Mumu and Nini both let out low, relieved huffs, settling onto the water as tension drained from their stitched bodies. Giona, however, kept her gaze fixed on the two glowing orbs.

"Soul…" she whispered, wide-eyed. Then, confusion creased her brow as she pointed at herself. "My…soul?"

Saa'ir gave a small, reassuring chuckle at her uncertainty. He knelt beside her and spoke gently. "A soul is the foundation of your life—your essence. It's the spark that exists before your body, before your thoughts, before anything." He said while placing a hand on his own chest, still holding Dama.

Saa'ir then adjusted his hold on Dama as he continued. "After the soul, comes the mind. For example, this place is Dama's mind, or his mindscape. Just like the fortress of shadows we escaped was your mind, this serene realm is shaped by Dama's soul." He gestured to the orbs. "Every soul has its own 'mindspace'—a world brought to life by the light of the soul itself."

Giona stared back at him, blank and unblinking. The intensity in her eyes felt as though it might bore right through his very being, and he felt sweat bead at his brow.

After a long pause, she tilted her head. "Mind...canvas... Soul...painter." She murmured, repeating Saa'ir's earlier comparison whilst glancing around the endless blue sky and smooth lake.

Saa'ir closed his eyes as he chuckled. "Yes, that is correct, Young Giona! Seems you remember what I said earlier, I'm glad!"

Opening his eyes back up, Saa'ir would see a serious Giona who was grasping her chin—like she has seen Dama and Tsubasa do—with steam seeming to puff from her ears in cartoonish frustration as she struggled to follow. She returned her gaze to the two orbs, then back to Saa'ir, her expression one of pure puzzlement. Holding up two fingers, she asked, "Mindspace and souls… If Dama's mind is here... Why two, Mr. Saa'ir?"

Saa'ir smiled gently as he looked up into the sky. "Why your soul and Dama's are in the same mindscape? To tell you the truth, Young Giona, I do not fully know. From what I know, while it's not impossible, two souls in the same mindscape is really rare. A multitude of factors can cause this to happen as well—factors most cannot control."

Shrugging with another chuckle, Saa'ir then looked back at Giona with his own hypothesis. "But, if I had to guess why, it's because your souls are so deeply connected with one another. They resonate with each other, even when far apart—to the point that in Dama's mindscape, both your souls shine together." He explained with a smile.

But within, Saa'ir began to question some things. "However, that doesn't explain how Young Dama was able to seemingly materialize his mindscape, or even how Young Dama reached into Young Giona's mind without her knowing. From what I can infer from earlier, even Young Dama doesn't know the answers to these.

After looking down at Dama's unconscious face, his face subtly grew skeptical as he thought to himself, "Not only that, I couldn't tell before, but now that I'm in front of his soul, I can tell now Young Dama has an unusually strong soul. While it pales in comparison to the souls of Young Giona, Young Juin, and even Amar...Axel, I remember how the average soul of one who bears a Soulful Technique felt—Young Dama's soul dwarfs that, despite being a normal human. Something is special about this boy..."

Giona's brow furrowed at Saa'ir's explanation, the words "deeply connected" and "resonate" echoing in her mind like riddles. She pressed her fingers to her chin—continuing to copy what she had watched Dama and Tsubasa do countless times—eyes fixed on the orbs as she wrestled with their meaning. More steam seemed to puff from her ears in sheer frustration, letting out a small groan.

Noticing this, Saa'ir offered a nervous chuckle, raising a hand. "Hey now, don't overthink i—"

But before he could finish, Mumu stepped forward and gently placed both paws on Giona's shoulders. She looked up at him, confusion still lingering in her wide eyes, but Mumu met her gaze and smiled, his quiet reassurance saying everything words could not.

Nini, meanwhile, padded over to Saa'ir and sat on her haunches. She lifted one paw in a little nod, her ears twitching as if to signal she'd heard and understood. Saa'ir returned her nod with a grateful smile.

Turning back to Giona, Saa'ir spoke once more. "I know this has been an unexpected adventure, and I've cherished every moment we've shared, but now it's time to go home. Right, Mumu? Nini?"

Mumu and Nini both bobbed their heads eagerly, as if already smelling Briarstone's Feast. Giona watched them and, after a moment's hesitation, copied their enthusiastic nods—though she still looked puzzled. Then, steeling herself, she asked the question sitting on all their minds: "How?"

Saa'ir's smile warmed. "It's simple," he explained, gesturing to the two glowing orbs, "to return to the real world, you walk up to your soul—the silver orb—and reach out to take it in your hand. The moment you do, everyone here will be sent back to the waking world."

Giona glanced between the orb and Saa'ir, determination and confusion flickering in her eyes. With a deep breath though, she took her first step toward the silver light that was her ticket home.

She paused before the two orbs, drawn first to the silver glow of her own soul. It shone so brightly, like polished moonlight, yet gazing at it felt as gentle as a lullaby—no pain, no flinch, just calm acceptance of its radiance.

Then her attention drifted to the golden orb beside it—Dama's soul. Its hue that was richer than sunlight, was now dimmed, yet still bathing the air in quiet warmth. She thought of the dawn, when the first rays of sun peeked over the horizon, and realized it all made sense:

Both the sun and Dama made her entire body feel warm inside.

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Both the sun and Dama were things she longed to wake up to each morning.

Both the sun and Dama glowed and radiated a feeling that felt like home.

A smile curved her lips as she tucked each thought away—and then she noticed the difference: the sun set each evening, but Dama was always by her side, whether beside her in body, through the faithful presence of Mumu & Nini, or even when he's far away, as she was shown tonight.

She glanced at the two stufffed companions and found them smiling back, their eyes bright with encouragement. That simple sight filled her with gratitude and gave her courage.

A new memory fluttered into her mind: Tsubasa's soft kiss on her forehead after tucking her into bed. Giona remembered asking why Tsubasa always did that. Tsubasa had explained that a kiss is a wordless way to show love and care—and tucking in a farewell into a goodnight's rest. There were other kinds of kisses, Tsubasa had said, but Giona would learn those in time.

Giona's eyes lit up at the memory. Suddenly, she sprinted toward Mumu and Nini, who looked at her in puzzled anticipation.

"Mumu—up!" She chirped, beaming like a toddler at play. Mumu's confusion melted into delight as he lifted her onto his broad arms.

Giona then leaned in, cupped his stitched muzzle, and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. "Thank you, Mumu!" She exclaimed.

Mumu's round eyes widened, then he responded with a gentle, rumbly bearhug that made Giona giggle.

Next, she turned to Nini, whose own plush ears perked and tail wagged excitedly, already knowing what was coming and accepting it eagerly. Giona held up her arms again, and Nini lowered her head so Giona could reach her. On tiptoes, Giona kissed Nini's forehead and exclaimed out, "Thank you, Nini!"

Nini coiled her entire body around Giona in her own signature hug, nuzzling her in return, making Giona's laughter ring out across the lake.

Finally, Giona glanced back at Saa'ir, who was standing behind Mumu and Nini. Saa'ir's eyes widened—surely she wouldn't kiss him. He knelt instinctively, bracing Dama in his arms so Giona could reach him easily.

But before he could steady himself, Giona ran forward, placed her small hands on his cheeks, and kissed his forehead just as she had her companions. He blinked in shock. "Eh?" He murmured, as Giona beamed up at him.

"Thank you, Mr. Saa'ir!" She said, her smile radiant. Saa'ir simply nodded, not knowing what to do or say.

Giona's gaze drifted from Saa'ir down to Dama cradled in his arms. Her heart clenched as she saw him so still and vulnerable—hurt because of her. Then she remembered his vow, the fierce promise he'd made just moments ago. The memory blossomed warmth in her chest, richer and deeper than simple gratitude.

With a tender breath, she closed her eyes and leaned forward. On instinct, she pressed a soft kiss to Dama's left cheek and whispered, "Thank you, Dama."

As she pulled back, she caught the faintest curve of a smile on Dama's lips—a gentle twitch that told her he was all right and that her gesture had reached him.

Giona turned to Saa'ir, determination shining in her eyes. "Br—Bria... Briarstone V-Village..." she managed with some difficulty, pointing at Dama.

Saa'ir's brow lifted, then cleared as recognition dawned. "Briarstone Village," he repeated with a smile, "I was actually heading there next—Chief Okun Yamanaka's home. After Enohay and Juin Adin, I planned to visit." He nodded toward Giona, understanding. "So I see, Dama is in Briarstone Village."

Giona's eyes filled with pleading light. "Protect Dama, please…" She whispered.

Saa'ir returned her look with a warm smile. "I will." He promised before adding a little chuckle. "Though Mumu and Nini are already by his side—I'm pretty sure they've got that covered."

Giona giggled at the thought.

With one last, grateful glance at Saa'ir's dumbfounded expression that she found cute, at Mumu's gleefully swaying frame, at Nini's ears and tail swaying up and down, side to side—and at Dama's peaceful, sleeping form—she turned back to the silver orb. In her heart, she whispered silent thanks to each of them.

As she did, a soft, ethereal whisper drifted into Giona's awareness: her name, carried on a voice both gentle and impossibly familiar. She froze, heart fluttering, and turned. There—hovering against the endless blue sky—her own silver orb pulsed even more, as though beckoning her closer.

Giona stretched out a trembling hand and touched the light. At once, warmth flooded her fingertip, spreading through her arm like sunlight through glass. For a moment, she marveled at the sensation—strange, tender, and wholly unlike anything she'd known. Then, with a brilliant flare of silver light, the world vanished into pure luminance…and then into utter blackness.

But the voice remained, rising in volume and emotion. Slowly, Giona's eyelids fluttered open to a dim, flickering lamplight. A gentle rocking motion swayed her—too vigorous to be a dream. Blinking, she found herself in a familiar room—Dama's cabin, the gentle tick of a wall clock, the rich brown of the hardwood roof.

Above her, Tsubasa stood, eyes wide with relief—ears pricked like a wolf's, tail puffed in concern. "Giona! You're awake! You're okay!" She cried, gathering her into a hug.

"Granny Tsubasa?" Giona whispered, confused and taken aback, as she could barely remember what she had just went through.

Tsubasa pulled back and pressed a kiss to her forehead—an action that would end up awakening Giona's foggy memories of her nightmare turned dream come true. "Oh, thank the spirits!" She exclaimed. "I felt danger—a dark aura around the cabin. I tried to open your door, but something kept pushing me back, harder each time."

Meanwhile, Giona's memory rushed in. The fortress of shadows, the Curse of Hatred, Dama's vow, the sparkling lake, Saa'ir. Before Tsubasa could ask more, Giona's voice broke out in a rush, "Dama… Mumu… Nini… Mr. Saa'ir! They protect me!"

Tsubasa's brow furrowed. "Mumu, Nini...Dama?" She echoed, recalling the stitched guardians. "And wait, did you say Saa'ir!? Juin said he met someone by that name tonight...!"

Giona's excitement was unstoppable. "Souls, mindscapes—Dama's promise!" She exclaimed, eyes shining like stars and cheeks red as cherries as she couldn't contain her legs kicking the bed in excitement.

Tsubasa gently took Giona's shoulders and guided her back onto the pillow. "Hey hey, let's calm down, dear. Tell me everything—slowly this time." She offered a patient smile, though inside she wondered just what in the world her granddaughter figure had experienced to get her like that.

"Okay!" Giona responded with the biggest smile on her face, her excitement barely contained.

Outside, under the pale moon, Saa'ir paused a little ways away from Dama's cabin. The night air was clear, the shadows ordinary, the malice that originally clung to every wall of the cabin now gone. Giona was safe, her mind sealed against any further intrusion.

He exhaled, a quiet relief settling over him. His task here was done. Briarstone Village awaited—its chief, Okun Yamanaka—the Sin Incarnation of Sloth—was the next person he needed to see. With purposeful steps toward the moonlit clearing, Saa'ir began his journey anew, somehow already knowing where to go.

As the silver light of the moon touched him, his form shimmered—and then dissolved into the night, leaving the path as vacant as when he came. The only sign he was even there were the two young and innocent spirits he helped that night—souls that will never forget his kindness for as long as they lived.

-

Next: (Chapter 73) "Who is Giona?"

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