[insert half-assed twilight joke about the chapter title]

Hiya. I'm early today x) Hopefully these Somnium chapters don't seem too weird to you guys. I mean they will have plot relevance for sure. Plus they have some fun cameos ;)

[Soundtrack: Little Rascal - Final Fantasy XII]

The rebel faction, Sons of Hecate, is both a rowdy and a proud bunch. To the upper echelons of society, they hardly even exist, but their name carries a great deal of weight around middle and lower class members of society. They first officially came into existence when Shadow was just a young boy of perhaps four or five years old, scraping a living on the streets while his older brother worked as a scribe for the young Prince Dartz. Perhaps that was the reason that, even as a young boy, he had so utterly and completely despised the royal family. The Sons' one true goal is, and has always been, the fall of the Usurper Ironheart and the rise of the disgraced and true royal family to where they belong.

Shadow sits at the head of the table with a goblet of spirits and a murky disposition. His mind still hasn't adjusted to his surroundings and still hasn't come to accept them as truth. The leader of the Sons, a large man, known to his followers only by the pseudonym Thunderblade, roars with laughter as a prostitute settles in his lap and whispers in his ear. Shadow watches with a roll of his eye as his superior grips the smaller boy's torso towards him. Thunder is a large man, with shoulders twice as wide as any normal man and a height so great that most people thought he may have been a Titan. Needless to say, the slender-hipped prostitute is like a doll by comparison.

Evren is nowhere in sight, likely off doing whatever she and Rayan did when they were alone, so Shadow is without a distraction, staring into the bottom of his goblet and trying to make sense of his situation. He is completely certain that he is not alive, and he is completely certain that nobody around him should be alive either. Atlantis has fallen, but in this very room, it's more alive than he's seen in a long time.

He overhears an old man with speckled skin speaking firmly with a group of young, excited boys. "Now, now, settle down, you three!"

"C'mon, gramps!" one of them cries out. "You said you'd tell us the story of Hectatea if we did all our chores!"

"Yeah!" another whines; he seems to be the youngest of the group, as his voice hasn't matured yet. "I want to know about the Shadow Queen!"

At this, the old man realizes that Shadow is listening and turns around to give him a grin. "Looks like our very own Shadow King wants to hear the story as well," he says with a twinkle in his eye. "Come here, my boy. Maybe the youngsters can learn a thing or two from someone like you."

Shadow feels an unpleasant pang of pain when he looks into the man's eyes. This man was -is Elder Stone; he's been a part of the Sons since before the movement even had a name or social standing. Officially, Stone isn't even a part of the Sons, he's merely aligned with them. Stone's allegiance lies with the Shadow King, and as long as the Shadow King is a part of the Sons, Stone would follow him. Stone had practically raised Shadow and his older brother from childhood, and Shadow would later watch him die, a memory which he is not so keen on reliving in such vivid clarity.

"Of course, Grandfather," Shadow replies, trying to hide the unease in his voice, something he had learned to be very good at over the course of his life. "I haven't heard that story in a while."

Stone chuckles, a soft and tired sound, before starting his story:

"Hecatea's history is a long one, soaked in blood and strife. Many years ago, before Shadow was born and before his grandfather or even great-grandfather was born, Hecatea was built by the Titan, Phoebe, as a home for her children. She placed her beloved Hecate at the head of the Hecatean Empire, to rule benevolently for all time. The struggles surrounding Hecatea were born out of the jealousy of the sea king, Poseidon, who saw the beautiful Empire that Phoebe had built in the middle of his ocean, and sought to conquer it for his own children.

"Atlas, the elder, destroyed all of Hecate's altars and cursed all of her worshipers, casting them all to a fate worse than death. Hecate herself never left the continent now known as Atlantis. She eventually took a human husband and bore his child, spending her days hidden between the mortals. The legends say that she still roams the Aperture, guiding her followers to paradise after their passing.

"Hecate's daughter, Scylla, was the first Shadow Queen, a demi-goddess as fierce as she was beautiful. When she learned of her mother's exile, she sought to defeat Atlas and his children and take her place on the throne of the Empire. Her dream was to restore her mother's beautiful empire to what it once was. She led a small group of her followers to the royal temple to protest the Atlantean rule and kill the Prince of Atlantis, a demi-god named Glaucus.

"Glaucus and his men slaughtered Scylla's followers; however, upon laying eyes on the Shadow Queen, he was stunned by her beauty and fell madly in love with her, much to the ire and disappointment of Scylla's treacherous half-sister, the sorceress known as Circe. Circe had been in love with Prince Glaucus and wanted to marry him and become the new Queen, as was her birthright as one of Hecate's daughters. Unfortunately, her jealousy and rage took over, and when the young Scylla went to bathe in the ocean, Circe enchanted the stones on the ocean floor and created the very first Orichalcos stones.

"As you all know, Orichalcos stones are full of very powerful magic, which, if not handled prudently, can cause ruin to fall upon its user. Therefore, Scylla, now bathing on an entire floor made of Orichalcum, began to mutate, her heart and body so filled with the dark magic of the Orichalcos and the rage of her sister, that the poor girl turned into a fearsome sea creature.

"After that, never again did the Shadow Queen come out of hiding. Young Shadow is one of Scylla's descendants and the would-be heir to the Hecatean throne, had the Atlantean usurpers not taken over. Ironheart and his son, Dartz, are the direct descendants of Glaucus and Circe. And this is why we fight -to avenge our queen and recreate the Hecatean Utopia as Phoebe once dreamt it would be."

"Oy," the third boy calls out. "If Shadow's the true King of Hecatea, why's he just a captain in the Sons and not High Commander like Thunder?"

Upon hearing his own name, Shadow perks up again, having lost himself in the story of the continent's past. He may be a prince, but he certainly doesn't feel that way at that moment. He lets Stone answer this inquiry for him. "Well, Shadow may be quite a formidable man, but he has much to learn, isn't that right, Shadow?"

Shadow forces a crooked smile. "That I do. Besides, you little runts got a problem with Thunder, huh?" he teases, raising his voice.

"No!" the boys squeak in unison; the mere image of Thunder in any state other than boisterous laughter sends a shiver down their spines.

Shadow lets out a loud, frightening laugh, his first laugh since he woke up in Atlantis many hours ago. It has been a long day for him, and he has spent it following the motions and trying to let his memories guide him through the day. This day, oddly enough, isn't like anything he remembered, and yet could be almost identical to any other day he had lived once upon a time. It was as though someone had worked very hard to create a completely unique day that would not at all be remarkable in comparison to the ones in his memories.

"Well then! You boys should be getting to bed, or I'll tell Thunder that you're all slacking!" he threatens lightheartedly, standing up and towering above the trio. Shadow isn't nearly as tall as Thunder, but he is an undoubtedly large man himself, which, coupled with his youthful good looks, makes him quite a target for all the young singles -not that he'd ever given much serious thought to any long-term attachments such as lovers, when brief flings suited him just fine.

The three boys, Alan, Kirmik, and young Jimto, quickly straighten their backs before the captain and scurry out of the dining hall. When Shadow turns to face Stone again, the old man's face is set in a very concerned and thoughtful expression.

"You do not look well, my son," he remarks.

Shadow frowns. "You can tell?" Of course, he can.

Stone chuckles. "Do you think I cannot see when you're trying to put on a brave face?" He pats the seat next to him and urges Shadow to come and sit. "Now, tell me what is troubling you?"

Shadow smirks darkly, unsure of what to tell the man or even where to begin. "It's… truly nothing, Grandfather. I have just been having trouble breathing today… I think I'm getting a bit ill." It isn't a complete lie. As a matter of fact, his breathing has been shaky throughout the day, but he simply attributed this feeling to being unaccustomed to Atlantean air after all these years. The rest of his tale would be quite far fetched -perhaps even too far fetched for Stone to believe, so Shadow elects to keep it to himself.

A warm smile shows from beneath the thick whiskers on Stone's top lip. "Perhaps it would be best if you retired for the night in that case," he suggests.

Shadow smiles back and replies, "And miss this rousing feast?"

Just as the words come out of his mouth, Evren saunters over to the two of them with a giant pork leg in one hand. She nibbles comically at it as she approaches. "Princey!" she calls out. "Boy, have my spies got a juicy one for you!"

He cocks his head to the side and tells her, "If it's been in your mouth, then I don't want it."

She huffs and takes a large bite out of her pork leg before replying, "I'm not talkin' about food. I'm talkin' about Poseidon's Torch being lit right now." Shadow shakes his head when he realizes that Evren hadn't caught on to his innuendo, but decides to let it go for the moment.

"What?" Shadow snaps, immediately taken out of his playful and calm mood. Poseidon's Torch is an enormous tower in the very center of the Atlantean capital, Cyrktos. The city's center is symbolically dedicated entirely to the worship of Poseidon and his offspring, so naturally, that is where temples are all located, as well as the royal palace, and where King Dartz lies with his queen and his daughter. The Torch is located within the massive royal estate and is the highest structure in all of Atlantis. It is only lit, however, during times of great blessing and times of great struggle, and with Dartz sending his army to conquer every piece of land their boots touched, the continent has seen more struggles than blessings.

"Have your spies managed to figure out who is invading us?" Stone asks very seriously.

To that, Evren shrugs and takes another bite out of her meat. "I actually don't think it's a war this time."

"What do you mean?" Shadow inquires, leaning forward in his seat. "What else could be happening?"

"From what I heard…" Evren says slowly, as though she were trying to recall the report. "And mind you, I was drunk when I was briefed." Shadow rolls his eyes. "The entire royal family is gonna be at the Grand Temple of Atlas until morning. Whatever happened, bad or good, it was big."

[Soundtrack: Ominous Calm - Yu-Gi-Oh! Sound Duel Vol. 2]

Dartz kneels calmly by the temple's altar with his wife, Iona, as they asked for blessings and forgiveness from their ancestors. When he hears the soft voice of one of his advisors clearing his throat, he looks up. "Zaleon," the King greets. "Have you any news from the physician? Has she awakened?"

Zaleon bows before his king, his head nearly touching the ground in its attempt to remain lower than the King's own head. "Yes, my lord. The girl has awakened. She is with a priest now, and he is dressing her for the ceremony. She should be ready in only a moment or two."

Dartz gets to his feet, pulling Iona up with him. "Tell them not to keep us waiting long," Iona commands, her voice lilting, but firm. Zaleon simply nods, shuffles to his feet, and rushes out of the room, his cloak billowing behind him, leaving them alone in the chapel.

The presbytery was the largest of all the temples. It was a round chamber with an altar at the very center and stone pews surrounding it, each row rising higher as it got farther away from the center. The doors to the chapel were incredibly large and were marked by a large gap between the pews; they were decorated with translucent crystals which, given enough sunlight, left colorful patterns on the floor and across the aisle.

"Could she truly be the one from the prophesy?" Dartz murmurs. "Does this mean that Atlantis's destruction is close at hand?"

"Father?" a small voice interrupts him. It came from a small girl, no older than ten years old, with soft brown hair, braided and intertwined with silk; she was dressed in white, decorated robes.

"Kriss," Dartz crouches to meet his daughter's eye. "Why aren't you with your nurse?"

Kriss frowns. "I want to see her, too," the girl says in an unwavering voice. "I want to see the goddess, too."

He reaches towards his daughter to stroke her face and move a strand of her hair out of her eyes. "You will meet her, then, darling."

"Tell me about the goddess again, Father," she pleads, hopping up and down on her tiny legs.

Dartz smiles tenderly and gently ruffles the top of her head. "Alright, then. I will." Iona gives him a nod of acknowledgement, telling him that she's listening as well. "The goddess of the prophecy, meant to save Atlantis from ruin and destruction, is a beautiful goddess. They say, her face looks different to everyone who sees her, and anyone who gazes upon her, sees the face of the most beautiful woman they could ever see."

Kriss nods enthusiastically and says, "Tell me about her magic and her glory!"

With a chuckle, the King replies, "I was just getting to that part! Settle down there!" He then begins to weave the tale for her. "It is said, Luna, the goddess of the moon, has been watching Atlantis from the moment it was created by Poseidon many millennia ago. By her will, she made the skies rain, and from her eyes she created the stars in the sky." Dartz straightens up and lifts his child into the air, hoisting her up on his shoulders; he then points to the skylight and at the black, moonless sky. "Do you see that, my darling? The moon has fallen from the sky and she is here to protect us."

Iona tenses, and cranes her neck to look at the sky as well. "I think that's enough of these tales. We do not even know if this woman is truly the goddess or not."

He gently places his daughter on the ground again and stares intently at his wife. "That is not even a question, my queen. The priests found this woman dead -a corpse at their doorstep -and within a night, she was completely healed of all her wounds. Only an immortal -a true titan -could accomplish such a feat. Don't you agree?"

"Father," Kriss squeaks. "If it's really Luna, will she help me get better?"

Iona's heart sinks as she waits for her husband's reaction. Her husband has always gotten carried away in tales of titans and gods, and it is just like him to get swept up in the idea of a goddess coming to bring his empire glory and riches. However, could he simply promise such a thing to their daughter without a second thought?

On the day that Kriss was born, the palace was set on fire by the Sons of Hecate. While Iona and Kriss survived that night, Kriss suffered complications due to the toxic smoke, and has had a weak body ever since; she becomes easily ill and thus, never leaves the house. Aside from her pet hound, she does not have companions as children are full of disease. The royal physician claimed that she would not live to adulthood, and with their time running out, Iona and Dartz have been trying to have another heir, and yet, it is as though Iona's womb would refuse to carry after birthing Kriss. Part of Iona hopes that this woman is exactly who they believe she is; perhaps she would be able to heal her womb as well…

From behind Dartz, the large door leading into the presbytery bursts open and several high priests from all parts of the continent stand at attention surrounding what seems to be a very small woman, covered from head to toe in white. Through the large bodies of the priests, it is difficult to see exactly what she looks like.

Zaleon strides through the doors and takes a seat in one of the back pews. He nods to the King before turning his gaze to the men in robes at the back of the aisle. Dartz bows his head to the priests and gently takes his wife and daughter's hands, leading them to the front row. As they ascend the steps to take their seat, the procession of priests along with the woman make their descent to the center of the room.

Once they are seated, Kriss whispers into her father's ear. "She's right there! The goddess! Luna!"

"Shh, Kriss," Iona warns, wrapping an arm around her daughter gently, her hand slowly massaging the small girl's shoulder in a slow, circular motion.

The priests begin to chant a prayer in unison, and Dartz watches the woman behind them shuffle nervously between them. From where he's sitting, he can see her more clearly, although her height isn't doing her any favors as he still can't see her face. He wonders what kind of girl this is or if she even knows how important she is. He recalls Zaleon mentioning earlier that the girl remembers nothing of her past, not even her name. How curious… for a goddess.

[Soundtrack: Facing the Truth #2 - Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie OST]

"Careful, or we'll get caught!" Evren grumbles, although her voice is more likely to get them caught than anything else as they scaled the Grand Temple of Atlas under the cover of night. It had been heavily guarded, but the two of them aren't strangers to stealth, and using brute force when necessary.

Shadow grunts as he heaves himself up to the skylight giving him a full view of the ceremony in the presbytery beneath him. The enormous hall is big enough for hundreds of people, but on this night, the only people there are the royal family, their advisor, and several priests. In the center of them, however, is a girl. He can't quite see her properly, but somehow, looking at her is like a giant gulp of fresh air, like a weight's been lifted off of his shoulders, and he can't look away. This same sensation causes unease to creep down his back as well.

"Your royal majesties," the priest directly facing the royal family speaks up. His voice is booming and carries all the way up to where Shadow and Evren are sitting.

"Oh, perfect! We haven't missed the good bits!" Evren hisses with a mad grin on her face. She scratches the top of the coiled mess on her head and holds one of the metal bars attached to the window to keep herself steady.

Shadow leans in further to hear the ceremony over the sound of Evren's excited breathing; he can't hear much, but he doesn't need to. He can see the Princess wiggling anxiously in her seat while the Queen holds her tightly. Dartz, however, is the most interesting to watch; the King is visibly tense, his hands balled up in fists, paying no attention to his wife and daughter. His eyes are clearly fixed solely on the girl, because why would he be looking at the priests, after all?

Shadow's eyes begin to water from the concentration and he leans back, holding on to the bars so as not to fall, and his mahogany eyes reflect the stars in the heavens as he breathes in a deep breath. One thing gives him pause, however.

"Evren," he mumbles quietly, but the woman doesn't hear him, dangling her legs through the bars of the skylight and looking into the chapel with an absent-minded look on her face that was practically asking the gods to destroy her where she sat. So he repeats himself, but a bit louder. "Evren."

"Huh?" she replies, turning to look at him, and he could have sworn there was drool on her face. "What is it?

Shadow lifts one hand to point at the sky. "I think I know exactly what's going on down there?"

"Y'do?" she asks. "'Cause I've been lost for a good while."

He sighs, wondering how this woman could be both the most intelligent person he knows as well as the absolute stupidest person he knows. "Look at the moon!"

She does, and it doesn't take long for her brows to furrow. "Are you saying…" She looks back down into the room. "That small thing down there… that's supposed to be…"

"The moon goddess, Luna. That's exactly what I'm saying," he replies.

Evren snorts. "Wonder if she's really pretty as people say. Best I don't meet her. Would be confusing if there were two of Rayan running around." She lets out a quiet chuckle. She and Rayan have been lovers for as long as Shadow has known her, and she took every opportunity to mention this fact. Perhaps she was as surprised as anyone that such a charming woman would end up with someone so… Evren.

Nevertheless, Evren presses her face to the bars to get a good look at the girl, and in spite of himself, Shadow does as well -partly out of curiosity and partly out of something else that he can't quite understand. His breath catches in his throat when he catches the girl looking directly up at him and Evren. She has a mask covering her face and a veil over her head so only her eyes are visible to him. He can't even move away from her gaze. Somehow, he knows she doesn't have it in her to inform the priests of the presence of intruders. He wonders if she can even see him clearly, though.

Her eyes move back forward as the priests open the protective circle they had formed around her and stand side to side with her at the very center, facing the royal family. Now that he can see her entire body, she looks like nothing more than a frightened girl, shaking like a leaf before the King. Then he sees something he doesn't expect; Dartz slips out of his seat to kneel on the ground, with his forehead touching the stone floor. The girl seems to be surprised as well, because her hand immediately shoots up in a dismissive gesture, but she lowers it before Dartz can see.

"Your Worship," the head priest says in a gentle but commanding voice. "Would you honor us by speaking to our King?"

"I…" It's quiet, but it's her voice. "Sure… I could… um…." The girl is stumbling over her words like a mere teenage girl. How could she really be a goddess? "Can I take this off?" she asks timidly, her hand tugging weakly at the mask on her face.

"She's takin' it off," Evren hisses, and Shadow can see her hands tightening around the bars. He can't help the quickening in his heart either. Is he truly about to see the face of a real goddess?

"Is that.. Wise, Your Worship?" the head priest offers gently. "It is true that the ones before you now are divine royalty, but I and my colleagues are mere followers. We are not worthy. Perhaps we should leave."

"I -" the girl starts to say before she is interrupted by the head priest again.

"It is as you wish it, Your Worship. We will take our leave now," he says, bowing his head and turning to leave. The rest of the priests mimic his action and soon, all of them filter out of the room, leaving the girl alone to stare at the royal family in silence.

The queen merely stares back unflinchingly at the girl, while Princess Kriss escapes her mother's arms and kneels beside her father. She is the only one brave enough to break the silence.

"Luna, thank you for coming to help us. I'm so glad you're here!" the child says, her voice full of hope and sincerity.

Upon hearing this, the goddess takes a few steps forward to bridge the gap between her and the girl. Although the princess is one step above Luna, the goddess can still look down upon her. Luna extends a pale arm towards the girl and touches her shoulder. "If I am able help you, then… I would be glad," she says in a tired voice, almost like she isn't convinced she can do anything at all, but Kriss hasn't caught on and beams at the woman in front of her.

With a giggle, Kriss says, "Papa says that you are the most beautiful woman in the world because you are a goddess! Can I see?"

Luna giggles, and the sound hits at Shadow's memory ever so slightly. He can't explain it, but it's a sound that he wants to hear again. "Careful, now, Princess. Your mother is already really beautiful; I don't think I can top that."

"Please, Luna!" Kriss insists, getting to her feet. The goddess is such a small woman that, although the step Kriss is standing on is less than a foot high, Kriss is already up to the woman's shoulder.

With a sigh and another one of those small musical laughs, Luna yields, "Alright then."

"Shadow?"

"Shut up, Evren," Shadow snaps breathlessly as his eyes follow Luna's hands.

She runs her fingers over the leather clasps on the sides and the mask begins to slip off of her face.

"Shadow."

"Shh… wait!" he scolds again, his eyes trying to catch the smallest glimpse of her.

And then he sees it.

"Shadow, you need to -"

"No…" he moans, his eyes not leaving the girl's face. "No, it can't be… Not her… This has to be a fucking joke…"

Evren tries to untangle her legs from the bars in the skylight as she reaches for Shadow. He's leaning so heavily onto the bars that she can see them wobbling beneath him. "Shadow…" she grumbles, trying to get to him without falling to her doom herself, but a loud snap tells her she's too late. "Sh-Shadow!" she cries out, not caring who hears her as the man tumbles headfirst through the skylight and into the room. She doesn't need to look to know that he isn't going to survive the fall.