Tales of Xalthia

by xXGhostStalker

*DISCLAIMER: This holds no relation to Tales of VS. This is an original story* A mysterious lineage. An unimaginative power. Oblivious to Tsuki Himura, he defends his kingdom from evil and learns of a sinister plot. Forced to seek help, he travels the globe for much needed allies. Join him as he learns more about the world and about himself as something awakens inside him

35. Separation -1st Revision-

Tales of Xalthia

Chapter 34: Separation

The events that took place at Nobuo Shrine rocked the nearby regions. Word of the War General's attack on Nobuo Shrine quickly spread across Ersheath, causing great unrest and frustration amongst the people. The fact that the nation's greatest treasure, the Falcon's Claw, was targeted and subsequently lost to the seas angered many, both civilian and military personnel. The mystery behind the purpose of his attempted seizure of the Falcon's Claw remains just that. No one knew why Kaito sought the Falcon's Claw but considering its special properties, everyone concluded that it was for nothing good, given Kaito's previous track record and past doings throughout Nargelond.

Raiku and his royal council were met with many demands to retaliate against Nargelond because of this. However, his inaction only served to rile the people up more. Raiku understood why people were so upset and agreed with them. However, he needed more information to act on before giving any form of retaliation. He knows that once he does, then there will be no going back as that will ignite the conflicts of war. Open war will create a whole new set of problems for Esseand, and he wasn't ready to make that jump yet. With their superiority over the air with their Dragon Riders and enslaved dragons, they'd be slaughtered before the fighting could begin.

Several hours had passed since the attack on the shrine. With his main objective now seemingly lost to the seas, Kaito deemed any further fighting wasteful and fled the scene with his dragon, presumably back to Nargelond. Lynette and the others were left scattered across the destroyed rooftop of the main building, all of which were severely injured. The main building itself took significant damage with most of the roof either caved in or completely blown away. Once the danger had passed and Kaito left, staff and faculty members of the shrine immediately started rescue efforts in case anyone got caught in the chaos. Thankfully, Lynette and the others were the only ones to suffer serious injuries.

They were all treated for their injuries and once Lynette was patched up, the recovery process proceeded along even faster. It wasn't just the pains from their injuries though that plagued them though; it was also the fact that they could all could do nothing but watch as Tsuki, Reis and Cesela were blown off the roof and disappeared into the seas at the foot of the cliffs. They were all greatly concerned for their safety with Allie taking the worst of it. Cheria also took it hard, but she believed with all her heart that he was going to be okay. It took her great strength to try and stay positive for everyone else.

As things around the shrine started to settle, knights from Ustrisu led by Shinzo finally arrived with a small relief effort. The knights helped distribute supplies to those that were mostly affected and provided aid with clearing out the debris and cleaning the place up. As the knights did their duty, Shinzo met up with Lynette and the others who were still recovering from their injuries where they debriefed him about everything that happened. He was a little distraught when they told him that not only was the Raven's Claw lost to the sea, but Tsuki, Reis and Cesela were as well.

Everyone was gathered outside in the main courtyard as the storm had finally come to an end. With the relief efforts provided by the knights, not only were they able to pick up the debris from the attack but from the storm as well. The cleanup went smoother with the added assistance of the local students, faculty, and staff. Lynette and the others were all heavily bandaged up because of their injuries. There was a heavy silence amongst them as they finished debriefing him.

Shinzo was sitting on a broken piece of roof, leaning forward with his head hanging low, letting out a heavy sigh. "What a fine mess this turned out to be" he said. He couldn't believe what he was told. Nothing added up to what they already knew.

Ramza couldn't help but bow to him with regret in his voice. "I'm sorry. If only we were stronger, we could have prevented this from happening" he said. They were given the task to safeguard the Raven's Claw by both Raiku and Shinzo and ultimately, they failed.

Shinzo shook his head and looked up towards him. "Don't apologize. Based off what you said about him, I'm not sure if it would have made any difference. It's our fault for gravely underestimating him" he said. He fell silent for a moment before looking towards Cheria. He could tell that she was having a hard time with this despite her determination to look strong. "I would like to apologize to you. Because of our request, Tsuki wouldn't have fallen" he said.

It was no lie that Cheria was going through a hard time. She had a flashback play through her head that took place after Tsuki and the others were blown off the roof and over the cliff's edge. She screamed his name so loud that it could almost echo. Instead of giving into grief, she knew that she had to be strong. "Please, it's alright. Your concern is more than enough. Besides…" she said. She glanced over towards Allie, who was clutching onto the Caliburn tightly in her arms while sitting up against a broken slab of marble. "Allie is spirit-bound to Tsuki. She's able to sense that he's still alive. The question is, where did he drift off to?" she asked.

Lynette remembered some of the things that she overheard some of the students and staff talked about while she was out exploring around the shrine. "I can't pinpoint an exact location, but I might know the general direction they could have drifted off in. Because of the storm earlier, the currents and riptides had shifted northeast, according to what people around here say" she said.

Shinzo rubbed his chin a bit as he thought back on the geography of Ersheath. From their current location, there was only one viable place that they could have potentially washed up. "Northeast…that means, they could potentially wash up on the shores of Valis. Any further north and that would put them in the snowy region of Rosedes Tundra where beach access is a little more complicated due to the ice caps" he said.

Ruko tilted his head a bit when he brought up the northern snowy region. "Didn't Nargelond seize the northern lands? It'll make finding him that much more difficult if he drifted northward" he said. He recalled Ramza and a few others mentioning that the northern snow region of Ersheath had been seized by an elite group of Dolothlond fighters. No one understood why Raiku refused to act to regain control over it.

Shinzo was silent for a minute or so as he closed his eyes, falling into his thoughts. He soon let out a deep, heavy sigh with a shake of his head. "That's…not exactly true" he said.

Phi looked over to Shinzo, folding his arms in front of her. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

Elle gave Shinzo a long, hard stare as she examined him. It was obvious that there was something else going on behind the scenes that they hadn't been told yet. "It was a fabricated lie, built on half-truths, wasn't it? The northern snow region wasn't seized by Dolothlond" she said.

Shinzo remained silent for another minute before nodding at her. "Correct. No one seized the Rosedes Tundra. It was given as a temporary, necessary measure. The Tundra is being used as an external source by Nightwing while the main force remains active in Nargelond" he said. This was meant to be top secret on a need-to-know basis. Only very few people up in the upper food chain of Esseand are aware of this. Only those that Raiku wholeheartedly trust is given this type of knowledge and with how things are going with Tsuki and his friends, it was only a matter of time before they found out themselves.

Nagi tilted her head a bit. "An external source?" she asked, scratching the side of her head.

Shinzo nodded. He wasn't sure how much he should divulge to them just yet, but it would be wise to inform them of the bare minimum, at the very least. "Officially speaking, Dolothlond "seized" the Tundra and is independently operated by one a single General and an array of knights. Nightwing was granted use of the Tundra and it's surrounding region until further notice" he said.

Allie was confused on the purpose for them occupying the Tundra. It sounded like such an unnecessary step if this was towards the rebellion efforts to tear down the War Council of Dolothlond. "But why though? Wouldn't it make more sense for the rebellion to operate solely in Nargelond? Having a set of forces all the way across the continent on the far northern reaches of another kingdom sounds very ineffective…" she said. It sounded so odd to her that it didn't make any sense.

Shinzo had that look on his face as if he'd had to explain this once before. It was understandable why she thought such a plan was unnecessary and wasteful. "I don't have the full story but according to His Majesty's special contact, they said that they've discovered something deep within the glaciers that could potentially tip the scales" he said.

Cheria was a little interested in what was so great about this discovery that warranted handing over the Rosedes Tundra to a rebellion force that was associated with a rival kingdom. "It must be something significant if things were taken to this scale. Do they know what it is?" she asked.

Shinzo shook his head slowly. Whatever information that they do have is rather limited and anything significant isn't exactly shared with anyone except Raiku. "If they know something, then I haven't been informed of anything" he said.

Ramza let out a heavy sigh, scratching the back of his head. "If it's under Raiku's orders, then most likely, he's up to his old schemes. We're all just another cog in the machine that rotates to his tune" he said. He's always thought that his ability to think five steps ahead was his greatest, and possibly scariest, strength he possesses.

Ruko thought about what they were talking about. Given the fact that they will directly involve themselves with Nargelond at some point, it was only a matter of time before they were brought into the fold of what's been happening. However, they had more important things to worry about. "While I'm sure that this will all play a part for us in the future, our efforts should be focused on finding out where Tsuki and the other two wound up before anything else" he said.

Then, a familiar old voice came speaking out towards the side. "You can leave that to us" the voice said.

They turned towards the voice and saw that Yoshiki was approaching him. Walking up alongside him was another individual, a young female staff member with long, violet hair and light brown eyes. She looked no older than 25 years old and wore a researcher's attire with a small compass and brass monoscope attached to her waist.

Ramza bowed to Yoshiki as he approached them. "Yoshiki, it's good to see you unharmed. I would like to apologize for letting things around here get so bad" he said. The main building of the shrine where classes were held and stored important documents and material was devastated and would surely impact those that reside within Nobuo.

Yoshiki shook his head, holding his hand up. He didn't want to hear his apologies. "You folks did what you could to prevent the Raven's Claw from falling into the wrong hands, at great risk to yourselves, no less" he said. He then glanced over towards the young female standing next to him. "I've already heard what happened with your three companions. About them falling into the seas below. So, I've come with one of our best Oceanologists to offer what help I can for what you've done for us" he said.

The female took a few steps forward and bowed to them slightly. "The name's Sheena Kraus. Pleased to meet you all. On behalf of my fellow students and researchers, I would like to express my gratitude and my apologies for what's resulted" she said. They aren't met with a lot of violence and hostility, being so far out and remote. This was the first time in a long time where everyone truly felt threatened.

Phi looked over at the girl named Sheena and examined her. She was close to her age, but she could see how well-accomplished she was just from a glance. "One of the best, huh? I can tell she knows her stuff" she said.

Shinzo nodded at them, patting Sheena on the back. "She may look young, but she takes her work and research into the ways of the ocean seriously. She received full marks to become a certified researcher before she even finished her work as a student" he said. She had a fire inside of her that not even their most experienced researcher even had.

Sheena patted herself on the chest with a confident grin on her face. "We've been keeping a close eye on the changes to the ocean currents and riptides and make note of any sudden change that we may see. Figuring out the general location of where your friends could have drifted will be a simple task for us" she said. The currents and riptides always follow a certain pattern so as soon as they can compile the data they have, they will be able to give a more concrete answer.

Allie looked at Shenna with hopeful eyes. Even though she could feel Tsuki's energy, she wasn't able to track or pinpoint him herself. "How long will that take?" she asked.

Sheena glanced down towards Sheena, giving her a warm smile. "Normally, data compilation takes about 2 hours but considering that some of our equipment was damaged, it'll take, at the very least, 5 hours to do it" she said. It was possible that they might be able to work faster if they could get some of their usual equipment up and running but she wasn't too hopeful on that front.

Nagi was a bit saddened that it would take that long but because they still need to recover from their injuries, it was probably for the best. "5 hours, huh? Perhaps, it's for the best since we need to take it easy for a while longer" she said.

Cheria nodded in agreement. She was eager to search for Tsuki, but it wouldn't be wise to go out while injured. "I agree. I'm sure Tsu would say the same thing too" she said.

Yoshiki stood off towards the side, motioning them to come along with him. "We're all in agreement then. In the meantime, let's get those bandages of yours redressed and check up on all your injuries" he said. It was best for them to check up on their injuries and make sure that there weren't any underlying problems.

Lynette and the others agreed and went off with Yoshiki for a second round of treatment and to address anything else that they might have missed. Meanwhile, the scene shifts over to somewhere else in Ersheath to a more scenic getaway. It was a small beachhead surrounded by coral and rock with crystal clear waters and white sand. The temperature of the surrounding area has taken a significant dive due to the chilly northern winds from the Rosedes Tundra.

Off towards the far-right side of the beach, there was a small cave nestled between the cliffs. Inside of the cliff were Tsuki, Reis and Cesela around a fireplace, trying to stay warm. Reis kept the fire burning while Cesela looked after an unconscious Tsuki. They were all soaked to the bone which means that the barrier that Alex was using to protect them either broke or was released. Based on Tsuki's unconscious state, it was safe to say that Alex had eventually reached the limits of his abilities and relinquished control of his body and due to the lack of Mana, Tsuki ended up falling unconscious.

Time shifts back about an hour as the three of them were being carried away by strong currents. Because the sun had fallen, the water was practically pitch black. Miraculously, they stayed relatively close to the cliffs so they could see that they weren't being carried out to sea. From the direction they've been going, they were able to verify that they were drifting northeast. The currents eventually released them and left them slowly drifting along. The winds from the sea were basically all that was pushing them across the waters now.

As they drifted, Reis finally broke the long silence between the three of them. He looked up at Tsuki, not realizing that his body was under the control of Alex. "How far do you think we'll drift for?" he asked.

Alex soon spoke out with an obviously different vocal tone to that of Tsuki under what sounded like great strain. "Hopefully…not too much longer…" he said.

It took Cesela a while to settle down after falling from the cliff. She took immediate notice of the difference in Aer that circulates around him. She knew right away that who she was seeing wasn't Tsuki. "You're not Tsuki. Who…are you?" she asked.

Alex glanced down towards Cesela for a moment. "Sharp girl. Aetherflow is a trait that shouldn't be messed with, it seems" he said. He was a little surprised that she was able to deduce who he was, or who he wasn't in this case, with little to no indicator. "You're right. I'm one of the souls bound to the Sigil within Tsuki. The name's Alexander but call me Alex" he said.

Reis, not having been told the full story of Tsuki, was lost and dead in the water with the sudden voice and personality change of Tsuki. "I'll pretend like I know what you're both talking about for now but feel free to fill me in on everything once we're back on dry land" he said.

Alex couldn't agree more with his statement. Maintaining the barrier was taking up all his energy and focus. Even though they were out of the currents, they were still at risk from a variety of other elements such as drowning and being slammed against the rocky cliff side. One of the two remaining barriers that Alex had previously put up had already been shattered so all that separated them from open water was a thin barrier.

The longer they drifted, the more Alex's Mana is spent. If they can't reach dry land, then the next best thing was to get as close as possible for them to swim towards. Alex could feel his connection with Tsuki continue to drift but thankfully, his worries were coming to an end. As they drifted around the corner of the cliff side, they were able to make out a thin, beachline located in a small alcove. Thanks to the small waves crashing against the distant beach, they were pushed towards it. After a long 2 minutes of being slowly and gently nudged towards the shoreline, they were enough to be able to walk the rest of the way.

The barrier that was protecting them soon ended up shattering in shards of light as the three of them were dropped down into knee-deep water. The water was freezing cold and the wind chill from the Rosedes Tundra made the temperature feel like it was in the single digits. At the same time as the barrier shattered, Alex's connection with Tsuki's body was broken which meant that he relinquished control of his body. Tsuki was conscious for a moment before blacking out and falling face-first into the water. Reis quickly caught him as he fell and helped him over to the shoreline with Cesela right behind him. They could all feel the chill shoot down their spine.

Reis shivered heavily from the extreme cold as he looked around to access their options. "T-this isn't g-g-good. We're at r-r-risk of frostbite if you don't f-f-find warmth" he stuttered.

Cesela ran up and down the small shoreline to find any form of shelter that they could use until she came across a cave opening in the corner. "Reis! Over here!" she shouted.

Reis carried Tsuki over towards her and saw the cave that she had found. They entered it and saw that it was wrapped around in a small, open chamber. It was almost too perfect because the fact that it was wrapped around protected them from the chilly winds. The open chamber was big enough for a small fire as well which would also help create a pocket of warmth within the chamber.

Reis set Tsuki down, putting his back up against the rocky wall and headed back towards the cave opening, stopping briefly to look back at Cesela. "I'm going to go find some firewood to start a fire. Stay here and keep him comfortable" he said.

Cesela nodded, patting her chest. "Leave it to me!" she said. She went over to his side and sat down next to him to make sure that he was comfortable. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be in any type of pain or discomfort.

Reis quickly ran out of the cave out into the frigid cold into the nearby brush to find anything he could use to build a fire. Time speeds up to the present with a strong, burning fire that heated up the small chamber, providing them much needed warmth. They needed to dry out their clothes, so this also provided an interesting challenge for them. All three of them had to basically undress down nothing and hang their clothes up over the provided fire to dry. Meanwhile, they used a nearby boulder for privacy with Tsuki and Reis sitting on one side while Cesela on the other. It was an awkward silence between the two of them as all three of them sat around naked in a cave for what felt like forever. Eventually, their clothes were dry and warm enough to put back on, so they got themselves dressed up with Reis helping get Tsuki dressed up while he was still unconscious.

Dressed back up, Reis threw some more firewood onto the fire to keep it burning as the fire's crackle echoed through the small chamber. They were all huddled around it to ensure their continued warmth as they thought back on their situation. They had no idea where they were or how far they drifted away exactly. They weren't in a good position and didn't have a whole lot of options available to them. As they contemplated what their next move should be, they both heard groaning sounds. Their attention was soon turned to Tsuki, who appeared to be finally waking up.

Tsuki groaned as he tossed and turned for a bit before opening his eyes to a rocky ceiling. He slowly sat up, putting his hand up to the side of his head as he shook it. As his senses were coming back to him, he was able to recall the events that took place before his memory took a blank. The last thing he remembered was being blasted off the roof of Nobuo Shrine with Reis and Cesela and were sent crashing down to the ocean. Somewhere mid-fall, he remembered feeling his consciousness slip away as Alex took over his body. It was the same feeling that he got when Cliff took control of his body so it was easy for him to determine what could have happened.

Reis, seeing him slowly come back to the world of the living, waved at him as he regained his senses. "Welcome back" he said.

Cesela walked up next to him to make sure he was okay. "Are you okay…?" she asked. She could see that Tsuki was himself again as the Aer that circulated around him was back to normal.

Tsuki looked at Reis and Cesela as they greeted him. "Thanks…I'll live" he said. He looked around the small chamber a bit, feeling the chills of the air that crept around the corner. "Where are we?" he asked.

Reis shook his head. He wasn't too familiar with the geography of Ersheath so he couldn't even begin to guess where they were. All he did know was that they were close to the Rosedes Tundra. "I'm not sure but we're pretty far from Nobuo Shrine, I'd say" he said.

Cesela looked over towards the cave's exit. "We drifted for a while, so I think we're safe…" she said. She then thought back on Lynette and the others that were left to deal with Kaito. "I just hope the others will be okay" she said. She then reached into her pocket and took out the Raven's Claw. She held it in her hand as it faintly shimmered. "I wonder what his intentions were for this…" she said. She could see the Aer's intensity within the crystallized gemstone and the power behind it.

Reis shook his head, glancing at the Raven's Claw for a bit. "It doesn't make sense to me. We were practically easy targets while we were drifting. If this thing was so important to him, why didn't he pursue us?" he asked. It would have been a simple task to do so with his Black Dragon. It would have taken a lot more than what Ramza, Phi and Nagi used against it to bring it down.

Cesela also thought it was strange. He was determined to retrieve it at any cost. "Maybe he thought that it was lost to the sea?" she asked. It wouldn't be too crazy to think she might have lost it from the strong currents.

Reis let out a bit of a sigh as he stared into the fire, rubbing his hands together. "One can only hope. Regardless, he's not chasing after us so that's one thing we don't have to worry about" he said. He thought back on the information that the rebellion had on Kaito. "It still doesn't add up. How can he be so strong…?" he asked.

Tsuki knew that Kaito was strong before confronting him, but he surpassed his expectations. "He was strong, but something was telling me he was holding back still" he said.

Reis glanced back at Tsuki, a little baffled by what he said. "He struck down all of your friends with relative ease and you're saying that he was holding back!?" he asked.

Cesela tilted her head a bit, clutching the Raven's Claw close to her. She could see the intensity of the Aer that circulated around Kaito. What she had seen almost defied all logic. "Hard to believe he wasn't fighting at full strength…" she said.

Tsuki shook his head. If he had been fighting at full strength, his gut told him that he could have killed them. "Things would have been much worse for us if he had been. We got off easy, considering the circumstances" he said. He thought back to the strength that he displayed during their fight. It felt different compared to how Arcanum felt. He tried to compare it to his fight with Caius, but it wasn't the same. "There was definitely an unnatural sense to his strength, that's for sure" he said.

Cesela was concerned about Kaito, but she had bigger concerns flowing through her mind. Mainly, what their plan was now going forward. "What's the plan now?" she asked.

Reis closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a heavy sigh. "I must return to the Commander and inform him about Kaito. This new strength of his poses a great threat to our current operations" he said. If they operated on the intel that they had on him now, the rebellion would find themselves in a very bad spot. He needs to bring this news to the higher ups as soon as possible.

Tsuki was interested in where they were operating out from. The fact that the request to aid the Commander's lieutenant came rather suddenly so he couldn't have come from Nargelond. "Where is the Commander?" he asked.

Reis was silent for a minute or two as he twiddled his thumbs. After a short while, he sighed heavily and spoke. "Alright. You're already involved in this so I'm sure it'll be fine" he said. He took a few moments to collect his thoughts. "The Commander and a small number of other insurgents are operating out of a town called Imil. It's located in the center of the Rosedes Tundra, northwest from where we currently are" he said.

Tsuki tilted his head a bit with a confused look. Northwest from them would put them in the northern snowy region of Ersheath. It was also the same area that he had heard was occupied by Dolothlond forces. "Isn't that area occupied Dolothlond?" he asked.

Reis shook his head. He didn't know the full details himself about what transpired himself. "No, that's nothing more than a bluff, a smokescreen. The Commander isn't just the leader of the Nightwings; he's also a high-ranking General in the Dolothlond military and, as you know already, a close friend to Esseand's king, Raiku" he said.

Tsuki rubbed his chin in thought. "So, he seized the Rosedes Tundra under the guise of military occupation" he said. He couldn't help but wonder what their intentions were.

Reis took a few more logs and tossed them onto the fire to keep it burning. "The Tundra was offered to him by Raiku and made it seem like he was carrying out a military operation. Supposedly, some big secret lies within the frozen glaciers that could turn the tables against Dolothlond" he said. They weren't sure just what was hidden within the ice, but it had to be significant if he went through with a plan like this. "What about you? I assume you two want to rejoin with the others" he said.

Tsuki nodded at him, glancing back at Cesela. "That's right. We need to regroup as soon as possible" he said.

Reis thought about the geography of the area they were in. While he wasn't too knowledgeable about the geography of Ersheath as a whole, he was a little familiar with the surrounding area. He didn't know any landmarks, but he recalled traveling through a nearby area with the Commander before parting ways with him. "If memory serves me, there is a canyon not too far east from here that splits off to the north and south. The Commander and I used that canyon before sending me off on my own" he said.

Cesela was a bit saddened that they were going to part ways soon. She wanted to get to know Reis more. "So, it looks like we'll be traveling together for part ways, huh?" she asked.

Reis nodded and then glanced at the empty sheath on Tsuki's waist. It wouldn't be a lie if he was a little concerned about the two of them when they do part ways. "Will you be alright without a weapon though? I can see that you're strong, but you don't exactly look like someone who's adept in hand-to-hand combat" he said.

Tsuki grinned a bit as the advice he received from Cliff, Alex and Fumiko couldn't be timelier. He practiced the technique that would allow him to wield their Mana-infused weapons, so this gave him the perfect opportunity to put that practice into actual use. He tapped his chest with a confident look on his face. "Don't worry about it. I've got a plan" he said.

Reis didn't know what plan he had up his sleeve, but he seemed confident in whatever it was. "Alright then" he said. He then glanced over towards the cave's entrance, feeling a breeze of chilly air coming through the small passageway. "I don't know about you, but I think I'm going to get some shut eye. I'll leave watch duty to you now" he said. He laid back against the rocky wall and made himself as comfortable as possible. For him, it didn't take him too long before falling asleep. He hid it well, but he was exhausted from everything that's happened.

Cesela rubbed her eyes a bit as she stared into the fireplace. She was trying to stay as strong as possible, but she was just about to reach her limits. She soon let out a big yawn as her body listed back and forth. "I'm getting sleepy too…" she said.

Tsuki looked over at Cesela, who was on the verge of falling over and passing out. Things for her must have been especially hard, seeing as this was her first real sense of danger. She was already feeling tired from their trek to Nobuo's Shrine and being blasted off the cliff side definitely didn't help with her mental fatigue. "Get some sleep. You earned it just as much as he has" he said.

Cesela mumbled a bit as she let out one last big yawn. "Okay…" she said. Her body listed back and forth a bit more as she closed her eyes before falling to her side, her head landing on Tsuki's lap. Much like with Reis, she was fast asleep almost immediately.

Tsuki brushed the hair from her face as her head hit his lap and gently ran his hand across her head, her fox ears twitching slightly and her tail hitting up against Tsuki's side gently. He watched her as she slept soundly and used the silence to think to himself about all that's happened. The distant sound of waves crashing against the beach made it easier for him to do some self-reflection. He even tried to connect with Cliff, Alex and Fumiko but couldn't due to a lack of Mana.

The night slowly went on as he had the space to himself for a while. Eventually, Tsuki drifted asleep himself to get a few more hours of sleep in. He was going to need as much rest as he could get for their trek ahead. Once they part ways with Reis, things were going to become difficult for them. They had no idea where they were or how far they had to travel to get back to Nobuo Shrine and there was a strong chance that they would set out to find them as well. Seeing as how Tsuki still possesses the Dragon's Eye that Melphi gave him, there was a possibility that they would return to Chesberry to seek out Melphi's aid and if that were the case, that would make things even more difficult for them.

The hours passed and the sun eventually rose over the horizon. The sun light shined into the passageway of the cave as the sounds of seagulls crying echoed through the cave accompanied by the sounds of the ocean. The fire ended up burning out at some point in the night and the cool weather was what mainly woke everyone else up. They gathered their stuff and left the cave where they were greeted by the sunlight that almost blinded them. The temperature seems to have risen a bit compared to overnight, but it was still somewhat cool outside because they were so close to the Rosedes Tundra.

The three of them spent the first few minutes taking in their surroundings. Now that it was light out, they could see what was around them since it was pitch dark out with no source of lights. In the daylight, the small beach turned out to be a nice little hideaway from society. It was hard to tell at night, but the waters were crystal clear. The beach was practically untouched by man and offered a scenic view with the ice caps and snow ridgeline of the Rosedes Tundra off in the distance.

Reis looked scanned the waterline of the beach as a gentle, cool breeze blew across his face. "This is a nice little beach. The perfect place to disappear from society" he said. There was enough land to build a small little place that wouldn't cause too much disturbance or harm to the environment and their surroundings.

Tsuki agreed with him. There was one other place that he could think of that offered the same level of remoteness and tranquility but after so many years, he wasn't sure if that place still existed anymore. "If only it were that easy to disappear. Those in our field of work don't have that kind of luxury" he said. With them both being soldiers, their lives are practically on the battlefield.

Cesela walked between the two of them and gazed out towards the sea. She could see the water stretch on as far as the eye could see. "Do you ever think that one day, we will have a world of peace and equality? Humans, Faeries and Beastmen living side-by-side?" she asked.

Reis was silent for a moment before answering her with a nod. "Lorategia had such a world at one point in time. It may take time, but I'm confident that we can reclaim what the old world had" he said. The biggest problem that they needed to fix was how Humans are perceived and the inhumane treatment humanity gives towards non-Humans. This was an age-old problem that won't be solved overnight.

Tsuki shook his head a bit. The world faced many problems and there were just as many obstacles to jump over. None of them seemed to offer any easy solutions either. "We need to deal with the crisis at hand first before we can think about solving the world's problems" he said. He took an extra minute to stare off across the seas before turning around to face inland. "Ready to go?" he asked.

Cesela nodded as she turned around and walked up alongside him. "Ready whenever!" she said with a casual salute.

Reis turned and took a few steps forward, taking point. "I'll lead the way. The canyon isn't that far from here" he said.

The three of them soon stepped off the beach and headed through a small, forested area, following an animal trail through the brush. As they traveled through the forest, the scene shifted back over to Nobuo Shrine with Lynette and the others. As the sun rose to welcome in a new day, Lynette and the others were gearing up and preparing to leave. The main building of the shrine where most of the classes took place and where they fought Kaito was closed off as reconstruction efforts were already underway. Since the building was mostly made from stone and marble, architects using Earth-based Artes can rebuild relatively easily. Despite the damage that they endured, the staff and students of Nobuo came together to help one another.

As for Lynette and the others, they were standing in front of the main gates of the shrine with Yoshiki and Shinzo standing by to see them off. Lynette and the others were reluctant to leave for being the reason why Nobuo Shrine is in such a condition. They didn't want to leave but they knew that they had to leave. Tsuki and Cesela were out there, and they needed to find them.

Cheria bowed to them. "I'm sorry. I wish we could stay and help but…" she said. It pained her for having to leave without offering a shred of help. Even though she was a princess of a different kingdom, she couldn't help but feel compelled to help in some way.

Yoshiki shook his head. "I've already told you, don't worry about it. We have plenty of help here. We would have suffered some form of damage regardless of whether you fought or not" he said. With how sudden his initial attack was on them, if they hadn't come to warn them of the impending danger, they would have suffered casualties and serious injury to the faculty and students.

Shinzo nodded in agreement. They might not think they did a great job but the fact that they delivered the warning beforehand saved lives. "A building can be rebuilt. Lives, however, cannot if they are lost. Besides, this place suffered worse damage before. This is nothing our stone architects can't handle" he said.

Ramza scratched the back of his head a bit. "Arguing won't get us anywhere. Better to leave it as it is" he said. He glanced over towards Shinzo for a moment. "You sure you got this place covered? You don't exactly have a whole lot of knights with you on the off chance that Kaito might return" he said.

Shinzo shook his head. While the relief efforts he brought with him were small, he had no cause to worry about anymore sudden attacks. "I appreciate the concern, but it's not necessary. With the Raven's Claw gone, we have no reason to believe that Kaito would return" he said. There was nothing else in the area that could serve as a potential target for Kaito outside of Ustrisu Fortress itself but an attack on that place was unlikely. "I'm almost offended you don't trust me and my abilities" he said.

Ramza shook his head. He knew that Shinzo was a capable fighter but even with his abilities, it most likely wouldn't be enough. "Wouldn't want you throwing your back out while you're still young" he said.

The two of them shared a look before clapping hands together in a tight handshake, giving each other a snarky grin. Lynette watched the two of them bond before speaking out. "So, how should we go about finding Tsuki? Try heading north?" she asked.

Elle nodded. Regardless of whether he wound up washing ashore on the beach that was mentioned or somewhere in the Rosedes Tundra, they were going to be northbound anyway. "We'll have to go in that direction anyway. We'll just search around the area that beach is in as we pass through" she said.

Nagi let out a faint sigh. Even though they had a general idea of where to look, it still wasn't going to be easy to find them. "If only Mel was with us. Then, she could use the Dragon's Eye to track him" she said.

In that moment, they heard sounds of heavy wings flapping that were closing in on them. At the same time, there were sounds of panic among the faculty and staff. They turned in the direction the sounds were coming from, expecting a dragon to appear as they readied their weapons just in case. However, their sudden worries disappeared as fast as they came as they had recognized the dragon immediately.

The dragon turned out to be Melphi, much to everyone's delight. She landed down on the ground and looked around for a moment to witness the damage the shrine sustained before changing forms to her half-Human, half-dragon appearance. Compared to how she looked like when they left Chesberry, she was like a totally new person. All her injuries were practically gone and healed. Even her more serious puncture wounds along her right side and shoulder were all healed. It was as if she was never injured at all.

Melphi walked up to them, seeing them on edge with their weapons ready to pounce. "Someone call on me?" she asked. She saw how injured everyone was from all the bandages that were still wrapped around parts of their bodies. "You all look like you took a beating" she said.

Cheria let out a breath of relief when Melphi rejoined them. It was nice to see her fully recovered from her injuries considering how seriously wounded she was before. "Mel!" she said. She ran up towards her and gave her a hug. "It's good to see you're alright!" she said.

Melphi stumbled back a bit when she suddenly threw herself on her in a hug. It was a nostalgic feeling that reminded her of Emma. She would used to embrace her in the same exact way. She instinctively returned the hug for a moment before stepping back from her. "I'm sorry if I caused any worry but as you can see, I'm perfectly fine now" she said. She lifted the side of her shirt to show where she was punctured as well as the bite mark that was on her shoulder to reveal perfect, flawless skin. There was no sign of bruising or swelling at all.

Phi walked up to Melphi and examined where her wounds were closely. She was shocked at how perfect her recovery was. The medicine that she was given specifically for her was far better than Human medicine. "I'll say. There's not even the faintest trace of injury" she said. She reached her hand out and placed it up against her side. She didn't feel any bumps on the skin or deformities.

Melphi jumped a little bit from her touching her side, making her to reflexively swat her hand away. "H-hey! Watch where you're touching!" she said.

Ruko walked up alongside Phi. "Draconic medicine is more powerful than I thought it was. If only Human medicine was as strong and effective" he said. He was a little jealous that such powerful and potent medicine was pretty much toxic to Humans.

Lynette examined Melphi from head to toe and was stunned by the rate of recovery. It almost made her feel inadequate as a Healer. Not even her best Healing Artes could have done a better job than the Draconic medicines she took. "I have to say, I feel really defeated about all of this…" she said, looking down at her hands. This experience only serves as a reminder that she still has much more to learn about not only Healing Artes, but normal medicines as well. "I have to be better than this" she said. This also serves as fuel to her motivation in wanting to improve herself.

Melphi looked over towards Lynette as she lamented her own abilities while comparing them to the powerful Draconic medicines. "You'll get there. I can see the untapped potential within you. If there's anyone that can bridge the gaps between Healing Artes and medicines, it's you" she said. She could see the same kind of spark in her eyes as Emma had. The spark she has in her eyes could be even greater than hers was. She was a bit misguided, however, when comparing her skills with basic Draconic medicines. "Draconic medicines are specially made with a higher potency than Human medicine. It's nice to strive to reach their level of potency but I wouldn't try to compete with it" she said.

Nagi walked up to them, holding her arms behind her back as she looked down towards the ground. "Mel, about Tsuki…" she said.

Melphi nodded at her. She didn't need to say anything else. "I've heard. That's why I came" she said.

Cheria tilted her head a bit. "I didn't know word about what happened here spread that quickly…" she said.

Melphi shook her head at them, glancing over towards Ramza. "I received a letter from Ramza via carrier hawk. He's already informed me of all that has happened here" she said. She was surprised when she heard about Kaito. According to the stories she heard from Shana, he was no better than a power-hungry General seeking instant glory. What Ramza described in his letter made her think that they were dealing with someone entirely different. "Are you absolutely sure that who you fought was Kaito?" she asked.

Ramza shook his head. Based off everything he's heard about him, he had doubts on the Kaito that they fought against. "I…can't be too sure. Reis, the person that we were supposed to meet, seemed confident in who he was" he said.

Melphi thought that this whole situation was strange. It didn't add up one bit. Even if Kaito somehow returned from the dead with the use of Necromancy, it wouldn't have made him any stronger than he was when he first died. "It just doesn't add up. There must be something else in play that we're missing. The fact that Kaito was even brought back is suspicious as all traces of Necromancy should have been sealed away" she said. She crossed her arms and collected her thoughts for a moment. "While I was in Chesberry, I reached out to Shana telepathically to inform her about Kaito" she said.

Elle was interested in how that conversation went. She's known Shana for a while and there wasn't anyone that she felt the most satisfaction in killing than him. "I bet she was shocked to hear that bit of news" she said.

Melphi shook her head. She had reacted the way she had expected she would. "Not very good. She was bewildered as you would expect. After all, she did pierce his heart with her lance. She knew, more than anyone, that he bled out and died on her lance" she said. She couldn't see the look on her face, but she was able to tell from the tone of her voice that she was greatly disturbed by this. "She's tasked me with investigating Kaito immediately" she said.

Cheria looked down a bit with a look of disappointment. "So, does that mean you won't join us in our search for Tsuki?" she asked.

Melphi shook her head, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll still help you look for him. After all, my primary objective is to keep him safe under the collective orders of your parents and Shana" she said. Watching over and protecting Tsuki was her top priority with him being the Sigil Bearer. This was something she wasn't going to shirk off. "Once we reunite with Tsuki, however, we'll have to part ways again, but it'll only be for a short while. Hopefully" she said. If Kaito was indeed back again, then an investigation as to why was paramount. She needed to know who was responsible for bringing him back with Necromancy and how to break the spell. "Necromancy is a forbidden Arte with many deadly capabilities but underneath it all lies its greatest weakness. If you exterminate the source, then the subsequent effects will evaporate along with it. Meaning…" she said.

Ruko connected the dots instantly. "If we can find out who, or what, the source is that's responsible for Kaito's apparent resurrection and eliminate it, then he will perish too" he said. Finding out what the source could be though could take quite a lot of time since Necromancy isn't widely used and traces of it are hard to track.

Melphi nodded at him. "Exactly. Which is why the sooner I can do some investigating of my own, the sooner I might be able to come up with some answers" she said. Doing this would also fall in line with her primary objective with keeping Tsuki safe. First things first though, she needed to reunite everyone before she went off to start her investigation.

Allie was relieved to hear that Melphi was going to continue traveling with them. At least, for a short time. Her added strength will help fill in the hole that Tsuki left unattended. "So, are you able to track him with the Dragon's Eye?" she asked.

Melphi crossed her arms in front of her. "It's not as simple as you would think, but yes. I'm not able to track his exact location but using the Dragon's Eye that I gave him, I can resonate off it to pinpoint his general location" she said. It's not a foolproof method but it's far better than running around with their heads cut off. "Based off the resonance, he's located somewhere in the Highlands to the north of here" she said.

Nagi was relieved to hear that Tsuki wasn't too far from them. They knew that he was still alive because of Allie's connection with Tsuki but it was nice to know that he was up and on the move. "Well, if anything, it'll help narrow down the search" she said.

Melphi nodded, resting her arms at her side. "With that said, we better start heading north before he gets a head start on us" she said.

Ruko scratched the back of his head a bit. He knew the answer to what he was about to ask but it couldn't hurt to ask. "I don't suppose you could fly us there, could you?" he asked.

Melphi shook his head with a dejected look on her face. "Sadly, no. For one thing, I can't carry all of you on my back. Second, I've had to fly through literal hoops just to get here from Chesberry without alerting the military and causing panic which drained a good part of my energy" she said. She didn't have cloud cover and dark skies to conceal herself from sight like Kaito did. Plus, she was a Red Dragon and could easily be spotted up in the air during the daytime.

Elle didn't think it was best to fly anyway. By going north, they'd be flying within proximity of Ustrisu Fortress which wouldn't be good for them. "Unfortunate but probably for the better. Best not to cause any undue alarm" she said.

Ramza clapped his hands together and took a few steps out towards the forest that led back to the mainland. "Alright. We've got our destination so let's not idle around here. No telling when Tsuki will start moving around up there" he said.

Shinzo nodded at them. "I wish you all the best in your search for Tsuki. I'll relay what's going on with His Majesty, so you don't have to worry about that" he said. It was the least that he could do for them especially.

Yoshiki put his hand up to his chest and bowed slightly. "I hope the next time we meet, it'll be under better circumstances" he said. Despite all that's happened, they were more than welcome to come back any time they wished. "Perhaps I'll treat you guys to some of our research studies next time you're around" he said.

Cheria bowed to the two of them one last time. "I would very much like that. Thank you" she said.

Shinzo was silent for a few moments before speaking one more time. "I do have one word of warning for you. Be careful about venturing too close to the Spiral Woods in the northern part of the Highlands" he said. If they were going to pass through the Highlands, there was one place they needed to be aware of.

Phi tilted her head a bit. "Why? Is it dangerous?" she asked.

Shinzo found it a little difficult to answer her question. The circumstances involving the Spiral Woods were complicated. "It can be. The entire forest is land protected by the royals. The inhabitants might mark you all as a threat so it's best to avoid it as much as you can" he said.

Lynette was even more confused by what he was saying. "Is it a monster nest?" she asked.

Shinzo shook his head. "Not a monster nest but the forest has strong ties to the Faeries. I'm afraid anything else is highly restricted by Raiku himself" he said.

Ramza has spent his share of time doing mercenary work across Ersheath but not once has he ever heard of a heavily restricted forest. "We'll do our best but can't make any promises. It all depends on where Tsuki goes" he said.

Shinzo shrugged his shoulders and stepped back towards the gates. "Just thought I should warn you before walking into potential danger" he said.

Elle walked over towards the pathway leading towards the forest. "Let's get going then. The sooner we get to the Highlands, the better" she said.

Allie, still holding the Caliburn in her arms with the blade wrapped up in cloth, was more than eager to get a move on. "Master is going to get a real scolding this time" she said. He worried her enough last time during their encounter with Draven and what came after as a result. This stunt of his tops it.

Nagi giggled a bit as she made her statement. She sounds like she's upset about this, but she could tell that she was genuinely concerned about him. "I agree. He can be reckless, but this is taking it too far" she said.

The group started to walk off down the pathway towards the forest while Melphi hung back a little bit. She found it a little amusing about how well they're taking things. "I can't help but feel a little sorry for Tsuki for the earful he's going to receive" she said.

She joined the others as they began their trek back across the open fields and into the forest. They needed to retrace their steps back to the main road where the path splits to continue north. From there, they had to pass by Ustrisu and a small outpost before they could reach a canyon highway which would take them into the Highlands. From where they were at, it would take most of the day to reach the canyon highway, so long as they aren't any side trips.

As they made their way from Nobuo Shrine, the scene shifts back over to Tsuki, Reis and Cesela. Two hours have passed since they left the beach that they washed up on. Their trek through the small, forested area was brief before they were spat out into a small, open field. The field itself was fertile land and with a small trek through the wooded area with the potential of a remote, seaside cabin, someone could have enough space for a small farm and a place to grow a few crops.

Their trek soon took them through the canyon highway. The pathway was narrow and straightforward, and the canyon walls stretched high. There were a few small caves and side paths, but they all lead to either dead ends or monster nests. Reis took charge of monster extermination as he was the only one with a reliable weapon. Even though Tsuki said he had a plan to deal with the lack of a weapon, he didn't want to take his chances. Thankfully, the monsters that they've encountered were the standard, local variety and didn't post any threat to them so Reis didn't need any help.

The three of them eventually arrived at a three-way intersection in the canyon highway. They came to a stop and investigated their respective directions that they needed to go in. Reis was heading north and Tsuki and Cesela were heading south. Each of them appeared to have a bit of a walk down each path before they returned to the open area.

Reis walked up to Tsuki and Cesela. "Are you sure that you'll be alright on your own?" he asked. He knows that he said they would be before, but he couldn't help but feel a bit reluctant to leave them.

Tsuki nodded, patting his chest with a confident grin on his face. "I told you; I got it covered" he said. He may not have been able to use what the Sigil souls taught him in actual use, but he was confident in his own abilities based off all the practice he did.

Cesela looked up at Reis, looking a little sad. She knew that they had to part ways now, but she didn't want to have to. "Do you think we'll see each other again?" she asked.

Reis reached his hand out and patted her head, his hands brushing through her hair and against her ears. "It's a big world out there. With all that Tsuki has told me about his journey, I'm confident that we will run into each other again at some point" he said.

Cesela's tail swayed back and forth as he pets her head. Just the thought of being able to see him again brought her joy and happiness. "I'm going to hold you to that!" she said.

Reis looked at Tsuki and held his hand out towards him. "It's been a pleasure, Tsuki. I owe a drink or something next time we meet for your assistance" he said. He didn't get to talk much with Tsuki which was a shame, but he had a gut feeling that this wouldn't be the last time they saw each other.

Tsuki chuckled a bit, shaking his head. "You owe me nothing, my friend. Just doing what I was told to do. You be careful out there on your way back too" he said. He extended his arm out towards him to shake his hand and to finish off their farewells.

However, before they could shake hands, they were interrupted. A series of kunai came raining down over them. Both quickly realized and jumped away, Tsuki taking hold of Cesela in the process. Within moments, 6 people dressed in black garb came jumping down from the canyon walls and surrounded them. Tsuki and Reis moved closer to each other with Cesela between them, each having their backs toward one another.

Tsuki recognized their attire right away. Their faces were mostly covered so it was almost impossible to identify them but the way they were dressed was in the same similar fashion as Shadow was. "Ninja!? Where did they come from!?" he asked.

Reis drew his katana and held it close to him. "Ninja? Can't say I've ever had a run-in with one of them before" he said.

Tsuki shook his head. "I teamed up with one back in Chesberry. He told me that the Shinobi were pretty much wiped out when Sirione fell to the dictatorship" he said. He looked around at the black garbed individuals around them. Unlike Shadow though, they didn't seem to be on the friendly side.

Cesela gripped the back of Tsuki's shirt tightly, her body trembling with fear with her ears pressed down against the top of her head. "I-it's them…they aren't ordinary Shinobi…" she said, hiding behind Tsuki.

Tsuki could feel her body trembling against him. He looked down at her and saw her reaction to them. It wasn't hard to connect the dots on who they were from her high levels of fear at the mere sight of them. In that moment, another person dressed in slightly different Shinobi attire landed in front of them. This person had twin swords attached to his back and another short sword on his waist. Strapped around his upper thighs were pouches that contained several kunai and shuriken. The man's nose and mouth were covered by black cloth, but he had dark brown, spikey hair and crimson eyes.

The black garbed individual crossed his arms and stared down Tsuki and Reis, taking a quick glance at Cesela that was hiding behind them. "Good day, gentlemen. I deeply apologize if I'm interrupting something" he said in a rough tone of voice.

Tsuki wanted to try to play this as cool as he could. Based on the vibes that he was getting, it was obvious that this wasn't going to end without a fight. "It's not every day that you have a run-in with Shinobi. Is there something we can help you with?" he asked.

The black garbed individual rested his left arm against the short sword he had sheathed on the left side of his waist. "As a matter of fact, yes. My name is Tenzin Shugane, leader of the Shogunate. We're currently out on a mission to track down a certain individual who's gone missing and we would like to ask you a few questions" he said. His attention was soon focused on Cesela. "Since when did you come into possession of the Demi-Human behind you?" he asked.

What he said made Tsuki's eye twitch as he referred to Cesela as nothing more than packaged goods. However, he decided to play along with him to see how far he could go. "…For a few days now" he said.

Tenzin gave them an unrelenting stare. Cesela wouldn't look at him in the eyes, but Tsuki had a very strong poker face that didn't give himself away. "I see. May I ask why her Cursed Mark was removed?" he asked.

Tsuki shook his head a bit. "Because it was an eyesore to look at. Just as you all are starting to become" he said.

Tenzin shook his head, clicking his tongue. "I regret to inform you, but the purchase of Demi-Humans requires the Cursed Mark to remain. I'm going to have to ask that you relinquish her to us in order to re-brand her" he said, gripping onto the hilt of his sword short. He looked like he was about ready to strike.

Tsuki returned the cold stare back at Tenzin. "And if I were to refuse?" he asked.

Tenzin chuckled a bit as the air started to circulate around him. "Then, I'm afraid that I'll have to get a little rough with you and take her by force…" he said.

In an instant, Tenzin disappeared in a flash. His speed was incredible as Tsuki could barely see his body follow through with whatever attack he was about to do. Suddenly, Reis jumped in front of him just as Tenzin appeared in front of them, swinging his short sword. Reis blocked the attack with his katana as the clash sent out a small shockwave across the ground. There wasn't just speed with his attack; he also displayed an equal level of power to go along with it. If Reis hadn't blocked the attack, Tsuki could have potentially lost his head.

Tenzin was a little surprised that his attack was blocked. The attack that he used was one of his specialties that he would use in assassinations. His speed was more than enough to catch his opponents off-guard and when they were wide open, the power behind his swing was all he needed for a quick decapitation. He was a little amused by this, which was evident by his apparent laughter. "Impressive. To think someone has the skill to block one of my assassination techniques…" he said. He jumped back to his previous position and examined Reis closely. What he saw caused him to raise an eyebrow. "Well now, look at what we have here…" he said. He could feel the Corrupted Aer that circulated around him. It was powerful and all-consuming.

Reis saw that the situation was escalating quickly. Compared to the monster encounters they've had prior to this, he wasn't too confident in his abilities to fight off 7 Shinobi all at once. "Look, we don't want any trouble here" he said.

Tenzin chuckled a bit more, shaking his head. "It's already too late for that…" he said. He then pointed his finger at Cesela. "Your trouble started when you encountered that Demi-Human slave. You didn't purchase her; you freed her from the chains that shackled her…" he said. He then snapped his fingers, signaling the other Shinobi around them to draw their blades. "Which also means, you were involved in the destruction of our operations in Chesberry a few days ago. That marks you as a target for the Shogunate" he said.

Tsuki was a little disturbed by their arrogance and audacity. "For a foreign kingdom to operate in the shadows of another in order to spread your petulant filth…" he said. A mix of several flashbacks played through his head at that moment. They were times back when he was still a kid and his run-ins with the Syndicate in the Slums of Eresseas. The times where Cheria was almost abducted by them. The conditions the Faeries and Beastmen were in that were being held captive. The things that he had overheard around Chesberry and within the underground tunnels. It made him feel a familiar inexplicable rage that caused the Aer around him to stir with the winds circulating around his body. He shot off a sharp glare at Tenzin, his eyes a mix of blue and deep violet with a combination of his voice and Fumiko's. "You've got some real nerve" he said, growling beneath his words.

Tenzin scoffed at his poor threat attempt though displayed a hint of caution by his sudden power surge. He glanced over at the 6 other Shinobi around them, nodding at them. "Kill them but leave the girl. Restrain her if you must" he said.

Three of the Shinobi all rushed at Reis in a triangle formation. The one in the far back did several quick hand signs and shot out a fireball at Reis. At the same time, the one off to the right tossed out a thin, black wire towards Reis to wrap it around and restrain him while the other off to the left threw out a pair of shuriken at him.

The black wire wrapped around his katana where he could feel it tug back on it. With the approaching fireball and shuriken, Reis ignited the black flames of his katana, burning the black wire around the blade and sending the flames across it back to the one Shinobi. Reis then spun around and slashed the fireball with his katana, allowing his black flames to snuff out the fireball. He blocked the shuriken that were thrown and watched them hit the ground. He picked them back up and engulfed them with black flames and threw them back at the other Shinobi. After that, he twirled his katana around a bit before plunging it into the ground, sending a stream of energy into the ground that shot towards the Shinobi in the back.

The Shinobi who tossed out the thin black wire saw the black flames quickly approaching him through his own wire, so he was forced to cut it off and back away. The Shinobi who threw the shuriken ended up being hit by his own projectiles as they came at him with speed. One struck him in his left shoulder and the other his lower right side. Upon impact, the black flames that had engulfed them reacted and pierced straight through him like a knife, black flames shooting out from behind his left shoulder and lower right side, causing him to scream out in pain and fall face-first onto the ground. The last Shinobi looked around rather nervously before hearing the ground underneath him crack and rumble. Before he could react, a pillar of black flames shot out from beneath his feet and swallowed him whole. Pained screams could be heard for a brief time before dying out. When the pillar of flames disappeared, there was nothing but a black outline of a body scorched into the rocky ground.

As for Tsuki, the three other Shinobi that approached him looked at him as easy prey. The fact that he didn't wield a weapon to defend himself made him an easy target. The three of them closed in on them without any strategy in mind because of this, thinking that this would be quick. Unfortunately for them, this would prove to be a fatal mistake. As they closed in on him with Cesela hiding behind him, he held his right arm up in front of his left shoulder with his eyes closed. The Aer around him shifted and stirred as it was concentrated in his hand. Moments later, Tsuki opened his eyes once more as they glowed a deep violet color while a Mana-infused weapon formed in his hand in the shape of a familiar scythe. It was the same scythe that Fumiko wielded.

Tsuki took hold of the scythe with a tight grip as the blade let out a bright, violet glow. As the three Shinobi closed in, Tsuki swung the scythe at them and released a violet wave of energy. Two of the Shinobi quickly reacted and jumped over it but the third one ended up taking the hit which sent him crashing back against the canyon wall with force. One of the two Shinobi vanished from sight while the other one jumped once more and came down over his head swinging his short sword at him. Tsuki swung the scythe from right to left to block deflect his attack and throw him back before swinging once again, the blade of his scythe shredding through his ninja attire and effectively tore across his upper chest. The Shinobi fell to the ground and bled out as the other appeared behind him in an attempt to grab Cesela. Tsuki grabbed onto her with his free hand and pulled her in front of him and spun around and kicked him with force on the side of his head, making him bounce back against the rocky ground.

Of the six Shinobi that attacked them, only 3 of them made it out alive with one escaping injury from severing his black wire. This individual used his speed to retrieve the two others that were injured. The one that was hit by the violet wave of energy was knocked out cold from the impact and the other was bleeding from the side of his head from being kicked. Based on the looks of those that were still conscious, they knew that they had underestimated them.

Tenzin was surprised with the skills that they displayed. It was obvious that they weren't your average fighter. The Shogunate were made of up elite Shinobi that are rigorously and precisely trained. There was a reason why many within Sirione fear them. "Absurd. To think that we could be put on the back foot by just two people…" he said.

Tsuki pointed his scythe at Tenzin with a sharp glare and spoke in the same mixed tone of voice of Tsuki and Fumiko. "You might be feared and renowned in Sirione but out here in the real world, you're up against a whole different ballgame" he said.

Tsuki twirled his scythe around behind his back and swung at him in a vertical, uppercut motion, the blade scraping against the ground and released three individual arc waves of energy at him. Tenzin side-stepped two of them and leapt back to avoid the third one, landing on top of a high stone pillar up against the rocky canyon wall.

Tenzin was starting to see how outmatched they were. They gravely underestimated them and came into this fight unprepared for a serious battle. "It seems the tables have turned on us" he said.

Reis pointed his katana up towards Tenzin, staring him down. "What's wrong? Can't finish a fight you started?" he asked.

Tenzin chuckled a bit, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders. "I'll admit; we may have jumped the gun on this one which is why it's time for a tactical retreat to reevaluate our forces" he said.

He nodded at the two conscious Shinobi as the uninjured one put the arm of the unconscious one over his shoulder and leapt up and used the protruding rocks of the canyon wall to jump up to the top of the wall with the injured one doing the same. The three of them soon disappeared, leaving just Tenzin within the canyon.

Tenzin soon sheathed his short sword and gave them both one last cold stare. "You two pose a threat to the stability of our operations. You've been marked as priority targets of the Shogunate. You can count on us meeting again" he said.

Tenzin soon followed the other three Shinobi up the canyon wall and disappeared over the top. Tsuki and Reis kept their guards up for the next minute or so just in case their retreat was a bluff. After they determined that they were gone, Reis sheathed his katana and Tsuki released the Mana that created his scythe, making it disappear into particles of light.

Cesela soon dropped down to her knees as her legs gave out. She felt like she could finally breathe now that they were gone as she let out a heavy sigh of relief, her head hanging low. She could feel her body trembling as she tried to form words. However, nothing could escape her lips.

Tsuki crouched down and placed his hand gently on her back. She could see just how severely affected she was by all this. "Take a few deep breaths. It's going to be okay" he said.

Cesela took several deep breaths, placing her hand up against her chest. It took her a few minutes to settle down. She looked at Tsuki and nodded at him. "I'm okay…" she mumbled.

Tsuki patted her back to help calm her down. "So long as you stick with me, I won't let the Syndicate lay their hands on you ever again" he said.

Reis walked over towards them. He gave Tsuki a look of extreme curiosity. "That was a nice trick you did. To be able to physically hold Mana in the form of a weapon sounds like an advanced technique" he said. He's never seen or heard of anyone that had such a skill.

Tsuki stood back up and looked at Reis. "It's called Materialization. It's a unique skill that's tied to the Sigil. It allows me to materialize a weapon belonging to one of the souls that rest within me" he said. He still hasn't perfected it yet, but it was a start.

Reis thought it was interesting that he had such an ability with him. He was still largely in the dark about the whole Sigil business. He was about to ask more when he suddenly had a disturbing thought that stopped him in his tracks. He came to the realization of something that gave him pause and cause for worry. "Wait, if Sirione's Shogunate were here…" he said, trailing off at the end. He suddenly started to get a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He looked off to the north where he was heading, looking a bit panicked. "I hope they're all okay…" he said.

Tsuki looked into the same direction as he was. "What is it? What's wrong?" he asked. Whatever it was that was bothering him seemed to be significant. Seeing him act up like this was enough for him to grow worried.

Reis looked back at Tsuki with a look of concern. Seeing as he was friendly with Cesela's kind, he figured it wouldn't hurt to tell him what was going on. "There's a forest not too far from the canyon's mouth called Spiral Woods. Within those woods lies a hidden village called Haven that belongs to a large group of Faeries and Beastmen" he said.

Cesela's ears perked up a bit at the mention of a Faerie village. It brought her a sense of relief to know that there were others of her kind that were out their, trying to live in peace and away from prying eyes. "How big is the village?" she asked.

Reis crossed his arms in front of him. "It's a small village but they make due by living in the trees. Small and compact, if you will" he said.

Tsuki was able to connect the dots immediately on what his concerns were. If the Shogunate were out hunting down Faeries, then a village of them would become a prime target. If they were to discover and attack the village, the end result would be no better than if Draxus were to attack a village. "You're worried that they might catch wind of this village, if they haven't already" he said.

Reis nodded at him. "Exactly. According to the Commander, the village and the surrounding forests are under heavy protections offered by King Raiku of Esseand" he said. There was another part to the deal that Raiku made with the Commander with him offering up the Rosedes Tundra to the Nightwings. "Since the rebellion would be holding some of it's operations near the village, we are also charged with keeping watch over the area. Not only that, but Imil has a trade agreement with Haven Village" he said.

Tsuki was also starting to grow concerned about the village. Shinobi are a cunning bunch who specialize in intelligence gathering and infiltration. "Just how secret is this village?" he asked.

Reis shook his head. "It's existence is supposed to be on a need-to-know basis. Only those that are most trusted are privy to this information" he said. Of course, that doesn't stop information from leaking out. There's always the risk of moles and snitches in just about any organization out there, be it military or civilian. "Spiral Woods is a winding maze with a protective fog that tricks the minds of those that enter. Only Faeries and those that are deemed trustworthy are able to see through it. Otherwise, ordinary people that wonder into its woods will find themselves walking in circles and spat back out into the Highlands" he said. It wasn't a foolproof protection plan but it was enough to deter the average person. However, such protections would be worthless against the likes of the Shogunate as most Shinobi these days have either been conscripted into service or willfully take part in it. "Such protection will do little if the Shogunate stumble upon them, however" he said.

Cesela gripped the bottom of Tsuki's shirt, looking up at him with a serious look on her face. "Tsuki…I want to investigate the village. I don't want them to suffer through what I've experienced. Can we? Please?" she asked with a pleading look.

Tsuki looked down at her and saw how serious she was about this. It was important that they reunite with Lynette and the others but he couldn't ignore the possibility that a village of Faeries could be in danger. He would hate himself if he found out later that the village was later discovered and attacked and did nothing about it. After a moment of thought, he nodded and gave Reis a serious look. "I know we were suppose to say our farewells and part ways here but would you mind if we stuck around for a little bit longer?" he asked.

Reis grinned a bit at his request, hoping he would ask. If the village were to under attack, he wasn't too sure he's be able to handle a squad of Shinobi on his own, especially since he's been using his Black Flames a lot recently. Since they are tied to the Arcanum that resides within him, he could feel the strain of using it start to affect his body. It's getting to the point where he won't be able to rely on it for much longer without rest. "Your help would be greatly appreciated. You have my thanks as well as my apologies since this takes you away from reuniting with your friends" he said.

Tsuki shook his head and took out the Dragon's Eye from his bag that Melphi had gave him. "No worries. If they did what I think they did, then they'll be able to track my whereabouts with this Dragon's Eye" he said. He could feel the object radiate a faint glow and pulsate in his hand almost as if it were alive.

Reis recognized the object right away and was pretty surprised to see what he was holding. For a Human to hold such an object was one of great honor considering the fact that they are only given out by Dragonkin, who were notorious for being very unfriendly with Humans. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit while looking at the Dragon's Eye in his hand. "You just continue to amaze me, you know that? Never thought I'd see the day a Human hold onto one of those" he said.

Tsuki nodded at him, putting the Dragon's Eye away back into his bag. "One of my companions is a Dragonkin so she should be able to guide them through Spiral Woods without issue so, at the very least, we can count on reinforcements. Assuming they arrive on time, that is" he said. He had lost his map when he got blown off the side of the cliff so he wasn't too sure just how far away they were or how long it would take for them to arrive at Haven Village. All he could do was place his trust in them and believe that they would arrive.

Reis grew more and more curious about Tsuki with each passing minute. There was definitely a lot to him that meets the eye and appeared to be a man of many secrets. He grinned at him, holding his hand out once more. He wanted to shake his hand again, only this time as a sign of cooperation and friendship. "Looks like I'll be relying on your continued support then" he said.

Tsuki reached out and took hold of his hand, shaking it with a firm grip and grinning back at him. "Here's to our continued partnership" he said.

Cesela felt left out so she wanted to join in on the hand shake. She reached her hand up and placed hers over theirs. "You're not rid of us quite yet!" she said with a bright smile.

Reis let of a small laugh and pulled his hand away, turning to face down the northern highway through the canyons. "Alright then! Let's get a move on, shall we? If we hustle, we should be able to reach Spiral Woods long before sundown" he said.

They nodded in agreement and started to make their way north through the canyon road, leaving the bodies of the fallen Shinobi behind. Since it appeared that this canyon was the only way to enter the Highlands, Tsuki hoped that the dead Shinobi would serve as a message to Lynette and the others when they make their way through the canyon.

The three of them made their way through the rest of the canyon while Lynette and the others continued to travel along the main road somewhere to the south of them. Both groups had a lot of walking to do in order for them to reach their respective destinations but the day was still young. Tsuki's continued travels would only make it harder for Lynette and the others as he would be moving away from them instead of moving towards them. It took Tsuki, Reis and Cesela another hour or so to exit the canyon highway meanwhile Lynette and the others still had half a day's walk to even reach the canyons.

When Tsuki, Reis and Cesela stepped out from the canyon highway, they saw a vast, luscious green fields that went on for miles with varying levels of elevation. From where they stood, they only saw a few small settlements off in varying distances but most of the plain was nothing but grass and nature. The area gave off a strong feeling of serenity and tranquility. It almost reminded Tsuki of the Great Plains of Cayhill. Off in the far northern distance, they could see a large canopy of trees with a significantly larger one poking out from somewhere within the canopy. They could see their destination in sight but with the varying elevations of the Highlands and winding pathways, they knew that they were going to be in for a trek.

After taking in the incredible view from where they stood, the three of them started to make their way into the vast Highlands for, what is to be expected, a grand adventure of excitement and thrills. As they made their way down the marked pathway, they could see an abundance of wildlife cross through the fields and open plains. They even came across a number of friendly monsters that didn't bother them at all. There were your handful of normal monster encounters but for the most part, their trek across the Highlands was rather peaceful and uneventful. It's been a while since they had a moment like this.

The hours for them flew by in a flash as before they knew it, they stood at the outskirts of the Spiral Woods. With the lack of monster encounters, they were able to arrive there in good time. They even had a few hours of daylight left to them which was going to be beneficial to them since they were about to enter a maze-like forest with an illusionary fog protection to deter those that enter the woods. They had no idea what to expect going into the forest, however, so they needed to proceed with extreme caution from here on in. Even though Reis was considered trustworthy enough to pass through the fog protection doesn't mean that they won't be met with any form of hostility. They needed to tread lightly for when they come into contact with the Faeries of Haven Village as Tsuki's sudden appearance will surely cause alarm to those within the woods. In fact, Tsuki even expects such a thing to happen based off a gut feeling. When they were ready, they took the first steps into the foggy forest in the hopes that they arrive to a safe Faerie village hidden in the woods.

To be continued…