Chapter 17: Ghosts in the Mist

The preceding three weeks were hard for The Guardians, leaving them all exhausted. Not only had they gone through training exercises with the Advance Masters, but Matthew, Jack, and Jenny had begun training their apprentices, taking them on smaller side missions that only required one or two people. Jack celebrated his 19th birthday, and all six would often walk around the village in pairs, talking long walks into the night as if trying to make up for the lost time. However, the training gave Helen time to contemplate her feelings toward Jack. She and Jenny would sometimes sit and talk in the marketplace, reliving their days in Ohio and wondering about the futures that might have been. Often this led to both of them wondering how their relationships would hold and if they would continue into marriage one day.

Jenny told her Athena's warning that Jenny was using Olsen as a crutch. She passed it off a first but began to see that she wasn't in love with Olsen; Jenny was clinging to him as a remnant of Ohio. The thought stuck with Helen, making her question her feelings toward Jack. Yes, she professed her feelings as the Amythyst Crystal's seal shattered, but was that because she didn't want to let go of Ohio? The thought often plagued her into sleep, waking her in the early mornings only to fall back asleep when Jack would hold her tighter. One morning, many hours before dawn, Helen's eyes shot open; a dream haunted her as she still questioned her relationship with the pirate next to her. The firm pressure of Jack's embrace calmed her as he stirred, propping himself up.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Jack asked sleepily, kissing the side of her head. Helen was about to answer when an ethereal chill settled over them, making their skin erupt into goosebumps.

"Did you feel it, too?" Helen whispered. Jack nodded with a slow understanding. Something made a noise at the door of his hut, kicking a small stone on the ground. Whoever it was walked up to them, causing Jack to reach back, grab his Abyss, and cock back the hammer as he stuck the end into Lillianne's face.

"Whoa! Calm down there; it's just me!" she hissed, dressed in pajamas and a robe.

"You felt it too?" Jack asked, releasing the pressure on the hammer, rolling out of bed, and pulling on his shirt.

"Yes, Matthew and Olsen headed to the edge of the docks to check it out; Jenny and I came here to get you." Jack stuffed his feet into his boots while Helen slipped on her shoes and grabbed their cloaks as they ran for docks where Matthew and Olsen watched the fog-filled bay.

"What do you see?" Jenny asked as they came up to them.

"Nothing yet, but I can tell you this fog isn't just from the surface of the water; it's much, much thicker," Olsen replied, watching as the billows moved sluggishly. The six stared out over the water's surface when they heard fluttering wings land behind them.

"So, you six felt it as well?" a familiar voice asked. Lillianne turned around to see Aufheben. Alden came running through the fog, his head no higher than the top of the puffy clouds despite his growth.

"Aufheben! How have you been doing? I heard Alcaster has been keeping you busy?" Helen called as she and Aufheben embraced for a brief moment before telling them about her adventures being a waitress at Alcaster's little restaurant.

"You six have been giving the people of Ossyria a lot of hope. Some people have been moving back to the El Nath Mountains…" Something exhaled far out into the bay, stopping Aufheben.

"What was that?" Olsen asked. A giant shadow cruised through the center of the bay, three tall spires reaching high above it. The sound of straining ropes and creaking boards hung in the air while the flat ring of a harbor bell echoed. Captain Hwang walked behind them, making them jump as he began talking.

"That terror that has been with us for many generations: Captain Norrington's ship, the Ethril Banshee." He said, walking to the end with a stoic expression across his panda face.

"I've heard about this; isn't this part of one of the Herb Town party quests?" Jack asked as the others nodded. Aufheben and Lillianne were confused until Helen clarified what they meant. Hwang scrunched his nose and lowered his brow, turning to them with stern eyes.

"I don't know about any 'Party Quest,' but Captain Norrington was a real man; my great ancestor was a dock hand on this very spot when it happened. Norrington sailed the waters of Ossyria as a freighter hundreds of years ago. He carried food and supplies back and forth from Mu Lung to what used to be the Victoria Province. Norrington hauled the crates without fail until, one day, a thick fog just like this rolled into the bay. The dock hands urged him to wait for the fog to lift, but he insisted on going. Against the dock master's advice, Captain Norrington set out as a storm began to brew. Weeks turned to months, and no one had heard from Norrington or his ship until one young lad discovered the wreckage of the Ethril Banshee.

"The thick fog made Norrington lose his way, crashing into the rocks and killing everyone on board. Investigations later revealed that Norrington had secretly supplied a group of plundering pirates, tainting him in their greedy ways. Now every year to the hour, Norrington's Ghost comes to the bay with this thick fog as though he is still trying to leave." Turning back to the water, Hwang pointed toward the ship's shadow.

"No one may leave or enter the bay, else they will be shot and destroyed by that ship. It has become a symbol of fear here in the Herb Town." Hwang growled, his brow remaining low. Matthew furrowed his brow and looked out over the fog.

"Is there a way of getting rid of it?" he asked. Hwang hung his head and sighed.

"Many have gone to ascertain that and have yet to return," he replied. Aufheben shivered at Hwang's low voice, looking out over the water and wondering about all those people that had disappeared.

"We can do it," Olsen said, turning to the others, eager to discover what this ship was like in the real world. Matthew nodded and smirked.

"We'll rid this bay of that ship. Meet up after breakfast; we've got dinner with the captain." Matthew said firmly as the six returned to their quarters and donned their armor, slinging belts around their shoulders and hips, finally slinging their cloaks over their backs. Aufheben readied herself by donning a simple set of armor, the Onyx Engrit. Lillianne nudged Matthew in the ribs when she saw him staring at Aufheben as she adjusted the belt of her halberd across her shoulders.

"I'm coming too." Said a familiar voice; Olsen looked up to see Nathan and Antonia dressed with new armor and weapons, ready to embark on their journey.

"Not on this particular mission. You're not yet strong enough to face this foe." Olsen commented, stepping up to the both of them and placing his hands on their shoulders.

"Then why train us if we're going to sit around for the rest of our lives?" Antonia asked, flailing her arms as she spoke in frustrated motions. Olsen sighed and looked to Matthew, who shrugged, allowing the ninja to give a tired response.

"You can come this once. But you will be ordered to stay here if you are too much of a liability, understand?" Nathan nodded just as Aeris came trotting up in her new suit of close-fitting shorts, a grey tank top, a leather vest, bracers, and slip-on shoes while she adjusted the gun holster slung low across her hips.

"Well, I'm ready finally." Aeris announced, shifting her weight to one leg when Nathan's face went pale.

"Aeris, what are you doing here?"

"I'm coming with you; isn't that obvious?" She asked, walking past him to stand next to Jack, crossing her arms, and giving her chin a satisfied tilt. Aufheben raised her eyebrow at the growing number of people joining them, especially since three were nowhere near The Guardians' power.

"Are you sure bringing them will be alright?" Aufheben asked Helen, who shrugged, scratching the top of Alden's head while he lay on Jenny's shoulder.

"I think it is a mistake. Hopefully, Nathan and Aeris will be content guarding Herb Town once they see just how powerful our enemies can be." Once ready, everyone boarded the small row boats, five in each, and cautiously set out across the waters.


With a hiss Growl, The Mage examined the damage in his Dungeon, running his hand over holes decorating the walls. The twisted metal of his Oblivion Knights strewn across the ground sported the same thumb-sized holes, suspicious of the thousands of small brass tubes covering the floor.

"My Lord, every path they took leaves a trail of destruction accompanied by hundreds of these." A Chief Oblivion Knight said, holding up another small brass tube. The Mage hissed in his throat as the knight crushed into a ball as the red fabric-like fire blew out, and a hissing growl hummed within. The Mage reached for his amulet, calling the Security officer Bavan with agitation in the whispers he spoke. A fumbling sound came back, the voice speaking as though his mouth was full of food.

"Master! A pleasure, as always. Nothing has happened so far. The people here have been far more subdued than usual after what happened to their Mechanic, Checky." The Mage squinted his eyes as The Mage sent whispers through the communicator.

"Yes, Master. Is there anything you want us to look for specifically, especially with two platoons of Memory Knights?" Bavan asked, loudly chewing some bit of food. The Mage said nothing, returning to his castle in a plume of dark vapors, slumping into his chair and reaching for the bridge of his nose; the scene in his dungeon agitated him.

Whatever that mechanic made was a force to be remembered and counted. If the citizens revolted before he acquired enough Mithril Crystal, it would severely hamper his plans. High heels walking up the hallway echoed as Eleanor came in. She carried a silver challis of her special potion, feeling the gaze of the Cornian as they watched her walk into the room.

"Master, what has you in such turmoil?" she asked, setting the cup down and then pulling her arms under the cloak. The Mage's eyes became blank as he drank the potion, hushed whispers directed at her.

"Me? What could they possibly want to see me in the great hall for?" Eleanor asked. The Mage said nothing as he stared out the window while Eleanor left. She wondered why her students would want to see her in the great hall. It was a large corridor with polished white granite floors stretched out like a pure sea of foam, decorated in black granite and onyx chips. Nothing seemed present until small flames tore to life and revealed a long table laden with delectable foods and most of her students surrounding it.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISTRESS ELEANOR!" they all shouted, making her at first become defensive and ready to fight until she realized what it was that was happening.

"How did you all find out about the day of my birth?" she asked sternly. One of the braver students approached her with a smile to explain.

"We wanted to show appreciation for your leadership of the Black Wings. We didn't know exactly when your birthday was, but we discovered it was around this time. We just took a chance and decided to celebrate it today." He said smoothly, holding his hand over pouches and casting a simple spell that drew out the black and violet powders. The two of them wove together into an elegant, black strapless evening gown that shone with a violet radiance every time it moved. Its tailored fit flowed over her figure, flaring at the knees with a slit rising to the hip. At the bottom of the v-neckline, a pair of black crystal wings hung.

"Happy Birthday, mistress." He said, holding out the dress as an orchestra faded somewhere in the background. Eleanor surrounded herself in a transport spell, putting herself into the dress and adjusting portions with some leftover powders. She then held her hand out as the student led her to the table and began the festivities. In the back of her mind, small tears wanted to make their presence known as memories of the days with her family began to surface.


For the past few weeks, Athena had been like a mother and advisor to Mir as she explored her human-like emotions toward Evan. At times, it was almost painful to watch the dragoness, who was much more innocent than she seemed.

"She may be a woman, but in romance, she is but a child." Athena smiled as she watched Mir and Evan walking hand in hand or with Evan's arm around her waist. A voice from behind Athena startled her.

"It often makes you forget she's a powerful Onyx Dragon, doesn't it?" For a brief moment, Athena could swear she saw Kalib once more until the light shifted and revealed Eckhart's black and white mask.

"I can't help but wonder if Evan knows what he's unleashed. From what I understand, dragons' emotions are deeper and more potent than any human or elf." Athena answered, turning back to the couple across the street. The Nightwalker huffed under his mask as he chuckled.

"He understands. I would ask, why are you following them everywhere? When I come to town, you are never far behind." Eckhart challenged.

"Mir asked me to stay close in case she had any questions." Pulling his mask away, Eckhart shook his head, brushing his short black hair out of his eyes.

"That is one of the sorriest excuses I have heard, Athena." He chuckled. Athena looked up as the light hit him just right; The tussle of his dark hair, the light shining, and the gold sewn into his cloak sparkling. For another brief moment, Athena readied to call him Kalib but stopped herself as the light dimmed when a cloud passed over the sun.

"Athena? Are you alright?" Eckhart asked, hanging his mask on his belt. Athena nodded, shaking her trance and sitting up, only to turn her gaze back to him. Had Minerva given her this second chance to have her Kalib once more? Was it possible for the same person to exist in multiple worlds? A part yearned for Kalib to awaken in Eckhart, but would that lead to heartbreak rather than a future? It was a question she would need to explore with caution and a heart full of hope.


Maya hadn't been very well as a child, but she knew of many things despite being cooped up in her house due to her strange illness. It often left her too weak to venture far from her house, let alone around Henesys, before The Black Wings attacked it. However, there was one person she admired, even had a crush on, and that was the dark and mysterious Dragonoir.

Ever since she saw him come to Henesys, she wanted to know who he was, and most of all, she wanted him to take her away. She lost hope when everyone had to flee to Herb Town because of the Black Mage's return and resigned herself to her sickness, never finding her secret love. When a powerful priest in Herb Town managed to find a potion and spell combination that healed her illness, she renewed her hope and began to search in earnest.

For three months, she searched, beginning to lose hope when she found him and a heavily armored warrior resting in the forest by pure chance. She knelt next to Dragonoir quietly: her search was over! At last, she could be free. Free from the village, from being sick, from being just an ordinary girl. Timidly she reached out for his hand until Dragonoir woke from his slumber, turning his attention to the pretty girl with her amber hair tied in long pigtails. Terror and awe raced through her soul, unable, or perhaps more unwilling, to move away from him.

"And who are you?" he asked coldly.

"M-my name is Maya. And I've always wanted to come along with you, to go far away with you on your dragon." She answered timidly.

"I am not interested in someone slowing me down. Phoenix, get up. We're leaving." The great warrior woke from his slumber as he transformed from his human form into his dragon form with a burst of flames. In desperation, Maya reached out and clung to his sleeve as he walked away, stopping him.

"Please! Take me with you! I would do anything that you would require! Anything that you desire!" The offer made Dragonoir think: if this girl was willing to do anything for him, then he could use this to drive those pesky Guardians apart. That would at least weaken them significantly, even if something removed only one of them from the group. The only question remained on how. He would ned to make it seem natural and not as if someone were manipulating them from the shadows, and now someone was here offering themselves freely.

"There is one task you can help me with," Dragonoir said smoothly, as he turned his cold and glowing eyes back to Maya. Her face became bright with a broad smile as she took his extended hand and let herself be seated on Phoenix's back. They bolted into the sky, heading for his cave where Dragonoir and Phoenix had first met. It would be there he would formulate the Guardian's undoing.


The group finally arrived at the ship, as Olsen nimbly climbed the side and tied the ropes to the railing at the ship's bow. Matthew was about to boost Aeris when Nathan reached out and pulled her back.

"Stay here in the boat." He commanded, firmly pushing her back so that she lost her balance and sat down before climbing up the rope himself. Matthew jerked his head to the side and helped Aeris up the rope, then clambered up. He chuckled when he saw Nathan and Aeris already arguing on the deck. Jack was about to separate them until Olsen stepped in and roughly pulled them apart.

"Can't you guys be quiet!?" He hissed.

"I want Aeris to go back to the village and wait there. I almost lost her once, and I will not do it again! It's the only way to protect her." Nathan hissed in return. Olsen's eyes became dark as he looked back at him.

"You want to protect her? You can't even protect yourself. What you are doing isn't protection, it's imprisonment. True protection is ensuring her safety when something does happen and then ensuring it never happens to her or anyone else again. THAT is true protection!" Olsen hissed, pulling away with a firm shove as he and Jenny took point. Nathan looked to the ground jutting out his jaw and lowering his eyes.

"Hey, I know you want to protect me, but I'm not as weak anymore. Jack has taught me a lot, ok?" Aeris said, putting a hand on his shoulder and leaning over to look him in the eyes. Nathan nodded, sighing while following the group. Before he could turn away, Aeris stepped before him and used her forehead to turn his head up, giving him a firm kiss.

"Hey, I'll be fine, ok?" she said, smiling at him. Nathan sighed and nodded in acceptance. As they crept along, a misty creature appeared on the deck. It was dressed in a white overcoat holding a glowing red lantern, and mumbling to himself as he walked. Each step rumbled through the deck. Jenny quickly pushed them back to a stairway leading below deck. They would try to go under him to get to the captain's quarters. Helen thought she smelled something strange and walked over to a metal trough with a foul-smelling liquid.

"It's Lamp Oil," Antonia said as she came over and smelled the liquid. With a snap of her fingers, Helen ignited a flame over it. Flames tore down the length of the trough, illuminating their way down what looked to be an extremely long corridor, almost longer than the ship appeared. Hundreds of small green-eyed ghosts turned to them. The group quickly hid up the stairs, watching the ghosts with the reflection of Matthew's katana blade.

"Olsen, I need you and Jack to see if you can hurt those things. Something tells me it won't be easy." Matthew asked. The two nodded as Olsen called up his Shadow Partner and readied his shuriken. In a quick burst of movement, Olsen stood in the corridor and hurled the stars as hard as he could. Each fluttered through the little green men like wisps of smoke. Jack came blazing in with his gun arm flaring blue, cocking back the hammer and pulling the trigger. Again, the little men were unaffected by their attacks except for a few who stomped out the fires on the ends of the brooms they carried. They all turned and swung their brooms at them as if on command. Jack and Olsen could hardly avoid the stinging hits as their hits passed right through them.

"WE NEED YOU!" Jack shouted as Matthew drew his katana; Jenny nocked her bow with Alden holding her shoulder. Helen ignited a lightning spell in her hands; Aufheben gripped her sword as it flared into existence, and Lillieanne provided cover to the students as they stayed back. As they waited for instructions, a shadow darkened the stairway behind them. As the creature stopped by the door, the air became thick and heavy. The four of them held their breath as a pair of large red circles appeared, staring at them for ages. The circles stayed there until they turned back the way they came, and the heavy footsteps faded away.

Meanwhile, the other six tried hard to hit the creatures but failed as each attack hit the ground or nearly hit each other. Aufheben grit her teeth with a downward right cross, cutting through a broom one of the creatures held; the creature stopped and looked at its broom when it broke, making the body lose its form and disappear. Aufheben tried hitting the broom of another ghost and got the same result.

"Guardians! Hit what it is that they are holding!" She called, driving through a crowd of them. The Five began cutting through and breaking each broom. Aeris, Antonia, and Nathan also began attacking as Alden swatted the dry wood of the brooms with his paws. Just as they finished, another wave of ghosts materialized from the far side of the corridor. Matthew put up his hand, his palm facing the oncoming mob.

"I got this. You might want to cover your ears, though." When they covered their ears, a seal appeared in front of him, accompanied by a second layer and a dragon's head that appeared in the center. It unleashed a window-shattering roar, instantly vaporizing the brooms held by the ghosts.

"Well, that explains how to deal with anything else coming our way," Antonia chuckled. As they recovered, Jack noticed that Helen was holding her head.

"You ok?" he asked as Helen stopped and looked around with a smile.

"They were remnants of Life Forces, the last echos of crew members to the ship and those who tried to set this ship free. The item they hold binds them and stops them from returning to the Life Stream. With that item destroyed, it released them." Alden came trotting up to Jenny with a cloth hanging from his teeth, chewing on it and rolling on the ground as though he were playing.

"Not now, Alden; we'll play when we get back to town," she scolded, picking him up and setting him on her shoulder.

"So, if we must destroy what they hold, that should make getting to the captain easier should things continue this way." Olsen surmised, flipping his dagger and catching it when he heard something from behind a door ahead. Matthew motioned for everyone to gather and spoke low so only they could hear him.

"Aufheben, I need you to stay near these three in case something comes along they can't handle. Nathan, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I need you to watch Aeris' and Antonia's back with all you've got. You three right now a platoon." All three nodded in understanding as Jack reached for the doorknob. Everyone readied their abilities and, with a nod from Matthew, stormed into the next room, where a sea of ghosts waited for them.

After battling through four rooms, the group finally found a place to catch their breath. Unfortunately, Nathan, Aeris, and Antonia had drained entirely of their mana stores, leaving them heaving for breath on the floor.

"Anyone hurt?" Jenny called, catching her breath as she and Jack held the door shut. The apprentices confirmed they were uninjured, falling silent when heavy footsteps came closer and a red lantern swayed in the dark. Helen ignited the lamp oil, which revealed the lumbering form they had seen on the deck.

"I am the first officer of this ship. What is your business here?" the enormous ghost asked in a gravelly voice, his sharp teeth clattering and his red eyes glaring at them unblinkingly.

"We've come to speak with the captain," Matthew shouted as he stepped forward. The Ghost's head turned to him slowly, making him feel uneasy under his blank and freakish stare.

"None shall pass. You may bring any matter to me." It said, the air becoming chilled.

"Then why will you not let anyone pass out of the Bay? They have nothing to do with you!" Helen asked.

"On the contrary: one snooping little thief discovered our captain supplying Pirates with extra, unaccounted-for supplies. It was the dock hands that then sabotaged my Captain's compass leading us right to the rocks. Therefore, no one shall leave or come while we are here!" Helen stepped forward and firmly set her staff on the hollow boards, the impact sounding like a drum.

"This madness ends here and now! It's been hundreds of years since you died!" she shouted when the Officer raised his arms and screamed.

"THE BLOOD OF THOSE WHO BETRAYED US STILL LIVES! THAT BLOOD WILL CEASE TO EXIST. Your freeing of our fodder has weakened my captain. But your lives will give my Captain enough strength to set foot on the docks and end the bloodline of those who have wronged him!" Matthew clenched his jaw hard.

"You won't be absorbing any more lives! You must accept that your place here in this world is gone!" the lieutenant said nothing as he stared blankly at him for a long while. At the stalemate's thickest, Matthew clenched his jaw and growled.

"I'm sending us into Mana Overdirve!" he shouted as he quickly aligned the mana frequencies and attacked with brute force. Jack was the first, his body igniting into golden light as he hit the floorboards, unleashing an explosive shockwave. That wave dissipated with a swing of the officer's lantern. The officer drew back his fist and hurled it forwards, only to meet Matthew's Iron Wall.

Jenny jumped over Matthew, Drawing her bow as she leaped. While the Officer's attention was on her, Matthew lowered his Iron Wall, allowing Helen to draw a simple seal in mid-air, summoning a dragon servant of Bahamut. Its head burst through the seal as light erupted from its mouth, bombarding the officer with hurricane force. As the dragon faded, Jenny unleashed her arrow, shockwaves ripping through the air along its path.

"Is that ALL you have to…" the Officer was cut short when Jenny's Mortal Arrow slammed him into the wall as the Overdrive dissolved, leaving everyone fatigued.

"Why'd you stop now?! We need the power!" Jack demanded.

"Because we still need to see the captain, and if we're exhausted, he just might wipe the floor with us." Matthew shouted back. The officer lumbered up from being knocked to the floor, swinging his lamp madly when Jack lunged. Dust billowed behind him as he drew back his fist, bright threads of lightning flowering from it as he aimed for the lantern.

Jack planted his foot, readying for the impact, until he watched his fist pass through it. The officer's fist hurled Jack straight into Matthew, catching him and skidding to a stop. Olsen swung down from his hiding spot, drawing his dagger and a spare kunai from his belt. With blinding speed, Olsen whirled around him in a bright aqua whirlwind, reappearing as he skidded to a stop on the mossy boards. The officer looked down at his coat seeing the three long tears in it and becoming frantic as he tried to push the cuts back together.

"His jacket! HIT HIS JACKET!" Olsen shouted as he rushed back toward the panicked ghost. Helen and Jenny drove him back as Jack and Lillianne helped by using their inhuman strength to do the same. Olsen darted around the hold to keep him distracted while Alden jumped and tore small pieces of his jacket. Matthew sheathed his Katana and drew the Dume with the blue veins glowing bright against the dark. His cloak attached to the cutting edge in large serrated teeth, the sword roaring as flames tore up the blade.

Helen released her Sacred Arrow, and Jenny released her Spine Arrow simultaneously, striking the ghost in both shoulders. Olsen rushed him from behind as he reeled from the force of the arrows, falling back as he kicked his feet forward. Jack appeared above him as his fist smashed the officer into the ground. As he struggled to sit up, Matthew swung through his jacket with a small seal appearing on his wrist. With each strike, more orbs gathered until he gathered them into himself; the fire on the blade turned dark as he swung straight down and split the jacket in two, hitting the boards hard enough to make the ship lean and sway.

"I apologize, captain! My service was not to your liking." The officer gurgled and hissed. As Matthew sheathed the Dume, the officer's jacket flared into bright blue flames and collapsed to the ground as his ghost diffused into the air, leaving the coat.

"That's one more problem dealt with finally. Nathan, how are you guys holding up back there?" Olsen called as he looked back. Aeris leaned against the wall, still catching her breath from the previous room's fights, tiredly picking up her arm and putting up her thumb.

"Aufheben, watch over these young ones for us. We will go on ahead to the captain. I'm not sure what will happen when we defeat him, but I want you four to be at least able to run." Helen called as she was the last up the stairs onto the deck. Before them, ominous double doors stood at the stern of the ship, crowned with an enormous helm's wheel sporting a large lever beside it. Jack was about to lay all his weight onto the lever when the other four came up from below deck, Antonia speaking for them.

"We don't know how much help we can be without our mana, but it'll be a cold day in hell before we let our masters go into this fight without us at least trying to help." Jack looked back to Helen, who shrugged as she smiled slyly.

"Alright, just try and stay safe, though," Jack said as he jumped up on the lever and pushed it down, throwing the doors open. Inside was an ominous glow, swelling and shrinking as if it were breathing. Slimy moss hung from each rafter inside, while seaweed hung from the broken glass window at the back of the ship.

Near the center of the room was a desk covered in dark red barnacles and dotted with small patches of blue coral. Olsen waited for the captain to make himself known, but he seemed nowhere in sight. When Aufheben entered the room, the door slammed shut, a lock turning to an upright position. The glow in the room began converging in front of the desk, creating the form of a lone figure dressed in a long black overcoat with golden rope shoulders. A wide hat sat on his head, rolling upwards as it narrowed in both directions with white gloves upon his hands. The figure turned to them as a raspy, dry voice spoke.

"Young guests… I am dropped into a Riddle. There I were, resting in my cabin. And, upon a sudden, I am awakened by an unkind sound in my chamber. What be that, my first mate?" Silence hung in the air until whispers arose, indecipherable as they drifted around the Guardians. The Captain's mustache rose as he smiled, his cold and glowing white eyes opening on in the blackness that seemed to be his face where a thick yet well-trimmed white beard obscured his face.

"Yes, my first mate, it seems we do have a pest problem. Now we all know what it is that happened to said pests. On this ship, pests DIE!" He crossed his arms and then shouted, hurling the group against the front wall of his quarters. The captain was about to scream again when Helen crossed her arms. A giant cross made of sacred light appeared, digging into the wooden floor, preventing them from being smashed against the wall. Olsen regained his focus and growled, disappearing as hot pink seals would burst into existence as he jumped from place to place. Finally, he appeared above the captain with his fist engulfed in pink flames in the shape of a small ghost.

Before Olsen hit, the captain jumped into the air and reached behind him, pulling a large revolver from his belt while pulling back the hammer. The gun responded with a loud rumble as a cloud of smoke appeared where Olsen had been a moment before. When the captain landed, everyone stayed still for a moment, unsure whether Olsen was still alive until the smoke cleared. When it did, it revealed Jack, standing in front of Olsen, holding up his own gun with smoke trailing from the end of it.

"You gotta say something if you're gonna do that, Olsen. I almost wasn't able to move fast enough." Jack said, blowing off the end of his gun and holstering it, all the while having a sly smirk on his face.

"Well, you know. I have to keep you on your toes somehow." Olsen smirked. The captain became enraged, rushing forwards only to be met with an earth-wrenching punch in the gut, sending him flying into a bookcase. Helen teleported before the Captain as her Wings of Light erupted from her back, glowing bright violet as they spread wide. In the moment it took for her wings to fully form, the captain gathered a white flame in his right hand and a black flame in his left, smashing them together above his head.

A blinding flash of light made The Guardians cover their eyes, confused when nothing appeared to have happened. Helen released her attack, the feathers tearing holes in the captain's jacket. Matthew rushed in with a heartfelt scream and swung his Dume down hard across his coat, tearing a large hole through it. He was about to swing again when he noticed the sword felt extremely heavy.

Matthew jumped back, leaving the sword as Jenny grabbed four arrows and drew them against the sinews. But when she let them go, the arrows shot in every direction except straight. Jenny looked at her bow for a moment and then tried drawing a spine arrow, but nothing appeared as she pulled the sinews tight. Helen tried casting her triple claw, but as with Jenny, nothing happened. Olsen tried hard to create a Shadow Partner with no luck. Jack tried to unleash the Hyper Fist form, and Lillianne tried to charge her push beam, but none of them could do anything.

"Ha ha ha ha. Your mana is useless, and you can no longer use your precious gifts!" The Captain laughed as the tears in his coat repaired themselves while he slowly drew his saber, raising it above his head where it drew ghosts to the blade, making it glow a sick blue color. With a mighty swing, the captain swung until it abruptly stopped on an iron wall made of red energy.

"What be this? Do my eyes place me in bewilderment, or are you using your mana?!" the captain asked as Matthew met his cold gaze.

"It's not mana; IT'S YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!" Matthew shouted as the Ruby power within him shot up in a column of red flames. The other guardians' bodies did the same, flaring in the color of the power within them. The color of the flames shifted as Matthew attuned each one, finally settling to a dark, evergreen color.

Lillianne could only stand back, awed by the amount of power from her friends: it was suffocating. The Guardians' movements became no more than streaks of light, unable to be seen by the human eye. Jack grabbed the captain by the collar, dragging him away from the bookcase while plunging the blades of his Knucklers into the captain's face breaking his jaw away. The captain spun across the floor as Helen stopped him with a wall of flaming gears, then threw him across the room with a plasma bolt. Jenny floored him with a powerful arrow made purely of fire.

The Captain raised his sword, drawing ghosts to the blade again as he struggled to get up. Jenny reached for her Crossbow as Matthew swung his sword hard across the captain's gut. The impact shoved the captain along the floor, leaving scorch marks on the wood. With distance on her side, Jenny fired the crossbow and hit the captain with an ice-covered bolt, instantly freezing the captain in a block of ice. No sooner had the ice formed than the Captain broke free. Olsen's cloak transformed into his fire blade as he readied for an attack.

The captain tucked himself in, drawing energy to himself the showering floor of his cabin the gathered energy. Skeletons began climbing up from invisible graves, each holding a bomb with an ignited fuse, taking up every free inch of the floor.

"You Humans may be strong, but even you can't avoid being hit by 30 of my skeleton soul bombs!" the captain laughed as the fuses crawled down to ignition. Olsen clenched his jaw as tiny wings appeared on his heels, exploding into enormous wings of fire as the ninja disappeared into a plume of flames. Flashes of light appeared on each of the bombs until Olsen skidded to a stop. Each skeleton looked at the bombs in their hands, unsure why the fuses were now missing. Helen slammed the end of her staff on the floor as flames circled the top where a seal appeared, shrinking in size until it was too small to see. An inferno erupted from where the circle had been before as each skeleton exploded in flames. The captain charged in anger at Jack, bringing down his sword hard. Jack clenched his teeth, catching the swinging blade between his hands and cracking the boards beneath his feet.

"THOSE WHO HAVE WRONGED ME SHALL PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE!" The captain shouted as he laid his weight on the sword. Jack's arms began to cave under the weight until Olsen appeared beside him with his dagger drawn.

"Not Today!" he shouted as he hit the captain's chest with his ghost fist, making the captain stumble back, releasing Jack from his struggle. As the captain reeled, Jenny drew her bow, wind gathering around her Spine Arrow, letting it go as Jack's heavy fist sent the captain flying into the shot. It tore through the captain's jacket, leaving a giant hole. Helen concentrated her magic, hurling an ice spell into the hole and freezing him from the inside out.

Matthew took a breath as he dissolved the Overdrive, leaving them all starving for breath as the effect hit them. Matthew fought to reach for his knapsack and pulled a small bottle of Orange Peel potion from it. Taking a swig, he instantly calmed his breathing and heart, allowing him to help the rest with a mouthful of the potion.

"Ok, let's not do that again for a while." Jack laughed, still trying to catch his breath. Matthew nodded as he walked to the frozen captain's statue fused to the floor.

"So now what? Are we done?" Nathan asked as he walked up behind Matthew. Olsen shook his head.

"I doubt it. The only way fully be rid of these ghosts is to destroy what holds them in the world. But each time we hit his coat, it repaired itself." he said as he held his chin.

"What if it's his hat that's holding him here?" Aufheben asked. Olsen shrugged, holding his palm to the ghost.

"I wouldn't doubt it. Jack, do you want the honors?" Jack nodded as he tightened his Beias and ignited into a golden light, the seal on his mana having been released. Just as Jack was readying to strike, Antonia noticed something reaching up from the floor. She pulled Nathan back as Aufheben grabbed Aeris before the hands could catch them. The Guardians weren't as lucky when their feet were pulled from under them, tripping them face-first to the floor. The captain broke free of his ice prison while his skeletons held them down, unable to move and positioning himself beside them, rolling his shoulders as the cold melted away.

"Nice try, but you will NOT DEFEAT ME!" The captain raised his sword high, aiming for their necks after the hands lined them up, spirits gathering into the shining blade. As he swung, the steel rang when Aeris' bullets ricocheted from it, forcing it aside to the floor. Antonia's arrow struck his hat at the same moment, taking it from his head and pinning it to the wall. The Captain looked back to see where the attacks had come from when Nathan threw his spear through the Captain's hand, pinning it to the wall. Olsen took advantage of the distraction, kicking off the Skeletons holding him down, and grabbed Matthew's Katana.

He rushed up to the hat and struck it so many times so quickly that the motions were nothing but a blur. He finished by igniting the pile of bits with the Claw Blade form of his cloak. For a moment, nothing happened until the captain laughed, pulling the spear from his hand and throwing it back at Nathan's feet, where it stuck into the floorboards.

"You honestly think my weakness was my hat?" He asked with a growl as the hat reformed on his head, picking up his sword while drawing his pistol.

"It's his sword!" Lillianne thought. She pushed off the ground hard and away from the hands, attacking the shining blade until cracks began to appear. With one hell-bent scream, she used every last ounce of strength and hit the sword, shattering it as splinters of metal exploded in all directions. The captain stared blankly at the broken blade before laughing even harder.

"HA HA HA HA! WRONG AGAIN! AH HA HA HA!" The captain could hardly stand straight as the sword reformed from ghosts that gathered at the hilt. In a blur of movement, the captain swung at Lillianne. She tried to block the swing, but the thunderous blow made her arms and hands burn as she slammed into the wall. As he finished his swing, he leveled his pistol at Lillianne, the gun roaring as flames and smoke erupted from the barrel, obscuring Lillianne. The captain laughed in triumph, holstering the gun with a confident motion.

Everyone could only stare in disbelief until the smoke cleared, revealing Matthew's Iron Wall fizzing with threads of mana, the bullet embedded into the face. The warrior let out a breath and dropped his head to the ground, thankful he could use the technique without his hands. Through the silence, Matthew heard little paws pattering on the floor, looking up to see Alden with the piece of cloth in his mouth, acting as though he were playing with it. The Captain looked back at Alden with wide eyes as he saw the celion.

"Give me that, you little rodent!" He shouted as the captain dove for him. Alden made a mad dash behind him as the captain gave chase, swinging his sword or blasting at him with his gun.

"It's that fabric." Helen thought to herself, activating her healing spell, which obliterated the skeletons holding her down.

"EVERYONE! GET THAT FABRIC!" She shouted, slamming her staff down, making a healing spell ripple across the floor, obliterating the remaining skeletons. Jenny's arrow ignited while Jack charged a thunder punch, and Olsen activated the flame blade form of his cloak, tossing the katana back to Matthew. Once in Matthew's hands, the katana thundered as flames came to life around it. The captain cornered the Celion, making Alden growl and hiss, still holding onto the fabric in his teeth.

"Alden! Get it in the air!" Jenny commanded. When the captain lunged for him, Alden jumped onto his back and jumped high, releasing the fabric as the Captain turned around and reached out. Jenny released her arrow and pinned the square to the wall. Helen released her fire arrow as Matthew ran up and smashed his sword through the center. Olsen reduced it to scraps, and Jack finally finished with a hard punch to the wall, turning whatever remained of the fabric into ash. With each attack, the Captain twitched, holding his chest as his breath came in wheezes. As the last bits burned, the captain pulled himself to the small pile of ash, holding his hands gently around it until his eyes began to glow. With a violent throw, his head snapped back as he shouted.

"CLARICE!" Smoke lifted from his jacket as his Life Force left, leaving behind the beard and mustache. His sword fell to the ground in a clatter that seemed almost louder than it should have been.

"Did… did we beat him?" Aeris asked. Helen was about to answer when the ship began to rock and heave, and the boards began to buckle while the remaining windows shattered.

"THE SHIP'S BREAKING APART! WE'VE GOT TO GO NOW!" Screamed Aufheben. All of them ran for the bow while ghosts of the ship tried to bar their way. Matthew had enough time to grab his Dume and Nathan's spear before the cabin floor buckled and broke, revealing a black nothingness below.

They all cut through the ghosts blocking their way to the bow as fast as they could, trying to outrun the ship's destruction that fell away into the black nothingness. Half Falling, half climbing, they boarded their boats and began rowing away from it when Aufheben noticed that Matthew wasn't among them. She saw him still fighting off ghosts as the stern of the ship started sinking into the water, lifting the bow high into the air.

"MATTHEW!" Lillianne screamed. With each stroke of his swords, more ghosts fell by the dozens when they had to cover their ears from an air-splitting roar disintegrating the spirits surrounding him. In one mighty effort, he pulled himself to the now vertical bow and stood in the center. He jumped with everything he had as Aufheben took off to catch him. Just before she was about to reach him, a giant tentacle reached up from the waters between them while a loud rumble rose from the depths.

Aufheben tried to fly around it when more arms sprang from below the water until the sickening green tentacles surrounded the ship. Aufheben hung her head, looking as though she was about to cry when a flash of sacred light began shining between the arms. Matthew leaped through the wall of arms with a milky green liquid and chunks of flesh following him. Aufheben caught him before he hit the water, hugging him tightly, despite the slimy green blood that covered him from head to toe. After a minute to catch their breath, both could hear applause from the dozens of people crammed along the shore and dock. Once everyone returned, the group noticed Captain Hwang, and The Masters waiting for them as the creature sank into the depths with the ship in tow. Kyrin was the first to approach them, stomping through the moist earth, her lips tight and hands shaking.

"You're all are reckless; going aboard that ship before finding out anything about it? And bringing your apprentices, no less; this little jaunt of yours could have killed them! On top of which, you barely escaped The Locker by that vile creature!" she shouted, flailing her arms with fire in her eyes before planting her hands firmly on her hips and staring at all of them hard. Jack undid the clasps of his Beia and tucked them under his belt as he tried to explain.

"Mom, we just…" Kyrin stopped him as she wrapped him in her arms, her voice breaking as she spoke.

"I'm just glad you made it back in one piece." She said, releasing her grip and holding him back from her while she laughed at herself and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"It looks like you're not the little boy I once knew." Kyrin huffed. "Just tell me the next time you dare to try something that dangerous again." Greg and May plowed through the crowd, wrapping their arms around Helen.

"That goes for us too. We may not be like your Grandfather, but we need to know that our little girl will be ok." Helen chuckled and nodded, returning her parent's hug. As they all caught their breath, Jenny noticed a lone figure appear in the fog, a strange blue-colored glow around him. Helen quickly drew a Sacred Arrow, making the rest turn around and ready their weapons when the figure put up its hands.

"Whoa, whoa, stop! I'm not here to fight you; I'm here to thank you." The figure wore a sailing uniform with a single medal on his jacket's lapel. He was bald, with the only white hair on his head protruding from the sides, sporting a two-piece mustache curled at the ends with a light scruff on his chin.

"I am captain Norrington, and I want to thank you for releasing me from that prison." Helen eased her stance, walking to the end of the dock but still watching him closely.

"Tell us, why is it that you've terrorized this peaceful village for so long?" she asked sternly. Norrington sighed and hung his head.

"For many years, I helped Ossyria by delivering supplies to the Victoria Provence. During one of my sailing journeys, a ruthless pirate named Sekron sent me a note. He had learned my sailing route and schedules and demanded I bring him supplies for his fleet of pirate ships. As leverage, the crew had taken my wife, Clarice, hostage. Only when I met their needs would he give her back. As proof, he sent me a piece of her favorite dress." The specter held up what appeared to be the square of fabric that Alden was playing with earlier in the adventure.

"Unfortunately, his demand for supplies only grew, and hope of ever seeing my beloved Clarice dwindled. I kept the fabric on the wall of my ship to remind me why I was stealing these supplies. After five years of doing this, my heart began to turn against the people of Ossyria, and I, too, became a slave to greed, secretly pirating on my own as I would return to port here in Herb Town. On the voyage that would be my last, I agreed to meet up with Sekron for the final delivery of supplies, and he would return my wife.

But on that fateful day, one of the dock hands found a list of supplies I was to deliver to Sekron and played with my compass. There was a thick fog that day, and I could only trust my compass to guide me out to sea. When we found ourselves nearing Mu Lung harbor, we learned what happened and dropped anchor, waiting for the fog to lift, set our compass right, and leave the port.

"Fate was against us that night as a storm blew in and tossed us right into the unseen rocks of the bay. A mass of timbers pinned me near the rising waters, so with my dying breath, I swore I would find the meddler and end them myself, binding everyone's life to this ship until I fulfilled that declaration. But that oath was of a greedy and self-centered pirate, the person I had become, and not of myself; I never did find out who distorted my compass." With a smile, he nodded to the Guardians as they stood shoulder to shoulder on the dock.

"Again, I want to thank you for freeing me from the man I was and the curse I placed upon myself. Thanks to you, I am reunited with my beloved Clarice." The captain held out his arm as a woman's figure appeared beside him and kissed his cheek. With a wave from both of them, the two ghosts slowly faded from view as the fog in the bay cleared, revealing the sparkling waters below.

"So tell me what happened! Don't leave out anything!" Kyrin demanded excitedly as they all walked back into town.


Dragonoir wrote out the last letters of the giant arcane circle covering the floor, The last of six covering the walls, floor, and ceiling of the tiny house in the Leafre mountains.

"So what will this do? It seems complicated." Maya said as she watched her idol in awe draw the circles.

"These will allow me to influence any person in Ossyria." He answered as he slipped the chalk into his sleeve.

"And who will we be influencing?" Maya asked curiously, walking up to Dragonoir with her hands behind her back.

"First, I need to find something in one of the people to latch onto: a small doubt or even a question of purpose will do. And I have been watching a certain person very closely."

"How? You've been making those weird circle thingies all this time." Maya protested until Dragonoir smiled and shook his finger.

"I have my ways. Once that is done, the other person is easy. Which is where you will come in."


After multiple questions about his expedition on the pirate ship, Matthew walked into the woods and began cleaning the blade of his Dume and armor. As he washed off the blood, the thought of Aufheben hugging him shot across his mind: why did he think about that? And why did she hug him like that? A sharp jab of pain shot through his head. Pressing his fingers into his temple, it dissipated, making him forget about Aufheben and continue cleaning his armor.


"There," Dragonoir whispered with a menacing smile, reaching out to Maya and leading her to the very outside of the floor ring directly across from Dragonoir.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Nothing, just stand right there. You're going to feel a bit strange; that will pass," he replied, facing his palm to Maya and mumbling a spell, causing the circles to glow.


Aufheben removed her heavy armor and once again donned her breezy pink dress. She strolled through the village, stopping here and there, admiring some trinket as her mind drifted back to when she did the same thing with Dunas from time to time. Oh, how she missed him: and then her mind played back the instant she held Matthew. For a brief moment, she thought back to when she held Dunas before his injuries required so many prosthetics. A small headache rolled through her head, but it soon disappeared.

"That was strange." She thought and put the trinket back as she walked towards the edge of the village.


"Good, the spell has taken root. Now stay there." Dragonoir instructed as he walked to the other side of the ring and pulled the cloak from his body, revealing a handsome young man with chocolate hair and halogen violet eyes. Maya almost wanted to run at him, but she fought it off and stayed where she was.

"Now, hold out your hand. Follow each of my steps toward you. Focus everything, all that you feel towards me."

"Alright," Maya said in a breathy voice. As circles began to glow with dark red light, they took their first set of steps toward one another. A pressure built between them, then slowly faded into nothing.


Aufheben wandered out of the village and through the hills, picking flowers and sewing them together with blades of grass. Without realizing it, she found herself just a few feet away from where Matthew was sharpening the Dume and honing the Katana. Looking up when he heard her steps, Matthew grinned.

"Aufheben, what a coincidence: I was just thinking about asking you to come with us to dinner," he called, looking up from the sword and wiping his brow.

"Oh no, I need to get back to El Nath and help poor old Alcaster out." Aufheben protested.


Simultaneously, Dragonoir and Maya took another step, the same pressure rising, then fading away.


"Oh, I see. Well, that's too bad. I thought it would be just a way to thank you for helping us out on the ship, at least for keeping the others safe for us."

"That was nothing." Aufheben laughed nervously, walking closer to Matthew, watching him as he moved along and polished the edge of the Dume with each stroke, strangely mesmerized by his movements.

"Matt, could you teach me a few moves?" she asked from nowhere, covering her mouth. Matthew stopped in mid-stroke and looked back at her.

"You're already a Master Swordsman, aren't you? Why would you need to learn from me at all?"

"Yes, I suppose you're right; I don't know where that came from." she stammered quickly. Still, she had this strange feeling in her chest welling up. Was it because his and Dunas' scents were so similar?


With another step, Dragonoir and Maya's hands met, the pressure becoming twice as strong before dying away. The pressure seemed to reverse with the next step, almost pushing them together.


Aufheben tried to fight her feelings, but no matter what she thought, it was as if she were fascinated with Matthew. It'd been so long since seeing Dunas, felt his arms around her or looked into his eyes.

"Matthew, I…" Matthew looked up from his work, taking a second look as the light from his sword shone up onto Aufheben's face making him feel entranced. He quickly tried to dismiss the thought, returning to the whetstone in his hand. Aufheben wanted to be embraced by Dunas so badly that she walked up behind Matthew and put her arms around his chest, holding onto him tightly.

"Uh, Aufheben. What are you doing?" Matthew asked with a flustered stutter, but somewhere in the deepest part of his mind, he liked the feel of Aufhenben hugging him, the swell of her bust pressing against his back, her head on his shoulder, her hair tickling his cheek.


It had taken less time than Dragonoir had predicted, but he found himself putting his arm around the small of Maya's back and pulling her closer, slowly leaning down to her. Maya slowly stood on her toes to meet Dragonoir's lips, closing her eyes with bated breath.


"Just… I'm sorry. You remind me of Dunas; let me stay like this for a bit." Matthew chuckled as he set his file down, pulled Aufheben's hands from his chest, turned to face her, and held her shoulders. They both stared at one another for a long while, not moving. As if without thinking, Matthew pulled Aufheben close to him, and Aufheben closed the gap to meet his lips. She reached around him and pressed herself further into the kiss.


Dragonoir lightly kissed Maya, pulling away and deactivating the spell but leaving Maya in the middle, entranced by the flood of emotions that swirled in her head.

SHE had kissed Draongoir.

She had KISSED Dragonoir.

SHE HAD KISSED DRAGONOIR!

The thought ran through her head repeatedly as she began spinning in the room like a giddy schoolgirl. Dragonoir stood outside and watched in entertained bewilderment as Maya spun and danced inside. He chuckled in his throat and put his cloak back on as his body became whisps of smoke. Now all that was left was to watch the poison he had introduced into the friendships intermix and slowly pull The Guardians apart.


Aufheben slowly pulled away from Matthew, letting a ragged, satisfied breath escape her lips. She looked him deep in the eyes when she felt someone's gaze on them. She turned and saw Lillianne with her mouth agape and tears stinging her eyes.

"Matthew. How could…" Matthew realized his arms were still around Aufheben, pulling them back in a burst of speed.

"Lillianne, I…" Lillianne unclasped her halberd, dropped it next to the ice cream cones she had bought, and ran. She ran until she found herself standing on a hill overlooking Mu Lung as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Why was Matthew kissing Aufheben?! Was everything she developed over the months with Matthew a lie? Had he been stringing her along? Her frustrations burned so loudly that she didn't hear Jack stumbling out of the bushes and tapping her shoulder.

"Hey, you ok? I saw you run by and…" Lillianne grabbed Jack's collar, staring at him with hurt rage. Jack's eyes went wide, putting up his hands as Lillianne pushed him against a large rock, holding him still as she kissed him firmly when Helen appeared from a teleportation spell.


Eckhart and Athena carefully followed Mir and Evan through the marketplace, staying far enough away to stay out of sight. Sometimes Mir would run to Athena, ask a question or two and run back to Evan. The two sat in a small bakery near a Tea Stall where Mir and Evan sat. Eckhart still hadn't fully figured out why Athena had begun to act strangely toward him earlier that day. He would notice her glances in his direction, standing close to him or brushing her hand against his.

"Athena, I've noticed your attention to me has changed in the last few hours. Is there something I have done to alter our friendship?" Eckhart asked. Athena sighed, lowering her gaze and reaching for the photo in her belt pouch.

"It has plagued my thoughts ever since my return to Ossyria. You remind me of my late husband from the other world." Athena answered, hesitantly holding the picture out to him. Eckhart took the photo, feeling his chest become tight and a lump form in his throat: it was like looking in a mirror. Athena watched his reaction and felt a piece of her soul crumble while the words she said to Mir came back to her:

"I don't want to force him to become something he isn't. It will only lead to heartache." Eckhart slowly handed the photo back, his hand shaking and his face becoming pale.

"Am I… do you… think I am him?" Eckhart finally asked, absently rubbing a pair of shuriken between his fingers.

"I do not. I know you are not my Kalib, but I cannot ignore your similarities." Athena sighed, waiting for his response. Eckhart didn't know what to say: should he feel flattered? Worried? Afraid? From what he understood of the Ossyrian Elves, affection was a tremendous honor, especially when directed toward a human. But Athena lived with humans of Ossyria many centuries before he was born, so maybe her actions resulted from that.

"Do you want me to be like Kalib?" Eckhart asked. Athena's breath caught: he sounded so much like Kalib at that moment, but to rob him of his soul as such would be too cruel. Even if she could find a way to bring Kalib back, it would never be the same. He would never be her Kalib.

"No, Eckhart. I would never want to rob you of this life for one that has already passed." Eckhart sighed hard. Affections like this were far and few between, but coming from an elf like her meant far more, and he didn't want to squander it.

"I joined the Empress' core when I was 14, and before then, mine and my sister Oz's life was a constant battle for survival. Now, as the Chief Knight for the Nightwalkers, I've kept my life focused on that one goal." reaching for her hand, he rubbed his thumb over the back of her knuckles.

"I may not be whoever Kalib was, but if you'll have me, I would accept." Athena smiled, taking her hand from the table and touching his face, leaning over and gently kissing his cheek.

"Aestar nha quor." Athena whispered, almost as if it were a spell. Eckhart knew nothing of the Elvin language, but judging by her contented smile and gentle touch, he could safely assume it was a good thing.


Translation: Aestar nha quor = love is here (D&D Elvin)