Looks like that backfired on you, didn't it? Better be prepared for the consequences."

"Really? I was only interested in putting in an appearance. You're making it sound like I took some huge risk." He folded his arms, patiently questioned the fat guy's assumption.

"Ahhh, come on now, guys." The moebius with earrings on his horn, cow-shaped head, probably the moebius they first fought in the end of Chapter 1, "J's been on the bench all this time. I get why he might be a little stimulated by a bit of drama."

J put his arms behind his head, backed his explanation, "Well it was pretty dramatic, I'll give you that. Heheheheheheheh..."

Another female sounded voice, with two 'throngs' upwards like the mouth of beetles, commented but wasn't very pleased herself, "Hah. You seem pleased with yourself."

"P... O..." A female voiced Moebius joined in and cut any replies; her helmet like butterfly wings stretched behind her head. The fat guy and his partner turned to face her as she continued, "N wants to see you."

The female voiced, unsure it was P or O, replied, "Does he now?"

The fat guy, as if tasted delicious food: "Hmm! Is it our turn to shine?" He put his hands around his waist, guessed.

"I don't know. I've got zero idea what's going through his brain, sometimes." She shook her head instead.

"Not even you?" The cow-helmet asked, hands folded.

To which she replied, "I'm sure M could tell you. Not that she's shown herself recently."

"Hmmm....." He didn't seemed dare to reply anything to that.

"What could it be?" The female among the pair considered the possibilities, "I do hope it's something fun. Let's be off, O." Ok, so she is P, and the fat guy, O.

He turned to look at her, "Righty-O!" They both teleported away immediately, turning into purple speckles. The rest of the group watched as the light beams that shone on them disappeared one by one (though purple particles didn't evaporate if they had teleported after the beams went off).

J stood for a while in the theatre alone, gave his wishes, "Have a good one! Heheheheheh...." and went offline.

The group stood where they fought the dragon before, but nearer towards the pond; mist enshrouded our vision where the water falls. The ground was purely soil, no undergrowth; and a tree with green leaves was at the distance, some distance to the left of the waterfall. Mio was in her appreciation stance, probably appreciating the day. Sena looked into the distance; to her 11 o'clock, Lanz was stretching.¹ Noah watched them, then turned to his left. Eunie was playing with the tip of her wings, Riku and Manana unsure what they were doing, and Taion thinking, one arm around his chest, another rested on it, putting his fingertips on his glasses.

Then, he turned to Mio, prompted, "Are you tired?"

She turned to face him, "A bit. That last monster was really something. But I can deal with it." Then, she looked towards Sena, whom turned to face her earlier, and nodded, which Sena did her encouraging stance and... encouraged...

Taion sounded from behind: "Yes, well. In that last battle we all overused our Ouroboros abilities... I want to avoid Interlinking again for a while."

Noah agreed with him. "...Good shout."

Lanz asked, "Couldn't we keep going, just without Interlinking?"

"That comes with its own risks. Small, but risks nonetheless. I'm just asking you to keep it in mind."

"Sure, whatever..." Then he just put his hands behind his head, meh...

Noah suggested, "Shall we find somewhere to have a quick rest, then?"

Taion immediately check the map in his Iris, and replied, "It appears there should be a good place to take a break up ahead."

Noah agreed with his decisions, "We'll regroup once we get there."

Eunie: "Roger that, boss!"

They place they mentioned had to cross the lake; some trees grew at the edge where water falls to a lower level. At the other side of the lake, there was a path that could take them to higher platforms. Far in the distance, there was more waterfall, and the teeth-like rocky structure enshrouded with black fog we last seen when Eunie and Lanz were reminiscing about Joran's reappearance. Taion took the lead as others followed.

Water falling sounded from behind. Taion was at the edge of the platform. A bald tree to his left, and the teeth-like structure to his 11 o'clock, far away. Lush green grass ankle-high carpeted the floor where he stood. Behind him and upwards, we saw cliff walls, and a tree that grew horizontally, it's roots on the cliff wall. At the lower part, an S-shaped path could bring them to higher platforms. The waterfall where they came from was 90° to the left, including the lake and the water that falls to a lower distance, its edge forming a semicircle.

He was holding on to Nimue's gadget. One thing to note, the gadget had a cap that can be opened and closed; obviously, you opened it to check the time, and closed it to 'protect' external damage in case you drop it. Currently, it's 'closed'.

He was reminiscing as Mio sounded from behind, cutting his thoughts, "Ah, there you are! I don't want to mither, but... Aren't you on tent duty today?" Taion first took down the gadget from attracting unwanted attention before he turned to face them. Noah and Mio were walking up to him.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot. I'll head back and-" He didn't manage to finish his words. Noah was closing his eyes and smiling at him. Turning to Mio, she did the same. He was confused, "Huh?"

"It's all finished." She remarked.

"Huh?"

Folding his hand around his breast, Noah added, "We already packed it all up."

"Hngh. Then what was the point of telling me? Don't you have better things to do?" He pushed his glasses up in annoyance.

"Hey, you owe us one." He tucked his hands by his waist; and Mio nodded, agreed with him.

"Urghphhhhhhuh..."

"I'm just joking! Are you OK?"

He remained stodgy, "What do you mean, OK?"

Mio expressively nudged, "These last few days... It's been a lot, right?"

"That's why you're concerned?"

She nodded, "Yep! You got it. We were worried. Your problems are our problems." As she folded her arms with more concerned intonation, "Just because someone says they're doing OK, doesn't mean everything actually is fine with them."

Annoyed and impatient, he turned his head one round and pushed his glasses, all the while commenting, "You know, there's a word for people like you."

"Hm?" Mio eyes opened.

"Busybodies, all of you."

She set out to encourage, but was denied being appreciated, "Now Taion, that is completely uncalled for!" Though, she doesn't fussed, her last few words in a more jokingly tone.

"Hah!" He replied to her joking tone with a laughter, albeit a stiff one.

That confused her: "Huh?"

Putting his arms on his waist, he remarked, "You two really must be bored stiff. Good grief."

Noah put his arms around his chest as he empathized with him, "Everyone needs to let off steam."

Raising his tone before snapping and giving up, "Is my life that entertaining to you? Pah... I'll allow it." He can't jettison them, can he? As he opened up Nimue's gadget in front of them, the two took notice.

Mio was reminded what she saw when Isurd handed it to him, "Hey, that watch..."

Taion nodded his head, then continued, "Our lifetimes run for ten years only. But... this pocket watch has already lived for longer than that, by being passed, from Nimue's hands to mine." As his memories lingered back when they first met, fighting Eunie, helping Lanz, listening to Guernica's final words, he continued in a lively tone, "What Guernica said to us on that battlefield. I don't know what you made of it exactly, but frankly, to me it was a load of nonsense. Not even enough to push us together!"

"Huh..." Noah's eyelids constricted a little as he heard his last sentence, his thoughts inscrutable. Nonetheless, he didn't cut him off.

Changing to a lower tone, he continued, "But that's changed. If Nimue's life is represented by her dreams, then in remembering those, I carry her life with me. Perhaps now... I can give a purpose to my life. She'd live on, if I were to pass her dreams on to others... Right?"

"Heavy..." Mio softly commented.

He quickly grabbed the watch and put it down while back facing them, snapped, "Also, I've done some thinking." With his heads slightly tilted up, eyes closed, as if he returned to his thinkings, "If I had just, say, ten more years... No, even five. With just a bit of borrowed time... how many more memories could I fit... inside this little pocket watch...?" He looked back down at the stopwatch.

Noah lightly prompted, "And that's... why you're here now?"

"That's half of it." He turned back to face him.

Mio was curious, asking for more, "What's the other half, then?"

Looking at her from the tip of his eyes, he suddenly stuttered to her question, "Oh, uh, well..." As he paused, Mio's eyes glanced back at his, tilting her head slightly with curiosity. They exchanged glance for a few seconds before Taion felt too awkward. He quickly turned the other way and tucked in a quick reply, "In fact, just forget it."

She was disappointed, urging for more, "Aw come on...! You've already told us that much. Might as well give us the whole story!"

He awkwardly pushed his glasses up, "Thi-this is just not the place or time for it, that's all."

She sleepy-eyed him, "Laaaame..." Then, changing to a happy tone, "Still, it was a nice chat." Taion turned to face her as he sensed a change in atmosphere, and she continued, "Dreams in objects, huh... Hmhmhm..." Her ears wiggled as she laughed.

"Ug-Ugh..." He just looked at her, speechless. Noah was also looking at her.

Mio appreciated, "Thanks, Taion! We came here to cheer you up a bit, and got food for thought instead."

He was taken by surprise, unsure how to replied to her compliments: "Oh, sure. Any time."

As Mio continued to speak with him, Noah looked at her, particularly her term symbol, and spoke lightly in his heart (or brain), "(Mio...)"

Footnotes:

1: As usual, we omitted the 7th character -- Zeon, new Commander of Colony 9, after the previous one step down after Noah's leave.

The Annihilator, Thoughts On Moebius

As the group continued their journey, they arrived by a cliff. Looking into the distance, Sena wanted to confirm, "Is that...?"

A castle with broad base and a single tall pillar pierced up into the sky, black fog swirled around its top. There were other mushroom-like features beside it, tall, thin stem, and a cap. It looked blurry in the distance. Between them and the castle, we could see no lands, only cloud sea and air. To their 10 o'clock, another ledge slightly lower than where they stood, its top carpeted with trees; clearly, a forest. Behind them, a lake. On an island to around 8 o'clock, we could see a Ferronis Hulk working in the background¹. Higher unreachable ledge with trees grown on top defined the lake boundaries.

Eunie affirmed, "That's Keves Castle, all right. First time seeing it?"

She nodded, "Yeah..."

Manana commented, "Same level of elaborate as Castle of Agnus!"

Riku turned to face where the forest are were. On a higher platform to their left, nearer to them than the forest, we could see abandoned high tech buildings infested by trees. In the background, "Can also see Great Sword on left."

Taion asked Noah, "Are we going through with this?"

He shook his head, "No, I see it's far too risky now. The area will be under strict guard. But downslope, we could go via the forest." To their left, there was a seemingly muddy path.

"Maktha Wildwood, huh..."

Mio agreed with him, "Doesn't sound too bad to me." Taion took the lead, the others followed behind. Noah stood behind to look at the castle for a longer moment.

(Inside Keves Castle.)

Two soldiers were leading Ethel through a walkway, with Borealis following behind her, exclaiming as he examined the castle walls, "Oh-ho! Weh-hell, never been this far in before." The walls, floors, seemed metallic; tall ceilings stretched the pentagonal tunnel. A barred window appeared at the ceiling, looking towards the sky. Beams/pillars shaped like insect legs, with a few segments, twitched in an angle appeared to the left and right at every fixed distance.

"Me neither... The last time I had an audience with the Queen, she had come in person to the warfront."They reached the end of the tunnel. A fan-shaped staircase opened up before them, a part of the circular higher platform. Two pillars at the edge of the staircase displayed a 3D cyan hologram, two rings with triangle 'teeth', one smaller than the other, around a stick-like structure. At the top of the platform was an elevator; Ethel and the others entered it and traversed upwards.

Exiting the elevator, the exit directly facing the Queen's chamber. The hologram lined beside the pathway, few steps higher than the elevator. Behind them, squid-like metal bars provide a scene for the larger rooms behind the castle. Ornate embroidered crystals that emanates light hung from the top, a part of a circle. Higher to the top, one wasn't sure if that were lights, or windows looking at the bright outdoor.

As they approached the Queen's seat, pods were lining the side where she stood, still not yet sheathed. The soldiers walked to the side and joined other soldiers in line while Ethel and Borealis approached the Queen. Where she stood, both did the Kevesi welcoming stance before reporting in, "Commander Ethel, Fornis Forward Army's Colony 4, reporting in as ordered, Your Majesty."

"It has been some time, hasn't it?"

"Ma'am... I am elated to find you in good stead, Your Majesty. That you would grace us with your presence, is an honor, above my station. "

"We can dispense with the stiff preambles, Ethel." Looking to her right, "N..."

N, stood beside her even before Ethel entered, nodded his head, "Ma'am..." Holding out his hands, a circular control panel hologram with several rings came online.

"N...?" Ethel was curious about him. "Consul N...? That's him?"

"N..." Borealis spoke what he had heard of him, "The head honcho of Kevesi Consuls himself. The Golden Consul..." As if he didn't liked his eyes, he looked sideways towards him. Borealis quickly dropped his head and avoid glancing.

A cannon attached to the ring, the ring along the fattest part of the Keves Castle. The cannon began to slide along the ring. Reaching its position, a hologram projected behind Ethel and Borealis; they turned their head to see the cannon displayed live. "What is that...?"

N took the pleasure to explain, "The Annihilator... The latest weapon in our military arsenal. It utilizes breakthroughs in application of the annihilation effect."

"You've harnessed it?!"

As they were speaking, the black fog that swirled around the tallest part of the castle gets absorbed by the Flame Clock between the pitch fork.² The absorbed black fog were perhaps compressed into unknown states (Liquid? Plasma?) and transferred along the ring to the annihilator.

While absorbing, the cannon opened up its 'flaps' like flower petals, revealing a center needle filled with unknown states black fog.

N continued, "Not only is its power without equal, it has another exquisite benefit. Let me show you."

Ethel was shocked, turned and asked him, "What, you mean... right here and now?"

Contracting his eyelids behind his mask, "Indeed. This will be its finest hour." As the central filament rotates furiously, purple electricity zapped around the 'petals', a ball of energy gathered in front of the needle's tip.

The screen changed to show his destination, "The Urayan Mountains... A terrible shame. Her Majesty has a soft spot for them. Please do not think ill of me."

Reaching its threshold, it fired straight at the mountains; the light released so bright it penetrated to where Ethel was. She gasped as she closed her eyes and turned her head to the other side. On the Urayan Mountain, we saw the surface quickly gained heat, then a rainbow colored ball of annihilation even occurred, carving a crevasse in the mountains. Like usual annihilation event, it quickly dissipated, and leave rock remnants swirling around its 'center of gravity'. The dust it sent with the shockwave so thick it reached where the castle was.

On flat soily, muddy ground, the group were walking when a loud boom reverberated around their ears, shook the ground, and glows so bright that night time turns to day time³. Sena was shouting out of fear while Mio was flabbergasted, "Wha-What?! What was that?"

Eunie suggested, "Just thunder...innit?" Not seeing any attacks, they got out of their defensive posture.

Lanz seriously commented: "Brighter than any lightning I've ever seen. "

Riku mither, "Still ringing in ears..."

Taion questioned, "Where did the light come from?" He and Noah were looking to the top, Noah answering,

"No idea. But... this can't be good..."

Back in the castle. The screen displayed the carved out mountains. Ethel exclaimed, "What incredible power..." Borealis still flabbergasted.

N: "Its effective range... has no discernible limit whatsoever."

Ethel felt something bad, "Wha-What are you?" They turned to face him.

"I'm saying an attack like the one you just witnessed can be delivered... anywhere."

"So you mean to use this weapon against Agnus? Ah... If you're to use this, then... what about the Clocks...?"

The Queen snapped, "Who said anything about using it on Agnus?"

Her iris widened, "Ma'am...?"

"The next target... will be this." The screen changed to display Colony 4, as Ethel and Borealis watched, mouth wide opened in shock.

The group were walking on some muddy lands. We could hear gushing water to their right. Lanz gingerly tread as he was about to walk downslope, warned the group, "Watch the moss, guys, Mind you don't slip-woooooaaaaayyyyyyeeeaaahhhh...." And he slipped, crashing into some muddy ground.

Eunie just gloated at him, "Ahahahahaha! He says, falling flat on his arse himself."

Lanz, slowly climbing on his feet, snapped back at her, "Oh yeah, bloody hilarious. You're always taking the mick out of me. Noah!" He and Eunie turned to him, but he was slow to reply, lost in his thoughts,

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"Oh for... Don't come crying if you fall." Then, he turned his back on him, walking off, perhaps feeling disappointed.

The group continued their path while Mio stopped beside him, remarked, "You seem like you're a million miles away...⁴ Lot on your mind?"

"Yeah, kinda..." He nodded to her before got lost in his thoughts again. Mio felt the heavy burden as she watched him for a few seconds. Seeing he didn't wanted to say anything, she continued her path. Noah saw her move and followed behind.

"Aaahhh..." Just before she got down the slope, her body feels weak and she slowly fall forward.

"Ah-ah? Mio!" That snapped Noah's attention back to reality. He quickly ran in front of her and supported her by her shoulders. She squeezed her arms a bit to feel herself, before putting an arm on his to support her standing up.

"Ah... Thank you." Seeing that she regained strength, he released his support from her.

Looking straight at her eyes, he asked, "Are you OK?"

She tried brighten up the situation, smilingly explained herself, "Yeah, I just lost my foo-footing for a second. I'm-I'm OK." Then she looked away, in a softer and dispirited tone, "For now, I'm OK..."

Noah heard her, "For now...?" He turned to her term symbol, then nervously asked, "Ar-Are you... not... feeling a hundred percent?"

"Uh? Nah, nothing like that!" She raised her tone in denial, smiling back at him, "I'm totally fine, promise. Like I said, I just missed my footing."

He was concerned about her, looked at her for more minor body languages. Perhaps she didn't wanted to say more, he could only stodgily urged, "If you start feeling worse, just say. I don't want you hiding it."

"Mhm." She nodded, remarked, "You're a kind man, aren't you?"

"I-I'm just... being polite." He blushed at her compliment, stiffly turned away from her, eyes looking into nowhere and continued walking to ease the nervousness. Alas! Lanz's wishes came true! He slid down the slope, "Whooooooaaaaaa!!!" Mio was shocked to see him slide. The group in front, hearing his voice, quickly turned to the side; except Lanz whom was directly in his path, stuck with choosing left or right to evade, bluntly stuck in position as he crashed into him.

Mio, after seeing they suffer no injuries, smiled. Perhaps, he had made her day.

The group were gathering by a bonfire. Eunie sat behind a desk, Taion's teapot on it, and Taion speaking to her. To her left, Manana and Riku far asleep. To their left, we could se some old buildings overgrown with plants. Below their legs, Lanz and Sena were doing push ups, facing each other. To Sena's left, Noah sat and looked at the bonfire, lost in his thoughts. To his left, Mio was squatting in front of some undefined possessions, unsure what she was doing. As she finished, she stood up and sat beside the stood to Noah's left, asking, "So what was on your mind? Earlier." To their left, a pond behind a human-tall rock, and a small waterfall in the distance filling up the pond.

"Yeah, that light...? I was wondering if it had anything to do with us..."

"You think, maybe... Could it've been something that Moebius did?" To which he nodded.

Sena: "Huh?" That attracted the group's attention. She and Lanz just finished their push ups. Taion and Eunie also turned to him.

"...We know that they're hunting us."

"Mm..." Mio agreed.

Turning to Taion, he asked for confirmation, "Taion, you told us before... That our Consuls were actually the same."

"Yeah, I did say that."

"After that, nobody said so, but... we were all thinking it. The war between Agnus and Keves, and the Consuls... or rather, Moebius. They must be connected somehow." There was a moment of silence as they digested his shares, before Mio shared her thoughts,

"It could be that... all the fighting. It might be that it's all orchestrated according to Moebius. "

"And to them, Ouroboros... only spell trouble."

Eunie: "Since we keep wrecking their Flame Clocks and all."

Sena: "They must really hate us messing with their stuff, I guess..." Behind Sena, we could see that a wide staircase located beside the overgrown building.

Lanz, arms around his chest, "So we're one big thorn in their side."

In his thinking stance, Taion: "Hmm... It does stand to reason that's why we're their targets, but it doesn't tell us anything about why our colonies fight. Any theories?"

He bent forward as he grabbed both arms together, fingers between each other, two thumbs crossed into an 'X', as he replied, "Not as yet. But I figure... Isn't discovering that our real objective here, right? If we seek out the City... Maybe we'll find answers."

Mio: "One way to know." The group enjoyed a moment of silence as he sat straight and turned to look at her.

Footnotes:

---

1: One only saw this in the first video. Can't remember, and lazy to verify, whether it can be seen in the second video or not.

2: Similar to the one behind the queen, this Flame Clock also displayed half-Kevesi half-Agnian flames.

3: Can only be seen if you had the nighttime scene, which is in the first video only.

4: Ok, so they calculated distance also by miles?

The World Is Evil, Juniper

Translator's note on environment: Tall modern looking buildings, glass shattered, some toppled, clearly unmaintained for eons. Balcony stretches to the side of the building, infested by ferns, giant flowers, trees, and goats! Some trunks are so huge it engulfed parts of the building within it. Tiles covered some part of the floor where animals like cobra, rattlesnake, and more goats roamed. Cavities due to collapsed floor were filled with waters, turning it into a shallow pond. Vines dangled along two ends where they grew. This, is High Maktha Wildwood, of Pentelas Region.

The entrance to the forest overlooked the various tightly packed modern buildings, dilapidated yet seems unnatural as nature usually overgrows all parts of the building in a decade or so -- just look at the moss if you hadn't cleaned a part of your building! Though tree spring tall, taller than the tall platform where they stood, and clouds about the same height, the overlooked the distance and enjoyed the scenery for a moment.

Eunie broke the silence as she folded her arms and expressed repugnance, "Man, those Moebius mooks... They make my feathers stand on end. Ending peoples' lives like it doesn't matter. Urgh. What a sick joke."

Riku: "There word for people like that. Know what Nopon say?"

Sena tilted her head, "No idea. Tell us?"

He looked at the sky, held his wings out, as if whatever he said next is worth the rituals, "'Supervillainpon'."

Noah asked for explanation to the group, "Riku, what does that mean, then?"

"It mean extreme bad guy."

"Ahh, I think I get it." Say it like never said.

"Meh-meh...?" Even Manana was confused; or perhaps, she had a questions for them?

"Wassup, Manana?" Eunie prompted.

She turned to face them, questioned, "Then, are Noah and Mio and friends... supervillainpon?"

Lanz: "You're labeling us?"

"Labeling. Because friends used to end lives also!"

"Urgh!" Eunie gasped in realization, never seen from that point of view.

"That not make them supervillainpon?"

Eunie tried to explain herself, "I mean... It's not like we ever had a choice or anything. It was them or us."

"So when no choice, not fall under definition then?"

Lanz added in a low tone, "None of us ever fought 'cause we wanted to. It's just how it worked. How people worked, and the world."

"So... World is supervillainpon!"

"Whuh?!" Manana changed idea so quickly he couldn't synchronize with her.

"Since it make everyone do nasty things! World is bad guy!" The is a paradigm shift, from thinking of bad individuals, to a bad world.

Noah considered the statement, "The world is... bad? Huh! I never thought of it like that!"

Lanz, in a sorrowful tone, "Now that you mention it, what in the world, are we even here for?" That makes the rest of the group galled, deep in sorrow, as they thought of the life questions posed to them, what it meant to them, and how they relate to it.

Taion, in his thinking mode, cut the resentment short, "I wouldn't strain your brain too much."

Lanz snapped back unconsciously, "Sounds like you have."

"What gave you that idea?"

"Cut the snark, just tell me!"

"The end-point of it is... suicide."

"Say what?" Lanz quietly asked him to explain.

"If you don't want to hurt others, you'll end up denying your own right to survive. Eventually, you come to the conclusion that, the world may well be better off without your presence. The only resolution then, is to erase the self. To die." Then, looking at Lanz, "See? Pointless."

"Isn't that taking it too far?"

"The world doesn't just vanish because you've closed your eyes." Noah sounded from beside, seemingly disagreed with his statement. He was still looking down, considering, as the group turned to him,

Taion prompted deeper, "What...?"

"The moon..." The group turned to face the sky. High above the the building on a clear evening sky, a full moon illuminates.¹ "Think about it. Why is it that the moon shines? Just because we're watching?^{2 3} Of course not. Even if humans were gone, it would shine on, illuminating the land beneath. And yet... We're the ones, that give meaning to it. We say 'bit dim tonight,' or.. 'Looks brighter than usual, eh?' Similarly, we can now imbue the world with meaning, or change it. It's a privilege we were lucky to obtain."

Mio wished to ascertain some answers from him, turning to look in his eyes, "And that's... the power of Ouroboros?" The others followed their glance. He returned glance and nodded.

"We're obliged to use it. We can make a difference."

"So we don't become supervillains?"

"That's one thing to aim for, at least. Right?" He turned to face Manana and the group, Mio followed his glance. Manana was fluttering her wings, the others kept silence.

As the group descended some staircase, Lanz foreboded, stopping on his path, questioning, "Hey... You sure we're going the right way, guys?" The group stopped and turned to face him.

Sena assessed the direction they're walking. Tiles and buildings with occasional plants sticking out, can't see a path at the end.⁴, commented, "Mmm... Well, it's a path, at least..."

Noah: "Looks like it's going to be real pain getting through here."

Taion agreed, "True. But we don't have the luxury of loitering."

Eunie: "Well, I don't see any other road to take. So, let's just get this over with." She took the lead, the others watched her walked a few steps before catching up behind.

As they continued, someone slid from a tight rope, both ends attached to higher ups of the building where they were walking, jumped, and shot three green arrows at the group. Mio's ears wiggled as she heard the screeching of air particles dragging past the arrowheads, shouted, "...?! Eunie, look out!" She made a dash towards her, hugged, her, and they went on the ground together. Eunie still hadn't figured the situation, but as her head faced up, she saw the arrows landed where she originally stood. The arrow exploded after the rolled on the floor and stopped.

The explosion shocked her more, "Waaugh?!" and she waddle like a frog backwards, away from the center of explosion. She tilt her head up, and saw a female, green hair, turquoise iris, pointing her bow at her. She was standing above a beam of the building. Eunie quickly got on her feet, concurrently withdrewing her blades, and took a shot at her. She jumped to evade the attacks, landed in front of the group. More Agnian soldiers slide from the rope and landed beside and behind her.

Lanz, flabbergasted, was slow to react, loudly questioning, "Wha-What the?! An ambush?!"

Seeing the girl raised her bow pointing at them, Noah instantaneously reacted as he shouted to the group, "Ah?! Weapons, quick!"

(After the fight.)

Juniper sighed as she saw the group sheathed their blades.

Noah shouted to the group, "We just want to pass through! We're not looking for trouble!"

Sena added, "C'mon guys, what's your problem?"

One of her teammates, male, brown skin, buff, shouted, "Juniper! Imogen's at her limit! She can't keep going!" His name's Carson.

Noah: "Huh?"

Another neck-long hair, pale skin, yellow iris, pointed chin, disappointingly gruntled, "Spark... And we could've had their life, too... So close!"

Noah shockingly gasped, "...Ah!"

Juniper, sheathing her blades, called out, "That's very unfortunate. We'll have to retreat, then." Then, they turned and ran off in the distance.

Lanz was still confused since the start, "What was all that about? Weirdos."

Seeing that Noah was thinking about the situation, Taion asked for more information, "Noah? What's wrong?"

He turned to face him, shook his head, "I was just thinking..."

Getting to his thinking stance, he answered for him, "About the archer? They seemed quite the formidable opponent, to be sure..."

Folding his arms, "That's true, but there was something else about them..." They still seemed to be high enough to have clouds around them, but certainly lower than the viewpoint from before. ⁵

Mio connected the dots, prompted for more, "Say, you don't think...?"

"Those soldiers' Flame Clocks, they might be getting low..."

Taion wasn't enthused, folding his arms, "Oh, come on, Noah. You'd better not be thinking of offering your assistance..."

"It's... hard to put into words, but... something's off."

He aggressively rebutted, "And you think we have time to be traipsing around on this whim of yours?"

Sena lightly added, "It really bothers you?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

Eunie knows more how he acts, teased, "Give it up, Taion. Once Noah's like this, there's no stopping him." That's him in the battlefield causing the group always missing the transporting levnises, eh!

"Whuh why do I bother?"

Lanz added, "Besides, Noah's intuition's usually pretty on the mark."

Sena suggested softly, "We could just take a look... A-a tiny little peek?"

"Pfft... Fine. I can see no amount of reasoning is going to dissuade you. However, if it turns out to be nothing, we head straight back and move on. Acceptable?"

He agreed and shouted to the group, "That's fine. OK, let's move. We should be able to catch up to them if we follow their tracks."

The group was looking at a rope-slicing device that can take them to the other parts of the platform. Along their 3 o'clock, there was a long path that leads to the distance, down the slope. Trees grew on the platform on the other side, even if it seems very tall from the ground floor of the building.

Taion: "Judging by how the tracks stop here, it seems that this is where those soldiers passed through."

"Through here? But... how?" Sena didn't consider the possibility of sliding down ropes, despite seeing the Agnians did it earlier.

Noah nodded, "Hmm. Doesn't look easily traversable, does it?"

Lanz agreed, "Yeah, I can't see us getting across there any time soon..."

Taion suggested, "We could always took a detour. Look, this way." Unsure where he's pointing to, perhaps the path on the right?

Noah: "Yeah. Thanks, Taion."

"Like I said, we can't afford to be hanging around here. Come on, we haven't got all day."

The group finally arrived at the platform overlooking the Ferronis if they'd climb the staircase that led up to where it's parked. Walls around the colony means they only had to defend the front door if anything happened, unless they could "air drop" soldiers into the colony, be it by flying machines, or jumping from above just like they did when they slid on the ropes.

Sena was awed, "...This is crazy. There-there was a colony, here?!"

As she finished, Juniper walked down the staircase, or perhaps the slope, calmly and docile, replying to her, "That's right. This is an abandoned colony."

Noah shouted back, still trying to persuade that he came for peace, "Please listen to us! We didn't come here to fight you!"

"Mmm..."

"We can free you from your Flame Clock."

"...Free us?" That caught her attention.

Folding his arms, "You don't have much time left on yours, do you? We can help you with that, so if you'd just-"

She finished his sentence, "Stop attacking you?"

"Yeah..."

"Mmm..." She thought of the situation for a second, before nodding in agreement, considering their situation couldn't be much worse than they're now, "All right. I'll hear you out."

"...Ah... thank you!" Noah was shocked the persuasion was effortless, could only appreciated and muster some thanks.

"Please, come in."

As Juniper turned and lead the group, Taion quietly whispered and warned, "They're still wary of us. We can't let our guard down."

They were standing in front of the Ferronis, and Taion was surprised as he exclaimed, "I've seen a few colonies with dwindling Flame Clocks before, but this one is especially bizarre..."

Noah added, "It's like they're not trying to survive here at all... Do you get that impression?"

Inside the walls lies the colony. Some of the walls were totally overgrown. They built their tents, or perhaps, huts, sparsely around both side of the main road. There were some boxes, tables, perhaps a bath (a dark olive green⁶ building). A taller hut the shape of a crown was perhaps the commander's chamber. The Ferronis was positioned above a stage, and below the stage were all the buildings as stated. Just in front of the stage was a tent with one or two tables, and something that resembles a fabricator.

Taion continued, "Back when I was stationed at Lambda, I'd heard rumors about Colony Tau."

Mio was curious, "What did they say?"

"That deep in the forest, there's a colony with some very peculiar customs and traditions. This is my first time seeing it in reality, but I never expected it to be so run-down..."

Sena: "Did you have any dealings with it?"

"None at all. This is just hearsay from Commander Isurd."

Noah: "Anyway, we should hurry. Let's smash the Flame Clock and free everyone."

Juniper, accompanied by a companion with crystals grown around the earlobes, darker skin, and lines representing those of Isurd from his temple down, and seen also on the back of his palm, approached the group as they turned to face each other.

Juniper started with their current situation, "It being an abandoned colony, we are continually starved of sufficient life sources."

Noah: "Wait... Are you the commander?"

"That's right. Sorry I failed to tell you before. I am Juniper, and it's my job to lead Colony Tau."

"If that's so, then surely you must know who we are."

She shook her head, "I'm afraid I know nothing."

Noah was surprised, or perhaps it explained why they attacked them in search of life forces. "...Huh."

She affirmed. "We have no need of such information."

The guy behind, Raine, added, "Juniper told us we'd welcome you in, whoever you might turn out to be. So, that's the rule! We don't ask questions."

Eunie snapped back, "But you attacked us back there!"

He tried to reason, "Our scouts told us about some monsters in the forest they'd never seen before, so, we sent them out on a hunt. But then they bumped into you en route. They must've figured it'd be more efficient to get you out of the way first."

Juniper nodded and accepted failures, "Though, contrary to our plan, we were made to retreat."

Lanz was curious, "Oh yeah, what about your Consul? Where are they hiding?"

"I told you, this is an abandoned colony. Our Consul rarely visits us."

Mio: "You're in such a strange situation..."

Noah was determined, "All the more reason to get you out of this predicament!"

Raine see that they had different paradigms, stood on different grounds, "I think you guys are getting the wrong end of the stick here." While the group sees they were worth the pity, the people whom got pitied were happily living their lives, unaffected by comparison with the outer world.

Juniper breathe out forcefully, "It's true. We aren't afraid of Colony Tau's Flame Clock running out. All it means is the end of our days gazing at our ever-diminishing supply."

Noah debated: "But you could die!"

Raine agreed with his statement, added, "Uh-huh. As if we'd just let you waltz in and break our Flame Clock."

Juniper added, closing her eyes as she imagined the situation into the future, "We all have to perish someday. If our lives should expire, then we'll sink into silence, darkness... oblivion." With her eyes open, she continued, "We'll return to the earth..."

"Huh..." Mio shook her head in disagreement.

Noah still tried to convince them from taking their lives too easily, too frivolously, "Yes, but...! Y-you can't just...!"

Juniper cut him short, "The land will take us, and we will simply 'be'. That's how it is at Colony Tau. No one will ever think of us, and yet here we are. Slowly, but surely, we are withering. We don't always find the nutrition that we need to live. If Colony Tau cannot accumulate the vital flames it needs, then it proves only that we were too weak. And in nature, the weak are destined to perish."

Taion, folding his arms, rebutted, "Though logic would dictate that nature is pushing you to become stronger."

Lanz added, "If we set you free, you won't have to worry about all this crap."

Juniper: "We neither worry nor fear for what may come to pass." They still couldn't synchronize with each other on how they looked at death.

Raine added, "We've already lost so many of our friends and allies. " To 8 o'clock of Raine was their canteen, blanketed by the stars and clouds, lined with tables arranged in two rows. There were some 'drums'-like object arranged, unsure for what⁷. The cafeteria that served the rations was behind the tables, under a tent.

Juniper: "And every time, we returned their bodies to the earth. Such will be our fate."

Raine: "What's the point of fearing the inevitable? We know we're gonna die. What's wrong with us living the way we always have?"

Noah couldn't understand, "But how do you live without hope?"

Juniper calmly answered, "It will spell the end of the story that our predecessors weaved for generations... A tale cut short. I won't argue, that it feels a little melancholy... In that sense, if we were to be freed from the Flame Clock, then..."

As she was speaking, an Agnian soldier ran up and approached them. The guy, Selin, shouted while they turned to face him, "JUNIPER! BAD NEWS!"

"...Tell me."

"The monsters're coming straight for the colony! And they already took one of us down!"

"No... They came all the way here?!" Abandoning Noah's group, they ran off into the distance, with Selin leading the way to their entrance.

From behind, Noah shouted, "We'll join you!"

(Just outside the colony, below the slope where the group stood overlooking the colony)

Juniper, Raine, and Seine arrived in front, shielding two other guys behind them, another guy between the two seriously injured, laying on the floor. There were grass and some short coconut-like trees that pierced their roots and stems through the tiles into the mud/soil below. There were three rhinos-like blue monsters, with armor plates attached behind their backs, and some protruding from their heads that shaped like a dimetrodon's fin.

Juniper: "Ngh...!"

Raine shouted in emergency, "Juniper, we need orders!"

Juniper quickly sniped his words, "... This is perfectly fine. We'll defeat them, right here."

Noah and his groups ran and joined them from behind, Noah calling out, "Juniper!"

"What are you...?"

Lanz: "Ask us later."

Noah nodded, "We'll back you up!"

"Thank you. I'll fight to the best of my abilities as well."

Noah shouted to the group, "Here we go!" Then, all withdrew their blades.

(After the battle.)

Raine was inspecting the seriously injured guy, relieved, exclaimed, "Geum's OK! He's still alive! Thank the flames..."

Juniper appreciated, "I'm so glad we made it in time... I'm so glad..." Then, turning to the group with her team, she directed to the group, "Again, accept my thanks. We couldn't have done this without you."

Noah, shaking his head, "Don't worry about it."

"Hah" Juniper breathed out seeing herself contradicting herself, "I suppose it's strange of me to talk about the laws of nature when I fear losing my friends."

"Not at all. Honestly, that seems like the most natural thing of all."

"When you told me that you would release us from the Flame Clock... I thought that... if you really were telling the truth, it would make life easier. But... at the same time, I began to hate the fact that I was looking for a way out. Looking up at our Clock, seeing the life ebbing away... I'd already accepted my fate. And letting go of that status quo, wretched though it was... After so long, I was scared of what might happen if we did."

Raine could synchronize with the stone pressing on her heart, "Juniper..."

Juniper had a combination of exciting voice plus on-the-verge-of-tears tone, a combination of happiness and sadness, mixing seamlessly, "Noah, your words at the time seemed so appealing to me. I could not destroy the collective efforts that became the colony, and everything it represents, with my own two hands. But then you said you would destroy it for us. We'd be guilt-free! If that isn't appealing... then what is?"

"You must've been aware of how tragic it is to simply await death. That's why you invited us, isn't it?"

Juniper shook her head, "Even now, I'm not afraid of dying." Pausing and turning slightly to the left, gestured to the guys beside and behind her, "But I hated the idea of losing those I hold dear... When I saw my friend lying there... I remembered what you told me, and, for a brief moment, felt the grip of fear." Then, closing her eyes to be immersed in her feelings, "I felt so weak, and helpless... yet at the same time, I didn't want to let go of my dear friend. So I must have closed myself off. I stopped thinking. Closed my eyes and covered my ears..." Opening her eyes back, "Perhaps I was simply... waiting for the inevitable release."

"Even so, we have to keep thinking."

Mio seconded him, "That's right -- even if there are things we'd rather not see, we still need to look.⁸"

Noah continued, "And breaking out of your shell, scrambling in desperation for a way to escape despair? That's not what I call being weak. You've defended this place for so long. Why? Because you're strong. And once you're no longer shackled by the rules of the Flame Clock, you can accept a different reality... You can become stronger still. I know it."

Juniper: "We can?"

He nodded in affirmation, "You can."

Mio added, "It won't be easy -- far from it. But we'll help you."

Raine called out from behind, and she turned to face him, "Juniper... It's your call."

Selin nodded in agreement, "We've made it this far thanks to you."

Juniper nodded, "Yes... I suppose so..." Signaling to the group, "If... there is a possibility that you can release us from the Clock, then... please."

Raine, in a joking tone, shrugged off to not let hope stayed too high, in case they felt disappointment after, "And if not, it's not like anything's changed."

That raised Juniper's mood, and she laughed in return, "Haha! Very true. If you can't break it, I can live with that too." Then, looking down, perhaps the idea seemed disappointing after giving them so much hope, "Nothing changes without a reason, without a cause." Looking back at the group, "Perhaps this event will teach me to see things in a new light..."

Noah and Mio facing the Colony Tau's Flame Clock, Noah shouted "Here we go!" as blue lights emblazoned their body, The Ouroboros symbol enlivened their iris. They jumped and canceled their Interlink thereafter, Noah sliced the Flame Clock from down to up himself, Mio falling back down behind him. 'Lives' escaped it for a moment before dissipating, the 'left' part of the Flame Clock crashed onto the ground below as it dislocated itself.

Juniper looked at the destroyed Flame Clock, shook her head, in a grateful tone, "I see acceptance is actually surprisingly easy, when it comes down to it."

Sena agreed with her, "I think it probably is, yeah."

Then, Juniper turned to the group, "Uhh... I'm sorry if this seems rude, but, could I ask another favor of you?"

Noah nodded in return, "Sure!"

"I'd like to learn much more of the world. Become a stronger individual. To that end, is there any chance I could accompany you?"

Lanz: "Whatdaya say, guys?"

Taion logically analyzed, "We could certainly do with someone of Juniper's caliber..."

Noah: "It'd be reassuring to have you on board. You're very welcome to join."

Eunie asked, "Is your colony gonna be OK, though? Can they get on without you?"

"Colony Tau needs to undergo change too. We need to extend our knowledge and grow." Then, she turned to his fellow Agnian colleagues and friends, while signaling back at Noah's group, "So I'd like you to take me on a trip. Somewhere far away... And show me something new."

Selin answered in excitement, "A... journey of discovery, huh? I guess that's another thing we need in order to grow."

Raine agreed too, suggested with an upbeat tone, hands on his waist, "Might be an idea to send some of our younger recruits out too. Could be a good lesson."

Juniper: "It's time to breathe new life into our colony. Let us break free from the chains that once bound us."

Raine shook his head, in a joking tone, "I guess I'm still hanging about, though. Can't have us all gallivanting about the place."

Lanz was still bothered with: "Your Consul really doesn't bother to show up, huh..."

Mio nodded in agreement, "Even after we broke the Flame Clock... You'd think they'd know."

Eunie enjoyed being trouble-free: "Better this way, if you ask me."

Taion shook his head from the optimism, "Still, we shouldn't rule out the possibility that they'll make trouble for you."

Noah, looking to Raine and the other Agnians, "If something happens, you tell us immediately, OK?"

The group look back, wavered, "Sure! Can do! We'll be counting on you."

Taion signaled the group for departure, hands crossed, "Well, we don't have all day. I think it's about time we made tracks, no?"

Noah agreed, "You're right. Time to move, then."

Juniper: "Well then, everyone..."

Before she could say anything, Raine jokingly assured her, "Ahhh, don't worry about us. You know we can handle ourselves."

Selin added from behind him, "We'll prove that Colony Tau... can be so. much. more!"

Juniper nodded, "Yes... I'm sure it will be."

Raine nudged, "Off you go then, skedaddle! The colony's staying right here, waiting for your return..."

Footnotes:

1: Hey, the moon wasn't there before!

2: Well, think about it. If Earth were to split into half, did the moon also split into half? If the two halves of the Earth, eons later, were to come together and formed Aionios, were the two halves of the moon come together 'perfectly' joined, and formed a circular moon? When they split, do each half of Earth gets each half of the Moon? Do they crush under gravity and changed back to a spherical shape? Now think about it...

3: Could be seen in first video clearly, but second video, due to clouds, not really, until the clouds blew away.

4: Actually, you have to slide on the rope, seeing from retrospect.

5: Before, they were too high to see clouds below them, just like you usually see clouds below you when you boarded an airplane; and those clouds that were taller than where your plane flies were relatively rarer than the cloud sea below, provided you were flying past cloudy zones.

6: Color code: #588352

7: In retrospect, they're for Nopon dancing on it. For some reason...

8: Better face forward than stay in the location, because the latter would cause you to regret, the former, even if it failed, you won't regret for not even dare to try, at the very least.

Food Crisis In The Forest

The group exited the colony, walking towards a giant tree (presumably they need to pass it). Unbeknownst to them, a robot was concealing in front of them, whom removed its invisibility status as they approached. It looked like a levnis, but a very small one, humanoid shape of human height, and seemingly a manned levnis than an unmanned one like the little friend Valdi built from before, and with the head of a horn and single eyed, some thorns that pinged out from its elbows, a really fat and protruded chest, and long legs.

The group immediately get into defensive posture, Lanz shouted out his mind, "Wh-what the snuff?! Where'd this come from?!" Behind him, we could see unshattered glass windows arranged layers by layers, with a tree trunk that seemingly grew in the balcony (a.k.a. ground, we assume they're walking on a balcony right now).

As the robot withdrew its weapon, a dual-hand axe, Noah did too while warning the group, "...Careful! Here it comes!"

(After the fight)

Seeing that it had no chance of winning, it sheathed its blade and immediately concealed itself, disappeared from the scene. The group sheathed their blade, seeing the danger's gone, while Sena was still puzzled over the situation, spoke the group's question, "It... It disappeared...? Uh, what just happened?"

Now that Taion had the time to think, in his thinking stance, "It's likely we're being pursued... But I've never seen a Levnis like that before. Could it be a new model...?"

The group turned to face him, but Noah ended the conversation, "I don't think we'll get very far just theorizing about it. Let's hurry on ahead."

Mio crossed her arms, agreed with him, "Fair enough. But we should stay on our toes, until we leave the woodland."

¹

As they continued their journey, the series of buildings were still visible behind but getting into the background. Instead, replaced with more trees, leaves colored like late in the Fall under the evening sun; barren ground with occasional grass patches growing stoutly.

Manana stopped on her track, the rest move on unnoticed, not until she shouted, "Everyone! Is emergency!"

The group turned to her, with Sena asking, "What's up, Manana?"

"Manana cannot." She shook her head, tears flowed down her eyes like waterfall, "Manana cannot go on like this one extra step."

Noah was perhaps being considerate with her well-being, "We have been walking since Colony Tau, I suppose... If we can find a good place, we'll set up camp, OK?"

Manana eyes lit up immediately, full of energy, "Meh! Plan need more dinner!"

Sena encouraged her to retain the thought as "You can be strong a little longer, can't you, huh? Just a little?"

"Fine! But Manana very very starving today. We need make dinner soon, and everyone must help cook!"

Mio nodded in agreement, "Sure, we'll all be happy to chip in. Right, guys?"

As the night falls, the group sat on one side of the bonfire, under a tree with a giant trunk, whom had some undergrowth. The surrounding area was cleared for the bonfire, while further in the distance, grass carpeted the soil.

Mio and Sena were talking to each other, Lanz and Noah, and Eunie, Taion, and Riku sat around a table behind Mio and Sena. To Mio's right were a bunch of turnips and potatoes and whatever ingredients. Manana were to 1 o'clock of Mio. To her left were equipment laid bare, including Taion's teapot.

Manana walked in front of Mio and Sena, humming a tune, "Meh meh meh, meh meh," She jumped up on a table to look at the cooking pot, then her hair jumps on all ends like us having goosebumps, "GASP! Food is entirely missing!" Except for the ladle, nothing was inside the cooking pot, licked clean. That did attract the group's attention; she continued to complain bitterly, "Manana not even get single fill of stomach yet!"

"I just saw you stuffing your cheeks!" Lanz instantaneously rebutted.

Taion: "The rations should have been divided equally."

With tears, she seek to emotionally persuade, "Manana walked more than used to today. Tummy was rumbly-grumbly...!"

Eunie stoically replied, "Not much we can do, though. Not now."

Sena walked up and squatted before Manana, looking at her eyes, "Manana... Look, we've still got a way to go, so you're gonna have to get used to rationing stuff out, 'kay?"

"Mehhhh..."

Everyone laid out their sleeping bags in a semicircle, their head facing the bonfire. At the "base" part of the bonfire, to Lanz's left and Taion's right, were their food (giant turnips ahem) and Taion's tea set on a table. Lanz slept with one leg outside his sleeping bag, touching Sena's; but it didn't disturb her as he didn't touch her, and she's facing the other side anyways. Mio and Noah slept beside each other, with little space between their sleeping bags. Riku and Manana shared a sleeping bag, and given their height, their sleeping bag was arranged horizontally. Eunie and Taion enclosed the final part of the semicircle.

Some Tirkins, animals with bird face, bird wings so stiff it looked like sword with teeth than wings to the translator, quietly sneaked up and purloined their turnips, one by one, quietly and quickly escaped hugging it, waking no one in the process.

As the morning rise, the bonfire was put out; smoke continue to rose from the pile of charcoal remains. Sena was stretching as she casually walked by, but something registered in her unconscious to be off, so she reversed back to position, turned her eyes on the sack of food as the smile on her face faded. With an inspecting look, both sacks laid open horizontally on the ground, "GASP!!! All the food's completely gone!"

Noah jumped up from his lying down position, gasping for breath as he adjusted to the imminent danger. Lanz was already awake and practicing his sword, retorted to her siren, "WHAZZUP!? What's wrong?!"

Noah, now standing up on his feet, questioned in a higher tone, to ensure he listened correctly, "What did you say was gone?"

Mio came up beside him, "I think she was... yelling about food?" They looked at each other.

Eunie exclaimed from the other side, "Wha-? No way! For real?!" They quickly dashed to Sena. As the group gathered, excluding Manana whom couldn't be woken even with fire alarms ringing beside her ears, they examined the sacks.

After a while, Riku questioned calmly, "Friends sure did not just put elsewhere and forget?"

Sena, shaking her heads, replied with a slightly quivering tone, "Nuh-uh, I'm positive it was right here!"

Taion affirmed, "Indeed, I checked it myself before I turned in."

Eunie took a step back, redirected the blame at someone who was very hungry yesterday, "Don't tell me someone scoffed the whole lot?"

Lanz: "Ugh, no way..." Then, everyone turned to the still happily sleeping Manana.

In her dream words, eyes closing while she turned to her side, "Mmmeeehh... Manana will leave no plate unpolished..."

(After she woke up)

She fussed as she fluttered, "That awful! False accusation!" Lanz was giving her the ruffled look for her dwelling too long on the topic, "Not even Manana ever stoop to such crude vulgar behavior!"

Lanz gloomily asked, "All right, all right, we get it, just chill out already."

She was adamant. "Manana refuse to become frosty! This now matter of honor and dignity! For starters...!" Sena, Taion, and Eunie walked away, jettisoned themselves from their arguments while perhaps looking for more clues. Noah, Mio, and Riku continued watching the drama between Lanz and Manana.

Noah, his arms on his waist, logically commented, "I know Manana was feeling a bit peckish, but she can't have eaten up the lot"

Mio folded her arms, wondering, "So, who then?"

"Hrmmm..." All the while, Manana and Lanz were quarreling in the background with illegible words.

Eunie was walking off in some directions when she saw a white feather that caught her interest. She squatted down to observe, picked it up, and turned to Mio and Noah, whom turned their attention to her as she called out, "Hey! Check it!"

Noah: "... A feather? But what kind?"

On the other side, Sena squatted over some footprints and shouted, "I found tracks, here!"

Taion ran up to investigate the footprints, remarked, "These footprints... I think they're... Tirkin!"

Still holding out the feather, Eunie: "Mystery solved, then. A Tirkin feather!"

Mio turned to Noah for conclusion, "Sooo... They raided our supplies?"

As the group turned to Manana's group, whom was still furiously baffling Lanz with her hyperactivity, "Lanz can stuff apology! Honor and dignity of Manana left in tatters from vile and baseless accusation!"

Lanz, scoffed, "C'mon, please, lighten up already..."

Letting them deal with it, Noah turned to the rest of the group and the others turned to him, "All accusations aside, we're really... strapped for food."

Mio suggested, "Guess we'll have to go foraging."

Taion nodded, "I concur." On their path, there was forest, trunks large or small, and grass on the floor, though not very clearly distinguished from the darker soil color. Sunlight aren't as bright as they were, given the leaves blocked some out, as Taion continued, "Luckily, this area is pretty bountiful all in all, so we might not be too hard-pressed."

Noah made the final call, "Well, better get to it."

To which he nodded, "Right."

Mio: "'Kay!"

Riku was ruffled, "Anyway, that clearly too much eat." The group ignored them and walked off in different directions, his voice became the background. "Manana is bottomless pit."

"Meh-meh! Whuh- Will have Riku know Manana is dainty eater!!!"

Closing his eyes, "Not denying!"

Still fluttering, she didn't concur, "Lies! And deceit! On this day of days, Manana will have retribution!!!" The final words sounded like echoes through chambers.

Also in the forest, someone was panting and running; every step was a torture. Borealis looked back to check for pursuers; none, yet the situation was more than dire. He had hurt his legs, yet he couldn't stop now. He limped his steps therefore.

Alas, pursuers wasn't following, but CCTV tracked him down. O questioned, "Looks like we've got ourselves a runner. Slipped out from the Castle." It was O.

P questioned as they walked towards the Queen's seat, "Is this OK? He could get in touch with Ouroboros... Won't that impact our previous arrangements?"

N was looking at the hologram screen showing Borealis hovering over the Queen's seat, his back facing them, replied, "Not to worry. If he does make contact, they'll come."

"Hah. Really?" She don't believe, folded her arms.

"Ouroboros are... simply like that."

O: "Hmmm..."

P: "Well, if you say so, we can probably take your word. Right, O?"

"Hmmm, certainly. As you said, P. We probably can take his word." N didn't reply.

The group gathered under some tree, probably just beside where they camped last night. We could still see the modern buildings in the distant, through the "tunnel" comprised of tree trunks. A pond with clear sprinkling water filled beside the tree. Soily ground around them; further away, we could see short grass.

Noah: "Since we're already out here gathering food, we could think about building up a reserve of stuff that'll keep for a while."

Mio concurred, "That's a good idea. What would that be...? Mushrooms, nuts, that sort of thing?"

Sena nod in her encouraging stance, "I'm on it!" Someone actually lit a bonfire while we weren't looking, the light from the flames caressed the surrounding, which embodied them.

Lanz still doubted, "By the way, when the Tirkins got into our camp, did no one seriously notice?"

Eunie replied affirmatively, "Nope! Not even slightly. Not even a tiny bit."

Riku explained himself, "Riku was busy sawing logs all last night."

Mio felt it was her responsibility, in her appreciation stance, "...I'm sorry, you guys."

Sena explained her away with optimism reasonings, "We'd walked a lot yesterday. I'm sure you were just super pooped. You'd never miss something as obvious as Tirkin footsteps on a good day, Mimi!"

Noah shook his head, declining her assumed responsibility, "I think it's safe to say we were all partially guilty of negligence this time."

Taion agreed, and thought ahead of time, "Indeed. However, we should also reconsider our storage arrangements, for the future."

Eunie shook the blaming off, "Ah well, it's water under the bridge now. No point talking locks after the Ardun's already bolted, am I right? Let's just get to the searching already."

Everyone nodded, and Taion replied, "... Very well."

Something in the distance caught Noah's eyes, as he redirected the group's attention to it, "Hey, is that...?"

They turned and saw a goat² with white-ish fur walking down the path in the distance. It seemingly didn't notice them, or maybe it did but care less. It stopped beside a bush under a tree and grazed. To the right where the cliff fell off, we could see more high-tech buildings some distance away from the cliff.

Sena: "An Anlood!"

Perhaps it finished grazing, it kicked some dirt for a while (like how some but not all dogs kicked some dirt after they pee/poop) and ran off into the distance down their targeted route. Lanz looked at the target, suggestively smiled, "It's hard to fill up on mushrooms alone... I say we hunt us some meat, as well."

Sena agreed, showing her muscles, "Woo-hoo! I love me some hunter-gathering!"

The location where they were gathering food. The groups gathered in sub-groups of two or three under 3 of the giant trunks. The triangle that they formed, in between them was barren, nothing grows; though the rendering shows something reflected, it may be mirage, but it could be some giant puddle. Outside of the triangle (and beyond the trees) were thick undergrowth of various heights, flowers, some coconut-like (palm?) trees, and a single yellow flower patches in the distance. Noah was seen walking towards Mio's group.

Lanz and Riku as a group, Lanz punched both his fist together before putting his hands below a giant rock; its width about 1.5 times his height, and its height to his waist, a giant rock indeed. As he squatted and exerted forces, the rings on his vest sparkles with electricity. "Yerrrrrrrrrrrruuuuhhhh!!!" In a squatted position, he lifted the rock over his head and throw it to his left. It smashed into the ground, sending dirt flying and created a slightly dent crater. "Phew..."

"Much relief! Glad Riku adjust power frame last night. Should perform 30% better than leading brand." He walked and plucked some leaves and tucked them behind him.³

"Whatcha on about, 'leading brand'? I get that we're weaker than Agnians, so we need this to get on more of an even footing in combat, but..."

"Friend say 'but'. Why 'but'?" He stopped plucking the plants and turned to him. Riku is Riku, he wanted the best reviews from his customers, and he wanted respect for his job.

Turning to face him, "We just need... OOMPH, you know, like? KAPOW, sorta thing!"

"Sound-effects not help comprehension."

Putting his hands behind his heads, "Oh, you know..." He was reminded about Noah unsheathing the Lucky Seven from its shackles, pierced into the Flame Clock. "Like that... doodad Noah has."

"Doo...dad?" He continued to hug the plants and moved them to the two sacks, seemingly full of mushrooms while Lanz continued. And perhaps, since he said Noah, he got what he meant.

"Oojamaflip! You know what I mean. Don't make me say it."

"What friend want to use for?"

"Uh...? Well, I..."

"Not on Joran by any chance?"

His eyes wide opened, stuttered as he caught him, "I-I..."

His back facing him, shook his head, "If so, Riku have to pass."

"Aw, come on."

"So Riku guess right." Lanz took a step back; his minds was transparent. Turning to face him, "Backing up, this plan of Lanz... Noah privy to it? Make decision without consult allies? Bad form."

With a poisonous looking eye, "But he's our... enemy."

"And who decide that? Joran ever say himself? That he enemy?"

Quietly replying, "He didn't. I did."

"In absence of complete picture?"

Raising his voice to rebut, "Well, but... He's different...!"

"So, after meet just once, Lanz make up mind?"

"Umph... Then... what're we gonna do?!" He shook his head, uncertainty took over.

"Only things friend can. Keep moving forward."

"How's that gonna solve anything...? Should never have asked..."

Turning away to face the old building, his back on Lanz, "Also... 'Doodad' not that kind of thing." He had high respect for Lucky Seven, eh! To which Lanz made a grumbling noise from his throat for him dwelling on that word.

In another search area. Yellow grove and blade grass grows up to knee high, purple/magenta (depending on whether you see it in daytime or nighttime) vines stuck to one side of the tree that allow climbing. The chirping of birds, the calling of cicadas, naturally meant silence to the ears. As before, the group still split into 3 sub-groups, searching different locations.

Mio's wanderlust took her to a direction, scanning her side until something above in front of her caught her eyes. A tree that stretches like cherry blossoms, with green-yellow gourds dangling from the tip of its branch, high up. To Eunie and Manana whom was in her vicinity, she shared her curiosity, "Hey, look! That's a really odd-looking tree."

Manana and Eunie stop whatever they were doing and turned to face her. "Meh?" The shape, the color, triggered Manana's memories as she searched her memories for similarities. Fluttered, she ran past Mio to find any gourd on the ground for closer inspection. Eunie walked up to join her. They looked at each other for a moment, they knew nothing about the "odd-looking tree" nor the "odd-looking fruit", could only join Manana and hope for her experiences.

"Oh, wondrous day!" Her excitement unconcealable as she raised the fruit high up in the air, as if 'releasing kaching kaching light so bright that it could blinds one's eyes'. "Cannot believe eyes! It fruit of legend, Bright Fig!"

"Bright Fig? What's a Bright Fig when it's at home?"

Eunie, with a teasing tone, entered the game of "Lemme guess. They're stupidly delish?"

Manana affirmed, hugging it, "Ohhh, guaranteed! Deliciousness is such that friends will be picking up jaws from ground for weeks!" Suddenly, her unconscious caught her conscious, and excitement instantaneously evaporated, "Uh-oh..."

Rolling the Bright Fig she was hugging on the ground in front of her, Eunie was curious, "What's up? Are they rotten or something?"

The peak and the trough of a roller coaster could not describe her journey from excitement to sorrow; which only grew deeper to desolation with limitless tears. "...Tragedy strike. These not ripe for plucking yet, let alone eating. If eat now, bitter flavor cause agonizing death..."

Eunie wasn't discouraged, looking up at the tree, "Huh...? I dunno, they look tasty enough to me..." Mio followed her glance.

Manana shared her experience, "Bright Fig not good for eating even after full yellow... Still have to wait another year before able to enjoy..."

Eunie, on hearing the sheer length of time, shrugged, "That's too long! Man, so much for that..."

Hearing her down tone, Mio encouraged, "Never mind. You can always come back next year! It's legendary, right? You wouldn't wanna miss out." She look up to the sky, perhaps trying to imagine the future, or perhaps, imagine a future where she could enjoy with them. Manana's eyes wide opened as she heard her uplifting words.

Eunie didn't immediately realize the timings, "Tch... Guess we'll have to."

Manana remarked in a low tone, "But Mio... Year from now..."

She replied inscrutably, "Mhm, even if I might not get to do it, you guys can still have a taste."

"Why wouldn't you- Whoa!" Eunie's subconscious caught up with her conscious, took a step forward that took Mio by surprise, her pupils dilated as she backed a step. Her tone jumped two octave lower as she lectured, "Love, you gotta stop being so detached about it. You'll just get everyone feeling guilty."

Shaking her head, "Oh, sorry, sorry! Please don't mind me."

She abnegated, "Don't mind me, she says... 'Course we're gonna mind you, doll."

Some moment later, they sat under the Bright Fig Tree, perhaps on its roots. They looked at a different direction (of course, given how circular are tree trunks!) with Manana in between, whom closed her eyes; the two sacks of food located in front of her. Whether or not being caught in their thoughts, the rustling wind, cuckooing birds, and chirping cicadas; the aromas of bright yellow flowers; together with the night sky, provides a cultivating bed for anything that has to come, and anything that has to go.

Eunie calmly asked, "Hey, how can you be so casual about it?"

Turning to her, "What do you mean, 'casual'?" Eunie turned to face her, pointed at her breast where her term symbol was.

Turning away, she looked at the floor and the sky as she reminisced, hoping they would take some nervousness away, "I assure you, I'm not. I'm actually pretty flustered."

"You deffo don't look it."

"If it looks that way to you, well, that's because... I shouldn't even be here."

Quietly prompting, "Whatcha mean?"

Taking out her flute and held it with both hands, she softly shared, "This life's a gift, from... a dear friend... It should've been me... I should have died out there that day."

Mio's memories: Inside a building, seemingly (multiple) T-shaped tunnels, Miyabi was helping Mio, whom injured at least her feet, to move forward. Explosion and flames raged from the junction, but they escaped it. Sitting inside an escape pod, Miyabi spoke her final words to her as she closed the door, closed herself out of her reach. Purple gas now filled the outer atmosphere as the escape pod launched into the distance, its rocket engine flares as it zoomed across its escape tunnel. Mio could only held her hands out, pressed it against the windows, and shouted, "MIYABIIIIIII!!!" Flames ignites the purple gas and Miyabi was no more to be seen.

"So this isn't really me. I'm just living on her time. Maybe that's why..."

"Hmmm..." Eunie let her have the conversation she needed to without disturbing, only following her glance on her. As Mio stood up and make a few steps ahead, she pressed the flute to her lips and started playing a melody. It wasn't the Agnian off-seeing melody, an alteration indeed⁴. Manana's eyes opened to 'look' at the melody. The single song that strikes the tranquil forest, even birds lowered their chirping and cuckooing frequency, listening to her.

As she finished a short segment, Eunie stood up, accompanied by Manana, approached her and softly spoken, "Somehow, that remind me of us..." Mio put her flute down and turned to them.

Mio connected with her thoughts, "I know. When we're Interlinked, I can see a glimpse. Inferno, destruction... Lanz screaming."

"Noah's memories..." To which Mio nodded. Then, Eunie looked down to presented a recourse, trying to rephrase her words, "What if... Bear with me... That friend of yours, she showed up, like Joran?"

"As an enemy?"

"As an enemy."

Her tone quivering, "I suppose... I'd want to know, same as Lanz. Simply... Why?"

"Gotcha. I figured."

She could no longer hold her thoughts to herself, tears aggregating at the tip of her eyes, "Mm... Why is it that you gave your life for mine? Why...? You could've lived longer yourself, Miyabi. Why did you do it?"

"So her name was Miyabi...⁵" To which she nodded. "Sorry... Guess it's a sensitive subject."

She shook her head, trying to hold back her tears, "It's funny... I thought I had it all locked down..." Manana held out a handkerchief below her that caught her vision. "Thank you." She bent down and took it to her hands. Eunie patiently waited as she wiped off her tears.

She continued, reflecting determination, "Whatever her reason... I'd accept it. The facts. Whatever the truth may be."

"And that's it? No looking back?"

She nodded, "While my de-facto partner's running full steam ahead? I mean, I can't very well go backwards, can I now?"

Eunie changed to a teasing tone, "You're partners now, eh? Heh, I s'pose you are, at that." She turned to face her left.

"Hm?" Mio's followed her glance, and saw that Noah was rationalizing with Taion while Sena listened in.

Eunie continued, "I wonder... How does he see things?" Behind Sena, there were bamboo sticks grown in groups.

Somewhere near but not the original location, under a giant tree, its trunk so huge it looks like a hundred human cannot make a circle that fits the trunk. Even the mushrooms that suck their nutrients out of the tree were huge, some of the stems as tall as Taion, width as buff as Lanz. Their cap could make do a few person shielding from rain. Taion examined some mushrooms and wondered, in his thinking pose, "...Hm? What's this...?"

Sena stood up beside him, "We ate those yesterday, didn't we? Must be lotsa them in these woods..."

"Seems so... Well, that explains it."

Lanz, to his left, prompted him to explain, "What explains what?"

"At first glance, it looks just like a Kelp Mushroom, but in fact... it's what's called a Naiti-Nait, causing overpowering drowsiness when ingested."

"Huh?!" Sena was shocked to hear.

Lanz similarly, "Uh, so you're saying..." Far behind them, there was an Anlood seemingly raising its front limbs and knocking against a tree???

"We ate these, and that's why we all slept clean through the Tirkins stealing our food. That's my working hypothesis, anyway." The Anlood was perhaps tired of knocking the tree now, walked off the scene like how models showed their shirt and walked off the stage. Turning around, before walking off, "I'll go and warn Mio and the others." Lanz and Sena saw him off.

Manana approached them, overhearing their conversations, "Meh mehhh... Was Manana who put in dish... Should have known better..."

Sena tried to take her off her sole responsibility, "We all picked the ingredients together, so it's not like it's you that was at fa-"

She cut her off, "But then Manana blow up on Lanz and say many lots of mean things! Very deeply sorries..."

Lanz just scratched his head as he turned to his side, awkward... "Hey, it's all in the past. More importantly, all this trudging around foraging has given me a wicked appetite. We've got enough now, surely? Let's go back to camp and make it into something edible."

Sena seconded with enthusiasm, "Yeah!"

"Manana agree also!" Her low mood was quick to go, fluttered her wings as she jumped about.

Footnotes:

1: For the continuation of this tiny levnis, check this story out. But a warning! It contains details that're into the future. It's recommended that you only read this story after completing at least Chapter 5, or better, after The Sword of the End story, for better clarifications.

2: Is it a goat? Looks more like mountain goat to the translator.

3: Unfortunately, although translator saw that kind of plant before, one can't remember where one saw it; and when one saw it, one don't bother to know its names so... shame on me.

4: In retrospect, like Crys whom created his Crys's melody, this is Miyabi's Melody.

5: Eunie don't know about Miyabi, Noah knows a bit from her memories.

Bolearis's Tale, Ethel and Cammuravi

Mushroom packed in sacks, giant turnip laying beside. Noah inspected the quantity and quality, stood up and sighed with a relief, "All right then. That should be us good for food now."

The group gathering around, Sena seconded, "Yeah! Looks like that'll last us a little while."

Grass rustling from behind; Mio's sensitive ears first picked up the signal from the background noise. She turned to investigate the direction. Taion was alarmed, "What's wrong, Mio?"

A second sound alerted the group, whom quickly turned and withdrew their blades, with Lanz shouting, "Who's there? Come out!"

Limping, he appeared from behind the bushes. Noah gasped and sheathed his blade, surprised, "Bolearis?"

Holding onto one of his injured leg, he panted hard, unable to speak, finally could catch his breath.

A bonfire was lit while the group gathered on one side, surrounding Bolearis, whom was being sat¹ on a chair. Eunie casted a healing ring targeting him. A few moments later, "Yeah, much better... I owe you."

Now that he could speak, Noah initiated the questioning session, "What are you doing over this way? I thought you were going to the Castle?"

"Yeah... No, I went. Annndddd this is what I got for my trouble."

"So, tell us, what happened...?"

He closed his eyes and recall.

(Some time earlier...)

Ethel vehemently questioned, "But why, Your Majesty? Why would you attack Colony 4?!"

N answered in her stead, "You came into contact with Ouroboros, did you not?" Ethel gasped at his interrogation and, how did he know that? He continued, "I'd call it... burning out the contagion."

"C...contagion...?"

Borealis retorted "You're implying we've been contaminated?!"

"Have you not? You have been removed from the protection of the Flame Clocks. You no longer need to wager your lives in battle."

The Queen added, "Who struggles not in life, deserves not to live. That is the compact of our nation, and moreover, the truth."

Ethel was disappointed, "Majesty... My Queen..." Her hopes had dwindled.

N continued, "Yet, to punish you all for fate's machinations would be a misstep. Therefore... I shall grant you a chance."

"What must I do?"

"Eliminate Ouroboros."

Her eyes widened, gasping for a second time. He eliminated her hopes; she struggled to reply, "You want me to-... Noah, and the rest...?!"

"Naturally, I am cognizant of the fact that the enemy is wily and capable. I have no intention... of sending you alone." While he was speaking, O and P accompanied someone with silver legged plates coming into the scene from behind Ethel; but she hadn't noticed with N drawing her attention.

Hearing footsteps, she turned and saw O and P stopped, sandwiching him. "Huh! Cammuravi?! Wh-Why are you here...?" The shock she experienced in her whole 9+ terms probably was far less than those experienced on that day.

Cammuravi calmly called out, "Ethel..."

Bolearis was flabbergasted: "H-how? But you're not even on the same side!"

N smiled, "Entertainment."

Both turned to him, Ethel asking for "Pardon?" Cammuravi eyes widened and turned to him, would also like an explanation.

He explained, "Those who have been released from the Flame Clocks sacred indenture... cannot be affected by the Moebius Iris. To bring you back under control, I would have to force your rebirth... But that wouldn't be nearly as fun..."

The Queen added: "The power you two wield surpasses even some of our Consuls. I have great hopes for you... Ethel. Cammuravi... "

"They gave Ethel, and Cammuravi, new Ferronises. They've been made, specifically to kill Ouroboros."

In a dark room, Ethel was looking at a giant Ferronis with two huge rings behind each shoulder, some blue lights illuminating from the inner circumference of the ring, and other body parts of the Ferronis. Its head shaped like rabbit, with two conical drill pointed out from both sides where human ears would have been located. Just below its chin, purple flames (neither of Kevesi nor Agnian origin) roared more than half-filled in the Flame Clock.

"The tune-up... might take a little while. Though... You don't have much time. The two of them are after your heads." He spoke with a low tone, perhaps tired, or perhaps dejected, or maybe that's just how he spoke.

Noah asked for affirmation, "You're sure of this? Really?"

"That's why I came here. To give you warning. They already know your rough position. That's how I found you in the first place."

In a dark room, information transmitted to Bolearis Iris as he asked, "What's this?" There was only some red lights that certainly wasn't use to lit up the room.

Facing him, Ethel replied, "Plans of the Castle. They were tuning up my Ferronis when I 'happened' upon them. They include schematics for the Annihilator. Take them, and go back to Colony 4."

"Commander, you mean...?" Her eyes tightened as she nodded.

"If they can find us wherever we are, I want to at least secure a way for us to put up a fight. Am I wrong?"

"Huh huh huh... But Ma'am, we can't very well-!"

She ignored his rebuffal², "Also, about Noah's group... If you happen across them, tell them this: I will use lethal force... Yes?"

Bolearis tried to read what she's transmitting via eye contacts. This is the time to test their tacit agreement.

She continued inscrutably, "Furthermore, tell them I wish them all the best of luck, I hope they reach their goal."

"Commander..."

Running, he navigated the Castle factory patrolled by levnises and soldiers,³ checking that they weren't looking as he sneaked through junctions. Before exiting the front entrance, two soldiers were busily chatting and missed him running in the other direction.

Back to the present. Sena exclaimed, "Oh, Ethel... She sounds serious..."

Mio, in her appreciation stance, was touched by her words, "And still, telling us to just... keep going...?"

Bolearis: "That's Ethel for you. Hard-headed as they come."

Noah asked, "Won't she get into trouble? Because of you slipping out?"

"Hardly... I'm just one missing footsoldier. No one's gonna pay it any mind."

Eunie wasn't convinced, "Huh? But your wounds earlier...?"

"Ha - truth is... They're from falling off a cliff on the way here. It was dark as snuff. Hahahahahaha..." Bolearis just laughed it off.

"Are you tuggin' my wings?"

"Well, anyhow. It's nothing for you lot to fret over. This is our problem now. You focus on achieving your objective."

Noah: "We appreciate it." We now could see the a body of water, river or pond, running behind him. We'd expect the lush trees and undergrowth around the area. The bonfire was put out, though some charcoals still had sparks on them; perhaps not long ago it burnt.

"Eh but maaann... Why's the commander gotta duke it out with you lot, eh? And why was our foe Cammuravi there, the Aspar? Feels like the whole world's turned on its head." As he stood up, he announced to the group, "All righty. I'm headin' back! Got it? You lot scoot on along out of these parts. There's still some time before they're done tweaking. And with you on foot..."

Noah cut him short, shook his head, "We're not running away. Not after all this."

"Huh?" He was baffled.

Mio seconded her de-facto partner, "I'm staying too."

Sena turned to look at her, surprised, "What, really?"

"That light we saw, a while back... If that... If that had come from the Annihilator... Even if we were to somehow reach our destination, if it was at the cost of all your lives, it wouldn't be worth it!"

"Hmmmmph..."

Mio continued, "Surviving like that... I couldn't bear it..." She dropped her head as tears started to aggregate.

"Mimi..."

"Mio..."

Noah turned his glance from Mio and spoke strictly to "Bolearis. The Castle plans, can you share them?"

"Noah... You're not...? You wouldn't..."

"The fact remains - it was us that destroyed your Clock, therefore... "

"Yes, but that's-"

"Either way, I think it's clear at least part of the blame... lies with us. It's only fair, then, that we destroy this 'Annihilator'. Agreed?" Feeling beholden, he turned to look to Mio, whom returned glance and nodded.

Eunie still thought they were kidding, "You for real?"

Lanz, now stood up from sitting on his chair, "I'd be up for a little detour."

Sena: "Same here."

Bolearis looked to them for a few seconds in silence, as Taion the coolheaded added, "You did offer us shelter. That creates an obligation."

Riku added, "No way around! Someone here need to keep friends in line. Count Riku in."

"If plan on fighting, will need first-rate chef too!"

Eunie looked at them all agreeing, and she's the last, "Uhh..." She turned her glance from Manana to Mio, whom was looking on the floor. She remembered what they had spoke before:

"And that's it? No looking back?"

"While my de-facto partner's running full steam ahead? I mean, I can't very well go backwards, can I now?"

She contemplated, lowering her head slowly during the process, before announcing in a wham-bam-whatever-ma'am⁴ manner, "...Oh fine, go on then. You wouldn't make it far inside the Castle without a proper Healer, anyway."

In her appreciation stance, Mio was glad of her support, "Eunie..." Taion looked to her, not sure what he was thinking, perhaps surprised she'd make the improbable choice?

Bolearis give in after a few seconds, "Thanks, guys... You're the best."

Next morning, a rainy day. Seemingly where they camped before when the tirkins stole their food. The group looked as Bolearis was about to head towards where the giant tunnel made of tree trunks we saw before. At a distance, they were making their final goodbyes.

"I'll head back to Colony 4, in case the shit hits the fan. Good luck then, to all of you."

Noah replied, "Yeah. We'll be all right." Bolearis nodded to him before the group watched him off.

Some distance later, Taion warned, "Remember, we're up against a Castle. Get too close and we may come under fire. What's our plan?"

"I think we'll be able to manage, as long as we're careful."

Noah's memories: Metallic floor, night time. Buildings placed around the side of the broad path, so broad levnises could drive through side by side! We could see a levnis parked in the distance, barricade set up that faced the side of the road for no reason. Soldiers speaking with each other. Noah stopped as others walked pass him. Behind, we could see a building emitting purple smoke from its windows. Looking up, he gleaned at the Castle, the pitchfork and dual flame clock at the very top.

Lanz recalled with his arms crossed, "Come to think of it, you used to go to the Castle for off-seer training once a year, right, Noah?"

Noah nodded. Taion pressed for more concerns, "The black fog... Is there much there?"

"There's actually quite a bit. Around this time, the whole area is shrouded in it. They couldn't find us in that cave in Nih'l Valley, right?"

Mio questioned, "And you think... we can repeat that?"

"Maybe."

Taion balanced the probabilities, "Using the fog to approach is clever, but risky... What if an annihilation event occurs?"

"You know, I hadn't really given it much thought up until you mentioned it, but... oddly, it hasn't been happening."

"Seriously?"

He nodded, questioned in a lower tone, "I'm not sure why." Moving on, he touched his temple twice and brought up the Castle plan Bolearis had sent them, continued, "Behind the Castle, there's an ether deposit being mined, in an area facing a lake." That was on an island connected to the castle via a bridge. "The ether being obtained there is then delivered into the Castle through a freight entrance."

The others received the map data on their Iris, with Eunie questioned after she deactivated hers, "So that's where we'll get our sneak on?"

He affirmed, "There won't be anyone in the containers. If we can just get to them, without being spotted..."

Mio looked at him in the eyes, continued his words, "Then we can get into the Castle." He turned to her as she spoke and nodded thereafter.

Sena, in a pose like Taion's thinking mode, tracked the logic, "OK, let's assume we do give the guards the slip. What do we do once we're inside the place?"

Noah called out in a louder voice, "Taion. The sensors. What was the Colony 4 soldiers' search radius, with the fog out?"

"Their scanning range... I'd put in the ballpark of 15 metri."

Noah touched his iris, looked at the map to check the calculations. Moving through the freight entrance in first person view, he signaled, "Look here. In the reserve area, there's a maintenance hatch that leads directly to the outer wall." Pitching up, we could see a ladder-like scaffolding that slanted towards a window. "If we make it through here and get to the main housing... It'll land us in front of the Annihilator." Behind the door was a platform facing their destination; in between the two platforms were some empty space, with a giant ring structure beneath, and some cross section that connect the giant ring with other smaller interior ring, and ring at other levels.

Lanz seemingly agreed, "Less chance of being spotted by troops outside, too."

Sena upvoted, "We can do this."

Taion reconsidered for any unthought concerns and raised, "There's one concern. The Castle is the Queen's residence. What if we're found by the Consuls?" It's funny, they look at each other while looking at their maps, hands still on their temple.

Noah replied, "Then I guess... we'll have a fight on our hands." Raising his voice, "But it's not like we don't have a retreat. Here." He plotted a route from a window just behind where the Annihilator was positioned. That window zig-zagged across and brought them to the opposite end of the Castle.⁵ "In Keves, after a Homecoming... They wash away the belongings of the dead, as part of a ritual. It's an understated affair. And the channel they use for it... is here. It flows straight out, connecting to the lake outside the Castle." The lake was a small island, below the exit of the 'river', the island so small it seems insignificant compared to the size of the Castle.

"I see... So, we open a hatch near the Annihilator, ride the current, and we should come out right at the lake." Noah nodded back as they deactivated their Iris.

Eunie was complaining on the meantime, picking the tip of her wings as she spoke in a high tone, "More snuffin' water. Every time we run... why do we always end up getting drenched? I mean... Feathers are a bitch to dry."

Sena just smiled back at her, while Lanz crossed his arms and rebutted, "Every time being our grand total of once."

Noah joined in, "Well, let's just hope we don't have to fight. That's the ideal case."

Mio: "That's it, then."

"Mmm. Ready whatever supplies you need. Then we can go."

Birds chirping from where the group were about to travel down a huge tree trunk/root that swivels toward the bottom layer of Maktha Wildwoods. The modern dilapidated buildings had their ground floor⁶ located on the bottom layer. Purple liquids, presumably poisonous, filled large area of the lands below, creating purple lakes. The lack of ventilation contained the mist in the area. Looking down, Eunie said to Lanz and Riku, feeling dissuaded, "Er, are we really going this way?"

Lanz replied, "I can't see any other way to the Castle, can you?"

The others were waiting for Taion to check the map, perhaps for an alternative route. As he deactivated his Iris, he turned to Noah and shook his head, whom commented, "I don't want to drag our feet getting there. Be careful crossing through, yeah?"

Eunie dropped her head, effetely replied, "Are you joking me..."

Sena questioned, "Afraid of heights, huh?"

She snapped back, "Not afraid as such, but if we fell from here, we'd, like, die? Instantly?!"

Punching her fists on to the air, "If Manana think something tasty waiting on other side, then Manana can be brave." Sena nodded her head in her encouraging stance. Eunie just dropped her head one more time.

Taion commented, "If we can make it across, we'll almost be out of Maktha Wildwood."

Mio: "Just one more hop to Keves Castle."

Noah turned to look back at the modern dilapidated building, the group followed his glance to check out what he saw, as he remarked, "We'll probably have quite a good view of it from over there."

Well except for Eunie, whom contemplated and compromised, "Fine, fine, I get it! Let's just get this over with!" Then, she led the way as the group followed, hoping to quickly get the snuff out of there.

To the right of Ethel's Ferronis laid Cammuravi's. It had a crescent horn, seemingly wearing a coat, and the flame clock also of purple origin, except they're burning clockwise; while Ethel's burned anticlockwise. There were some platforms that allowed reaching the torso of the Ferronis. Cammuravi and Ethel were standing below in between their Ferronises.

Not looking at each other, though standing at a distance side by side, Ethel started the conversation, "Of all the ways we could meet again, it ends up being this. The irony of it all."

"We are bound. That is how I see it."

"Bound? That certainly sounds like you. You're talking about..."

Closing his eyes, he replied, "Fate. I think, that is how you would put it."

Looking down to think for a moment, before looking up seemingly into the sky but perhaps at her Ferronis, "Fate, you say..." Then, turning to look at Cammuravi, she questioned, "Why? Why did you agree? To be reborn?"

He turned to her, "So you know?"

"There were rumors. That you were imprisoned. That you took the blame for the Colony's seizure."

"It was only fitting."

Reminiscing their battle, Ethel continued, "Perhaps I should have killed you there and then."

But he hadn't got much time left. The central dot was the only red, but his was even fainter than Mio's.⁷ "Only through death... can our feud be resolved." Looking up at his Ferronis, "In a way, I am grateful. Now that I have been blessed with a Ferronis, and another chance."

"Another chance..." she looked back at her Ferronis. She recalled her speech with P when she brought her to her Ferronis earlier.

"A Ferronis? This is for me?"

"Absolutely. It's been tailor-made to suit your every need. The same goes for his Ferronis... So, you'd better make the most of it, with what life you have left, hm?" The room was dark, but two beams of light shone, one on Ethel's, another on Cammuravi's.

"Huh..." She didn't spoke anything, but looking back at her Ferronis, she gasped as something shocked her, caught her attention.

"You've noticed! Good girl. I guess they don't call you Silvercoat Ethel for nothing. What a clever thing you are." Turning to the Flame Clock, she explained, "Those ones are a bit special. They're tied to both yours and Cammuravi's lives."

"Huh!"

"The more the two of you get heated up, the more your power grows! Ahh! Doesn't that sound sublime? Even though you're released from the struggle of life, your precious life force... will connect straight to Origin."

She tried to read whatever signals she may had conveyed, didn't questioned what is Origin, and just looked back at her Ferronis. The purple flame clock roars up to three-quarter of the gauge, searing hot.

Back to the present, we could see behind them were soldiers and levnises patrolling the area, seemingly not noticing Cammuravi being an Agnian? Cammuravi directed a question to Ethel, "Ouroboros... They showed me their image, but just who are they? They seemed like soldiers from Keves and Agnus, but are they human?"

Closing her eyes, she replied succinctly, "They're hope."

"Hope?"

"Dreams... Desires... The future. Yes... They are hope, personified."

"Indeed? They are your hope?"

"They are everyone's hope... Yes."

Their tacit agreement don't even require them to speak their intention clearly to make their final decisions, "I see... Then there's only one choice."

"Yes. Only one."

Footnotes:

1: This is funny in French, because it's called je t'assieds, even though that's probably not the right way to use...

2: This word isn't in the dictionary, but one rephrased it based on the word "rebuff". Just like rebuttal is to rebutted.

3: This is the Mechon Factory in Xenoblade 1, if you'd played that before.

4: One took this and tweak it from 'The Undoing Project' book.

5: Okay, somewhat opposite end, though not perfectly lined.

6: The translator read about UK calling ground floor ground floor, but US called it first floor; but that was from a book in the 1970s, not sure if they'd changed it or standardized it. Anyways, one used the UK format, so one don't know; though this book is written with English US ahem ahem.

7: Translator don't know if Homecoming is once per year, or once per month, or what frequency it's held at. But later, we know it's held during an eclipse, but is eclipse even happening once in every n years or something?

The Time Is Nigh

Unrepaired roads, buildings with their metal grids¹ sticking out from its walls. As the group reached the ledge, the Keves Castle a silhouette in the distance. Trees filled the landscape below them and in front of their vicinity; a giant tree the size of Yggdrasil to the right of the picture. There were some lower storey rectangular buildings at the lower level in front that seemingly encased an outdoor area within it, now overgrown with trees. In between the forest and the castle seemed like a sea. The group stopped overlooking the scenario.

Mio commented, "There's Keves Castle... It'll still take a while on foot."

Noah turned to the group, "We'll rest here today, then head out at first light." Eunie nodded back.

Noah and Taion stood beside the bonfire, speaking. Manana was speaking with Eunie, while Riku helping Sena with sit-ups. Lanz and Mio were in a distance, cleaning up the dishes. The moon gleamed dimly in the distance. As Lanz passed the dishes to her and she scrubbed them under running water², and passed back so he could rubbed them with a towel.

Mio tried to start a conversation, "What a relief. I was worried, about the water." She handed him a plate, he took it first before passing another plate to her, only then he rubbed it dry. He didn't answer her comments.

As she tried to change hands, her grip on the plate got loose and it fell onto the floor.³ "Ughhh..." The plate reverberate for a moment before coming to a rest.

Lanz, alerted, turned to her, concerned, "You all right?"

"Y-yeah! My hand slipped. I better wash this again." She squatted down and picked it up, continued the washing, ending the conversation stiffly. He didn't believed; she had been losing strength for the past few days.

"Hm..."

The moon shone between the clouds. Sitting herself on an elevated rock overlooking the moon, her mind wasn't on the scenery. She tried to feel the flute she held on her hands while she looked forward, lost in thought. Occupied, she looked down as she held up her right palm, questioned, "Am I... losing feeling?" She moved her fingers, attended to its dexterity⁴. Is it still moving as one want? Is it growing weaker? Is it numbing? Is it less dexterous? Then, she gently caressed where her term symbol was, uncertain of her days left.

Noah interrupted her private time, sounded from behind, "Tomorrow, we'll finally reach the Castle lands. I want us to be at our readiest. We should run one final check of everyone's equipment." She turned and saw her stopped by a distance behind. Turning back and curled forward, with a quivering tone, she signaled indirectly,

"Fine for you, isn't it? All that... time you've got."

"Hm?" He tilted his head to try make sense on what she's trying to convey.

"We keep taking this at such a casual pace. Now Swordmarch... seems so distant."

"Mio?"

"What am I even doing...? I can't..."

As his eyes glanced left and right, finding the logic to persuade her, "You still have two months left. If we take care of this now, we can ensure the Colonies' safety. Just maybe, we can make an ally of people in the Castle. It'll make getting to Swordmarch a bit easier-..." He tried the logical approach when Mio felt visceral, and the result? Altercation. The more he spoke, the more stones pressed against her heart, and she gripped her hands, clenching it into a fist slowly, now free of holding her flute...

Stood up, she turned to him and retorted, "'Still'? It's two months! Might as well be nothing!"

His eyes looked left and right for a rebuttal, "But... I... You did... agree to do this..."

"Well, yeah, but... I know I did, but..."

There was a moment of silence between as they were considering how to deal with the situation. Noah still prefer the logical way of persuasion. He turned away from looking at her, feeling uneasy as he searched for the 'right' words, "Look, I know... it was a snap decision. I understand why you're upset. Let's just... take it easy tonight, take a moment to breathe."

Her lips shuddered. He clearly didn't understood. Her emotional needs was replaced by an inferior logical needs. On the verge of tears, mind hijacked, she snapped back, "Why wouldn't I be upset? Take what easy? We rest today, and tomorrow... Before I know it, it'll be time... And then I'll be..."

"I mean, I get that, but we-" He took two futile steps forward.

As her tears leaked, she closed her eyes and drooped her head, cut him off, "You don't get it! Not at all!" And he watched her running off into the alleyway to her right.

He was still confused, "What the spark...?"

Some moments passed by and Sena approached from behind, prompted, "Noah, do you... D'you think you're perfect?"

He turned to look at her, "Huh? How could I be perfect? I'm just a regular guy."

"Right? Even Mimi has her faults. We're only human. The truth is, she's terrified. She needs someone to tell her. That everything will be all right. I mean, you." He waited for her next sentence, "Never seen her like this. Poor Mimi... She actually... tells you stuff." She looked to her side, probably expressing her envy.

Looking to the alleyway where she ran off, he commented, "I have seen her thoughts, you know."

She rejected his remark, "Nuh-nuh-nuh, I'm not talking about any of that. She just... needed to vent."

"She did?"

Biting her tongue as she put up a smile, "I'm actually kinda jealous..."

"Huh?"

"You're an off-seer, Noah. I thought you were sharper than this."

"What's that supposed to-"

She took a step towards him; they're now separated by half an arm length, asking for his action, "You better give her a good apology later, you hear? (short pause) Got it? Promise me that."

Confounded, he stuttered while sorting out the heads and the tails of the situation, "Uh... Sure..." He nodded his head involuntarily, and Sena, getting his promise, turned and ran off after Mio.

All the while, Lanz and Taion (and his Mondo) sat at his tea table, watching the scene from afar. Artificial light sprinkles a light orange hue on their body surface.

Lanz: "Yeah, uh... You can count me out for any of that."

Holding his teacup, "Huh?" Putting it down, "Well... maybe..." His mondo drooped hearing the doubts in his tone.

Lanz turned to him, pressed further, "'Maybe'...? What you mean?"

His fiery eyes made him felt anxious. Quickly turning to look at the side and pushing his glasses up, "Er, uh... forget it!"

Lanz slightly nodded, wasn't convinced. Taion turned back at him, logically explained himself, "In any case, it has no bearing on our objective."

"Too right... We'll get all of this done, then next stop: the City." As he speak, he turned his body to face towards him.

"Right. For Mio's sake."

"Hehehehe..." Lanz sudden laugh interrupted Taion.

"Huh?"

Smiling, "First time we've agreed on something, eh?"

"It is?"

"Hey!" He held up his right palm to ask for a high five, vibrating it forward and backward to show his intention.

He wasn't convinced, even though he know what it means. "What's that in aid of?" The Mondo tilted its torso to its left, wandering.

"Do the right thing. Come one." He continued reverberating his palms while inviting him.

Yet, he refused to put himself below first class logic. "Wh-... Sorry, but I refuse to debase myself like this!" His mondo shook it's torso left and right. Then, he stood up and walked away from the uneasy atmosphere, his Mondo floated behind.

Still had his hands held out, he dropped it down, whatever: "All right. You be that way." Disappointed, he rested his heads on his palm, his arms rested on the table. But his eyes and raised lips clearly showed he wasn't too disappointed; at least he took a step towards the illogical, yes?

The moon continued to stay unchanged, be the humans on the ground happy, sad, angry, worried; none of its business.

As the morning sun rise, smoke rose from the pile of burnt charcoal. Eunie approached the yellow-orange morning sunlight with a nice stretching, and an extended yawn! Lanz and Sena were already training, legs together, hands behind their heads, their legs swing up and down, one count towards the left, another count towards the right. Riku approached Manana in the meantime.

"Mmeeehhh...."

He flapped his wings on her belly, called out, "Manana."

In her dream words, "Cannot possibly eat portion of Riku...", she turned to the side away from Riku.

Riku wasn't impressed, suddenly jumped up and grabbed her and shook her, "Mmeh... No more snooze! Sun already hang high in sky!"

Taion had activated his iris and studied some map while Eunie approached and sat at the side of the table in front of him, looking at him. She saluted to him, to which he nodded back to her, deactivated his iris while holding his cup of tea, and started chatting. The morning light reflected off the shiny floor.

Noah was practicing his swords in the morning, as usual, alone, near the edge where he and Mio had an argument the night before. His breathe and shouts was especially loud today, and with exceptional strength he slashed the air. As he completed his set, he sheathed his blade and looked at the morning sun.

Footsteps approaching from behind, she sounded calmly from behind, "Sorry about... last night. I was just feeling the pressure."

He turned to his left as she stopped beside him, looking at the morning sun that give hope to another day. He apologized in return, eyes facing to the bottom left, not daring to look at her, "I should be sorry. I didn't realize." He searched his mind for the right words to reconciliate with her, to attend to her emotions, "...It must be tough for you, I'm sure."

She turned to face him with a smile, and slowly took out her flute, grabbed it with both hands strongly, shared its story, "This, uh... belonged to a friend. We served in the same colony. She was my off-seer partner. Miyabi, was her name."

His hands in his pocket, he moved his body to face her directly, curiously asked, "So your off-seers... sometimes work in pairs?"

"Yeah. You know, I was surprised. When you joined in, and played alongside me back then." That was the first time when they sent Guernica home. She continued, "Anyway... One day, there was an experiment... And she... She told me to keep on living."

Miyabi held her flute out to Mio just before she closed the door to the escape pod.

"To live life in her stead. To fight on. But..." she tighten her grip on her flute, paused for a moment to refrain her tears from overflowing, looking straight into his eyes, "The stupid thing is... I was the one... who was... older than she was." Closing her eyes, emotions overwhelmed, tears overflowed.

Noah was recalling what he saw in her memories as he let her cry. "Now I see... That was..."

A few moments later, she rubbed away her tears, taking a small step forward as she made up her mind, invited him, "Say... Wanna... exchange flutes?"

He was confounded, "What? But isn't that..."

She felt a little disappointed as her hope dwindled at the sudden snap decision, "I guess it's a little too... icky?"

He violently shook his head instantaneously, "No no, I-I don't care about that! I'm just trying (to say)⁵..."

Feeling distraught and cutting him off, "I'd just like it... to be used a little longer." Holding the flute up to her chest, "To make up for the time Miyabi lost..." Then, she turned her look from the flute to look into his eyes, "You'll still be around after me."

"Mio..." He contemplated for a moment, "I get it. All right. It's a trade." With uplifting tone, he shared while taking out his flute, "You should know, mine's seen better days too."

"Don't worry, I don't really mind either."

Both held out their flutes with both hands, the sun witnessing; he took hers with his right hand, she received it with both. She put Noah's flute close to her heart as she embraced, and he examined hers.

"Thank you. For the chat. I'm kind of surprised."

"Surprised?"

"Even after Interlinking, there's still things I don't know about you."

"Well, of course! How can you when there are things I don't understand myself? You're not going to pick up on everything."

Slanting his body forward towards her, "Got to put into words first?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't always work⁶, even then..."

"Like last night?"

"Oh, that? That was me being selfish. But now, I feel like we're starting to get... on the same wavelength⁷."

He gave a gentle nod as he thought about what to say, before suggesting, "Maybe Interlinking... just helped that along. To bring us a little closer together."

"Maybe, yeah. That might just be it." As she finished, she turned to look at the morning sun, now rising higher in the horizon as it signifies another day. Noah followed her glance, looking at the sea of mist that enshrouded the trees below their platform, their flutes in their hands.

Footnotes:

1: Roads, buildings, all have metal grids within the cement to support them, if you don't already know.

2: God knows where do they have piped water in the middle of nowhere.

3: It sounded like glass, but it didn't break!?? Bulletproof glass plate it is.

4: from the word 'dexterous', one wanted to call it dexterousity but oh well...

5: The one in bracket, Mio had cut him off while his voice dampened...

6: One give three upvotes on this, very very true. Words don't always works. Actually, sound is the most important channel of transmission of messages; even then, we could never transcribe what he really feel into words, sounds, and body language all together perfectly.

7: Do they study physics? So they knew about wavelength?

Ethel and Cammuravi, O and P

Continuing their journey on some barren war-torn land, Mio's ears fluttered as she heard something, alerting the others, "What's that sound?!"

To describe the environment, behind them, they just descended from a slanted platform. There were trees and some grass to the side. Turning to their right, where the booming sound echoed louder, stood a giant boulder taller than the trees. To its right stood the old building structure. To its left, we could see the Castle's silhouette (still) in the distance, plus some other trees and rocks.

Looking up, they saw Ethel's and Cammuravi's Ferronises standing atop the boulder.

Noah exclaimed, "Ferronises!" The Ferronises took a few steps forward before gently dropping onto the ground in front of them, sending dust blowing in their direction; they were forced to face sideways to shield against them entering their eyes. As they cleared, the group watched the Ferronises "unbent" their knees.

From within, Ethel voice echoed via an invisible speaker towards the group, "I told you life is short, but I didn't mean it like this! Noah, Mio."

Noah: "That voice... Ethel?!" To prove his prediction, Ethel climbed out of her Ferronis, stood on top of it. Noah then turned to the fiery Ferronis, "Ethel... But then who's the other one?"

Sena: "That one? It's from Agnus, right?"

Taion: "I recognize the crescent moon crest... Cammuravi's piloting that thing." Cammuravi also climbed out of his Ferronis to show his face, standing in front of the Ferronis's head.

Noah: "Cammuravi... That's him... Ethel's sworn rival..."

Mio: "But why? How did they get them to work together?"¹

As they were thinking, P sounded as she and O teleported in front of the Ferronises, "Flitting like moths... to a flame. N's predictions are nothing to be sniffed at. Gotta hand it to him."

Lanz: "Urghhh... Anyone else wanna show up?"

Noah was more concerned with the new moebius she introduced to them, "N?"

"Hehhhhh...." Putting his arms on his waist, O commented, "I'm afraid this is about as far as you go. Terribly sorry, chums!"

Sena remarked, "I know who he is. He's the Consul from Colony Zeta! I remember him from a... joint operation."

Eunie guessed, "Then I guess this one's meant to be... from our side then, is she? Never seen her before."

Lanz: "Probably. So the Consuls are colludin' as well? Something's really starting to smell."

Taion: "I concur."

Ethel continued, her voice loud and clear, "I thought that my message to you was crystal clear."

Noah exited his defensive stance as he replied, "Yes, we heard you."

Mio added: "That's why we're here!"

She closed her eyes, "Hm. I thought so." Reopening it, "I had a hunch that this would be the path Ouroboros chose to follow."

Noah: "I don't suppose... you'll step aside for us?"

"Wishful thinking. Give it up." She turned as she re-entered her Ferronis. Cammuravi spoke no words and followed after her the same action.

"Well, then... We'll do whatever it takes." Together with Mio: "For the Greater Good!" And they both withdrew their weapons. Not the others, though.

Ethel, from inside her Ferronis, swung her dual blades as she replied, "Well spoken! Then I say the same to you!" The dual blades of her Ferronis glowed in cyan after she activated the blades.

Cammuravi spoke for the first time, "Off-seers from Keves and Agnus... Fate binds us... I bear none of you ill will, but my Way demands we fight!" Pointing his lance at them, inside and outside, flares burning from the tip of the lance, releasing sparks, "Come then... and test your mettle against my lance!"

Sena: "You've gotta be joking!" The group still haven't called their weapons yet!

Eunie never stop complaining when she sees the chance, "Mudder! I'm not testing anything against that! What happened to fighting fair?!"

Taion logically replied to her, "We won't get anywhere complaining! Ready yourself, Eunie!"

"Ready, he says..." She took a look at Mio whom was to her 10 o'clock, whom was focusing on Ethel and Cammuravi. Perhaps remembering their conversations earlier below the Bright Fig tree? Then she exclaimed, "From the moment I chose this muddy path, I've been more than ready!"

Taion had the time to stood up and pushed his glasses, "Hah! Oh, I know."

Eunie turned to him in, angry eyed, "Then whatcha say it for? Arsehole!"

Lanz stopped them from continuing their drama, withdrawing his blades as he shouted to them, "Zip it, guys. Get ready! They're here!" The others followed with calling their blades after him.

Noah's Ouroboros dashed towards Ethel's Ferronis before the former jumping up and meeting swords. Ouroboros are puny, compared to Ferronises. Despite the sheer size, Ethel's was no slower than Noah's.

"Whoa! How is it so... fast? Can't find any way to... get inside! Hah!" He dragged backward with their last exchange.

Ethel was in no better position, either. Electrical sparkles around "The joints... Their sheer power really is something to behold..." The control room was blinking red, while a triangle in front of her screen tried to lock onto Noah's, whom was dashing towards her again. "Noah... Mio..."

"Urrrrrrahhhhhh..." Lanz's Ouroboros dodged a strike from Cammuravi's Ferronis's lance as he dashed forward, jumped up and landed on top of its head. Then, fired an art that emanates multiple beams from a ring forward, pushing Cammuravi's back. He regained balance quickly, turning his lance to deflect incoming bullets.

"Gah! No good, eh?" Soaring low above the ground, she dodged just before Cammuravi's lance strikes.

"Good coordination. I'd be done for, if it weren't for this Ferronis." He readied for another blow while Eunie's drifted backwards.

"Thanks for the compliment!"

Sena took control while Cammuravi was busy poking Eunie; and Taion took over the moment he successfully landed a hit, splitting into multiple paper mondos. Ethel and Cammuravi were fighting back to back, while the Ouroboros frequently changed their targets.

While the fighting continued, Taion called out, "Noah."

"What is it?"

"I think this is the decider. OK... Let's do it."

"Yeah... We've got this."

A distance from the scene, O and P were watching². P stepped her feet on the ground, impatiently remarked, "Come on, what are they playing at?! Am I crazy? We gave them Ferronises and everything! They had better not be holding back."

O: "You think they might be underestimating us? Us of all people?"

"Listen, O. Ethel's a lost cause. But Cammuravi... We could use him."

"Cammuravi? Hoh, I get what you're saying! You know, I forgot we even had that option! Hmm..." He stood up, excited, and put a 'frame'³ around their fighting scene. With his left Iris glowing Moebius, he called out, "Now, see the enemy before you? Use every last ounce of strength, and grind them to dust!"

That makes Cammuravi groaned in pain, his Ferronis knelt with one leg on the ground, supporting itself from falling with its lance. Ethel heard his pain and felt concerned, "What's wrong, Cammuravi?"

As he continued groaning, his iris glowed red, O's voice sounding within his head, "Look, you can see your enemy right there!"

"Enemy? Th-That is... My... Enemy...?" Ouroboros shrouded in black fog, red eyes, abhorrent creatures. "Enemy... Enemy! Enemy!!!"

"Cammuravi? What's wrong with you?! Cammuravi!" Then, she remembered something. Looking towards where O and P was, she saw what he was doing. "Oh no! The Iris... I knew it. Cammuravi!"

His two fingers already pointing at his red Iris; the Ferronis's lance struck the air. "Urrrrrrrrahhhhh!!!" As he took deep breathe quickly, he slowly lowered his left hand, his palm enclosing his eyeball. Closing his left iris⁴, his right shone with determination. "This is... I am... I am under no one's yoke!"

Ethel's eyes widened by his action, "Cammuravi, you... you really... Your own eye..."

"I will be as they are! I am... I am free!" He exclaimed as he pointed his lance forward.

"Free..." She thought about it for a moment, elated, "You're right... We're free! Free! The two of us!"

Noah, hearing them out, was confused, "What are you saying? Ethel, what's...?"

Cammuravi snatched her attention, "Attend, Ethel!"

She tacitly knew what they wanted, "Yes! Our dream will not perish!" Previously back to back, they ran a distance, turned, and started fencing each other.

Lanz was confused, "Uh? What the snuff's going on?!"

Taion: "Are the Consuls doing this?!" They stood watching their battle.

Mio was the first to link the dots, "No! This is... It's what they want!"

Ethel seconded her, fighting as she spoke elatedly, "Absolutely right, Mio!"

"Ethel?!"

"Ever since I met you all, I have admired you!"

"Admired us?!"

"Your freedom! I bless the fortune I have had... in meeting all of you! You have... my gratitude!"

Noah: "Gratitude?"

Cammuravi explained, "This feeling of elation... Liberating, is it not?"

"I feel it too, Cammuravi!"

P stomped her feet once, "Wh- what are they fighting each other for?! O?" She turned to look at him.

His hands was shaking, his iris was still glowing. As he tried to pluck the strings, it didn't work as he'd expected. "Uhh... I-I can't believe this! He... He won't listen to any of my commands!"

Noah called out⁵, he don't understand, "Ethel! Why in flames do you have to fight each other?! We're supposed to be your enemies."

"I told you, Noah. Observe. This here is the purpose of my life! Just know... You were the ones who finally opened my eyes!"

P desperately shouted at them, "Stop this! Stop it this instant! Ethel! Cammuravi! Uhhh!!! In that case...!" She activated her iris, and lives start to be drawn away from their Flame Clocks.

Sena exclaimed as she noticed, "Their Flame Clocks!!!"

Taion, referring to the 'lives', "This is weird! Look at the way the light is moving!"

"Is that... Is that their life force we're seeing?" From within the control chamber, 'lives' were escaping from both person, but they didn't care a bit.

P was furious. Her effort didn't incur what she wanted; but she couldn't do anything else except snapping at them, "Have you gone completely insane? You were supposed to kill Ouroboros! So stop this senseless fighting and obliterate those brats!"⁶ She then changed into a threatening tone, clenching her fist as if to squash their hearts, "If you don't... I'll take your precious little life, and drain it dry!"

Eunie: "Wha- Did you hear that?!"

Noah: "Huh, I knew it. So they really can drain their life! Ethel! Cammuravi!"

Taion: "Noah! We have to kill the Consuls!"

"You're right!" He immediately made a dash for it, but Ethel stopped him with one of her (Ferronis's) feet, while she was blocking Cammuravi's lance from pressing down with both swords crossed,

"It's OK, Noah... It's over for us now."

He wouldn't give up convincing, "That's rubbish! Ethel!"

Mio: "This is wrong. All of this is wrong! There's no reason for you two to be fighting each other!"

Ethel: "Ugh! You might not understand now,... but someday you will. This is what I... This is what, both of us want!"

Noah's took a few steps forward as he questioned, "How can... How can any of this be what you want?! You're both gonna die!"

"What we leave you is more important! All our aspirations... You must keep them in your hearts! You must take them... Make it all mean something! You have to live... You must live on!" She then break the shielding position, which had been going on for a while, and continued exchanging blows.

As she felt it's time, they backed up some distance, Ethel crossed her sword into a plus (+) shape, for a final round, "Here I come, Cammuravi!"

"Let us cross blades, one last time!" "Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" Both shouted as they released all their strength for their final blow, given up their defenses, and struck each other's Flame Clock, ending their own lives. Till death, they stayed standing. They could no longer hold their lives, it escaped and saturated their vicinity, as the elated two reddened and lost their flesh, their clothing remains fell onto the ground.

Mio: "Ethellll!!!" The group stopped for a moment, watching their lives floating towards the air. After it died down, she and Noah cancelled their Interlink, "Huh... Ethel..."

O and P had calmed down. They couldn't reverse their death, no use staying heated. P: "Tsk. Well, didn't they come in handy? What was N thinking, picking those reckless hotheads?"

Both slowly moving towards the scene while chatting, O: "Hmm... Good grief. Looks like... we're just gonna have to wipe out this lot ourselves!"

"You scumbags..." Looking at them angrily, Noah scolded.

P: "Fine then. I did expect something like this. Time for Plan B. Interlinking... You've been blessed with quite the talent. You feel special?"

Noah: "What now?" The others cancelled their Interlink a while ago, joining beside Noah and Mio.

She continued, "I do hate to burst your bubble... but I'm afraid it's not just an Ouroboros thing. O?"

"I'm ready when you are! Hah!"

"Then... shall we?" Both transformed into their Moebius form, P with several knife-shape blades that made up a wing like a bird, a ring circled around her neck, and a crest like that of a chicken. O is a buff (only its upper torso, though) Moebius, with a ring around its very thin waist.

Lanz: "Moebius..."

P: "Now, feast your eyes!" Electric sparkles consumed their body, releasing an energy burst, sending thick dust shrouding their view. After it thinned, an abhorrent creature so ugly appeared before their eyes: an inflated chest, thin legs, an inflated chest; P's horse-like neck protruded from behind O, her teeth looks more sharp. O now had a ring around his neck, stretching his head behind P, a big mouth with not-necessarily-sharp-but-very-huge teeth, and two horns like that of a bull. Ignoring its upper torso, it does have a "golden ratio" lower torso, two horn-like structure constructing a V-shape at its waist. Two whip-like structure joining to where P's shoulders supposedly were. She inherited O's muscular arm. As their heads are directly 180° to each other⁷, O had difficulty turning his head to see the group.

The group showed disgust towards the sheer ugliness of the creature, Eunie expressed it openly, "Urgh, can't unsee!"

P: "Don't try to curb your disgust, you dirty pleb."

O wanted to speak, so he pushed P to the side temporarily for his eyes to meet the group, "Hah! We'll have you know that this is the true form of Interlinking!"

P started her speech like a model showing off her body, "YES!!! The form in which two worlds become one. A far more refined form than this... half-assed one you've stumbled upon. Look upon us and tremble before perfection! You'll writhe in agony before we-"

She never finished her speech. Mio landed her feet in her face so hard, and she was so into the speech she didn't notice until the last second, that she goes rolling backwards, making several rolls, knocking out dirt, before crashing into a rock. Clouds of dirt temporarily shrouded them from the group's view.

"Huh... Huh... Huh... Huh... Huh..." Mio was panting with all her might. The group had never seen this from her, gasped with eyes and mouth wide opened, flabbergasted and frozen. O and P were sitting on the ground, trying to get their head around what had just happened.

Noah sounded from behind, "Mio?"

"Stop..."

P looked up at her, "Stop?"

Shouting at her, "Stop toying... with everyone's livessssss!!! What did they ever do to you? Why? All they wanted was their wish to be realized! You turned everything into a game! Cast them away like dolls! These are our lives here! They're not some toys you can just play with!"

As the rain poured, Sena was first to recovered from her surprising action, seconded her anger, remarked with a seething tone, "Mimi's right! I've got no idea who you truly are. Though I hate to admit it. However, I do know one thing!" She summoned her blades and continued, "You guys really make my sparks fly!" Then, she punched the floor with her hammer.

Eunie took steps next, "You there, in the back. Feeling lonely 'cause you haven't been punched yet?" Summoning her blades and continuing, "You better enjoy that while it lasts, 'cause I'm about to rearrange both your mugs!" She then pointed her rifle at them.

Taion followed, "Usually, I'm not one for outward displays of emotion." His Mondo gauntlet appeared, Mondo swirled around him as he raised them on top of him, "But not today!"

Lanz slammed his broadsword into the ground, "Noah, you better not stop us!"

Withdrawing his blades, walking forward and stopping beside Mio, "Oh believe me, I won't. You make me laugh. Us, 'half-arsed'?" Pointing his sword at them, "Our conviction has never been stronger! And now... we will show no mercy. By Ethel and Cammuravi's lives, I swear... I'll make you pay!"

P felt insulted, "Huh! You Ouroboros brats!" Jumping high into the air and landing as a quadrupeds, with O head down and P behind the spines, "Come on then! This time, you shall tremble before our perfection!" Standing up, P swapped her direction with O, facing the group.

The beeping sound similar to Ouroboros overheating could be heard; Sena's, Mio's, and Eunie's Ouroboros teamed up against him and her, but their body didn't glow yellow-orange, seemingly not them overheating.

Both couldn't believed their eyes, "...How could this be...? Our offense and defense... They were perfect!"

"Aaaaaaaaargh!" Sena's hammer broke their shield, slamming O in his face. As he looked up, we could see the Moebius ring glowing red hot, steam emanates from it.

O was still brain-locked, "How did they? H-how could they?! How are they so strong?! That damn noise! Shut UP with your infernal beeping!" O goes quadruped again to regain balance.

P: "Don't go telling us our time is up now! We were only just getting to the best part! I'll take these half-brains, and throttle the life out of 'em! I can still..." Their Moebius core started to glow red hot too, but she didn't care. Seemingly made her choice, the core released a burst of energy, itself changed to glow purple, "I can still do this! Nothing for it. Go for full Interlink! O!"

The group watched O and P gathering energy by their core, and two energy balls held atop their palm, "Aaaargggggghhhh!!!"

P: "Better brace yourself. 'Cause you're gonna have a hard time... stopping this!" Tired of her speech, Mio kicked her in her face again! She rolled backwards again, and their full Interlink process was cut short therefore.

As the dust thinned, we saw them all fours on the ground, catching their breath, steam dissipates from their whole body, "You're Ouroboros... Nobodies... You are nothing... to Moebius...!" She didn't give up, gathering more electrical sparkles that shrouded their body surface, releasing thick purple cloud/fog and shockwave that the Ouroboros had to shield their face against.

Eunie: "Oi, oi! Things are lookin' pretty snuffed up!"

Taion: "Noah, something's strange!"

"Iaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Every step their feet put forward, purple flames the color of black fog burned a hole in the ground. P: "Y-you'll never... get away with this! Neveeeeerrrrr!!! Ne... ne... ne...?" The core has reached its limit, emitting a burst of energy shockwave to release the pressure.

A few moments later, dust started to blow in the opposite direction, towards O and P. Confused, P looked at their body, "Wh- what's this light?! What's happening?! Wh-why can't we move?!"

Taion: "The black fog?!" It's not just dust being absorbed, but black fog were aggregating with them as the center of absorption. He was reminded of the damage an annihilation cast when they visited the desert, "No... the annihilation effect?!"

Noah: "What? Are you sure?!"

"Noah! We have to get away from them! We have to retreat!"

Sena: "We're not gonna make it...!"

Lanz took control, "OH, SHIT!!!" He raised a ring shield; the best he could do in this situation. Taion also did the same, taking control and raised a Mondo shield.

Noah: "Huh... Mio!"

"I'm on it!" Mio's Ouroboros sprinted towards O and P.

"Huh? Mio! What are you?"⁸

Just before they arrived, she jumped mid-air, cancelled the Interlink, and Noah unsheathed Lucky Seven while they slowly floated upwards⁹

Blue moats rose from within the command center, from the remains of their shirt, dissipating as it rose into the air. The others reminisced the scene in silence. Mio shed a tear while she was playing the melody. They could finally rest in peace.

That night, gathering around a bonfire, camping beside a rocky wall. Riku and Manana were fully asleep. The others just sat around, as Lanz started the conversation, "Noah. Can I ask a weird question?"

"Sure."

"In that ceremony... You didn't send... 'them' off?"

His raised his eyebrows, "No, today's been a bit much. I'm only human."

"I know, right? Well then. That's a relief."

Mio remarked, "It's wrong. That shouldn't be what gives our lives purpose. Wasn't there a different way? A better one?"

Lanz: "Those two... fought for their ideal..." Looking up as if they turned into stars, watching down at them¹⁰, "Something more important than their lives."

Eunie: "Honor? Or pride?"

Taion: "Satisfaction, perhaps?" Then immediately rejected himself, shaking his head, "No, that's wrong... Something we can't put into words."

Mio: "Yeah, but what? Can it really be that important?"

"I can't say..."

Sena asked, "Do you think they found it? That... 'something'?"

Lanz: "Be nice if they did."

Noah: "You think so?" They turned to him, whom was looking on the ground, "I just... Seems... so sad."

"Huh..." Mio felt the stone in his heart. Together, they watched sparks rose from the bonfire, dissipating its little light as it floated upwards, before their flames died.

The next morning. Seemingly a (short) valley, with rocks to the left and right, the left far taller than the right. On the right platform, we saw the old buildings placed on it, together with some trees behind.

Lanz, Eunie, Sena, and Taion were gathering around, chatting. Riku tried to wake Manana up. Mio took steps towards Noah, whom was practicing his sword some distance away. To the distance, a building resting slanted to the horizontal, its beams so strong it didn't break¹¹ Below the building laid the Ferronises.

Finishing his moves and sheathing his blades, he turned to the footsteps behind, asked, "Sleep well?"

"Yeah... Well, sort of."

"Well... Your eyes are red."

"Hey, shut up... So what if they are?" She step forward and poke him on his forehead, turned away while he covered where she poked. "But... I know what I have to do." Turning back to him, "Everything's so... clear now."

"Same here."

"We'd better hurry. After all... the threat's not gone."

"Yeah. That's true. Heh..."

"Hm?"

In an uplifting tone, "You surprised me." Then, he showed it by punching himself in his cheek.¹² She could only scratched her head.

She replied, "You did too. I... I didn't think you were the sort to take such a stand."

"Sometimes, we're left with no other choice."

She thought for a while what he meant before agreeing, "Mmm... Yeah! I think you're right! Absolutely right." Then, she turned to look at the Ferronises. He followed her glance, before she asked, "What do we do about... Ethel?"

"When things are settled, we'll let Colony 4 know. It's what she'd want. I'm certain of it."

"Yeah, you're right. She'd be... happy." As she finished, they turned and walk towards the group, where they camped. The others had finished chatting, awaiting their return.

Footnotes:

1: Borealis already brought the news? Unsure why they felt so shocked when they themselves are working together... And they know Ethel and Cammuravi's stories anyways; if she didn't kill him, it's not too difficult to understand they could work together.

2: O sitting on a protruding rock, while P stood beside him.

3: That's what picture-man or photo-man do, when they don't have a camera. They aimed their index finger and thumb 90° to each other into a gun shaped, and joined them so they shape like a frame.

4: to reduce blood flow

5: Himself enshrouded in dust from the Ferronises stepping on the ground.

6: Meanwhile, O was still shaking, still haven't stop trying to control Cammuravi.

7: Perhaps approximately?

8: Is this from Lanz or from Taion?

9: while their force were still larger than gravity acting on them.}.

"This is it!" He held out the handle for Mio to grab.

"It's the only... way!!!" One of her hand on the tip of the handle, Noah covered her hand with his. Aiming at the ground, "Hahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" They stuck Lucky Seven into the ground in front of O and P, cracking the floor open, releasing lots of dust and debris. The ground O and P stood on cracked into two, and they went falling downwards.

While P watched in agony, the two quickly turned around and sprinted for their lives, lest they get themselves falling down, lest they cannot get out of the annihilation bubble on time. "Waaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" O and P screamed as they dropped.

A few moments later, a bright green light blinded the vicinity. Noah hugged her as they fall onto the ground. Taion's and Lanz's get in front of them, raised the shield just in time for the shockwave. "Urgggggggghhhhhhh!!!!" The annihilation lasted for a few seconds, leaving some engravings on the rocky pillars, signifying it had been here before. Remnants of rocks swirled around where the annihilation event disappeared, as usual.

Sensing the disappearance of the intense winds and dusts, the two slowly got back up on their feet, while the other four cancelled their Interlink. Noah, scanning the horizon, asked, "Is it over...?"

Sena: "Are we... all in one piece?"

Lanz, scratching his head, "Yeah... Think I've got all my limbs attached."

Eunie was coughing furiously, "Queen's fingers, that was close!"

Taion was impressed, "Quite a snap decision there, Noah!"

He calmly replied, turning towards her, "That was Mio's doing. I'm very impressed!"

"It was easy. I do know how you think."

She felt complimented, but not cheered up. She turned and walked towards the Ferronises, the group followed behind. Both brought out their flutes, reminisced for a moment, then played their melody.{{footnote: The first time they played with swapped flutes, eh...

10: Though we couldn't see any stars...

11: Does cement building breaks if we slanted them 75° to the vertical?

12: Perhaps that's her foot at P's face he meant?

Hovering Reefs, Castle Infiltration

Translator's note on environment: The surrounding below the annihilator stuffed with hovering islands, the latter paved with thin layer of grass, but mostly dirt. Wind-eroded rocks decorated the place. Bunnits and raptors¹ roamed the island. A stronghold stood still, connecting to the castle via bridges. Laia² roamed the clouds. A sacrificial altar structure at one of the small island we took note. This, is Syra Hovering Reefs, of Keves Castle Region.

As the group entered the hovering reefs, Eunie conversing with Lanz, Mio with Noah, Riku with Manana, with Taion and Sena dropped last. Taion was looking at Mio, unbeknownst to her, perhaps thinking about the time she had left, or her legacy, when Sena started a conversation, "I wonder... How do you think Ethel felt? Was that really what she wanted?"

"This is my personal opinion, but... Life's defined by moments. Your acts define you.³ I think she found value in that! To achieve something in the limited time left to her, one defining moment was what she chose."

She then looked at Mio, "You think Mimi... feels the same way?"

"I gave you my opinion. I'm sure Mio has her own thoughts on the matter." Then, looking down and feeling down, "Although, I know she doesn't have that much time left." But he gathered his will together, "And hence, my being here now."

"So... you've chosen your path."

In a quieter tone, "Until now I was afraid to take that first step. But now... I can do it."

"Man."

In a room, N, Joran (J), and the cow moebius (D) gathered together, looking outside the Castle's window, Joran asking, "You really think they'll come?"

N: "They'll come. You can count on it."

D: "Yeah? And then what? If you wanna give 'em a hug, you can count me out of it."

"I wanted to show something to 'Her Majesty'."

"Yeah? And what's that, then? I mean, she's not even-..."

"She needs to be there to see how hope dies."

Joran: "What's this about now?"

N: "She can see it." He turned to his back, and the other two followed glance. The Queen stood in front of her throne. N continued, "'Her Majesty' occupies the same niche of existence as we do." Then, his Moebius Iris shone, D looked at him, trying to figure out any unspoken info.

The group stopped overlooking the stronghold entrance. No soldiers were garrisoning the entrance. Noah told the group, "Just past that gate, we'll find the Colony 11 garrison." An array of floating buildings, supported by floating islands, connecting towards the castle via bridges in an L shape, until it reaches the Castle's entrance. He continued, "Beyond hat is a residential zone. From there, there's a road to the Castle's main gate."

Riku shook his head, "Gate penetration would not be easy. Expect huge battle."

"Yeah. So we'll take a detour through the hovering reefs to the right and swing around behind the Castle. That's where we'll find the ether mine and freight entrance I mentioned." The islands were connected by ropes.

Taion: "Understood. We shouldn't be hanging around here for long. Let's make for those 'reefs', as you called them."

"Good. This way. Follow me." The group make their way towards the rope.

The final island connecting to the freight entrance were heavy with black fog, and ether particles evaporated from the ground here and there. Taion remarked, "There it is." Several levnises and soldiers gathered around the area.

Lanz: "Black fog, too. Few enough numbers to sneak around."

Sena was worried, turning to Mio, "Is Colony 4 gonna be safe, do you think?"

"They should be OK. We haven't seen the light for a while. I think that's a good sign."

Taion urged, "Let's move. The fact that we killed Consuls must be old news at this point. Could have made examples of a few people by now."

Eunie rebutted, folding her arms, "They ain't expecting us to sneak aboard, though. We've got 'em with their pants down. Let's get in there, mess 'em up, get out, bish bash bosh."

Noah wasn't so optimistic, "Actually... They may have already... anticipated our moves."

Lanz couldn't believe his ears, "Nah, mate. Come off it."

"Think about it... How would they have known where we'd be?"

"Huh..."

"Can't be a coincidence. I mean, sure, it could have been intuition on Ethel's part, but we have to be realistic."

Eunie: "So it's a trap? You wanna turn back?"

"No... we'll go. We can't turn back now. We can't allow their deaths to have been in vain."

Taion: "So you would entertain the risk?"

"It does sound bad."

Pushing his glasses up, "You know, I think I kind of like it." OK, that doesn't sound like him. Noah iris widened.

From behind a rock further behind them, the girl that took Guernica's eyepatch watched the group, unbeknownst to them.

Moving closer to their target, a bunch of levnises guarding the area, looking in several directions. One person talking to a Levnis about the chests, or maybe speaking over his Iris. Rows of Levnises parked within the Castle; one transporting levnis is zooming slowly on the air. Just one more bridges⁴ and they'll reach where they wanted to, the containers. And another slope to reach a platform connecting to the freight entrance via a man-made bridge.

Sena commented, "Looks like you were right, Noah. There's a whole bunch of containers here." Lanz nodded in agreement.

Manana: "A welcome gift for easy sneakings!"

Noah: "Let's go over this again. First, we get to those containers without being spotted. With me so far?" There were more containers to the right of the chest we spoke of earlier.

Eunie: "Anyone spots us, we're like ninjas. We take 'em out quickly and silently." He nodded in return.

Touching his Iris to pass data to the group, the Castle map popped up as he continued, "Once we're inside, we pick the right opportunity to proceed through the hangar. Our goal... is here." It's somewhere behind the Annihilator.

Mio: "The maintenance hatch, that leads outside."

Riku: "From there we head to outer deck."

Noah: "Right." Zooming in, that's a place we have seen before, a platform with no routes forward. Focusing on the area below, where the rings are located, "Enemy presence should be lower around there. Then we move to the main housing."

Lanz: "Assuming we get there, how do we trash it?"

Taion took over, "I can brief you on the next steps." Noah agreed with him.

"After analyzing the data we got from Borealis, I discovered a flaw in the Annihilator's construction."

"A weak point?" He and Manana were holding their gadget, since they don't have Irises.

"Indeed. Here. The weapon is designed to temporarily render the black fog inactive, condense, and collect it, then release it in one blast." A green line drawn from the top of the castle showing the Black Fog flow, into a container at the bottom, probably the condenser and storage unit, before passing it to the Annihilator located at the same height as the container.

He continued, "Our best bet is to destroy the neutralizer assembly from which it draws its power, but it's located in the Castle interior. Getting there will be no joke." He was referring to the container. "Once there, we'll need to damage the auto-balancer in the barrel's housing." This was the 'grip' that connects the Annihilator to the ring.

Highlighting the ring, "Most likely it was built in a hurry. The movable barrel is affixed to this outer ring that you see here. But the ring isn't strong enough to take the barrel's weight or absorb the recoil. That's why the auto-balancer was added after construction, as an afterthought."

Eunie can't sync with the high-tech info given to her, "So what, we've just gotta smash that thing to pieces?"

Taion: "Smash it and the entire ring begins to fall apart, and the barrel collapses under its own weight. "

Mio had a question, "How strong is the auto-balancer? Not too sturdy?"

"Nothing Ouroboros can't handle."

Eunie highlighted another stuff above the ring. The auto-balancer was behind the ring. "So, what's this thing?"

Taion explained, "That, is a refrigeration unit -- the barrel needs vast amounts of energy. It would have to be kept cool at all times, to keep the energy in check."

"I'm surprised it's so huge."

"Seems that was built quickly too. It's got both bulk and heft to it. They probably couldn't have made it any smaller."

"Hmm. A rush job, huh."

Lanz first deactivated his iris before others followed, "OK then. We all good to go?"

Noah: "Yeah. No more taking it easy. Let's make this happen."

Noah, popping his head from behind a container, overheard a soldier back-facing them spoke to his/her iris, "Hurry up and load the stuff going to Colony 5 into the transport." Then, (s)he turned to another soldier from behind him/her, in Noah's direction, nudged, "And that stuff is going to the Castle."

He already hid his body before the soldier turned, "Hear that? They're going to the Castle."

Taion: "Let's hide in that container."

The group swiftly and quietly moved behind and between containers, checking that soldiers weren't looking in their direction. They then heard a Keves soldier signaled into his/her iris, "OK, start loading." Several 6-legged transporting levnis entered the Castle.

Translator's note on environment: Lots of levnis inside the castle patrolling the factory-looking interior. Unfortunately, it was hard to describe the scenery, except for bridges and machinery; nothing natural, nothing worth describing. This, is Keves Castle, in Keves Castle Region.

The group quietly sneaked past patrolling/stationed soldiers and levnises, via small path in between containers or other formations. Arriving at a joint, the group stopped, watching all directions, waiting for levnises to pass as Taion checked the map. Sena turned to him and asked, "So, where's the maintenance hatch?"

"It's in the reserve area on the upper level. First, we'll need to take the elevator that can get us up to that floor." The group looked in the distance where there were slanted elevators like the ones in the shopping mall (not lift but elevators).

Eunie scanned their routes: "I don't see any guards."

"Too foggy, for taste of Manana."

Lanz cut their discussion short, "If we're gonna move, now's the time."

Noah gave final caution, "That said, we are indoors. Move fast, but keep your eyes peeled."

Mio: "Yeah, of course." The others nodded and continued their journey.

"Riku see! There is Annihilator!" The group exit the final door they needed to past, and now located behind the Annihilator.

"Bigger than Homecoming pudding!"

Eunie: "That's huge. Think of the firepower... Two or three colonies could, like, be wiped off the map with one shot of that."

Mio turned to Noah, "We have to hurry! If it starts moving now..." To which he nodded back.

"If the map is correct, the auto-balancer should be in that housing." They look at a bunker-like door placed behind the Annihilator, below the refrigeration unit. It seems like it's a building that you can enter.

Sena: "That's what we're after, right?"

"Yeah!" Then, the group dashed towards their target.

The group walked towards the auto-balancer on a bridge that connected the latter to the castle. Stopping, Noah commented, "It looks even bigger, seeing it up close..."

Taion looked up, signaled, "Noah. That's the auto-balancer."

"Right. Just like on the map."

Lanz: "Well then, let's get to it. Sena!"

"My pleasure!"

He took one step forward; suddenly, he felt an alarm in his unconscious, backed up just before a glowing fingernail punched into the ground before him. "Ukkk...." "Huhhhh..." As the group was brainfrozen, the fingernail exploded, sending dust and sparks, forcing the group turning their head sideways and closing their eyes. Looking to the source, a moebius, in its monster form, moving his sharp teeth, "Sorry pals, 'fraid I can't let you do that."

Noah: "You?!"

"'Sup? Been a while, eh?" It's the moebius from Eunie's past lives! The last time he appeared, he destroyed the Golden Flame Clock.

Lanz: "Moebius... How'd you figure it out?"

"You lot aren't too bright, are you? Sure, we can't pinpoint your exact position inside all the black fog, but we can get a general idea where you're hanging out. Once we picked up your reading near the Castle, we knew. I mean, what, you were just passing through, were you? You'd have to be an idiot to think that."

"Grrr!"

Eunie's eyes turned shaky, after so long, they finally reunited! With gritty teeth, she couldn't stop her past fears from taking over her attention.

Noticing her abnormality, Taion prompted and brought back her attention, "Eunie? What is it?"

She turned to look at him, "It's... Nothing." Then looking back at the moebius, "This guy just does my head in, is all."

Manana: "He very condescending."

Lanz: "I couldn't agree more. Let's shut him up then."

"Heheheheheheheh....."

"Pffft!"

The moebius teleported to the bridge they were standing from above the auto balancer. They exit their moebius formed; it was an Interlink between D and J.

"Huhuh!"

Lanz was shocked, "Joran... You're here too..."

Putting his hands behind his head, "Ahahahahah..."

D put his hands to his back, found the button, and remove his helmet, and revealed his face. Yellow-brownish hair, some shaved moustache, tanned skin, crimson iris, and thick eyebrow. He had an earring on his right ear, not his left. Not very special. Though, the feathers around his shoulders really stretches from his jacket!

Noah: "So that's what you look like..."

He replied, "Whadda ya think? Quite the looker, eh?"

Sena: "I knew it was a trap!"

Joran: "I'm not entirely sure I would say 'trap' exactly. Eh, you'd have to ask N for the details."

Noah: "N?"

D: "So you took down P and O, didja? Not bad at all!"

Joran: "Good riddance, I say. Idiots. I mean, going past the time limit while Interlinking? Who does that? Dumbest thing I've ever heard!" He laughed as he shook his head.

Taion now had the confirmation, "So that really was it. The time limit."

D: "Well, since you lot have already tangled with them, we can make this quick. I'm just glad I won't have to explain this." As he was finishing his sentence, purple hue lights up his body and he transformed to his moebius form.

Joran: "Yes. Why even explain?" He too. Electric sparkles around for a moment before they instantaneously interlinked.

Taion noted, "How typical."

"So? Loads better than P and O, right? Hehehe!"

Riku: "Can beat them this time?"

Lanz: "Won't know until we try!"

Sena couldn't believe his words, "Well, what are we gonna try?! Joran's in there, you know?"

"Yeah, I noticed!"

Eunie couldn't make up her decision, "N-Noah?!"

He nodded, calmly, "No time to think!" Withdrawing their blades, he shouted, "For Ethel's sake... We have to destroy the Annihilator!"

Compressed and/or condensed black fog moving along the cyan tube inside the ring; "Annihilator has started moving!" Manana screamed.

Riku seconded, "This is bad, Noah!"

"I see it!" He and Mio was running, interlinked as he replied. D and J intersected them from reaching the auto balancer. Sena and Lanz, interlinked as Noah's Ouroboros started exchanging blows with the moebius, joined in.

"No you don't!" The moebius threw Noah's Ouroboros in the opposite direction, then landed a punch on Lanz's Ouroboros's chest. "Hyaaaa!" As he flew backwards, Noah's Ouroboros jumped from behind, to which he blocked his slash, and Mio took control.

"Whatcha slackin' around for? If you don't hurry... the Colony's gonna be a pile of ash!" His fingernails easily cut off one of her limbs. She did some somersault, landing a hit with the rings on her legs, to no avail. He easily caught hold of her legs and threw her into a distance. "Haaaaa!" "Urrrgaaaaaaa!!!!"

Eunie's Ouroboros didn't join in the fight. Taion was desperately calling out for her attention, "Eunie! What are you doing?!" The Moebius turned his attention to her, plus Taion's prompts, she took steps back,

"Urgggggghhhh!!!!" That brought her back from daydreaming. She jumped into the air and randomly fire bullets around D and J; her accuracy was... so bad that none hit him. Before long, dust enshrouded her vision, best way for the moebius to hide.

Mio, still on the floor, managed to grow her limb back as she warned, "Behind you, Eunie!"

"Huh!?" She turned and saw him an elbow distance away from her. "Urg huh!" He grabbed her head with his huge palm. She put two of her limbs on his hand, trying to push it away, kicking her legs like an insect with its abdomen inside a lizard's mouth trying to crawl out of its mouth with its front limbs.⁵

"Haaaaaa!" He threw her straight towards the wall below auto-balancer, "Wuaaaaa!!!!" As she flew backwards, he fired more shots at her. As the dust dissipated, herself stuck on the wall for a moment before gravity took over and crashed to the ground.

Taion: "What's the matter, Eunie?! You're too slow!" While she struggled to stand on her feet, D and J landed on the ground; Mio also just got up on her feet behind the background.

D smilingly exclaimed, "Girly! I think we've met before."

Eunie, her voice trembling, "Wh-what?"

"Heh heh heh... Those eyes! You're afraid, aren't you? Why so scared? Heh heh heh! I'll kill you whenever you cross my path!"

"Uh huh!" She gasped of fear.

Taion had had enough, seeing that she can't control her emotions. "Let me lead! I'll handle this! Go! Mondo!" A few groups of Mondo approached from several directions.

"You're not hittin' me!" He dodged the flying cards with agile.

"Hah! Sure about that?"

"What?"

"Bind!" It created a ring around D and J. "Scatter!" They Mondo concentrated on the moebius and exploded.

Sena: "We won?"

Noah peered closely, "No..."

The Moebius appeared with a green hue on its body surface, jumped on Taion's Ouroboros before he could make it out, and grabbed him by his neck, "What?!" Slamming him on the wall, "Gaaaaaaa!!!"

Lanz: "Joran..."

Joran: "Sorry, I don't think so. You'll have to do something about me first. You'll never win this otherwise. Heh heh heh!" Taion's Ouroboros fell on the floor as the Moebius landed in front of him.

Lanz: "Urg... Well then... We'll just have to take out this!" Sena took over and landing a hammer towards the auto balancer.

Sena: "Mimi! You gotta keep them busy!"

"I'll do that!" She launched herself to the Moebius simultaneously.

Beams shot from below the refrigeration unit in a forward conical shape randomly manage to slice Sena's Ouroboros into 5 different parts, all her limbs separated from her torso⁶. "Ahhhhh!" Both of them crashed on the ground, smoke rose from their broken limbs.

D: "What, you thought this was just a fashion choice?" He was pointing to the crystal horn on his head, "These can sense the slightest shifts in the air. Kind of a sensor, really. Even without looking at you, I can tell exactly what you're doing, so you brats better learn fast!" He picked up Taion's Ouroboros by his neck, whom still haven't recovered from the last smash, then threw him to join the other two. On the first contact with ground, Eunie took back control.

The Annihilator continued growing the ball of energy at its tip. The Moebius signaled with his index finger, as if saying, 'come, come!' Eunie was trembling as she tried to stand up; Noah and Lanz took control in the meantime, dashing towards the Moebius. They were out of time. The Annihilator was about to fire.

Taion saw the dire situation, shouted, "The Annihilator!!!"

"Urghuh..." Doing 'pushups', she still couldn't get up. her limbs effete, panting of fear.

Watching the battle, the Moebius sliced off Noah's Ouroboros arm with his fingernail, and threw them in opposite direction before turning to Lanz. Taion desperately called out, "Eunie, what are you-?! Move! If you won't move, let me-"

"Taion..." She called out effetely, stop him from continued speaking. She had to get over this herself; or she will live in fear for the rest of her life. She must!

"Huh!" His eyes widened as he attended to her.

"Yaaaaaaa!!!!" Lanz was beaten back, rolled along the bridge before landing somewhere in front of Riku and Manana; the two quickly dodged back to avoid being hit.

Eunie was still panting furiously, turning to the Moebius, whom was smiling at her. "Urgaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" Screaming out loud, she mustered enough energy to stand on her feet, launched herself at him, and waved her rifle as if it was a melee weapon; the moves so random and slow⁷ that the moebius had no trouble dodging it.

He found a chance to grab her rifle and tucked it under his armpit; which she tried hard to pull it out to no avail. He had time to tease her, "Getting desperate?"

Noah: "Eunie!"

"Heheheheh..." He slowly pushed her fingernails closer and closer to her eyes, like how he did in her past memories, which she slowly backed away from, as he continued, "Or maybe you've realized that the end is nigh."

Just before it touched her head, she screamed once more, "Urgaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" And blasted the rifle, tilted it to aim at the auto balancer, and burst it into flames. Turning the rifle's angle with the moebius's armpit as a pivot isn't as difficult as it seems.

"Urg..." Now that he realized, it was a bit too late. Even though he raised the rifle so it pointed downwards, raising Eunie's Ouroboros with it, the damage was done. She sheated her rifle before blasting some random shots at him, to which he dodged. Another rifle beam blasted his way, and he still dodged, perhaps aware that it does sliced some of the walls below the auto balancer. Flying towards him, she shots many card-like bullets at him, one of it pierced into his moebius core. He swiftly dodged it, yet the cards stuck to the bottom of the auto balancer. Not yet done. The Annihilator was still holding.

Catching her by her neck, he reminded, "I thought I told you, I can read your every movement in the air!"

She gritted her teeth, "Hah!"

"Huh?"

By now, she regained her equanimity, "All you're sensing... is the area around you."

"What's your point?"

"Well, if I make some distance, looks like you can sense... spark all!" She disappeared from his grip, and Taion took over and teleported behind him.

"An illusion?" Mondo cards slowly rose from around them, as Taion didn't forget to 'push up his glasses' even in his Ouroboros's form, and without a glasses to push.

"Just so!" Snapping his fingers, the paper card previously shot as bullets turned into Mondos. Before the moebius could react, "SCATTER!!!" A bright explosion tipped the Annihilator's balance off the ring.

"Son of a-... You did that at the start?!" He knew he couldn't stop the damage; he tried to grab Taion's Ouroboros by his neck, but Eunie took control and somehow manage to pin him down on the floor by his limbs; he couldn't get out of her lock, as she commented,

"Heh... Thought you had my number? You were so into my fear that you didn't notice what changed! And sure, I was scared. But even then... You'll find I'm no quitter!"

As the explosion continued, "Aaaaaaaaaa!!!" He tried harder and harder, to no avail he could raised his limbs from the piercing pins. That wasn't the end; like a lizard willingly detaching its tails, he detached both his limbs and crawled backwards, 'lives' escaping from the wounds.

"You ain't escapin'!" The 'pins' were the 'flaps' that floated behind Eunie's Ouroboros. She redirected the pins and pinned him down again on his shoulder, before landing a leg on his face.⁸ He looked at him side-faced.

Taion counted the time while she vent, called out when the situation became dire, "Eunie!"

She gritted her teeth for a moment, before pulling out her 'flaps' and jumping backwards. Just then, the Annihilator, tilting downwards with the huge ball of energy; the ball dissipated, the ring bent downwards. We could see Eunie jumping away before the ring started breaking.

D shouted, "J! Split up now!"

He nodded, noting their dire situation, "Mmm. Got it." The black fog became unstable inside the annihilator; it did not create an annihilation, but a bright ball of flames engulfed the surrounding area, including part of the ring and a portion of the castle, dealing damage not much weaker from a real annihilation event. The group raised shields⁹ against such searing flames.

As the blinding light dimmed, Lanz and Sena, now cancelled their Interlink, peered down from over the edge, Lanz asking, "Are they dead?"

The others took step behind them, and Taion had an answer, "No... I shot one of my Mondo into their body. I sense it's still there." It was the one that sliced itself at the moebius core just now. "I'd say it's likely they got away."

"That right...?"

Eunie was looking down with muddied feelings. Taion now had time to turn to her, "Eunie... Have you ever met him before? As in before we became Ouroboros, I mean."

"No idea... But I think that... something inside me remembers." Her hand trembled as she clenched it in front of her chest, "That guy... and his claws¹⁰..."

Noah: "Maybe that has to do with Moebius too. Why they exist here in our world."

In a shaking voice, "Well then... I've gotta know, don't I? And then, I'll break free... And it won't have to feel like I'm suffocating..."

Sena: "Eunie..."

Noah: "We can think more later. Right now, we should make ourselves scarce."

Mio seconded, "You're right. We might have destroyed the Annihilator, but we haven't liberated the Castle." They turned to look at the Castle behind them.

Inside the castle; on a platform beside gushing waters, the group emerged from the water, unable to continue with a turbine blocking the way, certainly would slice them into pieces if they tried. Lanz exclaimed: "Great. We can't go on with this thing in the way!"

Riku suggested, "Maybe this channel... not connect to outside Castle?"

Noah, checking the map once more time, "Weird... This wasn't on the map."¹¹

Eunie: "So where are we at, right now?"

"Somewhere here in the mid-level?" Looking upwards, "It's OK. If we go a bit further, we can get back in the channel." There was some rings moving upwards around a pole, which they could ride to get up.

Sena: "Might as well, then. Let's see where this goes."

"Yeah." They proceed to rode the 'lift' (moving rings).

The group arrived on ankle-high waters, inside the Queen's chamber. Feeling weird, Mio stopped and turned to Noah, asked, "Um... are you sure we're on the right path? Doesn't this feel off?"

"We followed the right route..." Checking the data on his iris again, "According to Bolearis's data, we should be..."

Meanwhile, Riku and Manana were glancing at the surrounding, with the latter remarked in an upbeat tone, "Everything here look so sumptuous and lavish!"

Noah felt off, "Wait..."

"Hmm?"

Looking at the surrounding, "It's the right path, but... We shouldn't be here!"

Mio: "What didja mean? Why shouldn't we?" He ignored her questions and dashed out to the central long path, to confirm his hypothesis. the group followed behind thereafter, revealing themselves from their 'hiding place'. We could see the lift to his left, yet he turned to his right.

"Huh... I should have known!"

As the group joined in, Eunie commented, "Th-this place. I saw an image of it in training."

Lanz sensed the danger, "Oh. Oh... Shit, we gotta go!"

Taion was confused, "Noah, is this where I think it is?"

Effetely, "Yeah. The throne room!"

Riku and Manana were shocked, the former commented, "This not just bad place. This worstest place, heart of enemy base!"

Taion quietly and calmly spoke, as if to prevent catching attention, "We haven't been noticed, yet. Let's get out of here, now!"

"Good idea." The group quickly dashed to the opposite direction, where they predicted would be the continuation of where the stream would lead. Noah ran with the team for a while, but his unconscious seemed to completely processed something and brought forth to his conscious mind. He stopped as the group dashed past him, gazing at the throne room.

Mio saw him daydreaming, quietly and nervously urged, "What are you doing?! We have to go!"

He betrayed their decisions, ran towards the throne room himself. Already downstairs, feet in the water, Lanz and Eunie was waiting for him, the latter saw him dashing off so she shouted to him, "Noah, what're you playin' at?! Come on!" Seeing that Mio unconditionally ran after him, they couldn't just leave themselves, so they (including Taion and the others) followed.

Arriving at the throne room, he looked around and saw the array of pods where they were born. He gasped as he was dumbstruck at the scenery around him. Mio approached beside him, asking for confirmation, "Is this...?"

"Yeah. I barely remember it... but yeah...¹² This is the place... where we were born..." Humanoid blurry shadows lurked behind the orange tinted glasses, with bubbles floating often.

Lanz: "Spark... This is creepy. Were we... ever like that?"

Eunie: "My skin's crawlin'... Please can we leave?"

Sena: "All those people... Do you think they're sleeping? Or maybe they're..."

One of the pod caught Noah's attention, "Wait, is that... It is her." Confirmed with his own hypothesis, he dashed off to it.

"What?" Mio was confused at his action.

"Ethel!"

"Huh?" Stopping behind him, they saw Ethel in her child form inside one of the pod.

Taion was shocked, "That's crazy! How can it be Ethel?"

Sena: "Well, it sure looks like her... but this is definitely a first-termer!"

Eunie: "No. It really is Ethel. From when we first met her."

Lanz seconded, "Yeah. No mistake."

Mio prompted for more, "W-What do you mean, when you first met...?"

That's too much for Noah to take in. In a shuddering voice, he questioned, "What in the... spark... is this?"

Eunie thought it make sense, "This is what they taught us, right? That our lives are born from the Queen..."

Taion was shocked, "You are as well?"

"Huh? Same for you guys?" To which he nodded.

"We soldiers are born from the Queen, we fight... and then..."

"To the Queen you return." The Kevesi Queen's voice sounded from above, finishing his sentence. Her throne slowly floated down from above as the group watched. They ran up to face her just when her 'chair' docked into position.

"Th-the Queen...?"

Noah: "Melia..."

Mio: "That's the... Queen of Keves... Melia..."

The Queen continued, "You have returned... My beloved... soldiers..." The group disturbingly gasped. N teleported to the Queen's 4 o'clock, entering the scene. The group was alerted into their defensive posture.

Noah: "A Consul?"

N did not hide his repugnance at the group, "Ouroboros rabble. You dare to intrude on the presence of Her Majesty, Melia Antiqua?"

"Huh?"

Sena never seen one before, "There's a Golden Consul...?"

Eunie: "What... is this guy?"

Taion: "He's not like the other Consuls we've met... Mio, be careful!" As he turned to her with his warning, her vision was locked on the golden consul. Her trembling breathe revealed her shaky mind, until Taion cut her from her thoughts, "Mio!"

She gasped at the sudden callout, turning to him, "Ah... sorry."

"What's wrong?"

Shaking her head, "Uh, nothing. Don't worry. I'm OK..." Turning back to the Golden Consul, she was trying to recall inside her head, "I know him... But from where...?"

Noah tightened his iris. Focusing on him with intensity, suddenly, a throbbing uncontrollably shock emanates from his brain, making him groaned in pain, questioning, "What is... this sensation...?"

Thrusting her staff on the floor, the Queen continued her speech, "I have endeavored, for countless years... to protect... and shelter Keves under my aegis. And now you seek to bring ruin to this world." Shaking her head, "This grieves me."

Lanz couldn't believe his ears, "Come off it. How are we bringing ruin to anything?"

"You seek to deny it? Think. Upon your actions. Have you, or have you not... destroyed Colony Flame Clocks?"

Eunie rebutted, "We didn't have any choice!"

"No choice? Indeed. I assume then... you had no choice but to collude with our sworn enemy?"

Noah, recovered from his throbbing headache, "That's why you've been trying to wipe us out? Both us, and Ethel's Colony 4?!"

"Verily it is said... Ouroboros abhor this world. You must be erased, lest this world be destroyed."

Eunie couldn't continued listening, "We don't 'abhor' anything! Do you realize how many battles we've fought and won for Keves? We've served you our whole lives. And now this bollocks?!"

Noah: "Your Majesty! Please!"

"You say you fight for Keves? That you've served us? Are you certain? Rather it seems... you have been fighting for yourselves and none other." The group gasped at the new insight¹³, including Mio and the others. She continued, "You cling to life in your desperation. That is why you have fought. Unchecked, Ouroboros will lead this world to ruin. Now, by my authority, you shall perish."

Noah gave up convincing her, too disappointed, just like Ethel being disappointed before, "So... That's it? That's your verdict, then?"

N cut in, "It is not Her Majesty's 'verdict'. 'Tis the will of the world."

"It's what?"

Melia: "Indeed. The security of this world is paramount! Therefore, Ouroboros... The end is nigh... for you shall die by my hand!"

Noah and Mio dashed towards the Queen to deal damage, but there was a frequency barrier perhaps a meter in front of her that blocked them from pushing further inwards. Eunie complained while firing ranged arts with Lanz, "Wha-what the snuff is that? Stupid wall of light thing!"

Sena: "It's stopping our attacks in their tracks!"

Now her turn, the Queen raised her staff and summoned 3 fireballs, fired at them, which instantaneously regenerated, and the cycle repeats. Mio ran away, given her agility; Eunie had worse situation, but managed to hide behind Lanz, while continue firing her rifle from beside his shield. Sena was slow, felled by one of her hits.

"Sena!" Mio, hearing her scream and saw her dragging on the ground, panicked. Another fireball aimed at Sena... The Mondo shielded her just in time.

"Hmm..." The Queen turned her attention to Taion, and he could only dodged, now that he sent out his Mondo to protect someone else. She changed target once more, this time Mio. She dodged a few, felled by one.

"Mio!" Now, that makes Noah panic. He quickly made her way, passing from in front of Lanz and Eunie, towards her. The other two followed behind to shield him, Eunie suppressing fire did not leave a dent on the frequency shield. The Queen don't even bother.

As he helped her up, she apologized, "Sorry... Lost my focus." Lanz blocked the shots as they chat. "How's Sena?"

He don't know either. Turning around, Taion stood in front of Sena, blocking an incoming fireball. After, he sent his Mondo at the frequency shield to no avail; it burnt into dust and fell on the floor. With his Mondo as support, Sena overtook him, gathering force with her hammer, "HUHAAAAAAAAAAAAA WUAAAAAAAAA!!!" She slammed hard into the frequency shield, sending shockwaves on its surface. Thrusting forward doesn't help; the Queen look at her without even worrying. To give her a sense of danger, she slowly raise her shield, "Huh..." And of course she sensed it, hence retreating.

As she dashed the other direction, her head turned to witness incoming fireball, one about to hit her. The Mondos were always ready; she managed to regrouped. Eunie stood beside Taion, continued her shots.

Noah: "All right, then..." He slowly reached for Lucky Seven.

Lanz, sensing his choice, cried out, "Noah, you crazy?! That's the Queen!"

Grabbing on the handle, "I know... But we have to!"

Lanz: "Even so..."

"Noah!" Eunie cut their conversation, bringing their focus to a giant fireball, like a tiny sun compressed and captured within a chamber. This is the end, N (perhaps) thought with his calmness. The fireball does drew Noah's attention away from drawing Lucky Seven, instead prepared in defensive posture against a potentially incoming blast. They were catching their breathe as they watched the fireball grew larger and larger.

Perhaps that drew too much energy from the Queen, or perhaps for other reasons, her neck suddenly broke with electric sparkles, and her body continued to break down. The group watched in vain, gasping.

Noah: "What? What's she...?"

A broken Queen could no longer maintain the fireball; it slowly dissipated, smaller and smaller; finally, an explosion detached her mask, his head drooped down to reveal a robotic face.

Noah couldn't believed his eyes, "Her Majesty is a... machine?!"

Eunie: "Spark off!"

Lanz, with a high tone, "You serious?!"

"Hm hm hm hm hm... Hahahahaha.... HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" N put his hand over his golden mask as he laughed hard, continued asking, "Was that your doing, Queen? You haven't given up your false hope. Very well. By all means, look on." He took steps towards the group, "Witness how hollow your hope rings... as I slice it all to ribbons!" As he passed by her, he pushed her a slight push, and she fell and crashed onto the ground.

Noah suddenly felt the intense throbbing in his head again. "What... Again... Blast it... Why does he... make my... head hurt..." His vision blurred and he dropped to the ground.

That caught Lanz's attention, turning to him, shouted his question, "Noah! What's wrong? We're not done yet! Take up your Blade!" He strugglingly got hold of his blade as he spoke.

Sena was equally concerned, "What's going on?!"

Mio: "Are you OK?"

He didn't have time to reply any; as he stood up with his sword, N cut in, "It is fate."

Noah: "Huh? Fate?"

"Many have tried, but none have ever managed to escape its flow." He summoned his blade, which shudders like Noah's; like two magnets trying to attract towards each other but cannot.

Mio, looking at his sword, "What, that sword... How does he...?" Noah's sword shuddered too after N summoned his sword.

The battle never played out; the Castle emergency siren rung, drawing their attention. N activated his Iris and asked, "What now?"

"Lord High Consul! Th-the Lost Numbers are attacking!"

"The Lost Numbers?!" A fleet of ships approaching the Castle from the sky; anti-air weapons firing at them; those that hit blew out black soot. As they approached, automatons were dropped from below the ships that looked exactly like the ones Guernica rode on.

The group could now see blaring fires from within the throne room. A ship aimed directly for one of the windows smashed it into pieces, dragged on the ground before friction brought it to a halt; it didn't wait to stop when it deployed the automatons attached to its body. The group turned to see the ship stop a distance from them. As the automatons made their way, most suppressed fire, to which N drew his sword and blocked them by slicing so fast it created a semicircle shield in front of him. Other larger automatons that seemed to have flying capabilities (rather than for fighting) took off towards the birth pods.

As Eunie watched, she commented, "Wait, those Levnises..."

Sena: "Yeah, we've seen one before. Gotta be!" They were reminded of Guernica. Each of the levnises caught hold of 2 birth pods, the maximum they could take with their two grips, before returning toward their windows, prepared to leave.

Lanz sensed that now's the best time to escape, amidst the chaos, "Noah! Let's book it." He withdrew his blade and started running past them.

Taion and the others joined in, himself speaking, "Yes. They won't be attacking the Colony now. There's no point in our being here any more!" Only Noah and Mio still had their weapons on, his weapons shuddering furiously.

"You're right... Still..."

Amidst the flame and explosion, N had no fear, though he could no longer stop them from escaping. He looked at them calmly. Then, he turned to look around him; more automatons slowly walking towards him, even if it means their death.

"NOAH!!!" Lanz shouted. The best time to escape is almost nigh.

"Nghh... All right!" As the group retreated, the transport automatons had finished catching hold of their respective (random) pods, flew from above their head towards the windows. A ship approached near the window and suppressed fire, giving time for them to escape. With the last ship leaving, the machine gun blew up the windows, and the ship turned and retreated last. The Lost Numbers had done their job; the ships dodged the anti-air weapons and retreated into the distance. Some of them were felled while retreating. One of the array of pods that escape contained Ethel in it. The gun stopped firing seeing them out of range.

N, looking at the mess, pressed a button and took off his mask. Looking at his palm, "The passage of fate... How easily it slips from my grasp..." Clenching his fist, "Yet perhaps, it will come within reach once more." His iris cyan-turquoise, long hair that almost cover his eyes, sharp-tipped chin.

"And if it does? What will you do then?" A female moebius, M, with silver leg plates entered from behind, with cat ears, wearing a silver mask, long silvery hair splashed behind her. As she approached N, she removed her mask.

He calmly replied, seemingly entertained by her side, "Need you ask? I will give us equilibrium. A time unchanging... Our eternity." She did not comment on his reply.

She had sharp-tipped chin, big eyes: yellow outer iris, purple inner iris, thin eyebrow, long eyelashes.

M, is for Mio.
N, is for Noah.

Except, an older version of both.

Update on the Diamonds: Two rows of diamond, plus 2 diamonds on the third row, cancelled out. Looks like it's 10 days since last chapter.

Mio's diary: Time bears down on us without mercy. How should we live the days that we have left? What should we spend them on?¹⁴ We saw one possible answer to those questions. But we cannot accept it. Not even as a last resort. After all, it was the only path that was offered to those two. We should all be free to choose our own way. That's our belief. That's why we fight...

Footnotes:

---

1: Crocodiles?

2: Flying stingrays

3: WOW! Well said!

4: This is not man-made bridge, but natural bridge.

5: Sorry, because this is a real event one observed some time ago, one only can remember this right now.

6: Or 6 parts, if you count the hammer as another, detached from her limbs.

7: Like you swing a stick, if you swing it too hard, it'll 'smash', but you had a hard time changing direction.

8: How come suddenly so weak?

9: All 3 shields are the ones we see from Lanz's Ouroboros, unsure how.

10: What she called 'claws' is what Translator meant by 'fingernails'.

11: Just how so people don't question the paradigm but question themselves, unless a major paradigm shift is on the way, like questioning whether the sun revolves around the Earth was met with resistance. We might ask, how could they not thought they were given the wrong map on purpose, how could Ethel got her hands on the map if the Moebius don't allow it, but that's hindsight bias. We're probably equally stupid in their shoes if we don't have stay vigilant, questioning the paradigm.

12: Your eyes weren't yet open, still an embryo, but how could you remember it. That's something weird.

13: A different way to view the same situation.

14: How about for you?

Colony Theta in Memories

A training ground exposed under the searing sun, located in front of a Ferronis. Agnian soldiers were practicing their skills. Guns, swords, lance, you name it. The only hammer? Sena she is, practicing alone. Bashing the ground, bashing the air, shockwaves everywhere. "Huh! Hah! Huh! Hah!" She stopped to catch her breathe.

"You gonna hit something or not?" From behind, someone dubiously questioned her.

"Huh?" She turned. Three Agnian soldiers with bullying pose looking down on her.

"What use is swinging that slab, if you ain't gonna swing it at one of the actual targets?"

"But I'm just... practicing..."

The female soldier to the left, from Sena's point of view, cut her off fiendishly, "Say, why a hammer?"

"Uh..."

She didn't even give her the chance to speak, withdrew her dual guns and commented, "This looks more your style." Then, she continued to dance, taking the center of the stage, showing off her skills of flinching the guns and reloading.

"Huh..."

The first guy agreed, "Totally..."

"Right?" Then, they laughed in unison as they leave, leaving Sena feeling down.

"Ah..."

As she was chained in her thoughts, "Whoa!" A group of soldiers from behind was impressed at something. Sena turned to observe what caught their attention. Behind the fence, Mio was battling against a dual-sword soldier wearing his/her helmet. Other soldiers already on the ground him/her, the only one still 'standing'. She dashed towards him/her, and with one slash, sent one of the sword high up into the air.

"Whoa!"

Sena was equally impressed, and saw Mio helped the guy up, someone near her chatting, "Spark me silly... She beat five eighth-termers in a row. Mio, eh? She that off-seer?"

"Yeah. She should be the one heading to the front lines, not us."

Sena turned to look at her hammer; the contrast between being praised and being bullied.

The shocking atmosphere quickly died off as the soldiers rushed off to continued whatever they're going to do. Mio exit the battling ground into the practicing area, walking towards Sena. Sena sensed her approach, wouldn't show herself feeling down, enthusiastically called out as she intercepted her, "Nice one, Mimi! That was awesome. Poor eighth-termers... You mopped the floor with them!" Then, she handed a water bottle to Mio.

"Thank you, Sena."

"Hahaha!"

She scanned the vicinity, "Hang on... Where's Miyabi?"

"Oh, Miyabi? The commander and Consul wanted to see her in Command."

"Oh... OK." The atmosphere suddenly felt cold as Mio probably thought about why they wanted Miyabi for, and she just waited... Mio broke the ice, "Hey, fancy a bite?"

"Mmm... Mmm, sure, I'm a bit peckish."

"It's a bit early, I s'pose."

"Nope! I'm ready if you are!" Then, they walked off into the distance, presumably the canteen.

Sitting on a 2-person table facing each other, they each were having 2 bread, 2 slices of fish on a leaves, and some red soup (carrot? tomato? other ingredients?). Both took the same set of plates.

Mio scanned their plates, "Huh? I was under the impression that you didn't like fish."

"Huh? Ah... That is true... But... Can't be too picky! My muscles need protein, y'know! Hahahah...." She tries to shake off the nervousness, but Mio wasn't convinced, nor was diverted by her recourseful¹ tone.

She strictly spoke after a moment of silence, "Hey, Sena...? There's no need for this."

"Huh?"

"Just be yourself. You know you don't have to do what I do, right?"

Nervously shaking her head, "N... no, that's not..."

Then, Mio put one of her hands on her palm, trying to reassure her. Sena looked up and saw her stood up, bent forward on her, "Sena..."

Her tone back to low, "Uh... Sorry."

"C'mon... You say that too often. You've nothing to apologize for, Sena."

"Uh... OK..."

"Eat what you enjoy. Never stop being you, 'Kay?"

"Uhh..." She looked down, don't know what to say, nor promise anything.

Back to the present.

The group slid through a rope connecting the castle to an island, continued to running with Noah and Mio in the lead. Panting furiously, Sena kept her look on Mio while she ran. She recalled how, in their Ouroboros form, she and Mio worked together towards destroying the annihilator. She recalled, how she slammed into the frequency shield, yet not making a dent in the throne room.

The island was brownish, with brown grass mostly, and greener grass up ahead. Brown cliff rocks exposed to wind erosion stood high to the right where the group was facing. Suddenly, Noah stopped, turned to face the Castle, remarked, "I think that should... be far enough." The group followed his glance after they stopped. The Castle still lurked close, though, still gigantic and tall. We could see black smoke rising from one of the part; presumably that's the damage of an exploding annihilator not put out.

Sena self-questioned her past actions, "Did I... do good out there...?"

Lanz overheard her, "Hm? What was that?"

She raised her tone into an uplifting one, to cover anything up, "Huh? What's that? Haha... D-did I say something?"

"Uhh... I mean, you just said something about doing good or whatever?"

"Hah! That's funny, musta just slipped out. Ahahah..." She scratched her head in nervousness. Lanz sensed some story in her that she wasn't willing to share yet. The atmosphere got cold as she don't know how to face him, nor did he laughed it off with her.

Lanz, after a while, commented, "Hmm... You seem so... lonely."

"Huh?"

Recalling from what he saw when they Interlinked, he shared his observations, "At training, in camp, at night..." Others were speaking with each other or other soldiers, even Mio standing beside her spoke to another soldier; only herself, back laid on the fence, arms made a V (both fist joined in front of thigh), looked down, being all alone. "She's always got friends right by her." Another scene, other people sat by a table, Sena sat beside Mio, but they weren't speaking to each other. "But... why's it seem like... she's all alone?"

"Huh..." She gasped.

"How come?"

Her breath was unsteady, "So that's the way you see me, huh? A loner."

"Sena..."

She tried to kept her uplifting tone, even by force, "I was hoping more... 'Plucky heroine girl', or 'one-track musclehead'. That's more what I kinda shoot for..."

"Now, look..."

"Oh, no, you don't. I think you're just being nosy!" Her tone getting more reverberating, compressing her urge to cry behind her 'happiness'.

"Sena... Please..."

"I'm fine! Really. Don't worry about me." That halts the conversation.

Still at the same place, but zooming out to a group conversation at a later time,

Eunie: "...Can you believe we've just had to run all that way?"

Taion: "I don't know who they were, but had that force not intervened... I shudder to think what would have happened."

"What would have happened was, it would have been curtains for us."

"Usually a strategy is something you're supposed to prepare beforehand."

Noah kept quiet, lost in his thought for the moment, until Lanz turned to wake him up, "Noah?" After he turned his attention to him, Lanz continued, "I guess we have no more use for Castles and Queens, huh."

Eunie added, "We're not going back, I know that much."

Mio concur, "Nope, we're going forward now."

Noah: "...You're right." They turned their attention to the other direction, the great sword pierced nearer than ever before; though, they still have some distance to cross. The small hill made a bridge on top of the valley they were about to cross. "Not far now before we reach Swordmarch. Let's go."

Footnotes:

---

1: The translator invented the word, probably (at least it's not in standard dictionary): meaning 'full of recourse'.

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'?

Day 2 at the City

The sky was dark as ever; not a light outside can shine in despite its morning time. Noah, Riku, Eunie, and Lanz already gathered outside the dorm, Lanz stretching and commenting, "Wow, soft beds are really comfy. Who knew?"

Noah: "I'm fairly sure you've always slept well, even in sleeping bags."

"Same." Eunie acknowledged, even Riku!

As he waved his hands in denial to Riku's, the other four joined them, Taion expressing his concern, "You lot... Weren't you even a little nervous?"

Lanz: "Clearly you were nervous enough for all of us, judging by those dark circles under your eyes."

"I couldn't just meekly go to sleep after getting here and processing all that information."

Eunie: "That sounds more like excitement than nerves¹, if you ask me..." He pushed his glasses up, perhaps not willing to deny.

Mio took steps toward Noah, so they could speak closer, "Well, it looks like last night's jumble of information will be sorted out in the war room."

"Right." They turned to Taion, attempting to calm his nerves. Sena clenched her fist to muster her courage.

Taion: "...We should probably start making a move over to the war room, then."

"Right, agreed."

Sena: "Monica said-"

Mio: "You take the lift down from near by the Praetorian Hill, right? That's the sword's hilt guard..."

Eunie complained, "All the way there, huh?² OK then."

Sena gave her the encouragement, "Yep!" The group started their morning walk.

Inside the war room, underground. The group gathered beside a "pool table" (probably Intel table); Monica just finished her introduction. The room was dark and small, with no other apparent apparatus standing out.

Noah, his arm folded around his chest, "OK then. Sneaking into Agnus Castle, huh...?"

Taion: "Seems we won't be catching a break any time soon..."

Eunie: "So this person who knows where the true Queens are... Uhh... Who was it again?"

Monica: "You're looking for Ghondor."

"Ah, that's right! So then... we've just gotta find this Ghondor, break 'em out of the prison camp, and get the spark outta there?"

"Mm. Luckily, they don't kill us immediately after we've been captured. We're held beneath the Castle, in a detention facility."

Taion: "To perform, forced labor?"

"There's that as well. But mostly, it's to set an example."

"Example?"

"On the day of an eclipse, once a year³, they hold a massive execution of prisoners at Hope's Rest, a hill on the Castle's south edge. The whole event gets projected... High into the sky."

A place looking out; the surrounding is dark, but we can see a semicircle hole in front, with several broken metals sticking out of its circumference. AT the edge was some fence. The air was foggy; smog brown, as if heavy with pollution. The sun was almost eaten by the moon. Suddenly, an oval screen without visible edge showed up on the sky, showing Agnian soldiers grabbing a Lost Number's soldier, pushing against him to knelt him down on to the floor. Another Agnian approached from the other side, summoned his/her long sword blade. Repeat this for all the other soldiers in a row. A duck-helmet Moebius stood beside a one-eyed Agnian commander. He slashed his finger down, signifying the start of execution. The solders each raised their sword over their head, and down it go!

Mio, in her appreciation stance, "Oh no... So that's what you meant." Perhaps they had seen it before? We don't know.

"It's to show us we're powerless."

Lanz: "And the place they do this is 'Hope's Rest'? What kinda sick joke is that?" The group fell into a low mood as they absorbed what they'd been told, until Monica touched twice her temple to bring up her iris⁴.

"The next eclipse falls, about a month from now... So that's our deadline for what we've gotta do: contact the prisoner and get the intel on the Queens."

Mio: "A month..." She gently touched her term symbol on her neck. Now that's a real deadline.

Noah was triggered, turn his attention to her, "Mio..." Taion too.

Until Lanz enthusiastically and loudly stopped the ninny-nanny, "Well, no two ways about it. We better get started... now!"

Noah: "Yeah. And we better hurry. We can't waste a single day."

Eunie: "Let's say we make it in without a hitch. Won't the you-know-what give us away?"

You know what? What you know what? Sena asked for the group, "Eunie, I don't think we do know..."

"The red glowing Moebius eye thing." She do a pinch around her eyes to demonstrate.

"Ohhh, thaaaaat..."

Monica had an answer. "Those eyepatches I gave ya? There's a special alloy embedded in 'em. Long as you got that, you'll be near invisible -- slip clean under their noses."

Noah: "And after we've got the info? How do we get out?"

"You've put the Kevesi Annihilator out of commission. I'm sure you'll think of something.⁵"

Lanz: "Even if we get out, what about your lot?"

"You don't need to worry about them. They knew the risk."

Taion don't agree, "That doesn't make it OK."

Monica folded her arms, "Yeah, well. That's how we do things."⁶

"But still..."

She spoke it crystal clear, her eyes boldly fixed on him: "I'll tell you too. Be prepared to make sacrifices."

The group digested her stiff words for a moment, until Noah agreed, "Hrrr... All right."

"Huh?" Mio was shocked and surprised. Putting their lives at risk wasn't what they would agree on so far⁷, "However... Only as our absolute last resort. Is that fair?"

She was surprised too at their agreement, "That's awfully kind of you. But 'kind' doesn't win wars.⁸ There's a Nopon called Samon in engineering. He'll be able to find you a way into the Castle. Get the details from him."

Not far outside the war room, the group was asking a member of the Ouroboros candidate called Olive for direction. "Mr. Samon's engineering department? Go down the lift near Dolgan Cliff and you'll find it in no time. It's the big lift you took to get up here. You know the one?"

Noah nodded, "Right."

"Well, that's it! Ciao!" She turned to join her group, 4 others except Shania was present, waiting for her. To their 4 o'clock, an automaton stood in front of a beam incandescent glowing light scanning the area.

Lanz wasn't happy with how they're treated, "Oh what, you're not gonna show us the way?"

A guy called Jensen overheard his complaint, "There's a strategy meeting we have to be at, discussing what to do after the infiltration. "

Mio: "Oh, you're infiltrating the prison too?"

"Well, it was originally our plan." He bit his tongue; still being bitter towards the group.

Noah: "I see. Looking forward to working with you, then."

He shook his head, "Yeah, sorry, not going to be al buddy-buddy with you." The group watched them leave.

Eunie spit out after they'd gone some distance, "Wow, what crawled up his arse?"

Taion tried putting himself in their shoes, "Look at it from their perspective. We essentially took the Ouroboros powers that were originally intended for them."

Sena rebutted, "But..."

Lanz continued her statement, "What does that have to do with any of this?"

Noah stopped them lingering on the topic for too long, "Let's just play our part for now. We should head to engineering."

A place outside the City; the group stepped on a metal grid. Below them was a pool of water, an army-colored boat too difficult to describe, parked beside. The group approached a yellow Nopon with a hammer latched behind him.

"Excuse me, are you Samon?"

He had a flowery hair, and two thick moustache to the side of his mouth, wearing a vest, and some tool 'bag' strapped to it. "Most indeed! And are friends famed Ouroboros? I hear everything from Monica. Will lend spare ship to friends, no worry."

"Thank you very much for this."⁹

To one's best, the ship shaped like a bullet train, with yellow-orange lights attached to random location on its hull. The front part of the ship had roof; while the deck was behind it. "She good ship. 'Boundary' the name. Friends feel free to use."

Lanz was impressed, "Whoa, nice piece of kit, this!"

Eunie too, "I've never seen a real ship before, except in the textbooks..."

Samon: "If friends feeling gratitude, can show respect by adding Mr. to start of name." When a professor become a professor, you cannot not add the professor in front of his/her name!

Taion: "...Mr. Samon. Uh, sorry to cut the pleasantries short, but could you tell us more about the infiltration plan?"

"At least ask about boat first, meh..." A Nopon engineers' desire to show off his engineering design cannot be matched by anything unrelated to engineering! "Bah... Fine. Samon explain, so listen up. Surrounding of Agnus Castle under exceptionally strict guard. Nothing to unexpect. Even with the most state-of-art cloaking device, approach by Levnis greeted with shooting and shouting and short sharp landing. That why, we plan approach on route that go around Erythia Sea."

Taion: "From the sea, huh..."

Eunie: "Wait, if they discover us in the drink, then aren't we really royally snuffed?"

"Erythia Sea shrouded in black fog. If use ship to glide along on surface of sea, will now show up on radar scan from above."

Mio: "Right, good thinking."

Samon: "Before proceed to explain nitty-gritty, we must make ship ship-shape. Friends have to help also."

Riku was surprised, given the ship looking complete from the outside, "It not run as is?"

Shaking his head, "There not enough fuel for runnage of Boundary."

Noah: "Ah, so that's the problem."

Sena felt excited for the need of muscles! "Sounds like you need some good old-fashioned physical labor. Sign me up!"

"Samon happy to see friend so enthusiastic! Could never hope to even carry 300 ether cylinder by own self, so things were looking choppy."

The group was shocked, Eunie taking a step back, "Th-th-three hundred?!"

Mio: "Do we really need that many...?"

"Friends must remember, once depart on ship, there nowhere to top up before land of destination."

Noah, scratching his head, "That does make sense..."

Lanz: "Sure, but where the spark are we gonna find that many cylinders?"

"Not here, that for sure. We pour all fuel we had into making prototype."

Taion: "In other words... We have to figure out the whole supply chain from nothing?"

Samon tightened his eyes for concealing the info initially¹⁰, "Perish thought, friend! Samon never expect friends could provide alone. Only need to assist associate of Samon. Would like friends to go see Timna and explain situation."

Mio: "And that person can get us the cylinders?"

"Assuredly! Timna come from one of Six mighty Houses. Should be no big deal to part with hundred ether cylinder, or even thousand."

Sena was curious, "What are these Six Houses?"¹¹

"Very fancy houses, in holding of very important people."

Mio don't care about the explanation for now, at least this isn't the time, "All right, we got it. Where can we find this Timna?"

"In Caelum Residential Quarter of City."

Noah: "Great. Let's go, then."

Outside the front door of a house, inside the City. An old woman wearing a thick brown jacket stood facing them. Noah started the conversation, "Ms. Timna? We've come on an errand from Samon."

Correct person. She replied, "Oh, really? And what might he need?"

Scratching his head, he wasn't sure how to open his mouth, "Well, he's found himself quite urgently needing a large quantity of fuel, so..."

"I don't need the preambles, duck. This is Samon we're talking about. I'm sure he's got a whole lot of guff to sell me." They have different thoughts on how investment works!

Mio: "Well, I wouldn't quite-"

Her time is vital, her patience is utmost, "It's quite all right. What's he after? Tell me plainly."

Noah blurted out, "300 ether cylinders..."

"Planning something big again, isn't he?" Wasn't a tad bit surprise, nodded, "Not to worry. I'll have them prepared... Or, well, I'd love to do that for you, but lately, the conservative lot have been buzzing around. Such a pain." Shaking her head, "The truth is, we haven't been able to secure a surplus for ourselves, either."

Sena haven't heard of the word before, "The conserva-what now?"

Taion suggested, "They're the people who don't welcome war, perhaps."

Timna saw his wit, "It seems you know enough to recognize. Not all of this great City's people think the same way." Closing her eyes, she felt a lack of choice on convincing the conservatives, "Some are happy to remain spectators in the conflict taking place outside our door. Not fight Moebius, maintain the status quo... They want nothing more than to seal the City's hatches, build up our defenses. Lots of conservative people like that here. But... do pardon an old woman for that tangent. We were talking about ether cylinders... Their lot has been stockpiling more than they need, all just to cock a snook at us. You should get what you need from them."

Eunie was confused, "Huh? Didn't you just say you didn't like each other...?"

"That doesn't mean there aren't any sensible people on that side too."

Taion got the picture, "I see... So even your separate factions are comprised of varying types, then?"

Noah suggested, "Well, maybe we should pay a visit to one of these sensible people, then!"

Timna agreed, "Please do. Speak to Miyori. She's the person in charge of the material storage warehouse. If you tell her that 'the Nopon's needs are many', the conversation should go smoothly."

Sena wondered what that means, "'The Nopon's needs are many'...?" Manana turned to her and showed her curiosity too...

Timna gave a warning, "The material storage warehouse is outside the City. Mind how you go." Yeah, the inhabitants¹²!

Noah acknowledged, "Understood. Thanks for your help."

Outside the city, amidst the Great Sword's Hilt, standing on the snowy floor, the wind blew hard. The group was speaking to a short hair woman wearing buckled-up dark green shirt, long pants, and knee-long boots, gloves, and her own eyepatches with her house symbol¹³ on it, and displayed a bright green iris on her other uncovered eye. Eunie prompted, "Hey, are you Miyori?"

Miyori impatiently asked, "What?"

Noah explained, "Ms. Timna sent us. We're trying to get some ether cylinders..."

"Timna did...? Well, is that all? She didn't give you a message or something?"

Scratching his head, "Huh? A message?" He'd already forgotten about the message.

Eunie tried thinking harder, "Don't think I remember anything like that..."

She was firm. "Right. No deal, then. You can leave now."

Lanz: "Whuh?!"

Taion tried to convince, "Look, this isn't what we were told..."

She don't care what they were told, turned her back to them, "I'm a busy gal, OK? Beat it." She then walked away, leaving the group in the cold snow.

Mio shouted, "Hey wait!"

Riku: "Suggest to abandon hope."

Manana: "She give coldest shoulder."

Sena thought for a while, "Erm... Oh, right! She said to mention that 'the Nopon needs his money'!"

"...!" Miyori turned to her message, walked to her for code confirmation¹⁴, "Is that really what she said? To the word, to the letter? Are you sure?"

Scratching her head and try and recall, "Huh? Oh, uhhh... Was it 'needs are many', instead?"

"Yes. Now I get it. I'll get them ready for you."

"Really?! Thanks so much!"

Manana was surprised, "Great success!"

Taion sees the reason why they were given an Open Sesame sentence, "... I see. So that's what she meant by 'the conversation going smoothly'." They haven't bothered with the message before, thought it worth nothing.

Lanz didn't get it yet, "Huh?"

Manana explained, in the best of her guess, "It mean this person big Nopon fan! Only reasonable, really."

Timna asked for the quantities, "So, how many do you need?"

Noah: "Erm, 300 ether cylinders. Is that... manageable...?"

"I'll check. Hold tight. Also, don't let anyone near the storage."

"Sure thing..." She ducked into the storage, closing the bulky door behind her.

Lanz can now complain with her outside hearing range, throwing his hands high into the air, "Don't let anyone near? Pfft, like anyone'd bother coming out here without a rock-solid reason..."

Taion tried thinking from her side, "It sounded like the faction she belongs to doesn't want any involvement with us. I imagine she doesn't want to be suspected of helping Ouroboros."

Lanz suggested, "Hmph... Well then, should we give her a hand? The faster it's done, the sooner we can be out of her hair."

(Here, the player get to choose to 'help her' or 'stay put'. We chose to 'help her'.)

Noah nodded, "You're right. We did ask for quite a few..."

Mio convinced themselves with the logic, "It'll be quicker with more hands, right? ...Huh?" Suddenly, she heard something, turned around and looked into the air.

Sena questioned, "Something up, Mimi?"

Getting into defensive stance, "I just heard something. It's coming this way..." The group saw blue-winged white-torso eagles, five of them, descended in front of them.

Lanz: "Whoa! Check 'em out..."

Sena: "Why are they so big...?" Ok, wrong focus, but oh well...

Noah withdrew his blades, gave instructions for attack, "Let's take them out before things get messy."

Mio followed, "I'm with you!" The rest called their blades after the two.

After the battle. The group sheathed their weapons as Miyori exited the storage, questioning, "I heard a ruckus out here. Anything I need to worry about?"

Lanz affirmed, "Not even slightly. Nobody's here."

"Right. I've prepared the ether cylinders. Take them and go."

Noah nodded with "Thanks." They went inside and helped transporting it to Samon.

Samon flapped his wings in excitement, "Job well done. Samon pull all-nighter to install. Expect to be ship-shape by tomorrow morning!"

Eunie was impressed at his speed, "That soon?!"

With pride, "Samon never flounder. Always get job done."

Mio appreciated, "Thank you, so much."

He shook his head, "Thanking not necessary. Samon is fixer-upper-er by trade!"

The blueprints on the table behind Samon caught Noah's attention, "What's that?"

He turned to it, looked at what he was referring to, and explained, "Ah, this is ultimate vessel."

"Ultimate... vessel?"

"That right." It was the blueprints of the ship from different point of view, but seemingly had four boosters attached to its side, like the rocket boosters on the Lost Number's levnises/ships. "Even vortex in raging Great Sea not slow advance. It go down in history as queen of boats!¹⁵ Still work in progress, but sure to bring to fruition someday. Is Samon's dream!" He flapped his wings in excitement.

"Wow..." That design surely carved deep into Noah's mind.

Footnotes:

---

1: Someone published a book that said nervous is excitement, they're the same feelings. Don't remember which book it is, and too lazy to search for it.

2: It was on the other side of the city, if one remembered correctly.

3: OK, their eclipse was once a year, not like us irregular dates.

4: Wait, they have irises???

5: Italics are spoken in a relatively relaxed manner.

6: When all is against odds, you use lives to fill the void, the difference.

7: One could speak a lot about here, say, what Taion had done and analyzed in the desert, etc., but that would be "watery words."

8: Italics check footnote before. Bold was spoken in a gritted-teeth manner.

9: The extra hero accompanying was Ashera. She was the commander of Colony 11, Colony 11 being the 'final gate' located directly outside of the Keves Castle main entrance. We saw it before: the group moved aside and swing through the hovering reefs instead.

10: Who call you don't ask about ship details first?

11: Check Appendix B for more info. In brief, the 6 monuments from the Memorial Hall, or First Ouroboros room, created the 6 houses.

12: The monsters, and don't fall off the cliff!

13: Yeah, from the Six Houses.

14: Felt like 'Open Sesame' said wrongly.

15: One don't really understand what these two sentences meant, but assumed it was a boat meant to penetrate the vortex.

Eunie and the Golden Colony (Side Story)

Note from Translator: Well, since we're already in the City, why not just focus on Eunie for a while rather than travelling back and forth to new locations? Skip this digression if you'd like for a 'smoother' story.

Night time at the City Camp¹, Mio noted an observation, "It seems that they believe in Fourtune Clovers in the City as well."

Eunie: "What can I say? If you know, you know. And if you know, you're gonna wanna collect them!"

Taion: "Isn't it mysterious? Seeing children talk about things never fails to bring a smile."

Sena: "Oh yeah, it is mostly children collecting them, that's right!"

Eunie wasn't very happy at that comment, "... You got a point to make, Sena, love?"²

"Oops! N-no, not really..."

Lanz just laughed at her, "AHAHAHA! You wanna go join the City brats, Eunie? Sounds like you'll have a lot in common!"

"Augh... You absolute muppet!"

Mio: "Come on Eunie, no need to get worked up."

"Queen's laces, you lot... Let a girl have her hobbies, will ya?"

Noah redirected the conversation, "That's right... If they grow near the City as well, then we could have a little excursion someday."

"You're the only one here I can trust, Noah..."

As the group continued chatting in subgroups, Noah received a video call, "Noah! Hey. How's tricks?" The others joined themselves on the call thereafter.

"We're doing fine here, Bolearis. And you?"

"Ahhhh, same old, same old. Though, we're not getting any provisions from home, so our supply guys are being run ragged."

"Any requests for us? I don't imagine you called just to shoot the breeze."

"Haha, no. Good point. Got a bit of info to share with you."

"Yeah?"

"Specifically, it's about Colony 5."

"Colony 5... I think... I remember something about them being pretty highly ranked."

"Yeah. We only happened to hear by chance, but apparently, they made Gold just the other day." Noah's eyes brightened up... Gold! That's not an easy feats. Bolearis continued, "Or so it seems, but we're not sure."

"Oh? Go on." Taion's curiosity was piqued.

"Last time a colony went Gold? Think it was about forty years ago. When you go Gold, you're pardoned from fighting. That's why everybody busts their balls trying to rank up."

Lanz: "That sounds... pretty familiar."

"Thing is... We're not even hearing a peep about this from the other colonies. It's as if... they're acting like Colony 5 never existed to start with. I've tried getting in direct contact with them, but I haven't heard a fart back."

Sena questioned, "You think something happened?"

"Well, the woman in charge of Colony 5, Orsolya, was close friends with our commander."

Mio: "With Ethel?"

"To give you some background, some two years after the commander got us to Silver, Orsolya managed it as well. Cammuravi might have been Ethel's rival, but Orsolya and Ethel... They were sworn friends."

"What, so... if it wasn't for the thing with Cammuravi, you all would have made it to Gold rank?"

"Ehhh, I guess you could say it was likely."

"Then... I can see why you'd be worried."

"Yup. So I was thinking of going to take a look. Been six days since we lost contact. If there's been some accident, we could still be able to help."

Lanz questioned, "Are you sure that's a good idea? You got not Flame Clocks! What if you end up like us?" And even Gold cannot solve the problem, what says you Dirt?

"We'll get the spark out of there before that happens. But I'm talking about Orsolya here. I ain't just gonna leave her. And if the commander was here, she'd do the exact same thing."

Eunie suddenly spurted out, "I-I really wanna help out on this!"

"Whoooooaaaa!!!"

Even Noah was surprised, "Eunie? Seems out of the blue."

She cancelled the call (the others not) to take out something from her pocket, "Well, you see..." It was her dog tag, the dog tag of the before-incarnation Eunie and the Golden Colony... She then told them about how she found the dog tag³, after so long.

Lanz just heard her story, shocked, "What the- Why didn't you tell us this sooner?! Gotta share this stuff!" The others had already hung their call with Bolearis, gathered around her to hear her story.

Guiltily, she replied, "Sorry... I just... didn't really believe it."

Taion: "So, what you're saying is, you think that in the past, you were attached to a Gold-rank colony."

"Could be." As she gripped on to her dog tag, she continued, "This ain't some ash about wanting to know my past self or anything. A whole colony just fell to pieces. I have to know why."

Lanz prompted deeper, "You reckon Moebius have something to do with it?"

"With what I saw? Definitely."

Noah: "So that's why. All right. We'll help you out."

"Noah, I mean... Are you sure?" Bolearis from the other end still hadn't hung the call, and can still reach them despite they hung the call. "You know, I'd be glad for the help here, sure, but I really wouldn't want-"

Taion cut him off short, had had enough,⁴, "Oh, enough of this already. Tell me this isn't exactly what you were hoping for."

"Heheh! Saw through my clever ruse, eh? Must be losin' my touch. Hehe..."

Hanging the call, he turned to Noah, still connected to the call himself, "I've seen that memory too, when Interlinking with Eunie. And I guarantee you it was not a dream. I'm certain of it."

"True. I feel the same. What do you two think?"

Mio: "No objections! Let's head out."

Sena showed her muscle, "Yeah, I wanna lend a hand as well!"

"There you go, OK?"

"Ahh, I owe you one, mate. Seems like I'm always getting you in trouble."

"It's fine, Bolearis. We do have an 'obligation' here. Right?" Noah turned to Taion therefore, and he returned a nod.

Sena: "Man, not to forget all that food you gave us...!"

Mio teased, "Ohhh yeah, I remember you took seconds."

"Righto. I'll be moving out after this. Let's rendezvous... around here." He showed the group a map and a point.

Noah: "The Urayan Trail? Understood. We'll give our stuff a once-over, then get going."

"A'ight. See you there."

"Yeah, see you."

After he ended the call, Manana asked immediately, "Noah? Friends make journey to Goldie colony?"

"Yep, that's the plan."

"Then, humbly asking to drag Manana along!"

"No problem, but why?"

"Manana heard rumorings! Say that Goldie colonies have suuuuper real good ingredients lying around! Manana will take these ingredients. Resulting dishes will blow both socks and minds!"

Sena: "Trying to expand the old repertoire, eh, Manana?"

"Expand!" The wings fluttered thinking about food and cooking!

Noah: "That'd be really great actually. OK. Dunno why I'd ever refuse."

Sena: "Manana, if you're going..." She and Mio turned to their obvious target. Without a second thought, he replied,

"Riku go, naturalistic. Only answer is yes."

Noah: "I just said I won't refuse! We can all go."

Translator's Note on Environment: The Urayan Trial was behind a giant door near where Ethel and Cammuravi fought the group and died. Neighboring the Fornis Region, naturally we saw the modern dilapidated buildings encroaching in the distance. The lush grass carpeted the soil; with lush green trees sparsely shadowing a portion of the land together with the tall, standing, monument-like rocks. Bunnits, Tirkins, and other animals roamed the area. In the distance, we could see giant trees and the forest. It was a one-way road that zig and zag through areas. This, is the Urayan Trail, of Pentelas Region.

The group arrived before Bolearis. "Hey there, you lot. Fast as a sparkin' Rhogul!"

Taion: "Well, we would hate to keep you waiting."

"Good man."

Noah got straight to the point, "So where's Colony 5?"

Looking towards a route heading 'forward', Bolearis pointed out, "Easy. It's up on the Loska Plateau. Should see it once you've cleared the cave."

Eunie urged, "What are we waitin' for then? This bloody murk's giving me the creeps."

Riku wasn't happy with the impatience, "Eunie should cool jets. Getting in tizz won't help."

"You'll be in a tizz in a minute!"

Noah agreed with Riku, "All he's saying is that we should play it safe. Careful. Right?"

"Correct! Especially if situation involve Moebius creeps."

"All riiiighttt... I am actually tryin' to control myself. If I start going crazy, nudge me."

Lanz was surprised, "WHOOOOAAAAA!!! Where's the real Eunie?"

"I just don't want us draggin' our feet, all right?!"

"Heh!"

Traversing through the caverns lit by a three-legged fire stove ⁵, they stopped as they saw some fallen Kevesi soldiers.

"Husks... They're still flesh." Taion observed carefully.

"Yeah... This wasn't long ago. Who could've done 'em in?" Lanz agreed. The group tried looking around, kept their voice low in case it attracted their potential enemies. Nothing else to be seen. They continued to their destination therefore.

Still inside the cavern, the group searched the cavern walls and grounds for evidence and traces. Taion looked attentively at one of the walls and Noah joined him. "Noah. These marks... Considering their elevation... It can only be..."⁶

"Right. Only something as big as Ouroboros or Moebius... could make these."

Lanz traversed into a narrow tunnel himself with the group behind him, looking around, when a Kevesi sword suddenly summoned in front of him, and his gasped attracted the others' attention. Mio and Sena, closed to him, joined in the fight while the others joined later against the few Kevesi soldiers.

One of the Kevesi soldiers with wings on his head called out halfway, "Stand fast! Cease combat!" He looked on the group and noticed one that he knew, "Y-you're Bolearis, right? Ethel's man. From Colony 4."

"Yeah, that's right."

Looking at the others, their blades still held up in defensive form, "Then you guys... you... couldn't be..."

Taion nudged, "Couldn't be what?"

He didn't answer, denied himself, "No, can't be. You aren't friends with that monster, are you?"

Sena: "With what monster?"

"Thank the flames..."

Noah was confused: "Huh?" They sheathed their blades and gathered near one of the rocks where they'd rested. Illuminations came only from the three-legged stove fire some distance away.

The winged guy started telling their story in a wimpy voice, "It happened so fast. First the commander was promoted to Gold, and the night after that, that thing came."

Amidst flames stood the Ferronis, Moebius transformed and killed lots of soldiers. It had a rounded hat like a built-in helmet.

"You could tell it wasn't Agnian. Nothing native to these parts -- could tell at a glance. It was cackling. Having fun cutting our friends... to shreds!"

As it killed one by one, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!" It walked slowly, enjoyed the torturous death of the group. "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

Eunie concluded: "That'd be Moebius. Has to be."

Taion questioned: "Yes, but... why attack Colony 5?"

Lanz: "We came to find that out, right? Think. Must be a reason."

Bolearis: "And the colony? How's Orsolya?"

"No clue. We were in such a hurry to save our skin... Scrambling for a place to hide... Then you guys showed up..."

"Right."

Mio proposed, "Well, she can't be all that far off. Shall we?"

Eunie: "Spark, yeah. And if any Moebius mudders are there, we mess 'em up."

Taion: "Yeah. Looking at these guys, they don't seem under Moebius control. But that makes them targets we need to protect."

Noah: "No argument there."

The winged guy finally got curious, "Who are you guys...? You're working with Agnus..."

Bolearis decided to move forward first, "Once we're done here I'll tell you all you wanna know. It'll blow your mind! OK! Let's get a move on, eh?"

Noah: "Before we do, we should escort these guys somewhere safe. Some of them are wounded."

Bolearis: "Ahh, too true. Definitely don't want them in combat. How about the cave entrance? They'll be as safe as Castles."

"Cave entrance, huh? Yeah, that'll work."

The winged man, "I, um... We owe you."

At the cave entrance, Bolearis consulted, "You lot sit tight here. We'll press on to Colony 5."

"Thanks. It's really us who should be going, but... How can we ever thank you?"

He nudged instead towards the Ouroboros, "These guys are doing all the fighting. Thank them -- I'm just along for the ride."

Eunie effetely complimented, "Ohhh, cheers."

"Hahahaha... Ahhhh, come on..." And she just gave him 'that' look, as in, 'whatever'. Turning back to the soldiers, "Anyway, you just leave finding Orsolya to us." They then leave them alone, continuing to Loska Plateau.

By an empty ground surrounded by tall cliff walls, barracks lining both sides, and an extremely tall Ferronis connecting its upper torso to its lower via a thin skeleton stood at the end. Sena noted, "The Flame Clock... It's still glowing!" They dashed forward to see the final of the flames choking its way to keep alive. Closing in, Sena judged its gauge, "Huh!... Oh no... Almost empty..."

Taion: "There... really can't be a lot of soldiers left." The rest watched attentively at the Clock for a while as they absorbed the info. Turning their attention elsewhere, husks lying on the floor everywhere. Eunie especially felt the pain. Suddenly, she heard some slicing of blades and turned to look at where it came from: from behind one of the barracks, red live motes shot up into the air. She quickly dashed towards that location. The group saw her action and took off after her.

There stood a Moebius whom just killed one of the soldiers as Eunie first arrived, followed by the rest. It turned around to reveal the death of a soldier. Borealis recognized the corpse, "ORSOLYA!!!" The Moebius swung Orsolya's corpse at them, whom dropped in front of them.⁷

A moebius with butterfly teleported and entered the scene, "You dolt." She held a long scepter and joined beside the other Moebius, didn't transform herself. "You killed her... I wish I'd known you were paying a visit! I'd have found a much more practical use for this thing."

Noah: "Y-you're..."⁸

"Eheheh... You can call me X." She took off her helmet and revealed her face. White short hair, a purple scar that scratch from the right of her chin through her nose on to her forehead. Sharp eyebrows with crimson iris. There was a butterfly that emits energy attached to the left of her hair. "And this is... Well, he's just some underling so I don't actually care." Can't actually recognize whoever that Moebius is, eh! And that guy didn't reply either. Elatedly, she continued, "Anyway, I count myself lucky! I mean, you popping up while we render judgment!"

Noah: "A judgment, is it?"

X was surprised, "Oh? Did they actually work it out?"

"'Work it out'?" What does she even mean?

"Oh, what, you didn't? Way to get my hopes up... I thought you came because you worked out what's going on with the colony ranks."

Eunie shot back, her curiosity piqued, "With the ranks?"

"Yes. The ranks. You've been so desperate to raise them. Just for a bit of comfort, you snatched away the lives of your enemies."

Lanz impatiently asked for speeding up, "Are you gonna get to your point? Come on!"

"UUURRRRGGGHHH!!!" She can't stand him cutting her off, or maybe, still couldn't figure it out. "Are you some kind of idiot? I mean I've laid it all out for you! Just think a minute, it'll come to you!"

"SNUFF OFF!!!" Sorry, a big brainer only useful for fighting isn't useful for figuring out puzzles. Actually, not even Taion cut her, hadn't figured it out yet, perhaps?

"Huuuuhhhhhh.... I'll make it so you dopes can understand. Are you ready? Taking notes? It was us who made up all the colony ranks. Good old Moebius." And she showed her Moebius Iris. Sounds shocking to the group, for whatever reasonings. Perhaps confined within the box?

"Whuh!?"

"First, we have the lowly Dirt, then there's Tin. Tins go up to Copper. Then you get Iron. After that comes Steel. Then you get the badass Silver. And finally..." She looked at the Flame Clock, continued, "you've hit the top, Gold." With extreme elation, "You've been falling over each other, trying to kill each other day by day."

Mio tried to strike forward hearing how she could be so happy to see them die in the millions.

Eunie desperately questioned, "BUT WHY?! WHAT DID YOU EVEN MAKE THE RANKS FOR?!"

That's the face she wanted to see! "Because... What else is gonna motivate you? Eh?"

"WHAT?"

"You humans... You need some kind of goal in your little lives. You want to give your Blades an upgrade, you want to eat some nice food... or you want to live longer."

"YOU EVIL..."

"All we did was give you those goals. And while you're trying to rise up, your life force grows brighter! So shiny! Isn't it wonderful? But then, once you've reached the top, there's nowhere to go but down. And that's no good, is it? Then it's harvest time. One last gasp of defiance...! Then we take what's stored up at your life's end."

Eunie were already looking down on the floor, trying to compress her anger as she heard her words. Taion kept his cool, summarized, "So then... you're saying the Gold rank's nothing but a sham?"

"I just told you, it's to motivate you."

Eunie, with clenched fist and volcano at its edge of erupting, "Oh yeah, you motivated us real good... You've forced us to fight... without ever knowing the truth...!"

What the heck does she think she's talking about, "Huh? What are you even-?! You've done a good job tearing the place up yourselves!" As if motivation meant free from their control, but rather their own will, it seems to her. "Nobody's ever forced you to do anything. You guys, you like a spot of murder as much as anyone!"

"There's nothing to like about it! How could anyone like it? We live in fear, knowing nothing but fighting... We wanted to reach Gold... so we WOULDN'T have to fight... But you..." All the while X smiled as she heard her, elated that she get what the Moebius's wanted. Eunie's fist was clenching so tightly it quivered, "You took even that from us!"

"Because you're idiots, surely? Just think about it real hard for one second. Who gave up the right to think for themselves? You did."

Lanz: "what a load of CRAP! You're the ones who never left us any room to think about our actions!"

"You haven't got two neurons in your heads. All you have are the things we gave you, and you have the gall to complain?" And she made this sound what's called 'blows a raspberry' (Boob boob, by sticking your lips together and blew air against it so it sounded like farting twice).

Eunie: "ARSEHOLE...! YOU AIN'T GETTIN' AWAY WITH THIS! HOW CAN OUR LIVES MEAN SO SNUFFIN' LITTLE TO YOU?!!!"

Riku warned, "Eunie! She just goading Eunie to make feathers ruffled. Keep head frosty!"

"BUT SHE'S..."

He cut her off, whatever her assumptions and reasonings, cut straight to the root, "False. She scared of Ouroboros. She want mistake-making so she can give friend the finisher!"

Her tone calmed down, questioned, "You think she's... scared?" Turning to her, she tried to notice any micro emotions in X.

X heard him all along, only started to took notice of him, "You... Smart cookie, aren't you? I was told... Nopon aren't supposed to interfere. Maybe they were wrong. Well, whatever. It messes up my plans just a little..." and she put her mask back, summoned her scepter, and continued "but I think it's about harvest time. I'll take... every last spark!" The Moebius underling (Moebius L) at the back joined in.

After the fight. Moebius L fell to the ground, dissipated into blue motes as his core broke.

X calmly spoke, as if the underling that died is none of her business, "I think you're starting to get the hang of this! Killing Moebius and all..."

Eunie: "Cheers for the compliment. But I'll tell you one thing... I ain't doin' this because I like it. I'm just doing this to survive."

"You don't change. You're still just a grunt." Removing her mask, she continued, "You're desperate to kill, just 'cause you're afraid of dying."

"That's where you're wrong." Holding up her blades and signaling to it, "This... isn't just for me any more. A lot of people's hopes... are riding on this! So now, I ain't afraid. I'll carry these hopes as far as I can, until we've made the world how it SHOULD BE!"

"Oh? Well said. All right. How far can you take this? Guess I'll wait and see."

Lanz: "OOOHHH, LOOK. Just can't wait to escape, can you?"

"Eheheh Well of course! I'm a busy girl after all! Can't spend all my time playing with you. Buh-bye!" And she vanished into thin air, teleported away. The group therefore sheathed their blades as danger disappeared.

Eunie felt the stone crushing on her heart, breathed heavily.

Outside of the cave by the grassy patch beside the road. Mio, Sena, and Manana chatting in one subgroup, Eunie talking to Taion, Riku to Lanz, and Noah and Bolearis looked at the others. The injured Kevesi soldiers were no longer seen.

"Uh-huh..."

"Huh?"

"What's it all been for, eh? All of our fighting... We struggle on, and on... But at the end of the day it never ends." As they were speaking, the group stopped talking and turned their attention to the two, something more interesting than their small talk, perhaps.

"As long as we live, all we can do is fight on. That's not going to change."

"You're saying there's no escape?"

"Depends how you look at it. Sourcing ingredients and growing crops... You'd call doing those things a struggle, wouldn't you?"

"Pfft... You say some weird stuff."

"Fight, struggle, they're just words. And what's important, is not the words. It's what you do."

Eunie agreed, "Innit. What's inside's the most important thing. You know, I think I'm starting to get it. I've got you, Ethel, and all the others to thank for it."

Bolearis questioned, "So... you're not afraid any more, then."

Taion took to her stead, "We're the same as everyone else. We're not perfect. Even now, we still feel fear from moment to moment."

"And still... you'll go on?"

Mio, in her appreciation stance, "Yeah. We want to make sure we'll... walk the path we want to. Just like... Ethel... once did."

Eunie agreed with her. "No matter where it goes. Right?" The misty fog shrouded the distant view of the dilapidated buildings. The spooky lack of light and animals woo-ing paved their way for a brighter future. Even if you can't see where you go, to keep moving on is all we could do.

Footnotes:

---

1: The cooking square Monica lent them just outside their dorms if they wanted to cooked earlier when they'd arrived at the City.

2: So she's a child collecting Fourtune Clovers, huh!

3: One wouldn't repeat what's going on in the battlefield back there. Just look back yourself!

4: After he reconnected to the call, of course.

5: Just a platter where you put woods or other burnables into it and lit it on fire.

6: Unfortunatley one can't see any marks on the rocks. Looks the same to one. Will update if can see on first video.

7: Behind stood a giant tree trunk so big we could call it Yggdrasil, or The World Tree.

8: Because we put this scene before 'the event', the speech is different if you watched the first video. The difference is: "Y-you're... X!" and she replied, "Been a while, friends." That's basically the only difference.

Joran, Off to the Sea

Returning to their dorm, the kids playing by the grassy park, under the tree, caught Lanz's eyes. They gathered in a circle with one kid meddling with a puppet.

"There. All done!" It's a wooden figure, a guy holding a sword, probably he carved. He stood up and handed them to the two boys, excited.

"Wow! Amazing!" He did it for him. He took it from his hands gently and dashed off into the distance, the young girl following after him. Another young girl was gathering grass alone in the background.

"'Kay, I'll bagsie the next one! I even brought the materials an' stuff. Make me something mega cool, yeah?" The other boy requested for his puppet figure. All the while, Noah stood beside Lanz, both watching them play. The others entered the lodge.

"Sure. What kinda Blade do you want? Sword? Gun?" We saw the girl chasing after the boy whom held the puppet high up as he ran around the grassy park.

"Fist."

"Okey dokey."

Lanz called out, "Hey."

"Mm?" He turned to look at him.

"If we didn't have to fight each other... you think.. that could have been Joran?"

Start of Memories

Joran was meddling with something by (his?) bed as the three entered their barracks, Lanz calling out, "Joran! Didja ditch training again, just to work on this stuff?"

"Did not! I'm not skiving!" He was using a carving knife to carve something. He continued his carving with attention, didn't lay their eyes on them, while explaining himself away, "I just... had a bad headache. I gave notice, too..."

Eunie couldn't believe her ears: "'Scuse me? Noah did that for you. Right?"

He just laughed it off, "Huh huh, err, I'm used to doing it."

"OK, it's done!" Joran held it out and the others bent closer to peer at it.

Lanz: "Hold on! Isn't that..."

"Ahahahah..." He tucked it to the side of his belt. There were already 3 figurines hanging on it, all wearing war suits, one male with gray spiky hair, a female with short blond hair and wings on her head, and the last with dark hair and a strand of hair slicing through between his eyes, its ends on the side of his nose.

Eunie asked, "Who's that? Lanz?"

"This one's Eunie... and, this is Noah."

Eunie was impressed! "Hey! That looks just like me! Good job, matey!"

Lanz: "Huuuh...?"

Noah gave praise readily, "I love it, Joran!"

"Uh? Yeah...?"

"Yeah!" He nodded with confirmation. "We don't have your talent. All we can do... is slash and shoot each other... But you create things!"

"Hahaha..." He was humble to hear it.

Lanz broke into their conversation, asking, "Hey! So who's this?" Joran looked down at the last figure, the one wearing red striped shirt, thick hair that covered both side of his eyes. "We know someone like that?"

Eunie: "Look like a real tough fella."

In an embarrassing and awkward tone, "Umm, that's... Err... It's me..."

Both (except Noah) in unison¹, "Whaaattt???!!!"

Lanz: "This is you?"

Eunie: "It looks nothin' like you!"

"M...mm... Yeah... But, like... That's what I wanna end up like, someday. Haha... Silly, huh?"

Noah rebutted, "It's not silly! I believe in you. I've seen exactly what you can do!"

Lanz disagreed, "You think he's got what it takes? You're talking out your bum."

"No, I'm not! He can do it! Right, Joran?"

"Uh... Uh... I'll... try, then. I'll... try really hard!" His tone grew anxious as he isn't sure if he can meet his expectations. Noah nodded back at him. The others mentioned nothing to disappoint him.

End of memories

Lanz, in a regretful tone, "He looked up to me, man... Smiling..."

"Sometimes it's hard to judge, huh? What we're supposed to be protecting. It all gets a bit blurry."

"Yeah..."

"Even so... His smile... was the real thing. We should cherish that."²

He resignedly sighed. Then, he looked at his hand for a while, until Noah held out his fist straight to him. He turned to meet his eyes, and Noah continued, "Next time, we'll think twice. About... who really needs punching." He withdrew his fist from him.

Lanz looked down at his fist once more, closed his eyes, agreed, "Yeah... Yeah... I hear you." Noah held out his fist once more; this time, Lanz punched back, and their fist met, a sign of agreement.

Looking up at the candle-lit metallic roof, Eunie, lying on her bed, eyes stay opened while others had dozed off. With lingering thoughts that forced her not to sleep, she sat up and climbed down the two-layer bunker bed ladder, went outside the dorm, and paid the growth modules room another visit. Focusing her vision on the unconscious Ethel, the evidence that reminded of her husk on the battlefield, her dog tag with her name on it that she retrieved it from her husk's chest.

"So you saw it."

"Huh?"

"Your husk. Your own lifeless husk. You've come across it?" Such mind-reading ability from Monica. Or maybe, Eunie wasn't the only one...

"How did you...?"

"Your eyes... You looked like you were gazing into your own past."

A moment of digestion before she replied, "That's crazy. Live long enough, and you learn how to figure out stuff like that?"

"Oh, it hasn't been as long as you think. But, folk do tell me I'm pretty sharp."

"Hah. That all?" Monica walked up and stood beside Eunie; they turned their gaze at the growth modules. "How come you don't wake these guys up? Couldn't you use the help? Or is it... 'cause they'd just be Moebius fodder?"

"They can't be fodder. If we wake 'em up here, they'll be freed from the shackles of the Flame Clock."

"So, why then?"

"Because this is our fight. We don't know how long it'll take. And their lives are short."

"So you don't wanna get 'em mixed up in everything?"

She snorted at the hypothesis, "That's one reason."

"And... the other?"

"People need to learn who they really are. What they have to leave behind for posterity. I want them to wake up in a world... that affords them that chance."

Eunie looked away, asked quietly, "How do we discover who we really are...?" She held the dog tag on her palm, peering at it.

"That from the husk?"

"Yeah."

"You won't find yourself there."

"Huh?"

"You've gotta look to the present and the future only. The one in the past -- it isn't 'you'. You didn't make that and it's not yours."

Confused, "Make that...?"

"But... look to the future, and you can build yourself up however you like. You can become whoever you wanna be."

"I can...?"

"You've got the power to do so. Be true to yourself."

"Thank you, that's..."

Monica turned away from her thanks, explained, "Well... That's what my dad always said."

"Your 'dad'...?"

"Mm... But it goes for you, too." Then, she walked towards the entrance as she finished her sentence.

She watched her leaving, trying to internalize what she passed on, "True to myself... We'll see." She took a last look at the dog tag, clenched it within her fist, her heart knot³ untangled.

Next morning. Mio was doing the cooking in the park square alone, stirring soup on a stove placed on top of a table. She took a ladle from the steaming soup, forcefully blew into it for a few times, before taking a taste. "Mm... Ahh!" The content was too hot, she squinted to soothe her pain.

"HAH, REALLY?!!! Did you seriously just burn your tongue again?" Lanz cheerily called out, walking up to her and earned her attention. The others seemed to not be around.

"Uh... Haha... Ah, you saw that?"

"Well, your soup is one of the highlights of my day."

"Really?!" That was surprising to hear. "Whoa, thanks! I'm flattered."

"It was just the truth..."

"Uhm... Want some? To taste-test?" Now that she had a better tongue, eh?

His eyes lit up, "For real?! Good thing I got up early!" She poured him a cup of it. He took it in his hand, continued the conversation while waiting for the heat to dissipate. Or maybe, he's just interested to know more about her.

"You enjoy cooking?"

She continued stirring the pot of soup, her eyes on it, while replying, "Oh, it's been drilled into me. It's a ritual now. Can't really start the day without making a pot."

"I get ya. Two months, huh? Since that battle..."

"Yeah..."

"You're tough. No joke."

"Eh?" She turned to him at such comment, surprised by the adjective he used.

"We heard, from Eunie. That you're just like us."

"Oh. That part."⁴

"I've been plodding along, playing it all cool... But when we saw him again, I thought... Nah, snuff all of this."

"I'm scared too... Just so you know." In her appreciation stance, "Since Monica told us the whole truth... I've hoped... No..." She shook her head, "I'm sure I'll see Miyabi again. I'm so sure of it."

"Hard, wasn't it? Hearing that."

"Yeah. But... It sure beats ignorance."

"That's what Noah thinks too. You're hard as nails."

"What we don't know, might as well not exist... It's an obvious way to think, but it isn't right. Closing my eyes doesn't mean evil disappears."

"And so... You go on?"

Nodding, "Yeah. I'll keep going, while my flame still flickers... to the bitter end. With all of you."

He closed his eyes a moment, turned away from her, and opened looking down, "You said it." He finally emptied her soup in his cup.

The others had already gathered outside the dorm as Mio and Lanz joined in. Upon arrival, Lanz immediately asked, "Did we hear from Monica?"

Noah replied, "Yeah. The ship's ready."

Mio: "Mr. Samon must have pulled an all-nighter."

Eunie: "It's all going to kick off soon."

Taion: "Our preparations should also be complete. Let's rendezvous with Mr. Samon at the port."

Mio nodded, "Let's."

They arrived beside the ship. Mr. Samon and the Ouroboros candidate plus Monica already waiting there. Samon called out, "I been waiting for you! Ship is steady-ready."

Monica: "OK, I'm counting on you to bust out and bring back Ghondor."

Eunie didn't understood, "You're counting on us? Count on yourself -- you're coming too, aren't you?"

"This isn't the Lost Numbers' only job right now, you know." Turning to one of the guy, "Jansen, you're in charge of the infiltration."

"Understood." Jansen turned to the group, "Try not to drag us down, Ouroboros."

Lanz threw his hands into the air, still don't like their manners, "Worry about yourself!"

Monica just shook her head, refused to mediate for such small matters, "Samon, tell us the route."

Suddenly put under the spotlight while busy listening, his thought gathered slow, "Meh! Me-hem! As said before, you cross along Erythia Sea on good ship Boundary, then go to prison direct underneath Castle."

Eunie: "Ah, good. Right through the fog."

"But! Here is detail of importance. Even if all get there without bumps and bruises, island is surrounded by tall cliff on all side! Boundary only run over water... After that, friends will need proceed under own strength."

Sena: "So we just have to do our best to climb up the cliffs without getting rumbled?"

Taion was imagining the cliff might be higher than they could muster: "If we can climb up them just by doing our best then that's great, but..."

Monica agreed, "First, it can't be done."

Mio shared, "If the prison's in Agnus Castle, then it's going to be more heavily guarded than any old Colony."

"Right on the money. Before you head for the prison, rendezvous with a soldier hiding on nearby Vinisog Holm. Her name's Kisame. She's the only soldier who managed to escape from Hope's Rest."

Taion hypothesized, "If we learn about how she managed to escape, we can use that information in our infiltration, is that right?"

Monica didn't reply to him directly, "Vinisog Holm is on the way anyway, so rather than fiddle with janky comms, I thought it'd be best to go there and chat."

Noah: "Yeah, makes sense."

"That's all I've got to say. Get everything ready for departure."

"OK."

"All righty-doodles, goodest of luck to friends."

Lanz: "Wait, are you not piloting us, Mr. Samon?"

"Samon is tired after long night of work. Please to not overwork poor Samon."

Mio: "So who is our pilot, then...?"

"Pilot is inside you all along! Samon can send information of direction to any Iris, so anyone who want to pilot can fulfill dream." Huh, a secret friend in the team?⁵ But however, if break Boundary, is punishable by megaspankings."

Lanz: "Yeah, yeah, we get it."

Riku took out his comms and checked the information Samon sent before tucking it back into his pocket. "...Fine, fine, Riku will volunteer for pilot."

Noah: "Is that OK?"

"Is easier than working Levnis."

Noah turned to the candidates group to explain, "Riku was our mechanic back in the colony. He's good with stuff like this. I trust him to lead us right."

Jansen: "Sure it'll be fine."

Manana fluttered, "Will do our best!"

Noah: "This Ghondor person in prison is our key to finding the whereabouts of the true Queens."

Mio: "We have to pull this off."