Rushing these out before Masters studies formally begin.

Anyway, there's something I gotta ask - Based on the attention and comments in the previous chapter am I right to assume that you guys prefer the more lighthearted segments compared to the more gloomy ones? Given that this is a DS crossover I thought people would dislike overtly fluffy and sappy chapters. Heck I was expecting a lot of complaints for Raziel nearly being sex-changed but people seem to have no fun poking fun at it without being vitriolic.

Since I've been rusty when it comes to writing lighthearted fluff I've been reading a ton of Miraculous Ladybug fanfics lately. Dorky teen rom-coms are a bit out of my field of expertise, so apologies if this chapter comes out as lacking. I'm more used to writing serious stories.

The new title picture was the best I could do for an approximate of his appearance. Just a manga cover page with some 5 minute photoshopping (courtesy of a friend) to change the eye color. And no, the totally grim expression is not foreshadowing of anything. Really. The picture just looks like that cause the guy never smiles.


Raziel did his best not to appear too intimidated. Sinking into his seat, he coughed and stared at the bowls and plates lining the table. Due to her sister's visit Tiffania had insisted on cooking up a feast for her. He'd offered to help her, if only to avoid the woman who hadn't stopped staring at him since the meeting at the riverbank, but Tiffania had insisted he relax and let her handle it. As she said, it was the 'least she could do for pushing him into the river'.

Apparently she was ignoring the fact that he'd pulled her in literally seconds later.

Across from him Tiffania's older sister - a young woman by the name of Mathilda - stared at him with an unreadable expression. She wasn't angry, or at least she didn't appear to be. Rather than glaring she simply looked at him quietly, her arms crossed and her lips pursed into a thin line. He took a nervous gulp and did his best to avoid looking at her. She seemed to be looking right through him, he mused nervously.

"Aren't you going to eat?" He snapped his head to meet her gaze. No change in expression, as expected, "You've been staring at the food for a while now. If you're hungry then eat. You don't have to hold back on my account."

"Um, it's not that." He coughed softly, trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere, "I was waiting for Tiff..." Her eyes narrowed, "I-I mean Tiffania! I thought it would be rude to eat without Ms. Tiffania since she was the one who made all of this..." He trailed off and reluctantly picked up a spoon to shovel some stew in his mouth. He'd eaten not too long ago and he never did get hungry regardless of the situation so he had to force himself to swallow.

"I guess I'll eat as well." She let out a soft breath and followed his example, using a fork to spear a small piece of sausage. For reasons he couldn't fathom he couldn't help but wince and cross his legs as she stabbed into the meat with much more force than necessary, "...What's wrong? You're staring?" She stabbed another one and he had to hold back the urge to hack his throat.

"So...Ms. Tiffania tells me you're the one who supports them here." He mumbled. She gave a nod, her attention thankfully diverting to some loaves of bread, "She, um...she's told me a lot about you." There came the narrowed eyes again, "N-Nothing bad, I assure you! She-She simply told me that you've been supporting them for the past five years and that she's really grateful."

"...Is that so?" Her gaze softened. He took that as a good sign, "Well, that child always worries too much about me and never about herself." Her voice lowered into a cold whisper. That was a not so good sign, "Such as bringing in strangers and letting them stay here for...how long was it? Three weeks now?" He nodded rapidly. Truthfully he'd lost count of how long it had been, "Yes, well like I said she never worries for her own well-being and always for others. Such a kind girl."

"Y-Yes, a very kind girl..." He took a nervous sip of tea. He sorely wished that Tiffania was here right now but she was helping the children back to their own homes. At this point he couldn't help but internally gush at her kindness even as he felt the urge to wet himself.

"Trusting as well." Her lips quirked up into a smile. Somehow it did nothing to stop the chill from going down his spine, "If a stranger wanted to take advantage of her because she didn't know any better he'd be able to do so, and quite easily at that." She crossed one leg over the other, letting out a chilling laugh, "Of course if he did that he would very much regret it for the rest of his short and miserable life. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, of course. Hahaha..."

He wanted to cry.

He felt a profound sense of danger staying here. He wanted to leave, but he had the distinct feeling she would be stabbing another piece of meat if he tried to so much as stand. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. He could do this; whoever he was back then he was brave (though Derflinger would have called it foolish) enough to run into a battlefield and make it out without being killed. If he could do that then he could face his close friend's older sister.

"So what exactly were you and Tiffi doing down in the river?" She picked up a small knife and cut the bread into smaller pieces, her smile never faltering, "I hate to make assumptions but it certainly looked difficult to misconstrue. Still, in the spirit of fair reason I want to hear from you what exactly happened."

...

He needed to run. She was going to stab that knife right in his greatsword.

No, if he ran now she would make it slow. He didn't miss the way her hand seemed to fondle that catalyst of hers and it didn't take a scholar to figure out she was a sorcerer of some kind. He knew (from his nonexistent memories) that sorcerers could be a vindictive bunch.

"We were...playing." She raised an eyebrow, her hands not-so-subtly inching for her catalyst, "Wait, wait! Th-That's not what I meant!" He waved his hands in a panic, "I mean we were splashing around in the water is all! She pushed me by accident so I pulled her in and then we started slapping water at each other. There wasn't anything about it. She seemed depressed so I thought it would be good to cheer her up."

"Sad? Did something happen?" He could feel the unspoken accusation in the question.

"I didn't do anything," He rushed out, sitting up in his seat to meet her gaze, "She...She was sad because she thought I would hate her when I saw her ears. She called herself a...a Half-Elf." He saw her hands clench, her expression quickly souring. He did his best to continue calmly, "I-I don't care about that! She was worried because she thought I thought I would look at her like she was a demon-"

"Don't you?" She interrupted sharply, "I could understand the kids, but you look about the same age as she is. I find it hard to believe that you haven't bought into the rhetoric spouted by the church."

"I-I don't. I could never think of her as a demon..." He bit his lower lip, wringing his hands together nervously, "Um...the truth is I don't remember much from the past. I woke up in the forest covered in wounds and I would have died there if not for Tiffania and the children. Even if I did hear about 'Elves' being seen as demons of some kind I would have forgotten it by now. I wouldn't believe it now either since I've spent so much time with her."

"You...don't remember anything?" She looked at him with obvious skepticism before sighing, "As much as I want to call you a liar that's probably one of the more reasonable things I've heard this month." Her posture relaxed. She leaned forward, clasping her hands together in front of her mouth, "If you wanted to hurt Tiffi and the rest of the kids you would've done it weeks ago."

"I doubt I could. I'm...not one for fighting." He rubbed the back of his head and laughed softly. He must have been a poor fighter considering the state he was in when they found him, "I really didn't know about Ms. Tiffania's-"

"Just call her by your nickname, I can tell you're forcing yourself." She smiled once more, and this time he actually did feel some warmth from it, "You'll understand that I was being protective earlier. I couldn't tell if you meant Tiffi any harm or if you were just distracted by her appearance. Most others wouldn't take too kindly to her ears no matter how kind she acts."

"Um, right. Well, like I said I just found out about Tiff's ears a while ago but I don't really see the big deal about it. Why would others see her as a demon just because of her ears?"

"Because Humans and Elves have been hated enemies for the past six thousand years," She dipped a small piece of bread into the stew and chewed on it quickly, "Brimir's declared them our enemies and equating demon to Elf pretty much stuck." She shrugged, "Now I'm not saying all Elves are nice people - hel, there might actually be some merit to the rumors that they eat babies - but my 'fellow man' aren't that much better. Chances are if I get killed it'll be because of another Human rather than an Elf."

"Tiff called herself a Half-Elf, so wouldn't that mean an Elf and a Human got together despite all that?"

"Tiffi's father, yes." She nodded, "He found her mom passed out on the forest and took her in. I don't really know much about it in all honesty - I only heard the story second-hand - but he apparently kept her as his lover. He was...from a high position, so it would be disgraceful if it was found out that he had kept an Elven woman as his lover. Well...people eventually found out."

"What...What happened?"

"...I think its better if you ask her that yourself." Her smile faltered, "Needless to say things didn't end well and a lot of horrible things happened. When it was all said and done it was only the two of us left...well, until the kids came along. Tiffania found one of them wandering around the forest and then another and another and you can imagine the rest." She let out a single, soft laugh, "Then here we are."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, you weren't there." She waved him off, "...Actually, we're getting off-topic." He could see the mischievous intentions in her eyes. Now was probably a good time to run, "Oh, and before you think about running-" Crap, "-Do know that I'm not going to drop this so we might as well get this over with." She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward on the table, "How exactly did 'splashing each other in the water' lead to 'Trying to kiss each other'? I'm really curious what part of the game that comes from."

She wasn't angry anymore, but he had the distinct feeling that this was worse than the alternative, "Um...well, that was..." He coughed, "I mean, we were playing in the water like I said and then..." He closed his eyes and clasped both hands together in a begging gesture, "I-I just want you to know that I didn't mean to make you angry and that I'll apologize to Tiff the first chance I get so-"

"Hey, calm down. I asked for an explanation, not apologies." She rolled her eyes. The kid was definitely on the meek side. Far too much like her little sister.

"W-Well..." He swallowed nervously, "I-I mean...we were-"

"Oh for Brimir's sake- Were you trying to kiss her? Just nod or shake your head if you're too afraid to speak." His cheeks burned crimson but he nodded, the movement quick and disjointed. She could practically feel him struggling not break out into a fit of apologies, "I thought so..." She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "Look, stop shaking in your seat, kid. I'm not mad."

"...You're not?" It was blatantly clear he still wanted to turn tail and run.

"Look, as long as you don't mean her any harm and she wasn't unwilling then who am I to say no? I was worried that you were trying to manipulate her, but..." She paused, trying to find a way to phrase it politely, "...Look, lets just say that you're either as dumb as you look or you're a really brilliant actor. I'm leaning more towards the former for both our sakes."

That...wasn't as tactful as she would have liked.

"Th-Thank you..." She blinked at the oddly pleased smile plastered on his face. Did he think that was a compliment? "I-I thought you were going to stab me between the legs."

"...Why would I do that?" Her brows furrowed, "I mean if you really were manipulating her I would have buried you alive. Stabbing you in the crotch is stupid."

"Hahahaha..." She had a really...unique sense of humor.

"Look, I'll just come out and say it: Do you like Tiffi?"

He nodded nervously, "Y-Yes. She's kind, she's beautiful, she's generous and-" He rambled off an increasingly flattering list of qualities. Matilda took some slight comfort in the knowledge that Tiffania wasn't within earshot; her younger sister would be a red mess if she heard all of this, "And of course I wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for her. I owe her my life-"

"Yes, yes. We've established that she has many positive qualities," She interrupted, "I mean do you 'like' her? You were willing to kiss her so I have to assume that the answer is yes."

"Um, well..." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. He had to choose his words carefully, "I...I don't really know what that kind of 'like' truly is." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "I woke up in that forest without any memories. I...I know I care about her...that I think she's really pretty...and that I want to stay with her as long as I can...d-does that count as 'like'?"

"Uh...close enough." She shrugged. She knew about attraction and the like, she'd used it to her advantage before, but his description reminded her of the way a child might describe one of their crushes, "Look, I'll say it again: As long as you aren't manipulating Tiffi and she's not unwilling then I think it's fine. You don't seem like the type to fu- I mean, kiss someone and then abandon them."

"W-Well, Tiffania offered me a chance to stay here," He said, "If possible I might want to take her up on her offer. My partner told me that my old life wasn't worth getting back and I have nowhere else to go."

"Partner? I thought you were injured in the forest alone? Tiffania didn't mention your friend."

"O-Oh, he's not a human. He's a talking sword." He said it as if it was most normal thing in the world, "He said he was stabbed into my stomach because I fought some people, but he won't say any more." He leaned forward excitedly, "Do you want to meet him? He always likes meeting new people."

"Pass." She rubbed her temples, a headache already forming, "I've met my fair share of talking weapons. Most of them aren't good conversationalists." As a thief who had broken into many magical vaults talking weapons were of course an occasional find. They were uncommon, certainly, but a few noble residences she'd hit up had a good number of them. She had no idea why anyone would bother keeping them - Most of them either talked about the sensation of cutting through a person, insulted their owners, begged her take them away and sell them to someone who would use them or (as was more likely) all of the above.

"Huh? There are other talking swords?" He seemed oddly elated at the prospect.

"Talking swords, talking daggers, talking shields...hel, I once ran into a talking boot. Dunno why anyone would make that." She grimaced, "I can assume that you must have been a noble of some kind. That's the only way you'd have one of those."

"A noble? I...doubt that, Miss. I don't feel like a noble."

"It was only a suggestion." She shrugged, "Anyway, I need you to do me a favor." She pointed to out of the window to the edge of the village, "I have a...friend waiting for me. His name is Wardes. Our...previous employers are indisposed at the moment and we agreed to travel together for the time being. Tell him to go on ahead and wait for me at the closest village. I need to say goodbye to Tiffi and the others before I go and I don't want to keep him waiting."

"Oh, of course." He smiled and made his way to the door before he heard her call out to him again.

"Hey, I didn't ask: What's your name?"

"That's...a matter of debate. Memory loss makes that sort of difficult." He shrugged lightly and laughed, "Please call me Robin...it's more appropriate at this time."

Finding her 'friend' had proven easy enough. Even through the setting sun draping the village he stood out, standing stiffly like a statue. Robin looked him up and down: His features were masked by the cape and it was difficult to make out his expression through the wide-brimmed hat and dim lighting. Upon sensing his approach he raised his head and offered him a small smile.

"Is something troubling you, young man?" He asked back softly.

"Oh, no sir." He shook his head, "Um...Miss. Matilda simply wants me to inform you that you should go ahead to the closest village. She wishes to say her goodbyes to the people here and she doesn't wish to keep you waiting."

"Hmm, thank you." He looked up at the darkening sky and whistled. Almost immediately a bird-like screech responded, quickly followed by a Griffon landing a short distance away. Robin's eyes widened as he caught sight of the feathered beast, "I take it that is your first time seeing such a magnificent animal?" He nodded dumbly, "...You could pet him if you wish. He's very well behaved."

"Y-You're sure?" He couldn't help smiling at the young man's barely restrained enthusiasm.

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't. Go on."

He watched with slight amusement as the young man carefully trudged to the Griffon. The Familiar's beaked head turned to look at him then at it's master, receiving only a nod in return. Seeing the gesture it relaxed, leaning forward slightly as the young man reached out his hand to pet it.

"This is amazing..." He heard Wardes walk up next to him and he turned to him happily, "How did you tame someone like this?"

"He's my Familiar. I summoned him." The young man's head tilted to the side in confusion, "Familiars are...they are a Mage's partner. Many are treated no more than servant but for a former Griffon Knight such as myself we treat them as if they were our partners. If need be we're prepared to give our lives for one another."

"So you're friends."

"Haha...yes, I suppose so. The bond between a Familiar and their master is irreplaceable, after all." He eyed the bandage covering his left hand, "What happened to your hand? Did you injure yourself?"

"Oh, this? Yes, an injury from a previous fight." Robin continued petting the creature's wings, receiving a small squawk in response, "You're leaving with Miss. Matilda, yes?"

"Yes, at least as far as Romalia. She has a new opportunity for work there and I may find answers." He hoisted himself up into the griffon and nodded, "Give Lady Matilda my thanks and that I look forward to seeing her again."

The younger man reluctantly backed away, "Goodbye, Sir. Wardes. Good luck on your travels." He watched with a smile on his face as the griffon flew into the skies and the pair disappeared from sight. With any luck they might see one another again.


Henrietta closed the door behind her with a click and all but collapsed onto the bed. The peace treaties were going as well they could be, she supposed - There was a big deal made out of their appearance, carriages and whatnot along with a few citizens showing up to the festivities. They wanted to make a good impression, that much was clear...and of course it was pure coincidence that they had landed in a town that was as cut-off from the conflict as possible. Something told her their reception would have been much more chilly if they arrived at one of the more involved port-towns.

The meeting itself was equally tiring. Apart from having to deal with Albrecht III's leering stares they all had to deal with King Joseph of Gallia's attempts at entertainment - Any attempts at actually discussing the assigning of property were utterly derailed when the King decided to change the subject, ranging from the new toy soldiers he had carved last week to Emperor Albrecht III's not-so-secret indiscretions.

She hated buying into rumors, but perhaps his title of 'Mad King' was more accurate than she gave it credit for.

Now after hours of negotiation they were no closer to a resolution than when they started. King Joseph was either unaware or uncaring as he wasted no time inviting them all to view the new decorations on his personal ship, an invitation which they had all declined for varying reasons.

...Being here wasn't easy. Turning herself around she stared blankly at the bed's canopy. She wanted to drink the provided wine, but getting herself drunk here wasn't exactly the best way to honor her fallen friend. Louise would say it was her right, but losing herself in a drunken stupor was improper while they were discussing the peace she had given her life for.

She would make sure her death wasn't in vain.

It also didn't help that the Albionese representative, a taciturn man by the name of General Hawkins, spent a large chunk of the meeting accusing Tristain of making deals with demons. He pointed the massacre at Saxe-Gotha, of the men who had turned to killing and eating one another in service to some 'Dark Father', that Tristain had betrayed the faith in order to win the war.

Of course almost no one believed him. Albion had lost and Tristain had won, so they would look at him and see a desperate man flinging mud in a last ditch attempt at keeping some of his pride intact. His accusations also rang hollow considering the way Albion had taken to using Firstborns in order to bolster their chances at winning the conflict. Just like the burning of the invading fleet, the citizens thought the massacre to be a bolt of divine retribution from Brimir himself as punishment for their heresy.

A sudden knock at her door caused her to sit up, "Who is it?" She called out warily. She was in no danger here, but she would rather not deal with King Joseph's ideas for 'fun'.

"General Hawkins, Your Highness." Her eyebrows furrowed and she stood. What was he doing here? Come with more accusations of heresy? "I...realize that you may not wish to speak with me, but I have something to say."

...Fine then. She opened the door but quickly slipped outside before he could enter, closing the door behind her, "We can converse out here." She declared. Just because she agreed to speak to him didn't mean she had to be alone with him.

"I understand. Shall we take a walk then?" At her nod he began the short trek to the outside garden. Perhaps some fresh air would do them some good, "Thank you for speaking with me, Your Majesty. I...understand that you have little reason to given my previous appalling behavior."

"I've faced worse than a few accusations of heresy," She answered back neutrally.

"Be that as it may, I still wish to apologize," He said, "It's simply...the events of Saxe-Gotha were troubling, and I required someone to shoulder the blame. Your reaction, however...you truly do not know of what happened?"

"Of course not." She shook her head, "The miracle at Tarbes was just that: A miracle. Tristain has no intention of using Firstborns or heresy in order to win conflicts." The biting accusation in her tone was hard to miss.

She did her best to ignore the fact that she currently employed two Vampires and once employed the services of an Undead.

"Point taken, Your Majesty." He gave a sardonic smile, "I would defend myself by claiming to only follow orders, but we both know that our reasons don't truly matter. Emperor Cromwell...well, as of now I suppose he would be known as nothing more than a heretic. We followed him out of loyalty or out of a desire for power. Many of the citizens did truly believe he was the Founder's Chosen, after all."

"There's a difference between belief and zealotry, General. It doesn't matter what he believed; his crimes are unforgivable."

He let out a sigh of relief as they finally reached the garden. Without the stifling walls surrounding them he felt much more at ease, "And yet it would be celebrated had he won." His pace slowed, "Ah, but we did not come here to discuss philosophy, Your Highness. I come bearing a message."

"Nothing bad, I trust." She tightened her grip on her wand.

"That ultimately depends on you, Your Grace." He replied, "First I wish to clarify something - Regardless of what your commanders and generals told you, neither they or the army defended the citizens and facilitated their escape." He paused to let her deliberate on the information, "No doubt they painted a pretty picture of their heroism, but I was at Saxe-Gotha during the massacre. There was no army that met us."

"How is that possible? Are you going to repeat your claims of Tristain summoning an army of demons?" She pursed her lips.

"Yes and no." Her eyes narrowed, but she said nothing, "We were stopped at Saxe-Gotha, but it wasn't by an army." He held up two fingers, "A young woman and a young man. The girl used a magic we had never seen before, incinerating scores of men at a time. The young man, however..." He took a deep breath, "He is the origin of our accusations. Your reaction makes it clear you had no idea of it, but he had turned into a monster. I saw it with my own eyes."

"A monster..." She quickly recalled rotten fingers clamping around her neck before she shook away the image, "Moving past that...you say only the two of them were there? You are certain of this?"

"Yes." He nodded, "Given the death toll one might think otherwise, but it was only those two."

A girl who could stop armies and a young man that turned into a monster...it was far too similar to be a coincidence. She bit her lower lip, considering her next statement carefully, "I...I could assume by your presence here that they failed..." She took a deep breath, "What..What did you do to the young woman's body? Did...you at least give her a proper funeral?"

"Your Majesty...she's not dead. She escaped before we could incapacitate her."

She stopped. General Hawkins paused to look back at her and blinked as he caught sight of the Queen's conflicted expression - She looked to be trying to hold back tears, but the smile on her face was clear for all to see. Catching his gaze she looked away, trying to stop her shoulders from shaking.

"Your Majesty-"

"She escaped? You're sure of this?" She interrupted, her voice desperate.

"Yes, I am sure of it. I have no reason to lie to you." The shaking of her shoulders worsened and he could make out a few muffled cries, "This may sound unbelievable, but an unknown dragon rider stole her away at the last minute." He sighed, "It sounds like something out of a fairy tale, but I can most definitely assure you that she did not die by our hands. Her rescuer's intention, however, is unknown to me."

"A dragon rider?" She muttered. Since Tristain's own dragoons failed that left narrowed the possibilities. Julio was a possibility, but if it was him he would have taken her back to Tristain. Perhaps a defector from the Albion army? But why would they rescue Louise?

She shook her head. It didn't matter: Louise was alive, and no matter what she did she would get her back.

"I...thank you for this information, General." Henrietta did her best to give a polite smile, "Now, I trust this conversation is over-"

"Not yet." He cut in, "I know not what your relationship with this young woman is, but I came here to give you a warning." His hands clenched tightly, "Whatever this monster is, it's clear you were unaware of its existence. We were unable to finish it off before it escaped. I implore you, for the sake of common decency, to finish what we started. Whatever madness it unleashed cannot be repeated. Wherever the girl may be I suspect the young man is not far behind. He...it certainly seemed loyal to her."

"I will take that under consideration..." She nodded and turned her back to him, making her way back to her room.

She needed to talk to Agnes, now.


He couldn't sleep.

Sitting up in his bed, Robin rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. He didn't know what time it was, but given the twin moons shining in the sky he could assume it was either late at night or very early in morning. They'd come back pretty late today - The Queen's arrival in the port town of Marseille had been cause for festivities and on Jessica's advice he had taken Tiffania and the children for a day of enjoyment. Tiffania had been hesitant, worried that her identity would be found out, but they had made it through the day without any problems save for the occasional festive attendant flirting with her.

No, he wasn't jealous at all. It wasn't as if they were in a relationship so he had no right to be.

Fumbling for the chain around his neck, he raised the signet ring level with his eyes. Apart from Derflinger it was one of the few things that he had kept with him. Derflinger had called it a 'farewell present', though what exactly that meant he had no idea. He'd also (reluctantly) suggested that he get rid of it. If he was planning to forget about his old life then this was nothing more than a weight binding him down.

He couldn't do it. Something was screaming at him not to, so here it stayed.

Maybe a walk would clear his head. Sluggishly he made his way out of his room, the cold wood under his bare feet causing him to shiver slightly. At least the kids were happy - It was rare that they could leave altogether as a group and to a festival at that. Sure he spent most of his money in order to give them presents, but hey he could always hunt for the food they needed. Hopefully they didn't break the toys before he could get them some new ones.

He didn't get far before he heard it - Singing. Curiosity getting the better of him, he followed the sound to its source and felt his breath catch in his throat as he caught sight of her.

Tiffania sat by the windowsill, the light of the twin moons illuminating her. Her eyes were closed, her fingers gently strumming the strings of the miniature harp she held. Her voice was soft, likely to avoid disturbing the others, but the song...he felt tears trying to escape his wide eyes. He...He'd heard the song before. The melody brought forth a feeling of nostalgia through him.

A song of comfort, sung to him to assuage his pain.

He tried to leave, give her back the privacy she deserved, but his feet refused to move. The words she sang...it wasn't the language they usually spoke, but he could understand it all the same. An aria of sorrow, of loss and despair. But more than that, it was also of hope. Through the darkness and desolation hope would always exist, even through the grimmest of circumstances. An optimistic view, one that he shared given his own circumstances.

He attempted to close the door and was met with a rickety sound as the aged wood moved. Tiffania ceased her song and looked towards him, her eyes briefly widening in surprise before she gave him a soft smile, "Robin, is that you?" She asked gently. At his nod she lowed the miniature harp to her side and gestured him inside, "Come in, please. You shouldn't stand in the doorway like that."

Reluctantly he walked inside, closing the door behind him - Oh Gods was the door always that loud? - and sat down at the bed. He wanted to sit next to her, but would that be pushing things too far? They hadn't talked about what had happened back at the river. Lady Matilda seemed to be fine with it, but he didn't know what she'd talked about with Tiff. For all he knew she could have warned her about how big an idiot he was.

"So...did you enjoy the festival?" He started lightly. Need something to clear the air, "You seemed sort of nervous."

"Oh, I enjoyed it very much." She replied, clearly happy "I'm sorry if I appeared unhappy, I was simply worried about a stray gust of wind blowing away my hat. Usually I do my best to avoid such crowded events, but I'm glad we went! The children looked so happy and it's the first time I saw a celebration like that. Who knew people would do all that for one woman? The Queen must be a good person."

"I don't know. I mean all we saw was her hand waving out of the carriage..." He trailed off.

"Is something wrong, Ra- Robin?" She corrected quickly. He'd taken Derfliger's advice to leave his old life behind, and discarding his old name seemed as good a start as any. Tiffania still slipped sometimes, but it was going moderately well all things considered.

"N-Nothing, just...that song you were playing..." He coughed, trying to choose his words carefully, "That...the language you used, it's not the one we use to converse, right?"

"Oh, yes. It's a song my mother taught me." She replied. The smile on her face was melancholic, "Big sis told you about my mother and father, yes? How my father was a noble and my mother was his lover?"

"Not in those exact words, but yes." He nodded.

"My mother was an Elf and my father was a human, so their relationship was forbidden." She chewed her lower lip, "Since his life would have been at risk if they were found out my mother and I stayed in a small cottage in the middle of the forest, waiting for him to visit. My mother...whenever she felt lonely she would always sing that song. She told me it reminded her of her home."

"Did she...want to go back? Leave him?" He winced. Okay, that wasn't a nice question to ask but curiosity got the better of him.

"At times, yes." Her smile faded. Without a word she stood up from the windowsill and sat next to him. He swallowed nervously, but stayed in his position "My mother loved him, but now I wonder if she simply didn't feel indebted to him. She told me that she'd been saved many times even before father found her in the forest. A heroic knight saved her from a monster, she told me."

"Sounds just like a fairy tale," He mumbled.

"She made it sound like that, yes." She giggled, "She told me that before she died she wanted to see her home one last time. Then she could die with no regrets." Her lips shook. It was clear she found it difficult to talk about this.

"Tiff, if you don't have to-"

"No, it's alright." She shook her head, giving him a comforting smile. Even when she was hurt she still found it in her to worry about him, "It was five years ago. My father's brother, King James of Albion, found out about the relationship between mother and father. He sent people to kill my father and all those that followed him. When they found my mother they..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Tiff, if this is too painful-"

"They killed her. She hid me in a closet, told me to keep quiet so they wouldn't find me." Her breathing slowed, "They called her a monster, filled her with arrows, burned her body when they were finished. Even when she begged them that all she wanted was to live in peace they killed her without any mercy." Her hands shook, "They were like animals, I thought. The way they tore apart her body even when she was already dead. I wanted them to die."

"They killed your mother. It's only natural that you would hate them so." He said.

"Maybe...but it wouldn't have been right." She shook her head, "My mother always taught me to look for the good in others. Those men might have killed her, but what if they were true friends to others? What if they had family? It wouldn't have been right to kill them even if I could."

"Everyone has something or someone they care about. If we measure a person's worth by their loved ones does that mean we can excuse any sin they commit?" Raziel closed his eyes briefly, willing himself to calm down. Robin opened his eyes and did his best to smile, "I admire your kindness, Tiff, but...when does it become too much?"

"Hate can't be solved with hate, Robin. My mother told me she knew that from experience," She replied, "I used magic to make them forget me, and then I ran. When I crossed paths with a few more soldiers they would have killed me if it wasn't for big sis. She saved me, even when she had every reason to blame my father and I for the deaths of her family." Her lips quirked up in a slight smile, "My mother was right, see? People could be kind even when they had no reason to be."

"I found out about my father's death not long after. Big sis was the daughter of one of my father's vassals and without her I wouldn't have lasted more than a day. We might not be related by blood but she's as much a family as the rest of the children are. We've stayed here ever since."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an awkward hug. Tiffania squirmed at the suddenness of it before she eased into the embrace, wrapping her arms around his back and pulling him closer to her, "You've had a difficult life." He mumbled, "I...can't do much more than this. I'm sorry." Was this what he was like before his memory loss? Derflinger told him that his life was terrible despite the occasional silver lining but he couldn't imagine with was worse than this.

"It's alright..." She buried her face into his shoulder and allowed herself to relax. Even if he was slightly cold she still found it comforting to be with him like this, "...You know, big sis wanted to talk about...what we were doing down by the river."

"O-Oh?" He felt his face flush. Why did she have to bring that up now?It wasn't like he could let go of her without making it even more awkward.

"She told me that I should be careful, but..." She licked her lips nervously, "That if I was sure then she would support me all the way. She told me that she wants me to be happy and that you were...um, 'dumb but nice enough'."

"She said that?" He couldn't stop himself from smiling. That was kind of her.

"Yes, her exact words." She laughed in turn, "Robin...I'm not sure what's supposed to happen. The only love I've ever seen like this is from my mother and father and..."

"You think I know any better?" Reluctantly he let go of her and pulled back till there was a small distance between them, "I don't remember anything except waking up in that forest. I don't know who or what I really am, but I know that I wasn't like this before." He wrung his hands together, "What if I was a terrible person before losing my memories? I don't want to hurt you or the kids because of that."

"You're a good person now." She held onto his hands and squeezed them gently, "Whoever you were before, it doesn't change who you are now. You're a good person, one the children look up to as an older brother and one I care about. Nothing you did before can change that."

"But-But what if it does?" He looked away, "I mean, Tiff, look at me: I don't have any memories, I'm not good looking, I'm an idiot like your big sister said and I-I don't know what to do next! What if this all goes wrong? What should I do-"

His words stilled as her other hand cupped his cheek. Looking up at her he found her cheeks consumed by an adorable flush of red, "Then stay with me. We can decide what to together." She drew closer, her eyes closed nervously

"Tiff..."

No other words were needed as he drew forward and pressed his lips against hers in a soft kiss.


The roadside inn they had taken shelter inn was shabby, obviously a result of neglect. Taking a seat on the table, Louise looked to the counter and eyed the pudgy innkeeper; his expression at catching sight of the two of them was that of disbelief. It didn't surprise her; even Julio had been surprised when he caught sight of the small building nested on the side of the road. Since they had avoided taking the more crowded routes for faster travel it was a shock to find an inn in such far-off path.

She grimaced in disgust as a coating of dust clung to her arms. Despite all this it was improvement from the accommodations she'd gotten used to in her stay at Romalia: At this point any change in scenery would have been preferred.

"Two rooms, one for each of us." Julio sat across from her, an easy smile on his face. Handing her a glass of wine he relaxed into his seat, "I hope you don't mind but I paid the good man a little extra. I assumed he needed it given the lack of business in this area."

"Sure." She shrugged, taking a sip of the undiluted wine. At least the drinks were decent, "This is better than camping out, at the very least. We could have gone faster if you used your dragon, though." She gave him a pointed stare, though it lacked any noticeable bite. She wasn't entitled to his dragon any more than she was to him choosing to accompany her.

"Apologies, my lady. Azuro was needed elsewhere," He said, "I know you must be eager to see your Familiar again so I understand your desire to get there as quickly as possible."

"I'm surprised you didn't introduce me to your master," She started, "It seems like the first reason as to why you'd be bring me all the way to Romalia."

"I thought about it," He admitted, "But in the end my masters advises caution above all else. He will meet with you, but only when you're both thoroughly prepared to do so..." He paused briefly before continuing, "By 'you both' I am of course referring to you and Sir. Raziel. It would be improper for two Mages of your importance to meet without their Familiars by their side."

"If I find him I'm probably going to release him from the contract," She muttered. Julio's brows raised slightly in surprise, "What? It's not a big deal," She scoffed, "I tried to release him from the contract before that last stand at Saxe-Gotha but the stubborn mule decided to come back for me." She took another large gulp, "He's given me enough. I just want to make sure he's alright. Once I know he's alive he can stay with me or leave, I won't stop him either way."

"As much as I admire your intentions, my lady, I'm afraid it's not that simple." Julio leaned forward, a hand under his chin propping his head up, "The bond between a Familiar and their master is an irreplaceable one. Much as you wish to sever your link it's not as simple as telling him to do so."

"Yeah, right." She rolled her eyes, "Honored sister Eleanor's Familiar was killed in an accident a few years ago and she hasn't gotten around to summoning another. Is that what you call an irreplaceable bond?" She dug into her pack and pulled out a half-covered loaf of bread and some jam. She wasn't really hungry, but she needed to fill her stomach before going to sleep.

"Perhaps not for most Mages, but a Void Mage is another thing altogether." He didn't have to worry about keeping his voice down. In businesses such as this the innkeepers had a tendency of minding their own business, "For all other Mages animals are chosen, but when it comes to those chosen like yourself or my master you summon humans...or at least those human in appearance." He laughed softly, "Did you never wonder why this was?"

"Not really." She shrugged again, "I mean I am curious, yes, but I haven't exactly had time to look at history books given recent events."

"A question then: What is a Familiar?"

"We're back to basic education now?" She raised an eyebrow but answered regardless, "The textbook definition of a Familiar is a 'destined partner' of sorts. Someone or something that is bound to the Mage for as long as they live." She took a bite out of the bread and quickly swallowed, "In practice, however, they're mostly glorified pets. Princess Henrietta's Familiar is practically ceremonial since it doesn't do anything but sit on a pedestal and demand food."

"Correct on all accounts, my lady." His smile widened by a tiny margin, "Another question if I may: Who do you believe benefits more from this arrangement? The Summoner or the Familiar."

"It's mutually beneficial." Another textbook answer, "The Familiar is granted increased intelligence, shelter, food and many other necessities. Mages get a servant, someone who they can command and receive aid from-"

"I'm not asking for what you've read on your studies, Ms. Valliere. I'm asking for your personal opinion."

"...The master." She bit her lower lip and inhaled through her nose, "The Familiars definitely receive their fair share of benefits, but from the moment the contract is signed their lives are no longer theirs. Until the Mage who summoned them dies they're bound to them. This isn't a big deal for stronger beasts like Dragons or Manticores, but for something like a bird or a wolf..."

"Or an Undead," He finished, "Though in Sir. Raziel's case I dare say that he will outlive us both by a large margin. He has, after all, already died. Even as you grow older he will remain, ever undying."

"You'd think so, but apparently he's different from the Undead of this land." She bitterly remembered the memories of his Hollowing and shook her head. No, he was still alive and sane, she was sure of it, "But I don't see the point of this. Why exactly can't I set him free?"

"Alright, final question then." He held up his pointer finger, "Why exactly do you think it was Sir. Raziel you summoned? Why did you not summon someone else?"

"I...I don't know. I never really thought about it all that much," She answered, "I worried at first why I summoned a human, and then an Undead, but I've long since decided it doesn't matter." She let out a held breath, "He's my Familiar and I'm his summoner. Nothing could change that."

"A sweet thought, if a little optimistic." He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, "For a Void Mage, the choosing of their chosen partner is not so simple. A fire Mage would get any animal that matched their element. They would never summon a fish, for example. It contradicts their nature." He laughed softly, "But it's different for a Void Mage. You are not bound to such limitations."

"Then what are the 'boundaries'?" She asked back.

"Desperation." She blinked. That hadn't been what she had expected, "The Gandalfr is meant to be both the shield and the sword, defending their master and smiting their enemies in equal measure. But if this was the case why was Sir. Raziel summoned? While I don't doubt his fighting capabilities I'm sure there are others much more capable of being your defender. And yet he was the one that runes had chosen."

"What are you trying to say?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Merely my own conjecture." He raised both hands in a placating gesture, "My only proof is Sir. Raziel and myself so I'm most likely wrong, but hear me out." He raised his fingers and started counting off, "Given what I know of both Sir. Raziel and myself I can only surmise that we were chosen not merely based on our skills, but also our willingness to devote our lives for the sake of another."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that we were both vulnerable." His voice was eerily cheerful despite his words, "Think about it, my lady. Sir. Raziel was from a land that held no hope, fed to fire in order to prolong a world that would always reject him. No matter how badly you treated him, how much you abused him, the alternatives were always worse. You didn't need to collar him, his own desire for even a hint of a normal life would keep him tethered to you."

"Y-You mean...that he was chosen to be my Familiar...because he's the perfect slave?" She felt ill. Her books always said that the Familiars chosen were those deemed 'appropriate' for them, but was it like this for all of them or just her?

"A crude way of saying so, but I suppose we can agree on that." Julio nodded, "I myself was an orphan, these eyes of mine ensuring I would always be an outcast. The other children accepted me, but eventually they were adopted or put to work and I was alone. The adults looked at me and saw an aberration, their superstitions on the bad luck I was doomed to wrought preventing them from accepting me. When my master summoned me he had offered companionship, the love I so desperately craved. I'm quite happy with him all things considered."

"This is wrong." She shook her head fiercely, "I don't want Raziel to be my slave! I want-"

"To set him free?" He finished coolly, "Is that what he would want? If he's anything like me that would only hurt him. His devotion to you is absolute, his decision to stay with you even against your orders should make that clear. Freedom was in his grasp, and yet he chose to die for you even so." He smirked, "He fears what he doesn't know. Certain death staying by your side or an uncertain future by leaving you behind. The thought of living without you was impossible for him."

"Only because he doesn't know better." She muttered bitterly, "I...want him to choose. If he wants to stay with me then I'll accept him, but if he doesn't then I accept that too."

"Would he choose otherwise even if he could?" He countered, "You gave him that choice in Saxe-Gotha, and he chose to stay. He cares about you, even above the initial desperation that marked him as chosen, that much is clear. If my master offered me freedom now I would stay by his side happily, even if the runes binding us to one another were gone. I'm sure Sir. Raziel would make the same choice."

"If he doesn't then that's his choice. I'm not going to stop him." She declared.

"Humor me then." He resisted the urge to laugh, "If Sir. Raziel was no longer your Familiar, would you still allow him to stay by your side if he chose it?"

"Yes, without any hesitation." She nodded, her expression determined, "He's more than just a Familiar to me."

"Then I suppose your bond is genuine." He gave her a pleased smile, "You care about him and he cares about you to a degree that surpasses the role of Master and Familiar. Given the chance he would rejoin you runes or no, at least that's what I believe."

And if he didn't, then he would have to convince him otherwise. She seemed incapable of summoning a new Familiar and if it meant forcing him to be by her side then he would do so without hesitation. A Void Mage always needs a Familiar, that could never change. An unwilling Familiar was still a Familiar, after all.


"So you guys are leaving soon, right?"

Across from him Siesta nodded, her hands raising the cup of tea to her lips and allowing herself a small sip. Ever since his first day working here Siesta had always been friendly, if somewhat distant. Still, he preferred her company to the others of the inn - No offense intended to the others but it was difficult to look at the other workers while Jessica never stopped pestering to be one of the servers. At this point he had begun to take it in stride.

That and meeting with the ever-mysterious Scarron. The man was handsome, he would give him that, though the deep scar on his forehead was definitely a sore point for the older male. Though he claimed to take pride in it, declaring it to be a scar of valor for protecting 'his fairies'. He'd called him 'cute' as well, though different from the way Jessica had said so. Whatever the case he appreciated it all the same.

"Mmm, yes." She lowered the cup and gently placed it on the table, "With the post-war rush over business has been slowing to a trickle. That and the Tristain magic academy is formally opening again so I can go back to my old job."

"Old job, eh? What's that like?" He leaned forward, a small grin playing on his lips. It had taken days but he had finally gotten his fellow dishwasher to be on speaking terms with him so he wasn't going to waste this chance. Not that she wasn't always friendly, but "Probably more exciting than this, right?"

"It's not much different." She gave him a smile of her own and shook her head in amusement, "I work as a maid in the Tristain magic academy so it's pretty much the same thing here except you mix in dusting shelves and whatnot." Her expression turned wistful, "I love my family and all but I do miss some of my friends. Lola, Aimee and I always stayed up to read the latest books and Thomas has some of the best tales of his 'adventures'. The head maid is strict but not unreasonable and chef Marteu always makes sure we eat his cooking together."

"Sounds like fun."

"It's busy work, of course, but the stuff we can do during our breaks more than makes up for it. Besides, it's better than some of the other work I could be doing." She shrugged, giving him a knowing look. He knew the feeling: While working in the back allowed them some much needed space it didn't drown out the smell of alcohol or the drunken jeers of the patrons. He considered it doubly impressive that none of the employees had ever lost their cool.

Right, now to bite the dagger, "So...you willing to tell me what got you so down before?"

"You don't give up, do you?" To her credit she didn't seem offended like the first time he'd asked. Now it was more of resigned amusement, "Robin, I appreciate you trying to help me but what's done is done. There's no use in dredging up the past."

"Talking about it helps," He pressed, "And I will admit that I was curious. I mean-"

"Jessica put you up to this, didn't she?" He smiled awkwardly but remained silent. She sighed, "I told her I was fine. Honestly she fusses over so much; I'm not made of glass! If I can move on from my hometown being attacked and being taken hostage by mercenaries I could move on from this."

"She thought you would have an easier time talking to a stranger," He admitted, giving a small laugh, "I mean why not, right? Since you're leaving in a couple of days it's not like you lose anything for spilling your guts...metaphorically, I mean. If you actually did that I'd probably faint."

"Yes, I got that." She rolled her eyes playfully, "Alright, I'll tell you if only to get Jessica off our backs." She clasped her hands together and took a deep breath, "A few months ago I met someone. He was kind of odd...actually, he was really odd. When I first found him he was passed out on the hallway covered in bandages. Silly me thought he was an escaped slave of some sort."

"That's a bit of a leap. How exactly do you go from 'covered in bandages' to 'slave'?"

"In fairness he called himself a Familiar, and as far as I knew there could only be animal Familiars. I've never heard of Human Familiars before." Her cheeks flushed slightly embarrassment before she coughed, "Anyway, I'll skip all the long and winding details. We spent time with one another, he told me about his past and I fell in love with him. I'd like to think he loved me back, but that would be presumptuous."

"Did he kiss you? Tell you he loved you?" She paused for a moment before nodding, "Then why the doubt? Since you skipped all the sordid details I can only assume but that makes it sound like you were lovers."

"Maybe...but even if we were it doesn't matter now." She gave him a despondent smile, "At the end of there was no 'Happily ever after' for us. He warned me that it would end badly and I refused to believe it. And it did." She parted her hands in a nonchalant gesture, "He lied to me, told me that he would come back but he stayed behind to fight in this damn war for his master. As far as I know he could be buried under a pile of bodies. He's not a noble so no one would be able to distinguish from the hundreds of dead bodies out there."

"Oh Gods...I'm so sorry." Great, now he felt like crap. Maybe he shouldn't have asked.

"Don't be," She reassured quickly, "You're right, talking about it did make me feel better." She gave her best attempt at a light laugh, "It's already been a month so I've moved on. I don't resent him for it - Ms. Valliere was clearly important to him so it doesn't surprise me. Father Brimir's teachings tell us that when we die our souls go to Valhalla in order to be by his side. He...doesn't believe, but I can't help but hope he received the rest he wanted."

"I'm sure he did." He replied, "Death isn't the end, after all. It's just- ah!"

Right eye twitching, he pressed his left hand to his forehead and bit back a groan at the sudden headache. Siesta looked at him worriedly and he used his free hand to wave her off. He probably hadn't gotten enough sleep or something.

"...Sorry about that. I get these headaches sometimes, but they usually go away after a while," He explained.

"Try drinking some more tea. I heard it cures head pains and the like." She grabbed the teapot and raised it, causing him to pick up his cup in turn to draw it closer to her.

Thinking on it, he could never decide whether it was fate or chance that caused one of the servers to scream at the precise moment. One of the patrons had gotten too drunk and groped one of the waitresses roughly, Scarron coming to her rescue not long after.

But that didn't matter to the pair in the back; all that mattered was that the scream had caused Siesta to drop the teapot in her surprise and it landed right on top of his outstretched hand, the steaming liquid spilling on him not long after.

"Ah, shit!" He stood up and pried the bandages from his left hand, resisting the urge to let loose a string of curses. Siesta quickly made her way to his side and pressed a dry piece of cloth to the raw skin, apologizing all the way, "No, it's alright. It's not your fault." He took a deep breath to calm himself. The pain was already beginning to fade; he thanked whoever it was who gave him such a high pain tolerance.

"We still need to cool it off!" She dragged him to the sink and grabbed a pitcher of water, "This might sting a bit but..."

The glass pitcher dropped, though thankfully not on top of his hands this time, "Siesta? Is something wrong?" His brows knotted in worry. Her eyes were wide, staring right at the runic letters dotting the pale flesh of his hand. Oh right, the runes...he'd practically forgotten about them since Derflinger had instructed him to cover them up. He never understood his insistence on it.

Though the way Siesta was staring at it made him have second thoughts. Was it a bad omen of some sort like Tiffania's ears marking her as an Oolacilian?

They stayed that frozen for a short, agonizing moment before she let go of him. The way she looked at him was haunting, as if she was staring at a ghost, "Where...Where did you get those runes from?"

"I...I don't know," He admitted, "Look, since you told me about your problems it's only fair I tell you about mine. I...I woke up in the forests here a month ago without any memories. I couldn't remember my name or what I was doing there, all I knew was that I was injured and these runes were branded to my skin. I've been keeping them covered since I had no idea what they meant."

"A month...? It...no that's impossible." She muttered. He watched as she walked back to the table before desperately finishing the rest of the tea in her cup, ignoring the spilled liquid lining the table.

"Siesta, what's wrong?" He sat across from her again, thanking small fortunes that the seat wasn't soggy.

"It's...It's nothing, just some rambling thoughts." She took a deep breath, "You said you woke up a month ago with those runes?" He nodded, "You're sure someone didn't summon you? With magic?"

"If they did then they did a really terrible job of it," He snorted, "I was covered in holes and there was a talking sword embedded in my stomach. Granted Derflinger's a very nice talking sword, but still! If someone did summon me then they did a very bad job of it."

"Derflinger?" She shook her head. This was impossible. They looked and acted nothing alike, but could it have been just a coincidence? "Your...Your name is Robin, correct? That's how you've always been known?"

"Well...no." This was a bad idea. He could practically hear Derflinger yelling at how big of an idiot he was, but something pushed him to be honest with her, "Memory loss and all means I wasn't always called that. Derf...told me that I was called Raziel before I ended up in that forest. I changed my name cause it seemed appropriate, you know?"

That did it. She clenched both hands and looked down at the table, her shoulders shaking. He bated briefly whether he should call Jessica for help before he heard it: Laughter. She was laughing.

"S-Siesta-"

"I'm...I'm fine..." She looked up to meet his gaze. Her smile was warm, accepting almost...and it caused a chill to run down his spine, "..Since we're leaving soon anyway I gotta ask: Are you...happy with your life now?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." He felt uncomfortable and he had no idea why. No, he had no reason to be; he had to shake it off, "Tiff patched me up and I've been staying with her and the kids ever since. It's not an easy life, but it's as close to ideal as I can get. We both have that in common, right?"

"...I suppose." Her smile shook, threatening to leave, but she managed to keep it up, "Well...I suppose you should get back to them. She picked up the pieces of the teacup gingerly, "I'll, uh, clean up here for you. This is the last time you're coming here, right?"

"Huh? Well, yeah, Tiff and I were planning a trip to town so I won't be able to make it the last few days." He eyes the shattered porcelain, "I could help with that."

"No need. I'll handle it." The cheer in her voice...it was odd. Not fake, but there was something off about it.

"...Hey, Siesta." Leave it, his mind told him, but he asked anyway. He hadn't listened before so why would he now? "We uh...we didn't know each other before, did we?" She paused, her entire body standing rigid, "I mean you reacted to the runes like you remembered and when I said that name..."

Another laugh, softer this time; he felt a rush of sadness at the sound. Turning back to look at him her smile had faded into a smaller simper, "No, definitely not." She shook her head, "I mean, I saw the runes before in a book so I was surprised. I wouldn't be surprised if you tattooed yourself before your memory loss. I was just shocked; I mean you seem a bit young for that kind of stuff."

"But what about my name-"

"Names could be similar," She waved away quickly, "Your name's Robin, right? You shared a name with someone who I was acquainted with in the past." She piled all the broken porcelain into a napkin, "...You should be getting back. Won't your friends miss you?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." Reluctantly he trudged to the door before turning back and giving her a small wave, "...Well, I guess this is it. See ya, Siesta. Good luck."

She waited for the door to close before she spoke again.

"...Goodbye, Raziel."


The walk back was spent in painful silence. While he had gotten used to the long walks back - Tiffania couldn't exactly accompany him into town or leave the kids alone at nighttime - he still found this night to be troubling. She knew him...or did she? If she did then why would she lie? Was he such a horrid person that she thought he was best left forgotten? Derflinger told him that he was 'a bit of an ass' before losing his memory, but was that it?

What if he was worse? Or...Or maybe he was just thinking too much about this. Maybe she was telling the truth and he was making a big deal out of nothing. It wasn't as if it mattered; he had chosen to leave that life behind to stay with Tiffania and the kids.

Raziel was gone. He wasn't that person anymore.

He let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the darkened cottage. They would have been asleep already, but their very presence comforted him all the same. Trudging into the cottage he and Tiffs shared, he closed the door behind him and allowed himself a moment of peace. This...This felt like home, of that he was certain. This was where his love was, where the children he adored were. He wouldn't give this up for anything.

Peeking into Tiff's room, he smiled when he saw her peacefully sleeping form. A part of him was tempted to join her, but they had both agreed not to rush headlong into this. Apart from not wanting his catalyst to be squashed into paste he didn't want to mess this up.

Making his way into his own room, he sat on the bed and stared at the signet ring again. He'd spent nights doing this, just staring at the faded metal and letting his mind wander. Was he hoping it would give him a reminder of his past? No, that would have contradicted his goals. At best he could explain it as simple nostalgia - He had no idea as to the reason why but this was precious to him once.

Who had given this to him? A friend? Family? Tiffania's talk about her parents made him wonder if he had any. Even if this wasn't his true face he didn't feel like an old man, so could they possibly still be alive? What about brothers or sisters? If he did have them, how were they? Pleasant? Abusive? Neglectful? Questions upon questions, but no answers. In the best of all worlds he would have had a loving family and a wide array of friends, but considering he woke up in a forest with a sword in his gut his hope of that was somewhat dim.

"Staring at that thing's not gonna jog your memory." Derflinger clicked suddenly, "You spend hours looking into that thing, partner. What's the use?"

"I...I don't know." He released it and sighed. There was no point to it, but he did so all the same, "I can't just toss it, Derf. It...pulls at me."

"That's not a good thing." His tone was disapproving, "I thought you wanted to forget about your past? Hel, you even took a new name!" Robin glared at him, "Hey, sorry about that, but you know I'm right. If you're going to bother with forgetting then you might as well go all the way."

"I know that..." He muttered.

"Hey, if you want I could do something else." He raised an eyebrow, "...Look, I told you before that I sealed your memories, yeah? To make sure we don't have a repeat?" He nodded, "Well...what if I told you I could make it all go away?"

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said." He nudged himself out of his sheath, "It's not perfect, but I can try to erase all the memories. All the bad...and the good." There was a pause before he continued, "I won't do it without your permission, it's your brain and all, but...if you wanna make sure of this new life of yours then you know what the right choice is. Those memories are just holding you down."

"You're asking me to erase all of it? Everything before I woke up in that forest?

"Yes." He replied bluntly, "And why not? You already decided to give up your old name, so why keep the memories? They're no use to you." He nudged himself completely out of his sheath, the blade reflecting the moonlight, "So...what do you say, partner? Ready to start a new life for good this time?"


Something was following her.

Ciaran trudged through the forest, Fenris scouting ahead as always. Days they had spent on the hunt, but always with no success. They had gone to Saxe-Gotha but there was nothing there that could be attributed to the corruption save a faint residue. The air seemed still there, the temperature eerily cold despite the sun shining its light on them. Oolacille was the same - Manus' influence caused the very land around him to die.

"I must be getting closer..." Her hand fondled the silver amulet, the warmth of the metal pushing through her thick gloves. It hummed slowly, moving every few minutes. It could sense the corruption and it shielded her.

But first she had to deal with her impropmtu follower.

Were they ally or enemy? In her line of work the line between the two often blurred. She took a cursory glance back: Three birds following her, ever since she had arrived at that nearby refugee camp. One might have called it paranoia to think she was being followed by animals but she'd seen worse in her years. Crows didn't belong here. There were no dead bodies for them to feed on, and yet they had followed after her persistently.

It was if they smelled the stench of death on her.

Of course the more reasonable course of logic was that they were trained animals of sorts. How they relayed information to their masters was a mystery to her but this land had strange magics. Hand inching to one of her throwing knives, she debated whether to incapacitate them. She had no idea if they were friend or foe, but she was leaning towards the latter given her lack of allies in this land. If that was the case then why would they choose to follow her? She was of no import now.

She settled for a warning. The knife flew through the air before embedding itself into the dark bird's midsection. She watched listlessly as its lifeless corpse tumbled to the ground, its companions giving a loud screech before flying away. Walking closer she picked up the knife and studied its corpse.

"No blood..." She traced a hand through the gash. The flesh was hard, almost as if she was touching stone or marble. Definitely a sentry of some kind then, though she still had no idea who they were. She shook her head; it didn't matter. Hopefully the warning would suffice for them to stay away - She didn't care who they were or what cause they stood for. Right now she had only one goal.

The necklace hummed, almost burning against her skin. She would find her target soon.


And done! Well this chapter was quick, though it didn't beat my record of a one day apart update before. Now, to anyone that dislikes his 'Robin' personality due to him being meek and whatnot (though I have to do doubt that since people seem to prefer him like this) - It's deliberate, not unintentional. As much as Raziel is depressive he's also undoubtedly effective in combat. His fighting is crude and basic, but it gets the job done. 'Robin' on the other hand seems incapable of defending himself even internally, standing down when Fouquet gives him a mean look, but he's much more stable as a result.

Looking back on it, Raziel didn't actually become a ginormous asshat till later. In Chapter 14 he's naive enough to kiss Chef Marteu, for example, and he comes across as much more gullible. It's really only after Mott and the fall of Newcastle that he became a much grimmer character with the final nail in the coffin being the invasion at Tarbes and meeting with Chester. After that he loses most traces of humor and comes across as less ignorant and more grim. Think of this chapter as a return to form, I guess.

Anyway, gotta admit something to you guys - I was briefly considering making Raziel's last segment a giant whiplash. As in 'he comes back and finds them being tied down by bandits' whiplash, which would no doubt end badly. Another was that Tiffania and the kids give him a surprise birthday, so two sides of the coin I guess. I made do with something a bit more contemplative.

This was also supposed to be a very Ciaran-centric chapter, but given the various comments I figured people would prefer this.

Skelo - Oh no doubt they get better, but they never get to the insane degree of say Commander Shephard. Even at level 100 with Paladin gear you can still get stunlocked and killed by a group of Hollows or burned by firedogs.

Demons Anarchy of Pride - Not sure really. This cycle is unnatural given the high amount of old players in the board, not to mention some of them are blatantly abnormal: Manus indirectly prolonging the age of fire is either a really twist of irony or the dumbest of all dumb lucks.

Mo Eazy - I took Psychology so I could see where you're coming from, but it does all in all still feel rushed to me. I dunno, maybe it's because I think unless this was a casual relationship they wouldn't be so quick to jump right in. I have to agree that both are emotionally vulnerable, however, so it makes some sense that they cling to one another.

As for the theory: Maybe, maybe not. Now I agree the likes of say 'maternity' would obviously be female, but if the root motive was 'spreading the dark' wouldn't it be better as a male? If you look at it from the sexual point of view of fertility, a female can only give birth once every year whereas a male could impregnate multiple females in a short span of time. If they did take that female form due to biologically wanting to spread the Dark a male could have simply done it faster due to not being limited by one pregnancy a year.

Kishinokurobi - I don't think Kirche is a good example. Nice as she is she's very loose with who she spends her time with. Now lets look at other examples: Henrietta fell for Wales immediately after he saw her swimming naked and complimented her...okay, bad example. Alright, lets look at Tabitha who immediately tries to jump Saito after he rescues her...alright, you know what maybe nobles just go into these things quicker and since Tiffania is technically next in line to Albion's throne by virtue of being the only one of royal blood remaining I suppose it fits..

And since I'm not writing a sex scene you'll have to content yourself with just imagining the Zomboner.

BloodTrinity - He's not really overtly feminine, more gender ambiguous. Jessica's just prone to assume. As for his height, he's standing at a tentative five feet exact. Hey, the Pygmy was described as being short and frail.

Reader - Raziel would make a terrible waifu :( He's so depressed all the time and he thinks more about Louise than his husbando. If you want a better 'Undead' waifu Daphne would be more your fit.

Zaephyrus - Thanks for that :) The fight scenes are just my quirk - Fights are supposed to be dynamic and freeflowing, intense or desperate. Mine kind of feel stilted, like they're acting out the moves rather than actually doing them. As for flinging people to walls, that's both because of my bad choreography and the characters simply not thinking things through. Flinging someone at a wall hurts, so they smack them into walls.

As for the romance, it's just not my forte. I wrote romance for Infinite Stratos before, but the characters there were walking stereotypes and I didn't have to feel bad about it. Here I'm trying to add at least a little bit of depth, which I think the romance doesn't convey properly. The retreat was canon, though, and the reason they snapped back to Albion by this time is that literally after they left Gallia bombarded Cromwell's citadel and killed everyone, meaning Tristain went from running to winning the war.

Sperance - Hey now, you never know! It could end with the two of them living happily ever after- AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You're right, I can't say that with a straight face either :P But hey, it's the journey that matters and not the destination and bla bla bla.

Mingyu - Technically Louise is also at fault for not immediately going back after she was healed. You can't pin the entire thing on Julio. Also, the genderbenderfication seems to be getting far too much attention considering it was only mentioned once in passing and for a cheap laugh or two. He has more to worry about than his appearance.

TodayParade - You and me both. But hey I'm happy that at least one person isn't happy by default at him turning into a putz.