The Unnecessary Balance VII

B.

Though I feel C is more in character.

B, also in character for friendship, so B.

B.

Ominous.
Anyone want to try figuring the poem (?) out? I'm pretty bad at this.

Too late.
B is locked.

"Well, what do you think?" Sonia asks cheerfully, as she leads you deeper into the forest. Eren is a few paces ahead of her, scanning the forest trail with the eye of a professional huntress, and keeping watch. Honestly, the girl's expertise would be shocking enough, even if you weren't easily impressed right now.

But then again, who can blame you? There are still so many gaps in your memory, it's hard to distinguish between the normal and the extraordinary. But some things are clearly extraordinary, even to you, and it's those things that leave you speechless. And right now, between Eren's uncanny ability and this ancient forest, you're at a loss for words.

"It's incredible," you finally manage to say, your eyes still wide with wonder.

It had been a short walk from Naandia to the Eternal Forest, short enough that you barely had time to adjust to the jungle before the trees began to change, and you found yourself walking among giants. Before you found the name grandiose, but now... Now you realize just how appropriate the name truly is.

Giant redwood trees tower into the sky, their trunks thicker than entire houses, and their branches the size of roads. A steady stream of orange and brown leaves drift down from the canopy high above, guided by golden beams of sunlight, and a gentle breeze. That breeze felt wonderful on your skin, and you realize it's something you never would have felt with your old armor. You can sense the deep magic coursing through the forest, an ancient, primordial magic, and it only adds to the forest's mystical aura.

It's difficult to describe, but you feel as if you're standing at the edge of time, at the very heart of nature itself. Without trying to sound cliché, it was almost like the forest was alive.

"This is one of the oldest places on the planet," Sonia says, nodding in agreement with your earlier statement. "It truly is incredible. The magic here is old and powerful, and it's engrained in every root, every leaf, every branch. If you listen closely, you can almost hear a melody, like the forest is singing."

She turns to you, breaking out into a wide, devious grin. "Well, that's what the old geezer says at least. Come on! I'll race you to the top!"

To the top? To the top of what?

Before you can ask, Sonia takes off towards the nearest tree at a dead sprint, and leaps up onto the lowest branch like a monkey. You stand there for a moment, wide eyed, watching as Sonia leaps from branch to branch with mind blowing agility. In mere seconds, she's halfway up a tree that is probably over a thousand feet tall. You see a gust of wind magic every now and again, as she climbs higher and higher.

You decide to follow her, mostly out of concern. You take off at a sprint and jump, using the full strength of your legs to launch you like a spring, with nearly godlike results. The ground cracks and splinters beneath your feet, rocketing you into the air. In a single bound, you breeze past the treetops and break through the canopy, hundreds of feet above the ground. Your momentum slows as the wind pushes against you, and you latch onto a branch the size of a normal tree. You expect to break a couple fingers, at the very least, but instead your grip remains firm and your hands uninjured. Instinct takes over, and you effortlessly swing yourself up onto the enormous branch, only to find Sonia waiting for you on a branch just above.

"You okay?"She calls down, grinning widely. "You're not gonna have a heart attack or anything, right?"

You scoff, as your breathing begins to calm and your hands slowly stop shaking. "I'm not that old, little miss."

Sonia giggles and drops down next to you. The branch doesn't even quiver.

"I win," she announces proudly, leaning back against the trunk. "You'll need at least another decade of practice before you can defeat me in a race."

You shake your head, and pin her with a disbelieving stare. "You're absolutely insane, you know that?"

She giggles again. "Uh-huh. Says the scantily clad woman with the strength of a flying mountain."

You feel your cheeks redden. "I am not scantily clad, you little witch. Take that back."

Sonia only laughs harder, and you rather childishly turn your back to her. "Fine," you say jokingly, smiling slightly. You close your eyes. "I'm not speaking to you for the rest of the night."

"Real mature milady," Sonia taunts good naturedly, and you try not to laugh. "Aww, come on. Don't be like that. You'll miss the most beautiful sight in the world. No... The universe."

You open your eyes and turn, just in time to see the first rays of dusk, and the Sun start to dip below the horizon. Wow... Is it that late already? You hadn't even noticed...

Your breath catches in your throat. The sheer majesty of the sight was beyond belief. It was... Stunning. You're high enough to see the entire island from here. No... With your eyes, you can see even farther. It's like sitting at the very top of the world. Strangely enough, the scene feels familiar to you. It feels almost nostalgic... Like you've done this before, but at a different place, with a different person. For the briefest of moments, a piece of a memory comes back to you. It was a memory of falling asleep, near the throat of the world.

That's right... I've seen the Sunset from the clouds before... We... We used to fly together, when we were younger... We stopped at Mount Stormfrost, and watched the Sunset from the peak once. I... I even fell asleep in his arms then. Why can't I remember his face? His voice? Why can't I...

"I used to come up here with my brother when I was younger," Sonia says suddenly, her voice soft and distant. "We would talk for hours, just about stuff. What did we want to do when we grew up? What did we think the world beyond the ocean looked like? We used to fantasize about someday meeting our father, and what we would say to him. We would talk about all the adventures we would have, all the new places we would go, and all the new people we would meet. The great discoveries we would make... The vast hoards of treasure we would find... We swore we would carve our names into the scrolls of history. And then, finally, we would settle down and put our adventuring days behind us. My brother would become an everyday innkeeper, and spend the rest of his life writing a memoir. I would become a librarian in a small town somewhere, and raise a family. No one would suspect us of being legendary adventurers."

Sonia closes her eyes and gives a sad sigh. Thinking she needs it, you place an arm around her shoulders. She doesn't object.

"You should have seen us back then, Nagi... We were so full of hopes and dreams... Our eyes were bright, and we woke up everyday excited for our next adventure. We would chase each other into the forest, and down over the old river... We had our own secret hideout, hidden away in a small cave. Jet was so proud of it... I miss those days, Nagi. I miss them so damn much. Everything was so simple back then... All we had to do was stay out of trouble and be home before dinner."

A deep sense of yearning blossoms in your chest, a yearning so strong it brings a tear to your eye. It's right then that you realize you know exactly how she feels. This longing... This longing for days long gone, and people long passed. For missed Sunsets and the feel of the grass on your bare feet. And yet... It's odd but... You don't feel like it's a reason to be sad.

"We all grow up, Sonia. That's just a part of life. But yearning for the past, for those memories we hold so dear... That's not a bad thing, is it? It's those experiences, those times we laughed and cried, and hoped and dreamed, that makes us who we are. We owe it to our pasts, and to ourselves to live everyday to the fullest. We owe it to those memories to live a life worthy of them, and to create new, even better memories. And who knows, Sonia. Maybe someday you'll be that old librarian after all, with a dozen grandkids and a million adventures under her belt. But you have to make that dream come true, Sonia. No one else can do it for you."

She opens her eyes and stares at you, and you can see the wonder and disbelief shining in her ethereal gaze. "Nagi... Who are you, really?"

You shrug, and give a small smile. "Dunno. But I'm hoping I'll find out soon."

You suddenly clap your knees and rise to your feet, just as a sudden gust of wind kicks up, causing your hair to billow around you. "Right. Time to go, Sonia."

She nods, and you offer her your hand. The two of you return to the ground together, and Eren meets you with a bag of newly picked flowers and herbs in her hands. No one speaks, although in that moment, there is no need to.

Eren abruptly decides to toss a harmless twig at her sister, and you watch, smiling, as the siblings chase each other around in circles like possessed kittens.

Thank you, Sonia... These memories mean more to me than I can say. I will cherish them always.

You look up towards the fading Sun, and smile. A single tear slides down your cheek.

You notice the same shadow several times over the next hour. Or is it a different shadow? Regardless, it's clear to you now you're being hunted... A feeling, as it turns out, that is quite alien to you. You may not know much about yourself, but you do know you're accustomed to being the hunter, not the prey. You say nothing of this to the girls, of course, as you don't want to worry them. But... Sonia, at least, already suspects as much anyway.

"How much farther to the village?" You ask abruptly, your voice only a soft whisper.

"We should reach the jungle's outskirts in a few more minutes," Sonia says quietly over your shoulder. "If we just keep heading west, we'll start to see the forest change."

If we just keep heading west...

The logic of that assumption was sound, yes, but... The entire premise of that assumption is built around a single belief: that this is still the Eternal Forest. But if this really is a different forest, as you suspect... If the forest somehow changes or transforms after nightfall... Then heading west may very well be pointless. It may lead you to a completely different area of the forest, or it could even lead you back to where you started. There's only one way of knowing for sure...

Something catches your eye again-a shadow flitting and dancing between the branches- and you react on instinct alone. Faster than the blink of an eye, you turn and hurl your spear. While you may not remember who, and what you are, your body certainly seems to remember, as you've found out on several occasions already. A sound like thunder rends the air, as your spear strikes the tree with the ferocity of a lightning bolt. It was the same tree where the shadow had been but moments before, and now it sported a deep cleft right down the middle, reaching halfway up the trunk. The tree- a massive, ancient thing- had been split in two. The shadow, however, was nowhere to be found.

So even I'm not fast enough? Could it merely be my imagination?

"Holy crap Nagi!" A startled Sonia gasps. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?! Next time you decide to smite some poor unsuspecting tree, give a girl some warning first! I swear, it's like travelling with a... A... Hell, I don't even know anymore!"

You give a light laugh at her hysterical reaction, and smile apologetically. "Sorry. I uh... I'll try not to do that too often."

Sonia suddenly shivers. "Oh man... I think my life just flashed before my eyes. I know how I'm going to die now. It's crystal clear to me. I'm going to be walking through the forest one day soon, towards the old river. Unbeknownst to me, you're going to be bathing there... And I'm going to find a spear in my gut because you noticed my movement out of the corner of your eye. I think we really need to get your memories back soon... An amnesiac Nagi acting solely on instinct is terrifying."

"Really?" Eren asks mischievously, grinning. "But this is so much fun. I think you're just a wuss, sis."

"Shut up, Eren."

You shake your head at their now-all-to-familiar antics. Those sisters express their love for each other in the oddest of ways. But... It's oddly comforting. Maybe because it's so normal. "Don't worry, Sonia. I promise to let you know at least three days in advance if I plan to bathe in the river."

She gives you a very droll stare. "Uh-huh. I'm gonna hold you to that."

You laugh again, and go to retrieve your spear. You linger for a moment, closing your eyes and running your hands along the splintered bark. Forgive me, O great one. I did not mean to strike you. But fear not. I will not allow your death to be meaningless. I humbly ask for your blessing, great one.

You open your eyes and pick up a small chunk of the broken wood. You place it into your bag and return to your young friends. A sudden breeze passes through the treetops, rustling the leaves, and you look up. For a moment, the forest seems almost... Lighter. You close your eyes again and listen. In the wind, it almost sounds like the trees are speaking...

"Nagi? You okay?"

A wide smile spreads across your face. "I'm fine, Sonia. Wait here a moment. I'll be right back."

You hand a stunned Sonia your spear and pack, and begin to climb. You don't rocket yourself into the air like last time. You don't know why, but something just tells you that would be a mistake. Instead, you take your time and climb normally, feeling the wind in your hair, feeling it caress your face and skin. You feel the rough bark beneath your hands, and the forest all around you. You almost became a part of the forest itself.

Finally, the wind begins to rise, and you crest the tree top, finding yourself once again high over the world. But... The view is different this time, even startlingly so. You should be able to see the entire island from here; the fishing village of Naandia, the imposing Mount Scar, and the great ocean beyond. However, all you see is a vast and dark wood, stretching on for miles and miles in every direction. Alarm bells blared instantly in your mind. Every fiber of your being told you that this should be impossible. That it was a mistake. An illusion. But somehow, against all sense and reason, you knew immediately it was real. It wasn't just the forest after all. The entire island was gone. Someone, or something had transported you to a completely different place without you or Sonia even noticing.

Well, there's nothing else for it now... No use in thinking about it. Not on my own, anyway. My first priority is to make sure Sonia and Eren are safe. Then we can find some shelter and decide what to do.

You begin climbing back down the tree, and this time, there is more urgency in your movement. A memory nagged incessantly in the recesses of your mind. Illusions that aren't illusions... transformation... teleportation... Undone by realization...

Your sense of urgency triples, and a sick feeling develops in your gut. By the time you finally reach the bottom, you already know what you're going to find. At least you aren't surprised, you think grimly, as you kneel on the forest floor. There, not a foot in front of you, is your pack and spear. Sonia and Eren are nowhere to be found.

Bad luck is going around...

Why do all this? What's the point?

The point, Chaosborn? Why do you wake up in the morning?

Because my family needs me.

No, you wake up because you just do... There is no hidden meaning.

Then what the hell are we living for?

I once asked myself the same question... Would you like to hear the answer I found?

..... No. I will find my own answer, right after I kill you.

Ha... You amuse me, boy. Do you honestly believe you can kill me? ME? The man who taught you everything?

I won't know until I try.

A good answer... Then show me. Prove to me you possess the strength to find your own path.

---*---*---*---*---*
VS the Wanderer
---*---*---*---*---*

??? Lv 30 Chaosborn
HP:225
Str:150+20
Mag:105+13
Skill:130+30
Spd:130+30
Luck:200+15
Def:225+20
Res:148+20
Hit 440 Avoid 395 ATK 215

Skills: Rightful God, Chaosblade(Deals 100 set DMG, regardless of enemy stats or skills. Trigger%=Skill÷4), Shadow Devastation, Limiter Removal, Nemesis Shift, Brave Story, All-Breaker(Hit/Avoid+100 against all weapons), Dragonskin+(Halves all damage, negates Counter, Lethality, Critical Hits, and all enemy skills when attacking), Terror(Negates all enemy Dual Strikes, Dual Guards, and double attacks, regardless of enemy weapons, armor, items, or skills. Negates all multi skills, such as Astra), Nihil(Negates all enemy skills when under attack), Planet's Will(Prevents death once per turn and restores 50% of maximum HP), Wrath+(Grants +60 Crit when below 50% HP), Resolve+(Grants +50 to all Stats when under 50% HP), Aether, Dual Wield+(Allows this unit to wield two weapons at once for full damage. Only the bonuses from the Primary Weapon are applied. This unit always attacks twice)

Special Skills: Master of Chaos(Activates automatically when this unit takes >50 DMG from one attack. All Stats are doubled for 2 turns and HP is restored by 10%. Grants this unit the ability to transform into the Dragon of Chaos)
Mystic Arte: Dominion of Dragons
Weapon Level: Dragonstone -/- Sword SS Lance SS Axe SS Bow SS Tome SS Staff SS
Items: Eternal Sword(-/-), Sword of Kings(-/-), Meteor Staff(10/10), Aum Staff(-/-), Shield of Yormungand
Special Armor: Helm of Yormungand, Armor of Yormungand, Claws of Yormungand, Scales of Yormungand, Boots of Yormungand, Mark of Ascension

The Wanderer Lv 99 ???
HP:???
Str:???
Mag:???
Skill:???
Spd:???
Luck:???
Def:???
Res:???
Hit -/- Avoid -/- ATK ???

Skills: Resurrection, Immortality, Dragonskin+, Eternity, Invincibility, Terror, Destruction, Rightful Titan, Eclipse+, The Fell(Grants complete mastery over the Apocalyptic Arms. This unit can wield all of the Unsealed Weapons at once for full damage), Heir of Krios(Grants complete mastery over the Ancient Arms. This unit can wield all of the Ancient Weapons at once for full damage)
Special Skills: Heartless Angel
Mystic Arte: Balance Breaker
Weapon Level: All SS
Items: Abyssion Edge(-/-), Final Genesis(-/-), True Absolution(-/-), Grand Nebilim(-/-), Unsealed Ouroboros(-/-), Unbound Susanoh(-/-), Origin Kurubis(-/-), Wrath of Krios(-/-), Judgement of Krios(-/-), Envy of Krios(-/-), Eye of Krios(-/-), Pride of Krios(-/-), Heart of Krios(-/-), Soul of Krios(-/-)

Special Armor: Aegis of Orgo, Shield of Valora, Helm of Algol, Gauntlets of Sol, Mantle of Origin

Do you guys remember the battle between Odin and Charon? This is a similar event, but as a dream sequence battle. You aren't required to win, but like the Charon battle, it has very real consequences. The way this battle works is a bit different. You will have to answer 5 questions about characters or events in UB. If you answer correctly, the RNG will be tipped in your favor for 1 turn. If you answer incorrectly, the RNG will favor your opponent for 1 turn. So, in other words, the battle hinges on these questions. If you answer all questions correctly, it is possible to win this battle in 5 turns.

Question #1

Over the course of the story thus far, how many playable characters have you lost in battle, or due to a result of your choices?

A: 4
B: 3
C: 6
D: 2
E: 0