The boy never looked away from the sky. It wasn't a faraway gaze one might expect of one dreaming of one thing or another, but an oddly melancholic expression.

Never once did he look away. Not until the tiny speck in the air donned in metal was far above the clouds, completely out of sight. And even then—even as the people around him hurry off to their respective carriages, chattering loudly and filled with much excitement to get back to their normal lives—he hadn't stopped staring in that general direction for a few moments longer in silence.

Integrity Knight Fanatio Synthesis Two. A mouthful of a name but a rather simple person in terms of their character; a stern and disciplined front that belied a kind heart. Reliable to the very end and dutiful to his people, he was a fitting representative of the Integrity Knights.

It felt weird saying goodbye to people. Perhaps it was just the thought of never seeing them again that often leaves the person experiencing some amount of disheartenment. Don't poets often say that a person whom you've bonded with takes away a piece of you when they go?

His thoughts are cut off when a soft hand rested itself atop his shoulder. "Kirito, you okay?"

"…Yeah."

Or maybe he wasn't. He was in a state of not knowing what to do now, what to think of, what to anything. He felt so… to call it blank would be wrong, but he definitely felt lost. They'd just lived through the worst, and now it felt hard to relax because there's a part of him that wonders if something would happen next, even if he knew it wouldn't.

"I have to say, he was quite the knight," he could sense the smile on his best friend's face, and he felt the corners of his lips twitch. "Think he's fought just as many monsters that are equally as crazy as the Million-Eyed?"

"Highly doubt it. This is the first in the Human Empire's history for the appearance of such a disastrous monster to have shown itself ever. So we technically made history alongside Charlotte and Fanatio."

"Heh… When you put it like that, that sure does sound insane," and that says a lot, considering how they've technically lived through so many more experiences as well. "For what it's worth, I don't think this will be the last time we see him. We might see him again in the future."

It was a surreal realization that he hoped for such, considering his supposed distaste for the church. Guess having survived a world-ending-threat together had formed a tight camaraderie with one another, something that he would have never thought possible with a knight of all people.

It would never change the fact that they had put Alice to the guillotine. But to blame Fanatio would have been wrong for that. Plus, the man had saved them, after all.

With a shake of the head, he looked back to Eugeo. "Think things will be different from here on out?"

"Hmm… Hard to say," he answered honestly. "I think things will just go back to how they always were. Uneventful days filled with calm."

"That… That would be nice."

"Yeah…"

"…So, I guess it's time we return to Rulid, yeah?"

The blond hummed back. The two of them turned to look at Charlotte, who was currently speaking to the knight clad in green; Entokia, if he recalled correctly. The journey would likely be safe, but having a knight keep watch over them was necessary at this point to at least placate the people. No doubt nerves are running high after whatever transpired.

Man, is he exhausted… He can't wait to go back home, eat some delicious food and sleep the day away. Maybe he could see the church kids again, talk to Sister Azalia, perhaps try and keep Sulinea from flooding the village with her tears (that last thought made him very aware of the impending breakdown that she might just undergo by then).

Would they be remembered as two heroes of that fateful day? Would the people sing praises of their names for many days to come? Would they…

There is no obstacle in their way. The path is clear.

With but one final glance to the firmament, he turns his gaze away—and sets his sights on home.

~ Chapter 14 ~

[ To Their Days Long Forgotten ]

"T-They're returning! A carriage bearing the flag of the Axiom Church, and an Integrity Knight is with them!"

The needles clattered to the floor, slipping out of her hands as she stared wide-mouthed at the man standing outside of their door. Her father was no less different, his body going taut as his brain registers the words the young messenger had just spoken.

"Wait… You mean—"

"Yes, sir!"

Without even waiting for another word, she leapt to her feet, completely ignoring the scarves she'd been making. The girl practically charged right through her father and the messenger, the former's shout for her name not enough to make her stop. It's only a few seconds later that footsteps are rushing right after her, but she doesn't turn her gaze behind.

Instead, she kept running; up until she reached the southern gate of Rulid. Her chest heaved as she breathed in deep gulps of air, taking in the great expanses of gold in the distance that disappeared beyond the apex of the cliffs up ahead.

And over the crest of the hills, the first thing she sees is the faint silhouette of a carriage heading their way. High above, a dragon of sorts seemed to be sticking close by.

That had been hours ago.

People had come and gone, all curious and all so eager to make sure that the children and Charlotte were safe and sound. Even her father, who masked his emotions well, looked so tense as he stayed closer to the back of the group, hands clenched and eyes sharp.

Selka remembers very little of the moments after.

She remembered Kirito and Eugeo getting off the carriage, followed by the blond's brothers. Sulinea quickly intercepts them with a hug that they don't see coming at all, the silliness of the genuinely heart-warming sight doing much to ease everyone's hearts. Charlotte is not spared from the group hug as she's dragged along by Sulinea, and she looks every bit awkward for it.

The knight who'd accompanied them said nothing through it all, though eventually, he met Father to speak to him regarding the situation. Father nods back at him and they head inside, though not without sparing one last glance at the group before he heads away.

Hours pass. Rulid is a frantic blur in the beginning, though eventually it all settles as everyone returns to their posts.

By the time she felt as if her heart had finally settled and her mind was clear, it was to the realization of a cold puff of air escaping her lips.

It was cold tonight.

Without thinking, she pulled her blanket tightly around herself and let out a little sigh. What was she doing out here? When had she even gotten out here?

Somehow, the cold does a lot to help her. It takes away all her previously frantic thoughts, drawn off into the cold air. The village was all but dark, faint flickers of torches providing just the fairest amount of illumination. Nary another soul was up and about right now, which meant the place was incredibly quiet.

'Mother and Father would not be pleased if they found out,' she thought to herself, though she isn't is as afraid as she'd assumed herself to be. 'As long as they don't find out, I guess that's fine…'

Selka's azure eyes gaze upwards, to where the light of Lunaria shone down upon them. Slowly, her mind goes back to what had occupied her mind the entire day.

Kirito, Eugeo, Charlotte… They were back.

The news of what had transpired hadn't reached everyone's ears just yet, and even her father had been rather tight-lipped about it. Although, he promised to bring this up with everyone in the future, so some patience wouldn't be too bad for the time being.

Still, just knowing that they're actually back home fills her with relief. It's enough to know that they're here, and not… not…

The door behind her swung open with a slow groan, followed by light footballs. Selka's heart immediately drops, and a million excuses are quick to pop into her head—"Char…Charlotte?"

"Good evening," she greeted, her black eyes warm. In one hand was a bundle of cloth, a mug in the other. "Then again, it will be a new day soon enough, so that's that."

"Ack… C-Can you not tell Father and Mother?"

"Very well. None shall know."

Selka grinned back. Charlotte nods back, stepping over beside her and coming to a kneel as she pushed the mug into the younger girl's hands. It was warm to the touch, and the aroma of freshly-brewed chamomile practically erased any lingering anxiety. Charlotte took that opportunity to wrap the cloth around her figure, making sure that it was comfortable and covered up his skin from the cold air.

"There. All done."

"Thank you," she muttered. Steam from her drink drafted upwards within her vision. "You didn't have to do this, though! I would have gone back in soon enough."

"I would have thought that too, but I felt like staying outside as well. And then I saw you, and I thought it would be nice to have some company."

That got her to giggle. "Really? Then… I'd love for you to be here with me too."

"Thank you."

The two were quiet for a moment afterwards, both content to just take in the sights in silence. Charlotte was so close to her, her presence extremely calming to her despite the few words they had traded. The tea, especially, was effectively doing away with all the thoughts in her head, undoing all the tension in her head.

"So, perhaps you'd like to share what's on your mind?"

"Oh. Yeah. I was just… thinking."

"I doubt children should be thinking too hard at your age. That's only an adult's business. If you think too much now, your hairs might grey early," Charlotte probably didn't notice her joke, the little girl tittering in response. "But pray tell. What had had you occupied?"

"Everything that happened to you," she answered sincerely, looking up to meet her friend's eyes. "I was… We were all scared, and we didn't know what to do. All we could do was just stay in place and keep a look out for one another, just so that things didn't get worse. If only…"

"No, there was never any need for anyone to help. If anything, that would have endangered all of you. It was a wise decision to stay in place."

"Really..?"

Charlotte's gaze grew aimless as she looked away in a different direction. "What we had seen that day… You wouldn't have been able to believe it with your own eyes. And we fought so hard to stop it from razing Zakkaria to the ground."

"Whoa… Really?"

"Mmhm. There must have been several tremors here, right? It was caused by a terrifically massive entity, towering far above the Gigas Cedar. We had only managed to slay it because Kirito and Eugeo entered its belly."

"I see… Wait, what?!" She reeled back from her words, blue eyes going wide like platters. "Kirito and Eugeo went inside the monster?!"

"Indeed. A dangerous gambit, and one that I regretted not taking in their place, but they came through in the end. We owe much of our safety and success to those two."

Wow… So they'd actually fought the monster too? That's insane…

No wonder Father had thought to give them two days of rest from their calling. Perhaps he'd noticed how exhausted the boys were, even though they'd had days off.

"Would you like to know the full story?"

Would she… Somehow, she felt as if she was peeking into a private matter, though she knew it wasn't the case. If anything, the people would come to learn of what happened by themselves, or when Father decides to share the events with everyone.

But here and now, with the opportunity to hear from Charlotte's own lips…

"Is… Is it okay?"

"I don't see why not. It's not something confidential in the slightest, though it may not be easy to hear some things. And of course, the events I will recount will be based on my perspective. For example, I wouldn't know what truly went down with Kirito and Eugeo's fight. You'll have to ask them about that."

Somehow, she had a feeling that trying to reach out to Kirito would be a lot harder than she suggested, but she nodded regardless. "Alright. So… can you tell me, Charlotte-san? Please?"

And she did. Under the starlit sky, Charlotte told her all sorts of things; of the battle with the Million-Eyed, Integrity Knight Fanatio, the children meeting Deusolbert again and their return to Rulid Village. They stayed together for so long, her simply listening to her older friend talk until the night drew off into an early dawn.

Somehow, she didn't seem to mind the telling off she'd be getting from her parents. Just getting to hear Charlotte's voice again sounded comforting.

6th day of the 11th Month – HEC, 372
Rulid Village, in Selka's home

Being a spider might come off as a liability to most people, especially the fact that most people had a low appreciation for arachnids and tend to swat them away. Who would have thought that she'd appreciate having a human vessel nowadays?

But she digressed. During her time as a spider, she hadn't needed to give much care for her sleeping arrangements, considering that she could crawl into just about any space and close her eyes. Or perhaps she'd want to climb a tree or find a space in a tree trunk. The convenience and choice of space was limitless.

As a human, she didn't have the exact same amount of freedom. But she had to admit, being able to sleep on a bed felt amazing. Especially now, as she slowly rouses herself from sleep and is capable of stretching her human arms above her head, working out the kinks in her body and let out a sigh of relief. Exhaustion washed off of her slowly, and she felt much more energized than before.

'Certainly much more preferable to a sleeping bag in a tent, which, while it hadn't been the worst, was simply not as comfortable as a proper mattress and a blanket.'

Has she slowly gotten acclimatized to human comforts such as this? Perhaps. It'd been far too long since she had ever reverted to her initial form as a spider, and she was just too used to this new lifestyle.

It's easy to return to her daily routine, stepping into the bathroom to wash herself (and what a relief it was to have hot water once more, compared to her time back in Zakkaria—freezing cold river water and hot bath water was like night and day) and get ready for the rest of the day. Afterwards, she put on her clothes and joined the Zuberg family downstairs.

"Good morning, Charlotte-san," Sadina greeted, blue eyes warm and happy. No doubt because she and the children were safe, and she'd made certain to say as much the day prior. "You're up early. Even after you and Selka were outside?"

"Eh?"

In contrast to her surprise, Sadina merely giggled into her hand. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm not surprised by how worried Selka was over you. I suppose we could let her sleep in for now."

"Though this better be the last time," though he sounded gruff, there seemed to be a glimmer of amusement in his gaze. "We wouldn't want this to be a running thing. A child needs plenty of sleep if they want to grow up healthy and strong."

"I apologize, sir. I won't let it happen another time."

He waved her off. "You needn't worry. If anything, I'm happy that you humoured her. I'm certain her talk with you last night was exactly what she needed. She might have been too restless to sleep otherwise," blue eyes stared at her, soft in a loving, fatherly manner that not many would be privy to. "I hope you would be willing to be by her side in the future if she ever needs it. Vast gap in your age as it may be, you've been a good friend to her, and it would please me if you would continue being that."

Charlotte froze, black eyes widening ever so slightly as she looked at the man sitting at the table.

Friend. Though she had an assumption that Selka already saw her as one, to hear confirmation of such from the girl's parents was…

"O-Of course. I would be honoured," and such was the honesty in her words that she could feel the warmth that seeped into her bosom.

"Thank you, Charlotte."

"Come now, let's have breakfast together. I made a simple stew. Hope it's to your taste!"

After having lived off of basic rations alone in Zakkaria? Sitting on a solid wooden chair and staring down at a bowl filled with colours? Being in the company of people she'd long accepted as family? Eating a homemade meal like this was simply nirvana.

It really does feel like coming back home.

On the other side of the village, Eugeo too woke up on a bed. An honest-to-goodness bed with a fluffy pillow and a soft, elevated mattress. And that was a luxury.

Some might have thought he was being exaggerative, but after having slept in a tent on the ground for three days, getting to return to an actual bed was such an amazing feeling that Eugeo practically wanted to just keep sleeping for the rest of the day. Unfortunately…

"Kirito, Eugeo! It's already late in the morning! Time to get up!"

It really was. He'd gotten up early in the morning, realized that it was still dark out and that he was just too sleepy to face the world, then let his head drop on his pillow once more to drift off to sleep. That no one came after him meant that it was okay, and he felt like they'd deserved it—at least, until now, it seemed.

Uurgh… He was so tempted to pull a Kirito and just bury his face deeper into his pillow and pull the sheets over his head, but he knew that, when push comes to shove, Sulinea really would go ahead and try to drag them out of their beds.

'You won't be getting up? ' Selena asked with a hint of amusement in her tone.

'Don't wanna'… I just want to sleep the entire day away…'

'Come now, you won't actually let the world fly go by like this, will you? '

'But bed waaarm…' The dragon in his head, or his soul or wherever, just laughed back at him.

Surprisingly enough, it was Kirito who got up first, though not without a large yawn that his mouth split so wide enough to rival a cat's. "Hwhaaa… Come on, man. I doubt any of us want to get dragged out of bed by your sis. She can be pretty strong when she wants to."

"Don't remind me…"

To be fair on Sulinea, he could really use a proper bath. Back in Zakkaria, they'd had to bathe in the river which, while it was really cool and refreshing, was also freezing. Words cannot describe just how low its temperature falls, and he dare not imagine going in one in the winter—if it hasn't already frozen over by then, that is.

And he supposed, to some extent, he'd been pampered with the opportunity to use hot water every day. It was something that he'd been looking forwards to since they'd been on the road back home, and which they missed the whole day prior because they'd just been too tired to bathe.

But not in this moment, with him having dragged himself out of his room, discarding his clothes and his towel at the ready, he stepped into their bathroom, noticing that his sister had already prepared the bath for him. Bless her.

And there, he learnt that hot water was a luxury unlike any other.

That was the only thing he could say when he feels the heated water swallow him up, causing him to sigh out in great relief. He missed this. Zakkaria was great, don't get him wrong, but he doubted anything could ever beat this in a million years.

'You look like you'd just lost every burden in your life.'

'I definitely feel like it… This is amazing…'

He knew that, once it gets hotter in the summer, he might not hold that same thought and would look forward to cold baths more. Perhaps then, he'd regard Zakkaria's river in higher regards than before. But for the time being, this was just the best thing in the world, and nothing could change his mind.

Halfway through submerging half of his face underneath the water, the door to the bathroom rattled loudly as someone knocked on it, almost startling him. "Oooi. Get out, already! You've been in there for twenty minutes!"

He would have shouted back, but he had his mouth under water. 'But I wanna' stay in here a little longer..!'

"I can imagine, but there's only so many baths in this household! And if I don't get mine soon, Sulinea might just dump me in the river up north! I do not want that, man!"

Uurgh… They both knew that she wouldn't actually do that, but it's a kind of exaggerative tactic that they do in this household using Sulinea as some sort of motivation to get people to do whatever. Some of her 'threats' are just unrealistic, but hey? If it hasn't failed yet, why stop now?

He would feel bad about it if only Sulinea herself doesn't use it from time to time, so that's that.

So yeah, Eugeo gets out of the bath and shivers right away as the heat is gone. Still, he scrubs down his body and head with his towel before wrapping it around his waist, unlocking the door and swinging it door. Kirito stood opposite of him, looking incredibly amused.

That's not a good look. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, before he backtracked and went straight for honesty instead—typical Kirito, which he appreciates. "Actually, it's funny how you look as if you just came out of haven or something."

"Well, excuse me for being able to enjoy a hot bath again after days of having gone down to the cold, chilling river—in fall."

"Hah, I remember just how miserable you looked every time you came back from your bath," he laughed, making Eugeo pout. "Seriously, we live this far up north. The climate here is typically the coldest. Still haven't gotten used to the cold yet, buddy?"

"No, not really… Maybe it'd be a different story if I'd bathed with cold water my whole life, but then some guy got the best idea to use hot water as a bath. Whoever they are, they've saved me, and I can't imagine life otherwise."

"Oh, the drama," Kirito pat him on the shoulder, snickering. "Heh, never change, man. But yeah, mind letting me have my bath now?"

"Oh, sure. Go for it."

Returning to his room on padded feet and greeted with cold floorboards was all the motivation he needed to quickly dress up, offering him just the mildest relief. He sighed, fixing the sash over his trousers before combing his fingers through his hair, humming to himself all the while. Selena pointed out a few strands that stuck out, and he made sure to pat them down until he looked presentable.

Afterwards, he waited for Kirito to be done before the two of them finally joined the rest of the family at the dining table. Even his father was there, much to his surprise, sporting the typical look of exasperation at all the food she was putting on the table. Kirito beside him, for once, looked readily prepared to eat his way through the meal she'd prepared.

"Big brother, Kirito!" Eugene greeted, happy grin on his face. "Heh, you guys got up late."

"Sorry," he flushed a little. "Was a little sleepy. I didn't expect it."

"Hey, we're the same," the other twin nodded back. "Sulinea and Father don't understand. We spent three days without proper beds. It was heaven last night…"

"That aside, are you guys okay?"

"Are we okay? You kidding?" His friend scoffed, taking a seat while he sat beside him. "Look at us and tell me that we're not the pictures of health."

"Hmm. I guess… but who knows?"

"Ehh, all of you worry too much. We literally stayed in Zakkaria to rest for three days. I mean, you guys were there too."

"But fighting that thing must have taken a lot out of you, so it would be understandable to be experiencing some aftereffects of fatigue even long after," his father reasoned. "So for the time being, since you have today off from your calling, I suggest that you take the time to rest."

"I suppose that's fine," Kirito hummed, settling his chin on his hands. "Honestly, I had expected to go back to doing my calling after we got back."

"Nonsense. Even if we're not allowed to just skip out on our callings, we can be given days off under the right circumstances. And there was no way Gasupht would have sent you out immediately after you'd gotten back."

On the one hand, he was still a little restless, and falling back on something routine would have helped. But no, getting some time off was definitely nice—that, and having remembered that he was particularly useless, and that Kirito would have to cover for the both of them. He frowned at that.

'It'd be nice if there was something that I can do to help…'

'Don't hold it against yourself, alright? Kirito wouldn't mind.'

And that was the issue; he never had, and never would. It was a kind of shame that he wished he could find a solution to, though how they'd go about that, who knew?

He shifts in his seat, perking up as he noticed something. Gaze moving towards the window, he spoke without thinking: "Oh, it's raining."

When he said that, everyone stopped chatting to look out the window. True to his word, the world outside grew dim and grey, the first drizzle claiming their village with a first, gentle wave. Eventually, as the clouds grew heavy and the first initiation had been taken, the rain struck harder. Faster. It doesn't take long before the entirety of the glass was almost obstructed by water.

"Well, looks like I'll need to get my coat," sighed his father.

"Kind of glad that Eugeo and I don't have to go out for our calling today," he nodded with his best friend. "Sorry, Uncle."

"It's fine. That just means you kids get to stay indoors and rest up."

"Best be careful out in the woods, okay?" Sulinea said, frowning. "I know that we're currently prepping for the winter, but don't go overboard."

"We won't. Plus, we'll have hunters to watch out after us, so we should be fine."

Kirito raised a hand in the air. "Does Charlotte accompany you guys?"

His father nodded back. "Aye, she does. She's an adept hunter all the same, surprisingly enough, though I've never seen her take to a weapon. Does she perhaps have a hidden weapon in her sleeve or something?"

"She's a martial fighter," Eugeo answered, gaining a surprised look.

"Is that so? Impressive…"

"Why is that, Father?"

"It's simply because not many in our empires ever seek out martial skills," he explained. "It's seen as useful, but not very practical. If anything, we're led to believe that it wouldn't help in an actual battle, when our foe may bring a weapon instead. As such, we put stock on our blacksmiths and knights."

That was true. He'd never known anyone who'd only ever fought with their fists before, making Charlotte the first one. Others would carry a weapon along, let it be even a knife—that in itself could be slipped between a person's ribs or into their eyes (ugh) to deal a fatal blow to them. Throwing punches just doesn't seem as effective.

Then Charlotte comes along, and changes his perception of that. Destructively, he might add.

'Maybe she's just learnt specific techniques regarding martial arts…'

"And so," his father's words pulled him out of his thoughts. "We often wield a weapon in a battle. If you've noticed, most people prioritize using swords. You have your typical bowmen, spear-wielders and even axe fighters, but the sword just gains much more attention."

"True. Out of all the Integrity Knights that we'd seen yesterday, it seemed that almost all of them weld nothing but sword-like weapons," Kirito nodded in agreement. "Fanatio had a rapier, that Scheta person had a really thin sword, and Entokia had a really big sword… Well, Nergius had a spear, and Deusolbert weld a bow, so that's that."

"Precisely. For some reason or another, almost everyone seems to believe that swords are the most superior weapon. A first choice beyond anything else."

Sulinea added her two cents in. "Likely to do with the fact that the Human Empires have academies that only teach sword styles to their students. Those who wield other weapons usually have to learn on their own or from a specific mentor."

Wow. This was all way more interesting than he'd given it credit, and certainly gives him an insight into the value of swords within their empire. An equal amount of politics and tradition played roles in this, and dictated the priority of swords as any man's choice weapon.

He'd thought that had only been because swords were just so simple to wield, which is why it gets much more focus (or, from what his father is saying, all the focus) compared to other weapons. Why else would there be thirty sword styles specifically for swords?

Perhaps swords had played a pivotal role in mankind's history hundreds of years before, and they'd since become integrated into the people's blood.

Glancing over to Kirito, who asks a question regarding the most famous sword styles in the empires, Eugeo can't help but wonder if his friend might end up becoming a swordsman. It seemed oddly fitting.

Eventually, they finish their meals and his father left to go help out with the harvesting effort in the forests, making sure to grab a coat as he did. The rain outside was by no means a storming downpour, though it doesn't seem as if it'll be letting up any time soon. Judging by his brothers' faces, he doubted they'd be going out too.

Were this any other day, they would have left as well to work on their calling. Instead, as he watched Kirito getting pestered by his brothers to show them his sword, the former promising to grab it after he was done with eating, with Sulinea chiding them not to rush him or anything, he can't help but want to do nothing but laze about. Laze about, and do nothing for the rest of the day. What a pleasant thought that is.

'So from here, nothing noteworthy ever happens, does it?'

'Indubitably none.'

'It's been such a crazy ride. How often do you find people like these? People who've faced one hardship after another in a single year?'

'Methinks not. An encounter with goblins, a dragon's beshrew, a most terrific beast; it smacks of poor luck to the ingraft sir, but to this humble one, t'was nothing less than fate's stroketh of the brush. A machination of the divine.'

'No kidding. I mean, experiencing just one thing from here would be insane already. It's enough to change a person's entire life. But to go through so many like this? I mean, try and put that into perspective. When a person gets put through one traumatic event, it practically shakes their world. And then for so many things to happen one after another? Practically insane!'

'Forsooth.'

'Haaah… Well, at least things have gotten calmer now. It's been four days now, I think, since Kirito and Eugeo have returned to Rulid with Charlotte and Selena. Things have returned to normal now, and I'm honestly happy for that.'

'Remember, friend of mine. After the calm cometh a storm; after the storm cometh a halcyon. Such is a ruleth yond unchanging throughout the ages.'

'Hmm, I don't know about that. Times are changing. Haven't you seen the signs? With all that these two children have experienced, I feel as if the balance of the world has already been shifted. More awaits them, am I correct?'

'Forsooth. Their destiny, intertwined, sees these lads down a road rife with conflict and challenges. 'twill either maketh or breaketh them.'

'Nnngh, can you not say it like that? You're scaring me over here!'

'Ah… Pray, forgive me.'

'But I guess you're not wrong. This road they're taking… It's not a very simple one, is it? I can't even see the end of it, and I'm scared what might come out of it.'

'Trust in the boy. Faith, his name is. He is a peculiar one. Having bowed naught to the rules of the world nor the aut'rities of those most greater than he, this humble one sees him thriving. 'twill beest by his will—ev'ry choice, ev'ry consequence, ev'ry outcome. And his friend, too, stands as an anomaly, as those they shall cross paths with. The future is theirs to seize.'

'You… Do you really think they can pull it off?'

'Aye. This one holds true to his belief that they shalt rise above all challenges. Have they not overcome all trials before? They have one another. Nothing shalt stand in their path, friend. Trust in that.'

'Man, I wish I was half as confident as you… But yeah, I guess you're not wrong. Alone, nothing can be accomplished. But together, nothing is impossible.'

'Indubitably. All beneath the heaven is reachable.'

'Hehe, yeah, you're right. Haaah… I'm glad. Sorry. I was just… really scared.'

'Fret not. I understand thee. Thy heart so kind, thy loveth most wondrous. Of course thee wouldst worry about the children. This one admits that he has come to careth for them.'

'Aww, thanks. And hey, maybe someday we'll get to talk to them too?'

'Wouldst that I worry about what they would thinketh, of the two spirits within the sword they've carried their whole life? It driveth me to curiosity to no ends.'

'Oh, pooh. There's a literal dragon spirit with them. Would it really be that shocking that there are two spirits in a sword?'

'…Touché.'

10th day of the 11th Month – HEC, 372
Rulid Village, underneath the Gigas Cedar

"You doing okay over there, man?"

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine. Just going at it slow and steady."

He supposed that was the best response he could be given, so Kirito simply let him have it while he leaned back against the bark of the tree, sighing in relief as the winds of fall swept the lands. The scent of sap and dew was carried with it, offering a comforting ambience that had him feeling greatly relaxed. Natural as you can get.

As he rested, Eugeo worked on the Gigas Cedar with the Dragon Bone Axe. He swung much, much slower than Kirito did, though it wasn't without an excuse; his arm is injured, after all. Sure, the wounds had fully healed, but it wasn't enough for him to use it properly.

Ivenda didn't call it paralysis, but it had been wounded enough to perhaps damage the muscles in his arm. Enough so that fine motor control was not as easy as before.

A loud clack resounds across the forest with every strike of the axe upon the massive gash in the tree. It was so rhythmic, so familiar that it was oddly soothing. It would have been a lot more annoying back in the day, but now? He rather liked hearing it.

Much better than listening to grotesque monsters' growling, that was for sure.

"And remind me why we're not using the Blue Rose Sword right off the bat to just cut down this tree and be done with it," Eugeo grunted.

"It's because I want to train with the sword before we get any ideas of actually cutting it down," he responded easily. "I want to be fully prepared for when we leave Rulid. We won't have anyone to watch over us, after all, which means we need to know how to protect ourselves. I mean, there's Selena there—"

'You have my gratitude for acknowledging my presence.'

"—but in no way are we supposed to just rely solely on her. It'll be one hell of a journey, so being as prepared as possible is really important."

"Hmm, I suppose you're not wrong," his friend set the axe down for a moment, sighing. "And you wouldn't have had the opportunity to use it in the first place since we'd been trying to keep the Blue Rose Sword hidden all this time, so we never had a proper opportunity to actually use it, right?"

"There's that too," he hummed back with a nod. "But I guess now, I should look forward to starting with training. Basic drills and whatnot."

"Will you have time for that?"

"What'cha talking about? Of course I would. We literally finish this calling of ours so fast, and then we're left with so much free time. I could put some time into doing some sword swings to practise… although, it'd be more effective to get a teacher."

'Hmm. That will be rather difficult,' the two boys agreed with Selena. 'Why not ask the leader of your village's hunters?'

"Doubt that. He's already busy enough now that winter's coming. He probably wouldn't be able to make time to teach some kid how to swing a sword."

'Ah. A fair point.'

"Do you think it's too late to learn to use a sword?" Eugeo asked, drawing his friend's attention. "I mean, most people usually start really early. Like, as young as… what? Five? Six? You're already twice the normal age."

"Pssh, who cares about that? It's never too late to pick something up," his best friend smile, having that one look on his face. The kind that he made whenever he felt that he was saying something smart, though Eugeo knew better—usually, what came out of his mouth was just random silliness, though there was a token of wisdom here and there. "It all comes down to whether you're willing to put in the work or not. A man may learn to fish to put food on the table if he so desires, or he could venture into the woods for logs. It all depends on the guy."

Okay, that was a little more wise than he'd expected. He'll give himself credit for that. "Not wrong there, though it'll definitely take a little more effort."

"Oh, for certain, since I don't even have the foundations," he rolled his shoulder. "I practically used it like I used an axe. Definitely need a lot of work on that, and a lot more. Footwork, sword styles, techniques…"

'To groom oneself into a warrior… Truly, a trying task if there was ever any.'

No kidding. It demanded much discipline and conviction to see the path through to the very end. But if it ended up producing such a worthwhile result? He doubted anyone could truly complain about that.

"Alright then, let's switch out. I'm feeling ready to let loose for a little bit!"

"Okay, okay. But don't overdo it, Kirito."

"Funny, I always say that to you. Happy that you're reminding me in turn."

"Heh, no prob—"

"Kirito! Eugeo!"

Both of them froze up upon hearing a familiar voice call out to them, followed by hasty footballs approaching them. Grass crunched beneath her boots as she raced towards them, and both of them turned to look at whoever was coming their way.

It was Charlotte. That in itself isn't so strange, since she does visit them from time to time. She'd done so these past few days too whenever she had time outside of helping the hunters forage for materials from the forest.

What is strange this time is her black eyes which, typically so calm and composed, were filled with tension.

Charlotte was always calm. And every time he'd seen her less than calm left him feeling uneasy. "Charlotte? What's wrong?"

"It's…" She stopped to gather her breath. "We have visitors," she panted, likely having ran here all the way from the village. That would explain why she seemed so out of breath. Both boys shared confused looks.

"Err, okay? So what's with the rush? Did some bigshot come over?"

"Doubtlessly so. In fact, I daresay that they are the most important people this village shall ever play host to, and certainly not the first," she says. "The Axiom Church."

The axe that which Eugeo had just passed him slipped out of his hands, but he couldn't even be bothered by it. Hearing that name shut off any and all thoughts within him, eyes wide as he stared at her. Then to Eugeo, who looked just as shocked as he did.

It felt so fitting that, as she said that, all three of them turned to look southwards beyond the walls of Rulid. The sky's expanse was nothing but infinite, but to look far across to the distance…

Incredibly small silhouettes, flying in the sky towards them. Dragons.

"The Axiom Church?" He asked, if only for confirmation. He wished Charlotte had shaken her head instead of nodding. "How did you know that they were coming here?

"I had been working in the fields today when someone noticed them first. Atlas, the one with the incredible eyesight. I simply had to come and alert you two."

'And how many dragons were there? '

"Three of them, Lady Selena. Certainly no small business this time, I believe."

The Axiom Church… Perhaps the Integrity Knights? The last time they'd interacted with them at all had been four days ago. First working alongside Fanatio, and then meeting all those Integrity Knights (and seeing Deusolbert again, which brought forth a slow simmer of rage in him that he was quick to quash) before they were then escorted home.

And now, they were coming back so soon?

…After every storm, a calm. And after the calm? Yet more problems.

Charlotte paused to regain her composure. Selena made a sound of discontent. Beside him, Eugeo lowered his head into his hands with palpable distress, whining softly. Kirito joined him in groaning out loud.

They just can't get a break, can they?

Author's Notes:

Pretty long time since I last updated, and by the time this is up, I'll be going back to college for my second year next Monday. God damn, how time flies.

I initially wanted to write more to fill in the next few days since they returned from Zakkaria, but I would have ended up repeating what I did after their battle with Gabura, and I didn't exactly want to do that. Instead, we're moving forwards with the plot, so that's exciting.

And the Alicization: Lycoris game is coming to Switch at the end of the month. It was literally the one thing I was hoping for, but I'm also dreading it. Literally don't know if I want to play it or not—leaning more on the latter side, but for the sake of this story and my own love for the series? I'll give it a shot when it comes out.

And maybe spoilers, but I intend to include Rogu, Medina and Edith in this story. Edith is already beloved, but not so much for Medina, and Rogu is… well, the way they introduce him and how they write him is a little cringy, in my opinion, so I'll definitely end up making them a wee bit OOC. Even so, I'm determined to make them work.