Author's Note: Hello everyone, here is chapter 41! Wow, I can't believe it, but we are nearing the end. Next Saturday I plan to post my final two chapters together. It's truly been awesome writing this fic, and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it as much as I've loved writing it. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed/fav/followed, or just stopped by to read. I appreciate it all! Hope you guys enjoy! See you next week!

Chapter 41: Chains of Power

"Long time, no see, Ava..." Astrid smirked, folding her arms across her chest, the pale light of the clear night sky illuminating her seductive features. "Did you miss me?"

At a complete loss for words, Ava simply stood in silence, her gaze now falling to the enormous bonfire. Immediately, she realized who those rowdy, boisterous people were. She looked on as brilliant traces of firelight danced across the faces of her fallen siblings. A rush of tucked-away memories flooded Ava's mind, and a strange sense of warmth swept over her. These people, long lost in the flames of a burning Sanctuary, were now alive and well. The Void was undeniably a fascinating place.

"Hmmm..." Astrid studied Ava's lack of words. "Surely you have something to say to the woman who ordered your death..."

"I don't know..." Ava mumbled, feeling a mixture of emotions upon seeing Astrid again. Astrid - - the woman responsible for taking her in, who she befriended and at the time wanted to please, had also been responsible for betraying her and the deaths of her fellow siblings. Not to mention, she'd ordered Ava to murder Cicero - - a thought that now made her skin crawl. When she killed Astrid, she'd ultimately accepted her former leader's apology and decided to forgive her. However, that fact didn't stop the flood of bad memories and hurt that resulted from those events. "I guess it's just a lot to take in...You know, after everything that's happened between us..." Ava answered as honestly as possible.

"I guess by that you mean when I tried to...murder you?" Astrid asked, her voice partially sighing, as if the thought of it stood as a regret in her mind. "I guess I did have a bit of a temper, wouldn't you say?" she asked, half-joking in an attempt to cut through the strange tension in the air.

"Why am I here?" Ava's brow furrowed, with curiosity taking hold of her.

"I see you get right to the point..." Astrid grinned slyly. "I wanted to see you again, Ava. We all did." she said, gesturing to her siblings at the bonfire. "Take it as a sort of amends, if you wish..."

"Astrid, I'd forgiven you long ago." Ava stated, brow still furrowed. What did she mean amends?

"While that may be true, I never really had the chance to right my wrongs..." Astrid walked away from the dancing firelight, her back turned to Ava as she gazed at the night sky.

"But, you apologized to me." Ava remarked, still baffled by this new attitude of Astrid's. Astrid was still Astrid, but she was a bit different. Perhaps the Void had that effect on people.

Astrid chuckled at Ava's statement, further confusing her. "You see..." Astrid continued. "I wasn't allowed to just wander freely in the Void when I first came here. As the Night Mother once told you, I had to find redemption. You see our happy little family over there?" she questioned, as Ava nodded warily. "I didn't have the luxury of seeing them all until I faced my own demons - - the very reasons I ultimately betrayed my dark family..."

Feeling rather curious, Ava raised an eyebrow, "What did you have to do?"

"I had to face them." Astrid pointed again to the merry group of assassins. "One by one, I had to tell them of what I'd done. I could only hope for their forgiveness. It was inconvenient, to say the least. The look on Arnbjorn's face when he heard my admission..." she sighed, now facing Ava once more. "You are another step toward my full redemption...My freedom to enjoy this afterlife and not regret it. I have to relay my truths to you, and in turn, relay some truths of your own...If you don't mind, that is..." Astrid smirked.

"Truths of my own?" Ava became instantly more interested by those words.

"Yes, of course..." Astrid nodded, extending a hand to her. "Now, will you come with me?" she inquired, her eyes fixated on a large, gnarly tree in the distance.

Ava nodded to Astrid, looking to the circle of assassins a final time.

"Don't worry, Ava. I'll make sure you get to visit them before our time is up. But for now, we need to talk." Astrid stated, as Ava took her by the hand, following her to the ancient looking tree. The two assassins sat beside each other in the grassy field, their backs pressed against the rough bark of the old tree.

A brief silence fell between them, as Astrid seemed to collect her thoughts. "Now where to begin...?" she mused to herself, her elbows propped on her knees as she contemplated over the matters in her mind. "When I first met you, I knew you had great potential, Ava. Sure you were a bit emotional...but, despite that, you had quite the killer instinct. I know you may think me to be nothing but a power-hungry traitor - - and I was - - but I really did want you in my family. When I saw your talents growing and your skills honing in, I began to see you as my potential right-hand. I had thoughts of us becoming quite good friends, actually. Albeit we are a bit different, I saw a lot of myself in you. You, like me, were alone and quite hopeless. I was that way, too, before I began to murder...and enjoy it. I believe the only problem I'd ever truly had with you was your power..."

Ava sighed, gazing off in the distance. "You know I never intended to take anything away from you, Astrid."

"Yes...I see that now. It was simply fate. Of course, it was a hard potion to swallow seeing as I'd put a great deal of effort in clawing my way to the top, only to be thwarted the instant your great powers were revealed. Needless to say, it didn't leave a good taste in my mouth. If I had known then what I know now, I wouldn't have done those things. I wouldn't have betrayed the family I held so dear to my heart." Her hazel eyes met with Ava's. "I wouldn't have betrayed you..."

Due to her loss of words and the flood of emotions coursing through her veins, Ava simply averted her eyes, nodding as she stared at her boots.

"I really did love the Brotherhood, unlike the new traitor in their midst. I dare say that the mage is a very different beast, altogether." Astrid said, surprising Ava.

"You...know about that?" Ava asked.

Astrid chuckled, amused. "Of course. We are in the Void, after all. There's much more to see where we are now. That woman...I don't believe she ever loved the Brotherhood to begin with - - only the power that came with it. I, however, loved both. Too bad for her. I'm sure Sithis will add an extra dose of pain when she arrives."

"Lielle hated me from the very beginning. I never could understand her..." Ava sighed, feeling ill at the very thought of her.

"It is her burden to carry, and not yours, Ava. Some sort of sick, twisted motives are driving her. Perhaps she wanted what you had - - your recognition and power. That's why she wanted to snuff you out. It's why she lied to you about Cicero." Astrid said, a sly look coming across her features.

"Heh...It certainly sounds strange to hear you say his name again." Ava chuckled, thinking of how insane circumstances were. Astrid had wanted the man she grew to love murdered. The thought was almost too disturbing to mention. Almost. "You know, considering what you wanted me to do..."

"Ah, I guess I should issue yet another apology for that as well." Astrid grinned. "I really had it out for your jester, didn't I? Of course, you can be cunning when you want to. I died thinking he'd been cut to pieces. I had no right to do that, really. The fool was right, after all. I'm sure meeting Cicero again in this life will prove to be...most interesting..."

"Certainly." Ava chuckled, thinking of her sweet jester's unpredictable behavior. Luckily, Astrid was already dead or she'd be worried. "Heh...I miss him already..." she mumbled, feeling a pang of sorrow in her chest while thinking of him. Knowing she'd someday meet him again was a relief, but not knowing how long that would be was terribly bothersome.

"You really are intriguing..." Astrid stated, sounding in awe from her observations of Ava. "All this time, you were in the presence of a handsome, loyal Vampire who obeyed your every command, and yet you fell in love with the fool. I must say, I'm curious..."

Ava's face twisted up in a bout of confusion. "What are you saying? Vottur loved his wife. He was a dear friend..."

Astrid smirked. "Yes he did love Mina, but he's still a man. Did you not notice that he took a liking to you? Did you not see the way he looked at you? To be a blood-thirsty killer, he's really quite the gentleman - - not so blunt about his feelings like your jester. He'd never tell you any different, but I'd wager that if you had said something, then he'd certainly not have refused you."

Ava's brow crinkled, feeling suddenly off-put and annoyed. "Why tell me this now?"

"Because I'm still the same person, Ava. I still like to observe your reactions to things. You're interesting to me...I guess it's an old habit, and you know what they say about old habits..." Astrid remarked. "So? What made you choose your jester?"

"I never realized that about Vottur...But to be honest, knowing that doesn't change a thing. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fond of him - - that the thought never crossed my mind. But the truth is, I love Cicero. Ever since I met him on the side of the road, he'd never quite left my thoughts. I enjoyed his company when I realized he was part of the Dark Brotherhood, and our friendship grew more over time. There's just something about him - - something that drew me to him like a moth to a flame. Maybe it was the way his eyes lit up when he'd see me, his devotion to me, his persistance, his comfort, or just his ability to make me laugh. He made me feel as if I wasn't so alone anymore. In a world of hurt, pain, and suffering, I was not alone. With him, I was happy. My only regret is that my own cowardly behavior kept me away from his love. I did him a great injustice there..." Ava's voice trailed away, as she found herself reliving memories of the hurt she'd caused them both.

"I can certainly relate to your troubles, Ava. When I had to face Arnbjorn, I felt many regrets. The man was devoted to me, much like the jester was to you. He was faithful, loving, and loyal, and yet I betrayed him. After all we'd been through, I had the gall to lie to him. He knew nothing of my plans, and died as a result of them. I have to say, it was hard to look him in the eyes once we met again."

"Did he forgive you?" Ava asked, curiously.

"Being the faithful husband that he is, he did. Of course, it took me much longer to forgive myself..." Astrid turned away, as if her thoughts now pained her too much to speak further on the matter. She cleared her throat, looking back to Ava and changing the subject. "I have something else to tell you, as well, as per order of the Night Mother herself."

"Oh?" Ava raised a brow.

"I do hope our little talk has cleared things up between us, but the next door awaits you soon. The Night Mother wants to see you again. She will be the final stop, before you find your truth - - your peace. Unfortunately, that is all I can tell you at the moment." Astrid informed her.

Ava could feel her heartbeat pick up, as a fear of the unknown crept over her mind. It wasn't exactly what Astrid had said, but how she'd said it. Her features had straightened and her tone was sobering. Ava could only wonder what she needed to see so badly in order to reach peace.

Astrid stood, reaching out a hand to Ava. "I hope you can find it in yourself to call me a friend."

Ava smiled, both relieved and content from their heart-to-heart conversation. "Astrid, I always did. I just didn't think you considered the same of me..." she said, taking her former leader's hand once more.

"Come, friend. Our family has been eager to meet you." Astrid grinned, as the two assassins headed to meet Ava's siblings.

Vottur stood before the Palace of the Kings with the bitter, snow-filled wind violently piercing his flesh, and its force nearly blowing his hood clean off his head. It was mid-day, and he stood, drained with fatigue and hungry for blood. The Vampire had little rest over the past few days, and it had certainly weighed on him physically. Emotionally speaking, wasn't much better, for the loss of Ava still weighed heavy on his heart, though he tried to push it aside for the time being. There were important matters at hand, whether he liked it or not. He'd have to grieve later.

He pushed the large door open, pulling his protective hood down as he entered the palace. Walking through the large corridors, Vottur could feel the anticipation of battle run over him. This was it. These would be the final plans to conquer the Legion, and put an end to the man who murdered his Mina.

As Vottur stepped into the Jarl's large throne room, he was greeted by a familiar voice. "I see you've returned, brother." Ulfric stood among Violet and Galmar, a cunning smile falling on his features. "Your Brotherhood does good work. My soldiers arrived with the Dragonborn's dead remains held high. I've ordered them to continue their march through Skyrim, until every eye has witnessed his death. There is unrest in the land, as reports of whole towns losing their Imperial guards due to assassinations are spreading throughout Skyrim. My men have heard word that the Legion is cowering with the onslaught. To make matters worse for them, the newly-appointed emperor won't send the reinforcements Tullius has requested. He says it's too much of a risk, and he is right."

"Haha! We have those milk-drinking Imperials quaking in their boots!" Galmar laughed haughtily, clapping his rough hands together.

"Good..." A subtle, wicked grin traced across Vottur's lips.

"I suppose we should get right to business, then?" Ulfric returned the expression. "Your companion here is a very clever woman. Galmar and myself think her plans will be more than adequate to overthrow the Legion here in Skyrim." He turned to the brunette Imperial, who's deep brown eyes met Vottur's, causing his heart to beat just a bit faster. At least Violet was okay. That made him feel a bit better.

"I do hope you'll support my plans, Vottur." she stated, sounding almost unsure of herself, as if she somehow longed for the Vampire's approval of the matter in a way that seemed to reach past military tactics. He simply nodded, allowing her to continue. "As far as Castle Dour goes, I know my way around quite well. I recently drew this basic map for Ulfric and his men to study. If I know my father, he'll hole up there once he senses true defeat. Given his recent erratic behavior, I'd wager he'll be quite a sight when we corner him." Violet smirked, seeming to anticipate that very moment. "Usually, I'd say an infiltration would be appropriate in the night hours when the townspeople are slumbering and the patrolling guards are fewer in number. Ah, but I digress, as this circumstance involves not just Ulfric's men, but the Brotherhood itself. While I do realize that many assassinations happen during various times of the day, it is widely believed that a vast majority happen at night. This could possibly affect the Legion's guard schedule, since the Dark Brotherhood is involved. They may be more on-guard and wary in the night hours."

Vottur listened intently, curious to what this was leading to. If he knew Violet, and he believed for the most part he did, she was a very witty woman. She certainly would not disappoint. Internally, Vottur found her presence a very warm and welcoming one. He had to admit, he missed her - - even if it had been a short while since they had been apart. What could he say? The woman had grown on him.

"I suggest that we attack mid-day. It's the least predictable time to strike. The Dark Brotherhood should infiltrate slowly, starting at early intervals, little by little. I'd advise against wearing your armor alone, however. Cover it with clothing. Blend in with the townspeople. Solitude is a bustling city, as it is. There's always a large crowd, so no one will likely notice the temporary increase in population. Selected assassins should make their way to the outer-walls and guard posts. A lookout - - which I've volunteered myself to do - - can send the attack call. At noon, the disguised assassins should kill the outer-guards, making their call of alert slower in reaching the castle. When all outer-guards are murdered, I will wave a red cloth. This will alert the Stormcloaks, who would be previously hiding out of view, to come rushing into the city. Any remaining Imperial soldiers or guards can be taken out, one by one, by the remaining disguised assassins within the crowd. So...What do you think?" Violet asked hesitantly, her eyes wide and hopeful.

The way she looked at him, by Sithis, he could swear he'd seen it before. Mina used to look at him like that when she wanted something. Vottur grinned, taking in the information and instantly enjoying it. "It's...perfect..." he answered, watching Violet's face light up with happiness.

"Oh, good! Very good, then! So, then, we are all agreed?" Violet looked about the three men, who nodded in unison. "Splendid! Now all we need is to notify the Dark Brotherhood, and we are all set! Oh, and we need to discuss a day of attack, I suppose..."

"Tomorrow." Ulfric stated eagerly. " I want this war to end. My people need to be freed from the bonds of oppression. I cannot wait any longer. If there is a time to strike the Legion while they are impaired, it is now! Galmar, you will gather my men and tell them of our plans."

"Very well..." Vottur agreed, weary and exhausted as he was. "I must travel to my Brotherhood and tell them the news. They need to prepare for this..." He didn't know how much more deprivation his body could stand, but he knew his obligations. Perhaps feeding would help the situation.

"Nonsense, brother." Ulfric held up a refusing hand to his statement. "A blind man can see that you are weary past what a man should be. I understand that you are Vampiric in nature. If you must feed, then please..." Ulfric motioned to the hallway leading to his prison chambers. "You can help yourself to my prisoners."

Vottur nodded, "Aye, that will help. That and some much-needed sleep..." he stated, stretching his tired limbs.

Ulfric nodded, "Very well. You can keep your horse in our stables, brother. We'll make sure he is tended to properly. I'll send after a carriage so you can ride among my men, back to your Sanctuary. That'll give you time to rest on your way. Your companion can stay with us. What say you?"

Vottur nodded, greatly appreciative of Ulfric's gracious gestures. "Thank you." This man may not have been Brotherhood, but to Vottur, he began to feel like one of their own.

"Well, here we are, dear." Babette smirked after answering the Black Door, and watching it rumble open. She turned to Lielle, who stood growling, hands and ankles chained, with each arm in the grasp of an assassin who accompanied them on their way. She'd been gagged in order to keep her from screeching for help while they traveled. "I'm sure everyone will be simply thrilled to see you again." Babette remarked, as she led the way into the Dawnstar Sanctuary.

Babette entered the Sanctuary, as Nazir stepped up the staircase that led to the dining area below. Apparently, he'd heard the ruckus from the door and came to see what all the noise was about. She could instantly see the strained and exhausted expression on his face. Babette could easily figure that things had been rough around Dawnstar, no doubt.

"I see you've made it here in one piece." the Redguard remarked, crossing his arms.

"Indeed. I've also brought some lovely company to visit. I know it's a bit rude to invite someone over without asking, but I simply couldn't help myself." Babette said, sarcasm still lacing every word with the hope that every sentence she uttered would provoke Lielle in some way.

Nazir, seeming to refuse to look at the mage, snarled. "Very well, then. This will certainly be interesting..." Nazir behaved as if he knew something that Babette was not yet aware of. That would need some further prodding, perhaps.

"You aren't acting right. What's the deal?" she asked bluntly, cutting right to the point.

"Come with me..." Nazir instructed. "Leave the mage here, though. I need you to see for yourself."

Babette's brow furrowed, as she sensed that something was terribly off. "What is it, Nazir?"

...

"So you had to do this to him?" Babette scowled, seeing Cicero cuffed to the wall, his head slumped over in silence. Usually one to remain apathetic to things with ease, Babette truly felt surprised at how unnerving it was to see Cicero in this state. Shadows of the torture chamber covered his body, creating an eerie silhouette in the darkness. Surely there could've been a better way to restrain the poor grieving creature than this, couldn't there? Of course, he was a raving lunatic to begin with, so the answer was most likely "no".

"It was this or risk being gutted in our sleep." Nazir stated darkly.

Babette took a few steps toward the lifeless jester, wondering if he was catatonic or merely asleep. She turned to Nazir. "Has he been like this the whole time?"

"By the Void, no! He was raving about, trying to kill us all! He trashed the Sanctuary and tried to stab anything in sight, including himself." Nazir sighed, rubbing his forehead as if he'd developed quite the headache. "He cursed and screamed well into the night. I'd venture to say the fool tired himself out. He's most likely sleeping, thank Sithis..."

Babette approached Cicero, inspecting him further, while rubbing her chin in contemplation. His face was gaunt and his eyes were dark and sunken in - - most likely from exhaustion and lack of sleep. His usually clean, shaven face had begun to grow a fine stubble. It was something Babette was certainly not used to seeing. However, upon closer inspection, she noted that his eyes were open and hollow, staring down at the floor. Cicero's breathing was slow and steady. Was he sleeping with his eyes open? Was he in some sort of trance, perhaps?

"Cicero, are you awake?" Babette asked gently. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor thing. He had lost his beloved, after all. Babette knew good and well that Ava meant the world to him.

She watched closely as the jester moved about. He blinked one, two, three times. It was as if he were trying to pull himself back into the conscious realm again - - as if his mind had been somewhere miles away. His eyes regained focus, as his head turned to her in a slow, eerie motion. When Cicero's eyes met her own, they looked empty and dead, causing a wave of pity to run over her.

"...Cicero?" the jester asked, as if he'd never heard his own name before. His tone was calm and eerily collected. He didn't sound at all like the Cicero she once knew. Babette was now thoroughly worried. "Cicero is not here." he answered, his voice low and indifferent.

Babette gave Nazir a concerned look from across the chamber. The Redguard sighed, shaking his head in return. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked the jester.

The jester grinned darkly, "Cicero is dead."

Babette furrowed her brow, puzzled with his statement. "I'm no scholar, but I'm quite sure you are alive."

"Haha..." Cicero chuckled faintly, his eyes glazing over once more and returning to the floor. Babette, who decided she was still not done questioning him, snapped her tiny fingers in front of his face in an attempt to regain his attention. Of course, it was in vain, for he simply remained in a strange, hypnotic state.

"Well, I guess I'll tell them to bring the mage." Nazir stated, apparently moving things along once he'd seen all he could.

Moments after the Redguard left, Babette watched as the two assassins escorted Lielle into the torture chamber. Her head was initially slumped over until she caught a glimpse of who was cuffed to the wall at the other end of the room. Lielle's eyes then narrowed, as Babette could see faint traces of a smirk on her face. Apparently, the wicked thing found it amusing to render the jester in such a state as a result of her betrayal. Babette hated the repulsive woman, to be honest. Lielle had no right to conspire to have Ava killed, even if that was how fate worked things out.

"We'll remove your gag for now, but if you say one tiny little thing I don't approve of, I'll shove it down your throat. Understand?" Babette demanded, too angry to carry on her sarcastic banter any longer. Lielle only glared at her.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then." Babette replied, ordering the assassins to finish restraining her.

Of course, as always, Lielle had to push the buttons of those around her. As soon as her mouth was free, she turned to the jester with a large, spite-filled grin on her face. "What's the matter, jester? Are you at a loss for words?"

Babette watched, as the catatonic jester suddenly snapped back to reality. His eyes focused once more, growing wide and wild. He slowly turned to meet eyes with the mage, who seemed to fall suddenly quiet under his unnerving stare. He glared the look of a thousand deaths into her soul. Babette had to admit, it made even her spine tingle a bit.

Apparently taking Cicero's glare as a threat, Lielle wasn't one to be one-upped. The mage's face twisted in a look of rage as she opened her foul mouth. "What's wrong, jester? Don't know what to do now that your Listener isn't here to order you around? Guess what? I had her killed! I told Haldor where she was! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ah, it's so FUNNY! Don't you think? What's the matter? Why no laughing?!"

"GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Immediately, the silent jester erupted, writhing and flailing in his chains as if he were a man possessed. Cicero foamed at the mouth, straining against his cuffs so hard that they cut into his wrists, causing them to trickle blood.

Babette narrowed her eyes at the mage. "That was your warning. Go ahead and gag her again. She's far too stupid for her own good." she commanded bitterly, as the wicked girl cackled until the two assassins silenced her once more.

Babette turned to Cicero, who continued to writhe and scratch about like a rabid saber cat. Oh, how she did despise that girl. There was no use consoling the jester now. Of course, Babette couldn't help but let her mind ponder over the possibilities of what would happen to the mage if she were to accidentally let the fool loose. A small, devious smile quickly spread across the tiny Vampire's face as she took a final look at Lielle before she left the room to contemplate more on the matter.

The bonfire blazed brilliantly under the stars, as Ava laughed along with her siblings, who had previously been reminiscing with her over old times. She smiled, now listening to them as they spoke of her battle with the legendary Dragonborn, while she took a generous drink from her tankard. She was pleasantly surprised at how good the mead was - - far better than anything she'd ever tasted on Nirn, for that matter. The wild, sweet and spicy tonic gushed down her throat as she watched Astrid through the fire.

"I have to say Scrap, I didn't think you had it in you...You're a lot stronger than you look." Arnbjorn smirked from beside Astrid, his large hand placed on his wife's leg affectionately.

Ava shot him a quizzical look, "Arnbjorn, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what?"

"How did you end up...here?" Ava asked, baffled as to why he didn't return to Hircine in the afterlife.

"Oh, I get it. It's because I was a werewolf, huh? Let's just say that if I wanted to go hunt with those other mutts when I died, then I would've stayed with those milk-drinking Companions." he aswered in the blunt fashion Ava had always remembered of him.

"He always was a bit of a rebel." Astrid smirked, giving her husband a sly look.

"I have to say, I'm truly honored to have once fought by your side." Veezara clasped his hands together as he leaned in beside Ava. "I guess this was truly fate, after all...It was our destiny...All of our destinies..."

"Haha! Usually, I'm one to enjoy the Arcane methods of killing some poor bastard, but the way you gouged the Dragonborn's eyes out of his skull was priceless! I was laughing for days!" Festus whooped excitedly from her other side.

"I have to say, you've earned my respect, if nothing else..." Gabriella remarked smugly, petting her pet spider Lis who stood to her side on the ground. Ava smiled, taking another drink from her tankard. Apparently some things never change. She figured that some people just weren't meant to like others, and Gabriella was just meant to not like her for some odd reason. Life was like that sometimes, Ava thought to herself. She mentally shrugged, enjoying their company far too much to care.

After what seemed like hours of rowdy laughter and reminiscing over their time spent in the realm of Nirn together, Astrid caught Ava's attention when she abruptly cleared her throat. "Ahem...Ava, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid it's time for you to go."

A hush fell over the assassins, as Ava's heart sank a bit, knowing she'd have to leave them. "Oh..."

"Don't worry, Scrap. You're welcome here anytime. You are one of us, after all." Arnbjorn smiled warmly - - a rare sight to see. "Even if you did lie to me about that damned clown of yours." he chuckled, as Ava shot him a sheepish look.

"Oh, yeah...Sorry about that..." she laughed nervously.

Ava bid the others farewell for the time being, as Astrid guided her to a pale, glowing door that seemed to appear in the distance. Lucien stood beside of it, his face sober and serious.

"I'm glad to have met you again, Ava." Astrid gave her a warm smile. "I hope to see you again, soon. Before I go, the Night Mother told me she needed to speak to you about a certain person...She said this person is very important...This person is the missing piece. You will find out why things are the way they are. It's the final step to your peace, Ava."

Suddenly feeling confused and uneasy, Ava inhaled deeply. "Can you tell me who this person is?"

Astrid's eyes fixated on her own. "Temani."