Quick excerpt from this morning’s 12k bracket. :3 Also, sorry for spamming your FList.

“In your absence, death has become something easier to avoid. People are living longer. Life expectancy is up,” Naoko spoke as though in a wooden voice. Celeste did not interrupt her, knowing that they would come to the point, and soon.

“Medical care, a better and healthier lifestyle, across all three worlds this revolution has been occurring,” Sukina continued. Celeste suspected the sisters were mind-sharing, as those were not the words the child would have ordinarily used. “It’s made Death… no so random. And not something that needs to be feared.”

“Daughters, to the point,” Celeste was short with them.

“Lady, they no longer appreciate the fullness of life. For many, living has become a hollow shell, with nothing to look forward to. Activities that once could be undertaken by all to their betterment are now the purview of the rich and powerful. Those left outside live their lives with nothing to guide them,” Naoko hung her head in shame.

“In other words, the world tethers on the brink of despair and collapse,” Celeste summarised. She put a fond hand on Naoko’s head.

“It’s not society collapsing that has you worried, is it, dear child?” Celeste spoke gently to her. “It’s the despair that overwhelms, like a miasma you cannot escape,” she opened her arms to Sukina, who came to her and laid her head on Celeste’s lap, like a child seeking a mother’s embrace.

“But this is not natural, is it, Lady Celeste?” Kishan’s voice revealed that he was possibly the only one in the room who understood the full ramifications of what was happening.

Celeste nodded. The balance of emotions between Worlds were delicate, mainly because it was not the physical trappings like weapons, clothes or even thought that guided these worlds. Rather, it was the one thing that all mortals had in common, even if their ability to feel it was broken.

Emotions.