~ Prologue ~

Sinister Shadows

The remarkable thing about castles, Cloak thought to himself, was how they could all be so strikingly similar. Castle Daein's hallways may have been quite convoluted, and the keep itself was fairly large, but in the end, it was a castle like any other. The main hall traveled down the length of the castle to the throne room, with living quarters for the servants that lived on site situated nearby. The finer living quarters in the more secluded section of the castle were naturally reserved for the royal family and their guests, and the treasury and armory were close to the barracks on the lower floor. Some of the other rooms were in odd and nonsensical places, but it wasn't too much of a concern. It had only taken Cloak a few days to familiarize himself with this particular keep.

Despite his comfort with his surroundings, Cloak's many experiences had taught him well, and he remained wary, despite maintaining his outwardly calm and unconcerned demeanor. As a guard, it was unlikely that any would find his presence unusual, and as a rather plain looking man, with a nondescript face and neatly trimmed brown hair, few would afford him a second glance under most circumstances. But for the sake of the visitor he was expecting, it was in his best interests to attract as little attention as possible. It helped that, like most castles, Castle Daein's hallways were only dimly lit. The darkness would have been stifling if it weren't for flickering torches, spaced around eight feet apart along the walls, casting an eerie, orange glow upon the old, smooth stone walls and the fine, thick red carpets.

A few of the other servants of the castle passed him, and Cloak nodded politely to each of them in turn as he continued down the passage. After checking to make sure no one was watching, he slipped into a small supply closet near the library.

A man was waiting for him inside the closet, holding a lit candle. The flickering flame illuminated his face. He, too, was a rather plain looking man, with the same nondescript face and neatly trimmed brown hair.

The two men were twins, and had once been partners in crime, until a botched assassination attempt upon a Begnion senator left both of them incarcerated. They had been brutally tortured for an entire month before they were condemned to a humiliating and excruciating public execution.

But then a pack of eidolons had appeared, striking at the town and mercilessly killing any who crossed their paths. In the confusion, the opportunistic assassins found their freedom once more, and came across those who had orchestrated the eidolon raid.

Their new benefactors were clever and cunning, and quite resourceful to boot. Cloak and Dagger, as the two men styled themselves, had only found greater success in service to the Redeemers.

But the Redeemers were as merciless as they were effective. Particularly Medea, the weakest, yet the most brutal of the six Lodestars, who seemed to delight in senseless murder. Only Harmony and Symphony, the youngest of the six Lodestars, had ever been seen to offer even the slightest bit of empathy toward others. But Symphony had been too caught up in his never-ending quest to please Tantalus, right until both master and apprentice disappeared two years ago. Harmony had been a mentor to the two assassins, and was quite a bit friendlier than the other Lodestars, but had become aloof and distant ever since the loss of her younger brother.

"How goes your mission?" Dagger asked, without bothering with the formality of a proper greeting.

"As well as we could have hoped," Cloak replied easily. "The seeds of doubt have been sown. Daein's soldiers are beginning to believe that Phoenicis may secretly support the Redeemers. And of course, I made certain that the envoy from Phoenicis overheard those doubts."

"Clever as King Phoenicis is, he will likely have seen the truth of our ploy," Dagger said, in a tone of satisfaction. For that had been part of the plan, too. Maybe the conflict would never be as great as they hoped, but the mere tension could possibly provide the fuel they needed. The kingdoms of Tellius, both Beorc and Laguz, would be precariously poised on the edge of war. When Charon recovered the Entropy Shard, they would finally be ready to set their plans in motion. And in their minds, there was no doubt that mighty Lord Charon would succeed.

"How goes your own task?" Cloak asked curiously. Dagger had been stationed in Phoenicis, trying to exploit the unusual decision of the former king of the united bird tribes.

Dagger shook his head glumly, though he look resigned. "Poorly, I'm afraid. Lord Charon expected as much. It was a slim hope at best. Of course, there are many who feel wronged by former King Tibarn's decision to abdicate the throne to one of the raven tribe. But Tibarn's own children stand behind King Strife. I have tried to afflict the populace with doubts, but as I lack true wings, it has not been easy."

"You can feign wings easily enough," Cloak reminded.

"But I cannot fly," Dagger replied. "Which keeps me away from the battles, where their emotions run highest. Thankfully, the mission is not a complete failure. I have managed to incense some of their doubts into unrest, and stirred up some ancient grudges once more. But I'm afraid I have more pressing news, Brother. Lady Harmony has betrayed us."

Cloak's eyes widened. "That's impossible! You jest, Brother!"

Dagger frowned. "Lord Symphony is alive. It seems Lady Harmony was hiding him from us. He, too, has turned against us."

Cloak blanched, guessing where this conversation was headed. "Who told you of this?" Cloak asked, though he knew the answer already, for Dagger's first report was to be to the citadel.

"Lady Medea," came the expected answer. "Don't worry – Lady Medea knows better than to send either or both of us in pursuit of Lady Harmony. But there's been a change of plans, Cloak. Lord Relic requires your assistance."

"What about Daein?" Cloak asked, confused.

"Your work is done here, according to Lord Relic. He is headed to Dragonflame Isle. The Dominion Scepter is near, but Lord Charon suspects Tantalus may be close to achieving his own goals. Time is running out," Dagger said. He handed a shimmering, forest-green cape to Cloak. "You may need this. I will be heading to Lord Charon's side to assist him in his search."

Cloak nodded. Working alongside Relic would probably not be particularly enjoyable. Even so, he did not envy his brother, for Charon was even more inscrutable than Relic. But there was one more bit of information that Charon needed to know, and who better to pass along word of it along than his brother?

"Brother, there's been another development. Soren, the legendary tactician from the War of the Goddess has returned," Cloak said.

"Soren? The tactician and staff officer of the Greil Mercenaries? He is still alive?" Dagger asked, startled.

"So it would seem," Cloak affirmed. "Accompanying him was a young man who Soren claims to be the descendant of the Radiant Hero. The boy carries Ragnell, by the words of Queen Micaiah herself. They set off toward the Snowflake Forest. I guess they must have heard of the recent eidolon activity in that region."

Dagger grinned wryly. "Interesting. I suppose I'll have to stop by the citadel before rejoining with Lord Charon, then. If we are to face Ragnell's wielder in battle, it behooves us to have Alondite and its wielder at hand, does it not?"

Cloak returned his smile. "Lord Charon would approve of your initiative, Brother. If your mission comes to blows, it promises to be a sight I'll be sorry to miss."

Each of the two men reached for a pouch hanging on their belts, and pulled forth a pinch of fiery red powder. Rifts appeared beneath them, and as Cloak was spirited away by the magical substance, he wondered how the Daein guards would react to the disappearance of one of their own. It was a fleeting thought, though, for it didn't truly matter at this point.

His work here was done.

"So, Drake. How long will we wait? Destiny calls, and fate is impatient," Owain said, as he stood at the stern of a small, swift clipper. The gentle sea-breeze blew by, making a mess of the young man's medium-length brown hair, as he shifted his balance from one foot to the other.

His companion, Dracos, stood calmly a few paces away with his ruby eyes closed. Drake had replaced his plain, dark traveler's cloak with a finely tailored black and silver coat. His splendorous outfit still included a dark hood, so when he opened his eyes and smiled in amusement, Owain did not notice.

Even as Owain glanced at Drake questioningly, he had to suppress a shudder. There was something unnaturally imposing about Drake. It was not size that lent itself to man's intimidating aura, for he was roughly the same height and size as Owain, who was not particularly tall himself. Rather, it was his regal and confident demeanor. "Does fate have a name? Does it happen to be Owain?" Drake teased, in his soft and mellow voice.

Owain shot him a bemused look. Then he grinned sheepishly, as he understood Drake's remark. "I share fate's impatience," Owain admitted. "A grand adventure awaits us, and great forces move all around us! You cannot fault my thirst for great happenings!"

"There is no fault to be had," Drake replied, closing his eyes once more.

"Indeed, there is not! My sword hand hungers for the blood… err… ash? Of the eidolons! In the wake of our victory, many bards shall sing of the conquest of Owain Savior, and his mysterious and capable sidekick, Dracos!"

"Owain Savior? You called yourself Owain Dark before," Drake noted.

"Owain has earned many names," Owain boasted. Still, he deflated a moment later. It had become more and more difficult to maintain his carefree and dramatic demeanor of late. It had been countless months since he had seen his cousins Lucina and Cynthia, or anyone else in his family for that matter. On top of that, unnerving strangers with his eccentric antics wasn't nearly as satisfying as needling Lucina's best friend, Severa. Owain sighed, as he reminisced fondly of the many times his silliness exceeded Severa's limited tolerance, provoking an angry reaction.

Severa could be awfully scary, but Owain knew quite well that with a single sad or scared look, he could deflect any real anger. Severa would moan and groan a bit, and that was usually the end of it.

Of course, Severa was an ocean away from him now, too. Just like everyone else Owain knew. And to make matters worse, he hadn't even figured out how he was going to make his way home. It had sounded so easy at the time – take to the seas with a band of crusty old sailors, learn what he could about the sea monster he now knew was named Maelstrom, defeat Maelstrom if possible, or return home with whatever he had learned so that Ylisse's legendary tactician, Robin, could provide a permanent solution.

And now he was stranded on the other side of the vast ocean. He was only keeping up his act out of habit, now, for his heart wasn't into it any longer. And for all his efforts, he still lacked any real information about the unknown menace. Not that the information would have done him any good; with no way home, and indeed, no idea where home was, Owain couldn't even be sure that he'd ever see his friends and family again.

Tortured by such thoughts, Owain tried to focus on their current mission instead, when he instead remembered a strange sight from the previous evening, on his way back to the tavern. "Say, Drake."

"Hmm?"

"Yesterday, there were these strange golden lights in the sky, up in the north," Owain began. "They were flickering… it almost looked like they were dancing. It's kind of hard to describe. Do you have any idea what it was?"

Drake looked at him blankly. "Are you sure you weren't seeing things, Owain?"

"Never mind," Owain said. Then, trying to hide his disappointment, he rambled on senselessly. "I'm sure it was only the divine light, an omen of the glorious road ahead of us both."

Drake smiled faintly. "Must be. By the way, I believe that young man might be one of our companions-to-be," Drake said quietly, changing the subject. Drake gestured towards a young man who was casually making his way toward their ship.

The man looked about the same age as Owain. He was taller than Owain was, standing just under six feet in height. He wore a feathered hat and simple jacket, both crafted from fine, light-brown leather. Underneath, he wore a simple dark cloth tunic, and light brown trousers. A pair of shaded spectacles concealed his eyes. "Are you Drake?" the man called to Owain, as he approached the plank.

"I am Drake," Owain's companion corrected. "You are Agent, I presume?"

"That's me," Agent said, grinning broadly. "So, friends, when do we depart?"

"As soon as our other companion arrives," Drake replied. "Owain, this is Agent. He's a treasure hunter familiar with Dragonflame Isle and the surrounding isles, and will be able to help us in our search. Agent, this is Owain. Unfortunately, there is a fair chance that we will encounter some trouble during our journey, and a couple swords at our side may prove valuable." As Drake introduced them, Owain waved cheerily to Agent, who returned his greeting enthusiastically. But Owain's hand froze in the middle of his gesture, and his jaw dropped as he spotted the other companion Drake had hired. Drake didn't notice his reaction at first.

"Hi!" a young woman greeted cheerfully, as she crossed the boarding plank. "You're Drake, right?" Her long red hair was bound into a neat ponytail behind her, and she was wearing a bright and inquisitive expression as she stared at Drake's hooded figure.

"I am indeed," Drake confirmed. "You must be Anna."

"Yep!" Anna replied cheerfully. Owain stared, his mouth wide open. "Umm… hello?" Anna said, looking at Owain oddly.

"A-Anna!?" Owain said, finally finding his voice. "Anna!"

"Yes, that's my name," Anna said, looking a little bit confused.

"It's me! Owain! Don't you remember me?" Owain said, hopping up and down in excitement.

Anna gave him a weird look. "Have we met?"

Owain now looked equally confused. "Of course we have! You run the little market stall in… oh." Owain frowned as he remembered that his merchant friend had countless sisters and cousins, all of which who shared the same name and profession.

Anna's reaction was quite the opposite. "Wait! You've met one of my sisters!?" she said, suddenly as excited as Owain had been. "Then you're from Ylisse, aren't you? Thank the gods! Please tell me you know how to get home from here!"

Owain grinned sheepishly. "Nope. I was hoping you would," he admitted, and Anna's expression drooped. "So what are you doing here?"

Anna grimaced. "It's a long story, about an even longer voyage. And it didn't quite go as planned."

"I mean here, specifically," Owain clarified.

"I hired her," Drake explained. "Agent says he's not much of a fighter, and I'd prefer not to get into any battles myself, either. Though I am sure you are more than capable of dealing with any altercations that may arise, there's no sense in taking needless risks."

"Fortunately for you, anything is for sale at the right price," Anna said with a wink, bringing one finger to her lips in a pose that Owain found nostalgically familiar. "So you're our guide?" she asked, turning to Agent.

"That's right, beautiful," Agent said, extending a hand, which Anna cheerfully shook.

"Now that everyone is acquainted, we should be on our way," Drake suggested, as he carefully lifted the boarding plank and set it aside.

"Wait a moment! Our company still needs a name! As does our ship!" Owain insisted.

"You are welcome to provide both," Drake said in a conciliatory tone, as the nameless ship detached itself from the pier and began to drift out to sea. The wind soon filled their sails, and the clipper sped toward the south.

A small schooner of foreign design slipped away from the docks, leaving a small port town north of the capital of Crimea, traveling west. The ship's name could be seen in elegant gold lettering on the side of the ship: Stormfall.

At the stern of the deck, a young woman wearing a newly acquired traveling cloak that matched her long, dark hair studied a map carefully, using a small piece of charcoal to mark their course.

"It's kind of far, isn't it?" her brother, Symphony, asked, as he moved to stand beside her. He was taller than she was by several inches, and wore a long, black leather coat with a fancy, folded collar. Two sickles hung from his new weapon belt, which, like his sister's new coat, had been purchased from the marketplace in the port. His long sleeves and dark leather gloves hid the crescent-shaped silver brand on his wrist. His hair was the same color as his sister's, although he had trimmed it short.

"Not as far as you think," his sister, Harmony by name, replied. Like her brother, she, too, carried and concealed an unusual brand. A violet mark on her right shoulder signified her own spirit pact and status as a spirit charmer. The two had once been two of the six Lodestars of the Redeemers. An unfortunate accident had cost Symphony his memories, and seeing Symphony lead a regular life had put their prior lives and the actions of the Redeemers into perspective for Harmony, finally giving her the courage to turn against her former allies. She could only hope it wasn't too late to put a stop to the events that they had helped set in motion.

"It only took us two days to reach this port," Severa reminded, overhearing their conversation. The woman had just changed out of her new black and silver darksteel armor, salvaged from the Redeemer base of operations, and was wearing a simple, but stylish, red tunic. Beside her, her best friend, Lucina, was dressed in her normal navy blue traveling garb. Lucina's legendary sword and family heirloom, Falchion, rested on her belt in easy reach. "The Stormfall sails pretty quickly."

Lucina approached Harmony's other side and quickly estimated the distance. "We should be there in a week, at longest," Lucina confirmed.

"Assuming the weather holds," Harmony warned, for indeed the weather had not been a hindrance so far, but a storm could easily upset their plans. "If only we had more warp powder. I don't know if Relic went straight to Dragonflame Isle, or if he stopped to recruit some help. Even if it's the latter, he'll probably be there long before we will."

"Relic doesn't know where the Dominion Scepter is either, right?" Symphony pointed out. "We don't have to get to the island before he does. We just have to beat him to the scepter itself."

"That's right," Severa agreed. "In fact, maybe it's better if he gets there first. We can track him down and take advantage of the work he's already done."

"Symphony, why don't you get some rest?" Lucina suggested. "You were keeping watch last night with Iris, weren't you?" Iris, the fifth of their small party, was slumbering below the deck. The petite, dark haired, lavender eyed Laguz girl was sensitive to sunlight, and was usually drowsy throughout the day, so she and Symphony had agreed to keep watch throughout the night. Symphony had always been comfortable traveling and working by night, anyways. According to Harmony, even during Symphony's time as a Redeemer, he often worked under the cover of darkness. But Symphony had insisted on accompanying his companions in visiting the port.

"I probably should," Symphony agreed, nodding. "Thanks," he added, as he headed down the staircase toward his room.

When she heard the cabin door close behind her, Harmony sighed in relief.

"Are you alright, Harmony?" Lucina asked, concerned. "You still seem a little uncomfortable."

Harmony frowned. "I know I shouldn't have expected anything different… but it still feels awkward. I have been lying to both him and Iris for so long." After Symphony's disappearance, Harmony had been tasked with bringing her brother back to the Redeemers. But when she found him at last, she instead hid the truth, choosing to allow him to live a life of peace. For a year and a half, Harmony had visited the village frequently, under the guise of a traveling merchant.

"Well, it was for their own good, wasn't it?" Severa said. "Symphony and Iris both forgave you already."

"They have," Harmony conceded. "But Symphony still feels… distant."

"Did the two of you used to be close?" Lucina asked curiously. Other than filling in the more crucial blanks of Symphony's past, Harmony didn't delve much into the details of their lives before Symphony lost his memories.

"Not really," Harmony admitted. "I think we were close once, before the eidolons came. But that was so long ago, and when Charon started training me, we grew apart. By the time Symphony made his own pact of spirit protection, and started working with Tantalus, we were allies more than we were siblings." She looked out over the sea wistfully. "During my visits to Silent Grove, I was closer to him as a friend than I ever was as a sister."

"Well… Symphony doesn't remember anything before that. It's probably a bit weird for him, too, but once he gets used to the idea of having a sister, maybe you two will have a chance to start over," Severa suggested.

"He doesn't really need a sister anymore," Harmony said listlessly. "Even in Silent Grove, he never needed me. He had his new friends, like Lily, Noelle, Mark, and Jake."

"And Iris," Lucina added.

Harmony looked slightly uncomfortable. "And Iris," she agreed, after a short pause.

Severa shook her head. "Friends are one thing. Sisters are different," she insisted. "It's new to him, that's all. You'll see."

"Tell me about your sister," Harmony said, changing the subject. "I've always wondered what it would be like to live a normal life."

Lucina and Severa froze. They glanced at each other, and both burst out laughing a split second later. "Sorry," Severa said, fighting back tears of laughter. "It's just, there's so many words you can use to describe our lives, and 'normal' isn't one of them."

"Well, I guess no one's life is really completely normal," Harmony said, misunderstanding. "I just meant a life away from living nightmares and schemers."

"How about an ancient dragon demigod and his thousands of fanatical minions, willing to sacrifice their own lives to resurrect him so he can destroy the world?" Lucina asked. "Trust me, Severa and I have had our share of living nightmares."

"I just hope we're not walking headlong into another one," Severa said, shuddering slightly.

Harmony looked at them both, wide-eyed. "Tell me," she invited, eager for an opportunity to escape from her own pressing concerns, if only for an afternoon. Lucina and Severa smiled obligingly, and the three women gathered around the lectern and traded stories as they kept their magically inspired gale blowing into their sail, propelling them through the calm seas.

As was normal during the summer months, night fell late upon the shores of Dragonflame Isle. The small island town was situated a few hundred miles off the coast of Gallia. Weapons and treasures from distant times had been lost to the seas during wars fought in and around Gallia, and many such fortunes rested beneath the murky depths around Dragonflame Isle. For centuries, Dragonflame Isle remained a haven for treasure hunters, though in the past few decades, the little civilization had grown quieter than ever. Less than a hundred people now called the island their home, and there were usually no more than thirty or forty visitors at any time, many of which were merely tourists.

But under the cover of night, a flock of large birds descended upon the island, seeking refuge in the forests. The scouting party had received potentially alarming news from an old friend and informant, who had begged them to come to Dragonflame Isle. And the famed Nighthawk, daughter of the former Phoenician king, Tibarn, had pressed her patrol into flying, day and night, to reach the island as soon as possible.

"Celera, are you certain about this?" an old hawk asked, approaching the patrol's leader not long after they landed in the nearby forests and reverted to their human shapes. Though Celera, or Nighthawk, as she preferred to call herself, was nominally in charge, most of the time, she deferred to Ulki, one of her father's oldest and most trusted friends, and one of the few who had fought against Ashera beside the Radiant Hero and still lived.

Celera shook her head impatiently, her messy dark brown hair flying wildly around her. "I'm never sure. But since when has that ever stopped me?" she asked, grinning.

Ulki hid his smile well. He had always been good at hiding his emotions, but the disparity between Celera's appearance and personality always amused him. Unlike her father and brother, who both had jet-black hair, her hair color was more typical of a hawk. In contrast, while her father and brother bore ordinary wings with brown feathers, Celera's feathers were as dark as a raven's. She was a bit smaller than the average hawk, too.

But though she looked strikingly different from her father, deep down, she was much the same: bold, bordering on reckless, and always favoring action over words. It could be a valuable quality in a leader, but also had its drawbacks. "We don't even know what we're waiting for," Ulki reminded gently.

"I know," Celera assured. "We don't even know if anything will happen. But Nasir seemed fairly sure that if something does come up, and we are needed, we would understand right away."

"And yet Nasir isn't here himself," Ulki countered. "The Goldoans may be our allies, but they have been distant ever since King Goldoa disappeared. You can trust that Nasir will represent Goldoa's best interests first and foremost. It falls to use to do the same for our people."

Celera shrugged, and signaled for her men to set up camp. "For now, I think we should move ahead as if our best interests and Goldoa's were the same," she said. "We have no evidence to the contrary, after all. But if you hear something wrong, let me know right away, will you?"

"Of course," Ulki said, dipping into a graceful bow despite his old age and timeworn frame.

"At last, we have reached the canvas of our futures! Together, my fellow Spirit Slayers, we shall seek out a treasure of times distant past, and with it, vanquish the threat of the dire eidolons forever!" Owain called proudly, as he leapt from the deck of their ship onto the dock. The voyage from Port Toha to Dragonflame Isle was a short one, and they arrived in the morning after only two days.

"Spirit Slayers? That has a nice ring to it," Drake said mildly, as he disembarked in a far more dignified manner after laying down the plank.

Agent rolled his eyes. "Is there any title you don't care for, Drake? That's more or less what you said to 'Champions', 'Scions of Justice', 'Fellowship of the Scepter', and 'Demon Hunters', too."

"Not particularly," Drake conceded. "It will make our adventure easier for the historians to retell, at least. I suspect that if we succeed here, your names will find a place in Tellius's history, if you desire. And besides, a lofty name may sound ridiculous, but can still be something to rally around. We've all heard of the Dawn Brigade and the Serenes Restoration Committee, haven't we? They, too, had humble beginnings much like our own. Even the Redeemers have chosen an idealistic name for themselves."

"Fame, huh? Now if only I could turn that into gold somehow," Anna mused.

"Who are the Redeemers?" Owain asked, pushing past Anna's obsession with gold. He had heard the name mentioned before in quiet whispers back in Port Toha, but when he inquired further, no one seemed willing to answer him.

"Spirit charmers. Not much else is known about them," Drake explained. "But ever since Maelstrom destroyed Port Toha over two years ago, many have suspected the Redeemers to be involved, both in Maelstrom's resurrection, and in the recent plague of eidolon activity."

"Hmm… sounds unpleasant," Anna said, not giving it too much thought. As far as she was concerned, only two things mattered: money, and finding a way home.

Owain, on the other hand, nodded thoughtfully. "So these spirit charmers are evil?" he asked.

Drake frowned, his crimson eyes gleaming with a similarly contemplative spark. "I would not say that. They are simply people, different from ordinary Beorc the same way Beorc and Laguz are distinct. Spirit charmers can choose to be kind people as easily as they can choose to be cruel and selfish."

"Bah," Agent said dismissively. "What kind of good person hosts spirits for the sake of magical power?"

"There are many reasons," Drake said. "Curiosity, perhaps. Or maybe the spirit charmer only seeks the power to protect himself, his family, or his friends. Regardless, we should not dawdle. Our mission presses upon us. Agent, you said you had information for us to begin our search."

"You got it, boss," Agent said, nodding, and instead of heading towards the town, the "Spirit Slayers" wandered toward the rocky cliffs adjacent to the shores.

"Here we are, friends," Agent announced, as they came to a stop in a small cove.

"This is hidden pretty well, isn't it?" Anna asked, seemingly exhausted. Owain, too, was feeling the wear of their toils, for they had been hiking for well over two hours to reach this cove. Conversely, neither Agent nor Drake showed any signs of weariness.

"Maybe, but it was discovered decades ago," Agent said. "Maybe even centuries. It's a part of Dragonflame Isle's history, and one of the island's greatest mysteries. No one really knows why it's here," he said, pointing at a large stone pedestal planted firmly into the ground. An inscription had been engraved into the flat surface atop the pedestal.

"No one but you?" Drake asked leadingly.

"I have a theory," Agent said, with a roguish grin. "Why don't you take a look?"

Here rests Calamity, Cruel King of the Sky,

And far beneath the stone, our battle's remnants lie,

The menace we did vanquish,

But in time our legacy shall languish,

The darkness will rise once more,

Emerging from our world's core,

Bold is he who would challenge a dire,

And who would brave the beast's ire,

He who hopes to triumph must first seek the seal that rests within wind's pillar,

Where a light shall shine on your path ahead, leaving your future clear,

Then search for the seals entombed within the shrines of earth, water, and fire,

And face the trials, succumbing not to sweat, blood, or tear.

Drake finished reading the poem aloud, then fell silent.

"Well, what do you think?" Agent demanded, when none of the others spoke.

"It seems connected," Drake said.

"It looks like a grave of some sort," Anna observed.

Drake shook his head. "A memorial for the battle, more likely. No eidolon leaves a body when destroyed, and even if there were remains to bury, few would bother honoring an eidolon this way. This must have been left by the victorious spirit charmers who defeated Calamity."

"Must be," Agent agreed.

"I have heard the legend of the four pillars, but I was the impression that little was known about them. Are they the shrines that this inscription speak of?" Drake asked.

"What are the four pillars?" Owain asked curiously.

"Four towers, one lying in each of the cardinal directions, with Dragonflame Isle centered between them," Drake explained. "Some believe them to be ancient shrines of some sort, but according to the stories, never before has anyone set foot within them. They've stood undisturbed for centuries."

"What? How can that be?" Anna asked, surprised.

"Because no one has found a way inside. The doors are locked," Agent said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "But now we know what's inside, don't we?"

"Do we?" Drake asked doubtfully.

"Four seals. The pillars are hiding something," Agent spelled out. "Something relating to the dire eidolons. Something with which to challenge the eidolons."

"And far beneath the stone, our battle's remnants lie," Drake read again under his breath. "You believe it to mean the Dominion Scepter? Buried here, and protected by the four pillars? That seems a bit of a stretch."

"What else could it be?" Agent countered. Then he shrugged. "You're right. It might be a bit of a stretch, but it's the best I've got for you. Everyone else around here thinks this to be an old song or something by now."

"I guess," Drake said. "If it's all we have to work with, then work with it we shall."

"Four ancient shrines, shrouded in mystery, protecting an ancient weapon buried beneath our feet," Owain said in a hushed voice. This time, he didn't need to add any dramatics of his own.