An Earned Rest (2/2)

Any gloom that was present was replaced by an air of comfort and contentment as the group ate and drank with their worries eased, occasionally making small talk. "Wait, I heard that you mentioned that the boy you rescued disappeared. I... Know we can't go out and search for him yet, but what where his last whereabouts as you guys remember?" Felkin asked, before drinking from his glass of water. "We first met him being hunted by some unscrupulous men, and we rescued the boy. Last we saw him was when we uh... used him to distract the knights at the barracks to try to search it to find my siblings. We left him in their care, so if he was still there when he was disappeared, then he'd likely return to them." Metas remarked. "But... that's what we're not worried about." Asralyn exclaimed. "Hmm?" said Felkin.

"In the realm of flames, you may have seen him exert an extraordinary crimson blaze as the manifestation of his flames. He attacked with abandon, not caring whether he struck friend or foe." Metas exclaimed. "It seemed like he was in great pain, and had no control of his actions as he rampaged at each one of us..." Said Asralyn. "My theory is... because of the influence of the court of flames, his powers were forcibly dragged out of him even before he manifested or had control of them. And when we brought him back here, he was unconscious though stable. I'm afraid that he might go on another rampage, or if his condition will worsen..." Metas remarked. "And... as we can't go out there right now... We can only talk about what could happen and where he could be..." Iris remarked.

"The knights... the people in the city... They could be endangered. And the kid... He has no say and he's dragged into all this without knowing anything..." Asralyn exclaimed. "Why... don't we go out looking for him?' Felkin asked. "We... just explained why, there's likely patrols of knights out there, and we're in no condition to do so." Iris remarked. "But that's just speaking about those who can't go outside. Plus, we have to go outside to pick up and buy supplies, anyway. Right?" Felkin exclaimed, looking towards En for affirmation. "Well..." The boy remarked before being cut off. "By those that can go outside, you include yourself in that right?" Kieron asked. "Yeah..." Felkin answered.

"Can't... that guy you have buy the supplies from the market?" Ellyn asked. "About that... After the attack on the village last night... He's bound to be recovering in some shelter with his family somewhere, pushed to the city, or rebuilding through the rubble. It'd be cruel for us to ask that for him. And... The town's market was probably caught up in last night's fire. If we'd be resupplying, we'd have to go deeper into the city proper." En exclaimed. "Another reason why we shouldn't proceed. Its unknown territory, and the presence of the knights would surely increase." Metas replied. "But we'll still need the supplies..." Felkin remarked. "Why not... tomorrow?" Kieron suggested. "Hmm?" En exclaimed. "Why don't we use this day as an opportunity to rest, then we'd just go out tomorrow?" Kieron remarked.

"Yeah, yeah! If all that matters is that we won't be seen, why don't we use that thing we used earlier? The thing that makes you invisible?" Yuria exclaimed. "What thing?" Felkin asked curiously. "That... sounds useful." Iris remarked. "Wait, couldn't we have used that earlier? When we tried to rescue the ones in the flame realm?" Felkin asked. "You... could've. You... didn't?" Metas asked. "We... didn't know..." Felkin and Kieron said at the same time, before turning towards each other. "Neither did I." Iris remarked. "Do we even still have it?" Yuria asked. "We... might, let me check upstairs." said Ellyn. "Take one of the candles." En exclaimed as Ellyn stood up and made her way upstairs, candle in hand. She walked up to the center room where Yuria slept, placed the candle down on the table and began searching the table for her pack.

Downstairs, Yuria was picking at the remaining bones of a piece of cooked meat she was eating with her utensils. "I'm trying to remember, was that one of the items you got from Ellyn's father in the village?" Felkin asked them. "Yes, it became quite useful to us when we were trying to stay hidden in the city after... After you died." Metas remarked. "Yeah..." Felkin remarked. "Oh, did I forget to mention that to you? That... must've been quite the shock for you guys, huh." Felkin added. "You mention that so casually..." Asralyn remarked. "Yeah, Solis and Nox said it while you were asleep, it was a way to reassure us that you'll be fine, but it was distressing and confusing to say the least." Kieron exclaimed. "Uh... sorry for that." Nox replied. "No, no... The effort was appreciated." Said Kieron.

"Even if I had died once before, it's... not something I wish to go through again. And I don't even know if I can pull it off again, it's... not a guarantee..." Felkin remarked. "And cheating death... It's not something anybody can just do, and twice... There's dire consequences if you managed to do it again." En remarked. "That's... almost impossible to believe but... So are all of this." Serafion exclaimed, gesturing in a general manner. "Found it!" Ellyn said as she walked out from the room. "But it's different from just healing fatal wounds, because we buried you. I felt no pulse when I checked." said Metas. "And I woke up in a totally different location... What happened to my body..." Felkin remarked. "A question for another day perhaps..." said En.

"Here." Ellyn walked up to the table and put down the pendant. "This artifact could occlude the wearer from others you say, interesting. This strange stone seems to be what sticks out as a possible source of its power." Serafion remarked, picking it up. "There's lots of other magical minerals and jewels scattered throughout the realms, with a variety of different effects." En exclaimed. "Be careful, its effects are confusing to people who are exposed to it for the first time." Ellyn remarked. "I'll be-" Felkin, Kieron and Iris abruptly stood up and pointed their weapons towards her. "Careful." Serafion remarked as her hand clasped around the stone. In less than a second, the three jumped into action against the unknown figure in front of them.

Serafion dropped the pendant on the table, stood up, and walked away. "Calm down people... Lower your weapons..." She said cautiously. "What..." Felkin remarked as Serafion backed away from his sword which he raised towards her throat. "She told you, it was going to be startling." said Metas. "For a moment there, she... It's not that she disappeared entirely, but..." Kieron remarked. "It appeared as if she was replaced by an unknown unfamiliar figure." Iris exclaimed. "Yeah, for the untrained eye you can slip into the crowd or into the environment undetected, but for the observant ones it'll look unnatural, meaning you can't put it on in the middle of battle and stay still expecting to be unscathed." Metas remarked. "Works well getting away in a pinch though..." Yuria exclaimed.

"Well, now that's something that'll be handy." Kieron remarked. "Huh, I saw nothing. Must not work on me..." En exclaimed. "That's an interesting property that might be lacking for us since you're a non-human." Serafion remarked. "It... could have been useful earlier. I... forgot about it..." Ellyn said, remorsefully. "Uh... Ellyn?" Felkin asked. "I... wanted myself to be as useful as possible and yet... I..." Ellyn then rushed upstairs in a huff. "Hey Ellyn, wait!" Yuria stood and ran after her. Ellyn pushed the door of the closest room away but tripped on the leg of the wooden table inside. She tried to push and catch herself from falling off the ground, but fell forward face first as she couldn't support herself with only one arm. "Ugh!" She exclaimed.

"Hey, are you... alright?" Yuria said, at the foot of the room's door. Felkin stood from his seat, but Metas put his hand on his shoulder. He gave Felkin a stern look, before Felkin sat back down. "We should leave them be for a while..." Metas remarked. Felkin nodded in response. "What's... wrong?" Yuria asked. Ellyn gritted her teeth and lifted herself upwards by grabbing a table. "I... don't... belong here." She remarked. "Didn't we... Just get that out of the way? We're... all equals here, regardless of who we are." Yuria exclaimed. "I... couldn't do anything. I... can't even help... I'm of no use... If only I had..." Ellyn clenched her shoulder with her hand and then slammed her fist against the wall. "Even now, I'm still..." She remarked.

"That's not true. That's not true at all! You've... been of so much help to us! From when we first arrived from the icy fields to your village... You've been helping us all the way. You... invited us to your home, and kept us hidden from the witch hunter!" Yuria remarked. "I... couldn't even lift a finger for that fight, I wasn't of help that time either." Ellyn replied. "But you helped every time after that! You helped us fight and escape from the bandits in the morning, you helped us fight off the being of light in the forest. The items you brought helped us every step of the way!" "The things I brought... They still could've been used without me. And I couldn't help when Felkin got attacked by that bandit. Even when I fought I used a prosthetic, not... Not my own." Ellyn was dismayed, and had her back turned away from Yuria.

"No! Even though those were seperate things, you used them! In the fight against the cultists and the fire woman, the fight against the bandits, you could have left and came back, but you joined us and helped us even though we made ourselves an enemy of the kingdom! You had the courage to join us and give your life on the line for us. You even sacrificed what you held dear the most, your arm. You're... not useless." Yuria remarked. Ellyn was breathing heavily but slowed it down back to normal. "Forgive me, I... just got a little out of sorts..." Ellyn remarked, turning around and rubbing her eyes and then walking past Yuria towards the first floor. She saw all of the others at the table looking up at her and the second floor expectantly. "Were... you all listening the whole time?" Ellyn asked them.

"Well... It was hard to ignore and not any one of us said a word since, so..." En exclaimed. She then walked down the stairs and then pulled her chair back and sat down. Yuria went downstairs with a smile on her face. Ellyn took one sip from her glass and them slammed it down on the table, empty. "Tea." "You want... some tea?" Serafion asked. "Yeah." Ellyn answered. "Okay..." Serafion started pouring tea in her glass. "This should be enough..." Serafion remarked, starting to take away the teapot. "No, more." Ellyn asked "More?" "Yeah." "Until the glass is full?" "Yep." Ellyn answered. Serafion sighed and poured until the glass was full and the teapot was empty.

Ellyn then chugged the glass of tea until it was completely empty. "Ah." She remarked, slamming the glass down once more and wiping her chin. "So... you alright now?" Metas asked. "I'm fine." said Ellyn. "You know, she's right." Kieron remarked. Ellyn sighed and said: "I know..." "Everyone feels like they're useless sometimes... All we need to do is to take a breather, calm down, and realize that we've actually done a lot!" Yuria exclaimed. "Yeah." Felkin remarked. "That's true." Metas said, raising his glass. "I... can relate to that." Kieron exclaimed.

"Well, not me. I'm always useful." En exclaimed, to Yuria raising her fork threateningly in response. "I'm... just joking, just making a jest." He replied. Ellyn made a sigh of relief. "Let's continue eating." She remarked.

They continued on with their meal peacefully and with cheered spirits. As they were all nearly finished with their food, Yuria reached for her plate and tapped at a pile of small bones. "Guys, look at this!" She exclaimed. The bones arranged themselves and loosely connected together in a form that once resembled the skeleton of a small bird. "That's... your magic?" Kieron asked. Yuria raised her hand upwards and then the small undead creature began flapping its bony wings and defied gravity as it took flight. "I believe that might have once been a quail..." En remarked. Yuria's magic had partially completed the skeleton, making a skull sprout from the incomplete bones. It flapped its wings and flew around in a short radius before turning to dust.

Yuria blew a raspberry before dropping her hand to her lap. "I think I heard a thing or two about it, but its still a sight to behold..." Asralyn exclaimed. "It's slightly distressing to see because it resembles the reanimation of corpses..." En remarked. "I'm not reanimating anything, I'm just using their corpses and their body parts to... Yeah that's still pretty disturbing now that I say it out loud." Yuria exclaimed. "You shouldn't use too much of your magic while you're still recovering..." Ellyn remarked. "But I still need to practice. I'm trying to get the hang of controlling them, and making them last longer." Yuria exclaimed.

"I'm unfamiliar with this type of magic, but its good for practice and discipline to master any skill, the same should also apply to magic." Serafion remarked. "See, see!" said Yuria. "Hmm... I guess its fine as long as you don't do it too much..." Ellyn exclaimed. "Yeah..." Yuria said happily. She then picked up a piece of uneaten leaf on her plate and then made it grow upwards, creating a long leafy vine. She then clasped her hands together, making the upwards vine wrapped within itself and coil into a spike. "Woah, that's..." Asralyn remarked. "Deadly." Metas exclaimed. "Could be useful..." said Felkin. Yuria strained her open palms towards it, but it faded into dust in seconds. She then lowered her hands and sighed.

"Maybe... It doesn't need to exist for a long time. Maybe the fact that it only appears momentarily doesn't mean it can't serve its purpose." En mused. "Yeah, if something is limited in use, we ourselves should find away to utilize it better." Serafion remarked. "I'll think about that." Yuria answered.

The group was silent and only a few were them were eating at this point, the others were simply sitting with stomachs full and waiting for the others. "Here. This tastes good too." Kieron handed him a piece of bread. "I'm... Full. Can't you finish it?" Felkin asked. "I'm... A little full too. But it'd be a waste if you at least didn't have a taste." She answered. "Well since we're both full, and you seem to like it too..." Felkin said, as he ripped half from the piece of bread in her hand and ate it. "This is fair isn't it?" Felkin asked. "I... Guess it is." Kieron said, meekly eating the piece of bread.

"Say, Felkin... You said you lost your memories, yes? And you can only remember up to a few days ago?" Serafion remarked. "Sort of? I... Was in something like a daze, and I couldn't tell how long I was in that place. It was... Like some ruins beneath a dead wood's branches. My last memory was of that place and never before. I don't know if I was there for days, maybe longer." Felkin remarked. "I have a hypothesis I want to run by you, if I may." She replied. "Oh? It's alright, I guess." Felkin replied. "What injuries did you sustain when you... 'died' earlier?" Serafion asked. "Oh my... Entire chest was... A large hole was punched through. I'm... not exactly sure what killed me, but... I'm sure that was the cause." Felkin said, hand on his chest and was dismayed.

"Oh, that's... horrible..." Kieron remarked. "It was... a bad experience for him more than us, but it really hit Yuria hard." Metas exclaimed. "It... did not!" Yuria cried out. "Aww... That's, highly appreciated of you. But... I'm fine now." Felkin said, trying to reassure her. "And your injuries you are recovering from are burns from all over your body. Your brain was unscathed right?" Serafion asked. "If you mean if I hit my head... My whole body was burned... But nothing went through my head and it wasn't cut off... I think my body must have prevented the fire from going through deeper..." Felkin remarked. "So... maybe." "What... are you trying to figure out?" Metas asked her.

"Hey, um... En. Are there are types of magic that causes one to lose their memory?" Serafion asked. "Well, there's different kinds of magic that can serve different functions and purposes so its not out of the question..." En remarked. "Hmm..." Serafion remarked. "Are you trying to determine the cause of his loss of memory?" Iris asked. "Magic... and a head injury, I think those are two possible causes... But I wouldn't remember. And if I had been injured in the head, I was lucky to survive." Felkin remarked. "Couldn't you have healed from it?" Yuria asked him. "But I don't think I possessed the ability to regenerate yet then..." Said Felkin. "Unless you already had it to begin with..." Metas answered. "It just could've been teased out when you were injured..." En exclaimed.

"That poses... a frightening possibility..." Serafion remarked. "Hmm?" Felkin asked. "If it happened once..." "It could happen again! My previous injuries just happened not to strike my brain..." Felkin remarked. "More reason to be cautious..." said Metas. Felkin breathed out with unease. "More reason for me to train harder, and be stronger, and better." Felkin exclaimed. Kieron held his shoulder firmly for a moment. "We're with you." She remarked. "Alright guys, let me get your plates cleaned up." En said. "So... What now?" Yuria exclaimed.

"We're going to go to each our own here I guess." Asralyn answered. "I... guess." said Felkin. "I'm... going back upstairs." Metas said. "We're... going to need to carry these chairs back up." Yuria remarked. "I'll help." said Iris. The group then formed a line and carried the chairs up the stairs. "Can you carry that on your own?" Kieron remarked as Felkin lifted a chair. "Yeah, I can feel my strength returning. In fact..." Felkin picked up a second chair and stacked it onto the other one and carried both with his hands and supported on his shoulder. "Ooh... Showing off aren't we?" Kieron asked as they walked up the stairs. "Just trying to improve my limits..." He answered.

They reached the second floor, and Felkin then lowered the chairs he carried to the ground. "Hah..." "Tired?" Kieron asked as the others including Metas carried a chair and walked past him. "Just catching my breath." Felkin remarked as Iris carrying two chairs walked past him. Kieron giggled as Felkin sighed. Ellyn, Yuria, and En carried the candles from downstairs to light the ones inside the rooms to make them alight. Metas and Asralyn went to one room, Ellyn and Yuria to the next, Kieron and Felkin in the last. While Serafion, Iris and En went back and stayed in the first floor.

In the upstairs room, Felkin and Kieron searched its shelves and compartments. "I think I'll need some extra protection if I want to keep my body in one piece." Said Felkin, trying to find armor pieces. "Well, you'll at least need something for your feet." Kieron threw a pair of socks and boots at his feet. "Hmm." Felkin put them on whilst standing. He sampled through pieces of metal armor and Kieron pulled out a few belts from the pile. She then started putting them on, one above of the other. "Those things you're wearing, belts... Why are you wearing so many?" Felkin asked. "It's for protection. It's better than just wearing cloth, it's like... Wearing leather armor, you were wearing some when we first met, right?." She replied, donning two leather shoulder pads.

"I remember. But it doesn't seem like it'll protect me much against something like Grisham's punches, or the intense flames of the matriarch..." Felkin remarked. "But I don't think even sturdy metal armor could cut it against them. It'll shatter like thin ice and won't be effective in protecting you against that kind of heat. And besides, it'll just weigh you down." He remarked. Kieron then donned a pair of leather bracers and stretched her shoulders. "These are lightweight and most attackers you can't avoid would be using weapons that'll be at least mitigated by these." She remarked. "Hmm... Too bad. I'll have to work harder to train avoiding attacks then." Felkin exclaimed. "Can you help me with these?" Kieron asked, sitting down with two leather greaves in tow. "Sure." Felkin said, taking them. "I... just can't seem to reach it." Kieron remarked.

Each greave had two short leather straps with metal buckles similar to a belt. Kieron had extended one leg forward and Felkin buckled the greave onto her leg. "Wait, can't you kneel on one knee and wear it that way?" Felkin asked. "Oh yeah, let me do it myself." Kieron stood up and took the other greave and wore it as Felkin had suggested. He walked next to the window and stared out into the darkness and looked down at his sword. A gust of wind stirred the grass and leaves outside.

"This weapon... It's the only thing I had with me that I still carry. If I had something like this around my body, I could be protected..." Felkin remarked. "You... could just wrap that around you, couldn't you?" "Hmm... Could be a good idea if I'm not using it to attack." Felkin answered. "Its... a relic, isn't it? How many of those are there? You might be able to make use of another one..." Kieron suggested. "Well, the kingdom has a store of relics. And though most people can only use one, some people can use more. That's something to take into consideration and worry about." Metas exclaimed from the walls of the other room. Felkin walked up to the wall and said: "Were you... listening the whole time?" He asked. "No. It was just relevant and something to think about!" Metas said loudly, but his voice was far from a yell. "Alright." Felkin answered.

"Please stop listening..." Kieron remarked. "I will!" Metas said. "Brother, get away from the wall..." Asralyn said with her voice muffled. Metas sighed, followed by him mumbling and grumbling. "Well, there we have it." Kieron remarked. "So, the kingdom has a store of relics... We'd have to ask Serafion more about that." Felkin exclaimed. Kieron then sat on the bed with a loud exhale. Felkin followed and sat next to her. "I... just realized, there aren't enough beds for us all." She remarked. "Yeah, if only the beds were bigger..." Felkin said, standing up and proceeding to descend into thought. "Ellyn's going to let Yuria to sleep on the bed to let her rest, and Asralyn is going to do the same for Metas though he'll insist on the contrary. Iris is going to stay downstairs to rest, En probably doesn't need to and he'll stay downstairs as well... Ellyn and Asralyn are probably going to pick up sheets and pillows to rest on the floor or the chair..." Felkin remarked.

"And Serafion is probably going to sleep at her desk still writing and working with her books..." Kieron answered. "And you're going to let me sleep while you either sleep on a chair or the floor." Felkin assumed honestly. "I don't know. Maybe you'll relent and ask me to sleep on the bed instead. And maybe I will accept." Kieron exclaimed. "Maybe so..." Felkin sat on a nearby chair with a troubled mind. Kieron lifted her legs onto the bed and leaned on the wall behind the bed whilst sitting. She looked at the ceiling and began contemplating the past and the eventual future. "Hey, Kieron... I was thinking about the others. I... like to think of them as friends, and I don't doubt they are. But... I know little of them. Which might sound funny because they've told me things others might not be privy to." Felkin remarked softly.

"You.. want to know them better?" Kieron asked. "Yeah. Does... that sound strange? Earlier when we weren't talking about what our plans to survive were, we... basically didn't know what to say." said Felkin. "Hmm... Getting to know someone better..." Kieron turned towards Felkin and sat with her legs to the ground. "Usually you talk about what things you like and your hobbies... And you find things in common with each other and you talk about that." said Kieron. "Hmm..." Felkin remarked. "Let me try asking you. What are the things you like?" Kieron asked. "You..." Felkin replied with little hesitation. "Uh- Uh... What are you talking about?" Kieron asked, flustered.

"That should include people you like right? I like you and all of my friends." Felkin answered. "Oh... I see." Kieron replied. "Is the 'asking of favorite things' limited to objects or activities?" Felkin asked. "Well not necessarily... But, usually." said Kieron. "Oh, okay... Let me see..." Felkin stood up and went into a thinking pose and walked around the room. "I like this sword, this house is safe and cozy... Your shotel, Ellyn's arm, Metas' spear... They've been very useful and protected us from harm and helped stop our enemies... Ooh, I like food... Tasty cooked meat, fruits and bread... And for activities, I like resting in peace... Enjoying the wind outside... And spending time with my friends." Felkin exclaimed. "Good, good." said Kieron. "I was worried because I only have a few days worth of memories I couldn't think of something..." "No, it's good." "Thanks." Felkin remarked, sitting back down beside Kieron.

"Well, that's it. If the other person is amenable enough, you can strike up a conversation and try to find out if their interests match yours." Kieron exclaimed. "But strictly speaking... You're my favorite 'favorite' person." Felkin remarked. "Mhm!" Kieron exclaimed, surprised and was looking forward away from Felkin. She then stood up still facing away from him. "You're... right. I am giving you the bed to yourself." She said quietly, flustered. She exited the room and went left, then leaned on the wall behind her and slid down to the floor with a deep exhale. "Uh... Kieron? Are you... alright? Was it something I said?" He asked walking up out the door and standing over Kieron.

"You're... not looking at me. Should I leave?" Felkin asked. "Oh, no, no! I... don't want you to leave!" Kieron exclaimed, flustered. "Alright then. Do you need a hand?" Felkin said extending his hand. Kieron's flustered expression then turned into a smile. She reached for his hand and they entered back into the room. Kieron sat on the wooden chair while Felkin sat back on the bed. "So, I'll sit down and try to sleep on the desk while you sleep on the bed." She exclaimed. "Can't we sleep in shifts? Like I'd wake up a couple hours later and we'll swap places?" Felkin asked. "Sure." Kieron said, smiling. Felkin took off his boots and pulled the covers on top of himself. He was about to close his eyes but he stared and fixated on the candle atop the table. "Do you want me to put it out?" Kieron asked. "No. Because you're here... I'm no longer worried about it." Felkin said, closing his eyes. As he did, Kieron turned her gaze away from him and up at the ceiling.

'He's... right. We... barely know these people. But... I feel that they're genuine. Isha, Rennon, Grisham... Is this what you felt and what you saw in people? Its... just like in the past with the others, we're connected even if its not by blood. But... The path ahead. This day is probably one of the last we'll have in peace. I... wish we could all just stay here but... I have a feeling we all won't be together for long. All this stuff with magic, the elementals, being hunted by the kingdom. I feel out of place in this fantastical world... I'm sure the others feel somewhat of the same. The things that lay ahead of him, of the others... I feel the immensity of his place int the world. His fate, No! rather... the paths ahead of them... I'm not sure I can stay on it, but I'm no going to quit easy...' In the other room, Asralyn sat reading a book while Metas tried to sharpen the relic with a sharpening stone. The repeated clinking of the metal mildly annoyed Asralyn, though she said nothing. "Hmm... This metal can't be sharpened... I used to take my mind off things this way, but... I guess its a lost cause." "You... can stop doing it then." Asralyn replied.

"It... might work if I try hard enough." Metas remarked. "You might cause damage to the weapon. It's a priceless and ancient piece of our kingdom's history, not to mention a complicated mechanism. Messing with it when you're not supposed to might break it." said Asralyn. "Hmph. Then I won't." Metas responded. Asralyn then sighed and lowered the book onto the table. "I... keep thinking about brother, and the knights." She remarked. "How we've left them behind and things will never be the same as before... I... kinda wish he was here, with us. But I think about our situation now, detached from our homes and lives. But... Thinking about life now, I've still yet to decide if its really that bad. And we can't stay here forever." She added.

"It'll... be up to him to decide what he does next. We're cut loose and free, but we've disconnected ourselves to our livelihoods and an ensured source of resources. But we've rid ourselves from all obligation. In that case, the positives and negatives are apparent, and but its up to us to think and create our own perspectives about them." Metas remarked. "I think... the best thing for us now is to escape somewhere and start anew... But we can't run away from this now..." Asralyn remarked. Metas was silent and staring off. He snapped his fingers creating a small spark, and snapped again extinguishing it. "I can't run away..." He mouthed, unbeknownst to Asralyn.

In the next room, Ellyn was also passing the time and relieving boredom by reading a book. She was holding the book using only one hand and flipping the pages with her thumb. Ellyn was sitting and leaning on the room's table and Yuria was sitting down at the bed and was restless, idling and fiddling around with a small piece of wood she found laying around somewhere. She raised and then lowered her hand holding the piece, putting it towards the ground and lifting it high into the air while swinging her legs back and forth all the while.

"Whoosh. Hah. Hup." Yuria waved her other hand around miming sending out attacks and casting spells without actually doing so. "What are you doing?" Ellyn asked curiously. "Practicing. I need to take better control of my magic, but I don't want to waste energy yet. I'm... Imagining how I would attack or defend..." Yuria remarked, while awkwardly waving her hands around. Ellyn inhaled and exhaled, before lowering her hand to put the book back down onto the table. "Oh!" The book slipped from her grasp and though she held it with her entire hand, it still wasn't enough to catch it.

"Do you... need help picking that up?" Yuria asked, inching towards Ellyn. "No, no... It's fine." Ellyn replied, picking the book up. "Does only having one arm make things harder for you? I mean, of course it does! It's obvious, but..." Yuria exclaimed. "Of course there are some things that I can't do with only one arm... But I've had plenty of practice since. You... drop things sometimes right? It's just like that." Ellyn exclaimed. "Yeah, I drop things all the time! But... It seems like you miss your prosthetic arm." Yuria remarked. "Yeah, the thing was pretty useful after all." said Ellyn. "Can't you make another one? You seem smart and capable enough..." Yuria exclaimed.

"I... can't. Only the old man knows. He promised to teach me and even though I watched him a few times, he mostly made it for me as a surprise gift. I didn't know what he was making at the time so I don't quite remember. And there's the issue of me having only one arm..." Ellyn's voice trailed off. "I believe that you can do it! And even if you can't... You're not less of a person to me!" Yuria encouraged. "Yuria..." Ellyn remarked. "You've known a bit about me, but what was your life like before... all this." She added.

"What you see is what you get. My life isn't all that complicated... I've... been on the streets for a long time, but it hasn't been like that way at first. I could barely recall it, when I was little. I remember... A family, a home but... Asides from that I spent all my life living off scraps and begging, and maybe ocassionally picking some things up when no one was looking... And things just got worse from there. People got sick, missing... Monsters attacking... People wanted someone to blame. I... hoped the people in the city would act differently, but..." Yuria said softly. "The witch hunts..." Ellyn remarked. "Yeah..." Yuria remarked glumly. "They had those at your village too?" Ellyn asked. "Yes... At first I thought nothing of it... It was grim, sure; but I was more focused on my survival to care, and people were dying all around in the alleys around me anyway... But..." Yuria stopped.

"But?" Ellyn asked. "When I first developed my magic, I did it by accident. I thought it was needless for all those people to be killed because of things that don't exist, but I soon learned that there was a good reason behind their fears. When I used my magic, I... didn't mean to. I was scared. I... still don't even know if that was me, I... I..." "Hey, if you don't want to talk about it..." Ellyn replied. "No, I want you to know." Yuria then paused for a moment.

"One night... My memory is hazy but I remember sleeping in a wet alleyway as usual. In the middle of the night I heard... screaming. I hid and tried to ignore it, I thought it might just be my imagination... But when I opened my eyes, there it was! That, that thing. The monsters, werewolves I think the others called them. I held up my knife, one that I picked up and closed my eyes. When I opened them... It was dead. And when everybody else was... also..." Yuria remarked frantically at first, but then spoke weakly.

"But that wasn't your fault." Ellyn replied. "Yes, it seems like it wasn't my doing but after... It was... so cold. The night I mean. You might remember, that the beast's flesh and blood disappears but its hide remains. I wrapped myself in it to warm myself to the next morning. And when I woke up..." Yuria looked towards the flame of the candlelight. "I looked up to see an angry mob with their pitchforks and torches raised at me, looking at the bodies all around me. To them I was wrapped in the hide of the monsters they saw in the night, and carrying a knife in my hands was the most likely person who did it..." Yuria remarked remorsefully.

"And they tried you as a witch because of that? That's... horrible." Ellyn answered. "I've seen other people get put up on the stake for less. But what happened next, gave them... ample cause. They took me kicking and screaming, and dragged me away. I had no idea what was happening and so... I used my magic. I know now that it reacts to my intentions and what happens after is because I thought about it, and 'I' wanted it." "No..." Ellyn covered her mouth with her hand in disbelief. "I closed my eyes for what seemed like moments, but the damage had already been done... After, they definitely had reason and they imprisoned me, they were convinced that killing me would erase all of their problems. And I... believed them." Ellyn wanted to offer encouragement but could not speak a word.

"As they carried me away, they shoved me into a cell. They left me alone after that and let me keep the beast's hide. Maybe they thought that me still having that with me would show my guilt to the other townsfolk. But I think they were afraid. Behind their glaring eyes and their shouts, I felt that they were the same as I... Afraid... They locked me in a place they knew I couldn't reach them until they decided to kill me. And in the darkness... I had time to think. I... Had used the power that summoned the monster. What if I was the one that attracted it to where I was in the first place?" Yuria remarked. "But you said it attacked you, and you defended yourself!" Ellyn exclaimed.

"I... Thought those same words as well." Yuria remarked. "But then I thought about how the beast attacked all of the others before me. How it went to me last. How I killed it so easily without it defending itself... What if I had beckoned the beast to me? Anyway, whether that was the case or not, I deemed myself guilty for my slaying of the townsfolk, and waited for my just punishment. While waiting inside, I used my magic once, to really see for myself my suspicions. And after I confirmed them,I sat in the dark and accepted my fate. When they paraded me in the streets towards my execution, I knew I had nothing left. My death would be as meritless as my life. But then, that's when they came, seeking me out." Yuria's expression was dim, but then brightened.

"Metas and Felkin?" Ellyn asked. "Yeah, I think they needed some information they wanted to ask me about... But now that I think about it, I can't remember if they said what they wanted to know... Anyway, they took me right before I was put on the pyre and fought off the townsfolk. But they chased after us and we were cornered by them. Then I remember myself still carrying that piece of fur. Maybe I could have broken free and defended myself earlier, but I didn't. Even then I didn't want to hurt the people. So I wished for us to be out of there. Then we went into a really dark place, and they protected me from a lot of those monsters, or maybe they protected themselves... Anyway, we went to another realm, the abyss, and we escaped and went to a snowy place, and then we went to a cave with a big spider, and then we arrived at your village!" Yuria explained the story haphazardly like a child retelling their day.

'I... Think I got most of that. Maybe... I heard a detail or two from the others...' Ellyn thought to herself. "I... had no one. And they saved me, even if they didn't mean to. And... they stayed with me and I stayed with them all the way. That's why I try to stay positive and cheer you guys up, I know how that much helps getting that from someone... At first I thought I was just paying a favor, for you and for them. But now I hope we can all be something like friends..." Yuria remarked. "We... already are." Ellyn said with a smile and ruffled Yuria's hair. "Thanks for that..." Yuria looked up towards her with a smirk.

Downstairs, Iris sat on a chair in the corner with her eyes closed. She was motionless and had her arms crossed. 'Is she sleeping, can she even "sleep"?' Serafion thought as she looked towards Iris. En was busy stacking and putting away the dishes and doing some minor cleaning around the area. "Hmm... If Henry was here, I wouldn't be cleaning..." En remarked to himself while wiping away the table with a small rag. Serafion looked down at the pile of books, scrolls and quills of ink at her table before her. She sighed and started to close some of the books to neatly stack them and allow them to be put away.

"You've been working at that for quite a while now, what exactly are you writing?" The boy asked her. "You know, gathering information and the like. All these things that no one in the kingdom has never seen hide nor hair of and I might be the first one to catalogue it. And your collection is fascinating indeed, some of these texts we don't possess in my... Well, the kingdom's collection, and a few of them are in a language that is either far too ancient or completely unknown in our kingdom... It should be locked in a vault or preserved in a museum somewhere, not collecting dust in a shelf here... no offense." Serafion remarked.

"None taken. If its just security you're concerned about, this place is pretty safe." En replied. "Some of these tomes, I saw in the kingdom's archives and were labeled missing..." Serafion exclaimed. "Er, um... We needed them and borrowed them. Indefinitely it seems. It's not like you yourself did not take a few of the kingdom's books before your exile, right?" said En. "You are very correct..." Serafion answered. "Well, it goes without saying, but please don't share or spread this information around please..." En remarked. "You think I am the type to maliciously spread secrets around one's back?" Serafion asked.

"If I said yes I might incur ire from you as I'm making a seemingly unreasonable assumption, but me saying no would make me seem naive and too trusting..." En answered. "Hmph, good answer... But even if I did, how would you know, or stop me if I am elsewhere?" Serafion asked. "I don't need to. All of our actions will have consequences. Someone will take you." En answered confidently. "Duly... noted." Serafion said, unnerved. "So... what's that other thing?" En called attention to a piece of paper that Serafion was also writing on. Serafion quickly took it and hid it by placing a book atop it. "It's... None of your business. Don't do it... stop reading my mind..." Serafion remarked combatively. "Okay, okay... I won't..." En remarked, backing away. "Alright... It's... not something important, nor it is something dangerous..." Serafion exclaimed. En looked and stared towards her.

'Her intentions earlier seemed true to her words, but her emotions now have differed. It's not as she's lying but... feeling remorse?' En thought. "Kid, keep looking at me like that and I'll sock you." said Serafion. "Alright, alright... Sheesh." En said, walking away. 'At first, I distrusted her the most among them but... Her aura now makes me confident that she bears no ill will as of now...' He thought as he went back to doing chores. Serafion pulled the piece of paper from under the book and after checking that no one was looking at it, she sighed and dipped her quill in ink before continuing it.

As time passed by, the candles inside the house grew dim and waned from a bright orange, to casting the interior with a deep violet hue. Metas couldn't sleep lying down and leaned on the wall behind the bed whilst seated. He had his weapon close by and propped on the bedstand as he slept soundlessly, like the dead. Though Asralyn slept seated, she had slept in harsher environments and could sleep comfortably if it was just on a chair. She had her arms crossed but had a troubled expression as if she was dreaming of something or had a troubled mind before she slept.

Ellyn managed to sleep through Yuria's snores and slept with her hand clutching her other shoulder, with thoughts of home, particularly the bed she slept on. Yuria slept heartily with a wide smile on her face, contently snoring along. Kieron slept with her head resting on her forearms on the table. Felkin turned over in the bed and opened his eyes, unable to sleep for long. "Hmm..." He remarked. He pushed away the blanket atop him and sat up on the bed. He stood up rubbing his eyes and walked up to the door. Felkin then quietly pushed the door open, but its creaking made the always-vigilant Kieron turn her head towards him, awake. "Can't sleep?" She asked him.

"No, just need to use the bathroom, forgot to use it earlier." Felkin answered. "Should've used it before you slept..." Kieron remarked, sleepily. "Mhm..." Felkin exclaimed, stepping out of the room to the bathroom. When he returned to the room he sat on the bed and looked longingly outside. He closed his eyes and savored the sound of the breeze blowing outside. He opened his eyes, stood up and walked up to the window near the desk and the window where Kieron was sitting. He put his hand to the glass and appeared to be feeling the air behind it.

"You want to go outside?" Kieron asked him. "Yeah... But if I go downstairs, I might bother or wake up the others going out the front door." Felkin remarked. He then put both of his hands on the window and started to push and slide the window aside. 'Wait, wouldn't a stuck window squeak loudly and wake the others up anyway?' Kieron thought as she lifted her head. "Hmm? Felkin, where... where did you go?" She asked as she turned to and fro not seeing him. "I'm here." Felkin said, extending his hand from outside the open window. "Where..." Kieron stepped up onto the chair and the table and took his hand and looked outside up towards him.

Felkin had used his lengthened sword to wrap around the edge of the roof of the building and hung onto the hilt with one hand. "Huh." Kieron remarked. She grabbed his hand and smiled in response to him who was doing the same. As she stepped on the windowsill, she felt the cold breeze blow through her hair. Kieron looked around at the side of the house and its walls and back up towards Felkin. "Do you want me to pull you up to the roof?" He asked her. "No, I think I can handle it on my own." Kieron said, patting the eaves of the wall outside. "Alright." Felkin said, shortening his sword to pull himself upward while Kieron swiftly used her hands and feet to climb towards the top.

As Felkin rose, he passed the jutting out extensions of the wall and stepped upwards with each gap and loose brick. He reached the peak of the house at the same time as Kieron had finished climbing. "Hello there." Felkin remarked. "Hey." Kieron replied as the two of them climbed up the roof and sat cross-legged, looking towards the towering tree of light. It gleamed eerily and ethereally, like a ghostly figure in the darkness. The cold breeze could be felt trickling through them in the air. "So... what's on your mind?" Kieron asked him. "I... remember the cold breeze, the outside... Climbing trees, running in the grass..." Felkin said, piquing Kieron's interest. "In dreams I mean. Every time I sleep, I... Feel like I dream of my past, the past before the memories I have now. I can barely recall them when I wake up but... I'm only left with vague sense of longing..." Felkin remarked.

"So, tonight you might have those dreams again. Are you... afraid to get them?" Kieron asked. "Not afraid, no. But... I'm unsure. Its like I can feel those moments, but they're alien to me. It feels like a life lived by someone else entirely. It's like they don't belong to me. And... I was wondering if I never recall those memories, I'll lose a part of myself I don't even know existed. I don't know if I can live untroubled if I never find myself to become whole." Said Felkin. "That's... Heavy stuff, I admit." Kieron exclaimed.

"But I believe everything that's happened to you, or to us, is still a part of us, whether we remember that or not. For example, we barely remember what happens to us when we're infants, but everything that happens to us still happens regardless of our memory. I think its cruel to cast away a part of ourselves completely. All of our experiences... They're a part of us and stay with us, even if we change and grow, they stay as a reminder for us to be better. Even if the wounds you may have endured healed, it doesn't mean you didn't sustain them in the first place..." Kieron responded. "That's... An equally heavy response. Thanks for being honest." Felkin answered.

"That reminds me, your strength has returned. But your burns haven't healed a bit..." Kieron remarked. "Oh, I think its not that they haven't healed but, I noticed that they've changed somehow... When I touch them it doesn't hurt, and it seems like they've become tough and hardened..." said Felkin. "Like a scab, or a scar..." Kieron exclaimed. "No, I think its because of my aspect..." Felkin replied. "Your aspect?" Kieron asked. "My will for something to remind me of what happened, I think I wanted it to happen so much that... They healed, in a different way..." Felkin said, raising his arms to show his red marks. He lowered his arms and they both turned to look back towards the tree of light.

"Forget about my troubles, how are you holding up?" Felkin asked her. "For the most part, I'm fine. I was pretty much unharmed from the battle earlier, and with a full belly and a good night of sleep, I'll be good." Kieron remarked. "It's good that you're not hurt. But do you have any troubles in your mind? Felkin asked. "I... was just thinking, about my life as a bandit... I did what I had to do to survive, I keep telling myself. After we left when Grisham and the others resorted to becoming bandits, I tried to find honest work... But because of my involvement with his group earlier I was refused work and had to... Had to resort to more unsavory methods. I... told myself it was the only way, I tried to steal less from the innocents but... I only went back to the same place as the other bandits... I'm afraid that... That I'll end up falling back to my ways after this." Kieron said worriedly.

"But you've changed, right? You're not that kind of person anymore. I admit, I... don't exactly now any good alternatives as of now, but... With everybody we... We could solve it together! But if you don't want to change... That's your decision, I guess." Felkin remarked. "That's nice of you to say. But I think I'll change now. I feel that all this time I was just running away, taking the easy way... What I was doing was only making things worse for myself and everybody... I'm going to try to better, I'll have to try!" Kieron remarked. "Yeah." Felkin answered. A cold gust of wind then blew from the direction of the tree. Both of them then instinctively inched and scooted next to each other because of the cool temperature.

"Brr... It's... pretty chilly out here." Kieron remarked. "Do you... want me to put my arm around you?" Felkin asked. "You presume... correctly." Kieron remarked and he then obliged, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "You know, I… actually know Ellyn, and maybe Metas from before… Well even earlier than my time as a mercenary." Said Kieron. "Oh, really… That's pretty interesting. How… so?" Felkin asked. "When…I was younger, I couldn't remember a life where I stayed put in one place. I couldn't even remember a time with my parents. But thinking about the people from the desert, and how my parents or their parents might have come from that land… It might not be that they found the paradise they were hoping when they got out of the sands. Otherwise, if they had a good enough life, they might've been able to take care of their daughter…" Kieron said, raising her hand and slapping down onto her lap.

"Maybe… they're still out there, waiting for you." Felkin remarked. "If they're still alive, they might've forgotten about me already." She responded, sullen. "You… never know." Felkin said reassuringly, his thoughts then went towards his own parents. Kieron inhaled sharply, then exhaled. "Anyway, I remember when I was little winding up in an orphanage of sorts. It… wasn't the best place, but there was food everyday and a place out of the rain. Some of the kids were picking on me, Metas stepped in and defended me from them and things got out of hand. I was put in a spot of trouble, and I ran. I left him behind to deal with the consequences." Said Kieron. "That… sounds like him." Felkin answered.

"What… do you know about him? He's… pretty quiet, all the time." Kieron asked. "He doesn't talk much so I don't know much about him. But I'd trust him with my life. He's… just that sort of guy." He answered. "Well, after that I ran… Lived off of the streets, until I managed to stay in one place. The village was accepting of me, Ellyn's village I mean. I spent most of my time outside with the other boys in the cold town. Ellyn was… distant. Quiet, I barely talked to her either. When bandits attacked, some of the boys from the village and I were taken and I was saved by Grisham and the others. A lot happened in a short time and… I ended up running away from the village too." Said Kieron.

"You've… been through a lot." Said Felkin. "It's… been tough, but I'll manage." Kieron answered. "The ties that bind us, are… really fascinating." Felkin remarked. "It's a pretty small world, huh." She replied. "I… Hope I can find somebody who knew me from before, maybe I can learn who I was…" Felkin said. Kieron could not muster a response, and looked silently towards him in understanding. "Look, it looks like the winds blowing the leaves from the tree!" Felkin exclaimed. "Woah..." Kieron said, looking up as countless glowing white leaves fluttered down from the branches of the giant tree. The small leaves that were radiant with ghostly light were carried by the wind and spread all throughout the landscape. But as they neared the ground, they began to lose their light and were completely devoid of light as they scattered onto the ground. "So that's how the leaves end up piling all around..." Felkin remarked.

"Yeah, it's a pretty fascinating phenomenon actually. It only happens every Light-Pause, and not during Light-Fall. Which is pretty funny because the leaves only fall during the darkness. Did you guys know that all of the leaves that make up the ground all fell from the tree? Can you imagine how different this place looked a long time- Oh. Am I... Interrupting something?" En erupted into an enthusiastic burst of factoids, calling out to them from the front of the house below. "No, no... Thanks for the information!" Kieron exclaimed to him. "Yeah, that was pretty informative!" Felkin remarked. "So, uh... I'll leave you guys to it! Just don't go out into the grass. There's a reason why the level of leaves doesn't pile too high." En exclaimed. "Alright..?" Kieron remarked. "We will!" said Felkin.

And with that, the front door closed and the two of them gazed towards the tree of light once more. As another gust of wind blew, they could clearly see the current of wind flowing right above them. "Hmm..." Felkin put down his sword. And while holding Kieron's shoulder with one hand, he stood and put his other hand high in the air to feel the air. "Hmm..." Felkin enjoyed the feeling of the cold wind moving through his fingers. "Whoa!" The wind rushed strongly and pushed back his hand. "Huh." Kieron remarked. "Wait... Look!" Felkin said, sitting back down and facing backwards to show Kieron his arm. "What's... Oh! Your... hand!" Kieron exclaimed.

Felkin waved his right hand up and down, it resembled a misty and wispy shape in the form of his hand. "Is it..." Kieron reached for Felkin's hand but it passed right through his foggy limb. "Does it... hurt?" Kieron asked. "No, I... can't feel it at all." Felkin said, still waving it about. He then pulled up his sleeve and saw his foggy hand attached to his shoulder. They saw the flesh and tendons of his arm through his see through forearm. Felkin touched it, his other hand passing through the misty limb and touching his shoulder. "It just feels like I'm touching my arm normally, and there's still skin. I'm not affecting it either, like there's a film over it..." Felkin said, tapping his shoulder with his fingers.

"Can I?" Kieron asked. "Sure." Felkin responded. She cautiously moved her hand forward and then tapped it. "That's strange. Is it an addition to the power you showed earlier?" She remarked. "I... guess so." Felkin said, raising his arm to see it better with the distant tree's faint light. A few of the tree's white leaves fluttered towards him and Kieron. "Hup." Felkin swiftly slashed the air with his misty hand towards the leaves. For a moment his hand became one with the wind and nigh-imperceptible, but it reappeared in its misty form once more. The leaves floated down, appearing to be unaffected, but then all became slashed cleanly in half. "Impressive..." Kieron remarked.

"But my hand itself isn't sharp..." Felkin said, closing and opening his misty fingers and touching his other hand with it. "Here. It kinda tickles..." Felkin said, holding his hand out towards her. Kieron then apprehensively and slowly extended her hand, and came into contact with Felkin's hand safely. "Hehe... It tingles like bristles or blades of grass..." Kieron remarked. Felkin then picked up his sword with his other hand and raised it. "How about..." He siphoned the misty energy into his blade and slashed the air, slicing more leaves floating above in clean halves. The fog seeped into the sword's segments and then the segments expanded, releasing the mist. "Huh." Kieron remarked.

"What is it?" Felkin asked. "Your hand's back." She said, raising his hand which was holding hers. "For a moment there, I was afraid I'd lose my arm permanently..." Felkin said nervously. Kieron gripped Felkin's hand, and he gripped hers. She breathed in deeply the night air, and exhaled. "Suppose its about time for us to get back inside..." She remarked. "Yeah, I feel better now. But... I can't wait to show this to the others!" said Felkin. "I'm already thinking about what they'll say... Though I think Ellyn might find it weird..." said Kieron. "Hmph... Those two are too noisy..." Metas remarked to himself below, roused from slumber by the two's conversation.

"Hmm… Another newfound discovery about your powers…" Nox exclaimed. "I'm… never getting used to that." Kieron remarked. "Shall I go back to my prolonged silence, or no?" The spirit within the shotel asked. "No, no…" Said Kieron. "I'm actually starting to acclimate to it." Felkin remarked. "Hm. Good." Said Nox. "More evidence that you possess mastery over the elements. Your potential seems to be boundless, but equally mysterious…" Solis answered. "More mysteries… Still more I don't know…" Felkin remarked.

The four continued to chat on the roof, but from afar in the tall grass, a solitary figure watched them, and the house. "Hey, I was wondering why you were gone so long, turns out you were still keeping tabs on us. But I'm surprised I was able to sneak up on you..." En remarked towards Jura. "You didn't. I heard your every movement ever since you came out of the house..." Jura said looking through binoculars, his gaze looking ever forward. He lowered it, and began walking away. "What's wrong? Don't wanna go back? Too many people walking around and possibly talking to you for your liking?" En asked him. "Something like that..." Jura said dismissively while walking away.

"Hey, is there something you want to tell me?" En asked, running up to him and onto his path. As he walked, the shovel and pickaxe on Jura's back clinked and clanked together, the sound of which stopped as he ceased walking. "I see you've grown... How many letters?" He asked. "Two." En remarked. "Not bad, but it would be unfortunate if you only stopped at two..." Jura answered. "Don't avoid the question, why aren't you back? Where has She gone to?" En asked, confrontationally. Though the boy had grown a decent amount, Jura still towered over him. "The house is being watched." He remarked. "By you?" En asked. "Now, yes. But if it's not me, it someone else." Said Jura.

"You mean... The others?" En asked. "Yeah. If you want to know where she's been gone, she's been temporarily reassigned somewhere else, until the situation's been rectified." Jura answered. "What... What situation?" En asked. "To quote... Your base of operations is currently housing a number of individuals yet to be deemed an asset, liability, threat, or non-issue in regards to the realms' balance. End quote." Jura exclaimed, making the quote and unquote gestures with his hand. "I... Considered this a possibility when I chose to help them..." Said En. "You be careful. You are among those that they consider." Jura said, walking past En. "Is that a threat?" En asked. "More of a word of advice from an old friend. And congratulations on your progress, I mean it." Jura said, walking into the distance.

'After all this time, I... Still can't get a good read on him...' En said to himself. The old man walked deeper into the grass and reached a slightly open area. "Hmph..." Jura brought out the tools from his back to prepare to travel out of the realm. "Hmm?" He wondered as countless glowing bright green eyes began appearing in the foliage all around him. Jura squinted as he tightened his grip on both of his weapons. With a loud screech, an insect-like creature leapt from the brush towards him. "Hmph." He remarked, deftly throwing his large pickaxe in a wide arc around him, striking down the group of creatures that tried to attack him. One managed to evade his pickaxe and ran up on him from behind. Jura swiftly turned around and smacked the creature flat to the ground with his shovel. "Show off!" En exclaimed from a distance. "Still here?" Jura asked. "Not anymore!" En said, his voice trailing off.

Back in the house, Felkin was trying to explain his newfound power to those in the first-floor room, mostly Serafion and Kieron because the others were sleeping upstairs. "Yeah and I just put my hand up to the air, like 'whoosh', and then my hand became like a sort of mist, but it was still attached and I could still move it, but my other hand could move through it..." Felkin was waving his hand around and trying to gesture the events earlier. "Good, good... Good for you dear..." Serafion said, having a limited understanding of his words.

"Let me step in for a bit. He displayed a power similar to the one he performed earlier. But instead of flame, he took in the brisk wind but instead of simply absorbing the flame and being able to blast it out of him, his arm itself became like mist, but still somehow a part of him that he could control." Kieron remarked. "You made a part of your body intangible but you were still somehow able to move it? Good for avoiding attacks, but rather useless if you can't touch your enemies with it. Perhaps if you could make part of your body mist, you could dodge attacks and use the other parts of your body to attack?" Serafion answered. "Wait, so you've accepted it this quickly?" Felkin asked her.

"With the abilities you've displayed, it would be more likely to believe what you say... You've not displayed the behavior of lying so far, and I find no reason for you to lie about this specifically..." Serafion remarked. "Oh, that's good! I guess." Felkin exclaimed. "Anyways back to the topic at hand... What if your legs turned into mist, would you be able to float or would you fall to the ground? Would your body cease to function if your internal organs turned into mist? You really must replicate the phenomena in order for you to learn about it more..." said Serafion. "I... didn't even consider those possibilities... Good thing I didn't do that earlier..." Felkin remarked.

"If that's the case I'd rather not find out..." Kieron replied. "Well, there can be no progress without an equal amount of risk... If you don't want to, its your choice, but the possibilities remain untapped..." Serafion remarked. "Well, I've been trying to do it again... But it seems like I can't just do it on a whim..." Felkin said, trying to grasp the air. He then started to wave his arm up and down quickly as he held his sword in his other hand. "Hnggg..." Felkin remarked, flapping his arm about. "Huff... Puff..." Felkin exclaimed, tiring. "Relax, you rushed down as fast as possible from the roof, you could rest a bit." said Kieron.

"The best thing to do to have something occur again is to recreate the conditions that allowed it to happen in the first place. Might also mean that we need to do it at the same location..." Serafion remarked. "Same conditions..." Kieron remarked. "Ah... Ha! I... got it!" Felkin exclaimed exhaustedly, with his hands on his knees but only one of them was solid. "I have it!" He replied, walking up to Serafion with his hand raised. "Ooh... Interesting..." She said, with her hand passing through his misty limb. "Alright, can I..." Felkin turned to the table and tried to pick up one of the books. "Okay I can't grasp this thing, but..." He said, trying to clench his fist around the object. Felkin then tried to make his hand into a gust of blowing wind and put it under the book to lift it gently upwards. "Hmm... No, nope." Felkin said as he lacked the strength to carry the book upwards using wind and caught it before it fell. "Maybe I can..." He pushed the book back onto the table with a blast of wind from his hand. "Yes! Ha... Hah..." Felkin said, tired.

"Impressive..." Serafion remarked. "Oh, do that thing!" Kieron exclaimed. "Yeah, right!" Felkin replied. "Hmm... What thing?" Serafion asked. Felkin then picked up a little piece of wood from the ground and laid onto the stack of books on the table. "Watch... This." Felkin said as he infused the mist into his sword and sent it out with a slash. "You were looking for a way to do offense... This is it." Kieron remarked. "Hmm..." Serafion observed intently. The small wooden stick suddenly split cleanly in half, but the attack made a slash on the wooden wall behind it. "Uh... sorry..." Felkin remarked. "Woah, don't break my house!" En exclaimed, walking out from the shadows.

"Ah, there you are you little devil. I was wondering what part of the house you slinked of to..." Serafion said to the boy's presence. "Just doing a little cleaning here, a little inspecting there... Just doing a few things around the house." En replied. "That aside, although your attack is fascinating, I'm more curious about... that." Serafion gestured back towards Felkin's arm. "I know right, it's back!" Kieron pointed towards it proudly. "Yeah... It's..." Felkin remarked, losing strength and slowly lowering to the ground, seated. "Hey! Are you alright?" Kieron rushed to his aid. "I'm... just a little tired." Felkin exclaimed.

"Changing an object's state of matter just like that is bound to consume a lot of energy. It's bound to happen." Serafion remarked. "His power to manipulate the elements is one of three types... The first one is for ones like Metas and the other knights of flame who can conjure their fire out of thin air, but less are able to manipulate their flames freely instead of merely producing fire. The second type holds many under the category, one that Yuria, Serafion, and likely Felkin belongs to. The ability to utilize and manipulate matter but requiring said matter to be available nearby to use." said En. "Likely?" Felkin asked.

"Also... There's something strange on why your body transforms into a sort of solid-air state... There must be something with the wind in this realm..." En thought. "I also thought it was weird that it wasn't same for the flame earlier, but I just brushed it off." Kieron remarked. "Is there something different about the air about this realm, all I thought that it was much cleaner..." Felkin remarked. "Due to the tree itself, there's... a certain kind of energy permeating, well... Everywhere. Even the wind itself has some semblance of magical energy. That's also one of the reasons why we were able to have enough energy to open the portals earlier." Said En. "So does that mean he won't be able to do that same see-through air thing in uh... The human world?" Kieron asked. "I... don't know exactly, his power is not usual." En remarked. "A difference in variables will require substantial testing and research, and a change in environment could possibly affect a phenomena's outcome altogether..." Serafion exclaimed. "Hmph. I was starting to think this could have been really useful. Well, can't really find out now either way." Said Felkin, disheartened.

"There's still the mystery of your abyssal powers, you might be able to be considered in both types of element manipulation... Maybe even the third one..." En answered. "Is the third one for those who create or produce the elements within their own bodies themselves?" Iris asked, still seated. "Wait, were you listening the whole time?" Serafion asked. "Yes, I was merely resting, but I am very much aware of my surroundings." Iris answered. "You are very correct, the third type of being to be able to manipulate elements are ones who produce it within their body themselves. Generally these beings are elementals who have elements themselves as their flesh and blood. You seem to belong to this category, though are a special case." The boy said to her.

"Yes, as an artificially created automaton, my way of gathering and utilizing energy is different from biological organisms. But how exactly I am able to produce my flames out of my body naturally, I am unsure..." Iris remarked. "We can still help you find whatever it is you're looking for in the kingdom..." Metas said, walking down from the stairs. "Yeah you're right Metas, we will if you need to." Felkin remarked. "You're up early..." said Serafion. "I became awake when these two went to the roof together. Not... Saying that you were noisy, its just that I'm a light sleeper, is all." Metas remarked towards Felkin and Kieron.

"But helping me... Will just take your attention away from the more pressing matters in your lives. And going out there with all of you will only bring unwanted trouble and attention if you were to be spotted." said Iris. "We're going outside into the kingdom tomorrow right? Surely we can find some time to help you look?" Felkin asked her, still seated on the floor. "First of all, it hasn't been certainly decided yet that we are leaving tomorrow. Second, she has a point you know..." Kieron said towards Felkin. "You're... right." Felkin sighed. "I guess it isn't possible for us to do everything at once..." He added. "All of you, your kindness is appreciated..." Iris remarked.

"So you've given up the plan of leaving for the city tomorrow?" En asked Felkin. "Nope, not at all." He answered. "I... expected that." said Kieron. Metas looked upon them and was reminded of his formative days as a knight, where he similarly stood in the shadows as the other chatted and made merry. "I'm... going back up stairs." He generally stuck to himself and preferred his own company even when surrounded by others, and passed the time sharpening his weapon and training by himself.

"Alright, we'll see you in the morning!" En exclaimed to Metas, as the latter walked back upstairs. 'They're all... So eager to help others. Meanwhile I've only thought about myself... Someone like me, doesn't belong here with them...' Metas thought bitterly as he went back to his room. "Everything alright down there?" Asralyn asked, with her eyes closed and arms crossed still on her chair. "Yeah..." Metas said and sat on his bed in silence. "You... can still go back." He remarked. "Hmm?" Asralyn responded. "Your old life, as a knight. You can still get it back. Instead of going in hiding and being on the run for the rest of your life, you can go back." said Metas. "What are you saying?" Asralyn asked, worried.

"You can use the information you gathered here, report us to the kingdom and gain your freedom back. You can leave all this behind, and live comfortable again..." He continued. "You... know that I'd never do that to you guys right? I'll never sell you all out! Even you implying that I do that... makes me dissapointed that that's what you think of me..." Asralyn said, disgruntled and opening her eyes in disdain. "You could stay hidden here if you like, ocassionally going outside to gather supplies or having the others gather them for you. But is being essentially what is a bird in a gilded cage is no less from being imprisoned... You could also set off for the other cities in this realm, or the other nations outside the kingdom, but it's going to be difficult starting a new life and earning your keep in a foreign land..." Metas continued.

"That's... not going to be enough reason for me to turn on you. Let's... stop this conversation, now." said Asralyn. "Our path, it's going to lead us inevitably to us clashing with the knights, and the kingdom. Our best chance is to leave for other lands and never return but... They'll be on the hunt for us then, and the longer we are in their reach, the more likely an encounter will happen." Said Metas. "No, I'm not going to against you brother, nor against Sethan. We're... going to stick together at the end of this, just like we did when we were younger..." Asralyn retorted.

"Don't be so naive... It'll end up being you against us, or you against them and Sethan... And he's... Going to choose the entire kingdom, over his traitorous and murderous brother. Don't forget, we've killed Siegmund, and might kill any other knights if we're forced to." Metas answered. "But, but... The knights have done so much good for the people, and you guys aren't necessarily bad people, right?" Asralyn asked. "Not bad people, huh. We... do all sorts of things. Selfish things. Kind things. Some people are kinder or more selfish than others... What we do now is to ensure our survival. The kingdom sees us as a threat and will act accordingly. And the knights, whether they be just or cruel will hunt down the traitors of their kingdom. We'll stay our blades as we can, but if its our lives or theirs, we'll be choosing to survive." Metas answered.

"If you're telling me this just because you think I can't handle it..." Asralyn replied. "I've seen just how much you've grown, I know you can handle it. I'm just saying you still have chance to choose the easier life, the simpler life. We lost that chance for ourselves already. I... don't want to deprive you of that choice. And Sethan he..." Metas' voice trailed broke before he continued. "He needs you. He... has a fair amount of friends and supporters in the knights but... He's going to be alone without family. And me... Him sticking around me will just bring him trouble, like always..." Metas exclaimed. "Brother..." Asralyn remarked.

Metas then lied down, covered himself with the blanket and turned away from Asralyn. "Think for yourself. Choose." Metas remarked. With that, he became silent and closed his eyes, trying to hide his expression. Asralyn reached for him, but stopped and pulled away her arm. She sighed and leaned back on her chair.

"So now you're ready to sleep?" Kieron asked Felkin with a smile. "Yeah, yeah..." He answered as they entered their room. He stopped before the bed and stood still. "You... want to sleep on the bed yourself?" Felkin asked. "Nah, I'm good." Kieron replied. "Suit yourself." He replied, falling onto bed and turning over onto his back. "Alright, good night." Kieron said, sitting down. "You... You too." Felkin replied, raising his head.

Downstairs, Serafion was stuffing a few of the books and her personal items in her pack. She looked upon the piece of paper she'd been writing in on the table, and sighed before picking up a quill to finish the letter. 'I... hope you can come to accept what I've said in this letter, and that I wish you all the best, and though penned words are no replacement for face-to-face conversation, I'm hoping that you can understand why...' Serafion thought to herself as she wrote down those same words. She then cautiously looked around to see if anyone was looking at her, and then continued putting her things in her bag.

Iris returned to resting in the corner of the living room and En was out of view. She sighed and thought: 'Is this really the right thing to do?' Upstairs, Ellyn and Yuria were asleep. The former had homesick dreams, and the latter had a peaceful and quiet sleep, contented. Asralyn tried to fall asleep but was kept awake by her thoughts.

There would still be a number of hours before morning, or its equivalent for when the tree of light would make the land radiant once more. The outside breeze blew cold, and the landscape was quiet and peaceful. In the vast white plains of leaves, nary a creature was visible from the surface, but creatures from below toiled in lessening the piling foliage. Like a still and calm pond, too beautiful to be disturbed, but will inevitably run with its current once more.