The level 2 Vera was captured. Three of the four level 1 Veras were absorbed by Terra, Jedo, and Dyne himself took the last one. The process was very quick, thanks to Jedo’s power that had dark elements weakening the souls of the Vera. The last Vera and the Level 2 Vera were sent into Jedo’s soul space.

“How are you, girls? Good thing you didn’t go mad from the Mist.” Dyne looked at the two girls.

“This Mist… is really troublesome…” Arya had a pained expression, but she had shown incredible resilience. Even Dyne was stunned at her reactions.

“Are you alright, Arya?” The other Arya inside called out.

“Yes. Thank you for helping me. The madness is really… amazing.”

“This is the only help I can offer…” Arya sighed.

Dyne turned to Rena and noticed that just like Noa, the Mist had absolutely no effect on her.

“Rena?”

“I’m alright. Just like little sister Rena, I’m alright.”

“The Mist is terrifying! I feel slow!” Noa was flapping her arms as she did in the game.

“Thankfully, Terra is with me! But wow! Brother Dyne! You can talk to these Gobu Gobus?”

“You’ve seen these creatures?” Dyne thought Noa had lived all her life in Snowdrift Cave. Climbing to the exit required help from the Piuras and Chocobos, and Noa alone would not have found a way in.

“ A few fell in the cave a while back… But they all died from the Piuras.”

“Of course. I met another Gobu Gobu near Rim Elm who looked like them. They ought to be from the same clan. The Mist brought terrifying wars among these creatures. It’s not just humans who fell into dangerous situations. These ought to be the surviving members of their tribe. I guess these few are Bertugo’s family.”

“Family? What’s family?” Noa asked.

“Something closer than a friend. Me, Terra, Arya, and Rena are your family. Jedo too. But he’s sort of the black sheep.”

Jedo shook his head in frustration.

“Closer than a friend? But these Gobu Gobu don’t have a family?’

“Don’t worry. I plan to take them with me. They can help us find a way over the mountain. They’ll have a new family soon.” Dyne comforted.

“That’s great, big brother!” Noa cheered and did a celebratory spinning jump with her hand held up high.

Dyne turned to the tired and wounded Gobu Gobu, who held up their guard.

“Rena. Heal them.” Dyne ordered.

Rena nodded and used the power of healing.

The Gobu Gobu all shielded themselves instinctively.

But then they felt their wounds close. Even the one closest to death felt the wounds recovering.

Terra was amazed. He had seen Rena’s magic heal wounds before, but the wounds that the Gobu Gobu who stumbled had were more severe.

“It’s as if her power is even stronger than a Vera!” Terra muttered.

“She probably has the same type of energy that Horn has. But Rena still needs to master that.” Dyne spoke.

“Little Brother… Who is Horn?” Rena asked curiously.

“Something like Jedo. But it wields powerful light energy. I’ll try to get him for you… But I may also give Horn to someone else as it would be redundant on you.” Dyne then moved forward to talk to the Gobu Gobu.

The Gobu Gobu were curious, and Dyne began to talk to them,

He told them of Bertugo and the alliance between humans and Gobu Gobu and knew that their tribe was dead. Dyne then offered to bring them back to Rim Elm.

The Piuras showed servitude towards Dyne, which amazed the Gobu Gobu. As they were close to death, they accepted Dyne’s offer and began to show them the way. They knew of a Path that used the massive mountain region, but it was dangerous as it led to several Gobu Gobu bases and would even have Gomboos.

Dyne showed no fear and nodded.

And so, the odd group made their journey.

Days had passed since then.

Back in the region outside Biron Monastery….

Val and the Hunters arrived back along with Vahn. The monastery was in chaos. A terrifying event occurred. Songi attacked several Biron Monks and tried to kill Gala to acquire the Ra-Seru in East Vox Forest.

“Any luck?” Elder Zopu asked as the fans were turned on to blow away the Mist and allow the group to enter.

Val shook his head.

“We can’t find him anywhere. Either he swam his way up to the East Forest, or he never went there at all!” Val answered.

“Where are Tetsu and Gala?” Guardian Kin asked.

“They stayed behind there. The placements of the fans were successful after all. The design of hydro-powered technology worked as the river was fast and strong enough. The fans have also been covered in dirt to make them look like mounds of dirt. But since the region does not draw in monsters and Seru, Master Teacher Gala and Tetsu volunteered to stay behind.” Val explained.

“Vahn… What of Songi?” Zopu asked.

“No good. We could not find him. We tried spreading out our senses and rode Calamity around East Vox Forest with Incense. Meta's power detected every being and creature, but no Songi. He isn’t there anymore. The Mist alone would have turned him mad, and the serus have covered the place as the Mist from the Mist Generator grew stronger. He hasn’t trained that much to grow stronger.” Vahn explained.

“Could he have gone to the West?” Zopu guessed.

“Why? Gala and Vahn have already told him of the fruitless forest in the West! There is no Ra-Seru there! Only the East Vox Forest has a Ra-Ser now!” Guardian Kin argued.

“I know! I’m just trying to cover all possibilities!” Zopu shouted back.

“Enough!” A powerful eruption of red energy appeared on Vahn’s arm.

“Biron Monks! Remember your training!” Meta spoke. In Meta’s training with fire energy and his teamwork with Vahn, Meta finally learned how to cultivate the soul. The two of them cultivated, and soon, Meta could talk to them clearly in the same way Guardian Kin could.

Zopu and Kin became silent. They had treated Meta and other Ra-serus as saviors only lower than Patriarch Dyne.

“Harsh as it may sound, the truth is, Lord Dyne has long believed that Songi would betray us. The visions he had seen and told us were scary. He will be the downfall of Biron. While you may still long for his return, the truth is, he has been corrupted. This is the evil of the Mist. When Lord Tieg birthed saviors and gave hope to this world, Songi interpreted it as something to be desired and was given into the dark desires of wanting that power!” Meta explained.

The Elder and Kin were silent.

“Elders…” Vahn spoke.

“Meta is right. Even I could see the hatred in Songi’s eyes. Master Dyne even told us and warned Gala of what may happen. Tetsu was warned, but even he never thought it was possible. He blames himself for not seeing through the signs. That’s why he and Gala are guarding the Genesis Tree in East Vox Forest.”

“Vahn is correct. They hope to meet Songi there and put some sense in him. But you elders still have a Monastery to lead. Depending on how you interpret and show Songi’s betrayal will become a model for Biron and all of its people!” Meta reminded.

“You are right… It’s just so painful to know that Songi would even want to betray us…”

“We know. That is why, the entire time we planted the fans in East Vox Forest, Vahn and I said nothing to you but trained hard and prepare for Songi’s betrayal. We knew that he would lust after the Ra-Seru and try to retrieve it forcibly. Unfortunately, he may appear soon, and he might not be the same Songi you knew but could be corrupted by the madness of the Mist.”

The two were silent.

“But there is still hope. He’s here.”

“He’s here?”

“A few days ago, I sensed it. And Calamity and Catastrophe also spoke of it. They could sense Lord Dyne’s power.

“This is good! Patriarch can help us!” Elder Zopu shouted in relief.

“Inform everyone that Patriarch is back. He survived the Basilisk and may be in control of another Ra-Seru!”

Zopu nodded, and he and Kin immediately made preparations to make the grand announcement and cheer the monastery.

“Dyne’s back?! That’s great!” Val shouted and also ran to inform the other Hunters.

Vahn was left alone, and he went towards his room.

“Should we tell them, Meta?”

“No. We’ll tell Lord Dyne. That being must have combined with Songi! That’s how he escaped us.”

“That thing looked like a Ra-Seru.”

“That was a Wild Arm. But the power of that Wild Arm was so strong. It felt like a Ra-Seru but much more… insidious. I believe that it's only time that we sensed Lord Dyne’s return with Jedo. He could be the only one who can explain what is happening to this.” Meta sighed.

Unknown to everyone, even to Strafe, the dark forces and parasites that Calamitus sent inside and the alternate time world were starting to overlap.