Former

Nightfall

About one section after the cave collapse

…I can't sleep.

The part where my leg was disconnected burned a little and Xylvia was hugging me tightly as she snored cutely. And also accidentally unsheathed her claws and nearly killed me on the spot…

'Honestly, you're not creepy to me at all.'

Those words Xylvia had said played in my head for long into the night. Remembering them would make me feel a little better, but it wasn't enough. Just the idea of me no longer having one of my legs just…hurt me. It wasn't the sheer agony I felt in that cave, but it was the lingering pain that felt like it'd take forever to make go away.

"What am I gonna do now…?" I whispered.

As I pondered with that thought for a moment, I slowly found myself drifting off into the dream world. However, it wasn't a dream of that door metal door again…

"Here again?"

It was the garden I saw during that weird first encounter with Wanderer.

"But why here?"

I didn't recognize this place. And I sure as hell would've remembered something like this. Everything about this place was so unnatural, but at the same time it was also very comforting. The pink and purple sky was pleasant to look at. The sweet smell of honey was relaxing. All the fruit scattered around the place looked delicious.

And the trees were beautiful. Huge, lustrous trees covered in colorful leaves and various fruits.

Why did a place like this show up in that weird vision? Perhaps this was one of Wanderer's memories?

"No, it definitely isn't a place I remember."

I looked over to my right where that familiar voice came from…and there stood Wanderer. He looked practically identical to me outside of the blond hair he recently got. Apparently, important moments that happen to him will cause his appearance to change to his desired look.

"All of those memories belonged to you," Wanderer explained. "My people may live for a very long time, but we remember everything that's happened in our existances. I can assure you that this place is from your memories."

"But…I don't remember this place at all." I assured him. "Not even a little bit."

Wanderer simply shrugged.

"Perhaps a lost memory."

I shook my head.

There's no way I'd forget a place like this if o saw it. I swear, none of this even looks familiar. So why…?

"We aren't dreaming either by the way." Wanderer added. "Wanderers can't dream until their transformation is complete, or so I've heard. What's happening now is actually happening, within our heads of course."

"Wait, seriously?" I exclaimed. "But why here? And how?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because you find comfort in this place? And as for how, it might just be how the process works. Perhaps our heads are linked and will continue to be until I've been completely reborn into the person I desire to be."

Internal communication?

"But how did it happen?" I wondered. "Did we…activate it or something? Is it random?"

"I might have an answer to that. Just earlier, I felt an overwhelming amount of sorrow in my chest. I knew that it didn't belong to me, but I had no clue where it came from. At least, until I felt my right leg go numb. As if it wasn't even there anymore. So, I knew it had to be from you."

As he explained, I looked back down at my missing leg. Sure enough, it was still gone. Even in this place that I apparently find to be so comforting for me, it wasn't enough for me to get that missing part of me back.

"I…don't know what to do Wanderer." I sighed, keeping my head facing down. "Every time I look at it, I just see all these…fantasies I had in my head getting crushed right in front of me. Running from monsters, climbing ancient monuments, chasing after rare creatures, fighting off bandits and stuff. We could've opened up some sort of mobile shop and traded as we traveled around the world. And maybe even saved it along the way…"

When I think more about it, I realized that Xylvia would probably have to find someone else to travel with if she wants to solve this Corruption problem. Would anyone want to go with her though? Besides me, maybe Rosary? Would they be ok by themselves though? I know that Xylvia's plenty strong, but I've never seen Rosary in action.

"I doubt that she'd leave you behind Hiro." Wanderer suddenly commented, as if reading my mind. "I can tell that she cares a great deal about you."

"I know…and I trust her, but all I'd end up doing is slowing her down…"

"I don't think she'd care even if that were true."

A long pause went on for what felt like hours between us. It got a little awkward, so I decided to change the subject.

"So…that man." I spoke up. "That's the man you met? The one who promised you a host?"

"Yeah…yeah that's him." Wanderer answered. "You see? Just how strong he is? It's as if he really is a god."

"That doesn't make any sense though. Xylvia mentioned the Spectrum of Magic, which prevents anybody in this world, regardless of Magic type or race, from possessing power far beyond the Spectrums limits. If he really is a god, then how come Gleam hasn't come out to do anything yet? Why stay locked up in your palace when you know that someone of yoir rank is threatening your world's people?"

Wanderer didn't answer. He simply shrugged and looked down at the ground.

This place we were both in really was comforting in a way. No matter how conflicted my thoughts got, or how sad the future looked in my head, or how hopeless this situation looked, that sweet smell of honey and pleasant sight of the sky was enough to calm me down.

Suddenly…

"Hey, I think we can figure it out." Wanderer had said.

…he placed his hand on my shoulder.

And I found myself staring up at the ceiling, but not the one at the Temporary. As I looked around, I realized I was on a different bed. Xylvia wasn't next to me either. Instead, I was alone.

Where…the hell…?

I then noticed several sheets of paper of what looked to be research materials and formulas scattered all over the table and floors. And I recognized that small table. And these walls, though it was kinda dark.

Wait a sec…

"Hmm?"

A strand of hair fell a little into my peripheral vision. However, it wasn't the familiar black that I grew up with my entire life. Instead, it was a shiny, beautiful blond.

"…oh shit…"

Am I…in Wanderer's body?! And…this is Rosary's house!

How the hell?!

Rosary's house structure had a living room that you walk into first when you enter the front door. To the left was a guest room. Straight ahead was the kitchen. Slightly to the left of the kitchen was probably Rosary's room. Then 90 degrees left was a bathroom.

I did my best to stealthy sneak out of Rosary's house and then bolt straight over to the Tenporary.

Man it feels great to have both legs again!

When I got there, I didn't really no what else to do besides throw something at the window to try and get Wanderer's attention (who I presumed to be in my body).

However, before I did that…

'Hiro, is that you?!'

Wanderer's voice echoed in my head.

'Yeah, it's me.' I said internally. 'What the hell is happening?! Why am I in YOUR body?!'

'I don't know! I remember reaching out and touching your shoulder though, and then I ended up in your body. Maybe it happens when we touch in that weird place, and the only way to switch back is by touching in the real world?'

While all logic was kind've thrown out the window here, that seemed to make the most sense in this chaotic situation.

'How're we gonna do that though?' I asked internally. 'There isn't really anywhere for me to climb.'

Suddenly, a stream of purplish red tendrils came slithering out from the window and down towards me.

'Wait, you can use your powers in my body?!' I asked internally, completely taken aback.

'Perhaps it isn't just our souls that get swapped, but also our abilities?' Wanderer theorized. 'Here, grab on. See if it works.'

I did as he asked without hesitation and grabbed on to the oddly warm tendrils. As soon as my hand made contact with them…

"…hah!"

I bolted upwards. I was back in my room with Xylvia right next to me, who turned from my sudden movement. Luckily, she didn't wake up. Should be more careful.

Wait, was this all a dream?

I looked at both my arms that Wanderer had turned into tendrils and reached out to grab hold of me. They were completely normal and didn't look out of the ordinary. The feeling of my sore stump also returned, my leg still no longer attached to me.

Guess it really was a dream.

'Nope, still wasn't a dream.' Wanderer's voice said.

As soon as I heard that, I instinctually looked out the window and could see a vague sillouette stretching out what looked like multiple long arms as it dashed back over towards Rosary's house.

Wanderer.

Man, what kind've ability did we just stumble upon?

"I'm sorry Hiro, but I really thinks it's better if you stayed here." Xylvia had said to me.

"She's right." Rosary agreed. "We can't put you in danger. Just leave it to us."

I guess I really couldn't talk them out of leaving me here. Makes the most sense since I wouldn't have any way of protecting myself,

"I suppose if you really are going out there, we should at least give you a way to get there faster." Elroy said chiming in. "You can take a Carrier there.

Elroy explained to them that Carriers were what they used to exchange goods to different countries in this continent. Apparently, this was how their economy was able to stay stabilized even through the Corruption.

A Carrier huh?

I probably shouldn't get any ideas about helping them out. What good would I do anyway? Just hobbled myself out there and hope for the best? Maybe I can get a lucky strike in on that guy? Sneak in and grab Wanderer from them?

Maybe it won't matter. I mean, if Rosary can easily take out two of them like she said she did when she got ambushed, then she'll probably be fine taking on a group of them with a plan. And Xylvia with her strength would probably make this quick and easy.

Even so…I wish I had a way of helping them. Even if only by a little bit…

*drip…*

My hand felt a little wet for some reason. I looked at my right palm and noticed a small stream of water was running down it.

I just brushed it off with my pants and sighed.

How could I help them? Even with this weird sixth sense I have, I doubt I could be of any help.

That sixth sense I was referring to was when that girl who was running away nearly took an arrow to the head from a Corrupt knight. However, I could feel it coming and snatched it out of the air with ease. It was weird.

I wonder what that girl's up to now? I should thank her again for saving me.

Saving me… Heh, that seems to be all that I'm good for. Being saved. And then when I do the saving for once, it just ends up in disaster.

I looked down at the Wrench Limb Elroy had just placed into me.

No. I shouldn't be this upset. I mean, they helped me. Gave me another chance. I can't just sit here and mope around all day. Even if they won't let me come with them, I've gotta help them somehow!

*drip…drip drip*

Again, my right hand was wet. Oddly, much more wetter this time. It was like I had stuck it in a pond for a brief moment or something.

The hell? Why's my hand wet again. And where's this water coming from?

As I looked at my hand and was about to brush the water off again, I suddenly noticed it. A spark. Something glowing from the middle of my palm. It was very feint, but it was there. And from that light was where a small stream of water was leaking from.

Wait…no way. Is this…magic? Am I using magic right now?!

Well, I guess 'using' wouldn't be what was happening right now, but this is huge! Why water though?

"…"

"…!"

Perhaps, I could heal them? Or, protect them with a shield. Even if by only a little bit, it'd at least be something right?! Yes, that's what I wanna do! I can protect them…with this!

Suddenly, the light grew brighter. And with that, I could really feel the power behind this light grow slightly as well. And with a small flash, a small ball of water was hovering above my right palm. As I tilted my hand and wriggled my fingers around, the ball reacted as if I were actually maneuvering it.

"…woah…"

As I watched the ball of water with great interest, I suddenly heard the Carrier Xylvia and Rosary were getting on begin to groan. Sparks flew as the top was connected to something invisible. The magic lines.

That's when something clicked in my head…

"…Wanderer…"

I quickly bolted up on my foot and fake foot and hobbled over as quickly as I could go Elroy.

"Hey, do you mind if I ask for a favor?" I asked him. "I know you've already done so much for me, but I really need your help."

Elroy looked me up and down for a bit, but then laughed.

"I don't mind at all Hiro, so no need to apologize." Elroy chuckled. "I figured you wouldn't just sit down and wait for them anyways. So, what can I do?"

…

Silence.

When I turned around, I found myself back in the garden.

"I'm…back? …! Wait!"

I suddenly remembered. Wanderer and I had linked our heads or something and were able to communicate internally last night.

"So it really wasn't a dream…"

As I came to that conclusion, I noticed a figure laying down and curled up into a ball. A very familiar figure.

"W-Wanderer?!" I exclaimed, rushing over to his lying body.

"Huh…wait…Hiro…?"

Wanderer slowly lifted his head up, looking extremely groggy and dazed.

"Yeah, it's me! Are you ok?"

"I…don't think so. I was…ambushed by some men…and…!"

He suddenly bolted upwards and started weeping.

"NOOOO!!! ROSARYYY!!!"

"Hey hey hey! It's ok, she's ok!" I quickly said to him.

"Huh…? Are…you sure?" He asked, a sorrow look completely engulfing his face.

"Yeah, I'm sure. In fact, her and Xylvia are coming to save you right now!"

"They are…? What about you?"

"I…got left behind…"

"Oh…"

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

"But it's ok!" I quickly reassured him. "I've got an idea."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"We should switch bodies again."

"HUH?!"

Wanderer bolted straight up and looked at me as if I had proposed that we should jump off of the top of Tokyo Tower.

"Are you crazy?!" He exclaimed. "I can't leave you with this group! What if they kill you before they get there?!"

"I'll just have to take that chance." I said. "Besides, this may be out best chance if we all wanna get out alive. That man'll think that you're me. Then, when he leases expects it, that's when you come charging at him with your tendrils."

Wanderer didn't look convinced about my plan.

"You'll just have to trust me." I said. "This is all I can think of. And besides…"

I held my right hand up to see the ball of water manifest itself back above my palm.

"…I wanna be of help somehow."

While Wanderer still clearly had his doubts, he reluctantly nodded his head and offered his hand to me. I was about to take it, but then…

*drip…drip…drip*

The ball of water hovering above my right hand suddenly began to react as it stretched towards Wanderer's head. Curious, I led my hand closer towards his face as I watched the water react more and more the closer it got.

"Woah…"

"What does this mean?" Wanderer asked.

"…"

Right after I made contact with Wanderer's hand, I found myself in a dark, enclosed, and extremely stuffy place. I felt myself being dragged on the ground while men chatted something that was too muffled for me to understand.

"....."

".....island....infinite storm..."

Those were the only two words I could make out.

Suddenly…

'They left!'

It was Wanderer.

'What do you mean?' I asked internally.

'They left me in the city.' He said. 'What should I do?'

'Don't worry.' I said. 'I figured this would happen, so Elroy and I came up with a plan.'

'Elroy?'

'Yep. He's got another one of those Carrier thing ready for you. You should be only a few minu-…er…what were they called again? Whatever! You shouldn't be too far away from them.'

'You sure this will work? What if your power doesn't work this time?'

'Don't worry. It'll work. I've had just enough time to practice.'

That was a complete lie. In fact, I had no clue if me activating this was just a fluke, but I had to try. In fact, I had a feeling that this would work out fine.

"NOOOOOOOO LEAVE ME ALOOOOONE AAAUUHHHHHHH!!!"

Hearing Xylvia's screams made me lose control of myself. Waves of uncontrollable anger poured out from my body as I struggled to try and rip this bad open. I started screaming at Wanderer in desperation, begging him to get me out of this bad.

I had no clue I was hurting him.

I'm sorry.

When I got out, there was just so much anger inside me that I never noticed Rosary fighting off what remained of the group…with tendrils extending out from her arms.

Rosary was actually a Wanderer herself. I didn't see that one coming.

I almost broke down then and there when I saw what had become of Xylvia. Her eyes filled with terror as she continued to scream bloody murder. Begging to be left alone. Pleading for her mother to come and help her.

I couldn't bear to watch it anymore. I even ended up disregarding myself by letting her claws impale my right shoulder. Damn that hurt like hell. Not anywhere near as bad as my leg getting crushed and cut off, but this was still horrible.

Luckily, I managed to grab ahold of her face. I had no clue what would happen, but I'm glad I was able to figure it out on the fly.

"And that's what happened."

I had finally finished explaining to Xylvia all that had happened from last night to now. It was pretty lengthy and I feel like I didn't do a good job of explaining it, but Xylvia looked to have gotten every word I said.

"You…switched bodies?" She had asked at one point.

"Yeah, it was pretty weird waking up in Rosary's house all of a sudden."

"Weird…"

We sat in silence for a bit as we looked beyond the void. A setting sun was our background as we lay in this calm pool of water.

"You saw everything, right?" Xylvia asked, still looking at the endless sky. "My memories.

"…yeah." I said, feeling a little guilty. "I did… I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize moron. *sigh* …it's just…embarrassing. I mean, you were gonna find out eventually; to find out like this though was a little…sudden."

"…"

I kept myself from apologizing again.

"What happened to that man?" Xylvia asked.

"Wanderer and Rosary are both dealing with him." I answered. "Speaking of which, we should probably go out and help them."

Xylvia nodded as she slowly got up onto her feet.

Right as I got up on mine…

"Hey, Hiro?"

"Hmm?" I turned to look at her.

When I did, my eyes felt like they had lit up.

"Thank you…for saving me…"

I felt a blush creep onto my face when she said those words…

"Of course." I smiled.

…with the most beautiful smile that I had ever seen on her face.

"So you're not really a god, huh?" Xylvia asked, her claws unsheathed and being pointed at the man's throat.

The man didn't answer. He just scowled at Xylvia as he continued to attempt to struggle out of Rosary's and Wanderer's grasps.

I walked over to Xylvia and showed her one of the broken bottles on the floor.

"Apparently, it was this stuff." I said to her. "If I had to guess, I'd say he poured some of it out and made us think he was doing all this insane stuff. When in reality, he was just making us hallucinate. Or perhaps it was some sort of hypnosis? Basically, it made us see things that weren't really happening."

"There's more to it than that."

This time, it was Rosary's turn to speak.

"That wasn't made with a simple concoction. It was made with some of the Corruption."

Both me and Xylvia's eyes went wide when she said that.

"If I had to guess, I believe it briefly put you in stage 3 of the Corrupt process Xylvia. And that's why you had acted like that. Luckily, it doesn't seem to actually put you in stage 3, but it just makes you think you are."

"Shit… Talk about a dirty trick." I commented.

Xylvia's hands curled up into a fist as she shook with anger. I quickly took a step back before she quickly swung around and smashed the remaining bits of the bottle across the man's head. Blood began pouring out from the cut that had opened up after being struck by serrated glass.

Xylvia then grabbed the dazed man's head by the hair and lifted him up to face her.

"You better give us some damn good answers before I shove the rest of that bottle into your fucking neck." She scarily hissed at him. "Be careful how you word it though, because I might just make your death even more painful than it deserves to be!"

While the man didn't flinch, I could tell from his eyes that he was definitely scared of her.

"I think we should start with what happened in that cave," Xylvia said to the man, eyes filled with hatred…and a hint of sorrow. "What the hell did you do to Josiah?"

At first, the man simply sighed. But then…

"I…simply gave him what he wanted." The man finally said. "He wanted power…, so I gave him power…"

He then looked down at his jacket. I followed his gaze and then reached out to open his jacket…

"…!"

…to find a bunch of knives fitted in a lot of pockets.

While I remember his jacket looking to have a lot of pockets when we first met, that isn't what shocked me. It was what was on the knives that did.

"Is…that…?" Rosary started as soon as she saw them.

"Knives…dipped in Corruption." The man had answered. "Pretty, right? That'll be two tracers you dumb bitch…hahahaa-URGH!"

Xylvia quickly sucker punched the man as soon as he hurled that insult.

That knife that Josiah used to stab himself…

"So that's how he was able to progress his Corruption." Xylvia concluded. "I assumed it was because he was already so far gone and that dying progresses it even faster, but this makes much more sense."

"Hehe…the difference between touching it with skin versus your own blood is…astonishing…" the man said. "Just touching it is enough to make you freak the fuck out, but ingesting it…ooohhh that'll turn you into one NASTY son of a bitch. Quite fun to watch too…"

"What the hell kinda game are you trying to play?" I asked him, feeling myself start to get angry. "What do you get by turning people into these monsters?"

"Ehh…? Hey…wait a sec… You're the one with the blond hair, but he's the Mistake." The man pointed out. "Aren't you supposed to be the Mistake? I though the Summon was the one with black hair?"

"Andwer the damn question!" Xylvia demanded, yanking his head around by the hair.

"Hehe…impatient Biter. Always so stupid…so immature… Man, I really wanna hit you with one of these fucking…bottles again-ACK! Eh…hehe…not to kill you though… Oh no, I wouldn't want that quite yet. I'd use it to…study you-URK! …t-t-to-to…to…see how you'd react when under this…intense amount of fear… It's an interesting feeling you know…? Fear… It keeps us safe…keeps us isolated…keeps us from living. Quite the…Ulgh! J-Jack of all trades…you know…?"

The man continued to struggle through the pain as he monologued about fear.

"Why the hell would you want people to be afraid?" I asked him.

"Why?…hehe… Keeps…the Biters…in line. Makes sure that they…know their fucking place… Know…that they're…inferior being to us… And the Mistakes? Ha! Fucking…weirdos… Thinking…they can be people?! They're monsters! Disgusting, VILE freaks of nature…all deserve to die! Or better yet…be…experimented on!"

"What…the fuck is wrong with you?" Xylvia asked with complete disgust.

"You know…I…Ulgh! I say that…even though…I went ahead and did that…! Hehe… Ugh, I felt repulsed by myself…"

He then looked straight at Rosary, his eyes filled with a weird perversion.

"The hell do you want?" Rosary hissed at him.

"Oh come on… D-Don't-URK! Don't tell me…y-you don't remember....Rooooooooooosiiiiiiiiiiiie?"

"-!"

"Hehe…y-you remember…what…what it felt like? Hehe…you enjoyed it right…? Like the good worthless piece of shit you are!"

Rosary looked like she was about to cry.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Wanderer asked with a worried look on his face.

"Heheheee…theeeeeeere's the face I've been waiting to see…" the man sneered.

"Wait, no… It…can't be…" Xylvia stuttered, taking a few steps back after realizing something.

"What? What is it?" I asked.

"Hehehe…nice to meet you brother…." The man suddenly said to me. "I…guess we never had a…Urk! …Proper meetup. Oh come on… Not gonna say hi to your older Summon?"

"…"

When it finally hit me, it hit me like a truck. This wasn't just some man who claimed to be god, or someone who'd completely lost his mind to the Corrupt.

This man…was the previous Summon.