She did not expect to find a thriving place in the middle of this world. No, she could tell that this crater itself resembled a place that she thought she would never go back to. The world beyond this place was damaged and changed. But this place was different. It was the place where all of it started. Sure, there were no sands and the barbican walls that she felt safe was no longer present. But the mountain that stood behind this place was the exact same mountain she looked at when she was done with her training for the day.

“Oasis?”

“It is,” said Nolan.

His eyes shook. She saw how it shook madly. It was then that she saw an orb made of metal fly, scanning them from head to toe. Then, figures broke through the clouds wearing metal all over their body. One of them carried a long spear gilded with wires and sensors.

“Speak,” he said. “Are you foes?”

“We came for my children,” said Aria. Her eyes did not give off any lie. It was then that another figure phases through space, and then landed in front of the man with a long spear. His eyes scanned them, before landing on Nolan.

“Old Man?” His voice shook. “Old Man! Hah! I know you were coming! Took you long enough.”

He paced to Nolan. Nolan’s eyes darted to the man who stood not far from him.

“Einar, good to see you, boy,” he said.

He smiled. His grin was wide. “Old Man, hah, it has been a hundred years since we saw each other. You have aged,” his eyes piercing through Nolan. His grin turned into a grimace. “I see. They are allies, this man’s my Old Man, and I have to assume that this is her?”

“What makes you say that?” She asked.

“Because you always find him. No matter what world it is. You two meet. Come, I’ll show you around this haven of yours.”

Nolan limped forward. She did the same and walked on the stone-paved road, following Einar who was raising his hand everywhere. She saw that the houses were made of fine stones and concrete. There were orb-like machines that we're building establishments.

“We recently got people who came from worlds who had greater technology. They have been attracted to this place because of the cry of the infants. We had decided to create a haven for the lost here. This is our new Oasis City, and I think you can remember it, Miss.”

Nolan stayed silent. His lips were sealed. He was probably hearing the cries of the infant, she thought.

“How long have you been here?”

“Almost a millennium now. We do not age slowly, but we have cases like the Old Man. Their souls aren’t as strong as they are used to be. I benefited with my broken soul which allowed the soul that I was reborn with to adapt properly. You could say that I’m a wraith or at least a half.”

“I see,” Ciara nodded. “Still, it must be hard here. If you only had started developing this city.”

“The world was filled with danger. Even I wasn’t enough to stop them. It was only after so many years of fighting that we were able to stabilize this world. It doesn’t help that there are monsters who are seeking after your twins. We can’t get them out.”

Einar’s gait looked exhausted. It looked to Ciara as if he was carrying a weight. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. The view from the above has helped me realize how insignificant it is to worry about things we could not fully control. Besides, if there is a way out of this tower then it will reveal itself one day.”

Einar led Ciara and Nolan to the place where the cries were louder. Ciara saw a woman whose red hair fluttered in the air. She was holding hands with a little girl whose soul shone brightly.

“Your kid?” Nolan asked Einar.

“Yes, she’s Rubina, and that’s my daughter Kele.”

Rubina sized up the two of them. She looked at her husband. “Is this?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Camilla was looking for you.”

“Is Amity okay?”

“She is. But I doubt that she would move away for a while now.”

“Camilla is here as well?” Nolan asked.

Einar turned. “Yes, we found her protecting Layla and the infants. My wives have been guarding the infants in hopes that we can do something, but alas we are powerless.”

“Your wives?”

“Yes,” Rubina snarled. “My Sister-wife and I share the same husband. I think this bastard’s too lucky, but alas it was the only way. I liked her as well so it doesn’t matter.”

“Nice job,” Nolan said jokingly.

“I learned from the best.”

Ciara stared at Nolan with blank eyes. “From the best?”

Nolan smiled at Ciara. “Hey, no need to look at me like that.”

“Anyway,” Rubina butted. “We should go to the infants. We might be able to do something about them now.”

They were led to where the pods of the infants were. The infants were trapped in the same pod. Ciara’s heart turned cold in fury and that of despair. She saw how the tears of the infants were filled with compressed energy. This said energy was the same energy that she felt when entering new worlds.

“This can’t be!”

“Yes,” Einar said sadly. “The twins are attached to the world itself. If we remove them there is a chance that the tower worlds will crumble. They are acting as the core of the world. Even if we do want to remove them it is impossible. We do not have the raw power to break through the binds. Only the Burnt Woman or the Eon-Father or a deity could possibly remove these bindings.”

Einar continued. “And I don’t think you could do it as well, Miss.”

Nolan clicked his tongue loudly. His face was wrapped with despair. Ciara could only look at the eyes of the twins who were crying endlessly. Their eyes reflected Aria whose face was riddled with the utter despair of helplessness.

They were powerless.