51. Memories, Part 2

Leon and Arganan made their way to the castle, to meet up with Dolce, Pico, Dylas and Amber to see what their findings were. Arganan made the mental note to catch up Frey on all of this as soon as he saw her. From what he understood, after talking to Dylas and Amber, Frey didn't know a thing. She, Therius, Calista and Zael had went to Arthur's office to discuss trade plans and other negotiations, and Dylas and Amber had just left Arthur's office when the group arrived for such a meeting. Arganan couldn't help but wonder why hadn't been notified of such a meeting. Perhaps they were plans that had yet to be set in stone for him…

He couldn't focus on that. Not now. Not with the Guardians' concern over wanting to revive Ventuswill. They stood in the main hall where Ventuswill once was. Arganan still remembered being here, talking to Ventuswill himself. He could remember their first meeting, clarifying how Frey got mistaken for Arthur in the beginning, all that time ago. How Ventuswill collapsed. Doug, trying to kill her once and nearly succeeded.

It felt very empty, without the dragon's presence, and it wasn't because she physically wasn't here. There used to be a life in this hall. But now with Ventuswill's death, this main hall was mostly silent, as if the entire room went dormant or dead, lacking life itself. Even as Arganan, Pico and the Guardians stood within this chamber, Argnanan couldn't help but feel like there was a gap that needed to be filled.

"I just want to clarify," Dolce started, "that we are, right now, trying to resurrect Ventuswill with our independent wills, correct? We'll go through with it. Even if that's not what she wants. Correct?"

Amber nodded. "Yep!"

"Of course we are." Dylas seemed sure, given his serious tone.

"I was wondering why you looked so grim." Leon noted, chuckling lightly. "Is that all?"

Dolce glared at him. "I'm very serious about this! Its no joke, Leon!"

Much to Arganan's surprise, instead of teasing Dolce further, Leon simply nodded. "We're prepared to face the consequences. We'll be going through with it, even if it's not what she wants. After all….I have a mountain of things I wish to say to her. If she doesn't come home, how am I supposed to tell her?"

"I think Venti's gonna be happy to come back if we figure this out." Amber beamed. "But if she isn't…well…I still think it's only right that she comes back. This is her home."

Arganan looked towards Dylas. "What about you?"

Dylas blinked. "Me? I still can't accept it. Venti dying, that is. I don't have any logical reason behind it or anything. I can't accept tings the way they are now, so I'm gonna make it so I can. That's all."

"Everyone…." Dolce cleared her throat.

"So what will you do, milady?" Pico asked.

"I…" Dolce faltered, then sighed. "You know the answer to that, Pico."

Pico simply giggled. "Of course."

"Excellent." Leon smiled lightly. "Let's get back to business. How can we bring Ventuswill home? "

Before anyone could speak up, a new voice did. "Can I join in?"

Everyone turned to see Frey, who had just entered. The Princess of Selphia appeared to be in a rush, given how she was panting a bit as she stood in the doorway.

"Frey?" Arganan raised a brow. Did she follow him and Leon all the way here, or...? "Why are you here?"

Frey took a deep breath, scanning the group with her gaze. "I overheard everything. I have stuff to say to Venti, too. Even if it's just a selfish wish on my part, I still want her to come home, to this town! To us." Her voice shook slightly, but she continued. "Venti herself may not have wanted it, but I want to believe. I want to believe she wanted to stay with us. And I'll keep believing that."

"So it seems we're going to have to find out for certain, one way or another." Leon noted. A lights mile came to his face. "I don't see why we shouldn't let Frey help with this."

Arganan offered the Princess an apologetic glance. "Sorry for not telling you any of this earlier. We would have, but.."

"I know." A sigh left Frey. "I've been a bit busy. Honestly, it's a stroke of luck I overheard any of you speaking about what you're doing."

"As much as I appreciate you helping, Frey, I don't think asking Ventuswill straight out will get us an answer." Dylas disagreed, looking towards Frey and then Leon. "We all know at this point that she has a tendency to hide things."

"But, she can be awfully easy to read!" Amber piped up.

"True." Dolce agreed, smiling lightly. "What she thinks appears on her face very easily."

"Well, Frey?" Pico asked Frey. "You will help us too, yes?"

"Of course!" Frey moved forwards to join the group, standing with Arganan. She then looked up at him, beaming. "By the way, Calista, Zael and Sir Therius are also aware of what's going on. They might bring it up to you later."

Arganan tried not to audibly groan at that. Who knows what they might say about the resurrection process? Also, would any of this have a major impact on all of Selphia, or would this be (mostly) safe save for potentially hurting a few people? Who knows?

Then again, worse things have happened that didn't involve resurrecting anyone. And it was true that everyone was eager to see Ventuswill again and hopefully bring her back.

"Now then… Leon managed. "First, let's organize what all of us know. Dylas, where was the gate to the Forest of Beginnings?"

"It's close to Leon Karnak, just like Amber said." Dylas confirmed. "The question is how to open it."

"What do we need?"

"The determination to open it." Amber managed.

Leon stared at her, and for once he looked actually confused. "What?"

She shrugged. "I heard it's something like, um, what was it? Proof of being able to change the world. That's what I heard somebody say before I got turned into a Guardian. He found the gate and said it wouldn't open until somebody had the determination."

"Interesting." Arganan noted. Proof of being able to change the world? Like my power? Or Frey's, as an Earthmate?

"Amber and I tried talking to Arthur to see what he knows." Dylas managed. "What about you and Barrett? Did you find anything there?"

Leon sighed. "Apparently, he doesn't even know how he made that homing ring in the first place. So right now there's now way aside from us attempting to make one ourselves, somehow."

"I'll do what research I can into other ways," Dolce managed, "but I don't have any leads at the moment. Though I have heard that there is a spell Earthmates might know for getting into the forest."

"Huh?" Frey stared towards Dolce. "What does that mean?"

Pico beamed. "It seems there may be a way to resurrect her body by fusing Runes into her new vessel. Though that's only a rumor we heard. It's not certain."

"I see." Leon frowned lightly.

"But no matter what," Pico concluded, "we still have to go into the Forest of Beginnings."

"So it sems we've reached the end of our leads…" Leon managed, shaking his head.

"There's one thing left." Frey pointed out.

Arganan looked towards her, frowning. "What haven't we tried yet?"

"Well…" Frey paused, before managing, "The Gate Reject spell. We can try that!"

Gate Reject? Arganan swallowed, recalling Leon and Barrett's earlier conversation. The last time Frey tried that, she got knocked back. Sure, she had a better hold on her powers as an Earthmate now, but…was it worth the risk?

"No!" Amber burst out, shaking her head. "That would be bad!"

Dolce also seemed in agreement with Amber, looking between the butterfly girl and the Earthmate. "She's right! You already tried it once when you went to the tower, and it failed!"

"I know that!" Frey pleaded, frowning. "But that doesn't mean it won't work this time."

"Frey…Do you realize what you're saying?" Leon's voice rose a bit as he looked her in the eye.

Frey nodded. "Yes."

"The heck you do!" Dylas burst out. "You got lucky you escaped fallout this time. You could've been seriously hurt!"

"He's right." Leon managed, nodding once. "We can't let anything happen to you. Not after all you've done for us. If we did, we'd never be able to face Venti or the other townsfolk again."

"Exactly." Pico sighed, shaking her head. "Please, don't think of ever trying that again."

Arganan paused, looking between Pico and the Guardians, and Frey. He sighed, swallowing. "They…have a point, Frey."

"I'm not giving up." Frey managed. "Even if everybody says I'm crazy. Call me selfish if you will, but I'm still going to try it! I mean…I want Venti to come home, no matter what. I want to see her again, and I'm not going to give up on that without a fight!"

Had Arganan been the Count of Lazulis, once upon a time, he would have said no. He would have done verything in his power to try to advise Frey to not pursue this. To let Ventuswill stay dead, and life to continue. But he knew, deep in his heart, that he could not do this. He wasn't the Count anymore, firstly. Secondly, Frey had a clear will that she wanted to do this. How could he possibly stop her?

Dolce looked Frey in the eye, before finally sighing. "Hmph. Looks like there's no stopping you."

"Huh?" Frey stared at her. Clearly, she hadn't expected Dolce to agree with her.

Leon nodded. "I guess it's safer for you to try it with us than doing it somewhere in secret."

"I'm still worried," Amber managed, "but if you're sure, I won't stop you…"

"If there's even a hint that it's going sour," Dylas finally managed, "I'll stop you in a heartbeat. Okay? And if you're so dead set on doing this, at least get good and ready first."

Frey nodded. "I will. I promise."

"Excellent." Leon managed, looking Frey in the eye. "Let us know when you're done preparing. We'll wait here for you."

"Wait, we're doing this now?" Arganan raised a brow. "Shouldn't we inform Arthur, at least, about Frey running into the Forest of Beginnings?"

Leon looked towards Arganan pointedly. "You are technically getting into an ambassadorial position of sorts between Lazulis and Selphia, right? You could look after the town."

Arganan frowned. "It's not like I know how to run this town!"

"You ruled an island for several years." The other chuckled. "I think that can translate into temporarily running a town."

Frey sighed, looking up at Arganan. "I've been in there once already to get Leon. So I kind-of know my way around, at least."

"You only escaped because Ventuswill saved you." Arganan pointed out. "Will you be able to get back home easily, after you recover her?"

"I think that's something we'll have to figure out when it happens." Frey offered him a reassuring smile. "But in terms of looking after the town while I'm gone, I trust you and Arthur. And Vishnal, Clorica, and Volkanon, too. Besides…" She smiled. "I do know the Escape Spell."

Ah. Right. That Escape Spell. Arganan made a mental note to ask someone to teach it to him, next time he ever went outside of town for any reason. " If that's the case…we might as well try the Gate Reject spell. When you're ready, of course."

"Of course! I'll be right back." Frey dashed off, presumably to go grab a few things from her room. It helped that they were already in the castle, so Arganan knew that he and the others wouldn't have to wait long.

All he could do now was hope that the spell worked, when Frey came back to cast it.