Hope you enjoy these next 2 chapters! ^D^

They couldn't sleep that night nor could they even remain the slightest bit restless. Even within the comfortable confines of the Inn it didn't go away. What Claude had showed them...the memories that came rushing back...The air was stale with a dread that all of them couldn't ignore.

"I'm gonna head out for a little while. See ya in a bit." Ailith sighed and got up. Saria stood up as well and immediately followed her. "Yeah, me too."

The two boys looked at each other and sighed, waving a dismissive hand and lying back down on their beds. The door closed behind them and they stared at the ceiling, motionless and deep in thought.

Amilia sighed and withdrew, staying as stuck to the corner of her wall as possible. She knew this was going to happen. She knew it the moment she left them but...she hadn't expected it to be this difficult.

~~~ O ~~~

"There's something so wrong with this. Everything is just...just..." Ailith sighed, she was at a loss of words and didn't know what to say.

"So off." Saria continued and Ailith bowed her head. "Exactly."

"It doesn't feel right. None of it does..." Saria put her hand on Ailith's, waiting for an answer. Ailith gently squeezed it and sighed. "Did you...did you see?"

"...I..." Saria began to slowly sob and cry. Ailith held her close, just letting her cry on her shoulder. "...I did...and it...I didn't find anything that lead to mind control or forced memories. Those weren't fake Ailith. Those were our memories...and that means...that means we..."

"I know Saria..." Ailith said and held back her tears. 'I don't want to...I don't want to die again...'

But no matter how badly she wanted to...she couldn't cry right now. Not while Saria needed her to be strong. Silently, she held her tears in. Gently consoling the other with gentle strokes on her back. Ailith wanted so badly to say it...that it was only her feeling it...remembering these things. That it only happened to her. But who was she kidding?

All of them felt it.

That cold air of dread that signaled the coming of a storm. The inevitable that was to come. They all knew it but all they could do was tread forward. Ever braving their fixed destinies...

~~~ O ~~~

"It's been so long since I've just watched her sleep like this..." Leon said, looking down at Amilia, so peaceful and lost in those wonderful dreams that tore her away from reality.

"That's creepy." Erick laughed, trying to lighten the mood. Leon laughed gently and sighed. "That's not what I meant, you dope."

"I never thought I'd be doing it again." Leon said, tears already forming in his eyes as he gently brushed Amilia's hair away from her face. Erick let out a faint laugh, before shuffling to the side. "A real mix up of feelings isn't it?"

"Yeah...it really is." Leon looked softly at Amilia pushing aside the feelings of betrayal he currently had for her and focusing on Erick. "Did something like this happen to you too? Before, I mean."

"No... I just deduced but...I can't imagine how hard this must be." Erick said, his voice drifting away as he looked up to the ceiling. 'But right now...there is definitely someone giving me mixed feelings.'

"She betrayed both me and Saria, and that's something I can't just push away my anger for but...I'm just so happy she's back. I'm just so happy that all this time that she...she was safe." Leon placed his head on both of his hands and sighed. Erick looked at him and smiled. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Leon asked and Erick replied. "Find the strength to forgive her for lying all this time."

"She's my sister...and I may not be all that happy with her but...I still love her. So of course I'd forgive her." Leon said and sighed. It was obvious something was on Erick's mind. "There's something on your mind Erick, that much I can tell. What's going on?"

'Oh geez where do I even start? My dumbass of a brother just rigged a stone we found with a memory spell...a freaking memory spell! And...and that means that those were our memories...it means that all of that did happen. Just why didn't I see this sooner? He was leading us somewhere and I don't mean to some place...I mean he was setting us up for something. My dumbass of a brother...who's supposed to be dead! He is dead! I don't have a brother, he was stillborn...he was stillborn damn it! So how the hell is he alive!? Why isn't he...I can't make heads or tails of any of it Leon...'

"No...it's nothing really." Erick closed his eyes and sighed. He wanted so badly to tell Leon...but there was too much at risk. He needed to find this out what was really going on first, before he could freely just spill what was on his mind. "I'm just...you can feel it too, can't you?"

"Yeah..." Leon shuffled and lied down. That very same feeling in the air. Something bad was going to happen...all of them knew it. "Yeah, I can."

"And I can't tell where it's from. When energy is cast for a spell, from an aura of some person, from anything, it usually has an origin point but...I can't tell where it's from Leon."

"You're scared...we all are, Erick." Leon said and closed his eyes. "But no matter what...I won't let them hurt any of you. I...I'll die before I let anything happen to any of you."

Erick noticed his tone and could tell something was off. Did he remember something? In either way, Erick just tried his best to lighten the mood. "That's rather bold of you but...it doesn't sound like you're really up to keeping that promise."

A huff and a short laugh. "Well we'll see when it comes to it. For my ego's sake though, I do hope I can keep it."

"Good night Leon...thanks for...whatever it is you do that always helps." Erick said and, even if for a split second, he actually felt safe. Leon sighed. "Just glad I could help."

"Yeah. So...if you have anything you'd like to talk about, I'm all ears." Erick said and Leon smiled. "Thanks Erick. I'll keep that in mind."

He hoped to all heavens he could find the courage to let out what was on his mind. One day perhaps...but not now. The air was stale with dread of an upcoming demise that none of them could escape from. And this Leon knew...

Because he remembered.

The things that Claude had showed them were still fresh in his mind. The days of their previous journeys, the fiends, the crystals, what was to come...and he couldn't make sense of any of it. Although most important of all? He remembered how their journey, time and time again lead them to an inevitable defeat at the hands of someone who was supposed to be dead.