《BEFORE DUSK - Shadow of the Spiritual Veil ~ Xahri Nulei Side Story》


 Connected in Dark Spirits

    It was a late night. The Omni and it''s forces seemed to be backed into a corner, with the Waking Heroes in relatively high spirits. Xahri, who went into her room early, to sink in her depression, heard some noise coming from the crack of her door. "We still have some time... but we don''t have forever, lets get some rest and get back to it." Said a brown haired girl, named Avi. The others agreed and went to bed, with them all going to their own sleeping quarters. Jak went to his private bedroom, Rei went to sleep on the couch, Kina climbed up to her loft and relaxed on the top bunk bed, while Avi went into her bedroom.


    Xahri opened her door a little later to find everybody had already dozed off to sleep. She walked around the apartment in the pitch black. All the lights were off, although, light could be seen from under Avi''s bedroom door. "They didn''t even say goodnight to me... am I really that forgettable? Or are we so focused on fighting that bonding is off the table?" Xahri walked back to her room, shut her door, and locked it.


    Xahri went on her computer for a short while. She began researching remedies for sadness in times of need. "All I can find is the news and fear of the people... the world could end, and nobody knows that we''re fighting to save it." She decided to stop browsing the internet and instead looked through her files. She opened a folder, and entered its sub folder which contained pictures of Xahri and her friends. "I looked happy... What happened to me?" She began clicking through the images. Everyone around her was smiling in many of the pictures, including Xahri. But, occasionally, someone would be absent from the picture.


    "Sometimes Rei and Jak would be out practicing their swordsmanship in Avindor. Avi sometimes goes to be by herself when she''s feeling down. Kina also recently went missing. Luckily, she came back home safetly, but she refuses to tell us what happened to her, acting as if she cant even remember anything that happened. I assume Rei and Jak also feel a sense of frustration when they are alone... We all feel sadness and negative emotions from time to time... Why is mine persisting? I know Kina had some issues and the past, and Avi has some minor grief over Marlon, but they seemed to have recovered mostly."


    Xahri began to realize that she was feeling depressed. For the first time in her life. "I was always so full of it... or I abused the fact that I had power over other peoples consciousness. This feels new, and not in a good way." Xahri got up from the computer and opened her window. She gazed at the moonlight and felt the cool city air. "I wish... that we can have a break from all this craziness. I''m tired of fighting. I want peace, and I want to be happy. I wish this stupid "Omni" guy would just give up, or at least give us some time to relax. Sure, we''re winning, but its really taking a toll on me, and I need some rest... How much longer does this fight need to go on..?"


    With not much left to do, she decided to go to bed, as she was stressed. "I''m forgotten so easily... I feel like an outcast to the group sometimes... But I can''t leave them now, we''re winning, after all..." Xahri got into her unmade bed, and dozed off to sleep, making sure to have all the lights off, and that her hairpin was on snugly. "Mmm..." The world around her continued normally, and her physical form stayed in her bed, even though... Xahri woke up in a completely different place than where she went to sleep.


    A pitch black void with blood red swirls all around her. She seemed to be floating. "H-hello...? Ugh... my head hurts so bad... where am I? This is definitely not a dream." ... The silence that came after echoed throughout the pitch black expanse. It then was ricocheted back at her as a loud screeching could be heard in her head. Xahri flinched, half asleep, trying to keep herself awake. "I have waited for your arrival, Nulei." A harrowing figure manifested before Xahri. The black expanse around her merged with the red swirls and merged into an apparition of The Omni. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Y-you... what do you w-want with me..." Xahri was frightened. She was having way worse than a nightmare. "I have made a temporary connection with you... to offer you a deal of sorts. I have given your "friends" the illusion of an upper hand in the fight. I am preparing to surprise them with something so unfathomably unspeakable, that they will perish in a near instant, along with the all realms, and you. All beings will cease to exist. You can either come to grips with that, or... listen on..."


    Xahri stayed silent. "Silent type, are we? I never got to meet you personally, it''s nice seeing you alone. Now. My offer. I have a way to give your friends a true advantage. Tap into your power at the "Phantasmal Peaks" and offer up your spirit there. I will be there to accept it. Your Spiritual form will leave your body, ensuring that you will cease to exist after you inevitably die. This may sound bad for you, and it is, but there is more. If you proceed with this plan, you will be the only being to exist without a soul... that will allow you to enter the Ethereal Realm, where I am hiding yet another secret.


    I call it the "Fractal Dusk" I created it long ago to ensure the destruction of all existence in case I were somehow defeated. It has been steadily powering me... and even If I fall, the spawn can still wipe out all of existence, leaving it in ruin, instead of a complete erasure. You. Without that worthless soul of yours, you can enter the Ethereal Realm, and destroy the Fractal Dusk, greatly weakening me, and removing my ace in the hole. It''s either everyone else ceasing to exist in a matter of days, or you ceasing to exist, at the end of your normal lifetime. Make your choice, Nulei." "Ngh... I... understand... doesn''t seem like I have a c-choice... I a-accept, just tell me where to find these "Phantasmal Peaks" and I will do as you ask. The only chance we have at saving everything will come down to me, and I''m willing to pay the price." Xahri responded with confidence and fear.


    "Great choice, do not worry, I am not hiding anything, I promise, I only offer fair deals. For the path to the peaks, simply open your mind, figure out what it means to "not be" and the way will open for you. Good luck." Before Xahri could reply, she was flung backwards by The Omni. It dissapeared into the environment as Xahri dozed off to sleep. The area around her shrunk at a rapid pace, with Xahri floating around unconscious. She began to be wrapped by her surroundings. She could feel a cold sensation on her skin, even though she was sleeping. The cold sensation eventually startled her and woke her up. She found herself to be coiled in pitch black and blood red matter. "Can''t move my body... what kind of t-trick is this..." ... No response. Xahri eventually came to grips with her situation. "The Omni... was lying to me... I''m going to die here... I just hope... that... that there''s something after... gasp"


    Xahri was startled awake in her bed. It was early in the morning, and the sun was peeking through the clouds. "Just a bad dream... but... it felt way too real." Xahri slowly sat up and looked out her window. Small rays of sunlight were glistening through the window, warming her skin. She stumbled out of bed, dizzy, and walked out of her room. Shortly after, she sat down on the couch in the living room to think. "That wasn''t a dream... was it. This "connection" that was made... It was abusing my own power. Heh... serves me right. But, I-I don''t want to go through with this offer anymore... there''s got to be another way..." Xahri then remembered what the Omni had said would happen if it succeeded. "All life, will... cease to exist. I can lower this possibility, at the cost of me sealing my own fate. Death is a natural phenomena, but, a lot of people don''t think past it."


    Xahri''s heart rate began to rapidly increase. She got up from the couch and ran for her room. She entered her room, turned the light on, but was still feeling scared. She collapsed onto the floor, whimpering. "I can keep people at ease if I do my end of the deal..." Her whimpering turned into crying. "A-and, like most people, I shouldn''t need to look past it either... but now that its right in front of my face... ngh..." Xahri curled up into a ball, in a panic. "W-well, I didn''t die in my sleep, and I know I wont here, but knowing that its coming, and that no matter what happens, I will cease to exist after I die, It makes me terrified." Xahri began to yell. She grabbed her weapon, ran out of her room, and swiftly exited through the front door. She slammed it shut, and began running.


    "Ha... ha..." Xahri was nearly out of breath. She sat down next to some bushes, on the edge of her city, and noticed she was feeling better. "G-guess I just had to run it out... but... what was that? It doesn''t really matter. I know what my decision was about this deal, and I am going to stick by it. It may look bright now, but in a few days, the sky will turn pitch black, and all of existence will be erased shortly after. I don''t have time to think about this, I should get going... There''s no time to lose."

 Null and Void

    Xahri roamed the outskirts of the city, dwelling on her next move. It was midday by this time. Xahri looked up at the sky and noticed that time had gone by since she left her home. She then thought back to what the Omni had told her about finding the Phantasmal Peaks. "To find the Phantasmal Peaks, I need to open my mind, and be able to comprehend what it means to "not be". It is actually kinda frustrating, the Omni only gave me a hint! How does it expect me to do what it wants if I don''t know where to go!? I could be walking here for ages with nothing even happening... what am I doing...?"


    Xahri was dumbfounded. She continued pacing hoping an idea would come to her head. She knew that she was wasting time, and her anxiety was building back up. Xahri slowly but surely became stuck in her head once again. She thought about what was at stake, and the choice she made. She caught herself in the moment. "Didn''t Avi tell me to take deep breaths when I feel bad? To soothe myself?" Xahri remembered something Avi said about calming anxiety, remembering that she tossed it off as unnecessary. "Guess I-I''ll give it a try."


    Xahri took a deep breath in, held it, and exhaled. She repeated this several times. She began to become to caught up in her breath, that she decided to lay down in the grass. The sun was setting at this time, and the moon was rising. She looked up at the moon and channeled energy from it. "Calm me down, and open the way. Please..." She was nearly pleading, but in a relaxed way. She gently closed her eyes, and once the sun went down, she dozed off to sleep. By midnight, when the moon was in the center of the sky, Xahri was jolted awake.


    The sky was pitch black, but lit up by the moonlight. Xahri''s body felt significantly lighter. "I feel like I could fly away... forever." She began to float into the air, being pulled toward the moon. She made sure to keep her movement ability intact. She took control of her body, and swam through the sky, towards the moon. "To not be... I''m about to find out..." Xahri swam and swam, until she exited the planets atmosphere. The endless expanse around her was a misty purple. A faint melody could be heard in the background, and a sweet smell permeated the air. Xahri kept swimming, in a trance. She eventually neared her destination.


    Her body floating nearly unconsciously, Xahri, tried to keep her eyes open as she made contact with the moon''s energy. "This is it." She said, feeling her weight being taken off of her. The moon turned into a pitch black hole, with grey swirls around it, and... "What... is that...?" Xahri was pulled into the black hole, and fell into a deep slumber. ... The surrounding area brightened, into a light grey static.


    It was completely quiet. The expanse of nothing was completely empty. Several shades of black and grey squares teleported around the area. Xahri, now a lost soul, walked through the expanse. The walking turned into running, then sprinting. She seemed to not be capable of running out of energy, as she kept running. Xahri was trying to escape, from fear. She noticed that she couldn''t escape, and escalated into yet another panic, albeit, a subconscious one. She tried deep breathing yet again. No effect. Her anxiety only increased.


    Her deep breathing turned into hyperventilating. She looked down at the grey floor, and looked ahead right after. It was hard to tell what was ground, and what was the horizon. Xahri felt an impulse, and tried to scream. Nothing happened. She tried again. Nothing happened. She had no mouth. Suddenly, she noticed that the room was scentless. She tried to take another deep breath. Nothing happened. She had no nose. She was blinded by fear. She had no eyes. Xahri had no face. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Xahri covered her faceless head with her hands, falling to the ground. She eventually fell into a deeply relaxed posture, and noticed that she could still think. She began pondering on what was happening. "(If I were to let myself sink in this any longer, I would cease to exist. But... this doesn''t really feel that bad... and feeling nothing, actually sounds very relaxing. Of course, it wont be, as I wouldn''t be conscious, but it''s OK.)" Xahri sat up, and put her hands on her legs. Somehow, she could see her surroundings without her face. ("Yes, it is scary, but is it a bad thing? No... It''s not. When It''s truly my time, I''ll come back here, and fall into that sleep but now, I have work to do, to make everyone else doesn''t fall into that deep of a sleep ... Time to get out of here.)"


    Xahri''s eyes, mouth, and nose, re manifested on her face. "Ok...? So, its time to get out of here right? I did my part. I fully accept this now, but... I feel like something... is keeping me here. Something... powerful, something unfamiliar." The mono squares in the area slowly merged into a conglomerate. Several smaller squares appeared has holes inside of the existing squares. The entity grew appendage-like parts, made up of the same squares. The entity grew and grew until... "Ok, I get it, you''re trying to keep me here. Hm, my Digitaros seem to be with me... Guess its time to fight. Some good practice for this "Fractal Dusk" Alright, get out of my way. I bet you a million bucks that your not feeling anything, and putting you down wouldn''t make a difference. Die.


    Xahri threw split her blade and threw one at the the entity. It hit it and ricocheted back to her. Xahri was already mid-air, attacking with her other blade. She caught the other blade, and put the two together. She landed on the entity, and dug through it with her merged blade. She dodged and weaved, as she spun her blade in several directions. The entity launched several up-close attacks that Xahri dodged. She kept attacking, repeatedly switching from spinning her dual blade, to slashing with it, to splitting the blade, and using it as two daggers. She ran back as the entity launched a large attack. It hit her blade and she held it in place with force. She pushed and pushed with full force until she launched the attack back. The entity was hit with its own attack. It seemed to leave a large opening in the entity, signifying it was greatly hurt. Several smaller holes and cuts could be seen on the entity from Xahri''s previous attacks.


    "Guess I just need to do that a couple more times, and this thing should be fully open." The large opening in the entity was blood red. Xahri came to the conclusion that the entity was an apparition of the Omni. While fighting, trying to lure the entity to launch another large attack again, she yelled. "The Omni controls all life. It can, and maybe even will, wipe out all life, across all dimensions. It has supposed control over the "Afterlife". If it falls, it will no longer be in control, but what will take its place!?" Xahri ran back and deflected another large attack. The entity internally screeched in pain. It shook the surrounding area. Red mist began leaking from the entity. "That doesn''t look good..." Xahri said, as she continued fighting. She went silent and kept fighting. She eventually caught wind of another large attack, and deflected it yet again. The entity became fully shed its outer shell. It was purely blood red. It began releasing mist all over the area. some of it solidified and was launched towards Xahri. She was hit a couple times, leaving deep red wounds on her body, with a black outcrop.


    Crying in pain, Xahri ran towards the entity, jumped, and launched her own final attack. She split her daggers, and slashes the entity. She then threw them around the entity, having them pierce it on the way back to her. Xahri caught both daggers, put them back together, charged an attack, and jolted towards the entity with her blade. Both blades made contact in quick succession. Xahri jumped back as the entity began to lose shape. She watched as it imploded into dust, and disintegrated into nothing shortly after. The room was turned pitch black. Xahri stopped breathing for a second. She closed her eyes until...


    Xahri woke up yet again. Her surroundings were different, and brand new. A peaceful aura could be felt around her. There was fog in the distance, but through it, towering purple peaks, made up of conflicting shapes could be seen. "This is my second home. I''m here to climb those peaks. After that, I can return to the city, and enter the Ethereal Realm. Here we go."

 Celestial Ascent

    The fields seemed to go on forever. Purple grass decorated the environment, with stone pillars as well as strange trees across the area. Xahri looked up at the peaks. "The Phantasmal Peaks..." She kept walking in the direction of the peaks. There were no signs of life in sight, just a large expanse, and the peaks.


    Xahri walked for quite a while. She passed by several different landmarks as the peaks grew closer. All the pillars were different shapes, rocks were scattered in different colors, and by looking closely, some of the grass blades were brighter than others. The aura of the area was extremely calming. It was almost as if it was made to put one in a deep slumber. This was no dream though. "I want some time to relax... this feels like it inst going to be easy, ill lay down right over here!"


    Xahri laid down on the purple grass and looked up at the ethereal sky. Shooting stars of many different shades of purple, pink, and yellow could be seen. "It''s beautiful... its a shame that nobody else is here to see this. But that''s OK. Sometimes It''s good to be alone." Xahri became very relaxed. She kept her eyes open, but fell into a trance looking up at the sky. Her body started sinking into the ground, her colors turning pure purple. "Soon... Finality..." Xahri whispered to herself.


    "I can feel myself flying through the sky, touching the stars, feeling the nice, cool breeze. It''s a wonderful feeling. Even though its artificial, I-I can still feel it''s embrace. It''s time that I snap out of this though... I don''t want to stay sleeping here forever... not yet at least..." Xahri snapped out of her and sat up. She stared at the peaks, while sitting on her knees. She got a good look of what was to come, and stood up. She made her final trek toward the base of the peaks.


    "Here we are." Xahri made it to the Phantasmal Peaks. Leaving the fields behind her, she entered the narrow pathway in the crevice of the mountain, and began walking... As she walked up the path, the walls around her turned into crystal. It was like a strange mirror. She could see herself on the other side, smiling, even though her true expression was much different. She kept walking. The ground was dotted with yellow stars, and the path ahead began to slowly open up. It became less and less narrow.


    After climbing over some rocks, the area opened up in front of Xahri, but the peaks were still towering above her. A vortex could be seen at the top of the peaks. "My destination." Xahri kept walking, until she was eventually stopped by a strange lifeform. "Monsters... here? Guess I do have to fight after all..." Xahri drew her weapon and quickly dispatched the ethereal foe. She then noticed a several purple eyes all around her. The lifeforms made themselves visible. They seems to be consistently changing shape. Their colors kept shifting, as well as the cries they were making. One moment they looked like a floating orb, the next, they were a four legged animal. These transformations kept happening. Xahri started running towards the way up. The ground was slightly elevating the more she ran ahead. The creatures chased after her.


    Xahri had to stop to fight a couple of enemies. She spun her blade and killed one of them. It dissapeared in a mist. Xahri detached her blades, and threw them at the enemies in front of her. They missed, but upon coming back, they pierced through the enemies, and destroyed them. Xahri jumped and spun around, and let her blades hit the enemies on the other side. They ricocheted back her and she reconnected them. She swifly took care of the other enemies in the area, and began running towards the summit once again. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The crystal mirrors reappeared on an open pathway. They were also on the ground, which made it slippery. Small crystal growths also poked out of the walls. Xahri eventually reached another open expanse, which was empty. She kept walking and found a cave entrance. She entered it, and found a path upwards. It was a natural spiral staircase. Behind her, more monsters appeared. Xahri threw her daggers downward, grabbed them, and slashed through the enemies, fatally wounding them. This also made the ground crack, shattering the staircase. It began to collapse. "Great." Xahri began sprinting up the stairs as they feel one by one directly behind her. Upon reaching the top, several more monsters were blocking the way to the exit.


    Xahri pinned the enemy in front with one of her daggers, and threw it forward. She made sure to get flung with it. This skewered most of the monsters in front of her. "These creatures... are part of my mind, aren''t they... yet, I don''t feel any mental pain upon defeating them. This numbness... It is the finality approaching me..." Xahri quickly dispatched the last few mosnters, and ran into the opening area. She was greeted by more cliffs, with no way up. "Guess I need to climb..." Xahri used her daggers as pickaxes and pinned them into the cliffside. She used them to climb up the wall like a ladder. She repeated this many times.


    As she was climbing, several flying creatures appeared over Xahri. They began barreling towards her. She grabbed one of her daggers and threw it at the enemies, and caught it once it returned to her. She picked it back into the wall and kept climbing. More enemies appeared, she repeated the process. This happened many times over and over until... Xahri made it up.


    Another large expanse could be seen in front her. This one was gleaming with bright lights. Several rainbow appendages appeared from up above. Xahri knew she counted fight those, so she began running, making sure she wasn''t grabbed. She made it through the area, but not after tripping and falling a few times, slowing her progress. Upon reaching the other side, the appendages receded into the ethereal mist, and Xahri continued upward. She was nearing the top of the peaks. She was above the clouds at this point. The summit was clearer than ever.


    Xahri peacefully walked forwards until things went strangely silent. She looked around to see everything around her was wrapped in the ethereal vortex. "A sense of finality permeates the air." A long, stretched path was ahead of Xahri. It was full of spawned entities. "Almost there, just a short skip away." Xahri began dashing towards the end. A pedestal could be seen at the end of the path. She swung her daggers constantly as she ran, killing many monsters. Several appendages appeared behind her and chased her. Hands grew off the appendages and started shooting lasers and twilight spheres at Xahri. She dodged the laser, which made small explosions upon hitting the ground, and deflected the spheres into the monsters around her. This caused a chain reaction and killed many monsters.


    Most of the monsters were cleared out. Xahri sprinted towards the end of the path. The end was clearer than ever. "A dream has never been so vivid... heh... "dream" this is all too real..." Xahri was confronted by a large brute-like creature. She dueled it and swiftly took care of it. Tired out, she stumbled towards the pedestal. Xahri stood herself up, and closed her eyes. She held out her arms, and opened her palms. "Omni, my "creator" I offer you my soul, in exchange for the opportunity to save all of existence. Take it." Xahri dropped her weapons and collapsed. She hyperventilated as she could feel her spirit leaving her body. She took some breaths, and kept herself calm. "When the moonlight shines on me once again, I wont be there to witness it... and that''s just about OK... See you soon." Xahri was lifted into the air, and flung upwards. Her eyes closed, she smiled, as she freely flew upwards. her body neared the vortex above her. She could feel her spirit form leaving her body.


    Instead of gripping on to it, she let herself feel a sense of release, as it left her body. She grew ever closer to the vortex. Until... She entered it...The peaks on the ground crumbled, and the world around them deteriorated. The vortex closed. It had fully consumed Xahri, and her soul.


    Xahri awoke to find herself in a beautiful aurora. Gleaming stars of multiple colors were around her. Heh... what I am saying. She couldn''t see a thing... although, she could sense it. With her eyes closed, and a smile on her face, her soul appeared in her chest, cracked, and shattered. Pitch black and blood-red mist poured out of it. Xahri was still relaxed. Her spirit form fell into the background area, and dissolved. Xahri fell backwards, completely unconscious, and exited the vortex...

 Finality

    "Now... to return home, and enter the Ethereal Realm. The hard part is over. My soul is gone. But that''s OK. There''s nothing to worry about. If I succeed, I will live a full, happy life... With my friends, family, and all the others that care about me! I won''t let this sacrifice go to waste. Just because the Omni stabbed me in the back doesn''t mean I can''t do it back." Xahri talked to herself as she passed through the Interdimensional Vhase, slowly regaining her consciousness. The air was super thin, but breathable. Xahri was kept alive by this, as well as her hopes.


    As she fell deeper into the Interdimensional Vhase, Various dimensions could be seen. Some worlds were already gone. Some worlds were ruined. And some... were still there, but; their inhabitants were full of fear. One dimension stood out to Xahri though. A mono grey, ruined world, that seemed like it used to be alive and well. "That place... I feel like I''ve been there before... Not directly, but through someones dream..." Xahri pondered on the dimensions she passed by as she fell back the Nyshenor.


    "Avindor... the people there... have been through enough... I''ve only been there a few times, but I know for a fact that... They have seen the end already in the past. They are scared, but hopeful. I must succeed. The Omni can''t win. Unlike other erasures, this would be a permanent cessation of existance for all life. I wont let that happen." Xahri kept falling. She spotted the entrance to Nyshenor, and dived towards it. As she grew closer, her eyes opened wide. What she saw was unspeakable.


    "Wake up... Xahri... Wake up!! Xahri!!! WAKE UP!!!" A voice could be heard. Xahri awoke in her bed, shocked. "J-just a dream, huh..." She said. "We were worried sick about you. We thought you... you..." Avi said to Xahri. Kina could be seen sitting on Xahri''s chair, a tear falling from her eye, and smile on her face. "Where are the others." Xahri asked. "They are outside, fighting. The Omni is about to succeed. The world is in an eternal night, and I sense that some worlds have already started to decay. "...mm..." Kina gave a light response.


    Xahri looked out the window. "It''s very dark. Don''t worry... this "dream" I had, while i was "asleep" was very enlightening. I know of a way to weaken the Omni, and give us an opening to defeat it." Avi was puzzled. "How did you learn all that in your sleep?" Avi noticed Xahri''s hairpin was shattered. "N-no! Didn''t you say something really bad w-would happen if that broke!?"


    "That bad thing already happened, and I''m right here, alive and well." Xahri responded to Avi. Kina walked over to Xahri, sat on her bed, and hugged her. "Don''t worry, I''ve had to give up many things too... we''re in this together." Kina said. Avi joined in and hugged them both. "Group hug!" Avi said, smiling. The three got out of the bed and went into the living area.


    "So... What is our plan of action, Xahri?" Avi asked. Rumbling could be heard from outside. The ground was shaking from extreme tremors. Memories and photos were falling from the wall and shattering, belongings were breaking. "We need to go to Avindor, and go to the Central Citadel, and go deep under it. There, we will find a magic bed that can... I''ll leave that part out... just get me there... and I''ll do the rest." Xahri said. Kina ran over to the front door and opened it. It was blocked by rubble. Ruined buildings, corpses, and statues of people that once lived, were scattered about. A grey pigment was tainting the surface as well.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Avi, open a portal to Avindor, NOW!!" Xahri pleaded. Avi tapped into her power. "Agh!!! It H-hurts... t-too much!! The Omni... controls the goddess, I inherited the goddess'' power, as you know. With too much superior, dark energy nearby, I cant use my power, and would surely die if I tried to sustain it for too long. We need to get as far away from the city as possible. To an uninhabited area, where the land is still somewhat pure." Avi explained to Xahri and Kina what was happening to her. "But... how do we get out of here...? The front door is blocked... and even if we did, wouldn''t we just get killed?" Kina asked. Xahri pulled her weapon. "We can still fight. Avi, get your sword, Kina, get your bow, I''ve got some new tricks to show you guys!"


    The two girls grabbed their weapons, and went over to the back door. It was also blocked by rubble. "Blocked off... ugh..." Kina became frustrated. Xahri walked over and split the rocks with her daggers. "You do remember that my Twin Digitaros are extremely hot, right? They can melt rock very easily." "Go figure." Avi said. The three ran out the back door, and sprinted forward. "W-were just running! Where are we even going!?" Kina yelled. Explosions could be seen in the distance, as well as the echo of terrified screams. The world was ending. For real this time. "I know of a way to get out of the city, we need to go south to the outskirts, and then just run straight, we should reach some fields shortly after... There, you can open a portal to Avindor." Xahri said. Avi nodded to Xahri, and the three began running east.


    "Monsters, quick! Kill them!" Avi yelled. Kina fired her bow several times, while Avi ran towards the enemies and did a jumping attack. Xahri threw her daggers at the enemies and caught them. "So I see what you mean by new tricks! Good stuff, Xahri!" Avi yelled. "No time to chat all giddy like that, we need to keep moving, this isn''t a cheerful time." Xahri said, sternly. The three kept running. They dispatched many other monsters as they ran.


    Thud "Uh... big guy... behind you... Xahri..." Kina warned Xahri of the giant grotesque beast behind her. "Uh oh." It tried to pin her. Xahri dodged. Avi quickly ran up on the creatures back and began digging her sword through it. Xahri did several spin attacks on the enemies feet, while Kina shot her arrows at the creatures eye. It swiftly fell to its demise. "Piece of cake!" Avi said. The other two stayed silent and began running again. The tremors grew worse and worse, as more buildings fell. The echoed screams grew quieter and quieter. "Either people found a place to hide... or their all dead..." Kina was concerned. "No time, we can grieve losses later, all we can do is press on, and save what we can." Avi said. "I agree." Xahri responded.


    The three reached the city outskirts, and began sprinting. "Wow, Kina, you sure have a lot of energy!" Kina was running significantly faster than Avi and Xahri. "I''ll beat you there!" She said. "Eh... a little fun is OK in times like this... Not if i can beat you there first!" Xahri sped up and nearly caught up to Kina. "Hey!" Avi was running behind them, reaching her arm out in laughter and frustration. The city grew smaller and smaller in the background as the three ran.


    "There are, strangely... no monsters here!" Kina noticed that the area was somewhat peaceful, besides the tremors. "The Omni has them attacking the city. Although it is a Deity, it''s forces are still limited." Avi replied. A blue opening could be seen in the distance. "That looks to be our destination." Avi pointed while she was running. The sky began to brighten up, and the color of the grass seemed to be normalizing. "We must act quick, once the Omni finds we''re here, we probably will have to run very far to find another place like this." Xahri kept running as she looked around her at the rolling green fields. Avi looked around and a tear fell from her eye. "Even here, in a completely different dimension, the fields still persist, how did I miss this...? (Marlon... I miss you...)"


    "Now! Open the portal!" Xahri yelled. Kina paced around Avi and Xahri as Avi channeled her energy. She successfully opened the portal. "Lets go." They entered the portal, and were swiftly transported to Avindor. Upon arriving, it was quickly noticeable that the sky was darker than usual. Although, not as bad as the state of Nyshenor, this world was still close to its end. "The Central Citadel should be north of here, I purposely positioned us as close to it as I could." "Well then... lets get going..." Xahri said. The three began their journey to the Central Citadel. Will they make it in time? Or will the Omni succeed before they make it...?

 False Facade

    Xahri, Avi, and Kina ran towards the Central Citadel, barely catching their breath. "We have a long way to go." Avi, with knowledge of Avindor, knew that they had a great distance to travel. "It is possible that we might not make it... In time before Nyshenor is erased. Then... we will be stuck here in an eternal night, before everything goes black, and..." Kina suddenly grew into a more somber tone. "It''s ok, Kina, I know your scared, but we are going to get through this. Just like we did every time in the past." Xahri comforted Kina as they kept running.


    "Is that... the Southern Citadel...? Why is it... so... plain...?" Avi stated as she saw something strange up ahead. The group had arrived at a checkpoint, the Southern Citadel. "Just past here, if we keep going north, we should make it soon enough..." Avi continued. A large white wall could be seen around the Citadel, as well shut gates. There seemed to be no way around the structure. "Guess we gotta go through it, Lets hope everyone is OK." Xahri said, knocking on the front gate.


    No response. Xahri knocked again, no response. Kina kicked the door several times. Avi also kicked the door. "Enough... Let me take care of this." Xahri swung her blades into the door, and cut a hole open to enter. The three entered the Citadel. "Yeah, somethings off here... hey, uh... Avi... Kina... why do I feel so... sleepy... we only just entered here." Xahri was starting to fall asleep. "We must... be out of energy... from running so... much... we dont have... infinite stamina..." Avi replied. Kina was sitting on the floor with a smile. All she could see around her was pure white. No light, no dark, just the color white. "Lets take a rest." She said.


    Kina fell asleep and sunk into the earth. Avi passed out beside Xahri and fell into a slumber as well. "Well, great, why me? Why am I not inflicted by this, welp, guess I gotta save you two..." Xahri cut open the ground, which was surprisingly thin, and looked down. A large, white abyss could be seen, with no sign of a bottom. "If I die here, Well... I wont think about that.." Xahri jumped into the abyss and began falling. She held on to her blades tightly and she fell.


    Xahri eventually landed, and surprisingly, felt no pain. She looked around to see what looked like the central citadel, only more... strange. All the residents were only visible by outlines. The buildings were simplistic, and also outlined. Xahri did not like what she was seeing. "Hey Hey Hey! Welcome to CheerVille!! Where your best dreams come true and peace reigns true!" said a citizen. Xahri put a frustrated look on her face. "Whatever the Omni did to you guys, its not working on me." She said. The citizen grabbed Xahri by her wrist. "Hey Hey Hey! Welcome to CheerVille!! Where your best dreams come true and peace reigns true!" The citizen began pulling Xahri away, she seemed to have no control over her body. She gripped her dagger tightly, until she noticed that it vanished. Xahri passed out.


    "Sit down! Have some fun!! Close your eyes and relax the day away! When you wake up... you will be even happier!" Xahri woke up to see the a differently shaped citizen standing around her. Several solid black eyes could be seen around her, all staring directly at her. Xahri tried to move, she was tied to the chair was sitting in. She looked at herself to find that her body, and clothes, had all changed to the color white. Little detail could be seen on her. A purple outline was visible around her. "A-Avi... is t-that you...?" Xahri said. Another different looking shape appeared. It looked like Avi. "Hiya! Why aren''t you smiling! Join us in cheering for the Omni! The Goddess has fallen... and ha turned into a blank slate... meaning that I have no sense of personality! Yippee! C''mon Xahri! Join us! Stay here eternally! Even after the Omni erases all of existence... we will still be smiling!"


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Avi" was in some kind of trance. "Avi... what did they do to you...?" "Nothing!" Kina walked up to Xahri, in a trance as well, and grabbed her by the shoulder. "Happy time, smile smile! It''s time to join us! Why so resilient? Just close your eyes, and you''ll be with us shortly!" Kina said. The several citizens inched closer to Xahri. She tried to escape. She couldn''t budge. She tried to channel her energy from the moon. There was no moon in the sky. Her hairpin was broken, meaning she had no power either way. The entities grew closer and closer.


    Xahri, full of fear, eventually realized, that there was no escape. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and prepared to be drained of all personality. "No soul, no personality... I accept my fate..." She said. She waited for the cold embrace of all the entities around her to consume her. For some reason, time seemed to have stopped. Xahri opened her eyes in confusion. The entities dissapeared, and Xahri had control over her body again. She stood up, noticing she wasn''t tied to the chair anymore. "Heh... seems like I just had to accept my fate, and I was ok... I''m getting pretty good at this!" She said. Xahri walked down the plain corridor, looking for a way to save her friends.


    Xahri reached what seemed like some kind of pasture. She walked through the gateway leading her to it, and was greeted by the Goddess, in a tainted state. "So... The Omni was afraid of you..." Xahri said. Without any thinking, Xahri attacked the tainted Goddess, but before she could land an attack, she was attacked back. "Didn''t expect to be fighting YOU today... Let''s just hope Avi''s OK." Xahri used her daggers to climb up the surrounding walls, and used them to jump on the enemy. She jabbed it several times. The white shell cracked slightly. Golden light could be seen from the inside. "So I just need to take care of this shell, and things should go back to normal... Alright, W-Whoa!" Xahri was knocked off of the enemy.


    Standing herself back up, the enemy shot several tainted beams at Xahri. She dodged successfully. The beams ricocheted off the floor and destroyed her way of climbing back up. She caught a further cliff in the corner off her eye. "Follow me!!!" She yelled. Xahri began running towards to cliff, as the Goddess pursued her. Dodging many attacks, Xahri climbed the cliff, jumped on the enemy, and jabbed it. It''s shell cracked some more. She kept jabbing as much as she could, hoping to break the shell. She was knocked off again. The shell was almost broken.


    The cliff behind Xahri collapsed, and she could not find anymore cliffs to climb. The enemy shot several attacks at her. Xahri tried deflecting them, but upon hitting her blades, the attacks dissapeared. She noticed that one orb that was shot at her was a bright golden shade. "That''s the one." Xahri looked for the golden attacks, and knocked them back at the enemy. Every hit, the enemy screeched and fell closer to the ground. Eventually, the enemy was close enough to the ground for Xahri to reach it. She jumped on top of it, and broke the shell.


    Xahri was launched backwards, as the Goddess was back to full purity. Her light was extremely bright. Eventually, it dissapeared, and left behind an explosion of light. Xahri could hear the words "Thank you..." In Avi''s voice. Xahri covered her eyes passed out. She woke up back in Avindor. Avi and Kina woke up beside her. "What just happened...?" Kina said. "I cant remember a thing... but man... my head really hurts..." Avi stood up. She helped Kina up. The girls were on the other side of the Southern Citadel, which was back to normal. They were facing north. They looked ahead to see Xahri waving to them up north. "No time to waste... lets go!!" She yelled. Avi and Kina pursued Xahri with confused looked on their faces.


    They caught up to Xahri. They seemed to be running extremely fast. Xahri noticed that everything around her was blinking by her. "We should be there shortly, I think that "detour gave us a great boost." She said. Avi and Kina had puzzled looks on their faces. "Whatever you say. The three ran north and arrived at the Central Citadel. It was under attack by the Omni''s forces. "No time to waste, we need to get underground as fast as possible, and find that "dreambed" Xahri said, with a determined look on her face.