"What...happened to her?" Saria asked, disgusted at the giant pile of bloody pulp at the side of the Fire Crystal. Both her and Leon looked at the three. Erick and Ailith just smiled sheepishly and Claude only looked down while smiling a sad smile.

"She was...moving, and we thought she was still alive. We didn't know that was part of it so we...yeah. This kinda happened." Ailith said, looking down and fidgeting with her fingers.

"Oh for the love of f...W-What? Why? I don't even...whatever, let's just do this." Leon said, shaking his head slowly. The four of them walked up to the dim crystal and held their own crystals in front of it. The crystals began to glow with a beautiful light and all four of them felt a slowly rising, yet gentle heat that emanated from the Crystal of Fire. Like the rays of the sun in the morning, the heat began to fill the entire volcano, overrunning and overtaking the dead heat of Marilith's draining energy. The Crystal of Fire began to shine with a gentle yet almost blinding light. Leon turned around and nodded to everyone.

"...Let's head back. I'm sure everyone will be happy to hear the news." Leon said, looking down with a slightly sad expression.

"Maybe this time we can get to stay at the Inn for free!" Erick joked.

"...What the hell is wrong with me?" Claude only thought to himself as they made their way back to the village. However, without them even noticing, Claude went a separate way...

~~ O ~~

"Yo. What the hell was that?" Amilia said, sounding very angry. Claude was unable to answer, looking very confused himself. Amilia slammed him against the wall of the cave in a fit of rage. About to scold him, she suddenly held back when she saw how dead Claude's eyes looked. Shocked, she let him go slowly.

"U-Um, sorry...hey ah, I-I didn't mean to make you down. I-I just got mad, you know? So, look I-I'm sorry, okay? N-no need..." Amilia stuttered and then her voice trailed off as she noticed that Claude wasn't responding.

"Did you tell him?" Claude asked, his voice monotone.

"Y-Yeah. Even if, I'm sure he felt Marilith's 'death' a long time before I told him. Claude, I can keep my part of the mission but...er...look, what I'm trying to say is, it's gonna cause suspicion if you're out. C-Claude?" Amilia asked, trying to get a response out of him but failing miserably. Starting to panic slightly, she said "Look, people get carried away. This is especially true, if they're taunted or...pissed off or whatever. It's...just as natural as getting angry."

"Did your siblings ever tell you how horrible you were at cheering people up?" Claude joked, smiling and hiding his true feelings.

"Well...maybe once or twice." Amilia laughed. Claude stood up and started walking deeper inside the cave. Amilia then asked "Hey...where are you going?"

"I just...I need to do this Amilia..." Claude said and then unsheathed his sword. Amilia rushed towards him, she knew exactly what he was going to do, but was thrown back by a protective circle of light. Before she knew it, Claude had the sword in his stomach and he disappeared in a flash of light before her eyes. Amilia bit her finger and a circle of light appeared as a drop of her blood dropped to the floor.

"Claude...what the hell is wrong with you? What are you doing?!" Amilia asked and, much to her confusion, the circle wouldn't take her to where she wanted to go. It was almost as if someone or something was blocking all entrances and portals to where she wanted to go...

~~~ O ~~~~

Claude approached a curvaceous woman who wore a robe and currently sitting on a rock. She looked at him and smiled, although she was already aware of his true intentions. He marched towards her and his clothes then turned into an armor that looked like it was forged of dragon scales but no...the armor was stronger than that.

"I've...finally come this far. I think we both know why I'm here Chronodia." Claude stated boldly, his face stern and emotionless, his eyes dead and his voice.

"I'm impressed at what you're starting to become. I didn't think you'd get this far and yet...you've already initiated the rite. I can undo the rite for you, you know. Are you sure about this?" Chronodia asked.

"I don't want them to suffer anymore." Claude said, sighing and holding back tears.

"You realize what this will do for you?" Chronodia asked, smiling as she saw his sorrow.

"Yes, I know...and I'm certain." Claude said and unsheathed his sword, pointing it towards Chronodia.

"I'm impressed Claude." Chronodia said and then transformed into her true ugly form...

~~ O ~~

"Where've you been all this time? We got in the Inn for free! Haha!" Erick asked and laughed triumphantly as he saw Claude walk into the Inn. Claude laughed shyly and replied "Getting us a lead."

"What kind of lead?" Saria asked with a rather excited tone in her voice. Ailith looked at him with suspicion and he avoided eye contact with her. Something about him, both physically and with his energy, seemed off. It was as if, he changed somehow...

"Alrighty then! Let's hear what you have to say!" Leon exclaimed excitedly. Although they all just came from a tough battle, they couldn't resist the calling of a new adventure just around the corner. The spirit grew on them.

"So, apparently someone saw a strange object in the Cavern of Ice, just north of the Gurgu Volcano. They said it had the power to like...I forget, but it was something along the lines of making things fly...or something." Claude tried to explain with a sheepish grin.

"All of a sudden this doesn't seem to hot." Erick said sarcastically.

"I don't care what you say, I'm still going." Leon laughed.