'When will we be at Macalania?' Reis asked gruffly, as though impatient.

'We will be there soon enough,' Yuna answered calmly, looking straight at the road in front of her.

'I need to know the exact time, Yuna,' Reis asked again, a little more forcefully, fighting the pain in her throat.

'Reis, mind your tone,' Auron said, half-drawing his blade, causing Reis to slip her hand under her robe, grasping the handle of the energy blade in reflex, 'She's a summoner. And you're a guardian,'

Why does he not know that I am no longer her guardian? Their rules are their own. I do not obey them, and I never will.

'And I am not her guardian,' Reis hissed, licking her dry lips, 'I have resigned from that post,'

'You are still traveling with her,' Auron reminded Reis, drawing out his blade fully, 'As long as you're with her, you're still her guardian,'

'I am still with her,' Reis growled, extending the shining blade, 'On my own honour. I choose to do so by a promise I have made at the Crusaders' headquarters. And for no other reason save that,'

Shaking his head, Auron sheathed his katana, while Reis did the same with her energy sword. Gritting her teeth, Reis beat her wings ever faster, moving forward towards Yuna, who was walking down the gently sloping road, down a small hill towards a green wood beyond.

'We cross the river Moonflow,' Lulu said from behind, 'Then we will be at Guadosalam,'

'Oh, for heaven's sake. Yuna, you said that this will be a short trip,' Reis muttered, tossing her hair, 'This is longer than what I have thought,'

'And what are you going to do if I let you go?' Yuna asked, 'You arrived from another world, as you said. And now, you're just following me, aimless. What are you going to do, if I don't lead you anywhere?'

'I will go where I please myself. I don't know where, and I don't know how. But I will do exactly that,'

Speeding forward, Reis circled the entire party as they trooped down the long dirt road, her wingtip catching on the occasional branch, the branch severed seconds later as she tears out the wing from the offending tree. The group moved on in silence; none were speaking, and only the occasional crack of a broken leaf or stick could be heard as they strode further on the leaf-strewn ground. Putting her hand up as she moved forward again, Reis placed a finger to her lips, listening intently.

Footsteps. Loud and clear, nearly metallic-like…what could it be? It's gone now…but I can see large, perfectly round footsteps, arranged in hexagons on the wet mud just in front of me. Very strange, I've never known an animal to be so…mechanically made before.

'It's gone now, whatever it is,' Reis muttered, grasping her spear more tightly, 'Be on your guard, however,'

Creeping forward, blending in as much as she could with the shadows, Reis flattened herself against the cliff wall, peering over the boulder in front of her for any sign of a fiend. Shooting a surveying glance to her right, she sighed in relief; nothing was to be seen.

'All clear,'

'Reis, watch out above you—' Yuna screamed, pointing her staff at a flan, intently peering downwards, its large fangs gleaming in the morning light.

The light of battle blazing in her eyes, Reis batted down the jelly-like creature with the butt of her spear, forcing it down towards the ground. Cursing under her breath, she rammed the blunt pole repeatedly into the flan's repugnant face, a dark black fluid spattering her armour as the dragoner whipped the razor-sharp tip into the flan's eye. Its vision blinded by the complete obliteration of the other, the fiend staggered backwards on its fluid legs, hearing in fear only Reis' enraged whispers and her heavy footsteps. Biting at thin air in a last, desperate attempt to fend off the tall, slender warrior, the flan retreated slowly backwards, squealing one last, high-pitched death scream as Reis cleaved it apart with a single sweep of her spear. Bluish-green blood flowed freely on the ground, soaking into the dragoner's boots; Reis spat on the crystallizing corpse, shattering it with a well-aimed kick afterwards.

'Lousy creep…' Reis stormed, stalking forwards, dragging the spear tip along the ground, sparks flying from her other hand in periodic bursts of lightning.

'I've never seen her like that…' Yuna whispered to Lulu, out of earshot, 'It's as though…she's changed,'

'You haven't known her for long enough, Yuna. It's only a few days since we met this…half-dragon. I still am suspicious of her origins…fiend or not, be on your guard,'

'I'm glad you're picking this very moment to say it. I don't suggest you say that to her face. Yevon knows what she could do to you if you upset her in some way…especially after what I've seen her do to Sin and other fiends,'

As Reis strode down the hill, a biting pain began to chew away at her heart; dropping her spear, she stumbled to the side, panting loudly, collapsing onto the ground. Clutching at her chest, she grabbed the fallen spear weakly, inching towards the side of the road, where she leant against a cliff wall. A fine mist of blood sprayed from her mouth with each rasping breath she took; wiping her mouth with her hand, she stared disbelievingly at the crimson stain on the back of her hand, letting the hand fall weakly to the ground as she stared at the sky.

'It's…painful…' Reis coughed, stifling the bursts of red that flew from her mouth as she coughed, 'What is wrong with me?'

'Cure!' Yuna whispered into her ear, 'I don't know either, Reis. I'll try my best though,'

'Don't…please,' Reis mumbled thickly as blood poured through in between her fingers, 'I'll deal with it later. Let's move on,'

Struggling to her feet, the dragoner strode forwards, bent down, clasping a hand to her mouth, while beads of red dripped with each gasping, ragged breath she took. The others watched on in silence and horror; there was nothing they could do about it

Darkness brings irreparable damage to the soul—

And that is precisely what I have done…by my hand, by my weapons, by my spells.

Death shatters the body's integrity—

Isn't that only those that I kill?

Destruction brings bodily and spiritual harm—


I've known that, but not to this extent—

Turn back to light and honour and forget this insanity! Do not turn to darkness for your hopes, Reis Dular! It holds nothing but false promises of power and deceitful incentives. It is not too late to turn back now.

I will when I can.

Gulping down a large amount of her own blood, Reis tasted the familiar metallic taste; the blood flow seemed to lessen and she could stand straight once more, though the crimson fluid still trickled down her throat. Wiping her ruby-red lips, Reis waved to the rest of the guardians, indicating that she was quite healthy. Her face was pale with the lack of blood, and appeared rather strained; pain was biting at her previously-torn neck.

Using the spear as a walking stick, Reis struggled on towards the river in the distance; it wasn't that far away. She felt a supporting arm under her shoulder, and another on the other side. Auron and Kimahri were hoisting her up, lifting her up, and carrying her forward.

'Moonflow ahead,' Kimahri growled, his feline visage extremely large in Reis' sight, 'Safety for you,'

'Thank you,' Reis mumbled, concentrating to see further ahead. The river was covered in thousands, maybe millions of sparkling, shining, glimmering pyreflies, dancing and flying thickly over the surface of the clear, calm river.

I can see why this place is called Moonflow…it's as though the moon and the stars have descended into the river and mingle together, playing together in a series of rippling, moving images…It's…beautiful. Nothing short of it.

Washing her face surreptitiously to remove the blood on her cheeks and chin, Reis stared at her own reflection. Her face was weary-looking and thin, cheekbones clearly visible; there were unmistakable dark areas underneath her eyes, and cracked lips, streaked with the crimson of blood and the ruby of her lips. Licking them, she couldn't believe what she saw.

I…I've got the appearance of a tired woman…I'm not that tired…am I? I do not feel tired, and not at all sleepy. I don't feel like a…normal human. I don't feel any tiredness. I don't feel pain to the extent that most humans say that it 'hurts'. All I know is agony. When all hurts exceed the human limits. How well I know that…

Slumping down against a tree, Reis wept over her form; she wanted her old, youthful form back; she hated her own appearance as it was now, longing for her previous appearance.

I've had enough. I want to see my old form back. I don't want this, I don't want further agony. I don't want further pain. I don't like the way I think now. I hate myself.

Then your wish is granted. Glabados has granted your wish. Live a good life and don't make the same mistake as you did before. Turn away from darkness, Reis. The light deserves you more.

'Reis!' Yuna squealed, 'What's going on?'

A brilliant white light enveloped the form of the dragoner, blinding, intense. Dark crystal turned to semi-translucent diamond, inlaid with gold and adamantine; a circlet of the finest rubies and purest gold adorned her knee-length golden blonde hair, chain links of adamantine dangling over her ears; scales of silvery steel covered her upper arms, a plate of silver protecting her elbow. White wings burst forth from her back, silver feathers drifting slowly down from the sky as some were catapulted upwards. Catching one in her smooth white hand, Reis stared up at the sky.

Thank you…Lord…

A sudden shattering noise broke her contemplation; the dark crystal spear had shattered, leaving in its stead a pair of swords, five feet in length apiece; made of a strange, glowing material, Reis grasped them cautiously, twirling each with both hands.

They're…beautifully made…the lily of the valley is engraved on the hilt, perfectly detailed in every way, as though it were the impression of the real plant pressed into the metal; runic inscriptions are drawn into the blade, giving off a silvery glow. This…is finer than any blade I can ever make.

'Now you look like a real crusader, Reis,' Auron said, behind his usual thick scarf. Pushing his dark glasses up, he whistled as he purchased some tickets from a strange person next to a vast creature, ducking as the creature's tail whistled past his head.

'It's a shoopuf! I haven't ridden one for years,' Yuna giggled, 'I remember when I fell into the water,'

'Yes…and so did I. Your father, Lord Braska, laughed when you fell in, although I was responsible for it. You had so much fun in the water, and when the shoopuf picked you up with its trunk, he decided to let me go unpunished,' Lulu said, smiling.

'Let's go, people,' Tidus shouted, punching the air, 'This is going to be a fun ride,'

Queuing up for the ride, people pointed at Reis as they saw her wings; one actually asked her if she was an angel sent by Yevon to guard Yuna. Smiling, the dragoner answered that she did not worship Yevon, and that she was not an angel either, just a woman, leaving the child puzzled where he stood. Concealing her wings, Reis sheathed both of her swords and sat down in the carriage seat of the shoopuf.

'Your father, Tidus…I remembered his foolish act here. He drank a rather large amount of wine before the trip, and thought that the shoopuf was a fiend; he struck it with that sword that you have now. We, that is to say, Lord Braska and I—we had to pay for the damages that it caused. From that point on, he never drank again,'

They remember things that happened long ago here…

A sudden, violent movement rocked the wooden carriage that they were on; the shoopuf blared and bucked, the rider thrown forcibly into the water; a second, more violent shock later, and Yuna had fallen off the carriage. Diving after her, Tidus, Wakka and Reis prepared for a fight with whatever it was; Reis diving in with her double blades held on either side, like wings on a diving kingfisher.

A six-legged machina held Yuna hostage in a bubble of orange material; a single, red sensor faced them, scanning their appearances. Drawing out their weapons, the group prepared for a battle.

Swooping forward with the blades held like a fish's fins, Reis slashed viciously at one leg, the swords cleaving the metal limb clean in two, sparks flying off the edges as the shining blades ground against one another; the severed metal part sank further down, before exploding in a violent blast that sent a wave of force through the water.

This isn't comfortable…my underwear is getting wet…I will end it quickly.

'Flare!' Reis thought, holding her palm out, the blade still grasped in between her thumb and index finger.

A violent blast rocked the water, sending a shockwave that sent Tidus and Wakka rolling backwards through the river. Some paint had peeled off their mechanical opponent; and another leg had been obliterated, while two others were severely damaged, wires and pipes protruding from under the metal armour plating.

Deftly dodging a blow from one of the legs, Reis moved towards the machina when—

Wham. A sudden strike from the other, directly to the front of her face. Feeling a bleeding, broken nose, Reis swam backwards, the slightly salty water adding a sting to the wound.

You must not relapse into darkness, Reis. Discard the anger that you hold. Follow the light.

'Life's refreshing breeze, blow in energy! Cure!' she thought, tapping her nose with her left blade. Mending as it was before, her nose stopped bleeding.

She met a blow from the machina's leg with one sword; swinging her other in a broad arc, she severed it completely. Parrying blows from the mechanical construct, Reis thrust her right sword into the main body of it; plunging the other repeatedly into the hard metal shell, slashing blindly into the steel plating.

Striking something softer than metal, Reis looked at where she had been hacking away before; a plume of red streaked slowly outwards from the incision that she had made into the metal construct, sparks flying from the severed wires that she had struck in her blind rampage. Extracting both swords from the hard outer plating, Reis quickly swam to the orange globe that held Yuna; with a few powerful swings of one sword, she was able to destroy the links that chained down the sphere to the construct.

Let's get out of here, Reis motioned; pointing at the sphere, and up to the surface, Tidus and Wakka nodded; each supporting the sphere, they pushed the glassy prison to the surface; glancing down, she watched the machina sink to its watery grave, beneath a lost city of rusted, algae-covered stone.

'Ahh!' Reis gasped, her head breaking the smooth surface of the water, her knee-length hair plastered against her back, 'Yuna's alright! We've rescued her!'

Stretching her wings once more, Reis leaped out of the water, spreading the white-feathered wings to catch the fresh breeze. Picking up the sphere with both hands, she hoisted it over the shoopuf, both wings beating madly to support the weight of Yuna and her prison.

The wind's cold and even worse when you're wet. Still, I've rescued Yuna from that…whatever that was. I…I feel better. Now that I've thought about the good that I can do.