The Stories of Old, as told by the Nexus - Intermission

The Nexus spread hundreds of thousands of miles, divided into 54 sections – or, well, not anymore. But when such land existed, there was life in every area. Be it simple grass, towering trees, birds nestled in nests… And of course, the Five Tribes.

There were the “commons” too, ordinary people who lived outside the main regions, wielding no special power and no service to the Nexus – but nobody really cared about them, so neither will this narration. For now, at least.

But the Tribes, they could be anywhere. You’d often see Fliers out in the farthest sections, surveying territories as was their duty. Guardians in the middle ones, killing off the remainder of anomalies the Fliers couldn’t catch, or instead patrolling the main regions. The rest of them though – Weavers, Menders, Reapers – rarely strayed far from Section 1.

You could’ve been one of the many. Maybe a Weaver raising your sister underneath the roof of a cranky old woman, or a Reaper boy who – ironically – was burdened by death. Poor thing, I always felt pity for him… But you might’ve been saving lives as a Mender, except with the end of the Nexus at stake, you’d feel your purpose wane (not only that, there’d also be a target on your back, but you wouldn’t know that until later).

Or, rather – You could’ve been a Guardian deep in a taiga, fighting for your life against a powerful beast in a place it didn’t belong – with no one else to help you, as your only other company was a dying man in the snow.

But, fear not. You are more likely to have been someone completely oblivious to such danger. Or anything, honestly. Since you’d be drunk and annoyed at something. Again. As was the case with a certain Flier in a Showyth pub.

Regardless of who or where you were, you’d have some importance, even if no one knew you. You would have a life, a fate – a story.

Many stories existed in the Nexus – in me, back when I was still alive, before all 54 of my sections were eradicated, finalizing the end of the world. I wish I could share all of them, but there’s no time to spare.

Soon, I’ll be gone as well.

Yet before I finally disappear into nothing, I at least wanted someone to know of the people who used to live in the places my threads created.

The people I’ve chosen – well, there’s been more extraordinary than them. But like I said, I’m running out of time here, and telling you of their tales would surely be impossible before my demise. 

Now, I believe I’ve kept you long enough. You’d rather hear these stories instead of me rambling on, yes?

Let’s see – I’ll go back to Madigan. I know, I know – you are probably wondering what happened with Roe and her lover, but now is not the time. Don’t worry, you’ll find out.

As you will with everything I’ll tell you, across the stories of the Five Tribes.