Such foreign presences, and yet they felt familiar. Familiar in the sense of... family.

All seven were brave souls, not themselves to be daunted by the being. Such a strong presence but their aura was not allowed a colour, the frequency of their aura beyond that of white.

However amidst this, two Shadows were extremely powerful. So powerful that they didn't seem to be Shadows.

"Hello," voiced a being, tranquillity aided with confidence embedded in his tone. Mildred realised that it was directed towards her and was for the first time, uncertain.

Uncertain of the immense comfort she felt.

"We are seven Shadows from the future," began the leader of the 'other' Shadow-Trappers. "we shall now think our names and you will know who is who."

With the smallest wave of approval, those Shadows began.

Zeno. Ila. Umbra. Hedley. Clement. Pranetra. Jay.

The last name echoed endlessly throughout the dimension and yet it's silence remained, momentarily being the most powerful force. The zeal of quietude instilled thoughts in the Shadows, thoughts that had yet to be understood, that would perhaps aid them in future ordeals.

A powerful force in him... amplifying his powers and abilities.

"Jay. You are the leader, right?"

Mildred's tone was soft and respectful, accepting Jay's appreciation humbly. The seven from the 'future' realised who 'present's' leader was, her aura invisible but with a dutiful resonance.

Mildred sensed a distant connection between the Shadow and the Being, an overwhelming melancholy urging her to show her emotions. Yet she remained silent and calm as always, addressing all Shadows who were present.

"We must not lose our thoughts. I do not blame you for the confusion in your mind - I am bewildered, too - but we cannot risk letting anything control our minds. These thoughts and emotions are our nature and nature's build, and we must always be conscious of reality."

Truth and Time.

The mellow thought reverberated through the void, instilling a sense of duty and newfound confidence in every being, even if it was only little. It seemed to reach the Demons too, but the power was not enough to destroy the raging wall around their minds.

"Yes, Truth and Time."

The darkness resonated softly through the minds of the shadows, an oddly comforting aura with a subtle but hideous wave.

"Shadow Beings realise reality. They know how unity is maintained, they do not let emotions overcome thoughts and let those thoughts instil negativity. Of course, that is only true for your time. Not for those seven."

Suddenly Kasia's eyes widened, a sharp pain skinning her mind. The familiar force of Tenebris greeted her before turning to all Shadows, the calming and cool air dropping to a brutal cold.

There was a momentary flash, and then came the smoke forming figures. Figures of guilty and sad Shadows, harming horrendous creatures with small blades. They caused no pain, but they caused inevitable death. Destroying the creatures' personal energy to give it back to that universe.

"A 'glimpse of the future' from the caliginous chamber. Shadow-Trappers killing Demonic Creatures, and the other way around is true too.

"Do you know why this happens? I'm sure you all do. The Demonic Creatures cause your world so much energy. Their birth, their effect on humans, their effect on other living beings across the universe and other realities, their zeal of transformation... so much. And you kill them.

"Pathetic."

The comfort broke and noise pervaded through everything.

The Shadows of Nature attempted to calm the auras of their people, succeeding with minimum significance. Yet they held their force, Thet holding emotions, Ethelred preventing madness and disarray, Zoey keeping the fear away, Kasia keeping hatred and especially self-hate away. Joha elevated the zeal of her former mentees, Brier passing nature's solicitous aura, Isaac casting a blanket of shadow to support the fragile presence, and sanity remaining by Kaczie's kindness.

"I cannot let you all become so dull, so sentient."

Silence can be deafening.

Sentient. Sentient. Sentient.

Sin. Murder. Sin. Human.

"Really, Vlad? So you believe that making all the Demons, the majority of the Shadow Beings hollow is the right step to take? To commit genocide again, like you killed all of the Wind Phoenexias?"

Silence can be kind.

"You are a force of nature, aren't you, Vlad? Or perhaps I should merely call you Rage as Sousconic and Menod only let you exist as an incomplete being. To be complete you obviously need the stone.

"You are a force of nature, and yet you wish to go against nature. What is your reasoning?"

Jay's words put Vlad into a state of contemplation, causing Rage to question its sanity. Of course of the two entities wouldn't have bound the emotion as a being, it would simply spread madness among existence. At least now Rage could feel other emotions and had some rationality. Rage also stemmed from other emotions. Everything had its origins, even the origin.

"I wish to aid nature. Entropy cannot decrease so with a final burst of entropy, with the death of all Demonic Creatures, energy will be returned to the universe and balance will prevail."

Silence pervaded through the void as that bitter thought entered the minds of the Shadows present, their sense of duty against their morality.

"That day, on the day of our birth," Jay spoke to Vlad while acknowledging Pranetra's presence. "Sousconic sent Genal and I to the future. Sousconic is one who never interferes with nature but he knows that we were not needed in their time."

A soft wave from Jay rested on Mildred's mind as he referred to her generation. She closed her thoughts, finding comfort in that solitary presence before it let go.

"We are the children of Reality, Genal, Menod and I. For change to happen, to reach any sort of realisation, Beings needed the assistance of sweet truths, the awakening from bitter truths until we reach our silence to be our pure form. By showing them a glimpse of the future, you've done the right thing.

"Why did Triyeal send us to hold an emotion such as Rage? Sousconic is extremely caring and beyond powerful; he is not a part of nature and existence but is beyond it. To handle Rage is nothing for him, but would existence's Rage be able to handle him?

"You often talk about the injustice done to the Demons and about the bitter truths, all with anger, with the emotion of rage. Is that a coincidence?"

A gentle pause for everyone's contemplation and realisation slowly came to a few, before the leader continued. In that moment a deep respect for Sousconic grew in every Shadow's subconsciousness, as they realised what its care for nature and for the Shadow Beings made of Vlad. But Rage could not become similar to Sousconic and use its thoughts and information; even that emotion was important in existence, however destructive it may have been.

"You do not simply obliterate anything without question in your path. You do have your reasonings but you do not know where they come from. You have forgotten where you yourself come from and are simply learning. You are Sousconic's rage, a being; Vlad. Sousconic would never allow Rage to destroy, not unless there is an interference. Fortunately, Sousconic is not hindered by emotions and will not be angered."

Suddenly, a shriek erupted throughout the dimension, it horrifying power making all Shadow-Trappers other than those of nature and those from the future unconscious. For that moment Thet could feel their collective torment and Mildred immediately reached for his aid while Isaac safely collected his people's presence gently.

Disbelief was in everyone's minds, even in Vlad's. Sousconic was silent, but he disapproved of what happened. He disapproved of endangering Rage and the Shadow-Trappers, but he remained silent.

Menod, Genal and Hawsod remained calm, but only Hawsod could be emotionless at the being's plea.

"I'm sorry... I didn't want to do this...

"What am I...?"

Such vulnerability in the emotion. The Shadow-Trappers sensed despair grow among their people, the cry of Rage threatening to shatter their very consciousness. Sousconic's pacifying aura grew profound before it covered the entire dimension, withdrawing the emotion and leaving the Shadow-Trappers to their sleep.

"We are the children of Reality. In that moment, Menod separated you from Sousconic's protection to reveal your raw nature. Fundamentally, you are still existence's rage. Nature's rage."

The Shadows heard an innocent cry, silent and fragile but only subduing the true ferocity.

Hawsod then spoke softly.

"Rage stems from many emotions. Confusion and dejection can sometimes hurt even Rage itself, and that is okay, Vlad.

"You are a Shadow of Now, after all."