#his involvement to free the timeline and make sure it STAYS without risk of collapsing or outright war is still 100% valid

[mobiues]

i have so many things to say about the confrontational pie scene but to surmise: while i may somewhat understand s1lvie's frustration over mobius' overall seemingly flippant attitude, i do not actually think mobius deserves to be framed as though he did not care abt the state of things simply because he chose not to seek how his life was like on the timeline. mobius' interest to not see how his life was like is well within his right, something he gave viable reason not to pursue, and, most importantly, will not have swayed him either way to fight for the life he has now and/or what the tva could stand for when the multiverse war is on its way. s1lvie's undermining his efforts was not okay when mobius opened season two with him wanting to safely monitor and defend new branches against strong, unsure voices like dox

[black-streak]

Waiting for the Worms - Nobody Home

Part 7

Warnings less? In effect here? But still be aware of course. Condensing a lot for the sake of timelines matching up and consistency in pacing. (Okay, so maybe I have Mari's entire plotline figured out and am mostly playing Jason's by ear, call me out on it)

Closed list of nice people who I regularly hurt for amusement: @northernbluetongue @thethirdwheelfriend @shizukiryuu @theatreandcomicfreak @michellemagic @karategirl119 @moonlightstar64 @my-name-is-michell @mystery-5-5 @zalladane @queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm @miraculousdisapointment @dorkus-minimus @jardimazul @allthebooksandcrannies @g-arya @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @persephonescat @mycupisbroken @luciferge @18-fandoms-unite-08 @dawnwave16 @alwaysreblogneverpost @kris-pines04 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @weird-pale-blonde-person @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @kokotaru @naclychilli @slytherinhquinn @clumsy-owl-4178 @ladybug-182 @darkthunder1589 @evil-elf16 @dast218 @lysslovsanime @emilytopaz @naoryllis @iloontjeboontje @thepeacetea @danielslilangel @finallyaniguana @i-like-fairytail-and-stuff @vixen-uchiha @yuulxd @bleeding-heart-romantic @magic-inthe-stars @st0rmy-w1th1n

~---~

Jason woke up screaming to the sight of bright glowing green, only to snap back into the bedroom as Sabine burst in through the trapdoor. The petite woman ran up the stairs and collapsed beside him, throwing warm arms around his shoulders, tugging him down into the crook of her neck.

"Shh, shh honey, it's alright. It was just a dream, you're okay, I'm here."

He stiffened at first, only to melt into the embrace, meeting otherworldly blue eyes behind her. Tikki seemed to shake with concern, wanting to come to him, but unable to in the presence of his parental figure. 

Sabine pulled back a touch, stroking his head in gentle motions, meeting his eyes and guiding him through concentrated breaths until hia had evened out.

"Do you want to talk about it, sweetie?"

A wobbly smile broke on his lips at the sweet endearment as he shook his head and fell back into her embrace. He'd never adjust to being so thoroughly cared for and loved and supported, even if she didn't realize it was all directed at the wrong person. God, he hated lying to her. About where he was during akuma attacks. Why he stopped being friends with most of the class. Why in the year after her death, he had stepped down from most of Marinette's class responsibilities. About who he was and what he meant to her. He hated letting this wonderful, loyal, fierce woman think he was her daughter. 

Flashes of the toxic green flashed behind his closed eyes along with flowing red, reminding him why he woke in the first place.

Accepting the kiss on the cheek and reassuring Sabine that everything was okay, he waited until she disappeared down the steps and towards her own room, door firmly closed behind her before turning back towards Tikki.

"Are you okay, Jason?"

"Yeah… might be spending too much time with Plagg. Dreamt I was drowning in his eyes," he joked.

"That's awful, no wonder you were screaming," she tagged on, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Oh yeah, absolute nightmare."

"You're okay though."

"Yeah," he breathed out, turning over and feeling the kwami curl up on his hip and slowly fall back to sleep as he stared at the wall until morning.

…

Occasionally, someone worked up the nerve to ask him out. 

Whether because her physique appealed to them or his personality drew in a rather specific type. Usually, guys who thought they could tame him. Girls who wanted his aggression directed in passion. Saw her body and his anger and guilt displayed in a rather intimidating, distant contenance. Never one to start a fight, but quick to end one with a verbal lashing. Otherwise friendly when approached, but never the one approaching. Some thought him shy, others knew better and saw the fire within. All were turned away.

It made Jason sick to his stomach to think of dating these people with her body. To show affection and know he was using her body in that manner. And moreover, he couldn't stand the idea of ever being with someone who wasn't her. Sure, he knew many people dated around before meeting their soulmate or were only platonic with their other half and sought romance elsewhere, but none of them were in his position. None of them were living inside a dead other half's body, pretending to live their life. Surely if they were, they would feel the same. Not that he planned on sharing.

As it stood, he became a known heartbreaker at school.

…

He dreamt of flashing blades and splattered blood that night. He screamed himself awake once more. He wasn't sure why. It's not like he didn't risk his life everyday since he was ten. Something about the dreams got to him though.

…

Sometimes he forgot he wasn't her. This life he lived, this lie became his truth for just a moment.

Nothing epitomized this as much as the absolute defeat of Hawkmoth.

Jocular came up with the idea with the help of Fievel. The two came up with a strategy of using illusions and prodding mice to draw akumas further and further towards the outskirts of Paris, making stops along the way to toy with the angered victims until they did something reckless. Serval and Ladybug made sure to stay completely out of sight to ensure that Hawkmoth knew that his goal would not be reached with this line of action. Nimbus jumped in if the akuma came too close to any of the others to knock them off their feet and give the others a chance to create distance. If Hawkmoth's signature purple symbol glowed around their face, they knew they were still in range. Once the akuma seemed to go absolutely off the rails with no interference, they ended the battle quickly and marked the spot on a map of Paris. Once they made their first mark, they went slightly to the right of the previous fight, waiting to make the next mark and leading the following battle to the right of that until, like clockwork, they made a complete circle. 

With the circle complete, they took their map and drew a line from one point to the one directly across the map, until eventually they found the exact center.

The Agreste mansion. Oh, the irony.

The battle went surprisingly quick after that. They waited until they defeated an akuma close to the mansion, so that the Moth miraculous would need to recharge before it could activate again. Nathalie, who previously wielded the peacock, stayed out of the altercation, too sick to attempt anything. With Gabriel unable to transform yet and his assistant unable to fight back, they made quick work of apprehending the man, bringing the police into the atrium of butterflies and showing the underground garden that held his list wife. With a few threatened words whispered into his ear by Ladybug and Serval, Gabriel transformed in front of the police, allowing them to take pictures of everything as evidence of his actions. He also admitted his guilt into a tape recorder, to be used in court. Of course, they were all careful not to let any of the kwamis be seen by civilians throughout the arrest.

Finally, with the two adults arrested with their bodyguard and Adrien taken into custody for questioning, the heroes all disappeared into the dark night, the battle over and won.

They met back up in their headquarters, Fu's parlor. Luckily, throughout the years, the old master had never been found out, despite a handful of close calls. Mostly due to the group threatening the man back into hiding every time he considered getting involved. Still, the place became their haven. A place to relax and regroup without the fear of being overheard. That night, the group celebrated their victory, emotions haywire in a swirl of grief and anger and misery and elation and pure relief, letting everything flow out, the release long overdue.

Up until this point, the hunt of Hawkmoth over the last two months had kept Jason so busy that beyond the nightmares, he nearly forgot that they weren't celebrating with him, but with who they thought was Marinette. The constant use of false names and codes had helped further disillusion him. 

Now though, they hollered and sobbed and laughed together in their exuberance and they all congratulated him as their leader, as the one freed of the most responsibility, as the one who had battled from the beginning. He thanked them and rejoiced the end of an era. And then he went to her home.

He slipped in through the balcony and dropped into bed, the transformation sliding off as he went. That wasn't really his battle to win. His enemy to defeat. He knew that. She would've been happy to know that their team protected Paris. Broke it free from Gabriel's reign of terror. That they won. He wished she could've been there to see it. To take down her enemy herself. This was supposed to be her victory. He fell back into depression, knowing she'd never get to witness his defeat.

…

That night, he dreamt of shrouded figures. Of defending himself from multiple enemies. He dreamt of proud jade green eyes watching at a distance. 

…

It hurt so badly to let her dreams slip through his fingers. Muscle memory and basic knowledge from reading her old books on sewing led to an adequacy when mending old clothes, adding buttons, or customizing his own things to fit further to his style. This however, did not translate into her creativity and ability to take a concept and transform it into an original design.

At first, this raised suspicion and worry amongst their friends and family, but as time passed, they accepted that perhaps the inspiration had moved on. Jagged and Clara had shown their acceptance and support and told him if he ever got back into the game, to contact them first. Both protested and fought valiantly at first, but after a long conversation where he revealed that he simply couldn't bring himself to create the way he once had after losing his other half, the two had showered him in affection and backed off. The full truth was tragic, but the half truth was enough for them all.

The team had sensed the change since the beginning and upon finding his dwindling willingness to create, they thought perhaps moonlighting as ladybug drained it from him. Probably explained why he worked better with Plagg nowadays despite his attachment to Tikki. He allowed them to believe what they would as long as it meant not pushing him to design anymore.

He took to studying more, reading on any subjects that caught his attention at the moment, enjoying the freedom of no longer having a villain to fight. He kept up training with the team and her old martial arts classes. He also added in kickboxing for the hell of it. It became a wonderful outlet for his aggression without taking it out on his teammates.

Sometimes, on busy weekends or on breaks, he helped in the bakery. It was during one of these times that Tom brought him in to help develop a new flavor, that he found a love of creation again. Something about working side by side with Tom, discussing how different spices and fruits played off each other reminded him of early afternoons spent with Alfred. When tears sprung to his eyes at the thought of the older butler, Tom immediately drew him into a hug, asking what had made him cry. Jason gave a watery smile and simply said he had missed this.

After that, her parents started using him in the baking process more, allowing him to taste taste and make his own creations with their guidance. He was a decent baker, good enough to keep up with them and offer new takes on old classics, but they soon discovered that he truly came to life with cooking.

It was soon afterwards that he took over making dinner every night, releasing some of the pressure from Tom and Sabine to find time in the midst of shutting down the bakery. It also eased some of his guilt towards the two to have a way to pull his own weight within the family.

…

It had been about eight months since he first dreamt of toxic, luminescent green. It still visited him in his nightmares occasionally, engulfing him in horrific clarity. Sometimes he asked Plagg about it, only to be met with concerned, nervous eyes. Once he teased the little god about corrupting his soul, only to see a flash of fear quickly shroud itself in a huffy, put off demeanor. Plagg hissed at him and gave him the cold shoulder for three days after that. He never teased the kwami about the nightmares again.

Sometimes the dreams still held flashes of silver and red, dripping blood off steel, of shrouded aggressors. Of proud jade green, watching him at all times, assessing him, observing and glinting with a hidden glee.

It was a couple months after the two year anniversary of her death that something changed.

He dreamt of jade green eyes, staring up at him from a much lower height than the last set, coming closer, looking curious and guarded, yet hopeful.

[rainsonata]

Doppelgänger 12/15

Chapter 12: Mirage  

Fandom/Pairing: Elsword; none Rating: T Word Count: 7,924 

Summary: It was like looking into a mirror. What happens when one’s reflection talks back and throws uncomfortable questions? El Search Party struggles to find entrance into the Demon Realm, but Dominator has a plan.   

Alternative Title: Dominator fucked up and now everyone meets their alternative selves    

AO3 Link  I  FF.NET Link

— [Chapter 01] [Chapter 02] [Chapter 03] [Chapter 04] [Chapter 05] [Chapter 06] [Chapter 07] [Chapter 08] [Chapter 09] [Chapter 10] [Chapter 11] [Chapter 12] [Chapter 13] [Chapter 14] [Chapter 15] —  

----------------------------

Class Notes: 

Canon Path: Knight Emperor, Aether Sage, Daybreaker, Rage Hearts, Code: Esencia, Comet Crusader, Apsara, Empire Sword, Doom Bringer, Ishtar and Chevalier (Innocent), Bluhen   

Alternative Path: Rune Master, Oz Sorcerer, Anemos, Furious Blade, Code: Ultimate, Fatal Phantom, Devi, Flame Lord, Dominator, Timoria and Abysser (Catastrophe), Richter

---------------------------- 

Doom Bringer

The sky was brimming with stars, a dark celestial canvas interrupted by the numerous portals cracked into tight creases at the edge of their campsite. Moonlight shone over his exposed skin, smooth and free of blemishes from injuries that would have taken days to heal without magic. Older scars cracked over his skin like the faded constellations outlining the night sky. It would appear that the priest took pity and healed him while he was asleep. Bringer imagined the two-faced bastard’s smug expression and chuckling about how rash the brawler was to charge headfirst into battle. He hated that Bluhen was correct. 

Bringer brought his face to the edge of the stream, cupping his hands and washing his face, letting the water drip off his chin and trickling down the lines of his neck. A sigh of relief escaped from his lips, the pain in his throat dulled as he gurgled on water from the stream. His focus sharpened and he closed his eyes to slow down his thoughts.

Ruffled leaves and whispers interrupted Bringer’s train of thought. Irritation was replaced by mild curiosity, Dynamo twirling and searching for the source of the new noises. Careful not to make a sound, he approached from behind with caution and forced Dynamo to hold still. Hiding in a set of shrubs nearby, Bringer kept his head low and leaned in to see three figures talking among themselves between a set of trees. 

“Add?” Crusader-, wait, it was the other lab rat. The voice was too quiet to belong to Crusader, sullen and carried weight.  

Bringer’s shoulders tensed, running through numerous scenarios in his head when he heard his name. A youthful face peeking from the corner of the forest, Phantom looked past Bringer with a serious expression. In his hand was a set of silver shooters fitting snugly between his hands as he tested the trigger with mild interest. Its white and black with electric blue lining physique was enough for Bringer to identify it as a product of Hamel artillery. 

“Are you sure about this?” Phantom asked. 

“Would I joke about something like this?” The man asked. 

His back was turned for Briner to see a power symbol stitched into the back of his white coat. A white fringe swept across the man’s face, hiding a mechanical eye and a scar running down the left side of his face identical to Bringer’s. Sitting opposite to Phantom was Dominator reading off data from a previous battle off of hologram screens.  

“Can’t you return through one of those portals?” Crusader’s brows creased into his forehead with visible worry. 

"There isn’t sufficient data to identify which one of those will lead back to our original dimension.” Dominator explained, “A portal can lead us to a time before any of us were born and create paradoxes. I think you understand our tendency to cause more problems than solve them. Of course, with the twenty-four of us, maybe there’s a higher possibility of arriving at a solution with minimal errors.” 

A scowl formed on Bringer’s face, annoyed by his counterpart’s tangential chatter. This guy was full of it and liked listening to the sound of his own voice. Chuckling to himself, Dominator sat with his legs crossed as he offered his explanation to the lower plebs. It took Bringer a moment to register that the asshole was sitting on Dynamo. The Nasod weapons appeared in the form of six cubes the size of his hands. Not only did they share the same weapon, but had the same power symbol on their clothes. 

“Why does the Demon Realm become unstable if all of you stay here?” Crusader asked. 

“It’s not just here,” Dominator said. “It can impact other dimensions too, including Elrios. Having extra copies of people pushes this dimension at its limit. Adding more people places too much stress and can make it collapse.” 

“Was coming here a mistake?” Phantom whispered, “We already lost Elsword once and we don’t know where the Dark El is. We’re placing others in danger because our existence is making this Demon Realm unstable.” 

“We wouldn’t have met if you hadn't come here. There has to be another way,” Crusader tried to console his alternate with an encouraging smile. “I’m sure we can figure out how to make this work like Dominator said.” 

“I’m not sure if returning to our original dimension would necessarily restore the stability of yours. The damage may or may not be permanent,” Dominator mused. “It’s a shame we have limited information to test the concept.”

“How long does your friend plan to eavesdrop?” Phantom asked. 

“Huh? Who is?” Crusader gawked to where Phantom was pointing with his gloved hand. His eyes followed to where Bringer was and yelped, “How long were you lying there, Add?” 

“He was making so much noise, I could hear him breathing from behind.” Magenta eyes met Bringer’s and Dominator chuckled. “Look who finally woke up.” 

Bringer raised to his feet and glared down at Dominator with his hands clenched into fighting fists. Dynamo shook in anger with its creator, electricity sparked at its ends. The all-knowing smirk and boyish face were irritating, delighted in pointing out the obvious and entertained by Bringer’s existence. 

“It’s good to see you’re okay!” Crusader sensed the tension between the two researchers. “Ain told me you wouldn’t be awake for a while.” 

“It’s the priest’s fault we lost to amateurs,” Bringer said. 

“Is that so?” Ignoring the last part of the insult, Dominator scanned the brawler with newfound interest. “I heard a different story from your healer.”

Crusader’s cries of concern were muted when Dynamo froze. It lowered itself as Bringer rubbed the back of his head before forcing the weapons to levitate back up. His counterpart came into contact with and by El, possibly talked to Bluhen. What kind of information could the priest have possibly shared to Dominator? It was already bad enough to lose to a bunch of copycats that had no right to look like members of the El Search Party. 

“What did the bastard tell you?” Bringer asked. 

“Where did you pick up such vulgar language?” Disapproval played on Dominator’s features. “You passed out because you insulted and ignored your healer.”

Of course that’s what Bluhen told Dominator, Bringer snorted. The brawler was expecting that type of answer from the man who claimed to be a ‘priest’. Despite speaking about a goddess no one in the party had heard of, Bluhen was often caught in the spotlight of being uncertain of the nature of the El. He retained a glass-like gaze when demons were involved and sometimes lost control of his emotions. There was no doubt that Bluhen was motivated in protecting the El Search Party, but he spoke like an old man and never called Bringer by his actual name.  

“Weren’t you the one who brought the entire team to the wrong dimension?” Bringer accused the scientist.

‘Eager to identify my errors?” Dominator said, “I won’t deny that I input the wrong coordinations to overcross your timeline, but this is indeed the Demon Realm and the Dark El is here.”

“We arrived at this dimension before you did,” Bringer said. “You’ll have to look elsewhere for the Dark El.” 

“Hm, I suppose you’re right.” Dominator agreed. Huh? The scientist said, “Which is a real shame because I thought it would be interesting to see all the effects of two timelines crossing. I’m sure you have questioned the same when you did your calculations to go back.”

“What does that mean?” Crusader asked Bringer. “Go back where?” 

Shit, Dominator was going to reveal their identities if he allowed the scientist to keep talking. He didn’t know how much the opposite party knew about Dominator’s-, their past, but it wasn’t a risk he was willing to let loose. Bringer let out a boisterous laugh. Ignoring the stares from Crusader and Phantom, he had his arms crossed to show the markings on his forearms.

“Sounds like to me we share a common interest,” Bringer said. “Both of us are looking for the Dark El, but there is only one in this dimension. You would need to find a different plane of the Demon Realm to acquire it and stabilize the El in your dimension.     

“What are you suggesting?” Dominator asked. 

Analyzing Bringer with attentive eyes, the scientist read his anxiety and let go of the previous comment he made. Not unlike Bluhen, his true intentions were shielded by forced smiles and played confidence. When untampered by others, Dominator had an unreadable expression with a trace of a sober smile   

“We’ll have to look at that machine and figure out the coordinates to get you back to Elrianode and to another dimension of the Demon Realm.” Bringer said. 

“You’re offering your skills?” Dominator looked skeptical. “Do you even know the coordinates for the Elrianode we came from?”    

“N-no.” Bringer turned red. 

“Guess that puts us back to square one, but it was generous of you in wanting to help, Add.” Crusader said. 

The demons that invaded Velder must have found a way to reach Elrios despite having limited resources. Dominator may have entered the wrong dimension, but he was on the right path in discovering an efficient way to travel between timelines. 

“Paradox can manipulate those portals,” Phantom said. “I talked to Elsword and he thinks finding him is the key to getting out of here.”

Opposite to his counterpart, Phantom retained his voice at a lower volume, forcing others to stop talking and listen. His voice rarely went above speaking volume, an admirable feat in the midst of all the screaming idiots from both teams.

“Paradox?” Crusader asked, “The one who kidnapped our Elsword? Elsword said that Paradox tried to get us to fight each other and disappeared as soon as our friends found them. I agree that we should find Paradox, but why would he go through all the trouble of kidnapping Elsword?”

Bringer felt two pairs of eyes looking at him and Dominator, who had an equally confused reaction as the brawler.  

“Why are you looking at us?” Bringer asked. He didn’t like the way they were looking at him and his alternate. 

“I haven’t even met this man yet and you expect me to know what goes through that skull of his?” Dominator let out a long sigh, “You’re so quick to jump to conclusions.” 

“Well, Paradox is both of you.” Crusader said. “Maybe he’s testing out his powers?” 

“His movements were fluid,” Phantom disagreed. “He must have had these powers for at least a few years.” 

“Why does it matter what his motivation is?” Bringer asked, “We find him and we use his powers to bring you back to the other side. Fight first, ask questions later.” 

Talking to Dominator didn’t make it difficult to imagine another version of himself, but to learn that Paradox could control time and space was evidence that time travel was possible. Finding Paradox could be proven useful in providing vital data to use in the future, Bringer thought. The others were already in agreement that chasing after Paradox should be a priority. However, getting Paradox to cooperate would be another matter. He glanced over his shoulder to see Dominator sighing.  

“Meathead,” Dominator scoffed. 

Bringer twitched. Grabbing Dominator by the collar of the turtleneck, the brawler glared at the man in white. “What did you call me?” 

“Do I need to intervene and restrain you both?” Phantom cocked his silver shooter. His icy gaze left little else for interpretation. 

“That won’t be needed,” Dominator laughed as if he wasn’t about to be punched by his counterpart and threatened by a brat shorter than him by almost a head. “I suppose that will give you a chance to test out that new installation I gave you.” 

“Yes and if I remembered correctly, you said you don’t make mistakes,” Phantom said with a rare smile. 

“Let him go, Add!” Crusader rushed over to shake the brawler off of Dominator, which wasn’t hard to do because the younger man had impressive strength most wouldn't have expected from someone of his stature.  

Bringer dropped Dominator and the scientist collapsed, shaking as he cackled while lying on the ground. The other El Search Party was weird, the brawler groaned. They were testing his patience with their weird quirky personalities that were opposite of their alternates while retaining the more annoying characteristics.  

“You really piss me off,” Bringer growled. 

“Yes, and you’re as boorish as you are impatient.” Dominator chuckled, "What kind of name is Doom Bringer? Is that a title you picked out when you were ten?” 

"Shut up, you wouldn't get it." Bringer scowled. 

"Then explain."

Taken back by his alternate’s question, Bringer was speechless in how to answer. He wondered why would someone go by the title Dominator and what that entailed for a man who chose to deviate his path from what Bringer had become. There was a lot about Dominator he didn’t understand and wished to run analysis on the other’s Dynamo to compare differences between their programs.  

“It’s channeling destructive powers and bringing doom to enemies,” Bringer said. 

“If you say so, Doom Doom.” Dominator smirked. “Very cute.” 

Bringer twitched, “Don’t call me that!”  

“Come on, Doom Doom.” Phantom said, “I see Ciel coming towards us. Dinner must be ready.”  

“I’m hungry!” Crusader got up on his feet, “Let’s eat!” 

“I’m not Doom Doom!” Bringer’s cries fell on deaf ears. 

Dominator allowed Crusader and Phantom to walk ahead towards the main part of the camp, keeping a distance from the two protectors of Hamel. His pale face was further illuminated by the lighting of the moon. It was clear that he had something on his mind because he kept looking back to make sure Bringer was following. Once out of their earshot, he turned to the brawler and ushered him to come forward. For once, the scientist had a serious expression and spoke with a light tone in an attempt to reduce the weight in words.  

“Still pursuing that dream?” Dominator sighed, “I knew you were stupid, but I didn’t think you were foolish.” 

“Why does it concern you?” Bringer asked, “You have no involvement in this.” 

“No, but I’ve done the calculation and numbers don’t lie.” Dominator said, “Going back would simply create new timelines, not restore what once was. I think you already know that.” 

Admittedly, Bringer had not stopped to consider the likelihood of creating new timelines out of his planned attempts to return to the past. Dominator saw his hesitance and frowned, visibly judging the brawler. 

“Are you trying to stop me?” Bringer glared. 

“No, but I think it will be important to find Paradox and hear his thoughts on our predicament. I’m sure he’ll have an opinion about time-traveling and dimension-hopping.” Dominator said, “I highly doubt he achieved his goal if he has the time to scare people and kidnap them.” 

“Why haven’t you asked me questions about going back until now?” Bringer asked. 

“Because I know it isn’t your highest priority.” Dominator said, “You wouldn’t be staying with those people if you were truly pursuing that goal.” 

Bringer suddenly became self-conscious. They barely knew each other and he could feel the scientist’s eyes cross-examining him, likely fighting the urge to ask hundreds of questions regarding his physique and the visible Nasod armor merged into the rest of his body. Even more follow up questions about his relationship with El Search Party if he was to go off of Dominator’s last comment.   

“You don’t have to tell me if I’m right or wrong.” Walking past Bringer, Dominator had a genuine smile. “Words are pointless unless you act on them, don’t you think?”

“Whatever,” Bringer shoved his hands into his pockets. “You talk too much.” 

Dominator’s laughter filled the air, but it wasn’t an unkind one. 

---------------------------- 

Knight Emperor

Dinner was uneventful, a rare reminder to what their lives were before they were trampled over by all the responsibilities upon uncovering the El in Elrianode. People sat scattered in circles and in smaller groups in noisy chatter, talking over one another as some scrambled for seconds. They shared a moment of relief when Daybreaker and Chevalier offered to make more food for their growing party after Ishtar and Apsara fought for the last portion.   

Battle tips and crafting recipes were shared among the thrilling stories tailored by exaggerations and excessive gestures. For the first time since they first entered the Demon Realm, there was optimism in people’s tones. Expressions lightened and there was more laughter with the new additional people.

Dominator held up Blade’s Nasod arm to show to Bringer, who was unconvincingly feigning disinterest by straining back a smile. Unbothered by Dominator’s antics, Blade continued eating with his human arm while he and Rage listened to Empire explain a new battle tactic. Flame was pushing Devi to the side and giggling over something the martial artist said, her face was flushed red. Knight spied a map of Varnimyr laid out between a group with Aether, Crusader, Ultimate, and Phantom drawing lines and making plans about tomorrow. Oz, Anemos, and Esencia were pointing out the constellations in the sky and comparing them to those of Elrios.             

Timoria and Abysser spoke enthusiastically about dessert when Knight got up to leave. His mind had already trailed off somewhere in the idle of Richter’s in-depth lecture about the goddess. As much as he liked Richter, the pressure caused by his migraine worsened every time the El was mentioned. Richter abruptly stopped talking and looked mildly insulted when Knight excused himself. Stealing a glance to his counterpart, Bluhen was more concerned and asked if Knight needed to rest. Ignoring the pounding in his head, Knight shook his head and left.  

He felt a pair of eyes bore into his back. 

It was still night when Knight returned to the stream where he washed the wild boar earlier in preparation for dinner. After days of his absence, it felt natural to return to a routine in search for a sense of normalcy. Water dripped between his fingers when he lowered his head to take a drink. One of the moons already disappeared, reminding him of home.     

“It’s like Elrios, don’t you think?” Rune sat beside him. 

“Why are you following me?” Knight asked. 

In the brief moments he interacted with Rune, the leader of the El Search Party learned they were different people diverged from the same roots. In the face of danger, Rune badgered others and tested his boundaries with a hidden motive. There was a wall barricading between Rune and those he talked to. Knight wondered if Rune was aware of it. 

“Was everyone too much for you?” Rune didn’t answer his question. A playful smile teased on his lips, “I can’t imagine you had time to rest since you came back. There’s no end to their questions and there’s always something urgent you need to know.” 

“Yeah,” Knight agreed. “That’s how it always was.” 

“Hm, do they know how you feel about it?” Rune said, “They’re expecting a lot from you.” 

“Everyone is playing their part to work together and find the Dark El,” Knight closed his eyes, “The least I can do is keep them together and make sure no one is left behind.

“A noble commitment,” Rune chuckled. “You really are the perfect leader.” 

Thoughts rushed through Knight’s head, each one clambering over one another until his brain turned to mush. He forgot that Rune was there. Losing sense of himself, Knight saw the trees surrounding them, suddenly taller than he remembered. Rune’s words echoed in the enclaves of his mind like a tattered ad plastered all over Velder walls. His mouth went dry, unable to make sense of himself beyond the raw emotions of anger and restlessness.    

Perfect was a word too many people used without thought or consideration. What did the word mean if it applied to him? A random village boy who happened to be related to the knight captain of the Velder army. There were others like him who would have killed to be in his position, to be granted the responsibility to guard and protect the El. Is that what perfect meant to Rune? He almost lost his sister to the El and his friends because of his decision in Elrianode. Knight didn’t understand why Rune would envy him.   

“I’m not perfect,” Knight gritted his teeth. 

“You mean you’re not?” Rune had his hands on his hips, “You found a way into the Demon Realm without putting your friends in danger. You worked together with Dark Elves to secure an exit for them against an enemy that hasn’t even arrived yet. By all accounts, you’ve done everything I failed to do.” 

“Failed? Aren’t you from the past?” Knight was in a daze, “You’re at least a few weeks behind us.” 

“Yes, but I already failed the first step into getting all of us safety into the Demon Realm.” Rune said with a dry laugh, “This place is becoming unstable because of us. I’m not sure what it will mean for the Demon Realm if we were to keep going and remove the Dark El. They’ve relied on it for years and now we’re taking that away from them.” 

Despite having two demons in his team, Knight never considered how removing the Dark El would impact the Demon Realm. It made sense why Nephilim Lord wasn’t quick to trust them and wanted the El Search Party to take care of the chaos that had plagued Varnimyr. He was surprised to hear Rune’s concern about the Demon Realm inhabitants.  

Their progress was hardly a success if going by Rune’s definition, Knight thought. They found an entrance to the Demon Realm through a loose rift in time and space by sheer luck. It was a one way trip with no certainty on how to return to Elrianode if they needed to deliver a message to the El Masters and priestesses. 

“The Henir cultists might get to the Dark El first even if everything went to plan,” Knight said. “I might hurt my friends again because I’m making them fight something that might be too strong for them.” 

Paradox said he wasn’t strong enough. What did the time traveler know yet refused to speak up when Knight asked? His words haunted the red-haired knight in a condescending tone mixed with bemusement by Knight’s confusion. 

“You’re not making them do anything,” Rune said. “Oh, Knight. Can’t do wrong, hero of Elrios and those that followed him. At least that’s what I believed at first. Your friends aren’t fighting because you’re forcing them. They’re doing it because they believe in you and won’t stop talking about you.” 

“I’m not sure if I deserve it,” Knight leaned forward. “What if I’m making the wrong choice? We already had to fight Ignia once because I thought she was an ally.”

“Isn’t she on your side now with the El Masters and the other priestesses? That counts for something, right?” Rune sighed, “I mean, yeah, it sucks that you got betrayed by her, but it worked out for you.”

“Too many close calls,” Knight shook his head. 

“Isn’t that always the case?” Rune chuckled, “If you wanted to be safe, you would have stayed in Ruben. You did what you thought was the best option for everyone. You’re not tricking anyone into doing something they don’t want to do. The way your friends talk about you makes me a little jealous.” 

It bothered Knight when he saw that Rune always found a way to bring the conversation back to him. They have spent the entire duration talking about Knight when he knew little of his counterpart. Did Rune know these things because they shared these experiences or because he talked to Knight’s friends? It was hard to find Rune before because the rune user serenaded around the different team members to learn their quirks before hopping over to the next person. His devotion to learn everyone’s titles for nicknames was admirable and tiring to watch even for the amicable Knight.       

“Why do you keep doing that?” Knight asked. 

“Doing what?” Rune avoided his eyes. 

“Talking about yourself like that,” Knight said. “Your friends were worried about you. Richter was looking for you earlier and wouldn’t stop asking me about you. Your sister looks at you like you’re the world to her and Phantom, uh…” 

“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” Rune waved his hand at Knight. “You’re not wrong, I get that. It’s just embarrassing when you say it like that.” 

“But it’s true!” Knight exclaimed, “And I’ll keep saying it until you stop talking down on yourself!”

“It’s weird talking to you like this,” Rune said. “I thought it was going to be like having a twin, but you’re more different than I thought. Not a bad thing, just weird.” 

“I can say the same to you,” Knight said. “What’s with the shirt? Is your Elrios warmer than mine? I saw you use runes earlier. Were you raised to use magic instead?” 

Rune lit up to the mention of his runes. Sitting down beside Knight, he rested his hands over the handle of his greatsword. Red lines and marks ran over his arms and lower chest for Knight to see. It was difficult to imagine the effort it took for Rune to gain expertise in rune magic. Knight wasn’t well-versed in the type of training needed to learn magic, but he knew it was a lot of work from the hours Aether spent on mastering new spells. 

“Hard to say if my Elrios is warmer since I haven’t been to yours, but it’s not hard to stay warm when you have fire.” Rune had a thoughtful expression, “I started off with a sword, but I switched to magic because it’s my weakness. There’s magic in the Sieghart line, so I had a jumpstart in rune magic.”

“You and Aisha would get along,” Knight commented. “She always complains about how dense I am about magic.” 

“Heh, it was our team’s Aisha that helped me out when I first tried runes.” Rune said with bemusement. “I must have burned through five gloves that week before finding out I was channeling magic incorrectly. I still practice the way of the sword, but it’s tough finding balance between the two.” 

It was true that their family had access to limited magic, but to think one of them achieved mastery over it. Knight sometimes relied on magic as a diversion to trick enemies in a runaway chase, but he never would have dreamed of relying on it for bigger fights. Witnessing Rune using it out on the battlefield near Shadow Vein against a monster was impressive. Rune made it look effortless the way he swung his blade in one direction to stabilize his weight while hurling fireballs at the enemy. 

“Too bad we’ll have to split up after this,” Knight said with sadness. “I think our teams would work well together.” 

“You know how to get out of here?” Rune asked. 

Knight sighed, “Sorry, I don’t. When you entered the Demon Realm, did you see anything? Like a vision?”

It was dark and filled with beasts of another realm. Knight couldn’t make head or tail of where the beast started and began. In his arms was his sister. Empire collapsed and he was unable to move before Aether snapped him out of his trance. A dream? They were as trapped in the Demon Realm as Rune’s team was until they found another way out.    

“What vision?” Rune had a thoughtful expression. “You can see the future and sense the El? Man, why do you get all the cool stuff? I guess we’re different enough that our futures won’t be the same.”

If Rune didn’t see the same vision as him, what could that mean for him? Was it a warning only for Knight and not to Rune or any other Elsword that may exist in the other timelines? Did Rune avoid getting those visions because he didn’t enter the Demon Realm the same method as him? Knight couldn’t get rid of the fearful thoughts pushing from the sides. 

“I thought you would have known,” Knight said weakly. “That’s why I’m asking you.”

“Then tell me about this vision, future boy.” Rune grinned. “I’m all ears.” 

Knight snorted. His counterpart was so accepting of the strange powers and abilities he had, but he was thankful for Rune’s company. Rune didn’t question why he didn’t talk about his visions to the rest of the El Search Party or why he would be the chosen one with the visions. He wondered if Rune had made the same sacrifice to the El when he reached the same conclusion in a battle against Solace. As he explained what he saw in his vision, he felt a connection from Rune’s level of El resonance.  

----------------------------

Richter

Light shimmered over Richter’s cyan locks, tucked behind one ear and the rest falling over his shoulders. It was no use and the priest considered following Rune’s suggestion on using bobby pins to keep his hair out of his eyes. Rune had sound ideas when it didn’t involve fire. 

People dispersed into smaller groups after their bellies were filled with enough food and desserts to supply an army. It was a cacophonic chatter by different groups and conversations before they succumbed to sleep one by one. It was not long before the late sleepers like Dominator and Bringer ceased talking and went to sleep. 

Unable to sleep, Richter sat up from his sleeping bag and stuck his head out from his tent. The stars were bright tonight. Gathering into celestial light, they called to him in envy for choosing to walk among the humans. They were the same stars Richter saw in Elrios before he and the El Search Party parted Elrianode and left the world they knew behind. The Demon Realm was a mirror to Elrios, flush with life Richter wouldn’t have expected from what was supposed to be the shadow of Elria’s world. 

At the end of the day, members of the two El Search Parties have retreated into their tents and warm under their sleeping bags. Time in the Demon Realm was different than that of Elrios - longer nights and shorter daylight, making it confusing for humans to sleep as they always did. 

It didn’t take long for Richter to reach the end of their campsite where one of the team members volunteered to keep watch. Daybreaker sat crouched over a rock and tensed her muscles to the sound of Richter’s footsteps. She spun around to the sight of Richter fully dressed in armor and tightened her bow and arrow. 

Daybreaker lowered her weapon. “Couldn’t sleep?”

Richter shook a heavy head, nevermind that celestials did not require sleep as organic beings did. Sleep became a habit ingrained in him because of Rune, who always made an effort in finding a safe place for their group to rest for the night. Even Ultimate the Nasod queen used their time of idleness to rest and restore her system. Even if Richter could only close his eyes for a few hours, it gave him time to process the things he had experienced in their travels towards restoring the El. 

“The one who heals sleeps a lot,” Richter said. His counterpart was asleep for hours before waking up and finding Richter talking to Aether. 

“Ain was the most worried about Elsword,” Daybreaker smiled. The elven woman shared tenderness when she spoke of Bluhen, smiling fondly and closing her eyes. “He deserved it after everything he had done for us.” 

“Would it be inconvenient if I joined you?” Richter asked. 

“Not at all!” Daybreaker’s eyes lit up, “It’s good to have company when keeping watch.” 

Having one person keep watch over the team was typically enough for a party of twelve, but with a team double their size, having two to three members awake in shifts was more efficient in detecting intruders. Blade was patrolling out of their sight at the other end of the campsite. The next shift would have Richter and Rage take over for another two hours before the rest of the teams wake up to start the day.          

Richter sat adjacent to Daybreaker. Still in his nightclothes, it was colder when the sun was out of view with the harsh wind tearing through the trees. His skin grew numb and translucent. Richter watched his breath materialize into white frost. The weather didn’t bother him but he had a jacket over his shoulders to shield himself from the worst of the winds. 

“Has it been long since you kept surveillance?” Richter asked. 

“You still have time before your shift,” Daybreaker said. “Is something bothering you to be up at this hour? 

“The Demon Realm is not so different from Elrios,” Richter looked at the stars. A thin line formed upon his lips, pondering on why they were the same as the ones he saw in Elrianode. Was it because the Demon Realm was a byproduct of Elria’s creation of Elrios and the El?

“You’re right,” Daybreaker agreed. “The elders from my home used to speak about this place as a sanctuary for the elves who chose to live in a place of darkness. The inhabitants of the Demon Realm rely on the Dark El as much as we do with the El back home.” 

“Including demons,” Richter mumbled. 

“Richter,” she had a sympathetic expression. “Is this your first time in the Demon Realm?”

Daybreaker took his silence as an answer and had a sad smile. 

Did no one tell Daybreaker? Richter’s core shook at the mention of demons when someone proposed entering the Demon Realm in search for the Dark El. Entering demon territory was an unthinkable thought for the priest. It went against everything he believed in and worse, it forced him to stray from the El’s influence. However, this wasn’t about what he wanted and what he believed in. The El was unstable and needed intervention. It was his duty to restore it with the help of Rune and his friends. 

It was uncomfortable being under Daybreaker’s long-held gaze. Was she waiting for him to say something? Anemos would have filled the silence and let him listen unless he had something to comment on. 

“It was hard for me to believe there was life in this place before coming here,” Daybreaker admitted. “It must be a lot for you to take in.” 

“I was more concerned about finding Elsword than anything concerning demons,” Richter said.    

“I’m sorry for the trouble we have caused,” Daybreaker looked guilty. “We were so caught up in finding our Elsword that we had them mixed up. We misunderstood your intentions and started a fight.” 

He contemplated telling Daybreaker his feelings were spared because it was he who had started the fight but Richter had a feeling that wasn’t the answer she wanted. Telling the elven woman he would have taken Knight if given the chance didn’t seem to be the right answer either. The priest instead offered a solemn nod to show understanding and a serious expression. 

It was enough to satisfy Daybreaker, who lowered her lips to form a question. Richter recognized the hesitance in her reaching out for him, silently debating on whether to comfort the blue-haired man with the kind of care reserved for close friends. He raised his hand to stop her and quickly shook his head. 

“You are making assumptions about me,” Richter said. “I’m not upset. All that matters is that Elsword is back.”

“Sorry,” she apologized again. “It’s hard not to see you as the Ain we know. You share names, but you act like different people.”

“Are you not satisfied with that answer?” Richter asked. 

“No, it just means I should get to know you better.” She said, “I noticed you didn’t eat a lot for dinner. Was the food different than what you’re used to?”  

“I ate a little,” Richter said. “I don’t need to eat as much as you do.” 

He ate out of politeness because Rune said many people worked to make dinner a success. Celestials didn’t need to eat to sustain himself. His unfulfilled mission was what kept him from fading away and guarding the people he had learned to call his friends. From Daybreaker’s confusion, it was clear that Bluhen never had to explain that to the elf.    

Not only did Bluhen look human, but had acted human. He slept when he exhausted his energy and offered to heal past his limits. Bluhen said he ate “for fun”, happily telling Richter about the Soft Sweet Potato Cake Chevalier made for him before interrupted by Knight overhearing their conversation. He was asking for seconds when Richter could barely stomach half of his portion that was generously offered to him by Chevalier. Was his appetite part of pretending to be human or was it due to being a healer? Healing magic required the user to be in tune with the El and relied on mana more than any other type of magic. 

Unused to putting things in his mouth, it was foreign to Richter to feel something warm running down his throat. He took small bites until Rune saw his discomfort and said he didn’t have to finish. Rune had enough of an appetite to eat for the two of them and others needed food more than Richter did. He wasn’t going to force himself to do something that wasn’t natural for himself.  

“I see,” Daybreaker mused. “What do you like to eat?” 

She was asking about his favorite food? Richter paused to think. Usually it was up to someone in the El Search Party to choose what was readily available to eat for the day. This became common after they left Lanox in search of the El Lady. He thought about the last thing they had eaten before they left Elrios. They were simple to prepare because the ingredients were grown at their guild house, but tame and didn’t overwhelm his palate. 

“Snow Pasta and Harmony Pudding,” Richter said. Both had light airy textures and inoffensive tastes.  

“We should make some before you and your friends leave,” Daybreaker suggested. “Maybe after the meeting first thing in the morning? We still need to figure out where Paradox went and how to get you guys home.” 

“Do you think it’s appropriate to return to Elrianode despite having no findings on the Dark El?” Richter asked.  

“We don’t know where it is either,” she admitted. “We still have business to take care. The aura over this part of the Demon Realm has been causing problems for its inhabitants and Nephilim Lord wants us to address it.” 

Richter found it difficult to understand why Daybreaker and the others would make the effort to win the trust of a demon beast. He didn’t know their reasoning beyond Nephilim Lord apparently withholding information regarding the Dark El. Daybreaker must have sensed his skepticism and held back a smile. 

“The Dark Elves see Nephilim Lord as a higher being,” Daybreaker explained. “It oversees this part of the Demon Realm, including the whereabouts of the Dark El.” 

If that was the case, then perhaps it would be in their self-interest to seek the Nephilim Lord in their timeline to extract information about the Dark El. This was important information he had to share with Rune. 

“Thank you,” Richter lowered his head into a short bow to the archer with gratitude. “Why are you telling me all of this?”  

“You and your friends would have done the same if my friends were the ones in your situation,” Daybreaker said. “At least that’s what I would like to believe. It’s the least I can do after the confusion between our friends.” 

A high pitch sound rang in the air. Richter stood up and turned his head towards the sound, jolting his head back and searching for the source of the aura. The ringing grew worse the longer he looked at the forest ahead. Daybreaker asked him what was wrong. Her voice became distant. 

“I sense Henir,” Richter whispered. He drew out his projectile weapons. Blue ribbon twisted around his pendulum and sparks flew from the end of his weapons.   

A glass shard-like substance flew across his vision, blinding him with bright light in purple and magenta. A small shadow darted over his head, landing in a crouched position and keeping their head lowered. Long white hair ran past their ankles and the four tail-like appendages coming from the back of their jacket. Six weapons circled around them and glowed with their owner’s eyes.

“I won’t let you escape this time!” Daybreaker ran her finger over her bow. A barrage of arrows rained down from the elven woman as she pushed her weight down for a high jump kick. 

Mad Paradox backflipped from the arrows to escape through a portal. Reappearing from the other side, the time traveler ignored Daybreaker and darted away from an invisible force unseen by Richter and Daybreaker. A dark blade materialized and swung towards Paradox. The symbol of an eye formed and a dark figure appeared, holding a scythe to reveal that parts of their arms were missing. 

For lack of better words, much of the man’s body was unraveled. The unknown black material covering his exterior couldn’t hide his skin and where it stopped existing. Royal blue etched with bright blue veins popped out from beneath his skin. An eye opened up from his chest resembling the Henir monsters Richter had fought in Elrianode. 

“Mr. Ancient, Elsword has been looking for you.” The man whispered, “Return home.”  

“Mr. Ancient?” Daybreaker repeated and looked at Richter then back to the stranger, “Is that you?”  

Hot anger flashed beneath Richter’s skin. Herrscher’s left eye was covered by a patch, most likely hiding the flawed eye infected by Henir’s influences. Richter unconsciously covered his own left eye. The prickly pain wouldn’t leave in the presence of his other self. 

“Home?” Despite having a scythe below his neck, Paradox sneered. “What would you know about having one?” 

“Those are Elsword's words, not mine.” 

“That’s right, because you’ll obey everything he tells you to do,” Paradox glared. “You’re nothing but a shadow following everywhere he goes. Go away, jellyfish.” 

“It is urgent that you return to Elsword,” Herrscher ignored the insult. “There are important matters we need to discuss.” 

Some parts of Herrscher had bits of his skin peeled away to show the void peering from his existence. He was devoid of the El and lost his physical form because he had denied the Goddess. No longer holding faith in their Goddess, Herrscher had thrown his mission away and everything that kept his body from fading away. Herrscher had strayed from the righteous path. 

A series of spears rose above Richter’s shoulders, shining and pointing down at Herrscher. Darkness surrounded the master of the void and disappeared into the abyss. Richter’s spears crashed and shattered into the ground, sending rumbles rolling through the earth.

Paradox shuddered and shifted into the form of a younger child. A pair of cat ears sat perched on his hoodie and the time traveler leaped away as soon as he saw his chance of escape. Daybreaker was faster this time and chased after Paradox to pin the child against a tree with a dozen arrows shot at her disposal.       

Herrscher materialized behind Richter and swung his scythe, forming black holes and suctioning Richter inward from the pressure. Richter clawed on his fours and dug his spears into the ground to stop himself from succumbing into the void. His mind spun at the chaos created by his alternate as he fought for a place to free his mind of the confusion.   

“Richter, what are you doing?” Daybreaker shouted. 

“He serves Henir,” Richter hovered a spear over Herrscher’s chest.  

Before he could continue, his spear was deflected by a sword, sending his spear flying towards Daybreaker’s direction. Daybreaker dodged the sword with an acrobatic flip and landed with her body lowered. When Richter drew another spear to direct to Herrscher, his attempt was hindered once again. He looked up to see blades raining down on him, throwing himself away from Herrscher and clawing away from the attack. Richter picked up one of the swords to examine. A red sword engraved with gold and black lining. He sensed the Dark El tainting the blade. Who did this belong to?  

“You mind going easy on them?” A new voice caught Richter’s attention. He could hear the smile in the stranger’s voice.  “I’d really appreciate it if you could stop trying to kill my friends. It would really suck if you did.” 

A blood vein burst from the side of Paradox’s head and twitched at the mention of “friends”. Crossing his arms in a tight knot, he pouted and stuck out his tongue when Daybreaker offered to free him from her arrows. 

The voice was male and belonged to a young man. Wielding a sword in each hand, the young man had a short and stocky frame covered by heavy black scaled armor. Black hair streaked red hair mirroring that of his eyes with a yellow hue. He reeked of the Dark El amplified by his El Resonance similar to Knight and Rune.   

“Are you Elsword?” Richter gawked at the red-head. There was a third one?  

“The one and only!” Immortal grinned. “Or that’s what I would have said before I met our Add.” Immortal gestured to Paradox. He directed his smile to Richter, “You must be Ain. Welcome to the madness!”  

“There’s a third path,” Richter realized. 

“So it seems,” Daybreaker sighed. “How many of you are here?” 

“Five if you include Add,” Immortal said. 

“I heard noises, is everyone okay?” Blade ran up to Richter and nodded to Daybreaker. The former mercenary barely broke a sweat in jogging from the opposite side of camp. Richter and Daybreaker both shook their heads. Blade’s eyes fell over to Immortal and Herrscher lying on the floor next to Paradox, “Who are they?” 

“Did we wake up your friends?” Immortal laughed. “Guess we should explain ourselves.” 

“We better go wake up and alert the others,” Daybreaker placed one hand over Richter’s shoulder. “I think it’s important to let them know that we found Paradox.”

Richter nodded. He didn’t trust his voice not to give away his expression of loss on learning about the existence of Immortal’s control over the Dark El. Sensing his discomfort, Daybreaker dropped her hand and had an earnest expression. They were not friends for the same amount of time as they were with their respective teammates, but she understood his experience of being overwhelmed by the influx of new people. She extended a hand and offered Richter a comforting smile. 

“Do you want to help me?” She asked. “It’ll be faster if you joined me. You know your friends better than I do. Blade, you don’t mind keeping an eye on those three, do you?” 

“Not at all,” Blade said.  

Richter was grateful for having an excuse to leave. He didn’t feel sorry for leaving Blade behind talking to the three strangers that looked so much like their friends, one of them being another version of Richter. It looked like the emergency morning meeting Daybreaker mentioned would occur earlier than intended. Sleep and breakfast would have to wait for the organic beings.