Warmth.
Arthur hadn't felt warmth in… how long? His fingers twitched as a soft glow washed over his body. When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a fur-lined cot inside a large tent.
A young woman in robes sat beside him, her hands glowing green as she pressed her palms against his chest. Beside her floated a small bunny-like creature with long ears and long legs. Its pale yellow fur shimmered as it pressed its tiny paws together.
"Hoppy, increase the healing output just a bit," the nurse murmured.
Hopp!
The bunny raised its paws, and a wave of soothing energy washed through Arthur's chest.
Arthur's eyes widened. "W–Wait. I remember—"
The cave.
Everfox.
Gracie.
And Todd Venice.
Panic slammed into him.
He bolted upright, ripping off the blankets. "Where am I?! Gracie! Gracie, where are you?!"
Ignoring the nurse's shout, he stumbled out of the tent—
—then froze.
Dozens of tents circled a massive bonfire. People in leather armor walked alongside strange creatures—lizards with glowing patterns, birds with crystal wings, lions made of mist and smoke.
"Hey!" The nurse ran after him. "Please sit down, you're still under recovery! I'll call the elders—just breathe, alright?" She tried pushing him back inside, but Arthur didn't move.
He swallowed hard, eyes wide. "This… isn't normal. This isn't my world…"
---
Arthur sat inside the tent, head spinning.
A faint breeze brushed his ear.
"I wouldn't sit there looking like a lost animal if I were you."
Arthur flinched. Something appeared on his shoulder—small, fox-shaped, transparent. Everfox lay lazily across him, tail flicking.
Arthur stared in horror. "You're—alive?"
Everfox snorted. "Actually, I'm dead, you bastard."
Arthur froze.
"What you're seeing is my soul, shaped into the last thing we saw because of the gamble I made," Everfox continued casually. "You're my vessel now, Arthur." He yawned. "Your body was something I've never encountered in life. So when mine was taking its final breath, I used it. Kept you alive while you were frozen and imprinted my soul inside."
"Wait—that makes no sense," Arthur muttered. "Frozen? How long was I frozen?"
"Years," Everfox said. "Four, to be exact. Maybe more. Who knows—who cares."
Arthur's breath caught. "Four years…?"
Everfox leaned forward, muzzle brushing Arthur's ear. His voice dropped to a chilling whisper.
"So hurry it up… and die already."
Arthur felt his blood turn to ice. "H-huh?!"
"What did you expect?" Everfox hopped off his shoulder, turning into a small wisp of blue light. "I care about one thing: your body. Do whatever you want, but try to keep my vessel intact. Also—be careful what you say in front of the big guy."
"Big gu—?"
A shadow blocked the sun.
---
A towering man approached—broad shoulders, thick arms, a long white coat draped over leather armor. His presence alone made the nearby Ycracuse creatures straighten themselves.
"Name's Martin," he said, voice deep. "You must be the boy in the iceberg."
Arthur nodded nervously.
"I need to ask a few things." Martin knelt to eye level. "Your name? Age? Where are you from? And what's the last thing you remember before getting frozen?"
"My name is Arthur Norton. I'm twenty-six now. I'm from Lille, but originally America. And… the last thing I remember was almost dying by someone's hands, but a monster kept me alive."
"And… do you know what Ycracuse are?" Martin asked.
Arthur blinked. "I remember four years ago, Vola Venice mentioned a new lifeform called Ycracuse, but nothing more."
Martin sighed. He created a wooden chair with a flick of his fingers and sat down, drawing a rough outline in the dirt with a long stick.
"Inside the Scarlet Canvas," he explained, "exist creatures unlike anything from our old world. Beasts with supernatural powers. These beasts are called Ycracuse."
Hoppy hopped into the tent carrying a tray of fruit, placing it on Arthur's lap before curling up contentedly on Martin's knee.
"They're dangerous and can kill us whenever they want," Martin continued. "But with the right tools, they're easy to tame. Once captured and raised with love, they become your life partners."
He reached into his coat and pulled out three glowing cubes—each pulsing with its own color.
Arthur recognized them. Four years ago, he saw them on the news.
"These are Capture Cubes," Martin said. "We use them to capture, tame, store, and heal Ycracuse partners. Essential if you want to survive."
Arthur frowned. "Why tell me all this?"
Martin's smile was gentle. "Because every extra survivor matters in a world like this. And you… fate dragged you here for a reason. Like most of us, our old world was falling apart. Instead of dying a meaningless death, why not live—and die—on your own adventure?"
"Our old world became a wasteland? What do you mean?"
Martin's smile faded. He placed the three cubes before Arthur. "The fact you don't know means I shouldn't tell you yet. Choose one. After you're settled, I'll explain everything."
Arthur stared at the cubes.
The first flared red—
Doki, a fire/flying bird with blazing wings and a fiery crest.
The second swirled dark blue—
Vapor, a water/dark cloud-beast expelling black ash.
The last sparked green and yellow—
Voltail, a grass/lightning nine-tailed fox with crackling markings.
Arthur's hand hovered…
Then settled on Voltail.
"…I pick this one."
Martin nodded. "Good choice. Voltail is grass and lightning—gentle, docile, and clingy. Point the gem toward open space and call its name to summon it."
He stood, dusting off his coat. "For now, rest. Your body's still unstable. When you've recovered, someone will teach you the ropes. Until then… welcome to the Scarlet Canvas, Arthur."
Arthur watched him leave, cube trembling in his hand.
Everfox floated beside him, smirking.
"Wow. More of your kind appear, and already learning about the Ycracuse. Things are getting interesting."
Arthur didn't respond.
He stared at the cube, pinched his arm—
And felt nothing but pain.
It was real.
All of it.
And if everything was real…
Gracie wasn't with him.