Around the same time that Fie got picked up, only to become a member of one of the strongest Jaeger corps in western Zemuria...
It wasn't just Raquel and Languedoc Canyon that became more active. There rested a forest deep within the western side, the Isthmia Great Forest. Changes were also happening here.
This particular forest was not only special to Erebonia, but to all of Zemuria. It was the counterpart to a network of hidden workshops buried within the continents' lands. It was brimming with Mana. So much so you could see Mana particles pop into existence if one ventured deep enough into the forest. And it did this for a good reason. After all, a gigantic unforeseen barrier could be seen wrapped around the innermost region.
It was invisible to the naked eye. No normal human could see this barrier.
This barrier prevented normal humans and monsters alike from going in, or out. Only those sensitive to Mana, to which a few people can actually sense it like a person called Tio Plato, was placed here. Its energy signatures could not be picked up on a standard orbal device measurement tool.
The reason why a barrier was placed around here was because of a teleportation stone. It was one of three scattered throughout Erebonia which allowed the Witches of the Hexen Clan to move to and fro from the outside world. The teleportation stone in Isthmia Great Forest connected to the home of the Hexen Clan, a little village called Eryn.
But the scenery didn't focus on Eryn Village. It actually focused on the beautiful teleportation stone that connected to it. It began to glow a bright blue, becoming clad in Mana. This meant the stone had been activated!
Soon after, a tall and slender figure appeared. It was a woman who had long and wavy indigo hair. She was wearing a formal white dress and her long blue hooded robe. It has been a while since Naoto has seen this woman. The staff in her hand wasn't her normal one. It actually belonged to Roselia. It was her Crimson Staff. It wasn't an imitation one like Vita's azure staff was. For some reason, Roselia decided to lend it to this woman.
Unlike other Witches, this woman has already been a Wandering Witch for a while. For years, actually. She is Isola Millstein, Emma's birth mother. While Isola and Roselia might not be bound by blood, Isola and Emma are. As for Vita, Emma's older sister, she's more like Roselia, also not bound by blood. But Emma sees Vita as her real older sister. Seeing herself arrive outside the teleportation stone, Isola smiled.
"It looks like that long period of research is starting to bear some fruit. Mother has been keeping an eye out for Naoto while she is in her state of recovery. She left it up to me to see where the darkness in the Spirit Veins is currently converging. It's been moving slowly, but I think it is finally leading to a single singularity. In the next year or so, we'll be able to pinpoint where that bastard is hiding in those blasted workshops.", Isola uttered to herself.
"But for now...", Isola continued, only to reach into one of her hidden pockets of her robe. She pulled out a necklace with a pretty blue crystal attached at its end. This necklace was very similar to the Sealing Crystal that Rean would wear later on in an attempt to seal away his Ogre powers. But this crystal served a different purpose.
If Rean's crystal was meant to help purify his powers, then the crystal in Isola's hands was a conduit to trace the power of said darkness. In short, it is a compass. A very fine-tuned compass that a normal person couldn't use. It reacted to the user's Mana. Without Mana, it wouldn't work.
It was very similar to Roselia's Scrying Mirror she likes to use in her atelier. This crystal was a mobile version of that.
"Let's see if there has been any changes since I've last used this Spirit Crystal...", Isola continued to say.
Using the Crimson Staff, Isola activated her Mana. The Spirit Crystal's circuits began to light up, and began moving on its own. It was as if it was being pulled in a particular direction. It no longer stayed vertical. It was now horizontal, pointing somewhere.
It pointed north.
"This...", Isola uttered again, tilting her head in confusion. "The Spirit Crystal is pointing north. Slightly eastward. There isn't much out there besides North Ambria. But the Site of Origin is also vaguely in that direction. The Osgiliath Basin...", Isola continued. "Don't tell me, is that bastard going to take things back to where it all started?"
For now, it looks like Isola now has a new destination to reach. The Osgiliath Basin. Unbeknownst to many, even to Witches, this basin held a secret. It contained a secret place. A Spirit Shrine. Mysterious ruins that are scattered around all of Erebonia, and only become triggered in times of great spiritual unrest. Most are owned by the Gnomes as hidden workshops, but the place the Spirit Crystal was pointing to was a shrine created by Isola herself. Even Roselia doesn't know that it exists.
The Ivory Shrine. It was all pointing toward that place. The very same place Isola is destined to meet her demise while clashing against the Black Alberich. It was around S1194-S1195 right now, so the battle to take place will be happening soon. And it is with this battle that Naoto is planning to save Isola's soul, and is the reason why Roselia is currently recuperating her Mana.
After determining where to go, the Spirit Crystal turned off. If the darkness continued to spread like this, Erebonia was bound to fall into war once more, despite just having finished the Hundred Days War with Liberl. Isola wanted to take action. She chanted an incantation right there, and warped out of Isthmia Great Forest, and started to head north...
Going backwards in time a little bit...
Eryn Village, Roselia's Atelier. First floor.
A sole figure could be seen, slouched over one of the tables with a cup of tea in their hands. A weary look in their eyes. The figure seemed to be a child at first glance, but they had long enough hair that it touched the floor in several places. She was no mere child, but Roselia Millstein. Current Elder of the Hexen Clan. She was presently in her Atelier, still recovering from the forbidden incantation she casted a couple years ago to save Kasia's soul.
From then until now, she had recovered enough Mana to use it once more. Despite that, Roselia seemed even more weary than before. Perhaps it was due to the multitude of papers scattered around. Her Scrying mirror was also currently active.
If one looked closely, its reflection currently displayed a violet-haired boy. He wasn't alone. Four other figures could be seen around the boy. Every so often, guards further in the distance would wander back and forth, keeping an eye on them beyond the cell they were residing in. They seemed to be in a limestone cave of sorts. Beside the violet-haired boy was an indigo-haired girl, a lilac-haired girl, and two new additions. A blue-haired girl with amber eyes, and a black-haired boy with dark blue streaks in his hair.
Seeing the violet-haired boy surrounded by these people, Roselia let out a long sigh.
"Hah...", Roselia uttered. "I can't believe this stupid disciple of mine turned me into a record keeper of all things. Doesn't he have that system of his to do it for him? Why ask me?", Roselia continued, complaining. She didn't think things would develop in such a way. She was too lazy to even take a sip of her tea. It was then she heard a knock on her door, and heard a voice follow suit.
"This helps keep you occupied though, does it not, Mother? We can't have you slouching around like this all day. It's bad for your health.", The voice said. Thankfully Isola didn't hear Roselia mention Naoto's Gamer System, she kept her voice quiet when she spoke of that part. It was Isola who appeared at the doorstep, but she didn't appear alone.
"Mommy is back, Grandma!", Emma happily said, and rushed into the Atelier. Roselia's tiredness immediately vanished, and she sat back up in her chair.
"Well if it isn't Emma. Your latest patrols are done, Isola?", Roselia asked, looking at the two.
"Yes. But what is all of this, exactly? Your house is even more of a mess than last time we paid you a visit.", Isola said, frowning at all the paperwork scattered around. Most of them were filled with random numbers or descriptions she didn't know what they were referring to.
"Don't ask. I don't even know why I'm doing this. I could have said no, but Naoto persisted. Said something about not having an orbal computer, or else he'd use that. Temporary, I guess.", Roselia retorted. Hearing that, Isola smiled.
"What goes around comes around, Mother.", Isola responded. "And speaking of Naoto, I did end up meeting Vita again on the outside. His Familiar is with her, continuing their training as I patrolled the Spirit Veins. Everything is currently on track. I still can't help but feel a looming threat, though. I may need to take action myself."
Hearing that, Roselia halted her current work.
"A looming threat...", Roselia uttered. She searched her memories. In particular, what she had learned of with Naoto while she dove into his. "Has it already come down to this?"
"Mother?", Isola asked, seeing Roselia remain cryptic on the matter. Roselia quickly shook her head and looked back at Isola.
"Do you have absolute certainty you need to head back out there because of this feeling, Isola?", Roselia asked. "Even if you do not know if you will come back?"
Seeing the seriousness in Roselia's eyes while she asked that, Isola knew this topic was sensitive. Isola didn't back away, however. She nodded with a firm look in her eyes.
"Yes. I do not know what it is exactly, but I am determined to face it head on. Is there such a risk, enough where I might not make it back?", Isola asked, still doubtful. Roselia just looked right into her eyes.
"I saw you perish, Isola. This matter must not be taken lightly.", Roselia stated. Shock appeared in Isola's eyes.
"...!", Isola tried to say, but couldn't immediately respond. "Don't tell me, did you use the Scrying Mirror to glimpse into the future, Mother?"
"You can call it as such. I will not reveal the method used. I refuse to have you forfeit your life if you head back out there, Isola.", Roselia said, still remaining serious.
"If I don't take action soon, we may enter a situation where it can't be reversed...", Isola responded, uncertain. Emma just stared at the two, obviously confused.
"Will I not see you, Mommy? I want to go outside too! It's unfair that you, big sis, and big brother all get to go outside still. Why can't I anymore? I want to go over to big brother's house and play again!", Emma said, puffing her cheeks out. Hearing this, Isola scratched her cheek while Roselia laughed.
"Haha, it is not time for you yet, Emma dearest. Vita has already begun her training so she is permitted. It will still be a while until she becomes a true Wandering Witch, though. As for Naoto, he is an outsider. He has a life out of this place. He wasn't born in Eryn, unlike you Emma.", Roselia answered.
"Aww.", Emma responded, feeling dejected now. The topic of Isola potentially not coming back seemed to fly right past Emma. She was more disappointed that she couldn't play with Naoto anymore. And for a reason, she couldn't. Naoto's home no longer exists. It was burnt to the ground, courtesy of the Red Constellation. Isola decided it was better not to tell Emma of what happened, as she is still young. Instead, she just looked down at her daughter.
"You'll get your chance. All in due time, Emma. Before long, you'll be just like me, a Witch of your own!", Isola said while ruffling her hand through Emma's hair. Isola glanced back at Roselia, and continued speaking. "And while we're on that note, Vita told me that they're done in Liberl. Their next destination is Remiferia to check up on something before turning to Crossbell State to see how that place is doing. As for me, I will continue to monitor Erebonia."
"Remiferia, huh? Now that you've brought this up, I almost forgot that Naoto asked me to start searching up records of a certain individual.", Roselia suddenly said, which drew Isola's eyes back to her. "Someone who he had just encountered."
"Oh? And who might that be, Mother?", Isola asked, gaining interest.
"An older boy who goes by the name Van. Van Arkride."