Aja Killian stood in the mental classroom of an aspiring student from Veelox. As the boy dreamed, Aja did her best to challenge the boy's intelligence, and in doing so helped him to gauge his own abilities.

"The oxidation number for Sulfur in the compound H2SO4 is?"

"Plus six!"

Aja had taken on a form that she sense the boy would be most comfortable with – that of his first year chemistry teacher, Professor Uva. She stood in front of a holoboard drilling him with question after question, testing him with problems just difficult enough to get his mind working, but reasonable enough that he was able to manage the answer on his own. Most of the time.

Aja pointed to another formula on the board and said, "And the oxidation number for Hydrogen in H2O2?"

After a slight pause, the boy answered. "Plus two!"

Aja stopped and raised an eyebrow at the boy. "So you're saying that hydrogen gives away two electrons to attain electro-neutrality?" She inquired.

"Uhhh…yes?" The boy's brow furrowed in confusion.

Aja tapped on the representation of the periodic table, not very different from the one found on Earth. "And how many electrons does Hydrogen have to give away?"

The boy looked at the board, then facepalmed. "Err…one."

"So hydrogen gives away two of its electron."

"…"

She sighed. "What is the oxidation number for Hydrogen in H2O2?"

The boy thought for a moment. "Plus one," he replied, then hastily added, "but oxygen only maintains a minus one charge!"

Aja smiled slightly. She had been keeping an eye on this boy for a while now, watching as he developed the skills to come to answers like that on his own. She never taught him a thing, merely acted as a vessel the boy could use to teach himself.

Aja was about to continue on with the drill, when she sensed that someone else was present. Another spirit from Solara.

Hey Aja. You know you aren't supposed to be tutoring this kid, right?

"Pendragon!" She exclaimed, "What are you—" She cut off when she realized the kid was staring, confused at her sudden outburst. She sighed, then sent off a mental reply to her friend.

I'm not teaching him anything. He already knew the answer. What are you doing here? Come for a chemistry lesson?

Bobby's spirit cringed. Solaran spirit or no, he hated chemistry.

Not exactly. There's trouble, Aja. We need to talk. Now.

Aja paused, then nodded. She turned to the boy who would one day become one of the greatest chemists on Veelox, and gave him a slight smile. "I think that's enough for today. You're one of my best students; you'll do fine on your next test."

The boy blinked, still a bit confused. This wasn't normally how his tutoring dreams turned out. He was usually plagued with insecurity, a trait brought out by some of his more demanding teachers. His dreams tended to reflect that, and he found it a surprising relief to hear that small vote of confidence. As his teacher walked out of the room, his dreams lost focus, and he drifted away.

Well, Pendragon? What's got you worried enough to risk getting dragged into one of my tutoring sessions?

The two spirits passed back into Solara, Aja following closely behind the lead Traveler. Ex lead Traveler, she reminded herself. It had been a long time since she had called him that.

I'll tell you once I've gathered the others. I'm going to grab Siry. Press should be getting Loor and Gunny; Spader went off to find the others.

Aja was concerned. What in Halla could possibly be so important that it demanded the presence of all of the Travelers?

Got it. I think I can sense where they're gathering – I'll head over there now.

Unease crept up on her, but more prevalent was her curiosity. Still, she trusted that her questions would be answered soon enough, so she split off from Bobby and made her way towards the beacon of positive energy she felt gathering elsewhere in Solara.

See you in a bit.

Bobby had already called on Kasha and Alder, and had also taken the liberty of calling on some of the acolytes. They may not have been travelers, but they were every bit as involved in this as the rest of them were. They had the right to know that Saint Dane was back. With that grim thought in mind, he went off to find the last traveler on his agenda.

As Bobby drifted into the yet another dream, he found himself on a brightly colored ship sailing across a seemingly endless ocean. He looked around and saw a number of crewmen hard at work, and a small boy who couldn't be older than six at the wheel. It was the boy's dream, and in it he was sailing the first ship of the Ibaran fleet into the unknown waters of Veelox, off to explore the vast, mysterious territory.

As Bobby looked around for his query, one of the crew members walked up behind him and said, "What do you think you're doing here? You don't look like you belong on this ship."

Bobby smiled and turned around. Siry stood there in crewman's grab, grinning cockily at him.

"Hey Siry. Smooth sailing I hope?" Bobby knew why Siry would want to be here. It had been his dream to sail a ship like this into the unknown of his territory. The boy at the wheel undoubtedly possessed the same spirit that had driven Siry to do just that. Bobby sincerely hoped that the boy would reach his goals – and that things would turn out better than they had for the Traveler from Ibara.

"Nothing but. This kid reminds me a lot of how I was at his age. He's going to do some great things – especially now that the territories are back on track. So, what brings you here?"

Bobby winced. At the rate things were going, this poor kid might be facing just as much hardship as Siry had in the years to come. "Something big has come up. The Travelers are gathering to discuss it. We need you."

Siry glanced at him in confusion, and then said, "That doesn't sound good. Alright, let's take off. But first…"

He walked up to the boy at the wheel. He stood like a crewman giving a report to his captain. "The ship is well under way captain. Seas look good, and the wind is with us. I imagine we'll be seeing the far coast in no time." The boy looked up at him in wonder, then nodded. He looked excited, but also a little nervous. Siry smiled at him and said, "You're going to blaze the trail into an incredible world, captain. All of Veelox will be yours to re-discover. You just have to keep moving forward."

With this Siry began to walk off, slowly vanishing into thin air as the boy watched him. He stared for a moment, then looked back out to sea. He smiled once more, ready to see what the world had in store for him. Bobby felt his heart sink. If Saint Dane had his way, this young, adventurous boy would never see that world. He may never even get the chance to truly know his own.

Bobby faded out of the dream as well, and with Siry in tow, they started off towards the gathering.

"Well Pendragon? What has happened that is so urgent as to require all of us to gather here?" Kasha stared at him, arms crossed, looking expectant. She stood tall and proud, short black fur sleek and smooth, claws sheathed.

Gunny spoke up as well. "Yeah, Shorty. What's going on here? The last time we all gathered up like this, all of Halla was about to topple in on itself."

Pendragon looked around at the band of spirits before him. Most of them, the Travelers, had taken on physical form. There were others who remained as spirits – acolytes, first generation Travelers, and individuals who had taken on the role of family to the second generation Travelers when their first journey had begun. There was Aja Killian, from Veelox. Siry, from Ibara, the future of Aja's territory. Kasha, from Eelong. Elli Winter, first traveler from Quillan. Alder, from Denduron. Vo Spader, from Cloral. Loor, from Zaada. Gunny, from First Earth. Patrick Mac, from Third Earth. And him. Bobby. Traveler from Second Earth.

All of the Earth territories were one now, of course, as were the territories of Veelox and Ibara. There was no longer any reason to separate them by their times – the turning points had ceased to exist. Bobby wondered, with dread, how much longer that would be the case. As he looked around at the circle of Travelers, he wondered how best to tell them that all of Halla was about to be put into jeopardy again. He thought about beating around the bush, but then he saw Aja glaring at him, tapping her foot. He decided on the bandage method.

"Saint Dane is back."

The reaction was immediate. There were shouts of disbelief from several of the Travelers. Some simply stood, looking like they had taken a brick to the face. Kasha's fur bristled, and she let out a low growl.

Only Loor remained calm. She stepped forward, waiting for the others to calm down. Then she said, "Tell us how you know this, Pendragon."

Bobby paused, and then went on to explain everything he, Uncle Press, and Spader had seen. He told them about the new territory, the Qi'xir, Saint Dane's power, and then finally about his threat. The other Travelers looked on in dismay and disbelief. How could this have happened? Surely all of this was supposed to be over?

Uncle Press stepped forward and said, "I know this is difficult. But many of you were present the last time we had a discussion like this. When Saint Dane made his intentions known the first time, several of you were present to discuss how it would be handled."

A few of the Travelers in the circle nodded, Bobby included. They had made the decision to combat Saint Dane the first time, opting to be reborn as physical beings with no memories of their spiritual lives in order to bring the fight to him.

Patrick, one of those who hadn't been present but had merely consented to the task when it was asked of him, said a bit nervously, "So…do you believe that we should do it again? Take on physical form to fight against Saint Dane once more? If he decides to take the same approach as last time, that is."

Aja intervened. "That would be idiocy! Saint Dane knows full well that his plan didn't work. I can't believe that he would attempt it again. He would be a fool to try."

Uncle Press was the first to respond. "He may not have succeeded the first time, but you forget; he will have the knowledge of his past mistakes to guide him this time. He won't make the same ones again. The Travelers, on the other hand, would not have the same advantage."

"Why not?" Spader interjected, "Why can't we just go back with the knowledge of how to beat him? We were able to do it the first time, why should we give that all up? We can start out with the same advantages that natty demon has!"

Press sighed. "That's not the point, Spader. The whole goal of sending you back the first time with no memories of Solara was to make you one with the territories you were sent to protect. It's crucial that Solara does not fight this battle directly – that would involve direct interference, and therefore betray our own ideals that the territories should be allowed to exist independently."

Spader was about to argue, when Bobby interrupted. "No, Spader, he has a point. Saint Dane always told me that this was a battle of philosophies. To drop to his level is merely to concede our own point. If we send Travelers to fight him, they can't know about Solara."

Spader still looked uncertain, but he nodded in acceptance. The other Travelers murmured their agreement as well. "So what do we do?" Siry asked.

"We fight."

Two new spirits had joined the circle. Courtney Chetwynde, followed closely by Mark Dimond, coalesced into their physical forms and went to stand beside Bobby. He turned to look at them, smiling. "I was wondering when you two would show up."

Mark grinned sheepishly at his best friend. Even with the unlimited knowledge and wisdom of Solara at his command, he was still the same old Mark. The both appeared as they had been before the war had taken its toll on them; before they had been sucked into the flume in the Bronx.

"Like we would leave you to figure this out on your own. We were always in this together – what makes you think we would ditch out on you now?" Mark said, as Courtney looked around the circle at all of the Travelers. Gunny smiled at her, and Spader threw her a wink.

Alder voiced his opinion. "I believe Courtney is right. I do not see any other option. Saint Dane cannot win without influencing the territories, and to do that he needs a physical form. We cannot allow him to do as he will to the territories. We should fight." The Travelers all nodded in agreement.

Bobby nodded as well. "I agree, but one thing is bugging me. We all know what Saint Dane is capable of. Like Spader said, we know how it played out the first time. If we return to the territories to take up the roll of Travelers again, we lose that know-how."

"So what are you proposing, Shorty?" Gunny inquired. The other Travelers looked somewhat confused as well.

"Well…and don't flip out on me when I say this. I think that we should send different spirits back to become Travelers."

The reaction was almost as violent as when he had told them Saint Dane was back. There were immediately sounds of protest and argument. Bobby winced. He figured they would take it that way. To his surprise, the one person he thought would object the most strongly to their staying out of the fight stepped forward…and defended him.

Loor held up her hand to quiet the others. "I believe Pendragon is right. Our knowledge of Saint Dane is invaluable, even if we cannot use it directly. We should send others to the territories while we maintain a watch over Solara."

Aja thought for a moment, eyes narrowed, then nodded. "I agree. As much as I would like another shot at that bastard, we best way for us to do that is to keep our knowledge on reserve. A sort of last resort."

Bobby sighed in relief. At least two of the Travelers were with him, and as he watched the others debate, he saw that his idea was winning out. The only one who was still strongly against the idea was Spader.

"Hobey mate, I see what you're saying, but how do you expect us to just sit and watch while Saint Dane is turning the territories into his own personal habitats?"

Before Bobby could respond, Mark stepped forward. "Maybe you don't have to. Not entirely, anyway." Bobby looked at him in confusion as he continued, "You each had spirits from Solara as your mentors to introduce you to the whole Traveler thing, right? What if each of the Travelers from the first war mentors the Traveler who is going to take their place?"

Bobby raised his eyebrows. He hadn't thought of that. As he looked around the circle, he saw that the other Travelers liked the idea. Spader still looked hesitant, but at least he wasn't on the verge of going commando. Bobby thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Sounds like a plan. We find new spirits to take our place, send them back as travelers, mentor them until…" He had just recalled the way every single one of the first generation Travelers had 'returned' to Solara, and judging by the looks of the others, they had as well. "…Until we aren't needed anymore, then we watch from Solara until we're needed again."

Spader looked to be on the verge of saying something, but decided against it. The other Travelers nodded in agreement. It looked like things were settled. As they all started thinking towards which spirits would take their places, Press stepped forward.

He had been silent for the last several minutes, deep in thought. He seemed to be contemplating his own ideas, and was now wondering how best to voice them. Bobby caught on that something was troubling him. "Uncle Press? What are you thinking?"

Press sighed, and then decided that he needed to make his concerns known. "I think your plan sounds like a good one, but there's one thing we haven't talked about yet. When Saint Dane was retreating back into the other Solara, Bobby asked him what made him so confident that we wouldn't beat him again. He said, 'Suppose that you do, Pendragon? What's to stop me from returning once more?'" Bobby nodded in confirmation. He had been trying to focus on the task at hand, because he didn't want to think about the implications of Saint Dane's threat. "He said that he wouldn't stop until the last light of Solara has been snuffed out. We thought he had disappeared forever the first time we beat him, but now we see that isn't the case. What is to stop him from returning again, even if we do beat him this time? And again? And again?"

By now the other Travelers were looking at each other in dismay. Could this really be their fate? To wage endless war against Saint Dane and the darkness of humanity? The first battle had come so close that the slightest push could have toppled Solara. Uncle Press continued, "Saint Dane will be better prepared this time than he ever was; and if he loses again, his defeat will only make him that much harder to beat next time. Eventually, if we keep going on like this…Solara will fall."

That made the circle grow quiet. Finally, Aja spoke up. "So what do you propose we do?" The others looked at Press expectantly.

He sighed. This was going to be a tough sell. Hell, even he had his doubts. But it was the only thing he could think of. He took a deep breath, then said, "If we can't beat him, we'll have to change him. Make him see that his way of thinking is wrong. Convince him to stop attacking us, and leave the territories in peace."

The others stared at him in utter disbelief. Bobby was the first to voice his doubt. Actually, doubt wasn't a strong enough word. Complete and total denial…would still be a bit optimistic. "Uhhh. Okay…not to burst your bubble, Uncle Press, but that…is…" He trailed off, not entirely sure how to say what he really thought about the idea without sounding extraordinarily disrespectful.

"The worst idea I've ever heard!" Courtney exclaimed, looking at Press as though he had just recommended that they all head over to dark Solara singing 'Kumbaya' and use the power of friendship to defeat the demon.

Both Bobby and Press winced; Bobby because she was being so blunt, and Press because he knew she had a point. The other Travelers were either looking at him doubtfully, or avoiding eye contact altogether. Press paused, collecting his thoughts. "I know what you're thinking—"

Courtney cut in. "Yeah, we're thinking that Saint Dane is an evil, sadistic, power hungry madman! You can't negotiate with people like that!"

"I understand," Press replied evenly. "Most of what you say is true; but I don't think he's beyond reason." Courtney looked like she was going to object again, but Bobby put a hand on her shoulder, silencing her. As doubtful as he was about Press's claim, he respected the man enough to hear him out.

"Bobby," Press continued, "when you confronted Saint Dane for the final time, you said that he seemed more uncertain of his position than ever. Some of what you said – about the dados, about his followers, about his philosophy as a whole – some of it got through it him." Bobby nodded, looking uncomfortable. Press went on. "And right at the end, he even conceded that he was weak. Corrupt. He admitted that he had made mistakes. He may have been grasping at straws, but do you really believe that everything he said was a lie? Merely an attempt to cling to life?"

Bobby dropped his head, thinking. Then he sighed, and said, "No. I know that on some level he believed what he was saying. Maybe he still does. But even if that is the case, that's not going to help us much. This isn't just about philosophies anymore; we fought him, and won. When he asked for mercy, we denied him. He hates us for that, Press. He wants revenge."

Press nodded in agreement. "I won't deny that that is true, but let's look at it this way. One, he wants Halla to fall under his influence. However, as power-hungry as he may be, I don't believe that he will base this battle off of that again." The other Travelers nodded. "Which brings us to the second point: he wants revenge. He hates us. He knows that the best way to defeat us will be to prove us wrong; to that end, one of his goals will be to instate his beliefs as gospel, and leave no room for our own, and by extension, no room for us." Again, the Travelers nodded

"So, if we were to follow my plan and convince him to cease his war against us, we would have to overcome both of those road blocks," Press concluded. Bobby nodded.

"Now, I believe that it's possible that he can be convinced of our way of thinking. He can be made to re-discover that mankind in inherently good."

This is where Bobby interjected. "Maybe. I'm not saying that that's impossible, but there's no way that he will do that. His pride won't let him. He believes that mankind is beyond redemption, and there is no one who could convince him otherwise."

Press looked him in the eye and replied, "But what if there was?"

Bobby looked at him intently. The other Travelers were gaining interest. "Go on," Bobby said.

Press glanced up at the skies of Solara thoughtfully, and then said, "It's been a long time. Millennia. Eons." He paused again briefly before jumping into his explanation. "Back when we were still friends, before Saint Dane even began to consider his plans to conquer Halla, even before he fostered the belief that mankind was inherently bad, he was much like all of us. He visited the dreams of the people from the territories, offered them guidance, and helped them make their own choices and find their own paths." The others nodded slowly. Most of them knew as much. Press continued. "Well, from time to time a spirit may become attached to one of the people they seek to guide."

The Travelers were listening intently now. This was getting interesting.

"Saint Dane became attached to one of the beings he visited. A girl from Earth." He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "He visited her often, sometimes to offer guidance, but more often just to be in her presence. She lived, and died, as all members of the territories do, and when she came to Solara Saint Dane made himself known to her." Even Bobby was intrigued by this point. "She actually recognized his presence from all the times he had visited her, and the two took to each other at once. They became quite intimate."

At this point Bobby interrupted, saying, "Oooooh-kay, I do NOT need that image in my head."

Press sighed in irritation. "Not physically, Bobby. Mentally. Emotionally. They became as close as two spirits are capable of being."

"So where is she now?" Siry asked. He was getting curious about this girl.

Aja scoffed. "I imagine she rushed off to join Saint Dane the moment he split Solara."

Press interrupted. "Not exactly." The others focused their attention back on him. "She was a spirit of incredible optimism. She loved mankind, the good and the bad. She was a beacon of positive energy in Solara, and without her influence, I believe Saint Dane would have turned long before he did."

"So I reiterate Siry's question," Kasha said. "Where is she now?"

"In Solara. When Saint Dane began voicing his concerns about humanity's path, she tried everything in her power to persuade him otherwise; and when Saint Dane finally made his decision to leave, he likewise did everything in his power to persuade her to join him." His gaze saddened. "She was decimated by his betrayal. After he left, she went into seclusion; and if Saint Dane has had any thoughts of her since, he hasn't acted on them."

He let this sink in. Finally, Mark spoke up. "So you think that if we send her, she might be able to give Saint Dane a reason to come back?"

Courtney snorted. "I don't believe it. I'll bet he snubbed her the second he realized he couldn't convince her to help him conquer Halla." The other Travelers glanced at each other. They were more or less thinking the same thing.

Press spoke again. "I know it's a long shot, but it's the only method I can think of to make sure that Saint Dane's threat becomes permanently neutralized." In all honesty he wasn't even sure if there was enough humanity left in the demon to care about her one way or the other.

Spader shook his head. "No way, mate. More likely that if we sent her back, we would just be sending him another Nevva Winter."

This made everyone flinch. A few of them glanced to the back, where a lone Traveler had stood silent throughout the meeting. None of them could tell what she was thinking; her head was down and several strands of her long, graying hair blocked her face. Although her expression was hidden, it was clear that the statement had impacted her – and not in a positive way. Even Spader looked slightly ashamed, and quickly silenced himself.

Finally, Bobby stepped forward. He looked around at the Travelers, trying to move the conversation along and take the spotlight off of the older woman. He thought he knew where her head was, but he wouldn't pressure her. He faced Press and asked him, "So you're saying that this spirit is still in Solara. Furthermore, she may be capable of bringing Saint Dane back to the good side?"

Uncle Press looked him right in the eye and said, "If there is any humanity left in Saint Dane, she's the only one capable of bringing it out. If he still has any feelings for her, he'll have to face the fact that to destroy Solara would mean destroying her as well."

Bobby nodded.

The lead Traveler turned back to the ring of spirits and addressed them. "So here's where we stand. We're almost certain that Saint Dane is going to make his move. He's in it to topple Solara, and he's in it for revenge. If we want to stop him, we're going to have to do it the good old fashioned way." He looked around to make sure that everyone was on the same page as him, and continued, "We, the Travelers of the first war, will take on physical forms to mentor the Travelers of the next one." He paused again, making sure that everyone knew what that would mean for them. They knew. Some of them better than others.

"Now here's where things get hairy. Do we fight Saint Dane the way we did before, and assuming we win, hope he stays gone for good? Or do we opt for Uncle Press's idea, and trust that Saint Dane may have maintained some small spark of humanity?"

Now the Travelers looked nearly alarmed. None of them wanted to believe it was possible…but none of them wanted to face the alternative either. Could Saint Dane really be saved? If not, would they truly have to continue fighting him for all eternity…or until he won? There was a long silence as nobody knew what to think, what to say, what to do. At last, a small, quiet voice broke the silence.

"Send her back."

They all looked around in confusion. It took them a moment to realize who had spoken. After being silent for the entire meeting, Elli Winter stepped forward and voiced her opinion. "I vote to send this spirit back. Love is a powerful force – I know that well. I've seen the changes it can enact in people, and if Saint Dane is capable of changing, then it is our best hope."

They all knew what she was talking about. Her daughter, Nevva, had joined Saint Dane during the first war. She had committed horrible crimes in his name; all of Halla nearly fell because of her actions, and her betrayal. In the end, however, it was Nevva Winter who was largely to thank for Halla's salvation. In a last-ditch effort to reach out to her, Elli Winter, along with Mark and Bobby, had gone to confront her. Elli had managed to reach her daughter, but her divided loyalties had caused Saint Dane to turn on her. He'd killed her mercilessly, and Elli had been forced to watch her daughter's spirit end.

That was what changed the tide in the Travelers' decision. They all looked to Elli with surprise and sympathy, then turned to Bobby and nodded.

Bobby nodded at them in return. "Then it's settled. We send this spirit back to do what she can, and hope that she can reach Saint Dane." He glanced at Spader, expecting him to object, but the next person to speak was Alder.

"I do not disagree with your decision," he said, "but I do have another suggestion." The others looked at him, and Bobby nodded for him to continue. "If we are sending her back to try and reach Saint Dane, that will require her to follow him around Halla. This will make her more or less the lead Traveler, will it not?"

Bobby hadn't considered that. It made sense, though. He nodded carefully.

"Then I suggest a compromise. Some of us opt for fighting; some of us opt for an attempt at peace. I vote that we send back two Travelers who will head the charge against Saint Dane. One to convince him to join us, and one who will take up the task of defeating him should the girl's attempts fail."

Aja looked interested, as did many of the others. "Joint leadership?" She asked, "As in two Travelers taking the Pendragon route and chasing him all over Halla…at the same time?"

Press nodded. "It would be complicated. I don't know how it would turn out…but I feel it's a safer bet than wholly relying upon one plan or the other."

Bobby looked around. He saw all of the Travelers nodding; including Spader, if a bit reluctantly. "Then it's settled," he said, "We send back one Traveler for each territory; we will mentor them, and ensure that two of them take up the job of chasing Saint Dane around Halla." He looked to each of them in turn, and was met with acceptance in each face save for Elli. She was looking down at the ground again.

"Well then, Uncle Press. Care to show us that spirit?"