FSE

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*****

Black, fleshy growths crawled all over the walls of the Sunspot. From where Harm stood on the threshold of the hanger, Harm could see the thick, pulsating, red veins through the flesh. Unholy red, slitted eyes grew from the masses, twitching and staring at him. His stomach rebelled against the vile site but he pushed it aside as the stink of sulphur and rot hung in the air.

"Demonic corruption at its finest," he grunted, stepping through into the connecting hallway. His sneakers made loud squishing noises when he stepped onto the black flesh.

"Will we not become corrupted?" Roran asked, tentatively stepping on only those sections left free of the vile blobs. He was practically on his tiptoes.

"Demons corrupt in various methods depending on the ruling Demon Lord," Yulanda answered, having no fear striding onto mounds. "Some demons corrupt through inhalation of spores. Other still merely need but a touch. I am unsure how this Demon Lord corrupts..."

Harm swung Firefeather at a particularly large, bulging eye. A soft scream cut through the air as the eye squired acidic blood against the floor. "Believe it or not, Agares is actually a minor Demon Lord, considered one of the weakest in the demonic hierarchy. Still incredibly powerful but compared to someone like Amon, Azrael or Belial, he is miserably weak."

He suddenly leapt to his right. A stream of red claws came shooting out from the shadows. Roran seized Yulanda but he froze as the red spikes came to an inch of his left eye. Harm had the claws bunched together in his paw. The demon the claws belonged to stood a few metres away, fear in his eyes yet its face was contorted into a fierce snarl.

"Agares' demons corrupt through slashes with their claws," the Chronomancer said. "It's also interesting to note that most Demons Lords instil a 'death throe' into their demons. Agares' explode upon death."

He brought Firefeather crashing down, slicing the claws in half. The demon screamed, leaping back as its fear finally gave out and it scrambled away. Taking the severed claws, Harm hurled them at the fleeing demon. The claws pierced the demon's back, sending it howling towards the ground. One jabbed into the base of its neck and exploded into a burst of acidic blood the moment after.

"Agares may be weak but he's a cunning demon. The vice of demon kind is that they grow stronger with every creature they consume or convert. That is why demons are always so eager to turn other mortals." A clawed hand shot out from the shadows to his right, seizing his shoulder. A demon sprang out, jaws wide. Its head abruptly snapped back with an arrow embedded deep into its skull. Harm hurled the creature over his shoulder, letting it detonate far from him. "Interestingly, demons - like Chronomancers - are considered 'outside the flow of life and death'. When they die, their souls are merely returned to the Void where they are reformed into the smallest, weakest demon possible and they work their way back up from the bottom rung."

A heavy sigh left Roran's lips. "So we can never reduce their numbers. They can grow in strength but we will never win against them."

"Oh there are ways to supress the demonic numbers," Yulanda said, cracking Sun Dancer. "I have heard my father mention it many times. Paladins and Templars learn spells and techniques that can keep a demon from returning to the void. I heard there are vaults all over Tower Thirteen where Paladins and Templars keep the souls of those demons they have killed."

Harm lifted a finger, pointing straight up. "High Inquisitors also take demons and transform them forcibly into weapons for their use. They call them 'Anathemas'. Just like demons those weapons grow stronger with every soul they slay and devour. Only demons cannot touch them." He jabbed Firefeather into the ceiling. A demon screamed and he slipped aside before the cascade of demonic blood could shower him. He kicked the creature off the edge of his blade and let it explode.

"Curious that Novallier would tell you about ways we supress demons," he said, glancing over his shoulder at Yulanda.

A loud screech from behind them caused the trio to turn. Group of demons came rushing at them, claws outstretched. Yulanda gestured at the others and unfurled Sun Dancer. The whip lashed out, white fire dancing along its length. It seized one demon around the neck and then swung that demon wildly at the others. A neck snapped somewhere and the instant the creature exploded, the others were slain.

"My father was always telling me stories about the glory of Paladins and Templars," she said, recalling Sun Dancer. "Perhaps it may have been the reason I am so eager to break the bonds my lineage to bring peace and harmony to a world that sorely needs it."

"You understand, of course that -"

"I know to be a Paladin or a Templar is not to fight constantly against the evils of the world." As she lifted her eyes, she gave him a tight smile and a firm nod. "To be one is to defend not to attack."

He made no reply and turned back towards the hallway.

Suddenly, the Sunspot shuddered. The sound of machinery restarting filled the corrupted hallways. Where they could peek through the black flesh, the lights flickered on. The multiple eyes that littered the impurities in the hallway twitched and spun in panic.

"The Sunspot..." Roran whispered. "What is happening?"

Harm levelled his gaze at the hallway, now filled with flickering lights and yet more shadows. "It's powering up. We're moving."

*****

The Sunspot's bridge was a miniature throne room. A long, wide corridor unfolded in front of them. Large, squat consoles were arranged like pews along a central aisle. Towering effigies of the Sun Goddess flanked the central aisle while the proud visage of the Brave Famer stood between them, burning sword raised. At the very end of the hallway was a raised dais where a high-backed throne sat. Corruption had crawled all over the back wall just behind the throne. Somehow, it had managed to tear open the wall and through the thick hull of the ship to reveal the horrors of the Void and the majesty of Incendius below. As protection from the roiling storms, the corruption had formed a thin net over the gaping hole with a glass-like substance placed between each strand. The rest of the bridge, however, seemed unaffected.

The throne had been turned to have its back facing the entrance; its occupant turned away from them. At the foot of the dais, unharmed yet with a puzzled look on his face was Inquisitor Warton. Beside him, leaning on his staff of office for support, was the Apex Clericus Solis, Novallier.

"What...?" Roran began softly.

The one who sat on the throne slowly stood up. A pair of skeletal wings unfurled, each bone a glowing red tribute to Agares. Black scales replaced red and as Valk slowly turned to the rest of them, even Harm could not hold back his horror at the corruption that had taken the Draconis. Horrific, black, fleshy growths with pulsating red veins grew from odd places all over his body like evil, cancerous bulbs. Alliance had turned black and fused with the back of his right hand. The left side of his head was consumed by a large, growth of its own, blinding him on that side.

The Tigris gasped and could barely voice, "Valk...?"

"Roran," Valk said, his voice calm, controlled and at the same time infinitely sad. "You have come." A bitter laugh escaped him and a tear ran down his one good eye. "I had a feeling it would be you who would face me in the end." He ran his gaze over Harm and Yulanda, a sorrowful smile crossing his features. "Thank you, both of you. You have made him so strong. Strong enough to let go of a dream that can never be and perhaps... strong enough to be free. The only one of us that could."

The Draconis next regarded Warton and Novallier. "You may go."

Yulanda instantly bolted from Harm's side, running towards her father. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around Novallier, shocking them both. Still, the moment was tender and the world stood still just for the two.

Though it was but a moment, Yulanda pulled away with tears in her eyes. Ever the stubborn child, she wiped the tears away and gestured at the door. "Go father. I shall aid Harm in cleansing your ship of this corruption."

"I will not lose you!" Novallier protested, holding her shoulder firm.

"Novallier." The two turned to Harm. "I made a promise. I intend to keep it."

The Apex Clericus Solis seemed taken aback and in that moment, his fingers slipped away from Yulanda's shoulder. He gazed at his hand like he couldn't believe he had let go. Whatever weight fell on his shoulders pushed his head down and he gave both Harm and Yulanda one last nod, a farewell.

He staggered past his daughter. "Inquisitor. I require your aid to escape this place."

"Yes, Your Holiness," Warton answered. He turned and cast a fierce stare at Valk which was returned by a faint smile. As the Inquisitor passed Harm, he stopped and seized the Chronomancer's collar. "However you escaped, know this - you are not free from the eyes of the Inquisition."

"I suspect not," Harm answered in a soft whisper, giving Warton his ever-present gentle smile. "But eyes can't really do much in stopping me, can they? Watch all you want."

A grunt came from the Inquisitor. He begrudgingly reached into a compartment on his thigh and shoved a metal bar attached to a golden chain into Harm's paws. He then stormed after Novallier who shut the doors behind them.

"Now that we are finally alone," Valk said, stepping down from the dais, "I have a favour to ask."

"Explain first!" Roran shouted, staring at Valk with a mix of disgust and horror. "What... What is this?"

"I gave myself to Agares," the Draconis answered, glancing to the right with nothing but sadness in his voice. "Other mortals can be corrupted by that Demon Lord with but a scratch from a demon. However, for any Paladin to fall and their Valour to turn to Sin, they must willingly surrender themselves to the Demon Lord."

"How could you do that!?" Roran took a step forward but Harm seized his shoulder, pulling him back. "Do you have any idea what this will do!? Novallier saw you as a demon! So did that Inquisitor! You will be blamed for all of this!" He was swinging his arms wildly through the air. "The Church will claim that you were the one that corrupted the Solis that joined your ranks! You were the one that placed the demons in the ships and slaughtered everyone! They will blame you for..."

He cut himself off. His blue eyes swung to regard Yulanda who had her head bowed and her own eyes closed. Then, he regarded Harm who was staring at Valk with no smile on his muzzle. When Roran turned back to Valk... he noted the sadness in the Draconis' features.

"You want them to blame you..."

"Incendius is a world gripped by hatred," Valk explained. "Humans hate the Vampiri and Lupus. Vampiri despise the Lupus and Lupus loathe the Vampiri. They all hate the Darkened beyond the icy walls of Chillfarn. In a world rife with hatred divided by species, can we truly afford further division between humans and non-humans?"

"But if that's what it means to be free -"

"I was the same, Roran," Valk interrupted, lifting his hand into the air. "I hated the humans for what they did to Lusia and only too late did I realise it was this very same hatred that united people under my banner. All those non-humans who gathered under my banner did not want equality for the sake of equality. They wanted revenge in the guise of equality. They hated the Church for how they were treated. It was this same hatred that had the Custodia Solis defect to my side as they hated the Church for their incompetence at defending us during the summit."

Valk spread his wings. "Cannot you see, Roran? Incendius is the Station of the Sun and that sun burns brightly with the flames of hatred. This hatred unites the people, somehow allowing them to coexist." He lowered his arms, tears running down his cheek. "To ruin that, to add more fuel to the pyre... would be to invite destruction to Incendius... I do not want to see the world Lusia loved so much to burn."

He turned his gaze back to Roran. "So... I decided that I have no choice but to masquerade as the Dawn's Champion."

"What!?"

"I do not believe he even truly exists," Valk said, shaking his head. "Perhaps the Dawn's Champion is but a concept conjured by Gardon to hide his identity or some radical who hid in the shadows and now lies dead amongst the ashes of Clockwork. It was we who assumed that the Dawn's Champion was corrupted by demons simply for a line thrown by demons who attacked us once. We were the ones who drew the connections with little more than words and conjecture."

The Draconis let out a bitter laugh. "So now I must take the mantle of the Champion... to be hated for the sake of Incendius."

"I do not understand!"

"Incendius needs someone to hate," Yulanda shouted, her voice marred with sorrow as well. She kept her head bowed, perhaps in respect for Valk's decision. "We cannot simply blame the 'Dawn's Champion' when we have no proof of his existence. Fear will grip the populace to know that the Champion is still at large. Imagine the anarchy that will rise when the masses learn that the demons were unrelated and the Champion was merely a radical? Or perhaps if they are related, that the Champion is still at large and managed to topple the majority of Incendius' governing body?"

"There is already a power vacuum from the demonic invasion of the corrupted Solis," Valk said wearily. "Should I not take this mantle, people will scramble to fill that vacuum with little more than their own ambitions to drive them. If I stand as the figure they hate, then I will become their rallying call... Just as Lusia was mine."

Roran choked, his next words dying in his throat.

Harm gave them voice. "You will be hated for all time. Your name will be spat on. To corrupt yourself now would be to deny you entrance into the Mother Goddess' realm."

"Perhaps it is finally time that I did something for the good of all instead of just my selfish ambitions," Valk responded with a chuckle. He looked down at Roran, shaking his head in sadness. "I brought this pain upon the world, Roran. I raised the banner of the Justitae Ignibus. If it is made public that the corruption spread from me and not the non-humans and that you, my best friend and a non-human stood up against me, non-humans will avoid persecution."

Before Roran could ask, Harm provided the answer. "Think about it, Roran. If Valk doesn't take the mantle of the Dawn's Champion, where will the finger be pointed but at non-humans? It was non-humans who 'killed' Gardon and Gardon returned as a corrupted monster. It was to the non-humans' cause that the Solis entered and whether or not they were corrupt before, they emerged as demons after joining. Non-humans will not just face a slight reduction of equality. They will be hunted."

Roran let out a sound that was half a whimper and half a whine.

"I must do this, Roran," Valk said, taking a few steps back. He reached for Alliance, seizing the blade with his free paw. "And you must kill me. Consume them all, Discord." A high-pitched buzzing noise filled the air. As Valk pulled on his blade, it split in two, granting him two blades both thick and long. A swarm of black locusts sprang from where the blades parted, hovering around him in an ominous, black haze.

"What!?" Roran exclaimed. "Why do we have to kill you?"

"Because I have fallen and I have a Sin!" Valk shouted. "I may have betrayed Agares and gained command of his armies currently on these ships but he is gnawing at the edges of my consciousness, trying to wrest control from me!" As he spoke, the black growths on his body twitched like they were trying to consume him. "You have heard the stories of how powerful those with a Sin are! I cannot be allowed to live!"

Roran's shoulders shook and he bowed his head, tears rolling down his cheeks to be absorbed into his orange fur. Whimpering softly, he reached over his shoulder and gripped his bow. Even with that gesture, though, he shook his head.

"I cannot!"

Valk let out a disappointed sigh but nodded. "I thought you might say that. That is why I have set the Sunspot on a collision course with the Sun Spire."

All eyes instantly went to the Draconis.

"You did what!?" Yulanda cried. "Why!?"

Black corruption crawled out from the walls and seized the control panels sitting aligned so perfectly along the central aisle.

"Because all the demons on this ship, on the other ships and the very corruption that consumes the walls are connected to my life. Even should you tear the flesh from the machine piece by piece, I will simply corrupt it again!" Valk pointed at his heart. "Agares' will forces me to slay myself so I must be slain by another! The only way to force you to kill me is to give you motivation! So slay me and free the ship from the demonic grasp so that you may save all of Incendius from the darkness wallowing in the south!"

Rage filled Roran's eyes and he quickly nocked an arrow. Still, despite his gnashed fangs, he said, "I will never forget you."

Valk smiled and lifted his swords. "I would willingly stand aside and let your arrows pierce my heart but I sense you have wanted this confrontation since the day it was revealed I paid Colleen to bed you."

"Don't you dare hold back!"

The Draconis smiled and turned his eye toward Yulanda. "I believe you hate me for the pain I have caused your father?"

"I do not," she answered, unfurling her whip. "But I cannot claim to be a chosen of the Mother Goddess if the demons I slay willingly give themselves to me!"

He then turned to Harm.

The Chronomancer lifted his paw, silencing him. "Just do your best. You're going to lose anyway but it'll be more fun this way." He drew Firefeather and unfurled Timekeeper, holding both blades in a mirroring pose to Valk.

Valk let out a roar and charged at Roran, a swarm of locusts shooting straight towards Harm and Yulanda. Roran let fly with several arrows before quickly throwing his bow into the air. He pulled up his enchanted blade and blocked Valk's right-hand blow. The left came swinging down towards him. Sun Dancer's white, fiery length wrapped around the blade, yanking it back and preventing the dark metal from biting into Roran's neck.

Wham!

The Draconis' head snapped back with Harm's foot firmly planted on his cheek. The Chronomancer leapt off the Draconis, somersaulting in the air to build momentum and brought his two swords crashing to the ground at Valk. Even as he staggered, being corrupted granted Valk frightening strength. He raised his swords, catching both Firefeather and Timekeeper. Harm's momentum took him stumbling towards the ground but the Wulfun easily caught himself on one paw and swung his legs out as he twisted back to his feet. His legs swiped Valk's legs out from underneath him, sending the Draconis toppling to the ground.

Harm mercilessly launched himself to his feet and pressed Firefeather against his forehead. "Let none pass through heaven's gates, Firefeather!"

Pillars of raging fire descended from the ceiling, forming a searing wall of flame right in front of Harm. Valk barely had the time to roll away and leap to his feet before Yulanda came careening out of the flames, Sun Dancer lashing through the air. The whip bit deep into the Draconis' left shoulder before rising back up and striking Valk's upper thighs. Yulanda came grinding to a halt in front of Valk, pressing her free hand against his chest.

"Augue!"

Valk was blown back with a mighty burst of flame, hurtling through the air and smashing into his own corrupted throne. Black locusts came swarming in around him, catching him before he struck the ground and gently letting him down.

"Impressive, all of you," he chuckled, genuinely proud. "Now it is my turn!"

His locusts formed a long, horizontal line right in front of him. With a swipe of his sword, the line rushed straight down the hallway, letting out that screeching buzz that could set nerves on end. The locusts bit into everything in their path, slicing through the untouched faces of the Sun Goddess. Harm easily ducked the line before immediately leaping into the air and barely dodging the second line that came zooming close to the ground but high enough to avoid the damaging the consoles.

A cry from Yulanda warned him of impending danger and he rolled to the right. Locusts came rushing at him at a diagonal line. Valk quickly altered the pattern of his locusts, sending out diagonals and even arrows at them that burst into a cloud of flesh-eating locusts the instant they struck the ground.

Harm grit his fangs together and threw himself behind one of the consoles, knowing Valk would not have them destroyed. Across the aisle from him, Roran sat huddled behind another console. They exchanged glances, gave one another a firm nod and leapt out onto the aisle at the same time. Together, they charged at Valk.

Three horizontal beams of locusts came rushing at them. Harm threw himself through the gap between the top two. Roran slid on the ground, the lowest one missing his muzzle by an inch. The moment they were back up on their feet, they were rushing head long into four beams coming in at diagonals. This time, Roran launched himself into the air, tucking his arms close to himself as he spun. The locusts swept past him, just biting into the tip of his scabbard and sheering it off. Harm bolted straight of his left, avoiding the insects entirely and leaping over one of the nearby consoles.

Valk's eyes glinted and he reorganised his locusts, sending them leading forward in a grid formation. Roran came to a jarring halt. Harm leapt in front of the Tigris, swinging Firefeather upwards.

"Rise forth, Firefeather!"

A stream of fire erupted from the ground, burning through the wall of locusts. Harm bolted after the flames with Roran right behind him. Valk swiped his blade through the fire. Black locusts pushed away the fire as much as they could but the brief moment when Valk was blinded by his own dark minions was enough for Harm and Roran to close in on him.

Roran lunged forward, bringing his sword crashing down on the Draconis. Valk took a step back, slamming his own blade Roran's and sending it skittering to the ground. With his other sword, Valk sought to take the Tigris head. There was a flash of light and the blade was once against in Roran's paw. He brought it rising to block Valk's coming strike. The blow was immense, the clang resounding across the entire bridge. It sent Roran to his knees.

Valk brought his blade up -

... and Sun Dancer lashed out, seizing his wrist and pinning it behind his back.

"Now!" Yulanda cried.

Harm rose up beside Roran, swinging Firefeather. Valk's other blade caught the sword, sparks flying from the contact. Timekeeper rose in the Wulfun's other paw. Roran seized the blade alongside him and with one thrust -

"Ah!" Valk gasped, the golden blade plunging into his chest.

The corruption over the Draconis' left eye twitched. A fissure appeared vertically down the blacken flesh, splitting open to reveal a pulsating red eye. Valk's other iris flashed red and a wicked grin crossed his features. The voice that came from his throat was deep, gravelly and alien.

"Foolish lizard. Thought he could deceive me. Now his loved ones will suffer the consequences of his betrayal."

Valk threw his head back, letting out a ferocious roar. His locusts came swarming in from all directions, pushing both Roran and Harm back in a flurry of buzzing. The insects bit deep into their flesh, hurtling them back down the bridge. Showing surprising strength, Valk pulled at Sun Dancer, throwing Yulanda halfway across the bridge to crash next to Harm.

Spreading his wings wide, the Valk rose into the air, a devious smile on his muzzle.

"He may have possessed Discord but it is I who granted him this strength. One cannot control your sin. Your sin becomes you_!"_ The locusts buzzed all around him, screeching loudly.

The lights in the bridge abruptly flashed red.

"Warning," a mechanical voice boomed, "re-entry into Incendian atmosphere initiated. Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 10 minutes."

Harm glanced past Valk, through the glass. His heart jumped to his throat when he saw Incendius so close and the glass turning bright red. The Sunspot had begun its plunge into the Station.

"Ah," Valk boomed. "It is such an exquisite plan. But the fool had too much faith in you three. He believed you could kill him when he was too much of a coward to do it himself! Ever the romantic, he desired to be slain by the man whose conviction he had shattered and now hopes to see restored!" The Draconis laughed, pulling Timekeeper from his chest and throwing it aside. "Perhaps it was fitting then that I stand here in the body of your loved one, Roran, and I face you, Harm Chronos! You have thwarted my plans for the last time!"

Rising with a grunt, Harm switched Firefeather to his right paw. "Never lecture at Chronomancer about their use of time."

He readied his blade as Valk bolted forward, a cloud of locusts swarming around him. The Draconis lunged at them, forcing all three to leap back to avoid both sword and swarm.

"Augue!" Yulanda shouted, throwing a bolt of fire form his palm. The flames bit into the cloud, sending a few locusts to the ground but barely making a dent in the dense shield.

"Desire you a true show of that spell?" Valk spun, swinging his blades out in a wide arc. "Missa Augue!"

Black balls of flame appeared all around him in a circular arch. Dark fire flew all over the bridge, smashing into statues of the Sun Goddess and sending debris in all directions. Harm ducked under a bolt and swung Firefeather as he rose.

"Rise forth, Firefeather!"

Flames surged out of the floor, rushing towards Valk. The possessed Draconis stopped his spin and leapt to the side, grinning maniacally as the flames passed him by. That grin quickly faded when a white whip came lashing out from his right, striking the cloud of locusts and sweeping some of the insects aside.

"Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 9 minutes."

"Irritating pest."

The locusts sprang from around him, shooting straight towards a defenceless Yulanda.

Thud!

An arrow embedded itself into his throat.

The Draconis spun, glaring at Roran who drew another arrow. The moment of distraction allowed Yulanda to dive away as the locusts shot through the walls of the bridge, tearing into delicate machinery and thick walls.

"Insolent fool!"

Valk lifted his swords into the air and drove them straight into the ground. A cloud of locusts wrapped around him, blocking all sight of him. At the same time, second cloud erupted from the walls, forming a writhing, buzzing stream that surged into the floors.

The metal beneath Harm's feet began to emit an ominous growl. The Chronomancer hurled himself at Roran, slowing down time as locusts erupted from the floors. The insects dove straight back into the ground, tearing through a precious console as they did so. Like a worm rising and falling from the ground, the locusts chased them, surging out from beneath their feet as they ran.

Harm quickly released time from his grip, seizing Roran's wrist and hurling the Tigris far away. "Fly, Firefeather!" he cried. Feathery, red wings sprang from his back and he launched himself into the air, the locusts just nipping at his feet. He quickly bolted towards Valk, hearing Agares' laugh as he did so.

On some unspoken command, the feathers on his wings moulted rapidly, throwing themselves at the orb of black locusts that concealed Valk. Without his wings, he dropped straight to the ground, hitting the metal floor and grunting in pain as he rolled to an upright position. He quickly held time, sweeping Firefeather upwards and shouting_, "Rise forth, Firefeather!"_

Without wasting a second, he hurried to the left, circling around Valk.

"Rise forth!" he shouted and continued to move. "Rise forth! Rise forth!"

Only then did he release time from his grip.

His feathers slammed hard into Valk's protective shield, exploding a moment later and ripping it forcibly from the corrupt Draconis' body. Just as Valk rose, grin on his face, he saw the pillars of flames rushing towards him from four directions. A cry ripped from his throat but far too late.

Boom!

All four pillars struck him at once, culminating in a burst of fire so intense that it momentarily blinded Harm.

The Chronomancer grimaced, turning away from the flash. The drain of holding time in place took its toll and he staggered, falling on one knee. His instincts screamed and before he could turn to flee, Discord plunged into his chest. The pain was immense but no more than his disgust as he looked into the charred features of the Draconis. Valk's entire right side was a mess of blistering flesh and scales fused with skin. His right arm lay limp, black and charred while his right wing was but a scorched stub.

"Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 8 minutes."

"A clever trick, Chronomancer. But I am not without my own."

The black locusts came swarming in around his burnt arm, shaping themselves into a horrific, clawed arm. He thrust the arm straight into Harm's chest. The Wulfun could actually feel the locusts buzzing around in his chest, ripping through flesh and delicate internal organs.

"I have always wondered how long it would take to break a Chronomancer's spirit. Now I will have one as a plaything."

Valk suddenly gagged, an arrow thrust through his chest. Roran leapt onto his shoulders, feet planted firmly beside the Draconis' neck. With bow in hand, the Tigris peppered Valk with arrows from point blank range. Black, acidic blood spurted from his head, a gurgling rising from his throat. Harm fought through the pain and drove Firefeather deep into Valk's chest.

The Draconis yanked his blade free of Harm's chest, pulling his roiling claw of locusts as well. Roran leapt off, drawing his blade and throwing it forward. The blade bit deep into Valk's shoulder before quickly returning to the Tigris' paws. As Roran rushed forward, he seized the blade and swiped it at Valk's thighs, sending the Draconis to his knees. Roran jumped into the air, gripping his sword in both hands over his head and brought it crashing down.

Valk suddenly spun around, clawed hand lunging out and gripping Roran in mid-flight.

"Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 7 minutes."

"An admirable effort. I feel no pain. This body is but a vessel, a puppet that I control. Destroy as much as you can but I will still fight!" The claw closed around Roran's torso, squeezing painfully and causing the Tigris to let out a pained cry.

Sun Dancer lashed out, seizing Valk's throat and yanking him back with incredible might. He was forced to let go of Roran as he was lifted into the air several feet before being brought back down with a mighty crash.

Yulanda lifted him again and sent him hurtling towards the ground.

Crash!

Crash!

Crash!

She yanked him back, pulling him towards her until they were nose to nose, her hand pressed against his chest.

"This is how you cast that spell," she sneered. "Augue!"

The blast of fire sent Valk sailing back, wreathed in fire. His body was painfully yanked back when it reached the limit of Sun Dancer's reach. He was swung back towards Yulanda...

"Augue!"

The Draconis was blasted back then yanked again towards her.

"Augue!"

"Augue!"

"Augue!"

"Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 6 minutes."

Valk suddenly seized the whip with his hand covered with locusts. His black insects swarmed around him, sliding between the grip of Sun Dancer and bursting outwards, forcing the whip to release him. He dropped to the ground, wreathed completely in the black insects with only his red eyes to show through the darkness.

"Truly impressive. But you are still young. Inexperienced. When I turn your Valour and make it my Sin, you will learn what it truly means to use that weapon!"

"Never!" Yulanda cried. "I would never turn my back on my family!"

"Oh you will, child. You will have no choice in the matter!"

A gasp escaped from Valk's throat. Harm's paw closed around Firefeather which still protruded from the demonic Draconis' chest.

"And neither do you," the Wulfun snarled. "Burn brightly, Firefeather."

The blade suddenly burst in a fierce conflagration, emanating from deep within Valk's chest. The Draconis' eyes went wide. Flames trickled out from between his armour of locusts, building continuously until his form bulged and throbbed with the undulating flames.

"No!"

BOOM!

His armour and his form gave out, black locusts exploding outwards like meteors. The burst of fire sent Harm crashing to the ground, Firefeather soaring across the bridge and embedding itself deep into the metal. The roar of fire quickly died, Agares' words dying with him.

Ash only remained where Valk once stood.

"Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 5 minutes."

Harm struggled to his feet, grimacing as the burns from such a close impact healed. His body instantly rejected the locusts that had embedded themselves into his chest, healing the wounds they caused. Gasping, as fresh relief washed through him, he glanced over the bridge. Corruption still clung tightly to the consoles.

"Don't let your guard down... I don't think -"

A thunderous roar ripped through the bridge. Black locusts erupted from the metal floor, tearing up the panels and ripping out pipes and wires. Harm was thrown to his back by the shaking and he heard Yulanda's cry from behind the writhing mass of darkness that quickly built. The locusts rose, forming the horrid image of Valk from the waist up.

"I am the Demon Lord Agares, Lord of the 12th Station, Prince of Wrath, King of the Lost, Returner of the Wayward and Orphaned. Cleaver of the Earth and Destroyer of Dignities! I refuse to fall before any Chronomancer, human or non-human!"

Strong paws lifted Harm to his feet and he gave Roran one glance, knowing what must be done. He placed his paw on Roran's blade. Golden fire rolled over the weapon accompanied by crackling lightning of the same colour.

Agares roared, swinging his mighty fists at the two. Harm pushed Roran away before swinging around and holding his paws up against the two massive, locust-ridden limbs. The fists came within an inch of him where they were held.

"Now!" he shouted.

Roran climbed over Agares' fingers, nimbly leaping onto the arm still held firmly in place by Harm's powers. The Tigris dashed up the wide limb, wielding his enchanted blade basking in Chronomancy. Locusts from all over Agares' body jumped to the defence of their master, swarming in from various angles.

Harm thought he only had about another ten seconds to hold the Demon Lord's limbs in place.

"Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 4 minutes."

A white whip came lashing out and swatting the swarms aside. Yulanda sprang up beside Roran, running up the other arm parallel to him. The two exchanged glances and quickened their pace.

Harm grunted, falling to his knees as the power of holding such a powerful limb in time drained him of his waning strength.

Only nine seconds left... eight...

The duo rushed past Agares' elbow.

Seven... six... five...

They jumped over the mound of Agares' bicep, Yulanda quickening her pace ahead of Roran.

Four... three...

She lashed out with Sun Dancer, wrapping the whip around Roran's waist. With a flick of her hand, she sent him soaring into the air well above Agares.

Two...

The Demon Lord roared, his gaping jaw spreading wide open and a swarm of locusts exploding from deep within his throat.

One...!

Harm shouted, shutting his eyes and drawing the last bits of his strength to hold on for just... a few... more seconds...!

Yulanda leapt off Agares' arms wrapping her whip around the Demon Lord's throat and closing the beasts' airways. She hurled herself off his arm, dodging the swarm that spawned from his jaws just in time. Her momentum took her swinging behind the Demon Lord, forcing Agares' open jaws to jerk backwards, facing straight up...

... to where Roran flew.

Time burst through Harm's grip and the Chronomancer staggered back as Agares' arms swung free.

Even without his interference, time seemed to slow.

Desperation in his eyes, Agares swung his fists upwards towards Roran. The Tigris gripped his blade and pulled it back behind his head.

They both shouted at the same time.

Roran threw his sword.

It plunged deep into Agares' throat just as...

Boom!

His fists closed around Roran.

Through the roiling masses of his locust body, Harm could see the glowing golden light of Roran's blade crashing through the Demon Lord's torso where it came to stop just where the heart would be.

"No!" Agares roared. "What... What magic is this...!?"

The Time Shock spread all over Agares' body, golden bolts holding every limb in place. At the same time, Chronomancer's Fire spread beneath his 'flesh', greedily consuming all that it touched. The black of the locusts gave way to the golden fire. Trails of flame licked between scrambling locusts, seeping out into the air. Agares roared, fire bursting out of his throat and then through his very eyes.

"Chronos!" he shouted in defiance.

BOOM!

The Demon Lord erupted, shaking the entire bridge and shattering consoles all around him. Statues of the Sun Goddess were completely blown to rubble and Harm was hurled back to the foot of the dais. Yulanda's scream stopped when she struck the far wall and golden flames erupted out from a fierce fireball at the centre of the bridge.

Bolts of gold lightning lashed out angrily, carrying Agares' rage even as the flames slowly faded. Locusts were thrown through the air, slowly consumed by the gold flames like brilliant little fireflies slowly descending to the ground. Agares' last words lingered in the air and the faint sizzling of the dying flames was like the ragged sigh of defeat.

Around them, the fleshy corruption began to recede. It retreated from where it had seized the consoles. Even the throne was forcibly turned back around to face the view of Incendius wreathed in fire as they descended towards the shining Sun Spire. The corruption seeped away from the glass panes, replacing the windows with the metal it had original been.

Though they could not see their impending doom, the ship still announced, "Warning, impact with elevated structure imminent. Impact estimated at 3 minutes."

Despite feeling most of his energy drained, Harm managed to prop himself up and peer desperately through the scorched bridge. Somewhere amongst the ashes, he saw a mound of orange and black give a cough. He dragged himself across the floor. With so little Time in his body and with so many injuries sustained, his rate of recovery was a miserable crawl. Every movement was a fresh jab of pain, a hot blade through his body and a shout for his mind to simply surrender.

He powered through it all until he reached Roran who lay coughing and yet with a fain grin on his bloodied and ashen features.

"Did we win?" the Tigris asked.

Harm returned the grin. "I think so..."

"Impact with elevated structure averted. Warning, crash landing detected. Calculating time to impact. Impact estimated at 3 minutes."

Harm glanced upwards at the corruption free ship around him. "I think... I think with the last bit of his strength, Valk turned the ship away from the Sun Spire..."

"Or maybe it never was geared towards it," Roran laughed softly. "Maybe he just wanted us to think we had to kill him..."

"Time for your romance later, boys," Yulanda grunted. Though blood dripped down from her forehead, she managed to hobble towards them and lift Roran to his feet. "How do we stop this ship from plunging all of Tower Thirteen into darkness?"

Harm cast his gaze around the bridge. The consoles lay devastated and he had less than three minutes to avert the ship. He thought, wracked his brain for a solution but each one came to the same end.

"Get me Timekeeper."

"Warning, crash landing estimated at 2 minutes."

Exchanging glances, Roran bolted to where Timekeeper lay embedded into the ground while Yulanda helped Harm to his feet. Somehow, Harm managed to find the strength to stagger towards the throne where Roran handed him the golden blade. He gripped the sword in both his paws, taking a deep breath and shutting his eyes.

In his heart, he committed to the act.

"What are you going to do?" Roran asked.

"Opening your cage," he answered, spinning the blade so that its tip pointed to the ground. He jabbed the golden sword into the floor, gripping it tightly as he knelt in front of it.

Yulanda was the first to realise what he was doing. "No! You'll kill yourself!"

"What!?" Roran exclaimed.

Harm shook his head. "It's the only way." He cast his eyes towards the two who staggered away from him, fear in their eyes. "The doors are going to open. Be sure to take the opportunity before they shut."

Tears welled up in Roran's eyes and even Yulanda was showing her emotion.

Unable to look into their eyes, he turned his gaze towards Timekeeper.

In the faintest whisper, he said, "Time Lock."

Golden light sprayed out from where his sword bit into the floor. Translucent cogs sprang up all around him, spinning wildly. Clock faces appeared, each one marking the passage of time for the entire ship. From the exterior, the Sun Spot began to emit a golden glow. Dozens of golden cogs wrapped around the ship in a dizzying design, a clock face appearing at its tip and ticking away slowly.

From the ground, the people of Corona pointed upwards as the fiery meteorite that they were sure would crush them turned gold. Children gasped and cheered, the fear gone in their eyes as they were sure the change of colour was a sign of divine intervention. Mothers clutched their children tightly, fathers knelt to the ground and prayed, thieves and brigands paused and uttered repentance and even the priests stared in awe at the sight.

Back on the Sun Spot, Harm grimaced as he felt the last ounces of his strength leave him. The pain all over his body intensified. His fingers around his blade began to blacken, losing their integrity and slowly being blown away in the currents of Time itself. His left arm lost all strength and it fell to his side. The spell began to weaken but he grunted, pulled himself through the pain and willed his arm to seize the blade once more.

Beside him, he saw Roran reach for him, weeping openly. Yulanda gripped his chest and pulled him back, pulling him towards the door.

"Warning, crash landing estimated at 1 minute."

"Harm!" the Tigris roared.

"Go!" he shouted back. He barely had the strength to remain kneeling. The integrity of his knees was failing and he could no longer feel his feet. He imagined they were probably gone, just black stumps slowly fading into dust.

Somewhere, through the groaning of the ship and the pain throbbing in his ears, he heard Roran whisper, "You have nice eyes."

The doors shut behind him.

Harm closed his eyes, smiling faintly to himself.

"Was it worth it?"

He sensed Adramalech standing behind him.

"Does it matter?" Harm croaked, the strength in his body fading. He was unable to keep his head up, only able to rest it on the pommel of his blade.

"Answer my question, Chronos. Was it worth it? You could die. Perhaps the last Chronomancer to ever truly be free and good will die. If Tower Thirteen requires your services, is this sacrifice worth it?"

Harm could only smile.

A soft chuckle came from the fiery lord. "Ah, I see."

Closing his eyes one last time, Harm Chronos said, "Yeah... So do I."

******

From Corona, Incendians watched as the Sunspot crashed into the grassy planes far outside of the city. The ship cleaved through the earth, tearning up grass and creating a scar deep into the ground. The fire from re-entry washed over the planes, setting grass alight and sending livestock many miles away screaming and fleeing for cover.

The Sunspot let out a titanic groan as metal struck hard ground. However, even as it hit, the shield of golden cogs and clock faces kept the hull from buckling. Like a great monster resisting all natural laws, the ship carved through the earth, coming to a stop at an angle but remaining completely unharmed.

A bright, golden light sprang up from the destruction, spreading over the planes like bright fire washing over the earth. In the wake of the blast, golden feathers followed, descending slowly to the ground. Dancing between each plume was a tiny, golden cog, drifting idly through the air and spinning to some unsung tune. The fires from the impact were instantly extinguished.

When recovery teams arrived just two hours later, they were startled to find the entire ship completely unscathed. Though it was buried deep into the ground, the ship did not have a scratch on it.

Further exploration into the startship itself revealed the site of the battle, still scorched and devastated but that seemed to be the only testament to any battle occurring on the Sunspot. A golden sword lay embedded at the base of the dais to the throne, alone.

Novallier was granted entrance once the ship had been scoured and he was at the bridge first and foremost.

When he saw the destruction, he fell to his knees and wept.

*****

In some distant land, a sun shone high in the sky. Planes of tall grass swayed alongside a gentle wind while fluffy, white clouds passed overhead in the otherwise clear, blue sky. The touch of a true sun felt strange and reminded Harm of a world he had left long ago. He held out his paw, watching the rays dance between his fingers and caress the leathery pads on his palms.

A soft rustling brought his gaze straight ahead.

A Wulfun with white fur stood not too far away from him. She was dressed in a simple, white cloth and her green eyes shone brightly in the pristine scene.

"Lusia..." he whispered.

The Wulfun nodded slowly. "Thank you." She whispered softly. "I..." Briefly, she closed her eyes, a smile touching her muzzle before she opened them again, tears barely contained. "You brought them freedom. Both of them. I wanted to thank you, Lord Harm Chronos. So thank you."

For a moment, she glanced over her shoulder and broke into a brilliant smile. "I must go now. Again, thank you."

As their gazes met once more, there was a blur of shadow behind her. A hand wrapped around her shoulder, Valk's crimson scales glowing brightly against the true sun's rays. The Draconis smiled at him, genuinely happy.

Then, the world became awash with flames. Grassy planes were replaced by ashen soil and burning lakes. The sun became eclipsed by a dying planet and the skies filled with dark clouds as it turned blood red.

"Was it real?" Harm asked.

Behind him, Adramalech chuckled softly. "I pulled some strings. Apollia may still despise me but even she can acknowledge the bravery, courage and good intentions of those two. She vouched for their entrance into paradise."

"I'm glad."

Harm turned towards the Burning Throne, smiling brightly. "Don't suppose I get it that easy, do I?"

"If you were to die, no one would visit me every eleven years."

"Getting lonely with your guilt?"

"Perhaps." Adramalech chuckled, giving a begrudging nod even though it pained him to move. "It seems that guilt can indeed be worn in different ways. Tell me though..." The flames around Harm began to die as the Chronomancer felt the pull of consciousness drag him back into the world of Tower Thirteen. "... was this all to teach me this lesson?"

Harm smiled and shook his head.

"It was to teach a lesson."

Slowly, the Chronomancer opened his eyes.

The light of the Sun Spire filled the world with white before his vision could completely clear.

Hovering beside him, her amethyst eyes cold as ever, was Aria Valkyrie.

No one else stood around the lavished bed save for her.

But it was enough...

"Guess I'm back..." he croaked, his throat dry.

Aria lifted a goblet and poured some wine into it. She took a sip for herself and sat beside his bed, swirling the container lightly.

Then a smile touched her rosy lips.

"Welcome back, Harm Chronos."

*****

In the months after the crash of the Sunspot, the entire Burning Rebellion had drawn to a close.

As Valk had suspected, with Novallier bearing witness to his corruption and Warton's testimony, he was demonised and blamed for the corruption of the Custodia Solis and countless others. Gardon was dubbed a traitor and many, many more names were added to the plaque on the Phoenix Memorial which had been within Timekeeper's field of influence when Harm had Time Locked the area. That ensured it was unaffected by the pull of his Chronomancy.

Novallier had personally ensured a mandate that restricted the number of Custodia Solis to placate the masses. It weakened the military of Incendius but gave more responsibility and power to the Custodia Vampiri and Lupus. Trust was slowly being extended. Non-humans in general were treated more as victims to demonic corruption than a source with many of them being treated as wise to not have fallen into Valk's machinations.

Having been reforming for months since the fall of the Sunspot, Harm had missed the moving ceremony that had taken place at the Phoenix Memorial. Yulanda and Roran's names had been added to the plaque. Apparently, Tynvandar had thrown a flower into the phoenix's eternal flame and turned the fire a holy white.

The Chronomancer, on the other hand, had a pile of paperwork to go through. His classes had proceeded without him with teachers informing them of what they had taught his students and where they were up to. Little rest waiting for him as he was expected to return to his duties immediately.

Still, it came him some level of comfort that - at least for the moment - Incendius was safe.

Footsteps from behind him caught his attention. They were firm, full of purpose and strong. A soft laugh left him as he leaned against the railings of Clockwork's clock tower.

"Tell Novallier I'll be back at Corona soon enough. I just wanted to visit this place before the last vestiges of the Burning Rebellion are wiped from its face by progress and industry."

Aria Valkyrie stopped a few short feet away from him. "I did not come to fetch you from your musings, Harm." He heard the familiar jingle of golden chains. "I came to return this to you. I finally managed to convince the Inquisition to release it."

Smiling, Harm turned and took back Timekeeper, latching it onto his belt and tucking it away into his pocket. "Thank you."

Their gazes met for a long time, Aria's unwavering.

"Was there anything else?" he asked innocently.

"You Time Locked the Sunspot even if it was only temporarily. That is no minor feat."

"What can I say? After helping defeat a demon and watching my friends die, I was feeling rather driven to make sure something was saved."

"Indeed." Aria strolled to the railings, standing beside him as she peered towards the north. "Many would believe that. However, no trace of either Yulanda or Roran were found in the ruins. Even in the ashes of whatever explosion occurred, there should have been charred bones, bits of clothing. Anything. At the very least, Sun Dancer should have survived."

Her eyes spun to pierce him and he just returned an innocent smile.

"Are you accusing me of something, Aria?"

"I am." Her eyes narrowed as she chose her next words very carefully.

"Alright," Harm said, smiling pleasantly. "If you had one question, one thing to ask me at this point, what would it be?"

"You will answer truthfully." It was a statement, not a request.

"Of course. Anything else I say afterwards, however, is open to interpretation."

Again, she fell silent as she pondered her next words. She opened her lips multiple times but shut them almost immediately. After the third, she asked, "Who is the Dawn's Champion?"

Harm threw his head back and laughed. "Of all the questions, you ask that? Nothing about the battle? Nothing about the truth behind Valk? No?"

"You promised to be truthful."

"Indeed I did." Harm lowered his head, turning his back away from her as he leaned against the railing with one arm. He took a moment to form his words. "The Dawn's Champion..." The smile on his face grew sinister and when he opened his eyes, an evil glint entered them. Slowly, he turned to look over his shoulder at Aria, giving her a lopsided grin.

"... is me."

Aria reeled back, those words shocking even her. "How...?"

"Simple," he responded, chuckling softly. "Remember how I attacked Riverflow and got brought Agares to light? Well, don't you think it's just a little bit coincidental that the very same Demon Lord who I attacked is the very same Demon Lord that instigated the Burning Rebellion? Out of all the Demon Lords out there, it had to be Agares."

He turned towards her, his grin fully grown but without humour. "I knew about Valk's rising rebellion long before I brought it into Novallier's attention. Like I said the first time we met, I had been trying to bring it to his attention for months. During that time, I was sending letters to Valk, masquerading as the 'Dawn's Champion' in an attempt to place the seed of true rebellion into Valk's head. Yes, he may have wanted a peaceful solution but I knew he was truly lusting for vengeance and just giving him that opportunity would open that path to him."

Harm turned and began to pace around the tower, smiling to himself. "When we arrived, I had Yulanda and Tynvandar kidnapped just so that I could weaken Novallier's position and put me in his good graces. While I did this, I used Roran to get closer to Valk. All this so that no one would realise that the only other person who travelled those sewers and had access to all the nobles of Incendius not to mention all the Custodia Solis was..."

"You!" Aria accused.

"Precisely." Harm turned towards the Angel, applauding mildly. "After instigating Agares, I stole that little badge that you so cleverly pointed out during one of our meetings. Acting as a beacon, I visited that noble who attacked us during the summit multiple times just to draw demons to his doorstep. He became infected as I had planned and his attack not only strengthened Valk's position but also threw the idea of demons into people's minds.

"Then, when I was ready to move to the next phase of my plan, I visited Valk using the pretence that I needed to talk about Roran. It was rather coincidental that he needed me to remove all my possessions when I entered his tent. I surrendered Timekeeper and Agares' badge, leaving the badge when I left. That allowed Agares to latch onto Valk and corrupt him."

"So those men who 'worked' for the Dawn's Champion, those that kidnapped Yulanda and Tynvandar..."

"Were working for me. And I killed them."

"And the Custodia Solis, Gardon..."

"Infected long before we arrived. Gardon is how the 'Dawn's Champion' got in contact with the demons. He honestly believed that his 'master', the Champion, was just a pawn to Agares, just another ambitious rebel trying to take a Demon Lord's power for himself. That worked to my advantage. How do you think I knew all about Valk's efforts? I had been attacking Agares for months and supplying him with troops under the guise of the Dawn's Champion. All Demon Lords are predictable and Agares eagerly took my 'offerings' thinkin he could corrupt the 'Dawn's Champion', not knowing he was falling into my trap. Everyone played exactly as I had hoped. Valk took my corrupt Solis, easily implicating him of their transformation and the deaths of everyone on those ships."

"To what end?" Aria demanded, shaking her head in confusion. "Why would you have thousands killed and corrupted?"

"To teach Incendius what Valk learned in the end." Harm leaned against the railings, gazing out into the distant south. "This world is fuelled by hatred. That is the one and only thing that keeps this world of fire balanced. Its primary creation myth is based around a war and hatred for the darkness and the species of this world bear hatred for one another. Hatred unites just as strong as love and it is hatred that this world requires.

"When we battled on the Sun Spot, I had both Yulanda and Roran beside me, a representative of the Church and a representative of the 'pure' Justitae Ignibus and the non-humans. With both of them fighting against a 'corrupt' Valk, I had united both humans and non-humans under a banner of hatred. And look how well it has worked, Aria." He waved a paw over all of Incendius. "Peace has returned. Humans and non-humans no longer see the division between them as they repair the damage of this tragedy and they now fight side by side to curb the Darkened and fight demons.

"I did all this to remind the this Station of who they should hate. They should hate the demons and Darkened, not one another."

"You could not possibly have known Valk would take your corruption. What of the attack of the Blind Sisters upon Valk? Did you plan that too?"

"Valk hired the hit on himself. One of the many reasons I realised he was a perfect candidate for corruption. He is not as 'pure' as he would have had us believe. I had hoped he would be corruupted." Harm shrugged. "If not, I would have reacted accordingly."

"All of this was just reactions, Aria." He waved a paw at the vast expanse of Clockwork in various stages of repairation. "Novallier ignored my pleas to hear of Valk's rebellion. So I escalated it. Incendius was growing bored of its duty to guard themselves against the Darkened and demons, instead turning on each other, so I reminded them of it. Agares was making efforts to enter this Station so I hunted down his troops and put them all down. All in one, fell swoop.

"Either way, everything wentas I had hoped. Valk retained his nobility even as he took the blame. Novallier and Warton lay witness to his 'fall' and he threatened the world with crashing the Sunspot into the Sun Spire, reminding Incendius of the darkness that lay so very close to their borders and of the demons that crawl in the shadows."

Aria shook her head. "You cannot have planned all that."

"Of course not. Because I don't have plans. I just make people think I do."

"And what if Valk did not become corrupt? What if Agares did not take your bait?"

Harm lost his smile, closing his eyes as he said, "Then my hand will have been forced and as I have said previously... you will not like the results should that happen."

Aria was silent for a long moment. He heard her fists tighten around Gungnir and had no doubt she wanted to slay him then and there. However... she held back.

"Do you think it is worth it?"

He let out a soft laugh if only because Adramalech had asked him the same question. "Are you asking if I think that sacrificing thousands of people for the sake of sustaining a tenuous peace that is built on hatred was worth the effort?"

He looked out into the south, smiling faintly.

...

Deep into the forests of the Southern Frostenlands, a rider dressed in a heavy, brown cloak reared her gelding and turned back towards the distant Sun Spire. Yulanda pulled her hood down, holding Sun Dancer in one hand while she lifted her other towards the glowing light. The wind was chilling to her cheeks and while her flesh was not used to being dressed in common clothing, it felt right. She was loathed to leave Clockwork while it was in such a state of disrepair but with so many people in the streets and with the wound of her 'death' so fresh, she could not stay.

Though one day, she promised she would return.

A smile touched her lips and in the softest whisper, she said, "Thank you."

With that, she turned and ushered her horse through the woods and into her future.

...

Back at Clockwork, Harm turned his gaze towards the towering crystal spire that sprang from the very ground of Incendius.

...

The Tower Express rolled up its enchanted railways and pulled into the Incendian-Diatollian Gate Cathedral. A Tigris stepped out of the last carriage with something large wrapped in a brown cloth. He carried his package across the Spectrum Bridge to the Cathedral itself. For a brief moment, the brown cloth unfurled, revealing a crimson blade. Roran quickly wrapped it back up, concealing the mighty, fiery sword of his friend.

A priest met him there, bowing in respect.

"How may I help you, my child?"

Roran smiled and gave the package to the man. "I'd like this to be buried, please. It's for a friend."

"Ah. Of course. And what shall I place on the epitaph?"

Smiling, the Tigris said, "Nothing. He always said he wanted an unmarked grave."

And with those words, he turned away, leaving for his own future.

...

Harm's smile grew broader. In his heart, he knew both Yulanda and Roran now enjoyed their own freedom. Just like Valk, all three had broken their chains and were now well and truly free to choose their own paths. Lives had been lost, pain endured and a world shook to the brink of devastation but Incendius was stronger for it.

"Yes," he responded firmly. "It was worth it."

There was a long, strained pause. Aria seemed on the verge of attacking him but her better senses took over. Yes, thousands had died due to his machinations but Incendius was now united. The bonds that held it was tenuous still but they would hold. This was far from the first time Harm had manipulated others and had many die for some cause. Whether or not she believed he could peer into the future, she knew well enough that his actions would shake all of Tower Thirteen in the future and generally, for the better.

She was not one to question a Chronomancer's use of time.

"Tell me one last thing, Harm," Aria said, her voice barely above a growl. "Yulanda and Roran. Are they dead?"

Keeping his smile in place, he said with absolute certainty, "Yes. Yes they are."

She let out a heavy sigh, turning away from him with disgust. "One day, these actions will have to be judged. They will come to light, Harm, and have no doubt you will suffer the consequences."

"And I will bear it proudly," he answered. "For what I do, I do for all of Tower Thirteen."

He glanced over his shoulder at her, golden eyes glittering with mirth.

"Now... and till the end of time."

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains,

But to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others

• Nelson Mandela

The Burning Rebellion: For the Dawn

********Warning*********

This document is protected by the Eccelsia Turrim Authorisation Policy. Access, replication or mention of the contents of this document without the proper authorisation may lead to persecution under said policy.

Serial Number: TTS01 -7761A

Authorisation: Alpha

Subject: The Burning Rebellion

Author: Aria Valkyrie

Date: 3136 Anno XIII

Incendius recently suffered a great uprising known as the 'Burning Rebellion'. The effect of this act has lifted the need for equality between humans and non-humans all across Tower Thirteen and raised awareness of the demonic threat. The Station of the Sun has become united under the heroes of the battle, one Roran Northridge and Yulanda the daughter of the Apex Clericus Solis, Novallier, first of her name. Their tireless actions to preserve the integrity of the Station and their sacrifice to keep darkness from consuming the world have shown the people of not only Incendius but all of Tower Thirteen that human can indeed work beside non-human in peace given a common enemy.

Perhaps in the future there need not be a common cause to unite the people of this world and indeed, they are united by mere friendship and love. However, in a world constantly gripped in fear and clinging to the light of the Sun Spire, it is hard to find love in the deepest shadows. Hard, but not impossible.

Even the great currents of Time can be moved by the mortal heart and it is my firm belief that when the cause is great enough, the might of the heart strong enough and the will firm enough, one man can move mountains and change the world.

One day, I hope to see a world where there is no need to raze the land and slaughter thousands to be heard.

One day, I hope for a world where the people of Incendius can live both in light and darkness without fear of either.

*****

Fifty years later...

The blade was just as magnificent as it had been the last time he had seen it. Crimson red with a fiery phoenix design as the pommel and guard. Firefeather glistened in the light, finally free of its unmarked, stone coffin and strangely without a single fleck of dust on its shining edge.

Harm smiled and plucked the blade from where it rested, feeling its strength course through his veins. A sigh escaped him as he regarded the blade like an old friend.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it, Adra?"

Quietly, he let the blade dissipate into a flurry of flames that gently seeped into his flesh, vanishing under his white fur. The golden-eyed Wulfun turned away from the crypts of the Incendian-Diatollian Gate Cathedral, striding up the steps and smiling at the faint whiff of a Tigris he could never forget.

As he emerged into the Cathedral proper, he frowned.

Blood pooled at the base of the altar.

Countless bodies were piled atop one another, their eyes wide open and staring at him accusingly.

He strode up to the mound, falling to his knees and bowing his head.

The doors far behind him burst open and the loud stomps of metallic boots echoed throughout the Cathedral. His ears flicked back when he heard their leader speak and the soft click-click of a revolver being armed.

"Harm Chronos!" a masculine voice boomed. "You are accused of treachery, heresy, treason and the murder of the Propheticus Primoris, Lumire the Eternal, amongst other crimes! Come peacefully or we will have to use force!"

A gentle smile crossed the Wulfun's muzzle as he rose. Turning towards the speaker, he found a copper-furred Vulpunus staring at him with a silver and gold revolver in paw.

"Artem Ford," he greeted with a bright grin. "Long time no see! How have you been?"

"Stay where you are!" the fox shouted. The fear in his stance was evident even to the ten Custodia Solis that surrounded him. "You are to submit, Chronos!"

Harm smiled sadly, shaking his head.

"Oh Artem... You know I cannot do that." He held out his paw, a tongue of flame springing from between his fingers to the shock of everyone in front of him.

"Rebirth is nigh... Firefeather."