This chapter has now been rewritten for the enjoyment of its readers.

"…up."

Church disregarded the vague voice that called out to him and rolled onto his back, trying to stay asleep and ignore whoever was trying to awaken him.

"…wake up…"

Church's eyes remained closed as he furrowed his brow and muttered a reply to the anonymous voice. "…ugh, go away…"

"Church, wake up!"

Church bolted upright as the soft, distinctly male voice suddenly bellowed at him in annoyance. Before the flailing soldier could say anything in response, his opened eyes noticed his surroundings in surprise. He was surrounded by darkness and strange stellar constellations, and unusual obsidian pillars floated all around him. Looking down at his feet, Church realized that he was floating as well.

"Whoa!" Was all he could say as he reached his arms out for the nearest floating pillar and clutched onto it, out of fear that he would fall into the space-like abyss below him.

"W-where am I?!"

He had uttered the question to himself, but Church received an answer anyway.

"That is unimportant. What is important right now is what I have to tell you. Listen."

Church looked in all directions for the speaker of the calm and serene male voice, but he couldn't see anyone. "Who are you? Or where are you, more importantly?"

"God."

"S-seriously...?

"No, of course not. My name Is Daedalus.

Church cocked an incredulous eyebrow, surprised and somewhat worried that an invisible man in his head was pranking him in some unknown dimension. "What kind of name is that?"

The unseen orator humphed. "Well, what kind of name is Church? That's the name of a congregation or a building, not a person."

Church frowned at the retort. "Touche."

"On a far more important note, I believe you have been wandering aimlessly long enough. I'm sure you want answers as to how and why you're here, yes?"

Despite how insane this all seemed, Church decided he may as well entertain the voice that was speaking to him. "You're saying you know?"

"Of course. I brought you here, after all."

"You brought me here?"

The faceless yet somehow still calming voice responded in a matter of fact manner. "Indeed. You woke up in a seemingly different world after an explosion in Greenland, correct?

Unsure of how much faith he should put in a mysterious voice, Church decided to just go along with the conversation. "That's right..."

"Excellent! I was almost worried that I was talking to the wrong person here."

Church scratched his head while holding onto the floating obsidian pillar with the other. "OK mysterious ambient voice, so you're telling me that you're the reason I'm... wherever it is I woke up that day?"

"That's right. And it wasn't easy, let me tell you. Even with the opportunity provided to me by what happened in Greenland, it took far more energy than I would have liked, and-"

Church cut off the voice upon hearing that. "Opportunity?! My sister could be dead!"

Daedalus overpowered Church's outrage with his incredibly loud voice. "Calm down, Church. Your sister and squad are both completely unharmed. I protected them from the explosion that served as the portal to bring you here."

Church grumbled aloud. "Well nice job protecting me: I remember having a hole ripped in my side by flaming shrapnel, but apparently that doesn't count as something I need to be protected from."

Daedalus sounded slightly offended. "Hey, I did my best! There was a lot of shrapnel, and I protected your sister and your teammates! Isn't that enough? I have been shielding you during your journey ever since you arrived."

"Shielding me?" Church said incredulously. "Do you know how many times I've been beaten to a pulp in the last two months? How many people have tried to kill me? And what about that rock-slide? How'd you protect me from that?!"

Daedalus unleashed a bout of booming laughter that almost sounded apologetic. "Well, actually I caused that rockslide, so that doesn't really count…"

"You caused it!?"

The mysterious voice responded cheerily. Much too cheerily for Church's liking all things considered. "Yes, but I did protect you from the ensuing carnage. Besides, if I hadn't done it, you would have never met your pointy-eared friends, now would you?"

Church knew that was probably true. "So you nearly killed me just so I could make some friends?"

"I suppose I did, didn't I? But I think you're OK with it. I already know you miss them, and would gladly fall off of another cliff if it meant you could see them again."

"I-I suppose…"

Daedalus' voice lowered to a softer tone. "All three of them are fine, you know. Tired, stressed, and sad, but fine. And you'll see them again: it's all part of the plan."

The only human present scowled at the darkness around him. "All part of the plan? Was it part of your plan for me to ruin their lives? I got them exiled from their own home."

The invisible orator sighed. "Yes, you did. And no, I didn't want that to happen. I did want them to leave the forest, but not because of something like what happened. However, you meeting them was no accident: you will need their strength and their friendship in the future. The same goes for your current companions."

Church responded venomously. "You have a plan for ruining their lives too? Care to share?"

Daedalus sounded slightly irritated and even a little angry as he countered Church's negative reply. "Some sacrifices will be necessary in the days to come. For if they are not offered to fate, this whole continent, and all of its people, will be doomed to a fate worse than death. I have brought you here because you have a special ability few men possess. With your help, the future can be molded into a happier time for everyone; including the people you have already met and ones you will meet in the future."

Needless to say Church wasn't taking all of this at face value. "A special ability? I can't wait to hear this one."

Daedalus sighed, not used to having to explain himself considering his last conversation had been several centuries ago. "A good heart. That is the ability that you have. Kindness, caring, concern for your fellow man: qualities of a pure soul if ever there was one."

The sniper answered with a bitter laugh. "Pure soul? Do you have any idea how many people I've killed?"

"Exactly one hundred and seventy eight. But were they innocent people, or wicked villains that threatened your friends, family, and countrymen? You slew your enemies for the sake of the ones you loved. You risked your life to protect those you cared about. Killing to protect those you love is not evil."

Church said nothing in reply. Although he hated to admit it, he liked to hear himself spoken well of like this. His silence prompted Daedalus to continue. "Not all conflict is immoral, you know. Sometimes, conflict is inevitable. As long as you fight for the right reasons, as you do, then you have no reason to degrade yourself over what you do. You have a special agenda Church: one that I have summoned you here for."

The man in question cocked an eyebrow, still holding onto the pillar that made him feel secure in this limbo world. "And what is this agenda? What do you want from me?'

Daedalus laughed once again, but it was softer and sounded more fatigued than it had before. "For that answer you must wait. I grow tired, as it costs me much energy to hold this link with you from where I am. Suffice to say that you are here to protect the weak, and mold a better future for those you will come to love."

Church wanted to say something, as he knew that this conversation was coming to a close. He had to learn more. "H-hold on! I don't understand!"

There was another chorus of rumbling laughter, more jolly and energized than previously. "Of course you don't! But worry not, Church. I will explain everything to you in good time, when I know you are ready."

"How will you know when I'm ready? What makes me ready?"

As Daedalus made his final response, Church could hear his voice growing weaker, as if he were moving farther away. "I will know. Now if I'm not mistaken, someone is waiting for you back in the wakeful world. Don't keep her waiting!"

That was the last Church heard from the mysterious voice before the world around him started to crumble. The pillars began disintegrating, and the air around him was literally cracking, causing a deafening cascade of sound all around him. It took only a split second for everything to collapse, smothering him in darkness.

Church jolted into wakefulness and wrapped his arms around the nearest object, hoping it was that obsidian pillar that he had been clinging to a few moments ago. As he buried his face into something soft and strangely gelatinous feeling, he realized what he was holding onto was certainly not a hard, floating pillar.

As he heard the giggle that emanated from his unfortunate (Or perhaps she thought otherwise?) victim, Church turned his face away from what he had buried it into and looked up at Melona, who was grinning slyly.

"You know Church: I'm starting to think that you just pretend to sleep until I'm close to you just so you can shove your face in lewd places. That's not true, is it?"

Church blushed and removed his face from where he had accidentally stuck it upon waking from his fitful slumber. "Or maybe you wait until you're close enough for me to do it before waking me up, because you like using my reflexes for your entertainment?"

The pink-clad girl giggled cheerily once again. "Your reflexes? So you're a subconscious pervert then, huh?"

Saying nothing to defend himself, Church merely rolled his eyes at Melona's merciless teasing. In doing so, he spotted Airi off to his left, sitting on a large stump that probably used to be a tree similar to the ones back in Syrinidell. To say she looked exhausted was a criminal understatement.

Airi rested her chin on her hand, and her usually vibrant emerald eyes, now a murky, glazed over green, stared aimlessly into space. It irritated Church to no extent that he knew something was wrong with her, and yet he could do nothing about it because Airi refused to tell him what it was. Didn't she trust him?

"Worried about her?"

Church turned to face Melona, who had pulled his attention away from Airi's condition. "Of course I am. I just shoved my face into your tits and she didn't even throw a displeased glance over here. That's an obvious sign that something is wrong."

Melona smiled at the humorous comment, but the seriousness of the subject kept her from laughing. "Yeah… I'm sure she's thinking about things that aren't exactly pleasant. Airi's usually in a pretty good mood, but when she gets depressed, she gets really depressed. Really puts a dampener on everyone's mood."

Her conversational partner frowned. "But why? She's been like this ever since we left the forest. Did something happen while we were separated? Something that made her like this?"

The overly pink member of the duo scratched her head nonchalantly, but the look on her face had tension written all over it. "Not exactly…"

"So there is something. What is it?"

Melona smiled at him again, but it wasn't the cheery kind or even the creepy kind he had come to dislike: it was the apologetic kind that meant someone was lying to your face.

"Well maybe she just misses all of the trees. Airi's one of those people that really likes nature, you know?"

Such a blatant lie earned a deep scowl from Church. "Seriously Melona? I'm not gonna fall for that."

A little disappointed in herself since lying was one of her strong suits, Melona sighed. "Look, I'll be the first to admit that I'm nosy myself and not the best at keeping other people's secrets, but it's really not my place to tell you about Airi's personal problems."

Church glared at her. "If it's so personal, how come you know about it?"

"And just what's that supposed to mean?"

Given room to continue, Church did just that. "Well I seem to be the only person left out of things in our little band of musketeers. You haven't told me anything. I don't know where we're going, what anyone around here is doing, hell, I don't even really know who you two are! Is there a reason I don't know any of this?"

The pinkette glared at him, not at all happy to stand accused in such a manner, though for a reason that was beyond Church's immediate ability to understand. "We don't have to tell you everything Church. In fact, we don't have to tell you anything. You decided to tag along with us, remember?"

For some reason these words agitated Church more than he felt they should have. "Yeah, because I trusted you. Don't I have a right to know something?"

"Look Church, this is what you're not getting: you're a tag along that we allowed because we were bored. Don't go looking for a deeper meaning in all of this."

Now those words in particular really hurt. "So that's how it is then?"

Melona shrugged nonchalantly. "That's how it is. If you don't like it, feel free to head off on your own. No one's stopping you."

At that the girl got to her feet and sauntered off, and Church was left alone in the copse of trees that the trio had stopped in for a break. Melona's words hurt, but Church didn't really believe them. They had gone out of their way to search for him in Syrinidell hadn't they? He was more than a tag along, despite what Melona had said.

Still, she certainly had the capacity for saying some cruel things... for now though, he needed to focus on Airi. She wasn't herself and there had to be a reason for it, which Church was determined to discover and rectify. Unfortunately, said redhead had mysteriously disappeared at some point during Church and Melona's conversation. But she certainly couldn't have gone that far, and Church now had nothing better to do than seek her out and hopefully put a smile back on her face.

Airi leaned against one of the trees that made up this small copse on the edge of the grassy plains she and her friends had covered over the past few days. She briefly wondered if Church had done something similar for a large portion of the month he had spent in the forest. It was a fleeting distraction however, and her thoughts quickly returned to brooding on her current situation, which had been brought to her attention by Melona.

Her own feelings were making everything more complicated. Her existence at this point was supposed to be simple: serve the Swamp Witch with everything she had. Yet here she was, feeling conflicted over doing just that for the sake of someone she had known for just a few weeks.

To think that a man was the focal point of her problems agitated Airi a great deal, though not in that sense. Church was a nice guy. He was clever and kind and just an all around good person. And that was enough for Airi to like him, because she herself was a good person. While she had no problem with serving the Swamp Witch, Airi didn't think it right to condemn someone else to a life of servitude for no reason.

But technically that conflicted with her service to the Witch, because it would further the Witch's interests to have more servants. This was the core of Airi's internal conflict at the moment, because not for the first time, her nature as a kind person conflicted with her loyalty to an evil being.

In the mire of confused and conflicted thoughts that she was buried in, Airi didn't hear the approaching footsteps behind her until it was too late to hide from them. And unfortunately, it wasn't Melona, because these footsteps didn't have the light footfalls that usually accompanied hers.

Airi rose to her feet to get ready to deflect all of Church's petty questions about her thoughts. Hopefully she could convince him that she wanted to be left alone with relative ease. As his footsteps halted a few feet away from her, Airi turned to face her worried companion.

"I know what you're going to ask, and I don't want to answer."

"Is there some time when you will?"

Knowing that things couldn't have been easy, Airi sighed. "Not likely."

"So what you're saying is you'll never want to talk about it?"

"Exactly. So won't you just stop worrying about?"

Church scowled at her request. "Just stop worrying about it? Airi, you're nothing like you were before that stupid rockslide. I don't think I've seen you smile once since we left the forest behind. It's not right to see you so unhappy. I'm just worried about you."

Aside from hearing that he was genuinely concerned for her, Airi found it a little heartwarming that Church's standard mental image of her included a smile. Even so, she wasn't going to be so easily persuaded to share her troubles. "Look Church, I appreciate your concern, but can't you see that I don't want to talk about it?"

"Can't you see that I really don't care?"

His answer earned Church an incredulous glare from Airi. That was unbelievably rude of him. In the short time she had known him, Church was usually much more tactful.

"What?"

If Airi's now irritable glare did anything to dissuade Church from continuing, it wasn't obvious.

"Look, maybe you want to keep this to yourself. I get that. But if something is bothering you so much you aren't even being yourself, I think it's best if you share it with someone. That said, I don't care if you don't want to talk about it. Besides, don't you trust me?"

The sadness in that final question stung Airi a bit more than she had expected it would. Was he actually hurt by the thought of her not trusting him? If so, Airi wanted to fix it. It wasn't that she didn't trust Church, it was just better for him to stay in the dark. It was for his own good, and maybe she could get him to understand that.

Besides, concern was one thing, but to care enough about someone that you'd be willing to make them angry at you because of it... it made her happy. As much as she wanted to deny it, Church's words had made Airi really happy. It had been a long time since anyone had cared enough about her to bother asking what was wrong and why. It was such a simple show of concern yet one that truly gave the redhead joy.

"You're that determined just because you're worried about me?"

Church scratched the back of his head, the subconscious mannerism a result of his embarrassment. "Y-yeah, of course. I mean, we're friends… aren't we? Shouldn't we look out for each other?"

Airi smiled slightly. Every time she convinced herself that she could cut all ties with this man without remorse, he manged to endear himself even further. She could hardly believe he wasn't doing it on purpose. "Yes… yes we should. But even so…"

Church furrowed his brow at hearing her say that, convinced that the headway he had made was about to amount to nothing. "Even so what?"

The woman he was talking to sighed again, contemplating hugging the person she was speaking with as some silent thanks for his worries but ultimately deciding that it was unwarranted.

"Do you trust me Church? You claim to see me as a friend, but do you think I view you the same way?"

He gave it a moment of brief thought. It could have been questioned before the forest, but afterwards, how could he not consider her his friend? "Of course I do."

His answer reassuring her, Airi locked eyes with her friend, and not for the first time she thought about how alluring the deep blue of his gaze was: neither the ocean nor the sky could hold a candle to it. "Then please try to understand this. No matter how much I do or don't trust you, and no matter how good of friends we may be or may become… there are just some things I can't tell you."

"But-!"

She cut him off before he could protest. "Church, please. I know that you're worried about me: and I'm really glad that you are. You don't know how happy it makes me just to know that you care enough to be worried. But these things I can't tell you, it's not because I don't trust you. It's for your own good."

Church stared back into Airi's flawless emerald eyes as he answered, only able to avoid dwelling on how beautiful they were due to the serious conversation at hand. "But I'm not worried about my well-being, Airi. I'm worried about yours."

The afterlife maid smiled sadly. She was sad because she had to keep secrets from someone that trusted her, but she was also happy that Church cared for her at least this much. Her life (and her afterlife) had not seen fit to pair her with many people to truly call her friend. "I know. But even so, I still can't tell you."

"Airi-"

"You're one of the few people I've been able to call friend in my life Church. Please allow me this much."

Church nodded, embarrassment written all over his face. This situation was just so earnest and open about friendship and all, which was kind of a rarity for him. Most people never actually bothered bringing this kind of stuff out in the open.

Still, Airi didn't want an awkward silence to ensue now, so she made a jest to lighten the situation. "And if you ever wake up like you did this morning when I come to get you, I won't react as merrily as Melona did."

The two of them chuckled together, even though Church was sure that Airi was not entirely kidding. But the moment was cut short when said woman's knees buckled and she collapsed into Church's arms.

"Whoa, Airi, what was that? Are you alright?"

Airi struggled to get back on her feet, blushing furiously the whole time. "I-I'm fine! It's nothing!"

Church helped her regain her balance before giving her a disbelieving look. "So 'nothing' made you fall over like that?"

With no real excuse to offer, Airi turned her eyes away from him. "T-this is one of those things I can't tell you about…"

Church diverted his gaze in irritation, not at all pleased to be subjected to this already, but ultimately he said nothing. Airi on the other hand was wondering just how much longer she was going to last without replenishing her energy. Considering that she was in Church's company at the moment, she was focusing what little she had left into keeping her clothes solid. Melona's suggestion from the forest came back to her, and as much as she hated to consider it, Airi realized she was in dire straits. If she didn't gather some life force very soon, she risked fading from the physical plane.

"Um, Church?"

"Yeah?"

Inwardly, Airi berated herself for doing what she was about to do, but she knew she had no choice. "If you could do a really big favor for me, even if it was… not exactly in your best interests..."

Church didn't spare a moment to answer before she even finished. "I would do it. Without a second thought."

Airi knew that with the details, Church would probably not agree so readily, but she needed life force and she also needed to keep her secrets. The redheaded girl reluctantly leaned forward and planted her lips on the cheek of the rather fortunate guy in front of her, and held it for a few seconds. Of course he didn't know it, but the wraith was draining the substantial amount of life force she would need from Church to last her the next few days.

To her own surprise, Airi found that the energy she took from Church felt very different from any she had ever experienced before. She couldn't actually 'taste' it since she wasn't performing the procedure by mouth, but even so Airi could still feel the pleasant difference in this life force and any other she had ever taken. Of course, the flavor and feel of one's life force was determined by the emotions they were having, but Airi was only used to despair, fear, hatred and other negative emotions. After all, no one was happy to be drained... but Church didn't know, so he was probably feeling some positive emotion at the moment. She couldn't really identify what emotion that might have been, but it didn't take Airi very long to decide that she liked it. Even more than any of the normal emotions she faced under these circumstances.

When she finally broke away from the contact, she noticed the red that had climbed all the way to Church's ears as he stammered to find words. The silliness of his look made Airi giggle.

"W-w-what was that for!?"

The maid grinned at him slyly. "Are you complaining?"

"N-no! B-but still…"

Airi quickly made up a lie to diffuse the situation, but it wiped the grin off her face knowing that she was lying to Church once again. After the past few days, lying to him wasn't so easy to ignore. "It was just a little thank you for caring so much. Would you prefer a handshake next time instead?"

Church shook his head, hardly noticing the sudden fatigue he was feeling that had not been present before all of this. "N-no, t-this is fine! Wait…n-next time?!"

Airi began to retreat in the general direction of the camp, waving at him as she went. "And if you want to talk to Melona again, my advice is to do it tomorrow. Just to be safe."

The estranged soldier said nothing in reply as Airi turned her back on him, but she knew that Church would somehow reconcile with the slime. Based off of the conversation she had just shared with him, Airi had discovered that Church had a special talent when it came to people. And because of it, she would spend her next few days quite a bit more cheerfully.

Minor changes throughout this chapter, hardly worth mentioning.