((This is not a story. It is more of a picture. It is also the beginning of a story.))

Memories

Time's End, Sheol Lower, three weeks ago.

Ana left a small tent she had set on the side of one of the gigantic fallen buildings. She looked at the nearby structure, fallen just as her temporary refuge was. Frozen in time in their never ending journey towards the swirling vortex of the Source. Majestic and beautiful in their tragedy. She always felt drawn to this place like a magnet. This was her home.

She imagined the structures knowing their horrible fate. Calm and still in their acceptance of the coming end of things. Looking at her with unhuman serenity, knowing a part of her wanted to join them in their still, almost unnoticeable travel.

Ana sighed and picked a small box from the ground. She walked towards the edge of the structure, sat down and rested the box on her lap. She looked down at the vortex. Soon.

She opened the box, picked up the first picture and looked at it. Father. She threw it into the void. Then another one... and another. Then a small round object followed them. It glimmered in the light for a moment before it dissapeared in the abyss below. Then two rings of the second pact. Aniamye and Meldina. She couldn't look at the pictures anymore so she stood up, picked the box up and tossed its remaining contents into the void. They're falling like leaves.

Suddenly, she took a glimpse of one picture and a wave of panic swept over her. No! She couldn't let that one go! She quickly called the force from within her, her shadowbreed. With one desperate gesture she reached out for that one photo... and it fell in her hand. You won't have it. She glanced at the silent structures but they were too caught up in their calm travel towards the end to care.

She looked at the picture. Her hands were still trembling. She smiled.

Suddenly, she saw a strange shape in the corner of her eye. She turned. It was a butterfly. A Rubi Ka one, not native to the shadowlands. It must have been a long and arduous journey for it. Its wings were almost in shreds, it could barely fly. And yet, it continued its travel towards Ana. It landed in the palm of her hand, fluttered its wings for a moment... and died. Llesa.

She turned on her comm. It immediately listed a lot of messages she had been getting from the meta for the past few days. What now? Ana contacted her.

"Llesa?" she asked.
"Finally! Hi!" the meta sounded relieved but also a bit worried.
"I got your buttefly. It died." Ana glanced the the remains of the little messenger.
"I know" Llesa answered. Of course you do. You made it. "I needed to get your attention since you had your comm turned off" she explained.
"What's the big rush anyway?" Ana couldn't hide the annoyance in her voice. She knew what was coming next. It was always like that. Always something to fight for, some crusade or good cause. Why don't you all just leave me alone!
"We might have a situation here."
"So what? Find someone else to help you."
"Ana!" Llesa rarely lost her temper. Only few people knew how strong were the emotions hidden behind that calm demeanor. "I need your help, nobody else's. You're the only person I know whose shadowbreed is connected to Rubi Ka, not Shadowlands."
Ana sighed in resignation. "Ok, I'll be there soon."

She slowly packed her tent and the few things she had there and left for Rubi Ka.

The buildings didn't talk to her anymore. She didn't belong at Time's End.