Ch.132: A Moment of Reprieve! A Secret Long Since Kept!

"Woo!" Team Ravenfield cheered, clanging their large mugs together.

With Flint's victory and the recent acquiring of the Key of Life, the team immediately went out to celebrate. Flint still had injuries to heal off, but some of Gwyn's healing potions along with a burst of Soul Blaze got him through the worst.

They chugged down their frothy beverages simultaneously and slammed the mugs down, wiping the foam bears and mustaches from their lips. Wes then hooked his foreleg around Flint and laughed. "Three cheers for Flint, the best teammate a brother can ask for!"

Flint laughed and peeled Wes' foreleg off. "Cut it out, you're embarrassing me."

Wes grinned. "How can I? You were awesome. You completely wiped the floor with Vernon back there."

Flint rolled his eyes. "Yes, and all it took was getting my butt kicked and my organs rearranged." He groaned and rubbed his stomach. "I think he bruised one of my lungs."

Gwyn nestled her head into his mane. "But at least you got your confidence back."

Flint smiled. "I wouldn't say it's back, but I do feel much better than the other day." He sighed and scratched behind his ear. "Sorry for burdening you guys with my problems."

Ella shook her head. "You know better than anyone we're here for each other. So, no more moping around, you hear?"

Flint chuckled. "Right, sure." He sipped his mug and sighed with content.

"That last attack of yours was nuts," Tony commented. "Since when could you use the Mystic Beam?"

Flint shrugged. "I've been needing to boost my arsenal of spells, so I figured taking a page out of Wes' book would suffice. Though, I had to really push it with the Magnification Rings. I can't use the beam with the same power as Wes."

"If that's what you could accomplish with a power boost…" Griffin mumbled. He shuddered and took a quick swig from his mug. "Since when could you use that many Magnification Rings?"

Flint sighed. "Pushing my limits take a lot out of the body." He lifted his paw and created a small spark of magic. "I can't weave any spells right now. I'm tapped out for the rest of the day."

"Lucky you," Ella grumbled with a playful eyeroll. "You guys have rechargeable batteries."

Flint stuck his tongue out. "Oh hush."

"I'm just glad you're finally out of your funk," Gwyn said. "Although, I'm surprised you managed to turn it around as quickly as you did. That spell you pulled out really came in handy."

"In more ways than one, yeah." Flint looked into his mug, glaring thoughtfully.

Wes narrowed his eyes, picking up on his brother's feelings. "You're thinking about what Morgan said."

Flint nodded. "Yeah."

Griffin set his mug down and leaned back. "So, neither of you have heard of Priscilla Ravenfield?"

"Dad's never really brought up the family tree," Flint said. "We barely know anything about our grandparents, and they died before we meant them. According to him, Ravenfields tend to get themselves into trouble. They lived a pretty long life, too, so it's not like they died young. That's as far back as we've gotten about our family history."

"That still doesn't explain how you conjured Priscilla's spell," Wes said. "If it was lost to history, you wouldn't know how to activate it. So, how?"

"I don't know."

"I have a theory," Tony interjected, setting his mug aside. "You all remember that M fellow, right?"

"How can I?" Flint asked rhetorically.

"Well, he mentioned a lot of crap about souls and stuff. Maybe it has something to do with that."

"Souls?" the brothers questioned.

"You know, family tied by blood? Maybe that's it."

Flint held his chin. "Plausible theory, but there has to be more to it than just genetics."

"We are talking about magic here. Who knows what's running through your veins? After all, the Shadow King seems insistent on killing you two. As far as we know, you're the only remaining blood Ravenfields."

Flint looked down and thought it over. "Come to think of it, I do remember a woman's voice speaking to me in my head." He sighed irritably. "She didn't hold back her criticisms."

"So, maybe Priscilla?" Wes guessed. "That just raises more questions."

"But it says a lot about you Ravenfields," Tony continued. He leaned back and propped his feet up on the table. "We still don't know why the Shadow King has this fixation on your family. It sounds like it traces back a long time ago. But how long is long ago?"

"You sure do love theorizing," Griffin pointed out.

Tony shrugged. "I can't help it. This little family history mystery has my curiosity tingling. What about you? Anything from family history that might have crossed over with theirs? Surely there's one mention of a Ravenfield."

Griffin shook his head. "I've combed over my family's historical records several times. Not one Ravenfield mentioned. Not that I could remember since I was a child at the time."

"Then we have the living fossil himself to fall back on," Ella said.

"You mean Morgan?" Gwyn guessed.

"He's the one who named the spell and the user. Who else?" Ella glared. "That, however, makes me wonder."

"What?" Wes asked.

"Something about the way Morgan announced Priscilla's name screams familiarity. Morgan said he kept himself isolated from all interaction to keep himself in check, yet he sounded like he knew your ancestor, or at the very least knew enough about her."

"So?"

"I thought the only Ravenfield he knew of was your father. It sounds weird he would remember something as insignificant as a mercenary, famous or not. I'm just saying, if he knows one Ravenfield and basic information about her, how much of your family history could he know? And why?"

Flint glared. "You…raise a good point."

Tony crossed his arms. "Seems Pops owes us that explanation."

"Oh, he surely does," Ella said, glaring suspiciously behind her. "That shifty assassin knows more than we thought, and more than we could imagine. Hopefully he holds up his end of the deal and confesses whatever he's hiding."

"No disagreements here," Tony seconded. Tony then glanced up at the sky, squinting at the sun's position. "Hmm." He chugged the last of his drink, stood up, and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Gwyn asked.

Tony grinned over his shoulder. "I have a little surprise for my mom and Cheri. I should get a move on while I still can. I'll be back in a little bit. Don't have too much fun without me." He headed back to the caravans.

The team looked at each other confused. "Anyone know what that was about?" Wes asked.

Griffin shrugged. "By now, I'm numb to Sparks' antics." He sipped his mug. "Let's just forget this family business and relax."

Ella smirked. "When did you become the advocate for relaxation?"

"That Sliggoo has corrupted me, I swear." His team laughed and clanged their drinks together. Griffin playfully rolled his eyes and joined along.

"Honestly Vernon, did you have to be so rough?" Ava scolded as she tightened his bandages.

"Yow!" Vernon hissed and held his bicep. "Careful, that hurts."

"Says the Sawk who punted a weak Flareon repeatedly across the forest."

"I warned him plenty of times about what he was getting himself into. You know just as well that I need to take my job seriously. Keeping the keys protected is our sole responsibility. As messed up as it sounds, I would treat someone in a wheelchair with the same caution as a professional brawler."

"You're right, that is messed up." Ava finished applying his bandages and wiped her hands on her robe. "Okay, done."

Vernon sat up and rotated his shoulder. "Thanks."

"At least you got Flint back into better spirits. Can't say I approve the method, but—"

"I get it, don't worry." Vernon stood up and cracked his neck. "It's been a long day for everyone, but the worst has yet to come."

"The Big Three Mages." Sitting off to the side, leaning back in a chair, Morgan drummed his fingers on his empty flask while staring at the ceiling. "Cicely, Empress of Time Itself. Seth of the Dark Reflection. And Cielo, Headmaster of Arcana Magic Academy and Master of Space."

Vernon smiled. "As well-informed as ever."

"Coming here next was an intentional choice given the distance." Morgan planted the chair legs down and stood up. "We run into a new obstacle now. The keys are in three different directions from here. With the Shadow King growing stronger by the day, we can't afford to waste time traveling."

Ava crossed her arms. "As I recall, Cicely's temple is stationed far into the Desert Zone, hidden within another dimension. Seth's hidden in some cave far out in the Earth Zone. As for Cielo…"

Morgan sighed. "What better place to keep the key safe than in a school full of powerful magic users? They're in opposite parts of the region, almost a perfect triangle. The kids got lucky following a straight line from key to key, but this is where the tough decisions come into play."

"So, what should we tell them?" Ava asked. "Either we try our luck and go from one point to the other, or…" The solemn glare Morgan held told Ava the rest. She sighed and looked away. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Vernon chuckled as he placed his robe back on. "Another test handed down by Fate?"

Morgan scoffed. "Fate. I've come to know that word synonymous with torture."

"Team Ravenfield may have to face their biggest test of all now. I wonder how they'll come to handle it."

Ava glared. "Morgan, the kids have fought long and hard with each other through the past year. Can they even go through the rest of the journey like this?"

Morgan sighed. "Depends." He shoved his flask away, then slid his hands inside his pockets. "Maybe after I give them a much needed history lesson, we'll have an answer."

"The origin of the shadows?"

Morgan glared. "Worse."

"Worse?"

"Much worse." He sighed and glanced sadly at Ava. "We've come to learn one thing from this journey, my dear: the true context of legends is far darker than the valiant tale told in story."

Ava's eyes widened. "What…?"

"All of this connects back to the very relic that caused this pain and suffering. Everything up until now is connected to the Idol of Origin's legend. I hate to say, but the fateful battle of Apollo and the evil warlock doesn't have a happy ending for either side. I'm afraid of how the boys will react when they learn the truth."

Ava narrowed her eyes, gripping weakly to her sleeve. "You know who he is, do you?"

Morgan nodded. "Only I know the Shadow King's true name, and why he does what he does. Once I tell the kids, nothing will be the same. I have to be sure they're ready to learn the truth."

Ava staggered back, pressed up to the wall, and held her forehead. "Morgan, forgive me for saying this, but…it frightens me to know what thoughts are archived in your mind."

"I made it a point never to let you peer inside my mind, to keep my identity safe, and to spare you of the truth." Morgan headed to the door, pressing his hand to it. "…Ava."

"Yeah?"

"…" Morgan dug his nails into the door, scratching deep into the wood. Wisps of darkness sparks off his fingertips. "I just want you to know, I appreciate your friendship. You, Garret, Clara, Alex, and Willow…saved me from myself. I enjoyed our time on the road as a team. I wish I could relive those days." Morgan smiled sadly. "I vow never to turn my back to you or the others. I won't let this corruption overtake me."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "Morgan, where is this coming from?"

"I made a promise to Garret before he went off to stop the Shadow King." Morgan opened the door. "I'm going to bring Alex back, no matter what. Promise me, no matter who objects, make sure the kids don't stop me."

"Morgan…"

Morgan stared outside for a moment, took a deep breath, then smiled over his shoulder. "Sorry for the dreary atmosphere. I should get around to speaking with the kids. Let's have a drink later." He stepped out and shut the door behind him.

Ava collapsed to the floor, gripping her chest. She felt her heart thumping hard against her ribcage. "Good grief, what was that about?"

"He knows the Shadow King better than any of us," Vernon spoke up, hands clasped under his chin. "It's just as you said: it's frightening to know what thoughts are archived in his mind. He's like a solider without a purpose, lost on the battlefield after seeing countless lives slain."

Ava frowned. "Morgan lost everything centuries ago, unable to sleep or die. If I were an immortal like him, I would probably be depressed as well."

"Makes you wonder what lengths he'll go to keep his only happiness safe."

Ava rubbed her glistening eyes. "Morgan…you idiot."

"Tony! Where are you taking us?" Cheri whined as Tony guided her and their mother through the woods. "I wanted to play with Abby and Carrie. Can't this wait until later?"

Tony smiled over his shoulder. "Nonsense. Why wait when the time is now? Besides, I have a little surprise for the both of you."

Angel smiled. "Oh Tony, you didn't have to get us anything. You've done so much for this family."

"Keep racking up my tab then, because I've yet to scratch the surface."

Cheri pouted. "It better be a basket full of bluk berries, mister."

Tony snickered. "Unfortunately, the actual surprise is much more disappointing."

"Excuse me?! You dissing my bluk berries?!"

"Hmm…yeah, I am."

"How dare you!"

Angel pulled Cheri back with her tail. "Calm down, sweetie. Don't get angry with your brother." She sighed and looked at their son. "But seriously, why the sudden surprise?"

"I've been busy since we got here. It has to do with the surprise." Tony huffed through his nostrils and bared his teeth. "Took the better half of my patience to pull it off, too, so try to be a little grateful for the hard work I put in."

"Sounds like whatever it is wore you down."

"In more ways than one, yes."

Cheri stuck her tongue out. "I still want my bluk berries, you no-good, lying—" Cheri paused her rant and peered up ahead. Though a thick cluster of trees blocked her view, she felt something in the distance. "Huh?"

Tony stopped and glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

"There's a weird blue glow up ahead."

"Blue glow?" Angel cupped her eyes and looked ahead. "Sweetie, I don't see anything."

Tony narrowed his eyes at the Pikachu, then ahead. Wait a minute, does Cheri…?

"Sweetie, are you sure?" Angel asked again.

Cheri flailed her arms. "I'm not lying, I swear! There's a weird, glowing blob in front of us!"

Tony crossed his arms. Huh. Guess that's something to talk about later. Tony crouched down and ruffled Cheri's head. "Don't worry, she's not going crazy. Actually, what she's seeing is the surprise."

"Huh?" Cheri and Angel sounded.

Tony stood up and approached the curtain of leaves in front of them, the divider between them and the big surprise. As he took hold of the leaves, he paused for a moment to collect himself, then faced his family. "You both know I would do anything to help this family stay strong, right?"

Angel narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"I worked my butt off to give you guys a comfortable life. I won't stop until I get that dream home I keep blathering about. I will do everything to give you both that stability we've longed for. I'm willing to put up with just about anything to give that happiness."

Cheri tilted her head. "Big Brother, you're not making any sense."

Tony sighed. "I've been very spiteful about Dad ever since he left. For my whole life, there was nothing worth forgiving in that bastard…yet you still believed in him, Mom." Tony looked away. "I admit, I thought you were holding on to some grand delusion from when you two first met, with only my memories with him as a serviceable comparison. I haven't forgiven him, but he deserves a second chance with his family."

Angel's eyes widened. The gears were clicking. "Tony, you didn't…"

Tony nodded. "Mom, Cheri, there's someone very special who wants to meet you." He drew the leaves back and gestured them on through.

Angel and Cheri approached the bare space beyond the curtains, then Angel's eyes instantly glistened with tears. Her cheeks reddened, and her heart thumbed against her chest.

"L…Leroy."

The Samurott, sitting at a stone table with cylindrical stone seats, stood up and gazed solemnly at the pair of electric mice. His eyes met with Angel's emotional shock expression. Guilt reflected off his shimmering eyes, a force compelling him to not turn away.

Though, the force gave out when his attention turned to the confused Pikachu standing by Angel's side. A huge contrast to the emotional response of his wife. The face of a child meeting a stranger. The first time he could properly meet his daughter without hiding. She was much smaller than he reckoned, yet as bold as described to him by Tony.

Leroy approached Angel and took her hand in his. "Angel."

"Leroy," Angel gasped.

Leroy closed his eyes. "It's been too long, has it?"

"Y-Yes, it has," Angel mumbled in a daze.

Leroy leaned closer to get a better look at her, but staggered away as a rock pelted the side of his head. It bounced harmlessly off his protective aura, but he pulled away to curiously observe the sudden aggression overcoming Cheri as she stood defensively in front of her mother.

Guess she's no different from her brother, Leroy thought. Not a word spoken to her and she already hates—

"Stay away from my mother, you creep!" Cheri yelled, picking up more rocks from the ground.

Leroy blinked out of his thoughts and now stared at Cheri in confusion. "…What?"

"Don't play games with me! I know what you're up to!" Cheri accused. "Don't think I'm taking my eyes off my mom for a second! You're going to try and seduce her for your own sick, twisted amusement!"

Leroy blinked again, then held his hands up in defense. "Uh, kid? You might be getting the wrong idea—"

"I may be a kid, but I'm not stupid! I know how this game works. My brother's the biggest pervert on this side of the region, so I know what guys like you are thinking!"

"Hey!" Tony exclaimed. "I am not a pervert! I am a gentleman…who appreciates the female body in all its features."

"Yeah, like Tony said! A pervert!" Ignoring her brother's irritated growls, Cheri chucked rocks at Leroy's head, doing absolutely nothing to him. "Now get lost before you make me madder than ever!"

Leroy just let it happen, more curious than offended. He couldn't help smirking at her attitude. Yeah, I can see she's my kid.

Angel eventually snapped out of her stupor and grabbed Cheri's shoulders, forcing her to stop. "Cheri, sweetie, I appreciate you defending me, but you clearly heard that I know this man."

Cheri blinked, glanced up at her mom, then dropped the rocks. "So, you're not in danger?"

Angel shook her head. "Far from it." She looked up at the Samurott and smiled warmly. "Cheri, this is Leroy Sapienti. He's your father."

Cheri's ears drooped, and her eyes widened to full size. "My what?!" she gasped in disbelief. "He…He's my…! This guy?! Huh?! What?! Huh?! What?!"

Angel nodded. "It's true." She nodded at Leroy. "I…I never thought I would see you again."

"I never thought you would want to," Leroy responded glumly.

"But, how did you know we were—" Angel paused, then looked back at Tony, who was casually leaning against a tree. "Wait. This is your big surprise? You managed to track down your father?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Track down? No, Fate steamrolled us into each other. Can't say I appreciated it. Mom, this is the big job he left for years ago. He's one of the mages that protected the origin keys. That's how I ran into him."

"Then, why is he here?"

"Well, before the Gelid Peak Tournament, he came and visited me during training. I convinced him to come here and reunite with you and Cheri. Can't say I was enthused about it, but he makes you happy…for some reason." Tony crossed his arms. "You both deserve time to catch up and mend the past."

"Tony's right," Leroy continued, taking Angel's hand again and kneeling down. He bowed his head and said, "Angel, I am sorry for leaving you and the kids to fend for yourselves. Despite the responsibility given to me, I shouldn't have abandoned you like that. You've been through so much."

Angel frowned. "Leroy, it's fine—"

"It's not fine," Leroy insisted through gritted teeth. "I was selfish and abandoned this family because I felt out of my element. I wanted to give family life a chance, but I couldn't adapt as well as you. I was nothing but a screwup who could only bring home the money. I lived for combat and defending the innocent, not cooking, changing diapers, and dealing with children. I took my chance to escape, hoping you could handle everything. You were the far better parent. I had hoped you would forget about me and find someone else to raise the kids with you. In my eyes, you were the capable one. I never thought life would deal you with a string of misfortune as it did."

"Leroy…" Angel closed her eyes for a moment, then touched Leroy's cheek. "I admit, I was upset that you left us like you did, but…the sad truth is, you're not wrong. Aside from the money, I was the one taking care of the house, chores, and Tony. I can't say much was different utter than desperately searching for a stable job. I suppose, in a way, I thought I had a handle on things, at least until that sickness came up." She gently pounded her chest. "I'm doing much better these days."

"That's good." Leroy shook his head. "I don't deserve your forgiveness. All I want is to make up for everything I've done. You and the kids deserve to be happy after everything you've struggled for. Even if it kills me, I want to be a better father, and a better husband."

Angel glared. "And…you're not going to go fleeing off this time?"

Leroy looked away guiltily. "My responsibility as a mage still stands, but…even when duty calls, I promise to not leave without explanation, and to make sure everything's stable before I go."

Angel huffed and turned away. "I don't know if I believe you."

Leroy frowned solemnly, then sighed. "Very well. I can't do much to convince you. I only came to expose my guilt. It was…great talking to you again." He turned away and began to walk off, but stopped as the Raichu's tail caught him by the ankle.

Angel huffed. "Honestly, after all these years, I would've thought you'd gain a sense of humor." She smiled sweetly. "Leroy, if you say you feel guilty, I believe you."

Leroy blinked, then faced her in shock. "You…forgive me?"

"Forgive might be pushing it. Can't say I was pleased with the way you left us." Angel sighed. "But, I know what you're like, and I know you were unhappy all those years. I'll forgive you in full if you make an effort to show you want to be a part of this family. That's the only way you'll earn my trust again."

"You…mean it?"

Angel winked. "Of course, you idiot. You mage'd an effort to come here and apologize, right?" Cheri reflexively groaned and covered her face. "I want this to be a proper family that we all can be happy with. When this evil shadow business is finally done for, I want you to come home so we can continue where we left off, only better. You made this mess, now you'll have to learn to clean up after yourself."

Leroy narrowed his eyes sadly, then bowed his head in shame. "I don't deserve your forgiveness."

"Probably don't." She patted her cheek teasingly. "But hey, you were lucky. I'm one hell of a mom, after all."

Leroy chuckled dryly. "Yes, I…suppose so." He glanced at Tony, who met his gaze with a sideways glare. "You raised our son well. He may just be a better man than me."

Angel sighed. "Yeah." She smiled over her shoulder. "Tony turned out great." Tony smiled back.

Leroy felt a tug on his whiskers and looked down. Cheri awkwardly kicked at the ground, nervously shifting on her heels. "So…you're really my dad?"

Leroy blinked at her, then crouched down. "This is weird for you, isn't it?"

"A little. Mom told me about you. So did Tony."

Leroy closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for not being there for you, my daughter. Is there anyway I can make it up to you?"

Cheri pouted and rocked back on her heels. "Nine years of birthday presents? And bluk berries?"

Leroy smirked. "I…will consider it, but not today. I had Tony bring you both here for a reason. I wanted to surprise you with dinner."

"Dinner?" Cheri repeated.

Angel felt the warmth drain from her face. "O-Oh, you made…food? Why, that's…great, Leroy. You shouldn't have. I mean, really, you really shouldn't have."

Leroy chuckled and shook his head. "You'll have your son to thank to remove those doubts." He walked over to the stone table, reached under, and pulled out a covered platter. He set it down and removed the platter, revealing a beautifully made pizza, freshly made as seen from the steam.

"Whoa!" Cheri gasped. "Pizza!" She rushed over and sat herself down.

Angel cautiously approached the table and whiffed the air. "It…actually smells good?"

Leroy sighed. "A lot of trial and error, but I can confidently assess this pizza is safe for consumption. Tony guided me through the process, even as I kept failing."

Tony shook his head. "I don't even want to remember now many ingredients we went through. I went through a shop's entire stock of dough. He finally made one right last night, and I had to trust he didn't screw it up while I was watching Flint's match. So yeah, rough week for me."

Angel sat down, smiling. "It looks amazing, Leroy. This is literally the best dish I've seen you make."

"Uh, thanks?" Leroy said awkwardly before sitting down. "Please, help yourselves. Both of you. I even made lemonade." He reached under and pulled out a covered glass pitcher and a few cups. "It's probably the only thing I could make without destroying on my first try."

"Does that mean you messed up making lemonade?" Cheri asked as she poured herself a cup.

"Apparently crushing lemons in your grip doesn't yield the desired results."

Angel rolled her eyes, then giggled. "You haven't changed a bit." She looked over at Tony and waved him over. "Well, you put in the effort to help him. Aren't you going to join us?"

Tony shook his head. "I spent enough time around that bastard than I wanted to. You two just enjoy dinner with him. I'm going to check in on the team."

"Oh, okay. We'll see you back at the caravan later."

Tony waved. "Have fun." With his hands in his pockets, he walked away, leaving the three to their reunion dinner. He looked back once and saw the content smile on Leroy's face as Cheri started to ramble about whatever random thing she could think of.

Tony sighed, then smiled to himself. Guess I can't fault him for trying, right?

"So, basically, it's a card game about magic with weird little fantasy creatures?" Gwyn asked.

Griffin shook his head. "It's much more than that. There's an intense level of strategy with each new card you acquire. Faye explains it better than I ever could."

Ella shook her head, smirking. "Our big, bad edgelord has officially become a nerd. I'm so proud of him."

Griffin scowled. "I will crush your skull."

"Love you, too, buddy."

Griffin huffed and rubbed his face. "I could ask Faye to explain the game to you if you're interested."

Gwyn tapped her chin, then smiled. "Nah, I'm good. I prefer messing with my plants. Ooh, maybe you can help me test out a few new potions!" Flint looked straight at Griffin and shook his head frantically.

Griffin winced. "Err, I will have to pass."

Wes snickered. "Probably for the best."

"Ah, I'm glad to see you're all doing well." The team looked up as Morgan sat down at her table. "Fresh out of an intense battle, yet here you all are, as spirited as ever."

Wes hooked his foreleg around Flint. "We'll have to think my awesome bro for that win!"

Flint grinned sheepishly. "You guys are making me feel embarrassed…"

Morgan smiled. "Well, I'm happy for all of you. You have a raw courage most don't possess. It takes real guts to tackle a fated destiny like yours." He frowned. "That said, as we reach closer to the end of that journey, the closer you come to confronting the Shadow King in a final clash."

Ella glared. "No need to remind us. We still need to get the other keys back, not to mention the last three we've yet to obtain."

"Yes, yes, that is very important." Morgan clasped his hands together. "Though, take this moment to consider what comes next."

"What do you mean?" Griffin asked.

"Your enemy is still a widely unknown force, his greatest advantage. The secret to any winning battle is to exploit a weakness in the enemy, particularly ones that hinder even an unstoppable foe. I say this because, though you have fought hard against the Tribe of Shadows, they are still a mystery to the common third party. Have you ever stopped to wonder just what they are and why they do these things?"

Gwyn titled her head. "I always assumed they were just some nasty, evil ancient force."

Morgan shook his head. "I wish it were that simple, but there's a bit more to it than that. I fear your journey is one created of a self-fulfilling prophecy of unfortunate circumstances."

Wes blinked, then glared suspiciously. "What's this all about?"

"Team Ravenfield, I devoted a long time to uncovering the shadows' secrets. It took a long time to acquire and cross reference every available piece of written material and ancestral accounts, but I've pieced together the whole truth in my five centuries of wandering this world. Be sure to understand that the things I've uncovered could affect the outcome of your journey, and your very beliefs."

"This is about the Shadow King's true name, isn't it?" The team jumped from their seats as Tony walked up behind them, glaring worriedly at the Hypno. "It's finally time you told us everything, isn't it?"

Morgan sighed, then nodded. "Yes. You all deserve the truth. You're mature enough to handle it."

Tony sat down and leaned forward on the table, as did the others. Morgan looked around just to make sure they had general privacy, then took a deep breath. Years of keeping secrets was finally going to pay off for him.

"My quest for knowledge began during my service to the Shadow King…"