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Of Fear and Faith Ch. 1: Fly With Me

To have faith is to know fear. To look fear in the eye and say "I am not afraid", even as you're trembling to your core.

To have faith is to have wings.

Chapter I: Fly With Me

-AUGUST-

It was late Sunday evening, the setting sun casting a purple and orange hue across the sky. As I headed home from dinner, I passed by a small antique shop and saw a small silver locket in the window. It was a curious item, most likely having value once but was now rusted and old, like it had been sitting on that shelf collecting dust for several decades. That was impossible, I thought, I passed by this shop every day and had never seen this locket before.

It looked like it had a certain beauty to it so I stepped inside the shop to take a closer look. Not very many people were inside, I saw an old goat man sharing even older books with a young boy who I assumed to be his grandchild, and a fairly attractive fox lady talking to the plus-size deer woman behind the counter.

I sighed as I stepped toward the window to grab the locket. The locket was far more beautiful up close than I'd imagined it would be. It was still in good shape despite the minor rust around the edges and splotches of pink, white and gold paint, and the face of it glistened as if it were brand new. The back had a word inscribed on it, "Clementine". I thought it might be the name of the previous owner. It was no wonder no one had bought it, no one wants a locket with someone else's name on it, even if the name was really cool.

I opened the locket up and saw a picture inside, it was of a woman, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. My words couldn't even describe her beauty, it would be impossible. I knew the name on the back of the locket belonged to her. I felt a pang in my chest as I looked at her picture, a combination of butterflies in my stomach and honest to god nausea. I tried to tell myself it was just because she was the prettiest woman I'd ever seen, but I knew in my gut that was a lie.

I was quickly becoming overwhelmed by all the emotions bombarding my mind at once. I closed the locket and put it back where I found it, quickly making my way out of the small shop and rushing home, trying to forget the whole thing had happened.

As it turns out, you can't run far from destiny.

-PHENIX-

"Phenix deary!" I heard a voice call out to me as I paced through the marketplace for my morning commute. It was Miss Higgs, holding a fresh apple pie from her cart as she beckoned me.

"Yes ma'am, what can I do for you?" My voice was low and gentle, I didn't want to disturb or distract any of the customers in the market, busy haggling and bargaining for the goods they had come to buy.

To be honest, the heavenly smells of the fresh meats, produce and pastries, along with the sounds of people passionately arguing over the best prices for said goods was the reason I always came by here in the morning. Not a single place in Gnosis was as bustling as this market was in the middle of the morning and I loved being around all these spirited people, even if I hardly socialized with them myself.

"I heard about you and Alexis." The kind old cat lady sounded sad. "I'm so sorry." In fact, she sounded far sadder about my recent breakup even than I was.

"It's quite all right." I smiled, trying to seem as happy as possible given the circumstance. "We just weren't compatible is all."

"It's such a shame." She hung her head. "You two made such a cute couple." She handed me the pie she was holding, almost forcing it into my hands. I closed my eyes instinctively to take in its sweet scent. "I made you a pie to cheer you up." She smiled, and how could I say no to a sweet old woman's smile? Or pie.

"Well thank you very much." I bowed graciously, careful not to bang my head on the side of her small cart's roof. "But it was my fault, so maybe she deserves this pie?"

"Don't say that, sweetie." Miss Higgs' smile was as bright as ever. "I'm sure you'll find a nice girl someday, you're such a sweetheart."

"Thank you." I bowed again, the white fur on my cheeks turning bright red.

"Don't you worry about it." She gave me a playful tap on the shoulder, her old hand having far more force than I expected. "Any girl in town would be lucky to have you. Maybe you should talk to my granddaughters!" She laughed uproariously, filling the marketplace air with her boisterous energy. I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, and thanks again for the pie." I began to walk away, a genuine smile still on my face. Conversation always made me feel uplifted. "I'll see you later." We waved goodbye to each other as I left.

As I began to walk home, having gotten my fill of the market's busy energy, I started to think about my breakup. The scene played over and over again in my mind.

"Phenix, this isn't working." Alexis had said, she was always so confident and forceful, but never domineering.

"What do you mean, m'lady?" I didn't dare to look into her eyes, I never did. I didn't want to impose.

"You, Phenix." She sighed. "You're not working."

"I'm sorry?" My voice was barely more than a whimper. She sighed angrily in response, causing me to recoil for a moment, fearing I had done something wrong without realizing.

"I need a man Phenix." She stared right at me, but I averted my gaze as much as I could without losing her completely. "See, that's what I'm talking about, you're such a wimp! You need to grow a goddamned spine!"

I hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry." I murmured.

She groaned as she smacked her forehead with her palm. "This is why we will never work. Goodbye Phenix."

That was two weeks ago, and honestly, I didn't mind her breaking up with me. I really liked her, but I didn't really feel anything special towards her. I felt very similar to most of the people in my town. I was the last surviving member of a highly respected and wealthy family so many people in town adored me for that reason alone. I enjoyed the attention, but I didn't really connect personally with anyone here.

I sighed. I'd thought about this again and again, but there really wasn't anything to do about it. I had a good life. People liked me, I was never at a loss for money, and I got free pie. The only problem one could see with my life is that I couldn't hold onto a serious relationship for more than a few weeks.

But my life... just didn't feel right. I felt empty somehow, like I was existing but not really living. I kept telling myself to let it go, my life is wonderful, people would kill to be in my position. How can I be so selfish to want even more than I have?

I don't know. I guess... I just don't feel like I control my own life.

-AUGUST-

I stretched my arms above my head and yawned, waking myself from my night's rest. It was late afternoon, as it often is when I first wake.

I looked around my small bedroom. It was old, but it suited my needs just fine. The floors were wooden and old, covered in dark spots. The only items that decorated the room aside from my bed were the old dresser that was missing a knob on one shelf, and the large body mirror that was covered by a dirty sheet. The mirror would've been thrown out long ago if it hadn't been a gift from my sister, but I can't stand to look at myself in the mirror. She knew that too, I often thought she gave me the gift as a joke. That seems like something she would do.

I had my reasons for not liking my appearance, other than just not liking the person underneath, of course. My species, a canine species known as the Fionbri, tended to have brightly colored coats. Our colors represent our personality, making us open books to anyone sensitive enough to spiritual auras or any other Fionbri.

My coat, of course, is black. Well, mostly black anyway. The bottom half of my coat, my chest, neck and lower muzzle mostly, were all white. Black was not an enviable color among the Fionbri, it represented an absence in one's soul and black Fionbri were therefore thought of as bad omen.

Our species have a third color as well, usually brighter than the main coat colors, on their hands, feet, ears, eyes, tongues, noses and, um... lower parts. This color was also present on the crown marking, usually simple spherical markings above the eyes, and the body marking, a special marking that all Fionbri had on their lower back, right above the tail.

My marking was a pair of wings, and its color was greyed out, dulled by too many years of depression and drinking. I knew it wasn't supposed to be grey but it had been so long since I'd seen my markings at their full radiance that I barely remembered what color they were supposed to be and even my colors that weren't gray looked unnaturally washed out.

The Fionbri are able to make their colors shine again by going to their source of relief, something that fills them up emotionally and spiritually. Without access to these reliefs, the Fionbri's colors will eventually gray out completely and turn black, resulting in slow death. I used to have more than one of these comfort sources, my sister for one, but all I had left was drinking and smoking, and those were probably not going to end well for me eventually anyway.

My grey and black colors were the main reason I hated mirrors. Every time I looked in one it reminded me how incomplete I feel, how powerless I feel. How worthless I feel.

I arose from my bed and headed toward the dresser, stumbling slightly from my tired daze. As I reached the dresser I paused. I started to think about the locket from the day before. Who was that woman? Why did I feel so strongly toward her?

I shook my head and purged those thoughts from my mind, trying to tell myself that it didn't matter.

But it did matter. I just didn't know why.

"Oh well." I sighed. "Nothing really to be done about it anyway." I was certain the woman lived far away, no one that beautiful would grace a shithole like Dalo.

"Wings." I heard an unfamiliar, soft masculine voice come from the window and I turned to face it. "How appropriate."

In my window sat a large huskie, his top coat purple and the under coat green. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, feral animals didn't talk. At least they weren't supposed to. Not only that, but it appeared to be a feral Fionbri, and those weren't supposed to exist either.

His crown markings were rather curious to me, and not just because they were green, the color of his second coat, as opposed to red, the color of his other markings. One arrow pointing upwards from his nose and what looked like a big upside down foot on either side. I realize my ability to describe visuals matches that of a blind man with syphilis, but try to bear with me.

"Who are you?" I yelled, trying to cover myself.

"My name is Noble." The dog smiled and hopped from the window on to my bed. He had a regal look to him, carrying himself in a very prim and proper manner and his kind looking cherry red eyes were quite striking. It was strange to see that in a feral, but I suppose no more strange than it talking. "That's a lovely symbol you have."

"What the hell are you doing in my house?" I looked around for something to throw at him, with no luck.

"I'm here to see you, of course." He chuckled. He sure was nonchalant about breaking into someone's home.

A moment of silence passed as we stood watching each other, me glaring at him and hoping, perhaps naïvely, that he would leave. The silence was broken by the sound of my growling stomach.

"How rude of me." Noble bowed his head. "All important matters can wait until after breakfast is served." He jumped off the bed and headed toward the door. "Shall I see you downstairs, sir?" He smiled, I nodded instinctively.

As he passed by me to head toward the door I saw a mark on him, a large red star surrounded on either side by a smaller star and a small diamond. There was no doubt about it, he was a Fionbri as well.

-PHENIX-

I sighed as I looked at my house, a large brown mansion with my family symbol proudly emblazoned upon its face in gold. An upright sword, a noble and majestic symbol. My Fionbri marking was in a similar shape, as were the markings of my late parents.

It always made me sad to look at that symbol. My parents were great people, my father a proud general, serving the Disciples of Reason for several years before his death and my mother was one of the greatest medical doctors the world had ever seen.

And I was nobody. I had no claim to greatness but my bloodline and a unique sword I got when I was little.

I dug my fingers into my pie as I walked up the stairs and into my house, the cold stone steps feeling lovely on my feet after a morning's commute walking on the hot dirt roads. The pie was very sweet and smelled fantastic, but then her pies were always the best.

It was nice to be home, despite all my moping, the familiar small foyer leading into my living room, ornately decorated with all sorts of meaningless but charming trinkets, the burgundy walls giving the place a very comforting feeling, at least to me.

As I walked into my living room, I saw a strange pink and white dog sitting on my easy chair. She seemed to be wearing a red jacket that covered her entire back right down to her tail. What caught my attention the most however, was the distinct smell of sunflowers emanating from her.

"Well, hello there." I wanted to be polite to the small animal. I had no idea how it got into my house, but it probably didn't realize it was intruding into someone else's territory.

"Hello." My red eyes widened, I didn't expect for it to talk back. "Ooh, is that pie? Is that for me?"

The small pink animal started batting its big blue puppy dog eyes at me. I really had no choice but to relinquish the pie. I sat it down on the ground without saying a word, the dog quickly having at it with impressive tenacity. My brain was still trying to wrap around a feral animal capable of speech. What's more, it looked like no other dog I'd ever seen. It looked more like a feral Fionbri, but those were supposedly just myths.

Oh, it talking is fine but it being a Fionbri makes no sense.

"Umm... who are you?" I asked.

The animal looked up from its meal, its mouth covered in apple filling. "My name is Vatra. It's nice to meet you Phenix."

"H-how do you know my name?" My name wasn't difficult to come by in this city but I still don't expect strangers to know who I am.

"I know a lot about you, Phenix." It smiled sweetly, but that didn't really make me feel any more at ease. "I've heard about your parents. I'm sorry."

I stayed silent, trying to fight back the frown that was forming on my lips.

As she finished licking the pie tray clean, she hopped back up onto my chair and resumed speaking.

"I'll cut to the point Phenix." Thank goodness, I thought. "I want you to come with me on a journey."

"Beg your pardon?" I tilted my head and scratched behind my ear, something I always did when I got nervous.

"What part of that didn't you understand?" She gave a sly smile.

"I don't even know who you are!" She raised a paw and began to speak, but I cut her off. "And no, just knowing your name doesn't count." She lowered her paw.

"Fine then, I come from the Lunar Kingdom, does that help?" She laid her head down on her front paws and grinned at me.

"You're a little far from home, aren't you?" The Lunar Kingdom was at the southern end of the continent, my home city of Gnosis was in the far north-west.

"Indeed, but I enjoyed the journey." Her smile was serene, but somewhat unsettling from my position.

"Why are you here?" I was starting to get irritated with her lack of directness, it was like she was just playing games with me.

"I'm here for you, Phenix." That smile again, I couldn't help but shiver a little.

"Why me?" I took a deep breath, trying to calm my increasingly frayed nerves.

"To be fair, not just you." She also took a deep breath, as if she were mimicking me. "I am on a search for several Fionbri, but I admit to having a particular interest in you."

"See previous question." I decided to have a seat in the couch directly facing the chair on which she was sitting, a small wooden coffee table the only barrier between the two. In retrospect, I really don't know why I had been standing for so long.

Vatra motioned her head towards the sword hanging on the wall behind me. With the exception of the blade, it wasn't that unusual, having a white, cross shaped guard, a hilt wrapped in white leather, almost as if it was bandaged, and the pommel was a lime colored green and shaped almost like a flower bud. The blade was blood red, with forest green markings on one side that covered three quarters of it in the shape of a sprawling tree, wrapping around in vine shapes on the opposite side.

"My sword?" If it were just the sword she was after, what did that have to do with me? I'd hardly ever used the thing, it just sat there collecting dust ever since my father died.

"When did you first get that sword?" She tilted her head slightly.

I thought about it for a moment, and to be honest I couldn't remember. It was some time during my childhood, I distinctly remember getting it, but I'd had it for so long that the exact date of when I'd acquired it escaped me, so I simply shrugged.

"I see." She sounded disappointed. "Well, it's a marvelous weapon. I hope you take good care of it."

"What does my sword have to do with anything?" I was getting irritated again.

"Nothing, I was just curious about it." She looked at her nails briefly before flicking her paw at me as if she weren't even really paying attention to our conversation.

I had half a mind to kick this stranger out of my home, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. That would be very rude of me, I thought. Great, I can't even tell an unwanted stranger to leave my home. Alexis was right, I do need to grow a backbone.

"Anyway, back to our journey." For the first time she stared right at me as she spoke. "I would like you to accompany me to the capital of the Lunar Kingdom, St. Augustine." She smiled, showing her pearly white teeth.

"Of course! Now it makes sense!" My voice was dripping with obvious sarcasm. "When you told me you wanted me to abandon my entire life here, I thought you were crazy! Now that I know that you plan to take me to a far-off city in another country that I've barely heard of, I really want to go with you!"

"Then let's leave right away!" She beamed at me. I nearly fell out of my seat. She sounded so damn confident too, like she couldn't wrap her head around the idea that I might not want to go.

"Think for a second, Phenix." Her smile vanished, grabbing my full attention. Turns out she's way scarier without the smile. "What do you hope to gain from this life? You and I both know it doesn't satisfy you."

"But-"

"Don't lie to me Phenix."

I wanted to argue, to say that I had everything that I could ever want. But she was right, I don't know how the hell she knew, but she was definitely right. Nothing here satisfied me. As much as I hated to sound arrogant, I needed more than this place could offer.

"Come with me Phenix." Her friendly smile returned, for the first time actually making me feel at ease. "You'll find what it is you're looking for. I promise."

That last word sent shivers down my spine. I wanted to trust her despite myself. Despite that this situation made no sense, I still wanted to go with her, find out what she could offer me. Find out what my destiny really was.

"I..." The words struggled to come out of my mouth "I'll have to think about it."

"Fair enough." She nodded and proceeded to happily hop out of the chair. "I understand that it's a lot to deal with right now." She flashed me another bright, toothy smile as she opened the front door with a touch of her paw. "But just put your faith in me. I won't let you down, I promise." The door closed behind her on her way out.

-AUGUST-

"Wow, you're going to wear that?" Noble frowned as he saw me walk down from my bedroom.

He was sitting atop one of the wooden chairs in front of my dinner table; he had already made himself at home and had a lovely bowl of pasta in front of him.

"What's wrong with this?" I was rather annoyed at the stranger's remark about my outfit, shitty old hand me downs that either didn't fit or were covered in ancient stains, but he just stared at me in silence as if my question was rhetorical. Which I guess it was.

"Look, this is the best stuff I can afford alright?" I wasn't particularly fond of my wardrobe either, but what I said was the reality of my situation.

"Those clothes do not befit someone such as yourself." Noble shook his head sadly.

"You want to tell me why the hell you're in my house?" I sat in the chair across from my unwanted guest as I questioned him, my anger starting to build.

"I will tell you, but first you must eat." He pushed the bowl of pasta over to me with his nose. I instinctively reached for the fork beside where the bowl now sat, not even realizing it was there until it was in my hand.

I quickly devoured the meal. I didn't tend to be very hungry when I first woke up, but the food was absolutely delicious. I didn't expect cheap pasta from my pantry to be so good.

"Alright, start explaining." I wiped my face on my shirt, much to Noble's apparent displeasure. "Wait, hold on."

I went to the cabinet and grabbed a cigarette from the carton inside. I sat back down across from Noble, taking the bright yellow lighter attached to my belt and lighting up my cancer stick.

The yellow lighter was a curious object for me to own, pretty much all my other affects were in darker colors, blacks, grays, reds, that sort of thing. The lighter though was another gift from my sister, one that she ironically gave me before I started smoking. In retrospect, my sister sucks at giving gifts.

"You really shouldn't do that, August." Noble sighed as I exhaled the smoke from my mouth. "It's bad for your health, and hell it's bad for mine! Secondhand smoke and all that."

"Thanks, mom." I rolled my eyes, leaning my chair back on its hind legs with my feet on the table as I continued to smoke. "Besides, it's better than drinking, which was my previous vice."

"Why did you stop?" Noble put his front paws up on the table and rested his head on them.

"Too impractical." I shrugged, taking another breath from my smooth, relaxing, fiery friend and taking my feet off the table, bringing my chair back to its grounded position with a loud thud. "I kept having to leave my house all the time since I couldn't carry that much booze back home at one time."

"I see." Noble chuckled. "I do not support your habit, but to each their own, I suppose."

"So anyway," And one more soothing smoky breath for good measure "you were saying?"

"Right, of course." Noble put his feet back on his chair and adjusted a little, taking a very stern and upright stance. "I'm a little surprised I have to explain anything to you, Sir August." Noble sighed wearily after speaking.

"I'm still confused." My voice became growlier as my frustration grew, smoke filling the air in front of me.

"Well, let me say in no uncertain terms that you, August Bernstein, have a great destiny." He smiled as he spoke, but every word he said made me more uncomfortable and frustrated though I couldn't place exactly why. "You are a King among kings and are meant to unite many in harmony to fight for justice."

"Justice? What are you, twelve?" I had hoped my remark would wipe the smile from his face, but it only widened as he laughed.

"I wish. I'm so old." He chuckled.

I let out a harsh sigh and put my face on the table.

"You know what else surprises me?" He waited a moment for me to respond but I stayed silent, barely looking up at him from the table. "That you are so complacent." My eye twitched involuntarily as he continued despite my lack of insistence. "That you would settle for this misery even though you are meant for so much more." I lifted myself up and began to scratch at the table with a single claw, my teeth clenched in anger. "I see it all the time from many a would-be warrior or healer or speaker, but I had hoped one of your standing would be different."

"Well what the hell do you want from me!?" I finally snapped, rising from my chair and digging my claws further into the old wooden table. Noble lurched backward, clearly startled by my sudden outburst. "I don't have any money, I don't have any friends, I don't have a great or powerful or rich family, there isn't a whole lot I can do about my goddamned situation! So fuck you, you take your 'complacency' bullshit and shove it!"

Noble's kind demeanor fell away almost instantly as he glared at me in silence. I sat back down in my chair without thinking, extinguishing my cigarette in the process. "One..." he was clearly trying to hide his anger, but he didn't do a great job. "I am fine debating you, or even arguing my point, but I will not tolerate such a blatant display of disrespect. Understood?"

I nodded, shivering slightly and almost cowering under the table. When Noble wanted to be, he could be really scary.

He took in a deep breath through his nose and relaxed his haunches as he released the breath from his mouth, regaining his smile in the process. "And two, would you like me to explain what you should do?"

"Y-yes please." I whimpered.

I'm not sure how I became docile so suddenly, but I felt as though the strange colorful canine sitting across from me had an immense power that I didn't want to be on the wrong side of. But I wasn't intimidated. I felt more respect toward the creature, or rather the man, who was at my table. This stranger came uninvited into my house and had raised his voice to the house's owner yet I didn't feel any malice toward him. More that I had been scolded by a very dear teacher.

"You're lucky," Noble was positively beaming as he spoke "not everyone can receive guidance as clear as this."

"So please continue, sir." I spoke almost without thinking. Only after the words left my mouth did I realize the sudden change in my own bearing. I considered speaking again to correct myself but realized I preferred this feeling over the growing rage and frustration I had been feeling moments before, so I stayed silent.

Noble nodded with a smile. "You are to go on a journey. You will stop in three cities, and on your way you will find not only your purpose, but your pack and the weapon with which you will defeat your enemies and unite your friends."

For once I was the one smiling. Some crazy guy barges into my house and tells me to pack up my shit and move you'd think I'd be pissed. But I felt happy, I hated my town anyway. In my heart, in my gut, I always wanted to leave.

"Wait." My optimism faded quickly however. "How am I going to leave? Did I not mention I have no money?"

"You did indeed. However you will not need much on your journey. Just trust in me and I will be with you." He smiled once more, putting my mind at ease for a second before I realized what the situation actually looked like.

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and a hand on my shoulder. I couldn't see it, but I knew it was there. It was a disgusting olive green with fingers like the gnarled roots of a dead tree. I bolted my head to look behind me but there was nothing there but the standard sights of my old, dreary kitchen.

"W-what the hell was that?" I said aloud without thinking, trying to catch my breath.

"Please do not doubt me." Noble's voice was stern and his smile had vanished. "I will take you where you need to go, but you must but your faith in me."

I looked at him with a scowl on my face. It seemed like he had ignored me but I knew he was answering in his own way, I just couldn't figure out how exactly.

Nothing about this situation made any sense to me at all, but I prided myself on my good instincts and I didn't feel anything but positive energy from my curious house guest.

"Fine." I took a deep breath "I'll go with you. Lead the way, Noble."

"Excellent!" Noble made a short, enthusiastic hop in the air as his smile widened, stretching across his mouth ear to ear and revealing his teeth. "We leave first thing tomorrow morning. Take only what you need, food and the like, I will cover the expenses. Meet me at the town gate in the morning, my friend." Noble bowed politely and jumped off the chair.

"Wait." I stopped him before he could walk out the door. He turned around and looked at me intently. "Why are we leaving tomorrow?"

"Do you have no business in town?" His smile once again disappeared, putting me on edge. It was as if he was looking right through me as he spoke. "I would be remiss if I did not tell you, although I suspect you have already figured it out, that once you leave this town you will likely never come back here again. After you have escaped the suffocating clutches of this dead place you cannot return or even look back lest it tighten its grip on you and drown you in the misery and suffering of all its people, the only thing it has to offer." Without another word he was out the door.

As I sat alone in my kitchen I thought about what he said. He was right about Dalo. Nothing grew here. All the people here were soulless. They may have felt content or even happy to be here, but they went nowhere, did nothing. I think that may have been the reason I was more than ready to leave with him, no one really wants to settle for a slow death.

I was still skeptical of this person, but something in my gut told me to trust him, and my birth mom told me when you can't figure out what to do, trusting your gut is usually the best option.

Upon walking over to the sink to wash my breakfast dishes I casually glanced at my open pantry. All the pasta I'd had was still sitting there. I stared in bewilderment for a second before shrugging it off.

-PHENIX-

As I continued to think about Vatra's offer, I walked over to my friend North's house. We weren't particularly close, but he was a Fionbri like me and he was a kind and wise soul, I valued his judgment. I figured if there was anyone I could talk to around here about this, it'd be him.

I knocked at the door and waited a few moments before the white and blue furred man answered, his bright green eyes meeting my blood red ones and his scent of cool peppermint and a faint hint of sour grass filling my nose.

"Hi Phenix, what can I do for you?" He smiled warmly as he greeted me, firmly shaking my hand.

"Can I talk to you about something?" I looked him in the eyes without thinking, for some reason it didn't bother me with him.

"Sure, come inside." He opened the door and warmly invited me in. "I'm entertaining another guest right now, but make yourself at home."

I smiled as I accepted his kind hospitality. His home was a fair bit smaller than my own, but no less nice. The walls were painted a sky blue and the clean, fluffy carpet felt comforting on my paws. Everything was clean and neat and the place smelled beautiful. As I sniffed around, as I always did when entering a new place, I caught the smell of... sunflowers. I laughed for a moment as I figured that it had to be a coincidence, but was shocked to see the familiar face that belonged to that scent.

"Well hello Phenix." Vatra smiled at me from a nice leather chair in North's living room.

"Oh, you two know each other?" North asked, my mouth still agape from seeing her here in this place too.

"We've met." I said dryly, scowling at Vatra who chuckled in response.

"North dear, do you mind if I take a look in your kitchen?" Vatra tilted her head and smiled as she spoke, I was almost certain her sweet tone was intended to mock me somehow.

"Sure, help yourself to anything in there." North patted me on the shoulder to include me in that statement and started up the stairs behind me. "I have to get ready to leave anyway."

"Wait, leave?" I turned to face him, ignoring Vatra's sly smile that she directed at me.

"I'm leaving on a journey with Vatra. We're going to the Lunar Kingdom." North seemed almost gleeful at the opportunity to leave, I didn't quite understand why. "Do you want to come with?" His ears perked up as he asked me.

"Why do you want to leave?" Maybe if I understood his reasoning, I could understand my own feelings better.

"There's more for me than this place Phenix." He shrugged. "I need to find out what the Lord has put me in this world to do, I'm still not certain. Vatra has promised to help and I trust her."

"Why?" I looked incredulously at North, baffled by his statement of trusting the vile harpy. Although as I thought that, I realized that something in my gut told me to trust her as well.

"Instinct." North smiled.

I just stared quietly. I didn't know how to respond to that, especially when his stated motivation for leaving seemed so similar to my own reason for considering taking Vatra's offer.

"Anyway, you think about it, I'm going to go pack up." North gave a polite bow before turning around to head up the stairs.

I stood there for a moment in silence before Vatra beckoned me into the kitchen.

"North too, huh?" I walked into the kitchen and stood solemnly in front of the refrigerator, Vatra sitting on a barstool in front of the island.

"I told you I was looking for all kinds of Fionbri." She gave me that unsettling smile again, it was like we were playing poker and she knew every card in my hand.

I sighed and opened the refrigerator, thinking a snack would calm me down. The fridge was full almost to bursting of plastic containers filled with small but complete meals. North walked up to the kitchen entryway a moment later, dressed in a classy looking suit with a broadsword tied to his belt and a sterling silver cross dangling from a chain around his neck.

"Ooh, you're bringing a sword? Smexy." Vatra grinned, putting her paws up on the counter.

"Can never be too careful." North's comment caused Vatra to chuckle. "I'm going to meet you at the town gate, alright?" Vatra nodded. "And Phenix, I hope to meet you there too, okay?"

"We'll see." I sighed, trying to be polite but quite visibly disgruntled. I looked back into the fridge and then back at North. "North, what are all these meals doing in here?"

"Hm? Oh, I've been cooking a lot lately. I don't really know why." North shrugged. "Feel free to pack as many as you can, they'll be great travelling food." He laughed, Vatra chuckling along with him.

As North left the house, I looked back into the fridge. I suddenly knew why there were so many of these things here, but I didn't want to say it.

"He's been preparing." Vatra took the words right out of my mouth. "He's been preparing for this journey for months, he just didn't realize it."

I looked over to her and saw her wide, knowing grin. She sat there smiling at me for a moment before jumping off the stool and heading for the front door.

"Please do come and join us Phenix."

-AUGUST-

I sat on a bench outside a park, looking up at the grey sky above and at all the meandering people tending to their monotonous daily lives around me. I thought about this journey that Noble wanted me to go on while I lit the cigarette in my mouth.

Did I really want to go? Yeah, I think I did. But I wasn't sure. All I've ever known was this mediocrity, and hell, living in this town was the best life I'd ever had since my birth parents died when I was six. This shithole sure beat living with my other bastard parents. I did miss my stepsister though. We hadn't seen each other in two years.

What was I thinking? Who am I that I can just up and leave all of a sudden? I was nobody.

But then again, no one would miss me, so why not leave? Hell, no one would notice I even left. I never socialized with people, it's awkward for me and I hated doing it. I didn't have a hard time speaking to Noble because despite the fact that he could talk, he was still an animal. I always liked animals.

Maybe if you go, you'll meet that girl.

"I don't care about that girl." I sighed gravely, exhaling smoke from my lungs.

Is that tru-

YES.

Yes, dammit. It has to be true. I don't know her, she's a fucking stranger. I don't even know her name.

Yes you d-

No, I don't. All I have to go on is a stupid fucking locket. Hell, maybe I just dreamt all that shi-

Stop kidding yourself. Man up and accept your destiny.

I suddenly couldn't breathe, and not from the smoke, although it probably didn't help. I stood up and took in several sharp inhales, the people around me no doubt giving me strange looks but I could not give less of a fuck what other people thought.

Destiny? Noble used that word too, didn't he? I wasn't sure if I even believed in destiny. I definitely didn't believe the future was set in stone, but that didn't necessarily mean that destiny couldn't exist either.

"I don't fucking know." I said aloud, much to the dismay of the mother of a small child sitting on the bench behind me. She glared at me for a moment, but I just flipped her off and walked away.

It was time to make a decision, and not deciding counts as making a choice ironically enough. Did I want to risk my life looking for some vaguely defined destiny, or stay home where I knew I would always be safe and I wouldn't have to worry about anything?

In retrospect I'm surprised it took me so long to decide. I was definitely leaving.

I had no more business in this shithole of a town, but I didn't know where to find Noble. I headed toward the town gate anyway, I had a feeling he'd be there waiting for me already.

-PHENIX-

"Hey! Wait up!" I yelled and waved my arm as I ran toward the town gate to catch my travelling partners, swinging my pack that I'd stuffed full of North's meals over my shoulder as I ran.

"Phenix, you showed up!" North's ears perked straight upwards as he smiled and extended his hand toward me, I grabbed it heartily.

"Yeah." I straightened my pack and my sword, making sure everything was secured. "I may curse myself for it later, but I know I'll curse myself if I just let you guys leave without me."

Vatra and North both smiled at me, and North gave me a big bear hug, and I hugged him back of course, he then proceeded to lift me off the ground and quite possibly crushed my windpipe. Vatra seemed very amused by the whole spectacle.

"So where exactly are we headed?" I took a moment to catch my breath. "We can't go directly from here to St. Augustine, can we?"

"Nope!" Vatra exclaimed cheerfully. "And technically, we aren't going anywhere just yet."

"What do you mean?" North clearly caught on to Vatra's intentions.

"You two are going to go to the cart stop about a mile from here, both of you should know where it is." We looked at each other and both nodded, giving Vatra back our attention. "You will charter a cart to Caldera from there, it may be far but I'm sure you two can convince them to take you."

"C-Caldera?" I felt a shiver go down my spine, and I could tell that North felt it too but he did a better job of hiding it than me.

"That's right on the edge of the Ravaged Lands." North's cold tone did little to mask his anxiety.

"I know, but we have business in Caldera. I promise we will not actually go _through_the Ravaged Lands." Vatra's words didn't really ease my fears, but I'd already decided to go on this journey and I wasn't turning back now.

North took a deep breath and then exhaled before speaking.

"Very well." He didn't sound pleased about the situation, but I imagine he felt similarly as me about staying here. "And what about you? You won't be joining us?"

"I will meet you both in Caldera." Vatra bowed. "I have one more stop to make first. In Reand."

"Reand?" I tilted my head. "Reand is between Caldera and here. Why didn't you go there first?"

"Hm..." Vatra pondered, scratching her chin with a single claw. "I guess I just didn't think about it." She smiled, knowing her answer was unconvincing.

I so badly wanted to blurt out a sarcastic retort but North shaking his head caught my eye. I sighed and just decided to let it go.

"Any more questions before I go?" Vatra's bright blue eyes looked up at us, she seemed so innocent in her conniving and manipulating.

"I suppose I could ask why we aren't accompanying you to Reand, since it's on the way, but I presume you will just dodge that question as well." North said dryly.

"Yes, that is true!" She smiled wide.

"Have a safe journey, my friend." North chuckled. Giving a polite bow that Vatra returned before running off on her way.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked hesitantly as Vatra left our sight. I wasn't much of a leader so that role naturally passed to North.

"We do what the lady says." North shrugged. "I have no reason to doubt her, although it would've been nice if she had been honest with us about our destination upfront." North shrugged and headed out the town gat toward the cart stop. "Let's go, we can make it to our destination before nightfall."

"Yes sir!" I hurried along behind him.

As I passed through the town gate, I smiled. I knew I wouldn't be back for a long time but I was honestly happy about leaving. Not about leaving behind the town itself or my old life, but I was happy, albeit extremely nervous and a little scared, to be embarking on this new journey. To go places I'd never been before and hopefully grow into a strong man my parents could be proud of.

I grinned as I caught up with North. Fear be damned, I was excited as hell.

-AUGUST-

I walked toward the town gate and saw Noble in the distance, exactly as I thought I would. I had gone back home first to grab a backpack containing four chicken sandwiches and six bottles of liquor. I didn't much care about bringing extra clothes and I didn't have any personal effects to take with me, so that was all I needed.

I waved at Noble as I drew closer and he responded with an enthusiastic hop.

"It is good to see you, my friend!" He said excitedly. "How went your business in town?"

"I didn't have any business." I said matter-of-factly. "I told you, I don't have any friends and my family lives far away. I pretty much spent the entire time weighing my options." Noble nodded along with what I said, he tried not to show it but I could tell he was disappointed.

"Well here," Noble pulled a rusty silver locket from seemingly nowhere and threw it to me "this is for you." I looked at the locket and scowled.

"Why are you giving this to me?" I held it in my fist, tightening my grip as if I were trying to crush it with my raw strength.

"Because it belongs to you." Noble smiled. I looked once more at the locket he handed me, the same locket I had seen in the antique shop the day before. "Treasure it, hold it dear. You're going to need it to get through our journey."

I wasn't listening much after I began staring at the locket but I turned my attention back to Noble after he said those last few words. "Why?"

"It doesn't matter right now. One thing at a time." He started to walk away and motioned for me to follow.

I attached the clip of the locket's chain to my belt and began to walk with him.

"Where'd the pasta come from by the way?" I moved to catch up with him, my fiddling with the locket had caused me to slow down.

"Did you think I would present myself in front of royalty without any kind of offering?" Noble scoffed.

That was as good an answer as I was expecting, I suppose and I just shrugged off the royalty thing, figuring he'd just say something that didn't make sense. "So where we headed, anyway?"

"Right now," Noble continued to walk, not even looking back at me "we are heading to a cart stop. That's all you need to know for now." I scowled in annoyance and he turned his head to smile at me. "I figure it would be easier for you if we went one step at a time."

"Yeah, I guess." I scratched my head, I wasn't entirely content with his answer, but I didn't care enough to pursue the issue.

I looked back at the town gate shrinking in the distance and smiled coldly. I would be glad never to see this dingy place again.

"Sleeping on concrete would be better than this." I said under my breath.

"Did you say something, sir?"

"Nah, don't worry about it."