It wasn't before long til the three of us made it to one of many of the Villas by the Land of Dawning. The time was between 8 and 9pm, so we decided to stay for one night before teleporting early to the Isle of Lamentation.

With Epel and I greeted as guests, upon Rook's order, we were fed a dinner fit for a king with a few workers around the villa to boot: Rotisserie chicken, baked potatoes, fresh salad, hot bread and dessert. Before long, it was time to retire for the night. Rook and Epel had stayed in one room while I got my own, which I was SUPER grateful for. I really needed a nice quiet room so I could think straight.

However, what I got for sleepwear....well, let's just say I STILL think my clothes have a mind of their own...and had gotten bolder as time passed....

At least the robe got to cover my arms and legs from the cold temperatures......seriously, I think I'm starting to look like Heartslabyul's roses with this cherry red face.

So there I laid, draped across the sheets and the blankets pushed to my ankles as the book, opened to the same topic I discovered before I left, was hovering before me.

"Ugh.....it still says the same shit no matter how many times I read it over and over!" I groan, arching my back as I stretched lazily like a cat, hair tousled from ruffling it to soothe the tension my roots had put up with for being in a ponytail for so long. I waved my hand in a figure 8 motion and the book vanished into thin air. The lamp at my bedside was dimmed but the low lighting still hurt my eyes like hell. That's when I got annoyed and shut it off and sat there on the bed. Seriously, what the hell am I even sleeping on???

The moon was high up in the sky, luminescent rays glowing down on me through the glass window panes. I felt myself flop back onto the bed, arms thrown to my sides. I stayed like that staring up at the ceiling, anxiety swimming in my mind. I knew staying up late was a bad habit of mine. with so many all nighters I had to pull back at school with my girl friends.....but this one was far different and stress inducing.

Why was I so restless. Was it my energy? Maybe I had too much cake after dinner? Or was it.....

"Maybe....I'm just too worried about the guys being okay I can't seem to shut my eyes without endless scenarios of what they're going through sprinting in my mind...." I said softly and rolled over onto my right side, trying to picture seeing the family photo beside me. But couldn't. I left it back at Pomefiore...

My hand went to her neck unconsciously, and just as I began to panic, not feeling my necklace against my skin, I calmed down, remembering that I took it off when I went to shower and placed it on the dresser. This made me get up just to snatch it off the dresser. But just as I unclasped it and held it up to my neck, I stopped and let my arms drop. The fingers clutched the gold chain as the small circular pendant swung back and forth like a pendulum; I watched it. The face slowly turned between facing me and the window, catching bits of both shadow and moonlight between the gold detailing and the small crystal in its center.

I couldn't stand looking at it anymore, even if it was the last piece of my mother. I didn't know what I was doing....all I could remember was crumpling the necklace in my hand and I flew off the bed and snuck out the door; running through the halls as I flew straight to the veranda, facing the backyard. I felt myself drawing to the rail as my arm leered back, still clutching the necklace and I prepared to throw it into the gardens-

But I stopped before I could throw it....

What am I doing?!

Throwing away something that meant something to me.....if I throw that away...it's like I'm throwing away my family! My sister and brother! My aunt, my dad, My mom, everyone!! .....and I promised myself...I'd get back to them!.....but my parents.....can I still hold onto the belief that they're ACTUALLY alive??....

And now that there's secrets to this world, my magic and these visions for me to discover and get the answers to....I'm not sure if I want to.....until I know what's going on....I can't go back......not by a long shot.

I lowered my arm and kissed the necklace over and over and I breathed heavily with panic and regret over my actions. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry....!" I whispered over and over like a mantra. "......I lost people dear to me once.....I'm not gonna let it happen again........"

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

That same feeling came back so soon and I didn't find myself on the veranda of the Villa. It was...somewhere else entirely. A room....maps of the world hung on walls, swords and different war memorabilia, a fire crackled in the fireplace, flames licking the dry wood underneath it. Furniture hand crafted and painted with but the tiniest details showing galaxies and night skies stood elegantly on carpeted floors.

A man was sitting in the corner of the room. He was hunched over a desk, head in his hands. His aura spewed stressed. Behind him, a woman placed her hands on his shoulders and he relaxed under her touch.

"Hi, Darling." He smiled.

"Eos...." The woman said fondly and I almost stumbled back in shock.

'Eos?! The guy in the mirror?!' I thought. 'Why is my third eye showing me this of him??'

"Something on your mind?" The woman asked. Eos stands, pushing his chair back and he walks to a painting and looks up at it. A tall middle-aged man with a still strong figure stood behind a woman, sitting in a chair of silver, her face neutral but showed off her beauty and high radiance. Standing on either side of her were two young boys. One was a younger version of Eos, but the other had dark blonde hair, and beige skin surround cloud gray eyes.

'Acheron....' I thought. 'This must be a look into the past...'

"Just....wondering where did my brother go wrong...." Eos sighed, dragging a hand down his face. The woman, her face obscured by the shadows, sighed with him. "He was always a good man....he had such potential.....I don't want to follow in my father's footsteps of neutrality....he was so insistent on keeping the kingdom isolated whilst war, famine and death raged the lands of other civilizations....Acheron and my father never did see eye to eye at times....I was the only one who understood him....."

"You can't blame yourself for something that was not in your control." The woman sighed. "He was just insistent on liberation and giving people something your father didn't....I'm glad you want to change the direction your father wanted you to go in, but....this may lead to a war if he comes back...."

"....I know...." Eos sighed, dropping his gaze from the portrait. 'But trying to talk to him...would that still work or has he already lost his mind to the dark side....?' I could hear his thoughts as well as the woman's.

The woman looked as if she had more to say, but I heard her thoughts. 'What if he was likely corrupted by something into turning into the thing he sought to eliminate....? I know I'm jumping a long hurdle, but.....*sigh* I guess we'll wait and see.'

'That's right.....Malleus did explain Acheron's past....but....I don't understand....he was once a good guy so....MAYBE it's likely someone in influencing him into turning him like he is now...? I really don't know....' I bit my lip in thought. 'Maybe there'll be more answers soon....'

"Just know that...whatever happens to you...." The woman came up and hugged him by his waist. "...I will always be there to back you up...."

Eos smiled faintly. "Thank you, Darling. Thank you...."

But that happy air didn't last long. For me at least....

Everything around me went to darkness as I felt my magic act up once more. And different Images flashed behind my eyes, the third eye being more persistent than ever...for the images I saw...

The Blonde knight shields a woman.

The dark-skinned shaman healing the fallen soldiers.

And a woman wearing silvery armor dusted in ash, clashing against a hooded figure, swords drawn on combat.

Fire and smoke surrounded a city as people

screamed and fled for their lives.

It was the war Malleus mentioned....everything looked so grotesque....but the worst was for last....it was an image of Eos being stabbed by a sword as a stream of blood fell from his lips as the blade passed through his body.....

Fuck, I think I'm gonna be sick!!!

I felt myself swimming in the darkness around me, barely feeling arms catching and securing me to a warm body before I could plummet like a meteor....

———————————

Idia finally made it to the control room seeing two men at work.

"Subjects A,C and E are inside the room with Ortho." The first reports back.

"Preparation for data examination is prepared. Exp 2100 beginning." The second followed.

Idia clicks and holds the button close to the intercom and speaks, "Testing, testing: this is the command room. Do you copy?"

"Simulation room responding! We hear you!" Ortho calls back. "The MPMG is installed to each subject!"

"Excuse me, but can you please stop chatting like you own this place?" Vil's voice was heard from behind. "The moment we were brought in here, I got ambushed and a giant helmet's shielding my cone of vision! I can't see my own two hands!"

"What is he planning to do with us anyways??" Riddle asked.

"Wait a second...you're having us fight one another, aren't you?" Azul demanded, making Idia silently roll his eyes at their banter.

"Of course not!" Ortho denied. "What you're wearing right now is a virtual headset used for Magic Power Finder readings! You'll be battling enemies in a simulation instead of real life!"

"A battle simulator?? Virtual Reality?" Riddle clearly didn't get what was going on....

"Instead of explaining things to you, you'll just see what I mean firsthand." Idia spoke up.

"Hold on, Idia! We read the instructions back to back! You never said anything about VR!" Azul countered.

"Virtual Enemy Mode: Standby!" Ortho starts. "Begin Dive!" The room lit up, bright hue light filtered through the lines in the walls and floor as the systems booted up, much to the three's surprise. They could still see, but it...looked rather weird from their viewpoint.

"Where are we?!" Azul asked.

"This is the battle grounds you'll be using whilst in the headset!" Ortho, from the opposite side of the room, answered. "Although it's not allowed in the building, you can use it inside the simulation as you desire! No matter the violence, it won't affect your real bodies in real time! Don't worry and just do your best!"

"Well, if that's the case...I won't hold back." Vil took the challenge.

"And I won't have mercy!" Riddle seconds.

—————————

Swimming in darkness....that's something lots of people would be used to and me....well, I'm far from over it......

It's like the new norm for me to just pass out on the spot and get sucked into my own mind, waiting to see what horrors await me...

But there were none....at least.....I thought....

'Geez.....I think her fainting is something normal for her.....'

I didn't say that....it sounds like.....Epel???

What happened....after I fainted....?

I felt a cold cloth on my forehead. The cold....it felt good....I wish I had more.....I felt like I was in an oven...

"Hello.....S-Som.....elp....." I tried to talk, but my tongue felt like jello. I tried to force my eyes open, but it felt like they're glued shut.

'Milady, shhh. Don't speak. And don't try to sit up. You nearly hit your head, so rest, the doctor will be here soon.' I heard Rook shush.

I felt my body obey his word as I was lulled back to slumber.

——————————

"First test complete! Cool down in progress!" Ortho sounds over the intercom as the data came rolling in.

"All three subjects's vitals are normal and blot accumulation is within normal level." The first man reports looking over the several screens.

"Alright, so it's as I expected. But....let's see what happens when I take it up a notch....." Idia murmured.

"Battle simulation: 'Lachesis System'" is up and synchronized. Second test will commence." The second man reports.

"Alright. Ortho?"

"Right! Virtual Enemy Mode: Standby! Dive: Start!"

The headsets booted up....

Azul, Vil and Riddle were in the Cafeteria back at school....the air seemed rather calm....too calm, almost.

"What....?"

"Why are...we here???"

"What's going on??"

Three sets of footsteps sound behind them and over their shoulders, was Rook, Trey and Jade respectively.

"Roi du Poisson, there you are!"

"Riddle, good to see you. The leader's meeting's just starting."

"I've the documents you'll be meeting for the subject of the matter, Azul."

The three looked at one another with tension. It felt....so weird....seeing the three vice leaders standing before them.....even if there were just virtual copies of the real people they know....in a simulation of their academy when they are locked away in a place unfamiliar to them in a facility on an island miles from where they were. It felt rather morbidly mind-bending in a way they can't describe.

"Is something wrong? You seem rather puzzled." Rook spoke up with a small smile.

"Don't tell me there's something on our faces." Trey cracks a smile too.

"......No, it's just a trivial thing. Let's go, I suppose." Vil shrugged. They all moved with swift ease to the doors.

But something flickered in the corner of their vision. It looked like someone they know, but-

"̶̩̀̒̓̏...̵̲̮̑̽̏̈̀.̵͔̝͇͎̭͆̂͒͜.̶̡͖̹̑̉͋̂̊̍m̷̢̪͌́̕Ȍ̷̫n̵̝̲͖̫̈́͑̈́̎Ș̶͉͙̬̠͍̺̏̃t̸̮͍͐̄́̑͠Ě̶͉̫̮̖͔͌̚r̵̙̹͈̹̬̫̼̀̋̃Ś̷͉͛̌...̶̗̓̐̽͘.̸̥̭͇̩͉͊̎̒̏.̶̭̈̿͆̓̉̾͆"̶̬̠̲̲͉̅̍̽́͑

Vil froze. He couldn't recognize that voice. His head slowly turned to where he saw the person, but they're weren't there. Was it a glitch or-

"̴̧̜̙̗͗̀...̶̞̲͍͐́̈̊̀̓́͌͝.̶̢̪̩̰̿̂̌͂̂̚͝V̵͕́̐͜į̸̥̦̤̠͓͖͚̱͍̳͕̣̳͍͕̩̈́̉̽̏͆̈́̓̆̃̽́̎̇̄̕L̸͖̯̱͙̣̲̩͖͗̔̒́͒̈́͑́̍̿͒͂̍̾̄̓̔̚͜ͅę̶̨̛̻̦̖̗̞̭̮̻̯̺̥̲̯̘̪͊̂͑̊͂̈́͋͆̾͂̄͝ͅ ̴̛̹̺̜̱͉̗̩̜͇̭̹̹̠̍̒̅͛́͗̈́̾̾͐́̽̓́̀̋͠ͅB̸̹̲͉̘̺̿̃̂͑͂̾̚͘ę̷̛̰͙͎̺̲̼̪̣͚̥̝͂͂̍́̈́͊̍͐̚͜Ḭ̵̧̡̝̠̗̗̎̆͊͗̍͊̊͒͘͠n̸̲̘̙̭̋̅͂̈́͂͆̂̒̀́̓̉̚̚͝Ġ̷̨̳̤̹̲͖̥̲̊́͌̃̓̇́̐̏̎͆̇̈́̄̐͛͂̌̐s̷̢̨̡̪̻͙͇͇͇̞̜̲͍̅́̔́̍͆̑͘ͅ.̸̢̧̛͍̩̖̻̺̼̯͍̜̪̙͉̥̰̓̔̽͌̾͛̓́̾̑̐̈́̕̚͘͠.̶̢̡̡̧̛͉̬̺̙̹̹̫̥͈̥̲͛̽̾͒̉̒̀̈́̇̈͋͗͘̚͝ͅ!̷̣̻̱̄͛̀̾͋̋͛͋͂͒́͒̎͋̓̕͘ͅ"̵̧̧̢̯̮̘̭̜̮̦̼̱̝̫̀̇̋̔͐̾̐͛̿͘ͅͅ

Now the voice echoed everywhere and nowhere....it unnerved the three as they looked everywhere, stopping in their tracks as they tried to locate the voice. Riddle felt his skin crawl as he felt eyes watching him. 'What the hell is going on?!' He thought, feeling like he was starting to lose his mind.

"̶̥̫̳̈́̽̐̀̒̕.̵̮̺̆̃͋.̸̨̻͇̩̜̼̮̅̏͗͒͂̀̔̊̎̕̕͠͝ḑ̷̦̟̖͈̥͔̞̘̞͚̩̼̪̥͑̑͊́̋͑O̷̹͇̰͚̘͔̻̣̭͖̣̟͒͐͜ ̶̪̘͉̺͖̙͙̎͐̔̌̀̌̃͑́̃̌̓̍́͗͋͑̚͝͠y̴̨͔̙̎̈̀̄́̀̿́̚̕͠͠Ȍ̴̗̩͇͔͆͐͌͂̆u̷̧̱͍̭͋͋̈̂͝...̵̺̜̳͎̙̮͈̞̥̤̓̌͂͐̋̃̋͗͐͌̈̈́͋̆̚̕͝.̶̨̡̱̞̦͈̠̝̝̝̄͝H̴̨̧̹̜̱͕̠̥̬̭̜͍͚̞̅̃̑̍̔͋̍̈͌͊ơ̸͙̯̲̥̻̤̂͑̎̾̉̀̽̒̒͊̕N̵̢͚͉̬͔̻̬̱̗̹̮̪̙̹̎̄̽͗̀̓͂̿͒̂̋͂́́̃̊̿͝e̸̡̱̘̞͓̦͕̲̟̜̭͔̳̪͙͗̈́̌̍͛͜Ś̵̼͔̾̀͜t̷͉͇͉͎̜͈̖̺̙͐̄̕Ḽ̶̨̪̘͙͚̭̻͚̜͕͎̣̳̙͓̻͓̣̀̒̄͜ÿ̶͖͚̻̣́͌̄͋͌̅̆͑̐̏̏̓̅̀͘͝ ̵̢̦̘̱̻̟̉̎͂͂̾̐͐̾̽̅̽̊͝͝B̴̢̟̬̥̳̲̹̲̝̄̑ẹ̷͔͕̙̜̩̀͒̄̈́́͛͊͑̓̆̔̀̄̾̄̚L̸̨̯̟̖̘͕͚̖͓̯̺͉̳̝̒͋̓̃̈́͛̂̉̚i̶̤̱̩͆̔͠Ĕ̸̘̤̭͔̙̺͖̘̟͓̦͙̝̳͙͉͊̉͌̓v̵̧̗̥̘̹̭͖̞̲̬͍̰̙̄͋̈̒̉͜Ẹ̴̤̲̪̦̪͎̦̭̘̩̗͇͓̖͓̅̋̓̓͜͠...̴̨͎͆̏̇̏̈́͆̏̀ͅ"̴̗̬̗̜̠͔̀̆̃͂̀͑̇̂͗͗̋̃̓̎̚

"̵͓̘̦͉͍̳̿́̿͆͐̐͝...̴̢̙̟̩͈͕̞́̾̃̅̾͊̆͐̑͘͘ͅ.̴̛̤̝̟̲͓͂̐̐̓̽̄̌̽̀͑̀̕̕Y̷̛͎̥̾͛͌̂̈́̾͐̂̆̍͘͠o̵̧̨̦͖̅̆͑̅̓̂͑̎̌̕͘͝Ủ̶̡̡͓̞̱͖̦͉́̅͊ ̵͍͖̤͗̓̿̔̋͠d̷̢̨̢̢̥̭͕̠͈͇̜̩̙̦̗̔̄̏̀̊̆̿͂͂́̋̑̽͝E̶̢̛̜̤̯͇̽̀̑̿̓̂͌͑́ͅs̶̡̥̩̩̺̼͍̼̪̼̠͓̉̉̅́́̇͗̿͜͝Ē̶̙͆͝͝͝ͅr̸̡̜̗̻̙͓̂̐̌̐̍͆͌̔͗͝V̶̺͆͛̈́̓̚ȩ̸̧̩͉̹̠̯̭̜̞̝̲̫́̉̏̃̿̅̿͠ ̸̡̧͕͈͎̜͔͓̠͖͎̰̅̎̈͛̑́͛̏̾̀͘͘͝͝͝m̷̻͖̫̥̹͕͉̃̅͘͝Ę̶̭͇͍̦̺̝̖͖̦̇̌...̴̲̫͛̃̓̓̑͆̎̾̀͝?̵̠̟̗̰͈̭̜̗̲̤̘̩́̄̽̊͋̕͜ͅ!̶̢̰̩͎̀̅̈́̀̔̊͆̈́͠͝͝"̵̧̥̦̯̦̪̱͙̳͈͉̪͒́͊̊̎́͜͝ͅ ̶̡̧͇̬̜̰̯̺͔̮̮̥̹̱̽̅͐̓͋

ā̶̖͕̂̉̏̾̉̎͋̅͗̈́͂F̵̝͎͕̋ͅt̶̢̨̰̺̦̮͒̄͑͗́͝E̵̞͈̝̻͉̣͈̓ṛ̶̛̙̻̈́͂̅́͛͒̋̃͊ ̶̢̙̝̺̻̪͍̩͙̞̺̩͎̠͗̌̈͆̔̄W̵̨͎̰̻̞͇͊͜h̶̨͓͇̗̘̞̟̼̀̓̂̎̂́̓̒̈́̇̽̈́̕̕̚Ȃ̸͎̥̭̜̦͓͖̞̙̠͝ţ̷̨̯̫̝̯̦̋̐̇̍̄̇̄ ̸̧͎̺̰̺͑͐̐͐͠Y̵̡̳̬̪̭͓̰̣̝̙̏̋̄̓̔̽̆̿̚͝ò̷̥͓̦͔̖̟̈́̇̄͘Ư̸̦̞͇̞̺͕̞͈̭̾͒̆̓́̒̚͜͠ ̸̧̨̧̡̛̟̳̟͍̞̾̀̈́͗̐͘p̸͔͈͓͍̥̼̗͎͍̊́͊̀̒̿̐̕͝͝ͅṴ̴̡͔͉͚̼̘̭̗̩̻͈̫̔̓t̸̢̧̜̰̤̲̗̞̘͖͇̝̹̹̞̄̆͒ ̵̢̡̛̖̱̗̟͙͉̈̅͊͆̏͑̂͌̒̎̓̕͠m̴̧̼͉̘͉̰̮̤̲̼̤̀̑͒̇͌̔̀̈́̓̚E̴̮̩͉̞̘͔̾͑̽̑̒̐̉̅̕͜͝͝ ̸̮̯̭͇̪̯͎̻͚̥̞͈̈͂̇́̀͊̆̽͒̾t̴̛͇͕̤̰̼͕͕͒̓̋̌͋͘Ḧ̸̠͚̟̫̣̘͆̉͊r̴̰̭̲͈͇͙̔͑Ȏ̶͖̮̲̞͛́ṵ̷̟̤͇̌̆̃͗͋͝Ģ̵̲̦̘̻͉̜̦͊̆̅̿́̓̾̕h̴̡̛̙͔̥̲̆̍̊́̀͒̀̉͆̑͝͠͝͝?̸̠̠̬̹̘̯͚̫̹͇̻̱̣͔̃̅̈́̆!̷̨̖̙̘͖͖͈̻͇̺͍̽͊͂̍̈̀̂̀̓̀͌̕͝"̶̢̘̣̈́͐̂͑́͐͛͋͒̔̒̚̚ ̷̨̧͙̩̪̩͙͖̙͕͉̤̬̞̏̅͌̿̔̇̓̒͊͂͐

The being glitched through the space behind them, making them jump back in fright. Their mouths dropped open in shock as they saw who was there. Their face was glitched beyond comparison, following their body, limbs a mesh of pixels and human flesh. Lips replaced their right eye as said eye replaced their left ear. The eye narrowed down at them like they were bugs waiting to be squished. The figure spoke, the sounds of mixed audio with a human being speaking, it hurt their ears like nails dragging on a chalkboard.