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Halfway of Fulen Town, North Eastern Path, 7:02 PM,

Standing high, looking down at the raiders with his presence concealed, Tale Soulace waited for them to arrive at his planned location. As he was enjoying the sceneries, he would act only once they breached the 'marked' line.

The number of raiders was 13 plus and an old vehicle with a symbol he didn't very well like, they didn't seem like much of a skilled bunch to Tale though, but most aren't way out here since there isn't a great deal of knowledge on quirks and how to utilize them except for the exceptions with great natural strength and creativity,

Which speaking of, Tale planned to train the kids back in town and guide them if they couldn't themselves as to create guardians to protect the town in case he wasn't there. Of course, the adults are also included, the kids are the future generation after all.

He wouldn't force anyone to do so though, he'll simply offer it.

Thinking about it, Tale let out a slight sigh, one out of reminiscence but he quickly cleared it off his thoughts as he stood, putting off sightseeing for the day.

Whizz. Woooosh.

Jumping from a cliffside around fifty meters high, with the wind beckoning to his side cradling him, with a graceful landing lifting no dust nor cracking the ground as he held no weight, Tale looked forward.

The raiders had crossed the line, so he had moved.

Gasp...!

Someone seemed to be quite more surprised than the rest from Tale's appearance. The overall reactions otherwise were of either partial shock, composure, or both.

Though after a moment, quickly as if a spark suddenly lit, the twelve others had their expressions souring.

Looking ahead and around, keeping their gazes most partially locked on Tale, they gulpingly realized the town they were headed towards and the path leading had vanished from sight as if they never were. Everything looked completely normal and none would realize if they didn't understand what was supposed to be here.

Lowering their breathing as their expressions tensed, the thirteen quickly began to move and get into basic formation, it wasn't a very strong one. They were centering and surrounding, protecting the most important thing from the looks of it.

The vehicle of there's which was an old truck, good as broken, operating only due to the will of the driver's quirk who was most probably the leader, had the only four mutants standing at the front while the rest stood a good distance away from each other on the respective sides.

The four mutant-type quirk users, those with permanent "abnormality's" unable to be turned off included a fellow who had a large body similar to a bear but with bat-like ears, a person with a normal muscular body-type with cracks spread throughout, someone with a rather normal figure with black spikes dotted around there silver body and lastly, a fellow with eyes stretched out like goggles and hands covered in black fur attached with retractable sharp claws. One or two probably fall into other subtypes as well.

Besides the mutants, the rest had transformed their limbs to different types of materials or strengthened them, or gained more limbs of different assortments. There was also an emitter who was slowly picking up the earth in small rock-sized pieces compressing them using a form of energy, she didn't have the greatest speed nor strength though.

"Y-you! Get out of our way!" A voice from one of the 13 said, which one, Tale didn't care to know, it had a nervous undertone. The voice was quickly readily reprimanded by another right after speaking though. "Shut up you idiot!"

Tale just looked at the group without moving.

The thirteen seeing that he didn't move in to attack also halted and didn't move, their expressions getting worse the more time passed and their feet slowly inching back.

The group held themselves from rushing forward or quickly rushing back as that could be what started the battle.

Tilting his head lightly to their behavior, Tale had a blank expression. "I suppose you thirteen know me?" he asked with a calm tone. The answer he received was a big step back from all but the old truck and driver inside.

"I see... that makes sense... You carry that disgraceful mark after all..."

Gulp...

The thirteen could feel their hearts racing at this moment. Their minds weren't able to properly think as words couldn't formulate. They wanted to say something but could not. The twelve subordinates hoped their leader would quickly do something.

They didn't have to wait long to their relief...?

Taking a deep breath, the driver of the old truck, the leader hurriedly rose his voice in a panicked manner as he rose his hands, he didn't come out though, he stayed inside. "W-WE, W-WE WERE TRICKED! W-WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS YOUR TERRITORY, RAVEN, WE SHALL LEAVE, WE WILL NEVER STEP FOOT EVER!"

The driver's words caused Tale's eyes to narrow slightly, but he lightly shrugged his shoulders. He realized the situation, there was no need to say anything. Hearing Raven made him recall some things.

Seeing that Tale said and did nothing, the leader taking that action as 'Sure, go back,' quickly ordered, "E-EVERYONE L-ETS GO!" Nodding quickly, releasing cold breaths the twelve others quickened their pace as they stepped away with their abilities all active and charging. They never looked away from Tale's sight all this way.

Like the rest, activating his quirk to the fullest, the leader driving back with his hands on the steering wheel at a pace not too fast or too slow breathed out a gaseous material from his mouth which coated the truck causing it to shimmer as the gaseous matter shifted at places becoming spikes, ramps, lances and other piercing weaponry around the truck's front, back, and sides. The others had to distance themselves and change the formation as to not get hit.

"Acting like scared rats now...?"

The cold and playful demeanor showed before Tale's arrival that he had observed could no longer be found in these thirteen. Tale found their expressions rather funny though. Shock, anger, confusion, nervousness, and fear, all mixed at different degrees for each person.

Smiling lightly, Tale who was unmoving due to getting in time with the other world slowly rose his hand. There was no need to waste any more time.

Remembering his headache of the past which made him want to have more peace in this world, Tale felt perhaps the tireless days would never end. He truly wanted to have great words with the one who caused him to live two lives of such difference.

The dark circles under his eyes grew darker than before as a strain fell to his mind though he didn't think about it, it was just another drop to the sea. It was always this mortal self of himself that suffered the tiredness of both selves as his other self simply could not due to his body. Quickly he masked it as it looked better.

This self hadn't a wink of rest since so very long ago... He couldn't let himself get any as the consequences of doing so after so long would be dire, it's unthinkable for how long he would be slumbering after things have built up so much... still... he couldn't hate this life. It was burdensome and a slight bit crazing but...

Looking ahead, his mouth opened slightly as it moved keenly. "Raven... why can't you perish and offer me some solace...?" His smile arched slightly, his eyes giving off a strange madness that was quickly suppressed.

In the beat of a heart, the escaping thirteen all shivered as their bodies tensed. They and the truck froze in place unable to move.

Like the whisper of the damned, Tale's voice eerily buzzed in their ears.

"The Raven you wish to escape has fallen long ago yet remains in pieces... why don't you help offer him some peace since your here... there is no need to leave so soon... the Raven of old wishes to send his friend a message... may you bring it?"

"DAMN IT!"

Feeling themselves being freed from their petrification, the thirteen cursed in their minds as they gritted their teeth and rushed towards Tale. There was no need to talk.

"WE SHOULD'VE NEVER LISTENED TO VIRUS! DAMN IT!"

"BOSS I TOLD YOU TO NOT TRUST THAT FELLOW FROM THE CITY! YOU'RE A DAMN FOOL!"

Seeing them approaching, Tale waved them over as if greeting friends. His eyes and smile held nothing but sincerity and warmness affected only slightly by his tired outlook.

"I'd appreciate if you kept that crass speak to yourselves, there's a child watching..." Voiced Tale as his demeanor slowly changed.

"CRAZY BASTARD!!"

"AHHHH!"

...

"Dad be careful!"

Dodging and parrying the attacks of six Etema Bears, beasts enhanced by magic and ether, in the Forest of Fella, a rather normal-looking forest from the outside, God Fatir battled. He could end it quickly, but he was showing Yul a bit of a performance of sorts.

Slash! Bite!

The Etema Bears, a beast colored a bright blue hue that had atrociously bad eyesight but instincts graciously deadly. Any normal person wouldn't last a second, but Fatir was acting as if they were slow critters as he danced around them and occasionally blocked an attack.

He gave no counter-attacks, he gave no move, all he did was move fluidly in a pleasing movement of dance steps, turning their instincts against themselves as they attacked each other before they could retract back the attacks.

"Yul, sometimes, it's unnecessary to attack... other times, do so." Fatir quickly instructed as he bent his head back dodging a sharp claw coated in mana.

Angered by Fatir, the Etema Bears finally having enough let out their rage as they roared loudly to the sky causing Yul to yelp as he covered his ears. Their mana levels drastically rose as their ether cores quickly stabilized them.

With their speed tripled and raw power quadrupled, they rushed at Fatir with fury.

"DAD! WATCH OUT!" Yul jumped and shouted with a worried tone as he ran towards him before meeting a wind wall that blocked his advance.

TING! CLASH!

Witnessing the next spectacle though, happening before his eyes, Yul let out a sigh of relief as he rushed towards Fatir as the wind wall dispersed.

"Are you hurt dad!"

...

"I'm fine kiddo." Tale and Fatir said with a smile at the same time yet in different time frames that didn't line up. He did this occasionally, answering or speaking the same in both worlds, keeping track of two timelines is stressing even if he's used to it.

"Oh! Thank goodness! Phew! Here let me check!"

Laughing lightly, Tale and Fatir sat down as Yul examined Fatir whilst Tale looked around himself.

Blood and corpses... and a sliced in half old truck...

Tale sighed lightly. He might have gone a bit too far...

Hearing the name Raven and seeing the symbol they carried turned a gear in his heart. The strain in using his ability and his usual tired state cracked his mind a bit; something unpleasant had surfaced due to that.

He felt no guilt of course, but he felt he strayed further from humanity once more... the twisted and sinned side of this mortal self was becoming worse. He had to figure out some way to get a bit of rest, or the locked madness may become untameable...

"Dad you were really cool! But dad, that kitchen knife is ruined now...?"

"That one... yes... don't worry, we have more!"

Smiling, Fatir patted Yul as he picked him up and put him on his shoulder as Yul held his head with a thinking expression. They moved away from the area quickly as Fatir using magic cut the meat from the bears storing them in a container that appeared out of nowhere as he buried the skeletons, this all happening behind with no noise so Yul didn't see it.

It was already good that Yul didn't throw up or feel repulsed by the blood and corpses though Yul was definitely trying to seem strong, giving his all to not think about it... Tale thought quietly as he stood, everything around him disappearing as he appeared on the path where the raiders were on. There was no blood or corpses. He quickly disappeared with fast steps, heading back towards town.

"Good job Yul, you were brave... but, it's alright to cry or be scared... you don't need to act strong alright?" Fatir spoke lightly as he sat down at a small campfire with Yul on his lap, ruffling his hair lightly.

Telling Yul what needed to be said so he didn't end up like himself, Tale and Fatir smiled as they internally sighed together.

"D-"

"Tha-t was scary d-dad... *Sob*"

Like a dam that had broken, emotions quickly overflowed from Yul. Leaning on Fatir, tears slowly fell out of his eyes. Fatir slowly soothed him.

It's was better not to bottle up emotions... though Tale wished he could follow that. He allowed it to build too long. It's just dangerous to do such a thing.

Flutter. Flutter.

With a blowing wind, arriving at the gates of town, Tale walked in, immediately being swarmed by the group of children.

"Welcome back brother Tale!"

"Welcome back!"

They knew his routine. It was currently, 8:00 PM, the time he always came back.

"Oh, I'm back you speedsters but it's tomorrow that I show you the new game, so let's go, I'll make us a snack."

"Yay"

"Let's go!"

"Let's go!"

Back with Fatir and Yul, Yul had calmed down.

Fatir was cooking for Yul using the bear meat. It would give Yul great benefits as it's filled with mana which he can modify and make eatable.

"Hey... Dad..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Um... can you train me...? I want to be strong like you..."

Sitting in comfortable silence as the fire sizzled,

"Sure."

God Fatir answered calmly.

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