Dimensional Descent

Aina sat in silent meditation, her aura in perfect balance. She took deep breaths, controlling her inhale and exhale in cycles that lasted sometimes up to several minutes.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes just as there was a light knock to her and Leonel's room.

"Yes, you can enter."

Savahn came in with a worried expression on her face, one that actually caused Aina to laugh slightly.

"What is it?"

Savahn was speechless. "Why are you laughing, this is serious."

"I don't know, this is just the first time in a while I've seen anything but a smile on your face, I found it interesting."

Savahn blushed, seemingly understanding what Aina was getting at. But then she remembered that she wasn't entirely without ammo in this conversation.

"You're one to talk, I can still smell it in the air."

Aina suddenly panicked. "Smell? What smell?!"

Aina's head snapped around before she froze. This time, it was her turn to blush. There was no smell, clearly Savahn was just making fun of her and had won this round.

bell. She was very used to Aina's shyness and she used to have all sorts of fun making fun of her. After the Metamorphosis, she had thought that maybe all their previous interactions had all been an act, but by now, she knew that it wasn't that the Aina she had known

rolled her eyes and coughed slightly, trying to

you come here for something important? Look at you making fun

"about as innocent as a death row

too flustered to respond, Savahn graciously took her victory and remembered that she had indeed come for something

news... Hutch has died already

She knew that Hutch was quite important to Leonel although she had never interacted much with the man personally. Even so, it was impossible

who wanted their grandchild's life. However, Hutch had been unlucky in two ways, he had not only outlived his children, but he was faced with trouble of standing in opposition

so even without being there, Leonel knew that Hutch would choose to die rather than make such a voice. It didn't matter to him that Leonel had warned him, it didn't

his talent, he never really felt the same passion he had in his youth, and maybe that was because he had

this was his choice or not, Aina knew that Leonel would

should we

took a deep breath and exhaled. "Nothing. Now isn't the

"Even with the capital being burned

had said before he left. Her thoughts flashed

a bit... is what he had said. That man was really too much. This was an existential crisis, but

explain. If he could stop the unnecessary deaths, he would, but he wasn't

the same time, there was definitely something tying Emperor Fawkes' hands, likely the same thing tying down the four Great Families. It didn't make sense if only one side faced restrictions while the

everything, he would have. As such, there was

on standby," Savahn nodded. She turned to leave but hesitated for a moment. "If you need anything, I'm here to