Disclaimer: Legend of Mana and all of its properties isn't mine obviously.

I'm too lazy to speak anything in the Author corner so, let's get on the story and I hope you will take some time to write a Review and maybe point out my mistake in grammar because I'm not native English or have English as my 2nd language

Clearing some unfortunate monster that passed on their way to the deepest part of the Underworld, Io and Larc finally made it into the long silent corridor devoid of monster. Larc took some step forward before he said, "Most of the door here was closed to the one which was not baptized yet. We need to get you Baptism of Fire to continue our journey," Larc explained as he took some steps forward.

Io nodded in acknowledgement as she followed Larc steps. Indeed the corridor was devoid of monster, and she was glad that she didn't need to swing her spears a lot. Larc leaded her into an open area which on the left side. There was a faint purple light coming from inside. The same could be said to the road in front of her which gave the same shine.

"The Baptism Chamber was right over here," Larc said with matter of fact tone as he led their way into the Baptism Chamber.

Io only nodded in silence as she closely following the Dragoon in front of her. They entered the room and Io found she gaped at the appearance of Shadole in the room. She shouldn't be surprised at this after all those journeys she did, but still it was the first time she actually saw a Shadole.

Deciding to not mind the Shadole, Io chased Larc who had left her quite behind him. Io then looked over the room closely. In the middle of the room there was a big hole that had flaring colorful fire in it. The interior resembled the other room in Underworld and some Shadole lurked around the room, floating mindlessly as they doing nothing in particular, or at least in Io eyes.

"Give my friends over here the Baptism of Fire," Larc commanding voice broke Io from her examining state and successfully turn her attention to the one Larc commanded.

A Shadole that looked a little bit different than the other looked over Larc and said, "No, can't do. No newly-dead get the Baptism without Olbohn permission," the Shadole answered with an impish laugh.

Larc mumbled some strings of curses before looking over his companion. Io only stayed silent at the scene unfolded in front of her, it's more like she didn't need to say anything. Larc let out an annoyed grunt as he said, "Let's go see Olbohn," he said with annoyed tone.

Io nodded and trailed behind Larc as he starts leaving the room. He navigated their way through the Underworld until they stopped in one of the open room. The room glowed faint purple light from the inside. Io wondered a little why this room was open for them, for her to be exact.

"Let's go," Larc said again as he noticed that his companion didn't really pay any attention to where they go.

"Yeah…" Io, recognizing that she was spacing out gives a vocal acknowledgement as she ran to get by Larc side.

Larc only sighed at the girl antique. After all, almost all of her action was something that he would never imagine. It was normal reaction but considering that they were in Underworld, she was too normal. Not like it was a bad thing…

Larc and Io entered the room and soon Io recognized the being that sat in front of her. It had three pairs of hand like the god Asura and three eyes. Judging by its appearance and the place they were in, Io quickly recognized the being as Olbohn, the Wisdom that she had been searching and also the Lord of Underworld.

Olbohn looked up at the appearance of the Mana Children and the Dragoon. He looked half-surprised when he looked at Io, maybe because who she was or maybe more the reason she was here or maybe both. Then Olbohn rested his gaze to Larc and said, "Is she your new company?" he asked with a calm composure, completely masking his knowledge about who Io is.

Larc looked over Io for a bit before he answered, "Yeah, pretty much it. So, give her the Baptism of Fire," Larc said almost demanding.

Olbohn closed his eyes as he answered almost immediately, "Go ahead, tell the Shadoles I gave you the permission," Olbohn answered. In Io's eyes, it looked like he was bored at the routine of giving Larc permission to do Baptism of Fire.

"Good," Larc said nonchalantly. He turned his back from Olbohn and walked over Io with wide steps and almost hurried pace.

"Let's not make my Master wait," Larc said with a growl in the end.

Io only nodded as they make their way back to the Baptism Chamber.

The same sequence happened once more as Larc asked the Shadoles to give Io the Baptism of Fire. But instead of refusing, the Shadole agreed to do it and let out few weird words before fire began enveloping Io's entire body.

Not even Io was surprised at the fire that burned her. She quickly reclaims her composure when she noticed that she wasn't really got burned by the fire. Instead, she looked at the colorful fire until it finally died down and the Shadole mentioned something that meant the ritual was finished.

Io looked up to Larc and saw that he looked down at her. It was natural since he was a little bit higher than her and it was quite visible and easy to notice. So, Io wasn't offended by it.

Larc opened his mouth but decided to close it. He wanted to say something just for the sake of talking, but found that he didn't have anything to talk about. There was nothing interesting in the Underworld. A few months ago, there were a lot of Jumi resided in Underworld, but somehow they disappeared soon after. He knew it wasn't because they turned into Shadoles or anything like that. But at that time, it never passed his mind as interesting. But then, why he wanted to make a small talk to his temporary companion?

Io noticed that Larc seemed to want to say something to her. With curious face she asked, "What's wrong?" Io asked with a slight concern but more curiosity than she intended.

Larc walked past her before saying, "Nothing, let's push on," Larc answered almost immediately without looking back. Then he took long and fast paced steps to exit the Baptism Chamber, without bothering did Io followed him or not.

Io knew that Larc wasn't really honest about it but decided to not push the matter. It's not like it was important if he decided to stay quiet about it. Instead, she quickly fastens her pace to match her companion long and fast steps.

'Or maybe it was important but decided not to say it yet?' Io thought as she tried to keep the distance between her and Larc close.

Io looked at Larc from the side and decided to stop thinking about it. After all, their close distance made her more comfortable than anything. So, to waste it on baseless suspicion would be too bad. Then again, why she would think about that again?

They entered the corridor which Olbohn room was on and Io noticed the difference of the corridor this time than the first time she entered it. Simply, there were more doors opened, and it meant more exploring to do. Io let out a sigh, another exercise won't kill her.

Larc looked back to Io that gave out a tired sigh. He was a little bit concerned at the girl condition. He had this weird feeling that he didn't really want her to die for real. If she did then it meant that he needed to wait for another people, but again it was something he was used to do.

'Why she was different?' Larc thought to himself as he examined Io half annoyed face.

Io took some steps forward, not noticing that her companion had stopped walking. When Io noticed, she looked back, confused that the Dragoon stopped walking. He was her guide, and she couldn't go anywhere with no guide.

"What's wrong?" Io asked with concern on her face, repeating the same question for the second time for this day.

Larc looked forward before saying, "Let's rest for a bit," Larc said with flat and demanding tone. He took Io's wrist and dragged her to one of the empty room in the corridor.

Io was surprised, obviously, at the sudden command from the Dragoon. She was taken into a room that was quite spacious and has some bookshelves, complete with a big bed and a set of tables and chair. Like any other room, the room was lit by purple light.

She knew that someone had been inside it at the span of a year, looking at the thickness of the dust. Even if she didn't look like a girl that care about cleanness, she was actually quite obsessed with it. Io can measure how long a room had been stranded just by seeing the dust covering the place.

"Who has been here?" Io asked in a monotone voice as she dusted the invisible dust from the seat.

Larc walked around the room and was surprised at the question noted to him. He stopped on his track and trying to regain some memory about the last people he had seen living in the room. He did remember that at one time, almost all of the room was occupied by the Jumi, but was it the last occupant?

"I don't really know it but I guess it was a Jumi…" Larc answered hesitantly without looking at Io directly. He obviously forgot about their initial deal of 'An eye for an eye'.

Io only nodded her head before touching the table in the room. She was holding her own feeling inside as she touched the surface. She remembered it clearly as if it was happened yesterday. One by one the last remnant of the Jumi clan disappeared before her sight.

She couldn't save Ruben, she couldn't protect Esmeralda, she can't save Diana, she can't save Florina, she can't even save Elazul, and she even couldn't prevent Alexandra from killing herself. It did work in the end as the Mana Goddess channeling her power trough her in order to save the clan, but the feeling of helplessness when the clan fall down in front of her was overwhelming.

'Because of my weakness… they need to stay in this dark, cold, and lonely place…' Io said inside her mind as she recalled the events that happened in front of her.

Larc looked at his companion who became soundless after he answered her question. He was surprised at what he saw on the corner of his companion eyes. There were tears there and it soundlessly trailed down her silky cheeks.

He moved closer to Io and wanted to wipe the tears away from the Mana child face but remembered about his bloodied hand so he pulled it back. He turned his back before asking, "Why are you crying?" Larc asked with concerned tone.

Io was surprised at the concerned tone that the Dragoon had. She was even more surprised that she was actually crying in the first place. She knew that she wasn't a Jumi, so no more Teardrop Crystal will be made, but she swore that she would never cry, so she could throw her weak self yet…

Io sat on the chair before trying to wipe her own tears using her hands warmer. She never intended to cry, she doesn't even know why she was crying in the first place so she said, "I… I don't know…" Io said as she tried to wipe her tears away even if it was futile.

Larc only growled a little bit in agony. He never saw someone cry in front of him, not even her sister. He never cried himself either, but just by seeing his newfound companion silently crying, he felt his heart to beat wildly it was painful.

'I can't bear to know that she was crying… and I couldn't even erase her tears…' Larc thought to himself as his face contorted in pain.

Larc considered getting out from the room to give the girl some space in solitude. Without looking at Io, he said, "I understand, just cry until your heart was satisfied. I'm going to wait outside… Iolite," Larc said as he walked away from the room.

Io looked up when she heard her full name mentioned, and saw the Dragoon started leaving her and she unconsciously said, "Wait!" with her hands holding his armor.

Larc was surprised and so did Io. She never seek accompany of anyone else except her weapons. She was accustomed to solitude but yet, right now she wanted the company of the Dragoon more than anyone else she ever felt.

Larc tried to hold himself to not comfort the crying girl as his hands were dirty compared to the sincerity in his company. With a restrained voice, he asked, "What?" he said.

Io was quiet for a split second as she just noticed that Larc actually stopped when she called her. She looked down to the ground before saying, "Please… stay…" she said softly.

Larc closed his eyes without turning his back and said, "I understand…"

That last scene was obviously not from the game. The Heroine never hit me as a crybaby weak heroine, but I guess seeing people getting killed in front of your eyes were exception. In all of the three main arcs (or maybe all Arcs) the Jumi Arc had the most innocent people getting killed (Ruben, Esmeralda, Diana, Elazul/Black Pearl, Alexandra, and the other Jumi) even if they were revived in the end. Oh yeah, I used the company of Lady Black Pearl because she was awesome though Pearl is absolutely useless.

Anyway, below is the preview for the upcoming chapter, so stay tuned, okay!

Preview for Chapter 4:

Larc and Io reached a cave when Larc suddenly stopped and turned his body so he faced Io. Io somehow felt that something was coming and tightening her grips on her spear, ready to take on anything, she couldn't disappoint the Mana Goddess now after she was so close.

Larc saw the determined look on Io's eyes before saying, "Beyond this cave lay my Master chamber. Just like what I said before, my Master trial to test your worthiness on gaining his trust and your life. Are you prepared? I won't help you fight it," Larc said with a matter of fact tone.

Io's and Larc's eyes locked for a split second before Io closed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and let it out gently, calming her nerves. She had defeated countless monsters, devil, and even the magic itself. Just a small test won't make her down.

Io took a determined step inside, not even bothered to give Larc any answer since she will do it and she will win.