“I don’t want yer concern, TsuYa. Go away,” JouKa answered, curtly.

TsuYa woke to the distant sound of sobbing carried on the wind. He stirred in his sleeping blankets, rolled over and pushed himself to his palms. His dark green eyes peered into the looming shadows of the night with only the dying glow of the dim fire to outline their quiet campsite. Just as the sound had come, it was gone… and he shook out his head, wondering if maybe he had only imagined it to begin with.

Off on the crest of a hill, he could make out Zazo’s nearly translucent form against the sky. She was unmoving, guarding their sleep, as she did every night… since Arweinydd didn’t seem to need to rest. He knew that the sobbing wouldn’t have come from the She Wolf, as Arweinydd also had little in the way of sorrow. Or, so it seemed when it came to her.

He sat quiet for a while, listening hard to the distant rise and fall of the ocean waves. After a time, he was rewarded with the sound of sobbing again. This time, TsuYa crept up, out of his bed. Peering around, he counted heads… and quickly saw that one bed was empty.

So much for the watch wolf.

With a quiet huff under his breath, he pulled his jacket on around his shoulders and inched his way into the brush in the direction the sound was coming from. Eventually, he found his way to a small inlet of water, an offshoot of the larger ocean, surrounded by walls of rocks on every side. Peering down, he could make out the shadow of someone sitting on the edge of the rocks, highlighted against the glow of the moons on the water’s surface.

JouKa…

At once, he was of two minds on what to do.

I know she’s still mad at me… but…

She just seemed so alone. And TsuYa had rarely, if ever, seen her cry before.

I doubt she’ll see anything I try to do as a friendly motion. She’ll probably send me back to the camp with a slap in the face.

Despite these grouchy thoughts, TsuYa found himself quietly making his way across the damp stone to where she sat. He paused a few feet away, realizing that she hadn’t heard his approach. And he certainly didn’t want to startle her.

“JouKa?”

The girl turned quickly, face burning and eyes angry. Her hands scrabbled to wipe away any traces of tears, as if to hide the whole scene from him. The curve of her mouth was unfriendly and spiteful.

“TsuYa! What do ya want?”

“I uh…” he didn’t know how to answer. Anything he would say would only make her all the more embarrassed. “I woke up and noticed you weren’t back at camp.”

“So ya stalked me out ‘ere?”

“Stalked?” he gave a ruffled look. “I wasn’t stalking you! Excuse me for being concerned?”

“I don’t want yer concern, TsuYa. Go away,” JouKa answered, curtly.

He paused, a bit stung. Everything in him told him to simply turn around and walk away. To follow her wishes and leave her to cry to the cold ocean winds. But he couldn’t. Because he knew he was the cause of her tears.

“No,” TsuYa finally said, looking down. “I can’t just leave you out here by yourself… crying.”

“I wouldn’t be cryin’ if it wasn’t fer ya,” she snapped, staring back out at the ocean.

“I know,” his voice was quiet and level.

Apparently, that wasn’t the answer she had expected. And it seemed to make her all the more furious at him. “All the crap I put up with for ya… all this time. And this is what ya do to repay me?”

TsuYa stood silently, dark eyes reflecting the moonlight. He forced himself to stand, like a wall, hoping that if he just used his imagination, then blows of her anger would bounce off of him. But on the inside, it didn’t feel so easy. He really wasn’t that strong.

“I wish I ‘ad never seen yer ugly face!” she spat, rounding on him.

“JouKa… I…”

“I wish I ‘ad never met ya!”

“Look, I’m trying to–”

“I ‘ate ya! Get out of my sight!” she hollered, rising to her feet. There was the look of aggression in her face. As if she wanted to throw him right off the side of the rocks. And he wouldn’t put it past her to do something like that.

“JOUKA!” TsuYa found himself raising his own voice in a powerful, shaking rush, “I’M SORRY!”

She froze, staring at him with wild eyes for a moment. Then she shook her head and turned her back on him. “That’s not good enough this time, TsuYa.”

“I know it’s not,” he took a few steps forward, finally able to get a few words into the conversation. “I know you hate my guts. I know, to you, I’ve done something horrible. But I really didn’t know there was anything between you and KoGuRai!”

The girl gave a sudden choking sound. Then, as if the whole conversation was too much, she covered her face.

“JouKa..?” He was at a terrible loss, not knowing how to even begin to approach her without causing more of a fight than there already was.

“I ‘adn’t seen him… in over twenty turns…” her shoulders suddenly slumped, wings drooping, so uncharacteristic of her. “And now… when I see ‘im again… ‘e’s become this…”

“A lot can change in twenty turns, JouKa,” he pointed out, trying to be as gentle as possible without straying from the hard truth.

“But THAT much?” she intoned with a slight wail of sorrow.

It was enough to make him really feel bad for her. Frowning slightly, he asked, “Were the two of you… you know… together or something?”

Considering KoGuRai’s marathon track record with women in Nefol, I’m surprised that he would stick with one girl long enough to be that serious.

“Well… it was never anythin’ official. Sorta unspoken. Ya know what I mean?”

“So nothing set in stone?” TsuYa inquired with arched eyebrows.

I never knew she could get so emotional about anything…

“It couldn’t be. ‘E came from Nefol. I lived in the Gatherins,” she took in a raggid breath. “If anyone knew that we were seein’ each other… that I was fond of a Bane-using Neffie… they would ‘ave thrown me to the wolves and probably ‘unted ‘im down, too.”

Lovely people.

TsuYa pursed his lips, not trusting himself to say anything.

“But…” JouKa turned around with an appealing look, “I loved ‘im. An I’m pretty certain ‘e loved me, too.”

Maybe. But I still can’t imagine KoGuRai really dedicating himself to one girl…

His expression must have shown his doubt because she lifted her hands, imploring, “Isn’t that enough?”

“Well, then,” TsuYa leaned back on his heels, peering at her through the moonlight, “What happened?”

“I… I don’t really know,” JouKa lowered her eyes. “Somethin’ just changed. I think it ‘appened about the time that ‘is father disappeared.”

JinRai…

KoGuRai’s father had been a fearless and legendary warrior in his time, one of the founders of Nefol. He was known not just for his skill but for his compassion and dedication to the people of the School. In their younger days, JinRai was always considered to be ZenToYa’s right hand man – there was never an important battle where the two did not fight side by side. However, all of that changed the day that JinRai was sent out on an expedition into the Outter Lands… and never came back.

TsuYa knew that his father had grieved the loss of his closest friend for a long time. Father had even made his own trips out of the Inner Realms to try to find JinRai. But he always came up empty handed. And one day, Father had simply come to accept that his brother-in-arms was lost.

But KoGuRai could never accept it. In fact, it was about that time when the son of JinRai was elevated to take his father’s place in the Council… and something changed his heart.

“Yeah. I think it was hard on KoGuRai… when Master JinRai vanished,” TsuYa agreed, somewhat reluctant to sound too sympathetic.

“‘E was always at odds with his father,” JouKa told him, still not glancing up. “But at the same time, it ‘urt ‘im that ‘e couldn’t be what ‘is father wanted ‘im to be. ‘E didna want to be a warrior, you know?”

“Could have fooled me,” he answered.

“Yes, well, obviously, ya didn’t know ‘im that well,” she crossed her arms.

“Well, I could say the same about you,” TsuYa crossed his arms in return. “You said you haven’t seen him in over twenty years. You want me to tell you what he was doing then?”

“No!” her word rang out sharply. But he paid it no mind.

“He blamed the loss of his father on my dad! And he did everything he could to destroy my family… and destroy the foundations of Nefol in the meantime,” he barked sharply, striding a few steps forward.

“I SAID I don’t wanna ‘ear it!” JouKa glowered, face turning red in the darkness.

“Well, you’re GONNA hear it anyway!” TsuYa half growled in return, eyes seeming to darken, deeper than even the shadows of the night. “He set members of the Nefol Council against each other… played his politics games… until the whole structure of the School was fragmenting away!”

“TsuYa!” she drew back, staring into his face.

But, angry, he could not stop, “KoGuRai was the driving force that exiled my father from Nefol… started the hunt for his life when he first Awakened… and then led us to believe he was dead! Because of him, I HAD no father for most of my life – a fitting punishment for the loss of his, maybe?”

JouKa flinched back when TsuYa threw his hands in the air to accent his point. But this did not phase him either. In fact, to see the smug rage wiped off of her face… the fact that she was forced to listen to his anger after having been the brunt of hers for so long… made him feel good. Powerful.

“He spent years dropping his hints about what he would be willing to do to off my brother… and take his position as High Guide of Nefol… All those years, I spent training to be his rival,” his voice had taken on a deeper, more threatening tone to it.  “To be strong enough to protect SoYa if KoGuRai really did make a move!”

She covered her mouth, eyes wide, breathing in panicked gasps.

“And now he’s the Champion of Zeromus!” TsuYa thrust his finger at her. “He would have just as soon as killed all of us. I did what I did to protect us all… and all you’ve done is given me grief — when you don’t have the slightest idea of what’s been going on at all!”

JouKa had lost her voice completely, staring at him in the moonlight. He paused, breathing in rasping hisses, and for the first time realizing the look of open fear on her face.

“JouKa?”

“S..stay away… stay away from me, TsuYa!” She choked, stumbling back, side stepping along the edge of the rock as if terrified to come any closer to him.

“What? What are you–”

Before he could finish his question, she was off. Running and scrambling as fast as she could down the slope of the stone wall. Stunned, TsuYa threw up one hand, imploring with a shaken voice, “JouKa! Wait? Where are you going?”

Was I really that harsh on her?

He blinked after her retreating shape. Then his gaze fell on the back of his upraised hand. A startled gasp broke from between his lips, his whole body beginning to shake in response.  It was fading now… now that anger was replaced with fear. But he was sure that he saw it. Sure that there had been the hint of claws… that his skin had been darker. Darker than even grey.

And as he stood there in shock, TsuYa couldn’t stop from wondering what exactly JouKa had seen in his face… that had sent her running in fear, away into the night.

She saw a man lounging idly along a branch of one of the nearby trees.

JouKa had simply panicked and fled.

She wasn’t the kind of girl that spooked easily. She had spent countless nights out on her own in forests and in dangerous lands. But something about the dark, coldness of his eyes… the pure hatred he bore towards KoGuRai… just the force of his will alone. Never before had she felt so much fear. It had almost been unnatural.

So she had ran. Sprinted off into the forests. Her only thought had been to put as much distance between her and him. Until the fear wore off. And then JouKa realized what she had done.

I swore I was ‘eadin’ back ta the camp. This was the only way back down that rock.

But as her feet carried her forward, she saw no sign of safety. No firelight. No bedrolls. Even the arrogant white She Wolf would have been welcome at that moment. There was nothing but the darkness and sound of the night forest pressing down around her.

I don’t believe this. I’ve never gotten lost in my life.

After a while of wandering, night exhaustion began to set in. JouKa decided it was probably better to keep still rather than to move deeper into the dark forest. And just hope that the others would eventually put up a search for her.

Sitting under the canopy of a tall leaning tree, alone, her thoughts brushed over the exchange that had been made up on the rock. It was hard to separate her sudden fear from the event. But even her thoughts were too tired to hold themselves up any longer. JouKa fell into a restless, troubled sleep, nestled in the depths of the unknown forest.

She didn’t know how long she slept. She drifted in and out of dreams and haze all throughout the night. And when she woke, the first sensation she realized was that it was terribly hard to breath. It was her gasping that had shaken her awake so suddenly.

Wha?

Squirming, JouKa attempted to sit up. She found herself confined by something wrapped around her body – something heavy, thick and smooth. On instinct, her hands reached for her crooked blades, and found them, with some relief, still in their sheaths at her side. With a quick, jerking motion, she drew the dagger and slashed straight across the bulk that lay upon her chest.

Much to her surprise and horror, she heard a nasty, reptilian screech as the bulk constricted and began to crush her. A long, wicked-pointed snout curled down towards her, two dead, black eyes burning a glare into her skull. JouKa had never seen a creature so terrible before – all long, slender body without limbs. The forked tongue shot in and out from between scaly lips, tasting the air with a low hiss.

No! I’ve got to… get… out of… this…

JouKa tried to lash out at the monster again, but her movement had become far too restricted to do any damage. Her breathing came in hoarse rasps as she felt the lower part of her body start to tingle from loss of blood flow. The creature’s hooded head loomed over her, watching her with no sense of concern. As if it enjoyed the torture of watching her squirm and slowly suffocate within its powerful coils.

She tried to kick. She tried to squirm. Her hand fell useless at her side, blade lost somewhere within the pressing body of the beast. Though she was hardly the girl-in-distress type, all that was left to her was the little bit of air and her voice. So she used it.

JouKa screamed. Hollered as long as her air could keep her. Shouted for help. Shouted for anyone. Even being rescued by TsuYa, as embarrassing as it would have been, was preferred to dying alone, crushed to death by some creature in the forest.

I’m not ready to die yet! Come on! Where’s the backup!!

She was losing air fast, black spots playing in front of her vision. And there came a point where she cursed the world for failing her again. That was exactly when things completely turned around.

Something huge and fast sped out of the forest, bearing down on the coiling monster that loomed above her. As fuzzy as the world was, it was terribly hard to see what was going on. But JouKa could feel the relief almost instantly as the beast released her from its grip. Struggling to get her wits to herself, she pushed herself up, and back, hand scrabbling for her blade.

Animal sounds echoed through the glade – hissing and screeing. It was a terrible thing to hear. In the middle of it all, came a voice that was all too thankfully personlike.

“Hey! What are you doing away from the village? Didn’t we tell you it was dangerous out here during–” the voice paused for a long moment. She could feel someone leaning down over her. “Wow… you’re… not from around here, are you?”

And that was the last thing that JouKa heard before darkness rose to take her.

For a while, all she knew was sleep. This time, the sleep was deep, quiet and restful. And when her eyes fluttered open, there was no sign of something heavy and choking around her body. There was, instead, a soft blanket stretched over her, made of some sort of light animal skin.

JouKa lifted her head and pushed herself to sit up slowly. It seemed to be mid day, from the slant of the light through the forest canopy around her. She was sitting in a circular clearing and along the borders stood a number of short wooden totems that were planted into the ground. Each plumed a long stack of smoke that wavered to the sky. The air smelt strange from whatever the totem was burning. They seemed to be used as some sort of natural warding.

The sound of heavy sniffing drew her attention. As JouKa’s eyes focused, she could make out a large and furry head, the color of deep earth. Curious dark eyes peered out at her, a droll and almost friendly expression as the two large, tufted ears perked forward.

She attempted to get to her feet, startling as the giant creature shifted. Then, to her relief, it went back to nibbling on overhanging leaves from the tree above.

“What… in tha Seven Universes… are you..?” JouKa’s voice was hoarse as the question came from between her lips.

“Don’t worry,” came an answer from somewhere along the forest border. “Drok ain’t gonna hurt you none, girl.”

She turned her head again, this time, squinting into the brushline. Finally, after a short time, she could see him. A man, lounging idly along a branch of one of the nearby trees. He was a strange man… far bigger built than the people of the Inner realm. His hair was short and wild, the color of a crimson autumn sky. His skin was bronzed by time spent out in the sun, exposed by the open vest that draped across his broad shoulders. His eyes were a deep blue-violet and watched her with the same curiosity that she did him.

“So,” he said after a while of simply looking. “We speak similar words. That’s good to know. I was afraid you’d be talking the language of the angels… and I wouldn’t be able to understand your pretty voice.”

“Hrumph,” JouKa gave him a slight frown, folding her wings against her back self consciously. It wasn’t until then that she realized what she probably looked like to him – white haired, white winged.

Just like a guy… to open up with a line before he even tells me his name.

He only smiled all the more, leaning back as if to showcase the way the light moved over his bare arms. “You’re a toughie, aren’t you? I can tell. You don’t like being the rescued girl.”

“I don’t,” she replied curtly. After a moment’s pause, she continued, “But your help was appreciated.”

“You’re welcome,” the red-haired man nodded. Then, as if reading her previous train of thought, offered, “The name’s Oren Bhear. What about you?”

She glanced up at him, then back down again, debating. Finally, she answered, “My name is JouKa.”

“Oooh…” his mouth turned into a little “o” shape. “Even your name sounds like music.”

JouKa internally groaned. It was one of those.

“Are you hungry, JouKa?”

“No. But thank you,” she answered, realizing how hungry she actually was.

“The neidr didn’t do any lasting damage to your pretty face, did it?” Oren asked, actually seeming concerned.

“I’m fine,” JouKa shook her head. Walls up. That’s just the way it had to be. “So… that thing… is called a…”

“Neidr,” he supplied with a flip of one hand. “Yeah. Nasty beasts. They’re all over at this time of year.”

“What about… that?” she asked, indicating the strange furry creature that remained lounging idly just on the other side of the totems.

“Oh? Drok? Well, he’s my partner. We’re neidr-hunting machines,” Oren winked.

For the first time, JouKa realized there was something strapped around the creature’s head. Something that reminded her of a leather bridle that riders used for Rhawn. “Wait, are you saying that you ride that thing?”

Drok gave a keening, sad sound. Ears flattened, he showed his disapproval of being lowered to the status of “thing.”

“Aww… aww.. now look there, Miss. You’ve hurt his feelings. And after he made such a glorious rescue for you, too,” the man gave her a stern eye. “As a matter of fact, you’ve done nothing but had a rather uppity tone with the both of us this whole time. We may hunt neidr for a living, but that doesn’t mean we don’t put our lives on the line, too?”

JouKa frowned, looking slightly abashed.

Maybe I ‘ave been a little too ungrateful acting. I guess they did save my life. And they’re not really askin’ for much in return.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said in a quiet tone. “It’s just been a rough night. I don’t mean to take it out on you or your… uh… Drok.”

Oren smiled, as if rewarded amply. JouKa wasn’t sure that she liked it. But she figured he deserved something for the trouble.

“So what’s an angel like you doing out here in the forest, anyhow?” he finally asked, pulling out a short, white-wood stick and a knife. With long, straight strokes of the blade, he began to whittle at the wood with an expert hand.

She watched him for a moment, weighing the options of her answers. “I got separated from my companions. I was looking for them and fell asleep under that tree.”

“Your companions?” Oren arched one eyebrow.

“Yes… you didn’t happen to see anyone else out here, did you?”

“Now that you mention it, nope. Sorry,” he shook his head with a purse of his lips.

JouKa sighed for a moment. But as her thoughts ranged back over what had happened with TsuYa at the rock outcropping… all the awful things he said about KoGuRai… and the deep grief she felt about the whole situation… she wasn’t so sure she wanted to see him again anytime soon.

“Unless you count the other winged thing we found a few nights back,” Oren added with a blink. “Though, it didn’t look much like you at all.”

“Other… winged thing?” she found herself echoing, green eyes flicking upwards.

“Yeah. Some kind of creature… all grey skinned… black oozing stuff coming out of it… it had big black wings, though. Kinda like yours. Just not nearly as pretty,” he nodded, taking a few more slices at the stick.

KoGuRai? They… found… KoGu?

“What… ‘appened to this… winged creature?” JouKa sat up straight, trying to hide her urgency.

“Last I heard, they captured him and had him locked away at the village,” Oren answered. Pausing, he glanced down at her with a furrowed brow. “Do you know something about it?”

“I… might…?” she winced a little, afraid to tell the whole truth.

“I see. Well,” he leaned back again, “Are you interested in seeing him? It might jump start your memory… and give us some information about what we should do with him.”

“Actually… I… really would like that…” JouKa swallowed.

That’s not the KoGuRai that I knew…

JouKa did her best to balance along the crook of Drok’s neck, holding tight to the leather-strapped reigns as she leaned forward. They had been travelling the better part of the afternoon and despite his outward appearance, Oren was enough of a gentleman to let her ride while he walked.

All the while, Oren worked to impress her with colorful descriptions of his home town… the food… the clothes… the people. Who she would love to meet. Who would love to meet her. Curiosities about her wings… where she came from… what sort of people were in her own homelands.

She answered his questions vaguely. Entertained his attempts to impress and flatter. But her mind was always ahead of her. Somewhere else. Over and over again, she ran it through her mind. What she would say when she saw him again? How it would be? How she would act? How should she act?

How would he act…?

After twenty turns had passed and so much had come between them. Would KoGuRai recognize her still? Would he care? Or was he so lost to the power of the Marked that he was no longer anything of the person he once was?

JouKa had never felt so anxious in her life.

“Hah… there we are!” Oren finally proclaimed, motioning forward with a grand sweep of one hand.

JouKa could see the first signs of life on the horizon. Sifting smoke rose up into the air, the sign of village fires and totems in the distance. The very thing that she had been yearning to see all day. The very thing she was most afraid to face.

KoGu… are you really just over that ‘ill?

Drok had already begun to pick up the pace, making his way down the homestretch. Eager to get back home.

If I could just see ya again. Talk to ya fer a while. I’m sure that we can figure a way out of this mess. There ‘as to be something we can do… afterall, they were able to find a seal fer TsuYa…

She paused, thinking about what had happened the night before.

Well… a temporary one, at least. But it’s still something! It’s still possible?

“You’re really going to love the smoked perth, I promise you. Just you wait,” Oren chatted as he jogged along side of Drok. Then he gave a scowl. “Hey… hey… slow up now! There’s no rush, is there, Drok?”

The creature didn’t respond. It simply plunged on ahead.

“Drok??” he repeated, tone turning worried. “What’s the matter?”

“Huh?” JouKa stirred at the sound of Oren’s voice. For the first time, she realized that her mount was shivering. A reaction that was more than just eagerness to get home.

“Oh boy…” the red-haired man ground his teeth. Then with one practiced lunge, he took a hold of Drok’s fur and launched himself up the arched back, seating lightly just behind JouKa.

She turned to protest as his arms wrapped around her for a hold on the reins. But the serious expression on his face was enough to silence her. There was certainly something more going on than just a creepy guy trying to cop a feel.

“Ha! Ha!!” Oren whooped to Drok, leaning forward against her wings. Though she had very little experience riding, she instinctually leaned forward, too, allowing him to take the reins from her hands.

Drok bounded forward with very little encouragement, a sense of urgency in his gait. Trees and bushes became nothing more than a blur as they sped, the sky bobbing up and down drunkenly. Not used to the motion, JouKa eventually had to force her eyes shut, feeling a bit woozy. The smell of smoke grew thicker the closer they got. It wasn’t until they finally crested the hill that she realized that the smoke was far too dense to be from just normal village cooking fires.

“No!” Oren’s voice rumbled in her ear as he pulled his mount to a sharp stop. “NO!!”

JouKa swallowed, opening her eyes again. A chill rushed over her body as her gaze rushed over the scene below.

What… what’s happening?

The village was in flames. The cries of frightened, wounded and dying people choked the air as thick as the smoke. She could smell the pungent odor of burning flesh. Her eyes could make out the sprawled and mutilated bodies of people in the streets. Everywhere JouKa looked, there was death. Horrible, horrible death.

KoGu! Is ‘e ‘ere somewhere? Is ‘e safe?

Something within her gut turned cold.

Or did ‘e…

Oren wasted little time in urging Drok forward. With a few long bounds, they were down in the streets. JouKa couldn’t bear to look. All she could do was grip the fur with eyes clamped shut, body hunched, shaken and ill.

No. NO! This couldn’t ‘ave been…

“What happened?” the red haired man bellowed.

“The monster! The black winged monster!” cried one man as he ran past.

“What?” Oren pressed, catching the man’s grubby collar. “What about the black winged creature? Did it do this!?”

No… ‘e wouldn’t…

“Yes… yes! It got free! It just started killing everyone!” he stuttered, shivering all over. “Not even the Locks held it. There was nothing we could do! There was no way to fight it! It was just too powerful!”

“Is ‘e still ‘ere in the village?” JouKa’s voice wavered. She leaned forward trying not to seem too desperate.

“No… thank the light! Thank the light that it’s gone!”

JouKa’s eyes were watery as she stared down at the terrified man. When Oren released him, he stumbled off in a craze, dodging the bodies that littered the path back towards the forest. Then she began to search, eyes flicking over the smoldering structures. Both hoping and dreading to catch a glimpse of the dark winged shadow.

“JouKa,” a voice sounded in her ears, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Her green eyes lifted, searching the lines of pain in Oren’s face. It was the face of a man who was watching his home turn to ashes. Seeing people that he knew lying scattered. Dead. And even though JouKa had no hand in bringing about this terrible scene, she felt like she should apologize. As little as it could do for all that had happened.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… This was not the way ‘e used to be.

“I’m going to take you back outside. You don’t need to be seeing all of this,” his tone was solid. Serious. And JouKa realized that even in the middle of all this destruction, Oren was taking care of her. “It’s probably safer out there, for now, than in here.”

Then with a flip of his hand, he threw one of the hide-skinned blankets over her head.

“Huh?” she gave him a surprised look.

“I wouldn’t show your wings around too much. Not until we get this all cleared up.”

That made sense to her, she decided, clutching his blanket. He took her to the edge of the village clearing and gently let her down from the creature’s back. It stung to know that there was nothing that she could do. JouKa wanted to raise her voice. To tell him that she would do whatever he needed to help his people.

But before she could protest, Oren was already spurring his way through town, urging Drok down the streets. She watched them vanish into the clinging black tendrils of smoke. And realized that tears were pooling in her eyes again… and not from the stinging of the thick air.

Off to one side, she could make out the huddled forms of women and children. Frightened. Sobbing. Clinging to each other as the distant crimson of the dying flames reflected from their faces. Some cradled the broken, unmoving forms of loved ones in their arms… begging for their return.

He would have never just… murdered… not like this…

JouKa watched them, distantly sharing their misery. Her mind reeled as she fought her own tears and the sick feeling welling up within her chest. She had no right to cry. These people were the ones that had lost so much. Not her.

Why…? Why…?

Though as hard as she tried, she couldn’t stop her mind from falling back, hearing the things that TsuYa had said. The terrible things about KoGuRai… and how he was nothing more than the dark Champion of Zeromus. How he would have killed them all if he had not been stopped. How he had robbed Nefol of its leadership and sought to bring the very nation down to its knees because of hatred and bitterness.

That’s not the KoGuRai that I knew…

She hadn’t believed the things that TsuYa had said. Even though she had seen KoGuRai’s Marked form with her own eyes. She hadn’t believed a word of it until now. Now she was faced with the dying and the dead. Innocent people who lay slaughtered by his hand.

This is not… like…

But, there was no denying what her own eyes told her. No fighting against the terrible truth of what KoGuRai had become.

Have I…

The last spark of hope and light that she had carried with her, the very reason that she had journeyed to the Outter Lands to begin with, faded among the cries of despair. All of the doubts that she had fought to hold back since the first time she had seen KoGuRai’s dark winged form began to flood in. Overwhelming her.

I’ve lost ‘im…

Her hope withered. Then died.

After a moment, the hologram map sprang to life, stretching across the open area of the deck.

Lucci had seen a lot of wondrous things in his life. Floating islands. Winged people. Talking dragons. Spirit watchers. But for some reason, the idea of a mechanical flying ship was completely enthralling to him. NaDo seemed more than pleased to show his creation off, too, and spent quite a bit of time detailing all of its intricacies and features to the wide-eyed youth.

Rows of multicolored buttons glowed and hummed. Dials and screens and levers begged for exploration. And as they had flown through the sky, the ship had even projected a detailed topographical map of the lands below, complete with any landmarks that the Tu Family had so proudly uncovered.

“Where did you learn how to fly this machine?” Lucci asked as the side door opened with a hiss of escaping air.

“What do you mean learn?” NaDo grinned as he pulled off his flight goggles. “I built this baby. I know everything about it. Inside and out.”

“Wow…”

“So, do you like it?” he grinned, leaning back on his heels.

Lucci nodded. “I’ve never seen anything like it before…”

“Of course not. People of the Inner Realms don’t get it,” NaDo frowned, stepping down the ramp to the outside of the ship. “They just keep asking me why people with wings would have a use for a flying ship. They don’t understand when I try to explain how great it is for everything.”

“They don’t seem to listen to a lot of things, Master NaDo,” the youth informed him, probably sounding a bit more downcast than he meant to.

“Don’t worry about it, Lucci,” the winged man smiled with encouragement. “That’s the way the world works sometimes. Some people take leaps and bounds ahead. Other people only take baby steps. One day they’ll catch up. And we’ll be waiting for them when they do.”

Lucci couldn’t help but smile as he ducked under the low doorway and poked his head out into the early evening air. Long frond-leaf trees rose and swayed back and forth in the slight breeze seeming to beckon the two of them forward, out of the ship. And already, he could feel it. A gentle pressure in the back of his mind.

Just as NaDo had promised, he had taken Lucci to many different places. After spending some time exploring the whole of the Shellab, the whole Tu Family had gone out to visit the white sandy beaches not far from their home. While Lucci had been enthralled with the vast waters and foam-crested waves, NaDo and Maru had taken young KiNa flying in the drafts of the sea breeze.

They had picnicked out on the dunes. Explored everything the beach could show. Swam in the strange salty water. Basked in the warmth of the sun. Played games along the shore. Built Shellab 3.0 in the sand. Collected treasures from the receding tides.

It had been a wonderful day – an experience that Lucci knew he’d always remember. A time where he felt, more than ever, a part of a family that he had never had. When supper came, it was both happy and sad – he didn’t want the trip to the ocean to end. But NaDo’s cooking certainly made up for having to turn his back to the majesty of the ocean to the safety of Shellab 1.0.

As had his first flight in NaDo’s ship.

But now, those happy things were complete. And before him stood the looming reality of the things he had to do. The longer he spent with the Tu Family, the more resolved Lucci became.

If Zeromus attacks, then he will hurt the Tu Family as well. Not just all the people on the Islands.

And that was something he could not bear to think about.

“Here it is, Lucci,” NaDo’s voice brought him up out of his thoughts, announcing with a proud and grandiose tone. “The Vision Stone!”

The youth peered past the shoulder of the winged man, catching his first sight of the thing of legend. It did not fail to impress. The stone was aptly named, though it was difficult to tell if it was really a stone… or something made of a more crystalline structure. It rose gracefully up out of the ground as if it had belonged there, far longer than even the oldest of trees. Time had weathered away any sharpness that it may have had, leaving nothing but a tall smooth spiraling shaft, pointing towards the sky.

As Lucci came closer, he could make out a faint glow of pale blue tracing the surface of the stone. It was the same as the light he had seen from the top of the Shellab before.

“What did I tell you? It’s really something else, isn’t it?” NaDo was grinning from ear to ear, obviously pleased with the youth’s reaction.

“Yes..?” was all that Lucci managed to say. He couldn’t take his eyes off of the stone. Finally, after a while of simply studying it, he asked, “What should I do, Master NaDo?”

“Well… why don’t you go up there and touch it? That’s what Maru usually does,” the winged man suggested. “If the stone has something it wants to show you, then it will. But you gotta go up to it and ask.”

“Ask…” Lucci echoed, face somewhat uncertain as his eyes focused on the blue glow. Then he took a slow step forward.

I’ve come all this way to find… an artifact from the Time Before. Something that can stop an Arweinydd from hurting people. Something that the Sygnus-people long ago used.

He reached his hands out slowly, their outline blurring the closer he brought them to the stone.

If you’re really something from the Time Before… if you really are a Vision Stone… please show me where I need to go to find this artifact. Show me what I have to do to stop Zeromus.

As Lucci focused his will and his desires, the glow of the stone grew stronger, filling his vision with light and color. He steeled himself, forcing himself to face the light. To not flinch away. He didn’t want to miss anything that the stone might try to tell him.

The light grew unbearably bright, to the point where Lucci’s eyes began to water. Then, just when he thought he could not take any more, it began to dim. From the shifting shafts of light, something began to form. The youth realized that he was now looking out over a landscape. A white beach. A stretch of brilliant blue-green water swashed in a calming sheltered bay.

Just under the surface of the water he could see a dark shadow. And as he watched, a figure began to walk across the middle of his vision. He couldn’t make out who it was. But the way that they walked spoke a familiarity of the place.

The figure stooped down for a moment, leaning towards the sand. Lucci squinted, trying to make out exactly what the person was doing. But the way that the sunlight filtered through the frond trees made things too blurry to tell. Just when the height of his curiosity had been reached, the ground began to rumble.

A roaring sound shook the peaceful bay. The water began to froth, strange fountains bursting into the air. The shadow that lay beyond the shore grew sharper. More visible. Until Lucci realized that there was something very large rising from the depths of the sea.

Amazement filled his mind as he watched the first pieces of shadow break through the surface of the rising tide. But then, his vision grew dimmer. The image began to distort. Try as he might, Lucci couldn’t find a clear connection again. And the vision of the stone broke away like the misty sea foam of the ocean waves.

The youth found himself once again staring at the soft glow outlining the back of his hands where they pressed against the Vision Stone. Behind him, he could feel NaDo watching with concern and interest. When it was apparent that something had come to pass, the winged man approached.

“Lucci? Did you see something?”

He withdrew his hands with a slow nod. But he was at a loss to describe what it was he saw… simply because he had not seen enough to really understand what the stone was directing him. His face must have spoken his uncertainty louder than he meant it to.

“Ah… it didn’t come through very clear, did it?” NaDo templed his fingers.

“No…”

“Don’t be discouraged. It took Maru months of time working with the stone before she had a clear vision from it. And even now, not everything is too straightforward for her,” the winged man gave a sympathetic look.

“Yes, but… I don’t have months to try and figure out the place it was showing me,” Lucci gave a downcast look. In fact, he really didn’t know how much time he did have.

And here I’ve been, enjoying myself when it’s possible that people are in a lot of danger waiting for me.

“It showed you a place?” NaDo asked, leaning forward.

“Yes. It was a beach… near the ocean. It looked like it was in some sort of bay, surrounded by cliffs,” the youth detailed as much as he was able.

“Well, now… that’s far more than I had expected it to show you. That’s something we just may be able to work with.”

Lucci’s head lifted with a hopeful look.

“What else do you remember about the place?”

“It was strange there. Very calm compared to the ocean that we visited. As I said, it was in a bay surrounded by cliffs,” Lucci demonstrated by cupping his hands in the air, making the visualization of the stone that he saw. “And there was something really big under the water, off the shore. I couldn’t see exactly what it was. I could only make out the shadow.”

NaDo gave a start at the last bit of information, green eyes flicking over. There was an excited light glimmering there. Something that spoke of recognization. Even before the winged man began to talk, Lucci knew what he was going to say.

“I know that place!”

“Really? You do??” his voice whooshed out.

“Yes! I’ve travelled through that area before,” with an excited wave of his hand, NaDo was rushing back towards the flying ship.

Lucci turned, jogging close on his heels and ducking through the low doorway. The youth watched as the winged man began to punch buttons on the control deck, almost too excited to get the combination right. After a moment, the hologram map sprang to life, stretching across the open area of the deck. With a few more key strokes, NaDo was moving the image down the shore… before pausing at a crescent-shaped inlet along the ocean.

Lucci held his breath, leaning forward. The image zoomed in, outlining the land mass in greater detail. And there it was. The place that he had seen in his vision. The shadowy outline was in the ocean, here, too. There was a digital sticky note in the form of a yellow flag highlighting the phenomenon, a reminder to NaDo to do some more exploring of that area when time permitted.

“Is that it?”

“Yes!” Lucci exclaimed, too overcome with pleasure to believe what he was seeing.

“I thought so. It all clicked when you mentioned the shape under the water. I wanted to check it out sometime… thought it seemed pretty suspicious,” NaDo grinned brightly. “I guess now, I’m about to get my chance!”

“You mean… you’re coming with me?” the youth gave a surprised look.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

What… what happened to me..?

When KoGuRai came back to his senses, he found himself covered in blood. His first reaction was probably not befitting of the dark Champion of Zeromus. His head reeled back, body tense and contorted, and let out an air-slicing shriek of agony.

What have I done?!

He had seen it all. He hadn’t been spared one moment of gristly detail, even though his body was responding to something else that was not his own desires. He could only watch, detached and helpless, as weapon, claws and fangs tore through villager after villager.

Those men… they were running away. Retreating. They weren’t even trying to fight me.

Of course, he had wanted to escape from the cage. Of course, he had expected resistance when he finally put his plan into action. Possibly even a fight. But KoGuRai had not planned on slaughtering the people there… not after they had provided him with surprisingly hospitable amount of nourishment and healing.

What… what happened to me..?

He felt sick. Like whatever last meal he had taken from the villagers was threatening to inch its way back up his throat. But he wasn’t even allowed that luxury. Darkness still had its cruel grip on his mind. His body was only partly responding to his commands. Each second he didn’t know if it was his own… or if it belonged to something else.

-This sniveling is not befitting of you, KoGuRai.-

The cold, hissing voice filled his mind. His dark eyes rose to glare at the large, dark-skinned Esgyll that perched on a rock outcropping just a short distance away. How a creature from the Inner Realm had managed to track him down over such a long distance, KoGuRai did not know. Of course, it was not as if it was merely a mindless beast.

This one watched him with red, intelligent eyes – animated by the very awareness of his Master, Zeromus. And the voice that rang through his mind was none other than the Dark Arweinydd, communicating to him through one of his own distorted creatures.

KoGuRai had still been locked in the jaws of the cage when the Esgyll swooped down with wings of black death over the village. It had freed him from his confines and proceeded to destroy without remorse. It had flattened houses, mowed through militia and started fires from the smoking totems.

If only I could say that it was the only source of destruction.

But KoGuRai knew better. He knew that whatever dark spirit animated the huge winged monster had also seeped into his own limbs. Urged him into a bestial rage that sent him tearing through anyone that came near.

I don’t understand why those people were killed. They had nothing to do with our goals… they were just protecting what was theirs.

The Esgyll gave a low snort and a lash of its tail.

-Perhaps you don’t comprehend how this all works yet, KoGuRai. The world will learn the fate that befalls those who attempt to hinder my Champion. Anyone that dares to defy our progress will be consumed.-

A chill rushed over KoGuRai’s body as he stared back at the burning red eyes. The sick taste rose up in the back of his throat again, hanging thick in his mouth, coupled with the pressing feeling that he was sinking deeper and deeper. In over his head.

KoGuRai had never been given much of a choice about what would happen to him from the moment that he was captured and brought into Nefol. Zeromus had offered him the position of Champion, though he was never sure why, and he chose to take the position rather than become dead and mindless like the other Marked.
Things had started out fairly well, considering all that was done to him. He was the leader of the dark forces and the other Marked obeyed his commands. He was gifted with wings and enhanced physical power – speed and strength. He was promised a place as the new ruler of Nefol once the people of the Dreigiau had been dispatched. And most of all, he had been promised the hand of JouKa, the one that he longed to see again.

But something had changed over time — what had once been an honor had degraded into servitude. KoGuRai had become less of a leader and more of servant to the Dark Master’s wishes. The promises he had been given were uttered less and less as the enhancements on his body had begun to fade. Like the other Marked, decay began to show – only he was aware that he was withering away, unlike the others.

And what had happened there at the village had sealed it. His very will had been stolen. His choice taken from him. He had become, as TsuYa had told him, nothing more than another one of Zeromus’ tools for destruction.

His black eyes slid up to the dark beast. A feeling of hopelessness weighed him down. Knowing that not only had he lost his humanity… but also his dignity.

The Esgyll gave quiet, calm look, answering the swirling tempest of doubts.  -I came here in order to help you and retrieve you from your prison. I did what had to be done to preserve you against great odds — afterall, it was you versus all of this village. And the promises that I have given to you I have not forgotten. You will receive your rewards for your loyalty, KoGuRai. Do not doubt that.-

He pursed his lips, face growing solid and focused once again. There was nothing left to hold on to but what the shadows offered him.

-Now, pull yourself up. Your power has returned. You are once more whole. I have very pressing business that I need for you to attend to.-

The tone of the voice was so unusual that KoGuRai paused in the middle of his self- assessment to listen to the mind-voice of the dark beast. Though he had never really heard true emotion from the lips of the Dark Arweinydd, there was a certain quality about the statement that came alarmingly close.

Something is going on. And from the way that sounded, it must not be good.

The Esgyll intercepted that line of thought before it started. If there really was some sort of trouble going on, Zeromus certainly did not seem to want to let him know the urgency of it.

-It is nothing that I am certain you cannot handle, my Champion. Now, lift yourself up and be ready. We must find the trail of the young Sygnus again.-

“Sygnus?” KoGuRai murmured with a frown. “Is Lord Lucci here, then? In the Outter Lands?”

-Yes. He is indeed. In fact, all of those who met within the Cynosure have come through to this side. They travel not that far away from this position.-

“TsuYa?” the Champion ground his teeth, brows lowering. Then pausing, he realized something more.

JouKa. She was there. She was there and she saw me… Does that mean that she has travelled here too?

-Yes. The one that you seek has followed. However, she is meshed with those who wish to destroy you.-

KoGuRai felt something sink in the pit of his stomach again. Surely, no matter what he looked like… no matter what he had become… JouKa would remember him. She had called out his name that day at the end of the battle in the Cynosure. And the sound of it had been one of longing and pain.

“JouKa wouldn’t…” he couldn’t bring himself to voice the rest of the statement. He wanted to sound sure of himself when he spoke of her character. But it had been so long since he had last seen her. And now, she was one of the Dreigiau’s people… one of the winged people from the floating Islands.

Everything that she used to tell me. Everything that she once was. Has she really compromised it all to follow Zemi Dreigiau?

-Those are things that you will have to search to find out for yourself, KoGuRai,- came the winged beast’s cryptic answer. But if Zeromus’ goal was to reanimate his low-spirited Champion into action, he was off to a very good start.

“What do you need me to do,” the Champion pressed his lips together, slowly rising to his feet.

-As I have said, the young Sygnus is here within this land. He searches for ancient relics of the Time Before… weapons that were once used by the Sygni of long ago to battle against the Arweinydd.-

“How is that possible?” KoGuRai’s frown grew more pronounced. “Master… I thought that there was nothing of the Earthian realms that could be a threat to the Arweinydd?”

-Those who are wise… know that spoken absolutes rarely exist in actuality.-

“Hmmm..?”

-The truth is, weapons were crafted that could be wielded against us. The Sygnus boy now seeks this weapon without knowledge of the consequence of what he is about to uncover. Previously, I sent you to persuade or capture the boy. But now, the game has become more dangerous… just as Zemi orchestrated it.-

“Then, Zemi is the one that is sending Lord Lucci out to find this item?”

-I cannot see how the boy would know about its existence any other way.-

“It seems a little self-defeating to instruct a Sygnus on finding a weapon that could be used against the Dreigiau as well,” KoGuRai mused, half to himself. Then again, he had learned that the Arweinydd rarely made much sense.

-My brother is a foolhardy soul. He always has been. His reckless nature will lead to the destruction of all that we have worked for… including your precious Nefol and the one that you love.-

The Champion lowered his eyes in deep thought for a long moment. Then, he reached up both clawed hands, taking hold of the stringy flesh of the winged beast. In one sweeping motion, he was mounted upon the Esgyll’s shoulders.

“We ride. I will capture the boy-Sygnus and bring him back to you, Master,” KoGuRai said, voice low and cold. His choice had been made. There was no turning back now.

“This… isn’t what’s going to ‘appen to you, too. Is it?”

TsuYa hadn’t realized that he was so concerned until that moment. His dark eyes were focused on the treeline, watching the trails of fading smoke plume like fingers into the sky. The smell of ashes and blood draped heavily over the forest. He had hoped and hoped and hoped that JouKa’s trail wouldn’t lead into it… but there was no doubt as they drew nearer that it was the direction she had gone.

I should have gone after her.

He kept playing the scenario through his mind from the night before. Over and over again. The things he had said and done. The things he wish he could take back. What he would have changed.

If I had just followed… she wouldn’t have run off like this.

They had been following her trail for most of the day, ever since TsuYa had realized that she hadn’t gone back to the camp. And though he didn’t mention to anyone what had happened, there was a stiff silence. As if they had their own ideas about the situation. Even Zazo had remained far more quiet than usual as they made their way between the trunks of the tall trees.

If she’s gotten herself hurt… I don’t know what I’m going to do.

The forest was deep and unending, full of lush plants and scampering of life. Everything looked the same to TsuYa. So it wasn’t difficult to think that JouKa could have gotten lost in the winding vines and frondy leaves. Somehow, both Zazo and Aur seemed to be able to track the girl, saving them a lot of guesswork and grief.

At first, he had just been angry at her carelessness in running off. But anger soon gave way to guilt. And guilt had now turned into fear. Especially when Zazo noted that she felt the presence of other people along with JouKa – strange people and creatures from the Outter Lands.

If they’ve captured her… they’re in for a big surprise.

His fists balled, holding tight to the fur along Zazo’s scruff.

What’s with the smell of burning and dead people? Is there some sort of sacrificial sacred place up ahead or something?

Zazo’s voice suddenly invaded his mind, -Tsu… will you please calm down?-

“Huh?” he breathed, realizing that she probably could hear everything that he was thinking that whole time.

-We’ll find out what’s going on when we get there. Until then, you need to stay calm.-

TsuYa closed his mouth, pressing his lips together. The She Wolf was right… he needed to have a clear head just in case something terrible really had happened. Losing himself to a bunch of “what-ifs” wasn’t going to do anything to help JouKa.

“Okay… okay…” he stared ahead in agitation, trying to confirm all would be well. “Okay. Okay.”

-Yes. Yes.- Zazo echoed in her own way, bounding along. -Earthians are so weird sometimes.-

Aur simply gave a low-throated rumble as he sped along at her heels. The Watcher had said almost nothing the whole trip. And TsuYa couldn’t help but think that maybe Aur was annoyed at him… for not heeding his advice and putting strain on the wardings.

Hey… how was I supposed to know that an argument could cause something like that to happen to me?

The string of disgruntled thoughts fled from his mind as they crested the final hill. There, stretching below was a scene of such tragedy and anguish that TsuYa felt the breath catch in his throat. All of his speculation had come nowhere near the terrible truth of the small village that lay in shambles along the path ahead.

Streams of quiet smoke wafted into the sky, signaling the aftermath of an attack that had ravaged the land not long ago. Colored banners lay trampled and burned. Buildings bled out across the packed dirt ground in flat splotches of black. Broken piles of darkness and lay on the outskirts of the village, the remnants of those who had not survived.

Zazo drew to a stop as TsuYa leaned back, covering his nose with one hand. The scent of death was so overwhelming. Nauseating. He had seen battle and death before, but something about this struck his senses powerfully. His voice caught in his throat, “What happened here?”

“I sense the passing of darkness,” Aur intoned somberly. Probably the first thing he had said all day.

“And JouKa is down there?”

-Yes. From what I can sense, this is where she is.-

“Come on! Let’s go!” TsuYa urged, motioning towards the village.

Zazo complied with a great bound down the hill. It wasn’t until the first shouts from the village rang in his ears that TsuYa realized… a man riding into a recently destroyed town on the back of a giant She Wolf was probably going to cause a bit of a bad reaction.

And that, it did.

Large, red-haired men poured out of the tilted remains of buildings, brandishing weapons and angry eyes. Some of them were already blood soaked and bandaged from the first struggle. But those who were not seemed all the more spurred on by the state of their home town.

“What kind of people… are they?” TsuYa leaned close against Zazo’s neck as the She Wolf stopped. That’s when he remembered how far away from home they really were.

-I don’t know. But they don’t seem very friendly.- Zazo observed, ears laying flat as she took a slow step back. -We should teach them a thing or two.-

“Are you kidding?” the warrior hissed. His eyes fell on another pile of bodies that was stacked against one of the leaning walls. “This place has already seen its share of violence.”

-They are about to see more… if they keep acting with such insolence against one of the Trine!- the She Wolf proclaimed, showing cold, glittering fangs at anyone who drew too near.

There was a face off. Zazo’s snarling versus the harsh, grating voices of the strange red-haired men. Neither seemed to be willing to back down. And TsuYa could feel the She Wolf getting antsy under his palms.

Just when he thought that the situation was going to escalate, a voice echoed out into the street. “Wait!”

It was a familiar voice. And a familiar accent. One that TsuYa was surprisingly happy to hear.

He watched as JouKa stepped out of one of the doorways, draped in a strange skin-hide hood and cloak. Her green eyes reflected out at him with a cautious and weary expression. It seemed as if

she was looking him over for any sign of danger.

When she finally judged that all was safe she turned to address the tall red-haired warrior that had followed her outside, “They’re my friends, Oren.”

“JouKa?!” a flood of relief swept through TsuYa’s voice. Though she seemed tired and a bit afraid, the girl appeared to be unharmed. In fact, she seemed to have been taking refuge with the people in the village. Which was far better than his fear of her captivity.

“Alright boys, back off,” the one called Oren ordered quietly.

The other men looked a bit reluctant at first. But there wasn’t much they could do when the girl broke through their ranks and approached the man riding the giant wolf. They lowered their weapons and watched quietly.

The warrior slid down from Zazo’s back, landing on the balls of his feet. “Are you alright?”

“TsuYa…” JouKa almost whispered. Then she followed up with an attempt at humor, “Ya almost sound concerned fer me?”

Surprise rippled through his mind. Surprise that she had talked to him at all… much less, so pleasantly. She had been  furious with him for so long. It was enough to make him pause and take a good, long look into the girl’s eyes. Something had changed there. The fire that had once burned, unyielding, was gone. There was nothing to replace it but a deep, terribly sadness. As if everything that had once driven her spirit had been stolen away.

“I was…” TsuYa answered, trying to hide his scrutiny from her. “I was worried sick. What happened… did you…?”

He didn’t want to ask too much. He didn’t feel like he had a right to criticize her for running off after what he had done.

“I made a mistake,” was all she said.

“Mistake?” he furrowed his brow with a puzzled look.

“I was wrong, TsuYa. I was so… terribly wrong…” JouKa choked. She was breathing heavy, staring at him as if she didn’t know whether to be afraid or to ask for comfort.

“I don’t understand?” the warrior shook his head, voice lowering. “What happened?”

“You were right,” the girl seemed on the verge of tears.

He had no idea what to do.  So he simply stood there, waiting for her to finish her explanation.

JouKa drew closer. He could smell the depth of her sadness. She swayed a little bit, under the influence of great exhaustion. As she stumbled, he reached out and caught her, holding her up.

“JouKa!?”

The girl was openly crying now. Holding on to his shoulders and weeping. “It was KoGuRai.”

“What?” TsuYa’s dark eyes widened.

“KoGuRai and ‘is beast…” she sobbed. “They did this to this village.”

It felt as if a cold weight had dropped to the bottom of his stomach. As much as he didn’t like KoGuRai… as much as he knew the dark deeds he had done in Nefolian politics… as ruthless and calculating as he thought his rival was…

I can’t believe he would just slaughter a village of people… like this.

Dark Champion or not. TsuYa never had the son of JinRai pegged as a murderer. He even found himself making an excuse for it, “It had to have been… the Marked influence.”

JouKa peered up at him with a thankful look. Maybe she had thought that he would have responded with a told-you-so retort. Maybe she thought he would have regarded the situation with cold certainty. Whether or not she had expected his sympathy… he had offered it. And she took it like a person who had nothing else to hold on to in the world.

“TsuYa…” the girl looked up at him after a moment. Her face reflected in fear. But this time, she wasn’t as afraid of him… as she was for him. She lowered her voice, “This… isn’t what’s going to ‘appen to you, too. Is it?”

The question took him by surprise. He couldn’t decide if it was because he didn’t have the answer to the question or if her concern on the matter had simply threw him off. His dark eyes flicked around, searching for the words to respond.

He found darkness waiting, looming in the corner of his mind. His thoughts strayed back to feeling of power and strength that the Marked abilities gave him. How he lost himself. How the rage could so easily sweep him up, swaying him closer to the edge. Stealing his senses. Stealing his time.

“No. Of course not.” TsuYa had to force his voice to stay calm as he answered, “I’m fighting this… fighting it until the end.”

-Ahem?- Zazo’s muzzle poked straight in between their faces, separating the two of them with a snuff.

TsuYa took an embarrassed step back. He hadn’t realized how close he had been standing to the girl. Or what it probably looked like to the eyes of over a dozen onlooking red-haired men from the village. But they were watching in rapt interest at the exchange.

At least they’re finally at ease.

The warrior took another step back, brushing off the front of his shirt.

“JouKa,” Aur’s deep voice intoned from behind. He stood there, in his normal form, with just the slightest hint of questioning concern in his eyes.

At least Aur had enough sense to realize a giant talking lion alongside of the giant white wolf was probably not a good idea.

“Did ya… all come?” the girl asked, looking a little surprised.

“Of course we did,” he replied. “You were missing. We couldn’t just leave you out in the forests.”

“She was fine,” a sure and steady voice broke in. Before anyone knew what was happening, the man called Oren strode up and put his hand on JouKa’s shoulder. “She was with me.”

TsuYa sucked in his breath, waiting for the explosion to erupt. JouKa was never a touchy feely type of girl. Especially not to someone she probably hardly even knew. It was to his great surprise when the girl hardly reacted at all. In fact, it was all that he could do not to stare openly at the whole thing.

Is she… really that torn up… about KoGuRai? This is seriously not like JouKa at all.

If the others took note of it, they didn’t show any sign. Aur simply nodded to the red-haired man, “We thank you for looking after her. This has been a difficult time for many of us, it seems.”

“Yeah, well, we were just as lucky to have her here with us,” Oren answered. “I had no idea that I had rescued a Healer.”

Healer?

That’s when TsuYa remembered that despite outward appearances, JouKa had told him a long time ago that she was gifted with healing skills. No doubt, in looking at the state of the village, she had been working hard with her craft.

No wonder she looks so tired. I bet she just needs a good sleep. When she wakes up, she’ll be just as cranky as ever. And she’ll forget she was ever nice to me.

“Is there something that we can do to assist you as well?” Aur was inquiring.

Oren leaned back, studying the strange group of mis-matched companions. After a moment, he nodded, as if they had passed some sort of inspection. “Sure… we can use all the help we can get. Right now we’re just trying to round up the wounded and get them treated. We’ll worry about the dead later.”

The way he said it was so matter of fact. So straightforward. It was obvious that this man had seen a lot of killing in his life. That he was a survivor. But it was also obvious that there was a different sort of light in his eyes when he looked at JouKa. Something softer. Filled with a certain kinship and understanding.

TsuYa couldn’t help but wonder what had exactly happened while JouKa had been away.

His pondering was cut short as they were led into the heart of the village. Everywhere he looked, the hand of darkness had left destruction. And each step that TsuYa took deeper into the chaos only worked to resolve him all the more.

“This… isn’t what’s going to ‘appen to you, too. Is it?”

The sound of JouKa’s quivering question still echoed in his mind. His hand closed around the medallion that hung at his throat as the burning scent of ashes made his eyes water.

I have to fight this. I can’t end up like KoGuRai has. I just… can’t allow it to happen.

Suddenly, a gale burst from his outstretched palms, almost knocking him back from the impact of near hurricane force winds.

“The X marks the spot, Lucci!” Master NaDo grinned as he trudged out onto the sandy beach of the bay. His arms were wide open, expression proud to have known exactly where to go to find the place they were looking for.

As nervous as Lucci was, he couldn’t help but smile, too. “The what… marks what spot?”

“It’s a saying,” the winged man clarified, clapping the youth on the shoulder.

“Oh,” Lucci responded with a furrowed brow as his feet struggled to push through the gripping sands. Sayings were really confusing sometimes. He wondered how such cryptic things got to be sayings to begin with.

He also wondered how he was going to make the dark shadow under the ocean’s surface rise up as he had seen in his vision.

The easiest part had been finding the bay. They had packed a day’s lunch onto the Current Skipper – that was the name of Master NaDo’s flying ship – and had taken a nice, leisurely flight. Watching the land below turn from tropic forest to a bay beach had done a lot to help the youth take his mind off of the approaching unknown. And of course, Master NaDo always had a million and one stories to entertain him about the smallest things.

But now, they were there in the bay. As he stared out at the looming shadow just off the shore, Lucci honestly had no idea how to move forward.

Master NaDo must have read the expression on his face, because he asked, “Are we a little stuck?”

“Yes,” Lucci admitted with a sheepish frown, “I know that the shadow in the water is supposed to rise up. But I don’t know exactly what it is or how I’m supposed to get it to move.”

“Ah, yes… such is the way of these visions,” the winged man leaned back with a look of concentration. “Why don’t you tell me what you saw when you touched the Vision Stone one more time.”

“I saw myself on this beach. And I saw the shadow in the water rise up…” the youth began to detail again.

“Hold on. So you were just standing out on the beach at the beginning of the vision?”

Lucci paused, something clicking in his head. “No… actually… I was walking up the beach, towards the water.”

“And then?”

The youth began to demonstrate, walking forward through the sticky sands, “Then… I… oh yes! I remember. I saw myself lean down. I was looking at something in the sand. But I couldn’t see what it was or what I was doing. After I finished that, that’s when the shadow in the water came up!”

“Ah! Good job, Lucci. I knew you could do it,” Master NaDo grinned, walking forward, too. His eyes were fixed on the ground with a furrowed brow. Then he began to walk around the area, his hands folded behind his back as he studied everything in a deep silence.

Lucci wasn’t sure what the winged man was doing. But he didn’t interrupt him. If anyone was smart enough to figure out the puzzles of the Vision Stone, the youth was sure it would be Master NaDo. So he waited and watched, trailing along behind the scientist, trying to make out the mutters that the man gave as he wandered.

“Lucci, do you see that?” Unexpectedly, Master NaDo stopped. He turned and motioned to a strange, sand-colored stone pillar that stood not far away. It looked very old and worn by time and the ocean winds, parts of it crumbled and broken.

The youth nodded, brow furrowed as he tried to make sense out of the importance of such a thing. But try as he might, it completely escaped him. “Yes. I see it.”

“Well, obviously, it’s not a naturally occurring object. It’s something that was built here. As were they,” the winged man motioned around.

Huddled under trees, half hidden by dunes and overturned in the sands, Lucci could make out a good number of identical stone structures. The youth blinked. It was hard to believe that he had overlooked them. But they seemed to blend into the rest of the beach as if they belonged there far longer than anything else.

“And notice!” Master NaDo walked forward, arms wide. “The area between them has no trees or deep rooting plants.”

“Yes..?” Lucci was suddenly confused again. It was one thing to take notice of objects that were there. It was another to take notice of things that were not.

“Which means one thing,” the winged man grinned brilliantly. He paused a moment for effect. “There’s something solid under this sand… so solid that trees could not grow up here. It’s located between these old pillars. And very likely to be the key to what the vision was showing you… to lift the shadow from the bay?”

The youth took in a long breath, mouth open in utter amazement.

“Now,” Master NaDo frowned in thought. “The real question is… if there’s something under this sand, how do we get to it?”

“Dig?” Lucci suggested innocently.

“We could. But it’s an awful big spot to go digging when we don’t know exactly what we’re looking for,” came the reply.

“Oh?” the youth tilted his head. “Well… wind could blow away the sand if it’s loose, right? Maybe if you flapped your wings a lot?”

Now Master NaDo was laughing openly, a gentle and amused sound. “I think it would take a little more wind than what my wings could make to blow away this much sand.”

“Really?” Lucci answered. Then he paused as thoughts came to him. “But you do think wind could clear away the sand?”

“Yes. It’s possible. If it was strong enough. Why?”

Silver eyes narrowed, the youth turned towards him, “Master NaDo… can you go and stand back by the ship? I’m going to try something.”

“Ah, well, I think I can do that?” there was a question to his voice. But the scientist simply gave a nod and headed back to where they left the Current Skipper. His green eyes watched with curiosity, head tilted to one side.

Lucci went to stand in the middle of the sand clearing, palms outwards. It had been a while since he had really tapped into his magic – though Lord Zemi had taught him a lot of tricks and neat things to do, he had never been trained in using his power in any serious manner. Everything he had done by magic was the result of experimentation. And that didn’t always turn out well.

Please… please… I need to move this sand. That’s all I need.

The youth’s silver eyes closed as he reached within, finding that quiet spot within his mind, a place that had been missing for so long. And within that spot, he could sense something waiting there – he couldn’t call the sense sight or sound… or smell or touch. It was a sense beyond the normal. And when he reached out, nearly always something he didn’t understand began to happen.

Wind… I need wind.

Lucci concentrated hard. It was so difficult for him to take the curious power and mold it into something he could use. But this time, his will was focused. His thoughts were locked in on the vision he had been granted. And his desperation seemed to overpower even the wild magics of an untrained boy-Sygnus.

Suddenly, a gale burst from his outstretched palms, almost knocking him back from the impact of near hurricane force winds. Lucci gave a wild shout as he struggled to keep control over the maelstrom, only to find his mouth filled with flying grit and sea-tasting sand. He was forced to close his eyes as the sand flew everywhere, scattered by the direct impact of the slicing winds.

He didn’t know how long the gale howled- it was hard to make out anything in the roar and flow of power rushing out of him. It was only when he heard Master NaDo’s distant shout that Lucci came to his senses and fought to once again to bring it under his control. Once the power had escaped from the silent place, it was always hard to put it back.

His vision was still blurry from the sting of the wind, so he couldn’t see if he had actually cleared away the sand as he had wanted to. As the last of the energy faded from his form, the silent spot in his mind once again silent, Lucci found himself slumping against one of the broken stone pillars out of exhaustion.

He heard his name called again and again. After a time, he could make out Master NaDo standing over him, shaking him gently by the shoulder. “Lucci? Do you hear me? Talk to me?”

“Master… Master NaDo…” the youth croaked. He had breathed in far more sand than he realized.

Master NaDo was ready, however, and was lifting a water pouch up for Lucci to drink out of. Once the youth had a few long drinks of water and a lot of coughing, he was finally able to splutter real words.

The winged man leaned over him with concern, his own form encrusted with dust and sand. Even as far back as the ship had not given enough cover, it appeared. “Lucci… that was… something I’ve never quite seen before?”

For a moment, the youth looked up, worried that Master NaDo was angry. Or worse, that he had changed his mind on how he felt about helping out the boy Sygnus. But there wasn’t a trace of anger in the winged man’s eyes.  Simply wonderment and worry.

“I’m…sorry…” Lucci apologized.

“It’s okay. Just… next time, warn me before you call down a natural disaster. Okay?” there was a hint of mirth in the words. Followed by a reassuring quip.

The youth nodded slowly before asking, “Did it work…?”

“See for yourself.”

Lucci had to rub the grit out of his eyes before he could focus well enough on his surroundings. He took in a rasping gasp as he stared — that which had been submerged by the stone was now brushed away, clean, for the world to see. And it was eerie… alien … and frighteningly beautiful.

Multicolor stones wove across the ground in a mosaic of shimmering patterns and designs. The shapes that were drawn into the stone were impossible to the mind, as if some great knowledge beyond space and dimension had placed its mark there upon solid earth. The stones were covered with tiny etchings of delicate runes, much like the ones that had been along the walls in the Cynosure. Strangely, though it was obvious that this structure had been here for a very long time, the etchings were in perfect, crisp shape, without a sign of weathering. In the very center of the structure was a slightly upraised plate with flowing words etched into the surface. Something about it glittered in the shifting light, drawing Lucci’s attention. Making him walk forward.

As his eyes traced over the script there, soft whispers echoed through his mind. Words that were in a language he didn’t know. Symbols that might have been letters… or something much more than that. There was a distant familiar feeling about it all, though he was certain that he had never seen scrip such as this anywhere. It was completely foreign to any of the languages that Zemi had shown him.

“Careful, Lucci…” Master NaDo’s soft voice warned. But the sound was drown out by the haunting whispers that seemed to come from every direction.

Lucci could feel it. This site had been once a seat of massive power in a time long, long ago. Maybe even during the Time Before. But something happened here. Something that had twisted the power, which had once been to support the civilization, to lash back at it. Destroy it.

And with that destruction, so many people had died here. Their whispers stung his ears, left his limbs cold. A shiver rushed through him as he felt himself compelled, felt his silver eyes rise to peer out at the ocean. A haunting vision met him, ghostly images wavering, superimposed on the sunlit bay.

A short distance away, a tall and proud obelisk rose from the ocean, connected to the mainland by a long, slender bridge made of the ornate sand-colored rock. The water surrounding it was unnaturally calm, a large crescent of waveless ocean.

The structure seemed to be resting upon the surface, its reflection stretched out in four directions over the bay. An eerie blue shaft of light streamed up from the peak of the obelisk. Somehow, Lucci knew that it matched the stream of light that rose from the point of the Vision Stone. The lights spread over the bottom of the clouds, coming together at a point within the sky, stretching a wondrous dome of magic and light over all that had lived there.

The youth heard a voice speaking, talking in the unknown language that was so painfully familiar. It took him a moment to realize the voice was his own… though what he spoke, he did not understand. It was as if the words came from somewhere else, from the whispers in his mind. As the words fell heavy in the air, something began to change. The images began to shift.

Everything turned dark. Both water and sky burned and bled, crimson streaks falling through the clouds. It rained down upon the blue light time and time again until finally the light could hold no more. The ground shook under his feet as time and again, the earth took the blows from above. The obelisk was struck, shattering in half. The top part teetered then toppled, falling into the bay with an impact that threw huge waves to crash up against the shore, ripping apart the bridge, rushing towards the scripted courtyard.

Lucci’s breath quickened, rasping in his ears as he saw the great, ghostly wave rising up over him. He gave a panicked shout, clamping his eyes shut and bracing himself for the blow… just as a set of hands grabbed him, shaking him. Calling his name.

“Lucci!!! Lucci! Are you okay!!” Master NaDo’s voice was panicked and hoarse, too.

Gasping, the youth opened his eyes. He was on his knees, crouched and shivering over the scripted platform. Master NaDo had a hand on both of his shoulders, staring down into his face. Lucci gave a cry and grabbed for the winged man, clinging to him for comfort. For protection against the ghostly vision.

Master NaDo seemed stunned at the reaction, but held Lucci’s head against his chest, fatherly without even realizing it. He stroked back the youth’s silver hair and spoke in shakey, but reassuring tones. “It’s alright. It’s over now… Lucci… light… please, just warn me before you do something like this again. Please…”

Lucci remained holding fast to Master NaDo for a while longer, slowly regaining his senses. The ghostly voices were gone. The pressing feeling of destruction had faded. The sky no longer bled above him. And the sea had not crushed him under a wave of death.

However, when he chanced to look back up, out over the ocean, he saw it. Standing upon the surface of the ocean was a dark, cracked shadow. The bottom half of the obelisk had risen from the ocean floor, looming. Waiting for him.

His hand reached for it. He discovered his palm was now broad enough to grip a sword of this size without any trouble.

“It can float over the water too?” Lucci declared with amazement as the Current Skipper cruised its way through the ocean waves, towards the dark structure in the middle of the bay.

“Of course it can!” Master NaDo proclaimed cheerfully. “A ship isn’t a real ship if it can’t take the water as well as the sky.”

For a moment, their passage over the ocean’s surface was enough to take Lucci’s mind off of exactly what they were approaching. But the closer they came, the larger the obelisk loomed in his vision. It wasn’t long before he could make out the etchings and patterns along the face of the stone – they were identical to the etching on the stone floor back in the sand plaza.

The whispers in his mind had returned again and seemed to be growing louder the closer they came to the obelisk. Lucci did his best to push the sound out of his thoughts. But it was hard. And just as afraid as he was of the strange visions they had given him… he was curious, too. Afterall, the whispers had helped him to raise the obelisk from the waters. So it didn’t appear that they were trying to keep him from going inside.

Master NaDo piloted the ship forward, unaware of all that was passing through the youth’s mind. He gave a concerned look every now and then. He did not appear too fond of the idea of going inside of the waiting obelisk, despite his proclaimed sense of adventure for the sake of science. But when the time came to disembark, they found out very quickly that it wasn’t going to be an issue.

Lucci slipped down the ramp and took a quick leap from the ship to the slick stone steps. He turned around to reach his hands out and help Master NaDo to follow. But the moment the winged man made a move forward, wavery blue energy drew up around the obelisk, repelling him.

Lucci sucked a breath in.

Master NaDo frowned and tried to step forward again. Again, he was firmly pushed back. “I can’t..?”

“What do you mean?” the youth exclaimed, a jolt of apprehension rushing through his body.

“I can’t come closer,” the winged man put his hand out for demonstration. Again, he was pushed back.

Lucci was almost in tears at this point, shivering all over, “But, I can’t go in there alone!”

For a long moment, the two just looked at each other, locked on either side of a barrier that they could not see.

“Listen to me…” Master NaDo’s voice was level and quiet when he spoke again. “I don’t know or understand everything that is happening here. And I know it’s scary. But you were led here for a reason, Lucci. You were given a vision and so far all of the things we have done have opened the pathway to this place. Remember why you came here to begin with. You must always follow through with the things you start.”

Lucci swallowed, looking up into the serious face of the winged man… the man he had grown to admire so much in so short of a time. A man who truly cared about him, despite all that he knew. And the man, along with his family, that had given him a place to stay… a home… that would be hurt if Zeromus were to have his way.

Silver eyes searched green eyes for a long time. And though fear still shook his hands and made his knees weak, Lucci nodded slowly. “Okay…”

This is what I have to do. This is what I came for. Master NaDo is right… I have to follow through.

“Thatta boy,” Master NaDo smile gently. Then he reached out to clasp Lucci’s shoulder. “Be careful. I’ll be right here when you get back.”

“Thank you for everything, Master NaDo,” the youth forced a smile. He didn’t mean for it to sound so final. But it did.

The winged man leaned back in his casual way, a soft grin on his face, “You’re always welcome, Lucci. Now, get in there. I know you can do this.”

The youth took a deep breath before forcing himself to turn and face the great maw of the obelisk. One foot in front of the other, he began to make his way into the great stone structure. At first, he was afraid that there wouldn’t be enough light to see by. But then he realized that there were many small windows lining the inner walls to allow the sunlight to filter through. Where windows did not reach, bunches of frondy sea plants had attached themselves to the floor, giving off a quiet orange glow.

Lucci’s feet sunk and squelched as he walked. The floor was covered with layers of dark sand and shells. Every now and then, there was a pool of sea water that had remained captured in dips and indentations in the stone. Here and there, dark things squirmed and reeled about – bottom dwelling creatures – frantic that their once safe haven of darkness had risen up above the ocean floor into the light.

The youth didn’t know exactly what he was trying to find, his mind focused ahead of him, listening to the ebb and flow of the whispers that echoed throughout the halls. They weren’t directing him to any one place, so all he could to was to keep moving, trying to find their origins.

Lucci began to climb up a slick-stepped, curved stairwell that led him around and around the rim of the interior wall. It was a long, long ascent, he soon discovered. One glance over the edge told him that to go back down would take just as much time as to continue upwards. And whatever might be at the top was probably of more interest than the slodgy floor level that he left below.

As he made his way up the stairs, he noticed that the structure of the stone along the wall had started to change. First, it faded in color from the golden-sandstone to a soft, grey-white pearl coating. As Lucci watched, he began to discover the first faint signs of script… and more excitingly, pictures. His silver eyes grew wide, focused upon the walls, where vibrant murals of glittering colors rose from the curve of the stairway on every side.

Lucci didn’t understand everything he saw there. But he knew that it was beautiful and sad at the same time. It was a story by those who had once lived in that land. Those who had lived under the protection of the Vision Stone and the obelisk. Those who had been destroyed in the cataclysm that had sundered the earth.

Just like in my vision.

There were pictures that depicted the stars — many, many lights that twinkled and glowed against the dark reaches of the spinning skies. He could feel a mystic and alien power from the larger lights as they swirled through the reaches of space. Some of the lights were shown embracing smaller spheres among the stars – Living Planets.

Lucci had never seen a picture of a whole planet before. And he didn’t know how he knew what it was. But he just did.

There were also pictures of Dragons. But these Dragons were different from the ones that he had met on the Islands – those had been Lord Zemi’s servants. They were different even than Lord Zemi himself.

Some of the Dragons looked large and cruel. The murals depicted them with maws opened wide, teeth glittering, about to devour the shimmering lights that came from the sky. Some of the Dragons seemed to reflect with a brilliant inner light. They were shown with wings stretched wide as if to protect the shimmering lights.

The youth didn’t understand what the pictures were trying to say. He had never seen any of the Dragons act in such a way. They certainly didn’t go around eating lights from the sky or fighting with other Dragons. But he didn’t have much more time to ponder the strange images as he found himself standing at the top of the stairway, peering into a tall hall of arched doorways.

Is this it?

Lucci’s breath caught in his throat, shivering from the chill wind that howled down the length of the corridor. The stone here had been coated a slick black color. Despite having been under the water for so long, it still had a sheen so bright that it reflected the hazy shape of his image.

I think it must be.

The whispers were no longer whispers here, but full voices, all layered upon one another. Some seemed to be arguing. Some seemed to be weeping. Others were crying out, as if looking for someone dear to them that was lost. Lucci instantly clamped his hands to his ears, trying to shut out the sound. But it was in his mind. Not in the air. And the only thing that he could do was move forward.

I have to… finish what I started…

The air was thick and cold. It became harder and harder for him to keep moving. Lucci forced his eyes straight ahead. He had made the mistake of glancing aside once, only to see the image of other people reflected there in the black stone. People that he couldn’t see or feel in the hall. But they were there, watching him with burning white eyes from the walls.

Lucci realized that he had reached a closed door at the end of the hall. He studied it for a moment, noticing that it neither had a handle or hinges like doors usually do. Then, he reached out his hand and placed one palm against the door.

The stone rewarded him with a groan, a silvery light outlining the shape of Lucci’s hand in response to his touch. Surprised, he almost pulled back. But the light was fascinating as it spread across the door in all directions. Before he knew it, there was no longer a door there. Simply a blinding white light.

Lucci instantly threw up his hands to shade his eyes. Though the light did not hurt, it was such a stunning contrast to the dark hall that he had to stand there a moment before his eyes could adjust and pick out shapes in the waiting room.

What is this place…?

An ancient, sacred power thrummed like a tired heartbeat through the stone. The room itself felt alive with its own breath, mind and awareness – as if everything the nameless whispers had once been had all been drawn from them into this one point of existence. The moment Lucci stepped into the room, he felt the power drawn to him, swelling in a massive force that pounded through his skull. As he reached his hands out, he could see that his own form was taking on the silver-white glow of the room.

But any thought of consternation was wiped away. The power filled him to overflowing from the inside out. Lucci knew that what was left of the whispering people was being drawn to him. Absorbed. Just like the spirit of the Cyngan soldier had been that day, back on the Island. It had left Lucci forever changed, locked in a battle for his freedom from the grips of the spirit world.

“No! NO!!” his agonized howl went unheard.

Lucci clutched his head, crumpling back against the wall. There was no one there to save him, not like there had been before. Everyone was far away. So far away.

And all the things that they told him that he would become flashed through his mind. As the ghostly light surrounded him, he felt himself teetering, fighting against that which was foretold. Fighting to hold on to himself… to the person that he had just lately become. The happy youth that had spent time with the Tu Family. With people who truly cared for him.

I can’t… become the Bane! I can’t become the thing that destroys them! Please!!

The light in the room had gradually fallen dimmer as the light within Lucci had grown. Something about him had grown with it, leaving him transformed. Even as he caught the sight of himself within the mirrored walls, he could hardly recognize himself. Lucci’s reflection was no longer that of the gangly youth… but now a young man… tall and strong built with long, streaming silver hair. Along his jawline he could see a faint outline of silvery markings that had never been there before.

Somehow he knew they were the Mark of the Sygnus.

The light behind his eyes burned eerie and cold, like spiritlight. Faintly, these eyes could make out the trails of silver mists that had begun to seep out around him once again. Faintly he could feel the distant gaze of Those who watched as They returned to him. But this time, They returned with the sense of submission, as a servant would return to a Master.

The quiet, child-part of him recoiled from all of this in mute shock and horror. But the spiritlight behind his eyes drew his gaze to something else that was reflected there upon the walls. He could make out the shape of something suspended within a shaft of light, there in the center of the room…

It was a sword. A very long, slender blade, sheathed in a cloth so black that it seemed to drink away the light. The hilt was glowing silver, ornately inlayed with glittery black patterns that gracefully drew down the length of the grip. As his mind focused on the sword, he felt both great hope and dread fill him.

Is this it? Is this what I’ve been looking for? The weapon that can destroy Zeromus?

Lucci paused, feeling a trickle of alarm. He had never thought about destroying anything in his life.

I mean… defeat. Not… destroy. Defeat.

The silver mists boiled through the room, rising up around the shaft of light. He found himself mesmerized, unable to do anything but move towards the blade.

The sword of the Sygni… from the Time Before.

His hand reached for it. He discovered his palm was now broad enough to grip a sword of this size without any trouble.

If I bring this back… I could become a hero? I could protect Ceiswyr? Then maybe…

Lucci’s fingers closed around the grip, a spark of silver light flowing between his fingers and the sword.

…people… will like me…

Power. Unbearable pain and power.

As his fist closed around the hilt, Lucci could feel the meshing between himself and the artifact. Two cold energies that were drawn to each other, flowing through him, binding him. Empowering him with knowledge and skill of those that had gripped the blade before he did.

Images flashed before his eyes. Memories. He could see it all. He could feel it all. The lives of those who had come and passed. Those who had lived in that place in a time before time remembered. And the lives of those that the blade had taken.

A flash of another vision. Lucci watched as his hand began to draw the blade free from the scabbard. The hand did not look like his own. The black-silver blade glittered with malice… as it came free, he could see that it was stained with blood.

He stared down at the length of the sword, numb with power. Numb with the sheer amount of emotion. Numb with memory over memory over memory drowning out his own vision.

“Lucci!!” a voice shouted his name. A familiar voice, rising from the Mists.

The sound, so unexpected, pulled him back from the brink. Fighting for his senses, he tightened his grip on the blade, as if holding it within his fist would give him mastery over it. Silver eyes flicked upwards. His mouth opened, his voice different, deeper than before. “Kaz? Is that you?”

A pale form stumbled out of the Mists, a form attached to his friend’s voice. As if having gained shape as Lucci had gained power, Kaz was no longer a simple outline of light. A man stood there. A man with bright eyes and a somewhat disheveled look – as if his pale hair hadn’t been brushed in far too long and he needed a good shave.

The spirit’s face was one of astonishment as he stared, seeming to be questioning if this was really the youth he once knew. “Lucci-boy?”

Everything else fell away as a rush of joy filled him. “Kaz! I thought I’d never see you again!”

Kaz quickly shook his head to clear it. His face was serious and concerned as he walked forward with an intense step, “No time! We’ve gotta go! There’s trouble!”

“Trouble?” Lucci echoed.

“For your friend outside!” Kaz’s hand snagged the edge of Lucci’s sleeve. It was far more solid a grip than he could have imagined it to be… and it looked to be growing more solid the longer he stood near to the young Sygnus.

In answer to all of his questions, a blood-freezing shriek echoed from outside the corridors of the obelisk. Lucci had heard that sound before. It was impossible to forget.

“Esgyll!?” his silver eyes widened with horrible realization. “No! Master NaDo!”

His eyes narrowed, focusing on his target, measuring the wind as he rode.

Zazo and TsuYa slipped through the bronzing late afternoon, nothing more than a shadow through the forest trees. The She Wolf’s head was pointed straight as an arrow as she ran. He was just along for the ride.

This whole chase had been based off of Aur’s logic. He pointed out two major facts: Firstly, Zazo seemed not to be able to locate Lucci for some unknown reason. Secondly, KoGuRai had also been chasing the youth, just as they had, through the Inner Realms.

Aur noted that though KoGuRai had caused what seemed to be random and chaotic damage to the village, he did not linger after being freed – and he didn’t seem to be travelling in a haphazard manner. It was as if he was hunting down something else. Eventually, they had all agreed that following KoGuRai might very well lead them to discovering Lucci’s location.

It’s not as if we have any other leads to try at this point.

Zazo had volunteered herself and TsuYa to be the ones to trace the path of the Marked Champion. He knew better than to try to involve JouKa in any of this. The girl had changed, just that quickly, after seeing the destruction left by the one that she had once loved.

Part of him was glad that she had finally come to her senses about KoGuRai’s false nature. Afterall, trying to hold on to someone like that would only lead to her own destruction in the end. But the other part of him felt pity. He didn’t have to be a mind mage to sense the sorrow and struggle that the girl’s heart was going through at this point.

So, TsuYa had not argued when JouKa had opted to stay behind in the village. Healing the wounded there seemed to give her something constructive to work for. And Aur had chosen to remain behind as well – whether it was because he still held disapproval for TsuYa’s recklessness or if he sought to offer JouKa companionship, it was hard to tell.

-Hold tight, Tsu! We’re getting closer!- Zazo’s mind-voice echoed in his head, pulling him from his thoughts.

TsuYa leaned down closer to the She-Wolf’s back and gripped her scruff, readying himself for the burst of speed.”How close?”

-Close close. Don’t you feel him?-

“Do I look like a feely sort of guy?” TsuYa grumbled with a scowl.

-You’re in a rotten mood today? I would have thought you would be eager to get the chance to face down KoGuRai again. - the She Wolf observed.

“Yeah well… it’s not that easy,” TsuYa said, half under his breath.

And it wasn’t. Because this time, he knew that if he wasn’t careful, if he relied too much on the leaking Marked powers to help him fight, he could very well cause the already fragile medallion around his neck to shatter. Fighting KoGuRai would be more of a test of his patience and control than something he eagerly awaited.

Unfortunately for TsuYa, he wasn’t big on either patience or control.

The sooner we can put KoGuRai down, the better. He’s going rabid… he’s got to be stopped.

-Tsu! Pay attention! Hold on!- Zazo gave a sharp bark as she lunged forward.

Jolted, the warrior noticed that the world around them had changed – instead of deep forests, they were now racing over stark white sands. TsuYa’s dark eyes squinted between the She Wolf’s ears as the crash of ocean waves grew louder. That’s when he realized they were running right out into the bay – towards some kind of building that sat cradled within the ocean waters.

“Waaaaait!”

Before he could protest further, the Arweinydd leapt straight off into the waves. TsuYa cringed, waiting for the enviable feeling of the wash of ocean waters that would come. But they didn’t.

What?

The warrior cracked his eyes open, peering with amazement as the waves passed along underneath them. He didn’t know if they were flying… floating… hovering… or whatever it was that Arweinydd She Wolves did. But so far they hadn’t crashed into the water yet.

Not taking any chances, he gripped tighter to Zazo’s shoulders.

-Do you see it?- she asked him, careful to stay away from the other sensory questions.

TsuYa squinted ahead. At such a distance, it was hard to make out anything beside the stone structure in the bay. But, as much as he didn’t want to admit, he could feel it. There were dark creatures ahead… KoGuRai and something else.

“Esgyll!? Out here? How?” the warrior grit his teeth. “I thought we left them trapped back in the Inner Realms?”

-I did, too.- Zazo answered quietly, her body shifted as she moved to approach the structure from a less obvious direction.

As they came closer, a terrible scene unfolded before them. TsuYa felt something cold in the pit of his stomach churn and sink. He could make out the great winged beast hanging from the side of the structure, three claws latched into the stone. To his horror, he could make out the form of a person… a person with white wings… being held tight in the monster’s front claw.

He could hear the sound of cold steel striking and sparking. A battle was taking place, there on the steps of the structure. On one side, TsuYa could make out the dark winged, black garbed form of  KoGuRai, wielding his vicious naginata. It took him a moment to recognize the other man, KoGuRai’s opponent — the tall silver form, bearing a long, slender sword.

“LuShi!? Is that…. really…?” TsuYa couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice.

-It would seem our little boy-Sygnus has grown up.-

“Yeah, it would seem so…” A lump formed in his throat as he watched as his once-student spun and struck with the long blade in perfect form. Moves that he knew that he had never taught the boy.  Moves that he didn’t even recognize. A trickle of fear shivered through TsuYa’s body. He couldn’t help but think about the danger… that maybe his father was right in fearing the power of the young Sygnus after all.

-For now, it still looks as if the boy is fighting on our side. We may as well take all the advantage we can get right now.- Zazo advised.

“That’s true…” a little bit of hope returned.

-He seems to be handling KoGuRai fine on his own.-

“Well, what about that other guy?” TsuYa motioned to the man who was trapped in the claws of the Esgyll. “He looks like he could use some backup there?”

-I agree. And Esgyll are such a thrill to chase!- Zazo gave a wolfish grin as she bounded up over the top of the cracked structure… then straight down the wall at the back of the winged monster.

TsuYa felt the exhilaration of battle and speed rush through him. His hand reached back, gripping his scythe and pulling it free. His eyes narrowed, focusing on his target, measuring the wind as he rode. With a snarl and a heave, TsuYa drew a long bloody gash through the Esgyll’s wing, fountains of black-red spraying into the late afternoon air.

As the creature reeled, the scythe met its shoulder, the wing crumpling and useless. Zazo’s body arched up and around, ripping with gleaming fangs and shredding claws. The creature’s dark maw opened in turn, lashing back desperately at wolf and rider. Somewhere beyond the pounding of battle adrenaline, TsuYa could hear the hoarse and frightened shouts of the beast’s captive.

Just hang in there, buddy. You ain’t seen nothing yet.

The warrior rose up, knees gripping the spiraling wolf for balance. A second later, he was off, springing from Zazo’s back straight towards the imprisoning claw. He dodged the snapping fangs of the beast, only a second before the She Wolf took hold of the Esgyll’s snout. Viciously, she raked at the oozing black eyes and tender nostrils.

With the monster preoccupied by the Arweinydd, TsuYa drove his blade home, slicing into the wrist. The scythe rang with a jarring blow as it cut straight to the bone. Though he was somewhat disappointed that it didn’t cut all the way through, the warrior was relieved when the shock caused the claw to fall limp, releasing the winged man.

“Alright! There you goooooooooooo–” TsuYa’s voice trailed into a shout. In his haste and excitement, he didn’t foresee the Esgyll’s reflexes. Having dropped its captive, it now swung back with the wounded claw, sending both warrior and scythe flying off with a snap.

Zazo!! Help!!

But the She Wolf was already busy, snapping and lunging between claws and maws. She gave a somewhat frantic look when she realized that her rider had been flung.

A woosh and flutter of wings surrounded TsuYa as he fell. In his surprise, he stared up, straight into the face of the winged man that he had just rescued. His shout rang out above the crash of the waves below, “Hold on, lad! I’ve got you!”

TsuYa’s first reaction was to ask the stranger who he was calling “lad.” But he decided better of it… considering he could still be dropped into the churning froth of ocean if the winged man decided it fit. Instead, he kept a tight hold on the scythe and let the man drop him off where he would. They landed on a ledge that served as the arch to the doorway, overlooking the battle that raged on below.

Both were out of breath. Both observed each other with curious looks before they spoke simultaneously, “Are you a friend of Lu–”

They paused. The winged man blinked. TsuYa just relaxed his grip on the scythe.

“I guess that answers it,” the warrior replied.

“It would seem so,” the winged man nodded.

A shrill cry pierced the air and the structure began to groan under their feet. With the two of them safely out of the reach of the Esgyll, Zazo now attacked the winged beast with a relentless fury. Perhaps it was a trick of the light or the blur of battle-weary eyes, but TsuYa could have sworn she seemed larger somehow, more vicious… chaotic.

“Zazo! Be careful!” he found the shout bursting from his throat before he realized it. Though he wasn’t quite sure what it was he was warning her against.

“Zazo?” the winged man choked, staring over at TsuYa. “Do you mean Zazo of the Trine?”

“Yeah,” the warrior answered, eyes never straying from the fight. “That’s her.”

“Ooohhhh…” he let out a long, awed breath.

With a final scree and a thrashing of wings, the Esgyll peeled off of the stone wall and plummeted into the ocean. The huge white wolf followed it all the way down, jaws snapping and tearing, only to leap back up at the last moment as the foam of the waves rose to claim the dark winged form. A thick oily shadow spread into the water where the beast disappeared. It did not rise again.

A frustrated howl rang from the midst of the battle below. KoGuRai’s face was furious as he saw his mount defeated and driven into the waters. His moment of distraction was a fatal one.

LuShi’s sword stabbed forward, his motions calculated and focused in a way that TsuYa had never remembered seeing before. The sheen of steel seemed to glow with a silver light, leaving a trail behind it — it was a glow that matched the cold, ruthless burning behind the young Sygnus’ eyes. TsuYa felt himself shiver, aghast as he watched LuShi’s blade drive straight into KoGuRai’s shoulder, exploding from his back with a spray of black blood.

The Dark Champion let out an animalistic roar, writhing on the end of the blade. His face was contorted with hate and desperation. As he glared up at the face of the young Sygnus, his dark eyes held the look of someone who saw terrible death looming over him. In a frantic move, he ripped himself off of the point of the silver sword, and a down swoop of wings carried him into the air.

LuShi gave instant chase, his expression cold and vicious. Though he didn’t have wings of his own, he leapt up the side of the crumbled stone wall without abandon.

TsuYa rounded on KoGuRai as he appeared on the door ledge, his hands tightening on the grip of his scythe. Though this seemed to be LuShi’s fight… and he knew that he had to be careful of how far he allowed the Dark Champion to manipulate his anger… he wasn’t going to pass up the chance to finish off the already wounded enemy.

“TsuYa!!” KoGuRai bellowed, rage crackling around him in streaks of red.

“Give it up, KoGuRai!” TsuYa retorted, moving forward quickly. “We’ve got you cornered! You’re not getting out of this one!”

“Augh!” He backed up a frantic step, towards the safety of the sky, only to be met with a snarling She Wolf from behind.

LuShi, too, had appeared up on the ledge, brandishing the length of his blade, dripping black with the Champion’s blood. “I’m going to send you back to your Master… just not the way you’d want to go.”

TsuYa arched an eyebrow.

The kid’s learned some class.

Then it happened, so quickly. Everything that KoGuRai did was born of desperation of his survival. One black-clawed hand lashed out, locking around the other winged man’s throat. The hostage gave a choked squeak as he was lifted straight off the ground, the Champion’s naginata poised and threatening.

“Master NaDo!” LuShi gave a hoarse shout. His voice was different now, but the quality was the same… pleading and boyish. He obviously cared a lot about the stranger.

“Don’t move!” KoGuRai hissed showing his dark fangs. “That goes for your pet wolf, too!”

Zazo paused where she had been creeping up behind. Her expression spoke volumes about not caring about sparing the life of the one, mere winged Earthian. But for some reason, she did not strike… though she didn’t look happy about being commanded.

“KoGuRai! You coward! Hiding behind hostages!” TsuYa snarled.

“All’s fair, as they say,” the Dark Champion gave a slick grin, fist tightening with an iron grip. “Now move.”

“Forget it! You’re not going anywhere!”

“You don’t have a choice,” KoGuRai’s voice was smooth as the point of the blade touched the winged man’s face.

I know he’ll do it. That’s just the sort of person he’s become…

TsuYa spat out a curse as the Dark Champion began to back step away, holding NaDo secure in the crook of his arm. LuShi, too, was still and silent. There was anger in his face. But he dared not to move.

When KoGuRai finally stood, balanced on the edge, TsuYa demanded, “Let him go!”

“So you can do what… follow me?” KoGuRai gave his gleaming smile. It left a chill over TsuYa’s body… a chill that told him something bad was about to happen. “I don’t think so.”

The Dark Champion launched upwards, wings flung wide. At the same moment, he hurled the winged man away from him, face down at the stone. Before anyone could move, the dark blade of the naginata slashed down, ripping through bone, feather and limb. A terrible cry rang out as NaDo plummeted and landed in a pool of blood on the stone. The cry was echoed by LuShi’s furious shout, which turned into a choked half sob as he rushed out towards where the broken man laid.

By the time any of them recovered from the shock, KoGuRai was gone, winging off into the dying day.