Oh you guys have no idea how hard this chapter was to type out. Nothing came out right, I swear, and I just wanted it over and done with. As a result, it came out really wangsty and not up to my personal standards, so I apologize about that. All the happiness from last chapter is absent in this one, like I said... And we get a few questions answered.

I'm horrible to Walter. Truly I am. ;^;

Themes are: Death and All his Friends - Coldplay, Glosoli - Sigur Ros, A Modern Myth - 30 Seconds to Mars

Chapter 14: Death and All his Friends

Sometime later that night, somewhere between 'unreasonably late' and 'too damn early', someone awoke with a muffled scream. Hands frantically grasped for something in the air before its owner slowly realizing they were no longer falling. With a shuddering breath, a man with blue eyes opened them and stared unseeingly at the ceiling. Even the faint light the streetlamps gave off through the window didn't do anything to change the image of falling from the edge of the world in his mind.

Walter willed himself out of bed and he stumbled over to the bathroom like a zombie risen from the grave. Which, he reminded himself once again, was basically what he was. A ghost of his former self. No matter how good he was in this new life of his, unless he fixed whatever task he was supposed to complete, he would remain just that: a ghost.

Luckily for him, he figured out what that task was.

Turning on the faucet, he splashed cold water on his face to wake himself up before the visions of his nightmare came back in full force. Straining to open his eyes in the bright light, he squinted into the face of someone who looked like they'd seen a ghost. Struggling to breathe, he clutched the edge of the sink as his chest felt like it would explode. His knuckles were white as he held onto the porcelain as if at any moment, he would fall again, with nothing to wake him up.

Walter has had nightmares before, terrible ones that still make him bite his cheek to keep from screaming. For someone of only eighteen, he's seen more then most have in their lifetimes. He's commanded armies in a war, spied for Maurits and nearly died at least once during it, lost his entire village and the only family member he ever knew, suffered the knowledge that his race was an endangered species, lost the girl he had grown to admire, failed in the job he was assigned at birth, died… After living through most of these, he's gained mental scars for which there was no time to heal. So to say that this was one of the worst ones he has had to date, it says a great deal.

His fingers trembling, he tried to forget, wanted to forget everything that he'd seen in his nightmare, but he knew it was for a reason. It was, from what other superstitious Ferines said, an omen.

Clenching his eyes shut, Walter tried to remember what he saw from the very beginning of it. At first, it seemed like it would be another nightmare of the events at the Alter of the Sea. Of Fenimore dying right before his eyes again, and him helpless to stop it. The scenery was different, however. In place of the few coral stones covered in moss, there were glowing boulders covered in icy-white frost. In place of the tall spiraling towers of stone there were mechanical columns covered in glass, the insides glowing white like the ice on top. The sky seemed to have lines of light running along them, like circuits in a piece of machinery.

Through all of the strangeness, that single event which has haunted him for the past few weeks he's been alive happened yet again, himself helpless to stop it. The Gadorian captain stomping towards Shirley and the other Ferines, his sword covered in the blood of the ones he had killed to come this far. His lips moved but no sound came out: this event seemed to always be on mute in his dreams and memory, even though he already knew what had been said.

The captain brought his sword down upon a Ferines woman, who dared to protect the leader of his people, their savior, their messiah. Shirley stepped in front of the blade as the Gadorian was ready to kill her in cold blood. Fenimore's scream of horror, her running in front of Shirley, pushing her back out of harm's way. That cold blade slicing through her abdomen. Her falling into Shirley's arms. Shirley's hoarse screaming for a healer, for help, anyone. Himself on the sidelines not doing a single damn thing.

The blond bit his lip to try and prevent an anguished sound from coming out from re-watching the memory, which only ended up in his aquiring a bloody lip. What happened next was what changed. The scene froze, and the scenery shifted to a circular white room, covered in ice and frost. In some spots the crystals seemed more aqua then white. Up a flight of stairs came a familiar yellow-clothed girl, a beaming smile on her face, and his heart dropped into his stomach. She looked around, a concentrating expression on her face, like she did when inspecting for traps. She walked around, as the other members of her 'Fun Bunch' watched from the sidelines.

Then, it was as if someone pressed the volume button, and every sound was crystal clear.

"…over here there should be… Found it! If I push this…" Norma said to herself in glee, discovering the solution of a puzzle.

"Careful…" Senel warned, obviously uneasy.

Norma looked over at him, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Will crossed his arms, "I find that difficult to believe."

Norma grinned at them, "Ready, guys? Here goes!" She turned around and crouched down in the center of the room, looking for the switch she had discovered earlier. Confidently, she pressed it. "There!"

Suddenly, a whirring sound of a mechanism being activated ran through the room, which seemed too loud to Walter's ears as he watched.

Norma's expression was one of shock as Senel yelled, "Look out! Get back!"

"Norma!" Chloe yelled, her eyes wide in horror.

A glowing patch of white frost appeared beneath Norma's feet. Several white ice crystals, sharp as spears, shot upwards and stabbed the girl above them. Like in slow motion, she fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, lying unmoving on the frosty metal floor.

"Norma!" Walter wanted to scream, but nothing came out of his mouth but silence. The scene seemed to freeze as the scenery changed again. He watched the area around him change to a place with spiraling towers of aqua-colored crystal, ballooning like mushrooms from the ground hundreds of feet below. He stood upon a flat platform, and he found that he could actually move. His brows furrowed, disturbed that when he stepped along the cold crystal, his footsteps made no echoing sounds.

Looking around at his surroundings, he saw someone limp around a corner and out of sight. Slowly took a few steps, the blond eren ran after them. The two went down a steep slope, down into the depths of the crystal towers. Looking at his surroundings, he figured out where he was at. The Crystal Forest. He had merely passed through this place while attempting to take Shirley to Maurits, but otherwise had never been anywhere lower than the normal path.

The two went down this less-traveled path as the sunlight began to dim, the reflections and light glimmering through glassy crystal the only source of light at the depths of the forest. At last, he saw who he had been tailing, facedown and not moving. He recognized the figure, yellow dress, hair baubles and all. "Norma…" He whispered nearly inaudibly, as he ran to her.

"Norma!" Walter spoke to her sharply, earning no response. Looking her over, he saw her body slightly trembling, her breath shallow and eyes shut in pain. Blinking, he tried to touch her shoulder to turn her over, but his hand went straight through her. The Ferines recoiled away from her, staring at his hand like he'd been burned. His hand… It had gone right through her, like… Like he was a ghost.

He felt like his heart stopped. He stared down at the girl, unable to touch her, unable to speak to her, only able to watch as she faded away from this life into the next, and not being able to do anything about it.

He saw a strange black mist form around the area where Norma lay, which gathered into a spot next to her. It heightened and became shaped like a human figure. The mist cleared, and a women in a black dress and mask stood before the two, a blue braid trailing down her back. She walked the two feet to her, her heels making no clacking noise at all. She knelt next to the girl and gathered her up in her arms, her hand brushing against the girl's cheek.

"My child, you seem so tired…" A voice a silky as ebony spoke softly, its soothing nature making Walter's skin crawl. "I shall grant you eternal rest." The woman's long fingers brushed against Norma' cheek, eliciting a smile out of her before her trembling stopped and the only thing he could hear was her heartbeat, becoming fainter and fainter.

Walter watched, shocked still. His wide eyes couldn't help watching as she slowly turned her gaze upon him, staring into his soul with those dark fathomless eyes. "You do not belong here." She said, her voice sliding across his skin like snakes. She waved a hand over him, and the scenery seemed to peel away like paint, revealing a black void beneath. "Disappear."

With that single command, the world exploded into crackling strips of color, the world fading around him as he fell back into the dark empty abyss he had only just escaped from.

The Ferines was silent, standing over the sink as the memory washed over him again. He slowly let go of the sink and backed into the wall, sliding down it as he raised a trembling hand to his hair. Clenching his eyes shut, he felt something drop from them, sliding down his cheek and dripping off the edge of his chin.

He had it. He'd finally found out what he was supposed to do… But why did it feel so much harder then he thought?

In an unknown amount of time in the future, Norma would go to the Crystal Forest alone, collapse in its depths and pass on in the arms of a shadowy woman. He would either save her life, or return to the abyss where he came from. Back into that floating mass of black nothing, to stay there until eternity ended. Unless he saved Norma.

Walter clenched his jaw shut, struggling to keep his eyes from releasing more tears and failing miserably. Giving up, he ran his fingers through his hair and leaned his head back against the wall. He knew what his job was, now he hoping to Nerifes or whatever other entity there was in this world that he could perform it.

Either he succeeded… or he would bring Norma down with him.

x x x

Very early in the morning, a girl rolled over in bed, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. After a few more minutes, her amber-colored eyes opened and she huffed quietly to herself. After around an hour of trying, Chloe gave up in going back to sleep. Her mind wandered too much for her to relax.

Turning her head, she tried to see the small analog clock next to the door in the dim light. The hour hand wasn't quite at five-o-clock yet, and the sun wouldn't rise until another hour or so. Groaning, Chloe closed her eyes and simply lay there, trying to let her restless mind rest.

After another five minutes, she gave up all together and pulled the sheets off of her. Showering and donned in her normal attire, she walked downstairs where a few minutes later decided to boil water for either coffee or tea: whichever would wake her up the fastest. Sitting down in the empty lobby, she brushed through her hair sleepily while her drink brewed.

Knowing Norma, she'd organize another one of her treasure hunts for the Everlight, thought the swordswoman as she enjoyed the warm drink that had finished brewing. It wasn't as if she disliked them or anything, but… The places Norma led the group to were dangerous, and they had ended up with nothing each time. It seemed like the crystal eren… it seemed like she was running out of places to look.

Chloe looked up at the ceiling. Was the Everlight even real? Yes, it was a legend, but many legends were just myths in the end. Was Norma's dream just another one of them? Looking down at her mug, she frowned to herself. She was starting to get a headache from all these thoughts running through her head. Swallowing the last of her drink, she placed her hat in its normal spot on her head, attached her sheathed sword to her belt and left the hospital.

Walking down one of the streets, the knight paused at the path which led to Lumen Spring, wondering if the bakery was open yet. She could kill some time slaying a few monsters outside of town, or do what Norma would do and stuff herself with hot out-of-the-oven pastries. Nodding to herself for the easier, she turned for the bakery and started walking again.

It was pretty dark out still. Though the grey cloudy sky had begun to brighten just slightly on the horizon, the lamps had been extinguished sometime earlier, and the streets were dark enough she couldn't make out details in the distance. This wasn't helped by the light misty rain that rained on her. Her heels echoing against the cobblestone, her footsteps were the only thing she heard apart from the first birds waking up. The trees and plants in the gardens on either side of the path were covered in tiny dewdrops, dropping off in little plip-plops onto the ground.

Chloe made to cover her arms with her cape, shivering at the chilly temperature. Well, it certainly looked like Autumn was just around the corner, what with the cool damp weather they've been having on the Legacy. Rubbing her arms to ease some warmth into them, she finally arrived at the bakery. Unfortunately for her, while the owner was up and awake, he was still busy baking the day's wares, and wouldn't be open for at least another half hour. Disappointed, Chloe left the building and let her feet lead her in a random direction.

That direction just so happened to be the Fountain, which was wet, dark and deserted, filled only with the quiet sounds of water trickling. Yawning quietly to herself, she rubbed her eyes and was about to walk to a corner when she saw an unfamiliar shape in the dark. Looking closer, it turned out to be a human shape… A man sitting on the ledge over the canal, his cloak wrapped around himself with a leg stretched out over the side of the wall. A small violet light hovered around him, and an outline of dark wings curled around him like a blanket. Wings… Like a teriques.

Chloe was sorely tempted to take a step back and go wake Raynard and Coolidge and the others, but her feet stay planted where they were. So, Walter really was around, and he was right her in front of her. She'd have a chance to find out… well, why he was alive and kicking, for one. A million questions rolled around in her mind she had been curious about, and she finally had a chance to corner him about it. Then why were her feet not budging from their spot?

Swallowing, she took careful steps so her heeled boots wouldn't make too much of a sound as she approached him. Looking closer, the Ferines looked like he was clad in the same clothing from when he had kidnapped Shirley and first battled them in the Underground Tunnel. Why was he wearing his old Orerines clothing? His pristine blond hair was tangled, as if he hadn't bothered to brush it this morning, and was damp and dripping water. Really, most of him was soaked, so she assumed he had just been sitting here for a while.

Giving the man a strange look, she stopped walking until she was close to 10 meters away. She was already closer than what she thought he would allow, but… He wasn't moving to flee or fight. He didn't so much as budge, his violet teriques wings didn't even twitch. He just sat there quietly, his wings curled up around his form in a comforting way and his head resting against his drawn-up knee.

Chloe swallowed. She was getting tired of the silence, and her headache was getting worse. Ready to pull out her blade if anything happened, she spoke. "…Walter." It came out more like a statement then a question, but at least it broke the silence.

Walter's black wings twitched, and fluttered a moment before remaining in their place. Slowly, his head turned and gazed at her out of the corner of his eyes, which surprised her in their lack of judging or bitterness. Really, she only saw a melancholy light in his eyes. Turning back to stare into the water of the canal, he finally spoke up, "What do you want, Valens?"

Hesitating for a moment, she cleared her throat and spoke, "Well for one, I'm wondering exactly what you're doing here, and how you're even alive, for that matter. I would have thought you'd be at the Village of the Ferines, and yet you're here."

The blond didn't answer, but continued to stare off into the water like it wasn't there. "..."

"…Well aren't you going to answer me? Quit ignoring me!" Chloe continued, both impatience and curiosity leaking into her tone.

"Could you please just leave me alone, Valens?" Walter snapped at her, turning his head enough so he could glare at her. Even then, his glare didn't have as much intensity, and his wings wavered slightly. "I don't have time to answer your questions…" His voice trailed off.

Well, he certainly didn't seem as fierce as he did two months ago, Chloe thought to herself. Her eyes softened slightly. His icy glares didn't even seem as intimidating, and the way he held himself was that of someone on the verge of breaking. And he said please… to her, to an Orerines. That was a sure sign as any that there was something wrong with the Ferines in front of crossed her arms, both to look serious and to rub some warmth back into her arms. The mist had turned into a steady rainfall, beginning to drench them both. "…Why don't you have any time? I doubt it's just because you don't want to talk to me." The blond stayed quiet, and she continued. "I'm guessing that you wouldn't step foot in Werites Beacon if there wasn't something you were involved in: is it related to that?"

"Why won't you leave?" The blond hissed, the hand draped across one of his knees clenched into a fist.

"Why won't you answer my questions?" Chloe countered, frowning at his back.

Walter's head turned to look at her, expression tight and eyes flickering back and forth in front of him, "It's none of your business, that's why!" His eyes lowered as if he couldn't stand to look at her anymore. "You… people always barge into our affairs, never caring about what or who you damage on the way. Are you physically unable to keep your noses out of the personal problems of others?" Chloe kept giving him a strange look, and he called her on it, "…What the hell are you staring at?"

"You haven't called me an Orerines or insulted me. Not once." Chloe unfolded her arms and walked closer to the edge of the canal to stare into the water not a few feet from him. "You've changed."

The Ferines didn't say anything for a long time. A moment later a small violet teriques with sharp-edged wings fluttered softly in the air. The glow it emitted was muted by the rain, which increased enough to soak the two figures to the bone. His forehead fell to rest on his knee as his eyes closed shut, the teriques floating down to rest on his arm. "…Dying can change a person." He voiced softly.

Chloe straightened a bit at his revelation. So he had died. Then how…?

The Ferines looked over at her and rolled his eyes, "You're as easy to read as a book…" He got to his feet finally, the teriques on his arm whipping around and disappearing. His wings fluttered and vanished also, leaving a drenched figure, blond hair sticking to his forehead.

"Well, what do you expect?" The knight asked, wrapping her cape around herself again. Her arms were freezing, and she hoped either the rain stopped soon or she'd have a reason to get out of it. "You apparently died, and now I hear of you running around again, alive and kicking. What am I supposed to think; that some higher power thought you'd be the perfect messiah or something?"

He coughed roughly at the irony in her statement, at least partially. "Think whatever you want, it doesn't always mean it's true…" He trailed off.

She tilted her head slightly at his coughing, and an eyebrow rose slightly. "…Aren't you cold?" She clutched her wet cape tighter around herself in vain.

Walter looked at her shivering form and shook his head. Turning and walking across the plaza, he stopped suddenly.

Chloe gave him a strange look. Why'd he stop? She slowly approached him until she was but a few feet away, and stopped, checking his form for a response.

Silent for a moment, the blond slowly turned to look at her, blue eyes unsure and apprehensive. His arms were crossed, but in such a way that he seemed to be fighting nervousness. Finally, he quietly said, "…Valens, I know I am in no way deserving of any favors from you or your group, but…" This got her attention, and she opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand to interrupt her, "Please, let me finish before you say no."

Chloe shut her mouth, then crossed her arms in a serious stance, "Alright then, I'll listen."

He nodded, his arm returning to the other. His eyes were averted from hers as he continued. "…Well, I have a feeling something's going to happen in the Quiet Lands, at the Ice Monument. Something… someone will get hurt, I'm sure of it. If not there, then at the Crystal Forest." His hands clenched his arms tightly, creating wrinkles in his soaked shirt. "…And I have no idea how to stop it." He finished tightly, his voice strained to push the words out of his mouth.

Chloe looked at this figure in absolute confusion. This… vulnerable Walter was nothing like the one she had known before, it was like meeting a completely new person. His stance wasn't at all aggressive; his eyes flickered with different emotions and his weak calm expression seemed close to breaking. Her arms slowly slipped out of their crossed position to hang by her sides.

Walter bit his lip and looked at her, "I don't care if you hate me, feel free to. Just… please do me this one favor: don't let your group go to the Ice Monument. Something bad is going to happen there, and… I won't be the only one who suffers from it." Shaking his head, a flash of violet appeared from behind his back as his wings appeared. He turned, and soon shot into the air and out of sight.

Chloe's eyes followed his form until it disappeared into the dark dreary morning, trying to make any sense from what he had said. What would be so terrible in the Quiet Lands that it would convince Walter, of all the people, to ask for her and the rest of the group's help not to go there? Though he may have changed since he had been revived, and apparently the event would hurt both him and other people… But he wouldn't ask Coolidge for any favors. He loathed Senel.

The knight looked up at the grey sky, her face pelted with raindrops. Yet… The Ferines seemed genuinely troubled by this, even overwhelming his pride to ask. That alone was enough to warrant a second glance towards his request. Really… "What could be so awful at the Ice Monument that Walter would ask for our help?" Chloe asked herself aloud.

A shiver went up her arms when she wondered about the possible answer to her question, and it wasn't just from the rain.

x x x

What a nightmare to write! Yes I know that was a bad joke, but this entire chapter was an emotional and annoying behemoth to try and write. Writing just this one practically drained the entire month-long hiatus and then some to write… It is now four-o-clock in the morning, and I need to go to sleep. Please avoid throwing pitchforks, thank you.

Just in case you guys didn't see my profile for news, I'm updating every week now due to GitA almost being completed. So be happy, damn it! XD

Reviewer Responses:

Ranchdressing: I'm glad you liked it, though I too had forgotten how mean the group was for doing that... It has a tendency to happen a lot, it seems, and I didn't think that Shirley would just stand by and let that stand. As for your second question, well... You'll just have to read and find out, won't you?

Shiroi Iyasu: Unlikely, yes. Impossible, no. I'm updating now, aren't I?