Just like the man said, it did take about two months before they arrived at the cave entrance to the village, under that time Simon and Velvet had been getting to know each other. Velvet noticed that Simon was really adventurous and he didn't stay in Camlann more than three years, she started to develop feelings for him quite fast because he was acting like Eizen and Laphicet combined. Simon noticed Selene was really kind under the facade of a serious warrior, she would be smiling whenever they were together which made him really happy but Selene would still be distant to other people. Most of the people in the Windriders would tease him about it and said they would make a perfect couple.

Now, the couple was standing by the cave as they were saying goodbye to the merchant guild and thanked them for their help.

"We seriously can't thank you guys enough." Simon thanked them grateful.

"No problem, it was good to have your company with us." The leader said before they got going. "Hopefully we'll meet again."

"Yeah, good luck with the travel." Velvet said as they see them off. Simon turned to Selene and she looked at the cave behind them.

"Let's go, this is one of the entrances to the village, the other is in a place called Elysia." Simon explained and Velvet nodded before they walked in the cave.

Inside wasn't like what you expected from a cave, the ground was growing grass and sunlight came in and lights the flower that gives the cave a outdoor feeling. Velvet immediately felt deja vu about it as they continued through before a memory flashed in her mind, the very scene of when she and Rokurou was told by Eizen that Laphicet, when he was called Number two, had his own will taken away.

"I've been in this place before but it was different." Velvet pointed out as Simon stopped walking.

"Glad you recognized this place." Simon said before he thinks about the night he confessed about helping her out. "Selene…"

"What is it, Simon?" Velvet asked, stopping to look at him.

"Why did you not like the idea for your friend wanting to turn you back into a human?" The male asked and Velvet shadowed her eyes while looking away.

"That's because I needed that power back then but if I do that now, I'll probably die." Selene explained which shocked Simon.

"You'll...die?" He breathed out.

"Yeah, I must have been gone for a long time. My therion powers is what keeps me alive right now." Velvet said, thinking about her experience in the dungeon prison.

"I don't know what to say now you've told me that." Simon said unsure if he wants to continue with the subject. "I don't want you to die, that's all."

"You're the only one that says that, everyone else want me gone." The therion pointed out before continuing walking and Simon hurried over to her, taking her bandaged hand.

"That's not true! They want that because of your emotionless part of you but not the side I've got to know." Velvet was shocked of his words, she's never heard of someone besides Laphicet that don't want to see her die. "You're kind, protective and always smiles around people that think the same only when they get to know the real you." Simon smiled kindly at her. "You're human, not a monster like normal people think you are. Remember our promise."

"Is it the promise we made that day under the starry sky?" Simon nodded.

"I want to help you as much as I can, even if we have to travel across the entire world." Velvet closed her eyes before opening them up again and smiled gently with gratefulness in her eyes. "Come on, we're almost there."

Simon lead Velvet through the tunnel while still holding her hand, the therion didn't complain as she didn't mind at all. Velvet have spend enough time to trust the traveler with her life, but she couldn't help but feel some kind of energy in the earth itself, a familiar power from her time in the earthpulse. She knew Simon would do experiments for different potions and artes as she was told that by Simon as a warning if he hasn't cleaned his house when they got there.

Once they were close to the exit, Velvet lets go of Simon's hand to run out by herself. Once Velvet comes out from the cave, her eyes was on a nice, small village in the beautiful landscape and a familiar temple was nearby but she couldn't make out which from the hill since she visited many ruins and temples under her journey. Simon soon came to her side with a smile over her expression, not only had Selene regained some of her memories but also that she liked his home. Simon took her hand again as the therion looked at the scene in front of them.

"Let's go, Selene. There's a few people I like you to meet." Simon told her before he drags Velvet down the hill, running.

At the village, the villagers was coming to the pair as they stopped to welcome Simon home from his travel. When Simon was going to introduce Selene to the excited villagers, a man with a powerful aura came to them. He had dirty-blond hair reaching almost to his shoulders, with bangs swept to his left. His eyes are lavender. He wears a white shirt under an open, long-sleeved dark blue jacket, secured with a black belt, white leggings, and low-heeled black boots with the tops folded over at the knee. He wears a fingerless black glove emblazoned with a strange mark on his left hand.

"Nice you came home earlier than expected." The man said and Simon grinned.

"I have more fun traveling than stay in this village my whole life just like you." The traveler retarded before they took their hands in a close friend style before hugging each other and clapping their hands on each others back. "Nice to see you, Michael."

"Welcome back." The man said as they broke up and Velvet comes to him, knowing who the man is by now and hides a little behind Simon to make sure he doesn't notice she's a hellion.

"Michael, this is Selene." Simon introduced her and Michael held out his hand.

"I'm the Shepherd Michael, nice to meet you, Selene." The Shepherd greeted and Velvet hesitated before taking his hand and shakes it.

"You too." Velvet finally said as they let go.

"How's Maotelus?" Simon asked Michael as Velvet begins to walk behind a waterfall nearby and it revealed a massive staircase to the temple.

"He's doing okay but two months ago, he started to act strange. It was like something had happened that very same time." Michael explained.

"That's strange, it was about the time I met Selene." Simon pointed out. "I don't know what to think right now." Velvet looks up to the temple above the stairs before she remembers which temple it was!

"The Empyrean's throne. It is still here." The therion mumbled and nodded to herself before running up the stairs, alerting Simon and Michael.

"Selene, wait!" Simon called out for her as the two ran after her but they couldn't keep up with Velvet as it seemed she flew up the stairs.

Velvet comes at the end of the stairs and hurried over to the stone door to figure out how to open it. Unknowing to her, a seal was placed on it and her hands was glowing light blue as she was more focused on pushing the door open. She broke the seal without notice and managed to push it open enough for her to get through before closing it as Simon and Michael comes up as she closed the door.

"Selene managed to get inside the temple." Simon confirmed breathing a little heavily but not as much as his friend.

"How is it possible? No one can go in that temple, not even Lailah can." Michael pointed out, Simon glanced at him before staring at the stone doors.

While inside, Velvet looked the doors as well but felt a little sick being close to the source of the domain she has been sensing when they arrived and holds her daemon arm with her normal one to keep her focused. Walking further inside was the very room which an event she truly couldn't forget. Her very first duel against Artorius and her first death experience that changed her mission before realizing Laphicet became her very best friend.

"Doesn't it hurt? Aren't you in pain?" The voice of Laphicet asked worried in her memory as she imagine the scene in front of her. "Why, Velvet? Why do you go on fighting?"

"Because… Laphicet knew so much more pain than I ever will… And still, I… I couldn't do anything for him…" Velvet closed her eyes as she felt the little malak's touch in her hand.

"I'm sorry…" Velvet repeated.

"You don't need to apologize, Velvet." The therion opened her eyes immediately and looked up to see the little boy she got know and help find his purpose in front of her.

"Laphi… cet…" The seraph smiled as Velvet hugs him in happiness as he hugs her back. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too, I didn't know when you would wake up." Laphicet agreed as they broke away. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, happy to be back."

The two sat down on the floor as Laphicet explained everything to her, mostly what happened right after her sacrifice. Laphicet had offered his power of the silver flames to become the Empyrean in Innominat's stead which purified every daemon and made so people couldn't see malakhim and daemons expect those with resonance, what shocked Velvet was that he had been Maotelus the whole time. The name Maotelus was actually his true name when Eleanor had been his vessel and Laphicet didn't want to tell her that under the journey.

Everything about their journey had been kept a secret from population and the few exorcists that had been left to help Eleanor, now there were about three people left that knew besides him, Eizen and surprisingly Magilou. Laphicet didn't know what she was doing together with Bienfu but knew that the witch was trying to find something that would entertain her. The last thing Laphicet explained was that whenever he leaves the insides of the temple, he'll turn into his dragon state that he was commonly seen as.

"Sounds to me like you've had it rough." Velvet pointed out.

"Yeah but people has been so kind to me and I understand why I'm getting stronger every time someone prays to me." Laphicet said with a smile. "The Shepherds have protecting me for a millenia now and that's how long you've been gone as the Lord of Calamity."

"Which must have been a relief for them to have the most dangerous being gone for a limited time." Velvet scoffed and Laphicet laughed. "Still, it wouldn't explain why I'm here and how I came here from the start."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out, one way or another." Laphicet said as he looks at Innominat's symbol above the throne. "I just know it." Velvet smiled at him as she missed these moments under her absence.

"Just a warning, I've been telling everyone that my name is Selene and I've lost my memories when I was turned in a therion." The ex-Lord of Calamity warned him. "I had a hunch about everything was kept a secret so I lied for the most time, they probably thought I was going here to find my 'lost memories' when I just wanted to find answers." Laphicet nodded in understanding as he stood up.

"I'll try to make sure Michael doesn't suspect you as much, Simon is going to be a problem though." Velvet got up as well.

"Don't worry about Simon, he was the one who's been helping me get here from the start. Simon is really something else." Laphicet looks at her in confusion as he sees a dreaming look in her golden eyes.

"You like him, right?" Velvet blushed slightly but smiled rather than being embarrassed.

"I can't lie to you, he became someone I really trusts with my being." Laphicet knew that his friend deserved to be happy, so he didn't feel jealous for her to fell in love with someone. But he also knew that Michael and Simon was outside, waiting for Velvet to come out.

"Our friends are waiting outside for us, they probably followed you up here."

"Probably, I think the Shepherd would panic if he finds out about who I am and our relationship." The pair laughed together as they imagine the expression before Velvet walks out as Laphicet teleported out to show her his Empyrean form.

Outside, Simon was waiting worried together with a rather panic Michael walking around behind him. The alchemist wasn't paying attention to his friend as he was more focused on Selene, how was she able to break the seal on the gate with her bare hands? And why did she run up the stairs in such a hurry? These were two of the few questions in his head after the event that happened, Selene was really a mystery to even him but he didn't care about that as the most important thing was Selene's health and condition. His attention was drawn to Velvet coming out of the temple with a smile as she closes the door and comes to Simon.

"Sorry for worrying you." Velvet apologized as the two hugged each other. "I just needed to have some alone time with Maotelus to get some answers myself." Just then, a white/silver dragon appeared before them with a radiant aura.

"Lord Maotelus!" Michael exclaimed while getting on his knee to bow in respect as the young pair looks at him, Velvet was smiling proudly as she stares at his form. "I apologize for not stopping her in time."

"There's no need to apologize, Shepherd Michael." Maotelus said, still sounds like the little seraph he was. "Selene have already told me about her situation and why she came here. She and I are old acquaintances from a long time ago, that's a story I like to not tell anyone until it's necessary."

"So you know of her amnesia?" Simon asked and Maotelus nodded to confirm.

"Don't worry, I'm holding up." Selene replied, knowing he would ask if she was okay.

"Simon, I believe you want to get some research done now that you have returned based on your new experiences." Maotelus said which the alchemist completely forgot and Velvet giggled over his reaction. "Michael, you should continue your duties and the well keeping of the village."

"Of course." Michael agreed as he stood up. "Until next time." All three of them begins to walk back to the village together, Velvet glancing at her friend before focusing on following the men.


Sorry for the long wait, I'm working with Nerf585 on this and have come up with lots of ideas and plans for this fic. Thanks for all that help, Nerf585!

See you guys next time!