Overflowing

Iadre had a bit of a headstart, but she didn't get far due to her small stature and wings. Garrett managed to catch up to her by the time she reached the room that led to the Top-Mouth.

"Iadre! What's wrong?" Garrett asked as Iadre slowly fluttered to a halt.

She was desperately trying to wipe away her tears, but they wouldn't stop. "What does it all mean, Garrett?"

"I don't understand," Garrett said. "Can you elaborate?"

"If what you said is true, then what does it all mean for me? For us? For everyone who isn't you?" Iadre spun around and looked at Garrett, her eyes red from crying. At this point, Zerat and Lyman had entered the room as well. "Things keep resetting and stuff for you, but what about us? What about all the previous versions of us? What happened to them?"

"I... don't..." was all Garrett managed to get out.

"You even said that there are timelines when the three of us don't exist? What happens to us then? What's happening to the people who existed in previous timelines but not anymore in this one? Are they dead? Are they missing? What happens to their souls?" Iadre was completely frantic, tugging at her hair and clenching her teeth.

"What about if we do save this world? What about those people who previously existed? Are they just gone forever?" Iadre continued her moral dilemma as she fluttered back and forth. "If I die, do I just get sent to a different timeline without my memories? Am I being reincarnated as well? Why do you get to? Why? Why? Why?" Iadre's wings finally gave out and she collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. Her face was red from crying and the breakdown of her entire world.

Gently, Garrett picked her up in his hands. "I don't know fully, Iadre." He spoke to her, trying to be as sincere as possible. Softly, he wiped away her tears. "What I do know is that I want to save this world, and all the people in it, both those here and those who were in previous timelines. Their existence isn't any less valid than yours or any potential copy of you." Slowly, Iadre's tears began to stop. "Maybe once I learn more about this world, I can find a way to have all of you together. All the companions that I've met. Until then, all I can do is learn as much about this world and try my best to save it and everyone that I can. I won't forget the different versions I met."

Zerat walked up and placed a hand on Garrett's shoulder. "This may be a strange time to bring it up, but, I had a strange inkling about you."

"You did?" Garrett asked.

"Yes, there was something unique about you, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It ain't much sense, but it's something." Zerat crossed its arms and looked at Iadre. "I might have just met this Illima a few minutes ago, but I trust him."

Iadre wiped her face again and looked up at both Zerat and Garrett. Then, she turned down and looked at her little orb. "Bilun feasts upon worlds, right That's why the Felsins give offerings to him so he won't eat our world?" Garrett asked, causing Iadre to look up in surprise. "Well, from what I knew back in my world, things can't ever be truly created or destroyed, only changed. Maybe those past versions of Asuria aren't truly gone? Those timelines may have been eaten up, but perhaps bits and pieces of them linger in the next timelines. They aren't ever truly gone."

Slowly, Iadre regained her strength to flutter in Garrett's face. "I never told you that we offer to Bilun."

"It was something that a previous timeline of you told me. I'm glad that it's still true." Garrett patted his hand onto his chest. "All those past versions of everyone who I met still live on through me. I honor their memories by trying to do better for the next version of them." He turned his head to see the gaudy lizard standing at the entrance. "No matter how much of a pain they are." He walked over and extended his hand out to Lyman.

"And what form of trickery is this?" Lyman asked, staring down at Garrett's hand.

"No tricks," Garrett said. "We got off on the wrong foot. I want us to be able to work together to try and save this world."

Lyman grimaced a bit before clearing his throat. He looked over to see Zerat and Iadre both looking back at him. "Alright, fine," Lyman said, shaking Garrett's hand. "It seems that you all are hardly experienced fighters, so you shall need someone of my grand caliber to make sure you all do not meet an untimely end!"

"Glad to have you on board, Lyman," Garrett said with a chuckle before turning to the others.

"Well now, where shall we get off to?" Zerat asked, looking around the room. "We got that strange rock, but it ain't seeming like it's doing anything. Should we check out these other two paths?"

"I've already gone down them," Garrett said. "That one contains some strange monster that attacks with stretch mouths down from the ceiling, and that one leads to the treasure of Amer-Turul." He pointed to each one respectively.

"Hang on," Lyman said, "You already found the treasure of Amer-Turul? Then why are you back in here lollyganting about?"

"It's behind a seal that I can't get into," Garrett said. "Do any of you know how to read Orkish?" All three of them shook their heads. "Well, the seal is behind Orkish writing. That's why I figured that there might be something more related to the room with the sun and moon mosaics."

"It did feel like that room had something special about it," Iadre said. "But, we have no idea how to open up the warm stone door."

"Wait, the stone door," Garrett said, remembering what Iadre had said before. "What language did you say was on the door?"

"Oh, um, it was Dracon," Iadre said before coming to the same realization as Garrett.

Garrett turned around to Lyman. "Well, looks like we're gonna need some of that grand caliber of yours."