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Chapter VIII: Break of Dawn

"I only had a short time in Mirecragg but in that time, I learned two lessons that I would carry with me for the rest of my life. It would influence every aspect of my world, build every philosophy that I ever followed and drive my every action.

"It was these lessons that had me understand them all - understand Chronos, Shinniah, Eton, Aria, Andy and all the others. My experiences with Eton certainly helped define my understanding. They taught me a lot as well but I like to think I taught them more.

"And those lessons? Easy.

"Own it. Let it go."

Lord Phalgymr du'Vampiri was a very intimidating figure not because he was tall, brooding or held a sinister air like his guest of honour, Duke Dalzemor, but rather because he was incredibly approachable. The King of the Vampiri stood to greet Harm and Andy as they entered the broad dining room within Phalgymr's palace. Jet-black hair was tussled in a playful disarray giving his broad, sweeping, pointed ears enough room to be clearly seen. His features were youthful, bright and handsome in a pubescent sort of way. As he swept his arms wide, his rosy lips pulled back into a broad smile of warmth that sent chills down Harm's spine.

"Welcome!" the King greeted. "Come, come. Have a seat."

The only other occupants of the broad, polished, black marble table were Tanar and Aria. Their features were hard, both staring at Phalgymr with impassive features. Their expressions did not give Harm a lot of confidence but with the twenty or so Vampiri echoes standing behind him and the infamous Duke Dalzemor already sweeping towards Phalgymr's left, Harm was left with little choice. He shuffled slowly towards the far end of the table, seating himself as far away from Phalgymr and Dalzemor as possible without being in the main seat at the other end of the table.

Andy sat down next to him, seemingly oblivious to the danger of being in the middle of the enemy's fortress surrounded by well-armed guards. Just to be safe, Harm started his music player. He wouldn't have time to sort through his playlist and put his headphones on if he wanted to fight twenty Echoes, Dalzemor and Phalgymr. Though if he recalled correctly, Phalgymr was a Progenitor of the Vampiri making him the most powerful of his kind. He wondered if he could stand a chance against the man.

I think I'll leave him to Aria.

Dalzemor's Echoes surrounded the table, standing just a few feet away from each of the seats.

"Are the guards really necessary?" Tanar asked.

"We have a very important guest coming," answered Phalgymr. "It would reflect very poorly on my part if any harm were to come to the Apex Clericus Solis."

Harm practically choked on air. "The High Priest of the Sun is coming here!?"

Phalgymr turn his bright red eyes towards Aria. "My dear Lady Valkyrie, you did not inform your companions that you were not the only esteemed guests to come here?" His tone was mocking, the smile on his face indicative of just how little he respected Aria. A haughty lift of his eyebrows caused Aria's lips to curl briefly into a foul scowl before she quickly turned it into a pleasant smile.

"It is not wise to include civilians in the inner workings of high ranking Church officials."

"But is this Harm Chronos not an engineer for the warship, Lasting Armageddon?"

Every strand of fur on Harm's arms was instantly on edge.

How did he know that? So far everyone's reaction to my name has been 'Holy shit, he's a terrorist'.

Sparks were practically flying between Aria and Phalgymr. Both had pleasant, endearing smiles on their faces but their eyes were afire with suspicion and a desire to outdo the other. The presence of Aria's spear and Valour, Gungnir, sitting behind her and the two intricately decorated crossbows resting beside Phalgymr only proved their desire to see the other dead.

Harm turned away from them, afraid that if they caught him staring, they would drag him into their conversation. His eyes found Andy who was had his notebook out and was sketching the scene rapidly. Once again, he was impressed by the Leomian's artistic side. Every figure was picturesque, perfect in its photographic likeness and accuracy. The image perfectly caught the intensity in Aria's eyes and the sinister intention in her smile. Phalgymr's cockiness was captured in the twisting of his lips and the dark glimmer in his eyes.

"You like to draw?" Harm asked softly.

Andy smiled back as he shut his notebook with a soft snap. "When it comes to capturing the moment, drawing is faster than writing. Besides, my doctor said I have ADH-something. Drawing tends to be the only thing I can really focus on because there tends to be a different thing to draw every few seconds. Oooh! Are those mini-hamburgers!?"

Harm made a sour face and sat back, watching the Leomian reach over the lavished display of food to scoop several miniature cakes of grilled meat compressed between two sesame buns. It was any wonder how Andy managed to get a read on anyone's psychological profile if he was distracted so easily.

Somewhere in the background of his musing, he caught Aria and Phalgymr's seemingly inane conversation but even though he was only half-listening, he could still feel the sharp barbs of their words. He sat by, staring at his gold plate and the reflection in it.

More than anything, he wanted to find Eton but here was Dalzemor, inviting them to a dinner with Lord Phalgymr. This was the turning point. They could easily accuse Dalzemor of what happened. Aria's word would be enough in any court. She was a Templar after all. No doubt she had some bizarre magic that could display the past or maybe the Inquisition would be interested enough to pry the truth from Dalzemor.

Then maybe there would be justice...

And he could focus on his relationship with Eton.

Sadly, he still had no clue exactly where he wanted to take it. Should he enrol to become a Paladin and apply to be added to Eton's squad? Should he work his way up the ranks of the military, become a starship captain, request for Eton's presence as his ship's personal Paladin? Or maybe he should just keep his job, buy an isolated cabin on Incendius and wait at the same time every year for Eton to sneak away from his job and sweep him off his feet in a single night of unbridled lovemaking before having to part their ways and pretend that their passionate love never existed?

Spending an entire year longing for one another, sending secret love letters, wooing one another with words or late night phone calls before looking forward to a week when he would take some leave on Incendius, landing amongst the frozen tundra of Incendius where they had built a cabin... Waiting by the fireplace all night and worrying about him... Then he would burst through the door, looking as handsome as ever. They would clash in the middle of the room, their bodies roiling against one another, cocks hard and straining the fabric of their pants. Clothes would fly in all directions and they would make each other moan and howl on the bearskin rug. Their passions would last all night, melting all the snow around them with the sheer heat and intensity of their lovemaking...

"You're drooling, Harm."

He snapped himself out of the wonderland and let out a soft snort. He seized a nearby napkin and wiped at his chin, brushing away the embarrassing evidence.

"So your name is truly 'Harm Chronos', is it?" asked Phalgymr, the Lord of Bat's eyes glistening. "Where did you get that name?"

Ducking his head slightly, he said, "My dad. His original name was 'Abraham Collins' but he somehow got it into his head to change his last name to 'Chronos' after he became a media magnate. Have you heard of 'The Chronicle'?"

Tanar's ears perked up and he lifted his head fully. "The controversial tabloid on Haven that constantly makes outrageous rumours about celebrities and constantly perpetuates gossip like Lord Phalgymr's harem of sex slaves and Lord Leandros' 'rape raids'?"

All eyes flicked towards the Dire Wolf, faces blank with wonder but eyes utterly puzzled.

"What? I like to be informed."

"By a trash tabloid," Harm stated, trying to fight a laugh. Somehow, the image of the severe, mature Dire Wolf lounging about with a tabloid in front of him and exclaiming about another rumour the editors had decided to publish was amusing to him. "A trash tabloid my dad concocted, sold millions and then decided to use his fame as a reason to change his last name to 'Chronos' because it was more 'marketable'. As to why he decided to call me 'Harm', I think it's because he foresaw I'd be a disappointment."

Eyebrows rose. Harm ignored them all and began plucking some baked potatoes onto his plate. Three of them sounded good. They were stuffed with a heaping of chive topped sour cream, tiny bacon cubes that had been artfully roasted and a hell of a lot of cheese.

"Your father thought you were a disappointment?" Andy asked.

"Not at first. But then when I grew a foot, packed on the muscle and my balls dropped, I'm pretty sure he lost interest. Honestly, I thought he was into little boys. My brothers said the same thing happened to them. The moment they hit puberty, my dad boned my mom and plopped out another pup. Lucky for me, they died before I ended up having a little brother."

Wow... That was dark even for me...

Eh, I'm just pissed because they pulled me from hot imaginary sex with my Lupus boyfriend.

Just the thought of having Eton as a boyfriend made him swoon inside. To keep himself from another drooling episode he stuffed his muzzle with baked potatoes. It didn't help that most of what he was eating was creamy and white. Fantasy and reality was already becoming extremely blurred so he avoided pouring some salt onto his food.

"I am sorry to hear that," Phalgymr said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "So you come from Haven?"

"Yup."

Aria coughed loudly.

Harm rolled his eyes. "Yes, milord," he corrected in a long, bored drawl.

Phalgymr chuckled mildly. "Ah yes. I remember that place. It was such a pleasant place to visit. Has it recovered from that unpleasant business five years ago?"

"Wouldn't know. I've been predominantly off Station since then." Harm glanced at Dalzemor who was sitting rather stiffly, a smile on his face. The Duke hadn't even reached for any food. Then again, neither had Aria, Phalgymr or Tanar. He wondered if it was considered rude especially since the Apex Clericus Solis had yet to arrive.

"A pity. Time can do much to heal old wounds. Then again..." The pause made Harm turn his attention back towards the Lord of Bats who was giving Aria a meaningful stare. "... There are some things that we cannot forget that just repeatedly open those old wounds, isn't there?"

Aria's eyes sparked like the lioness pouncing at her unsuspecting prey. "How many wounds have you borne over the years, Lord Phalgymr?"

"Far too many, my dear. Far too many. I still very much remember the unfortunate events of the Bloodfyre Incident."

Harm's ears perked up and he lifted his gaze. "The what now?"

Another voice interrupted - one he did not recognise.

"The Bloodfyre Incident. A time when the world of Incendius was shaken to the core when the brother of the then Apex Clericus Solis attempted to replicate the legendary sword, Bloodfyre, and resurrected an ancient war machine with the intent of taking it beyond Chillfarn to destroy the Darkened once and for all."

Harm turned his gaze towards the source of the voice. His eyes instantly widened when he saw the billowing red and gold robes marked with countless prayers, the scrolls imprinted with the holy seal of the Incendian branch of the Church rolling off metal pauldrons like the plumes of a bird and the tall, stylised hat that rose like a tower with a star at its peak.

Everyone instantly shot to their feet save for Phalgymr who remained seated. Harm instinctively bowed, pressing his right paw against his chest before bringing two fingers to his lips, lightly kissing it and then holding those two fingers upwards in the air.

"May the Mother Goddess guide and keep you, Your Holiness," everyone iterated at the same time.

The moment of automatic responses passed quickly and Harm realised he was looking at the Apex Clericus Solis, the High Priest of the Sun and the supreme authority in all of Incendius. It surprised him that the bright, brown eyed man with weathered features and short, grey hair was quite... spry. He had expected an old, withered man who had a hunch and more wrinkles than a barrel full of prunes. However, this man - while bearing the marks of aging - sat straight, had a strong bearing and only showed signs of crow's feet.

Furthermore, he didn't seem to have an entire army around him.

"Tynvandar," Phalgymr greeted. "Your Holiness. What a pleasure it is to have you amongst us again. Where is your escort?"

The Apex Clericus waved his hands absently and picked up a fork. "Honestly? Dorthango was breathing down my neck too much, jumping at anyone who dared to get close. He even incinerated a leaf thinking it was laced with poison. He is an Inquisitor, I will admit, but I desire my space to breathe. Plus, I would rather devour something without it being heavily scanned beforehand. Is that scallops?"

Andy instantly piped up and picked up the plate of roasted scallops bathed in truffle oil and decorated with a honey mustard and fresh watercress. "Oh yeah! You should try it! It's awesome!" He plucked one from the plate and threw it into his muzzle before handing it back to the human High Priest.

Harm was half-tempted to knock the plate away from Tynvandar's hands thinking how ironic it would be to have the most politically powerful man on Incendius take one day off from being followed by his overprotective taste tester only to die by poisoned scallops offered by an Initiate. He eyed Andy, looking for any signs of poisoning. When none arose, he let out a sigh of relief but sucked it back up when Tynvandar reached for some steamed fish and ate that first.

"Please. All of you, sit down," Tynvandar said through a mouthful of food. "I have been attending formal dinners for most of my life. Sit down and try to be more relaxed. Phalgymr knows how to behave around me in private."

For some reason, the sexual innuendo in those words crept through Harm's mind and he imagined the athletically built - yet aged - Tynvandar naked with the ancient yet handsome in a polished, clean, almost effeminate Phalgymr. A sickening bubble formed in his stomach and he immediately sat back down, trying to envision hot, muscle sex with Eton but the scene of powerful Tynvandar and elfish Phalgymr kept plaguing him.

Gah! Horrible mental imagery!

He seized two chunks of thick, chocolate brownies and stuffed them immediately into his muzzle.

"Isn't it a little early for dessert?" asked Andy, eyebrows raised.

Harm had tactfully chosen the brownies for two reasons. The first, chocolate always tended to erase any previous thoughts for him. It was a weird amnesia-like effect for him. Chocolate was like a delete button for anything which could have been problematic in some cases and in others; a welcome effect. Second, it was fudge meaning it was thick, hard to chew and a crime to swallow it immediately. That kept his muzzle nice and shut to keep him from blurting out nonsense.

Incapable of speech, Harm just shrugged.

"So who else is here?" Tynvandar asked, his eyes darting left to right. "I recognise you, Lady Valkyrie. It has been a long while."

"I apologise for the long time, Your Holiness," answered Aria with a curt nod. "Business has kept me from taking more leisurely visits in your fine Station."

"Of course." When his eyes fell on Tanar, the Dire Wolf nodded briefly.

"I am Paladin Tanar, Your Holiness. I have been tasked with accompanying Lady Valkyrie on her mission of great importance. The Leomian who so kindly handed you your first dish is Andrew Konran, an Initiate."

Andy waved cheerily. "Hiya! Love the hat. Can I try it on?"

"Andrew!" Aria cried.

Tynvandar laughed and removed his cap, handing it to Andy with a smile. Andy settled it on his head. For a second, he looked puzzled then he quickly fished out his notebook and began sketching again. He pushed his plate aside, set his notebook on the table, held the cap in his left while he drew in his right.

"What is he doing?" Tynvandar asked, a fascinated smile on his face.

"He is analysing your hat," Tanar answered with a matching smile. "Worry not. He does this all the time. It is perfectly safe. Though if smoke starts emanating from his notepad, someone needs to hit him over the head with the closest blunt object you can find. Friction is often a problem."

Harm went rigid and eyed Andy's rapidly moving paw. He became aware of another pair of eyes staring at him and he found himself staring into the Apex Clericus Solis' eyes.

"And you are, my boy?"

"I'm -"

"Hunter Hart," answered Aria quickly. "He is a starship engineer on shore leave that we ran into during our foray into Clockwork." He met her stare and offered a brief nod of thanks. She returned it and even with a brief flicker of a smile.

"Really? What, if I may ask, is a starship engineer doing in the company of an esteemed and celebrated Templar?"

Aria spoke, her tone calm and collected like she had rehearsed this very speech over and over again. "We met him in Clockwork. As I am sure you have heard by now, there was some business over there that cause the majority of the city to become abandoned."

Harm realised there was something incredibly wrong with this scene.

It took him a moment to realise that they were missing one key witness: Elena. The mayor of Clockwork would have been pivotal in their claim that Dalzemor had attacked the city! His eyes switched towards the Duke who had an arrogant smirk on his lips.

He had planned this!

He had forcibly escorted Andy and Harm to the dinner, no doubt coercing Aria and Tanar in some way as well. But he left out Elena - someone who had a lot more weight than anyone else!

"Ah yes," answered Tynvandar. "It was plagued by Ghouls. Amidst it all..." Tynvandar's eyes grew hard as he leaned across the table and stared intently at Phalgymr. "I seem to recall Clockwork rests on a major tributary to the Snowfall River, a river that feeds directly to Ironfrost, the Lupus capital."

Phalgymr picked up a cup of fruity wine that Harm could smell all the way from where he sat. "Your geographical prowess never ceases to amaze me, Your Holiness."

Now sparks were starting fly between Tynvandar and Phalgymr. It utterly surprised Harm how the Lord of Bats could hold his own against the Apex Clericus Solis. That could only mean that Phalgymr had some ace up his sleeve.

"I heard the most disturbing rumour from the Generals, Phalgymr," Tynvandar said, leaning forward further. "They were accusing you of supporting Commander Moonclaw's rebellion against Leandros. The possibility of Clockwork being assaulted tends to lend credence to that."

Phalgymr seemed to take the longest sip in all time before he set his cup down and smacked his lips. One finger traced the lip of the cup ever so slowly and his eyes were away from Tynvandar. An eternity passed before his eyes lifted and met the High Priest's. "And what could I possibly gain from helping a wolf tear down another?"

"A question that I have pondered myself. A question I had hoped for you to answer more directly." Tynvandar's eyes grew sharp and Harm felt very vulnerable sitting between the two men. "Well?"

The Lord of Bats met the gaze, his smile unnervingly calm. He remained still, unmoving and with his eyes boring into Phalgymr like they were having some deep, dark, mental battle in the recesses of their own minds. Harm envisioned an epic battle of magical proportions in a pocket dimension created by their subconscious where they constantly shouted outrageous attack names, overturned worlds and performed world-ending acts for the other to survive due to some ridiculous loop hole.

Thankfully, his jaws were still full of fudge that he couldn't give voice to his theories as much as he wanted to.

Boom!

The doors to the dining room burst open and the heavy, metallic clanking of power armour filled the entire room. Harm snapped his gaze past Tynvandar to where a whole stream of grey-armoured men marched in. Leading them was a single man with a shaved head and his left eye replaced with a bright, red, mechanical version. Harm's fur was instantly on edge as the Inquisitor's signature gun-scythe glistened faint light.

No matter the situation, the Inquisition always incited fear and awe. Accompanied by their equally intimidating personal guards, the Custodia Puria, they were the only people allowed to wear power armour - along with the Puria. Rumour had it that Inquisitors underwent a year of intense physical and mental training to ensure that they were 'pure'. Afterwards, they were heavily altered genetically and cybernetically. Most people didn't consider them mortals anymore - regardless of species. Every Inquisitor always had an eye plucked out and replaced by a cybernetic version. High Inquisitors have the eye returned and a holographic visor implanted into their temples.

"Your Holiness!" the Inquisitor exclaimed, marching right up next to Tynvandar. "I am glad to see you are safe!"

Tynvandar rolled his eyes and bit into a scallop. The Inquisitor visible blanched. "I am fine, Dorthango. You need not worry yourself constantly."

"We are in the home of the man who is backing the Lupus rebels! You are not safe! And where is your hat!?"

Another voice - feminine - cut through the conversation. "Here it is."

A stunningly beautiful human plucked the hat from Andy's paws, her maroon eyes cold and hard as she gave the Leomian a piercing stare. The Incendian Paladin swept past Andy and Harm, her billowing black cloak flapping behind her. Her raven hair was cut short, almost tomboyish in reality. Everything about her screamed of a more masculine but equally severe Aria Valkyrie. She gave the hat to Inquisitor Dorthango who, in turn gently rested it on Tynvandar's head.

"Your Holiness," Dorthango said slowly, "we are in charge of your safety. I know our presence can be somewhat stifling but you must understand, the world would be lost without your divine guidance. We are only here to ensure that you and, by extension, all of Incendius weathers the storm that this foul bat had induced."

Dorthango's eyes fixed on Phalgymr who merely took another sip from his wine.

"Starting wars now, are we, Lord Phalgymr?" asked Tynvandar. "Now don't tell me you were the one that poisoned the young Commander Moonclaw's mind?"

Phalgymr set down his cup, his smile still in place. "Now how could I have ever met a figure who has never made a public appearance? Speaking of which, have you met the other illusive member of this dinner?" He gestured to his right. "This is Duke Alexander Dalzemor."

For the first time, Tynvandar lost his composure and dropped his fork. Dorthango and the Paladin both balked, their eyes wide in horror. Harm didn't understand the significance but looking at both Aria and Tanar and their equally shocked expressions, he knew it was not good.

"What trickery is this, Phalgymr?" demanded Dorthango. "Dalzemor is a Vampiri!"

"Says who?"

Those two words hit Harm like a tonne of bricks artfully arranged in the shape of a face sticking its tongue out at him. Dalzemor was a member of Phalgymr's court and everyone automatically assumed he was a Vampiri. He had Vampiri servants, wooed Vampiri women but did that make him a Vampiri? The realisation came with the fact that everyone thought he was a Vampiri... and now that it was revealed he wasn't...

"You promoted a human to the rank of Duke...?" Tynvandar asked, leaning back in his seat. "A Duke... knowing full well that he promotes Vampiri relationships with other species. His work alone has done wonders for bridging the gap between Mirecragg and Corona."

The train of thought was clear and Harm wanted to scream out and tell them that this was all a lie. This couldn't be Dalzemor. Andy clearly thought that Dalzemor was the Chronomancer! This human was probably just a patsy! Sadly, his muzzle was still full of fudge.

He rapidly chewed and the more he did, the more his thoughts became clear... and doubt crept in.

Chronos had thwarted Dalzemor's plot in Clockwork... so why would they be one and the same...? Maybe Andy had been wrong...? Why would the Chronomancer plot to overthrow Clockwork only to attack it himself and stop that very plot? It did not make sense...

"I am sure you are also aware of my Duke's efforts to improve relations between my people and the Lupus, yes?" Phalgymr asked.

Harm could see the bitterness in Tynvandar's eyes. "Yes, I am fully aware."

"Do not worry, Your Holiness," answered the Lord of Bats. "I take no offense to your blatant, baseless accusation. In fact, why don't we take a tour of the Crown as a sign of good faith? You have not been here since your coronation thirty or so years ago. It has changed very much."

Aria was suddenly at her feet. "That sounds like a splendid idea. I shall accompany you." Her eyes flowed to each of her travelling companions. "We all shall."

Harm nodded, still desperately trying to chew the fudge in his muzzle. Despite much of the food still remaining untouched, he immediately got to his feet, sensing Aria's urgency. Phalgymr led them towards the door while Tynvandar and his troops got ready. Aria hastily caught up with him and as Harm approached, he heard their urgent chatter.

"... where does he live?" Aria asked.

"Near the edge of the city," answered Phalgymr in the softest whisper he could muster. "It is the smallest building but is overgrown with Hellfire Blooms. I will concoct a distraction, something that will excuse you from the main group. Hurry."

Harm blinked, unsure what had just happened but he just followed the two out the door...

... where he caught the scent of frozen pine and hazelnuts.

His head immediately snapped to the right.

Eton leaned against the doorframe, checking his own claws when his nose twitched. Their gazes met.

"Hunter!?"

He wanted to cry out 'Eton'... but what came out instead was a bubbling mess of fudge and shock that splattered the contents of his muzzle all over Aria's boots. Aria gave a cry of shock and leapt back.

"Shit!" Harm exclaimed, only proceeding to spurt more fudge at her. "I'm sorry!" More fudge. "I mean -"

Tanar pushed his leg with the tip of his nose. "Stop talking... just... stop."

*****

Elena Clox wandered the streets of Mirecragg's upper city with a degree of confusion. After that rush to meet the great Duke Dalzemor, everyone just seemed to have disappeared. It was fairly early in the evening and two nights ago, she had visited a tavern with Aria that was much more lively and very open. However, when she tried entering that same bar, it was shut tight.

Her danger senses were tingling and she had fetched the borrowed blade she had pilfered from that Vampiri back in Clockwork before she returned to wandering the streets. Everything about the suddenly abandoned city left her feeling incredibly unnerved. A city of thousands of people... just empty.

"Did they all go underground to see Dalzemor...?"

Her question was left unanswered when she spied a familiar figure looking around just as confused as her. "Smallfang!"

The Lupus started at her cry but then a look of relief crossed his features the moment he saw her. He bolted across the grassy road and scooped her up in his big arms, squeezing tightly.

"Thank the Mother Goddess!"

Elena let out a choking sound as Smallfang's tight grip nearly crushed her entirely. The Lupus let her down, the relief clear on his features. "Where have you been?"

"I was at a bar with Tanar when several Echoes arrived and ordered Tanar to follow them. I attempted to pursue but then a crowd of citizens swooped in and I lost the trail."

She frowned. "What? The same occurred to myself and Lady Valkyrie! We were heading towards the under city when Echoes surrounded us and arrested her. Before I could protest, a crowd looking for Dalzemor came rushing by and I lost them! I've been wandering the streets since!"

They stared at one another, unsure what to make of their revelation.

Or the fact that they were now very much alone.

Except... for one another person... A person they both sensed at the same time and both turned towards at the same moment.

A white Wulfun, small for his race, with a scarf around his neck just like Aria but dressed in a smart, white shirt covered by a gilded, nutty brown vest. Everything about him screamed class save for the red and white sneakers that covered his feet. The brown strands of his short hair were styled in a spikey disarray. In his right paw he held a sapphire-blue scabbard with golden plating and the blade inside had a pommel made of gold shaped like a bird's beak.

There was something unsettling about his golden eyes.

"Someone else..." Smallfang murmured. "Excuse me sir, would you happen to know where everyone has gone?"

The Wulfun's smile sent chills down Elena's spine. "Not really. All I know is that they're currently not here."

"Thank you, that was really helpful," muttered Smallfang sarcastically. "Mirecragg seems to have been abandoned. Best stick together. What is your name?"

The Wulfun grinned.

"Harm. Harm Chronos."

Elena instantly reached for her sword, Smallfang for his bow.

"Oh don't worry," the Wulfun said, waving absently. "I'm here to help." His eyes turned to the right, gesturing at someone to emerge. "Come here, dear."

A human wandered out from behind one of the massive tree's roots, her eyes glowing an eerie red. She walked over, her movements oddly staggered and jumpy. When she reached the Wulfun, her face broke into a mechanical smile.

"Who is she?" Elena asked softly.

"Quite frankly, I don't know." The Wulfun caressed the woman's cheek with the back of his right paw. With his left, he gripped the hilt his blade. Before Elena could move, the Wulfun was pulling a red blade that glistened like the steel had been layered with rubies. In one, smooth gesture, the red blade ran across the human's neck, blood erupting in a fountain all over the Wulfun's clothes and snow-white fur.

Elena screamed and Smallfang was already nocking an arrow.

"Monster!" the Lupus cried. "Why did you do that!? That was a living person!?"

"Actually, she's technically dead."

"You -!"

"I'm serious." The Wulfun's features were severe. "She was never alive. She was merely a husk. A fleshy bag that was created for the purposes of an insidious scheme."

An arrow flew past the Wulfun's cheek. "Don't you dare defile that woman's memory with such filth!" cried Smallfang.

The Wulfun sighed heavily, the droplets of blood just slipping off his fur and leaving it perfectly white. "You take for your father's stubbornness..." He massaged his temples. "Before I go on, what do you think happened to the Blood Mage who controlled the Ghouls back at Clockwork?"

At the mention of her hometown, Elena nearly dropped her blade. "I thought the Vampiri were controlling them..."

"If that were true, then why didn't any of the Vampiri use Blood Magic against any of you?"

Her jaw dropped in shock. They had never traced the source of the Blood Magic that had controlled the Ghouls. It was the Ghouls that had initially caused her to call on the Church for assistance and it was the Ghouls that she had feared had taken her father.

"What... What are you trying to say?"

The Wulfun sheathed his blade. "The same Blood Mage that plagued Clockwork is here. Controlling the population of Mirecragg isn't very easy and some, like this one, tend to be rather... stiff and easily manipulated." He poked the dead Ghoul at his feet with a shoe "That being said, you do know what Ghouls are, right?"

"Corpses controlled by a Blood Mage..." answered Smallfang. Then his eyes went wide. "That means..."

"You catch on quickly." The 'Harm Chronos' folded his arms, his smile vanishing. "I've done my research and some snooping. The guy making these Ghouls is related to Duke Dalzemor. He's in the under city, though."

Elena saw exactly where this 'Harm Chronos' was leading and she didn't like it. Smallfang was all too eager to pursue the train of thought, however.

"Then let us go stop this menace!" exclaimed the Lupus.

"Good," replied the criminal. "Then follow me."

Elena did not trust the Wulfun. She knew enough that Aria had been pursuing a Wulfun of this Chronos' description and name for some time now. He was a criminal tied to the murder of the Eternal Propheticus Primoris, Lumire. However, she did not know anything else beyond The Paladins were unsurprisingly tight-lipped about the topic but when it was mentioned around Hunter... he too was mysteriously quiet.

She decided to play a long... for the moment.

The pure white Wulfun led them through the thick forest of Mirecragg. His pace was brusque and urgent but nothing close to a full run. She eyed the blade that he held. Power just emanated from it and it made her even more wary of him. That was no natural blade. A Valour? No... he did not activate it.

Her eyes quickly flicked towards Smallfang and their gazes met. The brief flick of his ears towards her told her he didn't trust the Wulfun either. They were both playing along. For now...

Amidst the trees of Mirecragg stood an enormous stone statue that looked like a tremendous sword had been embedded straight into the ground. Elena remembered reading that it was called the 'Sun Sword'. There were two Vampiri guards standing at the base of the statue. Two, large stone doors were built into the blade, no doubt the entrance into the under city.

'Harm' paused a short distance away from the guards, the Vampiri in their black armour staring at him warily.

"Do you know the significance of this statue?" the Wulfun asked.

Smallfang grunted, betraying his annoyance at the banter. "This is the Sun Sword," he answered hurried. "It serves as a reminder of Vampiri incompetence as they were overrun by the Darkened and their precious statue shattered. It is also the entrance to their main city."

The Wulfun glanced over his shoulder, a smile on his muzzle. "It is also the source of the eternal twilight gripping Mirecragg." He pointed at the hilt of the enormous blade. From where they stood, it was just barely possible to see the glistening amethyst which had to be the size of a full grown Lupus to be visible from where the ground. "See that jewel. It's what keeps the twilight around us possible. Oh hey... Would you look at that?"

Elena turned her gaze from the jewel to the entrance to the city. Her eyes widened when she turned back and found the doors wide open, the guards gone. Fear began mounting deep within her. That was no coincidence. Harm Chronos did something but she was not sure what. Something about him just set her on edge. It was evident that he was lying and she was sure he knew it too. The truly unsettling thing was that Chronos knew neither Elena nor Smallfang could do anything about it.

They were at his mercy. He killed that Ghoul with no remorse and the show of power - making those guards disappear in a simple instant - it gripped them both with paralysing fear.

Without a word, Chronos stepped through the stone doors into the true Mirecragg. Elena found herself blindly following, compelled by fear and pulled along by an unknowable magnetism that the Wulfun emanated. She still gripped her sword tightly, her eyes squarely angled at his back. Smallfang had an arrow nocked.

Mirecragg's true face was that of a vast underground city was both eerily beautiful and unnatural at the same time. Every structure in the city was constructed inside hollowed out stalactites the size of multi-storeyed buildings. They all clung to the roof of an enormous cavern so large that it was impossible to see the bottom. Stone walkways connected each stalactite to the other looking like an inverted, stone version of the forest city above their heads.

It was like looking at an upside down city. Unlike on the surface, people were milling about over every crisscrossing bridge. Solamps hovered in the air like dozens of tiny stars that illuminated the roads beneath them. At the very centre of the city, visible from almost every angle, were four of the biggest stalactites in the entire city.

These four were connected by a circular bridge and was affectionately known as the Crown. It included Phalgymr's palace and three other massive structures that posed significance to Vampiri culture. At the centre of the circle was a titanic, glowing, green, inverted tree. Glowing leaves constantly dropped from the tree, dropping down into the abyssal darkness of the cave floor far, far, far below like emerald green snow.

"The Evertree," Harm Chronos stated. "It's meant to signify the everlasting resilience of the Vampiri. Ever since they were driven underground by the Darkened during the Sunshadow war, they used the tree as a means to signify how even in the darkest times, they will endure. Legend has it that when Phalgymr was forced to retreat, that one tree was what he used to sustain his people."

"Lupus would never retreat," Smallfang grumbled.

"Truer words were never spoken."

Chronos seemed to be mocking him but the thought was left unfinished as they stepped onto one of the major walkways filled with countless Vampiri and other species. It relieved Elena somewhat to be surrounded by so many people. She doubted the criminal would do anything in a crowd.

She was tempted to interrogate him but she knew she was in no position to ask questions.

Chronos suddenly stopped.

He spun around, his golden eyes gazing beyond Elena. She turned and found her heart gripped with a different kind of fear. Black, armoured Vampiri stormed towards them. The crowd cast gazes back at them. Some looked worried. Others had their eyes flashing an eerie red. Elena spun back to look past Harm and saw another stream of the Vampiri approaching them, effectively cutting them off.

Smallfang growled and lifted his bow.

Then, all at once, the Solamps went out on the bridge.

There was instant panic. People screamed, swore and cried out in shock. Before Elena could say a word, a dark, chilling claw wrapped around her lips and another seized her wrist. The all too familiar sensation took her back to the moment when the Vampiri had captured her back at Clockwork. She screamed but her voice was instantly muffled.

Panic blossomed in her heart...

... but that was quickly replaced by shock.

A red flame erupted just a few feet away from her. The flame grew vertically. The red, trickling fire was wrapped around a ruby blade and its light flickered across the features of a golden eyed Wulfun. All around the flame, shadowy Vampiri hissed.

The Wulfun smirked. Other tongues of fire erupted around him, springing from thin air and suddenly forming into tremendous, fiery blades. Again, Elena's mind went back to the moment she first saw those impaled Vampiri and the fiery swords that plunged into their eye sockets.

She distinctly remembered Aria warning them that whoever had been hunting the Vampiri was even more dangerous...

... and now she knew...

Harm Chronos swung his fiery blade in a broad, horizontal arch. The swords hovering behind him like bladed wings immediately assembled themselves to follow the path of his swinging weapon. Vampiri hissed and cursed as they were swept back by the swords. The Wulfun leapt at Elena, his sword passing just inches from her left ear. The grip around her lips and wrist loosened. She staggered forward in time to see the Wulfun leap back and kick another Vampiri's face in.

"Quick!" the Wulfun shouted. "Use the words, 'Incantabit Igni' on your sword and think about setting your sword on fire!"

Elena held her blade in both hands and shouted, "Incantabit Igni!" Her strength was drained from her like someone had stuck a tube into her arms and began pumping the blood straight into her blade. A brilliant, blue flame wreathed her weapon, illuminating her surroundings.

She found herself back to back with the Wulfun.

"Where is your Lupus friend?" Chronos asked.

There was a sound like glass shattering. Dazzling light exploded from their left followed by the sudden appearance of a tremendous tower of ice. Smallfang leapt around the tower, his bow emitting an eerily beautiful, blue light. Glowing snowflakes sprang from his bow and the tip of his arrows.

"Columna Glacies!" Smallfang shouted and let loose an arrow. The projectile collided with something in the darkness. That same, glass-shattering sound filled the air and suddenly, there was another column of crystal-like ice emanating the same eerie blue light. The shadowy Vampiri around the spire hissed and shied away from it.

Smallfang ducked under a Vampiri's swipe and pressed himself back to back with the other two. "I do not have much more than a few more shots of those. Does anyone else have a plan?"

Elena nodded firmly. "I have one spell but it will buy us only a few seconds. We need to get out of here and find the others."

She sensed more than saw Chronos' smirk.

"Buy me two seconds. I'll take care of the rest."

Elena focused her remaining strength and drew a circle in the air with the tip of her blade. "Anulus Ignis!" A trail of blue flame trailed from the tip of her sword. The flames rapidly expanded, sweeping across the bridge in a frightening burst that passed over Chronos and Smallfang harmlessly. The Vampiri all around them hissed and retreated as the flames shot towards them. The shadowy veils that cloaked each and every one of them was eaten away by the hungry blue flames, leaving their flesh exposed but unharmed.

Elena found weakness creeping into her legs and she dropped to her knees. Every joint in her body locked up, preventing her from moving. She cursed herself for her weakness. The ring of flame would have burnt he Vampiri and lasted much longer for an accomplished magic user but she always preferred a more direct, physical approach than waving her hands and praying for spells.

"Stand up, Princess," Chronos said, sweeping his paws back. The fiery blades around him split into two groups before jamming themselves into the bridge, barring the two groups of Vampiri.

A memory flashed through Elena's mind... the image of her mother whispering 'princess'...

Chronos suddenly snapped his fingers, the sound bringing her back from the brink of her memories.

Boom!

Each fiery sword exploded in a carefully controlled burst of flame. The ground beneath her feet shuddered and before she knew what was happening, they were plunged downwards into the darkness!

Her scream joined Smallfang's. The platform began tilting in the air and Elena scrambled to press herself against the bridge, desperate to stay upright somehow.

Chronos was surprisingly calm. He angled his fiery sword slightly downwards, bracing himself against the falling segment. Flames erupted from the tip of his blade, slamming his back against the slab of rock. The force of the blast sent them shooting back into the air and soaring over the bridge!

Elena did not stop screaming. Air rushed past her ears in a deafening howl. The heat from Chronos' blade singed her hair. She shut her eyes, gripping the railings of the bridge in desperation. Her feet dangled over the edge. Her grip began to slip. Seeing no other alternative, she released her sword and lashed out with her now free hand, seizing the railings and pulling herself up to a better grip.

The platform suddenly shuddered. A terrible sensation bugs crawling all over her flesh caused a chill to roll down her spine. Her eyes switched to the railings above her. A shadowy Vampiri hissed at her, red eyes glowing through the dark cloak that gave him such a monstrous visage.

"Kind of busy trying to keep us from falling to our deaths!" Chronos shouted. "Mind taking care of that!?"

Elena had dropped her sword and she was far too exhausted to cast any sort of magic. The Vampiri lashed out at her. She swung herself to the left, just barely avoiding those scythe-like claws. In utter desperation. The creature hissed again, lunging forward and seizing her wrist. The inky blackness that covered its body burned her flesh like acid.

Thwump!

An arrow suddenly embedded itself into the creature's temple, its terrible red eyes widening in horror. Magic sizzled in the air, snowflakes forming all around them and coalescing towards the arrow's point. Elena felt the grip around her wrist loosen and yanked her arm free. She released her entire grip on the railings and slid down across the tilted platform.

Above her, the Vampiri was suddenly encased in a tomb of glowing, blue ice. Elena crashed against the second set of railings beneath her, desperately gripping the stone frames as they hurtled through the air.

"Jump!"

She dared not even question the command.

Elena pressed her feet against the tilted bridge and pushed herself off.

CRASH!

*****

It was the perfect excuse.

Aria was suddenly splattered with half-chewed, sticky fudge and was in no way dressed to be in the company of royalty like Tynvandar. The Apex Clericus Solis excused them with a laugh and let them go get changed. Eton volunteered to follow as an 'escort' and no one argued. Aria immediately led the way through the caverns of Mirecragg.

Dalzemor's home was just like the other stalactites. Its smooth, layered surface glistened in the faint light of purple-tinted Solamps that hovered in the air like tiny stars. Windows lay irregularly across the surface, carved into the very frame of the stone. A vine plant grew across the stalactite's face. Fiery red flowers blossomed from them, each one spewing bright red pollen that looked like embers and lost their glow moments after dispersing into the air. It gave the entire home an eerie, red glow.

"Tell me again why we're trying to sneak into the house of one of the most influential men in Mirecragg?" Eton asked.

"Because he may or may not have orchestrated an attack on Clockwork which included shadowy Vampiri and might actually be trying to frame Lord Phalgymr of supporting the Lupus Rebellion for what I think is an attempt to grab power," Andy answered brightly. "Ooooh! Court intrigue is so fascinating! Dalzemor is really very clever!"

"Not clever enough," Aria added as they approached Dalzemor's strong, iron gates. There were several Vampiri Echoes standing guard. Upon approach, the Echoes lifted their weapons and the shadows around them began to crawl onto their already dark features. "Phalgymr caught wind of his actions and so have we. He will distract the Duke while we find evidence. Let us not waste time with these rabble. Their weakness is light -!"

Before she could finish, a strange sound hit Harm's ears.

It sounded like... screaming...

Both he and Eton turned towards the same direction.

Their jaws dropped at exactly the same time when a huge slab or rock came screaming towards Dalzemor's residence.

"Jump!" someone shouted.

The Vampiri Echoes were too slow to react and the huge chunk of rock slammed right into the gates, crushing them beneath its tremendous weight before they could even summon their dark immunity. Harm spied two figures leaping through the air - both familiar.

"Elena!" he shouted and threw himself to the right, arms outstretched. She was coming in too fast, arms flailing! She was also flying backwards! She was in no position to land!

The image of her mangled body on the stone urged his legs forward, pumping them full of energy and pushing him the last few metres to -

Thwump!

The former mayor of Clockwork dropped right into his waiting arms.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" she screamed, right into his ear.

"Ah! For fuck's sake! I've got you!" he shouted back before she could rupture an eardrum.

Eyes wide and her nails digging into her arms, she cried, "Well excuse me! I was just jumped off piece of rock hurtling through a deep, dark cave!"

"Why are you still yelling!?"

"Because I'm too scared to stop!"

He rolled his eyes and dropped her unceremoniously. Behind him, Smallfang crashed to the ground, forming a sizeable dent in the floor. The Lupus howled in agony, his leg sticking out at an obscene angle. A loud snap quickly followed, the bone resetting itself as his regeneration kicked in.

"What the hell!?" Eton cried.

Harm eyed Aria for an explanation. The look of horror on her face said it all. Slowly, he traced her gaze... directly to the clearing dust where the rock had landed. Standing at the very top of the crashed rock... was a Wulfun...

A Wulfun with golden eyes.

Harm Chronos.

The Chronomancer's eyes suddenly flicked left and right. Vampiri cloaked in shadows erupted from the rubble surrounding him, forming into horrific, winged demons with black seething flesh. They hissed at him. He merely lifted his right paw. A ball of brilliant, blue energy appeared in his palm. Perfectly circular, it was encircled by several, golden circles made to look like stylised faces of a clock. Transparent, white panels circled the ball, hovering around it in a dizzying pattern.

"Goddess..." Aria exclaimed, leaping back. "Everyone back! Back, now!"

Harm couldn't understand the desperation but quickly seized Elena's hand and yanked her to her feet. She tripped. The fall must have broken an ankle. He hoisted her to her feet, sweeping her up in his arms and bolting away from Dalzemor's residence. Daring a glance over his shoulder, he watched the Vampiri throw themselves at Chronos... only from the Chronomancer to swing the ball around him.

Like some form of orbiting moon, the ball spun around the golden eyed Wulfun. The Vampiri tried to dodge it but it homed in on them, slamming into their chests. The moment it did, their bodies became encased in brilliant, blue light that matched the ball's structure. Their very being was the blue silhouette... a silhouette which began to peel apart in dizzying flurry of glowing, blue dust.

Aria ground to a halt, her eyes wide as Chronos caught the ball once more. Harm could see his smaller counterpart wink at her. The Chronomancer spun around and leapt off the rubble, bolting straight into Dalzemor's home.

"What the hell was that!?" Harm demanded. "Why'd we suddenly run off when all he did was throw around a ball!?"

"Did you not see what that ball did?" Aria scowled back. "That was one of Harm Chronos' signature techniques, something he invented during the Purge of Time that truly turned the tide for us!"

"Ahem!"

Tanar flicked his ears and nodded towards Eton.

Harm realised all too well that Eton was looking at him with a puzzled expression. Elena and Smallfang too. A thousand excuses, a billion stories and countless bizarre scenarios flooded his mind. All of them, somehow, explaining how there was a Wulfun that existed since the Purge of Time and displayed incredible power.

"He's a Chronomancer!"

"Andy!" came the unified cry of incredulity.

The Leomian shrugged. "Look, I think it's pretty darn clear we'll be having Smallfang, Elena and..." His eyes narrowed at Eton. "Sorry, I don't quite remember your name... Harm screamed it earlier like a little girl but his muzzle was full of fudge it sounded sort of like 'Eat them'."

Harm's 'hey' went unheard.

"Eton. Eton Slater," answered the Lupus Paladin. "And colour me confused." He pointed at where the Chronomancer disappeared. "You called that guy 'Harm Chronos' and called the guy who spat out my name like a castrated choir boy 'Harm' as well."

Oh... He's clearly still mad. That hurt... but he's still mad.

"That's right!" Andy exclaimed. "Both of them are officially named 'Harm Chronos'. Kind of what ties him into this epic tale. But we call him 'Hunter' because that's his callsign at work. Oh, and in case you were wondering, that ball Harm Chronos used? It's called the Time Bomb. It's a highly compressed field of anti-Time energy that will obliterate anything and everything caught within its influence from Time. That's all Time from this point. As in, every instance, every alternate version and all time streams will have the object obliterated."

The Leomian's tail was doing loops excitedly. "I've read all about it! I never thought I'd get to see it so soon! Huh..." He rubbed his goatee thoughtfully. "In the documents, it said he couldn't really control it... I remember reading that he could hold its shape indefinitely and even pass it onto other people to hold like a grenade but once it released its power, it was incredibly hard to maintain control over it and it could explode to the size of a city..."

Aria gripped Andy's shoulder tightly, somehow knocking him from his revere. "That is what makes Chronos so dangerous. He is adaptive. Unlike other Chronomancers who rode their achievements for the rest of their semi-eternal existence, he constantly improved himself. During the Purge of Time, the Time Bombs were impossible to predict. In the time since then, he has been able to control them, pass them to others and create multiples when before it took him hours to create even one."

The Angel looked frightened, an expression Harm didn't really like seeing. Aria was their stalwart foundation. Though she could be a pain about it, her stoicism and unwavering devotion gave everyone else the strength to maintain their composure and to push forward. To see her so scared...

Harm couldn't take it. Aria was not that person. She was not some scared puppy in the corner after being chastised by her parent.

He was going to bring out the strong pain-in-the-ass religious fanatic that she was.

"What's wrong, Lady Valkyrie?" he taunted. "You look scared."

"As well you should be!" she snapped back. "Time Bomb was one of Chronos' trump cards. To think that he would reveal it so early... It is either we are against a force powerful enough to demand such effort or... he has simply grown stronger..."

He could see her point. It was worrisome. Her intentions were clear, though. Doubt was swilling about in her mind, tempting her to turn tail and run. Her foot was even edging away from Dalzemor's residence.

"Good thing you've grown stronger too, right?" he countered. "Or were you just like those Chronomancers? Riding the same achievement of surviving the Purge of Time for the entirety of your semi-eternal existence?"

That did it.

Aria's amethyst eyes flashed with anger and she whirled around to face him, levelling her spear straight at his muzzle. Elena, who still clutched to his neck, let out a soft whimper.

"Do not compare me to one of those detestable abominations!" she shouted. Her anger threatened to overwhelm her but she had enough sense to simply turn around in a huff and storm towards the stalactite mansion.

Can't believe that worked...

"Hunter...?" Elena gently wiggled free of his grip. "Next time you antagonise a powerful angel of the Mother Goddess... please do it while I am not your hostage?"

He laughed softly - betraying a faint bit of nervousness. "Sorry. I sort of forgot you were there."

"Lucky you," came a bitter rumble.

Harm's ears flicked backwards and his eyes turned towards the source of the voice. Eton stood a few short feet away, looking upset and with his arms crossed against his chest. The Wulfun let out a soft whimper, ears folded back in submission.

"So your real name isn't even 'Hunter', is it?" growled the Paladin.

"Not... really...?" he offered meekly. His doppelganger was raiding Dalzemor's palace, the Duke himself was touring the Crown with the Apex Clericus Solis and now the guy he kind-of-has-a-crush-on was bearing down on him for the secrets he had kept... and probably the terrible stereotype he had accused him of...

"Can we deal with this after we stop the rampaging, Time-bending psychopath?"

Eton looked about ready to protest but the rest of the group were already heading towards the mansion. With great reluctance, he grumbled his approval. He kept a great distance between himself and Harm, fists perpetually clenched. Harm respected the distance, predominantly because he had no intention of being punched.

Aria, in her fuming rage, swung her Valour at the rubble barring her path. Her spear bounced off the raw stone. For a moment, Harm was surprised the debris hadn't blown apart before reminding himself he had watched far too many late night cartoons alone in his private quarters on the Lasting Armageddon.

I really should be more social...

Aria took two steps back. Her fingers made strange gestures in the air, tracing lines and runes. The air simply sizzled with so much magic that the fur on Harm's arms stood on end. Large, ethereal hands appeared out of nowhere and gripped the rubble, gently plucking each and every one of them and tossing them over the edge.

Suddenly, the way into the mansion was clear.

Aria spearheaded the way straight into the towering stalactite, storming with heavy feet through the lush, flat garden filled with those fiery flowers. Stone doors the size of a Lupus barred her path. A swift kick knocked them down.

And gave way for the organ music to play its trill.

The rolling notes rippled up like Harm's spine like tiny hammers playing across each vertebrae of his spine. He instinctively found himself gripping the closest person for comfort... which, unfortunately, was Eton.

In the first second after contact, he realised just what a colossal mistake that was. He was within punching distance.

In the second, he took bitter comfort from how good it felt to hold the big Lupus' paw.

In the third, Eton squeezed back.

_Hallelujah! _

"Creepy organ music," Harm muttered through a nervous laugh. "I sense a boss battle coming up."

"What?" Eton asked, loosening his grip lightly.

"When I have nothing to do, I like to play video games. Mostly RPGs but the occasional FPS. I used to love RTSs but there aren't very many of them these days. But if I need to get up early the next day, I like to just sit down and watch a few episodes of some action-based cartoons. If the next episode isn't up, crime drama and romantic comedies are great too."

Eton gave him a puzzled stare. He tried to make sure his blush wasn't too evident.

"In short, my preference for nights alone is videogames, cartoons, drama shows in that order."

The Lupus flicked his ears towards the Wulfun. "Okay... Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm hoping that my disarming statement and reveal of some personal information might actually win me some Forgiveness Points and win you over with my charm and forwardness."

Eton's face was utterly unreadable. "Alright... Then in a totally unrelated note, I like to exercise, read a book and bake."

"Bake?" Then he remembered where Eton came from before becoming a Paladin. "Oh right, you were a baker's son before you became a Paladin. I would've thought you'd prefer baking over all else."

Eton let out a short, bark-like laugh. "Are you kidding me? Have you seen our paws? They're covered in fur! How do you think any baked goods of mine would turn out?"

If they have bits of you in it...?

"Point taken. Still, I'd like to taste one of your baking projects one day."

Eton was trying to fight the smile on his muzzle but was losing. "Perhaps one day."

"Worst. Couple. Ever!"

Both lupines nearly leapt out of their fur and tore their gaze from one another. Tanar was padding away a few short feet away from them, ears angled backwards.

"Seriously," the Dire Wolf exclaimed. "You two are exchanging completely different interests whilst quietly - and I cannot emphasise that enough - storming a villain's mansion. At least get a room!"

Harm made to counter when he felt Eton's paw squeeze around his. For a second, his heart stopped. The ominous organ music, their dark, rocky surroundings and the fact that the door had shut behind them was completely forgotten. In that moment, everything revolved around the moment of contact between himself and Eton. Nothing else mattered.

A smirk crossed his features. "What's wrong? Ya jelly?"

Tanar lifted his tail in a huff. "Just keep quiet. I'm trying to listen to the creepy organ music."

Despite their ominous surroundings, Harm found his heart calming to a pleasant, rhythmic thumping. He doubted what he had just said would make up for what he had said to Eton but at least they were bridging the gap. There was much to work on, much to be desired. But for the moment... they were on even terms.

Tearing his mind from his issues with Eton, Harm brought his attention to Dalzemor's manor.

He strode across polished, pink marble floors. High above them, those same flowers hung upside down from a ceiling specifically constructed to allow their vines to crawl across every inch of the dark, rocky surface. The constantly drizzled the atrium with their ember-like pollen. Though it never touched the ground, it was enough to illuminate the rising, curved, webbed wing-shaped columns and stone staircase. Banners fluttered off golden flagpoles, each one a deep, blood red with a familiar, black emblem...

A diamond bound down by two helical chains.

Was this what Chronos was trying to tell us back at Clockwork...?

That Dalzemor was to blame?

Couldn't he have just told us in person?

He recalled how easily Aria had exploded at the mere mention of comparing her to a Chronomancer and realised Chronos may not have had the opportunity to speak to her. No one would dare.

Aria was storming up the staircase, her metal boots falling heavily on the marble surface. Harm followed with the rest, keeping their distance from the raging Angel. Anyone who so much as got close had the horrible sense of doom creeping onto them like should Aria turn around, they would burn under the withering, fiery gaze of her eyes. Except Andy.

The Leomian was committing every aspect of the mansion to memory by rapidly sketching the atrium. The only noise apart from Aria's heavy footsteps and the soft, organ music was Andy's pen scribbling across the pages of his notebook broken only by when he had to flip the page.

Upon reaching the second floor, Aria made a beeline straight down a curved hallway. Harm detected the slight angle that led them upwards. He imagined the hallway curled around the stalactite, leading them closer and closer to the base of the hanging spire of rock.

There were rooms on either side of the hallway. He dared to peer into one but it was empty. Lavished furniture sat alone and seemingly untouched. It seemed almost a waste to see all that luxury go to waste.

The hallway eventually came to an end, the bellowing of the organ growing louder and louder the closer they came to the ominous, black and gold doors. Harm found his throat dry with anticipation. He quietly fished out Zero Hour, gripping it tightly in his paws. Recalling that he had no Time left, he had to be careful. Regeneration was not an option here.

Aria didn't waste a second.

She pushed the doors open and stormed right in.

The sight that met them... was unexpected.

A vast, circular chamber opened before them. The ground was covered with those fiery flowers, spraying their pollen into the air amidst a carpet of emerald green vines. Blood red curtains covered the walls of the circular walls, suspended on golden railings that ran around the entire room. The ceiling was perfectly polished rose quartz, pink in colour and given a fiery appearance as its polished surface reflected the dots of tiny embers that fluttered towards it but never quite made it.

Opposite to the doors were the enormous, golden pipes of a tremendous pipe organ, serenading their entrance. The player was obscured by a towering raised dais where an ebony throne stood, the scowling bat that made up the tip of its headboard spreading its wings proudly while clawed feet dug into the Hellfire Blooms that covered its feet.

Seated on the throne, clutching a sapphire-blue scabbard to his chin and staring off into space...

... was Harm Chronos the Chronomancer.

Harm - the engineer - glanced around, hoping to see the body of Duke Dalzemor somewhere. Perhaps a fiery cross with the dark Duke impaled upon it with his eyes skewered by burning swords. Or chains of pure fire hanging the Duke from the ceiling.

But there was no sign.

Just the Chronomancer and the organ playing...

"Harm..." Aria whispered. Her pace and anger seemed to vanish all in that one moment. A look of longing, of questions long unanswered and of a pain gone unsaid broke her steely features. She looked crushed, desperate and conflicted. Her hands clutched Gungnir tightly but her legs were quaking.

The Chronomancer's golden eyes closed briefly and then, with agonising slowness, they opened again, turned towards them. The smile on his feature was gentle, fatherly and at the same time, mocking.

Harm didn't like it.

"Welcome," Chronos said, his voice carrying well even across the distance and with the bellowing of the organ.

Aria was unmoving, still in shock. Harm marched past her. "Where's Dalzemor!?" he bellowed.

The Chronomancer flicked an ear to the sides. "If I recall correctly, you left him touring with the Apex Clericus Solis." The Engineer balked and found himself stammering. "But you are correct to assume that he is not there right now. For you see, the Duke Alexander Dalzemor that you met was a front. A human face to cause controversy and just another gear in the great machine. The real Duke Dalzemor..."

The Chronomancer stood, that smile on his muzzle growing wider. He spread his arms wide, still clutching that scabbard in his left paw.

"... Is me."

Harm couldn't find the words. Somehow he knew that to be the case but to hear it confirmed... He heard a clatter of metal behind him and he turned in time to see Aria recovering from her stagger. One hand was raised to her chest... like she had been heartbroken.

"Don't act so surprised, Aria," the Chronomancer chuckled. "Deep down, you knew that to be the case. I'm thinking Andy may have already hit that conclusion."

He had... and it scared Harm that the Chronomancer knew. Perhaps Andy was right about another thing... Chronos was too smart. He knew they were on his tail and he was working around them, leaving false trails.

The Engineer stepped further into the chamber, the plants crunching softly beneath his shoes. When he stepped on a flower, its petals shot upwards into the air, surrounding him briefly with its glowing aura and a burst of fiery pollen before falling back to the ground. The doors shut behind them of their own accord.

"So you're Duke Dalzemor," he surmised. "Why? What could you possibly gain from sending evil Vampiri to Clockwork and making the world believe that you were human? Why are you promoting Vampiri relations from the shadows?"

The Chronomancer lowered his arms. "You mean the three sisters who I sent to plague Clockwork. That was the bait. The reel. I needed all of you here. Each one of you are here because of my design. Well, most of you. Eton, wasn't meant to be but I'm pleased to hear you found affection in young Hunter here. Oh wait..." Chronos smirked at Harm. "Are you still going by my name?"

"That's my name you jackass!" Harm shouted, shaking at fist at the Wulfun.

Chronos threw his head back, laughing. "Really? Are you sure?" His golden eyes glinted with amusement. "When a person becomes an initiate of the Chronomancer Order, they disposed of each and every one of their mortal possessions, abandoned their family, their former lives and even their names. They became but a number in the sea of applicants. When they contribute something of great importance to the Chronomancer Collective, they don a new name reflective of their contribution.

"I was the only Chronomancer to ever research the possibilities of destroying Time. My anti-Time techniques were revolutionary. But my fellow Chronomancers feared me. They had to consult the impassive God of Time, Haamiah, on my achievements! While Haamiah admitted me, the rest of the Chronomancers considered me a threat and thus they gave me the moniker 'Destroyer of Time'. They considered me a 'great harm to time' and thus, my name became 'Harm Chronos'."

Chronos grinned broadly. "That name was made especially for me. Do you want to know where your father got that name?"

Harm didn't want the answer but Chronos gave it to him nonetheless.

"Over thirty years ago, I saved your father during a plot to assassinate key business men on Haven. Naturally, I was never allowed to give my true identity but your father is resourceful and gleaned my name to be Harm Chronos. He grew obsessed with my identity. He chased me down. Hell, I'm pretty darn sure he had a crush on me. Imagine my amusement when he legally changed his last name to 'Chronos'."

A cruel, amused smirk crossed the Chronomancer's muzzle, his head tilting slightly to the right like he was trying to get a better view of Hunter's reaction. "That's right, 'Harm'. Your name came from your father's fanboy-ish obsession with me."

Hunter stomped his foot. "That's bullshit!"

"Believe it or not, that's the truth." Chronos shrugged. "But the thing that really takes the cake is how, despite the fact you hate your father, you hate that name, you still bear it. No matter how many people you meet, you still introduce yourself as 'Harm Chronos' and only recently have started asking people to call you 'Hunter' outside of your ship." Chronos sat back down in his throne, crossing one leg over the other. "Some shadow of your father's influence is clearly marring your heart. You have some serious daddy issues." He glanced away, tapping his chin thoughtfully. Almost dismissively, he added, "I wonder if that contributes to your homosexuality."

"You -!"

A paw seized his shoulder and he turned to find Andy right beside him.

"Don't listen to him," Tanar said from his other side. "He likes to play mind games. He will have you doubting yourself with his words, making you easier to defeat."

Harm managed to offer a shaky smile. "So typical end-game boss, huh?"

"Pretty much."

Chronos just chuckled. "But I guess we're getting side-tracked, aren't we?" He leaned on his knuckles, resting his arm on the armrest of the throne. "Nephilis and her brood were there to bring all of you here. Everyone from Smallfang, Elena to the great and esteemed Lady Templar Valkyrie were all lured here. I plagued Clockwork with Ghouls to force Elena to desperately call for the Church's help. I personally assaulted the Gate Cathedral to bring Aria's attention and I chose Clockwork because that is where you two" - he nodded toward Smallfang and Harm - "were staying.

"Everything that has happened is by my design."

Harm refused to believe that. His destiny was in his paws. No one else's. "Oh yeah? Then -" He froze.

Did he just say he assaulted the Gate Cathedral... and that's why Aria was brought here...?

His eyes flicked towards the Templar. For once, the Angel could not meet his gaze. She never told him about that. Something stank and it wasn't coming from the Chronomancer.

"I bet you're curious about the whole 'Duke Dalzemor' thing, right?" Chronos asked. "Let me answer the two looming questions, why I brought you here and why I created a fictional duke to bring peace, of all things to Vampiri and non-Vampiri." His tone suddenly shifted becoming light, playful and joyous. "First... Some ominous music." Then, in a trumpeting boom, "Alaric!"

The organ music suddenly took a darker tone, slow and threatening. Chronos leaned back, grinning broadly. "Consider this: the world has just learned that the elusive Duke Dalzemor is, in fact, human. Phalgymr is praised for promoting a human to such a high rank and actually backing his efforts to bridge the gap between Vampiri and non-Vampiri. The news is fresh, just a few hours, but news is already travelling out outlying cities and soon to the rest of Incendius. We all know the Apex Clericus Solis is in town and Dalzemor has been public about his meeting with the High Priest of the Sun. It is seen as a bold move. The beloved Duke is cornering the Mother Goddess' representative to a meeting. Rumours are abound. Will the wound inflicted five years ago when the Vampiri seceded from the Church finally heal over or...?"

Chronos chuckled, barely able to contain his laughter as he covered his eyes while wearing a maniacal grin. "Or will it all come crumbling down in a fiery inferno." The ominous song was suddenly interrupted with a loud, high-pitched chord, making Hunter's heart jump to his throat. Hunter could see the Chronomancer's golden eye peeking between his fingers. "And as for why I brought you here...?"

The pure white Wulfun rose from his seat, his grin broad. It was far from truly insane. It was the grin of a man who knew he had won. Harm wanted nothing but to wipe that grin off his face.

"This is pretty much the only place you'll be safe from the explosions."

Alarm bells began ringing in the back of Hunter's mind. "Explosions?"

Chronos clicked his fingers. "Oh! This is the best part. I've been practicing this all day." He spread his arms wide again, an evil glint in his eyes. "Alaric!"

The tune of the organ music changed. Instead of the ominous booming, it became a lively, thrilling, uplifting song after a short break. Chronos lowered his head, ears twitching and listening. Harm sensed the build up.

Then the song hit a loud, blaring note. At the same moment, Chronos flicked his wrists in a grand gesture.

BOOM!

Their world shook. Shards of rose quartz dropped from the ceiling as the entire building shuddered and shook. Harm lost his footing. Strong paws caught him and he found himself staring into Eton's fearful, blue eyes.

In front of them, Harm Chronos was sweeping his paws left and right like a conductor. He suddenly made another grand sweep and -

BOOOM!

All in time with the music that blared from the organ, perfectly in synch. He swept his arms left and right. The Wulfun spun to his right and pointed like he was commanding a section of an orchestra to begin. Explosions ripped far off into the distance in that direction. He spun to the left and did the same. Even more explosions ripped through building. But it all sounded distant, muffled by the walls but loud enough to reach their ears.

Chronos faced them once more and made three, sharp flicks.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Even Eton lost his footing and they tumbled into the bed of Hellfire Blooms. With every quake, the fiery flowers threw up their petals into the air, filling the entire room with a shower of glowing, orange flakes and dust.

"What's happening!?" Elena cried, clutching Tanar who was the only one who managed to remain standing.

"Revolution..." Andy whispered, his eyes wide in horror.

Chronos suddenly pointed both paws directly ahead of him. Right on cue, the curtains beside the doors dropped to the ground. Harm spun and what he saw froze his heart.

Fire.

Crumbling rock.

Falling bodies.

Mirecragg's splendour was shattered as fierce conflagrations ripped through the massive stalactites in time with the organ music. Chronos jabbed his fingers wide, pointing at each segment of curtain. With each point, the curtains would all off their railings and show off a thunderous explosion that lit the darkness of Mirecragg. The entire cave, beautiful in its darkness, was suddenly filled with blistering fire. It was like staring at the bowels of a fiery underworld.

Fiery fragments of the once mighty stone structures fell from where they clung to the ceiling; burning meteors that crashed into the flailing bodies of the civilians caught in the unholy maelstrom. Cracks appeared in the ceiling of the cave. Chronos thrust his right paw forward. The ceiling broke completely. A behemoth of fire and wood fell straight down from the surface. Harm's eyes widened as he watched the incredible, magical tree that housed so many people fall into the depths of Mirecragg, completely afire.

Chronos spun around, conducting the entire scene of the Apocalypse to the tune of the music. In that moment, Harm realised the extent of this Wulfun's influence.

Chronos had planned it all... down to the timing of the explosions! This whole scene, all of Mirecragg and indeed each and every one of them were part of his orchestra and he was the conductor and composer both. They were playing to his tune, forced by his paw against their will and moving without any of them knowing better.

A fierce cry cut through the thunderous booms and the lively music that played. Aria screamed her Valour's name as she crossed the distance between her and the Chronomancer. Bright, organic, feathers wings exploded from the base of her spear's head, wrapping around the shaft like a protective aura. She thrust her spear at Chronos but the Chronomancer nimbly swept to the left, pointing directly to the left where another explosion ripped through Mirecragg.

Aria swiped at him again but he just ducked the blow, sweeping his paws left and right and heralding another explosion just where he pointed. The anger in her eyes replaced all other emotion. Aria swung once more and Chronos spun away. Gungnir bit into the dais but Aria quickly released it and threw a wicked roundhouse kick that would have collided with Chronos chest... if he hadn't caught her foot. Her eyes went wide as he flicked his wrist past her left ear...

BOOM!

Giving a fierce shout, Aria yanked her foot away, seized Gungnir behind her and -

Thwump!

Her eyes went wide.

Chronos seized her wrists. They were in a classical waltz position. Her moment of stunned silence was enough for Chronos to move them in time with the music, stepping side to side quickly. Each step they took was another explosion.

Aria yanked herself free, managing to pull one hand away but Chronos just used that to pull her back towards him. She spun and he caught her, tilting her back in what would have seemed like a romantic dip. He was not smiling.

Chronos straightened them both and spun her away, releasing his grip.

"Enough of this!" Smallfang shouted. From his crouching position, he pulled a bow from his quiver, encased in glistening, ice blue light, and let it free. It was far too slow for Chronos and he easily dodged aside. As the arrow flew by, Smallfang made a crushing gesture with his fist. The arrow suddenly burst into a blinding array of blue light. An enormous column of ice appeared where the arrow had been...

But Chronos was suddenly in front of Smallfang.

"Neat trick," the Chronomancer said. He was no longer conducting but the explosions around them continued. "Your father used a similar trick on me many times. He liked to throw one of his daggers and do the same."

Smallfang's eyes widened. "You bastard!" He seized an arrow and jabbed it forward like a sword. Chronos easily seized his wrist and -

Crrrack!

"Smallfang!" Harm's cry was echoed by the others.

Bone stuck out of brown flesh. About halfway down Smallfang's forearm, the bone had snapped, piercing strong, firm muscle and a thick hide. Smallfang fell to the ground, clutching his wounded arm.

"That's it!" Eton growled, gently letting go of Harm. "Fly across the night sky, Comet!"

His baton became a mace, exploding in an array of chilling with and glistening snowflakes.

"Chaos beckons, Celestial Crime!"

"Rage and rend, Blade Legion!"

Andy and Tanar activated their Valours, leaping towards Chronos alongside Eton.

Harm staggered to his feet, the constant quaking making it extremely difficult. He saw the others were fighting to keep their balance but Chronos had no such trouble. The white Wulfun easily sidestepped Eton's overhead blow and ducked Andy's swipe a second later. Tanar's multiple, bladed arms springing from his armour jabbed and swiped at Chronos in a blinding display but the Chronomancer just danced between them all. All the while, the world around them exploded in fiery explosions and the Hellfire Blooms, disturbed from their rest, spewed glowing petals and pollen into the air.

Harm gripped Zero Hour.

He's orchestrated everything... He's manipulated us all... He used Dalzemor to lure us here for some reason... and then he tricked us all right into this place where we'd be safe from the explosions...

He needs us... but for what?

... and can I stop him...? What can I do against that kind of forward thinking?

He shook his head, growling.

No! I said I'd make my destiny my own! I'm not going to back down! I'm going to own it!

"The time is now, Zero Hour!"

Chronos actually seemed surprised by the appearance of the golden blade and glove. The Chronomancer's eyes flicked towards Harm, leaving an opening for Eton to come at him with Comet.

CLANG!

The ruby red blade was suddenly in Chronos' paw. He drew the blade so fast Harm hadn't even seen him move. Behind him, he still clutched the sapphire-blue scabbard and was using it to block Andy's vicious claws.

Harm saw his opening.

Just one stab! That's all I need!

He charged, gripping Zero Hour tightly.

Just one touch!

"Master!"

A curtain of crimson liquid suddenly exploded in front of Harm and he was forced to a grinding halt. Standing beside the black throne was... Duke Dalzemor... The Duke lowered his hands and the curtain receded back into his fingers. It took Harm a second to realise that it was blood.

Blood...

Ghouls were created by a Blood Mage...

This was the bastard that killed Elena's father!

"Alaric," Chronos laughed softly. "I can take care of this. Go upstairs. Prepare the carriage. I'm sure Phalgymr will already be waiting."

"But Master..." began the Blood Mage.

"Go, Alaric," Chronos replied kindly, almost fatherly. "I will be fine."

The Blood Mage scowled and quickly spun, disappearing behind the throne.

"Kids," Chronos sighed. Lightning fast, he spun around and knocked both of his attackers back with a blinding flurry of slashes. No damage was done but his speed was ungodly. Suddenly, the Chronomancer was surrounded by five Valour wielders. Yet he did not seem worried at all. In fact, he was smiling again.

Harm remembered Tanar's words. He would not let the Chronomancer's words get to him. He was not hung up about his father's adoration at an early age which turned to scathing disgust as he matured. He was not clinging onto the name that had brought upon that esteem and desperately hoping to one day earn that love again.

His parents were dead.

His father was dead.

He could never get that look again...

A cry swung him back to the world. Aria lunged forward, her spear ahead of her. Chronos took one step back but at the same time, Tanar pounced, fangs open and claws ready to tear. Mechanical arms arrayed behind the Dire Wolf lunged forward, bladed points ready to spear the Chronomancer.

Suddenly, Chronos was gone.

Tanar bit air and came crashing against the bed of Hellfire Blooms, looking confused.

"Are we done playing yet, kids?"

Chronos was seated back on his throne, looking bored and with his sword sheathed again.

"What the...?" Harm whispered.

"Fast Forward," Andy murmured. "Common Chronomancy technique. They jump forward in time, just them though."

"That's cheap!"

"It most certainly is," laughed the Chronomancer. "Much cheaper than pausing time and moving."

Andy's eyes flashed. "Eton!" The Leomian made a slash through the air with his monstrous gauntlet, tearing ragged, red holes into the air. He leapt through without a second thought, reappearing right behind the Chronomancer. Chronos sidestepped and swung back with his arm.

Crrack!

Harm had to wince as the Wulfun's fist collided with Andy's nose, sending the Leomian back.

At that same moment, a sudden burst of chilling wind blasted out of the gap in space where Andy had exited. Eton thrust Comet straight into the entrance tear, shooting a bolt of icy blue energy. The bolt erupted from behind Chronos and slammed right into the dais.

CRASH!

A tremendous icy crown of spikes and spears suddenly occupied the dais, piercing the rose quartz above their heads. It was like staring at an enormous ice sculpture shaped like stylised spears and blades.

"Did I get him?" Eton asked.

The sculpture suddenly shattered. Not just shattered, disintegrated into a flurry of white. Harm's eyes widened when snowflakes blew straight at him. His eyes focused on one such flake... and he realised... Chronos had carved the miniscule flakes! The Wulfun stood there, his blade drawn once more and a smirk on his features. That enormous icy monolith... reduced to a billion flakes of meticulously handcrafted snowflakes!

Oh crap... I don't stand a chance against this guy!

"Why!?"

The demand came from a female.

Elena staggered to her feet, explosions ringing all around them. Her eyes were fierce, not a single hint of remorse or anger. She was just... determined. He remembered her words...

Let it go.

"Why what?" asked Chronos calmly.

"Why would you create Dalzemor, create controversy only to bring it all crashing down in a fiery explosion!?"

The Chronomancer chuckled. "Oh right. I hadn't explained that." He swept his paws across the room. "Anyone have any idea? Ten points to whoever does get it right. No? How about a free hit? I won't move, I swear."

...

"No one? Come on. Potential killing blow here."

...

"You are making the Church your patsy." Aria peered up at Chronos, her amethyst eyes filled with anger and sorrow. "Dalzemor is popular, an epitome of the good neighbour and an advocate of peace. The fact that he is human only compounds that. However, he has caught the Apex Clericus Solis off guard with his sudden appearance. The tour will have been followed closely by Dalzemor's fans. When the explosions started, they will have seen their precious Duke killed while the High Priest of the Sun is whisked away... They will think it was an assassination attempt.

"It was never clearly advertised why Tynvandar was here. His arrival, Dalzemor's 'assassination' and the devastation of Mirecragg... Most people will not piece it together but you will be dropping the rumour here, the conspiracy there... and suddenly, people will be thinking that Tynvandar, threatened by the Vampiri nation and Dalzemor's peace efforts caused this. You will turn the people against the Church..."

She straightened. Chronos looked infinitely amused. "Moonclaw was just the beginning, was he not? The seed to plant the idea of rebellion. But this... all of this..." She swept her hands wide. "It is the final blow! This will spark open rebellion against the Church! You will have Moonclaw keeping Leandros occupied while rebels siding with the Vampiri will keep the Church from acting!"

...

Chronos... began to applaud. "Bravo, Aria. Now for an extra twenty points..." His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

There... Aria balked.

The Chronomancer smirked. "Oh come on, Aria. You know the reason." His eyes flicked to Tanar and then Andy. "You two should too." Then he turned towards Harm... towards Elena, the writhing Smallfang and the growling Eton. "What? They haven't told you? Ha!"

Chronos's smile grew even broader. "When you get the chance, ask your strong, powerful Templar about the event five years ago. Ask her about the assassination of Lumire and exactly what he was trying to attempt. Furthermore, ask her what I made her do. But for the moment... I know we're lacking the music but..."

With two fingers, he touched the base of his red blade. Slowly, he ran those fingers up the length of the blade, red flames springing from the contact until he reached the tip. Harm's eyes widened, so did everyone else's.

"Let's dance."

Suddenly, Chronos was amongst them, a flurry of fiery red petals flying up around him. Everyone was too slow to turn in time and he was suddenly slashing out with his fiery sword. Eton managed to catch the blade on Comet but Chronos' other paw, clutching the scabbard, came lashing out and smacking hard into Eton's muzzle. The Lupus let out a yelp and lost his focus. Chronos knocked Comet aside before spinning and delivering a blistering slash across Eton's chest. The Lupus was sent staggering before Chronos' foot slammed into his chest. Eton crashed into the ground, gasping.

Rage suddenly burned in Harm's chest.

Don't you dare hurt by boyfriend!

He quickly wrapped his headphones over his ears, the music he had set up earlier during the dinner already playing. His world entered the spiralling, dizzying array of cogs and gears. He charged at Chronos. But something was off... Unlike everyone else that was reduced to a network of those gears, Chronos was just a black and white image. No gears, no cogs. Was that what a Chronomancer looked like?

Harm brought Zero Hour crashing down.

Thump!

Chronos gripped his wrist, the blade hovering over the Wulfun's nose by just an inch.

"Your boyfriend?" Chronos asked. "Really? Moved that fast?"

Harm blinked.

"Yeah," the Chronomancer chuckled. "You said that out loud."

Harm blushed.

WHAM!

The moment of shock was compounded by the pain that exploded from his stomach. Chronos' knee pulled away before being greeted by a heavy punch and then a slash. Burning pain exploded across Harm's chest but then another slash came down, sliding him from right shoulder to left hip. A third followed, slicing through his left thigh and sending him to the ground, gasping for air and crying out in pain. His headphones tumbled off, ridding him of his gear world.

Chronos hovered over him, grinning. Behind him, he was holding Aria at bay with the scabbard. "Actually, you didn't really. I just guessed."

"B - Bastard..."

Chronos spun around sweeping his fire blade at Aria and driving her back. She shouted something in the Illuminus Weizar. Glistening spears made of pure white crystal appeared around Chronos and dove straight at him. At the same time, fiery swords sprang out of thin air and clashed with the spears.

The swords won out. They knocked the spears away and suddenly angled themselves straight at Aria.

"How can you use Pyromancy!?" the Angel cried. "You are a Chronomancer! You should not be able to use any other types of magic!"

Before the Chronomancer could explain, Tanar sprang up at him from behind, snarling viciously. The fiery swords all changed direction and swiped at the Dire Wolf. All seven cut fiery gashes across the Wolf's legs. Tanar let out a yelp as another two jabbed into his armour. They didn't pierce his Valour but the force was enough to send him sprawling.

"You remember what always made me so dangerous, Aria?" Chronos asked.

"Your adaptability..." she whispered.

The Chronomancer stepped back away from her. "My adaptability. Still..." He spread his arms wide. "You guessed why I did all this. Like I promised. You get one free shot. Take it."

Harm watched wide eyed as Aria did not hesitate. All the pain she held back, all the sorrow, the years of betrayal and contained affection came rushing out of her. She gripped her spear and thrust it straight forward. The glistening tip of Gungnir pierced Chronos' chest. It didn't go all the way through.

"I'm disappointed, Aria," said the white Wulfun, a sliver of blood dripping from the corner of his muzzle. "Is that all you have?"

"You forget," she snarled. "I now have your blood on Gungnir. I can strike at you wherever you are whenever I want!"

That's right! Gungnir's latent ability!

Yet... Chronos just chuckled. He prised himself free of Gungnir. The blood on the tip of the spear dripped onto the ground. "Ah, but you forget. That blood won't stay there for very much longer."

Aria's eyes widened in horror. The trickles of blood leapt off her magical spear, spun through the air and sank back right into the wound she had inflicted. That very same wound closed up, leaving no trace of it ever happening. Desperation flooded her eyes and with a cry, she threw her spear.

Chronos just angled his head to the right.

The spear flew past his ear... and embedded itself into the ground behind him.

"Was that your plan, Aria?" Chronos said. "You're not emotionally ready to take me down so you hoped to at least get my blood on your magical spear so you have that when you finally are ready?" He laughed brightly. "Nothing escapes Time, my dear. Nothing."

He suddenly choked.

Gungnir's spear burst through his chest once more, shooting right through his left lung and sticking there. The fiery swords hanging around him dropped to the ground, embedding themselves into the bed of Hellfire Blooms. For a second, Chronos' eyes showed surprise and his smile vanished. Then, it was back and his eyes closed briefly in amusement.

"Don't get too excited." He angled his head back. "You hold the same fire in your eyes as your mother did, Elena."

Elena Clox twisting Gungnir in her grip. "You cannot antagonise me, Harm Chronos."

"Antagonise you?" Chronos snickered. "Trust me, if I wanted to antagonise you, I'd mention something outrageous like... Oh... I don't know..."

Suddenly, a white paw seized Elena's wrist... a paw that belonged to another Chronomancer Harm Chronos. Elena's eyes widened as the Chronomancer she had speared continued to smirk at her while another version, perfectly fit and completely identical, seized her wrist and leaned in towards her ear.

Harm couldn't hear what the second Chronomancer said but it made Elena's eyes widen in horror. All around them, multiple instances of the same Chronomancer appeared, each of them smirking with their paws folded behind their backs. One loomed over Aria, the Angel staggering back as far away as possible. Another crouched over Smallfang while a third plucked Andy out from behind the dais by the unconscious Leomian's scruff. A fourth stood over Eton and the last was right next to Harm the engineer.

"That's just cheap!" Harm shouted.

"You want cheap?" asked the original Chronos. He pulled himself from Gungnir, the wound healing slowly. He plucked his fiery sword from the ground just as Harm struggled to his feet.

Suddenly, every muscle in Harm's body froze. He couldn't move! He was staring right at Chronos as the Chronomancer approached.

"One of the most feared abilities of the Chronomancers," said Chronos. "Stopping time. It renders everyone practically helpless. Only the greatest of Chronomancers can selectively stop time but keep people aware." He lifted his fiery sword, levelling it right at Harm's chest. "You claim you want to make your destiny your own, right? Well, as I've said before, everything happens by my design... at least the things that matter."

Chronos smirked, pressing the tip of his blade against Harm's chest. There was no pain. Harm didn't even feel the panic rising in his chest or his heart beating rapidly. All was still. Everything that existed revolved around Chronos...

"So I'm going to give you a chance to make your destiny your own," said the Chronomancer. He pulled his paw back and -

Shhink!

... plunged the sword right into Harm's chest.

There should have been pain. But there wasn't. Harm could only watch the sword plunge deep into his chest, all the way to the hilt.

He couldn't do anything!

He couldn't even look to the others for help!

"So here's the conundrum for you," Chronos said, leaning in close to whisper in his ear. "You want out? Here's your out: die. Die and foil one of my many, many plots or live and find out just how far I can pull your strings." He leaned back, that smirk on his face. "Your move... Hunter."

Chronos turned around striding confidently back towards his throne. The other versions of him walked back with him. They began to fade and merged with his form. As he sat back down, he lifted his paw into the air.

"Now for the finale," he announced. "Safe trip, everyone. Say hi to the Custodia Lumbra for me."

He snapped his fingers.

The swords he had left on the ground suddenly exploded.

BOOM!

The entire ground shattered and quaked. Time abruptly resumed and the pain came crashing upon Harm like a tidal wave. It erupted from his chest, rippling up his throat and blocking it, keeping him from breathing and crying out in pain. The floor gave way beneath him and he watched the walls shatter.

Suddenly, they were falling... falling...

Falling far into the darkness...

...

"HUNTER!"