Chapter 14: The Turning Point

Perceiving distance and depth within this world is rendered Blank. The exact opposite to the endless existence of Null, as it’s more like we’re trapped in a box. She can even see her dark skin and tattered dress when glancing down. It’s like she's a separate entity from the Blank around her. Is all of this a result of Tiffany’s attack?

Standing up on her feet, Ordelia looks at her hands. The blades of blank grass fluttering away with the slight breeze.

“I’m over here!” Yells that same voice, echoing from a distance.

Realizing its coming from straight ahead, Ordelia looks up. Rows of trees roll in from the distance before her, creating the scenery of a forest before us. Ordelia touches the tree trunk, it feels just as typical as it looks. What exactly is this place?

In the distance I notice someone standing between the trees. It’s hard to make them out from here, but it looks like a child. Ordelia runs towards them. She hasn’t spoken a word since she’s woken up, but hearing her slight gasp lets me know she at least can in this place.

The uneven layout of the trees interrupts her stride ever so often, making it difficult for her to keep sight of them. At the same time her pace quickens, they start to become more recognizable the closer she gets. It’s unmistakable…

“Ava!” Ordelia shouts as she throws herself to the ground, wrapping her arms around her with a hug. A wave of relief washes over me, wiping away her worries.

Ava reciprocates her embrace, stifling her tears with sniffles.

“Ms.Ordelia!” She says, tightening her arms around Ordelia's waist.

“I’m so glad you’re safe! Are you feeling okay?” Ordelia asks.

“I’m fine, but where are we? Aren’t we supposed to be at the church?” She asks, her jade green eyes shooting darting glances at the Blank scenery outside the cluster of trees surrounding us.

I’d almost forgotten this scared look on her face. While it isn’t reassuring, it reminds me of the girl she really is.

Ordelia looks at Ava. “You mean you don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

There’s a pause between them for a moment. The confused look on Ava’s face explains it all, she doesn’t remember a thing. It’s awfully convenient that that’s the case, but I suppose it’s better this way.

“…Nothing. I just want you to know that I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.” Ordelia says to her, both of us knowing that isn’t possible.

“Are you sure?” Ava asks, her voice trembling. “I know everyone worries about me a lot because I give you a difficult time, but you’re always so busy…”

Ordelia rubs her head. “Don’t worry sweetie, I’ll always come back to you no matter what. You’ll never be alone.”

“What if something scary happens and you’re not there?”

Ordelia tightens her embrace, pulling her closer to her chest. “I won’t let anything happen to you, I swear on it my life!”

“Really?” Ava asks looking up at her.

“…I promise!” Ordelia says with the utmost confidence, as tears well up in her eyes.

The trees around her start to meld into the Blank white world, like streams of water pouring into the sea. A loud ringing clamors against my eardrums, filling Ordelia’s heart with a sudden feeling of desperation. It amplifies like an alarm, forcing her to cover her ears. Until it abruptly stops.

“Ordelia, watch out!” Tiffany yells.

Opening her eyes, Ordelia catches a glimpse of Tiffany charging towards her from right as she shoves her away. Sparks fly as Ordelia tumbles to the ground. The air whistles. The ringing stops but now there’s this aching headache.

Still wincing in pain, Ordelia notices Tiffany crawling on her stomach as she raises her head. Her fingers digging into the grass and dirt as she inches towards her.

“Damn it, you’re so stubborn…” Tiffany says with a smile, sounding almost breathless.

Still delirious, Ordelia notices Ava’s hooded figure looming over them with murderous intent. With just a few minor rips and tears along her clothing, she seems to have gotten out of Tiffany’s attack unscathed. Although, what’s strange is that her eyes aren’t glowing green under her hood.

It's unusual, but before either of us could contemplate further, she notices something out of the corner of her eye. Standing near the spot Tiffany pushed away from is Ava. There’s two Ava’s? No, that can’t be.

A cheshire grin creeps across the second Ava’s face. “Like a scarecrow laid in the dark forest, the adventurer mistakes it for the visage of a wanderer. The adventurer sees it as a sign of hope and follows it, only to find a graveyard filled with others like him behind it.”

The body of the second Ava fades away, revealing a tree stump with her head sitting on top. I’m such a fool. Just like our fight in the present, I’d forgotten again that she isn’t just a horsewoman but a dullahan as well. Pulling such a trick would have been impossible a second time, but within Blank, that illusion was far more elaborate.

Ava’s body walks over to the tree stump and reattaches her head like a helmet. As Ordelia lies here in awe, someone tugs on her arm.

“Ordelia, what you just saw wasn’t real. Please, you have to run. If she kills both of us, the Turning Point will be concluded.” Tiffany says with blood dripping from the side of her mouth.

“I know, but-” Ordelia mutters, staring into Tiffany’s pained heather gray eyes.

“Just run, dammit! At least we can delay the inevitable!” She shouts before coughing up blood in her hand.

Tiffany is right. The glimmer of hope we saw just a moment ago, was a lie. There’s nothing we can do to stop Ava at this point, and I’m sure even Ordelia knows that too. She takes a deep breath.

“…Okay, let’s get out of here then.” Ordelia says, lifting herself up from the ground. Her limbs still feel heavy, but the headache is subsiding.

“That isn’t possible for me anymore.”

“What do you mean that isn’t possible, you just said-” Ordelia argues, before noticing the scene in front of her.

Blood drips from the blade of Ava’s scythe while Tiffany’s bottom half lies in the grass before her. Neither of us noticed since she was crawling on the ground, yet she managed to crawl to Ordelia with her top half alone. It never even occurred to us that something was amiss, but the delirium from that headache wasn’t helping.

Ordelia covers her mouth as her legs start trembling. Unlike before, the effects of that drug are gone, so there’s no hope of Tiffany healing herself.

“Sintobi, where are you? I know you’re there, what should I do?!” Ordelia shouts, her heartbeat quickening. Almost going faint, she hunches over and pukes in the grass.

Her outburst surprises me to the point I almost answer, but then I remember his face. His words.

Which is precisely why mortal nobility should know their place…

I open my mouth, but the words won’t escape. If this was the result of them correcting fate, who knows what else they might be capable of. I fear the thought of not being able to save Ava, but I am more terrified at the thought of not being able to create peace. Mikel and Donavan died for that very cause.

Ava stabs the ground with the blade of her scythe, dragging it in a line. A green light shoots out from the tear as a gravestone rises up.

“Necropolis Valley.” Ava says while tossing her scythe. Ordelia jumps out of the way, but realizes that it wasn’t meant for her.

The scythe pierces Tiffany's back; standing up like the sword in the proverbial stone. Tiffany gasps and coughs up more blood, as sparks of her remaining Influence are siphoned by the scythe.

Tiffany struggles to crawl away, the scythe in her back pinning her to the ground.

“Ordelia…I’m sorry to say this but…we’ve lost.” Tiffany says with tears rolling down her face, as the light in her heather gray eyes dullen. They turn glassy, devoid of their spark.

Light blue sparks envelop the gravestone, while an invisible force etches letters in the stone. Spelling the name…

T-I-F-F-A-N-Y E-L-I-S-E

“Mmm, to think I would get an elven soul with this much potential as my first kill. I almost fear that my palate will become too refined, but it’s so delicious!” Ava says with such excitement that her face is flushed red. She attempts to hold back her giddiness by putting her hands on her face, yet she continues giggling.

“Ava, you have to stop! This isn't like you!” Ordelia shouts.

Ava turns towards Ordelia with a giggle. “Do you really think you’ll be spared? My Necropolis desires the souls of the brave, and you’ve proven your courage more than enough!”

That determined look in her eye, it's the same look she gave me when we fought. Except her expression was a lot less giddy and more dejected. The girl I see in front of us isn't the same woman I met, and the reason for that must be the passage of time. Or to be more accurate, the passage of fate itself.

I still have yet to understand her Tale “The Headless Horseman”, but what’s clear is that it comes with an innate desire to kill. And if this is the mission of her Tale, it means we’ve been at the mercy of it’s plot this entire time.

Ava walks forwards and rips her scythe from Tiffany’s dead body. “Now that I think about it, I guess we’re finally alone. What happened to that supposed ‘intruder’? Did he abandon you?”

Ordelia’s hands tremble as an amber glow rises within her. I know she wants to fight her way out of this, but her legs are still shaking. And while it seems she’s still under the effects of the drugs, her Influence is in no way comparable to Ava’s. And Monotony’s stench is getting worse as time passes.

With the black ooze still seeping from her eyes, it’s apparent that his presence is near. For a god that embodies monotony, the result of his actions are in excess.

She stares at us with a grin, watching as Ordelia trembles. If Ava were to make the first move, Ordelia would die. When realizing that, it’s clear that Ordelia has some semblance of an upperhand in that regard, so her first move should be too…

“Run.” I whisper.

With every fiber of her being flaring up, Ordelia turns tails and sprints into the forest. Ava cackles, her distant laughter echoing throughout the forest with an ever-looming presence. Along with the crunching of leaves and grass beneath Ordelia’s feet come the sounds of rustling trees and snapping branches behind her. Hearing Ava’s laughter getting closer, she produces the threads of The Cats Cradle from her fingertips.

With a slight hop, she laces them around the branches before us, before swinging forwards. Her forward momentum quickens, but each shot of thread differs with the distance needed to swing. Leaving Ordelia with minor cuts and bruises with every twist and turn, as she scrapes herself against the many trees on her path. But it doesn’t bother her, since being put to the edge of Ava’s scythe would be far worse.

“What happened mom? Too scared to face your own daughter?!” Ava shouts, butchering droves of trees in her pursuit. Bark crumbling under the sheer intensity of her malice, conducting an orchestra of fauna-cide.

“If you get caught this’ll really be the end.” I say to Ordelia.

“That’s rich coming from someone who was about to abandon me.” She says to me gasping for air, before kicking off an incoming tree and latching to another.

“I never intended on abandoning you, I just…”

“You just what? Don’t tell me after all this it’s starting to scare you?” She shouts with a condescending tone.

Again the words get caught in my throat, as her worry intensifies.

“You’re kidding me, right?” She asks with a shaky voice, taking my lack of response as well as my thoughts as a confirmation of her suspicions. “Dammit!”

Her heartbeat quickens as she lunges forward, but she notices something gleaming out the corner of her eye. The air makes a sharp whistle as Ava’s scythe sweeps past Ordelia’s neck after leaning away from the merciless blade. The black aura surrounding it bubbles up with a thick miasma, as It howling like a wild beast. The stench is growing stronger, along with her impatience.

Ordelia falls to the ground on her feet. Ava scoffs as she descends with a downward kick.

“Dance of Lightning: Snap!” Ava shouts, as black sparks trail along her leg. Filling the air with a familiar sound of static.

That’s Tiffany technique she’s using, no, she’s making it her own. The light blue sparks are now streaks of black lightning, that numbs our senses. Ordelia bolsters her Influence in an instant, blocking Ava’s overhead kick with her forearms. The surge of Influence rushes through her like a live current, cratering the ground beneath her.

Ordelia grabs Ava’s foot as red threads bleed from her fingertips and wraps around her leg. Ordelia tosses her aside and uses her other arm to shoot out more thread to make her escape. When she tugs against the threads to lunge forward, they snap. Ordelia kneels as segments of thread flutter and dissipate in the wind. It feels like everything is suddenly spinning.

“Seems like you’ve run out of steam, huh?” Ava mocks from behind her.

Ordelia holds on to her forehead as she faces her. Noticing the steadiness in her steps along with the pearly white grin peeking from under her dark hood, I wonder if all of this was worth it. Other than the tears on her cloak, she’s pretty much unscathed. Unbothered by the events that have already taken place and the future that lies ahead of her. This is what a Tale looks like. She’s aware she has no equal.

“It’s hard to tell if you're still the same sweet girl. Kids sure do grow up fast, huh?” Ava says.

“They sure do, and what’s great is that we tend to outlive our parents.” Ava says with a sharp glare, putting the blade of her scythe against Ordelia’s neck. “Isn't that wonderful?”

Raising the tip of her blade, Ava tilts Ordelia’s head upwards forcing her to stare face-to-face. Staring into the jade-like pupil within Ava’s black sclera, I feel a lump form in my throat. Ordelia gulps it down with the hopes of calming her nerves, yet she’s still feels tense. She doesn't want everything to end here.

“It’s a miracle that any of us can survive in this world. I’m just happy that such a future is at least guaranteed for you.”

“Sounds like you’ve given up.” Ava insists, squinting at her in contempt.

“Never…not on you at least.”

A deafening silence is cast between them as they stare into each other's eyes. A gust of wind rushes past, rustling the almost endless greenery around us. Ava’s cloak flutters in the breeze as her scythe starts trembling, but this time, I sense no malice coming from it. Looking closer, I realize it’s Ava that’s shaking.

“Lies! You’d rather die than promise me you’ll stay!” Ava shouts as the wind blows away her hood, revealing her tearful expression.

I’ve been assuming that the sporadic changes in her mood are a consequence of her Turning Point, but I’m starting to believe that it’s more than just that. She fluctuates between being on the verge of tears and excitement at the drop of a hat, it’s too chaotic. Am I missing something?

“If I could promise you that I would, But I can’t! I don’t want to lie to you…” Ordelia shouts back.

“Why not!? Why do you keep all these secrets from me? Just tell me the truth!”

At that moment, the pit of my stomach is lit aflame. The warm sensation seeps through every fiber of Ordelia’s being, begging to be let free. And with a gulp, it rushes forwards. There’s no holding back at this point, its release is imminent. As for what this feeling is, it’s simply…the truth.

“Ava…I’m going to die.” Ordelia says, looking into the tearful eyes of the girl before her. She places fingers together.

“I asked for the truth, so resign your fate to me again-”

“No Ava, whether it’s by your hands or not, my death is inevitable.” Ordelia explains, putting her fingers together. “It’s because of these threads.”

Ava glances at the collection of red threads forming between her hands.

“The Cat's Cradle. Isn’t that just the game we play?” She asks, taking a slight step back lowering her scythe. Each strand withers and disintegrates, numbing Ordelia’s forearms until a sharp pain jolts through them. Indicating that her tank is empty.

“It’s an Instinct, a technique meant to control you and everyone else in the orphanage. It was supposed to stop this from happening, but I-” Ordelia manages to say before going into a coughing fit. While covering her mouth out of reflex, a warm sensation fills her palm. Looking at it, we realize it’s blood.

I assumed she would panic at the sight of her blood, but there’s instead this strange sense of calm. A sense of relief.

“An Instinct, what’s that? Are you still trying to trick me?” Ava ask’s, her face looking more flustered.

Ordelia takes a slow, deep breath. “Does it look like I’m in the shape to trick you?”

Ava’s eyes widened, as if now realizing what’s happening.

“No No No No…” she mumbles while stepping back.

Ava’s eyes dart around aimlessly, as the dark miasma bubbles from underneath her fingernails. Her scythe growling as she grabs the side of her head and grits her teeth, weeping more of the miasma. It trickles over the dark stains left under her eyes, like mascara being redone.

She closes her eyes and hunches a bit as if straining to hold back the Influence welling up inside her. When she opens them, the sclera of her right eye is now white, while the other is still black.

She drops her scythe and falls to her knees while grabbing on to both sides of her head. Her moaning and groaning continues for a few moments, like an animal stricken with nightmares in its sleep. She goes quiet.

She raises her head. “...Where am I?”

Ava looks around at the forest with a blank expression. Her chaotic ego has diminished, along with her shrill tone of voice. If you’d seen the girl as she was just a moment, you’d believe that was the real Ava. But no, this is her.

She turns towards us. “Ms.Ordelia! What’s wrong, are you hurt?”

With a look of horror, she runs over to us. With all these cuts and bruises on Ordelia, it’s easy to understand why she looks so devastated. But she doesn't seem to realize that she is the cause of it all.

“Yes, sweetie, I’m okay-” Ordelia mutters before going into another coughing fit, spewing more blood. Some spatters on Ava’s cloak as everything starts going blurry. Ordelia shakes away the momentary dizziness, clearing up her vision, only to see Ava’s teary expression beside her.

“No, you’re coughing up blood! We need to get help!” She shouts with a stutter while glancing at the forest around her. “Is anyone there?! Please help!”

“Ava please, it’s okay. I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.” Ordelia begs as that feeling rushes forwards again.

She places her hand on Ava’s left cheek while gazing into her eyes. Her jade-like pupil gleaming within the dark abyss of her sclera. Her Turning Point isn’t over, yet for some reason it’s taken a pause.

“I need you to listen carefully my dear.” Ordelia says, rubbing Ava’s face as the girl nods. “Whatever happens from this point is not your fault. Even if those around you think you’re a monster, just know that you’re not.”

“Ms.Ordelia what do you mean? Did I do something bad?”

“No, you didn’t. You’re just a bit different from anyone else, and unfortunately some of us couldn’t handle that. It’s not your fault; It’s mine.”

Ordelia hunches over and coughs, leaving an aching pain in my chest.

“Ms.Ordelia!” Ava screams.

She tries catching her breath, but I can feel her blood pooling in the back of my throat. Ordelia’s condition is taking a sudden turn for the worse, and it’ll only get worse. Is it because her Influence is running out? If so, I could supplement hers with my own, but if I were to do that again…

Ordelia caresses Ava’s cheek, wiping away the girl's weeping tears as her own vision gets blurry.

“I know I’ll never be able to make it up to you, but I’m sorry for making you feel so lonely. If I could, I would stay by your side until you start pushing me away, like every child eventually does with their parents.”

“I’d never do that! I want to stay with you forever and ever!” Ava shouts, her voice cracking.

“I know you do, but I’m sorry. Things are gonna start to feel a lot lonelier for you…”

“Huh?” Ava asks, grasping Ordelia’s hand as it caresses her cheek.

“I’m not happy about it, but I am happy that I was able to meet you.” Ordelia says, staring into Ava’s teary eyes. Her words remind of her last words during that vision. No, they’re not a reminder, those were her exact words. Is this the tragedy those two wanted?

Staring into Ava’s sclera still shrouded in black, a thought crosses my mind. Giving Ordelia my Influence would just prolong her suffering, since she’s already fated for a tragic death no matter what. And with the growing stench of the miasma coming from Ava, saving her is becoming less of a possibility. It’s just one of her eyes now, but how long will this last? We’ve already gone past the point of no return.

With Ordelia still caressing her cheek, I for some reason start fixating on that eye. A marble polished by an endless abyss, devoid of the significant emotion her other eye expresses. Still, the miasma weeps from it like tears, though it’s hard to believe that its intention is to convey emotion. After all, it is the result of his Monotony.

In any case, the longer I stare, it becomes clear to me. While the miasma is a foreign entity, it is responding to her mental state. And as this moment between them continues, the further it moves dormant. Like a beast lying in wait.

Realizing this, a sinister thought comes to my mind. For the first time since this all started, I’ve found the perfect opportunity. A tinge of guilt hits me as my fixation heightens. It’s the sort of guilt I’d assume a hunter has before ambushing its prey. She’s so vulnerable.

My reluctance towards affecting this tragedy is fading. No, it’s more like I don’t care anymore. Ordelia wipes dark smudges of miasma across Ava’s delicate skin like a mother comforting her babe. Pushing my Influence through her forearms, I gain possession of those same fingers.

“Heaven shall grant both of you passage…” I say, motioning to press both thumbs under Ava’s eyes.

The air whistles. My grip on Ava’s face loosens. Am I hesitating? No, my conviction is deadset. If it were my own heart, it would be racing right now. Even the blood in Ordelia’s mouth tastes sweeter. Like a hunter mid strike at his prey. It’s euphoric…

Then it hits me. The jolt of pain serves as a wake up call, flushing away that feeling of ecstacy. Shocked by this hindrance, I look at where it’s coming from and that’s when I realize Ordelia’s arm has been cut off.

She falls over screaming in pain as her blood splatters everywhere, like a sprinkler gone awry. Even the possession I had over her left arm was relinquished due to the shock and it makes sense. This is the worst pain I’ve felt thus far, but it’s left her reeling. Ordelia grabs hold of her right shoulder in hopes of stemming the bleeding, as if to lick her wounds.

“Oh my! A sneaky one you are. Taking control of momma when we least expected it. You truly are heartless!” says a familiar voice with a laugh.

Ordelia looks over at Ava, the chaotic look in her eyes is back. Dripping from the blade of her scythe is the blood of her own mother. How is this possible?

“I lose control for only a moment and she nearly gets herself killed. Honestly, why must I be strung along by such a hopeless girl.” Ava laments with that shrill tone of voice. Her meek innocence is gone, leaving this chaotic ego.

A strange sensation fills Ordelia’s throat. “Who…are you?”

“Oh goody, it seems our intruder has finally decided to speak for himself. I suppose mother’s presence is waning.”

She’s right, Ordelia’s consciousness is disappearing and for some reason it’s allowing me to speak with her tongue.

“Who are you?” I ask once again without relent.

“Have you not been paying attention, I am Ava.” She insists with a grin.

“No, you are not Ava. You’re her Tale aren’t you?”

“I’m just as much the innocent girl you’re used to, but I assume you think I’m somehow responsible for what’s to come.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No, I am. I’m just curious as to what I’ve managed to accomplish in the future. I hope I’ve harvested plenty of souls.” She says with a starry look in her eyes.

“If that’s truly the motive of your Tale, then you’ll eventually come to regret it-” I say with a scoff, as I then choke on Ordelia’s blood pooling in her throat. Her consciousness is waning further.

“Being a Tale isn’t just about the motive, but the execution. For every soul I’ll end up taking, it means they were another mortal unfit to be my rider. And it’s only when I find them, that the Tale of The Headless Horseman will be complete.”

The way she’s speaking is so indignant, so unhinged, but I’m sure she's speaking the truth. I remember the look on Ava’s face when she asked me to carry her burdens, and how I believed it was an excuse. She looked so conflicted, so heartbroken, and now I know why. Whether or not I’m talking to The Headless Horseman itself, or the sweet girl that will grown up to be the murderous horsewoman, both cannot lie.

“…Those things you were saying to Ordelia, was that you or Ava?” I ask looking out the corner of our eye, with the side of our face against the ground.

“It was both of us.” She says putting her scythe over her shoulder.

Taking a labored breath, a strange sensation fills our throat. Ordelia’s consciousness pushes forth.

“...I’m sorry to both of you, I wish I could have been more honest.”

Ava bends down to look her in the eyes. “This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t break so easily…”

Standing up, she slices the ground at her side, conjuring another tombstone to rise from out of the ground with a green aura. It lacks an engraving, yet that will change soon enough. Ordelia can barely breath and her injuries are so severe that anything I could do would be akin to puppeting a corpse.

Ava raises her scythe, looming over us like a guillotine over the accused. What are the accusations? Abandonment? Betrayal? Weakness? She has yet to state them, but seeing the grin on her face as she relishes in this moment, she must believe Ordelia is guilty of all three.

Awaiting her fate, a droplet falls on Ordelia’s forehead. Struggling to turn her head towards the sky, further droplets of rain trickle behind it. While it’s a coincidence, I can’t help but feel like someone is weeping. Perhaps a god less cruel than the two I’d met is responsible for this downpour, though if it isn’t, it’s at least an idea worth entertaining.

Ordelia sniffles, each droplet filling the well of sadness in her heart. No, there’s something else with it. A feeling so great that even I, a spectator, cannot comprehend it.

“At least I know now…that my darling Ava won’t be alone after all…” Ordelia laments above a whisper, fighting through her own tears.

Ava’s eyes widen as her arms begin to tremble. The grip on her scythe is still steady but her posture stiffens. The one in control at the moment is the Tale, but the conflicted expression on her face says it all. Ava and her Tale are one in the same.

Torn by indecision, she screams out like a wounded beast. The whistle of her scythe pierces the air, cutting through the sounds of her cries. Everything goes black in an instant. Ava didn’t allow Ordelia a single moment more to spell out her regrets, and while it’s for the best, that’s what makes it more of a tragedy. One where despite her perseverance, Ordelia dies after all.

Floating around in this endless Null, a thought comes to mind. Now what? I was staking so much on changing Ava’s past. If I’d done it, I would have saved those that are going to be killed. Even if their ideals were different, all of them desired one thing. Peace.

And there’s that professor, Ms.Oppix. Who is she, and how is she able to give someone an instinct? Something like that shouldn’t be common, which is why it’s even stranger that she’d abandon Ordelia in the first place. Even if she was going to die, why would she allow her to die like that? Not only is it cruel, but it just doesn't make sense. What was her plan?

Then it hit me. Not an answer to any of those questions, but the realization that I am feeling something else abnormal within this Null. Passion.

It shouldn’t be possible, but my emotions are still uninhibited. Which means I’m either still a spectator and Ordelia isn’t dead, or something else has gone awry.

As an immense pressure weighs down upon me, a shimmering green light fills my vision. I avert my gaze from such radiance, but when I open them, the scene in front of me is blurry.

“Ms.Ordelia!” Ava wails, wiping away the tears in her eyes with her palms. Her vision clears, laying bare the tragedy before me.

The rain showers her trembling body, failing to wash away this sense of desperation as she tries shaking Ordelia awake. She wants the scene before her not to be true, but is unaware of how and why everything ended up like this. This is the real Ava…or is it?

Out of the corner of her eye, I see Ordelia’s head lying there in the glistening wet grass with the blade of Ava’s scythe planted next to it. It’s a tragic sight, but the look on her face is peaceful. In the end, while Ordelia managed to find peace through death, Ava will find nothing but hardship from this Turning Point onward.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Ava repeats to herself in that shrill tone of voice.

“If you're so sorry, then save Ms.Ordelia!” Ava shouts at herself in her normal voice. It seems she’s at odds with her Tale, meaning she’s at odds with herself.

“I can’t. No, I won’t! The Necropolis Valley must be filled with the unworthy-”

“Ms.Ordelia had nothing to do with this! She was the only-”

“She isn’t our mother, she was using you-”

“That isn’t true! She would never do that-”

“Just look at it, look at the fruits of her hard work. The technique they were using to bind us!”

Ava raises her hands, and a collection of red threads shoot from her fingertips into the palm of her hands. Each thread is thicker and more vibrant, as it weaves together a ball of yarn.

“This is The Cats Cradle…” Ava says, sounding astonished.

“Yes, that accursed game she played with us. You can feel it’s power can’t you? It’s ability to reel in those most vulnerable, that’s why it never worked on us. Even so, her intentions were clear-”

“Me and her played with this when I was sad. She always had a smile on her face…”

Feelings of longing fill my chest as she stares at the thick ball of yarn in her hand. Her shoulders quiver as tears well up in her eyes again.

Her Tale’s ego pushes forward, gritting her teeth. “How can you still think so fondly of her? She was lying to you-”

“…I knew she was lying to me, but she was also lying to everyone else too. She wanted to protect all of us…” she musters to say above a whimper, her voice cracking. “…Now I’m alone.”

Ava falls to her knees while hugging her shoulders. Staring at the grass beneath her, the rain washes away the tears, leaving me with an indescribable feeling of sadness. One too unique even for me.

Some would consider rain as a moment of solace, but for her, it only reaffirms that sadness. With each tear being much smaller than the next raindrop, everything around her feels so much bigger. Making her feel so much smaller. More alone.

Even her Tale seems to have fallen back, perhaps out of a sense of remorse? It’s hard to say, since both of them are at a loss for words.

A tingling sensation hits me, one separate from both the girl and her Tale. It’s something else, something familiar. Like a hand rummaging through my very being, each finger squirms around with urgency, searching for something. Until one of its fingers touches something, tremoring every fiber of my being.

My mind goes blank.

Where am I? Wait…

For a split second, it felt like my soul was torn asunder, but now I’m whole again. I had almost forgotten the position I’m in. I am the spectator. One whose existence is to watch as inevitable events transpire right in front of him.

…No, that isn’t me.

That’s just what her ability wants me to be. Then they appear, as if they’ve always been there.

Red Threads.

Vast sprawls of woven thread appear out of thin air. With the sheer number and length of each strand, its presence is akin to beholding an arachnid's magnum opus. And since it’s still within this Null, what is around me is just a mere fraction of the seemingly inconceivable amount of threadwork.

Some are even wrapped around my arms and legs, but none of it feels unusual. I get the sense that these threads have always been there, binding me in place. Restricting my being from the very moment I got here, but only now can I feel them constricting me.

A rush of pain shoots through me, causing that fear from just a second ago to reemerge. The very same hand scours further, only to grab hold of something far more vital. In an instant, my heart races in realization of what’s gripping.

My soul.

Buzzing fills my ears, as every fiber of my being, down to the very tips of my fingers and toes, hums in accordance to its rummaging. I’m immobilized to the very core, as these sensations reawaken my own sense of touch. With all this stimuli, my mind is running a mile a millisecond. I need to keep up…

Right as my consciousness starts to linger, a cacophony of horns and sirens blare in my ears. I never thought such an ensemble could be so abrupt, but it’s there; Bouncing around within its own echoes against my very soul, reminding me that I am in disarray. Without my body, I am just a spectator. Intertwined within The Cats Cradle.

And as I realize that, the hand snatches away my core, taking me along with it. The threads that once binded me come loose, as it pulls me through the endless webs of red thread. While the concept of distance is Null, the speed at which I am advancing is clear. Then there’s a breeze.

…

“Well, you certainly got yourself tangled up in a mess, didn’t you Sintobi?” greets a voice.

Upon opening my eyes, I’m met with the sight of a familiar face. The mysterious man himself.