Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The strange green fluid bubbles and gurgles from inside the tube. Kurayami floats peacefully inside of it, his eyes closed gently. Kusuo and Aren stare at him in shock, beginning to step away. Metori, on the other hand, steps forward, pain and horror in his eyes.

“…Father,” he whispers.

Iris hovers up to the tube, scanning it up and down. Her eyes flash a bright blue.

“Facial match confirmed,” she says. “That is indeed Kurayami Saiko.”

“No way…” mutters Kusuo. “What on earth is he doing here? What’s that tube?”

Aren grits his teeth, furious. “You’re telling me the whole time we’ve been stuck on this damn island, the man responsible for everything has just been floating here?!”

Metori continues to gaze at the tank, an unidentifiable expression on his face. He observes his father’s slumbering face, taking shaky breaths.

“Why have you been hiding all this, father?” he murmurs. “You must tell me everything.”

“Yeah, the rest of us might have some questions for him as well,” growls Kusuo, glaring at the sleeping man. “How do we get him out?”

Aren has already begun to press random buttons on the computer, gritting his teeth. A sucking sound like a bathtub draining water rings out as the green fluid in the tank begins to empty. Kurayami is suspended in the air from the various tubes attached to his body.

“Aren, I advise against waking him suddenly,” Iris warns, a worried frown on her face. “Long periods of suspended animation can-“

Loud pops sound as the tubes detach themselves from Kurayami’s body. The glass tank retracts into the ceiling and Kurayami slumps forward, clad only in his underwear. Metori quickly catches him as the tank’s green fluid forms a puddle on the office floor. Kurayami winces and his eyes slowly flutter open, hazy and unfocused.

“Y…you…” he mumbles, his deep voice barely above a whisper.

Metori’s lip quivers, a pain-filled expression on his face. His voice is shaky and desperate.

“That’s right. It’s me, father. I’m here.”

Kurayami weakly pushes himself out of Metori’s grip, ignoring the boy’s protests. He staggers over to the windows and gazes out at the ocean, the horizon beginning to tinge orange with dawn as Kurayami mutters slurred words under his breath.

‘It really took us a while to figure out the password, huh?’ Kusuo thinks as he cautiously watches the man.

“The…Endless…is…” rambles Kurayami, swaying on his feet. “The…crystals…”

Kusuo’s eyes widen, remembering that title from the diary entries.

“The Endless?” he repeats. “Who is that? What are you talking about?”

Kurayami turns toward him, eyes hazy…when a loud thwack sounds out as Aren punches the man in the face. Kurayami falls to the ground as Kusuo, Metori and Iris stare in shock at the seething boy.

“What the hell are you doing, Kuboyasu?!” shouts Metori. “That’s my father!”

Kurayami tries to get up, but stumbles, falling through his desk chair and sprawling onto the ground. Aren marches toward him, fists clenched as Iris quickly gets in front of him.

“Aren, I advise restraint-“

Aren marches straight through the hologram, rage in his eyes. Kusuo quickly darts in between Aren and Kurayami, holding his hands up.

“Hold it, Kuboyasu. What do you think you’re doing?” he asks.

“He’s responsible for all of this, Saiki,” Aren snarls in reply. “It’s time he answers for it!”

Kusuo sighs. “I get that. I honestly want to slug him too, okay? He’ll answer for whatever crimes or illegal shit he’s done eventually, but first we need answers. And we won’t get them if you just beat him until he can’t even form a thought.”

Aren falters, looking at Metori, who is looking on in shock and worry. His gaze shifts to Kurayami, who is looking at him from the ground, eyes unfocused. He shakily points at Aren.

“You…” he mutters.

Aren sighs and lowers his fist, crossing his arms. Metori sighs in relief and Iris smiles gratefully at Kusuo.

“Thank you, Saiki,” says Metori.

“No problem,” Kusuo answers. “Let’s get him downstairs to recover. We’re not getting any answers until he’s lucid.”

The two of them help Kurayami up, Aren scowling and looking away. They hook the man’s arms around their shoulders to support him, Kurayami’s head lolling as he looks at Aren.

“I’m…sorry…Kiku…” he whispers, delirious and almost incoherent.

Kusuo lets out a curious hum, but Kurayami’s eyes flutter as he falls unconscious.

The faint light of dawn shines into The Celestial’s grand atrium. Vines and foliage are spread across the floor and on the railings of the many hallways that ascend upward, the resort clearly having been untended to for over six months. The two elevators rest in the middle of the two collections of hallways and  a small fish tank rests on the right, next to a door that leads to the lobby.

The group are crowded around Kurayami, who is sleeping under a blanket on one of the couches. Many of them are exchanging looks, as if they’re not sure what they’re seeing is real. Furball is sniffing the man, growling slightly.

“So…this is your dad?” asks Riki, arching an eyebrow.

“Indeed,” Metori answers.

“Oh, I’m so relieved he’s alright!” sighs Lila, placing a hand over her heart.

“Dude, your dad is shredded!” exclaims Aiura. “Isn’t he in his forties?”

Metori gives her a look, clearly weirded out and Aiura coughs, looking at her shoes.

“Well, let us hope he can get us out of here when he wakes up,” says Touma. “Maybe he knows what’s going on or he’s got a helicopter or something.”

“Yeah,” agrees Hairo. “And more importantly, he might know something about Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera.”

The group all nod and wander off, exhausted after last night’s ordeal. Kusuo slumps onto a nearby couch, Hairo sitting down next to him.

“Everyone’s looking pretty rough, huh?” he says. “Maybe we should all get some rest.”

“I don’t think anyone’s gonna rest well until we find out what happened with Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera,” Kusuo answers, rubbing his eyes. “I know I’m not.”

“Same here,” sighs Hairo. “Maybe we should rally everyone up and figure out a battle plan.”

“That’s a good idea,” Kusuo replies, getting up and stretching. “I’ll go check up on everyone.”

He walks away, hearing giggling coming from near the fountain resting in the middle of the room.

“Oh my god, you’re right! It is!”

“It so is!”

Kusuo walks over to where Riki, Aiura and Imu are sitting on a couch facing the fountain, giggling and laughing into their hands. He arches an eyebrow at the state of them.

“What’s going on here?” he asks.

“Buddy!” Riki greets, laughing. He points at the fountain. “Check it, dude!”

Kusuo turns and observes the fountain, clear blue water cascading down. A marble statue of a man in a toga stands on a pedestal in the center, hand outstretched. Engraved in the bottom of the pool is a circle of Roman numerals.

“So…what am I supposed to be looking at?” he asks.

“The statue!” Imu cries. “In the toga! Can you tell who it’s supposed to be?”

Kusuo observes the statue’s face. The hair, goatee and facial structure overall looks a lot like…His eyes widen and his lips twitch as he struggles not to laugh.

“Is…is that Kurayami?”

“Yeah! It is!” laughs Riki. “I can’t believe we never noticed it before!”

“I mean, we haven’t been in the atrium much…” says Kusuo, letting out a small chuckle.

“The guy literally put a statue of himself in a toga in the middle of his own hotel!” cackles Aiura, holding her stomach. “I’m cocky as hell, but I’m not even in this guy’s league!”

The three of them collapse onto each other, laughing hysterically. Delirious from exhaustion, no doubt. A soft smile flits across Kusuo’s face at the sight.

“Wonder if this is how Kurayami can help us,” he says. “All he has to do is dress up in a toga, pose, and everything will magically be fixed due to his perfect, chiseled abs.”

Riki, Aiura and Imu’s laughter intensifies as they point at the statue and struggle to catch their breath.

“Make sure to keep your heads,” chuckles Kusuo. “I need you to be at least a bit sane when we make a plan to save Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera.”

They all nod, still laughing and falling over each other. Kusuo shakes his head in amusement, before turning and walking away. He spots Shun and Kokomi on a nearby couch, Iris hovering next to them and Furball sitting nearby. Shun is holding a cloth to his nose, Kokomi talking to him. Kusuo walks over, concern rising in his chest.

“Everything okay?” he asks.

They all turn to look at him, Shun removing the cloth from his face. His nose looks relatively fine but the cloth is bloody.

“Oh, hey Saiki!” he greets. “Just a little nosebleed, is all. No big deal!”

“Well, it was a bad one,” murmurs Kokomi, looking worried. “It was heavy and wouldn’t stop for a while, but I think we’re okay now.”

“Yup! Nothing the Jet Black Wings can’t handle!” exclaims Shun. “So, what’s up, Saiki? How are you doing?”

Kusuo frowns, observing the state of his friend. Shun’s face is quite pale and he just looks awful all around. Kokomi seems to have noticed this too, the girl biting her lip worriedly.

“Is he…really okay, Teruhashi?” Kusuo asks her.

Iris’ eyes flash as she scans Shun’s body. “Shun’s blood pressure: rather high. Weight loss detected. White blood cell count-“

“Guys, I’m fine!” Shun interrupts, waving his hand and laughing nervously. “Seriously, it was just a nosebleed.”

Furball whimpers and nuzzles up to Shun, who pets him softly. Kusuo and Kokomi exchange concerned looks and Kokomi frowns worriedly.

“I just think going through the portal had a much bigger effect on you than it did the rest of us, Kaido,” she says, trying to feel his pulse on his wrist. “Let me take a look at-“

Shun immediately pulls his hand away, glaring at her.

“I said I’m fine, okay?!”

Kokomi looks at him in shock and Kusuo arches an eyebrow. That definitely wasn’t the reaction he expected. Guilt fills Shun’s eyes as he relaxes, fiddling with his fingers.

“I-I’m sorry,” he apologises. “I didn’t mean to snap like that…I just…”

“We’re just worried, Kaido,” states Kusuo. “Let her check on you.”

Shun looks at him for a moment, before sighing and looking at the ground, silently admitting defeat in this matter. Kokomi shoots Kusuo a grateful look, before quickly checking Shun over, frowning.

“Okay, I think you’re fine for now,” she says. “But I’m gonna have to keep an eye on you. Are you gonna let me do that?”

“…Yeah.”

Kusuo looks at Kokomi, impressed. “Didn’t know you were so skilled in the medical field, Teruhashi.”

“Oh! I was always interested in medical things as a child, so I know a lot,” she answers, rubbing her head sheepishly. “Just a little hobby.”

“Hobby?” Iris repeats. “How strange. You could most definitely become a doctor if you wanted to with your knowledge!”

Kokomi blinks in shock, chuckling and rubbing her arm.

“No, no…Everyone’s always said I should become a model,” she murmurs. “Thank you for the compliment, though.”

'But is being a model what you want to do?’ Kusuo thinks.

Shun turns to look at Kusuo. “So, why’d you come over here, Saiki?”

“Just to see how you guys are doing,” he answers. “We need to be in good shape if we’re gonna save Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera. Think you guys are up for it?”

Shun nods immediately. Kokomi eyes the boy for a moment, before turning to Kusuo.

“I think we’re up to it.”

Kusuo nods and walks away, wandering around the atrium. He spots Metori leaning against a nearby wall, gazing down at his father’s sleeping form.

“Saiko,” Kusuo calls as he walks up to the boy. “Everything okay?”

Metori sighs in response, briefly closing his eyes. He continues to observe Kurayami, who remains dead to the world on the couch.

“I’m…just a bit conflicted,” admits Metori. “I am extremely happy my father is alive and unharmed but…”

“He invited us here knowing full well how weird and dangerous this island is?” Kusuo finishes.

“Yes. That,”  Metori shakes his head, his gaze hardening. “It’ll be fine. My father’s actions are…questionable, but I’m sure he has a good reason.”

Kusuo lets out a reluctant hum of agreement. He’s certain that Kurayami’s reasons for this whole charade were anything but good, but he wasn’t so insensitive that he’d just say that to his son.

“We’ll be sure to question him when he wakes up,” says Kusuo. “Sorry, but we’re not really gonna be gentle about it. We need answers if we’re gonna rescue Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera.”

Metori sighs. “I have nothing against that. I feel the same way.”

Kusuo nods and walks away, approaching the last few people in the group. Hairo, Aren, Touma and Lila are gathered near the door to the lobby, deep in discussion.

“What’s going on here?” he asks as he approaches.

“Just trying to figure out who it was that could’ve been here these past six months,” Aren answers, sighing frustratedly as he runs a hand through his hair.

Lila cocks her head to the side curiously. “What do you mean?”

“We’ve been gone for over six months, Lila,” says Hairo. “And somebody’s obviously been spending time in here.”

“Iris said she didn’t detect anyone else coming into the hotel, though…” mutters Kusuo, frowning in confusion.

“Just because she didn’t notice doesn’t mean they weren’t there,” Touma replies. “AI like her can have faults despite how amazing they seem. Besides, furniture and a lot of other things have been moved around all over the place. It’s almost like someone has been living here…looking for something.”

“And we found that crazy note ranting about the Hadean zodiac on the reception desk…” adds Aren, causing Kusuo’s eyes to widen.

“That note led us to Kurayami. Maybe whoever it was came here looking for him.”

Hairo sighs and scratches at his neck. “Maybe, but…I just can't help thinking-Well, worrying more like. Did people come to rescue us? Did we miss our chance to escape when we jumped through time?”

Aren snorts. “Trust me, Hairo. If anyone came to this island looking for us, it’s to silence us. Permanently.”

“Real optimistic there, Kuboyasu.”

“Just saying.”

“I just don’t understand what you’re asking me, though,” Lila cuts in, pouting slightly.

“Schedules, timetables, shipments…Anything you know about arrivals to La Huerta, long-term,” states Touma. “We were only thinking short-term before, but it’s been over half a year now.”

“I…” Lila blinks rapidly, sweat beading on her forehead. “L-Lila doesn’t know these things off the top of her head! Lila’s only a tour guide!”

The boys blink in confusion and exchange looks, Hairo looking at Lila with concern. The woman takes a deep breath and composes herself, tidying up her hair and uniform.

“My apologies. I’m quite stressed at the moment. But…what if it was Reita, Chiyo and Chisato? I mean, if they escaped, it makes sense that they would come here.”

Aren frowns. “True…but wouldn’t they be here now if that were the case?”

“I know we’re all drained, but we have to figure out a way to get them back,” declares Hairo. “Saiki, have you checked in with everyone?”

“Yeah. They’re all ready to go.”

“Perfect. Let’s gather up and figure something out.”

Everyone is seated on a cluster of chairs and couches a few moments later, Hairo standing in front and ready to address the group. He looks at Kusuo, who gives him a nod, before speaking up.

“Thanks to the time portal gun, we’ve left Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera out there with the Watchers for over six months. We need to get them back now.”

Metori scoffs, though worry clouds his eyes. “Easier said than done. How are we supposed to pull off a stunt like that?”

“We hunt down some Watcher ass and make ‘em regret ever messing with us!” Aiura cries, Furball barking in agreement.

“Yeeeeeah! Let’s kick some ass!” cheers Riki.

Shun sighs in annoyance. “We don’t even know where they are, idiot.”

“Huh?! Well I’ll just find ‘em then, shorty!”

“That’s not how it works!”

Kusuo glares at the two of them to make them shut up. A flicker of a smile appears on Hairo’s lips.

“I vote for an expedition,” he says. “Something to get a read on our new situation and pick up the trail.”

“A six month old trail,” argues Aren. “It’s ice cold.”

“Well, what do you think, Kuboyasu?” Kokomi asks.

“I think they’re dead.”

Silence. Pure silence falls over the group as everyone looks at Aren with varying expressions.

“Aren…” Shun whispers, looking at him sadly.

“What the hell, dude?!” yells Imu. “You can’t just say stuff like that!”

Aren holds his arms up in a peacemaking gesture. “Look, I don’t want it to be true either, okay? But it’s a possibility. And at this point, a likely one. We have to keep that in mind.”

The group all eye each other anxiously, Kusuo sighing in annoyance.

“Whatever happened to them, it’s us who’ll be as good as dead if we go out there without a plan or a destination,” he states.

“He’s right,” agrees Touma. “The best thing we can do is try to find some answers here first. Something that will tell us where the Watchers took Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera.”

Hairo nods at them both before clapping his hands and looking out at the group with a determined look.

“Okay, guys. I know we just had a long, long night, but our friends are counting on us. Rest a bit, freshen up a little, but then we’ve gotta search this place up and down.”

“What about him?”

Aiura jerks her head over to Kurayami, still motionless on the couch.

Hairo observes the man, frowning slightly. “I don’t think he’s going anywhere.”

A cool sea breeze greets Kusuo as he walks into his room. He blinks in surprise at the shards of glass littering the floor, his eyes wandering to the shattered window in front of him.

“Oh, yeah. That happened.” he mutters to himself.

He walks into the bathroom and tiredly turns on the sink, splashing cold water on his face. The chill travels down his spine and through his nerves, his mind becoming more alert at the sensation. He looks up into the mirror and-

“Damn! And here I thought I looked like hell!”

“Saiki, you seriously look like you need a nap.”

“Are you okay, Saiki?”

The reflections of Reita, Chiyo and Chisato are standing behind him, amusement in their eyes and grins adorning their faces. Kusuo whips around to find nothing but the glass of the shower staring back at him. He sighs and rubs at his eyes.

‘Guilt hallucinations,’ the words immediately come to mind as Kusuo sighs. ‘Not a good sign.’

He looks back at the mirror. Black bags are beginning to form underneath his eyes, bruises splotching across his face from his tussles with the Watchers. A few bandaids are scattered across as well.

Kusuo sighs. Guess it really was a rough night, he looks like absolute shit. Well, sitting around here moping wasn’t going to get anything done. He splashes more water on his face, before going back into his room to change.

Kusuo finds himself walking onto the rooftop, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjust to the sudden brightness. The sun has fully risen in the sky, light shining down onto the island below. Kokomi is standing near the railing, looking out at the rainforest through a pair of binoculars.

“Found anything?” asks Kusuo as he walks up to her.

Kokomi turns and smiles at him in greeting. “No. I thought the Watchers might still be patrolling, but looks like they really gave up.”

“Well, it has been over six months. If I were them, I’d give up too after that long,” Kusuo says, leaning on the railing and looking out at the ocean.

Kokomi hums in agreement. The two continue to watch the blue waves roll across the shore, Kusuo sighing. After last night, he really just needed to look at something like this. It helped ground him, make him realise this was all real. He’d even briefly forgotten about the situation with his powers.

“I’m so worried about Chiyo, Mera and Toritsuka,” murmurs Kokomi. “I can’t believe we just abandoned them like that.”

“We didn’t abandon them,” Kusuo replies, though a small seed of guilt flickers in his chest. “If we hadn’t time jumped, all of us would’ve gotten caught. This way, we can at least come up with a plan and rescue them.”

“I know, but…” Kokomi bites her lip. “I just…don’t even know how I’m going to look at myself in the mirror. Not after letting them be taken away. What if Kuboyasu’s right and they’re…”

She trails of and looks down at the rainforest below, sunlight reflecting off tears that refuse to fall. Kusuo scowls. He had spent enough time with Kokomi that he knew this wasn’t a facade. She was really upset and worried. It was good that she was showing more of her true emotions but he really wishes the circumstances were different. He couldn’t blame her for thinking that way, after everything that had happened. The ocean waves reflect in his eyes as they crash against the shore.

“Kuboyasu’s right, it is a possibility that we have to keep in mind,” admits Kusuo. “But deep down, I feel as if that’s not the case.”

“What do you mean?” Kokomi inquires as she turns to him. “Is it something to do with your powers, or just gut instinct?”

“Gut instinct, mainly. But there’s something else,” replies Kusuo. “You know how I kind of mind-melded with that one Watcher, probably due to my powers, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, he didn’t seem malicious. He wanted us to go with him, but he didn’t want to use force like he did. And back when he first broke in when I was with Nendo…well, it’s complicated, but he could have easily gotten us then, but chose to give up that chance and…help us in a way.

I’m still pissed he attacked and tried to capture us but…Even if the other Watchers are more aggressive, I think that guy will, or did, prevent Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera from being killed.”

Kokomi sighs. “I hope you’re right. I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to them.”

“I’m sure they’re fine,” Kusuo reassures, surprised at his own optimistic words. “Mera’s tough, and Yumehara and Toritsuka are pretty capable themselves. Keep looking out for any sign of them, will you?”

“Of course.”

Crackling and hissing fills Kusuo’s ears as he walks into the game room’s hidden security center. Static is visible on all the monitors, the previous footage of the hotel’s various rooms nowhere in sight. Aren is sitting on one of the chairs, hitting one of the desktops.

“Hey, Kuboyasu,” greets Kusuo, Aren jerking his head in reply. “What’s up with the screens?”

“Someone turned all the security cameras off and then cut all the wires,” Aren grumbles. “Akechi was in here a bit earlier and even he couldn’t fix ‘em.”

“Well, that’s just perfect,” Kusuo mutters sarcastically, crossing his arms. “Now we have no idea who was in here these last six months. Whether it was Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera, the Watchers or someone else.”

Aren groans in frustration, kicking the desk in frustration. “It’s pointless! What was the point of that time jump if we can’t even do anything?!”

“Don’t get so worked up,” Kusuo says. “That’s the last thing we need.”

“Of course I’m gonna get worked up!” Aren snarls back. “Three of our friends are somewhere out on this godforsaken island, possibly dead, and there’s not a damn thing I can do that’ll help!”

Kusuo doesn’t reply to that, frowning. Looks like Kokomi’s not the only one worried about the others. Aren sighs and slumps down in his seat.

“Sorry. I’m sorry, I got carried away…I just hate not being able to do anything, being useless. It’s the worst.”

“I get that,” Kusuo empathises. “But getting all angry and hitting stuff isn’t providing any help either.”

“Yeah, I know,” Aren groans. “I really gotta work on my anger issues.”

Kusuo nods and looks around. Small sparks emit from the cut wires as the static continues to crackle around them. Many file cabinets still lay untouched around the small room, making Kusuo’s eyes glint with a sudden thought.

“Well, if you want to be useful, why don’t you look through some of the files in here?” suggests Kusuo. “There might be some valuable information.”

“Oh, yeah! I can do that! Sweet idea!”

Aren moves to one of the cabinets as Kusuo smirks to himself. As he begins to walk out of the room, Aren suddenly turns to him.

“Oh, hey Saiki? Sorry to ask, but can you check on Shun for me? Something’s clearly off with him, but when I tried asking earlier he just brushed me off. I’m worried.”

Kusuo nods. “I’ll do my best.”

He finds Shun standing on the beach, just outside of the pool area’s gate. The boy is kneeling on the sand, looking intently at something and muttering to himself. He turns his head and grins as he hears Kusuo approaching him.

“Saiki! Come and look what I found!”

Kusuo arches an eyebrow and does just that, Shun standing up as he does. Multiple black volcanic rocks are strewn across the beach, standing out against the golden sand.

“That’s new,” he exclaims.

“Yeah, but it’s not just that,” says Shun. “Look at how they’re placed.”

He and Kusuo walk to the shore, until the water is up to their ankles. Thanks to the better view, Kusuo can clearly see what the other boy is talking about. The rocks spell out three enormous letters, ‘SOS’.

“Someone signalling for help?” he questions aloud. “Was one of the others here earlier and they did this or…?”

“Nope,” replies Shun. “And this definitely wasn’t here when we jumped. Maybe our mysterious visitor?”

“Maybe. Or maybe Lila’s right,” Kusuo tries. “Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera escaped the Watchers and this was them. Makes sense that they wouldn’t stay here, the Watchers would know where they are.”

Shun purses his lips, nodding and scuffing his feet in the sand.

“What do you think about what Aren said?” he asks. “Do you think they’re…even alive right now?”

Kusuo sighs. “I'm not sure, but I want to believe that they are.”

“You, believing in something?” Shun chuckles, smirking. “Are you sure you’re Saiki?”

“Very funny. Seriously, though, I don’t think they’re dead. That one Watcher seemed pretty adamant on taking us with him without a fight. It didn’t seem like he wanted to hurt us, so I doubt they ended up killing them.”

Shun hums in agreement, but he still looks skeptical. He gazes out at the ocean, a faraway look on his face as Kusuo eyes him thoughtfully.

“What about you?” he asks. “What do you think happened to them?”

“I…” Shun shakes his head, looking down at the water lapping around his feet. “I don’t know. I don’t want to know.”

“Is there any reason why you feel that way?”

“It’s…complicated,” Shun sighs. “When I was a kid, I didn’t really go out a lot. My parents were pretty overbearing and…lots of stuff outside made me nervous anyways.”

“That trait carried on to your teenage years, huh?”

“Ha ha, very funny. Anyways, since I spent most of my time inside, I didn’t have much to do. But what I could do was read. So I did. I read book after book after book, both fiction and nonfiction.

There was this one book I really liked, I think it had to do with a cat…? I can’t remember the name, but I know it was some kind of experiment. But basically there was this cat that was in a box, and you didn’t know if it was alive or dead until you opened it. But what the story really meant is that you knowing somehow caused the cat to live or die.

So, as long as you never opened the box, the cat was never truly gone. As long as you don’t know…there’s still a chance things are okay. Ever since I read that story, the unknown has always been a comfort to me.”

A small chuckle leaves Kusuo’s mouth as he looks at Shun in amusement.

“Never thought I’d hear something so insightful coming from you,” he teases.

Shun rolls his eyes, before suddenly wincing and pressing a hand to his forehead. Kusuo’s smirk quickly turns into a worried frown.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Shun replies. “Just…bit of a headache is all. Probably dehydrated.”

“Are you sure?” asks Kusuo. “Kuboyasu said you seemed a little off. It’s why he asked me to check on you.”

“He did, huh?” chuckles Shun. “That’s sweet. But, I’m fine, really.”

“…If you say so.”

Kusuo walks into one of the bars on the thirteenth floor an hour later, rubbing his eyes as he lets out a yawn. He’s searched a few more locations, but to no avail. There were no clues or hints whatsoever.

The bar is Western themed, with bright red lighting, saloon-type decor and a mechanical bull in the corner. Riki is riding it happily, waving at Kusuo, as Hairo scavenges through the bar at the back of the room.

“Find anything yet?” he asks.

“No,” Hairo frowns. “But that’s fine! I mean, we haven’t checked out this place, so, woo! Exploring, am I right?”

Kusuo shoots him a confused look. “I mean…yeah, I guess. Are you okay?”

“Pssh! Of course I’m okay!” cries Hairo, picking up a bottle. “See this? It’s from 1923! It's so old!”

“Hairo-“

“How do they manage to preserve stuff like this for so long? Do they put it in a mega-freezer or is it some kind of long, complicated process?”

“Hairo.”

“I mean, I’ve seen a bunch of old wines not in a freezer, so it’s definitely gotta be some kind of-“

“Hairo!”

Hairo goes silent immediately, Kusuo shooting him a concerned look. Hairo was acting a bit fidgety in the atrium before, but now he was acting really weird. The red-haired boy sighs and sits on one of the bar chairs, staring gloomily at the bottle of alcohol. Kusuo sits next to him as Riki continues to wrestle with the mechanical bull in the corner.

“What’s up with you?” Kusuo questions.

“I…I just feel like I failed you all last night,” Hairo answers.

“Failed us? Hairo, what the hell are you talking about?”

Hairo sighs, fiddling with the bottle.

“I’m supposed to be the leader. The one everyone looks to when they need help, the one that keeps everyone safe. And yet I couldn’t save our friends from being captured and now we’re all tired and hurt and have no idea what’s gonna happen…”

He trails off and Kusuo looks at him sadly, sympathy resting in his chest. He figured Hairo would be beating himself up over this more than anyone. Sometimes he hated being right.

“You were an amazing leader last night, Hairo,” he says. “The Watchers had us completely taken off guard but you rallied us together and allowed nearly all of us to escape relatively unharmed. That’s something to be proud of.”

Hairo chuckles bitterly. “Proud? When I let the Watchers take away three of our friends? I hate to say it but Kuboyasu’s right, there’s a good chance that they’re…not around anymore.”

Kusuo’s frown deepens as he looks down at his upset classmate. Riki has finally gotten off the bull and was striding over to them, blinking in confusion.

“Why’re you so sad, Hairo?” he asks. “There’s no way our buddies are dead, they’re super tough!”

‘Well, Mera is,’ Kusuo thinks. ‘The other two…not so much.’

“Yeah, but even if they’re alive, we don’t know where they are or what the Watchers did to them, Nendo,” Hairo laments.

“So we find them and help ‘em out!” declares Riki, beaming. “No big deal!”

Hairo chuckles, a genuine smile beginning to form on his face. Kusuo feels his own mouth begin to twitch upwards as well. Riki may be an idiot, but he sure did know how to cheer people up.

“You’re right, Nendo,” says Hairo. “Let’s-“

A crackling sound suddenly sounds from a nearby speaker, muffled thumps accompanying it. Aiura’s voice suddenly booms out across the room and throughout the hotel.

“Attention, everyone! This is your beautiful friend Aiura Mikoto, who just hacked the PA system!”

“Of course,” Kusuo mutters.

“Now, surprisingly, I did not do this for fun. I actually found something that you’re gonna wanna see! Meet me in the third floor corridor of the east wing, ASAP!”

A click sounds as Aiura turns off the system. Kusuo, Riki and Hairo exchange a look, before getting up and rushing out of the bar.

Aiura stands with her hands on her hips, at the front of the regathered group. Everyone is staring in shock at the sight in front of them as the girl smacks her lips.

“So…I dunno about you guys, but I’m pretty sure these weren’t here before.”

A ginormous set of doors sit in the wall. The wood is polished and ornate carvings decorate every inch of it. The deep brown is a stark contrast to the plain white of the hotel walls.

“Nope, definitely never seen these before,” Shun mutters, eyes wide.

Touma steps closer to the door, studying it intently. He gently runs his fingers along the edges.

“The wall is chipped where it meets the doors,” he observes. “And there’s some plaster stuck to the carvings. It seems as though these doors were hidden.”

“I agree,” says Metori. “They’ve clearly been drywalled over, and then that drywall was broken.”

“Well, if these doors were hidden, then who found them?” asks Aren. “And how’d whoever it was know that they were even here in the first place?”

Confused looks and mutters are exchanged throughout the group. Kokomi walks up to the doors and gently runs her fingers along the carvings.

“Hey, have you all looked at these drawings in the door?” she asks, looking at them in slight fear. “They look kinda…messed up.”

“It does not appear ‘messed up’ to me,” states Iris. “It’s a very clear depiction of humans turning to ash in a volcanic eruption. The craftwork is in excellent condition!”

“I…don’t think the craftwork is what Kokomi is referring to, Iris,” says Lila, chuckling nervously. “She means they’re kind of creepy, and I have to agree.”

Kusuo looks up to the top of the doors, where small words are engraved into the wood. It’s hard to see, but he can barely make out the words ’79 AD’.

“Looks like this is a carving of Pompeii,” he realises. “The date at the top matches what’s going on in the carvings.”

“Well, that opens up a whole other bunch of questions,” mutters Hairo. “What do you think’s in here?”

“Only one way to find out!”

Before anyone can stop him, Riki strides up to the doors and pushes them open. The group all exchange looks and follow him. The sight that greets them is nothing more than astounding.

Books. Hundreds, if not thousands, of books sit neatly in rows and rows of shelves that extend all the way to the ceiling. Ladders rest nearby and several desks and knick-knacks lay scattered around the large room. The domed ceiling sits high above it all, marvellous paintings decorating the golden roof.

“Oh…wow…” exclaims Kokomi.

“This is amazing…” breathes Shun, looking around in wonder. “I’ve never seen a place with so many books.”

“It’s one hell of a library that’s for sure,” admits Hairo. “But don’t forget what we’re doing. This place could have answers, especially if our mystery guest has been in here. Let’s split up and look around.”

The sound of footsteps echo across the room as the group begin their search. Kusuo sticks to the center, observing all the strange trinkets. These things all looked downright antique, what was it all doing in here?

Iris scans over a number of items, her eyes flashing.

“Analysing…Hm, this is quite fascinating,” she says. “This mechanised celestial globe dates back to 1594, one of the first produced. This is a first-edition text by Athanasius Kircher, circa 1662.”

“It’s Mr Saiko’s entire personal collection…” breathes Lila. “I’ve always wondered what happened to it.”

“But why would my father stash all of his books and antiques on a tropical resort island?” questions Metori.

“You’re seriously asking that after everything we’ve seen here?” asks Kusuo.

“Fair point.”

Kusuo continues to look through the shelves, his confusion growing by the second. None of these books seemed to have anything in common, so why were they all holed up in a hidden room of a tropical resort. What was Kurayami hiding?

“Furball? What’s wrong?”

He’s snapped out of his thoughts by Imu’s sudden question. The girl is kneeling next to a bookshelf, where Furball is curled underneath. The little fox is shaking and whimpering in fear.

Kusuo frowns and follows Furball’s line of sight, to see what’s frightening him so much. Mounted on the wall inside a golden frame is a very unique looking scepter. The top of it is shaped like a snake’s head, with silver wings jutting out. Two more paths of metal begin from the bottom and zigzag across, ending in two other snake heads just below the first in the middle.

“What is that?” exclaims Hairo.

“Three snakes…no, a Hydra…” notes Shun. “In the shape of a…a…”

“A caduceus,” Iris finishes. “The symbol of medicine used worldwide, originally the icon of Mercury, the messenger of the Roman gods.”

“Mercury, huh?” says Kokomi. “So, this scepter is Roman? Like Pompeii?”

“Analysing…” states Iris, her eyes flashing. “Origin undetermined. Hm, that is quite odd. This is the only article in the library I cannot identify.”

Aiura walks up to the frame, studying it intently. Her eyes suddenly widen.

“Hey, there’s an inscription on the frame!”

The group all look that way to see what she’s talking about. The enscription is in fancy, cursive handwriting but thankfully still relatively easy to make out. The words on the frame only make Kusuo’s confusion grow.

‘Oh Mercury! Herald of that shining hour when glory’s house stands open…

-Homeric Odes, Chapter XII’

“The Homeric Odes!” exclaims Touma. “I saw a volume of those on one of the shelves! Where is it…? Ah, here!”

Kusuo takes the heavy book from him and quickly flips to Chapter XII, reading through it in his head before reciting it aloud to the others.

“‘His staff aloft o’er glimmering waters, the herald god marked the height of the day. And lo, the path to the depths yawned open. To conquer the heavens, a man must journey below.’”

“What the hell does that mean?” mutters Imu, frustration evident. “It has to be important somehow.”

“Well, the ‘staff of the herald god’ has gotta be this thing, right?” says Aren. “The ca…cader…cudel…”

“Caduceus,” Shun chuckles.

“Yeah. That.”

“It sounds like this caduceus is supposed to open a path below something,” says Metori, Aren sneering at him.

“When the scepter is held ‘aloft o’er glimmering waters’...” repeats Kokomi.

“Hmm, where could we find water?” asks Riki, rubbing his chin.

“Good god, Nendo, we’re on an island,” says Aiura.

“More specific, maybe?” tries Hairo. “Where have we seen someone standing over glimmering water?” 

Kusuo reads through the text again, the gears in his head turning at an almost alarmingly fast rate. Someone standing over glimmering waters…was it a person? No…or maybe a statue of some sort-

“The atrium!” he cries. “The statue of Kurayami over the fountain’s ‘glimmering waters’!”

“‘Marked the height of day…’” Shun mutters, his eyes widening. “It’s a sundial! When we give the staff to the statue, the fountain becomes a sundial!”

“And the sundial opens the path!” realises Kokomi, beaming.

“But how are we supposed to know what time it opens?” asks Aren.

“Think about what we know,” says Touma. “The height of day, chapter twelve…it has to be noon!”

“Of course!” says Lila. “My watch says it’s almost noon right now! We can make it if we hurry!”

The group sprint into the atrium, Kusuo clutching onto the caduceus tightly.

“There!” he shouts, pointing to the fountain. “We’ve gotta get this thing into the statue’s hand!”

"And how exactly are we meant to do that?!” asks Aiura.

“11:59, let’s move it!” cries Lila.

“I’ve got this!”

Hairo snatches the scepter from Kusuo and takes off in a burst of speed toward the statue, launching himself from the fountain’s rim. With a jaw-dropping leap, he grabs onto the statue’s outstretched arm and does a one-handed pull-up, slamming the scepter into the statue’s grip with his free hand.

Cheers erupt from the group as Hairo swings and vaults off the statue, landing on his feet on the other side. He grins triumphantly.

“Time, Lila?” he asks.

“Twelve on the dot!” Lila replies, grinning. “Excellent work, Hairo!”

Everyone stares in eagerness and anticipation at the statue. The sun shines through the glass roof, the caduceus casting a shadow on the numerals engraved in the fountain. A clunk suddenly sounds as mechanical whirring causes the floor to vibrate lightly.

The group all exclaim in shock as the tiles behind the fountain suddenly drop down into the floor, revealing a staircase that descends into the dark.

“Okay, that’s actually really cool,” admits Imu.

Aren rubs his hands together as he looks down into the staircase.

“Alright, folks. Looks like we’re going down into whatever sex dungeon Kurayami has set up.”

Groans sound throughout the group and Metori shoots Aren a disgusted look.

“Was that mental image really necessary?”

“You know, Saiko, I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. I’m sorry.”

Kusuo leads the group as they all begin to walk down the staircase, single-file. Their footsteps echo in the dark corridor as Touma sniffs the air curiously.

“Strange. I can smell a faint odour.”

“Sorry, that was me. I farted,” admits Riki, sheepishly.

More groans sound out as the group cough and scold the boy. Kusuo rolls his eyes and continues on his way down. In the darkness, he feels the floor suddenly even out. The staircase has ended. Kusuo frowns, before taking a wary step forward.

Shnnk!

The floor tile depresses slightly and lights suddenly come blasting on. Kusuo hisses and blinks rapidly at the suddenness of it as noises of surprise sound from the rest of the group. As his eyes adjust, Kusuo looks out into the bright white room.

Shelves covered by glass are placed all around, against the walls and in other random spots. The Saiko International logo is painted on the back wall and bright white lights shine from overhead.

“Dude…this isn’t a sex dungeon. Kurayami’s got a man cave!” exclaims Aiura.

“No, TVs though,” mutters Riki. “Lame.”

“What…is this place?” Shun murmurs, looking around in confusion.

They all walk forward, passing dozens of illuminated pedestals that are standing amongst the shelves. Bizarre trinkets shine under the thick glass domes or inside the shelves. Several items are missing, glass shards scattered over the room.

“It looks like some sort of museum…” says Hairo.

“Or a trophy room,” growls Aren.

“It’s rather dusty,” states Touma, swiping a finger across one of the shelves. “I don’t think anybody’s been here in a while.”

Kusuo walks up to Kokomi, who is lingering by one of the pedestals. A beautiful golden-orange idol the size of an anime figurine gleams within, a woman dressed in dancer robes posing with her arms outstretched. A headdress that resembles the feathers of a peacock rests on her head.

“It’s so beautiful…” Kokomi marvels. “What’s it made of? Gold?”

“No…it looks like those weapons the Watchers use,” observes Kusuo. “It must be some kind of amber.”

He presses the button on the pedestal and the glass dome retracts into the base. Kokomi gently picks up the idol, looking at it in wonder.

“It’s gorgeous…” she whispers.

She holds it out to Kusuo. He reaches out and as his fingers close around it-

He finds himself standing in an unfamiliar hallway. Middle school students bustle around happily chatting, completely unaware of his presence. Kusuo whirls around, shocked and disoriented.

'What on earth?!’ he thinks wildly. ‘Where am I? Did I teleport?!’

“Yes, you’re right, today was amazing!”

Kusuo’s eyes widen and he turns to his side to see Kokomi with a group of unfamiliar girls, a bunch of boys gathered around and marvelling at her beauty. They’re all wearing the same uniform as the other students and she looks…younger. Is he in the past? Or is he watching a memory?

“Thank you guys so much,” Kokomi says, genuine happiness in her eyes. “I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to find people were actually my friends, and not because of my prettiness.”

“Ugh, don’t even. People like that are disgusting,” one of the girls gags, smirking at Kokomi. “You’re the perfect pretty girl, but there’s so much more to you!”

“I…can’t say I’m too fond of that title, ha…But I’ll do my best to use it to help you guys out whenever necessary! Like get free food!”

The girls all agree, before waving and walking off. After politely making her way through the crowd of boys, Kokomi also sets off down the hallway, a large grin on her face.

Kusuo frowns. Kokomi was acting very differently to when he first met her. And what was going on here in the first place? How was he even witnessing this?

Kokomi continues to walk through the halls, when a voice sounds from an empty classroom.

“Oh my god, can you believe her?!”

She stops in confusion and looks into the classroom, where the group of girls from before are gathered, disgusted looks adorning their faces.

“Seriously, who does she think she is?! Acting all innocent and that she doesn’t want friends who just appreciate her beauty. She’s such a pick me!”

“I know. How are we ever gonna be able to get boyfriends if every boy in school is fawning over her? Little Miss ‘Perfect Pretty Girl’.”

“I mean, hey, this has its benefits. We can just lead her along and get her to get free stuff for us wherever we go! She doesn’t want to be seen as mean and have everyone hate her, so she’ll just keep acting nice no matter what she feels! And she thinks we’re actually her friends, so that makes it even better!”

Disgust fills Kusuo’s heart. God, he hated people like this. No wonder Kokomi acts the way she does. Kokomi’s lip wobbles as her eyes fill with tears, before going cold.

“So that’s it…” she whispers. “People are just out to use me, huh? Okay then…I’ll be nice. I’ll pretend to be friends with everyone. But I’ll never have friends…Never.”

Kusuo takes a step towards her when he feels himself falling and being yanked forwards and backwards all at once. His vision goes black for a moment before he finds himself on one of La Huerta’s many beaches. Grey clouds block out any light as rain pours from below, thunder rumbling loudly.

‘Now, where am I?’ he thinks.

“Teruhashi, don’t! Stop!”

Kusuo’s eyes widen at the sound of Reita’s voice. He looks down to see Kokomi wading into the ocean, climbing into a rusted sailboat. Hairo, Reita and Chiyo are on the beach, shouting at her with worried looks on their faces.

“No! I’m going!” Kokomi yells back. “I’ve been nothing but a liability this whole time! You don’t really want me here! You never did!”

‘That last scene was from Teruhashi’s past,’ analyses Kusuo. ‘So is this…her future? That means Toritsuka and Yumehara are alive, but what’s going on here?’

“That’s not true, Kokomi!” Chiyo shouts in reply, tears streaming down her face. “Please, don’t do this!”

“You can’t change my mind! You only kept me around because my beauty made you feel happy and have hope!” Kokomi cries. “I know you all really hate me other than that! You think it’s my fault Imu and Nendo are dead!”

Kusuo feels as though ice-cold water is running through his veins. What the hell was happening?! Kokomi was visibly upset in front of others, Reita and Chiyo were back and…what did she mean Imu and Riki were dead?! What had happened?!

“That’s not true, Teruhashi! Just get out of the boat!” Hairo pleads. “We’re your friends!”

Kokomi looks away. Even in the rain, Kusuo can see tears streaming down her face.

“No. You’re not.”

Kokomi pushes the sailboat out into the ocean and jumps in, sailing away. The others rush after her in shock and horror as the boat gets smaller and smaller.

“Teruhashi, no!” yells Reita.

“Come back! That thing’s still out there!” shouts Hairo, pure fear in his eyes.

A shadow passes under the water near the sailboat, Kokomi none the wiser. A monstrous roar sounds out at the sea monster rises up over the waves, dwarfing the small vessel.

“Kokomi!!!” screams Chiyo.

Kokomi’s eyes widen in horror as the sea monster leaps down toward her, jaw unhinged. He crushes the vessel and Kokomi between his teeth, wood and blood flying into the air. Kusuo stares in horror as Hairo, Reita and Chiyo’s yells and screams ring out. That strange feeling occurs once again... 

And he finds himself back in the trinket room. His chest is heaving as he grips the idol tightly, knuckles white. Kokomi is looking at him in shock.

“Um…Saiki? Are you okay?”

“How…how long was I…was I standing here?” he stutters, not taking his eyes off her.

“What are you talking about? I just handed you that idol thing a second ago. Are you alright?”

Kusuo looks down at the idol, its empty eyes staring right through him. He takes a shaky breath as he attempts to calm down.

“I’m fine. I just…spaced out for a bit.”

Kokomi looks unconvinced, but she nods as Kusuo hands the idol back to her. He quickly walks away, thoughts racing. What was that just now? He saw a moment from Kokomi’s past and then one that seemed to be from her future.

The reason she died in that future vision was because of what happened in her memory. Was it a warning? A vision? He couldn’t let this happen to her, no way.

Kusuo sighs and runs a hand through his hair, when a strange fuzzy feeling enters his head. He looks to the side to see a large, long red glove placed in one of the nearby pedestals. It’s scruffy, but still in excellent condition. The bottom is all torn up and scalded in a way…looks like whoever’s glove this was had their arm cut off when they were wearing it.

It somehow seems both antique and futuristic at the same time. As he looks at it, that strange feeling intensifies. Something about it seems…almost familiar. And the red fabric it was made of…It looked like the same fabric he found at the-

“Hey, Nendo!”

Hairo’s sudden shout startles Kusuo out of his thoughts as he looks toward the boy, who’s holding a small handheld remote and grinning.

“Eh? What’s up?”

“I think I found the remote to those TVs you were looking for.”

“Really?! Awesome!”

Hairo presses the power button a couple of times, before frowning and lightly whacking it.

“It’s not working,” he grumbles. “The batteries must be dead or something-“

A whirring sound fills the air as the wall at the back of the room, the one with the logo, suddenly splits in two. An enormous, floor-to-ceiling screen is revealed, the group all turning to look.

The screen illuminates and an image of an island appears, like it was being shown on a map. It’s extremely detailed, with bumps and ridges all around, along with something strange in the middle that looks like a very familiar volcano.

“That’s…here!” realises Touma. “This is satellite imagery of La Huerta!”

Crosshairs suddenly flash on screen, pinpointing a location in a small bay on the western side of the island, a fair bit north to where The Celestial would be. The words ‘Hostiles’ Stronghold’ appear on screen next to it.

“Hostiles’ Stronghold?” Imu reads, frowning in confusion.

“The hostiles…” Kusuo’s eyes widen. “It must mean the Watchers! Kurayami called them ‘the hostiles’ in this recording I found at the observatory.”

“Well then, I think we just found out where those blue bastards took our friends,” says Aren.

The group all look at each other and Hairo takes a deep breath.

“Okay, guys,” he starts. “I know you’ve all been through a lot, so I understand if you want to say here. I could go on my own and-“

“Oh, give it a rest, Hairo,” interrupts Kusuo.

“Huh?”

“You already know we’re all coming with you.”

Hairo looks around at the group, who all have determined looks adorning their faces. Riki grins as Lila rolls up her sleeves and Imu ties her hair up with a grin. Aiura cracks her knuckles.

“Let’s go save our friends,” she says.

A soft smile flickers across Hairo’s face…when the sound of footsteps and slow clapping suddenly sounds from behind them. The group all quickly turn around.

“Well done, children! You found my toys, I see!”

Kurayami Saiko elegantly descends down the staircase, stepping into the room with a serene smile on his face. The group all eye him warily and Aren scoffs, glaring at him.

“Figures you’d be the kind of guy that slow claps.”

Kurayami chuckles, shaking his head.

“Aren, Aren, Aren…” he says, saying the name like a scolding parent. “I understand your hostility, truly. But you will appreciate very quickly that we are on the same side here.”

Aren growls and Kusuo looks at Kurayami with a calculating gaze as the man adjusts his jacket and cracks his neck. Furball is growling at the man, his fur standing on end.

“You’re awake,” he states.

“And you’re here,” Kurayami replies, his grin widening. “Splendid, on both counts. The pleasure, for once, is all mine.”

Kusuo frowns at him, which causes Kurayami to chuckle. His eyes graze over the group, and he spots Lila standing up straight, giving her a nod of acknowledgement before his eyes lands on Metori. The boy is frowning, looking at his father apprehensively.

“Ah, Metori, my boy…” he greets, eyes glinting. “...It’s been a long time.”

Chapter Text

Kurayami’s mouth continues to twist into a wide grin, eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Well? Aren’t you going to say hello to your father?” he asks Metori.

“It is good to see you are awake and well, father,” Metori replies, frowning. “However-“

“Ah, yes, you must have been so frightened for me. Apologies, my boy.”

Metori huffs in frustration as the others exchange looks, still on edge. Kusuo doesn’t take his eyes of Kurayami, watching the man’s every movement. He doesn’t care how charming the man makes himself seem, he doesn’t trust him one bit.

“This is kinda awkward…” Riki mutters.

“Imagine how I feel, Mr Nendo,” says Kurayami. “Can any of you explain what happened here?”

“We could ask you the same question,” Aiura retorts, scowling. “What the hell-“

“Ah, ah, ah,” Kurayami waves his hand dismissively. “I meant what happened to my lovely treasure room. It’s all broken up!”

“It was all busted up when we found it,” answers Kusuo, discreetly hiding the idol behind his back.

Kurayami hums in acknowledgement, continuing to observe the room. God, he’s shady. Take one look at this man from a distance and you’d know he was up to no good.

The group are watching Kurayami with varying levels of wariness and anger. Aren is visibly tense, ready to spring into action, and Aiura seems to be on the verge of breaking her composure and shouting at the man. Lila immediately steps up to Kurayami.

“I’m so sorry for the state of the resort, sir,” she apologises. “I-“

“Save the grovelling, Lila,” Kurayami replies. “Our special guests are still alive. That’s all that matters.”

He gives the group a once over, taking in their dishevelled appearances.

“How long have you all been here anyway? What day is it?”

“It is December 28, 2018, sir,” Iris replies, a serene smile on her face.

Kurayami freezes at the sound of her voice, looking up at Iris in shock. He blinks rapidly as if trying to acknowledge her appearance.

“Iris?” he whispers.

“Good morning, sir. It is good to see you are awake and well. It is currently 12:15pm, if you are wondering about the time as well.”

Kurayami turns away and runs a hand through his hair, clearly overwhelmed.

“December 28…That long?” he mutters. “And Iris, you…you’re alive. How? State your version.”

“0.9.1.”

“An old backup copy. Of course,” realises Kurayami, turning back to the group. “All of you, tell me, how did you find this version of Iris? How have you all managed to stay alive here over these past six months? And where are the three that are absent?”

Hairo sighs and gives Kurayami a brief rundown of what’s happened since they arrived. Kurayami doesn’t speak, just nods his head and makes small noises of realisation. When Hairo’s done, he lets out a small hum and turns back to the staircase.

“Well then, we really ought to get going. The Hostiles really are an unpleasant bunch after all.”

“Huh? Go where?” questions Kokomi, shifting away from the man.

Kurayami turns to them with a grin. “Why, the Hostiles’ Stronghold to rescue your friends of course! I can’t have guests perish at my establishment, Miss Teruhashi. Imagine the reviews!

“Besides, seeing as you sent some of the Hostiles through a portal, they likely reemerged just before you did and are on their way back to the stronghold. The Hostiles’ fortress will be briefly undefended as they send their warriors to collect you. Now, let us be going!”

“Woah, hold up!” cries Imu, clenching her fist. “That sounds awesome, but we’ve got some questions for you, mister!”

“She’s right,” agrees Touma. “You are the one who put us in this situation to begin with, so you are obligated to give us answers.”

“And I will give you those answers in due time,” answers Kurayami, grin still on his face. “First, I feel we must focus on this little issue of your kidnapped friends.”

“But the answers you have could help us,” argues Shun, giving the man a disbelieving look. “After everything that’s happened to us, don’t we deserve to understand exactly why it all happened?”

Kurayami chuckles and walks up to him, Shun backing away slightly. Furball is growling at the man, fur standing on end.

“Don’t worry, Mr Kaido. I assure you, you will get your answers eventually. I just feel that this situation takes priority,” Kurayami suddenly frowns slightly, grabbing Shun’s chin and lifting his head upwards. “My, you look rather unwell.”

“Hey, hands off!” Aren yells, shoving Kurayami away from Shun. “We answered your questions, so now you’re gonna answer ours!”

Kurayami simply chuckles, not fazed in the slightest by the boy’s threats. He simply pats Aren’s hand, which is gripping his collar tightly. Metori is giving Aren a frustrated look from nearby.

“Now, now, Aren, there’s no need for such hostility,” he says. “I simply want to help!”

Aren growls, tightening his grip on the man. Hairo is about to step in when Shun places a gentle hand on Aren’s shoulder.

“He just woke up after spending who knows how long in that tube, Aren,” he murmurs. “It’s annoying, but we need to give him time before pressing him.”

The boy sighs and releases Kurayami, muttering under his breath. Metori exhales in relief as Kurayami chuckles and fixes up his jacket.

“Well! You all can go and pack your things for the journey, then we’ll set off.”

“You know the way?” asks Hairo.

“I know this island like the back of my hand. Come now, time is of the essence.”

With that, Kurayami ascends up the staircase, Lila, Iris and Metori quickly doing the same. The others exchange looks before following them back up the stairs, Kusuo, Aren and Hairo hanging back.

“Are we seriously taking him with us?” Aren growls, glaring at the staircase.

“Do you have a better idea?” Hairo replies, though he looks wary. “He’s the only one who knows the way.”

“Are you saying we should trust this guy?”

“I’m saying we don’t have a choice. We need him.”

Aren scowls and lightly kicks one of the pedestals. Kusuo sighs, running a hand over his face.

“Hairo’s right. As much as I hate it, Kurayami’s our best bet at rescuing Toritsuka, Yumehara and Mera. We have to take this risk.”

Hairo shoots him a quick smile, before following the others up the stairs. Aren exhales, shooting Kusuo a look.

“Guess we’re stuck with Kurayami,” he says.

“Yeah,” agrees Kusuo. “But don’t worry. I’ll have my eye on him.”

The wind whistles as it travels through Kusuo’s shattered window, the boy stepping carefully to avoid the glass shards still scattered about. He takes a deep breath as he packs the last of his supplies into his backpack.

“I should definitely take this,” he mutters, placing the amber idol amongst his belongings, next to the cutlass he found.

His gaze shifts to the ocean, still and calm in the sunny sky. Sweat beads on his forehead and he rubs it off with his sleeve, muttering under his breath. Looks like today was gonna be a hot one. How amazing when they’ve got a hike that’ll probably take hours.

Rolling sheets of blue continue to pass through his vision. God, this vacation had turned into something much more very, very quickly. His mind was still processing everything that happened. Plus, there was the whole thing with that red glove…

A knock on the door startles him out of his thoughts. Touma pokes his head in, backpack hanging off one shoulder.

“Hello, Kusuo,” he greets. “Everyone has gathered in the lobby. Are you ready to go?”

Kusuo grabs his bag and nods. Touma gives him a small smile as the other boy walks toward him. Kusuo groans as he wipes more sweat off his forehead.

“Man, it’s hot,” he grumbles. “Isn’t it meant to be December?”

“Must be a heat wave,” Touma guesses. “Nothing about time on this island makes sense. I don’t expect it to start now.”

Kusuo hums in agreement and looks around at his room, the view serene as ever outside the window. Such a plain, simple room. Nothing like what he’d experience out in the rainforest. The Celestial really was a small shred of normalcy on this crazy island.

He takes a deep breath…and walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Leaves crunch underfoot as the group trudge through the rainforest a few hours later. The sun is almost blinding, glaring down angrily at the group. Pants and groans can be heard all around, even the trees seeming to wilt in the intense heat.

“Ugh, it’s gotta be like 500 degrees,” groans Aiura, flapping her shirt in an effort to cool herself down. “And a thousand percent humidity…”

“That’s neither how percentages nor humidity work…but I must agree,” replies Touma.

Rivulets of sweat drip down Kusuo’s face and he wipes them off with his sleeve. The fabric is already wet with sweat, so it doesn’t really make it better. His lips are dry and cracked, the heat seeming to soak through his skin.

“It’s so bright I can barely see,” complains Metori, rubbing his stinging eyes. “And if I have to hear about Nendo being sticky one more time…”

“But I am sticky!” Riki whines, holding out his sweat covered arm. “Feel!”

“I absolutely will not feel.”

“How is it so hot?” Kokomi murmurs to herself. “It must be the hottest day in recorded history!”

“Or pre-recorded history,” comments Imu.

“The sooner we get there, the sooner we can stop walking,” says Kurayami. “Doesn’t that sound pleasant? Now hurry up.”

More groans sound throughout the group, but they continue to push on. Kusuo huffs and pushes a branch out of the way, the leaves scratching his sweat-covered arms. Furball is panting and stumbling, taking the heat the worst out of all of them. Makes sense that an ice breathing fox wouldn’t like the heat.

Hairo pants, looking at Kurayami. “Mr Saiko, you’re not even sweating. How is that possible?”

“Impeccable conditioning.”

“I bet you just Botox’d your damn sweat glands shut,” growls Aren.

Kurayami chuckles. “That was rather funny, Aren, I’ll give you that.”

The trek through the jungle continues, Kusuo lingering at the back of the group. There’s been no sign of the Watchers or the sabertooth, but he can’t let his guard down. A snap sounds out as he steps on a twig, speeding up a bit to join the group…and he almost drops to his knees.

A throbbing pain suddenly blossoms in his skull, his vision distorting. Kusuo stumbles over to a tree, holding onto it to stay upright as he clutches at his head. Images and snippets of sound flash through his head. A rushing river, a stone column…

“This river looks pretty deep. How are we supposed to get across?”

“Kokomi, you have no idea how much you just saved my life.”

“You truly are one of a kind, Kusuo Saiki.”

“Check it out! I found something at the bottom!”

The pain subsides as Kusuo takes heaving breaths. The group are still trudging along, none of them having noticed his little episode. What the hell was that? Iris is the only one who has lingered back, tilting her head curiously at him.

“Are you alright, Kusuo?” she asks.

Kusuo runs a hand through his hair, trying to regain his composure. “I-“

“This river looks pretty deep,” Kokomi’s voice sounds out. “How are we supposed to get across?”

Kusuo’s head snaps upwards and he blinks in confusion. The rest of the group have approached a rushing river that lays straight in their path, looking at it with concern.

“Kusuo? Are you alright?” Iris repeats.

“I…Iris, I knew that Teruhashi was going to say that. But, how? I had all these visions…”

Iris’ eyes flash as she scans the area and she lets out a curious hum.

“I detect a disturbance in the tachyon field. It seems we have entered a time loop,” she explains. “Such phenomena normally cannot be sensed by humans, but it seems you can.”

“Hold on,” Kusuo holds his hands out, trying to process this information. “What do you mean we’re in a time loop?”

“A period of approximately twelve minutes will repeat indefinitely, even this very conversation if you choose to have it again.”

“We’re stuck here forever?! How do I break the loop?!”

“There must be a source of the time disturbance nearby,” Iris says. “You must destroy it to escape the loop.”

Kusuo huffs, placing a hand against his forehead. Of course this had to happen when they were so close! Time loops continued to be a thorn in his side even when he didn’t have his powers. And since this one wasn’t tied to his powers, he couldn’t just fix it like he usually did. Fantastic.

“I need to tell the others,” he mutters.

“I would not do that if I were you,” warns Iris. “Informing them of the temporal vortex may cause irreparable damage to space-time.”

“Of course I can’t tell them without reality caving in on itself. That would be too easy,” Kusuo growls, letting out a sigh. “Looks like I’m on my own.”

“Indeed. But do not fret too much. I am certain you will be able to figure this out, and you may even be able to use this situation to your advantage.”

Kusuo nods and quickly moves to rejoin the group, who have managed to find a fallen tree they can cross the river on. Okay, all he needed to do was find the source of this time loop and destroy it. Simple enough.

He hops onto the log behind Imu and slowly makes his way across. Imu wobbles and Kusuo bumps into her, causing her to trip a bit as she hops off on the other side, cursing under her breath.

“Damnit! I just lost an earring!” she cries.

“Oh no! We’ll help you look,” Kokomi says.

Kusuo resists a sigh at how he unwillingly got dragged into this earring search, but drops down into the grass anyways. Maybe he’d find the source of the time loop by doing this. And it was technically his fault Imu lost her earring.

The trio pat around the ground, keeping their eyes open for a flash of silver. Kokomi’s hand lands on top of Imu’s, the latter flushing a bright red. Kokomi chuckles and apologises before smiling and grabbing a small earring from the grass.

“I found it!”

“Really?! Oh, thank you!” Imu shouts, taking her earring. “Kokomi, you have no idea how much you just saved my life.”

Kusuo frowns as he hears that sentence and Kokomi’s smile suddenly fades as she looks into the grass. She gently takes out a small, bright red capsule with a silver closing on one end. The other is open, like a flower.

“What's this?” Kokomi murmurs.

Aren hops off the log next to them and takes notice of the strange object. He whistles and takes a knee beside them.

“Well, well, well. That’s a 12-gauge armour-piercing shell casing. It’s for the USAS-12 automatic shotgun.”

“This is from a gun?!” Imu yells as Kokomi hurriedly drops the shell.

“Yup,” confirms Aren. “Let me tell you, that’s some heavy duty firepower. Lots of foreign black ops squads use those.”

“So you’re saying whoever fired it meant business,” comments Kusuo.

“That’s an understatement.”

The group continue to trek through the rainforest, Kusuo keeping an eye out for anything that seems out of place. Kurayami is strolling along, humming to himself as Metori fidgets awkwardly next to him, seemingly in the middle of a conversation.

“…And so I did my best to find you throughout the time we were here,” he says. “The others helped, but I was the one who truly believed in you.”

“Mmm,” Kurayami exclaims, clearly not listening. “Wonderful, Metori. Be a good boy and keep a lookout for the Hostiles, will you?”

Metori’s face falls, but he nods and walks to the outer edge of the group. Kusuo frowns at Kurayami before his eyes suddenly brighten. This would be a good time to get some information out of the man. He walks up to Kurayami, falling into step with him.

“Alright, Kurayami. You promised us some answers.”

Kurayami chuckles. “Do you know what business I’m in, Mr Saiki?”

“I don’t know. Resorts?”

“I dabble. But mainly I’m in the business of information,” says Kurayami, smirking. “And that means I don’t give it away for free. I expect a trade.”

“What kind of trade?” asks Kusuo, narrowing his eyes.

“I’ll answer one question of yours,” replies Kurayami. “Only one. But first you will answer one of mine. Fair?”

“Hm. Fair.”

“Excellent!” Kurayami grins. “My question is very simple. Those powers of yours…are you able to use them on this island?”

Kusuo sighs. He should have expected something like this. Kurayami’s file on him did have information on his powers, after all.

“No. At least not really,” he answers. “During that weird storm on the way in, they kind of just…vanished. I can use some of them, like psychokinesis, but only in small bouts and they’re much weaker than usual. Things like telepathy are completely gone.”

Kurayami eyes him thoughtfully, his grin widening.

“Ah, how fascinating,” he whispers. “You truly are one of a kind, Kusuo Saiki. You must have had quite a shock that I knew of your powers!”

“That’s an understatement,” grumbles Kusuo. “How the hell did you know?”

“Never underestimate my intelligence staff, Mr Saiki. Now, I believe it’s your turn to ask me a question.”

“Yeah, it is,” says Kusuo. He has a lot of questions, but one stands out. “The staff and guests at The Celestial. What happened to them? We know they went to the emergency shelter, but there was no trace after that.”

“When it became clear that Mount Atropo was to erupt in a cataclysmic event, I ordered a full evacuation the day before you arrived,” answers Kurayami. “I can only pray they all made it out safely.”

“Erupt?” Kusuo repeats, his frown deepening. “The volcano didn’t erupt.”

Kurayami chuckles. “Yes, it appears to have been a false alarm. Still, with everything going on it appears to have been the right decision.”

The man struts ahead and Kusuo can’t help but smirk to himself. That’s all the questioning Kurayami would allow, but he wouldn’t remember once the time loop reset…

After a few more minutes of trudging through the jungle, Riki lets out a large groan.

“Dude, this sucks! It’s so hot and I’m tired! Can’t we take a break?”

“You’re only tired because you’re wasting energy complaining,” says Kurayami.

“I’m gonna waste energy beating your ass, geezer!” Riki retorts. “Come on, there’s some shade near that circle of stone pillar thingies right there.”

“A break does sound nice,” says Hairo. “Mr Saiko, is it alright if we just rest for a few minutes?”

“It’ll help us save energy,” adds Kusuo. Not only was he tired, he needed to see if this was important somehow.

Kurayami sighs. “Very well.”

Everyone sighs in relief and flops down against the pillars, Metori throwing his bag aside as he does so. Riki leans his full weight back on another, sighing in relief.

“Hell yeah…” he mutters.

A loud crack suddenly rings out and the pillar Riki’s leaning on begins to topple sideways, right toward Metori. Hairo quickly grabs the boy, pulling him out of the way as the stone column comes crashing down. Everyone looks on in shock as Metori groans in frustration.

“You damn ape!” he yells. “You just crushed my bag!”

“Er, my bad, dude.”

Metori sighs, running a hand along his face as he gathers his things. “Fortunately, I had next to nothing in there. I could have had much more.”

Kusuo sways as the world blurs around him, a sharp pain passing through his head as he tries to steady himself. He finds himself back near the riverbank, Kokomi repeating what she said.

‘That must have been the time loop resetting,’ he thinks. ‘I need to find its source and shut it down.’

He hops onto the log, this time behind Aiura. The girl is wobbling and clearly struggling to balance, cursing under her breath.

“Hang in there, Mikoto,” he weakly encourages. “You can do this.”

“I know I can!” she retorts. “I’m just…a little off balance..woooah!”

Her foot slips on a wet clump of moss and she begins to teeter off the edge of the log. Kusuo quickly reaches out and grabs her just before she falls in. Aiura sighs in relief as they both step onto the other side of the river.

“Thanks. I did not want to fall into that river,” she mutters, shuddering. “Who knows what’s down there?”

Kusuo hums in reply, his mind’s gears continuing to turn. He sees Metori walk away, dejected, from his father and immediately walks up to the man.

“Alright, Kurayami, give me some answers. Now.”

Kurayami chuckles. “Do you know what business I’m in, Mr-“

“Information, yeah. I answer one of your questions and you answer one of mine. I’ll answer two of yours instead so then you have to answer two of mine. How does that sound?”

“I-Very well, then,” mutters Kurayami, blinking in shock. “My question is very simple-“

“No, I can’t use my powers on this island, the ones I can use are super weak. What’s your other question?”

“How on earth did you know I was going to ask that?”

“Kind of obvious. What’s another question you want to ask?”

Kurayami gives him a curious look, clearly still shocked by Kusuo’s words. Maybe be was being a bit too obvious, but he needed answers and he was going to get them.

“Well then. Another question I have….Ah. What does this island feel like to you?”

Kusuo shoots him a look. “What does it feel like?”

“Yes,” Kurayami grins. “Does it feel…strange to you in any way?”

“Hm…” Kusuo thinks hard on that, frowning at the ground. “Well, I guess so. It’s like there’s this…energy encasing the island and everything on it. Like it’s swallowed up my powers. It feels so familiar, yet I can’t figure out why.”

“How incredible…” murmurs Kurayami. “Well, you said you wanted to ask two questions, yes? What’s the first one?”

“Right. What was that tube we found you in?”

“It was a sleep tank filled with a tachyon-slowing fluid,” Kurayami reveals. “My research showed that Mount Atropo’s eruption would cause a cascading temporal event that would tear space-time apart.

“If I were to endure that effect, I risked instantly aging into dust, or even reverting to before I was born. Anything could have been possible. After I ordered the evacuation of The Celestial’s staff and guests, I entered the tank to keep me at my current age.

“I’d set it to awaken me shortly after the eruption passed, but the fact that it never happened must have made it so I was stuck in there.”

Kusuo frowns. “You keep talking about this eruption. You went through a lot of preparation for something that never ended up happening.”

“Yes, indeed,” Kurayami chuckles. “That eruption is complicated. As you’ve noticed, time works differently here on La Huerta.”

“Okay, then it’s time for my next question,” says Kusuo. “What was that radio call we heard?”

“The one you heard over the satellite array in the observatory, yes,” Kurayami mutters. “Well, as I just said, time works differently here. I strongly suspect that was an echo from our planet’s likely future.”

“An echo from the future?” repeats Kusuo.

“Indeed. An eruption of Mount Atropo risks plunging the planet into a prehistoric time, when all the world was lava. Civilisation would immediately be engulfed in the flames of a bygone era.”

“So you’re saying that the eruption you thought would happen is going to happen in the future,” says Kusuo, eyes wide. “And that those voices we heard from the observatory were a glimpse into that future?”

Kurayami’s lips quirk upwards. “Indeed. That future is precisely what I need your help to prevent, Mr Saiki. Currently, we are in a bubble of time, safe for the moment. But you never know when that bubble may burst.”

The man walks off, Kusuo frowning. Kurayami was hiding something, he was sure of it. The way he explained that was extremely suspicious, and he was definitely lying about something. But what?

He walks up to Hairo, who is panting as he wipes sweat off his forehead.

“Hot as hell, isn’t it?” he exclaims. “Kind of wished I’d jumped in the river back there.”

“That current seemed pretty strong,” says Kusuo. “I don’t think that would’ve been a good idea.”

Hairo chuckles. “Maybe for other people. Luckily, I’m a strong swimmer. Back in my second year of middle school, I blew out my knee after a rough soccer match in PE. It took a lot of rehab, a lot of which was swimming.”

The boy sighs contentedly, gazing up into the blue sky.

“I always thought there was something so calming about it. It centered me.”

He’s back at the river bank again. Kusuo groans in irritation as he walks up to join the others. He’d gotten some answers from Kurayami but he still had no clue how to get out of this time loop. Thankfully, he had a small shred of an idea.

He hopped onto the log behind Aiura again, the girl still struggling to keep her balance. When she topples over, Kusuo does not move to help her. Aiura lands in the water with a loud splash, the others moving out of the way to avoid getting soaked. The girl coughs, treading water as she glares up at Kusuo, who’s just stepped onto the other side of the river.

“Thanks for the help Kusuo,” she grumbles.

“No problem.”

Aiura scowls at him, looking down into the deep water. Her eyes widen and she quickly swims to the edge of the river.

“Uh, can someone help me up? There is something glowing at the bottom of the river. Get me outta here!”

Kusuo and Kokomi reach in and pull the drenched girl out of the river, which she hurriedly steps away from.

“What did you see?” asks Kokomi.

“No idea,” Aiura replies. “Besides, it’s way down there and even if I wanted to find out, I’m nowhere near a good enough swimmer to dive that deep.”

As the group continue to trek through the rainforest, Kusuo looks back at the river. Something important was obviously at the bottom of it, but without his powers he wasn’t a good enough swimmer to get it either. Hairo had mentioned he was pretty good…

Metori walks past him, dejected, and Kusuo puts those thoughts aside. Right now was the perfect time to get some more answers.

“Alright, Kurayami, give me some answers. Now.”

Kurayami chuckles. “Do you know what business I’m in, Mr-“

“Information, yeah. I answer one of your questions and you answer one of mine. I’ll answer two of yours so that you have to answer two of mine. How does that sound?”

“I-Very well, then,” mutters Kurayami, blinking in shock. “My question is very simple-“

“No, I can’t use my powers on this island, the ones I can use are super weak. As for your other question, this island feels like it has this weirdly familiar energy encasing it. Now you answer mine.”

“I-“ Kurayami looks shocked. “Very well. I suppose you have answered my questions. They were rather obvious, after all. What are yours?”

“First up, why did you bring us here?” asks Kusuo. “After everything, I think it’s pretty obvious it’s not just because we’re friends of your son.”

Kurayami chuckles. “I thought this would be your question. A few months ago, during the most recent expansion of The Celestial’s facilities, a worker discovered a photograph buried in the sands. It was dated to be 500 years old, despite the art of photography only having existed for 200.

“Photographed therein were thirteen children. Metori and all of you. I knew you must somehow be critical to solving this island’s mysteries.”

“Why not just tell us that?” growls Kusuo.

“Frankly, I intended to,” states Kurayami. “I couldn’t tell Metori to put it on the invitations, both him and all of you would think I was playing a joke. So, after you had arrived, I intended to enlist your help to save the world. Clearly, the world had other plans.”

Kusuo looks at him thoughtfully. So them being here definitely wasn’t some coincidence. What was the deal with that photo? The whole ‘saving the world’ thing ticked him off, but he pushed that aside for now.

“Okay, then. Next question. We kept finding these secret passages and rooms all over The Celestial. The library, that weird museum, the security office behind the game room. What’s the deal with that?”

Kurayami sighs. “Needless to say, once I uncovered the true perils of La Huerta, I needed to…remodel the resort a bit.”

“You should’ve closed it!”

“And invite the scrutiny of my rivals?” asks Kurayami, scowling. “Who could try to steal the island for their own nefarious purposes? No. It had to stay open.”

Kurayami struts away and Kusuo resists making a face at him behind his back. He walks up to Hairo, tapping him on the shoulder.

“Hey, Hairo. You’re a strong swimmer, right?”

“Yeah, I am. Why?”

“Aiura said she saw something in the river. Think you could go back and grab it for me?”

Hairo nods and the two of them split from the group, walking back to the river’s edge. Hairo takes off his shirt and dives down, Kusuo moving out of the way to avoid getting splashed. He’s under for what feels like five minutes, before he surfaces, grin on his face.

“Check it out, I found something at the bottom!”

The boy clambers out of the river and places the object in Kusuo’s hands. It’s a smooth, spherical crystal, with strange looking handprints engraved in it. Kusuo’s eyes widen, it was just like the crystal from the emergency shelter tunnels!

“Another one of those things, huh?” says Hairo, pulling his shirt back on. “Hopefully this one doesn’t do anything weird.”

Kusuo nods absentmindedly as the two of them join back up with the group. Touching the crystal wasn’t doing anything, but he could feel the energy running through it. This had to be the source of the time loop. He needed to destroy it…but how?

A large rock sticks out of the foliage nearby. Kusuo walks over to it, and smashes the crystal as hard as he can against the rock multiple times.

“Kusuo, what are you doing?!” asks Lila, shooting him a worried look.

“What does it look like?” replies Kusuo. “I’m trying to smash this thing!”

“Yeah, that much is obvious! But why?!” cries Imu.

“Because-“ Kusuo pauses. Iris said that reality could cave in on itself if he told them. “Because I have anger issues?”

“I feel you,” Aren says, nodding somberly. Shun lets out a small chuckle beside him.

Metori shoots Kusuo an annoyed look. “Well, could you please not destroy something that could be important?”

The group walk away and Kusuo watches them go, sighing.

‘If only they could know how important it is,’ he thinks.

He’s back at the riverbank yet again. Kusuo is about to let out a sigh when he notices the weight in his hands. The crystal orb hasn’t disappeared.

‘Okay, that’s good,’ he thinks. ‘Now I don’t have to redo that all over again.’

He crosses the log behind Aren. Nothing unusual happens, so he continues on. This crystal couldn’t be broken just by smashing it against something. He needed something bigger…

He hears whistling coming from Kurayami, Metori walking away from him. Well, time to take advantage of the one thing this time loop was good for. He walks up to the man for a fourth time.

“Alright, Kurayami, give me some answers. Now.”

Kurayami chuckles. “Do you know what business I’m in, Mr-“

“Information, yeah. I answer one of your questions and you answer one of mine. I’ll answer two of yours so that you have to answer two of mine. How does that sound?”

“I-Very well, then,” mutters Kurayami, blinking in shock. “My question is very simple-“

“No, I can’t use my powers on this island, the ones I can use are super weak. As for your other question, this island feels like it has this weirdly familiar energy encasing it. Now you answer mine.”

“I-“ Kurayami looks shocked. “Very well. I suppose you have answered my questions. They were rather obvious, I guess. What are yours?”

Kusuo thinks on it. He has a few more questions he’d like to ask…hm. Yeah, he’d go with those ones.

“Can you tell me more about the sea monster?” he asks.

“Ah, so you’ve met Cetus,” says Kurayami, shooting him a toothy grin.

“Cetus? It has a name?”

“Roughly translated from thousands of years ago. A name of legend,” Kurayami informs. “But as you’ve no doubt seen, the beast is far more than legend.

“It only re-emerged in the last week before your arrival. I’ve no doubt the two of you shall soon meet again.”

Kusuo sighs. Well, at least now he knew what to call the sea monster as it tried to kill him.

“Alright then, next question. What exactly was that time portal gun?”

“You know it better than I,” chuckles Kurayami. “I’ve never been through it.

“But yes, as you surmise, it is a portable prototype, created in an effort to understand the island’s…eccentricities. It carries the occupant forward in time exactly 204 days. No more, no less.”

Kurayami’s eyes wander and fall on the crystal orb in Kusuo’s hands. He lets out a small hum.

“I see you’ve found one of La Huerta’s mysterious crystals. Beautiful, are they not?” he says, eyes glinting. “They can get quite heavy. Perhaps you should have someone carry it for you. Well, that’s all you’re getting out of me for now. We must focus on the road ahead.”

Kusuo frowns as the man walks off. He was doing just fine carrying this thing on his own. But maybe giving it to someone else would help break the loop…

The group are all settling down near the stone pillars, having convinced Kurayami to let them rest. Metori throws his bag aside as Riki leans his full weight back on a pillar, sighing in relief.

“Hell yeah…” he mutters.

A loud crack suddenly rings out and the pillar Riki’s leaning on begins to topple sideways, right toward Metori. Hairo quickly grabs the boy, pulling him out of the way as the stone column comes crashing down. Everyone looks on in shock as Metori groans in frustration.

“You damn ape!” he yells. “You just crushed my bag!”

“Er, my bad, dude.”

Metori sighs, running a hand along his face as he gathers his things. “Fortunately, I had next to nothing in there. I could have had much more.”

Kusuo’s eyes widen and a bright smile splits across his face. That’s it!

He’s back at the riverbank. As the group begin to cross the log, he immediately makes it so he’s behind Metori. The boy isn’t struggling at all, easily walking across. Aiura, who’s in front of him, is the exact opposite.

“When you fall into the water like a buffoon, Mikoto, please do not let the water splash me,” Metori sighs.

“Go to hell, rich boy!”

“You’re balancing pretty well, Saiko,” Kusuo comments.

Metori scoffs in response. “Of course I am. I decided to think like a peasant for once and left a lot of my things back at the hotel. My bag is nearly empty, and thus I have a much easier time at crossing this log.”

“In that case, think you could carry this in your bag for me?” says Kusuo, grinning as he holds out the crystal.

Metori looks back at him and scowls at the sight of the crystal.

“Another one of those damned things! Wait a moment, what makes you think I’d ever carry something for you?”

“Because you’re a great friend, a very responsible figure and I’ll put in a good word for you with your dad?”

“…Give it here.”

The two hop off the log and Metori places the crystal into his bag. After waiting for his conversation with Kurayami to end, Kusuo once again walks up to the man. He needed to ask what would probably be his final questions, assuming his plan worked.

“Alright, Kurayami, give me some answers. Now.”

Kurayami chuckles. “Do you know what business I’m in, Mr-“

“Information, yeah. I answer one of your questions and you answer one of mine. I’ll answer two of yours so that you have to answer two of mine. How does that sound?”

“I-Very well, then,” mutters Kurayami, blinking in shock. “My question is very simple-“

“No, I can’t use my powers on this island, the ones I can use are super weak. As for your other question, this island feels like it has this weirdly familiar energy encasing it. Now you answer mine.”

“I-“ Kurayami looks shocked. “Very well. I suppose you have answered my questions. They were rather obvious, I guess. What are yours?”

“First up, what happened to the boats at the marina?”

Kurayami shoots him a grin, though he seems confused.

“You visited my private marina! You truly are resourceful. But, what do you mean by what happened to the boats there?”

Kusuo frowns. So he didn’t know? It definitely happened after the whole evacuation thing then. He explains what happened to Kurayami and the man sighs, running a hand through his hair.

“Ah, blast! Those guests are going to be so angry at me! I’ll definitely have to pay them back for their poor, poor boats.”

“Yeah, sure,” says Kusuo, shooting him an annoyed look. “Do you know what could have done it? We found a bomb on the speedboat, so we know it wasn’t the Watchers.”

Kurayami lets out another heavy sigh. “Well, based off the red fabric you saw, the damage was definitely done by someone who’s become a recurring nuisance to me. While also being somewhat of a key. You needn’t worry of them. Your next question?”

Kusuo frowns. Looks like Kurayami wasn’t going to give any more information on that matter. Well, time for his last question.

“What…what is this island?”

Kurayami lets out a chuckle. He looks up at the sky for a moment, before turning to Kusuo. His grin is much more toned down than usual.

“That, Mr Saiki, is the question I’ve asked myself for a very long time,” he says. “Twenty five years…over two and a half billion dollars later…and all I can say with certainty is this: This island is the single point at which time folds in on itself.

“Past…present…future…all happening in simultaneity. Such power emanates from it, some not even associated with time. Space has some hold too…and the powers this island, or perhaps the forces behind it, can grant can sometimes not even be associated with either of them.

“What exactly this future holds for us is, well, uncertain. And ready to be molded by the right person. Now, that’s enough you’re getting out of me for now. Let’s carry on!”

He struts off, but Kusuo is left stunned. He knew this island had something to do with time but what Kurayami said was still shocking. Even with his powers, he never could have imagined anything like this existing. He would be thinking on this for a long time.

The group have begun to settle near the pillars. Kusuo waits in anticipation, begging this to work.

Metori throws his bag aside as Riki leans his full weight back on a pillar, sighing in relief.

“Hell yeah…” he mutters.

A loud crack suddenly rings out and the pillar Riki’s leaning on begins to topple sideways, right toward Metori.

“Saiko, move!” Kusuo yells.

Metori immediately scrambles out of the way as the stone column comes crashing down. Everyone looks on in shock as Metori groans in frustration.

“You damn ape!” he yells. “You just crushed my bag!”

“Er, my bad, dude.”

Metori sighs, running a hand along his face as he sorts through the rubble to gather his things. He grabs his bag and dumps out his things...including the crystal orb, now a dull grey and cracked in two. Kusuo’s eyes sparkle as a wide smile appears on his face.

“Sorry about your crystal, Saiki,” apologises Metori, looking guilty. “I-“

“I did it!” Kusuo cries, pumping his fist.

“Uh, did what?” asks Hairo.

“Don’t worry about it,” Kusuo answers, surprised at his own display of excitement.

Lila sighs. “Well, the pillars are obviously too unstable to rest here. Can we keep going?”

“Yes,” says Kusuo. “Now we can.”

The group all groan and grumble as they gather their things. Kusuo takes another look at the broken crystal and his smile fades. Something about the sight in front of him is almost…familiar.

Kurayami is gazing at the crystal too, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. He locks eyes with Kusuo and a grin splits across his face before he walks away. Kusuo watches after him warily. What was that about?

With the time loop broken, the group are finally able to trek onwards. Kusuo sighs in relief as he lingers at the back. Thank goodness he broke it, if they were trapped in there forever he would have gone insane. He keeps his eye on Kurayami. The man was acting a bit too suspicious for his liking.

“Hey, Saiki!”

Kusuo turns to look at Hairo who has stopped next to a tree, looking up into the leaves.

“What is it?” he asks, walking up to the other boy.

“I think I see something tangled in the branches,” Hairo replies.

Kusuo squints upwards, trying to find what he’s talking about. A glint of orangey-gold flashes in the sunlight and Kusuo’s eyes widen. Was that…?

“I think that’s another one of those idol things,” he tells Hairo. “Like the one we found in Kurayami’s museum.”

“Really?” Hairo asks. “In that case, I’ll go and get it. Might be important.”

He jumps onto the tree, gracefully climbing into its branches. Kusuo holds a hand over his face to shield his eyes from the sun as he watches him, tapping his foot anxiously. Grunts sound out as Hairo reaches the top of the tree and lets out a shocked noise.

“Woah…” he mutters. “You’re not gonna believe this, Saiki. The tree looks like its grown around the idol. It’s like it’s part of the tree!”

“Seriously?” Kusuo exclaims. “Can you get it out?”

“I think so,” replies Hairo. “I just have to tug…real…hard…”

Noises of effort come from above as Hairo strains, trying to pull the idol from the branches. A crackle sounds as Hairo laughs triumphantly.

“Got it!”

The boy leaps down from the tree and shoots a toothy grin at Kusuo. The idol is very different to the last one. It looks to be a mighty elephant, standing on its hind legs. A kind look adorns it’s face, the outline of a heart on its chest. Kusuo eyes it warily. If this idol was anything like the one he found in the museum…

Hairo holds it out to him. Kusuo takes a deep breath, and grabs the idol.

He’s in what looks to be the living room of a suburban home. A fireplace crackles as flakes of white fall to the ground outside the windows. Kusuo looks around curiously. If this idol vision was anything like the last one, this was likely one of Hairo’s memories. Hm, nothing seemed out of the ordinary here.

Laughter catches his attention. He turns to see three young children sitting nearby, playing video games. Two, of them, a boy and a girl, have red hair that’s almost neon, arguing and shoving each other as they stare intently at the TV. The other one is a girl, a bit older. Her hair is a deep maroon and she doesn’t seem to be focusing much on the game, frowning in boredom.

“Aiko! Why’d you blue shell me?!” the boy yells.

“Cause I wanna win and you were in first place!” the younger girl, Aiko, yells back. “Suck it, Hiroshi!”

Hiroshi sticks his tongue out in concentration as he continues to smash the buttons on his controller. A chuckle sounds out as Hairo enters the room, carrying a plate full of snacks.

“Come on guys, let’s not fight,” he says. “Hana, I thought you said you were gonna give them a nice, non-competitive game to play.”

“The children demanded Mario Kart,” replies the older girl. “I had to listen to their whims.”

Hairo sighs, but a smile adorns his face as he sits down next to his younger sister on the couch. Kusuo continues to watch the scene intently. Hairo’s phone buzzes with a text and both boys turn to look at it.

Mom:

I’ll be home in 10.

Your dad asked about you again. He misses you.

Hairo scowls and puts the phone down, Kusuo blinking in shock at such a reaction. The door suddenly opens and another boy, younger than Hairo but older than the others, walks in. He looks up at Hairo.

“Dude. I am so screwed,” he states, running a hand through his deep red hair.

“What do you mean, Daiki?” Hairo asks, getting up from the couch. “What’s wrong?”

Daiki rubs his neck as his older brother walks onto him, his other hand tightly clutching his bag.

“You know how my coach has been asking people about the rumours that one of the seniors in school was giving free stuff to players? Well…”

He pulls out a sleek, high-end laptop from his bag.

“Daiki!” admonishes Hairo, eyes wide. “Why’d you accept that?! You know if the school finds out you’re taking free stuff you could get in serious trouble! You’ll get kicked off the team and probably suspended!”

“I know, I’m an idiot!” Daiki groans, the ten year old avoiding eye contact. “It’s just…all my friends are playing this new computer game every lunch break and I never get to join in. The laptop I have now sucks too hard to handle the graphics and you know we can’t afford a decent one!”

Hana, Hiroshi and Aiko don’t seem to be listening, immersed in their game. Hairo sighs and runs a hand over his face as Daiki slumps onto the couch.

“I know I shouldn’t have taken it,” he admits. “But now I’m screwed. Someone saw me with this thing and ratted me out.

“I’m already on thin ice with Coach. Now I’m done for! As soon as he proves I took this laptop-“

“He won’t,” interrupts Hairo.

“Huh?”

Hairo takes the laptop out of his little brother’s hands and tucks it under his arm.

“Because I’m the one who took it,”

“What?!” cries Daiki, Hana kicking him to shut up. “I can’t let you do that, Hairo! You’ll get in so much trouble!”

“A bit, yeah,” says Hairo. “But I’m not in your school, remember? PK will get a bit pissed, but I’m one of their sports stars. They can’t afford to lose me. I’ll get in trouble, but not as much as you will. I got this.”

Daiki smiles and hugs his brother tightly.

“I owe you, man. I owe you big time.”

Kusuo feels as if he’s being slingshot across space-time, zooming forward through a void of white. When his vision clears, he finds himself standing on a mountain pass, the one they took to get to the observatory. God, that feels like forever ago. It’s night time, stars hanging like ornaments in the deep blue sky.

A loud yowl suddenly catches Kusuo’s attention. He turns around to see himself, Riki, Shun, Aren and Kokomi backed against the wall. They’re all injured to some degree, bleeding and bruised.

‘This must happen in the future,’ thinks Kusuo. ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t remember this.’

Hairo is nearby, waving his arms wildly. He looks over worriedly at the group, before a look of determination sets in and he glares at the sabertooth.

“Hey! Over here!” he shouts. “Over here, big guy! Look at me!”

The sabertooth lets out a loud growl and stalks toward him. Hairo carefully backs away with every step the predator takes.

“Hairo, what are you doing?!” cries Shun, green eyes glinting in fear.

“You’re gonna get yourself killed! Move!” adds Aren.

Hairo ignores him, continuing to back away toward the cliff edge. The sabertooth follows him, eyes narrowed.

“Don’t worry about me,” says Hairo. “Run! I can handle this!”

“Hairo, no!” Kokomi cries.

“Stop it, you idiot!” the other Kusuo yells. “Just get out of there!”

The sabertooth leaps, pinning Hairo to the ground right at the cliff’s edge. The boy grunts in effort, grabbing the beast’s massive teeth as he begins to grapple both it and him closer to certain doom.

“Hairo, don’t!” Riki yells. He tries to run towards Hairo, but his injuries stop him. “Stop it!”

Hairo takes a deep breath, scowling up at the sabertooth. He glances over at the others, before returning his gaze to the beast.

“I got this.”

With that, Hairo rolls over the edge of the cliff, taking the beast with him. They immediately vanish from sight, a horrifying crunch sounding from below. The group yell in horror and Kusuo’s eyes grow wide with shock as the strange feeling envelops him once more.

He’s back in the rainforest, hissing at the sudden brightness that assaults him. His knuckles have turned white from how hard he’s holding the idol. Hairo shoots him a concerned look.

“You okay, Saiki?” he asks. “You kind of spaced out for a sec.”

“You…” Kusuo whacks him hard over the head, trying to control his breathing.

“Wh-Hey!”

“That’s for being a dumbass,” mutters Kusuo.

“Jeez, okay. Sorry, I guess,” Hairo chuckles, still looking confused.

He quickly jogs back up to rejoin the group. Kusuo continues to stare at the idol, which is glinting in the sunlight. He experienced the same kind of visions with this one as he did the last one. If he found more he suspected they’d be the same.

Looks like he’d have to keep an eye out. These idols seemed to be the keys to avoiding his friends’ tragic fates. He slips the idol into his bag before quickly walking back to the others.

“Come now,” says Kurayami. “The Hostiles’ Stronghold is just over this ridge.”

They continue to trek up the steepening slope when a low, brassy noise sounds out from nearby. More and more of these sounds join the fray before stopping entirely.

“Was that…?” murmurs Imu.

“Horns.” finishes Kokomi.

The group immediately break into a sprint, racing up the hill, The jungle grows thinner, sunlight shining through the growing gaps in the canopy. Kusuo is the first one to burst through the overgrowth, shock and awe coursing through his veins at the sight in front of him, at the bottom of the ridge.

A ginormous tree emerges from the rocks, stretching as high as a city skyscraper. Glowing flowers and makeshift lights hang from the leaves, glinting in the sunlight. Huts and homes are built into the tree’s massive trunk, made of bark, straw and other materials that he can’t see from afar.

Smaller trees, though still much larger than an average one, stand around this mighty one, with their own decorations and homes. Bridges and walkways connect them to each other. Kusuo can see people of blue and green hues walking about. The Watchers.

“Holy…” Aiura’s jaw drops.

“How in the…” Touma mutters, peering up at the giant tree. “Impossible! Trees don’t grow that big!”

“Not yet, you mean,” says Kurayami, smirking. “But one day, they will.”

The horns blast again and far below, a small squadron of Watchers marches out of the village’s base. In the middle of them, hands bound, is a figure that stands out. His skin isn’t blue or green, instead fair with a few sunburnt patches. He’s dressed in Watcher attire, with green shorts and a shirt that look to be made out of leaves and other natural material. His violet hair is tied up in a ponytail, some of it falling across his face.

“Is that…?” mutters Aren.

“It is,” says Aiura, eyes wide.

Kusuo watches in both shock and relief as the boy turns his head to look up at the sky. The group all let out gasps. They’d recognise that face, those deep violet eyes anywhere. Kusuo’s eyes are wide as saucers as he stares at the boy down below.

“...Toritsuka.”

Chapter Text

The tree village looms ominously ahead, lanterns and bridges swaying in the wind. A small Watcher battalion is marching away from it and into the rainforest, Reita begrudgingly walking along them. A female in an elephant mask lightly pokes him with her spear.

“Pashti!” she yells. “Khell saa!”

“Okay, okay, I’m moving!” Reita groans. “No need to swear at me!”

A blue Watcher with a long amber staff is hobbling along with the battalion, seemingly leading it. He wears no mask and seems much older, the veins in his arms more pronounced and his brown beard streaked with grey.

“Uch nat’lanqua,” he mutters, glancing at Reita briefly.

On top of a nearby hill, the group watch them leave. A mix of worried and relieved expressions can be seen throughout.

“Where are they taking him?” murmurs Imu, gritting her teeth.

“And where are Yumehara and Mera?” asks Metori. “I don’t see them anywhere!”

Kurayami grins, admiring the Watchers down below.

“My, look at them go! Such charming primitives. Certainly worthy of further study.”

“We’re not here to study them, you shady bastard,” Aren growls at him. “We’re here to save our friend.”

“Ah, don’t be like that Aren!” says Kurayami. “Studying the enemy is actually a very good way to gain the upper hand. And I should know, I’ve had lots of experience."

Aren scoffs at him, before looking away. Kusuo tears his eyes away from Reita’s retreating form to look at the others as Hairo speaks up.

“Whatever the Watchers are up to, it can’t be good. We have to get Toritsuka out of there.” he says.

“There were dozens of them in that battalion,” recounts Shun, biting his lip. “What hope do we have?”

Everyone fidgets and looks at each other at his words. They’re scared, silent in the face of certain danger. Kusuo frowns before sighing.

“I’ll go alone and rescue him,” he informs. “Can’t risk anyone else getting caught.”

“Oh, don’t be a dumbass, Kusuo!” snaps Aiura. “There’s no way you can take out all those guys by yourself!”

“I am not sticking around to watch you commit suicide,” adds Metori, the worry in his eyes hid behind a scowl.

“Yeah, no way am I letting you go alone, buddy!” says Riki. “I’m coming too!”

Kusuo sighs in annoyance. He really should have just slipped away when they weren’t looking. He doesn’t want to say it out loud, but he was afraid of them getting hurt.

“Combined, Kusuo and Riki’s projected chance of success has risen to 7%,” Iris informs. 

“That’s being a bit generous…” mutters Touma.

“Oh, screw the numbers!” shouts Hairo, the group jumping from the outburst. “No way I’m letting you two go out and get captured or even killed by those Watchers!”

Kokomi nods in agreement. “You guys need our help. Toritsuka needs our help. If we ever want to get off this crazy island, we need to work as a team.”

Kusuo’s eyes soften slightly. As annoying as it was, it was nice to know that his friends had his back. The group all step forward to join him and Riki, determination in their eyes.

“Let’s do this!” mutters Aiura, cracking her knuckles.

“Yeah!” agrees Aren.

More cheers and agreements come from the others, Kurayami’s grin widening.

“What a delightful display of friendship,” he comments. “Iris, how are our chances looking now?”

“With everyone together, projected success is now 12%!” Iris states cheerfully.

Smiles are exchanged throughout the group as Hairo puts a hand on his chin, the gears in his mind beginning to turn. Kusuo is the only one to shoot Iris a look. Ah, yes, their chances were increased by five percent. Fantastic. His friends really got happy at the smallest things.

“Since they don’t know we’re coming, I say we set up a fast hit and catch them with their pants down!” Hairo suggests.

“Like we catch you whenever you fall over?” Metori snarks playfully.

“No comment.”

“As amusing as Hairo flashing people is,” interjects Aren, chuckling. “Stealth is definitely the way to go here. We can sneak in and out of wherever they’re going and save Toritsuka before they even notice us.”

Hairo grumbles at his comment as Kusuo mulls over their ideas. Both of them had their advantages and disadvantages…they needed this to go perfectly if they were gonna rescue Reita.

He sighs and turns to Kurayami.

“As much as I hate it, you have the most information on these guys,” he states. “What do you think we should do?”

Kurayami smirks as everyone turns to him. Aren seems reluctant, but doesn’t argue.

“Why, thank you, Mr Saiki,” Kurayami says. “All reports on our not-so-friendly tribal folk indicate that they possess superhuman vision, hearing, strength and agility. It would be incredibly difficult to ambush them or to slip by unnoticed.”

“Wow, so helpful,” Aiura snarks. “Do you actually have a plan or are you just gonna keep rambling on?”

“Now, now, no need for that, Miss Mikoto. What I’m saying is that the only way to get past the Hostiles is for them to not be there at all.”

“Okay, do you always talk in riddles or just when you’re trying to get punched in the face?” growls Imu, raising a fist. “Tell us how to save our friend!”

“He’s saying we have to lure the Watchers away,” states Touma, shooting Kurayami an annoyed look.

“In other words, we need a distraction,” Kusuo adds.

“At least some of you have brains,” chuckles Kurayami, Aiura and Imu glaring at him. “Misdirection, disinformation, a little sleight of hand…these are invaluable skills in life.”

The group all exchange glances, thinking over what he said. Kusuo sighs, running a hand through his hair.

“Unfortunately, he’s right,” he says. “Kurayami knows the most about the Watchers. We should follow his lead if we want to save Toritsuka.”

“Exactly,” adds Lila. “Mr Saiko has spent a lot of time on this island. If anyone know how to deal with the Watchers, it’s him.”

Everyone looks at each other grimly. Kusuo looks back in the direction Reita went when a familiar presence enters his mind, immediately silencing his thoughts. His eyes widen.

“He’s here,” he says.

“Huh? Who’s here?” asks Riki.

“Quick, hide!”

Kusuo immediately rushes back into the rainforest, the others following him. Hidden by the trees, they peer back out at the clearing.

A figure walks up from the direction of the tree village. Kusuo’s breath hitches as he recognises the Watcher that lead the attack on The Celestial. He doesn’t look any different, though he isn’t wearing his mask anymore.

The sabertooth is at his side, a yawn revealing its gleaming teeth. The group immediately hide themselves further, Kusuo’s eyes narrowing. The Watcher is looking at the place where Reita was.

“They went this way,” he says.

The sabertooth lets out a low growl in response as the Watcher prepares to head in the direction of the battalion. Then, he stops. Kusuo’s mind tingles and he immediately knows the Watcher feels the same.

The Watcher turns around, looking curiously at the rainforest as the group start to quietly panic.

“He’s coming this way!” Imu whispers frantically.

“I think he can read my thoughts in some way…” Kusuo replies, grimacing.

“Then think about something else!” hisses Aren. “Make him leave!”

Kusuo immediately thinks of Reita, the memory of him disappearing into the rainforest flashing through his mind. The Watcher looked like he wanted to follow them, so hopefully…

The Watcher blinks, before looking back in the direction of the rainforest below. The sabertooth purrs softly and rubs its head against his hand and the Watcher shakes his head.

“It was nothing,” he says. “Let’s go.”

The Watcher quickly sprints down the hill and into the rainforest, the sabertooth bounding after him. Soon, they vanish from sight completely, the tingling in Kusuo’s head dissipating. The group sigh in relief and step back out onto the hill.

“Truly incredible…” murmurs Kurayami. “What a fascinating specimen you are, Mr Saiki.”

“Haha! Amazing work, Kusuo!” Lila cheers.

Kusuo frowns at Kurayami’s words, choosing to brush them off as the rest of the group all praise him for his quick thinking. All except one.

Shun is bracing himself against a tree, breathing heavily. His eyes are unfocused and his hands are trembling. Aren and Kusuo notice him out of the corner of their eyes.

“Shun?” Aren calls. “You okay?”

Shun winces and presses a hand to his forehead.

“Just…not feeling…too good…”

His knees buckle and give in, the boy beginning to fall sideways. Aren reacts immediately, running forward and grabbing his boyfriend in his arms as he yells his name. Kusuo and the others rush over as Aren carefully lowers himself and Shun to the ground.

“What’s wrong, Kaido?” Kusuo asks, kneeling down next to them.

“I…think I need to…lie down for a bit…” Shun replies, eyes half-closed.

Aren sits back against a tree, leaning Shun against his shoulder. The boy is alarmingly pale, his breathing quick and shallow. Kusuo looks him over in a panic. Whatever was wrong with Shun just took a really bad turn.

Kokomi kneels down on Shun’s other side as everyone else looks on worriedly.

“Are you okay, buddy?!” cries Riki. “What happened?!

Shun winces. “Been feeling light-headed ever since we went through that time portal…”

“I’ve experimented extensively with the time conduits created by the gun,” states Kurayami, lingering at the edge of the group. “This isn’t something brought on by its use.”

Furball whimpers and rests his head on Shun’s legs. Kokomi checks Shun’s pulse as Aiura speaks up.

“Could it be heatstroke? It makes sense the heat would get to you…”

“No,” argues Kokomi. “With the respiratory difficulty, it has to be something else. And his skin’s really hot. It’s almost like a fever, but…it doesn’t seem like one.”

Aren’s eyes darken with worry as he pulls Shun closer. Iris’ eyes flash and she turns to the group.

“My scanners indicate that the Hostiles are quickly moving eastward,” she states.

“That’s not good,” mutters Touma. “At this rate, we won’t be able to catch up.”

Shun grimaces and pulls himself into a sitting position.

“Just go,” he says. “I’ll be fine. You have to go save Toritsuka.”

“We can’t just leave you here!” argues Hairo.

Shun sighs as the rest of the group nods or makes noises of agreement. Kokomi looks Shun over, chewing her lip in worry.

“I’ll stay with him,” she says. “See if I can find anything to get his electrolytes up.”

“I’m staying too,” Aren declares, to no one’s surprise.

“Me too!” announces Imu. “I’ll help you, Kokomi!”

“Aw, thanks Imu!”

Metori looks at Shun, then looks at his father, eyes dark with conflicting emotions. He sighs, before stepping forward.

“I’ll stay as well,” he says. “I’ll keep an eye on that tree for any clues on what they’ve done with Yumehara and Mera.”

“Good idea,” compliments Kusuo. “We should pick a distress signal you can sound if you get caught or more Watchers head to where we’re going.”

“Oh, oh, I got it!” yells Riki, waving his arms. “A pterodactyl screech!”

“How the hell am I supposed to know what that sounds like?!”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” says Kusuo, giving him a thumbs up.

Metori sighs, looking over at Kurayami. His eyes glimmer with faint hope, waiting for him to say something, but the man isn’t even looking at him, instead marvelling over the tree village. Metori’s shoulders slump as he turns away.

Aren notices this and glares at Kurayami.

“Hey, asshole. Maybe congratulate your son for stepping up?”

“Hm?” Kurayami turns to look at Metori. “Very well. Good job, Metori. Please be competent enough.”

Metori’s shoulders slump even more, but he shoots Aren a grateful look. Aren nods in response before turning his attention back to Shun. Hairo takes a deep breath, looking over at the five who are staying.

“Well, I guess that’s that,” he says. “Hope you feel better soon, Kaido. Stay safe out here, guys.”

With that, the rest of the group embark down the hill and into the rainforest. They push through the foliage and undergrowth, following Reita’s trail.

Kusuo’s heart is filled with determination. He was the reason Reita got caught in the first place. He had to rescue him no matter what.

A seed of worry worms its way into his mind when he remembers Shun, but he pushes it aside. Aren was with him. He would be fine. They would all be fine.

He looks up just as two Watchers round a nearby bend, coming from the opposite direction. Everyone quickly rushes to find cover, ducking behind trees and bushes to hide themselves. Kusuo looks to Kurayami, who is beside him.

“You said you had a plan?” he asks.

“Of course,” Kurayami grins. “The first lesson is this: never do work yourself when others can do it for you. Iris?”

“Yes, Mr Saiko,” replies Iris. “Activating audio playback.”

Iris’ hologram flickers for a moment before vanishing completely. The golden drone flutters over to behind the pair of Watchers.

“Ha’kalast, zabitu na klaawyi!” it plays. 

One of the Watchers, wearing a golden mask, immediately turns to the other, eyes flickering with rage. The other Watcher jumps in surprise and confusion.

“Tellok rapta?” he asks.

“Zokk nijlaz!” yells the golden masked Watcher. “Q’arrkalni!”

The Watchers leap at each other and roll out of sight, exchanging blows and insults. The group all step out of hiding, watching in shock.

“Uh, Iris? What did you do?” asks Aiura.

“I simply played back a recording of a Hostile calling another one ‘as ugly as a klaawyi’s butt’,” Iris replies, her hologram reappearing.

“What the heck is a klaawyi?” asks Riki. “Does it have an ugly butt?”

“Yes.”

Riki scrunches up his face as the rest of the group begin to snicker. Lila turns to Kurayami, her eyes sparkling in admiration.

“That was brilliant, sir! Getting them to fight among themselves? Just brilliant!”

“Divide et impera, divide and conquer,” Kurayami replies. “That is the Saiko family motto, after all.”

Kusuo frowns at the man as they continue their journey through the jungle.

The sun has begun to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in beautiful hues of pink and orange. The dense overgrowth thins as an expansive canyon comes into view. Exclamations of awe sound from the group as they take in the sight before them.

Ruined temples and shrines litter the valley like ancient, bleached bones, gleaming in the moonlight. A giant pyramid is in the center, still intact but clearly very fragile. Intricate carvings decorate it, but Kusuo is too far away to make out what they are.

Statues and murals are scattered about, depicting unknown figures. Kusuo thinks he recognises them, but he can’t make them out from this far away. A river twists through the valley from a waterfall at the opposite end, shimmering in the moon. The group has made it to the bottom of the valley, hiding in the foliage.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” sighs Kurayami. “The Hostiles call this place the ‘Valley of Tombs’.”

“That’s not ominous at all,” mutters Aiura.

A large group of Watchers are gathered in front of the pyramid, a large bonfire burning. Reita is with them, sighing unhappily as the old shaman Watcher who was leading the battalion performs some kind of ritual around the fire. The Watcher leader from The Celestial is standing at the edge of the circle, trying to peer in.

“There must be something important about that building,” murmurs Lila.

Toums nods and turns to Kusuo. “Do you want to sneak over and check it out?”

“Hang on! Why can’t we go too?!” hisses Aiura.

“Because Kusuo and I are the only stealthy ones here. The rest of you would attract more attention than a rampaging elephant.”

“Rude!”

Kusuo rolls his eyes before nodding at Touma. “Let’s do it.”

The two of them sneak close to the pyramid, away from the group of Watchers. On the wall of the building is a highly detailed carving, seemingly depicting some kind of party. A crowd of people are gathered around a woman, whose face is hidden behind a mask. How strange…it seems a place of spiritual importance to the Watchers but the people in the carving look to be in 1920’s formal wear.

A large statue rests nearby. It looks to be of the same woman from the carving, only she isn’t wearing a mask. The statue is frowning, arms crossed as it glares at the ground. On its finger is a golden ring, shining in the light of the moon. Its pretty worn down, but still intact. Seems to be some kind of wedding ring. The words engraved on it catch Kusuo’s eye.

‘July 21, 1921 and Ever After’

He blinks in shock. 1921? How was that possible? These temples looked downright ancient, there’s no way they were from less than a hundred years ago. A gasp from Touma shocks him out of his thoughts.

“Kusuo…you might want to look at this.”

Kusuo turns to him. Touma is looking at another carving on the pyramid wall. It shows thirteen young people in warrior-like outfits, 8 boys and 5 girls. They seem to be fighting against a natural disaster of sorts, wielding weapons.

Kusuo’s eyes narrow before widening. 13 young people…

“Is this…us?!” he hisses.

“It seems that way,” Touma replies, eyes wide. “They don’t look like us, but…the numbers add up.”

Kusuo looks at him before footsteps sound from nearby. More Watchers are entering the valley, heading toward the pyramid.

“Time to move,” he says.

Touma nods and the two of them quickly move to rejoin the group. Drums begin to sound as Reita is led towards the Watcher shaman.

“There’s our buddy!” says Riki.

Everyone shushes him and Riki grins sheepishly. The shaman is chanting something, but Kusuo can’t hear from so far away. Something brushes against his leg and Kusuo looks down to see Furball nudging him. The fox walks away a small distance before looking back, barking softly.

“Looks like Furball wants me to follow him…” Kusuo murmurs.

“I’m not sure about that, Saiki,” frets Hairo. “You could get caught.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Despite the group’s protests, Kusuo follows Furball closer to the Watchers. The fox leads him to behind a crumbled stone wall only a coin toss away from the battalion. He can clearly make out what they’re saying from here.

“Khalarat vaantilar, anlakan vaalta…” the shaman chants.

He places a bony hand on Reita’s shoulder, the boy groaning.

“Look, I don’t think that thing you want is here, dude…” he says. “Can’t we just go back to Elyys’tel? Being in this place at night is creeping me out! There’s so many ghosts here, I don’t wanna become the next one!

“Lok!” the shaman cries. “Pashtak buala vaalta!”

Reita throws his arms up in exasperation. “I’m not some police dog you can use to confiscate people’s drug stashes, man! Come on!”

“Za?” exclaims the shaman, blinking in confusion. “Un raa kosh-“

“Yes, I know that analogy doesn’t make sense,” Reita interrupts, sighing. “Can we at least try somewhere else or something?”

Kusuo’s eyes narrow. What were they making him do? His heart sank as he realised how obvious it was that Reita had been here for six months. His hair was much longer, tied up into a ponytail, and he even seemed to understand bits of the Watcher language.

The Watcher from The Celestial pushes through the circle, approaching Reita and the shaman.

“Let him be,” he says. “He needs a break.”

“But we’re so close!” the shaman replies. “Can you not feel it?”

Kusuo blinks in shock. Looks like this telepathy-translation thing extended to Watchers that the Watcher he was connected to was talking to as well. That was handy.

“Of course,” the Watcher says in response to the shaman’s question. “But you cannot rush destiny. The idol will choose the right time to reveal itself. Is that not what you preached to us?”

The shaman chuckles. “Wise words, boy! So be it. You can accompany him inside.”

The Watcher nods as he leads Reita into the overgrown ruin of a pyramid, disappearing into a shadowy doorway. Furball whimpers, Kusuo quietly whistling for him to follow as he walks back to the group, relaying to them what he heard.

“It seems they’re searching for something of spiritual importance…” notes Touma, rubbing his chin.

“This is our chance!” Aiura cheers quietly. “If we can get into that ruin, we’ve only got one Watcher between us and Toritsuka.”

“There’s still too many of them around the entrance,” Hairo argues. “We need a distraction. Someone has to make some noise and run. Leave it to me.”

“Are you sure?” frets Kusuo. “It could be dangerous.”

“I’ll be fine,” Hairo assures. “Who we are is those that are here. What matters is taking back those left behind.”

“Yeah, I’ll help him out!” agrees Riki. “Go save our buddy!”

“You should accompany them, Lila,” Kurayami suddenly interjects.

The tour guide jumps in surprise. “M-Me?”

“Yes. This is what I need you for at present.”

Almost robotically, Lila moves to join Hairo and Riki. The three quickly rush past the group of Watchers, into a nearby temple. The battalion immediately spots them, angry shouts and yells of warning sounding. The entire battalion begins to give chase, the shaman also hobbling after them.

“Quick! Now’s our chance!” says Kusuo.

He, Aiura, Touma, Furball and Kurayami quickly run towards the pyramid, Iris hovering after them. Kusuo’s heart is pounding in his chest. This was it, they were so close!

“Iris, run a scan of that building,” orders Kurayami.

“Scanning. Only the two individuals seen entering are detected inside, sir.”

“Excellent.”

Kusuo frowns at the man. “Do you use Iris as anything other than a little pet?”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” scoffs Kurayami. “She only provides me the essentials of what I need at the moment. One might not be able to find good help in this day and age, but with the right algorithms you can certainly manufacture it.”

The six of them quietly enter the pyramid. Moonlight filters through gaps in the crumbling walls, vines and foliage clinging onto them. Ceremonial braziers are lit, providing a warm glow as Reita and the Watcher stand near an altar at the center of the room. Multiple candles are lit in front of a scratched out mural.

“We should stay back and observe before making our move,” whispers Kurayami.

Kusuo nods and they all quickly move before nearby pillars. The Watcher sighs, shooting Reita an apologetic glance.

“I am sorry for the way you were treated,” he says.

Kusuo’s eyes widen in shock, the others having similar reactions. He can speak Japanese? Reita had been with the Watchers for a long time, maybe he taught this Watcher?

“Ah, no problem,” Reita replies. “Why are these idol thingies so important anyways?”

“Uqzhaal believes they will reveal how to stop Raan’losti, a time of great chains.”

Reita blinks, before chuckling softly. “Uh, I think you mean ‘change’.”

“Yes. Chains,” says the Watcher.

“No it’s change. Chuh-ayn-juh. Got that?”

“Chuh-ayn-juh,” the Watcher repeats, looking to Reita. “This is right?”

“Eh, better.”

The Watcher smiles brightly and Reita gives a toothy grin in response. They continue to search around the pyramid, looking into every nook and crannie. Reita’s face is scrunched up, as he tries to keep his bangs out of his eyesight.

“Ugh, this look really only works in movies…” he groans, the Watcher looking over at his words.

“Here,” he says, walking over. “I will help.”

Reita turns around and the Watcher reaches out, gently braiding a section of hair that was previously getting in his eyes. Reita beams.

“Nice,” he approves. “Thanks, Varyyn!”

“Of course,” the Watcher, Varyyn, replies, resting a hand on Reita’s shoulder.

“I guess we should keep looking?” Reita suggests, his beam turning into an awkward smile.

“Hm? Oh. Yes.”

The two continue their search. Kusuo frowns, Reita seemed awfully friendly with this Watcher. No, his name was Varyyn. It was good to finally have a name to the face that he’d known since that moment on the beach.

A small spark of relief forms in his heart. At least Varyyn wasn’t aggressive or treating Reita badly. Guess he was right about him not being all that bad.

Reita runs his fingers along the temple wall and suddenly freezes, eyes darkening.

“Something’s…in here,” he murmurs.

He brushes away a clump of vines and reaches into a small notch in the wall, pulling out a small statue of gleaming amber. The statue depicts a centaur shooting a bow and arrow, with a determined gaze. Kusuo notices Kurayami’s eyes glinting out of the corner of his eye.

“You found it!” exclaims Varyyn, jaw dropping.

Touma nudges Kusuo before gesturing to Reita and Varyyn.

“We should act now, while the Watcher’s distracted,” he whispers.

Kusuo nods, stealthily picking up a large branch that is laying nearby. In a flash, he hurls it at Varyyn, the branch colliding with his head with a loud thump. Varyyn grunts and slumps to the ground, unconscious as Reita looks at him in shock.

“Varyyn!” he exclaims.

Kusuo, Aiura and Touma immediately rush out of their hiding spots.

“Toritsuka! You okay?!” Aiura calls.

Reita turns to look at them, his jaw dropping almost comically. He looks them up and down thrice, blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes.

“G-Guys…?” he stutters. “Holy shit…It is you! You’re here!”

Aiura rushes to hug him tightly, Reita reciprocating it with a laugh. The girl then punches him in the gut.

“You jerk!” she cries. “Don’t ever get captured again, you hear me?!”

“Ouch! Okay, okay!”

Reita turns to hug Touma, before hugging Kusuo as well. Kusuo takes a deep breath, taking this moment in. Reita was okay. He was alive.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

“Huh? The hell are you sorry for?” asks Reita.

“What do you think? Getting you captured, dumbass!”

Reita blinks, then laughs boisterously. “Oh, don’t beat yourself up about that, Saiki! I let myself get captured. Wait…were you worried about little old me?”

“Never mind. I wish you had died.”

Reita laughs again, Furball jumping up into his arms. Reita hugs the fox tightly, before his eyes settle on Kurayami. His smile immediately turns into a frown as he gently places Furball back onto the ground.

“Oh. You found him, huh?”

Kurayami grins smugly, extending a hand out for the boy to shake. His eyes remain on the amber idol.

“Kurayami Rourke Saiko,” he introduces himself. “A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Mr Toritsuka.”

Reita sighs, clutching his head with the hand that isn’t holding the idol. He looks around at the temple.

“I knew it,” he mutters. “None of you are here. This is just a dream inside of a dream. I bet the bus is going off the bridge right now.”

“This is real, you idiot!” grumbles Aiura. “We’re really here and Kurayami is helping us rescue you.”

“And how do I know that? For all I know you could be Dream Mikoto tricking me into staying asleep!”

Aiura slaps him hard across the face.

“Ow! Okay, yeah, this is real. Really great to see you three again,” Reita mutters, rubbing his cheek. “But where’s everyone else?”

“Hairo, Nendo and Lila are distracting the Watchers,” explains Touma. “The others are keeping lookout back at that tree village.”

“Actually, the Watchers are called the Vaanti,” says Reita. “And the tree village is Elyys’tel. But it’s great to know everyone’s okay!”

Kusuo looks at him thoughtfully. The Vaanti, huh? Well, it makes sense that they would have an actual name for their kind. It seems that the ‘Elyys’tel’ he heard Reita talking about earlier was the tree village after all, too.

“What about Yumehara and Mera?” he asks. “What happened to them?”

Reita sighs, face falling. “No idea. I was kept in Elyys’tel but they were sent somewhere else. Haven’t seen them in months.”

Kusuo frowns. That wasn’t good. But it didn’t matter. He was sure they’d find them eventually. He’d make sure of it.

“So, where have you guys been?” Reita asks. “Not to sound rude, but it has been over six months.”

“Apologies. The time portal gun sent us 204 days into the future,” Touma explains. “We only reappeared last night.”

“Holy crap…” Reita mutters in response. “Well, that explains it. I was starting to think you guys were dead or something.”

Kusuo sighs, that was a fair thing to think. It was only a second for them, but it was six months for Reita.

“What were the Watchers-uh, Vaanti making you do anyways?” Kusuo asks.

“Look for this,” replies Reita, holding up the amber idol. “Apparently there’s twelve more of these, so thirteen in total, that they lost in a civil war a thousand years ago. They’re part of their religion.”

“Does that religion involve us?” Kusuo questions, thinking back to the mural. “Thirteen idols…thirteen of us…”

“Actually, yeah! It’s a long story. They haven’t told me the whole story, but apparently we’re kind of…godlike figures to them? And the idols are made to represent us, so they have connections to us? I have no idea how it works, but that’s all they would say.”

Kusuo hums in response. It looks like he was right about those idols as well. He must have already found the ones that were connected to Kokomi and Hairo, and there was more out there that represented the rest of them.

But…how was that possible? The Vaanti had obviously been here for thousands of years judging by the state of these temples, how did they know of them? Was it some kind of prophecy?

His thoughts are interrupted by Aiura clearing her throat. The girl gestures to Varyyn, still unconscious on the floor.

“So, uh…You and that Watcher, or Vaanti, whatever. Are you two, like…a thing?”

Reita chokes on his spit, face flushing a bright red.

“Wh-No!! I’m a ladies man!” he cries. “Although, I will admit, I might have had a bi awakening in these past few months…But that’s all! Doesn’t mean we can’t be friends!”

“Riiiiight…”

Aiura is smirking at him and Reita scowls at her before turning to Varyyn.

“Actually, now that I’m on that. Did you guys seriously have to knock him out?”

“We had to make sure no one would stop us rescuing you,” states Touma.

Reita sighs. “Yeah, I get that, but you could have, like, done something less violent. Varyyn’s not all that bad, he’s actually a good guy! He had a kind of duty or mission when he was trying to capture us, so he was a bit forceful, but he didn’t really-“

A loud screeching yell sound suddenly sounds from afar, everyone looking around in confusion.

“What the hell was that?!” mutters Reita. “Sounded like a parrot choking in slow motion.”

Kusuo’s eyes widen. “The signal!”

“So much for our escape route,” grumbles Aiura.

“You guys have to get out of here, then!” says Reita, frantic. “Right now!”

“We came to rescue you,” Touma replies.

“If they come back and I’m gone, they’ll hunt you down,” argues Reita. “If I stay and you leave with the others, they’ll never even know you were here. The idols are all they care about. It’s why they came for us in the first place!”

Aiura scowls and stomps on his foot, the boy yowling in pain.

“Since when did you become so noble?! I’m glad you’re not as much of a coward anymore, but come on! You’re our friend, jackass! We’re not leaving without you!”

Reita blinks in shock, before a grin splits across his face. The boy rubs his neck, bashful.

“Aw…Thanks. That’s nice to hear,” he sighs happily. “Man, it’s great to see you guys again. The Vaanti are great, well most of ‘em, but they don’t really have anything fun to do.”

Footsteps and yells suddenly sound nearby, coming from the temple entrance. Kurayami reaches his hand out to Reita, an eager glint in his eyes.

“Quick! Hand me the idol! I’ll hide it from them!”

Reita frowns and looks down at the idol, hesitating. Before he can make his decision, a large battalion of Vaanti pours into the room, amber spears aimed directly at the group.

“Uq vaalta!”

The cry came from the shaman from before, the man hobbling towards Kusuo and the others. Kusuo immediately gets into a defensive position. He wouldn’t let his guard down with these guys even if it was an old man. He could be some martial arts master or something.

“Well done, Centaurus!” the shaman exclaims gleefully, a wide grin splitting across his face. “You have brought us the idol and the rest of the Catalysts too!”

“You can speak Japanese too?!” cries Aiura, Kusuo and Touma showing similar expressions of shock.

The shaman ignores them and continues to hobble happily toward Reita, stretching his hand out to receive the amber statue. Kusuo immediately tenses up.

“Toritsuka…” he warns.

“Don’t worry! This guy’s cool!” assures Reita, before he frowns at the shaman. “But still. You have to promise you won’t hurt my friends.”

“Hurt them?!” the shaman scoffs. “Of course not! You and your friends are the key to our people’s future!”

Reita relaxes, though Kusuo remains on guard. This shaman didn’t seem to have any ill intent from his words, but he couldn’t be sure. Reita reaches out to give the shaman the idol and Kurayami growls.

“No!”

The man kicks over one of the ceremonial braziers, flames immediately spreading among the vines that cover the temple’s floor and walls. Before long, they’re completely surrounded. Quick as a flash, he rushes towards Reita and yanks the back of the his shirt. Before the boy can react, Kurayami has an intricate dagger pressed against his neck, snatching the idol out of his hands. Kusuo grits his teeth, rage bubbling up inside him. He was disappointed, angry…but he couldn’t say he was surprised.

“You…bastard,” he growls.

“Damnit! I knew we couldn’t trust you!” cries Aiura.

“I should have known you were up to no good,” Touma spits out. “I was getting a bad feeling this whole time!”

The fire continues to spread throughout the temple, the Vaanti battalion looking around in shock and trying to put it out. Kusuo hears a sudden groan, turning to see Varyyn weakly getting to his feet. The Vaanti looks around in shock at the scene before his eyes land on Kurayami and Reita. His shock quickly turns to anger.

“You fiend!” he cries.

Kurayami doesn’t even acknowledge him, instead smirking mockingly at Kusuo.

“You all should know that I am a man of hard work, ambition and thrift,” he declares. “When there are loose ends to be cut, I do not hesitate.”

“Let him go!” Kusuo, Aiura, Touma and Varyyn all yell out at the same time.

“Gladly,” Kurayami answers, looking at Varyyn. “However, I’ll need your people to get out of my way first.

Varyyn gestures to the Vaanti warriors, who move aside to allow Kurayami an easy path back through the entrance.

“Hold it!” shouts Kusuo. “We’re not just letting you escape!”

He begins to walk toward Kurayami, but the man presses the knife further against Reita’s neck, causing him to freeze in his tracks. Reita glares at the man behind him as Kurayami turns back to Varyyn.

"And if they wouldn’t mind putting their weapons away…”

Varyyn gestures once more and the Vaanti reluctantly lower their weapons. Aiura and Touma are glaring at Kurayami, fists balled. Like Kusuo, they clearly want to do something, but can’t with Reita at risk. The shaman grits his teeth at the sight.

“The Hydra can’t be allowed to leave with the idol!” he cries.

The fire has reached the ceiling, cinders beginning to rain down on the group. Aiura yelps as one hits her shoulder, quickly brushing it off before her shirt starts burning.

“It’s getting way too hot in here!” she screams, looking at Kusuo in a panic.

Kusuo scowls in response, spotting the branch he used earlier laying nearby. He quietly crouches to pick it up. Varyyn glimpses at the burning temple before refocusing his gaze on Kurayami.

“You have the idol and a way out, Hydra,” he says. “Now let him go.”

Kurayami’s smile makes Kusuo’s blood boil. “Much appreciated. I’ll also be taking what belongs to me. Iris, activate Directive 1908.”

“Activating!” Iris says, her eyes flashing. “Loading previous command set. Memory reboot in three…two…”

Kusuo stealthily inches closer to Kurayami, hiding the branch behind his back.

“…One,” Iris’ eyes suddenly widen, her usually blank look full of emotion. “I…where is Metori? Is he safe?”

Kusuo breaks stealth and prepares to throw the branch at Kurayami’s head. He couldn’t use his powers, so he just had to make do. He had to get this right, if he knocked out Kurayami this would all be over. Iris’ eyes widen as she notices him.

Her drone immediately flies over, and just as Kusuo’s about to throw the branch a bright light is flashed in his face. He yelps in surprise as he tosses the branch, which bounces off the wall right near Kurayami’s head. The man laughs.

“Oh, so close, Mr Saiki!” he exclaims. “Unfortunately, your aim was a bit off. Come along, Iris.”

Kusuo blinks the spots out of his eyes, seething. Iris goes back to Kurayami’s side, to Aiura and Touma’s shock.

“What are you doing, Iris?!” questions Aiura.

Iris looks back at them, frowning in sadness.

“I apologise. I must go now.”

Kusuo frowns. Her voice was…different. Since when was Iris British?

“You have to fight back, Iris!” encourages Touma. “Don’t listen to his orders.”

“That course of action would be logical, yes,” agrees Iris. "However, I’m afraid Directive 1908 cannot be overridden at this time.”

Kurayami smirks at her words, unaware of Varyyn glaring at him from close by. The Vaanti takes advantage of the distraction to hurl a bola at the man. The weapon latches onto Kurayami’s arm, the weight of the attached stones jerking it back and causing him to lose his grip on the idol.

Kurayami roars in rage and pushes Reita to the side, rushing after the idol. But he’s not fast enough. Just before his fingers brush it, Kusuo dives forward, snatching the statue away. He rushes back to the others and hands the idol back to Reita. As soon as they’re both touching it, his vision fills with white.

He finds himself somewhere he recognises. He’s in a traditional Buddhist temple, soft music playing from a nearby record player. Statues of deities and guardian beasts surround the wooden floor. This is Reita’s family home. What memory will he witness here?

Footsteps interrupt his thoughts. He looks and sees an old, bald man pacing nearby, muttering angrily to himself. Reita, who doesn’t really look younger, is on his knees in front of him, biting his lip.

‘That other guy must be Toritsuka’s father,’ Kusuo deduces. ‘I wonder what’s going on here.’

“Failing all of your classes?!” the father’s shout suddenly echoes off the walls. “How is that even possible?! What have you been doing at that school?!”

Reita flinches at the voice, looking up desperately.

“I-I know, I just…I’ve been focused on some other things! I’ve kept on practicing with my band and we’re actually getting really good! If you just-“

“Enough!” his father scoffs, holding out a hand to silence him. “I don’t care about your stupid extracurricular activities! You’re lucky your friend invited you to this little week-long hang out or you would be grounded!”

Reita looks down again and Kusuo scowls. Reita’s band had actually begun to get really good, without the help of his powers. So what if his grades weren’t that good? It just meant school subjects weren’t his area of expertise.

Reita’s father sighs. “Honestly, I don’t have time for this. Just get your grades up so you can grow up and actually live a stable life!”

He storms out and Reita sighs, getting up and lightly kicking the floor in frustration.

“Asshole...” he mutters, lip wobbling.

Kusuo can’t really disagree with him there. Reita’s father seemed like a real piece of work. He follows his friend as he exits the temple, slinging a bag over his shoulder and grabbing a suitcase as he waves to a few ghosts. They walk onto the street and Kusuo’s eyes widen as he sees a luxurious limousine waiting on the road. He remembers this; this was when they were all on their way to the airport to go to La Huerta.

Reita checks his phone and Kusuo takes a peek to confirm his suspicions. Sure enough, it was the afternoon of May 31st, when they left. Reita hops onto the bus and Kusuo follows him on, yells of greeting filling his ears. His own face, as well as the faces of the rest of his friends, stare up at them.

“And there he is! Number thirteen!” cheers Imu.

“Good to see you, Toritsuka!” greets Shun, waving. “You ready to have the best vacation ever?”

A wide grin splits across Reita’s face as he takes the open seat in between Chiyo and Aiura. “You bet I am! This is gonna be sick!”

The rest of the group cheer in response, except for the other Kusuo, who sighs tiredly, and Metori, who rolls his eyes to try and fight off his smile. Kusuo eyes the scene suspiciously, what about this was so significant?

“Oi, perv,” Aiura calls, Reita looking over at her. “I listened to your band’s new song. I hate to say this, but it’s actually pretty good."

“R…Really?” Reita murmurs, before his smile brightens even more. “I mean, of course! Why would you expect anything less from the likes of me?”

“It’s probably because you’re actually practising now,” the other Kusuo mumbles. “I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised by that fact.”

Reita chuckles as the rest of the group all compliment him on the song. They had all gotten together to listen to it when Reita was off sick from school a few days before.

Reita’s eyes brighten at all the consequences and his smile grows so wide Kusuo worries his mouth will rip open. Still, a melancholic feeling worms its way into his heart. He knows from Reita’s thoughts that he’s actually much more insecure than he lets on and that scene with his father basically confirmed why. This must be why he latches onto them so much, they’re the ones that make him feel good about himself. Reita looks down, smile still standing strong.

“Thanks guys,” he whispers. “You’re the best.”

Kusuo’s eyes soften, before a spike of pain tugs at his chest, his vision blurring as he’s rocketed through time once more.

He’s back in the observatory, more machines and monitors scattered about the room. He hears frantic muttering nearby and turns to see Varyyn lying on a lab table, his arms and legs pinnned down by mechanical restraints. He seems weak, eyes filled with exhaustion.

Reita is nearby, frantically typing into a nearby monitor. His teeth are gritted and he’s cursing under his breath. Kusuo immediately feels a sense of dread. Reita looked like he was in the present, with longer hair and a bit taller than before. So this must be the future. And if this future vision was anything like the other two…

“Ugh, come on!” Reita mutters. “Why isn’t this working?!”

Iris’ hologram suddenly materialises in a corner of the room, Kusuo jumping at her sudden arrival.

“I’m sorry, Reita,” she says. “I can’t let you do that.”

Varyyn looks shocked at her appearance and Reita whirls around to face her.

“Iris?” he calls, visibly confused.

Iris’ blank look turns to a glare. “Defense sequence initiated. Those present are advised to vacate immediately.”

A mechanical whirr sounds as a series of panels open near the ceiling. Robotic arms connected to giant machine guns emerge from the wall, everything in the observatory within their range. Reita looks at them in shock before turning back to Iris.

“Iris, what are you doing?!” he cries. “I’ve got to get him out of here!”

“Negative,” says Iris. “This specimen will remain in custody for the duration of the procedure. Final warning. Those left behind will not be spared.”

The procedure? Kusuo frowns worriedly, that doesn’t sound good. Reita’s confusion quickly turns to anger.

“Listen to me, Iris!” he pleads. “I’m your friend! Are you really gonna just shoot me down like you did Metori?!”

Kusuo winces, another death in this future. But it was interesting how Reita referred to Metori by his first name. Iris is silent for a while, still scowling, before replying.

“Input is invalid. Metori will be returned to life once the procedure is complete.”

Reita growls at her and Varyyn looks at him desperately.

“Reita, go!” he yells. “Your whole life is ahead of you! Go and live it!”

“No way!” Reita yells back. “Everyone else is gone! You’re the only one I have left! You and all the others are the only ones who have acknowledged me, congratulated my efforts and made me feel like I belong! I’ll stay with you no matter what! Life means nothing without the people I care about!”

Kusuo sucks in a breath. Damnit, Reita. Why is it that one of your best traits is what’s gonna get you killed? Varyyn’s face twists in anguish as Iris continues to scowl in the corner.

“Deploying weapons,” she announces.

There are so many bangs that follow those words Kusuo almost thinks they’re fireworks or a second. Blood sprays into the air as Reita and Varyyn are struck with a hailstorm of bullets, the purple haired boy dropping to the ground. Kusuo flinches before his vision goes white once more.

He’s never been more happy to be back in a burning temple. Reita takes the idol out of his hands, looking at him curiously. Kusuo pats him on the shoulder in response before looking over at Kurayami, the man glaring viciously at him. The orange glow of the temple reflects in his eyes as he and Iris turn and flee through the entrance.

Reita quickly tries to rush over to him, Kusuo, Aiura and Touma following. Then, a large creaking groan sounds from above. Reita looks up and his eyes widen.

“Guys, look out-!”

Rubble and burning overgrowth crashes down, surrounding them on all sides. Aiura screams and Touma looks up to see the top covered in overgrowth as well. Kusuo grits his teeth. They’re trapped!

“Guys! Are you okay?!” Reita’s voice sounds from outside the burning prison, Furball’s barking accompanying it.

“Barely! We can’t get out!” Aiura shouts back, flinching as embers spark nearby.

Suddenly a blue hand smashes through the burning undergrowth above, unaffected by the flames. It clears a hole strong enough for a person, chucking away some stray vines. Kusuo looks up as Varyyn reaches out to him.

“Take my hand!” he cries.

Kusuo immediately clasps his hand, Varyyn pulling him out of the rubble. Reita sighs in relief as Varyyn does the same with Aiura and Touma.

“Thank you for that,” says Touma.

“It was my pleasure,” replies Varyyn.

They rush up to the shaman and Vaanti soldiers near the entrance, a wall of fire blocking their path. Kusuo sighs angrily, he could really use his powers right about now.

“There’s no way out!” yells Aiura. “What do we do?”

Furball leaps forward, taking a deep breath. The fox exhales a large cone of frost at the entrance, immediately dousing the flames. Everyone stares in surprise.

“I guess we could do that,” Aiura mutters.

Everyone quickly rushes outside the temple, emerging into the valley just as the upper structure of the pyramid completely gives out. An awful groaning noise sounds out as the temple collapses in on itself, smoke flying out. The group all cough, but sigh in relief.

Kusuo looks around and sees another group of Vaanti approaching. The others who were a distraction or on lookout are all in the middle of the battalion, spears pointed at them as they reluctantly keep walking. Reita grins and waves at them. When they spot him, they all manage to let out smiles as well. Kusuo narrows his eyes, there was no sign of Kurayami or Iris.

“Behold!” the shaman suddenly cries.

He takes the idol from Reita and holds it aloft, the amber statue shining in the fire’s glow. The shaman is grinning widely.

“Centaurus has brought us the idol and something even greater,” he declares. “The rest of the Catalysts have come to fulfill their destiny!”

Chapter Text

The stars shine from the sky above as the group walk across the wooden platforms of Elyys’tel’s mighty tree. Kusuo looks down and almost gulps. That was way too high for his liking.

The others are talking to each other, Reita catching up with the guys who weren’t in the temple. Small hugs were exchanged back at the valley, as he explained what they were making him do.

“So the Watchers, or Vaanti I guess. They have a whole religion that has something to do with us?” asks Imu. 

“Basically, yeah,” Reita replies. “I don’t know much either.”

“I’m glad you’re okay, Toritsuka,” says Hairo. “It sucks that we don’t know anything about Yumehara and Mera, but I’m sure we’ll find them eventually. Just still can’t believe Kurayami betrayed us.”

Aren scoffs. “I knew it would happen. He was just using us to get what he wants.”

Metori, who has been oddly quiet, looks away at his words, as does Lila. Kusuo glances at them briefly before looking away. Furball lets out a small growl from his place in Imu’s arms.

The Vaanti escort them through a set of wooden doors and into a large chamber. Kusuo’s eyes widen as he takes in the sight around him. The whole place is made out of polished wood, a dome-like structure. Three enormous faces, that look like masks, are carved into the wooden ceiling right in his field of vision. Right below that is a throne made of bone white roots, those roots extending into the floor and wall as energy thrums inside of them. A woman is seated on the throne, her face hidden behind a veil.

Two Vaanti are on either side of the throne. To the right is the shaman, who is examining the idol with a look of awe on his face. To the left is a hulking green woman in armour, braids weaving through her green hair. She, like Varyyn and the shaman, is without a mask, scowling at the group.

Kusuo looks to his sides, where rows of seats are set out like an amphitheatre. Masked Vaanti stare down at them, whispering and muttering to each other. Varyyn takes a look at the scene and his immediate look of shock is almost comical.

“What is it?” asks Reita. “What’s going on?”

“The Tribunal has assembled to judge your fate,” Varyyn answers. “Three will speak for our tribe and three for your group.”

The seated Watcher lifts her veil. Her skin is a pale green, her long brown hair decorated with small blue flowers. She wears a white dress that is decorated with gold, an ornate necklace with a blue crystal hung around her neck. She gestures to the Vaanti battalion.

“Bring them forward.”

At her command, the Vaanti battalion pushes Kusuo, Metori and Lila forward, making it so that they’re standing next to the shaman.

“Hey, wait, I wanna go up there too!” cries Riki.

He tries to run up, but the Vaanti block him. Kusuo, Metori and Lila look at each other before looking back at the group, who are all giving them thumbs up.

“Good luck, guys,” encourages Shun.

“Yeah, looks like we’re counting on you,” says Aiura. “No pressure or anything.”

The shaman hobbles toward the group, muttering something, before going over to Kusuo and Metori. His chant increases in volume.

“Crystalized destiny, idol of hope…” the shaman brings his palm to rest on Kusuo’s forehead. “Crystalized destiny, idol of-“

Power suddenly surges through Kusuo and thunder rumbles in the distance. The shaman’s eyes widen as Kusuo stumbles slightly. What the hell?

The shaman brings his now trembling hand back to his side.

“It is a proven truth!” he cries. “They are indeed the Thirteen Catalysts of legend!”

Gasps of astonishment come from the crowd of Vaanti, their whispers increasing in volume. Kusuo finds himself the subject of many shocked and skeptical glances, the others suffering the same fate. He decides to try and get some answers. Uqzhaal turns and points at the group who are still gathered near the entrance.

“Yes…other than Centaurus is Ursa, Lupus, Aquila…Cepheus, Pavo…Cygnus, Delphinus and Canis…” he turns and looks at Kusuo and Metori, grinning widely. “Ah…and here we have Corvus and Serpens! How wonderful!”

Kusuo and Metori exchange a look before Kusuo looks back down at the shaman.

“Listen, uh, sir. Sorry to say this, but we have no idea what you’re talking about. Do you mind explaining a little bit?” he asks.

The shaman chuckles as he looks at him. “Ah, yes. You do not fully understand your destiny. Not yet, at least.”

“Can you please tell us what is going on?” Metori suddenly groans. “Who are you, anyways?”

“Ah, yes. Forgive me,” the shaman says. “I am called Uqzhaal. Perhaps one of our oldest legends will help you all understand.”

The shaman relaxes against his staff, eyes sparkling as he smiles softly. He takes a deep breath before speaking.

“Long, long ago, our tribe was not the peaceful, ordered structure it is today. We were rabid, lawless creatures, who knew only violence. Until one day, when we were visited by one who moves unhindered among the branches of the Great Tree of Time,” he explains. “The Endless, as we call this one, foretold of an event known as Raan’losti, which would bring about the total annihilation of everything.

“Our ancestors were terribly frightened by this news. But The Endless gave us hope. They told us of thirteen young individuals, eight males and five females. They would be strange, not like us in appearance.

“The Endless foretold that the arrival of these Catalysts would herald that Raan’losti would soon be here. Inspired by this, our ancestors crafted the thirteen idols of flawless amber. These vaalta pleased The Endless and for many tranquil years they were kept in a temple deep in the jungle. We abandoned our savage ways and became a true civilisation, living in peace.”

Uqzhaal’s face falls and he sighs, looking to the ground.

“But peace is inevitably followed by strife. Conflict among our people saw the idols stolen and scattered across the island.

“The Endless consoled us, saying that eventually the thirteen would come, bringing great upheaval and change. They told us that the Catalysts would lead us back to the vaalta, and when the idols are finally reunited, the power to protect the island will be within reach.”

Uqzhaal beams, looking over at the group before looking back at Kusuo and Metori.

“You are the Thirteen Catalysts!” he says. “You have come and Raan’losti will soon be upon us!”

“I…don’t think that’s a good thing,” Kusuo answers, trying to process this new information.

Uqzhaal chuckles. “I do not mean it in that way. We have you now! We have a chance to stop it!”

Kusuo frowns. So this ‘The Endless’ figure was like a god to the Vaanti. What did Kurayami want with them? And what was the deal with The Endless knowing about them? How did they know about them? A quick glance at the others shows they are just as confused.

The sound of someone clearing their throat catches his ears and Kusuo looks over at the regally attired Vaanti seated on the throne. She observes the group before turning to Uqzhaal.

“If this is true, Uqzhaal, then we must proceed carefully,” she says.

“Since when can you all speak Japanese?!” Aiura cries, the others also looking at the woman in shock.

The Vaanti chuckles lightly, an amused look in her eyes.

“We learn quickly, young one. Centaurus has been very helpful these past few months,” she replies, turning to Kusuo and Metori as Reita chuckles bashfully. “Catalysts, I am Ximaedra, elyyshar of the Vaanti. Elyyshar would be ‘ruler’ in your tongue. I would like to know your purpose on this island.”

Kusuo and Metori exchange a look. Metori gives him a ‘you tell her’ gesture and he sighs, turning to Ximaedra.

“We were, um, invited here by Kurayami,” he begins.

This leads to another round of whispers between the gathered Vaanti, the word ‘hydra’ frequently popping up. Ximaedra frowns and Metori facepalms as Kusuo hurriedly tries to correct himself.

“Not in that way!” he cries. “He tricked us. We thought it was just a vacation, but he was intending to use us for his plans. We only just learned of his true colours.”

“I see,” murmurs Uqzhaal. “So? What do you intend to do now?”

Kusuo sighs. “We just want to go home. We’ve been confronted with danger at every turn ever since we got here and trying everything to escape. Unfortunately, nothing ever seems to work.

“We clearly don’t belong here,” adds Metori. “Just let us go, tell us where our other two friends are and we’ll leave. We’ll never bother your tribe again.”

A scoff sounds from nearby. Kusuo turns to see the large green woman scowling viciously at them.

“What absurdity,” she hisses. “You just learned you were fated to come to Vaanu and now you want to abandon it?”

Kusuo and Metori both shoot her a look as Ximaedra turns to the woman.

“War chief Seraxa,” she addresses. “What say you of the Catalysts?”

The woman, Seraxa, shoots a dirty glare at Kusuo and Metori, then at the rest of the group, before returning her gaze to Ximaedra.

“The Thirteen have brought great upheaval with them, yes,” she states, her scowl turning into a snarl. “Not only have they rejected their sacred journey, they’ve waged war upon our people at every opportunity!

“They were said to be our saviours, but I believe they are the Catalysts who will bring about our annihilation in the first place! If we do not stop them here and now, Raan’losti will be our doom!”

Seraxa pulls out a large ceremonial knife, the obsidian blade gleaming in the candlelight.

“As war chief of Elyys’tel, I declare the Catalysts’ blood enemies of the Vaanti!” she declares, cutting a gash in her arm and raising the bloodied knife above her head.

A few of the crowded Vaanti let out loud cheers in response, Kusuo and Metori exchanging a worried look. The others all have the same expression and Varyyn can be seen frowning.

“Madness!” cries Uqzhaal.

Ximaedra frowns, her eyes glinting in mild shock.

“On what grounds do you invoke this, Seraxa?” she asks.

“They violently resisted Prince Varyyn’s escort!” replies Seraxa. “They attacked the Shore Guardian and irresponsibly manipulated the crystals of Vaanu! Now they’ve burned the Valley of Tombs, not to mention endangered the life of our dear Keeper of the Old Faith.”

She sneers at Uqzhaal as she says that last sentence, the shaman shaking his head in disappointment. Kusuo frowns at her words. Kurayami was the one that burned that temple down, not them. And those crystals caused them trouble, they didn’t manipulate them in any way. Metori frowns from his position next to him.

“Shore Guardian?” he repeats. “I don’t remember any guardian…”

“She speaks of the great crab, one of four mighty beasts that guard this island,” Uqzhaal answers.

Kusuo’s eyes widen in realisation and he sees the rest of the observatory group doing the same. Makes sense why the Vaanti were angry about that. He and Chisato did a bit more than attack it…

“For generations, we’ve known the appearance of the Catalysts signalled great destruction. Now we know they are the destruction!” Seraxa continues. “We have been taught what we must do to save the island. The time has come. The Thirteen must die.”

She lowers her arm, giving Kusuo and Metori a hard glare. Kusuo returns it as Ximaedra frowns.

“I see. Putting our faith in the Catalysts is clearly a great risk,” she says. “But you would have us extinguish that risk and face Raan’losti on our own.”

She turns to look at Varyyn, who is standing next to the rest of the group.

“And what think you, Varyyn, my son?” she asks. “Would you have us aid the Catalysts or sentence them to death?”

Varyyn blinks in surprise, looking down awkwardly as everyone’s gazes turn to him. “It…It is not my place to speak before the Tribunal.”

Ximaedra sighs and looks away, Kusuo looking at Varyyn curiously. So he’s the heir to the Vaanti throne, huh? His opinion would definitely hold some power. He knew Varyyn was a good guy, he just might need some encouragement…

Kusuo closes his eyes, focusing on Varyyn’s presence. His mind separates from the presence as he’s whisked away into the Vaanti’s memories.

He finds himself on a cliff, overlooking Elyys’tel. Ximaedra and Varyyn are standing in front of him, the woman looking weak and sickly. She coughs and begins to walk away.

“Come, Varyyn. We’re going to be late.”

“Mother, you should rest!” Varyyn pleads. “You’ve been ill for days!”

“The village depends on me, my son,” replies Ximaedra. “When Elyys’tel’s troubles rest, so shall I.”

Varyyn scowls and looks down at the ground, kicking away a pebble.

“That’s what grandfather said before he passed away,” he laments. “Our people just stood and watched as he gave his life!”

Ximaedra reaches towards him in sadness and shock. “Varyyn-“

“Leave me be!”

Ximaedra lowers her hand and departs sadly. Varyyn sits down on the cliffside, still muttering angrily to himself. His eyes suddenly widen and he turns to Kusuo, having noticed his presence. 

“You!”

“Hi.”

Varyyn raises an eyebrow curiously. “What are you doing in my head, mind-talker?”

“Call me Kusuo,” says Kusuo. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I need to ask for your help.”

“With the Tribunal?”

“Yes. I know we’ve had our differences in the past…” Kusuo replies. “But I know you’re a good guy. You were only following orders on the beach and at The Celestial. You didn’t want to hurt us.”

“Of course not,” Varyyn answers. “I had orders to bring you in alive. And besides…I could tell you did not know what was going on. That you all were scared. I am not heartless.”

“I know that,” states Kusuo. “So please, could you speak on our behalf?”

Varyyn sighs, looking at him sadly. “Only my mother’s advisors speak at court. And others who seek to manipulate her.”

“She seems interested in your opinion,” argues Kusuo. “Are you really just gonna stand idly by while they sentence us all  to death? Sentence Toritsuka to death?”

Reita’s name seems to strike something in Varyyn. The Vaanti frowns and looks away for a while, before turning back to Kusuo.

“Very well. If things begin to go badly for you and your group, I shall do as you ask.”

Kusuo sighs in relief. “Thank you, Varyyn.”

Kusuo closes his mind and lets his consciousness drift back to reality. He meets Varyyn’s eyes and the Vaanti gives him a subtle nod. Kusuo nods back, before turning his attention to Ximaedra, who has begun to speak.

“Uqzhaal, it is true that The Endless foretold the Catalysts would lead us to the idols,” she says. “However, that can be taken in many ways. They did not specify exactly how or whether they would truly be our allies. Did The Endless not speak of the Catalysts’ capacity for both salvation and destruction?”

“I…” Uqzhaal sighs and looks down. “This is true, my elyyshar.”

Ximaedra frowns sadly, holding up a hand to silence the mutters coming from the Vaanti crowd.

“Then we may in fact be enemies after all. That is what we must determine here,” she says, turning to look at Kusuo and Metori. “Corvus and Serpens, do you and the rest of your group strive for harmony or change?”

The two of them exchange a look, Metori shrugging. Kusuo frowns, trying to think. He honestly had no idea what Ximaedra meant by that, but he knew the wrong answer would lead to a bad ending for them. Looks like he’d have to be careful.

“We are…agents of both,” he declares. “We seek for everyone to be able to live in harmony, but to do that sometimes things can’t stay the same. We have to bring that change in order for there to be true harmony.”

“So you admit it!” shouts Seraxa. “You are here to disrupt the balance of Vaanu!”

Kusuo frowns when Metori suddenly chimes in.

“Maybe your people have resisted change until now, but this island is in a constant state of flux,” he states. “You have to change in order to survive here.”

Kusuo shoots him a grateful look, Metori nodding in return. Seraxa scowls as Uqzhaal laughs in delight.

“Well spoken! They are truly the destined children of the stars!”

Seraxa scoffs. “Claq shen zavii. This means little. They still pose a threat.”

The Vaanti seated in the stands begin to strike up conversations at her words, muttering and whispering to each other. Doubt, distrust, and even fear linger in their eyes. He turns to quietly confer with Metori and Lila.

“This isn’t looking good for us,” Lila murmurs nervously.

Kusuo frowns, trying to think of a plan. “What if I said this was all a big misunderstanding? We didn’t know anything about their values or laws. We can’t be blamed for breaking them if we never knew about them in the first place.”

“Or perhaps I can vouch for what good kids you guys are?” offers Lila. “Show them that we’re not all that bad!”

“Neither of those will work,” Metori suddenly interjects. “They’ve already made it clear that our ignorance of their society has put us on their bad side, our actions have still had consequences regardless of our knowledge. And they certainly won’t care in the slightest what ‘good kids’ we are. I say we go on the offensive and push their own hypocrisy right in their faces!”

Kusuo gives him a curious look. “Didn’t think you’d be willing to contribute in this.”

“I just don’t want the death sentence,” Metori mutters in reply, looking away. “And I’d prefer if all of you didn’t die either.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet, Metori!” coos Lila.

Kusuo chuckles at Metori’s scowl before nodding at the boy.

“Go for it.”

Metori clears his throat and walks into the center to the audience hall. He turns and bows his head politely to Ximaedra.

“Permission to speak?”

Ximaedra eyes him curiously, before nodding. “You may speak, Serpens.”

Metori thanks her and turns to face the crowd of Vaanti. Kusuo and the rest of the group are looking at the boy in surprise. They did not expect that from Metori of all people. Aren in particular looks like he just saw an elephant doing ballet.

“Everybody gathered here today. What we have here is an embarrassing excuse for justice,” Metori begins, scoffing. ”I haven’t seen such a poor appraisal of facts since Kaido tried to convince me Keanu Reeves was a vampire.”

“Have you looked at the dude?!” Shun cries. “He hasn’t aged a day in twenty years!”

“What foolishness is this?” Seraxa asks. “Get to the point!”

“In every encounter it’s been your people who’ve waged war on us, beginning with a certain ‘follow or die’ ultimatum on the beach,” declares Metori, scowling at the woman.

Varyyn rubs his neck sheepishly, causing Kusuo to resist a chuckle. Metori continues to address the Vaanti crowd.

“As for enemies of the island, Saiki and our other friend Mera discovered an amber arrowhead in the shell of that giant crab. The Shore Guardian, was it?” he states, casting a glance at the Vaanti crowd. “Judging by the weapons I see in this room, it’s obvious we weren’t the only ones to have defended ourselves against that thing.”

The Vaanti all look away nervously, Seraxa scowling. Kusuo smirks when he sees this.

Metori keeps going with his speech. “And at The Celestial we were confronted with your battalions, an unknown force that, in our eyes, could have killed us. You cannot blame us for fighting back.

“Like you, we’ve sought to survive in an environment where all of nature seemed bent on killing us. But alas, it appears civilisation is the most dangerous predator.”

With that, he walks back to Kusuo and Lila, both of them giving him a thumbs up. In the corner of his eye, Kusuo spots Reita miming a mic drop, the rest of the group giving Metori silent applause.

“Seeking answers for what came before is less urgent than preparing for what will yet be…” Ximaedra murmurs to herself, before addressing the room once more. “Given all that I have heard today, I see that the Catalysts do not intend to harm us in anyway.

“However, with all the events they have caused and what they have been foretold to bring about, I cannot help but agree that they pose a major threat to Vaanu. Catalysts, if you have anything else to say on your behalf, please do so now. Otherwise, I will be forced to sentence you accordingly.”

Noises of disbelief come from the rest of the group as Kusuo resists sighing in dismay. Metori scoffs as Lila looks outraged.

“These kids are just trying to get home!” she cries. “You can’t punish them for that!”

Ximaedra looks at her and frowns. “Who is this, Uqzhaal? She wears the mark of the Hydra.”

“Hm, curious…” mutters Uqzhaal. “The Endless said nothing of a fourteenth person…”

“I-I’m a tour guide…I was tasked to watch over these kids.”

Uqzhaal hums in curiosity. Kusuo bites his lip, before his eyes suddenly sparkle. He quickly turns to the shaman.

“Uqzhaal, don’t you need us in order to find the idols?” he asks.

“I do indeed!” replies Uqzhaal, beaming. “My elyyshar, can this not wait until we’ve recovered the remaining vaalta?”

Seraxa groans in frustration. “You old fool, don’t you see?! The Catalysts have neither understanding of their role nor the will to fulfill it!”

“I’m sorry, miss, but that’s not true at all,” Kokomi suddenly interjects. “We’ve already found two of those idol things, three if you include the one from the temple!”

Kusuo quickly opens his bag at her words, showing Uqzhaal the two idols. The shaman’s eyes light up in pure joy as he takes them.

“Yes!” he cries. “I may be old, Seraxa, but I can still tell when someone is pure of heart and deed. Elyyshar Ximaedra, if there were ever a time to heed my words, let it be now. The Thirteen Catalysts are our only hope.”

Ximaedra ponders over his words in silence. A wolf-masked Vaanti man suddenly stands from the crowd, shouting in anger.

“Death to the Catalysts!”

Other voices rise to join his until over half the room is chanting as one. Other Vaanti look at them in disgust or annoyance as the chant engulfs the room.

“Death! Death! Death! Death! Death!”

Kusuo grits his teeth, the rest of the group all looking around the room in concern. Varyyn’s eyes widen as he takes in the scene, before hardening in determination. He rushes to the center of the room.

“Mother! Members of the Tribunal! I would like to speak on the Catalysts’ behalf!”

Kusuo sighs in relief as Ximaedra’s eyes widen. She stands from her throne.

“Silence!” she yells. “Let my son speak!”

The room is immediately silent as the elyyshar sits back down. Murmurs of shock and disbelief can be heard, the rest of Kusuo’s friends also looking at the Vaanti in surprise.

“The prince has never contributed his voice at court!” Uqzhaal mutters.

Seraxa growls. “Varyyn, you may be the elyyshar’s son, but you are also a warrior under my command. Consider your next words very carefully.” 

“I do not seek to sway the Tribunal’s judgment,” Varyyn states. “Instead, I would like to merely share the truth as I have witnessed it.

“I have had more dealings with the Thirteen than any other who has testified today. While they are worthy opponents, they have also avoided battle whenever possible. When we raided their dwelling, they chose to set traps and run, only resorting to violence when we attacked them.

“On many occasions, I have observed them treating Vaanu and those who dwell here fairly and respectfully, such as that little fox there.”

Furball barks happily and Reita grins widely at Varyyn. The Vaanti smiles back before continuing to address the crowd.

“Whether they herald Vaanu’s destruction is yet uncertain,” he says. “What makes it certain is if we eliminate them here.”

Varyyn walks back to his original position as ripples of discussion pass through the Vaanti crowd. Kusuo, Metori and Lila exchange nervous looks. Ximaedra silently ponders the matter for a few moments, before rising from her throne once more.

“I have reached a decision regarding the charges against the Thirteen Catalysts.”

All discussion immediately ceases as everyone pays full attention to her. Ximaedra takes a deep breath.

“Catalysts, there are many dangers and threats that you have caused and may cause in the future,” she says. “However, I truly appreciate your lack of targeted hostility toward us and believe the fate of our people depends on you.”

“So, you’re letting us go?” asks Lila, a tentative smile making its way onto her face.

“No. For our safety and your own, I must order your immediate imprisonment on Sharktooth Isle.”

“Imprisonment?!” Metori cries.

“It may not be very comfortable, but it will not be permanent. You will be safe there until we figure out a way to handle Raan’losti.”

“You can’t just imprison us!” Aren shouts. “We didn’t even do anything! At least, not intentionally!”

“Indeed,” agrees Touma. “As travellers, our right to safety and agency is protected by international law!”

“I don’t think that applies to these guys…” Imu mutters.

Hairo sighs. “Yeah, I think this is the best we’re gonna get. At least they’re not gonna kill us.”

“Mercy?!” cries Seraxa. “Mercy for the agents of our destruction?!”

“Are you questioning my judgement, Seraxa?” says Ximaedra, raising an eyebrow.

Seraxa scowls, looking away. Varyyn’s face falls and Uqzhaal lets out a loud sigh.

“Ah, natala dril arkharu…” he mutters. “What a grievous day!”

Kusuo, Metori and Lila are walked back to the group, guards escorting them out of the hall. Kusuo sighs in frustration. That could have gone a lot better, but at least they weren’t executed. A tug on his shirt suddenly alerts him to a small, blue Vaanti child walking next to him. He has light green hair and a pearl necklace, his large golden eyes looking at the group in wonder.                                                 

“I’m not scared of you,” he says.

Kusuo chuckles. “You’re not, huh? That’s nice to hear.”

The group begin to walk down a winding staircase, the child staying on the platform. He waves at them, giggling.

“Bye bye, cat-uh-lisses!” he says.

The group all smile and wave back at him as they descend to the ground below.

Gentle waves lap against the wood, the ocean shining in the moonlight. Kusuo sighs from his place in between Riki and Touma, all of them packed together on a small wooden boat. Uqzhaal, Varyyn and two Vaanti guards are there as the boat sails through the water. Furball is curled up in Imu’s arms, the fox whimpering sadly.

Kusuo looks back at Elyys’tel before turning back. A small isle lays in front of them, shrouded in shadow. Aren glares at Uqzhaal.

“Where are you taking us?” he questions. “Answer me!”

“Sharktooth Isle,” Uqzhaal replies, expression downcast. “It is a place of exile. Those who set foot on its shores will never return to Vaanu.”

“And so we reap the folly of island justice…” mutters Touma, shaking his head in frustration.

The rest of the group all have similar expressions of resignation or anger. Kusuo in particular is scowling down at the boat. They hadn’t even found Chiyo and Chisato yet and they were being imprisoned. Reita is looking down into the water, his eyes widening in awe as he points to the sea.

“Hey guys, look at this!”

Everyone leans down to peer into the water at his request. In the moonlight, Kusuo can see a school of large, dark fish swimming beside the boat. Varyyn notices this as well and quickly grabs Reita’s wrist, guiding his arm back into the boat.

Reita blinks in surprise as the rest of the group look at the Vaanti in confusion.

“Uh, they’re fish,” says Aiura. “It’s not like they’re gonna get offended or something.”

Varyyn shakes his head. “It is dangerous.”

The Vaanti removes a small feather from his braided topknot and drops it off the side of the boat. Immediately, the fish surge into motion, tearing the feather to shreds with razor-sharp teeth. The group all stare in shock, Reita looking down at his hand.

“My hand was almost fish food…” he murmurs. “Thanks, Varyyn!”

“Of course.”

The group all exchange looks before edging to the centre of the boat in fear. Amusement sparkles in Uqzhaal’s eyes.

“The klaawyi eat anything that crosses these waters,” he says. 

“Klaawyi?” repeats Kokomi, Riki perking up.

“Oh! That’s the thing with an ugly butt!” he cries.

“Yes, the rear end of a klaawyi is not a pretty sight,” Uqzhaal chuckles. “The wood of our boats is coated with a rare sap that they find poisonous, otherwise this vessel would soon be torn apart.”

“Of course there are wood-eating barracudas here…” Aiura mutters, shivering. “Why wouldn’t there be?”

Uqzhaal turns to gaze out at the ocean. White ink is splashed all over his back and arms, forming intricate patterns. Kusuo’s eyes are drawn to one in particular. It appears to depict some kind of mountain with a face jutting out of the side. Some of the others notice as well.

“Hey, Uqzhaal,” calls Imu. “What’s the story with your back tattoo?”

“Ah, a symbol of the Old Faith,” the shaman explains. “It would be difficult to explain to you, Delphinus.”

Imu frowns at that answer but Kusuo arches his eyebrow.

“Does it have anything to do with ‘The Endless’?” he asks.

Uqzhaal’s eyes brighten as he begins reverently reciting something in the Vaanti language.

“Thirteen before the door, standing silent guard. At the base of the mountain, the One begins.”

Kusuo tilts his head at the shaman’s words as the others look on in confusion.

“Um, Uqzhaal? We can’t understand you…” says Kokomi.

“It is the legend of the Threshold,” states Uqzhaal. “A place I have etched into my skin.”

“So this ‘Threshold’ is a cavern or chamber or something?” asks Kusuo. “On the slope of the volcano?”

“It is indeed!” Uqzhaal’s bright smile suddenly fades as he sighs. “But it no longer matters. Now that we may never see prophecies of The Endless fulfilled…”

The boat’s momentum begins to slow to a halt as they reach the isle, the two Vaanti leaping into the shallows to guide the boat ashore. Kusuo takes a look at his surroundings as the group step onto the sand.

The beach stretches out into the distance, a vast jungle extending inland next to it. Craggy mountins reach into the sky. Further down the beach, Kusuo spots a dilapidated old shipwreck stranded on the sands.

“We have arrived,” announces Uqzhaal. “This is Sharktooth Isle.”

“This is where you guys put prisoners?” murmurs Kokomi. “It looks just like…”

“…That Jurassic Park game at the arcade!” Imu finishes, Kokomi beaming in response.

“Yeah! It looks just like it!”

“Well, let’s hope there aren’t any dinosaurs here…” Hairo laughs nervously.

“Knowing our luck, there probably is,” Aiura mutters.

Uqzhaal smiles sadly. “Again, I am sorry that this happened, Catalysts. At least now you will be reunited with Draco and Andromeda.”

Everyone pauses their conversations and turns to look at him.

“Wait, what?” asks Riki.

“Guys?!”

Everyone immediately whirls around at the sudden cry. Kusuo’s eyes widen as gasps sound throughout the group.

Chisato’s jaw almost reaches the floor from her position on the sand nearby. She, like Reita, is dressed in Vaanti attire, a green shirt paired with a skirt. Her hair has gotten much longer, and is braided.

“Mera! You’re okay!” cries Hairo.

Everyone rushes over to greet her, Chisato hugging them all. She laughs in pure joy as footsteps sound on the sand nearby. Kusuo turns to see Chiyo running towards them. She’s dressed in Vaanti attire as well, except she has the bikini-like top paired with the skirt. Her honey-coloured hair reaches just below her chest.

“Holy…it is you!” cries Chiyo. “You guys really are here!”

Aiura immediately launches herself at the girl, hugging her tight. “Chiyopipi!”

Chiyo laughs in delight, detaching herself from Aiura as she moves to hug Shun and Aren. Furball jumps around the two girls’ legs, barking happily. After greeting everyone, Reita sighs in relief.

“So this is where you guys have been all this time!” he realises. “I’m glad you’re okay!”

“We’re glad you’re all okay too!” replies Chiyo.

Chisato nods. “Good to know the portal gun worked! What happened when you emerged?”

The others all take turns in explaining everything. By the end of it, Chiyo and Chisato are both blinking rapidly in shock.

“Oh. Wow. I’m gonna need a while to process all that,” murmurs Chiyo.

Chisato just laughs, pumping a fist into the air. “Reunited and it feels so goooood!”

Uqzhaal and Varyyn watch as they chat, smiles adorning their faces. A call from one of the Vaanti guards makes the two sigh. Varyyn steps forward.

“I am sorry, Catalysts. We must now leave you here,” he says.

The mood immediately drops, the group all sighing at his words or looking down at the sand. Varyyn reaches out to clasp Reita’s shoulder.

“Be well, my friend. Again, I am truly sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry! It’s not your fault!” Reita cries. “Uh, your Japanese is getting really good, by the way. Keep working on it for me, will ya?”

“Yes. I promise to do so,” Varyyn replies.

Uqzhaal sighs. “Well, Catalysts, I suppose-“

His sentence cuts off as his eyes suddenly widen. The shaman abruptly hobbles toward Shun, looking him over and muttering. Shun looks at him in confusion.

“Hm…not good…not good at all…” Uqzhaal looks up at Shun in alarm. “A withering has taken root in you. If left unchecked, it will soon claim your life!”

Exclamations of shock immediately sound from the group, Aren turning to Shun in worry. Kusuo frowns as Shun pales, letting out a nervous laugh.

“I don’t…know what you’re talking about, sir.”

“I think you do,” argues Kokomi, frowning. “How weird you’ve been after we went through the time portal? How you just collapsed in the rainforest earlier? Something’s going on, Kaido.”

“You can tell us, buddy! We’re your friends!” encourages Riki.

Shun looks over at everyone’s worried faces. His eyes meet Aren’s and he sighs, looking down.

“Please promise me you guys won’t be too shocked or sad…”

“It’s that bad?!” cries Reita, Aiura elbowing him to shut up.

Shun takes a deep, shaky breath. “I-I have a condition called Rotterdam’s Syndrome. It’s an autoimmune disease. There’s no cure.”

Silence permeates the air as the group look at him in shock, Aren in particular looking like he’s seen a ghost. Kusuo is also taken aback. He doesn’t know what he expected Shun to say but that was not it.

“When were you diagnosed?” Touma asks, stepping forward with a frown.

“When I was four,” answers Shun. “My parents tried everything. In the end, it drove them apart.”

“Wait, I’m confused,” Riki interrupts, scratching his head in confusion. “What’s this Rottweiler thing?”

“Rotterdam’s, you fool!” snaps Metori. “God, it’s like talking to a toddler.”

“Rotterdam’s Syndrome is a genetic condition,” explains Kokomi. “It affects the circulatory and respiratory systems, aka the heart and lungs, slowing and blocking blood flow and attacking cells and tissue. It stunts one’s growth, makes them struggle to do physical activities and causes them to have bouts of illness and weakness.”

Everyone’s shock seems to triple at those words, Kusuo frowning. Shun must have really wanted to forget this illness. He never caught a glimpse of it anywhere in his mind. At least this explained Shun’s height and lack of sports skills. Shun chuckling bitterly as he folds his arms to keep them from trembling.

“Yeah, that’s basically it. My mum spent a lot of money on an experimental treatment when I started high school that actually made it go away…”

Sounds of happiness and smiles spread throughout the group, which quickly fade at the boy’s next words.

“…Until a few weeks ago.”

Kusuo’s eyes widen at his words. A few weeks ago…that was when Shun had collapsed when they were playing that card game. When they visited him in the hospital he’d said it was just heatstroke…A quick glance at Riki, Aren and Hairo shows him that they’re thinking the same thing.

“The doctors said it’s hopeless,” Shun murmurs. “My body just can’t keep the illness away, can’t handle it anymore, can’t fight it anymore…”

The boy bites his lip, eyes glossing over with unshed tears.

“I’m going to die. In the next six months…at most.”

Gasps sound throughout the group. Aren’s breath hitches as he pulls Shun into a tight hug, the other boy smiling sadly into the embrace. Tears are already streaming down Chiyo’s face as she wails and joins in on the hug. Riki is in the same state.

“L-L-Little guy!” he wails, wrapping all three of them in his arms.

Shun lets out a small chuckle at the action as everyone else crowds around them, letting out words of encouragement.

“Don’t give up, Kaido!” yells Hairo. “You’re tough! And you’re not alone! We’re all here!”

“Yeah! We got into this mess together and we’ll get out of it together!” cries Reita.

“It’s good that you told everyone, Shun…” compliments Lila, smiling sadly.

Everyone continues to give words of admiration and encouragement to the boy, Shun smiling sadly. Aren finally separates from his boyfriend, wiping his eyes.

“You’re so strong,” he says.

Shun’s lip trembles as he nods, clearly overwhelmed. Kusuo looks over at his friend, determination hardening his gaze.

“You’re not dying,” he states. “Not while I’m here.”

Shun smiles sadly. “Thanks, Saiki. But some things…even you can’t stop.”

After a few more hugs and tears, Varyyn clears his throat. He looks sympathetic as the Vaanti guard calls to him again.

“Your illness is unfortunate, Lupus. I hope it will be fixed someday. Sadly, the time has come for us to leave.”

The mood dampens even more as the group all sigh and look down.

“It has been a great honour, Catalysts,” says Uqzhaal, bowing his head. “Perhaps one day, on another branch of the Great Tree, we shall meet again. Stars guide you.”

They hop back into their boat and sail away, the group watching as the vessel fades into the distance. Reita’s expression is downcast as Hairo sighs.

“It’s getting late,” he observes, looking up at the night sky. “We should find a place to set up camp.”

Chiyo and Chisato look at each other, before the latter points inland.

“The manor’s falling apart, but it’s shelter,” she says.

Everyone turns to look at where she’s pointing. An imposing, three-storey manor overlooks the shore, foliage completely covering it. Multiple sections are now rubble and it looks almost haunting in the moonlight.

“Woah, cool! Giant house!” cheers Riki.

“Uh…are we sure that place is safe?” asks Aiura.

"Doesn’t really matter if it’s safe or not,” Hairo sighs. “It’s the only shelter we have.”

The group are gathered in the manor’s foyer a few minutes later, vines and moss spread about. Stairs ascend to the next floor on either side of the room, a torn up portrait of a blond, bearded man resting there. An old-looking map of La Huerta is on the back wall of the ground floor. Moonlight shines in through the broken glass roof as Kusuo lights the last of multiple oil lanterns.

“Alright, I’ve managed to get the oil lanterns burning, so at least we can see,” he announces, blowing out the match in his hands.

Everyone nods, looking around the manor. Touma in particular has raced up to the next floor.

“This place is fascinating,” he murmurs. “I wonder who lived here…”

Reita laughs as he takes a seat on a clump of moss. “This is a jail cell built for a king!”

“Yeah, this place has provided good shelter,” says Chiyo, before scowling. “It’s Kurayami who belongs here, though. Not us.”

Lila sighs and Metori flinches at her words, the boy wandering off to the corner of the room. Kusuo and Aren exchange a look.

“What’s up with him?” Aren asks. “He’s been acting weird.”

Kusuo shoots him a look and Aren sighs.

“Everything that happened with Kurayami, yeah. Can’t believe I’m saying this, but wanna go talk to him?”

“Might as well.”

The two of them walk over to Metori, who’s pacing in agitation near the La Huerta map. Aren clears his throat.

“Hey, dude. How you doing?”

Metori grits his teeth, his hands moving to grip at his hair. Fury burns in his eyes.

“I…I…” he grits his teeth as he lets go of his hair. “I can’t believe I trusted my father after everything he’s done! He’s been playing us since before we even landed on La Huerta!”

Kusuo blinks in shock. “You’re…not siding with your father? Not even a bit?”

“Of course not! Not after what just happened! Ugh, how could I have been so foolish?! He’s never held even a shred of care or affection for me, so why should I hold any for him?! No one intends to hurt my friends and gets away with it! The next time I see that bastard, he’ll have hell to pay!”

Metori looks up at Aren. “And you have my full permission to punch him as hard as you can.”

Aren looks at him in surprise, before grinning. “I wasn’t gonna ask for your permission anyways. But thanks.”

A clap sounds out and everyone turns to see Hairo standing in the center of the foyer, a serious look on his face.

“Alright, guys, we need a new plan,” he states. “There’s gotta be some way off this isle, right?”

Kusuo nods and turns to Chiyo and Chisato. “What have you two seen since you’ve been here?”

“Sorry, but we’ve stayed pretty close to the manor,” replies Chiyo. “Chisato went out to get food a few times but that’s it.”

Everyone sighs and begins muttering to each other. Furball huffs, as he curls up on a small clump of grass. Chisato frowns, deep in thought, before perking up.

“Actually, when I was hunting one night I did find something interesting,” she says, everyone turning to her. “Northwest of here, a bit through the trees, is a bunch of cliffs overlooking the ocean. I stumbled upon them and as the wind whistled it…it sounded like the wind itself was actually saying something.”

Reita’s eyes widen. “Hey, Varyyn told me about that! They’re called the Singing Cliffs. Apparently the Vaanti go there to hear the voice of La Huerta itself.”

“Great, maybe this magic cliff will have some ideas on how swim through an ocean filled with bloodthirsty monster fish,” Imu mutters sarcastically, Kokomi giggling.

Reita shrugs. “Hey, you never know. The Vaanti believe that the island speaks a unique message to each individual who visits the area.”

“That sounds interesting,” says Shun, getting to his feet. “Even if it’s not magic or anything, I could use a walk. I’ll go check it out.”

“I’ll come with you!” Aren adds immediately. “It’s not good to wander off alone.”

Shun smiles, Kusuo frowning. In all honesty, he didn’t like the idea of anyone wandering through this isle but if this cliff did end up having some kind of power it could be helpful. Hairo seems to be having the same thoughts, the boy eventually nodding.

“Alright,” he agrees. “Just be careful, you two. You never know what could be lurking out there.”

Leaves crunch underfoot as the couple trek through the rainforest. Shun sighs as he gazes up at the night sky, stars scattered across the black surface. He was really starting to regret choosing to look for these cliffs.

Every joint in his body was aching, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion seeping into his brain and draining through his bones. He was almost out of breath, even though it was only a short walk. His head felt fuzzy, and when he tried to look back on certain memories, his recollections were fuzzy. These things had all been there ever since his disease reappeared, but lingering faintly in the background. Ever since they went through the time portal, it had just gotten worse.

Aren isn’t helping. He hates to think it, but it’s true. His boyfriend keeps giving him concerned glances every minute. Shun has to hold back a sigh. This is exactly why he didn’t want to tell anyone. Now everyone was going to be all over him, worrying and telling him to rest.

‘I know that I’m weaker than the average guy, but I know my limits when it comes to my illness,’ he thinks, frowning. ‘I can handle myself. They don’t need to worry about me.’

“Are you feeling okay?”

The question from Aren makes Shun’s eye twitch as he takes a deep breath. And so it begins.

“I’m fine,” he replies, forcing a smile. “Just wondering how much longer it’ll take to reach those cliffs.”

“Are you sure? We can take a break to rest if it’s too much…” Aren says, frowning in concern.

“I’m fine, Aren, seriously,” Shun’s answer is snappy and a bit too quick, but he tries to conceal it. “Let’s just keep going.”

Aren’s frown deepens, but he keeps quiet. Shun smiles to himself. At least it looked like Aren was gonna listen to him.

The two push away a clump of vines and let out sounds of awe at the sight before them. Jagged cliffs line the shore, stretching into an arch shape that reaches into the ocean. The ocean glistens in the moonlight as Elyys’tel towers in the distance.

As Shun gazes at the sight before him, the exhaustion of everything that happened catches up to him. He stumbles, holding onto a tree to stop himself from falling. Aren quickly reaches out.

“Are you okay?” he asks, Shun scowling at those words. “Maybe you should sit down and rest for a bi-“

“I’m fine, okay?!” Shun yells. “God, just stop asking that already! If I need to rest, I will! Just get off my back!”

Aren is visibly taken aback by his outburst as Shun storms over to the edge of one of the cliffs, sitting down on the grass. He sighs, looking down at the ocean below as guilt worms its way into his heart. He hates that he yelled at Aren, but…

Footsteps sound as Aren moves to sit down next to him. They sit in silence for a moment, before Aren clears his throat awkwardly.

“I’m…really sorry,” he mutters, looking at Shun guiltily. “You’re right, it’s your illness and you know how to deal with it best. I’m just worried-No, that’s not an excuse. You hate people continuously asking if you need anything. You don’t want my pity, just my support. Right?”

Shun is openly gaping at him. He certainly didn’t expect this. He smiles gently at his boyfriend.

“Yeah…that’s right. Thank you for understanding,” he frowns and looks away. “I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have lashed out at you like that.”

“Hey, totally fine. You think I haven’t lashed out like that at people before? Besides, it was totally justified.”

Shun can’t help the smile that spreads across his face. Aren…understood. He knew that Shun didn’t want his pity. That he could handle this on his own and set his own path. Unlike…

He sighs, gazing out at Elyys’tel.

“After I was diagnosed…I was hospitalised nearly all the time,” he says. “I was only allowed to go home for short periods of time, and even then I chose to go back to the hospital after an hour or so.”

“Why?” questions Aren, tilting his head. “Were you too sick to stay?”

Shun sighs. “No…I just didn’t want to be at home. My parents were always fighting about something to do with my illness, Sora was always upset that I was sick…so was Toki when he was born. It got so bad that one time I just walked back to the hospital in the middle of the night.”

Aren frowns, sadness in his eyes. “How long were you hospitalised for?”

“Hm…I think it was until I was twelve,” Shun answers. “The doctors had pumped enough drugs into me over the years that I was well enough to only go for checkups.”

He sighs. “But I honestly wished that wasn’t the case. My parents were still fighting, my siblings were still sad…I was enrolled in middle school, but I had never even gone to elementary, so I had no idea what to do.

“I didn’t really socialise with anyone because I didn’t know how. The only things I had for company as a kid were books. My parents divorced in my final year of middle school, and just before I started at PK, my mum got me that treatment.”

Shun looks up at the millions of stars glimmering ahead, hearing waves crash against the shore below.

“I…wasn’t sure what to do with myself. My mum made it very clear that I had to do everything I could with this new opportunity. I had to excel at school, get good grades, get a good career. It wasn’t really good on my psyche, but I know she didn’t mean any harm. She just…wanted me to live a good, successful life in case the treatment failed.

“But even with that goal…I didn’t know how to fit in. Then I met Nobuaki and decided to reinvent myself to fit the heroes I’d read about in my books. I made up Dark Reunion and the Jet Black Wings. I know none of it’s real, but…I thought if I acted all tough and mysterious, I’d fit in. I’d be able to make friends.

“But I was still scared of the world around me. I tried to put on a brave face, but I always avoided or backed away from anything that seemed dangerous. Because I…didn’t want to throw away the new chance I’d been given.”

Shun chuckles bitterly, looking down. “Not that it really matters anymore. A few more months and…”

He trails off, looking sadly at the ocean. Aren gently takes his hand, intertwining their fingers.

“I’m not gonna lie to you,” he murmurs. “I’m not gonna give you false hope and say that everything will be okay or we’ll find a cure, because I know that it won’t help. Just…I want you to know that whatever happens, I’ll be there for you. I really, really don't want you to die, Shun. Even if there's no guarantee that I'll find something or it'll even work, I'll do everything I can to stop you from dying." 

Shun’s lip quivers as he gives the other boy a wobbly smile. Aren hadn’t even said anything during his little rant, just listened and let him talk. He…understood. He had made the connections between his illness and his past behaviour. He appreciated that more than anything.

“I love you,” he whispers.

His eyes immediately widen as he flushes brightly and looks away, Aren’s face a similar shade of red. Oh god, why did he just blurt that out? So awkward.

A chuckle from Aren startles him as the other boy gently places a hand on his cheek. A soft smile flickers across his boyfriend’s face.

“I love you too,” he murmurs.

Shun blinks, before smiling warmly. The two stay like that for a long moment, gazing into each others eyes. Their vision flickers towards each others lips.

Aren looks back up at him. “May I?”

Shun’s heart was beating so fast he thought for a moment that he was having a heart attack. Oh god, Aren wanted to…Would he be able to handle that? What if he fainted and fell off the cliff into the ocean and got eaten by the klaawyis?

But as he looked into Aren’s eyes, all those worries melted away. He nodded in response.

Aren smiles, before leaning in and closing the distance between them. The kiss was short, soft and gentle, but it made Shun’s heart melt. They separated after a while, Shun now certain he was having a heart attack. Looks like he was gonna die sooner than he thought.

Aren chuckles, face red. “You okay there? Not gonna faint on me are ya?”

Shun responds with a squeak, causing Aren to burst out laughing. After a while, Shun joins in as well. They both smile at each other before Aren looks out at the other cliffs.

“So…shouldn’t we be hearing some magic wind shit right now?”

Shun frowns and follows his gaze. “Probably. Then again, we have no idea if that’s all true or not-“

A strong gust of wind interrupts him. The two quickly grab onto each other’s clothes to steady themselves as a voice whispers, sounding as if it’s being projected right into his ears. It’s deep and reverberating through his skull.

“The heart is a source of life,” it whispers. “However, when broken, it can be turned into a dangerous, terrible thing. It must be handled and nurtured carefully.”

The voice disappears as the wind fades. Shun rubs his head and looks over at Aren, who is doing the same.

“Did…Did you hear that voice too?” he asks.

“Yup,” Aren answers. “It said something about how ‘secrets and truths are always revealed in the cold’ and ’how the fate of someone dear came about’. What about you?”

“It kept talking about the heart and how it has to be handled carefully and not broken,” Shun says.

“Great, so the magic cliff speaks in riddles,” mutters Aren. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”

Shun chuckles and Aren smiles at him, checking his watch.

“We should probably head back,” he says, standing up and brushing dirt off his shorts.

Shun agrees, taking one last look at the view in front of them. He turns to see Aren extending a hand, smiling as he takes it.

Chirping and tweeting wakes Kusuo from his slumber. He groans and sits up, rubbing his eyes as his vision adjusts to the sunlight streaming through the broken roof and windows. A group of tropical birds are fluttering above, singing merrily.

Kusuo can hear groans and grumbles coming from the others as they all begin to wake up.

“Ugh, it’s too early…” groans Aiura. “Can someone shut those birds up?”

They all begin to get up, stretching and rubbing the tiredness out of their eyes. Kusuo cracks his back, muttering to himself. Sleeping on a cold floor all night was not a fun experience. Reita looks around the foyer before frowning.

“Hey, where’s Lila and Mera?”

As if summoned, Lila quickly runs in from the beach.

“Come quick!” she cries. “I think Chisato may be doing something very foolish!”

The group exchange looks before rushing outside, following Lila to the old shipwreck resting on the beach. Chisato is dangling precariously from the ship’s prow, sticking her tongue out in concentration.

“Mera, what the hell are you doing?!” Imu yells in bewilderment.

“I see a bunch of boxes on the deck of the ship!” the girl answers. “It might have some preserved food or something!”

“Please come down from there, Chisato!” shouts Lila. “You’re going to get hurt!”

“She’s right, Mera! It’s too dangerous!” Hairo agrees.

Furball barks rapidly up at the shipwreck. Chisato doesn’t listen, leaning further over the deck of the ship. The decaying wood of the prow groans in protest as the girl squints her eyes.

“Hey, there’s something else in here!”

“Really? What is it?” asks Kokomi.

“It’s like some sort of amber figure…” Chisato’s eyes widen. “I think it’s one of those idol things you guys were talking about!”

Mutters start among the group as they exchange looks. Kusuo in particular steps closer to the shipwreck. If one of those idols were there, that meant another vision was incoming. Chisato hops down from the shipwreck.

“I can’t reach it,” she states. “Saiki, if I boost you up on my shoulders, do you think you’d be able to grab it?”

Kusuo frowns as he thinks it over, before nodding. “Let’s give it a shot.”

Chisato grins, wading ankle-deep into the water beside the ship as Kusuo clambers onto her shoulders. Chisato wobbles slightly from the sudden imbalance, dark shapes lurking ominously in the deeper water. Kusuo grabs onto the edge of the ship and reaches for the amber idol.

‘Almost…there!’ he thinks.

He leans forward so much he’s almost at a ninety-degree angle. His fingers manage to close around the idol as he grins triumphantly.

“Got it!” he cries.

Cheers sound from the group as Chisato lets Kusuo back down onto the shore. He examines the idol’s appearance properly now that he’s back on solid ground. It looks like a raging dragon in an attack position, snarling viciously. Chisato lets out a noise of awe as she reaches for the small statue. Kusuo braces himself as her fingers graze the surface.

He finds himself in an empty classroom. Well, not really empty. Chisato, in a middle school uniform, is sitting cross-legged on one of the tables. Another girl sits in a chair nearby, a downcast expression on her face.

“Come on!” whines Chisato. “Tell me what’s wrong! You’ve been gloomy all day, Sasaki!”

The girl, Sasaki, sighs. “I…fine. My mother’s injury is worse than we thought. She needs to get surgery. We thought we had enough money to afford it but…we’re a thousand yen short.”

Chisato blinks in shock, before frowning. She reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a thousand yen note, looking at it thoughtfully. Kusuo’s eyes widen as he realises what that was. Every month or so, Chisato managed to earn a thousand yen for herself. Most of her other earnings were given to her family, but in return her family always gave her some money back to spend.

Chisato’s frown turns into a soft smile as she pushes the note into Sasaki’s hands.

“Here. Use this to get your mum surgery.”

Sasaki’s jaw drops as she looks up in disbelief. “I-I can’t take this! It’s your allowance! You won’t get another one for months!”

Chisato shrugs. “So?”

“Seriously?! You’re not rich anymore, Chisato!” Sasaki cries. “You can’t just give away money like this! You deserve to get yourself something nice after working so hard!”

Chisato scoffs, waving her hand dismissively. “Oh, please. I’ll live another few months without a special treat. Your mum’s surgery is more important.”

Sasaki looks down at the money for a moment, before looking back up at Chisato.

“I won’t forget this,” she says. “Seriously, I never will. Why would you give up your money to help me?”

Chisato smiles. “Because we’re friends. Friends do anything to help each other, no matter what.”

Sasaki tears up as Kusuo’s own eyes soften. Looks like Chisato has always been generous, no matter what. His thoughts are interrupted as his vision goes white and he rockets forward in time.

He blinks spots out of his eyes as he steels himself for what’s coming. He’s in The Celestial’s kitchen, the familiar sight oddly comforting. Chisato is standing nearby and clad in an apron, noticeably older. The girl is slicing vegetables and dropping them into a pot of simmering water, struggling to hold back tears.

“Pies…make peace,” she sniffs.

Kusuo’s heart drops. What had happened to make Chisato so upset? Loud footsteps from behind him herald the answer as Kurayami saunters into the kitchen, shirtless.

Kusuo frowns as he sees the man. There was something…off about him. He was wobbling on his feet and grinning as if he was drunk. He points at Chisato as he chuckles.

“Splendid lunch, Miss Mera. Truly outdid yourself,” he says as he picks his teeth with the jagged end of a femur bone. “Who knew grilled sabertooth could be so incredibly savoury?”

Kusuo narrows his eyes in disgust. Chisato was working for Kurayami? What had happened for that to happen? His heart sinks as he thinks of all the possibilities. It was very likely that the rest of them were long gone, given how Chisato looked at least few years older. The girl sighs, looking up at Kurayami with a defeated expression.

“This kind of stuff wasn’t in the job description. Although, this job wasn't exactly optional,” she mutters. “And you might wanna lay off those weird crystals. They’re turning you into a full-on lunatic!”

Kurayami scoffs, waving his hand as he leans against the wall.

“Nonsense. Each time I get a bit closer to the one I seek.”

“You’re never gonna find that red spacesuit person,” says Chisato.

Kurayami snarls as Kusuo arches an eyebrow. Red spacesuit person? Red…like the red fabric and red glove? Who were they? Why was Kurayami searching for them? His thoughts are interrupted by a whirring sound as a small golden orb hovers into the room, carrying a bag.

“Ah, Iris!” Kurayami cries happily. “Have you brought the special ingredient for this evening’s dinner?”

Iris’ voice sounds from the drone. “As you requested, sir.”

“Very good. Let’s show our head chef what she’ll be preparing!”

The drone drops the bag onto the bench in front of Chisato. The girl’s hands tremble as she gently opens it. Furball is curled up inside the bag, quaking in fear. He looks up at Chisato and whimpers, eyes flashing in recognition.

Kusuo scowls, Kurayami really was a psychopath. At the sight of the terrified fox, Chisato’s face instantly crumples, before twisting in rage. She reaches back to untie her apron and whips it off.

“No!” she yells. “You’ve gone too far this time!”

“Oh, come on,” groans Kurayami. “It’s just one teeny, tiny, freezy, sneezy fox.”

“Furball is my friend,” Chisato growls. “You don’t eat friends.”

Kurayami sighs in irritation and turns away. Chisato’s eyes suddenly brighten as she smirks.

“Besides, I’ve prepared something else for you tonight.”

Kurayami turns back, letting out a confused hum. Quick as a flash, Chisato twists the apron in her hands and wields it like a whip, striking a nearby hanging rack. The rack swings free of its support and a pile of pans and other heavy cookware immediately tumble onto Kurayami, the man yelling out in shock.

“Come on, Furball!” Chisato cries, rushing out of the kitchen.

Furball barks, jumping off the bench and following her. Kusuo blinks and in a flash he’s outside of The Celestial, the hotel’s alarms blaring across the area. Chisato and Furball quickly run out of the lobby.

“Hurry!” yells Chisato. “He’s coming!”

A battered and bruised Kurayami hobbles after them, a harpoon gun in his hands.

“I’ve had just about enough of your insubordination, Head Chef Mera,” he growls.

Kusuo’s heart rate can’t help but quicken as Kurayami aims on the duo, aiming his weapon. Furball scampers ahead to the edge of the rainforest, the fox turning back to look at Chisato. Furball barks frantically.

“Just go! Don’t worry about me, Furball!” shouts Chisato.

A loud blast sounds out as Kurayami fires the harpoon gun.

“Run for i-“

Chisato’s sentence is cut off as the harpoon goes straight through her heart. Kusuo lets out a strangled gasp as Chisato drops to the ground, blood pooling around her.

He’s back on Sharktooth Isle, Chisato still admiring the idol. After a while she shrugs, grinning at him.

“You can hold onto this for now, Saiki. I should go get breakfast started!”

Kusuo nods, not really listening as he desperately tries to push down the bile rising in his throat. The other three visions had been bad to watch, but that one was just…

He had to prevent these futures from happening. No matter what.

The group begin to trek back to the manor, chatting and laughing. Aren looks out to sea, his eyes suddenly widening.

“Uh, guys? Someone’s coming.”

The group all turn in the direction he’s looking, Kusuo raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. A small Vaanti raft is sailing toward them, the sail fluttering in the wind.

“The Vaanti are coming back!” cries Touma.

Chiyo groans. “What are they gonna do to us now?”

Hairo’s eyes narrow as he takes a closer look at the approaching raft.

“I…don’t think it’s the Vaanti,” he mutters.

The raft skids onto the sands of the beach, a woman hopping off. Her tan skin shines in the sunlight as her brown hair blows in the wind. Kusuo narrows his eyes as he takes in her appearance. The woman is dressed in strange-looking attire.

Her black leather pants are held up by a large belt, her brown boots kicking up sand. She wears a white linen shirt, a teal corset around her waist. A cropped blue jacket with golden lining and tassels rests above it and she wears a triangular brown hat with gold rimming.

Kusuo narrows his eyes. Was this woman what he thinks she is? The woman takes notice of them, tilting her head.

“Ah, it would appear the captain has sent out a welcoming party.”

Her voice has a very noticeable French accent to it, causing Kusuo’s frown to deepen. This woman definitely wasn’t from around here.

The woman chuckles as she steps toward the group.

“Tres, tres gentil…” she murmurs.

Quick as a flash, she pulls out a wheellock pistol from a holster on her waist and points it at Hairo, glaring viciously at the boy.

“Take me to Malatesta!”

Chapter Text

The group all take a few steps back in shock as Hairo’s eyes widen minutely. He looks down at the pistol pointing at his chest before making hesitant eye contact with the woman. 

“Hey, easy there!” he cries.

“Did you not hear me? I said take me to Captain Malatesta before I begin firing,” a coy smile makes its way onto the woman’s face. “And believe me, mes chers, I do not miss.”

“Leave him alone!” Lila cries. “He’s just a child!”

The woman doesn’t even look at her, instead pressing the pistol further into Hairo’s chest. Furball is growling at her, frost forming around his paws. Aren scowls as he steps forward.

“Look, lady, I don’t know where the hell you just came from, but we don’t want any trouble.”

The woman blinks, her grip loosening slightly. “Quoi? You…don’t work for Malatesta?”

“We don’t work for anyone,” Hairo replies hurriedly. “Can you put the gun away, please?”

The woman purses her lips, the pistol remaining still. She looks toward the dilapidated manor looking over the shore, her eyes widening.

“Zut alors…” she exclaims. “What happened here?”

“If I had to guess, I’d say you have been gone for a very long time,” Touma answers.

“C’est impossible! I’ve only been away from home for a fortnight!” the woman cries.

“Uh, welcome to La Huerta? Time is kinda messed up here,” says Aiura.

The woman frowns as she lowers her pistol, Hairo sighing in relief. She surveys the group, a curious look in her eyes. Kusuo studies her intently. What was a pirate from hundreds of years ago doing here?

“What strange hair…” she mutters. “Well, if you don’t work for Malatesta, what are you all doing on Sharktooth Isle?”

“We were exiled here by the Vaanti,” explains Chisato.

Metori scoffs. “Let me tell you, those bastards just throw whoever they want out here, guilty or not!”

The woman nods, muttering to herself in French. Chiyo surveys her for a moment before speaking up.

“Who is Malatesta anyway?”

“Captain Malatesta runs this place. Or at least, he did,” the woman replies. “I was his first mate until, well, he decided my sway on the rest of the crew was too much of a threat. He banished me to la Mer, but as you can see, la Mer, she guided me back.”

A toothy grin makes its way onto her face. “It takes more than une petite planche to get rid of Yvonne the Incorrigible!”

“Uh, what?” mutters Riki, scratching his head. “Whatever she just said was like French or something.”

“That’s cause it was French, you moron,” snaps Shun. “She said ‘a little plank’.”

“Oui, exactement,” the woman, Yvonne, confirms. “A few hours after I stepped off that plank, I washed ashore beside that big tree. The people there were kind enough to let me borrow a boat.”

“That…doesn’t sound like the Vaanti,” says Reita.

“No, but it explains how she made it past the klaawyi,” states Imu.

“Klaawyi?” Yvonne repeats, arching an eyebrow.

“All those barracudas in the water,” Kusuo explains. “They’re only repelled by a special sap the Vaanti put on their ships. It’s why we’re stuck here.”

Yvonne nods, absorbing the information. Hairo looks over at Yvonne’s raft before smiling hopefully up at the woman.

“So…you seem like a nice person. Any chance you’d give us a ride to the main island?”

Yvonne hums, surveying the group thoughtfully. “I could perhaps assist…in return for help with a concern of mine.”

“Great, a side quest…” Aiura mumbles sarcastically.

Yvonne only smirks, Kusuo sighing and making eye contact with the woman.

“What exactly do you need help with?” asks Kusuo.

“Please say a high seas adventure!” murmurs Chisato, clasping her hands together in excitement.

“Please say something quick and simple,” Aren groans, glaring at Yvonne.

“Please say ‘yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!’” pleads Reita.

Yvonne chuckles in amusement. “What funny children. I need to reclaim a certain lockbox of mine from Malatesta. I left it full to the brim with precious booty.”

“Ha. Booty,” Riki snickers.

“It should still be hidden in the eastern wing of the manor,” Yvonne continues. “I could use a few extra pairs of eyes to seek it out…and hands to bring it back.”

The group all exchange looks, Aren arching an eyebrow at Yvonne.

“I doubt there’s much treasure left in this place,” he says, gesturing toward the manor.

Yvonne smirks, reaching into her vest pocket and tossing a small golden ball into the air, repeatedly throwing and catching it.

“There is if you know where to look,” she states. “A little scavenger hunt and then we all get away from this blasted isle together. Tres raisonnable, non?”

The group all look at each other, considering her offer. Many look skeptical and Kusuo can’t blame them. There was no telling whether Yvonne would abandon them once she got what she wanted. But…if they wanted to get off this isle, this was their only chance.

Everyone looks over at Hairo, giving small nods or looks of reluctant agreement. Hairo nods back, before turning to Yvonne.

“Okay. We have a deal.”

Yvonne grins brightly. “Merveilleuse! We shall begin right away!”

“Woah, woah, woah, hold up,” says Imu, holding out her hands. “You just learned that you’re stranded in the future, centuries after everyone you knew died…and all you care about is treasure?”

“You must not be familiar with pirates,” Yvonne replies, patting her on the head. “Allons, les enfants!”

“Yeah, you too!” Riki cries, beaming.

“Uh…I think she wants us to follow her, Nendo,” murmurs Chiyo.

“Oh.”

The group follow Yvonne as she leads them around the side of the manor. Kusuo gazes up at the blue sky above, the sun shining down upon the isle. Man, he wishes he was relaxing at home right now. He’s even started to miss his parents, annoying as they are. Geez, if they’re stuck on this island any longer he might even start missing Kusuke. He shudders at the thought.

The group arrive at a wall that’s overgrown with thick, sturdy vines. A frustrated noise comes from Yvonne.

“Zut!” she exclaims. “This wasn’t here before.”

She unsheathes a dagger and begins to swipe at the plants, which continue to cling to the wall. Even after around a minute of vicious hacking, the vines don’t budge. Yvonne sighs, scratching at her head.

“Sturdier than they look,” she mutters, her pout quickly turning to a snarl. “Malatesta, you goat’s uncle…if you hadn’t taken Chouchou, I’d be able to clear them with ease!”

“Chouchou?” repeats Chisato, tilting her head.

“My cutlass,” Yvonne answers. “A blade of exceptional balance and keen edge. Sharp as the north wind, he was. Won him off the corpse of that spineless cur, Admiral Higgenbotham. But Malatesta stole Chouchou for himself when he threw me overboard.”

Kusuo’s eyes narrow; a cutlass? He turns around to open up his bag, peeking at the cutlass he found in The Celestial. Hm…he didn’t like losing his weapon, but if it did belong to Yvonne then it would be kind of rude to just keep it.

He sighs, taking out the cutlass and showing it to her.

“Is this it?” he asks. “We found it on display back at where we were staying.”

Yvonne looks at it and her eyes widen. “Mon dieu! Chouchou! Merci, merci, merci!”

She takes the sword, gratefully kissing Kusuo on both his cheeks. Kusuo’s face wrinkles up as he wipes it with his sleeve, snickers sounding from the others.

“Aw, how sweet of you, Kusuo,” coos Lila, hand over her heart.

Yvonne grins and begins to slash repeatedly at the vines in front of them. The entire collection of the plants crashes down, everyone coughing from the dust cloud that has formed.

Yvonne tosses the cutlass into the air, grabs the hilt and tucks the blade into a holster on her belt. As the dust begins to door, an ornate door resting among the undergrowth. She opens it up and gestures inside, smirking.

“After you, mes chers.”

The group exchange nervous looks before stepping inside. Darkness immediately wraps them in its embrace, Kusuo sighing. He could really use his night vision right now…Huh. That was the first time he remembered his powers in a while. Guess with everything going on he just pushed that issue aside.

The sound of flint and steel clinking together and sparking rings out as Yvonne lights a nearby candelabra, which faintly illuminates the area.

Dust and cobwebs are the general residents of this dilapidated room, with broken paintings, shards of glass and random pieces of furniture strewn about. There’s another level above them, but the stairs up there have long since rotted away. Reita shudders.

“Okay…I’m getting a bad feeling about this…” he mutters.

Yvonne just smirks. “Malatesta originally built these rooms for his mistress. When the Black Death took her life, this wing was walled off and became a place for safekeeping our most valuable treasures.”

“I’m sorry, people died of bubonic plague in here?!” cries Aiura. “Nope! No way! I’m out!”

“Tut tut, cherie. This was many years ago, even for me. It is safe,” assure Yvonne, suddenly tilting her head to the side and laughing. “Well, except for the deadly traps. Watch your step, eh?”

“You’re just telling us that now?!” yells Imu.

“There are many things I keep hidden, chère,” Yvonne grins. “Also, I forgot.”

Kusuo shoots her an annoyed look. Hairo sighs, looking around the room.

“If it’s that dangerous, it’s probably best if some of us wait outside,” he says. “Just in case something happens to us in here.”

“Good idea,” murmurs Chiyo. “Bye!”

She, Reita, Aiura and Imu immediately turn and head back through the door. Well, Kusuo can’t blame them, deadly traps were kind of a turn off. Furball looks back and forth between the groups before trotting over to Chisato.

Yvonne chuckles, walking further into the room. She leans down to look at a skeleton, a metal rod protruding from the thing’s ribcage. How lovely.

“If anyone else feels too lily-livered, now’s your chance,” she offers, smirking at the group.

Nervous looks are exchanged, but everyone stays where they are. Kusuo has to admit, he’s kind of impressed. He expected Shun, Kokomi and Metori to leave right away. No offense of course, they just seemed like the type.

“Bring it on! I ain’t scared!” cheers Riki.

The boy throws his arms up in an overexaggerated gesture, whacking a cobweb-shrouded urn resting nearby. A series of clicks sound from nearby.

“Oops,” mutters Riki.

The group all look around in panic, Kusuo sighing. He really should have expected this. Whistling fills the air as a group of darts fly toward them from across the room.

“Look out!” cries Yvonne, running to a corner of the room.

Aren grabs Shun and drops to the ground, wrapping his body around the smaller boy’s. Kusuo rushes to an area the darts aren’t aiming for, like Yvonne did, Touma and Lila following his lead.

Hairo, ever the show-off, dives out of the way, tackling Metori out of the darts’ range as he does so. Chisato drops to the ground, dragging Kokomi and Furball down with her as the fox whimpers. Riki doesn’t budge an inch, blinking in confusion. Nearly all of the darts insert themselves right into his chest, the rest getting wedged into the wall.

Kusuo facepalms, he really wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Everyone begins to regroup as they rush over to Riki, who is staring blankly at the plethora of darts in his chest.

“Nendo! Are you okay?!” Hairo shouts.

“You idiot! Why did you just stand there?!” scolds Metori, his expression betraying his worry.

“I mean, they’re just darts,” Riki laughs, plucking one out. “Not like they’re gonna…do…anythin’…”

Riki suddenly sways on his feet, knees buckling. Kusuo and Chisato rush to catch him before he falls onto the floor. Riki’s head tilts to the side, dizziness swirling in the boy’s eyes.

Touma leans forward to look at him. “Those darts must have contained some kind of sedative…”

“Wooooah guys…” Riki mutters. “Why’ve you turned your faces all stretchy, heheheh…shouldn’t we be in school right now? I wanna get some ramen…!”

“I think I’d better get him to a safer location,” says Lila, everyone nodding in agreement.

The tour guide quickly grabs Riki from Kusuo and Chisato and hoists him over her shoulders in a fireman’s carry, walking toward the door. Touma blinks in shock.

“What in the world?” he mutters. “He’s twice her size.”

Lila turns back to face the group just as she reaches the doorway.

“Please be careful in here, kids,” she says, before walking out and disappearing from view.

The group all nod or wave at her as Yvonne begins to stalk toward a curtained doorway, peering in. Her eyes brighten as they join her.

“Ah! I think I see the-I mean, my lockbox!”

They all follow her into a fancy-looking bedroom. A laquered coffer rests atop a canopied bed, the dust and cobwebs seeming to multiply by ten. Yvonne looks around, clicking her tongue in disappointment.

“Quel dommage. It is not the right one…”

The group begin to look around as Yvonne squints at the lid of the coffer, eyes widening as she yanks out a folded piece of parchment.

“A letter from Malatesta? ‘Yvonne, I knew you’d claw your way back from hell, you traitorous…” she coughs, looking over at them awkwardly. “Flowery language. Very flowery.

“‘I hope you waste away in here with only the memory of your greedy, filthy…’ugh, blah, blah, blah. ‘You’ll never find it. With spite, Mal’.”

“Sounds like the two of you really got along,” Aren remarks sarcastically.

Yvonne gnashes her teeth in response as she tears the paper to shreds.

“Malatesta, you corpulent beluga, you’re wrong! I know exactly where you put it!” she turns to the group, an apologetic look on her face. “Enfants, as la Mer is my witness, you have my word we’ll all be eating salmagundi in Bridgetown after we search one last location.”

Sighs sound out as Yvonne tosses he coffer to the side, the small box bouncing to a stop on the creaking floor planks as the lid pops open. A glint catches Kusuo’s eye as faint sunlight illuminates a small amber statue.

Shun’s eyes widen. “An idol!”

Kusuo immediately kneels down and yanks the lid off, the idol tumbling out. He picks it up as he examines it. The idol depicts a hulking werewolf, howling at the moon. Shun lets out an exclamation of awe as he kneels down as well.

“Awesome…” he whispers, reaching out.

Kusuo’s eyes widen, but before he can say anything, Shun’s fingers have already grazed the idol’s surface.

Moonlight shines from above as Kusuo rubs his forehead. Cherry blossom petals gently flutter to the ground as Kusuo looks around. He knows this place. It’s that park he often passes, the one that’s always busy during spring. What’s he doing here?

A sigh from nearby catches his attention. He turns to see Shun sitting on the edge of a fountain in the middle of an ornately tiled footpath. The boy is a bit younger, in a middle school uniform. He’s holding a phone in his hand, hurt and exhaustion in his eyes.

“Yes, I know mum, I just-“

“…lucky I don’t sue for malpractice!” Shun’s mother’s voice comes blaring from the device. “We need a second opinion. These doctors your father takes you to are complete idiots, I have no idea how they passed medical school.”

Shun bites his lip. “Mum, I really don’t want to do this behind dad’s back-“

“He takes you places behind my back!” his mother interrupts, Shun flinching. “Like that little interview in the local magazine, practically begging for donations? You must have been humiliated!

“I’m the only one who actually cares about your wellbeing! He’s just using you! I can’t believe you would defend…”

She continues to drone on as Shun places the phone down on the fountain. The boy is holding his head in his hands, lip quivering as tears begin to stream down his cheeks. As much as he tries to hold it back, sympathy fills Kusuo’s heart.

Sudden footsteps sound from behind him. “Um, excuse me, but…are you okay?”

Kusuo turns to see Chiyo standing there, albeit a little younger. Oh right, he knew that these two had met in middle school, even though they didn’t go to the same one. This must have been that moment. Shun looks up, wiping his eyes as he flashes the girl a wobbly smile.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine! Thanks for asking.”

Chiyo looks down at the phone, the voice of Shun’s mother still blaring out of the small speaker. She looks back up at Shun, a sympathetic look on her face.

“I get it. Becoming a teenager is weird,” she says. “You’ve got all these things to think about in a general sense and then there’s more personal things. Like finding a lover or…parental problems.”

Shun blinks, smile fading as he looks down at his phone. His mother is still rambling on, the sound beginning to aggravate Kusuo’s ears. The phone suddenly buzzes, a text appearing from a contact labelled ‘Dad’.

‘Call me ASAP, I’ve got an idea. Don’t tell your mother. She’ll just get in the way again.’

“It’s my parents,” Shun admits, scowling. “They’re always fighting, not at all concerned about comforting or helping me or my little siblings, leaving me to try and keep them calm. And when they’re not screaming at each other, they’re passive-aggressively doing it through me, like I’m just some pawn in their game.”

Chiyo walks over, sitting beside him on the fountain. She flashes the boy a bright smile.

“A pawn, huh? Well, I’ve been playing a lot of chess recently to try and get closer to this one pretty girl in my class, so…

“If you’re just a pawn, then all you’ve gotta do is keep fighting. And when you finally make it to the other side, you’ll be the king you always carried inside you.”

Shun laughs, wiping away the last of his tears. Kusuo can’t help but smile. That was actually some pretty solid advice coming from Chiyo. It’s nice that these two got along from the start.

“I’m Shun. Shun Kaido,” states Shun, holding out a hand. “You?”

“Chiyo Yumehara,” the girl replies, shaking the boy’s outstretched hand. “Nice to meet you, Kaido.”

“You too, Yumehara. Thank you for that. Hopefully I’ll see you around one day.”

“Sure hope so! I spend so much time chasing romance it’ll be nice to have an actual friend that’s just a friend.”

Shun chuckles as Chiyo gets up and walks away, stopping to wave at Shun before disappearing into the trees. Shun waves back, smiling to himself. The boy looks down into the fountain, his distorted reflection gazing back at him.

Shun’s gaze drifts to his phone, still buzzing from his father’s texts as his mother’s voice continues to rant. A scoff makes it’s way out of the boy’s throat as he tosses the device into the fountain, watching the screen flicker and die as it sinks into the water.

Kusuo smirks proudly before an invisible string tugs on his chest, the boy shutting his eyes as he’s rocketed forward in spacetime. He takes a deep breath to brace himself as the feeling fades and he opens them.

He’s gazing out at the vast ocean, the Caribbean sea clear as glass in the sunlight. He looks around in slight surprise; he’s high in the branches of Elyys’tel, standing upon one of their many bridges that connect the mighty tree with the other branches and trees nearby.

Shun is sitting next to him, legs dangling off the bridge as he gazes out at the ocean with a thoughtful expression on his face. Kusuo frowns as he takes a good look at the boy. His skin is so pale…almost paper white…

“Shun! There you are!”

Kusuo jumps as Shun turns to the side. Aren is walking across the bridge, sitting down next to his boyfriend. Shun smiles softly at him.

“Oh…Aren. I’m glad it’s you.”

Aren smiles brightly, wrapping an arm around the other boy’s shoulder.

“We did it, Shun. We saved the day. Can you believe it?”

Kusuo arches an eyebrow in curiosity. Well that was certainly interesting. There was also the fact that Shun and Aren were chilling around Elyys’tel so casually, as if half the people who lived there didn’t want them dead.

“As a matter of fact, I can,” Shun says in response to Aren’s question. “Because of you, Aren.”

Aren blinks. “Me?”

“Yeah. More than this place, more than everything that’s happened to us…it’s you that makes me believe in the impossible,” replies Shun. “All of you guys are just…you make me feel like I can do anything.”

“Well, that’s good,” chuckles Aren. “Cause we’ve still got a long road ahead if we’re ever gonna get outta here.”

Shun smiles bitterly. “Not me.”

Kusuo’s breath hitches as Aren lets out a confused hum. Damnit, he hated these visions…

Shun rests his head against his boyfriend’s shoulder, Aren pulling him closer in response. The bluenette gazes out at the horizon, his eyes beginning to shine like the sea below.

“Everyone fights so hard to have some say in their own life, to have some control over what happens to them,” Shun murmurs. “But in the end, all we really have control over is whether we appreciated what we had.”

Aren looks at him in complete and utter confusion with a hint of concern, which is fair. Shun isn’t really the type to say stuff like this.

“So…do you appreciate it? It’d be pretty unheroic of the Jet Black Wings not to, after all.”

“I haven’t always,” Shun answers, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “But…I do…now…”

Aren frowns in worry. “Hey, you okay? Are you tired or something?”

Shun’s eyes flash with fear. He weakly reaches out and grips Aren’s idle hand tightly, leaning into him more. Aren’s concern only grows as he squeezes Shun’s hand back, his other hand tightening its grip on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Hey…it’s okay, you can rest. I’m right here,” he murmurs, gently kissing Shun’s temple.

Shun’s eyes glimmer as his breathing begins to slow. His eyes flutter, barely staying open as he squeezes Aren’s hand.

“And when you finally make it…to the other side…” he whispers, barely audible. “You’ll be the king…you always carried…inside you..”

Shun’s body goes limp as his eyes close, his hand slackening in Aren’s grip. His breathing continues to get slower, until it’s not visible anymore. He’s still there, but…

Kusuo looks away, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. Aren smiles gently down at his boyfriend as he shakes him lightly.

“Shun, hey, wake up. Let’s get you to a proper bed you can rest in, yeah?” he says. “Shun?”

Shun remains unmoving. Aren’s smile slowly fades.

“Shun. Shun, wake up. Shun, you have to wake up! Shun! Shun!”

In a flash, Kusuo’s back at the manor, taking several shuddering breaths. Everyone else has left the room except for Shun, who is looking at him in concern.

“Saiki? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I just…yeah, I’m fine.”

That answer doesn’t seem to fool Shun, but the boy doesn’t press. They both get up and join the others in the main room, Kusuo stuffing the idol into his bag. He had to prevent these futures from happening, no matter what.

“Be cautious on your way out of here, chers,” warns Yvonne. “Mind every ste-“

A loud click sounds out. Everyone turns to see a pressure plate sinking beneath Chisato’s foot, the girl gulping as she looks down. Everyone looks at her with wide eyes, Metori groaning in frustration.

“Damnit, Mera!”

Hissing fills the room as pitch black smoke begins to pour into the room through vents in the floor. Furball barks rapidly as the others look around in panic.

“Don’t inhale that, enfants!” yells Yvonne. “It’s poison!”

The smoke quickly fills the room, Kusuo’s body becoming weighed down from exhaustion. Everyone else is reacting the same way, coughing and struggling to cover their mouths.

Touma looks down at the vents, then around at all the scattered furniture.

“Quick! Shove all these shelves and bits of furniture onto the vents!” he cries. “It will stop the gas from coming out!”

Hairo, Aren and Chisato leap into action, kicking and shoving pieces of furniture onto the vents to cover them. Furball rushes forward, sealing the furniture to the vents with ice. The gas stops pouring out and Yvonne claps her hands in delight.

“Bien! You’ve bought us some-“

Her sentence is cut off as she coughs harshly, pounding on her chest. Kusuo grits his teeth as he looks around; there was still way too much smoke already in the room!

“Quick! We need to get out of here!” shouts Aren.

Everyone breaks into a sprint toward the exit. Another click suddenly sounds out as Aren steps on another pressure plate. A series of metal bars slide into place, blocking the doorway.

“Damnit! We’re trapped!” cries Metori, coughing.

Chisato looks around, her gaze falling to Yvonne. “Yvonne, this is the part where you tell us about another way out.”

“All the other doors were walled off…” Yvonne responds, her voice hoarse.

“Of course they were,” mutters Kusuo. Damn, the smoke’s become so thick he can barely see the others.

Shun breaks into a harsh coughing fit, Aren catching him before he falls over. Hairo looks at the floor, quickly picking up a brass lamp. His eyes harden with determination.

“Out of the way, guys. I’m gonna ram the door.”

He rushes at it before Touma quickly grabs him.

“You won’t even make a dent!” he cries. “Maybe we can climb to that window near the ceiling…”

“It’s way too far…” Aren murmurs in reply.

“Well, this thing looks like it might still be functional!”

Kusuo turns to look at Kokomi. The girl is standing next to a large, antique cannon sitting in a nearby corner. Huh. That’s useful. He quickly rushes over to her.

“Are you going to use it as a battering ram?” he asks.

“No. There’s still a cannonball in there,” Kokomi replies, gaze hardening. “We’re gonna blow our way out!”

Kusuo blinks in shock. That…wasn’t what he expected, but okay. Kokomi grabs a pack of matches that are resting nearby, hurriefly trying to light one up.

“Aim it at the front wall, Saiki!” she orders. “I’ll try to light the fuse!”

Kusuo nods. He braces his back against the weapon and pushes with all his might, trying to shove it into position. Sweat trickles down his face as he grunts with effort, panting as he finally moves the cannon to where it’s meant to be.

“Perfect!” cheers Kokomi, holding a lit match. “Cover your ears, everyone!”

The group rush to follow her instructions as Kokomi lights the fuse. The flame travels up the rope before a massive boom rings out, the cannonball flying out of its resting place.

A shower of plaster and bricks fly into the air as the cannonball busts through the wall, leaving a gaping hole in its place. The group rush outside as the black smoke quickly moves to escape into the open.

They all gasp for breath, taking in the sunlight as the others rush over to them.

“Now that’s how you make an exit!” cries Reita.

“Are you guys okay?!” asks Chiyo.

“Yeah…thanks to Teruhashi,” replies Shun, panting.

“Indeed,” agrees Yvonne, smiling brightly. “Such a clever girl.”

Kokomi blushes, smiling as she looks bashfully at the ground. They take a few more moments to recover, Kusuo sighing in relief at the fresh air. He was really starting to get sick of all these near-death experiences…

Aiura looks over at Yvonne. “So, if the lockbox wasn’t in there, where are we headed now?”

Yvonne beams in response. “La Grotte a Bijoux! The Jewelled Cave!”

She rushes toward the front entrance of the manor, the group groaning as they move to follow her.

“Why’s she heading back to the foyer?” asks Hairo.

“Why are we following a pirate around in the first place?” Aren replies. “What’s the meaning of life? We could sit here and ask questions all day and still come up with nothin’”

“True. Let’s just get this over with.”

They enter the foyer to find Yvonne digging through an old wardrobe. Riki is sitting on the stairs, looking up at the ceiling with a dazed look on his face as Lila rubs his shoulder.

“The sedatives still haven’t worn off, huh?” asks Shun.

Lila shakes her head, Kusuo sighing. Hopefully they would wear off sooner rather than later, it’d be hard to drag a sedated Riki around for the rest of the day. Jeez, it’s still basically dawn…

Yvonne groans in frustration and kicks over a pile of old papers, causing them to whirl around the room.

“Of course the map isn’t here!” she yells. “That would be too easy!”

“A map?” repeats Imu. “What about the one on the wall?”

“Non, that is La Huerta. I need the Sharktooth map,” Yvonne replies, sighing and straightening her hat. “It seems I’ll need to scout around for the cave’s entrance. I know it’s somewhere along the shore…but where?”

Chiyo tilts her head. “Cave? I think I’ve seen one of those down the shore, past that shipwreck.”

“Pour de vrai?” Yvonne exclaims, before beaming brightly. “Haha! Lead the way, chère!”

The group files out of the manor, Kusuo taking a quick look back at Lila and Riki.

“Are you two going to be okay in here?” he asks.

Lila nods. “We’ll be fine. Go find that cave.”

Kusuo waves to them in response, before jogging to catch up with the others. They’re all gathered around a half-submerged cave entrance on the shore. The path inside is completely blocked by collapsed rocks and piles of sand.

Yvonne groans in frustration. “My treasure is inside this cave, but there is no way in! If I could spit in Malatesta’s pox-blighted face right now…”

Furball sniffs and prods at the rubble, some of the rocks and sand caving in and creating a small hole. The fox looks in and jumps back, yelping in fright.

The group all peer in, looking in shock and awe at the brilliant rainbow lights shining through a pool of water, seemingly from deep in the cave itself. Yvonne grins at their reactions.

“The Jewelled Cave takes its name from thousands of luminous crystals growing along its walls,” she explains. “It has been many years, but I recall it being truly magnifique.”

“Sounds awesome,” says Reita, pouting at the cave. “Too bad the entrance caved in.”

“Maybe not…” Metori mutters, leaning down to take a look. “Furball made an opening just now, and it’s just wide enough for people to fit. And if we can see the light through the water, there must be an opening down there.”

Everyone looks into the cave thoughtfully at his words. Aren grabs a piece of nearby driftwood and carefully dips it into the water for a moment, before pulling it out.

“Doesn’t look like there are any klaa-whatevers in there,” he states. “It should be safe enough to swim.”

“There’s no guarantee that we’ll make it to the cave, though,” argues Touma. “We should send a few people in and they can clear another path for us.”

“Well, I am going, of course!” Yvonne declares. “As for my companions…hm…”

She surveys the group thoroughly, Kusuo trying his hardest to fade into the background. Sorry to the others, but after what happened in the manor, he wasn’t eager to go on a cave expedition. Yvonne smiles brightly as she points at Kokomi and Imu.

“You two shall go with me!”

“What?!” Imu blurts out.

Kokomi tries her best to mask her horror by smiling, though her eye is twitching slightly. Kusuo sighs, he can’t even read her mind anymore and he already knows the girl is thinking about Yvonne in a very bad way.

“Yes, Kokomi is very clever and you seem to be a close friend of hers,” explains Yvonne. “Come now!”

The pirate clambers over the rubble before diving into the water. Imu backs away slightly, chewing on her lip. Seeing this, Kokomi places a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Imu. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she assures, her smile twitching.

Imu takes a deep breath. “…Okay…”

The two girls wave at the others before descending into the depths.

Kokomi follows Yvonne through the water, holding Imu’s hand as she holds her breath.

‘Why am I doing this?’ she laments in her head. ‘I’d rather do anything but this! Ugh, that Yvonne lady, I swear…’

She sighs inwardly as she realises her thought process.

‘No, no, Kokomi, this is fine. Even though they’re your friends and you trust them, you have to remain perfect or they won’t want to be around you. Just stay happy…’

A small smile flits across her face. Her friends, huh? It was...nice to be around people that didn't just care about her looks. Well, presumably. She couldn't drop the act, just in case. But Saiki still wanted to be friends right? Then again, he's different. Well, it's nice that she got that whole 'crush' thing over with. It was a nice change to be interacting with him normally.

A tap on the shoulder stops her thoughts as Yvonne points ahead. A small opening is visible in the underwater tunnel, rainbow light pouring out of it. The pirate quickly swims through it to the other side. Kokomi and Imu exchange a look, before following her.

The three of them emerge on the other end and continue to swim through a winding tunnel. Kokomi’s chest burns as she struggles to hold her breath, Imu in a similar state.

A strong current pulls on them as they swim through a narrow section, Imu’s eyes widening as her hand slips from Kokomi’s. Kokomi has to fight back the urge to gasp, quickly reaching out and gripping Imu’s hand again, tighter this time. Imu shoots her a grateful look and a warm feeling enters Kokomi’s chest as she gives the other girl a relieved look. That was close.

As they swim forward, the tunnel begins to widen. Warmth envelops Kokomi’s skin as the water’s temperature increases. Light shines from above, Kokomi and Imu exchanging excited looks as they follow Yvonne to the surface.

As they gasp for air, Kokomi’s jaw drops at the sight around her. Every inch of the cavern is covered in shimmering crystals, hues of blue and purple dancing about. They all swim over to the edge of the lagoon they’re currently treading water in.

“Woah…” Imu exclaims, eyes wide. “This is…wow…”

“It’s so beautiful…” Kokomi agrees.

Yvonne grins at them. “See? Our underwater adventure was worth it in the end.”

Kokomi hates to admit it, but she agrees. This was definitely a good reward for all that swimming. These crystals were almost otherworldly.

“The crystals look a lot like those flowers in the rainforest…” Imu murmurs. “Same colours, same glow…”

“So, they’re beautiful,” deduces Kokomi, Imu laughing in response.

“Yeah. They really are.”

Yvonne gently feels around the wall, before tapping on one point and grinning triumphantly.

“Aha! The wall is crumbling here!” she announces. “Now the others can join us.”

She kicks the section of the cavern wall, causing it to crumble. Her, Kokomi and Imu all stick their heads out, spotting their friends waiting a bit down the shore.

“Guys! Over here!” Imu cries, waving at them.

The group all perk up, looking over at them happily.

“Come join us, chers!” Yvonne invites, beckoning inside the cave.

The others begin to walk over as Kokomi and Imu exchange a look, giggles overtaking them. Kokomi’s cheeks warm up as she stares at the other girl, she really did enjoy being around Imu. Imu holds her gaze for a moment, before blushing and looking away.

Kokomi only chuckles, looking away as well. Guess being exiled to this isle wasn’t too bad after all.

Kusuo has to admit, this cave is jaw-dropping.

Exclamations of awe arise from the group as they join Yvonne, Kokomi and Imu in the cave, taking in the sight of the majestic crystals. Kusuo studies a nearby one, letting out a curious hum.

These crystals were giving off some sort of energy. The memory of Chisato’s possible future flashes through his mind; were these the crystals that were mentioned? Did they hold some sort of special power.

A gasp interrupts his thoughts as Yvonne bolts over to a chest sitting near the cavern walls. She immediately kneels down and blasts the lock with her pistol, shattering it. Well, that’s one way to get the job done. Reita frowns.

“Hold up, don’t you have a key? I thought it was your lockbox.”

“I, uh, lost it. But it doesn’t matter! It is open now!”

Yvonne pries the lid open. Coins and other valuable trinkets go flying as she impatiently digs through the chest. Chiyo, Reita and Aiura quickly move to catch them, staring in awe as they shove the bits of jewellery and gold into their pockets.

Kusuo rolls his eyes; he can’t say he didn’t expect this. He keeps an eye on Yvonne as she continues to rummage through the chest. The pirate’s eyes widen suddenly as she picks up an antique compass from the chest. Yvonne glances around and quickly pockets it, Kusuo frowning as she stands up and turns to the group.

“Fortune has certainly cursed me, for what I seek is not here either,” she sighs. “Malatesta, you thrice-damned bootlicker!”

She throws her arms into the air in a melodramatic show of defeat. Kusuo arches an eyebrow at her.

“So what was that thing you just put in your pocket?” he asks.

Yvonne blinks. “…Pardonnez-moi? My Japanese, you see…it is not always so good…”

Kusuo just shoots her a look. Yvonne’s facade crumbles as she sighs, reluctantly pulling out the compass to show them. The group all look at it in confusion.

“I merely take my old compass in order to navigate my way to safer shores,” Yvonne says, avoiding eye contact. “The rest of the booty I leave most graciously to all of you.”

Kusuo hums in reply, still keeping an eye on her. She was obviously lying, but he couldn’t be bothered to press. Yvonne smiles at the group as she repockets the compass.

“In any case, a deal’s a deal. Let’s be rid of this place.”

She marches through the cave opening, the group excitedly following her. Chatter starts up and Kusuo allows a smile to show on his face. Once they got back to the main island they could figure out a way to get home. A strong gust is blowing as they walk across the beach.

“We can make use of this wind, enfants,” Yvonne declares. “To the raft!”

The group all cheer as they approach the vessel. Riki and Lila emerge from the manor, Riki basically skipping across the sand.

“Hey guys!” he cries. “I’m all better now!”

“I take it we’re leaving now?” Lila asks.

Kusuo nods in reply as the two join the rest of the group. They all get onto the raft, laughing and smiling at each other.

“Woohoo! We’re finally leaving!” cheers Chiyo.

“Yeah!” Chisato whoops, her face falling. “Aw, but I never did perfect my recipe for coconut casserole…”

“Oh, cheer up, Chisato!” Chiyo laughs. “Now you’ll be able to cook with more than two ingredients!”

Chisato’s eyes widen. “Oh my god. Real food. I forgot about real food! Take me hoooome!”

Everyone laughs as Yvonne guides the raft out into the water. Aiura laughs triumphantly down at the dark shapes in the water, which are staying a fair bit away from the vessel.

“Suck it, klaawyi!” she mocks. “Can’t get us now! Go chew on some coral or something! Hahaha!”

Kusuo smiles as the raft continues to move across the bay, the waves picking up the further out they get. The sky has begun to steadily darken above them. Elyys’tel towers over the Caribbean sea a fair distance away, Reita looking at it wistfully.

“Elyys’tel. Despite being a prisoner, they really made me feel at home there,” he murmurs.

“Sounds like you miss it,” Kusuo comments.

Reita scoffs. “Nah. Well…okay, maybe a little.”

Kusuo rolls his eyes before a rumble sounds from above him. The steadily darkening sky has suddenly become thick with storm clouds. Rain begins to sprinkle down, pattering against the raft’s sail as a peal of thunder sounds from above. Everyone looks around, confused.

"Weird…” Imu mutters. “It was fine a second ago…”

Kusuo frowns, looking upwards at the stormy sky. This was familiar. The only time they’ve seen the weather change this quickly was…

A fuzzy feeling enters his head and his breath hitches. He looks down into the water, where he finally takes notice of a shadow lurking in the depths.

A large serpentine figure passes under the boat, gliding through the water. Yells come from the others as they spot it as well, scrambling to the center of the raft.

“By the devil himself!” cries Yvonne. “What is that?!”

Kusuo grits his teeth. “It’s Cetus. He’s come back for us.”

"It has a name?!” yells Metori.

Cetus’ massive form swiftly passes them, instead moving in another direction. A low growl reverberates throughout the sea as the monster swims towards the main island, going straight for the giant tree. Reita’s eyes widen in horror.

“He’s headed straight for Elyys’tel!”

Chapter Text

Cetus’ massive form glides through the ocean, heading towards the large tree towering over the sea. The group back into the center of the raft as Reita’s eyes widen in horror.

“He’s headed straight for Elyys’tel!”

Kusuo grits his teeth. Before he can even form a thought, pain shoots through his head. He grunts, clutching his head and closing his eyes as he clings onto the raft. The others’ voices become muffled as his vision fades…

…and he finds himself back in Elyys’tel. Well, he’s not physically there, but it’s all he can see, no matter how hard he tries to snap out of it. What the hell? How was he…

The Vaanti are rushing around, trying to find safety as the ocean begins to churn below. Uqzhaal and Seraxa are directly in Kusuo’s line of sight, standing on a platform and looking over the railing in horror.

“It cannot be…” Uqzhaal whispers.

Cetus breaches the surface with an earth-shaking roar. Lightning crackles around the monster, his esca glowing even more than before. The creature hisses, the storm continuing to rage from above as he looks around.

“The Sea Guardian!” Seraxa shouts. “Why is he here?!”

Uqzhaal opens his mouth, but before he can answer lightning begins to spark among the monster’s teeth. The Vaanti yell to each other, scrambling to get out of the way as a blast of lightning tears its way from Cetus’ mouth and through the city.

Pieces of debris fly through the air as the Vaanti scream, rushing to get crying children out of the way. Kusuo can see Varyyn on a higher platform, looking down in horror. Seraxa grits her teeth and turns to Uqzhaal.

“Get to the top! You must get to the elyyshar!”

Uqzhaal nods. “What will you do?”

“Hold out for as long as we can,” replies Seraxa, pulling out her dagger. “Now go!”

She rushes off and Uqzhaal pushes through the fleeing Vaanti, rushing to get to the top of the large tree. He looks back at Cetus, before closing his eyes and whispering to himself.

“Please…Catalysts…if you can hear me, if you are truly destined to save our people, please…answer this prayer…help us…”

In a flash, he’s back on Yvonne’s raft, taking deep breaths as he tries to steady himself. Kusuo looks over at Elyys’tel, the others looking in horror at the events that just occurred. Looks like he just got a close-up look at Cetus’ destruction…but how?

Furball whimpers, ears laying flat at the sight. Yvonne’s eyes are wide as she takes in the scene.

“Mon dieu…” she murmurs.

Reita grits his teeth in worry. “Why the hell is that thing attacking the Vaanti?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Aren replies, scowling. “Just be glad you’re not in that tree right now.”

“Yeah, we need to get as far away from that place as possible,” agrees Imu.

Yvonne nods rapidly. As the raft begins to sail further away from Elyys’tel, an awkward silence descends over the group. Kusuo looks back at the village, Cetus still attacking the tree relentlessly.

Uqzhaal’s prayer flashes through his head as he purses his lips. The Vaanti had imprisoned them, send them away to Sharktooth Isle, but…he couldn’t just leave after hearing that…

He sighs. “We have to help them.”

Everyone turns to look at him, their shocked faces almost comical.

“You…want to go back?” Kokomi tries for an inquisitive tone, but can’t hide her utter disbelief.

Aiura isn’t as discreet with her’s. “Are you insane?!”

“Even if that weren’t a total death wish, did you forget that those people just imprisoned us for life?!” Metori questions, shooting him a bewildered look.

“And that was only because they couldn’t execute us!” adds Imu.

Kusuo sighs. “I know, but not all of them hated us. That shaman guy was on our side.”

“There are children living there too…” states Chiyo, chewing on her lip.

“Exactly! And Varyyn’s a good guy!” adds Reita. “He tried to help us as much as he could!”

Kusuo nods as the rest of the group exchange looks. Touma places a hand on his chin, frowning.

“I agree with all of your points…but what can we even do to help in the first place?”

“I don’t know,” Hairo admits, everyone turning to him. “I know it sounds crazy, but…lives are at stake right now. We have to at least try.”

Noises of agreement come from the group, all of them inspired by Hairo’s words. Some, like Metori, Aiura and Imu, stay silent, but they don’t object, instead choosing to sigh and silently agree.

Cetus’ roar splits through the air as the storm continues to worsen above them. The group look around at each other, finding strength amongst themselves.

“So…we’re really doing this, huh?” mutters Aren.

“Looks like it!” replies Chisato.

Riki whoops, throwing his arms into the air. “Yeeeah! Let’s go save some blue people!”

Lila sighs. “Well, this is incredibly dangerous, but I know better than to argue with you kids. I’ll protect you no matter what!”

Furball barks in agreement, the fox’s tail wagging rapidly. Yvonne’s eyes are bugging out of her head, the pirate looking at them all as if they’ve suddenly become tap-dancing zombies.

“You must be joking! You all belong in the madhouse!” she cries. “You insane children may have a death wish, but I’m not sticking my neck out!”

“Just get us close, Yvonne. We’ll take care of the rest,” Kusuo says.

Yvonne shakes her head in disbelief, but guides the vessel toward Elyys’tel. The group hop off the raft and onto the shore next to the tree, looking at each other nervously. Yvonne chuckles as she sails away into the storm.

“I wish you all bonne chance!” she calls, waving them goodbye. “But you can’t save everyone!”

Hairo smirks, yelling back to her. “Guess we’ll have to die trying then!”

Yvonne sighs. “Ah, vous les enfants stupides…Au revoir!”

With that, her and her raft vanish into the fog. The group exchange looks, before sprinting up toward the base of the enormous tree city. Yells of rage and pain go hand in hand with Cetus’ horrific roars as the battle rages on from above.

Kusuo grits his teeth. He really hopes that this was a good idea. The group quickly rush up the grand, wooden staircase, climbing the tree’s massive trunk with ease. They reach the top of the staircase and emerge onto a platform, where Seraxa is organising troops.

“To the elevators!” she orders. “Move it!”

The Vaanti all nod and begin to rush across the platform, when their gaze flickers to the group, who are standing awkwardly nearby.

“The Catalysts?!” one exclaims. “Here?!”

“Impossible!” another cries.

The soldiers immediately surround them, weapons drawn and pointed at their chests. Metori sighs, shooting Kusuo an annoyed look.

“This is why we should have kept going,” he hisses.

Aren scowls at the Vaanti. “Take it easy, alright?! We’re here to help!”

Seraxa marches forward, glaring viciously at them. She walks through the circle of soldiers so she’s facing the group directly.

“How did you escape Sharktooth Isle?” she questions.

“We called an Uber,” Aiura replies, her sarcastic side getting the better of her. “Who cares?”

Seraxa scowls at the answer as an elephant-masked Vaanti man speaks up.

“It is their fault! They summoned the Sea Guardian Cetus to destroy Elyys’tel! And now they have come to finish us off!”

Shun looks around at them. “No, that’s not-“

“We should have killed them when we had the chance!” a skull-masked woman cries.

“We still do,” Seraxa growls, drawing her obsidian blade. “You have brought ruin to my people…but at least I can still bring ruin to yours.”

The group all huddle together for protection, Furball growling with his fur on end. Kusuo scowls; this lady really wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

Before Seraxa can even lift her dagger, loud footsteps sound from nearby. Varyyn rushes onto the platform and skids to a sudden halt as he sees what’s going on.

“Reita?!”

Reita grins awkwardly. “Hey, Varyyn. Been a while, hasn’t it?”

Seraxa briefly glances at Varyyn, before gesturing to her soldiers. The group of Vaanti begin to close in, bows drawn and spears aimed as Kusuo and the others huddle together.

Varyyn’s eyes widen. “Seraxa, stop!”

Kusuo grits his teeth. Should he try to use his powers? No, if he attacked them that would only reinforce what the Vaanti thought about them. So what should he do? He doubts they’d listen if he tried to explain. Maybe-

His thoughts are cut off by a grunt from above. Everyone looks up to see a Vaanti warrior slump forward, unconscious. As the man hangs motionless over a tree branch, Lila snatches his bow and aims it at Seraxa’s head.

The group stare in shock as Kusuo frowns. When the hell did she get up there?

Lila scowls viciously at Seraxa. “Back off, lady!”

Seraxa merely scoffs, raising a fist to halt her warriors’ progression. A smirk makes its way onto the war chief’s face.

“I was afraid you were going to make this too easy,” she says.

The group all exchange worried looks.

“Lila, no!” cries Kokomi. “You’re making this worse!”

“I’m sorry, Kokomi, but I can’t let anything bad happen to you kids!”

Several Vaanti warriors move to protect Seraxa, but the woman waves them off. She rolls her eyes, still smirking.

“I do not need any protection. Puny girl does not even know how to use-“

An arrow immediately flies past Seraxa’s head. One of her braids falls to the ground, cleanly sliced off, as Lila nocks another arrow.

“Keep talking if you want me to finish your haircut,” she growls.

The Vaanti all aim their weapons at her as Seraxa scowls. Kusuo resists the urge to facepalm as the rest of his friends exchange worried looks. Aren curses under his breath.

“If she kills that chick it’ll do nothin’ but prove what they already think about us!” he mutters.

Hairo, hearing him, nods. He steps forward slightly, looking up at Lila.

“Lila, that’s enough!” he yells. “We’re not here to fight! Put the bow down!”

Lila bites her lip, looking down at them. She sighs and drops the bow, climbing back down to join them on the platform. The Vaanti lower their weapons as Seraxa looks at the group curiously.

“Why would you do that?” she asks.

“We told you. We’re here to help,” says Kusuo.

“The Catalysts of legend were famously cunning,” Seraxa states. “How can I trust this is not a trap?”

“That’s all you can do,” replies Chiyo, trying for a smile. “Trust.”

Varyyn smiles at her words, while Seraxa frowns, a thoughtful glint in her eye. She opens her mouth, but whatever she was going to say is interrupted by a small voice.

“Hi, cat-uh-lisses!”

Kusuo’s eyes widen slightly as the Vaanti boy from after the Tribunal skips into the circle of spears. He grins and waves at them. Kusuo resists the urge to chuckle; this boy reminded him of Yuuta…He wonders how he’s doing right now.

Seraxa’s eyes widen when she spots the boy, immediately turning her attention to him.

“Taari!” she cries. “What are you doing? Get out of here!”

“Why? I wanted to say hi to the cat-uh-lisses…” Taari murmurs, his pout quickly turning into a large smile. “And I brought my slingshot to fight Cetus! Do you like it?”

The boy holds up a tiny little slingshot, made from a Y-shaped branch. The group all exchange looks, Riki grinning widely.

“Woah! That thing looks awesome, little dude!” he exclaims.

Reita laughs, holding out a hand that Taari high-fives.

“Nice going, man! You finally finished it!”

Taari giggles and Seraxa sighs. The woman looks down at Taari worriedly.

“You have to go, Taari!”

Taari tilts his head. “Why?”

“It’s too dangerous!”

“That’s okay! The cat-uh-lisses are here to save us!”

Taari takes a look around, finally noticing the plethora of spears aimed at the group. He frowns, puffing his cheeks out.

“Are you guys playing a game?” he asks. “Come on, the bad guy is this way!”

Taari charges out of the circle with a battle cry, slingshot raised. Kusuo makes eye contact with Seraxa. She studies the group for a long moment, before sighing and signalling for her warriors to lower their weapons. Varyyn sighs in relief from nearby.

“I am the war chief here. You do as I say, when I say it,” states Seraxa. “One false move, and I feed you to Cetus myself. Are we clear?”

Imu gulps, giving her a thumbs up. “Crystal.”

“What do the crystals have to do with this?”

“It’s a figure of speech,” states Touma. “We will have to teach you about them.”

Seraxa merely scoffs. She gestures for the group to follow her as the Vaanti warriors stand aside, muttering amongst themselves.

“Come, our defenses are this way. It is time to see how you handle yourselves on the field of battle, Catalysts,” she says, grinning. “The beautiful thing about battle is that it always reveals one’s true colours…”

The group all gulp or shiver at her words as Kusuo steels his nerves. This wasn’t going to be easy…

They follow Seraxa up a winding staircase around the base of the tree, the Vaanti troops behind them. Not giving them a chance to escape, eh? Well, that’s understandable.

They emerge onto a large platform near the top that has bridges connecting to the other trees. More platforms are above, Vaanti warriors rushing around and giving orders. Cetus is visible here, the monster roaring and hissing.

“Ugh, this thing’s even scarier up close…” Aiura mutters.

Catapults rest on every platform, Vaanti soldiers launching flaming rocks at Cetus. Unfortunately, they do little damage to the monster, who continues to attack the top of the tree. The Vaanti warriors behind them run off to join the fray.

Cetus lets out a large roar before leaning down and ripping off a large branch. The monster spits it out as Vaanti archers fall into the sea below, disappearing beneath the waves. Kusuo winces at the sight as the group walk across the platform.

“Where are we going, Seraxa?” asks Hairo.

“The Sea Guardian is attacking the very peak of the city,” the war chief replies.

“My mother is up there,” Varyyn murmurs, gritting his teeth in worry. “I will not allow her to die while everyone else runs for their lives.”

Cetus spits lightning at another Vaanti vanguard, sending them flying through the city. The group flinch and hurriedly step back.

“Why is Cetus doing this?” asks Chiyo.

Seraxa sighs. “We do not know.”

“Cetus sinks any vessel that wanders far from the island shores, but he has never attacked Elyys’tel itself,” says Varyyn.

“Well, guess there’s a first time for everything…” Aren mutters.

Kusuo frowns, staring up at the beast. Well, that explained why Cetus stopped them from leaving the island by boat. But why is he attacking Elyys’tel? What brought him here?

“If that’s the case, we need to figure out why he’s here,” he says.

“And how the hell are we meant to do that?!” snaps Metori. “Ask him to kindly sit down for an interview?”

“No, Kusuo is right!” argues Touma. “This behaviour is not normal. Cetus must have a reason for being here. He obviously cannot tell us, but if we figure it out we may be able to gain the upper hand!”

Metori blinks, shuffling awkwardly. “Oh. I, um…suppose that makes sense.”

Aren snorts and Metori glares at him. Varyyn and Seraxa exchange a glance before nodding to each other.

“Then we must go to the top, to the focus of Cetus’s attack, and discover what the beast wants,” Varyyn declares.

Taari lets out a whoop from beside him. “The elevator is just this way! Come on!”

“Taari, go to the hills with the other children!” Seraxa shouts, scowling. “That is an order!”

“No! I want to fight!”

Taari scampers ahead with his little slingshot. Seraxa shakes her head as Varyyn sighs. Reita lets out a small chuckle.

“That kid’s always full of energy, huh?”

“He’s going to get himself hurt. Or worse,” mutters Kusuo.

Seraxa sighs sadly. “His parents were fishermen. One day, a storm blew them too far out to sea.”

“Cetus killed them?” Shun guesses, face falling.

Seraxa nods somberly. Kusuo feels a pang of sympathy in his chest; he can’t help but feel bad for the kid. Lila sniffles from beside him.

“That’s so sad. He has no family.”

“No. We are all his family here. I-“ Seraxa’s eyes widen. “Look out!”

A large crack rings out as Cetus tears off an enormous tree branch from above. The monster quickly spits it out, sending it tumbling down toward the group. Everyone quickly scrambles to the other end of the platform.

A grunt sounds as Reita trips and falls over a bit of debris. Kusuo goes to grab him but Varyyn is quicker, the Vaanti grabbing Reita in his arms and diving to join the rest of the group as the branch crashes through the platform and into the ocean.

“That was a close one…” Reita whispers, looking up at Varyyn with flushed cheeks. “Uh, thanks.”

Varyyn coughs, his cheeks tinted red as well. “You are very welcome.” 

Kusuo lets out a heavy breath, looking up to see Cetus looming over them. The sea serpent hisses as it stares down at the group from over 20 stories up, electricity crackling in its gigantic mouth.

“Quick! Man the catapults!” orders Seraxa.

Everyone quickly rushes to the nearby catapults, Kusuo, Aiura and Touma kneeling down next to one. Kusuo tries to shield his eyes against the torrential downpour as he looks around at the others. Varyyn, Seraxa and Reita begin to load their catapult at the edge of the platform.

“Hurry!” cries Varyyn. “Crank the wheel before you load the shot!”

“Ignite it with the torch and pull the lever to fire!” Seraxa continues.

Kusuo immediately gets to work, cranking the wheel and loading the shot. He wipes sweat off his brow as Aiura grabs a torch and ignites it. Touma nods at them, before pulling the lever.

The catapult swings forward, its fiery ammunition flying through the rain like a meteor. It strikes Cetus right on his burn scars, the monster roaring and writhing in pain as its face scales glisten from the sudden attack. Aiura cheers, pulling Kusuo and Touma in for a hug.

“Woo! We did it!”

More ammunition scorches Cetus’ face, screeching reverberating through the air. The groups all cheer and whoop in celebration. Reita laughs triumphantly, sneering up at the sea monster.

“You want some more?! Come at me, bro!”

Cetus roars, lightning sparking between his teeth. Reita yelps.

“Bro, he’s coming at me!”

Everyone leaps out of the way as Cetus blasts lightning at one of the catapults, reducing it to smithereens. The monster growls, returning its attention to the canopy.

“Catalysts, some of you must stay behind and continue firing the catapults!” Seraxa shouts. “It will give the rest of us time to reach the top!”

The group all exchange looks, before Kokomi steps up.

“I’ll stay! Go for it!”

Chiyo, Imu, Metori and Touma all make noises of agreement, walking up to the remaining catapults. Furball also trots over, wagging his tail happily. Hairo nods at them.

“Thanks guys! Cover our asses!”

“Yeah, you’ll definitely need someone to cover your ass,” Imu snarks, smirking.

Hairo rolls his eyes in amusement. The group all wave goodbye to the catapult crew as they sprint across a walkway. They stop at a large wooden platform separate from the rest of the tree, being held up by large iron chains.

“Everyone, get on,” orders Seraxa. “The elevator will take us to the top.”

The group all nod and do as she says. Varyyn pulls a lever and the platform rises into the air. Kusuo watches the battle continue to rage down below, wincing as another group of Vaanti fall into the ocean. He looks back around at the elevator. Wow, he didn’t expect the Vaanti to have something so advanced.

“This elevator is incredible!” exclaims Touma, looking around in awe. “How can it lift so much? What do you use as counterweights?”

Varyyn points upwards, where enormous iron anchors are slowly descending on the other side of the chain. Exclamations of amazement sound from the group as they marvel at the mechanism.

“Many ancient ships met their demise in the jaws of Cetus,” Varyyn explains. “My people built some of their earliest works from their bones.”

The elevator rocks to a stop as it reaches the highest level, the group disembarking onto another wooden platform. They’re now at the top of Cetus’ head, watching as the beast continues to tear away at the tree a short distance away.

“Come,” Varyyn says, gesturing for them to follow him. “We will circle around the other side to avoid-Taari!”

The group all whirl around to see Taari running towards Cetus. Seraxa gasps as the rest of them stare in shock.

“What is he doing?!” cries Aren.

Taari is now right in front of Cetus, scowling at the monster.

“Hey, ugly!” he cries.

Taari pulls back his slingshot and launches a pebble at Cetus, the small projectile plinking off the creature’s head. Cetus shakes his head in confusion as Taari stomps his foot.

“Go away!” shouts Taari. “Leave my friends alone!”

Cetus growls, slowly turning to look at the boy. Rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth gleam as lightning sparks between them. Taari’s eyes suddenly widen as he gulps and backs away.

Kusuo grits his teeth. Stupid brat! He rushes forward and yanks Taari away right as Cetus takes a huge bite out of the wooden walkway. Cetus growls, but turns his attention back to destroying the tree. Kusuo hears sighs of relief come from both him and the group as he carries Taari back. Taari beams widely as Kusuo puts him down.

“Did you see that, Seraxa?” asks Taari, jumping up and down. “The cat-uh-liss saved me!”

He turns to Kusuo, his smile somehow getting wider. “Can you be my hero? I wanna be just like you!”

Oh, boy. Another one. Kusuo sighs, but a small smile flits across his lips. At least the brat was safe. Seraxa kneels down, firmly grabbing Taari by the shoulders.

“Stupid, stupid child!” she scolds. “What in the name of Vaanu were you thinking?!”

Taari sniffs, his eyes filling with tears. “I’m sorry, Seraxa…”

Seraxa just pulls him into a tight embrace, sighing in relief. She looks up at Kusuo, her eyes watering.

“You…saved him.”

“You sound surprised.”

“That is because I am. But…thank you. If we both survive this battle, I will repay you.”

Kusuo nods in reply. Well, at least this likely made Seraxa trust them more. A loud growl sounds out as Cetus continues his attack, leaves and branches tumbling into the sea.

“The Guardian is trying to get to the throne room!” cries Varyyn.

Seraxa gestures for Taari to leave, the boy finally doing so. They all glance at the throne room doors that rest a few rope bridges away, Cetus’ head in the middle of them.

“The elyyshar. She is inside, yes?” Seraxa asks Varyyn.

“Yes. But I am afraid,” the prince replies. “I have never seen Cetus act this way, with such purpose.”

“Well, we can’t figure out what he’s after if we can’t get into the throne room,” says Hairo. “And right now there’s thousands of huge-ass teeth in the way.”

“We have to distract him,” states Lila.

Varyyn nods in agreement. “Come. I have something in mind.”

Seraxa moves to go in another direction, while the group follow Varyyn along another walkway, emerging onto a platform where several large hang gliders rest. The wooden struts and wings made of leafy canvas seem to shine despite the lack of sunlight.  The group all stare at them in surprise.

“What the hell are these doing here?” asks Aiura.

“They were built for the Three Tribes’ War,” answers Varyyn. “Warriors would fly over Quarr’tel under the cover of night and drop…um…”

“Bombs?” Reita guesses, a frown on his face.

“Yes. That is the word. Bombs of fire.”

Aren whistles, running a hand along one of the gliders.

“Incendiary bombs, eh? Those’ll definitely do some damage,” he says. “I remember my old man telling me about this guy he got involved with once…Lundgren I think his name was. Real shady bastard. The guy apparently had loads of incendiaries.”

Chisato’s eyes widen. “Wait, Lundgren? I heard my dad say he got involved with them too, when he was dealing with the loan sharks. The guy runs some American military unit but he’s actually selling weapons to criminals to benefit himself.”

“So your dad encountered him as well, huh? Small world.”

“The gliders fit two people; one pilot and one bomber,” says Varyyn. “They are difficult to fly, but I have faith you will manage.”

Kusuo sighs. Well, this was probably incredibly reckless but so was everything else they’d done up until this point. A few minutes later and he’s hooked into one of the glider’s lower harnesses, Chisato above him. The girl is muttering to herself, gripping the wooden frame tightly.

Kusuo looks down at his bomb satchel, then out at the other pairs. Aren and Shun, Aiura and Lila, Reita and Varyyn…and Riki and Hairo, oh boy that wasn’t going to end well.

“Woah, this is sick!” cries Riki, looking into the bomb satchel. “How do we start flying?”

“You walk to the edge and step off,” Varyyn replies.

They all look down at the number of levels below them and gulp.

“Anyone else developing a sudden fear of heights?” Reita asks.

“Yup,” says Shun.

“Fear is putting is lightly,” mutters Aiura.

“This will be interesting,” mutters Kusuo.

He looks at Chisato, the two of them nodding at each other. The girl takes a deep breath, before running and leaping off the edge of the platform.

The glider immediately goes into free-fall, plummeting straight down toward the ground. The dirt gets closer and closer, Chisato yelling as Kusuo’s eyes widen…before the canvas wings finally catch the air and send them hurtling back up into the sky.

Kusuo sighs in relief. That was way too close. Chisato laughs as they continue to fly through the air.

“Wooo! This is awes-Oh shit!”

Kusuo looks up to realise just how close to Cetus they’ve gotten. The monster roars, spitting lightning that Chisato just barely barrel rolls around. Kusuo releases the breath he didn’t realise he was holding as three of the other gliders approach them.

“Looks like you two are doin’ okay!” yells Aren.

“Barely!” Kusuo replies.

“Don’t look down, don’t look down!” Aiura mutters, clutching onto the harness and bomb satchel tightly.

Varyyn laughs. “Very good! I must confess, I did not expect you all to be so skilled on your first try!”

Chisato gives out a breathy laugh in response, Lila giggling as well. Shun frowns as he looks around.

“Hey, has anyone seen-“

Screaming rings out as another glider rockets past them, spinning uncontrollably. Riki and Hairo and hanging on tight, Riki trying to maneuver the glider back to normal.

“You know, I’m not as surprised as I thought I’d be,” deadpans Reita.

The glider continues to rock and spin, the others rushing to try and help them.

“We’re good!” cries Riki. “I got it!”

“You don’t got it, Nendo!” screams Hairo. “You do not got it!”

Cetus roars and blasts lightning at the other gliders, the pilots swiftly moving to dodge it. Reita screams as Varyyn does a full 360 roll.

“What am I even doing here?!” he shouts. “I should be at home in my pyjamas eating ice cream!”

“So should I, you bastard!” Aiura screams back, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You’re not special!”

The gliders begin to surround Cetus, closing in on the beast. The monster growls, electricity crackling between his teeth once more.

“The bombs are in those satchels hanging from the wings!” Varyyn cries. “Throw them at Cetus as we fly past!”

“How are we gonna do that?” asks Aren. “These winds are too damn strong, they’ll blow away anything we throw!”

Kusuo grits his teeth. “We’ll have to get in close! Get up right near this thing and give him hell!”

The others nod, going in separate directions. Kusuo looks up at Chisato, who takes a deep breath.

“Okay, this is gonna be tough!” she says. “I’m gonna need you to lean your body weight with me to pull this off!”

Kusuo nods and the two of them dive towards the monster. Cetus roars as he spots them. The beast fires blast after blast of lightning, but Chisato dodges it every time! The two of them work in tandem to dodge, roll and twist out of the way, Kusuo getting slightly dizzy. They’re now right above Cetus’ head.

“We’re in!” cries Chisato. “Drop some of those bombs, Saiki!”

Kusuo smirks. “How about all of them?”

He yanks the satchel open and over two dozen bombs pour out. Loud bangs sound through the rain as all of them land straight on Cetus’ head, some of them hitting his burn scars. The monster roars in pain, writhing and screeching.

The others whoop and cheer for them as they get in close. Reita, Aiura and Shun all drop their bombs onto the monster, Cetus’ screeching intensifying.

“This is both the scariest and coolest thing I’ve ever done!” cries Shun, Aren laughing cheerfully.

“Take that, you overgrown worm!” Aiura taunts.

“Yeah! Don’t like bombs very much, huh?” Reita adds.

Kusuo rolls his eyes, fighting off a smile. They had all done their part…but where on earth were-Oh god.

“Hairo!” Riki calls, looking around frantically. “I don’t see the monster! Where’d he go?”

“He is literally all around us!” Hairo cries in reply.

Riki looks up and realises they have flown inside of Cetus’s mouth. Both boys scream as Riki hurriedly rushes them out of there just as the beast’s jaw snaps shut. The rest of the group sigh in relief as Riki flies them away.

“Make this thing go away, Hairo! Throw some bombs!”

“Already did!”

Riki looks down, only to see the bomb satchel completely empty. Everyone turns to look at Cetus as Hairo grins maniacally.

“Surprise, you bastard!”

The loudest boom yet sounds out, everyone flinching at the sudden noise as the entirety of Hairo’s bombs explode inside of Cetus’s mouth. The creature lets out a high-pitched screech, flailing and writhing in pain.

Smoke pours out of Cetus’s mouth as the beast crashes forward, straight through the giant tree’s elevator. The platform instantly shatters, Cetus getting caught up in the giant chains. The monster hisses as he gets back up, but his movement is limited due to the massive ship anchor stuck on a branch.

The group all cheer. Kusuo grins, perfect! Now the guy was weakened and trapped! If they could just…

His train of thought is interrupted when Chisato swoops the glider right past Cetus’ head. The golden glow from the beast’s esca nearly blinds him, Kusuo hissing as he blinks spots out of his eyes.

As his vision clears, he sees an amber idol resting inside of the esca. A winged man holding his arms out, a placid expression on his face. It’s almost as if time has stopped as Kusuo stares at it, entranced.

Chisato’s panicked voice snaps him out of it.

“Bank left! Bank-“

Cetus roars and unleashes a massive blast of lightning at them. The bolt tears through the wing, sending both of them crashing onto the walkway just outside of the throne room.

“Shit…” Kusuo mutters; he shouldn’t have let himself get distracted.

Cetus fires more blasts, sending the others crashing down beside them. Unlike Kusuo and Chisato’s, their gliders are completely charred to a crisp.

“Ow…everyone okay?” asks Hairo, rubbing his head.

Noises of affirmation sound as everyone shakily gets out of their harnesses, standing up. Varyyn’s chest heaves as he glances at Cetus.

“Quick, now is our chance! Into the throne room!”

Kusuo nods as they all rush into the throne room. slamming the doors shut. Vaanti turn to look at them, gasps of shock sounding throughout the chamber. Ximaedra is seated on her throne, Uqzhaal and Seraxa on either side of her. Uqzhaal beams in joy.

“The Catalysts are here!” he cries. “We are saved!”

“Yeah, yeah, we’re here, awesome,” says Aren. “Now, we need to get everyone out of this big-ass treehouse before that monster tears the entire place down!”

“I am afraid we cannot evacuate,” laments Ximaedra. “Many in our village are too old, too young or too sick.”

Aren sighs in frustration. The Vaanti continue to mutter curiously at their presence, the group shuffling awkwardly. Ximaedra gives them a thoughtful look.

“Catalysts, my war chief tells me you have been fighting alongside us to protect Elyys’tel.”

“We’re here to help,” Aiura states.

“You have my gratitude,” Ximaedra says, smiling warmly. “Right now, what we truly need is a means of quelling the Sea Guardian’s anger.”

Everyone looks around, muttering to each other and frowning. Kusuo looks down, the memory of the idol in Cetus’ esca flashing through his head.

“Actually…I may have an idea about that,” he says, everyone turning to look at him. “While we were on the gliders, I saw something. Cetus has one of the Catalyst Idols in his esca, that light on his head.”

Uqzhaal gasps. “That explains all of this! Do you remember the ritual I performed at the Tribunal?”

The group nod as Uqzhaal walks up to them, the shaman muttering under his breath.

“That ritual was meant to attune you to your vaalta. If the Sea Guardian possesses one of the idols, the ritual must have drawn him to this location.”

Uqzhaal gestures behind him, to where the three idols they had collected rest beside the throne. Kusuo’s eyes widen; that makes sense. He reaches into his bag and hands the Draco and Lupus idols to the shaman.

“Here, we found these while we were on Sharktooth Isle. I think it’s best if you have them.”

Uqzhaal gasps once more as he takes them. “Incredible. I appreciate this gesture very much.”

He moves to place the two idols with the others, the group exchanging looks.

“So, he’s going after the idols?” asks Chisato.

Conversations start up amongst both the Vaanti and their group. Kusuo sighs, running his hand through his hair. God, he hated stressful situations.

He looks over and notices Shun stumble, the boy leaning on Aren for support. Aren gently lowers him to the ground, leaning his boyfriend against a wall as Kusuo rushes over.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“I’m just…a bit tired,” Shun murmurs in response.

Aren frowns worriedly, carefully checking Shun’s pulse. He curses under his breath.

“Your pulse is really slow, Shun,” he mutters. “And you’re freezing.”

“I’m fine,” Shun insists.

He tries to push himself up, but immediately collapses into Aren’s chest. Aren’s arms instinctively wrap around him as he lowers the other boy back to the ground.

“You need to rest, Kaido,” says Kusuo, trying to hide how concerned he is. “Just stay in here in the throne room for now.”

“But I want to help,” pleads Shun. “I can still help!”

Aren gently places a hand on his cheek, pressing his forehead against the other boy’s.

“I know you can,” he murmurs. “But in order to help, you need to be at full strength, which you aren’t. You shouldn’t be going out in this condition, Shun. I need you safe, yeah?”

Shun gazes into his eyes, before sighing and nodding. Aren smiles gently, kissing him on the forehead and wrapping his overshirt around him. Kusuo pats Shun on the shoulder.

“Chin up, Jet Black Wings. You’ll be back in action in no time.”

Shun chuckles as Kusuo and Aren move to rejoin the group. The group are still talking to each other, thinking up ideas.

“We must decide on a strategy,” Seraxa states. “Now.”

Kusuo frowns, hand on his chin. Cetus wanted the idols. The idols were here, so he was attacking. But if the idols weren’t here…

“We need to get the idols away from Elyys’tel,” he says, everyone looking at him. “Someone takes what Cetus wants and flies a glider inland, out of reach.”

Aren nods. “Good idea. Don’t give that bastard any reason to stick around.”

“But whoever does that might not survive the escape…” argues Hairo, frowning.

“Certainly not,” agrees Varyyn. “We only have one intact glider left, and after what just happened Cetus will never let it take to the skies. It is impossible for us all to survive this!”

“We must try,” says Uqzhaal. “All that matters is the idols. They are our key to stopping Raan’losti.”

“I don’t see you volunteering, Uqzhaal,” Seraxa growls.

Arguing begins to start up amongst the Vaanti, but Ximaedra holds up a hand, immediately silencing it.

“Uqzhaal is right,” she declares. “The idols guide our way to the Endless One. Without them, we may not survive Raan’losti. We cannot give them up.

“Have faith. That glider will take off.”

The group is gathered outside the throne room a few minutes later, hidden next to the glider. The storm continues to rage on around them, Kusuo shivering as he gets soaked to the bone once more.

“We must move quickly,” says Varyyn. “As soon at Cetus notices what is happening, he will quickly destroy the glider.”

Reita nods. “I’m ready.”

“You sure about this, Toritsuka?” asks Chisato, chewing her lip.

Reita is buckled into the glider’s lower harness, Varyyn handing him a bag containing the five idols. The boy nods, grinning nervously.

“I can do this.”

Kusuo frowns. It’s not that he didn’t trust Reita, it was just…Damnit, he was scared.

Aren nods from his place in the harness above him. “I’ll get us both outta here safe and sound. Take care of Shun for me until we meet up again.”

Riki sniffs, nodding as he resists the urge to hug them both. Kusuo rolls his eyes good-naturedly as Aiura and Hairo struggle to fight back tears as well. Varyyn nods.

“Then you must go. On three. One…two…”

“Um, what is she doing?”

Everyone turns to Lila, who is pointing to the edge of the platform. Walking out to the edge, bow in hand, is Ximaedra.

“Hear me, Sea Guardian!” she calls.

Ximaedra draws back her bow and launches a single arrow, the weapon sticking into Cetus’ side. It is no more than a pinprick to the monster, who looks down curiously. Varyyn’s eyes widen in shock.

“Mother!”

He gets up to go after her but Kusuo quickly pulls him back down.

“Don’t!” he yells.

“She is in danger!” Varyyn shouts back.

Kusuo takes a shaky breath. “…I know. She’s giving us a distraction.”

Varyyn’s breath hitches, the rest of the group staring in shock as Ximaedra launches another arrow.

“Hear me!”

Cetus turns his head down to look at her, hissing angrily. Lightning begins to crackle on the serpent’s teeth, Kusuo’s hair standing on end.

“Shit, we gotta go!” cries Aren. “Now!”

He quickly leaps off the edge of the platform, the glider beginning to zoom inland. Varyyn breaks free of Kusuo’s grip and rushes towards Ximaedra.

“Mother!”

Ximaedra looks back at her son solemnly, the tears in her eyes visible despite the immense downpour.

“You were right, my son,” she says. “It is impossible for us all to survive this.”

“No!” Varyyn yells.

He’s running as fast as he can, but he’s too far away. Ximaedra smiles sadly.

“The people look to you now…elyyshar.”

Light flashes through the air, Kusuo shielding his eyes as the electric blast completely engulfs Ximaedra. Riki’s eyes bug out, Hairo and Lila gasp, Chisato inhales sharply and Aiura’s hand slaps over her mouth at the sight. As Kusuo’s eyes recover from the sudden brightness, all he can see is Ximaedra’s body crumpled on the platform.

“Nooooooo!” Varyyn screams.

Varyyn finally reaches his mother, picking her up and cradling her charred and crumpled body in his arms. Ximaedra is barely breathing, eyes half-closed. Varyyn’s lip quivers, tears spilling down his cheeks.

“Mother, please. I cannot be elyyshar. You must lead us through this!” he begs.

He reaches for the blue crystals of her necklace, but Ximaedra grabs his wrist. She weakly shakes her head as she gazes up at him.

“Some…choices…must…last…”

Her body goes limp as she lets out a final, heavy exhale. Varyyn trembles in anguish as he is pelted by the rain, Cetus looming ominously behind them. Seraxa rushes over from nearby, looking on in horror at the sight. Kusuo grits his teeth, if that were his mother…God, poor Varyyn.

Cetus turns his head at a sudden sight; Aren and Reita’s glider continuing to fly further inland.

Aren also lets out a sigh of relief from the glider.

“We made it!” he cries. “She did it!”

Reita looks back, gazing upon the horrible sight of Varyyn holding his mother’s body.

“Varyyn…” he mutters.

Back at Elyys’tel, Kusuo sighs in relief as the glider begins to fade into the distance.

“They did it. They’re safe.”

Riki sniffs, wiping his eyes. Cetus turns away from Varyyn, watching Aren and Reita instead. The monster hisses as energy suddenly thrums through the air. A fuzzy feeling enters Kusuo’s head as he quickly whips his head in that direction.

“Um…do you guys feel that?” questions Chisato.

Seraxa’s expression becomes even more despondent “Oh no…”

The glider continues to fly inland as the winds pick up. In an instant, a giant tornado descends in front of the aircraft, the two boys yelling in shock.

“What the hell?!” shouts Aren.

The group back at Elyys’tel watch in horror as the sight.

“Did this thing just make a tornado out of thin air?!” screeches Aiura.

“Yes…Cetus is the storm,” answers Seraxa.

Aren grits his teeth as he tries to maneuver the glider away, but it’s no use. The wind immediately overpowers the craft, sending them spinning right back towards Cetus.

“Not good, not good, not good!” screams Reita, clutching the idol bag tightly.

Hairo grits his teeth at the sight, rushing over to Varyyn. The rest of the group follow him, looking back and forth between Cetus and the out-of-control glider.

“Varyyn, we have to do something!” cries Hairo. “Cetus is bringing Kuboyasu and Toritsuka back!”

“We gotta save them!” adds Riki.

“How could I?” sobs Varyyn, not looking at them. “I could not even save my own mother.”

Kusuo grits his teeth. He understood that Varyyn was feeling this way, but in this kind of situation he needed to be focused! What could he say…That’s it! Aiura seems to have the same line of thought as she speaks up.

“Varyyn, Toritsuka needs you!” she insists. “He will die right now unless you do something!”

“We know you aren’t gonna let that happen, Varyyn!” adds Chisato. “We know you won’t let him get hurt!”

Those words seem to strike a chord in Varyyn’s mind. He lays Ximaedra’s body in a sheltered area of the platform, before getting to his feet and looking up at the stormy sky.

“…Reita,” he whispers.

Varyyn takes a deep breath, before walking up to the group. He scans the environment, trying to find anything he can use, anything to spark an idea. Hairo and Riki grin, Aiura and Lila sighing in relief as Kusuo smirks.

“We have to force a retreat and we do not have much time,” Varyyn states.

The glider continues to spin in the air, getting closer and closer to Cetus. The group look up at it in worry.

“But, how?” asks Lila. “The catapults, the bombs, we don’t have any attack that’s strong enough.”

“We do not,” confirms Varyyn. “But he does!”

He points up at Cetus, the rest of the group gasping. Kusuo’s eyes widen as Chisato laughs triumphantly.

“That’s it!” cries Chisato. “Find a way to use his own lightning attack against him!”

“We’ll use that!” deduces Kusuo, pointing up at the elevator’s iron chains. “He’s still caught up in the elevator’s chains from when he crashed through it!”

“And the metal will conduct the electricity back to him!” adds Aiura.

“I don’t know what any of that means, but yeah!” cheers Riki, throwing his hands up.

Varyyn nods. “That is the plan. We get Cetus to hit the chains with a bolt of lightning! There is only one thing that can lure him now, and it is in Reita’s hands!”

“The idols?” exclaims Hairo. “But, how? The satchel is up in the air with Kuboyasu and Toritsuka and there are no gliders left!”

“There are no intact gliders left.”

He runs and climbs into the glider Kusuo and Chisato were in earlier, the burnt hole in its wing still sizzling in the rain as the prince straps himself into the upper harness.

“That’s crazy!” exclaims Aiura. “You’ll barely be able to fly!”

“It will last long enough,” Varyyn says. “It may be more difficult while carrying the idol satchel alone, but-“

“Good thing you won’t be alone then.”

Everyone turns to look at Kusuo. The boy sighs, marching up to the glider and strapping himself into the lower harness. Varyyn blinks at him in surprise as Kusuo looks at him.

"Those two idiots are my responsibility,” he says. “I’ll get the bag, you fly.”

Varyyn nods. Before the others can even begin to protest, they drop over the edge of the platform. They catch air and begin to glide through the rain, albeit a bit wobbly, until they reach Aren and Reita.

“The hell are you guys doing?!” Aren shouts. “Did you know this guy can make tornadoes?!”

“Doesn’t matter!” Kusuo replies. “Toritsuka, toss me the bag!”

“What?!” Reita screeches. “Why?!”

“We have a plan,” assures Varyyn.

Reita gazes into his eyes for a moment, before nodding and tossing Kusuo the bag. He catches it, holding it in one arm as he and Varyyn nod to each other.

Both gliders go flying back towards Elyys’tel, Aren and Reita landing back on the platform. Varyyn zooms toward Cetus, the monster swiftly turning to look at them. Electricity crackles between the monster’s teeth once more.

“He’s looking right at us!” observes Kusuo. “The plan’s working!”

“We must make it to the chains!” yells Varyyn.

Cetus lets out an ear-splitting roar. The monster fires lightning again and again but Varyyn manages to dodge it each time! The glider continues to roll, weave and dive as they maneuver around the monster.

Kusuo holds his breath and Cetus spits out another blast…right as Varyyn dives behind the ship anchor danging from the branches.

The lightning strikes the anchor and instantly travels through the chain, Cetus screeching in raw pain. The monster twists and writhes as the electricity runs through him, Kusuo and Varyyn landing softly back on the platform.

Cetus lets out a hiss as he slumps against the tree, his head resting on a nearby house. Seraxa scowls.

“You have wounded the serpent, but he still lives!”

“Look!”

Kusuo points to Cetus’ esca, the outline of the idol now visible. Seraxa’s scowl deepens as she draws her dagger.

“I will mount the beast’s head and cut it out of him!” she cries.

Aren nods. “Go for it.”

An eager grin splits across Seraxa’s face. She launches into a run, leaping onto the building and then onto the top of Cetus’s head, grabbing his esca by the stem. Cetus lets out a low growl.

With a loud cry, Seraxa cuts straight through Cetus’ esca, grabbing the idol. The monster screeches, straightening up. He shakes his head rapidly, tossing Seraxa back onto he platform…and causing the idol to fall out of her hand and down into the ocean below.

Kusuo’s eyes widen as he rushes to the edge of the platform. His friends immediately run after him, reaching out but it’s too late. Kusuo jumps off the platform, plummeting through the open air with his hand outstretched. He can hear the others yelling in shock and horror.

‘Come on, come on…’ he thinks.

The ocean gets closer and closer, as does the idol. Just as he’s about to hit the water, his fingers close around it and pain tugs on his chest.

He finds himself in the La Huertan rainforest, struggling to get his bearings. The peak of Mount Atropo is barely visible as he looks around. Hm, seems like his idol didn’t have a past vision. Makes sense, considering he was the one watching them. He didn’t need a refresher on his own past.

The feeling of something in his hands makes him look down. He’s holding a small shovel. Wait, huh?

He looks at his sleeve to notice it’s dirtied and bloodied. Most importantly, he was not wearing this a second ago. All the other visions had him watching from the side. Was he…in the body of his future self?

His feet suddenly start moving on their own, Kusuo’s mind reeling from the sudden movement. He ascends through the rainforest, the grass eventually turning to stone as he continues to walk and walk and walk. Eventually he stops.

Kusuo’s eyes widen as he takes in the sight. He’s at the bottom of Mount Atropo, facing the entrance to a cavern. A giant dragon’s head is carved into the side of the volcano, sticking out as if daring people to enter.

Kusuo blinks in shock as he walks through the dragon’s mouth and into the cavern. He walks through the dark tunnel until he reaches a small chamber. He looks down, realising he’s stepped on a large mound of dirt. Wait…

Kusuo looks up, seeing the sight before him. Twelve piles of dirt…twelve graves…

‘No…’ he thinks. ‘No no no no no…’

Ice runs through his veins as he hits the ocean, immediately sinking down. Kusuo’s eyes widen as he hurriedly holds his breath, looking around as he clutches the idol.

A movement in the current draws his attention. He turns to see a burned and wounded Cetus swimming in the direction opposite Elyys’tel. The monster turns back to look at Kusuo for a short moment, before slinking away into the depths.

Kusuo resists the urge to sigh, that would be a stupid move considering he’s underwater. Exhaustion seeps through his bones as he tries to swim to the surface. His friends flash through his mind. He had to get to them-

And he was on one of Elyys’tel’s platforms, around the middle level of the giant tree. He coughs up seawater, looking around in shock. Did he just teleport? Well, that was a useful time for his powers to briefly come back.

“Saiki?!”

Kusuo turns around, seeing Kokomi and the catapult crew rushing over to him. Oh, so that’s where he was. Touma and Chiyo help him to his feet, Furball licking him on the cheek, as the others from the top platform, plus Shun, rush down a nearby staircase.

“Buddy!” cries Riki. “You’re not dead!”

“You idiot! What the hell’s wrong with you?!” yells Aiura, slapping him.

Kusuo grins sheepishly. “I got the idol.”

“No shit,” breathes Hairo, running a hand through his hair.

The storm begins to clear up, the blue sky peeking through the clouds. Cheering sounds throughout the Vaanti, yells and cries of celebration replacing the sound of the rain. Reita looks around in concern.

“Has anyone seen Varyyn?”

He gets his answer as Varyyn, Uqzhaal and Seraxa descend down another staircase, the former holding Ximaedra’s body with a devastated look on his face.

A hush immediately falls over the city as the Vaanti process the sight. Kokomi, Chiyo and Touma gasp, Metori and Imu staring in horror.

As Varyyn passes through the crowds, the Vaanti all kneel to their new elyyshar.

The group all stand on the highest platform half an hour later. The storm has fully cleared up, the sun shining down. Kusuo looks down at his new Vaanti attire; it wasn’t half bad. The others are all in Vaanti clothes as well, standing near Uqzhaal as other Vaanti decorate the throne room with special garlands.

“Kinda weird to have a ceremony when everything’s destroyed,” mutters Imu.

“The elyyshar’s coronation must happen as soon as the predecessor passes on,” explains Uqzhaal. “Through peace and war, the line of succession remains constant.”

“I don’t get it, but there’ll be ramen at this party, right?” asks Riki, picking his ear.

A giggle sounds as Taari and Seraxa walk up to them.

“We don’t even know what that is, dummy!” laughs Taari.

“Hey! What’d you just call me, ya little runt?!”

Taari only continues to laugh. Kusuo smiles softly as Seraxa approaches him.

“Corvus.”

Kusuo turns to look at her, confused. Seraxa takes a deep breath.

“In our culture, when one saves the life of another, the debt must be repayed. And you saved Taari, who is like my own son. I now consider you, and your friends by extension, my own kin.”

Kusuo sighs. “Don’t worry about it. Seriously, it was just the right thing to do.”

“Be that as it may, I still owe you,” states Seraxa.

She takes out her obsidian dagger and tosses it to Kusuo, the boy hurriedly catching it by the hilt. Kusuo opens his mouth to protest, but decides against it. Instead, he nods gratefully to Seraxa, placing the dagger in his bag. Seraxa then kneels down in front of the group.

“I…owe all of you an apology. I was not exactly the kindest to you at the Tribunal and for that I am deeply sorry.”

Hairo grins. “Don’t worry about it, you were just worried about your people. We’re cool now.”

“Woah, I’ve never seen Seraxa kneel to anyone but the elyyshar!” says Taari.

Seraxa rolls her eyes as she gets to her feet. “Do not get accustomed to it.”

Horns sound out throughout the tree, Uqzhaal grinning as he opens the doors.

“It is time.”

The group all walk into the throne room, standing at the edge of the large chamber as Seraxa and Taari move to the front of the Vaanti crowd. Sunlight gently filters in through holes left by Cetus’s teeth.

Uqzhaal quickly moves to go into a separate section of the chamber. Varyyn is seated on the throne, anxiously tapping his foot. Reita coughs to attract his attention, Varyyn tilting his head in confusion.

“Don’t worry! Everything’ll be fine, dude! You’ve got this!” Reita whispers, giving him a thumbs up.

Varyyn smiles gratefully. Uqzhaal re-enters the room, carrying a large, feathered headdress and the room immediately goes silent. A large smile makes it’s way across the shaman’s face.

“And so the cycle renews!” he cries. “Just as all life begins and ends upon Vaanu, the hope of all Vaanti rests on the shoulders of our elyyshar.”

Uqzhaal reverently reaches up and places the headdress atop Varyyn’s head. Uqzhaal nods.

“Rise now, Elyyshar Varyyn.”

Varyyn takes a deep breath, rising from his throne. The Vaanti kneel down in respect, the group all smiling from their place at the edge. Hairo lets out a loud cheer and begins to clap.

“Woooo! Go Varyyn!”

A few masked faces swivel in his direction and Hairo’s claps slowly come to a stop.

“Oh, you guys don’t do clapping. Whoops.”

The group all roll their eyes and lightly shove him in amusement, Hairo sheepishly rubbing his neck. Varyyn chuckles as he looks at them.

“We have much to answer for. We have caused great harm to each other.”

He looks over at Reita, smiling before turning back to the crowd of Vaanti.

“But now we move forward together. Catalysts and Vaanti, side by side. The hope of our people does not depend on me. Nor is it determined by any one individual.

“It is the product of all who are gathered here. Because of every one of us, Elyys’tel persists. We must never forget that.”

The Vaanti all nod. Silence permeates the room…until Taari begins clapping. The boy laughs happily as the Vaanti turn to look at him. Seraxa thinks for a moment, before beginning to clap as well.

Hairo starts clapping again as the rest of their group do as well, Furball barking happily. The Vaanti all look at each other and soon the room is full of thunderous applause. Kusuo can’t help the smile that breaks across his face, which soon fades a bit after he hears Seraxa muttering to Uqzhaal.

“I still don’t know, Uqzhaal. He is only eighteen. Do you really trust the boy to lead us through Raan’losti?”

Uqzhaal sighs. “Well, he’s off to quite a start. However, the greatest storm lies ahead…”

Aren cracks his back, squinting against the sun. It’s been around five or so minutes since the coronation ended. The Vaanti are all planning some big after-party sort of thing. His friends are all nearby, talking to Varyyn, but he’s looking for someone.

‘He just disappeared after the coronation,’ he frets inwardly. ‘Where-Oh. There he is.’

He spots Shun sitting on a rope bridge, his legs dangling off the edge as he stares at the vast ocean. He smiles, walking up to him.

“Shun! There you are!” he calls.

Shun turns as Aren sits beside him. A soft smile makes its way across his boyfriend’s face.

“Oh…Aren. I’m glad it’s you.”

Aren tries to hide his blush with a smile, wrapping an arm around the other boy’s shoulder.

“We did it, Shun,” he says. “We saved the day. Can you believe it?”

“As a matter of fact, I can,” Shun chuckles. “Because of you, Aren.”

Aren blinks. “Me?”

“Yeah. More than this place, more than everything that’s happened to us…it’s you that makes me believe in the impossible.

“All of you guys are just…you make me feel like I can do anything.”

Aren’s face flushes even more after that comment. He laughs, trying to compose himself.

“Well, that’s good. Cause we’ve still got a long road ahead if we’re ever gonna get outta here.”

“…Not me.”

A sudden spike of pain goes through Kusuo’s head as the others continue to talk with Varyyn. An image of a rope bridge flashes through his mind…clairvoyance? Why was it suddenly activating?

And then he sees what’s going on. Aren and Shun on the rope bridge, talking. No. Oh no, no, no.

He immediately takes off, ignoring the others’ cries.

Aren lets out a confused hum, looking down at his boyfriend. Shun gently rests his head against his shoulder and Aren pulls him closer in response. Despite the heat, Shun’s body is freezing.

“Everyone fights so hard to have some say in their own life, to have some control over what happens to them,” Shun murmurs. “But in the end, all we really have control over is whether we appreciated what we had.”

Aren frowns, looking at Shun in confusion. A seed of concern worms its way into his heart; Shun never said stuff like this…Maybe he was just tired.

“So…do you appreciate it? It’d be pretty unheroic of the Jet Black Wings not to, after all.”

Shun’s lip twitches upwards. “I haven’t always. But…I do…now…”

Kusuo’s footsteps ring out on the wood as he continues to sprint across Elyys’tel, panting heavily.

Aren frowns as Shun trails off, his voice barely a whisper.

“Hey, you okay? Are you tired or something?”

Shun’s breath hitches and he reaches out and clutches Aren’s idle hand, leaning into him more. Aren’s concern reaches new heights as he squeezes his boyfriend’s hand back, pulling him closer. Shun looks…terrified.

Kusuo continues to run across platforms and walkways, gasping for breath. This couldn’t happen! It couldn’t!

“Hey, it’s okay, you can rest. I’m right here,” Aren murmurs, kissing Shun’s temple softly.

Shun’s breathing begins to slow, his eyes fluttering as he squeezes Aren’s hand.

“And when you finally make it…to the other side…”

Kusuo grits his teeth. This couldn’t happen! He hadn’t had a chance to change it yet!

“You’ll be the king… you always carried…”

No!

“…Inside you…”

Kusuo skids to a stop on the rope bridge just as Shun’s body goes limp. No…he was too late…no way…no…

Shun’s breathing grows slower, Aren smiling gently down at him. He doesn’t seem to notice Kusuo standing there, shaking his boyfriend lightly.

“Shun, hey, wake up. Let’s get you to a proper bed you can rest in, yeah? Shun?”

Shun remains still. Aren’s smile slowly fades, replaced with a look of urgency.

“Shun. Shun, wake up.”

Kusuo stares in horror at the sight, chest heaving. No…no no no…

“Shun, you have to wake up! Shun! Shun!”

Chapter Text

June 20, 2018 (Around 6 months ago)

Uqzhaal rests on his staff, looking up at The Celestial. The welcoming building seems almost foreboding despite the sunlight. Seraxa folds her arms in annoyance as two warriors jog up to them.

“Still nothing, war chief,” says one.

“No sign of them, or our brothers and sisters we lost,” reports the other.

Uqzhaal’s face falls as Seraxa dismisses them with a curt nod. She sighs as she looks up at the hotel.

“It’s time to call off the hunt, old man.”

“But-we must keep searching!” insists Uqzhaal.

“It has been two weeks,” Seraxa snaps. “The Catalysts have vanished from this realm of existence. You have three of them back at Elyys’tel. That should suffice.”

Uqzhaal shakes his head sadly.

“Have you forgotten all I taught you as a child, Seraxa?” he laments. “We cannot prevent Raan’losti without all of the Catalysts! They are a unit! A family!”

In a flash, Seraxa whips around and grabs him by the neck, lifting him into the air. Uqzhaal lets out a grunt of shock.

“Enough of your delusions!” Seraxa yells. “I will not waste my warriors on your foolish chase while real dangers grow every day!”

Uqzhaal looks down at her sadly as Seraxa’s scowl deepens.

“I serve at the pleasure of Ximaedra. She still believes your fairytales for some reason. But she is old, like you. Pray that you die before she does.

“For when she goes, your dogma’s paralysing place in our society goes with her, as it should have after the Three Tribes’ War!”

She drops him to the ground and stalks into the rainforest, calling for her scouts to follow her. As they go, Uqzhaal shakily gets to his feet, clutching his cane for support.

“I must…seek The Endless…” he mutters.

Days and nights flash by as Uqzhaal treks to the center of the island, stopping every so often to rest his aching bones. He walks and walks and walks until finally he reaches his destination. The very peak of Mount Atropo.

Lava bubbles and spits into the air, Uqzhaal looking down into the bright orange glow. He closes his eyes in prayer.

“Oh, Endless One who walks amongst the branches of time…please…speak to me,” he whispers.

The only thing he hears in response is the wind and the magma sizzling below. Uqzhaal breathes shakily, clasping his hands together.

“We need your guidance…I need your guidance,” he pleads, voice breaking.

Nothing. Uqzhaal grits his teeth, trying to fight off tears as he collapses to his knees on the rocks below.

“I am so alone,” he whispers. “I know not what I seek. I know not what to do. It has been two years since you last appeared to me…please…please…”

“Do not despair, Uqzhaal.”

Uqzhaal gasps, opening his eyes to see a pair of red boots standing on the volcanic rock before him. A wide smile splits across his face as he looks up.

“You have come!”

A figure in a red spacesuit stands before him. The visor of their helmet reflects the glow of the lava, blacked out so no one can see inside. One of their hands is made of metal, emerging from a spot where the suit is torn.

“Save your tears, shaman,” says The Endless, speaking in fluent Vaanti. “There is still work to be done.”

“But the Catalysts…” Uqzhaal murmurs, smile fading. “I don’t know how to find them.”

“You won’t have to.”

“What? I don’t understand-“

“They will come to you.”

“You have foreseen this?” Uqzhaal asks, eyes wide.

“I have foreseen all things,” The Endless replies.

The tears in Uqzhaal’s eyes are now ones of joy. He laughs loudly, smile so wide one would think his face was about to split open. He looks down at the terrain below, continuing to laugh.

“Oh, thank you, Endless One!” he cries. “Our people’s thanks upon you!”

Uqzhaal looks up, but his eyes only meet lava. A confused grunt leaves his mouth as he looks around, but the only thing visible is lava.

The Endless is gone.

December 29, 2018 (Around the same time as Cetus’ attack)

Fluorescent lights shine from overhead, lighting up the small room in the facility. High-tech computers and other equipment rest on nearby desks, Kurayami pacing back and forth as Iris hovers nearby.

“So that’s what happened,” he mutters, grinning. “I thought as much. This works in my favour anyways. Tell me about our guests, Iris.”

“As expected, following the hotel’s protocol, all of The Celestial’s staff and guests were ushered into MASADA pods as soon as the chronoquake began,” Iris informs.

“And the results?”

“Just a 2% failure rate. On the low end of estimates.”

Kurayami scoffs. “They’re fortunate to be alive at all.”

Iris’ face falls. Kurayami notices this, stopping his pacing and frowning.

“What’s the matter? Are you malfunctioning?” his eyes suddenly light up as his grin returns. “Ah, Metori. Never fear, Iris. Your memory may have been wiped recently, but I never forget a thing.”

“There’s something else, Kurayami,” Iris says. “Something I think you should be. About one of the guests.”

“Show me.”

Iris’ drone flashes as one of the computers displays a file. Kurayami leans forward, his eyes widening as he reads it over.

“Oh my…” he exclaims. “That name…one and the same?”

“Indeed. It’s him.”

“Then how did we not know he was here?” Kurayami growls.

“He was checked into The Celestial under an alias,” explains Iris. “But DNA confirms it.”

Kurayami blinks in shock. “Then…what in God’s name is he doing here?”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Kurayami thinks that over, before chuckling and nodding.

“Right as always, dear. Let’s wake him up. And put on a fresh pot.”

Two steaming cups of coffee sit in front of him a few minutes later, Kurayami sitting on a chair with his legs crossed politely. He flashes his trademark grin when the door opens, a grizzled, muscular man limping through the door clad only in his underwear.

His skin is dark and he has no hair atop his head, brown eyes surveying Kurayami sharply. He growls.

“…You got five seconds to tell me who the hell you are.”

“Coffee first?” Kurayami proposes. “It’s Columbian. Exquisite.”

“Four.”

Kurayami sighs, pushing the coffee mugs to the side. He leans forward, threading his fingers together.

“Very well. Who am I?” a malicious grin split across his face. “Why, Commander Lundgren…I’m your new employer.”

“Careful,” Lundgren warns. “You don’t know me, amigo. You don’t want to know me. And I sure as sweet hell don’t work for you.”

“You will, once I tell you what I can offer.”

Lundgren lets out a loud laugh. “I’ve got covert contracts with about two dozen governments and enough money and guns to last a lifetime, so I don’t think there’s anything you can-“

“Rean Kuboyasu’s son and Kiyoi Mera’s daughter. Aren and Chisato,” Kurayami says. “Work for me, and they’re all yours.”

Lundgren’s eyes widen as the man goes silent. He surveys Kurayami thoughtfully for a moment before he lets out a huff.

“Okay then, boss. I’m listening.”

“Good,” exclaims Kurayami, standing up. “We begin right away.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Oh, and one more thing.”

Kurayami lets out a hum and turns to the other man. A grin splits across Lundgren’s face, his eyes glinting.

“I brought friends.”

Chapter Text

“Shun, please, wake up! Come on! Shun!” 

Aren shakes his boyfriend back and forth rapidly, Shun not moving an inch. Kusuo watches from nearby in horror, his chest feeling as if it was slowly being crushed to death.

He couldn’t change it…Shun….no no no….

Aren’s yells snap him out of his trancelike state, his gaze moving back to the pair on the bridge. Tears have filled Aren’s eyes as Shun’s slow breathing fills the quiet space.

Wait. Breathing?

Kusuo’s eyes widen and he rushes forward, kneeling next to the pair. Aren looks at him in shock, still clutching Shun tightly.

“Saiki?” he whispers.

Kusuo places his hands on Shun’s temples, squeezing his eyes shut. If Shun was alive, then he could turn back time! He could save him! Come on, come on!

Power flickers and fizzles out in his hands. He grits his teeth, channelling all his strength…and nothing happens. No, no, no!

He opens his eyes, exchanging a look of despair with Aren. Footsteps herald the arrival of the others, who rush onto the bridge out of breath.

“What the hell, Saiki?” groans Imu. “Why’d you just run off?”

Hairo opens his mouth to agree, before his eyes land on Shun.

“Oh no…what happened?!”

“He just…he…he just collapsed!” cries Aren, breath coming in rapid puffs. “I don’t know what…”

“Kuboyasu, breathe,” orders Touma. “Quick, get him off the bridge and onto the platform. Lie him down.”

Aren and Kusuo do as instructed. Kokomi rushes forward, kneeling down and checking Shun’s pulse. She leans down to listen to his heartbeat and her breath hitches. She slowly straightens back up, lip quivering.

“It’s his Rotterdam’s,” she informs. “The final stage is a coma.”

Kusuo feels as if his heart has plummeted straight to the ground as the group all stare in horror. Furball gently nudges Shun with his nose, but the boy remains still, the fox whimpering.

“I don’t understand…” murmurs Hairo. “He said he still had months to live!”

“We went through the time portal, remember? We lost six months,” replies Kokomi. “If our bodies were aged up, then…then he’s probably only got a few hours left.”

Gasps and horrified exclamations sound throughout the group. Realisation leaves a bitter taste in Kusuo’s mouth. Shun acting so weak after the portal…Oh god…

Aren squeezes Shun’s hand, struggling to fight off tears. Chiyo’s lip quivers as she begins to sob into her hands, Aiura placing a shaky hand on her shoulder. Metori’s face is pale as he stares down at Shun’s unmoving body.

“This…this isn’t right…” he mutters. “This wasn’t meant to happen…”

“Little buddy’s gonna die?! He can’t die!” yells Riki, openly sobbing.

Kokomi takes a shuddery breath, Imu helping her back to her feet even as her own lip quivers. Chisato looks horrified, Touma looks sorrowful and Lila is openly crying. Reita runs a hand through his hair, looking away from the sight in front of him. Hairo is unnervingly still, eyes fixated on Shun’s limp form.

Kusuo feels himself trembling. Damnit. Why didn’t he prevent this?! Stupid island, making him useless!

Varyyn, Seraxa and Uqzhaal stand nearby. Uqzhaal steps forward, a saddened expression on his face.

“The weed that had intertwined with his branches has woefully pulled him down,” he laments. “I grieve for your loss, Catalysts.”

“I did not know of his illness. I am sorry,” says Seraxa, bowing her head.

Reita looks at Shun before turning to Varyyn, eyes filled with desperation.

“Varyyn, please. You have to help us,” he pleads.

Varyyn looks at him, then at Shun, before turning to Uqzhaal.

“There must be something we can do,” he says.

Uqzhaal frowns, looking down at the ground. He lets out a deep sigh, hesitation shimmering in his eyes.

“There is one possibility,” he admits. “But all of our elyyshars, including your mother, have forbidden seeking it.”

“Please, Uqzhaal! We can’t lose him! He’s our friend!” cries Chiyo.

“You owe us, damnit! Tell us how to save him!” shouts Aren, no longer bothering to hide his tears.

The group all voice their agreement, Kusuo shooting a pleading look at the shaman. He had to save Shun, no matter what. He failed to stop this, so it was his duty to fix it!

“Go on, Uqzhaal,” Varyyn says firmly. “As elyyshar, I command you. Tell us everything you know.”

Uqzhaal dips his head in respect. “Very well. Legends speak of a crystal of tremendous life energy, hidden somewhere in the main tree of Elyys’tel. Our ancestors called it the Island’s Heart.

“The Heart is responsible for all of the prodigious growth around you, for Vaanu being as it is. In fact, the Heart is said to be Vaanu itself, its touch said to renew all living things.”

“So we find this magic rock and give it to Kaido,” states Aiura. “Piece of cake.”

Seraxa shakes her head, a despondent look on her face.

“The Heart exists to nurture the island, not us. The legends warn us to never seek it out.”

“I’m afraid Seraxa is correct,” agrees Uqzhaal. “Its power is beyond what any one individual can command.

“Besides, the Heart is…not of this reality. It can only be found by those who walk between dimensions, inside the very fabric of time itself.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” deadpans Imu.

“As Catalysts, it is possible for you to enter that realm,” Uqzhaal states. “But the journey is a perilous one.”

“We’re not afraid of danger,” says Hairo.

“Um, speak for yourself?” mutters Reita.

“It is not mortal peril I speak of. You may become…lost. Wandering the veil for eternity.”

The group falls into silence, exchanging looks. They all look hesitant, scared even, but underneath that is only sheer determination. They’d do anything to save their friend.

“We have to do this for Shun,” states Lila. “We’re his only chance.”

Kusuo nods. “No more talk. Where do we find this thing?”

“We must enter the Root Burrows,” says Uqzhaal. “There lies your path to the Heart.”

Uqzhaal shuffles off, majority of the group following him. Chiyo looks at Shun, lip quivering, before determination settles in her eyes and she rushes off to join them. Hairo gives the comatose boy a pat on the shoulder, Riki hugging Shun and wailing before the two walk off as well.

Kusuo, Aren and Metori hang back. Aren takes a shaky breath, squeezing his boyfriend’s still hand.

“It’ll be okay, Shun. Just hang on. We’re gonna save you.”

Kusuo gently gives Shun’s shoulder a squeeze, silently agreeing with Aren’s statement. They would save him. They had to. They both look back at Metori, the other boy’s face still pale.

“You okay?” Kusuo asks.

Metori gulps. “I…what if this doesn’t work? None of my friends have ever…”

“It’ll work,” Aren says.

Metori takes a deep breath, nodding. Varyyn leans down and gently picks up Shun in his arms.

“I will have him rest in the throne room while you seek the Heart. Be careful, Catalysts.”

“Good luck,” adds Seraxa. “You will need it.”

Kusuo wanders through darkness, the group following Uqzhaal through a series of winding, underground tunnels. Chiyo sighs in exasperation.

“How much further, Uqzhaal?” she asks.

“Do you even know where you’re taking us?” questions Metori.

“Patience!” Uqzhaal chastises. “We are almost…Ah! There!”

He points ahead with his staff, the group all leaning in to get a good look. A massive knot of roots blocks the tunnel, silver liquid dripping from cracks and forming a puddle on the ground.

“Uh, that doesn’t look too good. You guys might wanna get your tree checked out,” Riki says.

“To the contrary, the tree is quite healthy,” Uqzhaal replies, chuckling. “Imbibing its sap will allow you to enter a transcendent state, opening your eyes to dimensions and timelines beyond those normally apparent.”

“Woah woah, hold up. You want us to drink that stuff?” asks Aiura, visibly disgusted.

“The Heart is trapped between the world we know and all other realities that converge upon this location,” explains Uqzhaal, smiling in amusement. “Perhaps you know another way to manipulate dimensional boundaries?”

Aiura sighs. “Nope.”

Furball pads forward and sniffs the puddle curiously, backing away with a wrinkled nose. The fox lets out a discontented noise as the group exchange looks.

“Have you guys tried drinking this stuff before?” Chisato asks, turning to Uqzhaal.

“Of course,” the shaman answers. “But the sap no longer has any effect on us.

“Our ancestors were the first to partake of it. Over time, the sap changed our people, making us as we are today. It should still work its wonders on you, however. Or so we must hope.”

“Oh god, if my skin turns blue I’m going to murder you, Uqzhaal,” Imu mutters.

The shaman reaches into his bag and pulls out an intricate silver goblet, scooping up a large portion of the silver liquid.

“Now then. Who-“

Aren has already grabbed the goblet and taken a large sip of the sap before he can finish his sentence. The boy twists his face into an unreadable expression.

“Is it gross?” Reita asks tentatively.

“It’s actually not bad,” replies Aren. “Just…weird. It’s sweet and sour, burning and soothing…it’s like it’s everything at once.”

One by one, the group sip from the cup, all twisting up their faces or making sounds of discomfort. Kusuo is last, the liquid sliding down his throat as the sensations fill his tastebuds. Everything at once was a right description, he couldn’t even pinpoint one thing that the sap felt like.

He passes the goblet back to Uqzhaal and looks at the others, who are all glancing at each other in anticipation.

“So…should we be feeling something right now?” Hairo questions.

Uqzhaal frowns. “Perhaps it may take a moment. The legends were rather vague, to be honest.”

“Wonderful, we don’t even know what poison we just drank,” Metori huffs, a slight undertone of fear in his scowl.

“Let us return to the surface to consult the ancient texts,” says Uqzhaal.

The group all groan and sigh as they follow Uqzhaal back up the tunnel. Kusuo blinks rapidly as daylight fills his eyes, stepping out of the base of the giant tree. Aren grits his teeth from beside him, clenching his fists.

“This magic sap or whatever better kick in soon,” he growls. “Shun needs us to-“

Kusuo doesn’t catch the end of his sentence. In all honesty, he’s not sure if Aren finished what he was saying.

His vision suddenly shatters into a million shards, each one filled with a different, unrecognisable colour, as if he’s looking through a kaleidoscope. Reds, purples, pinks, greens, blues…hundreds of shades fill the area, making is seem as though Elyys’tel is inside a stained glass box. Kusuo stumbles back from shock, the exclamations from the others showing that they’re seeing this too.

“Anyone else seeing this?” exclaims Chisato, swivelling her head rapidly in all directions.

“It’s hitting, guys…it’s hitting!” Reita cries.

As Kusuo turns to look around, everything around him spins. Elyys’tel, the ocean, the rainforest, everything seems to be refracting in an infinite recursion. Incredible…

“Uqzhaal, what are we looking at?” Aiura asks, visibly terrified.

No response. Kusuo looks back in front of him and realises the shaman has disappeared from view. In fact, the small figures of the Vaanti up in Elyys’tel are all gone as well. Even the small birds and bugs are nowhere to be found. Furball lets out a small growl of uneasiness.

“We must be in the space between dimensions,” realises Touma.

“It’s so…beautiful,” Chiyo murmurs, eyes sparkling.

“I’ve never seen colours like this before…” adds Hairo. “It’s like we’re seeing the inner workings of the world.”

“I’m sorry, no! I did not sign up for this!” Imu wails, burying her face in her hands. “All I wanted was to relax on the beach, but nooooo! That was too much to ask, huh?!”

Aiura and Metori nod in agreement. Kokomi’s eyes show the same feelings but she manages to keep a neutral expression on her face.

Lila looks around nervously. “So, what do we do now? Suddenly being trapped in a space-time kaleidoscope void isn’t exactly a good thing…”

Riki just laughs. “Why’re you guys all freaked out? This is awesome!”

He raises his arm and Kusuo sighs as he prepares for the inevitable slap on the back he’s about to get. Riki swings his arm down…and it goes right through Kusuo’s shoulder.

A pricking sensation immediately makes its way down Kusuo’s spine as his eyes widen. Riki yelps and draws his arm back looking at him in shock. Kusuo blinks, looking at his friend’s hand. What on earth?

The others are all wearing similar expressions.

“Uh, what the hell was that?” exclaims Aren.

“Are we ghosts?!” Imu yelps, looking at her body in horror.

Aiura lets out a laugh. “Oh hell yeah! I’m so haunting you, Toritsuka!”

“No way! I’m haunting you!” Reita yells back, before looking at the others. “But I don’t think we’re ghosts…it doesn’t feel like my powers usually do when I look at you guys. Must be something to do with this whole thing.”

“Okay, so it looks like we’re some kind of transdimensional ghost people now,” Hairo sighs, running a hand through his hair. “But we can’t lose track of what we came here to do…wherever ‘here’ is.”

“Right,” Aren nods. “Find this Island’s Heart thing and save Shun.”

“Uqzhaal said it’s in the tree, right?” recalls Kusuo.

“Correct,” confirms Touma. “It has to be somewhere in the city.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” asks Chiyo. “Let’s head up and see what we can find.”

Slowly, they make their way towards Elyys’tel’s entrance, Kusuo squinting his eyes against the onslaught of vibrant colours. As they make it to the base of the tree, he frowns in confusion at the sight before him. The wooden staircase that winds up the mighty oak has been barricaded by a large, spiked wooden wall. 

“Um, last I remember this wasn’t here before,” comments Lila.

“Great. How are we supposed to get in now?” Metori grumbles, crossing his arms.

Kusuo observes the multicoloured spiked wall for a moment, before looking down at his hand. If they were some sort of interdimensional ghost people, then…

He steps closer to the barricade and reaches out his hand. As his finger approaches one of the spikes, his entire hand phases through the wall, which shimmers like a mirage as he does so. He lets out a triumphant exhale.

“We can just go through it,” he informs the others, who are all watching him in surprise. “We don’t just phase through each other, we can phase through objects as well.”

Lila claps her hands in delight. “Excellent work, Kusuo!”

“Yeah, nice going, Saiki!” Hairo cries.

One by one, they pass through the barricade. Kusuo tentatively taps his feet on the stairs to test them, finding that they’re solid.

‘A bit weird that the barricade isn’t solid but the stairs are,’ he thinks. ‘Maybe it’s because we need the stairs…better to not think about it.’

With Kusuo leading the way, the group ascend the stairs, making it to the bottom platform of Elyys’tel’s main tree.

“So…now what?” asks Aiura.

“Now we just have to figure out where this Heart thing is,” replies Chisato.

Kusuo looks around. The kaleidoscope void is now multiple shades of orange, not turning into different colours as he turns anymore. Odd. Why did it seem this weird place was actively trying to he-

“Do not worry, child. I shall guide you and your friends to the Heart.”

Kusuo stiffens, looking from left to right. That weird voice again…Was whoever it belonged to controlling the void to make their efforts easier?

His train of thought is interrupted as Riki suddenly points to the left.

“Hey, maybe those guys can help!”

A large group of Vaanti are rushing onto the platform via a walkway to the left, brandishing spears.

“There they are!” one shouts.

Kusuo notices the others look surprised out of the corner of his eye, except for Reita. Seems they can understand the Vaanti language too inside this place.

“Uh…hey!” Hairo waves at the group. “Can you help us out?”

The Vaanti don’t reply, instead raising their spears and charging forwards.

“Get them!” an owl-masked one cries.

The group immediately startle and move back. Furball growls at the Vaanti battalion, teeth bared. Kusuo’s mind short-circuits and he holds out a hand.

“Stop!” he yells.

And they do. The entire group of warriors freeze mid-charge, not even their eyes moving. The group all stare, slowly relaxing and stepping forward.

“Uh…what just happened?” asks Imu. “They just…stopped?”

“Not just them,” says Touma.

Kusuo glances around, the void retaining its orange colour. Everything is perfectly still. The wind, the clouds…

Kusuo blinks, looking down at his hands. Did his powers return? No, it didn’t feel like the normal surge he felt whenever he used them. It felt…natural. Like he just…manipulated the void of his own will.

“Did you stop time?” Metori asks, shooting him a confused and shocked look. “Did this void somehow return your powers?”

Kusuo shakes his head. “I stopped time, but I don’t think my powers came back. I think I can just…control this void. Maybe because I have, or had, powers, but I don’t know.”

The group are silent for a moment, Furball huffing and glaring at the frozen Vaanti. Eventually, Kokomi speaks up.

“Why were they attacking us anyway?”

“I don’t believe it’s us they were after,” Touma answers, looking to the right with wide eyes. “Honestly, I do not think they could see us at all. Look.”

Kusuo follows his gaze and spots another group of Vaanti warriors emerging from a walkway to the left. Like the first group, they’ve been frozen, eyes burning with pure hate.

“They’re attacking…each other?” Aren murmurs.

“What the heck? Why?” questions Riki, pouting. “They were all pals before, why aren’t they buddies anymore?”

Reita frowns, glancing at both of the Vaanti groups. His eyes suddenly light up in recognition.

“The Three Tribes’ War…” he murmurs. “Varyyn taught me about it. A few hundred years ago, the Vaanti had a big civil war over their faith.”

“The Faith of The Endless?” Kusuo guesses.

Reita nods. “Yup. Worshipping the island, listening to The Endless’s every prophecy, freaking out about Raan’losti, the usual. The war was the strife and conflict Uqzhaal talked about in the Tribunal. One tribe wanted full theocracy. Another wanted to get rid of the religion entirely.

“It got really bad. There was another huge tree city, Quarr’tel, on the east side of the island that got burned to the ground. Those Catalyst Idols we’ve been finding? Lost and scattered all over La Huerta.”

“That’s two tribes, though,” comments Hairo. “Who’s the third?”

“They’re the ones who won,” Reita replies. “Varyyn’s ancestors, who just wanted peace. They defeated the leaders of both tribes and forced a truce. They kept the religion, but didn’t force the other Vaanti to follow it if they didn’t want.

“The idols were still lost, and they had one less giant tree, but they weren’t at war anymore. Everything just sorta…worked out.”

“Well, that’s good,” says Chisato. “I mean, the whole war thing obviously isn’t, but it’s good it got solved.”

“Yeah,” Kokomi agrees. “Imagine how many more would have died if they’d kept fighting?”

The group are silent for a moment, mulling over this new information, before Lila speaks.

“So, we’re then? We’re in the past?”

“It seems that way,” Touma answers. “Uqzhaal did say this place is inside the fabric of time itself. And it appears Kusuo can control its flow.”

Everyone looks at him expectantly. Kusuo nods, looking at the two frozen groups of Vaanti. If he could control how time moved in this void, it would definitely make their search for the Heart a lot easier.

‘Okay…resume,’ he thinks.

The world immediately unfreezes, the Vaanti warriors meeting in a heated clash. Yells and battle cries sound as the group watch intently from the side. Kusuo narrows his eyes, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. Then he hears it.

“Iriisata! Where are you?” a voice calls out.

“Paluan!” someone yells back. “I’m here! This way!”

Kusuo looks upwards and sees two Vaanti: one a blue male in a golden mask, and the other a green female in a skull mask. They rush towards each other then off across a platform a dozen or so levels up. Reita hears them too, his eyes widening.

“Iriisata…She was the daughter of the third tribe’s leader! She became elyyshar after her mother died!”

“Uqzhaal said that all previous elyyshars forbade going after the Heart,” Kokomi recalls. “If she was an elyyshar, she might know something about where it is!”

“Kokomi’s right! We need to follow her!” says Chiyo. 

Kusuo nods, leading the group as they rush across multiple walkways. He keeps his eyes on the two Vaanti overhead. He couldn’t lose them. They could be the key to saving Shun.

“Saiki, look out!”

He’s suddenly yanked backwards by Hairo as an incendiary bomb is dropped by a Vaanti glider. The bomb immediately crashes onto the bridge right in front of him, fire quickly eating away at the wood.

Kusuo stares in shock, giving Hairo a nod of gratitude. Aren curses and kicks at the floor.

“Damnit! How are we meant to get up there now?!” he shouts.

Chiyo looks at the destroyed bridge, then at Kusuo.

“Saiki, you stopped time before. Maybe you can manipulate it as well?”

Kusuo thinks it over before nodding and holding out his hand. Back. Time has to go back.

The void immediately reverses as if being rewinded on TV. The glider flies back up, the bomb flying back into the Vaanti’s hands as the bridge repairs himself.

“Yes!” cheers Chisato. “Let’s go, quick!”

They rush across the bridge, making it across just before it’s destroyed once more. Kusuo continues to lead the charge as they make their way up the multiple stairs and walkways.

He reaches another walkway with a missing chunk and his instincts immediately kick in. As soon as an out of control glider rockets down into the gap, he reaches out and time freezes.

He runs across it, ushering the others before letting time resume again. He never thought he’d say this, but it was nice being able to use something close to his powers. As long as it helped them save Shun, he was on board.

The group run forward a bit, before Kusuo’s heart plummets. The walkway ends, and not because of damage. It was built that way. Kusuo looks up and sees Iriisata and Paluan still several levels above them.

“Damnit!” Aiura yells. “Why can’t something just go smoothly for us on this island for once?!”

The group all look downtrodden. All except one. Riki is scratching his ear and looking at them all in confusion.

“Why are we just sittin’ around?” he asks.

“We can’t get up to the next level, Nendo,” Chisato says.

“Sure we can! Buddy can control time, can’t he?” Riki points at Kusuo. “Trees grow. So he can make time go fast and grow a branch or something so it gets bigger and higher and takes us up there!”

Silence engulfs the group as they all stare at him in shock.

“That…could actually work,” Metori mutters. “I can’t believe you just said something smart…”

“Hey, I’ve always been smart!” Riki snaps. “Anyway, ya think this weird orange place has some kinda spicy orange ramen?”

“There it is.”

Kusuo takes a deep breath, mulling over Riki’s words.

“It’s worth a shot. Everyone grab onto that branch just there.”

Everyone does as he says, Furball leaping onto Imu’s shoulder. Kusuo grabs onto the branch, conducting a quick headcount before holding out his other hand.

‘Move forward.’

Time instantly bends to his will. The branch they’re holding onto extends and enlarges, becoming stronger and thicker. The group rise into the air, passing platforms.

Hairo lets out a whoop, Chisato laughing with joy. Reita and Metori are both screaming, the others remaining silent with excited or panicked expressions. Kusuo can’t help but break out into a smile as well. He can’t help it if his friends’ enthusiasm is contagious.

Eventually, they reach the platform the two Vaanti were on. Kusuo freezes time and swings off the branch, the others doing the same. After helping Kokomi off, Aiura looks around.

“Uh, where’d Iriisata and her friend go?” she asks.

“Since I moved time forward, we’re likely a few years or decades after that moment,” Kusuo explains. “Give me a second.”

He rewinds time, seeing the branch slowly get smaller and disappear as he does. Eventually, he gets to a point where Iriisata and Paluan are about to run over to the platform and stops.

The two Vaanti kneel down, observing the battle taking place several levels below. Paluan sighs, an anguished look in his eyes. Iriisata places a hand on his shoulder.

“Do not lose hope, Paluan.”

“But the Faithless are trying to destroy all the Catalyst Idols!” Paluan says. “What if they find the Island’s Heart? What if they-?”

“Do you really think the Heart from which this great tree blossomed could be destroyed by Vaanti hands?” Iriisata interrupts. “No. It remains beyond our realm. It existed long before us. It will be here long after we are gone. We must focus on what we can protect…our people.”

She reaches into the satchel on her hip and pulls out a gleaming amber idol. A woman wearing a feathered dress poses elegantly, her face twinkling with mischief.

Kusuo’s eyes widen. Unlike Iriisata, Paluan, and their surroundings, the idol is the same colour as the others were back in normal reality, shimmering with an otherworldly golden glow .

Paluan lets out a gasp. “You have one of the idols! Are you handing it over to the Devout?”

“No. It is too much power in either of the tribes’ hands. It must be hidden.”

Iriisata holds the idol out to her companion.

“I entrust that mission to you, Paluan,” she says. “Keep it safe, somewhere nearby.”

Paluan nods, carefully taking the idol. “What will you do?”

Iriisata stands and draws a long, amber broadsword.

“I will bring an end to this.”

She leaps off the platform and jumps across branches to the bottom, joining the fray. Paluan watches her for a moment, before darting off across the platform.

“Quick! We need to follow him!” Aiura cries. “That idol looked different to everything else in this void, so we might be able to take it!”

Kusuo nods and takes off after Paluan, the others following him. After a minute or so, the Vaanti stops and kneels down beside the tree’s trunk, Kusuo skidding to a halt behind him.

Paluan looks around before brushing away a layer of moss and vines, revealing a small hole. He quickly stashes the idol inside before running off.

Aiura instantly kneels down and pulls the idol back out, the idol’s glow fading once her finger’s close around it. The girl gazes at it in awe.

“Oh, this has to represent me,” she says. “I mean, why else would it be this gorgeous?”

Kusuo takes a deep breath as Aiura stands up. He steps forward, reaching out and touching the idol. His vision whites out before he can even register Aiura’s reaction.

He’s in what is very obviously Aiura’s room back at her house. Posters of pop idols and pink animal print surround him, clothes and other things scattered on the floor. Aiura herself is laying on her stomach in bed, scrolling through her phone. She doesn’t look too much younger…maybe a year or so?

His thoughts are interrupted when the door opens. He turns and sees a black haired woman, similar to Aiura, entering.

“Hey, sweetie. How was school?”

“Hey, mum!” Aiura replies, not looking up from her phone. “School was great!”

“Great as in you actually learned something, or great as in you didn’t do anything all day?”

“…Will you be mad if it was the second one?”

Her mother lets out a chuckle. “I’ve become used to it. As long as you pass your assignments and don’t skip school entirely, I’m okay.”

“That’s the spirit!” Aiura cheers, placing her phone down for a moment to smile at her mother. “Oh, and you won’t believe how much cash I got at my fortune telling job. Definitely enough to get my nails and hair done this weekend!”

Her mother’s smile drops slightly, a concerned look entering her eyes. She crosses the room and sits on the bed next to her daughter.

“I’m happy for you, dear, really. Just…you may want to be careful with that job. Since you can actually tell fortunes, lots of people will want your advice. And some may not be as nice as others.”

Aiura waves her hand dismissively. “Ah, don’t worry, mum! It’s all good! That'll never happen! I’m totally not giving up helping people out with my powers just cause I might meet one or two creepy guys.”

Her mother sighs, rising from the bed and walking to the door. Kusuo understands the reaction. Aiura was stubborn, which was both a strength and a flaw. The girl just did things without thinking.

“Well, don’t forget you have to take Hoseki to dance practice this evening,” Aiura’s mother says. “I love you.”

“I know, love ya too. Bye mum!”

The tug on Kusuo’s chest is familiar at this point, but still fills him with a sense of dread. He closes his eyes as he rockets forward in time, bracing himself for what he’ll see.

He opens his eyes to the metal catwalks inside Mount Atropo. Lava hisses and bubbles angrily below, the catwalks creaking and swaying dangerously. The entrance hatch and observatory are both sealed shut.

In the middle of a catwalk, Aiura is on her knees fiddling with an ominously ticking device. Chiyo, Hairo, Imu, Reita, and Aren are standing around her.

“Aiura, hurry!” Chiyo urges.

“Come on, what’s taking so long?!” Imu cries, face pale. “You said you could do it!”

“I can!” Aiura snaps back. “Just give me a second!”

Kusuo steps forward to get a closer look at the device, his heart dropping. It’s a small electronic box, the wiring Aiura is exploring exposed due to an open panel. On the side of the box is a red timer that’s slowly counting down. 58…57…56…

“If you don’t hurry up, Kurayami’s bomb is gonna kill us all!” Aren yells at Aiura.

“Will you shut up?!” Aiura yells back.

“Mikoto, I am freaking out right now, but I feel like you need encouragement, so I’ll just give you some,” Reita says. “You’re good at tech! You can do this! You thrive under pressure, remember?”

Hairo nods. “He’s right, Mikoto. I know you can do this!”

Aiura grits her teeth, continuing to fiddle with the bomb’s wiring. She sneaks a glance at the timer, which is now at 44 second. Sheer panic overcomes her and she looks around frantically.

“Shit…” she mutters to herself. “How do I do this…Akechi’s not here...my powers don't work on this damn island…they smash it in movies right…would that work…?”

The timer hits 38 and Kusuo can see the moment Aiura’s mind stops working. Her eyes blank out, shining with nothing but fear.

She frantically reaches out and grabs a rock, raising her arm and smashing it as hard as she can against the bomb. The others exclaim in shock.

“Aiura, no! Don’t!” Chiyo screams.

Aiura doesn’t listen, repeatedly slamming the rock against the bomb. Her teeth are gritted as tears fill her eyes. A yell leaves her as she slams the rock one last time.

A click sounds. Chest heaving, Aiura turns to look at it, hope filling her eyes.

The timer clicks from 35 to 0. The hope immediately turns to panic and horror.

“Oh fu-“

A loud boom sounds, Kusuo flinching and covering his ears. He stares in horror as Aiura and the others are immediately engulfed in the explosion, screaming as they’re engulfed in the fiery blaze.

He quickly pulls his fingers off the idol, trying to calm his breathing. Aiura is giving him a confused look.

“Uhh…never knew you were into shiny stuff, Kusuo,” she says. “You good?”

Kusuo merely nods. The group all exchange confused glances, Metori eventually speaking up.

“Alright, we have another idol, fantastic. But we still have no idea where the Heart is!”

“He’s right,” Aren agrees. “We have to hurry. Time is weird in this place, so for all we know Shun could only have a few minutes left!”

Kusuo’s mood somehow gets even lower at that comment. They were right. If they didn’t find the Heart soon-Wait.

His eyes light up as he recalls Iriisata’s words. A gasp sounds and he glances at Touma, who seems to have come to the same conclusion.

“We don’t know where…But we know when!” Kusuo says.

“Iriisata said that the tree blossomed from the Heart,” Touma adds. “If we rewind time back to when this tree was first beginning to grow, the Heart will likely be there!”

“A tree this big?” exclaims Hairo. “That’s gotta be thousands of years back. Millions, even!”

“Better get comfortable, then,” Kusuo replies, holding out his hands.

Time begins to reverse, the orange fractures being replaced with the kaleidoscope of colours from when they first arrived. The sun repeatedly moves down and up in reverse across the sky as war reverts to peace.

The buildings around them, including the platform the group is on, are rapidly deconstructed. For some reason, they all remain floating in the air.

Kusuo chooses not to question it, instead focusing as he watches Elyys’tel slowly retreat down the large trunk. As time continues to rewind, he catches a glimpse of a group of dishevelled people in tuxedos and gowns wandering around the tree.

“Woah, check it out!” Chisato exclaims, pointing down at them. “Humans!”

The humans rapidly disappear, and the sea is lit on fire. Far out in the ocean, a Venezuelan oil tanker is cracked in two, its black blood seeping into the water. Nearby, an American Destroyer battleship exchanges torpedoes with a trio of German U-Boats, fighter planes also fighting overhead.

“World War II…” Metori murmurs. “This must be the Battle of the Caribbean.”

Kusuo takes a deep breath, increasing the speed of the rewind even more. The flashing between day and night becomes too fast for his eyes to catch, the sun and moon seeming to be constantly side by side in the sky. Pirate ships swarm the bay below, the manor on Sharktooth Isle unbuilding itself.

“That must be Yvonne’s crew,” realises Reita.

The grand pirate ships quickly vanish, replaced with small canoes covered in palm trees landing on the sand.

“This must be the Mayan explorers,” says Touma. “We have to be around 1000 A.D. now.”

Kusuo grits his teeth, going faster than ever before. Everything blurs as the island’s very coastline fluctuates rapidly. And finally, the colossal tree of Elyys’tel begins to shrink.

A pensive look breaks across Kusuo’s face as a thought pops into his head. He could easily make time go forward again to get the Heart. There was something he wanted to see.

The group slowly float down to stand on the beach. Elyys’tel continues to shrink, becoming a normal sized tree…until at last, it’s a mere sapling that doesn’t even reach to his knees.

“This is it!” Hairo cries. “Stop now, Saiki!”

“Not yet,” Kusuo refutes. “There’s something I want to see.”

Ignoring the others’ protests and questions, Kusuo continues to rewind time. The sapling completely slips into the ground as the sea grows dark. Glaciers form and snow piles around his legs as the ice age claims La Huerta.

“Cool! Where are you takin’ us, buddy?” Riki asks.

Kusuo’s focus doesn’t falter. “The beginning.”

The island begins to shrink away beneath his feet. Lava pours up the slope of Mount Atropo, back into the volcano’s mouth. Dinosaurs roam the jungle, a pterodactyl flying overhead.

The island is now nothing more than the smoking tip of the volcano, peeking out of the ocean. The group are hovering in the prehistoric water, seeming as if they are floating. Cetus is swimming nearby, causing several of the group to exclaim in fright and move away. Furball growls at the monster.

Finally, even the volcano is gone and Kusuo stops rewinding, catching his breath. Everyone is underwater, floating within the ocean but staying dry and unaffected by the change.

“How far back did we go?!” Lila cries, looking around.

“My best guess based on the lifeforms we just saw and how long its been since we’ve seen any now? Approximately two billion years,” Touma answers, eyes wide.

Aren immediately turns to give Kusuo a frantic and angry look.

“What the hell are you doing, Saiki? We need to get the Heart for Shun!”

“I know,” Kusuo says. “But I need to see this. If La Huerta isn’t here yet…we might be able to see what happened that made the island so weird.”

Aren looks at him for a moment, before relenting and looking away. Kusuo doesn’t take his eyes off the spot in front of him. Everything is quiet. Peaceful.

Then it happens. A large bang sounds as a massive fissure opens up in the ocean floor, briefly splitting the sea. The fissure is glowing with lava and an otherworldly energy. The group all yell in shock.

“What is that?!” cries Aiura.

“The beginning of La Huerta, by the looks of it…” Hairo mutters.

“But how?!” Touma yells, eyes bulging. “There was no quake, no plate movement…it just appeared! This isn’t natural at all!”

“Yeah, well nothing about La Huerta has been natural so far,” says Chisato.

Furball whines as Kusuo stares intently at the fissure. That energy…it felt so familiar…like the crystals. There was something else too. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but-

A deep, distorted cry reverberates through the ocean, emanating from the fissure.

“Broken…shattered…!”

Shock runs through Kusuo, as he subtly glances at the others. It doesn’t seem like they heard that…

It was the voice again. The one he’s been hearing since the plane. What was it? Who was it? Some kind of ancient earth spirit that was mourning a crack in its shell? His own conscience or some kind of auditory hallucination? God?!

He shakes his head to clear his mind. He couldn’t dwell on the mystery of both the voice and the island right now. Shun needed them. He could figure things out later.

“Well, I saw what I wanted to,” he tells the others. “Let’s go back to the sapling.”

He wills time forward, passing through dinosaurs and Ice Ages once more until he reaches the infant Elyys’tel again. He looks down at it, inwardly pleading that this will help.

The tiny sapling barely reaches above the sand, a small nest of bone white roots resting around it. Encased inside the roots is a brilliant light, brighter than he’s ever seen. Kusuo shields his eyes, the others all doing the same.

“Hey, what’s that glowy thing? It’s too bright!” Riki complains.

“This has to be the Island’s Heart!” Lila exclaims.

Kusuo nods. “Quick. Let’s grab it and-“

“No!”

He jolts as the voice reverberates throughout his head. The others all look at him, confused.

“Uh, Saiki?” Reita calls. “What-“

Kusuo holds a hand up to silence him. The voice sounds once more.

“If you take the Heart here, you will be stuck in this time for eternity,” it warns. “Go back to where it would be in your time, then take it. You will get out of this void once you do so.”

‘Who are you?’ Kusuo thinks. ‘Why are you helping us?’

“I cannot explain just yet. I assure you, we will talk eventually, my child. For now, all I can give is advice.”

Kusuo feels the voice’s presence vanish. The others are all giving him judgmental stares, his face subconsciously heating up.

“Uh…what was that?” Chisato asks.

Kusuo sighs and explains the voice he’s been hearing since the plane, and each time it has spoken to him. He recounts what it just told him.

“Well, at least it’s been helping you out,” Hairo mutters. “But who is it?”

“Kinda sounds like you’re speaking with actual God, my guy,” Aiura tells Kusuo.

“God or not, he gave us good information,” Kusuo replies. “We can’t take the Heart here unless we want to end up trapped in prehistoric times forever.”

“But we have no idea where the Heart is in our time,” protests Metori.

“Yes we do,” Touma says, eyes lighting up. “There is only one place we’ve seen those white roots before. The throne in the throne room is made from them!”

Kusuo thinks back. Touma was right. Back at the Tribunal, he has sensed some kind of energy inside of that throne. Could that have been the Island’s Heart?

“Well, we’ve got an idea and that’s enough,” Aren states. “Take us back to the present, Saiki.”

Kusuo nods, fastforwarding time as Elyys’tel grows into a normal sized tree.

“Everyone, hold on, like before!” he instructs.

He grabs onto a branch, the others doing the same. They rocket into the air as time speeds forward, Elyys’tel growing into the mighty oak they know. The Vaanti city is constructed once more, the war playing out again.

He sees copies of Reita, Chiyo and Chisato being led to the city by a Vaanti battalion. Chiyo and Chisato are sent to Sharktooth Isle as Reita rapidly flits around Elyys’tel. He sees himself and the others arriving and leaving for Sharktooth Isle, Cetus attacking…until finally, he sees the exact moment their copies disappear, leaving Uqzhaal alone.

He hops onto the top platform, just outside the throne room. Furball yips happily, jumping around Kusuo’s legs, making the boy suppress a smile.

“We’re back!” Chisato cries. “Let’s go!”

Kusuo leads them through the throne room doors. Inside, the kaleidoscope effect is stronger than ever, the room seeming to repeat infinitely. The group all groan at the sudden onslaught.

“Ugh, my head…” Metori mutters.

“Hang on, guys, we’re almost there!” Hairo encourages.

A brilliant light beams forth from the throne, shining through the roots. Kusuo kneels and reaches into it. His hands easily passes through the roots, and his fingers close around something solid.

It feels like everything at once. Rough and smooth, burning hot and freezing cold, round and sharp…

He pulls his hands out and finds himself holding a ball of pure light. A rush immediately shoots through Kusuo, one that feels oddly familiar. As if he’s felt the Heart’s presence a million times before…

The light intensifies, engulfing everything. He can hear the others cry out in shock as their surroundings white out. Kusuo closes his eyes against the assault of brightness.

The light slowly fades away and Kusuo opens his eyes. The colourful kaleidoscope void is gone, the throne room returning to its normal state. They’re back in their time. They did it!

Kusuo spots Varyyn, Seraxa and Uqzhaal nearby, staring at him and the others in shock. The Heart is still shining with light in his hands, flickering between different colours. Adjusting to being in normal reality, maybe…

“Astonishing!” Uqzhaal exclaims. “I didn’t believe you had a chance of-I mean, well done! I knew you could do it, Catalysts!”

“Nothing’s impossible when we’re on the job,” Hairo grins.

Kusuo gets to his feet and walks over to the three Vaanti, the others following him. Shun is lying down on a bed of moss near Varyyn. He’s still unconscious, breathing barely visible and skin a stomach-turning shade of grey.

Aren immediately drops to his knees to take his boyfriend’s hand. He looks up at Uqzhaal desperately.

“We got the Heart. Now what?”

Uqzhaal looks at Kusuo, who carefully hands the Heart over to him. The shaman shambles over to Shun and gently places it next to his head. The Heart glows slightly brighter as a result.

“Now we wait,” Uqzhaal says. “And hope.”

He bows his head in prayer. The group all look at each other and Shun. Varyyn dips his head at Shun briefly, before looking over at them.

“Catalysts, I believe it best for you all to go outside and get some air,” he says. “Wander around and rest in the city for a bit. I am not sure how long this will take, and you deserve a small break after your journey.”

Seraxa nods. “Uqzhaal will stay with Lupus, and I will show you to nearby resting quarters.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” mutters Reita.

“I’m staying with Shun,” Aren states.

Varyyn nods at him. The group start to file out one by one, all giving one last look or goodbye to Shun and Aren. Kusuo sighs, about to do the same, when he spots Kokomi.

The girl is staring down at Shun, her expression hidden by her hair. Imu also looks over at her.

“Kokomi? Are you coming?” she asks.

Kokomi doesn’t answer, Kusuo and Imu exchanging a concerned look. Kokomi suddenly whirls around and rushes out of the throne room, an incredibly pained look on her face. Only Kusuo, Imu, Aren, Uqzhaal and the comatose Shun remain.

“Is she okay?” Aren asks, frowning in concern.

“Definitely not,” Kusuo answers. “We should check on her.”

He and Imu make their way out of the room, blinking rapidly as their eyes adjust to the sudden sunlight. As the doors close behind them, Kusuo spots Kokomi.

She’s seated on a bridge a fair bit away, legs tucked to her chest. Her eyes glimmer with unshed tears.

“I’ve never seen her so sad…” Imu murmurs. “What’s wrong?”

Kusuo frowns. Kokomi wasn’t one to outwardly get upset like this. He has an idea of what’s going on, but he doesn’t think he’d be good at dealing with it.

“You should talk to her,” he tells Imu. “Ask her if everything’s okay, comfort her if she tells you what’s wrong…”

Imu bites her lip. “I…I don’t know. I don’t wanna say something wrong and make her more upset…”

“You won’t” Kusuo assures. “Trust me, if anyone should talk to her right now it should be you.”

Imu hesitates, before taking a deep breath and walking onto the bridge. She sits beside Kokomi, offering an awkward smile.

“Wow, that was crazy, right?” she says. “When I first got the invite I had no idea my tropical island vacay would involve a trip through spacetime.”

Kokomi doesn’t answer, continuing to stare out at the horizon. Imu’s smile drops, but she keeps trying.

“Kinda false advertising, right? I should sue Kurayami for it. And also sue him for, y’know, getting us trapped on Crazy Time Island, but-“

“It isn’t fair.”

Imu blinks, looking at Kokomi in shock. “Huh? What isn’t?”

Kokomi sniffs, trying to wipe away her tears to no avail. She gazes down at the glimmering water.

“Before you transferred to PK, when I was in Year 2, we all went on a school trip to Okinawa. One of the things we got to do was go to the beach. While I was there, these two adult guys came up to me and tried to flirt and get me to go with them.”

Imu scowls. “Ugh, what creeps! They better hope I never run into them or they’ll be lacking in a few key areas.”

Kokomi’s lips twitch slightly but her expression quickly turns downcast once again.

“Chiyo stood up for me, but all they did was insult her,” she continues. “That made me angry, but I didn’t want to seem rude, even to those creeps, so I didn’t say anything. Then…Kaido spoke up. He stood in front of me when they tried to grab me and told them to get lose because I didn’t want to go. He even punched one of them when they insulted Chiyo.

“At first I thought he only did it because he didn’t want the pretty girl to get hurt or he wanted to impress me, but…that wasn’t it. As time went on, I realised he did it because…because he actually cared about my wellbeing. Ever since that moment and realisation…I’ve appreciated him.”

Her lips wobble and a tear slips down her cheek.

“It’s not fair. Kaido’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He’s so generous and thoughtful and creative…his Dark Reunion stuff is actually fun to hear sometimes. Why is he burdened with a disease and stuck in a coma and on the verge of death while a selfish, horrible person like me is still here?”

Imu’s eyes widen, her shock quickly turning to anger.

“Oh hell no!” she cries. “The heck are you talking about, girl?!”

“I’m not a good person, Imu,” Kokomi weeps. “I pretend to be all clueless, but I’ve always known about my beauty. I pretend to be nice and like everyone, but I don’t. I really feel annoyed or think rude things or snark at people inwardly. …All I care about is myself and-“

“Nope, nuh uh, I’m stopping you right there,” Imu interrupts. “First off, the very fact that you hide your real thoughts mean you’re a nice person!”

“Wh-Huh?”

Imu sighs. “Kokomi, if you were really a selfish girl who didn’t care about anyone, you wouldn’t go through the trouble of hiding your real emotions to make others happy.”

“But I’m only doing that to maintain my own image,” Kokomi argues.

“Uh no, even if that’s true, you’re still technically doing it to keep others from getting upset! And let me guess, you’re only so worried about your image because you think that if you’re not ‘perfect’ no one will like you?”

Kokomi’s eyes widen and she quickly turns away, looking back down at the ocean. Imu looks at her sadly.

“Kokomi, you’ve always been praised for your looks. Did anyone ever praise you for something other than that while you were growing up?” she asked.

“…No.”

“Exactly! Now, I may not be the smartest gal in the world, but I have enough braincells to figure out that due to that, you grew up thinking that your beauty was the only thing that gave you a place in society. As such, you pretended to be nice all the time so people would think you were ‘perfect’.”

Kokomi looks at her in shock and begins to speak, but Imu keeps going.

“And there’s also the fact that you’re anything but selfish! You’ve shown worry over us and our wellbeing, you’ve stood up for us…You could have easily kept me as an enemy because I was trying to one-up you, but when I switched up you immediately accepted me! Are you saying our entire friendship was a lie to help you keep your social status?”

“What?! No!” Kokomi cries. “Not at all, and that’s not a lie! Our friendship was genuine, I-“

“Exactly!” Imu says, grinning. “You’re not pretending to be nice to me. You’re not pretending to be nice to the rest of our friends. The fact that you’re worried about Kaido and even thinking this about yourself means you’re not a bad person, Kokomi!”

Kokomi stares at her for a long moment, her mind clearly trying to process everything she’s just been told. Imu smiles warmly at her.

“You are a good person, Kokomi. You’re kind and thoughtful and the best girl I know. You don’t need to be afraid of showing how you really feel about us. Don’t need to agree with everything or be quiet when someone suggests something you don’t like or hold in your anger. Me and everyone else in our group aren’t friends with you because of your beauty, we’re friends with you because of who you really are inside.”

Kokomi’s lip wobbles before she breaks out in a genuine smile.

“Thanks, Imu,” she murmurs. “I…I needed that.”

“Of course! And hey, whenever you wanna vent or whatever, I’m always here!” Imu says, giving her a reassuring look. “I’m sure Kaido will be fine. We just have to hope.”

Kokomi wipes her eyes and nods. They both turn to look at the horizon, the sun shining over the water. After a moment, Imu gently rests her head on Kokomi’s shoulder. Kokomi merely rests her own head atop the other girl’s.

Kusuo watches them, smiling. He’s glad Imu managed to cheer Kokomi up. Hopefully, he would start to see Kokomi being more open with her emotions going forward due to this.

He looks up at the sky, giving himself a moment to breathe. God, that certainly was a journey. He may have found out more about the island, but he only had more questions about that mysterious voice. What could it be?

His thoughts are interrupted by a tingle going through his spine. He jumps slightly and looks back at the throne room. That weird feeling was like a kind of warning alarm, alerting him to something that was going on. But what? Should he go check on how things are progressing with Shun?

A thud sounds from behind the ornate doors, which causes Kusuo to make his decision. Something’s up.

He makes his way inside, quietly shutting the doors behind him. He looks over to where Shun was and his blood goes cold.

The throne room is empty. The bed of moss Shun had been laying on has been abandoned, Aren and Uqzhaal nowhere in sight. Kusuo immediately rushes to the center of the room, looking around.

‘What the hell? Where’d they go?’ he thinks, heart rate spiking.

He looks to the right and his blood turns to ice. Aren is slumped near a wall, unmoving. Kusuo immediately rushes over to him, dropping to his knees to turn his friend onto his back.

Aren is unconscious, blood slowly trailing down his face from his head. Kusuo gently shakes him.

“Kuboyasu! Hey!” he calls. “Wake up! What happened?!”

“Corvus!”

Kusuo turns at the sound of Uqzhaal’s voice. The shaman is cowering behind the throne, pale and trembling.

“Run! Save yourself!” Uqzhaal cries.

“What? What are you-“

Kusuo is cut off as an invisible force slams him into the back wall, next to the doors. He coughs harshly, holding his chest as he struggles to recover.

‘Psychokinesis?’ he thinks as he shakily gets to his feet. ‘No…it was like it but…so much more powerful…’

That warning tingle crawls up his spine again and Kusuo looks forward. In the middle of the room, a figure descends from above. When Kusuo sees them, he feels like his heart has stopped.

“Kaido?”

Shun is hovering in midair, cradling the still glowing Island’s Heart in his arms. His eyes are completely engulfed in a glowing green, no black, red or white visible.

“Where is it?” Shun asks.

His voice is distorted, like it has some kind of reverberation effect, echoing throughout the room. Kusuo stares at him in horror.

“Huh…? Where’s what?”

Power surges and fluctuates around Shun, the glow in his eyes growing brighter.

“The other half,” he replies, a vicious scowl appearing on his face. “What have you done with the rest of me?!”

Chapter Text

Kusuo steps back against the wall, looking up in horror. Shun…no, not Shun. Whatever is inhabiting his friend’s body hovers in front of him, glowing green eyes boring holes through his own.  

"The other half," 'Shun' repeats. "Where. Is. It?"

Kusuo can only stare. What in the world was ‘Shun’ talking about? What happened to him? This energy that was emanating from the boy…

“K-Kaido, I don’t know!” he stammers. “I-“

The other boy’s eyes glow brighter and a shockwave bursts through the room, making the whole structure shake. His voice echoes throughout the chamber.

“Where?!”

Kusuo takes a step back, gritting his teeth. Of all the situations to not have his powers, this was definitely the worst. Uqzhaal continues to cower behind the throne, eyes wild and panicked.

“This isn’t your friend anymore, Corvus!” he cries. “You must save yourself!” 

Kusuo glances at him, then looks back at ‘Shun’. The air around the boy is shimmering like asphalt on a hot day. No. He hadn’t gone on a trip through spacetime only to lose his friend to some possession madness. He steps forward, looking ‘Shun’ in the eye.

“What are you doing?!” Uqzhaal yells.

Kusuo ignores him and stands his ground. Nearby, he spots Aren’s eyes fluttering open, the boy weakly looking at the scene in front of him.

“Shun…?” he murmurs.

Aren struggles to get to his feet, holding his head as Kusuo continues to stare ‘Shun’ down.

“I don’t know what’s going on, Kaido,” he says. “But I know you’re in there somewhere. Please, listen to me. Don’t let whoever’s in your head boss you around!”

‘Shun’ merely scowls, though his eyes flicker slightly. Hope ignites in Kusuo’s heart. It was working. Shun was still in there.

“Saiki’s right.”

Kusuo turns to see Aren walk over to him, looking at his possessed boyfriend. His eyes are filled with a myriad of emotions. Fear, worry, confusion…but the most prominent one is rage.

“Listen, you spirit or whatever,” Aren snarls. “I don’t know who or what you are and I don’t care. I have had a very, very long day. So get out of my boyfriend’s body or I swear I’ll find some way to get you out myself!

“I know you’re in there, Shun. Fight it!”

Shun’s eyes flicker once more as he floats closer to the ground. He looks down at Aren, eyebrows knitting together.

“Who…who is this…?” he inquires.

Kusuo and Aren exchange a brief glance, Uqzhaal continuing to stare at them in bewilderment.

“Run, you fools!”

“No,” Aren growls, shooting him a glare. “I’m not leaving him. Not like this.”

Kusuo nods at him, Aren stepping forward.

“Please, Shun. Come back to me.”

He reaches out and gently cups Shun’s cheek. Immediately, Shun stiffens as he looks down at him.

“Aren?”

The Island’s Heart drops from his hands. The aura of power vanishes and Shun falls to the ground, Aren immediately moving to catch him. Kusuo can hear the Island’s Heart land on the floor and roll away, but he can’t bring himself to care as he rushes to Shun.

“Shun!” Aren cries, helping his boyfriend stand. “Are you okay?”

Shun groans in response, steadying himself against Aren’s shoulder. He looks up at them both blearily and Kusuo’s shoulders sag in relief. His eyes are no longer filled with that green glow, the only difference Kusuo spots being his formerly red irises are now a deep emerald green. He doesn’t really care much about that. All he cares about is that Shun’s alive.

“Yeah…I’m okay…” Shun mutters, rubbing his head. “What happened? What’s going on?”

Aren’s eyes fill with tears, a wobbly smile appearing on his face as he pulls Shun into a tight hug. Shun lets out a surprised noise but reciprocates.

He shoots a look at Kusuo, who merely smiles and reaches out to pat him on the shoulder. Shun’s confusion only seems to grow at this action. Aren releases his boyfriend, wiping away his tears.

“What’s the last thing you remember, Kaido?” Kusuo asks.

“I was sitting on that bridge talking to Aren…” Shun replies, looking around the room. “How did I get here?”

Kusuo and Aren exchange a look. Uqzhaal finally leaves his spot behind the throne and shuffles over to them. Kusuo looks back at Shun, a pained expression on his face.

“You passed out. Fell into a coma,” he explains. “Teruhashi said it was the final phase of your Rotterdam’s.”

Shun’s eyes widen, before narrowing.

“But...if that happened, how am I still here?” he pats himself over. “Oh god, am I moving into the afterlife and saying goodbye to my earthly connections?!”

“No, no, you’re still alive, don’t worry!” Aren assures. “We weren’t going to just give up and let you die. I wasn’t gonna let that happen. So we drank this magic sap from the tree and went on a journey through spacetime.”

Shun stares at him. “…I’m sorry, what?”

“Long story. But we found it.”

“Found what?”

“The Island’s Heart,” Kusuo answers. “A magic rock that’s like the island’s life force or something. It was the only thing that could save you. Uqzhaal did this ritual and…”

“You brought me back,” Shun finishes. “You guys didn’t have to go to all that trouble just for me...”

“Of course we did!” Aren cries.

A brief smile flickers across Shun’s face before it fades. “So, how much time do I have left now?”

Kusuo feels his breath hitch at those words. Right, they had only gotten the Heart to bring Shun back to life. The disease must still be there. Aren’s eyes widen before his face crumples. They had no idea how long Shun would last now. Before either of them can say anything, Uqzhaal speaks up.

“That question is no longer necessary. The disease has been shed.”

Shun blinks. “Shed?”

“Like a dead, unneeded leaf,” Uqzhaal confirms, smiling. “You are cured, Lupus.”

Shun looks at him, shocked. Kusuo can’t blame his reaction, he’s surprised too. He can’t say he’s not happy, though. Aren’s eyes light up as Shun’s lip quivers. He lets out a laugh and pulls both Kusuo and Aren into a hug, the happiest Kusuo’s ever seen him.

“I-I’m cured?! I don’t know what to…thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Aren smiles back, hugging him tight. Kusuo feels a similar expression form on his own face, subconsciously returning Shun’s hug as well. That was probably the closest close call they’d had on this island, but they got through it. Everything was okay.

“I am glad to see you alive and well, Lupus,” Uqzhaal states as the three of them separate. “The other Catalysts were very worried about you.”

“Well, no need to worry about me anymore!” Shun replies, smiling wider.

The happy atmosphere dissolves into an awkward silence. Aren looks away from his boyfriend and Kusuo’s slight smile drops instantly. The memory of the possessed, hovering, supernaturally powered Shun flashes through his mind. Confusion slowly emerges on Shun’s face.

“What’s wrong?”

“About that…” Kusuo says. “You-“

“Ah!” Uqzhaal interrupts, shooting him a warning look. “Perhaps we needn’t trouble him with such things yet!”

“Well now I really want to know,” Shun exclaims, looking at them all with a frightened expression. “Please don’t tell me I got another deadly disease as a replacement.”

“No, you didn’t,” Kusuo assures him. “But just now, when we used the Island’s Heart to bring you back, there was…a slight problem.

“It was like you were…possessed by something. Your eyes were glowing green and you wouldn’t stop talking about this ‘other half’. Also, you were flying.”

Shun blinks, looking at him with wide eyes. “I was what?”

“Yeah, you sorta just woke up like that and went crazy on Uqzhaal and I,” confirms Aren, a strained smile making its way across his face.

Shun’s eyes wander to Aren’s hairline, blood still dripping down the boy’s face. Horror fills his expression.

“I did that? To you?”

“Hey, don’t worry about it!” Aren assures, smiling at him and wiping the blood away. “I’ve had worse. You’re alive and cured, that’s all I care about.”

“Well, yeah, but…what if that weird possession thing happens again?”

“It won’t!” Aren says, before turning to look at Uqzhaal. “Right?”

“Well, whatever overcame you disappeared once you dropped the Heart. I believe that as long as you don’t touch it again, you should be alright,” Uqzhaal replies.

The tension leaves Shun’s shoulders and he lets out a long exhale. Aren grins, patting him on the shoulder.

“See? I told you! As long as we just keep you away from the magic rock, you’re good! Now, come on! The others’ll be hyped to see you’re okay!”

Shun chuckles nervously. “Sounds great, but could we maybe not tell them about the whole possession thing? I feel that’ll just make them worry again…”

“That’s fine,” states Kusuo. “Besides, we’ll make sure to keep it away from you, so it’ll probably never happen again. Hopefully. Unless it becomes a prominent issue, they don’t need to know.”

“Thanks,” says Shun. “I can’t wait to tell everyone I’m actually cured!”

Aren grins, grabbing Shun’s hand and leading him out the door. Kusuo’s shoulders sag as he watches them go. Shun was alive and well, the Vaanti were on their side and Kurayami wasn’t causing any problems at the moment. They could all rest easy, for now at least.

He spots Uqzhaal bending over and picking something up from the floor. It appears to be a geode of sorts, a white outer shell with glowing blue and purple crystals protruding from it. It seems to only be half of a full gem, based on its haphazard appearance.

“What's that?” Kusuo asks Uqzhaal.

“It’s the Island’s Heart!” the shaman replies, looking over it in awe. “So this is what it truly looks like…It must have adjusted to our plane of existence. Its glow may have faded, but you can still sense its power.”

He places the Heart in Kusuo’s hands. He can feel the energy thrumming through it, the same energy he’s been feeling within the island and basically everything on it. He can’t be certain, but he thinks he can feel his own weakened powers flare up in response.

“It looks broken,” Kusuo says, frowning. “Like half of it is missing.”

“Very strange indeed,” Uqzhaal agrees. “If what we saw today was only a fragment of such a power, imagine what a complete one could do.”

Kusuo’s frown deepens, Shun’s glowing eyes and mysterious words flashing through his mind. He looks back down at the Heart before turning to Uqzhaal.

“Uqzhaal, what was that back there? Even if Kaido will be fine if he doesn’t touch the Heart, I don’t like the fact that all that happened to begin with.”

“I wish I could say, but even I am not entirely sure, Corvus,” replies Uqzhaal.

“That’s comforting,” Kusuo grumbles, handing the Heart back to the shaman.

Uqzhaal gives him an apologetic look. He looks down at the Heart and studies it for a moment. He glances up at Kusuo.

“When the Heart restored Lupus, it did so by filling him with its energy…Perhaps some of its spirit, its soul, now resides in him as well.”

Kusuo stares at him in disbelief. “You’re telling me Kaido was being controlled by the island itself?”

“Not the island, but its spirit. The Island’s Heart is the spirit’s core, its life force, and the spirit is what causes Vaanu to exist as it does,” Uqzhaal explains. “And I wouldn’t say controlled. Rather…inhabited. It lives within him now, like a passenger.”

“Or a parasite,” Kusuo mutters.

“Indeed.”

Kusuo glances at the spot where Aren had been laying unconscious, faint splotches of blood visible on the wooden floor.

“Is Kaido going to be safe?” he asks. “Even if we keep the Heart away from him, how do we know for sure that this thing isn’t going to take control of him again?”

“I do not know,” Uqzhaal admits. “Nowhere in the ancient texts does it say the Heart has been used in this way before.”

An excited smile brightens the shaman’s face. “It is truly remarkable! Perhaps the key to unlocking the island’s true power-“

“I don’t care about unlocking power!” Kusuo snaps, glaring at him. “I just want to know if Kaido is going to be okay!”

“I’m sorry, Corvus,” Uqzhaal says, face falling. “I do not have the answers you seek. No one does. Just know that your friend has been granted the most precious gift one could ever ask for…Time.

“And know that every gift, in the end, comes with a price.”

With a nod, the shaman turns around and walks towards the bloodstains, beginning to clean them up. Kusuo takes a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.

He couldn’t focus on this mystery now. With all the other ones he had to deal with, the stress would probably implode his mind and/or make him go bald. He just had to be calm and keep dealing with things as they happened. If he managed to figure something out on the way, that was a bonus.

He walks out of the throne room to cheering. Everyone is gathered around Shun, smiling and laughing. Kokomi and Riki are hugging the boy tightly as Hairo ruffles his hair. Imu spots Kusuo and her already wide smile somehow gets bigger.

“We did it, Saiki!” she shouts. “We saved Kaido!”

“And all it took was a little trip through spacetime!” Chisato adds.

“Curing Rotterdam’s Syndrome in an hour? Let’s see my father beat that!” Metori boasts, his eyes glinting with a rare genuine happiness.

As Riki and Kokomi release Shun, Chiyo immediately races forward to capture the boy in a tight hug.

“I’m so happy you’re okay!” she cries, tears of joy streaming down her face. “I was so worried!”

“Thanks, Yumehara. Sorry for giving you all such a scare,” Shun says, chuckling sheepishly.

Kusuo shares a smile with Varyyn and Seraxa, who are standing at the edge of the group. The elyyshar steps forward as Shun is finally released from Chiyo’s hug.

“Truly, this is a blessing. I am touched to see you all so happy. There has been enough pain in this city already,” he says, smile dropping slightly.

Reita rubs Varyyn’s shoulder, offering him a small smile. Varyyn smiles back, turning to the group with an excited glint in his eyes.

“Now, we can begin the Valinorim!”

“Yeeeeeah! The Valinorim!” Riki cheers. “Uh, what’s that?”

“It is one of our oldest rituals,” Varyyn explains. “After the coronation of a new elyyshar, we celebrate with a day of feasts, games and drinks! Or, due to the circumstances, an afternoon.”

“You had me at drinks,” says Reita, smirking.

Seraxa scoffs. “Only fools spend the Valinorim intoxicated. For the strong willed, it is a day of fierce competition and the elimination of noobs!”

Aren stares at her. “Uh, what did you just say?”

“Did I mistranslate? I thought I hears Cygnus say that word earlier.”

“Damn right I did,” Aiura snickers.

“Everyone will be gathering down at the beach,” informs Varyyn. “Come, let us join them!”

The group let out a collective cheer and follow him towards the elevators. Kusuo is about to join them, when he spots Shun not moving, an odd expression on his face.

“You coming, Shun?” Aren asks.

“I’ll come down in a sec,” Shun replies. “I’m still kinda adjusting to everything. Just go, I’ll meet you down there.”

Aren’s eyes flash with concern, but he nods, kissing Shun on the cheek before joining the others at the elevator. Worry worms its way into Kusuo’s chest as he remains on the platform. Something wasn’t right.

He turns to look at Shun as the elevator descends. A melancholy look has appeared on the boy’s face as he walks onto a nearby bridge. The one where he had collapsed.

Kusuo follows him, standing beside his friend as he stares out at the vast ocean. Shun glances at him.

“You don’t have to stay with me, Saiki,” he says, smiling softly. “I’m just taking a moment.”

“I know,” Kusuo replies. “You deserve a break. You’ve been through a lot.”

Shun’s smile fades as he looks down. The ocean continues to calmly ripple below.

“It’s not just that,” he admits quietly. “It’s trying to figure out who I even am.”

Kusuo shoots him a curious look. Shun’s now emerald eyes glint from the sun, emphasising the sadness and confusion within.

“My whole life has been defined by my illness. Every moment, every choice, it’s always been there, in the background of my mind,” Shun continues. “I’m Shun Kaido, the guy who’s gonna die. That’s who I’ve always been.

“Even if I never told anyone, no matter how much I didn’t want it to define me, somehow it still…made me who I am.”

“You were always more than that, Kaido,” Kusuo says. “Trust me, the ‘Jet Black Wings’ speaks for itself.”

Shun lets out a humourless chuckle. “Sure, I found ways to cope. To be happy. To live. But I always knew that my time was limited. That I’d never get to grow old. I’d never get to achieve my dreams. I’d never get married or start a family.

“I accepted all of that, Saiki. I’d come to terms with it. And now, just like that, it’s all fixed? Poof, all cured, all better? I know it’s weird, but…I don’t know how to accept that. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Kusuo’s eyes soften as he looks at his friend. It wasn’t often Shun was vulnerable with others and when he was it was always hard to deal with. Kusuo was awkward even having normal conversations, one this vulnerable was a whole other level. Still, he couldn’t leave Shun like this.

“It’s okay to feel sad, Kaido,” he says.

“It is?”

“Of course. In a way, I think it’s fine for you to mourn. Someone did die back there. The old you. The sick you. The person you’ve been your whole life is gone. You’ve been reborn. Given another chance. Granted an opportunity to be someone new.

“Yeah, you should be happy about that, but you can be sad about the other you too. Everything takes time, and you’ve been given just that.”

Maybe he’s rambling, but Kusuo can’t bring himself to care. If Shun was okay emotionally and mentally, he’d be okay physically. And if he was okay physically then there was less chance of him getting into trouble and getting hurt.

Shun smiles at him. “Thanks, Saiki. You’re really good at telling people what they need to hear.”

Kusuo rolls his eyes, but a small smile tugs on his lips.

“Only when I have to, don’t get used to it,” he says. “So, ready to check out the festival?”

“Absolutely!”

The two of them walk onto the beach, Kusuo blinking as his eyes adjust to the sudden onslaught of sunlight. Multiple stalls, tables and activities are set up across the sand, Vaanti mingling about and feasting on many different dishes. A band plays a whimsical tune on an array of flutes, guitars and drums while children laugh, dance and jump around.

“Wow…” Shun breathes. “I can’t believe we ever thought they were our enemies.”

“I’m very glad that they’re not,” Kusuo deadpans.

Shun chuckles. “I’m gonna go find Aren. See ya, Saiki!”

Kusuo waves as he runs off, observing the festival. He spots Riki, Reita, Aiura and Varyyn wading into the water nearby, holding long sparring staffs. A large number of narrow wooden posts stick out of the sea like spikes. Curiosity gets the better of him and Kusuo walks over to where a small crowd has gathered on the shore to watch.

His four friends are all perched precariously on the posts, Reita and Varyyn to the left and Riki and Aiura to the right. Riki flips his staff around wildly.

“Woo, let’s do this!” he yells.

Aiura yelps, dodging Riki’s flailing staff. “Careful, you big oaf! You almost hit me!”

“Sorry, Mikoto! The Nendo train don’t stop for nobody!”

“That sounds like a pretty ineffective train,”Reita deadpans.

Kusuo raises an eyebrow. He had no idea what was going on, but he was definitely intrigued. Varyyn raises a hand and the crowd of spectators go quiet.

“Friends, guests, and citizens of Elyys’tel!” he cries. “I welcome you to this Valinorim, this great celebration of our tribe, our city, and our heritage, dedicated to my mother’s memory.

“Since the ancient times, the Vaanti of Elyys’tel have celebrated with games to prove our skills, show our strength, test our minds, and come together as one! Games make us smile, games make us cry, and games bring us together as a people!”

A cheer erupts from the crowd, Kusuo jumping slightly. He still wasn’t used to being surprised at these kind of things. Varyyn shoots a wry grin at the spectators.

“Now then! Shall we begin?”

“What are the rules here?” Aiura asks.

“If you fall in the water, you’re out. When both members are eliminated, the team is defeated,” explains Varyyn. “There are no more rules.”

He twirls his staff gracefully and crouches down, assuming a low combat stance. Aiura looks at Riki, who is grinning goofily, before looking back at him.

“Is it too late to switch teams?”

A Vaanti in the spectator crowd blows a horn.

“Begin!”

With a sharp hiss, Varyyn leaps forward onto another post. He quickly swings his staff, Aiura barely managing to block it with her own.

“Nice try!” she yells.

Riki lets out a war cry as he charges, slashing his staff wildly at Varyyn. Varyyn manages to dodge each thrust, but is driven back, leaping from post to post as Riki follows him. Reita is still standing in the same spot, clutching his staff close. Aiura glances at him.

“Nendo! Focus on Toritsuka! He’s the weak link!” she yells.

“You don’t have to say it!” Reita shouts back.

Varyyn manages to deflect one of Riki’s thrusts, spinning around and slamming his staff into the back of the boy’s calf. Riki cries out in pain as Aiura leaps towards Reita.

Reita yelps as he barely manages to dodge the girl’s strike, leaping to another post. He wobbles dangerously but manages to stay upright.

“I regret everything!” he cries.

The crowd cheers, yelling encouragement from the shore. Kusuo has to admit, he’s interested in how this would turn out.

Aiura continues to slash at Reita, the boy barely managing to stay on his post. Riki lunges at Varyyn with a roar, the Vaanti immediately ducking down to dodge the swipe.

Varyyn twirls his staff and rams it into Riki’s stomach. The boy is immediately knocked from his feet, toppling into the water below with a yell.

Aiura glances over in shock. Reita takes the opportunity to swipe his staff at her feet. The girl yelps and tries her best to stay upright, but Reita whacks her in the knees and sends her straight into the ocean beside Riki. The crowd cheer and clap wildly, Kusuo smiling slightly as he lets out a few claps of his own.

The Vaanti from before blows the horn once more.

“The winners are Elyyshar Varyyn and Catalyst Reita!”

Reita lets out a whoop, hooking an arm around Varyyn.

“Another victory for Team Varitsuka!”

“Varitsuka?” Varyyn repeats. “What does that word mean?”

“Nothing! It’s just what we get when we mash our names together, so it’s our team name!”

“I see. We shall go by Team Varitsuka!”

Riki sits up in the ocean, spitting out water with a grin.

“That was fun! Let’s do it again!” he cries.

“Ugh, no way,” Aiura grumbles, shivering as she steps onto the shore. “I’m hitting the bar.”

Well, looks like that was it. Kusuo glances around, spotting a large food table set up near the rainforest. Chisato is sitting at one end, a Vaanti man in an elephant mask opposite her. The man is jamming food after food into his mouth, not showing any signs of stopping, while Chisato is slowly biting at a loaf of bread.

A few Vaanti are gathered around the man and Kokomi and Imu are standing near Chisato, watching. Kusuo walks over to join them, noticing how green Chisato’s face looks.

“Ohhhh boy,” she groans. “I am not feeling good.”

“Please don’t tell me she’s gonna puke,” Imu mutters. “That’ll make me puke.”

“I take it this is some kind of eating contest?” Kusuo asks.

Kokomi nods, watching the scene in front of her with a mixture of disgust and concern. Chisato holds back a gag before making a cross with her arms.

“Time out! Calling a time out!”

She lurches away from the table, stiffly walking towards Kusuo and the girls.

“Oh, we got trouble, guys. Big trouble,” she says.

“I told you not to do this!” Imu snaps. “Now look at you!”

“What exactly is it that you’re doing?” Kusuo questions.

“We maybe kinda sorta challenged these guys to a humans vs Vaanti table challenge…” Chisato explains sheepishly.

“We?”

“Lila was handling the drinking part,” Kokomi says. “She, uh…”

The girl points to a spot on the sand nearby. Lila is sprawled out like a starfish, staring up at the sky with a dazed expression.

“And whyyyyyyy do they call them coconuts anyway…?” she mumbles to herself. “They’re not nuts…they’re…they’re…oh my god. Are they nuts?!”

Kusuo and Kokomi exchange a look. Okay, he understands Chisato’s worry now. The girl in question is gripping her hair in panic, looking at them.

“I need your help, guys! I’m down half my team and Dumbo over there is unstoppable! You know it’s bad when I physically can’t eat anymore!”

Kusuo can’t help but arch an eyebrow at her. “You’re the one who signed up for it. Not my fault that you bit off more than you could chew, figuratively and literally.”

An utterly betrayed expression crosses Chisato’s face. The elephant masked Vaanti smirks at them from the table.

“Come! Eat!” he calls. “The next dish is my favourite!”

He pulls a cloth off a bowl, revealing a pile of squirming red grubs. Imu gags, while Kokomi covers her mouth and looks away. Kusuo stiffens and actively takes a few steps back. Chisato lets out an anguished wail.

“I can’t take this anymore! I’m calling it for Team Human!”

Kokomi looks at the grubs, swallowing her disgust, before glancing at the Vaanti man. He’s still staring at the group with a smug expression, causing the girl’s eyes to narrow.

“Oh, you are not giving up on us now, Mera!” she declares. “This isn’t just a matter of your pride, you’re carrying the reputation of all 14 of us on your back! You’re gonna win this!”

Kusuo and Imu exchange a look of pleasant surprise. Kokomi was speaking her mind. Chisato stares at the other girl in shock.

“But-“

“Nuh uh, no buts! You’re winning this!”

“Yeah!” Imu chimes in. “It’s easy! You just gotta make a big show out of it! This guy’s obviously using mind games, trying to get in your head and psych you out! Look at him!”

She gestures to the table, where the Vaanti is slowly squeezing one of the biggest grubs. Kusuo shudders at the sight.

“He does look like he’s exaggerating a bit…” Chisato murmurs.

 “So, you do the same!” Kokomi says, a gleam in her eyes. “Rattle that jerk twice as hard as he’s rattling you! Prove to them that us humans aren’t ones to be messed with!”

Chisato’s face brightens. “Yeah…yeah! I can do that!”

She walks back to the table, sitting down and digging both hands into her bowl of grubs. The Vaanti man stares at her in surprise.

“Wait, are you truly going to eat it?” he asks.

“Of course I am!” Chisato replies. “Giant red grubs are my favourite! I had to eat a lot of these guys all those months on Sharktooth Isle, and they’ve only gotten juicier!”

She grabs a grub and bites it in half, chewing loudly. Kusuo has to fight the urge to gag, Imu having no such restraints. Chisato merely grins at the Vaanti, licking her lips.

The Vaanti looks at her in shock. “I-I cannot do this!”

He runs off, Kokomi laughing in his wake.

“Yeah, run away! That’s what you get for challenging the Catalysts!” she jeers.

She notices everyone staring at her and immediately goes red, but Imu merely links their arms and laughs.

“That was awesome! You go, girl!”

Kokomi laughs nervously as Chisato bounds over to join them.

“Thanks, guys! You were the perfect coaches!”

“I should’ve known you’d find some way to win in an eating contest,” Kusuo remarks.

“Yep! And hey, there’s still some left over!”

The moment she raises the bowl of grubs, Kusuo rushes into the rainforest. He can hear the girls laughing and scowls. Typical.

He’s about to go back to the beach, when he hears the rustling of leaves nearby. He looks over to see Chiyo, Metori, Touma, Taari and Uqzhaal walking through the undergrowth. They seem to be looking for something, holding pieces of parchment as Taari dances around them.

“Never gonna solve it, never gonna solve it!” he sings.

“Hush now, child, and let the Catalysts play,” Uqzhaal reprimands, smiling slightly.

Metori sighs in annoyance. “As annoying as the brat is, he does have a point. I have no idea what this means.”

“What are you guys doing?” Kusuo asks, walking over to them.

The group all look at him as he approaches, Taari waving excitedly. Chiyo smiles brightly at him.

“Hi, Saiki!” she greets. “We’re doing a cute, little scavenger hunt!”

“Cute?” Uqzhaal repeats in shock. “I’ll have you know this is the Trial of the Ancients, a revered game of intelligence and sophistication!”

“Like I said. A cute, little scavenger hunt!”

“I would hardly call this little,” Touma mutters, showing Kusuo a handful of tiny, polished stones. “We have only discovered three clues so far.”

Kusuo looks over them in interest. “Three out of…?”

“Seventy-nine!” Uqzhaal says.

“Oh, wonderful,” Metori mutters. “Because you hate me.”

“Come now, Saiko, this is an excellent way to spend the day,” Touma argues. “In fact, the original intent of scavenger hunts was to-“

“So, what riddle are you on?” Kusuo interrupts.

Uqzhaal takes one of the stones, translating the message inscribed on it.

“Always at home, even when on the go. Strong and tenacious, mindful and slow!” he reads.

“The ancient Vaanti riddle rhymes in our language?” Kusuo questions.

“I may have adapted it.”

“I am at a loss on what it could be,” Touma mutters. “The answer is seemingly obvious, but at the same time there are hundreds of other possible outcomes. It could even be a trick question! I can’t tell in a scavenger hunt!”

Kusuo frowns, thinking the question over. Mindful and slow…always at home, even when on the go…

“Sounds like the answer is a turtle,” he says. “Or tortoise, or whatever. I mean, their shell is their home and they’re pretty slow.”

Uqzhaal beams. “Yes! That’s it exactly!”

“Hooray!” Taari cheers. “You got it!”

“Hm, I suppose it was the obvious answer after all,” Touma says.

“Where can we find a turtle, though?” Metori questions. “Search for nests on the beach?”

Chiyo gasps, her eyes widening. “Wait, we walked by an empty turtle shell a few minutes ago! Down by the river!”

Taari laughs, scampering ahead. “Come on! Let’s go, let’s go!”

The group follow him deeper into the jungle, towards the gentle sound of running water. The river eventually comes into view, an empty turtle shell resting on the water’s edge.

Touma walks over and reaches inside the shell, pulling out another polished stone. Kusuo expects Chiyo to cheer or squeal in excitement, but the girl is oddly quiet. He looks over to see her staring down into the river with an odd expression on her face.

“Yumehara? Are you okay?” he asks.

“I…I don’t know,” Chiyo admits. “I just felt…weird all of a sudden.”

Kusuo follows her gaze, the rippling currents glinting in the sun. The waters may as well be liquid glass with how clear they are, the silt and sediment below easily seen. The current jostles the dirt, and an amber light joins the golden rays of the sun.

Chiyo’s eyes widen and she kneels down. “Is that…?”

Kusuo follows her lead, reaching in and grabbing the idol, hauling it out of the river. An amber woman stands tall, despite the chains binding her to the pedestal. Andromeda, the chained princess…hopefully Chiyo’s alias wasn’t implying an unfortunate future encounter with Cetus, given the myths…

“Woah, another idol!” Chiyo cries, beaming.

A flash of white embraces Kusuo as she touches it, his chest tightening in response.

He finds himself in a modest room, clothes and beauty products strewn everywhere. Chiyo is jogging in place in the centre, only slightly younger than she is now. She transitions into star jumps so seamlessly it’s obvious this isn’t her first time.

“Come on…come on, Chiyo…” she mutters to herself.

She halts her exercise and rushes over to a scale in the corner of the room. Kusuo’s heart sinks; he kept it hidden well, but he had always been concerned about this aspect of Chiyo. The girl looks down at the number and her hopeful expression plummets.

“What?! But I’ve done so much-Ugh!”

She storms away and flops onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling despondently.

“Why…” she whispers to herself. “Why can’t I just be perfect? It’s the only way I can get people to like me…to love me…and I can't...”

Kusuo merely closes his eyes as his chest burns and he’s tugged through time once more. Chiyo is sprinting through the rainforest of La Huerta, panting and stumbling. Distant yells and footsteps sound behind her.

“I can…do this…” she pants. “If I do this…they’ll all be amazed…proud! I won’t be useless…! She’ll…love me…they’ll all-“

An amber arrow lodges itself straight in her heart from behind. Chiyo’s eyes fill with anguish and fear as she drops to the ground. Kusuo shuts his eyes tightly and looks away as he’s pulled back to the present.

The others have gathered around, looking at the idol in awe. Chiyo is giving Kusuo a curious glance.

“You okay, Saiki?” she asks.

“I’m fine,” Kusuo mechanically replies. “Just…you’re a good friend how you are right now, got it?”

Chiyo blinks, surprise and confusion overcoming her, but she nods as both of them rise to their feet.

“We have discovered another Catalyst Idol!” Uqzhaal exclaims, taking it from Kusuo. “This is a cause for celebration!”

“It’s a cause for something alright,” Kusuo mutters.

Taari cheers, clapping his hands and jumping into the air. Metori and Touma share a pleased look as Chiyo smiles brightly.

“Come on! Let’s finish this Trial of the Ancients!” she encourages. “Who knows what else we might find?”

The five of them venture into the foliage, Kusuo watching them go. Eight idols so far…and eight visions. And considering what he saw in the one with his idol…

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts and heart. He had already managed to somewhat prevent Shun from dying. If he could do that, he could save the others.

He wanders back out to an isolated stretch of the beach. Hairo, Shun, Aren, Reita, Varyyn, and Seraxa are gathered around what seems to be a pile of windsurfing rigs. Curious, and desperate to rid himself of his anxieties, Kusuo walks over.

“Hey, what are these for?” Shun asks Seraxa.

“Our sailboards,” she answers. “We use them to compete in quuk’tanoi.”

“In your tongue you would say, er…’Wind Disc’,” Varyyn adds.

“Wind Disc, huh?” Kusuo repeats.

“Oh, yeah! I’ve seen them play,” Reita confirms, grinning. “It’s wild. They’re crazy good at it. Think Ultimate Frisbee while windsurfing.”

“Okay, you’ve got my attention,” Hairo says, a familiar gleam emerging in his eyes. “Let’s take ‘em for a spin!”

“You people? Playing quuk’tanoi?” Seraxa barks out a laugh.

“Something funny, Seraxa?” Aren questions, raising an eyebrow.

“This game is only for those with the fierce will and honed senses of the Vaanti,” the war chief states. “I mean this in the most respectful way…but you do not exactly fit that criteria.”

“Sounding a bit cocky there,” Aren smirks. “Thought you would’ve learned to not underestimate us by now.”

“Our warriors must group in three, and prove their dexterity, agility, and cunning in this game. Only then do they earn their mask,” Varyyn explains, an amused smile emerging on his face.

“If you still dare to challenge us, I would relish the opportunity to educate you in your shortcomings,” Seraxa goads playfully.

“You’re on!” Hairo yells. “Kuboyasu, Saiki, let’s crush these guys!”

“Absolutely not,” says Kusuo. “I enjoy festivals by watching the festivities, not participating in them.”

Hairo pouts, before turning to Reita with a hopeful look. The boy steps back and shakes his head.

“Nope. Noooo way. I’ve seen these two play and I am not looking to get destroyed.”

Hairo’s pout returns with even more force. Aren glances over at Shun, who is watching the interaction with amusement.

“You wanna play with us, Shun” Aren offers. “If Saiki and Toritsuka don’t want to and we need a third, then…”

Shun’s eyes widen. “Oh…no, I shouldn’t. I’m not good at sports, I’d just slow you down-“

"No, you won’t! You’re cured!” Hairo cries. “Your syndrome was the only reason you were so weak at physical activity! Now that it’s gone, you should be fine!”

Shun’s eyes light up, though the uncertainty still remains. Aren places a hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, it’ll be fun! Is the Jet Black Wings really backing down?”

Shun’s mouth twitches. “…Of course not. The Jet Black Wings never backs down for anything.”

Hairo cheers, Kusuo covering the ear that’s closest to the boy. Varyyn moves to set up the equipment.

“The rules are simple. Three players to a side, each on their own sailboard,” he says. “The objective is to throw the wind disc onto the opponent’s Column of Light!”

“Column of…huh?” Aren murmurs.

“He means those,” Reita says, pointing out into the sea.

Two buoys bob up and down on the gentle waves, the rust coating them showing their age. They’re about 100 metres apart, a red lightbulb slowly pulsing on top of each.

“So it’s basically high-speed horseshoe on the water…” Shun mutters. “I follow.”

“Defenders will try to flip your sailboard, or block your shots with their sails,” reveals Seraxa. “You must pass the ring to each other to evade the opponents’ defense-“

“Wait. You said it’s three-on-three, but there’s only two of you,” Hairo interrupts. “That doesn’t seem fair.”

Varyyn frowns. “Hm, I suppose we do need a third.”

He looks past the group, eyes lighting up. Kusuo turns and spots Uqzhaal slowly hobbling across the sands towards them.

“I thought you were doing the scavenger hunt, Uqzhaal?” Kusuo inquires.

“Taari and the three Catalysts told me in no uncertain terms that my help was rather irritating,” Uqzhaal chuckles in reply.

“In that case, care to join us for a round of quuk’tanoi?” invites Varyyn.

“Hm, very well. If you need a third, then why not?”

Uqzhaal waddles towards the group and Aren snorts, trying to cover it with a cough.

“Sorry, just…the old man? You sure?”

“I do not mind. It makes your inevitable defeat all the more painful,” Seraxa says.

Kusuo glances at Reita, who appears to be struggling not to laugh or smile. That’s not suspicious at all. Hairo is practically on fire, buzzing with excitement and determination.

“Old man or not, doesn’t matter!” he cries. “Let’s do this!”

Shun pushes his sailboard into the tide and quickly hops on. He wobbles slightly, but manages to regain his balance as the board sails further out.

‘Okay, you can do this, Shun,’ he thinks. ‘You’re healthy now. You can actually participate for once. Don’t let them down.’

He rubs his chest, shifting uncomfortably. He had no idea if this new feeling spreading through his body was just being healthy for once or the residues of magic now residing in him, and he didn’t really want to think on it too much.

'Just focus on the game. You’re alive. You’re cured. You can do this.’

Aren glides up to him on his own board. “Looking good, babe! You’re basically a pro already!

Warmth floods to Shun’s cheeks as he chuckles. A yell sounds from nearby.

“How are you guys doing that?! Woooaaahh!” Hairo grips his mast, struggling to keep his balance.

The three Vaanti glide up, stationing themselves a bit away from Shun and the others. Aren laughs at Hairo’s struggle.

“Step up your game, class rep! We got a game to win!”

‘More like a game that I’ll make you lose,’ Shun’s thoughts whisper.

“Let the game begin!” Varyyn announces. “Catalysts, as our honoured guests, you may start with the wind disc.”

Varyyn tosses a thin ring of wood, carved in a perfect, smooth circle. Shun reaches out and catches it, sighing in relief.

“Alright, let’s do this!” Hairo yells.

Shun takes a deep breath and uses the wind to propel himself forward. As soon as he steers himself toward the buoy, Seraxa rams her board into his. Shun yelps, holding onto the disc tightly and gripping his board with equal strength.

Seraxa grins. “I suggest you forfeit now, with what little dignity you have left!”

Shun swallows his nerves, attempting a confident smile in return.

“We’ll see about that!”

He scans his surroundings and throws the disc to Hairo. Just as he reaches out to catch it, Varyyn sweeps between the two at lightning speed. He climbs his mast and snatches the disc right out of the air.

“What the…” Hairo’s jaw drops. “This guy’s insane! Quick, get back on defense!”

Urgency spreads through Shun’s veins as he turns his sailboard around, trying with no avail to block Varyyn and Seraxa as they toss the disc back and forth. Seraxa easily flies past and tosses the disc onto the top of one of the buoys.

Shun curses under his breath, hearing Aren groan. Seraxa turns to them with a smirk.

“1-0. Couldn’t be easier.”

“Nice job,” Shun compliments.

“Yeah, good sportsmanship!” Hairo cries, Aren rolling his eyes with a smirk. “But we’re still gonna win!”

Seraxa tosses the disc to Shun to start the game again. He successfully tosses it to Hairo, who passes it to Aren.

“Alright, things are lookin’ up!” he says. “Coming back to you, Hairo!”

Aren tosses it back towards the boy, but Seraxa slides in the way, scooping up the disc in her sail. It rolls along the canvas and straight into her grip. Hairo lets out a cry of frustration.

Seraxa tosses the disc to Uqzhaal, who is slowly puttering along in the waves. He awkwardly reaches out and grabs it.

“Oh, erm, me?”

“Now’s our chance! yells Aren. “Close in on grandpa!”

The three of them all circle Uqzhaal. A seed of guilt plants itself in Shun’s heart about going for an old man…Oh come on, it’s just a game! He wasn’t actually going to do anything that’d hurt anyone.

‘I need to focus,’ he thinks. ‘I can do this’

Uqzhaal glances at them before calmly placing the ring on the end of his staff. He spins it around, gaining momentum, before using it to hurl the disc an incredible distance until it daintily lands on the buoy. Shun, Aren and Hairo merely stare, jaws dropped.

“How-you just-you-what-“ Hairo stutters.

“Perhaps we forgot to mention that Uqzhaal, in his youth, was the greatest player of quuk’tanoi in Vaanti history,” Varyyn comments mischievously.

“2-0! All fall to Uqzhaal!” the shaman cheers.

Shun floats closer to Aren and Hairo, glancing back at the beach. Reita is watching with enthusiastic interest, while Kusuo has his usual poker face on, though his eyes betray his interest. Shun can’t help but let out a huff of laughter at the sight.

“Alright guys, they’re just one goal away from winning,” Hairo states. “It’s comeback time.”

“Got any bright ideas?” asks Aren.

“I’ve got one,” answers Hairo. “Kuboyasu, I’ll need you to block for me. Kaido, sail around those three, kick up some water to distract them.”

The two nod, quickly sailing off towards the three. Shun smoothy glides between the Vaanti trio, kicking up sea spray. Hairo zooms past him, waving his hand.

“I’m open!”

Shun tosses the disc towards him, gritting his teeth as Uqzhaal slides in between them.

“Oh no you don’t!” Aren cries.

He roughly slams his board into Uqzhaal’s, the elderly man toppling into the water with a yell.

“Oh, my poor back!” Uqzhaal howls.

Shun gasps as worry shoots through him, Aren’s face contorting in horror.

“Oh god, I am so sorry, sir,” he says.

“Not cool, Aren,” Varyyn mutters, shaking his head in disappointment.

Aren kneels onto his board, holding a hand out to the shaman.

“Here, let me help you u-“

Uqzhaal grabs the boy’s wrist and pulls Aren straight into the ocean with him with a cackle. Aren surfaces with a cough and a frustrated growl. 

“Go, Hairo! Take the shot!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Hairo speeds past Seraxa and tosses the disc onto the buoy. Shun pumps his fist in excitement. One down, two to go!

Hairo cheers, Aren and Uqzhaal climbing back onto their boards. Shun glides towards his teammates with a smile, the Vaanti also gathering together.

“That’s 2-1!” Hairo cheers. “The comeback is on!”

“I don’t think they’ll underestimate us again,” Shun theorises, glancing at their opponents. “We need another plan…”

His gaze is drawn to some seaweed floating nearby. His eyes light up as he grabs it and begins looping it into circles.

“Okay, follow my lead…”

In a moment, Hairo and Shun both shoot off in opposite directions, each holding a dark ring.

“Cepheus has the disc!” Seraxa cries.

“No, Lupus has it!” Uqzhaal argues.

Seraxa zooms towards Hairo, while Varyyn and Uqzhaal advance on Shun. They flank him, Varyyn quickly snatching the ring from his grasp.

A wave of amusement spreads through him as Varyyn stares at the seaweed now drooping in his grasp. Nearby, Seraxa is having the same issue with Hairo’s ring.

“Seaweed?!” Uqzhaal exclaims. “These discs are fake! That means…”

Aren laughs as he glides past and tosses the real disc onto the buoy, Shun and Hairo cheering. The Vaanti look on in shock.

“How have they tied us?!” Uqzhaal cries.

Seraxa growls. “I will finish this myself!”

She grabs the disc from the buoy and throws it directly at Shun. He yelps and ducks down, the disc instead ripping through the sail and reducing it to ribbons. His board slowly putters to a stop; damnit, he was stuck! Seraxa merely laughs.

“You’re not the only one with a trick up her sneeze!”

“It’s ‘sleeve’, but damn that was good!” Hairo exclaims, frustrated and impressed at once.

Shun grips his mast, panic shooting through him. He couldn’t go anywhere, what was he going to do now? He should have known he’d let the others down…

“Shun!” Aren shouts.

Shun turns to see Aren gliding up to him, hand outstretched.

“Hop on with me!”

Shun feels himself frown, nerves crawling up his spine. Maybe he should just swim back to shore and sit out…but then Aren and Hairo wouldn’t be able to play. But it’s not like his presence would help…

He glances at Aren and his worries melt away like frost when the sun hits. He could at least try. That he was sure he could do.

He takes Aren’s hand and carefully hops onto his board. Aren smiles back at him and takes off, Shun gripping his waist to keep his balance. Hairo is swiftly dodging the three Vaanti, gripping the disc tightly.

“Could use a little help here!” he cries.

Aren zooms towards him, kicking up a large wave that splashes the Vaanti right in the face. As they cry out, Hairo threads between them and tosses the ring to Aren, who gives it to Shun. Aren races toward the other buoy, Shun glancing behind them.

“We’ve got company!” he says.

The Vaanti have recovered, all three of them circling the duo. Varyyn smiles, seeming almost impressed.

“You have acquitted yourselves well.”

“But now, it’s time to give up,” Seraxa adds.

Shun feels his jaw clench as he strains to get the buoy in his line of sight. “They’re blocking every possible throw, I can’t see a thing! What do we do?”

Aren frowns. “We’re close to the goal…but we’d have to be around 3-4 metres tall to get a clear shot!”

Adrenaline pulses through Shun’s veins. He knows he’s around a metre and a half tall…and Aren is around two metres. So if they needed to be around 3…

“I’ve got an idea!” he says. “Stand still! I’m gonna get up on your shoulders!”

Aren’s eyes widen. “You sure, Shun?”

Shun nods, placing the disc in his teeth. He clambers up Aren’s back, his boyfriend hoisting him up onto his shoulders. Shun wobbles, but Aren holds onto his ankles, keeping him firmly in place.

“Easy, easy!” he cries.

Shun takes a deep breath, taking the disc out of his mouth. He could do this. Aren and Hairo were counting on him. He could do this, he could do this!

The Vaantis’ eyes widen as they realise what’s going on. They rush towards the board just as Shun angles his arm and lets the disc fly. Seraxa leaps up, and it barely grazes her fingertips before flying past and landing on the buoy.

Shun feels almost giddy with adrenaline and excitement. He did it, they won! He…actually contributed. He wasn’t a liability.

As his adrenaline fades down, happiness blooms in his chest. He didn’t just win, he…he felt fine. Normally he’d have passed out by now due to all the physical exertion, but he only felt slightly tired and out of breath. He really was cured. For good.

A pang of sadness worms its way into his heart. He was a new person now. Not who he grew up as. The sickness, the perpetual weakness, the Jet Black Wings coping mechanism…all of it was gone, in a way.

That sadness soon unfurls into hope, happiness even. The beautiful flower he once was may be gone…stripped away and scattered to the wind, but it had regrown. It had a few less patches and patterns, but the stem of the flower still remained. The core. He was still himself, only with a few changes and a much longer lifespan. Kusuo was right; he’d been reborn. And he was definitely going to keep the Jet Black Wings to some extent, he’d worked hard on it!

He still has a million questions. What else did the Island’s Heart do to him? How would his family react when they learned he was cured? How would he explain everything that had happened on this island? Would he ever even get back to see them? How are they doing? Are they worried about him, looking for him? Did they give up on him?

Unlike his past mental spirals however, this one drifts away into the breeze. He had ages to think more on those topics, ages to come up with solutions. He could still feel the lingering ache of sadness for his old self, but he could also feel the blooming hope for his new life.

Shun smiles, gazing at the horizon. ‘Goodbye, me. Hello…well, me.’

Laughter and cheering drag him from his thoughts. Hairo is ecstatic, hollering and whooping from nearby. The Vaanti are staring on in shock.

“Impossible!” Uqzhaal exclaims.

Aren lets out a victorious laugh. He helps Shun down from his shoulders and back on the board before pulling him into a deep kiss. Warmth blooms in Shun’s chest as they pull apart.

The six of them sail back to the beach, greeted by Reita’s cheers.

“Woo! You guys did it! I knew you had it in you!”

"You told me that they wouldn’t stand a chance,” Kusuo deadpans, Reita loudly shushing him.

Shun chuckles, Seraxa giving the trio a look of respect.

“I must admit, you continue to impress me, Catalysts. Well done,” she says.

Varyyn nods. “A deal is a deal. I said that a young Vaanti warrior must earn their mask in a trial of quuk’tanoi, and you have proven yourselves. Please, choose which one suits you.”

He grabs a sack lying on the sands and unveils the masks in front of them. Shun ponders his options for a moment, before retrieving the wolf one. Seems fitting, given his alias.

Aren grabs the owl mask and Hairo takes the ram mask. Varyyn picks up the remaining mask, an intricate golden one, and hands it to Kusuo.

“I didn’t compete-“ Kusuo protests.

“Yet you saved Taari, and played a major role in saving Elyys’tel,” Varyyn explains. “I feel that you qualify for a mask due to that. Please, it is a gift from me. I will ensure the other Catalysts receive one as well.”

Kusuo hesitates, before taking the mask with a nod. Reita grabs his own skull one out of his makeshift pocket with a laugh. He must have run it in a quuk’tanoi round in the six months he was here.

“Thank you, Varyyn,” says Shun.

“There is no need for thanks,” Varyyn replies. “Reita spoke much of your talents and character, yet still managed to undersell you.”

Shun smiles and gazes back down at his own mask. The deep mahogany and startling silver shine in the afternoon sun, every pattern visible on the intricate carvings. He flips it over to look at the inside. It’s old and faded, yet a small engraving can be seen within.

‘Rosencraft and Sons, 1921’

Shun’s eyes widen. “Whoa, what does this mean?”

“Our people have long forgotten the meaning of those marks,” Varyyn says. “But our ancestors’ masks had such symbols in them, thousands upon thousands of years ago. It is tradition to make those masks in a new warrior’s mask. It says something in your language?”

“Yeah. It’s the name of the people who made them, and the date,” Shun answers, the others leaning over to look at the engraving. “But this doesn’t make sense. You guys have been here for thousands of years, but this date is only about a hundred years ago…”

“Indeed? How odd…”

“There’s definitely some kind of time displacement going on here,” Kusuo suggests. “There were 1921 engravings on those statues and carvings in the Valley of Tombs, as well.”

Hairo frowns. “But all the other time displacements have been things from the past in our time. It looks like some group from the 1920s ended up in ancient times. What caused that? Was it just the island?”

“Ugh, my head hurts,” Reita groans. “This island’s all messed up timewise, we get it! Can we stop thinking about it now?”

The group all chuckle, except for Kusuo, who rolls his eyes.

“Regardless, they must have been honoured craftsmen, to forge the masks of our brave forebears,” Varyyn says.

Aren sighs. “Sucks that there’s no Wi-Fi here. If there was, we could just look up the guys who made it.”

“Well, nothing we can do about it!” Hairo shrugs. “Come on, let’s meet up with the others!”

Kusuo slowly bites at some kind of fruit dessert, its sweet taste making him smile slightly. Nearly everyone else is also sitting around a long table, laughing and feasting. Seafood and fruit dishes are placed all around, colourful drinks scattered about. The only members of the group missing are Metori and Touma, still out on the scavenger hunt. Chiyo slurps what looks to be a fruity mocktail of sorts, having given up on the game. Seraxa and a few Vaanti children are playing with a ball nearby, Furball skittering about at their heels.

Chisato devours a lobster before grinning. “Guys, guys…let’s promise we’ll do this again when we get back home.”

Agreements immediately sound across the group. Even Lila manages to weakly life a thumbs up before throwing up into the bushes once again.

“Yeah! We can throw a big party as celebration!” Aiura cheers.

“And go to the arcade after!” adds Riki.

‘Absolutely not,’ Kusuo thinks. ‘Though I’ll definitely be dragged into it anyway…’

“How are we even gonna explain everything that’s happened to us?” Chiyo murmurs. “I mean, the fact that we’ve been away for six months, we're probably classified as missing!”

“Missing?” Shun repeats, frowning in worry. “If they did send search and rescue ships they would have given up after the first month. Everyone probably thinks we’re dead. Come to think, I wonder if we can find any evidence that people came to look for us in the first place…”

“Okay, let’s not think about that right now!” Imu laughs nervously. “We’re gonna get home, see our families again, get Kurayami’s ass in jail, and that’s all!”

Cheers rise from the group, Kusuo raising his glass in support. This madness being over was definitely something to look forward to, especially the part about Kurayami. Reita smiles weakly before glancing down at the table.

“Gotta admit, I’m gonna miss the Vaanti once we’re home.”

“Maybe we can set up some form of contact?” suggests Hairo. “We could fix the signal and give them phones…or smuggle them into Japan for visits and arrange for transport back?”

“The easiest way would be to just visit them, but I won’t be too keen to risk being trapped again,” Kokomi admits.

“I doubt any of our parents would let us come back considering the whole ‘missing for six months’ thing either,” says Aren.

“Hey, no thinking about that stuff right now! Hairo shouts. “We’re partying! Having fun! We’ll focus on getting home and everything later, okay?”

The group all chuckle, Kusuo shaking his head. Yes, because not having a plan on how to deal with everything once they got home was a superb idea.

A shout draws his attention as he turns to see Furball rush into the rainforest holding something in his mouth.

“Our ball!” Seraxa cries.

‘Don’t get involved, don’t get involved, don’t-‘

“I’ll get it,” Kusuo says, inwardly cursing himself. He really needed to get off this island, he was becoming too nice for his tastes.

He skulls the rest of his drink before running into the jungle after Furball. The fox darts through the foliage, a blue streak in a sea of green. He weaves through trees and leaps over a creek, Kusuo following him the entire way.

He eventually manages to reach out and grab the ball once they reach a small grove. Furball merely smiles, yipping happily despite Kusuo’s scowl. The fox’s ears suddenly prick up and he turns, Kusuo looking in the same direction.

A small concrete bunker rests ahead, similar to the shelter but much less dilapidated. Metori and Touma are standing in front of it, Kusuo walking up to them with Furball trotting at his heels.

“What is this place?” he asks.

Metori shushes him, holding up a hand. Touma glances at Kusuo, mouthing ‘listen’. Uncertainty and nervousness pool in his amethyst eyes.

Well that wasn’t worrying at all. Kusuo focuses on the sounds of the rainforest…ears straining until he finally catches it. A soft, electronic hum emanating from the bunker.

“There it is again,” Touma mutters.

“What is it?” Kusuo questions.

“We don’t know. We got a bit lost on The Neverending Scavenger Hunt and started hearing it out of nowhere,” Metori explains. “We followed it here.”

Kusuo frowns, walking up and tugging the door open. Might as well investigate. Furball whimpers, cowering behind his legs. He glances back at Metori and Touma, who look at him with grim agreement.

They step through the door. Worn-down scientific equipment is strewn about, wires crackling and lights flickering overhead. The rust on the walls and pipes suggest that the bunker isn’t particularly new.

Furball lets out a small growl, Kusuo’s eyes widening at the familiarity of the building.

“It looks like this connects to the same tunnels as the emergency shelter near The Celestial…” he realises.

Metori grimaces. “I am not going in any tunnels that we find.”

Touma bends over a beat-up computer, pulling out his metal stick to tinker with it. Kusuo and Metori sift through a pile of old papers on a desk nearby. Scribbles adorn them; there are notes regarding the Vaanti, The Endless, the volcano, spacetime energy…

“What is this?” Kusuo mutters.

“I suppose one of my father’s research outposts,” Metori scowls. “A particularly old one, by the look of it. These notes go back at least twenty years…”

The hum sounds again, Furball growling with his fur sticking up. Kusuo turns to see a blue light weakly pulsing on a console nearby.

“So that’s where it’s coming from,” says Metori.

Touma immediately moves to the console and computer attached to it, reaching into a panel on its side.

“The power supply in here is very weak. The signal can barely get through,” he states. “But I think if I do this…”

He presses two wires together, tying them close with a loose vine. A loud whirr sound reverberates through the bunker as lights from devices flicker erratically. Computer code scrolls by on all the monitors within.

“There! We have our very own functional Saiko Industries computer!” Touma announces, beaming.

“Are we sure that’s a good thing?” Kusuo frowns.

“It could have information we can use. What’s the worst that could hap-“

Metori is interrupted by a fixture overheard trilling electronically. The light turns blue, flickering onto the ground and forming into the shape of a familiar holographic woman.

Iris’ expression is urgent as she looks at them. “Now, don’t be frightened-“

“You!” Metori cries.

Furball begins barking loudly and aggressively. Touma immediately moves to try and untie the wires, Iris’ eyes widening.

“Wait! Listen to me! There’s something I have to tell you!”

Kusuo feels his shock dwindle away as he stares at her. As soon as Iris came out, his mind had gone into fight or flight, thinking of all the worst scenarios. But her expression and tone…how she had acted in the temple and how she was acting now…

He always hated gut instincts. Especially because they tended to win against his thoughts in too many situations.

“Akechi, wait! Hear her out!” he says.

Touma glances back at him in panicked confusion, Furball stopping his assault on their ears to tilt his head at the scene. Metori shoots Kusuo a bewildered glance.

“Are you out of your mind, Saiki?! That thing is a direct line to my father!”

“I know. But if we’re compromised because of her, it’s already too late,” explains Kusuo. “Let’s at least see what we can get out of her.”

Touma frowns, but pulls back from the box. They all turn to Iris, who exhales in relief. She regards them with both desperation and sadness, particularly Metori.

“I know you probably don’t trust me…how could you? But I swear I’m telling the truth,” she says. “I know how to get you home.”

The tense silence turns stunned as the trio stare at her. Touma glances at Kusuo, who briefly looks to him before turning back to Iris, who bites her lip nervously.

“I know, I know, it sounds positively insane,” she admits, voice wobbly. “But I’m not lying. I can get you off this island, back home, all of you.”

Her tone, her urgency…Kusuo purses his lips.

“You sound…different, Iris.”

Touma nods. “The British accent…more emotional and honest…more human.”

“Well, I don’t buy it for an instant!” Metori scoffs, snapping out of his shock. “I don’t care how human she seems now, with whatever upgrade my bastard of a father gave her. This is still a trap!”

Iris looks at him desperately. “Metori, please, you have to trust me.”

“Why? Why should I trust you?”

“You know why, darling.”

Metori stiffens slightly, expression clouding over with confusion. His eyebrows knit together as though deep in thought, a shred of concern flitting through Kusuo at the sight. Metori glances back up at Iris.

“What do you mean?” he asks, voice now uncertain. “What do I know?”

Iris’ lip quivers as she gazes at him in thinly veiled despair. “I know you were very young when I left you…but isn’t there some part of you that still remembers me…?”

Kusuo and Touma exchange a bewildered glance. Possible scenarios and past memories flit through Kusuo’s mind at lightning speed. Very young…memories…Metori’s folder…1908…

Metori’s face turns white as snow and he staggers back with a strangled noise. His hands tremble as he looks on at Iris, who is gazing at the floor.

“It-It can’t be…” he stutters. “You-You’re dead.”

“Yes, Metori, I am…”

Iris looks back up at him, a saddened, strained smile making its way across her face.

“But I’m still your mother.”