"Many years ago, the Avalists first invaded our planet, but it was a long time before they accomplished anything. New Genesis was guarded by the Great Dragons, the protectors of this planet. Any time that the Avalists tried to conquer us, the Dragons fought, always driving them back. But this did not last forever. The Dark Ages eventually fell upon New Genesis, and the Avalists conquered the planet. The Dark Ages escalated to a new level when the Avalin reploids drove out the Avalists, causing what you have seen now..."

Zero listened to Asquira carefully. He wasn't finding anything she was saying very useful at the moment, but how she was saying it caught his attention. From the way she spoke, it seemed as though she was a bard or at least a story teller of somekind, and her emotions told him that this was a rather painful subject for her. The forest seemed to grow even dimmer.

"How exactly does this history lesson help us get out of these swamps?" Zero asked, motioning to the rest of the group, still sleeping.

"It doesn't."

Asquira lept up ontop of a boulder.

"But, then how do we get out of here?" Zero asked. Being trapped in this forest wasn't high on his list of places he wanted to be.

"You are the one holding back the group," Asquira said, crouching down and closing her eyes, appearing much more cat-like than usual. Zero turned to her, shocked.

"This is the Forest of Life," Asquira continued. "It is one of the few places that the enemy has failed to conquer, and one of the few remaining places of strong magic..."

Zero didn't believe her. Why would a swamp be named a forest of life? It didn't make sense. Asquira stood up on the boulder, her eyes still closed.

"The Forest of Life is a rare place. The trees are more alive than in any other place, and far more perceptive... They changed their appearance, changing to match that of the strongest emotions present. When people are happy, the trees are glorious! Flowering blooms, bright green grass, bountiful sunlight! But that is not so here..." Asquira openned her eyes. "The trees are sad. Their branches are filled with loss and despair, and thoughts of death..."

Zero didn't know what to say. Everything that had been growing inside of him since Ep had been taken was now visible, and it was what was stopping them from continuing. Zero stared at the ground. He unconciously tugged on the end of Ep's scarf. It had been around Zero's neck since the day he was missing.

Asquira seemed to be staring through him. "That is not yours..." Shee seemed to look into him even deeper. "It belongs to someone you know. Someone very close to you..."

"My brother..." Zero answered quietly.

Asquira closed her eyes.

"I have never seen feelings so sincere, not even from my own kind..."

She reopenned her eyes.

"One's emotions must be clear and possitive to leave the Forest of Life through the path you have chosen. I feel that so long as you are separated from you brother that you may never be able to quell your negative emotions..." Asquira stood up.

"You must now chose another path..."

Zero looked up at her from her boulder perch.

"I will help you."

(Zero Turns to Asquira) Zero:So,this forest feeds off our emotions? the happier one is the less tree cover there is? and vise versa? I never would have thought of that,to be perfectly honest with you...

(draws his Beam Sabre to get some light) sheesh,I couldn't see what I was doing...Asquira,do you plan to join with us? or is this the only time we're going to see you? well, if you do decide to join with us...you'd better follow me...(with that he starts walking back to camp)

Jaguar2X layed there, against the tree on a tree branch, observing his surroundings. He closed his eyes in thought, considering everything that had happened to him in the past few weeks. One moment he was waxing his armor after a basic tune up, the next moment he was doing a immitation of "Die Hard" at a unknown Repliod facility. He laughed slightly shaking his head at that, "So much for that tune up" he thought to himself. And then there was the 3 hours of total isolation, not sure if he'd see anyone he knew ever again, words couldn't express what he felt when he saw Ep and even that crazy dragon of his for the first time on this planet. And now that same brother of Zero and X was gone, kidnapped. Ep wasn't his brother, but he was his friend, a friend who constantly hated check ups and ya pratically had to drag him in to subject him to the cruel fate...but a friend none the less. And now he was trapped in a mysterious forest, he had tried flying out like that bat repliod that had joined them a few days ago, only to find the trees here seemed to have no tops whatsoever, he gave up as soon as he saw his fuel gage was on the half reading.

His thoughts lead him right back to here as he gazed out across the landscape before him, swamps, trees and more swamp. A normal repliod would hate this senario, specially the water part and then again so would a normal feline, but not him. He'd always had a certain affnity for swimming, forgetting that water and his basic circuitary structure didn't react too well and that the only thing keeping him from going hay wire was a 3 inch thick layer of metal and plastics.

It was the sudden approach of Zero and Asquira that disturbed his thoughts as they slowly emerged from the slight fog. At first he thought they were intruders of some sort, his buster raised. But Zero's familair pony tail quickly identified his old friend and put the feline repliod at partial ease, but the new one, the cat girl was what really alerted him. Where had she come from? He like Zero had been picking up a presence following them for a little while, but he had no idea what type of presence it was, animal, repliod and he had never even had thought to think of what gender, if it had a gender so to speak.

The first thing he did was run a simple bios scan of her, she was a feline alright..a real feline unlike him. And she was female as her image proposed...that was all he dared scan as the girl suddenly turned around for a moment and looked at him. He quickly turned off his scanner and blushed slightly returning to his normal business as he heard Zero explaining a few things to her. It was then he noticed, a small flower starting to bloom on his right side. He took no notice of it, as he examined his weapon adapter clips and how much power each one had left.

Bann wakes up, but he is still claustrophobic. The swamp seems to be closing in on him, morphing to reflect his fear. "Aah! Somebody! Noo!" The part of the swamp he is in gets smaller and smaller, until he is trapped in a "cage" of trees. "NO!"

"Bitt,Plane Form!"Cymon said. Cymon got in and took off. He flew for about an hour. Then, a missle struck Bitt! It was a dud, but it threw both of them off balance!Bitt had to change back to a cat."Hold on to my back,Bitt!" Cymon yelled."We're gonna land in that bare swamp!" Bitt leaped off near the ground,while Cymon hit the ground hard. He came to at a camp in the swamp that night."Hi," he said nervously."Who are you?"

(Zero had just got back from trying to calm down Bann an hour before Bitt's and Cymon's "Crash Landing"...Zero Draws his Sabre at Cymon not knowing where he came from,thinking Cymon's part of the people responsible for Ep's Capture)...

Zero:(pointing his Sabre) Who Are you!? you have about five seconds to say something...

(as he says this,he has a feeling that he made the wrong decision...but decides not to think anything of it,in an attempt to change the forest for the better)

"Hey, is that Buddy?"

Destiny was sitting at a table in the empty IHHQ Commons. She had been having a conversation with her friend, Zebuhachi, but was interrupted by a loud noise coming from across the room. Zeb looked up, and then quickly back down.

"Yea, Des. I'm afraid to look, so could you tell me if he's got the damn Crystal?"

Destiny squinted, catching a glimmer of light in Buddy's right hand. She quickly sat back down, pretending to be invisible.

"He's got it, Zebs. Let's just hope he doesn't notice us..."

"DESTINY?! IS THAT YOU?"

Destiny groaned. Buddy never had been the discreet type. She sat up a little and waved, smiling weakly as he bounced over to the table and stood beside them.

"Hey guys! Whatcha doin'?"

Zeb opened her mouth to respond and Destiny cut her off.

"Gee, Buddy, we were just about to go train, and then we have to go to Tokyo, and after that Damien's got a baseball game..."

"But Destiny," Zeb interrupted, "Damien's only four! He doesn't play-"

Destiny slapped a hand over Zeb's mouth, smiling, and continued:

"And after THAT we've got to go to a movie or something and we are just SO busy today, don't you think, Zebs?"

Zeb, having finally understood where Destiny was going with this, nodded.

"Oh yes. No time for playing with the Crystal."

Buddy looked disappointed for about half a second, then grinned, holding up his Crystal with two fingers.

"Oh, but I'm good at it now. I can send you back to this same second later on!"

"That's what you said last time." Destiny said, flatly. "You know? With the dinosaurs and hippies?"

Buddy began casually rolling the Crystal between his hands, making both Hunters wince.

"But, I can do better this time..."

Destiny stood, striking a fighting stance and whipping out her sabre.

"Buddy, you leave right now, or I'll destroy that Crystal."

"Destiny," Zeb said cautiously, also standing and preparing to hold her friend back.

Buddy hadn't stopped, but looked up when he heard his voice, taking his attention away from the dangerous Crystal. "Huh?"

"Look out!" Zeb squealed, making Destiny panic and fling her entire sabre handle at Buddy, who panicked in return, dropping the crystal. There was a bright flash of light, and both Hunters disappeared. Buddy sighed.

"They always have all the fun..."

.•·º·•.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the swamp, in a flash large enough to light the entire forest, Zeb and Destiny appeared, ten feet in the air. Zeb shrieked, before falling into the swamp below them, but Destiny quickly stopped herself in midair, hovering to a halt five feet above the swamp. Rapidly forgetting their current situation, she snickered at Zeb, pointing.

"Ew, Zebs, your pants!"

Although Zeb was a reploid, she preferred human clothing instead of her armor. She favored white and pale purple, which are not the best color choices for a swamp. Currently, Zeb was wearing a very dirty, swamp-muck covered white 3/4 shirt and jeans. But her outfit was not at a very high priority at the moment. Zeb pointed above Destiny's head, to a large, swirling portal of light.

"Unmei, We've got to get back in!"

Destiny remembered what had happened pretty quickly, and flew straight at the portal, as Zeb leapt up to it, boosted by jetboots. They may have even made it through, if they hadn't collided with Ice the tiger as he fell through the portal. Both Zeb and Destiny fell into the swamp-muck with loud, confused screams. Ice, however, landed neatly on them, bounding gracefully onto dry ground, where he plopped down and daintily licked his paw. The two Hunters, however, were not so lucky. Both were covered with mud, and Zeb appeared to have a plant growing out of the side of her head. Destiny glared at Ice.

"You stupid, stupid tiger!"

Ice looked up, blinking, then yawned and went back to cleaning his paw. Destiny sneered, grabbing a handful of swamp-muck. Ice looked up in time to get hit in the head with it. He growled at Destiny, who was laughing, and dove on her. Zeb squealed, leaping into a nearby tree. She couldn't believe how stupid Destiny was acting. They'd just been thrown into some random dimension, and all Destiny could think about was having a swamp-muck fight with a tiger. She looked away from the two for a second, then promptly was hit in the head, and knocked out of her tree with a handful of mud. Her voice, combined with Destiny's laughter, echoed through the forest

"DESTINY!!"

Destiny was finally jolted out of her temporary insanity by Zeb screeching her name at the top of her lungs. Zeb was sitting about chest-high in swamp muck, glaring at Destiny with nearly enough force to stop a clock, white clothes covered in gook. Destiny wasn't much better, but her outfit was black, and therefore less noticable. Grimacing, Zeb stood, yanking on her right leg to free it from the swamp's jaws, and trudged to dry land, closely followed by a disgruntled Ice. Still in the middle of the mud, Destiny was attempting to fly out, but not having much success.

"Zebu! I'm stuck!"

Zeb simply glared at Destiny. "You got yourself there, if I may remind you."

Destiny opened her mouth to argue, but realized it was true. She also realized something else.

"ACK! My sabre! I don't HAVE it!!"

She grabbed frantically at the belt tied around her waist, and her empty sheath, futiley hoping that perhaps her sabre had come along. It hadn't.

"Unmei! Don't worry, you've still got your powers. You'll be fine."

Putting those powers to use, Destiny blasted a hole in the mud around her feet, finally breaking free and floating over to Zeb and Ice.

"Says the reploid. Since you obviously haven't noticed, I don't have my armor either. Unlike you, I can't just transform myself."

Zeb blinked. "Oh. Well, ah, maybe it won't be so bad. After all, this place could be deserted. Or maybe the inhabitants are peaceful."

"Or maye they're a gigantic spieces of carnivores."

Sighing, Zeb had to agree this was possible.

"Well, let's just walk for a while, and see if we find anyone. Maybe we will, maybe we won't."

The very dirty trio stareted out in a random direction, leaving footprints of swamp muck. Not long after, Destiny broke the silence.

"Hey, Zeb?"

"Yeah?"

"No matter what you say, when we get back, I'm killing him."

(No sooner did Zero wake up from a six hour "nap" he heard the blast sound in the area)

Zero: What the Heck was that?... (jumps into the treeline making himself virtually invisible and inaudible...)

(very soon he comes up on Destiny and Zebuhachi)

Zero: (Voice only from the tree line) I see you found your way here...rather sloppily I might add...heh,no matter,any way...what are you doing here?...(remains hidden)

Destiny and Zeb both jumped at the sound of Zero's voice. Zeb ducked behind a tree, and Destiny struck a fighting pose, rather difficultly (ooc: is that a word? It should be...) in the mud.

"Hey!" Destiny shouted, not knowing where exactly Zero was, "Who are you? And WHERE are you? And WHY the heck are you laughing at me?!"

Zeb mentally smacked herself in the head. Destiny was the one going on about cannibals and all, and here she was, insulting some random invisible person.

"Des!" Zeb hissed from behind the tree, "be nice to the cannibals!"

Destiny appeared to realize the point of this and stood up straight, tripping a little in the process.

"Is anyone there?" She called again, looking around cautiously.

Zero was concentrating very hard on keeping an eye on the two new comers. He really wasn't paying attention to anything else...

"ROOOAAAAAARRRR!!!!"

All at the same time, Zeb scrambled back behind the tree, Ice yelped and jumped into the tree, Destiny jumped out of terror unsucessfully and fell back in the mud, and Zero, being scared sensless, fell forward out of his hiding place, and straight into the mud as well.

After everyone's body stopped threatening to have a heart attack, Zeb and Destiny finally saw Zero...And a crimson dragon! Zero was giving the dragon a VERY p.o.ed look, and the dragon was giving him an annoyed look.

Well, the dragon really couldn't be called "crimson". It had some crimson on its chest, but it was mostly a partially brown-mostly red, some shades of brown on its legs and the spikes down its back, and gold on its joins. It was rather colorful, actually.

The dragon was making a series of sounds and growls. It almost sounded like dragon talk or something to Zeb and Destiny. Zero got up, still looking annoyed at the dragon.

"It's still the middle of the night!" He told it.

The dragon made more noises.

"I was checking out this area for the noise they were making!" Zero said, motioning to the ladies. To Zeb and Destiny, it looked as though Zero understood the dragon, and that the dragon seemed to have the upper hand in authority calls...

Their suspicions were confirmed with the dragon snapped its head around, latched onto Zero's hair with its jaws, then started to drag him off in another direction, Zero protesting.

Zeb, paying no attention to Destiny whatsoever, began bolting forward, brandishing her sabre and screeching at the top of her lungs.

"Let go of poor Zero-sama, you overgrown lizard!!"

Destiny, having paused long enough to realize that this was not the same Zero they knew, launched herself forward, siezed Ice, and stopped Zeb from doing something foolish by throwing the tiger at her. Caught by surprise, Zeb was knocked off her feet.

"UNMEI! You jerk! What are you doing? That dragon has ZERO-SAMA!!"

She scrambled to her feet, ready to pursue again, but was held back by Destiny.

"Zebu, you idiot, since when does Zero speak dragon, eh?"

Zeb blinked. "But...but.."

"Listen, Zebs. He may look like Zero, but it's not him. The Zero we know wouldn't be that submissive anyway, remember? His motto is 'violence is fun'."

Zeb sighed. "Well then..what do we do?"

Destiny shrugged. "Follow them, I guess. I for one, am not afraid of some stupid Tinheads like yourself. And if they know a way outta this damn swamp, I'm going too."

With that, she marched off, with some difficulty, through the muck in the direction that Zero and the dragon had gone, a disgruntled Ice following her. Sighing, and slightly depressed, missing the Zero she knew already, followed suit.

(as he's being dragged away from Zebuhachi and Destiny Zero begins to fidget,signaling Alpha(the Dragon) to let go)...

Zero: (giving Alpha a mean look)...Now I'm all dirty...man...look,we may have a fight coming up and we might need all the help we can get...I have a feeling that the one on the left (Meaning Destiny) are gonna cross paths with me...so let me go so I might be able to either talk with them or be ready to fight...

(Alpha doesn't let go...)

(Zero now flailing his arms and yelling in a rather angry manner)((Uh, and that's putting it mildly))

(Alpha Unable to hold on anymore,lets go)

Oh man!...now I NEED to get clean...

Destiny, Zeb, and Ice the tiger had been stumbling after The Other Zero and the dragon for a while. They hadn't been able to catch them yet, since Destiny kept tripping. Neither one of them had said a word since starting after Zero and the dragon, and Zeb was feeling very embarrassed about mistaking him for her dimension's Zero.

Destiny, on the other hand, had practically forgotten about Zero. She did recognize and remember that he was a reploid, and that had gotten her thinking.

"Zebs!" She blurted suddenly.

Zeb nearly tripped over Ice, stumbling to a halt, and stared. "What?"

"Zeb, if there's reploids here, then maybe we're still in our dimension!"

Zeb sighed, hating to bring this back up. "Des, what about The Other Zero? There's only one Zero per dimension, as far as I know."

Destiny stopped, thinking again. "Yeah. Good point. But still, if there's Zero, then there's the Irregular Hunters."

Zeb stopped as well, shocked, but Destiny had broken into a run and Zeb had to dash and catch her.

"Destiny!"

"I've got to catch them! Maybe they'll lead us to IHHQ, though..." Destiny paused, looking around herself, "I'm not sure what's with the swamp. Either way, they might have some sort of alternate Buddy to get us home with his Time Travel Crystal of Death or something."

Zeb opened her mouth to say something, but Destiny seemed to have forgotten about her friend, and was already screaming after the dragon and Zero.

"HEY! YOU CAN'T JUST *LEAVE* US HERE!! ZERO! MR. DRAGON! WAAAAIIIITTTT!!"

(soon after his "Talk" with Alpha,Zero stands waiting and ready for the rather loud Trio)

Zero: (Crossing his arms)...ok,you're trying to find me,I'm standing right here and you haven't found me yet?...you must be Rookies (remembers one of them striking a fighting stance that resembled a Hunter's Stance) Ugh,I'd better go find them before someone gets hurt... (dashes off leaving a trail for Alpha to follow if need be)

Zeb had finally managed to catch Destiny, after a lot of dashing and yelling on the reploid's part. Destiny had finally shut up, and the Hunters were running through the forest, looking around them as they went.

Unfortunately, so was Zero.

All three Hunters collided with a loud 'clang' from the two reploids. Destiny stumbled backwards into a tree, Zeb and Zero both fell onto the ground on opposite sides of the small path.

(ooc) Did you see it coming?!

Zeb was in shock, still. While running, she'd gotten it through her head that this was NOT Zero. But looking at him... He looked just like him... how could he not be Zero?

Destiny, on the other hand, was up already, and ready to fight. She held a small Ki ball in her hand, hidden partially by her back.

"Hey!" She said, without moving from her fighting stance, "Talk to me! I need to know where I am, and who you are."

He's Zero, Zeb thought. Durf, Unmei. She fingered her dogtag necklace, and then stood up, tilting her head at The Other Zero.

"Zero-Sama?"

(gets in his Fighting Stance(the one you see in MMX4-6/RMX4-6) glaring at destiny waiting for an attack)

Zero: (looking at Destiny) I keep seeing you and yet I've never seen you before...(thinks for a minute)... Hey,before you arrived here was there a bright flash or something of that nature? because to be honest I have no idea What this planet is...but I was told that we are in a place called the "Forest of Life"...be careful of your emotions because this forest FEEDS off of the emotions of the majority of the people in it...if you're feeling down and out...the forest will become dark and nasty...

(turning his attention to Zebuhachi) you must mean someone else...we are all from different time lines or even different Dimensions for all we know...I'm sorry I couldn't be of any more help...

(turning his attention back to Destiny)...Even though I'm docile now...I have full control of the Maverick Virus (Irregular Virus),also known as the Sigma Virus...I suggest that you cool it before you know what a fight truly is...Even X can't defeat me when I'm under the power of the Virus...

Still in an offensive stance, Destiny now revealed her half-hidden Ki ball, glaring suspiciously at Zero after his little speech. Zeb hovered about anxiously, hoping a fight wouldn't break out, but ready to defend herself if need be.

"Listen," Destiny said, "I'm not afraid of a Tinhead like you. I've sparred with X and Zero both in my own demension, and I can tell you that no reploid scares me."

Zeb smacked herself in the forehead. Why, WHY, of all times, did Destiny have to have an attitude?

"Unmei, calm down, will you? It's not as if he's an irregular, you fool."

Blinking and glancing over at Zeb, though not losing her stance, Destiny was a bit taken aback.

"Well, yea, Zebu..but, still.."

Zeb looked at her pointedly. Sighing, Destiny extinguished her Ki ball and lost her fighting stance, looking a bit more calmly at Zero.

"All I want to know is if there's any way to get out of this stupid dimension and back to my own so I can kill the idiot who sent me here."

(chuckles a little bit at what destiny said)...

Zero: tell me something first...did you happen to take on an "Infected" Zero in your Dimension?...bah, it doesn't matter.

(stands normally)

Anyway,I take it you didn't come of your own will,as for your question I don't know how we can leave this dimension or if we can...I think when we fulfill the objective that we were brought here for,what that objective is...again I don't know...Heck,I'm still not 100% sure who the enemy is.

(looks at Destiny)...hmm, you know you remind me of Vile (Vava) Fearless,and you have a deadly attitude...the only thing that separates you and Vava, is the Maverick (Irregular) Virus.

Whether or not that's a good thing,I Don't know...(turns around)...you're welcome to come with me and a few others...if you so choose to...(heads back to camp,following the trail Alpha left)

**Jaguar looked up at Zero, as a odd feeling sprang up in him. To go talk to him. He didn't know whether or not this was from the odd presence that took control of him some times(which for some reason it had not done since he'd come here) or if it was just gut intuwision. Whatever the reason, Jaguar dropped down from his branch and dove into the water head first. A few seconds later he sprang up next to Zero and unto a rock with cat like grace**Hey Zero...we need to talk

Commader Zero: (looks to Jaguar)...What about?

**He began to talk, as suddenly....it happened and for the first time since he'd been on this planet. He blacked out as the last thing his scanners recorded was a bright flash. Zero then saw the familair look on Jag's face, the one that suggested a alternate personality, that he had seen happen with Jag several times before back on earth**Zero, we'll have to make this quick as I don't have much time

Commader Zero: what are you talking about?

**Jaguar, if Zero could call him Jaguar kept silent for a moment with his eyes closed, the jewel on his helmet glowing intensly as his hard drive like always during these moments went into over drive. He then slowly spoke**Yes..I can sense it. Your now aware of a struggle thats been going on in you since Ep was kidnapped

Commader Zero: I don't know what you're talking about

Commader Zero: there's no struggle

**He smirks a bit**Yes there is....look around you Zero, look at this place. It's mirroring your deepest fears like Asquira told you. You have to confrot this struggle head on Zero...if you ever want to see Ep alive and well again

Commader Zero: Let's put it this way....Failure is not an option

Commader Zero: there's the problem in me...Failure

**He nods** I know...but first things first...you have to put this emotion your feeling right now aside...no one can do it for you...**He suddenly falls to one knee, as for one second Zero can see a flash of wings...if he was to look im up in his data base, he'd find that they matched the one's on Jag's old body. The jewel on his head now dimly light as he closes his eyes in pain from some unknown syndrome**....Zero....we'll discuss this later....for now....your on your own....**With this, Jaguar collaspses as he starts to sink into the murky surface**

Commader Zero: (helps him up)

**His body is now limp in his arms as he hears Bann's scream off in the distance. His jewel now back to it's normal state, as his forehead feels hot from his hard drives over usage**

Commader Zero: (sets Jaguar down on a Tree Stump heading to the Loud Screaming)

**Jaguar slowly comes to, he was lucky as this time it was only a mear glitch, but a few seconds longer and he would of had a total hard drive crash. Looking around, he shakes his head a bit**errr...I guess not even here, I'am safe from those darn black outs**He then looks around confused**...how'd I get get on this stump?...

(Zero Soon arrives to see Bann shaking like a leaf)...

Zero: Bann!? When did you arrive? (looks around,smacks his head) oh,man...I forgot...

(kneels down at Bann's Side) Zero: (Looking at Bann)..Hey...calm down a little bit...everything's gonna get better...things will open up..then you'l lbe able to fly again...just calm down for a little while longer...

By the time Zero, Alpha, Zeb, Destiny, and Ice got back to the hunter 'camp', what little things were there and of use were being packed up. It was nearly morning, and Asquira had announced that they'd only have one chance to leave the forest the easy way, and it wouldn't happen again for another month, so they needed to be ready.

The secret to this area was the lake, which was surrounded by the only part of the forest that seemed to stay as forest. As the time for sunrise came close, a mist came up from the lake, whiting out the entire area. When it faded enough for visibility, a massive tree had appeared in the lake, at least 10 stories tall.

When the mist faded more, a lighted doorway apeared in the bark of the tree, as well as a bridge leading to it. The group wasted no time as Asquira hurried them on towards it.

As the last of them passed through, the sun rose, passing through the leaves.

The bridge
The door
The tree

All faded away

An illusion of the mist...