Heading out towards the City Center from the Ursa Dormis safe house, Cer and Pixie walk the empty streets, cleared from all the merchant stalls and businesses.

Feeling surprised by how quickly the crowds cleared, Cer wonders how long he daydreamed for and where all the people could have gone since the city sits so profoundly silent. Peculiar. Not a single sound of anyone in the streets.

While walking and continuously scanning for people, Cer detects nobody. Not a single mystic aura could be detected besides Pixie who walks beside Cer..

As Cer continues to walk and scan the immediate area for danger out of habit, Cer notices something else is strange. Upon more focused observation, the buildings which Cer and Pixie walk past, all have what seems like a thin coating of mystic energy or mana along their surfaces. How could I have missed this? I am not paying enough attention like I need to be.

Curious, Cer asks Pixie what the purpose of the mana could be. "I can both sense and see mana outlining and covering the surfaces of the buildings. What's the purpose for this magic?"

Smiling, Pixie responds with pride in her voice,

"Oh that. That's a sound and vibration barrier. The barrier absorbs all sound and vibration trying to enter the buildings. Sound and vibration can leave the buildings; they just can't enter the buildings."

Trying to grasp the plausibility of that scale of magic, Cer reflects internally before responding with more curiosity.

That would require a lot of control to contain that much energy or mana along the surface area and even more focus to maintain that level of magic manipulation all night, unless it's an enchantment of materia. An enchantment of materia this size would take a mystically powerful witch of some kind to even manage that much mana and energy.

"That sounds convenient and effective. Who manages that mana and how do they manage such mass amounts of mana all night?"

Laughing out of surprise, Pixie responds,

"HA! You think it is held all night? It is up ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. Amazing huh?!?! That's WITCH-TEK! It blocks everything all day and every day except for in a few places.

Some of our buildings have a reverse barrier. Those places that are reversed include the City Center, Bud's Barrow, and the Ursa Dormis safe house. Noise and vibration can go into those places, but no noise or vibration leaves those spaces.

There is also the perch at the top of City Center's tower. That has no barrier at all- it allows Yasmina and the Mech Nights House to stay vigilant and monitor the city."

Curious about the Mech Nights, Cer follows up with questions, "The Mecca-knights house? Who are they? How do they even know how to control and maintain the barriers and fields of mana?"

Laughing at Cer's impatience, Pixie shrugs her shoulders and acknowledges her limited understanding of magic,

"Well, Yasmina and Neko are part of the 'Mech-Nights', you could just ask them. It is spelled M-E-C-H, hyphen, N-I-G-H-T-S. I will admit though, Mecca-Knights sound better and more epic than Mech-Nights House. I am sure you know some of them already, aside from Yasmina. They may have changed their names to stay hidden like most magic users did after the witch hunts and the Great Demise. As for the mana fields and barriers, I'm afraid that's above my pay grade. You'll have to ask Nova, Yasmina, or Chishikisan. Chishikisan and Yasmina are the designers of the city and the designers of our witch-tek. You can reunite with Yasmina and Nova as well as the rest of them at the kiki."

Hearing the name Chishikisan, Cer pauses walking for a moment to try and recall why that name sounds so familiar. With no memory of a Chishikisan, Cer shrugs off the thoughts and continues walking with Pixie.

Focusing on remaining vigilant and observant as much as possible, Cer follows Pixie for the remainder of their walk towards the City Center in silence, frequently scanning for any souls, auras, or mana while making a mental image of the city using the outline of the building's mana barriers.

-break-

Despite Cer's paranoia that something would ambush them, after 15-20 mins of walking, Cer and Pixie arrive and stop just outside a tall building without incident.

Taking in the feeling of mana, Cer examines the reverse barrier's energy and mana flow to try to understand how the barrier works. Following the barrier's outline, Cer paints a mental picture of what the buildings and surrounding area look like just as Cer did on the walk to the City Center.

Completing the mental image, Cer imagines the City Center having an open circular court with a strange structure in the middle of the court that could be a fountain, resonating with energy. Towards the outer edges of the court, the open streets and paths branch out like spokes on a wheel out to the rest of the city. At the opposite end of the court from where Cer and Pixie entered, stands a tall building with a large break of mana near the top where an opening to the building sits.

Breaking the silence of their journey, vibrations grow under Cer's feet as the sound of creaks, croaks, and grinding indicate the presence of metal and stone cogs or gears moaning beneath the street's surface.

Startled, Cer looks around for any sign of a threat.

Chuckling, Pixie puts her hand on Cer's shoulder, easing Cer's concerns about any present danger. "Now you see why we need the barriers. The city gets loud. Don't worry, you are safe. This is the city waking up for our kiki. Up ahead, at the tower, our friends will come out as soon as the gates open."

Looking up to the mana opening in the tower, Cer recognizes Nova's aura appearing near the top of the tower and waves to her.

"IT'S TIME TO PARTY!!!!" Nova sings as she jumps out of the building and skates down the tower's wall towards Cer.

Grabbing Cer's head and repositioning it, Pixie redirects Cer's attention to look at the tower's base. "You are looking in the wrong place, not that you can see. But over there, you will hear them."

Reluctantly redirecting attention away from the approaching Nova, Cer re-focuses at the base of the tower where Cer detects the outline of mana opening up as if the ground below the tower contained a hidden entryway. Coming out of the opening, several figures emerge up a ramp from underneath the City Center tower.

Sensing very familiar energies, Cer smells the air and is surprised by a sudden hint of recognition. "I smell you Richter... Hauck... I can smell you and I know your presence. It's been years since we last met."

"Hey buddy! Missed you!" shouts Richter as he rolls up and approaches Cer with his wheelchair made of strange chrome and silver-like alloys with a blueish hue.

"Oh, that's new. You can read auras and mana now? Neko was telling us you are blind, but apparently not." chides Hauck.

"I am blind! Well, sort of. I can only see mana, energy, auras and their intent. It's weird and hard to explain," responds Cer. "I smell a familiar scent and sense its familiar aura, the presence from the alleyway. We have still yet to get acquainted. It is nice to reacquaint with you Neko, if that was indeed you in the alleyway. You remind me very much of someone I used to know."

Suddenly appearing next to Cer, Neko shouts gleefully, "I'm right here! We do know each other. It's actually been years since I saw you, right before the fall of Aisling."

Turning back to the others, Neko shouts to prove herself. "Told you Cer must've lost fragments of memory."

"What is going on? Not that I come across many people these days, but something is off. Your auras are all off and your mana flow is peculiar."

"Oh boy. Should I tell Cer, or do you want to do it?" sighs Richter nervously.

Now appearing near Richter, Neko shouts, "I want to tell Cer."

"Neko? Did you just port? Only cats can port. So it must be true, you are cursed! Explains why you smell different. I am not the only cursed one."

Laughing off jovially, Neko interjects Cer.

"Ha!! Cursed? I wouldn't call it that. I like what I can do now. A little over two years ago I woke up near here and was just as surprised as you are now. I woke up and saw my paws, and initially I freaked out. But to be honest, I kind of like this curse. Yeah I get hairballs here and there, but worth it for the ability to travel! I never did that as a scryer.

I used to be too afraid to leave the tower seeing all of the pain in the world. But now, I can travel to any place I can see in my memories and mind. Not only do I get to see the place, I get to smell it, taste the air, and feel the space. I was way too comfortable before with who I was, I had to learn to embrace who I am and I LOVE IT."

Mumbling beneath Cer's breath, Cer makes a remark meant for a personal reflection but is heard by the others, "Lucky you can enjoy your curse. At least now I know I was not the only one cursed two years ago... I wonder if Hauck and Richter were cursed too. Why us and not EVERYONE?"

Approaching from behind Hauck and Richter, a familiar aura emerges from the ramp. "Let me explain it to you Cer! It has been a long time, old friend."

Recognizing the familiar voice and scent, Cer finally realizes who Pixie was referring to, "This whole time I thought Pixie was saying Chishikisan and I had no idea you were here. Chishiki-SAN! Good to 'see' you again. Are the mechanics of this city made of your skill and crafting?

"Of course it is. Who else would you know that can design and craft materia like me? I even made you a sword, which I can see you are using as a blind cane." chuckles Chishiki.

Experiencing a sudden revelation, Cer lets out a single burst of laughter. "Ha! So Chisiki is you. Neko meant to say Chishiki but said Chisiki and I figured it was some random crafter."

Responding indignantly, Neko shouts back, "I'M A FUCKIN' CAT. ChiSiki is hard to say. See, I said ChiSiki and all you are probably hearing is ChiSiki."

Chuckling with sarcasm and warmth, Cer responds to Neko, "Honesty, yeah... It just sounds like you are saying Chisiki several times over instead of Chishiki. Seems like you can't pronounce the 'sh' sound. Must be the burdensome part of your curse."

Turning back to Chishiki, Cer clarifies the misuse of the sword, "Also, I had no idea this was a sword. I thought it was a blind cane and Kala did not tell me otherwise."

Surprised, Chishiki responds.

"I sent instructions with 'Fang', the sword you are holding, on how to use it to channel your mana, once I heard from Kala that your hands and body don't channel mana anymore. Didn't you read the... oh right... you are blind. That makes sense now. My bad. Well why didn't Kala read it to y... oh... yeah, I remember now. I told Kala not to read the note because I wanted your weapon's use of mana to be your secret. Well, secrets out now that you don't even know how to channel mana or use that sword."

Scratching his head and sweeping his rainbow colored hair to the side, Chishiki continues with chagrin trying to offer an explanation and free himself from feeling guilt.

"When she came to me, she first had told me you were dead. Not gonna lie, I almost actually cried. Then she retracted the declaration of your death and said you were basically dead inside and was forced into retirement because you couldn't channel mana anymore. So I made the sword to try to help out. She never mentioned you were blind."

"That's Kala for you. She also didn't tell me Neko is a cat and that Neko would be meeting me here. Neko, are you the one helping Kala port back to Haeven?"

Feeling slight embarrassment from Cer's question, Neko sheepishly responds,

"Sooo, not-so-funny story. I can't port anyone to Haeven. I can't even get back to scryer's tower in Haeven, where I used to live. I have forgotten what home looks and feels like. I cannot go to Haeven because I can't recognize or recall where or what home looks like... I can't find my way home."

Chiming in with comfort, Richert interjects Neko's rising embarassment, "You are home with us now. It feels like we have been family forever."

Contemplating internally, Cer tries to make sense of Kala's travels. So if Neko doesn't port Kala back to Haeven, how does Kala cross the desolate destitute back to Haeven? How does Kala get anywhere?

Interrupting Cer's thoughts, Chishiki continues his explanation and updates,

"Couple things have changed. You and Neko aren't the only ones impacted two years ago by what we call 'The Retribution of Souls.' The whole lot of us were cursed. Richter, Hauck, Neko, Yasmina, and a couple others. We are trying to understand how each of us is cursed differently and why. But it may have something to do with everyone that died in Aisling, which is just my thought."

"What are your curses and who else died or was cursed after I left?" asks Cer with eagerness to understand the depth of the curse.

Interjecting from above, a mezzo female voice echoes down as a figure stands in the mana opening of the tower. "Could you all stop calling yourselves cursed? We got to live, and were punished for our transgressions. The ones really cursed lie outside our bubble."

Looking up, Cer sees a radiant aura high above, with a hidden scent undetectable to Cer. "Yasmina, is that you?"

"Yes it is. Wait there; I will come down to show you something. Chishiki, turn the city on for its cleaning and repairs. The rest of you, we have only seven hours of night left, so let's make the most of our time outside our den. Prepare for our kiki! Pixie, you know who to fetch."

As Pixie runs out of the City Center, Richter and Hauck move to opposite ends of each other in the court of the City Center. Chishiki moves to the fountain-like-structure in the center of the court.

Announcing their positions, Richter, Hauck, and Chishiki insert large mechanical keys into the ground and step back.

Click.

Vibrations rumble across the ground and a rush of energy flows throughout the city, as gears turn and walls of the city shift and move.

"What is happening?" shouts Cer, unsure if anyone can hear beyond the noise of the clanking, clicking, and clacking of the city.

Descending from the tower on a floating panel, Yasmina responds to Cer in a kiddish tone, "No need to yell, I can hear you just fine. The city is scanning itself, repairing what needs to be repaired, cleaning itself, and allocating needed energy and mana to vulnerabilities in our bubble. We designed it this way."

Gawking with surprise, Cer curiously inquires, "I was told that cities and populations that utilized technologically advanced mechanics get attacked and consumed."

Agreeing with Cer, Yasmina responds,

"You are not wrong. The world is in ruins. Anything driven by electricity is a target by the damned angry souls of the deceased outside our bubble. You cannot use firearms or any form of airborne projectiles. If you fly too fast, the damned view you as a threat and boom, you are a goner. Shit, you can't even throw objects without dooming yourself. But inside our bubble they can't get to us. Chishiki and I fixed that with some help"

We owe it to Klaire, Kalypso, and Kala-lily for this bubble. Kalypso weaved it for us, Klaire provided us with the initial tears which we learned to read and replicate, since we can't form our own tears anymore, and Kala provided the honey. Our bubble has the same exact foundational components and design as Haeven's, the difference is it is managed by materia and witch-tek."

Now smiling with pride in her ingenuity, Yasmina explains,

"Witch-tek allows us to infuse Materia so it replicates enchantments on objects like the atoms that make up the walls. The witch-tek manages our Mana-based energy like it is conducting electrical currents. The energy and currents actually are leylines and conduits of Materia. The last part was the hardest to figure out. We had to learn to replicate Klaire's tears to maintain the Mystic component of directing and managing the intention of Mana and the instructions for the Materia. Klaire's tears are replicated in the tower and mixed with the honey; it is the blood of our city."

Still unable to fully understand Yasmina, Cer sighs with a feeling of smallness. "So much has changed. I still don't get it, if you have witch-tek, why do you need me here?"

Sighing with defeat, Yasmina taps the floor three times with an unusual metal rod she pulls off her back. Upon her final tap, the bubble surrounding the city begins to grow dense and crystallize, forming hexagonal panels within the bubble surface.

"Look outside to the West. Like I said, inside the bubble we are safe. But out there, the ones truly cursed still roam. They are cursed with endless wandering and want. Maybe we are the damned, because it is our sins that damned them. My thoughts are that they are a result of all the people that died during the fall of Aisling and the Great Demise."

Being redirected to face West by Yasmina, Cer looks towards the bubble surrounding the city and can see the panels of mana and energy. Through the panels, Cer sees mal-intent, angry, rageful, despairing, sad, and mourning auras inundating the Western outer surface of the city's bubble.

Frozen in shock, Cer whispers and stutters, "We.. we..we did that... I thought I sealed them all away... but there are so many more..."

Noticing the violent trembling coming from the box on Cer's back, Yasmina taps the ground three more times with her rod, causing the bubble to de-crystallize, no longer revealing the auras of the damned.

"It seems they are related, my friend. Whatever it is you have in your box, seems to want to meet whatever lies outside to the West. You should store that box in the base of the tower for safety, just until you figure out how to shrive all those damned souls. That is why you are here."

Still in shock, Cer stands in silence processing all the information Cer obtained in such little time before inquiring further. "So is that why there are no auras to the East between The Mecca and Aisling? Why are the souls and auras outside the bubble only perceived to the West? And where are the living creatures outside the bubble?"

With growing doubt, Cer becomes flustered at the shear magnitude of Yasmina's request to shrive all of the auras outside, "How am I supposed to shrive or seal when I can't see physical obstacles or re-master how to even conduct mana?"

Trying to redirect Cer's mood, Yasmina responds with as much reassurance as possible,

"Well, we do have other witch-tek, and you won't be alone this time. We can see the dead as much as you using the hex lenses that the bubble forms. There is much more to talk about that may help. We can fill you in on the fall of Aisling, what happened after you left, the things we have learned, developed, and how we are all modded now.

We will have all morning to talk, but right now is a time to break bread and be with each other. We will have our nightly kiki, since we only have the night to be outside in public. The people don't know we exist within the bubble. We don't want to scare them since we don't look natural anymore, so we stay hidden during the day."

Clapping her hands, Yasmina calls the others to gather towards the base of the tower.

Nova sings, "IT'S TIME TO PARTY!!!" and stomps her foot on a hidden panel in the ground, turning on brilliant colorful lights throughout the city as music emanates from the city walls.

Sensing an approaching aura, Cer turns to the city streets and recognizes Pixie's aura returning with an unfamiliar presence.

Approaching Cer, the presence greets Cer excitedly. "I've heard alot about you. It is an honor to meet you. Call me Buddy. I supply all the drink for the kikis and do all the errands for the Mech Nights since I am a normie and can move around without scaring anyone or causing anyone to be alarmed. Come I have just the medicine to wipe that stress off your face!"

Still unable to comprehend everything going on, Cer dazingly accepts several drinks from the others and tries not to focus on the feeling of impending doom.

Not accustomed to drinking excessive amounts of mead in the presence of jovial company, Cer's consciousness slowly fades into smiles, euphoria, and the bliss of sleep as the others continue enjoying each other's company for the remainder of their freedom in the night.