As Eiwar's words drifted through the silence, they drowned his realm in a strange and heavy layer of confusion. Hundreds of questions crossed Tifalla's mind in an instant, but she knew many of them simply had no true answers. Eiwar, after all, only knew everything that wasn't himself.

  Even so, if his words rang true, and his… “Lord” took his memories, then they were the one who left him in his current state. They were the reason that the Virtuosas of time could not be remembered. The Lords were, additionally, created by something greater. No records exist of such knowledge, leaving Tifalla somewhat at a loss on how to approach the information. Was it true? Eiwar never lied to her, but how could she know if she didn't ask?

  To Tifalla, the notion itself held some merit. Eiwar was described to her as a kind and merciful Lord. A curious and knowledgeable being that held a strong understanding of humanity. The Eiwar she saw before her eyes held some of those qualities… but something was missing; a lost piece that couldn't be put into place. If it was taken by a higher power, something utterly unknown to humanity, then the results wouldn't be surprising. Something about him was deeply amiss. He only just now recalled how to smile.

  It felt absurd to not ask anything more. Yet, equally, it felt absurd to try. If he knew more, he would say more. Yet, Eiwar only quietly continued holding her hand. Tifalla stood with her mouth partially agape and eyes widened. For her, the information wasn't difficult to process, but every question she had could ultimately be traced to one; why? When her mind reached that daunting wall, she decided to push her luck.

  “Who is this Lord…? Why did they take from you?” she asked.

  Eiwar's silence was its own answer. His gaze remained distant from hers, focusing instead on the hand he held. With his silence came Tifalla's.

  She was far from frustrated or upset with him. Though certainly taken aback, reeling, even, she felt glad. Glad that he could smile; for that too was a good thing in her eyes. Her hand flexed in his grasp and Eiwar watched the shifts like a cat observing prey. In order to get his attention, Tifalla leaned down again to peer into his eye. When he finally looked at her, she smiled. To reassure, and to soothe.

  He smiled back.

  Eiwar was a curious being to Tifalla. He was a Lord, an idea, the very fabric of time as she knew it. His body barely kept a human form, and his understanding of human nature was fragile. He was a chrysalis. Ever so easy to break, but ever changing, and ever evolving. She knew not of what he could become. But it was something she could recognize as similar to herself. Perhaps not human, no, but not worthy of utter disregard either.

  This realization came with discomfort, however. Everything she endured came with the knowledge that the one to inflict it was inhuman. She was not chosen by a person, she was chosen by a thing. To see Eiwar as an equal, as Harriet told her so, would be to recognize his quiet cruelty.

  But, Tifalla didn't wish to be angry over this injustice. She was curious about him, and eager to learn more. Yet the more she learned, and the more he changed, the harder it became to smile in the face of her own approaching death.

  Was it wrong of her to still try? Was she a fool? Persistent? Some ridiculous matrimony of both?

  Of course she was. She was not a child, but she was prone to decisions that simply made no sense.

  “My Lord,” she murmured, “can I...”

  Tifalla paused. In that instant, she felt something against her skin. What began as a faint warmth slowly turned to searing, biting, pain. Her hand, still held secure in Eiwar's, began to burn. Her reaction was swift. A painful wince contorted her features, and soft hiss left her lips. For a spell, Eiwar was visibly confused by her behavior. She knew then that it wasn't his doing. His eye narrowed at a sight behind her. His smile faded and he let her hand go.

  Something was, without a doubt, wrong.

  “You must awaken…” he said, urgency replacing his normally languid tone. “They are trying to warn you…”

  The searing pain began to spread. From hand to arm, from arm to face. Tifalla only had so much time to turn her head and see what Eiwar saw before waking.

  Behind her, a once peaceful field was filled with the erratic movements of the butterflies. They flew in clusters, flurries of light in a backdrop of darkness speeding through the air in incoherent patterns. They didn't dance so much as they rushed, and it was the last thing Tifalla saw before her eyes truly snapped open.

  A gasp filled her lungs with air. It was her one final respite before her body began to move ahead of her brain. She pulled herself from the snow, staggered forward, leaned against a tree, and looked at her surroundings. Nothing was visibly nearby, but she noticed a few butterflies settled on her hands, arms and face. They flew upwards, guiding her eyes towards the tree tops.

  There, she saw eyes peering down at her.

  “Ah,” she breathed.

  She had only a brief second to react. Tifalla threw herself out the way before the mass could descend upon her. Its landing crumbled the ground below, sending dirt, snow and rocks flying into the air. Through its cover, she could see ash blonde hair and feel a blazing heat that effortlessly cut through the cold air.

  It was Michi.

  Whilst Tifalla did land on her feet, her knees bent slightly as the sudden movement nearly knocked her over. When she rose to full height, she and Michi faced each other. Two sets of black eyes bore into one another, and at their side were their tacet bells. Michi held one hand behind her back, and Tifalla kept a hand on her blade.

  Apparitions slowly dotted Tifalla's vision. Some were yellow, others white, all spelled doom if she made the wrong move.

  For the time being, staying still was her safest option. Michi didn't look nearly as weakened as before. She could easily hurt, no, kill Tifalla in her current state. But she didn't. Not while she stood idle. Tifalla wondered how long she had been waiting for her to wake up. Was she waiting at all? Or did she just arrive? Her heart thundered in her chest as more and more questions arose, and as the maw of death drew ever closer.

  “Michi,” Tifalla said blankly.

  “Tifalla,” Michi said gleefully. “Fancy seeing you here.”

  Her tone was mocking, a condescension that only further unnerved Tifalla. She wasn't at all taking this seriously. Still, she had yet to make any moves. What was her angle?

  “Likewise,” Tifalla replied, pushing up at her furred collar. The less skin exposed, the better.

  “You've covered a lot of ground since we last met,” Michi said, wistful in tone.

  She began to rock on her feet, leaning from ball to heel. It wasn't an antsy or anxious move. Michi seemed wholly relaxed. Tifalla tried to look for signs of aggression, but only found a smiling Michi.

  “But I found you!” she exclaimed. “Your little friend got in my way last time, but here we are. She wasn't much of a challenge,” she said.

  Tifalla tensed up at her words. “Harriet? What happened?”

  Her voice wavered just a bit too much. Michi smelled blood in the water.

  She took a step forward. Tifalla took one back. The two continued moving, weaving past trees in a careful dance between them where no true distance was closed.

  Michi eventually stopped her pursuit. Her eyes were wide and piercing. She seemed to enjoy watching Tifalla's nerves jump beneath her skin. Without any words, Michi was able to strip back the layers of Tifalla's mind, and threaten to burrow deep beneath it.

  Tifalla couldn't let her.

  “Noooothing~,” Michi chirped, dragging out every note.

  Tifalla stopped next. She could feel her stomach drop. Michi was lying. That was clear as day.

  “What did you do to her?” Tifalla asked.

  “I told you! Nothing! How could I do wrong by poor Harriet?” Michi pouted.

  “You said she wasn't a challenge. Did you do something to her?”

  Tifalla's voice was rising. Against better judgement, she spoke louder and with greater desperation.

  “That? Just a slip of the tongue! Honest! I'd never do something like… burning her until she cooks from the inside out… Never!”

  She removed her hand from behind her back. Slowly, agonizingly, teasingly. She moved as if unveiling a present. Tifalla could eventually see the fabric bundled up in Michi's hands fully exposed. Several robes and coats were held, and when she tossed them to the ground, a small glint mixed in caught Tifalla's eye.

  It was a hairpin.

  Harriet's hairpin.

  Tifalla's heart stuttered, and her hand instinctively went to her chest to quell the heightened beating. It did little to help. The fabrics were undeniably Harriet's. Dyed black and covered in countless burns and singe marks, the clothes could barely be considered clothes anymore. Though she saw no blood, that only left Tifalla more horrified.

  Was Harriet truly gone?

  When? Why? How?

  “All because she wanted to play hero for you…” Michi then said.

  Tifalla's eyes widened. It was getting harder for her to breathe. Michi could see her gasping with every breath, desperately trying to remain calm. She could see the restraint fraying.

  “I didn't… want her to…!” Tifalla whispered, her eyes never leaving the hairpin.

  “Eh? But you left her behind. You ran while she suffered! She cried out for you, and you kept running!” Michi yelled, throwing her arms out.

  Her smile, her laugh, her joy all clashed with Tifalla's trembling gasps.

  “You're lying!” she yelled.

  Harriet couldn't be dead.

  “Am I? I'm sure you can tell, but I'm not good at this lying thing. She really didn't put up much of a fight.”

  Tifalla felt queasy. Just as the world began to spin out of control, a single voice grounded her.

  “She speaks in falsehoods…”

  She nearly choked. As Michi laughed in delight, Eiwar's voice managed to break through the fog building in her mind. Between the mounting terror and the calm of Eiwar's voice, Tifalla was left torn. Ultimately, she listened to what she wanted to hear most.

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  “She's lying?” Tifalla asked in her head.

  “Indeed… Only one has perished… To know when others have fallen… I am able to inform you…” he said.

  Michi twirled and swayed, singing grim hymns to no true tune.

  “I saw her fat sizzle up,” she whispered. “I could practically drink it! Her poor face looked so… what's the word here… beautiful? Or maybe handsome? I dunno, haha!”

  Michi only continued to gloat, rubbing salt into a wound that already closed up. Everything finally made sense to Tifalla at that moment.

  Michi was dangerous, a killer, but not nearly as depraved as she pretended to be. She wanted Tifalla to give up. She wanted to exploit a weakness in order to prevent her from wanting to escape. If Tifalla was overwhelmed by grief and guilt, she would make for an easier, more vulnerable, target. It felt so obvious that Tifalla was left utterly embarrassed when she realized.

  But, perhaps her position wasn't entirely disadvantaged then.

  “What will you do…?” Eiwar asked.

  “Something stupid, I think,” she returned.

  “Is that… something I should fear?”

  “Maybe.”

  Tifalla just had to push herself a little harder. She felt emerging tears at the edges of her eyes. Once the dam broke, they began to roll down her cheeks in waves. Lingering shock helped propel them, and she fell down to her knees to make herself appear smaller. She shivered, gasped, and cried, loudly. Not even for a moment could Michi discover that her ploy was a failure. She needed to believe Tifalla was truly broken.

  “You two must have been close,” Michi cooed, taking a step forward. “I never thought Harriet could settle down! All she ever did was open legs.”

  “DON'T TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!” Tifalla shrieked.

  If she could be frank, some of her true feelings slipped free. She had to reign herself in. Michi's mockery was cruel. Even entertaining it under a facade made Tifalla feel little besides unrelenting disgust. Still, she walked a delicate line. Michi couldn't suspect a thing.

  “Oh! Did I say that out loud? Sorry, sorry! I hope you'll forgive me.”

  Tifalla just needed Michi a little closer. Then this could end. Then she would stop.

  “Hey,” she said. “There's no need to worry. You'll be able to join her soon! Just come with me and I'll be sweet with you. We don't have to fight anymore, Tifalla,” Michi said, stepping even closer.

  Her suggestion sounded… nice to Tifalla. A part of her wanted to believe they didn't have to fight.

  But that was precisely why she had to act. Michi wouldn't just let her go.

  Tifalla continued to cry on the outside, whilst boiling with anticipation on the inside. She couldn't calm the aggressive trembling of her body, or her racing heart. Tears fell, but they were a smoke screen; Tifalla's lies poured from her body.

  It felt… strange of her; wrong to act so deceptively. Michi was being cruel, but cruelty was what led to survival. Tifalla needed to do the same. Even if she felt revulsion towards herself, even if her body felt nauseous at the idea, she needed to do this.

  The moment Michi stepped close enough, Tifalla closed the distance.

  Her hand slid from her face to latch onto her blade. She unsheathed it, and pointed it outward. Michi failed to react in time. With Tifalla's speed and the element of surprise on her side it was almost inevitable. Her blade sunk deep into Michi's thigh, tearing skin and carving through muscle. Not too dissimilar to carving the meat from an animal, Tifalla was left startled by the lack of resistance. Blood flew, but she pushed past it to continue. She wrenched the blade to the left and right inside Michi's leg, deepening the wound. Such awkward, but aggressive movements successfully managed to carve an even deeper, more grizzly gash. The pale fabric of both their robes were dyed a dark crimson as a result.

  Tifalla hated every second. The blood on her hands was warm, tacky and clung to the blade's handle.

  Michi screamed. Before she could attack in return, Tifalla pulled both herself and the blade away, leaping back and landing in a crouch low to the ground. She could feel her body pulse with adrenaline and energy. So much so that her trembling only continued. She could barely keep her hold on the blade steady. But she didn't have to. Michi was now weakened.

  “AGH—?! Y-YOU! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” Michi screamed.

  Tifalla knew she couldn't evade her so easily. Michi was faster, stronger, and far more destructive. Their fight from before, the burns from before, were proof. If Tifalla couldn't beat her in offense, she would just have to play defense. Lure her close, and strike when she's most vulnerable.

  By weakening her, Michi would be sloppier, messier. It gave Tifalla the opportunity she needed to run, of which she turned on her feet and gave herself a head start.

  Michi was infuriated by the sight.

  Her howls of rage could be heard even as Tifalla gained distance away from her. They were violent, yet anguished. Tifalla could only tell herself that it was necessary in order to escape. If Michi didn't pursue, they would never have to meet again. She could heal that wound, and everything would be fine.

  Was that her reality, or what she hoped would happen?

  Tifalla didn't dare look back to see the destruction Michi was creating in light of her deception. She could hear trees snapping and fire crackling.

  It seemed Michi would be approaching soon.

  “YOU THINK YOU DESERVE TO WIN?! YOU'RE A MONSTER! A COWARD!” she yelled.

  Tifalla was not so bold as to believe she deserved victory. She did, however, deserve to live out her remaining days on her terms.

  But was Michi wrong?

  She maimed her leg. She hurt her with hatred in her heart and ran from the consequences. Even with “peace” as an option, Tifalla chose cruelty and cowardice.

  But she did it to survive. Michi was lying to her.

  That was her justification.

  “I'm the monster?!" she called back “You killed Dali as Sirene's dirty work!”

  Tifalla could feel the heat at her back. Michi was soaring, desperately ringing her bell to explode and launch herself forward. She crashed through trees, melted the snow, and left behind embers that caught on lingering dry wood.

  The entire forest could burn, and Michi wouldn't care in the slightest.

  Tifalla could hear her cackling.

  “So what if I did?! If you're jealous, just know I'm going to kill her too!”

  She flipped through the air like a rag doll, only barely managing to orient herself at the last second to perch clumsily atop a branch.

  Tifalla was being hunted.

  “Y-You're just using others for your own gain! You deserve to win?!”

  “If I fight for it, of course I do! Let me teach you a lesson: NOTHING in this world is free! You have to fight for EVERYTHING!”

  Tifalla spotted an apparition ahead of her at the final second. She swerved to the left and watched as a flaming branch shot past her like a harpoon.

  Why? Why wouldn't she just stop? Tifalla's mind scrambled to find a solution. As it stood, she was right back where she started with Michi; only, she was far angrier.

  “You don't have to do this!” Tifalla cried.

  A large stone shot past her. She ducked her head to avoid it.

  “Of course I do. I have to win! I have to be the strongest!”

  More stones began to hail down from above. With Michi blasting each one forth with a small explosion, they flew like bullets. Tifalla could only avoid so many.

  One shot directly through her shoulder. Another pierced her layers and sliced deep into her thigh. Tifalla screamed, but continued to run amidst the blinding pain.

  “Once I am, I can burn it all down! For every transgression, for every abuse, is it so wrong of me to want that?!”

  Tifalla glanced back. Michi was still a ways away. Her leg was clearly holding her back. Every impact as she ran and jumped made her face twitch with agony.

  Tifalla only had one answer for her. She could neither lie nor embrace delusion.

  “No! It's not wrong!”

  The pelting rocks stopped. Tifalla didn't. Michi continued to pursue her, but she was eerily silent. Tifalla had the space to continue.

  “I know you're angry! It's not wrong to want to destroy everything because of it! B-But—!”

  Her shoulder throbbed in tune with her heart. The pain was dizzying. Tifalla could barely keep her words coherent as heavy breaths paused her every word.

  “But— we didn't get a choice either! Dali didn't get a choice! How is that fair!?”

  Tifalla wouldn't deny Michi's ambition, or her anger. It wasn't wrong to hold resentment for the injustice they faced. She didn't even care if Michi wished to win. She just wanted to be left alone.

  Was that so wrong?

  “I just want to go home! Why don't you?!”

  “THERE'S NO HOME LEFT FOR ME!”

  With her cry, Tifalla could hear more trees burst. Fire began to spread so quickly that the trees well ahead of her began to catch fire. The smell of smoke gradually chased her. Though she could outrun Michi, she could barely escape the smog. She coughed, and covered her mouth with her sleeve.

  “CANTABILE TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!”

  Despite the sorrow in her voice, Michi continued to laugh. Tifalla could hear it draw ever closer. The louder it became, the clearer her underlying emotions became.

  A mixture of flame and spit spewed from her mouth as she screamed out everything within.

  “DO YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO BE TRAPPED WHILE YOUR FAMILY SUFFERED? TO NOT BE ALLOWED TO HELP THEM? DO YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO NEVER SAY GOODBYE!?”

  Tifalla wheezed, squinting as she pushed herself harder to escape. Her own limits were fast approaching and Michi proved to be far more relentless than she thought. Whatever drove her, whatever motivated her, it didn't care if her body was torn apart.

  It was only a glance, but Tifalla could see the damages Michi was causing with her movements. The blooming bruises, the scrapes, her twisted ankle and limp shoulder left her looking more broken than a person should be.

  Bodies weren't meant to endure so much. She simply looked… wrong.

  “I don't know, Michi, I'm sorry! But I know that I don't want to hurt you!” Tifalla shouted.

  She truly didn't. If Michi went any further, nothing could be healed. Her gift couldn't save her from where she was heading.

  And she didn't seem to care.

  “Well… we don't always get what we want! Ahaha! AHAHAHAHA!”

  Michi's laugh was haunting. She was clearly in pain, but it seemed entirely meaningless to her. She was just as ferocious and aggressive if not more so.

  The fires of Raunas spread even further, threatening to consume everything in its path.

  Tifalla would be engulfed by them soon. She could feel the outcome of flames climbing higher across her body. Her skin charring, her blood boiling, it was a torturous way to go. She could barely stand the fear steadily rising within. Tears brimmed at the edge of her eyes. She didn't know if it was out of fear, or despair.

  Why? Why did everything go so wrong?

  “Being the strongest isn't going to fix anything!” she shouted.

  “IT WILL. IT HAS TO! Once I win, no one can take from me anymore!”

  Tifalla dove between trees, taking cover behind sturdy bark as Michi drew closer. She would crash into each one, bruising and spraining muscle as she failed to land properly each and every time. The noises were sickening. Exploding wood, the smell of blood, and the blazing heat that followed her everywhere she ran made Tifalla's head spin.

  Did she not have enough yet?

  Tifalla could bide her time. She could wait until Michi tore herself apart. It would only be a matter of time given her wounds.

  But she wouldn't. She helped make this monster. It was up to her to stop it. Before Michi could do more harm, Tifalla had to stop running.

  “DON'T ACT SCARED NOW! WHERE DID THAT BRAVADO GO?! COME ON, LET ME SEE IT!” Michi screeched.

  Could she really do it? Stop Michi once and for all?

  How?

  Tifalla halted, suddenly. Her body would answer even if her mind refused to.

  She turned and prepared to face Michi directly. Blade and bell in hand, she stood in the face of her own death.

  Michi's approach was rapid. Apparitions and butterflies began to crowd Tifalla. She was forced to disregard most of them in order to stare into the eye of the storm.

  A canvas of red, orange, and yellow unfurled before her eyes. The rising flames were mesmerizing.

  In the center of the pyre was a monster concealed in flame. She jumped, pounced, and threatened to sink her burning claws into Tifalla. She could feel those claws melt her down into nothingness. But she could also see the fear in Michi's eyes and the tears burning away.

  She was afraid too.

  Michi could stop. Both of them knew she still had a chance. Just one more. If Michi chose to move, this could all end.

  When she neared, diving hand and head first toward her, Tifalla raised her blade.

  She begged, no, prayed for Michi to see the blade and dodge.

  But she didn't.

  The glee twisting her face remained. She drew closer, and closer, uncaring of the blade pointed right at her.

  She made her choice.

  Tifalla, horrified by this realization, reacted with fear. Her bluff was called and she was left wrought with panic. She attempted to dodge Michi instead. Her body could certainly do it, but the fight would be prolonged, and her wounds grievous.

  She thought, in her panic, about her next move. How could she end things?

  If she had stayed in place, would this ordeal be over?

  Tifalla already made her own choice. She simply couldn't face Michi head on.

  But—

  What if she did? If she steeled her nerves just a bit more, could she face the monster before her?

  Why? Why did she move?

  Ring… ring… ring…

  Her bell, jostled by the force of her movement, had rung.

  In a blinding instant, Tifalla's body was suddenly pulled back to where it was. Her arm was outstretched again, her grip on the blade was tight, and her feet were firmly planted where they once were. Everything about her was the same, but Michi continued forward.

  It was as if time itself wound back for just her body, putting her right where she was just a few seconds ago.

  This time, she couldn't dodge. Her blade found flesh much too quickly.

  Neither she nor Michi had time to react. By the time they could, Tifalla's blade had plunged into Michi's neck

  Losing all of her momentum, she crashed into Tifalla, sending them both to the ground.

  Tifalla's back hit the ground hard. She cried out, and a wave of dizziness and confusion left her defenseless against the woman above her. She expected to be burned, but she was instead faced with the sight of Michi struggling to stop her wound from bleeding. She choked, gurgled, and sputtered, raining blood down on Tifalla's horrified face. She tried to pull the blade away, but her fingers slipped on her own blood. She could only continue to weakly paw at her wound as life slowly faded from her eyes. Tifalla stared in disbelief, trembling as more tears welled up in her eyes.

  When Michi could no longer hold herself upright, her body fell onto Tifalla. The two remained there until both ceased their movements.

  Only one was still breathing.

  Tifalla stared at the sky as it was slowly dyed by fire. The air was stuffy and hot, but every breath she took, Tifalla could smell the floral oils lingering in Michi's hair. She could feel her blood soak her clothes and seep onto her skin.

  She should still be breathing.

  Right?

  “M-Michi…?”

  Her eyes began to look around, frantic and frenzied.

  “Mich– Michi!” she called again.

  The forest was silent. Even the flames around her seemed to flicker out and die as their cause slipped away. Snowfall replaced falling ash. Tifalla began to breathe rapidly. The cold was gradually returning to both the air and body on top of her.

  “M-Michi. Michi! MICHI!”

  She wasn't moving.

  Of course she wasn't. Why would she?

  Tifalla killed her and watched the life drain from her eyes.

  Her short breaths were quickly undercut by relentless screams.

  “Aauuhh… aahh…! AAAAAHHHHHHH!”