Sanctuary

by Mauled2Death

Pushing onwards to see his fate through, TJ's journey continues in book two of Frequency: Sanctuary. In order to gather his remaining memories he and his companions strive to defeat some of the greatest Agasuras Jienda has ever seen to collect the pages of a magical tome named Memorius Sanctum. Yggdrasil finds itself in a race against time to complete the book or die trying.

9. Brave Step

The Sixth Harmony: Brave Step

"In this time and place, I have everything I could want. Good food, a roof over my head, and Master by my side." (Skuld)

TJ's eyes opened slowly, his vision blurry for a couple moments as they adjusted to the sunbeams that entered through the window near the bed he rested in. When did he get in it? The last thing he had recalled he was lying in a makeshift bed next to a sprawled out Kooh. He rubbed his eyes and glanced around bleary-eyed. Alicia and Amarylys were huddled together fast asleep and Amata snored gently before she turned over and muttered something in her sleep, but she smiled nonetheless, seemingly having a good dream. The Abellan climbed out of bed and gathered his clothes that rested on the dresser nearby, neatly folded with his glasses and headphones atop them. He carefully stepped over the other girls and slipped out of the room quickly and quietly before drifting towards the washroom just down the hall. It was a cozy little place painted sky blue with white tiles and a pair of soft carpets at the sink and toilet. He awkwardly tried to slip out of his pajamas but got one of his arms stuck in a sleeve and moved back in forth in a vain attempt to break free of the hold his clothes had on him; he then finally hit a doorknob and took a knee as a painful silence ensued. He managed to escape the top and slipped out of the pants before getting into his regular outfit and rose to his feet before looking over his image in the mirror. Kooh and Peorth were likely already awake-constant vigilance and nothing but for those two. He chuckled gently at the thought. He washed his face and slapped his cheeks a couple times before clenching his fists and muttering a quiet 'okay'. He was ready for the day-mostly.

After a bit more preparation TJ made his way down the hallway, looking about as if it were his first time in the house-despite the party that was thrown the day before, it was still hard to believe that it had belonged to him and his companion. The time he had spent with his guild mates was something he would not soon forget, and he found himself looking forward to the next time they would be together for such an event. As he walked down the stairs the scent of breakfast wafted into his nose and enchanted one of his five senses, and the sight of the guild master preparing it had that effect on a second. As odd as it was, the Governor was not with her, and he had decided he would peruse the matter when appropriate.

As he made his way towards the tiny bar-like kitchen he raised a hand as he said, "Morning Chief."

Peorth turned in his direction and blinked. "Good morning TJ," She answered. She wore a turquoise apron with a little yellow chick upon it and he found himself hard pressed not to look at it. Noticing this, she took the hems of the apron in hand and said, "Forgive me, I have borrowed this without your permission."

He gestured it was alright. "No problem. If it's of use to you, that's good enough for me." He smiled at her and her cheeks seemed to turn just a slight bit redder. "So what're you making anyway Chief? Can I help out in any way?"

She nodded. "I am making smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and kiwi, ginger and banana smoothies." He had no idea what half of those things were, but he certainly knew what an egg was. "Your help would be well appreciated."

He grinned. "Alright just gimme an order."

She chuckled gently at his enthusiasm. "Well then, would you break those eggs and put them in that bowl please?"

He saluted her solemnly before opening the carton of eggs and taking one in his hand. At that moment a realization dawned upon him. He could not recall preparing a thing in his entire life. Since he had woken in Belos, many of his meals were either prepared or ready-to-eat in some way, shape or form. He had not the foggiest on how to even break an egg. His eyes flickered to their peripherals and he watched as the guild master swiftly and gracefully skated around the tiny kitchen space she had, from chopping up fruits and tinkering with the stove before her to pouring ingredients into the blender upon the counter. He looked down at the bowl with a new found vigour and held the egg with the conviction of doing just what she needed him to do. He just had to break it, right? How hard could it be? He carefully held it within the bowl and slammed it down suddenly, causing it to break and fling egg innards about, along with pieces of the shell. Peorth turned to him with an almost dazed expression and he chuckled dryly. A fail-a big one at that.

"This must be your first time hmm?" She asked shifting her eyes to him. He had not the slightest clue what the gaze she gave him said, but it still stung.

"Y-yeah...sorry."

"I am well versed in more than just the art of war," The queen answered with a chuckle. "Be it the Divine Arts or the culinary arts, they are within my realm of knowledge. I shall gladly teach if you are willing to learn."

There was a twinkle in his eyes at those words and he clenched his fists. "Let's do it!"

The queen took the kitchen vanguard and removed an egg from the carton. "Patience is key here, TJ. Move steadily, and strike quickly, but gently." She lowered the egg and tapped it against the rim of the bowl, and the action put a crack in it. With a couple of fingers alone she opened it up and the yolk within fell into the bowl smoothly. "You may not get it on your first attempt, but I believe you will in time. We have a whole carton of eggs to practice with, but we should aim to succeed before we reach that limit. We are cooking for everyone here, after all."

The Abellan nodded solemnly, his gaze focused on the egg within his fingers. He held it to the bowl just as she had, and gently hit it against the rim. He took a look at it to see if he had succeeded but noticed that the item remained unfazed. He tried once more with just a bit more force and he successfully cracked it. He carefully attempted to open it as Peorth had, and as he tried to no avail, she had suggested he do so with both hands. Her suggestion proved to be just what he had needed and he poured the yolk into the bowl with a look of satisfaction. He glanced to the guild master again as she quickly and efficiently cut up a small green fruit. "Hey Chief, where did you learn to cook anyway?" He asked. Though the silence did not bother him much, a chance to know more about her was always welcome.

"I had been taught by Kooh many a years ago," She answered coolly as she continued. "During our time on Asgard, Kooh had learned a variety of teachings from the masters at the palace so should anything happen to us, she could look after me. Be it stranded in unfamiliar territory, upon enemy lines or in a fierce battle against mother nature itself she had learned a myriad of survival skills so that we would be prepared for anything. But she had also learned from the head chef and many others how to cook meals fit for a queen." Though it all sounded fantastic, upon those final words Peorth sounded just a bit lonely-her voice barely betrayed her usual tone, but hints of it slipped through. "Nevertheless, during our time here, after I had reached maturity I requested that she teach me all that she could. At times the training was harsh, but it was not anything I was not prepared for." TJ continued cracking eggs as the guild master continued-the bright yellow yolks slipped into the bowl seamlessly and merged together with the others as he placed others in the carton, listening intently. "Often times, the members of the palace were vehement against me doing such things-they claimed it was unfit for a queen, and others had said I was acting too much alike to my mother. Despite that...she was revered by both the nobles and the common folk alike, and even some Agasura had come to know her name and look upon her kindly." She gathered the fruits she had cut up and placed them into the blender. "I am thankful for all of it. Kooh has been more to me than just my cousin-she acted as my shadow, my teacher, and was and is to this day one of my dearest friends. My mother is my idol. I am still far from accomplishing any feats as they have, but I will strive ever higher. Kooh as always kept her enthusiastic demeanour and kindness throughout my learning process, and those very facets of her personality have had an immeasurable effect on my current self. Though I do not have the passion and ability to teach as Kooh does, I shall do my best to help you in any way I can."

He chuckled gently as he cracked an egg and got some of the yolk on his finger. "What're you talking about? You're doing just fine, and I'm glad that you're the one teaching me. To think that we're here doing this now, after looking back on the past a casual and comfortable time like this seems almost extraordinary." He smiled gently as he looked at all that was gathered in the bowl, the whole of them merged together into one. "A time like this where you and I and all the others are just...people. Cooking at home and having a good time." He beamed. The words had a nice ring to them.

Peorth let a quiet 'hm' escape her lips as she picked up a carton of milk. A small smile danced on the edge of her lips. "Perhaps you are right. Such times of peace are to be treasured. I too, am thankful that we have this moment together, no matter how brief it may be. Now then TJ, if you would be so kind I would like you to beat the eggs." He tilted his head and she walked over before taking the bowl and a strange wiry item with a handle. "You must hold it like this, and move your hands in a motion like so." She did so with skill and without spilling a single drop-her eyes were closed yet she did not need to see to do such a task. She placed the bowl down and handed it off to him. "Though it may not be necessary, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they say." He nodded solemnly. Start out slow, and speed up to a reasonable pace. That way he would not make a mess of the eggs and trouble the guild master. He began beating the eggs and she approached the blender. "This will be loud and may startle you," She warned. He raised an eyebrow at her words before lifting his head, and at the press of the button her warning had failed them both.

The egg beater flew through the air, as did the yolk within the bowl and the bowl itself. Calamity was going to strike like thunder in a matter of moments, and the two had little time to react. TJ reached out to catch the beater and the bowl, while Peorth moved forward swiftly and reached out for the bowl. He grabbed the beater and his eyes darted to the bowl that fell into the palm of the guild master's hand before she shifted it to catch the falling yolk, and he realized where he was at that moment and nearly lost his balance due to the sudden jerk. The two were face to face, one of his legs between hers and a hand on the counter keeping him on his feet while she held the bowl in one hand and breathed quietly while her eyes remained focused on his. The blender continued to spin wildly and looked as if the lid was ready to burst, and moments before it did Peorth reached out and placed a hand atop the lid.

The Abellan chuckled dryly as he turned his eyes away from her. "W-well...that was a close call. Good save Chief."

"Constant vigilance," She answered quietly. "Would you be so kind as to take this bowl?"

TJ nodded before using his free hand to reclaim his balance and took the bowl from her hands so she could stand upright also. Her reactions were incredible, to say the least. Perhaps he could take a page from her book in that regard-if he could move like she could on the battlefield he would fare a lot better. As it stood, he was a tad on the sluggish side, and against the Sinners that very fact could lead to be his undoing. Perhaps Peorth's signature phrase should be a concept that he would live by? He chuckled at the thought. It was incredible that she had her guard up at all times, but if he attempted such a task he would likely expend all of his stamina before a potential threat even approached. On the other hand, considering how he handled himself he would likely be the biggest threat-if that incident was any indication, that fact would without a doubt hold true. But despite that, she looked past the mistake and continued on undeterred. She was a better teacher than she gave herself credit for, but he already said his piece on that. He saw her as much, much more, and though he could not put it into words the feeling that he had within would remain his secret.

While Peorth explained how to scramble eggs and showed TJ how to do just that, the sound of the door opening caught both of their attentions and the two looked on as Kooh approached with a bundle of mails in hand.

"Hey you two, I'm ho-" She paused as the mail fell to the floor and she looked aghast. "What happened here?!" The guild mastered tilted her head quizzically with her typical appraising gaze, and TJ glanced around guiltily. Did he leave evidence of his recent mistake? The kitchen looked as clean as could be, save for the dishes within the sink. He turned to Kooh with knit eyebrows, now at a loss also. "Coitus?!"

Peorth's head returned to it's usual position and she gave the Governor a blank stare. "Kooh please." She answered. Judging by her reaction, Kooh was just being...Kooh. "We are preparing a meal, and that matter aside you know that such an event is impossible."

The Governor grinned. "Aww lighten up Princess! The kitchen is a magical and mystical place for more than just cooking you know!"

"I would do no such thing in such a place."

The banter between the two seemed pretty common, but considering how flushed Peorth's cheeks were there was definitely something strange about it. Not that there were many times where the Governor did not say unusual things. Nevertheless, the Abellan cracked a smile-the two seemed to be having fun.

"So how goes the cooking so far?" The Governor asked as she leaned against the counter, her chin in both hands.

"All the preparations are nearly complete. The salmon should be finished smoking soon, so please go out and retrieve it shortly Kooh."

"Aye aye!" She said before gathering up the mail and placing it all upon a neat pile on the counter. "Looks like we've both got some mails Princess."

"Do tell."

Kooh took the first from the pile and glanced at it before sticking her tongue out and making a disgusted expression. "Bills, bills, more bills. Here's one for an upcoming GMA event. It's over in Aoich though." She picked up another letter and tossed it away. "Spam, bills...ooh, what do we have here?"

"Bills?" The guild master asked expectantly. Her tone was slightly more light-hearted.

TJ glanced from the pan to the letter-a black envelope with a violet rose sticker that kept it shut. It even had white frills upon the edges of the envelope-fancy. "Looks like a letter from Lucia and the girls." The Governor answered as she held it to the sun's light with a single closed eye.

Peorth froze in place. "...Is that so? Let us review the contents after we have eaten. I feel that a mission may be right around the bend."

Shortly after Kooh had completed Peorth's request, the guild master laid out a series of plates and utensils and requested that the two set the table. While the queen laid out the food the other girls came down the stairs while yawning, rubbing their eyes and stretching.

"Good morning!" Alicia greeted them with a grin. Of the three she seemed to be the most awake and chipper in the morning, sporting a bright smile.

"Morning everyone. " Amarylys followed suit but rubbed her eyes gently. Second only to Alicia she still seemed to be shaking off the grogginess from just waking up.

The last one that followed them was the most surprising of them all. Amata looked like she had not slept in days and mumbled something about the rest of the group being up way too early for their own good. Following that, she added an exhausted, "Morning," at the end of her stream of complaints. She yawned and stretched before stealing a glance at the three staring back at her and she rapidly shook her head. Her exhaustion seemed to disappear in a moment and a fire appeared in her eyes. TJ chuckled gently at the sight. Even in spite of her talk with the guild master yesterday, a small part of her probably still saw her as a queen. Either that, or she did not want to show that side of her to the others.

"Good morning everyone. Breakfast is ready so please have a seat wherever you wish." The guild master told them before they all took a seat upon the table, TJ joining across from Kooh. "Will Su not be joining us?" She sat down in a chair on the end between himself and the Governor.

He scratched his cheek as he recalled the last time he asked her about that. What would he tell the guild master? That matter aside some of the others were present, and it may have been better if they were spared the details of the contract considering how unusual it was. "She's uhh...on a diet." He answered sheepishly.

"I see."

Amata knit her eyebrows. "Is that her secret...?" She intertwined her fingers before turning her gaze away in deep thought.

"If you're looking to lose weight you should talk to Peorth about that. I hear she has a pretty intense training regime!" Alicia told her with a raised finger.

"Do you wanna join in Amata?" Kooh asked with a twinkle in her eyes. "The princess and I can whip you into shape right quick."

The Governor furrowed her brows and shook her head gently. "Uhh...n-no, but thanks anyway. It's not like I wanna be like the Prodigal Legend, I was just curious." She closed her eyes and huffed gently. "That aside, I'm a master of the Arcane Arts while she's...something in a league of her own."

Amarylys turned to Alicia and muttered, "Who's the Prodigal Legend?" The latter shrugged.

"That's Su you two," Kooh answered.

Amata put her fork down as she raised an eyebrow. "You don't know of that title? I'm surprised you haven't heard it before. I used to hear it all the time when I was a little girl in Mezzalone."

"You were born there?! What's it like?" Amarylys asked with excitement.

The Governor looked surprised for a moment before she twiddled her thumbs. "It's just like the other cities...you know...it's hot and stuff. It's a little like Ves with the giant buildings and the domes, but it's really...well there's a lot of trees. My people welcome nature with open arms but we're also known as the Haven that never sleeps. They love their celebrations...parades, music, bonfires, you name it, they do it all." She smiled slightly as she closed her eyes. "They're not so bad, I guess. Bright costumes and tons of colours, fireworks, the festival times are pretty exciting. My parents and I used to attend them all the time growing up. If you've got time to kill you should stop by for one of them. You'll have a good time."

"That'd be nice. With all of this stuff going on in the other cities we could use a vacation," Alicia sighed. "First the appearance of the Instance Dungeon in the Pyramids, the ongoing murder mystery in Elias, who knows what's gonna happen next? I'm starting to wonder if any city is safe."

"Don't you worry about a thing. We're on the case, and we'll have these things solved real soon. Just make sure to stay somewhere safe and leave the rest to us." Kooh said while beaming. Alicia's expression seemed to ease up somewhat at her companion's confidence.

"So how did you and Su meet anyway Amata?" TJ asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. He had only known that they were on bad terms, but never the reason why. A small part of him felt that through that he might get closer to finding out a bit more about Iris also, though it may have changed little about her current situation.

The Governor sighed. "That? So embarrassing..." She sniffed. "I used to be against her becoming the God's Governor of Earth. Didn't think she was fit to do it...for reasons. Anyway the moral of the story is I was wrong and she isn't as bad as I might have made her out to be. After that disaster I've been a bit more careful about what I say and to whom, so quit giving me those looks!" All of the present Yggdrasil members save for Peorth looked at her with sparkles in their eyes, likely thinking the same thing-the two once rivals, now close friends.

Peorth finished eating and wiped her mouth with a napkin before gathering her items and making her way to the sink. The Abellan watched solemnly. She did not eat much most of the time, but even while eating as much as they did she was fast. Was she in a hurry or was it always like that? As the chatter continued between the others, the queen reclaimed the letters Kooh had acquired and took a seat upon the couch to pore across all of them. TJ wolfed down as much food as he could due to a desire to find out who 'Lucia' was and what the guild master's mystery statement had meant. He started to choke and Kooh dragged him out of his chair into an embrace and squeezed his stomach hard a couple of times. It was painful, and the food went out rather than in, but she may have saved him from a very dangerous enemy right there and then. Much to the other girls' dismay.

TJ lay face down on the couch while Peorth now sat at the far end looking through the other bills. Amata sat on the sofa across from him with Kooh next to her, Alicia in another soft chair nearby and Amarylys in one of the kitchen's seats.

"You really should learn some patience TJ." Amata said with an exasperated gaze. "You're the Abellan. We'd have several problems if you choked on your breakfast and died."

"Aww cut him some slack, we've all got our moments that aren't exactly our crowning achievements." Kooh added before patting the Governor on the back. She knit her eyebrows and gazed back.

"Urrgh..." TJ groaned both out of frustration and sickness.

"You're a real class act," Su added dryly from within.

"I could do without the remarks."

Peorth finally made her way through all the letters and placed the last back in its envelope before placing it atop a neat pile with the others. "I have important news everyone." The queen began. At those words everyone's attention was garnered upon her-even the unwell Abellan removed his feet from the couch's arm and sat upright to hear what she had to say. "It seems that..." She closed her eyes. "We have many bills to pay." At those words there was a glint in her eye and a dry chuckle escaped the lips of all but Kooh who roared with laughter and Amata who looked on with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

TJ began to chuckle gently under his breath. He really did enjoy her infrequent humour, but the timing she picked for it threw him into a loop. The others seemed to have similar feelings about the matter, but accepting of the fact nonetheless. They were likely rather used to the event.

"You know P...Peorth...you sounded so serious I thought there was something serious going on. You had me worried for a moment there." Amata said as she looked down at her slippers and tilted her eyes up to glance at the queen.

"Oh but there is." The queen answered in the same tone.

"Eh? Seriously?" Amarylys asked with a startled look.

Peorth nodded solemnly. "Yes. I know not what it is, but Lucia has informed me that an urgent matter has come up and that it would be in our best interest to visit her as soon as possible."

"Who's that?" The Governor of Fire asked the room.

"She's a Vampanelar Confidant in Elias that works at Club Abio," Kooh answered.

"A Vampa-" Before Amata could finish her question TJ arose from his seat and leaned over the table after he slammed his hands down upon it.

"Did you say Club Abio?! Are the Abio Rangers there?! Can I meet Abio Red there?!" His eyes sparkled with childlike glee.

Kooh laughed as she gestured for him to sit down. "Calm down TJ. It's owned by the same company but they don't hang out around there."

He pursed his lips in disappointment. Why was it called Club Abio if there were no Abio Rangers? He had never met the real Abio Rangers, but seeing all of those costumed people in the various cities made him curious about them. "Well that's kinda lame."

Amata had her brows furrowed and glared at the Abellan for some time. "Can I finish my question now?"

"Huh? Oh...right, sorry."

She turned her focus back to Peorth and put on a serious expression. "So what's this about a Confidant being a Vampanelar?"

"It is as Kooh says. Lucia and her sisters are all Vampanelars and Confidants, working together as one whole."

"There's more of them?" Amata looked at the guild master incredulously and received a nod in response.

"She is a friend of my mother's, and someone I have been acquainted with for a very long time. It is thanks to her that I was able to locate TJ after his awakening, and that we are united to this very day, among many other things."

"Hm..." The Governor seemed satisfied with that answer. Was it the fact that Lucia was a companion to the previous queen or that the Governor had no reason to argue the point further? It was not completely unlikely the former was the case. She had a lot of respect for Peorth, and she seemed well informed on most matters, including the queen and her family-maybe she knew the previous queen also? "I haven't heard of them before so it's a bit to take in. If possible, I'd like to meet her. I know they function on their own specific ways of doing things, so doing so with familiar faces should make things a bit easier."

"Yes, it would be a good idea to have you along. TJ, you are unfamiliar with the Vampanelar sisters as well, correct?"

He nodded solemnly. The only Vampanelars he was familiar with were those in Foe Mansion, and they were definitely not the type that he would like to get to know a second time. To think the previous queen was able to befriend one was impressive in itself, but four of them? He would have to ask Peorth exactly how their family managed that. "Yeah I'm only familiar with Verun and Vanir." He responded. Having three or more Confidants in one city seemed like an awful lot, but the things they did differed and going by what Amata said the way they did it also.

"I've heard of that troublesome barista more times than I can count." Amata muttered as she placed a hand over her left eye.

"Just wait until you meet him. He's in a league of his own." Alicia added with a grin.

"But he has the cutest little Brownie I've ever seen! And she acts as a waitress there too!" Amarylys said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I agree with Ama. What I wouldn't give for a Skuld of my own..." TJ added dreamily as he trailed off.

"You're all getting off topic now." Amata said as she crossed her arms. "So what do you suggest we do Peorth?"

"We should visit her as soon as possible. Firstly, it would be in your best interests if you and TJ were formally introduced to Lucia and her sisters. At times, acquiring an audience with her can be difficult, as there are a myriad of Cerebians that visit her throughout the day with requests of their own, big or small." Peorth intertwined her fingers. "Amarylys and Alicia, you may come along if you wish, but I am aware that you are already familiar with them all so you need not feel obliged to do so. Considering how dangerous Elias is currently, I wish for you to be in the city for as little time as possible."

Alicia nodded. "We might drop by the city again to prepare some things but we're not gonna stay there too long. I've still got the quest sheet that you'd mailed me so once we've found the boys we'll set out." She explained.

"Good. Now then, it would be best if we cleaned up before leaving. I do not wish for TJ and Su to return to a messy home."

As Peorth had said, there were still pillows scattered all over the room, dishes to be cleaned and blankets and whatnot that needed to be put away upstairs. TJ scratched his cheek gently as he tried to wrap his head around the idea of coming here regularly. How many years had he spent traversing the continent in total? It seemed unusual for an adventurer to settle down in one city, but even Peorth and Kooh had so it was not entirely unnatural.

"Gimme an order Princess!" Kooh said as she darted out of her seat, ready and willing.

The queen summoned Memorius Sanctum and brought out Renda's Mirror from within before handing it to Kooh. "I would like for you to return the pillows to the mirror. Amata, please help me by washing and drying the dishes once I've cleaned them. TJ, Amarylys and Alicia, I would like for you to handle folding the blankets and comforters and putting them in their respective places. If Su is awake please have her assist you in doing so."

"Aye aye!"

Amata looked a bit wary, but more mousy than cautious. "I'll be in your care then."

TJ stifled a laugh. They were just doing simple chores but it sounded as if they were going to battle under Peorth's command. That courageousness and leadership of hers was a quality he had admired and adapted to-he would expect no less from her.

It did not take long for the group to get all of the tasks done. Once they had finished Alicia and Amarylys changed clothes while the others had gathered downstairs.

"Maybe you should hire a maid to look after the place while you're gone TJ. You like maids, don't you?" Kooh asked nonchalantly.

Amata's gaze turned to him and he rubbed the back of his neck before he looked away and gestured that it was not the case. If she glared any harder she would likely burn a hole through him. "M-maids? Where'd you get that idea?"

"Well you've got a real thing for Skuld don't you? I mean, they're pretty handy you know!"

"It's not the same thing!" It was no less true that Skuld seemed like a really handy companion to have-she could cook and clean and also speak, but that was not the reason he had such a liking for her. He knit his eyebrows and shifted his gaze across the three, Peorth stared with a dazed look, Kooh beamed and Amata still glared but with less intensity than before.

The other two came down the stairs in their usual attire shortly after.

"So you guys are off to Club Abio right? Watch yourselves out there. You know how crowded the streets are with everyone running here and there, but considering that it's been a day or so you might be able to get around with a bit more ease." Alicia explained before she rubbed her left arm gently. "I'd expect that since it's less crowded, the city's gonna be on high alert. Try not to attract too much attention." She smiled to lighten the mood but the bitter look in her eyes weakened the effect. "Anyway, Ama and I are gonna be stopping by her house here in Belos before heading back to the city, so we'll be leaving first. See you later everyone, and thanks for having us over."

"Thanks you guys! Be safe okay?" Amarylys waved as the two made their exit and Kooh locked the door after.

"Are we all set?" Amata asked with a perusing look.

"I am ready." Peorth answered with a single nod.

"Ready when you guys are," TJ added.

"Shall we then?" Kooh joined the group and Peorth held out her warp crystal. In a flash of light the four had vanished and made their way to the city of Elias.

The city was bustling, per usual, but the reason being the Abellan could not say. There were guards stationed all about the city, a group of them positioned about the castle's gates, and adventurers came and went through the streets, some acting per usual while others wore looks of unease and hurriedly moved through the city to the nearest exit.

"Club Abio is not far from here. Follow me." Peorth said before breaking into a brisk stride with the others following closely behind.

"So about the Vampanelar sisters..." TJ began, "do they...suck blood?" They did that right? Would becoming a Confidant change that fact?

"Yes."

"Seriously?!" The tone of her voice made it hard to tell whether she was kidding or not, but he had hoped that she was.

"You have no need to fear TJ. Though they may suck blood, they will not do so indiscriminately. It is something they will occasionally request of clients, but more often than not they will request that the client bring them something in turn for information. Often times something items obtained from Agasura. They are typically inexpensive and not too difficult to acquire. Nevertheless, they are very choosy about who's blood they are willing to drink."

"I think I could do without being turned into a Vampanelar slave just for some information," Amata muttered under her breath.

"You can become mine, if you're willing," Kooh suggested before placing a hand to the Governor's chin.

Amata grabbed her hands and crushed her fingers, which resulted in pained screams as the God's Governor twisted the entire arm and let go before she chose to walk away. "Anyone but you."

The group neared Verun's restaurant and TJ looked at it with a puzzled expression. "Here? But isn't this Verun's place?"

"Same place. Kinda." Kooh chuckled, her hand placed under her armpit due to the soreness.

Peorth turned into the alleyway of the restaurant and stopped at a single violet door. The trio followed after her and as they did TJ spotted a sign that rested above the door in bright, flashy neon lights that read Club Abio. The Abio's 'a' was shaped just like a non-capitalized 'a' with a face with happy squinty eyes within it, just like the one on the giant building he saw in the Big Apple. She placed a hand to the door's handle and the moment she opened it a wave of sound engulfed them all. Bright lights, people cheering and dancing and a person performing on stage doing a myriad of expressions and actions were only some words to describe the place. It was dark, but the strobing lights in a myriad of colours gave enough light for the group to have a vague idea of what was going on within. TJ had never seen anything like it, but he was curious what they were doing and had a strange urge to join in the excitement.

"Welcome to Club Abio. Shall we?" Peorth asked.

"Man...and I thought my people partied too much. This is ridiculous," Amata muttered.

"Let's go in and dance Amata!" Kooh said as she took the Governor's hand and ran into the Club.

TJ smiled at Peorth. "Let's go." He said as he took the door and she gave him a nod before entering.

It was like stepping into an Instance Dungeon but rather than giving off the vibe and aura of Agasura that could strike at any moment, it was a strange energy. Pure excitement, the sound of music reverberated through the room and it made the Abellan feel like joining in the celebration. He smiled and caught a glimpse of Peorth's piercing blue eyes while she gazed at him with a keen curiosity. Nearby he caught a glimpse of Kooh as she held both of the Governor's hands, and moved to the music. She took her partner along with her, much to her dismay. Despite the frustration, Amata seemed to be getting into it little by little also, steadily keeping up with her companion's pace, and forgetting what they had come to do.

As Peorth lead on through the crowd a shadow sneaked up behind the Abellan that he could not see. It slunk ever closer and as it neared and followed closely behind him, craned its neck to get its head right next to his neck, and bared its fangs. Before he could even catch the movement the queen turned on the balls of her heels and flicked the shadow on the forehead causing it to shrink away, and the two to be standing face to face once more.

TJ looked at Peorth with a startled look as his glasses slid down his nose and the guild master brushed a few stray hairs from her bangs. "W-what's wrong Chief?" He asked.

"It is not a very large problem. A nuisance has appeared, is all." She answered coolly before pointing behind him.

There was a girl that looked no older than twenty wearing a sleeveless black dress, and matching shoes. She had bright crimson eyes and long platinum blonde hair in a side tail. She also was crouched down while she rubbed her forehead, small tears formed in each corner of her eyes. "That was really mean Queenie...I just wanted to greet your little friend," She muttered.

Peorth pursed her lips-an uncommon occurrence. "That would be very irresponsible of you Monica. You know that your nature must be kept a secret from the guests at Club Abio. More so you have not made a deal with him as of yet."

Monica rose to her feet with knit eyebrows. "Yeah but sis handles all the deals and you know how she does things. It's unfair!" Judging by those words, she must have been one of Lucia's sisters. Despite her face, she seemed a little more immature than she let on but it was much too soon for him to suspect that of her in its entirety. What happened between those few moments?

"That has nothing to do with TJ."

"Eh? That's TJ?!" She looked from him to the queen and back once more, now with her eyes hungry and a bit of drool running down her mouth. "I knew that scent was too good to be true! Can I have a taste? Just a little bit?"

"N-no," TJ answered cautiously.

She looked rather dejected at his words. "Boo!" She sniffed the air a couple times before turning a more serious gaze to Peorth. "I can smell Bloodbag and another person. Another God's Governor?" She asked.

"God's Governor of Fire, Amata. Yes." Peorth answered without batting an eyelash.

"Sounds like you brought out a feast of the best." Monica grinned devilishly. "You plan on asking sis for a big favour or what?"

The queen shook her head solemnly. "No, I have no requests of her this day. I have caught word that she had wished to see me, so I decided to take this opportunity to introduce some of my companions to her."

"Sounds just like you Queenie. You need to lighten up a bit!" She said before she slapped Peorth roughly on the shoulder twice. "Take your girlfriends and have some fun here sometime!"

Before TJ could make a comment about that misunderstanding he was suddenly lifted by the hem of his shirt from the ground and he looked around in a panic. There was a girl that looked eerily similar to Monica behind him and she wore the same dress and her hair in a mohawk braid. She had a lollipop in her mouth and seemed to glare, and it made him question exactly how he wronged her, and why Peorth watched silently. "Is this the kid? Give him a couple years and he looks like a cross breed between a human and a flamingo. You guys are really something else." She remarked before she offered them a grin. "Good to see you alive and in one piece Queenie. Welcome back."

"I am glad to see that you are well as well, Naomi." Peorth answered with a blink.

"'Him'?!" Monica cried out in disbelief.

Naomi dropped the Abellan and actually glared at her sister-she seemed to just look really mean on a regular basis, but when she did get angry it was a huge difference. "I told you several times already. You don't listen."

"But...but...!" She held out both hands to the Abellan who had his hands clasped together and looked at Naomi with sparkles in his eyes.

She took a step back after being startled by his affectionate expression and sighed, her usual glare returned. "Doesn't matter how girly he looks, that's a guy. Get used to it." She looked down at him before she clicked her tongue. "The Abellan huh? I gotta admit...his blood smells pretty good...it's unnerving."

"You may not," Peorth said bluntly.

"Yeah figures you'd say that." Naomi answered as she rubbed her neck. "So? Where's that idiot cousin of yours?"

"Hey girls look who I found in the crowd!" The sound of another girl's voice caught their attention and TJ squinted his eyes. She too, looked eerily similar to the others, and wore the same dress and shoes. Her hair was wavy and she held both Kooh and Amata by their wrists as she walked over. Once she neared she let them both go before she flew at Peorth and nuzzled her. "It's great to see you again Queenie! Are you well? And is this another of your girlfriends?"

Peorth was not fazed at all by the occurrence, likely due to having lived with Kooh for so long who actually looked like she was ready to pounce. "This is TJ. He is my contractee, and the Abellan."

"H-hey." TJ answered awkwardly with a wave.

She let go of the queen and walked over to him before she squeezed his cheeks and inspected him. "I've gotta admit, he's a little on the unassuming side, don't you think? Truthfully I expected someone much more intimidating."

"That makes two of us." Amata added with a huff.

"Gimme a break," TJ muttered through squished cheeks.

"Well the blood never lies." Maya said with a smile. "If you give me a taste I might be able to gauge your strength from it." She said before she placed a finger to her lips and smiled devilishly.

"Give it up. Queenie's an impenetrable fortress when it comes to him." Naomi muttered with an exasperated sigh.

"She rattled my brain with a forehead flick!" Monica complained. That certainly explained why she was rubbing her forehead earlier, but it happened way too quickly. What kind of training did Peorth go through to become so incredibly fast?

Maya sniffed while looking rather dejected. "Well that's a shame. Still, it's a surprise to see the whole gang here. Two God's Governors, the queen and the Abellan?" She grinned. "Are you preparing for an all-out war or something?" TJ wondered what they would say if the reason they were all gathered was because they had a pajama party. Then again, that would definitely be better off kept secret-it probably would not be very good to make them seem too easy-going. Peorth usually came off as very serious, so it was better to keep it that way.

"We must be vigilant at all times. Considering the current circumstances it is better to be on guard, and it is safer to travel in groups. We know not when the murderer will strike again, and who. That matter aside, the Instance Dungeons that have been appearing of late are cause for concern."

"To say the least," Naomi remarked.

"I'm surprised that all of you guys are still around, and that people are still here." Kooh added with raised eyebrows.

"Most of them are young people," Maya answered. "As for us? Well we're not really afraid of some murderer. Agasura, Human, doesn't matter. That aside, we have a job here and clients that are counting on us, so we're not going anywhere in a hurry. We're Confidants through and through."

"Yep!" Monica said with a grin. "We've got a promise to Queenie and her mom so we're here to stay. So be sure to come to us for the best information services in all of Jienda!"

"You and that wacky barista do the same thing? Isn't that kinda redundant?" Amata asked incredulously.

TJ pondered that question for a moment. Maybe Amata did not know, but Vanir was really good with information about the Agasura, especially the really unusual kinds like him. The service was free too, which was helpful. In Vanir's defense, he was a tad afraid of having his blood sucked and possibly becoming a Vampanelar himself. The idea of wearing a dark cloak and pretending to cry just to jump out at adventurers in Foe Mansion for the rest of his life made him shudder.

"That guy? I swear he's ninety percent sarcasm/stupid remarks and ten percent Confidant, if even. That brownie of his might as well run the shop and be the Confidant while she's at it. She's way more capable than that moron she calls a master." Naomi answered with a shrug. "Our business is nothing like that."

"I think he's a pretty fun guy," Kooh said.

"What about his work ethic?"

"I'd say it's questionable at best," Maya offered.

"Shaky," Monica added.

TJ chuckled gently. It seems that the sisters had the same opinion on Vanir. In spite of that, TJ thought he was pretty helpful nonetheless, if you could look past his odd humour. Perhaps if they shared in his eccentricity, they would get along well? It was tough to say for sure.

"I'll never understand why sis has such a penchant for the guy." Naomi said as she crossed her arms. There actually was one?! At that moment it dawned upon TJ that they were likely quadruplets. If they tried hard enough telling the difference between any of them would be extremely hard. That aside, Lucia must have been the most eccentric of all of them to get along with Vanir, when even her sisters had mixed feelings about him.

"Beats me," Monica said.

"Tasty blood?" Maya suggested.

"Hey keep it down would you? We're still on the job." Naomi muttered as she covered her sister's mouth. "Well whatever, I'm gonna get back to it before we start drawing too much attention. It was good seeing you Queenie, Bloodbag. And you too Abellan. You've really changed since the last time I saw you." She smiled at him, and her eyes did too-he felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. But how did she know him? Was it before he had lost his memories or had she just seen him around somewhere? "And you?" She turned her eyes to Amata and they took on their normal look.

"Amata Seitz. God's Governor of Fire." She answered coolly before placing her hands in her pockets.

Naomi shifted the lollipop in her mouth from one side to the other solemnly before she offered the Governor a grin. "You've got style. I think you and I would get along nicely. Come hang out sometime yeah?" She began to walk off and wave. "See ya later." The Governor watched her walk away with a raised eyebrow.

"I can make a cool exit too..." Monica muttered under her breath as she glared at her sister.

"You work on that. Anyway be a dear and take our guests to see Lucia would you?" The sound of the crowd as they chanted Maya's name caused her to point her thumb towards the stage. "I did promise a few of my fans I'd take the stage. It was great seeing all of you again. Also TJ, take good care of Queenie would you? She's a very dear friend." She placed a couple fingers to her forehead and waved them off before she made her way into the crowd.

Monica fumed. "Just because I'm the youngest they think they can do whatever they want!"

"I understand your pains Monica. Keep your head high, you will accomplish great things so long as you do not give up." Peorth explained with her usual gaze focused on the dancer.

"Queenie!"

TJ chuckled gently. "Four sisters huh? Lucia must be an interesting one. Have you met her already Kooh?"

The God's Governor pursed her lips. "It's because of her I got the name Bloodbag. I'll get her back for that one of these days," She muttered in response. To think there was someone that could actually agitate the always cheerful Governor came as a surprise to him. "She's really level-headed though. She's pretty much the one that keeps everything running around here. Kinda like how the princess manages Yggdrasil, she handles all the clients and stuff."

"Well let's not keep her waiting or it's gonna be my head that rolls." Monica said with a sigh. With an acknowledging nod from the group they made their way through the crowds to a black door that was labelled 'Members only'. Monica pushed the door open and gestured for them to go in. "Just follow Queenie and Bloodbag. They know the way." Kooh growled at those words and Monica smiled innocently as she walked by.

The corridor was rather dim, and the walls were lined with a group of doors amidst bulletin boards, a variety of sheets of papers all with different sorts of information, from promotions at Club Abio to other Abio related events. Some promotions even featured the girls that the group had just met. As they walked past the doors TJ glanced at some of them, and caught glimpses of the different rooms belonging to each of the dancers, likely dressing rooms. The doors had plaques in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with the owner's name upon them. At the far end of the hallway he could see one with a star upon it and the name 'Lucia' written in cursive. He felt a strange pressure come over him, as if he was about to step into a guardian's chamber. Perhaps it was nothing more than his own unease playing tricks on him, but it was possible Lucia was not meant to be underestimated.

Peorth approached the door and gently rapped her knuckles against it three times.

"Princess? Is that you? Please, come in," A velvety voice responded and invited them in. With a nod to her guild mates the queen opened the door and light streamed into the hallway, which revealed the inside of Lucia's dressing room. They all made their way inside they looked around the room curiously-a couple of lights had lit the bright room, the walls covered in pictures of Lucia with her guests, some with her sisters, and all sorts of work-related information sheets ranging from personal safety to handling unruly guests. Upon her mirror was a picture with all four of her sisters and a myriad of hand-written notes that seemed to be for the clients that she took during the day, each lined the edges of the mirror leaving the center free for her to utilize as it was intended to be. Lucia herself sat in a fine leather chair, and she wore the same dress and shoes beneath a loosely knit violet fur neck warmer. She shared the same traits as her sisters, but she had a certain beauty to her that the Abellan could not put into words-her hair was shaped into ringlet curls and her eyes had a look to them that just seemed to entrance the onlooker which he realized made it awfully difficult to look away. She blinked before she smiled. "Ah, Bloodbag and some new faces hm? It's nice to meet all of you. Don't be shy, come in, take a seat!"

Kooh made her way in behind the queen and pulled up a small black chair before she offered it to her cousin. The queen sat down after she gave the Governor her thanks while Amata sat down in another chair like it nearby. There was a strange green sack sitting on the floor and TJ stared at it with an odd curiosity. What was it? What was inside of it?

"That's a seat TJ. It's a chair. Sit in it and stop looking at it so forlornly. You're giving me the heebie jeebies...like there's something wrong with it." Amata said before she gave him a gentle shove towards it.

What part of that sack was a chair?! He considered asking but he set the matter aside so Peorth could continue on with her business. He sat down and immediately the chair sank underneath his weight. It was going to swallow him! He sunk further and further in and flailed about as a fearful gasp escaped his lips. "I-I'm sinking!" He cried out in desperation.

Amata peeked at him from her peripherals with knit eyebrows. "Man, you need to get out more. Is everything dangerous to you?" She asked.

The Confidant chuckled gently as he righted himself and caught her gaze trained on him, while she wore a small confident smile. "You must be the Abellan TJ. I have heard quite a fair bit about you from the Princess over the many years. You're much more fascinating than I could've expected."

Her unflinching gaze on him made his face flush and he adjusted his headphones nervously. "T-thanks. It's nice to meet you too, Lucia."

"It seems you also have another new companion with you? May I ask your name?"

Amata nodded solemnly, her expression became serious, and one much more familiar to the Abellan. "Amata Seitz, God's Governor of Fire. I'd heard about you from Queen Peorth recently, and since I was with them she allowed me to come along also. It's a pleasure to meet you...after all, I don't know much about the Confidants outside of Ves."

"Mm is that so?" Lucia asked with an appraising gaze. "Well if it's information on people, places, or events feel free to make an appointment with me. My sisters and I are very well informed on the events that happen across Jienda. Though it is a surprise to see two God's Governors in the same room. Have you begun seeking the five out already Princess?"

Peorth shook her head gently. "Essentially I have not. For the time being I have my sights set on defeating the Seven Sinners and assisting TJ in mastering his power. But I am well aware of the part that the God's Governors have to play in this scenario, and I intend to find the God's Governor of Wind as soon as possible."

Lucia raised an eyebrow. "You had mentioned that the God's Governor of Earth was also in your guild correct? Can you call her now?"

"That is up to her and TJ."

TJ blinked. "Hang on, I'll ask her. How about it Su? Now's a good chance to meet Lucia. Never know when we might be coming back again," He suggested.

"Ugh whatever." Su answered before his crystal began to light up and the God's Governor emerged with a bored expression. "God's Governor of Earth Suuba, at your service."

Lucia blinked slowly, her expression remained, but she seemed to be taking in the matter without disbelief. "So it's true. To think that the Abellan has such a power truly is incredible. With abilities such as that, I've not a doubt in my mind that you could rival King Asmodeus TJ."

"So did you call me out just for this?" Su muttered looking agitated.

Lucia chuckled gently and offered the girl a grin, her fangs became more apparent now. "Well information is as good as gold in such times, though I won't share this fact with just anyone. In truth, seeing Princess through her duties is something that I take very seriously. The foundations of the bond that Queen Remedi and I have forged is tied to her lovely daughter here, and by extension you and the Abellan. Though I'm a Confidant also, so it's also my duty in that regard. Nevertheless, my name is Lucia, a dancer at Club Abio and a part time information consultant. It's a pleasure to make all of your acquaintances."

"Likewise," TJ answered cheerfully. He had expected her to be Vanir levels of strange but she was normal, thankfully, and really polite at that. Perhaps visiting her would be a good idea again, considering how much she knew about a variety of subjects. If it was true that her sisters could find people on the continent, could they find Iris? On the other hand, if she had gone to another continent beyond Jienda, he would have to hang up that hope. The only ones he knew of were the Big Apple and Toad Island, but as far as those go there were very few clues that she had been there in the recent times. The only other place he could think of was Asgard, but as far as he knew the Bifrost was not repaired. If she was there, just beyond his reach, could he find her by repairing it? That too, would likely be a paramount part of his journey, but would also mean that the Cerebians' eventual return would be imminent, and the time of parting with his guild master also. He knit his eyebrows.

"Is something on your mind TJ? You seem awfully pensive."

He looked up with a start and began to sweat. "Huh? Do I? Oh...no, no it's nothing! Anyway...you wouldn't happen to know the God's Governor of Wind would you?"

She chuckled devilishly before smiling at him. "Curious are you? There might be something I could tell you, but information is not free, after all." She placed a finger to her lips as her eyes focused on him.

"Could you not do this as a service to me?" Peorth asked.

Lucia placed her hands in her lap and crossed her legs. "That's a possibility also. I do plan on helping you regardless-perhaps we can call it my own selfishness. Since the moment the Abellan stepped into the club I could smell his blood, and over the years it's fermented to perfection. I'd be lying if I said even I could stave off the desire for a taste." TJ swallowed hard as Lucia turned her focus back to him. The smile she gave him was unsettling, yet charming at the same time. "How about I make an offer for you, TJ?"

A bead of sweat ran down his cheek. For the sake of seeing his quest to completion, for his friends and for the world, was giving up a bit of his blood that difficult? He clenched his fists. "Tell me more."

"You have a good expression." Her smile subsided slightly, and her expression turned hard though she still wore a confident look. "In turn for some of your blood, I will tell you all that I know about the God's Governor of Wind. As an added bonus, I will have my girls seek him out for you, and inform Princess as soon as we've located him. Does that sound fair to you?"

He nodded twice. Su gave him an appraising gaze, and Peorth looked on with knit eyebrows. "I-I'm ready. I'll take that offer."

"Wonderful. Now where did I put my syringe...?" Lucia thought aloud as she opened her drawer and sifted through a series of small items-likely make-up and such.

"You mean that giant-ass thing behind TJ? You could suck a freakin' elephant dry with that thing." Su said before pointing to a massive syringe sitting behind the Abellan. He turned back and looked on with horror. A giant syringe that stood to about his shoulders in sheer height alone rested against the wall, waiting to be used.

"Hm? Oh!" The Confidant laughed. "You don't need to worry, I don't plan on using that on him. It's just a little something from my days as a Vampanelar. All of my sisters have one, but nowadays they only serve as reminders of the past." She drew a regular sized syringe from her drawer and beamed. "This will only sting just a bit." Peorth seemed a little relieved at the sight, but TJ felt unsure which was worse-Lucia's fangs or the needle on that syringe. She rose from her seat and offered it to him as she brought out a couple more items. "In truth, I prefer my blood directly from the source, since it does taste it's best when it's warm, but if I took this all to myself my sisters might overthrow me," She chuckled gently. "I would recommend that you look away if you've never gotten a needle TJ. Some faint at the sight of blood."

He wanted to say that would not be the case, considering how much of it he had seen in the past, but he was not fond of it either. He felt Lucia rub some kind of liquid on his arm before tying something around it, and shortly after he felt an odd stinging sensation. After a few seconds the needle was removed from his arm and she attached a cotton ball to it. He looked back and glanced at Lucia smiling at him, the syringe now filled with blood, unsettling him slightly. Thankfully, it was nowhere near as bad as he might have expected it to be. "Is that enough?" He asked.

She looked surprised, a first. "I'd gladly accept more if you were willing to share."

"Eh? Oh no, that's not what I meant!" He gestured that at the same time, as he shook his head rapidly.

Lucia chuckled gently at his words. "I'm just teasing you TJ, but I appreciate this nonetheless." He returned to the bean bag chair, this time prepared for the inevitable surprise attack and felt a bit of pride at expecting the event. "Now that the matter's settled, I'll share what I know with you." She cleared her throat before she raised a finger. "The current God's Governor of Wind, in spite of the other elements, is male. We can't tell you his name, but what I can tell you is that he was born shortly after the Asgardians fled from their home, and he was born and raised in the Haven Lemanin. He's a charming little thing, popular among the girls of both the Haven and the city of Yong Gyoung. He can be a tad flighty and difficult, so having him join in your quest won't be easy, but..." She smiled devilishly. "With as many pretty young girls as you have with you now, catching his eye won't be difficult. Keeping him though, is another matter in and of itself, but I'll leave finding out how to do that to you. As promised, I'll have the girls seek out his current location and pass this on to you upon the first opportunity I get." She smiled. "I look forward to doing business with you again!"

Peorth intertwined her fingers as she gently leaned her head against them. "Now about the matter that you have summoned me for?" She asked.

Lucia nodded solemnly, before she turned her serious gaze back to the guild master. "Recently all of my sisters and I had been sensing a strong Agasuric presence coming from Captain Bong's Land. At first, I had suspected it was the three Bongs just causing a ruckus, which is not entirely uncommon for them, but as the days went on that presence grew stronger, so I had Monica investigate it. In the Cookie Garden of Bong's Land a new Instance Dungeon appeared, and she had said it was nothing like the Instance in the castle. This is just a wild guess, but we've all come to the agreement that it belongs to one of the Seven Sinners." Lucia placed both her hands in her lap before closing her eyes slowly. "If you plan on going in there I'd recommend that you prepare yourself thoroughly. In your last letter you'd told me that the Instance Dungeons seem to evolve as time passes, right?"

The guild master nodded. "That is correct."

"All the more reason than. That Dungeon has been around for some time now, so be extra careful. None of us know how long, but if it's any consolation we have not caught word of it be it from the clients, or guests at Club Abio so it's not well known as of yet. I'd say the sooner you clear it the better, but going in recklessly would be putting your lives on the line. What do you plan to do, Princess?"

"We will make preparations and set out tomorrow," Peorth declared.

"That's my princess!" Kooh shouted excitedly.

"You plan to go in there yourself Peorth?" Amata asked incredulously. The look in her eyes was both one of fear and of shock. TJ could understand why she would feel that way-he feared seeing the queen on the front lines as much as she did, but he had seen how capable she was and he believed in her with every fibre of his being. If that was not enough, he would be her shield and her sword in the coming battles. He would not let her die if he could help it.

The queen nodded but once, slowly, assuredly. "It is my duty to see TJ through his growth, and to aid him in the coming battles up to the time where we finally end the war. I am his contractor, and his guild master. I will protect him and my guild with my life if I must. This is a responsibility I had taken up the moment I had decided that I would head Yggdrasil and one that I will not ever take lightly."

Amata clenched her fists and lowered her head. "Why are you so...so..." She looked up to the guild master, tears in her eyes and a hand to her chest. "Please, please, take me with you! I...I have to...teach me! I need you to teach me your ways. If it's you, even if I'm not even worthy to walk the same ground you do you might be the key to understanding myself...and becoming a worthy God's Governor! I learned to awaken years ago but it's not enough...even Dad told me that. If I can't master myself I'll fail my test and let all of you down. I won't put the world in jeopardy! So please, let me fight alongside you even if it's just this one time!"

Peorth arose from her seat and took the God's Governor's hands in her own. "Dry your tears, Amata. As I had told you prior, you and I and all the others are on the same standing here. If there is anything I can do to assist you in your quest towards ascending, you need only ask it of me. As for this journey, TJ I would like for you to lead the party once more. All that I ask of you is that you bring Amata and I along with you."

He sat up in the chair and it shifted under his weight which caused him to fall here and there as he struggled to find a balance once more. "Huh?! Me? Whoa, no, I couldn't! I mean, I could but...I can't! I'm not quite cut out to be a leader just yet Chief! I think you should lead our party as usual. You have all of the qualities of a leader, so I'll follow in your wake and take a page from your book along the way." Amata was willing to risk her life also in the coming battle, but her words had resonated within him. He had grown exponentially over the year or so that had passed, but he still had so much learning to do. Just as Amata had feared that to fail her 'test' would be letting down the world, he had his own concerns and tasks to see through successfully, which included the assistance of the God's Governors. He could not, and would not fail. If he was willing to put his companions in danger under his command, he wanted to be prepared and confident enough to lead them without the hesitation that plagued him now. He needed to be braver than he was now...perhaps the time had not come yet, but he would take great strides towards that goal no matter how difficult the challenges were before him. With Peorth...thanks to her, he felt sure that he could move forward and climb over any insurmountable wall. Under her banner he would move forward with more confidence, but deep down a fear of the unknown haunted him, while a fear of knowing he would have to cross paths with another of his siblings ailed him.

"If it as you wish, then I shall do so." Peorth answered.

Su grinned impishly. "Cool it with the water works Amata," She sneered.

"Shut up! You can start talking when you learn how to awaken!" She retorted with a huff. "B-besides, Captain Bong's Land is near Ves, which is under my jurisdiction so it's only natural that I should investigate the matter!"

"Excuses, excuses," Su muttered with a shrug. Her brows were furrowed, though.

"So will it be the five of us?" Kooh asked with a grin. "We'd make one hell of a team."

Peorth turned to the Governor, her eyes appraised her before they were closed solemnly. "I would like for you to stay behind on this mission Kooh."

She smiled, but her eyes did not follow suit. A silence fell over all of them and each laid their eyes upon the guild master who opened her own, both shuttered. "...What do you mean Princess?"

"We must consider the circumstances very carefully, Kooh. The only people currently familiar with Captain Bong's Land within Yggdrasil currently are Curt and RoboCurt. Going into the Instance Dungeon without any intelligence of what lurks within is dangerous in and of itself, but diving into unfamiliar territory on Jienda would be unwise also. Having a guide familiar with the lay of the land would be the wisest choice. If we spent two or three days wandering through the Cookie Garden in search of an Instance Dungeon, we would waste both our supplies and our time, allowing the Instance Dungeon to evolve further and become increasingly dangerous." She clasped her hands together as she blinked slowly, empathetically. "I do understand how you feel, but you are the last of my Keruz. You understand, do you not? There are guild matters that need to be attended to, a murderer running amok in the city, and a very high chance that another Instance Dungeon will appear in the near future. Humanity needs a strong Cerebian to defend it in our absence, regardless of where in the world it is. With two of the God's Governors within the Instance Dungeon, and the third missing in action, our choices are very limited. We know not what awaits us, and because of this, I feel that it would be in all of our best interests if I had left such a duty in your hands. I do so because I know how capable you are."

Kooh knit her eyebrows, the look on her face one of both understanding and dejection. "I know Princess. I get where you're coming from. But I really don't like the idea of you going into dungeons without me. What if something happens to you? I'm sworn to protect you. I can't just twiddle my thumbs while you're risking life and limb."

Peorth's lips curled into a tiny smile, one that contained the confidence of a guild master. "You must trust in me Kooh. I am an Ásvaŕtlim, after all."

Lucia raised an eyebrow as their discussion came to an end. "You two didn't have a falling out of some sort lately, did you? You used to be like two peas in a pod if I recall," She said.

"No, nothing of the sort. There are some challenges we must face given the circumstances that seem to be growing ever more challenging, but it is a matter that shall pass. At times difficult decisions must be made."

"You can say that again," Amata muttered as she rubbed her eyes.

"Alright so now that you're little drama is over we should probably get to the real matter at hand. The fuck're we doing? What's the plan from here?" Su asked glancing at all of them. "Or are we just gonna sit here and create more unnecessary drama?"

Peorth turned to her this time. "For the time being, we must prepare ourselves. As Lucia had said, the Instance Dungeon has been around for an extended period of time. I believe that it would be in our best interest if we did not underestimate it. We know not how long it will take us to get to the Instance Dungeon, or how long we will be inside of it, so I suggest that we be ready for a long journey. We should come armed with all manner of supplies, and meet first thing in the morning to begin our raid." She shifted her gaze to Kooh next before she drew her warp crystal. "Kooh, I would like for you to take this and Amata and go to Mezzalone to make preparations. Since the God's Governor does not have one of her own, I will be depending on you for this task. I shall prepare all that I can with TJ, and will get in touch with Curt as soon as possible to inform him of what we have learned today. Are there any questions?"

"I'm on it Princess," Kooh answered.

"I've no complaints," Amata added.

"Well whatever. Call me when something interesting happens." Su said before she returned to the crystal.

"That sounds like a good plan to me." TJ said as he rose from the chair, albeit with some difficulty.

"Good. The mission begins now. Yggdrasil, dismissed!" Peorth said finally.

As the party filed out the door they said goodbye to Lucia and she waved them off. TJ was about halfway through the door while Peorth bowed once to the Confidant and she smiled in turn.

"You kids look after each other okay? I expect to see you back here to find out where the last God's Governor is located," She said.

"Consider it done."

"Thanks again Lucia. Take care!"

She beamed at the Abellan. "No, thank you."

The group made their way down the corridor and back into the fray that was Club Abio, TJ caught a glimpse of Monica on stage and Maya within the crowd dancing along with some of the guests. Naomi leaned against the wall to the staff area silently sipping a water bottle.

"On your way out? Have a good one yeah? See you next time." She said before grinning at the group.

They all said their goodbyes and TJ smiled lightly. There was something about those words-almost as if at them a promise was made. A promise to come back safely, to meet again. He would remember that, and spur himself forward so that he could come back to Elias safe and sound.

Once they had reached the entrance Kooh hugged her cousin tightly while Peorth gently patted her on the back.

"We'll be back soon Princess! No naughty stuff with TJ while I'm gone, okay?" She asked as if she was scolding a small child.

"I will not," Peorth answered blankly.

"There's definitely something wrong with that girl," Amata muttered.

TJ laughed gently. "You get used to it after a while," He said.

"Mmk, you ready Amata?" Kooh asked as she drew the warp crystal and approached.

"Ready as I'll ever be I guess." She scratched her cheek. "I can't believe you're gonna be a guest at my house...I swear if you cause any trouble you're sleeping in the streets. And our rooms are gonna be separate, just in case. No more of your pajama parties or ridiculous antics!"

"You're no fun." The Governor knit her eyebrows. "Oh well. We're off you two! See you tomorrow!" Kooh waved and Amata also did so, albeit a little reluctantly.

"We'll meet again soon, Abellan, Peorth." At those words the two vanished. TJ felt a bit envious at the prospect of the two going to Mezzalone, but it also meant that it would be him and his guild master. He immediately covered his face at the realization.

"Well then TJ, what do you plan to do now?" The queen asked him with a tilted head.

"Eh? Uhh...I dunno. Do you need me for anything right now?" He asked.

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully for a moment, her eyes wandered away. "There is nothing in particular, per se. I can handle packing all the supplies, since I am well aware on how to utilize space."

"Well, I don't wanna distract you from that. Maybe I'll go kill some time at Vanir's shop. If he knows anything about the Seven Sinners that'd be a big help. Maybe he could tell me how to get this gold streak out of my hair."

She smiled gently. "However you may look, I strongly believe that it will be fitting of you."

His face felt hot at her words and he shifted his glasses slightly. "I...well...thanks. For the time being I think I'd like to keep my hair just one colour though."

"Let us not waste any time then. I wish for you to find your way to my home before the night falls. Though it is only mid-day, I would feel safer accompanying you to Madelaine's Tea Stop than letting you go alone."

He would too, but he was concerned about her getting home after seeing him off. Though when it came to making decisions he was hard-pressed to disagree with the guild master. She always knew what was best, after all. He would trust in her choice. "Sounds good." He smiled.

The walk was not long, and the two did not say much but it did not bother him any. Peorth's silence was familiar and calming. The sound of her footfalls next to his reminded him that he was by her side, that they had faced a myriad of challenges and had arrived here-that they had survived through hell and high water. He smiled gently at the thought. A new challenge was right around the corner that could push the two to their limits-he would have to give his all in mustering up his courage to face it and come back once more, but also to ensure that his companions did also. Sooner or later he would need to be able to manage without relying on Su coming to his aid whenever he was in danger, and also without having to rely on the Chaos Frequency too much. It was certainly powerful, and made winning battles much easier but he knew that there was several things wrong with using that power, and he would not risk it. He decided that he would ask Vanir a bit more about it when they arrived. It was not long before they did just that, and he looked into the guild master's eyes as she did the same.

"Please be careful on your way back TJ, and be sure to arrive before the night falls. I do not wish for you to be in any more danger than necessary," She said.

"No worries Chief, I'll be there. If you need me at any point though, lemme know. I'll get there as soon as possible." He said offering her a thumbs-up.

She chuckled gently. "I have not a doubt on that matter. Well then, until tonight." She bowed and turned away as he waved.

He turned his eyes to Madelaine's and took a deep breath. Hopefully Vanir could be of help to him once more.

TJ pushed the door open and the chime of two bells caught his attention. The first being that upon the door, the jingle signalled his arrival-the second was the sound of the chime from Skuld's, the top of the brownie's hat and head peeked over the other side of the counter as she climbed up on a stool to greet the Abellan.

She looked solemnly for a moment before smiling. "Welcome TJ! How are you?" She asked.

He smiled back. "Great, and you?" He asked in turn.

"I'm okay. With all the stuff that's been going on around Elias business has been a little slow lately, but Master says that they'll be back once things calm down. He's not worried."

TJ smiled wryly. The thought of Vanir actually being worried about anything would be a sight to see. He seemed way too easy-going for that kind of concern. "I wouldn't expect any less from him." His thoughts ran to their last meeting for a moment and he recalled receiving the cookies from the brownie at the time. "Oh right, thanks again for those cookies Skuld. God's Governor of Fire Amata said to send her regards. They made her...less grumpy! It was really impressive to be honest!"

Skuld beamed. "I'm glad it helped. I think a nice snack could cheer anyone up."

"I completely agree there. Sweets are a cure-all." He said dreamily.

The sound of footsteps as they came up stairs and the chime of Vanir's bell signalled his approach. "Skuld who are you talking to?" His voice rang out from what seemed to be a lower portion of the shop. TJ had not even known the place had a basement.

"TJ came to visit Master!" Skuld answered.

The footsteps stopped suddenly. "What?!" They started up again but much quicker, the barista stormed up the stairs and they came to an unexpected halt once more at the sound of a low thud followed by him as he shouted, "Gods!" In a matter of moments a second followed it and the barista slid into view within the kitchen's walls.

"M-Master?!" The brownie cried out as she rushed to his side. He picked himself up from the floor and turned to TJ with a glint in his eye and blood dripping from his nose. The Abellan stared back both shocked and puzzled. The brownie rummaged through the pocket on her dress and pulled out a tiny package of tissues before she twisted two around a bit while the barista rushed to the counter.

"We're gonna make history here Skuld! This is big!" He brought out a strange black object and slammed it on the top of the counter before he lifted a half-circle shaped object and held it to his ear while he turned a circular object on the base of the item itself-a long cord attached the two items together. He waited a couple moments patiently. "Hello is this Verun's? May I speak to the owner please?" The brownie handed him the pair of tissues and he stuffed them into his nose before he offered her his thanks. Through the object TJ heard Verun's voice, as he greeted Vanir as if he was posing a question and the barista's lips curled into an impish smile. "Guess who's at my shop and not yours? The Abellan. Ha! Suck it Verun!" He slammed the object down upon the base and startled the pair. "Ah...satisfaction." He said looking completely emotionally sated. "I haven't one-upped that prick in some time now. Feels good." He grinned at the Abellan. "So what brings you to this humble little shop on a craptastic day like this, other than the best damn cuppa joe in all of Jienda?"

TJ rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Um...information?" He suggested.

The barista remained silent for a moment, but his expression remained unchanged-or at least, what TJ could see of it. "Figures. Before that though, I've got a question for you." The Abellan raised an eyebrow. "What's up with the gold streak in your hair?" He let out a chuckle and his lips curled into a grin. "Looks like you got my present huh? You're lookin' pretty damn spiffy in your new digs kid. Though I'll be damned if I see another person who could pull off a pink waiter outfit like you did."

TJ's face flushed at the comment and he knit his eyebrows. "I'm here to ask about just that...and thanks. Both for this and your...weird comment. It wasn't expensive was it? The outfit?"

The barista sighed as he placed his cheeks in his hands. "Kid, you don't know how much LaDeck I play on a day to day basis. I tried like sixteen times to win myself a pair of Ishu's cyber wings and lost every damn time. It's like an addiction. I'd be better off playing slots with my milk money or taking my chances with the lottery." TJ was lost at the mention of cyber wings, but he wondered if he had a pair whether or not he would be able to fly. Maybe he could win an Abio Ranger costume from LaDeck? "Anyway I scored a Toma's but had no use for it so I figured might as well give it to you. Now you're not blindingly pink, save for that hair of yours. Now in some kind of pom-pom style? Talk about an image overhaul."

"A lot's happened. A lot, a lot," He said. He did not know where to even begin, but he figured it might be better to spare Vanir some of the details, considering how strange the circumstances were. He tried not to think about facing off with the Sinners as much as possible, and he only had battled one of the seven.

"I could imagine," The barista laughed. "So? Gold highlights! Gimme the deets. I might be able to help you out."

TJ knit his eyebrows. He walked in a circle and into a wall with his previous thought process. He took a deep breath and let out a sigh. What did he have to lose? Without a doubt, he had much, much more to gain. After all, who else could tell him about the Agasura? "I...I integrated an Agasura. One of the Seven Sinners after I defeated her. Which explains the gold streak, more or less."

The barista pursed his lips in thought. "Well that seems pretty self-explanatory in and of itself. You are aware of the Agasura and their penchant for evolution aren't you?"

TJ blinked. "I've got no idea. Teach me all of it."

Vanir razzed him with his lips alone. "I'll keep it simple as a service. Basically, unlike the Cerebians Agasura don't get stronger just through practice. Think of the Contemptuous Arts-they're broken up into seven arcana based on each of the sins. The strongest of the Agasura would likely pick one of the seven arcana and use that as the basis for their strength. Like how humans rely on the elements, and each have their own specific uses and effects, the sins are the same thing. The more they use that specific sin, the stronger their affinity for it becomes and the stronger the spells with it." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Skuld, bring the whiteboard!" At his request the brownie ran into the kitchen and returned with a whiteboard, before she set it up next to him. He picked up a marker that rested upon it and opened it, then drew a poorly drawn humanoid. "Let's say this is you. You look like your regular everyday Joe-next-door. So you've taken a liking to using Wrath, right? So you keep using it, and pow!" He doodled a pair of horns on the top of its head. "The blood bond of an Agasura and the sins will change their outer shape eventually. It's the same with the others. You like using Gluttony?" He drew some fangs on the character. "You with me so far?"

TJ nodded. "Yeah, seems pretty straight forward. I don't use the Contemptuous Arts much, but I can use all of them. Is that strange?"

"You're damn right it's strange! It's downright messed up! But you're the Abellan so it's whatever. Anyway moving on!" He slapped the board twice. "Here's the kicker. Using the sins isn't all sunshines and rainbows. That stuff takes all kinds of energy. Cerebians love their mana and rely on that to cast spells and stances, but it's scarce. Hence the guild crops, right? Agasuras get mana in different ways, they've got no time for that nonsense. Souls! Flesh! Life force! Fear! That is the ticket to a strong Agasura. Chaos in all it's forms. They need it not only to survive, but to thrive. The more of it they have, the stronger they become and the greater the mana pool. The outer physical changes aren't just for looking scary. It's proof of the Agasura's strength, and that they're undergoing changes into becoming a greater form. The more you transform the more your abilities will improve, including the affinity for your preferred sins. But you're gonna need more and more mana to keep your growth ongoing." He doodled claws and bigger appendages and a myriad of poorly-drawn spells coming from all directions, each listed with a sin. "One more thing you should be aware of though, is that just like with the Divine Arts, your mentality will affect your spellcasting and be affected by it. The stronger your affinity with a certain sin, the more likely it'll shape how you act. It'd be a good idea to keep that in mind when you use those." In that regard, they were a little like the God's Governors.

"So because my Agasuric affinity's grown I've gotten this gold streak in my hair?" He placed his hands to his temples. "I'm not gonna grow horns too, am I?! Is this permanent? What am I gonna do if I'm stuck with those things?!" He cried out with a look of panic.

"I'll be damned if I know. Does it look like I have horns growing out of my head?" TJ gave him a blank stare and he chuckled. "Not that you can see what's under my hat. Maybe someday you will, and when you do you'll never be able to take your eyes off of me. Your body isn't ready yet kid. Come and see me when you're eighteen or over."

"Eighteen?!" Ignoring the rest of Vanir's pointless rant, he found himself most bothered by that last suggestion. He was offended by it, and he could not put his finger on why but it annoyed him in some way shape or form. But he realized there was nothing else that he could say in response because he had no idea just how old he really was. "I don't care what's under your hat." He lied through his teeth, but he would not give the barista a reason to tease him like he did Verun. That mystery object was something like a guild badge-it had to be, to allow for long-distance communication. But he had never seen anything like it before.

The barista shrugged. "Your loss, Pinky." Just when did he get that nickname? "So you got any other questions or what?"

TJ placed a finger to his lips. That more or less, answered his question. If he was to fill in the blanks, it had meant that the more of the Sinners he integrated the stronger an Agasura he would become, both inside and out. It was concerning, but it was also necessary, and those two facts gave him a multitude of conflicting feelings on the matter. He wanted to go forward because he knew that he had to, but it still raised the question of how he would do that. He caught a glimpse of the brownie as she made her way across the kitchen with some cookie dough cut out in a series of different shapes. "How'd you get Skuld Vanir?"

He gazed at the Abellan for a short while. "...You know, you already asked that question. Well your little friend with the potty mouth did," He muttered.

"Yeah but...your answer was really vague."

The barista let out a single laugh. "You're right! It was." He stretched and let out a satisfied groan before he leaned against the counter, seemingly to mull the idea over. Once Skuld returned with some tea and biscuits, and laid them out before the Abellan Vanir pulled her back by the hem of her dress before she walked off and she glanced at him curiously. "Hold it right there! You're gonna be the one teaching the Abellan this time!"

Her eyes widened and she began to sweat. "Huh? Me? Are you sure Master?!" She asked in disbelief.

"Sure I'm sure. You're pretty damn capable in more than just cooking. 'Sides, it's not like anyone's gonna be showing up anytime soon. With murderers running amok not too many people are gonna be relaxed enough to sit down and have some coffee at this here fine establishment." TJ chuckled at the words-the barista was unflappable in all the wrong ways, but it had a certain charm to it that he could not quite put his finger on. "Teach him a bit about our oath. You can spare him the nitty gritty details. I'll even illustrate for you." This time Skuld giggled, likely well aware that the barista's art was not his strong suit, but he chose to do it likely just because. He erased the previous doodles he made and awaited her explanation, marker in hand.

"Well TJ...essentially spirits like me come from a world that straddles the line between the physical and the ethereal. In the physical world, it was known as the Spirit Realm. It had it's own name but that's a lot easier to remember, and pronounce." She giggled and TJ smiled in agreement. "It's a really big place, filled with spirits of all elements and types. Where I come from is a bit hidden away from the others, almost like a little garden in the heart of the forest. It's a peaceful place where other beings like me lived and on occasion travellers would visit looking to form a contract with one of us. By doing that, they could summon us into battle and we would get stronger by fighting alongside them." Vanir drew a group of trees, seemingly giant mushrooms and a picture of Skuld as she bashed a priring with her broom, the words 'lvl up' above her head. Was that first one really a word? Skuld scratched her cheek bashfully. "I hadn't actually come to know Master until after I was born...his mother met with the others and requested that they have one of us prepared to partner up when he inevitably found his way into the realm on his own." She placed her hands to her cheeks. "I was the lucky one to form an oath with Master, and we've been together since. Usually he would only be able to summon me only from there, but our bond allows me to be with him all the time, without needing to return. I do miss home a bit, but if I'm going to go back, I want to be together with Master when I do."

He sniffed hard and both the tissues in his nose fell into the palm of his hand. "Ain't she just the sweetest little thing you've ever met?" He ruffled her hair and she beamed. "She's been keeping me in line for years."

Su suddenly emerged from the crystal and Vanir looked on with a keen curiosity. "That place...where is it? How did you get there?" She asked suddenly.

"Not even a hello? Man you're hardcore, Kid." He chuckled with a grin.

"I've got better things to do than waste my time with greetings," She muttered.

"What can I say?" He shrugged. "It sure as hell isn't here, I can tell you that. If I could go back, I would, but I can't. I told you already, my powers got sealed a long time ago. Without them I'm as good as useless when it comes to spirits."

Su sighed and placed a hand to her cheek after she sat down. "What do they pay you for?"

"You know, I don't think I get paid enough either! And I'm my own boss at that! Go figure!" It seemed that Vanir was going back into his usual random attitude. Did he have a penchant for annoying certain people? TJ was glad that he did not let it show too often or he might have gotten a dose of it.

"If you're gonna be a useless piece of trash per usual, at least tell me one thing." The Governor's eyes were serious, piercing, yet the barista wore a teasing smile as he leaned against the counter, his cheeks in both hands, his eye likely focused on his onlooker.

"You've got my interest. Seek and ye shall find!"

"In that place...were their wolves? And stuff like that? Like...animals, I guess..." She muttered averting her gaze.

"Oh yeah, definitely!" At those words there was a spark in her expression as it shifted back to the barista. "Murkwolves, Direwolves, the whole shebang. You name it, chances are you'd find them somewhere in there." She clicked her tongue at the words and her expression clouded over slightly.

"So what about you? You could summon other spirits couldn't you?"

"Could. Can't," He answered non-chalantly.

"Teach me how." Her tone was forceful, yet there was a hint of desperation that lingered in the air after her words had become nothing more than a breath in the room.

"Impossible." The short banter between the two felt tense, and TJ could not help but worry that somehow it would not end well.

"Why?" Su clenched her fists that rested on the counter.

"If this was another time and another place, it might be possible. But it's not. We're here now, I've got no powers, and I can't give you the means to do it."

She rose to her feet and bared her teeth at him, anger flared in her very expression. "Stop jerking me around and teach me how. If you knew how to do it, it's not like losing your powers would make you forget how to, would it?"

"It's not a matter of memory. The technique is inherited from teacher to student, but it all begins at one specific point. For that to happen...well, it can't. I can't give you what you need to do that so whatever plan you had, better to hang those out to dry." She huffed and sat down before she began to tap her finger impatiently.

"Vanir, do you think it's possible that I came from that place too? If there's a place where spirits are...it might explain how I came to be, considering that I'm not really a Cerebian or an Agasura, as far as I can tell."

Vanir blinked. "You? Impossible. It's not like you can find Abellans by the dozen," He chuckled as he waved off the thought. "Typical spirits come in great numbers, leaving the ones who already had contractors aside, they're usually similar in most respects. You're definitely not from there."

The Abellan sighed gently. No luck there either. It seems he would need to continue to gather the fragments of his memories and hope they would give him a lead on that matter, among many others.

"So are there any other clues to an Agasura's affinity growing or will we not know until this idiot transforms again?" Su asked before she pointed her thumb to him as he took a sip of his tea.

"Red eyes, a desire to commit the sin, a stronger Agasuric energy, you know how it goes. The less obvious but still obvious ones. You'll know 'em when you see 'em." He grinned impishly. "Are you worried?"

"No," The Governor answered without hesitation.

"Ah youth at it's finest."

"I said no."

TJ chuckled as he bit into a cookie. The two's bond was somewhat reminiscent of that between Su and Amata. He felt the barista looking at him and he slowly placed the cookie down. "Something wrong?"

"Well you seem pretty easy-going despite being in a city riddled with crime and murder concurrently. Makes me wonder. Do you have any idea what's going on right now?"

"Well...yeah, but we left the day after it happened because the Chief said it wasn't safe here."

The barista arose from the counter and crossed his arms. "Well it's a good thing one of you has their head on their shoulders or you might've wound up like a bunch of headless chickens. So? What're you doing back here fully knowing that this is going on?"

"There's a new Instance Dungeon that popped up so we went to meet Lucia about the details." At those words he made a grimace-did the two not get along like her sisters had said? "So we went there, and the Chief and I agreed to meet back up at her apartment later."

Silence. Vanir's mouth slowly fell agape. "What," Was all that he uttered. He slammed his hands down as he shouted it a second time, "What?!"

"We...promised to meet up at her place?" TJ asked reeling away as the barista leaned over the counter to stare at him.

"Do you know what this means?!" He slapped the counter a couple of times, stomped his foot and waved his fist around in a circle while making whooping noises. "That's an invitation! An invitation to make beautiful music!"

"But we already did that!" TJ shouted in response clenching his fists in some desperate attempt to stand tall in the face of the challenge.

"Seriously? Did you have to listen to all that other Kid?"

She face-palmed at the comment and glared at him from her peripheral. "Are you both idiots? Clearly he didn't mean it like that, and he didn't even get what you meant by that you dumbass booze hound!"

"I might run a cafe but that doesn't make me a drunkard." He sighed gently before he shrugged. "By now I'd have expected that much to happen at least, but given the current circumstances I'd bet ten thousand ely she's taking the first step." He chuckled mirthlessly. "That guild master of yours has some guts. She's got enough testosterone flowing through her to make me crumble before that gaze of hers. I'm surprised a creature like you hasn't fallen to her yet. Let alone Lucia and her sisters. They didn't suck you dry did they?"

"N-no..." He muttered as he swallowed another cookie. "She just took some blood from me with a syringe."

"Boo..." He muttered beneath his breath. Did he want him to be sucked of all his blood or become a Vampanelar also? "So another Instance Dungeon huh? You kids can't seem to catch a break." He grinned. "First the Pyramids and now another appears within like two weeks of the first going." He blinked and laid his right fist into an open palm. "Now that I think about it, I hear that you met with Salem at Elfa!"

TJ blinked as he recalled the name. "Oh! He was that guy who came from the guild Bastion right? Said he was a representative for it, and I think a Confidant at that."

"Yeah I know him. He and the other kid used to live here. His guild master was my student."

TJ chuckled gently at the thought. "Ah, your student hu-wait what?! You?"

Vanir pursed his lips as if he was insulted by the remark. When it came to him it was hard to tell whether he was actually insulted or if he played it off extremely skillfully. "What? Do I not look like I've got what it takes to be a teacher? I'm pretty damn smart, I'll have you know."

"Well if it's that kind of teaching I can believe it but...well, I was thinking along the lines of combat."

"I taught her that too."

TJ coughed as he drank his tea and placed his cup down before letting out an exhausted groan. Following that he wiped the liquid that ran down the side of his mouth. "But you're a barista! Why would you know how to fight?"

"Don't you know what retirement is Pinky? I used to be an adventurer, now I run this cafe. It's not that hard to imagine is it?" Is that what adventurers do when they get tired of adventuring? Did that mean someday TJ too, would hang up his guitar and open up a cafe somewhere? He tried to imagine himself dressed like Vanir, hanging out behind a bar with a brownie of his own serving customers, and the idea charmed him somewhat. "Anyway, in one of the mails the kid sent me after the matter was settled she vented her frustrations at the fact you were in Elfa while she was in Ramalda." He placed a hand to his chin and rubbed it thoughtfully before he raised a finger to the air with an excited look of realization. If he had learned anything recently, it meant that eccentric people having bright ideas meant that they were bad ideas, and he would likely be caught in the center of it. He reached behind the counter and drew a small box with a silver disc and an odd circular lens at the front of it then came around the bar to stand next to the Abellan, Su looked on with a mix of curiosity and confusion. "Say cheese!" He shouted as he held the box out as far as he could reach, pointed at the two.

"C-cheese?" TJ asked staring at it blankly. In a sudden flash of light he was blinded and Vanir had already made his way back around the other side of the bar. The Abellan rubbed his eyes gently and blinked a couple times, as he came to understand with greater clarity just what he had done to Avaritia recently, and why she responded the way she did to it. It was a little unpleasant if he said so himself.

"I'll wait for this to develop and send it to the kid with a letter. She's gonna throw a fit!" He laughed.

"What is that thing? Is it a spell in a box?! Can it use the Divine Arts?!" The Abellan cried out defensively. Technology was amazing-if they could put the Divine Arts in boxes like that, anybody could utilize them. It was so powerful and unimaginable it was terrifying.

"Divine Arts? This is for taking photos. Ever seen one before? Like a little square in a frame of a time that's already passed?" He scratched his cheek for a moment before he recalled seeing such things in Peorth's home. He nodded rapidly and the barista nodded sagely in turn. "This is the thing that does just that. Captures memories, and those very things that are so fleeting will still remain after time changes all of it." He grinned as he put it away. "So how about we get down to business hm?"

"Business?" The Abellan asked. Having a conversation with Vanir was like discovering the world all over again. There were so many things that he knew that TJ did not, and he felt as if he followed him he could discover the mysteries of the world that he did not understand. Either that, or he would dive deeper into newer mysteries while he still sought out answers to others. During the talk he had not realized but all of the cookies on his plate were gone and he looked somewhat dispirited at the realization, but caught a glimpse of some tea that remained in his cup and he felt a bit better at the sight.

The barista nodded solemnly. "Let's talk Elias." The usual comedic voice he had seemed to vanish in a moment and the single eye that occasionally peered from beneath his hat turned serious and sharp. "There's been some odd fellows around here recently. They're hard to miss, really, but amidst all the panic they stand out like sore-thumbs, remaining calm despite what's happening. Fanatics, is what we call them."

"And these fanatics are...?"

"Worshippers of Asmodeus and the Agasura beneath him of course."

TJ placed down his teacup and grit his teeth. "Worshippers? What do they do and why Asmodeus?"

The barista placed his arms upon the counter, overlapping each other as he leaned in a bit closer. "You gotta see things from both sides of the spectrum, Pinky. You might see what you're doing as the best possible outcome for everyone, but that doesn't mean everyone agrees with your way of doing things. It's the same with the Cerebians. Humans, Agasura, it doesn't matter, not all of them will like what you're doing and they'll go out of their way to make sure you fail. The fanatics? They've been waiting for this opportunity. They know things-a lot of things, and now that that's knowledge is finally gonna serve its purpose, the gears of fate will turn." He grinned devilishly. "Take a look around the city and you'll find some shady folk hanging around those recent murder locations every now and again, if you wait long enough. Better not to do it alone though, or they might take you and sacrifice you next." He shrugged. "Any sign of the Agasura, of a possibility that Asmodeus might be revived is a reason for celebration for them. Since this started more of them have been turning up in this city, and in due time there'll be more all over Jienda."

"What do you think we should do?" TJ asked, as he swallowed the question hard himself. If they were in the city, it meant they were Humans. If they found him, without a doubt they would take him away, and the last thing he wanted to be was a sacrifice to Asmodeus. His sibling was already adamant on having him join her and make sacrifices so that the god would be revived. Was it possible that the fanatics murdered people and created those strange markings?

"You? Nothing!" The Abellan blinked before he tilted his head. "The kids are already on the matter. Reina and Salem, and some others. Couple years ago they started a little alliance they called the Dark Moon Counter Allegiance, bringing some groups together to seek out and stomp out any camps they set up across Jienda and prevent a repeat of Xenym or Hanamah."

TJ looked alarmed and Su's eyes darted to him. "You knew about that?" She asked, her gaze turning from boredom to apprehension.

"Of course I knew about them. I've been here since before then!"

She grit her teeth. "So what's this Reina's deal? The hell does she want with the Dark Moon and all the other assholes they've got accompanying them?"

"Used to live in Xenym, before it got buried in sand by the previous Governor of Earth." Su's mouth fell agape. Her lips moved but no words, came out, her eyes shifted in and out of focus as she tried to come face-to-face with the words. TJ shifted his gaze between his companion who seemed have a severe crisis and the barista who pressed on in spite of the fact. "Skuld come in here would ya'?" He asked. The brownie rushed into the room and stopped at his side before giving Su a startled glance. "Would you get some paper and a pencil and sketch Reina and Alessa for these two? Thanks!" She nodded solemnly before she dashed past the counter and up the stairs, the sound of her moccasins against the wood steadily faded away.

Su tightly closed her eyes and slapped her cheeks, now red from the sheer force of her hands before she turned her eyes to TJ. "We have to go there. Now. I don't give a damn about that Sinner! I need to do this!"

"Hold it right there." Vanir said and she glared at him viciously, the fury evident in her eyes and her teeth grit, she looked as if she was ready to tear him limb from limb for the comment. "What do you plan to do when you go there?"

"Figure out what the hell the old Governor did and why. Also...who." She answered while she glowered.

He raised his eyebrows. "No love for dear old dad huh?"

"He's not my dad. I had one, and whoever that Governor was, sure as hell wasn't him! If he was maybe I wouldn't have grown up in the damn forest."

"That's love, my dear." He grinned and Su growled at him. "Seriously though, what do you plan to do? You don't think you can move enough sand to cover a whole Haven do you? Can you even control sand?"

She opened her mouth to respond but paused. "Like hell I need that. I'll figure something out."

The barista's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Do you think you have time for that, though? There's an Instance Dungeon with your name on it. The Agasura King is making way for his grand entrance and you're too busy sticking your nose into other, less important matters. What's most important to you, Succubas?"

She slammed her hands down and rose to her feet. "What the hell do you know about any of it? If we could all just sit back and serve coffee like you did things sure as hell would've been a lot simpler, wouldn't it? But you don't know what it's like to have been through what I've been!"

His smiled widened, but the humour in it was completely gone. "I don't, but can you imagine what I've seen?"

At those words Su seemed to almost shrink away. Her expression retained its ferocity but there was something about him that just seemed to dwarf her-his shadow crept up the wall as the sunset had painted the sky tones of crimson and orange and ushered in the night. He closed his eye and grinned. "Patience kiddo. That's the ticket! Now sit down and have a cookie or two why don't you?" He turned his head back to face the Abellan and TJ almost jumped at the sight. The vision he once saw of the eccentric barista he thought he knew paled and shattered, and that of the second Tyrant of the Maelstrom filled his thoughts. His palms grew sweaty and fear washed over him like a tidal wave, but he focused all his courage and remained still, his eyes trained on the single green glint that peered at him beneath the hat. "So as I was saying before, Reina-I call her Dancer, and her little buddies go around and chase out those little threats scattered across the continent, including those fanatics. Now you're probably thinking, 'What's all of this got to do with me although he already said, I don't want you to do anything?' huh?" TJ was hard-pressed not to raise an eyebrow at the spot-on suggestion. "I want you to do me a little favour."

"What's that?" The Abellan asked monotone, in a desperate attempt to mask his apprehension and even more so his own fear, his fists tightly clenched against legs that quivered.

Right on time Skuld came down the stairs and handed a sheet to the barista before he gave it a nod of approval. "Spot on as always!" He placed the sheet before TJ and he appraised it. There was a sketch of two people as requested, just the top-half of their torsos upwards. The first was a young lady with her hair cut short in a bob-cut, and she wore what seemed to be a sort of coat and a cloth around her eyes. She had a bright smile, and though he could not see her eyes he felt like they would too, her expression spoke volumes through the sketch; next to her was a girl that looked roughly around the same age with long semi-messy semi-straight hair that covered one of her eyes, the other shuttered-she wore a mischievous smile and what looked like a striped t-shirt. The sketch had caught all of the subtle nuances, from the contours of their faces to their ears and the little details in their hair. "Chances are if you find one, you'll find the other nearby. The kid on the left is Reina. Her coat is unmistakeable, and she's probably the only adventurer in all of Jienda that runs around with two katanas strapped to her waist. Her friend is Alessa, an archer and one of the most capable people in her guild." He grinned. "Better watch out for her, 'cause if she sees you she's gonna take you home with her, no questions asked."

TJ knit his eyebrows at the comment-despite the tension Vanir still joked and it confused him even more. Just who and what was Vanir exactly? Despite being a Confidant he was one of the most terrifying people he had come to know throughout his journey. Before he brought about the barista's anger he decided to ask an innocuous question, "Katanas? That's an odd weapon...is she a Warlord?"

He shook his head. "They don't use them. Can't. The daring little thing is aiming to found the Swordsman class to give it skills and make it available to everyone."

"We can do that?!"

"Yeah. Why not? You've seen the Engis right?" TJ knew a Meister. For a moment he felt rather pleased that he actually knew something Vanir was aware of too. "New classes aren't unlikely, but they're hard to create, and of course you'd have to jump through hoops to get people on the bandwagon, and people willing to sponsor the creation of that vision. Anyway, back on topic! Sooner or later those kids are gonna have to have another run-in with the Dark Moon, so I want you to go along with them." He sighed and smiled. "It'd be pretty problematic if they got themselves killed in that fight so it'd be great if they had the Abellan and his capable companion backing them up."

Su looked at him from the corner of her eye before she placed her left hand down on the counter. "Wait." Did she address TJ or to the barista? He had a question, but her response caught his attention too. "You're saying they fought them before?"

"They did. I was there! Fought some mountain of a man with a nasty cut right here and escaped." He gestured at his face and drew a line to drive the point home. "If they're gonna have to fight him a second time I'd rather them have a good chance of winning the fight. Last time wasn't pretty."

"Him? He's already dead," She muttered.

The barista seemed to appraise her for a moment. "Seriously? If he died of old age he was pretty damn agile and strong for a freakin' old man. Nearly kicked my ass up and down that room."

"He didn't die, he was killed obviously. Don't be stupid." She peered at him through her peripherals. "So what do they want from the Dark Moon now? I doubt they're gonna do much in the state they're in."

The barista sighed. "It's not exactly the Dark Moon itself that's the big concern. Mostly. It's the Dark Moon Princess herself that's a problem. You know her purpose, don't you?" Su shrugged and TJ scratched his cheek. "She's their key player in reviving Asmodeus through their means." The two looked at him curiously. "Pop quiz!" He said excitedly. "What's the Moon of the Sixteenth Day?"

Su tapped her finger against the counter. "Where the Dark Moon Princess is?" She answered and he waved his hand in a gesture that signalled her to continue, the sky turned a deeper shade of red. "An...Instance Dungeon?"

"And what are the Instance Dungeons known for?"

Su shrugged and TJ decided to take a crack at it. "Mana? Flow?"

"Correct you are! What else?"

"The Guardians I guess?" He suggested as he became more confused by the moment.

"And what do the Guardians do when defeated?"

He wrinkled his nose. They die, pretty much. Like Pandora or Avaritia. He paused at the thought. Avaritia could not return, and neither would her Instance Dungeon, but the Gothic Room still stood tall after Pandora had fallen by their hands, and she had said that Asmodeus had given her immortality-that no matter how many times they defeated her, she would return. "They come back..."

"Exactly!" Vanir said as he pointed at the Abellan and startled him. "Now picture this-Asmodeus needs humans sacrificed to him to return, right? Actually that could be wrong, that's just a really educated guess, but let's say that's the case. Imagine if you had a human that never died, that could be sacrificed time and again and return despite being killed? That knows no age, no death, and has all of eternity within that Instance?"

"So they just plan on sacrificing the Dark Moon Princess? Doesn't that mean it's impossible to prevent Asmodeus from reviving?!" TJ shouted both out of desperation and frustration. If a battle was inevitable, then so be it-he would have to do all that he could in preparation for it, but did that mean he was not needed in order to do it? Why did Avaritia suggest that he be the one, then?

"It's not impossible, no. Here's a little tip. The Cerebians are masters of the art of sealing. If they know how to create it, they also know how to destroy it. If there's no Instance Dungeon, the Dark Moon Princess is just like any other human."

"So we have to find a way to destroy the Instance Dungeon then...but if they can just sacrifice her, why haven't they done it already? Why wait?"

"There's a very specific day they're waiting for, hence the name of the Instance." The Moon of the Sixteenth Day. But what was the Sixteenth Day-or rather, when? "Jumping right into there would be a mistake, though. So the kids aren't gonna go in just yet, but I expect it to be sometime within the year, before that day comes. When they start preparations, I'll let you know, so try to keep your schedule free." He grinned impishly. "That matter aside, I'd recommend that you expand your farm and start saving up for a double bed kid. Don't have too much fun with Queenie behind closed doors 'til then."

"Are you still on that?" Su asked exasperated. "Give it up already. It's them. If you think that's gonna happen anytime soon you're wrong, and dumb."

"Jealous are we?" He asked in a sing-song voice.

"Like hell I'd be jealous of those idiots."

"So it's jealousy. I'm glad we had this discussion." He grinned with satisfaction and Su muttered some obscenities under her breath, mainly about the barista.

As night began to settle in TJ looked at the sky uneasily, and his mind was filled with the guild master. He had promised to be back to her before it got dark, but the sun had already disappeared over the horizon. Was she worried about him? He turned back to the barista who smiled at him in such a way that seemed to both invite, and challenge him. The look seemed to ask, "Well? What're you waiting for? Go!"

"Vanir, we should be going. It's late, and you know what's been going on lately. The cities aren't safe as it is." TJ muttered sullenly, the thoughts of being abducted in the night danced in his head. He casted the thoughts away and told himself he would overcome those fears, and return to his guild master's side victorious, be it now, or in the future. No matter the means, if Asmodeus would return TJ would be there to stop him.

"Have a safe trip kids." He said as he waved.

Su gave him one last glance over her shoulder before she turned into a series of spheres and returned to the crystal, the sound of two bells ringing as he exited the shop were the last words traded between them.

TJ made his way cautiously and quickly through the streets of Elias. He made sure to look twice before crossing streets and glanced into every alleyway as he walked through the silent roads. At the occasional curb he would find a guard or two stationed, eyeing him cautiously as he passed, waiting until he was out of sight before they turned their heads back to their original positions.

The once bustling Elias, likely even at night now a ghost town permanently on guard in case of suspicious peoples, unawares that the city had them hidden in every nook and cranny, just waiting for their opportunity to strike when one had their back turned. One wrong step and he could easily be next in line. The sound of his boots against the concrete and his ragged breaths made him even more uneasy.

He tried to follow the main streets as best as he could, the artificial sunbeams from lampposts served as his only source of light in the night, those of the familiar stores in the market of Elias were all shut off, and were replaced with guards standing outside of them, their eyes followed any adventurers that were careless enough to step into their sight.

He left the market and made his way into the district where Peorth's apartment was located, travelling here and there past a series of similar looking buildings and sooner rather than later found himself lost. He retraced his steps back to where he had begun and recalled the path that Kooh had shown him the first time. He stopped at a building that seemed to be the same as that he had approached before and entered. He walked towards the next pair of doors and attempted to open them, but to no avail. He had no key, and Kooh was not there to open it. What would he do? Could he get in touch with Peorth? He tapped his guild badge twice and decided to try and request her.

[Guild]TJ: Chief? Are you there?

[Guild]RoboCurt: Ah! Good evening TJ. Are you trying to get in touch with the guild master?

[Guild]TJ: Good evening Robo, and yeah, but I dunno if she has her badge on.

[Guild]RoboCurt: That is quite the predicament, isn't it? It would be wise to get her to teach you about the whisper function in such times. It's no problem though, I'll contact her for you.

[Guild]TJ: Thanks!

[Guild]Peorth: Did you request my aid TJ?

He felt a bit of relief at hearing the guild master's voice. Her calm tones made his heart feel a hundred times lighter after the evening's events. His lips curled into a small smile.

[Guild]TJ: Well yeah...I dunno how to get into your building. Last time I came with Kooh, but since she's not here this time I'm stuck down here.

[Guild]Peorth: Is that so? Please wait a moment, I will be right down to assist you.

It had not been long before the silver doors of the moving box opened and Peorth emerged from them to take a few steps and stop, before she ran over and opened the doors to let the Abellan in.

He laughed sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Haha thanks Chief." He looked into her eyes and gazed at a shocked expression that was unlike her.

"TJ are you alright? You look like you have seen a ghost," The guild master said. He could say the same for her. Was his appearance that upsetting? She took him by the hand and immediately brought him towards the box. "Let us go quickly. You must tell me what happened once we return."

She lead him back to her home and closed the door after him before inviting him in. At the end of the hallway there was a pair of rucksacks neatly placed next to each other, seemingly filled to the brim with a variety of goods an adventurer could utilize, but also all of it neatly packed in. Peorth returned to the stove and returned to what she had started to prepare. At the small table fit for maybe four or so people, there were a couple of plates and other utensils set out, courtesy of the guild master, a single candle rested at the center of the table. She seemed to have her hands awfully full, so he approached awkwardly.

"Can I help you out Chief?" He asked.

She turned to him and smiled kindly. "I appreciate the offer TJ, but tonight you are my guest. Please, take your time freshening up and have a seat. Dinner will be ready shortly."

After he caught a glimpse of himself in the reflection of the doors, maybe she was on to something. He looked like he had seen death itself, and even he was unsettled by his mirror image. He rose from the chair and made his way to the bathroom before he closed the door behind him and flicked the light on. The lightbulbs upon the mirrors flickered to life and gave him a view of it in its entirety. A couple of towels hung on a rack while another pair rested on one that was stuck within the wall. All sorts of toiletries and makeup were neatly lined upon a stand that stood above and around the toilet, and toothpaste, brushes and glasses cleaner circled the sink. The Abellan stood in the center of it all, his image stared back at him and looked more miserable than he really felt within which it startled him. His eyes were bloodshot and beads of sweat still ran down his cheeks and arms. Did his breathing really sound that heavy?

"God Ah I'm a mess..." He sighed before he shook his head. He turned on the water and lowered his head into the sink to splash himself with it a couple times. The cool liquid felt good against his face after his journey through the streets and he shuddered at the thought. How long would things remain that way? He felt a bit thankful that a new dungeon appeared, just to get away from the commotion within the city for a while, but there was a bigger problem that ailed him. Once again, he would have to face off with a Sinner. They had only fought one of the seven, and she had given his entire party a world of trouble. There were six left, Choen Palm and Asmodeus himself. The water continued to swirl down the drain and TJ clenched his fists as he grit his teeth, brows furrowed and eyes closed. He was not strong enough-not yet, both inside and out. How could he have faltered in the last fight and put everyone in danger? Were the battles in Elfa and Kimara Research not enough to make him realize how dangerous even a moment of hesitation could be? The thought of seeing another of his allies die before him was overwhelming, and he could not bear to let such an event come to pass so long as he could prevent it.

...But what if I fail?

He opened his eyes and shook his head before he slapped himself across the right cheek. He was being ridiculous. Those very thoughts, those moments are what created his weakness. He had to be stronger than that-he was stronger than that, and with his allies by his side he could be so much more than he was now. As Peorth had said, they need to have faith in her, and Su had once said something akin to it also. Just as she would protect him, he would do the same for all of them. He took a deep breath and faced himself, a fire was lit within his deep brown eyes, and he felt he had grown just a bit. His confidence still had so much room for growth, but for now he overcame his weakness. He shut the tap off as a gentle chuckle escaped his lips. Facing the Sinner was one problem of two-he was having dinner alone with his guild master, and he was still as of yet to prepare himself for that challenge. He hoped he would not do anything too embarrassing in her presence, but he knew without a doubt that was bound to happen. At the very least, he dedicated himself to not scare her any further with his shaken appearance. He smiled at himself and gave a nod of approval. These times, he needed to cherish them. There was no time to be sulking, and even less so to let that hold him back from enjoying the time he had.

He emerged from the washroom feeling rather refreshed and made his way back to the table before taking a seat as Peorth emerged from the kitchen with a saucepan held in hands protected by oven mitts. She wore a simple white apron over her dress this time around. The guild master carefully placed the sauce pan down before opening it up and serving the meal on both plates, the scent wafted through the room.

"Smells good!" TJ said excitedly after smelling it himself.

"I am glad. It is my first time preparing this meal so I hope that it is to your liking. My...cooking repertoire is a bit lacking at the moment, so I have been experimenting somewhat with some new meal ideas that I have learned during my travels." She responded. Her face seemed rather flushed, potentially from the steam that arose from the pan. After she had placed some in both plates she brought the pan back to the stove and poured a fizzy orange liquid into both of their cups before sitting down and placing her hands together to mutter a few words.

TJ scooped a bit of food into his fork and took a bite, smiling with delight at the taste. It was as good as it looked, and he found himself impressed but not surprised that her food was delicious. She was a girl who had all the reason to be but lacked the confidence in all of her talents. He stole a glance at her as she silently ate with her lips curled into a tiny smile. For a couple moments his gaze remained fixated on her and he quickly shifted it back to his food as he spun his fork around, thinking of how he could strike up a conversation with her.

"Hey Chief..." He began lifting his eyes to meet hers, and she doing the same, raising an eyebrow to acknowledge that he had her attention. "Could you tell me a bit about the time before I had lost my memories?" He had not forgotten that she had mentioned some of her own memories were missing also, but perhaps a few still remained of their time together, leaving aside that which he had become familiar with through Memorius Sanctum.

She nodded. "It has been some time since, but once upon a time while my Keruz and you were still with me, we had ventured through the Temple of Pluton and into the Lair of the Evil Dragon. My, it was still very early on in our journey then, and the first of the Instance Dungeons we had challenged." She smiled gently and nostalgically upon him. "You were so young then, you were so full of vim and curiosity the eldest of us had a hard time keeping up with you. Your fascination with what waited within, from the traps to the Agasura had everyone running about, but as we went along you had it all marked down with illustrations at the promise of helping other adventurers starting out somewhere." She closed her eyes gently. "That kindness of yours is something that has not been affected after all of these years. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that you were chosen as the Abellan-because within you is a love that knows no bounds. Perhaps it is due to your infinite bravery or untapped potential." She laughed gently. "Just promise me that should we come across another dragon, that you will not attempt to ride it, hmm? I would prefer seeing you on the ground where the risk of falling into magma is non-existent."

He blinked at her final words and chuckled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. It was a good thing that she had not come along for the fight against Avaritia or she would be terrified for his safety. Though there was something in her reminiscing that captured his attention-her mention of his curiosity and their marking the sights with illustrations and such things...were rather reminiscent of his Monster Manual. "Chief, did I have that Monster Manual during that time?" If he recalled correctly, Invoke was one of the creatures seen within it. Could the two be related?

She nodded gently. "I was the one who illustrated it."

"Y-you did?!" She nodded again.

"In a sense, it was a group effort. Our whole party made contributions to the book, from their own suggestions of text to the occasional extra drawings scattered within the book. There were still many things that we were yet to see during our journey due to our separation but...that is the past. You are here now. We are reunited again, and I could not ask God Ah for any more than this. You give the Cerebians and Humanity hope, but you are also my dear companion of the past, present, and future."

Her words were kind, and they warmed his heart from the inside out, but there was also a certain loneliness within them that perhaps was something of his own speculation. He was but one of her many dear companions, the others lost in the battle of the City of Iron, and Straw Hat to his own hands. Was it because he was the Abellan that Peorth could look past all of his misdeeds? Was it because he was necessary? He had thought about how holding grudges towards himself for what had happened in the past could lead to a despair that would be difficult to escape on his own, but even so would changing the future really suffice? He still found himself hard-pressed to forgive the things out of his control, and even more so that were within it. What about the Sinners? Perhaps Peorth and the other Cerebians believed that the only way to defeat Asmodeus would be to integrate the Seven Sinners, but what if they could fight side by side against their shared...father? He continued to eat absent-mindedly, his eyes trained on his food and his body moving as if it was in someone else's hands, the food seemingly disappearing before him but each bite having less and less effect on him. He wondered what Avaritia meant when she had said it was as God Ah intended. Why would God Ah want the destruction of the world? If the Cerebians believed in him, or whatever it was, why would they stray away from what he actually wanted them to do? That matter aside, what about Adonis? If the others were not considered to be Asmodeus' children, and Adonis was, where did TJ come into the picture? If Asmodeus really was his parent, for what reason did he lack any and all memories of him and the other Sinners? Just who was Adonis, and moreover who was TJ?

"TJ," Peorth's voice snapped him out of his reverie and he glimpsed at an empty plate before raising his head to look at the guild master, her eyebrows knit and her eyes shining in the flickering candlelight between them. Most of it had burned away and he got a clear view of her face on the other side of the table from him. "You seem to be rather upset. Will you speak to me about it?"

"D-do I?" He smiled and laughed in spite of the truth in her statement. "It's nothing, don't worry! Just needed to mull a few things over, but it's nothing too important or worrisome."

"TJ, you have always had a very telling way of when you were concerned with matters. You would knit your eyebrows, stare at your shoes or suddenly become rather quiet. Other times you would clench your fist or hold one of your arms behind your back." She blinked slowly, her gaze eased. "Despite our separation, despite the lost memories, there are still many things I remember about you. I do not want you to fear speaking to me, as at times I may come off as intimidating to some, but I assure you I can manage any and all burdens or concerns you may have. Please, feel free to confide in me. You need not do so now but I do have a request, if you feel that you would like to deepen our bond."

He swallowed hard, the tone she took was serious, not as she was on a regular basis, but one that had shown her concern and conviction to facing whatever life would throw her way. "What's that Chief?"

There were a couple of moments of silence. The ticking of the clock behind the Abellan sounded in a perfectly steady rhythm-the flames licked the air above them and their light was reflected in the guild master's eyes. "I would like you to spend the night together with me."

The expression she wore was serious-it was not unusual for her to joke with that very same one, but despite that fact he still could not help but think that she was not kidding around this time. "T-that's umm...a little...well, Kooh's not rubbing off on you, is she?" It seemed like it would be something that the Governor suggested she do. But Peorth usually had reservations about her cousin's ridiculous ideas, to a certain degree.

The queen shook her head solemnly. "This is not Kooh's suggestion. It is something I have given thought and decided of my own accord. You need not agree to this, TJ, because it is not a necessary action you need take, nor an order from guild master to subordinate. It is a request from me to you."

Her expression did not falter, and despite his own reservations on the matter he had a hard time talking himself out of it. His gaze remained focused on her, and his on him, and there was something in the look that she gave him that had spoken to him-he would believe in her, in her way of doing things. He trusted her whole-heartedly, both with his body and his heart. If it was her, she would know what to do. She could calm the storms within, and set a path for him to follow ever onwards in his destiny. "I'll do it Chief." He lowered his face slightly in embarrassment, as he brought his eyes up slightly. "We just need to sleep together tonight right? I can do that." He tried to make his voice sound a bit deeper in fear of it squeaking.

"I appreciate your cooperation TJ. Shall I prepare a bath for you while I clean up?" She asked as she rose to her feet.

"A-yeah please!" He answered automatically. Just getting out those words was tough, and his face felt hot as she approached to claim the plate and cup and bring them into the kitchen-her stalwart figure came and went as if her suggestion was the most natural thing in the world.

She returned shortly after and offered him a nod. "The bath is ready. Please, take your time. There are spare pajamas inside also that you can wear once you are finished."

"T-thanks Chief." He arose to his feet and she nodded once more before entering the kitchen once again to clean up. He made his way back to the bathroom and closed the door behind him before he undressed and set his clothes down in a pile. He attempted to fold them, but despite his best efforts they still looked messy. He walked over to the bathtub and placed a foot in, instinctively pulling away out of fear of the heat, but to his surprise the temperature was just right. He eased himself into the bathtub and let out a sigh of relief naturally before he leaned back and got comfortable-the scent of lavender filled the entire room and put his mind at ease.

His thoughts wandered back to the guild master wearing her nightgown and his face felt hot. Was she going to wear that again tonight? If so he would not know where to look-he tried to cast away the thoughts and think on something else. It was a little on the unusual side. Was it normal for people to sleep together like that? She and Kooh had done it before, so maybe not, but TJ did not sleep in the same bed as Curt and Robo, though the two often woke up in the same bed, each ending up in the other's on differing mornings. He chuckled gently at the memory. The reason Peorth had suggested this was to deepen their bond. If two people had a deep bond, what did that mean? Would they fight better together? They would certainly be better friends. Did sleeping together come before dating? When does the kissing come in?! He submerged the bottom half of his head in the water and began to blow bubbles. Where was Verun when he needed him? He should have given him a more detailed explanation on those things. What if he was a bad kisser? The Abellan knit his eyebrows. What was he going to do if that moment came? He placed his fingers to his lips as he recalled the event with Freya-it happened so quickly and suddenly he did not know what to think of it. Was that the proper way to do it? His thoughts wandered to the idea of Peorth being in her shoes and he slammed his face into the water before screaming into it to let out all the built-up tension. He raised his head and gasped for air before letting out a long sigh. He slapped his cheeks twice and exhaled gently as a series of ripples flowed out from around him and eventually came to a halt.

After taking a bit more time in the bath he climbed out and put on the clothes that were offered to him-underwear and all. For a moment he considered questioning which of the two wore boxer shorts, or simply owned them but he deemed the thought something beyond him and left it as is. He gathered his clothes up and made his way out, making his way to his own bag and storing them within for the time being. Following that he went to the entrance of the kitchen and peered inside as she washed the dishes and hummed gently. The sound of her voice enchanted him once more and made him reminisce of the two learning Velvet's song together.

He did not want to interrupt her but decided better to let her know than wait. "Chief, I'm finished." He made sure to empty the bathtub.

"Is that so?" She looked over her shoulder, her hands covered in dish soap and her gaze remained trained on him for a couple moments before they went back to the dishes. "Take your time to rest. I shall join you anon."

He closed his eyes as he walked away and looked down at his hands, hidden within the sky blue sleeves of the pajamas he was lent. A series of eggs and chicks hatching from them adorned the entirety of it, and due to his small stature the outfit was surprisingly large. He approached a room at the far end of the hall, still visible with the light coming from the kitchen and stopped at the door. A pair of wings were overlapped with the guild master's name in large colourful letters, and though he found himself thankful for it he was a little surprised by it. It did not quite seem fitting for something the usually serious guild master would have, but it was likely a sign that he had a lot to learn, or recall about her. He flicked the light on and could not resist the urge to glance around the room. The walls were turquoise and there were a group of dressers next to him and on one side of the wall, a wardrobe built into the western wall. Beside the bed were a pair of nightstands, one had a picture on it and the other a series of things, ranging from makeup to supplies related to her glasses. Upon one of the dressers was a rather large prisping doll, and another a king goblin. TJ cringed at the goblin but chuckled gently afterwards. There was a clock on the wall that ticked gently, shaped like a cat with a tail that wagged and eyes that shifted to and fro also. He approached the bed and sat in it, the blankets red with white frilly lace, and the bed itself rather soft. Extremely so in fact! He flopped against it and bounced slightly. There was a glint in his eyes. The next thing he knew he bounced on the bed, going here and there as he had the time of his life before he realized what he had done and lay flat against it. He took a deep breath and sighed gently. It had the guild master's scent, and just like the lavender in the bath it was calming. He felt as if she was already there by his side-that she was all around him, his cheek softly pressed against the comforter. He crawled under the sheets and took his place on the left side of the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

It was not long before Peorth stepped into the room wearing plain violet pajamas with her hair in a bun.

"Are you still awake TJ?" She asked, and his head-half hidden under the sheets peered at her and nodded. "I am going to turn out the lights now." His heart pounded fiercely. He watched as her figure reached out to it and flicked it off, which submerged them in darkness and really made him come to realize that it was just the two. The sound of her footsteps against the carpet and as she shuffled into the bed made his heart race. "How do you fare now? Any better?"

He felt worse for several different reasons. He thought that his heart would leap out of his chest at the event he experienced at that very moment, but he would not tell her that. She was not bothered in the slightest by the event, so he decided that he would brave through it. "Yep. I'm great!" His voice squeaked. He wanted to cover his face in embarrassment then and there, but instead gripped the blanket, shut his eyes and pursed his lips in frustration.

Suddenly, he felt Peorth's hands wrap around his head and she pulled him close to her, the queen's chin rested against his head and the top of his pressed to her throat, his face gently rested against her chest and the sound of her heart beat steadily followed shortly after. "TJ, tonight I shall tell you a secret that very few of my friends know about me, so let it remain a secret between us yes?" He felt her heartbeat speed up and he nodded ever so slightly, the warmth of her body spreading to him. "When I was just a child, I had feared lightning like nothing else. On stormy nights I would flee my bed and take refuge in my parents' where they would hold me and comfort me just like this. My mother would hum a lullaby to me so that I would sleep peacefully amidst the sounds of the storm until I fell asleep, and we would look out at the rainbow when the sun had risen the following morning." She chuckled ever so gently. "They had taught me that it is not something that is meant to be feared, after all, it is a sign of the bonds between the heavens and the earth. It shows that the gods above are watching us, and that on the darkest nights they will light our way and give us the courage we need to push onward. You are not alone, TJ. You must realize this too. It is okay to be afraid, to have doubts, to be unsure in the face of new challenges-and when you are, I will be there. I will hold you just like this, and I will remind you as many times as you need that I will be here. I will not die, nor will I abandon you, and should you lose your memories, I will find you and walk by your side again. Whatever we may face, let us do it together."

He clasped his hands together as he closed his eyes, the feeling of her body pressed against his was comforting, and familiar. Where did that sensation come from, and why did it feel nostalgic to him? Had someone held him in the past just as she did now? In another sense, just by what she had told him it had felt as if he shared in her memory, her experiences, the life that she lived. "Thanks Chief. So long as I can find a clue, anything that will lead me back to you I'll traverse the continent as many times as it takes so we can be reunited. With you by my side...I think I could do anything, be anything...I can be brave. If even just a little bit."

"I could not ask anything more of you than that."

The two lay in silence for a while, and before he knew it he had fallen asleep, the sound of Peorth's gentle humming followed him into the world of dreams-the one that he had peaceful, of the young boy and girl from many a years ago.