Upon hearing the news everyone hurried back to the home as fast as they could. Making their way down from the mountain, navigating the streets without drawing too much attention to themselves, they made it back to the home.

Only Dale was present and no signs of either Allisa or Ion.

"What happened?" Cliff said as everyone filed in. "Allisa and Ion were down here, weren't they! Why did they leave?"

"I don't know!" Dale snapped back. "I was running the store when that rabbit suddenly burst through the vents and trashed the place! When I came down here to check on them, both were gone!"

"What about Allisa's cell? Did you try to call her?" Mirage suggested.

"Of course I did! But for some reason, I can't get through to her!"

"You had one job, dude," Yuki said.

"I HAVE A STORE TO RUN! And what happened to you guys anyway? You look like you've been through world war three!"

"Close enough...." Cliff informed him of everything he went down, about Altosk's attack that destroyed the base completely, and how they narrowly pulled through their final surprise. Meanwhile, everyone else searched high and low around the home for any clue that may hint at their whereabouts.

"Geez.... I'm glad I did sit this one out," Dale sighed after Cliff finished his explanation.

"Yeah," Cliff sighed, resting his arms on the table as Mirage set cups of coffee in front of them. "I was hoping that would be the end of it, but it seems things have grown more complex."

"Why are we just sitting around here!" Max demanded banging the table. "We gotta go find Allisa, on the double!"

"Calm down," Cliff said to him. "Allisa can take care of herself."

"Ion's the one we need to worry about! She's the entire reason why we're on this back-water world!" Larek shouted. "Hey Markus! Don't you have any way of finding out where she is!"

"I am working in it..." Markus had all his hologrammatic monitors out, tapping away at the controls.

"What'ya doing?" Rodger asked. "Can you find Allisa like that?"

"Berken would never leave Ion's side. If I can gain access to his-Hm?" One of his monitors began to flash.

"Did you find them?" Mirage asked while everyone rushed to the cyborg's side.

"It's.... It's a video message from Berken."

With a flick of his wrist, Markes enlarged the monitor, allowing all to see. The image inside was particularly blurry and difficult to make out. It seemed to be a forest road. Someone was there, riding a bicycle, blond hair waving in the wind.

"Allisa!" Max exclaimed. "What's she doing?"

"Dunno... but it looks like she's in a hurry," Melvin said. "Wait.... Look... it changed."

The image now showed a scene of dilapidated metal structures. Allisa passed through the rusted fence, finally skidding to a halt.

"That looks like... the steel mill," Mirage said, folding her arms.

"Nyew?"

"It's an abandoned structure just outside of town. But why would-?"

The image moved, showing troopers standing in a circle.

"Wha- there's more of them!" Rodger said.

"Look! It's Ion!" Otto pointed. "And.... Oh no...."

"What is it?"

Among the troopers, there were three individuals that stood out, much like the lieutenants that the party had fought earlier. However, the reaction of Otto and Lerak was something that brought great concern.

"Who are they? More lieutenants?" Yuki asked.

"No... much worse." Otto muttered.

"Leo.... The first Star of Altosk, and Ion's guardian." Markus said, clenching his right hand. "Curses! I should have known they'd send him."

"Why? Is he strong?" Sasha asked.

"More than strong...." Larek said pessimistically. "You don't become the guardian of the Star Singer for nothing."

The image began to move once more. As Allisa crashed into one of the troopers, Ion seemed to be growing closer and closer before the camera was sent flying away. Static made the image almost unwatchable, not helped by the constant spinning. It finally settled on the ground watching someone's foot. It was nearly impossible to see what was happening until something turned the camera to its side, making out Allisa fighting the man called Leo. The camera spun several more times before settling on only Allisa, standing by. What happened next was incomprehensible. A mighty explosion threw the camera wild before settling on the sight of Allisa sprawled on the ground.

"ALLISA!" Everyone exclaimed their shock at the sight, seeing their friend laying on the ground broken, smoldering heap. A brute was seen approaching Allisa before the camera was jerked upwards, catching a glimpse of an empty-eyed girl. It then moved, showing Leo carrying Ion in his arms, then back to the brute who was carrying Allisa over his shoulder. Before the screen finally cut, the final few images were Allisa being set down unconscious alongside Ion as the doors closed.

"Damn it! We gotta help her!" Max charged to the exit to the home, followed closely by Meracle, Rodger, and Sasha, all of the same mind.

"No point," Markus said as he deactivated his monitors. "That footage is over an hour old. Both Ion and your friend Allisa must be heading back to Sora as we speak." There was defeat in the way he spoke.

"So... the attack on the base was a diversion." Nel summarized. "They lured us away so they could take Ion while we were busy fighting off their forces at the base."

"... Forgive me. I should have foreseen this."

"Great... just great," Larek let out a dry laugh walking towards the kitchen. "We went through all that for absolutely NOTHING!" In his rage he kicked down a chair, bouncing on one foot while rubbing his chin. Otto waddled over to the boxing ring, slumping at the edge with his hands buried in his face.

"So what now...?" He finally said.

"What else," Max bellowed, bashing his fists together. "We go to Sora and rescue Allisa and Ion!"

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Melvin sighed. "Still, I'm gonna go with him on this. We can't just leave things is it is after they've taken one of our own," Cerberus barked his agreement to his master.

"Hate to break it to you but it's suicide." Larek dismissed slumping down on the kitchen island. "That girl.... You're never seeing her again."

"The hell'd you say?!" Max snarled, taking a step forward before Mirage stepped in pushing him back.

"That was uncalled for," She scolded the pilot.

"But he's not wrong," Otto spoke up, now sitting alongside Meracle and Sasha. "You're all strong, I can see that from how you fought. But you all barely survived against the Lieutenants of Altosk."

"And that Leo guy's stronger?" Yuki asked.

"Much stronger. Along with the Lieutenants, they're about three others with power that far exceeds the norms, alongside Aralius. They're called the 'Stars' of Altosk', some of the best combatants in all of Sora. Leo is the first star of Altosk, one of the most powerful beings in Ter'figma. If this 'Allisa' is as strong as all of you, she lost badly."

Lerak sighed, hanging his head. "Not just the Stars, but likely place they'd take the two of them is Grand Vaults. It's a fortress, nay impregnable. Not even a wamprat could get in without them knowing. That's who you're all up against."

"There is another issue that must be considered," Markus said. "While I understand your desire to aid your friend the truth of the matter is with the Yaslee destroyed there is no way for us to return to Sora."

"Ohh... I didn't think of that," Melvin said in defeat.

"What about Allisa? We can't just leave her there, right?" Sasha spoke up.

"There must be some way...." Mirage muttered to herself folding her arms. "What if we lure Altosk back here. What if we pretend to turn in Markus and the pilots into them then hijack their ships."

Both Larek and Otto narrowed their eyes before Markus shook his head. "With Ion secured, there's no reason for them to return, even to apprehend us."

"Plus, all Altosk ships are tracked. If you hijack it they'll just lay in wait for you." Otto said.

"If I were you, I'd start praying to the Ekon for a miracle," Larek added snidely. "cause that's the best bet you folks have to get your friend back."

"It does sound like quite the dilemma you have found yourselves in this time."

Everyone jumped as the Elder suddenly joined in, with Larek practically toppling to the ground in shock given the origin of the voice was directly behind him. The leader of the Little wood Hunter cell was as imposing as he ever was, practically dwarfing everyone in the room.

"E-Elder? You’re back?" Cliff said.

"Where the heck have you been?" Yuki blurted out.

"My apologies. I had other duties that needed attending too," The Elder said. It was not uncommon for him to be gone for long stretches of time, to the extent that on the rare occasions he made an appearance it shocked everyone. None were more shocked than the visitors from Sora.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," The Elder said, stretching his hand out to Markus. "I am Elder Grameis, leader of the hunters."

"Uh... G-Greetings," Markus took Elder's hand, both roughly the same size. "My name is Markus of Sora. Over there are Larek and Otto." He nodded his head to the two pilots.

"Forgive my late arrival, I certainly would have liked for us to meet under better circumstances,"

"Yes...." Markus bowed his head. "Forgive me. It was my carelessness that led to this unfortunate scenario."

"No need to be so harsh on yourself. Allisa would have done no less to protect the people she cares about." The Elder sighed, stroking his long beard. "I have a fair understanding of what has transpired in my absence and the current state of affairs you've all found yourselves in. You were aiding our new friends in protecting someone, yet unfortunately, they have outwitted us. Now Allisa, in her attempt to save that someone has been captured and brought to a world we know nothing about."

"That sums it up," Nel nodded, impressed that the Elder knew so much already.

"Elder, is there anything we can do to help Allisa?" Sasha asked desperately.

"Forgive me little one, but such areas are beyond my area of expertise." The Elder said. "I can only give hearsay and theory as to how you may save our friend, but without subsequent knowledge of such matters, it would only be conjecture.

"But I do know someone who can give you the answers you seek," He added with a grin.

"Sounds like you idiots are have gotten yourselves in a world of trouble again," The mocking tone of a woman echoed thought the home, one that was early familiar to most of those present. Meracle herself had her tail go ridged while everyone pined to see the speaker. The Elder saved everyone the trouble by opening the door to his room for all to see.

"M-M-Milady?!" Meracle exclaimed.

"What the... why is she here?!"

Sitting on a chair dead center of the room was a cait sith woman with raven black hair and glasses.

"Hey Cliff, is that-?" Mirage whispered to the berwelded Cliff.

"Yeah..." He said grimly, "The Arch Sage of Cataka, Elaina."

The party's experience with Elaina was not a pleasant one, and that was in no small part due to the woman's attitude. Far be it from the wise and kind counsel of Dran, Elaina was difficult to like in no small part due to her often rude and on point behavior. Even Meracle, who owes her life to the Arch Sage had very little parse for her former master. If anything, she would always be the first to call out the Arch Sage.

"But... but how did you get here?" Meracle asked.

"If you can see me, I guess it's working just fine," Elaina said with a small brush of her hair. "Oh Elder, would you mind shaking my hand?" The Elder complied with the strange request. However, to everyone's surprise, the Elder's hand simply phased through Elaina's as though grasping at mid-air.

"Something I've been working on for a while now," She said, satisfied with her demonstration. "It's a simple alteration to the crystal balls we use. However, unlike those relics that can only project our images within its surface, this new and improved version allows us to project our entire bodies and the immediate space around me to see all of you before me. Right now, I am sitting in my study at the Atelier, but all you can see is me sitting on a chair. And on my side, I can see all of you and the space that you are currently present in."

"Whoa... Hate to say it, but that's pretty impressive," Melvin said.

"I believe Almyrish has similar technology, allowing them to project themselves rather than having a display on a monitor," Markus said to himself.

"Though I have to give true props to that giant metal man standing over there," Elaina said leaning in closely. "I've truly never seen anything quite like him before."

"Greetings," Markus bowed his head. "My name is Markus, a cyborg of Sora. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances, Miss. Elaina."

"And he has proper manners to boot," Elaina whistled, "Added to him is the little furball," nodding to Otto, "along with that grease monkey," ("Hey!" Larek snapped), "that Allisa certainly attracts some interesting characters, to say the least."

"Hey Arch Bitch," A new voice came from where Elaina was, "I got you food."

"Nyew?" Meracle's tail rose.

"What is it Mary?" Sasha asked her.

"That... sounds like-"

"Ah, perfect timing," Elaina said over her shoulder. "Care to say hello to everyone? I'm sure they're all eager to see you again."

"Everyone?" A woman materialized next to Elaina, "This that thing you were- what the heck?" She disappeared again then reappeared. "Damn, that's cool. It's like a completely different place-"

"LEONE?!" Meracle shouted out in surprise, followed by the entire party blurting out some form of shock.

"Huh? Oh it's the Screwball! Long time no see, huh!" The woman is indeed Leone Vastia, a cait sith thief who worked with the terrorist Yensin responsible for all the events that transpired a month ago. "Heya guys! Hope she's not giving you all too much trouble."

"That chick a friend of yours?" Dale asked leaning in close to Cliff.

"Uh... more acquainted then friend," Cliff said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, so she's a friend you made in Avalon?" Sasha asked, greeted with immediate, loud rejections from Max, Yuki and Rodger.

"Geez, that's cold guys." Leone said scratching the back of her head. "Come on, we may have had our differences but it's not like I hurt any of you guys, right?" Everyone returned a narrow glare in response. "Ohhhh... yeeeaaahhh. Um... but that's all ancient news, right?"

"Uh... Milady," Meracle recovered for enough of her shock to address Elaina. "What's... What's Leone doing here?"

"Well, while you're off on your little adventure in who knows where I'm here to replace you as the aid to the Arch Sage!" Leone said proudly.

"You're... kidding right?" Melvin said in disbelief.

"I'm afraid not," Elaina said with her usual smug grin. "We had a mutually beneficial arrangement. Dear Leone could either rot away in prison for the rest of her natural life or become my slave for all eternity."

"... Didn't have to put it like that in front of them," Leone sighed, clearly wanting to keep the agreement secret for fairly obvious reasons. "By the way..." She then scanned the home, passing over all the faces both new and old to her. "Allisa's not with you guys?"

"Uhhh... that's the thing," Cliff began before Markus interrupted him.

"Please, allow me to explain." He explained as much of the events that had transpired over the past day. He left nothing out, including the fact he was from Sora and was here by accident to save Ion. He ended with the recent attack that lured most of them away, allowing both Ion and Allisa to be captured.

"I see. So while you guys were off fighting these 'Altosk' Soldiers, another group abducted that girl, Ion, along with Allisa with both now on the way back to Sora." Elaina summarised grimly. "I won't sugar coat it, that is a serious problem."

"Man... you guys know how to get yourselves knee-deep in shit," Leone said, rubbing the back of her head. "To think someone could overpower Allisa like that, that dude must be seriously strong,"

"That's putting it lightly," Otto said, folding his arms. "If anything, I'm surprised that girl was able to put up a fight against him at all."

"Arch Sage," Max spoke up. "We wanna go after Allisa and Ion."

"Thought you might." Elaina leaned forwards, resting her arms on something invisible in the projection. "And I may be able to help you with getting to Sora."

"You know away?" Nel asked as everyone's hopes picked up.

"It's actually something you all have and are wearing it on your fingers as we speak."

"Something we all have?" Max said confused.

"Oh! You mean our void rings?" Melvin said, examining the ring on his finger.

"Correct." Elaina nodded. "As you know, those are special rings that create a special portal through the void, connecting you to both Avalon and Terra. If you've been to any location in either world, you can open a portal and cross to the location almost instantaneously. That is only the basic use I designed them for."

"Designed...? You mean you made the void rings?"

"The current ones you're all wearing are of my design yes. Little something adapted from my own Nova Crystalis, though the main design goes back to the age of conflict, from the first Arch Sage Merlin. I simply modernized it.

"However, those old rings were only capable of travel between the two worlds. I however extended that range to bridge other worlds beyond. Before you get your hopes up, the same rules apply. Since none of you have been to this Sora, none of you can cross over to that world. Fortunately for you, three present are natives of that world, correct?"

All eyes turned to Markus, Otto and Larek.

"You mean..." Otto muttered pointing to Rodger, to the ring on his finger, "with these rings we can go back home?"

"Correct little furball." Elaina nodded.

"So we're not stranded in this dump anymore? Yahoo!" Larek cheered.

"Can't believe it was that simple," Cliff muttered, examining his own void ring.

"Getting there is, yes. The problem is getting back." Elaina continued. "Those rings are attuned to the local mana of Avalon and Terra only, meaning while you are in either world they will work as intended. While getting to Sora will not pose an issue, the rings themselves will need to attune to that world's mana. During this process, you will not be able to use those rings for anything, and I cannot tell you how long it would take. May even be a year for all I know."

A thick silence fell over the room as Elaina's warning sunk in. "In other words, if we go to Sora... it may be some time before any of us can return." Nel summarized.

"I won't stop you, but if you're intent on going there, you will need to bear that in mind," Elaina said, her image begins to distort. "Looks like our time is up. I wish you all the best."

"Good luck guys," Leone waved. "Try not to cause too much chaos while you're there!"

Both women then blinked out, leaving behind them a very heavy atmosphere at the prospect of what was discussed.

"I won't stop any of you if you wish to go to that world." The Elder said, walking up to Markus, placing something in the cyborg's hand. "I will remain here to ensure nothing serious happens. All I ask is that you are all careful while you're within that new world. And above all, please ensure Allisa's safe return."

It took Markus a full minute before finally unclenching his metal fist; staring at the void ring perched in the black metal frame beneath the silver plates of his fingers. Ever so slowly. his hand clenched again, encasing the ring once again in his cold grip. He looked back to Larek and Otto, both waiting for his next word.

After another heavy silence, Markus turned to everyone once more. "Everyone. I thank you for all you have done for us thus far. Yet despite that, I have failed you all," He turned to the pilots, "bringing you two into this affair," before looking back at everyone else, "and failing your friend who is now a prisoner of my enemy." raising his metal fist, "But know this, I will not sit ideally by and allow harm to befall your friend after everything she did for Ion. I give you my word, I will do everything in my power to ensure she is returned to you."

"Not alone I hope." Nel was the first to step forward. "It's my duty to watch Allisa's back. So as her shadow, wherever she goes, I go as well."

"You can count me in too!" Max stepped forward, slamming his fist into his hand. "I swore I'd always be on her side so there's no way I'd just abandon her."

Cerberus barked, stepping forwards along with Melvin. "Can't say I'm not curious about this Sora place," He said. "But Allisa's the one who brought us all together. Even I can't just sit by and do nothing."

"Same here!" Rodger shouted, folding his arms. "'A real man never sits by while his friend's in mortal peril.' That's what my pa would say anyway. Allisa risked her life to save gramps, bush, and my village so there's no way I'd just sit back while she's in trouble."

"Allisa believed in me, even though she knew I always screwed up from time to time," Meracle added, stepping forward. "She's the reason I'm here too so I'm not gonna let her do this all on her own!"

"She always has a knack for getting us involved in some crazy shit," Yuki said stepping forward, hand resting on the hilt of his katana. "No way I'm gonna sit this one out. Besides, someone needs to give her a good smack for what she's gotten us into this time."

"Looks like we're all decided." Cliff stepped forwards, folding his arms. "Hate to break up the team, and someone needs to make sure most of you behave on our trip."

Markus looked beside himself, seeing all the support he had gathered, all despite knowing the risks involved-

"I'm going to!" Everyone turned to Sasha, who had taken a step forward.

"S-Sasha?" Mirage rushed forward to the side of her charge. "Didn't you hear what the Arch Sage said? If you go you might-"

"No!" Sasha stomped her foot. "Allisa's my friend too! She's just like me, someone who has to keep herself secret from everyone else! So I'm going to!"

"Sasha..." Mirage looked to Cliff for some kind of support, but the man just sighed while rubbing the back of his head.

"You'd probably best give up. If she's anything like her brother...."

Mirage looked back down to Sasha, seeing the suborn resolve written all over her face. "...." She smiled, resting her hand on her hip before turning to the others. "Don't suppose you have room for a few more."

Sasha smiled.

"Well," Dale meanwhile, standing beside Mirage, slowly began to turn away, "Best of luck you all. I'll hold down then-"

"Hold it," Mirage grabbed Dale by the scruff of his neck. "You're coming too."

"Oh come on! You have enough firepower as it is! I don't see how you're gonna need me for any of this!"

"Please Dale," Sasha begged. "We never go on anything like the others! I want us all to go!"

"You heard her," Mirage said, releasing Dale. "And we can't let Sasha go all on her own, can we?"

"She's going with them right! She'll be just fine!" Dale protested before staring down at Sasha's puppy dog eyes.... "Ahhhh, FINE! I'll go too! But I'm just a support guy! You lot will be doing the heavy lifting, got it!"

Cliff chuckled before returning back to Markus. "You have your answer."

"Just so you know... you're all planning to go to war with Altosk. I hope you realize that?" Larek said, looking astonished by the number of volunteers for what he could only think of as a suicide mission. "Well, do whatever you want. Just keep us out of it."

"Sorry, Markus." Otto apologizes to the cyborg. "I'd appreciate you bringing us back to Figmar's edge. After that... I'm afraid you're all on your own."

"I understand." Markus bowed his head. "I greatly appreciate everything you two have done. Rest assured, I will return both of you safe and sound."

With everyone in agreement over what to do, Max stuck his hand out. Nel rested her on top, followed by Cliff, Meracle (a still reluctant) Dale, and Mirage. Yuki tapped his sheathed katana on the surface. Melvin, Rodger, and Sasha raised their hands to just touch the bottom of the pile. With all eyes on him, Markus nodded his head before joining in resting his hand over Yuki's katana, cementing the alliance to save Allisa and Ion.

****

"ALLISA!!" Lucy called out. "ALLISA! ARE YOU OUT HERE?!"

Only the sound of the wind rustling the trees could be heard. Gritting her teeth, Lucy ran further down the path. "Allisa.... Where are you!"

She had no idea what was happening. First, she heard that she ran away from Aston in the middle of the date she had set up. Then she spied her racing through the mall following.... She wasn't entirely sure but it looked like a flying rabbit. Her 'feeling' of Allisa seemed to pull her away from the town for some unknown reason.

Lucy tried to call her, but she could not reach Allisa's phone at all. Then, more alarmingly, the feeling disappeared, completely; just as it had a month ago.

She ran down the path, determined to find Allisa no matter what. Eventually, the path brought her to the one place she would never come on her own; the old steel mill. This was where she felt Allisa was just before she disappeared. But why would she come here?

Walking through the rusted iron gate, Lucy picked up something faint, her feeling of Allisa returned, yet weaker than before. "Allisa?"

Yet that was more than enough. Lucy charged into the steel mill before stopping at the main furnace. It was there over two months ago the horrible massacre of nineteen people took place. Yet there was no sign of anything, except for a broken bike that looked relatively new; and oddly looked like the one Troy said was stolen that morning.

The feeling was close. Lucy walked where it was coming from, close to a huge bump in a run down silo. The feeling was getting stronger as she walked towards it. Then, on the ground, she saw what was drawing her in. Lucy crouched to scoop up the artifact, cradling it in her hand. It looked like a bracelet, one that had been severely burned, ruined beyond what it once was.

"No...." her breathing went ragged. She refused to believe what it was. Scraping her hand over the metal plate she made out a faded name; ALLISA.

It was the birthday present Lucy had given her yesterday.

"Hey... You're not... hiding anything are you?"

"... W-what do you mean? I-I told you I'm not hiding anything months ago."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she clenched the broken trinket. Her knees gave out collapsing to the ground. Her heart felt heavy as a deep pit formed in her stomach.

"I knew it...."

The tears did not stop.

"..... Why? Allisa....?"

She of the collective unconsciousness

It was always hard for Allisa to grasp what was real and what wasn't that sometimes they simply blurred together. This occasion though, it seemed so absurdly serial that it could be easily dismissed as another fanciful dream. Yet at the same time, it felt so real. Her feet trudging through the powdered white ground gazing over the decidedly bleak, almost bleach white atmosphere. The sky was pitched gray, not a single could be seen as dry snow rained on the desolate destruction laying in its wake.

Mounds of earth in the distance extended out of the earth, as though the world had been broken apart by a recent catastrophe. All around her disturbed her greatly. She was used to seeing ruins in her dreams, of ancient buildings made by a fallen civilization. Yet this time, the buildings were modern. The raised earth had roads and houses that looked like it belonged in her neighborhood. The path before her was lined with the same ruined structures, interspersed by half-buried cars, fire trucks, a broken basketball pole, even walking over a traffic light.

Allisa eventually stopped, scooping up a handful of the white powder that lay on the ground. It was so soft, running though her hand like fine sand, yet it left a gray stain on her hand; it was... ash.

"Is this... is this a dream?" She ended up asking herself.

"Of course it's a dream. But why should it be any less real?"

Allisa jumped, turning about trying to find who just spoke. She did not have to look far, seeing a figure a few feet ahead of her, dressed in a completely white cloak.

"H-Hello? Who's there?" Allisa slowly walked up to the figure, seemingly stuck in a trance, waving her hands out to catch one of the fallen ash flakes.

"I do love ash," Whoever it was, Allisa could tell by the voice it was a girl. "No matter what they use to be, mortal, plant, even an object. When it burns, it is all reduced to ash."

The girl turned around slowly to face Allisa, pulling back the hood of her coat. Long, stainless white hair tied into two pigtails flowed down as the girl looked at Allisa with her cold, unnerving blood-red eyes that lacked even the spark of life.

"So good to see you again, Allisa Reed." She spoke softly.

".... You, you know who I am?" Allisa was certain she had never met such an individual in her life, both in the dream and in the waking world.

"True, you have not seen this me," The girl said cryptically. "But we have met. The me who exists in the mortal world has had his eye on you. I am the me who exists in the collective unconscious."

"Huh?"

"Think back..." The girl mused, "You can deny it, but you know who I am."

A sinking feeling rose through Allisa, a chill she had felt only once. It was a feeling of dread she could never forget, nor the one who filled her with such unflinching horror by his mere presence. Only one person in her life could install such an unsettling feeling.

"..... Yun?"

The girl's smile widened, chuckling before turning her back on Allisa again.

"But... but you're a boy?" Allisa could not comprehend what was happening. "A-A little boy about this big-"

"I told you," Yun turned to Allisa once again, "That is the me who exists in the mortal realm. He has no bearing in both the depths of the void nor the wandering dreams of mortals."

"Wh-What....?" Allisa didn't at all understand, trying to clutch at something to understand. "This... this is a dream?"

"It is," the girl strolled past Allisa, raising her hands into the heavens. "what you see is of your own making. Of what is to you, what is so deeply buried in your heart like all mortals that you cover with a mask so perfect that even yourself are fooled. At the same time, it could also be what will exist in your future, an echo of what is to come." Yun finished, leaving Allisa behind walking into the distance. She left no footprints in the white ash as she walked.

"This..... This is... me?" She could feel it in her heart growing heavy, seeing the utter desolation around her. "No... no this can't be me." She shook her head, feeling a horrible sense of dread come coming from the depts of her heart. Could these ruins, this desolate place, be Little Wood? "What... what could this possibly do with me?"

Yun simply turned around, having walked to an abandoned school bus. With a Chester smile, Yun simply put her fingers to her lips, softly 'shushing' before walking behind the vehicle.

"Hey wait!" Allisa ran after her, turning around the bus- "Huh?"

Yun was gone. Allisa looked around frantically, tiring to find her, or a way out of the morbid nightmare. She then saw something off in the distance, another figure standing close to a statue of a man in a fur cap, similar to the one that was close to city hall. Allisa made her way over to the figure as fast as she could.

As she got closer, she could tell it wasn't Yun. Instead, it was a man, square-jawed with short-cropped hair dressed in an oriental piece of armor that Allisa had seen worn by the Rosarian knights-

"What?" Allisa jumped back in shock. The person before her was none other than Garlahad, the treacherous knight who betrayed Princess Elizabeth. "Wh-Why are you here?"

There was no response.

"Wait..."

In fact, Garlahad did not move a single muscle. With a scowl on his face, the man simply stood there frozen in time like a wax figure in a museum. Small fragments of ash seemed to be flowing away from him, as though he was decaying.

"I've been watching you all this time," Yun casually strolled past Allisa as though materializing out of nowhere. "I have seen your fights, your struggles," Stopping close to the man, "you're suffering," and ever so softly ran her finger down Garlahad's metal breastplate, her finger leaving a sickly yellowy patch along her touch. The color then started to spread, covering Garlahads entire body by the time Yun had walked out of sight. Allisa watched in horror as the man crumbled before her to dust.

"Wh-What...?" Fear welled up inside Allisa as she took a few steps back covering her mouth. "What did you-?"

Yun had disappeared again, yet in the direction, she walked off in she could make out a ruined building that resembled her school. Allisa walked off towards it, reaching the grimy glass doors stained by the falling ash. With a heave, Allisa forced the door open. Then gasped.

In the center of the room, on a mosaic long corroded by time was three figures she knew very well. The alchemist Luvia, responsible for the horrific deaths and creation of the ghouls that plagued Allisa's home town. Rubik, the homunculus created by Luvia. Vina, the dead daughter of the Alchemist she so longed to bring back to life.

"For such a short time," Yun walked into her field of view, close to the three figures, "You have impacted so many lives," her hand pressed against Rubik.

"NO!" Allisa screamed as she saw the corrosive color spread to all three figures, watching them both crumbling to dust.

"Yet despite all that," Yun walked past Allisa, walking towards the glass doors once again. "You cling to those whom you could not save."

"I said wait!" Allisa had had enough, charging at Yun without thinking, only to completely phase through her, losing her footing and crashing through the glass doors back into the sea of white. "YUN!" Squirming, Allisa looked up-

There was another figure standing before her, silver hair, a tattoo on her left arm. It was Ellie. Yun stood behind her, slowly reaching her hand over the woman's face.

"No don't!" Allisa jumped to her feet, running towards the two without thinking, determined not to see Ellie meet the same fate.

"You fear the path you tread," Yun ever so gently pressed her index finger against Ellie's forehead. Allisa reached Ellie, wrapping her arms around her as her body crumbled to dust.

"And you fear-"

Turning around once again. This time it was Ion staring at her, Yun looming over her with hands poised to touch her cheek.

"what is to come."

Allisa held her breath, slowly crawling to her feet as she watched Yun's hands getting closer and closer, "Stop it... Don't..."

Yun smiled sadistically, taking pleasure from Allisa's powerlessness. "... And yet," ever so slowly, her hand moved away. "You still stand, struggle, and fight." Allisa felt her muscles begin to move again as Yun backed away from Ion. "Faced with another's struggle you so willingly throw yourself into the fray." She said almost sinisterly, casually walking past Allisa. "Even when destiny brings you to kneel, you force yourself to rise in the face of it."

"Ion?" Allisa looked back to see Ion was no longer there, vanished into the sea of white.

"I see now why she chose you two," Yun continued, standing with her back turned to Allisa. "You both share the desire to follow your heart. You, who seeks to become what you long-cherished from your childhood, throw yourself headlong into the flames of confect. She, who's lust for adventurer fueled by a desire to know herself, risking not only herself but those around her. A Chosen, and a Pathfinder."

"What are you talking about?" Allisa demanded. She was fed up with all of it, of Yun speaking in riddles both times. "Enough of this! Who are you? Who are you really?"

Yun slowly turned around, still not losing her smile as she spoke. "Nobody."

"What?"

"I'm not anyone. Nor do I wish to be anyone. Everything begins from nothing, it ends in nothing. That is all I am. That is all I seek to be. I want for nothing but to see everything return to nothing."

"What the hell does that mean?" Allisa was losing her patients. "Enough of your games, what do you want with me?"

"I told you," Yun bowed her head. "I simply want to see you. One cursed by this obscured reality forced away from all she knows." Slowly she began to approach Allisa, not losing her smile. Startled, Allisa took a step back as the girl in white closed the distance.

"You may heed what I have said to you," she said raising a hand. Allisa shuffled her feet faster backward but stopped when her back hit a wall. "Take it as a warning for what's to come,"

Her breathing went ragged as Yun got closer, her hand reaching for her chest, "Or," then stopped, pulling her hand back, "Simply pass it off when you return to the waking world," pressing her finger against her lips, a devilish smile crept over her lips, "As though it were a bad dream."

Suddenly, Allisa was shoved backward. Not even feeling the wall at her back, she found herself plunged into the white ash as it suddenly gave way. She was falling, further and further. Yun could be seen above, as though laughing as Allisa plummeted into the abyss. She wanted to scream, waving her hands as she fell praying for someone to reach out to her-

BANG!

Allisa felt her back hitting the cold floor, seemingly head first. Quickly she sat upwards, holding the back of her head. To her right was her cot. She must have turned so much in her sleep she fell off.

"What a dream..." Allisa groaned, rubbing her forehead. Even by her standards, that dream was too bizarre. The long while field of ash, the female Yun, the red bracelet attached to her wrist-

"...." Allisa lowered her right hand. There was something just below her sleeve, something cold and heavy. Allisa pulled her sleeve back. Fastened to her wrist was a red metal bracelet, one that looked securely fastened. Even as Allisa tried to wrench it off it would not budge as though fused to her skin. Along its surface were several cables gathering to a glowing green light. "What is this thing?"

As her senses returned, a better question sprung in Allisa's mind. "What is this place...?"

Instead of her room, Allisa had woken up in a small area that was made out of metal mostly metal, barren of nearly all furnishings besides a small stool that seemed like a toilet by her guessing. What she thought was her bed was a cot elevated above the floor, consisting on a small mattress and a pillow. The room had no door but was covered by a thin transparent blue light.

"H-Hello? Anyone there?" Allisa banged on the light, which felt completely solid to touch. "Hey! Where am I?"

There was no response.

Allisa examined the room once again, then noticed a small window just above her cot. With nothing else to go on, Allisa jumped on the cot, peeking over the edge of the glass. What she saw was enough to take her breath away. Outside was a space full of purple mist with the debris of rock, crystals, and strange metal structures floating in the vast void before her.

Then it hit her. She was no longer in Little Wood, or anywhere in Terra.

"... What have I gotten myself into this time?"