"Shade, you know what you have to do."
Miss Feliana's voice sounded by his ear. Shade nodded. The courage to face the darkness had let him understand what kind of Thaumaturgy the Tree's Kiss Spirit Rune possessed. Now, borrowing the power of divinity that had yet to fade, he threw out the parchment scroll Dorothy had given him, inscribed with the story of Tree's Kiss:
"Beneath the tree."
He spoke softly, raising both hands slightly as though cradling the parchment scroll.
"I have never lacked courage."
The parchment blazed in midair. Letters scattered and merged into the Destiny Ring behind him. The witch, divinity, and that trace of emotion within the darkness finally allowed him to completely recall how he had felt during that final adventure in Thousand Tree Forest.
"Hm?"
Iluna and Tifa looked up. They actually saw a starry sky, spread out like a painting.
The surroundings had changed. A campfire crackled, and at some point, a scarlet-gold campfire had appeared beside the three of them. Its burning flames brought an extraordinary sense of peace.
The Silver Moon hung high above, illuminating the earth alongside the starlight. The canopy swayed, and a giant tree stood behind them.
The night wind swept through the Tree Sea, making the campfire at their feet flicker. The fresh forest air was invigorating. Even the surging black "spring" before them could not ruin the pleasantness of this moment.
"This is... a Mystic Lock?"
Tifa was the first to recognize the situation, then looked toward Shade by the campfire.
Shade said nothing, merely looking at the campfire before him. The last time he had seen these scarlet-gold flames, there had been three other figures beside them. But this time, he was alone.
Breathing in the forest air, the beat of his heart seemed to