*shooo* after Phantom left Ereve, he soon arrived in Rien, home of Aran and Lilin.

"Hey Lilin-" Lilin closed her notebook and looked up. "Hello, Phantom," she said in her own quiet voice.

"Long time no see, huh? Anyway, do you know where Aran is?" he asked cheerfully. Lilin's face darkened. "I know where Aran is… but her condition right now…;" Phantom froze. He looked at Lilin's face, and found truthfulness in her eyes. "Lead on, my lady," he said. Though he did not show any change in his facial expression, he was anxious. *knock knock* "It's me, Lilin." She said. *creeak*

"Ahahahahahahahah….. Oh!? It's the ghost! Ghost~~! Eheheheh…." In the living room of Aran's house, Aran lay flat on the couch, holding what seemed like a bottle full of alcohol. The room showed pure chaos. Empty bottles, smell of strong alcohol… Despite the poor condition of the room, Aran was grinning widely like an idiot. Her long, silvery hair, tied in one ponytail, fell messily on her shoulders. Her tanned skin which used to glow radiantly looked dull. Her azure eyes shone brightly, but were unfocused-she was nodding slightly as if trying to reassure herself. "Aran…" Phantom said silently. He grabbed Aran's arms, and made her stood. "Hey, Aran, do you remember me? Wake up." Hiccupping, Aran lost her balance and nearly fell; if it weren't for Phantom, who held her shoulders steadily. "The pretty player boy…. HIC- right….? HIC- why is the ghost HERREEEEEEEEE!?" she screamed at Phantom's face and fell straight into Phantom's arms, where she lost consciousness. Phantom carried Aran into her dusty room-her roomed reeked with the smell of alcohol, too. After hours of cleaning with Lilin, Phantom sat down on the couch, looking into Lilin's eyes. "What made Aran like this?" She hesitated. "Th-That is…"

"Tell me RIGHT NOW!" Phantom's violet eyes were hard as stone-he looked as if he would murder someone. "You know the reason, Phantom… Why Aran's like that… you know everything…" Lilin's eyes started to fill with tears-she soon began to cry. "B-But… Aran's was fine! At least until—"

"She lost her memories, remember? Only Aran's memories were taken from her, and since she regained all her memories now, how would she be so cheery…?" Phantom was silent. He punched the wall, surprising Lilin. "Damn it…" They stayed sitting on the couch for what seemed for like hours. Then—"Ow, my head…;" she grimaced; then she saw Phantom. "Phantom! When did you—" he sighed. "I arrived here hours ago when you were totally drunk… don't you remember?" Aran froze, and exactly ten seconds after, her face reddened. After three seconds, she dashed into her room and closed the door with a loud BANG. "Oi, I came here to talk to you, you know?" Phantom sighed. "I-I'm not going to get out of my room!" Aran screamed behind the door. Phantom sighed again and used his skill to magically teleport behind the door where Aran stood. "Hey-" he grabbed her shoulder and Aran shook violently—something seemed wrong. "Ara-"

"Kyaahh-" Aran's hands blocked her ears, shaking her head. "N-No! Stop! Please! You can't—" Her desperate scream echoed in the house; Phantom clenched his hands in fist. She staggered back to the door, where she leaned against and sat down shakily. Her figure, small and frail in the dark, shaking in fear and crying as she cried, did not resemble the fierce Hero of the Maple World, but only looked like as if she was a mere child; a girl frozen in fear. Phantom squatted down, holding up Aran's chin with his finger. Aran, unable to make any sound while crying from the fear, was shedding shiny tears so round that it looked like a bright marble. She looked up into Phantom's eyes, her eyes full of fear.

"Look at me. Look at my eyes, Aran," Phantom whispered gently, calling Aran's name. "You remember, right? How you, me, Mercedes, Freud and Luminous had so much fun." Aran, hiccupping silently, looked into Phantom's eyes, her eyes full of uncertainty. But soon, her gaze dropped and hot tears began to come out, rocking her body. "Un—ugn—hic!" Phantom, looking at Aran with an expression hard to understand, took off his Raven Persona and softly placed it on her head, hiding her face behind the shadows. "It's alright. No one will be able to hurt you. I promise. I'll protect you." He spoke quietly, patting her head gently. Aran, frozen in one spot, did not stop to look up; she kept on shedding her silent tears. "ug… sniff—"
"It hurts more not to cry loudly, you know? I wouldn't mind even if you cried out loud, so you can cry as much as you can…" he murmured gently. Then Aran looked up, her round eyes still shedding tears. "It's really alright, you can cry as much as you want—" even before he finished his sentence, Aran threw her arms around Phantom, her face hidden in his chest. Soon her sniff changes to wail-where she cried mournfully. "W-WAHH~" Phantom, silent as ever, hugs Aran back and pats her back gently in response; and the moon, silver and cold as ever, shines through the window, keeping Aran and Phantom in light.

"You will be alright… right?" Lilin asked anxiously to Aran, where Aran laughed out loud; her unique laugh which made the people smile in pleasant. "Ah~ Everything will be alright. Trust me, LIlin!" she reassured Lilin, again laughing to herself. "Y-you will come back… right? Don't leave me alone… Kay..?" Lilin's eyes soon fill up with tears, threatening to spill over. "I promise," Aran whispered softly. They lock their pinkies, smiling pleasantly to themselves. "Ready?" Phantom says, his cane ready at his side. "Yup!" he smiled sweetly; and—"To Elluel!" In the centre of the swirling cards, Aran and Phantom disappear; Lilin looks up the bright sky as the last of the cards disappear into the air. "Please… let them be safe…" She prayed silently, her hands clasped tightly.

"I wonder if that Phantom's fine- I didn't get to see him after Hilla made that upheaval at Ereve-" Mercedes mumbles to herself in her studies. "That bastard… he's at hot as he was back then when he's so old too… I was so delighted to see him, that I kinda screamed his name… but how dare he makes the Queen of the Elves scream like a mere commoner?! When I see that play—"

*shoo-* "Yo— Mercedes—" The door burst open, revealing Phantom and Aran. Mercedes stood up in shock- "Ph-Phantom!?"

"Long time no see, Queen." He says playfully, using his skill to magically appear behind Mercedes' back, pulling her hair. Aran ran into Mercedes, embracing her warmly. "Mercedes! I missed you so much~" Mercedes hugged her back, close to tears. "Are you okay, Aran?"

"I'm fine! But we don't have much time, so let's have a talk when we get back-"

"Back to whe—!?"

"To Lumiere!" Phantom hugged the two ladies from the back and chanted. The magical card immediately shrouded them, teleporting them to Phantom's flying ship. And so the Empress of the Elves was kidnapped by two idiots who were 'supposed' heroes.

Inside Lumiere

Mercedes looked at Aran and Phantom in bewilderment. "What's going—?"

"Mission 'Kidnap Mercedes' success!" Aran shouted. "We'll go in to details later. But Mercedes, I need to chat with you privately." Phantom beckoned Mercedes. She moved towards Phantom, ad then- *shoo* "Kya—!?" they disappeared in the midst of cards and teleported to the balcony; "You. Take care of Aran." He ordered quietly. "I'm going to leave Lumiere to find Evan. It won't take long but just in case." Mercedes nodded. "Phantom… don't push yourself too hard… kay?" he nodded. Phantom pushed his Raven Persona ; hiding his face. "I'm off, then." *shoo* Phantom disappear in the midst of glowing cards. "May Elluel's Blessing be with you…"Mercedes murmured. Her pale yellow-green hair danced around her from the wind.

Evan's Farm

Phantom walked to Evan's farm. Evan seemed like a normal teenage boy, but he was the descendant of Freud. His magical powers inside him awoke as he contracted with the Onyx Dragon King Afrien's descendant, Mir.

Evan was cleaning up the house when— *shoo* "Evan."

"Woahhhhhhhhh!" Evan Turned around, his eyes widened in shock. "Pha-Phantom… you scared me… "

[Phantom scared Evan! Mir will eat Phantom!] Mir, the young Onyx dragon chirped in Evan's head; circling around Phantom and Evan. He grinned. [You're probably going to get fried by Phantom, Mir. Stay put.] "Anyway, what brings you here, Phantom?"

"Time to save the world, Dragon boy. Let's go—" Evan's parents came near, their face pale. "It's an honour to see you, Hero Phantom, but what's going on?" Evan's dad asked gruffly. "I'm sorry, but it's time for Evan to take part in the Heroes' business…" Phantom bowed gracefully, his mysterious violet eyes glowing under the shadow of his Raven Persona. Evan's parents nodded, though their face was white from fear. "We'll be praying for you, darling." Evan's mum said, tears In her eyes. "Thanks mum-Thanks dad. And say good bye to Utah for me." He gave them a kiss-and they left; teleporting in the midst of swirling cards.

*shoo* "Phantom! You're back!" The two girls called out gleefully. He smiled back, melting their hearts. "I've told Luminous to meet us at Ereve conference hall. Shall we go now?" the three heroes nodded, and Phantom chanted, "To Ereve!"

*shoo* "You again." Luminous muttered, his face sour. Phantom slapped Luminous' back, making his red and sapphire eyes glow in anger. "Cheer up, Lumi."

"Don't you dare call me-"

"Welcome, Heroes." Cygnus entered, her white robe trailing behind her. "We've been waiting for you."

"Empress Cygnus." The Heroes bowed— except Phantom, who just nodded his head casually.

"Manners, Phantom. You're insolence is always the same." Neinheart spoke coldly. Cygnus held her hand up, stopping Neinheart. "As you can see, the Black Mage has been gaining more strength- and the magical border between Maple World and other Dimensions have opened, letting other world to join our fight as well." She paused, and continued. "I fear that Cygnus Knights won't be enough for stopping the arising of the Black Mage. I have asked the Resistance force in Edelstein to join the Maple Alliance, and I ask you the same, Heroes." The Heroes stared back at Cygnus, their face blank. Phantom opened his mouth. "I won't be tolerating with the Cygnus Knights nor the Resistance force. I'm not sure if the Heliseum force in Pantheon has joined hands with us as well, but I prefer working alone. I will join the Maple Alliance in one condition: I will not work with any others except with the four other Heroes."

"You ignorant, insolent—"

"Neinheart, please." Cygnus held her hand up once again; she looked at the other heroes. "We agree with Phantom, Empress." Mercedes murmured. The other Heroes nodded. "Understood." Cygnus said. "I will accept your condition-and I hope to see your works." Cygnus then stood up; and left the hall, with Neinheart trailing behind him. "Lilin would've killed you on the spot if she saw how you treated us—" Mercedes whispered in Neinheart's ear. His face flushed. "She cannot come to Ereve, however- and you will not treat the Empress with your insolent ways, Heroes." He left with his nose high in the air. Mercedes scoffed. "That jerk." They stayed seated. And then—

"Aah!" Cygnus' scream rang in Ereve; Phantom stood up and rushed out. "Cygnus!" she was on the ground, staring at the air-no, a shimmering veil floating in the midst of air. "What the hell—" *tinkle* soft tinkling was heard- and then—

A young man-no, a teenage boy materialised in the veil, astonishing the Heroes and Cygnus. "Whe-Where am I…?" he looked around, looking totally lost. "Is this…?" he muttered, with his storm-grey eyes swivelling around to check his surroundings. Phantom squinted. This guy looked familiar… the storm-grey eyes, messy ochre hair—and then it hit him- that this boy was—

"Freud!?" Phantom spoke out loud. The boy looked at him. "Don't tell me… I'm at Maple World?"

"You ARE Freud, right!?" Phantom shook him roughly. "N-no, I'm not Freud. I may look like him, but I came from another world—"silence. The Heroes stared at each other in complete horror. "You gotta be shitting me…" Phantom spoke out loud. "First Pantheon, Second that Japan world, and now what!?"

"C-calm down! The good news is-"

"There're no such thing called 'good news'!"

"Only I seemed to be able to enter that veil; no one else." That shut Phantom up. Cygnus shakily stood up; and she pointed at the veil again. "Look, Heroes." The veil shimmered again, and the Heroes tensed, ready for action. *THUD* "…" a girl, this time, looking quite young; appeared, and fell. "What the—" the girl shook her hair, dusted off her pants and stood. Phantom's eyes widened. "A-Aria?" a girl, resembling Aria, looked at the Heroes with her blank eyes. However, unlike Aria, her hair was pure black-almost like… the dark version of Aria, if she represented light. Her eyes, however; was blue as sapphire. "I don't believe this…" Phantom muttered. He hid underneath the shadow of his Raven Persona; the girl stayed silent. And then- "Is this Maple World?" the girl spoke; her voice empty and hollow, almost robot-like. The Heroes nodded. The veil disappeared; the boy looked around and cried, "No!" the Heroes, Cygnus, and the two people from another dimension looked at each other; unable to move nor talk.

A.N. Long time no see! I promised that I'll upload one chapter per day, but I got my laptop confiscated from my parents the day after i uploaded the previous chapter- asian parents FTW. :3

Thanks for the reviews, especially TheChewyyyX3 I love your reviews 3

and I also realised that my chapters were a bit too short compared to others- i wrote heaps more in this chapter cuz it's my comeback stage again 3 (nah just kidding. I doubt anyone waited for me to comeback. XD)

I'll be working hard to improve my fanfic-so leave reviews!

Thank you so much! :D

XPSAX