A withered yellow leaf drifted slowly down, only to be caught by a pale hand. With a gentle squeeze, the leaf crumbled into countless specks of dust that scattered on the dry breeze.
Tang Xiao raised his head and looked at the sky blanketed by dark clouds. As far as the eye could see, there were only withered plants and gray rocks.
The floating stones that had once hung in the air like a paradise had all fallen and shattered upon the ground, becoming meaningless piles of rubble.
This was Mortis, the home of The Ones—and also their prison.
But now...
"Father is approaching death." A clear voice came from behind him. "And Mortis is on the verge of collapse."
Tang Xiao turned around to see an enormous griffin that had landed behind him without his notice, speaking in a human voice.
It was the Daughter, the Light Side of the Force.
Her body swayed gently before transforming into the form of a young girl with green hair. She looked Tang Xiao over from head to toe and said, "Darkness has once again corroded your heart."
"Take me to Father," Tang Xiao said slowly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the Dagger of Mortis, the godslaying blade, still hung at her waist.
"He will not see you. In fact, even I cannot see him now," the Daughter said.
"Take me there." Tang Xiao repeated himself, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
The Daughter sighed. Her body shifted, turning once more into a beautiful griffin, pure white all over save for the pale green mane around her neck. She shook her wings and took flight.
Tang Xiao leaped up and grabbed the griffin's talons, but he did not stop there. Borrowing the momentum, he sprang upward