Wow has it been long? I've just suddenly remembered that I had a chapter to write. I've been re-reading the chapters I call 'the clue chapters' since they're loaded with clues which will all add up to something in this very chapter.

And as another thought, don't pay attention to the clues I've hinted at the end of chapter 19. They're not very accurate anymore. Yes, some of them are important, just not that much anymore.

Last little note, the story will probably be longer than I've announced. It may even go until chapter 28. Who knows?

I've also noticed that I definitely need to repost a lot of chapters when I'll be completely done with the series. I'll announce on my profile when they'll be reposted.

Enjoy!

Reviewers:

star wars makeover- Oooh cookie! Thank you.

Lucky Star25- At least you're a patient one. You'll see in this chapter about Poseidon, though they'll be more than one encounter with him. I've left some clues about him about everywhere. Thanks for reviewing.

Aelitasboi- Hmm where are you in there? Ah there you are! I see you there in the reviews for chapter 16 (at least, I'm hoping that's you). Don't sweat it; we've all got busy lives. Glad to see you're back

Midnight Silver Okami17- Glad you've joined fanfiction! Lol nope, it's not Sukai. She's important, but for another reason. Perhaps you'll understand why in this chapter, if you're sharp enough. Oh Alex is even more twisted than you probably thing. Enjoy!

brainrose- Nope, sorry. The game of cards only preludes to the arrival of Mia and Piers, who both come from Lemuria as well as Poseidon. I thought it would just connect things. Look through chapters 5 and 6. Those two chapters are connected by a lot of small events that are actual clues. Pay attention now! And as for what he wants, I can't give that away right now.

Chapter 21- The Riddle in Verses

Jenna suddenly came up on deck, wondering why the ship was shaking so much. Looking around, she gasped. This place was too familiar to her. She could see the terror on her parent's face as they probably hit the first whirlpool and were directed to their graves. She silently put her hands together and looked up at the sky, which shown no sun.

"Sol, guardian of our lives, please guide us through." she whispered, feeling suddenly panicked.

Isaac noticed her in the entrance of the lower levels and came towards her. "Don't worry, Feliix knows this song…it's strange but it's working. He's guiding us through smoothly, actually."

Jenna looked puzzled and went closer to the prow of the ship. Their leader was steering the ship in good unison with the melody he was mumbling.

"Couldn't we just have taken an airplane?" asked Sheba, looking a bit worried about their travels.

"What is this airplane you speak of?" asked Shebba, confused.

"It's like a car, but much faster. It flies, a bit like this ship but it goes high in the sky. So high, that there is no air to breathe and so they have to provide artificial oxygen." answered Felix.

"I think I trust this ship more than an object which seems too heavy to even lift off the ground." said Feliix.

Jenna smiled as she remembered the way he reacted while being in her brother's car.

"You should all go back to your posts now, it is not impossible that we encounter something in these damned waters." said Feliix.

They all returned to what they had been assigned to do. Jjenna, on the other hand, went up to Iisaac whom was going through the waves, trying to sense the presence of the king of the sea.

"Do you sense anything at all?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Something yes, but it could be the vibrations coming out of Lemuria itself." he answered.

"And if that's not the case?"

"Then we fight." said Piiers. "I don't know why the guardian of Lemuria would return after all of those years, but if we beat him once, we can do it again."

"But he could be stronger this time…" mumbled Jjenna.

"Yes, and we have more people this time." pointed out Piiers.

"I don't think they're ready…" said Jenna.

"They are." said Iisaac.

There was a moment of silence where Jjenna and Iisaac observed their apprentices a little further off, talking quite normally. There was so much potential, in the both of them. The two elder adepts both knew, just by instinct, that they would one day be great.

"You're probably right…" said Jjenna silently.

Suddenly, the eight elder adepts felt sadness coming from Iivan and Shebba.

"What is it?" asked Garrett, who was closer to them.

Tears were streaming down Shebba's face while Iivan was trying to hide his own by facing the waves instead of his friend's gaze.

"It's just so sad…" said Shebba. "Whatever that thing is feeling, it's just so sad…"

"Can't you feel it lament?" whispered Iivan to his friends.

"No, I can't." said Piiers.

"I can." muttered Isaac. His eyes were closed to prevent any tear from escaping but he could feel it. He could feel sadness, a feeling of guilt so strong that it could kill a man. It was pain like he had never felt before.

They all turned to Iisaac, wondering if he could also feel it.

"I cannot." he said, reading their silent question.

"Well that's a bit odd." said Jjenna.

"It's approaching..." said Iisaac.

The water shook fiercely and out came a giant man. His hair was grey, reflecting a blue color in the light of the ship's lanterns. His eyes were a light mixture of blue and green. He held a trident in his right hand, as giant as the ship's mast. He wore no clothes, though his body finished in a fine green fish tail. This was the king of the sea. This was Poseidon.

"Garrett, get your apprentice out of the lower levels. If he sinks the ship, he's doomed. Everyone else, get ready to fight. Juniors, get behind your mentors and be ready to second them at any moment. We'll see how seriously you took your training." ordered Feliix. Everyone moved exactly the way he had described it.

"Feliix, I'll take the princess to safety." said Kera, appearing suddenly behind him without warning.

Feliix hesitated for a few seconds before nodding his head. He didn't think she would be needed for the struggle. Piiers had said it himself, if they beat him once, they could beat him again.

Shebba and Iivan went from producing silent tears to stifling sobs. They absorbed the sea creature's emotions like they had never done before on anyone else. Isaac struggled to keep his sword upwards and look steadily at his opponent but it was a difficult task. He held back his tears by biting his lower lip and only dry, almost silent sobs escaped his lips. On the outside, he seemed like he could hold out forever, but he was almost ripped apart in the inside.

The mentors began to attack, using their psynergy and Djinn in wild combinations. Isaac could feel every beat of his heart in his chest. As it pounded against his torso, he saw glimpses of Poseidon's past; the way he threw his trident at a poor family's door every time the whirlpools demanded a sacrifice, how one day he was forced to kill someone so powerful; how her lover had avenged her…

But why, why did you do it? Why…why did you kill all of those people? Why is it so important to you to keep outsiders away from Lemuria? thought Isaac, a few tears trickling down his face. Why do you need to fight us? Why? Why? Why?

"WHY DID YOU DO IT!?" screamed Isaac out loud, looking straight at Poseidon. His sobs became more pronounced and a wave of pain crashed into his heart. He felt a feeling of guilt, an alien weight of regret had dropped inside of him, making a twisted emotion. He fell to his knees, tears falling on the deck.

"Isaac!" Jenna rushed at his side. She dropped to her knees by his side and put an arm over his shoulders. "What is it?"

"He…he cannot be forgiven so he sins even more." said Isaac, looking straight at the creature. The mentors were still attempting to harm Poseidon, though even their strongest methods didn't seem to weaken him. "Look at him Jenna. Does he look happy to be attacking us? Doesn't he look like he'd rather someone finished him off instead?"

Jenna didn't answer. Her face had lost all color as Isaac's words reached her. Never had she heard him speak so vividly about death before. "Jenna, if you know what's right, you'll finish him off right now." he said after a while.

Jenna stood up, summoning the strength in her arm to pick up her sword. Her fingers closed in on the handle and she tried to put it upwards to usefulness. But as soon as she attempted to, something in her head blocked her from moving. It was as though someone had thrown a drape over her mind, making her thoughts hazy and her movements slow.

Child, though you have the power to defeat this creature, the time for him to be slain has not yet come.

Jenna looked around. No one had spoken.

Steer the ship to the city, I shall guide you.

"Who are you?" whispered Jenna.

There was no answer. Jenna's mind cleared up as she remembered the stranger's orders. Steer the ship? She couldn't, she didn't know how…and controlling this beauty frightened her. Jenna turned and looked back at Isaac, too weakened by the shared emotions of Poseidon and then to her friends, standing behind their mentors, waiting for their signal to enter the fight. Her eyes then turned to the sea creature. They were all doomed if she didn't do something…

Dropping her sword she pushed through the line of juniors and dodged the blows the elders delivered to Poseidon to reach the prow. They all called out to her but she ignored them. Grabbing hold of the wheel, she turned it left in a full and brutal swing. The carving of the dragon which lingered on the front of the ship moved against Poseidon's chest, making a large mark against his torso. Blood poured in large drops and stained the deck. Jenna continued her maneuver as the passengers aboard were pushed against one side of the ship. She moved clumsily against the whirlpools and finally passed the sun.

Poseidon, angered by the unexpected blow, reappeared from the debts of the sea in front of her. She screamed in terror. What now?

"Everyone!" said Feliix's voice and relief flowed through her. "Concentrate. Flying the ship is our only escape."

She felt everyone's psynergy unite as one and the Lemurian Ship was lifted off of the waves and into the sky. Jenna found it even harder to steer in the air. You said you would guide me, she thought angrily. Where is your guidance?

And then, she wasn't making an effort at all. She felt the warmth of hands on her forearms, steering the ship for her. Later, when she would speak about it with Felix, she would describe it as a feeling of total safety. It felt as though the worries of a few minutes ago were ephemeral and unimportant.

In a few seconds only, the ship was steered from the Sea of Time and into a cave. The water was calm and everyone aboard the ship sighed with relief.

Piiers quickly moved to the prow and took control of the steering wheel as Jenna collapsed to her knees and took a deep breath. Her hair, magnetized by drops of sweat stuck on her forehead and her knees felt as though they could never be used again.

Feliix looked upon the teenager with an angry look on his face.

"What were you thinking?" he said angrily. "Your recklessness could have killed us all."

Jenna didn't answer but looked crossly at Feliix. For once, she had no defense for herself, no smart remark, no way to talk back. Nothing.

She opened her mouth to speak for herself, knowing it would be in vain, but before she could do so, Felix stepped in front of his teacher and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"Jenna saved our lives." he said.

A few subtle gasps could be heard in the silence. Nothing was said for a long time. The two Venus adepts looked deep into each others eyes. Felix had a sudden feeling of disdain towards his mentor. Though wise, no one could reprimand Jenna for her recklessness except for him.

"Have you thought about what would have happened if she crashed the ship?" asked Feliix suddenly.

"Well, she didn't, did she?" said Isaac, his tear-stained face clearer in the small crowd of adepts.

Jenna stood up with difficulty and looked into Feliix's eyes. Not aggressively, but dreamily, almost insanely.

"I was guided by the Gods." she told him in something close to a whisper.

"Feliix, she's feverish, let me take her to bed." said Jjenna, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder. Why had the years spent in the Great Sleep made him so cold and hot tempered? Was the feeling of carrying the world on his shoulders once again devastating him?

"Your sister is right, Lord Feliix." said Sukai, returning with Kera by her side.

Feliix simply nodded and went to an isolated corner on the side of the ship and gazed upon the cave walls, although interested by its texture.

Isaac passed an arm over Jenna's shoulder and felt the whole weight of her body collapse on him. Felix rushed over and picked up his sister.

"We're approaching Lemuria." announced Piiers at the prow.

Piers and Mia ran towards him and leaned against the rim of the ship. They were finally home.

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The guards at the Lemurian docks watched as the winged ship navigated and anchored on their decks. Their jaws dropped as they saw the hugeness of the boat and its history. They didn't make ships like that anymore here…

"Now that," pointed out one of them, "is something you don't see everyday."

They all nodded in agreement, wondering whom it was who had made it through the Sea of Time. As the ship got closer, they recognized three familiar faces aboard.

"It's the royal children!" exclaimed the one closest to the water.

"Quick, assist them off their vessel!" said another one. "And you," he pointed at a new graduate, "go and send word to the royal family of their arrival."

"Yes sir!"

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"Oh dear. Those guards seemed to have recognized you." said Miia.

"It's alright." said Mia. "Lemurians are very friendly."

Piiers however looked at the shadow his beloved city cast. It was so different from the Lemuria he remembered, so different from his home.

"You…come to love it the way it is..." said Piers uncomfortably. "I know how difficult it must be to see a land you once loved evolved into a piece of technological shit."

"You call it shit?" asked Piiers.

"I've never liked the way it became over the years. When I was born, yes, it was this way, but back then, mayhem moments weren't so frequent."

"Mayhem moments?" asked the mentor.

Piers didn't have time to explain himself. A plank was dropped, allowing them to descend from the ship.

"You three should go first." said Iivan, nodding to Sukai, Piers, and Mia. "Take us to the palace."

They nodded and stepped on the platform, walking quite proudly towards their homeland. The guards bowed down to the royal children of their city.

"As captain of the guard brigade of Lemuria I welcome back your Highnesses to their homeland." said the man closest to them.

"Thank you very much, Captain." said Piers as the others descended.

The scene from the poor guards' point of view must have been one of the strangest they had ever seen. Out came people with identical replicas of themselves. A girl, clearly unconscious was being carried by a man as two other men came out, one supporting the other. None of them looked as though they could hold out for very long without a bed.

Just then, the royal families made an entrance.

"Piers, what has happened to you and your friends?" asked Anaya as she took his hand into hers. Piers noticed that his grandmother was getting blinder by the day.

"We've met challenges along the way." said Piers.

"You will surely tell me all about it once we get to the palace." said Anaya, her gaze suddenly turning to Feliix.

"Young man, approach me." she said softly to him.

Feliix did as he was told. He bowed down respectfully as he would have done if it were Hydros standing in front of him.

"Please stand, I wish to look into your kind eyes." said the queen.

Feliix stood up and met the old woman's eyes. There was a moment when he thought she had become a living statue as she had not even blinked in a long moment. But just then, she moved again.

"I see many of your companions are in need of rest." she said looking around.

"Why don't we save our inevitably long conversation for tomorrow morning then?" proposed Dreilla, noticing more than her elder how much of a necessity it was for the mortal adepts to recover.

"A very good idea." said Anaya. "Let us be on our way."

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On their way to the palace, Piiers often glanced at things with amazement. He would have never imagined how much Lemuria had evolved since his demise.

"Everything runs on the power of psynergy." explained his junior. "We've found ways to create power using psynergy stones. But they have their flaws. That creates mayhem moments."

"What are mayhem moments?" asked Piiers.

"It's a situation when a psynergy stone is overloaded with power and explodes. Often, this happens to the stones that are the source of many important and demanding tasks."

"I thought Lemuria was controlled by computers." said Garet weakly behind him.

Piers chuckled a bit before answering. "Yes, Lemuria is very secretive about the way it runs. We use computers as an excuse. Outsiders aren't supposed to know much."

"Why are there rivers flowing a bit everywhere?" asked Sheba curiously.

"It's to notify the presence of Mercury in our city. Being close to water, he can hear our prayers." said Mia.

"We're coming close to the palace." noticed Piiers, remembering the way from his lifetime.

"Yes." said Piers.

"It's simply beautiful!" exclaimed Sheba.

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Isaac had been forbidden to circulate on his own around the palace. He was asked to remain in his room and rest, but he simply couldn't sit still. He quickly dressed and left his room. He wandered around the corridors until he reached a glass door leading to the gardens. It was slightly opened.

Isaac was about to walk past it before he heard voices coming from the garden. Curious, he stepped into the garden. It was Jjenna and Feliix. They seemed to be in deep conversation.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" asked Feliix softly.

"We both know that we don't require any sleep to feel refreshed." said his sister.

"I don't see why you'd like to be here. It's only me thinking, as I always did."

Isaac knew that it was not very good to eavesdrop over this conversation but he couldn't help himself. He hid himself behind a tree and listened.

"I remember the long evenings where I would stay by your side and watch you think. Back then you didn't mind."

Feliix didn't answer. Only the sound of the waters flowing from the nearby fountain could be heard for a long moment of silence.

"You used to be such a gentle person…" said Jjenna, breaking the silence. "Yes, not very talkative, but that temper you have, it's not yours."

"I guess every leader needs a temper, especially with these teenagers." said Feliix.

"You say that now, but we used to be all teenagers and you would guide us through without raising your voice. You've changed…and I don't think I like it."

Feliix didn't answer. His silence made another gap in the conversation.

"I just thought that everything could be back to normal when we set out on another journey." said Jjenna finally. "We don't talk anymore. You're even more reserved than your usual self…tell me what's wrong, brother."

"It's…it's nothing."

"Come on, I thought you could tell me everything. Isn't that what you told me when we were young?"

"I…I guess I'll never look at anything the same way…since…well the epidemic."

There was another moment of silence where only the fountains of the gardens could be heard. Feliix sat down troubled at the edge of the one closest by and dropped his face into his right hand.

"Jjenna...it was so hard to watch you there, dying…I mean, you were bearing a child, and well now…"

Jjenna sat down next to her brother and placed a careful hand on his shoulder. "I sometimes feel my womb in hope that I'll feel it kick but…"

Another long silence dragged its wings through the gardens where the noise of stifled sobs interrupted the fountains' song. Isaac was on the edge of crying himself. What was it about people's emotions? Why could he feel them now when he couldn't before?

"Jjenna?"

"Yes?"

"Where should we go from here?"

"We should walk forward and do whatever we can to stop whatever is going on."

"What if the path is closed?"

"Feliix, when I was left all alone after that storm in Vale, the only thing I could do is go on. And I'm glad I did today…if there is no path to follow, then you make one yourself."

Another silence installed itself in between the siblings. This time however, it was shorter than usual.

"I'm sorry I'm acting so weak minded and stupid, you're right I'm not myself." said Feliix.

"No…it's not like you, but now, you'll be alright?"

"Yeah…I guess I'll be…"

Jjenna hugged her brother and got up to leave. Isaac hurriedly and quietly left the gardens by the way he came to avoid her seeing him out of bed. What he had heard had made him feel so unsure of things…their mentors weren't so strong after all. Hearing the two siblings reminiscing about the past…they sounded so much like the Jenna and Felix he'd known since forever. Yet, something about seemed more mature, more grown up. He wondered if Felix sometimes had emotional breakdowns like his teacher. While he thought about this, he passed the door to Jenna's room. He wasn't sure if he should go in…after all Jjenna could return at any moment to check on her junior but he had to get a glimpse of her, just to see if she was alright.

He slowly opened the door and stepped inside. He found her sitting by the windowsill, hugging her knees and watching the stars from the opened window. Hearing the door and thinking that Jjenna was coming to check on her, she scurried off into bed. Isaac laughed a little to make his presence known. He saw the outline of his love getting back out of bed hastily and throwing herself into her arms.

"I know what I'm doing right now is beyond corny but I just needed to smell your scent." she whispered.

Isaac smiled and wrapped him arms around her tightly.

"Oh Isaac! Life was so much simpler when it was just us causing trouble…" she muttered after a while.

"I know, Jenna, I know…" he whispered. "I had a taste of the adventure life I'd always wanted today and it just didn't seem as exciting as I'd hoped it would be."

"Maybe we're just not cut out for all of this psynergy and fighting after all…" said Jenna.

"I think we were destined for this all of our lives, I myself have had-"

He stopped talking. He had been close to telling Jenna about the dreams he'd have as a child. The dreams where he saw his former life as his own. Those little moments when he would let him attention level drop in class and he would see vivid images of Sol Sanctum and of little scenes that seemed so familiar and yet so unreal…

"The dreams?" asked Jenna, finishing his sentence and pulling away from his arms. She walked up to the window, her right hand over her left shoulder. "You aren't the only one who had them before."

Isaac walked up to her and slipped a hand around her waist while taking the hand on her shoulder into his.

"So we're all special, aren't we?" he whispered. "See, we are cut for this after all."

"Yeah, but I don't want anything to change...I don't want our lives to change so quickly."

"They may be unstable now, but just wait. I'll bet they'll get better. We just need to add an Outlaws touch to this psynergy thing."

Jenna smirked mischievously while staring into the night sky.

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"Please, warriors sit." said Anaya as she indicated very luxurious chairs set in a circle around a large pit in the ground filled with water. Queen Dreilla, Sukai, Piers, and Mia were already seated at her sides.

The juniors and the elders took seats. Feliix sat down last, directly across the old queen. He rested his elbows on the armrests and intertwined his fingers together.

"Where should we begin?" he asked.

"I should first explain to you a few things." started Anaya. "Things you may not know about or fully understand. Do you know what our world is going through?"

She looked around the adepts, her piercing gaze in search of an enlightening expression one of those faces.

"I'll guess this much: it has to do with alchemy." said Iisaac after a long silence.

"Precisely." said Anaya. "Long ago, Weyard depended only on the power of alchemy. The people of our world in that long past era are now referred to as the Ancients. Back then, Sol and Luna atop of Mt Aleph blessed every born child with the power of the elements. With the help of the gods Mercury, Mars and Jupiter and the goddess Venus, he judged each child to bear either the power of the waters, the winds, the flames or of the earth."

"Would this make all of these Ancients adepts?" asked Iivan.

Anaya nodded and continued on. "At first, the Ancients all lived in harmony with each other. They co-existed perfectly and used their abilities to help out and do their part in the society. All was well until the quarrels began. Just like their protectors, those with opposing elements often disagreed, and one day, the Ancients split into clans. The arguments soon turned into wars and to keep watch for their enemies, each clan built their own lighthouse."

"The elemental lighthouses?" asked Garett.

"Yes." said Anaya. "The Ancients' battles also brought great uproar atop of Mt. Aleph. Competition was created in between the four elemental gods. To each assure the victory of their respective clans, they presented to the leaders of the armies an elemental star. These stars were very special for a great reason. When used to light the lighthouse beacons instead of fire, they doubled their psynergy power. Once lit, the clans were even more powerful and even more destructive than ever before. Many people died in the wars. Until one day, Sol stepped in and stopped the chaos. Sol refused to let the light of the sun show on the earth. And while it was dark, no one would dare get out to fight. He created an entity he named The Wise One whom would have the power to deal with alchemy and balance out its use. Sol ordered his new servant to take away the powers of every single Ancient on Weyard and seal them within their elemental stars. The Wise One was then asked to take them to Mt Aleph where Sol had newly created an enchanted place named Sol Sanctum. There, Luna was to take away the stars and place them in a sacred room. The Wise One was then appointed as their guardian. After ten days of eternal darkness, Luna was getting tired of always shining the moon. She complained to her husband and finally gained satisfaction. However, Sol didn't feel ready to give back the wonderful gift of alchemy to the Ancients. He decided to never return the powers of psynergy to the ones that still lived but however, he would give the powers to very few chosen children. And thus, only a small number of adepts still populate Weyard today."

"I had never heard of that myth before." said Iivan. "I was always told that the people of Vale, Anemos, Prox, Lemuria and Imil were favored by the gods and had been given their powers to protect each their own alchemical source."

"Yes, the gods chose their guardian shortly after the end of the war, but the chaos before is part of a tale that not many can tell." said Anaya. "But, enough lingering on the prologue of things."

The first queen stood up walked to a table where small blue box stood. It was crafted with many gems and had ancient writing engraved upon it. Anaya picked up the casket and carefully brought it back to her seat.

"This," she said, "is what you need to see."

She opened the box and took out a papyrus scroll tied with an indigo ribbon. It looked very ancient and dusty.

"What is this, Your Majesty?" asked Sheba respectfully but impatience could be distinguished in her voice.

"It is an augury written by a late Lemurian Seer." said the old woman. She turned to Piers with a smile. "Your mother." she handed the scroll to her grandson.

Piers looked at his grandmother with wide eyes and then at the scroll in his hand. He cast a look at Mia then at Piiers before carefully untying the ribbon and unrolling the old papyrus.

"Listen children, for this riddle is true,
And the outcome all depends on you.

Mercury, from his wrath, resurrects his son
The grudge of the past never long gone
Wanders the seas he despises so
Thus the punishment of Poseidon.

The city of frost, as told in prophecy
Shall be gone soon, surely
To this I shall give you one clue
See the three ancient kings multiplied by three.

The fives doors locked, they require keys
Search for the ladies of the heart of the Eastern Seas
They shall unlock the locked and lock it once more
And keep out the locked from your enemies

But where are these doors of gold so grand?
If you decipher my words, you will not find only sand.
It is not somewhere unknown
Retrace your steps to the Promised Land

Danlyan, shadow of the past
Will arise from the grave at last
And his heart invaded by dark thoughts
He shall appear atop of a great mast.

The lone slave of his mind cannot remember
And Luna's pity has no number
With a touch of her grace,
He shall follow any orders coming from her

The day of the great battle approaches
And each may not survive but they shall all live
The fiery queen shall bring an end to Poseidon
Allowing his father to finally forgive.

And in the end, what should happen now?
Every citizen shall bow
While singing an Ancient Anthem
They shall look upon the master of the sanctum."

When Piers had finished reading out loud, he looked up to his grandmother in question.

"What does it all mean? What was Mother trying to tell us?" he asked.

"She explains your futures in steps. You will have to decipher the meaning on your own. Guiding you may ruin everything she wanted to teach you." said Anaya.

"The donation of this augury is enough, Your Majesty." said Jjenna courteously.

"Yes, and we should return home and attempt to interpret it." said Feliix.

"Will you be leaving so soon?" asked Dreilla,

"Yes, if this is as urgent as it sounds we should get cracking." said Garet.

"Then I wish you a safe return home." said Anaya.

Sukai stood up to leave with the adepts but she was quickly stopped by her mother.

"Sukai," said Dreilla, "this second journey will be too dangerous. You should remain here, in Lemuria."

Piers looked at her with an upset face.

"I'll…write to you…" said Sukai, looking angry. She left the room rather briskly but she showed no emotion in the way she walked.

Piers turned to leave with the others but his grandmother called him back.

"I won't be long." he said. "I'll meet you at the docks."

His companions nodded and left. Anaya stood up and took Piers' right hand into hers.

"Piers, do not repeat this to Mia. She is too young to know of such things." she said, looking into his eyes. "Your sister, does Alex still find a liking to her?"

Piers looked at the old queen with astonishment. He hesitated upon informing to his mother about what became of Alex.

"Alex," he started, "has lost his memory after Kera left his body."

"He shall remember. He is not excluded from the augury of your mother." said Anaya. "You must promise me to not act as Mercury does. Do not think with wrath, but with forgiveness."

"I promise grandmother, but I don't see why I am." said Piers.

"It will be known soon enough."

"Are you thinking of engaging Mia?"

"No, no. I was merely curious, that is all."

"She's in love, if you haven't noticed. And it's not with Alex."

"It has nothing to do with marriage. Only, she may help him remember."

"The time is not to marry childhood sweethearts."

"Piers, let events act out. Your mother's augury does not change your future, but it will help you through it."

"The others are waiting for me." said Piers. He turned to leave but she called him back with a final phrase.

"Keraeri has been controlling Alex for many years now. An old servant never relinquishes his master. No matter what, they are still bound. Last night, you spoke to me of Alex's ancient spirit collided with an old scholar's remains. Remember that there is still an Alex in this necromancy."

Piers left the room without looking back. "The old woman's ramblings this time may be useful…" he whispered to himself while contemplating one last time his homeland before leaving for the docks. Once outside of the palace, the water adept's eyes squinted and he spotted someone near him. A passerby, probably. He looked up at the palace with an expression of both pain and misery.

"Are you alright?" asked Piers. The man looked at him and vanished, leaving Piers both perplexed and spooked.

Well there you go. Long gaps between updates and a very long chapter. Those of you who think they can figure out a bit of the riddle, try your luck. I had a long and good time making it up, and unfortunately, some verses you won't be able to figure out until the end of the story.

Anyways, toodles!

Miyu.Lara