Wildfyre groaned and shielded her eyes with her left hand. A split second later, she moved it slightly to look at the nearby window. Their curtains were made of thick material, and so shouldn't allow this much light to seep through. Ah. The side of the curtain nearest her had been moved ever so slightly. She couldn't help but chuckle. This just had to be the result of one or more of their cats during an episode of midnight zoomies.

She rolled over, pulled the covers up over her neck, and bunched them together at her chin. Before she began the day, she hoped to get a little more sleep in. Her eyes fell on the calendar, and she swore under her breath as she jolted into a sitting position. Today was the beginning of the last Seasonal Journey of the year.

For six years now, a group called Battle Net had hosted something she called the Seasonal Journey. It consisted of four three-month-long events, the names of which were also coined by her. She was quite proud of the names, as they represented not just the four seasons, but were wordplays on the skills of four of the seven Nephilim Paths. Tempest Rush, Monk. Summer Companions, Demon Hunter. Autumn Whirlwinds, Barbarian. And Winter Blizzard, Wizard.

People from all over Sanctuary came to show off their skill, teamwork, and ingenuity as they completed eighty-five tasks to earn nine Badges of Valor. If in a group, one could complete all tasks in under four hours. She and her father typically took the entire twelve weeks to only earn four. Not because they didn't care enough to try. More so, they always reached a point where their power capped, and they simply couldn't get further. Sometimes she wished their previous results would be scratched from the records, but her father refused to allow it, though. He claimed that those poor scores would serve as encouragement to try harder.

Last Autumn, for the chance to win a Pet she adored, she signed up with little over a week left, and pushed herself so hard that it nearly burnt her of her ability to use magic. But it was so worth it to earn five Badges for the first time, and the tamed sentient tree who she'd named Rooty. His only task was to walk beside her and collect the loose gold he found on the ground. It was a pity, really. Sometimes she looked at him and felt such anger. Not at him, but at the Battle Net corporation. How dare they tame the trees and other creatures, only to take away everything that made them special, and condemn them to a life of servitude for such a trivial purpose?

Wildfyre shook her head furiously. Such irrelevant thoughts were a waste of her time. She looked at her father, who was still asleep in his bed on the other side of the room. Strange. He usually awoke before her. New question. Did she really want to wake him up for what would most likely wind up as another failed attempt at the prestigious event?

A vision of the certificate and Badges displayed in a frame above her bed not only made her smile but filled her with determination. At least once in her life, she wanted to earn all nine Badges. She wouldn't let repeated failures hold her back. No more petal dances. This time, she would come in like a tempest of thorns. All would bow in fear before her gale force winds. Wildfyre smiled. Her punnyness, however not funny to her father, never ceased to amuse her.

She threw her covers off and walked to her father's bed. Her gown rustled with the movement of her legs. In her still somewhat sleepy mind, it was so loud that it should have woken up her father. But if she were to judge by the mess of his covers, she'd say he was out like a candle after a horrible night's sleep.

Great. Wildfyre folded her arms across her chest. She didn't really want to disturb him if hadn't slept well. It tended to make his morning grumpiness a bit more difficult to deal with. But she also knew that a late start on such an important day would already put him in a bad mood. Not that he would have gotten up before the crack of dawn anyways, but that was beside the point.

Wildfyre poked him with a finger several times, but the only thing he did was turn on his side to face the wall, away from the thin ray of light from her curtain. Because of his aversion to sunlight, he'd tacked his curtains shut as a preventative measure against such catastrophes as what had occurred to her curtains. Honestly, she felt his dislike of the sun's warmth, combined with his reclusive personality would make him a perfect candidate for a Priest of the Temple of the Firstborn. Aside from the blood worship, he'd fit right in with those other cultists.

Back and forth she paced beside his bed as she tried to come up with a way to wake him up that wouldn't get her into trouble. Her first action was to tickle him, but after thirty seconds and no reaction, she moved on. The featherlight stroke down his spine, which usually elicited a shiver also got no response.

Interesting. With a sigh, she settled on an idea that was sure to be a bit of fun. After a deep breath, she stretched her arms and popped her knuckles with one smooth motion, and then tilted her head from side to side. Her neck refused to pop, though, which only made its pain worse. She winced as she stretched her arms above her head, and then gasped as her back released its tension with several loud snaps and crackles.

Now that she was ready, she raised her right palm towards her father, and cast Ray of Frost upon his feet. His toes twitched slightly, but gave no further reaction, so she let the spell continue for a little longer to make sure she'd gotten his footsies all nice and chilly. To end the spell, she fisted her hand, then closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to brace herself. Once she felt ready, she opened her eyes, and reached out to gently squeeze his big toes.

Success! Suddenly, her father kicked out, and Wildfyre barely managed to leap back in time. As he sat up, he flung out an arm, and blindly cast Electrocute in her direction. Nearly too late, she threw down a Wave of Force to propel herself away. "Relax, Xavier! It's just me!"

He squinted and blinked several times before his gaze focused on her. "How many times will I have to tell you 'That's how accidents happen' before the lesson sinks in?"

"Well!" she chimed as she waved a pointer finger at him. "So long as you keep reminding me of that oh-so-important piece of knowledge, you'll have absolutely nothing to worry about!"

"Ugh." He sighed and slapped a palm on his forehead. "It's way too early for you to be…you."

"Nuh-uh. Your brain's just late in reconnecting to reality."

Again, he sighed as he shook his head before he looked at her. "You know there are rocks funnier than you."

"Probably. But they're not as good-looking." Wildfyre flipped her hair, batted her eyes, and put as much charm behind her smile as she could. Her father squeezed his eyes shut for a few seconds. He breathed in deeply and released the breath a few seconds later. He looked as if he wished he were anywhere else.

Xavier opened his eyes again. "Is there a particular reason you woke me up so early?"

"Did you forget the Winter Blizzard began today?"

"By the Light!" He threw an arm out angrily. "You know to remind me the night before so I can prepare!"

She hissed at him. "Don't use that phrase! You aren't a Paladin anymore. Honestly. It's been eighteen years, and you still slip into your old ways."

"Why don't you try living as a male Paladin for thirty-five years and see how easy it is to adjust to being a female Wizard."

"Hey! Don't take that tone with me. It was your choice to go all out in your cowardly attempt to hide from the remaining creatures of Baal. I'm just saying that, with as talented as you're always saying you are, you should have gotten your new life down within a year."

"Yes. Because making sure you were safe makes me a coward. You know it was more than that. Your mother…" He trailed off, but Wildfyre didn't need to hear the rest of the sentence to know where his mind was now.

Wildfyre bit her lips, her emotions a mix of anger at herself for her judgmental and dismissive tone, and sorrow at the pain she'd caused him. Neither of them had any clue what happened to Kefka all those years ago. The only thing they knew for certain is that her mother never tried to find them. And she'd had at least three months before Xavier went through the change.

Of the belief that he wished to be left alone with his thoughts, she left him as she went to get dressed. Wildfyre opened her closet and thumbed through her various outfits. It was always such a chore to find the perfect most elegant combination that maintained her trademark color scheme of Cardinal, Golden, and Forester dyes.

Her father's voice suddenly echoed from the main room. "You're already taking too long! Whatever you choose, they're just going to make you change into Leather Armor as they Rebirth you. Pick something so we can be on time for once!"

"Don't rush me! It takes time and thought to look this beautiful!" Wildfyre went through her clothes a third time before she settled on her favorite design: Archon.

"We must be in New Tristram in half an hour! If you wanted to look beautiful, you should have started preparing yesterday."

His voice began to come closer, and he arrived at her doorway just as she laced her boots. She looked up at him and rolled her eyes at the smile on his face. "You're such a jerk."

"Thank you!" He paused. "Have you sent a falcon to Natasha and Yuna yet?"

Wildfyre shook her head. "There's…No need? Yuna should be by any moment."

"Sooo, you did send one?"

"No. Why? Do you have something you need her to pick up before she leaves New Tristram?"

"Do you honestly think she's just going to drop everything she has planned, and ride half an hour from the Waypoint, only to be told that we aren't participating?"

"Why are you so frustrated?" Wildfyre tilted her head, now completely and utterly confused. "Wait. Are you saying we aren't going? Why did you let me get ready, then?"

He slapped a hand to his forehead and dragged it down to his chin. Once it was back at his side, he spoke. "Sometimes I wonder if you're really my daughter."

"Wow. Two insults in ten minutes. You must be grumpy."

Xavier glared at her. "Just send a falcon and let her know to come."

"Fine!" Wildfyre harrumphed as she crossed her arms beneath her breasts. With a childlike air of disdain, she spun around. As she did so, she muttered under her breath, "Don't see why you aren't doing it yourself since you seem to think I'm incapable."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" Wildfyre exclaimed cheerily before she ran off to the back of the house. She slid open the door to the attached aviary and searched for where she'd last placed the quill, sand, and parchment. A minute passed before she noticed the presence of an unhooded falcon on one of their empty perches. It squawked as she approached it to loosen the food pouch that hung from the perch. While it ate, she removed the tube from its leg, opened it, and let the rolled parchment fall into her hand.

In the time it took her to read the message, the falcon finished its meal, drank from the nearby water fountain, and then returned to patiently await its next order.

Wildfyre gasped. "No way! There's just no way." Her gaze returned to the falcon, who flew off after she bowed her head. She was in such a rush that she forgot to close the door behind her.

When she skidded to a halt in front of the sofa, Xavier jumped and turned from his cube puzzle. He must have seen the emotions on her face, for, gaze still upon her, he placed the cube in the perfect middle of the dresser beside him. "What is it?"

As she passed the note to her father, she realized the paper was crumpled from where she'd gripped it too tightly in the middle. "I'm sorry. I don't know how it happened."

He read it, then crumpled it up and threw it in the trash bin beneath the refreshment table. His face now a mask, he looked at her. "Send for Natasha and Yuna. Now. We need to figure out how this happened. This does, of course, mean that I won't be taking part in the Winter Blizzard. Whoever did this is likely to try it again."

"First. What's going on? Your lack of emotions in the situation scares me. Secondly. I'm not going to call them. They must be in on it."

Xavier frowned, mouth slightly open, and shook his head. "In on what?"

She made a wide gesture with her arms that encompassed everything but said nothing.

After three looks around the room, he turned back to her, and again shook his head. "What are you on about now?"

"If that note is correct, and we've been asleep for nine weeks, who has been taking care of the house? Our pets? The falcons? Us?"

"Ah." His head rose and fell in a lightbulb fashion. "I understand your logic now, but they can't be involved. They're fa—" He shook his head. When he continued, it wasn't what he originally intended to say. "Trust me. There's just no way that either of them could have done this. Would have. But perhaps…"

"Perhaps what?" She crossed her arms while she waited. The sudden look of fear on his face gave her pause.

"It's not something I want to consider, but it's possible nonetheless."

"What? What?!" Wildfyre fell to her knees on the floor before him. She placed her hands on his knees, and saw her own fear mirrored when she looked into his eyes.

"Baal's minions have finally found me." He whispered the words as softly as he could, and still, they both shivered as if the very name had chilled the air.

She had to lick her lips before she could speak. "What…What do we do?"

"We do nothing."

Wildfyre shook her head as her fingers dug into his kneecaps. "No! I won't leave you!"

"You must! There's no other way! They cannot know about you! I won't lose you like I lost your bro—" Again, the cut off of a slip up. He laid his hands on her shoulders. "Take the animals and head to New Tristram. Go to Yuna's. You'll be safe there."

"No!" Tears spilled from her eyes, and she began to shake.

Gently, he lifted a hand to wipe the tears away and move a lock of hair back behind her ear. "Wildfyre, please. If it is as bad as I think, I'll be able to take them on much easier if I know you're safe. At best, I sent you away for nothing. But it's better than the alternative." He paused, then, "I'm afraid that I do have to ask something else of you."

"I don't think…I can…handle…more." Now in hysterics, she fisted a hand at her heart, though she knew it would do nothing to stop the pain in her chest.

He squeezed her shoulders a teensy bit too tight. "Yes, you can. You are the daughter of a Templar and an Amazon. There is nothing you cannot do."

"Then…Then why…can't I stay?"

"Right now, you're too inexperienced to help me take on Baal's minions. I need you to get stronger. The only way you can do that is to complete the Winter Blizzard. And I mean, complete. I. Need. You. Can you do this for me?"

Wildfyre could only bring herself to nod.

Her father stood, pulled her to her feet, and drew her into a tight embrace that lasted both too long and too little. When he let her go, he shoved her gently to force her away from him and into action.

Ten minutes later, their cats were in a large wooden cage securely strapped to her cinnamon mare, Sunset. Rooty sat behind her atop the spare stallion, Jet. Rain began to fall as she took in the sight of their cottage. The place she'd called home for the last eighteen years. Her father stood in the doorway. Though he gave no outward signs, she knew he was as broken over this as she was. If not more.

In that moment, she determined that she would return, stronger and more powerful than ever. And so, with a "hyah" and a gentle kick, she pushed her horse into a fast-paced trot. The attached reins forced the other to follow. It wasn't until her home was out of sight that she allowed herself to fully break down.

Only five minutes out from Kingsport, Wildfyre growled as she brought Sunset to a halt. She barely heard Jet, who whinnied, upset at the sudden stop. How in Sanctuary was she supposed to find her way? Her memory was horrible, and she lacked the ability to properly perceive distance and direction. Which meant, she really should have asked her father for directions before she left. But no! As usual, she remembered what wasn't necessary, and forgot the things of greater import. Why, oh why, did she lack common sense?

On the one hand, even if she were to be told where to go, unless she had a map with the path to take penciled onto it, she wasn't likely to have remembered much farther past this point anyway. Still. Somewhat of a clue as to where to go was better than absolutely no idea, especially when she had zero concept of distance and direction to begin with.

Wildfyre looked back and forth between the various paths to decide which would be the better one to take. After a minute or so, she'd narrowed it down to The Dark Woods and New Tristram. Although her destination seemed the most logical choice to travel to, there were other factors to take into consideration.

Such as the fact that they lived in Kingsport, home of the Thieves Guild. Due to the Guild code, she knew most thieves wouldn't actually do anything to her unless they had reason to. Still, she half hoped one would come after her, just so she could honestly say that she met one.

The other issue was Bandits, who were either wannabe or exiled thieves that plagued major roads in groups in the hopes that they would "score the big one." Losers, everyone. Even though the only thing she carried with her were her animals, she knew she shouldn't underestimate them. Especially since they could just as easily steal her horses, which would fetch a pretty penny. Or even sell her off to someone for money.

That left her route as The Dark Woods, which was another problem in and of itself. Skeleton Archers, Spike Fiends, and a few other insignificant creatures called it their home. Wildfyre was certain she would be able to deal with such low-level monsters, but she'd been taught to "hope for the best; plan for the worst." There was always the possibility that, for whatever reason, hundreds upon hundreds of mobs awaited her. Or that her powers would glitch out on her.

Now, the real question on her mind was which would she rather deal with? Bandits that would most certainly endanger her and her precious cargo? Or minions that she was extremely likely to kill or decapacitate even though her magic had only replenished to that of a Level 10 Wizard?

Her father had taught her to always listen to her gut. Right now, every time she turned Sunset towards the path to New Tristram, her innards felt like someone had not only stabbed her with an ice dagger, but that the blade had fractured upon impact and shattered into a thousand teeny pieces that then dug into every possible part of her stomach.

However easier to kill, the creatures of The Dark Woods simply weren't worth her time. Curiosity encouraged her to take the New Tristram route, just to see what awaited her. What did one do when arrogance told you one thing, and logic told you another?

From the direction of New Tristram, a breeze blew. Though there wasn't anything cold about it, Wildfyre shivered. What was this that she felt? She wasn't scared. Not really. It was more like those instances in stories where the hero/heroine found themselves in a situation so hopeless the only thing they could do was watch while their world fell apart in front of their very eyes.

She didn't know what would happen if she didn't listen to her gut. All she knew was that her father currently counted on her participation in the Winter Blizzard to get stronger. He wouldn't approve of a foolhardy attempt to satiate her curiosity. That thought alone was enough to finally kick her into action, and within seconds, she was on her way to The Dark Woods.

Half an hour later, she found herself at the edge of the forest with no clue where to go next. Back and forth she looked, but her father last took her here years ago. As such, the memories of where to go eluded her. Wildfyre growled. Xavier wouldn't have forgotten. Sometimes she wondered how someone as incapable of anything as herself was born to an Amazon and a Templar. Despite all her father's best intentions, she remained with practically zero survival skills.

Darkness fell upon her, and she raised her head to the sky to find that inky black clouds gathered. That wasn't a good sign, as it meant that the creatures were more likely to come out, and she so didn't want to waste any time on them. Or risk that her precious kitties would be hurt.

Wildfyre glanced to the cage atop Jet and made a contented sound. Despite all the jumps and bolts from their travel, everykitty was asleep against Rooty. Two were enclosed in his hands, one curled up in the crown of his head, and the other two beneath the digits of his branched feet. It felt wonderful to know that Rooty was officially a part of the family now. Sadly—though not really—if they had no problem with Rooty, by extension, they trusted her.

A twig snapped, and the sound caused her to whirl Sunset around, but she saw nothing. Except. Wildfyre raised a hand above her eyes and squinted into the distance. About a mile away, she could barely make out a blue glow on the horizon. It didn't take long for her to identify it as the Waypoint.

From behind her, more twigs broke. No. She frowned. The sound was ever so slightly off. With a gasp, she spurred Sunset towards the Waypoint. With the motion, came Rooty's cry of displeasure, followed by annoyed meows from at least two cats. Wildfyre didn't turn around to look at them. Instead, she flicked the reins to make Sunset go even faster. "Sorry, guys for disturbing your nice and comfy nap. But mommy's trying to protect you, so you can be mad at me all you want. I'll give you some treats later to make up for it. How's that sound?"

Everykitty meowed their approval of her plan. She could hear and feel no wind other than that created by the horses' gallop, so she could only assume that the rustly leaf sound she'd just heard was Rooty as he declared he was down for treats as well.

What should have only taken five minutes to reach took ten, as Wildfyre had to navigate for half a mile through a small section of forested area. In hindsight, it may have been quicker to just go around. Her only relief was that her father hadn't been there to see.

Every so often, a creature came out of the woodworks, only to be stopped in its tracks by a Frost Nova. She silently thanked whatever deities existed that only a few came out at a time. Half of her was grateful that more hadn't come. But a stronger part wanted to release some anger.

Destination finally in sight, Wildfyre almost reined in Sunset when she noticed the sheer number of monsters that closed in on the Waypoint. Why were there so many? By orders of the King of Westmarch, these minor areas were supposed to be cleaned regularly, just so travelers like herself could get around without worry of harm.

And yet, from all around, mobs made their way towards the Waypoint, as if they knew she must reach there. But there was just no way these mindless fiends had enough wit to predict that need, let alone the ability to coordinate an attack. It would take hundreds to even stand a chance at victory. So why would they even bother to go against her with so few numbers?

Wildfyre yanked Sunset to a halt halfway there. Though she would be able to take them on her own, it had only just then occurred to her that the horses had no such ability. To continue down her path would get them hurt, and she had neither the time nor ability to tend to a lame mount.

She stretched out her right arm, palm towards the Waypoint, and sent an Arcane Orb into the midst of the mobs. It instantly incinerated the five it touched, and damaged everyone else within forty-five feet. Wildfyre sent out a second one into the same spot, only to frown when it did no damage. Heh. Did it have to touch a creature for its explosion to work?

A noise sounded from behind her, and she looked over her shoulder to see the mobs too close for comfort. Panic threatened to overwhelm her as she faced forward to take in the situation again. Surely those that remained were too weak to do much damage. They'd probably even die by a finger flick to the forehead.

Jet whinnied and snorted, then stamped his hooves. Her cats yowled and hissed, and she could just picture them. Hunched up and poofed out with their ears laid back.

The feel of a bony hand on her arm caused her to jump and scream. Her right hand came around and punched a skeleton through its mouth. Her bloodied hand fisted empty air as the bones fell to the ground, no longer filled with undead life. She shook her hand a few times, and then brought the knuckles to her mouth to blow on the wounds. Now full of fear for herself, Wildfyre spurred Sunset into action, and hoped that if she ran fast enough, her speed alone would knock the mobs down their last bit of health.

Less than thirty seconds later, Wildfyre shivered as she passed through the invisible barrier. She brought Sunset to a trot and turned sideways just to make sure that Jet was within the boundaries as well. Deep breath in. Hold. Hold. Long exhale.

Now safe, she looked back the way she'd come to see the monsters bang against the shield. Amusement filled her as she watched them get more and more frustrated. Though they couldn't see her, they sure as hell could smell and sense her, and, oh! how they thirsted for her blood. Or skin. Perhaps even her brains. No, wait. Maybe not brains, as if it were hers they sought, they'd surely be disappointed.

Eventually, they gave up and returned to whatever hidey holes they'd crawled out from. Once gone, she inhaled deeply again. To nobody in particular, she spoke. "As soon as I reach my full potential, I'll come back and give this place a much-needed cleanse. It shouldn't be dangerous to travel alone."

Wildfyre jumped off Sunset and led her onto the platform. Though Jet was tethered to the mare, she was uncertain that he would travel with them if he wasn't on the portal as well. Not about to find out with so much to lose, she grabbed ahold of his reins and gave a gentle tug. After she sandwiched herself between them, she clearly and slowly enunciated her destination. "New Tristram!"

The world flashed, then lurched and spun round and round. Though the experience only lasted a mere second, it felt like a lifetime before the sights, sounds, and smells of New Tristram flooded her senses. Her legs gave out, and she fell to the cobblestones. She'd forgotten how badly Waypoint travel disoriented her. Hopefully she wouldn't have to use them too often this time.

As badly as she wanted to stay put and let it all go, she struggled to her feet. New Tristram was a hub, and, as such, its Waypoint was heavily used. The city guards would come for her if she delayed others travel too long. With a sigh, she took hold of Sunset's reins, and directed her through the town until they arrived at the home of Natasha and Yuna.

Well. Across the street, that is. For now that Wildfyre had had some time to take things in, she remembered her father's slipups earlier. If she finished the words correctly, he'd almost said "family" and "brother". Then there was his absolute trust in the idea that girls were innocent of any part in their spelled slumber.

I'm an only child, though. And surely father would have told me long ago if Yuna and I were related. If Yuna was aware, she wouldn't keep this from me. Just as I wouldn't hide such knowledge from her. It's not likely that either one of us knew. Then again, father always did speak highly of the Greens. What if this was another secret to keep me safe? Nay. Us?

If they were, in fact, family, how could she possibly inform them of what had transpired? That she'd run away and left him to fend for himself? It may have been at his request, but still. What good was she if she couldn't protect the people she loved? Then there was the possibility they'd be so concerned that they would gather whatever they could find and rush off to provide aid. Xavier had said that Baal's minions were after him. And if he was right, there was no way any of them could stand against such a foe. Not as they were now.

Wildfyre continued to stare at the door, so lost in the maelstrom of negative and paranoid thoughts that she didn't see Yuna approach her until the younger female was inches from her face. She smiled. "Hey! I didn't see you. Whatcha doin'?"

"I could ask you the same thing!" She grunted as Yuna pulled her into a tight embrace. The moment she pulled back, a barrage of questions flew from her lips. "We haven't heard anything from you in near four months. And now you just show up out of the blue? What's going on?"

"Oh. Uh." Wildfyre couldn't figure out how to respond. She knew they deserved the truth. But she was still scared of what they would do with the information. Not just to themselves. But to her as well. Finally, she sighed. "It's a long story. And one best told in the comfort of your home. Do you have stables for my horses?"

She watched as Yuna finally noticed the cage atop Jet. Her hands went to her mouth as her eyes widened. Wildfyre could see Yuna's throat move as she turned back to her. It was clear she'd just swallowed in fear. As if she now knew without a doubt that something bad had gone down. Instead of more questions, she took the tether in her grasp and led the horses to shelter.

Wildfyre hesitantly followed Yuna inside. Though she was now safe, she couldn't help but feel terrified. She told herself again and again that her current emotions were completely foolish. That her paranoia was not only illogical, but disrespectful, when one considered everything the two had done for her and her father. Surely, they wouldn't hate her for something out of her control. Only one way to find out, though.

Natasha was in the middle of lunch preparations, but she paused long enough to look over her shoulder as she heard the door close. A smile appeared on her face when she saw who it was. "Ah. Wildfyre. You look exhausted. Why don't you head down the hall and wash up? Lunch will be ready in half an hour."

She bowed her head. "Thank you, Miss Green," and set off to relax. The feel of the hot water against her skin was a welcome distraction, and she half wished she could stay like that forever. But hot water didn't come cheap, so she couldn't let the water pound on her sore muscles forever, no matter how good it felt.

A knock sounded at the door, followed by a creak. Whoever it wasn't didn't speak as Wildfyre turned the water off, but they did close the door and walk off. Quickly, she dried herself and turned to the door. On the countertop right beside it lay a clean change of clothes. She was disappointed when she saw that she wouldn't arrive as fancily dressed as she wanted, but hey. Leather is what the Battle Net Corporation would make her change into anyways.

Her hair wrapped in linen to prevent damage to their very nice wooden floor, she made her way to the dining room. As she took her seat across from her hosts, they each stretched out an arm to her. Wildfyre grumbled inwardly but reached out to clasp their hands. She lowered her head with them, but did not close her eyes, and did not speak, other than the final word. This act never ceased to make her extremely uncomfortable, but she was a guest. If she didn't plan on chores to cover her stay, then the very least she could do was to respect the rules and traditions of the house, even if she didn't believe in or approve of them.

That done, Natasha and Yuna began to fill their plates with tidbits of ham, egg, green beans, carrots, and mashed potatoes. Based on the items on the table, she knew that their chiller would have banana pudding, pumpkin, pecan, and apple pies. They each had their own drinks. The whole meal made her heartache as she thought of her father. He made such an extravagance every year on her birthday.

It was only a few minutes into the meal when Natasha spoke. "I can't begin to tell you how good it is to see you. After not hearing from you for a long time, we were beginning to get worried. Yuna and I were actually discussing taking some time off to go down and visit for a while. What's been happening down in Kingsport?"

Only after she'd taken a few bites did she respond. "Yeah. Sorry about that. We. Well…" She downed half her chocolate milk as she stalled one more time. With no care to the milk mustache on her face, she looked back at them. "Someone cast a spell on us. We have been asleep since, well, we don't really know. It probably happened a little while after I returned from the last Journey. Father thought You-Know-Who's minions had found him, and he sent me away. He claimed it was because he wanted me to become stronger to help him, but I think we all know it was because he wanted me safe."

Just as she expected, the two fell into an uncomfortable silence as they looked at each other, then back at her. Yuna turned to her mother, and pleaded, "We have to help him!"

Natasha shook her head. "He sent his own daughter away. There's no way he'd let someone else's daughter risk her life for him, either. I'd rather you not go, but if you wish to help, I cannot stop you. My only request is, if you do decide to go, that the two of you stay together and take care of each other."

Yuna looked at Wildfyre. "Well? Do you mind me tagging along? It would be like an extended camp sleepover!"

She seemed so excited to spend such a long time together that it about near broke Wildfyre's heart to turn her down. "Sorry. Death isn't permanent during Journies. As much as I would love you to come along to keep me out of trouble, if You-Know-Who really is after Father, then you would be risking real death as well, just by being near me. And I'd rather not have your death on my hands." Though she did not mention that in order for her presence to place them in danger, Baal would first have to discover her connection to Xavier. And at the moment, all Baal knew was that her father used to be the Paladin James.

Her friend jumped to her feet as she slammed her fist upon the table so hard that everything jumped up an inch before it clattered back to the tabletop. Surprisingly, nothing spilled or broke. Yuna slashed her right hand through the air. "He may be your father, but he's like a father to me! If you have the right to choose to risk your life for someone you love, then so do I! Besides, if you really feel like you'd cost me my life, then shouldn't you have someone to watch your back?"

Wildfyre flinched and balled her hands into fists to hide the shakes she felt. Confrontation was never something she dealt with well. With as much calm as she could muster, she responded to the outburst. "If you insist, I'll hire a Disciple to accompany me. But there's another reason you should stay." She glanced at Natasha, and then back to Yuna. "I'm sure your mother is strong and capable. But You-Know-Who might come after you two if he discovers how close you are to us. Natasha might need you."

For a few minutes, the two stared at each other. Finally, Yuna sighed and sat down. "So long as you don't choose Kormac. I know how much you hate religious talks, and from personal experience, he has quite a lot to say about truth, justice, and morality. Some of it you might find interesting, but I'm sure you would disagree with many of his beliefs."

"Oh. No worries!" Wildfyre waved a hand before she glanced at Natasha, whose eyes held a silent 'thank you. After she swallowed her next bite, she turned back to Yuna. "I usually take Eirena. She tells such funny stories of her pre-slumber. Such as, one time, she miscast the Charm spell, and had one of her Sisters fawning over her for two weeks."

"Perhaps this time, you could take Lyndon and get to know him. He's quite funny and charming. I think the two of you would get along swell."

She raised an eyebrow. "Isn't he known as the Scoundrel? One doesn't usually get that label unless they're, you know, naughty with women."

Yuna blinked and waved a forkful of ham at her. "Wildfyre! I'm surprised to hear you, of all people, say that. You've never been the type of person to judge someone based on their background, appearance, or anything else. So why treat him like trash before you even get to know him? Now you simply must let him accompany you."

"But, Eirena!"

"Come now. We all know the real reason you want Eirena to be your Follower."

Wildfyre blushed and grabbed a linen to wipe her mouth in order to hide her embarrassment, though she was certain they had already noticed. "I guess I can."

"Good. Now. There are only three weeks left in the Winter Blizzard. You came a long way in a single week last time. But is the remainder of the Journey enough time for you to complete all tasks?"

"No clue. But I think my motivation this time far outweighs that of a Pet. I'll most likely leave at dawn. The earlier I can get there, the better my odds are of getting all nine Badges."

Yuna squealed in delight, as that meant they would be able to spend some time together, and much longer than they usually did. Their lives were always so uniquely busy that they could typically only spare half an hour to two hours for a visit. Her delight was infectious, and Wildfyre couldn't help but smile as she finished the last of her food.