Chapter 2:

"Ugghh! What's up with him!?" Apple cried with indignation. "Who does he think he is? Nighttime is dangerous, yet he says something like that like it's the most natural thing in the world! Never been called a healer my ass! How can that possibly be true!?" She pointed to Hope "When he just clearly healed you! You don't just learn magecraft of that level on the fly!" Tristrem could not help but smirk. "You seem awfully competitive, Apple. Milord is the only one of the three of us who can remember our past, so it is only natural that his abilities seem strange to us."

Hope wanted to question why they were talking about magecraft when it was useless to fairies, but felt too exhausted to do so. If magecraft was what had restored her, she could only have thanks for it. A strange noise emanated from her abdomen. She thought to herself "That's strange? I feel so tired and hollow. I'm happy, but I feel as though I can hardly move. Maybe it is a side effect of magecraft?" and before long she fell sound asleep.

"And you're calling him lord now? So you actually served under him before here?" Tristrem nodded. "He said I once served a different king, but if I wanted to serve him now, he wouldn't stop me." Tristrem cocked his head. "It was strange though, I have this aching feeling that I did serve him, no I am definitely sure that I did. I do not know why he denies it, but I can't help believing the forest did some harm nonetheless." Apple sighed and turned out the light as the two settled onto their own beds. "He reminds me of a faerie I know, real stuck up and someone you could tell was trouble on sight but can't help but help others."

"He didn't lie a single time Tristrem… how's a faerie like me supposed to measure up to faeries like them? They're so sure of themselves, and it seems like they could never fail no matter what they set their minds to do." These were the doubts of Apple, a worthless faerie that had no hope of helping others. She did not have power, she wasn't skilled, she wasn't particularly smart either. No one believed in her outside the forest, and those that once did faced bloody ends. Or rather, that was what she herself believed.

Tristrem did not know why Apple seemed so distraught. Reclining in the dark of the tent, he thought on it, perhaps it was the loss of her memory? Perhaps she had some forgotten task she was meant to accomplish, but now that she could not remember it, her heart raged at her for not being able to complete it. Ah, how sad. "I know it is hard, having lost our memories, but I do not believe you need to worry about it. If we are to learn our pasts, we likely only need to ask him. I am sure he would be happy to help you especially, Apple." Though the three of them were human, his supposedly new found lord had said something that struck a deep chord in him. 'I am a friend of all good fae.' Surely, it went without saying that that sentiment extended to the two of them as well?

"In fact, though he does not appear much older than you, I would go as far as to say that you were his apprentice somehow."

"Ehh?"

Together Apple and Tristrem gossiped into the night, speculating why they had arrived at the forest, and who exactly they had been before. Surely, they must have gotten up to some grand hijinks to have wound up in this village of forgetfulness. During these talks, Tristrem became all the gladder, and though Apple lied as easily as a fish choking on air, her nerves eventually calmed. In turn, Tristrem began to see that there was more to Apple than she seemed to let on.

When the three awoke, there was already a gathering of faeries out and about. "This isn't a feast nor is it for any fae who merely THINKS themselves a starving beast, especially when I KNOW they ate plenty last night! Take a bit and leave the rest for the others while you go to your daily business, now go, get!" At the center of the crowd, surrounded by hungry and working fae both, stood Tristrem's new lord. Near the front of the line, two wolfish fae began fighting over a haunch of meat. On all fours, the two held the piece of meat in a vicious tug-of-war. *WHAP* *WHAP* "What'd I say!" Cried out the newly minted head chef. "If you want more, get in line, don't steal it from others! If you've eaten, leave! If you want to help us, go join Haro and the other wind clan faeries!"

Apple was in shock. "What, what is this?"

Tristrem replied. "Oh good, seems they're serving breakfast. Let's go get some, shall we?"

"Yes, let's!" Hope rushed forward; her caution forgotten in lieu of a growing pain in her stomach.

Faeries did not need to eat food, and a feast this early was certainly strange to Apple. "Just what is going on…?"

Soon eventually the meal was concluded. Though not all the faeries felt the need to attend, enough did that more help was eventually needed. "Hi-five there good buddy!" I offered a hi-five to Doga. "Huh…? Oh, I get it!" A faint light pulsed over him. "I didn't expect to have to go hunting so soon, but now we've got enough to last us until our feast later! And the village is so clean too! Are you secretly a brownie?" I shook my head. "I am not, though I am glad the village is pleased, and I am especially thankful for all the help. Though the creatures of the night and party debris are no match for me, it would hardly do much good without faeries to benefit from it. Here's another good tip, if you want to keep yourselves healthy, make sure you eat properly. Don't eat too much but not too little either. Having a range of things to eat also helps too, but using wisdom is the key to keeping fed and healthy." Doga ears perked up. "Yeah, that's a great way to think! You're a real hero for sure! If there were more faeries like you, I'm sure we'd never have to hide here!"

"You have one thing wrong Doga, I am not-" Before I could finish my sentence, Apple appeared, bone three chicken legs hanging from her mouth. "Mphf Camf offa heera!" She grabbed me by my collar. Doga could only watch in shock. "Not a what? W-what was he going to say?" Dragged over to the group, I was amazed to see Apple down the three legs, bone and all.

"We're going out to test our skills!" That was Apple's cry once she finished devouring her food. "I can't understand your magecraft yet, but if I watch you, I'm sure I'll get it!" That was the reasoning she gave. So, I acquiesced and led them through the village. On the way out, I stopped by Harobalomia's tent. "We're going out, Haro, here's some sheet music, I hope you enjoy playing it on your harp."

He gave his thanks, and in time we made it to the outskirts of the village. There we encountered swarms of hornets and random wolves. Though they seemed like animals, they were in truth fairies. "Oh come on!" Apple fumed. "How am I supposed to blow them up with my magecraft when they aren't violent at all!" Should Harobalomia have gone into the woods searching for honey, we would have used wind magic to ward away the bee's stingers. Had Doga encountered wolves, he would have snarled so viciously that they ran with their tails between their legs.

Instead, when we encountered hornets, they happily buzzed around my head and when we found wolves, they launched themselves at me, not to rip my throat out, but to get their slobber all over my face as they showered me in licks. "It's not a bad thing to be able to get by without violence. Though it seems your targets will have to be petty fowl and the trees. Make sure you don't forget to yell timber."

Trees mutilated, hacked to pieces by Tristrem's bow, and others, still worse off, were smoldering piles of ashes from Apple's explosives. Instead of harming the trees, Hope sat on a fallen log and watched their work. "That was pretty good right!? I knew Tristrem was in the military!" Apple was giddy over the destruction she caused. "What can you do besides healing?" I scratched my head. "Well, if you want to learn my craft specifically, you'd be better off with a pen or a harp." Apple tilted her head. "So your magecraft uses pens and harps as foci?" I shook my head. "I can use those things to perform some of my magic, but those are not things I can teach you. I can teach you their mundane uses, should you wish. You'd be better off being taught something you could actually use."

Apple blew a raspberry at me. "Fine, and here I thought you might secretly be a really good teacher or something, but I guess I was wrong!" I laughed. "Well, when you put it that way, I do have ways of teaching you magecraft. My own magic just isn't something that can be taught. Here, I'll show you this spell." I raised my hand and formed it into the shape of a gun. On the tip of my pointer finger, a small black sphere formed. "This is called Gandr. It's a ball of curses that normally can make a person pretty sick. This kind is a variant focused purely on stunning and keeping what it hits from being able to attack." Apple beamed for a moment, before turning red in anger and bopping me on the head. "Then just lead with that you idiot!" The gandr went spiraling out into the woods and a shrill cry rang out as it hit a wild chicken. "Oops." Apple cringed.

"Poor chicken." Said Hope. "I hope it wasn't hurt too badly." The curse was not able to hurt, it could only stun. Still though, should one have listened closely, they would have heard the small bird clucking away happily as continued searching for bugs and grain to eat.

"So, did I cast them all correctly?" Apple asked. Before I answered, she corrected herself. "I mean, if you recognize any of the spells I used, you think I did them good, right?" There was a sneaking suspicion in her mind. She had only ever heard his voice, and though it didn't sound quite the same, maybe it had changed with time…? "You have practiced well, but you still get too nervous and skip steps. Your bombs need much less mana than you're giving them, try to relax, ok?" Her eyes lit up. "Ah, I still haven't caught your name, everyone at the village just calls you ridiculous things like the new guy or friend or the night knight or the lord of parties whenever I ask them.

Hope chimed in. "That's because everyone is afraid of saying his name." Yes, the name I told them caused them great alarm. I told them the name I had gone by before I came to this lostbelt. "My name Apple, is Morgan Tomlin." Apple, upon hearing me utter my name, promptly fell backwards in disbelief. "Wha-wha-wha-wha...! Wait, oh, wait, that means!" Rather than panic further, she bellowed out deep, rolling guffaws of laughter. "Wahahahahaha!" She rolled around on the ground, curled over in pain from her non-stop chortling. "*SNORT* No way! I can't believe it! That's so stupid!"

The faeries had, upon hearing the name Morgan Tomlin, surmised that I was in fact Tamlin Morgan. A fairy knight that bore the name of the high queen. Apple. however, understood that the name was both reversed, and spelled differently. Admittedly, I was not the first one to use that trick, but it worked, nonetheless. No lie there. Hope and Tristrem did not understand the hilarity of the faerie's conclusion, though.

"Don't you get it, you two? He's not a Tamlin! He just has a name like one!" Returning from her fit on the ground, her face soured slightly and whispered to herself. "I guess you're not Merlin after all." Hope and Tristem, seeking an explanation for her outburst, received only the answer "You can't tell, but my magecraft lets me see how he pronounces his name. If the other fae respect him because of that, then there's no need to correct them." So long as they believed that Tomlin was a super powerful knight, they would be less likely to hurt them. In fact, they likely would keep getting special treatment!

"Hm, if you say so. I guess this would be a good time to ask this while away from the other fae, but could you tell us of our pasts, my lord?" I nodded. "Of course, Tristrem."

"You are a knight who was brought here to help save the world, for seers in a faraway land have determined it to be in great peril; I am aiding you in this endeavor." Before, Tristrem had been told he served someone else before coming here, that lord must have been the one who ordered him on this quest. "Hm, to save the world, I really must be a peerless archer to have been called to do that. Why are we in these woods then?"

"You believed yourself familiar with these lands, only to find yourself and those who followed you lost." Tristrem plucked his harp. "Ah, what a fool I was, to have led us all astray, how sad." I turned to Apple.

"You too are called to help save the world; you both have your own parts to play but that much is true. You are the child of prophecy, the one that the mirror clan spoke of in their prophecy." Apple went pure white. "Y-you really did know that!? Wait no…! You actually believe me!?" I chuckled. "Of course I do, you told me yourself." Apple stared at me. Her faerie eyes could not read me, so it was no wonder she was so confused. After all, I never lied. The other two were confused, so I explained. "I know our friend Apple here, but as you can see, she does not recognize me. She came from an incredibly harsh village and when she finally left it, she was unable to gain recognition for it from the faeries she talked to. Nonetheless, she is with us now and we will see to it that the world is saved, come hell or high water, isn't that right Tristrem!?"

Tristrem saluted. "Yes sir!" I looked towards Hope. "And since you joined us too, when the time comes for us to leave, how would you like to join us and teach the faeries of this land what it means to be good?" I asked as formality, as I already knew what she would say. "Of course! I would be sad if you didn't take me with you! This village and the other faeries have been nothing but horrible to me! Well, there was a person who was nice to me, a long time ago… but I can't quite remember that far back too well."

"When shall we leave then, my lord?" I wouldn't want us to leave before the siege of Sheffield, but it wouldn't be good for us to leave too early either. "Storms will be arriving near Salisbury around a week from now, we'll want to get there before then. We can't leave until the queen of faeries, riding a white horse adorned in bells, shows though."

The sound of rusted metal scraped through the air as the three mechanical wretched their heads to stare at me. "What? It's just a simple little prophecy. We're going to save the world, but a storyteller doesn't let his actors skip the script without good reason." Hope was the first to recover. "Oh, so you must be from the mirror clan then?" I shook my head. "No, not at all, though I can understand how I might appear pretty similar to them. Now come, let us return back to the village." Hope could not help but wonder, what clan then was he from? Apple, on the other hand, had a much different matter on her mind.

"Queen of faeries, here? As if. He told no lie but it probably meant someone that could be mistaken as her. Maybe herself? Was he going to give her a white horse or something? He always talks so strange, just like Merlin" Cogs began turning in the young fae's head "…I told him myself? My name's not Merlin?... No, my name's not Lysander?" Dots began connecting in Apple's minds. When she spoke with Merlin, it had always been through the staff, and she never once saw lies coming from it. Was it because he was telling the truth, or just that she couldn't see lies when someone used the staff for communication? If it was the latter… then Tomlin could say his name wasn't Merlin, or Lysander. The only time he would have ever lied then would be when he said his name was Merlin. But why would he do that? Or was it that Merlin really was someone else?...

The moment that the faeries heard her laughing, they took her staff away. He must have disguised his identity so that the faeries in the village wouldn't recognize him should he ever be caught! If they heard she was talking about someone named "Tomlin" they would have made the same mistake as these faeries did! They surely would have done something horrible if they thought she was supporting the queen somehow! They may have killed her then and there for wasting their time!

No, there was no other explanation for it! He really was Merlin! He really was Lysander! That was it! He must have forgotten her when he entered the woods! Merlin was a clever wizard, but even he couldn't combat the fog's power completely. "Hm. Hm. You are right Tomlin, I didn't recognize you, but now I do. Without a doubt you are Merlin and Lysander! You may have forgotten, but that's ok!" Her face flushed red, and tears ran down her eyes. "Now that we're back together, no one can stop us!" Tristrem played a happy tune. "Ah, I was right, you DID forget some things. You said any poet could work wonders for the fae, I take it Merlin was your pen name?"

I sighed. "Call me Merlin all you like, I will still call myself Tamlin Morgan for the coming days." She nodded. "Of course! There's no way we could give it up! So long as the faeries think you're a Tamlin, we'll be living like nobility!" Her mouth began drooling. "Think of all the ginger ale…" A switch tripped in her brain. She was not only hugging, but also drooling in front of nobility. Scratch that, the dribble had fallen and was now staining the black and blue garment he wore. It was likely worth a couple thousand morpounds at least. In a flash, she scuttled back away, hands over her eyes. "I'mSorryI'mSorry!IDidn'tMeanToRuinYourClothes!"

I sighed again. Apple certainly got excited easily. I couldn't blame her though. "As for you Hope, I knew your name because I've met you before. Because of whom I am, I was always far more aware of you than you were of me. The times we met, one of us was always working to some degree or one of us was bothered by some other trouble. So please, put it out of your mind and don't worry. I was your friend then and I am your friend now."

Hope frowned as the group made their way back to the village. Why could she not remember him? He didn't look like anyone she had met in recent years, or even before that. Did he use a fake name like Merlin when they talked? He was a lord, so that seemed unlikely if they met while working.

These thoughts bounced around Hope's head, but she was not perturbed by them. How could she? Each moment that passed seemed better than the last. The fairies began feasting at intervals per Tomlin's suggestion. The whole village was abuzz, playing games and songs, working with a vigor long forgotten. If Tomlin was asked of anything, an answer would be given, but never an explanation, and if an explanation was given, it itself needed its own explanation.

Tomlin was not from any of the clans. He was familiar with the three of them. He had come from afar as Tristrem had, yet had known Apple, who herself had come from Britain. They had arrived at the same time, so it went without saying that they had all been together before that, right? But why then, was it that Tomlin never said as much?

The night before we left, Harobalomia called me to his tent. He had for me a gift, something meant as payment for all the work I did. "Tirelessly you have worked for many years. Before, the other faeries would have taken even this away from you should they have known you had it, but now things have changed, I hope you can forgive me for being so cruel." He handed a book to me. It was a dusty, leather-bound tome. "It's an old book I've kept since my days as an advisor for the head of the wind clan. It's written in an old language of some kind. I heard the head of the wing clan is an avid historian. I'm sure she would love just seeing you, one of her kind, and I'm even more sure she'll have an ample award in store for bringing her an ancient text for her to study."

I understood what he meant. The book he had given was a peerless treasure, one so valuable he would risk stealing it after being exiled, or perhaps had been exiled in the first place because he had stolen it. "Thank you, Harobalomia. I…I don't think I should accept this." With a sly smile he shook his head. "It is useless to me, I can't even read it. For a long while I wondered why I've been holding onto it. Even as my memories slowly returned, it was only recently I remembered what it was. I've been waiting for the day someone would come along who could make use of it. Make it to Gloucester and you'll be set for life. Much better than living in this forgotten place."

"Did Tomlin say that we were leaving soon?" He winked and a bright white star glanced out from his eye. "Heh, I know everything that travels on the wind. Even sudden departures are not lost on me. Tomorrow you'll leave town only to not come back. The others will be sad, but with enough work and good news they'll get their minds off it. Each faerie has a purpose in life, and you and your friends have yours elsewhere." He shook his head. "Stay away from a faerie named Aurora though. Novelties that catch her eye always get discarded afterwards, and a wing clan member after so long is bound to cause a stir."

The massacre. I had barely escaped it. I watched in horror as the other fae around me had been slaughtered over and over. They fought the fang, and they died against the fang. That had been the moment I gave up and I fled to the forest, the only place they would not follow.

It had all been my fault. A mirror clan fairy was the only one to warn us. "Tomorrow the Wing clan will be hunted by the Fang clan. If you believe me, enter into a contract as my servant and I will keep you from harm. Ignore my warning and risk your death." No one agreed. Why? Because they had hope that the fang clan, the protectors of the fae, would never so suddenly turn on us. They hoped he had been wrong. Then, when they encircled us, roaring and gnashing, they held out hope they could fight against them. Finally, there were still a few, even as their next generation formed, having no memories, that held out hope someone would save them.

And they all died.

All except the one in Gloucester.

…Or perhaps there were more? A surge of hope panged through her. Perhaps some had fled as she had?

Had she been wrong? She did not dare ask Harobalomia further, her heart could not handle hearing the truth. So she left his tent with a weak smile and watery eyes. She thought to herself "When they made it to Gloucester, the clan head may know. She could only hope…"

And hope was a powerful thing.

And that was why, when that voice whispered to her.

"Rest now, small fae. Your lonely years of service are over. Don't forget, memories can dim and fade away. For now, keep looking forward to that day. Before you know it, your wait will already be over. In the end, you'll laugh over your fate."

The knight of the night appeared. Hair as black as the mors, eyes as blue as the stars at night, winking and smirking all the time. It was as though he had expected it all, as if he knew she'd be there, in need of encouragement.

Yes, that was why she held onto to hope.

Those dark days were over, now was the time for a new story. A tale of love and hope. Spring's nightmare would end, and the midsummer dream would start again. Those were the promises that the boy with black hair and blue eyes told me. All of it, all of this, would be a beautiful journey.

The next day…

Apple awoke with a pep in her step. Merlin surely was already cooking away. Every morning, noon, and evening since the morning Tomlin first cooked, him and Harobalomia would gather the village to eat. His voice joyously shouting through the wind, Harobalomia explained that today was cause for celebration. "This is a feast of farewell! Our friends here will be leaving this day!"

The fae sat at the tables began murmuring. "No! But they've been so fun!" "It can't be, so soon? And why!?" "Of course a lord wouldn't waste his time here, this was all just a game to him!" Clapping to settle everyone down, Harobalomia continued his speech, a grin gracing his lips. "Oh no, I am sure you all are sad at their departure, but not to worry! Though our dear guests are leaving us, I have received word on the wind that we will be having new guests to entertain!" The fae began murmuring again.

"New guests?" "Will they be more nobles?" "Is the queen coming to get us!?" Harobalomia clapped again a few times. "No, it is not fae visiting us! It is in fact humans who are brave enough to enter the fog and join us! They are gifts from the head of the wind clan!" That caused the fae to stir rapidly.

"We lose one gift but get two back, what a deal!" "I can't wait to play football with them!" "Oh boy! Finally, humans! We'll get so many ideas from them!" "We'll have to keep having feasts like these when they get here, I hear they get sick if they don't eat enough!" "Oi! I bet that was Harobalomia's plan all along! He's been testing us to make sure we can handle the humans!"

Apple was shocked. While the other fae were celebrating, she could not believe what she was hearing. The head of the wind clan hadn't even so much as met with her. How could it be that they would send precious humans to a village of misfits? Was she really that unworthy? Hope next to her voiced her own concerns. "It seems odd for a clan head to be so generous." Her eyes widened with stars and a radiant smile graced her face. "It must mean things in Britain are really looking up!"

Apple facepalmed. Even if there were good ones like Merlin and Hope, saying something like that seemed naïve. By the time the feasting was done it was an hour after noon, and her, Tristrem, Hope, and Merlin were all stuffed. The weather was pleasant and warm, with a gentle breeze blowing. It was the perfect time for a nap. Merlin thought as much and suggested it. Before long, they had wandered into the wooded outskirts and found a clearing where small rays of light managed to pierce the treetops. Sprawled beneath a particularly large tree, the four quietly talked to one another. Among chittering bugs and the wind, a soft ringing of bells and clopping could be heard joining the symphony of the woods.

"Nggh, Merlin, are we really leaving today?"*chime* *clop* "I don't see any gray horse lady." *chime clop* Merlin laughed from the opposite side of the tree. "No?" *chimes quietly die as the ringing and clopping stops* "If that is the case, then perhaps the fair lady I see is the queen of heaven then?" I tilted my head. "Huh, what's heaven?" Tristrem bolted to his feet. "By Lancelot's dress, he's right!" His shout caused me to launch Hope and I to our own feet. Merlin stayed on the ground, lazily looking up.

Sitting atop a white horse, adorned in golden bells, was none other than the veiled high queen of the fae, Morgan Le Fae. "Wha-wha-wha" Apple floundered, face flushed entirely. Her face could not be seen but her voice was filled with contempt. "Hmph, pathetic." Though Morgan had the power crush hearts on a whim, her words cut just as deep and were enough to send Apple to the ground.

"A mere heroic spirit, a boy, not even a proper mage, and… a member of the wing clan." The queen clicked her tongue. "I can't believe Ainsel convinced me to waste the mana needed to come here, as if any of you could be a threat to me." Her head shifted towards Apple. "So long as you don't ring any bells, you are no different than any of my citizens. Go ahead and wander around my kingdom, enjoy its wonders and beauties. At the very least I'll hear out what the foreign boy has to say about it, he seems to have good taste." With those parting words the queen wandered off deeper into the woods and disappeared.

I got up off the ground. Tristrem looked to me for an explanation. "That would be the queen of Britain. It is believed by many that the child of prophecy will defeat her." Tristrem looked to the unconscious Apple. "Is that how we are to save the world? Defeat this queen?" I grinned. "The queen's death is a part of that, yes." Tristrem was troubled by my response. "You say that too happily, is she a tyrant of some kind?" I nodded. "She is, but that's not why I'm grinning. You'll be grinning too when you hear it."

"Hear what?"

"The greatest wind ever heard."

Tristrem shook his head. "You and your prophecies."

"Yes, yes, now pick up Apple, it's time for us to leave."

The storm had not visited me for a few days. Perhaps it was because I was so nervous, seeing the queen I was meant to defeat so suddenly, but it was back again, and worse. There was no sun, no moon, no stars. Only horrible, crimson blood. Up to my knees, I waded through it desperately. All around I could hear it sloshing and churning, like the waves of the sea. Why was it always like this? Why was it always so horrible?

I snapped awake. Merlin had just slapped me across the face. "Congrats Apple! We made it through the woods!" Hope, Tristrem, and Merlin were all around me. "I get you're nervous, but collapsing from stress is not healthy! Relax a little, leave tomorrow's problems for tomorrow."

A new voice that sounded familiar called to us. "Wow, that's quite a rude awakening. You Chaldeans sure don't pull your punches, do you?" It was a man with wings of red, blue, and yellow. He wore a robe of blue, accented by white and black. On the robes cuffs were tuffs of white fur, and near his head was a white and black hood.

"Sorry it took so long, though I'm sure it must be confusing for you all. A king doesn't usually introduce himself, but none of my attendants are here so I guess I don't have a choice!" He winked and gave us all the best smile he could muster. He had eyes of pale blue, and hair colored like clay. Adorning his head was a golden circlet of stars.

"I'm Oberon, a Heroic Spirit summoned here by humanity. I'm the one and only Servant in all this Lostbelt who's destined to help you. Most people know me as Oberon the Faerie King. What do you think? Pretty cool, right?"

It was at this moment, that Tristrem's memories returned to him. "Ah, my name is Tristan after all, isn't it? And you are-" He thought a moment. "You are Morgan the master of Chaldea. Yes, I am Tristan, knight of the bewitched bow, and the Child of Sadness. At last I finally remember everything." He frowned. "I also remember what you said about my name. I wasn't feeling quite well at the time, it's no wonder I could only make up a name like that." He plucked his harp. "Ah, how sad."

"As for you Apple, I don't remember anyone of that name, but it could be Morgan had summoned a version of you back at Chaldea." Apple tilted her head. "Merlin summoned me?" I nodded. "The master of Chaldea is able to summon beings like Tristan, records of heroes. I did indeed summon you to Chaldea at one point." Hope then chimed in. "Oh? But I thought the two of you came here with Tomlin together? There's no town in Britain called Chaldea, and he knows our Apple from the one in Chaldea, then how does he know the village she came from?"

"Merlin? Morgan? Tomlin? Who are you guys talking about? His name is Ritsuka, isn't it?" Now Oberon was confused. He had heard Ritsuka's name called on the beach. He had wanted to spy on them the whole time, but after ten days of not waking up, he needed to report back in with the head of the wind clan and get an update on Sheffield. It was only now that he could get back, and it was by chance that he had managed to arrive back at the forest in time for them leaving.

"Hm, Ritsuka… Yes, I believe that was what he was called on the beach. I could have sworn I served a master called Morgan, but Ritsuka seems right too. Please, explain to us Master, what is going on, who are you?"

"Eh? I don't really get it, but I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka."