(During Issue 2: Night of funeral of Yan Lin)

"So you discussed matters with an enemy without telling it to us beforehand?"

In the early evening, Eric decided to skip his night shift because he needs to catch up on the past lessons and assignments. He meets up with Ray at the farthest edge of the misty and green environment of Open Hill, a few kilometers from Eric's dorm, an old and small home. It was built by simple and cracked concrete finishes on walls and roofs made of galvanized steel with a small and herbal garden around the house. Although the Bartholomew residence is a humble home with unfortunate and poor living conditions where his parents and two siblings lives in, he considers it his haven; his modest kind of living.

"It was a matter between two opposing captains, if Vathek does not tell anything to Cedric, then I shall keep my word to you as well." Eric replies as he leans his head on the palm of his hand which its arm is against the dining table. He reads, thinks and analyzes a certain Math problem on the book "Hey how can you formulate this again?"

Ray takes the book across, reads and writes the solution on the space around the page. "Then what happens if he doesn't keep his word? Would you regret it if he captured you?" he taps the buttons of his calculator. He then shows the book at Eric and points out the solution. "You just have to apply this formula in the numbers five, twelve and fourteen."

Eric receives the book and writes the solution again on the final paper. "Sir Vathek is an honorable man, he wants to meet up at Yan Lin's grave, to prove that he just want to converse." He replies as he takes up another sheet of paper. "Is this the other assignment from Sir Kirks?"

"And you believe of what he said?" He takes the paper and reads. "Sir Kirkner? Yeah Mosquito photocopied it for you."

"I actually don't know." Eric replies as writes back the solution on the final paper. "To be honest his story is too convincing."

"Then what should we do then? Guard the portals while I still help you in your 'easy' assignments?" Ray mockingly smirks.

"Hey, don't go too far ahead." Eric replies. "I never knew how you could ace difficult subjects such as Math and History at the same time. I think there's some magical thing about that Arkhantian blood of yours." He points out.

"Oh! As Arkhantians, we sure are skillful at a lot of things!" a voice says from the kitchen as she delivers two glasses of cold orange juice to them. "Drinks? Eric?" Ray's mother, Sapeha smilingly offers.

"T-thank you, Mrs. Bartholomew." Eric stutters to a remorseful reply.

"Like I told you young Atlas, Just call me Mrs. Sapeha" she says as she goes back to the kitchen "Just acknowledge my Earth name Ava Bartholomew outside, alright?"

"D-did I offend your blood race in any kind of way?" Eric whispers guiltiness to Ray. "I-I might not be able to be invited anymore!"

"Just receive the drink will you?" Ray replies with a smirk as Eric drinks from his glass. "Do you have some sort of plan now we're in this tight situation?"

"As Sir Vathek said, we want to do the right thing." Eric replies "We don't want to be like dogs to Kandrakar's orders yet we won't stop and do nothing just as Vathek's plead." Eric replies. "If I may I want to know the truth. Heck, I wanted to cross to Meridian and find the answer myself."

"I see-" Rays looks at his watch strapped around his wrist. "-And won't you look at the time, it's time to go now."

"Oh yeah sure." Eric replies as he packs up his things in shoves it into his bag and walks for a few steps and wears his jacket on by the coat stand and takes his leaned on large sword near the entry doorway.

"Guarding duty?" Sapeha calls out from the kitchen doing the dishes. "Just be here before ten!"

"Yes mom!" Ray exclaims as he wears he takes his jacket from the coat stand on and walks to her and gives a kiss to the cheek. "Bye Mom! Love you!"

They hop on to Eric's electric motorcycle and drives off to the remaining portal. Along the way, "Didn't I ever tell you that I envy your home a lot?"

"Envy me?" Ray asks from behind the backseat. "Even the size of your room is larger than my home's dining and kitchen combined!"

"Your home—family, I mean. I envy your family in short." Eric replies. "My parents are great scientists and astronomers and they travel around the world for research. I'm proud of them really, but deep inside, I actually feel kinda lonely. I just wanted my family back together under the same roof again."

"Like they say Eric, no life is perfect!" Ray replies. "If I envy your spaceships miniatures, and DVD collections and you envy on my family, then I guess that's just a draw for the both of us!"

Eric looks behind and Ray gives a smirking thumbs at him, in return Eric then replies with a cross brow grin. They ride to the other edge of Open Hills, a long and winding downhill to another green pasture forest and one of the undeveloped areas around the town; an abandoned barnyard that houses the thirteenth portal.

"You told me you wanted to show me something." Eric says as he parks and hides his motorcycle by the bushes. Beside the road, is the horizon of the pasture and trees gather around it. On the middle of the pasture is the broken barnyard

They walk around a half kilometer around the pasture as they hide behind the shadows of the trees. Ray says. "She might come here anytime now."

"Who's she? Girlfriend." Eric asks as he bends down behind the bushes as they gaze the barnyard away.

"No, much worse." Ray says. "Yesterday and the day before, I notice an old woman who walks in to that barnyard and out after an hour. It's around this time that she will come back again."

"What does she look like?"

"Not your typical type either!" Ray sighs. "I say she's stout, blondie with a pair of round glasses and wears her red coat."

"You're rude. You didn't even bother to go near her?"

Ray sarcastically chuckles. "You do know that I don't charge without any direct orders and I need to be cautious about it right?"

"This is the first time of my life to see you being such a coward." Eric with a confused yet annoyed face. "Do you know that I praise your courage and riskiness because among the three of us, you're the bravest? Remember that time when we were at the training hall and we faced a large group of opposing students three to one, we wanted to surrender, but you kept on pushing us and charging at the enemy and at the end of your gamble we finally won and passed the exam?"

"Yeah I remember that!" Ray laughs sarcastically and pauses. "It's just that I wanted to consider on what Commander Endarno said about being reckless. My uncle General Oswyn was considered as one of the finest generals of the Vanguard. For years his recklessness and fine courage has shown great morale among his fellow legionates. But as Endarno said, if my uncle should have retreated instead of 'showing off' earlier on that battle on Meridian, he could've saved most of the Vanguard."

Eric sighs. "I understand that, but you being too cautious on a harmless old lady is a bit disturbing coming from you." Eric replies as he places his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I don't think being reckless is bad, unless you have a plan-"

"Ssshh.." Ray hushes as he uses his Farsight and sees someone walking across the field to the barnyard. "She's here!" he whispers.

Eric takes out his binoculars and places them on top of his eyes. He gazes and sees an old woman just as Ray describes. "We better stop her." He then turns at Ray. "I'll make run for, then shoot some arrows if she went the opposite direction." He commands as he unwraps the thick cloth from the sword and wears the hood and face mask on.

Ray nods and Eric dashes out forward in plain sight. "Stay where you are!"

Five hundred meters away, the old woman turns from the origin of the voice and in shock dashes away from the field and the barnyard. Ray puts on the hood and the mask. By his command, his bow appears from his hand and also runs to the field as he prepares his arrow. "Farsight First Technique: Snipe Shot!" He chants as he releases the arrow from the fingertips.

Three-hundred meters away, she still runs and pants away as Eric approaches and almost closes the gap between her. Suddenly an arrow flies on front of her and falls down backward. Eric stops behind her, sticks his sword to the ground and pants "Who are you?"

"P-please d-don't hurt me!" She closes her eyes, kneels down clasps her hands tightly begging for her life and cries "I-I live here!"

"No one has lived here since! You were here consistently for the past three days." Eric replies. "What is your business here?"

"I-I'll j-just leave then! Please let me go!" She says and then looks up to Eric's sword for a while. Then, her eyes widen and jaw drops slightly "T-That sword!" she points to Eric's sword. "That's from the Earth Legion! It can't be! You are still alive after all this time!" She says as she refuses to believe what she has saw; like she sees a ghost on front of her.

Ray then comes suddenly and approaches them. He bends down as his arms stands on his knees and breathes loudly. "Never should I do another five hundred meter dash again!"

She turns and looks to the tired Ray and notices strangely on his bow for a long moment. Her eyes widen again to a realization. "General Oswyn? Y-You're alive?!"