The clearing remained still for a long moment after the wolf fell, and Ophilia slowly but surely allowed herself to let out the breath she had been keeping deep within her chest. She watched as Derryl and Emil fully pulled themselves from behind the rock, stepping into the light at the center of the clearing with shock written all over their faces. They had been led to believe the cleric helping them was peaceful as could be, and yet, there Ophilia stood, blood dripping from Therion's dagger and apathy towards the wolf powerful and dark in her eyes.

"Y-You saved our lives..." Derryl stammered, staring at Ophilia even after he managed to push the words out.

"You kicked its butt..." Emil said from beside his friend. Neither one of them dared to turn their gazes away from Ophilia, almost as if they thought the wolf would somehow stand right back up again the instant they did.

Ophilia took a moment to breathe before she pressed a smile across her features, her composure regained almost immediately and completely. She handed Therion's knife back to him as she approached Derryl and Emil, and the thief tucked the dagger away while watching her with silently scanning eyes. "Okay, now everything's alright. Good riddance to scary monsters," Ophilia declared.

Emil nodded shakily. "Y-You said it!"

Derryl turned to Emil a moment later, trying his best to hide the waver in his voice. "Come on, Emil. Let's go back home."

"Hang on... If you'll just give me a little bit more time..." Emil murmured. He dashed past Ophilia a moment later, searching the grass for any signs of something shiny and precious. Ophilia turned to watch him, surprise written across her features. She had thought that he would have been done with this by now, but given how much he cared for his friends, she couldn't be too shocked. He just wanted to help Derryl even after all the danger he had seen that night.

Derryl, however, seemed to disagree with this idea. "What, more time to get killed?! You think that was the only monster in here?!" he cried out. He took a step towards Emil, ready to grab his friend's wrist and drag him out of the woods on his own if he had to.

Emil continued to search with a frown as he frowned to himself. "But I..." He suddenly let out a gasp, and he threw himself into the grass before reaching for something hidden between the blades of greenery. A moment later, he pulled out the brooch, a bright smile immediately manifesting across his features. "See! I know I'd find it!" he declared proudly.

Derryl gasped as well, and he ran to his friend's side to make sure that what he was seeing was real. He cradled the brooch between his fingers as Emil held it between them, and Derryl's eyes seemed to glow with all the unspoken love in the world. "Emil... You..."

"Nice going, Emil!" Ophilia beamed, finally managing to recover from her shock at the boy's sudden display of stubbornness. Behind her, the rest of the travelers watched on with fondness in their eyes. Even Therion seemed to melt through his icy exterior to offer himself a grin hidden behind the bulk of his scarf.

Emil handed the brooch back to Derryl, and the other boy held it close against his chest. "Thanks!" Emil smiled back at Ophilia, and she could have sworn that she saw tears of happiness and relief forming at the corners of his eyes. Given how terrifying the last few minutes had been due to the wolf attack, she couldn't blame him for being overwhelmed by his own emotions. She probably would have felt the same if she had been in his position.

"I knew you had it in you," Ophilia grinned fondly. She glanced back to the path that marked the way that she had come, unable to hold back her joy at the sight before her. "Now, let's get out of here."

The way out of the Murkwood was clear as could be, and the group was troubled by no other monsters while they escaped the trees overhead. Ophilia couldn't help wondering if perhaps it was because the rest of the monsters understood that they stood no chance. They had seen what the travelers could do together, and given what had happened to the wolf, none of them wanted to risk befalling the same fate. In fact, the return journey was almost peaceful, and Ophilia relished in the relaxation that came with walking back to Saintsbridge. It was certainly a breath of fresh air given the intense battle she had just endured.

However, she was aware of other matters while moving towards Saintsbridge as well, and she could sense the air around Derryl shift. As soon as the adrenaline wore off, something in him seemed to sober, and he insisted on looking down at the ground the whole way out of the Murkwood, seeming to find the path below to be the most interesting thing in the world all of a sudden. Given what had happened before he was forced to dash off into the forest, it was easy enough to figure out what he was thinking about.

Ophilia could tell that he needed a nudge in the right direction though, so when Derryl stopped as they crossed a bridge not far from Saintsbridge, she took this as her chance to speak up. "Emil, I think that Derryl has something he wants to say," she said simply.

Emil stopped walking at that, shifting his focus up to Ophilia with wide eyes and confusion. "He does?" he questioned. He took a step towards his friend, clearly seeking answers but not wanting to push his friend for it.

"Derryl?" Ophilia prompted once more, hoping that this was enough to get him to open up. Derryl was a good kid, and he wasn't going to let this chance slip away entirely. That simply wasn't in his nature from what Ophilia had seen of him.

Sure enough, Derryl looked over to Emil with guilty apologies swarming in his irises. His words were uncertain, but their message was clear. "Emil, I... I shouldn't have said any of those things earlier..." he murmured. Confidence seemed to hit him immediately once he got those words out, and he took a step toward Emil in clear desperation. "I'm sorry! Sorry for being so mean to you!"

Emil seemed caught off guard at that, and for a long moment, all he could do was stare at his friend in muted shock. "Derryl?" he finally managed to ask when he was comfortable enough to break the silence.

Derryl looked down, forcing himself to continue despite his anxieties. "When my mum died, it seemed so unfair... I... I think I was just trying to make you hurt too..." He choked back his tears before he could fully begin to cry, but Ophilia could tell he wouldn't be able to hold himself off from sobbing forever. "I... I'm sorry, Emil... I'm so, so sorry!" Sure enough, that was all it took for the floodgates to come flying open, and Derryl let one hand come up to rub at his eyes while he cried. Ophilia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, but she did nothing else, not wanting to interfere with the moment the two boys were currently sharing.

"Derryl... It's okay," Emil assured him. "I knew you were sad, and I couldn't do anything to make you feel better either..." He opened his mouth like he was going to say more, but he couldn't find a way to choke the words out, so he instead simply stared at the place where his feet met the path below. Tears were starting to glisten at the corners of his eyes as well, but Emil refused to let them fall.

Ophilia let her other hand come down to rest on Emil's shoulder, and she looked between the two boys with something somber in her eyes. "No one else can hurt you quite like a friend can," she told them sagely. "But you understand each other now, and that's what counts. I know this won't happen again... Not now."

Derryl rubbed at his eyes one last time before looking up to Emil and swallowing back the rest of his sobs. "I really am sorry, Emil," he told his friend.

Emil simply shook his head. "It's alright. Besides, you saved my life," he pointed out. "If you hadn't come to find me, that beast would have eaten me alive before I even knew it was there."

"Emil..." Derryl whispered, clearly searching for the words but unable to find them. He swallowed once more to try and banish his nerves, though anyone could see that his efforts were far from being perfectly successful.

Ophilia offered them both a good natured smile before laughing to herself. "Alright, boys, save it until we're back in town," she said, trying her best to lighten the tension in the air as she guided them forward by a few paces. She didn't let it show that she was afraid of them being ambushed again while they were standing there talking, knowing that would only serve to stress them out more. "Come along."

Derryl and Emil gave each other one last glance before nodding towards one another and walking forward. Ophilia smiled at them before trailing in their footsteps, the rest of the travelers behind her. She could feel the eyes of her companions behind her, but she didn't think she would be able to say anything that sufficiently explained how she felt. She was glad that she had been able to get involved before this spiraled out of control beyond what had already happened. Both Derryl and Emil deserved peace, and Ophilia was glad that she had been able to get them one step closer to that relief they so desired.

The rest of the path back to Saintsbridge was rather uneventful, but Ophilia wound up drifting back by a few paces towards the rest of the group. The other travelers seemed afraid of breaking through the silence and saying anything that could have disturbed Derryl and Emil, so they instead opted to remain quiet and simply admire the scenery they had rushed through just an hour prior. When they weren't focused on saving the lives of two children in danger, they actually had the option to enjoy the world around them, and Ophilia found herself doing much the same. She hadn't realized just how beautiful Saintsbridge and its surrounding areas were, and she felt like the lovely aesthetic was hitting her all over again as she watched the plants around her dance in the breeze. This was certainly the moment of respite and the calming breath of fresh air she needed after all that she had seen earlier in the day.

Ophilia's gaze eventually drifted to Therion, and she couldn't help realizing just how quiet he was all of a sudden. She had grown used to his silence, but something about the way he was watching the world around him didn't feel right. Ophilia swallowed dryly at the sight, knowing that she had to say something. She looked back to Derryl and Emil and saw that the two boys were just far enough ahead that they wouldn't overhear her if she decided to talk to Therion.

Ophilia sighed with relief inwardly before turning to the thief. "You're very quiet, Therion," she commented simply. He didn't respond, instead simply choosing to stare down at the ground. Ophilia took that as her cue to continue. "Are you thinking of how heartwarming it is, to see quarreling friends make peace again?" Of course that wasn't it. Therion wouldn't have looked so bothered if he was thinking about how uplifting the circumstances were. Something else was on his mind, and Ophilia knew she would be lucky to get even the barest threads of details out of him about it.

For a long while, Therion didn't say anything, and Ophilia was almost sure that he wasn't going to respond at all. In the end, he spoke softly, almost as if he was afraid of the words leaving his lips. "Not exactly. They just reminded me of something."

Ophilia tilted her head to the side in a show of curiosity. That was more than she had been expecting to hear, she had to admit. "And what might that be?" she questioned, doing her best to give him the option to leave it at that if he so preferred it.

Much to Ophilia's surprise, Therion went on. "My childhood," he said simply before continuing as carefully as he could manage. "It wasn't a particularly happy one though, so you're probably better off not hearing the details."

Ophilia's heart skipped a beat. "Oh, I'm sorry," she told him quickly. "I didn't mean to pry..."

He shook his head, though Ophilia could tell that there was much more to this than he was willing to admit. "No need to apologize. It's nothing but a memory now, and I know I'm not the only one around with such an uplifting past." He didn't meet Ophilia's gaze, but she could see clear as could be that he was lying through his teeth. It wasn't only a memory; something about it was continuing to strike him to the core, but he was afraid of admitting it to anyone else. Beneath it all, the abrasive thief was terrified, and he refused to let it show.

Ophilia, however, chose to not call him out on it. She knew that she wouldn't want anybody else to probe her privacy that way, so she instead simply offered him a smile. "I admire your attitude, Therion. It's very brave."

For a long while, Therion remained silent, almost as if that was the last set of words he had been expecting to hear. After he managed to choke down his nerves, he nodded, the action careful, small, and deliberate. "Thanks."

Soon afterwards, the group passed into the boundaries that marked the outer areas of Saintsbridge, and Derryl and Emil started to walk away. They exchanged a few whispered words with kind smiles on their faces, and Ophilia could tell that they were leaving all of the day's events in the past. She grinned fondly in their direction, and as much as she wanted to say something to them, she couldn't bring herself to speak up. They needed this time for just themselves and one another, and she wasn't going to interfere with that.

Instead, Ophilia turned to the rest of the travelers, gesturing for them to follow her. "I think it's time for us to return to the cathedral," she said before she could get a hold of her words. Something in the back of her mind seemed to scream at the idea of finally getting answers behind what had happened to her birth town so long ago, but she tried to calm herself by saying that this didn't have to only be about that. She was going to have to visit Bartolo again sooner or later, and she could save her questions for him until later. After all, the group was going to be spending the night, so she had time. She didn't have to push herself so soon after the battle against the wolf.

None of the other travelers objected to her suggestion to return to the church though, so Ophilia allowed herself to guide them in the direction of the imposing cathedral. She measured her breaths and steps carefully along the way, trying to keep herself calm. Everything was going to be alright. She was going to find a way to make it so even if the universe protested.

Bartolo was standing at the edge of the center walkway within the cathedral when Ophilia and the rest of the travelers returned, and he was admiring the way that the Sacred Flame had begun to dance ever since the Kindling earlier that day. He was so concentrated on the fire and its rhythm that he didn't even realize Ophilia had come up beside him until after the cleric spoke. "I have returned, Your Excellency."

Bartolo turned at that, a grand smile spreading across his features. "Welcome back, Sister Ophilia. And how did you find our humble town?"

For a moment, Ophilia didn't answer, instead simply staring up at the Sacred Flame and the way that it continued to sway and whisper in the heart of the cathedral. If not for the fire, she never would have been brought to the town of Saintsbridge to begin with. In fact, she may not have ever left behind Flamesgrace to begin with. The Ember hung heavily in its home within the lanthorn at her hip, and she could tell that the fragment of the fire agreed with her completely in her gentle smiles and compassionate thoughts.

However, Ophilia couldn't bring herself to voice any of this, instead simply turning to Bartolo with a smile on her face. "It is a fine place, Your Excellency, with fine children, who will surely lead it to a bright future," she replied.

Bartolo seemed almost humored at her words, and he tilted his head ever so slightly in response. "Children, you say?"

Ophilia simply nodded. "Yes." In the back of her mind, she remembered the way that Emil and Derryl had turned to one another with such love in their eyes after they had managed to resolve their issues. No matter what happened next in Saintsbridge, she knew that everything would be alright. One day, both boys would grow into fine young men, and they would lead their home to a better future when the time came. Ophilia could feel it passionately deep in the bottom of her heart.

Bartolo smiled at her basic reply, though his confusion was evident as could be. "I am not sure of what you speak, but it seems you had a pleasant encounter in Saintsbridge today. Your smile beams as bright as the Flame," he told her. With that, he turned his attention back towards the Sacred Flame, and they both watched its delicate waltz with small grins on their faces. "Mighty Aelfric brought fire down from the heavens and carried it to every corner of the realm. Every twenty years, one of our faithful sets off on the Kindling, following in her footsteps. It is said that the Ember borne during the rite reflects the heart of the Flamebearer who carries it."

Bartolo looked to Ophilia with those words, and she reached for the lanthorn before removing it from her waist and holding it between them. "The heart of the Flamebearer?" she echoed, not entirely certain of what he meant. She had certainly never heard a legend of this nature, and she hadn't stopped to consider what her heart reflected either. It had simply never been a priority of hers, she supposed. There had always been more important things to do, such as take up the Ember to begin with.

Bartolo nodded. "Twenty years ago, when the archbishop brought us his Ember... I recall that his flame burned bright and strong, full of vigor and passion," he began, a fond smile starting to spread across his lips at the memory. "The fire that you have brought to us, Sister Ophilia... To my eyes, it looks to be a warm and gentle flame. I know not which children you met, but I have no doubt that your kindness was a comfort to them as well."

Ophilia felt her cheeks flush pink at that, but she did her best to hide it by burying her gaze on the lanthorn where it hung from her fingertips. "You are far too kind, Your Excellency. I only hope that I have helped in some small way," she murmured. She prayed that she had been able to do enough to help Derryl and Emil, even if she had only known them for a few short hours. Even if it was a small difference, it still counted, and she was willing to consider that a victory even if no other person could ever hope to understand it the way that she did.

Bartolo smiled to her and nodded once more. "I know that you have," he said kindly. He paused for a moment before looking to the rest of the travelers gathered nearby. "Do you intend to leave us soon? I imagine that you have quite the lengthy journey ahead of yourself before you will arrive in Goldshore, and I would hardly want to keep you from it."

Ophilia thought about it for a moment, looking over her shoulder at her friends. She eventually shook her head with a smile on her face. "We'll be here until tomorrow morning," she replied. "Thank you for hosting us. We really can't thank you enough, and Saintsbridge has been lovely to us all."

"Of course. If you find that you need anything, all you need to do is seek me out. I'll be here, and I would be more than happy to rise to any requests you have," Bartolo told her. "Treat Saintsbridge as your home until you must depart. We are all more than happy to have you, and I have no doubt that the children you met feel much the same way."

"Thank you again," Ophilia smiled. She bowed her head in Bartolo's direction before she retreated to stand with the rest of the travelers. She gave them a refreshed smile before glancing towards the door they had come through. "Alright. Let's get going."

"Are you going to talk to him about Creek?" Tressa questioned, a small frown on her face. "I know you wanted to find the truth, and he could be your best bet at figuring out what really happened back then."

Ophilia thought about it for a long moment. Now that the Kindling was done, she wouldn't be able to use it as an excuse to try and get away from the subject. She wanted to hear the truth, but at the same time, she feared it with everything she had. However, she wasn't going to allow her fear to consume her forever. She owed it to herself to move past it, and that started with opening herself up to Bartolo to hear all that he knew.

"I'll come back later," Ophilia eventually replied. "We'll be here until tomorrow morning, so I'll have the time I need to talk to him once more. For now, I want to see what Derryl and Emil are up to. I need to be sure that they got home safely."

The travelers all nodded their understanding at her words, and Ophilia continued to walk towards the exit of the cathedral. Somehow, she already knew that the two boys would be alright. They had good heads on their shoulders, and they would be there for one another regardless of what came next.

After all, that was what friends were for.

Outside the church, Derryl, Emil, and Nate stood together just off to the side of the cathedral doors. Derryl and Emil had gotten so caught up in their own quiet conversations on the way back from the Murkwood that they hadn't realized they wandered off without Ophilia. As soon as they noticed, they decided to go and try to find her again to talk a bit more, and their best idea for finding her was heading to the cathedral because of her role within the church. Along the way, Nate had caught up to them, and now, the three boys were waiting patiently for Ophilia's return.

"Hey, Emil. Did you find that brooch?" Nate questioned. Something about his tone was slightly judgmental, and he didn't even bother trying to hide it.

Emil, however, was undeterred as he nodded. "I sure did! We found it in the woods," he explained. He gestured to Derryl who held up the brooch with a small smile on his face, pride gleaming in both of their irises all the while.

Nate's eyes shot open. "The woods?! You actually went in?! But there are all kinds of nasty beasts in there!" he cried out.

Ophilia finally pushed her way through the door of the church at those words, but as soon as she found the three boys standing outside, she stopped. The last thing she wanted to do was interrupt them, so she pressed her hand against the doorframe and simply watched from afar. Behind her, the travelers stared as well, none of them daring to speak up loud enough to break the conversation between the three boys.

Derryl was completely unaware of her presence though, instead simply nodding with a bright smile on his face. "You bet there were! But that sister from the church kicked the living snot out of them!" he exclaimed. "It was friggin' outrageous! Wasn't it, Emil?"

The black-haired boy nodded. "It sure was!"

Ophilia couldn't hold herself back at that, and she let out a small laugh. "'Living snot,' huh?" she echoed. If she was being honest, that was much higher praise than she had expected to receive, not that she was complaining. She hadn't anticipated the boys talking about her even after they temporarily parted ways, and yet, there they were.

Emil grinned brightly as he took a step towards her. "Sister!"

Ophilia started down the stairs towards the three boys, and Derryl looked up at her with a smile of his own. "It's true though, isn't it?" he asked. "You really taught that thing a lesson!"

"Aww, I wish I could have seen it too!" Nate exclaimed.

Emil turned to face him with confusion in his eyes. "The beast?"

Nate shook his head with a smile. "No, Sister here beating it to a bloody pulp!"

Ophilia faltered at that, her grin starting to fate. "Now wait a second..."

Derryl didn't wait for her to finish that thought, instead taking off down the nearby stairs. "Anyways, Sister Ophilia's amazing, isn't she, Emil?" he asked.

Emil nodded. "She really is!" He ran after Derryl a moment later, unable to restrain his grin.

Nate sighed before moving in their direction as well. "Why do you two get to have all the fun?! You had better tell me all about it!" he demanded.

Derryl looked up to Ophilia a moment later, unable to hold back his smile. "You had better say goodbye to us before you leave town! We don't want you to go without us!" he said.

Emil nodded his agreement with a wave. "I hope you enjoy Saintsbridge, Sister!" he cried out. He turned to his other friends, and Derryl took off a moment later, Nate hot on his heels. Emil gasped before trailing after them. "Wait for me!"

Ophilia took a step towards the boys, a content smile on her face. The other travelers came in around her, all of them watching as the boys retreated. "I do believe my work here is done," Ophilia murmured to herself. She turned to face the rest of the travelers, eyes gleaming all the while. "I think it's time for us to see what Saintsbridge has to offer in full. We've still got a few hours before the sun goes down, and we can certainly use this as a chance to recuperate after that fight."

"I certainly didn't expect us to run into a monster durin' the Kindling," Alfyn agreed with a nod. "Let's go and try to relax for a bit. After all, the path to Quarrycrest is gonna be a tough one tomorrow."

Ophilia nodded before she started off in the direction of the inn, the rest of the travelers following in her footsteps. Olberic came up beside her before speaking, a light smile on his face. Ophilia could tell by the way his eyes shone that the events of the day had sparked a special flame of nostalgia deep in his heart. "Children can take you by surprise. We oft forget what they are capable of," he remarked.

Ophilia couldn't help but laugh at that. "It sounds like you are speaking from personal experience," she commented. Immediately, her mind shifted to Cobbleston and the young boy she had briefly seen Olberic with while they were there. "You're thinking of Philip, aren't you?"

Olberic nodded. "I am... But I am not worried for him. T'would be a lie to say I do not think of him from time to time... But I do not worry. I taught him what I could of the sword and other things besides. He took the lessons well. I have faith in the lad."

Ophilia smiled at that, unable to restrain her happiness. "I cannot tell you how happy that makes me," she told him. She glanced off towards the direction the three boys had dashed off in, the sun shining off her golden hair.

Olberic eyed her with confusion. "How so?"

"Well, it's a belief of mine..." Ophilia looked back to him. "That every child should have a mentor to take them in hand and show them what is right and wrong." In the back of her mind, she remembered Josef and all that he had done for her and how he had pulled her from the depths of despair alongside Lianna. Ophilia had no idea where she would be without him, but she was sure that it wouldn't be good.

Olberic nodded, and Ophilia could tell that he knew she was in just as much of a nostalgic mood as he was. "And I concur."

Ophilia looked back to the path ahead, a smile on her face. She had to return home as soon as possible so that she could visit her own mentor and so that Olberic could reunite with Philip. That involved finishing her business in Saintsbridge before making for Goldshore. For the time being, she was going to do everything she could in Saintsbridge, and that included returning to speak with Bartolo after the group had recovered some of their energy.

She would be back home soon, answers in tow. Regardless of what met her that evening, she would go home to Flamesgrace with time, and everything would be alright. Her family would reunite, and they would relish in the Kindling's success together.

And so we're done with the main part of Ophilia's chapter two! Woohoo!

This one feels like it went by a lot faster than some of the others, but I'm happy with how it turned out. We'll still be in Saintsbridge for a little bit longer for character moments with the rest of the travelers and to advance Ophilia's new subplot, but I'm glad that we can consider the bulk of the plot for now sealed and finished.

There's not much to say about this chapter, but I did make a few minor changes here. For one, there's going to be a farewell scene with Derryl and Emil when the group finally gets ready to leave Saintsbridge in a few chapters. I didn't want to leave it off without anything between them and Ophilia, so they'll talk a bit before parting ways. They'll also probably return once more when we come back for Alfyn's chapter three, but for now, they'll get a bit more screen time here.

The only other thing for me to address right now is the travel banter with Ophilia and Olberic. It's open-ended in canon because of the fact that the game doesn't know if Ophilia was there when Olberic's chapter one happened, but here, we know for sure that Ophilia was there. I changed it slightly to match up with that fix, and I think it turned out well.

With that said, I'm going to leave things off here and then see you again next week for another update. When that time comes, we'll be here for the aftermath of Ophilia's chapter two. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital