“Uhm… Hi, that’s me.” I gave a little smile and waved at Baba Roga.

“Well-” But before I could go any further, a small and curious look fell upon Baba Roga’s face.

“I already can see the many souls within you, child. All of them are fighting for control, trying to clutch at each other the best they can. You’ve managed to round them up well, but for how long can you keep that control?”

I scratched my cheek and nodded. “Well, yeah, guess there’s that, but I really want to know why I’ve been given this power, really.”

“Ah, so it truly is something only my sister would know. Fascinating indeed.”

Godwin leaned in and interjected as he waited for the pause. “If I may, could you offer us any clues? Any ideas on why he ended up with such a power?”

Baba Roga gave a short cackle as she shook her head. “No. If he doesn’t know it, and the spirits inside of him don’t know it, then I cannot give any more help. Aside from perhaps it’s a blessing.”

I gestured to myself awkwardly. “This is a blessing.” I then pointed to my mind as half a dozen souls echoed loosely in my head. “This.”

“Well…” Godwin began as he leaned back. “There is the fact that you gain their abilities, their Names, and could even change your physiology with it.”

“Didn’t you become a giant like, just a while ago?” Carey added on as she also stared at my right.

“And the antlers as well, which are on your forearm rather than on your head for whatever reason.” Katya said as she noticed where Carey was looking at.

Rodion nodded along as he got himself a second helping. “You have to admit, it is in some ways a blessing.”

“I guess, but if I don’t keep it under control, then…” I stared at Matthias briefly before I looked away.

“Yes, then they will control you instead.” Baba Roga tilted her head, standing up and walking towards me.

“But it is a blessing all the same. However, it’s not straightforward, especially compared to those of the Caretaker and the Harbinger. You’ve been given something far more ancient and far more brutal.”

She stared into my eyes as each of the souls within me heard her speak. “What is it you are planning?”

And all I heard in response was a giggle from a familiar fox, causing her to give me the widest grin I’ve ever seen possible.

“Hah! So it’s you, little sudak!” Roga cackled and shook her head. “The best thing I can tell you is that little demon is using you to complete whatever goal she has in mind.”

“Little… You mean the fox?” I curled my hand and summoned them onto the table as they purred and rolled around.

Godwin pointed at it with his knife as his eyes narrowed with curiosity. “That fox, it was the one that came to us when we died, correct?”

Carey nodded as she tried to avoid its nonexistent gaze.

“Wait, when were you able to summon it?” Matthias asked as he personally eyed the fox curiously.

“After we all came here, my Performance Art of Telekinesis summoned her instead of moving objects.”

Matthias curled his hand up and summoned strange-looking, sparkling sprites on the table that carried his glass over to him. “It’s definitely not what is supposed to be commonplace here.”

Godwin poked at the fox, who made a little meow towards him. “It’s almost as if it’s alive.”

“Little shit probably is alive.” I then unclawed my hand as the fox disappeared. “Have any of you seen something like this before?” I turned to Katya and the rest of the Keepers, who all looked at each other as if they were trying to remember something.

“I remember Andrei talking about seeing a fox once, before our base was destroyed, saying that it was running around the edges of it.” Leonid muttered as he stared down at his plate.

“Yeah, we just went along with it, thought it was some monsters, then boom.” Rodion made the explosion effect with his hands as his eyes slowly widened.

“Huh, maybe that was the same fox? Trying to save us?”

“Maybe, I haven’t really seen a fox before, but I’ve read in the old scrolls how they used to play with the kids, and that some folks out in the wild wore fox masks that used to play pranks on people like Fae.” Kariya turned to Katya, who seemed to be the one most deeply in thought.

“I ever so often dream of foxes. They’re usually nonsensical, simply leading me through a dark forest. But recently, they’ve been whispering about an oncoming change, a storm in the works. I believed it to be the Expedition, but now perhaps it was something more.”

The Captain of the Keepers stared at me once more, and I waved at her awkwardly.

‘Why are we waving?’

‘I don’t know with him.’

‘It’s a reaction, sorry!’

Baba Roga broke the tension, waving her hand as several books flew through the air and opened up, revealing pages upon pages of ancient fox art and lore.

“Foxes are known to be bearers of mischief, but most importantly, change. They introduce a sudden shift in the dynamic of the world, and now I’m beginning to see what that shift will be. Haha… oh my dear sister, you will have your hands full in no time.”

I stared at the books, and I swore that all of the drawings and paintings of the fox were giggling at me. So I turned away and faced Roga once more.

“Speaking of your sister, how exactly are we going to get to her?”

“Oh? That’s simple, you’re going to travel through the Nawia.” She turned towards Matthias with a plastered look of confusion.

“Have you not told them of the process yet?”

Matthias’s tail stiffens up as his ears droop. “I… I don’t really remember much of my travels through it, and I was quite young when it was used. I always liked how Baba Yaga travels.”

“Ah the old mortar and pestle. I myself prefer Baba Kira’s seven-league boots if ever I have the time.”

”Those were always so fun, but whenever I used those, I’d always trip after the second step. It’s so hard seeing everything zoom past you all at once. I couldn’t ever get used to it.”

The Baba patted Matthias’s head. “It certainly is a taxing process for those who cannot withstand the mental strain it can put.”

I raised my hand as if I were in a classroom. “Uh, stupid question, but what is using the Nawia like? Is it like a jet, a car, is it-”

“You would be traversing through the realm to which souls depart after their bodies cannot maintain themselves.”

Roga’s answer caused all of us but Matthias to go silent for a moment and stare at her. Of course it would, an actual afterlife. I’ve heard so many reports and stories about it in the other nations, and some even before Phorash was colonized, but to really hear about it, and to have it be… Real, and not just real, but a place we’re going to? That was wild.

Rodion chuckled for a bit as he cracked his knuckles, looking completely in disbelief. “Like the great beyond? As in, where everyone goes after death? We’re going to be seeing… Everyone who died?”

“Well, not everyone.” Godwin corrected. “We’d only be seeing those who died in Galfania, correct?”

“Ay, only those who have died and have yet to move in exist within the Nawia.”

I noticed Carey sigh and look down when Roga confirmed that, but I didn’t want to press any further, so I instead turned my attention to Godwin. “You sound like you’ve heard this before. Where?”

“Travelling to other Nations, you find out that each one has their own different afterlife. Their own little pocket of life after death. Some nations even have multiple ones.”

Now then, there was one question burning in my mind, one thing I had to be sure of.

“Do… We have one? When I asked that, Carey once more looked up, super interested.

“Well, hmmm. There are a few theories, one of them is quantum immortality which means that technically speaking from your own point of view, you can never die, and each time you do an alternate timeline would be made- It’s quite complicated to say the least but other than that I don’t know.”

“Wait…” Carey began as she tried to think about it. “So, there are different types of afterlives?”

“Yes, depending on where you die, of course, and also if you promise your essence to anyone in particular who has the power to get it, that does sometimes cause turf wars, but that’s a discussion for another day.”

Katya tapped the table, thinking about this heavily. “So, what exactly is in this afterlife? What is it like?”

“Wait, if we can enter and leave through the afterlife, does that mean the souls could do the same?” There was a glint in her eyes as if she were planning something.

“Hah, many have tried, many have failed. You would only be able to travel because you won’t die properly. If you try to escape as a soul, you would have to contend with Zmey, the dragon that guards the bridge between the dead and the deceased. And you won’t win any confrontation with him.”

Wow, a dragon that guards the afterlife. It really is just like those books. I could feel my heart race with excitement as I nervously tapped my feet on the ground.

“But, to those who are truly powerful, there is no such thing as death, for their body would truly be perfect. Only the true manifested spirits, or those you can even call gods, can have such power, though.”

The air grew cold upon her saying that, as if we were being watched in the background. I looked around nervously, half expecting to see a face in the clouds through the windows, but when I found nothing, I sighed in relief.

Leonid looked down in disappointment as Roga shook her head. “Those who have died shall stay dead, unless they decide to be reborn in the world anew. But those who do not choose to be reborn can rest easy. They lie on a field of grass in meadows of light and beauty. They enjoy peace, comfort, and solace under the watchful eyes of Morana and Weles, gods who preside over death and the underworld.”

“Are we going to be meeting them?” I asked with a little bit of hope in my voice. I always wanted to stand in front of an ultimate power and see what it was like.

Roga cackled and shook her head. “Not unless the world desires you to. In any case, the ritual is simple. I would merely have to boil you all alive in my cauldron.”

We all nearly jumped out of our seats. My arm blade deployed immediately as Katya raised up with Kariya, Leonid, and Rodion scrambling for their knives. Meanwhile, Carey already jumped behind Godwin, using him as a human shield.

The hag laughed and pointed a crooked finger at all of us. “Oh, I needed that laugh. No, no, that wo’ be the case. I would, however, need to kill you all in a way that won’t completely kill you. I have a ritual for that, and all the ingredients are here. However, it involves drinking poison and setting oneself on fire; it will hurt, but the pain is only temporary.”

We all sighed in relief and sat back in our chairs. Now, at least I know where Matthias got his sense of humor.

“Now the question remains. Are you all ready to journey into Nawia?”