Finally the moment had arrived. The night before the bartender had kept his promise of introducing Yu to some of the collaborators of the witch of Albion, and upon hearing of the news and her intentions decided to let Yu accompany them. The plan was to use a specialized hovercraft to get close enough to the rift to inspect it without being sucked into it. However, since the protective barriers wouldn't last indefinitely they could only remain there for a bit. Not more than a couple of minutes, but enough for Yu to try her desperate attempt to nullify the Fractured Rift.

Early in the morning the group had entered the hovercraft and started to ascend toward the rift, and while seated and gazing outside the window she could hear the scientists talking among themselves: "Seems the rift is stable for now." One of them spoke but another one added with a hint of concern in his voice. "But the rift has clearly started tearing, it is growing larger."

The others agreed, stating it was similar in the readings to what they had heard. Meanwhile Yu couldn't help but feel the wailing cries of the spirits around her, and sensing her distraught self Nyancelot gently rested his paw on her hand:

"Remember Yu, at the first sign of trouble I'm pulling you to safety."

WC: 225
Total WC: 225/1200

She nodded. "Don't worry, I know."

"Just don't be afraid. You can do this." Nyancelot attempted to reassure her. He had seen first-hand her ability to nullify magical phenomena. "I'm not sure, but I hope so." The hovercraft had finally gotten close to the rift, and Yu could hear the cries and screams of the spirits around it. "It's time." The craft got close enough, and Yu had taken a deep breath.

"Here I go." She closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate on the rift as she had done the other times. She could feel her body being affected by the power emanating from it, and the sensation was stronger than ever. She felt dizzy, and the cries and screams were so loud and deafening that she had to cover her ears and try to drown them out. "It's no good. I can't concentrate like this!" But she had to, and Yu could sense that the longer she spent there, the more she was going to lose control. "I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid!" The hovercraft started moving away from the rift as one of the scientists suddenly called out. "Wait, slow the craft! It's working! the rift is losing in energy!"

As soon as Yu had heard the man speak, her focus was broken and the rift had regained its original shape, size and energy output.

"We're too far. We need to get closer, I'll try again!" The hovercraft went back and as Yu tried to focus and reach out, attempting to envision a wave of water like the ocean surrounding the rift to forcefully close it, the girl suddenly felt as if something, or someone was gazing straight at her soul from within the rift. Her eyes suddenly widened in shock, sweat running down her face as if she had come face to face with a terror beyond words. But even worse was the fact she could no longer hear the spirits, or feel anything when it came to magic. Had the rift just devoured her magic? "It's not a matter of distance, it's the rift itself!"

"Yu, we're retreating!" Nyancelot called out worried to Yu, The girl was so frightened she didn't even notice the craft had left the vicinity of the rift. As if to make matters worse the exhaustion of attempting to close the rift had taken its toll upon her body, causing the girl to collapse while the Exceed called out to her: "Yu?! Yu!!!"

WC: 420
Total WC: 645/1200

Cold... Despite the fact her body was wrapped in a warm blanket and a fire was kindling in the hearth Yu felt painfully cold. It wasn't the temperature, it was the fact something precious to her had been taken from her. The rift had consumed her magic, and the silence of nature and the spirits was an eerie sensation to say the least.

Sighing softly the girl sat upright and gazed around, hearing Nyancelot's voice outside the room. "It's useless, no matter how often we're gonna try, Yu is going to be incapable of closing that rift. You all seen it yourself, the moment she tried to nullify the Fractured Rift something, or someone took the very magic from her being!"

The scientists nodded their head somberly in agreement. "Is there nothing we can do?" One of them asked, to which Nyancelot sighed lightly. "I don't know... For now I'm going to let Yu rest and decipher more of the witch's book in the hope of finding new clues. Maybe see if the Fairy Queen can think of anything that might help."

Hearing these words Yu went silent. Even as she heard footsteps approach the door and the Exceed opened the door. "Yu, you're already awake?" But that heartbroken look on her face was too much for him to bear. "I'm useless... aren't I Nyancelot? My only redeeming ability was the power to nullify things, and now the void even took that from me..."

Nyancelot shook his head firmly. "Don't say that! We'll find a way for you to get your powers back! And then we teach the Void a lesson or two!" Nyancelot clawed in the air like a boxer doing some practice punches. But this time he didn't earn any laughter from his lady...

WC: 300
Total WC: 945/1200

The following day the scientists saw her off at the harbor, clearly worried about her wellbeing but even if she couldn't hide her suffering, she couldn't just sit around wailing in it either. She wanted to do something about it, not just for the witch's memory, but also for Nyancelot. He had been supporting her all this time! So of course she wanted to try to find a way to stop the void.

As she was in her cabin on the ship Yu tried to find some sleep, but instead found herself only plagued by concerns. If nobody could stop the void from encroaching onto Earthland. Would that mean everyone she met would be devoured by it as well? As if a nightmare made manifest she dreamed the thought: of Renshi, Alisa, Kamui, Mami and Nyancelot all being slowly consumed by that terrible darkness. Suddenly jolting upright Yu gripped her hands tightly. She couldn't forgive them, forgive the void for wanting to take away these people. She couldn't and wouldn't allow the void to consume all she held dear! Her friends! Maybe this was how the witch had felt when she decided to try to fight by herself? But Yu wasn't alone... She had Nyancelot at her side. But would that be enough to make a difference? Sitting on the end of her bed Nyancelot looked at her with a look of determination in his eyes, as if he was willing to go any length to keep her safe, and in that moment Yu knew... She wasn't going to lose this fight yet.

WC: 270
Total WC: 1215/1200