Spilling of darkness, in front of Fatir, as if a vortex had appeared, swirling darkness manifested and slowly rose as if a beam with light transparency as it scattered similarly if particles of dust.

Simply vanishing to nothing, a section of the ceiling opened as the particles rose higher and higher, reaching the world outside. Scattering around, the particles slowly faded as chain-like lines gradually connected to the particles.

Somewhat seeing the happenings, the elf elders stood frozen in a state of daze... they didn't quite understand what they were to do. The presence of that "Wretched Monster" was in front of them and slowly fading as the moon as it had done on the day of the tragedy looked down at them. They could feel their spiking mana as memories and hidden fault rose to their minds, but were gradually quieted as the light voice of Fatir and the words of his entered their ears.

"Stay awake, don't rest your soul."

"Don't lie down upon your agony."

"While the moon drifts in the skies."

"Stay awake, don't close those biting eyes."

"Though the pain fades, see the burning ember."

"Though your anguish feels a dream."

"Though your history dims."

"You're not sleepy as you seem."

"Stay awake, don't fall and forget."

"Stay awake, forego not the tale lit."

With a silence highlighted by the beam of particles turning golden blue, a hated moonlight shone upon the elf elders or rather the conference room in general as their minds raced.

'15 short years filled with torment and nightmares... the downfall of the legacy we carried... The ember of ours has dimmed and continues to... we're stuck in the past and simply can't find the path of escape...'

Slowly gathering their thoughts, the elf elders felt somewhat refreshed as Fatir finished his lullaby. Even as it wasn't directed at them, it brought them towards a narrow path they neglected. Their questions, counting many, rested for a moment as it wasn't the time to bring them forth. Their minds freed themselves from a small weight.

Swoooosh. Wooooosh. Swooosh.

With a calming wind around, Fatir, surrounded by a peaceful aura, sat in silence as his eyes which were closed opened slowly as his head tilted upwards. Revealing his normal golden yellow eyes, unaware of the shift of the elf elders, he watched as broken souls gathered above gradually descending towards him as chains seemed to bind and pierce through them... that was the visual representation of the curse they were inflicted as their material selves were 'Eaten.'

Reaching closer and closer to Fatir, the chains binding the souls steadily dissolved, leaving only open fractures in the orb-like spiritual materialization of the souls which slowly filled as a tap from Fatir's hands which had become transparent for a moment traveled like a wave carrying a spiritual energy. While this wouldn't recover the lost components of the missing soul fragments, it would keep them stable.

'The extended time has reached a stage I can't alter... messing with souls isn't my path after all...' Fatir thought for a second as he glanced to his right.

Glancing towards the four elf elders, Eentell Nericyne, Cithrel Urifaren, Caeda Aracaryn, and Feltri Faeberos, Fatir watched for a moment as they with a gentle calm offered prayers. He wasn't quite sure what was going through their minds, and he wasn't going to check. He could more or less hear the 'silent' whispers of their prayers since he was close, and they were calling a name he was related.

Bringing back his gaze to the souls, Fatir stood slowly as the particles around lessened and the presence of the "Wretched Monster" was completely isolated and locked away by Fatir's own power as its will was being replaced.

"As day breaks, the calling of the 'world tree' shall be met. Close ends as it remains." A distorted tone and voice sounded as Fatir's mouth simply opened without movement. Fatir had called a Spiritual voice... only the souls could hear his words.

Recalling the spiritual voice, with a slow wave of his hand, the souls gradually vanished around him. They were to appear to a place they wished to light their ember to fuel the campfire, where they wished to pass and reignite the tale, past what had already dimmed.

Fatir's purpose for coming here was to collect these souls; he was giving them a single moment to witness the current past. The reason wasn't simply out of pity... it was a simple gift for what was to come. While Fatir didn't quite fully understand the plan of his 'mother'... to find that invader... it was necessary to collect all traces. Fatir had collected all he could from the souls, but he was no expert, there were sure to be far more he missed. All that could be hoped was that they had waited long enough...

~Dear Children... open your eyes... prayers are no longer needed...~

~Ease your worries... let your thoughts clear.~

~Eentell, Cithrel, Caeda, Feltri, smile a little, will you?~

Slowly walking with silent steps, as the eyes of the four elf elders opened to voices they knew, Fatir exiting the conference room closed the door behind as the broken ceiling repaired.

Thinking for a moment, Fatir looked up. The moon was hidden behind a ray of traveling souls... beyond it, looking north, towards the northern forest, the sinking souls falling into the ground of the empty and withered forest came to Fatir's sight. They were the unexpected fallen that rested here.

"By the time the sun rises, another fault will be created... haa... peace is no closer on either side... collecting lost souls is Inbris's work... not mine..."

Appearing inside Yul's room, sitting on a chair leaning back with eyes closed, Fatir slowly completed all remaining steps as he connected a few red strings while tying the rest.

"Reasoning subjects in different actualities is tiring... Miru and Yul, have a good rest... once the sun rises... 'fault' arises."

___________

___________

Unlike the night of Fatir, Tale gazing up at the sun in his current world sighed lightly. The sigh was out of relief than anything.

"If the troubles of both worlds existed in a single... my mind would probably break... at least there separate..."

"Brother Tale, you're it this time! Everyone hide! Use your quirks smartly!"

Closing his eyes and counting slowly, walking blind, Tale slowly gazed around. He was using nothing but his senses, weakened senses as to allow actual results.

Step. Step. Step.

Swish! SPLASH!

Hearing the sound of water to his right and front, Tale walked the opposite of right, left, as the right water splash was quieter than the front splash.

Step.

Halting in steps as the movements of the earth shifted ever so slightly, Tale's hand reach forward patting the head of Azul, a child with the quirk, [Sprout] allowing him to rapidly extend the growth or sprout a special variation of a seed.

"Tsk!"

"You've gotten better, but you need to mix things, don't stay on one pallet.

"Arg... alright..."

Turning, Tale jumped back as he caught a glowing... rock?

...

...

To be continued...

__________