Dimensional Descent

"What is this supposed to mean?"

Joel stood as the core of the group, he knew that he had to. If he let anyone else lead the conversation, there would definitely be some words exchanged that couldn't be taken back. It was his duty to at least try to keep things as amicable as he could, but even he was on the verge of losing his temper.

They had all been worried about Leonel. This state of ignorance they were all in just made things a million times worse, especially since they were all forced to stay here without the ability to interfere.

It could be said that their nerves were fried, their tempers were short and their fuses were even shorter. It was a powder keg that was difficult to keep control of, even for Joel.

He could barely keep the edge of aggression from his voice, his tone even and calm. At that moment, he wished he could detach himself as easily as Leonel did.

At that moment, Yuri stood with several things in her hands.

One was the Segmented Cube that Leonel almost always left with Aina these days. It was one of his most important treasures, and it was the closest thing to home he had. His reasons, then, for leaving it with Aina so often was clear.

He wanted her to know that he would always return, that she was where his heart was and only with her could he truly unwind and relax.

on top of it. From time to time, the talisman would light up as though someone was trying to make use of it. But, Joel knew enough about the Dimensional Verse now to know that anyone

anyone other than her used it, it would begin recording and relaying the situation back. He knew that if Leonel knew what was happening now, regardless of the danger, he would cut a path back. But that would

the pulsing light of the talisman. Every time it happened, her gaze seemed to become more and more dead, the

see Leonel on the other side. He should have been focused on his escape, but once or twice a minute he would pour his Force into his own talisman, checking

had made it for her 19th birthday. Since that moment, she had never

than just a pretty gift. That day Leonel gave it to her was the day she was finally open about the feelings she had for him. She had almost forced herself onto Leonel for fear

could still remember every feeling of horror, pain and anxiety she had experienced in those months. But that

thing was her

Every item was like a

have been worn in shame or when one wanted to hide. If any other man had given her such a thing, Aina might have assigned it with

her face, he hadn't given it to her

reminder that her face was forever marred by the people she hated most in the world, that her mother had likely experienced far worse than

she received