A/N: Holy crap! It's been three years since my last update. I never thought I would ever find myself saying that about any of my stories.

Well, my New Year's Resolution for 2015 is to finish all of my old multichaps (and yes, this also includes Colder Weather, if you're even remotely interested), so I'm gonna try my best to complete all other ~20 chapters of this before December. To trick myself into thinking it's less work for me, I've divided this story up into five arcs. Chapter 5 here marks the end of the first arc. This story won't go above 30 chapters, but to limit myself on updates and stress, I'd like to keep it under 25, even (and honestly with a chapter like the last one, with 13k words, it shouldn't be hard at all).

After this chapter, which is significantly shorter than chapter 4, I'll (hopefully) progressively focus less and less on my lame attempts at humor with the characters and focus more on the plot. I'm debating whether or not to change the second genre to Mystery, too, but I keep thinking it won't really be that mysterious after the second arc, but then again there's really not that much romance. Knowing me, though, I'll figure out some way to incorporate romance into it. Oh, well.

I know there's nobody still around who used to read this when it was at its very worst, but I hope with this update I'll bring in a lot of new readers~

It's got a lot of words and my writing's still evolving and taking twists and turns, but I hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading :)

edit: derp there were so many typos this chapter. sorrysorrysorry I'll do better with my proofreading, I promise. on another note though, isn't it surprising that in a 4k word chapter like this there're so many typos, and in chapter 4, which had 13k words, there's hardly any? lol. HOW'S THAT FOR CONSISTENCY?!

Life outside Ayuthay was already hard to readjust to, despite everyone except Amiti had only stayed there overnight.

The air was thinner, the ground colder and harder, and the whole atmosphere just seemed so much different.

Karis found herself having to catch her breath once or twice already and they weren't even an hour down the road. She didn't remember feeling that way the first few times she'd visited with her friends, so she thought that maybe now that the entire kingdom had been rebuilt, its purity and quality of life mimicked that of a snow globe.

Ivan stayed behind with her, noticing the differences himself. "I wonder if this is because of the Vortex."

She nodded, not really having thought about that. "But was it ever this way during the other two?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, staring up at the sky. "Honestly, I'm not sure. Would you remember such an insignificant detail after ten years?" he asked playfully.

Karis frowned. She supposed he was right, and just chalked it up under yet another mystery to be left unsolved.

For the most part, everyone walked in a line; Isaac led the way with Jenna, Garet trod alone, and the three boys – Matthew, Tyrell, and Amiti – stayed in the back of the group. They lagged behind quite a way so they could chatter about whatever, and Karis had to admit she was happy seeing (hearing) Matthew in a good mood.

"Hey, Karis!"

She turned around even though it was Tyrell's voice that yelled. Luckily they were far enough away so they didn't run into her when she stopped walking.

"What?"

Tyrell hurried over to her, leaving the other two in his dust. "Amiti's been wondering what you and Lily were talking about before."

She raised an eyebrow skeptically. Was Amiti really so shy he needed people to speak for him? If so, he'd clearly changed. "Why?"

"Uh… I dunno," Tyrell admitted lamely. He turned around, motioning for his friends to hurry up. "Hey, Amiti, why d'you wanna know, anyway?"

Amiti stared in confusion. "Know what, exactly?"

Tyrell stepped closer to him and whispered something in his ear, surprisingly in a low enough voice she couldn't hear him.

The Mercury Adept frowned and backed away. "Tyrell, I will not lie for you. If you're so curious about the interaction between Karis and Lillian, you should ask one of the ladies herself."

Karis rolled her eyes, though she noted that Amiti could speak for himself, after all. "Really, Tyrell? That's low, even for you." She huffed and turned around, wondering if she could catch up to Ivan without too much trouble.

"Ouch," Tyrell said in pity for himself. He sighed and shrugged. "Karis just doesn't understand what it's like to be in love."

"Neither do you," said Matthew snidely, elbowing him. He chuckled when Tyrell shot him a glare.

"Well, how about you, Amiti?" Tyrell asked.

"Hmm?"

The Mars Adept scoffed. "You know what we're talking about! Have you ever loved someone?"

Amiti thought long and hard. "…Paithos?"

"That's family! It's different!"

"Well, then, I suppose not."

Tyrell crossed his arms behind his head and started walking away. "Ah, so even though I'm the youngest, I have the most romantic experience."

Matthew and Amiti shared a skeptical expression but followed him nonetheless. Matthew was a bit relieved Tyrell didn't suspect or acknowledge him of anything, though.

Ahead of the three, Karis finally managed to catch up to her father, though she didn't particularly like the way his stare seemed to accuse her of something.

"What did Tyrell want?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing important."

As their walk continued on, she felt herself growing increasingly tired again. It was certainly a familiar sensation.

"I guess I didn't really think about it, but we're heading back to the Vortex, aren't we?" she asked.

Ivan nodded. "We'll likely stop and rest in a while, though. We don't know what will be waiting for us ahead."

Karis bit her lip. It wasn't like they were in the dark about everything anymore, but she felt like there was so much left unknown and dangerous. On one hand, it thrilled her and filled her mind with excitement, wondering what kind of mastermind phenomenon lay behind this one.

But on the other hand, they were only a group of eight including herself, and if there really was something so dangerous on the other side of the Vortex… they would be in trouble.

Exploring the Mourning Moon was definitely the hardest task she'd put on her agenda, in any case.

"Do you think we'll actually be able to travel through it?"

Ivan glanced down at her. "I'm not sure. We'll just have to try it."

She nodded. There were still things concerning her, though. "It's going to be dangerous. What do you think is causing it?"

"I honestly have no idea," he stated. "But if I had to guess… it's probably a large buildup of Psynergy. If Psynergy is what Djinn are made up of, and they're attached to the souls of Adepts, then the only thing able to drain them is Psynergy itself, right?"

Karis smiled, happy he was finally loosening his tongue. Now that everything was out in the open, there was no reason to hide any theories. She just wished he hadn't been so secretive before…

"It makes sense," she mused in agreement. "But… if that's the case, why aren't our powers being taken away?"

Just to ensure she still could, she conjured up a small whirlwind, smiling in relief as she pushed it away. "See? I can still control the air."

Ivan laughed. "That's why it was only a theory. If we're taking it more seriously, though, consider all the differences between us and our Djinn."

Off the top of her head, she could only think of a few, so she was glad he continued.

"Besides the obvious differences in size and nature, there's the fact that Djinn cannot survive on their own. They wander in search of an Adept to cling to, to aid in whatever quest he's embarking on. If a Djinni's search goes on too long, it will… I suppose hibernate is a good word for it. I'm not too clear on the details, but Djinn go into hiding if they are not found."

"For how long?"

If she was understanding correctly, that might give a reason as to why she and her friends found so many different Djinn than their parents did all those years ago. It would mean that they hibernated until another group of Adepts came along, looking for powers to help their own.

Ivan shook his head. "There are many phenomena that we have not yet figured out. Only theories can be provided, and sadly, even one of Kraden's probably wouldn't be too helpful."

She sighed. "So… when Djinn hibernate, at least now, does that mean there's a higher chance of them being swallowed by the Mourning Moon?"

"That could very likely be," he told her simply.

Karis bit her lip. "Are you afraid?"

He glanced over at her in concern. "Of the Vortex?"

She nodded hesitantly.

"Of course I am," he said with a sigh. "I'm sure even Isaac is afraid of it – he's just good at hiding it." He grimaced. "We don't have any idea of the dangers that lay beyond the Vortex, but it's up to us to discover and put a stop to them."

Karis rolled her eyes playfully. Even her father had let the fame get to him throughout the years, it seemed.

"But," Ivan started, "fright often brings thrill."

She felt the corners of her mouth curl up into a smile once she saw his. She was glad she inherited his personality for the most part, because even though she anxiously anticipated the threats, just thinking about traveling through the Vortex made her tingle with excitement. Unless she nagged Isaac to let her go with him on a trip to Mt. Aleph, she didn't get the chance to research anything, really.

"Hey, you two!" Isaac called from ahead, turning around and waving to them.

Just when did they get so far ahead…? She noticed the boys and Garet were close to him and Jenna, as well.

"Were we so absorbed in our conversation that we stopped walking?" Karis asked incredulously. She honestly didn't recall stopping.

Ivan chuckled. "Looks like it."

She couldn't see too clearly from her distance, but it looked like Garet was already laying out the blanket and taking out some of the food.

They hadn't been traveling for very long, but they were already resting?

That meant the Vortex was probably moving faster than ever.

And they were getting closer.

…

The Adepts ate slowly, even Garet and Tyrell, and it was the unspoken consensus that after this, it was the real deal.

Karis sneaked away shortly, bringing her filtration device over to the river. As she crouched down and filled up the container with cold water, she exhaled deeply.

Everything felt so surreal now, like maybe it was all just a dream she would wake up from soon. But the chilly water raced against her hand and it obviously wasn't waking her up.

She thought the previous journey had all the danger she would ever face: evil dead plants, angry ancient birds, the Grave Eclipse. This adventure would prove far more treacherous, though. She could already tell.

"That was quite a sigh."

Amiti startled her a bit, so she spilled a small amount of water when she flinched.

"S-sorry," she said lamely. "You just surprised me."

He sat down on his knees next to her. "We must be cautious from now on, with the unknown dangers this Vortex will bring."

She nodded. "So, I guess, thanks for scaring me? At least it's helping me prepare."

Amiti laughed along with her, then looked down at her hand. "What is that?"

"It's my filtration bottle." She raised it to show him. "There's a straining filter on the top here, so wherever I am I can get relatively clean water. I made it a few years ago when I started going to the plateau with Matthew and Isaac."

"You made this?" he asked in surprise. "That's quite an amazing feat!"

Karis smiled sheepishly. "Not really. It just filters out rocks and dirt, so it's not like it can make rainwater non-acidic…"

"Regardless," he said, "it's rather amazing handiwork."

"Thanks."

The two stared into the water, hints of a reflection coming into view until the sun went back behind the clouds.

She fidgeted awkwardly, trying not to think back to what she was told yesterday. "So… what do you think about this whole thing?"

He glanced over at her. "About the Vortex, you mean?"

"Yeah. Why are you coming along with us?"

She was about to rephrase it, thinking she might've come off rude or uncaring, but he answered anyway.

"I suppose last night's conversation regarding this didn't quite explain, then?"

She gave him another sheepish smile, honestly having forgotten a bit of what was said.

He nodded. "I started exchanging letters with Kraden sometime last year, I believe. He briefly explained the warning telltale signs of a Vortex's appearance and I told him the area surrounding Ayuthay had been experiencing many of them. I am unsure, though, if I only noticed them because I was made aware or if there really were Vortexes forming outside."

He took in a deep breath. "As a king, it is my duty to protect my people. If our other friends were here, I'm sure they would say the same thing."

She nodded, though she didn't really understand. If they had more time, maybe their other friends – Rief, Sveta, Himi, and Eoleo – would have been able to join them. But, given Amiti's special circumstances, it at least gave him a reason to come along with the group. The others likely didn't have an assistant to step up to the plate while their ruler went out on errands.

"Well," she said after a few moments, "I should probably head back. I left my plate unattended, so who knows how much of it Tyrell's eaten already."

Amiti chuckled. "I supposed I should start watching my own rations, as well."

Karis screwed on the lid to the water bottle and started walking back, relieved to find everything on her plate still intact.

"Welcome back," Matthew greeted once she sat back down next to him.

"I was only gone for a few minutes," she replied with a laugh. "It's not like I slipped and fell into Gaia Falls."

He shrugged. "Anything can happen. I just want you to be careful."

She scoffed and looked over at him. "What's with you all of a sudden? Just because I don't have a mother doesn't mean you have to fill her shoes."

As soon as she said it she regretted it, muttering an apology and biting her lip. Maybe she was just a little bit on edge about the whole thing… and Kraden's explanation and her father's theories only added to the feeling.

She sighed. Why was it that only around Matthew she would realize how she really felt? She was just with Amiti and she didn't feel any lingering worries. Was it just the comfort of being around a childhood friend? He would scold her when she got out of control, comfort her when she cried, and even look at the stars with her on occasion.

She finished her food and smiled. "Hey, Matt?"

"Yeah?" Was something wrong? She almost never called him by that nickname.

"Thanks," she said softly, giving him a warm smile.

His eyes widened. "F-for what?"

"I think we should start packing up now," Isaac announced, unknowingly cutting off their conversation.

Matthew just sighed and brushed it off, figuring it was probably just another one of those weird days where she acted different.

"We haven't even been here that long!" Garet tried to protest, but Isaac yanked the blanket out from underneath him.

"Too bad," he said. "There's no time to rest anymore. After what Kraden said, how can we know how much longer the portal will stay open?"

Karis and Matthew reluctantly stood up, taking their dishes with them.

All the Adepts packed everything inside the backpacks, and as they set off, the effects of the Mourning Moon were in full force now.

"Isaac," Karis called to the leader in front of her, "if we can't even get close to the Vortex without our Psynergy being sapped, how are we supposed to go through it?"

If all of their Psynergy was gone, they'd collapse from exhaustion, and by the time they woke up, the Moon may have been gone – or even worse, it would continue sucking their life from them until it was too late.

Isaac turned his head towards her and dug through his pocket, pulling out a purple object. It was shiny and pointy, almost resembling a smaller version of the Vortex.

"Is that a Psynergy Crystal?"

He smiled. "I'm impressed you know what it is."

She guessed his surprise was warranted; after all, she'd only read the things in books. She and her friends had collected a few on their journey, but they seemed to be manmade, whereas this one looked to be a shard from a real Psynergy Stone.

"I collected quite a stash when I was exploring the Sol Sanctum ruins," Isaac told her.

Was that why he didn't let her or Matthew go with him anymore? She'd only ever been to the outside of those ruins, exploring Mt. Aleph and the aftereffects the Golden Sun had on it.

"So what do we do with them?" she asked.

By now, everyone was just as immersed in their conversation, waiting for Isaac's explanation as well.

"If we take these and absorb them into our bodies, then even if the Moon sucks our Psynergy we still have enough to get close to it and transport ourselves."

"That… sounds like a very baseless theory, Isaac," Ivan said warily. "It's dangerous to test a theory with people, especially at a time like this."

Isaac stopped briefly, halting everyone else as well. "Relax, Ivan. I'm not letting anyone but me be the guinea pig."

Jenna slapped him then, an angry expression on her face. "When were you going to tell me this?!"

"Jenna – "

"What if something happens? What if you don't come back?"

He sighed. "The whole point is to land on the other side, in Reverse Weyard like Kraden said. It would be bad if I did come back."

Jenna frowned. "What if the Vortex disappears after you go through it? Nobody else would be able to try and follow you."

Isaac scratched his head. "Well, that's why I have the supply bag."

"Isaac! Quit being stupid!" Garet yelled, chiding his friend.

"What?"

Ivan cleared his throat. "For once, I agree with Garet, Isaac." He ignored Garet's shouts of protest. "We all decided to go through with this, so we'll do it together."

"You really think all eight of us'll fit in the portal?" Tyrell asked incredulously.

Karis smacked her forehead. "Have you seen the size of the Mourning Moon?"

"All right, all right," Isaac said, calming them down. "I guess you're right. If one person should get stuck, we should all be so we can band together and do something about it. Now, we're almost there, so… if there's anyone who doesn't want to go through with this, I suggest you leave now or else you'll be an unhappy camper."

Nothing was said as they all looked at one another, the same determined-yet-frightened expression on all their faces.

"It's settled, then," he stated.

After a few moments he began walking again, leading the way to the looming threat they would soon be able to see.

…

Karis was exhausted.

The Vortex wasn't in sight yet but she feared it was right around the corner of the large mountain they stood behind. She could hear it pulsating, almost like with every throb it drained more and more of her energy.

Isaac quickly handed out the Psynergy Crystals, one for each person, and the instant Karis touched it she felt her power returning. Within seconds, her entire body was rejuvenated, all her senses heightened, and she knew she would have no problem walking up to that Vortex.

She'd felt this kind of power before – not from the manmade Crystals she'd stumbled across, but from that Stone she and Matthew found in the cave at the plateau. This shard was so small but felt just as pure… Did that mean that the Psynergy focused at Sol Sanctum, even its ruins, was even more powerful than she'd thought?

In any case, she didn't have any doubts about facing the Vortex anymore, and as she looked around, neither did anyone else, even her father.

"Is everyone ready?" Isaac asked, shouting over the sound of the Vortex.

Karis shared a nod with everyone else, and they made their way to the base of the mountain, around the corner, and right to the heart of the action.

She remembered briefly a moment or two when she saw glimpses of it, being carried by her father as they met up with Kraden, but it was on a much different scale now.

It was gigantic, easily rivaling the size of that mountain she thought was already huge; it made sense now that she could hear the pulsating of it so clearly. The purple and black really did remind her of the Psynergy Crystals, but she knew this had the exact opposite effect on Adepts.

The way it swirled was… menacing and threatening, and she could tell it would probably destroy everything in its path if left alone. Already the surrounding area was barren and dry. She felt the grass beneath her feet start to wither away as she got closer and closer.

"We need to hurry!" Isaac yelled, making a beeline for it.

Karis gulped, feeling every ounce of the pressure now. Her feet grew heavier, her Psynergy already being sapped away in large amounts, as she followed Isaac and the others, but she tripped over something in the process.

"Ow!" she cried. She fell palms first, skinning them, but her eyes were drawn to the stone that tripped her.

It was a deep, solid purple, the same shade as the Mourning Moon, and cold to the touch. It wasn't any bigger than the Psynergy Crystal she'd absorbed, so she didn't understand why she tripped over –

"Karis!" Ivan shouted.

She looked up, chiding herself for forgetting her whereabouts at such a crucial moment. She quickly pocketed the stone.

Her father outstretched a hand towards her, and it was then that she noticed her bleeding palms.

"No, Karis!" he scolded when she tried to conjure up some healing wind. "It'll just be absorbed!"

"Right!"

Even though it hurt, there were more pressing matters.

She took Ivan's hand and ran with him to the others who were waiting for them. The Vortex was only meters away.

"Good, let's hurry!" Isaac commanded.

Karis closed her eyes, feeling the warmth and sting of two others' hands on her own, as she ran straight ahead to where she believed the Moon was.

She inched her eyes back open just as they were nearing it, eyelids as heavy as when she would try to wake up in the mornings. This was really happening - they were really going to jump into the looming, swirling terror in front of them.

"Now!"

After Isaac's shout she used every ounce of her remaining strength to pick up her feet. It didn't take much effort at all with the proximity to the Vortex; she could feel herself being pulled in more and more as the seconds passed.

She remembered screaming but was unable to hear herself over the other Adepts' and the deafening pulses of the Vortex.

The last thing she felt was a hand squeezing hers, and then everything went dark.

~CGA