A/N: Howdy. Sorry for very infrequent updates. I honestly only get to do any writing between 7-8 in the morning during the week and its really not long enough to get much done at once, especially when I revise as much as I do. lol! But I really appreciate those who are interested in continuing to follow this story despite the inconsistent updates! Know I appreciate all of you deeply and hope to continue feeling your incredible support!

They came upon the Keep at sundown and never before had a sunset seemed so intimidating. The famed, impenetrable walls of the Tarlson Keep blocked half the sun and silhouetted the orange sky inspires, artillery, and blue flags, whipping the symbol of a torch in the wind. The dark stone told of its many years of standing unmoved and it's almost unending length told that what lay behind was far more than just a fortress or castle.

The gates opened easily to Commander Tensei and even the entryway left the party in awe, Captain Katsuki especially. Shoto watched the Captain's eyes scour every inch of fortification and assess every defense in intrinsic detail, marveling with jealousy and respect in his glances. There was no wonder left why Tarlson was considered the second strongest Lordship in Gaetha.

Within the gates was more city than Shoto ever expected. Dawnsend was built similarly, a city within walls and a Keep at its center, but this was nothing like Dawnsend. There was a rural feel to Dawnsend, a feeling throughout all of Dawnfell really, that appearances were second to strength, but in Tarlson the power of image seemed stronger than the muscle in his very arms. It stood to advertise its prowess, nothing false about the pristine persona it put forward.

The Keep itself was so deep within the city that it did not stand out at first. There were small plots of land in the first quarter of the walled city, grassland for livestock and orchards for growing an absolute abundance of fruit. Past that were the trades that kept the city running, blacksmithery, armories, leather tanners, cobblers, dressmakers, tailors, inns, pubs, general stores, and much more than Shoto was able to keep up with. And then further still inward was the barracks, the training ground for the Keep's standing army, and then the Keep itself, with even more city far behind as extensive as the city before it.

As they came to the livery and dismounted, turning over their horses to the stablehands and taking their belongings, Shoto got a twisting feeling. The longer he looked over the magnificence of the grand pride of Tarlson the more a sense of spite rose.

Try as he might to accept where he was and what had led him here and what his presence might change in this war, he was still bitter that he, a freshly trained mage without even an apprenticeship had been dropped into the slop and horror of Dawnfell's front, of the battlefields of Demon's Rise rather than a place of strength and sophistication like this. He wanted to be a part of the High Council and to be at the Center Magesterium first and foremost, but if they couldn't give him that, then why not something like this? A place more fitted for him.

But the past was unchangeable and his spite could not persist. They had work to do here and now and if he was ever to come out of this alive and in any good graces of the Synod then perhaps he could argue to be assigned here instead. But then he may be stripped and reconditioned if he survived this anyway and then would he even remember that he wanted to be here?

Another unattainable dream for another time.

"Please come with me," Commander Tensei guided them into the side entrance of the keep.

His men remained in a flanking position of the party. They didn't seem wary of the strangers any longer, but were forced to remain cautious at Commander Tensei's order.

The Keep was as magnificent inside as out, muttered gasps trailing behind Shoto, Katsuki, and Tensei as their companions took it in. There was some momentary worry that their wonder and excitement might cause someone to slip up in their cover, but luckily Tensei separated the appointed leaders from the rest of their party before taking them to speak to the Lord Commander, only requiring Shoto and Katsuki for this meeting.

Hesitating at first, Shoto spared a look to Nana, knowing he wanted at least her there, but also knowing that there was very little Renegade Mage could do to aid their ruse as she knew very little about the inner workings of the Synod or of Dawnfell's government, which they were all claimed to be part of. She did offer him an encouraging smile and a nod before taking instant charge of the others. They could at least be assured she would keep them in line. Even if the elves didn't already have a healthy fear of her, she had already proven herself an apt mediatrix and to have the sort of voice Shoto expected a scolding mother might have. They would do fine on their own.

The Keep's Council Chambers were already occupied by a group of uniformed men in scattered formation around a wide table when they entered. A large map was stitched down to the surface and on its sides were pieces made for directing strategy, a war table not in active use in this particular meeting.

All of the uniformed men had their attention on one man, perhaps five years Shotoi's senior. His uniform was more decorated than theirs and the trim of his cloak was lined in the white fur of a glorified Lord Commander. Shoto recalled the same sort of cloak hanging from the back of Lord Commander Kan's chair at the encampment, but rarely recalled seeing him in it. It looked to be cumbersome in battle; a show piece, not a practical garment for leading an army on the field of battle.

The Lord Commander had hair like a fresh snow storm had doused his head, white to the tips, but not in the way an old man's might. His face was the picture of youth and his body was built tall and strong for the battlefield, the only agedness about him the very chilling, cutting sharpness in his gray eyes.

The young Lord of Tarlson lifted his chin at the newcomers when they entered and a tight lipped scrutiny overcame his slender mouth.

"Lord Commander I-" A swift hand cut Commander Tensei' words in half as the Lord Commander scowled at the interruption and immediately continued in what he was saying to the men around the table.

Tensei took it in stride and took a step back, head nodding in respect to the curt reaction that could easily have been considered quite rude.

"If you want to take this lightly, Captain, then you have no place serving Tarlson," he bit the air as the face of the military leader he spoke to turned red with frustration, "While you spare your men, the Lordship suffers for your cowardice."

The man he was addressing was passing glances to the new faces with discomfort, embarrassed at the audience to his beratement.

"It is not cowardice to be cautious, my Lord," the Captain bit his cheek and then dropped his head, "With all due respect… You cannot send us out there without Battle Mages. I can march my men to fight minor demons endlessly, but if we are to face a Major Demon our presence will do little other than add to the pile of corpses."

A collective flinch went through the room, when the Lord Commander's fist impacted the table.

"Then speak to Kiego and get your damn Battle Mages," he barked, "Say what you mean and you'll get what you damn well need. This wasn't a question of me withholding resources, but of you casting aspersions on my orders. Mind your tongue in these chambers, Captain. If I order you to protect our borders you will go with or without mages at your side."

The entire top half of the Captain dropped in a bow, an act of apology and humility towards his admonishment. "Yes, my Lord."

The Lord Commander turned a look over each of them, reiterating that his statement went for all of them and then waved a hand to the door. "You have your assignments, now get out of my sight before I demote all of you and promote the court jester to do your jobs."

With a chorus of, "As you wish, my Lord!" they all bowed and made their exit in file, sparing curious looks to the mage and the Dawnfelden Captain in the entryway.

Commander Tensei stepped forward now, the Lord Commander still leaning his fists into the table, frowning down at the map as though he had forgotten them.

"My Lord-"

"Forgive my rudeness, Tensei," the Lord Commander straightened, turning a composed expression to the dark haired Commander as though an entirely different man had stepped into his shoes, "Your entrance was ill timed, my friend."

"Then forgive my intrusion," Commander Tensei nodded, "We returned as soon as we got your message and I was unaware that you were in the middle of a meeting."

Tensei stepped to the side and opened an arm back towards the cross armed Captain and the straight backed mage.

The Lord Commander looked them over closely while Tensei spoke. "This is Lord Commander Natsuo Todoroki, the son of Lord Enji, heir to Tarlson. This is Master Shoto and Captain Katsuki Bakugou, the leaders of those who defended Landsleave."

"You are a Dawnfelden Captain?" Lord Natsuo tilted his head slightly at Katsuki.

The Captain tightened his arms and gave a tight nod, "That's why I have this uniform."

"I know of you," Lord Commander Natsuo scowled, leaning his hip into the table as he sized up the Captain, "Some say you single handedly ended the Southern Uprising in Dawnfell. An impressive tale even if it's embellished."

"Reports are usually exaggerated," Katsuki shrugged one shoulder, but there was a hint of pride in it, "Usually."

The Lord Commander hummed, somewhat amused and then tilted a curious glare over Shoto.

"You, I'm not familiar with," he said and Shoto got a shiver down his spine at the look, "Which is strange. I feel I would have heard tell of a Master so young. Our own Headmaster Keigo is well known for just such a thing."

"It's not the business of a true mage to be renowned," Shoto leaned into the opposite stance of Katsuki, humility over pride, "I do not live for laymen to know me."

A tiny smirk hit the corner of Lord Natsuo's mouth. "I'll take that as an insult to Keigo then. In any case, do enlighten me. The message I received from Tensei told that you and your mages brought down two Major Demons on your own. A mage capable of that is worth knowing."

It was hard to control the need to shift uncomfortably at the questioning. The truth was that he and three others combined had barely defeated one while the other was destroyed by Blood Magic and the strength of one Renegade Mage. He had lied a lot over this last week, but it was still not his strong suit or something he enjoyed doing. It was best to remain vague and outwardly humble to avoid too much questioning.

"I am no one of consequence," was his simple, satisfying answer.

Natuso's eyebrow was raised on the younger man with the high held head and Master's robes.

"Are you going to tell us why you brought us here or are we going to talk about how inconsequential Shoto is?" Katsuki cut in to end the curious stares and introductions.

The corner of Natsuo's mouth twitched like it had been pricked with a needle. Cold gray eyes fell on Katsuki, but the Captain was unimpressed.

Commander Tensei crossed his arms, standing a step behind Natsuo. "Is it common in Dawnfell for large groups of powerful people to pass through and fight your battles without question?"

Tensei looked around the Lord to the Captain who responded with a "tch" sound and an eyeroll.

"I didn't think so."

"The Synod and their people pass in and out of Tarlson daily and we do not question their every action," Natsuo opened a hand to the air, "If any Lordship did, that would be all we ever had time for. But a delegate from another Lordship doesn't come into my home without me knowing about it. The borderguard sent a messenger bird ahead of you to inform me of your arrival. They said you were sent under orders from Lord Sorahiko, but your mission is from the Synod… Seems rather contrary doesn't it?"

"The Dawnfelden delegate is assisting the Synod, what's so strange about that?" Shoto frowned, "It's nothing more than the civic duty of any Lordship to keep the symbiosis of our cultures."

Natsuo shrugged and tilted his eyes downward towards Katsuki. "There's nothing practically strange about it were you from any other Lordship, but I've never known Dawnfelden's to be cooperative in any issue that didn't pertain directly to them. They have their Griffin Cohort and the famed Dawnfelden Army and the idea that they are the ultimate authority on all things regarding Summonings. Maybe during peacetime I could see a Dawnfelden cooperating with the Synod under dire circumstances, but amidst a Summoning… Well, I assumed Dawnfell would have greater things to worry about. Don't you have a border to be protecting, Dawnfelden Captain or have you really abandoned your post?"

The look he gave Katsuki was petty and a bit smug and the way Katsuki was biting the inner corner of his mouth looked hard enough to draw blood. Shoto watched closely for the tension in his arms to snap.

"You said it yourself," Shoto defended, "He has orders from his own Lord to be here-"

"You know damn well there's no post left to abandon," Katsuki cut in sharply, "Your messengers move fast and your army has reached the fronts by now. Say what you mean and stop playing gracious host, it's obviously a damn lie!"

Commander Tensei flinched and Natsuo took on a deep scowl as he turned from Katsuki and began to move slowly around the table, eyes on the table as the superior look he had worn died away to severity. Following the direction of his gaze, Shoto found himself staring hard at the detailed image of Dawnfell's shared border with Demon's Rise and felt bile rise in his throat at the sight.

Natsuo grabbed a piece in the shape of a blue torch and set it on Dawnfell and then took two red griffin shaped pieces and placed them just beyond it at the fronts.

"I have a dual purpose in wanting to speak to you, yes," Natsuo admitted coarsely, "Per the last message I received from the reinforcements we sent our men just arrived at Demon's Rise and found a disturbing sight there. They had yet to send a delegate to Dawnsend to speak to Lord Sorahiko about it at the writing of the message so I have yet to hear an explanation and would be very interested in knowing what you can tell me about this, Captain Katsuki, the famed second to Lord Commander Kan, leader of the very same army that is meant to be stationed where my men arrived."

His gray eyes looked silver in the glint of sunlight that beamed through and they felt as sharp as steel. Shoto could feel Katsuki bristle, and felt himself cringe in fear. Not a minute in the Lord Commander's presence and he had already found a massive hole in their tale before they had even told it.

The Lord Commander continued before they could speak on it to defend, though, Natsuo's fingers running along the space between the pieces as he went on, "A chasm stands between my armies and the fronts and a barrier of pure magic cuts right through it. On the other side they see the undead meander and minor demons approach the barrier only to shirk away shrieking in pain and horror. My own men fear to touch it. Little can be seen of what lay beyond it, but the rubble of an encampment is still there and the host of corpses cannot be mistaken as anything but the Dawnfelden army."

Shoto's stomach had dropped to his feet while a small flutter hit his chest; at least they had confirmation that Nana's barrier was still standing.

Natsuo knocked over both of the griffin pieces. "My men are no long reinforcements, but the very army itself. The mages in their company and those sent directly from the Synod that met them there are unable to affect the barrier with their spells. The enemy itself fears the thing."

The Lord Commander straightened, hand clenching at his side.

"So tell me, Dawnfelden Captain," Natsuo jaw clenched, "What the hell happened there?"

Katsuki had been uncharacteristically quiet amidst the very accusing words and Shoto expected it was leading up to a virtual explosion of rage. He even leaned away from the Captain in anticipation, but the tension remained trapped inside Katsuki like an ever tightening coil until he finally spoke, not brutal or cruel, but cold and bitter.

"It's the work of Blood Magic."

All blood left Shoto's face as a spin of nausea overwhelmed his gut. He could believe his own ears. He was certain Katsuki was the one he didn't have to worry about revealing something he shouldn't and he had just willingly pointed to Blood Magic to explain what had happened at Demon's Rise.

"Blood magic?" Commander Tensei repeated.

That's when Shoto noticed the equally ill look on Natsuo's face, but it was more than just disgust; spite, even hatred accompanied it.

"Explain," Natsuo froze the very air with his tongue.

"It's not-"

A hand to his chest silenced Shoto and a glare told him that his input was not needed. The young mage didn't like that at all, but Katsuki continued before Shoto got a chance to disrupt him.

"We waited for your reinforcements, but were left in the lurch," Katsuki bared his teeth at Natsuo, "We shouldn't have lived to even send that damn request when we did. By the final battle we had only one Battle Mage left and had gone from ten thousand strong to a dwindling thousand terror stricken boys."

"Is that an accusation?" Natsuo leaned his fists to the table.

"No, I'm painting a picture so you can understand how fucked we were," Katsuki matched the pose, red eyes locked onto those cold grays, "Just so maybe you'll understand why weren't able or willing to stop a Blood Mage from draining our dead and making rifts in the earth to spare what was left of Dawnfell from what's beyond it."

"You allowed a Blood Mage to run rampant through your ranks?" Commander Tensei gasped, horrified.

"He was our prisoner," Katsuki clarified and Shoto frowned at the slight misinformation. The best lies held a degree of truth, much like his lie about Eijiro earlier, so he began to understand Katsuki's tactic. There was part of this that the Lord needed to know and parts he could never. The Captain was carefully presenting the information.

"Our Battle Mages were all dead… I vied to execute him, but Lord Commander Kan wanted to follow the rules and leave him for the Synod to deal with."

"That's idiotic," Natsuo spat and pushed away from the table to cross his arms, "He should never have been given the chance to even catch his breath. Your Lord Commander was a fool."

Fire lit in Katsuki's eyes. "Show some fucking respect for the dead or I'll damn well make you!"

Natsuo didn't move, his entire demeanor dropping from the brutal accusing intensity to dark and forlorn. "Lord Kan is actually dead, then?"

"You heard the damn report," Katsuki sounded ready to choke, "The place was decimated. Lord Kan stood by his men to the bitter fucking end."

"And yet you didn't," Commander Tensei frowned in disappointment and Katsuki physically cringed.

"That was not the Captain's fault," Shoto stepped forward, head spinning, "I took him from that battle against his will. He had no desire to leave his men or the Lord Commander. I am to blame for any lost honor."

Katsuki's arms were stiff and his eye scraped over Shoto in shock. Shoto's stomach sank in his torso to meet his gaze, because there was truth to this lie as well. Katsuki had never intended to leave that battlefield and even if Nana was the one who had forced him from it, it was Shoto that Katsuki had been sent after. It was because of Shoto that he was drawn from his post in the first place. And though that may seem like a reason to celebrate for having spared that life by his actions, the longer he spent with Katsuki the more he realized that it was not so simple. And it wasn't just some sense of disgrace that Katsuki experienced, he had said himself that he didn't believe there was honor in death. What he was loath to admit, but dripping in the reality of was a gripping guilt. It was not losing honor, it was survivors guilt, pure and simple.

Katsuki only let himself be distracted by his surprise a moment, though, before glaring back at the map with air sucked sharply through his teeth.

"And you are wrong to call the Lord Commander foolish," Shoto continued, still watching Katsuki, "There is risk involved in the execution of a Blood Mage and you have obviously never encountered one if you believe he was wrong to leave him for the Synod."

"I am more familiar than Lord Natsuo of what a Blood Mage is capable of," Commander Tensei interjected, "And I agree with you. But if you were there, as you claim, why didn't you handle the situation yourself?"

An uncomfortable shift went through Shoto's feet. He was supposed to be a Master after all. The Commander was thinking that as a Synod Master he should be capable of warding and executing a Blood Mage.

"I was not yet a Master at the time," Shoto made his excuses, "I was never trained in the execution of a Fallen and...I was the only mage left remaining. All I could manage was to keep him subdued in the meantime while we waited for the reinforcements from the Synod."

He tried hard to remain coolly poised, to seem unaffected, but speaking of the massacre at Demon's Rise couldn't help but fill his heart with aching and his head with images he wanted badly to forget. Mountains of corpses, blood and death heady in the air, the crushing reality that he should not be alive…that like Katsuki he was a survivor who did not deserve to be.

"What became of the Blood Mage?" Natsuo asked.

Katsuki moved back in to reclaim the story and finish it, eyes never leaving the markings of Demon's Rise on the map or the two tipped red griffins.

"In our last stand he broke free and Lord Kan sent me to stop him," Katsuki growled, "But I was too late. The barricade was breached. Our army was overwhelmed and the Blood Mage stepped in to act. I tried to stay and fight, but the damn Mage took me away from the battle. By the time we made it clear of the battlefield we saw the Blood Mage rip a chasm in the earth and raise a barrier between the encampment and Dawnfell."

Katsuki's fingers curled against the table and Shoto felt his chest clench.

"The Blood Mage had escaped by the time we even got our bearings," Katsuki spat, "I followed my duty and returned to my Lord to report what had happened, to prepare them to send what remained of our army to the frontlines, to hopefully meet you reinforcements and another cohort from the Synod, pick ourselves up from the ashes. But we were given new orders at Dawnsend and now we are here. That's as much as I know of what became of Demon's Rise."

"And what are these new orders?" Natsuo tilted his head.

"You are not privy to them," Shoto shook his head, "The Synod has ordered our silence and under the order of Lord Sorahiko, who agreed to support our mission, the Captain is under the same oath."

Shoto reached into his robe and snatched the parchment they had forged, holding it out towards the men across from them. Commander Tensei stepped forward to take it and brought it over to Natsuo, opening it.

The Mage and the Captain clammed up as their hosts scrutinized it. It had gotten them through border guards, but they had less faith that the trained eyes of a Lord could not see through it.

An angry click of Natsuo's tongue hit the air as the page was tossed onto the table towards Shoto.

"Tarlson has always been cooperative with the Synod," Lord Natsuo said with displeasure, "It is not our place to stand in their way, however much I may dislike the idea of their operatives working in secret under our very noses."

"It's good for you that we did, otherwise your little village would be ash and dust now," Katsuki countered.

Natsuo stood tall and gave a small, annoyed shake of his head. "Whatever my frustration with your secrecy, I suppose I would be remiss not to show gratitude to you for defending Tarlson."

"If this is your gratitude, I can do without it," Katsuki rolled his eyes, "I'd have preferred not being stopped at all. So if you're really interested in showing how grateful you are then let us get back to our work without any more of this meaningless interruption to sate your curiosity."

Natsuo and Tensei locked eyes, conversing silently with looks.

"No," Natsuo lifted his chin, "You will be accommodated here tonight and asked to remain in the Keep until morning. I would like to bring this matter to Lord Enji and Headmaster Keigo before I am entirely convinced that you are trustworthy."

Rage was boiling up into Katsuki's shoulders, but shaking fear quaked up Shoto's legs. Natsuo was looking to corroborate their story with a Synod Headmaster and even the Lord of Tarlson himself. Their story was not airtight and there were potential holes to be punched into it. With that much scrutiny the cracks would certainly start to form.

"All due respect, Lord Natsuo," Katsuki said with absolutely no respect in his voice at all, "But you have no fucking right to detain us. You aren't my Lord and you don't control the Synod. If we want to leave right now, we will damn well leave."

Shoto physically flinched with the sharp, whiplike cut of Katsuki's tone and the burning steel that stared him down from across the table.

"You dare to assume you have any power in my lordship?" Natsuo scoffed, "I have an army to lead and forces to direct in a war than wages both on your homefront and my own. I have no patience for your Dawnfelden pride and I have every reason to be wary of strangers with the sort of power you displayed against the ether's forces today, traversing my lands with the excuse of Synod secrecy."

The idea of staying here through the night at the hospitality of the young Tarlson Lord was grating, especially when considering that he wanted to do so to further peel away at their story, but to continually resist him would begin to make their intent more and more suspicious. They were close to the Summoner and none of them wanted to sit on their hands while he was within their reach, but they also needed to regroup and use the Honing Stone again to know if they had finally closed in on the Summoner, not to mention deciding what could be done about getting Izuku and his friends away from this and returned home safe as he had promised, so it seemed to best idea to be compliant for now.

"Lord Natsuo, forgive the Captain's curtness," Shoto opened one arm diplomatically, emotionlessly, "Our journey has been long and we have been through a hellish day that we have truly not yet recovered from."

Katsuki eyed him like he wanted to gouge out his eyes, but Shoto continued.

"One night will not throw us off track," Shoto continued, hoping that his cooperation would lessen the suspicion, "You are only doing your due diligence. By crossing into your borders we have stepped foot into your home and we would be wrong to disrespect your authority."

Natsuo nodded, something in his eyes turning dark and curious every time he seemed to lock eyes onto Shoto. He shivered every time and felt the impulse to shirk away. There was something about this man that seemed off, but it was impossible to put a finger on what it was.

"We would be grateful for rest and a meal," Shoto spoke truthfully this time, thinking longingly of a real bed and a warm meal, "We are completely road weary. I hope you understand."

The watchful, dissecting, stare remained in the silence longer than Shoto could bear, but finally Natsuo nodded to his request. "You won't be detained longer than necessary. Your cooperation is appreciated. My aid will show you and your companions to where you will be staying. I will call upon you if I have any further questions."

"Thank you, my lord," Shoto bowed his head and stepped back.

Katsuki shoved away from the table uncouthly and mimicked a small, tight bow that could barely be registered as one before turning his back on the Lord of Tarlson. Commander Tensei moved with them to the door, gesturing someone outside of it.

The aid received his instructions from the Commander and with bitter silence still wrapped around the pair, he led them from the war room chambers. Commander Tensei didn't go with them this time, but remained to continue speaking with the Lord Commander and conclude his report of what had happened in Landsleave.

They were reunited with the rest of their party to find them chatting with ease to their supposed captors. The same soldiers that had accompanied them from Landsleave had ingratiated themselves easily with the elves, Nana, and Kyoka, but Izuku and his friends kept to themselves on the other side of the room whispering quietly.

Everyone leapt to attention when the two returned, but the excitement shifted when it was explained that they were being detained for the night by the Lord Commander. It wasn't taken pleasantly at first, but there wasn't much room for arguing about it and a certain relief came when they realized they would have a real bed to sleep on and a hot meal tonight.

The aid dismissed the Tarlson soldiers, informing them that Commander Tensei had ordered them back to the barracks and then guided their guests through the Keep. They were brought to the guest quarters in the wing where most of the Keep's Guard also resided and shown two large rooms, each placed directly across from each other. The aid asked for separation of genders as was common in a place like this, but taken with some offense by those who had someone they were not keen on separating from.

The biggest resistance came from Ochako. She and the dragon seemed clingy, or rather he seemed awestruck and distracted by his surroundings and she couldn't seem to keep more than a foot from him. She looked close to throwing a fit that she was being asked to sleep across the hall, but Izuku calmed her quickly, whispering assurances that he would keep an eye on Eijiro.

Denki and Mina frowned at the situation, but they didn't give verbal complaints, just exchanged a few looks and went to their rooms. It left Shoto with a sneaking suspicion that they were only feigning compliance and he would end up having to deal with them again later.

Once everyone had settled they were informed that there would be guards posted outside of their rooms at all times, monitoring the coming and going of their party and watching their movements closely. Katsuki had a few more choice words for them, but they wouldn't be swayed or even brought to aggravation with him so the Captain had no choice but to give up.

The guards allowed the girls to cross the hall while there was still some daylight left and they joined the rest in the large room the men had been given, the guards not so concerned since the walls were a bit thin and it would give them a chance to eavesdrop. They tried to reiterate as much as they could that they were not actually prisoners, but their guests weren't so easily fooled.

When the remixed Mina went right to Denki and dropped her arm on his shoulder and Ochako obviously took great concern in getting to Eijiro's side as quickly as possible. Chatter picked up immediately and took along the lines of wondering what was happening and why they were being kept here, but Shoto slammed a finger starchly to his lips and demanded complete silence before tapping Izuku's shoulder, signalling him to cast the spell they had agreed upon beforehand.

A bright white glyph formed in Izuku's hand as he moved to the middle of the room and with a sweeping motion he pushed it upwards before a glow circled the room and then dissipated.

"You're okay to speak now," Izuku nodded to Shoto.

"A muting spell?" Nana asked with interest.

"Muffling," Izuku smiled, proudly, "Complete silence would be suspicious. This way they won't be able to understand what we're saying, but they'll still hear talking. Training with the High Circle has its benefits. It will only last about ten minutes though."

Shoto inhaled to speak, but was cut off by a concerned hand raise from Denki across from him.

"Wait," he frowned over the three newcomers to their party, "Are we going to talk about everything here? What about them? I thought we were trying to keep them in the dark."

The three in question all exchanged looks, but Katsuki was the one to grumble a response. "We're stuck with them and we don't have time to worry about what they know. Just do it, mage." he jerked up his chin at Shoto to continue.

"Nana," Shoto took the lead back and braced himself as he held out his palm, "You have the Honing Stone?"

She nodded and pulled it from her robes, stepping forward and holding it out to Shoto. He physically flinched when he took it and heard Izuku gasp beside him. In the same moment he heard Eijiro in his head practically hiss with distaste, mentally muttering to himself that he could taste the Ether in the air, perhaps not even meant to be communicated to Shoto. It alleviated a small lingering sense Shoto had been feeling that perhaps he was just crazy for feeling so affected by the Stone. He wasn't the only who could sense how intensely connected this item was to that accursed realm.

"A Honing Stone?" Izuku got into Shoto's personal space, looking it over with wide eyes, "What have you gotten yourself into, Shoto?"

The sharp tremor of the ether ebbing from the stone pulsed through Shoto's very skin and he grimaced on Izuku's question, shaking his head.

"We agreed not to talk about it, didn't we?"

Izuku frowned. "I know that, but the only reason someone would use a Honing Stone is to find the Summoner and, practically speaking, the Summoner should be somewhere beyond Dawnfell, shouldn't he? Why are you in Tarlson, looking for the Summoner?"

"Drop the damn questions, Mage," Katsuki barked and looked to Shoto, "Get on with it."

Shoto eyed Izuku a moment, but didn't answer him, just activated the spell while Mina pulled out the map from Denki's pack and laid it out on the floor at Shoto's feet. The process went much the same as last time, but this time it was far from as vivid. He crouched down and with his hand over the map he used the active spell to make sure what he saw was physically tracked on the parchment.

The vision moved fast and yet exceptionally slow. Shoto was swept from the Keep and out of the city, finding each inch of road tainted with black footsteps. The stone took him away from the city, away from the direction of Landsleave and the path they'd taken to get there. It was taking him north and continued to drag him until he came upon a spired pass, a wide cut through a mountainous region. And then he came to breaking halt.

The very scenery was a darkly shadowed uncertainty and for a moment he was confused and he felt his hands shake. Nothing about what he saw ever truly became clear. There was movement, so much movement; blackened shapes, shapes that the stone drug him towards. The shapes were massive and small and so much in between and gathered like a hoard around the darkest form of all. It was still so unclear, but that figure drew him in with more determination than anything else did. Shoto could feel that it was the rift, the tear between their worlds, the Summoner.

Shoto's body was suddenly weak and he went from a shaky crouch to collapse on his knees and free hand. With all of his willpower he tried to pull away from the Summoner, to drop the stone, to get out of the vision or break the spell, but the stone unrelentingly drew him closer and closer as though they could physically pass through the rift if it dragged him hard enough.

Just as fear threatened to grip him into oblivion, the world cleared in a snap. His hand unseized and the stone hit the ground as Shoto gasped and coughed, shaking his head of the delirium and he looked over the room in a panic.

That's when he noticed Nana's hand on his shoulder and Ochako's magically glowing palm pulling away from his head. All eyes were on him with shock and horror, most of his companions frozen halfway through a motion to come to his aid, now looking to him for an explanation as to what had just happened.

"What did you see?" Nana squeezed his shoulder, helping him straighten.

Shoto's throat was dry and it took a moment to be able to speak.

"I don't know," the experience was becoming fuzzier with passing moments, like a dream that faded after waking, "I saw him, but he was still so vague. The stone had hold of me and I couldn't control anything… It wouldn't let go…"

"He must be incredibly close," Izuku blinked shock down at Shoto.

"What do you mean?" Nana tilted her head.

Izuku crouched down to pick up the small rock from beside Ochako, turning the stone, still pulsing like a headache with Ether, in front of his eyes like he didn't feel what Shoto did when he held the accursed thing.

"What sort of rock is that?" The question came unexpectedly from Eijiro, something uncomfortable in how he said it, "It's making the whole room feel weird."

"Red…" Ochako's tone had warning, but Shoto couldn't bring himself to worry about them and their secrets while his head was so flooded with those images and the confusion of how tightly the stone held to him.

"It's a Honing Stone," Izuku eyed Shoto a little judgmentally, "The Synod uses them to find Summoners. We were trained on how to correctly use them at the Center Magesterium…"

There was a bitter prick in Shoto's throat, a frown cutting his expression on Izuku.

"It's a piece of the Ether that has enough will to want to return home," Izuku explained, catching everyone's attention even though some had already heard the explanation of what it was and how it worked, "With certain spells it can show you where it wants to go and will draw its holder to the Summoner, but the closer you are, the stronger its grip."

Izuku lowered the stone and Nana reached out to take it back. He gave it over easily and pointed a curious head tilt at Shoto.

"We were told never to cast that spell alone, that multiple people should do it together at all times," he continued, "Even if he was across the country from you, you shouldn't have tried it on your own. A lot of Masters struggle to stabilize that spell, let alone a Novice."

A knifelike feeling cut up Shoto's gut at being called a Novice. It felt wrong to still be called such a thing after everything he'd seen and done and it wasn't true either. He should be an apprentice right now, but he was an ill trained, full fledged Battle Mage instead. Even if he didn't like that title, but preferred it to Novice.

"Oi, look at this," Katsuki snapped his fingers at their distractions and drew all eyes to the map.

On the canvas a very short line left the Tarlson Keep and trailed up northward to Tarl's Pass, a cut of land that went through the mountains that sat between Tarlson and the Capitol's main road. The line stopped there and became a jumbled mess of scratches and chaotic markings that almost formed the outline of a man if not for how shaky it was.

Shoto shivered.

"The Summoner," Nana dropped down to the map and pressed a finger over the marking.

Katsuki sucked his teeth, "He's close enough to grab…"

"And we're stuck here," Shoto concluded the frustrated thought.

"He won't get too far," Kyoka tilted her head at the map, "He doesn't know we're looking for him. We tracked him here all the way from Dawnfell without him moving farther than a few miles. We can track him a bit further if we have to."

"Really helpful input there, bard," Katsuki spat sarcasm and Kyoka rolled her eyes.

"You're really tracking the Summoner?" Ochako marveled at the marked up map and then at the faces around her, "Isn't that supposed to be the Synod's job?"

"It is the Synod's job," Izuku crossed his arms at those around him

Their new companions were mostly ignored as the rest tried to stay focussed on what this might mean for their mission.

"What exactly did you see there, Shoto?" Nana asked, turning up her gaze to him.

The young mage winced to think about it, but closed his eyes to focus on the visions and reiterate what he saw.

"It brought me to the pass; at its edge there were all these shadows," he ground his teeth, "They were moving and alive, but dark like the Summoner. He was there too and his presence felt strong, intensely strong."

"Well that doesn't sound good," Mina and Denki grit teeth at each other.

"Sounds like a fucking problem," Katsuki was pacing now, "What were the shadows supposed to be?"

"If I knew I would have said so," Shoto snipped, nerves on edge and patience worn thin.

"We need to prepare ourselves for a fight then," Nana gathered the map and stood.

"I thought that was already the plan," Denki tapped his blade with a smirk.

"Fighting the Summoner is one thing," Nana tsked, "Fighting him and a possible small army is another."

"It's the damn Summoner," Katsuki nodded across the way to Denki, "You really thought he wouldn't use Fallen Magic against us?"

The discussion was cut off by a tight grip on Shoto's arm, pulling him to look eye to eye with Izuku. "Shoto, I know what we agreed, but I can't just watch this happen in front of me and not ask what the hell you're doing," Izuku said firmly, "Why is the Summoner in Tarlson? Why isn't the Synod handling this?"

Shoto shirked him off, the very sensation of being touched driving him up the wall in his current state. That experience with the Honing Stone was still crawling under his skin and he could feel himself projecting that impatience physically.

"The Synod failed, we have to take matters into our own hands," Shoto flinched when he said it.

"What are you saying?" Izuku searched his eyes, cautiously.

"Your precious Synod took the Griffin Cohort out of Dawnfell," Katsuki hissed, "There isn't a single Hunter to be found and you fuckers thought we could fight a war with a bunch of kids fresh out of the Magesterium and some old men."

Izuku's shoulders visibly dropped and he turned his face away in bewilderment.

"But why?"

"I'd like to know," Shoto clenched his fists.

Nana gently touched his shoulder, but he didn't shirk it like he had Izuku, it didn't spark the same irritation.

"We have to take matters into our own hands," Nana said darkly, "We have to kill the Summoner if we want this war to stop. If the Synod were tracking him down like we are their Hunters would be far ahead of us, wouldn't they?"

"But you can't kill the Summoner," Izuku's arms flung open, exasperated, "We won't be able to banish the Archdemon if he's dead! We'll lose our gateway."

"The Archdemon cannot be banished!" Nana's energy came back in full, nothing harsh in her loud voice, but quite serious, "More powerful mages than you or I have already tried and failed. But it can be killed and we will kill it if we can destroy its tether to our world."

The words seemed to shatter Izuku's entire world and his hand went into a fist in his hair as he stepped away from them, staring at the ground in confusion.

"This is why I didn't want to talk about it," Shoto muttered.

"Can you really kill an Archdemon?" Ochako gaped at the people around her, waiting for one of the many watching eyes to disavow it.

Nana nodded, "Yes."

"If an Archdemon could be killed the Synod would have done so already," Izuku shook his head, "It's not possible. Our magic isn't strong enough and conventional weapons won't do enough damage."

"The Synod is not the last word on all things magic," Nana huffed, a touch smug, arms crossing at the young mage, "They are not willing to do what is necessary to kill it."

"Spoken like a true Renegade," Izuku snapped back and immediately bit his cheek, eyes darting over to Ochako as he said it, his regret clear.

His attrition was not quick enough to spare him a frown from Ochako and a small, pouted look from Eijiro beside her. But Ochako didn't get to the point of true anger and instead moved to Izuku with consideration on her lips.

"Apprentice," she tilted her mouth, "We've already proven to you that a lot of magic that the Synod rejects is greater than they think… Maybe it isn't so crazy to consider that there might be some kind of magic that could kill an Archdemon that the Synod rejected or doesn't even know about."

Izuku's expression pinched, the conflict in his head clear on his face as everyone watched him with apprehension. The two elves, though, took it in like a thrilling show, whispering in underlying smiles to themselves like there was humor to be found somewhere in this. Shoto was tempted to be angry with them, but he didn't have the energy to spare on their ceaselessly inappropriate behavior.

"There's isn't some backwater Bog Magic that can do what they're saying," Izuku said solidly to Ochako and slowly scraped his gaze up Nana and then Shoto, "The only magic that has a chance of doing what you're saying is the very magic that put us in this situation to begin with. You can't use Fallen Magic against the archdemon!"

He said it so easily and yet pleaded it so desperately it made Shoto's heart skip a beat. The accusation was more for Nana than for Shoto, Izuku would have had no reason to believe that Shoto's hands were already tainted with the touch of Fallen Magic, but it was just as scathing. Even if all he was doing was allowing Nana to use Blood Magic it was so contrary to everything they had been taught in the Synod that Izuku would no doubt be horrified. And it scared Shoto to think of him knowing much further from grace he really was.

Ochako shifted a little closer to Izuku as she looked around the room at the many faces unaffected by the accusation. Katsuki had pushed away from the bedframe, though, and his hand rested casually on his sword, the way he stood saying that he was prepared to end this conversation by force if need be.

"Only one life needs to be sacrificed to end this, young mage," Nana said in a calm, somber voice, "It's not yours or any of your fellow mages' lives. Isn't that preferable to the countless deaths that will continue to pile up if we do nothing?"

"You've twisted this situation for your selfish purposes!" Izuku shouted in exacerbation.

"She's not lying," Shoto stood tall beside her, brow tight, "If you won't believe her then believe me...Izuku, I was there. So was the Captain. If you saw what we saw you would believe it too. There is no simple or even morally upright answer to what is coming for Gaetha."

"You can't be serious," Izuku's expression fell hard, cutting Shoto with pure disappointment, "You put me to shame with how stringent you were to the Synod's rules and now you're the one telling me that Fallen Magic is a good thing?"

"It isn't a good thing, it's a necessary thing," Shoto winced on every memory he had of Fallen Magic, "Nothing as evil and powerful and hellish as that thing can be defeated by what our meager magic can do. It ripped apart our armies and cohorts. Even if the Griffin Cohort had been there, they would have died as easily as the rest of us. Everything we could do barely touched it. Nothing stood to stop it except…"

He looked at Nana and his voice caught in his throat, hands shaking and heart palpitating quickly with the flood of feelings he had to force down daily and nightly in an attempt to stay sane.

"Except Nana," Shoto finished firmly, "She had it crawling away in retreat, on its last shred of life…"

"I didn't account for the Summoner, though, and my killing blow was knocked away, the Archdemon pulled from the fight and revitalized in moments," Nana bore her own degree of powerful frustration, "For the Synod they've only ever seen the Summoner as the rift between our world and the gateway to send the Archdemon back, but the Summoner is also it's tether to this world, the thing that strengthens it and as long as the Summoner lives the Archdemon will be unkillable."

The pure turmoil in Izuku's face had everyone in the room on edge. It wasn't clear cut rage, but Izuku was never one prone to irrationality so it may have just been hiding below surface level.

"But with him alive we could banish it," Izuku rubbed the side of his head, "If we captured him and brought him back to the Synod they could do it. Why is your only solution Fallen Magic?"

"You act like I'm looking for an excuse to use Fallen Magic," Nana scowled at him, "You're like every other Synod mage, believing that because we don't want to live in your dictatorship that our hearts are corrupted rocks of pure ether."

The sleeve of Nana's shirt ripped up and fading black streaks hit the light as she winced. Izuku choked, startled and darting his eyes from the marks to Nana's face.

"You think I want to live with this?" Nana scoffed, "My magical affinity is to Nature Magic. I lived among Denki's family for most of my life, learning only of ways to preserve and nurture life!"

"It's true," Denki nodded, "Solstice elves don't really approve of Fallen Magic either, so she didn't get it from us."

"We don't care," Mina added, unhelpfully, "It kind of seems ridiculous that you're even having this conversation. Magic is magic."

"Magic is not just magic!" Izuku shouted at her, "Fallen Magic is called that for a reason. There's harm...irreparable damage when it's used, either to yourself or others."

"And I'm taking that harm on myself so no one else has to," Nana squared her shoulders, though Shoto didn't miss the tiny glance she through his way denoting that one small secret between them that she was not actually taking this burden on alone, "If the Synod could actually handle this themselves I wouldn't hesitate to let them, there is no sense in a Renegade mage involving herself in a Summoner under normal circumstances, but the Archdemon cannot be banished and it falls to those willing to do what it takes to resolve this. Just like every other Renegade I don't want any part of this and truly I don't want the blackness of the ether on my skin, but I can't do nothing when I know I could end this horrible war."

"She's right," it surprised everyone to hear Ochako voice agreement, "About there being no point in a Renegade fighting in a Summoning. Even the Bog Mages don't get involved. We have an unspoken agreement that Summonings are the Synod's problem. And a Summoning doesn't benefit anyone but the Summoner so there's no reason for even another Fallen Mage to support it…"

"You believe her?" Izuku widened his eyes at Ochako.

The girl shot back a determined glare. "I don't know, I'm saying there's no reason for her to lie. What's there for her to gain? Going up against the Archdemon is more likely to end in everyone's deaths, isn't it? A sane person would just get out of Gaetha as fast as possible if they believed that the Synod couldn't stop the Archdemon or end the Summoning. And Shoto, your friend, believes her; maybe you should at least consider something new before deciding that the Synod's way is the only way."

There was something about the way she said and the way she stared so firmly at Izuku that told Shoto there was something more to what she was saying, but that it was only for Izuku.

"Hey, we're out of time, everyone," Kyoka snapped her fingers towards them, glancing over the dissipating shimmer of Izuku's spell.

The tension broke and if Izuku had any further argument or commentary it was shut down by Katsuki moving to the center of the group and barking orders like he was so well equipped to do.

"Everyone watch your damn mouth and keep your heads, especially you," he jabbed a finger at Izuku, "I don't give a shit what you think about all this, if our cover is blown the Archdemon will be the least of anyone's damn concerns. Me and Shoto will handle talking to these people and if you can fucking manage that we'll be out of here by the morning. If they ask you anything you're under orders not to speak about it so shut the hell up. And you three," he addressed Ochako, Izuku, and Eijiro together this time, "If any of you so much as open your mouth about anything you heard here or try to get in our way I'll separate your head from your fucking shoulders, got it?"

Izuku and Ochako glared at his curt words, but nodded tightly. Eijiro chuckled and agreed as well, which seemed a light reaction to a very serious threat, but what did he really have to fear from the Captain, after all? He was an entire dragon under that flesh disguise. The idea of Katsuki trying to kill him was probably very funny.

The spell cut out entirely and every word had to suddenly be chosen with care now. But before Shoto could even pull himself from the tumultuous pool of his own apprehensions over Izuku, their meeting was interrupted by the door opening to one of the guards informing them that dinner had been served in the mess hall and that they were welcome to join.

All other concerns drifted on the wind when faced with the opportunity to fill their aching bellies and they followed the guard eagerly to the mess hall. Like the soldiers that had ridden in with them, this guard had a friendly heir that seemed out of place for a lordship so proud as Tarlson. Many of the other faces filling the hall were more like what they expected, though, and threw suspicious looks their way. Especially at Katsuki, eyeing his Dawnfelden uniform with a wary eye. It confused Shoto, much like the harsh interaction between Katsuki and Natsuo had been. They acted like they hated each other just for the region they were born in, but also spoke of their respect to the others' accomplishments. And both parts felt genuine. There was no opportunity for prejudices like that in the Magesterium, no one had a Lordship to owe themselves too and they all lived under one creed.

When they sat down to eat, the elves shoveled down their food like they hadn't eaten in months and then took immediately to mingling with the Keep's Guard. Even in a den of Tarlson warriors they looked for connections and ways to barter favors. It was easy to get attention for them as most people in Gaetha weren't familiar with Moondancers, which made Mina stand out and draw them in. It made Shoto cringe to watch them, acting so casually at the neighboring table, Denki sitting on the table's edge, flipping a coin in his fingers, while Mina let them touch the skin on her hand to see that it was just like theirs despite being an unearthly color.

Everyone else remained in their own contemplative degree of silence. Izuku and Nana's were the most intense, both so desperately thinking over the conversation they had just had. Ochako was watching him intently and keeping her shoulders hiked in apprehension of the situation she was in, surrounded by Tarlson soldiers. Katsuki and Kyoka were sitting across from each other so no conversation was bound to happen there besides an argument.

It didn't take long for the proximity and silent frustration they had with each other to get to the Captain and bard and as soon as she cleared her plate, Kyoka left the table to join the elves in their mingling. Katsuki visibly dropped his shoulders in relief when she did and went at his food with eagerness.

The only person who really wanted to talk was Eijiro it seemed, but he could hear through the disappointed muttering in the thoughts he didn't seem to realize he was projecting, that Ochako was imploring his silence. Shoto could even see that her hand was gripping on his leg, signalling him that she didn't feel it was safe here. By the way she acted around him, Shoto might have guessed Eijiro to be the world's most inept and unaware idiot. And he did have a certain obliviousness to him, but he also got the feeling that Ochako was being overcautious.

The displeasure with being trapped silently in his seat showed in the deep frown and the way he vanquished down his food with a voracious appetite. But that ended his meal very quickly and left a second wave of disappointment when he was left staring at an empty plate.

Shoto glanced down at his own barely touched plate and then met eyes with Eijiro.

"You're still hungry?"

Eijiro nodded across the table subtly, throwing him a smile.

"This body is human, but there's still a hungry dragon in there," He verbally sighed as he stared at the cooked meat, "What I wouldn't give for a fresh kill, right now."

Shoto looked around him at the distracted faces of his companions, none noticing that he'd started mentally communicating with the dragon, even Ochako oblivious to it.

Initially he was disgusted by the idea of Eijiro tearing into raw meat, but he had seen him in his true form as well and the image changed to something befitting such a large, powerful beast.

It did catch a few eyes when Shoto pushed his plate over, but no one said anything or really paid it any attention. Eijiro thanked him in his head and perked up incredibly to have extended his meal.

While their connection was still open and no one else was talking, though, Shoto figured it was a good time to ask what had been in his head since the conversation in their room. "What do you think about everything we talked about? Do you think we're wrong too?"

Eijiro paused mid-bite and took a look at those around him.

"About the Summoner?"

"That and using Fallen Magic to fight him."

His head tilted at Shoto, eyebrow raised and then he flinched when a loud voice cut off the mental conversation.

"The fuck are you looking at, kid?" Katsuki glared suspiciously at Eijiro who was eying Shoto curiously.

"Huh?" Eijiro blinked.

"Hey, back off," Ochako slammed her fist on the table of the Captain.

"Don't tell me what to do, fatface," Katsuki hissed in return.

Ochako's seat shifted and Eijiro was the one grabbing her to keep her down this time as she physically got ready to get into this fight. Izuku snagged her arm as well and they both pulled her back down as Shoto frowned over Katsuki. Ochako looked at the Captain with the devil in her eye, but Izuku's expression only got stricter.

"We can't be starting fight's here, Ochako," he whispered.

"Katsuki, settle down," Nana said calmly, taking another methodical bite of food, "We're all on edge and Izuku is right, we don't need to draw any more attention. Let the boy look where he wants, he's not hurting anyone."

Hot air shot out of Katsuki's nose and he pushed up to his feet, dropping his palms viciously on the table at the three on the other side.

"Watch yourselves," he whispered like a python.

He stepped away from the table and wordlessly left the hall, shoulders, shoulders hiked up and body tight.

"Is he okay?" Eijiro arched an eyebrow after him, "Why is he always so angry?"

"I wish I knew," Shoto just shrugged and sighed.

"Thank you," Izuku gave a small nod to Nana and then returned to his sulked contemplation of the food on his plate.

Ochako forced herself back down roughly into her seat. "My face isn't even that fat," she grumbled.

Eijiro turned back around and pinched a rather plump cheek in inspection, before it was swatted away.

"Humans are all so squishy, but you definitely have a bit more squish than the rest of them," he said quietly, chuckling.

Nana darted a glance at him, but said nothing and the weirdly worded comment.

Shoto ground his teeth and shot a glare at Eijiro. "Watch what you're saying, unless you want people to suspect you aren't human."

Eijiro's eyes widened and he nodded. "You're right. Sorry."

"Do you have an answer to my question?"

Eijiro settled back and returned to his food like nothing had just happened. "I don't really know, Mage. I don't understand human magic all that well. I don't even understand dragon magic. The only magic I've ever been around has been Ochako and the Bog Mages'. They've talked about Fallen Magic before, but I don't really understand the difference. All magic comes from the Ether, some of it's just stronger than others. It's how you use it that makes it good or bad, right?"

"That's what Nana says too," Shoto turned his eyes to the older woman, to the weathered corners of her eyes and the smile lines around her mouth. The years of joy and struggle telling their story in her skin and in her eyes.

"I don't think I like that Stone, though," Eijiro added, "It makes everything taste like Ether. I didn't like how it made me feel."

"How did it make you feel?" Shoto gave a slight quirk to his eyebrow.

Eijiro's eyes dropped, something bashful or saddened in his body, his glances towards Ochako deeply telling.

"It was like I was longing for something I'd never seen before," he sounded confused, "Like I wanted to follow where it was going. I didn't like the taste or the smell, but somehow I still wanted more of it… It's hard to explain."

Shoto considered that description with interest, curious for himself why he felt the stone differently from Nana and the others and more than anything hoping to distract himself from the other more pressing issues surrounding them right now. He had noticed his uncomfortable reaction to it earlier and was hoping that maybe Eijiro had felt the same thing as him, but that didn't seem to be the case. But it was a dragon's reaction versus a human's reaction so he shouldn't have been surprised or disappointed that their experience was not the same.

"At the Magesterium they told us that dragons originated from the Ether," Shoto tried to regurgitate old lessons, "I don't know if that's true, but if it is, maybe you have a natural inclination to return to it, like the Stone does."

"Like a demon?" Eijiro's head popped up.

"No...well, not that I know," Shoto hesitated there, unsure how to express this, "You're the first dragon I've ever met so I don't know much from experience. I know I've never heard a good story about dragons, which is exactly why you're hiding. The accepted opinion on dragons is that they are either inherently evil or mindless animals with too much destructive power."

"That's why humans hunted us… Killed us and treated us like animals."

"But that was also what we were told to accept about Renegade Mages," Shoto stared at his hands, folded on the table, "that they are irredeemable and will always Fall. It's hard to know what's true anymore."

Eijiro smiled at him and there was a tiny warm feeling in his chest. Shoto shifted and shuddered to make it go away.

"But you know better now," he finished the rest of Shoto's plate, "And if you and Izuku can change your opinions on dragons and Renegade mages, maybe others can too."

"Maybe so…"

To be entirely truthful, Shoto didn't quite know his own opinion on those two entities as a whole, there were far too many years of Synod teaching and intense warnings in his head to throw caution to the wind so entirely. But he did know that he trusted Nana and that he felt inclined to trust Eijiro too. He wanted to trust Ochako, but that trust felt reliant on Izuku vouching for her and right now there was a lot of uncertainty around what Izuku would do with the information he'd learned today.

"Izuku," it almost felt strange to talk aloud again when he called for the other's mage's attention.

He met Shoto's eye as he stood and jerked his head towards the door.

"We should talk," he felt his gut drop at his own words, but also a small prick of relief that Izuku nodded and moved to follow the action.

"Good luck, mage," Ejirio encouraged, seeming to pick up on the reason for the sudden shift without Shoto explaining.

Izuku put a hand on Ochako's shoulder and asked her and Eijiro to be careful and then left the mess hall at Shoto's heels.

Guards kept their eyes on them as the two silently went in search of a semi private location in the wing they were fairly restricted to. It took some exploration and wandering, but they eventually found themselves on the ramparts that overlooked the Keep's training grounds. It was luckily empty on the where they stood and far enough above to not be overhead by those raining below.

Shoto moved to the railing to look down at everything and Izuku leaned his back against it, not interested in watching the drills of the Tarlson men moving in scarily efficient formations, precision and power in every swipe of a sword or bash of a shield. It was difficult for Shoto to tear his eyes away from them, though, remembering as they moved the training he had watched so many times at the fronts and the fear he felt while his own cohort engaged in their own drills. Remembered how they were all so young and inexperienced and so ill prepared for a war.

"Shoto," Izuku's voice was quiet, but strong, "This isn't right… I don't know what happened out there, but Fallen Magic is just-"

"I should be dead, Izuku," Shoto cut him off and quieted the complaint, "I have no right to be alive. There is nothing in this world more clear to me than how completely I have cheated death with every breath I take."

"What are you talking about?" Izuku pinched his eyebrows.

"You cannot understand desperation and abandonment the way I've known it," Shoto went on, then glared downward, "The Synod looked at you and saw someone worthy of the Center Magesterium, of the High Circle, of every support and respect. They looked at me and they saw a bit of flesh to throw at the Archdemon. There is no greater threat in this world than that monster, nothing more skin crawling then feeling how the Ether just ebbs off of it. I saw men desert and gladly take execution over standing in the wake of the Summoners armies a moment longer. Trained, battle worn men wet themselves when the gates opened and they were faced with the reanimated remains of their friends, brought back to life just to cleave them."

Shoto's hand went up to his face, his fingers running down the mangled, divots of flesh running from his forehead to his chin. There was a flinch from Izuku as his crossed arms tightened.

"Every man fought despite it," Shoto said more calmly than he felt, "We all stood there and looked death in the eye. Ten thousand men, four cohorts."

Panic was a rising mass in Shoto's chest, but he fought through the desire to crumble under it.

"When Nana arrived we had just over a thousand soldiers left," Shoto's lip shook, "And I was the only mage left standing."

Izuku swallowed, his voice not as confident as it was trying to be, "It's war, Shoto…"

"Easy for you to say," Shoto groaned, "The label you put on it doesn't change a horror from being a horror. What those Demons did to Landsleave was nothing, but it easily could have been a small version of it. The three of us barely took down the one Major Demon...and by all rights we shouldn't have managed that if our experience is anything to judge by. But both times the only thing that kept the very field where we stood from being a place of genocide was Nana… It was Blood Magic."

He expected an offended response, but Izuku was silent. His green eyes bored into Shoto, but he couldn't meet them.

"She didn't harm any of us by using it either," Shoto explained, "She decimated that Major Demon on her own with just the power of her own blood at Landsleave. At the fronts she took power from the recently dead and in front of my eyes a Shrike Demon crumbled to ash with the same effort it took to flick her wrist. And then ripped the Archdemon into its last shreds of life."

It was still quiet from the other mage, but Izuku's mind was obviously racing.

"The Archdemon retreated like a wounded animal," Shoto breathed out into those words, still amazed by what he'd witnessed, "The Summoner kept it clinging to life, but it was so wounded it gave up its fight with us. You know as well as I do that that is unheard of. The Synod could never have."

Shoto pushed away from the railing to look at Izuku head on, to lock eyes and drive home the intent.

"We were abandoned by the Synod, Izuku," he lifted his chin, "They took the most equipped people away from where they were needed most to be replaced with inexperienced fighters and there have been no apparent efforts to even find the Summoner. They sent novice mages to their deaths without explanation, without proper training. Our reinforcements from the Synod and from the other Lordships all came too slowly and the fronts fell before they even set foot in Dawnfell. And once again I owed my very life to Nana. She drug me and Katsuki from the encampment and split the very earth to keep the enemy at bay."

Shoto waited this time, waited to hear Izuku's response, to hear him say anything. And when he did finally speak, Shoto flinched on the mixed nature of his tone.

"If you had told me this yesterday, I would have beaten you senseless and brought back to the Magesterium in chains for having lost your mind," Izuku glared at the ground and then shook his head, "But...Landsleave made it clear what the forces of the ether are capable of. And if I hadn't met Ochako I wouldn't have believed that a Renegade Mage could be anything but evil or ignorant. I still don't know what to think, Shoto, but I know you believe what you're doing is right… And you're right. I wasn't there, how could I know how bad things really are? How could I know what the solution is? But...Blood Magic…"

"I know," Shoto sighed in agreement, "It's wrong no matter my excuses. But we don't intend to use others for this and if the only harm that is done is to the mage using it, it is worth that for the sake of ending this. We have already come to terms with our fate and do not regret doing what we must."

"We?" Izuku turned to fully face Shoto, who shrunk under the inspecting stare. In it there was more concern than judgment, though.

"Nana can't do it alone," Shoto let his hands dangle at his sides, clammy with the thought of it, "We can't count on an army of freshly dead to aid us, but luckily the blood of mages courses with raw magic and the pure taint of the ether. A few drops of my own blood can make me stronger than my most powerful spell. Combined there is a chance we may have the strength to end the Archdemon."

"You...you can't be serious," Izuku pushed away from the rampart, opening his hands to Shoto, "Shoto, if you use Blood Magic even once you'll-"

"I will be executed, disavowed, or reconditioned," Shoto nodded, unable to keep the fallen look from his eyes, "I know and I've already accepted that. I will deserve whatever they do to me for my crimes, but I have no doubt that it must be done."

"It doesn't have to be!"

Shoto felt his forearms suddenly taken into Izuku's graspd, desperation in every motion and the look that turned up to his friend, pleading.

"Izuku-"

"No, you don't need to sacrifice your future over this," Izuku shook his head, "It's not too late, just give this up and return to the Center Magesterium with me. We can explain your absence from the fronts and get you pardon and-"

"I can't," Shoto tugged to get away from Izuku, but the shorter man's strength surprised him, "We already told you this is too important and the Synod is unwilling or unable to do anything about it. I'm capable of doing something worthwhile and I'm willing to face the consequences for it. If Nana does it alone it could kill her and the Archdemon might not even die for the effort she gives alone. For whatever reason she believes I have the power to do it. She…she marveled at my power when she met me...when I should have been more astounded by hers. She questioned the same things I didn't realize I was questioning and she faced her own harsh fate with more grace than I ever could. I'm alive because of her and I owe her my assistance, my life...my loyalty until the end of this. I know it is not the Synod's job to coddle their mages, but I have never heard from our masters the things that Nana has said to me. I have never been encouraged the way she has encouraged me. I can't help how I feel about this, Izuku, and I would rather die helping Nana save the world than hide away in a Magesterium while I wait for the world to burn around us."

Izuku tightened his grip when Shoto tried to pull away again and fixed his gaze more firmly. There was a certain understanding that only Izuku had ever shown to Shoto in those big green eyes and every moment he went without a response from his friend of many years hurt all the more. This was why attachments were discouraged in the Synod, because they created these conflicts of spirit instead of a mindless adherence to law. But his attachment to Nana had already gotten him here and his attachment to Izuku was a minor pain in comparison to what giving up on his decision would feel.

"I think I understand," Izuku grimaced, "But I care that what you're doing could ruin you...that it could damn you. I don't want you to do something you can't take back."

Finally Shoto stopped trying to get away and just relaxed into the tight hold, angling his eyes downward, just past Izuku's face.

"It's already too late for me. I've already used Blood Magic."

Izuku's hands jerked away and it stung more than a slap.

"How could you-"

"It wasn't on purpose the first time," Shoto shot hot air from his nose, "I was bleeding and desperate and I didn't even know that I was doing it."

"You can't accidentally use Blood Magic!" Izuku snapped, then looked around and softened his voice from any prying ears, "That's impossible."

"I'm aware," Shoto pursed his mouth, shaking his head down at the training below, "I never wanted to acknowledge that, but it's the most unsettling part. It must mean that I have never been salvageable. I thought I was just cursed like you, but maybe I was just born Fallen…"

"No one is born Fallen," Izuku ran fingers through tight curls.

"We're born cursed, aren't we?" Shoto stuck him with a stabbing glare, "Why can't be we born Fallen under that same logic?"

"I can't believe that." The angered, fearful response had lessened, but Izuku still stood at a distance.

"It doesn't matter," Shoto shook his head, resting his arms back against the railing, "Whatever the reason, Blood Magic comes disturbingly easy for me. I've always been damned so I might as well use the power to help Nana and defend our world."

A haunting quiet entered the ramparts and the sounds of clanking shields and practice swords were like a buzzing to Shoto's ears; something to fill the silence, but agitating enough to make his skin crawl.

Eventually Shoto choked out his last point, turned away a shaking lip to get out the words on his tongue, unable to look at Izuku as he said them.

"I believe everything I was taught," he said, "Nana doesn't believe in the mission of the Synod, but I do. I believe that the Cursed have to strive every day to work their way away from damnation, while the untainted get to choose their path. I believe that the magic of the Fallen is, at its heart, evil and I've felt it in my skin how it taints and corrupts the very flesh that uses it. And I intend to pay for my wrongs when this is over."

He inhaled deeply and managed to turn his mismatched eyes up to Izuku and keep his voice in check.

"When the Archdemon is dead, I want you to wait for me at the Center Magesterium," Shoto requested, "I want to turn myself over to you. You're better than most of us Izuku. Even when you look the very betrayal of our ways in the face you are somehow understanding, somehow kind… Please advocate for my reconditioning. I don't want to be banished to the wastelands. I don't want to live with the evil I will have allowed to corrupt me. I would rather remember nothing and be mindless."

The air in Shoto's lungs caught in his throat when a tear rolled down Izuku's face. "Shoto...how could you ask me to do that? You're my friend…"

"And as my friend I need you to protect me from a worse fate than what I might receive," Shoto straightened again, "And I need you to keep them from going after Nana. If the blame is all on me they won't try to find her. Please, Izuku, there's no changing the path I've decided to take, all I can do is ask that you help manage the damages."

Izuku searched his face and a few more tears came with it. He was always more prone to emotional displays than other Mages and even though Shoto's chest ached with want to show an ounce of what Izuku did, he kept it under guard and pushed it down with the rest of the horrors in his heart.

"No," he finally responded.

"Izuku, please-"

"No," Izuku stomped his foot, "I won't sit around at the Center Magesterium waiting for you to come home a Fallen Mage! No...I'll come with you. I'll find another way."

"There is no other-"

"Stop!" Izuku got right in his face, determined, "I won't accept that… I won't stop you either, because after everything I've heard today I'm afraid that I'm starting to believe you; that this may be the only thing that could end this Summoning. But if there's another way I want to help you find it. And if there is no other option then I'll bring you back to the Magesterium myself and I'll defend you with everything I have!"

Shoto's jaw fell loose and any response got stuck in his throat. It was nothing like what he expected, but at the same time it was so like Izuku he wondered why he ever thought he would do anything different. Izuku followed his heart and never looked back. It was easy to see how he had formulated a bond with Ochako and Eijiro. The fool had probably tried to save the Renegade Mage from herself. He probably tried to preach to her and make her come to the Magesterium as a willing disciple.

And he was doing the same thing now. He was trying to save Shoto from himself. Determined to find a way out, to show him to the light when there was none left to be found.

"Izuku, I can't let you put yourself in this situation," Shoto tried to dissuade his decision, though he hoped he wouldn't hear it, hear fully warmed by the thought of Izuku staying with him, "You have what every Mage wants; you have a place at the Center Magesterium, you are on the path to the High Circle. You can't throw that away on a meager chance to save me from a fate that has already been determined. I've already committed the crime, if I quit now I would still be guilty."

"So what if you are?" Izuku said firmly, "I'd never forgive myself if I let you take this on alone. Besides...I'm already missing in action. I was supposed to report back to the Center Magesterium days ago. I'm already past being saved from my master's wrath. I'll be put in my place either way."

"But-"

"Enough," Izuku huffed, "I'm not going to hear it. I won't condone it, but I want to help. This is obviously more serious than Synod protocol. Ending this war takes precedence and I'd rather be a part of it than be trapped at the Center Magesterium twiddling my thumbs. Besides, I've never heard of a Mage becoming Magestrate by playing it safe."

There was a smile on Izuku's face, sort of masking the unpleasant topic that underwrote the conversation. Even Shoto felt a slight twinge on the corner of his mouth at watching the determination in Izuku's stance, a physical show that he wouldn't be told no, his lesser height meaning little to nothing in him making his point clear.

All Shoto could really do was lower his head in a slow nod to show both that he accepted Izuku's decision and that he was grateful. There was an ease in his heart to know that there would be another of his own among them, especially since he knew what Shoto had done and was sticking around despite it. It gave a sense of hopefulness that Shoto never expected to feel again.

With light beginning to fade on the day and even the soldier's below putting away their swords for the night, Shoto nodded towards the door for them to return to the others. Izuku walked at his side this time, an easy silence between them now instead of that burning tension. The guards in the halls eyed them, cautious as they were of their guests, but Shoto didn't care.

"You still think you'll be Magestrate someday?" Shoto hummed nostalgically on the last point Izuku slipped into the conversation.

"I'm not an idiot, Shoto," Izuku shrugged one shoulder, "I know it takes a certain amount of luck and influence in the High Circle to get there, but if anyone can make it happen…" there was an endearing smugness in his grin, "Let's just say it's going to be me and I'll take bets on it. I'll do it despite you if I have to."

Izuku's elbow nudged Shoto's side and the taller mage exhaled with amusement. It felt so much like the old days at the Magesterium, even the uncertain looks from those around them making it feel oddly like home. The only real difference was that Shoto wasn't wishing Izuku would just disappear and bother somebody else like he remembered feeling constantly when the mage would try to talk to him in the hallways on their way to their studies every single day. It was amazing what a few month's in an earthbound hell could change about a person's perspective.

Jealousies aside, Shoto regretted the time he'd spent trying to avoid Izuku when they were younger. Shoto didn't have many options in friends and he really should have been more accepting towards the one person who had gone out of his way to be friends with him.

But fate was giving him another chance to make up for that, to do better, to refocus his priorities, to appreciate what he had while he still had it. Fate was sometimes merciful and the people he was allowing in his life now were all representations of that.

Shoto smiled very lightly to himself, heart at peace, despite the overhanging threats and uncertainties of their situation.

"I have no doubt you will."