Right now, thinking back on that moment when I first appeared before Ryuu Kowa, something within me wanted to giggle at his perplexed stare, but my nature simply would not allow a giggle to surface. It was the mannerism of another incarnation. This small one, currently standing atop an enormous lotus blossom floating high above the field, observing Mr. Kowa’s …

. I surveyed the field from a dozen paces up, while reflecting on the last several days. Meanwhile, Ryuu’s team launched their attack. The teamwork had become pretty legit, to be frank. Ryuu would come riding in on Ka first, jumping off her once he got to the deployment point they had selected. He could defend himself and cause trouble …

. Ryuu was sweating and exhausted when the sand ran out, but he actually pulled it off. He had held that maximal charge of wind for a full three hours, in addition to the fighting he had done before that. Orho dismissed the hourglass, gave him a grudging recognition and agreed to ‘assist’ him. Then she languidly swam away, entering …

. Although the air was no denser than sea level air on Huade or Earth, the first of the two Spirit Beasts who had been on standby appeared out of the haze with her tail lazily waving back and forth, propelling her. She was a ravishingly beautiful mermaid-like creature, the potential result if the merrow had extravagantly decorated themselves for …

. I stood in this spot again, looking at the Six Geometries Seven Elements tapestry. My original plan had been to move Ryuu elsewhere for what I had in mind, but Curator felt that we could accomplish it here, once she made a few minor configuration changes. Dilorè, standing beside me in this unfamiliar environment into which I had brought …

. I stood in the background once again, this time looking at the banner hanging in the blackness in front of me, stirring up ancient memories. ‘Tapestry’ was a loose term, in this case. This banner was actually a form of weaving from the Fundamental Plane, in which the various objects depicted could freely move around the material. And in …

. Having received a surprising question that I found myself unable to answer, I paid attention instead to my cousin’s hands as they tended to my hair. Combing hair is a rhythmic activity, and can be a very therapeutic one. It’s a gentle dance, one hand lifting the tresses, the other steadily pulling the comb through them. With the hands …

. I will confess I allowed a ‘pfft’ to escape my lips. Ryuu shot a lethal glare in my direction, but he couldn’t leave his attention off the threat for more than a moment. It immediately returned to the flame in Kanon’s hand, and his eyes narrowed. “So I have to defeat you?” “As long as the Commander doesn’t overrule …

. I stared into the screen at Ryuu, who was glaring at the pixie at that moment, with a feeling I can only describe as stunned amusement. Although I had played the pixie for most of the time, Kanon and I had actually traded roles several times. It had been my turn on the last play-through, but I had wanted …

. Continuing in third person from Ryuu’s point of view. The village warriors and mages held their siege line around the pixie’s three [Wind Wall] shields, content to wait for the incoming monsters to arrive. They left no escape for either their original prey or the interloper. “Ryuu?” Chiara called. “Get up here! You can’t do anything down there in …