AN: Finally I can end this story, behold the last chapter and arguably the most difficult as it relates to the memories of wind story sequel which will be in production and wanted to keep the human feel of the characters and raises the issue that do we actually feel out of loneliness?. So here it is the end of one's doubt and the start ofa journey.

Earth and Wind Vol: I

Chapter III

Of what lies ahead

By Koriandr Star

Walking up on their final steps, the angle of the walk died down as the two gradually walked on a more comfortable pace given they made it, the top of the journey at last but the mood of the fault, the careless words lotte regrettably said that caused the divide with her him was still there. Luc looked around still keeping his silence and a growing difference from his companion when he stopped to pause at the view he now held before him but lotte faced away with a rock she just picked, grasping it as hard as she could before stabbing in a short throw to hurl it away down the path they just came hoping to throw away her troubles in the process. But it still didn't work, the stupidity she had blurted out earlier still clinged in her memories with a bitterness that even her very soul tasted.

Stupid just stupid

"You were right"

"Sorry?" Lotte turned round looking weary by her own guilt to respond to the short reply, it was so brief that she barely heard it at all, walking up to his side she looked at him and saw the warm look becoming more dyed with a pale look but still held on a thread of strength as he gave a small smile.

"You were right" He repeated "In that the view here is something special, its actually quite, peaceful"

Despite heir earlier fallout they actually made the timing of their journey just right in time to see the balance of the heavens where the sun shines once more in its sunset before sinking completely before the earth with the sky above the resting sun darking slowly to offer a glimpse to all those who would watch at this time to see the opening window where the earth embraces the kingdom of the stars in its own darkness with Lotte and Luc the only two in the area who had the best of the view. For now Lotte's face rediscovered its lost charm and smiled with some comfort that her friend was to see and appreciate the world she saw.

"Makes a change really, after all the things we see through, all the battles and such yet we still get to see the beauty of the world"

"….if only…" The heaviness of the emotion, the pure depressment made his self mutter impossible to ignore, now everything felt cold, enriched by the air, feeling like icy granite brushing uncomfortably upon the two. Lotte felt it the most whereas Luc stood uncaring and becoming fast immune to the feeling, almost as if the air was the expression he was feeling as he accepted it all too well, Lotte didn't question if the effect was born out of his own rune only looking unsettled and concern more about him more then anything.

"…Look if you're on about that incident over Windy then I'm…sorry"

"Its not that…just bad memories that's all…" It didn't take long to continue, throwing away his silence or a chance for Lotte to even speak. "…I've seen too much, even when I try to see things as you do I just can't see it, not anymore"

"I..I don't understand"

"Believe me when I say that is fortune itself…I have to go and, thanks…I appreciate the illusion you have given me." Taking a step back from this sudden change from hospitality to downright separation Lotte swayed slightly unsure on how to react only to blurt back in what could be called a natural act of desperation and confusion, she didn't want this, just him smiling and sharing a common view of the world, her world.

"No!...please don't just do this to me. I spent a lifetime getting to know you and its…its just an illusion to you? If you so hate me then just say it!"

"Its not that, I don't hate you-" Luc spoke disturbingly calm, the anger lotte was feeling and expressed didn't even flinch his cold persona that he seem to be becoming.

"Then what? What do you mean? Please, don't just 'go' I brought you up here so you can understand me, understand that I'm happy when I'm with you, that I feel-" Her words quicken in her uncontrollable agitation, was he truly throwing away the history of their company so soon? To Lotte it felt like fighting for a part of herself, a part that took comfort in one she grew to trust. But Luc nearly snapped with a a harsh lash of rejection but almost subliminal in that it shook her coming response, uneasy at what he said.

"Don't say that, how can you feel for something that's already lost?"

"…I.."

"I'm sorry but I can't say anymore, only I was happy when I was ignorant, now there is no veil deep enough to blind me from what I now see, I thought I could hide it but every time I am with those like you I realise I couldn't see the same thing as everyone does anymore. Just remember we are leased as we are with limitations, to overcome certain tasks; sacrifice at the highest self level is you're only light. I hope you understand it as I now do; it's the edge that decides the fate we tilt on. Farewell"

Aspring of light from his rune and Luc shone momentarily before disappearing, leaving his now former friend in the growing darkness of the sky only she couldn't see any stars but just the darkness and nothing more, vacuumed by a sea of loneliness, a sea she was destined to voyage for many years.

18yrs later, the present

"So that was how it ended?"

"Yep" Muttered Lotte "Ever since I tried believing it ended on a happier note, I actually believed that myself you know. Seems the truth is too potent to die I guess, I'm starting to wish I didn't come here" Her expression reflected Lotte's bitterness easily that there was no point trying to sweeten the truth with another lie.

"Better to know then seclude yourself really?"

"Doesn't feel that way and even after all these years I still don't understand what he meant. I'm I to accept that I was aware of his change yet did little about it? All I cared were my feelings to him and that's it. I guess I really was lonely, feeling for someone out of loneliness. Is that why people fall in lone, out of loneliness?"

"I don't know the answer to that, Lotte snorted at the comment lightly"

"Yeah, after all the truth hurts doesn't it" It was only when she saw Cleo's silent offence that Lotte realised her error "Hey Cleo look I'm sorry I wasn't implying-"

"Still eighteen years down the road and you still haven't learnt anything about consideration"

"Look I'm sorry I swear"

"When you raise a family then you'll know how sorry that statement is, love for me didn't come out of loneliness…look-" With a slight withdrawal in her criticism. "-I want to help I do but sharpen up your attitude otherwise we won't live to get to the city-states let alone Harmonia."

"Yeah" Chuckled Lotte once seeing a brief smile from her friend's face. "I'll try"

"Its an start, though now we know something"

"That Luc fears windy? Who can blame him?"

"Not that, Windy must have seen something that happened to Luc, you said it yourself, this whole conversion in his principles may have happened roughly just before his official departure"

"And what you didn't?...er I meant that…you were unable to find out?" Cleo's frown lightened swiftly "It was a tough battle, you sure as anything didn't last long"

"I actually remember a dragon of a sort beforehand hampering me down"

"Yeah, that was the challenge of our lives weren't it?"

Lotte just took Cleo's role briefly when she gave her own hard frown but despite the classic sign of eyes rolling the other way and the dry deliberate bored tone that was sarcasm, Cleo was right, the golden hydra which Barbarossachanged given the power of his rune didn't turn out to be so tough. Afterall it was a beast so large it barely had space on the floating garden itself, it was amazing the entire floor didn't collapse. But the real challenge was when Windy stepped in which at that point everyone suffered, Lotte, Crowley, Cleo, Victor, Flik, many others. Cleo literally fell and was only saved by Sonya at which point it was just Tir against windy which Sonya herself joined but she defiantly remembered Luc being around at that point.

"Too bad the witch is dead"

"Perhaps not. Windy is or was Harmonia's longest foe, she might had known something as word was in the city-states conflict against Luca that Sasarai bore a similarity to you know who. Strange that Windy would meet one with a strong look-alike to an harmonian priest general don't you think? If Windy knew then so does Harmonia. It all comes down to the same choice Lotte"

"Do I want to go to Harmonia? You know after all this I might as well. Everytime I think about the past I think of waste…and owing Sheena twelve potch"

Cleo raised her left eyebrow in a mixed look of puzzlement

"Twelve potch?"

"Er long story"

"Explain another time?"

"Yeah" This time Lotte let out a horrible rusty cough of a laugh, it sounded terrible simply because it was a leisure she longed abandoned. Then to her self amazement a old feature resurfaced, something she thought she lost a long time ago.

A slight smile of her old confidence.

"Sure why not or in the words of the once Lord Tir; Let's go"

From the top of the peak they gazed at their new destination before piloting ahead as the two began their small trek yet Lotte was secretly grateful that Cleo didn't press on a question that she found troubling. The matter was Luc's earlier statement

Just remember we are leased as we are with limitations, to overcome certain tasks; sacrifice at the highest self level is you're only light. I hope you understand it as I now do; it's the edge that decides the fate we tilt on.

A confession of his actions beforehand or something else? After all everything ends just to begin again goes the old Kanakan saying she once remembered from her homeland.

But to Lotte when it comes it comes, for now though she had some strength of support and as long as Cleo was by her side the Chiku star would never be truly alone. Whatever it was that held the answer she would find it, not out of justice but for redemption, her redemption in that she'll take the greatest test to learn about him and understand the man she once knew, all to prove that despite the long lonely years that she still cared for him in the end.

The End

AN: The story continues in vol: II memories of the wind on luc's past and about harmonia's agenda etc. It will piece info from this fic such as the windy battle in detail (no fight true but in the comics pesmerga and yuber actually fought in Suikoden 1? She's too cool to be cast aside and gives a excuse for where luc's change may have begun.) As for lotte saying she helped beat neclord back in chap 1 that was based on my actual game where she did (with only luc+cleo left!) And why a fan? She has potential history given she's a magic captain and one of few mages to be with luc in the same section of asuikoden castle. Its a shame to waste it.

Anyway Read and Review please and thanks for reading!