Azel knew this would happen.

Well, not exactly knew but he had a burning feeling in his stomach from the moment he and Lachesis were passing through the Yied Desert.

His brother had betrayed Lord Sigurd and killed him in front of everyone. Before launching an attack on the entire army, dealing a devastating amount of damage to Sigurd's forces.

And yet for some reason, Arvis didn't notice his own brother was in the army.

'Maybe it's a good thing.' Azel thought. Perhaps knowing he had killed his dear brother would have made Arvis realize those terrible mistakes. However, Azel did not die, he managed to survive the massacre...barely, if it wasn't for Lachesis, he probably would've never made it out.

They didn't have time to rest, they had to leave before things got worse. So, leaving their son, Diarmuid, with Lady Edain, he and Lachesis escaped to Leonster, in hopes to seek refuge. When they arrived there, it was a relief that it was still safe from the Empire. At least, for now, it was.

It was in Leonster, after some time had passed, that their daughter, Nanna, was conceived, and months later, born.

While Nanna was definitely a joy to have, Azel did feel bad that she had never gotten to see her brother, Diarmuid. Sometimes he thought that maybe they could reunite with him at some point. But that would only put him and Lachesis at risk, they would have to go through the Yied Desert, and they could end up dying if they tried to cross it to reach Isaach.

Whenever Lachesis would want to reunite with their son, Azel tried to convince her otherwise. Sure, it sucked that Diarmuid was left without a familly, but it would be that or to die attempting to do so, leaving him alone forever. Despite that, Lachesis insisted that Nanna could be left in care of Finn while she made her way to take Diarmuid back, but each time Azel would tell her no.

Yet one day, however, Lachesis had enough.

"Azel, stop trying to convince me otherwise...I need to reunite with our son…I need to bring him here to see little Nan."

"Lach! I already tolld you! You have to cross through the Yied Desert. And you know that it's very likely you'll end up getting killed!"

"You act like I am unprepared. I've been preparing for this day for a long time now. I won't allow you to tell me otherwise anymore."

"I-I…"

Lachesis cut him off. Despite the insistence in her voice, she had that hesitant look in her eyes. "Stop, please, don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll be back here before you know it."

"If you say so...I know I can trust you, but that won't stop me from worrying…"

"I can't stop you from worrying, can't I?" She rhetorically asked, letting out a small laugh. "I promise you...I'll be back."

Two months had passed.

Two months went by, and Lachesis hadn't shown up.

Why the hell did he let her go?

He had to do something! He had to find her! Even if it meant leaving Nanna. What else could he do? He was losing patience.

And with time, he finally broke.

"Lord Azel, please do not tell me you're going to go after her. You might just end up making the same mistake."

"She's been gone for months, Finn! I have to go look for her!" Azel shouted, pacing around endlessly as his thoughts kept circling around him.

"But what about Nanna?! Are you just going to leave her alone like that? She needs you. You are the only family she has left..." Finn questioned.

"I know, I know, I can't just do that to her...but… I'm worried about Lach..." Azel paused, trying to muster up the courage. "I'm sorry Finn, but I have to go. I leave Nanna in your care."

Finn opened his mouth to speak, then refrained the protest, staying silent for a good while. Before sighing in defeat. "I...if you say so...Lord Azel…please stay safe out there. You can trust me with Nanna, I won't let anything bad happen to her. I promise."

Just like Lachesis, Azel left in a frenzy. Leaving Finn in Castle Leonster, silent and taken aback.

It was a miracle Azel even managed to go through Yied. And yet, still no sign of his wife as he made it to the border of Isaach. Yet he had a glimmer of hope that she was in Tirnanog, she had to be, she couldn't have died could she?

No, she couldn't have.

He had to keep going. He had to find her!

Without a moment to lose, he passed through the border and made his way toward Tirnanog.

He did his best to not get spotted, he wore a cloak with the hood up so nobody could know who he was. People could easily figure it out by his hair alone, as it was red like his brother's. And who knows what would happen if Arvis found out that Azel ran away and never came back. Would he get mad? Or would he accept him back in? Or would he get locked away in Belhalla's dungeons? Azel didn't know, and he wasn't about to find out, so better safe than sorry.

Then, came the day when he made it to the village of Tirnanog.

A day that could've possibly been the worst of his life.

He passed through the village and looked around the few houses present, then, he found a woman with long blonde hair, outside, looking for food. It automatically clicked into his mind, that was Edain. immediately running to her. "Edain! Edain!" He said, raising his voice only slightly as to not gather too much attention.

Edain turned around and saw him, she covered her mouth to prevent herself from gasping. "Azel? You are alive!" She said, hugging him before asking, "what are you doing this far north? If it's Diarmuid you are looking for, he's in our house. He's grown well in our care, him and the others are doing well! I'm sure he'll be overjoyed to finally meet his father!"

The mage didn't even listen to what Edain just said and he could hardly speak, his mind was too focused on Lachesis. "I-I...where is she?"

"Where is...who?" She asked him, a confused look shown on her face.

"L-Lach! Where is she? She left Leonster to go here to reunite with Diarmuid. It's been over two months now and she hasn't returned, she has to be here, right?"

"Lady Lachesis? I haven't heard from her since that fateful day...I'm sorry Azel, she's not here…" She muttered, hazel eyes filling up with tears.

Everything went so slow, his heart felt nothing, he couldn't believe she wasn't there, where was she? His mind almost shut down from the information he was told, he only hoped she wasn't dead. Though every second that passed it seemed like that was exactly what happened. It took a few seconds until he felt a sudden pain in his heart causing him to tear up. "Sh-She...is she…?"

Edain only nodded. "I cannot say for certain, but, she might as well be…"

The pain was too much now, no matter how much he tried to deny it, he knew he couldn't do anything now. He should've told Lachesis not to go, things would've been better like that. Unable to hold in his feelings any longer, he let out a painful scream.

"NO!"

It echoed through the entire village, and it had gotten the attention of some villagers as they looked toward Azel and Edain. And knowing that people would easily figure out Azel's heritage, sent the blonde priestess into a panic as she whispered. "Let's get back inside! Quickly!"

His throat hurt from both the scream and trying to hold back from crying, all he could do was nod as the two swiftly went to the place everyone was staying in.

When the door closed, the first thing Azel did was cry, he tried to contain it so people wouldn't get suspicious. Even so, he let it all out, so much so he couldn't even think. At least until he heard the voice of Oifey in front of him.

"Lord Azel. Do you have a moment?" He asked.

Uncovering his face, eyes red and puffy, he said. "Y-Yeah? W-what is it?"

"I just wanted to say that your son would like to see you," Oifey said, picking Diarmuid from off the ground.

Taking Diarmuid and placing him in his lap, Azel said. "Thank you, Oifey...at least I have Dia…"

Oifey gave him a sad smile. "I can leave you alone now if you'd like."

Answering with only a simple nod, he looked down at his son, hugging him tightly. Neither spoke for a good while, that was, until Azel started crying again.

"Daddy, why are you so sad?" The little four-year-old asked.

He decided to half truth his way out of the question. "Oh, Dia...it's just...it's hard to explain...daddy's just a bit sad about mommy being away, that's all."

"Where is she? I miss her a lot…"

"She's…" He paused, he couldn't just lie to his son, but he also couldn't tell him she had died. He scanned through potential options in his mind, trying to find one that sounded convincing. "In Leonster, with your sister."

Diarmuid's eyes lit with excitement. "Will I get to see her?"

"...No...not until you're older…" Azel said.

"Oh…"

"I'm sorry, Dia. But that's how it has to be for now. It still is dangerous to go back, I barely managed to make it here."

"Then, when I'm all grown up, I'll see her again! I'll do anything to make myself stronger!"

Azel chuckled a little. "I know you can!"

Just then, another little boy came into the room, it was Lester. "Dia! Dia! Come quick!"

Diarmuid then looked to Lester. "What happened, Lester?"

"Mama, Shannan, and Oifey are outside! They say we should start training more!"

"Well, why didn't you say so? Let's both hurry!" Diarmuid exclaimed, quickly getting off of his father's lap and running out of the room. Leaving Azel in the room, silent and still.

"He grows up so fast." He smiled, before following Diarmuid outside.

It was after a few weeks had passed that Azel was left vulnerable.

He was outside, in the open, far from the village. He didn't think for a second about the potential risk that could take him away. He could defend himself with his Bolganone tome and run back.

He was simply out for a walk deep into the forest near Castle Rivough, with his horse by his side to make extra sure he could run away when things got rough.

He was simply drifting through his memories before he was broken out of them by a sudden sound of magic. Acting quickly, he turned around managing to dodge the blow before seeing a figure covered in dark cloaks appear before him.

"Ohohoho, so you are Lord Azel. And here I thought you were long dead. Emperor Arvis was in an absolute frenzy. Well, no matter, you'll be a fine addition to the temple of Yied! That way nobody will see you alive again!"

"You...you're..." Azel stumbled on his words, getting his Bolganone tome out.

"Oh, don't even try to resist, I think you'll like it there, you'll get to see your lovely wife after so long!"

"Wait, you mean Lachesis? Did you…?" The mage paused, before realizing what the Archbishop meant. And upon realizing, he released a big volcanic explosion at him. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?"

"Relax, she's fine." He only cackled.

"I CAN'T TRUST YOU, BRING HER TO ME NOW!" Azel shouted, before attempting to launch yet another blow.

"You little…" The dark bishop grumbled, before taking out a very...peculiar tome. "Petrify!"

As Azel was hit with the said tome, he looked down, seeing himself getting slowly turned to stone. But he couldn't give up yet, he had to do something, he had to escape. As he tried to fire his Bolganone tome again, however, he was already frozen in time, nothing but a block of stone now.

Taking the statue with him, he - Manfroy - warped himself to the temple of Yied. Inside a room where two other statues were present, one of them there was Lachesis.

"Ah yes, two lovebirds, together once more!" He laughed, before teleporting away, leaving the two statues in the darkness, where nobody will ever find them again.