Ugh, sorry I haven't updated in a while. I sort of have to blame that on school. It's exam time, and I've been studying more than should be healthy. But still, please R&R, and I'll put up the I prologue soon!

Chapter 9- II Prologue

It was a long struggle…

((((()))))

The two of us stood stiff and firm during the funeral procession. It was meant for all the rebels, all of the civilians murdered under the Emperor's mad reign. But somehow, despite the tears and cries from parties in the castle courtyard, I couldn't find any tears in my eyes. I was stoic- a little too stoic, actually.

I was never really that big of a crier, but I did have my fair share when the going got too tough to be fighting alone. But I was never really alone. So, really, I guess that meant I was just a wuss.

Princess- soon to be queen, now, I suppose- Hilda stoically read out each name from a list that seemed too long to be true.

Too many names stung into my heart. Josef. Firion. Every other that had partook in our struggle.

Still, no tears formed in my eyes.

Finally too exhausted to continue listening to Hilda's painful lists, I looked through the crowds for Leon. He was here somewhere, but it would be impossible to find him or Guy in the large, weeping crowds.

I turned away from the Princess and pushed through the amassed citizens of Fynn, heading to nowhere.

"…to have more power than is possible in your world."

I paused outside of an alley. As soon as I did, a wave of malevolent energy slammed into me. Nothing had affected me so since… since….

Mateus.

Loading my bow, which, out of pure paranoia, I always kept with me, I turned into the alley, gritting my teeth.

Leon, fitted in his armor of so long ago, turned to me, a startling greed in his eyes so evident that I almost did not see the silver woman standing before him. "Hello, Maria," he called to me, as we had just passed each other in the streets, and were about to start a simple conversation concerning the weather.

"What's going on?" I asked sheepishly, now feeling embarrassment. Oh, Lord, if I just stumbled into a date of his…-

The woman cocked her head, silver strands of hair falling in her face. "You appear to be the one Cosmos shall choose."

I immediately stiffed at the elegant speech flowing from his mouth. How on earth was this man so feminine in appearance!

He and Leon both laughed, both enjoying a joke I had not yet caught onto yet.

"Farewell, Firion's Canary," he purred, turning with a flip of his silver hair. A black and maroon portal appeared before them, and neither hesitated to pass through.

As a portal similar to theirs, but white and pale yellow, formed and the apparition of a blonde woman appeared before me, I thought again how it was Leon who always went astray.

Maybe it was I who was to save him. Not Firion, this time, but the last rebel standing.