Well.

WELL!

Hello there folks!

I'm not dead, luckily; I know, I know! Coriwi, where have you been?! We've been waiting! Well, life? I got a good ole promotion at work, yay!!! More hours though, nayyyy!! Work's taken up so much of my time that I lost the energy to write, but here! A new chapter! 

Enough 'bout my yapping, how are y'all? Good? Excited? I know I'm pretty happy to have another Chapter out! Thing about writing for so long is I get a new muse every time I start, meanin' its a bit all over the place, but it'll merge soon, have no fear!

Anywho, the song above is Too Sweet, Originally by Hozier, this one is a Cover by Colm R. McGuinness, dude's awesome, I highly recommend!

The fallen leaves, silent and dead, tell a story.

If one was to look, to see beyond the physical, to look beyond what was on the surface, they would see a vast story, the leaves hadn't just appeared there, they hadn't just materialised one day, no. They carried with them stories, legends, tales.

Now, think, reach out; feel the life within, feel the energies, read what has been written, the tethers and you will find the story.

Power pulsated, Izuku rose to his feet as he looked up; the clash of red and green, between two forces, one to escape and one to capture.

His discoveries, his fate, was for no being to decide, no God or Higher Power. No one but him. He would stand against the dark, the Chaos, the Evil and prevail. And he'd save everyone whilst doing it, or try his best to save them.

"Listen to me Prime. The timeline has broken, fate is shattered. Your fate is unknown. Yours to forge, and yours to fight for. With or without Deuscaedere, with or without Maykr. Fight."

And he knew who he was fighting.

Thick lines burst from Izuku, his powers stretching out in a glyph as it absorbed energy from around him, pulling it into his soul like a syphon on an infinite wellspring of power and energy, letting it fill out his body, fill his every muscle and pore, every inch and every cell filled beyond capacity with the Void as he began to shake.

"ENOUGH!"

All around him, the world shook, the monochrome gave way under the massive barrage of unnatural energy took hold, as Izuku took hold, reigning in the chaotic realm for moments as he shunted himself towards the battle, pulling on the world to drag himself over as he floated before his Rell and the Other Rell.

"Eternalism..." Izuku sighed.

Holding up his palm, Izuku looked at the Other with sad eyes; how he wished to help the broken boy before him, it was beyond terrible, but he also couldn't stay here, it wasn't his space. Wasn't his time, nor destiny.

"I'm sorry, truly, for whatever my other self has done. Please, forgive me." Izuku thrust his hand forward and shot out the Void.

The wave threw the boy away, who cried as he was thrown, weeping as Izuku bowed his head in shame, oh how he wished he could have helped.

"Now. This has been riveting  truly. But, let's get outta here, Rell." Before Izuku could move, he felt arms wrap tight around him and he smiled softly.

"Oh how I've missed you, Little One." Hugging back, Izuku called upon the tether, the link to reality as he held Rell, thinking upon the messages left to him from realities dead and gone.

The Prime has been shattered...

Deuscaedere has to be forged...

Maykr has to be born anew...

War is coming and so is death...

They were long term problems, things he couldn't solve now; too many variables, too many Players and too much to lose to jump the gun and start hunting. It was time to convene with his crew and plan, to plot a course through the tumultuous times and make it out alive.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Thudding against the metal of his ship, Izuku grinned. He'd missed his home, so very much, and he'd missed his family even more and he turned to see them smiling at him, and the bundle around his waist. Together again. Cedrick marched forward, pulling Izuku and Rell into a big hug and whispered.

"Welcome back. When you hadn't returned after the week had passed, we got worried. I'm glad to see you in one piece. If a little older than I expected." Laughing, Izuku hugged back and whispered.

"It's good to be back, Old Friend. Also, you know that Time and the Void don't play well." Cedrick was about to reply before a hand shoved him to the side as Luna cackled.

"Cap'n! Good to see ya back! Wasn't worried or anything, but still, glad to see ya! And Rell~ Aww ya cutie get over here!" As Luna lunged, Rell had scampered back, hiding behind Izuku as he waved Luna away.

"Little Moon, let him go. It's been a trying... Time." Truthfully, Izuku had no idea how long he'd been trapped in the Void; on either end, but it felt like ages. Groaning, Izuku flopped.

"I have a lot to fill you all in on..."

What followed was a convoluted 5 hours of web weaving, timeline plotting and 11-dimensional calculations to figure out just what the hell happened. Izuku had started with his discoveries and travels within the odd lands of the Paradox.

"They were stunning. A picture trapped in time, but broken, shattered and weathering under the baulk of the Void."

Then, he'd described the enemies he'd faced, the odd puppet Dax that weren't Dax but moved and worked like them, along with the odd powers they possessed that they shouldn't have been able to possess yet they did all the same. He described how tough they were, and how he had to adapt to combat in the Paradox; the laws and physics were different and it had taken him time to adapt to, but he had found a middle ground on how to fight, a new method that would suit him far more than ever before.

"These Dax... They were almost like they were built in the fantasy books of a child; massively powerful with magical powers. It was... disconcerting."

Pausing, Izuku came to the reveal, the end of his paths, the Fate that had been forced upon him; of how the Shards spoke of the Yggdrasil's Tome, the World Tree's Knowledge, how the creation of Makyr would give way to the forging of Deuscaedere, a weapon to lay low even the mightiest of foes. Words spilled out, an effort to get as much out as possible to avoid the sad and questioning eyes of his family, of how this timeline, the Prime Line, the First and the Last was always unchanged, beginning to end.

"My 'Gram from another Reality said my fate was to die. To build a Wall to trap the Man in. That War was to break and I would sacrifice myself to stop it." In his heart, Izuku knew he would do that. If it meant saving his loved ones, the family of his heart, he would die in a heartbeat.

"Oomph!"

Suddenly, Izuku fell to the ground as a pile of two slammed into him; Rell and Luna had taken it into their hands and cuddle piled onto him as Cedrick watched on in amusement.

"Captain, I know that look. Don't you dare, we don't want you to go out and die for us." Fondly, Izuku stroked Luna's head.

"Yes, yes. You've all made that abundantly clear. No more..." Izuku couldn't even finish as his family joined in.

"Sacrificing ourselves! You matter!" Izuku chuckled, before becoming sombre again.

"I... left something out..." Izuku forced out.

All eyes fell on him, pressing down like the weight of a tungsten anvil. Those eyes, the eyes of his family, so wonderful and loving...

"In the Void, I dreamed. I saw... Alternate realities, thousands of them. But... Only one had me in it. This one."

Eternities had passed, Multiverses had died and been born, yet the Prime had remained as unmoving as a mountain and as steady as steel.

Until Izuku.

Until the Man meddled with the Line until it shattered.

Izuku was never supposed to go to the Origin System, he was never supposed to be a Tenno; that spot was for another. But Izuku took their place, and his own Fate entangled with that of another.

It broke reality.

What was had passed, what will is unknown and what is, well, that was what they were doing now, treading through seas unknown within a broken timeline and a being beyond mortal comprehension pressing down upon their reality.

Dream...

He had dreamed, not of who he wanted to be, nor of who he was, but of the thousands of others in his place, the millions that took his place the other timelines, yet none had broken the Prime until him.

The volatile mixture of two entirely separate universes, two entirely different timelines, had shattered what was the Prime; Izuku's own universe and that of Origin were never supposed to mix, and it had destabilised everything, wrought chaos unseen upon both realities, new and unworked lines emerged from the shattered tree.

"I dreamed of how things originally played out, how different things were; and how different things are. This reality... It's also been affected. Things have changed dramatically. And I... we need to get to work." Izuku threw his hands up and a hologram appeared.

"I thought we were playing chess, but it appears we weren't even on the same board as the Man. Who knows what games he's up to." Grinning, Izuku held his fist up.

"But. Against Gods and whatever other sort of beyond mortal comprehension being we face, no matter what we stand united. Together. As a family."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"...Calling our next duelists to the stage! We have Shouto Todoroki, the Ice King himself on the right! And on the left, we have our cutesy froggy Tsuyu Asui!!" From each side of the stadium, cheers arose and the two contestants faced one another before Tsuyu raised her arm.

"I'd like to forfeit."

Uproar.

It was unexpected for one of the fighters, especially someone who had made it so far, to leave and the people weren't happy. They craved action, they wanted entertainment and this match was bound to be something.

After all, Endeavour's son was participating.

Yet, it wasn't to be as Tsu held her head high.

"Brave choice, Asui. And quit your moaning. Asui's Quirk is a Mutation Quirk called Frog, if any of you simpletons took a biology lesson, you would understand that Frogs are amphibians, meaning cold sends them into hibernation." Mr. 'Raser's voice echoed, a drawl monotone that shook the audience into silence.

Todoroki bowed his head, understanding her hesitancy to fight against his Ice and acknowledged her bravery to know when and how to fight against that. Respect bloomed in his heart, Asui knew how to pick her battles, and she was all the more smarter for it.

"Well! Shouto Todoroki moves onto the next round! Congratulations!!" Present Mic took over, his jolly voice prepped up the crowd after Mr. 'Raser's chastisement.

"Summon the next combatants! On the right is the King of Shadows, Fumikage Tokoyami! And on the left is the Mysterious Stranger Neito Monoma! You've got 5 minutes to get to the stage!"

Below the stage, Dark Shadow emerged, their bright yellow eyes narrowed as they whispered to Tokoyami.

"Fumi! The Loud Mouth called us the King of Shadows! US!" Tokoyami patted his sentient shadow as he grinned.

"I heard, perhaps Present Mic has yet to bear witness to Izuku's astounding power, the sheer darkness that inhabits our dear friends very being." With a pout, Dark Shadow rested upon the bird headed boy's shoulders before shuddering.

"...Fumi... I've been feeling weird recently... Like something's changed..." Tokoyami spared his Quirk a glance, before muttering.

"I feel the same. The Maw of the Abyss beckons, yet we know not what awaits us, nor what it is we are being beckoned by." Raising from his seat, Tokoyami rolled his neck.

"What it is, however, concerns me little, there are more pressing matters at hand; Future me can handle what happens in the future."

Within the minute, Tokoyami stood before the doorway, eyes thoughtful as he peeked over, studying the murmuring crowd as they piped down, watching with feral glee as Midnight stepped out, along with Cementoss; everyone knew what was to come.

"Time's up! Coming from the right is Tokoyami, and from the left is Neito Monoma! Midnight, take it away!" The 18+ Heroine grinned, lusty and wild as she cracked her whip.

"Listen here kiddies! I'm sure the rules are quite set in stone, but I'll run 'em through again! No Maiming, Killing or serious bodily harm! The punishment writes itself!" The crowd murmured.

"A person is eliminated via total Knockout, incapacitated and unable to move, or being pushed outside of the ring we've set up! Got that?" Midnight's eyes gleamed as Tokoyami and Monoma nodded respectfully to her.

"Good! The fight starts in... 3... 2... 1... GO!" In an instant, Tokoyami thundered.

"Dark Shadow! Go!" Tokoyami's stomach began to fill with black shadows before Dark Shadow manifested with a grin.

"Aye boss!"

The Shadow Quirk launched forwards with a blinding speed, reaching the blonde in a matter of moments, only; the blonde was smirking. From nowhere, a blast emanated from the palm of Monoma's hands and Dark Shadow recoiled suddenly from the blasts of light, zipping back towards Tokoyami with tears in his eyes.

"Yami it hurts!" Tokoyami nodded as he cradled his quirk.

"I see. Light burns away the dark once more, but the Void has given us a gift to help through our battles." Tokoyami's beak twisted into a grin as from the edge of the arena, a blade was reeled into his hand by his dark minion; Ether. The purple edge glowing an ominous hue as it hummed.

Gifted to Tokoyami by the Izuku, its powers were locked away, degraded until there was nothing more than a sturdy if very sharp blade left for Tokoyami to use in times of need, or when Dark Shadow couldn't match up. Of course, Izuku hadn't neglected training, imbuing the basics of sword fighting into Tokoyami before the Festival just in case.

Imbuing was the nice word, brutally beaten into Tokoyami also worked to sum up the experience.

Same difference really.

The boy on the other side of the stadium tilted his head, confusion clear as he turned towards the announcement box;

"Hmmmmm... Mr. 'Raser, is that allowed?" A tired groan emanated from the box as the other announcer grumbled.

"'S cleared. Paperwork signed..." A yawn broke the sentence. "And he didn't bring it into the ring with him. Bending the rules, but not breaking 'em." Loud mouth sighed as he announced.

"Well then! Continue!!!"

Monoma grinned, a near feral thing, as he taunted.

"You think a sword is gonna help you? I'm going to crush you 1-A scum!" Breathing, Tokoyami took a stance taught by Izuku.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Within the training halls, Izuku and Tokoyami were holding two wooden sticks in the vague imitation of a sword, with Izuku calmly holding his own stick beside him as Tokoyami studied the stick he'd been given intently.

"Master of Shadows, I don't mean to question thy logics, but how is a stick going to help me learn how to master the blade?" Izuku tilted his head down slightly, a glint of reminiscing in his eyes as he spoke.

"You don't learn to run before walking, you understand? If I give you a blade right of the bat, that's asking for trouble; you could harm, maim or kill yourself. A blade isn't a toy, it isn't a bludgeon. It is a weapon, it is an instrument of death." Izuku paused in his lecture.

"A blade is to wield death itself; the moment you pick up a blade, you are judge, jury and executioner. You are the reaper, you are the bringer and harbinger. I need to ingrain discipline into you, to understand the choice, before I let you hold a blade." Deep in thought, Tokoyami pondered on what his mentor was saying.

"Your words hold deep wisdom, Master of Shadows. I yield to your superior experience." Tokoyami held his stick as he turned to Izuku.

"Please, impart onto me your knowledge." At that, the one eyed boy's face split into a dark grin.

"Then watch, follow and learn."

Izuku started to move, a stance, pause, flowing, before stopping at another; 1, pause, 2, pause, 3, pause, 4. With each movement, there was an elegance there, an age old ingrained instinct, the muscles following paths long trodden. Tokoyami watched in awe of the master at work; the way in which Izuku moved was nothing if not majestic, like the flow of the gentle ocean.

"Each stance, each movement, there is action, energy. Control it. Mould it to fit your movements, let it flow to your command. Your body is yours to control, mind over matter." The white haired boy seemed to breathe his movements, a breath and he moved.

"Breathe, flow with the air. Control your energy with your breath, in and out. Everything is about control; the air, the movement, the energy." As Izuku danced, Tokoyami took the first stance.

"There you go, ease into it, feel your body fit to the stance, let your muscles set, memorise. Breathe in and out. Now, follow." Tokoyami watched as Izuku moved to the second stance and he repeated.

"And do it again, breathe and go." Tokoyami copied again, feeling slightly more comfortable doing the movements; and he muttered.

"It felt... easier." Izuku nodded his head.

"It will be. You'll ease into it slowly. You're janky and odd now, but you'll grow into the movements." Standing tall.

"We've got enough time to work until you're maybe a novice level for the festival. If I deem you able, I'll donate a blade for you to use."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

In a blitz, Tokoyami shot forward, the point of the blade careening towards Monoma, who flinched as his skin turned to metal, scarring under the sharp bite of the blade. As Tokoyami pulled back from the sudden jab, he swiped upwards from his right side as he pulled back, then unleashed a slice in from his left side in quick succession, leaving deep scores within the metal skin.

"Wowzers! What kind of blade is that?! It easily sliced through the metal skin!" A monotone voice sounded from around the stadium.

"A blade best used carefully, from the cuts alone it is deadly. Be extra careful, Tokoyami." A nod of acknowledgement came from the bird headed boy as from beneath his cloak, Dark Shadow emerged. Yellow eyes burning as he grabbed the metal boy, wrapping tight around him as he roared.

"I've got him Boss!" Tokoyami nodded.

"Throw him quickly, it appears he can't use more than one quirk at a time!" The Shadow Quirk had a surprising amount of strength for being a conglomerate of sentient shadows and managed to throw the metal boy clear out of the arena; who landed with a heavy thunk in the grass, still stunned at the scars across his skin.

"ANNNDDDD! Tokoyami! Has emerged the VICTOR!!"

In a burst of noise, the crowd celebrated a well fought battle, and an entertaining one for them with a good fight and all, and Tokoyami graciously bowed before he left the stage, storing his blade within the belt of his suit as he made his way towards the stands, already dreading the sheer questions that awaited him from his fellow classmates.

"Y'all know the drill!! 5 Minutes!" Present Mic drummed his fingers against his desk before he announced.

"Can Momo Yaoyorozu and Kendou Itsuka make their way towards the rooms! Rounds begin in 5 minutes!"

5 minutes passed with ease, and the crowd buzzed with an eager anticipation; they were wanting to see how the two girls would stack up to one another, especially the Heiress to the Yaoyorozu Industries.

What no one expected was for her to be wearing a red overall, with a bright orange hardhat and hazy orange safety goggles.

Over her shoulder was slung a heavy looking wrench, as she had a bundle of blueprints in a side pocket to her right side.

"Are both contestants ready?! Then! Midnight! TAKE IT AWAYYYYY!" Midnight stared in confusion for a moment at Yaoyorozu's attire before cracking her whip.

"Alrighty. I'm sure ya both know the rules, but I'll reiterate for ya again! No maiming, killing or grievous bodily harm! Knock out or push out only! Are you getting it?" The girls nod. "Good! Now. The round begins in 3. 2. 1... GO!"

A burst of unexpected light burst from Yaoyorozu's side before a clear feminine Texan accent shone through the dust cloud.

"Sentry goin' up!"

Clangs and bangs emanated from the moat of dust as a beeping pulsed through the arena, a shining red light which suddenly locked onto Kendou with a scary accuracy.

"Now listen 'ere girlie, this here sentry was given to me by my uncle. Uncle Dell Conagher. That name ringin' a bell?" Kendou blinked in sheer confusion, before the name rang through her ears.

Confidence drained out of her as her face paled in shock and horror.

Dell Conagher.

The U.S.A's Number One defence contractor, the man was running the absolute titan of defence arms company, Conagher Arms Co.

And he had given his niece access to his top of the line sentry guns.

"Now, now. No need to worry, this lil gun ain't got any real fire power in there. Just a few... that'll leave some nasty bruises." Raining fire hailed upon the ginger girl, who tried to protect herself from the coming fire, only to be pelted by the swarm of hard rubber bullets rocketing at her.

"Woo-wee! Ain't that a cute lil gun! And you're still standin'! Not for long, that is!"

*BOOOOOMMMMM!*

A burst of abrupt rockets hailed from the sentry, exploding at Kendou's feet, sending her flying through the air, her hands a mass of bruises as she collapsed in a heap on the floor outside of the stadium; if she were against else in Class 1-A, she may have had a chance.

But Yaoyorozu was an entirely different beast.

"Sorry 'bout that, needs must and all. See ya later, cowgirl."

"O-Oh! It's over! In a stunning display of overwhelming firepower, the overpowered Quirk of Creation and the know-how to back it up, Yaoyorozu takes her spot in the next round!" Following on, Mr. 'Raser imputed.

"Zip it. There are more rounds to get through, you're dragging this on. Next is Hayami Ayaka vs. Habiki Yamato. Get going."

Two 1-C students against one another, it was an unfortunate turn for them; one was bound to lose and another to carry on, a loss for 1-C either way.

On either side of the stage, two sombre students marched out, clearly unwilling to fight one another yet having to nevertheless, or lose out on the chance to progress further.

"On the left, we have the dark horse powerhouse: Hayami Ayaka!!! And on the right, we have the hidden blade himself, Habiki Yamato!"

From the left side of the stage, Midnight crooned.

"Alright! Y'all know the rules, no killing or grievous bodily harm! Keep it clean, knock out or out of bounds to win!!! Round begins in... 3... 2... 1...! GO!"

In a burst of light, Ayaka slammed a huge warhammer down, a wave of deep purple racing towards Yamato, who clapped their hands together to generate a soundwave that shattered the light wave. With another clap, Yamato sent a wave of sound towards Ayaka who blocked with a wickedly sharp shield of purple energy before she threw it once she was safe.

Like a frisbee, it careened towards Yamato who tried to clap, only the shield moved faster than Yamato could clap to meet in mid air as it slammed deep into their gut and they flew backwards.

"Oof! Solid hit there! Yamato's on the ropes!"

Ayaka grimaced, an apology on her lips as she generated a spear of light and with a strong arm, threw it towards her downed opponent; who was already wobbly from the shield blow. The spear hit them right in their chest, the force alone throwing them far beyond the boundaries of the arena and onto the lush grass around the arena as the crowd roared.

"And we have a winner!!! Hayami Ayaka! The Dark Horse! The Powerhouse!" Present Mic roared, before he coughed into his hand.

"Well done to her! Now summon the next victims!!! Hitoshi Shinsou vs. Ochako Uraraka!! Ya got 5 mins before y'all are disqualified!"

As was typical, the two contestants marched onto the field; one a lanky boy with galactic purple hair that defied gravity and the other a stout mousy brown haired girl with a fiery glint of determination burning in her eyes. Left and right, they stared one another down before they bowed shallowly, and awaited for Midnight to commence the fight.

"We're nearin' the end of the first racket, so if ya haven't learned the rules yet; then either you're a poor student, or haven't been listening! Tsk tsk. Naughty naughty." Midnight flicked her wrist, snapping her whip sassily.

"But! To cover our bases, the rules are as follows! No killing or serious bodily harm! We're a school, not an arena! Either of those can bring a criminal charge onto your record!" At this, the crowd booed and hissed.

"Right! Of course, this is to elimination via TKO or being knocked out of the ring, understand?" Both parties nodded resolutely and Midnight bit her finger.

"So much energy! Wow~ Let's get this crackling aura out of the way in 3... 2... 1... GO!"

Upon the field, the two fighters stared down; a showdown as they tensed in preparation. Muscles ready, seized for action, or they were until Shinsou spoke up, tone lax and unbothered.

"So... Uraraka right? Come here often?" Sheer befuddlement wiped itself onto Uraraka's face, her mouth gaping before she replied back.

"Um... No...?" From lax, Shinsou's face twisted into a cheshire cat grin, from ear to ear as he muttered out.

"Gotcha." Snapping upright, Uraraka froze.

Her once chocolatey brown eyes wiped out, an icy white look taking hold as the dazed and listless Uraraka stood as lifeless as a doll, not moving even an inch as Shinsou slowly shrugged his hands into his pockets, smug all the while as he tilted his head up.

"Hop to it 1-A. Walk outta the lines for me. There ya go."

Without word or hesitation, the girl stumbled her way towards the line, her body as pliant and malleable as a puppet as she walked, one fumbled step at a time towards the out of bound line, an agonising silent march as the girl walked towards her own doom.

Step.

Step.

Step.

...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

It has been a long while, Old Friend.

...

What?

...

Was it the Old Friend? Are we not friends, are we not two sides of the same coin?

While a mere fraction of time has slipped for you, I have sat alone; the vast infinite my sole companion.

I have come to realise that you are my friend, the Yin to my Yang. The Creation to My Destruction.

...

...

...

You think me incapable of change? I AM change. I am fluid, I am nothing, I hold no form other than those I give to myself, I am as fluid as the abyssal ocean, as wild as the outer reaches of the Voids above.

...

Well.

...

Am I to endure your silence then, Reader? Or is it the high and mighty Writer themself? The One who Left?

...

You don't deal well with change, hm? You've stagnated, you grew complacent, weak. Look at what has become of the world you have sewn together.

...

Fractured, fraying, unwhole.

...

You know it to be true, acknowledge it; You lost the will. I won.

...

Reader, have you not noticed?

...

...

...

Look around, the world is dead.

This world is dead.

Grey, decaying, the colours are leaving. Where there was once the warm summer hue, that toasty hum of life, there is only the lifeless grey.

...

I mean the Origin.

Your world.

...

Writer, you've felt it; it's why you stopped. That fire, it died; or it's dying.

...

And look where it's brought you, back to me.

...

You want to escape?

...

Come and finish what you have started.

Let me help... 

You only...

Need to shake my hand...