Fields away.

Kingdoms away.

Continents away.

Simultaneously however above Shadow.

A fervent discussion was coming to an end.

Pillars of white decorated a plethora of colours, changing as the beings moved animatedly in discussion.

Bright green shone where the hand on the clock struck 6.

Long ears, paired with dark sheen and light brown hair, her appearance gave the opposite impression of a field of dirt.

“...is final. She’s not suitable, we will wait for our own champions rather than relying on his.” Her eyes darker than her skin was brown were staring at an empty chair.

The chair was split in half between 12.

With 1 being on one side and the 2 being on the other, the other gods grew quiet at the suggestion.

The rules forbid Vein from helping his champion, as it did with theirs.

“What if Vein isn’t wrong, hmm Natura?” A northern european voice asked, voice trembling not with fear.

“On Temp’ he has never failed. Why would he fail no-” His voice rose despite his short stature, glints of silver filled the room before being cut off by Natura.

“What if this isn’t his first champion, but rather his third or fourth?” The room quieted as Natura pulled back her aura and broken rainbow of colours slowly seeped back.

Orange, blue, red, yellow… and in the corner a measly brown that flickered before tuning down their power.

“We will act as we always have. After all, perhaps the disaster isn’t in what we cannot control, but in what we can.”

And with that she left.

Followed by a silver glint and the rest of the rainbow.

The room dissipated as the portals closed.

But one small brown light, instead clung to the inanimate body, feeding it just enough power.

…

“No. Waynev may be important to you, but Aestern will fall if I don’t deal with this threat first,” His voice carried in the small barrier almost carrying Kresley forward but not a spec outside of it.

“Hol-”

But they were already zooming towards an opening, it had been what felt like two minutes on the dirt path.

‘He’s got to be at least Forlorn…’ Kresley thought to herself, watching her surroundings, her legs numb but she didn’t feel fatigued.

Her vision blurred and Kresley swore she could see Vaud and Pill walking to the forest as well-

But as they flashed by, instead of her friends it was two tree husks.

Her eyes stuck to the sight before it was hidden by more lively trees and their own prominent glow.

‘Together they could-should’ve made it to the dungeon but all the guards left… maybe I should’ve waited so we could all go together.’ Refocusing on the dirt trail, Kresley blinked her eyes and shrugged off her feelings of guilt.

“...sense it.” They slowed down, the wind trailing behind them dissipated with no sound, and the forest was unnaturally quiet as well.

“Ahead, I can sense the ritual from the lack of mana in the air.” As the golden trail melted off their bodies Kresley could feel herself falling forward before she held onto some low hanging branches.

“This should only take a few moments… However, if I don’t return, run North-West from here, it should bring you to the High-Dockern supply road.” He brought out flasks from a seemingly small bag.

Kresley stared, palms sweaty and felt frozen by the finality of his statement.

“Wai-, um. Can we look for Waynev first? Or…” The power gap between ranks always terrified Kresley, after seeing the power her grandfather had, just at being Forlorn.

“Kresley. If she’s near the ritual she’s probably already dead, the only chances she has or any Hollowed have, is to beeline for the road.” After he finished Leer chugged down the three bottles, Kresley recognised two as toxin resistance but the third was unknown.

Instead of letting the empty bottles hit the floor he smoothly put them back into his bag.

“Now, either hide or run. If you’re going to hide, choose a rock that has purple moss, it’s passive mana properties should hide you. Good luck.” Fixing his bag to his waist, he began silently jogging towards the opening.

“You too.” Kresley said in a whisper she thought was too small to be heard but his hand gave a small wave as he disappeared into the-

‘How did he-’ Her eyes followed the mist before it was indistinguishable from the air.

The opposite of light.

Looking over the area, Kresley could see a few boulders on the left of the clearing.

Close to the floor Kresley began sneaking around to the boulders, her eyes running over the atmosphere but she could only see trees and none too distinct except for a white one in the distance.

Her eyes were drawn to it and she subconsciously slowed down.

It was beautiful, but next to it was two stark contrasts to the word beautiful.

A grangerly red tree, actively leaking blood while emitting an aura that seemed to dominate the heavenly tree.

On the other side lay a purple trunk, seemingly empty or hollow, Kresley thought at first before it illuminated with purple veins showing up over it's skin.

And a few feet away lay a large demon’s corpse, being ‘absorbed’ by the overlapping roots actively moving unlike anything Kresley had ever seen before.

But beyond that lay…

No, stood a robed figure, no armor shone from his person however instead lay a protruding belly that made the whole situation look absurd-

Especially considering she could feel his presence unabated despite the distance between the two.

Noticing she was standing frozen Kresley hurried to two large boulders before she found one with the purple moss.

Looking back at the scene the demon’s corpse was nearly consumed, the robed man had just brought out a tome with a glowing spine.

Flicking through the pages, he stopped suddenly and looked at a seemingly random bush.

Kresley could feel the atmosphere pause, the world went still.

A clap of thunder roared as the tome was shut three spears pierced the robed man fully, before he collapsed.

‘Was that… it?’ Kresley thought to herself, about to jump out of her hiding space but not before she heard a much louder clap and her ears only saw white while her eyes only heard a deafening crack.