Ah yes, here we are at Chapter Four. My excuse this time? Blame Weyard.

...Golden Sun, people?

I seriously do love Golden Sun to death, for reasons most people love their favorite games. (As Kira would know, being since I already explained that one to him.)

Anyways, long story short, I started this chapter two nights ago, then lost inspiration a page in. This chapter was extremely difficult for me to write, so I apologize if its crappy. The main reason for this crappiness is that there actually is no random three-page battle in this chapter.

Yep, you heard me right, no battle.

This chapter, I was mostly trying to see how much I could actually be in describing stuff, and this also marks my first attempt at trying to do a chapter that doesn't have action, but instead detail and conversation. So, give me your input on what you think of it, like always!

Oh, I also gave up on short chapter titles; I felt like I couldn't get the concept I wanted into a one or two word title.

Okay, I'll stop now before the Author's notes becomes half a page.

Disclaimer: See Chapter One.

--------------------------------

Chapter Four: In Search of Ein

" Now I know I was never good at planning ahead," I spoke to myself in stupidity, " But this is plain stupid. How the hell am I supposed to find Ein if I don't even know where he normally is? I don't even know where I am!"

Riviera was a far different land than Asgard, apparently. I wonder why I didn't notice it while I was at that castle place, slaying the Arcs. The land was full of greenary that crumpled beneath your feet, unlike that of which in Asgard. Then again, Asgard didn't really have vegitation. All we had there were fruit trees, but we had rows of rows of orchards of them. Nothing like this green floor that resides here. I wonder what the sprites call it? I'll have to ask someday.

Riviera didn't appear to be all that colonized, either. For miles and miles all I could see were vegitation, some tall, some short, some that reached higher than the eye could see from the ground. But, above all that resided a tree that pierced the heavens. It almost appeared as if it was guarding Riviera; its protector.

Yggdrasil...

That tree marked several turning points in Hector's plans. Ledah died. Ein had had enough. I killed an Angel. The Aquarios were shattered, and Ursula left defenseless. Somehow, all of this spelt Hector's demise.

Ein's resolve to finish that dark period of both Riviera and Asgard's histories was renewed when Ledah was slain by my hands. Hector had lost a valuable tool in his plan, and deep inside, while I would never admit it to anyone, I began to have doubts about what I was doing. Was this the right path? What exactly is this for? What the hell is becoming of me? The more I thought about it, the more the doubts grew, and they led to something far worse.

Fear.

I began to fear the outcome of my countless slaughtering, and more and more I began to unravel the truth behind Hector's plot. However, I didn't separate fact from myth fast enough to ensure what was the truth and what were lies, and in the end I sacrificed myself for the selfish cause of a selfish Magus.

I still don't understand what drove me to such a ridiculous act, anyways. Perhaps my judgement was clouded with anger and pain that maybe all I wanted was revenge for losing twice to Ein. Maybe I acted purely on instinct. Maybe I was being controlled my Hector's dark magic, but I highly doubt that. But, being since he was a Magus, you couldn't really doubt anything with him. I don't think I'd ever really figure it out.

However, being alive once again and now knowing my true purpous, I felt as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Before, I was clouded with uncertainty, only being guided by what I was told to do. Now, I had a choice in my fate, and I had made up my mind already.

Atonement.

Atoning for my misguided carnage was first on the list. Even if I was being led astray by Hector's demonic plans, I still took responsibility for my actions. He may have robbed me of my 'future', but I still had free will, right? Knowing I had the ability to do otherwise, and yet did what I was told to do, I had to accept the cost for all the lives I've destroyed, the souls taken, and every single piece of chaos I caused.

But how to go about it? I wouldn't really know. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone would want me dead to repent for my actions, but what about those who had other methods of forgiveness? I couldn't take my own life to please some while leaving others grieving for their lost ones.

This is going to be harder than I originally thought... I thought to myself.

Removing myself from my world of thoughts, I simply placed myself back into reality and gazed at whatever path I could make out before me. And slowly, I began to move ahead. Taking flight with my massive black angelic wings, I set off in a random direction.

--------------------------------

After what seemed like hours of flight, I dropped down to the ground to let my wings rest and proceeded to walk in the same direction. After each passing step, I would continue to hear the slight crunching sound of this leafy follage that covered the ground, and the more I heard it, the more it baffled me.

Suddenly, I stopped. The sounds of moving water drifted into my ears, although faint as it was. Now stepping in the direction of the aquatic sound, it would slowly but surely get louder.

After several minutes of walking, I came across the source of the sound: a channel of water, a river of sorts if you want to call it that. And while staring at this aquatic liquid thing, I began to think to myself.

Hmm...A river. I wonder...

I silently scratched my head as I began to ponder some things. What use could this river provide me? Could I follow it to lead me somewhere?

Then I began to ask myself something that could end up being more important.

When exactly was the last time I bathed?

With that question floating around in my head, taking a bath in the river didn't seem like all that bad of an idea, simply because I probably reeked of death, blood, and other foul odors. And yet, something didn't feel quite right... How exactly would I go about taking a bath in the river if I did it? Would I just declothe myself here and get in, despite the fact that someone could be watching?

No, I would be more cautious than that.

Silently, I began to scope out my surroundings that happened to be around the river, taking special precautions to make sure no one was in the vicinity. Once I was certain no one was there, I walked over to the edge of the river and slowly reached behind me for Skadi. I wrapped one of my hands around the handle of the Diviner and slowly drawwed it from my back, then, with great force, impaled it into the ground. Next came the thick blue cloak that I wore over my usual clothing; I took it off and casually folded it. Then, starting a neat pile next to the river, I placed it down.

I then slowly bent over and undid the several strings that kept my boots on my feet, and placed them next to the pile of clothes I was forming. Next came my silverish-gray combat dress (if such a thing exists, might I add), which had seen many battles for its lifetime, followed by my undergarments which I refuse to describe. Then, without waiting for much of anything, I plunged myself into the river.

Big mistake.

Now I was freezing cold.

Good job, Malice. You are officially a moron. Angels would be ashamed of you. I silently insulted myself while connecting my hand with my forehead.

Putting my thoughts of stupidity aside, I began to cleanse myself of the filth that I had acquired since my final battle with Ein. For awhile you could actually see the dirt and such flow down the river as I removed it from myself.

After vigorously scrubbing myself to remove the dirt and other filthy objects that had attracted themselves to me, I silently but reluctantly dunked my head under the water in an attempt to remove what dirt that had found itself in my hair. Silently, I scrubbed that too.

Slowly, I brought my head back up from the water and found myself staring at my reflection in the water. Long blonde hair, deep turquoise eyes that filled with an endless darkness, almost like sadness, a supple body that was both masculine and feminine all made up a rather attractive person. But then again, that was me. I wasn't sure as to how other people saw me...

Suddenly, I heart a sound.

Rustling leaves. Just my luck... I thought to myself.

Out of caution, I brought one arm over my breasts in an attempt to cover what I could while reaching up with my free hand to grab the handle of Skadi. And then I waited.

And waited...

Suddenly, I heard voices.

" What the hell are you doing?" A feminine voice spoke, followed by a sudden quick movement that resulted in several leaves scattering.

" N-nothing! I swear it!" A male voice replied.

" Really, then why do I see you watching some woman take a bath?" A higher feminine voice spoke, followed by some kind of smacking sound.

" Ein's a pervert!" An even higher feminine voice added as a brunette flew out of the bushes straight in my general direction.

" Ow!" He exclaimed in anguish as he hit the ground a few feet away from me. Without releasing any of my tight grip on Skadi, I drew it out of the ground and merely pointed it at the brunette.

" I'd advise you get away from me. Far away from me." I simply said, then paused for a minute.

" Wait...Ein?" I dumbfoundedly spoke, realizing that the brunette before me was really the one I had been looking for lately.

Ein simply looked up from his current spot on the ground. " What you need?" he simply said, then began to stare.

Without holding back, I brought the blunt side of my axe straight down on his head, causing it to go flying into the ground. " Pervert!"

" Ow! Why is it always the head!"

" Just shut up and get away, damnit!"

--------------------------------

After the whole pervert situation, the six of us ( That'd be me, Ein, and his four companions who happened to be there at the time) had regathered after I had clothed myself. The women of his group made sure that I wasn't being spied on, thank the Gods.

" So what are you-" Ein suddenly stopped. Then he spoke once again. " Wait...Malice?"

" Er...Yeah? Don't tell me you forgot me already?" I replied meekly.

" I thought you died!" Ein merely exclaimed.

Suddenly, the Arc of his group grabbed her weapon and without warning lunged at me. " Now you will die for murdering my race, bitch!"

Instinctively, I shot backwards as she brought her scythe down, and before she had a chance to re-attack, I brought my foot down on the wood of the scythe. " I am not here to waste time dealing with you. " I quietly said so only she could hear, while glaring at her. I then stepped back, and returned my attention to Ein.

" Ein, I am here to warn you, not to fight you."

" Warn? Warn me of what? I thought we defeated Hector and the demons vanished with that, right?"

" Yeah! Lina's confused now..." the hyper-active happy-go-lucky archer spoke from beside Ein.

" Lina has a point..." the fencer added her input into the conversation.

" We need to start preparing for what will happen. I'll explain the details on the way to wherever you intend to take me to. " I simply replied, " There is no time to lose!"

The five of them started to walk in the same direction.

" Wait a minute, " I said before walking along with them, " What is this green stuff on the ground?"

The five of them simply stopped walking, turned around, and stared at me like I was some dumb creature.

Then they bursted out laughing.

" That's -whoo- grass!" the scarlet witch replied.

Me? I seriously felt like I really was stupid. Damn it all to hell. I merely thought of the occasion, and simply proceeded in the direction they had started in.

--------------------------------

Like always, read and review please! Constructive criticism is completely adored, and IF you MUST flame me, do give logical reasoning to further prove why I suck and why I should stop writing.

But so far, no one has had to do that yet. Yay!