Chapter 13: Them

For the first time in what feels like forever, I am ejected from the position of spectator. The window into Ordelia’s perspective is right in front of me, with the endless Null behind me. Though to my dismay, there is more than just the endless black. Standing there is the source of this fear, a boy and a girl.

The girl giggles. “Hehe, you look like you’ve seen a ghost or something! What’s wrong?”

That voice, those white stockings, and that frilly pink dress…so that’s what’s happening here. Standing next to her is a boy wearing dark gray slacks with black suspenders stretching over his white dress shirt. It’s the outfits Ordelia caught a glimpse of before they turned into blobs.

“Ah, it’s as I expected, without his presence you’re still rather capable on your own.” the boy groans with a nod. “Do not worry sister, that surprised look on his face is normal…”

“Really, but why? If he’s managing to see us, then that should be more of a reason to celebrate!”

He shakes his head. “Oh sister, think about where we’re standing. You would be surprised too if two strangers walked into your living room, right?”

She puffs out her cheeks and shakes her head. “You mean to tell me that he’s scared? Nonsense, I mean look at my overflowing cuteness! It should bring joy to those that bear witness to it, it’s pink for cripes sake!”

As she puts her arms behind her back with a pose, her brother groans into a sigh. “While I do agree that it should, our presence can sometimes strike fear. That’s what makes them mortals.”

More of that idle chatter, it is them. Despite me standing before them, they’re just ignoring me. And that Influence surrounding them, what are they?

For the first time in a while, a bead of sweat rolls down my forehead. “How did you two get in here?”

The boy turns to look at me, his black eyes staring deep into my very soul. He blinks.

“Did you encounter someone recently?” The boy asks, his voice dredging up the effort to utter the question while ignoring mine.

“Isn’t that already obvious? You do realize that I’m not exactly in my own timeline?” I say to him, knowing they were the first to discern that same fact.

The girl sighs. “Brother, stop being so vague. What he means to say is that your Influence is held in tandem with someone who is very dangerous.”

“Someone dangerous?”

“The man we are referring to is someone who has been exiled from his godhood. He sought to mettle further into the affairs of you mortals, so we stripped him of his power and sent him crashing to earth. If any were to encounter him, they would consider him sickly.” explains the boy with his arms crossed, while staring me dead in the eyes. “Does that remind you of anyone?”

The two of them look at me in anticipation, waiting for my answer. I am certain they’re referring to the mysterious man, but can I really trust them? Even if I don’t trust him, these two have been contributing to the success of this Turning Point. Whatever reasoning they had for exiling him, couldn’t have been for a noble cause.

The boy nods. “I’ll take your silence as a yes. It’s a shame really, if you're willing to cover for him this early in his game, then there isn’t much we can do about it.”

“By that he means that unless you’re willing to surrender him to us, we can’t exactly finish what we started. Maximilian forbids us from killing mortals under any circumstances, even if it's the easiest way to settle matters.” The girl says pouting in disappointment.

“You keep referring to us as ‘mortals’, but you look no different from an average human.” I say with a glare. No, looking at their short stature and youthful faces, they look no different from children. But then there’s the manner in which they speak.

For vampires, while some of us can maintain a somewhat adolescent appearance, you can always discern our age from the look in our eyes. The eye’s are the first to witness those experiences, so they are the first to be weathered by them. It’s the same for every race. But when I look into their eyes…

“Aw, are you saying that I look young? Why thank you!!” She giggles while twirling her pink hair with her fingers.

The boy clears his throat. “If that’s the case, don’t let our appearance fool you. While we are young, the amount of room we have for growth dwarfs yours in comparison.”

“Considering I’m only seventeen, that sounds a bit far-fetched. I mean both of you look around ten years old.” I say with a glance at the two of them.

“A young ten right?” She asks, like a woman nearing her prime.

“Indeed, a young ten years of age is what we look like, if you didn't know what we actually are…” The boy says rubbing his chin.

“Brother, no! Don’t give it away, I want him to keep appreciating my youthful appearance in ignorance!” She shouts, while making a frantic effort to tug on his shoulder.

“The only ignorant one here is you, now get your hands off of me!” He groans before pushing her away.

They even argue and bicker like children. At this point, it’ll take a lot to convince me that I’m the one living in ignorance. Though, now that I think about it, the term “ignorance” isn’t something a child would use. To even make that assertion, one would need to have some sense of awareness.

Eventually their arguing takes pause, as they turn their attention back towards me. The boy in particular furrows his brow and crosses his arms once again, with a serious look in his eyes.

“Even though my sister is as lively as ever, I get a sense that you actually believe we are children. I cannot allow this. After all, any god would want to be respected when facing a mortal such as yourself.”

“You mean to say I am facing two gods?”

“Indeed, two young ones to be exact.” he asserts in his dry tone, raising four of his fingers. “Our age far exceeds yours by more than four centuries, though the basis of our existence has been latent within mortals since the very beginning.”

Over four centuries? That predates even the potions themselves, but now it makes sense. When I looked into their eyes, I saw an ever-changing current. It was an indiscernible span of time. The infinity. And now it’s staring back at me, a mere blip in its existence.

“Ah, see what you did! Now he’s looking at me like I’m some old hag!” The girl shouts with tears welling up in her pink eyes.

The boy sighs, ignoring her. “If it wasn't obvious from my sister's behavior, together we embody two sides of the same coin. On the side of heads is I, ‘Monotony’, and my sister here is tails, otherwise known as ‘Exuberance’, while the coin itself is the average mortal. Flipping between each side every second, making conscious and unconscious choices based on where it lands.”

“That means, you are ‘emotion’ itself.”

“Indeed.” He says with a nod, while giving me a blank stare.

At this point, the fear constricting my heart has now turned into shock. The gods that embody the concept of emotion itself are standing right in front of me, within this endless void. My body is shaking, but not out of fear. I never could have dreamed that my journey would bring me here, but now's my chance. If these two are choosing to sit idly by while this war rages on, they are my enemies.

She giggles. “Brother, his Influence is rising. You don’t think he wants to fight us, right?”

“Settle down mortal, there’s no reason to fight us. As we’ve already discussed, even though you’re harboring a criminal within you, we will not harm you.” He says to me, his hair blowing back as I bolster my own Influence.

That’s right, that Maximilian guy forbids them from even fighting me. It’s a shame though, but blood manipulation isn’t something I can manage without my own body. Aw well, that just means I’ll have to get my licks in the old fashion way!

My Influence cloaks me in an ivory robe as I charge forward. They continue standing there, staring at me as if I were some sort of spectacle. Is this how they look at us mortals as we fight for survival?

“Well here’s a taste of that same desperation!” I yell at the top of my lungs, coming at the boy with a punch. But as I am about to hit him…

He groans. “Emotion Gate:…”

With a deep breath, I open my eyes. The light of the moon illuminates what is the dead of night. A gentle breeze brushes past, rustling the leaves of the tree I’m sitting under along with the blades of grass surrounding me. It gives me this calming feeling, one that you’d only get during the dead of night…

“Sintobi!” Theresa calls out to me from behind, while running up to me.

“Oh there you are sleepyhead! I was wondering where you were hiding.” She giggles.

“Did you find him big sis?!” Eena shouts while following behind her older sister.

“Yeah, he’s just lazing around like he always does! Don’t you know you have responsibilities too?” Theresa says, scolding me while pointing her finger.

“Oh come on guys, cut me some slack.” I laugh. “If Mother and Father needed my help I wouldn’t even have the chance to relax like this.”

“Hmm, I guess you’re right. There hasn't been a lot to do since our last few Hunts were so successful.” Theresa says while her and Eena sit next to me.

“What are you looking at anyways?” Eena wonders while looking up at the sky.

“A full moon doesn’t come around very often so I have to enjoy it while it lasts.” I explain while lying down on the grass.

“It is really pretty.” Eena says while looking almost star struck.

“To relax without a care in the world, huh?” Theresa says while looking at the moon. “Nothing can beat this feeling of calm.”

“I know right.”

We sit here for a moment, absorbing the gentle atmosphere of nature itself. It's a scene that already puts my mind at ease, but with them sitting next to me, it brings a whole new sense of clarity. The kind that reminds me that nothing else in this world matters. We look forward to moments like these because it reminds us of the little joys life offers us. Even if we have to struggle sometimes as vampires, as long as we can experience moments like these, it’s all worth it. However, I do feel like something is missing…

“Oh, so this is where you guys ran off to!”

My entire body tenses up the moment I hear him, as my heart starts racing.

“I see you’ve finally caught up, you slowpoke! I thought you were closer behind us.” Theresa laughs.

“Oh come now, give me a break!” He laughs.

I don’t want to look back. I can't face him. But how, how is he here?

“Well aren’t you lookin comfy!” He chuckles, as he kneels down to me.

With a glance at my side, I see him grinning at me.

“Mikel…”

I open my eyes. My fist is inches from the face of the boy named Monotony. Wasn’t I about to do something? No, I didn’t forget, I just don’t feel the need to do it.

“What’s wrong, weren’t you about to hit my beloved twin brother?” she taunts while poking his left cheek. “It was right here, right?”

Her cheeky demeanor should anger me, but for some reason…

“Mikel, how are you here?” I ask him, as another gentle breeze brushes past us.

“I just followed behind these two, I wouldn’t have been able to find you otherwise.” Mikel says while sitting on the grass next to us. “Theresa is a pro at ‘seeking’ after all.”

“No, I mean how are you alive?!” I shout as I spring to my feet.

The three of them look at each other in confusion and hesitation after my sudden outburst, but it doesn’t make sense. With everything happening right now. All of us sitting here. We can’t be doing this right now. And more importantly, none of this should be possible.

“Hey man, you don’t look so good. Maybe we should get back to cam-”

“No, don’t touch me!” I shout, knocking his hand away. “You’re not supposed to be here right now, no, it shouldn’t even be possible anymore!”

“Sintobi, what’s gotten into you?” Eena asks while grabbing on to Theresa’s shirt.

“Why are you two so calm right now?! I-I killed him, yet he’s standing in front of us! How is that-”

“What’s wrong Sintobi?” Theresa asks, suddenly leaning closer to my face. “You aren’t content with this?”

I drop to the floor and start choking, while everything including my own thoughts goes numb. Everything I just felt is now gone, leaving me with this nauseating feeling that causes me to puke.

“Emotion Gate: Contentment.” The boy sighs, glancing at his palm. “With how much you’ve been fighting, suddenly feeling content must have been a shock.”

“Consider yourself lucky that brother didn’t rattle your soul further, or else you’d be-”

“Or else you’d be a wallowing husk.” her brother finishes with a sigh.

She groans. “Hey, I was going to say that!”

He sighs. “I apologize sister, but sometimes I cannot help but finish your sentences. Perhaps it is your own ‘exuberance’ that causes me to do so.”

He places his hands together as if hoping for forgiveness, as she turns away to pout.

Is all of this just a game to them? It pains me to realize that the gods of emotion are tricksters, but it’s fitting. Who else could be better at playing with one's emotions than the ones who embody the concept itself.

I try lifting myself up, but my arms are wobbling. If this is what it feels like to have your soul rattled, it scares me to think this could have been worse. This headache is unbearable, and it feels like I’ve been torn apart at my very core.

The boy clears his throat, preparing himself to say something with his dull but dignified demeanor. The more I look at him, with his soulless black eyes, my hate for him grows.

“I must say, for a vampire, you managed to keep your composure for longer than I expected. Don’t you agree sister?” He says looking at his sister next to him.

“I know right! Maybe he’s the knight in shining armor after all.” She says with her pink eyes gleaming down at me.

“You know sister, I think you might be onto something this time. Not only is his behavior unique, but so are his goals. If he’s managed to get this far, I’d say he has a good chance of succeeding.”

They continue to praise me with that condescending tone as I attempt to stand up. My body feels heavy, but I can’t let them knock me around.

“Thanks for the compliment, but why exactly did you decide to confront me? Surely your intent wasn’t to shower me with praise.” I ask, wiping the vomit from my lips.

The boy claps. “Oh no, that is our intention. You succeeded in aiding those two nuns in their mission, so a celebration is in order.”

Is he messing with me? If that’s the case, that means Ava will have a bright future from now on. Ordelia can finally make amends with her while expressing her true feelings. We did it.

“You look sad, is something wrong?!” the girl says bent down in front of me, her face mere inches away from mine. My body jolts, having not realized how close she’d gotten, as her pink eyes stare into mine.

I shake my head. “No, this isn’t sadness, but relief.”

“Hmm…You’re even relieved when a dark elf and her child are reunited. Brother is right, you aren’t like the others of your kind.”

“Indeed he isn’t. Sintobi Temory is a vampire from a noble upbringing, one that has led him towards a noble path. It is unusual for someone in his position to help those that are less fortunate than him, yet he has chosen a true nobles path.” The boy says with a sigh while walking over to his sister.

Hearing his straightforward description of my life so far brings my skin to a crawl. It’s as if he’s recounting the plot of a book he’s read while casting a narrow downward glance at me. I get an eerie sense that he’s keeping his true intentions at bay.

It’s a bit disillusioning having everything laid bare, but even so, I can’t deny what he’s saying. It’s normal to have other races assume the worst about me, but to know all the details, exposes a glaring weakness. A weakness I can’t even begin to hide at this point, and it’s the fact that I want to save everyone.

The boy places his hand on her shoulder. There’s a moment of silence between them as she turns to him with a nod. He looks at me.

“Which is precisely why mortal nobility should know their place.” He emphasizes with a plain look on his face, as the whites in his eyes turn black.

A dark feeling washes over me, as black ooze seeps from his eyes like tears. His Influence rushes outward, in an immeasurable excess. It's unlike anything Ordelia and I felt during our battle, but it makes sense. They assumed the form of those blobs to limit themselves, but it seems he means business this time.

“You look tense, did I scare you?” he asks, sounding just as apathetic.

“Heh, not exactly. What happened to your promise? I thought you two were forbidden from laying a finger on mortals.”

“Again you’re mistaken, I am merely finishing what I started with the girl.”

Is he referring to Ava? I clench my fist and step forward. “What do you mean?!”

Suddenly, I’m plunged back into Ordelia’s senses. The murkiness that surrounds her and Tiffany clears, and I sense something sinister festering around them. Though what’s strange is that neither of them is noticing it. But then I’m pulled back, once again standing before Monotony and Exuberance.

“Neither of them can sense it, they are average mortals after all.” He says with a sigh, looking back at me with those two pitch black orbs.

“What are you doing?! I thought this was over!” I yell.

“Why do you make it sound like we’re the ones who played unfairly? You’re not even supposed to be here!” The girl says with a bright tone of voice, as if I’d fallen for their trick.

“Changing someone’s Turning Point is something that shouldn’t be possible, and we don’t plan on letting it happen. Besides, I quite enjoy the way this chapter ends for all of them. Don’t you agree sister?”

“I know right! While I do prefer stories with knights in shining armor saving the damsel in distress, I don’t think this is one of those stories.” She admits with a pouty expression. “This one lends itself to be more of a tragedy.”

“Nonsense!” I scream with a stomp of my foot. “No one’s story should be a tragedy. And to knowingly allow a tragedy to occur is nothing but cruelty, no one deserves a tragic ending! Especially when they’ve sought out to change it!”

The boy sighs. “Even when a mortal struggles to change their tragic fate, the hope is to change how it all ends. Making the journey there a tragedy in itself.”

Again, his words are as sharp as a newly forged blade. From the moment I was brought here by The Cats Cradle, Ordelia and Tiffany have been working to stop Ava’s Turning Point. Whether or not it was their fate from birth, their involvement in her Turning Point was inevitable. And besides, saving Ava won’t stop Ordelia’s certain death.

“Sure Ava’s Tale is filled with tragedy, but having it this way lends itself to a better ending-”

As I’m uttering my rebuttal, I’m plunged into another perspective. The door before me looms over me with an imposing force. I start trembling in fear of what’s behind it, but this isn’t Ordelia, it's someone else.

“Are you sure you wanna go in?” asks a woman next to us.

This person looks up at them, and to my surprise, it’s Tiffany. She looks so much different in an ordinary t-shirt and jeans, but the rest of her appearance is the same. Swallowing the lump in their throat, they give Tiffany a nod, prompting her to open the door.

In the room, is a blonde haired elf sitting in a chair next to a bed. She turns her chair around as we enter the room and stands up.

She looks down at me as she walks over to Tiffany. “I instructed you to not bring her here.”

“She needs closure…We can’t keep something like this a secret.” Tiffany says, almost pleading. I’ve never seen a look like that on her face, but I suppose we’re all capable of showing emotion at some point.

The two of them look at each for a moment.

The elven woman sighs. “Fine, but you will be responsible if something happens.”

“Yes, Ms.Oppix.” Tiffany says with a nod, straightening her posture.

No way, this is the professor they were talking about. She looks rather young, but that sort of thing is normal for elves. There’s something about the look in her eye that asserts authority, the type that comes from experience.

The professor reaches down to rub our head before departing, her heels clicking down the hallway behind us. As Tiffany takes our hand, I realize who’s lying in the bed before me.

“How are you doing Ordelia?” Tiffany asks, while walking towards her bed.

“I’ve seen better days, I suppose. I just know they’re giving you hell around here.” Ordelia says with a laugh before coughing.

“I wouldn’t say that…” Tiffany mutters, stopping in her tracks.

A slight breeze comes through the small window next to the bed, adding to awkward silence in this small room. Ordelia turns her head over to look at us.

“Hi Ava, are you having fun with your friends?” Ordelia asks, putting on a smile.

She’s looking at me, does that mean I’m Ava right now? Is this The Cat's Cradle or is this just a strange vision? None of this is making sense.

“Y-yeah, I was just playing with everyone outside.” Ava says, gripping on to her bedsheet.

“Aw, That’s great to hear. See you can make friends when you try to-” Ordelia manages to say before a sudden coughing fit.

I can feel my heart sink each time Ordelia coughs. I have no doubts that this is hard for Ava to see, but this must be the moment Ordelia dies. And judging by the fact that her and Tiffany are alive, this must be the result of us winning against Ava.

“Ms.Ordelia…are you gonna be okay?” Ava asks, her voice shaking.

“…I’m afraid not honey.”

“Can’t Ms.Oppix make you feel better? She’s a doctor, right?”

“I’m sorry, but this isn’t something she can fix.”

Ava tugs the bed sheet in frustration. “What does she mean she can’t!? She said she would help you…”

“She tried everything she could at this point, but it’s okay.”

“What’s okay about this, aren’t you angry at her!?” Ava shouts while clasping her fingers between Ordelia’s.

“I’m not happy about it, but I am happy that I was able to meet you.” Ordelia says, her fingers embracing Ava’s.

She gazes into Ava’s eyes with a smile. A warm smile. One that wipes away the anxiety in Ava’s heart, leaving a sense of calm. Despite Ordelia’s reassurance being just words, Ava believes everything will be fine. Not only is this a show of trust, but it's a sad realization that the threads of fate these two are a part of, are truly meant for a tragic end.

Ordelia stares at Ava for a few moments, as the light in her eyes starts to dim. The color in her hazel eyes dullen to the degree they look almost empty. Ordelia is dead.

Ava tightens her grasp on Ordelia’s hand, as her vision goes blurry from her tears. Whimpering and sniffling, she fights against the pain in her heart. And what’s worse, is this sense of denial I’m feeling.

Tiffany closes Ordelia’s eyes with her palm, as if setting closure.

“No, she can close them herself, she’s just tired-” Ava fusses, before looking up at Tiffany.

Despite her lips quivering as she tries holding back her tears, many still fall. Seeing such a sight sends a jolt through Ava’s system, leaving her stunned. She was ready to deny it once again, but she couldn’t, the truth is right in front of her. There’s no hiding from it.

“No, wake up! Wake up mom! You can’t leave me, I can’t live without you! Open your eyes dammit!” Ava shouts while shaking Ordelia, wailing in sorrow. Her cry’s turn to a muffle as she buries her face against the bedsheets.

What is fate? The question comes to mind, but the answer evades me at the moment. No. I’ve never known the answer, but now another question comes to mind. Why are some fated for such cruelty? Again, the answer is unknown to me.

This entire time I’ve been held captive within The Cats Cradle, I’ve been trying to change Ava’s fate, but I’ve only managed to lessen the cruelty. Knowing this, even if it were possible, changing Ordelias fate would result in another form of cruelty. And perhaps it could be an easier pill to swallow, but the result would be the same for those involved. Tragedy.

As the realization of my folly sets in, I can feel something unthinkable welling up. And what’s worse is that it's coming from Ava.

“Ava, calm down sweetie. Everything will be okay…” Tiffany warns, as Ava turns towards her. A green mist clouds the room like a steaming hot bath, pouring from the faucet of Ava’s heart. She’s expelling her Influence in excess just like during our battle, which means the worse has begun in this timeline. Her Turning Point.

I can hear Tiffany’s screams right as I’m pulled out of Ava’s perspective, bringing back before these two.

“Brother, you think he saw it?” the girl asks, looking at me with slight concern.

“Indeed, that Instinct is rather unpredictable isn’t it, but at least he knows now. Whether or not we’re here to reset the course of events, tragedy is guaranteed.” the boy groans while shaking his head.

There’s a smugness in their expressions, along with the usual sense of superiority. Although, seeing how they’re gods, I must concede that their sense of superiority is warranted. After all, I am only a vampire, which is something I never thought would be my weakness.

No, what annoys me is their self-righteousness. They believe that since Ava’s plight is set in stone, the degree to which her Turning Point occurs doesn’t matter. Whether or not she is slaughtered by Ava or dies peacefully in bed, tragedy will occur.

“You say that, but you have the power to change it don’t you? You’re a god!” I shout with a step towards him.

“You’re still not getting it!” The girl shouts, before crossing her arms with a sigh. “Changing someone’s fate would be considered ‘mettling with mortal affairs’, so we manipulate it in line with the overarching tragedy that’s to come.”

“If that’s true, then why are you manipulating the situation to make it worse?”

“Because it’s fun!” She says with a bright tone of voice while smiling.

Because it’s fun! Her admission rings through my head like chimes fluttering in the wind. And Just like the wind that blows, a god acts just as free. Moving things around with the utmost authority on a whim. I got it now. These are the gods that govern our world, and perhaps things beyond that.

“Look what you’ve done sister, he’s speechless. Sometimes your exuberance is remarkably sadistic.” the boy sighs, right before lifting his arm.

The sinister presence I’m sensing around Tiffany and Ordelia is getting closer, but they still aren’t sensing it.

“I don’t know what you’re doing, but I won’t let you…” I shout at them, but I realize I can’t channel my Influence. It’s like I’ve never had any in the first place.

“It seems you’ve finally noticed the effects of the Emotion Gate. It’s only temporary, but your body is still in a state of ‘content’. You can thank that man attached to you that it wasn’t more severe.”

“Speaking of him, I can sense his presence getting closer to here!” his sister warns.

“Indeed, I guess our presence is leading him towards you, Sintobi. And if that’s the case, I suggest we depart sister.” The boy says, searching his pocket. He takes out a red ballpoint pin and clicks it, causing a glowing rift to form in this Null space behind them.

“Dammit, now you two are gonna run away? Cowards!” I shout at them as they walk into the rift, but I can’t bring myself to move.

While they have no intention of killing me, taking action could still lead to something unpredictable. My body is trembling in fear and anger. Having to come to grips with my own mortality is…Dammit!

Like a zipper on the fabric of space and time, the rift closes shut. I fall down to my knees, realizing my defeat. Some would never think of contending with a god, let alone have the chance to meet one, yet I still feel defeated. Even with all of the odds against me, I wanted to win. Am I a fool? Maybe I am.

An eternity. The concept comes to my mind again after facing those two. They view us mortals as objects of their creation, while toying with our very existence. And in the case of those two, they exploit our emotions. Our fears. The things we love. All for the sake of breaking the melancholy of eternity.

I can feel myself melding with Ordelia once again, meaning this isn’t over. We could work together to stop the misfortune that is about to befall them, but is that even possible? I defied them once, so who knows what they might do next if I do it again.

Why must we be at the mercy of them?

A gentle breeze blows through the clearing, reminding us of the nature that was just here. It’s the result of their efforts to subdue Ava, and now they’re walking towards the end of that goal. Ordelia follows behind Tiffany through the path cleared by her attack, to the place Ava must have landed.

Judging from that vision, Ava should be alive. However, the state they might find her in might not be the best. Whatever that technique was, Tiffany did a number on her for sure. Though one thing is for certain, when they do find her, the Turning Point should be over. For now…

“Which is precisely why mortal nobility should know their place.”

His words ring through my mind like a warning. Getting myself involved isn’t something I can do with Influence, so there’s no way I can further incur their wrath. That just means I’ll be a spectator once again to the actions that’ll be taking place.

Ordelia stops walking and places her palm on her forehead. “Sintobi, Is everything okay?”

From the look of things, it hasn’t been more than a minute for them, meaning Null exists in a different space. I can’t explain to her what just happened, since even my words could affect the Turning Point just like it did before. And if she can now sense how I’m feeling, it’ll make things harder going forward.

“Hey Sintobi, I know you’re still there! Why aren’t you answering?” She shouts, putting her hand to her ear.

Tiffany puts her arm in front of Ordelia, stopping her in her tracks. With her forearm blocking the path, Ordelia looks over at Tiffany.

“Stand back…” Tiffany says, staring intently towards the path in front of them.

“W-what do you mean?” Ordelia asks in confusion, as looks in the same direction.

Walking towards them with labored breath is the girl they intended to recover, Ava. Much of her shadowy figure looks to be blown away, leaving her without a hood to hide her face.

As she’s walking down the path of the dark forest, we notice it’s the same for other parts of her clothing. Both her right arm and leg were now exposed, which means she at least attempted to block it. That pill Tiffany took is rather impressive. Unlike any of the attacks thrown at Ava before, that one seems to have injured her the most.

Though funny enough, her jade green eyes are glowing as bright as ever. If she’s got any strength left, this could be her last chance. And it’s the same for us as well.

“You’re still alive? You really are an annoying brat!” Tiffany hisses.

“You look so disappointed. Did you think that would kill me? I still haven’t settled the score with you two-” Ava says with a pause. She stands there, her eyes wide open as if in some kind of daze. Her eyelids start twitching, as a black ooze wells up from her eyes like tears.

Her Influence starts to surge again, blowing back the two of them with strength akin to a flurry of winds.

“Dammit, she really doesn’t know when to give up, huh?” Tiffany yells, raising her arms to shield herself from the gusts wind.

“Ava stop please, we’re taking you home!” Ordelia begs, with her hand outstretched towards her. With the wind getting stronger, Tiffany wraps her arm around Ordelia to block for the both of them.

“Home? I have no home! No one will ever accept me!” Ava shouts, causing even stronger gusts of wind. Such gusts of wind start to challenge the sturdiness of the trees around her, as if her intention is to punish even nature itself.

Looking at the black ooze trailing down her cheeks, it’s obvious that this is the point of no return. In a sense, this is a checkmate played by those gods. Tiffany and Ordelia are powerless compared to the power she’s been granted, it would take a miracle to get out of this.

“It’s a good thing I considered this a possibility…” Tiffany says, pulling Ordelia even closer to her side.

Surprised by this, Ordelia turns towards her. Tiffany’s eyes start glowing a bright blue, while sparks accumulate in her left hand. Raising her hand towards Ava, three sigils appear on the girl's body.

Those are the same sigils that appeared each time Tiffany hit those techniques. Are they some kind of marker? The “X” and “Y” sigils have reappeared on her chest and cheek respectively, along with a sigil marked “Z” on her stomach.

“What are you…” Ordelia says to Tiffany, but before she gets to ask, she notices the dark clouds forming above them. The light of the full moon above is snuffed out, leaving the sky in a state of smog.

A rush of fear fills my heart at the sight of this, and I don’t blame her. With a passing glance, one could assume these to be clouds, but their presence is malign. It’s more akin to an accumulation of ashes and dust, as it’s producing bolts of lightning that dance across the sky; arcing and descending like glittering veins from above. The sounds of crashing thunder ring out, rattling these haunting formations and leaving rain to fall.

“If it’s come to this, then so be it…” Tiffany says, before taking a deep breath. “You are more than just a danger to yourself!”

“Tiffany stop! You can’t!” Ordelia begs while pulling away from her, but the hold she has around her waist is steady.

Noticing the sigils on her body starting to glow, Ava bellows with a shriek. As her Influence rises, more of the black ooze gushes out from each orifice on her head. Monotony’s stench worsens as her eyes roll to the back of her head, painting her sclera black.

“X, Y and Z; sigils that mark a single point in this world. Those that are lost in nature are guided by these markers, and it’s by nature's will that they are found.” Tiffany chants as the sky quakes with thunder. “Oh humble Knights of the Forest, grant me an audience at your round table. As a child of Elise, I wish to save this lost child from her fate. I offer to you the Influence I’ve expended, as well as the dregs that remain in my soul.”

The murkiness in the air dissipates in an instant along with what’s left of her own Influence. Which means, what was distorting my senses this entire time was the color of Tiffany’s Influence itself. It took me until now to realize it with how thinly it was dispersed, and if she’s using all of it...

“Tiffany!” Ava screams.

“Knights of the Forest: Cumulonimbus Crash!” Tiffany shouts at the top of her lungs, gripping her fist forward.

Colossal flashes of lightning descend from the sky above, in an instant. Where did it come from? Ordelia and I never blinked, but the same thought crosses our minds. And it isn’t stopping. Only after that instance did we hear the incomprehensible roars of the lightning's descent, for it seems the sky itself is collapsing upon us. There is no escaping this. And it’s during that very same moment everything goes black for both of us…

…

…

…Ordelia…Ordelia…Where are you Ms.Ordelia?

Something jolts my senses, waking me up. The sense of weightlessness and indifference returns, meaning I’m still within Null. Even after a blast like that, it still wasn’t enough to return me back to my timeline. Am I trapped here forever?

It didn't matter before, as long as it meant achieving my goal of saving Ava, but I’ve failed. Staying here any longer won’t change that.

…Miss Ordelia!

That voice collides against my senses with a jolt. I get the feeling that it’s some kind of call to action, but that feeling once again isn’t my own. It’s Ordelia’s.

She opens her eyes to a sky painted in pure white. No, it isn’t just the sky but everything around us as well. Ordelia sits up from what feels like grass. Grabbing a tuft, she realizes that each blade of grass is bleached of its color and appearance. It’s Blank.