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Chapter XIII: Chasing the Sun

"So I found myself travelling with my boyfriend's ex for two weeks on horseback. If that wasn't bad enough, Ophelia and Artem Ford were quite the characters. I don't really know what bothered me the most though.

"The fact that Serena really wasn't as bad as Eton made her out to be. Or the fact that, in reality, there is always more than one side to any story. Something you've got to consider before you own your mistakes... and let them go."

As it had been for the past five days, Hunter collapsed onto the small mat set aside for him around the campfire. Andy was once again cooking as they had discerned that Aria's conjured, premade food just did not have the 'flair' to it, Eton was only skilled in baking and Tanar had no thumbs. The Paladin Marshal, Artem Ford, offered to cook as well but considering the fact that the Vulpunus only had his left eye functioning with his right covered by an eye patch, everyone just did not want to trouble him especially when he had his hyperactive, slightly insane little sister to take care of.

Like every night that came before since they left Corona, Hunter snuggled up to Eton, keeping as much distance between himself and Serena Whitefeather as possible. The strange, maroon-eyed Paladin lounged casually beside Tanar, leaning against the Dire Wolf's flank as they spoke. She laughed brightly and giggled childishly at whatever Tanar said. Hunter found it impossible to think that she was this bitter, cold, witch who strung Eton along only to crush his heart the moment he confessed his feelings to her.

Still, he knew which side he belonged to and he rumbled fiercely alongside Eton whenever she laughed.

"I've got an idea!" Andy exclaimed brightly. He straightened as he tossed the noodles and stir fried meats that Aria had conjured. "Let's all go around the campfire and share stories."

"Oh no." Hunter lifted a finger. "We are not going to do some story-exchanging-expositional crap. As far as I'm concerned, we're going to go to Ironfrost but we don't have to know each other."

"But how will we fight as one if we cannot learn one another's weaknesses and strengths?" Smallfang countered, a smile on his muzzle.

"The Paladins are going to do the fighting. I'm going to be standing in the corner cheering. Hell, I'll even grab some pom-poms and a skirt if that helps."

Eton gave him a worried look, ears folding back in concern. "You cross dress?"

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Just this once..." He felt Eton began to shy away. "Baby," he rumbled, gripping Eton's arm and pulling him back. "It's a prank everyone on the Lasting Armageddon plays on the new guys. About five years ago when I first joined the crew, I was just one of the grunts right out of boot camp so I was given a locker in a communal locker room. The guys broke in and replaced all my gear with a cheerleading outfit. I had to go through all my duties for the day wearing that." He waved a paw absently. "It's just a stupid hazing ritual. After it all, the guys were really accepting."

He felt Aria's smile before he saw it. When they locked gazes, she said, "That is a brilliant expositional story."

D'oh!

"Speaking of hazing rituals," Serena said, sitting up. She beamed at Eton. "Do you remember when our instructor -"

"Yeah," grunted the Lupus. "I do. Drop it."

Okay... Um... ouch...

Serena's smile faded. "Oh... alright..."

A pang of pity hit the Wulfun. He knew he should automatically side with Eton. No questions asked. But he figured there was nothing to lose with at least hearing Serena out. Hunter sprang to his feet. "I'm going to go grab some more fresh water. Anyone wanna come with?" He eyed Serena intently. She took his meaning and volunteered. Eton was also on his feet a second later. Hunter pressed a paw onto his shoulder. "Nah, it's okay babe. We got it."

Before Eton could protest, he grabbed a bucket, handed one to Serena and was bolting to the river close by, the same river that they had been following all the way to Ironfrost. They were due to pass Clockwork in a few days where they hoped to get fresh horses and supplies before heading straight to Ironfrost. This river fed into the Snowfall River.

It was a relatively cool night, getting colder the further south they travelled. In the far distance, the Sun Spire glowed dimly, leaving the skies a gradient of blue the closer it grew to the bright tower. From their distance, the Spire was a very large star settling in the middle of a mountain range. High above, thousands of other stars flickered. None of them were really fiery balls of nuclear reactions though. They were just the lights from countless Church warships orbiting the Station.

The only time he had ever seen so many was during what he now knew as Chronos' rebellion.

As he bent down to dip the bucket into the river, his rump was reminded of the hours he had spent on horseback. He hated the idea of riding to Ironfrost but, apparently, flying into the middle of a civil war in a starship could be seen as an act of aggression and the Church did not want to spark an even greater war. They were on a mission of peace and the world was already eyeing Ironfrost very closely.

"I'm sorry for Eton." he began, not really sure why he was apologising.

Serena sighed softly and gave the faintest of nods. "Yes... I know."

It felt underhanded and mistrusting to be interrogating her behind Eton's back but Hunter had to know. "What happened exactly? All he really said was that he confessed his love for you and then you stomped on his offered heart."

"That... That sums it up nicely, yes." She dipped her bucket into the water and watched it fill up. "There were three of us. Myself, Eton and Boris Starborn. Boris was an orphan. Demons used his orphanage as a breeding ground for more demons and Boris was saved by the Church at the last moment. He bore a great grudge against them, however. Eton and I tried to comfort him but he was bent on revenge. This lust for vengeance brought him right into the power of the Demon Lord Agares.

"The Church tracked down the demons from Boris' orphanage to Mirecragg. Lady Valkyrie knew the weight of vengeance and took the three of us to settle things."

"Wait. Aria knows about this?"

"Yes. She was present at the time. Our instructor came with us as well. He was a Bovios. Small for his race. Carlton Meade."

_ "Boris became consumed by his lust for vengeance and was possessed by Agares," Serena said. "Eton and I faced off against him. I was foolish and Eton threw himself in front of me, taking a blow that would have killed me. In that moment, I activated my _Secunda and -"

"Wait, you're what?"

Serena blinked at him. "Oh, you know it as 'Drive Mode'. A Paladin's secondary form when they call upon their Valour's full power."

That's right... Paladins have three forms when using their Valours... though I hear the third is potentially fatal...

Huh... I wonder if I have one...

"Oh right. Continue."

Serena lifted the bucket from the waters. "I defeated Boris... killed him and we were taken back to Corona. There, as we recovered, Eton confessed his love for me. But I..." Her eyes fell, a sad smile on his features. "I did not love him back. I could only see him as a friend."

"Was there someone else?"

"That is the sad part. There wasn't." She held out her hand, staring at her palm. "I just could not see myself and him as an item." Her hand clenched into a fist. "In his heartbreak, he ran off to become a Lupus. This was considered treason. However, if I chased after him, it could be considered treasonous as well."

Hunter's blood began to boil. "So you threw him under the bus."

"I had to. If I associated myself with him in any way... I would have... My career as a Paladin..."

"So your career for your friend," he rumbled bitterly. "Nice."

She took no pains to reject the thought. "It is a crime I willingly pay for. I abandoned Eton when he needed me the most." Her eyes shut and she let out a half-whimper, half-cry. "I have nightmares about being in a perfectly circular glade, being advised by an angel that I was letting my narrow-minded perception of my goals and path to cloud my judgement. I was so focused on my career that I willingly sacrificed my best and only friend to pursue it."

"The Flames of Passion..."

Her eyes met his, her lips partially open. "How did you know?"

"Eton told me about Rose and Tomas." He reached out to her, gripping her shoulder comfortingly. "For what it's worth, that day you killed her, that day you freed them, he let go as well. Doesn't mean he forgave you or hasn't spent nights kicking himself for wasting all that time on you but if it's any comfort, I think he's just doing it mostly out of habit."

She angled her head slightly away. From the corner of his eyes, Hunter saw Eton quickly snap his head away. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I think he's just spent the last seven or so years hating you that it's basically all he knows how to do around you. I don't think he really means any of it."

"How can you be so sure?"

Hunter shrugged absently and offered her a gentle smile. "He doesn't cry your name out during sex. He laughs really brightly whenever I tell him of the excruciating torture we could put you through. Oh and I'm pretty sure he likes my cock in him."

Serena rolled her eyes and let out a soft giggle. "You're going to make my life a living hell too, aren't you?"

He playfully punched her shoulder. "Only until I soften him up enough to confess that he really doesn't want to rip out your heart eat it, digest it and then shit it all over your half-rotted remains."

She gave him a puzzled look. "I... I honestly don't know if you're being serious or not."

"It's a talent of mine," he answered dismissively. "Come on. Let's bring this stuff back. Eton might think we're making out."

He turned, carrying a bucket full of water with him.

"Hunter."

Serena gripped his wrist lightly. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

He smiled back. "Not a problem."

*****

Aria conjured tents for all of them and they slept comfortably within the relative warmth of their sleeping bags. Eton had retired early since he had the second watch. Hunter said he would join him but wasn't quite feeling tired as of yet. The others went to bed shortly afterwards, leaving him poking at the embers of the fire with the blade Chronos had 'given' him, Ashwing.

The weapon really was quite beautiful. The bird-shaped hilt was meticulously crafted with rubies the size of his thumb embedded into the bird's eyes. Each one burned with an inner flame. What little light came from the campfire glistened of the bright-red blade like the weapon was drizzled with glitter. It was light in his paws but the grip was a little small. It was clearly built for paws smaller than his own.

"Roran gave that to him."

Shinniah stood a short distance away, staring at the weapon

"Who's Roran?" he asked.

"A Tigris. A participant of the Burning Rebellion. Official records had him dying due to the events but since the Redaction Spell, he does not remember anything about ever being associated with Harm Chronos only that he is hiding from the Church. He did, however, remember hiding a Creed in the Gate Cathedral."

Her eyes went towards the distant hill. Without a word, she began walking. Hunter knew he shouldn't follow but pulled himself from where he was seated, gripping Ashwing and following Shinniah.

"Do you know the legend of the Fifteen Seraphim of Athena?"

Hunter scanned his memory. "I remember some childhood stories about them. Something to do with morals or something. I can't remember it all in detail."

"Legend states that the Mother Goddess was attended by Fifteen Seraphim. They were powerful creatures who helped the Mother Goddess in the creation of this world. One Seraph, Adramalech, gave the world fire. A Creed is a key to a Seraph."

Hunter's eyes widened. "Wait! I just remembered! The Fifteen Seraphim helped Athena make the world but they rebelled against her and she cast them down and punished them for their own hubris!" He shook his head just as they crested the hill. "But that story was tossed aside by the Church. Part of some doctrinal change handed down by the Mother Goddess herself. Well, admittedly the Chronomancers worshiped another god but the Church insists that Haamiah doesn't exist."

He flicked his ears at her. "Are you telling me the Seraphim exist?"

"More."

A frown crossed his features and he stopped walking. "Wait... is that what Chronos wants? He's going to free the Seraphim to attack the Mother Goddess again!?" His jaw popped in shock. "Holy shit! That's what he's after, isn't it? He's not just going to bring down the Church! He's going to bring down the Mother Goddess, shatter the faith itself!"

Shinniah laughed. "You have quite the imagination."

"Are you telling me I'm wrong?"

"You are wrong," she answered, gazing far to the north where the Sun Spire twinkled dimly. "However, Chronos does wish to free Adramalech. He already has, in fact. When you next meet Chronos, he will be holding a sword... Firefeather. That is Adramalech. Even the Seraphim are so loyal to Chronos that they would reduce themselves to mere weapons for his use."

Shit... what have I gotten myself into...?

"What does he want?"

"I cannot tell you that."

"Cannot or will not?"

Shinniah shook her head sadly. "Cannot. Harm Chronos... He is doing us a favour... but we are to trust him without question."

Hunter waved the sword wildly through the air. "How could you make a deal like that!?"

Shinniah's posture slumped. "Because... we are tired. Simply tired of bearing the guilt, tired of hating... tired of what we have done."

He groaned and ran a paw down his muzzle. "This would go a lot smoother if you just told me what the hell is going on."

Her piercing red eyes locked with his emerald green. "Are you willing to listen?"

Hunter looked left and right then over his shoulder. No one was around. As his eyes settled back upon Shinniah, he wondered about her motives. There was sincere weariness in her eyes but he greatly wondered if trusting her was such a good thing. She had manipulated him at Clockwork and previous experience with such ghosts had only led to disaster.

You know what...?

That was all my fault...

I listened to them, I was the one that swung the blade, I was the one that pulled the stupid stunts... Those were my mistakes.

I'll own them... and...

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah. Okay. Lay it on me."

... let them go.

Shinniah took several steps back before lifting her arms to her sides. The world around him was suddenly transformed. The calm, grassy knoll was suddenly afire and he felt warm blood splash onto his cheeks. Feathers flung everywhere and the screams of dying men and women hit his ears. Fiery Avios charged amongst the ordinary Avios, their flaming bodies burning through flesh and filling the air with the strange aroma of charred wood.

Tremendous, intimidating war machines made entirely out of black rock held together by glistening magma rolled away from a towering ebony edifice of the same design. The building looked to be a black castle on a desolate mountain, the black crown to a dead giant. All around him, people were dying but it was all Avios...

"What...?"

"We call this the War of the Wings," Shinniah narrated, standing right beside him.

He recalled her story. "This is that thing... You said that you fought in a war where you were granted immortality at the expense of the Phoenixes..." His eyes went to the fiery Avios, their feathers like living flame. "Are these...?"

"The Phoenixes, yes." Shinniah waved her hand through the air. They were lifted off their feet and zoomed straight towards the ebony castle, particularly the tallest tower. As they hurtled through the air, Hunter could see the scale of the war raging around them. From horizon to horizon there were fires and battles occurring. War machines of strange design occupied both the air and the ground. It took him a moment to recognise the mountains that were littered with corpses and debris.

"Is this...?"

"The same mountains that the Sun Spire resides upon? Yes."

What the hell...?

They flew towards the highest tower and landed on a sweeping balcony. The bodies of thousands of Avios and Phoenixes littered the polished, ruby and white marble floors. Sweeping columns of black stone were marred with blood. Banners showing the emblem of a fiery bird were ripped and torn.

Hunter's boots landed on the ground as his eyes spied the stunning woman with ruby-red hair standing before a large throne. The massive gold and red seat was occupied by a tremendous figure; a creature possessing two pairs of sweeping, broad wings and two pairs of arms. Its features were like that of an Avios but he had a third eye resting on his forehead, standing vertically. The creature's build was intimidating, more than twelve feet in height and proportionately muscular.

"Is that you?" he asked, pointing at the woman.

Shinniah only nodded.

"No more," the older version of Shinniah demanded. "I have suffered your 'immortality' long enough! Release me from this torment!"

The massive creature could only watch her sadly through fiery red eyes. "You know I cannot."

Shinniah did not even hesitate to bring up the jet-black blade she held. "Then watch as all you have worked for, everything you have strived to create burns around you!"

The memory abruptly ended and was replaced by another. This time, they were in the middle of perfectly circular clearing where a simple, two-storey cabin rested. A rocky outcropping sat next to a woodcutter's stump. There were two sticks embedded into the ground with a thin piece of rope between them for clothes to hang upon. A campfire sat not too far away. It was the middle of the night and there were fewer stars in the sky. They still moved slowly, however; starships drifting in the Void.

The cabin door suddenly burst open.

A different woman with fiery red hair burst through, clutching what appeared to be a large travelling back. She was tall, athletic and - strangest of all - she possessed a pair of feathery, white wings that sprouted from her back.

"She looks familiar," Hunter murmured softly.

"She should," answered Shinniah with a faint smile. "She is the Sun Goddess, Apollia."

"What!?"

Apollia flung around to face the door. "The world is falling around us, father! The Darkened will be here soon! I am going to do my part to stop more people from suffering!"

The figure that appeared in front of the door made Hunter's heart stop.

An Avios...

... with three eyes...

... four arms...

... and four wings.

"It is none of our business, Apollia," the creature begged. "Please! Please! Leave this foolishness behind! That Valour -"

Apollia lifted the bright, red and gold weapon in her other hand. It looked like a flail of sorts but the head of the weapon was shaped like a brilliant sun. "I was chosen, Father! Chosen by the Mother Goddess Athena! I must fulfil my duty!" Then softly, she added, "If I do not, I could never forgive myself..."

"The Darkened...?" Hunter whispered. "Wait... Is this... Is this during the Sunshadow War!?"

Shinniah nodded slowly. "Yes. Yes it is."

Holy shit...

"Apollia!" the creature begged.

"I'm sorry father!" Apollia cried, turning her back to him angrily. "You can spend your life locked here for all eternity in your own world. But this world is my home and I will not abandon it!"

She stormed away. Somewhere in the distance, one of the stars in the sky began to drift towards the earth.

Once again, the scene shifted... but this time, they were on the deck of a starship. From the design, it looked fairly ancient. Most modern starships were built without a seat for the captain and constructed with a central area and podium for commanding officers. The walls would have been lined with lowered terminals or 'pits' for the crew to work on. This ship looked very... classical. The captain sat on a seat lifted above the others while crew members were scattered about in terminal blocks on the floor.

From the full view windows beyond the crew, he could see a pitch-black Station covered in clouds below them. The strand of Chrysalis punctured the Station in the middle of its broad ocean. Hundreds of fires were lit across a band of the mainland.

"That is Incendius," Shinniah whispered softly.

Hunter frowned. "What...? But... where's the sun? I thought Incendius had a sun? The other Stations rely on the glow from the heart of Chrysalis for light but... I thought Incendius was the only Station to have ever had a natural sun?"

She shook her head. "No... Incendius never had a sun."

But...

The door behind them hissed loudly and Apollia came storming through dressed entirely in Paladin attire. It seemed that fashion had not changed since the great war millennia ago.

"Captain! What is the meaning of this!? Why are we not going down there to support our troops?"

The captain of the ship, a Draconis, bowed his head. "Orders from high command... we are to stay our hand. The poor souls down there are on their own. May the Mother Goddess have mercy on their souls."

Apollia swiped her hand through the air. "No! My... All those people... They...!" She let out a frustrated cry and stormed back out.

A tear ran down the captain's cheek. "I know... Trust me, I know." Suddenly alerts began springing up around them. The entire bridge became bathed in flashing red lights. The captain sat up in his seat. "Report!"

"There has been an enormous surge of... of... of fire from the northern mountain ranges where the survivors are meeting!" a crewmember reported. "Sir... whatever it is... the Darkened are being pushed back! They're... they're winning!"

Hunter's eyes went back towards the ancient Incendius. A brilliant, red light erupted from somewhere in the northern section of Incendius.

His lips pulled apart in surprise.

"The rise of the Brave Farmer..."

Suddenly, the visions ended and he was suddenly back on the grassy knoll in the present. Shinniah sat beside him, on her knees with a hand at her chest. Tears were rolling down her cheek and she was heaving.

Oh my god...

"Now do you understand?" she asked softly. "Incendius never had a sun... The Brave Farmer acted on his own... and Apollia... Apollia..."

Hunter's eyes widened. "Is you... You're Apollia! You're Shinniah! You were a girl who was granted immortality by the death of the Phoenixes, constantly regenerating until the last Phoenix died where you were finally granted rest and then reincarnated as a child by the God of Time, raised by that thing and then rose to become a Paladin... You... You changed your name to Apollia... You're the Sun Goddess!"

Shinniah's hair tumbled over her features, hiding her expression. Still, Hunter could see her nod.

"But... I don't understand... How...? The Sun Spire...?"

She lifted her gaze, teary eyes gazing into the starry night sky. "My father became desperate to see me. So desperate in fact that he joined the survivors in the hope of bringing me back. He reasoned that if the war ended, I would have no reason to be away and I could come home. If the Darkened won, there would always be war thus he empowered the Church. He used all his might and power to create the cursed blade, Bloodfyre by sucking the souls out of the heads of the Draconis families, slaying an Angel and draining the blood of a demon. That very blade was the very same blade I used to kill myself one last time during the War of the Wings. It became infused with my ancient anger... and the hatred of all those warring creatures.

"This hatred, anger and conflicting emotions gave birth to a tremendous weapon of pure fire... Bloodfyre."

Shinniah swallowed hard. "When the Church learned of this, they were appalled and called for a purge of Incendius. There were still millions of people on the Station. I could not let that happen. As my father waged a war across the Station, I did my best to sabotage the Church's efforts to bring devastation to the Station. I begged the gods to tell me why he was doing this... and I was answered by Haamiah... the God of Time."

She sobbed loudly. "He revealed to me everything that had happened... My emotions as Shinniah returned... and I could only feel utter hatred mixed with undying love. I was paralysed. Eventually, when my father reached the Darkened capital, I could stall no longer. I needed to confront him.

"I crashed a starship onto Incendius and gave chase. When I met him, the war around us had devastated both sides. Then... then he told me why he did it."

Hunter was afraid to ask... but his quivering lips eventually asked. "Why...?"

She gave him a sad smile. "Because he wanted to see me." A bitter laugh escaped her. "Can you believe that? Instead of letting the war finish with the Darkened success, he empowered the losing side and led to thousands more dead! He was willing to commit genocide just to call me back down to the Station!

"I was appalled! Horrified! Angry! All I could think of was to fight him and beat him to within an inch of his life! Then... in a twist of irony... he killed himself with the Bloodfyre... and the resulting blast of his mighty body finally dying obliterated the Darkened homeland and ended the Sunshadow War..."

Hunter felt numb. "But then... you...?"

"I was angry at him," she continued. "I could not stand by what he had done and I swore to myself that I would hate him forever. He threw himself into the darkness so I would keep the world in light to banish his evil. I fused myself with my Valour, the Scorium Axis, and have stood watch over all of Incendius as its only source of light... My father existed in the darkness of the Concave of Shadows. My light would form a barrier between us, keep us forever apart and deny him his last wish. I am the Sun Goddess..." Shinniah straightened, staring at him sadly. "I am a Paladin... I am a daughter... a lover... I am Apollia... I am Shinniah..."

Holy hell...

Then her lips twisted in a bitter smile.

"And would you like to know the best part?"

"That wasn't it?" he muttered.

"No..." Her eyes closed, pushing the tears out. "The best part is... Shinniah's lover... Apollia's father... His name is..."

...

"Adramalech... the Seraph of Fire."

*****

Ironfrost was fast approaching. The forests were starting to lose their calm, graceful peace and began looking more unruly, wild and unwelcoming just like the Lupus. Their stopover at Clockwork had been bittersweet. The people there barely recognised Elena and those that did greeted her coldly. The streets had been cleaned and the signs of torture had been erased. But people's memories were still fresh with the horrors that they had faced there. Few had returned, claiming the city was haunted.

Elena took it in stride, bought supplies like the rest of them and moved on.

As they travelled down Pilgrimage Road, each of them seemed preoccupied.

Andy's keen observations watched Aria fret the closer they grew to Ironfrost just like how she had grew colder and more short-tempered the closer they grew to Mirecragg.

Anxious to meet Harm... Does not want to let go of the illusion that he is somehow good inside... Still in denial... still in love...

A short distance away, Eton was snarling every time the wind changed and blew Serena's sweet smell towards his muzzle. His horse sensed his tension and nickered in disproval but he just continued to sneer at her. Serena seemed cold, lifting her head high and ignoring him but her façade was broken by how close she travelled to Hunter.

Doesn't hate her... just unable to see her in any other light... Only snarling. No tightened fists or raised hackles.

She feels guilty... Tries to hide it but bonded with Hunter and feels he is some sort of barrier between them.

Hunter is what puzzled him the most. The Wulfun's distress was evident in the way his tail drooped and how he held his head low.

Has nothing to do with Serena or Eton... He's not looking at either of them... Not even looking at where he is going... No... something else...

What...? Did Harm Chronos visit him? Did he realise something about himself?

"Heeeeeeey kitty!"

He straightened and flicked his tail away from Ophelia Ford. The young Vulpunus Paladin danced playfully beside his horse, constantly pawing at his tail. Her bright, green eyes were mixed with child-like wonderment and a degree of innocence that made her rather... adorable. But like the others, she worried him.

Mentally scarred... Child-like innocence a form of mental defence to keep her from cracking underneath something...

Still a Paladin...

His eyes flicked up to Paladin Marshall Artem Ford who rode towards him, apologising for the fiftieth time for his sister and gently tugging her away. The older Vulpunus had a strong athletic build and was handsome. The eye patch added to his mystery that women would have found attractive. But there was a heavy sadness in his one, remaining, green eye that Andy was sure would have caused hundreds of women to swoon.

Feels guilty over something... Involves his sister... Guard her possessively... Shamed.

Aria abruptly turned her horse to the right, leaving Pilgrimage Road. Andy stared at her in surprise but quickly followed. Tanar was right beside her, not saying a single word as they cut through the thick forests. The others followed quietly while Ophelia mentioned she caught a butterfly and Ford told her how proud he was of her.

The trek through the forest was short.

Suddenly, they were in a perfectly circular clearing with a single rock at its centre.

Serena choked and Eton let out a soft whimper. Smallfang and Elena looked incredibly sad. Ford's eyes darted to his sister who fell abruptly silent. Hunter had the strangest reaction; he clutched his chest and looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

"You knew, didn't you?" Tanar asked.

Aria sighed heavily, glancing over his shoulder at the others, regarding all of their stunned expressions. "It was a guess... I am not so sure if I am so pleased to be correct."

"What is this place?" Andy asked, flicking his ears. "Why is everyone so shocked to be here?"

Serena's eyes travelled to Eton. Their gazes met and Eton immediately spun away, growling fiercely.

"This is where we faced Boris Starborn," she responded softly. "We killed our friend here because he became possessed by the Demon Lord Agares."

"You killed him," Eton sneered. "I took a hit for you."

And then their relationship broke despite that... No reciprocation of emotions. Betrayal. Heartbreak. Anger.

Elena dismounted and slowly strode towards the rock. She pressed her hands against the smooth, cool features and laughed softly. "My father used to take me here. He always told me it was unladylike to be wielding a sword or to wear armour. However, despite this, he took me here... gave me a sword and we sparred."

"I remember this place as well," Smallfang added, turning his gaze upwards. "My mother always said he met my father here. She took me here before she died..."

Smallfang's mother died...?

Makes sense. Polite. Careful.

Signs of a person who had grown up with a strong masculine presence and needs to compensate with more 'feminine' qualities.

Aria laughed softly. "Over the millennia, Chronos would always come here and pray, believe it or not." She stood beside Elena and ran her hand a groove in the rock. Andy leapt off his mount and hurried over. He had his sketch pad out by the time he reached them. Aria's eyes were on a strange slit in the dirt beside her foot. "Chronos would always take Timekeeper and slide it exactly there. I do not know who he prayed to but he was always still. I always felt a presence when I watched him."

Harm Chronos... Religious?

He worked for the Church. Hard to believe that he would not believe in any deities but who was he praying to in this place?

The Sun Goddess? The Mother Goddess?

No... Pilgrimage Road is dotted with shrines to the Sun Goddess.

Andy cast he gaze around the perfectly circular clearing, sketching away. When his eyes fell on Hunter, though, he stopped.

The Wulfun, had his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his muzzle with his thumb and forefinger.

Headache? Migraine? Bitter memories?

No... That is a tear...

Hunter quickly placed his headphones over his ears and turned his back, stuffing his paws into his pocket no doubt fidgeting with his Telecube.

"What of you, Ford?" asked Tanar, bringing Andy back to his immediate company. "What is your relation to this place?"

The Paladin Marshall let out a ragged sigh and gripped his sister's shoulders tightly. "Why don't you go release your butterfly, Ophelia?" he suggested.

"But why?" Ophelia asked, sticking out her lower lip in a pout. "It's so pretty and cute!"

"Because such beautiful things are meant to be free," came his reply with sadness in his eyes. "You do not want him imprisoned, do you?"

"No..." Ophelia responded. She absently kicked the dirt beneath her feet. "Okay, I'll free Butter. See you later!"

She bounded away happily. Each step seemed to weigh heavily on Ford's heart. When she was well outside of earshot range, Ford said, "It was in this very spot that I learned my mother had gone completely insane back home."

Andy crouched on the ground and began sketching the Vulpunus. Ford was regal and at the same time tortured. The contrasting sides fascinated the Leomian and he continued to sketch away, capturing the sadness in Ford's eye, the ferocity in his clenched fists, the sadness in sagging shoulders and the determination in his stiff tail.

"I was born in the Sunless Lands across the ocean," Ford murmured softly. "We were poor but when I was chosen to become a Paladin, my parents and seven brother and sisters were so proud of me. I sent money back to them over the years but every year, they asked for more." He shook his head sadly, sandy blonde hair waving in the air. "Rising to sudden fortune after a lifetime of poverty didn't exactly leave them with a firm grasp of the value of money. They wasted it on petty, temporary things.

"I grew frustrated and one day, I just refused to give them any money. I kept receiving missives telling me that they were being chased by debt collectors. I was so angry I ran." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I came to this very place after an assignment in Clockwork. Here... I had a dream... I spoke with someone... I cannot remember his face but he told me about my parents' plight. Desperate, I sailed back home..."

He opened his eye and was quivering as Ophelia danced amongst several butterflies that had sprung out of nowhere around her. "What I found... was a product of my sin..." He shook his head. "My parents were back in poverty. My father, desperate to provide for his family, had cut off his body parts to feed them. My mother was remorseful at first but when they ate the last bits of him, she was driven to madness. One by one, she cooked my brothers and sisters from the eldest to the youngest, feeding the meals to those that remained.

"Ophelia... Ophelia was all that was left."

Even Andy felt the pang of sorrow in his heart. He threw aside his analytical side and turned sadly to the seemingly innocent Ophelia.

Mental trauma... Forced to eat her brothers and sisters... Her mind could not take the stress and reduced her to child-like innocence to cope.

Sad...

"Goddess..." Elena gasped, striding up to Ford and gripping his paw tightly. "That's terrible... How... What...?"

"I took Ophelia away from that place," Ford responded. "The Mother Goddess graced her with a Valour that keeps her sanity. As for my mother..." He let out a bitter chuckle. "She was taken into an asylum to answer for her crimes. I remember... I remember seeing that person who informed me of my family's plight entering the same room she was in. When I next saw her, there was a shattered mirror in front of her. She impaled herself on one of the glass shards and she had written 'I'm sorry' in her own blood all over the walls."

"She was not insane," Andy surmised. "Far from it. She was simply desperate. She knew was she was doing."

Ford shook his head bitterly. "Yes... Yes she did."

"Is that how you lost your eye?"

The Paladin Marshall, the leading member of a squad of Paladins, shook his head. "No. I lost this fighting the criminal you are chasing."

Andy saw the hatred in Ford's eyes and rapidly began sketching it as well. He quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw Eton's gaze averted, gazing down at the ground with his ears folded back like he regretted being unable to do anything for his Marshall. Beside him, no more than foot away, Serena's expression was... was simply the quintessence of pity that it was would be a waste to let it pass without drawing it. Somewhere in the background, he heard Ophelia giggle and captured her blissful innocence perfectly.

His eyes went wide and all other conversation died in the background as he rapidly began sketching a scene... something that captured the dynamics of the group. Ford, glaring directly at the audience with the intensity of his one good eye piercing through souls. Beside him was Serena, hand raised to her chin, partially open like she was about to reach out to offer assistance, eyes filled with pity and regarding the observers with like she knew an ill fate would befall them. Looming above them was Eton, his gaze unable to meet the observer and the bitterness and sadness in his expression and folded ears. Lastly, at the very foreground, dancing blissfully with a brilliant smile on her face was Ophelia, surrounded by butterflies and innocently happy.

He finished within five minutes and regarded the sketch, amazed.

It was... _almos_t perfect...

He looked around for inspiration.

Aria was staring at the groove in the ground where Harm had embedded Time Keeper. Her expression was full of longing and rage at the same time. No, it would not fit the scene. Smallfang was running his paw over the stone, his expression unreadable. Wouldn't fit either. Elena... Elena was speaking to Ford, the sad smile on her features was... interesting but again, it would not fit anywhere in his scene.

Then... he found it.

Hunter had his back turned to them, one paw pressing a headphone against his ears while the other held his Telecube.

Perfect.

He made a quick sketch, placing Hunter far enough in the background to seem completely indifferent but still with his features entirely visible. It was perfect!

It captured Ford's intensity, Eton's regret, Serena's sorrow, Ophelia's innocence... and Hunter's turmoil.

"Ironfrost awaits," Aria said, "Let us leave this place."

"No."

Hunter suddenly stormed over, tearing his headphones from his ears. He pulled Ashwing from over his shoulder. "I've had enough of this moping about the past!" he barked. "I don't care what people did back then especially if its thousands of years ago!"

He held the blade in in both paws in front of him. "The world is filled with enough bullshit that we don't have to keep bringing up the crap from years ago! The only thing worse than shit is old shit! So I'm going to swear right now, right here, that the fucked up things that happened back then is over! Get over it!"

He glared at a stunned Ford. "I don't care if your mother cannibalized your brothers and sisters! You're more than that." He turned next to Eton. "So you got dumped by the girl you were pining for. You're gay now and you've got a boyfriend! Stop acting so pissy at her!" Serena hid behind Eton but Hunter had already seen her. "And you! Stop feeling so goddamn guilty about what you did! For fuck's sake, stand up for yourself! You did what you do. Grow a pair and accept it."

Smallfang and Elena took a step away but Hunter's ears flicked the moment they disturbed the grass, catching his attention. "I get both of you have parental issues. Your father made it tough on you and your mother died. Big whoop. Her father barely cared about her and her mother died shortly after child birth! By that alone you two should start a fucking romance and go off into the woods and fuck each other's brains out, bringing a child into this world and learning from faults of your parents! I mean, he can get you pregnant!"

The two glanced at each other in surprise then immediately turned away, a blush on their cheeks. Andy grinned, his tail wagging as they came to the coup de grace.

Aria.

"And you." Hunter stormed over to her and flipped Ashwing around, the point angled downward. "Get over him! He's an asshole. There are better men out there and you can't spend all of eternity pining for the same guy! To prove my point..."

He jammed Ashwing into the same groove that Aria had been guarding. The blade was bigger than Timekeeper so it broke the mould. For a second, Aria looked mortified but no more than when Hunter seized the sides of her head and planted his muzzle on her lips.

Andy's eyes went wide and he hurriedly flipped the page of his notebook, scribbling rapidly.

He wanted to capture the moment before -

Smack!

"Have you lost your mind!?" Aria screamed. "I should have your lips torn of and sown to your buttocks!"

"Yeah?" Hunter growled. "Well now you've been kissed by Harm Chronos. Get over it."

"You are -"

"Not officially," he sneered. Then he pointed accusingly at empty space. "And don't think I forgot about you! Yeah so you fell in love with a legendary figure, had your life bound to the deaths of an ancient race, went crazy from the guilt, killed yourself in front of your lover to make him feel guilty then was reincarnated as his child by the God of Time. Then you rebelled against him, was mortified by his desperate attempts to see you again and then saw him kill himself in front of you. That's some crazy shit but if you two weren't just so stubborn and just apologised none of this would have ever happened!"

...

"What?" Ford asked. At this stage, everyone was giving Hunter a very puzzled, very worried look.

He glanced over his shoulder. "Crazy dead girl haunting me. Long story."

"Must be..." Eton murmured. "My boyfriend is insane..."

Hunter ignored the comment and then turned to all of them. "We're putting it all behind us, now. Promise me that whatever happens, all that bullshit you've been carrying around with you, that guilt, that regret and all that baggage, you toss it aside right here, right now!"

...

As had been the case back in Clockwork, his speech was met with nothing but silence and the occasional chirping of a cricket. Yet unlike back then, Hunter did not balk. He just stared at them, his fierce, emerald green gaze urging them to do what they knew was right.

"I am with you."

The surprisingly clear, serious proclamation came from Ophelia. She stood beside Hunter, unravelling the silvery scarf around her neck. "Let's play, Atropos." The scarf suddenly unwound, the strands of string splitting in a dizzying storm. Silvery strands rearranged themselves in the air to form a tremendous hammer. It embedded itself across Ashwing.

"Yeah," Eton agreed, pulling out Comet. "Fly across the night sky, Comet." His Valour activated and like Ophelia, he crossed it against Ashwing, embedding it into the ground.

Ford pulled out a black and silver revolver and kissed its barrel lightly. "Now is the Revolution," he whispered. The gun let out a series of clicking and a laser sight sprang out of nowhere beneath the barrel. He settled the gun against Ashwing.

Serena retrieved a green and golden fan, unfurling it. "Breathe, Nemesis." From each of the fan's ribs, a long, pointed blade erupted. She folded it again and rested it against Ashwing just like the others.

All eyes went to Aria. The Templar looked conflicted, her lips quivering. She shook her head.

"Hell, why not?" Tanar snickered. "Rage and rend, Blade Legion!" His Valour sprang to life. His many mechanical arms embedded their swords into the area around the monument. He handed one sword to Elena who smiled in thanks and slammed it into the ground beside Ashwing. Smallfang took his bow and settled it across the ground.

Andy smiled, finishing his third drawing. "Can't take off Celestial Crime... but I think this is the best I can do." He ripped the page off his notepad. Reverently, he placed it at the base of all their weapons.

There, drawn in stunning black and white... was the completed monument. Including Gungnir.

A gust of wind suddenly blew through the clearing. The page flittered into the air...

"No!" Elena cried.

Swish!

The page was suddenly pinned to the ground... by the long length of Gungnir.

Aria left her weapon there, taking several steps back. She looked fearful... but at the same time, incredibly relieved. Her eyes lifted and she gave each of them a short nod.

Then... for the first time since he had met her...

Andy saw Aria smile.

A genuine smile of happiness.

One unmarred by the Chronomancer.

One from the soul.