As the Hunters approached the borders of Iredele, the mist that seemed to guard the town from the outside world parted just enough to make visibility clear for the travelers. The surrounding area was just as bleak as the village itself and it didn’t seem much was to be commented on given the circumstance.

The World of Wasted Dreams certainly lived up to its name. The twin blue moons hung high above the blackened sky like two ever present eyes watching the progress of all. The sounds of things crawling around in the dark filled the air on all sides though the group had yet to see anything to cause them trouble. Maribel had mentioned monsters and it seemed like the God Hand was just but a glimpse of the horrors contained in this world.

The road was raggedy and barely recognizable as a pathway at all. Broken down shards of what looked like possibly train tracks littered wherever the Hunters stepped and the ground creaked with each step they took. Soon though, the sound of pattering footsteps was heard through the mist, getting louder and louder with each shuffle until a bent over form appeared before the group of Hunters.

A man with tattered clothing reached out blindly in the dark, the wisps of his shirt pulled back by either wind of something else, as if dragging him away from the group. Small mumblings escaped his dry throat before they were easily distinguished as cries of help.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that his eyes had been scratched out with what looked like a knife. A poor beggar, left out to wander and rot within this world, no better off than dead. He was a sad example of this world’s apathy and cruelty. He reached towards the group with curious arms, hoping these people could help in a time of need.

For Tatsumi, he would feel something much more sinister in his step. The first effects of his first exposure to the magic of darkness were beginning to creep into his mind. Every corner was filled with light paranoia and it seemed as if the shadows themselves were watching him, specifically an overwhelming force that peered from behind the group.

It was the price for using the magic of the shadows in this world.