It had been a few days since the duo left the orphanage, Simon had been leading Velvet through forests and towns which had been hard for the therion as she was still not used to walking again after the sleep. Now they were resting by a campfire for the night in the woods. Velvet had taken out the braid into a ponytail instead, feeling like her hair was imprisoned in it. Simon was sitting and explaining things while Velvet was lying down on the ground, looking at the sky.

"So if I get this straight, seraphim are heavenly beings that control the elements and hellions are created by human malevolence." Velvet repeated but shortly and Simon nodded. "The Shepherd is a person that holds the seraphim inside them as a vessel to use their powers like their own."

"Wow, you're understanding much faster than I thought." Simon said surprised while poking the fire with a stick.

"The thing I don't understand is why you didn't become a Shepherd." Velvet questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't want that big responsibility to protect the world and Maotelus, Michael is much better than me on that." Simon replied, not wanting to explain the subject. "You aren't free when you become one."

'I know that feeling.' Velvet said in her head. "Friend of yours, Michael I mean."

"We're almost like brothers and rivals at the same time, strange isn't it?" Simon asked but hear soft snores from the young girl and turned his head to see Velvet sleeping already, the traveler smiled. "Figured that you'd be exhausted, you're not used to walk much right now. And tomorrow we'll get to a town to get you a weapon so you can fight against the hellions." Simon lies down on the ground and drifted of to sleep himself.

- Velvet's dream -

Velvet was standing on a field as she looks out the ocean, the sky was clear blue and small gentle breezes blew through her hair and new coat. She looks at it sadly as she hears someone walking behind her and Velvet narrowed her eyes a little.

"I missed this when we were asleep, but still I don't understand why I'm back and how long it's been since my time…" Velvet told the person and turns her head to face Seres, without her mask to reveal her red eyes and the face of Celica. "How is it possible?"

"Not even I have an answer, this new power is similar to Innominat but also my own. It is possible that Innominat's power has been transferred to you and another host." Seres tried to explain but was uncertain herself. "Possibility is Laphicet is that host."

"But without Innominat, Laphicet will die!" Velvet yelled and Seres shakes her head.

"All of this may be connected to the 'Maotelus' Empyrean Simon have told you about, he did say that his temple was in Camlann." Seres replied.

"You're suggesting that I should ask him myself." Velvet guessed and Seres nodded in correction. "I have to be careful with the Shepherd as well, he's the one protecting the temple."

"We can just hope you can get answers, but remember it seems people don't know who or what you are so be on guard." Seres warned her and Velvet look at her sadly.


The next day, Velvet and Simon arrived at a small town where people was walking around as the two was looking around. They were looking for weapon shop so the therion could get a weapon just to be sure in case they meet a hellion on their way, as they found it and got a gauntlet blade for Velvet to try out.

"How does it feel?" The smith asked as Velvet took out the blade to look at it before retracting it. She had a fingerless glove made by leather like fabric underneath the gauntlet to not leave marks on her skin.

"It's really good and light, I like it." Velvet replied and the smith grinned.

"Glad you like it, I was trying to make some small assassin blades but that became the result." He explained.

"You should probably continue make these, they are really good for surprise attacks and with the perfect balance, you can fight with three blades at once." Velvet suggested and surprised the men.

"Battle experienced and good looking, you got a real treat there." The smith pointed out to Simon, who started to panic.

"You got it all wrong! She's just a friend and companion, not my girlfriend!" Simon shouted and the smith laughed. Velvet wasn't paying attention to the conversation but was thinking.

'Now I can fight at least but I don't know how effective it is now that I've lost much of my strength, we have to see.' Velvet thought and looked up at the sky. 'I'm coming, Laphicet. Wherever you are.'

"Selene?" The therion was snapped out when Simon called out to her.

"Let's go." Velvet agreed, knowing what he was going to say, and they walked away. As they walked back to the forest, Velvet heard something interesting and stopped to listen to a pair of merchants.

"I'm telling you, a monster lives in the forest!" A younger male yelled and the older one growled.

"Stop with this nonsense about a monster that poison every creature when it bites you, you're going to be fired if you continue this charade!" The older man shouted and Simon looks at Velvet as he had stopped to know what the black haired girl picked up.

"You think it's a hellion?" Simon asked and Velvet narrowed her eyes.

"More than that, I know it." The therion replied. "We better be careful when we travel." They then left for real without disturbance.

Under the week they've been walking, Simon and Velvet meet some people and ambushed by hellions but Velvet saved Simon a couple of times since it was obvious that he hasn't been fighting much. Velvet had to teach him the things Artorius taught her when he was Arthur, of course she didn't mention where she got the teachings. Right now, they were almost out of the forest as the duo was talking about what they were going to do once they get to Camlann. Everything had been peaceful as they talked before Velvet heard something in the bushes and a big snake came out. Velvet and Simon jumped away as it tried to attack.

"An Oroboros, it must be this hellion that caused all those people to die." Velvet explained as smaller snakes appeared around them.

"So it can call out weaker snake hellions?" Simon asked and Velvet nodded.

"I'll take care of the leader, can you handle the rest?" Velvet questioned and the traveler took out his sword from the scabbard.

"I'm ready!" Simon said determined.

Velvet takes out her foot blades and starts hit the Oroboros with her artes while Simon defeats the smaller snakes without problems thanks for the training he was given. His sight was on Velvet when she got therionized, the big claw devoured the energy of her enemy as she jumps into the air with her gauntlet blade out.

"Break Boost!" Velvet yelled while thrusting her blade into the ground, creating cracks underneath making Oroboros land on its back. Simon was really impressed with the arte as she stands up but the traveler noticed something coming forwards her.

"Selene, look out!" Simon warned her. A snake struck its fangs into Velvet's upper arm which made her quite angry as Oroboros escaped from fear of getting eaten.

"Damn you, pesky reptiles!" Velvet growled and forced the snake off, devouring it in the process. Blood was running down her human arm from the wound as Velvet returned to normal, Simon hurried over to her as he saw Velvet breathing heavily and held her up as the therion leaned against him.

"You overdid yourself there, you still haven't recovered yet to full strength." Simon declared and looked around. "We might need to find a ride and some help." Simon takes Velvet's legs on his arm and begins to carry her in bridal style, making the girl blush.

"What are you doing?!" Velvet exclaimed tired before mumbling, "This is really embarrassing."

"You need some rest and besides, it's not like I'm going to leave you behind and go get you later." Simon explained with a smile and Velvet was speechless. How could a man like him be so selfless in this world? A world she almost made into everlasting chaos.

Simon carried the therion out of the forest to come to a path where many wagons and horses would come to get to the kingdoms behind the borders. He was walking while Velvet was resting for a bit as Simon heard the sound of carriages and horses coming forwards them, notching Velvet awake as he came to a stop. There was a band of merchants coming their way, the first carriage stopped by them and a young man jumps off.

"Hey there, looks like you two had it tough." The man said and Simon shakes his head while Velvet glared at him with a small blush on her cheeks, still thinking it's embarrassing.

"Not at all, just a long trip but we were attacked by snakes just recently." Simon explained and the man raised an eyebrow.

"Snakes?! Man, this place is really falling apart if the wildlife starts to attack people." The man joked and the duo looked at him confused. "Anyway, we're the Windriders. The best merchant guild in the land!"

"I'm Simon and this is Selene." The green eyed companion introduced them, the man nodded and turned to his guildmates.

"Let's set up camp! We head out the first thing in the morning!" The man ordered and everyone started to fix the campsite for the night.

One of the members gave Simon some supplies for cleaning Velvet's wound, she had taken off her jacket to make her new friend easier to fix it. Velvet was still very embarrassed as she usually never did anything like this since she had a seraph that healed her wounds instead of treating them normally, if Magilou heard this happening she wouldn't stop teasing the therion about it.

"You know that isn't really bothering me, I've had worse." Velvet pointed out as she was still blushing but it was more red now while looking away as Simon wraps bandages around the wound.

"We doesn't have a seraph with us right now, so this is the only solution to not get it infected." He explained when he ties the bandages together. "Once we get to Camlann, I'll ask Lailah to heal it then.

"That fire seraph that works with the Shepherd?" Velvet asked but before he could answer, the man came over to them.

"So where were you two going before meeting us?" The man asked as Simon stood up.

"We're on our way to Camlann." Velvet answered while glancing at him.

"It's really far away from here, it would take about two months if you walk on foot." The man pointed out. "But we can take you to the borders to save you some days to get there faster." Simon smiled brightly and Velvet gasped in relief.

"Thank you, it'll make our travels easier." Simon thanked him while the man grinned with a thumbs up to them. Velvet looked at them strangely, it was like her world haven't existed at all and the events that took place never happened.

'What's going on? It's like no one knew I existed, I just hope I can get answers from Maotelus as fast as possible.' Velvet thought in her head as she watches the guys in front of her talk.

Night soon fell on them, Velvet took her distance from the group to look at the stars by a hill. Simon was talking with the merchants about their travels by the big campfire but glances at Velvet a few times to make she's alright until he sees her gloomy face, he accuses himself and got up so he could join her by the hill. The familiar black aura of malevolence was around the therion as she stares at the sky.

"The last calm thing I did before I lost my memory, I was looking at the night sky with someone." Velvet half lied, not keeping her eyes of the sky. "He was so kind and always smiled at me while he confronted me about calling him a silly nickname, he tried to convince me that he would try turning me back to a human."

"And why didn't you?" Simon asked her and Velvet shakes her head.

"That's about it, I can't remember the rest. Not even his name or face." Velvet lied, how could she forget the little malak that saved her life more than once. "I'm bond to be like this, it's who I am." Simon looked at her with sadness before placing an arm around her, not caring about the malevolence around Velvet.

"Promise me something, Selene." The traveler said and Velvet looked up at him. "Promise me that once you regained your memories, no matter how hard and sad it might be, you continue to live on. Life is a thing that people should cherish before anything and not waste it on war."

"Why do you want me to keep that promise?" The therion asked annoyed.

"Because I like you, ever since we meet." Simon replied and Velvet is shocked.

"You never ever heard about me until a few months ago and don't know a damn thing about me or my past!" Velvet exclaimed, looking down on her knees while shadowing her eyes and shaking as the aura got stronger. "But still…" Soft sniffles was heard and tears ran down on her cheeks. "...you helped me so much, no matter what happened. I don't know how grateful I am to be alive thanks to you."

Simon took the therion closer to him and hugged Velvet to try calming her down, she cried on his chest as Simon just smiled as the aura was slowly disappearing. Velvet looked up, still in tears but with a small smile instead.


Sorry for the wait, and also for all the time skips. I'm a little lazy when it comes to that but I hope you guys like this chapter!