Paralogue 9: Two Sky's, Two Sea's
The wind blows gently through the Valmese forest, its trees and leaves creating a canopy that barely lets the light shine through beneath its leaves, a collection of holes burro beneath the trees, large enough for a full-grown man on horseback to enter. From the outside, one would dismiss it as a large hole in the ground, but that was far from the truth. Instead, if one were to walk down, they would soon find themselves met with several torches lining the wall, the ground littered with foot imprints. Soon, they would come to a wooden door, simple in design yet well made to block out the drafts from above. And beyond it lay an underground village.
It was not extravagant by any means, just some simple homes carved into the earth with wooden doors and small windows letting out the light of torches. Above the roots of the trees could be seen, holding up the roof while a small pool of water lays at the centre. Along the wall lay similar tunnels leading to the surface, while in the centre lays a large earthen dome, it's base made of stone. While several Tagules go about their typical day, children playing in the small gardens around the pond, inside the dome, several old Tagules are locked in an important debate.
"We have only so many choices and very little time, elder! The longer we wait, the sooner we all die!" A young Tagule pleads to one with a long beard and tired eyes. The elder looks at the young Tagule and sighs deeply, his face locked with guilt.
"I am not ignorant of the threat, young one. Nor do I advocate for us waiting. But even so, we can not leave, not yet. For not only is this our home, but many of us would not survive the journey. Those like myself are too frail to leave, and our children are too young to defend themselves. So would you suggest we abandon those who remain, our family, to the wolves of Walhart?" The young Tagule winces at the thought before looking away. They debated what to do with the incoming threat for days, yet their home was divided. Some advocated to leave that the warren could always be rebuilt, but some supported staying to defend their ancestral home.
And yet how could they fight back? Very few of them have Beaststones, the way of life advocating for peace, and the few they have would not last long against the Valmese if they bore Beast Killers. The elder was grateful for the arrival of the mercenary and myrmidon twins from the Resistance. It gave them hope that they had not abandoned them, and yet…
"Has there been any news from the Resistance, Oceania?" The elder asks the brown-haired mercenary. She glances around the room, locking eyes with the Tagule before sighing frustratingly.
"None. Ever since they united after the Ylissean League landed, they have gone suspiciously quiet. They are probably getting ready to rise up when the League attack a major target. And yet for them to not even send a reply, or even some help, is frustrating!" She punctuates her words by slamming a fist on her leg, making most of the Tagule flinch. She stops herself before taking a calming breath. Losing her cool at this point would not help anyone. "But we have some good news. A group from the Ylissean League had been sighted heading this way not too long ago. Amongst them is another Tagule." That got the council to pick their rabbit ears up. A fellow Tagule fighting with the Ylissean League? They had heard rumours of one fighting with the Shepherds. "They should be here long before the Valmese or just as they begin their attack. Caelum is currently seeing to the tunnels that we collapsed to make sure they can't swarm us."
"It is a shame that the Resistance seems to have all but forgotten about us, but this news of the League is greatly welcomed. All the same, even if we do defend our home, we may still need to leave our home." The elder sighs sadly before looking upwards. "Even if we force the Valmese to flee, more will come for us, just like they did for our Laguz cousins all those years ago." Oceania's eyes close slightly with pain as she looks away. Seeing these people being forced to leave their homes or continue to be hunted for sport hurt her too much. She and Caelum came here to save this village, not abandon it! Excusing herself from the meeting, she leaves the dome and walks outside.
Breathing a deep sigh, she looks around, watching several Tagule children run past her, before walking towards the lake and sitting down. She looks at her reflection, her mind wandering to past events as she struggles to wonder why the Resistance has seemingly abandoned them.
"You have that look again. Gold for your thoughts?" The sudden voice to her left snaps her back to reality as she glances at her brother, Caelum, as he sits down next to her, a stoic face ever plastered on his face. Sighing irritable, Oceania picks up a pebble before skipping it across the lake.
"I just can't understand what the Resistance is doing. How could they just abandon the Tagule here so easily? These people have done nothing wrong, yet Walhart is planning to wipe them out…." Caelum studies his sister's face before turning his gaze to a group of children playing, his hands unconsciously tightening their grip on his knees.
"We can ask them about it after seeing these people to safety." He replies calmly, yet underneath lies a wave of smouldering anger. "You'll be happy to hear that the other entrances have been blocked off. The Valmese won't be getting through them anytime soon. Unless they are willing to dig their way through and risk collapsing the tunnels on them."
"What if they try and use the Heartless? You HAVE heard rumours about how some of Walhart's forces are using them, despite other rumours of him stamping out all forms of people doing it?"
"We can only hope to the light that it doesn't happen, sis." Caelum responds with sadness before rising to his feet. "I'm going to talk with the few Tagule who have stones about the coming fight. You can join us when you have a cooler head."
"Aw, come on, Caelum. I'm not THAT bad. I'm sure mom could have been even worse than me." Oceania jokingly responds, only to eye role at her brother, missing the joke again. Then, rising to her feet, she joins her brother in walking towards several Tagule, some wearing Resistance armour that the two brought with them, before talking about their upcoming plan. Even though the Tagule shows clear signs of worry and fear about the upcoming battle, the fire and determination in their eyes show their desire to protect those who live here.
No matter what.
At the entrance to the warren, a lone Tagule looks out from the entrance. No lights surround him as he hides behind some bushes and rocks as he stares into the dark forest, eyes wide and ears twitching. Suddenly, he picks up the sound of metal and steel, loud and obnoxious voices. Soon, the glint of fire emerges from the darkness, while the sound of hooves hitting the ground breaks the silence. The Tagule's eyes widen as he sees the crest of the Valmese on the armour of the approaching men, demonically lit by the glow of torches.
Moving as quickly and quietly as possible, he sprinted down the tunnel before shifting over to his rabbit form, running as fast as possible before reaching the reinforced wooden doors. Slamming his fist in a pre-arranged pattern, the door is quickly opened, allowing him entry. He sprints into the village before shifting back to normal, his wide eyes latching onto Oceania and Caelum. "The Valmese are here!" he cries in fear, his words echoing through the warren. The twin's eyes harden at the call before turning to the Tagule warriors next to them, all the while several council members call for calm as the village panics.
"Remember the plan, and we will be fine. Now go!" Caelum tells the Tagule before he and Oceania run towards the wooden doors, slamming them behind them, entering the tunnel. Already they could hear the sound of several soldiers making their way down the tunnel, excitement in their voices. Resting his hand on his katana Caelum narrows his eyes. "You sure we will be able to hold them here?"
"Yes. With the other entrances blocked, this is the only way into the Warren. And with the narrow tunnel, they will be forced to use only a fraction of their men at a time. In the meantime, the Tagule will gather everything in the central dome for protection, while those who can fight will stay outside if we are pushed back." Oceania unsheathes her steel sword before holding it to one side with a frown. "I just hope we can hold them back long enough." She rests a hand on the damaged crown necklace while closing her eyes. As he stared down the tunnel, Caelum said nothing. The approaching sounds increased in volume as the Valmese approached.
It was not long until the glow of torches lit up the tunnel as the Valmese appeared before them. To the surprise of the two, there was no calvary among them, no doubt due to the confines of the tunnel, but the weapons in the hands of the few armoured knights were ones they quickly recognised—a red lance with a head like a claw, tiny white pikes lining the inside.
Beast Killer lances.
The dismounted Paladin leading the group signalled the rest to stop just a stone's throw away, his eyes locked on the twins with intrigue.
"What have we here? A couple of lost saplings protecting a nest of rabbits?" He asks mockingly, receiving several chuckles from the men behind him. Oceania glares at him while Caelum places a hand on her shoulder, eyes narrow. "Why don't you make this easy on yourselves and walk away. I'm sure Excellus can find some use for you."
"Why are you even here?" Caelum asks, as calm as possible. "What use does attacking this Warren have? The Tagule here have no interest in fighting and only wish to live in peace."
"It's because they wish to live in peace that they have no use in living! All that power they can use, and what do they do? Hide away in their underground homes! Such weakness will not be tolerated in our Lord's new land. The old shall be swiped away, and the young trained into the warriors they are meant to be!" The two siblings found it harder and harder to restrain themselves as the Paladin monologued about Walhart, even if it was being slightly exaggerated until one of the myrmidons with the Valmese recognised the necklace around Oceania's neck.
"My lord, the girl with the crown necklace. She is with the resistance." Almost instantly, the tunnel grew cold as the Valmese looked at them with anger, their identity revealed. The Paladin commander changed his tack as he ordered several men to surround the two, refusing to let an opportunity to capture some rebels slip by. The twins glanced at each other before nodding with determination, Caelum drawing his katana while Oceania grips her sword tightly. Muttering a single sentence before the battle begins.
"May our hearts be our guiding key."
"How close are we to the warren Panne?" Sora asks as the group follows Panne through the forest. It had been two days since they reached the woods, and it was nearing the end of the third with the darkening skies. Navigating through the forest was more problematic than they assumed, yet with Panne's help, they managed to find a path that her kind left for easy movement. It was on this same path that they now travelled.
"We should be nearby. I can already smell the familiar scent of my kind." Panne replies calmly, yet her eyes and ears are on constant alert for any sign of the Valmese. The near-silence of the forest did not help in any form. While the rest of the group shared her anxiety, Nowi seemed to be blissfully unaware until her foot hit something metallic.
"huh, what's this thing?" picking it up, she frowns at the metallic shield. "A shield? Why couldn't it be something edible?" she complains while Frederick and Kairi walk up to her.
"Where did you find that shield, Nowi?" Kairi asks while taking it from the young Manakete. The front was covered in mud with leaves stuck around. If it weren't for Nowi kicking it, they would have completely ignored it.
"I dunno. I just found it lying on the ground. Who would be careless enough to drop something like a shield?"
"That is no ordinary shield." Frederick interrupts with his usual seriousness. "This is a shield that would be attached to a horse. Judging by the size and shape, it is the kind that Great Knights such as myself would use." He calmly takes the shield from Kairi before scraping off the mud from the front, revealing the Valmese symbol. "As I feared…" He mutters bitterly before glancing at Panne, her eyes locked onto the shield Frederick held. "I fear the Valmese are already ahead of us. The warren could be under attack."
"Then we have no time to lose." Panne replies, anger and fear laced in her voice as she transforms into her beast form. "We can tarry no longer! My people are in danger!"
"Stahl, carry Lissa, Donnel, take Owain. Riku takes Sora while Xion takes Kairi. I'll carry Ricken while Panne carries Nowi. We have no time to waste!" Frederick orders the group as he drags Ricken onto his horse. No one argues with him as the Panne, Nowi holding onto her back with a tight grip, bellows down the path with the riders behind her. Xion would motion her mount to the sky, but seeing how tightly packed the tress are, she decided against it for fear of losing track of the others.
It did not take them long to see evidence of others being here, with trampled grass and snapped twigs scattered across the ground. All the while, Panne's ears twisted and turned, straining to hear any aggressive sound. Soon, she picked up the sound of others, slowing her pace to a crawl before reforming back to her other form, silently walking towards a hedge line before peeking through.
The others soon joined her as they gazed through the hedge, their eyes falling upon a large group of Valmese, numbering around thirty, standing around a tunnel entrance. Around them were several horses, numbering around forty-five, a mixture of Paladin and Great Knights. Yet there seemed to be some who were not present.
It wasn't long before they got an answer to that riddle, as a Valmese solider made his way out of the tunnel, grasping onto his arm in pain.
"Those damn Resistance brats! We would have stomped them into the ground if it were not for the tunnel!" He shouts in anger as a cleric tends to his arm. "At least we have forced our way into the Warren proper. It is only a matter of time until it falls." A few chuckles emerge from the Valmese around him as five more walk into the tunnel while the group measures their options.
"By the blood of Ike, time is against us. We must hurry to their aid at once."
"And how do you suggest we do that, son? Even if we hit them with a surprise attack, it will probably be too late by the time we beat them." Stahl replies while shaking his head. Owain was right that they needed to hurry, but getting held up by those outside would doom those inside.
"How about we have Panne and two others break through and lend a hand while dealing with those outside?" Ricken suggests to the group.
"It could work, but who would go with her? It can't be me, Xion, Fredrick, Donnel or Stahl." Riku points out. "And I don't think Nowi would be able to fight well in a tight space. That only leaves Sora, Kairi, Owain and Ricken."
"Why not send me?" Lissa asks, wondering why she was ignored.
"Don't take this the wrong way, mam', but I think yer armour would be a bit of an annoyance to Panne." Donnel points out Lissa's armoured skirt. So far, she had no problem with it while on Stahl's horse, but Panne was considerably more extensive than a horse. Lissa confided the point reluctantly before glancing over to Ricken, surprisingly deep in thought.
"I think it's best if Sora and Kairi go. I doubt my wind magic will do well down there. I might cause a cave-in. And they also have skills that could easily turn the tide of battle faster than a spell."
"It shames me to admit it, but Ricken is right. Even if our blades are of the same skills, I pale in comparison to heroes of old."
"You don't know how to use Sonic Blade, do you?" Sora asks with a slight smirk, causing the Prodgie of Legend to freeze on the spot before looking at the ground in shame, admitting that he never managed to master Sonic Blade. "Well, I'm sure we can teach you once we are done here. But for now, focus on what's in front of us." With that, Panne transforms into her beast mode, with Sora and Kairi mounting on her back as the rest ready to burst out of the foliage. Seconds passed as the group waited for the perfect moment to strike until finally, Frederick spotted an opening.
"Now!"
With a single cry, Frederick changed into the unsuspecting Valmese troops, swinging his lance in a figure-eight spin. The strike sent several Valmese to the ground while Ricken unleashed a storm of wind onto the Valmese. The wind managed to extinguish the torches they had set up around them, removing them from light and hindering their sight.
While some floundered about, those who stood at the entrance to the warren had their figures illuminated by the torches at the entrance and were soon felled by arrows from Donnel. Some had managed to mount their steads but were quickly locked in combat with Riku and Stahl, while Xion provided support from above with her ice tome. Nowi, for her part, stayed untransformed, thinking that her breath may damage the entrance to the warren.
While the fight grew, Panne waited for her chance to sprint into the tunnels. With the guards taken out by Donnel, all that was left was for an opening in the lines. Soon enough, as Xion unleashed another blast of ice from above, several of the Valmese broke from the group and opened a way for her. She did not leave it to chance, sprinting at full hop into the tunnels with Sora and Kairi, just missing Riku's call that they would follow along shortly.
"Are you two alright?" Panne asks as she continues down the tunnel, the sound of combat fading away.
"We are, thanks." Kairi replies. While Panne nods, Kairi does not miss the look in her eyes. "I'm sure Frederick and the rest will be alright. They know how much this means to you."
"I know. I failed my warren, and I will not let another fall. But still, the Shepherds are also my warren. So to leave them behind…."
"It's never easy, leaving behind friends to fight when you could fight beside them." Sora comments. "Believe me. I've had to do that several times. Even if I knew they would be fine, it still hurt having to leave them to fight. But they knew that my fight was somewhere else. That is what is happening here, Panne."
"I'm sure Frederick would rather be down here, charging alongside you." Kairi chimes in. "But he knows that the Valmese up top must be held back. And he knows how important this is. So keep looking forward. We WILL reunite with them." Panne says nothing as she continues on, only closing her eyes as a smile crosses her rabbit face. When they open again, they are filled with determination.
"Thank you. Now, let us rid this warren of Walhart's spawn!" Sora and Kairi hum in agreement, drawing their weapons as Panne banks another conner, arriving before a worrying sight. Before them along the ground are several Valmese soldiers, their weapons broken, while the wooden gates to the warren are broken open. Lying the path into the warren are several more Valmese, armed with broken Beast Killers. Finally, beyond them, near the far back, they could see the remaining Valmese, themselves numbering around thirty, surrounding a group of Tagule and two others, their backs pressed against a large dome of stone and earth.
Not wasting any time, Panne charges forward at them, surprising the Valmese at the sudden attack, before slamming into the lone armoured knight holding a Beast Killer. At the impact, Sora and Kairi leap off Panne's back before slashing through two mages carrying fire tomes and landing right in front of the group, startling them as Panne slides alongside them.
"Who the hell are you!?" The Valmese Paladin asks in anger. He was already mad enough at the two Resistance fighters holding him back for this long, coupled with some Tagule fighting back. And NOW he has three more unwelcomed guests stepping into his mission! "How did you get past the rest of the force?!"
"Simple, we ran past them." Sora replies calmly before pointing Kingdom Key at them, eyes narrow. "Were only going to give you this once; leave the Tagule now."
"Who are you to give orders to me, simpleton? It should be you grovelling before us!" The Paladin retorts as the Valmese ready to strike. Sora shakes his head at them before settling into a combat stance.
I tried to give them a chance, but they just turned it away. "Can you two still fight?" He asks the two behind him, not noticing them hiding away the necklaces around their necks. They both seemed shocked on their faces before quickly morphing into determined looks. "Just hold out for a bit longer. Our allies will be down here soon."
"And all they will find will be corpses! Kill them!" The surviving Valmese myrmidons charge at the group, only for Panne to swing her back legs at them, striking them before landing into a pile. While the Paladin commander charges at Sora, several dismounted cavaliers charge at Kairi, who responds with a Sonic blade charge before switching the grip of her blade. Green energy whips around it before she quickly strikes five times in quick succession, disarming the last cavalier of his spear.
The Paladin commander surges forward with his spear, only for Sora to simple sidestep out of the way before hitting him in the face with the shield on his arm. As the commander stumbles back, Sora rushes forward, unleashing an Ars Arcanum on him. Stumbling from the force, the commander found himself on the lake's edge, glaring holes at Sora. A glance at his surroundings only added to his anger. The men with him were either cut down or disarmed of their weapons, and not a single Tagule was killed! Oh, sure, they managed to wound some of them, but this was supposed to be an easy win! "Damn you! Damn you, Laguz loving curs!" He spits with venom before charging at Sora again, spear aimed directly at his heart.
Narrowing his eyes at him, Sora again simple side steps away, left hand reaching back for Ultima Weapon, before bringing it down on the Valmese's spear, slicing it in two. Before the commander could speak, Panne was already on him, pinning him to the ground.
"You come into our home, spouting hateful words and derogatory action. You are no different from those our cousins had to face in Telius! You will do no such thing, Walhart spawn!" Grabbing the man by both shoulders, Panne throws him other towards the entrance, his landing rough. Growling in anger, he grabs a Beast Killer that was still intact before turning around, holding it like a Javelin. His eyes narrow in rage as he sets his sights on Panne, but the sound of hooves thunders behind him before he can throw it. He barely had enough time to turn around before Frederick's axe and Riku's sword cut into him, ending him for good.
With the Valmese command dealt with, the remaining soldiers turned to flee, signalling the end of the battle. Some of the young Tagule warriors wanted to chase after them, but Panne held them back. "We are not the same as them. We will not fall to their levels. Be happy that your loved ones are safe and your home intact." Before Panne walked away from them, the Tagule looked at her, wondering why she would say that, reverting to their human form.
"Is everyone alright, Panne?" Frederick asks with a soft voice. Panne smiles warmly at him, nodding that everyone is alright just as the doors to the inner dome open, revealing the Tagule villagers. Some looked at Sora, Kairi, Riku and Frederick with weary looks, while others looked in surprise at Panne. Soon, the village elder walked up to them, a relieved smile on his face.
"Thank you for saving us. We had all but resigned ourselves to our fate. Thanks to you, and these brave ones, we have survived to live another day." His face falls before letting out a long sigh. "However, we are no longer safe here. The Valmese will be back, and if not them, poachers. It is in our best interest to leave our home and find a new one. Somewhere deeper in the forest."
"We're sorry we didn't arrive sooner. If we managed to stop the Valmese before they found the entrance…." The elder holds up a hand to Kairi, but not one of malice.
"It was inevitable that our warren would be discovered. You need not apologise." He turns his eyes to Panne, a question burning in his mind. "I understand that you fight for the Shepherds. If I may ask, what happened to your warren?" Panne closes her eyes in sadness, images flashing before her eyes.
"They are no longer with us. And for a long time, I harboured deep resentment toward humans. Had I not met a certain group, I would have become cold and bitter." She sighs deeply before casting a gaze at Frederick. "And yet, they took me in. Treated me as one of their own, as an equal. The former Exalt, Emmeryn, shed tears for me when I told her my story. I even found someone to spend the rest of my life with. That is why I fight for the Shepherds, for they are my new warren. My family." She finishes with a fire in her eyes as she looks back at the elder. He remains silent as he looks into her eyes before nodding to himself.
"Then that is fine. I pray that we meet again in the future." He bows before the group before turning to the two who warned them. "And what shall you be doing?" Caelum and Oceania look at each other before glancing at Sora and Kairi.
"We will be going with them. There is something we need to tell them. Something important." Oceania replies. The group look at each other, wondering what these two have that is important. The Tagule elder sees this before telling the rest of the Tagule they are leaving for a new home. Eventually, after some coxing for the younger ones, only the Shepherds were left in the empty warren. An awkward silence seemed to fill the air as the two groups looked at each other, waiting for the other to respond. "I don't know how to start, but if there is anything that needs to be said, it is that it's great to see you again." Oceania says while looking at Sora and Kairi.
"What do you mean 'again'? Isn't this the first time we've met?" Kairi asks, slightly bewildered. Sora was busy thinking back through past interactions but couldn't remember meeting or seeing them. That and the fact that the two looked familiar in a different way did not help at all.
"We don't really know how else to say this, but there is one way we can." Caelum replies, his words slowing down before glancing at his sister. The two share a glance before turning back to the group, before pulling out the necklaces around their necks, drawing shocked expressions from the group. Sora and Kairi could only look in shock at seeing the two wearing their necklaces. Granted, they were damaged, but they could still recognise them. It was only then that the pieces fell into place.
"You two are like Lucina." Sora says with dawning realisation while his face fills with sadness. "You're our kids from the future, aren't you?" Caelum silently nods his head while Oceania looks away, her face unreadable. Kairi rubs her hand on her arm as she looks at the ground.
"We heard about what happened to us from Lucina. We're sorry for leaving you alone." Oceania could not help herself anymore and soon found herself hugging Kairi, tears falling from her face.
"You have no idea how much we missed you when you died." She mumbles into her shoulder as Kairi gently pats her head. Caelum smiles sadly at his sister, embracing their mom before feeling Sora's hand rest on his shoulder. The two share a smile while Riku, Panne and Frederick leave the four alone.
Several minutes pass before the four exit the tunnel and are greeted by the rest. One, in particular, was overjoyed at the sight.
"Ah! My fellow Scions of Legend! I am glad you still walk the earth!" Owain exclaims in his usual tone, much to the group's amusement.
"Still being overly dramatic, Owain? You never change. And what of that 'legendary' blade you said you were going to get?" Oceania asks, smirking slightly at seeing Owain look away awkwardly at the mention of said blade. He quickly got rid of said blade when it was shown to be a replica.
"So, these are my future nice and nephew? They are adorable." Xion says while hugging the two, much to their embarrassment at being called adorable. Riku smiles at Xion's antics, but that soon turns into a frown at seeing their weapons. Glancing at the rest of the Shepherds who were some feet away, he moved to ask.
"There is something that has been bothering me. Why aren't you two using Keyblades? Or at least ones that are adapted to this world?"
"We don't know." Caelum replies with a sigh. "As the children of Keyblade wielders, it was assumed we would have ours appear naturally. But they didn't. Aunt Aqua theorized that it was either because of the world we are on, that we still require the Inheritance Ceremony with non-transformed Keyblades, or that Grima's darkness was too powerful for us to acquire them."
"It has been a constant coud over our heads if we are being honest. We wanted to have one, so we could follow in your footsteps, but…." Oceania says, but her face expresses her frustration.
"To be honest, Sora and I have mixed feelings on the matter." Kairi admits with a hand on her chest. "On one hand, seeing you two take after us and help protect the worlds would fill us with no amount of joy, but we also know the pain that comes with it. We both know the good and the bad in plenty of ways, but we still can't decide if we should give it to you or not."
"That choice has passed us, mom." Caelum responds before putting his hands behind his head, mimicking Sora almost to a tee. "Even if we could obtain one now, it would not be fair for the two of us in this timeline. So they still have a choice." Sora and Kairi blush at the mention but warmly smile at their future twins. "Besides, even if we can't use Keyblades, we can still use some of the moves. And since you never got a chance to teach us…."
"Alright. We will teach you to make up for the time we should have had together being stolen. Sound good, son?" Sora replies with a hand outstretched. Caelum smiles warmly in return before grasping his father's hand.
"It's a deal."
I'm sure some people saw this coming. And i know that some in the reviews said that it may not be needed, but I have a reason why. One reason is due to how long the 'alternate' timeline in which the kids come from. It is long enough that it would have happened. Another reason is that this version of Grima is not the same as normal Grima. I've hinted at some points as to how different he is, but if anyone want's more info, I'll be happy to respond in a PM.
Anyway, next chapter will be the stats for Oceania and Caelum.