Spirit Pulse : Mugen No Sekai [IC]

[Airen]

Ludwig Karlfeldt
Outside the Karlfeldt Estate
11/16/2026
Monday ~ Evening

"...Hah..."

In the face of your answer...

She laughs.

It's not mocking laughter, no, the sound of this particular monster's voice is sweet enough to be absolutely genuine in nature. She sincerely thinks what you had just said to her was amusing for some reason, a reason you can't quite place, but that has the eyes of the fake looking at you with an overwhelming aura of...

"Really now?"

Amusement?

Approval?

Both?

Regardless-

"---How bold."

-the voice that appears soon after, is filled with that dangerous, but alluring air that all vampires seem to innately possess. Like the lantern of an angler-fish in the darkness, something that pulls the unaware towards it, slowly but steadily, closer and closer...

Until it comes rushing out of the darkness to eat you.

Teeth closing around your body before you can even realize what's happening...

That is the aura this person carries with her, that of a predator hovering just beyond the reach of traditional lantern lights. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, an existence that hovers in the darkness and is only understood as what she wishes to be understood as, veiling herself in a fog of myriad illusions:

A hyper-competent maid that gave her all to the family she served...

A merciless mentor who doesn't care if she is hated or feared...

A predatory shadow, smiling at her victim from the darkness of an unlit window...

Whether any or all was her true nature was impossible to tell, after all, just as she had taught you...

---It really doesn't matter if it's an illusion or not, does it?

"You say you are ready to learn... And perhaps you are, perhaps you are..."

A hand raises, slowly, drawing both your eye and Lara's (who shakes her head for a moment as if dazed for some reason) a storm of blue reiki erupting from your forms to oppose the creeping darkness that was beginning to gather around the woman's form, spreading out from her feet to devour all other shadows, leaving once white fields pitch black, the moon casting it's silver light down on a world that will only swallow that power whole...

"But am I still ready to teach? Are you still worthy to be my student...? Isn't that the true question here, young master? Aren't you... Struggling with the faith?"

She giggles-

"Are you still worth my time? Or did you just call me here to finally put you out of your own misery? How much control do I really have over this domain? I wonder... Yes... So many questions to explore. But since it seems you're so eager to just jump ahead for now, well-"

-then snaps her fingers, a clear. crimson force exploding forth at the motion, shaking and rattling the nearby trees with all the force of a cannon shot.

But it's not an attack, no...

This is...?

---A howl erupts from the woods around the estate.

At first a solitary howl, then a chorus of what sounds like wild dogs, no...

Wolves.

Crimson eyes burning in the shadows, the hunting dogs of a woman who had always seemed to get along with animals a bit too well for someone of her own predatory nature...

"-I will go ahead and do as the kids say these days, and... Release the hounds."

---And with those words.

Countless familiars pour out from the darkness of the woods all around you.

[Zurvan]

Eyes open up to blackness, yet the feeling of a bed beneath him gives a sense of comfort.

A familiar bed, a familiar darkness, giving way to a familiar room as the boy’s eyes grow accustomed to the faint light of stars and the moon, illuminating the room.

Yet such perceptions may well be a deceit. These small comforts and familiar places could just as easily be genuine as they could be fiction. Phantom memories and sensations meant only to trick the mind.

Reality is a fickle thing these days, if it ever were something real to begin with.

After surviving the descent into the pit of hell, the two remaining orphans belonging to the Karlfeldts had found themselves into the next experiment. Their minds were placed within machinery able to mimic reality, simulations. Yet at the same time, these simulations were influenced by outside forces, medication to induce certain emotions, fears being played out before them, and sometimes scenarios so vivid they could only be real.

Or were they?

For so long now the conscious mind of Ludwig Karlfeldt has been trained in the wishes of his elders. Illusions, nightmares, dreams and reality all blur together as one begins and another ends. Malnourished, driven to exhaustion and sleep deprivation, the boy may collapse and awaken inside a simulation just as easily as he could his own bed.

He believes that this treatment is to instill another lesson within his psyche, to the point where it becomes second nature, much like earlier teachings.

To never give up, and never give in.

To become so acquainted with death, that fear of it no longer grips you.

To survive, despite all odds.

And now, new lessons are imparted.

Treat everything as if it were reality, you can’t afford otherwise.

Everything has meaning.

There is no difference between a fake and the original if they can’t be distinguished.

Of course, whether or not Ludwig is correct about these teachings is uncertain, if indeed they were even lessons to begin with. Much like the true nature of the reality he’s awakened to, the truth of these matters cannot be known.

Such is their design.

The mind can only accept the stimuli it receives and with the senses work them into a vision, a picture, a memory.

This room, the stars outside, the moon, they at least are a constant. A piece of normalcy even within this den of darkness. The cold, lifeless halls of old, where even monsters dare thread. A home for a family of Dark Summoners.

---The door to his room opens.

Light banishes away the blackness, as a figure of white and black enters. A polished figure, walking in with barely a sound. Her movements are refined, without any energy wasted. Deep crimson hair adorns a young face, and blue, pallid eyes like the moon meet the boy’s gaze.

Ida Voight.

While the stars shining down upon the world are a comforting sight for the young ESPer, the moon holds no such endearing quality. And this woman is at least partially responsible…

"Young Master, are you awake?"

A voice, emotionless yet with purpose, reaches out to the boy.

"...I’m not certain. I may be dreaming still."

"Indeed so, Young Master. You are beginning to comprehend the reality of the situation."

Ludwig rises up from his bed, briefly looking at the stars through the window as he turns back to face the maid. His mind seeks out a connection with the only person who shares his pains, but today too no such connection can be established.

"Is Lara also undergoing training now?"

"I cannot answer that, Young Master, but rest assured that no tragedy has befallen Milady."

"...What do you wish of me today?"

Cold eyes look at the boy, then similarly as he did before, to the stars outside.

"I would like to hear your opinion on the stars, Young Master. Some say the stars are akin to a compass on the sky, guiding mankind through the darkness. Others recognize them as simply lights within the night sky, nothing more. What do you think of them?"

A strange query, but as is often the case with this person, there is a reason she asks it. A lesson to be learned, or a forewarning of mistakes not to be made.

After some contemplation of Ida’s intent, Ludwig eventually answers.

"I am fond of the stars, of the constellations and the myths they represent… Of the falling stars that carry wishes with their passing… They are the light in the dark night for everyone, so you’re never alone."

"A light within the darkness, do you desire to be such yourself? Shining brightly, keeping the darkness at bay, not knowing exactly what such a thing entails?"

---The ideal of the Karlfeldts.

Even now it remains a mystery what they truly wish from their adopted children, who supposedly will carry their legacy. Ludwig has convinced himself that it is to become a champion of mankind, a guiding beacon that will face adversity from any source. A bringer of hope. A light born from darkness.

A guiding star.

"What if the path you walk robs you of seeing what your light brings? A star is not human, at best you’ll become a monster."

"...If that is what is desired of me, so be it. As long as I can do what must be done, I don’t care about becoming a monster."

A determined will, walking into an unknown journey. Faith and the prospect of purpose, of meaningful suffering, all compound into a state of mind that gives motivation and significance to his deeds.

Becoming a monster in order to defend others from monsters… is such a contradiction the right answer?

Something red fills the room.

"Oh? Have you grown so accustomed to monsters you would count yourself amongst them?"

Shadows dance behind the maid’s form, as a nigh intangible redness comes steaming off of her. Her facial expression hasn’t changed, yet there’s something more ominous about it all.

The faint smell of iron reaches the boy’s nose, as a sense of dizziness assails him.

"No, but I’ll have to fight off monsters and demons alike eventually. If it were to improve the chance of victory, shouldn't you discard those hindering emotions instead?"

"If it were to, perhaps. You should not be too hasty in discarding your humanity however, Young Master. Emotions have their use, even rampant or damaging ones such as fear, despair, rage and grief."

"...Is that so? Aren’t they hindrances in battle?"

A pulse of adrenaline spikes up in Ludwig as Ida moves within an instant out of his sight.

"Battle isn’t the only thing you should be focused on, Young Master."

Her voice echoes out from all corners of the room, with a tone that is hard to place.

"Then what is? What is my role to play… is it not to become the best I can be, surrounded by those of similar or greater calibre? Someone able to shoulder the hopes and fears of others?"

The boy answers the omnipresent voice all the same, eyes darting from one shadow to the next. Silence fills the room for an uncomfortably long moment, only further increasing the boy’s unease.

Until eventually.

"What we want of both of you, Young Master, is for you to succeed. We set the path you traverse, but the answers you find along the way are yours and yours alone. Whether you face your problems head on, run from them or embrace them, all are equally valid."

Slowly, but without doubt, the stars begin to flicker out.

One by one.

"Perhaps you will be a monster at the end of the road, or perhaps you shall shine like a star in the night sky, together with the mythological figures you spoke of. Your journey and its end have yet to be decided, fictitious child."

Until only the moon remains, as crimson takes it over.

"Eventually you will show us, Young Master, how you choose to conquer the obstacles on your path. The nightmares you will face, the monster on your path. But for now, we shall continue to train you. But make no mistake, one day you will indeed face monsters..."

Until eventually, darkness swallows all.

"I do hope the answers you've found will be sufficient at that time."

———

Ludwig Karlfeldt
Outside the Karlfeldt Estate
11/16/2026
Monday ~ Evening

The amused laughter of the maid alone is enough to fill the ESPer his veins with ice. A showing of interest or enjoyment that betrays only trouble lying ahead. Whether the entity behind this form is the one that's amused from being met with the boy's mindset, or if Ida herself is the one approving of that line of thought by virtue of her past teachings... Ludwig does not know.

However, such thoughts are unnecessary right now. No clear conclusions can be drawn at this stage so a wiser course of action is to focus the mind on matters that may improve odds of survival, or on the pair of girls that now had to face the head of the Karlfeldt family.

Only---

"You say you are ready to learn... And perhaps you are, perhaps you are... But am I still ready to teach?
Are you still worthy to be my student...? Isn't that the true question here, young master? Aren't you... Struggling with the faith?"

---this entity won't allow the time for even such thoughts.

Words that instantly pierce the body and find a weakness harbored by the Telepath. A questioning of his own purpose, his self-worth. Despite being accepted amongst the people of the SLEIPNIR, all he found there has been defeat. He couldn't capture his or Logan's sister back then, let alone repel any other assailant that day. His strength was left wanting during his battle against Fenrir, being spared only by the grace of the Commander, and finally even his long lost siblings easily dispatched of the boy.

So, what value does he hold? The sole reason he became the inheritor of the Karlfeldt family was because only he remained, not through some measure of quality or resilience. Was he ever worthy of their time, their ideal? What answers had he found that could be deemed satisfactory?

But perhaps, there is no need for faith in the self.

"Even if you aren't ready to teach... she is."

It's funny that this, the form of his old mentor, a visage of fear and defeat itself, is akin to a double edged sword. True, the face of this merciless teacher is one that brings forth a bone-chilling fear, however it also serves a different purpose. If no distinction can be made between reality and fiction, one cannot afford to handle them differently. Following such logic, it may be possible the maid knew ahead of time that her visage would become one of fear. One that haunts the mind of her students. One that could be used to create the very image of herself, when such fears become a reality.

In such an event, had she not been readying her students for a future that awaited them? Her own shade that is being weaponized, in truth being used as a test of conviction? Teachings of old unfolding into the present, as an inevitable rite of passing.

Perhaps, perhaps such thoughts are all but an abhorrent and unimaginable delusion.

But if it were not so, may this serve as the crossroads of destiny. The hour of choices that will echo into a future of hope, or an ending of despair.

---It is the burden of the heirs to decide the fate of the family. This has been, and always will be the crux of inheritance. Are the chosen heirs worthy of the trust, the hopes, ideals, even the fates of their predecessors?

So, what is the ideal of unity that lies within the heart of Ludwig Karlfeldt? Is it a unifier that draws in others by force, a bastion of might using fear and force to make his dreams come true? Or is it instead an amalgamation of souls that devour and feast on another until one single, perfect will commands them all? A superconscious that utilizes the collective unconscious of both past, present and future? Or is it that of a single, enduring soul, that inspires and compels others to follow him? A lone star that illuminates the sky, only for a myriad of lights to join in and banish the darkness?

Now is the time to find out.

In response to a field of hounds charging in with rapid fervor, winds howl back as it intercepts the beasts. Snow is blasted away along with various doubts, as the boy's reiki levels spike.

"Sorry to get you mixed up in this Lara, but I'll need your help overcoming this test."

Don't forget about me! Let's show this faker a glint of what our unity can achieve!

Even if belief wavers in the self, that same belief is bolstered immensely by the presence of the sister by his side, the AI that encourages him even in the most dire of situations, even the mentor silently watching over this battle. Such is the ideal of unity, the one that Ludwig has chosen. He need not do it all alone.

Not when there's others that wish to shoulder the future along with him.

Theresia is not without reason... but if a fight proves inevitable, run.

Perhaps if fate were kinder, that pair of church tamers could have joined him against this foe... however their situation seems even more perilous than his own. Imparting the mind of Eva with final words of warning, the Telepath severs the connection between their minds. Who knows if such words will grant the impression of the danger that the Karlfeldt head poses. Regardless, neither of them have the luxury of their focus being divided.

Summoning forth blades of wind around himself and his sister, magic slices and cleaves into the vengeful dark forms, aided by his personal barrier of wind. A killzone of piercing gales is set as the first line of defense becomes visible, a line drawn by Lydia to deny entry to any daring to get close, whereas Ludwig...

His mind is focused elsewhere, looking up at the sky. Towards that serene vision of the stars, one that has accompanied him so often, as something is born from that same mind. Possibility becomes reality, and something gives away through the darkness.

A single star, coming down in an act of defiance.

Shooting down, coming for the maid-!

[Kuroyuki]

Rossweisse & Hiyori
???
11/16/2026
Afternoon

As I set down, Ms. Charlotte, I heard her say something very dangerously deadpan about how she’s going to ‘deal with the evidence later’. Hiyori should be fine r-right? It’s just another one of their tsundere fights r-right?! Thankfully, I don’t have to worry for too long as she stops her angry deadpan look to consider my question as she starts drumming her fingers.

"...Well, they say you dream of familiar things. Dreaming is a phenomenon where time and space do not necessarily follow the strict linear rules of the day world, in a dream it seems like anything can happen, although the causes of events are more often than not simply... The works of your subconscious. When you ran away, seeking a safer place... Perhaps this is what your mind naturally perceived as a safe place? The thought then became strong enough that well... Here we are."

When Ms. Charlotte places it that way… It does make sense considering that most of my memories are here. Like my first memory here, when I first met Hiyori, and then the various things I’ve done on it like the Mysterious Midnight Simulator Preset.

“I guess that makes sense…”

‘I mean when you think about it, we’re flying in a nigh impenetrable fortress guarded by some of the world’s most power obsessed Spirit Tamers. If this place wasn’t considered to be safe, then I guess you have to go straight to the NWAB complex on the moon!’

I just smiled a little perturbedly when I considered that those factors didn’t exactly save us from last time… But like Hiyori said, unless I fly to the moon. There isn’t a safer place than the SLEIPNIR and my room on top of that.

"Sort of like Lucid Dreaming? If one is aware they are asleep, there's a certain amount of control you can apparently exert over the world around yourself, although considering all the dream demons wandering around... Well, I doubt that control is anywhere near as absolute as it would be in a normal dream. Might just be a fluke of the moment.”

“Sorry… I’m kind of new to this so I don’t think I have any control...”

If I knew how to lucid dream, then maybe… I...

‘Mah mah! Baby steps Ross! It’s not like lucid dreamers immediately control their dreams perfectly. First SLEIPNIR, then the world.’

“Although I suppose this could be my fault too..." She continues with a chuckle. "I've been yearning to get on this ship for awhile... Although considering how you look around this place... I get the feeling this is more you than me."

‘Oh right! What did you want to do here Ms. Smug? Last time, I just found you being a weird stowaway down Genesis’s hall before we got attacked in an infinite hallway!’

I casually tilted my head towards Ms. Charlotte. That’s right… We never did hear about why she was here.

"In which case, I have a request... There should be a boy on this ship named Logan Starbright, a doctor named Xavier too. Do you know where their rooms are? I'd like to see them while I'm here, a dream approximation should be close enough to the real thing in terms of learning the layout."

‘Logan? I don’t think we know where he’s at. Probably the simulators like the rest of this power obsessed faction! However, knowing the Evil Doc, he’s just waiting for another challenger to approach his

clinic

evil domain

!’

I thought it over for a second to see if I ever talked to Logan Starbright enough to know where his room was or where could be at. Aside from a few meetings here and there… Typically at the simulators, but I don’t think I’ve ever known him well enough and the ship doesn’t exactly list our rooms.

“Like Hiyori said… We can probably find Dr. Xavier at his clinic. As for finding Logan… I don’t know where he could be aside from the simulators, but we could probably ask Anna for help.”

[Airen]

Rossweisse & Hiyori
???
11/16/2026
Afternoon

"Well, considering we appear to be inside of a dream, I'm not sure we can count on any of the people that you think should be here being here..."

Says Charlotte after a moment of thought, the eyes that had boldly demanded information from you softening after she seems to determine that you are being as honest as you can possibly be inside of this particular situation. Xavier was someone you knew pretty well, but Logan...

He was always in the simulator.

Might as well call those his room...

"It's odd enough that you and I are dream walking together, most often these sorts of journeys are undergone alone... Dreams are not things commonly shared between people, although I suppose dream demons may raise the odds..." she chuckles, "Still, hoping to dream walk into the genuine thought-form of another person is a bit too much to hope for in my opinion, so I'll just settle for seeing the clinic for now."

Here she goes quiet again, obviously thinking about something, eyes sparking with deep thought, before...

"Knowing where they spend most of their time is information enough for my... Purposes."

...Letting loose a vague statement.

One that's rather troubling, especially with the lack of context...

"Meeting them in person shouldn't be necessary."

A snort.

"It's too... Potentially awkward of a reunion for me to really want to deal with it anyway."

She starts down the hall.

"I'm not great at being a sister or a cousin."

A pause.

"I'm not gentle enough for the role apparently." She says, facing away from you but also obviously smiling to herself for some reason, a smug, satisfied nostalgic smile. "Something about how you're not supposed to put em in a headlock, even when they're being annoying?"

[Airen]

Eva Ellet
Karlfeldt Estate ~ Forest
11/16/2026
Monday ~ Evening

Silence.

In response to your reasonable take on the situation, the strange undead (?) woman only seems to regard you with those same curious eyes, ones that once again muddle their truths in myriad emotions. It could be a simple ploy for time of course, as you yourself had noted, the woman's goal of stopping the two of you from chasing the girl you hadn't met yet would be fulfilled if she kept you here talking to her, so big, obvious pauses are just as good for her as just going straight into a fist fight would be, more even, if one considered the fact that a fight would probably wind up damaging all parties involved with it, still...

"..."

When she doesn't say anything after fifteen seconds, you consider calling her out on it. After all, you can only afford to waste so much time here with her if you were to fulfill your objective, but-

Theresia is not without reason... but if a fight proves inevitable, run.

-before you can, the voice of the boy from before again invades your thoughts as a quiet whisper. It's a small thing, a small, minuscule warning that not only seems to identify the person in front of you (Theresia does sound like a woman's name after all) but also seems to confirm that she is not a rampaging berserker no matter how much her initial entrance might have been designed to lead you towards thinking such, and in the few more seconds of hesitance that comes along with this information...

"...The owner of the castle gave it to her you say? A key?"

The woman finally speaks.

"Well, I suppose she did, and I will admit your argument isn't... Entirely incorrect."

She smiles.

It's a smile of contradictions, full of a human's warmth, while clearly being that of some sort of inhuman entity, a monster that instinctively draws the eye to itself, much like the maid back in the castle...

Instincts say that a predator should be kept in one's sight after all, yet...

"---Still, you are a strange child. Marked by the Ancient of Days... I had expected a bit more of an... Unreasonable response to my presence, I must admit, but it seems you carry the mark of the Devourer's remnant as well... An odd child indeed, blessed by two who are destined to crash into each other..."

...She just says some odd things, makes some bizarre comments about you in that way supernatural beings always love to do (that is, being as vague and obtuse about it as possible) before...

"...Very well, I don't want to... Put the two of you in time-out if I don't have to do so, it'd be deeply unpleasant for both sides of this confrontation."

The smile brightens.

"So how about this? I will accompany you to that girl's side. If she gives the okay, I'll leave everyone in peace... If not, and you persist... Well then, I'll start putting people in time out. Sound fair?"

She says, in an amused sort of voice...

"Although this deal will just be for you I think, after all, I don't think your friend is... Very fond of me."

Catherine?

With the girl having been so quiet during your speech you had almost forgotten she was there, but looking over to the other side of the woman...

"...?"

...She's gone?

Disappeared without a trace?

Had she snuck off while the two of you were talking...?

"Shadows often have rather... Delinquent ideas, so I might have to put her in the corner regardless~"

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
Monday - Noon
11/16/2026

"Judgment...?"

Sofia smirks like a proper villainess should, responding to the energy you were putting into the game with a suitable dramatic flair of her own in a manner that just might have a certain COMP spirit wondering if all supernatural humans were just weirdos when it came to card games, and-

"My dear Fairchild girl, whether with words or with cards, all challengers that come up against me come up against the might of the empress."

-considering how she says this, with one leg crossed over the other and her head resting on her fist, voice full of teasingly smug energy as she gestures at the world around herself, it's...

"My fashion taste is invincible. Play your cards as well as you'd like, child..."

...Becoming increasingly clear that she has practice playing up a hammy, villainous type of persona, although it doesn't seem malicious in the slightest, no...

She just seems to be having fun with it.

Still, even as she hams it up-!

"Blue skip!"

Alisa says cheerfully as she tosses the card in question onto the table, cutting Sofia's little villainess speech right out from underneath her-!

"I-Impossible-!"

...Okay she has to be doing it on purpose now. That look of perfect disbelief was something right out of an anime-!

Still-!

"And thus the empress falls." Chuckles Daniel with a smile, opening up a single golden eye to regard the younger girl. "Struck down by the light of decent fashion sense."

He winks at you.

"Blue 7."

And tosses his own card on the pile, moving the game back to you.

"But that's my history reveal moment I suppose, what about you, Lady Alisa?"

A question posed at the obvious gadfly of the group, who...

"...Hmm... Me?"

Pauses to think about it.

[Airen]

Logan Starbright & Amelia
SLEIPNIR - Logan's Room
11/16/2026
Monday ~ Evening

The hit of the confirmation button on the strange city coated in fog, reveals that the area itself is known as "Shinar," with the map further zooming into three more nodes (how this game visualized stages inside of an overarching level) of which only the first of them is unlocked and ready to play, but...

Hovering over them with your cursor does reveal all three of the stage names, namely:

-Etemenanki approach.
-Chains of the Revolution.

And, with an obvious skull icon over it (signifying a boss focused stage of some sort) was a stage written in all caps, further signifying it's difference from the others, namely...

-ARCADIA PRESENCE.

Odd, but even the original game had colorful stage names like this...

Still, having already made up your mind and with only one stage available at the moment, you confirm your choice.

The loading screen is of the strange train gliding across what seems like the night sky... It's a common enough sight inside of the Pulse Network, most people apparently perceive the inside of the network as looking much like the night sky, a canopy of stars flying by at the incomprehensible speeds that made nausea at one's destination more or less guaranteed, but...

This too fits into the game's normal framework, if not for the train, it'd more or less be the usual loading screen, still...

When the characters arrive (stepping out of the train, with it disappearing into a strange vortex behind them) you find them standing not inside the depths of a city, but what seems to be some sort of massive building just on the outskirts of it... An orphanage of some sort, if the sign planted into the ground close to it was any indication, with the orphanage being up to the north and the city, this "Shinar" being to the east...

With the game's top down view you can't see the sky, but there are puddles on the ground -like you've arrived in the aftermath of some sort of storm- and reflected on them are not just images of clouds, but of various buildings, showing that the city was pretty close to wherever you were, and...

Amongst those buildings...

---A massive golden tower, one that seems to reach past the reflection of the clouds, a clearly man-made structure that almost felt like it was trying to claw at the sky...

"I know how these games work, optional paths first, mandatory ones last-!"

Of course, Rice is just being a kid right now, or is at least putting on the appearance of one. With her controller in hand, the young woman is already directing her characters up towards the orphanage, occasionally glancing down at the second screen (characters moved there if they got too far away from the main party) in her hand when she needs to read text...

Perhaps that's why you notice something extra appear on the screen first, namely...

A mission timer pops up at the top of it.

Dimensional Interference Detected
Demonica Soldiers en route to RAIL entry point
ETA: 3 minutes.

Seems like...

In game...

Someone knew you had arrived in this place the moment you had arrived there...

And soldiers?

Countdown to enemies flooding the screen?

[Airen]

Daisuke
Brewed Awakenings, Aoyama
11/16/2026
Monday - Dark Hour

"That guy?"

Asks Lexie with a rather cute tilt of her head, eyes following your bouncing form in a way that kept you in her sight at all times.

"..."

The head tilt deepens, obvious thought crossing a tired face, replacing the somewhat forced smile from before, the events of the day having had an obvious negative effect on her cognitive abilities, before-

"Ohhhhhhhh! That guy!"

-she seems to remember, tired smile returning with a snap of her fingers.

"I mean, that's fine? That person is about as harmless as proper fae get, right? Doesn't even try to steal your identity if you're careless with how you talk!"

A pause, as she has to actually consider these words again after hearing them aloud...

"...Well, not your IRL identity anyway. Usernames and gamer IDs are another matter I guess..."

In spite of relenting here, the point of her words was clear, basically:

---As far as fae go, Robin was about as agreeable to humans as you could reasonably expect someone like them to be.

Still, when it comes to the theories flowing around:

"Mental projection? So some sort of shared delusion? A sort of... supernatural folie à plusieurs?" Shuichi says with a frown, the air of the ever insightful ace finally returning now that his unfortunate weakness isn't being hammered on by the people around him constantly. "Then again, I suppose folie à plusieurs only happens to the conscious... If this is some sort of shared dream, then it'd be more like forced dream walking? The mind being pulled from the body to somewhere else?"

Quiet musing.

"Daisuke is right though, the past few hours being the result of falling victim to some sort of mental ability would be a lot more feasible than the town as a whole just disappearing out of the blue..."

Finally.

With the action having stopped for now, and finding yourself inside of a warm, dry place filled with other people...

The tension really does feel like it's starting to fade from your mind.

---There's nothing to worry about inside of here.

You're not sure why you think that -at least beyond the obvious factor of so many allied supernaturals being in one place- but it seems to echo in your mind as the truth...

"...Hah, you kids are pretty bright."

Finally speaking up now that all the introductions were done, Noriko sets herself at a table by herself, one with a good view of the entrance-way, much like how the others had instinctively placed themselves.

"It took me two nights to realize I was just having a bad dream... But as far as I understand it, that's pretty much what all of this," she gestures at the world around her, and that of the outside, "Is... At least, that's what it is when you break it down to brass tacks."

She pours herself a cup of coffee, and takes a sip with an obvious innate eagerness.

The scent of the freshly poured is remarkably powerful inside of this enclosed space, another burst of almost physical warmth and alertness to contrast the dreary cold outside, and...

"Why we're asleep right now though? That's the more... Complicated part."

A sigh.

"Apparently... It's the result of a sort of... Curse."

Golden eyes lock onto everyone else in the room.

"An old death curse. Sends the victim into a world of nightmares over and over again, night after night, until you..." Here she pauses, as if wondering if she should continue, before ultimately sighing, eyes closing in mild discomfort as she decides to just disclose what she knows to you. "Die inside one of those nightmares, which then causes your body to die in the real world through psychosomatic symptoms."

You die because you think you've died, in other words.

"---Real old fashioned kind of death curse. Brutal. Efficient."

A pause.

"...Subtle."

[Satehi]

Eva Ellet
Karlfeldt Estate ~ Forest
11/16/2026
Monday ~ Evening

"---Still, you are a strange child. Marked by the Ancient of Days... I had expected a bit more of an... Unreasonable response to my presence, I must admit, but it seems you carry the mark of the Devourer's remnant as well... An odd child indeed, blessed by two who are destined to crash into each other..."

Eva didn’t fully understand what this woman – Theresia, if the telepath was to be believed, was suggesting, but she could tell at least vaguely, it was not the most pleasant insinuation. The words unreasonable and mentioning the Devourer seemed to suggest as much. But now did not seem the time to press her on the subject.

“… I’ll take being called strange as a compliment. I’d rather not participate in unnecessary conflicts, if that’s what you’re suggesting. As for your offer, it sounds fine to me, but…”

In fact, her offer was more than fine. It would seem that the telepath had been correct, and Theresia(?) could very well be reasoned with. Eva could not have asked for better terms, given the woman’s own explanation of her stance- anymore, and the duty to protect the girl would be compromised. Normally, Eva would be happy to accept.

Unfortunately, she thought, giving a glance at her side where Catherine was now notably absent, things were a bit more complicated than that.

“…if Catherine – my friend- decides that she’d rather fight it out, then I can’t just stand by. I can try to talk to her- and I think there’s a good chance she’ll listen to me…”

At least, in Eva’s experience, Catherine’s shadow was surprisingly easy to talk to and reason with.

“… but if that doesn’t work out, then as you put it, someone will have to be in ‘time out’. Catherine is my friend- whether her reasons are good or bad, if she’s getting into a fight, then it’s no longer an unnecessary conflict to me.”

Eva didn’t know exactly what Catherine disliked about this woman so much, although she could make a couple guesses… but regardless of her reasons, Eva wasn’t just going to sit by and let her friend get beat up. From the way this woman talked, she seemed fairly confident in their odds of fighting the two of them, so Catherine alone wasn’t going to be a pretty sight.

“You have my apologies if that occurs, since I was the one who asked for this truce to begin with- but that’s how it is. If that’s still acceptable to you, then we have a deal.”

Staring at the woman, Eva waited for her response.

[Airen]

Eva Ellet
Karlfeldt Estate ~ Forest
11/16/2026
Monday ~ Evening

"...My opinion of you would lower if your response was anything else."

The woman's smile remains ever-present, only widening at your admittance that -if worst came to worst- you'd support Catherine in her more...

Violent decisions.

---After all, it seems like that's where this little meeting is going; judging by not just her choice in weapon, but in how the shadow moved around in comparison to the 'normal' Catherine, she was someone that had all the makings of a covert operative, an assassin of some sort that wasn't above lurking in the shadows, stalking her 'prey' from afar...

Adding onto that, from what you knew of the girl...

She wouldn't abandon you with a stranger.

---Which meant she was still here, somewhere, watching over this meeting from the darkness... You just couldn't see her.

And if that was the case, well...

It stood to reason she was waiting for something right?

"Friends should stick by each other when the chips are down, seeing someone assault them and doing nothing about it... That'd be an unpleasant thing to witness."

She extends her hand to you.

"So very well, let's shake on it. I can understand wanting to get to the bottom of annoyingly vague mysteries, so perhaps this will work out the best for all involved, although-"

Eyes sparkle with obvious mischief.

"-since you are apologizing in advance, I feel I must do the same. My reflexes are... Twitchy... If she's a bit too talented as an assassin, well... You might not have time to talk her down before she finds herself put in the corner. If so I mean no offense by it, I was simply defending myself with proper force, little one."

---Very confident, this one.

"If that time should come to pass, feel free to respond as you feel you should, I won't hold a grudge~"

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
Monday - Noon
11/16/2026

"My fashion taste is invincible. Play your cards as well as you'd like, child..."

"Blue skip!"

Cosmos had to hold back her laughter as she saw the perfect look of disbelief on Sofia's face, and she couldn't help but to get swept up in the flow, getting into the game like she used to do with Alyx; there's no denying that being dramatic can be so fun every once in a while!

"Tsk tsk tsk, have you ever heard of 'pride before fall', Miss Sofia? Because that's certainly what just happened!"

As Daniel tossed a blue 7 into the pile, Cosmos' concentration was briefly shattered as the NWAB agent asked her aunt to share some personal story of her own; she couldn't deny that she's quite curious about her aunt's past (especially after that brief tease of how she met her mother), but at the same time...

"You don't have to share anything if you're not comfortable about it, auntie! I could share my past in your place."

She's still her aunt, and Cosmos wants to respect her privacy.

...That said, all of her remaining blue cards only serve as a detriment to her aunt, which is a problem when Alisa had done such a magnificent blow to Sofia. Using the skip or wild +4 are out of the question, so the question is whether she should play a blue +2 or a wild card...

After a moment of deliberation, Cosmos finally placed her card on the table.

"Blue +2. Sorry auntie." She said apologetically.

Getting rid of her wild card this early wouldn't be good, and knowing her aunt's luck, she has faith that Alisa should be able to follow up on a mere +2 just fine-!

[Airen]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
Monday - Noon
11/16/2026

A yellow +2 immediately falls onto the stack of cards.

Expression set in a thoughtful line, the casualness with which Alisa follows the house rules used by the Fairchild House (that is, that draw cards are allowed to be stacked) is casualness of a sort that remains completely unbothered by this card-game based betrayal-!

"Hmm..."

Indeed, she seems more concerned with the questions that have been posed to her than anything else-!

"Well, it's no fair if I'm the only one that skips history time, but hmm..."

Fingers tap restlessly on the table.

"I'm not sure what would be interesting to tell, my life isn't all that exciting..."

An absurd statement from a far too humble woman-!

Still, even as she ponders things, Sofia...

"...Heh."

Lets out a bit of a chuckle as she throws down a red +2 onto the pile, sparing herself the guillotine and passing it on to-!

"Alas, my bad luck returns."

Daniel, who smiles in that oh-so-Daniel way as he finds himself drawing an additional six cards...

---The luck tiers here seem to be rapidly becoming apparent-!

"I suppose... I've been having some odd dreams lately? Would anyone like to hear about those?"

Meanwhile Alisa...

Continues to speak in her usual humble way.

[palad1n]

Cosmos Fairchild
LOVELESS, Moon Under Water
Monday - Noon
11/16/2026

"Odd dreams?"

Smiling as she saw her aunt did a flawless follow-up to the plus two as she expected, and then frowning as Sofia managed to do the same, Cosmos' attention is now focused on Alisa. Considering that they're currently in a dream, perhaps dreams could contain some clues or hints...?

Then again, how could one dream within a dream? Is that even possible?

"I want to hear it, auntie." Cosmos softly declared. "I've been having nightmares recently, so..."

She said recently, but it felt like an eternity ago since she last slept and dreamed of the starless sky.

[Bloble]

Daisuke
Brewed Awakenings, Aoyama
11/16/2026
Monday - Dark Hour

"A curse..."

Though he finds his electronic link to the SDCD database tenuous and immaterial, as expected, Daisuke still has his own records. As the biological humans and near-humans in the cafe busy themselves with drinking warm coffee and drying out from the cold rain outside, he sits on one of the stools near the counter, feet swinging back and forth while his processor whirs in thought. No sense having any as a COMP; it won't do anything for him. Besides, he thinks. Adult coffee is just too bitter.

"We've... interacted with plenty of that, the past few weeks," he concludes. "All part of the job description. You as well, right, Akiko-san?"

For a Tamer, it's not unusual to face off against curses. There was the parasitic crystal fragment in Sakurako's bracelet. Also the strange mud Chris had exposed herself to, which left that ominous mark on her hand. And of course, regular curses one might find online. Not to mention the radio signal and the Grand Curse sending it out, which had nearly swallowed Daisuke entirely. Or perhaps it wasn't 'nearly' at all? They were still here, after all. Yes, all of them. Not just Shuichi's squad, but a police officer, another member of the SDCD, and the manager of a Brewed Awakenings. Not to mention a sneaky fairy, who Daisuke is sure could slip into and out of someone's dreams without much trouble.

"Regardless of whether this is a dream or something worse, we were likely brought here in a similar way, for a similar reason," is the COMP's conclusion. Deciding to shelve the 'how' for the moment, he looks towards the 'why' as his whodunit program activates. "If the mechanism is a curse, then two possibilities come to mind: either each of us was targeted, or we were exposed. Targeted, because we came to the attention of one who commands and applies the death curse, then selected for elimination specifically. Or exposed by chance to a mass of curse that operates more like a disease vector, and here because of it. Regardless, it should trace back to one source. Even if it is indiscriminate."

Daisuke blinks, and readjusts his words.

"Um, that is to say... why don't we see if there's any overlap in what we did the past few days? Like if all of us touched some weird artifact, or made someone scary our enemy?"

He continues, somewhat pensive.

"I don't remember anyone dying in their sleep recently, so maybe we're on the cutting edge. Catching it early."

The COMP looks at Noriko, clearly impressed by her casual admittance of having withstood the desolate reflection of Aoyama more than once.

"Does that mean you haven't slept all this time, Noriko-san? Or did you wake up eventually those other times? COMPs don't really sleep the way humans do, so..."

[Airen]

Daisuke
Brewed Awakenings, Aoyama
11/16/2026
Monday - Dark Hour

"...Eventually you wake up."

She says after a moment of hesitation, as if she wasn't exactly sure if that was the proper term for it.

"As a curse it seems to be strongest at night, kicking in around... Midnight or so?" Her frown deepens. "It makes you fall asleep around then, whether you want to or not... Still, whenever dawn breaks wherever your body is, you tend to snap out of it. Other people can wake you up too apparently, although I'm not sure if I've ever woken up that way or not, after all..."

Again, the golden eyes wander over to the kids in her sight.

"...The most insidious part about this curse is you forget all about the nightmares when you wake up."

Eyes narrow in annoyance, annoyance not directed at you, but rather at the situation all of you found yourselves in...

"You'll feel a little tired when you wake up, like you didn't sleep well, and parts of you that got hurt in the nightmare might ache a bit... But that's all, the curse seems to be designed so that you'll never even realize you're under attack during daylight hours."

Her gaze diverts down, to the coffee, watching the patterns swirl with a steadily growing frown...

"You only remember that any of this happens when you wind up back here again, and then well... There's not all that much you can do about it."

The simplest answer to a curse like this would be to defeat the caster after all, magic rarely outlasts the one that crafted it, but a magic of this sort, that only shows itself when you're already under it's power and then hides away the instant you're out of it until it can ensnare you again...

Yeah... That's certainly insidious...

Still, Shuichi, who has just been frowning in thought all this time, finally speaks up again:

"...No one has died no, but there have been... A few cases of people falling into bizarre, coma-like states recently..." His frown is troubled, but the light in his eyes is intelligent enough, grasping at the leads that have appeared to him. "The leading theory was that it was Apathy Syndrome, but the doctors were still arguing about it the last I heard of it, apparently the patients didn't quite fit the diagnosis for it..."

A pause.

"But if injuries and death can reflect from the dream self to the real self... Perhaps a person that has just been rendered unconscious inside of the dream becomes unable to wake up from it? Although that would raise a few other questions..."

His frown deepens further, then:

"...As for if I've touched anything strange lately, there was an... Encounter with some mud in an aquarium. But that stuff doesn't put a dream curse on you..."

Noriko sighs.

"Just tries to sap your life."

Seems like she's speaking from personal experience...

[Bloble]

Daisuke
Brewed Awakenings, Aoyama
11/16/2026
Monday - Dark Hour

"You don't remember..."

Things begin to click into place in the young detective's head. Evidence is lining up. Not enough to solve anything, but perhaps enough to make some connections.

Like that Noriko is clearly part of this somehow. Not as an enemy - she wouldn't be suffering alongside them or talking to Robin if that were the case - but as someone who is clearly investigating the same thing from a different angle. Could he ask her to elaborate? No, Daisuke thinks, that won't be possible. Even he can sense the wealth of experience the tired woman has. She'll speak when she wants to. Robin as well, can't exactly be interrogated, even if it's increasingly clear what role he is playing tonight.

"We'll need to send a message," Daisuke decides. "A way to transmit information from here to the waking world... it exists for sure. That guy - Robin - he might be able to help. If he feels like it..."

The fairy wouldn't have been his first choice, but there's no one else Daisuke can think of who can interact with dreams in such a way. He was helping from the start, after all.

Well, actually, there may be a second person. Someone even more dangerous than Robin.

"...um. Mister Vincent. Might you... maybe... be able to do something...?"

Surely a God didn't get dragged into this curse. The shepherd must be here of his own will. Is it perhaps to guide the flock of dreamers?

Yet he hasn't mentioned anything thus far. There may be a limit on the actions a deity can take compared to a mortal...

[Airen]

Daisuke
Brewed Awakenings, Aoyama
11/16/2026
Monday - Dark Hour

---All eyes turn to the man who, even now, is simply wiping at a spotless glass with an equally spotless cloth, a smile that you can only call overwhelmingly human on his face. Of course, all the eyes do not watch him for the exact same reasons, for you and Shuichi, it is a gaze of expectation, for Noriko it is a gaze of newfound curiosity followed by something close to suspicion, for a certain shrine maiden it is something she already knows, could feel the moment she had entered this place and for Lexie...

Confusion.

Looking because everyone else is looking, and...

"---My domain extends only as far as the doors of this establishment."

...Finally, he speaks in a voice that -even though it seems to acknowledge certain suspicions- hasn't actually changed in the slightest. It maintains it's easy, casual warmth without effort, in spite of the fact that the man is more or less admitting that he is not entirely what he appears to be...

"Inside of it, my laws remain absolute, no nightmare or illusion shall tread here... Outside of it..."

He looks at the door, the windows, the EXIT sign burning a warm golden in the dusk-like atmosphere of the cafe...

"...It is not so simple a thing, the World has been... Strange recently."

He finally sets down his polished glass, hands automatically moving to coop up another, to repeat that endless cycle to which all bartenders were beheld, even as a cert

"The feeling is like... How it was back in 2008."

At this, Noriko stiffens slightly, but doesn't say anything, and Vincent-

"Like we're all caught inside of Buddha's hand... Or something like that..."

Just says this with a chuckle... Although he does not elaborate any further.

"Still-"

He continues on, returning his gaze to the more youthful members of the group.

"I could perhaps help more... If you were able to come to me, here in this place in the waking world. That cafe is where my power dwells..."

He smiles apologetically.

"---I am not given all that much faith, after all, I don't bother to seek it out."

Ah...

So a diminished God then...

---While he has agreed to help, his words present a problem, or perhaps it'd be better to call it a paradox?

He can only help you if you come to him, but in order to know that you needed to come to him you'd have to have him help you first...?

"---And this version of myself is just a fragment, a piece of myself, left to help troubled souls."

A still human chuckle:

"I had my own experience with... Potentially fatal nightmares in my youth, so helping those with similar issues, well..."

An odd comment.

"...I guess I've always felt like it's something I should do."

[Satehi]

Eva Ellet
Karlfeldt Estate ~ Forest
11/16/2026
Monday ~ Evening

"If that time should come to pass, feel free to respond as you feel you should, I won't hold a grudge~"

“Okay. I will.”

If the woman was expecting a more interesting reaction, then she would be disappointed- Eva gave her answer without the slightest hesitation. After all, even though they had come to an agreement, this woman could potentially become their enemy at any moment, depending on very uncertain factors such as the response of the key holder, or Catherine deciding that she saw a good opportunity. And, as such….

“… I’ll pass on the handshake. We could end up fighting again at any moment, and, well… I’d rather not get too close to someone describing their reflexes as twitchy.”

Purely a safety precaution. Eva didn’t want to end up finding out if the woman’s confidence was well founded.

“But regardless, I’m happy we have an agreement, miss.”

[Tobias]

Raz Stone
???
??/??/????

A gamble. Not Raz’s first. Undoubtedly not his last. Raz took risks frequently. One would have plenty of reason to wonder how he was still alive given his tendency to charge forward with an uncertain and unvetted plan. The answer? It was simple.

Raz was a man who liked playing the odds. If there had been a victory over again, or at least, if the light of hope burned brighter, it came down to one very simple premise, and a miscalculation on the part of the invincible curse wielder.

If there was one person who intrinsically understood manifestations of a global foundation of myth, it was the existence which used “Wishing Star.” The greatest of mystery, yielding undending light, power, and hope.

Belief. Pure, unyielding, beautiful belief, from dreams to reality, based upon will and wish.

Cain was, in a very real sense, cloaked it a manifested Wishing Star, built upon the oldest stories, the deepest faith.

But there was nobody left to have faith. No one left to imagine.

Nothing but the dreams of a dead world.

Thus, a gamble. A fist closed in ice. A manifestation of defiance, and a rejection of the impossible. And…

God the look on his face is exquisite…!

It wasn’t impossible that the last time Cain’s face had shown humiliation, shock, and dismay, was when he was face to face with God himself, before the curse, time beyond time past. Watching that stupid smug smirk devolve into shock was worth the price of admission right there.

Yup, everything in the plan was going pretty perfect except for one minor little detail…

Moving past the speed of sound in an uppercut was pretty awesome, but it wasn’t escape velocity. And Cain was recovering. Shock was turning to rage. Humiliation was beginning to give way to the desire for revenge.

Strong as the black-haired knight was, enhanced with all that magic or not, he didn’t possess the ability to actually leave atmosphere by this manner, certainly not while trying to bring along unwilling cargo. Plus…

Raz’s methods of buffing himself had not been the most efficient. The three kaja spells were nice, but it had taken time manifesting each, and more heat than really needed. As the knight of song felt velocity began to slow, he played what must have seemed his last available card, taking an icy handed grip on Cain’s throat to gain leverage, and then planting both feet on the cursed man’s chest to kick him higher into the air.

Yes, it looked pretty cool, sending Raz into a high-flying spinning flip, and it did cause Cain to further separate from the (likely) source of his powers but…wasn’t it hopeless? Cain was still not going to exit atmosphere, and while the fall wouldn’t be pleasant, Ann would land invulnerable and surely wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice.

Perhaps it would have been different if Raz had been just a little stronger…which…didn’t he have the ability? Using encore and the kaja spells, he had given himself strength, but all that was, was an odd way of recreating another, actually quite common spell. A spell with an interesting name.

Yes…a that generated a significant increase in the pasture around the target, even named for the fact that when you enclosed a large amount of heat in a colder area, the heat would rapidly be forced upward.

Incidentally, it was pretty damn cold all the way up here.



A blast of magical fire. And a knight rising once more, as if his very soul refused to fall, metaphorically or otherwise. And the last stratagem of the Bard. By adding Heat Riser’s flame to the spells already wrapping around him, and compressing the magics close around his body, Raz flew once more at his enemy.



This time, he didn’t use his fists. Raz after all, liked to gamble. He played the odds. He had one more dice roll to throw.

It made home recall all the way back to the days of his novitiate. The instructor had been a large bear of a man, barrel chested and burly.

“Remember, knowledge is victory. Fight with your head. And if anyone you know ever squared off with your target, ask questions. That goes triple for you information types, we count on you to know where to strike!” The massive man indicated a swing with his mammoth claw weapon COMP. “But sometimes you end up against someone where you have to learn on the fly. Well, just remember, some enemies have weaknesses, but they never make any sense, so just guess at it until you get it right!”

Was Cain weak to anything? Was the light of Lied Ordus effective at all? Raz didn’t want to risk the blade…but one thing had occurred to him.

The very legend upon which the curse rested was perfectly, explicitly clear that Cain himself did not wish for it, and would end it if he could, but he could not. The judgement and light of God hadn’t lost its power in all that time, despite Cain's hopes and efforts. Then what of a holy sword!?



Nukitsuke. The lethal draw, a physical technique. Abilities like this one pushed past the body’s reserve, clawing at stamina and even tearing muscles to move past limits, and Raz was already hurt. A simple hip to shoulder slash, not even aiming for vulnerable parts of the body in exchange for the quickest and brightest slash.

Why? What was the plan? Blind Cain? Stun him with Golden light? Lift him as high as he could to weaken him as much as possible? But what was the end game?

Well, the role of a knight…was not to fight. It was to inspire. This was also the role of a teacher. There was a particular existence which the knight’s code explicitly mandated he tend the growth of to give chances to grow into the warrior he knew she should be.

“Baby, this song goes out to you, Fly him to the moon!"

Raz’s greatest weapon wasn’t his stage, his looks, hell, it wasn’t even the World Wide Concert.

No, Raz’s most powerful spell was “encore”. That little unobtrusive ability that let him extend a previously cast buff. By the way…one interesting quirk was that when combined with a song, he could also recreate every current buff on himself on any additional party he chose, such as the squire who hadn’t yielded. Who never gave up.

The feel of Erika Winter’s magic, the quiet thrum as LUCID a worked his own special magical foundation. The bard had years of experience picking up on them. But Cain? Weakened? Blinded, and hyper focused on Raz because of humiliation and pain? No, Raz suspected Cain was going to be most surprised by what was coming his way!

Damn...wish I had thought to make popcorn!

Wise up!

Nukitsuke. ---> Upgraded with Lied Ordus flash, gains pierce/stun
Heat Riser
Song of Battle
Encore
Back Up Dancer
Heat used 0:10 ---->10:10

Relevant Harmonix active: Rock-omplice.

Erika winters gains
Stabilized harmonic field (DTG)
STR X 2
END X2
AGI X 2
Song of battle
Spot light

[Airen]

Interlude - Memories//Divergence: Exodus
Lara Karlfeldt
"Ruina/Darker Nights I"

It's a hazy memory from my childhood, something so distorted that I can no longer tell if it was reality or simply a dream.

A wish for someone to not give up, born from the depths of a child's heart, her eyes glued to the one television set the orphanage had possessed during those years. It wasn't uncommon for the other children to be asleep around this time, curfews were mandatory on those days, and children were often the sort that couldn't really bring themselves to stay up anyway, bodies and minds too young to bear the fatigue of an adult's life.

I was the oldest of the youngest.

Still a young girl, but one that could carry on when the others gave into themselves...

That was why I was awake when it happened...

The roar.

An inhuman, monstrous sound, that of a being that had split open the sky and descended to destroy the only world I knew. I couldn't understand what it was back then, but the adults and older children -teenagers- had seemed to recognize it, had torn from the room the moment they had heard it, telling me to lock the doors, barricade all the rooms, and not to come out no matter what we heard coming from the outside...

So I did.

When the other children awoke, I simply told them it was a nightmare, that the noise was the result of a bad dream, that they simply needed to back to sleep.

They did, comforted by my lie, even if Ludwig seemed hesitant at first, he had always trusted me when I told him to do things...

So they slept...

I did not.

I stared at the television, at the news, watching as the world's common sense fell to pieces before my eyes. The images I had seen that day had been like something out of a fantasy movie, creatures of darkness and mud streaming down from a broken sky, opposed by humans cloaked in blue light, superheroes that seemed to possess all sorts of bizarre powers, some of whom seemed to be people that I knew, but all of whom struck me as heroes in their purest form, humans putting their lives on the line to protect those that could not protect themselves on the night of a grand cataclysm...

Of course, I'm not naive enough to think that they were all purely selfless in motive, but that doesn't matter, whether they had their own more selfish reasons for doing it or not, that didn't change the fact that they were still fighting to protect humanity.

Hour after hour, monsters came and monsters fell, captured not just live on the television, but sometimes outside of the windows of our home. I can't say it wasn't surreal, it felt a lot like I was watching a dream play out right before my eyes, but the wraiths that scratched at the doors outside were real, the detonating buildings and monsters on the horizon were real, and the prayers...

That earnest wish for the heroes to win...

That was real too. I wasn't the only one wishing for tomorrow, I could feel that much, but there was nothing I could do other than wish uselessly, admiring a strength that I did not possess...

It went on for hours.

All night.

Sometime in the morning, just before the sun rose, the heroes had finally confronted the original monster -that strange, Nine-Tailed Fox- in the heart of a certain park.

It was the final battle of the night.

The one to put a lid on the portal leading straight to hell, but...

It was one humanity could not truly observe, the moment all forces clashed, black flames had coated everything and the images on the screen became nothing...

That too, lasted for hours.

A tower of black flames without sound, a final battle taking place far beyond our eyes, and in the morning, when it had finally dissipated in the light of dawn that had come far too late, the sun peeking over the horizon a little after 9 AM...

There was nothing.

No monster, no heroes.

By all appearances, each side had simply annihilated the other, the heroes of the story defeating the villain at the cost of themselves...

It was like one of those old fairy tales, the sort with a sad ending, and even as I thought that...

As the sun came into view over a broken, battered world...

---I was run through by a crimson spear, scattered from that distant battleground.

As were a number of others...

Interlude Out