It was raining that night too.

It was like a million knives, beating through his skin. That night he had been like a mule; driven against his will to march constantly forward. Today, still hours before total darkness, it was more subtle, but no less cruel. This storm kept Saint planted on the chapel's steps, waiting. For what remained a mystery, even to him. But, like with most things in the Priest's life, everything had a way of becoming painfully clear and so would this.

That night, so many years ago, seemed much closer. Then, Saint d'Chevalier did not exist. Really, many times, he wasn't sure that Saint d'Chevalier existed at all. That person who acted without a second or fleeting thought seemed to come and go with his wife's every subtle movement. He simply wasn't suited for what was being asked of him; or rather what he was asking of his self.

His eyes didn't require much focus; the man had a way of standing out even from far away. The Priest had decided to himself much earlier that it was from his sheer tackiness. Anyone with that much blonde hair and so little disregard in the way he strolled down the empty road could only really be described as tacky. He was a Sniper from what Saint could tell and easily more than a physical match for him. But also he was something more; something that in any other lifetime Saint wouldn't know.

"Hey. Hey you!" The tall, tanned Sniper called out to him over the thunder overhead. It wasn't as if he had any other choice but to talk to Saint. As far as their eyes could see, they were in the middle of a ghost town. Every food stand, every small house, even the chapel Saint was sitting in front of was completely empty. "Am I to assume everyone is in hiding?"

"There is no one." The Priest noted dryly, shaking some of the rain out of his already drenched hair. "No one but me."

The Sniper stared at Saint, apparently amused. He couldn't really be blamed for that though. After all, just a few hours earlier, had Saint said the exact same thing he would have been a blatant liar. It was only lately, thanks to that woman and his Wife that the small group that inhabited the town where no longer there.

Blue...

His Wife...her usual uninterested gaze wasn't pleased with him in any form the last time he saw it. He needed to be here and he couldn't bear it if Kiara saw anything that was about to occur. Life, apparently, granted him no two paths; no alternatives. He was tied, permanently, to a cycle of bloodshed that never stopped spinning. The least he could do, as a husband and a man, is keep the one person he loved away from it...even if she would never understand or accept.

"Do you really expect me to believe it?"

"What? You don't trust this face?" Saint grinned widely, bringing a slighted look to the other's face. This Sniper certainly was the sensitive type; way too touchy for the Priest's tastes. But his first guest was becoming less of a concern when another one was making his entrance. He had been careful, but Saint's instincts were too good to miss the strange feeling on his right side. The far edge of his green eyes caught the Minstrel, his purple mop hidden under a heavy cap and his guitar strapped to his back.

"Don' bother. I've seen ya 'nough times in town ta know yer face." Xenon muttered through the toothpick jutting from his teeth. "Maybe ya shoul' answer 'im now."

"I already gave a pretty good answer I think. I mean, it helps that its the truth." Saint's smile dropped as he turned to the Minstrel. He hadn't been all that trusting of him originally and, knowing what he knew now, it would've been far easier if he would've just broke Xenon's jaw back then. Maybe then much of the current mess would've been avoided. "Look around yourselves if you don't believe me. But I'm the only one here."

"Yeah you already said that you know."

"And you're all still here." The Priest pointed out icily. He had done pretty good so far, but the joking, off-handed approach he had become familiar with was fading. The grip he had on his Sword mace was starting to hurt; either his hand was going to break or it was. His eyes shut as he tried to consider the rain soaking his clothes, the cool wind beating his face, anything other than the frigid crawl reaching through his body. "So what are you really after?"

The Sniper had turned from distaste to somber in an instant. He didn't like Saint, which was fine since the feeling was mutual. "Fine. Tell me where she is."

"She?"

"The woman. The one who lived in that chapel. Where is she?"

"I don't know that one either. And if I don't know," The Priest noted, standing upright slowly. He was feeling more and more ancient, like a relic re-energized. Trying to hold onto Kiara's face, her smile, her warmth, wasn't working anymore. It all just felt...empty. His despair ran deeper and deeper, bottoming into a detached scowl. It was sickeningly freeing...not to veil himself at least for now. "I'm guessing you will never figure it out."

"You must be out of your mind. Look, just tell us where she is and you might just live through this Priest. I can't guarantee you'll walk from this: but you will live."

"Funny. I was just about to tell you guys the same thing."

"Ya really wanna pick this fight with us?" Xenon shook his head, surprised at Saint's boldness. "Ya have any idea whatcha steppin' into?"

"...Yes. I do." Saint stated, unable to see the spots of red beginning to taint the green of his eyes. He was going to do it: he was really going to do it. And there was no turning back when he did.

...Goodbye Blue...

48 Hours Earlier

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Those shouts and cheers were pretty unnatural, at least for this group. Had they made the mistake of being so loud within the village, surely all of this would've been stopped by an adult- any adult. But they were just out of ears reach which was good news for the raucous children, bad news for the one who had found himself in the fight.

And only now did it seem like a bad idea to stand up to someone nearly four years old than herself...and male. Only nine years old, the dark-haired child had her own way of dealing with people like Cayhil; head on, mixed with a bit of recklessness, and without thinking of any possible differences. That ended, though quickly when he was tossed across the field without any clear effort on the others part.

"So, still feeling like a hero squirt?" The older boy hovered over her, overtly confident. "Don't make me really hurt you."

She wasn't listening, perhaps to her own harm. But even if she could hear him over the others surrounding them, maybe should would never listen. Tsura brushed the grass off her dark skin and got back to her knees. Unfortunately, before she could get all the way up, the similarly dark-haired boy grabbed the front of her shirt and hauled her off the ground.

"Alright. Your funer-OW!"

Cayhil rocked backward, his arm outstretched and held up by Tsura's clenched teeth. Some in the small crowd actually broke out into fits of laughter, watching the older male try and shake the feral child off him. Finally he got away, a trickle of blood running down his forearm.

"I can't believe you actu-OW!" The older boy was stopped, again, in mid-sentence...by Tsura, again. There was nothing complex or tactical about her attack. She simply ran into his stomach, head first, as fast and hard as she could. Now he had crumpled to his knees, the crowd turning against him and openly laughing as this younger child had begun to get the better of him.

"So, are you ready to apologize now?" Tsura said, slapping Cayhil on the top of the head repeatedly. "I can do this all-ACK!"

The other children turned silent, deathly silent, as the watch Cayhil bury his fist into her stomach. What had been simply taunting fun had turn frightening real, but completely the turn around meant trying to stop Cayhil. And if the fury in his eyes were any indication, that was a bad idea. Better to let the fallen girl, sprawled in the grass, take the brunt of his embarrassment.

Then he stopped. Fist raised, body coiled to attack, the older boy was suddenly frozen in place. Standing in the space between him and Tsura was a knight, a Crusader actually, standing in front of a massive Peco. Kiara Kanzaki was not amused; clearly. He was near her height, but taking on this one didn't seem like a good idea; if only because of those swords at her sides.

"Get out of the way. This has nothing to do with you."

"...You're right"

"Huh?"

"I said you're right. Whatever you reason is for fighting someone clearly younger than yourself has nothing to do with me." Kiara turned from Cayhil to take a look over her shoulder. Her husband, Saint, was tending to the girl. She could, in a way, understand why...slightly so anyway. "You just so happen to be in our way. So step aside."

Cayhil's shock was audible along with everyone else's. Surely an adult, someone who knew a bit better than they did, would have stepped in were they were too afraid to. Instead, she was leaving them and Tsura to whatever bad mood Cayhil would find himself in the next few seconds. The older boy, however, seemed pleased with himself. Trouble, apparently, wasn't going to find him anytime soon.

With flourish the boy stood back and bowed, hoping only that they would only leave quickly and not change their minds. Without taking a look back, Kiara grabbed the reigns of her mount and walked forward; not even giving Cayhil a second thought. Watching the tail feathers of the oversized bird, a berserk fire tinted the boy's eyes as he turned, only to be immediately extinguished as he watched the High Priest also walk past him with Tsura latched onto his back.

"Hey! You said-"

"Yes I know." Kiara called back, still sounding completely detached although there was a hint of a smirk on her face. "I haven't interfered at all, have I?"

The crowd broke up slowly, finally breaking into a run as Cayhil watched his target leave. Finally he too left, frustrated and muttering curses to himself the entire time. For his part Saint was pleased. If his wife wouldn't have stepped in, he was definitely going to anyway. "Was that really necessary?"

"What do you mean?"

"Acting like you were going to leave this kid behind." Saint sighed as he finally caught up to the Crusader. Kiara, however, did not look moved.

"Of course I was. It really wasn't my business and besides, how else would she learn how to defend herself?"

"Wow...that's harsh Blue." The Priest shook his head, used to his wife's chilled worldview but it still had a strong taste to it. "By the way, I think she's going to be fine."

"Yeah. Well...that's good." After a moment Kiara turned to look at Saint, catching the drops of golden eyes staring back at her from over his shoulder. Mistrust, rage, hatred...it all came full blast at her from a child who couldn't have even knew those words. Its was...uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. "Let's just get her home. Wherever...her home is."

"I dunno. Hey where's your home?"

"..."

"It's getting late. Aren't your folks going to come looking for you? I bet your Mother's pretty worried."

"..." The girl was a stone. Fully awake and aware, but clearly in no mood to talk. Instead her fingers dug into Saint's robes, still processing these strangers and their ways. She didn't have to much longer and as quickly as she had latched to Saint she had let go. Back on her feet she bolted passed the couple, hurling herself towards a woman being lead to the spot by another child. The woman looked a lot like Tsura and yet there were differences. Tsura's hair was darker, but still very similar to the woman's chestnut locks flowing from underneath the orange scarf over her head. Unlike her daughter's darker, more yellow eyes, she had normal, almost peaceful aqua ones.

But they were unmistakably related. Kiara and Saint were more than happy to stand by and watch as the two embraced; well Kiara did anyway. The comforting, hapless grin that was usually on the Priest face began to fade as he took longer and longer looks at this new female.

"Tsura, what have I told you about running off like that?"

"But he was saying-"

"I don't care about that!" The woman said firmly, quieting the girl in an instance. "I care about you getting yourself hurt, which will happen if you keep getting into these fights!"

"...I'm not scared of them..."

"You don't have to be. Just don't be so reckless." The woman sighed softly, kissing the girl's cheek before rising back to her feet. "Thank you. I hope my daughter wasn't too much trouble for you."

"Oh. No it really wasn't any trouble." Kiara started to say, but stopped. She was a lot of things, aloof wasn't one of them. This stranger wasn't even looking at her, she probably didn't even know the Crusader existed. The entire time she was looking past her, at Saint.

"Your daughter?" Saint looked past the woman now to the child, a sense of familiarity in his gaze...then something else. It made him look old, really, the way he seemed to stare at the two of them. "Has it really been that long?"

"Longer. Its good to see you again." The woman smiled, bringing the Priest halfway back to reality. His wife's elbow suddenly running into his side did the rest.

"Oh. This is Kiara." Saint chuckled nervously, motioning to the irritated Crusader next to him. Certain death for everyone in the area radiated off every pore on her but that didn't seem to stop the woman from embracing her: tightly.

"Thank you so much for helping my daughter." The woman held on briefly before letting her go, and letting her wobble just a bit. "My name is Maiara."

She's strong. Much stronger than she looks. Kiara noted, not having much to go on with her husband's 'friend' than that. But then, she couldn't just start demanding explanations left and right: it would be somewhat rude. Not that it would've matter as the moment she had finished introducing herself, Maiara had turned back to Saint.

"Please, let me give you both dinner and a place to stay tonight. Its the least I can do for your help."

"That's alright." Kiara sighed, "We really need to move on-"

"Sure."

The Crusader looked shocked, which didn't do any justice to how she legitimately felt. Saint, however, didn't seem too aware of it. In fact, he seemed almost happy nudging Kiara towards where the two children where walking off. "It won't be that long Blue. Only for the night. Plus you're looking pretty tired."

"I'm perfectly fine." The Crusader said firmly, as if her word at this pointed actually mattered. In a way, it should've. Her intuition is what lead her and her husband so far from home, halfway across the known world. It nagged and pulled at her heart, keeping her awake and anxious day and night. Maybe the Priest had a point about her being tired; but she was for a good reason even if that reason made sense just to her. "Don't be stupid Priest."

"The closest town is still a day's journey." Maiara called out to them, specifically, for once, to Kiara. "You'll get there much quicker if you don't try to sleep in the woods."

"..."

"C'mon Blue. I promise you this place will be safe."

It probably will be... Kiara sighed, giving up and pulling her Peco into a trot as she and Saint followed behind this woman. But, how do you know that Saint?