"Why was I ever born if this is what I become."

Gilbert woke up for once feeling refreshed and calm after the seeming weeks of plagues on his mind. He sat up slowly, looking around just to make sure it wasn't just another nightmare and everything would go to hell. Why was there a snake...Oh wait weren't nagas able to turn completely into snakes? He chuckled and pet the snake which turned back into Euan who was pouting, little arms crossed. He really didn't understand the child but he knew he wouldn't be able to take care of it if he died. He needed another plan. He knew he wouldn't let the little one just randomly off at one of the histories, that was abandonment almost. He wouldn't leave him in Melody's care either since he knew she was prone to disappearing He finally settled on his plan after thinking it over for a good while. If he died then he would make sure the child made it safely to the future. The right future where everything turned out correctly. The future he was fighting for. He gently booped the child's nose as Euan turned back into a snake and crawled up his arm.

"Fine fine you can come. But only this time. It's still dangerous."

The snake only happily hissed in response as Gilbert set about getting themselves set up for the journey ahead. He even wrapped up some cooked meat from yesterday after his little adventure. Was it yesterday? Time was weird in the caves and maybe it was just making it seem like it was yesterday, more like last sleep cycle since he couldn't tell day from night. Speaking of said caves he felt like it needed a name. Something to mark the land other than 'The Median' that he called it once or twice. Westerwyn...Westerwyn sounded good. He smiled to himself, remembering when he was young and received the name Prussia, the Teutonic Knights having been gotten rid of. He then started to walk, holding his head high as he went. He had to be ready for anything that came for Euan and him. He had to keep the child safe from harm like he once did for Ludwig, for everyone he cared for. He shook the thought from his head as he finally found the open cavern. He brushed away the dusty writing but felt his heart stop again when he read the writing.

'Long live my beliefs! Nobody will crush the great inquisition! All hail the church of my birth until my mind is clear! Madrid, Spain 15 July 1834'

He hit his chest to try and restart his heart, almost hurting Euan in the process who became a normal naga child again and fell to the ground. He hugged Gilbert's leg in an attempt to calm him but all Gil did was look to the heavens. First Francis and now Antonio...What kind of sick god would do this to him, to watch his friends get hurt and die over and over again knowing damn well he had to do it or else everything would unwind. He didn't want to be stuck in the endless loops anymore. He didn't want to be stuck doing it over and over again, each time not knowing if he'll live or die or even if he will actually solve it all in the end, chased by the monster that always seems right behind him. The monster he used to be and might become in his past if it isn't corrected. He finally felt Euan squeezing him back to the land of sanity with his tail before he shook his head, muttering an apology before sitting down near the cave and grabbing the Creature Compendium.

'The jentil were a race of giants in the Basque mythology. The jentil were believed to have lived alongside the Basque people. They were hairy and so tall that they could walk in the sea and threw rocks from one mountain to another. They also were said to have invented metallurgy and the saw and first grew wheat, teaching humans to farm. However, they were unwilling to move to the valleys from the mountains, with a certain unwillingness to progress. They disappeared into the earth under a dolmen in the Arratzaren valley in Navarra when a portentous luminous cloud – perhaps a star – appeared, said to have heralded the birth of Christ (Kixmi) and the end of the jentil age. Only Olentzero remained, a giant who appears at Christmas and is reproduced as straw dolls. There are many structures and places around the Basque Country with jentil in their name, generally referring to pagan or ancient places, supposedly built by the jentil. Dolmens are jentilarri or jentiletxe, harrespil are jentilbaratz, caves can be jentilzulo or jentilkoba.'

'The Guajona or Lumia is a blood-sucking creature of Cantabrian legends, resembling a disfigured human female, resembling to an extent the witches and hags of medieval European folklore, with features specific to her feeding habits. She is covered from head to toe in an old thin black cloak, her hands and feet are gnarled bird legs, her face is yellow with consumed, rough and hairy warts, her eyes are tiny and bright as stars, aquiline nose and mouth provided with a single black razor sharp tooth that is so long it reach down to her under chin and used to suck blood. Only comes out at night and hides in the shadows but it is unknown where she sleeps during the day although it is suspected to be hiding underground. Guajona come in homes without getting noticed and walks silently toward healthy young children to suck their blood in their sleep by sticking her tooth into their veins. She does not kill them, instead leaves them almost bloodless so when they wake up in the morning they will be tired, pale and discolored. Guajona also attacks adults.'

'The Aloja in Catalan mythology, is a feminine being that lives in places with fresh water. These "water-women" are said to be able to turn into water blackbirds. It is said that the lakes where they bathe can boil in anger if any stranger enters them. In Majorca, the most famous water-woman is Maria Enganxa. According to tradition, she lives inside all the wells and cisterns and takes all the children that pass near them with her hook. Water-women symbolize the fertility and life-giving virtues of water and are said to possess oneiric are said to appear as small and innocent women, with a high self-esteem and very prideful of their beauty. They are good women and try to bring wealth and well-being to the areas they live in. According to myth, water-women are nocturnal; wear fine, rich clothes; and enjoy viewing their reflections in lakes on full-moon nights.'

He closed the book and rubbed his temples. That was only a fraction of all the mythical creatures in Spain. Why did Antonio have to have so many fucked up myths. He sighed and pulled the spell book out, saying the spell to change his appearance before smiling. He knew he would hopefully blend right in. All he had to do was get the inquisition abolished by getting that decree signed. He didn't care how but he had to do it. Even if it meant he was the reason Antonio had that scar on his arm that he couldn't remember getting. He then picked up Euan who went into snake form before shutting his eyes and running into the cavern with a smirk on his lips. When he felt solid non-cave ground he opened his eyes and looked around. God it was just like he remembered...When was the last time he'd even been to Spain before everything went to hell? He couldn't even remember anymore but as soon as his eyes closed he could see burned buildings and blackened, skeletal bodies, making him visibly wince and blink fast until the mental image went away. He let a shaky breath out, scanning the area again and seeing that nobody had noticed. He immediately went to a fountain and looked at himself, seeing himself as a tan man with long black hair and shining emerald eyes. He had to check if he had the Spanish ass and laughed a bit when he did but when he looked at the water and it rippled he could see his true self. The self he lost back in World War Two. A cocky asshole whose eyes held mischief and held a stance of power and control. The person he wished he could be again, who he wanted to become again, free of his hell. He made sure his breathing was level before starting to walk towards where he would have to have to do the impossible. He would have to sword fight with his best friend who was mentally gone. He needed his head knocked around a little just to get him back hopefully. He needed his Toni back or he knew shit would hit the fan. He looked down to his arm to see Euan calmly flicking his tongue before slithering fast to Gil's chest as Gilbert saw the water rippling fast, him backing up quickly as a woman popped out of the water with long auburn hair and shining gold eyes and a prideful smile. Thank god he was gay or this might have been awkward since she was in a white dress. Everyone knows white clothes and water are not a good mix.

'Hello.'

"Uhm hi…."

'Don't you want to join me in the water? It's so warm.'

"Sorry but no. I want information though."

'Ah darn. I was hoping that little naga would make a good meal.'

"Euan is not a snack you guppy! Now tell me of Melania!"

'Sayrean Poeant.'

"What does that mean!"

'You should know magic phoenix boy...You were the one who's seen the clues. We creatures are watching. You have choices to make. You have leaders to fight. You have a choice that will change your life.'

Before Gilbert could respond the woman slipped back under the water of the fountain and was gone from sight, even when Gilbert leaned over the edge to try and find her again, not minding the stares. He shuddered slightly, trying to figure out the warning he had been given by the woman of the fountain. A choice that would change his life? How could his life be any more different from back then? How could he possibly become any more different from when he was in the Second World War! He tried to put the thought to the back of his mind as he continued his journey, watching the shadows now from nervousness. Was that shadow moving or was it in his mind? He couldn't even tell anymore and maybe he was just paranoid after the encounter with the water woman. He finally seemed to calm down when he reached where the signing would happen to see Toni watching the crowds and waiting, blocking the entrance. Dammit, he knew it wouldn't be easy. He walked up as calmly as he could for a man with a snake around his leg, Euan having moved again. He muttered the translation spell to himself for good measure.

'No civilians allowed.'

"I am just passing by. I heard the inquisition will end today."

'Not on my watch. As long as I stand here they will not sign. I am their last hope.'

"I thought this would be easy...Alright then I challenge you to a sword fight."

'Ha! Me, fight a civilian with one arm? Too easy.'

"I am stronger then I seem."

'Fine. But when I win I will have your head.'

They both drew the swords and Euan slithered off to a safe distance so he wouldn't be injured. Thus began the battle of the blades, Toni versus Gil. He was glad Toni was keeping to the rules of Destreza so Gilbert could match it blow for blow with each step and movement, his eyes sharp still from his centuries of life. A crowd had gathered by this point, cheering both sides for no reason other than anybody, no matter the time period, loved a good fight between two guys. Especially if blood was spilled in these instances. They seemed evenly matched for a while before Gilbert smirked and suddenly switched to what he was good at. The sword fighting he learned during the time of Holy Rome and back he was a Teutonic Knight that he improved upon over the centuries until he was accustomed to the firearms of the newer eras. He was moving faster now, matching blows and swinging his own, catching Antonio in the arm once and cutting him deep enough to scar. The cheering was a roar now, blocking anyone from entering to break it up as Antonio seemed nervous now and slipping up occasionally and Gilbert's thrust and swings were becoming more and more precise since Gil was finally getting accustomed to his one handed sword. Only a few could do such skills as Gilbert and he knew he would give himself away as he slid between Antonio's legs and smacked the back of his knees with the flat side of the blade before springing up and knocking Antonio over by hitting his head with the flat side of the sword.

'H-How do you know that technique! I only know one man who can do that! Who the hell are you! What are you!'

"I am an apprentice of Gilbert Beilschmidt. I will be going to see the queen now."

'Like hell you are!'

Gilbert only sighed as he spun and hit Toni with the pommel of the sword as he crumpled to the ground before running into the place where everything would go down, hoping he didn't just crush Toni's skull and kill him. He waited by the door as he heard the discussion. He heard the signing of the document and sighed internally with relief before he saw the bubble and called for Euan but there was no sign of him. Why wasn't Euan coming! Oh god what if he had gotten hurt or taken by one of those water woman or worse! He stood there worrying and panicking before he felt something scaly climb up his leg and he sighed in relief as he saw it was Euan in snake form. Only then did he touch the bubble and saw the images flash across his mind of how the sanity would level off Antonio and make him become the great friend he had been before. How it would ultimately lead to him falling in love with a certain Frenchman, even if it turned Gilbert into a third wheel for as long as that relationship lasted. Everything would turn out okay other than some totalitarian government. He closed his eyes with a smile as the light surrounded him and he was transported back to Westerwyn. When his eyes opened he was back to normal and Euan was happily playing in the mirror pool.

'Welcome back Gilbert.'

"Thank you Melody…"

He could already feel the exhaustion coming back to him from the sword fight as he took a few steps forward before falling to his knees and collapsing, hearing the gasp of Melody as he sunk into slumber. It didn't take long for the memory to come to him like a tidal wave, taking over his brain and letting him see his mistakes.

Gilbert stood over Antonio who was holding a chest wound and glaring up at Gilbert. Antonio had the balls to actually try and stop him. Him! The Great Prussian Empire! Gilbert laughed as he pulled out a garrote.

"To think your country was so famous for a little thing like this. Thanks for the help Toni."

'You're mad! I swear there will be others to stop you! You won't live to see what you will become!'

Gilbert only laughed as he looped the garrote around Antonio's neck as furiously twisted until Antonio was choking. He didn't kill him with it though, only let him lose enough oxygen to not be able to put up a fight. He took it off before Antonio could lose consciousness and tossed it aside before grabbing Antonio's sword and stepping off what was once his best friend.

"Any last words? Oh that's right you can't. You see all those pretty little lights in your vision? That's your blood trying to get oxygen. It's a pity someone like you was wasted by joining the enemy. Oh well."

With one swing Antonio's head detached from his body and Gilbert chucked away the sword with a laugh. He grabbed Toni's severed head by the fluffy brunette locks and let the blood drip onto his face, his uniform and even his hair, laughter echoing through the now silent valley.

Gilbert shot up like a rocket when it was over, still hearing his own laughter echoing through his head as he tried to shake it away. He had almost forgotten about how Antonio died. He was just trying to knock sense into Gilbert before it was too late. Just like Gil had just done for Antonio. Back then he was consumed by the power and greed. He hoped maybe one day when this was all over, maybe he could share a beer with his two best friends again. They would sit in the bar, Toni on one side, Francis on the other, hit on the girls for fun and drink until they were blacked out and had to be picked up by siblings or friends. He missed the days he would relax and listen to woods on their little adventures or dance the night away to music as they all tried not to fall on their faces after they found the alcohol. He sighed and laid back down, mumbling to himself.

"I wonder what they would have all been like without me."