A week had passed since the Remnants'' hideout became a command center for the Heroes.


    The one who walked in and out of the place was Noah.


    His mission continued, defending the people in need from total destruction.


    While the enemies were stronger than they should have supposedly been, Noah had also powered up greatly through the ''Elemental Mastery.''


    Compared to Orion, who went through the dark ''Elemental Mastery'', Noah was only able to merge with the light element.


    Still, his control only grew stronger. The fights were rapidly settled with no problem whatsoever, even without Orion.


    While Noah was away, Orion stayed with Henrietta and Tetra, focusing on releasing his void element from the interfering energy.


    Outside the women''s room used to monitor Noah throughout his journey, Orion built a resting place for him and Noah, with elements Tetra brought him, such as wood.


    But before focusing on overcoming the blockage, Orion had something to do.


    —


    "Tetra, could I ask for a favor?"


    The same day Orion faced Henrietta, he walked to Tetra and asked her something.


    "A favor..."


    "Sure. What do you need?"


    She wasn''t used to Orion, but she tried to be friendly either way.


    With a nod, Orion explained.


    "Would it be possible to send me to Tiohr-nam''s base?"


    After pondering for a second, she made an O-shape with her mouth.


    "Oh! The matter she wanted to discuss with you. Sure, I can do that."


    With a neutral expression, she stood up from her seat next to Henrietta and walked next to Orion.


    "I''ll monitor you to see if anything goes wrong."


    Her eyes glued to the water stuck in the center of the table, Henrietta told him.


    A small frown on his face, Orion thought.


    "Could you avoid doing that?"


    "..."


    Slowly, Henrietta glanced at him. The expression on his face was the same.


    "Sure. From the looks of it, it is a sensitive topic. It''s not like we listen to everything Noah talks about, either."


    Confirming that she would respect his privacy this time, Orion smiled warmly.


    "Thank you. It''s something that could be very problematic if other people knew about it. Since it''s related to my time, I especially can''t have you two hear it."


    This time, it was Tetra''s turn to frown.


    "That''s suspicious. Don''t you trust us?"


    But Henrietta was the one to add something.


    "This is most likely related to you. Don''t be a pain and simply listen to him."


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    "Related to me?"


    Looking at Orion, she noticed that he had actually never looked her in the eyes after asking for a favor.


    "This is about my power inside of him, right?"


    "Most likely. There is information that could actually change the course of history. Some things should be kept hidden unless certain they would not interfere."


    The two women nodded to each other, which made Tetra relax.


    ''I had no idea I was so on edge at this time. No wonder Enri kept being on my case 24/7.''


    Orion could understand it too. Compared to the Tetra he knew, this past version was strangely acting.


    Nonetheless, Tetra began to move at the end of the conversation.


    "Alright, let''s move then. Enri, I''m coming back in a few minutes."


    "I''ll have made something for you to drink when you return."


    "Thanks."


    With that conversation concluded, the space in front of Orion began to warp.


    ''This feeling... Still as nauseating as ever.''


    His face showed no cramps or displeasure, but his stomach was slightly churned around from the feeling.


    ''But it''s not so bad anymore, right? After being inside the ''Corridors of Time'' for so long, there''s no way you would feel sickened by it.''


    ''That''s true.''


    As his vision began to stabilize, the scenery changed from the Remnant''s room to the opening inside the Talviera Mountains, where Tiohr-nam''s massive body overlooked the entire continent.


    "Give me a moment, and I''ll leave."


    "I know. Take your time."


    Hearing the exhausted voice of the pink-haired woman next to him, Orion nodded before approaching her.


    "Noah''s not here, so you don''t have to force yourself to look good."


    He placed his hand on her back and rubbed it up and down. Tetra always had to pay a price for using her power, and warping around caused her to feel sick for a moment.


    This was a topic he knew about from a discussion with her in the future. That''s why she was thankful for Orion and his portals, which made her life easier.


    "Thank you. Still, knowing that you even know about my weaknesses, which only Enri knows, feels strange."


    Orion kept gently rubbing her back while adding something.


    "In the future, more people will come to know about you and your powers. They are all kind-hearted people and will accept everything you throw at them."


    "Really?"


    She straightened up, having recovered her composure.


    "Without a shadow of a doubt, it''ll happen. Even you can have the happy life you desire."


    He avoided saying something, but another voice completed his sentence without any shred of sadness in it.


    ''Without Noah, though.''


    ''...''


    Orion silently noticed the acceptance growing inside his time''s Tetra.


    ''And I need to get revived too! Damn it, I had forgotten that I''m actually dead!''


    Her booming voice almost made Orion chuckle, but he managed to keep it sealed.


    Since Tetra''s soul was ''alive'' inside Orion, she had forgotten about her body being souless at this moment.


    As the past Tetra pondered his words, he talked to the one in his core.


    ''Tiohr-nam will be able to put you back in your body. She said she could revive a Remnant if she had their soul.''


    ''It''ll go even better since we have your body waiting for you, intact.''


    Compared to Silka, whose body had actually perished and would be reborn as a new entity because his last magic container cracked, Tetra was in an entirely different situation.


    "I believe that you came from the future. That much is obvious."


    Suddenly, he was brought back to reality when the past Tetra opened her mouth.


    "But is it alright to give me hope like this? What if it never happens?"


    "Then I wouldn''t be here talking to you. Remember, we are family. Maybe not now, but in the future, we will be."


    "..."


    The words were unable to leave her throat.


    Without speaking another word, she warped back to Henrietta, leaving Orion alone in the empty, open-sky cavern.


    "Well..."


    Taking a look around, Orion walked toward the base of the Tree of Life.


    "Here I am."


    He stopped in front of a massive root breaking through the ground and, with a push of his legs, jumped on top of it.


    As he sat down, the tree''s bark began to crack, revealing the Avatar from inside.


    Observing this familiar event, Orion patiently waited for her to be ready to talk.


    "Good. I see that you have held your side of the promise."


    As her hair settled behind her back and her mossy green eyes opened up, her clear, womanly voice echoed in the surrounding emptiness.


    With a nod, Orion acknowledged her words.


    "We have a few topics to discuss."


    To that, Tiohr-nam nodded.


    "In that case..."


    Her green eyes flashed, revealing the leaf sigil inside them. The next moment, Orion felt his subconscious being dragged out.


    Knowing what this feeling entailed, he closed his eyes.


    ...


    "We can talk without having eavesdroppers in here. Right..."


    As Orion opened his eyes slowly, he noticed someone else in front of him.


    "Tia-Norun?"


    "..."


    Surprised by the sudden call, he looked at the back of her friend, who was looking at her hands in shock.


    "I look a bit transparent."


    With a grin that she was unable to contain, she turned to Orion with a beaming smile.


    "You sure do."


    The smile on his face was one of relief.


    "Haha~"


    Her body was entirely see-through. Her state as a fleeting soul was represented perfectly in front of Orion and Tiohr-nam, who glared with intensity at her.


    Yet, she waited for the two to end their small talk.


    "I knew the matter of souls wouldn''t escape the Remnant of Life."


    Tetra turned to Tiohr-nam with an expression the Avatar had never seen from her before.


    "You... Are you really Tia-Norun?"


    With confusion painted across her entire face, the Avatar bent forward.


    "What? Have you never seen someone happy before? That''s rude, you know?"


    Crossing her arms, Tetra walked to the tree, alone in the vast space of green grass, swaying peacefully.


    "So, you really are Tia-Norun. I have felt the incongruity of two similar souls next to each other, but I was not expecting another one to exist at the same time as the other."


    Orion walked next to Tetra and immediately explained the situation to the tree.


    ...


    "I see. Since I will lose a container at some point, I will have my memories altered."


    "That is why I am the only one you can talk to about this."


    With a terrible frown on her face, the Avatar gazed at the sky.


    Telling her this wasn''t troublesome. After thinking deeply about the matter, he gathered that the Remnant of Life, from his knowledge alone, wouldn''t be willing to reveal what he would say to anyone.


    Even if she were to learn the truth from his mouth, the world would arrange itself and make her forget when Reon would destroy her first magical container.


    But, he wasn''t expecting to see Tetra again, who was stuck in his core.


    "Two Tia-Norun, one from our present and one from the future. This is difficult to imagine, but the fact that you are standing there as a soul is irrefutable."


    "Right?"


    Tiohr-nam frowned.


    "Are you not overly familiar with me? I cannot imagine us being on such good terms, even in the future."


    They weren''t strangers, but they weren''t friends either. They were comrades sharing the same fate, but that was all.


    "We will share the same home in the future. You''ve also mellowed a lot."


    "Ugh..."


    The Avatar laid her back against the rough bark, looking exhausted.


    "I never thought speaking with someone from the future would be this... painful."


    She removed one arm from the bark, which was covered in a green moss, and rubbed the part between her eyes.


    "Alright, let''s get to the other matt


    er that we have not discussed."


    Putting the matter of them coming from the future, Tiohr-nam continued.


    "Orion, would you kindly explain to me why there is a bridge between your soul and mine?"


    His eyes opened wide.


    "That''s precisely what I wanted to ask you."