Damien bounced repeatedly on the satin-sheet bed. He was very excited. X watched him with disdain, and, in another corner of the room, Jo leant against the wall.

Skarmandros took that exact moment to walk into the room. Damien stopped bouncing and turned to look at his friend with a smile, and X did the same, but with the normal look of get-me-out-of-here on his face. Only Jo ran up to the demon and game him a quick hug, raising eyebrows.

"Oh, Skar! I'm so glad everything's all right! When the soldiers took you away, we were all so worried…"

Skarmandros sighed and patted Jo on the back. "That's all right." He looked around the room to see Damien and X there, also. A look of perplexity crossed his face. "What are all you lot doing here, anyway?"

"We all heard about your miraculous escape from the dungeon of doooooooooom!" Damien cried. X rolled his eyes.

"A bunch of messengers from the castle came along and told us about what happened last night, so we decided we'd pop by and visit you. Personally I don't care if you're going to be marquess or not, although the irony is quite amusing."

"That's nice, coming from you."

"Well, we'd better go now," Jo interjected. "No doubt you have important duties to attend to."

Skarmandros grinned. "Me? Not likely."

X produced a nasty smile. "Oh, no, I'm sure something will come up."

Skarmandros walked into the room, the scratch of his claws scraping the marble floor resonating off the walls.

The room was empty for the most part, excluding Lucius, at the head of the room clutching his Purge tome and a staff and wearing ornate white robes, and Renault, sitting in a chair on the sidelines, watching the demon's every move. Another Purge tome and his purple staff sat upon his lap, balancing precariously.

"Good afternoon," Lucius addressed. "Are you ready to be 'Purged'?"

Skarmandros smirked. "I've been ready since I was sixteen."

Jo looked up from the floor as a strangely familiar figure entered the room. Jo felt like she had seen him somewhere before, except maybe a bit younger. The man was wearing the blue riding armour befitting Ostians, covered partially by a yellow cloak. His eyes were a beautiful hazel, to match his short-cropped hair, and his face was surprisingly young for the rest of his body, and carefree, as if he had been suddenly lifted of a great burden. His appearance gave him an important air.

"What are you doing in my room?"

Jo was startled when the man spoke – the way he had asked the question was more of curiosity and innocence than anger. His voice was calm and assertive – one that would be good in parliament, Jo thought.

"I'm sorry…I thought this was my friend's room. I was waiting for him to return…sorry…"

Jo got up to leave, but the man raised his hand slightly, as if meaning for her to stay.

"Who do you think I am?"

"What do you mean? I don't understand the question."

"Who do you think I am?" the man repeated.

"Someone…important…a lord…I don't know."

The man laughed, and the very sound of it made the whole room seem a little more cheerful – it was the laugh of someone who had never, until now, felt true happiness.

"What if I told you that you know me…more than you think?"

"Then I would be completely confused, and ask you for your name and what this has to do with your room."

The man smiled. "We are both right. This is your friend's room, and this is my room."

"But I don't even know you."

"You do. Look inside your heart and remember me."

Jo flinched. "I don't know you!"

The man drew back a little. Jo gasped.

"Oh, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to-"

The man sighed. "Good thing I still have this, then. Otherwise you would never have recognised me."

The man took a small ebony box out of his cloak. "Be careful, and don't touch it. You don't want to end up like what I once was…"

Jo's eyes widened as the man opened the box.

Inside laid a golden amulet on a gilded chain stained with blood that had long since dried. The amulet was in the shape of a dragon's head, but inset with emerald eyes that were now dulled. It was clear that the amulet was very old, and had been worn by someone for a good period of his or her life. Someone who had fought many battles, killed many people…

And yet, a small fire glowed in the emerald eyes, fire that left Jo transfixed to the amulet. Who knows how long she would have stayed staring at it had the man not closed the box.

Jo gasped. The amulet seemed so familiar, and yet something in her head wasn't clicking…she needed some sort of hint-

The man smiled, as if reading her mind. "You know, I wore this thing for a long, long time. I'm just glad I'm finally free of it. Damned curse…the Archsage says he'll try and destroy this blasted thing tomorrow…that way, no-one else will ever fall under its demonic spell…"

Jo smiled with tears in her eyes. She ran up to the man and hugged him tight, as if never wanting to let him go.

"Skarmandros…they did it…they saved you…"

He returned Jo's embrace. "You may call me Matthew now, Josephine. Only a cursed man uses a cursed name."

They finally released each other. Matthew smiled, pulling another box, this one much more ornate, out of his cloak.

"And this brings me to my next…duty."

Matthew got down on one knee and opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

"Josephine of Pherae, will you marry me?"

Jo smiled. "Of course I will, Matthew. You know that."

Matthew beamed, and stood gain with a much more serious expression on his face. "Josephine…you know that day in the clearing, when I said I would make you immortal? I…kind of can't do that now."

Jo laughed. "That's all right. As long as we're together…"