Chapter 23- Fated Encounters
November 3, 2056
"It's good to see you again, Sophia," Marth greeted with a genuine smile, relieved that his beloved partner was alright. "I'm sorry that I made you wait so long."
The dark spirit merely giggled in amusement. "Oh, I don't mind. As your most trusted partner, I know you better than anyone else. I take it that by reclaiming Lunaris, you're prepared to walk down this path, no matter what."
The Wrath Lord nodded his head in confirmation. He wasn't surprised to hear that the ravenette knew of his endgame. Like she said, she knew him better than anyone. "Yes. It was naïve of me to think that things could turn out differently. Some things can't be changed. This is the only path available to me."
Both Kisara and Cynthia managed to conceal their emotions behind their poker faces. They too knew of the final phase of his plan and had sworn to keep it secret until the time was right. While it wasn't satisfactory, it was the only option they had to protect their family. It was frustrating, but there are some fates that can't be changed no matter what you do. At least this option largely minimizes the dangers of what is to come. However, there was no denying that it will be the hardest challenge the Harbingers will face, but Marth had faith that they will succeed. After all, he was working hard to ensure that they would have all the tools they needed.
As much as Marth would love to spend time catching up with the dark spirit, there was something that he couldn't ignore any longer. Intruders have entered the Darkwood Forest. He didn't know how many there were, but he will not allow this place to become a battleground. These ruins have seen enough death and destruction. Not to mention, it was the closest thing Sophia had to a home besides the demonic sword she inhabited.
Regaining his cold mask, he stoically said, "I'm sure you've already noticed, but there are some uninvited guests wandering through this forest. Have any of them reached the village yet? Do you have an idea on what their numbers are?"
Sophia let out a scoff, but it wasn't targeted towards her master. She absolutely hated it when power-hungry people came here seeking to claim her when she had already sworn herself entirely to one person. Well, maybe "absolutely" was too strong of a term, after all, corrupt souls were some of her favorites to consume. She always loved putting such individuals in their place. It might be better to say that she simply hated anyone that would try to take her away from her one true master.
"Oh, I noticed them the moment they stepped foot into the Darkwood Forest. I would estimate that their ranks are around twenty or so," she said before laughing cynically. "However, Fraxinus already dealt with most of them before you arrived, so their useless corpses will either serve as fertilizer for the forest or food for the monsters. Although…" she paused for a moment. "I don't think they were here for me."
"What do you mean?" Kuroba questioned slowly. "Aside from the Lunaris, there's nothing of value here. Surely those idiots didn't enter this cursed forest just for the sake of it."
"Well, there are humans who do stupid things just for the thrill of it. After all, puffer fish are endangered because thrill seekers keep eating them, even though they're poisonous," Kirito reasoned. "Who's to say that there aren't demons who would something similar. That being said, I don't like the thought of the Darkwood Forest being used for such a challenge. It's disrespectful to Fraxinus to violate its domain that way."
Marth wholeheartedly agreed with his human partner. While he wasn't arrogant enough to call the Darkwood Forest his territory, he would not allow anyone to abuse Sophia's home for their own amusement. However, that scenario didn't quite fit right at this time. There was something they were missing, something important.
"Sophia, do you have any idea why those people entered the forest?" he asked in concern.
"Hmm. It was hard for me to tell what was going on since I was still here at the ruins, but I think that they were pursuing someone. I don't know who this person was, but it felt like Fraxinus was trying to protect them."
Now that was a surprise. Given that Fraxinus is the World Tree of Eternus, it tended to be more vengeful to anyone that intrudes into its domain. It gave him quite the runaround when he first came here as Zane seven thousand years ago to claim the Lunaris. It very nearly succeeded in killing him, but he somehow managed to survive. It wasn't exactly clear why Fraxinus didn't bother him and his friends in this era though, his best guess being his connection to Sophia and the Lunaris. Whatever the reason, he always made sure to never press his luck with the primordial tree. Even with the Flames of Destruction (relatively) under his command, he didn't want to try fighting something that has existed since the Age of Chaos.
This was also the first time he had ever heard of the primordial tree actively trying to protect someone that entered its forest. Perhaps, like all living things, Fraxinus had many sides to it. He couldn't help but wonder what its spirit is like. He would love to meet with them so he could ask his questions directly.
If that is what you seek, then I am more than happy to oblige.
Marth let out a gasp as he heard the foreign voice echo in his mind. It wasn't the same voice he had heard when he had lost control of himself during the battle with Chrome Disaster, but it sounded strangely familiar. Sensing a new presence, he turned around and entered a one-handed stance, holding Lunaris in a defensive position. Kirito and the others readied themselves as well, having their weapons drawn.
Without warning, the bulb of a large sky-blue flower sprouted from the onyx stone in front of the demon prince. It then opened in full bloom, resembling that of a lotus. Admittedly, it was a rather pretty sight but that was nothing compared to the figure standing at the flower's center. It was a woman, looking to be around her mid-twenties. Her shoulder-length cobalt blue hair curled up at the end, almost like tree roots. Her eyes were a lighter shade of blue, containing an age that belied her youthful face. She was garbed in a matching color kimono and wore no shoes. Something about her seemed familiar as well, but Marth couldn't quite place it.
He could tell from a glance that this woman was a powerful mage, her body practically radiating with magic power. But where did she even come from? He didn't even sense her presence until she just appeared right in front of him. This wasn't a good sign. At his current level, he couldn't win if they fought, even with the Lunaris. After all, even though the Sword of Darkness belonged to him, that doesn't mean he could fully control its powers right from the start. He'll need training if he wishes to master the Lunaris again and now was not the time to just unleash its powers on a whim. Even the addition of Cynthia's Venom Battlescythe wouldn't change much, so another approach would be wise. Of course, there was his curse and Flames of Destruction to consider, but he would rather avoid using them for obvious reasons.
Choosing his words carefully, he slowly said, "Who are you? Why are you here?" He made sure to put an edge into his tone. While he was unsure if the Harbingers could win against this new arrival in a fight, he wanted to at least give the impression that they won't go down easily.
Surprisingly, the older woman laughed, as if the demon prince had said a funny joke. "You haven't changed at all even after you reincarnated, Zane, or do you prefer going by Marth now," she said lightly, getting a surprised reaction from the group (except from a certain spirit). The woman gently grabbed the hem of her kimono and did a curtsy. "It is good to see you again, my prince. It seems your memories are still missing so I'll introduce myself. I am the guardian of the Darkwood Forest and the spirit of Fraxinus, the World Tree of Eternus. You may call me Camael."
Before we continue, perhaps some general explanations on spirits are in order. For starters, they are immortal, meaning they won't die from things like old age. There are a few theories as how they are created, either through divine power or when enough magical energy coalesces within a single point in space. They typically live in nature, making their homes in trees and lakes (kind of like the dryads and nymphs from mythology). Like all living things, they are born with elemental affinities, but only one and they cannot gain another through Transference. However, they can form contracts with mages to bestow their given affinity onto them or even augment the affinities the mages possess. Such contracts were highly sought after as it was the only other way for you to get an additional affinity, but since spirits preferred living in isolation and rarely interacted with people, it was nigh impossible to form a contract with them.
Also, like Transference, there were safety measures within spirit contracts to prevent them from being abused. The first is that both parties must not be coerced into entering it. Typically, it's the spirit that issues the terms and even how long the contract will last. Second, you cannot harm the spirit or their domain. Third, if the spirit dies from someone else's hand, the power they bestowed will vanish. Finally, all contracts are terminated upon the mage's death. If the mage is reincarnated, they will have to seek out the spirit in question and form a new contract.
It should be noted that as a spirit, Sophia is capable of bestowing contracts onto others. However, the only person she has ever done this with was Zane, who already possessed a high affinity for dark magic. Naturally Marth planned to do the same once they return home, but just like with the Lunaris, he will have to train to fully master it. Admittedly, he had been procrastinating his dark magic training because he was unsure of when to retrieve Lunaris and it was going to bite him in the ass. Both Rias and Sophia are good teachers regarding that element, but he dreaded the cram sessions they have undoubtedly prepared in advance.
As for Camael, considering that she called the "cursed" Darkwood Forest her home, it was extremely rare for her to forge a contract with someone. Supposedly she only appears before people she deems worthy of her power, so long as they are in Eternus. If you manage to defeat her, she'll lend you her power. Some of her more notable contracts were with Roselia and Altena. As for what her element is, obviously it's earth.
Is that why the spirit of Fraxinus appeared before them? Did she consider one of the Harbingers to be worthy for her trial? Somehow, Marth doubted they were that lucky. Plus, they weren't quite at full strength since most of them were either missing their divine weapons or hadn't fully regained the power they had upon reviving in this era. So what was the spirit's intentions as she served them an herbal tea from within the living room of her humble abode within the World Tree? Considering the familiarity she addressed him with, she must have met him before during the War of Light and Shadow. Actually, now that he thought about it, Rias did mention something about it a while back.
Speaking of her home. It was rather nice. It was primitive compared to his apartment back in Tokyo, but there was a certain appeal to it. It reminded him of that log cabin Kirito and Asuna bought on Floor 22 of Aincrad, after the incident with Kuradeel. The Harbingers had quite a few good memories in that cabin. Just being here filled Marth with nostalgia. There were no lamps or electric lights. Instead all the light came from a luminescent moss. The tea was pretty good too. Maybe he should ask her what kind of tea leaves she used.
"As you all are aware, I am the guardian of the Darkwood Forest," Camael explained from her chair that was on the right of the Dark Swordsman (who himself was sitting on a coach with Sophia and Fuko, the latter having fought with Kuroba for it). "I was charged by Lady Sinestra with protecting the Lunaris from anyone that would abuse its power. Although, considering Sophia's power and her strict requirements to be her master, I doubt she ever needed protecting."
Sophia simply chuckled as she took a sip from her tea. "Nope, but at least you kept me company over the long years I've spent in this place. I would have died of boredom if I spent all this time alone."
The forest spirit let out a laugh of her own. "Anyway, that means I see quite the variety of individuals who enter my forest. If they get past me and reach the village, then I let Sophia handle them. However, the people that entered my domain before you seemed different."
"How so?" Cynthia questioned. She was the only one not sitting down on a chair or coach, instead standing behind her master, ready to strike at the moment of danger.
"They weren't here seeking to claim the Lunaris for starters, nor did they have any interest in seeking a contract with me. Instead, they were pursuing someone. A girl."
"A girl?" Kuroba wondered, her left eyebrow raised in skepticism. "What kind of girl? Was it another spirit?"
"No, but the poor thing was in terrible shape and looked half-dead," Camael said solemnly. "Those fools had probably been chasing her for weeks without end, possibly even months. She looked so ragged even I couldn't ignore her plight, so I guided her into my forest and disposed of her pursuers. Regrettably some did manage to escape, but she shouldn't be in any more danger, at least for now."
"How awful," Fuko said in sorrow. "Why was she being chased so relentlessly?"
"Most likely, they were slave drivers," Marth said coldly. "The Darkwood Forest is located within eastern Eternus, Astria. There aren't many settlements within this region because the monsters here are much stronger than ones found in the other regions, so there's no viceroy in place to maintain order. Because of that, it's an ideal place to gather slaves."
"Wait, slavery is legal in Eternus?!" Kuroba cried out, understandably shocked.
"Only in Urun, which is the southern region of Eternus. The viceroys of both Celestine and Farondis have long since abolished slavery. Although, you can argue that familiars are basically slaves considering that they can't disobey their masters."
It went without saying that he was appalled by the concept of slavery. Forcing innocent people to do your bidding just felt wrong. Now you may be wondering, what about Takumu? Didn't Marth practically enslave him into serving the Umbris family? In a way, you could make that argument, but Marth forced the brunette into servitude for trying to take advantage of Kisara's trust and placing a backdoor virus within her Neurolinker. It was just a form of punishment. Once Marth felt that Takumu earned his freedom, he would gladly return it. Although, to be honest, Cyan Pile should be grateful it was the Umbris family he was in service to. There are a lot of demons who don't treat their familiars or coerced servants well, instead like disposable pawns. Marth and Kisara at least treat Takumu like a living being. As for familiars, that whole system was a gray area, but the majority of demons treated their familiars kindly.
Still, he had to wonder what was so special about this girl that Camael saved? Slave drivers may be despicable and only care about making money regardless of morals, but they weren't stupid. No sane slave driver would willingly enter the Darkwood Forest to chase their quarry. To do so would be suicide. They'd have much better luck just finding a new target. Yet this group was weirdly determined to not let this one get away. Why is that?
"This girl," he spoke up, his voice impassive. "Where is she now?"
"She's resting in one of the guest rooms," Camael answered softly. "The poor dear was covered in grime and dirt and terribly thin. I made sure to give her a bath and a proper meal before putting her to bed. Do you wish to see her?"
"Yes. That would be kind of you."
The earth spirit led the party down the hall to where the bedrooms were located. To not overwhelm the girl in case she wakes up, Marth had Cynthia and Sophia accompany him inside while the remaining Harbingers waited in the hall. The room itself was pretty spacious, about three-fourths the size of his own room. It had a full-sized bed with a teal comforter, a small nightstand with a moss-lit lamp beside it, some wooden chairs by a small table, a long dresser, and even a closet.
"You sure know how to decorate," Marth commented in a murmur, getting a chuckle out of the earth spirit. The room was relatively dark since there were no windows and the light of the glowmoss inside was really dim, signaling the occupant was still asleep.
"When you've lived for thousands of years, you get bored." She led him to the bed, his familiar staying close behind as a precaution.
Once he was by the edge of the bed, he could make out the figure that was resting under the teal blanket. Like Camael said, it was a girl. Her ash-gray hair was long and unkempt, but it looked freshly washed. He couldn't get a proper look at the status of her physique since she was under the blanket, but she looked around seventeen years old. She looked to be at peace from this angle. This was probably the first time she had gotten some proper rest in a while. She also had a rather pretty face. It was probably a good thing he had Kuroba and Fuko wait in the hall, otherwise they might have tried another one of those weird arguments.
"Master," the Spider of Despair muttered cautiously. "Her head."
"Hmm…"
At first, with the information Camael had given him, he had assumed that the girl was a twili. Given how rare they were, certain corrupt nobles would pay a hefty fortune for one, especially if they were female. However, that wasn't the case with this one. She lacked the usual mixed presence a twili gave off. Not to mention that there was something on her head that Marth didn't expect. A pair of deerlike antlers.
"How curious," he thought to himself. Unconsciously, he reached out his right hand and gently touched one of them. Sure enough, they were real. Contrary to what modern media portrayed, real demons didn't have horns or tails. Aside from their menacing presence, they were indistinguishable from humans. "So then why does she have horns?"
"Ngh," the girl suddenly groaned, her head twitching a little, prompting Marth to immediately withdraw his hand.
Oh crap. Looks like he accidentally woke her up. What should he do? Given her situation, she likely wouldn't react positively to a stranger's presence. Her mental state must be shot. He'll need to handle this delicately.
The girl slowly opened her bloodred eyes and sat up. "Is it morning already?" she said weakly, rubbing a delicate hand against her eyes. She then noticed that she was not alone. "Good morn—Eek!" As expected, the moment she saw the demon prince, she jumped back out of fright, holding up the comforter as a makeshift shield.
Holding his hands up to show that he was harmless, Marth made sure to keep his voice calm and quiet. "It's okay," he said soothingly. "I'm going to hurt you. I just want to talk."
"W-why should I believe you?" she stuttered out nervously, her eyes filled with terror. Her condition was way worse than Fuko's when he saved her from that trafficking gang two years ago. The best he can do for this one right now was to stay as calm and polite as possible. "Are you going to chain me up too?"
Upon closer inspection, there were indeed abrasions from chains on her wrists and neck. It would appear that at one point, those slavers did manage to imprison her. She must have broken out while they were transporting her. However, her physical condition looked really weak. It was a miracle that she managed to reach the Darkwood Forest at all.
"I swear on the Pride Lord's name that I mean you no harm," he assured. "My name is Marth Umbris. The girls behind me are Cynthia and Sophia." The girls in question gave their own greetings, both sounding just as courteous as their master. "Can you tell me your name?"
The girl was silent for a few long moments, but she seemed a bit less frightened than before. Her red eyes glanced over at Camael, who gave an encouraging nod. Eventually, after a few more moments, she finally spoke again. "K-Kaida."
"That's a lovely name. Do you have any family? If you do, my friends and I could help take you home."
Tears began welling up in her eyes. Immediately Marth knew that he made a mistake. "M-my family's…gone," she said weakly. "Those bad demons…they took them from me… My friends. My village. Everything…"
She didn't give more details than that and instead burst into tears. Unable to ignore her plight, Marth pulled her into a gentle embrace, letting her wail on his left shoulder while he held her head. She was too lost in her own grief to even notice his actions and just melted into his arms, her hands clutching tightly to his coat.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said solemnly, making sure to keep a tight lid on the anger welling up inside him. "I swear that I will make those monsters pay for what they did. I will not let this atrocity go unpunished."
She's not lying to you, Master, Sophia said telepathically. Having consumed many wicked souls, I can tell which people are being truthful or not. This one's soul is overwhelmed with pain and loss.
She must be pretty strong to have held out for so long, Cynthia added. Still. I wonder how she managed to get away before Lady Camael interfered.
That was a good point. Given Kaida's malnourished state, she couldn't have broken free from her restraints through brute strength. Could someone else have shattered her bonds? Rubbing circles on the girl's back, Marth said, "Kaida, could you tell me what happened after you were captured?"
Somehow, she managed to calm down enough to mutter a response. "I was captured a few weeks after they razed my village. They constantly beat me and barely gave me enough food to survive so that I couldn't fight back. About three days ago, I was sold to some fancy-looking noble with long blonde hair from Urun. That night, I noticed that my chains had been unlocked, so I managed to escape and have been on the run ever since."
"I see." A blonde-haired noble from Urun. While that admittedly wasn't much to go off of, it made him think of Rufus Alberea, the right-hand man of Viceroy Matias Shinra. Not even Cynthia, who was an excellent spy, could get much information on the man, just that he'd only been serving the viceroy for thirty years. He was a hard man to read, so it was impossible to determine his motives.
He'll need to arrange that meeting with Mograine sooner than expected. He can no longer ignore the transgressions of Urun, and he'll need all the information he can get to make a plan. But first he needed to find out what to do with Kaida. She was safe for now under Fraxinus's protection, but there was no telling if those slaver drivers will attempt another raid into the Darkwood Forest to recapture her. Sure, Camael was a powerful spirit, but he didn't want to bring trouble to her domain if it can be avoided. Until Matias and this cartel is dealt with, it wasn't safe her to remain in Astria, perhaps even all of Eternus.
He held the girl at arm's length, his eyes serious. "Kaida," he said slowly. "I can take you someplace safe, somewhere the bad demons can't get you. Of course, that's only if you want to go. I won't force you."
She looked completely stunned by his words. She glanced over at Cynthia and Sophia, who were both giving her encouraging looks. Finally, she weakly said, "Will you really keep me safe?"
"You don't have to worry," Sophia said gently. "My master is a man of his word. If he says he'll protect you, then he'll do everything in his power to do just that."
"Not to mention that we have many dependable allies who can help look after you too," the Spider of Despair added matter-of-factly. "Those slave drivers would be fools if they tried to go against us."
That seemed to reassure the fragile girl as she finally gave her first real smile to the trio. "Okay. I'll go with you. Thank you, Marth."
"Don't mention it," he replied, cracking a light smile of his own.
Given the weak condition of her body, Marth opted to have Sophia place Ascalon, Lunaris's scabbard, within Kaida due to its potent regenerative abilities. As the master of the Sword of Darkness, its scabbard will only accept mana from the demon prince, not to mention that only he can fully benefit from the near immortality it provided. However, by loaning Ascalon to someone else, it can provide a lesser regenerative healing as long as Marth was close enough to supply magical energy.
Now doing this could cause the Wrath Lord some trouble in the near future since it prevents himself from getting Ascalon's healing effects until Kaida can fully recover, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. After all, Scathach always told him not to overly rely on specific tools, especially the scabbard, to win, lest he gets cocky because of it.
As for what Kisara and the others thought about taking Kaida to Earth, they were fine with it, although Kuroba and Fuko looked strangely annoyed, but they didn't fight it, so Marth didn't think to question it. However, the glares they gave Kaida were intense enough for her to hide behind the Wrath Lord. Even though they had just met, it would seem that the girl (whatever she is) already trusted him. After introductions, they all relocated outside of Fraxinus so that the prince could use Gate to warp them all back while also saying their farewells to Camael.
"It was great meeting you, Camael," Kisara said kindly. "We'll make sure to visit you sometime and give you an update on Kaida's condition."
"Also, let us know if you need any assistance," Kirito added. "We are friends after all."
"I appreciate that," the earth spirit replied. "You all are welcome here anytime. Kaida, you stick close to Marth. You won't find a better person to rely on than him."
"I-I will. Thank you again for saving me."
Marth was about to cast Gate so that he could take his friends and ward back home when suddenly he found himself staring up towards the top of the World Tree. It was brief, only for a split-second, but he could have sworn he felt a familiar presence up there.
"You alright, Marth?" Kuroba asked in concern, interrupting his line of thought.
"No. It's nothing. Let's go. Gate!"
And with that, the Harbingers vanished from sight, returning to the human realm. While it was a shame they had to leave so soon, Camael knew that they would return. After all, there was still a role she had to play in this game. Speaking of which…
"I know you're there, Merlin," she called out without even batting an eye. "Why don't you go ahead and show yourself already."
A mischievous chuckle filled the air, as did a swarm of cherry blossoms. The gale of flowers soon parted, revealing a man dressed in a white robe that had a hood and sleeves that draped down their arms, a black tunic underneath and pants, as well as black boots. In his right hand was a black curved staff made of wood. His hood was pulled down, revealing his messy white hair and purple eyes. While he may seem aloof, the earth spirit knew better than to underestimate him. After all, he was one of the most powerful mages in existence, a result of his mixed blood.
"You're no fun, Camael," the twili mage said jokingly. "Shouldn't you know not to disrespect your elders?"
The spirit of Fraxinus just rolled her eyes at the man's remark. "Funny how you play the age card when it suits you. I take it you're the one that freed Kaida and led her to my domain. You wanted her to meet Marth."
"Correct. Our prince has a rather perilous path ahead of him, so he'll need all the allies that he can get, especially if he is to conquer the fate he's been dealt with. Speaking of which, how is she doing here in your humble home?"
Camael knew who the Mage of Flowers and chuckled. "Oh, her? She's doing fine. She's way easier to manage than Sophia. I never have to worry about her going on a rampage whenever she gets bored. But are you sure it's wise to keep her here?"
"It's just a precaution. There are other forces moving to oppose Marth. This is to help keep the odds within his favor. Plus, it kills two birds with one stone. He'll get both her aid and complete your trial to obtain your power. When the time is right, you'll contact him and fulfill the role you've been designated."
"Very well, but know that I'm only doing this for Marth's sake, not because you asked me to. By the way, I take it that the next phase of your little scheme is about to begin."
Merlin cracked a smile. "Indeed," he said rather flamboyantly. "I've already been informed that the experiment has been successful, right-on schedule I might add. Now we just need to tip off the Harbingers and they'll take care of the rest."
In all her years, Camael has never seen the twili mage interfere so closely in the affairs of others. He normally just maintained the role of an observer, watching but never interfering. Was this driven by genuine concern or guilt for what he did seven thousand years ago? Whatever the reason, there was no denying that Merlin has spent countless ages preparing for the coming battle, the battle that will determine the fate of the three realms.
"You can handle that part," Camael said dismissively, running her fingers through her cobalt hair. "I'll stay here and keep watch."
"I knew you'd say that. Oh, and don't worry about those slave drivers. I've already made sure they won't attempt another infiltration into the Darkwood Forest. Although, that might not have been necessary, considering they wouldn't stand a chance against you if you used your full power."
"What?" she said innocently, only betrayed by the smug grin on her face. "It gets awfully boring here. I have to find some ways to pass the time."
Merlin simply laughed at that. "Oh, I know the feeling. Anyway, I should get going. Roselia and her apprentice need help preparing the ritual over in Balduq. Soon we'll have all the pieces back on the board. That's when things really start getting interesting." And with that, he disappeared within a gale of flowers, leaving the earth spirit alone.
For the first time in her life, Camael began to wonder if destiny can be changed. She found herself hoping that such a thing is possible, all for the sake of those children.
"Your move now, Marth," she muttered to no one in particular. "I can't wait to see what you will do next."
To be continued
Good lord this arc never ends! But hey, Merlin finally made another appearance. Boy am I looking forward to showing off more of what he's up to, unfortunately that's not gonna happen for a while. The next chapter should FINALLY conclude the Chrome Disaster arc, allowing me to proceed with the Urun arc. Oh, and I think some familiar faces are long overdue. They've been waiting rather patiently for their Ashen Wolf debut and it's about time they finally make their appearance. See you guys next time!
