chanical beings were waiting for Malin outside a small door; one of them opened the door for him.
"You are awaited."
This sentence made Malin frown, but in the end, he still entered through the door.
Walking down the hallway, Malin saw a colossal factory where countless chanical beings were being produced, and the assembly line completely industrialized the manufacturing process.
Following the guiding lines on the floor, Malin arrived in front of a massive vat.
"You’ve co."
A crisp childlike voice rang out.
"I’ve co." Malin nodded, sensing that so Spiritual Energy was attached to several caras that could move.
"So that wizard nad Clovis, she’s dead too?"
"Dead. You didn’t call here just to find out about her life or death, did you?" Malin took a deep breath.
"Yes, because she was the last resident of this city... No, she should be the last resident of this world." This voice spoke again, this ti with a real voice, not the whispers composed of Spiritual Energy.
Malin watched as the vat began to split open, the sacred gold tal inscribed with runes unfolded towards both sides, revealing to Malin’s eyes a transparent tank containing a fragnted young version of himself.
"I’m sorry to show you this failed side of , my other self from a different tiline." He smiled, with only his left arm remaining, and he raised his hand to wave to Malin.
"Lorrin?" Malin frowned.
"No, my na is lo, my father gave this na." He looked at Malin and sighed: "Sounds like a girl’s na, right?"
"Actually, it’s a very nice na. Where is our father?" Malin asked the other self before him.
"He turned aberrant... He ultimately failed. It seems you must have been to our ho, right? Maya, she... must have been Purified by you."
"Yes, Purified." Malin said and then sat down next to a pipe: "And what’s your story?"
"An invasion by Chaos, the Spirits were corrupted. It was the mother machine made from that twisted battle armor. I did my utmost to purify it, but as you see, this is what’s left of after the battle. The Spirits, in an attempt to save , went berserk and drove humans away from Carterburg... No, from the entire Sydney region, because this area would be the first to face Chaos’s invasion."
The one nad lo gave Malin a chilling answer.
"You hid yourself here because you didn’t want to be found, but now why have you activated it?" Malin asked.
"Because this world is already dead. The mont Clovis turned herself into a Lich, this world was beyond saving." lo responded.
"You’re still alive though." Malin pointed at him.
"Actually, I’m just a remnant; the Spirits have modified ." A small door opened, and a tiny chanical being walked out, while the lo in the tank began to disintegrate.
"Hello, my other self from a different tiline. Standing before you is a failure, and even more so, a vengeful ghost." It spoke, while extending its hand.
Malin extended his hand too, and they shook hands.
"...You... have two World Tree Saplings!" lo noticed the branches on Malin’s arms.
Malin nodded: "I’ve also seen another tiline where there was no factory, Carterburg fell to Chaos... many died, including another us and his loved ones."
"I see, that’s wonderful. I thought my Sapling hadn’t left because the flas of vengeance were still burning in my heart, but now it seems... Naless is waiting for another with a body of flesh and blood." He spoke, as Malin noticed a sapling erging from the clothed arm, clinging to lo’s face like a young animal.
"I am about to venture forth with an army of machines, and I cannot nourish you with Spiritual Energy anymore. Go with Malin, be obedient." lo smiled as he sent his Sapling to join the one on Malin’s arm.
Then he looked at Malin: "Take good care of it. What do you plan to na it?"
"The last ti I was called Lorrin, this ti you’re called lo, I’m a fool who isn’t very good at naming," Malin reached out his hand and patted the small chanical body: "You said you’re going on an expedition, where to?"
"To places where there is Chaos," lo looked at Malin: "These chanical bodies contain many survivors’ souls. Their minds haven’t been twisted, but they died in the end. I’ve collected their souls and digitalized them. I am the mother body, they are the child bodies. I cannot be twisted by Chaos, and they will never be either. We will swear to eradicate all Chaos in this universe."
Having said that, lo fell silent for a mont, then gave themselves a cold na: "You can call us... The Heartless."
"...Good luck."
"Good luck to you too. By the way, when you first ca here, I noticed you visited several estates..."
"They are my lovers."
"I see. Is your Maya over there happy?" lo asked this question: "Please answer quickly, my emotions will be formatted in fifteen seconds."
"Happy, she will be my happiest bride," Malin nodded.
lo’s voice carried a hint of joy: "Thank you, there’s a five-second countdown left."
Malin waited five seconds, and the lo in front of him turned around: "You should go, another world’s . This factory will close again in thirty minutes."
...Farewell, lo.
Malin didn’t say these words; he just turned around silently and left.
After leaving the factory, Malin returned to the ho he saw the first ti he opened his eyes, seeing the small shell and taking out a black whistle from its hand.
Besides that, there was nothing to prove his identity.
Malin took her to the bed, covered her with the quilt, and gave this stranger the last bit of dignity.
Then he walked all the way to the other garden, crossed the vine bridge again, pushed open the room door, sat down on the little chair by the bed, and looked at Faye within the force field.
Even though he had gained another World Tree Sapling... his heart was heavy; Malin didn’t want to get his relic this way.
Until the night fell once again, until the plant Spirits gathered around Malin and began to sing, until Malin could no longer suppress his fatigue, until the instant he lost balance and opened his eyes again, what he saw was the brightly lit great hall of the villa under the night sky.
Throwing off the blanket on himself, Malin noticed the black whistle in his hand and silently put it in his pocket. Malin saw the Rat Girl by the fireplace lifting her head, it must be the elder sister, he thought.
With that thought, Malin made a silent gesture and then went upstairs, gently pushed open the door, noticing the girls huddled together and sleeping on Faye’s big bed.
Malin walked to the bed, and the animated chair ca up behind him in incredibly quiet steps.
Malin sat down, watching them sleep.
Matilda always liked to cling tightly to Clovis; even in her dreams, the Bunny Girl seed to be in fear... that’s a bad habit, she needs to change it.
Jessica would grind her teeth in her sleep... you’re not a beaver, what are you grinding for.
Lillim would mumble in her sleep about wanting to polish her horns.
Maya was held by Faye, once again proving her nature as a fluffy cat slave.
Maybe sensing sothing, Maya turned her head this way, opened her eyes and saw Malin, and smiled, her ears and nose having already confird the visitor’s identity.
Malin also smiled, leaned down, and kissed Maya.
Then he got up, looking at the girls with eyes as wide as copper bells, and Malin was a bit overwheld: "No, why are you all awake?"
"Because we slled the sour stench of love," Faye answered with a smile.
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