Chapter Seven

A Reunion Bittersweet


|i.|

Noé stayed out of the way of the hustling healers that ran around the grand room she, the military, and the rescued priestesses were now in. A few hours after the raid of the pirates fortress had gone by and within that time, they had returned the kidnapped Regalis to their temple. Extraneous examinations on their wellbeing were done the instant they stepped into the alabaster temple and although offered, Noé declined the aid given to her. Chief opposed to her decision quite loudly.

I'm not hurt. Exhausted, yes, but nothing a full belly and a good night's sleep wouldn't fix.

"You may not be injured but you depleted your reservoirs to a dangerously low level again. You simply must stop toeing that razor's edge so often."

Noé didn't understand her ire. Her life had always been one precariously balanced on the edge and that was just how she liked it. Boredom killed. Besides, this time it wasn't for nothing in return. That reminder moved her hand down to her obi were her fingers ghosted along the hilt of the metal vessel nestled there.

The Fanalis cub had been taken away to heal from his magoi exhaustion and no one seemed to bother to ascertain that he came with all his possessions. A very foolish move, in her opinion, but one she didn't blame too much. They just went through a rather grim experience and they were more concerned with their well being than making sure any and all powerful magical weapons were accounted for.

"You say that as if you intend to steal it."

You know I wouldn't even if I could. Noé chuckled at the sheer thought of that. They both knew that once conquered, metal vessels and djinn only listened to their chosen kings. No, her reason for holding onto this one and for waiting in Regalia's Temple for the time being was to speak to the little magi.

Emerald eyes raised at hearing Scheherazade's quiet voice among the racket that only seemed to get louder the more that time passed. Her long blonde tresses barely missed brushing against the polished floor as she made rounds to personally see to the safety of every one of her Regalis. From her vantage point, Noé watched some cry from pent up anxiety while others assured their families that they were alright. All agreed that it had been a rather frightful experience. Noé imagined that being taken forcefully from their home would cause that.

"And Seraphina?" Her keen ears took up the conversation between Scheherazade and whom she now knew as General Ignatius Alexius, another one of Pernadius' descendants, as they walked down the length of the open hall in her general direction. Must be happy wherever he is that his family grew this big. The man did love his big families.

"Well by all accounts." Ignatius shook his head as a frown came to his features. "Insisted that she healed whatever ailed her and to be released at once. She left to be with Muu. He's being attended to as we speak."

"Might want to put a leash on that one." Both stopped and lifted their gazes to meet Noé. Languidly, she stood from leaning against a pillar and stretched before scowling at Scheherazade. "He put himself in danger to impress some girl."

"Muu is rash for his young age, yes," Scheherazade agreed but her brow knitted a bit as she continued, "but his actions were to aid in this time of necessity."

"Well, if that's what you want from him then I suggest you train him to better use this." Her hand still on the hilt of the metal vessel, she patted the blade. "His moves were lousy and he's barely able to hold a weapon equip. The cub might be a Fanalis but he's a cub all the same."

"I do agree with you in that concern. We shall see to his proper instruction." Giving Ignatius a sidelong glance, she excused him to relay the information of the priestesses safe return to their families. The general took his leave with a bow and a hard-pointed stare at Noé. Not deterred nor bothered, Noé gave him a goofy grin and waved him goodbye.

Once it was the two of them alone, Scheherazade walked up to Noé, close enough for their conversation to be too quiet for others to hear. "You have my utmost gratitude for what you did, Noé. If there is anything that you require, I shall assist with what I am able."

"Don't worry, I didn't do it to help you so the thanks are unnecessary." Noé's assurance and grin didn't bother Scheherazade. The honeyed words that came afterwards did. "But if you insist, I can think of one little thing to thank me wi—" Noé leaned forward in the middle of her sentence with puckered lips intent on getting her tiny reward. But when her lips and face plastered against the hardened surface of a borg, Noé chuckled and rubbed at her reddened nose and forehead as she took a few steps back. The fact that Scheherazade's usual aloof expression now turned into the tiniest bit of a frown with the light shine of a rosy blush on her cheeks only made her chortle louder. "Why so cautious? You still mad about last time?"

"Fool me once" was all the magi offered.

Noé almost thought the gesture cute but refrained from teasing her any further to focus instead on what she actually wanted. "But in all seriousness, I do need you for something." Holding the hilt in her hand and straightening the blade along the side of her body, the blade glinted in the firelight. "Mind if we talk somewhere more private?"

Scheherazade hesitated but ultimately didn't question her request and led her away from the crowd further into the temple. Noé took note of the marble floors and alabaster walls that were all similar from the entrance. All that gave a semblance of change were the decorations that changed from hallway to hallway. The magi led her to a large room where many magical artifacts laid on tables or that stood on pikes as targets. A training room, she surmised.

"I thought Reim wasn't into furthering their magical technology."

"We aren't," Scheherazade confirmed, "these are used by the priestesses' to hone their abilities. Despite their namesake, I wish for them to be able to defend themselves if the need arises."

"Well, some of that got through their skulls but you might want to up the training here after what happened." Aside from Seraphina, most of the priestesses weren't that keen about fighting actual people.

With a nod, Scheherazade turned on her heels to face Noé, sky blue eyes half-hooded to gaze at her. "I must ask now that we're alone what your intentions are with Muu's metal vessel."

Noé could almost laugh at the seriousness of Scheherazade's expression. With a swift hand, she pulled the sword out from under her obi and pierced it through the granite floor to let it stand. Her hands rested atop the hilt of the sword as she gave a lopsided grin.

"Summon the djinn that's inside the cub's metal vessel."

"What for?"

"I have questions that need answers." And hopefully whoever's in here will detract from the latter rather than add to the former. "You're a magi. Summon them."

Scheherazade's gaze went askance in thought before returning to her. "Is that all you request?"

"Yep!"

The magi heaved a long sigh before taking the few steps to stand before the sword plunged into the ground. "Very well." Noé smiled and lifted her hands from the sword. Scheherazade laid hers on top of it and a change occurred in their surroundings. It was quick and heavy and from the shimmering of their silhouettes, she knew exactly what kind of change it was. Once the room was oversaturated with rukh, the eight-pointed star shone brightly and a blinding light gave way to the djinn as it appeared before them. The training room with no roof had been the perfect choice seeing as the djinn grew to be just out of the room's height; it made Noé wonder if Scheherazade had known beforehand what she'd be asking.

That frankly didn't matter as her attention was drawn to the djinn as it took shape. The grand djinn glanced at the magi that called him first, "Magi, to what do I owe the honor of being summoned?"

Noé chuckled before waving a hand and calling out, "That tab would be on me." The grand djinn looked over to her and blinked a couple times utterly perplexed.

"Wait a second, is that…?" It wasn't until he caught sight of Noé that his whole demeanor of indimitating djinn was thrown out of the perpetual window and he goofily grinned back at her. His large hands swept down at the ground to scoop her up and bring her up against his cheek. "It is you, Noé! Oh, our sweet little sparrow!"

The bubbles of laughter that arose from her throat burst out without difficulty as she reached up to pat at his cheek, "Glad to see you too, Chief Barb."

I'm glad it's Barbatos.

Andromalius humphed clearly upset about their closeness. "Speak for yourself."

"My darling sparrow, I never thought I'd see you again!" he said with a boisterous laughter.

"Neither did I." Pointing down to the ground, Barbatos obliged to putting her down on the floor next to Scheherazade.

Said magi turned to face Noé with interest clearly etched on her face before turning to Barbatos. "You know her." It wasn't a question but rather a statement of fact.

"That I do, my esteemed magi." He reached down with a finger to pat Noé's head. "She's a great champion in both arms and intelligence."

"You flatter me." Noé waved dismissively before smirking smugly. "Go on."

Barbatos's laughter rung through the empty room again but died quicker this time around when his sight focused back on her. "Although I am glad to see you, Noé, I have to say that I'm also puzzled as to how that is possible in itself."

"Believe me, it's a really long story and not a particularly interesting one, Chief Barb." Although not satisfied with her answer by the looks of his frown, he refrained from interrupting her as she continued. "However, I did ask Scheherazade to summon you from your metal vessel for a reason."

"Yes, that much I assumed." His arms crossed over his chest as his large beastly legs did the same and he took a seat before the two of them. "What did you need me for?"

Noé nodded and went right to the point. "It's about the other recorders. Tanvi was one of yours. Were you ever in the know of what she or any of the others planned to do?"

Barbatos held his chin between his fingers, pensively humming to himself before lifting his gaze. With a childish pout, he shook his head. "Nothing specific comes to mind. Tanvi kept to herself more often than not, especially about your guys' affairs. Your work wasn't something any of us delved into much out of respect."

Or spite, in the cases of a few.

"Why are you asking for, if I may know?" Noé gave him the same explanation she gave the others. There was a darkness spreading that threatened to destroy the world. She didn't intend for it to do that without putting up a fight first. "I see. Sadly, my knowledge of the recorders was minimal." A quick snap of his fingers changed his forlorn expression. "But we were made aware of your powers. Mostly as a precaution." That caught her interest, an eyebrow raising in question that made him continue. "That raw magoi you invoke reacts variably with ours depending on who it is." His clawed finger lowered and managed to gently tapped right on the arrowhead that laid on her bosom. As if responding, the eight-pointed star shone. "Grace of Sunlight is compatible with Andromalius and her magic. That allows you to perform magic much greater than any other user with the same type of magic and depending on the level of mastery, it could very well rival a magi's power."

Noé couldn't help the smug grin that came to her lips as she gave Scheherazade a sidelong glance. The magi readily ignored her and instead asked Barbatos, "And if they aren't compatible?"

"Now that's a different story." He pointed at himself and looked away as he spoke, like a child thinking aloud. "If, for example, Noé had contracted with the worst case scenario, that being someone with magic akin to mine, then Grace of Sunlight would have been useless at best and detrimental at worst."

"Detrimental how?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"Certain types of magic aren't compatible with others. And in such cases, they can even negate one another completely. Succinctly put, it could render you powerless."

That it made sense got Noé to scowl. After all, she already knew that Peaceful Darkness wasn't the easiest foe. It was the worst, in fact. But with what Barbatos continued to explain, it gave it some logical sense. With a heavy sigh as she scratched the back of her head, Noé smiled weakly up at Barbatos.

"Thanks for telling me that, chief."

He nodded but wore a similarly weary smile to hers. "I regret not being of any more help than this, little sparrow."

To reassure him, she shook her head and showed him a sincere smile. "Anything is worth it if it means getting to see you, Chief Barb."

The djinn grinned before bowing before the two of them. "My hopes are that you accomplish your goal, little sparrow, and that you work alongside those others chosen by the magi and us as well."

"Sure." Not like they'll be of much help, though.

Barbatos raised his voice as he began to vanish back into his vessel. "We will never be able to repay the seven of you. But in the very least, know that those who feel as I do will aid you if our kings allow it so."

That show of gratitude made her grimace a bit. "I'm grateful that you feel that way but you really shouldn't thank us, least of all me. What we did, we did because we wanted to. And I've learned that you should never thank someone for their selfishness. All it does is feed their ego and turn them arrogant." Her fingers gripped the hilt of his vessel and took it out of the ground to swing it over her shoulder. "Speaking of which, how 'bout wrangling that little red cub you have for a master?" Despite having turned into the burden she thought he'd be, Noé saw potential in such a cub mastering the powers of a djinn. "Get him to train even more with you so the next time his suicidal urges kick in and he sticks his nose were he isn't supposed to, he'll be able to defend himself at least."

The comment got Barbatos to chuckle and agree before he completely disappeared into his vessel and leaving behind nothing but silence between Noé and Scheherazade. And then there were two.

The soft intake of air beside her got Noé to grin and glance sideways at the magi. "Don't bother, Hera. You know I won't answer." Scheherazade's opened mouth slowly closed. Noé knew she'd ask about her talk with Barbatos—especially about the familiarity between the two of them—but she wasn't keen of telling her anything anymore.

"Then allow me to thank you in earnest this time." This caught Noé the tiniest bit by surprise and made her turn fully to the magi. "For rescuing the priestesses and for protecting Muu."

"Like I said…" her voice drawled with the sigh she exhaled, "don't go around thanking people without knowing their intentions." Noé let the hostility that hung about her mind disappear into the back of it before scowling childishly down at Scheherazade. "Things would've gone a lot smoother had the cub not snuck out, though. Seriously, Hera-chan, teach the kid some goddamn common sense. He's too headstrong for his own good."

Scheherazade nodded in agreement. "That may be due to his young age, something I took into account when choosing him as a king vessel. However, I believed then just like I do now that he has great potential to do astounding things."

I wonder about that.

"She chose him for a reason."

Oh, nice to know you're back, jealous mealous.

Chief indignantly humphed again and tossed around muttered objections to being called that which made Noé chuckle. The chat in her head got suddenly interrupted by the muffled voice that echoed through marbled walls along with pattering footsteps that ran the granite halls.

"Scheherazade-sama." The doors of the training grounds were pushed open and through them came one of the priestesses. The moment that platinum hair and sea glass eyes came into her view, Noé recognized Seraphina beyond her mildly bated breath and knitted brow.

"What is it, child?"

"Well—" Her eyes flickered back and forth between Scheherazade and Noé. She didn't appear comfortable talking in front of a stranger. Noé tried dissuading her discomfort with a wave of her hand and smile. It didn't do much but Seraphina at least gathered the courage to speak. "It's Muu. I'm worried he exhausted his magoi too much this time."

"Yes, I've been made aware of what he did and his condition." Heaving a sigh, Scheherazade lifted her gaze to meet Seraphina's before smiling. "I will come to his bedside to assure ourselves that he isn't in anymore danger." The little priestess nodded but the concern was still pretty obvious on her face.

Those kind of faces were the ones Noé hated the most in children. Without intending to, the words slipped from her lips before she could think anything of them. "I doubt he'll die, if that's what worries you." Both of them turned to look at her and the sudden scrutiny took her aback somewhat. "I mean, even if he's just a cub, he's still a Fanalis. I doubt something like this will make him kick the bucket." Taking the few steps to stand before Seraphina, Noé stretched out the hand holding the sword for her to take. The little priestess took it hesitantly, the weight of it making her hold it with both her small hands. Her hands now free, Noé ruffled her platinum locks and grinned. "By the way, you weren't half bad back there. Whatever it is your learning here, keep at it. You'll make a good Regalia one day."

Seraphina lowered her head but gazed up after a moment, her eyes determined and cheeks flushing. "T-Thank you, miss. For helping Muu and for saving us too."

What's with everyone thanking me today?

"What you did warrants gratitude, Noé. For as much as you want to paint it as such, your deeds tonight were the farthest thing from selfish."

She didn't think so, but arguing with Chief and repeating herself over and over again weren't things she wanted to do right now. Her gaze focused down on the young magician before her instead. "Don't get used to it. Being a meek damsel in distress won't work forever. You have to be strong and able, little missy, because I can assure you that there'll come the day where no one will be there to save you but yourself."

There was no hesitation in the answer Seraphina gave. "Muu will save me. He always will."

"That cub needs to learn how to save himself first before thinking about saving others." That being said, Noé looked over her shoulder at Scheherazade and grinned. "Teach them well, Hera. It'd be tragic to come back to learn they're both six feet under because their heads were filled with nothing but pipe dreams."

Leaving the magi no time to reply, Noé flashed out of the temple.


|ii.|

It's nice to know this place never changes.

Bustling with a vibrant energy, Reim's capitol, Remano, never failed to lift her spirits. The colosseum and casinos made the place so busy and crowded that no matter where she looked there was always something going on. Even as she idly leaned against a pillar while mindlessly strumming her lute, the people minded her very little being much busier with their own lives. The kids however would pause briefly in their play and arch their heads back to gawk at her before running off to call their friends over.

Children being very attracted to her was something she surmised after experiencing this a couple of times too many before. They were her best audience so Noé didn't complain. Despite how hard they were to deal with, she had nothing against them. Children were innocent of any and every sin until they came to face the world and those who lived in it. Children weren't born knowing how to hate or who to antagonize; they were born craving love and knowing only how to give it. They found joy and wonder in the smallest of things and knew not of impossibility.

Seeing them dance carelessly and sing along like the rest of the world didn't matter warmed Noé's heart. The sight was rare even now. Children too often were poisoned by the greed and prejudice of people and the world at large. How sad that to grow up for them meant to face a cruel world that would destroy them down to their cores.

"It is for the betterment of the world." Noé missed a string but played it off while ignoring Chief's crudeness. "Those who cannot survive will perish as nature demands it. It is a small mercy compared to the suffering they would encounter for the rest of their lives."

"If what nature demands of me is to break such innocence, then I refuse to go along with it." Her whispers were low compared to the music her lute made as she strummed the strings. Some children huddled closer stretching their hands as if wanting to play too. Noé obliged by holding its neck and letting them strum the strings on the body; they giggled at the noise it made and she smiled down at them. I thought you left those beliefs behind, Andromalius. Did life teach you nothing?

"It taught me plenty," she replied, "however, I still believe that nature takes it course logically. And logic favors the lives of those fittest to survive."

"Surviving is boring," Noé drawled on. She played the last notes and the children cheered but groaned at seeing her standing up from her place. Taking some sweets from her satchel, she tore pieces of them to give the children who giddily surrounded her to accept them. Once done, the kids left promptly and left her to dust her hands against one another before scanning the area.

Now...which way was it again?

"Ask for directions, Noé."

"But I know Remano pretty well, Chief," she claimed as she threaded through the crowd that came and went along the busy streets in the early afternoon.

"The last time you were here was years ago."

"Less than a hundred-fifty though. It couldn't have changed that much."

Thankfully, she hadn't been to far off the mark when guessing where the colosseum was. And since the people she was looking for wouldn't necessarily be lounging out front, Noé made her way towards the back of the enormous building. The archway leading into the outer grounds was unattended and so was the entrance, to her surprise. Seeing as there was no one to talk to here, Noé excused herself under her breath and entered the place. The inside was just as empty as the outside with only a few people walking about the long hall.

Noé walked through with her hands behind her back as she took in the sight. Despite her many visits to Reim, she seldom found herself coming to these parts. Violence and gore for the sake of entertainment weren't exactly her cup of wine.

"Ironic considering that you inflict much of it on a frequent basis."

"Just because I do it doesn't mean that I enjoy it, though," she corrected. When Chief hummed pensively, it made Noé add to the end of her sentence with a lopsided grin, "Most of the times anyway."

The hallway she walked through opened up to show a waiting area where the whispers of people finally came to her ears. None of them looked like the famed tribe that was rumored to harbor there though. From the idle chatter that reached her, it seemed they were nothing more than gladiators. Those men talked about the matches of the day that they would fight—some against other gladiators, some against beasts. The women that came and went about were mostly there to serve the people at this foyer.

Not here. Realizing that, Noé sauntered further inside the place. Though some people stared after her as she passed, none stopped her. And it wasn't hard to see why. Despite the misgivings they might have at seeing her, that same doubt would keep them from approaching her. Noé knew well how to enter a room and walk like she owned it. It made sneaking into places easy though not inconspicuous to Chief's chagrin.

Treading further into the colosseum, Noé found herself at an open area which she assumed were the training grounds from the number of people duking it out there. Men playing with toys, really. She doubted less than half of them knew how to use any of the weapons they held in their meaty, calloused hands.

A grimace came to her as she stared at the bunch nearest to her that rowdily fought against each other with swords and shields. An old man sat against a pillar near them and called out to them if they let their stances falter or saw an exploitable opening that had to be covered. Seeing him got Noé to scoff. At least somebody sounds like they know their stuff.

"What's a hussy doing here?"

Though the derogatory term could've only been meant for her seeing as she was the only woman there on the grounds, Noé turned with a sickenly sweet and deceiving smile to another group of men. These gathered around an oaf much taller and larger than her and that was merely from looking at him from where he sat on the ground. Lifting a finger to point at herself, Noé's smile didn't falter. "You mean me?"

"Do you see any other broad here?"

The grin settled as she stood straight with her hands held behind her back. "Well, I would say 'yes' but I think that guys would rather pay you to leave than bed them."

The oaf shot up furious and took the few gigantic steps needed to reach her. His eyes wide and veins against his temple popping, he pulled a broadsword from the sheath behind him and slashed down at her without warning. Having seen that a mile away, Noé took it in stride and sidestepped far enough from the attack letting the sword strike the ground instead of her.

"Oh, oh, oh," she huffed as she bounced back on one foot before standing right again. "That looks like it might've hurt, you know, had it actually hit. Too bad your as slow a thinker as you are a fighter, buddy."

"You bitch!" Noé trained her eyes on him as he charged forward with the sword held aloft and dodged away from every attack he struck down at her. Her hands remained behind her back all the while she danced around the swings of his sword but when she felt the wall behind, her eyes only glanced beside her before coming back to him. A nasty sneer plastered itself on his marred face as he brought his sword sideways. Noé ducked and used her hands as leverage before swiping the man's feet from under him. The ground rumbled as the brute fell over like a cut down pine. Her feet and laughter had a bounce to them as she leapt away from the heap on the ground and towards the middle.

"Now that isn't very nice, but I hope you learned your lesson." But as she turned from chastising him, emerald eyes met a handful of others who took their stances and stood at the ready to go against her. Noé let out an exasperated breath and rolled her eyes a second before the hoard charged at her, all at the same time. Ready to deal with them as they came, Noé crouched down somewhat but before any could reach her a hand grabbed the tail end of her drape.

And her wing.

A squawk resembling something between a yelp and a growl escaped her as whatever had snagged it hoisted her above the ground, leaving her hanging upside down. The pain immediately tore across her spine like a million knives stabbing at every possible nerve but no matter what she tried she couldn't undo the grip that held her aloft. Ah, fuck it! Her hands clawed onto the fisted hand that held part of her drape and wing and held tightly onto it to bend forward before hooking her legs around his massive arm. Now that she hung from it like that, the strain on her wing was lessened greatly and now the only things hurting were the grip he had on it and her pride. Cheeks somewhat darkened red, Noé set her glare to whomever dared do that.

But at laying eyes on the man, her one track mind halted. Eyes narrowed and focused on the slits of the odd mask he had on. Animalistic would be the only way to describe it with the multiple eyes on its forehead coupled with the horns and protruding teeth. The way his hair was styled behind it didn't do anything to better that image either.

A tiger? No, looks more like a boar.

"What's the big idea, pigman?"

Collective gasps and whispers came about behind her as the gladiators that had been training recognized the mammoth. "Master Cy." Twisting her neck, Noé managed to look over her shoulder at them and saw them holding their hands together before their chests almost as if in prayer. She doubted any of them were religious enough to do that here. Emerald eyes turned back to the man they'd called 'Master Cy' and gave him a droll stare.

"So, this how you pick up every lady you fine neat or am I just that good looking?"

"How did you get in here?" His deep voice rumbled as deep as it was. It certainly matched his colossal body.

Noé let her head back and grinned. "Door was open."

Cy instantly shook her, trying to pry her grip off from his hand, but the tossling only made her wing hurt more and served as the right incentive to get her to talk. "Fine, fine! I let myself in. There wasn't anybody guarding the door anyway. Plus I came looking for the Yambala."

His shaking stopped at hearing that. "What do you want with us?"

So he is one of them. There wasn't a point in lying to him since he was the one she'd been looking for anyway so she cut to the point. "To train." Cy didn't hesitate to shake her making Noé squawk out in pain again. Even as he shook her though, she tried her best to explain herself before he left her with no wing to speak of. "I-I'm serious! I came all the way from south of Sindria looking for you to learn magoi manipulation!"

The shaking stopped and Noé met eyes, or mask in his case, with Cy. "You wish to learn?"

"Yes!"

Cy kept to his silence for a moment—his mask staring down at her and measuring her, she supposed. "You must pass test then."

"Test?" No answer came. Instead he shook her again, this time harder than before. Unable to keep her hold on him any longer, Noé's hands and legs unlodged from their grasp and just as they did Cy released her, letting her fall on the ground in a pile of limbs with an 'umph.' Sitting up and grabbing her wing in her arms, drape and all, to soothe the lingering pain, Noé watched as Cy motioned for her to follow. There wasn't much else to bet on so she did as he said and stood up to go with him. He told the rest to keep training and singled out a few as they walked away from the training grounds. Apparently their matches would be starting soon. That handful were the two young and old men that she'd seen before and they talked boisterously about how they'd tear down any beast or man that stood in their way.

Tag teaming sounds unfair.

"Subsequent battles perhaps."

Noé inclined her head thinking that highly likely. Cy let them go as they walked through the hall and took her further into the edifice. Up stairs and through a couple doors, it took more time than she thought it would but in the middle of it, another masked individual crossed their path. This one wasn't as tall as Cy; in fact, he was most likely just about her height. They also had a much leaner body though their muscles were toned from what she saw. A mask that reminded Noé of ape gave her a once over before turning to Cy.

"What is this?" Another man. His voice slightly more pleasant to her ears than Cy's but the punctual hostility it had made her already like Cy over him.

"A recruit, Ezio." Cy gave a nod towards Noé beside her. "And a trespasser. Found her in the training grounds fighting the gladiators."

"For the record," Noé spoke up with a raised finger which caught their attention, "He called me a mean name. It was either I kicked his ass or he apologized, and he definitely wasn't backing down." She shrugged her shoulders and grinned at Ezio. "So you see how things took a logical turn from there."

Ezio crossed his arms over his broad chest and scoffed. "You think you're worthy of receiving our master's teachings?"

"I mean…" Noé drawled as her eyes turned to Cy, "he brought me here, didn't he?"

"But he won't be in charge of teaching you. Neither is he the one judging whether you're strong enough to be trained by us. That will be a decision for our master." Ezio turned up to Cy then, "Are he and Toto still treating that boy?" Cy nodded and Ezio lowered his head to think for a moment before turning back to his companion. "Take her to the box then. We shouldn't interfere while he's treating him."

"Box?" Noé repeated and jerked away when Cy tried urging her forward with a hand to her back. "What's the box?"

"Where we observe the colosseum matches." Ezio nodded away and Cy obliged to take Noé who opted in walking ahead of him to avoid the unnecessary contact. Neither Cy nor Ezio uttered a word after that and they parted ways with Cy taking her to the box Ezio mentioned.

It was more of a balcony than anything. One that had a clear view of the colosseum. It was close to the arena itself but still high enough to surely avoid any collateral damage. The area was large enough to hold a handful of people but the few chairs there were empty. Their master must've been busy doing whatever the Ezio man had said.

Treating a boy? I didn't know the Yambala were medics too.

"Magoi manipulation can be used for other things apart from battle."

Agreeing with that, Noé let her mind and sight wander while she waited. The loud cacophony of the masses cheering deafened her plenty now that she put some attention to it. Rows upon rows of marble and granite were filled to the brim with s who surely paid to see the bloodshed that would be put up for their entertainment. Seriously, she'd never understand how sick minds considered this amusing.

Noé walked over to the edge of the balcony and leaned her arm on it to rest her chin on her hand as she watched them with disdain in her eyes. These...these were the weeds that needed to be purged first before any others from this world. Those that thrived from blood and death and went as far as exalting it. They who saw it as a commodity for their revelry.

I remember why I never came to the colosseum now.

"Ah, you must be the recruit that Ezio mentioned."

Turning on her heels at hearing that, she found an older man walking towards her with a group of Yambala tribesmen following behind him. Cy and Ezio she recognized but the other two—a girl and another burly man—were strangers. The man that called out to her was old, his long white hair held up in the same style as the other four and a mask hanging at the side of his head. The white mustache he had caught Noé by surprise just because it made him look like an kindly old man. She had to remind herself that he wasn't though; the man before her was the leader of the Yambala and as such could very well be a powerful man.

"Are you afraid?"

I prefer to call it cautious.

"My, what a young thing you are. The name's Shambal Ramal and I'm in charge of new recruits."

That in mind, Noé inclined her head in mild respect and stepped away from the balcony. "My name is Noé. I've come to train under the Yambala."

The man let out an uproarious laugh so loud that it made her jump in her skin. He held onto his chest before nodding. "Yes, yes, they all come to train under us. But tell me, Noé, why do you wish to do so?"

"Why?"

"Yes," he said, "Tell me, why travel as far as you did and meet us? To what purpose do you want to train and better your skills for?"

Taken a bit aback by the question, Noé gave herself some time to think about it. At first it sounded like a trick question, something used to set apart those they deemed worthy from those they didn't. But the more she thought about it, the more she thought that such answers wouldn't have much merit in them choosing who they taught. And even if they did, it was probably by a marginal amount. Nonetheless, she doubted answering such mundane question would be of any harm. At least with a simplified version of what her purpose was anyway.

"I want to help the world. It just happens that I've gotten as far as I can with what I've taught myself and I need to learn more."

Shambal raised an eyebrow. "That simple?"

In the plainest sense of it all? "Yes."

He huffed and lowered his head in a slow nod. "Very well. Then we shall see whether you have what it takes to learn here. We don't accept weak children after all."

"Fine by me. Just point at whose ass I have to kick and let's get this introductory stuff done and over with."

"Hold your horses there, missy." Missy? "Your enthusiasm is welcomed, however, another came before you already. Once his test is over, we shall continue with yours." Shambal motioned his hand out towards the colosseum and as he did so the crowd erupted in deafening cheers. Noé turned only for her eyes to widen at who stood in the midst of the arena.

Alibaba? Running up to the balcony, Noé forced herself to peer closer thinking she must be seeing things. But lo and behold, that blond hair and amber eyes told no lies. Despite his clothes being different from what she remembered, that certainly was him. He came here to learn under the Yambala? It made some sense. Noé didn't know how but the boy was yet unable to fully equip his djinn from what she'd garnered back in Zagan. What didn't make sense was why them when he was in Sindria and had its king, the conqueror of seven dungeons to teach him.

"Something must have urged him to seek outside help."

True. But then that brought up the question of what exactly that 'something' was.

"Do you know Alibaba Saluja?" Shambal asked as he took his seat just beside where she stood.

"Mm," Noé hummed, her eyes not wavering away from him or from the gates as they opened to reveal his opponent.

"Then I'll ask you to refrain from helping him."

That he specifically asked for that didn't sit well with her. "Why would I?"

"Well," he hummed pensively and patted the empty chair that was beside him and a few steps back, "I say it mostly as a precaution." Taking his suggestion, Noé took it and sat back to cross one leg over the other, her eyes switching now between the open gate and Shambal. "Beasts don't discriminate between combatants. If it kills him, I'd rather it not do the same to you when it's not your turn yet."

"Be—" The load roar that rung through the colosseum cut her off but was enough of an answer to her question. From the darkness shrouding the space past the iron gates, a giant beast emerged hauling itself out into the arena to face Alibaba. It was easily fifty times larger than the poor boy and to top things off, he wasn't allowed to use Amon.

When she heard Shambal's request to not interfere, Noé thought that it'd be an easy thing to do. Knowing it was Alibaba fighting against that though did rouse in her the need to help him. Strangely enough it hadn't been just Aladdin that made an impression on her it would seem. Fate truly loved screwing with her expectations.

But as things stood now, she would have to keep her word. Not only to get a chance to join the Yambala but also to give Alibaba a chance to better himself...the hard way.

Garda was the name of the beast. The species of ape was one Noé vaguely remembered seeing somewhere in the Dark Continent. Chief?

"Maurenian baboons, I believe. Vicious animals. Females especially so."

Females? Curious, Noé watched closely as Garda went after Alibaba smashing its gigantic fists over and over against him while the latter boy only left shallow slashes against the muscled ape. And wouldn't she know it, no stones. Noé chuckled under her breath as she sat back against her chair in slight disbelief. Boy, did Alibaba get the short end of the stick here.

"It would appear so."

And things were just getting started too. Garda, on instinct, didn't hold back against Alibaba and once it caught him, it made sure to deal as much damage as possible. A point blank hit against his stomach got Noé to flinch from the mere impact. Surely, it broke more than a few ribs there. Garda followed that by slamming its fists down on Alibaba before taking him by his leg and smashing him against the ground for good measure. By this time, Alibaba's blood more than painted the once bleak ground in bright scarlet.

Noé bit down on her bottom lip as anger boiled her own blood. Her foot tapped against the floor but no matter how much she wanted to stop it, she knew better than to do so. He may be bleeding, but he wasn't dead yet. Not close anyway.

But that the girl from before, Toto, pointed that he would die if this kept up only riled her mind more with nasty images that she didn't want to remember. Shambal's words only made them worse and more vivid.

Fighting until only one stood in the end in order to show the strength of their will to overcome adversity itself. Although different circumstances, Noé couldn't help but think that things never seemed to change no matter the time or place.

"The strong survive. The weak perish. That is how our world works."

As those words came to mind, the scene before her eyes shifted. Instead of a colosseum full of thousands, it was a much smaller arena surrounded by a few hundred. Instead of a them cheering for a victor for their entertainment, she heard the howls and shouts for a victor out of necessity. And instead of a boy fighting an animal, Noé saw a dozen children a few years younger than Alibaba. All worn by years of hellish preparation, their eyes steeled to what would come and their hearts bereft of any fear or doubt. Children who knew that from the twelve that stood only one would be allowed to leave and be left to live on. In their eyes, Noé never saw a tinge of anything except determination to survive. To live through what would be the carnage of their lifetime and emerge not just victorious but as the one who'd lead them forward into the future. Or so it was supposed to have been.

"A stain in the lineage cannot be allowed to continue."

The crowd that kept getting louder and louder in their cheers brought Noé out of her own mind as she focused on what they kept repeating. Eat. Eat. Eat. Her emerald eyes darted from them to Alibaba and her breath caught itself when she saw Garda biting down on his arm with vicious force. Then their words changed.

Kill. Kill. Kill.

Garda broke his arm without hesitation. Noé shot up from her chair and was almost ready to flash into the arena when a hand tightly wound around her to keep her at bay. She was ready to cut off the hand of whomever it might've been but at seeing Shambal, Noé tried to rein in her anger for a few seconds and hoped it was enough time for the old man to explain himself. For his sake.

"Do you believe he's bound to be defeated?"

"He's fighting with only one functional arm," Noé hissed through gritted teeth and tampered temper. "You tell me the odds of him getting out of this alive."

"That is true." The hold on her arm slackened but didn't recede. "Both yours and Toto's concern aren't misguided. However, look at his eyes."

Doing just that, Noé stared down at Alibaba as he regained consciousness and held onto his arm before looking into his eyes. Her eyes widened a bit at seeing his filled with conviction instead of the fear she had expected.

"Tell me, are those the eyes of a man who's ready to die?"

No. Those are the eyes of someone who's willing to do anything to live.

And Alibaba did his damnedest to be the one standing in the end. The way he used Garda's own zeal against it and plunged a statue's spear through its mouth. The way he incapacitated Garda's arm by making it punch a sword into its own fist.

"They both lost one arm each. Now they are even."

"No," she heard herself say under her breath but also heard Shambal echo her. Noé glanced over her shoulder and saw the old man smile at her before nodding. "The match has already ended."

And true to their words, after slash and slash and slash of his sword, the shallow wounds became too many for the beast to sustain. It fell back unconscious and in the end Alibaba stood victorious. The crowd erupted into cheers louder than before but the sound wasn't as much of a commotion as the silhouette's that suddenly swarmed around Alibaba. They were a mix; wings the brightest of white and the darkest of black. They rose in a bicolor storm, joining together to a faint gray and receding into nothing in the span of a single heartbeat.

She didn't understand what exactly happened but one thing was for sure, she'd greatly underestimated Alibaba. Old man Amon was no doubt proud of the king he chose. Shambal excused himself and rushed down to the arena to get Alibaba. Relieved that things would be fine now that his fight was over, Noé found it in herself to relax and let out the bated breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

But just as that breath left through her nose as a gentle sigh, a strange feeling surged through and sent a chill down her spine. It was unmistakable now that she'd faced it multiple times already.

But where? Her eyes scanned the crowd from side to side but at looking down at Garda, Noé noticed the slithering blackness that wound up the beast's body and into the back of its neck. It took a few seconds before Garda's eyes shot open and its claws began to tremble as it forced itself to get up.

What?!

"How did it do that? Dark djinn don't possess lifeforms, they create them."

Inside Noé's mind repeated the same question Chief posed but with Garda up and the soldiers unable to keep it at bay, she decided that now wasn't the time to think about that. Flashing into the midst of the arena, she snagged a handful of her feathers between her fingers and steeled them before throwing them at Garda. A few bounced off but some pierced through the open wounds Alibaba had caused. In spite of that though, the baboon surged forward, its intent more than clear as it swept the soldiers aside: it wanted to kill. Shambal hurried Alibaba to exit the arena but as more soldiers entered the colosseum to calm the beast, Noé shouted at them to stay back.

None of them listened and the moment they stepped forward, Garda took them out by slapping them down with the one arm that still worked, slamming them against walls, or even slinging them up in the air. Rushing forth, Noé dodged out of the way of its fist and managed to somehow skirt around it. Her eyes scanned its head and in no time found what she'd seen slither up the animal. Something small and dark and it embedded itself into the back of Garda's head like a parasite. And like one, it was using its host to do what it wanted.

And it wanted to kill.

The soldiers were more than ready to kill the baboon and Noé wanted to tell them that it wasn't the animal doing this. By the look of its eyes, it wasn't even conscious anymore. How powerful is this thing that it's controlling such a massive thing with it unconscious? But that was a question that wasn't worth answering at the moment. Having a clear target, Noé flashed one more time to get to Garda's back faster but the moment she clung herself against it, it went berserk in an attempt to get her off.

Plunging light daggers from the soles of her sandals and from one hand onto Garda to keep from falling, Noé focused the rest of her mind on ripping the parasite out of its head. But no matter how much she pulled at it, it wasn't budging. Inspecting it further, she saw how the tendrils piercing the hard skin embedded themselves there turning the reddish skin a darker shade until it completely changed to black. Noé had no clue what the hell that thing was trying to do but no way was she letting it happen.

Taking a light dagger in her only remaining hand and turning it to hold it best in her right hand, Noé brought her arm back to get as much momentum to plunge the blade through the skin underneath the parasite. Garda let out a shriek as its hand clawed behind it to try and reach her but its own gigantic muscles kept it from getting too close. It left Noé enough time to try and carve the thing out of it.

She was so focused on that that she failed to notice how the beast started running towards a wall backwards. By the time she did, Noé felt her whole back burn from the sudden pain of Garda slamming itself back against a wall and getting her in the process. Biting through the pain, she ignored the white spots in her vision and her sudden lack of air to concentrate on ripping the thing out. And with how much she'd already done, it took only a few more stabs for her to rip the piece of flesh off of the baboon and the parasite along with it. Garda cried out in pain one last time before it fell forward. Taking off from its back, Noé leaped into the air and searched for the black parasite only to find it trying to slither its way to Alibaba and Shambal.

Calling to Chief's powers, she felt the warmth of her arrow against her bosom before pulling back a bright arrow on an invisible bow. Her aim laid a few feet not where the parasite was but where it would be: a few feet in front of Alibaba. Noé took a deep breath as she fell before releasing it along with her arrow just as she finished inhaling. The arrow flew and shot straight through the parasite as it sprung from the floor towards Alibaba. It caught him by surprise and he leaped backwards in his own attempt to avoid it. But the parasite, once pierced by the light arrow, hardened and fell to the floor brittle as snow and turned to nothing but dust.

Noé's cry of celebration got cut short when she tumbled down on her fall and clumsily got through it to land some feet away from Alibaba and Shambal. The blond blinked stupefied and confused but his mind managed to get at least something out.

"N-Noé-san?"

Sitting up from where she'd landed, Noé wiped the blood that had spilled away from her face and gave them a cheeky lopsided grin. "Hey, Alibaba! Fancy meeting you here."

The confusion from a few seconds before washed away as a weak smile came to him then. "Yeah. It definitely is."

Noé chuckled as he went along with her but the laughter died when the crowd's cheers—and more importantly their words—drowned it.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The elation from before now gone, Noé rose from her place and turned towards the crowd that kept shouting for her or Alibaba, for anybody, to kill Garda. They didn't seem to care who, they just wanted someone to die. To please their sadistic desires.

Well…if it's death that you want...

A wicked smirk came over her lips as the thought came to her and she walked closer to where Garda had fallen in the middle of the colosseum. The closer she got to it, the louder their shouts became threatening to drown even her own thoughts. But nothing would ever drown that. Noé stopped just in front of Garda's head and stroke her hand against the matted hair of the beast.

It was unconscious for good this time. It wasn't hurting anybody anymore. Yet they wanted their blood.

The smirk widened as she tilted her head up and bellowed as loud as her lungs let her. "Kill? Is that what you all want me to do?" The crowd broke in a unanimous answer and their roaring voices made the ground beneath her shake. How terrifyingly united a mob can be. Using Chief's power, she ripped from the sunlight to create hundreds of arrows all aimed at Garda. The voices rung louder.

And how utterlystupid.

Without a warning, Noé spun on her heels and with a broad sweep of her arms, the arrows changed direction to aim at the thousands sitting in the audience. Their roars died in an instant and it let her voice ring even louder than before throughout the whole colosseum.

"If that's what you want, I'll kill alright! So let's start with all of you first!"

The arrows shot out as if they've been released from a thousand of wound springs. Sudden cries of despair and terror erupted through the air in an instant. Many tried running but her arrows were faster than anybody. Light traveled faster than anything else. Even the sound of their horrified screams for mercy. But just as they were about to reach the audience that scrambled out of their sits in fear, a giant glowing orb surrounded the arena, keeping her and her arrows inside to protect the rest from her rage. Noé's sudden mania died down leaving on a slight smirk on her lips at seeing the borg that appeared to protect the people.

Damn. Didn't think she'd be here.

Following the sight of fluttering wings, Noé turned to a balcony higher in the colosseum and much farther away from the arena. Ignoring the calls of anybody around her, she followed the rukh and flashed into the edge of the balcony and stood there as numerous spears were pointed at her.

She chuckled at the greeting and bounced on the stone railing to sit down on it, her ankles crossed and her hands laid at either side of her. Never changing sky blue eyes glared at her and Noé scoffed at the sight of such usually apathetic woman showing such disdain.

"Don't frown, Hera-chan. It'll leave you wrinkles."

"I have allowed you to abscond with many things, Noé. But if you dare repeat what you threatened to do today, know that I will not hold back. Not even for you."

"I guess I'll have my work cut out for me then," Noé said, losing any and all semblance of jesting around. "Because believe me when I say that I will plough through you and anybody who gets in the way of doing what I must. Be them Reimian or otherwise, I will thoroughly purge weeds like those no matter who gets in my way."

The clanking of metal took Noé's attention and her glance went askance to watch as a tall redhead took a few steps forward and unsheathed a rather familiar sword to brandish her way. "You threaten Lady Scheherazade again and—"

"What?" Noé called out with a scoff. "You'll fight me?" Her eyes wandered over the man that stood starkly in contrast to the rest of the soldiers. Long red hair and bright scarlet eyes so distinctly marked. Sudden recognition washed over Noé and the steel in her eyes warmed for a split moment as she remembered.

The cub grew up, huh?

A smile wanted to come to her at seeing how he'd grown from when last she saw him but Noé retained the smug smirk instead. Surely from the way he pointed that sword—his metal vessel— at her, he didn't remember her at all. Hanging her head and shaking it at how cruel time and circumstances could be, she let it remain there as she spoke.

"Don't bother, kid. Even if you were to fight me, you won't win. I've got years of experience over you and well…" Noé lifted her emerald gaze to meet with Scheherazade's faint blue, "If you need anymore reason not to just ask Hera-chan."

Silence came over the room and clung to them like the heaviest of dark clouds. But Scheherazade seemingly backed down on her anger, her eyes closing as she turned to the borg that still retained shape to keep the arrows at bay and away from the people that were still stunned by their fear.

"Will you release them please?"

Noé smiled and shrugged. "Well, since you asked so nicely." The mere thought of them disappearing was enough for them to vanish and once they were gone, Scheherazade's borg followed.

Walking forward, the magi laid a tender hand on the cub's arm which resulted in a puzzled expression from him towards her. "It's alright now, Muu. Lower your weapons." Muu didn't seem to like that idea in the slightest but eventually did as he was told after reassuring himself that Noé wouldn't do anything to harm Scheherazade. The soldiers followed suit after him. The magi then turned to her as Noé stood from her perch. "Will you remain in Reim long?"

"Why, afraid I'll go around killing your people?"

"Is there merit to that fear?"

Sheherazade was being cautious with what she said, Noé noticed. She was playing it safe, trying to not ignite any more of her fury or rip open any wounds. Guessed she did learn from the last time they saw each other. That deserved a reward, she supposed.

"No, there isn't. You learned from last time, didn't you? That agitating me isn't in your best interest."

"I've known that ever since we first met," Scheherazade corrected her, "I just never thought it necessary for me to have to be wary of where I tread with you. I see time changes many things."

"Some it does," Noé replied as she leaned back against the railing, "But mostly it just quiets pains and dulls wits. Glad it's done neither of those things to you."

"And I pity that it hasn't done either to you."

"Keeps me sane."

"Resentment isn't—"

"Resentment?" Noé interrupted and chuckled deep in her throat. "You underestimate me if you think resentment is the only thing I hold against you. But that's neither here nor there." Standing up from it, her eyes wandered to the many silhouetted rukh flying around, coveting the small magi before her. "I've given you enough of a heart attack today, haven't I? Guess I'll leave you be for now."

Noé urged her powers to come and flash her back to Shambal's balcony but just as she felt the magic work on her, Scheherazade's sweet voice halted her.

"Wait." Giving her at least that for all the trouble she'd put the magi through, Noé dispelled the seal's magic for a moment and kept herself grounded to hear what Scheherazade had to say. "Will you hunt in Reim?"

Hunt? Is that what Scheherazade thought she did?

"She isn't all that wrong if you think about it," Chief proposed with a dreary tone. "That is if we were talking about 'you' all those years ago, though."

Thanking Chief that at least she was on her side, Noé shook her head. "I stopped doing that since before my visit last time. No point in cleaning out a garden a patch at a time when the others will simply contaminate it anew given time."

A fair-skinned hand tightened around the staff that the magi held as she lowered her head. Her words caused the soldiers and the cub uneasiness as well but that mattered little to Noé. What did was Scheherazade's reaction to her words—whether they held any weight or not wasn't what mattered. Noé knew she was prone to spouting nonsense that she meant one moment and could very easily dismiss the next, but every word she chose to say to the magi, she chose specifically to plague her peace of mind.

If I don't get to rest a day, neither does she.

"Aren't you being petty?"

For once, she wasn't ashamed to admit that. She was being petty...and for a damn good reason. Plastering a smile on her face, Noé took the few steps to stand before Scheherazade, ignoring the tension that her proximity caused to the rest of them. With her hands held behind her back, Noé smiled down at the magi who had no option but to look up and open her sky blue eyes.

"Don't look so glum, Hera-chan. You should look on the bright side of things!"

"Bright side?" she repeated.

"Yeah!" Noé called enthusiastically, her body beginning to turn to light as she readied to flash herself out at a moment's notice. "This time around, it won't be your fault when I kill them."

Before any of the soldiers or Muu could unsheath their weapons at her threat, Noé flashed leaving nothing but tiny particles of light in her place.

—{ii}—

What grandeur. How prosperous. How repugnant.

Reim had been home once. Now many aspects of it left a bitter taste in her mouth—especially the people. Born in comfort and luxury, many of its people grew feeble and apathetic. They knew nothing of what it took to survive, of what it meant to be alive. Peace did that to them. It indulged them, pacified them. But war wasn't any better. And if Noé had to choose between wanting peace or war for Reim, she would want for it to have peace. No matter how much that created the very pieces of trash she fought tooth and nail to eradicate from this world.

"You'd be disgusted, Nadi, with how complacent your people are. And with what I did to them."

With what I continue to do.

Her voice was low, barely a whisper that not even the people walking by her could hear. But it wasn't to them she was talking to. Not knowing where to go after her little bout with Scheherazade, Noé chose to let herself roam and see where she ended. It led her to a plaza that stood just outside the area of a grand dwelling. The house of politicians or royals perhaps but that didn't matter to her. What did was the statue that she was talking to. It was one of Pernadius Alexius, one of the founders of Reim in all his glory. The chiseled marble seem to capture a strange thing about him that she seldom saw, the warrior. It depicted him as the general that he had been decked in armor and fur-lined cape and sword in one hand with a shield in the other. Lions rested at either side of him and the sight of them so close to him made Noé chuckle. She still remembered that time he and Scheherazade got chased by a wild lion and ran away like headless chickens; good thing she'd been there to haul the thing back.

Noé never liked this side of him though. Pernadius had been so much more than a warrior. He'd been a kind man, one of the kindest she'd ever met and surely that she would ever get to meet. He was gentle and patient to ally and stranger alike and he always faced the coming days with the brightest smile she had ever seen. Pernadius had truly been the sun incarnate. There truly wasn't any other way she could describe him. Being with him had been just as invigorating to her as Grace of Sunlight—she'd go as far to say that he'd been even moreso.

Walking up to the statue, she stepped up to the small fountain that surrounded it beneath and took a seat on the border half turned to better face the water. It was clear and perfectly reflected her image back. Not wanting to see it, her tanned fingers reached down to glide over the water's surface and break the reflection.

"Are you all right?"

"I don't know."

Many things swam in her mind after all that happened just a few hours ago. She knew that after that little tantrum of hers, it'd be rather hard to get anybody to accept her into training. There wasn't any hiding her volatile temper, not that she tried anyway, but sometimes Noé wished she could control it better. It would certainly make things smoother.

"Don't write yourself out yet, kid. Go back to the Yambala. Perhaps they'll consider letting you join still."

"You believe that's a possibility?"

"Nothing's set in stone yet. Not unless you let it be."

Her words made Noé scoff but a part of her thanked Andromalius for trying to lift her spirits. They were both aware how being like this—how threatening and upsetting Scheherazade—also affected her. For as much as she wanted to despise and damn the magi, Noé would never be fully able to. They had gone through too much together and Scheherazade had given her so much during those years that she understood that much.

"She took so much more than what she gave. She doesn't deserve your kindness."

"No matter their deeds, no matter their past, we should be willing to give that which we wish would be given to us. I believe that's one way we can make this world a better place for everybody."

I've never wanted for anything else save someone's kindness.

Remembering her words and her own answer made her sigh deeply, a tinge of remorse spreading through and slightly constricting her chest. There were times when she thought about making peace with Scheherazade but anger and grief often prevented her from going down that path.

"You don't have to make peace, Noé. But perhaps just for the moment and for your own good, lull it and let yourself have a rest from the hatred living inside you." Chief's words caught her attention not only because they fed the cynic in her but because the tone she said them in also touched the kind part of her. The one that sought out a middle ground.

And maybe what Andromalius suggested was that middle ground. It wouldn't be forgetting or forgiving—I would never—but merely a brief pause. It allowed herself an interim and the opportunity to grow for her goal. Allowed herself to take what she could to better her chances of success.

Because in the end, nothing that she did now would matter once this world started anew.

Yeah. I think I can do that for however long it takes me to train here.

"Then how does starting by going back to Shambal sound?"

"Sounds like a plan to me." Determined, Noé stood from the fountain ready to flash back to the colosseum. The instant she was about to though a strong hand gripped around her wrist stopped her in her tracks and made her head spin towards whomever was stupid enough to touch her uninvited.

Emerald eyes glared up and she readied to chew the person up but the moment she saw scarlet eyes with distinct marks staring back at her, they widened in shock. Despite not being a scowl, the expression that Muu had on wasn't friendly either. Noé had her suspicions as to why. But before she could even say anything, the red lion cub spoke, dogged to say his piece first.

"I want to talk to you, Miss Noé."


A/N:

Yay, finally another chapter! :D As I go through this story over again, I'm happy where it's going. The outline for this one is mostly done. I'm really only missing bits and pieces connecting to the main points I want to hit but those are somewhat easy to get through if I just let myself write unimpeded.

This chapter really went a little deeper into Noé's psyche more than anything and to snipets of her life that I can't wait to write! For now, hints is all you're getting but feel free to speculate whatever's on you guys' minds. I live for that type of discussions ;)

Let me thank the lovely Aviantei and Miqila for the reviews that feed the wheel in my head that cranks out these stories! Also huge thank yous and hugs to madmissY01, ARedundancy, and BubblesTheMonster for the follows and favorites. You guys are amazing too and I love you all so much :D

Next time, it's a truce between old friends, reunion with a not-so-little priestess, and a match at the colosseum. Haven't written it out yet (for once I'm caught without a chapter written ahead of time!) but if I can't fit it in one, I'll split it into two :3 Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for the next chapter :)