Oh goody. Zack is back, and he’s guaranteed to give you at least one brief moment of hilarity in the midst of all this gloomy storiness.

Episode 95 Glowing Ashes

With the hard sheath of his sword, Ryuu drives a wooden cross deeper into the freshly upturned soil. He stands back for a second, surveying his work with a melancholy look. “We had no idea you’d been planning this all along,” he mutters softly in the still air, “this is the least we could do for you.”

Silver steps forward, and stands at Ryuu’s side for a moment. “Tide…you idiot…” she stammers, as she stares at the grave, marked only by a Zard leaning against the cross.

Ryuu sighs deeply, glancing mournfully at the grave. “I’ll leave you two alone,” he mumbles, turning and patting Silver gently on the shoulder. He sighs again, and steps away to join the rest of the group.

As he passes the ridge on which the entire group is gathered on, a view of Haven comes into sight. Except, Haven is in ruins, with not a single structure left standing. The entire complex is burned to the ground, and the bodies of fallen guardsmen can be seen lying strewn about the floor in grotesque positions.

“So Kunai was not in there at all?” Ayame asks, as Ryuu rejoins the others.

“No,” Lily answers grimly, “he departed shortly before you all arrived.”

Ryuu looks at Lily intently for a moment, and then glances at his left hand, clenching it tightly. ‘So it must’ve been Kunai who’d cut off Gilford’s hand. But if they’d gotten into a fight, whose side is Kunai really on now?’

“Any idea where Kunai went?” Ryuu asks out loud, drawing everyone’s attention.

“I can only assume he was headed…there,” Lily remarks, pointing westward, where the sky has become a shade of pitch-black hovering over the town of Sleepywood. “He spoke of it not long before he departed.”

Ryuu follows the direction Lily points at with his eyes, and his glare comes to a rest in the sky just over Sleepywood. “Sleepywood…” he mutters under his breath.

“I learned from within my holding place in Haven that it seems the three vigilantes known as the Soul Eaters have embarked upon Sleepywood, and are now seeking entry into the Night World from that location,” Lily answers promptly.

“That’s what it looks like. But if it’s really the Soul Eaters there,” Ryuu grumbles, “then that cannot be good.”

“Why not?” Ayame inquires apprehensively upon seeing the look in Ryuu’s eyes.

“The Night World was their original destination,” Shuriken says abruptly. “They were seeking to release Lilith in the Night World, but because she was locked in the Underworld and we’d sealed transfer between the Night World and Underworld, they could only move in a clockwise direction through the worlds if they hoped to return to the Night World.

“Essentially, if they’re here in Sleepywood, then it means they plan to open up a gigantic portal from this world into the Night World.”

“But what exactly do they intend to do once they arrive there?” Ayame asks worriedly.

“That’s the problem,” Sasha remarks, “no one knows what their goals are. Not even any of the Paradox Hunters know. The only info we have on them is that they’re criminals who cause trouble for us Hunters and common citizens alike.”

“But if Kunai’s headed for Sleepywood, then that must mean he’s after the Soul Eaters!” Ayame says slowly.

“Exactly,” Ryuu replies, “there’d be no other reason for him to go there otherwise.”

“He intends to defeat the Soul Eaters by himself?” Shuriken comments. “How foolish.”

“Indeed,” Ryuu adds, “he barely survived an encounter with one of them, how does he expect to beat all three at once, when they’re in control of Lilith as well?!”

“Regardless,” Ayame states, “we know now what our next move should be. If the Soul Eaters are moving Lilith into the Night World, we’ve got to follow them. That means we’ve got to reunite with George and Wing, then mobilize for all-out warfare.”

Ryuu sighs, and nods in agreement. “How goddamn troublesome.” He suddenly reaches into his pocket, and whips out a radio device. He presses a switch on it, and a hologram picture forms.

A beep sounds from the device, and Zack’s face appears in the picture. He proceeds to introduce himself by puckering his lips and waving his palms back and forth. “Look! I’m a fish! Looook! I’m a Poopa! Pooooppaaa!”

Ryuu’s eyebrow twitches impatiently as he yells at Zack’s hologram. “S-STOP DOING THAT!”

“Hehe,” Zack grins unashamedly on the other end, as he observes Ryuu’s angry hologram. “My bad. So how’re things goin’ on over on your end o’ the line, Red-haired Chimpanzee?”

“We’ve done well so far,” Ryuu sighs, glancing over his shoulder at his fellows. Most of them are bearing light to moderate injuries. “We’ve managed to successfully recover Lily, and all that’s left is to make our final preparations and meet up with George and Wing once again.”

“That so, huh?” Zack replies interestedly. “S’good to hear, then.”

“Anyway,” Ryuu growls, “are the three of you still training over at Kerning?”

“Yup,” Zack answers nonchalantly, “but we’re almost done right here.”

“Well then,” Ryuu continues, “if you’re planning on reuniting with us, then hurry up and come to Haven. We’ll be heading towards Sleepywood in the meantime.”

“Right-o!” Zack replies, saluting Ryuu. “Any news on Kunai, by t’way?”

Ryuu’s face grows darker upon mention of the name. “Yeah,” he grunts, “we didn’t meet him personally, but according to Lily, he’s headed the same direction we are.”

“Sleepywood then, huh?” Zack comments. “Looks like everyone’s headin’ that way. We’re gonna have s’fun comin’ up soon, looks like.”

“Right,” Ryuu agrees. “Well, at any rate, hurry up if you’re planning to join us again. We are gonna need as many Priests as we can get. We should arrive at Sleepywood within a few days’ time. George and the others should already be in the Night World by the time we get there.”

“Alrighty, Commander Ryuu!” Zack salutes Ryuu again, rather cheerfully. A beep sounds, and Ryuu’s hologram disappears from sight.

In the ensuing silence, nothing can be heard except the soft trickle of a nearby stream. A few birds sing merrily over the green tree tops enveloping the clear blue sky.

Zack turns around, and finds Ivy panting heavily. A ribbon of strained golden light forced into the shape of a bow and arrow surrounds her hands. She is bent over, her breathing ragged, yet her eyes are focused intently upon Zack.

“Did ya hear what ol’ Ryuu had t’say?” Zack asks Ivy presently.

“Of course!” Ivy grimaces, standing up straight immediately and allowing her Holy Arrow to dissipate into the air. “Kunai…Kunai’s headed for Sleepywood. That’s what he said, right?!”

“Yep, pretty much,” Zack retorts. He glances up at the sky, and sighs meditatively. “Listen, Ivy, I’ve pretty much taught ya everything I could short of how t’use them Soul Potions. The rest is up to you.”

“You mean this is the end of our training?” Ivy asks Zack anxiously. “Are you sure this is all you can teach me? I feel like there’s still a lot more I can learn from you, a lot more that I need to improve upon!”

“Nope, sorry, Ivy,” Zack answers, “but this is it. We’re done. Ya heard Ryuu. I gotta go join up with ‘em again, and I bet Shuriken’s gettin’ to be a lonely little boy without me there t’entertain him.”

Zack sighs, and glances around for a while longer. Eventually, he speaks again. “You n’ Rill should be fine alone. That guy Ryuu wouldn’t trust you two alone, but I would. Head directly t’Sleepywood first, Ivy. It should only take ya about one or two days. T’others are gonna take ‘bout maybe three or four. If you follow us, it’ll only slow ya down.”

“This is goodbye then, Zack?” Ivy asks tentatively. After a moment, she nods, and gives Zack a smile. “All right then. You go and meet with the others again. Rill and I will head to Sleepywood on our own. You needn’t worry about us.”

“Right,” Zack replies, “but listen up, I got s’more important stuff t’tell ya before I go.”

“Like what?” Ivy asks curiously.

In one instant, all hint of cheerfulness vanishes from Zack’s eyes.

“Like why that kid Rill has t’make sure he protects ya with his life if he has to.”

Rill lets out a shout of satisfaction as he hits another of his hand-drawn targets with a Tobi. “My aim’s starting to get better,” he mumbles to himself. “A couple more days of this, and—”

Rill pivots on the heel of his foot with rapid speed, and hurls a throwing star at a darkened shape hiding amongst the trees. The Tobi strikes the bark of a tree, as Ivy lets out a scream of fear.

“Oh, it’s you, Ivy!” Rill cries out loud. “You should’ve said something. I almost hit you!”

“I-It’s okay,” Ivy mutters shakily. Her face darkens as she stares at the ground.

“Huh?” Rill wonders out loud, his face falling. “What’s wrong, Ivy?”

“It’s time to go,” Ivy replies bluntly, turning around and thrusting her staff into the air. She points with it at the dark mass of clouds gathering eastward. “We’re heading for Sleepywood.”

“We’re leaving? But why are we mobilizing so suddenly?” Rill asks, perplexed at the situation and bewildered at the tone of Ivy’s voice.

After a brief pause, Ivy mutters, “Kunai.”

Rill stops in his tracks upon hearing the name. Ivy continues walking onward for a few moments, before she notices Rill has paused. She turns around. “What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing,” Rill responds rather hurriedly. “But where’s Zack? Are you done with your training already?”

“Yes,” Ivy replies, “he’s gone to join up with Ryuu and the others again.”

The two of them continue walking again silently through the trees for a while, with Ivy leading the way. However, suddenly, she comes to a stop once more.

Rill opens his mouth to inquire about the pause, but at once, he sees the tear rolling down Ivy’s cheek. “Ivy!” he cries, amazed and fearful at the same time. “What’s wrong?”

“From here on out, Rill,” Ivy blubbers, “worry about your own life only. Things are going to get extremely dangerous extremely quickly.”

A crescent moon sits upon the throne of the zenith high above, in a blanket of soft, silvery cloud. Nothing can be heard in the deep, penetrating silence of the night. Below, the land is desolate, except for an endless expanse of rolling hills consisting of loose clumps of dirt and tufts of barely-living wild plants.

A ray of moonlight dances upon the land, connecting the grim, cloudy throne of heaven with the morose lifelessness of the wilderness. In between the two entities and immersed within the moon’s royal light is the shadow of a beast larger than the world.

A single figure clambers over a broken ridge of dirt and waste. He gazes upon the enormous monster before him, driven onward by the will of three demons. The moonlight is reflected in the blade of Kunai’s sword, tainting it with its heavenly grace.

Next Time: Episode 96 Scattering Ashes

Arai: We’re now back in where all of Tales of a Lost World started! What grim adventures await our heroes in this world that they’ve already visited once?!

Episode 96 Scattering Ashes coming soon!