Sorry! Sorry this chapter is kinda late to everyone who actually reads it, it's kind of a filler. Sorry! But the next chapter, should be better.

The Expected

I woke up in the morning after all the events last night to find the smell of fire burning through my nose. I knew what had happened, but, that wasn't what bothered me. What bothered me was where I was supposed to be at this time, is there the old Riou still running around? Or am I the old Riou? My first task was to go back to Toto and find Kinnison and Shiro.

I walked over to Templeton and Pilika, one of whom was already awake and staring a his map. "Riou…" He began. "Everywhere I've been after this point, isn't on my map anymore."

"Really?" I asked shocked. What else could go wrong?

He nodded and showed me his map. North and South Window weren't on there, Tinto and Gregminister vanished, Cave of the Wind, Kuskus, Drakemouth, Highway Village. They were all gone. Although, Highland was still there. Kyaro, L'Renouille, Rude Forest.

I remember once, when I was small, I got lost in Rude forest, Nanami said that Jowy cried for me to come back, I felt really cared about.

"Templeton, do you know why the Highland cities are there, but not any of the Jowston Alliance?" I asked, pondering why L'Renouille wasn't named Higheast, as it was when we won the war.

He shook his head. "I've barely been to Highland at all." He stated. "Definitely not all of these places, and I- Amelia didn't allow me to go with you into Higheast before it fell."

I knew that, but, why is his map filled with the locations of the enemy? I was confused, extremely confused.

"Bark! Ruuuuff ruuuuff, grrrrr!"

I heard a familiar barking and from a distance I saw Shiro running towards me. "Hey boy, glad to see you made it back okay."

He licked my hand and turned around. I saw Kinnison limping towards us, burns all over his body. From waking up to the smell of flames and burned buildings, I had known what happened. Luca Blight burned the place to the ground.

I looked at my left hand, the shield rune still brightly shining. Why is it here? If I remember correctly, I hadn't gotten the rune 'til after Toto had burned, with Jowy.

But, it might save Kinnison.

I rushed towards his now crippling body. "Kinnison… It's going to be okay.." I said as I began to raise my hand to his body.

He looked at me, eyes pleading to be relieved of pain. "Riou…" He coughed. "It was hard to bear, watching everything burn to the ground… We have to…-"

I whispered a quiet prayer and gently placed my warm hands over his shivering body, over all of his wounds until they completely cleared. "I don't know, if I was supposed to use my rune that way, but, if I didn't I don't know what would happen to you. And I can't even bear the thought of that." The life returned to Kinnison's once pale body, he regained some of his strength, except for of course his exhausted eyes, they stayed red and full of terror.

"Riou… We have to go back…" He began. "There has to be some survivors… Somewhere…" Templeton came up to us relieved.

"Pilika seems to know that her parents may be in a better place, and there isn't a scratch on Shiro." He stated and flashed the archer a quick smile. "I'm glad you look better Kinnison. But how do you feel…?" He asked.

"I'm alright now." He replied.

"Kinnison. How did you get away? Where is the army stationed?" I asked, turning the conversation into something more urgent.

"I escaped when everyone, even the Prince, was asleep in their tents. They are now camped near Muse. Though seeing as I left last night, I don't know where they are now." He said strongly.

"Then, do you think we can make it to Toto without being seen or caught?" Realizing that I sounded more like a strategist, than a friend worried about another's safety. Klaus. Where are they, in the future…? I need to know that Eilie and Kas are okay…

"There isn't a doubt in my mind that we can make it." He said with a smile.

"Good." I replied finally standing up, and helping Kinnison up.

"Lord." Templeton began. "I believe Viki is now in Harmonia. After Toto, I believe our best bet is going there first."

"Do you know how to get there?" I asked, cautiously. "I don't believe it's on your map."

"I have a general idea. She used to tell me these grand stories of her adventures there, how she got there, who and what she ran into. She painted these images in my mind to where if I needed it, I could probably get there with ease." Templeton twiddled his fingers as if awaiting disapproval.

"I'm pretty good with nature. It shouldn't be too awful, though, I think Harmonia is above Highland territory, we would have to disguise ourselves." Kinnison spoke up and Shiro gave a quiet approving bark.

"Well." I sighed. "Let's focus on the task at hand before we go jumping the barrel." I began. "Toto. We need to check on the survival rate?" Pilika grabbed onto my tunic.

"Uncle… I wanna go home…" She cried.

"Come on guys, let's get walking.." I said and we packed up our things.

We arrived in a totally obliterated Toto, nothing was left except a dog and ashes… And the Shrine. The Shrine went untouched. I could hear whimpers and muffled voices coming from it and I walked up.

There were Pilika's parents, bleeding, both near death. I couldn't let Pilika see. I had no rune power left in me from after I saved Kinnison, so healing them was out of the question. Templeton seeed to understand why I pulled Pilika away from the Shrine, and he picked her up and began to search elsewhere.

"Marx… What happened…" I half asked.

"Luca's White Wolf army thrashed in…" He whispered, his wife dying in his hands. "Killed everyone, burned everything… We had this place to go to, but, it didn't stop the fires…"

"I'm so sorry…" I pulled out some medicine from my bag and left it on the ground. "I have not any energy left… I'm so sorry…." I ran out. I couldn't see them die like that, not again.

A/N: Hmmm, a journey to Harmonia. That sounds very nice. Comment, criticize, review, read!

I am so sorry for the really short chapter. ;_;