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

41. Branching Pathways

Tales of Xalthia

Chapter 40: Branching Pathways

It took the Glacier team took longer than it should have to return to Imil, just about two hours, give or take. Due to the effects of the Wellspring, as weak as they were on the surface when it was still around, they had an effect on the Skiffs. The Skiffs ended up breaking down and became unresponsive not too long after leaving the Glacier. Not having any other choice, Tsuki and the others had to ditch the Skiffs and continue the rest of the way on foot. They used the ComLink to notify Flynn of what happened and assured them that he would send out a few people to retrieve them.

The walk back was pretty eventful. They had a lot of monster encounters on the way back. They were wary of their surroundings in case they had a run-in with the Elder Behemoth, but considering that the local monsters were out like any other day, they were able to assume that it wasn't in the vicinity. On the way back to Imil, they took the chance to talk with Frost a bit more to better know her. Considering that Elle had basically made a contract with Frost in the same sense that Tsuki did with Allie, they were going to be spending a lot more time together.

As they walked back, she confirmed basically everything they knew about her, which wasn't much. Frost had long been in a very long state of sleep since she had fused with Undine. She stated that she essentially became part of Undine through mutual understanding. She was always lacking in power by herself and Undine had considered her like a "sister" though many Spirits don't know the concept of family. Because of this, she and Undine were now considered as a single entity. She explained to them that she shouldn't have been awakened without Undine and was unable to explain why she did. Undine's mind was still closed off so she was unable to communicate with her. The same seemed to apply to the rest of the Great Spirits. That is, except for Gnome. She was able to establish a connection with his essence but never got a response from him and she didn't understand why.

When they did eventually return to Imil, Frost remained exposed for all to see. Since the Nightwing's main purpose was to awaken her, they would have wanted to see the fruits of their labor. There wasn't any point or reason to hide it from them and would raise more questions if they kept the information to themselves. After dealing with a few of the townsfolk and members of Nightwing that confronted them, they made their way over to their headquarters. Parked outside of the main building were the Skiffs that the Melte team used along with a number of footsteps in the snow.

As Tsuki and the others arrived at the front doors to their headquarters, a solider of the Nightwings approached them. "You're Tsuki, right? The folks that went out to the Glacier?" he asked.

Tsuki turned to face the soldier that approached them and nodded. "That would be us. We're here to report to Flynn" he said.

The soldier stepped off to the side and motioned them to follow. "Right this way then. The Commander is waiting for you in the Medical Building. Preparations for the operation are currently underway" he said.

Tsuki tilted his head a bit with a hint of concern. "Operation…?" he asked, hesitantly.

Without saying much else, he led the group over towards the two-story stone building off to the side of their headquarters. They saw a bunch of soldiers and townsfolk gathered around the entrance, looking concerned and worried. The soldier led them through the crowds and into the building. After going through the main lobby and through a few corridors, they arrived in a spacious room. Inside, they saw Ramza and the others sitting on a nearby couch and a few chairs as well as Flynn standing by a window, talking to a large, muscular man. There was a curtain that divided a section of the room.

Nagi heard the door open to the room they were sitting in and turned her head towards it to see Tsuki and the others walk in. "You're back!" she said. She knew that they were okay from their ComLink communication, but it was still a relief to see that they're all none worse for wear unlike them.

Tsuki looked at others who sat around the room. Melphi was heavily bandaged up and the rest appeared to have minor burns and leftover scars and injuries that had yet to be healed. They all looked pretty beat up, but considering that they encountered the Elder Behemoth, they were lucky that they got away with what they did. "You guys look like you took several tumbles down a cliff…" he said. He walked over towards the curtain and on the other side of it, he saw Reis sitting up on a bed with his right arm in a properly bandaged sling with IVs hooked up to him. Cesela was also standing next to his bed. "R-Reis!? Your injuries…!" he shouted. He remembered hearing a hint of pain in his voice when they spoke through the ComLink, but never knew the full extend of his injuries until now.

Reis looked over towards Tsuki, letting out a slightly nervous laugh. "Hey there…at least one of us is still in tip-top shape. For the most part, in any case" he said. Tsuki may not have sustained heavy physical injuries, but he could definitely sense that something about him was different. He wasn't showing it, but he was obviously feeling some bodily strains from some form of power exertion.

Lynette ran up to everyone else and saw how injured everyone else was. Judging by the bandages and injuries Reis sustained, there wasn't much she could do since Healing Artes don't heal broken bones. Everyone else was free game though. She put her hands on her hips with her cheeks slightly puffed out. "I take my eyes off you for few seconds and you all get yourselves beat to a pulp and tossed into the fryer!" she said. She went over to each of them and started to heal up their leftover injuries. "Sometimes, it's tough being the only Healer of the group" she said.

Phi leaned up against the nearby wall and watched them. "Honestly, I was expecting worse when I heard about your encounter. I'd say you all got off pretty easy, all things considered" she said. Taking on an Elder Behemoth and living to tell the tale was a feat in and of itself

Cheria walked over past the curtain over towards Cesela and Reis. She was pretty shocked to see Reis in his current state. She took a look at some of the medical documents near his bed and saw that he had several broken ribs and a pretty bad break in his arm, all of which would take a significant amount of time to fully heal. "It looks like you took the brunt of it though. How are you feeling?" she asked.

Reis shrugged his shoulders a bit. "Aside from the pain that you'd expect from a few broken bones, it's nothing that won't kill me. I'll definitely be out of commission for a while, however" he said. He wasn't exactly left-handed, so fighting was an impossible task for him right now. His main focus was getting his injuries healed up and rehabilitated so that he can go back out into the field. There was still much that needed to be done.

Cesela had her hands on her hips with her cheeks slightly puffed. "It's desk work for you, bud. You better learn to adjust to it for a while" she said. She was worried for his concern, but needed him to understand that he can't overexert himself.

Ruko took notice of Frost that was hovering next to Elle. "Looks like you guys brought a tagalong with you as well" he said. He glanced back over towards Kesuke, who was standing by the window. "Ours has some pretty extraordinary circumstances that you'll love to hear" he said.

Allie looked over towards Frost, who appeared to have no idea what was going on. "If you thought yours was extraordinary, then you haven't heard of ours…" she said.

Melphi looked over towards Frost and knew immediately who she was. There was no denying what she was seeing. "Is that the Great Spirit, Frost…? Or, have I taken too much medicine?" she asked. Out of all the Great Spirits, Frost was the last one she expected to see since her circumstances with Undine were quite unique. She understood that the purpose for their visit to the Glacier was to wake her up, but not like this.

Tsuki scratched the back of his head. Both sides appeared to have long stories to tell, so he had no idea where to start. "You aren't hallucinating, if that's what you're thinking. Things got…a little complicated down in the Glacier" he said.

Reis chuckled a bit as he found some amusement in this. "It seems both of us ran into the unexpected. The situation in Melte almost got out of hand too" he said. He shared a few glances with Melphi and Nagi. "These two were the stars of the show, if I'm being honest. Melphi helped subdue the Elder Behemoth with her dragon form and Nagi stepped up to bat and went swinging hard with her spells. Watching the two of them go at it like that proved to me to not get on their bad side" he said. Melphi was terrifying enough as normal. She had a cold, hard exterior with a burning flame inside of her and her dragon form bring all that out into a frightening sight. Nagi, however, gave him the most surprise and bone chills. She had suddenly gained that incredible boost of power out of nowhere and ruthlessly took down Freyja. There was a cold chill behind the words that she spoke to Freyja. "Nagi pulled out a few surprises herself. I haven't known her for very long, but she seems to be breaking out of the shell that's kept her restricted" he said.

Nagi played with her hair a bit with a nervous fidget. "I-I don't know about that. I didn't do much…" she said. She wasn't used to being at the center of attention.

Melphi glanced over towards Nagi. "Didn't do much? I don't know if you realize this, but it was all those spells you threw at the Elder Behemoth is what allowed me to throw it off it's feet. Not only that, but it was you that broke through that barrier and killed that Magister" she said. It was because of that the manipulation that Kesuke was under broke and allowed him to regain himself. If she hadn't done that, they probably would of all been killed when the Elder Behemoth stood back up.

Nagi backed up a bit from the group, slightly panicked by the sudden praise and attention. She felt that she was still trying to play catch-up with everyone despite making a few jumps forward. "I-I mean, I did do that but…" she said. She ended back up into Elle, which made her jump a bit forward and turning to face her. "U-umm…" she said, looking down a bit. All of a sudden, she felt really nervous.

Elle looked at her and smiled a bit as she placed a hand on her shoulder and using the other to lift her chin up towards her face. She could see the newfound strength and resolve in her eyes. She didn't know what happened in Melte, but whatever it was made her stronger in both mind and body. It brought a huge sense of relief to her. "You've matured a bit, I see" she said in a soft voice.

Nagi was forced to look up at Elle as her face turned a bit red. "U-umm…th-thanks you…" she said. You could almost see a faint puff of steam coming off of her head.

Ruko took notice of their behavior. For a while now, he's noticed that the two of them have gotten significantly close and attached to one another. For a brief moment, he could of almost mirrored their relationship with Tsuki and Cheria's although one of them was more assertive than the other. It was painfully obvious that their relationship was something more. "Hey, try to keep it in check over there. We already have one lovey-dovey couple to deal with. I don't think the group could handle two of them" he said, shooting glances at Tsuki and Cheria.

Cheria let out a nervous laugh and sweat as she scratched her cheek. Considering she openly admitted that she loved Tsuki as more than just a friend and bodyguard, albeit while he was asleep with no one else to hear her, she had no room to argue. As for Tsuki, he couldn't help but remember what happened in that room when it was just the two of them where they had almost lost themselves to feelings of lust. It was a sight and memory he wouldn't soon forget for a variety of reasons. It was an exciting memory, to be sure. After all, it was the first time that he had seen Cheria so open and vulnerable.

Tsuki had to clap the sides of his face to snap him out of his thoughts before he lost himself in them. "Must you have to make that comment…?" he asked.

Ramza shrugged his shoulders a bit. He couldn't help but agree with Ruko. "I mean, he's not wrong…" he said. He was all for expressing one's love, but there was a limit to how much people could handle.

Nagi couldn't keep her eyes locked onto Elle for very long. She soon had to push herself away to regain her composure. "Ohhh…why did she have to go and say that…?" she quietly mumbled to herself. Little did everyone know, she had something happen to her recently prior to everyone meeting back up again in the Medical Building. She and the others arrived in Imil after about 45 minutes of traveling across the snowfields and since Tsuki and his team were late on returning, she ended up taking a short nap in the headquarters building.

Time shifts back about 30 minutes with her taking a short nap. She had practically fell right to sleep as soon as her head had hit the pillow. She wasn't intentionally trying to fall asleep since she had just woke up in Melte not too long ago. When she opened her eyes next, she found herself standing in a field of exotic flowers of different colors that overlooked the open. She immediately recognized this scenery as it was one of her fondest memories. She was standing in the flower fields just outside of where Tomoha used to be. The scene in front of her looked so real that she questioned if this was real or a dream. Seeing this scenery, even if it was just a vision of the past, brought her some form of comfort.

Nagi had took a few steps forward through the flower fields as she took in the familiar views and setting. "At the very least, this place will stay preserved in my memories…" she said. She took in a deep breath as strange gust of wind blew past her. The gust of wind brought a familiar sense of familiarity and longing with it.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a familiar slim-looking female figure came walking out from behind the nearby tree with her arms behind her back. "So, this is the place where your cherished memories reside, huh?" she asked.

Nagi recognized the voice immediately which caused her heart to skip a few beats. She slowly turned and saw Meghan slowly approaching her. She looked as real as can be and nothing like a silhouetted Spirit. She had her signature warm, loving smile as her hair seemed to blow in the breeze. "Meg…han…" she said, her voice slightly trembling.

Meghan walked up beside her as she did as she did before, taking in the sights and would-be smells of the flowers that filled the air. "It's a nice, cozy place. I can see why you used to talk about it so much back when we were held against our wills. I'm almost jealous that I couldn't grow up in such a place" she said.

Meghan Takanashi, while she was still alive, was a 20 year old girl who grew up in a rather simplistic environment. She had grew up somewhere far out in the country, away from any major cities. She used to live in Crescentia with her grandparents. Her parents were attacked by bandits while on the road coming from their jobs. By the time help had arrived, they were already long gone. Now orphaned, she was taken in by her grandparents not too far from Crescentia. They had owned a small cabin out by a lake and had lived there for about 40 years. This all happened when she was around 11 and that's where she had spent the next 6 years. Then, that fateful day came which changed the rest of her life. Her home was discovered by a roving group of Draxus members and attacked. Her grandparents were killed without mercy and she was abducted from her home. For the next three years, she would spend the rest of her days as a captive of Draxus.

However, in the last three years of her life in captivity, she became familiar with a young Nagi, who was three and a half years younger than her. She's seen many people come and go while held against her will, but the moment she saw Nagi, she felt an immediate attachment with her. Something about her pain and the heavy emotions she was going through as well as her attempted suicide attempts she had made called to her. At first, she was rather cold and unreceptive to her, but with persistent and repeated attempts to get her to open up eventually bore fruit. For the next three years, the two would confide in each other and even eventually developed romantic feelings for each other. At first, Meghan was a bit hesitant, but when she took their circumstances under account, trivial things like age difference didn't matter to them. They both knew that their time to be sacrificed would come at some point so they both mutually decided to share what time they had left with each other to bring back some semblance of happiness to their lives.

Meghan was a major pillar of support for Nagi. She was repeatedly told by her that they would one day escape and share a life of peace together. It was a prospect Nagi largely dismissed since the chances of them escaping Draxus were slim to nothing, but the thought eventually became the driving force for her will to live. Then, when the time finally came to them to escape, they decided to risk it all and seize the opportunity. Unfortunately, it didn't end well. In the course of their escape, Meghan was struck by several poisonous arrows and ultimately, she succumbed to the poison that quickly spread through her body. In her final breath, she told Nagi that she had to run and live. That she mustn't give up, no matter what. Of course, she attempted to escape on her own but was caught in the end. At that point, having yet another precious loved one taken from her right before her eyes, she had all but given up living completely. Then, in a sudden twist of miracles, she was saved by Tsuki, whom she had thought was long dead by that point.

Nagi felt her emotions well up inside her as tears started to well up in her eyes. She ran up to her and threw her arms around her in a tight hug. In this dreamscape, she could feel everything. Her body, the warm touch of her skin and her soft breathing. To be able to hold her again, even if it was just inside of a dream, was one of the things she's always been wanting to do. She couldn't hold back her tears as she just silently held onto her as she trembled.

Meghan returned the hug and kissed the side of her head, gently stroking her hair with a warm smile on her face. "You did good, Nagi. You survived like I told you to. I'm proud of you" she said.

This moment seemed to last forever with her and a large part of her didn't want to end. She didn't know how much time had passed during her long, awaited embrace. After some time, she eventually managed to calm down with Meghan gently helping her along the way. When she finally stopped crying, they both took the chance to talk to each other. They both sat down along the edge of the cliff in the flower fields as Nagi told her everything that happened after her death as there was a lot to tell.

Meghan listened to her story with a smile on her face though she wasn't surprised. It was almost as if she had known it all already by now. "I'm happy that you were able to reclaim the happiness you once lost. It lets me rest easier knowing that you're surrounded by those that care about you now" she said. It was relieving to know that she was returning back to her original self.

Nagi shook her head a bit as she gazed out across the open seas in front of them. "They're all good friends and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Though, there's one thing that will never be the same…" she said. She turned her head over towards Nagi. "I just wish that you were there to experience this all with me too" she said.

Meghan gently shook her head with a smile. "But, I'm always with you. I may have passed on in the world, but that doesn't mean I haven't left you" she said. She placed her hand over hers that was on the ground as a faint, warm glow started to emit from their touch. "As you know, my spirit is quite stubborn. Not even the concept of death is strong enough to break it. I told you that I'd be with you forever and I meant what I said, even if that meant binding my spirit to yours" she said.

Nagi tilted her head a bit with a confused look on her face. "Binding your spirit? What do you mean?" she asked.

Meghan nodded at her. "I never got the chance to tell you this, but I inherited a special trait from my parents. It's called Soulbind. It's a technique that allows the caster to, as the name states, bind their soul to person or object. It's a unique ability that only Spiritweavers have" she said. She was planning on telling her the whole truth of who she was when they had escaped, but that never came to be.

Nagi has never heard of the term before, so she had no idea what she was saying. "Spiritweavers? What are they?" she asked.

Meghan had a lot she wanted to say, but thought it would be too much for her to go into full detail all at once. She decided it would be best to talk about what they were and slowly talk more about them over time with her. "My parents belonged to a unique clan of people that once originated on the Isle of Nula. These people had special, innate talents to tap into the Spirit World and harness some of it's energy. This resulted in a number of different effects that varied between people. Some gained combative abilities, others gained insights in things like agriculture and craftsmanship" she said. It felt like a lifetime ago since she last spoke about this subject. In death, there was no such thing as the concept of time, after all. "Then, there were a unique few that had a trait that other Spiritweavers didn't possess and that allowed people to pass on as Spirits after death through the art of Soulbind" she said. She lifted up both of their hands as they continued to emit a soft, warm glow. Moments later, she pulled her hand away from hers and between the palms of both of their hands, there was an aetherial thread that appeared to connect the two of them. "Do you remember? Moments before my death, how I took hold of your hand and causing it to glow, just like this?" she asked.

Nagi recalled the moments that lead up to her death. She did remember them holding hands one last time and a strange but warm feeling rushing into her body. She didn't realize what it was and ended up brushing it off. "Yeah…I remember now…so then, what you did…that was Soulbind?" she asked.

Meghan nodded at and looked at the aetherial thread that ran between the palms of their hands. "Exactly. Before I was taken by the poison that quickly ravaged through my body and had my soul tainted by it, I essentially transferred it and bound it with yours" she said. At first, she didn't much care about her ability and the prospect of a Spiritweaver was all essentially lost on her after losing her home in Nula from the Wellspring and her parents. Her unique talents that she inherited had no offensive or defensive capabilities and so were ultimately useless to her. At the very end, she came to appreciate this ability. "Soulbind is an ability that one has the option to use when they know their life is about to end. Since the process involves transferring souls, their physical body would wither and die as a result. In short, it's mostly a useless one-time ability that only comes in handy at the end of one's lifespan" she said. She reached her hand back out and took a firm hold on her hand. "In a few words, you can say that I, quite literally, live on inside of you. Though as a result of Soulbind, that also stimulated the Darkness inside of you, causing it to suddenly awaken, but I guess that's not totally a bad thing" she said.

Nagi remembered that happening clearly. After witnessing her die in her arms, her powers suddenly exploded and made her lose control. In a lot of ways, it was a good thing that this occurred since it attracted the attention of Tsuki and Lynette. "So, that's what happened…" she said.

Meghan placed their hands back down onto the ground and looked out towards the sea. "So basically, if you ever need help or someone to talk to, I'll always be willing to listen" she said. She may not be alive anymore, but she still intends to look out for her. "Moving onto a different topic, I'm pretty curious about your relationship with this Elle person" she said.

Nagi eye's widened slightly by the sudden mention of her name. "Elle…? W-why so curious?" she asked. She suddenly felt a bit nervous and she didn't understand why.

Meghan leaned her head up towards the sky and watched the clouds above them. "Come on, you can't seriously be trying to hide it, are you? It's painfully obvious that the two of you love each other. Just go for it!" she said. The last thing she wanted to do was hold her back.

Nagi's face turned slightly red, causing her to get riled up. "G-go for it!? I can't just…go for it…" she said. Her feelings on the matter were a bit complicated.

Meghan looked down at her with a tilt of her head. "Why not?" she asked. She then pointed to herself. "Is it because of me that you can't be honest with your feelings?" she asked.

Nagi was silent in her response towards her. She pretty much had hit the nail on the head, for the most part. There was that and then a part of herself that she wanted to change before she got involved in anyone else romantically.

Meghan got her answer from her silence which made her sigh heavily and shake her head. "I know it must feel complicated, but you shouldn't keep yourself tied down. I'm already dead; there's no reason for you to cling onto me. Can't build a family with a dead person, after all" she said. She lifted up her hand and patted her on top of her head. "I'm happy that you still love and cherish me, but you need to move on. Besides, she came before me, right? You should seize your happiness" she said. She was a bit jealous that she couldn't fill that role anymore, but she didn't mind if it meant for her to be happy.

Nagi held her hands up to her chest, her head tilted down a bit. "Can I do that, though? I feel like she's so far ahead of me now. Am I really worthy enough to stand by her side?" she asked. She didn't deny that they had a tight relationship, However, so much has changed over the years. Elle seems to have remained the same person as she was before, but more mature while she has significantly changed. Before, she used to be outgoing and somewhat firm with her but now it was like she was someone else. She was full of self-doubt and she lacked the brimming confidence she used to have.

Meghan looked towards her and raised her hand up to flick her on the forehead. "Still haven't shaken that habit of talking down on yourself, huh?" she asked. That side of her always annoyed her a little bit. She had more worth than she lets herself believe. "There's more to it than just self-worth, you know. From what I've gleaned from your memories and what I've seen ever since the day I died, it seems to me that you both are more than suited for each other" she said.

Nagi rubbed her forehead a bit when she flicked it. "W-wait! D-does that mean…you've been watching over me all this time?" she asked.

Meghan nodded. "Of course! Which reminds me…" she said. She then took both her hands and clapped them against her cheeks and lightly pulled on them as she gave her a stern look. "I also saw that you were about to give up when they had you mounted on that wall in Prophet Castle. I seem to recall that I explicitly told you to live in my dying breath" she said.

It scared her that she was just going to give up and let herself be devoured by whatever ritual Yuno was conducting on her. Unlike normal Spirits, she didn't have the power to interfere or offer any kind of assistance. It wasn't until recently that she's been able to hear her either. Her self-doubt and other negative emotions was blocking her perception, which not only hindered her own abilities, but the effects of Soulbind as well. Memories of that event played back in her mind. It was like she was standing on the other side of glass wall. All she could do was watch her succumb to the sacrifice. That is, until the ritual was interrupted when Tsuki and Lynette had burst into the scene.

Nagi felt the pinching as her cheeks were being pulled. This may be a dreamscape, but she could still feel the pain. "Owowowow…! I'm sorryyy!" she shouted. When she released her cheeks, she rubbed them with pained tears in her eyes.

Meghan let out an exasperated sigh, putting her hands on down onto her shoulders before pulling her into a warm, loving embrace. "You've been given a second chance to have a normal life. Don't let yourself be tied down by the past. I'll always be by your side, both figuratively and literally" she said. She didn't have much of an exciting life to look forward to, aside spending time with her. If anyone deserved to have a second chance, it was her. "Be true to your heart, you got that?" she asked.

Nagi felt her warm embrace and soon returned it and took in the moment. "…I'll try my best" she said.

It was in that moment that scene around her faded away as she had been woken up from her sleep in that moment. She had heard a knock at her door, telling her to meet up with everyone at the Medical Building. She looked out the window of her room as she put her hand up to her cheek. She could still feel the redness from when her cheeks were pulled, so that basically confirmed what she had just experienced was something else other than a simple pleasant dream. It was a bizarre experience, but she knew that it was real. That it really happened. Knowing that Meghan was truly with her at that point invigorated her. At that point, any kind of self-doubt she had at that point was all but gone.

Time shifts back to the present with everyone else in the Medical Building. Tsuki and the others took the time to debrief each other on what happened in Melte and the Glacier, as well as explaining the circumstances that revolved around Kesuke and Frost. They were all equally shocked about what took place in their respective locations. To know that Draxus was up to their usual deeds was of no shock to Tsuki and the others, but to know that there was an actual Human with transforming capabilities to turn into an Elder Behemoth was of great shock. They wouldn't have believed it if Kesuke hadn't summoned horns on his head and turned one of his hands into the claws that belonged to his Elder Behemoth form. While they were on a smaller scale, it was similar to how Melphi brings out her dragon claws while in her Human form. To know that Humans were, once again, the root cause of a pending disaster only dug them further deeper into the crater they have already dug for themselves.

Similarly, Ramza and the others were surprised to hear about the events at the Glacier. Not only had they successfully awakened the Great Spirit Frost, but they were able to actually form a Spirit Contract with her. It was still a mystery, however, as to why Frost regained her sense of self in the first place though. They, along with Flynn and Reis, were also disturbed to learn about the Hands of Sarex and what their obvious connection is with the slumbering Archfiend. Tsuki had tried to reach out to the three souls again for further information, but was unable to establish a connection with him. Most likely due to the fact that, while his physical body wasn't feeling any pain from the strain anymore, his Mana and Aer flow was still in the process of re-stabilizing. They didn't realize, but the pain that Tsuki was going through was, in reality, very serious and could have killed him. What he was going through were stages of Mana Overload.

Mana Overload is a phenomenon that happens when a person takes in more Mana than their body could hold in that moment. It's mostly seen as a side effect when people use Boosters to enhance their own abilities or spend too long near highly charged areas of Mana and Aer such as near Wellsprings. If the overload hits critical status, the affected person becomes a literal bomb of explosive aether. Considering the effects of the Wellspring around the Glacier were weaker than the others, the effects on his Aer, along with everyone else's, weren't as drastic as they would have been without proper protection. However, the stunt he had pulled to fend off the attack from the cloaked individual by taking in the powers of all three souls and essentially fusing with them temporarily to become one whole being was far more than enough to push him to his limits.

After everything was all said and done, the room was filled with silence and anxiety. The matter of Draxus was something that could be settled at another time, but the reveal of the Hands of Sarex was concerning. Aside from what little information that was left about them in history books and from what the three souls said, they know next to nothing about them. Whoever it was that they encountered in the Glacier was incredibly powerful, far beyond their current capabilities. If they had a mind to, they could of erased them from existence without batting an eye. Even after fusing with the other souls and taking in their power all at once, Tsuki was barely able to slice through his attack.

Flynn was leaning up against the wall and stroking his chin as he thought about everything that they had said. Each side had their own thrilling stories and it was a lot to unpack all at once. "This all seems just one big, wild story. Hands of Sarex? The Archfiend's reawakening? What does it all mean?" he asked.

Melphi was sitting on the small couch with her arms and legs crossed, her eyes closed as she was lost in thought for a few moments. "If history repeats itself yet again, I can tell you it's nothing good" she said. She remembered the old stories that the elders of her hometown used to talk about. They were more like legends and stories of myth, but they had a hint of truth to them. "After all, Sarex was the one responsible for all the drastic changes that has happened to our world over the last 2,000 years" she said.

Tsuki wasn't sure if he really believed all of that, but it was obvious that the three souls had some form of connection with the individual that they had encountered. Then, there were the comments that were directed towards Allie. About how she was addled by her own psyche and wasn't aware of who she was. Finally, the last comment he made to her about not "blowing herself up". There was history between them without a doubt. "Like we need any other problems on our plates right now. The invasion of Honegroth, the slave operations being conducted around the world, Sirione's dictatorship. All of this has been happening all this time when we were just comfortably living in peace, unaware of what's been happening outside of Cayhill" he said.

Elle looked over towards Tsuki. "It's not as if it has gone on totally unawares. Taichi and Emma would have known about what's been happening in order to adjust to things appropriately. If not through their roles as part of the aristocracy that governed the world, then through their own connections" she said. She remembered hearing them talk about the world's problems when it was just the three of them. Since her role as the Silver Knight was of a unique position and standpoint, she was privy to that knowledge where most others wouldn't be. They had expressed many concerns about Sirione, the Isle of Nula and the recent developments in Honegroth. Despite having all of their connections though, they were caught by surprise by the sudden betrayal of their own knights and the subsequent invasion of Honegroth troops via Artes that should have been lost to the ravages of time.

Frost had been asleep for so long. The world that she had once known has changed drastically but yet, some parts of it remained the same. After everything she's heard since joining up with them at the Glacier, it seemed that Humans were still up to their old tricks. "Things really haven't changed, huh…? I wonder what Gnome is thinking about right now" she said. Since Gnome was the only other Great Spirit that didn't have their minds closed off, it was proof that he had some semblance of consciousness and levels of self-awareness. However, something was interfering with the connection that the Great Spirits shared between them. The only reason for that she could think of was the fact that Allie harbored the essence of Undine, Gnome, Slyph and Efreet inside of her still.

Kesuke shook his head as he listened to everything in silence. Since he has isolated himself up in the high cliffs that surrounded them for so long, he was largely unaware of what's been happening himself. "It seems to me that people really haven't changed. All the more reason I prefer to stay isolated and uninvolved with worldly affairs" he said. He looked down at his right arm as he lifted it up a bit, rolling his hand into a fist. He still hasn't forgiven those that changed his entire being. "Whether or not it's done intentionally, the Great Spirits are wise to remain as they are now. Cut off from the world, allowing none to misuse their powers and abilities" he said.

Frost shook her head a bit. The Great Spirits, no matter how people view them, are in charge of keeping a balance of the world's elements. They also are the only ones that can provide a fighting chance against the growing darkness. To remove the dark veil that covers all of Eresseas. "We can't remain that way, though. Somewhere in some way or form, something is going to tip the scales and throw everything out of balance. The Great Spirits need to be reawakened…" she said. She looked over towards Allie. "…and she plays a vital role for them to do so. That's why I called out to her. I sensed the missing fragment of my power that had once been stolen from me" she said.

Tsuki thought about the events that led up to her awakening and they were soon locked onto the frozen teardrop that Elle had. "Cesela, you still have the Raven's Claw on you, right?" he asked.

Cesela tilted her head a bit. "Huh? Y-yeah, I do…" she said. She reached into her bag and pulled it out, holding it in her hand. As usual, she could feel the power within the object, but it had no reaction to her.

Tsuki walked over to her and took the Raven's Claw from her. His gaze then turns towards Allie and Lynette. "We heard that the Raven's Claw was attuned to the element of Light and both Allie and Lyn can use that element" he said, holding the object out towards them.

Lynette walked up to Tsuki and examined the Raven's Claw in his hand. She could definitely feel the warmth coming off it. It was a strong yet embracing feeling. "You want us to touch it…?" she asked. She reached out towards it and took the object in her hand. Almost immediately, the Raven's Claw emitted a bright white glow that shined throughout the room. It was the same type of reaction that the frozen teardrop had when Elle picked it up back in the Glacier. "Yes…I feel it. It's like being enveloped by the sun's warm rays. Strong, yet loving…" she said. She turned to face Allie and held it down for her to take it to try it for herself.

Allie walked up to Lynette and took the Raven's Claw from her. Unlike with Lynette though, the object did not shine in her hands. The shine had disappeared and the feelings of warmth that it had emitted just seconds before was gone. "Nothing…" she said.

Lynette tilted her head a bit. It didn't make sense to her. They both use the Light element, so there wasn't any reason it shouldn't have resonated with her. "That's odd…" she said. She took it back from Allie and the glow from the object once again appeared. "I wonder why it won't resonate with you" she said.

Flynn didn't know the first thing when it came to the special objects that they both have. All he understood was that they played a part in a much larger scheme. "It is a curious thing, to be sure…" she said.

Frost glanced over towards Lynette. "That thing you're holding…the Raven's Claw? It resonates with your Aer much like how the one Elle has with hers. You are the only one fit to hold such an object" she said. As for what purpose, she couldn't say. The most likely thing would be that it would play a role in the awakening of the Lost Spirit, Seraph. However, based off her own memories, Seraph hasn't been seen or felt in more than 1,500 years. Whereas with the Great Spirits who have shown up in the forms of Wellsprings, Seraph has not. Not even she knows if Seraph still exists. However, the fact that the object resonated with Lynette meant that some entity that governs the Light still exists. Whether or not that entity was Seraph or something else was a mystery.

Ramza scratched the back of his head. The Raven's Claw was a national treasure to Esseand that belongs to the royal line. "I'm sure that will cause some problems later. I don't think that the council members of Ustrisu, as well as Raiku, will simply let us keep it" he said.

Phi shook her head a bit. If Kaito sought it to bolster his own agenda, then leaving it in some random location wouldn't do much good. "But, I doubt Kaito believes that it was destroyed either when Tsuki, Reis and Cesela fell into the ocean. Leaving it in some vault or whatever will only endanger other people. Honestly, it'd probably be safer with us" she said. At least with that, they could have some measure of control if he ever came back for it.

Ruko mumbled to himself as he rubbed the top of his head. "So, what shall we do now? We've gone about as far as we could possibly go" he said.

Tsuki nodded a bit as he thought about all of the events that took place since they had left Esseand. The slave operations in Chesberry, the attack on Nobuo, the discovery of Shogunate activity on Ersheath soil and the attempted abduction of Haven Village and all that took place in the Rosedes Tundra. There was a lot to report back to Raiku. "I think we should make our way back to Esseand. I'm sure he would want to hear what has been going on from our-" he said.

Suddenly, the sounds of running footsteps could be heard out in the hallway before the door to the room flew open. On the other side was a member of the Nightwings who looked to be in a rush. "C-commander!" he shouted.

Flynn looked over towards the door as it slammed open. "Good god's man, this is a hospital. Contain yourself! Where's the fire at?" he asked.

The soldier held up an opened letter in his hand. "We received an urgent notice from King Raiku. Esseand has been attacked!" he said.

Ramza's eyes widened with shock. "What!?" he shouted.

The soldier handed the notice to Flynn and they read out the message that was written. It detailed the surprise attack by the legions of dragons and wyverns that originated from Nargelond along with who the culprit behind the attack was and a possible reason for the sudden, unprovoked attack. They weren't surprised to find out that Kaito was the one behind the attack. He failed to start an all-out brawl with Esseand with his attempt to swipe the Raven's Claw so now he was resorting to more drastic action.

In the letter, it was stated that the council members will be holding a meeting in Ustrisu not too long from now to discuss how to deal with the situation going forward. Tensions are bound to run high because of the unprovoked attack and Raiku's inaction to retaliate will only stir their agitation even more. Raiku showed no interest in making a counterattack in response, but instead expressed another method of retaliation. For this, he explicitly stated in his letter that he would officially like to request Tsuki's assistance with this matter. The details weren't written in the letter, but they were requested to make an appearance at Ustrisu for the full rundown of what he had in store for them.

Cheria tried to process the information that was just revealed to them. "A council meeting, huh? I wonder what they plan on doing…" she said, playing with her hair a bit.

Ramza shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. "Knowing those old fogeys, they'll probably spend the next several days arguing with each other and going back and forth with what the best course of action is" he said. The elders on the council board spend more time bickering amongst themselves than they do making real action happen. "What I'm more interested in is what His Majesty wants to request of us. Considering that this is Raiku we're talking about, no doubt he plans to throw us into the middle of his schemes" he said.

Allie tilted her head a bit. She didn't understand the big, complex words that was written, but she got the vibe that something bad was going on. "Are we going to war?" she asked.

Reis shook his head. "It seems that's something His Majesty is trying to avoid. Open war would make things more difficult for both sides involved and many innocent people will be caught in the cross-fire. Whatever plan he's hatching most likely relies on being covert and stealthy" he said. There were only a few ways to prevent war from occurring and that usually involves removing those involved by force or resolving matters through negotiation attempts in peace talks. So long as Kaito and the War Council are still in power, however, any hopes of peace talk will fail.

Cesela folded her arms and mumbled to herself a bit. It's always a never ending cycle with them. It's like fate conspires against them. When one problem is solved, another emerges to take it's place. "I guess we'll find out once we get there. Though, I've never met the king, so I'm a bit nervous…" she said, fidgeting with her fingers.

Allie walked up to Cesela and took hold of her hands, giving her a bright smile. "It'll be alright, Sela! He's a good guy, I assure you" she said.

Cesela blinked several times when she suddenly said that to her. What really got her was the nickname she suddenly blurted out. "S-Sela…?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Allie nodded at her. "Yeah, Sela! That's your new nickname…" she said. She stopped herself and soon wondered if it was alright to call her that. After all, she had overheard her conversation with Ryoka back in Haven Village. She may not recognize herself by it now, but she was definitely the princess of Sirione, who has long since been believed to be dead. She thought maybe a casual nickname like 'Sela' would be inappropriate. Then again, everyone else treats her like a normal girl, unaware of who she was. "Do you…hate it?" she asked.

Cesela soon smiled a bit, shaking her hand and taking hold of her hands. "No, I love it. It's just, no one has ever given me a nickname before so it just surprised me, that's all" she said.

Reis sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head with his left hand. He was eager to take part in what was coming, but that wasn't going to happen. "Wish I could join you all. These injuries will leave me incapacitated for a while" he said. He only hopes that the recovery process was fast. He can't stay saddled to the sidelines forever. Sooner or later, the Nightwings were going to make their move and he had to be ready for that whenever it comes.

Phi looked over towards Reis, shaking her head a bit. "Your recovery is important. Make sure you take the time to rest and try not to strain yourself" she said. She then glanced over towards Kesuke. "What about you? What are your plans from here on?" she asked. She obviously knew the answer. A man like him doesn't want to be involved more than he already was.

Kesuke looked out the window next to him, his gaze fixed on the snowy mountains in the distance. "I'm going back to my plateau. The sooner I fall back into obscurity, the better it'll be for everyone" he said.

Flynn stroked his chin a bit as he stared at Kesuke, thinking to himself for a moment. "You could always stay with us, you know. I get that you've had a rough life up until now, but doesn't it get rather lonely up there?" he asked. Isolation can take it's toll on anyone in a variety of ways. It could make someone go mad or senile. Kesuke was still a strong, healthy individual and it would be a shame to leave someone like that.

Kesuke shook his head with a smile on his face. "I appreciate the concern, but it's not needed. The world doesn't know that there's someone out there with Elder Behemoth blood coursing through their veins" he said. If people knew of his existence, he might make himself out to be a target by those that tried to use him the first time around. That was one scenario he wanted to avoid. "That said, I still owe you guys a debt for helping me out. If there's anything you need my help with, you know where to find me" he said. He stretched his arms a bit before heading towards the door. "And with that, I think I'll take my leave. I wish you all the best of luck out there" he said. He soon left the room afterwards.

Nagi's thoughts fell back on the meeting that was going to be held at Ustrisu. Considering how far away they are, there was no way they would make it there on time. From Imil, Ustrisu was, at the very least a two to three day hike. They would need to go leave the Tundra and traverse back across the hillsides that surrounded Spiral Woods. From there, they would need to pass through the canyons and then across the vast, open fields. By the time they'd arrive, the council meeting would have long been over with. "How does Raiku expect us to get to Ustrisu though? We're pretty far away from it, after all and it's not like we can take what few Skiffs the Nightwings have" she said.

Melphi sighed heavily, lowering her head a bit. It was obvious as to what their only answer would be. The only way they would get to Ustrisu on time is through the power of flight and she was the only one who had that capability. "Looks like I'm left with no other choice, huh? I'll have to fly us all there from here" she said. She knew that Raiku was fully aware that they wouldn't make it by normal means of travel. Raiku probably used that in order to show the council members that they had their own aerial ace up their sleeve. Many people weren't aware of her association with Raiku.

Lynette was all for flying to get around for once. However, given the circumstances that Esseand was facing, she wasn't so sure about that this time. "Is that really wise, though? What if they mistake us for the enemy?" she asked.

Melphi shrugged her shoulders. There's not much she can do about that. Ustrisu Fortress was located in a pretty open space. They'd be able to see a dragon coming from any direction for miles. Unfortunately, there wasn't a way to be subtle. "Well, let's just hope Raiku informed them that we'd probably be arriving through unconventional means…" she said.

Ruko looked over towards Melphi and took note of the heavy bandages she had wrapped around her. She took some pretty serious hits while fending off the Elder Behemoth, so he was a bit worried. "Are you feeling strong enough to carry us all there in your state?" he asked.

Melphi put her hand up on her shoulder and rolled it around. Thanks to the rapid healing effects of her draconic medicine, most of her injuries were all but healed. Though, another thing could be said about the strain on her body. It hasn't been that long since she last transformed and doing so requires a significant amount of Mana. "Probably not, but what other choice do we have?" she asked. The more she gets stronger, the better she'll be able to carry herself. Compared to when she flew them all out of Eresseas to the outskirts of Basilwell, she's gotten much stronger. The distance between Imil and Ustrisu wasn't as long and she didn't have to fly over mountains this time to get to their destination, unlike with Basilwell. "I'll manage. Don't worry, if I feel the transformation is about to give out, I'll make sure we don't come crashing down" she said.

Cheria scratched her cheek with a nervous look on her face. All of a sudden, she was feeling really nervous. "I'm starting to have second thoughts about this…" she said.

Tsuki took the ComLink off his ear and handed it back to Flynn. "I should probably give this back to you" he said.

Flynn shook his head. "Why don't you hang onto it? It might come in handy in the future" he said. For their assistance with Melte and the Glacier, giving them one of their few working ComLink's was more than enough compensation.

Tsuki tilted his head a bit. He had said that the ComLink was still new technology that was in development and how few they had on them. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Flynn nodded, giving him a thumbs up. "Of course! Besides, if you run into any of our other companions out there, it'll be easier to keep in touch with them. All of our ComLink's, yours included, are connected to the same network and frequency, after all" he said. Range of effectiveness and conditions of the surrounding area would still apply, but having a way to communicate with others across a wide distance will have it's uses.

Tsuki thought about it for a moment before nodding at him and pulling his arm back to put the ComLink away. "Alright then" he said.

Reis took a look at the clock on the wall. The meeting of the council members going to commence any moment now. If they wanted to get there before it adjourns, they would have to leave now. "You guys should probably get a move on. It's getting close to my operation to get fixed up anyway. Hopefully, next time we meet, it'll be under better circumstances and I'll be back on the field" he said. He glanced over towards Cesela for a moment. "You be careful out there, okay? Don't go sticking your nose into trouble" he said.

Cesela put her hands on her hips and a scolding look on her face. "I should be telling that to you! Try to take it easy for a while, okay?" she asked. They hadn't known each other for long, but the two of them have spent a good time bonding with one another. To her, he reminded her of her brother a little bit. That's probably why she felt so calm and relaxed around him.

Flynn gave each of them one last look of gratitude. "If you see someone with black wings on their sleeve, show them this and they'll help you out whenever you need it. As far as I'm concerned, you're all allies to the Nightwing's" he said. He handed Tsuki one last thing. It was a stitched patch that one would attach to clothing. It had a pair of black wings on it for the design which felt appropriate for a group known as the Nightwing's.

Tsuki took the patch from him and put it in his bag. "We'll keep that in mind. Thanks" he said. It wouldn't be a bad idea to build up connections with them when they get the chance to. After all, he couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the last time they'll get involved with them.

Flynn walked up towards Cheria, putting his hand over his heart and bowed to her. "I'll be sure to let your parents know that you're doing okay. I'm sure that they would be proud if they could see you now. You really do have Taichi's strengths and Emma's personality" he said. It was the first time he had seen her grown up like this. The last time he had laid eyes on Cheria was when she was still a young child. He was curious to see what kind of person she'll become in the future.

Cheria smiled a bit, putting her hand up to her heart before she nodded at him. "Thank you…" she said.

Melphi stood up from her seat and clapped her hands together. "If we're all done with our farewells, let's get going. It's not like I can transform in here" she said.

With that, the group waved goodbye to Flynn and Reis and left the room. They exited the Medical Building and made any last minute preparations from the nearby shops, restocking their supplies and checking up on their equipment. Once they were all set to go, they left the town through the main gates and walked out into the open snowfields. Once there, Melphi transformed into her dragon form. You could still see the fresh injuries she sustained during her fight with the Elder Behemoth. Melphi immediately felt the strain from the transformation, but held it together by drawing in some reserved Mana from the pact she shared with Shana. There was no doubt in her mind that Shana would feel this happen too.

Frost had long since vanished back into Elle and Allie would soon follow suit by returning into the Caliburn to lessen the burden that Melphi would be put under. She could feel just how much she was pushing herself already and they weren't even in the air yet. She was a bit sad that she couldn't see the view from the skies, but the less people she had to carry, the better. Tsuki and the others climbed onto her back and held onto her tightly considering that they didn't really have anything to grab aside from her scales.

Melphi felt the combined weight of having nine people on her back and adjusted her Mana levels accordingly. Once she felt that she was ready, she let out a roar and slowly took off into the air. She needed to be careful of not flying too fast or making too many erratic movements because not only would that put the others at risk, but it would also drain her energy. The less movements she needed to make while up in the air, the better.

Meanwhile, the scene shifts over towards Ustrisu Fortress in a large conference room. There was a long table that could seat up to 15 people and occupying most of those seats were a bunch of older men and women. Amongst the gathered crowd though, there were a few familiar faces. Sitting on the opposite side of the table, there was Raiku, Luan, Lux and Mina. The four of them were going back and forth with the older folk, discussing matters regarding the attack on Esseand not too long ago.

Raiku was wrapping up talking about the events that had taken place in the capital. "…That about wraps up the reports. We were able to fend off the attack, but a number of buildings were left torched. We suffered a few casualties with many more injured" he said.

The fighting around Esseand didn't last too long. The dragons and wyverns may have had aerial advantage, but that's all. They had no Riders, so it was as if a sudden monster horde attacked. If there were Dragon Riders that lead the attack, the destruction would have been a lot worse. They had gotten off pretty easy. Even though there weren't any Riders with them, however, it was still an undeniable fact that they had came from Nargelond. This wasn't just a random attack made by a horde of monsters; it was a coordinated strike with one goal in mind.

One of the men who sat in the far right chair, opposite of where Raiku and the others were sitting at soon spoke. He was bald with a short, white beard. "Now, do you see, Your Majesty? Border skirmishes with Dolothlond is one thing, but it was only a matter of time before things escalated. Now, not only have they attempted to seize the Raven's Claw, but they attacked Esseand" he said.

A woman sitting next to the man that just spoke raised her own concerns afterwards. "Your Majesty, I understand that you're a tactical man. No one here would dare try to deny that. Your tactics, no matter how unorthodox they were, have paved the way for our nation and helped kept things in line" she said. She understood that he always had not just Esseand in mind when it came to peace and security, but all of Ersheath as well. However, with the drastic actions that Dolothlond has been taking as of late, she felt that it was time for a different approach. "Dolothlond has practically declared war on us at this point. If what the Prince said about the new Queen being missing, there's no one to hold the War Council back" she said. The previous king, despite his old age, did his best to keep his servants and officials in check. However, the state of his mind was degrading by the day and it soon became difficult for him to maintain control. Now that he was gone and the newly crowned Queen has gone missing, dark days lie ahead for the future of Dolothlond. "That's why, we should strike back now. The longer the War Council has power over the kingdom, the more dangerous the situation becomes. That sentiment is only made worse with the re-emergence of Kaito Isamu" she said.

Lux shook his head a bit. He mayor be just a simple mayor official from Chesberry, but he understood the circumstances when it comes to officially declaring a state of war between two kingdoms of power. "I understand where you're coming from. This whole situation, as it stands now, will only degrade and worsen over time. However, the War Council, no matter how powerful and in control they are, are unable to secure war funding and assets until an official declaration has been made. If we retaliate, we'll be walking right into their trap" he said. If a kingdom were to seize war assets and funding without being under a state of war, it would cause major backlash on the kingdom in question that would have repercussions that could be as severe as the complete removal of those in power.

Mina didn't want a war to break out as much as anyone especially after all her kind has been through. "Us Faeries know what it's like to have one's homeland encroached by hostile forces. When the Syndicate started their uprising against Sirione, everyone's first thought was to blindly retaliate. There was no strategy or tactics involved. In the end, look at what happened" she said.

Another man from across the table shook their head and glanced over towards the two of them. "This is a completely different situation compared to what happened back then. We're talking about another kingdom, not a group of empowered individuals" he said.

Luan saw flaws in the man's logic as she shook her head. "It sounds like the same situation to me. I don't recall Dolothlond, as a whole, ever expressing intents of domination. All of that stemmed from the War Council and it only added fuel to the fire when Kaito appeared once again" she said. The situation in Dolothlond had striking similarities to the events that took place in Sirione all those years ago. The royal party either being killed or going missing and then having the power seized by a third party which, in turn, uprooted the entire kingdom. Laws were changed, new practices were implemented and hostile ties grew stronger. "In my eyes, the War Council is no different than the Syndicate that controls Sirione. It's not quite the same, but the similarities of what's been happening in Dolothlond aren't merely just coincidences" she said.

Raiku nodded in agreement. "We're dealing with corrupt officials in power that want nothing more than to show their power and dominance. Nargelond, as a whole, simply wishes to live in peace and as we know by now from the various reports of our scouts, the War Council hasn't been making life easy for anyone, whether they be military or civilian" he said. If official war declarations are made and a state of war is announced, then they'll potentially run into people being drafted to fight. That would only fuel the chaos more. "You should all know that the War Council will not hesitate to use any and all means against us if we, as a kingdom, show any form of retaliation. That is why I am using some…outside connections" he said.

Another woman sitting in the middle seat of the opposite end of the table let out a heavy sigh while shaking her head. "You're referring to those outsiders, aren't you? Your Majesty, I don't want to be rude, but am I to assume that you want to let a group of outsiders handle matters of national security? Your tactics are known to be unorthodox, but that is a little too extreme" she said. It sounded completely absurd.

Raiku nodded without hesitation. "You would assume correct. It's because it's those outsiders in particular that I'd trust the kingdom's future with" he said.

The first man that spoke let out a heavy sigh and took out a file. Inside it were a few papers bundled together and on those papers were a few details that related to Tsuki and his companions. "Sir, have you seriously thought this through? These outsiders might seem like your average group of adventurers, but they harbor a secret. Based off our investigation and reports about them, we learned that mixed in with that group is none other than the Princess of Eresseas along with three of her royal knights" he said. He spread the files of Tsuki, Cheria, Elle and Phi across the table for all to see. "You are aware of this, right? To us, you're basically allowing Eresseas forces to intervene in foreign affairs" he said.

Raiku wasn't surprised that the council leaders did their own investigation into Tsuki's group. So much has happened in recent days and they were at the center of all of the events. "Yes…Cheria Tsubasa, Princess of Eresseas and next in line for the throne, is accompanied by Tsuki Himura and Xpheria Sykes, both members of Eresseas' elite Royal Eight along with their famous wild card, Elle Solize, the Silver Knight. They are indeed a part of that group as your investigation found out" he said. They only had the bare minimum when it came to information about them which was all public knowledge already. They didn't take the time to investigate what's beyond the surface. "I'm sure you're all aware by now of what has happened to Eresseas. Honegroth attacked and seized control of Eresseas, forcing the royal family out from their kingdom. King Taichi and Queen Emma, along with the bulk of their fighters, are too busy and preoccupied with fighting to take back their kingdom. They neither have the resources or reasons to intervene with us" he said.

The woman from before spoke out afterwards. She harbored no trust with a bunch of foreigners especially if they serve another kingdom. "So then, they must be here to recruit our help then. Why else would they send out the Princess and three of their knights to another kingdom?" she asked.

Raiku shook his head. Since their current goals and objectives were something that only four of them knew about, it would make sense that they would come to that conclusion. "Wrong. They came to us in order to save their companion who was suffering from Dioxide. They have never once expressed any intent on appealing to us for aid" he said. He had always wondered why they never requested any help. He wouldn't have been able to provide it, but it was one thing that he would have expected.

The woman shook her head a bit. She didn't understand their motives. They put their companion first over their own kingdom. "Preposterous. There must be a deeper reason than that" she said.

Mina gave the woman an ice-cold glare. She didn't like the tone she was using to speculate about them. "You Humans are so conceited and blinded by your own arrogance that you can't see what lies beneath the surface when it comes to things like this" she said in a vocal tone to match her icy stare.

The woman shot glares back towards Mina to the point where you could almost see a vein pop out on her head. "What was that!? Say that again, I dare you!" she shouted.

Mina nodded at her and gave her what she asked for. "Humans think that they're the masters of this world. That they can do whatever they want, wherever they please without a shred of decency and respect towards others. You take what you want and will stop at nothing to achieve that. This was an enigma Humans put on themselves back in ancient times and it's an enigma that still continues to fester in today's world" she said. This was a sentiment many Faeries like her feel. While there were good Humans out there that show love and care when it's due, there were just as many bad Humans that want to further tighten their hold on the world.

The woman slammed her fist on the table hard, gritting her teeth in anger. "Silence! I will not be talked to in that way by Catfolk like you. People who have no idea how kingdom affairs are handled should stay quiet" she said.

Lux didn't take the tone that she used with Mina. It pinched a pretty big nerve to hear such remarks that were directed towards his wife. "I'd watch that viper's tongue of yours unless you want to have it pulled out from that head of yours. Council member or not, I will not allow anyone to talk to Mina like that, especially in front of me" he said, giving her an aggressive response in return. "It's no lie that us Humans are not favored amongst Faeries. It's just like an acquaintance of mine once said, Humans are selfish creatures that only think for themselves. Because of our forefathers and all of the evil deeds they committed throughout our time here on Lorategia, Humans are covered by a black stain that isn't easily erased from history. It's up to the future generations to wipe the stain away and that won't happen if we don't cooperate together" he said. As a species, Humans have much to atone for that no average Human can ever hope to repent for in one's given lifespan.

Luan sighed heavily, shaking her head as she placed her hand over her right eye. "No wonder the Great Spirits don't want to have anything to do with us. Almost 1,500 years later and Humans are still public enemy number one" she said.

The old man from before cleared his throat with exaggeration to bring attention to himself in hopes of changing to topic and calming down the room. "Going back to the matter of these outsiders. Your Majesty, I don't think I should have to tell you that the vast majority won't like the idea of outsiders taking charge in our own kingdom's affairs" he said.

Raiku shrugged his shoulders a bit. While he did make a good point, he doesn't think that would be too much of an issue. "I don't see a problem. You forget that these outsiders were the ones that saved the survivors of Duskhold Outpost and provided aid to our troops. Not only that, but they were the ones that uncovered the slave auction taking place in the tunnels beneath Raffiki Desert and dismantled their entire operation while also rescuing all of the enslaved Faeries" he said. News about the slave auction quickly spread across the region which spurred people into talks about Tsuki and his companions. "Then, they thwarted Kaito's attempt at stealing the Raven's Claw, which currently sits safely in their possession still. It wasn't long after that when I heard a report from Mayor Ryoka of Haven Village that they wiped out a unit of Shinobi belonging to Sirione's Shogunate, saving the village" he said. He then placed out various sheets of papers that all related to the recent events that he just mentioned to them which were written in great detail by the representatives of each location. "As you know, Haven Village and the surrounding Spiral Wood is protected land. The citizens within the forest may be from various parts of Megrove, but so long as they reside on our lands, they have the same rights as citizen of Ersheath. Due to the special circumstances, we can't move a lot of our knights there as it would risk them being discovered. If it wasn't for their timely arrival, the citizens of Haven Village would have been lost to us" he said. He then presented a separate report about the events that happened in Haven Village written by Ryoka himself, along with a number of testimonies from the townsfolk. "And finally, last I heard, they were heading towards the Rosedes Tundra to attend to some business over there that we also have no means of intervening with despite the snowfields being a part of Ersheath. Suffice to say, I think these "outsiders" are more than worthy of Esseand's trust" he said. Given their unique position in the world, they had the capabilities to do things that they would otherwise be unable to do. One of those things would be seeking passage over to Nargelond in order to handle matters there.

The room was filled with silence as Raiku spoke of all their achievements that they have made in such short time. It's only been about two weeks since they had arrived and they've accomplished more than what their own military could do in a month's time. Their actions have since gained the attention and interests of Ustrisu and labeled them as persons of interest. However, due to their special circumstances with one being from another royal family, most of the Ustrisu officials don't know how to handle them. Even though Eresseas was a neutral kingdom, they didn't want to do anything that might come off as rude or insulting when it came to dealing with a member of royalty.

Lux noticed that the council members started to clam up when Raiku told of their achievements. "I think I speak for all of the people of Chesberry that they deserve a chance. Who knows how long slave operations were being conducted beneath Raffiki Desert and I don't want to imagine how many enslaved Faeries passed by right under our noses" he said. He placed a sheet of paper on the table that had multiple signatures, some of which belonged to people of influence around Chesberry. "The townspeople have given their approval" he said.

Mina also placed a sheet of paper on the table next to his. "If it weren't for their actions, who knows what would have happened to Faeries that they had freed. Tsuki and his companions saved them from a horrible fate and didn't even bat an eyelash. They put themselves in harm's way for their sakes. Us Faeries are of the same mind as the people of Chesberry" she said. She spoke for those that had been freed and employed throughout various parts of Chesberry. The Faeries that they had rescued all managed to recover and regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives. Most of them put themselves to work in order to sustain themselves and make a living while others dedicate their time to helping around the town. They owed them a debt and this wasn't even close to repayment, but it's the only thing they could do for now.

Luan followed suit and placed her own sheet of paper on the table with the other two. As expected, there were more signatures written down on it along with what appeared to be a recounting of events that took place around Nobuo Shrine. "Some of my colleagues and associates at Nobuo Shrine also rise up to their defense. While Nobuo sustained some pretty heavy damage by Kaito, given his history and nature, he wouldn't have simply settled with taking the Raven's Claw. There's a good chance the damage could have been far worse if it weren't for Tsuki and his companions" she said. Even though they were all soundly defeated by Kaito, they served as enough of a deterrent. After Tsuki, Reis and Cesela were knocked into the ocean with the Raven's Claw, Kaito promptly left the area without any further fuss.

The silence continued to spread throughout the room as more proof of their deeds were being put forward. The council members had nothing to say in response to seeing all of the support people have given them. It was only to be expected from their deeds. All the council members could do was examine the papers that they provided them and mumble to themselves. Despite all of this though, they still weren't keen on the idea of allowing them to handle their own affairs or become involved with them.

Raiku folded his arms a bit as he leaned back in his chair. "Naturally, I don't have any physical proof from Haven Village to document their deeds, but the Mayor has sent me his regards on the matter and he wasn't the type to simply make up stories" he said. He looked at each of the council members as they continued to deliberate amongst themselves. "Whether or not the Council agrees with my decision, I have the final say in this matter and it would appear a good number of our people are in agreement with me" he said.

It was at this point that the council members broke off from the table and gathered on the far side of the room where they discussed this matter amongst themselves. They were huddled together for about 20 minutes, going back and forth with each other. After reading through everything that was written on the papers that they handed them, it genuinely seemed that Tsuki and his companions meant no harm to Esseand and held no ulterior motive to further their own needs. The reports all talked about their situation and circumstances regarding Eresseas, but there wasn't anything stated that they were seeking foreign aid. Whatever their goals were, they were keeping them to themselves.

After a short while, the council members rejoined Raiku and the others at the table. The old man that had been voicing his concerns was the first to speak out. "Ordinarily, we would never even entertain such crazy notions and thoughts, but I suppose we have to give these outsiders some merit" he said.

The woman shook her head. She still wasn't set on the idea on relying on a group of foreigners. "I still don't think this is something we should even be considering in the first place" she said.

Another man soon spoke out from across the table as he stroked his white beard. "Yet, you can't deny that they've accomplished more than what we could normally do. At the very least, we should at least assess them for ourselves" he said. There was no denying their accomplishments, but there was a process they would have to follow. "And you say that you've invited them here?" he asked, looking towards Raiku.

Raiku nodded. "Indeed, I have…" he said. Then, almost as if it were perfectly timed, a commotion from beyond the walls of their room could be heard being stirred up. Muffled sounds of people shouting out orders and panicked footsteps could be heard. "…In fact, I do believe that's them now, arriving in draconic style" he said.

In that moment, the doors to the conference room flew open as a knight rushed in. "We've got incoming! A dragon approaches from the northwest!" he shouted.

The scene shifts over to the outer walls of Ustrisu Fortress where knights could be seen quickly getting ready for battle. They were all suited up as they prepared their aerial defenses to use against the approaching dragon. Everyone's focus was turned towards the northwest skies as they could see a lone dragon flying towards them. This was a sight that puzzled the knights and various field commanders as they were confused as to how a dragon could have gotten past them. Unaware that the dragon that was approaching the fortress was Melphi in her dragon form carrying the others, they were quick to respond to a supposed threat.

Standing on one of the watchtowers that overlooked the northwest was a knight dressed in familiar black armor along with one of their subordinates who was using a spyglass to get a better look at the approaching dragon. Due to all of the recent events, Raiku hasn't had the chance to inform anyone other than the Council that Tsuki and the others would be arriving. Not only that, but he had intentionally left out on how they'd be arriving.

The knight holding the spyglass and gazing out across the distance kept his eye locked on the approaching dragon. "The dragon slowly approaches, Shinzo!" he said.

Shinzo Brusck, the fabled Black Knight of Ustrisu, kept his gaze locked in that same direction. The dragon was still a good ways out, so he could only see the small red speck flying in the distance. He was unable to make out any notable features. "What do you see, Lieutenant?" he asked.

The knight tried to focus in on the approaching dragon a bit more. "It's a single dragon, covered in red scales. It looks to be a young dragon that appears to have recently been in a fight…" he said. Even though he was seeing this with his own eye, he still couldn't believe it. "I don't understand. The dragon appears as if it came from the Rosedes Tundra. There shouldn't even be a dragon that far out. How did it get around us…?" he asked. After another minute or so, he was able to get a better glimpse at the approaching dragon as it grew closer and what he saw shocked him. "Wait, is that dragon…carrying people on it's back!? Not just one, but multiple!" he said.

Shinzo stroked his chin a bit. It wasn't out of the ordinary for them to see a person riding a dragon. What was interesting is that there were more than just one. "A dragon from the northwest…carrying multiple people…?" he mumbled to himself. It only took him a few seconds to realize the only possible answer. "Wait, could that be…!?" he asked.

The scene once again shifts and this time, it's high up in the air with Tsuki and the others riding on the back of Melphi. From their view, they could see the vast fields of Ersheath and Ustrisu Fortress that closed in from the distance. They were all feeling a bit anxious on how their arrival would be taken. At the very least, they had expected to be met with some form of hostility, considering that they were coming in on a dragon's back. With them being in full view in the sky, there was no doubt that they haven't seen them approaching by now.

Melphi was really starting to feel the strain of her transformation at this point. She was being pushed to exhaustion as it took all of her focus to maintain her form. Using her dragon's vision, she was able to see what was happening around Ustrisu Fortress. To be expected, they were getting ready to repel them. "Well, I hate to break this to you guys, but I don't think our approach is very welcomed, if you can believe that" she said.

Ramza shook his head with a sigh. This was the end result that they should have expected. "Honestly, what was His Majesty thinking, requesting our presence at a heavily fortified location under such a short time?" he asked.

Cheria wanted to be as optimistic as possible with this situation. Maybe this was something that he had planned for. "Maybe he just hasn't informed everyone of our arrival…?" she asked with a slightly nervous laugh.

Tsuki sighed heavily, shaking his head. Knowing that this was Raiku, there was no doubt in his mind that all of this seemed to be intentional. "Why does this feel like just another one of his schemes…?" he asked.

Melphi let out a low grumble as she maintained her flight pattern. "Sounds about right for him, though. My Lady would often speak about Raiku and his…unconventional ways" she said. For her, this wasn't anything new. She's heard about it all from Shana and her other companions over the years about Raiku's methods.

Lynette scratched her cheek with a nervous look on her face. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were about to become wrapped up in some big, grand endeavor. "It makes me a little concerned about what he could possibly ask of us…" she said. The fact that their request for aid wasn't from Raiku, the acquaintance but from Raiku, the king makes her more anxious.

Phi shook her head a bit as she started to pick up scent of gunpowder blowing through the wind towards them. "Let's worry about that after we're on the ground. Our only concern right now is not being shot out of the sky" she said.

Melphi let out a soft roar as she felt her strength starting to slip. They were so close to Ustrisu Fortress, she just needed to maintain her form a little longer. "If they fire on us, you guys will have to be in charge of defense. My strength is barely hanging on, so I don't think I will be able to maneuver around to dodge" she said. Using her dragon sight, she was able to see that they were preparing several cannons along the outer walls, all of which were primed and aimed at her.

Everyone remained on their guard, ready to use whatever Artes they need to repel the attacks from Ustrisu Fortress. The tension in the air was so thick, you could almost cut it with a knife. As they drew closer to the fortress, something appeared to shot out straight up into the air. At first, Tsuki and the others prepared to repel and cannon fire and spells that were about come their way. However, instead of a cannonball or spell, a simple small explosive ignited high up into the air. What was fired out from the fortress wasn't a cannonball or spell, but a signal flare.

Ramza let out a sigh of relief. He was getting worried there for a minute. "Phew…man sure took his sweet time, that's for sure" he said.

Melphi used her dragon sight to get a closer look at what was going on along the outer walls. She followed the smoke trail from where the signal flare was shot out from and her eyes landed on Shinzo. "The Black Knight, huh?" she mumbled.

At last, Melphi was on final approach to Ustrisu Fortress. As they approached the outer walls, Shinzo waved at them and motioned them to land in the open courtyard of the fort before heading down to meet them. Melphi soon flew over the fortress and slowly hovered down towards the courtyard until they were back on solid ground. At the same time, the courtyard was surrounded by multiple knights, all holding their weapons at the ready. Shinzo joined the crowd a few minutes later and made his way towards Tsuki and the others. He held his hand up to signal the knights to stand down but most were apprehensive to do so.

Tsuki and the others quickly climbed off the back of Melphi. Once they were back on the ground, Allie soon reappeared in a flash of light next to Tsuki. When everyone was off, Melphi released her dragon form and transformed back to her half-human, half-dragon appearance. She was down on one knee with an intense sweat and ragged breathing. She had no strength left to support herself and was about to fall over when Allie and Cesela grabbed onto her to keep her from falling over. Lynette reached into her bag and pulled out a Lemon Gel, an improved Orange Gel that grants better Mana regeneration and fed it to her. Allie's sudden appearance and Melphi's transformation caused the knights around them to talk amongst themselves, feeling more on edge than they were already.

Shinzo sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head a bit as he approached Tsuki. "Well, you guys sure know how to make an entrance. Though, I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised since you got Melphi on your side" he said. He stopped within arm's length of him and held his hand out towards Tsuki. He hasn't seen Tsuki since they left Chesberry and had his concerns about him when he heard he fell into the ocean. "It's a relief to see that you're alright. For a man who took a tumble off a cliff, you look none worse for wear" he said with a grin on his face.

Tsuki let out a slight nervous laugh before reaching for his hand to shake it. "Yeah, well…I'm just built different, I suppose" he said.

Shinzo let out a hearty laugh. "From all I've heard about you so far, that seems to be the understatement of the century" he said. He then glanced over towards Lynette and the others. Some of them were still wrapped in bandages from what occurred in Nobuo Shrine, but they still had plenty of fight left in them. "That goes for all of you too. Not many who face off against the War General live to tell the tale" he said.

Ruko shrugged his shoulders a bit. That fight was the most one-sided battle they have fought so far. It was almost cheat levels of unfair. "To be honest, I'm surprised we survived that battle at all. Kaito could have easily killed us if he wanted to" he said.

Phi stroked her chin in thought. "I do still wonder why he didn't finish the job. From what we heard about him, it was unbecoming of him. He's the type the wouldn't leave things unfinished" she said.

Elle thought back to their encounter with Kaito after Tsuki, Reis and Cesela were knocked off the shrine. After they fell to the sea with the Raven's Claw, Cheria and herself tried to fend off against Kaito. However, all of their attacks were easily repelled. Both of them didn't last long and were quickly defeated. Kaito stood over everyone and for a moment, she thought that this was where she would die. However, instead of finishing them all off, Kaito simply scoffed at them, sheathed his weapon and flew off with his dragon back in the direction he came from without a single word.

Elle thought it was strange for someone like Kaito to spare them. "Maybe he was just too blinded by arrogance or he simply didn't think it wasn't worth the effort to finish us. Regardless, we should count our blessings" she said. She scratched the back of her head a bit before looking at Shinzo. "How are things around Esseand?" she asked.

Shinzo glanced over towards Elle, folding his arms in front of him. "It was a pretty minor attack. There were a few injuries and casualties amongst the knights and civilians, but the town took a pretty hard hit especially around the markets. They were able to fend off the attack without too much difficulty" he said. The attack came so suddenly but thankfully, the knights were quick to react. Since it was just an attack of wild dragons and wyverns, the damage was relatively easy to contain. "I've heard you guys have been busy since Chesberry" she said.

Nagi let out a slight nervous laugh. Being busy was probably an understatement. "Yeah…you can say that. Danger seems to call to us, apparently" she said. It has been one thing after another for them with little reprieve.

Shinzo scratched the back of his head a bit. "Yeah, that sounds about right. And I have a feeling that you guys are about to be wrapped up in even more danger" he said. He was told that they were being officially called upon by Esseand. Even though he didn't know the details, it wasn't hard to guess that it had to do something with Dolothlond.

Melphi was still feeling very weak. She had to rely on both Allie and Cesela to keep her up on one knee. It seems their hunch was right. "So, we are going to be…roped into one of Raiku's…schemes" she said. She then let out a violent cough which caused her to cough up a bit of blood as she gripped her side as blood could be seen coming from the bandages.

Lynette saw what was happening and quickly rushed over to her and started to use some mid-grade Healing Artes on her. "Careful! All of your wounds are going to open up again. Just relax and take a rest" she said.

It's not that her injuries were that severe. They only opened up again because Melphi pushed herself to her limits in order to get them to Ustrisu Fortress. She hasn't felt his exhausted for a long time. "S-sorry…" she said with a pained expression.

Shinzo saw the state Melphi was in and wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want her pushing herself when she's clearly unable to support herself but there were people waiting for them. "If you'd like, I can bring you to one of our beds so you can rest while the others meet up with His Majesty and the Council" he said.

Melphi wiped the blood from her mouth that she coughed up and shook her head. "No…I'll be fine. Besides, I'm sure Raiku is expecting me to be there too" she said.

Cesela looked at Melphi with her ears slightly down. She could see the Aer swirling around her was a bit erratic. It was a clear sign that her Mana levels were low. "Are you sure…?" she asked.

Tsuki scratched the back of his head. The best thing for her to do right now is to just take it easy. "If you say so. Let us know if you need anything" he said. He shifted his eyes back over towards Shinzo. "We shouldn't keep them waiting anymore than they already are" he said.

Shinzo nodded and turned towards the entrance that led into the fortress keep. "Follow me. I'll take you guys to the Council Room" he said.

They all followed Shinzo through the fortress with the eyes of many keeping their gaze on them. Tsuki helped Melphi walk by putting her arm around his shoulder and leaned against him since she wasn't able to walk on her own right now. Lynette managed to stop the bleeding on her side with her healing and closed off the injury she had sustained. Considering their grand entrance, it was no wonder that everyone around them was on their guard. After the attack on Esseand, tension and anxiety among the knights were running fairly high.

The inner parts of Ustrisu Fortress were well-fortified. With several reinforced gates to block off certain sections in case of an invasion and how tough and study the walls were, it was a keep that wouldn't fall easily. Around Ustrisu Fortress were numerous cannons and catapults to fend off attackers on the other side of the wall and in the air. The fortress was pretty large as well and could probably hold a few thousand troops at a time. There was even an entrance into the mountain catacombs that was used as an emergency shelter and exit in case their walls were ever breached though no one has had to make use of those catacombs for centuries. Usually, the catacombs are maintained by the knights stationed at Ustrisu, but due to environmental changes and shifts in monster behavior within the mountain, the catacombs have been closed off.

Because of their expected arrival, Shinzo couldn't afford to give them a tour. After about a 10 minute walk through various hallways and corridors, they arrived at a wooden, steel-reinforced door. He knocked at the door before speaking. "Your Highness, I've brought your guests" he said.

Raiku's voice could be heard speaking from the other side of the door in response to him. "Excellent. Show them inside, would you?" he asked.

Shinzo then pushed open the doors to the meeting hall where Raiku and everyone else was gathered at. Tsuki and the others saw the familiar faces of Luan, Lux and Mina and a bunch of new faces that didn't seem all that thrilled to see them. They hadn't even taken a step into the room yet and they could feel the tension in the air. It felt so much higher than out around the hallways and corridors they walked through. They could all feel the judgmental gazes they were being given by the council members. At least, they were able to get a warm reception from Raiku and the others as they made their way over to their side of the table.

Raiku noticed how beat up and exhausted Melphi was and couldn't help but feel a little concerned about her. He hasn't seen her in such a state in a long time. "Mel, you look like you fell off a mountain. Are you okay?" he asked as he got up from his seat and approached Tsuki and Melphi.

Melphi shook her head slowly. "Feeling a little drained, but I'll live. Don't worry about it" she said. If she was feeling any sort of pain, it was all of the intense staring coming from the council members. In most cases, she's able to hide traces of her being a Dragonkin, but considering her current condition, she wasn't able to. This means that there were dragon scales on various parts of her body, most of which were covered by her clothes, and her dragon horns were exposed. It was understandable that they would stare at her.

Raiku pulled out a chair for her to sit in as he nodded. Once Melphi was seated, he looked towards Tsuki and the others. "You all look worse for wear yourselves, but I can tell you're all much stronger than when I last saw you. It's good to see you all again" he said. He then turned his gaze down towards Cesela where the two of them shared looks. Immediately, his eyebrow was raised with curiosity as he could see that she wasn't just an ordinary Foxkin. "I see your party as gained a new member also. My name is Raiku Strife. I serve Esseand as it's king" he said, putting his hand to his heart with a slight bow.

Cesela, out of old habit and customs when it came to dealing with other royalty, lifted her dress slightly and bowed at him. "H-hello. I'm Cesela Reese. I've heard much about you, so it's an honor to finally meet you" she said.

Raiku stroked his chin a bit when she spoke her family name, confirming what his thoughts were. Although, Tsuki and the others appeared to be unaware of her real identity, so he feigned ignorance for her sake. It was clear that she was hiding it from them. "Reese, huh? What a peculiar name…" he said.

Lux and Mina approached Tsuki and the others as he offered his hand out to Tsuki with a smile on his face. "It's good to see you all again. I just wish it was under better circumstances" he said.

Tsuki took hold of his hand and shook it. "I think we all share the same sentiments. How's the town been?" he asked.

Lux shrugged his shoulders a bit with a nonchalant look on his face. "Us desert folk are pretty resilient. After the whole slave auction ordeal, the town banded together to make the freed Faeries feel welcomed" he said. It took them some adjusting, but it didn't take long for them to break out of the shackles that bound them.

Mina nodded in response. "Some of the ones you freed work under Lu and I while others branched out and help around town. A few of the young folk took great interest in the Sand Surfers, so they've been pretty busy" she said. Who knows what would have happened to all of them if Tsuki and the others hadn't freed them. She didn't want to think about it.

Cheria let out a sigh of relief to hear that everyone seems to have been able to move on. "That's a relief to hear. I had been wondering how they were all doing" she said.

Their happy reunion was soon broken up when one of the old men on the other side of the table cleared their throat with exaggeration. "I hate to break up this reunion of yours, but we have matters that need to be attended with" he said. He gave each of them a good, hard look. Not only was Melphi subject for some intense scrutiny since she was a Dragonkin, but Tsuki, Cheria, Elle and Phi were subject to it as well. At first glance, you couldn't tell Cheria was a Princess with the other three being her knights. They just looked like ordinary adventurers, but with his well-trained eye, that was obviously not the case. They were all indeed rather strong and have seen their fair share of combat and struggles. Based off the descriptions Raiku and the others gave along with their own investigation into them, it wasn't hard for him to figure out who was who. His eyes soon locked onto Cheria. "Allow me to get right to the point. Princess Cheria Tsubasa of Eresseas, I presume?" he asked.

Cheria wasn't expecting to be addressed so directly. "Y-yes? That's me…" she said. She knew that her identity was only known amongst Raiku and his peers, but it's been a while since someone had addressed her so formally.

The old man gathered his thoughts together before continuing on. "His Majesty has informed us of your situation and that you haven't come here in an official capacity as the Princess of Eresseas. So, I'll cut to the chase: what is your goal here?" he asked. If she wasn't here in an official capacity, he wanted to know what her plans were.

Cheria put her hand up to her chest and took a deep breath. Since she was being addressed as a Princess, she deemed it appropriate to respond in kind. "King Raiku is correct; I'm not here as Princess of Eresseas. Due to the turmoil my kingdom is facing, we are searching for ways to disable an Anti-Arte Field that surrounds Eresseas" she said.

The old woman who criticized Mina before was curious to know what these ways were. "And what are these 'ways' that you speak of?" she asked.

Cheria glanced over towards the woman. "We are investigating the Wellsprings and the connection they share with the Great Spirits. We believe with their power, we can bring down the Anti-Arte Field and work on reclaiming Eresseas" she said. She wished that there was a better plan, but their only other option was going into the Anti-Arte Field directly to destroy the source which will put them in great danger. With both Physical and Magical Artes disabled, the risks were too great.

Another old woman spoke when she mentioned the Wellsprings but not before letting out an exacerbated sigh. "You're really relying on baseless theories and assumptions like that? That's not very wise. The Great Spirits are figures of legend and myth and the few Spirits that do still linger are relatively weak. You believe in fantasy and fairy tales" she said.

Lynette shook her head. "That's where you're wrong. We have proof that not only are there strong Spirits out there, but that the Wellsprings are indeed connected to the Great Spirits. In fact, the Wellsprings are the Great Spirits themselves" she said. She could understand that they believed their theories sounded crazy and absurd. However, they had irrefutable proof to say otherwise.

The woman raised an eyebrow with a curious look on her face. "Oh? If you have proof, then show us" she said. She was eager and ready to shoot down whatever proof they had.

Everyone looked over towards Elle for a moment as she nodded at them. She held her hand up to her chest as it started to emit a light blue glow. At the same time, the temperature in the room started to plunge. In mere seconds, the room from room temperature to freezing cold. Any free-standing water in cups was instantly frozen. "Come to me, Frost. Let them know the truth" she said.

Moments later, a flash of light appeared over the conference table as the temperature took an even further plunge. The surrounding walls and decorations started to freeze as Frost appeared before them, hovering up in the air. The council members, as well as Raiku and the others, were left dumbfounded by what was happening before their eyes. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. Luan, in particular, showed high levels of excitement and bewilderment. There wasn't much information she has been able to uncover about Frost, but based off what she did know, she was able to see that what she was seeing was indeed a Great Spirit.

Frost looked down at the council members, Raiku and the others before shifting her gaze over towards Allie. She held her hand out towards her with a soft smile on her face and motioned for her to come closer. Allie seemed to understand what she was trying to say and stepped forward from the group, putting her hands together and holding them up by her chest as she started to emit a warm white glow. Moments later, a halo appeared over her head with her wings forming on her back. She soon leapt up and hovered up in the air with her wings. This only left everyone even more dumbfounded.

Luan looked up at both Allie and Frost with a flood of excitement in her eyes. This was the culmination of all of her hard work. "It's you…Frost, one of the Lost Great Spirits! The one that united with Undine! This is incredible!" she shouted with excitement. Her eyes then shifted over to Allie. "And you! I knew there was something about you! You aren't just an ordinary Spirit, are you!? And those wings too!" she shouted.

Ramza reached into his bag and pulled out the papers regarding the research Flynn and his team were doing on the Wellspring. He approached Luan and handed them to her since she was the one who would be able to understand what was written. "Here. I got copies of Wellspring research that was conducted up in the Glacier. Everything they know and learned should be all right there, ready for you" he said.

Luan's eyes brightened up even more like a hungry, crazed beast as she snatched the papers from Ramza faster than he could react. "Wellspring research, you say!?" she asked. She skimmed through some of the papers and was able to understand what they were doing. The fact that they were able to get so close to a Wellspring to do in-depth research on it was something she was unable to do. "Yes! These are the kind of research notes I've been waiting for! These will definitely help with my own research!" she said.

Lux looked up at Frost with surprise and curiosity. He didn't know much when he came to the Great Spirits, so to see one in the flesh was quite the spectacle. He could sense her immense power and she wasn't even trying to show it off. "So, this is a Great Spirit. It seems that the old legends and myths about them were true after all…" he said, glancing towards the council members. He could see the shock on their faces. "How's that for proof?" he asked.

Raiku scratched the back of his head a bit. The last he heard about their endeavors was when Ryoka sent him a message stating that they were heading towards the Rosedes Tundra. He hasn't heard about what went down in Melte or the Glacier. "I'll admit, this is beyond what I would have expected" he said. He looked over towards Tsuki. "What happened up in the snowfields, exactly?" he asked.

Tsuki took the next several minutes to explain to them everything that occurred around Melte and within the Glacier. Hearing about Draxus activity was alarming enough, but to also hear about their encounter with the Behemoth and learning the truth from Kesuke and what occurred around the Wellspring left the room in silence. There was a lot of information to process. This only proved how much of an asset Tsuki and the others could be for Esseand. Yet again, they uncovered underground activity and secrets that they were unaware of and wouldn't of had any chance of intervening themselves.

Raiku stroked his chin in thought. Ever since he allowed Flynn access to the Rosedes Tundra, he had no idea what has been happening in the snowfields. "Not only was there an underground slave auction and Shogunate activity, but Draxus was also up to their old tricks too. And then, there's that whole human experimentation deal that this Kesuke talked about…" he said.

The old woman who first spoke out shook her head. It all sounded too convenient and far-fetched, given the timing of everything. "Sounds a little skeptical to me. All of that came to light by the efforts of a few individuals who aren't even native to these lands?" she asked.

Nagi couldn't believe the words coming out of the woman's mouth. Even after all that was presented to her, she still feigned ignorance. "You think this is all made up!?" she asked, feeling a bit insulted.

The woman looked over towards Nagi with a cold look to her eyes. "Not to point out the obvious, but yes. It's all a little hard to believe at face value" she said.

Raiku glanced over towards the council members who seemed to also be in agreement with the woman. "I understand the skepticism, but there's reason to believe that what they say is true…" he said. He then glanced over towards Ramza. "General Tokatsu will attest to that face, surely" he said.

Ramza stepped forward a bit as he took out his General's Cloak and put it on. "Having witnessed the events myself and being personally involved with them, yes. Everything that they've said is true" he said.

The council members mumbled amongst each other. They almost didn't recognize who Ramza was. The Council and Ramza didn't have many dealings with each other, so it was natural for them to forget what his face looked like. However, the General's Cloak he had on him reminded them on who he was. This caused several members to think back on what was said and eventually come to retract their statements. However, the vast majority were still in denial.

Frost let out a heavy sigh as she shook her head in disappointment. It seems that even with all the time that has passed since she was in stasis, Humans were still the same. "It seems times really haven't changed. You Humans are still blinded by your own ignorance that you can't see the broader scope" she said.

The woman glared up at Frost and gave her an angry look. You could almost see a vein pop out of her head. "What was that!?" she shouted.

Frost returned an icy cold stare at her. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind especially since she couldn't do anything to her. Not having a physical form had it's perks. "You heard me and the fact that you got upset about it proved that I'm right. I know your type; all you see is what's directly in front of you. You don't take into consideration of any broader elements until it's too late. By that point, all you do is blame others for your failure and incompetence" she said.

Cheria held her hand up to her chest, shaking her head. "She's right. All we do is blame others for our shortcomings and we do nothing to improve upon them. We take advantage of others and destroy the environment for the sake of development and expansion. Humans have a nasty history of looking down on others that are inferior and we only have ourselves to blame" she said. A mix of thoughts swirled around in her head. The slavery of Faeries and Beastmen, the illegal human experimentation, forbidden genetic research, a gross disregard for innocent life. All of this started with their distant ancestors and they continue that trend in the present age. "If aren't going to be the ones that changes things, then who will?" she asked.

One of the younger men on the council stood up from his chair and walked around the table towards Tsuki and the others, putting his hand on his hip as he stared at Cheria. "You're speaking of philosophies. Humans have always aimed for greater heights and we will continue to do so" he said. He looked at the rest of the group behind her for a few moments.

Cheria looked at the man that approached them, still shaking her head. "Climbing to new heights is one thing, but not when you completely disregard what's happening around you. One doesn't simply climb straight up a mountain and not expect any problems along the way" she said. She glanced over towards the woman across the table. "The fact that you still refuse to believe us despite all that's been shown and said to you only proves that my parents were right…" she said. She then shared a brief look with the other council members with a serious look on her face. "This world's leaders are spineless curs. If your brains were dynamite, there wouldn't be enough to blow your hat off" she said with a straight face. Seeing as how the council members have been rather disrespectful, she thought she'd fire back at them.

Tsuki and the others were almost too stunned to react when she said that. She didn't even hesitate one bit to fire back some disrespect. For Tsuki, Elle and Phi, they could almost hear Taichi's voice for a moment. It was a known fact that Taichi had little love for the world leaders except those that he was acquainted with, like Raiku and Flynn. As a result of Taichi's influence, Emma also started to pick up distaste for them too. Cheria was definitely their child as she had the better halves of both of them. The three of them could see Cheria becoming an excellent Queen in the future.

Her comment, however, wasn't taken too well with the council members as they all soon erupted in shouting. The courtesy that they were giving her was thrown out the window as negative remarks were being flung around. There were a few council members that were silent as if they understood what they were saying and accepted it while most were up in arms.

The man that had approached Cheria had his shoulders trembling with frustration as you could almost see a few veins pop out across his head. His face was red with anger and instinctively reached out to her and grabbed her by the collar. "Now, you listen here! We don't need comments from a country Princess like you who lives off of neutrality, especially since-" he said.

The man was soon cut off when there was a sudden gust of wind accompanied by the sound of a sword being unsheathed. Before anyone could even blink or react, Tsuki had drawn the Caliburn from his waist and pressed the edge of his blade up against the man's neck, causing it to bleed a little bit. Tsuki glared at the man with a look that would send shivers down a man's spine. It was the look of someone who wouldn't hesitate to cut someone's head off. "I would highly suggest removing your hands from her unless you want to lose your head" he said in a cold, deep voice.

The council members that had been shouting all became silent. They couldn't even see him draw his blade. The man that had grabbed onto Cheria released her collar and slowly stepped back from them, almost fearful of him with the way his eyes looked. He made a direct threat and he would absolutely follow through with it.

As for Cheria, it was the first time she's seen Tsuki so mad and upset. She was then reminded that while they weren't going by their official titles or rankings, it didn't change the fact that he was still her bodyguard. More than that though, it almost made her heart race that her best friend and loved one came to her defense and would get mad for her. She reached out to him and grabbed hold of his arm, pulling herself close to him. "Tsu, it's okay…" she said. Her gaze shifted over towards the council members. "I'm sure no one here is stupid enough to harm me here, especially in front of His Majesty" she said.

Cesela shook her head. She couldn't believe the words that she was hearing from the council members. "Unbelievable. And you all call yourselves council members? This kind of behavior is unacceptable, regardless of what the situation is" she said. She couldn't help but feel slightly angered. "Assaulting a foreign Princess, turning a blind eye to what's obviously going on, passing the blame onto others and not taking a shred of responsibility. If the other kingdom's councils are like this, it's little wonder why things are in such a bad place" she said.

Her comments made the old woman more aggravated. She slammed her hands on the table and jumped up from her chair. "What does a child know about political matters!?" she shouted.

Cesela remained calm and composed with her responses. "More than you'd think. My family were well-known in the political field, so I've seen how a council should act. All I've heard from here is a bunch of grown adults bickering like children. You've offered nothing problems rather than solutions" she said. The way they were running things would only end up causing more problems.

Raiku shook his head slowly with great disappointment. He had expected better from his fellow council members. It would seem he would have no other choice in the matter. "For the sake of Esseand's honor and Cheria's good grace, I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear or see what just happened in the last several minutes. Whether she is here with official capacity or not, she is still a Princess to a neighboring kingdom. One more incident like that and there will be serious repercussions" he said. He gave the council members a harsh, scolding look. He knew that the Council was hard to deal with at times, but he didn't think things had gotten this bad. "Given our situation and the Council's seemingly refusal to cooperate, I have no choice but to enact my authority. On my authority as King of Esseand, I formally request the aid of Tsuki and his companions in order to deal with Dolothlond. This is a decision that is not up for discussion. Esseand will provide as much support to them as needed. Do I make myself clear?" he asked, directing his question over to the Council. The Council serves directly under him, so they had no authority to refuse his orders. He was hoping he wouldn't have to enact his authority and that they would come to a mutual understanding, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen anytime soon.

The council members all grumbled and mumbled amongst each other. Even with all the things they've already done for Esseand, they still refused to willingly provide aid. However, once he enacted his authority, they had no other choice as they all soon reluctantly came to agree with his decision. The council members and Raiku talked amongst themselves for a few more minutes before he had dismissed them from the room. Once they all left the room, an exasperated sigh could be heard coming from Raiku as he leaned forward against the table.

Tsuki had since sheathed his sword, still a little upset with the Council for how they treated Cheria. Though, for her sake and the others, he decided not to dwell on it. "Was that a wise choice? To go against the Council's wishes like that?" he asked.

Raiku looked towards him. "They're all simply old and stubborn. They mean well for the sake of Esseand, but they can be…overbearing at times" he said. His gaze shifted over to Cheria and bowed to her. "I apologize for what happened earlier. Some people here don't like their egos being challenged. I can assure you, not all of the Council share the same sentiments" he said.

Cheria shook her head with a smile on her face. It didn't even faze her when the man had grabbed onto her collar. Not only because of Raiku's presence, but her friends as well would have stepped between them. Plus, he wasn't even intimidating to start and more like a grown child having a tantrum. "Don't worry about it. Like I said, I'm not here as the Princess of Eresseas, but simply as Cheria, the adventurer" she said.

Allie folded her arms with an irritated look on her face. "Those people should really know their place. We're the ones fighting on the frontlines while they sit comfortably at a desk" she said. She has since reverted back to her normal form and was about to intervene herself until Tsuki stepped in.

Cesela scratched her cheek a bit. Human society seems to be completely different than what it used to be. Times back before Sirione fell were peaceful and everyone got along despite racial differences. Now, they were at the throats of others, even their own people. "Time's really have changed, haven't they?" she asked.

Phi shrugged her shoulders a bit. "That's how the world goes, unfortunately. King Taichi and Queen Emma have had their fair share of struggles with our own cabinet members, but this is the first time I've seen an organization like this be so disorganized" she said. Most of the cabinet members of Eresseas' government were all pretty much united. There were a few drifters here and there that give their opinions, but that was it. To see a government council to be at the throats of their own people, including the person in charge, showed how rattled they must have been. "Though their message was clear, something tells me they aren't generally like this" she said.

Shinzo, who was silently watching the whole ordeal off to the side, nodded at her in response. "You'd be correct. The sudden attack on Esseand, along with all of the other things that you guys have done, have resonated with them. They don't want to admit it themselves, but they believe everything that you said. Pride and honor is a big thing in these parts, especially when you take into account of Esseand's future. Try not to take what they said too personally" he said. He was pretty surprised himself to see the Council so dysfunctional. The fact that one of them practically assaulted Cheria spoke volumes. He couldn't believe that one would go so far to do that, especially to a foreign member of royalty. If their visit was more official, then there would have definitely been consequences.

Elle shrugged her shoulders with a sigh. With war on the horizon, it's only natural for people to be on edge during times like these. "So, what is this request you would ask of us? I imagine it's not simply going to the next town over" she said.

Raiku nodded at her and looked at everyone. He took a deep breath before speaking. "I would like to ask for your help with the assassination of Kaito Isamu and the dismantling of Dolothlond's War Council" he said.

Ramza expected a request like this. It was the only thing he could possibly think that he would ask. Something like this was beyond what Esseand could do without risking open war. "So, that's the way of it, huh? Can't say that I'm surprised. No wonder you need outside assistance in this matter" he said.

Raiku glanced over towards Ramza. "Exactly. If Esseand attempts to make a move on Dolothlond in any capacity in retaliation, we'd be doing exactly what Kaito wants. With open war, he would have access to methods that he wouldn't normally have and would deem every attack on us going forward justified" he said. Esseand had a pretty strong military force, but Dolothlond had their legion of Dragon Riders. Having air superiority can make-or-break a confrontation, so they held a pretty big advantage over them. "The last thing I wanted was to drag you all into our problems when you've got plenty of your own to handle, but this is the only option that provides less risk" he said.

Tsuki rubbed the back of his neck, mumbling to himself a bit. "I mean, it's not like we can do anything about our main problem. Besides, it will allow us to look into the Wellspring in Nargelond, so we're killing two birds with one stone" he said.

Luan put her hand up to her chin. "You'll be in for another tough environment then. Nargelond's Wellspring is located in the deepest part of Mt. Praxik. It used to be an active mine for Mythril that was operated by Dwarves but was abandoned due to the flowing lava tunnels from the nearby volcano" she said. It was a dangerous place to be and adventurers are urged to proceed with extreme caution since the nearby volcano was active. There hasn't been an eruption for several years, but the volcano was far from stable. In fact, adventurers and mercenaries are both advised not to go anywhere near it for their own safety. With the emergence of the Wellspring, the area around the volcano became dangerous. The Wellspring in Mt. Praxik was far stronger and denser than the one in the Glacier, so they were definitely going to be challenged.

Elle almost found it amusing. "So, instead of walking into a giant freezer, it's a scorching oven. Great" she said.

Frost thought about the environment the Wellspring was in. There was only one Great Spirit that would make an active volcano their home. "That would mean you plan to rouse Efreet from his sleep. Which also means, we need to find an object that's similar in nature to the Frozen Tear and Raven's Claw" she said.

Lynette remembered that she still had the Raven's Claw. She reached into her bag and pulled it out, holding it in her hand as it started to emit a warm glow. "That reminds me, what should we do with this?" she asked.

Lux looked at the Raven's Claw in her hand. He's seen it a few times when it was still enshrined at Nobuo, but this was the first time he's seen such a reaction. "That's the Raven's Claw? Why is it glowing?" he asked.

Elle took the frozen teardrop, suitably named the Frozen Tear, out from her bag and held it out as it started to glow as well. "Apparently, objects with high levels of Aer like these can be used as catalysts to contain a Great Spirit. Though, it's only half of the key. The other half resides within Allie in the form of stolen essence of the Great Spirits. Without both, it's impossible to quell a Wellspring" she said.

Luan stroked her chin in thought with a slight tilt of her head. "Stolen essence…? What does that mean?" she asked.

Allie shook her head slowly, holding her hand up to her chest. "I don't know. For some reason, I can feel their essence inside of me. How I came in possession of them, the truth must lie in my lost memories" she said. She was no closer to finding her answer nor uncovering any of her memories. The only hint she could go on was that it must have happened back when the Great Spirits were still around.

Lynette looked down at the Raven's Claw. "This seems to resonate with me which means this must be used with the Great Spirit of Light" she said.

Luan was puzzled by this. There was only one Great Spirit that could fall into that category. "You refer to the Lost Great Spirit, Seraph…" she said. She reached into her bag and rummaged through some of her belongings. After a few moments, she pulled out a folder and laid it out on the table, opening it's contents for them to look at. "I've compiled all the information on the existing Wellsprings. Excluding the one that was in the Glacier, you already heard about the one in the nearby cave not too far from the Esseand. The element of Earth is strong in the surrounding area which means it's likely that it must be connected to Gnome. Then, you have Mt. Praxik with the potential connection to Efreet…" she said. She set those documents off to the side and pulled out a few more. Next, you have the Wellspring in the Valley of Gales located in the southern region of Menorion. With strong resonance to the element of Wind, it's safe to assume that it's connected to Sylph. Then, you have the Wellspring that, according to what you guys said during your first visit, was originally located in the Cavern of Solace. With a resonance to the element of Water, it must be tied to Undine. However, it's a mystery as to how it disappeared, so unfortunately, I couldn't tell you where it's currently located now" she said. She set those documents next to the other ones and then pulled one last sheet of paper and laid it out on the table. "Finally, you have the Wellspring on the Isle of Nula. You know the story with this one. According to one of my associates assisting in that investigation, they state a strong resonance to the element of Darkness which means it may potentially be tied to the Lost Great Spirit, Shadow" she said. She set that document with the rest of them for them to look at. "These are all the existing Wellsprings that are publicly known. You stated that the mercenary named Shana Aska was in possession of the former Great Spirit, Volt so there wouldn't be a Wellspring that contained it's essence" she said.

Cheria skimmed through the documents that she laid out for them. With the exception of Volt and Frost, every other element was there except for one. "There's no Wellspring of Light…" she said.

Luan nodded at her. "Correct. If one were to exist, the only place I could think of where it can be would be somewhere in Megrove. However, as you know, getting information of any kind out from there is nigh impossible due to the Syndicate" she said. She shook her head slowly as she took out an old, looking amulet from her pocket. It was as small as a locket with a sterling silver body to it that showed signs of age. "An old colleague of mine left for Megrove a long time ago in order to dig up information about it's existence. I have not heard a word from him in over two years" she said. She had no idea if he was still alive and it pained her that there was nothing she could do to verify that.

Cesela took in all of the information, but something about the mention of Seraph didn't feel right. "Seraph…but that can't be right…" she mumbled to herself.

Tsuki heard Cesela say something, but didn't hear what it was because of her mumbling. "What did you say?" he asked.

Cesela shook her head a bit. "It's nothing. Just thinking to myself, that's all" she said.

Phi folded her arms and looked at Raiku. "Getting back to the topic at hand, what did you have in mind for us? Surely, it's not as simple as strolling on in to Dolothlond and attacking the castle" she said.

Raiku nodded at her. "As a result of the sudden attack, Border Town has shuttered passage into and out of Nargelond with the only exceptions being mercenaries" he said. He glanced over towards Ramza for a moment. "So, in order to gain access into Dolothlond, you all need to become mercenaries yourselves. Ramza can help show you the ropes" he said. Under the guise of a mercenary, they'll be able to gain entry into places that they wouldn't normally be able to. After all, it's widely known that the kingdoms don't meddle in mercenary affairs and vice versa, with a few small exceptions.

Nagi tilted her head a bit. "Become mercenaries? How do we do that?" she asked.

Ramza looked at Nagi, putting his hand on his hip. "It's a straightforward process. You simply fill out paperwork and they'll measure your fortitude and strength. It's easier than you would think" he said. He couldn't believe how easy it was for him to sign up. It didn't take much to become a mercenary.

Lynette put a finger up to her chin with a slight tilt of her head. "And we can do that at just about any Guild Branch, right?" she asked.

Ramza nodded. "Yeah. All you have to do is just go on in and register and they'll handle the rest" he said. A thought soon came to his mind. He recalled someone tried to recruit Tsuki to sign up a while back. "It's a simple sign-up process, but the process itself usually takes some time in order to get all the documents filed and submitted. That's the only flaw about this plan of yours" he said.

Melphi heard that approval usually takes, at the bare minimum, two days and at worst, a week. "Given the situation, I don't think we can afford to wait until our applications are approved, especially with there being so many of us" she said.

Tsuki folded his arms and fell into thought. As he thought about the plan, a brief flashback appeared in his mind. It was when they were passing through Velika and they had a run-in with the Branch Leader there. "We may not have to. Remember the Branch Leader in Velika that tried to recruit me? Uhh…Enzo, I think his name was? Maybe if we explain the situation to him, he can work something out" he said.

Ruko almost forgot about that. That was the first time they saw how mercenaries can abuse their ranking. "You're right. That guy was pretty eager to add your name to the roster…" he said.

Ramza was just about to mention the man's name. "Enzo Marcellus. I've had a few dealings with him and he's a pretty understanding guy. If there's anyone that might be able to expedite the process, it'd be him" he said. Thinking back on it, he might be their only option. It was the only Guild Branch that they could turn to. The one in Chesberry was still trying to find it's new feet and the one in Esseand is most likely too busy helping out with the aftermath to process applications for new mercenaries.

Raiku was in agreement with them. Caz pretty much told him the same thing when he told him about their run-in with Enzo. "I've already sent him word to expect guests. He should be waiting for you at the Guild Branch in Velika" he said.

Mina put her hands up to her chest, looking down a bit. "This may be our only viable option, but it's also the most dangerous. You'll be going into Nargelond without any back-up…" she said. It didn't make her feel comfortable knowing that they were going deep into enemy territory on their own.

Tsuki shook his head and took out the stitched patch that Flynn gave them. "We won't be alone. The Commander of the Nightwing's gave us this which will show others that we are allies. He said that if we need anything, we should find someone with this patch" he said. If they were going to move around Nargelond, they may as well use the network the Nightwing's use.

Phi mumbled to herself a bit. "If we had known we were going into Nargelond, we would have pressed Flynn for any known bases and hideouts that they use" she said. Even if they had the patch, it was still no better than finding a needle in a haystack. Who knows where one could be that have that same patch.

Elle shook her head a bit, shrugging her shoulders. "We'll have to deal with that when we get there. First, we need to get ourselves our own Mercenary Codex" she said. That was their first objective. Everything else comes afterwards. There may be a chance this plan may not be able to come to fruition.

Raiku nodded and turned towards the door. "Time is of the essence here. I'll arrange a carriage for you to get to Velika. Especially with Mel in her condition, it'll take too long to get there from here on foot" he said. It's only about a two hour carriage ride from here to Velika as opposed to half a day's walk, if not longer.

Melphi sighed, shaking her head. "Please, stop worrying about me. It's not like I'm going to keel over or anything. You still seem to underestimate me" she said. She says that, but she appreciates his concern for her nonetheless.

Raiku scoffed a bit with a faint chuckle. "Not gonna happen. Shana would skewer me and vaporize what remains if something were to happen to you under my care. That is one scenario I don't want happening" he said. Shana can be frightening at times, particularly when it came to Melphi. Ever since she took her in after what happened to her hometown, Elkhorn, her safety and well-being was almost always the highest priority for her. The bond the two of them shared was incredibly strong and one that could almost mistake as being lovers, to an extent. When she first appeared in his throne room alone with Tsuki and the others, he almost couldn't believe it. It wasn't often that he saw the two of them separated.

Ruko scratched the back of his head a bit. The fact that he could almost see someone like Raiku shiver at the thought of getting on Shana's bad side spoke volumes. He hasn't seen Raiku in a fight yet, but he was definitely the type that wouldn't be shaken so easily. "Just what kind of person is Shana…?" he asked.

Melphi let out an exasperated sigh, putting her hand up to her forehead. "She can have that effect on people. It's a little troublesome, if you ask me" she said.

Lynette thought back to their brief encounter with her back at the castle in Eresseas. Even when her Artes were blocked, she could feel her overwhelming presence. The fact that a single person was able to plow through crowds of overpowering enemies was something no ordinary person could accomplish while remaining relatively unscathed, especially under the conditions that were present. "Considering that overwhelming presence of hers, I believe it. She definitely wasn't someone you'd want to get on their bad side" she said.

Raiku thought back to the old days before he was king. There was one incident that always stayed with him. "The last time I saw someone get on her bad side…well, the sight wasn't pretty. I don't think they felt any pain" he said. He turned and faced the door, holding his hands up. "I like my life how it is and I'd rather keep it that way. I'll send word when the carriage is ready. It shouldn't take too long" he said . He glanced over towards Shinzo. "Show them to the guest rooms, would you?" he asked. He then headed towards the door and left the room.

Shinzo bowed to him as he gave him an order and left. "Of course, Your Majesty" he said

Once Raiku left the room, Lux felt the atmosphere lighten up a bit. "Still, to think that things have gotten this bad. With all the things that have happened recently, I can't help but feel that we're in for some rough times ahead" he said. He looked over towards Frost, who had been silent since the council members left. "Great Spirit, you'll watch over them, won't you?" he asked.

Frost looked over towards Lux. Compared to the council members, at least Lux, Mina and Raiku seemed like decent people. "Please, call me Frost. So long as my Mistress needs me, she will have all of my strength, so don't worry" she said.

Elle scratched the back of her head a bit. She still wasn't really comfortable about her being called Mistress. "Can we please drop the 'Mistress' thing…?" she asked.

Frost shifted her gaze over to Elle, shaking her head. "No can do. I may be a Great Spirit, but that doesn't mean don't need to follow Spirit etiquette. Thus, I am unable to drop the 'Mistress' title. I apologize" she said. She was bound to Elle through spiritual contract. Any Spirit bound to someone addresses the pact-maker as Master or Mistress. It was more like an unspoken rule of etiquette.

Tsuki let out a slight nervous laugh as he thought back to when he first made his contract with Allie. Much like with Frost, she wouldn't budge from dropping the 'Master' title, so he had to learn to get used to it. "You'll get used to it, I assure you. This bundle of trouble wouldn't heed my request either" he said, pointing at Allie.

Allie turned to face Tsuki, putting her hands on her hips with her cheeks puffed out. "Would you prefer I call you big brother then? Or daddy?" she asked with a pouty look on her face.

Tsuki put his hand up to his face. In hindsight, it's not the worst name she could use to address him. "Those are so much worse…" he said.

Allie folded her arms and huffed, looking away. "Hmph! Master shouldn't complain then" she said.

Mina walked up to Cesela and got down to one knee so that she was eye level with her, putting her hands on her arms for a moment before pulling her into a sudden hug. She spent some time with her before they left Chesberry and she couldn't help but worry about her every day. "My heart stopped when I heard that you fell into the ocean. I'm glad that you're okay" she said. She stroked the back of her head as her tail swayed back and forth.

Cesela didn't expect to be hugged but returned it nonetheless. She could feel her warmth from the embrace as her fox ears twitched a bit with a smile of content on her face. "Thanks for worrying about me, Mina" she said.

Lux looked at the two of them and was just as glad to see Cesela with light in her eyes again. She looked much stronger compared to when they first met. "She's really come a long way in such a short time, hasn't she?" he asked.

Cheria nodded with a smile, glancing over to Cesela as she spoke with Mina. "She's a lot stronger than one would think. She's calm, composed and level-headed. For some reason, I can't help but feel that the two of us were similar. She's definitely someone special" she said. She recalled memories of teaching her how to wield a bow. Surprisingly, she got the hang of it pretty quickly. "Her skill with a bow are pretty exceptional as well. I wouldn't be surprised if she were a child prodigy" she said. She was still a novice archer, but she was able to use Artes and skills that more experienced archers would use. If she were to refine and improve her skills, she could see her becoming a powerful archer like the likes of Lydia or even her own teacher, or perhaps even greater. She might even surpass herself by the end of this journey of theirs.

Lux nodded, agreeing with her assessment. "She hides them well, but she definitely has some qualities to her that you don't see in many adults. Why she hides them, I couldn't say" he said. He thought back to when she spoke out against the Council. "She stood up to those stubborn old coots like it were nothing and didn't shy away from them" he said.

Ramza glanced over towards Cesela. He wasn't sure about letting Cesela come with them at the start, but to see her like this now showed that he was mistaken. Her talent with a bow was still rough around the edges, but there was definite promise. "She mentioned that her parents were pretty well-known in the political world. I wonder who they were" he said.

The group continued to talk amongst themselves for a while before Shinzo eventually led them out of the room and down the hallway to bring them to the guest rooms. There, they would wait and rest up until Raiku came back with news that the carriage was ready to go. It gave Melphi some time to recover and for the others to relax. Considering where they were about to go, their travels are about to become more of a challenge. Much like how when they were making their way to Esseand, they had no idea what to expect around Dolothlond.

Meanwhile, the scene shifts over across the seas back to a familiar fortress nestled against a cliff in a misty valley located somewhere in Cayhill. Inside what appeared to be a war room, Taichi, Emma, and Shana were talking amongst each other, going over various strategies while looking down at a map of Cayhill. Locations such as Eresseas, Basilwell, Crescentia and Briswater were circled in red which indicated that they were under Honegroth occupation. Further south on the map was a dotted blue line that separated the top half of the Northern Lands which indicated where Honegroth's presence had stopped. Everything south of that dotted line was still under their control, excluding the Tribal Lands. The repurposed outpost that they used became a fortress known as Belmung and a new town was in the works of being established for the displaced citizens. This new town was called Camille and it was located somewhere between Belmung Fortress and the Valley of Mists. The fortress nestled into the mountainside was appropriately called Misty Keep. The fortress itself was rather large since it was built into the side of the mountain. No one knew the exact origins of the fortress and when it was constructed. Taichi and Emma didn't even know it existed until they had heard rumors of an abandoned, decrepit fortress located somewhere in the Valley of Mists. By some miracle, they managed to find it despite the dense mist and fog. Since then, they were able to repair the fortress and make it their base of operations.

Since Misty Keep wasn't widely known, it's location isn't marked on any maps of Cayhill. Using that to their advantage, they're able to operate from the shadows. However, while the fortress was protected by nature, it's greatest weakness is the fact that the valley was a dead-end. If they were to be discovered and Honegroth forces moved in on them, they'd be trapped within the valley. There was no escape route and they didn't have the tools or the means to carve one through the mountain. In the event that they are discovered though, they'll be able to use the high cliffs and the mist and fog to their advantage. They've occupied the valley for several weeks now and everyone pretty much knew the geography. The knights are various mercenaries that remained to help out, along with a number of volunteer fighters, had to train themselves to fight under blinding conditions. It was tough at first, but they figured out how to fight while having their vision impaired. Not only that, but because of the valley walls, sound traveled far so they'd be able to hear if a large group was on the approach.

Inside the War Room, Shana pointed her finger at a town to the southwest of the valley. It sat along the border of the Northern and Southern Lands. "Currently, we're working with the local Tribal group to see if we can't reach an understanding. While a handful of Tribal members have joined with us, the vast majority are still holding to their old customs" she said. She sighed heavily, lowering her head as she shook it. "At this rate, it may not be likely that the Three Tribes will come to our aid as a unit" she said.

Emma was a little disappointed at how the Tribes were treating the situation. "As much as I don't want to infringe on their traditions and laws, Aya has a point. If we were to fall, then they would be next" she said. She then looked over to Taichi. "Tai, aren't you acquainted with one of the Chiefs? Isn't there something you can do?" she asked.

Taichi shook his head a bit, scratching the side of it. "Unfortunately, no. I reached out to him and he said that he'd be more than willing to support us, but unless the other two Tribes are of the same unanimous thought, then he can't make a move" he said. It was a difficult situation. The other two Tribes were old-fashioned and stuck to the old ways. So long as they weren't being affected, then they had no reason to take action. "Even more unfortunate is that the other two Chiefs aren't exactly easy to get along with. If the previous Chiefs were in charge, maybe it'd be a different story" he said.

Shana glanced up towards Taichi. "And given how you are, simply forcing them to comply is out of the question" she said. She leaned down against the table as she thought about their options. She looked at the map to figure out what their move should be. Right now, they've been holding the defensive line along a ridgeline known as the Stockmen's Gap. It was a long chasm that ran across a wide distance across Cayhill from coast-to-coast. They were holding the line there, but they had no idea how long they'll be able to keep it. "Misty Keep provides a good, natural defense that we can use against the enemy. However, it's too far and remote to conduct any full-scale operation. If we were able to establish a base of operations further north, then we'd be able to react easier and faster to enemy movements…" she said.

Emma looked at the map towards where the Great Plains were. While they were vast, the Great Plains wasn't exactly the most ideal place for a base of operations. "The problem with that is we'd be too exposed. It'd be easy for them to surround us and cut off any means of escape. It'd be no different than here" she said.

Taichi remembered something and pointed to the line of mountains that ran along the road from Crescentia to Briswater. On this map, there was an area that was recently marked. "What if we were to use Prophet Castle? It'd be closer and the terrain would make it difficult for the enemy to attack" he said. It was a castle that was once built and used by a rebel force that fought against the rulers of Eresseas from ancient times. If it worked out for them, it stands to reason that it could work again.

Shana had only heard about Prophet Castle from Taichi and Emma. She didn't even know it existed until they mentioned it. "That's the one that Tsuki went to investigate, right? Theoretically, it could serve it's purpose. However, you mentioned the terrible state of decay of the structure itself and the near non-existent pathway to even get a large number of troops to and from there. Unless you know a lot of people who are adept in Earth-based Artes, it'd be too risky to use it" she said. She was worried about the structure itself caving in on themselves and the treacherous climb up the mountain without a defined path.

As she spoke, a male's voice spoke out as heavy footsteps could be heard entering the room. "She's right. I saw it for myself. While Prophet Castle would most definitely be of use to us, in it's current state, I'd highly advise against it. No doubt, we made it worse when we went to assist Tsuki" the voice said.

The three of them turned around and saw Georg entering the room. If there was anyone that was left that knew about the state of the old castle, it'd be him. After they had parted ways with Tsuki, he did a bit of an inspection of Prophet Castle and saw that much of it's structure was unstable. Support pillars and beams were either severely rotten or heavily damaged due to erosion and deterioration. Not only that, nature seems to have retaken much of the castle which caused even further damage. The whole castle would need a serious repair job before they were to occupy it.

Georg walked up to the war table and looked down at the map they were looking at. "Prophet Castle isn't in an operable state and so long as Honegroth has a firm control and eye across the Great Plains, any thoughts and plans of reconstruction is out of the question" he said. He shook his head, grumbling to himself.

Taichi looked at Georg. He had been busy monitoring things across the surrounding areas. "Georg, how's it looking out there?" she asked.

Georg shrugged his shoulders a bit. "Pretty quiet. No sign of any movements from Honegroth. Honestly, I'm surprised that they've been as quiet as they have been" he said. Ever since they took over the Great Plains, Honegroth hasn't made any movements against them. While it allowed them to establish Belmung and Camille, it did make them wonder just what they were planning.

Emma put her hand up to her chin in thought. "I wonder what could be running through Caius' mind…" she said. She glanced over towards Shana. "What do you think, Shana?" she asked.

Shana shook her head. She couldn't even guess what was going through his head. "I don't know. It's still hard to understand just how he became like this. He used to be a diligent Prince back in the day and stood up for injustice. He even stood by our side and fought against the Four Lords with us. How could a man like him go so wrong…?" she asked. She had heard that Honegroth had been making some drastic changes over the last few months and even now, it was still hard to process it all.

The Four Lords that Shana had mentioned used to be a group comprised of four people with very powerful influences, power and control all across Lorategia. At the time, they were close to be considered rivals with various kingdoms. Many adored and respected the Four Lords and were widely considered as sub-rulers. However, evidence of mismanagement, corruption and abuse of power were brought to light by Taichi and his companions during their travels which turned many people against the Four Lords which ended up turning into a wide-scale conflict. Having all of their support cut off from them, the Four Lords didn't stand a chance against the combined might of the kingdoms.

Taichi stroked his chin as he collected his thoughts. "That's what we all want to know. The Caius we know now isn't the same Caius we knew from back then. I've been trying to figure out just what happened to him for a while now" he said. Nothing really outstanding comes to mind. He hasn't heard anything happen in Honegroth that could be considered life-changing.

Emma couldn't think of anything either. The only thing that could have been a possibility was the passing of his father and the late king, but he knew his health was failing. He had expected his time was coming soon. "Caius…what has happened to you to change you so drastically…?" she asked, holding her hand up to her chest.

Georg knew that they were once comrades at one point, but times have changed. The Caius they knew was dead. "Regardless of what changed him, he's caused untold destruction and has the blood of many innocents on his hands. He must answer for them" he said.

Soon after that, another familiar male's voice spoke out as another man walked into the room. "I may not have an answer as to what's changed him, but I do have the latest report on them" the voice said.

The man that entered the room belonged to what's left of the Royal Eight and his name was Zero Hisagi. He had a few fresh injuries across his arms and face and some of his armor plating was torn off. It looked like he came out of a recent scuffle. He approached the War Table, taking out a rolled up sheet of paper and placed it down.

Emma looked at Zero with a bit of concern. His injuries were minor, but there were many. She approached him and started to do some Healing Artes on him. "You look like you rolled down a cliff! What happened?" she asked.

Zero felt the warmth of her Healing Artes as his injuries were being treated. "Just a minor skirmish with a few local beasts, nothing too crazy. What you should know is what's on this paper. One of my best men took it upon themselves to brave the Great Plains in order to gather information" he said. He rolled open the sheet of paper so that they could see the contents. "According to him, he heard talks of a failed operation that was conducted by the enemy commander, Utaru. Apparently, he was sent out to Ersheath to put a stop to some sort of research that was being conducted…and the people that bested him were Tsuki and his companions" he said.

Taichi raised an eyebrow with a curious look on his face. "Tsuki, you say?" He took the sheet of paper and read out the contents. It basically described the events that took place in the Glacier and Utaru's defeat. It was good to know that they were doing fine. "So, they're still putting up the good fight, eh?" he asked.

Emma put her hand over the Wayward Stone attached to her bracelet. Moments later, it started to emit a pink glow which symbolized Cheria's well-being. "That's good to know. I was worried about them" she said. She glanced over towards Shana and remembered that she was rather distracted as of late. "Is that why you weren't yourself earlier?" she asked.

Shana nodded slowly. "I've felt Melphi using up a lot of her energy to the point where she had to rely on the power of our contract. She's never had to use so much energy and power before" she said. It caused her some great concern.

Taichi stroked his chin. Melphi was the type that's usually careful and reserved when it came to using up her Mana. "Hopefully, everyone's alright over there. You haven't been able to get in touch with her, have you?" he asked.

Shana shook her head. "No, not for a while. The connection is too weak because of all the Mana that was being used up" she said. She was able to communicate with her through special channels allowed by the contract that they're bound to.

Just then, a different voice spoke out. It was an unfamiliar, deep male voice that hasn't been heard before. "I can assure you, they're doing just fine" the voice said.

Moments later, electricity could be seen sparking in the air next to Shana. Soon after, a floating ball of electricity with a pair of eyes appeared as the air around them became electrified. Sparks were coming off from the ball of electricity as a heavy feeling filled the chamber. Aside from Georg's reaction, everyone else didn't even flinch at the sudden appearance of the creature.

Shana looked over towards the floating ball of electricity. "Volt? How can you be so sure?" she asked.

Volt, the former Great Spirit, mumbled a bit. "I sense the awakening of the Great Spirit, Frost. Your friends were most likely responsible for this" he said. He turned to face Shana. "Frost has been bound to one of their companions" he said.

Emma glanced over towards Volt with a surprised look on her face. If they awakened Frost, that would mean they were dangerously close to a Wellspring. "So, they actually did it, huh? I still don't know how I feel about them being so exposed to the dangers of a Wellspring, but I'm glad that they woke her up" she said. Now, they had two Great Spirits on their side. Even though Volt was no longer considered a Great Spirit himself, he still retained all of his strength to put him on the same level, if not, higher than the Great Spirits.

Taichi fell back on his thoughts as he stroked his chin. Based off these events, it basically confirms what they already knew. "Which means, Maria's research was right, after all. The Wellsprings are the Great Spirits themselves" he said. His thoughts were soon focused on the Wellsprings that remained. The one from the Glacier was a relatively weak one, so they were going to have a harder time with those that remain, especially the one on Nula. "Those that remain are fairly strong. I can't imagine that they'll have an easy time going forward, especially if Caius is aware of what they are doing. No doubt he'll try to interfere" he said. It's unprecedented that they managed to awaken a Great Spirit. The news surprised even them.

Emma took out a world map and laid it out on the table, shifting her attention towards Ersheath. She put fher finger up to the northern-most point of the continent. "That would put them somewhere around here. The next one they would go for would potentially be Gnome…" she said, tracing her finger down to the mountains that surrounded Esseand.

Volt grunted as if to acknowledge her statement. "Most likely, considering that Gnome's presence can also be felt. Though, communing with him seems impossible right now for some reason" he said. Despite no longer being accounted for in their numbers, he still possessed the same traits as they did.

Zero stroked his chin a bit. All of this was completely over his head, so it was hard for him to understand. "Maybe he's not fully awakened yet? You did mention that the Great Spirits had closed themselves off from the world, after all" he said.

Volt turned to face Zero as he continued to hover in the air. "That's my conclusion. While it is true that Gnome has awakened, it's only partially. There's still one more thing that's missing" he said. He was referring to the stolen essence that resided within Allie.

Zero had always believed in Tsuki and his companions. He had only met them a few times prior to the Festival of Blossoms, but he could tell that they were dependent. The fact that they're still sticking to their guns only served as confirmation. "Well, if they were able to re-awaken one of the Great Spirits, then I'm sure they'll have no problems with the rest of them" he said.

Taichi looked over the world map for a moment before taking a pencil and drawing circles around specific spots across the map. The areas that he had marked were the mountains around Esseand, Mt. Praxik in Dolothlond which was located in the southern portion of the region, the Isle of Nula and the canyon region known as the Valley of Gales in Menorion which stretched a wide distance in the eastern region. He then drew question marks next to both Megrove, Cayhill and the desert continent of Xands where the Principality of Loné was located. "The only things that might serve a problem outside of the obvious dangers of Nula are these places. We've scoured as much land as we could, but found no trace of the Wellspring that vanished from the Cavern of Solace. As for the Wellspring in Megrove, no one knows where it is located or even if there is one there at all. You all know how hard it is to get information in and out of Megrove. Then, there's the reports from Maria about a potential Wellspring somewhere in the Mirage Mesa, the desert that surrounds Loné. Due to the shifting sands and unpredictable dust storms, it's hard to make an expedition out beyond the safe zones" he said.

Emma fell to her thoughts for a few moments. Each Wellspring, aside from the one near Esseand, were located in hostile environments. Actually getting to them would be a challenge for them enough, but then they have to brave the unknown while putting themselves at great risk. "I wish there was something we could do to help them out" she said.

Shana shook her head as she stretched her arms over her head. "They'll be fine. Melphi is with them and they've got Raiku to support them for the time being. The best way we can help them is for us to keep fighting until they return" she said. She glanced over towards Volt for a moment. "I know someone's been itching for a warm-up" she said.

Volt turned to face Shana once more as he squinted his eyes with a soft grunt. "This Caius…I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about him. I sense an overwhelming, powerful darkness about him. It brings back some rather…unpleasant memories" he said. He had his speculations as to the origin behind the dark power that fueled him, but until he had more information to go off on, he didn't want to speculate too much.

Georg shook his head a bit, shrugging his shoulders. "It's not like we can do much else anyway. We can't allow them to pass us up, now can we?" he asked. They were a capable bunch and he had a hunch that they were doing more than their share of fulfillment around Ersheath.

Taichi nodded at them before looking out a nearby window as bits of the sun's rays shined through. "I agree. We can't be putting on a bad show when they make their grand return. We'll have to double our efforts if we want to give them a place to return to" he said.

The others glanced over towards the window as a small breeze came through. Things may be calm for them right now, but this temporary moment of peace won't last long. Not with Honegroth knocking at their front door. With the establishment of Belmung and Camille, they hoped to further expand back north as more volunteers join the ranks and displaced knights return to duty. Many of their knights were still scattered and in hiding as they all tried to make their way back in order to rejoin the ranks. It was the calm before the storm and they knew that when it was going to hit, it was going to hit hard and fast. They needed to be prepared for anything with all of the contingencies they can plan.

As for Tsuki and the others, they had no idea what kind of environment they were about to step into. Cut off from any support from Esseand, they'll be forced to rely on their own wits and the network of information that is provided to them by the Nightwing's. The mountains and canyons of Dolothlond were a treacherous place as they were home to many dragons and wyverns, not to mention the occasional patrols of Dragon Riders. Since their identities are known to Kaito, there was no doubt that word of them would have spread. They needed to be careful with how they proceed beyond the gates of Border Town.

To be continued…