"We're counting on you, Sheena." Kuchinawa stood with his arms folded over his chest, watching me board the Rheaird that would take me to dying world of Sylvarant. I winced inwardly as I felt the true meaning of his words. Don't mess up like you did with Volt, Sheena. This is your chance to finally repay the village for all they've done for you. Even after you killed so many of us. Maybe if you succeed, you won't be considered such a failure.

I simply nodded and then turned to Tiga- the acting chief. The real chief, well, he was a bit sick at the moment. Just a small coma that he'd been in since a certain incident. I shook my head, dislodging these uncomfortable thoughts. "I'll try my hardest."

"We expect no less," Tiga said. I forced myself not to look down, but to meet his eyes. They, like the eyes of everyone else in the village, were filled with doubt. They didn't truly trust me. Tthat was to be expected. One couldn't say that I'd done anything deserve their trust.

"Well, I'll be going now," I said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. I climbed onto the flying machine and it roared into life, taking me through the portal and into another world. Sylvarant.

"Sheena." A soft voice sounded in my ear and I smiled. "Sheena, are you scared?"

"A little bit, Corrine. I can't help but I wonder what would happen if I failed again."

The little, cat-like spirit rubbed against my side, his blue wings fluttering gently. "Sheena will not fail," he said. "Corrine will help Sheena and together they'll save Tethe'alla.

"Thanks Corrine," I said, laughing gently. While he didn't have much fighting abilities, he certainly did help me believe in my own abilities. He had been by my side for a few years now and I wasn't sure what I'd do without him to keep me cheerful

"Now..." I took a good look around me. I'd landed in a desert, it would seem. The air was so deprived of mana that it was suffocating. The sjy was darker here and I understood exactly what was meant when someone referred to a dying world. And this was what Tethe'alla would become if I didn't succeed in my mission.

"I will succeed," I told myself firmly. "For Tethe'alla and for Mizuho."

"Sheena, where are you going to find the chosen?"

"I don't know yet, Corrine. If it's the same as the procedure in Tethe'alla, the chosen should be traveling to the different summon spirits, but I don't know where they are here." I sat down on the hot sand to think. "If it's anything like home, the chosen is really important. Asking questions in any city should tell us what we need to know."

"I wonder if this chosen is like Zelos."

"Doesn't really matter, though for their sake, I hope not. But still, whatever the personality, we'll still have to assassinate the person." I got to my feet, peering around the desert for some signs of life. "The sooner we kill this chosen, the better."

"Sheena, look!" Corrine pawed my leg and I looked down at him. "There are people over there."

I followed Corrine's gaze and looked at the group of travelers. There were only three of them, all boys. They looked poor, probably lived around these parts and worked for a living. Honest folk. They would help me.

"Excuse me," I said, waving at the boys.

"Uh, yes?" the tallest and oldest one answered.

"I'm a traveler and I want to go the nearest town." I let them connect the dots and the youngest one nodded.

"Sure. In fact, we're on the way to Triet. You could come with us."

"Thanks," I smiled at them. While we were walking, I'd ask questions about the chosen one.

"So," I began. "The chosen has finally started the journey of regeneration, huh?"

"Yes," the last boy, I couldn't quite gauge his age, spoke up excitedly. "She's amazing."

It's a girl, then.

"Mhmm, Colette will definitely regenerate the world," the oldest said. "Though, she's known to be a bit clumsy and airheaded, so I'm a bit worried."

"She'll be fine," the smallest said. "She has guards to protect her."

"Isn't one of the guards the person who got the village of Iselia burned?"

"I heard that somewhere too. Isn't he just a kid who makes mistakes?"

"I hope the chosen will be all right..."

I listened carefully to their words, growing more confident as they described Colette and the people who were "protecting" her. My ninja training would enable me to defeat these guys quickly. I smiled with relief. I'd be back home soon; my honor once more intact. Success was practically a guarantee, I thought.

How wrong I was.