Ch.127: Enter the Swamp Zone! Next Phase: Preparation!

The long journey from the cold, bitter winds of the Snow Zone to the muggy, dense paths of the Swamp Zone was reaching its end. The Tauros leads pulled the trailers through the one pathway to their destination, the Sacred Tree Village. From there, the Key of Life sat protected by the Mage of Life, waiting for a worthy protector to claim it.

Team Ravenfield was prepared.

Mostly.

"Ugh!" Ella groaned, laying flat on her stomach and psychically fanning herself. "It's so humid! My fur's all gross and messy."

"Welcome to the Swamp Zone," Griffin grumbled, sitting by a window and watching the trailers move along. "Nothing but trees, swampy air, and humidity for miles."

Gwyn leaned out the window, taking in the fresh air. "I think it's lovely. So many different kinds of plants and trees."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Good for you, Gwyn."

Wes, Flint, and Tony walked into the trailer. Flint limped behind with a brace wrapped around his damaged leg. He was slow, but could keep up with them.

"Guess who's been cleared to walk by Morgan!" Wes announced.

Ella sat up and smiled. "Oh good, you're walking now, Flint."

Flint grinned in embarrassment. "Yeah. As long as I don't do anything to aggravate it further, I should be fine."

"But will you still be able to fight?" Griffin asked.

"Uh…" Flint scratched behind his ear and looked worriedly at the floor. Gwyn narrowed her eyes, concerned and suspicious. His behavior over the weeks didn't elude her. He was hiding something.

Tony, however, stepped in and said, "It's not like Flint moves around at high speed like me or Wes. He can still fight while completely stationary if he needed to."

"Y-Yeah, what he said," Flint agreed with a nervous laugh.

Gwyn furrowed her brow deeper, then broke into a cheery smile and hugged him. "Well, I'm just glad you can walk again, even though I enjoyed being your personal nurse~," she added with a purr.

Flint's face deepened in color. Ella snickered behind her paw. Flint might have an inkling of suspicion, but he didn't know Gwyn was asking for dating advice from her. She certainly enjoyed watching the two lovebirds.

"Heh, thanks for the help, Gwyn," Flint muttered. She gently kissed his cheek and snuggled into his mane.

Tony leaned against the walls and asked, "So, what's the plan when we stop? Search for the Life Mage and steal the key from him?"

"As simple as I want it to be, we do need to complete his test," Wes said. He pulled out the map and tapped on the green dot. "Holly and Mack met the guy, right?"

"That's what they said," Griffin answered. "He knew they were with me, probably through Seraphina. He might be expecting us."

"Which is why the plan is to explore the Sacred Tree Village while we're here." Wes furled up the map. "Because there's something else I want to check out when we get there."

"A tomb under the Grand World Tree?" Wes repeated.

Holly nodded. "Yeah. That's where we found Alex Ghostwind's gauntlets, and the tomb of the Shadow King."

Wes glared. "The Shadow King's tomb…"

"There were some weird murals on the walls depicting the Grand Imperium War. It might be to your benefit to check it out when we get there. Who knows, you might find the secrets you've been looking for."

Wes held his chin, glaring at the floor thoughtfully. "Yeah I think I want to see this place for myself."

"If there's anything left in the Shadow King's tomb that I can analyze, it might get us one step closer to uncovering their origins," Wes said.

Ella wiped her brow. "We would have better luck if we could get this stupid book open." She psychically brought over the black book, still bound in restrictive chain. "If this supposedly has all the secrets to the shadows written inside, it would be worth a read."

"True," Wes said, "but let's focus on one problem at a time. I'll head out to the tomb with Madame Ava, Holly, and Mack to do some investigating. The rest of you can explore the village before we set off after the Life Mage."

Ella clasped her paws together. "Woo! Shopping!"

Tony closed his eyes and smirked. "Fine by me. I've got shit to do."

"What could you possibly have to do here?" Flint asked.

"Perhaps he misses the attention he got in Gelid Peak," Griffin joked dryly.

Tony rolled his eyes. "You found me out, Hothead, congrats."

Wes laughed. "Well, whatever it is, consider it a free day to get to know the place. We need a game plan once we meet up with the Life Mage."

"And a plan for how we go about getting the remaining keys," Flint added. "The Mages of Darkness, Time, and Space. They're supposed to be the toughest out of them all."

"We'll be ready, I'm sure." Wes pulled out his crystal orb and tapped the top twice. "Madame Ava, do you read me?"

Ava came through on the orb. She could be seen riding up front with Vince. "How are you kids doing back there?"

"We're fine. How much farther until we reach the village?"

"We've got ten minutes by my count," Vince chirped in.

Wes grinned. "Sweet."

"Don't take Vernon lightly when we find him. He might not be as powerful as Benedict, but he's no less strong than the rest of the mages," Ava warned. "He's exceptionally talented at Nature Magic."

Ella smirked. "Luckily for us, we have our own nature specialist onboard."

Gwyn jumped into view and saluted. "Don't you worry, if it comes down to it, I'll get that key myself!"

Ava laughed. "I'm sure you will, dear. Wes, are we still going to those tombs?"

Wes glared and nodded. "Yeah. I want to see them for myself."

"Even I wasn't aware the Shadow King's tomb was hidden under the Grand World Tree. This will make for an interesting expedition."

Wes closed his eyes, recalling back to when the Shadow King was awakened, and the countless times he blamed Wes' family for his misfortune. Maybe he'll finally learn the truth to his transgressions against the tyrannical shadow. It made his core quake with anxiousness, but he steeled his resolve.

"Yeah, it sure will."

The caravan parked just outside the village perimeter. Villagers flocked out to gaze upon the circus in wonder. Vince took this opportunity to get on top and introduce himself to the crowd.

"Hello, Sacred Tree Village! We are the Circus of Enchantment! We welcome you all to attend our shows! We will be here all week!" Vince tapped the roof, causing banners to unfurl. "Daredevil performances! Clowns! Acrobatic stunts beyond your wildest dreams! No end in humor, I assure you! We will be officially opening up tomorrow, so be there to attend!"

The villagers chattered with excitement and clapped.

Ava, peeking her head out from the trailer, shook her head. "That husband of mine, I swear." She giggled behind her hand and ducked back inside.

"Hey Mom!" Ava spotted Abby and Carrie walking in with Charlie squirming in Carrie's arms. Abby looked exhausted. "Charlie's being fussy again. Where's the baby bottles?"

"Weren't there any in the fridge?" Ava asked.

"We ran out. They're all dirty."

Ava sighed and rubbed her temple. "Oh dear." She took Charlie in her arms and rocked him. "Calm down, Charlie, Momma's here. Girls, I'm really sorry for putting you in charge of Charlie. I've been so busy with Ella's training and—"

Abby shook her head. "Nah, it's cool. Anything to help you out."

"You look so tired, dear."

The young Medicham rubbed her eyes. "I had some weird dreams, recently. They didn't make much sense. Kept waking me up."

"Still, I'm sure you both would like to explore the village with Cheri. You both deserve a break."

Carrie laughed. "Well, maybe a little."

"I need to go with Wes to the tombs, though." Ava sighed. "I suppose I'll have to stay here and—" A knock on the doorsill turned her toward Angel, who was peeking inside.

"I couldn't help but overhear what was going on. If you need to help Wes, I would be more than happy to look after Charlie."

"Angel, I wouldn't want to put that responsibility on you, too."

Angel chuckled. "I managed to raise two kids despite some health complications. I think I can take care of a baby Meditite."

Ava sighed, then laughed. "I suppose I trust you to watch him." She held Charlie up to her face and made silly faces at him. "You'll be a good boy for Ms. Angel, right, sweetie pie?"

"Momma!" Charlie touched her face and stared at her with curious eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes." Ava handed Charlie to the Raichu, then stretched her arms. "I should get going. Abby, Carrie, make sure you and Cheri stay out of trouble."

Abby waved it off. "Relax, I'm old enough to take care of myself. I can watch them no problem."

Ava smirked and ruffled her head. "If you say so." She grabbed her bag and headed outside.

Abby sighed and collapsed back into a chair, rubbing her forehead. As Angel tried to get the squirming baby situated, she asked, "Abby, are you alright? You almost look faint."

"I don't know. I don't feel sick, or anything, just…drowsy." Abby pinched between her eyes. "I may have been listening in on Mom's lesson with Ella and trying them out for myself. I want to get into carpentry when I'm older, but I want to be as good at using psychic abilities as my mom."

Angel smiled. "A bit of a strain on your mind?"

"Maybe that's it." She shook her head and stood up. "I'm fine now."

"Then let's get Cheri and explore the village!" Carrie cheered, racing off to find the Pikachu.

Angel giggled, then looked down at Charlie as he kept squirming in her arms. "Guess it's you and me for the day. I know a nice recipe I used to feed my kids when they were your age…" She headed off in search of some baby food.

The team split off through the village to carry out their own agendas. Ella practically ripped their budget from Flint's paws before beelining to the market street, much to his annoyance. He and Gwyn headed into the village to explore some of the buildings, maybe even check out the archives.

Griffin decided to hang back with Faye to discuss Mythic Heart, maybe even go shopping for new packs in store. Tony called him a geek and raced off before he got a face full of Exosus Release.

The Dewott dashed around the perimeter of the village, then slowed to a steady stride as he looked around at the fauna around him.

"Well, once you get past the swampy air and terrible climate, it's honestly a pretty chill place." He shook his head, then glared ahead. "Alright, enough games. He better have come or so help me…"

He questioned whether or not his father kept his word. The man himself state he wanted to reconnect with his family after so long, but it wouldn't surprise Tony if he chose to run away like usual. Despite personally training with him, he refused to acknowledge the Samurott as his father.

He stopped once he was far enough from the caravan, then glared into the trees. "Hey old man, where the hell are you? You better not have chickened out on me!"

He got no reply. Tony called out to him again, and no reply came again. Tony wanted to call quits on the spot, but figured to give it a few minutes. He periodically called out for his father, pacing in a circle, with silence still being his own response.

Tony huffed, deciding to turn back to the village. His whiskers twitched, sensing the presence of Storm Magic. A crack of lightning shot down behind him, scattering fallen leaves through the air.

Tony merely glared and looked over his shoulder. "What took you?"

Leroy rose to full height and glared down at his son. "I was sleeping. I didn't know when you would arrive. I sensed your magic a minute ago and came as fast as I could."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Wonderful. At least you kept your end of the deal."

"I never break a promise."

"Uh huh, sure. Whatever you say."

Leroy glared. "You will help me reconnect with my wife and daughter, yes?"

"They have names, you know." Tony sighed. "I'm only doing this because it'll make Mom happy. Don't assume Cheri will be happy to see you. You're hardly a parent to her."

Leroy frowned. "She has not spoken well of me?"

"She doesn't have anything nice or bad to say about you. Like I said, you don't exist in her world."

Leroy closed his eyes and sighed. "I see. This will be harder than I thought."

Tony crossed his arms and leaned up against a tree. "Do you even have a plan for confronting them? A simple apology won't cut it."

Leroy scratched his head. "I could…train Cheri in swordplay."

"Cheri doesn't fight."

"She doesn't? Well, there go the rest of my plans."

Tony facepalmed. "Let me get this straight, your entire list of plans to bond with your daughter involved sparring?"

"I assumed she would. You turned out to be an excellent fighter."

Tony smirked irritably. "Yeah, I did. Self-taught myself while Mom was sick. You know, when we had to worry about criminals and no money."

"I see you're still holding that grudge."

"Like I said, a simple apology won't cut it." Tony relaxed, then continued, "Look, if you want to make a good first impression on Cheri, bring a basket of bluk berries. Any gripes she has with you will disappear. She's addicted to them, I swear."

"Bluk berries, okay," Leroy mumbled. "What else?"

"I'm think a surprise lunch. In fact, better than a surprise lunch." Tony smirked and pointed at his father. "A surprise lunch made by you."

Leroy's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"You want to get a good impression on them? You're going to surprise them with a homemade meal, and you three are going to sit down like a family and enjoy it."

"Boy, unless this wasn't made clear last time, my life has been solely dedicated to the art of combat, not the culinary arts." Leroy sneered. "In fact, I'm certain you're aware I don't know how to cook."

"Oh, I'm very much aware," Tony admitted shamelessly. "You're still going to do it."

"Is this some elaborate attempt to embarrass me in front of them? Is this your petty revenge ploy?"

"Have a heart, Leroy. Do I look like a despicable goon who seeks the torment of others?" Tony snickered through his teeth. "Trust me, just cook a meal for them and all will set in motion on its own."

"What do I even cook?" Leroy asked. "I can't even boil water without causing a mess."

Tony shrugged. "Do you like pizza?"

"I've had it, yes."

"Make that. Any idiot can make pizza. It's universally beloved and simple."

Leroy seemed unsure. "You expect me to make up for years of abandonment with pizza? Made by me?"

Tony nodded. "Don't you trust me?"

"I have mixed feelings on that statement." Leroy sighed. "However, I'm desperate to make up with Angel and Cheri, so I'll have to." He then glared at the Dewott. "But if you do anything to ruin this, I'll—"

"I won't." Tony glared back with a cold, stern glare. "I hate you a lot, and it'll take a lot for me to change my mind about you. However, I love Mom and Cheri, and I'd do anything to make them happy. If Mom still loves you, even after all these years, then I want her to see you again. And if you can make up for years of neglect by making Cheri happy, maybe there's a chance for forgiveness."

Leroy lightened up and stared thoughtfully at his son. Tony truly wasn't one to give a straight answer, but he was honest about it, too. Underneath the façade of a conniving jester wishing to bring chaos was an observant sage filled with boundless wisdom. Though the circumstances were harsh, Tony's time on the streets molded him into a better man than Leroy ever would be.

Tony truly was more mature than he wanted to let on.

Leroy bowed his head, then took a knee, surprising Tony. "If that's what it takes, I will trust your judgment. I want to make up for years of abandonment. I want to try again. I want to make it up to you as your father. Please help me reconnect with my wife and daughter, son."

Tony glared, still resisted to the term, but softened up. His words were genuine. He didn't care to make up with his father, but his mother's happiness came first. It'll be rough, but there may be a chance for redemption.

"On your feet," Tony said before smirking. "Let's see how many times you can screw up a pizza."

"Are you sure you can walk, Flinty?"

Flint limped beside Gwyn at a slow pace. He smiled reassuringly at her. "I'm fine, Gwyn. I just haven't done a lot of walking over the month."

Gwyn smiled sadly. "It's too bad you won't be able to run anymore."

"Not like I was a fan of it." Flint sighed. "It'll make fighting harder."

"That's okay. We can pick up the slack for you."

Flint chuckled. "Assuming I had any slack to give."

Gwyn lightly bopped him on the head. "Of course you did, you big goober. None of that pessimistic talk or no more cuddles."

Flint gasped dramatically. "You're lying!"

"I mean it!"

"I don't believe you."

"I'm serious! Not a single cuddle out of me until you say how amazing you are!"

"I can't have that! Yes, yes, I am amazing, I swear!"

Gwyn beamed and nuzzled against his head. "Much better."

Flint covered his mouth, trying to hold back his laughter. "Eh, don't worry, I'm not being hard on myself. Just don't think I'll be able to help out much with my leg like this."

"Then forget about that. We're here to have fun." She stopped and gestured ahead. "See? Over there."

The village archives, home of Sacred Tree Village's most treasured history for the general public to enjoy. Flint's eyes lit up excitedly, his faux gloom already forgotten. Gwyn giggled, then dragged him to the building.

The inside, though small, was packed with bookshelves. Ten separate bookshelves standing parallel to each other, and bookshelves lined on three of the four walls. It had an old book smell to it that sent Flint over the moon. It smelled like paradise to him, while Gwyn got the strong scent of aged leather and swamp air. She personally preferred the swamp air, but was happy to see her boyfriend in good spirits.

"Look at all these books. So many to choose from," Flint awed as he limped around the shelves.

Gwyn followed him while running her finger across the row of book spines. "So, all these books come from the village?"

"There's a whole section dedicated to Sacred Tree Village, but you'll find some other books, reference guides, and more. I've been meaning to check out the Grand World Tree's history." He then whispered, "If the Shadow King's tomb was kept inside it, best to find out more about the tree."

Gwyn nodded. "Good point."

"You don't mind staying to help me read through some of these, right?"

"I think you know my answer already." Gwyn pulled out a stack of ten books and plopped herself on the floor. "Let's get our literacy on!"

Flint smiled. "I don't think I've ever said that, but I'm tempted to." He pulled out a couple and sat down next to her. "It went by many names, the sacred tree. Some of the residents call it the Great World Tree, others call it the Grand World Tree in remembrance to the Grand Imperium War. If I remember correctly, the Grand World Tree grew from a single sapling during that time. Either way, with its roots connected to all the plant life in the Swamp Zone, it's incredible. Its roots may even stretch out farther."

"Farther?" Gwyn asked as she flipped through a book.

"The roots were so strong, they broke through the tougher layers of the ground. Presumably, they extend throughout all of Mysto."

"You're kidding!" Gwyn gasped.

"Well, we don't know entirely because they're too deep underground. Any attempt to trace the roots doesn't get us very far, but researchers are getting closer to the truth. It's only a matter of time before we have a definite answer." Flint sighed. "So many interesting things about Mysto to be discovered."

Gwyn smiled. "All that wonderful history to protect, right?"

"Yeah…" Flint narrowed his eyes. His mind wandered back to the malevolent Watchog, recalling something he said.

"If you can control what happens in history, you are essentially a king."

"I realized that if I knew the secrets of the world, I could have the power to rule over everyone. Eliminate all history and become the only source of it."

Flint felt a faintness come over him. He pulled down on his hat and sunk to the floor. I can't let him do that, but…I can't bring myself to face him again. Flint bared his teeth. I tried my hardest, but I failed. Now I'm cursed with his eyes staring me down, reminding me of my failure. I just can't do it again. I can't bring myself to fight back.

Gwyn stopped flipping through pages when she noticed the distressed face Flint was making. She frowned and touched his shoulder, scaring him out of his thoughts with a high yelp. "Flint? Are you alright?"

"Uh…" Flint shook his head and smiled. "Of…course I am. Never been better." He picked his book back up and read it over. "I-I lost my place. Let's see…" He jumped again, this time from Gwyn slamming the book shut in his face. "G-Gwyn!"

Gwyn glared at him sternly. The look scared him, probably more than the Shadow King could. "Alright, what's wrong with you? I'm not the most observant of everything, but I can tell when something's wrong with you."

Flint hung his ears. "Gwyn, I'm fine, honest."

"You've been acting really, really weird ever since we left Gelid Peak. I'm not stupid, Flint."

Flint cowered under his book. Gwyn clearly wasn't acting like the same sheltered girl he met last year, and it terrified him. He may not have been awake at the time, but their time in Ghost Cove taught him she could destroy an entire city if she was angry enough. Maybe the whole region if she had the right environment. What a time to be having this conversation in the Swamp Zone.

"I want an answer, Flint. Say it to my face."

Flint lowered the book. "Gwyn, it's not a big deal."

"Wes said the same thing when he was going through his insecurities." Gwyn took a deep breath and exhaled her anger. "Flint, I don't want to be mad at you. I just don't want you acting like a big, stupid hypocrite. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Flint frowned. "Of course I know that."

"Then why are you avoiding the question?"

Flint looked at the ground. "It's…different."

"Different how?"

Flint closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears brimming from his eyes. "It just is…"

Gwyn stopped when she saw the tears. She didn't want to sound mean or pushy. She cared too much to let it go, though. Maybe she was being overprotective, just like her mother. She just didn't like the idea of Flint being alone and scared.

She pressed Flint into a hug. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you."

Flint sniffled, then hugged back. "It's alright. I know you mean well." Flint closed his eyes for a moment. "I just…don't want to let anybody down. I don't want to let myself down."

"Why's that?"

Flint pulled away and wiped his eyes. "Can we…get some lunch first? I promise I'll explain everything to you."

Gwyn smiled softly. "Okay. Let's check these books out and get something to eat."

"Thank you…"

Gwyn looked away and rubbed her arm awkwardly. "I wasn't being too assertive, right?"

Flint sniffled, then chuckled quietly. "No. No, you were fine." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Gwyn, you're right. I should be honest with you and the others. I'm just not sure how to explain it. I'm worried I'll be a detriment to the team."

"Hiding it isn't any better." She pulled him up. "Come on, I got you." She pulled the books together, put away most of the ones she grabbed, and helped him to the checkout desk.

Wes patted the space behind the Grand World Tree, moving aside dirt and grass for any magical runes. "And you're sure he opened the tomb from here?"

Holly nodded. "I'm positive. He used some spell to open the door. It might be magically locked."

Mack leaned against the sacred tree. "We could ask Vernon to open it for us." Holly pulled him off the tree, flashing a scolding glare.

Ava bent down and squinted at the dirt. "Vernon might be the only one who can open it, or he knows the spell that unlocks the magical lock."

Wes sighed and stood up. "Well, that's a bust." He pulled out his map and looked it over. "I assume he would be near the Key of Life, but finding that would be a chore."

Mack stretched his arms. "Well, let's not waste oxygen talking about it and look for him."

Wes pouted. "But I wanted to look at the tomb now."

Ava patted his shoulder. "There'll be plenty of time for that later." Wes sighed, then stepped away from the tree.

Right as he did, a green glow flashed from the ground. The group stopped as the ground rumbled and split open. The passage to the tomb opened up before them, led by the deep dark stairwell. They looked down the steps with curious gazes and listened to the faint moan of cold air gently breathing out.

Wes raised his brow. "Strange. Did we hit a release switch by mistake?"

"That doesn't sound right," Holly said.

Ava glared. "With the Shadow King's return becoming more known to the public, there's not much harm in the tomb being opened now. Let's be quick and gather all we need."

They nodded and descended into the tomb.

Up above in the trees with a clear view of the passage, Vernon played softly on a panpipe. He laughed to himself. "Young Ravenfield is growing curious about the war. What secrets will he uncover down there?" He picked up his staff and hopped away on the branches.

Ava casted a ball of light and sent it forth through the dark halls. They walked over the destroyed trap runes found across the hall, still tainted by the dark magic used by the Shadow King.

Wes felt one of the runes and winced. "Yeesh, they're ice cold. No wonder this place is so cool."

Mack nodded. "Yep, hot fire leaves cold burns. Sounds like a weekend in Hell."

"You already said that the last time we came down here," Holly grumbled.

"And I stand by that."

Ava brushed her hand across the walls. "These murals, they're so ancient. So detailed. The war left a great impression before they sealed his tomb."

Wes frowned. "Can't believe I'm actually standing in here." He bared his teeth. "The same place Professor Geno was possessed."

"The same place Alex Ghostwind was possessed," Ava corrected. "Geno was a blank slate of Alex. They're one in the same."

Wes looked at the ground. "Does that make anything he said to me real?"

Holly crouched down and rubbed his back. "Don't think about it too much. We'll find a way to separate those two and make this right."

Wes sighed. "Yeah, right." He continued on ahead.

Ava ran her hand down the murals, mumbling the events of the war to herself. Everything from the first massacre down to the final battle. So much happened, yet so much left to obscurity. She remembered learning about the war when she was in school. There were always gaps to everyone's accounts of the war. Something seemed missing whenever the battle was brought up.

And it all started with the only survivor of that massacre.

She stopped her hand on the depiction of the Meowstic that encouraged the mages to rise, and his heroic son charging into battle. That was where the history became muddied. She remembered doing a research paper on the war, and she wanted to talk about the hero. She had to scrap that paper because the history around the two was unknown. Even their species was a mystery.

Ava glared. "How odd."

"What?" Wes asked, walking up to the mural.

"Detailed records of battles, victories and losses, and notable figureheads that led the front against the shadows, yet it's this Meowstic and his son that baffle me. It's like their entire existence was erased from history. All we know is their involvement, but not their own histories."

Holly pulled a book from her bag and flipped through some pages. "She's right. Even the head mage's daughter has some background information. Tillota Aurum, daughter of Grandmaster Aurum, a very powerful magic user who married the survivor of the shadow massacre. They bore a son who would eventually lead their armies to battle."

Mack sighed. "And once again, they're missing out on some sweet recognition if they were keeping this junk secret."

Wes glared. "So, one side of the family was completely erased from history. Why, though?"

"Perhaps did preserve the myth," Holly guessed.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Ava asked.

Holly flipped through the pages. "Well, take the Immensus Library and the Idol of Origin for example. Real parts of history that vanished into legend. Powerful, untapped knowledge and the power of gods. They had to be kept hidden." She closed the book and pointed at the mural. "What if there was something about these two that couldn't be known in history? What if it had to be kept secret?"

Mack raised his brow. "And what exactly needed to be kept secret?"

"That's what I'm still trying to figure out." Holly thought for a moment, then gasped. "Right, and there's still that message Ghostwind left."

"Message?" Wes asked.

Holly pulled another book out and flipped to the page she drew the symbol on. "He left this symbol etched into the ground. I'm not sure if it's a warning or a message. Either way, he left it for a reason. I wanted to ask Ella about it, but I guess it slipped my mind."

Ava took the book to get a closer look. "I'm not fluent in Ancient Text, but I know Alex studied some of the symbols." She glared. "Come to think of it, he started getting into the text right around the time we learned about the Idol of Origin's existence. He seemed transfixed on something. I wrote it off as the idol's temptation drawing him in, but maybe…"

Wes continued down the hall and stopped before the Shadow King's tomb. He pressed his paw against the cold metal. He could feel the king's essence on it, even after years of being vacant.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Alex knew something about the idol's origin. Maybe something about the lost heroes." He moved his paw away and rubbed his cold, numb paw. "Only way we could get an answer out is by speaking to him directly."

"Which is impossible," Mack stated bluntly. "His mind's probably already been swallowed up in the Shadow King."

Wes glared. "Yeah…"

Ava crouched beside the tomb and ran her hand across the lid. "Alex and Garret were the most obsessed by the idol. They would've done anything to take the keys from the mages. And after what happened to Alex's village, that obsession grew."

"So much happened in the Grand Imperium War, yet so much was written out of text," Wes mumbled. "What does it all mean?"

"Too much to deduce now." Ava stood up. "If only the Immensus Library wasn't taken hostage. We could really use its wisdom." She sighed and folded her arms together. "Maybe something slipped through history. It would take a great deal of research, but maybe there's some references to the past. I refuse to believe nothing about the hero was written down."

Wes glanced at the mural of the warrior Meowstic again, staring intently at the battle waging between him and the monstrous Shadow King. The aged pigments dried to the walls, immortalizing the only known evidence of the hero still hidden from history. He feared touching the mural too much, lest he erase the evidence of time.

He felt drawn to the heroic figure, perhaps through a sense of sympathy. He was born into that world. It was probably all he knew. Was it lucky his father survived the massacre? For the future, yes, but what did he feel? The idea of being born in a world ruled by death and misery could do so much to a person.

Yet, he felt drawn in another sense. He couldn't describe the feeling, but something about the mural felt…off. What was it?

Wes ran his paw against the burnt part of the wall. A part of history was erased when the Shadow King was released. Flint would cry witnessing a despicable act.

As Wes guided his paw across the wall, chips of ash flaked off. He watched them float to the ground like leaves blown off a tree. Curious, Wes lightly scratched at the wall, flaking off more ashy layers. It was the only part of the wall flaking off. Digging deeper, he felt a hardness in the wall. Something metallic embedded into the mural.

Did the Shadow King not burn everything? Wes wondered. Or was there something stronger than earth put here?

Flakes of ash flew off faster as Wes dug into the wall with more fervor. Dull color came through the black. Mostly blue.

A shape was revealed. A shield reminiscent of an arrow pointing down.

Wes kept digging and digging into the wall until the full shape came through. He took a step back and admired the image.

A coat of arms shaped as a blue shield with a yellow X over the whole front. In the very center, right on the intersection of the X, was an archaic magic circle. If Wes' magical knowledge was correct, it was one of the originals. The scripture in the circle's edges was Ancient Text. The design was not as intricate as modern magic circles.

The center of the magic circle especially caught his eye. A large star made from a pentagon and five triangles attached to each side. The star was silver with purple outlines.

Wes narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wait a minute…" He reached into his shirt and pulled the Star Amulet out. He held it up to the coat of arms and matched the two symbols.

They were nearly identical in shape, design, and color.

Wes staggered back with a gasp. The Star Amulet slipped from his paw and clattered on the floor, alerting Ava and the bounty hunters.

"Wes, what's wrong?" Ava asked.

Wes held his chest and took a deep breath. "Either I'm overthinking symbolic crests…or I just found the guy who made the Star Amulet."

Ella hummed to herself as she perused the marketplace, looking into the Sacred Tree fashion. A few dresses caught her eye, and they were exquisite. She ran her digits across the silky fabric of one dress, a beautiful shade of lavender that matched her fur.

"I wonder if Wes will like it. Maybe I can get some stares out of him." She giggled mischievously to herself. "Oh Ella, you are so naughty." She set the dress down and looked over the other sets on display. "Maybe something less conservative. No shame in flaunting my stuff around."

"Despite your looks, you're certainly no angel." Ella glared over her shoulder and saw Morgan looking through the lineup of clothes behind her. "Calling you an angel of death wouldn't cut it, either."

Ella turned her attention back onto the dresses, but kept watch of the Hypno from the corner of her eye. "Morgan, what are you doing here?"

"I thought you may want the company."

"No thanks, I'm fine. If I needed any, I would've invited someone else." Ella preoccupied her time with the different dresses, pretending to examine their stitch work on the hem.

Morgan put a flannel down and slid his hands into his pockets. With a sigh, he said, "Ella, we need to talk."

"Can it wait?" Ella asked dismissively.

Morgan glared. "Now."

Ella glared back. "And what do we need to talk about?"

"Your attitude, for starters." Morgan walked up behind her. "And, if you want to trust me, you need to listen to me."

Ella softened up a bit, finally putting the dresses down. "I trust you…"

"Do you?"

Ella didn't respond. She turned away, half annoyed and half guilty.

Morgan sighed and rubbed his nape. "Look, when you're done with your shopping, meet me at the front of the village. If you come, I'll know you want to talk things out. If you don't come in the next half hour, I won't bother you with this ever again. Sound fair?"

When he didn't get a response back, he shrugged it off and left the marketplace.

The tension in Ella's shoulders dropped, but the strain on her mind still had its icy grip on her. She sighed and shook her head. Sooner or later, she was expecting this conversation to happen eventually.