Oshibawa was three day's walk away from where they were currently. She had thought about taking the train, but crossed that idea away quickly. She might be travelling with two half humans, it did not mean she wanted to be surrounded by them. She closed her eyes, consulting the map she had seen a few days back. They were currently travelling North West, taking it from the stars above her head and Nox could smell the scent of running water. If they carried on like this for another day, they would reach a river. After one day's march following the river, they would go westward and find the town of Oshibawa. She turned around to the dragon slayers carrying sleeping Exceeds.

"_do you want to set camp for the night?"

Both nodded and fell to the ground, tired like hell. Nox went a little away to find some firewood and brought it back to the little camp they had set up. She lit it up and sat on the grass beside Rogue.

"_if we carry on in this direction for a day, we will reach the river. We should be in Oshibawa at dusk in three days' time."

He nodded. Nox grabbed a bow that materialized out of the thin air and a pouch of arrows appeared on her back.

"_I'll be right back. What do you fancy for dinner? Rabbit?"

"_sounds good." Replied Rogue as Sting just nodded, busy setting up the tent whilst his friend was holding the Exceeds.

She vanished into the darkness.

.

Nox came back that night with about eight rabbits on her pouch. She had a cut in her palm that was slightly bleeding but it seemed to have been made by a sword. Sting frowned.

"_what happened to your hand?"

"_nothing big, just the usual giving of thanks."

"_the what?" she turned to them, a bit shocked.

"_do you not give thanks to the earth for its food?"

Both looked at them, dumbstruck. She sat by the fire, skinned the rabbits and put them onto a spit to cook. She then started her story.

"_I thought your dragons would have told you of the creation of the world... first came the spirit of Time, born of the Original Chaos. Then, as Time was looking upon the void that Chaos was, she decided to create something to be in it for the space had much potential. She torn from her robe a long strip of fabric and split it again in half. The first one was cold as ice, whereas the second was a pure flame of brightness. She set them at the two opposite of the Chaos and waited for each to meet at the middle of the void. As the two breaths mingled and mixed in the middle of the Chaos, something came out of it. A surface of hard material. Something that spun and spun and spun until its final shape was given to it; a sphere. Then, the first spirit of Time looked upon the bare flesh of the earth and blew upon it. As time accelerated, grass sprouted from the clay and water was given from the earth. Rivers formed and oceans appeared. But, for the entire world was asleep, the first being of Time was alone. Then, taking the fire, she stole a flame and set it into the sky. From the ice, she stole a spark and set it at the opposite, so that the earth spun around the sun and the moon around the earth. The first spirit of Time looked upon the earth and watched with wonder as the flowers fanned, the rivers dried out before blossoming and gurgling back to life again. The first spirit of time then took upon herself to create two other spirits, one of cold and one of the warmth. She started with a spirit of cold, made out of ice. Jack Frost. He was a handsome boy with pristine white hair and wonderful blue eyes. Smiling softly, the first sprit of Time created a woman, his opposite, with dark hair and golden eyes like a molten flame. Both fell irrevocably in love, despite them being opposites. However, tempers flared between the two and soon, the first being of Time created two mediators, Rose Bark, spirit of Spring and Audra Tempest, spirit of Autumn. Rose had blond hair and sparkling green eyes, whilst Audra had red hair, a scarlet colour and beautiful brown eyes. The four of them became the spirits of Seasons. Jack Frost, Summer Heath, Rose Bark and Audra Tempest. The four of them dwelt upon the earth, happy and in synchronisation with the spirit of Time when she called them all, saying that they needed to create life. All four of them created the body of a man and a woman, and the spirit of Time, agreeing to what she saw gave them life. Next, came the animals. The animals were made after the humans, for they were stronger, faster, more in touch with their true nature. Seeing that the humans were beginning to be hunted and killed, the spirits gave them powers to defend themselves.

Humans overtook the animals, killed the earth and bled it to the death. In the end, the spirit of Time had to strike them all down.

Then, came the task of rebuilding the world. Humans were made last, and powers was given to some only. The mages. For years upon years, they lived happily and aware of the influence of spirits on their lives. With the developing of human, new spirits were born, such as the spirits of art and music. These spirits had under their command beasts such as dragons and gods. This is when the humans forsook their knowledge of spirits and instead turned to their quest of power. As a punishment, the first spirit of Time made them blind to the wisdom of truth and let them to fend for themselves into the chaos and death they had created."

Rogue and Sting were listening intently to the tale being narrated to them. Their dragons had in the past told them such tales but theirs was more faded, as if they were saying something they had not witnessed. Nox mentioned it as if she had been there, spectator recalling the greatest burden of humanity.

"_this," she carried on "is known amongst the spirits as the Decadence of Men." Nox remained quiet for a little while, her words hanging in the air. She turned away from the fire. "It would be wise to sleep now. Tomorrow will be a long journey."

And they left the hooded woman by the fire, staring into the golden embers of her memory.