“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?”

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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.

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“KiNa… we’re going to take a trip,” NaDo told him in the most level voice he could manage.

“Oh, my. Oh, my. Oh, my,” NaDo repeated to himself over and over again.

The sunlight reflected sharply off of his glasses, making it hard to see the expression in his eyes. But SoYa could sense the scientist’s crushing sadness as he learned about the death of his long-time friend.

When the invasion had begun on the Spiral, NaDo had taken his ship on orders from Zemi and returned to his home in the Shellab. Whatever was happening here with the Vision Stone, it seemed very important.

His wife, Maru, held his shoulder in a motion of comfort. Her sadness was harder to sense — but that was the way it was with other Athrylith. She murmured softly in his ear as NaDo reached up, pulling his glasses from their perch on his nose. Then he turned the other way and began to slowly pace.

“I told them both,” his voice wavered. “I warned those lugs that if they kept jumping down the Dragon’s throat, one day it would catch up with them. But they never listened…”

“NaDo,” Maru murmured at him as their young son appeared in the doorway, watching with wide, curious eyes.

“Blockheaded warriors! And they said I was crazy,” the scientist scrubbed his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

“NaDo…” she said again. Her voice took on a warning tone, “KiNa?”

The man paused in his pacing, turning to look down at his son. The freckled boy took that as his cue to slip out of the side room to see what all of the commotion was about.

“Daddy, what’s wrong?” the little hand reached out and took one of NaDo’s fingers in a reassuring way.

Unable to answer, the scientist rubbed his hands over his face as if to wipe away the emotion that was all too plain for his mind-sensitive son. Then he knelt down to the boy and gave him a long hug.

“KiNa… we’re going to take a trip,” NaDo told him in the most level voice he could manage.

“We are? To where?” the little boy perked up with big eyes.

“Well, now, I’m not so sure exactly,” the scientist tapped his chin. “But when we get there, you can give it a name. How would you like that?”

“Shellab 2.0!” KiNa chirruped without a second thought.

“That’s a great name, KiNa,” NaDo smiled faintly. Then he gave a wink, “But hows about we get there so you can see it first? It’s always better to give something a name after you’ve looked at it.”

“Okay!” the little boy nodded vigorously.

The scientist gave him a pat on the back, “Good. Now you better go grab your sleepy. You wouldn’t want to leave that here, now would you?”

KiNa shook his head and darted off happily into the other room.

Watching the interaction between the father and his young son left a lump in SoYa’s throat. With all that had happened blurring the timeline between the present and the past, it was hard for him to remember if he and Father had ever been that way.

“NaDo… Maru… I’m sorry for bringing you into this,” Zemi’s voice was hoarse from where he slumped back on the nearest chair.

“Nonsense, Lord Dragon,” the scientist quipped without a second thought.

“You might be able to hide here and weather out the storm. What about your little boy?” the Dreigiau asked.

“We are your people,” Maru said simply.

“That’s right. And if what you told us about Lucci is true… then we have no choice but to be involved,” NaDo pursed his lips.

-You can’t bring him back,- Zazo snuffed. -So get it out of your head.-

“I could say the same of Zento’s black-winged boy. Yet, you carry him around for a reason, Lady Zazo,” he stuck his glasses back on his nose and gave them a quick shine.

-It’s different entirely.-

“Is it?”

KiNa came toddling back through the door, dragging a long mauve colored blanket in his wake. Upon the sight of Zazo, he stopped, frozen still, staring up at her. Then with all the joy of a child, he rushed forward with upraised hands and the happiest exclamation ever.

“Doggie!”

-What?!-

“Doggie!” the little boy wrapped his arms around her foreleg.

“KiNa!” Maru made to step forward, a hint of worry on her furrowed brow. But Zemi caught her arm with a slight fangy smile, keeping her from interfering.

-I am NOT a dog! I am a wolf! Ignorant Earthian!- Zazo nudged at the child with her nose, sending him sliding down her leg to the floor.

KiNa just laughed all the more, “BIG doggie!”

-BIG? What are you insinuating! What does that mean?-

“You seem to have a fan, Zazo,” Zemi smiled at her quietly.

-Yes well…- the She-Wolf snuffed and stuck her nose in the air. -The boy has good taste, doesn’t he?-

“Of course he does,” NaDo grinned. “He’s my son.”

-That’s all that needs to be said.-

The scientist just quipped, leaning back against the wall next to the Dreigiau. As much as they all needed the momentary release from the stress and the pain, business had to be taken care of. And even NaDo had a business side when it was needed.

SoYa stepped closer with hesitation. Even though he had, in name, taken his father’s place as the leader of the Nefolians, he still wasn’t sure where the lines were when it came to acting the part with other people.

NaDo arched an eyebrow and gave a pointed look over the top of his glasses, “SoYa, come on over here.”

The Athrylith straightened a bit, then made his way slowly towards the two. “Yes, Master NaDo?”

“And stop with the Master stuff, boy,” the scientist gave his shoulder a slight shake. “Your father wouldn’t have been caught dead calling me Master. You don’t need to, either.”

SoYa managed a weak smile.

“So…” NaDo leaned forward. “What’s the plan, Lord Dragon?”

“I thought you had something to show me?” Zemi asked.

“Oh, I do. I do. But you know what they say — age before beauty!” the scientist quipped.

Zemi paused, mulling that thought for a moment, but he didn’t seem to get it.

“Nevermind,” NaDo said. “Just go ahead.”

“At the moment, all that I know is that we are supposed to be making our way to the Vision Stone… that something about the properties of the stone is supposed to be able to open a path into the Ways themselves,” the Dreigiau explained.

“A path into the Ways,” the winged man repeated slowly. “A path into the Ways… that does explain a lot.”

“Why… what is the Vision Stone?” SoYa asked.

“We don’t exactly know. Maru and I have been studying it for many years now… but it would make sense to know that it has some sort of transportational properties,” NaDo rubbed his chin. “So who exactly told you all of this, Lord Dragon?”

“Uhh…” Zemi took in a deep breath. “Long story. Let’s just worry about that later. I suppose my question to you is, do you think it is possible? And can we rig something quickly, if so?”

“Do you really think that Lucci will follow you here?” Maru’s face grew uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry,” the Dreigiau told her with a hint of remorse. “I’m really afraid that he will.”

“Has anyone even tried to…”

“Reason with him?” Zemi finished.

Maru nodded.

“I don’t think that he knows or understands his own actions at this point… Zeromus has done something to him,” the Dreigiau spoke gravely.

She didn’t answer. She just looked down at her feet. NaDo gave her should a slight squeeze. Then he turned the conversation back on track.

“So we are going to the Vision Stone…”

“Actually, most of them are probably already there,” Zemi replied. “I ordered the soldiers to lead the evacuation to the Vision Stone’s site. There wasn’t much reason in stopping them all here… so I told them to go ahead without us.”

“I see… just as well,” NaDo nodded slowly.

“So… you had a breakthrough you wanted to tell me about?”

“Funny you should ask,” the scientist grinned widely. “You’ve shed a lot of light on the situation, Lord Dragon. I think things are falling into place.”

“Oh really? Like what?” Zemi humored him.

“I have created a new device that allows us to send various frequencies of magical energies into the core of the Stone. Maru and I have had some interesting results… especially when KiNa is the one that activates the energy bank,” NaDo leaned back on his heels, peering across the room to where his son was tugging on the She-Wolf’s fur.

“What do you mean?” the Dreigiau leaned forward.

“I’m not sure. KiNa’s still so young. His focus is sporadic, so we haven’t been able to test anything for an extended period of time,” he answered with a grim look. “But in our last session, Maru and I both saw it… it was like looking into a picture of another world entirely. Now that you tell me it’s possible that the Stone has connections to the Ways, it could have been that we witnessed the gateway into another place completely.”

“You are sure about this?” Zemi asked, appearing more and more curious.

“I can’t be sure of anything, Lord Dragon. I can only tell you what we experienced… and that I had no explanation for it,” NaDo told him. “I wouldn’t rule anything out yet.”

“Do you think that KiNa could activate this again?”

“Possibly. But we only saw it for a moment. It’ll take a lot more than just KiNa to open a rift into the Ways… if that’s what you’re thinking,” he frowned.

“A possibility is better than no possibility,” Zemi slowly pushed himself to his feet. “We’re going to have to go with what we have.”

“You’re sure… this is okay?” SoYa asked with a worried frown. “Shouldn’t we see if this is something KiNa wants to do?”

NaDo smiled widely, “Of course it is. He’s a Tu. And what do Tus do best?”

“Break things!” KiNa answered his father’s call from across the room.

“What? Break things?” the scientist gave a pouty, put-out face. Then he playfully reached down, chasing after the giggling little boy. “You get back here, KiNa!”

The two of them raced around the floor for a short time before NaDo scooped up his son. All the time, Maru just sighed and shook her head, murmuring, “What a time. What a time…”

As they approached the Dreigiau, Zemi looked down at father and son, his voice slightly rumbly, “Hello, KiNa.”

“Hi!” the boy answered looking up quizzically.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Lord Dragon,” KiNa told him with a frown, as if wondering why the strange tall man didn’t remember his own name.

“That’s right,” Zemi smiled.

“Lord Dragon could really use your help, KiNa. You think you can do him a favor?” NaDo asked.

The boy pondered for a moment, peering at the Arweinydd. Then he stuck out his hand with a big thumbs-up.

“Alright!” his father laughed. “Let’s go show Lord Dragon your trick with the Vision Stone. Okay?”

KiNa nodded, “Then can we take a trip, Daddy?”

“You betcha,” NaDo smiled and kissed his son on the forehead.

There was something quiet and sad behind the smile. But the little boy was too excited to notice. He quickly wiggled out of his father’s arms, snagged his sleepy blanket, rushed over to tug on his mother’s hand, and lead the way out of the Shellab.

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“Zemi,” Zento murmured, holding his globe up to inspect the nearby wall. “Come check this out.”

NaDo looked like he was about to have a heart attack (as the Earthians often stated). His pen flew across the surface of the writing scroll, detailing each and every happening there within the Lion’s Keep. Every now and then, the winged man would mutter under his breath. Something that sounded like, “Amazing. Absolutely amazing.”

It hadn’t taken them long to figure out how to use the key stone that ShinRe brought. The Spiral Leader had been determined that the entrance to the Stone Lair was there within the Keep. So they had searched the chamber over, looking for some kind of passage or doorway.

Instead, they had found a blank spot in the center of a mural on the wall with an obviously tear-drop shaped indentation in the center. When they fitted the stone into the spot, part of the wall had rumbled and slid aside, offering a clear path down a narrow and dark flight of stairs.

That was the point when NaDo had lost any shred of self control. The scientist had paused in collecting his data and was now shaking Zento around by the shoulder.

“Don’t you see?” he exclaimed. “Don’t you see what this is?”

“NaDo, no. I don’t see!” the warrior grumbled at being shaken around. “Why don’t you explain?”

Zemi wasn’t so sure that was a good thing to ask. Afterall, his curiosity was piqued by the waiting passageway in the Keep’s wall. And the scientist could get awful long winded when he had something uber exciting to share.

We all adore you, NaDo. But you just can’t keep things to yourself.

“This here–” NaDo waved his hand over a patch of wide green on the mural, right around the place where the key stone had been inserted. “It’s a forest, right? And this here, this blue looks like an ocean to me. What do you think?”

Zento squinted with a frown, “I guess it could be. Why?”

The scientist stretched his palms forward. “I was right! There is a connection to this and the Vision Stone. This mural – it’s a picture of the forest and the ocean around our lab! And this little stone… see, it’s sitting in the middle of the forest as a representation of the Vision Stone itself!”

“Oooookay…” the warrior glanced over his shoulder.

“Are you sure of this?” Zemi asked, finding himself growing interested, too.

“Of course I’m sure, Lord Zemi,” NaDo told him. Once again, his pen was working over the paper, this time sketching out the image on the wall. “I’ve lived there for years. I know what it looks like.”

“Hm…” the Dreigiau rumbled a bit under his breath. He glanced over towards Aur with an inquiring look. But the Watcher would not meet his gaze.

He’s not giving anything away. That means NaDo must be right. There must be some sort of connection. I wonder why Aur won’t throw us a bone about it.

“Are you going to stay here or are you going to follow us down?” Zento asked with a sly look.

Instantly, the scientist perked up, losing interest in the wall. “Oh, by all means. I’m coming down.”

“That’s what I thought,” the warrior peered over at Zemi, handing over the situation without further words.

The Dreigiau nodded quickly, “Alright. Let’s get g–”

“Wait,” Aur spoke.

Everyone froze. All eyes turned towards the Watcher curiously.

“Only a few should go this time,” Aur told them simply.

“What? Why?” NaDo’s excitement had turned into disappointment.

“I understand that you want to study the phenomenon. But there are very important things that will happen the first time that the Stone Lair is opened,” the Watcher explained.

“That’s exactly why I want to be there to see it,” the scientist pouted.

“You will have plenty of time to study these things,” Aur reassured him. “But for now, Lord Zemi should choose a few to support him.”

The Dreigiau blinked around, at a loss. All of the Earthians here were good and supportive.

How am I supposed to choose?

“Zento,” Zemi began, the logical choice being his own Champion.

The winged man bowed with a slight grin on his face.

“AsaHi,” the Dreigiau then turned towards the girl. After what had almost happened to him, in the grips of Zerom’s Chaos, he was concerned about not having her at his side.

The girl nodded and stepped forward.

And where there was AsaHi, Zemi knew there had to be another. “SoYa.”

The young Athrylith straightened, seeming surprised that he was chosen. He didn’t say a word. Instead, he came to stand next to AsaHi, sucking on his bottom lip.

Zemi gave an abashed look at Kudako. He could already sense that he had probably chosen more than the “few” that Aur would have suggested. But he didn’t want to leave anyone out – especially not his most loyal of servants. The Dragon, however, didn’t seem offended.

“I will wait for you here, Lord Zemi. If you require my assistance, just call and I will come,” Kudako told him.

The Dreigiau nodded, thankfully. Then he turned towards Aur again. “Will this do?”

“It should be fine,” the Watcher replied with a nod.

“What about you?” Zemi asked.

Aur gave a hint of a smile. “I will not be going. There are secrets that you must find for yourself. I would do nothing but distract from the focus of these secrets.”

“I see,” the Dreigiau frowned.

Always talking in riddles. Darn Watcher is worse than us Arweinydd.

“Okay… are we ready?” Zemi turned and looked at his Earthian support team.

“Let’s do this!” Zento pumped his fist, already making his way towards the narrow passage ahead.

AsaHi nodded quietly while SoYa looked somewhat uncertain. But they both moved forward as the Arweinydd did. Zento led the way, spinning a soft blue light between his fingers. Carefully, he shaped the light into a small glowing sphere that hovered just over his shoulder — a “Zento globe” as he was so fond of calling it.

The stairway ahead of them was illuminated, soft blue on the golden stone. It was hard to tell how old the structure was, but it was obvious that it had been a very long time since anyone had opened the passage, much less traveled down the stairs. Long streams of silver-white cobwebs choked the air, getting tangled stickily in Zemi’s hair. In places, the dampness had soaked through the stone walls, spilling dark mosses and delving mushrooms.

The air was stuffy and gritty to breathe. AsaHi had already pulled her collar up around her mouth and nose while squirming to brush away any cobwebs that touched her.

“Ew! Ew… I sure hope there’s more down here than bugs and dirt,” her voice was muffled through the cloth.

“Yeah, me, too!” SoYa agreed, his own hand covering his face.

“Don’t worry… if Aur believes there is something to this place, then we should believe it, too,” Zemi told them. He brushed his own fingers through his bushy mane. “I just wish it wasn’t so hard on the hair.”

As they continued downward, it felt as if the world was lost for any light. The pressure of the Keep grew heavier above them. The smell of the deep earth and musty closure was all the air they had left to breathe. After a while, even Zemi started to have his doubts.

I wonder what is down here that would be so important? Maybe it’s not here anymore.

His companions didn’t speak another word of doubt. They simply followed the blue light deeper and deeper into the heart of the Keep.

If we don’t find something soon, we’re going to have to turn back.

Eventually, it came to the Dreigiau’s attention that the air had begun to grow cleaner and less gritty to breathe. Though it was difficult to tell due to the color of the Zento globe, he thought that the stone of the stairs had changed, too — becoming darker and cleaner under their feet.

“Zemi,” Zento murmured, holding his globe up to inspect the nearby wall.  “Come check this out.”

“Hmmm?” the Dreigiau responded, walking forward. He could feel AsaHi and SoYa following not too far behind.

The blue light of the globe illuminated tiny patterns of light and darkness that spread over the face of the stone, high above their head. It was hard to make out what it was they were seeing, but Zemi could recognize the same type of gem-encrusted mural work as the walls in the Keep above.

“Zento, can you give us more light?” Zemi reached out with one hand, brushing the thin layer of grim from the stones.

The Champion nodded, releasing his existing globe, already going to work on creating another. And another. And another. Until the whole passageway above them was lit by the glittering blue glow. The pictures on the walls glittered and sparkled with a surreal quality, tricking the eye to believe they were moving, even when Zemi knew they really couldn’t.

“What are they..?” SoYa breathed, staring up.

“Dragons,” AsaHi answered, holding tight to his arm. “Dragons… but they’re different?”

The mural portrayed with majestic beauty Dragons of every color. Wings wide, they seemed to glide with scales sparkling in the blue glow. Between them were sparks of light that appeared to be stars resting within the sky. The image left him with a profound feeling of inner peace and unity, though the Arweinydd didn’t know why.

“Yes. They were different,” Zemi told them, sadly. It had been a long time since he had thought of the Dragonkin, the first living creatures that he had met there upon that world.

“You knew them?” AsaHi asked.

“It was a very long time ago,” the Arweinydd answered. “They taught me how to take a Dragon form. They taught me a lot of things besides that… It was partly based upon their culture and civilization that I decided to found Nefol and Ceiswyr.”

“Dragon civilization?” SoYa asked with a furrowed brow.

“Indeed,” Zemi touched the wall, running his fingers over the length of one of the graceful Dragon images. “They, too, were creatures from the Time Before, originally. They never told me how they had come to be here or how they had survived as long as they did. All that I know about them, came and went in too short a time. Some died… but some vanished. I have never found another real Dragonkin since.”

“Dragonkin,” AsaHi breathed, touching the wall, too. “Is that what these are?”

“I think so,” the Dreigiau answered. “Dragonkin and Arweinydd.”

“Really?” Zento squinted. “Those look like stars to me.”

“They are Arweinydd.”

“How do you know?” the Champion gave him the arched eyebrow.

“I just do. Don’t argue,” Zemi shrugged and continued walking.

If there are images here on the stairwell, certainly we are getting close to something.

Zento just huffed and followed, silently ordering his army of globes to move along with them. Before long, the mural images began to change, as if depicting the passage of time.

It looks like there was some sort of fight.

The feelings of peace had faded away. The images of Dragons and Arweinydd became more and more at odds with each other, until the sky was awash with the colors of battle and war. The stones glittered more and more brightly, clashing with a light that was almost painful to look at. Until finally, the wall was covered with the brilliance of a great final eruption where the images of both Dragons and Arweinydd withered and fell. Followed by darkness.

The Mistake…

Zemi felt prickles over his form, not realizing he was shivering until he felt AsaHi’s soft hand on his arm.

“Is that…?”

“Yes,” there was a lump in his throat as he answered.

“That’s terrible…” SoYa whispered.

It was unspoken. But they all seemed to know what the images depicted.

“It doesn’t stop though,” Zento’s voice carried back to them. “Look at these!”

They all rushed forward just to stop and stare. What shown before them was almost impossible, given how long the images had to have been there.

“No way…” AsaHi breathed.

A star. It became a white dragon. And that dragon came to live with the Earthian peoples.

There were battles between the different kinds of people and many dragons that came to protect them. Then finally, a great cleft that was struck, breaking apart the lands and ending the war. Cities were built, both on the ground and in the sky.

Then a girl appeared, freeing the dragon and releasing him into the world. But shadows followed.

“Zemi,” Zento exclaimed, face pale as he stared up. “Zemi… this is about us!”

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"I hope... there is more for you than just a single purpose. I hope there are things that bring you some happiness," she told him.

The heavy doors to the Lion’s Keep rumbled inwards, admitting the small group under the great stone arches.  AsaHi spun slowly around and around as she walked, trying to take it all in. Up until then, all she had heard were the stories and legends — especially the account made by ZenToYa of the pivotal battle between himself and Aur that led to the Guardian joining them in a struggle against the Chaotic Arweinydd Zerom.

Wow… it’s huge inside!

A vast circular room built of tawny colored stone unfolded before them. The walls were decorated with mosaic murals that depicted various strange runes, graceful interlocking spirals and lion-like images. The art studded the walls with a rainbow of glittering gems that seemed to glow with an inner light as Aur led them forward.

Long drapes of black and gold spun down from various vaulted arches that rose and fell in pillared rows. The stone floor was one vast multicolored spiral that began at the center of the room and spun outward. It, too, was flecked with crushed gems that were embedded into the stone, giving the whole surface a luminous quality. Looking closer, she could see that tiny runes had been etched in each glittering square.

I wonder who built this… and how long it’s been here.

Zemi seemed to have the same impression as he strode up to one of the ten huge, golden braziers that lined the walls, following the motion of the Keep’s circumference. Each stood nearly twice the Dreigiau’s height, etched with a large rune that would have been illuminated by the light of flame inside. Though now, they were all dim.

When the Arweinydd reached his hand out, a golden light sprang from the depths of the brazier. He cocked a wide grin as the keep lit up, “Not too shabby, Aur.”

“Why not try spending an immeasurable amount time locked inside of here and see if you would really like to come back,” the Watcher murmured with a slightly droll look. It seemed that he had been catching on to the idea of sarcasm and sense of humor more and more lately.

“Point taken. But this is where ShinRe said we could find the passage,” Zemi answered.

“Yes. He is correct,” Aur nodded slowly, peering around with hooded eyes.

“If he doesn’t have a heart attack before we even get him inside,” Zento added with a quick laugh. “That was a pretty crazy thing you did out there, Aur.”

“What was?” the Watcher inquired calmly.

“Singlehandedly installing a brand new leader at the head of the Spiral,” the winged man answered. “What made you suddenly do something like that?”

“It was not sudden,” Aur informed him simply.

“Well… it… kinda seemed like it was,” Zento pointed out.

“No,” the Watcher disagreed.

“No?”

“No,” was the final answer.

Zento leaned back with his hands folded behind his head, exchanging funny looks with NaDo. The scientist had jumped at the chance to explore the inner structure of the Lion’s Keep and had vehemently asked to be included in the group’s expedition – for the good of science, he proclaimed.

“You make it sound like it was something that you knew would happen,” Zemi approached from a different angle.

“Not exactly. But it was something I had hoped would come to pass,” Aur told them. Most of his attention was now fixed upon the glittering mural that spanned across the nearest wall. His fingers slowly stroked over the soft gems that depicted green grass, blue sky and violet trees.

“Then you really did know about ShinRe?” the Dreigiau prodded.

“Yes,” the Watcher answered. “We had exchange conversations many times before his exile. I knew the kind of leader he was. I made a point of knowing where he had taken the exiles to… until my energies began to fail me. It was my hope that he would return one day to overthrow the rule of the Armsmaster. But it seems ShinRe was content to live apart in his own encampment.”

“Auuuur!” Zemi nudged the Guardian with a growing grin. “You are such a plotter! I didn’t know you had it in you!”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re telling me that set all of this up!” the Arweinydd put his arm around the Watcher’s shoulders with a fake, melodramatic sniff. “You make your Patron proud!”

Aur responded with a long, quiet look. There was still some humor he didn’t quite grasp.

“That’s wonderful and all… as long as he doesn’t die of shock,” Zento grinned, too, rocking back and forth on his heels.

“He will not,” Kudako’s voice entered the chamber, stern. “ShinRe does not back down from his agreements. Even if this was all a contrived plot to put him into power.”

Blue fin ears were folded back. The Dragon didn’t look too happy at the way everyone else was gloating about the situation.

“Come on, ‘Dako,” Zemi answered easily, trying to smooth out the situation. “You can’t tell me that your brother isn’t the best man for this job. He’s straight and honorable… a man who knows the difference between the cruelty of the Armsmaster’s rule and the way people should really be led. Not to mention, he will quite likely be willing to aid us in the fight against Zerom.”

“That is all completely besides the point,” Kudako scowled. Then he murmured accusingly, “Lord Aur, I’m quite surprised at you.”

“I apologize,” the Watcher answered, looking as abashed as he appeared able. “I am not proud of situating things the way that I did. However, I feel that ShinRe is the most capable of seeing your people through our current crisis. My thoughts are always about protecting the Spiral people. Both ShinRe and the populace were given a choice in the matter.”

“Not much of one,” the Dragon answered, though significantly less miffed than before. It seemed that Aur’s council still affected his outlook on things, as well. “You knew that should the Golden Lion speak and name a new leader, then it would be so. You also knew that my brother would not turn down the leadership of his people in a time of need, based on his honor below.”

“Yes, I knew. I was counting on these things,” Aur admitted, brushing his hands over the mural one last time. “It is a troubled time, KudakoRe. We all have to make our sacrifices. I know that you know this, as well.”

Kudako lowered his head and turned slightly away. “Yes. I know. I am willing to make my sacrifices.”

“Then let your brother choose to make his. For the good of your people,” the Watcher told him gently.

The Dragon was silent for a long time. Finally, he nodded. “I understand and will say no more.”

For a time after that, no one spoke. They all waited, swallowed within the maw of the great Lion’s Keep. What they were waiting for, AsaHi didn’t quite know. Though she glanced at SoYa and Zemi from time to time, she didn’t dare break the silence to ask. She had learned long ago that happenings revolving around Arweinydd and Awakened and Watchers and Champion all had their own way of working out in awkward timelines.

So she spent the time studying the glittering pictures upon the wall, paying special attention to the one that Aur had been touching earlier. It was not very long before she felt a large presence at her side. Looking up, she saw the golden-eyed Watcher gazing on the mural once again.

“This has always been my favorite one,” he told her.

The statement took her by surprise. In order to have a favorite, one had to be capable of attachment and fondness – emotions that AsaHi didn’t think that Aur was capable of until just lately. But none of these things passed beyond her thoughts.

“I can see why. It’s very pretty,” the girl complimented.

“Yes,” Aur answered, his tone growing somewhat somber. “It always reminded me of what these lands were like before…”

The way that he left the statement hanging, AsaHi couldn’t help but ask, “Before what?”

“The Mistake,” the Watcher answered simply.

The girl felt a curdling feeling in the pit of her stomach at the word. Such a simple word. Such an understatement for what she could only sense really had happened. Something that so few of them knew anything about… except maybe Aur, himself.

Then it occurred to her, “We aren’t… doing the same thing over again. Are we?”

The golden eyes flicked over towards her. But he didn’t answer.

So she expanded on the thought with a frantic, quiet breath, “We aren’t doing things that might lead up to another Mistake. Or are we?”

Seeing her alarm, Aur spoke calmly, “I was left here in this Living World to see that such a thing could never happen again. That has always been my purpose.”

Something about the resigned tone in his voice made AsaHi feel really sad for the Watcher.

He must have seen so much… lived through so many difficult things. And yet, he’s still here, still working against all these big and frightening powers.

She reached her hand out, but paused, not daring to touch his arm. Or offer a kind squeeze on his fingers. Or any sympathetic motion that she might have given anyone else. She had always been reserved about Aur. But she didn’t know why.

“I hope… there is more for you than just a single purpose. I hope there are things that bring you some happiness,” she told him. The best offer she could make to let him know that she cared.

The Watcher gave her a quizzical look, as if he didn’t understand a single word that she had just said. He quietly shook his head, “My happiness is not as important as the promise of life to the Arweinydd and Earthian peoples. Without them both… and the bonds they can share… life may be lost once again.”

“But you’re a part of this life, too, Aur,” AsaHi argued softly.

“I have lived my life,” he told her gently. “I have no regrets. I will give myself to my purpose to ensure that the Chaos that would devour all does not succeed. In doing that, I have my happiness.”

AsaHi sighed, knowing that she was not going to win that debate. Instead, she lightly touched his arm, telling him in a tone of deep respect, “You are one of the noblest people I have ever had a chance to know. I hope that you will find something that brings you joy in time. Even if it is something you don’t expect or believe you need.”

Aur just responded with a quiet smile. It might have been one of the most genuine smiles she had seen from him.

It wasn’t much longer before the great stone doors of the Lion’s Keep grated open once again. This time, ShinRe walked through, carrying something between both of his hands.

“I’ve finally located it,” the Leader announced with a hint of relief. “I apologize for taking so long.”

“No problem,” Zemi grinned. “We couldn’t get the party started without you.”

“Party?”

“Er… nevermind,” the Dreigiau waved his hands to dismiss the train of thought. “So what is it that you brought for us? And are you sure this is where we should be?”

“Yes. This is where the entrance to the Stone Lair is hidden. I’m sure of it,” ShinRe nodded with pursed lips. Then he unfolded his hands to reveal a strange, tear-drop shaped stone. It reflected the dim light in the room, flickering with a gentle blue glow of its own. “And this is the key that opens it.”

AsaHi leaned forward with her mouth agape and eyes wide. The stone had a presence all its own, almost as if it was a living thing. Something in the back of her mind compelled her to reach out and touch it… to explore the answers to the mysteries that it would offer her. Judging from the expressions of everyone else, they, too felt drawn for the same reason.

“Hedd-ynad!” NaDo suddenly exclaimed, mirroring their unspoken excitement. “It’s… it’s…”

“It’s what?” Zento urged him.

“It’s just like a miniature Vision Stone!” the scientist blurted an exaltation.

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"People of the Spiral, hear my words," the Lion roared again, seeming to shake the heavens.

“These Dragons of yours are quite fascinating creatures,” ShinRe remarked to at Zemi. He brushed his shirt front off with one glance over his shoulder at the Dragon who had just flown them into the Spiral Proper. The way he watched the creature, it was obvious that he had seen few before, if ever, and none so close up.

“Why, thank you,” Zemi answered with a wide fangy, grin. “I think so myself.”

SoYa noted that Zemi was leaving out the fact that he, himself, was also a Dragon. If one couldn’t tell by the name.

As they walked back towards the town, ShinRe leaned towards Kudako. With a smile, he asked, “So you are one of those Dragons, too?”

Kudako almost missed a step. He quickly covered it by clearing his throat and a hoarse answer, “Not quite the same as that…”

“Oh?” the Leader looked curious. “Well, you’ll have to show me.”

“Maybe one day,” Kudako answered grimly. He then walked forward with a quickening pace, leaving his puzzled brother to stare after him.

“Did I say something wrong?” ShinRe asked, looking over at Zemi.

“‘Dako’s just a bit sensitive about certain things,” the Dreigiau replied. He offered no other explanation.

There wasn’t time for it as SoYa could see people coming out to greet their return. He could at once make out the large shimmering form of the She-Wolf, Zazo, watching them with a sharp face. Father was at her side, already making his way forward with comments for Kudako. There was even a hint of a smile on his face.

He’s looking a little bit better… I wonder what happened.

There was another winged man standing not far from the Arweinydd, a face that was somewhat familiar to SoYa. Though one he hadn’t seen in many, many years. As the Athrylith approached, Father pulled him over for an introduction.

“NaDo,” Father intoned, one hand clapped on his son’s shoulder, “This is my eldest boy, SoYa.”

“Well, now. Look at you!” the other man exclaimed with a wide, easy grin. “I remember back when you were just knee-high! Little SoYa… all grown up!”

The Athrylith just smiled sheepishly, trying to place where he had heard the name before. Based off of his father’s behaviors, it was one of Father’s friends from long ago. But Father had a lot of friends that came and went over SoYa’s younger years. Some of them were hard to remember.

“It’s good to see you again, Sir,” SoYa decided it was best to play along. Especially if this man had anything to do with helping Father’s recovery.

“He’s so polite,” NaDo just laughed and elbowed Father in the side. “Now where does that come from, I wonder? Couldn’t have been from a scamp like you.”

Father just smiled quietly. Then he glanced over at Kudako, “So… are you going to introduce me to your company, ‘Dako?”

The Dragon opened his mouth, but was quickly overridden by Zemi’s excited chatter. The Arweinydd took ShinRe by both shoulders proclaiming, “THIS is Kudako’s brother, ShinRe! He’s an old Clan Leader who has been at the head of the exiles that left the Spiral back when the Armsmaster took control here.”

SoYa could only wince at the way the Dreigiau’s voice carried. Nearby Spiral people who had not already stopped to watch the group curiously did now. Their blue eyes studied ShinRe’s from with hesitation.

“I…. see….” Father said slowly, obviously noticing the attention they had garnered from the Spiral commoners. He quickly extended his hand, “I am known as ZenToYa — Kudako has been my teacher and friend for a very long time. It’s an honor to meet you, ShinRe.”

“ZenToYa…” ShinRe repeated in a quiet voice. Then he took Father’s hand with a low dip of his head. “Your stories have carried to the ears of my people. It is I who is honored to meet you.”

Father gave a soft laugh, “Now I see where ‘Dako gets it from.”

“Perhaps,” Kudako answered simply. Then he began to walk, following behind Zemi, who was already making his way down the street.

We must be quite a sight…

Spiral people watched from either side, faces wary but curious. With two Arweinydd – one in the shape of a giant wolf – winged people, Dragons and Aur, there was no getting through the town without gathering a crowd. Which is exactly what they did.

People paused in their daily tasks to turn and watch the procession. More often than not, they began to follow after, at first at a distance. Then as more people began to gather, they dared to come a bit closer, only a few paces behind Aur who brought up the rear.

Judging from Zemi’s expression, this was exactly what he wanted to happen.

ShinRe, however, didn’t seem so certain. He leaned over to Kudako in concern, “Is it really such a good idea to let everyone here know who I am?”

“Relax,” the Dragon answered. “No one is going to try anything… not with Lord Zemi and Aur here.”

The Leader didn’t look completely convinced. But he didn’t say anything against his brother’s lack of unease.

As SoYa got a good look at their surroundings, he realized that Zemi was leading them directly towards the tall golden pyramid of the Lion’s Keep. SoYa had not been inside personally, but he knew from Father’s stories that this was the place where he had found Aur… where the Golden Lion of the Spiral was said to reside. Though Aur was no longer there, it was still a place that the people of the Spiral looked upon with reverence. A place of gatherings, meetings and important announcements.

I wonder what Zemi is up to now…

One step at a time, the group ascended the wide stairs, rising above the growing numbers of the gathering crowd in the street. People watched from below with a strange hush, sensing that something important was about to happen. Anticipation almost crackled through the air. SoYa could feel it rising around him with each step that he took.

When they finally reached the top of the flight, the stairway opened up to a wide gold-stone platform, a place once used for announcements made by the Spiral leaders. SoYa instantly found a place somewhere in the back of the group of bigger men, out of sight as best he could be. He then observed the quiet exchange between Aur and Zemi.

“Lord Zemi,” the Watcher intoned quietly.

“Is this what you want to do?” the Dreigiau asked with pursed lips.

“Yes. It is what should be done,” Aur answered. His golden eyes glimmered for a moment before he added, “One final roar.”

“Fine by me,” Zemi grinned widely. “Have at it.”

The Watcher nodded quietly before turning to the rest of them, inquiring politely, “Will you please step back?”

The others responded with a curious frown, but did as they were asked. No sooner did they clear the platform than Aur’s form burst upwards into a great flame of golden light.

What!?

Startled, SoYa pressed his back against the side of the Lion’s Keep. Below, the street was filled with sounds of awe and surprise. A wave of Spiral people on hands and knees, bowing low to the growing apparition at the top of the stairs. Even ShinRe had dropped to his knees, head dipped low in reverence.

A tremendous roar shook the stone under SoYa’s feet. He stared up in mute shock at the vast form of the Golden Lion, the legendary protector and guide of the Spiral lands. Aur had become the creature he had once been, deep brazen voice carrying to the far reaches of the town.

“People of the Spiral, hear my words,” the Lion roared again, seeming to shake the heavens.

SoYa grit his teeth, hands cupped over his ears at the rumbling reverberation in his head. He doubted that anyone couldn’t hear. Anyone who wasn’t already falling over themselves to bow to the great Guardian beast certainly was now.

It’s just like the story that Father told us.

Shimmers of golden light flecked away into the breeze, contesting the sun in brightness. Squinting, SoYa could almost make out the Guardian’s hazy form – the huge paws… the long, swaying tail… streaming mane… and deep, deep eyes. But at the same time, there was something wavering and ethereal, as if Aur was fighting to hold on to his once-majestic form with all of his strength.

“It has been a long, long time since I have last come here to address you. But I have always been here, watching. Hoping for a time of freedom and understanding for all tribes great and small,” his voice grew calmer, much like the Aur that they had all come to know. “I have come again as a great darkness has begun to spread across our lands. A darkness that I had forewarned against a very, very long time ago.”

The silence within the square was almost deafening. No doubt that when Aur chose to speak, he had his ways of getting his words heard.

“That does not mean that it is a time to let our fears of the shadows overcome us. But it may indicate that it is a time to break away from hindrances that would chain us to the past – especially past hate and prejudice. We must be forward-looking if we are to secure a future for ourselves and our posterity,” the Watcher rumbled, unblinking eyes gazing across the crowd below. “We must come together with newfound allies from over the Cleft. And we must come together internally, healing the divide amongst your own people that serves no purpose but self defeat.”

“Oooo…” Father whispered to Zemi with arched eyebrows. “I’m taking some notes.”

“He’s good, isn’t he?” the Dreigiau admitted. “But then, he’s been at it longer than we have, that’s for sure.”

SoYa leaned forward, trying to hear beyond the banter of the Arweinydd and the Champion. He was captivated by the speech, despite the fact that Aur was not targeting him with the profound and elegant words.

“Only if you are willing to do these things can we have a chance to secure the future. So, now tell me, is this something you are ready to attempt?” the Guardian’s tail swished slowly as he approached the question… words that resounded upon each individual there to make their choice. “Can we choose to come together and fight alongside of the North Peoples against the darkness that would threaten us all? Can we choose to welcome those of your own blood who were separated from you under a rule of tyranny?”

SoYa glanced quickly over at where ShinRe still remained, bowed down upon the golden stone. He could see the tension in the man’s posture and sense the cold edge of friction in the air. Aur may be the great Creature from the Time Before… but what he was asking was something big and difficult for a whole nation to embrace.

Aur’s right, though. There’s so little time to gather our forces. If we can’t come to a consensus, we’re all going to fall under the weight of Zerom’s shadow.

“These are not questions that I expect answers to immediately, of course. These are not choices that can be made with the lack of strong leadership or holistic goals. And no matter your opinion of me, I do not believe that I am the one qualified to lead your plight,” Aur’s tone had begun to change.

For the first time, quiet murmurs of concern rippled up from the crowd below. This was not what they were expecting to hear from their legendary Guardian.

“Having freed yourself from the Armsmaster, it is only natural that your people would search for another leader in his stead,” the Watcher spoke slowly. “During this time, I have acted as an ambassador and a guide, working to mend relations between the Spiral and the people of the Inner Realms. However, my intention was never to step up as the leader of your lands. My nature is that of a guide and guardian… which is why I have decided to offer my guidance in suggesting the man to consider as the next leader of the Spiral.”

SoYa found himself releasing a breath that he didn’t even realize he had been holding. Green eyes wide, he watched as the enormous paw lifted, motioning carefully to the man who had remained bowing throughout the whole revelation.

“ShinRe has proven himself as a skilled and innovative leader to those who were exiled during the Armsmaster’s reign,” Aur introduced. “He is a Leader from the old Clans. But a man who understands the balance between the old ways and what is needed for the survival of his people.  I believe that he has the wisdom and knowledge that it will take to face the trials that are yet to come.”

ShinRe looked like he might hyperventilate right there. Though in the face of all of the Spiral, he couldn’t let it show. As he was urged to his feet, his voice was slightly jittery, “L-Lord Aur. You honor me with your glowing compliments and kind words. But I did not come back to the Spiral to claim it under any sort of rule.”

“I understand that. This is my suggestion, but your leadership will be your own choice… and theirs,” the Guardian replied. “But know that the situation as I have detailed it is the truth. There are hard times ahead for us all… and if we do not have strong leadership and clear vision, times will be all the more difficult.”

“I understand that, M’lord. But…”

A sound was rising from the square below, something like the crashing of the high ocean tide. The people had begun to cheer, whether it was for Aur’s speech or the introduction of ShinRe, SoYa didn’t know. It was hard to say how long it had been since the people had been given a chance to accept their own leader… how long it had been since there had been fair and true leadership at all.

“It seems your people are speaking. What will you do to listen?” the Guardian asked.

ShinRe stood on the gold-stone platform, his face pale as he stared out at the cheering crowd below. If there was fear or uncertainty, he did not show it. He took one step forward, a glimmer of determination in his blue eyes. “I will do what is needed.”

The Spiral’s trust in the guidance of the Golden Lion was unwavering. And it was not hard to see that they were all very willing to embrace his council… and face the new age that had come upon their lands.

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It happened in an instant - he was pinned to the ground with, canine nose jabbed straight into his face.

“It’s good to see you finally come out of your hidey hole,” chirped a familiar voice.

Zento turned to find himself face to face with a flicker of his past – the cheerful face of his old friend, NaDoTu. He didn’t know how many decades it had been since he had last saw the funny freckles, easy grin and odd looking lenses of the strange little scientist. But it was a welcome sight.

“NaDo!” the warrior exclaimed, doing a roundabout in mid-step. He quickly rushed up to the other man and took him by the shoulders. “What are you doing here?”

“Probably the same thing you are,” NaDo answered with a quip. “I’ve been playing chauffeur for a certain young Sygnus who happened to find his way to the Vision Stone. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Not much, actually,” Zento frowned at the mention of LuShi. “It was pretty much all Zemi’s doing.”

“I see. And I figure,” the scientist nodded, walking along next to the warrior.

The streets in the Spiral were strange and slightly curved, leading between simple gold-stoned buildings that rose from the earth on either side. It had its own sort of charm, Zento decided, but was still a bit difficult for him to get used to.

Especially after spending so long being an enemy of these people.

When NaDo spoke again, his tone was more somber, “How have you been, Zento?”

The warrior swallowed, searching for the words to answer, “I’ve been better.”

“I heard about…”

“Yeah.”

NaDo put his hand on Zento’s shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. “Just let me know if I can do anything… anything at all to help out.”

“Thanks,” the warrior answered. “I think I’ll pull through.”

“You always do, Zento.”

“Well,” he attempted a lighter sound, “Now that you’re here, I’m going to expect a little bit of that Tu miracle-working magic.”

“Hah!” NaDo quipped loudly. “I leave the magic to Maru.”

“How is she… and the little one?” Zento asked with a slight smile. It was strange to think of the high-strung NaDoTu actually settling down, finding a wife and raising a child.

“They’re fine… they’re fine,” the scientist perked up in the manner of a proud father and husband. The glimmer in his eye told Zento that he was in for a loooong explanation, “Augh! You should SEE KiNa! I wish I had an image sphere with me. He’s getting so big now! And he’s mastering flying like it’s no one’s business… he’s a natural in the air!”

“Yeah… they grow up fast, don’t they?”

“Sure do… sure do…” NaDo leaned back as he walked, folding his hands behind his head.

Just then, a string of shouts from down the street broke into their conversation. With a worried frown, Zento glanced at NaDo. Seeing the scientist mirroring his concern, the warrior began to walk faster, making his way towards the source of the commotion. He could hear the dismayed shouts coming from just ahead coupled with another sound… something akin to barking.

A wild animal get in here or something?

Very few times had Zento seen people of the Spiral fleeing. So as he watched the golden haired men scatter, ushering women and children out of the street, the warrior could only imagine the great, terrible dangers he might find around the next corner.

What a day to leave my weapon back in the room…

“Maybe we should go find some backup,” NaDo suggested with a shaky voice.

Zento pressed his back to the wall, inching forward along the side of one of the stone houses. “Let’s see what we’re up against, first.”

“Augh… you and your warrior’s pride!” the smaller man complained.

The warrior didn’t say a word. Instead, he reached out and pulled his friend next to him, flattening him along the stone as well. Carefully, Zento snaked his head around the corner, getting a good look into the streets ahead of him.

What the…

It took him a moment to figure out what he was seeing. A terrified group of Spiral people huddled at the far end of the square. The huge glowing wolf form of the Arweinydd, Zazo, as she loomed over them. One man was pinned under her massive paw, the wolf nose pointed down into his face. Then with a flip, she released him, barking with snapping jaws as he ran away in terror.

“Whoa,” NaDo was staring over his shoulder. “The angry Trine strikes people down!”

“No…” Zento muttered with a frown. “Something is wrong.”

Before the scientist could protest, the warrior slipped out from their hiding place, closing the distance between himself and the raging white wolf. The frantic Spiral man rushed past him, heading in the other direction, shouting warnings about the beast’s wrath.

“Zento!” NaDo called. “What in the name of the Seven Universes are you doing!?”

“I have no idea,” the warrior breathed, trying to push the apprehension out of his mind.

The Arweinydd was already reaching for another one of the Spiral commoners, a fevered light in her green eyes. The Champion rushed forward, intercepting… only to find the huge paw yanking him forward instead. It happened in an instant – he was pinned to the ground with, canine nose jabbed straight into his face.

“Zazo!” Zento exclaimed.

The She-Wolf glared at him for a long moment. Then she flipped him out from under her grasp with a short bark.

-Impostor! You aren’t Tsu, either!-

Zento rolled across the dust, wings curled around his body to lessen the impact. When he pushed himself up to his palms, he gave her an incredulous look, “Of course I’m not Tsu. I’m Zento!”

Zazo just gave a low growl, then turned back towards the group of Spiral commoners.

The warrior leapt up and grabbed her bushy tail. It may have meant a death sentence, but he knew he couldn’t let the Arweinydd keep carrying on. “What are you doing!?”

The She-Wolf spun around with a snap, pulling Zento off of his feet. -Be gone, Earthian!-

Seeing a chance to make a break for it, the Spiral commoners ran, scattering across the square. Leaving the white haired Champion to his own demise.

Now Zazo was really furious.

-They got away! After I spent all morning searching… I’m going to have to start all over again!-

“Searching?” Zento grit his teeth, staring into her slitted eyes. “Searching for what?”

-None of them are Tsu!- she proclaimed with a hint of a whine.

“Of course not,” the tension began to drain out of his body. Zento released her tail and dropped to the ground as understanding dawned on him. “You’re looking for Tsu…”

-Good for nothing Earthians! None of them are!-

“Zazo,” the Champion attempted the softest voice he could manage. “TsuYa is gone. He’s not here.”

-NO!- The She-Wolf almost howled. -No! He has to be! He can’t be gone!-

Zento lifted his hand slowly.

So much grief… She doesn’t know how to mourn, does she?

Carefully, he reached out and placed his palm along the side of her neck. The translucent fur was soft… but somewhat duller than he remembered. As if even her inner light had diminished, wrapped in the grips of sorrow.

“Zazo… listen to me.”

-Zerom can’t have him! Tsu belongs to me!- she snarled, the fur rising on the scruff of her neck.

Something about that left chills over his skin. But Zento attempted to push it aside with calm reasoning, “We’re going to try to find Tsu and get him back.”

-I was the one who watched over him when he would come to the Host Gate as a child! I was the one who watched him come there to practice… I was the one that watched over him as he grew up!- the She-Wolf proclaimed, fangs bared into the Champion’s face.

“You… did?” Zento stared back with a stunned expression. He had felt that there had been some connection between the Arweinydd and his youngest son, even from the moment she first appeared in the physical world. But he hadn’t known why… and he doubted that Tsu had known, either.

Zazo didn’t answer. She simply continued with a low whine.  -Zerom had no interest in the Earthians until now! Why does he take mine? He should go and find his own!-

Seeing that nothing he said seemed to be calming her, he took a different approach. One that seemed to work with women… at least, in his limited experience, “You know what… you’re absolutely right.”

The She-Wolf stopped, nose slowly turning towards him. Then she agreed, -Yes. I am.-

“Zerom should go get his own Earthian. He has no right to take Tsu away,” Zento coaxed. It seemed to be working, for she had quieted down significantly, allowing him to stroke her neck.

-Absolutely! That’s exactly what I’ve been saying! But no one listens,- she whined again softly.

“I’m listening,” he told her. “I know exactly how you feel. I miss Tsu a lot, too.”

-I miss him more!- she answered, indignantly.

“Yes, I’m sure you do,” Zento agreed with a sad look. “We all miss Tsu. But you miss him the most.”

-I want him to come back,- Zazo peered at him with the most forlorn expression that a giant Arweinydd She-Wolf could possibly give.

“I do, too,” he said quietly. “I think we can make that happen. But we’re going to need your help.”

-Of course you will,- she shook her head out, tone shifting, sounding more and more like the Zazo that he knew. -And you have my help. So what are we waiting on?-

“Well… we have to make a proper plan,” Zento told her between pursed lips. “And we have to wait to see what sort of information Zemi brings back with him when he returns.”

-Why wait?- she snuffed with a flip of her tail. -Zem’s already returned.-

“He has?” the warrior furrowed his brow.

-Yes. What sort of Champion are you… if you don’t know something as simple as where your Patron is?- Zazo paced around in an uneasy circle.

“Well, I… don’t usually…” Zento frowned then shook his head. There was no need to get into a struggle of wit with the She-Wolf. He knew exactly who would win that one. So he changed the approach, “Do you know where he is?”

-Simple.- the Arweinydd sniffed the ground a moment before lifting her head, ears perked forward. -Follow me. And tell your cowardly four-eyed friend to come.-

NaDo poked his head from around the corner with a scowl, “Heeeey. What did I do to deserve tha–”

“Shh!” Zento hissed, snagging the scientist’s sleeve. He whispered sharply, “Come on. Before she changes her mind.”

“Fine… fine…” NaDo waved his hands in the air towards the She-Wolf. “Lead us, oh mighty and beautiful Patroness of the Trine.”

-That’s better,- Zazo almost cracked the hint of a wolf smile at the antics. -Now come.-

The Arweinydd rounded once and with a flick of her tail raced off down the winding streets, leaving the two men to their own devices to follow.

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A pair of luminous white wings now spread from his shoulders, stretching in a protective arch over NaDo's head.

Date: 31 Passes Ago

Okay… so things aren’t exactly going as planned.

ZenToYa ran, dodging through the long streaming vines and deep forest vegetation. Running away wasn’t usually his favorite call to action. But at the moment, any other choice was as good as suicide.

I forgot how good the Spiral warriors were.

Somewhere, not too far behind, the sound of fleet footfalls followed. Every now and then, a flash of gold gave away the position of one of the perusing warriors. And though Zento was ahead of them, it was obvious that their knowledge of the land was giving them an edge.

‘Dako! Blast it… where are you when I need you?

There was no one to blame but himself for overextending into unknown territory. The warriors of the Spiral were sharp and observant. There was little doubt that they had known of the incoming group from the other side of the Cleft far sooner than Zento would have liked.

KoGuRai… I hope you’ve mobilized. There is no way we can hold our ground against these numbers.

Zento’s mind raced back to the small group of men that he knew lay somewhere on the other side of the thick bramble. All were Nefolians who had joined him on this mission. A mission to find and bring back someone that had been lost to them — Zento’s good friend and brother in arms, JinRai.

It had been a little over a year ago when Zemi had sent Jin out on a similar expedition into the depths of the Spiral… only, Jin had not returned. The loss of a good friend had been tough on Zento. But had been even tougher on Jin’s son, KoGuRai. It was because of the boy’s pain and bitterness that Zento had allowed KoGuRai to join them on this mission with the goal of completing a full investigation of JinRai’s whereabouts.

Everything is always easier said than done, isn’t it?

Zento quickly banked to one side as the tree next to him took the brunt of numerous arrow shafts. As he dodged, a shadow dropped down on top of him, driving Zento to his knees.

One glance upwards gave him a good look at his assailant – a large built man of long golden hair and fierce slate-blue eyes. Eyes that were dead of emotion. Red spiral patterns were scrawled in war paint across his face. His clothes were threadbare and his weapon dented with much use. The metal glittered coldly in the dappled sunlight that filtered through the trees above.

“Sorry. No time for this!” Rocking forward, Zento planted his feet hard into the hollow of his attacker’s stomach, knocking him back. With the momentum, the white haired man sprang to his feet, gathering up his own weapon to meet the Spiral warrior’s swing.

I have to get back to the camp!

Zento gave a curse under his breath as he shoved his assailant back in yet another attempt to break away. The Spiral warrior lunged. Zento hissed sharply as he felt the sting of the blade slash through the back of his sword arm. But he didn’t stop running.

Not a good time to lose us of an arm!

He could feel the shadow of his attacker looming closer behind him. Catching up. The glint of the blade flashed out of the corner of his eye. Zento braced himself for the strike.

But it didn’t come.

Instead, he heard the sound of a heavy thud of a body hitting the ground. From somewhere above came a familiar quipping laugh. A laugh lined with uncertainty and strain. But one that Zento was more than glad to hear.

The white haired man stopped, panting for breath as he peered behind him at the sprawled and unconscious shape of his once attacker. A heavy rock laid not too far, the obvious tool of his defeat.

Then Zento peered up into the tree, “NaDo. What are you doing here?”

“Saving your posterior. What does it look like?” the scientist gave a wary smile down from the crook of the tree.

“It looks like you’re hiding, to be honest,” Zento answered, squinting back into the forest for a moment. Gauging how much time they had left.

“Hiding?” the quipping laugh came again as the man began to make his way down the tree, hand over hand. “Would the great and fearless NaDo of Nefol do something like that?”

Zento’s face soured. “Yes. Because he’s smarter than us sword-wavers that walk straight into the thick of battle.”

Hopping down the last foot to the ground, NaDo also gave a serious frown back at the shuffling of the forest. “Are there a lot of them?”

“Too many. We need to fall back,” the warrior replied. Then he asked, “Where is KoGuRai?”

“Gone,” the scientist answered with a frown.

“Then he’s already taken them back towards the Cleft? Good,” Zento gave a sigh of relief.

“No.”

“No?” the warrior answered. “Then where did he go?”

“Insane is probably the best word that comes to mind,” NaDo scowled even deeper.

Zento just cursed and renewed his rush back towards the camp. “What happened?”

The scientist scrambled to keep up with the other man’s longer strides. “He just flew into some sort of vengeance blood rage or something – claiming it was the Spiral people that killed his father. Nothing I could say would stay his hand. He rallied the rest of them straight into the enemy. I’ve never seen the likes of it in KoGuRai before!”

I had my suspicions.

The warrior gave a frown of his own. And yet again he found himself making excuses for the son of JinRai. “Losing someone close to you does funny things.”

“I didn’t find this especially funny, Zento,” NaDo intoned.

“I know what you mean.”

“I told you it was a bad idea to let KoGuRai come,” the scientist huffed, trying to keep the pace.

“The boy has a right to find out what happened to his father,” Zento answered shortly.

“Is it that…?” NaDo’s eyes slid over with a sly glance, “Or are you just tired of being blamed for the disappearance of Jin?”

“Maybe both,” the warrior made a final leap through the brush into the clearing where their camp had been only hours ago. The place looked as if it had been hit by a storm. Supplies, blankets, pots and pans were strewn everywhere. Not far in the distance, Zento could hear the sounds of battle.

KoGuRai… what are you doing? You’re going to lead them to their deaths!

NaDo must have read the look of horror on his friend’s face. One hand fell lightly on Zento’s shoulder, his voice concerned yet comforting, “Come on. Your men need you. We can turn this around Zento.”

Zento shook his head out slowly, “Maybe… with a miracle.”

“We’ve seen worse,” NaDo quipped, trudging towards the sound of battle.

“That’s debatable,” Zento followed, cautiously scouting ahead. “We’re going to get pressed by two groups before this is through. If things fall through, I want you to go and find Kudako and get yourself to the Cleft.”

“You’re talking crazy!” came the protest.

“Someone has to return to Nefol!” the warrior protested back.

“I came out here to find what happened to one friend… not to lose another!” NaDo answered sharply, fighting to lift his voice above the battle din that now filled the glade.

With no more time to speak, Zento drove forward, pulling his blade free with one hand. He could see flashes of white through the thick forest growth, indications of his men struggling in a battle that would be hard pressed to win. Despite all the training he knew they had, nothing could have prepared them for facing the soulless Spiral warriors.

Zemi… if you can hear me… your Champion needs a little back up here.

In the middle of the battle he could make out the furious form of KoGuRai. His maimed face was twisted in a fierce battle rage as he spun and slashed relentlessly. KoGuRai’s eyes held an intensity that Zento had seen before — in Jin’s eyes, during dangerous moments of unwavering determination.

“KoGuRai!!! We need to fall back!” Zento lifted his voice, trying to rise above the shouts of rage and dismay. Instead, he found himself the target of nearby Spiral warriors who had heard his call.

The slice on the back of his arm burned. His breath came in pained gasps as he lashed out, fending off the attacks that came from every side. The smell of blood and sweat filled his senses as he jostled against bodies of friend and foe in close-quarter battle. On every side he could hear the shouts and screams of his men — voices that were momentarily familiar before pain or death overtook them.

Is this it? Is this where it all ends?

Zento struggled to find his voice. To call the orders for retreat. To get his men to safety. But even if he had given the call, he knew they would be hard pressed to hear his command with the doom of battle pounding from all sides.

No… no, I refuse to go down here!

There was no other choice. It was either hold on to his secret and watch his people die… or face the consequences.

I have to…

He began to concentrate, drawing on strength from within. Tapping into the flow of the power he had kept locked away for so long. The power that was shunned and feared by those who could not understand the truth behind it — mind magery.

-WE CANNOT FIGHT THIS! WE MUST FALL BACK TO THE CLEFT!-

Zento’s command released over the glade, resounding within their minds. Even KoGuRai stopped in mid-swing, both hands still gripping the haft of his weapon. Zento didn’t have time to study their reactions – his full concentration was on dulling the wits of their attackers… just long enough to give them a moment to escape.

-GO! NOW!-

The Nefolians needed no more encouragement. With the command still ringing sharply, they fled into the forest. Sweat dripped from Zento’s brow as he stumbled behind, losing his speed to concentration. There were so many enemies to subdue. Though his will was strong, the Spiral warriors struggled viciously against his hold, quickly exhausting him.

Then a warm grip took Zento’s good shoulder, helping to carry him forward. Glancing to the side, the white haired warrior could see light reflecting from NaDo’s looking glasses as the scientist struggle to rush them out of the fray.

“ZenToYa… what did you just do?” his voice was quiet and shaken. No doubt, NaDo knew what he had just witnessed. But the expression on his face said that he didn’t want to believe it.

No one wanted to accuse their friend of being a mind mage.

Zento couldn’t answer. His mouth was dry. His limbs were heavy and sluggish. It felt like every inch of his body was burning with a cold fire. If it hadn’t been for NaDo, he didn’t know if he would have even been able to keep moving forward at all.

What’s happening to me…?

He had used mind magic before… but it had never had an after-effect like this.

Zento could feel the Spiral warriors rousing behind them as the last of his strength slipped away. Distantly, he heard their battle cries. Felt the earth shifting as they began their chase. Heard the air slice as they drew their weapons.

“Oh no! Oh no!” NaDo’s voice rose a fearful octave. The scientist gave a shout to one of the Nefolians, running not too far ahead, “KoGuRai! Help me! Zento’s weakening!”

The young warrior paused to glance over his shoulder. It took him but a moment to assess the situation – Zento half draped over NaDo’s shoulder. The smaller man struggling to carry their leader away from the raging danger that swarmed behind. The vicious faces of the Spiral warriors who charged headlong, thirsting for their death.

“Help us!” NaDo’s voice creaked, eyes wide.

Without a word. Without any other motion. The son of JinRai turned away from them and vanished into the forest.

“KOGURAI!”

Just as NaDo’s shout broke the air, Zento felt his knees buckle. His body convulsed, jerking upright even as he fell. He heard a scream that might have been his own as a wave of freezing pain wracked his limbs.

Then just as suddenly as it came, there was numbness.

A brilliant light.

The feeling of suspension and weightlessness.

-My Champion… it is time…-

Zento’s eyes opened as the familiar voice echoed through his mind. His lips parted, whispering a single word. “Zemi…”

As the world faded back into view, NaDo’s terrified face was the first thing he saw. The scientist was sprawled upon the ground, on his hands and knees, staring up with a mangled expression of shock and fear.

The Spiral warriors, too, had recoiled, staring dazed and unsure as light streamed across the glade. Light that slowly took the form of feathers.

Zento heaved a choking breath, gasping like someone who had just returned from the brink of death. Light tingled over his form. His senses had grown sharp, picking out each small motion… the crunch of grass under foot… the panicked heartbeat of NaDo… and the ragged breathing of the Nefolians who had stopped to watch from the shelter of the forest.

What’s happened to me?

As Zento stretched out his hands, he realized the light was coming from his form. And the feathers were his own, too.

Zemi?!

A pair of luminous white wings now spread from his shoulders, stretching in a protective arch over NaDo’s shaken form. Any wounds or weariness of the previous battles had been washed away. His mind and senses focused in a way he had never felt before.

-ZenToYa… you have become as you were meant to be. You have Awakened.-

Zento slowly turned to face the Spiral warriors. His blade glittered with reflected light from his white wings as they stretched wide. His eyes sharpened, brows drawing downward as he focused on the enemy. One hand reached up, surrounded by a brilliant blue flame.

-Now take my power… and protect our people.-

Even before he released the spell, the Spiral warriors were breaking formation. They scattered as the blast rocked the glade, sending trees groaning and rocks splintering in every direction. A warcry rose in Zento’s throat, a sound that rumbled through their minds like the roar of the Dreigiau.

-Well done, Zento!-

The Dreigiau’s voice faded, but the presence and power did not. The power that was gifted to the Arweinydd’s chosen Champion.

Awakened…

Voices around him drew him out of his thoughts. Voices of the others… of the Nefolians that he had fought to protect. And one voice in particular he could hear above all others.

“He’s becoming a monster!” KoGuRai exclaimed, green eyes wide, focusing on the wings that stretched from Zento’s shoulders.

“W-What?!” Coming back to earth was a painful jolt. His wings buckled back, depositing him with an unceremonious plop before them. It was all Zento could do to land on his feet.

But no one seemed to notice. They were all staring at him with open fear and mistrust. Their mutters echoed KoGuRai’s accusing words. The very people he had fought to protect… the very people that he led, taught and nurtured… now turned on him with cold eyes.

“Hold on! Do these wings really look that monstrous to you?” Zento found himself protesting, hands wide as he tried to approach them.

His answer came in the unsheathing of weapons. Some drawn in caution. Some leveled at him in warning.

“Stay back! We all felt what you did!” KoGuRai snarled, eyes reflecting as his naginata lowered into a battle position.

Zento took a stunned step back. His tone grew pleading as his gaze cast about for anyone that might hear him out… anyone who might look beyond the transformation. “NaDo!? NaDo, please! Tell them! It’s still me!”

The scientist stared up at him with cloudy eyes, confusion and doubt playing over his face. His mouth opened and closed as if trying to find a voice that would not come. But before NaDo could speak, the others began to move forward, weapons drawn.

“Mindsucking monster!” KoGuRai goaded them forward, two steps ahead of the other Nefolians.

“No… I can explain!” Zento stumbled back further. His breath came in hoarse gasps, his mind reeling to grasp the incredulous turn of events.

But there was little sway of sympathy to his pleas. Not even the hint of remorse on their faces as they advanced. Either their fear was just that great… or KoGuRai’s command of them was far stronger than Zento could have ever suspected.

Only one friendly voice rose above the advance — NaDo’s shout, “Zento, run!”

His white wings unfolded before he could think twice. With one great downward sweep, Zento found himself in the air. As the winds carried him higher, KoGuRai’s words faded into nothing more than furious demands from below. Those who had once been his people shrank to specks soon hidden by the branches of the overhanging trees.

With watery eyes, ZenToYa forced himself to fly. Fly and not turn back. And he knew that nothing in his life would ever be the same again.

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“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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Close close. Don’t you feel him?-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Waaaaait!”

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

What?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zazo!! Help!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TsuYa arched an eyebrow.

The kid’s learned some class.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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