A/N Once again I have updated somehow. But anyways, it's a short chapter this one and as usual I hope you like it.

Chapter eight: the paths taken

"Your highness."

Chung looked up to the soldier who was addressing him as such, a tired and pained look on his face. It had been three days since the fall of Hamel, and whoever had survived and managed to flee were taking camp in the forests between the border of Hamel and Sander.

"Speak," the prince growled, obviously in a bad mood.

"Some of your citizens-"

"Their not mine, their my fathers," he interrupted. Deep down he felt he had no right to be their leader. If his father were here, he wouldn't have let this happen. Everyone would have probably survived.

"Nonetheless sire, they look to you for their guidance," the soldier continued, gulping slightly. "As do I. You might not be the king, but you are the next in line. That is enough for us to follow you sir."

Chung stayed silent, thinking of those words. Taking the silence as a means to continue, the soldier did that.

"Some of your citizens want to know of your plans sire. Where are we headed?"

"Sander. Once we arrive, we shall rest up before planning out next move."

From afar Rena watched the Prince talking to the soldier, Rena couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid. He was so young and was forced to be the ruler of Hamel. Helputt, the King of Hamel had gone missing from his home with no traces of why or how. He simply vanished. Chung was mostly affected by the disappearance but he tried not to let that affect him. Tried.

"Poor kid," Elesis commented from behind Rena, earning a raised eyebrow from the sage.

"Yeah he is I suppose," Rena agreed. "He will have to lead his people through a war eventually."

Out the corner of her eye she saw Elesis's tattered and ruined dress that she had worn to the ball. Not like her one was any better.

"This dress was expensive," the red head complained picking up Rena's wavering eyes. "The dressmaker will never accept the return now."

"If you got that from Harvard, he died," Rena replied. "He was drunk and hugged a nasod, who later killed him."

"Oh. I don't know whether to feel happy or not."

The blonde woman didn't answer, but instead her eyes wandered around the camp until it rested onto a certain butler. Who was currently taking off his shirt so he could rip it and use it as a bandage for those that were injured. The sage's eyes wandered around his body, making sure to take in this glorious once in a lifetime opportunity.

"Yo, Rena," Elesis said, clicking her fingers in front of the sage. "Talking to you here."

"I apologise," the sage said, snapping from her thoughts. "I was busy thinking of…stuff."

"I see," the Sieghart said not convinced. "You shouldn't let your mind wander off too much, the enemy still can attack us at any opportune time. Going to check on my dad now, hopefully he has woken up. Later Rena."

Rena smiled and nodded as Elesis walked away. Once she gone from her view, the sage made her way to Raven who had finished wrapping his 'patients' leg.

"I see your prepared for winter," Rena said sarcastically.

Raven turned around sharply, staring into Rena's eyes.

"Was it just my imagination or did little miss perfect have a sense of sarcasm?" he retorted, standing up. "So what can I do for you Rena?"

"Nothing much, just seeing how you were doing."

Once again, Raven seemed confused, before a smile of amusement appeared on his face

"I must say you have changed a lot from our high school days," he continued. "You use to boss people around, thinking yourself higher then everyone...well except for Noah, who you challenged everyday. But then again, that was when the world was peaceful. War truly changes people doesn't it?"

Rena didn't say anything. She remembered her family being slain in front of her very eyes, too scared to do anything. She remembered the battlefield, where her rage had caused her to destroy countless of nasods for killing her family. Even now she could still feel the rage hidden somewhere inside of her, waiting to be unleashed.

"Yes it does," she said sadly, thinking of Noah, her once friend turned enemy. "Sometimes not for the better."

"Thinking about Noah?" Raven guessed. "You know she had no choice."

"I know..."

At that precise moment a silver bird flew throw the camp, before stopping next to Rena. Opening her hand, the message spirit rested in her hand, before the contents of the message entered her body and the bird shattered.

"Tell the Prince I must leave," she stated, the look in her eyes changed. "Seems like some things have turned up."

Elsword stared at the ring in his hand, eyeing the red jewel fused to the golden ring. The small item felt so heavy in his hand despite its weight, for he felt guilty for not trying to find Aisha. His father gave him this ring years ago when he and Aisha first met, as this was their engagement ring. Ever since then he would always wear it around his neck in a small chain. Letting the ring slip back down his formal vest, he closed his eyes, silently praying that Aisha was safe.

"We have to move again," Ignia said, breaking Elsword's train of thought. "It won't be long before the nasods make their move, we must hurry."

Jumping off the rock that she had stood upon, she offered Elsword her hand. He accepted it, being pulled up. Together they started to trek through the woods, careful to not leave any trails for whoever might want to follow them. There was a large silence between the two, and it was obvious to see that Ignia was getting agitated by the lack of talking.

"Nice ring you have there," Ignia blurted, trying to start a conversation. "Your engagement ring?"

"Yes," Elsword answered, smiling. "My father gave it to us when I first met her. I was twelve at the time, and I remembered that we never got along well when we were younger. I suppose I was really annoying then, and she was very stubborn too. Now we get along well."

"You worried about her?" Ignia asked, though to Elsword it sounded more like a statement.

"…Of course I am," the boy whispered. "How could I not be?"

The silence from Elsword was enough for Ignia to chuckle in amusement. She stopped and stuck out her hand.

"Can I see the ring?" she asked.

Slowly Elsword reached into his vest, pulling out the ring, he lifted the chain from his neck, hesitantly passing it to the fire priestess. Ignia careful brought it to her eye, staring at the jewel with interest.

"Your father must be a smart man," she commented. "This was made by Praus wasn't it? The jeweller."

"Yes it was. How did you know?"

"Well this jewel is a connection between you and the other person who wears it," Ignia continued. "So simply put. As long as it's red, your wife is still alive. So to be able to see it at all times, it's best to put it on your finger instead of around your neck Elsword."

Handing back the ring, Elsword stared at the ring and couldn't help but smile at it. Unlatching the chain from it, he slipped it onto his ring finger on his left hand. Then a sudden thought came to him.

"How did you know I had a wife?" he asked.

"I'm the host of a god remember?"

"True," Elsword stated. "So how long to Feita?"

Ignia didn't reply for sometime as something was bugging her at the corner of her mind. She was worried. But that meant Rosso was worried about something. She ignored the feeling, thinking it was just her imagination.

"Three days at least," Ignia replied.

She smirked. If Rosso truly were worried about something she would get a vision or two of the future. She was probably over thinking it.

Altera was the original home of the nasods. After the first nasodian war, the city now belonged to the race of Ponggos that reside in the city. Now only those belonging to the Glenstid family or were in close relations to the Ponggos could enter the large black gates that led into the city. Cause you see, Ponggos were one of the rarer species to walk this world and are sorted after by many. They're pure creatures capable of sensing lie and truth. As such this city was given to them as a means of a safe haven. They despised outsiders, with some being a different case. The Glenstid family, being one of the family's that fought for Ponggo rights were some of those that were trusted by the race. Which leads to the present. Outside the city, at the front of the large gates Lento and Lucy stood.

"State your name and intentions," came the high pitch voice of one guard.

Lento stepped forth, a look of seriousness situated on his face.

"I'm Lento Glenstid, and I wish to enter the Glenstid Archives."

A/N the awkward moment where I just realised that the three sages are very similar to Naruto TT_TT, except gender swapped. I promise I'll somehow make it different though. So anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, as usual read and review if you enjoyed it and I hope to update soon :D.