The flames terrified her, the fear of separation pounding on the little girl's sanity. Her strenuous eyes burned, and every time she blinked she wished to fall unconscious.

Yet the flames had no real effect on the little girl.

Holly was immersed in the broiling heat and though her senses picked the stimulus, they felt no pain, no physical agitation. It petrified her, and no matter how much she willed herself to look for her parents, she simply couldn't.

She was frozen.

Suddenly, a voice filled her head, its depth easing her disarray. Holly remained rigid, but paid attention to each word.

"Hello, little girl. You must not be afraid. You will be alright."

The voice struggled against a great force, as if it fought pain to speak to her.

"The reason the fire doesn't affect you is because remnants of a demon's energy run in your's. It is not a matter for you to be upset over, I assure you."

The words were now stoic, speaking as a manner of fact. Yet the suffering bonded them.

"Go to The Land of Grace. The spirit of the land will guide you towards the future. You will be safe there."

In all honestly, the girl didn't care about her safety, her comfort, anything of that sort. All she needed was to understand herself. But she couldn't simply leave her home...

"Who are you?"

Holly almost spoke silently, though her thoughts were enough for the entity to hear her words. It hesitated, making the girl wait with fear, but spoke eventually.

"I am your spirit. But that matters not; you make your own choices."

Holly was left muddled by the words, but she nodded obediently. She didn't have the courage to face her home, and every particle of her being urged her to heed the voice.

"Please guide me to the land."

Holly's voice was firmer now, though some uncertainty remained. She closed her eyes, relying on the spirit to guide her through the vibrations of the world.

She felt an odd sensation beneath her feet, realising that she had to go into the underground level. Her eyes remained close in concern of losing concentration, though she made her way down slowly. The heat subsided, though her surroundings remained pitch black. 

No light remained as a Shadow Being closed its eyes.

The ground felt unnaturally cold as she walked further from the house. She felt the sadness in her innocent mind, but no urge for tears came out. Holly reached her hand to touch the rough surface of the wall, finding comfort in Nature. She didn't converse with them, but she felt their solicitous empathy for her.

Even though I'm a demon.

"Open your eyes."

Holly immediately did so, the dim setting a relief for her sight. She directly faced a wooden door, a profound aura vibrating from it.

"Step inside and ask the portal to take you to the Land of Grace. From there, the land shall guide you."

Holly hesitated, taking a deep breath. She suddenly felt weak and helpless as she stood still, alone in the midst of chaos. They were taught to value the truth, but what was the truth?

She thought no longer. She took a quivering step forward, giving the door a gentle push.

It was locked. Of course it was locked.

She closed her eyes, letting her hand remain firm on the door. Her thoughts reached towards the energy of the wood, her request silent but sincere.

After a few moments the wood moved slightly, and Holly was able to push the door easily, closing her eyes while slowly stepping inside.

She could show no expression but felt deeply grateful. Their doorways were guarded by Nature, and if such a force let her through, she knew what she did was not wrong. That was all the assurance she needed.

"Please take me to the land of Grace."

Her voice was no more feeble and afraid, but remained uncertain and innocent. The future didn't daunt her and she hoped it never would. Understanding the present was what mattered. Only then would her thoughts not go astray.

The aura picked her gently, white light surrounding her closed vision. She felt a sudden rush of thrill she couldn't explain, but in that moment, she was free from all worries.

She found herself amidst a halcyon aura, the warm rays of the sun relieving. Endless flowers lay in front of her, vibrant colours gracefully moving with the breeze. The faint smell of vapour hit her, compelling her to walk towards it. Holly turned around, heeding her senses.

Her gaze was set on the powerful fall, a little smile coming on her face. Her eyes easily saw through it's cover, intrigue building as she walked under the water. The only light shone was the one behind her, scattering by the effect of the drops.

Holly touched the rock wall, standing still. She felt the aura guide her to the ground and realised a path was hidden in the darkness. She walked forward slowly until the force grew profound.

Holly entered deep concentration, requesting the land to open a path for her. Silently, she felt her support move, opening a dark passage. She was hesitant at first, but compelled herself to continue walking.

Her subtle emotions were pushed beneath the surface of her mind, her thoughts no longer a trouble. The faint light reflected on the smooth wall, telling her that she would come to a turn.

Her eyes narrowed as she adjusted her gaze. A playful spark ignited within her and she decided to close her eyes, now walking faster towards the exit.

Holly came to a stop, slowly opening her eyes. The brilliant sky was alleviating and the little girl suddenly felt safe. She continued to walk, divulging into the grows of trees. A wide smile was on her face as she played with the vines around, forgetting her past as she stayed in the moment.

She entered an open field amidst which one enormous tree sat, an aura of neutrality surrounding it. The sun's shine appeared to focus on it and Holly immediately recognised it as the source of all force of the land.

Suddenly, a troubling thought struck the innocent girl's mind. She had so easily forgotten about her previous pain, her family, her home.

What was wrong with her?

Holly took a step back, uncertain of her actions. Was this right? Was this what she needed? How could she just leave everything? Why did she contemplate this now?

Holly took a deep breath, attempting to clear her mind to little avail. She stared at the fresh grass, doubt clouding her eyes.

"You'll never know until you begin, dear. Come here and look within yourself."

The baritone was consoling and she stepped forward on instinct. She closed her eyes, moving into a meditative state as she took her seat on the cool land. A crimson line appeared gradually, its brightness oddly relieving. A strong aura that Holly couldn't quite comprehend propagated from it. She thought she saw subtle lines of green crawl upon its sides, protecting it from the world outside.

"Who are you?"

The spirit was satisfied to hear the firmly innocent words, spreading an aura of comfort.

"My name is Aqdas, the spirit of this land."

A heavy silence flowed and Holly was unsure of what to say, yet remained deep in concentration.

"Do not be afraid, Holly. I know of all that has happened and, if you need guidance, that is what I will give you."

Holly opened her eyes, her gaze fixated on the tree.

"Why do you wish to help me?"

A gentle breeze blew, as if the tree was exhaling a little life into the land.

"Holly, you're a Shadow Being. A soul, and a great one. There are those who believe in destinies and those who don't, but the essence of a Shadow's thought is their belief in meaning. I know you wish to do good for the world by fulfilling your 'purpose', but how will you do so without knowing what it is? Whether you believe it is determined or will be determined or even a mix, a little help can go a long way to fulfil that goal.

"That's why your tree buddy will always be here to help you."

Holly didn't understand this kindness, but nothing could ever express how grateful she was for it. Exhaustion finally came crashing down on her mind as the little girl lay under the warm rays, slipping into a deep sleep.

- - - - -

"You're doing great kiddo! I mean, you did learn from me. No surprise there."

Holly chuckled sweetly, nodding with gratitude. She cleared her thoughts as she concentrated on her surroundings. She sat in mid-air, her position balanced on the strength of her two hands.

She had initially been hesitant to begin her physical training as she believed violence was against the land's nature. Aqdas said that she needed to gain the skills the world demanded from her, and he would help her whenever she needed it. Thus she had decided to practice yoga and found it for her nature.

He was truly amazing.

Holly decided to take a break, breathing deeply as she relaxed, sitting upright with her legs crossed. She closed her eyes, a small smile on her face as she moved deep into the land's aura.

"I've always wondered, Aqdas. What are the Seven Lands of Quintessence?"

The faint chirping of birds faded away and silence surrounded Holly.

"There is no answer I can give. You must find out for yourself."

"But I mean scientifically, they must be something. All I know is that they exist in seven different universes."

"What is science? What is the universe? Such simple questions need to be understood before they can be answered."

Holly fell silent, her mind deep in thought. Often, when she tried to comprehend the big picture she forgot to consider the smaller things that built it up. Time dictated increasing entropy, increasing chaos, but each result had its steps. Things didn't occur out of nowhere.

There was so much for Time to teach.

"Tell me something about you, Aqdas. You never speak about yourself."

"That's because there is nothing to know about me. I'm simply the spirit of this land."

"You must have some connection with the other lands, surely?"

Aqdas hesitated, a gentle breeze filling the silence. Holly sensed a little creature rest on her shoulder, the sound of its fluttering winds and the smell of Irises filling surrounding her entire being. The temperature was cool, the rays of the sun softer than any flower's petal.

"Have you ever wondered why The Land of Grace is the only land that hasn't ever been occupied by intelligent beings?"

Holly shook her head, curiosity shining her eyes.

"There is no real reason, but at the moment, this land and the Land of Valleys is what keeps the Shadow Dimension in equilibrium. In the past, the Land of Valleys was the... home and origin of the Wind Phoenexias.

"Originally, the Land of Chaos was the home of the Demons, Oblivion of Angels, and Hearth of Phoenexias. Humans came a long time later, but there exists a very powerful being who takes care of Earth and maintains balance.

"The spirits of the Land of Destructive Tenebris and the Land of Valleys were born of the same energy as I was. We are like siblings. We represent different energies and are very powerful. However, my siblings were inhabited and as time passed, their creatures' mental influence began to affect them and our dimension. Slowly, they began to affect each other and thus, me. It was chaos, and our bond has been damaged.

"Our creator helped us to a degree, though its means were harsh and I did not agree with it. Things are a little difficult right now, Holly. But you mustn't worry about it. If you can comprehend what I say then you are truly an elevated and compassionate existence. You are meant for great deeds. One that no one might understand but is still of great importance."

Holly was a little confused but paid attention to each word. She understood enough to sympathise with the great spirit.

"Your bonds were damaged? What exactly does that mean?"

For a very brief moment, Holly sensed sorrow weigh on the spirit's aura.

"Our senses were sort of... connected. We were three parts of one that looked after three different lands, and because the energies were so diverse, we could sympathise with almost every emotion. Now that's only true for me. Their senses are weakening, to put it simply."

Holly didn't know what to say, though she felt for her mentor. It made her think about Ava and Jack - if and when she went back, would they accept her? Would their bond be as strong as ever?

She had to establish a strong connection so she could always help them, just like he did.

"I would love to meet them one day."

Holly felt her own aura grow warm and the little crimson fragment sparkled with humility, bringing a smile to her face and hopefully, to the spirit's thoughts.

"Thank you, Holly. You shall succeed in uniting Nature and mental energy."

Holly gently lay on her back, the blue sky meeting her eyes as she opened them. She could feel the presence of the three spirits, Grace's being the most prominent.

This was the first time Aqdas had shared any of his burdens and Holly was grateful to it. He was the only one untouched by the mental influence, but she was determined to strengthen the bond between his siblings. He shouldn't have to bear the burden alone.

He was the last defender of the universe's mental balance. She would help change that.

- - - - -

The despair that surrounded her was unmistakable. She somehow felt Azrael's guilt and sorrow. That burst of energy within her as she spoke to him, perhaps he had granted some of his power to her? It was similar to what Aqdas did to Jack.

But why? What were the spirits doing?

"You alright, Holly?"

Holly turned towards Trina, giving her a small smile.

"Yes, thank you."

They had come such a long way. In the beginning Trina was dubious of her, but Holly hadn't expected their friendship to grow so deep.

Time was funny that way. Creating and deepening bonds while putting the world in chaos. Where were they all headed? What was the power of unity she sensed in the energy of the universe?

All she had to do now was go to the Land of Valleys. She collected their energy in her, and she would release it to her land.

They all had to be together. The spirit on Earth would help her, she was sure of it.

----- -------

Holly's death was no coincidence. It was as if she herself had planned it. Releasing the united energy and letting a spirit bind it together. Who was the spirit of Earth?

Audrey couldn't even begin to fathom the power that resided in Iris. Aqdas, Azrael, Zephyr, Angelic, a Demonic amongst Jack and Holly.

Perhaps others, too.

Without her, defeating Vlad would've been impossible. There was so much going on and she had finally begun to understand it. The Demonic entity held a great force back, and everyone's entire life contributed to that moment. So much had happened in the past. Who was Azrael, Aqdas and Zephyr's creator?

Not to mention something happened in the Shadow Dimension. She just needed to know what.

Audrey took a deep breath, standing up before she gave Paliv Verasel a bow.

"Jack!"

The nonchalant expression of her brother took Audrey by surprise, and Audrey felt her energy's course quicken.

"Hey, Aud."

His tone was feeble, as if years of tireless weight came crashing down on him. He forced a smile, his gaze settling on the massive tree that stood behind his leader.

He turned towards the ground, his mouth slightly parted as heavy breath escaped him. Suddenly, his left hand was curled in a fist, but within moments he returned to the blithe facade.

"She was alone. All these years... she was alone. And I could do nothing."

Audrey didn't say anything. Her eyes held deep empathy, but she didn't know what to say, and she felt so useless.

"She died in front of me. Twice, and I was useless."

We really are siblings, Audrey thought. Perhaps the similar thought wasn't a coincidence. Perhaps it was like what the spirits felt, and if she understood that bond, then she knew just how big deed Holly had done.

"I was there too. If you were useless, then so was I. But we were useless against nature."

Jack slowly raised his gaze to meet his sister's with a sigh.

"Can you feel the energy, Jack? This... her energy is in it, and it helps maintaining the balance of the seven lands. You saw what I just saw, didn't you? You know it. She will always be with us."

Jack pursed his lips, closing his eyes to alleviate the burn.

"The Truth can be bitter. Time's end for every being can be bitter. But she always made everything so beautiful, and now, you must look after Iris."

As the last word was spoken, a very light tear escaped Jack's eyes. A small smile emerged and he nodded, moving to his sister to gather her in his embrace. It made her think - was she really alone? She had learned about a leader's solitude, but she was now certain that solitude and loneliness weren't the same.

They were all united.