"So what's the difference between those things and my grimoire?"

Nivara sighed, noting her disgruntled tone returning as soon as her Trait was involved. Being insecure about grimoires was a common problem with any Traited but mostly the high stressed nobility and completely abandoned Undercity children.

It wasn't a surprise that Charmer was so high strung about it but it needed to be said how to notice a potential Keeper of Trait, even if it was just a hunch. A lot of the trickiest situations she had to deal with was based on suspicion alone so Nivara knew how far a hunch could cause chaos in this world.

"Your grimoire is strong but those who carry an Abnormal, part of the original Trait are more than just strong. They are resilient, capable individuals who have been through more hardships than anyone and their Trait can be used in any situation, even if they are running low."

Nivara hoped her explanation was enough to quell some of her disdain but the Glass Traited simply sulked while her Agar looked as if she had swallowed a whole pound of sugar.

Flitter was hopping about all over the place, eyes wide and excited like someone had offered her free chocolate and was now on the biggest information sugar rush possible.

Nivara smiled politely, internally berating herself to try and lessen the amount of new topics shared to such a young dragon. Memory erase or not, Fleetfoot dragons were known for how quickly they unpicked and digested new topics of information and could rant debate quicker than an angry Sand Wraith.

The problem was, they only spouted words and not actual, logical facts and other dragons would latch onto that and ridicule them all out of the debate. Scale Shriekers were rare, late arrivals but decimated any who would berate any dragon be it logical or not.

It was no wonder Flitter queried her so much when her race was constantly cast out from any public debate. For a budding archaeologist like her that would be like plastering her with a 'we don't talk to idiots' sign and calling any excavation site 'just a hole' and blasting the contents to bits.

"So, how did you come about one and how come you know so much if you've been in Opalis all this time?" Flitter asked, surprisingly goodnaturedly despite wording her questions a little too directly.

Nivara thought for a moment, struggling to pick her words carefully despite the Silvertongue aiding her. Staring into the horizon she tried to catch the Firestorm's attention but the phoenix merely flared brighter in response and her grimoire burned in reply. She smiled, having no doubt there was something written there which might help. But it was the same as before.

She needed to trust herself.

"I do have allies in my home country and I am the Regent of Opalis, after all. I need to be aware of the other leaders' whereabouts and their situation. As for my grimoire? It was a gift from my grandmother."

Charmer's eyes went from wide to an expression of pure confusion and shock. Nivara could almost see the cogs in her head grinding to a stop as she tried to process what had just been said.

"But grimoires are all unique! They can't be stolen, given or gifted. Does that mean...they can be passed to someone else without knowing?"

The Mist Maiden smiled, deciding to say silent and placed her hands in her lap. The mist chairs and table began to darken in colour but Nivara was surprised at her intuition. It wasn't common knowledge that grimoires could have minds of their own but it was more rumour instead of a well known fact.

"You know I can't answer that. It would break our society in half if it did." Nivara said, acutely reminding the two of the current situation in the Undercity.

Charmer gulped, eyes darting towards her partner while her mind conjured stories of child snatchers forcing Agars into contracts they never wanted. Flitter nodded, gently nuzzling her partner's shoulder.

Charmer's thought process had been quicker than she anticipated but her misdirection had worked a little too well. She had only answered about the grimoire to avoid talking about her allies but speaking about her past wasn't exactly her favourite topic either. But the protection of her friends was worth more than going through a few harsh memories.

She couldn't let Flitter force out the truth.

So it was time for a new tactic.

"Although the grimoires may have originated in Shuriken, they were summoned wherever they were needed to whoever was compatible and accepted the call. One for each country, even if they denied its existence or eventually destroyed its holder; the named grimoires would always remain. Whether I know who definitely owns one or not I'm not entirely sure." Nivara said, sweeping her hair away from her eyes.

Deciding to pare down the subject matter and focus on something she could teach them was the best course of action considering the lessening concern on the duo's face. Nivara sighed in relief and ran through the current events in Caldor in her head to focus her mind on her homeland.

The only people who knew about the current events in her country was the Caithsee Scribes in Opalis, the catkin race of scholars and alchemists who only traded information for other information. Since she hadn't been home in years Nivara had no choice but to barter secrets and coin for hearsay and whispers.

The Archives of the Caldorian legacy and other historic documents had been moved to the capital: Alzoria. But not everything had been rescued from the Morrosai's War Frenzy against the Traited trespassers. Centuries of artifacts, scrolls and tablets had been smashed, sullied and buried in the endless sands of time.

But despite the Golden Plains expansive territory the Morrosai had yet to venture into the heavily protected Levatrium: the last stand to salvage what was left of the old Traited ways. But despite the beauty of both places, Nivara had not seen it since she was a teen, knee deep in blood and revenge but had vowed never to return to the sands of Caldor again. The refuge within the Labyrinth had made sure of that.

"That's Mist Maiden talk for 'I have no idea but I've been told to figure it out,' am I correct?" Charmer said, stunning both the dragon and the Mist Maiden.

Nivara bit her lip, sighing as she reminded herself of the words the Timekeeper left inside her grimoire. She had her trust to do the right thing. Nivara took a breath and assessed her options. Flitter might not have contributed to the conversation but thanks to Charmer she was well aware of her dilemma as Regent. Lying would simply delay the inevitable.

"Fine. I know for certain the existence of two, maybe three other grimoires." Nivara said, faking annoyance into her voice.

It wasn't a full lie, so the chances of Flitter detecting it was slim. Nivara knew of the grimoires but not all the people who currently wielded them. She had named the grimoires previously during the explanation of the Seven Scripts but having the info to know if they were actually summoned was almost impossible.

"But all of us are untraceable descendants from it, powerful Traited who have no idea why they are like this or what they truly are. All of us and none of us could die at any moment only for another to be rechosen a day later." She added, reminding them of the reason why the Abnormal grimoires were so important.

The Timekeeper's grimoire, Memoriam and her own grimoire were the three she knew of but although Fleetfoot dragons could detect lies they could only detect a certain number of lies. Their history in helping the Air Traited becoming flightless limited how they could function as a truth-teller as they too had deceived their creator. But that didn't matter to Flitter in the slightest.

"So you're saying they're completely in the dark about all of it until it happens?" Flitter said, stunned at the possibility of such a grimoire summoning.

"Yes. It's the one thing we can't predict. Necromancy aside, the balance of power has been disrupted and somehow it's my job to fix it."

Nivara hated to admit it but she was incredibly frustrated by the Storm Keys inability to show the futures of the other Keepers of Trait. It would've made her plans of keeping Ethros away from all of them far easier if she knew where they were but it couldn't be helped. Until Charmer decided to speak up.

"Let me guess, you need all seven grimoires to do that? Well obviously I'm not one of them. Glass Traited don't count within the Laia's stories, do they?"

Instantly, Nivara's mood dampened, the mist wall darkening at her disgruntled mood. She hesitated with her answer as it wasn't exactly her job alone but the people who were supposed to deal with it were uncontactable so it was left to her and her alone.

"No. Unfortunately not."

Once again, Flitter could not detect a half lie and Nivara continued to conceal as much information as she was allowed. But Charmer had meant Glass Traited, not Dual Traited.

She didn't need all seven grimoires but every grimoire alone can do serious damage if it isn't thoroughly maintained. If it wasn't properly trained, taught or explained properly about one of the Abnormal grimoires whether it's Oathed or Agar, Triad or Lariat it could cause major problems for the owner and everyone else involved.

Dual Traited could become a Keeper of Trait since they could still embody one of the Seven Principles but knowing what you can do and what you represent with your Trait could change everything. Every Abnormal grimoire was needed to help find the other seven but the only two grimoires needed to anchor the rest. Memoriam and Oblivion.

But Charmer didn't know any of that. Neither of them did. Nivara could see the Glass Traited was insecure about her grimoire without her even summoning it. It was probably covered in broken shards and cracks down the spine. She could almost picture her grimoire barely held together by her dwindling self esteem but the look of frustration on her face was enough to predict she was done holding her tongue.

"So why involve me if I'm not strong enough? Why tell me all this? Why tell us both? I'm not a necromancer or capable of restraint otherwise I wouldn't be stuck in your damn mist maze!"

Nivara's anger spiked almost immediately, the storm broiling with fury at the familiar words of her own self doubt. Before she could even stop herself, the calm facade Nivara had built crumbled beneath her discontempt.

"Because you're both connected now whether you like it or not." She snapped, standing up in anger but the stunned reaction from the duo made Nivara feel very small.

Sitting down, arms still shaking, she berated herself for losing control once again so quickly and Flitter's forlorn expression as she tried to process Nivara's confession. Charmer sat in quiet fury, red faced and arms folded in silence.

"What do you mean?" Flitter said glumly, reacting to her partners sour mood despite her intrigue.

Nivara sighed, running a hand through her hair and decided to come clean by using the only explanation she could. The choices she made for the apprentice exams.

"Prime, Domino and all of the other Traited chosen for the Terratwist have potential grimoires capable of being what we call Keepers of Trait."

Nivara gave them a moment to register what she had just said, recognising the surprised look at sudden reveal of having an ulterior motive but they stayed quiet and allowed her to continue.

"It's why I chose them in the first place. All of them have capabilities beyond what you've been taught. Including you."

Charmer wasn't buying it.

"Oh yeah? How so?"

Nivara fought the urge to roll her eyes at the snide expression on Charmer's face and mentally counted off the list of who went first.

"Domino is strong but has little care over who she trusts and it affects her judgement and in turn her Trait. Fire Traited can control their anger but bottling it up and blaming your Agar makes things worse until it explodes."

Flitter visibly winced, shuddering as Charmer looked away as if she had been caught stealing something valuable. That was all the confirmation Nivara needed. They both knew first hand how unstable a Fire Traited could be and she didn't need to see the dragon's old burns to prove it.

"Swift has a dependable partner and a vast understanding of how Cloud can use her abilities but lacks the confidence to do so. Had he worked hard at his weaknesses he would have easily overcome that mudslide with such a powerful Trait. It was a shame we never saw much of it." She admitted, half tempted to have him resubmit and try again.

She was intrigued by the odd pair from Nocturus but her suspicions stemmed from how little she actually knew about them. They had met through chance circumstances and there was absolutely nothing on Swift's history other than he spoke very little Opalian.

But his time here would be short lived after failing his apprentice exam. Nivara doubted any Captain would dare allow a pair of nobodies who couldn't even showcase their Trait properly. It was a harsh reality but that didn't mean it wasn't true.

"Prime has a very realistic view on how his Trait can be used but it limits his creativity when forming plans to combat that. The only reason he passed was because he interfered with something beyond his capabilities. He's methodical but meticulous. Perfect for a Mediator, not so much an Excelliar."

This was when Charmer let out a laugh, a cold, merciless bark of mirth as if nothing good was left for her in this world.

"Yeah, that sounds like him. He's gonna be mighty pissed by that though."

Nivara merely raised an eyebrow, acutely aware of their history but not the reason behind her disdain. Saying nothing she decided to move on, focusing on the last of her observations.

"But you Charmer, you have the knowhow to condense your Trait from solid to liquid and back again. Yet you value strength above everything else and hide how smart you are. You all limit yourselves because strength is the only thing that matters. It's the only thing that's taught anymore."

Nivara tried to get her on the same page but the mention of her rival made Charmer's blood boil.

"So what? It's not like you have proof that knowledge was ever important before. Regardless of your Seven Princi-whatevers, our ancestors were strong above all else."

Nivara sighed, realising she was going in circles.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to prove it to you. If you'll let me this time around. I'll show you a Memory Weave of how it all began and this time you'd better not interrupt."

Charmer's dumbstruck expression was more than enough of a reward to counteract the tedious preparations needed to resummon her grimoire and prepare her mist once again. It gathered obediently like the strings on a puppet, conjuring the same coloured mist to differentiate between the types of Traited.

It was set up like retelling a play to children, a wide shadow puppetry stage created with spurts of coloured creatures and humanoid shapes. The darkened backdrops mirrored the Memory Weaves events so the details of the story could flow seamlessly alongside the narration.

Flitter nudged her partner in excitement, her tail twitching excitedly at the prospect of finding out even more about the mysterious past of the Traited. The two couldn't help but be mesmerised by the sight in front of them.

"Alright, fine. If Flit wants to learn I guess I'll listen too. But none of this namby pamby drama stuff, alright? I can't stand internal monologues." Charmer said, teasing her Agar playfully.

Nivara closed her eyes before her mist began to warp and shift, the tale reaching new heights just like the Traited before her. She didn't know how Charmer would react to the entire thing but the Mist Maiden had to overlook her previous failures at controlling her Trait. The truth of this world would change everything.

The calm embrace of a white light erupted only to be enraptured by flame and the Laia burst forth from its glory From the four mists of grey, red, indigo and brown Nivara took different threads from each, intertwining them to create three entirely new grimoires of black, white and blue.

"To fulfill the wish of the people abandoned by the four original Traited: The Laia used a part of their tomes of essence, her soul to help balance the Traited and their newfound power. But with this change they needed someone to guide them."

Flames and claws emerged from the clouds, fierce and furious as they defended their young from those who only saw and did not know. The eggs wrongfully taken in by the Traited were protected in a shroud of flame and after the misunderstanding they came to a truce.

"From the flames and the sky came the dragons, wise and true they bridged the gap by introducing conversation and structure. They represented trust and knowledge."

The mist wafted through the scene, changing the passage of time as the fire wielders return, tempers inflamed as the dragons intervene and listen to the younger Traited. Soon a circle was formed, hewn from melted rock and earth which cooled once debates were seemingly over but left the dragonic with the niggling feeling that things were not over yet.

"From distant shores and vast forests came the elves and sirens, bringing life and freedom wherever they roamed. They represented versatility and growth."

The blue mist soared through treetops and deep sea escapades, the deceptively beautiful creatures providing ships with power and elves clear weather for Traited to be given safe passage.

Festivals of life and harvest were in full bloom as the young Traited played in the sand and oceans with the elven kin and learned to swim with the sirens watching over them with pride.

But the tides soon grew rough and choppy, the flowers wilting without the tender care of the elves as Traited bragged at their might over the seas and took credit for their hard earned produce.

The sirens took this betrayal the harshest, instead of lulling the seas to their will they commanded the Traited towards the depths to pay for their arrogance. Unable to overlook this attack on the nature they loved, the weather changing elves fled to save themselves and their people away from battle and carnage.

"From the caves below and the vast desert above came the noble Sand Wraiths and the druid Havalogs. They were stubborn and strong yet loyal to a fault."

The earth shifted as the badger- like creatures burrowed out into the night sky, greeted heartily by the sand drenched lizardmen with a sly smile but kind eyes. The Havalogs were grateful for the assistance, forming an immediate alliance with the Sand Wraiths to create shelter and tools to hunt for fruit and foliage.

The Traited were aware but stood by, allowing them to independently emerge from the caves and burrows they were hibernating in. But the Havalogs and Sand Wraiths took that as a sign of ignorance, unable to overlook their decision to refuse to help them or provide assistance.

"They eventually lead the way for their brethren the Morrosai and the Tinker Moles to emerge alongside them, afraid of their new world. Despite how harsh this word was, unexpected things could still emerge. They represented the reality of change."

Time passed like the seasons, the Sand Wraith females donned in warpaint, their smaller snouts used for breathing poison and quick construction and deadly combat techniques. Stopping only to assist in the creation of their kind and the strange blood magic that honoured their sacrifices.

The smaller built male Sand Wraiths helped the lumberjack orientated Havalogs in blacksmithing, foraging, mining, farming, sewing and teaching the younger generation what they knew. A lesser job in the eyes of the next generations but there was no mistaking the passion in their eyes as they chose to do what they loved.

The Traited were perturbed by the Havalogs initial bias towards them, ridiculing their druidic practices as wasteful and amassed a group to harass the union of Tinker Moles still learning of their own origins. Steadily the rift grew between all races and those who had once strived for harmony became bitter enemies within a single event.

"From the everchanging storm, the blinding light and the descending shadows came creatures between life and death itself. They were intertwined with the Laia, causing the natural order to lead towards the emergence of childlike spirits of Trollians and nymphs of all kinds."

The Trollians emerged from the murky underground and cramped alleyways to bring joy and delight to young, poverty stricken Traited. The abandoned forests soon teemed with life as thousands of nymphs brought light and warmth back into the gloom filled wasteland.

But the intriguing shape-changing nymphs drew too much attention towards their home deep within the grove and led the playful children into the forest with them. The much older Traited feared for their kids' safety and began to capture them like fireflies, the rumours of the child snatching lights being snuffed out.

Thinking it was a game, the innocent Trollians began to chase the children around their home but the kids still fearful of the rumors and stories their parents told them at night started to play rough and throw stones at the young wisps, scaring them away for good.

"But that was not all the shadows brought. The twin species of night and day: the kitsune Spiritwalkers and the sun drenched Firestep wolves. They represented strength, understanding and freedom and it was those three things the original Traited envied most."

The Traited chased the nymphs and Trollians out of their home, driving them towards the sea only for flames to cut them off and a pack of deadly Firestep wolves emerged alongside the rising sun. Cut off by the inferno, the Traited honed their attention to the terrified Trollians segregated on both sides.

Just as quickly, the night descended and the gloom of the forest glowed with an eerie blue and the Spiritwalker kitsune emerged from the shadows to protect their brethren. Stunned by the arrival of the two most elusive and powerful races, the Traited decided to retreat and allow them the victory.

But just as they had attempted to hunt the two smaller races of nymphs and Trollians they drove a wedge between the hallowed races, the protectors of night and day. Setting traps to steal their power, using their hides for healing properties and hunting them almost to extinction made the beauty and rarity of these creatures all the more sacred.

"The choice to unite or die with the other races was not so carelessly given by the Laia as the First Law states. In fact, she had no choice but to do so to keep balance within this world."

Time passed as the leaves on the opalis trees began to change from gold, silver, pink and purple. The Traited documented all they could about the changing weather, the differences in Trait, the animals and trees that grew in what conditions. Once all the research had been gathered and agreed upon, the new order of years was settled into four seasons and life went on.

"United in hatred the four original Traited allied together to hunt the new races and steal one grimoire each that was the biggest threat to them. While the Earth Traited battled against the citizens of latent storm, light and shadow, the other three took matters into their own hands."

Using the festivals of the Blistrfall harvest season as cover, the Traited lit torches of blue flame to lure the usurpers forwards, as if stumbling on a new found spiritual discovery. Months passed as more and more of them came to gather alongside the horizon to witness the beauty of the blue flame, unaware that the pelts of the Spiritwalker kitsune were being burned to create such a brilliant flame.

With the false miracle of the Laia, they set a trap for their enemies who did not recognise the frostbitten ground or the unnaturally shifting earth beneath them. The cold winter chill of Bitrfyre paired with the blue flames of stubborness took the outsiders by storm as they could not summon the weather needed to aid against the steadfast Earth Traited.

"The Water Traited tried to drown the grimoire of Storm, forcing it to unleash a searing wave of electricity onto the original users, the very first known Mist Maidens. This awakened the newly formed Lightning Traited but it cost the Water Traited the ability to use lightning ever again."

Nivara did her best to hold in her bias, her Trait broiling in her veins as she watched her ancestors battle hard only to be killed by reckless Earth Traited.

Without sound and the slight flicker of movement the Water Traited snuck along the barrier their cloaks covered in the blossoms that protected their borders from intruders. It provided camouflage and a distraction for the Storm Traited. It also covered their tracks and scent from any Tinker Moles thanks to the flurry of blossoms.

Nivara could barely notice the Water Traited at first as they snuck past and was infuriated by their snickering and laughing at the war waging between the heavily injured races. But she continued on regardless, the backdrop changing to suit the unrelenting storm of emotions within her mind.

"The mysterious Griffinettes that were born from the storm stopped them from harming anyone else, banishing the Water Traited into the deserts of Caldor."

The avian maidens adorned in metallic feathers and claws used their expert precision along with the lightning and winds they could redirect. The Traited were captured midair or pinned by their sharp beaks and long strides of their claws.

They carried the now immobile and powerless Water Traited over the seas of trees and rocky terrain, the pink blossoms eventually turning purple to bring about the arrival of Fallblayze.

The eternal days of light brought the sticky heat of the night air in the desert country of Caldor. The regal colours of the opalis trees were a distant memory as the Griffinettes lowered the Traited into the sands, exhausted by the journey as they abandoned their prisoners in the heat of the sun.

"The Air Traited sent the grimoire of Light high into the sky, choking those without breath beneath the pressure of the altitude. Suddenly the Light grimoire rebelled and burst forth a blazing horizon, forming a beacon of hope in the shadow of the night. The Air Traited however, plummeted back to earth, instantly losing their ability to fly."

The hot sunshine dried up the streams and lessened the water level in the lakes that the Water Traited used prior to their banishment. Thanks to the abundance of hot air the Air Traited rose the grimoire up towards the sun while the Light Traited suffered while being linked to the grimoire.

"Saved by their opposites: creatures created from trapped rock and boiling geysers, the Vulcanoirs vowed to protect them as their Singfallen sister clan shunned them to guard the Cerucian Seas until the Air Traited could be trusted once more."

With the arrival of Blistrfall, the fallen Air Traited were saved by the swathes of golden rocks and cooled lava structures. It had formed as a bridge over the newly created sea once the Traited lessened their descent into the ocean.

With the aid of the elusive sirens it allowed the man-made creatures of armoured earth and hot metal to forge a home between the chilling winds of Nocturus, the barren wasteland of Caldor and the bitter seas of Neridia. This became the Emerald Islands.

"But the Traited were not finished yet. A few years later, they planned a failsafe against the Laia's final creation while they were distracted, determined to bring things back to the order they knew."

The golden leaves melted into silver as the fangs of night reared its ugly head and bypassed the barriers of nature for the first time that year. Bitrfyre had arrived once again and the Fire Traited had returned with another plan.

"The first and strongest race: the Fire Traited stole the Shadow grimoire while their enemies mourned their comrades passing with rituals of rebirth. This eventually became necromancy."

The Fire Traited could feel the warmth of the torches adorning a small encampment where a lone dragon lay gasping for breath but with a sad smile on her face. They paused in fear, acutely aware of the large gathering of Shadow Traited as they tearfully said goodbye to one of their most precious companions.

Noting the importance of the ceremony drawing the attention of the enemy Traited, the Fire Traited used the heat of the torches to hide their heat signature and snuck away from the scene as soon as the Shadow Traited summoned their grimoires.

"Being the first to be granted gave some Fire Traited humble beginnings but the greedy and arrogant always outweigh the few and the pressure of three would always overcome one."

The select group of Traited met up with the other unsuccessful Earth Traited stragglers also pressured by the emergence of revolutionary leaders from the other Traited. The wary Fire Traited were tormented by the others, scared of the Shadow Traited but terrified of the backlash if they didn't go ahead to steal the cursed grimoire.

"In a spur of pure madness, they chose to read how the Shadow Traited used their power, a taboo among all who were Traited to keep the secret bound. Eventually all the Traited learned the ways of the Shadow Traited but that unbridled power was not enough for them."

The chosen victim succumbed to the knowledge of the black grimoire and fought to keep it to themselves but the need to share it was too great. They all escaped from the scene unharmed and unseen forcing the lone Fire Traited to reveal all they knew.

The information eventually made its way around the rest of the Traited, banished or not the physical copies passed from grimoire to grimoire allowed them to strengthen their grimoire.

Through mismatched means the envious Traited practiced their own watered down version of necromancy. Eventually they fought with each other using albeit advanced but dangerous techniques. It unknowingly caused their Trait to become erratic and unusable only for them to once again return to the source of their problems. The black grimoire.

"Tainted by a Trait that was never theirs to claim they turned their flames against its teachings. They carved into the centre of the grimoire with flame, tearing out its essence with earth and protected it with water and air. Using their knowledge of the Seven Principles they created the first and only grimoire without a soul."

The Shadow Traited writhed in pain as their Trait overwhelmed their now dormant grimoires. Their fury at their beloved Shadow grimoire being violated, their techniques being stolen and the pain of a soul being carved out warped their bodies into a cursed state.

Their brethren of Light tried to quell their wrath but they were too far gone to the outrage of the deadly, black scars warping their features. It burned with the strength of a hundred Fire Traited, the Light Traited shunned for attempting to heal such abominations.

Still they fought to reclaim their humanity, their Trait being turned into a weapon against them despite the constant healing the Light Trait tried to decipher the letters burned on their grimoire.

Lazarus.

"The Laia let out a shriek of agony, plummeting the world into endless darkness as the world rotted beneath her. In her torment she drove the grimoires together, breaking the air and water barrier with ease and banished the Traited away from her beloved creation."

Still desperate to heal the pain caused from the other Traited, the Light Traited trekked towards the dying forest caused by the influx of necromantic energy. They managed to heal the area and a myriad of different scars but the more they healed the greyer the skin began to harden.

Eventually, the healing ceased in its tracks as the Light Traited began to interpret the grimoires backwards as it began to merge within the Shadow Traited.

As the Light Traited struggled to help their brethren they too became corrupted by the curse plagued by the Shadow Traited. But it didn't corrupt their bodies like it did with the shadow grimoire.

It scarred their minds and broke their understanding of their Trait, using it only to blitz through dead undergrowth and trees. Survivors named it the Surazal curse for it was the exact reversal of the word Lazarus and the severing nature of such an ailment was lost to time. Now, the twin curses of Lazarus and Surazal are only known in this era as Truants.

"In her rage she formed one more race to fill the void of the missing part of her soul. With her grief and vengeance, the demons were created. The Laia gave her last, sorrowful decree, cursing the Traited with grimoires that would crumble without allies while the war caused endless unnecessary casualties between both sides. If the Traited did not unite with the countless races they wronged, they would die. This was the price of their ignorance."

The demons crawled their way out of the earth, the sky tainted in black as they turned against the Traited. They bathed them in hellfire, water demons poisoning the waters.

The Mist Maidens tried to detain them with mist but the demons created hallucinations. Eventually, the demons devoured the Traited and Laia's power along with it.

The mist faltered at the sight of the last scene confirming the arrival of demons still fresh in Nivara's mind. She had been holding it together for what seemed like hours but she couldn't hold on anymore.

The seat she was sitting on used the leftover mist to create a back as Nivara collapsed against it, her hold over her Trait finally broken. The two stared silently, pale faced and full of conflicting emotions but Nivara raised a silent hand to give her a moment to rest.

"She probably made half of this up with her crazy Trait." Charmer muttered to her dragon, Flitter's mind poised with all the information she had just seen.

"No. She didn't." Flitter confirmed quietly, still shaking from the ordeal.

Charmer was slightly taken aback by the reply, the dragon's dead certainty on every event that had come to pass in Nivara's retelling blazed clearly in her mind.

"I can feel it. She isn't lying. It's like...something has been missing in my memory for a long time but I can't quite place it. It's old. Older than any dragon I know."

Nivara's breaths were slow and even, barely able to hear the conversation over the sound of her drumming heartbeat. Once again, she had reached her limit. The storm that raged within her now soothed by the mist that had plagued her from revealing her Trait to anyone. The truth was out and now, she could finally rest.

"So, how come she can talk about it?" Charmer reminded her Agar, tilting her head in the direction of the drowsy Mist Maiden.

Nivara felt the jolt of her grimoire attempt to pry her eyes awake but she was too tired from her duties as Regent to care. But the familiar feeling of being answered a question without fully hearing it crossed her peripheral and she knew with Flitter there, lying was pointless.

"Every time an original grimoire manifests, the Traited learns all about the previous events and holders of their grimoire whether they like it or not. Anyways, the only reason I can is because of the Timekeeper." Nivara said grumpily, annoyed at being awoken by such an unruly child.

"Who's that?"

Nivara felt her breath catch in her throat, her eyes wide in fear at the sight of the young dragon querying the truth in such a small voice. It was timid almost insignificant but no dragon truly understood the power they possessed until a Traited was left helpless but to respond.

"Please. I can't..."

Nivara's grimoire hovered dangerously close, revealing a thick chain surrounding the azure blue of her Retribution grimoire. It was only until the lock formed in the centre of the grimoire did Nivara begin to panic.

"Why not?" Her Agar demanded, Charmer unaware of the consequences of her actions.

Nivara's steady breathing became rapidly worse as she struggled to breath, an invisible coil, a chain was wrapped around her throat and prevented her from speaking. Her grimoire darkened ominously the clouds ebbing from grey to pure black as Flitter finally realised why this history had been hidden for so long. No, not hidden. Locked away.

"Charmie. I don't think...I don't think she can tell us. I think it's...it's a-"

Nivara's Trait stopped at once, the chairs they were all sitting on disappeared into nothingness as Nivara hunched up into a ball, almost desperate to get away from them all. Even the mist wall began to falter under their Masters woes and the phoenix still stood by as if unable to do anything.

Suddenly the firebird let out a mighty cry and Nivara dropped to the floor, wheezing under the rising heat of the abandoned area. The Agars were frozen in fear, unable to call out as the mist erupted into purifying flames enough to make any Chimeran doubt their skills.

Charmer gaped as a lone figure stepped out of the inferno unscathed, the smoke causing them to cough but still be transfixed by the phoenix now resting on the intruders shoulder. Their dark cloaked was trimmed in red, the same scarlet that drew Charmer's eyes to the unfamiliar red and gold armour.

The black Everchange Cloak blotted out the suffocating smoke and made the golden S insignia on her shoulder shine even brighter. Charmer gazed at what she thought was a hallucination of her future self but once the hood lifted she was met with a pair of sharp green eyes, a no nonsense stare and a unruly mop of ginger hair.

"Hells teeth, haven't you two ever heard of a Lockbind before?"