Author's Note: Hiiii! This is a new story that's really been in my mind for quite some time now. XD Don't worry, I will still continue Journey Of A New Beginning of course, I just wanted to write something different for now. Hope all of you readers will enjoy this fic I wrote!

Prologue: Gears In Motion

The age of the gods is over. The Earth Mother, Mila and the War Father, Duma were put to slumber for all eternity. Valentia has been united. Alm is the new and first king of the One Continent of Valentia. Everything begins anew.

After the war, many of their comrades went their own way in search of their own path in life. Some remained with them to aid them in their quest to rebuild the foundations of the new kingdom. And Celica, now married to Alm, provided him with her support and wisdom. Many believed she was the reincarnation of the goddess Mila herself, though she denied such claims. She may have achieved a great feat, but she was still in fact human after all, despite bearing the Brand which symbolizes her great destiny.

Anthiese or rather, Celica (she still preferred to be called by that) would at times, visit either the monastery she grew up in, or in the Sage's Hamlet, where her elder brother Conrad lived in. The children adored her so, and every time she would visit, the children would go and play with her, though only in a short amount of time since she still has obligations to fulfill as the queen. Her best friend Mae is now married to Boey, which was to be expected since she and the rest of the priory knew that they were always close and would always bicker with each other. When they announced their marriage, they all commented on how "it was about time" they admitted they loved each other. It was just like her and Alm then at the time.

Whenever Alm would go and perform his daily duties and would sometimes leave her if the situation calls for it, she would stay in castle on his behalf. When she finishes her duty, she would sometimes go to the castle's library to read books mostly involving political matters and learning the history and such. Since she grew up in the priory, she was never exposed into the life of a royal, and she felt she needed to keep up the pace for her to grow us a queen. She would also urge Alm to study as well.

Even when it was no longer needed, she still wears her Mila's Turnwheel on her neck. The turnwheel also provided as a key which grants access to the Altar of Duma. When Duma was defeated, they both agreed to seal the altar forever along with Falchion so no one may ever enter the god's resting place, and decided to keep the two turnwheels with them. Despite the goddess now gone, fragments of her power are still inside the turnwheel, and thus she can still see all the Memory Prisms they've gathered in their journey, however, she could no longer go back in time. Ever since the war ended, she and Alm stopped receiving any more visions of the future, so the turnwheel has remained dormant since then.

While in her study, Celica began hearing ticking sounds coming from the turnwheel. Strange, she thought. Back in the days of their fighting, whenever she uses the turnwheel to go back in time to right the wrong, the turnwheel would make a clock-like ticking sound on just how far from time she would like to go back to. Once all of those are fulfilled, the turnwheel would remain silent until the time she would use it again.

She stared at her Mila's Turnwheel. There was nothing out of the ordinary, except from the ticking sounds. Maybe it's broken? She will have to check on Alm's own turnwheel once he gets back.

That night, Alm and Celica were both in their bed chambers getting ready to settle in for the day. She could still hear the ticking from the turnwheel.

"Alm?" she quietly asked, which made him turn.

"Hm?"

"Can I…see your Mila's Turnwheel?"

Alm blinked, obviously confused. Why would she need it despite that thing not working anymore? He still gave his that was wearing around his neck. Celica stared at his turnwheel if there was something off about it. None. She placed the turnwheel on her ear if there were any ticking sounds. None again.

"Um…Celica? Is there something wrong?"

"My own turnwheel…it's…" she reached for her own turnwheel. What she saw was something she didn't expect: some of the symbols of the turnwheel began to glow, and the ticking was faster. Both of them were wide eyed.

"What's going on?" Celica asked, not expecting any answers.

Then the symbol's glow subsided, and the ticking was slower again, though constant. Both of them looked at each other, still not knowing what the heck just happened. Alm checked his again, but his own turnwheel was quiet and there was nothing glowing. Why only Celica's?

"You don't think it's broken, right?" asked Alm.

Celica shook her head, uncertainty filling her like something has a tied a knot in her stomach. "I'm not sure. I hope it's nothing." I really do hope it's nothing. But why am I feeling like this? Things like these would usually signify something is going to happen. People would call it "women's intuition", and she's usually right with these things.

Alm saw the nervous look in her eyes. To comfort her, he stroked her soft, flowing hair, kissed her forehead, and hugged her tight. "Don't worry. It's going to be fine," he said gently. "Whatever happens, I'm here for you."

Alm's reassurance most definitely warmed her heart. "Thank you, Alm."

They both tucked in for the night. They would have to get used by the ticking sound while they are sound asleep.

A week has passed and the turnwheel still ticks like a clock. Day by day, more and more of the symbols would glow and subside. She asked Nomah and the other priests and priestesses of the Novis Monastery, and even they had no clue of what is going on, only saying that some of Mila's power must be reacting to something. She even went to the Temple of Mila, and even they do not know, except when they said that perhaps fragments of Mila's power is starting to awaken again. She also asked the people in Tatiana's priory, but there was no luck. Her last chance was when she visited Sage Halcyon. The old sage only said to her that something is causing the Mila's Turnwheel to react this way, but it was, he does not know. All of them agreed on one thing though: the turnwheel is certainly not broken.

She went to the castle library again to search if there was anything at all that would say about the turnwheel. Alm was worried about her since she was in the library for hours without even eating. He would go to her and urge her to eat, which in the end she obliged. She was getting famished from hours of searching through books. After eating, he went with her to the library, offering to help her.

"Thank you Alm," she said, while reading one of the books.

"I'm worried about you," he glanced at her. "You've been visiting here nonstop for days now. Also, you've been helping me out with duties without any rest. You know you can't keep doing this to yourself."

She stopped reading and looked at him. "I'm sorry Alm. I didn't mean to worry you."

Alm gave her a warm smile. "It's all right. Whatever is happening to this," he glanced at her Mila's Turnwheel, then back at Celica, "I'm sure we can figure it out."

She smiled and nodded. How she felt lucky she was married to this man.

One of the servants came into the library and bowed at them. "Your Majesty…"

"Is there something the matter?" asked Alm.

"One of the nobles wants to arrange a meeting with you," she said. "He wishes to see your presence."

He looked at Celica, who the latter smiled. "Go on. It's okay."

"I'll be back," he said and left the library, silently hoping this meeting would finish quick.

Now she was alone again. The library was quiet, aside from the turnwheel ticking. She looked at the door where Alm had been. He was becoming a fine king, and the people of Valentia adored and loved him in return. Perhaps in the future, he would be known as the Saint-King.

Mila's Turnwheel started glowing again, this time, the glowing was strong. The sound of ticking was faster and it was going faster still. The hand was spinning faster and faster like a clock gone out of control.

"W-What's happening?!"

Bright light engulfed her and she screamed. The light and the scream was seconds quick. The library was now eerily quiet, and Celica was gone.