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Chapter XVIII: Second Sun

"The Malicious Spear had only one destination and one purpose. It was the collar that Chronos had on us. It was one of the very many aspects he was controlling us. More than one of us felt an undeniable compulsion to just follow his directive. I guess it had something to do with the fact that he had crushed our spirits and we felt that we couldn't do anything but follow him. But I guess he really wasn't counting on me blowing the ship up or us taking the scenic route to Corona.

"During our little side trip, I decided to modify my motto a little. What was the use of owning a mistake and letting it go when you're just going to make the same mistake in the future? It would just lead to constant heartbreak.

"So I decided... Own it. Let it go. Learn."

Aria stood on the bridge of the Malicious Spear facing the rest of the gathered group. She stood sternly, her eyes hard as steel and her hands clasped firmly by her side. Everyone else stood opposite to her, waiting for her to burst.

After a moment, she sighed, letting out her breath slowly. "I do not know how the rest of you feel," she said gently. "However, I for one, am incredibly ashamed that Harm Chronos managed to intimidate us into submission."

She paused, letting her words sink in. Her eyes darted from face to face. Most of them wore the same face; disheartened but bravely resisting the urge to cry and crawl into the corner. They had all seen the extent of Chronos' machinations, some more personally than most. Looking at Eton, Hunter and Serena, however, she couldn't help but remember that moment when there was another group of three that had faced a Demon Lord only for one of them to die in their lust for vengeance. She took comfort knowing that there wasn't a hint of revenge in Hunter's eyes. In fact, of them all, he looked the calmest and collected.

Drawing strength from that, she continued. "We stand on the cusp of something that will change Incendius for better or for worse but it is only by our intervention that it will turn out for the better. I cannot fathom what Chronos had truly planned but we can all agree that it is not just pure anarchy nor is it simply to unleash the Darkened. I know most of you do not trust him but please, trust me. It may seem like surrendering as he follow along his plans and the roads he has set for us but we must make an informed decision.

"This is not about extracting vengeance. This is about finding out the truth and doing what is right for Incendius."

"That is your opinion," Titus growled, storming up to her. "But I want my revenge!" His eyes darted to Hunter. "I promised myself I would return to Chronos the agony he dealt me a thousand times over but I realised that anger clouds my judgement. Regardless, when I face him, I face him with a clear head. What drives my feet, however, is still vengeance. I care not for Incendius or your Church that kept me imprisoned!"

"This is not about the Church!" Aria snapped, surprising even herself at that declaration. She was a loyal Templar of the Church and to think that she would claim her actions were not in the name of the theocracy was a shock to her very soul. "Whatever you believe, Titus, whatever you claim to fight for, I do not care. Why you are even accompanying us I do not know!"

Hunter suddenly stepped forward. The surprised look on Eton's face spoke much of their patched relationship. Aria could see it in how they moved. They were on their way to recovery but it was far from the whirlwind yet incredibly shallow romance it had been before. It was stronger.

"One Chronomancer has the power of the Brave Farmer backing him," the Wulfun said. "So maybe if we get another with the might of the Sun Goddess, we'll stand a fighting chance against whatever Chronos has planned."

Aria swallowed her surprise, her features remaining steely. "That is why you are accompanying us? You hope to petition the Sun Goddess for the strength to fight Chronos?"

Titus nodded grimly. "I would never be allowed to the top of the Sun Spire and I doubt Apollia would willingly listen to me without others petitioning beside me. As much as it pains me... I need your good word to stand a chance to gain her blessing." He straightened and fixed her with a firm eye. "And I believe you need me to help defeat Chronos. You were simply paralysed by his might and his divine blessing."

It was true. She was kicking herself constantly for her weakness at that moment. What felt like eons ago, she and Chronos had faced off against ancient monstrosities, Demon Lords, demigods and slews of foes yet now... When he stood against her with one of the entities that formed a core belief of the Church backing him, she felt like a child looking over an intimidating rapist. All she could do was cry and hope someone would come to save her.

Every inch of her wanted to deny Titus the holy opportunity to petition to Sun Goddess. One look at Hunter, though, and she realised he had lied to Titus. It was in the way his ears were perked and his green eyes were staring deep into her. The Wulfun knew utterly and completely that Apollia would never grant Titus such strength.

"The Sun Goddess would never grant you such a blessing," she stated plainly. "But that does not mean you cannot try."

"Then we are in agreement," answered Titus. "You do what you will. Bring me to the Sun Spire. I will defeat Chronos for you."

The question was... did she want Harm killed? For the past five years, she had been constantly asking herself why. Why did Harm kill Lumire and have her shatter the Infinos Arcanum? Why was he waging a war that would devastate Tower Thirteen? Why had he gone to great lengths to defend it at first and was now attempting to destroy it?

Why...?

She could not let Chronos die until she knew.

"Very well." Aria turned her gaze back towards the others, trying to remember where she was in the speech she had practiced over and over again. Unfortunately, the distraction had thrown her off course. Looking at each of the faces in front of her gave a sense of vulnerability.

Then, Tanar did the strangest thing. He pressed his nose against the base of Hunter's back and pushed the Wulfun forward. Hunter spun to face the Dire Wolf, his look demanding an explanation. Tanar just flicked an ear to Aria. Rolling his eyes, Hunter stepped up beside Aria. She felt somewhat belittled as he took centre stage.

"I really don't know what to say," Hunter said at length. "Aria said it all. Don't fight for joy of defeating Chronos. Fight for Incendius. It's hard to believe that the guy that had the people of Clockwork massacred and Mirecragg devastated said that is on our side but there you go. I'm not sure about any of you but just because he's going for some big, epic showdown at the end of the world against whatever the hell is down there, doesn't mean it's right to kill people just to unite the world. Fuck, couldn't he just send around a petition or something?"

A few soft laughs ran through the crowd.

"Fact is," Hunter continued, "we lost. We lost in Mirecragg we lost here in Ironfrost. It's fact. Get over it. When I look into each of your eyes, I can see that you're all thinking the same bloody thing. 'He's got the power of a demigod behind him and he's got the omniscience of a real god. How can we beat him?'"

That summed up Aria's emotions fairly well.

"Here's the bloody truth for you guys," Hunter shouted, his voice rising, "he doesn't have plans. He just makes us think he does!"

Aria's eyes lifted at the use of one of Harm's most well-used quotes.

"He's adaptive. I bet he wasn't counting on Titus incinerating everyone with beam cannon fire. That's why he resurrected everyone. You heard how he admitted he wasn't expecting the Lupus to rebel against Leandros! Hell, I'm even willing to wager in Mirecragg, he wasn't expecting Elena or Smallfang to be separated from the group and that's why he brought them to us! Think about it, where would all his power over Leandros be if Smallfang had died in Mirecragg with the rest of his explosive lightshow?"

That... That was very true. Bringing Smallfang to Leandros had been a crux to Chronos' pull against the Lupus King! The more she thought about it, the more Aria began to see the multitude of corrections Harm had been making throughout their journey.

In Clockwork, Harm had led Hunter and Elena back to the survivors. He had eliminated the Vampiri entirely by himself. He told them in Mirecragg that they had been failures. In Mirecragg, he had led Elena and Smallfang to the only place in the city safe from the explosions.

"We've got to stop being reactive to his plans!" Hunter shouted, his voice carrying across the bridge. "We're going along with whatever he says and when he unveils some grand plan of his or flexes his puny muscles, we go all jelly-legged and fall to our knees begging for mercy. Well let me tell you, he's got no muscles! These are muscles!" Hunter flexed his broad, watermelon-sized biceps, his pecs bulging through his ripped shirt. That small sign of bravado brought a bright laugh.

Grinning now, Hunter said, "He wants us to go to Corona to try and bring the Church into the fray. Well, this is what I say to that."

Hunter turned around, pushing aside the captain's chair and occupying the Malicious Spear's command console. He began typing. Aria lifted an eyebrow, wondering what he was doing. Then, she saw the words 'Self-destruct sequence' flash on the screen.

"Hunter!"

A loud, mechanical voice boomed out from all around them_. "Self-destruct sequence initiated. One minute to detonation."_

For a whole five seconds, everyone just stood around, horrified at the flashing red lights and the countdown flashing on each of the screens. When the voice reminded them again that they only had fifty-five seconds left, even Titus shoved Hunter aside and started typing on the console.

"What the hell!?" Eton roared.

"He wants us to take this ship to Corona?" Hunter shouted, beaming proudly. "Well, screw him! Tynvandar is going to be at Mirecragg in about two weeks. I say, take a boat upstream, stop by Clockwork and then travel straight to Mirecragg! We'll be there in time!"

Ford pushed past Hunter alongside Serena. They fought against Titus, trying to pull the Chronomancer back. All three of them crashed against the console, smashing the screen and the keyboard. "Gah! Get off you, time-bending freak!"

"You first!" Titus snarled.

Around them, Ophelia was dancing happily. "Forty-nine, forty-eight, forty-seven! Yay!" she chanted cheerily.

"Oh... Uh..." Hunter began, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I was sort of caught in the moment... Sorry..."

Aria strangely found herself... amused. Admittedly, it was a brash action and one that actually filled her with dread considering an explosion of the gunboat would be devastating. However, this little act of defiance filled her with hope. Chronos had programmed the ship to take them straight to Corona. He had fixed it so that it would be their 'carriage'.

And Hunter just destroyed it.

"Leave it," she said, sweeping towards the door. "Let us go."

As the counter reached thirty seconds, the entire group was hurriedly leaving the small ship. By the time it reached twenty, they outside and bolting down the street. Ophelia began the ominous countdown from ten by the time they were a block away.

"Seven," the Vulpunus exclaimed. "Six! Five! Four! Three! Two!"

BOOM!

Ophelia giggled. "Whoopsie! I lost count!"

The world quaked violently. The Malicious Spear erupted, throwing fiery debris and huge metal chunks in all directions. A powerful shockwave ripped through Ironfrost, tearing homes and buildings clear off their foundations. Luckily, Aria and the rest of the team were far enough that they were merely thrown to the ground. A gargantuan plume of fiery smoke rose into the air.

Strangely, Aria found herself laughing. It felt odd to be genuinely laughing. Her memories went back to the moment when she had stabbed Gungnir into the ground alongside the Valours of the others. Hunter - despite his short-sightedness - had an uplifting effect on people. He dragged everyone from the troubles of their past and the dread of the future and made them focus on the immediate present.

That left her strangely... happy.

"That has got to be the most stupid thing you've ever done!" Eton half-roared, half-laughed. He seized Hunter playfully, holding the Wulfun tightly against his chest. Aria watched the Wulfun get caught in a headlock which he didn't even try to struggle against. She was aware of the effect her bright mood had on everyone else. The near-hysterical laughter she gave off uplifted the hearts of those around her, making them forget of their near-death experience at the paws of one of their own.

"I'm sure he will do something stupider," Elena giggled, nudging Eton. "Lucky you to be his boyfriend."

Aria let them enjoy the relief of escaping an abrupt end to their lives and turned back towards the debris. There was no denying it had been a briefly harrowing experience but it was also quite symbolic. Hunter had destroyed the leash that had been keeping them under Chronos' power.

They were still going to go to Corona... but this time, on their own terms.

For that... she was grateful.

*****

They had found a boat on one of Ironfrost's harbours that was capable of taking them to Clockwork. It was a broad steam powered ship that required little maintenance as Titus used Chronomancy to keep the engine perpetually running. Hunter didn't even try to consider the science behind it all if it could be called 'science'.

The Sun Spire had dimmed by the time they were a quarter of the way to Clockwork. It was certainly slower than taking a starship but faster than riding. It would take them four whole days to get there and that was with Titus' powers to accelerate the movement of the ship. He said he couldn't accelerate it any further or the boat would break apart.

Hunter, for one, enjoyed the moment to take a breath and just come to terms with all that had happened. A thousand thoughts were milling about his head. Eton choosing him was more prevalent of them all but there was also the question of Chronos' motives, his power and the true evil beyond Chillfarn. Lastly, there was the thought of the secret he was keeping from the others... that Shinniah was Apollia and Apollia was Adramalech's daughter.

He knew Titus would never get any help from Apollia. She was working with Chronos and thus Adramalech. Was it just a ploy to keep the Chronomancer on a leash or some sentimentality over having been in the same shoes as Goatex? He wasn't entirely sure.

Also, what was he to do about Shinniah's request concerning the Scorium Axis? How was he going to go tell the others about that piece of information? In fact, what was he going to do about it? Was he going to do as Shinniah suggested and destroy the source of all light on Incendius?

And what of Chronos' cryptic message to ask Dorthango about the 'Farmer's Archives'? What did that mean?

Suddenly, his relationship with Eton seemed to... minor compared to the rest of his problems.

I need to relieve some stress.

Hunter turned away from the bow of the ship. With the boat being a simple two storey boat, it was easy to catch the pine and hazelnut scent of Eton as the Lupus sat around the mess hall underneath deck. Smallfang and Moonclaw were with him and it looked like they all had mugs of a strong-smelling alcohol and a pitcher of the stuff between them. Compared to the other two Lupus, it was strange to see Eton being the smallest.

"Ah, the wolf of the hour!" Eton exclaimed, hoisting his mug. "We were just talking about how you nearly killed us all!"

Hunter sat down amongst them, pulling a spare mug to himself. "In my defence, it was ridiculously easy to start the self-destruct sequence on old ships so ultimately, I was doing everyone a favour." He first carefully regarded the alcohol being served. Thankfully, it wasn't Lupus Chilled Fire. After pouring himself a little, he gazed from face to face.

Moonclaw still seemed terribly awkward around them all. It was clear he wasn't used to be a Lupus quite yet but from the fact that he was so big meant that he must've taken advantage of the Alpha Protocol. Smallfang was still ill-at-ease, looking more reserved than he had before and putting on a brave face. Despite his strong smile, there was a weight at the edges of his lips that kept pulling his smile to a frown when he thought no one was looking. Only Eton seemed to be comfortable with them all, lounging back with one arm over the back of the chair and his mug of beer in the other paw.

"Hey, Moonclaw," Hunter began. "When you changed, did you immediately get that big? Seriously, you're huge!"

The former mayor of Clockwork smiled back faintly and shook his head. "Sadly no. When I changed I was no bigger than yourself." The enormous Lupus leaned back in his seat, causing the wooden chair to creak loudly. "Chronos tore a rip through space and took me to Chillfarn which is already completely loyal to him by the time we met. A shaman there turned me and they scoffed at how small I was. I was actually physically abused and nearly raped..." Moonclaw shuddered but there was a smile on his muzzle. "I was never one to truly be in touch with my masculine side... That is I preferred to use my words and my mind to win the day than brute strength. Being a Lupus, let alone an Alpha... it changes things. That day, I felt so weak..."

Hunter recalled his first time on the Lasting Armageddon as an average Wulfun fresh out of boot camp and bright-eyed, ready for his first assignment. All the other grunts treated him with thinly veiled contempt and hostility. It took joining in with their sexual escapades to be accepted. He could sympathise with Moonclaw's predicament.

"That's us Lupus for you," Eton chuckled. "Outside of battle, we think with our cocks. Am I right, Smallfang?"

The prince shook his head. "I was raised by my mother and hundreds of handmaidens. Etiquette has always been my sword. That does lead to repressed hormones though. A reason why I almost engaged your boyfriend in the carnal act of sex." He flicked an ear. "I hope you're not offended."

Hunter's tail fluffed out.

Crap! I forgot to tell Eton about that!

Oddly enough, Eton grinned broadly. "I can't blame you! That piece of ass? Any wonder I hit on it the first time I saw it?" He winked at Hunter, settling the latter's thoughts.

Desperate the change the subject, Hunter turned back to Moonclaw. "You said you were almost raped. What happened?"

"Chronos," answered Moonclaw with that awed reverence that he held whenever he spoke about the Chronomancer. "He intervened. Many of the Lupus were already contemplating rebellion after they learned the Warden was under Chronos' commands but when they almost tore me to shreds, Chronos intervened. He fought them all in paw-to-paw combat. No Chronomancy. No weapons." The huge Lupus shook his head in awe. "If you could see how he fought... It was like he would switch personalities in the blink of an eye. One moment, he was deflecting an opponent's blows by guiding charging fists away from his body. Then he would leap at his foe, cradle the opponent's head in his thighs, force them both to collapse and then beat the guy's head in with his fists. He was..."

Moonclaw rolled his tongue in his muzzle, searching for the word.

"Adaptive?" Hunter offered.

"Yes. He was adaptive. Hard to predict. Even when ten foes came rushing at him all at once, he bounced from one to the other at lightning speed. Sometimes, his moves would be dance-like. Then it would switch to brutal kicks and punches. At one point, he jabbed his fingers into the spine of a foe and sent them crashing to the ground, paralysed. All the while, he kept that smile of his."

"Tanar told me that smile is meaningless," Hunter said. "He was Time Locked like that. It's when he changes from that smile that you should be worried. Like when he fought Titus. Did you see that he wasn't smiling?"

The mood suddenly fell. Hunter realised his mistake at bringing up the manipulative Chronomancer that had seen them all twisted and tugged in one way, shape or form.

"So how'd you get so big?" he quickly asked. "You said you were pretty much my size when you started. No way you could've gotten that huge in three months!"

"That was Chronos again," Moonclaw murmured depressingly. "When he took me to the rebel camp, I announced myself as Commander Moonclaw but no one would believe me. I had to challenge the various leads of the rebellion in hand-to-hand combat to earn my right as their alpha. I had never fought in a serious battle before. I was scared out of my mind but Chronos stood there like my guardian angel. When I entered the ring, he would pause time and give me time to move around and strike my opponent. My blows were always so weak but he would use his Chronomancy to increase my power."

"So you cheated," Eton stated, one eyebrow lifted.

"At first. But then... Well, after the first few wins, I started earning followers. Lupus began seeing me as their alpha and with the Alpha Protocol, there was a rush of power. I... I cannot describe it. It's like the feeling of having hot iron pumped into your body. Testosterone and this urge to dominate someone just floods your mind and you can't help but howl." He laughed softly, ducking his head and resting it on his big paws. "I don't know how my daughter could possibly see a monster like me as a father figure... I am indeed very lucky."

_That's a step in the right direction. _

"After a while," Moonclaw continued, "I didn't need Chronos anymore. My body just took control and I instantly knew how to use my claws, fangs and my muscles. I've never felt so alive before... and it's sad because I've also never felt so... inhuman."

"Welcome to the world of nonhumans," Eton said. There was a hint of bitterness in his voice but it passed quickly as he took a drink from his mug. He set it down with a loud slam on the table. "Okay, this is getting depressing. Let's talk about something else?"

If that's not a perfect lead I don't know what is...

"Anyone want to talk about -"

"Hey, Smallfang, you're still a virgin, aren't you?" Eton interrupted suddenly.

Smallfang's eyes widened before he blushed beneath his brown and white fur. "Oh... I suppose I am... yes..."

Eton's predatory grin made the Lupus prince shrink backwards. "Never met a virgin Lupus before. Been on Paladin duty too long and when I do come back, all the newbies are taken." He winked at Hunter. "Hey babe, you feel like popping a cherry?"

"What!?" he and Smallfang exclaimed in unison.

Hunter followed up with, "Are you drunk?"

"Little bit," Eton replied. Hunter realised his boyfriend was leaning against the chair out of necessity and not by choice. "Right now though, I really need to fuck. Haven't had an orgy in a while. Moonclaw, wanna join us?"

Hunter blinked. "W - Wait, I didn't consent!"

"Are you copping out?"

Hunter vaguely wondered what it would be like to be sandwiched between four enormous Lupus. The imagery made his cock stir but at the same time, his heart sank. "Eton, as hot that sounds, come on... Smallfang and Moonclaw -"

"I must put a good impression on my daughter," Moonclaw said, smiling faintly. "So I will have to respectfully decline."

"I still got you hard," Eton replied with a smirk. "Doors open if you change your mind." He hiked his chin at Smallfang. "What about you, Your Highness?"

Smallfang's ears folded back. "Do not call me that."

Great. That means he won't -

"But... I am curious," continued the prince. "Hunter, if you do not mind? I would..."

What!? Crap!

Suddenly, all eyes were on him and a heavy pressure fell on his chest. In his mind, he had always envisioned his relationships to be entirely monogamous. There were no grey areas where he would have a threesome with a good friend. It was always him and his boyfriend. No one else. Looking at the Lupus, he realised his vision of boyfriends did not include Lupus.

Was this how things were going to be with him and Eton? Would his boyfriend invite random guys over and they'd have threesomes every second day? What would happen if one 'fling' was better in the sack than he was? Would Eton just jump boat and go for the guy with the bigger pole?

"Sure," he answered in a panic. "Let me just hit the bathroom. You want cum in your ass, not piss."

He was halfway out of his seat by the time he had realised what he had said and began mentally kicking himself for that comment. Completely forgetting that the toilet was deeper into the hold and not on the deck, he bolted back up to the deck and put as much distance between himself, Eton and Smallfang as possible.

The stern of the ship provided sanctuary as well as a gentle roaring of the engine that distracted him and kept his mind on a single track. As his mind cleared, he realised he was hyperventilating. He forced a calm onto himself, struggling to keep the thoughts of mass orgies with his boyfriend and fighting the disgust that bubbled up in his stomach. He knew Eton had slept around but the thought of sleeping with multiple people just... it just horrified him.

And the horror he felt horrified him even more.

"I know that look."

He nearly jumped the railings in horror at the sound of the deep rumble. Tanar padded over to him, Andy close by and smiling brightly, notepad in paw.

"You're overthinking something, aren't you?" Tanar asked. "What is it this time? Did someone make a comment about you nearly killing all of us and now you are stressing about how you could have screwed up more than one life?"

"No but now I am!"

Tanar rolled his eyes and propped himself up on the railings beside Hunter. "One problem at a time, then. What has you stressed out this time?"

Hunter wondered about telling Tanar and Andy about his hesitation at sleeping with Eton and another man. However, it didn't feel right... at least not with Andy there. He shuffled through the topics that were plaguing his mind.

"The Farmer's Archives," he muttered. "Am I the only one that's bothered about what it could contain?"

"Not in the slightest!" answered Andy brightly. Tanar let out a very loud, very exasperated sigh. The combination of the Leomian's cheeriness and Tanar's weariness caused one of Hunter's eyebrows to rise. This was quickly followed by the other and his jaw slowly opening.

"Holy shit! You already know!"

The Leomian grinned broadly. "Harm isn't the only one that can traverse time and space instantaneously, you know!" As if to highlight his point, he brushed the shoulder where Celestial Crime sat. "The moment he mentioned it, I went back to Corona using Celestial Crime's ability. Took me a few hours but I got there. I snuck into the holy archives and found the documents Harm mentioned."

Suddenly very afraid of what could come next, Hunter asked, "And...? What did they contain?"

"They pretty much confirm what Harm already claimed. The 'Darkened' as we know them were merely the natives of Incendius. The Church arrived to colonise Incendius and at first there was peace as the natives welcomed the outsiders. However, sometime after first contact, a Church official killed a native Incendian and things just escalated from there.

"It outlines the creation of the Brave Farmer's sword, Bloodfyre. There are two formulas for the blade. One claims that the weapon could be made entirely out of Red Adamantine and various other components including the blood of demon, the tears of an angel and the conflicting souls of the four major Draconis families of Incendius. In reality, the Brave Farmer already had the blade and he used these components to reinforce the might of the weapon."

"Sounds like a bloody unholy blade to me," Hunter grunted.

"It was," Tanar responded. "The Bloodfyre Incident five hundred years ago was the attempt of one misguided Paladin to create the sword to wipe out the Darkened once and for all. Unfortunately, the blade was incomplete and imperfect. It required constant sacrifice to keep it powered. It needed to devour lives to maintain its strength. Imagine the might of the true weapon."

Andy nodded and began flipping through his notebook. "The Archives state that the Brave Farmer used Bloodfyre to push back the Darkened and at the same time, an internal rebellion inside the Church forces kept them from lending support. From what is written, a Paladin went rogue within the fleets with a few others and they devastated the ships before they could lend support. This led to the Brave Farmer's desperation at the Concave of Shadows where he called upon the Sun Goddess to obliterate the Darkened civilisation."

"Great job he did too," Hunter murmured, well aware of the discrepancies in the so called 'archives'. It seemed revealing Shinniah's secret wouldn't be as easy as just letting Andy tell everyone the truth.

"It goes on," Andy continued, turning a page. "Chillfarn was created not solely as a means to keep the Darkened out but also to keep what they call the 'Shadows' in. The Church is well aware of this monstrous corruption that has been eating away at the Darkened people. After an attempted relief attempt went awry years after the Sunshadow War because one of the Darkened turned out to be corrupted by the Shadow, the Church simply had Chillfarn reinforced and spread the stories that the Shadows and the Darkened were the same."

"Quarantine," Tanar stated grimly. "Couldn't defeat the unknown and didn't bother to figure it out. So they damned everyone beyond Chillfarn. No questions asked. No attempts at diplomacy, no more relief attempts and no sympathy for the wronged." Tanar turned his gaze to the river, watching the waves lap behind the ship. "It's a wonder that the Darkened aren't tearing through Incendius the moment they Chronos let them in."

Hunter recalled Malfemir's calm, sad demeanour. It was the look of a man who was barely clinging onto hope and remained strong for the sake of others with little regard for himself. "They've been running from the Shadow since the Sunshadow War began. That's - what? - six, seven thousand years ago?"

"That's about right." Tanar slipped down off the railings and turned his muzzle towards the sky. Thousands of stars were in the skies. "Imagine running in fear for so long..." He flicked his tail. "Andy, tell him the real kicker."

"You mean the Church knowing full well about the Darkeneds' predicament isn't 'the kicker'?"

Shaking his head, Andy said, "Nope. It's about the Sun Spire."

Oh crap... here it comes...

Hunter held his breath.

"There was never any record of a 'Sun Goddess' before the Brave Farmer came into being," Andy said. "In Church canon, the after the Sundering, no one had even heard of the Sun Goddess until at least five hundred years after when the Chronomancers had mapped Tower Thirteen and connected it all with the Tower Express and the Church began colonising the Stations."

"So... what?" Hunter began nervously. "Are you saying the Church just concocted the lie about the Sun Goddess?"

"I have no doubt Apollia is real," Tanar answered. "Just that I doubt she is as divine as you or I. It was never directly stated but the fact that the Scorium Axis is classified as a Valour hints that the original wielder, Apollia, was just a Paladin that the Church elevated to divine status. Whether or not she truly had anything to do with the Brave Farmer is a matter of discussion."

This is it! Say it!

Tell them what you know. Tell them that Shinniah is Apollia and Apollia is a Seraph's lover-slash-daughter who constantly fed on the lives of an ancient fiery variation of the Avios race before being reincarnated as a child by the God of Time!

...

Shit that sounds crazy...

He glanced from Andy and Tanar who were looking at one another meaningfully.

Was there something more?

"What's with that look?" he asked.

"Sorry," Tanar answered. "What we know shouldn't have been repeated."

In a moment of clarity, he was able to read between the lines of Tanar's statement. "You haven't told Aria either, have you?"

Andy leaned against the railings, his back pressed against the black metal. He gazed up at the starry skies. "Aria is one of the most devout members of the Church. If we told her, it would shatter her perspective of the Church. Is it better to live justly in a lie than to exist in self-loathing knowing the truth? I really can't say. Thing is, I'm pretty sure that if we were to tell her, she'd stubbornly cling onto her perceptions of the Church until she saw it with her own two eyes."

"But won't it hurt her more when she figures out that you knew all along and didn't tell her?"

"That we knew all along," Andy corrected, ginning at him and waggling a finger at him. "And yeah, it'll hurt but she's smart enough to understand why. Besides, this'll be our burden to bear. She already has so much weight on her shoulders. For those of us that only have eighty to ninety years on this world and probably only seventy of those with full control of our mental faculties, we must take as much of the load from those that are cursed with long life. They remember so much more and carry much more guilt than we do."

Hunter mulled over those words. Andy and Tanar were burdened with their own problems, it seemed and they showed enough consideration not to include Hunter in its entirety. Was it fair if he unloaded on them and dragged them into the whirlpool of problems one he was privy to?

But was there any shame in asking for help?

"That's really nice of you but I'd like to point out that there's enough bullshit in the world as is. If you need any help shovelling it out of the driveway, you know who to call."

"We appreciate the gesture," Tanar replied with a chuckle. "And the same goes for you. If you're burdened by anything, we'll be happy to carry the weight."

It was a little funny that they were offering aid to one another. By the look in Tanar's eyes, the Dire Wolf knew something else was bugging Hunter. At the same time, neither of them were going to share what was truly bothering them.

Hunter patted the railings lightly with his paw. "Well, if you'll excuse me, my heart is somewhat set at ease. Now, I've got a threesome to attend." He straightened, knowing full well he wasn't going to go down into the hold just quite yet. "Hey, Andy, I'm curious... if you can traverse time and space like Chronos, why don't you just bring us all to Corona and save us the weeks of riding?"

Andy grinned broadly. "When you're travelling in the space between space with me, you need to really stick close to me. It's hard to navigate in that place even for me. I think for Chronos, he connects to points in space and crosses the gap. With me, there's like this parallel, shortcut dimension I enter. From there, I can tear more holes that leads me to other places. But without me... it's really hard to navigate. You could get lost forever."

He shuddered at the thought. "I'll keep that in mind. Later."

Tanar and Andy were not the people to be talking to about his social life. Well, at least not with Andy around. The last thing he wanted was for his whining and inner thoughts to be published. Paws shoved into the pockets of his jeans, he wandered across to the bow of the ship. He was surprised to find Elena and Aria there. Elena was sitting on the very edge of the boat, one hand against the side of her head as she kept the hair from her eyes. Aria leaned on the railings nearby, a respectable distance between them.

He approached cautiously, curious to hear what they were discussing. To his surprise, they were utterly silent and just staring out into the darkness quietly.

"Girl's night out version two?" he asked, catching their attention.

"It was my idea to hit a bar last girls' night," Elena replied. "This time, it is Lady Valkyrie's."

Hunter leaned on the railings between Aria and Elena. "So you're sitting here staring at the thousands of lights the Church Warships make in the night sky that constant remind us we're just one more mistake away from a Station-wide purge?"

Aria allowed herself a soft laugh. "It helps put our situation into perspective. On the one hand, we have the Church preparing for a devastating war and on the other, we have Harm gathering Incendians against an enemy we cannot possibly comprehend."

You mean you can't... The Church already knows... and so does Andy and Tanar.

He glanced over his shoulder, gazing back towards the stern. Though it went unsaid, Hunter knew he couldn't shatter Aria's reality of the Church. He suspected she already knew of the Church's lies and deception but she firmly believed that it was for the betterment of the world. In some way, he could see the logic in some of the things the Church had done. Not all of it. But there were merits there.

"We're one mistake from condemning countless lives to a second Sunshadow War," Hunter said. "That's a hell of a responsibility." He saw an opportunity to bring up his own problems. "How do you deal with that? How do you fix a problem that has come back up again from the past after you've spent so long trying to forget it?"

"I sincerely doubt this is the same situation as the Sunshadow War," Elena responded. "Lady Valkyrie was just being dramatic."

"Are you sure? Big evil darkness beyond Chillfarn. Heroic figure gathering all the armies of Incendius under a single banner to combat them. Church hovering overhead doing nothing. Sounds pretty much the same to me."

Add into the mix how both 'heroic figures' are doing their gathering using unconventional means...

"Well, I'd think we'd learned some lessons since then." Elena swung her feet around the railings so that she was now facing Hunter and Aria. "During that age, Incendius was driven by hatred and fear so we gathered under the banner of a figure who was brave and strong, someone who could lead us to salvation because we knew, no matter our numbers, we could never stand strong on our own. But today, as you taught us Hunter, we can stand on our two feet. We can make the choice to follow him or we can run parallel to him. Same goal but for our own purposes."

"I did that?"

"And nearly killed us in the process," she laughed brightly. "The same mistakes and problems may be rearing their ugly heads once more but we're wiser from past experiences. At the very least, how many people can claim to have had a second chance at a problem?"

Hunter smiled at her, comforted by those words. "But can we truly claim to know everything that's going on here when the Brave Farmer is allied with our enemy?"

"Allied or enslaved," Aria answered grimly. "I cannot tell. Our answers will come from Corona. However, we are in no rush to get there." She smiled at Hunter, eyes bright. They were vastly different from when they had first met. "Harm has plotted this for the past five hundred years? Well, he can wait a little longer."

That made him snicker and turn back towards their goal, the distant, dimly shining Sun Spire. It felt so distant and at the same time, he could feel its warmth gently caressing his fur. From where he stood, the river seemed like a single road to the tower. The waters seemed so calm but he knew it hid dangers and the road before them was far from straight. A quick glance at the sky and he imagined the Malicious Spear carving a path through the skies towards the Sun Spire; another road that could have been open to them. But it wasn't a road he made; it was one Chronos set out for them. Though their goal would be the same, their journey would be different.

And that was something Chronos could never take away from them.

"My fate is my own," he said aloud. He lifted his paw, reaching for the distant, shining tower. "The only person I will become is the person I choose to be."

Beside him, Elena reached for the Sun Spire as well, a distant smile on her face. "The roads I take may be hard and filled with peril but they are my burdens to bear. And I am never alone in my journey."

Aria straightened and lifted her hand as well, a brilliant smile on her face. "I have others who will aid in clearing the treacherous road. I have their hands to catch me when I fall, their strength to add to mine and their voices to shout and sing alongside mine."

"Any mistakes I make are my own," Hunter concluded with a nod. "I will own them. Then I will move on. But..." He glanced from Elena to Aria. Both gave him a firm nod. "And then I will learn from them.

"Own it," he said.

"Let it go," Elena added.

"Learn," Aria finished.

*****

Clockwork had not changed much since the last time they had been to the city. Repairs were still underway but almost complete. Trade was flowing back and forth from the city. News had reached the current mayor's ears about the events in Ironfrost. Newly arrived citizenry had started to evacuate once again and those that stayed were quickly building defences around the city. Rudimentary militia training was being provided as well.

Members of the Vox de Sole had arrived in the city and began setting up rallies that quickly gained momentum. They preyed on the Church's inactivity during the Lupus' plight. Slowly, they began urging the populace to lend aid to the Lupus and Vampiri, turning their back to the Church who was forsaking them. The message of the coming Sunrise Festival was quickly drowned in misery and easily outed as vain attempt to unite a crumbling Station.

"Parasites, the lot of them," rumbled Moonclaw as they disembarked from their borrowed ship. The Vox de Sole were all over the docks of Clockwork, making their opinions heard. It was a little disheartening to see so many people listening to them.

"They're probably part of Chronos' plan," Aria replied. "It will make our path to convincing the Church to aid him easier. If the people are protesting for action, the Church will be pressured into action. When he come flying in with the solution, they will pounce upon it." She closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh. "Always one step ahead."

Hunter place a paw on her shoulder, shaking it lightly. "Yeah but doesn't mean we have to follow his footsteps, right? Come on, there's one place I really want to visit." He peered past her at Titus. "And you're coming with."

The Goatex frowned. "And what could you possibly have planned for me?"

"There's a clock I want stopped."

"Do you mean that metaphorically or literally?"

Hunter grinned. "Little bit of both." He glanced over at the rest of the group. "Anyone else want to come?"

Eton glanced around and sniffed the air. "Been a while since I've been here. I seem to recall there are some brothels to the east. You sure you'd rather not come over there with me, hun?"

Hunter realised he had yet to address the idea of having group sex with Eton. His heart was somewhat settled at the knowledge of the Farmer's Archives but what about Shinniah's allegiance and him and Eton?

"This is kind of important," Hunter replied, hiking a thumb towards the big clock at the centre of the city.

Eton shrugged dismissively. "Alright." He winked at Smallfang. "Up for a repeat of last night, Your Highness?"

"Don't call me that," growled the Lupus prince. "And I am still coming to terms with the experience. Give me a few hours."

"Guess I'm going stud then!" He turned towards the east and strode proudly away. "Join me when you can, okay Hunter?"

Amazed at just how... open Eton was about his sexuality and the fact that as a Paladin, he was so blatant about sex, Hunter could only shake his head and gaze with muzzle half open.

Ford just gave him a helpless shrug in reply. "I don't know what came over him recently. Maybe it was returning to Ironfrost. Whatever the case, Ophelia and I would like to accompany you." He wrapped an arm around his happily smiling sister who was trying to blow bubbles out of her saliva. "Isn't that right, Ophelia?" His sister merely giggled.

"Serena?"

Eton's ex smile in return. "Sure. That sounds like fun."

Turning next to Andy and Tanar, he gave them a raised eyebrow to wait for their reply.

"I heard that this place was the epicentre of the Burning Rebellion," Andy said. "I want to check out the local libraries and see their records."

"I need to babysit," rumbled Tanar.

Moonclaw smiled down at his daughter. "I would like to show you someplace very special to our family, Elena. Would you mind?"

Elena smiled brightly back up at him. "Daddy, I would be honoured."

With that, they all went their different ways with Hunter leading the way through the winding streets of Clockwork. The streets were full of activity but it was not the hustle and bustle of a city blissfully going about its business. War was on the horizon and Clockwork was reading itself appropriately.

He could still remember all the bloodstains and horrific scenes of corrupt Vampiri being crucified were still fresh in his mind. They passed the hotel he had stayed in and recalled the father he had killed coupled with the kids he had inadvertently killed returned. Instead of a crippling depression, he instead felt the immense strength to push on.

He paused for a moment in front of the hotel. It was closed but he could still imagine the first time he had passed through its doors thinking he was going to have a great time on his vacation. While the others passed him, he made a silent promise.

I made a mistake.

But I'm a better wolf for it.

I don't know if it's appropriate to thank you for that... But I couldn't have become who I am without having killed you. Bizarre as that sounds.

Thank you.

He left the memories behind him, taking their lessons to heart and striving never to forget them either. Alongside Aria and the others, he strode down the same street where he had left in a huff after a discussion with Andy and Tanar. The same plaza where he had first met Harm Chronos came into view. The shops and cafés that were open were now boarded shut. The clock tower stood alone and abandoned, still ticking away since the day when Hunter found himself dragged into this mess.

Titus stared wide-eyed at the slowly moving hands of the clock. "I remember this... that clock should not be moving. It was Time Locked."

"Well, it's running now," Hunter said, stepping up beside the Chronomancer. "Now we're going to stop it again."

He was given incredulous looks.

"Whatever for?" Titus asked.

Hunter smiled and folded his arms. "The day that Clockwork went to hell, I met Harm Chronos who spoke some crazy shit to me. The moment he finished, that clock began moving and the corrupted Vampiri attacked. I have this feeling that making that clock work again was something Chronos wanted. Maybe it's symbolic of the changing times or him breaking Incendius apart. I don't give a shit. I just want that damn thing to stop ticking."

The Goatex sighed heavily and shook his head. "That is the most idiotic, half-baked idea I have ever heard. What purpose does it serve? Why expend the energy?"

"Because it'll make me feel better? Because doing so will feel like we can stop Chronos? Because from my perspective, people around here grew up never to hear that clock ring and the moment they did, people died and I don't think they need to be reminded of that. Take your pick. You going to help me or not?"

"You realise it takes twelve fully-fledged Chronomanceres to Time Lock any person. I never learned the technique to Time Lock. It was far too complex for my understanding. Furthermore, I see no purpose in this exercise save for pointless vandalism."

Hunter reached into his pocket and fished out Zero Hour. He tossed the weapon into the air before catching the watch again. He announced its activation phrase and the golden sword and gauntlet sprang to life.

"You know what? You're absolutely right and since you're not going to help... onto Plan B."

He stepped up to the clock tower to the surprise of those around him. Smallfang and Aria sat back and watched with amused smiles as he swung his sword at the clock tower's walls. The golden blade sliced cleanly through the stone bricks. Each slab cut by the weapon dissipated into black dust, disappearing into the flows of time a second later. Since the other slabs were unconnected save by cement, Hunter had to swing again to continue eating away at the clock tower.

With each swing, he felt a strange rush of defiance and release flood him. Chronos had freed this monument from its Time Locked state for some reason. Well, in a few moments, it would be nothing but black dust.

They had defied the Chronomancer by destroying the Malicious Spear.

And now, he was going to work to destroy everything Chronos had built.

My path is my own.

The mistakes I've made I own.

And the lessons I learn are mine to keep.

You can't change that! I'm done living in your shadow!

And if things turn out even worth because of your plans, I'm not going to take the blame for that! I can't live my life fearing what you might do!

If you kill people because I decided to go a different direction, that's on you_!_

He swung again and the clock tower began to groan threateningly. A local emerged from one of the streets and demanded to ask what they were doing. Before Hunter to could explain, Aria stepped up and told the man that it was official Church-related business. Seeing her two pauldrons, the citizen just bowed and hurried away.

"Would you mind if I gave it a try?" she asked, holding out her hand.

Hunter grinned broadly and gave her Zero Hour's blade. She was grinning almost maniacally as she swung the weapon at the clock tower. Her laughter was filled with relief and enjoyment, strange as it was.

"Smallfang," she said simply.

The Lupus prince stepped up and regarded the golden blade. His eyes lifted towards the teetering clock tower and his grip around the weapon tightened. He swung the weapon, slicing through several bricks with the one swipe. As the bricks began to dissipate into a cloud of black dust, a smile crossed his features. He swung again, this time with much more fervour.

The clock tower began to lean precariously. A large section of its flank had been eaten away but somehow, it clung on stubbornly. Hunter moved towards another wall when a hand stopped him.

"Same goal, different path, eh?" Titus asked. "Mind if I have a go?"

Hunter grinned and handed him the weapon. "Just don't touch the blade itself. It's a killer."

"I got that, thanks."

Titus moved to the intact wall and swung Zero Hour several times. The golden blade sliced through the wall so easily. Within moments, the entire wall began crumbling into black dust. With all the weight placed on the one wall, the clock tower suddenly groaned and began to topple forward. The entire group stepped away from the toppling tower. Stone blocks, ancient machinery and perfectly preserved wood all broke and shattered, falling to the ground in a tremendous sight that could be heard all across Clockwork.

Boom!

The clanging of the gears and metal parts of the clock hitting the plaza rang in Hunter's ears, a symphony of defiance...

... and the song of their independence.

*****

The Phoenix Memorial.

It was a magical place that was blessed by the Sun Goddess. Fifty years ago, nonhumans rose up in rebellion under a mad Draconis under the name of Valk. Possessed by a demon, Valk contrived to destroy Incendius by luring the Apex Clericus Solis to Clockwork, threaten him with demonic invasion and then drive his flagship, the Sunspot into the Sun Spire. Under the false image of a peace-loving revolutionary while acting as the extremist known as the Dawn's Champion, Valk caused the death of thousands.

And those thousands had their names engraved into a bright red, flame-shaped stone in the centre of a clearing outside of Clockwork. A melodious voice sang an ancient hymn over and over again in loop while glistening, red feathers descended from the sky above only to vanish the moment they touched the ground.

"What is so important about this place, daddy?" Elena asked. "I have been here multiple times. Every year we have that remembrance day to commemorate the event and honour those that died. I would have presided over it this year if this madness had not started." Despite her words, she still spoke with a smile, almost relief. "To be honest, I was dreading the moment. I was barely able to give the speech about your disappearance and then giving the opening speech for this would've been a nightmare!"

Moonclaw didn't say anything and moved past her, striding up to the red monument. At the base of the flame was a plaque with all the names of those that had died. He didn't hesitate and just pointed at one name... a very odd name.

"Do you know why the Apex Clericus' family does not have surnames?" he asked.

"If I recall correctly, after the Ki'nerth family died during the Bloodfyre Incident, the current family took over. They have a list of names that are utterly unique and they actually patented. They have no need for surnames because theirs is the only name in existence."

"Correct. There is only one Tynvandar as there was only one Novallier." Moonclaw sighed heavily and ran his clawed finger over the name. "As there was only one Yulanda."

Elena frowned deeply. "Yulanda. Tynvandar's older sister who died during the Burning Rebellion." She gaze at the memorial thoughtfully. "If I recall correctly, the Rebellion ran along the same lines as what the Vox de Sole are protesting about. The Church is apparently geared towards human supremacists and the end result was demons capitalising on that turmoil to nearly assassinate the Apex Clericus Solis. Lady Valkyrie saved the Apex Clericus while a small team of brave individuals ventured into the corrupted ships and killed the demons but died in the process when the Sunspot crashed into Incendius."

She beamed brightly as a feather landed on her open palm. There was a moment where she could feel its gentle edges tickle her skin before it vanished. "I heard the Sun Goddess intervened and actually preserved the Sunspot, saving it from harm. Though the people inside died. Yulanda included."

"She did not die, Elena." Moonclaw, turned his eyes towards her, a soft smile on his features. "She lived."

Inspiration struck her and she laughed softly. "Please tell me this is not the time you tell me that my mother was actually the Yulanda that faked her death?" Moonclaw was silent, just regarding her with strangely serene eyes. Elena angled her head away from him slowly. "You must be joking."

"Your mother always wanted to be free," Moonclaw said. "She despised the rank thrust upon her by birth. She was also chosen by the Mother Goddess to possess a Valour but her father, Novallier, forbade her from becoming a Paladin so she could take his place. She found it unfair and almost heretical to be chosen by the most divine being in our world and be confined to attending court. When the Burning Rebellion occurred, she saw her opportunity and joined the others who fought against the Demon Lord Agares. She faked her death and ran into the world to be free."

Moonclaw sat on the edge of the memorial, his enormous legs easily touching the ground. When Elena sat down beside him, her legs dangled off the edge.

"When she reached middle age," her father continued, "your mother had travelled all over Incendius, visited other Stations and, as she put it, had her fill and she wanted to settle down with a family. She returned here, to Clockwork, and we met at a bar where I was a drunken mess and she whipped me into shape. We fell in love. We had you. Then she died, happy to have heralded you into this world."

"One moment," Elena said, lifting her hands. "I was adopted. Are you saying that you had an affair with Yulanda - my mother - while you were married to another woman?"

Moonclaw shook his head. "No, Elena. You are my daughter. You are Yulanda's. The mother I told you about is Yulanda. The person I was married to always was Yulanda." He let out a ragged sigh. "In fear of anyone ever discovering that you are technically heir to the throne of the Apex Clericus Solis, we concocted this lie about your adoption. We burned all proof of our life together save for one picture that we kept in a locket and gave to you. Before your mother died due to illness, we took that picture."

Elena took a moment to digest all the facts. Some part of her regretted having let go of that locket and having handed it to Hunter. However, she knew it would feel like a dead weight around her neck and just dismissed the thought.

For a long time, she had lived with the fact that she was adopted. It was something she accepted and had let go of the stigma around it. Regardless, she had continued to strive to be stronger and to prove herself worthy of her father's love and affection. The revelation that her father had always loved her but was just so busy and obsessed with his work - with bettering Incendius - was a surprising blow but it was cushioned by the fact that he had always loved her. She saw that in the small gestures he allowed her; those camping trips to the clearing in the middle of the woods where they would spar away from prying eyes, giving her a sword; all actions that said he was proud of her even if she kept trying to make him say it aloud.

Now... the mother that she had never known, that she had accepted was dead, was - in fact - the sister of the current Apex Clericus Solis, making her next in line for the throne as Tynvandar had yet to sire a child. Learning of her mother's wanderlust and her adventures just made her smile. That break, however, loosened the dams holding back the tears that had been gathering and twin droplets rolled down her cheeks.

"I am speechless," she admitted, laughing softly. "I... I would never have guessed..."

"Your mother would be proud of you," Moonclaw said. "As am I."

She turned to him, amazed at those words. His big paw rested on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. "I am proud of you, Elena. I always have been. Seeing you grow up into the strong, brave young woman you are now... I see so much of your mother in you."

Suddenly, Moonclaw's ears perked and he spun, fangs bared.

Not too far away, Andy and Tanar were standing at the edge of the memorial area. Andy had a book under his arm. Both were giving them soft smiles.

"How long have you two been standing there?" growled Moonclaw.

"Long enough," answered Tanar, padding forward. "You must realise, of course, that as Paladins, it is our duty to report Elena's true heritage to the authorities."

Strangely, Elena was not afraid. Just the way they were smiling eased her heart. "You knew, didn't you?"

Andy chuckled and shook his head lightly. "We suspected. You look a lot like Yulanda. Also, when Harm Chronos left us with the sword, Ashwing, I research it while I was in Corona. It turns out the weapon was specially forged from Stones of Eternal Fire and magically infused metal. Not very easy to make. It was forged by a Tigris who should have been died during the Burning Rebellion." Andy reached opened the book in his paws, tracing some lines across the pages. "Apparently, he was one of the few alongside Yulanda who stowed away on board the Sunspot while it was being hijacked by Agares. Records state they both died. But if one of them survived, who is to say the other didn't either?"

"Before you say anything," Tanar said, turning to Elena, "we had no idea you were Yulanda's daughter. We came here to provide you with our findings. That we walked in during your conversation was pure coincidence."

She doubted it was a coincidence at all but bringing up her suspicions when they were being so understanding did not seem very tactful.

"You know," Tanar said smiling at her gently. "Those tears are the first true emotions I have ever seen on your face since we you thought your father was dead. Even through the destruction of Mirecragg, the madness at Corona and even the revelation at Mirecragg, those tears seem truly genuine."

"Are you saying that I have been untruthful?" she asked though the smile remained on her face. They both knew what he meant but she needed to hear it.

"No. I just believe that there is such a thing as being far too connected with one's heart and emotions." The Dire Wolf plodded up the stairs to the memorial and rested a paw on the plaque. "When I look at Hunter, I see a man who has disconnected his heart from his mind. Instincts versus conscious thought. He lets his mouth run away with him while his brain struggles to catch up. For you, I see the opposite. Your mind and heart are one in the same. You are able to apply cool logic to every action, every emotion. You allow yourself a moment to grieve but then move on and let it go."

"Own it. Let it go. Learn." She recited the motto with a shake of her head. "Are you saying those words are wrong?"

"On the contrary, they are apt. But as with every rule, there will always be exceptions. Hunter doesn't abide by it utterly. But you do." Tanar tilted his head toward her. "Now the question is, who would you rather be?"

She laughed softly. Her hand rested on her father's knee. "I cannot say. I just do not cling to things too tightly. Maybe it is because I never had something to cling onto for a long period of time. Perhaps because my identity was never confirmed, I never had a foundation to stand upon. But now that I do..." She smiled at her father. "I am confused but at the same time, I feel that I am far better off where I am now than where I was before. My goal does not seem so impossible now."

Moonclaw rested his gargantuan paw on top of hers. For the first time since they had met, he did not flinch at the contact. "The fact that you tried to make the impossible possible just for your parents speaks volumes of your strength of character and your conviction." His eyes turned next to Tanar and then to Andy. "The only question that remains is what you two will say about her heritage."

Andy shrugged absently. "Who is going to believe us if we say that the supposedly dead sister of the current High Priest of the Sun had a daughter and that same daughter is the daughter of the Lupus rebel who raised hell across Incendius?"

Tanar smirked and removed his paw from the memorial. A red feather from above landed on his nose and he sneezed loudly. "Blasted miracles of faith..." Regarding the father and daughter, he said, "We won't lie. But what good is the truth when no one believes you?"

Elena reflected on Harm Chronos' own situation. He used that very fact to his advantage. It was impossible to tell what was truth or lies with him but he used that to deceive his foes. It was the same with Hunter, in his spurts of panic, he mixed fact and fiction together, making it impossible to tell whether or not he was lying. Those two were so similar but for one, it was an instinct and the other it was a conscious action. It amused her that they would be taking advantage of the same phenomenon.

She smiled and nodded happily. "Thank you, Tanar. I appreciate it."

They all suddenly looked up at the sound of a tremendous crash followed by the ringing of bells and metal. Elena turned towards the city she had safeguarded and led for what seemed like an eternity. The sky scape was missing a key component. The clock tower was missing.

"Trouble?" Moonclaw asked.

Remembering Hunter's words about stopping a clock, she shook her head. "No. Just a road being opened."