~ Chapter 3 ~

They set out in fine spirits the next morning, and just as Hunter had promised, they reached Nevassa's western gate by the following afternoon. Morgan was almost disappointed when Daein's capital appeared on the horizon, for the ride was far more enjoyable than she imagined it to be.

For one, neither Hunter nor his two traveling companions asked any prying questions. Soren's honest, if not entirely complete, explanation was that the three of them had come from an isolated place where Laguz were infrequently seen. It was more or less what Hunter had expected to hear, anyways, and proved to be enough to forestall any suspicion. In fact, Hunter's Beorc friend, a cheery, muscular man who reminded Morgan of her fellow Shepherd, Vaike, took that as an excuse to share his many stories of his time in Gallia.

And then there were the Laguz themselves. Hunter and his Laguz friend looked so similar that they could have been twins, and both of them were possessed of remarkable agility, even in their human guises. Morgan found that she didn't quite have time to ask as many questions as she would've liked; both of the Laguz spent the better part of the day either transformed and frolicking ahead along the beaten path, building a lead, or walking along as humans while waiting for their companions to catch up.

It was a bit of a disappointment that neither of the Laguz spent much time near them, but Morgan didn't mind too much. Instead, she simply enjoyed the spectacle of the Laguz transformations. Though back in Ylisse, she had known several Manaketes, the Laguz transformations were completely different. With Manaketes, their dragon stones would call upon a swirl of light, magically shielding them as a cocoon would, before they emerged in their dragon forms. The Laguz seemed every bit as magical – their bodies quickly and gracefully stretched as long hairs sprouted from all over their bodies, appearing over their simple clothing, leaving both Hunter and his friend as large, orange-furred felines.

And though Hunter had seemed wary of traveling with someone unfamiliar with Laguz the night before, and didn't join in many of their Beorc companions' conversations throughout the day, Morgan had a feeling that the two Laguz enjoyed the attention anyways. The ever-cheerful Laguz often added some unnecessary acrobatics, as if trying to show-off, and both Laguz seemed to take great pleasure in waving at the cart's passengers when the cart passed them by, before transforming and sprinting past them again.

Morgan's suspicion was confirmed when they reached Nevassa, and she, Priam, and Soren climbed down from the cart. "Your payment," Soren said, as he handed a small pouch of coins to Hunter. He looked at the Laguz expectantly.

But Hunter didn't seem too overly concerned with counting his pay. "Thanks, buddy. It was our pleasure. How long are you folks planning to spend here in Nevassa?"

"We're not sure yet," Soren admitted. "Why?"

"Well, we're setting out the day after tomorrow, heading south for Nox. If you decide Nevassa isn't for you and want to head south for Nox, or even all the way south to Begnion, let me know, alright?" Hunter said. "See you around!"

"They were certainly friendly enough," Priam remarked, when the three of them said their farewells and set off for the castle. "Though he seemed awfully anxious to show off how different Laguz are from us Beorc."

"Of course he was. How else would you expect a young male to act in front of a female he found attractive?" Soren asked dryly. Morgan looked at him, startled. "Don't tell me you didn't notice," Soren added, upon seeing her reaction.

"I didn't," Morgan admitted as her cheeks flushed red. "Where are we going, by the way?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Castle Daein," Soren replied brusquely. "Where else would one find the queen?"

"Right. Of course," Morgan said, Soren's words leaving her even more flustered than before.

Noticing her discomfort, Priam clapped an arm around her shoulder in a reassuring manner. They set off soon after, following Soren in silence as they made their way down the city. They passed through a lively marketplace and several small stores. Morgan eyed the various goods presented in the store displays and market stalls with interest, but for the most part, they were common market goods similar to those that would be found in Ylisstol.

Soren, of course, didn't spare the vendors as much as a glance as he continued pressing forward, setting a brisk pace. Morgan and Priam had no choice but to follow, and before long, they were away from the crowd, and standing in a quieter town square.

A statue in the center of the deserted square caught all of their attention immediately. Even Soren stopped for a moment, and Morgan noticed that his lips seemed to grow thin upon seeing the memorial. Priam, on the other hand, strolled straight up to the memorial to read the plaque at its feet.

"So this is the Radiant Hero," Priam said softly, for the plaque confirmed his guess immediately.

"It's an adequate likeness," Soren conceded. When neither Priam nor Morgan seemed ready to leave, he continued on impatiently. "We should be going."

Morgan nodded and obediently followed as Soren continued down the road. But she stopped when she noticed that Priam was still standing before the statue. "Priam?"

Priam said nothing, though, and only drew his sword, holding it up and comparing it with the copy that the statue held. "It really is Ragnell," he muttered. Morgan smiled, remembering her first meeting with Priam, when Priam admitted that even he couldn't be entirely certain his sword was truly the one that had once belonged to the Radiant Hero.

"Of course," Soren said, apparently also overhearing Priam's quiet remark. "Now put it away before we start attracting attention. There will be enough of that when we reach the castle."

Morgan frowned. Soren's prediction had a slightly ominous ring to it, and she began wondering what Soren's plan really was, given his erratic behavior ever since they first set foot in Daein. "Are you sure this is wise?" she asked apprehensively. She had trusted in Soren's advice so far, but she also remembered Soren's reluctance to label Micaiah as a friend. They could very well be getting themselves in trouble with a beloved monarch, thousands of miles away from home. Morgan shuddered; it wasn't a pleasant thought.

But Soren seemed confident, as he always did. "Wiser than idling around hoping for the information we seek to fall into our laps," Soren said. "I expect there will be many willing to assist a descendant of the Radiant Hero, if they believe he is who he says he is. But unfortunately, proving our identity to anyone may be difficult, save for those who I once knew."

It made sense, of course, but still, Morgan found herself strangely nervous. But the castle wasn't far, and sighing inwardly, she realized they had more or less committed to this course as soon as they chose to head towards Castle Daein.

As they approached the castle and ascended its front steps, a pair of guards stepped forward to confront them. Both of them wore black armor, with small strips of blood-red cloth visible underneath. The Daein insignia of a vaguely draconic black shape on a red banner could be seen encrusted in their pauldrons, and on the flags erect on the parapets above.

"State your business," the first soldier barked.

"We're here to see Queen Micaiah," Soren replied coolly.

"The queen is no longer receiving visitors," the second soldier said. "I am sorry, but you will have to return tomorrow." He sounded genuinely apologetic, and didn't seem at all bothered by the visitors who had come in hopes of an audience with the queen. From his tone, Morgan guessed that Queen Micaiah was usually quite willing to meet with her subjects.

"Our business will not wait. The queen will see us," Soren stated boldly. Privately, while Morgan agreed that Queen Micaiah would probably not miss an opportunity to speak with such an old acquaintance, she also wished Soren would take the time to be a little bit more polite. Soren's gruff manner was a bit unusual; the branded tactician was usually more tactful than this in dealing with strangers.

Stranger still, Morgan felt as if Soren's bluntness was intentional, and perhaps feigned. Maybe he was trying to make an impression, or maybe there was more to Daein politics that he hadn't warned them about. Then again, Morgan couldn't help but wonder if what Soren remembered of Daein politics from five centuries ago would even remain relevant.

Both the guards looked stunned by Soren's forwardness. "I'm afraid that's not possible," the first guard finally said, after a long and awkward pause.

"I suppose the queen isn't here, then?" Soren guessed, keeping his expression perfectly even.

"She is here," the second guard corrected. "But her audience hours are strictly maintained, and with good reason."

"Then the queen will see us," Soren growled, a hint of impatience crawling into his voice. "Priam, show them your sword." Priam obediently drew his weapon.

Both guards suddenly looked uneasy, and one of them even made a subtle movement toward his own weapon. Neither seemed to recognize the weapon. "Are you threatening us?" the first guard demanded.

"Look again," Soren demanded impatiently. "The boy's weapon is none other than Ragnell. Even if you do not recognize it, I surely hope you recognize the name."

The guards ignored his request, and instead stared at him in disbelief. Then the second guard rolled his eyes. "Oh of course! How silly of us not to realize. Ragnell, the blade of the Radiant Hero that was lost over five centuries ago. If that's the case, why don't you just waltz on in?" he said sarcastically.

"We will, thank you," Soren said, satisfied. He knew the guard meant no such thing, though, and slipped a hand close to his tome as he stepped forward.

The surprised guards moved to block the entrance, lifting their lances. Perhaps Soren thought they would try to attack him, or perhaps Soren just felt like tossing the two unfortunate guards around. Either way, the two guards were flung away by a sudden burst of wind. The two guards slammed into the side of the doorway which they were guarding before crumpling to the floor.

Morgan and Priam exchanged shocked glances as Soren continued through the now unguarded doorway without another word.

"Umm… I'm not sure attacking your friend's guards is a good idea," Morgan said, as they entered the castle's main hall.

"She's not a friend. She's an acquaintance, at best," Soren reminded. "We were enemies, once," he added nonchalantly.

Morgan only sighed, wishing Soren had not omitted that particular detail earlier. She looked around uneasily as other soldiers caught on to the intrusion and began tagging along. "Halt!" one guard called out, though his voice quivered with fear.

When Soren ignored him, and Morgan and Priam simply followed his lead, the guards looked at a complete loss. Instead, the three intruders ended up leading a small parade of confused and worried guards all the way to the throne room.

At the far end of the throne room, there was a beautiful woman sitting in a simple, yet elegant throne. She looked no older than Morgan was herself, and Morgan let out a little gasp upon seeing her. Though she knew Micaiah was supposed to be branded, and thus would still look like a young woman, seeing the woman's breathtaking beauty in the flesh was unsettling. It was the same way it was with Soren – she would never have imagined that the woman sitting before them had lived for over five centuries.

Due to her youthful appearance, though, Micaiah certainly didn't look the part of an ancient and wise authority figure. She wore a finely cut dress of flowing white and red silks, and her long silver hair was combed neatly. All in all, she looked more like a typical young noblewoman.

Still, the guards all bowed deferentially upon seeing her, and a few of them murmured apologies for not being able to stop the intruder. Micaiah didn't seem alarmed, and made a calm, soothing gesture with her hands, setting them at ease. Then she looked at Soren curiously, apparently not recognizing him.

"Maiden of Dawn," Soren greeted, when it became clear she was waiting for him to speak first.

"No one has referred to me by that title in centuries," she said, surprised. "Might I ask your name?" Her curious expression only intensified.

"Have you truly forgotten me?" Soren asked dryly. "I must admit, I am disappointed. Ike often prattled on about how the bonds we forged in battle would be eternal."

Morgan flinched, thinking Soren sounded far more condescending than necessary. But Micaiah had recognized Soren at last, and was too shocked to hear the less-than-subtle undertones of his remark. "Soren? Is that really you?"

"Ah. So you do remember me. How flattering," Soren said, impassively. "Perhaps you would be willing to share a few stories with an old companion, then."

"Of… of course," Micaiah stammered. Many of her guards seemed shocked, for it was the first time any of them could remember seeing the queen so unsettled. She glanced at Morgan, and then at Priam, her eyes widening when she saw the sword hanging from Priam's belt.

Soren lips quirked into a rare smile. "Thank you," he said, dipping into a slight bow, as Micaiah signaled for her guards to leave them.

"It's good to see you again, Soren," Micaiah began, honestly, once her guards had left.

"Is it?" Soren quipped.

Micaiah stared at him, unsure of his meaning. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

Soren shook his head somberly. "When I left, it was because I had no place left for me here in Tellius. That has not changed, Maiden of Dawn."

"Just call me Micaiah," Micaiah insisted. "And you could have found a place anywhere you wanted. Beorc and Laguz alike have come a long way in the past few centuries, in no small part because of our efforts. You were a part of that evolution, Soren."

"I found my place," Soren assured softly.

Morgan frowned. Something about Soren's tone of quiet resignation bothered her, and she felt as if that simple statement was much deeper than it seemed. The queen's somber expression of deep sympathy didn't escape her notice, either, but Soren was quick to press on before either Morgan or Micaiah could interrupt.

"But enough about me," Soren continued. "I am here on behalf of my two companions. With me are Priam and Morgan," he introduced, pointing to each of the two in turn.

"It's nice to meet you," Micaiah said, nodding deferentially at each of them in turn. Her gaze returned to Priam a moment later, eyeing his sword again.

"Yes. Priam is the descendant of Ike, eighteen generations removed," Soren said, answering the queen's unspoken question. "But it is his friend's concerns that have brought us here today. Morgan seeks another friend of hers, from the same distant land that she, Priam, and I have traveled here from. We believe him to be here in Tellius."

"And you were hoping that I would be able to help you find him," Micaiah guessed. She turned to Morgan with a kind smile. "Tell me about your friend, Morgan."

For some reason, with Micaiah's attention focused on her, Morgan suddenly felt unnaturally shy. Something about Micaiah was just unnerving. It reminded Morgan vaguely of her first meeting with Soren, and she wondered if it was perhaps just a natural consequence of being in the presence of someone so old and wise. "Umm… his name is Owain. He's less than a year younger than I am, has brown hair… and he tends to talk strangely, as if he was acting out a part in a play," she said.

Micaiah smiled faintly. "That's not a lot to go on," she observed.

"I know," Morgan admitted. "He's also a decent swordsman, if that helps."

"His most distinguishing characteristic is his origin," Soren interrupted. "Queen Micaiah, have you heard any rumors of a young man who claims to be from a foreign land?"

"I'm afraid not," Micaiah said, shaking her head. "And really, Soren, do you have to be so formal?"

"Yes," Soren said bluntly. Micaiah and Morgan both sighed. Priam, on the other hand, seemed to be trying his best to stifle a laugh.

Morgan supposed it was better than the deliberately provocative remarks he had made earlier, but judging by the lack of surprise in Micaiah's tone, it seemed as if this was very much the same Soren that the queen once knew. "Queen Micaiah, if you hear any rumors of such a person, would you please let us know? And if you happen to come across him, will you please let him know that we are searching for him?" she requested politely.

"Of course," Micaiah agreed at once. "Do you intend to search for him yourselves in the meantime?"

"We do," Soren replied, speaking before Morgan could. "And I believe we know how best to begin our search, too." At his words, Morgan stole a nervous look at Priam, only to find the same uneasiness reflected on his face.

"Uncle, surely you can't mean…" Priam began to interrupt.

"But there is one more favor I'd ask," Soren continued, giving no indication that he had heard Priam at all. "Do you have anything that might protect us from magical assault? During our journey here to Nevassa, we've learned of the troubles Tellius is facing lately, and the involvement of the spirit charmers."

Micaiah nodded slowly. "We may have some equipment that may be useful. Some of the robes in our armory are specifically enchanted to resist magical attacks."

"Specifically, I would like something that protects one against long ranged magic," Soren added. "In case any would threaten us from afar."

"Wouldn't the robes protect us from long-ranged magic as well as short-ranged?" Priam asked, sounding clearly unhappy at the prospect of wearing a robe instead of his armor.

Soren said nothing, and only looked at Micaiah meaningfully.

"Not necessarily," Micaiah finally said, after a moment's silence. "Although I think we might be able to find something that will suit your needs. Would you mind staying the night here in Castle Daein? You are welcome to dine with us, and I will have rooms prepared for the three of you."

"Thank you, Queen Micaiah," Soren said, with a curt nod.

As a handful of the castle's servants returned to lead them out and show them around the castle, Morgan shot a questioning glance at Soren. The meeting had seemed strangely mechanical, even knowing Soren's nature as she did. Soren met her gaze for a brief second, but gave no indication of his thoughts.

Morgan only sighed, hoping that Soren wouldn't keep her in the dark forever.

A series of loud knocks rang out. Morgan came awake instantly, startled. She glanced out the window and immediately noticed it was still dark outside.

"Lady Morgan?" an unfamiliar voice called.

"Who is it?" Morgan called back blearily.

"I apologize for the late hour, but the queen would like to see you."

"One moment," Morgan said. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, but Morgan climbed out of bed anyways and quickly dressed. She glanced back at the warm bed and soft quilts longingly before reaching for the door.

A young man was waiting patiently in the hall. Or perhaps not so young, Morgan realized, when she noticed that his medium length hair was precisely the same shade of silver as Micaiah's, and his eyes were the same shade of light brown. He wore a fine red coat with a raised collar and tanned trousers, and a long silver cloak. He also wore a pair of thick leather gloves, matching his fine leather boots. "Prince Lionel," he said, introducing himself and extending a hand.

"Morgan," Morgan replied, accepting the offered handshake.

"Follow me, please," Lionel said politely, as he led the way down the hallway.

"Are we headed to the throne room?" Morgan asked.

Lionel shook his head. "The armory."

"Oh!" Morgan exclaimed, remembering Soren's request from earlier. But something still didn't add up. "Couldn't this have waited until morning?"

"Our armory hosts some rather unusual pieces of equipment," Lionel explained offhandedly. "It's best if we keep such matters private. You'll understand soon enough. I woke up Soren, first, who promised to rouse Priam. They should both be there already."

"Alright," Morgan agreed.

They reached the armory a few minutes later. The first thing that stood out to Morgan was the door – it carried a heavier lock of a different design, and the door itself looked thicker and heavier than the other doors in Castle Daein. It was made of metal instead of wood, and seemed to be covered in strange inscriptions of undecipherable runes. The runes glowed as Lionel approached the door.

"There's only two keys to this door. My mother has the other one," Lionel explained, as he lifted an ornate key from his pocket. He slid it into the lock and turned it calmly. The door clicked loudly as it was unlocked, and the runes seemed to disappear. Lionel tugged the door open, with great effort, so it seemed. "After you."

"Hello, Morgan," Micaiah greeted warmly, as Morgan stepped into the armory. Lionel stepped inside, too, and carefully closed the door behind him.

"Hello," Morgan replied, as she looked around the armory. It was larger than she had expected, with more than four times as much space as the armory in Castle Ylisse. Then again, Castle Ylisse's armory was rather small to begin with, and only saw use after Lucina decided to keep the Shepherds' equipment there. Her gaze settled on Soren, who was holding a strange looking shield. "Soren, what's that?" Morgan asked curiously.

"A shield that dampens magic targeted at the surrounding area. I can't be sure that it's effective, but it's probably the best we could have hoped for," Soren explained, shrugging.

"Are you going to explain what's really going on?" Morgan asked, now feeling rather annoyed. Soren had grown increasingly cryptic ever since landing in Daein, and it was beginning to grate on her nerves.

"I was wondering the same thing myself," Micaiah murmured, though she didn't look too irate.

"You have been acting a bit strangely of late, Uncle," Priam agreed.

Soren nodded. "I'm sorry, but I wasn't sure if we were being watched. Incidentally, I still can't be certain that we are free of eavesdroppers, but with this shield, and given the late hour, at least there's a chance we can have a truly private conversation."

"Watched?" Priam asked, and he frowned, for he hadn't noticed any observers in the vicinity.

"By who?" Micaiah asked, sounding concerned.

Soren glanced at Morgan expectantly, hinting that she should know the answer already. She racked her mind furiously for several seconds before she understood. "Tantalus," she realized. "He said he was using magic to search and could possibly use it to help us." Suddenly, she felt incredibly foolish.

"Precisely," Soren said, with a nod of approval. "A spirit pact usually augments magical prowess. I am not familiar with any magic that can spy on others from afar, save for you and your father's experimental magic in Ylisse, but it's not outside the realm of possibility."

"Which is why you didn't want to talk about Tantalus and his offer to us before," Morgan reasoned. She glanced at Priam, who was now looking around the room uncomfortably, as if he expected someone to be leering at them from one of the armory's corners.

"Who is Tantalus?" Micaiah asked, now more confused than ever.

"I was hoping you could tell us," Soren said. "We met a man on our way here who claims he used to work alongside a group of spirit charmers who call themselves the 'Redeemers'. Either they betrayed him, or he betrayed them, for now he claims to be working against them. He asked us to help him seek out the 'essence' of a 'dire eidolon'."

Micaiah and Lionel both paled upon the mention of the Redeemers.

"Judging by your expressions, you have heard of these Redeemers," Soren added dryly.

"Where did you meet this man?" Micaiah asked urgently.

"One of the nameless, small Daein ports on the coast of the Orribes Sea. He has probably left by now," Soren said with a shrug.

"He offered to help us in our search in exchange for our help with his search, and told us to seek him out in the Snowflake Forest if we were interested," Morgan added.

"But first, Micaiah, can you tell us more about the Redeemers?" Soren asked. "There's been plenty of whispers in the few towns we've been in, but nothing definitive."

Micaiah frowned. "I'm afraid that's because not much is known about them. Have you heard of the eidolons, Soren?"

Soren nodded. "I read about them once, centuries ago, but they were supposed to be extremely rare. Sighted only once every decade or two. That doesn't seem to be consistent with the port being attacked by nearly two score of eidolons," he said.

"They were supposed to be extremely rare, yes," Micaiah confirmed. "Until about two decades ago, I only ever seen a single eidolon myself. You would hear about one every few years, perhaps. They were a nuisance and a minor threat, akin to wild animals, but nothing to really be feared."

"Until the Redeemers came along," Soren guessed.

"We think so," Micaiah said tiredly. "Though we didn't know about the Redeemers at first. One day, it seemed eidolons began appearing more often. Every couple months, in larger and larger groups, all over Tellius. Eidolons are manifestations of the same spirits that forge pacts with Beorc to make them into spirit charmers. Some of the old texts imply that the spirit charmers can actually summon eidolons, so we have always suspected that a spirit charmer, or perhaps a group of spirit charmers, are responsible for the recent eidolon outbreaks."

"But we never really confirmed it until two years ago, when the Redeemers revealed themselves in Port Toha," Lionel explained. "They were able to summon a dire eidolon, and somehow strengthen it further."

"We believe they intended to control it," Micaiah said. "But if that was their attempt, their attempts were futile. Maelstrom disappeared into the sea after annihilating the port entirely. The Redeemers have kept a low profile since, but despite their best efforts, they've left enough of a trail for us to know that they have been more activate of late."

Soren grimaced. "And Maelstrom?"

"We don't know," Micaiah admitted uncomfortably. "For a month or two, it was sighted every now and then off the coast. A few unfortunate fishing and merchant vessels went missing. After that, the sightings stopped entirely."

"What is Maelstrom like?" Morgan asked, fearing the answer.

"A gigantic whale like creature, with a strange, glossy black material for flesh, unlike any material we are familiar with. Its head is almost skull-like, and its eyes appear as glowing golden flames," Lionel described.

"And it can summon lightning storms?" Morgan guessed. Both Micaiah and Lionel stared at her, wonderingly.

"Then it was indeed Maelstrom," Soren said, nodding with understanding. "Micaiah, Maelstrom found its way to Ylisse about a year ago. Morgan and her friends were able to drive it off."

"It's why we're here," Morgan explained. "Owain was afraid that Maelstrom would return one day, and set off on his own to learn more about it."

Micaiah looked as if she were struggling for the appropriate words, and Morgan could see the regret in her eyes. But it was hardly her fault, and it seemed they had more pressing matters at hand.

"Queen Micaiah, can you tell us more about the dire eidolons? About Extinction? Tantalus told us that dire eidolons leave behind some sort of essence when they're defeated, and the essence is used to bring them back into the world," Morgan urged.

"We don't know much about the dire eidolons, either," Micaiah admitted. "Only three dire eidolons are known to history. Maelstrom and Extinction were both supposedly defeated in the century following the Great Flood. Calamity awakened two centuries before our battle with Ashera, and was defeated somewhere off the coast of Gallia. But Extinction managed to return to our world about two hundred years ago, in eastern Crimea. Until the eidolons surfaced everywhere two decades ago, Extinction was the only eidolon I had ever seen."

"What happened to Extinction?" Soren asked.

"It cut a path south, destroying dozens of smaller villages, until it reached Serenes Forest. Empress Sanaki ceded Serenes Forest back to the heron tribe right after the War of the Goddess, but thankfully, the surviving herons chose to make their new home in Phoenicis instead. They were safely out of harm's way when Extinction ravaged the northern part of the forest," Micaiah replied. "It then turned and began its march into Daein territory."

"Begnion sent help, as did Phoenicis. Together, we were able to chase the eidolon away from Daein. We pursued it all the way back to the Snowflake Forest at the Daein-Crimea border, where it first surfaced," Lionel added. "Hawk King Tibarn led the final battle against Extinction, destroying it and banishing it from our world once more."

"But at a great price," Micaiah said, closing her eyes. "Many of the Beorc soldiers were killed in our earlier battles. Most of Begnion's Holy Guard had fallen, and the Laguz alone were able to pursue Extinction. Many Laguz died in that final battle… including Naesala and Leanne."

"Naesala… and Leanne?" Soren echoed hollowly. "How? I thought Naesala would have avoided the battle at any cost. And herons do not fight. Why would Leanne have been there?"

Micaiah's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled sadly. "Naesala was always a more noble man than he himself would admit. He joined the battle willingly, at his king's side. And according to Tibarn, Leanne refused to leave Naesala's side in the end."

"Naesala and Leanne?" Morgan asked. Both names sounded vaguely familiar to her.

"Naesala was the former raven king, who stepped down and allowed his rival, Tibarn, to become king of the united bird tribes after our battle against Ashera," Soren explained. "Leanne was one of the last survivors of the heron tribe. As Ike and I were leaving Tellius, we heard rumors that she had married Naesala."

"They were married within a few months of our victory," Micaiah confirmed. "Her daughter, Belle, and her brother, Reyson, are the last of the heron tribe now."

"What of her other brother, Rafiel? And King Lorazieh?" Soren asked.

Micaiah's expression darkened slightly. "Not long after reuniting with his family, Rafiel decided to return to Hatari. A messenger from Queen Nailah arrived in Daein less than a decade later. It seems the physical trials he suffered did more than strip him of his ability to fly. He supposedly fell ill only a few months after returning to Hatari, and passed away shortly after. King Lorazieh, too, never truly regained his health, and passed away not long after his granddaughter was born." Suddenly, another thought occurred to her, and she smiled. "Actually, there is one more surviving heron. Though of course, his ability to transform was stripped away centuries before either you or I were born."

Soren's eyes widened as he realized who Micaiah must have been referring to. "Lehran still lives?" he asked incredulously.

"Lehran returned to Serenes, and like King Lorazieh, was healed by the songs of the herons. He even regained his wings," Micaiah explained. "He then disappeared for a few decades, though he returned to Begnion near the end of Empress Sanaki's life. After her passing, he rejoined the surviving herons in Phoenicis, where he still lives today."

"I see," Soren said thoughtfully. After a few seconds of silent contemplation, he shook his head. "Micaiah, how has the rest of Tellius responded to the emergence of these 'Redeemers'?"

"They… haven't," Micaiah said hesitantly. "After Port Toha fell and the eidolon raids became rampant, King Kurthnaga reached out to the rulers of each kingdom of Tellius, both Beorc and Laguz. He was hoping to investigate the grim rumors. I agreed, of course, as did King Strife of Phoenicis. But Gallia's former king fell ill and passed unexpectedly only months before the incident at Port Toha, leaving a rather unusual heir. Gallia's new queen was in the midst of establishing her authority and maintaining her kingdom's stability. Similarly, Crimea was doing their best to help their Laguz neighbors. Neither Gallia nor Crimea was willing to commit more than a few token resources."

"What about Begnion?" Soren asked. "Begnion was by far the strongest and wealthiest of the three Beorc kingdoms when Ike and I left Tellius."

"Begnion remains as stalwart as ever," Lionel answered. "But they are still ruled by a senate as well as their emperor. While Emperor Yashiro does have the right to make a unilateral decision, excluding his senators could have rendered his kingdom politically stable. He chose to bring decision before his senate instead."

"But Begnion's senate remains frustratingly bureaucratic," Micaiah said sadly. "After over a month of deliberation, they still had yet to make a decision. Kurthnaga then disappeared altogether, putting an end to the discussion."

"Disappeared?" Morgan asked curiously.

"At first, we feared something had happened to him. When we spoke to his people, though, it seemed they were unconcerned, though they professed no knowledge of King Goldoa's whereabouts," Lionel said.

"And you believe them?" Soren asked dryly.

"Of course not," Micaiah said with a faint smile. "Though Goldoa has opened its borders to the rest of Tellius, they still remain fairly isolated. My guess is that some of the Goldoans we spoke to, at least, know exactly where their king is and why he has disappeared."

"So that's where we stand. Tellius has been… paralyzed. Maelstrom is missing entirely, after wreaking havoc in both Tellius and Ylisse. Extinction ended the lives of thousands, and fought to the bitter end, leaving deep, lingering wounds. Now, with countless of eidolons running free, Tantalus intends to fight fire with fire, so to speak," Soren summarized grimly.

"Uncle, we can't allow Tantalus to summon Extinction. Even if we could trust him, there's no guarantee he could actually control it. We could very well be releasing another horror like Maelstrom into our world," Priam said, aghast.

"I don't disagree," Soren said softly. "But we cannot so easily forget our own reasons for coming here," he added, turning to Morgan.

"Are you saying we can simply ignore all of this?" Morgan asked incredulously.

"We certainly can," Soren replied, sounding almost flippant. "Tellius's troubles will only be our troubles if we welcome them as our own."

Micaiah nodded. "Though Tellius hasn't remained entirely peaceful, our people have lived in relative harmony for many centuries. We can face and surpass our challenges together." As she spoke, though, she suddenly looked uncertain. "Still…" she said, her thought trailing off as she struggled to find the right words.

"What is it?" Morgan urged.

"Ever since King Kurthnaga disappeared, relations between the kingdoms of Tellius have become strained," Micaiah admitted. "Some of Daein's citizens have begun to suspect that Phoenicis may be involved in the Redeemers. I'm not certain where the rumors first emerged, but they are difficult to quell."

"And because of the baseless, whispered accusations, Phoenicis has begun to mistrust Daein, too," Lionel added. "In the absence of any real information, Begnion is lost in its bureaucratic squabbles. Emperor Yashiro is understandably reluctant to push his senators until an appropriate course of action has been determined. Given Queen Gallia's young age and recent rise to power, both Crimea and Gallia would rather pretend, for the sake of stability in their kingdoms, that the Redeemers aren't a threat at all."

"Which is why we are having this conversation," Soren said, nodding. "While our chance encounter with Tantalus may prove to be a fortunate opportunity, we do have our own reasons for being here."

"You're willing to turn your back on these people? On your people?" Priam demanded angrily.

"We came here to help Morgan with her quest," Soren reminded. "The decision is rests with her."

"Then we'll help them, however we can," Morgan decided immediately, without even the slightest trace of hesitation.

"You would put your search for your friend on hold, and put your own life in danger on Tellius's behalf?" Soren asked, though he kept his tone neutral.

Morgan nodded. "I'll find Owain sooner or later, anyways. And I can take care of myself in the meantime." Her optimism seemed to fade slightly. "But I won't ask you or Priam to follow me," she added. "I don't think it's right for me to make that choice for the two of you."

"Fair enough," Priam agreed. "Allow me to make the same choice for myself, then. Morgan, whether we are searching for your friend or helping Tellius with the eidolons and the Redeemers, I will stand and fight by your side." He then turned to Soren. "And you, Uncle?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

"There comes a point in life where you no longer fear death," Soren replied calmly. "Though I would sooner not stand on the sidelines, watching the two of you invite it alone."

Morgan smiled knowingly. "Thank you," she said, before turning to Micaiah. "So where do we begin?"

Again, it was Soren who spoke first.

"Simple. We find Tantalus, and we offer to help him in exchange for his help in finding Owain."