Disclaimer… I do not own Maple… Aeons do not own maple!

After seeing that the classmates were safely in the care of Katsuzie and Grendel, Pauline silently walked away from the group who were chatting excitedly about what happened on Howler's Peak.

Following the path back to Perion, Pauline signed deeply. She has always been a loner, and to put up a pretense of cheerfulness when classmates were around was taking a toll on her psyche. The usual weariness sat on her shoulders, and with each step that took her closer to the shack in Perion, the weight of what she was about to face nearly crushed her.

Just when she was able to make out the distant shape of that rundown shack, someone ran into her from the bushes to the left side of the path.

"Elismerra!" Pauline gasped in surprise.

The person halted the footsteps, and slowly turned to face her. "Ever so formal Pauline? Even to your own sister?" Karen smirked. "Or shall I call you, the priestess Silmerra?"

Pauline tighten her hold on the Kage, her treasured staff, and walked past Karen toward the shack without a word.

"So, you've decided to come back to our humble home. Surprise, surprise." Karen continued in a mocking tone behind her sister. "How are you faring with the rest of those high and mighty mages? Having fun? So much so that you don't care to visit your own family anymore?"

Pauline swept around in anger. "You know what you've been doing, Karen. You steal, you use people, and you wouldn't even blink an eye about killing others! So don't talk to me about caring. This isn't the life that our mother would like us to lead and you are aware of it."

"Life?" Karen spat the word in disgust. "If she had wished us to lead a decent life, then the mighty Kastallia wouldn't had gone and got herself killed! So now she served the gods, but left us, her children, scrabbling for the so-call life! WE are the descendant of Aeons, and believe me, it has been a curse more than a blessing. Look at us, we have to hide in Perion instead of setting up a residence in one of those towns where we took our training. WE have to hide the fact that we are related to Aeons or risked being killed. And look at you! You even have to put up an aura to disguise the bloodline, unlike that friend of yours, what's her name? Freya? And you know why? Because our own mother had abandoned us! She had left us alone without protection, and we have to steal at a young age in order to survive!"

Karen angrily kicked at the flimsy door of the shack, and the hinges came off without any protest.

This isn't going anywhere. Pauline thought to herself. As she stepped into the shack, the stark shabby condition hit her with a force that was staggering. With sorrowful eyes, she looked around the interior of their home: the barren walls that made of uneven planks of woods. During winter times, the cold, bitter wind would seep through all those cracks in the wall and chilled the bones. The furniture teetering on the brink of collapse, full of scuffs and wear. The little bedroom to the back of the shack holds nothing but a small desk, a single chair, and a tiny bed with threadbare blankets where three sisters used to huddled together and dreamed of some place wonderful faraway.

The pain and guilt that Pauline felt saddened her eyes. Deep down, she knew she hadn't done a good job as the oldest sister. She has been focusing on her own training, and neglected her sisters. As her eyes rested on Karen, the sorrow deepen. But alas, the prophecy…the warnings that their mother had written down in the scrolls still hid in the secret area nearby. And those words were to be heeded, for one of them has come true, the evil demon has been set lose, and a great battle will ensued, just like so long ago. In order to be prepared for that day, she had gone away for training to be a great mage just like Kastallia, their mother. But at what cost…

"Karen, please listen." Pauline spoke softly. "I didn't come here to argue, but I need to know why you came to Howler's Peak."

Acting nonchalantly, Karen turned her back on her older sister. "So, you saw me. And that's none of your business as usual."

Taking a step closer to her sister, Pauline said in a hardening tone, "I hope you realize that one of the prophecies has come true, and there's trouble brewing in the future. Whether or not you decide to fight alongside me, I have to know what's going on in order to warn others."

Tending to her wounds on the arm, Karen spoke over the shoulder. "Well, if you so wish, I will let you know there's this secret 'guild' that, is currently recruiting members. And one of the orders is to assassinate that brute on top of the Howler's Peak." She took a deep breath and continued, "Don't ask me why, and don't worry, I won't join any 'guild', for I work alone."

With a troubling expression over this piece of information, Pauline turned and walked out the shack. She stopped at the entrance, and squared her shoulders, "Karen, take care of yourself. You know where to find me if you need me." She then look at the broken door lying on the floor, "By the way, fix that door…it's not proper for a young lady to sleep at night with door wide open." With that last word, she walked out and disappeared in the setting sun.

Karen looked at her sister's fading shape and whispered to herself, "One day dear sister…one day we Merras will meet on the battlefield just as the prophecy foretold. And then, our fate will be decided. Until we meet again, sister."

New poster... Pauline.. Silmerra