Part Eight
"Riou?!" Arin exclaimed before Daunte could speak. He gasped loudly. "You are Riou!" he raced forward, fumbling with his bag until he pulled out the figurine in question. "C-Can you sign this, please?"
Riou stared blankly at the child as the woman burst into loud laughter, and the other young man laughed. "Wow! Your popularity never ceases to amaze me, Little Brother?"
Little Brother? Daunte wondered, but Caesar pulled on his arm before he could say it out loud. "Excuse me," Caesar announced as they moved forward. Riou was fumbling with his pockets. "If you are Lord Riou, then am I correct in guessing that you are Nanami?"
"I am," Nanami said casually, though she pointed her tri-nunchaku at Caesar warningly. "But how do you know that?"
"Because he's a Silverberg, Nanami," the blonde-haired young man sighed heavily. "Either Albert or Caesar, I don't know which."
"Caesar," Caesar quickly confirmed. "My grandfather told you about us then?"
The young man shrugged, and Daunte noticed that they did not refer to him by name. He didn't bring attention to this though. Riou had found a pan in his pocket and looked like he was trying to sign his name on one of the figurine's legs.
"L-Lord Riou," Viki said, moving forward. Both Riou and Nanami did a double take when they saw her. "It's been a long time. I-I'm happy to see you."
"Hey, aren't you that teleportation girl?" Nanami asked her. She laughed loudly. "You don't look a day older than the last time we saw you!"
"We were on our way to Banner Village to cross the Dunan-Toran Border," Caesar explained to the trio. "Are you guys on your way there as well? We had heard a rumor that you were in the Grasslands."
"We just came from the Grasslands," the blonde-haired boy told them. "Well more specifically, we just came from Harmonia and we crossed through the Grasslands to get here. But yes, we're on our way to Toran as well."
"Would you like to travel with us?" Daunte offered. He heard their escort exclaim positively upon hearing this. "Traveling in a larger group is safer, is it not?"
"It'll make us a bigger target, but having extra hands to fight enemies wouldn't hurt," Gunther said. He looked at the Dunan soldiers. "Are you guys all right? That hole was pretty steep."
"W-We should be fine," one soldier said, though he was nursing his shoulder. "We—"
"Great Blessing."
Riou had been silent up to this point, so hearing him suddenly talk startled Daunte. He saw the image of a golden shield rise into the air, and his hand twitched in response. All of the soldiers were enveloped in the spell, and Daunte saw their injuries be healed. What an amazing healing spell! It reminds me of Howl!
"L-Lord Riou, thank you!" one of the soldiers shouted. Again they all sank to their knees in kowtow before the hero of the Dunan Unification War. "You are too kind, just like the stories say!"
"It was nothing," Riou said, his expression solemn as he retreated back to his sister's side. Daunte wanted to ask him about his Rune, but a chorus of guttural roars to his left startled him. The group turned to see a hoard of six Minotaurus's charging towards the group. All six of them were carrying large maces in their hands and had them raised above their heads. The soldiers drew their weapons and Gunther jumped in front of Daunte, but Daunte threw his hand up. "Berate!"
The spell did significant damage to all six Minotaurus's, and as they stumbled back Riou and his friend surged forward. "Buddy Attack!" the young man yelled. They circled around the enemy and then attacked all six simultaneously. The unite attack was strong enough to take all six of them down.
Though Daunte's spell had the most devastating impact on the enemies, the Dunan soldiers surrounded Riou and his friend and gave them all of the congratulations. Daunte however wasn't offended and laughed a little as he looked at Caesar. "It's getting late. We're not going to make it to Banner Village by nightfall, I think."
"I agree," Caesar said. He gave his usual lazy smile as he addressed Riou and the soldiers. "We were thinking of making camp soon. We should all camp together."
"I agree," Nanami said, striking a pose. "It will be less dangerous that way!"
"But you guys are so strong," Arin pointed out. "It would be more dangerous for the monsters than us if we camp out here, right?"
"He has a good point," Gunther laughed, though his eyes were narrowed at the Dunan soldiers. "But I really wish they would give you some thanks, Lord Daunte."
"It's fine, I'm not offended," Daunte said. "Lord Riou is a hero of this country so they're going to have a degree of bias towards him."
They set up a proper campsite for the group at nightfall, but before Daunte could eat he felt someone grab his arm. He turned and saw the blonde-haired young man who traveled with Riou and Nanami. "Can we speak with you in private, Lord Daunte?"
"Ah…" Daunte looked behind him and saw Riou standing there. He looked towards his friends, all of whom were watching them. Daunte waved them off reassuringly. "Sure. I would love to speak with you."
Riou and his friend led Daunte away from the campsite, though not so far that they were no longer in sight. Daunte was fairly certain though that the others would not be able to hear them. "H-How can I help you?"
"Before we go further I will introduce myself," the blonde-haired boy said. He gestured to his own chest. "My names is Jowy Atreides. Formally known as Jowy Blight."
Daunte stiffened, his eyes going wide. Blight? Then he is…?
"Ah," Jowy said, undoubtedly reading Daunte's emotions on his face. "You know the name Blight. I was—am—a Blight by marriage. Luca Blight was my brother-in-law. I was—am—married to his sister Jillia."
Daunte gaped at him. Was? Am? Is he married or is he not?
Jowy continued. "Because of this, I must ask you to not refer to me by name in front of any citizens of Dunan. The Blight name is obviously not very popular in this region, but I'm not exactly popular either given my actions during the Dunan Unification War. People think I'm dead, and I want to keep it that way."
"You did what was necessary," Riou said but Jowy raised a hand sharply. "We're not having this argument again, Riou. No matter what my intentions were, my actions killed innocent people. I will need to repent for their deaths for as long as I shall live."
Daunte's stomach twisted in discomfort upon hearing this. He had so many questions for the two of them, but the words that burst out were, "Your wife?"
"Jillia," Jowy said. "People also think she's dead, but I faked her death for her safety. She's not responsible for the atrocities her brother committed, but if people knew she was alive her life would still be in danger. This way was better, so that she can carry on with a normal life in Harmonia."
T-They just came from Harmonia. Then…did they visit with Jillia? But Daunte decided to not ask that. "You said…you killed innocent people during the war."
"The Highland Kingdom and the City-States of Jowston both had terrible governments and neither wanted long-term peace," Jowy said. "Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that the only way the war would end is if both countries were forcibly unified as one. That way they could no longer declare war on each other. It was the outcome that I thought would bring about everlasting peace, but…" he ducked his head. "There is no denying the fact that the road to my idea of peace was paved with gravestones. Gravestones that I helped create. I must atone for my actions, and I will live to make that atonement."
"But we didn't ask to speak to you to give you exposition of our lives," Riou said suddenly, looking at Daunte.
"R-Right," Daunte said, nodding. "How can I help you?"
Riou looked down at Daunte's right hand. "Your rune on that hand. Can you show it to us?"
"U-Uh, sure." Daunte pulled back his glove, though he kept his fingers covered and showed the two the back of his hand. "T…This is the Rune of Restoration."
"That's a True Rune, isn't it?" Jowy asked him.
Daunte stiffened and gaped at them as he put his glove back on. "Y-Yes! But how did you…?"
Both of them responded by raising their right hands and taking off their gloves. Riou and Jowy presented the back of their hands to Daunte side by side. On the back of Riou's hand was the image of a golden shield. On the back of Jowy's hand was a red sword.
"I have the Black Sword Rune," Jowy told Daunte.
"I have the Bright Shield Rune," Riou added. "Together, they are the Rune of the Beginning."
"The Rune of…" Daunte's voice trailed off as he looked at the both of them. "Then—These are True Runes too, aren't they?"
"Each one-half of a True Rune," Riou confirmed, sliding his glove back on. "Your Rune probably reacted when we used our Runes. Our Runes reacted to yours, and that's how we knew that it was a True Rune."
"T-Then, if you both have True Runes," Daunte said, gesturing to them. "Then—you two are immortal too, right? That's why you look much younger t-than your sister?"
"We're not technically immortal," Jowy said. "Because we each have one-half of a True Rune we are still aging, just as a much slower rate. As such we don't know how long either of us will live."
Daunte looked at their hands again. "Sword…and Shield…"
"Just as the world was formed from the of Sword and Shield, our Runes were destined for conflict," Jowy said. "My Black Sword Rune was powerful, too powerful for my body. It almost killed me. But I—rather, Riou…" he looked at his friend. "No matter what I did—the crimes I committed, the lives I took—Riou never once lost faith in me. Riou never gave in to the urge of conflict that was supposed to exist between Sword and Shield. Even after I…tried to force him to kill me, he would not do so."
"I don't like being bound by fate," Riou said solemnly. "It was my fate as the Tenkai Star to lead the 108 Stars of Destiny to victory, but I refused to be a permanent ruler. And it was my fate to slay the wielder of the Black Sword Rune—but I couldn't kill my best friend."
"Ultimately, it was our friendship that overcame the rivalry between Sword and Shield," Jowy said. "And it is our friendship that allows us to maintain a harmonious peace between the two Rune halves."
"That is…quite amazing," Daunte said softly. "It's no wonder your war is so popular."
Both Riou and Jowy's face twisted in confusion. "Popular?" Riou asked.
Daunte shrugged stiffly, feeling awkward. "I-I mean, that figurine my brother gave you to sign? My Army has a whittler who makes figurines of heroes for five past wars, and he said the figurines of your war are in such high demand that he cannot keep up with it."
"So our war is the most popular of the five wars he takes orders for?" Jowy asked. "I don't know if we should feel flattered or not."
"Regardless, thank you for sharing this with me," Daunte said, bowing slightly.
"Your True Rune is a parent rune, right?" Riou asked him. Daunte nodded. "For which rune?"
"The Resurrection Rune."
"I think you got lucky in that regard," Jowy muttered.
"We've said enough," Riou said, looking back towards camp. "I can already see Nanami getting ansty. We should go back."
Daunte had many more questions, but he decided to keep them to himself. But he couldn't stop one question from surfacing in his mind. Both Riou and Jowy fought for their own idea of peace, but they didn't want to rule. Why?
The next morning Daunte approached Viki and asked her to teleport them to Banner Village, as that was a village they had been to before. Viki for her part raised her Blinking Rune and tried to teleport them all, but when the light of the rune faded they were still in the same spot. "I-I'm sorry," Viki stammered, looking at her rune. "I don't know why the rune won't take us there."
So we cannot avoid the travel to get back to the Dunan-Toran border. So then…we will probably have to walk all the way back to Lukiae Ende Towayo anyway.
Regardless of the lack of teleportation, the group crossed Dunan Lake arrived at Banner Village all in the same day by dusk. It was an eventful trip as Nanami proved to be very talkative and spoke nonstop for a few hours. It was admittedly a little exhausting but Riou and Jowy were obviously used to it.
It look little time for the villagers of Banner Village to recognize Riou, which whipped the residents up into a frenzy. Nanami and Riou each spent over an hour signing autographs for people while Jowy discreetly slipped away to the inn. Even with the gaggle of citizens fawning over their hero, it was felt that they should not close the distance to the border at night and retired to the inn.
We're closer to getting home at least.
As they checked in, Daunte found an item box in the inn's lobby. "This is a sound set," he said, holding it up. "'Sound set 03'."
"Liron will appreciate that," Gunther said. Daunte wondered if he should take the item, but the innkeeper and no one in the lobby said or did anything to stop him. Satisfied that no one cared, he ducked the sound set into his satchel.
As everyone retired to bed Daunt was pulled aside again, this time by Riou alone. "Let's talk outside," he said.
Daunte followed him out of the inn and north to the dock of a fishing pond. Riou took a seat on on the dock and Daunte cautiously sat beside him. The full moonlight illuminated the pond. "You have subordinates who defer to you and you have a Silverberg as an ally. You are fighting a revolution in your home country, yes?"
"I am," Daunte confirmed, nodding. "I'm the Commander of Nagarea's Liberation Army. I'm seeking to overthrow the Theocracy."
"Why?" Riou asked him bluntly.
Daunte hesitated, debating if he should tell Riou to mind his own business or reveal the truth to him. Ultimately he decided that Riou was someone he could trust and he quickly explained to him his motives. The corruption of the Theocracy, everything he had suffered, everything the people of Nagarea suffered…he saw the empathy in Riou's face and he was comforted by it.
"That's horrible," Riou said when Daunte finished. "I'm sorry that you have gone through that. You surely have a just cause and I know that you'll be successful."
"W-Would you like to join us?" Daunte offered. He remembered how Tir had rejected him and he suspected Riou would do the same, but he still wanted to ask.
"No," Riou said bluntly. "Nanami, Jowy, and I will never join any Army again. We had our fill of war and bloodshed. What we've gone through has been enough. I'm sorry, I'm sure your Army needs the allies but we are not those allies."
"No, I understand completely. But I still wanted to ask."
"Caesar said you all traveled all the way here to learn about different styles of government. Do you intend on becoming the ruler of Nagarea when you win your war?"
"I don't know," Daunte answered honestly. "T-There are still many things that I need to learn. But can I ask you something else?"
"Sure."
"Why didn't you want to rule Dunan?"
Riou shrugged stiffly. "Because ruling Dunan was not my endgame goal. All I wanted to do was end the war and stop the killing. All I wanted was my family back. Nanami, Jowy—they are my family, and the war tore us apart. I had no interest in ruling. I did enough ruling when I led my Army, and it was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. I never had the fortitude to rule Dunan, whereas Teresa does. She has done a far better job than I would have done. I met my goal, and now I strive for a peaceful and uneventful life with my family. That is what makes me content."
Daunte swallowed thickly, and Riou held his gaze for a long time. Finally he said, "If you don't feel comfortable ruling, then don't allow your allies to pressure you into that position. If you become a ruler against your will, it will not benefit anyone. But you need to do what's right for your country. You need to choose a form of government that will benefit all. And you need to select a ruler who will benefit all, whether or not that ruler is yourself."
Daunte let out a shaky breath and nodded. "Thank you, Lord Riou. I will give this a lot of thought."
Both jumped suddenly as they heard screams of delight behind them. They turned and saw a large group of people standing on land blocking the dock. "…The people found us," Riou said dryly.
When Daunte and his allies woke up the next morning, they immediately noticed that the trio was gone. Daunte was disheartened that they were gone, but he shook it off. They each have one-half of a True Rune. Like with Tir, I'll inevitably run into them again.
"I'm not surprised they're gone," Gunther said idly. "With the way the villagers were acting, it was best that they leave in the night."
"Aw, I wished I had said goodbye to them!" Viki said mournfully. "It was nice to see them again!"
"How come you know so many people?" Arin asked her. "People from Falena, Toran, and even Dunan all recognized you."
"Because she participated in all their vital wars," Caesar told him.
"Y-Yes, I did," Viki confirmed.
Daunte wanted to know how that was possible, but before he could speak there was a sharp knock on the door. "Dignitaries of Nagarea?"
Daunte recognized this voice and hurried to the door. He opened it to greet the hardened face of Viola. "Lieutenant Viola. It's nice to see you again."
Viola started slightly, as though she were not expecting Daunte to be so polite to her. She recovered though and pushed herself into the group's shared inn room. "It was not that long ago that we last saw each other. Barely a week ago."
"Feels like four years ago," Gunther muttered.
"What?" Viola asked in confusion.
"Are you here to escort us to the border?" Caesar interjected.
"I am," Viola said, nodding. "I had my hands tied so I couldn't escort you from Muse to here. I heard that you were ambushed by bandits and I offered my sincerest apologies for not being there to help you."
"It's fine," Daunte said, nodding. "We're glad to have you here now." He had an impulsive idea and blurted out, "Would you consider joining my Army?"
"Join your Army?" Viola echoed incredulously. She looked Daunte over and scoffed. "At your low level? Forgive me, but I could not forsake my position in the Dunan Army for such a weak commander."
"Excuse you?!" Gunther snapped, jumping to his feet. He pointed at her warningly. "You're a beautiful woman but don't ever insult my Lord like that again!"
"Gunther, it's fine," Daunte said, raising his arm. The rest of the room was also tense from her insult. He looked at Viola. "I put you on the spot when you are already obligated to the Army you serve. My proposal was inappropriate and I apologize for that."
Viola looked around the room silently for a long moment. Then she looked back at Daunte. "President Teresa is very liberal with the comings and goings of the soldiers who serve in the Dunan Army. She does not have a problem with soldiers who take sabbaticals so long as those sabbaticals are not in opposition of the Dunan Republic."
"We're not in opposition to your country," Daune quickly reassured her.
"I will consider your offer," Viola said. "But only after you build your strength. I will not join you now at the level you are at."
Daunte nodded. "I appreciate that. Thank you."
"We should probably be going now though," Caesar interjected. "The villagers will not be happy once they realize Lord Riou already left."
"Lord Riou was here?!" Viola exclaimed, her eyes going wide. "Where is he now?!"
"A-Ah, we don't know," Daunte said sheepishly, rubbing at his head.
Viola was very disappointed that she missed out on meeting Riou, but she quickly joined their Dunan escort to bring them back to the Dunan-Toran border. The closer they got to the border, the more elated Daunte felt. Even though he enjoyed his time in both Toran and Dunan, he was eager to get home.
They said their goodbyes to Viola and the Dunan soldiers, and the gate to the border closed behind them when they all heard a familiar shout behind them. "Hey!"
Daunte's eyes widened as he saw Sharon running towards them, followed by two sheepish-looking Dragon Knights. She cradled Suna in her arms and both Azul and Zǐsè were curled around her shoulders. "Long time no see!" She greeted them cheerfully. "I was wondering when you guys would be coming back!"
"Hello Sharon," Caesar said, his tone a little tense. "We didn't expect to see you again."
"I'm a member of your Army, am I not? I'm going back with you to Nagarea."
"But your mother—" Daunte began.
"I'm an adult woman," Sharon interjected firmly. "And I will do what I want. And what I want to do is go back with you guys! So here I am!"
Daunte felt everyone's eyes on him. He could sense that Sharon left home without consulting her mother, and the two Dragon Knights with had undoubtedly tried and failed to bring her home. He knew that he could agree to bring her back and risk the wrath of the Dragon Knights, or leave her behind and lose a comrade.
But he didn't take long to ponder. He smiled and extended a hand to her. "Welcome back."
"Then let's get out of here before Commander Milia finds us," Caesar said quickly. He looked at the Dragon Knights. "You brought your dragons, yes? Could you give us a ride to Lukiae Ende Towayo?"
"That will definitely be a lot faster than walking," Gunther said.
"…All right," one of the knights said reluctantly. "But yes, let's make haste before the cave realizes what's going on."
"Yay, we get to ride the dragons again!" Arin cheered.
Riding on the dragons did prove to be just as adventurous as it was before, but it did indeed take a lot less time than walking. Daunte looked towards the ground, and though his vision spun from the great height he saw the expansive forest…and the lopsided clearing made by the skyship. "There!"
The dragons swept towards the ground and though he was unsteady on his feet Daunte felt exhilarated. He laughed as he saw his allies; Hero and James standing on the roof of the skyship. Silvano sitting with Kaylani and their son. Luciano calmly sipping sea on the hill. Umeko sparring with Rubi. Barō sitting on the ground with his back against the skyship, cradling his gun with a stony expression. Milia and Futch advancing on them—
Wait, Milia and Futch?!
"SHARON!" Milia thundered, her face twisted in rage. "You have defied me for the last time!"
"Oh get over it Mom!" Sharon shouted back. "I'm staying with Lord Daunte and the Liberation Army and you can't stop me!"
"I can most certainly stop you, young lady!"
"Don't you "young lady" me!"
Daunte and the group gaped at the mother and daughter as they proceeded to argue at the top of their voices. "Oh, Lord Daunte!" James shouted, running over to them. "The skyship is fully repaired! Would you like to see it?"
"Yes please," Daunte said, glad to slip away from Sharon and Milia's argument. They followed James to the skyship, and Daunte saw his newest recruits notice his arrival and hurry over to join them.
Silvano raced over and clasped Daunte's hand. "My Lord, I'm happy to see you."
"As am I," Daunte said. "Did you enjoy your time with Lady Kaylani and Taurion?"
"I most certainly did. I never realized what a joy fatherhood was!"
"He says that now," Kaylani said teasingly. "But you still are unused to dirty diapers."
Silvano deflated a little but laughed jovially. "That's quite true."
"I can't imagine changing a dirty diaper being worse than washing blood off your armor," Caesar mused aloud.
"Would you like to try?" Kaylani offered, holding Taurion out to him.
"No," Caesar said bluntly, his smile fading. "Thank you," he quickly added.
"So you're back!" Hero called down to them. "And you brought more people to ride in my skyship! Good thing then that we added more seats!"
"The Kobolds and Dwaves donated seat cushions to us," James added, smiling. "So sitting should be more comfortable for you all."
"This is absolutely magnificent!" Luciano exclaimed, clasping his hands against his chest. Daunte could already hear the familiar accordion in his ears and had to resist the urge to plug them.
"This is a structure I have not seen before," Barō said, showing a stoic level of enthusiasm. "So this sails through the air instead of water?"
"Correct, which is why it's called a skyship," James said cheerfully.
Umeko looked inside the ship through the door and then looked over her shoulder at Daunte. "Fascinating. The quarters look tight. Tighter than the tunnels that were dug to lead out of Rokkaku underground."
"…Should you have admitted this to us?" Gunther asked uneasily. Daunte saw the color quickly drain from her face and knew then that this was a secret she most definitely should not have told them. "B-But we don't know where Rokkaku is," he said, almost reassuringly.
"Oh we passed it on the way here," Umeko quickly responded. Her face then quickly fell, indicating that this was yet another piece of information she should not have shared. Daunte saw Caesar mouth the words "I'm sorry" to him. No doubt because he had insisted that they recruit her.
And this is why she was banished from a ninja clan. Well, it would be rude of me to dismiss her after I personally recruited her and she has nowhere else to go. It might be best to not have her sit in on military meetings, or else she'll just blurt out our Army's secrets in random conversations.
"Go on in!" James said earnestly. "Like Grandfather said we were able to add more seats since we had so many trees to work with for lumber!"
The front of the ship where James and Hero would sit was largely unchanged, but the interior of the skyship was somewhat larger. There was still a narrow aisle with two chairs paired on each aisle, but Daunte counted fifteen chairs instead of ten. Each of the seat had uniquely shaped cushions attached to them. The aeolipile was positioned in the back and it looked larger than it had before. Daunte moved to check the sphere over and saw that four runes were now attached to it. A fire rune, a wind rune, and two water runes.
"We made sure to add water runes this time," James said from the front of the skyship. The group entered the ship to look around, and Barō brusquely moved to the final row and planted himself in a window seat on the left side. "That way the aeolipile doesn't overheat like it did before!"
"I do not like how our trees were used for this…structure," Daunte heard Kirkis say outside. "However I am glad that the fallen trees did not go to waste. It will take decades though for new ones to grow in…"
"And you reached the Northern Continent in 26 hours, right?" Kaylani asked.
"It should take us the same amount of time to get back to the Southern Continent," James said, though his tone became a little uneasy as he took in the number of people entering the skyship. "Ah…how many of you are coming back with us?"
"Well our Lord and his brother," Caesar said. "Myself, Gunther, and Viki. Silvano, Lady Kaylani, little Taurion, and Lady Kaylani's Queen's Knight. And our three recruits. So that's eleven people, twelve if the baby gets his own seat."
"I'm glad that you were able to add extra seats," Daunte said, moving to the front of the skyship. He was not reassured by the look of worry on James's face.
"Lord Daunte!" the group jumped as Sharon stormed onto the ship, her face a mask of fury as she hugged her three dragons to her chest. "Can we leave right this minute?! My mother refuses to see reason!"
"So you will be rejoining us then?" Caesar asked a little warily.
"Of course I will! You saved me in Nagarea and I pledged myself to your cause! I'm going back with you and that's final!"
"Sharon!" Milia shouted from outside. "Get back out here right now!"
"No!" Sharon shouted back at her.
Daunte looked at Sharon for a long moment and looked towards the door as Milia and Futch entered. In that moment he knew he could renege on the promise he had made to Sharon and make her stay home, or he could deft Milia and the Dragon Knights in general and take her with them. After a moment he moved forward, stepping between Sharon and her mother and bowing deeply to Milia.
"L-Lord Daunte?!" Sharon sputtered.
"Commander Milia," Daunte said, keeping his body bowed. "I apologize for the inconvenience I have placed upon your family. I have recruited Sharon to my Army and ever since I have recruited her she has served a vital role. She personally had a hand in helping prevent the massacre of a whole town. I know that she has her duties here in Toran, and I know that I am asking a lot from you, but if you could grant us the privilege of allowing Sharon to come back and help me win this war, I would be eternally in your debts. I will keep an eye on her and ensure her safety so that she returns home after the war alive and well."
Silence fell over the ship for several long and painful minutes. Daunte straightened his posture awkwardly, but was relieved to see that Milia wasn't glaring at him. She seemed…intrigued.
"I do not know you," Milia said finally, her tone stiff. "But I feel that I can trust you. The fact that you have Caesar Silverberg with you indicates that you have good intentions."
"Well thank you," Caesar said.
"But I cannot fully trust you to look out for my daughter," Milia finished.
Daunte stiffened, and felt a squirm of discomfort in his gut. "I don't need anyone to look out for me, Mom!" Sharon snapped.
Milia suddenly turned to Futch. "Futch."
"Yes, Commander?" The Dragon Knight snapped to attention.
"I must ask you to watch over my daughter once again."
"Eh?!" Both Futch and Sharon shouted. Milia turned to Daunte. "I cannot pledge the Dragon Knights to you. Our loyalty belongs to the Toran Republic. But I will allow my daughter to leave with you, and I will lend you one of my Knights to watch over her and to assist in your cause. Please do well to keep them both safe."
Daunte's mouth opened and closed soundlessly for a few moments and Caesar laughed with his hands behind his head. "I look forward to working with the both of you again!"
"Commander," Futch said, raising a hand slightly. "Are you certain about this, sending us to the Southern Continent to aid in a foreign war?"
"Sharon insists on going and Lord Daunte insists that he is capable," Milia said, her eyes on Daunte. "So prove it. Win your war and send my daughter and Knight, and their dragons home safe and sound."
Daunte finally found his voice and nodded stiffly. "I'm honored by this." He looked at Futch. "I will take you with me if you are comfortable coming with us."
Futch looked at him then. After a moment he smiled and quickly shook Daunte's hand. "I've never been to the Southern Continent before. This sounds like fun. I look forward to working with you, Lord Daunte."
"You don't need to send Futch with me," Sharon scoffed, shaking her head.
"He'll keep you safe and bring you home in a timely manner when this war is over," Milia said sternly.
"Bright!" Futch shouted, hurrying outside to hug his dragon. "We're going on a trip!"
"So that's two, er, three more people," James said. He looked at Hero. "Ah…will the fully-grown dragon push us over our weight limit, Grandfather?"
"Probably," Hero said, but there was not a note of concern in his voice. "We'll worry about that after takeoff."
"'After takeoff'?" Gunther echoed in a small voice. "As in…while we're in the air?!"
Caesar smiled at Daunte. "Our Army will be pleased with your return, my Lord. Not only did you learn a lot on this trip, but you have viable allies."
"That's a lovely brooch," Umeko said Luciano.
"Wai—" Caesar said suddenly.
"Oh, thank you," Luciano responded, holding up his Rose Brooch proudly.
Oh no, Daunte thought, groaning as the familiar accordion music filled the ship.
The goodbyes were long and painful for the Toran recruits, and Daunte's heart ached when he saw Silvano hugged his father and mother for a long time. All of them were crying. And despite their earlier argument Sharon also started crying when she hugged her mother goodbye. It was another reminder to Daunte that the people in his Army needed to be kept safe and sound so that they could return to their families and live in peace.
And…it was another bitter reminder to Daunte of what he himself had lost. Mother…Father…I miss you both…
"Can I have the window seat?" Arin asked, tugging on his hand and smiling. Daunte smiled at him, feeling the pain inside of him ebb away somewhat. "Of course."
My parents may be gone, but I'm not alone. I have Arin, Roen, Felicity, and my Army. We can do this.
Daunte and Arin sat in the front row on the right side, and he did feel more comfortable sitting with the cushion. The rest of the seats quickly filled up but Daunte did note that there was not enough room for Bright inside of the ship. Futch spoke to his dragon quietly for a few moments before he went to Hero. "Can Bright ride on the roof?"
"On the roof?!" James exclaimed.
"Sure," Hero quickly answered, waving his hand.
Daunte had wondered how they would be able to take off when they were on flat lands, but neither Hero nor James seemed concerned. "Hang on!" Hero called over his shoulder. "This is going to be a rough takeoff!"
Gunther began openly praying out loud while the aeolipile began hum behind them. Daunte looked out the window and saw that the wings were starting to move up and down, slowly at first and then faster. The cabin lurched and everyone cried out as the skyship began to slowly leave the ground. He saw the Elves waving to them and they looked like they were shouting goodbyes, but he couldn't hear them from the noise inside the ship.
"T-This is incredible!" Kaylani gushed, looking out the window. "I have never been this high in the air before!"
"I have," Futch said casually. He looked towards the ceiling and then towards the front of the ship. "How steady is this vessel?" he called out. "Bright isn't going to be knocked off, is he?"
"He should be fine!" Hero quickly shouted over his shoulder. Daunte however heard him mutter, "Probably" under his breath.
Once they had risen to a sufficient height, Hero flipped a switch on his panel and the aeolipile made a popping noise. The group found themselves slammed back into their seats as a burst of power sent them forward quickly, and then the ship dipped slowly forward. The wings began to beat more casually like a real bird again, and the ship leveled out high in the air as it quickly departed from Toran and the Northern Continent and across the open sea.
Even with the modifications to the ship and the improved aeolipile, the trip still took 26 hours. While Daunte felt a lot more comfortable than before, he couldn't deny several hours in that he had a headache. Taurion was unfortunately a typical baby and cried very often, but the crying baby was not the worst part. The accordion music that surfaced when Luciano spoke did not fade for the entirety of the trip. It lingered in the cabin for the entirety of the 26 hours of the trip, and the only people who were not bothered by the music were Luciano, Taurion, and Kaylani.
When I take a long trip like this again, I will not take a Narcissist with me. Daunte looked at the group and saw that most of them looked fatigued from the travel, except for Barō and Luciano. He raised his hand. "Howl."
The aeolipile and skyship thankfully withstood the extra cargo and long flight and the group arrived at Hero's Island without incident precisely 26 hours after takeoff. "Yes!" Hero shouted in victory, pumping his fists. "I did it! I crossed the sea twice over and saw the Northern Continent!"
"What an amazing trip!" James gushed. He hurried over and clasped Daunte's hand. "My Lord, this is all because of you! Thank you for helping my grandfather achieve his dream! I will do anything to make sure you are sucessful!"
Daunte was again stunned that he was given so much credit for something that he had little to do with but he nodded his head and smiled. "Thank you, James. I'm happy to have you with us."
"I will join your cause as well," Hero huffed, cracking his neck. "The Theocracy tried to kill my research—and me, even. You however obviously support my research unconditionally. It would benefit me if you won the war, so I'll help you too."
"What should we do with the skyship?" James asked.
"We'll leave it here, of course. We can come back for it at any time."
There was a loud 'thump' outside and Daunte saw that Bright had jumped off the roof of the skyship. "Bright!" Futch called, hurrying outside. "You made it, buddy!"
The group followed Futch outside. "That was quite unlike anything I've ever experienced," Kaylani said, stretching her arms. "It was tighter than traveling on a ship, but it was sufficient and convenient."
"My Lady," her Queen's Knight said to her. "It is mid-afternoon. If we leave now we can reach Falena by dusk. Should we leave now or would you like to spend the night?"
"I…" Kaylani looked at Silvano, who was holding Taurion. Silvano smiled and moved closer to her. "I cherished the time I spent with you both, but for your safety I think you should return home now."
"O-Okay," Kaylani said. Her tone was light but there were tears in her eyes as she looked at Daunte. "Thank you, Lord Daunte. And…please take care of my husband."
"I will," Daunte said, nodding.
The group walked down to the beach, where a boat was waiting. Daunte knew that Kaylani would be leaving in that boat. Silvano had a private goodbye with his wife and son before she left, and she quickly hugged Daunte as well before she left with her Queen's Knight and son.
"Great," Barō said dully, hoisting Rotkappchen up. "Can we retire to your headquarters now?"
"I—" Luciano began, but Barō slapped a hand over his mouth. "Do not say another word, and do not choose quarters next to mine when we arrive. Got it?" Luciano quickly nodded.
I guess Barō was bothered by the accordion after all, Daunte thought dryly.
"You have the Blinking Mirror, right Lord Daunte?" Gunther said, stretching his arms over his head. "I've missed Allise and really want to see her."
"You have a lover?" Umeko asked in confusion. "Right before we left you flirted with no less than five elves! Why would you flirt with other women when you have a lover at home?"
"A-Ah, please keep that to yourself—"
"Don't worry," Caesar interjected lightly. "Gunther has no lovers. In fact, Allise would be more offended if anyone thought she was Gunther's lover."
"I look forward to see your headquarters as well," Futch said, though he eyed his new allies warily. "Let's go now then."
"Right," Daunte said, pulling out the Blinking Mirror. "Everyone ready?"
The group answered in the affirmative. Daunte held onto Arin's hand and activated the Blinking Mirror. The familiar light enveloped them, and just as quickly they suddenly found themselves on the landing of the main building, directly in front of Viki's mirror.
"DAUNTE?!"
Daunte immediately smiled when he saw Roen on the stairwell next to them. Roen flew down the stairs and threw his arms around Daunte. "You're back!"
"Daunte!" Felicity cried out, running down from the second floor. She joined Roen in hugging Daunte. "We missed you so much!"
Daunte hugged his two closest friends tight. It was a fun trip…but I'm so glad to be home.
Daunte's new recruits were introduced to the rest of the Army and then dispersed throughout HQ to settle in. Caesar recommended that Daunte lie down for a few hours before the debriefing, but Daunte was surprisingly energized and wanted to meet with the Army before he retired. Arin was also energized and followed at his side.
It warmed Daunte's heart to see his allies so happy to see him, and their enthusiasm at the new recruits. Barō proved to be the most popular recruit among the soldiers, even more so than Futch and his fully grown dragon Bright. But as almost no one in the Army had ever seen a gun before, everyone wanted to see, touch, and even hold Rotkappchen. Barō was clearly not happy with the attention he was getting.
"My Lord," Keiran greeted him, bowing. "We are happy to have you back. I'm also happy to report that we faced no incidents or conflicts during the three weeks you were gone."
"Really?" Daunte said. He gasped in relief and pressed a hand to his chest. "I'm happy to hear that. How are the supplies? Have the soldiers had sufficient food? Has there been any requests for clothing or wares?"
"Please relax, my Lord," Caesar said, raising both hands though he looked pleased by Daunte's questions. "You did not abandon the Army to an unknown fate so you do not need to be concerned."
"The…Sheikh proved to be a competent leader," Varnaz said.
"Former Sheikh," Mihr corrected him sharply.
"He regardless did a good job. But we are happy to have you back, Lord Daunte."
"H…" Daunte swallowed before continuing. "Have we received any word from Lorik Varra or his allies?"
"No," Allise said solemnly. "He seems intent on not accepting any help from us at this time."
"Oh Allise, how I missed you," Gunther cooed but she discreetly stepped away from him.
"I-I will go and see him again," Daunte said, nodding. "I refuse to abandon his people and him to their fate."
"That is very generous of you, my Lord," Keiran said, smiling. "But you should not do so today. You just got back from a long trip. You must relax or you will collapse."
"You also brought back quite a few new allies," Eamon added enthusiastically. "It's absolutely incredible how you were able to gain recruits on a different continent with no affiliation to our country! Well done, Lord Daunte!"
Daunte was moved by the praise and smiled. "Thank you."
"We did get good recruits," Caesar said, his tone changing as he surveyed the room. "But we obviously do not want to get complacent. Though we just got back, we should plan our next move."
"Right," Daunte said, nodding. "Before we can take on the High Clerics and seize Mlkwt Alsmwat, we have to remove the barrier around the city. And we have the four Sheikhs we need to deal with."
"Right," Varnaz said. "Sloan Faakhir. Keha Hale. Tamara Nuori. And…Ramiro Lažov." his tone turned dark with the last name.
"If I may suggest," Keiran said, folding his arms over his chest. "I believe we should deal with Tamara Nuori first. She is the youngest and the least experienced of the Sheikhs. If we were to engage her in combat alone without the aid of other Sheikhs, we could defeat her easily."
"I always wondered," Felicity said. "When the Matron came to the Dark Chasm she was escorted by Sloan Faakhir. Since the Dark Chasm was in Tamara Nuori's region, logically she should have escorted the Matron. Then why was it Sloan Faakhir?"
"It is most likely due to Tamara's inexperience and…incompetency," Allise said. "Sloan also has superior skills in combat than her. Keiran has a point. If a Matron could not trust Tamara to escort her, then she should be easy pickings for us."
"I have another suggestion," Caesar said, raising his hand. "I agree that we should take Tamara Nuori on first. But I also believe we should recruit her."
"Eh?!" the room exclaimed.
"She's bad!" Arin burst out in protest. "She ran the Dark Chasm!"
"The Chasm was run by the government," Roen gently corrected him. "But…yeah. We did suffer in her domain."
Daunte was both surprised and pleased that Roen was acknowledging what they suffered was an injustice. Varnaz then spoke. "She is young, even younger than Lord Daunte. But she is simply not good at her job."
"I have spoken to Tamara Nuori on prior occasions," Keiran said. "She is inexperienced, as she was put into the position after her father's suspicious death. But she is passionate about her work and being better for her people. I believe that if we give her a chance that she can be a valuable asset."
Daunte looked at his allies closely before looking at Caesar. All of his allies had differing opinions as to whether or not they should recruit Tamara an ally or simply defeat her in battle. But he knew that Caesar recommended that they recruit her as an ally for a reason and he wanted to trust in his judgment.
Before he could respond though, he felt a presence behind him. "You will utilize me in this next campaign."
Everyone flinched at Yuber's arrival, but Daunte turned to face him. "I'm glad to see you," he greeted dark knight as politely as possible. "And I do intend to utilize you in the next campaign. We will be taking on a Sheikh."
"The Sheikh with the unnatural power?" Yuber asked. He quickly looked interested.
"No," Daunte told him. "We will be taking on another Sheikh, and you are not to kill her."
Yuber scoffed and snapped his teeth in frustration. "You are by far the most infuriating person who has ever summoned me."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Daunte responded, turning back to his allies. "I have decided. I would like to try to recruit Tamara Nuori."
He saw the mixed reactions from everyone in the room, and he heard Arin make a small noise in protest. But then Varnaz stepped forward and nodded. "I'll follow your lead, my Lord. If you feel that recruiting the Sheikh is the best course of action, then I'll support it."
Slowly the room relaxed and everyone started nodding and speaking in the affirmative. Daunte felt Arin grab his hand, and he saw that his little brother was frowning. but then he nodded. "I trust you, Brother. You always make the right choices."
"Yes, he does," Caesar said before Daunte could speak. "Now—"
There was a sudden burst of circular white light in the center of the room. Everyone cried out and drew their weapons, and Keiran and Felicity moved to stand in front of Daunte. Daunte however recognized the white light and shouted, "Everyone, stand down!"
"But—" Felicity said.
"You have certainly come a long way, Lord Daunte."
Caesar gasped throatily and loudly, his eyes and mouth going wide as the light faded and Leknaat settled gently onto the ground. Daunte smiled and he moved towards her. "Lady Leknaat, it's so nice to see you again."
"L…Lady Leknaat?!" Caesar moved forward as well. "It—It really is you!"
Leknaat turned towards. "Ah…Caesar Silverberg. You have joined the 108 Stars of Destiny again."
"…You are Lady Windy's sister," Yuber said. His tone had an unexpected hint of apprehension.
Lady Windy? Daunte wondered, but Allise spoke up before he could say anything. "Stars of Destiny?"
"You are all set on the path of fate guided by the Stars," Leknaat said, turning back towards Daunte. She did not address Yuber. "Your victory will be assured, so long as all 108 Stars of Destiny unite under the same banner."
"This is…intriguing," Keiran said slowly. "So our war was predetermined by fate, and we are stars in the sky?"
"The world is ever-changing, and so shall the Stars change overtime," Leknaat said. "Sometimes we will be guided by the same singular star, but sometimes as the fates would decide it we may find guidance under another star. Here."
Leknaat raised her right hand. A large glowing light formed at her right side, and when the light dissipated there was a large stone tablet. It stood much higher than Leknaat, and indeed taller than everyone in the room.
"The Tablet of Stars!" Caesar gasped.
"Yes," Leknaat confirmed. "This is the Tablet of Stars. The names of the 108 Stars of Destiny are listed on this tablet. As you recruit an ally, if that ally is a fated Star then their name will automatically appear on this tablet. Feel free to look, you will see many names already engraved here."
Daunte surged forward, as did everyone else, and he looked the Tablet of Star over closely. He was stunned by what he saw.
—
The Stars of Heaven
1. Tenkai Star
Daunte
2. Tengou Star
—
3. Tenki Star
Caesar
4. Tenkan Star
Leknaat
5. Tenyu Star
—
6. Tenyu Star
Yuber
7. Tenmou Star
Eamon
8. Teni Star
—
9. Tenei Star
Sierra
10. Tenki Star
Allise
11. Tenfu Star
Surya
12. Tenman Star
Israfil
13. Tenko Star
Gunther
14. Tensyo Star
—
15. Tenritsu Star
Soturi
16. Tensyo Star
Barō
17. Tenan Star
Roen
18. Tenyu Star
Freyr
19. Tenku Star
—
20. Tensoku Star
Nash
21. Teni Star
—
22. Tensatsu Star
Jantu
23. Tenbi Star
Silvano
24. Tenkyu Star
—
25. Tentai Star
Lysander
26. Tenjyu Star
Varnaz
27. Tenken Star
—
28. Tenhei Star
—
29. Tenzai Star
—
30. Tenson Star
—
31. Tenpai Star
—
32. Tenrou Star
—
33. Tensui Star
—
34. Tenbou Star
—
35. Tenkoku Star
—
36. Tenkou Star
—
The Stars of Earth
37. Chikai Star
—
38. Chisatsu Star
—
39. Chiyu Star
—
40. Chiketsu Star
Jeane
41. Chiyu Star
—
42. Chii Star
—
43. Chiei Star
—
44. Chiki Star
Keiran
45. Chimou Star
Mihr
46. Chibun Star
Mooney
47. Chisei Star
Gizli
48. Chikatsu Star
—
49. Chitou Star
May
50. Chikyou Star
Bright
51. Chian Star
Lanny
52. Chiziku Star
Farzin
53. Chikai Star
Mokuren
54. Chisa Star
Liron
55. Chiyu Star
Gusoku
56. Chirei Star
Yulin
57. Chijyu Star
Clara
58. Chibi Star
Futch
59. Chikyu Star
Felicity
60. Chibaku Star
—
61. Chizen Star
—
62. Chikou Star
—
63. Chikyou Star
Shou
64. Chihi Star
Tidur
65. Chisou Star
Hero
66. Chikou Star
Eliasen
67. Chimei Star
Priscilla
68. Chisin Star
—
69. Chitai Star
—
70. Chiman Star
—
71. Chisui Star
—
72. Chisyu Star
—
73. Chiin Star
Desiree
74. Chii Star
Sharon
75. Chiri Star
Esther
76. Chisyun Star
James
77. Chiraku Star
—
78. Chitatsu Star
Viki
79. Chisoku Star
Reis
80. Chichin Star
Luciano
81. Chikei Star
Xi An
82. Chima Star
Suna
83. Chiyou Star
—
84. Chiyu Star
Oboro
85. Chifuku Star
—
86. Chihi Star
—
87. Chiku Star
—
88. Chiko Star
—
89. Chizen Star
Umeko
90. Chitan Star
—
91. Chikaku Star
—
92. Chisyu Star
Arin
93. Chizou Star
Yasaka
94. Chihei Star
—
95. Chison Star
Ichirou
96. Chido Star
—
97. Chisatsu Star
—
98. Chiaku Star
—
99. Chisyu Star
Yaman
100. Chisu Star
—
101. Chiin Star
—
102. Chikei Star
Bohai
103. Chisou Star
—
104. Chiretsu Star
—
105. Chiken Star
Ciana
106. Chimou Star
Templeton
107. Chizoku Star
—
108. Chikou Star
Cairoh
—
"Ah!" Arin shouted, pointing to the Tablet. "I-Is that my name?! 9–2? The Ci—Ci—Chi—Chisyu Star?"
"There's my name," Felicity said, her tone a mixture of confused and awestruck. "Number 59, the Chikyu Star."
"The Tenan Star, number 17," Roen said quietly. "It looks like I'm a Star of Heaven, like Daunte."
"Yuber, you are number 6, the Tenyu Star," Daunte said, looking over his shoulder at him.
"I do not care," Yuber said flatly. Without another word he promptly teleported away.
"It looks like the Tablet of Stars chose me to be the Tenki Star again," Caesar mused aloud. "The Star of Wisdom, if I recall."
"It looks like I'm the Tenko Star," Gunther said. He looked at Leknaat. "What does that mean?"
"You are the Lone Star," Leknaat explained.
"That doesn't sound like you at all," Allise laughed softly. "I'm…also the Tenki Star, though?"
"Yours has a different meaning," Leknaat said. "Caesar is the Star of Wisdom. You are the Lofty Star."
"That does sound like you," Gunther laughed.
Daunte ran his hand over the surface of the Tablet and then looked at Leknaat. "We have many empty spaces on this Tablet. So I have many more allies I need to recruit, yes?"
"Yes, and their names will fill in to the Star they correspond with, " Leknaat said. "However, be aware that the 108 Stars of Destiny are not interchangeable this time. If any of the Stars die, their name will be crossed off on the Tablet. They cannot be replaced."
This time? Daunte wondered, but his eyes caught something at the top of the Tablet. "Number 4, the Tenkan Star." He quickly looked at Leknaat. "Y…Your name is here, Lady Leknaat. Does that mean…?"
"It does," Leknaat said serenely. "Fate has guided me here to Nagarea, and has linked me to the 108 Stars of Destiny in this conflict. I am your ally…and I will offer my full services to you. If you will allow me."
"Amazing!" Caesar said. He was uncharacteristically animated. "I don't believe it! Lady Leknaat! The Keeper of Balance! She wants to join our Army not in an advisory role but as a fully-fledged ally!"
"If Caesar is this much in awe of you, you must be incredible," Allise said, smiling.
"Indeed, you seem to exude power," Varnaz said.
"And you're beautiful," Gunther added. Allise elbowed him.
"I would love to have you here as an ally," Daunte said shakily. He offered his hand to her but then blushed in embarrassment. Leknaat however reached out and accepted his hand. "Thank you, Lord Daunte. I will guard the Tablet of Stars when you are not in need of my services. I will lend you my magic skills whenever you need it, and I promise to not get in your way."
"Please, make yourself at home," Caesar said earnestly. "We have plenty of rooms here, would—"
"Thank you, but I will find a place for myself." Without another word both Leknaat and the Tablet of Stars were enveloped in light and they were gone.
"…Fascinating," Israfil said, rubbing his arms. "To be linked to the stars in such a way…our victory is assured, yes?"
"It will be assured once we fill that tablet and find all 108 Stars of Destiny," Caesar said. He looked at Daunte and smiled. "But I have faith in our Commander that we will be successful."
Daunte nodded and looked at his allies. "So long as I have all of you…I know we will win."
"If the Stars are always changing, I wonder who I share a Star with?" Felicity wondered out loud.
"If my memory serves correct, during the Second Fire Bringer War Lilly Pendragon had the same Star as you," Caesar said. "She's the daughter of the President of Tinto."
"And me?" Roen quickly asked. Caesar scrunched his face up as he tried to remember. "Ah…a young man named Edge. He wielded the Star Dragon Sword."
"How about me?!" Gunther interjected.
"Oh, that was Sergeant Jordie, of the Duck Clan in the Grasslands."
"…Duck?"
"What about me?" Varnaz asked unexpectedly.
"Oh, that one is easy to remember. You share a Star with Geddoe, a Harmonian mercenary and wielder of the True Lightning Rune."
Varnaz looked pleased upon hearing this. Arin waved his hand frantically. "Me next! Who do I share a Star with?!"
Caesar was starting to look a little annoyed as their allies eagerly converged upon him, but he still smiled as he tried to answer the question. "Ah…Louis, I believe? He was a squire in the Zexan Army, last time I saw him…"
Mlkwt Alsmwat
The Matron was alone in her office in the Grand Citadel when she felt the familiar flicker in her hand. She gasped loudly as she felt a sudden uncomfortable surge in her body, and she quickly planted her hands on the surface of her desk to steady herself. Her breathing turned quick as labored as her pulse spiked. After a few moments she forced herself to take a deep breath. She held the breath for a few long moments before she exhaled sharply.
She was glad that she was alone in her office, and that no one had seen her moment of weakness. She carefully sat down in her chair, closing her eyes as tried to regain serenity. It took longer than she had expected or wanted, but her nerves finally cooled and her heartbeat steadied. She opened her eyes narrowed, and voiced aloud the feeling she knew in her heart.
"She's here."
End of Chapter Five
Formatting the Tablet of Stars into this chapter I think took longer than writing this chapter. Many thanks to the website Suikosource for having such an amazingly well-formatted Tablet of Stars, which helped me in the development of the Tablet of Stars for this fanfic.