Hey everyone!

So I present the final build-up chapter to the climax of the Lost Orb saga! I'm excited to be able to share with all of you this, the end of this chapter and all of the next one have been being planned since I first started this story and it's been killing me waiting to share it with all of you. Enjoy!


In the Silence


Metal slid against metal as ornate weapons were withdrawn from their sheaths to be examined, and leather buckles creaked as intricate armour was tested. The sound was an exciting one to Mel and her companions as they entered the Acropolis weaponry shop. Instantly everyone split off from one another, exploring weapons and armour upgrades to what they had been travelling in currently, the first upgrade in many months.

"This staff is beautiful! June, come look at these." Stella called from where she was standing, holding one that shimmered silver and gold under the light.

No one could have pulled Edward away from the armour in the corner, as he eagerly examined new gauntlets and sword belts. Even Mel found herself caught up in the excitement, examining the various knives out on display. As she wandered along the display wall, she couldn't help but take note of one that looked to have been carved out of the crystals that lined the walls of the cave systems around Acropolis.

"Are these purely for ornamental purpose?" Mel asked, turning to face one of the shopkeepers that had been standing nearby.

The much older man looked up with a smile, before blinking in surprise at the sight of Mel.

"Back again?" He questioned, reaching down to pick up glasses from where they sat on the counter next to him. "I already told- OH! You're not her, I do apologize."

Mel glanced to the others, perplexed by the mistake. She wasn't especially unusual in appearance, but she stood out strongly as a foreigner in these areas, distinct from the others between her coat and the companions she travelled with.

"Who did you think I was?"

The man settled the glasses fully onto his face before rounding the corner to see Mel properly, the exchange drawing the attention of a couple of her companions.

"Another young woman who came through here mere days ago. There is a striking similarity between you two, it is certainly no wonder that without my glasses I mistook you. Although you are missing those distinct tattoos. Are you here about the whereabouts of André also?"

An uneasy feeling churned in Mel's gut and she shook her head, exchanging a wary look with Stella who had made her way over to stand at Mel's side.

"Sir, do you perhaps remember anything else about this girl? Or her companions if she had any?" Stella asked, resting a reassuring hand on Mel's arm.

The man pondered the question for a moment.

"That is certainly an odd question, but I have been getting many of those as of late so I suppose another one would not do any harm. Is she a friend of yours?" He asked inquisitively.

Mel gave a sharp nod, spinning a lie quickly.

"If it is who we think it is, she's a classmate actually. We were supposed to meet up during our break to train and plan for a practical examination coming up, but I fell ill and was not able to travel to Tyrobi in time to meet her and our friends. We're trying to catch up to her now and keep missing her." Mel explained, making a show of her exasperation.

The older man chuckled, seeming amused by her story.

"Oh what a life it is to lead when you are young and able to travel across our great kingdom in search of a friend. She wore a robe of purple and golden yellow, brown hair. She seemed sweet enough, though the runes under her eye are certainly unnerving."

Those words were chilling, lining up with everything they had pieced together so far about the young woman who seemed to be woven into the recent history of this kingdom.

"And she was here asking about a person named André?" Stella prompted, the man nodding.

"Oh yes! My son André is an explorer and cartographer who has made it his mission to discover every possible corner of Eldiron. He's the person to go to if you need to find any location, even ones hidden or forgotten. She and her two large companions needed him to help them find a particular cave system hidden near Peliad, but he has long since set off again, to explore the expanding root paths beneath the great oak." The older man explained, gesturing proudly to a portrait on the wall of a younger man with a bright smile and cartography tools sitting on a table in front of him.

"And you say that she is similar in appearance to our friend here?" Gyendal's voice came from behind her, her bond coming up on her other side.

"Very much so! Why if they had come in together, I would have thought them to be family."

Mel looked over at Gyendal, who had paled slightly. Confusion whirled through Mel's mind, how could this being look so similar to her? The former vampire gave no answer even through link, just nodded and thanked the older man before navigating away from Mel and Stella with a sudden unusual interest in sharpening tools. Quickly the others found their weapons and armour they wished to purchase, the group chatting excitedly about their new finds.

As they walked through the sandy streets of Acropolis, Stella spoke up from where she walked hand in hand with Edward off to the side.

"Gyendal, your reaction to the man's explanation was strange. The beings chasing us are clearly not able to find the caves yet, and on the chase for a human that might not be able to even help them find it. What's wrong?" Stella asked, concern in her violet eyes.

Mel looked to Gyendal who grimaced, glancing around them before gesturing with a jerk of his head for the others to move closer. As the others gravitated towards where he walked he began to lay out what was happening.

"Gynna cannot use the kind of illusion magic that allows a mage to pass an item or another individual off as something other than it is. This magic is restricted to mortals, beings that use mortal magic, and creatures such as the fairiefolk. They can however use transformative magic, to slowly transition their own features into that of another's." He trailed off then, and Mel felt the reality of what was happening dawn on her with a sickening feeling.

"She's trying to steal my appearance, to get leads about us and plant misinformation or ruin our reputation." Mel said, her stomach clenching.

"Exactly. For her to have reached such a level of similarity is incredibly concerning, it will not take long for her to complete such a transformation. That will aid them incredibly, and may even allow her to deceive the others from a distance during battle." He explained.

Near hopelessness washed over her and she clenched a fist, actively forcing down the instinctive magic that rose to the surface of her control when her emotions began to overwhelm her.

"There has to be a way to stop her from completing it, we need more time." Mel said, tone strained.

"There is no way to stop the Gynna transformation. We're on borrowed time right now." He said, tone urgent.

The conversation petered out into uneasy silence, leaving the previously jovial group to make their way back to the tombs solemnly. Time was running out, and the fear of failure was sitting at the forefront of all of their minds.


Mel flicked her pen apathetically, watching as it jumped up her empty page before rolling back down to where her finger rested waiting. The action was mindless and repetitive, occupying her fingers as her mind wandered.

Little had been written for the last week into the journals she had been keeping religiously since she was a child, her motivation to keep it up gone.

"Mel, don't you think we should probably pack up camp and start off again towards Peliad?" Edward asked cautiously, Mel waving him away irritably.

"Who cares? We'll leave this afternoon, a few hours isn't going to change anything." She dismissed, heaving a sigh.

Edward looked like he was about to push the matter before closing his mouth and turning back to Stella, a look of worry cast over his shoulder at Mel. They had all tried pushing her, but Mel pushed back twice as hard and lashed out angrily at the others when they tried to keep the quest moving. Even the bond had been near entirely blocked off, Mel preferring to retreat to her own thoughts undisturbed.

To her left came the thump of something large being thrown at the ground, Gyendal stalking across the gravel to where Mel sat.

"That's it?! You just give in?" He demanded of the others, Mel looking up and watching his aggressive approach. "This is pathetic, I'm sick of watching your friends coddle this indulgent moping. If this is what a winning team looks like we'd be better off completing this quest alone, without them."

Mel snorted, gesturing vaguely at the others.

"We can't even stop the Gynna as a group, they're taking everything, identities included. We'd have no hope alone." She muttered sullenly, closing her journal and tucking everything back into her bag.

A minute passed of no reply, and just when Mel was starting to think her comment had worked to get rid of him, Gyendal spoke up once more.

"You know, it is all becoming clear now. I never thought you could miss a person like her, but it's obvious to me now that you do. Tell me Mel, are you feeling the absence of Lydia on our quest so deeply that you feel the need to take her place in acting like a whining, petulant child?"

One could have heard a needle drop in the silence that followed his words, Mel's friends gaping at Gyendal as his words fully sunk in for her.

Then she exploded.

The string of curses that left her mouth made even Edward cringe slightly as she shot to her feet and stormed towards Gyendal, fury in her blue eyes.

"Petulant child?! How ironic spoken by the one who complains about having to travel with our entire group! How in all the hells could I possibly miss her when I have you to fill the void of complaints? At least I could ignore her, you plague me on multiple levels."

Gyendal sneered and through the gap in the bond walls, began to push images of toddlers throwing tantrums into her mind. The action was utterly juvenile, and under normal conditions would have done nothing more than make Mel think he'd taken a leave of his senses. But right at that moment all it did was fan the flames of all the pent up anger and fear into an inferno. She took several large steps forward, until there was less than a foot between them.

"Lacklustre comeback from someone who cannot even lead us across a forest we've travelled countless times in this quest to those caves." He snapped back, giving an obnoxiously over exaggerated shrug.

"If you hate my leadership and who is part of this team so much you're more than welcome to leave Gyendal." So caught up in her frustration, she missed the twinkle in his green eyes as she continued, "In fact, I'd gladly help you on your way."

He raised a brow, the slightest of smirks playing at the corners of his lips.

"Is that a threat you would follow through on though?"

"In a heartbeat."

She expected more insults or taunting, but instead the smirk simply grew. The other mage didn't respond immediately, instead leaning in until his mouth was next to her ear.

"I dare you to try."

His tone dripped with satisfaction, and it hit Mel almost instantly that she had fallen directly into his trap. The rage within her began to settle, no longer directed at Gyendal or her friends and the rush of emotion was replaced with embarrassment.

Acutely aware of how close her bond was to her, she took a step back and Gyendal straightened once more. A glance back at the others showed the slight relief on her friends faces, the familiar ornery version of Mel finally back.

"You're an ass." She pointed out irritably as she finally began to pull down the walls between them.

"I know." Gyendal answered, wearing a look of insufferable amusement.

She turned with a grumble, telling everyone to start packing up camp while she refilled their water canteens. As she snatched the canteens off their drying tray and headed towards the stream further up, she heard June address Gyendal behind her.

"How did you know that would work, instead of making things worse?" The young magician questioned.

Gyendal's reply was simple.

"Because I know her."


As they entered the Bristle woods to begin their trek towards Peliad, the hairs on the back of Mel's neck began to prickle. A scan of the area revealed nothing unusual at first, no roving bands of mages or Gynna traces, and for a moment Mel began to wonder if all the stress was finally getting to her.

Then she felt it, the faintest essence of inhuman magic passing over them from above.

"Scatter!"

The shout echoed, and instantly her companions bolted out away from where they had been walking as the group formed a loose circle. No sooner had people begun to move an unnatural keen sounded from the trees, hunched creatures garbed in tattered robes dropping from the trees onto where everyone had been walking just moments earlier.

Magic fire alighted in both her hands, her friends preparing with their own weapons or magic as the enemies reared up with hissing shrieks and lunged. Magic descended over the clearing like a blanket, Gyendal and Mel's magic working together to weed out the leader. She watched as Stella brought up small shields around everyone, before the thin orbs were smashed to bits with nothing more than a spelled weapon.

It had become terrifyingly clear that the beings fighting them were not of the surface of Aia, Mel wasn't even sure they were from the same plane of reality. Teeth bared she withdrew her blades, magic flowing through the metal and spells shaking the ground under her.

Then the scream pierced through the air and the focus of her friends around her faltered, eyes flicking to where June was backing up a rock with creatures advancing. Poison dripped down twisted back talons and Mel's vision went red as she watched the frightened eyes of a child facing a trap with no way out.

No words had to be exchanged, as everyone moved with one goal. Strong shields rose up around each of them, blades and spells whipped through the enemy as with a single focus they descended upon the creatures cornering June. One by one the enemies fell under the onslaught of the team, the rest lunging for June who struck out with her magicians magic.

Finally, the final creature collapsed with a dying shriek that lingered in the air as everything else fell quiet. Around Mel her friends were breathing heavily, and Stella rushed forward to June's side to pull the teary girl into her eyes.

"Are you okay?! Did any of them get you with the claws?" Stella pressed, checking June over with magic for any trace of the poison.

Mel pushed her way through the others to crouch down in front of June, guilt and worry coursing through her. This was not June's fight, yet the younger girl had teetered on the edge of death alongside the rest of them many a time. Every time the plucky teen had pushed through, this time however had come far too close for Mel's comfort.

"What happened June? Was there some sort of trigger that seemed to make them turn on you?" Mel asked, voice gruff.

June sniffed, before shooting Mel a watery grin and reaching into her pocket.

"Well, you could say that. They didn't pay me any attention at first, until I managed to snag this."

Mel's eyes widened as she stared down at the medallion in June's hand.

"A blood sorcery talisman." Gyendal stated from behind Mel, the usually dismissive mage unable to fully hide his startled tone. "That answers the question as to who exactly those creatures answered to. Those are used to bind beings under the control of blood sorcery to the sorcerer or sorceress. Our lovely lady of shadow sent these."

Mel stared down at it, the picture of the final locked door to the orb room within the Stonetooth caves coming to mind as she thought of the empty slot within the door.

"The final opening in the cave. Is it possible…?" She trailed off for a moment.

"It has to be! Mordred played with all sorts of dark magic, of course he and his minions would have protected the worst orb with the worst magic. Only people as dark as him would be able to get inside!" Edward exclaimed, June nodding.

Gyendal moved around Mel slightly so he could crouch and hold a hand out to June, gesturing at the medallion.

"They will be able to sense that on you, which will make you the first target should we encounter other enemies. I'll keep that for you, to mask it with my own magic." He offered quietly, June nodding and placing it into his palm.

He tucked the medallion away, and Mel felt him reach out through the bond with the unspoken thought that they needed to act on this now, or next time they may not be so lucky with such a confrontation.

Determination flitted across her features as she stood back up, surveying the others and their weary expressions. She could see the anticipation and relief sparking in their gazes, the end finally within reach. She raised her chin, shoulders squared as she faced the others.

"We will sleep in Peliad tonight, rest and stock up. Tomorrow we go to the caves and end this."


The brick of the outside wall around her inn room window bit into Mel's back as she leaned against it, eyes fixed on the stars she could see sparkling between the gaps in the clouds over Peliad. Her elbow rested against her raised knee, fingers idly running over her hair and tracing the edge of her ribbon. The silk against her fingers soothed, her mind wandering through memories of years long ago.

Within her room she heard her door open, someone entering and closing it quietly behind them. A slight check through the link told her who it was, and she didn't bother to turn as Gyendal approached the windowsill.

"I wonder if this will be the last time we see the night sky like this." She mused idly.

There was no verbal answer at first, instead Gyendal used his hand to lightly push her out of his way as he climbed out of the window onto the roof ledge next to her. As he settled down leaning against the wall and opposite side of the frame of her, he spoke up.

"It will be. The next time we see it, we will be in a world without the Gynna and the orb."

Mel huffed out a humourless laugh at his statement, shifting into a more comfortable position.

"This feels like the final moment of peace, before our world comes crashing down around us. The last time we were waiting before dealing with an orb Stella died, and we almost lost her permanently." She trailed off then, as if afraid of the answer to her question. "What will the price be this time?"

Gyendal swallowed, his usual self assurance gone. The many masks they had each worn over the duration of this quest were finally gone, stripped away by the reality of how close the final confrontation truly was.

"This time, the price will be Aia itself."

The weight of his statement was almost too heavy to bear, and Mel found herself without a response. Weariness made her head feel heavy, and she rested it back against the brick as her mind wandered once more.

"You are going to wear out that ribbon one of these days if you continue to rub at it."

Gyendal's abrupt statement made her look over in surprise, what he said dawning on her a few seconds later. She dropped her hand down, examining it for a moment before resting it on her lap.

"It won't. I enchanted it years ago to withstand damage and dirt. It helps me focus my thoughts when there are too many to count, and right now it's reminding me of what I'm about to fight. It isn't just about the orb and our lives, it's also about vengeance. The winged men wiped out my family, when they never did anything wrong. I want to avenge that, so that I can lay their memories to rest for good." She explained, the memory of the fire that engulfed her childhood home forever burned into her mind.

Out of the corner of her eye she watched Gyendal reach up, running a finger over the wide loop of her hair bow. She watched him for a moment, his features partially illuminated by the light of the lamp spilling out of her room.

"Have you ever wondered what would have happened in our lives and to the bond if none of this had ever happened? If I hadn't gone to the tower when those men were in Harburg, and my family had never died." She asked quietly.

He considered it for a moment, snapshots of his thoughts passing faintly by the bond.

"That bond would have pulled us together eventually, a lot later than it did. The longer the pull, the stronger it gets, and the more explosive the first meeting to cement it would become. It would have shattered both of our lives in a way much more difficult to piece back together." He finally said.

Mel nodded, letting out a sigh.

"I think that in time we both would have felt that emptiness, that something vital to us was missing. I know I would have lived a lie for a long time, either believing myself to be without magic or discovering my magic in a destructive way. My family would have feared me, they were terrified of dark power, especially my mother who even restricted my sister's spells. She used to wear a mage proof bracelet, not unlike the one used on you. As a child I never gave it much thought, but now..."

Gyendal snorted, jaw clenching slightly.

"The fates truly hate us. No matter the path our lives took us, we were destined for pain and great loss."

He was right. The universe in it's cold and uncaring way had forced them down this path of destruction, taking near everything away from them. She could feel the resentment churn within her, building a horrifying picture of what the next day would bring because of Mordred's obsession with the rising of an empire.

Her hands trembled slightly in her lap, fingers curling into fists and nails cutting into her palms.

"This entire thing is like the universe laughing at us, handing us a bond in exchange for destroying everything around us. It's as if we will never be free of any of this until we end up killed by some battle or prophecy, it-"

"Hey, stop." Gyendal's tone was sharp, but not angry as a black gloved hand reached over to rest on hers.

His thumb worked its way into her fist, forcing her fingers to relax away from her palm and the half-moon cuts on it.

"Perhaps you're right, and our bond is the source of some cruel joke. Every known fatebonded pair in history has come out of tragedy, and faced immense pain in their journey for the universe. But we do not have to follow that chosen path, we can carve our own destiny out of that destruction. We will not die for Mordred."

Mel took a deep breath, letting it out as she considered his words about the lives of bonded pairs.

"It's almost as if fate gives people a bond as a twisted consolation prize or justification for all the unneeded pain it puts them through."

"There is no justification for the pain." He said darkly, before the suddenly tense line of his shoulders relaxed slightly. "Yet… I would not offer it up in exchange for a do-over."

Mel stared down unseeingly at the roof, considering the possibilities of what her life could have been without the bond and the prophecy that hung over her head like the blade of the guillotine.

"Neither would I."

Quiet fell over them like a sheet, both caught up in memories and possibilities.

"I won't be sleeping tonight." She finally said quietly, giving him the opening to leave for the night and sleep before the battle she knew was coming.

"Neither will I." He responded, "We can take Tinctura-Hypericum in the morning."

She nodded and he shifted slightly, the tiny gap between them closing slightly as his shoulder pressed against hers. Mel glanced down at his hand that still rested over hers, the touch a reminder that she wasn't alone that night. They both sought the reassurance of another person there, someone who truly understood what they were going to face tomorrow. The walls between their bonds dropped, the two fading into weary silence.

Words were not needed as they sat together, waiting as the night hours slowly passed. The mental and physical presence was a quiet comfort, united in shared experience and understanding that no one else would quite be able to understand.