Song: No Longer You by Jorge Rivera-Herrans and Mason Olshavsky

(With some changes to the lyrics to better fit character in some spots)

Characters: Akira and Kronos (Time Elder). The rest of the protectors mentioned.

Context: So, uh, you know how I mentioned Akira having a pre-determined bias against Briar? Yeah, this song helps explain that. It also showcases just how far Kronos will got to manipulate and control Akira. Here, he's basically threatening Akira with what will supposedly happen if they trust the manipulation holder. Fun lore and angst stuff :)

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Kronos, looking at Akira seriously, speaking to them shortly before the newly established protectors head into space for the first time: "I am the prophet with the answers you seek. Time, I've unlocked it, I see past and future running free!"

Kronos, doubling down on the manipulation he's already started, beginning with a new tactic since Akira's been slowly warming up to Briar: "There is a world where you all get home, but that's not a world I know!"

Akira, caught off guard: "What?"

Kronos, hiding a smile and nodding, waving his hand to invoke little pieces of different visions in Akira's mind (none fully accurate, of course), beginning with the polyship: "I see a song of past romance!"

Kronos, shifting to an out of context vision of Akira fighting, bloddied already, quickly followed by a vision of Briar smirking and talking to Lux: "I see the sacrifice of man, I see portrayals of betrayal..."

Kronos, changing tones to sound upset and showing an image of Aries turning his back, looking upset but determined: "And a brother's final stand."

The image switches to Ingall, who's panicked and attempting to fight off an unknown creature, seemingly alone: "I see him on the brink of death!"

Now, the image switches to Garvin, who's obviously struggling: "I see him draw his final breath!"

Kronos, adruptly stopping the images and taking a moment to look at Akira sadly: "I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it's no longer you."

Akira, fully panicking at this point: "This can't be! We've suffered and sailed through the toughest of hells, now you tell us our effort's for nothing?!"

Kronos, turning hide his smile again before flashing another image of a broken down ship: "I see your palace covered in red!"

The image changes to the faces of Everett, Kumi, and Leon, all looking upset: "Faces of those who had long believed you're dead!"

Kronos, now unable to hide his smile as he flashes an image of Nico bound up and sobbing with his mouth sewn shut: "I see your love with someone who is haunting, someone with a trail of bodies!"

Akira, blinded by panic and anger: "Who?!"

Kronos, grinning, continuing to show Nico in severe pain and distress: "I see a song of past romance, I see the sacrifice of man!"

Kronos, showing a scene where Ingall runs in and says something, followed again by the image of Briar with Lux and then by a Plies (who does look rather similar to Lux) breaking into Nico's room and taking them: "I see portrayals of betrayal..."

Kronos, showing an image of Bernard attempting to help Nico: "And a brother's final stand."

Kronos, focusing on Nico's face again: "I see her on the brink of death! I see them draw his final breath!"

Kronos, sighing and dropping the visions for a moment: "I see someone who gets to make it home alive..."

Kronos, finally pulling up the last image of Briar, seemingly smiling in victory, obviously claiming that Briar's the only one who makes it out, through horrible means: "But it's no longer you..."