“You made me… your weapon! You made me kill these people!”

The Vision Stone was cracked, a sliced that cut straight through the clear, flat face in the place where the rift had once reflected in blue light. The soft glow of the crystal spluttered, broken, weakening from its cankerous wound. No longer would it protect these lands… lands now marred by the darkness and the mists. Its power was waning. The Stone was covered in blood.

And the last gift it gave was the deepest, most terrible curse upon the one that had struck it.

Luccious lifted the two broken bodies in his arms, hugging them to his chest one at a time. But both were limp and lifeless. Their spirits had been ripped from their flesh, trapped within the mists, just as his own sanity had become.

They were dead. NaDo. Maru.

He couldn’t remember who else. Everything had happened in a terrible blur of raging power and destruction. He knew people were dead, though. And they were dead because of him.

As the Stone’s last light gave his mind a momentary clarity, the Sygnus collapsed next to the two unmoving bodies. He sobbed and wailed brokenly, like a child, his fingers tearing at the blood-stained grass.

Luccious had become the very Bane that the people had fearfully foretold. Now the people that he had love most were dead. And he was alone.

-Why do you cry, my son?- the hissing voice crept into his mind. -They have given their lives to give you power… to a bigger and better plan. To our domination.-

He lifted his tear-streaked face as the darkness began to take shape and grow solid. What appeared there was not person nor Arweinydd. Whatever had been Zerom once, so long ago, was consumed by the Chaos and the Hatred. And now, that Hatred had become a part of Luccious, too.

“You made me… your weapon! You made me kill these people!” Luccious’ voice started out low, growing in strength.

-I gave you the power to reach for your own destiny. I did not control what you did with it,- the voice told him smoothly.

“You knew this would happen! You knew what it would drive me to do!” he struggled to his feet, fists balling. “I would never have hurt them! I would–”

-Why? Because you loved them?- Zeromus sneered. -Do you really think they had any love for you? Do you really think that a monster like you can be loved? Do you really fool yourself to believe that you deserve their love?-

A low laughter rang in his ears. Tears streamed, hot and furious down Luccious’ face.

-Love is an illusion for the weak, Luccious. And we… are not the weak,- the voice goaded him smugly.

“No…” Luccious answered, suddenly finding the cold grip of the black blade in his palm. “We’re not the weak.”

Silver eyes flashed with a terrible wrath as the Sygnus leapt forward, lunging towards the gloating figure. The slender blade struck, hissing and crackling with fury, ripping down through the darkness, splattering black ooze and hissing shadows across the silent glade.

Luccious’ cry of redemption mingled with Zeromus’ screech of shock and pain, echoing from the darkness of the overhanging sky.

Then with one final flicker, the blue light of the Vision Stone faded upon the old world.

{——————}

Zemi had walked for what felt like an eternity. His form that had once been tireless, flawless and so formidable now flickered and faltered. He was growing weaker — he could feel it in every inch of his being.

His power was linked to the Nefolian world, a world that was now far, far away. He was bound to the energy of that living planet. Together, he and that world had developed and grown strong. He had become a Patron, a defender of the creatures of that land.

But that was all gone now.

This strange, new world, felt nothing at all like his home planet. There was life and beauty there. Peace and silence. But the connection that had once strengthened him was gone. And his people… they were gone, too.

The Dreigiau carried the limp form of SoYa in his arms. Something had happened when they stepped through the rift. Something unexpected and awful. There had been a cracking sound and a bright light — when Zemi was finally able to gather his awareness, he had found himself there, alone, with only SoYa at his side.

But SoYa wasn’t the same. He hadn’t stirred or shown signs of waking, but Zemi could feel it. The wings that had once graced the Athrylith’s shoulders were gone. Simply gone, ripped away, as if he had never been Awakened at all. And the feeling around SoYa was distant, like a stranger. As if Zemi had never been his Patron… as if there had not been a connection between them all this time.

In the drifting patterns of the Athrylith’s dreams, Zemi could sense the same thing. Memories had dulled and vanished, a whole lifetime of experiences unmade and torn from SoYa’s mind. It was the last strike of the Sygnus — if he could not destroy the Nefolians in body, he would erase their knowledge and destroy the connection to their Patron from the inside out.

And if this had happened to one as strong of mind as SoYa, there was little doubt that the rest of the people, wherever they had ended up, were in the same state or worse. There would be no finding them all… no reestablishing things. Not easily. Not now.

Perhaps… it’s better this way.

It was a terrible, anguished thought. Still, as Zemi peered down into SoYa’s sleeping face, he couldn’t help but wonder if the people of the Inner Realms would have been better off without the intrusion of Arweinydd.

All we have caused is their death and destruction. Now they have no home. They have no past. They, too, are alone in the loss of their identity.

A long, ragged breath escaped Zemi’s lips.

I made a promise to watch over Zento’s son and keep him safe. I will fill that promise…

He stopped walking, having reached his destination.

Maybe the only way I can keep them safe is by not being here at all.

Slumping to his knees, the Dreigiau gathered them both into his arms.

Zemi’s teal eyes lowered, falling on the tiny curled up form in the grass. AsaHi. She, too, was without wings. But still radiant. Still beautiful. Just the same as the first day he saw her. Something in his heart ached as he knelt down, placing SoYa at her side.

Slumping to his knees, the Dreigiau gathered them both into his arms. They had been his people… his children to guide. And he had failed them.

I will make sure… if you have nothing else left, that you will have each other.

Though he felt himself weakening, the Arweinydd reached around them, gathering the last of his power. And within that embrace, he wove a new knowledge for them. The distant memories of each other. The love that they had shared. And the courage they possessed to stand by one another, no matter the dangers they had faced.

Zemi’s form began to flicker and shimmer, tiny particles of light drifting upon the alien winds. When he no longer had the strength to hold him, he laid them down in the grass, side by side. And with a tired and sorrowful breath, the Dreigiau faded away.

{————–}

He opened his eyes. The world blurred around, vision swimming. His mind was cloudy, waking very slowly. He pushed himself up on his hands, feeling the cool blades of grass under his fingers. Then he peered around.

He wasn’t sure where he was or how he had gotten there. But it didn’t seem like a bad place to wake up. Everything was quiet. It smelled of earth and flowers and trees. He heard the buzzing of busy insects as they made their rounds over the fern-like bushes. Somewhere not too far away he could hear the sound of running water.

A water splash across the face sure did sound like a good idea.

As he rolled over to look around, he noticed he was not alone. A girl was curled up in the grass beside him. He was surprised at his feeling of surprise regarding this fact — was it odd to find a girl sleeping in the grass? Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. Afterall, everything felt somewhat odd about this situation.

He leaned over her to get a better look at her face. It was obscured by waves of pale white hair. Specks of grass and flower petals dotted the soft strands making her feel like something that belonged there. Something of the natural world.

He reached his hand forward to pull her hair from her face and paused upon the sight of his fingertips. They were a dark color, almost as if they were dirty. But he knew they were not. The color didn’t burn or hurt. He sniffed it and it didn’t smell funny. But there it was, on his hands. So strange. Just like everything else.

While he had been inspecting his fingers, the girl began to stir. She slowly rolled over, bright green eyes fluttering open. It took her a moment until her vision focused, peering up at his face.

He had expected her to respond in surprise — afterall, he would have been surprised if someone had been staring down on him when he had wakened. But she didn’t. Instead, she gave a wide, beautiful smile.

“SoYa?” she asked.

“SoYa?” she asked.

He blinked once. Then realized that was his name. And that he knew her name, too.

“AsaHi?” he asked in a similar tone.

“Hi..?” she answered, looking a little shy.

“Hi?” he responded, brushing the stray curly hair from his eyes.

AsaHi reached up and stroked her fingers through his hair, moving along with his own fingers. Then she pushed herself to sit up next to him.

The sound of voices carried along the breeze. There were other people here, somewhere. SoYa could feel them. Sense them. He didn’t know how he knew. He just did. The feeling of slight confusion and wonderment. People waking up, just as they had.

“There’s other people here,” AsaHi gave him a quizzical look.

“I know,” he told her and nodded.

Then he got to his feet and helped her up. As he began to walk forward, he sensed something funny. Looking down, he could see AsaHi’s little hand wrapped around his own.

And something about that felt just right.

{——-}

The sound of the ocean was more mournful now, though Oren couldn’t understand why. The darkness had lifted from the forests, but even so, had left only a pale shadow of what the land had once been. As he rode along, even Drok seemed restless, ears twitching in nervous agitation.

Something really bad has happened here… I just wish I knew what it was.

He knew it had to do with the strange white haired people. Even after the KoGuRai creature had been slain, they were always in a huge bustle to get one place or another. But no one had stopped and taken the time to explain what the trouble was.

Just like the people of the Inner Realms. Thinking they’re so much above the rest of us because of their wings.

The people of the Spiral had also been on the prowl, heading further south than Oren had ever seen. The golden haired men were never one for conversation, though, and didn’t offer any information either. They just seemed to be searching and searching…

Whatever they were looking for, they don’t seem to be finding it.

Drok suddenly lurched to a stop, nearly sending Oren sprawling over his neck.

“Hey! Hey! What do you call that!” he complained, punking the creature on the shoulder lightly. “You need to warn me before you do something like that!”

Drok simply shook his head all the more and snorted. Squinting up the steep incline towards the forest, Oren could make out a glimmer of something white along the stones. Swinging down from his mount, he frowned and began to make his way towards it.

“You stay here,” he said back over his shoulder. “Not like you’d move anywhere anyway. Lazy thing.”

The closer Oren climbed, the more his astonishment rose. Soon his eyes could pick out the features of a person. A white-haired woman. Someone he knew all too well.

“Well, now. If this isn’t déjà vu,” he murmured under his breath.

Kneeling down, he checked her over for any sign of injury. She was still breathing. She didn’t seem hurt. But the wings that she once had… they were missing. Simply gone.

Something strange is definitely going on here.

Something strange is definitely going on here.

Oren pursed his lips and gathered her into his arms. Carefully he picked his way back down the incline towards where Drok was waiting.

The creature flicked its ears forward with an expression of smug expectation.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re good,” Oren huffed, securing the woman on Drok’s back. “Let’s get her back to the camp and see if we can figure out what happened.”

Camp wasn’t too far away. It was mostly a cave they had found in the side of the stone near the ocean. It was somewhat damp and the fire could be stubborn at times, but there wasn’t much more one could expect when it was high tide.

Oren covered her in a hide blanket, did his best to make her comfortable among the saddle bags and put some fish on the fire to fry. He hoped that the smell of food would bring her around — she didn’t look like she had eaten in far too long.

Eventually, hunger must have taken its toll, because she did start to stir. He leaned forward to watch her, a big grin spread across his face.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he teased.

Expecting a disgruntled jab in return, he braced himself. But she merely blinked at him in confusion.

“JouKa?” gave her a concerned look.

She didn’t respond to her name.

“JouKa?” he asked again.

This time, she turned to him and asked slowly, “Do ya mean me?”

“Yeah,” Oren frowned. “That’s your name. JouKa. Don’t you remember?”

“Oh. Yes… of course,” she answered. “JouKa.”

Drok gave a concerned snuff from the far corner of the room.

“’Oo are you?” JouKa asked with a moment of hesitation.

He blinked, then gave a wide joking grin to cover his own worry, “I’m Oren. I’m the love of your life!”

Certainly THAT will get a reaction!

Her mouth opened wide. But instead of the customary shout, she mused in wonderment, “Really?”

Oren fell over backwards in shock, nearly upsetting the frying fish. When he uprighted himself, he waved his hands around, “Okay! Now I KNOW you’re really sick!”

JouKa looked down at herself, clutching the hide blanket tighter about her shoulders. “I… don’t think I’m sick.”

“Then, what’s wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she told him.

“How did you get here?”

“I don’t know.”

“What happened? Was there a fight?”

“I don’t know!” this time tears began to shimmer in her eyes.

“Whoa! Whoa! Wait… I didn’t mean it like that!” he waved his hands around.

Good job you insensitive lug!

There was a long uncomfortable silence. Then he scrubbed his fingers through his hair and slowly slid over to sit next to her.

“Look,” Oren said. “It’s okay if you don’t know.”

“It is?” she asked with a sad face.

“Yeah. It’s fine. You’ll be alright,” he promised her. “I’ll take care of you and we’ll figure this all out. Okay?”

JouKa didn’t say anything. She just nodded and leaned her head against Oren’s broad shoulder.

SCORE!

He couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across his face. Drok gave him a long, flat stare.

Oren cleared his throat and motioned forward, “So. Uh. I hope you like fish? How about some?”

A rumble rose up in Zemi’s throat, his eyes locked on the Sygnus.

“Kudako…” Zemi’s voice cracked as he spoke the name.

“Zem,” AsaHi took his arm in a comforting motion. “He’ll be alright. I’m sure.”

“No… He isn’t alright,” the Dreigiau turned his gaze downward, face pale and strained. Words didn’t have to speak the feelings that were emanated.

SoYa didn’t have to hear it. He knew. The Dragon Warrior had fallen and would not be returning to them. And despite the power of the great Watcher from the Time Before, he had doubts that even Aur could hold up against the darkness and death of the wild-minded Sygnus.

So many. We’ve lost so many… is there really nothing left for us to do but run?

“Lord Dragon! Please hold your concentration. You too, Lady Wolf!” NaDo’s voice cut through the moment of mourning.

-Excuse you! My name is Lady Zazo. Get it right, Earthian!-

It was enough to draw the Arweinydds’ attention back upon the task at hand. Everything that had been said about the Vision Stone was true. It rose up before them, a pillar of brilliant blue light that shown straight up into the sky. Where its light shimmered, even the darkness did not touch. Something about the glade surrounding the Stone felt safe and protected — but SoYa could not say how much longer that would last.

The machine that NaDo set up next to the Stone was a marvel of technology, even more so than his ships and the endless lines of gadgets that ran the length of the walls of the Shellab. All wires and hums and tall flat looking screens, it somehow managed to tap into the vast energies of the tall Vision Stone. Under the right hands, NaDo had said, the Stone’s power might even be bent to the user’s will.

It’s hard to believe that a little boy can trigger all this…

KiNa’s hands were little, but the right ones. The moment the child placed his palms against the slick touch pad of the machine, the stone had burst into a brilliant light. The distant sound of ancient song rustled through the winds of the glade. And the tallest crystal face along the side of the Vision Stone had flickered with an image.

Just as NaDo described…

The picture wavered, glowing before them. A land that was not their own. But a living world just the same. There was no sight of city nor structure. Just a rolling forest and long green hills. A place that gave the feeling of peace. Perhaps safety, if hidden away from the searching eyes of the Dark Sygnus.

As the three Arweinydd focused their powers around the machine next to KiNa, the image of the distant land became more and more clear. More stable. The shimmering ripples of a riftway had spread across the face of the stone. It had become a gateway into this strange new world.

And now, the winged people were filing through this rift as quickly as they could. Women and children were assisted by the soldiers, feet shuffling up the slick crystalline incline that lead to the rift. Their faces were haunted with the fears that hung just over the edge of the forest — they could feel the pressure of the prowling death coming ever closer. No one dared to hesitate — even a completely alien land was less frightening than the Dark Sygnus’ wrath.

There were so many people. So little time. And knowing that Kudako and Aur could only hold the Sygnus at bay for a short while, SoYa didn’t know how they would get everyone to safety.

“AsaHi,” the Athrylith took her by the shoulders and started nudging her towards the stream of moving people. “I want you to go.”

“What? SoYa! I’m not leaving you here!” she protested instantly, just as he knew she would.

“Please! I’ll follow you. Don’t worry! I just have to know that you get through safe,” he tried to reassure her. At this point, they both knew that nothing could be promised.

“Don’t leave me, SoYa…” AsaHi hung on to his shoulders, tears in her eyes.

“I won’t leave you. But I have to help make sure everyone else gets through safely. That includes you,” he told her.

A broken sound. An uncharacteristic sob. Her strength had finally been spent in the face of so much death and loss. AsaHi threw her arms around his shoulders, burying her face into his tunic. It was the hardest thing he could do to force her to let go. But he did, giving her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

One of the soldiers saw his plight and took AsaHi by the upper arm, “Come with me, Miss.”

“No!” she tried to struggle. But he was far stronger as he led her towards the rippling face of the Stone.

SoYa could only watch, his heart aching.

AsaHi turned and reached back towards him. She called his name frantically, but he couldn’t hear her voice above the hum of the machine and the rift winds. Then, in a flash of soft blue light, AsaHi had stepped through, fading into the crowd of winged people. Lost to his sight.

“Keep going,” NaDo coached. “We’ve almost got everyone. We’re doing a lot better than I had hoped.”

Despite the positive words, SoYa could only glance back over his shoulder with a worried frown. The shadows and mists were moving again. And approaching fast.

“NaDo… Maru… you should take KiNa and get through,” Zemi’s tone was concerned. He, too, saw the motion in the forest behind them.

“Just a little bit more, Lord Dragon,” NaDo assured him. “We have to make sure the machine is properly dismantled and the rift shut… or there’s a chance we can be followed. That would defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?”

As the last of the winged people gathered through the gateway, SoYa saw a lone figure holding back. A figure he recognized instantly.

“JouKa, what are you doing?” he rushed over towards her. “You have to get through the rift.”

“We’re beginning the dismantling process,” NaDo announced. “Everyone get ready to make a run for it!”

JouKa turned with a silent, haunted face. “I’m not goin’.”

“What? You can’t stay here!” SoYa protested. “You’ll be killed.”

“Then I will. But I’m not goin’. This is my world… my ‘ome. I’m not lettin’ some winged freak push me outta it!” she gave him a hard glare.

He took her arm, “Be reasonable! You’ve got nothing to gain by getting yourself killed here.”

She jerked her arm away quickly, backing away with a snarl. “Gain? Everything is gone! KoGu is dead! TsuYa is Marked! Our ‘ome is destroyed. People are dyin’! Tell me what’s worth seein’?”

“Power down, eighty percent!” NaDo’s voice warned.

“JouKa!” he reached for her again.

She dodged back, “You don’t order me around, Neffie! Go save yer own skin. I’ll take care of myself!”

“Seventy-five percent!”

SoYa drew in a frantic breath. He could see that nothing short of forcing her was going to work… and they just didn’t have the time.

Before he could reach out for her again, a deafening crack broke the sky above. The shadows and mists rolled in, struggling to press upon the brilliant blue of the Vision Stone. But the Dark Sygnus strolled forward, unaffected, long glimmering black blade held ready in one hand. It dripped, heavy with gore and blood.

JouKa gave a horrified scream, reeling away from SoYa’s hand. He could only stumble back in shocked astonishment as the girl whirled around and took off running. Not into the rift of the Vision Stone. But into the depths of the forest, the opposite direction of shadows and mists. He shouted her name, watching helplessly as she vanished between the trees.

The Sygnus’ laugher was chilling as he advanced. His smile was hollow and void of any emotion. His voice low and level, “Zemi Dreigiau… you sent your pets to do an Arweinydd’s job. And then you mourn their death. How hypocritical.”

With a flick of his wrist, the Dark Sygnus heaved a heavy, curved sword forward, tossing it at the Dreigiau’s feet. It glittered with a deep golden sheen, decorated by the etchings of a long, majestic lion. It, too, was splattered with blood.

Zemi’s face contorted at the sight of it. A sudden rage burned in his eyes, focus breaking away from the rift, shifting to the harbinger that stood before them.

“Zemi! No! Don’t — crud! Energy levels dropping drastically! We need to get out!” NaDo shouted a warning.

“Hypocritical. Just like everything you’ve ever said to me,” Lucci hissed.

“No! It was never like that! Never!” Zemi snarled, moving towards the Sygnus with a deadly furor. “We took you in! Cared for you! Gave you a home and even trained you! How could you turn on us like this?!”

“Did you really think that your so-called care,” the Sygnus drew the word out in disdain, “Could stop what I was meant to become? I didn’t kill these people, Dreigiau. Your idealistic hope did!”

A rumble rose up in Zemi’s throat, his eyes locked on the Sygnus.

Lucci lifted his blade, ready. A sickly smile crossed his face, “That’s right. Let me drink your power, Arweinydd. You would give me far more than these little Earthians have.”

“ZEMI! RIFT IS CLOSING!” NaDo’s voice bellowed, trying to break through the rage.

Zemi didn’t flinch. It was as if nothing but the Sygnus existed to him at this moment — the clashing of wills, a face-off of natural enemies that stretched back into ancient times, back to the Time Before.

Sygnus and Arweinydd.

And if legends spoke rightly, the Arweinydd would lose.

I can’t just stand and watch this! I have to do something!

SoYa thrust his staff forward, focusing his power into the stone. The staff that his father had once helped him craft… back when he had first learned what it had meant to be what he was, an Athrylith. And all that time they had spent recently… Father training him so hard. Teaching him. And Tsu.

Tsu…

And Aunt SaRa. Now Kudako. Aur. They would never see the light of this new world, the memories and sacrifices lost to the old lands. They would not be there to guide the struggles of the refugees that would have to work to start all over again. He was the last of the Ya family line. He alone, would have to lead the people.

And it’s all… your… FAULT!

A pulse of multi-colored power lit the staff’s stone, sending a shaft of light straight into the fray, slicing between Sygnus and Arweinydd. Unexpected, Lucci reeled back from the blast, a crackling pulse spreading across his shoulder, smoking where he was hit.

“ZEMI!” NaDo demanded.

Finally, the Arweinydd jerked his head around. He stared at NaDo, then at the wavering rift in realization. Whatever had held the Dreigiau captivated had broken as the Sygnus’ attention swung about, focusing with a terrible intensity on SoYa instead.

“You… the son of ZenToYa…”

It felt like the breath was being crushed out of SoYa’s lungs. Shifting tendrils of mist crept over the ground, towards his feet. But no matter how much he fought and threw his will against it, he could not find the strength to move.

“You think you can fight me when your father could not?” the Sygnus sneered taking a slow step forward.

Searing pain raced through his limbs, shadows moving over him, gripping him. For a fleeting moment, SoYa was reminded of the shadows that had taken his brother.

“Would you really give your life for your people? What would you risk to defend your homelands?”

“Every…thing…” SoYa croaked, fighting for breath.

“Then you shall be bound to share the tainted fate of Nefol,” the chilling voice cursed him.

The Sygnus’ silver eyes bore into his own, stripping away all the warmth in the world. SoYa doubled over, the pain becoming too intense for him to bear. His shaking hands struggled to keep grip of his staff, knees trembling and dropping him to the ground. His watery eyes could make out the darkness that had begun to stretch across his skin, spreading from his fingertips and up his arms.

“Power at 30 percent! Now or never!” NaDo’s voice edged with worry.

Faintly, SoYa could hear Maru’s pleading voice. “Take KiNa! Take him, Lady Zazo!”

-Don’t you think I have enough to carry?- the She-Wolf growled as she bore the Marked Champion towards the fading rift.

“He’s just a little boy! Please, take him!” a mother’s cry.

Even Zazo couldn’t seem to deny that. With a huff, the Arweinydd clamped down on the back of the child’s tunic, lifting the boy between her teeth.

“Mommy!” KiNa cried, little wings stretching and straining, reaching for his parents. “Daddy!”

“GO! GO!” NaDo shouted, slamming his fist on the machine as if to keep it running just a few moments longer.

The She-Wolf whipped around, lunging for the rift, carrying child and Marked through the final flickers of the blue Vision Stone light.

SoYa felt himself lifted from behind. Strong hands pulling him up, off his feet. The world jolted around him as his senses faded in and out of awareness. Distantly, he could see Zemi above him, carrying him.

“Lucci! You don’t have to do this!” Maru’s voice echoed from what seemed an immeasurable distance. “We know this isn’t you! This isn’t what you’d want!”

The Sygnus’ step faltered, but only momentarily. His voice was grave, “It’s too late for that.”

“No! No it’s not! You have to stop this!” NaDo begged.

SoYa felt the trickling light surround them as Zemi ran, carrying him to the rift. He reached back towards the wavering images of NaDo and Maru as they moved forward. He watched as they put themselves between the Stone and the Sygnus.

“I can’t!” Lucci cried and lunged forward, his fevered silver eyes locked upon the retreating Dreigiau.

The black blade lifted.

The sounds of screams. A crack like thunder split the air. A brilliant blue light.

The sensation of falling. Burning agony and choking breath. A terrible pain ripping through his body. Pain so overwhelming that drove his thoughts and senses to nothingness.

His mind reeled, struggling to keep hold of himself. But then that, too, was washed away.

There was no sensation left… followed by a deep, dark sleep.

The great maw snapped open with a gleam of fangs. A stream of pure energy shot across the room as the Marked shadows began to boil at the foot of the cave door.

The sound of dragon-alarm echoed through the depths of the Wyndor chambers, startling AsaHi from her restless sleep. She didn’t know how long she had been sleeping or how much time had passed since they had arrived in the Dragon city, but she could feel that it had not been enough time to get things as situated as Zemi would have liked for the defense against the Marked siege.

Next to her, SoYa was stumbling to his feet with a groggy look. He, too, must have attempted to get what little sleep as was offered. His hair bushed out in all directions as he jammed the square-topped cap down over it. In better times, this would have made AsaHi laugh… but for now, laughter was dimmed as the sound of battle began to flood the hallways.

“AsaHi!” was all her Promised said before he took her wrist, urging her up and moving.

Getting her feet under her, she rushed to keep up with his longer stride.

They had hardly gone half the length of the room when a looming shadow burst through the doorway ahead of them. AsaHi stumbled back with a yelp of surprise as SoYa’s staff leveled forward, lighting the room with a brilliant golden glow.

“SoYa! Put that out!” Zemi’s gritty voice groaned from where the Dreigiau was squinting away from the light. “You’re going to alert every goo-dripper around that we’re here!”

“Oh!” the Athrylith sounded abashed as he lowered the staff. “I was just–”

“Yes, I know. Very courageous, kiddo. Now come quickly — follow me,” Zemi beckoned.

“Where are we going?” AsaHi rushed after the Dreigiau without a moment’s hesitation. SoYa was a little less eager to move forward, peering down the length of the shadowy stone halls before following.

“We need to secure the last of the children in the west wing before the Marked get this deep into the caverns,” the Arweinydd answered shortly. “We tried to gather everyone earlier, but we just haven’t had enough time!”

AsaHi peered ahead in the shadows to see the huddling forms and frightened eyes of a dozen young winged children. Among them, she could make out a few familiar faces, children she had seen and spent time with on the Islands before the Migration. Then, a dark haired girl rushed forward, waving a tiny hand in worry and calling her name.

“Suzume!” AsaHi answered back, coming to meet her.

“We’re under attack?” the little girl asked taking AsaHi’s hand with shaky fingers.

“It’ll be alright,” she attempted to sound reassuring. But it was difficult to keep the fear out of her voice.

-Yes. All will be well, but we must make haste,- a quiet voice echoed softly within AsaHi’s ears. Speech that was not speech.

A small white bird alighted down upon Suzume’s head, wings and tail flicking with what seemed to be agitation. Instantly, the girl recognized the shimmering sparrow form of the Arweinydd Zeni.  If Suzume had any surprise about acquiring the sudden feathered hairpiece, she didn’t show it — AsaHi couldn’t help but wonder at the casual demeanor between child and bird. Afterall, it wasn’t every day that an Arweinydd landed to perch on one’s head.

The roar of battle Dragons suddenly shook the walls, leaving AsaHi’s knees weak from the impact. Great voices and sounds of alarm came from the adjacent chambers.

“We’ve been blasting them down off the east wall, but they just keep coming!”

“How many are there!? The lower chamber is nothing but black and stench!”

“Those things are tearing the wings off of people! I saw it myself!”

“Hold your ground! Ready the flames. Torch anything that comes from the below!”

SoYa’s hand clamped around her wrist again, a frightened light to his wide eyes. He managed to squeak a few quavering words, “We better go!”

AsaHi nodded mutely, gathering Suzume with her free hand and rushing towards the group of shivering children, who stood frozen by the seeping aura of fear that hung heavily in the air. The side halls burst into red flame as the screeches of the invaders met with the molten fire, claws and fangs of the defending Dragons. The girl felt her breath whistling between her lips as she broke into a sprint. However, the frightened children before her only stared at the inferno glow with horrified faces, unable to move.

“Come, children! Come with me! Follow me!” AsaHi’s voice was strained with fear. She motioned with both hands, like a person trying to herd a flock of chickens away from danger. But still, they did not move.

Suddenly a pillar of white light burst up through the chamber. She only had a moment to turn and see the form of Zemi’s great white Dragon taking form – wings unfurling over them protectively, deep teal eyes glowing with a brilliant internal flame under the stream of shaggy Dragon mane. The great maw snapped open with a gleam of fangs. A stream of pure energy shot across the room as the Marked shadows began to boil at the foot of the cave door.

If the children had been frightened before, they were terrified now. But it was enough to get them moving, running as fast as tiny feet could manage. It was all AsaHi and SoYa could do to keep up and try to direct them to the same place. There were no signs of Marked ahead, only the screeches of battle and agony ringing out behind. The large, shimmering white form of Zemi followed distantly, driving the attackers off of their trail.

SoYa clutched his head now and then, squinting in pain as he ran. The sound of the Marked screeches were blood-freezing to everyone, AsaHi remembered, but were extremely painful to the Athryliths in particular.

She reached one worried hand over to grip his shoulder. Though she was too winded to manage words, he understood the motion.

“I’m fine… keep going,” SoYa replied through gritted teeth.

Before long, the winding halls forked off in many different directions. AsaHi pulled up to a stop – though she had spent much time in Wyndor before, she had never explored so deep within the mountain core. And she certainly wasn’t sure of picking her way to the west wing, as the Dragons had called it.

A few of the children were sniffling, on the verge of tears as SoYa turned around in a circle. His brow was furrowed, too, “Which way?”

-Come with me!- chirruped the answer. A streak of white zipped over their heads and down the path to the left as the tiny white Zeni-bird pointed the way through the shivering halls and chambers.

AsaHi opened her mouth with surprise. But Suzume was already tugging on her hand, pulling her forward.

“Zeni knows!” the little girl told them without a hint of doubt.

AsaHi peered at SoYa. The Athrylith only nodded.

The halls grew darker the deeper they traveled, making it more and more difficult to coax the children forward. Eventually, SoYa was forced to use his staff to light the way.

-Almost there. Don’t stop now.- The soft-spoken words brushed past her ear, somehow soothing. Renewing her determination.

“Zemi?” AsaHi turned with a questioning look. There was nothing there, no sign of the Dreigiau. But she could feel his presence, sense his awareness. She knew that the Arweinydd was there. Watching and protecting his people with the dedication and concern that of a true Patron.

She could sense it in him – the pain and fear and struggle that Zemi shared now with his people. A growing understanding of what it meant to live and die. To lose and mourn. And to fight to protect those that did not have the power to protect themselves.

In the midst of the darkness, battle and invasion, this came as a comfort. AsaHi knew that whatever happened, Zemi had found his way. He could hold his own against the threat of Chaos, now.

The Dreigiau would stand against the darkness and protect his people, no matter the odds.

“AsaHi! SoYa!” a familiar voice called their name from the end of the hall.

The girl had to squint before she could finally make out the beckoning form of JouKa, fully armed and looking ready to do battle. Without another word, the short-haired girl turned and pushed on the side of the rock face. There was a deep, startling rumble as what appeared to be a dead end in the hall began to shift and open. A brilliant, multi-faceted light burst from the widening cracks in the wall, revealing a huge chamber of shimmering wonder.

Despite the ripples of fear that still gripped her, AsaHi couldn’t help but give a long breath of amazement. Multi-colored tiles glittered and pulsed along the floors, some emitting tall shafts of rainbowed light towards the vaulted roof. Tiny, pin-pricked runes and patterns were traced along every inch of the rock, all focusing inward on one large, upraised panel of translucent stone. It was huge – big enough for even the Zemi Dragon to perch on. Staring into its swirling depths felt as if one had come face to face with heart of the universe itself.

“What is it…?” AsaHi whispered.

“A major rifting point of the Cynosure system,” Zemi’s voice answered from behind her. This time she felt his hand on her shoulder as he walked past her into the room.

“A what?” SoYa echoed with a furrowed brow.

“It be our ticket outta ‘ere,” JouKa told them with a somber look. “That’s why we’ve been bringin’ all the kids and women.”

“Go ahead. You’re safe now,” Zemi motioned the newest arrivals forward.

For the first time, AsaHi’s gaze slipped past the brilliant glow of the Cynosure stone to see a much, much larger group of people huddled in the safety of the far end of the room.

Released from their guidance, the children scampered across the chamber, hopping over the runes and shimmering tiles to join the others.

“So what exactly does it do?” AsaHi asked, carefully stepping through the doors.

“It’s a transportation system of sorts,” Zemi answered.

“Then, we’re going to evacuate?” SoYa inquired.

“If things start to turn against us, yes,” the Dreigiau nodded. “I promised your Father…”

“Then you had better call the troops in now and get these people out of here,” a ragged and broken voice intoned from behind them.

AsaHi turned with a worried frown, taking a moment to make out the shape that emerged from the shadows of the hall. She knew the man, though they had only met once before the attack on the Spiral, and she could not remember his name.

“You’re… that spirit… the one that was Lucci’s friend?” she stammered slightly.

He looked too real to be merely a spirit now. In fact, he looked just as real as anyone else there. He bore the grim and tatters of someone who had traveled a long and exhausting journey. His face was lined with a deep grief, the tips of his long ears quivering as they drooped.

“I am…” he answered hoarsely, leaning against the wall as if to catch his breath.

“How did you get here?” Zemi asked, lowering his brows.

“Are you alright?” SoYa asked at nearly the same moment.

“I’m fine,” the spirit nodded. “And how I got here is irrelevant.”

The Dreigiau crossed his arms with a frown, “Not to me.”

“Zem,” the man breathed out with a tired, pained look. “I’m here to warn you. You have to get your people out of here! You have to go to the Vision Stone… it can tap into the Ways… and it might be the only thing that’s going to save you.”

“Save me? From what?” Zemi’s eyes narrowed. For some strange reason, the Arweinydd appeared to be taking the message of warning seriously.

“It’s Lucci… I tried to stop him,” the spirit’s voice wavered, almost to the point of weeping.

“Lucci! Did they find him?” SoYa’s eyes widened. “We sent a Spiral search party for him after the battle… but no one had seen him.”

“He w-went… to face Zeromus…” the spirit choked.

“What?” Zemi moved forward, quickly gripping the other man’s shoulders. “Why?! Why did he do that without telling anyone?”

“He thought he could stop the battle… he wanted to defeat Zeromus… he wanted to protect people. But it turned out all wrong. The sword… the wings… Lucci didn’t even recognize me… I couldn’t stop him!”

“Wings?” SoYa breathed.

“Sygnus…” the spirit slumped forward. “Zeromus has Awakened the Dark Sygnus.  Luccious is coming… he’s almost here.”

“AsaHiiii…” her name escaped his lips in a rasping hiss. It seemed difficult for him to speak.

“What’s going on?” AsaHi asked, holding tight to SoYa’s shoulder. She could hear the muted sounds in the world outside of the Lion’s Keep. “Something terrible has happened since we went down to the Stone Lair… hasn’t it?”

“I don’t know,” SoYa told her. He was listening, too, eyes narrowed and flicking around from one end of the Keep to the other. “But Zemi told us to stay in here. I think that’s what we should do.”

“But there can’t be a battle, can there?” she pressed. “We left Zerom and his forces on the other side of the Cleft!”

“I don’t know,” SoYa answered again, patiently. Then he pulled her closer to his chest, holding her for reassurance.

Every now and then, the ground would rumble. It was a terrible feeling, just sitting there and waiting. Not knowing if there was a battle, and if so, who was fighting. Or if Zemi might have needed her help. Chaos still lurked outside, no matter what new power and strength the strange blue stones had given him in the chamber below.

After a while, the door to the Keep opened. Both AsaHi and SoYa leaned forward, faces painted with expectation. But when they saw JouKa and Suzume stumbling inside, all they could do was puzzle all the more.

“JouKa?” AsaHi called with a questioning voice.

The moment that the girl glanced up, AsaHi was overwhelmed by the pure absolute grief in her eyes. She had never seen the tough winged girl cry… but JouKa was crying now.

“What’s wrong?” SoYa was on the job instantly, making his way over to them both.

Before anyone could say a word, both JouKa and Suzume had attached themselves to the Athrylith, sobbing.

“Whoa… whoa. Hold on. Tell me what’s happened!” he waved both hands in surprise. “Please… I can’t help you if I don’t know.”

But neither of them seemed to be in any condition to explain.

AsaHi eventually managed to detach Suzume from SoYa’s waist and pull her to the side. The little girl just curled up under AsaHi’s chin, holding on to her with two shaking hands.

“JouKa…” SoYa’s voice was soothing and calm. The flows of subtle mind magic began to shift through the room. “It’ll be alright.”

“No… no it won’t,” she answered.

“What is it?” he coaxed.

“The Marked… and the Esgyll… attacked…” JouKa hiccupped softly. “Aunt SaRa. She’s still out there…”

SoYa swallowed, peering over with a concerned look at AsaHi.

So we ARE under an attack.

“Don’t worry…” SoYa was assuring her, “Aunt SaRa is strong. She’ll be just fine.”

JouKa’s voice wavered, “I don’t think so… not this time…”

Before SoYa could reply, there was a sound at the door again. Thinking someone was coming in, he got to his feet, lips pursed slightly. But after a time, the doors did not open, though the sound on the other side remained.

“Oh no…” JouKa whispered hoarsely, grabbing a hold of SoYa’s shoulder. “They’ve found us. They know we’re in here!”

At the tone of panic, Suzume gave a muffled little-girl cry. The sound carried and echoed in the Keep before AsaHi could cover her mouth. Suddenly, what had once been shuffling on the other side of the door became mauling, scraping, raking and banging. Animal like growls and hisses rose to her ears… the sound AsaHi knew as the Marked.

SoYa’s face paled as he took slow steps away from the door. The wood groaned and rattled on it hinges. Then suddenly burst inward as oozing black claws erupted through from the other side.

“What do we do?” JouKa held tight to SoYa’s tunic, shaking him. “This place is a dead end!”

“No… it’s not,” AsaHi glanced over quickly. Back towards the passage down to the Stone Lair.

“That’s right!” SoYa shook himself out, ushering JouKa back towards the doorway. Reaching up, he grabbed the nearest torch. “Let’s go!”

“Come this way, Suzume,” AsaHi took the little girl’s hand, leading her forward.

“But it’s dark down there!” she protested, face pinched with fear.

“It’ll be alright, I promise you.”

Without waiting for a reply, AsaHi plunged into the steep narrow passage that lead deep underneath the Lion’s Keep. There was hardly enough light for her to see by. The steps were slippery and damp. She ran one hand along the moss-covered wall on one side, holding tight to Suzume’s hand with the other.

When the sound screeching filled the chamber above, her heart nearly beat out of its chest.

“Go! Go!” SoYa hissed from behind, trying his best to shine the light ahead of them.

“Don’t stop!” JouKa repeated over and over and over again.

It wasn’t long before they could hear the sound of the Marked at the top of the passageway. Their shriek shattered the musty air and sent stone raining down around them.

They’re following us!

The shrieks also seemed to have some effect on SoYa, who almost dropped the torch. JouKa was quick to take the light and pushed to keep him moving.

“SoYa… are you alright?” AsaHi gasped, spitting out lingering cobwebs as she raced forward.

“Hurts…” was all that he could manage, stumbling after her.

Finally, a glint of light somewhere below indicated that the Stone Lair was getting closer. AsaHi half fell the last few steps as the stone deposited them into the giant, underground forest. She could hear JouKa’s sounds of awe just a moment before it was drowned out by the screeching from the tunnel behind.

SoYa took one look at the huge towering trees above, then peered back at the three girls. He spoke only one word, “Fly!”

“What?” AsaHi demanded, incredulous.

“Fly!” he pointed up into the trees. “They’ll never be able to climb and catch you quickly enough. You can be safe up there!”

“I’m not leaving you down here, SoYa!” she protested.

With the sound of the Marked pressing closer, JouKa grabbed Suzume by the hand, “Fly with me, okay, Suzume?”

The dark-haired girl nodded and sniffled. But she stretched her two black wings.

“I’ll take care of her,” JouKa told them. She glanced up into the trees, then back at SoYa before spreading her wings. Without another word, the two girls were airborne, lifting off into the endless trunks and branches above.

AsaHi and SoYa, however, were running again. And arguing all the way.

“I’ll be alright!” he protested.

“No! I’m not just going to leave you alone to face those Marked!” she snapped back. “They seem to do funny things to you.”

He muttered, “Just the sound of the shriek…”

“See! How can I leave you like that?” AsaHi scowled, dodging under the shadow of a tall mushroom-like plant.

“Well we have to find some place to hide or they’re going to catch us both!”

They were running haphazardly, she knew, dodging around the huge tree roots, in and out of bushes and banks. They had not had much time to explore the Stone Lair at all the first time they had been down there. So for all she knew, they could have been running in circles.

They made their way further and further, hand in hand. Never did they stop to catch their breath or figure out what direction they were moving. The pressure of the earth was heavy above them and the forest itself wad completely silent on every side.

It was in the midst of the silence that the ambush came — just when AsaHi had begun to think the silence meant their safety. As they turned the corner around the roots of a tree, a huge dark shadow dropped down upon them. She felt herself forcefully yanked away from SoYa’s grasp, watching as he was knocked away spinning, then slammed up against the trunk of the tree.

“No! SoYa!!” AsaHi cried, reaching for him.

It felt like a lash of cold iron had curled around her neck as she was pulled back and so easily lifted up off of her feet. Something immeasurably strong had captured her, one large arm curled up under her chin to hold her. No matter how she struggled, she could not loosen the grip.

And SoYa was not getting up.

“SoYa!! SoYaaa!”  Her struggles became more frantic, fighting against the unmovable strength. Her cries became more desperate. Just as quickly, her captor turned her around, and she found herself face to face with a terrible sight.

It’s just like everyone said…

She knew TsuYa when she saw him… no matter how different he looked now. Despite the fact he was now twice her size, and then some. Despite the grey skin, black eyes or dark hair and wings. Despite the wicked claws and fangs and black spikes that covered his body. There was something in that intense, dark gaze that was still the TsuYa she remembered.

As scared as she was at that moment, she almost wanted to cry.

“AsaHiiii…” her name escaped his lips in a rasping hiss. It seemed difficult for him to speak.

Her gaze locked with his, searching the depths of his haunted black eyes. There was something behind them, a look of distant recognition.

“TsuYa…” AsaHi whispered. “Is it you?”

“The Master wants you captured,” he warned her.

AsaHi winced quietly – TsuYa would have never called anyone “Master”… not willingly, at least. But she tried not to let it show. It was surprising enough that she even got him to talk to her at all.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because you can protect Zemi,” was the quiet answer. Then, he stumbled away from her with a snarl. “Run.”

“What?” AsaHi stared at him.

“Run!” TsuYa snapped, cold fangs showing.

She backed away, eyes flicking towards where SoYa still lay, “But…”

“He’ll be fine,” the Marked growled. “The Master only wants you.”

The sound of Marked screeches rang through the forests, coming closer. AsaHi realized she was out of time and options… and that perhaps being with SoYa was more dangerous than running somewhere far, far away from him.

Please be safe…

She swallowed, peering at TsuYa’s face one more time before she took a step away from him. For some reason, she trusted his word. Even if he was the Marked Champion. There was something within him that was still the TsuYa she knew.

“You’ll get in trouble for this,” she warned as she spread her wings.

“I’ll enjoy every second of it, too,” the familiar arrogant smirk crossed his face. “Now go!”

With a sweep of her wings, AsaHi launched into the air. Though her heart was beating fast, her flight was steady, carrying her away from the dangers below. With a heavy feeling in her chest, she couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever see TsuYa again.

Aunt SaRa’s head lifted and the winged woman pushed herself to her feet. Even across the shadow and the distance, JouKa could see her face clearly.

“How have you been holding up, dear?” Aunt SaRa asked, gently stroking her fingers through JouKa’s hair.

“As well as I can,” the girl answered quietly. Though JouKa appreciated the concern from everyone around her, she just didn’t feel like explaining the extent of how she felt. She doubted words could describe the emotion.

To one side, Suzume sat quietly braiding her hair. Somewhere between the time when JouKa had first met the child and now, the girl’s fingers had become far more adept. No longer did she tie her long black locks in knots. Now she could make a proper braid for herself… which made her look quite pretty.

I remember when…

Watching Suzume braid sparked a tinge of sadness. There were days that she had spent, sitting on the flowering hillsides of Ceiswyr with the dark-haired girl and TsuYa for her companions. Back then, she had been short tempered and bold. She had challenged everything that the Neffie TsuYa had to say just for the sake of a fight. She even had the gall to slap him a few times for something as simple as his own sharp words.

What I would do to take it all back…

How foolish it seemed now. Now that he wasn’t there anymore.

And despite the fact that JouKa knew TsuYa killed KoGuRai, she still couldn’t bring herself to hate him. Because something in the way that he had fought that last battle just wasn’t himself. He had been driven to murder. Driven by the same dark power that had transformed and taken him away.

And her grief was for both of them.

“What’s on your mind, dear?” Aunt SaRa interrupted, as if she knew exactly what the girl was thinking about.

“Nothin’…” JouKa turned to peer out the window of her room into the darkening night.

Then much to her surprise, Aunt SaRa totally changed the subject, “So what do you think of this Oren fellow? He seems to be quite taken with you.”

JouKa’s face flushed a little. She shook her head to cover it up. “What do I think? I don’t think nothin’ about ‘im.”

It’s too soon to be thinkin’ anything about anyone.

“That’s a shame. He’s a good looker,” the woman said with a slight smile, gathering up JouKa’s hair again.

“He’s… different,” she admitted, giving in just a little bit. But only because she thought it was fair to humor the woman’s attempts.

“And look… your hair is growing out so nice and pretty,” Aunt SaRa told her. “Have you ever worn it long, JouKa?”

“Long time ago. Before I left my gathering,” the girl said.

I really ‘aven’t worried about bein’ pretty since then…

“Ah… well it looks good on you,” the woman clucked her tongue. “I’m sure Mr. Oren would think so, too.”

JouKa gave an exasperated sound, “Aunt SaRaaaa!”

This only set the winged woman to laughing softly. And in spite of herself and everything else, JouKa couldn’t help but laugh a little, too. Suzume joined them, laughing with a little girl smile, despite the fact that she probably didn’t even understand what the women were laughing about.

They had hardly finished catching their breath when the sound of an alarm rang out through the streets of the Spiral.

“What’s that?” Suzume asked, getting to her feet. The girl rushed to the window with wide, dark eyes trying to make out what was happening in the night shadows.

All the mirth had left Aunt SaRa’s face, replaced by a frown of concern. She quickly reached over and took the dark-haired girl by the wrist. “JouKa. Suzume. I think we need to go to the Lion’s Keep.”

She knows what’s ‘appening, doesn’t she?

“Aunt SaRa, what…” but JouKa’s words were interrupted by the sound of the repeating alarm.

The winged woman gave no answer. She just pulled them both by the hands, “Stay close to me. It could be dangerous. So we have to stay together.”

JouKa didn’t ask anything else. She simply nodded and followed Aunt SaRa out the door.

It was so hard to see what was happening. The night was heavy upon the city, heavier than night had a right to be. Darkness swelled thick in the streets, obscuring form, leaving vision with pure motion. JouKa could hear the sound of the Spiral people rousing to the alarm and rushing about. At first, she thought that they, too, were running for the safety of cover. But then she noticed that commoners – men and women both—had come from their homes carrying weapons of all shapes and sizes.

The people of the Spiral would not run. They were warriors, each of them, to the depths of their souls.

We should stay and ‘elp them!

JouKa wanted to protest. But the moment her feet slowed, Aunt SaRa would grab her by the wrist and keep her moving. There was an intensity in the winged woman’s eyes as she led them towards the rising form of the golden Lion’s Keep.

“Keep moving,” she told them both. “We must see if we can find Zemi and Zento.”

“Where ‘ave they gone?” JouKa shouted, rushing to keep the pace.

Suzume stumbled once, but Aunt SaRa was there instantly, helping the little girl along. She managed to half turn and answer at the same time, “I’m not really sure. I know it has something to do with the Lion’s Keep. So I believe that’s the best place for us to be headed.”

There was no time to agree or disagree. The earth shook as something huge and dark dropped out of the sky, landing heavy in the streets just a block over. The terrible snake-like head of the Esgyll rose up over the tops of the golden-stoned houses in a roar that rocked the city. JouKa stumbled as the stone under her feet jolted her, sending the three of them scattering. Dazed, all JouKa could hear was the muted cry of Suzume and the shouts of people fighting somewhere in the distance.

Slowly, she pushed herself up on her palms, skin raw from the scrape and fall. Aunt SaRa’s voice was above her, hands lifting her up and forcing her to keep moving.

“Come! Come! We can’t stop here!” the winged woman urged.

The roar of the Esgyll echoed in the streets again, as if to accent the words.

Gotta… keep my ‘ead clear. Can’t die ‘ere!

JouKa shook herself out, then helped to gather Suzume. Moving forward. Ever forward. Towards the great golden form of the overlooking Keep. In the sky above, she could make out the winging shadows of more of the terrible winged creatures. Pulses of flame and cold light marred the underside of the clouds – the Dragons had arrived.

Does that mean that Lord Zemi knows what’s goin’ on now? Are we saved?

A new sound echoed in the Spiral streets. Terrible screeching sounds. A sound that JouKa had heard before.

TsuYa!

She stopped to turn, on instinct alone. Dark shadows darted behind them, leaping on the Spiral people who had come out to battle. Wild cries and shouts. Screeches as the Marked moved with inhuman speed, almost unreal to watch.

But TsuYa was not there.

It must mean ‘e’s in the city somewhere, though!

“JouKa!” Aunt SaRa’s voice was strong. “We cannot stop. Not even for TsuYa.”

‘Ow did she know what I was thinkin…?

She had no time to ponder it. The echoes of shrieks and animal snarls were closer now, coming from one side, just in front. Aunt SaRa pulled them quickly around the corner, then up a set of narrow stone stairs that led them up to the second floor of the building.

Fire flickered and shot through the sky, lighting up the battles that raged in the streets below. People of the Spiral fearlessly defending their homelands, golden against the darkness, reflecting the flash of flame and light. The Marked darting and lashing with wicked claws and fangs, moving like elastic as they bounded in small groups off of walls, crates, fences, posts. Moving with a weightless speed of impossibility.

A great explosion shook the earth as a pillar of fire and destruction erupted from the city somewhere behind them. Flaming stone began to rain down on them from above, some catching into smaller fires as they landed in the streets.

“Ow! Owww!” Suzume cried as some of the hot stone scorched through her feathers.

Aunt SaRa drew the girl to her, covering her face and head with her own wings protectively. “Shhh…. Shhh… We can’t let them hear us, love. We’re almost there. Just a little further to go.”

With a fight like this… will the Lion’s Keep be any safer than the streets?

JouKa took the moment to catch her breath, watching as the Marked began to thin out in search of more prey. Motionless forms of the Spiral people lay, dotting the streets. People who had been trained to protect their families… but were not the perfect warriors like the men of the Spiral armies.

They ‘ave no chance against these monsters…

She didn’t know if anyone had a chance.

“Come, come,” Aunt SaRa took her attention away from the streets. “Don’t look at that. We must keep going.”

Despite her words, the winged woman’s voice was taut with fatigue. Still, she led them back down the stairs and into the streets again. All the way, she kept Suzume’s face covered, protecting the girl from the grisly visions that lay splattered around them.

JouKa couldn’t help but look as they passed one of the Spiral men, not too far way. She heard his groan, a contorted sound of pain. And the healer in her couldn’t help but want to stop.

‘E’s still alive!

As she stepped closer, she could sense that something was terribly wrong with him. The gashes across his face and chest had turned a sickly grey color. What appeared to be a cloud of shadow and decay hung over his body, arching up over him, sucking away light and life. His eyes turned toward her as they glazed over in a sheen of darkness, the pleading hand that reached towards her was mangled and claw like.

JouKa jumped back with a gasp. She had seen this before.

‘E’s turning Marked?!

Terrified, her green eyes shot across the bodies that littered the street. All of them were the same. Thick cloud of shadow and decay rising over them. Slight movement and struggle. Convulsions.

No! No! NO!

This time it was her turn to urge them forward. “We’ve got to run! Aunt SaRa! Those people are falling to Zerom’s Mark!”

Suzume gave a muffled cry. Aunt SaRa held the girl closer, eyes sharp. “Don’t stop. It’s not much further.”

That’s when the air around them exploded in a hurricane of flame and terror. JouKa screamed as she was thrown from the sudden impact, landing all the way on the other side of the street. Luckily, she found her wings tangled in the bushes and trees of the Spiral’s Square. Just at the foot of the Lion’s Keep. Not far away, she heard Suzume’s soft cry.

What ‘appened?’

The ground shook again, the square echoing with the sound of huge beasts in battle. Freeing herself, JouKa could see that one of the Dragons had been driven to the ground under the fierce strength of one of the black Esgyll. The black vicelike jaws were clamped hard upon the Dragon’s throat. And though the beast raked with claws and lashed with wings and tail, the roars became suffocated gurgles.

JouKa rushed over to the sound of Suzume’s cries, working to untangle the girl from the brush, “Suzume. We’re almost there! Let’s go!”

The Esgyll lifted its head, trumpeting in terrible triumph as the Dragon’s limp head hit the ground. When the girl turned to look, she realized with horror that a familiar winged figure lay only a few yards from the huge beast.

Aunt SaRa! No!

She was torn. Torn between moving forward and getting Suzume to safety. Or rushing back to help the winged woman.

Her indecision was answered as Aunt SaRa’s head lifted and the winged woman pushed herself to her feet. The sharp green eyes focused on the two of them. Even across the shadow and the distance, JouKa could see her face clearly.

“Go!”

The command was spoken with so much strength that the girl could do nothing but obey. As the Esgyll’s dark gaze fell upon Aunt SaRa, JouKa turned towards the steps of the Lion’s Keep. Her hand gripped Suzume’s smaller hand tightly.

They ran.

There was no sound behind them. Nothing but a brilliant flash of light that lit the golden square, blinding the terrible beast as it lit the way for their frantic flight. It was Aunt SaRa’s light — her final stand of strength, determination, will and pure love.

Then suddenly, the light was gone.

“Tell me a little bit more about what’s wrong… maybe I can help you.”

“Sooooooooooo what are you? The King of the Spiral?” Oren beamed his trademark grin as he hooked a friendly arm around Aur’s shoulders.

JouKa winced a little. It was not the sort of thing that one randomly did to the Watcher from the Time Before. Luckily, Aur didn’t appear to be annoyed by it — or maybe he was and he just wasn’t showing it. It was so hard to tell with Aur most of the time.

“What makes you ask that?” Aur glanced over at the red haired man with quiet, hooded eyes.

“Well, you know? Lion? King?” Oren waved his free hand around. “And just the fact that your face is practically plastered all over the banners around here. So what’s the deal?”

“Oren…” JouKa sighed softly.

“What? It’s just a question,” he arched his eyebrows in response. It was that sort of hey-don’t-look-at-me innocent expression that had started to drive her nuts the better she got to know him.

By definition, Oren was the embodiment of blamelessness. Or so he seemed to believe.

“I am simply the diplomatic overseer of the Spiral, acting on Zemi’s behalf. That is all,” Aur answered.

“Suuure,” the red haired man laughed, flopping down in the big cushy chair nearby. “That’s why they’ve got you decked out in a place like this.”

“I cannot help it if the people of the Spiral wish to make more of me than I am,” the Watcher intoned quietly.

“Someone should give this guy an award for modesty,” Oren just grinned. Then he leaned with one elbow on the previously spotless table top. “What do you think, Jou?”

“I think… that I’ve told ya not to call me that,” she huffed, turning her head with a flutter of wings.

“Come on! I know you like it,” he responded, leaning even closer.

JouKa gave him a slight shove back. “Just who do ya think ya are?”

Oren just laughed all the more. His grin had turned teasing in what JouKa called “his uncultured and brutish way.”  But no matter what names she called him, it didn’t faze him one bit.

A slight smile touched Aur’s lips as he began to pace slowly in front of the large windows. A subtle interest shown in the way his golden eyes kept straying to watch their interactions.

Whether it was an act on Oren’s part was hard to tell. JouKa knew that he could be just as gentlemanly as he could be uncouth — it all really depended on what he deemed appropriate, she had learned. Maybe it was because he reminded her of the people she had grown up with in the Gathering, but something about his company was comforting in the midst of all the turmoil and breakdown. Though JouKa would never admit it out loud, she didn’t know what she would have done without Oren’s good natured bantering and optimistic outlook to keep her moving forward.

I just don’t know ‘ow ‘e does it.

As was the way of the people of the land, Oren appeared to have a lot of confidence, even at a time when darkness was closing in on every side. When JouKa’s own spirits were crushed, he wasn’t content to let her sink in her sorrow. Though it had been very difficult as of late.

I didn’t know ‘ow much it would hurt…

KoGuRai’s death at TsuYa’s hands. It was something that played in her mind over and over and over again. Her thoughts were haunted with the idea that maybe there was something she could have done to stop it. If she had intercepted, somehow, maybe the fight would have never happened. And if the fight would have never happened, maybe KoGuRai would still be alive. And TsuYa wouldn’t have become the next Marked Champion.

But instead, her worst nightmares had come true, right before her eyes. They were both gone, both far out of her reach. And nothing she could do would save either of them now.

I don’t understand why… terrible things ‘ad to ‘appen. They were both good guys once you got to know them. Neither of them deserved this.

“Hey. You’re thinking again,” Oren’s large hand cupped around hers. She realized she had been wringing her hands again, an all too obvious sign to him that she was worried.

“Yeah… well… you don’t think enough,” JouKa attempted a weak retort.

“No one’s ever accused me of having half a brain,” he smiled, trying to keep things light.

JouKa didn’t feel like smiling. But she did anyways. For him.

They’ve taken good care of me. Oren… and Aur…

The golden haired Watcher glanced her way as if sensing her thoughts.

I know I’m very lucky to ‘ave them.

That’s when Aur’s deep voice rumbled, “We are going to have visitors soon.”

“How do you know?” Oren asked, leaning back in the big chair, one eye squinting.

The Watcher just gave him a long, silent look.

“Alright, alright,” the red haired warrior waved his hands. Then he turned to JouKa and teasingly informed her, “We’re going to have visitors soon.”

JouKa almost snorted through her nose at his randomness. Instead, she just pushed Oren away again.

It didn’t take very long before there was a knock at the door, just as Aur had predicted. The Watcher rose to answer it, a polite exchange of words made through the doorway. When Aur stepped back into the room, Lord Zemi Dreigiau and his Dragon warrior, Kudako, followed.

JouKa rose to her feet at, giving a quick curtsey, “Lord Zemi!”

“Oooooh,” came Oren’s long, thoughtful sound. “THE Lord Zemi?”

The Arweinydd arched his eyebrow, hands folded behind his back. The Dragon warrior behind him appeared to be bored.

“Oren!” JouKa hissed over her shoulder. “Of course it’s THE Lord Zemi!”

“Of course! Forgive me, M’lord,” Oren echoed with a nervous laugh as he got to his feet and attempted a respectful bow.

The Dreigiau simply waved one dismissing hand as he took a seat, “No worries. Just relax.”

Kudako, however, looked less than relaxed. The Dragon shadowed the Arweinydd, standing sternly behind his seat with glittering, unblinking eyes.

“I’m glad to see you up and about, Lord Zemi,” Aur offered, sitting calmly across from the Dreigiau. “I had heard there were some… difficulties…”

“A few. But I’m working on it,” Lord Zemi answered.

“I knew you would,” the Watcher nodded. Then with a lift of his chin, he inquired, “What is it that you need from me, M’lord?”

“A little less formality, for one,” the Arweinydd grinned, the hint of fangs showing.

Aur sighed quietly.

Oren gave a little laugh, murmuring under his breath, “I think I like this guy.”

Before JouKa could chide, Lord Zemi flicked a bit of a grin at the red haired man. “An Outlander?”

“Yes Sir,” the warrior grinned back. “The name’s Oren. 100% Outlander. At your service, Lord Dragon.”

“It’s good to meet you, Oren,” the Arweinydd nodded. “It’s been a while since I’ve had contact with your people. But they always know how to show good hospitality.”

“That we do, M’lord,” Oren pumped one fist with a proud look.

Kudako cleared his throat in a not-so-subtle hint that there were more important things to be addressing at the moment. As if somewhat reluctant, Lord Zemi nodded and leaned forward, templing his fingers together.

“I don’t exactly know how to start this,” the Dreigiau said, eyes resting on his Watcher. “Other than to say that a spirit’s voice told me to seek you out for guidance.”

“Spirit’s voice?” Aur pursed his lips with a heavy brow.

“One of the spirits that have taken up residence around Lucci,” Lord Zemi explained. “Apparently, this one has befriended the boy… Lucci’s even given him the name of Kaz.”

Suddenly, the Watcher visibly stiffened. For one so emotionless, it was a serious over reaction.

Lord Zemi must have noticed as well because he asked, “Is that… someone you know? The spirit claims to be from the Time Before.”

Aur’s golden eyes took a long, hard look at the Arweinydd before he answered evasively, “I knew a lot of beings from the Time Before.”

Oren exchanged a curious look with JouKa, but had enough sense to keep his mouth shut.

“I see,” It was obvious that Lord Zemi wanted more information, but when the Watcher didn’t offer further words, the Dreigiau didn’t push the issue.

“Why did this spirit voice tell you to come to me?” Aur asked instead.

“Because, I…” the Arweinydd stopped dead, glancing at Oren and JouKa. Something akin to embarrassment hung over his face.

“Because you…?” the Watcher prodded gently.

“Because something’s wrong,” Lord Zemi blurted quickly.

“With?”

The teal eyes flickered towards them again, then focused on something outside the window, “Me.”

Aur’s voice was level and calm, “Now, was that so hard to admit?”

Lord Zemi ground his teeth for a moment. Then he answered, “Yeeaaaah…”

“Alright,” the Watcher leaned back in his chair. “Tell me a little bit more about what’s wrong… maybe I can help you.”

“It might have something to do with Chaos,” the Dreigiau began. At the word ‘Chaos,’ he stopped and quickly backtracked, “Not that I’m going Chaotic or anything like that. I just think that maybe…”

Aur’s golden eyes were focused on the struggling Arweinydd. He nodded gently over and over and over again, with an encouraging arch to his eyebrow.

“I think that maybe something happened to me when I faced Zerom. Something happened when Ceiswyr fell,” Lord Zemi finally said, biting the words off as if each one was something foul tasting in his mouth. “And I haven’t been able to… take…”

“Take…?”

“…Take… my Dragon form… ever since the Islands fell,” the Arweinydd’s gaze lowered.

JouKa’s mouth opened slightly. She didn’t mean for Lord Zemi to hear her sound of surprise and concern. But he must have, for he shot glance in her direction, teal eyes glimmering with shame.

“I’m sorry,” the Dreigiau intoned quietly. “I know the last thing anyone needs to hear is how you all have a gimped Patron now.”

Something stirred in her chest at his disheartened half-droop. Never had she seen the Lord Zemi Dreigiau so open and honest… almost Earthian. And though she was bad at the sympathy thing, the winged girl felt like she needed to say something. Anything.

“No, Lord Zemi. It’s not… like that at all,” JouKa told him.

“No?” he asked.

“No,” she shook her head. “When I was an outcast of my own peoples, ya brought me to your Islands and gave me a place to be. Maybe at first, I didn’t really think that I fit in there. It was kinda ‘ard. But now that it’s gone, I realize what a special place ya made for everyone. And I know ya fought as ‘ard as ya could to keep it safe. I don’t think there’s anything ya could do to make me think lesser of ya, Lord Zemi.”

The Arweinydd stared at her for a moment, too surprised to reply.

Kudako, however, found words for him, “Thank you.”

“Huh?” JouKa frowned.

“I’ve been trying to tell him that. But he will not listen to my reasoning. Maybe he will listen to yours,” the Dragon warrior grunted.

Lord Zemi just sighed, appealing to the Watcher once again, “So… that’s what I mean when I say something is wrong. Do you have any ideas?”

Aur tapped his chin with one finger before nodding slowly. “It sounds like you’ve lost your unification.”

The Arweinydd’s head jerked up, “That’s a lot like what the spirit voice said, too.”

“I’m sure he did, Lord Zemi,” the golden haired man simply agreed.

“And so… how do I get this unification thing back?”

“Usually imbalances like this are restored in their own time,” Aur answered. “But in the case of Chaos having some effect, you may need to find outside assistance. Something to help you balance out your energies of Creation.”

Oren gave a soft whistle, “This is waaaay over my head.”

“Don’t worry… me, too,” JouKa whispered.

“Me three,” Lord Zemi added, much to her surprise. He leaned forward with a slight grin. “Aur, this all sounds great. Don’t get me wrong. But I don’t know the first place to go looking for something to help balance out Creation. Is that like… a little walk-in hair salon or a downtown pub on the corner? Let’s call it Clyde’s Creation and More!”

The Watcher didn’t look amused. “I’m being serious, Lord Zemi.”

“So am I,” the Arweinydd spread his hands. “Throw me a line here. I’m sinking.”

“I would suggest that you start by finding sources of power that date back to the Time Before,” Aur answered gravely. “You know as well as I do that there are still many of them here upon this world.”

“That’s true…” the Dreigiau poked his finger in the air repeatedly. “That’s very, very true. In fact, if I remember correctly, the Spiral is one of the areas known for housing strange phenomenon. Like giant golden lions that came from the Time Before.”

The Watcher frowned all the more, “Yes. However, the pocket of energy that once sustained me was drying up. By now, it is probably nonexistent.”

“Where there is one pocket, maybe there are more nearby,” Lord Zemi debated.

“Perhaps, but do we have time to entertain notions without facts to back them up?” Aur asked.

Before the Arweinydd could answer, Kudako interjected, “It is not just a notion.”

“Hrm?”

The Dragon warrior pursed his lips stoically. Then he continued, “There were old stories when I was young… about the energies deep within the earth that powered the Spiral. Stories about why our home was founded here, of all places. Why the trees have taken such an unusual coloration. So many other stories that point to unnatural causes within these lands. But these are things that only the Clan Leaders of old really knew about and could confirm.”

“Which means?” Lord Zemi asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

“That I do not believe anyone here and now knows these old secrets anymore. The Clan Leaders were killed off when the Arms Master took control of the Spiral,” Kudako’s voice was low and grave.

“Perhaps… not… all of them,” Aur answered unexpectedly.

All eyes turned questioningly towards the golden eyed Watcher.

The little winged girl was safe, cradled against his chest.

“TsuuuuYaaaa!” KoGuRai’s face contorted in an animalistic snarl. His dark eyes focused sharply on the warrior, full of hate and fury.

“Did you forget about me?” TsuYa smirked. He coolly wiping his blade off on the edge of his coat only to find, to his dismay, that the black ooze ate right through the cloth.

“Turn around and walk away. This is between me… and LuShi,” the Champion sneered.

“Oh? Then why are you dragging little girls into this? Are you trying to break your record for hostage taking… the coward that you are,” he sneered back.

This time… this is it. This time… you’re not walking away alive, KoGuRai. We already know your tricks. It’s time for this to stop.

TsuYa ground his heel against the stone, poised and ready to strike. KoGuRai took a step back, nursing his wounded shoulder, both fists clamped tightly around the haft of his naginata. But before any blows could be exchanged, a shout rang out across path.

“TsuYa! TsuYa, wait!!”

The warrior gave a quiet curse under his breath. Things were about to get even more complicated.

“JouKa..?” KoGuRai paused, turning at the sound. It was strange how the Marked Champion could throw out scathing threats with the same voice that could sound so concerned.

The winged girl rushed out into the center of the fray, eyes wide as she stared between them. Then she stopped, peering straight at KoGuRai for a long, long time. For once, she seemed completely lost for words.

KoGuRai also stared at her, lowering his weapon just a bit. The silence between them was awkward and heavy. Finally, he took a step towards her. “JouKa… I’ve finally found you. Have you come to me at last?”

TsuYa made a blech face.

“KoGu… what… what… ‘ave you done?” she shook her head, taking a step back.

“Wait. Wait, JouKa. I can explain everything… just listen…” he approached, with hands wide in a gesture that spoke of harmlessness.

“Explain? Explain… what? The village ya razed? All of the people ya killed?” her voice was quiet, nothing more but a shaken whisper. “‘Ow can you possibly explain somethin’ like that?”

“Village…?” his face grew as pale as a Marked complexion could. “No… that wasn’t me, JouKa! I swear!”

“Then who was it, KoGu? Someone that looked like you and yer pet Esgyll?” she retorted hotly.

“If you’d just let me talk, I could tell you.”

“Then tell me about Mister NaDo. And about takin’ him ‘ostage. Splittin’ his back straight open. Tell me that wasn’t something that ya did, KoGuRai?” JouKa gave him a sick, pained look.

“JouKa…”

“You didn’t ‘ave to ‘eal those people — I did!” she snapped, not allowing him a moment of explanation. “I saw what came of it all… and I just can’t believe…”

KoGuRai fell silent, looking down at his fists, gripping the haft of his naginata. His hands were shaking as if fighting back some kind of internal violence.

“What’s ‘appened to you?” tears shown in her eyes. “I wanted to believe in you. But after what I’ve seen, all I can think is… you really ‘ave become a monster!”

The Marked Champion’s head snapped up with a bitter glare. The expression that had been concerned and shocked had turned cold and distant.

“I see what’s going on here,” KoGuRai’s voice grew low and gravely. His dark eyes shifted from JouKa to TsuYa and back again. “TsuYa’s turned you against me, hasn’t he? You’ve fallen for him while I was gone. You’ve fallen for him and you’ve betrayed me to him, haven’t you?”

“What? KoGu… what in the name of the Light are you talkin’ about?” she shook her head with a frustrated and confused look.

“You know what I’m talking about!” before she could pull back, his hand shot out, grabbing her roughly around the wrist. The air crackled red, furious Chaos. KoGuRai was losing himself. “All this time I was trying to find you again. I was promised that he would give you to me and we would take Nefol together! But you’ve ruined it all! You’ve run off with TsuYa!”

“KoGu!!” JouKa’s voice raised an octave, for the first time, real fear shown in her eyes as he loomed huge above her. “It’s not like that at all!”

“Are you Promised to him!?” KoGuRai almost roared, fangs gleaming as he pulled her closer.

“NO! KOGU! Yer ‘urtin’ me!!” the winged girl yanked back in pain. TsuYa could see the strength of the Marked Champion’s fist closing tighter around the girl’s arm. And he knew exactly how strong a Marked could be.

“STOPPIT!!” TsuYa leapt forward with a snarl of his own, slamming between JouKa and KoGuRai. “LET HER GO!”

The winged girl stumbled back, knocked free from the terrible grip… just at the same moment the Marked claw slashed out, leaving long, bloody gashes straight through TsuYa’s shoulder. He gave a choking gasp at the unexpected pain, dodging just as the claw came for him again.

Somewhere in the distance he heard JouKa’s scream and the choked cry of Suzume. The world wavered and shifted around him as his senses tunneled. Fury began to burn within. Everything focused on the dark winged figure of the Marked Champion before him. His rival. His enemy. One who would kill and destroy in order to steal everything that his family had sacrificed everything for – Nefol… his people… his friends…

I won’t let you hurt them!

KoGuRai bore down on him with blade in hand, a dark maelstrom of hate. His wings stretched wide, the twisted taint of Chaos choked the air. Animalistic insanity and bloodlust had transformed the Marked Champion’s face – if there was anything left of the son of JinRai, it was impossible to see it.

TsuYa floundered back, barely deflecting the blows that came again. And again. And again. His shoulder was in shreds, wounds open and burning with the acidic nature of the Marked attacks. His chest grew tight, breath rasping in his lungs as he fought to keep his feet under him.

I… can’t. I can’t hold up under this! He’s so strong!

Pain exploded along his left side. TsuYa watched, to his horror, as dark crimson fountained from KoGuRai’s blade as it tore into his body. His cry was wretched… so unlike the warrior he had fought to be. For years and years and years. All the training and hardship. Everything that he had strove to be… to be like his father. His brother. The ones that people respected.

And I will die like this… on the end of this monster’s blade…?

Eyes darkening, TsuYa’s face broke into a snarl of his own.

I refuse!

With an agonized groan, he pulled himself off of the point of the naginata. KoGuRai loomed over him, a smug look of triumph stretched over his face. The battle was won in his mind. He was merely toying with TsuYa now… doing everything he could to make the warrior’s death as shamed and futile as possible.

That will be your biggest mistake!

Distantly, he heard the sound of voices. JouKa and LuShi calling frantically. TsuYa could only watch with horrified, blurry eyes as Suzume rushed out between, little wings unfolded. She darted in, face angry and determined, yelling at KoGuRai as loud as her child-voice allowed.

Kid! What are you doing!?

Something grew deathly cold within his chest as he saw the glint of KoGuRai’s blade flash. The naginata lifted into the air, poised above the child’s head. So deliberate. The Marked Champion’s expression did not change… as if it was nothing more to him than swatting away a meaningless irritation.

Suzume!!

Fingers digging into the ground, TsuYa drove himself back up on his feet. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t speak. His body wasn’t responding. Everything felt so cold, as if all the heat had rushed out of his body.

I WON’T LET YOU!

A dazzling white light suddenly flooded the world. In the brilliance of the flash, he could make out KoGuRai reeling back, wincing against the blinding radiance. Suzume gave a shout, falling back in surprise, but unharmed.

His arms were around her. Just that sudden. TsuYa hadn’t realized he had the strength to move. But he was there. The little winged girl was safe, cradled against his chest.

Suzume stared up at him with awe. TsuYa could see his reflection in her dark eyes… he realized that the light was coming from him. Her voice was hardly a whisper when she spoke, “Wings…”

What…?

Stretching wide around him were wings of luminous white. Wings that belonged to him.

No way…! I’m…

Wings that looked exactly like Father’s. So much like Father’s, in fact, that TsuYa almost gave a shout for joy. For once, he could feel it… the endless possibilities. The potentials within himself. That he could be exactly what he had always dreamed of being. What he had worked so hard to become.

I’m Awakened!! I’m-

The sharp sound of a crack shattered his world. Pain. Terrible burning pain suddenly rushed through every inch of his body. The look of delight and awe on Suzume’s face shifted instantly to fear. With a strangled sound, he released the winged girl, stumbling away from her.

“TsuYa!! TsuYa!! Are you alright!?” she called to him.

He tried to answer, but no words would come. Nothing in his throat but a low, terrible growl. It bubbled and frothed its way out of his mouth, then shattered the air with an animalistic shriek. He clutched frantically at the source of the sudden pain, at his throat, just under his shirt. His fingers came away bloody. Blood that slowly turned black. Black like Marked blood.

NOO! NOOO!

Where Aur’s protective medallion had once hung around his neck, there was nothing left but a warped piece of blackened metal. And he realized, in horror, that under the pressure of his Awakening, the amulet had broken. It was destroyed.

PLEASE NO!!

And with it, his protection against the darkness had fled. Not even the power of Awakening seemed to be enough to protect him.

Please… please help me…

It felt like something was tearing him from inside out. His blood at once burned and froze. His body trembling as he convulsed, dropping him to his knees. He tried to cry out in agony, but nothing came except hisses and growls.

-No one can help you now, TsuYa… You are MINE.-

TsuYa’s flesh had darkened to grey, spotting black. His skin began to split as dark spikes of black burst through. A sharp rip as his coat gave way — his form growing and expanding far beyond his normal size. Black blood streamed from the bubbling wounds… from his eyes… his mouth… his nose… the Mark along his cheek. The darkness bled into his hair. Along the lines of his wings… until black feathers dripped with thick ooze.

And the terrible voice sounded in his mind.

-My Champion… greatness waits for you. Now come to me. Come to me…-

He fought it with every last bit of strength in him. Snarling and shrieking against the voice that invaded his thoughts. Everything was a blur. The world spun dizzy around him as the pressure of Chaos closed in on him. The sound of metal clashing, shrieks and battle were so distant and far away.

When he finally found breath again, it was rasping hisses. He stared down at his hands – now nothing more than beastly claws. And the thick black blood that ran over them. He realized the blood was not his own. Looking down at the ground, he saw the mangled and motionless form of KoGuRai’s body, the silver helm bent under the heel of his boot.

Is he… is KoGuRai… dead..?

Sickness welled up in the pit of his stomach. Sickness as he saw the blurred and twisted reflection of his face in the smudged sheen of the metal helm. KoGuRai was not rising. A pool of black spread around him where he lay in the dust.

TsuYa had won, he realized. He had taken the life of his enemy. But he had lost himself in return.

“You have an ouchy?”

Several days had passed since the battle between LuShi and KoGuRai had taken place. Several days since NaDo, who TsuYa had since learned more about, had been gravely wounded. But only half a day since they had all arrived in what was called the Shellab 1.0, home of the Tu Family, where NaDo lived.

Saving the winged man had been so important to LuShi. The young Sygnus had carried NaDo, weeping, down from the top of the stone structure. Back to the waiting ship. Though none of them knew how to fly it, they eventually found a way to get it to float them back to the shore. There, using the ship’s map feature that LuShi knew about, they planned what would come next.

KoGuRai sure knows how to call a diversion when he wants to. Mortally wounding a person… just so he could escape.

But it had worked. Instead of chasing down KoGuRai, all of their thoughts were frantically focused on how to keep NaDo alive. They had chosen to break up – LuShi would carry NaDo back to the Shellab. Zazo and TsuYa would ride back to the village to seek the help of JoKa’s healing power. They knew that the wounds made by KoGuRai’s blade would not easily be healed by normal means.

It had taken a bit of persuasion to rouse JouKa enough to get her to leave the village.  But when she heard TsuYa’s story, and he told her that KoGuRai had struck down yet another, she had agreed to come to heal the victim.

It’s as if she’s personally taking responsibility for cleaning up all of KoGuRai’s messes.

So they had all mounted up and rode — along with Oren, who proclaimed their need for a guide and protection — and made their way to the Shellab. There, they were greeted by the lady of the house, Maru, and were ushered quickly inside.

It had been only an hour ago that JouKa had walked into the other room. The door was shut. No sounds could be heard within. Nothing but tension and concern hanging in the house. Zazo had gotten restless and antsy during the wait and had padded off through the doorway, leaving TsuYa alone to his thoughts.

It’s a shame something like this happened. They seem like pretty nice people.

TsuYa pushed a strange white piece of meat into his mouth, chewing as he rested back against the comfort of the couch. Despite the tragedy that had fallen over the household, Maru had still provided the travelers with food and hospitality.

I guess it’s all wait and see from here. I don’t know who can heal him if JouKa can’t.

The slumped figure of LuShi sat in the far corner of the room. Every now and then, TsuYa glanced over, studying all of the changes that had come over the young Sygnus. The warrior never approached him about it directly, though he really wished that he knew exactly what had happened to LuShi in all the time that he had been gone.

He’s not talking much about anything. So I doubt he’ll volunteer information about that.

Though LuShi wasn’t outwardly unfriendly, but was far more silent than he used to be. Even now, as TsuYa watched, he thought he could see a flicker of something strange… silver… almost ghostly… wavering around the Sygnus’ shoulders. With a blink it was gone, leaving him chilled, wishing he hadn’t seen it.

He’s suffering. That much is obvious. He really does care about these people.

The child of the Tu family was sitting next to LuShi, offering him various toys and distractions. Trying his best to cheer him up. Though LuShi made half hearted attempts to respond to the boy, it didn’t take long before the child realized that his efforts were lost.

So he turned his attention elsewhere.

Before TsuYa knew it, a pair of little green eyes were stalking him from above the far arm of the couch. There was a sneaky quality to the look, as if the boy thought he was playing out some grand ambush that the warrior’s keen hearing could not detect. TsuYa just remained as he was, not responding as the child crept closer.

With the safety of self-assured stealth, the child inched forward. His interest had turned towards TsuYa’s dark bladed scythe that leaned quietly against the wall beside the couch. He stared up in awe and fascination, the face of an innocent that had never seen a weapon, much less really knew what one was used for.

As the curious hand reached closer, TsuYa cracked one of his eyes open a slit. His voice was a little gruff as he intoned, “Hey kid. Whatcha doing?”

The boy gave a gasp and jumped in a startle, his hand springing back where it belonged, away from the scythe. Then he stared over at the warrior, uncertain if he was in trouble or not.

“That’s not a toy, you know,” the warrior warned quietly. “You could get hurt. The blade is sharp.”

The boy clutched the hem of his tunic, backing up. Large green eyes stared at him questioningly. As if he didn’t understand why the warrior was in possession of something that could hurt other people.

“What’s your name, kid?” TsuYa softened his tone a little, remembering what it was like for him when his own father had come up missing. He knew how it felt as a little boy to wait and wait and wait with concerned adult expressions floating everywhere above.

I just hope the kid’s situation turns out better than mine did.

The child looked down in response. His wings flitted slightly at the ends, a sign of his uncertainty.

“Hey… relax. You didn’t do anything wrong,” the warrior told him, sitting up and leaning forward slightly. Then he offered, “My name is TsuYa.”

“KiNa,” the boy answered in return.

“Your name’s KiNa?” he echoed.

The child nodded.

“It’s nice to meet you, KiNa,” he stuck his hand out, attempting his best friendly tone.

The child looked at the extended hand for a moment. Then back up at TsuYa’s face. His eyes paused, tracing the dark line of the Mark along his cheek with a questioning look. “You have an ouchy?”

“Hmm..?” TsuYa paused, then realized what the boy was asking. “Oh, yeah. Ouchy.”

“Does it hurt?” KiNa asked with a concerned face.

“Sometimes it does,” he replied honestly.

“You should get a healer to fix it,” the boy counseled. “Mommy said the healing lady was going to fix Daddy. You should ask her to fix you too.”

TsuYa arched an eyebrow, entertaining the passing idea of telling the child that about the only thing JouKa would probably want to do is rearrange his nose. Permanently. But seeing as the kid was in the middle of family crisis, the warrior kept his mouth shut in that regard and tried to focus on something more positive. Afterall, the child seemed to have a lot of confidence in the healing powers of the world.

“Your Mom’s right. Your Dad’s going to be just fine,” TsuYa said.

But this didn’t divert the child’s newly focused crusade. “What about you? Will you be fine?”

TsuYa opened his mouth, suddenly lost for words. When he finally managed to answer, his voice was squeaky to his ears, “Yeah… It’ll all work out.”

“Okay!” KiNa chirped, seeming content with the answer. Then he reached out and with little conservation, took a hold of the warrior’s coat sleeve with a tug. “Come over and meet Lucci. He’s my friend.”

TsuYa gave a slight smirk, “I’ve met LuShi already.”

“Oh? Is he your friend too?”

The warrior glanced across the room at the young Sygnus. He could feel the silver gaze lift just a little, focusing and waiting for the answer that would come. There seemed to be little hope in the chilled depths of his eyes. Eyes that saw the world in blurred and tormented visions.

“Yeah,” TsuYa replied. “LuShi’s my friend.”

The silver head lifted just a bit, a motion of surprise. LuShi hadn’t been expecting a positive response.

Taking him off guard might be just what I need to break the ice. I’ve got a lot to talk to the kid about… if he’ll even respond to me anymore.

TsuYa rose to his feet and allowed KiNa to pull him across the room. The opportunity unfolding better than he could have hoped for. His dark eyes fluttered back and forth from the hunched figure in the corner to the long, black-draped sword at his side. The warrior did his best to cover the apprehension that gnawed in the back of his mind. All he could hope was that something of the child that had so eagerly trained under his guidance still remained.

“Hey, kid,” TsuYa greeted in the normal way. There was little to gain from estranging himself from the young Sygnus. No matter how nervous he really was about the whole thing.

“Master TsuYa…” LuShi lifted his head with a quiet and respectful voice, responding far more than could have been hoped for… as if what he really needed was for someone to treat him like nothing had changed at all.

The kid’s more scared than we are…

“How are you doing? You hanging in there?”

“Yes, sir…” the head went down again.

TsuYa paused before continuing, his dark eyes focusing on KiNa for a moment. Then he fibbed as smoothly as one could to a pint-sized mind mage, “I think I hear your mom calling you. Don’t you?”

The boy blinked a few times, tilted his head, then frowned.

“You better go check,” the warrior advised quietly. “You know how mom’s are about things like that?”

KiNa must have known exactly what he meant. Because the boy nodded and quickly scampered off down the hall.

With the child out of earshot, TsuYa crouched for a moment. Then sat down on the floor in front of the young Sygnus. He took a long, deep breath, “I mean how are you doing for real, LuShi?”

He glanced up, eyes calculating, studying the warrior that sat in front of him. Attempting to determine if he was ready to share the truth. Or if he would just be rejected like he always was. Then he turned the other way as if ashamed to admit, “I’m scared, Master TsuYa.”

“Scared… of what?”

“Scared of this sword… … what it was made to do. How it makes me feel.”

“What do you mean?” TsuYa furrowed his brow, tilting his head at where the sword lay, draped in the dark cloth. In a motion of curiosity, he reached his hand closer.

“No!” LuShi’s voice grew suddenly strong.

The warrior snatched his hand back without a second thought, surprised at the unusual sharpness in the young Sygnus’ voice. He turned a puzzled stare towards LuShi, accenting it with the hint of a disapproving frown.

Go easy on the kid. Remember… he’s just been through a lot.

“I’m sorry…” LuShi murmured the instant he realized how he had sounded. “You… just… shouldn’t touch the sword.”

“Why not?” TsuYa frowned.

“Trust me… you wouldn’t like what it could do to you.”

The warning was enough to raise the hair on the back of TsuYa’s neck, “Ah… alright.”

Silence hung between them for a while. It was awkward, neither of them knowing exactly how to start conversation again… since neither of them were really the most outgoing of socialites.

“So… is… that the thing you came here looking for?” TsuYa eventually tried to wander his way back into LuShi’s good graces. “The sword, I mean.”

“I didn’t know what I was looking for,” the young Sygnus answered cryptically. “This was just the thing I found.”

The warrior pursed his lips. “What do you plan on doing… now that you have it?”

“I have to go back. I have to destroy Zeromus,” he answered quietly.

Another chill rushed over TsuYa’s body. The way that LuShi spoke was so sure. Lacking even the slightest bit of doubt. He spoke about defeating an Arweinydd without so much as thinking twice.

“Do you really think this sword can do something like that?”

“I think so,” LuShi nodded slowly. “That’s what it was made to do. A long time ago.”

“I guess I don’t blame you then,” TsuYa leaned back, trying hard to remain casual about the whole thing. But it wasn’t easy. Not with the talk of weapons of ultimate destruction.

Before the conversation could fall any further, the curtain to the adjoining room folded back, revealing an exhausted looking JouKa. She was supported on either side between Aur and Oren.

The warrior got to his feet, rushed over to the couch on the far end of the room where he had been sitting before, and cleared it quickly. “Here. Bring her here.”

They walked the winged girl over and carefully placed her on the cushioned couch. Maru had followed the group through the doorway, carrying an extra blanket as she came. Between all of them, they managed to settle the worn out healer comfortably, leaving her to rest. JouKa fell into a deep sleep almost the moment she curled up on the couch.

“Is she going to be alright?” TsuYa asked.

“I’d wager so,” Maru replied. “She just wore herself out.”

“Your husband’s wounds were quite grave,” Aur nodded slowly. “We are lucky that JouKa is as skilled as she is.”

LuShi lifted his head slowly, his voice carrying across the room. He winced as if not meaning to have called so much attention to himself, “Then, is Master NaDo…”

“It’s hard to say within this span of time,” Oren leaned back with a grim look. “But she did a pretty solid job in cleaning up most of the gashes. The life threatening stuff has been taken care of.”

“So… he’s going to live?” LuShi let out a long breath of relief.

“I’d say he has a very good chance,” Aur answered. “However, his wing may be torn beyond repair.”

A tiny gasp came from behind the curtain where KiNa was staring at the group of grownups. His green eyes were wide with shock and dismay. “Does that mean Daddy won’t ever fly again?”

It was obvious that the child was too young to have realized how close his father had come to fatality. And no one had the time to sit down and explain it.

“We have to wait and see, KiNa,” his mother answered, putting her hands out. The little boy scampered over and was caught up in her embrace. “He still has time to heal before we can–”

“I’ll be just fine,” NaDo’s voice announced his presence with enthusiasm. Though he hobbled through the curtain with the aid of a walking stick now, his tone was still sure and cheerful. Hopeful. Enduring.

“Master NaDo!” LuShi was on his feet instantly, rushing across the room to the winged man. “You’re okay! I’m so glad!”

“Yes… yes… I’m fine. Just as I said,” he waved the concern away with a gentle motion. But he couldn’t avoid the tremulous hug that the young Sygnus wrapped him in. He laughed with a warm sound. “Lucci?”

“I was worried!”

“Well… there’s nothing to worry about,” NaDo grinned, patting the young man on the back. “It takes more than that to put a Tu down and out!”

LuShi grinned in return. Everything about his demeanor had changed from the slumpy form in the corner that TsuYa had just attempted conversation with. Everything was now open. As if hope was contagious.

“Did you get what you were looking for?” the winged man asked out of the blue.

“I… think so?” LuShi answered, his tone becoming a bit more grim.

“Good,” NaDo glanced up with a sure glimmer in his green eyes. “Then we need to talk about what we’re going to do to get the Current Skipper back… so we can board up and get you heading back towards the Inner Realms.”

“Mr. NaDo, you are not going anywhere until you’ve had some rest and healing,” Maru said firmly, her lips pursed together. “Besides, it would be rude for you to fly off without thanking the healer.”

“I didn’t mean right this second, dear?” he blanched.

But from the way his wife talked, it seemed as if he was well known for flying off on whims.

“I know you didn’t,” she patted his cheek lightly. Then she smiled up, a grateful light in her eyes. “We must at least give a proper thank-you supper to our guests. And a good night’s sleep.”

“Ma’am,” TsuYa found himself speaking, realizing how long it had been since he had either good supper or good bed, “That sounds wonderful.”

“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.

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.