The Meaning

by Queen of the Faeries1

They had defeated Fate once before. They had stood against the might of Soa and Destiny. But could they face a stronger enemy this time--Death itself?

2. Of Questions and Riddles

THE MEANING

Part Two: Questions and Riddles

"Shana!" Meru yelled. "Where have you been? We were scared out of our skins! Dart nearly got us to scour all of Ice Gloriano!"

The other girl bowed. "I apologize. I had to take care of some personal business. But we can leave now. Which way is it?" She wasn't sure which way Rose and Darius were heading when she caught up with them.

Meru cast a mock-glare at Shana's back before picking up her pack and rations. Another day of travel, bringing them closer to this unknown prophecy.

Zieg collected his pack and shouldered it. Dart had made sure they gave him the lightest of items to carry—the extra blankets—due to his age. "I think it's that way to the nort—" He stopped suddenly as his pointing finger actually pointed at something that stood at the top of the small hill and silhouetted against the sun.

Not a Wendigo. Something fiercer and much more dangerous in the same and different ways.

Rose stood there with her head held high and her back straight, like a queen who has been captured by enemy warriors. She was fighting to hold her lips in a straight line, obviously. Behind her was Darius, his hand around a bow and a dagger in his waist.

"Rose!" Meru shrieked. "You're back!" Without thinking, she grew wings and flew over to her friend.

Darius stepped in front of her, dagger raised to ward off the flying object hurtling toward them. Meru skidded to a stop. "Hey, what's the deal?"

Guaraha grabbed her arm and hauled her back a few paces, down to the ground.

"Easy." He murmured to her.

"Hello." Rose said formally, like a stranger, nodding. "How are you?"

"Rose!" The others surged forward as well, until Darius raised the dagger again and Shana held them back.

"So you've decided to come back." Shana called over the distance, her excitement evident.

"Yes. Thank you for convincing me." Rose touched Darius' arm lightly and he sheathed the dagger, walking beside her past Meru, whom she smiled at, to the others, grouped together. "Hello again, Dart."

"Hi." He said mildly. "Um…peace?"

She tilted her head slightly, bestowing upon him a cynical grin. "I was very hurt by what you all did to me." She said childishly and Meru wondered if she was under a spell. This didn't seem like typical Rose behavior. "It was a very mean and nasty thing to do." She straightened suddenly, and the coldness rushed back around her. "You made it seem as if you would kill me, so the only thing I could do was run." She paused.

"Rose!" Meru whined. "Please? We want you back."

"You're a good fighter." Haschel added, but then realized that what he said sounded cold so he quickly added, "And you're a great addition to the team."

"Rose is a strong member of our team. She is a strong friend as well." Kongol said in his deep rumbling voice like molten thunder.

"Yeah," Miranda's voice was as gentle as it could get. "Stubborn as you can be at times, you're a benison to the team and the world. What do you say, witch? Give us another shot?"

It was the closest thing to an apology to Rose that Meru had ever heard out of Miranda and she had to grin widely, hovering above the ground.

The dark-haired woman's smile spread slowly, but it could still go either way. It was hard to tell with her. She was a puzzling enigma and volatile as the wind.

"Rose." Albert spoke up when Dart was staring at the ground, kicking it, his face red with embarrassment. The King nodded at him once before walking right up the Rose, ignoring the threatening movement that Darius did. "Would you join the team again? We know that what we did was wrong. Though things pointed to you, we should have trusted you and our friendship enough to give you enough time to defend yourself and try to logically reason what had happened. We should have trusted you, and we didn't. I apologize on everyone's behalf." He bowed deeply from his waist and straightened, smiling timidly. "Please?"

Rose threw her head back and arched her throat, peals of laughter escaping from her lips. It was a sweet sound and strange. Meru settled her feet on the ground. "Is that a yes?" She asked hopefully.

Rose held out her hand. Meru noticed that some of the nails were broken. "I am not a woman of sentimentality and that was the sappiest thing I've ever heard, King Albert of Serdio, but I accept your apology. What you did was terribly wrong and hurt me deeply. We'll have to work a long time to compromise it. But if there's anything that I've wanted so badly over the past eleven thousand years, it was forgiveness. The people that I've done worse to have forgiven me. Why shouldn't I do the same to you?" She smiled briefly at Shana then turned back. "I don't want to be alone, even if Darius is with me. Friends?"

Albert reached out and grasped her hand. "Always and forever."

She kissed his cheek lightly and then released his hand, looking around her at the others. "No one else has got a hug for me?"

"Me!" Meru squealed, nearly knocking her over. "Hi-hi, Sissy!"

Rose laughed at the hugs and apologies and giggles. "Good to be back again."

Meru stepped back and observed the two. "Darius has scratches all over him. Rose's hands are blistered and red and she's limping. What happened?"

"Two mortals, in Ice Gloriano, with scarce supplies, a simple bow and a quiver low on arrows and a small dagger?" Darius' voice dripped with contempt. "How long did you think we could go without running into danger?"

"Now, now." Rose purred, her voice velvet darkness. "Play nice."

Darius immediately fell silent and Meru wondered what kind of hold Rose had on him. She saw where their hands intertwined, the light in Darius' eyes, the lack of anger and sadness in Rose's, and understood.

So I was right the first time. She thought triumphantly.

Rose obviously read her thoughts, because she shot her an amused glance. "Forget about it." She said, her voice haughty and knowing. She was a woman used to getting what she wanted, or at least anything that was mortally possible. "The important thing is Kanzas. What happened, Shana?"

"King Albert! King Albert!" The knight was riding a strong dera across the snowfields towards them. The mount was panting as the knight caught up and leapt off. Nearly stumbling in his haste, he knelt down in front of the king.

"Sir Wilson," Albert frowned as he waved him to his feet. "Why are you here? Did I not issue orders for everyone to stay aboard the Queen Fury?"

"Yes, my lord, but I have urgent news. A messenger bird was recently sent to Deningrad, which in turn sent it to where they knew the Queen Fury was. Kayla got it and then gave it to Commodore Puler, who then summoned me and I had to ride the mount all the way here to deliver the message."

"And just what exactly is the message, Wilson?" Albert asked, slightly bewildered.

The knight's lifted visor allowed Meru to see him bite his lower lip nervously as he held out a small rolled-up piece of parchment worn smooth from being handled by so many fingers. Albert took it, his frown spreading, as he unrolled the parchment and read it silently.

Meru spread wings and read over his shoulder. The writing was all in Serdian, and she only knew a few words. "Albert! What does it say?"

When he didn't answer, she frowned, poking his shoulder. "Albert? Hey, king! You all right?"

She saw the rigidity in his shoulders, the way he held his body tight. His hands were clenched so that the paper nearly ripped. She had never seen him so upset before. "Albert?" She whispered, almost silently. "Are you okay? What happened?"

He ignored her question, turning to the knight. "Is this true?"

"Yes, my lord. We've confirmed it by sending messages to Deningrad and to Kazas. They say that it is true."

"Then what is happening in Serdio?"

"The council is taking care of the important matters. The people have not been told. What are your orders, my king?"

Albert lifted his head, the golden circlet around his head catching the light. "Send word to the council. Keep this a secret as long as possible. If word gets out, there will be a panic. Plan a festival or something, small enough not to demand her presence, but capable of distracting the people. And the old man…Stazi? He has a bit of magical heritage. Have him search the palace, see if he can sense anything. Meanwhile, I will continue on to the prophecy and see what is going on. Ride fast, Sir Wilson, and bring the orders."

The knight bowed again. "Yes, my lord." He mounted the dera and rode off.

"What's going on? What happened?" Meru asked anxiously, flying in circles again. "Why are you giving orders to Serdio? What's been confirmed?"

Albert spoke very calmly. "My wife and son have disappeared."

Not among the answers that she had expected, Meru's wings failed her and she landed on her backside in the snow. "What?"

"This is true?" Dart asked. "It has been confirmed?"

"Deningrad and Kazas and Indels Castle have all sent word that Emille and Tesalor are indeed missing. The council is taking care of the matters of the state. I don't know where my family has gone, but there was writing on the room they were last seen in. It's in Serdian, I think." He held out the parchment to Rose. "What can you make of this?"

"Very sloppy handwriting." She muttered. "It asks what is taking so long and that he has taken precautions to ensure his own safety. I suppose that means Emille and Tesalor." She paused, looking up. "I don't want to be sure, but I…it's Kanzas. Isn't it?" She looked at Zieg, who came to look over her shoulder.

"It is Kanzas. Or at least it is remarkably like his handwriting. He was always too caught up in his fighting to handle studies very well." Zieg said. "But why would Kanzas be against us? I thought you had settled things with Kanzas, Rose. Didn't you fight him and free his soul in the towers of Vellweb?"

"I did." She confirmed. "And he seemed to die, to be brought back to the underworld. He even spoke of Shirley's light. He seemed remorseful, as much as Kanzas is, anyway."

"We can speak of it as we walk." Albert said. "The faster we get to the prophecy, the faster we will all reach the answers. Our enemy is impatient."

Meru picked up some of the bags and started walking. They had quickened the pace by half again, and she saw that Rose's leg was bothering her, but of course the dark-haired woman didn't say so. However, Darius walked beside her, ready to catch her should she fall.

"Why would he take a harmless queen and an innocent baby as hostages?" Meru asked. "It goes against all moral laws."

Rose shrugged. "Kanzas…was not an immoral person, but death changes many things. Obviously."

"What I don't understand is why Kanzas is against us." Zieg spoke up. "He was never one for this kind of thing. He was a loner; he didn't care about…whatever this is about."

"It doesn't matter." Albert calls over his shoulder. "The important thing is that we have to get to the location before anything happens to Emille and my son."

With a quickened pace, they managed to make it to the Tower of Flanvel in two days. Meru could see that Rose's leg was obviously bothering her. When it came to a rather steep slope, every step was taken with a hiss of pain, though she refused it when Meru and Guaraha volunteered to fly her up there. Of course, she would show no signs of being weak.

Rose sat down inside the tower with a sigh of relief. The rooms were dusty and had the vague smell of ancient time, but it protected from the biting wind and it gave her a place to sit down. The room she had been chosen was rather small, but that didn't matter. It wasn't like she needed a lot of room to sit down and think.

Think she did. She thought about everything that had happened, everything that was happening, and everything that would happen.

Though she knew her leg was screaming for a good rest, she got up and painfully made her way down the stairs to the old room that served as a kitchen. Meru and Haschel, eager for a meal that wasn't frozen rations, had cleaned up the kitchen in miracle time so that Shana could cook.

Darius was resting in his own room, working on something that he wouldn't let her see. Weak as her mind was, she couldn't sense if it was magical or not. Darius' aura had changed, almost imperceptibly.

Zieg had immediately chose the room closest to the door because he was tired, more so than the injured Rose. Older than Haschel in mortal years, he was too weary to do anything but rest at that moment. Rose smiled slightly at the scene. The son-in-law more tired than his wife's father.

Claire still brought a grimace to Rose's face. The other woman had been married to her fiancé, and though Rose no longer held passionate feelings for Zieg, she could not forget the love that they had shared centuries ago. He had been her first love and that could never change.

She sighed wearily and limped her way over to Shana. "Hello."

The other woman turned. "Hello. You surprised me. Even as a mortal you can still sneak around. Shouldn't you be resting? Isn't your leg hurting you?"

"Mortals heal slow." Rose replied in answer. "It does hurt. Obviously you can still tell even though you are mortal as well."

"Not quite mortal." Shana said. "Is there something wrong or have you come to help me?"

Rose laughed. "Trust me, you wouldn't want my help if I volunteered it. I am hopeless in making home-cooked edible meals. When I was a girl, before I met Zieg and became a Dragoon, I persuaded my nanny in letting me make a meal. I nearly set the mansion on fire."

"You lived in a mansion?" Shana asked, incredulous. "There's a lot you haven't told us, Rose. In fact, we know nothing of your childhood, aside from perhaps Darius and Zieg…and Dart."

The dark-haired woman had to smile. "You still think that I will steal him from you?"

Shana returned the smile. "I used to, didn't I? I was so jealous. You could fight, you could withstand pain, and you were attractive. I was always afraid you would take Dart from me."

"Well, I did seem quite teasing back then. It was amusing to watch you get angry. Forgive me; it was inappropriate. Though a good laugh was rare back then."

"Then I am glad that I was of service. I've never seen you laugh in your…before-life."

"Few have." Rose agreed and paused. "Do you realize that this is the first civilized talk we've had without it resorting to any argument or wounded feelings?"

"I do realize that, and I still can't believe it. But back to my original question, why have you never told us about yourself? You know all about us."

Rose shrugged as she watched Shana expertly flit around the kitchen, several dishes being cooked at once and nothing catching fire. There were some things about the other woman that she envied too. For one, her cooking skill, and her innocence, her ignorance, her calmness and kindness, and her prophetess powers. "No one ever asked. Besides, my life is a long one and boring. I was spoiled, I became different when I met Zieg, I was a Dragoon, I fought in the Dragon Campaign, I saw everyone die, I became the Black Monster, I killed the Moon Children. And here I am now."

Shana paused in moving a green thing in a pan. "I have a question, but if I ask it, I want to hear your honest answer."

"I will try to answer it as honestly and best as I can."

"If Melbu Frahma had not taken my place as the God of Destruction, would you have fought against me and killed me? I am not asking of the others, just you. Would you have killed me?"

Rose considered her question. "You asked for an honest answer. Yes, I would have."

Shana nodded. "Good. I am glad that you would have taken the responsibility. If I had been the God of Destruction, I would have caused immense suffering. While I was in the coma that Melbu Frahma had put me in, I saw glimpses of the future. I saw what would have happened. I am glad that he had taken my place and that you all defeated him."

"It is good that you understood my obligations as well." Rose said gravely. "Um…should that thing be burning over there?"

"Oh!" Shana rushed over and extinguished the flame, inspecting the meat with a wary look on her face. "It's still good. A little overcooked, but still edible."

"Shana, this is important."

"The meat?"

"No, what I am about to ask you. What did you feel when Kanzas poisoned your mind? Anything at all would be helpful."

Shana's face changed. "I don't know. There was pain. Suffering. Human emotions. Power. I don't know how to describe it. A bit of fear. Anger."

Rose stopped her words with a wave of her hand. "Thank you. That is enough. I think I understand a vital piece of information now."

"What is it?"

"I will share it with everyone when it is time. Until then, I'll have to analyze it." She looked at the finished plates. "Do you want me to bring them outside?"

"Yes, would you please? Meru was supposed to, but I guess she got sidetracked. She's reliable if a bit scatterbrained. Oh, but leave one plate here. Father says he does not wish to come downstairs and would prefer to eat in his room."

"Oh. Then would you mind if I brought it up to him?" Rose asked.

"Uh…no, I wouldn't mind. But…"

"There are some things we need to clarify." The other woman responded. "Excuse me. I'll be down in a few minutes. I'll call for the others in the meantime."

Picking up one of the plates, she walked through the corridors. The Tower of Flanvel was not unfamiliar to her; she had been here quite a few times but it had been a long time ago and it was liable that she would get lost.

"Food!" She yelled and immediately heard footsteps rushing down the stairs. Haschel and Meru—who had shed the Wingly robes for her original costume—would have run her over had she not leaned against the wall at the last moment. Guaraha followed, murmuring an apology as he rushed to catch up with his energetic fiancée and her old yet young friend. Behind them trailed Dart and Darius.

Dart and Darius together? What had they been talking about? Fearful thoughts of another exile and run away fluttered through her mind, but she squished it fiercely. Darius would never do that to me. And besides, I am going to have to learn to trust them.

"Hi. Aren't you going to eat with us?" Dart asked.

Rose smiled at him. "I'm going to bring dinner to your father. I'll be down in a few minutes. You don't mind, do you?"

Dart frowned. "No, of course not. But, uh, may I ask why?"

"You know, just because we're no longer lovers doesn't mean we're enemies and have to avoid each other like the plague. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Zieg's room was warmer than the rest of the tower, probably because of the toasty fire in the fireplace of the wall. He was sitting in front of it in a large high-backed armchair, eyes closed, lightly snoring.

She stood next to the chair, unsure whether or not to wake him up. It was answered for her when he felt her presence and woke up, blinking a few times before noticing her.

"Rose." He said, surprised. "Um, good evening."

"That it is. I brought you dinner." She held out the plate to him and he took it and the fork placed on it. "And I wanted to talk to you."

"I thought so. Take a seat."

She perched herself precariously on the other armchair, tucking her legs up to hold her warmth. She had come up here with a purpose to talk, but she had no idea what to say to the man that she had once loved with all her heart and soul.

Finally she blurted out, "Why didn't it work out between us?"

Zieg shook his head, swallowing. "I'm not sure. Maybe it was the time we were apart. Maybe it was Claire. Maybe it was Dart. Maybe it was our different obligations. I don't know, Rose. All I know is that it didn't work. But I'm glad we broke it off before anyone was actually hurt." He chuckled. "Did you know that Dart told me to make the right choice? He said that he knew I loved Claire, but that Claire was dead now and you were alive. He told me to make the right choice. Do you think we made the right choice, my darling?"

Rose remained silent, contemplating his question and the affectionate term. "I'm not sure either, dear, just like I'm not sure why we still call each other by pet names. I know that our relationship was genuine in the beginning. I know that I once loved you. But I guess you're right. Over the years, it became more of a remembered habit than actual feeling, just like when I call you dear. It's habit and not genuine anymore." She paused, closed her eyes. "Or maybe it's Darius. But I don't think he was what broke us up."

Zieg paused. "Do you love him, Rose?"

"I don't know. Love's always been an elusive thing for me. I guess…maybe…I don't know."

He swallowed a piece of meat and nearly choked. "Who cooked this?"

"Shana. But it was my fault. I was speaking to her and distracted her. She said it got a bit burned."

"A bit is an understatement." Zieg sighed. "You were easy to love, Rose. Sweet and kind but ready to fight at a moment's notice. Strong but yet so fragile. I did love you, don't doubt that."

"I don't." She paused. "You know, I too, am glad that we broke off our engagement before anyone was hurt. I will always love you, Zieg, or at least I will remember our love. There are no obligations now. I want to enjoy life and know true love again. But I won't forget what we had." She stood. "Enjoy your dinner. Your daughter-in-law is a very good cook. Good night."

She left the room feeling a bit confused and dejected.

"Hey." Darius said quietly as she sat down beside him at the dinner table. "You okay?"

"Fine." She answered shortly. "I think I may have straightened some things out. I'm still confused, but I guess that'll go away. All emotions do eventually."

"Let's split up." Dart suggested. "We'll cover more ground that way. Fort Magrad is a rather large place. Whoever finds the answer first, yell for the others."

Meru automatically stood next to Guaraha, who smiled at her as they left the group and chose a random path to walk down on. It became a path later on, leading to a wide clearing bordered with archways, like old ruins where an explorer has to choose which path to take. On top of each archway was carved an ancient letter, all of them emanating magic. Meru clutched at Guaraha's hand. "What does it say?" She whispered excitedly. "Is this it?"

"I think so. Can you feel the magic?" He looked at each symbol for a long time. "I think they're the emotions. They're really archaic; I can't read most of them. They're similar to the ones that we know. I think that one is…indifference? That one is fury. The others I'm not sure of. Call for the others. Zieg or Rose might know."

Meru nodded, her eyes glittering with excitement as she flew into the air and yelled, "Guys! We found it! Over here!" Her voice echoed off the old ruins. She gathered her water-magic and left a steamy cloud above the location, marking the spot where she was.

Minutes later the entire team was there.

"What is this place?" Miranda gasped as she looked around. Aside from Albert, Miranda was the one who had the most interest in history and politics. It should be Albert that was awed by this, but ever since Sir Wilson had delivered the news, he had been limp and lifeless, moving like an Undead in a trance. Meru was worried for him.

"It's an ancient trap set by the Human army against Wingly invaders." Zieg said, a wistful look on his face. Dart could tell that his father missed the days when he was young and powerful, a leader, instead of now when his stamina gave up on him too easily. "This was supposed to be where the people were first teleported to once they entered. Over the years, the teleporters malfunctioned and everything was twisted around, but this used to be the front gate. There are eight archways here. Only one is the correct path. The others lead the person into an endless maze created by magic, especially deadly against the Winglies. Something about the magic that they emanate sets off the defense systems."

Meru glanced uneasily at her back, where the smooth flesh concealed her wings, then at Guaraha. "And you people do know which one is the right door, right?" She asked nervously.

Rose stepped up. "Each of the symbols on top of the archways stand for an emotion. That one is Apathy. That one there is Love. That's Fury. That's Greed. That's Trust, an important one. I think…it actually led somewhere… Anyway, that's Joy. That's…Sorrow. That's Despair. That's Hope. That's Empathy, and this one is Excitement. Only one is the right one."

"Which one is it? Do you know, Rose? Father?" Shana asked. She had taken to habit to speak more to Rose since their talk, and she frequently referred to Zieg as Father now, since he was. She was almost more helpful on this journey then she had been on the last one, more active and knowing. "I can't tell which one is the right one. All the magic is jumbled together. It's confusing."

"It's supposed to be. It's how we kept the Winglies from invading our fort." Zieg informed her.

"Come on." Rose's leg had healed a bit but she still limped as she made her way over to the door labeled Love.

Are you sure? Meru wanted to ask, but she bit her tongue. It would be rude to ask, and Rose would think that they didn't trust her. So she held Guaraha's hand and followed. When no traps assaulted her or her magic, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Come on." She waved at the others.

"The prophecy said 'where the bonds of eternal affection were declared'." Rose called over her shoulder. "This room was where Zieg and I told Emperor Diaz that even if one of us died, our bonds of eternal affection would remain the same." She laughed hollowly. "What if both died?"

No one answered her.

The seemingly endless open corridor finally led to a room, lit by candles. It was bare of everything except for a throne placed on the far end. The two candelabras on either side held white candles that emitted a soft silver glow.

Shana let go of Dart's hand, moving forward quickly to the throne. She seemed to be in a different plane, her face eager yet wise and knowing. "Lloyd." She called out, and her voice was different too, a voice of the ancient places. "We're here. All of us." A goddess, summoning her minion, that was what it sounded like.

The throne was suddenly occupied by a person who seemed to have been there all along and they had just overlooked him. Maybe it was Shana's magic that brought him onto this plane, but on any occasion, he sat there with one leg thrown over the left armrest, his elbow on the right armrest, with his hand propping up his head. He still had a smirk on his face, his blood-colored eyes mocking. He was so stunning that Meru, who was engaged to and desperately in love with Guaraha, had to stare. The light glinted off of Lloyd's platinum hair and soon all the candles were glowing with silver flames. His magic was unsurpassed now, more powerful because no one could tell what he was doing, nor even when the process was happening. It was natural.

"Finally." He drawled in a voice like lazy lightning. "I was beginning to think you people would ignore me." He took in each of them, drinking them with his eyes and he smiled. "Rose. No Dragon Buster?"

Her jaw clenched and she looked to the side. "If you are here, you know perfectly well what happened to it."

"Yes and that's what started this entire blasted thing. You were always too emotional, Rose. You let your feelings get the best of you and that's why you're here now." Lloyd smiled again, disarming them all.

"What is he talking about, Rose?" Zieg asked. She ignored him.

Albert moved past them all, his cape billowing behind him as he walked up and grabbed two fistfuls of Lloyd's black and silver vest. "Where is my family?" he snarled. Even with his back to her, Meru could see the anger on his face, the fury he was emanating.

"Ah. A perfect example of the emotion called Fury." Lloyd said in his purring voice. He disengaged himself from Albert's grasp. "If you strangle me, Your Majesty, you'll never understand."

Reluctantly, the Serdian King backed off. "Where are they?" His voice was that of a true king, used to being obeyed. It was in his blood, as if he was the one on the throne, and Lloyd was a subject standing below him. Lloyd had been one of his advisors once; that was how he had found out about the Moon Gem.

"Relax, Your Majesty. I'm sure that they are safe. He can't do anything to them while you're still here." Lloyd stood now, elegant and powerful, like a snake uncoiling. "He can't harm any of you. It goes against the deal that he made. He doesn't dare to upset the balance."

"What is he talking about?" Haschel whispered loudly. The silver flames dimmed a bit and then flared up brighter than before.

"Why don't you ask Rose?" Lloyd suggested. "She knows. Don't you, Rose?"

She stood there as if transfixed, hypnotized. Her eyes seemed far away and she was remembering. But at the swordsman's words, she brought herself back and stared at the ground. "The balance," She whispered. "The balance of life and death."

"What?" Dart launched himself forward to stand next to her and face Lloyd. "Lloyd, what are you trying to do?"

Lloyd shrugged. "It seems that your friend has not told you the entire truth yet, Dart. I'll give you and your team a day to understand and then come back. You can stay here. But I can't tell you now. It would upset everything and you wouldn't believe me anyway. Humans are like that, as well as Winglies. Maybe all of existence."

"I just want to know one thing." Dart said. "Are you our enemy?"

"No. Believe it or not, I am your friend." He replied. "I came back to help you. I'm not fully regenerated, and I intend to stay this way. I have a deadline; as soon as this is finished, I must go back. But I don't believe any of you will understand this yet." He waved his hand nonchalantly. "Go to the door labeled Trust. Symbolic, is it not? I'll be here in the morning."

"Lloyd!" Meru called out, and he paused, lacing his fingers together. When he looked at her, she continued, "I understand why you have a door labeled Love. It's one of the main emotions after all. But you neglected to put in Hate. Why?"

Lloyd's smirk grew wider. "I was wondering when someone would ask that. Although I admit I thought it would be King Albert, however, circumstances do dictate that he wouldn't." He held out one hand, palm up. "People often associate love and hate being the opposite of each other, as they often do to light and dark, right and wrong. However love and hate are not opposites. Both are strong and all consuming, both come from deep in the heart. You can't love until you hate and you can't hate until you love. The opposite of love is not hate but apathy, as was shown on one of the doors. Love is caring and warmth, apathy is the opposite. Hate resembles love in ways, which is why it is not the opposite. Just like light and darkness are not opposite each other. Sacred Sister Miranda, you were the one who said that 'light was born out of darkness and within every darkness there is light.' Right and wrong? Highly overestimated. Simply because there are two sides to every story and that there are very different perspectives. So you see, don't classify things into good and bad."

Meru stayed silent, sniffling slightly. "I understand."

"I thought you would. After all, we are Winglies. Now get out. Go to Trust, and have Rose explain what's going on. Just remember what I said." Lloyd cast another glance at Rose and then disappeared. Again, like how he appeared. No puff of smoke, no shimmering of energy, not even the blade-against-blade sound. Just gone, proving his magical strength.

"Rose?" Dart asked. "Is there something you should tell us?"

She lifted one shoulder awkwardly. "Come. Follow me."

Walking slowly, she limped out of the empty silvery room and down the open corridors. The stone pillars were weathered and carved with ancient symbols. When they were back at the eight sections again, she made a sharp left into Trust.

The room was almost modern, without the ancient ruins. Only the smooth stone walls with illegible words on them showed its background. The room had a fire going on in the center and eleven beds surrounding it. Rose took the one nearest her and gingerly pulled her leg onto the mattress.

"This is going to sound weird." She muttered.

"As if the things we've been through were normal." Miranda replied, sitting on one of the beds and running her fingers through a knot in her blonde hair. "Just tell us already."

Rose took a deep breath and released it. "After I died in the Divine Tree, I was content. I had finished my obligations and I was finally free. Death didn't seem so bad, not nearly as bad as they make it seem in the books. But then, I grew lonely for everyone. I reached out for Dart, the one that was closest to me. Shana's sensitive mind felt it and that's why she had insomnia for a while. After talking to Dart, I went back when my time was up. The guardians of the underworld gave me one night and one night only. Hades is rather adamant about that."

"Hades?" Haschel echoed. "The god of the dead?"

"Hades, Yian Lwo Wong, Thanatos, Mictlantecuhtli, Auraka, Morta, Todote, Nga, Cizin, whatever you want to call him or her. Some big hotshot dude down there anyway." Rose rattled off the names with the proper accents and tones so that Meru truly believed she had met this—or all—of these people. "When I returned to my place after speaking with Dart, I grew restless. I wanted to talk to Dart again. I wanted to talk to all of you. I didn't want to stay dead. I wasn't content anymore. I wanted to see life again, this time without obligations or duties. I wanted to enjoy it like a normal human being." Rose sighed. "So I made a deal."

"Like the kind that you hear from the legends?"

"Sort of. I didn't sell my soul or anything. Hades seemed glad to help me. He was always fond of me, probably because I sent him so many clients by being the Black Monster." Rose gave a hollow laugh. "Anyway, I had to give up my powers and the Dragon Buster. For those, he would give me back life so that I could wander again.

"It was a bit unfair, but I was desperate. I wanted to see you again so badly, everyone. So I gathered up some information, like about what was happening in Indels Castle, and I made the deal. Hades gave me a smile and life. I took Zieg with me at the last moment, grasping at his mind. Next thing I know, I'm lying on the outskirts of a town. Zieg is next to me. Hades wasn't inhospitable. He gave us full money pouches, and some clothes, as well as the dress that I was wearing that night. Slowly we made our way to Basil, and then you know the rest."

"How does that have to do with anything that's here?" Albert asked. "Or my wife and son?"

"I'm not sure…" Rose replied hesitantly. "Maybe, by coming back, I upset the balance. The barrier was strained. Life and death cancelled each other out and the stronger, less content magics started to fight back. I think that's how Darius came back."

"It was." The sandy-haired youth confirmed. "I didn't like dying without seeing Rose again. So I took the chance to break the thin barrier and come across."

"I'm guessing Kanzas did the same thing." Zieg said tiredly. "He didn't like being dead either, and he was powerful. He must have made it through the barrier as well. That's why he's here."

"So we've realized how they've come back." Dart says, tossing a rock into the fire. "What we don't know is why."

"We told you. Because we weren't satisfied with our lives and deaths." Rose snapped, peeved. Small wonder.

"What about Kanzas?"

"Neither was he."

"But then why did he kidnap Emille and Tesalor?" Shana spoke up quietly. "There's no logic in that."

"I think," Kongol said quietly, and his voice rumbled everyone else to silence. "This is just my opinion. But I think that Kanzas wants to speak with us. For good things or bad, I don't know. But he grew tired of waiting for us, so he decided to give us a little incentive by abducting Queen Emille and Prince Tesalor."

"Why? We don't even know where he is or what he wants!" Albert yelled.

"That'll probably come clear once we talk to Lloyd tomorrow." Miranda made a dismissive gesture with her hands. "Calm yourself. Lloyd said that he couldn't harm them. Besides, if he hurt them in any way, he'd know that he'd have the Dragoons after him. I doubt even Kanzas would want to risk that. We need to rest up. We won't be able to figure out anything if we're drowsy tomorrow."

Reluctantly, the others all climbed into the beds, but sleep was elusive to all.

Zieg was dreaming.

Reenacting, more like.

"You're pathetic. Can't even do a simple sword dance properly." Kanzas spat.

Rose glared at him with her smoke-colored eyes, chin lifted in defiance. "You don't even know how to hold a sword!"

"I've got my fists. They're all I need. Besides, even without knowing how to hold a sword, I can probably do the sword dance better than you can."

"Why don't you prove it then, hotshot? You're a egotistical infuriating man, you know that? You think that you own everything!"

"This coming from the child who can't even take on a Virage by herself!"

"I'm not a child!" Rose shrieked.

"What is going on?" Zieg snarled, stepping between the two before the argument could warp into a fight. Rose was strong, but Kanzas had trained longer than she had, and he would probably break her arm at the very least. "Stop this arguing at once. We've enough troubles without our side fighting each other!"

"He started it." Rose muttered.

Kanzas rolled his eyes and left.

"You have to stop arguing with him. He'll kill you if you ever get into a fight with him." Zieg warned her. She kept her face toward the side and he forced her to look him in the eye. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes." She finally replied flatly. "I understand."

But it was no more than two weeks later, after the death of Syuveil, that Zieg found the two of them fighting physically. He heard the shouting suddenly subside as he was running through the corridors to the room where they trained. Fear arose, wondering if Kanzas had killed Rose. Or had they started fighting? It was a long two minutes before he reached the training room.

Both were in Dragoon form, wings beating out powerful rhythms against the sky. Rose had her sword in one hand, blocking Kanzas' punch with the other. Kanzas didn't need a metallic weapon, true; his fists were strong enough to dispel that necessity. Zieg was surprised Rose had managed to survive this long.

She blocked again, used her right arm to thrust with the blade. It neatly cut open a gash in Kanzas' upper arm and he barely flinched. He retaliated instantly, noticing an opening and punching her shoulder so that she cried out in pain. The force made her fly backward, and she beat her wings to stop before she hit the wall.

Her eyes were full of hate and bloodlust, two things he had never seen in her before. She really did want to kill Kanzas. She parried his fist with her sword, then swept it downward to rip into Kanzas' torso. The Violet Dragoon hissed in pain and fury, then pulled back his arm for another devastating punch.

Zieg broke out of his awed trance. "Enough! Stop that right this instant!" He roared, transforming into the Fire Dragoon and flying up to separate them, wrapping one arm around Rose's waist and physically dragging her away from Kanzas. She dangled from his arms like an angry kitten, her dark hair ruffled. Kanzas was just as angry, his arms twitching in bloodlust. His eyes were insane.

Zieg turned his back to him to shield Rose from any attacks, meanwhile pinning both her arms at her sides, her sword lying flat against her outer thigh, useless.

"What happened?" He demanded. "I thought I told you to stop this nonsense weeks ago!"

"The little bitch cut me!" Kanzas howled in rage. "She deserved what she got!"

"All I said was that your dolls were senseless and ugly. I didn't know you would explode and start fighting me!" Rose snapped. "And don't call me a bitch!"

"Stop this!" Zieg thundered, using a good portion of his Spirit Points by forming a ring of fire around both of them while lowering them to the ground. He waited until they fell back into Human form before he withdrew his fire. "Now look at this. We've all used up our Spirit Points. Both of you are wounded. Who knows when the Winglies and Virages will attack? You two have no sense at all! If you hate each other so much, wouldn't it be logical to train at different times? Stay away from each other, even on the battlefield. Kanzas, go see Shirley about those wounds. Rose, head to the human doctor. I don't want to see the two of you fighting or arguing again. Hell, if I see you even glaring at each other, I'll bring both of you to Fort Magrad's main room and publicly report you to Diaz myself! Understand?"

"Yes." Rose muttered, running down the corridors to the human quarters.

Kanzas merely shrugged and walked off the other way, to Shirley, and Belzac, who would undoubtedly be with her.

Zieg shook his head. Though he had separated them, he would never be able to forget the new flaring fury and bloodlust in Rose's eyes. Or Kanzas's.

Lloyd was already waiting for them the next morning when they entered the room. The flames were all extinguished in the bright daylight. He stared at them with blood-colored eyes. "I see that Rose has already told you what is going on. I'll clarify it further.

"Kanzas was the most tortured soul out of the four that Dart and Rose freed. But even in death he was tortured. He, not unlike our Rose" –Rose's eyebrows lifted at this— "wanted life again. But that wasn't how he made it through. The barrier was thin, but only the strongest could get past it, as well as Hades. Kanzas was among the strongest down there, but…" Lloyd shrugged poetically. "Anyway, he too, made a deal with Hades. Or rather, Hades made a deal with him. I don't know why, but it was the god that approached the Dragoon, not the other way around. They became one and now they're back. Kanzas is the trump card in the prophecy. That's all I can tell you. They should be coming soon. It is my presence that keeps them at bay. Once I leave, you'll face him. Them."

"Wait." Dart called. "If even Kanzas couldn't make it through the barrier, how did you?"

Meru expected Lloyd to appear indignant, to say that he was stronger, but instead he merely sighed melodramatically. "There are always more questions than answers, Dart. Would you like me to summon the two of them now?"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Meru screamed, afraid that he would disappear and leave her questions unanswered. "You've explained the prophecy. You're the silver flame. You wanted to talk to us, since we were the ones who defied fate and fought with passion. Kanzas is the guardians' new trump card. This is the place where the bonds of eternal affection were declared. But what does the last part mean? About how rain must fall and we have to remember?"

For the first time, she saw Lloyd falter. The Wingly swordsman dropped his eyes to one of the burnt-out candles and shifted uneasily. "That I cannot tell you. It's against all the rules. I can't break them. Just…try to understand what happens. I'm leaving now. Get ready for anything. They will say things that will hurt you or make you doubt each other. But just remember. Good luck."

This time he made a bewitching configuration with his hands and the room shifted its magic. Lloyd disappeared, as well as all the magical traces that he had been there. The throne was empty.

"Did anyone understand that?" Guaraha asked when no one spoke.

"Not a single word of it." Darius replied numbly. Rose was holding his hand, so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "Where's this Kanzas that we're supposed to fight?"

"The Dragoons." Dart corrected. "You're not fighting. Mortals will die in this."

Rose laughed. "You think that Death cares whether we are Dragoon or mortal? Death comes for everyone and there's nothing you can do about it."

Dart stared at her straight in the eyes so that she flinched. "That was what we all thought about fate too."

Rose looked away.

"Where is this person?" Albert demanded finally. "I have many questions that I want to ask him."

"Don't ask questions that you don't want answered, King Albert of Serdio." A new voice said, a voice like snakeskin coated with honey. Sweetly disgusting. Meru shivered and stepped closer to Guaraha.

The throne flashed with a bright light so that all but Miranda closed their eyes. When Meru reopened her eyes there was something standing, not sitting, on the throne. For a second she thought it was Haschel, but the Rouge martial artist was standing besides her, and this person was much more…insane.

There was no other way to describe it. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with an insane excitement, the kind that she saw only in asylums. His entire body was tensed and covered in calluses and bruises, his muscles tight sinews. His fists, she realized with a shock, were covered in blood. His hair was dark and sticking out every which way. A leather band kept sweat out of his eyes. He emanated power as well as insanity. Meru felt afraid and yet still felt fascinated. Maybe he wasn't quite so insane.

And just as quickly as he had appeared, he transformed. He no longer looked insane, but very, very sad. His shoulders were slumped almost in tired defeat and his eyes were sad and weary. It seemed to pain him greatly to even hold his head up, either by physical weakness or lack of pride. Meru stumbled back into Guaraha at the sudden change. She almost felt like reaching out and holding him, asking him what was wrong. This could be the same person that was there a mere second ago.

And then he changed again.

This time it didn't even look like Kanzas. In the former Violet Dragoon's place was now a man too beautiful and seductive to be human. Tall, with blonde hair and ice blue eyes. That was all Meru could say about him. Everything else was indescribable, the power he emitted, the aura that he had. He was temptation.

And then she understood.

She was probably the only one who saw him as a tall gorgeous man. The males probably saw "him" as a beautiful young woman. If not a person of flesh, then something else that they desired, even if it was to see family again.

Because this was Hades. The god of the dead, Satan, Thanatos, the devil. The devil was temptation and that was why she felt so strange. She was sure the others felt this way too, so she shouted, "It's just an illusion! It's Hades! He's trying to make us all confused!"

And just like that, the illusion faded, leaving behind the tall blonde man. He had lost much of his seduction but he was still tempting. But Meru pushed him out of her mind, remembering Guaraha.

"Very good, little Wingly." Hades clapped his hands twice. "Impressive for you to figure it out so quickly. Usually it takes others at least a few minutes to realize what I am." He transformed back to Kanzas for a few seconds and then back to the tall man.

"Who the hell are you?" Dart yelled.

"I, my warrior friend? I am the devil. I am Satan. I am Hades. I am Pluto. I am temptation. I am Death. I prefer the name Hades, but whatever you wish to call me is fine, though please no curses." He smiled cynically. "Rose, darling, hello again."

"What you have done?" She gasped in horror as she watched his image flicker from Kanzas to the blonde man. One of her hands curled, as if around the hilt of an imaginary sword. "Kanzas? Hades? Who's in there?"

"This is Kanzas' body, though he's weaker than I am so that I can take over. I prefer my own profile to his anyway. So you can talk to him through me, if you want."

"I don't give a damn who or what you think you are." Albert interrupted. "I just want to know what you have done to my wife and son? Where are they? Are they harmed?"

The god in front of them decided to stay in the tall blonde man form. "They're safe. A bit frightened, but otherwise, perfectly fine. I can't do anything to them. It'd be unfair and against all the rules. Besides, they have your protection."

"Then why do you have them? Release them at once!"

"Well, then that would be no fun at all, wouldn't it? They're…may I say, bargaining chips for me."

"What is it that you want?" Albert said, calmer now. "Jewels? Power? Land?"

Hades threw back his head and roared with laughter. It took him quite a while to calm down and Meru clasped Guaraha's arm while they waited. Insanity was still there, radiating in his laugh and his beautiful ice blue eyes. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rose edging closer to Darius, her eyes huge and fascinated. Shana was gripping Dart's hand, letting out a slight whimpering sound. Her eyes were unfocused. Was she having another vision or was she sensing Hades' power?

Zieg studied the person up on the throne carefully. He could definitely sense Kanzas somewhere there, though buried and possibly unconscious. It would take some time to get to him if needed.

"You humans!" Hades chuckled. "Especially you royalty. You think that you can solve anything with money and political power! You humans are almost too amusing to do anything to. Ah, but you're partly right, King Albert. I am after power. Though not the kind you speak of. I want a different sort of power."

"What do you want?" Albert repeated.

Hades waved his hand negligently. "In a moment." He hopped off the throne three meters. He landed perfectly and walked forward, stopping two steps away from Rose. He reached out a hand to her face, and Darius yelled in anger, ramming himself forward into the god.

However brave, it was a rather stupid effort. Mortal against god? Hades didn't even twitch an eyebrow. Darius simply stopped moving, then was lifted and slammed into the wall. Rose gasped again and cried out, but Hades continued to speak as if nothing had happened, "I really must thank you, my dear. Without you, I would not have been able to come back." He took her chin in his hand.

She bit his hand.

A look of annoyance crossed over Hades' face, though not pain. The annoyance quickly shifted to amusement and he smiled, pulling his hand back. "Glad to see life hasn't changed you that much."

"You bastard." She snarled.

"Now, now. I thought I said I accept any name except a curse." He said mockingly.

"Though unknowingly, I helped your world greatly. A great percentage of the 'people' there died from my hand. We had a deal, Hades! I gave you my own power and the Dragon Buster and you would let me go. I kept my end of the deal. You didn't! We had a deal, and Emille and Tesalor were never part of the deal, you arrogant back-stabbing asshole!"

Hades' blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "I told you not to curse. It's not polite, for one thing, and definitely not suited for a lady like you. And for another," He smiled. "It makes me angry."

Meru felt the magic twist. But wrongly, like it had been perverted. It hurt her mind a bit when she sensed it, as if she was staring at a fire for too long. It radiated evil and insanity and cruel triumph like Hades did. "Look out!" She screamed, joined in by a chorus of other voices from the people who cared about Rose.

But by then it was too late. Meru was sure that two years ago, when Rose was alive and the most powerful magic user, she would have sensed it without a doubt. She would have jumped out of the way, or above Hades and landing in back of him. She would have thrown him, fired a spell at him, but disarm him somehow.

But as it was, she was only mortal. The attack caught her unexpected. She stayed silent when Hades lifted her with his mind and threw her against the wall, next to Darius. She exhaled roughly when she hit the wall and slid down with a defeated whine/snarl. Her head hit the ground and stayed there. Meru couldn't tell whether or not her sister was breathing.

"Rose!"

Weapons were brandished with a cacophony of sounds. Shana and Zieg ran over to where Rose and Darius had fallen. Kongol assumed a position to block any attacks coming their way.

"Hey." Shana spoke softly as she brushed a strand of hair away from Rose's pale throat and checked for a pulse. She sighed in relief. "She's breathing." She looked at Darius. The flaxen-haired boy had just struggled to his knees, shaking away the last residues of a headache.

"Is she all right?" Darius asked anxiously.

"She's breathing normal, but unconscious." Shana said, watching as Zieg propped up his former fiancée against the wall with remarkable tenderness. "Hades hit her pretty hard but she'll be up and at it in a few moments, I guess."

"But she'll be all right?" Darius asked again, cradling her head in his lap. Shana wondered just what had happened between them.

"Yes. She'll be fine."

"Now, now." Hades held up one hand to ward off all the weapons. "It's not hospitable to attack one's host without provocation, you know."

"Well, I would consider blasting our friend counts as provocation!" Dart snarled.

"I didn't blast her. I knocked her out. Besides, I had provocation as well."

Angered with the man—god—that had attacked her sister, Meru flitted past Dart and swung her hammer above her head. Pirouetting, she brought it down, only to find that Hades was no longer standing there. Not many had speed that could match Meru, but then again he was a god. She tried again three times, and three times struck nothing but air.

Hades smiled. "That's not polite either. You continue that, I may have to hit you as well."

Guaraha ran forward and grabbed Meru's shoulders, dragging her back. "You can't take him on by yourself." He hissed at her.

"My dear boy, nobody needs to 'take on' this god. I'm not a vulgar man; fighting has no appeal to me. I do, however, have a fondness for riddles, especially tough ones."

Rose groaned as she woke, accepting Darius' hand up in time to hear the last sentence. "Sounds like a trap, Dart." She warned.

"Ah, Rose. You're back, I see. You don't need to make me sound like such a villain, dear." Hades smiled again then turned to Albert. "Answer the riddle correctly and your family goes free. Answer incorrectly, and I take all your powers. Well?"

"Trap, trap, trap." Miranda hissed dangerously. "This entire thing reeks worse than the dungeons at the Crystal Palace."

Albert stared at his hands. "I want to get my family back. If you people want, I can take it by myself. That way, he will only take my powers."

Hades was watching them with an amused look on his face. He always had that look on his face, as if humans were a confusing toy for him. "You don't have to take up the offer right now. You have until tomorrow to decide whether or not I accept. Otherwise…"

"You said you wouldn't harm them!" Albert yelled, turning so suddenly that his cape swirled around his waist.

"I won't hurt them, Your Highness. But I could keep them locked up forever. Eventually, they'll die on their own. Humans have that fragility. That's the problem with them. They die." Hades shrugged. "Here." He tossed a whistle into the air and Haschel caught it. "Call me when you accept the offer."

"Wait." Zieg called. "I want to speak to Kanzas."

"As you wish." Hades bowed his head and the hair on his head seemed to writhe as if alive, like Medusa's snake appendages. As they did so, they turned dark, starting at the crown of his head, as if someone had spilled ink on him. When he lifted his head, it was Kanzas, sad and alone.

"Kanzas." Rose breathed. "It is you."

"Why are you here, Kanzas? Why are you working with the devil?" Zieg asked. He stepped forward, seemingly unafraid. He had been quite a strong hero in his time, after all, Meru thought.

Kanzas looked at a particular stone on the wall. "I…got lonely. I didn't want to move into the darkness forever. I couldn't find the light of Shirley as Rose had promised. I didn't want to die. When the barrier thinned, I thought this was the perfect chance. So I made a deal with Hades. He had my powers now, and I gave him my body to possess. He can't come into the mortal world if he has no body. So he borrowed mine. In return, he left my mind conscious so that I could see and feel life."

"Feel life chained up and imprisoned inside your own mind?" Rose scoffed in contempt. "You are still a fool."

Kanzas gave her a sad look. "Perhaps." He pulled up his sleeve. "See this? The scar you gave me when we dueled in the training room."

"And the bruise you gave me took years to heal. I'm not joking." Rose smiled slightly. "Your disposition improved, Kanzas."

"As did yours. You're not a bitch anymore."

Rose blinked at his comment but decided to let it slide as a compliment.

"Kanzas." Zieg called, and waited until the dark head swung in his direction with sad eyes. "For whatever we have to do, I'm sorry."

"I know, Zieg. I came here to see you as well. I'm sorry of the methods I had to take. Perhaps this time I will accept death more responsibly." Kanzas smiled. "Nice seeing you again. And Rose, keep this new attitude. I like it much better."

From her side, Meru could only see part of the words that Rose mouthed to her old enemy, and then Hades was back.

"Well that was awfully sentimental. But the sun's setting and it's time for you to go now. Go discuss my offer and then get back to me tomorrow."

Rose and Darius left the others to decide.

"It matters not to us what they choose." Rose finally said as they walked through the corridors towards the doors. "I'm just glad I'm with them."

"I'm just glad I'm with you." Darius said, and she stopped walking, turning to face him, but not letting go of his hand. "I'm not kidding with you, Rose. You are the reason that I had the will to cross the barrier. My love for you is stronger than any of the spirits' will to live again. That's how I made it across the barrier."

"Dar…" Rose shook her head. "It'll never work out between us. We're too different."

"No. We're too similar." He tilted her face up towards him, and kissed her gently, without the savageness that he knew most men would have given her.

She allowed the kiss to linger and for him to pull away before she answered, "I'm not an easy person to love, Darius."

"I know. But no challenge has ever stopped me before. Why should this one?" He kissed her again, felt her give in, sliding her arms around him. He wondered if she had ever known love aside from Zieg.

"I love you." he told her.

Her eyes flared strangely and she nodded, but then turned away and walked down the pathways, waiting for him to catch up with her but not saying anything.

What did I do wrong? He wondered.

"I'm sorry." Albert said quickly, the first thing he had said all evening.

Meru sat on her chair with her legs tucked up. Guaraha stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. Everyone was here aside from Shana, who claimed a headache, and Darius and Rose.

"Sorry for what?" Dart asked quietly.

"For dragging you all into this. It's my wife and son that he's holding. I should be there saving them. But you all became stuck in this and it's not your fault. It's mine. I'm sorry."

"Bull." Haschel snapped, which was surprising. He rarely ever cursed or spoke in a bad mood. "We would do the same for anyone's loved one here."

"Agreed." Miranda growled, just as heatedly. "If it was someone with as much political power as Queen Theresa or someone as simple as a child in Seles."

"We'll help you, Albert." Dart declared. "Whatever made you think that we wouldn't, get it out of your head. We're allies, companions, and friends. We're there for each other. I know you'd do the same if it was Shana there. We're accepting the riddle."

"Then you'd better watch out." Rose said tiredly as she walked in and took an empty seat. "Hades is a tricky bastard. He's always got a little loophole tucked away somewhere for his own advantage. He was like that whenever I talked to him. I wouldn't trust him. He doesn't like losing."

"Well he'd better get used to it." Haschel said. "Because he's going to lose this time. We're going to answer the riddle correctly, and then we're going to free the Queen and Prince of Serdio. Then we are all going to go home and enjoy the vacation and we're all going to live good lives. And Hades will be rotting in hell. Literally."

Kongol shifted slightly, a sign that he wanted to speak, but was unsure. Dart understood this, quieted everyone and waited.

"I am not so sure about that." Kongol finally said. "We defeated Melbu Frahma, that is true." He waited patiently until Zieg stopped fuming at the name of the demon king. "However, that counted on battle strategies and brute strength. A riddle…is much different. It has no use of weapons whatsoever. We are warriors. I didn't understand anything about grammar or education a few years back, until Haschel and Albert taught me. The truth is, we're not the smartest scholars on Endiness. We need to enlist the help of the advisors and the sages, but we can't summon them fast enough. We need to face the possibility that we might lose. Strength we have, passion we have. But those are not enough to answer a riddle correctly. A riddle needs wit, intelligence, and wisdom. Not all of us have that."

His remark made the room fall silent, until Meru chirped, "Who knows? It might be a riddle that we particularly know. And besides, we have Albert and Miranda! They're smart. We've got this covered."

"It's just like Hades to decide fate on a little riddle." Rose commented as she walked in. She had a habit of doing that, so that she was the center of attention. "He's a sadistic bastard, but given to mischief. I have a feeling this riddle will be deeper than we assume."

"Rose? Rose!" Darius ran to catch up with the dark-haired woman, who took one look at him and started to run the other way. But with her leg still slightly injured, he caught up quickly and grabbed her arm, making her look at him. "Rose, you've been avoiding me. Why?"

She mumbled something and shook her head, pulling her arm free.

"I don't understand you. If you don't want me following you, tell me. I'll leave you alone."

"Dar, you don't understand! That's the problem!" She sat down on the stone floor. "I've done terrible things."

"Which you've already paid penance for."

"Dar." She looked at him with saddened gray eyes that had lost all their magical fire. "You said…in the corridor…"

"I said that I loved you." Darius repeated, and watched as she flinched.

"I…you can't say that to me. No one can love me. They're not supposed to." Rose turned her head to the side, her mouth twisted in a grimace. "I bring danger to those around me, especially those that I love."

"What do you mean?"

"I love the others. I really do. And look at them. They deserve good normal lives. But because they've known me, their lives will never be the same. Look at Albert. Because of my bumbling mistake and will to live, I've caused his wife and son to be in danger. And Zieg. I loved him, desperately, and he died and was possessed by Melbu Frahma. And…" She frowned. "There were three others aside from Zieg. One of them was named Carlos. I loved him, too. He was so sweet and considerate. When I had fever once, he tucked me into bed and sat by my side the whole time. But then when he realized what I was, he killed himself. Jumped off a cliff, as I remember. The second one was David. He was killed when the townspeople were chasing me for being a witch. They took him instead because they couldn't get to me." Silvery tears were making their way down her face. "The third was you, Darius. I killed your sister because I couldn't contain Michael. And you died and now you're back in this twisted web."

"Rose, pretty warrior, that wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault." Darius held her as she began to quietly sob, her tears dripping to the floor and staining it silver. "I don't know why you won't let the past go, but you have to. I love you. You can't change that."

"I bring danger to those around me. I won't put you in danger, Darius!"

"Shh…don't worry. I can take care of myself. But I'm not going to stop loving you just because of a little danger. Love's always a danger, Rose. You should know that. And besides, even if you send me away from you, I'll still love you. I loved you ever since that time when my sister, my brother, and I found you unconscious in the fields. Nothing can change that. I love you. Do you understand?" he was fierce now, taking her face between his hands and glaring at her as if his will could withhold her own.

She lowered her gaze, and whispered, "I love you too."

And though she knew that danger was awaiting them, for a moment, she felt the warmth of total peace.

"Hello again, friends." Hades called as they walked in. "Good to see you all awake and thinking."

"We're not your friends, Hades. What's the riddle?" Dart asked.

"So direct. In some places, they would consider that rude. But since death is part of no particular country, I'll answer your question." He waited until they were all assembled and looking at him before he spoke. His eyes were shining, blue as sapphires, and his hair gleamed like gold. All around he was a precious presence, unable to be mimicked.

"Wait." Zieg said. "If we answer the riddle correctly, you let Kanzas go as well."

Hades laughed. "If he means so much to you, then so be it. I don't need his body or his annoying soul. He'll be released if you get the question right."

"Then fire away. What's the riddle?" Albert asked.

"The age-old question that no one has been able to answer correctly." Hades made a mock gesture of annoyance and frustration.

"What is the point of existence?"

Meru nearly laughed. This was it? This was the riddle?

Hades took their silence as surrender. He threw his golden head back and laughed, a full-throated bellow the echoed around the empty stone room. "I told you no one has ever guessed it!"

Dart moved forward to the foot of the steps leading up to the throne on which Hades was sitting. "The meaning of life," He said loudly and clearly. This might have confused him before, but not anymore. Not after what he had been through and learned. He paused and looked up at Hades. "The meaning of life is that in itself. It's nothing and it's everything. It's time and memories. It's emotions and knowledge. It's life and death. It's your own existence."

Rose let go of her fear, finally forgiving herself and stepped forward beside Dart. "It is your emotions and your feelings. It's the eleven sensations on the archways of the doors. It's the sweet tension of the transformation. It's the wind blowing through your hair. It's things that are important to you."

Meru, elated and pumped with adrenaline at the bravery of her leader-friend and sister, flew forward and hovered in the air, her eyes shining as much as her wings. "It's apathy and it's love and it's friendship. It's what you feel. It's yourself. The meaning of life cannot be answered in words. It's something that only a person can figure out on her own. Everyone has different meaning of life."

The words rang through the empty room, each pronounced syllable dripping with the passion of the three people who had spoken and of the people who had not spoken. Meru felt ecstatic and excited, as if she could fly through the sky and find water in the stars. The words carried a power that not even Hades could deny.

Shana took her husband's hand. "Well-spoken. Hades, you cannot back out of your deal. Gods don't have that power. You made a proposal; we accepted it. We answered your riddle. You must set them free now."

"Fine." Hades snarled, all of his tempting beauty gone now, replaced by an unholy fury. He faced Albert. "Your wife and son have now been returned to your castle, safe and sound. And," he took a deep breath and released it, exhaling a smoky cloud of black, gray, and violet. "The Dragoon is freed from my possession as well, but he goes back to my world."

Meru felt the magic ebbing from him and knew that he spoke truly. After all, it wasn't fair to lie. Not even gods had that right. But it couldn't be over; not this easy. No way Hades was going to lose so easily.

"So we are free to go." Dart says. "Well then, nice knowing you, we'll see you when we're dead." They turned to leave. Exits had never seemed this appealing.

"Not so fast." Hades all but purred. "We've an account to settle."

"What are you talking about?" Haschel snapped.

"We answered the riddle, you set the hostages free, our exchange is done." Miranda said in clipped tones.

"Not necessarily." Hades beckoned with one finger and Rose gagged as she was dragged forward by an unseen force until Hades' hand was around her pale throat, almost but not quite lifting her off the floor. "The deal was for me to receive Rose's powers and the Dragon Buster. Those gave me the power to form a mortal body and use magic in the living world."

Rose tried to speak, choked in Hades' hold.

"That's right, Rose. My magic in the living world. You were very stupid not to ask why I wanted so much magical power. You were too eager to live and see your friends again that you didn't think. And you were even more stupid to think that you could bring another life with you." He glared at Zieg and Darius. "These two left without my permission. Now two lives must be taken."

"You bastard!" Meru screamed, surprised at her own vehemence. "You didn't mention that!" She flew toward him, only to collide with Rose, who Hades had discarded like an old rag. Meru rose to her knees, putting a protective arm around her 'sister'.

"You lied to us!" Albert snarled, and his face was twisted in terrible fury.

"Lie is such a nasty word. I merely withheld information because I didn't think you could answer my riddle. I'm not allowed to lie; it's against the rules. And since two lives escaped me, I must have two lives as retribution."

"Hades," Guaraha called. "Can another deal be made?"

"Guaraha!" Meru poked at his ribs. "You can't deal with him!"

"Nope. Rules are rules. But I'm not a merciless person. You have two weeks to say goodbye to them. But if after exactly two weeks, two lives are not given to me, I myself get to take four as payment." He smiled and disappeared, seemingly melting into the stone.

There was a deadly pause for a long time.

"Come on." Dart finally said. "We need rest."

Rose stayed silent as they sat at the table.

"Well it looks like goodbye, son." Zieg finally said.

"Father, what are you talking about?"

"Darius and I crossed the border without permission. It's logical that we go back."

"I'm not going to let anyone die!" Dart screamed, drawing his sword. "We'll fight Hades!"

"And let all of the Underworld loose if we win?" Miranda growled. "Use your head, Dart."

"I'm not going to let my father die!"

"He won't have to." Rose stood up, tossed her head. "I'll go."

"What?!"

"She's right." Shana agreed quietly, as if she had just realized something drastically important. "Hades didn't specify which two lives he wanted. There's a loophole."

"Furthermore, it should be of the three who came back. It's only fair. And it should be me, because I deserve death most. And," She quickly added when protests arose. "If I go back, I get my powers back again. Hades can't come to the living world anymore."

No one could find anything to counterattack her debate.

"But Rose…" Meru finally whispered. "We'll miss you so much!"

"Will you miss other lives less? Is one life worth more than others? I'm going, Meru."

"Then I go too." Darius said firmly, taking Rose's hand. "I came back for Rose. If she isn't here, then why should I be? Besides, Zieg has a son to raise. Because of certain things, he couldn't be there for Dart's childhood. But he can be there as Dart continues life."

"But I'm old." Zieg protested. "My life will be over soon anyway."

"But not yet." Rose told him gently, reaching out one hand and placing it on his old cheek. "Look, if Darius is going, I am too. Also because I'm needed there. And if I go, Darius is going. So the two of us are going no matter what." She spoke firmly, but her chin was trembling and her eyes were watery. "Please…let's not argue anymore. We've only two weeks left, and I don't want to spend them arguing with those who are closest to me."

It was so strange. In five minutes they had decided who would die.

"I have a favor to ask." Rose spoke again. "Kongol, you fly quickly. Would you please go to the Queen Fury and bring the priest here? And a good sword, please. Darius, I want to speak to you." She tilted her head, and the two of them left.

Even Guaraha's gentle comforting could not stop Meru's tears.

"Dar," Rose said. "You know what you're doing?"

"I know what I'm doing. And I'm sure. I know that you're going, and I can't convince you otherwise. So I'll go with you." he cupped her cheek in his hand. "You know I came back for you. I love you."

"I know. Which is why I want to talk to you. I love you too, Dar, but you know how I feel about the people that I love. I'm afraid they'll be in danger. But it seems we are already too close to danger to avoid it. And…" She took one of his hands in both of her own. "That's why I'm asking you. Will you marry me?"

Dar blinked. "Why do you ask me this?"

"Why? Because I want to be married before I die. I want to have a husband. I Because it would bring me comfort before I die. Because it would tie up a lot of loose ends so that we don't die along and drifting. Because I don't believe in premarital sex. Because I love you."

He pulled away one of his hands to take her free one. "I meant, why do you ask me such a silly question when you already know the answer?"

She smiled.

"By the way, could you repeat the next to last reason why?"

Rose racked her brains and then realized. "You swine." She cuffed at his shoulder. "Men."

"Women." He retorted and then paused. "Are we going to tell your friends?"

"Of course. That's why I sent for the priest. We need someone to conduct the ceremony. And I have to ask Shana about some things."

"You sent for the priest before you proposed."

"Yeah, and?"

"You were awfully confident that I was going to say yes."

She smirked. "David always did tell me that I was too self-assured."

And in that sentence, Darius knew that she had begun to forgive.

"We're getting married."

Simple as that.

"Ooh, congratulations!" Meru flew out of her seat and nearly asphyxiated her sister in a bear hug.

The others came over to give their blessing and thanks and then seated themselves.

"Isn't it the guy that proposes to the girl?" Haschel asked.

"So sue me." Rose said. "I couldn't wait."

"So that's why you wanted Kongol to go get the priest?" Albert asked.

"Yes. And I have a few other favors to ask. I need a wedding dress. Nothing in my wardrobe is suited for something like this. I never really thought that I'd get married!"

"I volunteer for that." Shana started to giggle. "I can't imagine you in a wedding dress either!"

In the commotion that followed, Rose walked up to Zieg, who was standing by himself. "Are you okay with this?"

"I'm happy for you, Rose. I'm glad that you found true love, and someone whom you could love back." He smiled, his skin creasing. "I would volunteer to give you away at the ceremony, but that'd be too unnerving."

Rose considered it and nodded. "You're right. It would be freaky." She smiled again and moved to the center of attention once more. "Also, I'd like to conduct a sworn-sister ceremony with Meru."

"Eh? What?"

"Well, you said that we're close enough to be sisters, right? So why not make it official? That way I can tell everyone down there that Meru's my sister." Rose smiled. "If only to annoy the hell out of everyone."

It's strange knowing exactly when you're going to die. Usually death strikes suddenly, or takes a long time to happen. But nobody knows the exact date that they're going to die. It's like knowing the Apocalypse. But for a long while, they enjoyed themselves and forgot about death.

Shana and Miranda set to work on the dress, the latter flying all the way to Mille Seseau to gather the finest silks. As a Dragoon, she could make the short trip in half a day. Kongol returned with a priest, who seemed rather flustered by everything until Albert explained to him. Kongol was slightly miffed that Rose had left him out of the loop until now but got over it quickly.

The swearing-sister ceremony was simple. Taking place in the Trust room, as it was the only room they were allowed in, aside from Love, which they were slightly wary of. They placed a red velvet cloth over the steps, and then incense and candles on top of that, along with a bowl of water.

It was silent, with Rose calmly cutting her forearm and letting the blood drip into the bowl of water. She lit jasmine incense and two candles, one white and one dark-violet, almost black. Meru did the same, wincing slightly at the cut, and lighting water-lily incense with two candles, one white and one light blue.

"I promise that I will help my sister in any way that I can, to help ease her pain and to help her improve her life." Rose said firmly, and Meru repeated it.

If I am supposed to help Rose in any way that I can, how am I to help her keep her life when she has only eleven days to live?

The question stayed in her mind even after she fell asleep.

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~ Author's Note: I know that this story is moving rather fast-paced, but with Regents coming on and redecorating my room, I haven't had much luck with my stories. The next chapter shall be the last one. Don't give up yet, people, this story may yet have a twist! Oh yeah, and the part about love and apathy is taken from Christopher Pike's Last Vampire series. I think it was number 2: Black Blood. I just love those books, and that part just fit in perfectly with what I was aiming for I had to put it in. Used without Mr. Pike's permission.