Chapter 42: Harsh Truth

The journey from Belkend to Daath's port took a grand total of two days; two tense, uneasy and painstakingly long days. But they had survived, somehow, and had managed to make it with both Luke and Natalia in one piece. Tear sat patiently, waiting for Ginji to find a location discreet enough for them to land. The poor guy hadn't slept for the whole two days in an attempt to get them here as fast as possible, an act for which Luke appeared to be especially grateful. It seemed as if everyone was worried about Asch.

Luke's concern seemed to have appeased a bit about halfway through the first day, though he was still borderline intolerable. Not that it really mattered all that much, Luke had chosen to seclude himself in one of the cabins for the length of the journey and absolutely refused to remain in Natalia's presence. Tear let out a sigh, perhaps forcing him to listen to Natalia's side of the story hadn't been the best idea after all.

Poor Natalia was still completely broken up about what had happened, but she had finally told them what she knew. It was almost surreal, no one had expected Natalia of all people to have put something like that together. Tear couldn't believe her brother would have used her like that! To twist such honest and pure feelings, a desire to protect the things she cared about, into something he could use… it was unforgivable!

But Natalia's actions hadn't been right either. It had been an extreme course of action and regardless of her good intentions; she had done it behind everyone's backs. No one could say they didn't feel somewhat betrayed by what she had done. In her defence, she really hadn't meant any harm. She had honestly believed the lies Van had fed her, and it wasn't difficult to see how. If there was one thing he was good at, it was taking a single grain of truth and twisting it to his own ends. After all, part of what Natalia believed had been right. The only ones to actually put the land in the Qliphoth… was them.

Still, something about Natalia's actions didn't sit right with Tear. She had come to know the Princess quite well over the past few months and would venture as far as to say that Natalia had become her closest friend. She suspected there was more to this than Natalia was admitting to. Her brother wasn't one to execute a plan unless he was sure it would play out exactly the way he wanted it to. He had something over Natalia's head and she just didn't want to say it. But if that was the case, why hadn't she confided in one of them, Asch even? They could have helped her work things out, it made so much more sense in the grand scheme of things…

But could they really fault Natalia for missing the big picture? Tear couldn't honestly say it was a mistake she had never made. Akzeriuth was a fine example of that, everyone had failed to see it then, and Luke had paid the price. Well…everyone but Asch that was.

Asch… At times, Tear really didn't know what to make of Kimlasca's future monarch. He was very smart, possessed a good heart when he thought no one was watching and had an amazing talent for looking at a situation and assessing all the different aspects and possible courses of action; definitely someone she was glad to have on her side. But sometimes she felt like she didn't really know him at all. There were times, brief moments when his guard was down, that you could catch a glimpse of the person he was, a kind smile, a soft laugh in his sparkling emerald eyes. But for the most part he seemed so… distant, and at times almost distrusting. Tear couldn't deny that he was the one she felt she knew the least, and that was including the rather evasive Colonel.

But Asch meant the world and more to Luke, which wasn't really surprising. After all, the two of them grew up together, they were family. It was how siblings were supposed to be. Family… It was concept Tear knew so little about. For as long as she could remember Van had been away, returning home for brief visits here and there. The older she got, the less time he spent around, until they had finally come to this. If nothing else, Tear wanted to protect the bond Luke and Asch shared, perhaps solely out of hope that someday she could know what that was like.

Asch was an important friend to her too, she wouldn't let her brother do anything to him; she wouldn't let him do anything to anyone or to this world. If only she could get him to listen to reason, to stop with all his foolish fomicry experiments. Why did he cling to everything that caused him so much pain in the past? What point was there in eliminating the world? Did he hate them all that much? If only he would listen… if only he would stop, then maybe… just maybe, they could be a family too.

"Luke," Tear spoke up when the redhead walked in. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," Luke replied, his demeanour no different than it had been for the past couple days. He seemed almost… distracted, as if he was living in his own little world, and any contact with this one was nothing but a distraction.

"We're almost there," Ginji called back, easily guessing at the reason Luke had finally left the cabin.

"Thanks Ginji," Luke said with a bit more energy than his previous response.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Tear asked once her companion had sat down. "I mean, with everything that's happened lately… you don't seem okay."

"I'll be fine once we get Asch back," Luke answered.

Tear looked at him, and debated talking to him about Natalia. She was sure that if Luke would just let Natalia talk, let her apologize, then they could work things out. Natalia certainly wanted to speak with him; she just couldn't build up the courage to confront him…

Tear hadn't even opened her mouth when she noticed the dangerous look on Luke's face. Perhaps her expression had given away what she wanted to say, but it was clear as day that Luke was nowhere near ready to listen to Natalia, and so Tear let it drop. Pushing it too soon would only make things worse. Hopefully once Asch was back he would talk some reason into Luke. Certainly Asch wouldn't hold it against Natalia forever. Asch had a good head, and could look at something like this objectively. She was sure of it. That was of course… assuming they got Asch back.

"Luke, you know that Asch might not-"

"Asch will be fine."

"We don't know that," Tear replied. She didn't want to push it, but Luke needed to be prepared for the possibility.

"Asch will be fine," Luke repeated with an unusual degree of certainty.

Tear dropped the subject. She could only hope Luke was right.

--

For the seventh time in the past hour, Asch found himself lying back on a concrete slab counting the nicks and dents in the wall. Seven hundred and fifty two… that was how high he'd gotten last time before Dist smashed his finger with one of those weird tools he was using and made Asch lose count. Not that it really mattered, it was just a way to kill time and keep his mind from wandering onto more unpleasant things.

It had been almost two full days now, and this wasn't the first time Asch had almost lost his sanity. At least he wasn't being drugged anymore, but at times he almost wondered it would have been more humane. At the very least when your mind spent all its energy trying to figure out which way was up, it was kept ignorant of just how much of its life had been wasted in a concrete and metal box. Asch would have loved nothing more than to find a way to get out said enclosure too, but even the seemingly incompetent Dist had more than enough ability to put him right back where he started. Damn the God-Generals!

He hadn't managed to get useful information from any of them either. All attempts at starting conversations with Dist had failed, and usually ended with some senseless ranting about a childhood incident involving Jade that Asch would have been happier not knowing. Though it certainly gave him some interesting fodder for a later encounter with the old man, that wasn't the kind of information he hoped the crazy researcher would leak. So rather than drive himself even crazier trying to make sense of the narcissist, Asch remained silent as Dist continued to fiddle with some sort of fon machine.

Sixty seven, sixty eight, or was that sixty nine? Asch sighed as he once again lost count. There had to be something better he could do with his time, but sitting around pondering the situation didn't tend to end well and Asch refused to reduce himself to the level he had fallen over the past few days again.

It was soft at first, a dull ache in the back of his mind, but it steadily grew until the pain was all he could think about. Damn it, not again! He'd had more than enough of these headaches over the course of his short and unpleasant stay in the holy city. There had to be a better way for Lorelei to get his attention. But even as he thought it, Asch realized that it wasn't the case. This wasn't the same mind splitting pain that usually consumed him when, what they had determined to be Lorelei, was trying to say something. It was different, still painful, but different and somehow vaguely familiar. What was it about Daath that made his head decide it wanted to explode?

'Are you alright? What are they doing to you?' Luke's panicked voice came across their connection providing a much needed distraction.

'I'm fine,' Asch replied. 'What about you?'

'I don't feel anything that isn't coming from you,' Luke answered, betraying his confusion.

'Ugh,' Asch groaned and threw his head back, smashing it against the concrete slab which served only to make the pain worse. He knew what this was now.

'What is it?' Luke inquired worriedly.

'They read the Score way too often in Daath.'

Luke couldn't resist a chuckle at Asch's comment, though he could sympathize. He remembered what had happened the last time Ion had read them the Score, and he was in no hurry to repeat it.

Asch smiled, Luke's amusement bringing him a great deal of comfort. The past couple days had been far from pleasant and Asch couldn't have imagined how much worse they would have been if it wasn't for Luke. His little brother had spent the entire time with him, his presence a much needed support. They talked about trivial little things, mindless chatter, trips down memory lane, anything to keep both their minds occupied, and away from the more unpleasant thoughts that went along with the situation they were both in.

But those topics weren't completely unavoidable. Luke had told Asch Natalia's side of the story, though his feelings on what she had to say had been clear enough. Asch didn't blame Luke for being angry, he was mad too. Natalia hadn't meant for Luke to get hurt, but that wasn't what bothered him. Natalia's thinking had been almost on the exact same lines as Van's. Both of them had tried to use Luke to manipulate him, and that was something he couldn't forgive.

For anyone.

Natalia hadn't meant any harm, he could appreciate that. But her actions shot down everything he had been working towards. She couldn't accept his actions as his own, she couldn't accept what he wanted, she couldn't accept him. That was what upset him the most, even after all these years; nothing had changed. He wanted to believe it had, but the truth had been proven to him a bit too painfully. That was why he couldn't just go back, as if nothing had ever happened.

But there was still Van to deal with. What he wanted from all this was clear enough, he wanted Asch. Van needed him, though for what reason Asch still couldn't fathom, but there were a few things that seemed clear enough. Van needed him away from the group, away from his family, away from his life; detached from a world his former teacher saw as a nuisance and willing to do whatever it took to help Van along the way. In that case, was it really any surprise Luke was the target? Asch would be the first to admit that his little brother made all the difference.

Even now, Luke was the only reason Asch even considered rejoining the others. He didn't want to, every essence of his being screamed to be alone. He wanted a place where he wouldn't be betrayed, where he wouldn't be hurt; a place where it didn't matter if anyone acknowledged or recognized him as himself, because there would only be himself, and no one else to confuse or replace him with. But doing that meant playing right into Van's hand, it meant abandoning Luke and the things he had left to care about… and Asch would rather die.

Whether he wanted to or not, he was going to have to find it in him to stick with everyone. As for how much he trusted them, that he would have to see.

'You're thinking too hard,' Luke taunted.

'Well I don't have anything else to do.'

'Fair enough,' Luke mentally shrugged. 'Then what were you thinking about?'

'Stuff,' Asch attempted to dismiss the subject. His reluctance to return and unwillingness to trust the people Luke considered his friends wasn't exactly the best topic for conversation, and alienating Luke was the last thing he wanted to do.

'What kind of stuff?' Luke prodded earning him a mild degree of annoyance from his sibling. Asch should have known Luke would pry.

'Just about the Score,' Asch finally lied. 'And about what Van told me once.'

'You mean about how the Score was going to ruin everyone's life?'

'Yeah, I was just trying to figure out what he meant.'

'I don't get it, I mean, isn't the Score off track already? How could it ruin everyone's lives if it isn't even true anymore? And it's not like Master Van doesn't know that already.'

'Van may know it, but everyone else doesn't,' Asch pointed out. 'If they believe it to be true, they'll still follow it, even if it's to their own end.'

'But then what are we supposed to do about it?'

'Short of proving it wrong, which I know you're not ready to do, not much. And even if we all knew it was wrong and found a way to prove it to the world, people would just try to get it back on track again. People are insecure and fickle; they need something to guide them because they're too afraid of making mistakes. When you look at it that way… I don't think Van is entirely wrong.'

'What do you mean by that?! You're not actually thinking of… of…'

'Relax, I'm not saying that what he's doing is right, I'm just saying that the idea behind it isn't as bad as we think. Why should people have their lives dictated by the Score?'

'Well…'

'Think about it for us, had we lived according to the Score, you never would have been born. I would have grown up lonely and bored until I was old enough to go die in Akzeriuth. It wouldn't have made either of us any happier.'

'But there was no way of knowing that,' Luke pointed out.

'That's my point,' Asch replied. 'We don't, we can't know the future for sure until it happens. People are stuck on the Score because it promises prosperity, but what if there's an even greater end down another path?'

'Another path? So like, another possible future?'

'Yeah, I refuse to believe that there's only one possible future. Our choices do mean something. The good… and the bad ones, they all have repercussions.'

'I think you're right,' Luke agreed. 'But I don't think Master Van can see that. Maybe if he could, he would stop all this.'

'No, he wouldn't. It's because he doesn't believe it that he's going to such extreme lengths.'

'But maybe… if we talk to Master Van-'

'Why do you still call him Master?' Asch snapped. He bit his lip, regretting how harsh the words had come out. But he just couldn't take it anymore. Didn't Luke realize Van wanted him dead? Had Natalia's plan gone as it should of, he would have been taken away and killed! What the hell did he think he still owed Van after all that?!

'Because…' Luke hesitantly began. 'Even though he's done things I can't forgive him for, even though he wants me dead…' he paused before continuing. 'He still spent all those years teaching me. He still earned that respect.'

'Heh,' Asch smiled in defeat. 'In some ways you're a lot stronger than I am.'

'What did you say?'

'Nothing, but you better go if they're calling for you,' Asch instructed, guessing at the reason for Luke's sudden distraction.

'We'll be there soon.'

'I know you will, be careful.'

'That goes twice over for you.'

Asch returned to staring at the ceiling, returning to the solitude he longed for. There was no one here, no one to hurt him, or betray him; no one to throw salt in his wounds, no one to look at him with hatred in their eyes. There was nothing; nothing demanding his attention, no problems to deal with, no responsibilities to see to, nothing. This is what it could be like, life could be simple. Here he didn't have to face up to others.

He didn't have to face up to himself.

It was everything Asch wished for, it was within his grasp. Nothing was forcing him to return to the others. He could lead a life on his own, where he could discover his own future. A world where no one told him what to do, where he could be free; there would be no one and nothing to hold him back. But… he couldn't. Being alone… was hard. The luxury of hiding from his own feelings, of hiding from the pain and sorrows of the world just wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth the cold, empty feeling that he just couldn't shake off. He was bored… and he was lonely.

One, two, three…

Across the room, the door to the dungeon flew open, the resulting noise sending both Asch and Dist scrambling to their feet. Asch sat back down when he noticed the pink-haired figure standing in the doorway. It was just a shift change, but did she really have to slam the door into the wall like that? Arietta must be pissed about something.

"You're late," Dist commented once he had his racing heart under control. Well it wasn't his fault he had dozed off, this time of day was reserved for his beauty sleep! How dare Arietta think she could interrupt it by not relieving him of this ridiculous guard duty on time!

"I don't care if I interrupted your nap," Arietta replied. Yes, she was most definitely upset about something. "My friends were exhausted so we stopped for some rest on the way back. It's a perfectly valid reason, so I dare you to go tattle on me to Sync!"

"I am not a tattle-tale!" Dist protested.

"You are so a tattle-tale!"

"Am not!"

"Are so! You ran straight to the Commandant the last time Cantabile and I borrowed your makeup!"

"That was not tattling, I submitted a formal complaint! You took it all, do you know how hard it is to get that colour?!"

"Ha!" Arietta pointed her finger at the older God-General. "So you do wear makeup!"

"I do not!"

"Do so!" Arietta stuck her tongue out.

"Oh, shut up!" Dist finally gave in. "But the reason you're always late is those silly birds, let me build you something better, a little more… reliable."

"Not a chance!" Arietta's fury was triggered by the attack on her monster friends. "I'm not some cheap sell-out like Anise is! Besides, nothing you make is reliable."

"Well if you don't want to replace them, then at least let me do some experiments, I'm sure, given enough time, I could find a way to enhance-"

"My friends are fine just the way they are!!" Arietta's fist found its way into the man's stomach. "Get out of here!"

Even Dist knew when to retreat, though sadly for him, he chose to do so far too late to salvage his pride. He did, however, heed Arietta's demand and left the room, albeit rather ungracefully and with a hand over his stomach. Just as the door was about to close, Dist peeked back in and decided to make mistake number three.

"Just one or two? They'll be fast-"

"Go jump off a cliff!!" Arietta's stuffed animal hit the door a split second after Dist had closed it and taken off down the hallway. The pink-haired God-General retrieved her treasured item before plopping herself down on a seat next to Asch's cell.

"So he really does wear makeup?" Asch inquired after a moment of silence. The question seemed to improve Arietta's mood.

"Every day," Arietta giggled.

"What has you so upset?" Asch continued to ask, hoping that he'd be able to work his way around to a more relevant subject. If only he could get her talking.

"Dist is such an idiot," she grumbled. "He always treats my friends like they're some kind of tool. Now he wants to upgrade them. They're not pieces of equipment!"

"I meant before you were talking to Dist."

"You noticed that?" Arietta glanced over her should and met Asch's eyes. The redhead nodded. "Humph," Arietta turned around again. "Why should I tell you? I wouldn't expect a bunch of lowlife murderers like you to understand."

"Murderers, huh?"

"You killed my mommy! Don't act like you're all innocent!"

"Your mother… was she really that liger in the Cheagle Woods?"

"Of course she was! And you killed her along with my brothers and sisters!"

"So then how did a human child like you end up in the care of a liger?" Asch asked, effectively silencing Arietta. She had expected him to protest like everyone else did, that a liger couldn't possibly be her mother.

"I think I used to live in Hod. It was a place called Feres Isle." Arietta finally answered. Even she didn't really know why she was talking. Maybe it was the silence that beckoned to her, or perhaps because no one had ever bothered themselves to care enough to inquire about the particulars. "I don't remember a whole lot from before, just bits and pieces. I was always with my mommy, and we lived in the forest."

"Is that where you met all your friends?"

"Yep," the memory made Arietta smile. No sooner had the rare smile graced her face, her expression became dark. "Then one day, some men came. They came and they took me away from my home. They said it wasn't right for me to be there, that it wasn't right for me to be with my mommy! They took me away from my home and locked me in a cage! It was cold and dark and I was scared. They used to hit me, and do all sorts of terrible things. Ion was the only person who was ever nice to me!"

"Ion was?"

"He let me out of that terrible place, and he taught me how to understand everyone. He even protected me from the bad people! I would do anything to protect him."

"So is that why you became his Guardian?" Asch asked, entirely out of curiosity, momentarily forgetting why he had begun asking questions in the first place. It was interesting to hear Arietta's perspective after having listened to Anise for so long.

"That's right. I wanted to protect Ion like he protected me. I wanted to help him for all the things he did for me! Then one day, he got really sick. The Commandant wouldn't let me go see him anymore. When he finally got better, I wasn't allowed to be his Guardian! Anise got to be his Guardian instead. I'll never forgive her! I'll never forgive her for taking Ion away from me! She's nothing but a traitor who sucks up to Mohs! I'll never let someone like her hurt Ion!"

"Anise used to work for Mohs?" Asch asked. That was something the young Fon Master Guardian had failed to mention.

"Anise still works for Mohs! Even though Ion is trying so hard to stop him!"

"What are you talking about? Anise doesn't work for Mohs."

"Yes she does," Arietta argued. "She's nothing but his little lap dog. I've heard all her reports. How do you think it's so easy to find you? And last time you were in Baticul? Someone ratted you out, didn't they?"

"You can't prove that was Anise," Asch shot back. He wasn't going to let her trick him. This is what Van wanted, he wanted Asch to think everyone was about to backstab him.

"Fine, don't believe me, see for yourself. But whether you believe it or not, I will come and take Ion back from her. He's been working so hard, and all this time she's been helping Mohs get in his way. I'll never forgive her!"

"Commander Arietta!" An Oracle Knight burst into the room, nearly falling over before standing to attention before the young God-General.

"What do you want?" Arietta demanded. "Can't you see I'm busy right now?"

"But ma'am, your stables are on fire!"

"On fire?! What happened?!"

"We don't know ma'am, but someone saw Dist wandering around there. We think that he-" The guard stopped short when Arietta made a break for the door. "Umm, ma'am, aren't you supposed to be guarding the prisoner?"

Despite her small size, Arietta pinned the man up against the metal bars. "Then you guard him," she said as she dropped the keys in his hand. "And don't you dare screw up! You two!" Arietta called to the other two guards, who happened to be members of her squad, "come with me and help."

"Ma'am!" The two guards followed Arietta out the door.

"Ummmm…" the lone Oracle Knight stood dumbfounded in the exact position Arietta had left him, the flurry of movement a bit too much for him to process. How did he end up in charge of such a high class prisoner? The God-Generals were guarding him for Yulia's sake!

Unfortunately for the young Oracle Knight, Asch wasn't one to miss a good opportunity, and as the inexperienced Oracle Knight stood up against the bars, his back to the prisoner and the keys in hand, he made for a very good opportunity.

Asch unlocked the door to his cell and wasted no time in locating his equipment in the next room. That was easy, the hard part would be finding a way out of the veritable maze that was the cathedral's hallways, preferably before the God-Generals noticed he was missing.

--

The sun shone down on the water as the waves rolled beneath the ship's bow. A strong sea breeze came up off the water, chilling the many Oracle Knights that were running to and fro across the deck in attempts to look busy. Van just scoffed at their attempt, it was obvious they all just wanted an excuse to spend time above deck now that the sun was finally shining.

The Commandant, however, had little interest in what his men chose to do for the duration of the trip. As long as they were not delayed and everything remained on schedule, they could throw themselves overboard if they wanted to.

"Commandant," Legretta interrupted Van's musings and stood to attention before him.

"How is our progress?"

"The ship is approaching port as we speak, sir. There will be a coach to bring us to Fourth Monument Hill once we arrive."

"Good work," Van replied.

"Thank you, sir."

"How is Cantabile doing?"

"The healers are still working with her, it looks like it may be awhile before she's able to do anything useful."

"There are many ways to be useful," Van said sternly, clearly indicating he was displeased with Legretta's comment.

"You're right. My apologies sir, such a comment was out of line."

"No matter. What of Asch?"

"Dist finished his shift and reported no problems sir," Legretta provided. "Arietta isn't due to report until after we've arrived."

"Good," Van replied. For once, Van was actually impressed with something that Dist had made. Those transmitters were proving to be rather useful, though the reports they brought were almost as surprising. Van had assigned the four God-Generals in Daath to guard Asch because he had expected his temperamental student to do everything and anything in his power to escape. And yet, according to reports, he'd yet to even make an attempt. Perhaps there would be hope yet.

The boy must be quite upset over what had happened, making this a wonderful chance to attempt to reason with him. It was a pity they hadn't been able to eliminate the replica, but perhaps that would be possible before the fool could reunite with its original. Without that influence, Asch should easily be able to see things from his perspective. And that was the key, because Asch would fight until the bitter end for the things he believed in.

Now if only Mystearica could see things his way as well. His inability to get through to her bothered him. He may not have been the best older brother to her, but he didn't want to see her perish with the rest of this foolish world. She of all people should be able to understand the foolishness of Yulia's Score. She just needed to see the world in a different light.

That too could be the fault of the replica. Her closeness to the thing was, in some ways, even more unnerving than his inability to make her understand his ideals. Was that why she refused to sway? Stuck on a lie she was fed by a piece of garbage? That wouldn't do, Mystearica deserved far more than that. She deserved a shining future in a world that wouldn't snuff it out for an broken promise of an empty future. Much had happened between them, but he still wanted to see her happy.

If only she could see that.

"Commandant, the ship is preparing to dock," Legretta interrupted Van's thoughts. "Shall I begin organizing the men?"

"Please do," Van answered. For now, Asch came first. With one of her friends seeing straight, maybe then she'd be willing to start accepting the truth.

"We have a great deal of work to do."

--

Asch quietly opened a door and peaked out of the room. Another hallway… just great. He was so lost, it wasn't even funny anymore. Everything in this Score-be-damned place looked identical to him. How anyone stayed sane living in a place like this, he'd never know.

After making sure the hallway was empty, Asch carefully closed the door behind him. Pulling out one of his daggers, he made a small notch on the doorframe. He may not know where he was going, but at least he knew he wasn't wandering in circles. Short of having lost all sense of direction, he was doing fairly well. Asch had yet to hear any whispers of his escape, any alarms being sounded; not surprising, seeing as the guard he'd knocked out was now locked in his cell, and there wasn't to be a shift change until later in the evening. So unless Arietta returned after dealing with her stables, which Asch doubted seeing as she was much more likely to be dealing with Dist, he was safe from detection for sometime. Though there were times Asch almost wished he would hear something… anything to reassure him he was within a mile of any sort of civilisation. He hadn't even run into an acolyte. Seriously… did Daath spread out under the entire continent or what?

The lack of windows and amplitude of fon stones lighting the passageways led Asch to believe he was somewhere below the cathedral, but seeing as he was unconscious when they brought him in, he really had no way of knowing for sure. Oh well, nothing left to do but keep going, and hope to find an exit sometime soon. He didn't fancy trying to meet up with Luke in this veritable maze.

The next door Asch opened brought a surge of cool air and cloud of dust right into the young noble's face. Asch frantically looked around, assuring his little coughing fit hadn't drawn any unwanted attention, but there was no one there. In fact, it looked like there hadn't been anyone in this room for a very long time.

The entire library was covered in dust, some layers thicker than others, but still enough to show no one had actually used the library in ages. The books on the shelves looked even older, and would probably turn to dust themselves if anyone tried to handle them. Faded ink on yellowed papers were scattered all over the place giving the entire room a ghostly look.

At first Asch thought the noises he heard was his imagination screwing with him. A faint creaking of the door, papers blowing across the floor, it wasn't until Asch actually spotted the person that he ducked behind a bookcase. They were quiet; whoever it was knew very well how to go unnoticed. Asch slowly and silently began to move in the direction this person had come from, his ears primed for any sign that they had noticed him. He just had to make it to the door unnoticed, and if not, well then he'd deal with that when it happened.

--

Reiner quietly opened the door to the old library and closed it behind him. Why of all places did Dist have to send him here? What he should have done was go to the infirmary and get his boss a couple of icepacks before his lip and eye swelled up too badly. Ligers certainly didn't look like the kind of creatures he'd ever want to mess with. He was terrible with animals, and even worse with monsters, probably one of the reasons he had never applied to be in Arietta's squad.

But rather then let Reiner do that, Dist had sent him here to fetch some kind of book that the Commandant had wanted Dist to go through. While the Commandant's orders were important and all, Reiner wished he could have gotten the icepacks. It would save him having to listen to a crap-load of complaining latter about how Dist's beautiful face was ruined. Why did he get the feeling they'd be working on liger poison for the next week? Anything to satisfy that revenge journal of his.

Reiner hurried through the ancient library, moving unexpectedly quietly. The last he wanted was to find out the hard way that this place really was haunted. But that was just a story they told the new recruits…right? He hated ghosts… oh how he hated ghosts. He didn't want to bother them, he just needed a book and he'd be gone! Please oh please don't come out. It was one of those times he was grateful that he'd learned to move silently. The skill was a necessity when working for Dist, that man would explode at anything that moved and had ears if it would listen.

Looking up at the towering shelves, Reiner finally spotted what he had been looking for, a blue book with gold lettering that was unmistakable. Thank goodness it was where it belonged, he didn't have to spend half an hour looking for the thing. Carefully snatching the text off the shelf so as not to damage it in any way, Reiner hurried back towards the door. He was almost there! Now all he had to do was get the book back to Dist, and then he could finally get around to training for that promotion.

--

Damn it! Asch had almost made it to the door when the footsteps began running in his direction. He had been so close to getting out, now he was half a second away from getting caught! With no time to think and the footsteps getting closer, Asch abandoned his hiding spot behind the bookshelf just as the man ran by, landing a clean blow to his stomach. Asch spun around, landing a second blow to the back of the head and the man fell to the ground unconscious, dropping the book he'd been carrying.

Asch leaned over, picked up the text and blew the dust from the cover. So this person hadn't been looking for him after all. Better safe then sorry though, at least he hadn't killed the poor guy. Asch looked down at the man he'd crippled, he looked like any other trainee. He must have been sent down here to get this book for one of the older members of the Order. Out of curiosity, Asch lifted the cover and began to skim through the pages.

This was-! Asch couldn't believe his eyes, a book like this should have been destroyed ages ago. Many texts had been confiscated and destroyed by the Order many years ago, texts Asch now realized probably spoke of the Qliphoth or other such secrets. This one… if it was what it seemed from the little Asch had read, this was a history of the Dawn Age. Something like this might be able to give them more information on the Sephiroth and how, if they even could, save the Outer Lands!

Asch carefully closed the book and tucked it away in Luke's jacket that he was still wearing. Leaving the trainee on the floor, Asch silently thanked the man for dropping this book into his lap and could only hope that the man wouldn't get in too much trouble.

--

Mohs fumed as he walked down one of the seemingly endless corridors below the cathedral's main levels, a faithful subordinate in tow. Curse that Van Grants! The manipulative Commandant had become quite the nuisance of late, but he would let it slide for now. As long as things continued to move down the path he was guiding them, all would be well enough. The Score had to be followed, and he would continue to drive those two countries to war himself if need be. The promised prosperity could not be lost, no matter the cost.

"Are you sure?" Mohs demanded a fourth time, stopping in the middle of the hallway. Further down the hall, a door closed. Probably one of the useless acolytes skipping lessons again. The Grand Maestro quickly dismissed it; he had no use for such fools.

"I'm certain sir. Dorian General Grants has Kimlasca's heir in his custody. The God-Generals themselves have been guarding him."

"Curse him for having such a valuable prisoner and not informing me! Has there been no word from Anise?"

"Nothing yet, sir."

"Well once this is done, you send word to that girl that she is to be quicker with her reports! I won't have another close call like when they were in Baticul. She is not to delay those reports again!"

"Yes, sir! I'll relay your message. Every word!"

"Good! Now where is Asch being kept?"

"In the lower half of the eastern cell block, sir!"

"Then let's make haste, this war has been delayed enough as it is. I want you to arrange passage to Baticul as soon as we're done here!"

"Sir!" Both men vanished through a door at the end of the hall.

Once all traces of sound were gone, Asch quietly slipped out of the room he'd been hiding in, and silently made his way in the direction from which the two men had come.

--

"So does some one want to remind me exactly how we're supposed to find Asch? He could be anywhere!" Anise's voice rang in the cathedral's entrance.

"Anise, keep it down," Luke hissed.

"Sorry," Anise replied mockingly, sticking her tongue out at Luke once his back was turned. Someone was in a rotten mood.

"Anise, do try to be a bit quieter," Ion reiterated the request. "It's very important that we go unnoticed for as long as possible."

"No offence or anything Ion, but you going unnoticed in Daath is about as likely as it is for the twins to go unnoticed in Baticul."

"Maybe, but at the very least, we have to try," Ion replied.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Anise conceded.

"Well then, where do you suppose we start?" Guy asked.

"If he's here, he's probably locked in one of the cells," Tear pointed out. "But there are quite a few cell blocks here and he could be in any of them."

"Let's start with the upper levels and work our way down," Anise suggested.

"No," Luke cut in. "This way." The redhead pointed towards a large door on their right.

"That leads to the levels underground," Tear provided. "The dungeons down there are older, I think we should try the others first."

"No, he's in one of the older ones." Luke shook his head. Asch was nearby, and he was moving. He must have managed to get out of his cell. That made finding him all the more difficult, but at least Luke had a direction.

"You have to admit," Jade piped in, "it would be far less conspicuous if he were to be held away from the usual prisoners. I don't imagine they want the world to know their holding onto Kimlasca's heir."

"Jade does have a point," Guy agreed. "Alright Luke, you lead the way."

"Don't worry," Ion placed a comforting hand on Luke's arm as everyone made their way downstairs. "I don't know how much help my authority will be, but I'll do whatever I can."

"Thank you, Ion," Luke smiled. Ion also smiled, his heart was filled with warmth for the first time since that night. If only he had noticed Natalia's distress sooner, perhaps he could have spoken to her, he could have done something to make a difference. Then there was the fact that it had been Van, and members of his Order that had orchestrated all this. Ion couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible… all the more reason to see to it that everything was set right.

Their footsteps seemed to echo as everyone walked along in silence. There wasn't a single other sound to be heard as Natalia walked along the seemingly endless corridors. It never ceased to amaze her just how intricate the layout of Daath was. It was a wonder no one ever got lost down here. Natalia quickened her pace a bit. She certainly didn't want to get lost… she'd never find her way back without Anise or Ion to show her the way, not that her loss would bother anyone. Luke would probably be happy about it, and she had no one to blame but herself.

The silent tension among the once happy group of friends was heartbreaking, and Natalia knew full well she was the cause of it. She could only hope that once they found Asch, if Asch was – no Asch had to be okay – then everything would get better for them. They would find him unharmed, they… they had to. Knowing what she had done was bad enough; Natalia just wouldn't be able to live with herself if anything had happened to him.

She had let herself be so easily fooled. Misled and manipulated, she had played her part perfectly, and completely willingly. Each of those decisions she had made on her own, and would have staked everything on them. She had, and she lost it all.

Luke was furious with her, and he had every right to be, but she was just glad he was safe. She would have been utterly devastated if anything had happened to him. It still shook her to think how close Sync had come to killing her cousin that night. What if they wanted the same thing with Asch? What if she never saw him again? No, Natalia had to believe that she would because she couldn't break down and cry anymore. She had to right the mistakes she had made, and then maybe someday, she could earn their forgiveness.

Yet, despite how desperate she was to see that Asch was okay, she feared meeting with him more than anything else, except perhaps the possibility that he'd been hurt. What would she say… what could she say? He would be angry, that Natalia had no doubt. She had done such a terrible thing to him, had said all those awful things to him… there were no words she knew to express just how sorry she was. But whatever Asch would say, she could accept; any anger or malice he would direct at her, she would claim. She owed him that much.

Tear placed a hand on the Princess' shoulder and Natalia gave her a grateful smile. Thank goodness for Tear, she had certainly proven to be an invaluable friend throughout all this. While she certainly hadn't spared any of the harsh words Natalia had deserved, she had still been a constant support and had helped Natalia work through her own feelings, as well as build up the courage to do what she knew would be necessary.

The sound of a door closing startled the two girls, and stopped them both in their tracks. Everyone else had stopped as well… it was strange, the sound hadn't been loud enough to indicate someone simply passing through. The door had been closed softly, only the clicking of the latch betraying it. Someone was trying to avoid detection.

Had they been found by an enemy? Luke certainly didn't seem to think so. His face lit right up, quite unlike anything any of them had seen over the past couple days, and then took off down the hallway.

"Luke! Don't take off on your own like that!" Guy called out as everyone began after him. What was he thinking? What if that door they just heard closing was a bunch of soldiers waiting in ambush? But perhaps these things never even crossed Luke's mind; he was looking for his brother after all.

And in the end, it was only fitting he had been the one to find him.

"You're okay!" Mieu squeaked as he leapt forward and clung to the front of Asch's top. The startled redhead could only stare at the cheagle who crawled up onto his shoulder. It was the first time Asch could genuinely say he was glad to see that little ball of blue fur. "I was so worried about you! And Master was worried, and everyone was worried!"

Asch looked up to find Luke in front of him smiling, a soft accepting smile and in that moment Asch couldn't help but wonder if Luke hadn't known all along. Known about his mixed feelings, his reservations about returning… he had known, and had accepted him just the same. A feeling of relief washed over Asch, and he smiled back. Everyone else gathered around, but no one was quite sure what to say. They all stood there in awkward silence. It was Luke who finally found words.

"Welcome back."

Everyone watched, unsure what would come next.

"Thank you," Asch finally replied, wearily eyeing everyone in the group save Natalia who had hidden herself in the back.

This was it, the young princess braced herself. This was where he was going to get angry with her, and she knew she deserved his harsh words, but that didn't make receiving them any easier. But she would bear with it, and she would work up the strength to apologize properly.

"We'd better get going," Asch's voice broke the silence. Natalia's tensed muscles all relaxed. He wasn't... Natalia looked up, but he looked away the moment she did. He wouldn't even look her in the eye.

"I dodged a few people on my way up," he continued. "It won't be long before they realize I'm not down there anymore."

"I agree," Jade pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Seeing as we've found our prize, I suggest we depart. I'd like to leave Daath without running into the God-Generals."

"That would be a first," Anise rolled her eyes. "Those guys are always on our case, huh?"

"You should save it until we're out of Daath," Guy commented as they all backtracked through the maze of corridors.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," the Fon Master Guardian agreed. "But still, you gotta wonder how they find us all the time."

Asch said nothing.

--

Despite their irony invoking conversation about the God-Generals, everyone made it out of the Cathedral without running into any kind of trouble. The sudden mobilization of the Oracle Knights in Daath itself told them they had gotten out none too soon, but blending into the midday crowds was simple enough and they easily avoided detection. Before long the found themselves within sight of Daath's outskirts. They were almost there.

"Don't move." The sound of a gun loading confirmed the identity of the person behind them, if her voice hadn't already given her away.

"Come to finish the job you botched up last time?" Asch taunted.

"I'd watch your tongue," Legretta pressed a barrel to the back of Asch's skull. "You may be safe for now, but your time is swiftly running out."

"That's enough Legretta," the second voice called the God-General down and made everyone spin around.

"Well this is a rather less-than-pleasant surprise," Jade commented. "To what do we owe this honour?"

"I see you never change," Van replied. "As unsociable as ever."

"I try my hardest not to disappoint," the Colonel shrugged.

"What are you doing here?" Guy cut off any potential response from Van. Silence fell over everyone. Unfortunately, since they hadn't taken one of the main roads out of Daath, there wasn't anyone around to conveniently interrupt them.

"You've escaped," Van spoke directly to Asch, being the first to break the tense silence. A daring move, seeing as every member of the group before him was ready to jump him at the slightest upset, even with Legretta standing behind them. "Imagine my surprise when I come to see you and find one of our men in your cell instead. I guess I should expect no less from my student."

"Are these what you're after?" Asch dangled the keys to his cell around his finger.

"A door is simple enough to remove, what I'm after has a much greater value. The one I want is… irreplaceable. You know what I'm talking about, right? What I need is you, Asch."

"What do you want with Asch?" Tear demanded.

"Asch," Van directed his attention at the redhead, completely ignoring everyone else. They were a long way from posing any sort of threat to him. "I offered it to you once and I'll offer again, come join me and help me save this world."

"Not on your life," Asch answered, his glare nothing short of threatening.

"No? Surely by now you've had a chance to see the truth. The destruction that the Score demands be wrought on this world, the innocent blood that must be shed for an empty future."

"All I've seen is you and your attempts to drop the Outer Lands."

"Then what of Akzeriuth? And of more recent events? You know the lengths your so-called allies will go to see Yulia's prosperity."

"And what of it?" Tear intervened. "Maybe it is true that people have made some mistakes, but that doesn't mean they're worthless and should be eliminated. It doesn't mean you should give up on them and it doesn't validate replacing everything with replicas!"

"This isn't about replacing everyone with replicas, that is simply a means of accomplishing a greater goal," Van explained.

"And what kind of goal demands that you kill everyone in the world?" Guy asked, the look on his face as dangerous as Asch's.

"Such means wouldn't… no they shouldn't be necessary, but they are. People are fools, unable to breathe unless the Score tells them too. Yulia left us a poison, and it will claim everyone unless something is done. I will see that the world lives on, even if that world is a replica. For that I need your help, Asch. I need you to give a dying world hope again."

"No."

"Fine, I see you still need more time to grasp the truth. But time is swiftly running thin, I need your cooperation."

"Why? You still haven't explained why you want Asch!" Tear protested. "Or why you tried to have Luke killed! Why do you need Asch and not Luke?"

"That thing?" Van spat, the silent Luke subconsciously cringed at the harsh words. "It's hardly capable of helping me build a new world. A worthless failure like that has no place in the future. It's only purpose was to die in Akzeriuth, and even that it couldn't accomplish."

"How could you- Stop calling Luke 'it'!" Tear could barely speak she was so taken aback and disgusted at the way her brother was treating Luke. It was as if Luke was nothing more than a piece of garbage to be discarded at leisure. How… How could he see people like that?

"Oh?" An evil gleam shone in Van's eye at that realization. A look that made every hair on the back of Luke's neck stand on edge... he wouldn't…

"I see," Van chuckled, a scarily evil edge to his voice. "So you haven't told them your precious little secret."

"Shut up!" Luke, who had been completely silent up to this point, exploded and in a split second was charging his former teacher.

It was so quick it was almost impossible to follow. Van drew his own blade and easily intercepted his student's attack, landed a blow to the young noble's stomach and before anyone knew it, sent Luke sprawling across the ground. The redhead coughed and choked in an attempt to regain the breath he'd lost.

"Well then, allow me," Van said as he re-sheathed his blade, his condescending gaze never leaving the redhead on the ground.

"Van!" Asch's emerald eyes burned with fury.

"Van stop it!" Guy's cry echoed Asch's but neither seemed to sway the Commandant.

"It is a perfectly valid term for a worthless replica such as that."

Everyone froze.

"Asch," Van continued, "the next time we meet, you won't have any more time to reconsider. Remember that." Without another word, Van brushed past the group and he, along with Legretta, disappeared into Daath.

Silence hung over everyone. Luke was still on the ground, his golden red hair falling in his face and hiding his eyes, but they didn't disguise the tear that leaked down his cheek.

"Luke…" Asch took a step towards his sibling but Luke scrambled to his feet and before anyone knew what had happened, he took off into the distance.

"Luke!" Tear took off after her companion.

"Lu-" The blonde was blocked by an extended arm. "Asch?"

"Don't." The redhead said quietly as Tear too disappeared from view.

"But-" Guy tried to protest.

"No. It's about time we stopped hiding the truth…" Asch replied quietly. He took a deep breath before continuing.

"It's time… for both of us."