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Chapter VII Steadfast and Majesty

-NORTH-

We were gathered outside the Ravaged Lands, Vatra's teleportation having brought us straight there from St. Augustine. We stared into the foggy, brown, dry, cracked terrain that made up the Lands with mixed emotion. Most of our group was hesitant to enter, although Tel and Kavik seemed excited and I had no strong feelings one way or the other. This is what we had to do, I just wanted to do it and be done.

We had been properly equipped first however, with each of the others getting swords, and a bow in Aiden's case, and runic bracelets. We also got new wardrobes, since Vatra said we looked too much like street urchins and it wasn't befitting of our new status. Apparently, people were going to start taking notice of our presence as we fought against the Nichts. We were to become a symbol of hope for those who had lost it, especially those that live within the Ravaged Lands, and we needed to look the part.

"Alright." Vatra said. "Now before we head into the Ravaged Lands, does anyone have any questions?" She spoke so nonchalantly about it, as if it were an everyday occurrence to bring people into that horrible place.

"Yeah." Aiden raised his left hand, the one with his new bracelet on it. "What exactly is the purpose of this thing?" He pointed at the bracelet, disdain evident on his face.

"It's a runic bracelet." August said quietly, barely above a whisper although his deep voice helped make himself sound clearer. "Since it's not always convenient, or possible, to inscribe runes on things when you need to use magic, there are people who will sell trinkets like this so that the wearer can use its magic anywhere."

"August is correct." Vatra nodded and smiled at August. "These particular bracelets will help you connect with, and summon, your natural element."

"Ooh, that sounds exciting!" Elin spun her wrist, dancing to the rattling sound of her bracelet. "What does that mean?"

"You are all familiar with the idea of elemental affinity?" Vatra's query was met with a collective nod.

Elemental affinity was a basic idea some mages espoused. They believed that every human being had an affinity for one of the ten magic elements or, much more rarely, with another, more 'exotic' element like gold or blood.

"So when you say we can 'summon our natural element'," Kavik grinned "yer saying our bling lets us use kickass elemental powers."

"Basically, yes." Vatra nodded.

Kavik's grin widened. Evidently he was rather pleased with the idea of having elemental magic at his disposal.

Phenix and I already had such bracelets. I didn't know about Phenix, although I believed this to be the case, but I could use my element, wind, without the bracelet. I kept it on because it was a reminder that I could always keep improving, by reminding me of a time when I did need it. It also gave me a strategic advantage against foes who thought it was the source of my power.

"Conventional weapons are not very effective against demons." Noble explained. "The bracelets will give you a better means to defend yourselves until you all have a Testament."

"So why do we need weapons at all?" Lilac asked.

"There are other dangers in this world besides the Nichts." Vatra said coldly. "Anything else?"

"Why are you sending us into the Ravaged Lands so soon?" Phenix asked and crossed his arms, clearly anxious, and for good reason.

"The best way to learn is through experience." Vatra smiled and spoke cheerfully. "We are going to teach you how to unlock your Testaments, and we are going to teach you how to destroy Nichts."

"All in one day?" Tel said exasperatedly.

"There was some back and forth between me and Noble," the two briefly glared at one another "about which of these lessons you should learn first. So over the next two days, we are going to be splitting you into two groups. I will teach you to destroy demons, Noble will teach you to unlock the Testaments, and then tomorrow we'll switch."

"I don't think that's a great idea, miss." Phenix's voice was just above being a whimper. He clearly detested having to speak out against one of our mentors but I was proud of him for speaking up if he had an issue. "We should stay together, and learn together."

"I think we should put it to a vote." August said.

"Fair enough." Vatra nodded. "Who among you think you should start by learning to get your Testament?" Phenix, Lilac, Elin and I raised our hands. "And who among you think you should start by learning to destroy Nichts?"

Vatra smiled somewhat smugly, she knew that the other four would raise their hands, agreeing with her viewpoint. Sure enough, August, Aiden, Kavik and Tel raised their hands.

"Well I guess we know who will be in which group." Vatra chuckled, smirking at Noble, who looked less than amused.

I, and clearly Noble as well, agreed with Phenix. I thought it would be best if we stayed together as a group, but clearly God thought otherwise. I didn't understand it, but I wasn't about to argue with Her.

"So is there anything else you all need before we head out?" Vatra said.

"Ooh! Ooh! I have something!" Elin raised her hand, frantically hopping up and down.

"Yes dear?" Vatra said sweetly.

"Nothing, I just wanted to get your attention." Elin smiled coyly, deflecting most of the irritation she garnered from the others for wasting time.

-PHENIX-

As we stood on the outskirts of the Ravaged Lands, formed into our groups and preparing to part ways, I stopped Noble and Vatra to ask an important question.

"Noble, Vatra?" I said, getting their attention. "What is Love, exactly?"

"Excuse me?" Vatra tilted her head.

"An intense feeling of deep affection." Noble smiled innocently at me.

"I mean my Testament." I said with an annoyed tone, glaring at Noble, who chuckled at me in response.

"Y'know, that's a good point." Kavik interjected. "Love is kind of a weak power to have. And having a weapon called 'Love' doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

"I think it's cute." Elin flicked her wrist. Her lightly condescending appreciation of my Testament didn't make me feel any better about having a glorified hug for a sword.

"Well, if it can control love, that would be useful." Aiden suggested. "You could make people fall in love with you, or with each other, really it could have a myriad of useful applications." Aiden smirked devilishly as he thought of the ways in which that power could be used, and I was certain I didn't want him to share those thoughts with me.

"It's not like that, Aiden." Vatra chuckled. "Using a power like that would be morally gray at best anyway."

"Besides, it's not like I can control people's faith." August added.

"Yeah, but at least Faith makes you fearless, right?" Kavik said to August. "What good is having 'Love'?"

"I'm not sure it works that way either." August sighed.

I was beginning to agree with them. I always knew Love's name, but could never wrap my head around why it would appear as a sword. Or what exactly I could do with it at all aside from destroying Nichts with it, and that wasn't all that loving either.

"They have a point." I sighed wearily. "What good exactly is this thing? Did I just get the short end of the stick on the Testament selection?"

"Love came to you because that's what you wanted." Vatra explained. "Deep down, somewhere in your soul, you called out for Love, it's the Testament that you believed in most strongly, even if you didn't realize at the time."

"Love is a very powerful thing, Phenix." Noble added.

"It doesn't seem like it." I glanced at my weapon in its sheath. The thing didn't see that much use, and I felt bad for thinking so negatively of it, but it seemed quite legitimately useless.

"Three things will last forever." Noble said with a smile. "Faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love."

"How does that make sense?" Kavik scoffed. "I get that love is all well and good, but how exactly does it beat out those other things, how does it 'last forever' and how in the hell is it the least bit useful for fighting demons?"

Noble seemed bemused at Kavik's rant, but he simply sighed and didn't try to rebuff him. North stepped forward, standing between me and Kavik. He had been curiously silent during this debate, I really thought he would have something to say on this.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." He said. "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."

The rest of us were silent for a moment, taking in what was just said. Lilac, Tel and Noble looked especially impressed by North's speech.

"I've heard that before." August scratched his head. "Where did you hear that, North?"

"I uh," North blushed and looked away from August "I read it in a book, let's just leave it at that."

"Well it still sounds ridiculous to me." Kavik shrugged, walking over to join Vatra and her group. "But hey, it's not my sword. If you think it's cool, Phenix, that's good enough for me." Kavik smiled gently at me and I smiled back in kind, I appreciated his words.

I didn't quite understand exactly what North meant, but something in his words turned a small light on inside me. I still didn't know why Love was my Testament, or what I could or was supposed to do with it, but in that moment, for maybe the first time since I was really small, I was glad it was mine.

-KAVIK-

The skies were a dim gray and the dirt beneath our feet was a dull grayish brown. There was nothing but featureless waste as far as anyone could see inside the Ravaged Lands and it smelled like absolute garbage, like having your nose covered in mud.

We couldn't even see the grass or the blue sky outside anymore, or our friends, even just five minutes of walking into the place, what with the dense wall of fog surrounding the area. And even with the warm air, the place felt cold, like it was unnatural, not helped by the weird ghostly whistling sound the light winds made. But screw all that nonsense, I wasn't gonna let any of that bother me.

"Tel, I'm a little surprised at you." Aiden said, looking back at Tel.

"How come?" Tel was walking through the lands with his hands held behind his head, completely carefree as if the gross, unnatural feeling of the dirt here wasn't even bothering him.

"I'm surprised you wanted to learn how to kill Nichts instead of getting a Testament." Aiden replied. "You're not usually the fighting type."

"I just want to protect everyone." Tel shrugged. "And I'll try to do my best to fight alongside you guys and not slow ya down." Tel smiled cutely.

"Gotcha. That I can understand." Aiden chuckled to himself and smiled fondly at the kid.

"Do you really think Love is a weak power, or Testament or whatever?" August said out of nowhere, stopping in his tracks.

"Eh, the emotion is all well and good," I decided to just go along with it, stopping as well "I just think it's weak for a weapon is all."

"I think it's great." Tel smiled, giving a thumbs-up. "I think it's cool."

"Hey Tel, he can't hear you kiss his ass from here." Aiden stuck his tongue out at the kid, who just gave him a bemused look.

"I'm sure it has its use." I shrugged. "Although if it can't do what Aiden said, I don't know what it would be."

"Y'know what bugs me though?" August said. "Noble and North's book quotes or whatever both put it above faith. Clearly I'm the one who got ripped off." August chuckled, the rest of us followed suit, except for Vatra, but I think she has a huge stick up her ass.

"Kavik, the Testaments aren't just weapons." Vatra looked very sternly at me, and maybe I would've been able to take her more seriously if she could reach the height of my knees without a stepladder.

"What are they though, exactly?" August asked. "You weren't very clear in your explanation."

"Also, you called them 'spiritual weapons' when you described them to us." Aiden added flatly.

"Well uh, it's complicated." Vatra replied, looking at the ground.

"You don't know, do you?" August grinned.

"Neither do you!" Vatra shot back.

The rest of us started laughing, although it probably wasn't very funny that our supposed mentor didn't even know what the hell we were using to fight the Nichts, but screw it. Hopefully Noble knew at any rate.

"Vatra, how come we haven't seen any Nichts since we've been here?" Aiden asked, looking around the dull, empty wasteland.

He had a point. You couldn't even see the green grass anymore and yet the whole place was completely empty with not a single Nichts in sight, despite the Ravaged Lands usually crawling with the bastards.

"Are they just going to sprout up out of the ground when we least expect it?" August dryly remarked.

"That's actually a very real possibility, August." Vatra said solemnly.

"R-really?" Tel stammered, inching closer to August.

"Yes. The Nichts don't just roam around the Ravaged Lands." Vatra explained. "They can appear from underground, or from the sky, or even out of thin air if you're deep enough in."

"That's really scary." Tel tried clinging to August's arm, but August squirmed away.

"Damn it, there's one now!" I yelled and pointed at the ground by August's feet.

Tel let out a frightened yelp and fumbled around for his sword, Aiden drawing his own and darting in front of August and Tel. August just stood there, completely unfazed.

I started laughing. There was no Nichts, it was just a prank.

"That's not funny, Kavik!" Tel shoved me, but the kid has the strength of a frickin' lima bean so I didn't exactly topple over or anything.

"I thought it was funny." I grinned, still laughing. "Although I really wanted to get a reaction out of Stonefaced McStoicington!" I pointed at August, who just smirked smugly back at me. "How come you didn't move or anything?"

"I knew you were just making it up." He shrugged. I had to begrudgingly respect his smugliness

"How?" I said disgruntledly.

"Instinct." August replied simply.

I put on a vexed scowl. Couldn't really argue with instinct. But I'll sneak up on him when he least suspects it! Like in his sleep or in the bathroom!

"It really isn't a laughing matter, Kavik." Vatra commented, although I could tell she was still chuckling a bit.

"So." Aiden sighed, no doubt begrudging that he fell for it. "What do we need to learn about Nichts in order to destroy them, Vatra? That's what we came here to learn, right?"

"They come in all shapes and sizes." Vatra said. Everyone tuned in to what she was saying, cuz this was what we all wanted to hear. "They can have an array of abilities and powers, from strength, endurance and speed, to poison or flight, or even elemental control."

"And there's no way to tell unless they use said powers?" Aiden asked.

"Correct." Vatra nodded.

"Fantastic." He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Well," August remarked "if you see a demon that's on fire, or one that has green ooze dripping from its gaping maw, you can probably be pretty certain on its particular power set."

"He has a point." Vatra smiled at August.

"Anything else?" Aiden grumbled. "Something adequately useful perhaps?"

"The Voices." Vatra's voice was cold, giving me and the others goosebumps.

The four of us were silent, waiting for Vatra to continue. August was scowling, like more than usual I mean. Something about these 'Voices' seemed to really bother him. And then I remembered what he'd told me about that 'monster' in Dred.

"Fear!" I said enthusiastically. August went pale.

"Yes. Fear is one of the Voices." Vatra said. "And I'm sure most of you, growing up in cities run by the Disciples, are familiar with the 'Seven Sins'?" The four of us nodded. "There is a Voice that represents each of those as well."

"How many are there?" Aiden asked. I think the rest of us just left the question asking job to him, he was pretty good at it.

"One exists for every negative emotion, so they are potentially limitless, much like a distorted, heinous version of the Testaments."

"How exactly are they different from ordinary Nichts?" Aiden asked, his voice sinking.

"Power and control." Vatra answered. "They are far stronger, and most far better in a straight fight, than any normal Nichts. But where their true ability lies is in the corruption of human beings."

"What do you mean?" August took over question duty. Probably since Aiden didn't look too well.

"They can use the emotion that they dominate to twist the minds of people."

"Like how when Fear was around, it took all I had not to have a damn panic attack." August growled, reaching for a cigarette. I was honestly surprised that this was the first time I'd seen him pick one up today.

"Exactly." Vatra nodded.

"That's just bullshit." I scoffed, shrugging.

"I'm sorry?" Vatra looked toward me.

"No self-respecting man, or woman, would just let themselves be controlled by some demon like that, it's just ridiculous." I chuckled, dismissively waving my hand.

"Not everyone is self-respecting, if that helps at all." August said drolly.

"So if these guys are limitless, how're we supposed to defeat them?" Tel grumbled.

"First of all, never refer to the Voices, or any Nichts for that matter, as you would a human." Vatra replied. "Don't use gendered pronouns or call them 'people' or the like. It makes them stronger. Use 'it' and 'things' and so forth. Understand?" Tel nodded, and I'm pretty sure the rest of us got the message too. "And we've already gone over the plan, you're going to use the Testaments to either seal or destroy the black hole inside the Black Mountain." Vatra smiled, seemingly confident in her crazy plan. Gotta give her points for that at least.

"That plan was shaky already." Aiden growled. "But now you're telling us that there are these uber-powerful, potentially mind altering demons, and that there are nigh infinite of them and we can't beat them. Not only that, but you yourself admitted that you don't even fucking know what these thrice-damned Testaments are! And you expect us to waltz into the most dangerous fucking place on this god-forsaken planet, and use these fucking things to seal a rift you don't even fucking know EXISTS!!"

"Calm down Aiden." Vatra looked sternly at him. He was still panting, trying to catch his breath after that epic rant. "And please, do not doubt."

"Why not?" Aiden barked. "This whole thing suddenly sounds really shitty and hopeless."

"It's not hopeless." August firmly stated, stomping his foot on the ground. "We are going to defeat the Nichts, and we sure as hell are not going to get defeated, or claimed, possessed, whatever, by these fucking Voices."

It kinda gave me the tingles to see August go all badass for a second there, I couldn't help but smile ear to ear. Tel was positively beaming as well, giving a little quiet clap.

"Fine." Aiden sighed harshly. "I really hate to admit it, and it makes no goddamn sense to me, but I kind of do agree with you."

"Just have a little faith, Aiden." August shrugged, acting oh-so-cool and nonchalant.

"Yeah, okay." Aiden sighed, smiling despite himself and shaking his head. "I'll try that."

"And as for your question," Vatra said "about why you shouldn't doubt..." Vatra motioned to her left, the rest of us following her gaze and looking into the distance of the wasteland.

There was a wrinkled old bird-beaked hag thing hunched over a few feet away, we could barely make it out in the fog. It had ugly brownish wrinkled skin, its limbs were longer than any human's should've been, and blades were sticking out of seemingly random parts of its skin.

"That thing." August chuckled anxiously. "That's one of them, isn't it?"

Vatra nodded, but we all already knew that it was.

My eyes widened and I sported a sadistic grin.

"Let's go kill that motherfucker." I growled.

-NORTH-

"I suppose this is as good a place as any." Noble said as he sat in front of us.

"This whole place looks pretty much the same anyway." Phenix pointed out.

He was right of course. As far as we could see, which wasn't far thanks to the fog, everything in this accursed hellhole was just the same dark brown dirt. I hated every second standing in these lands. The ground beneath my feet felt like I was standing in tar, and every breath felt like I was inhaling toxic fumes.

"Does everything in the Ravaged Lands just look like this?" Lilac asked, her eyes anxiously darting around back and forth, wary of Nichts or other horrors that might have sprung from the fog at any time.

"Not everything." Noble replied. "The closer you get to the Black Mountain, the terrain becomes more mountainous, and the ground and sky much darker." I didn't think I could stomach ground and sky any darker than this. "And in other places that are closer to the shore, there's less fog. Although admittedly, the fog is rather more dense right now than usual. Curious that." Noble's voice sunk as he uttered the next sentence. "Not to mention the many small towns and villages, barely sheltering people who haven't been able to evacuate and under the watch of the Disciples."

"It must be horrible to live like that." I muttered, my soul aching for those unfortunate people.

"It really is." Elin said weakly under her breath. I couldn't tell if she noticed that she said it out loud.

"So Noble!" Lilac exclaimed, trying to change the subject. "You're going to teach us how to get these Testament things, right?"

"What exactly are these things anyway, Noble?" Phenix asked, examining his own Testament. "Vatra said they were 'spiritual weapons', but there's got to be more to it than that, right?"

"It's... hard to explain." Noble pondered. "I'm not even sure I know for myself what they are exactly." The whole group looked rather disappointed or bemused at Noble's lack of knowledge. "What I do know, is that they are positive spiritual energy given solid form, usually in the shape of a weapon, most commonly a sword, and that they are respondent to a strong value or virtue."

"Neat!" Elin chirped. "What does any of that mean?"

"In a way, they are a sort of 'anti-Nichts'." Noble explained. "Nichts are basically negative, dark, hostile energy in physical form. Testaments are positive, light, friendly energy. Does that make sense?" Elin nodded, although I don't know if she completely understood. Hell, I wasn't sure if I completely understood.

"What do you mean by 'respondent to a strong value or virtue'?" Phenix asked.

"Well, August claimed his Testament due to his strong faith." Noble answered. "He basically embodied that virtue, and thus his Testament responded to that."

"And my virtue is... love?" Phenix looked at Love with some bemusement.

"I think it's cute." Elin batted her paw at Phenix, her compliment not making him feel any better this time than it did the last.

"I suppose so." Noble beamed at Phenix.

"I'm not sure that makes sense." Phenix sighed.

"Perhaps not now, although August told me that he didn't understand why his Testament would be Faith." Noble smiled and looked in my direction. "In fact, he said it really should belong with North."

"Maybe North can get Faith 2!" Elin suggested, grinning at me. I chuckled and scratched my head somewhat bashfully.

"No, that's not possible." Noble shook his head. "Two Testaments baring the same name can't exist at the same time. Not generally a problem since the number of Testaments is practically limitless, and very few know how to use one anyway."

"How come North didn't get Faith then?" Elin asked, tilting her head quizzically. "He's the one who believes in God and stuff."

"I have to admit, I don't understand why Faith went to August and not me." I said earnestly. "My faith in God is one of the most important things in my life. But it doesn't bother me. God knew when She created me what my Testament should be if I have one, and She also knows that Faith needs to be with August."

"Again with this 'all-knowing god' stuff, North?" Phenix sighed drearily. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, Phenix." I replied exasperatedly, tired of having this conversation with Phenix. "We've been over this."

"How exactly can you continue to believe in that stuff, North?" Phenix began to sound incensed. "After all the things we've seen? Why would a deity that's all powerful and completely benevolent allow the sorts of things that happen in the world continue? Why would it let the Nichts continue to ravage the world and kill countless people?!"

Lilac and Elin took a few steps back, not wanting to be between Phenix and I. Noble just continued to watch, clearly interested in our... 'spirited debate' let's call it.

I just stood silent for a moment before I answered the same way I always answer that question.

"I don't know." I hung my head, staring at the dirt.

"Then why the hell do you dedicate your entire life to this nonsense?!" Phenix yelled.

"Because I truly believe in my holy Mother. That she is all knowing, and more importantly, all loving." I sighed in frustration. Even I admitted that it didn't make complete sense to me, and that it did bother me the horrible things that she ostensibly 'let' happen, even though I wished it didn't. "I don't pretend to understand Her plans, or even try to. All I know is that She does have a plan, and that I will play my part in it as I am told to do so."

"Please, just tell me..." Phenix growled. "I just need to understand why."

"Because I love Her." I smiled weakly. "That's all the reason I need."

"North, you're wasting your life..." Phenix's anger was building and he took a moment to catch his breath, inhaling deeply and then sighing. "You're wasting your life, dedicating it to something that can't possibly exist."

I took my own deep breath to center myself. It made me truly sad that Phenix felt the way that he did. If it were up to me, I would want everyone to feel how I feel toward my Mother. But I accepted it. I wasn't going to force my belief on him, especially when I knew it would be a futile effort.

"Nothing in my soul tells me that you're right, Phenix." I shook my head slowly. "I believe, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that God is watching over me. Every second of every day, watching over me and protecting me. And you too, even if you don't believe." Phenix scowled. "And I accept that you disagree with me, but my mind cannot be changed on this matter."

Phenix sighed. I knew he didn't approve, but that mattered not in the end. I considered him a brother in some respects and cared about him as such, but I couldn't let his belief shake mine.

"North, stand in front of me." Noble said suddenly.

I was suspicious briefly, but I did as I was asked, standing directly in front of Noble, a few inches away.

"Please draw your sword." He said.

Again I did as he asked, drawing my old family sword and holding it in front of me, pointed at the ground.

A circle of bright purple light appeared on the ground, emanating from Noble. I thought for a moment we were going to teleport somewhere, but instead I felt and saw more light rise from the circle. The light surrounded me, washing over me. For a moment I felt completely relaxed, like I was being embraced by my holy Mother and She was cleansing my pain and heartache.

It only lasted a second, and when I came to I wasn't holding my family sword any longer. I was holding my very own Testament.

It looked nearly identical to my old sword, in size and shape. The guard was circular and off-white, with my Fionbri marking painted on to it. A circle with two needles jutting out, one on either side, and a crescent in the middle of each needle, facing toward the circle. The needles wrapped around the guard slightly, like they did on my back. The blade was long and light blue, with a faint green tint. It looked good as new and like it would never rust. The hilt was dark blue and the pommel a shade in between the blade and hilt.

"It's beautiful." Lilac took the words right out of my mouth.

"That's... that's flipping amazing!" Elin came over and hugged me, practically jumping on my back.

"Th-thank you both." I blushed and gently pushed Elin away from me while backing away weakly, my balance still slightly off from being bathed in that light.

"What is it called?" Phenix asked. He sounded less impressed, but I didn't blame him. I think our fight was still weighing on his mind.

I held the sword in my hand and felt its blade, and slashed in the empty air a few times before I could answer. I smiled as I realized it, and proudly stated the name of my Testament.

"Steadfast."

-AUGUST-

Kavik and I ran toward the monster with our swords drawn and it rose to its full height, about a head taller than either of us. As we got closer, I could make out more of its features. It had what looked like an iron mask fused to its beak and the flesh on the right side of its face and the left side had a small pocket of flesh where an eye should have been. It was completely bald, and while thankfully it didn't have any genitals, it had a long razor blade stemming from where they would have been.

The monster released an abhorrent odor that smelled oddly like medicine, and I started to hear a 'whooshing' noise as I got closer, like something was moving very fast past my ears. I ignored it, along with the spots I started to see, and focused solely on the monster, remembering the weird shit I started hearing and feeling when around Fear and Vatra's words about the Voices' ability to manipulate minds.

Kavik rushed toward it, brandishing his two machetes and swinging with wild abandon at the creature. It seemed unfazed by any of Kavik's attacks, but I was expecting that. As I closed the distance, I tried to stab it with Faith, but it gracefully dodged, danced even, out of the way.

Kavik was undeterred, he kept slashing at it, but it kept dodging both of our attacks. I tried using magic, summoning a sphere of darkness and throwing small needle-like projectiles from it at the creature, diminishing the size of the sphere with each one thrown. Again, the monster was unharmed.

I hesitated for a moment, part of me wondering why the others didn't seem to be helping us fight, but I ran at the creature again, trying to stab it with my sword. It danced out of the way again, knocking one of Kavik's swords out of his hand and cutting his cheek. I guarded Kavik against the monster's next attack while he ran to reclaim his other sword.

The monster kicked me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me but I still managed to barely avoid being disemboweled by one of the thing's razors. It jumped up and kicked me in the head, knocking me to the ground and Faith out of my hand. It was a very athletic bastard, I had to give it that.

Kavik stabbed the creature in the side, diverting its attention away from me before it could deliver a killing blow. He continued to hack and slash into the beast's flesh, but to no effect. It was like it was wearing armor all over its skin.

He was managing avoiding the creature's attacks, but I wasn't certain how long he could keep it up. He occasionally tried to use his ice magic to attack, but the monster always dodged out of the way. Even still, Kavik wasn't giving up. He was dead set on bringing this thing down, and watching his determination made me realize I wasn't about to give up either.

I picked Faith up off the ground as I got to my feet, quickly stabbing the monster, which was distracted by Kavik, in the side. After I rejoined the battle, Kavik and I worked together much better to fight. When the thing would dodge my attack with Faith, Kavik would summon a spear of ice under where he thought the creature would land to stab it, when it tried to dodge the ice, I shot it with a wave of dark magic. This went on for only a few seconds but it felt like hours.

Eventually we overwhelmed the beast with our tactics and tenacity, making it go on the offensive. Its sudden shift in strategy and initial attack would have caught us off guard, but before it could hurt either one of us, the flesh pocket on its face was pierced by one of Aiden's arrows. The demon let out a wail of pain, Kavik stabbing it in both sides of its neck, small spears of ice protruding from all around the entry wound.

Another arrow landed in the wrinkled, leathery flesh between its upper and lower torso, and the beast let out another scream, springing back and being enveloped by the fog. Kavik and I began to pursue it before Vatra called out to us.

"Let it go." She said.

We stood there for a few seconds, catching our breath, before we returned to where the others were standing, Kavik smiling and giving me a high-five as we walked back.

"Good work, all of you." Vatra said with a smile. "Especially you two."

"Yeah, I knew it was just one more demon." Kavik boasted a satisfied grin. "It was no match fer us."

"Still, I admit I almost gave up there for a second." I panted, still trying to catch my breath. "But seeing you just wail on that thing, Kavik... it didn't even look like you considered giving up... it made me want to keep fighting."

"Thanks, man." Kavik grinned and gave me a thumbs-up. I nodded back, smiling. "And I'm glad you didn't give up. I would've been toast if not fer you." I appreciated Kavik's kind words and smiled back at him in kind.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help." Tel said bashfully. "I just got completely disoriented. There were weird smells and sounds and-"

"Don't worry 'bout it, man." Kavik interrupted Tel, playfully hitting his arm. "You'll get 'em next time."

"It's fine, Tel." I added. "If you tried to help while your senses were compromised, you would likely have just been in the way."

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Tel hung his head.

"Relax, Tel." Aiden said, putting his hand on Tel's shoulder. "Vatra warned us about the Voices' sense scrambling bullcrap, we'll just have to be more prepared next time." Tel nodded, seemingly cheered up a bit.

"And how 'bout you, Aiden?" Kavik pointed at Aiden, grinning. "You wanna apologize fer takin' yer sweet ass time?"

"Not really." Aiden shrugged with a bored expression on his face. "I helped you didn't I? I was just waiting for the right moment to strike."

I didn't know if anyone else noticed, and judging by Tel's smile and Kavik's nod of begrudging acceptance it didn't look like they did, but Aiden was lying.

"What was that thing?" I asked Vatra, deciding not to press the issue. "It was one of the Voices, right?"

"It was Doubt." Vatra said coldly. She smiled soon after however. "And I'm really impressed with how you all dealt with it. I wasn't sure if you could beat it or not."

"Like I said," Kavik shrugged, laughing smugly to himself "just another demon."

"Perhaps." Vatra said dryly. She didn't seem to appreciate Kavik's cavalier attitude toward the fight, and I understood where she was coming from, that she wanted him to take things more seriously, but I had a suspicion that Kavik's disbelief in the creature actually made it more vulnerable to him.

"Where did it come from all of a sudden, Vatra?" I asked, reaching for a cigarette and lighting it, the fight with Doubt cut my last smoke short.

"The Voices respond to the emotion they represent." She explained. "Where strong amounts of said emotion exist, they will appear. That said, inside the Ravaged Lands they are stronger, and thus need less emotion to summon them."

"So when Doubty McDoubtsalot here" Kavik glared at Aiden who ignored him "started doubting stuff, it summoned Doubt... and stuff."

"Something like that." Vatra replied. "Although just one person's doubts, and they were admittedly weak doubts at that, _usually_shouldn't be able to summon those creatures. There's likely a settlement or a fort around here somewhere that was also feeling the emotion."

It would take some time for all of this new information to sink in, but I think we all understood the basics. Strong negative emotions summon horrible demonic monsters that you have to deal with.

"And hey, Tel." I coughed, getting his attention. "If that thing was powered by doubt or whatever, you believing we could win actually did help us."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Tel said cheerfully. "I promise I'll be more useful next time, though."

"You be more useful next time too, okay Aiden?" Kavik stuck his tongue out at the orange Fionbri who just rolled his eyes.

"Well you didn't succumb to that monster's sensory manipulation, did you Aiden?" I asked mockingly, looking right at him.

"Of course not." Aiden gave a smug smirk, but it was the same kind of fake liar's smile I was used to seeing on Scarlet.

I suppose that explains why he didn't help us fight at first.

-LILAC-

"That's so cool!" Elin was jumping all over North and his cool new sword, but Phenix was just sort of staring off into space.

"Are you alright?" I asked him, poking him gently to get his attention.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He didn't sound fine.

"You don't sound fine." I even said so!

Phenix shook his head and sighed.

"Trust me, I'll be alright." Phenix smiled at me sadly and I smiled in kind.

I wasn't sure I believed him, but I didn't want to pressure him or anything.

"Hey Noble?" I asked, getting Noble's attention, and also North's and Elin's. "Why is North's Testament called Steadfast?"

"North has unwavering loyalty to his beliefs, his friends, and his God." Noble said. "He will never abandon or betray them, and for that he is steadfast."

"Oh, I see." I really couldn't argue, that sounded like North and now he had the Testament to prove it. But there was one other thing that bothered me. "So another question. You can just give us our Testaments!?"

Noble laughed, although I didn't find it funny. Neither did the others, who turned their attention to Noble, waiting for an explanation.

"No, I am just a medium." Noble said, smiling. "I knew that North could obtain his Testament, although I wasn't sure he'd know what to look for if he tried himself. I simply helped the process along."

"How did you know what it would be?" North asked.

"Instinct." Of course he would say that. "I couldn't put it into words, but I knew what it was."

"Ooh! What about mine!" Elin skipped toward Noble, standing right in front of him and drawing her knife.

"I'm sorry Elin." Noble said sadly. "I can't just look at a person and tell what their Testament is. North's Testament told me what it was, if that makes sense."

"Not really." I interjected.

"Humbug!" Elin stormed off in a huff... about two or three inches away from Noble.

"That sword really is beautiful, North." I said, examining the blade.

"Thank you." North smiled and was blushing. So cute!

"My Testament isn't going to be that pretty, I'm sure." I sighed harshly.

"Why not?" North asked, putting Steadfast away.

"I'm just..." I struggled to find the right word. "I guess I'm just not really good enough or cool enough or whatever for something like that."

"What are you talking about, Lilac?" Phenix walked up to me and said.

"I'm not that pretty, or smart, or talented or anything." I sighed and backed away from the two. I really just should've kept my damn mouth shut. Every time I talked about my true feelings like this people would try and convince me I wasn't or whatever, and I really didn't want to waste their time like that.

"Bullcrapadiddly!" Elin exclaimed, giving me the pointer finger. "You're totally awesome and sexy!"

"Elin has a point. You're a very beautiful woman, Lilac." North put his hands on my shoulders.

"Yeah, what they said." Phenix stammered, blushing.

"Thanks guys." I pulled away from North. "I just..."

My train of thought was interrupted by Noble. He made a weird "Hmm..." sound.

"Noble?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, Lilac." Noble bowed. "You have a very beautiful soul and there's a lot of potential in you that you have yet to tap into."

I just groaned in frustration. I was tired of arguing.

"But it makes me sad." He continued.

"What, that's she's cool and stuff?" Elin scratched her head quizzically.

"No..." Noble sighed. "I can see your Testament right now, I know what it is... but you wouldn't accept it."

"Bullcrapadiddly!" This time it was me giving Noble the pointer finger. "I want my Testament! Are you saying you're gonna hold out on me?"

"No." Noble shook his head. "I just don't feel that you're quite in a place where you can accept yourself yet."

"Well I need to at least try." I stated firmly and walked up in front of Noble, drawing my sword and pointing it at the ground like I saw North do.

"Lilac, are you sure you want to do this?" Phenix asked concernedly, standing a few inches away from me and ruffling his head fluff.

"Of course!" I snapped at him, causing him to lurch back. What kind of a ridiculous question is that?! "I'm sorry, Phenix. I appreciate your concern, but I need to at least try."

"I understand." Phenix bowed. "Best of luck to you then, Lilac."

"Thank you." I bowed in kind.

"Are you ready, Lilac?" Noble said, smiling up at me.

I looked back at the others for a moment. Phenix sighed for a moment, but then smiled at me and gave me a thumbs-up. I saw North give me a salute and Elin was hopping up and down flailing her arms erratically. I assumed that meant I had her support as well.

"Show me my Testament, Noble." I said confidently, equal parts nervous and excited.

Before I even finished that sentence, the purple circle of light was surrounding us. There was a bright flash of light and then... darkness.

I was alone in a dark room. I couldn't feel, I could barely see, and there were no smells or sounds. I walked forward, although it was hard to tell if I was even really moving or not, and I began to see a large picture illuminate itself.

It wasn't like I was looking at a picture, it was like I was there, but at the same time not. I'm not sure how to describe it... it's like I could feel and smell the environment, but I was still outside looking in.

Inside the picture was a meadow, and there was a gorgeous young woman, wearing the most beautiful dress. She had a man with her, handsome and charming, a real 'knight in shining armor' type, I could tell. When I saw him, the instant feeling I got was that he was her Savior, whatever that meant. The meadow smelled like flowers and tea, I heard birds chirping in the air and a water fountain behind me. Everything in this meadow was absolutely perfect.

And it broke my fucking heart.

It was everything that I wanted, but could never, ever have. The man in the picture, he had such love and adoration for the woman, she was everything to him. No one would ever love me like that. Even my father, who I cared about so much, I felt like he took care of me out of a sense of familial duty, not genuine love.

I would never be as beautiful as the woman in the picture, I would never be able to afford such nice clothes, and I'd probably look ugly in them anyway. I could never afford such a beautiful house either. Everything in the picture felt so far beyond my grasp, and yet it was everything to me... everything I could possibly imagine wanting was in that picture, my description couldn't possibly even do it justice.

The more these thoughts flooded my mind, the less the picture became clear. The smells became faint, the sounds quiet, and the colors grey. Soon it started to fade altogether. I begged for it not to go, I wanted it more than I wanted to fucking breathe.

But it was gone. And I was alone again in the dark room.

I fell to my knees and started to cry. I wanted that so bad, but I felt guilty for it. I heard the voice of my mother in my head.

"You should just be grateful you haven't been raped!" She would say. "Like anyone would want to fuck you anyway." Funny, "fuck you anyway" is exactly what I was thinking, mom.

Maybe she only said that once, I don't remember. But it sure as hell stuck with me. She always told me I wouldn't amount to much, and goddamn it, she was right.

I felt my own colors start to become dim and gray the more I thought about my mother and my failures, and all the things I hated about myself. I could feel myself slipping out of the dark room, but I wanted to stay. Something important was here, I could feel it. I started pulling my own hair to distract me from those thoughts and forced myself to stop thinking about mom and all that other stuff. All that mattered was that I find what I was looking for, even if I didn't quite know what that was.

I heard footsteps. They were very faint, but I heard them. The sound of someone's toe claws on a marble floor. They were getting closer. As the person came near me, I immediately identified her as the woman from the painting.

I immediately rose to my feet and tried to introduce myself, but no sound came out of my mouth. The woman just came near me and held my hand. Her fur was so warm, and her touch so gentle. I couldn't dare look into her eyes, so I looked away. She put her hand on my face and turned it to look at her. I tried to look away again, but she wouldn't let me. She was so beautiful, I almost couldn't stand it. Her smile was so warm, her eyes so serene...

And then it hit me. This woman was me. Older and wiser, but it was definitely me.

I thought maybe she was supposed to be me from the future, but as I thought that the woman shook her head. No, she was like... the me 'inside' me. What my 'soul' should look like.

She placed her delicate finger over my heart and a small, faint purple light shone. She was trying to lead me to my Testament I think.

I looked at her and then at myself. I was nothing like her. I wasn't pretty like her, or kind like her, or anything. She was so much better than me, how come I was the one who interacted with the outside world?

She gently stroked my hand, but her fur started to become cold. I tried begging her not to leave, but again, no sound left my mouth. She started to fade, and I couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. I just didn't want her to leave me... like everyone else always does.

My eyes opened and I was back in the Ravaged Lands, shivering and on my knees. I didn't know just how long I had been out, but everyone seemed really concerned.

"Noble, please let me go back there!" I begged, practically groveled in front of him, for him to give me another chance.

"I'm sorry, Lilac." Noble shook his head.

I almost began to cry, but then I thought of that woman again. I wanted to be her, and she wouldn't just give up. I saw that even though I was back, Noble's circle of light hadn't vanished yet. I threw my fists at the ground, plunging them into the light. I felt my hands burning, and the light felt heavy, like I was digging in lava. But I wasn't about to give up.

I was going to get my Testament no matter what.

I think I started screaming, although I only vaguely remember. When my hands were in that light, it was like I was outside my own body. I couldn't tell where anyone or anything was, not even myself. All I could focus on was the light, and my Testament.

I finally brought my hands above ground again and the light vanished. I was completely numb for a moment or two before my senses fully returned, but when I came to I saw the sword in my hands.

The blade looked like it was made from violet glass, but had a small neon green light or fire inside it. It was a short sword, I'd say about half the length of my arm. The guard was white and looked like a blooming flower. The hilt was also white, and while it had no pommel, at the base of it was painted a purple flower. A lilac. I couldn't help but laugh, inside my own head since I could hardly breathe still, at the irony.

The sword was extremely heavy. I barely held it for a few seconds before I collapsed under its weight, my arms falling to the ground. But I couldn't let go. I felt like I was just barely holding on to its very_existence_, that if I let go of it, it would disappear.

"It's alright Lilac." Noble put his paw on my hand. "It won't leave your side." It was like he was reading my mind.

I stared at it for a moment, captivated by its utter beauty, before struggling to put it in its scabbard, the sheath of my old sword having somehow changed to perfectly fit my new one. Much to my relief, it stayed there. And I knew Noble was right, that it would continue to stay there and not leave my side. I was comfortable with it there, but I knew I still had a lot of work to do if I wanted to use it without it weighing a metric fuckton. Incidentally, as it was sheathed, it felt absolutely weightless. Only when I tried pulling it out again did it feel like trying to pull my own arm out of its socket.

"Are you okay, Lilac?" Elin helped me get to my feet, and North helped me to keep balance once I was up.

"Yeah. I'm better than okay." I couldn't help but smile but I could barely talk, still completely out of breath. I was beaming at having a Testament of my own. It wasn't just about having a cool sword though. I felt like, since I had this thing that almost no one else had, I felt special. I felt like I mattered for once in my life.

"So that's your very own Testament, huh?" North rubbed my shoulder. "I'm proud of you, Lilac."

"It's very beautiful, Lilac." Phenix added.

"Like you!" Elin grinned and poked my arm playfully.

"Thank you all." I bowed, trying to hide that I was blushing and incredibly embarrassed by all the attention.

"Would you like to share the name of it with us, Lilac?" Noble said with a rather pleased tone in his voice.

Nothing would please me more. I wanted to make a big dramatic scene out of it, but I was still really exhausted from getting the thing so I simply laughed a little bit and, like North had done, proudly stated the name of my beloved Testament.

"Majesty."

-TEL-

"Hey, you guys!" I was lagging behind the others, completely out of breath. "Hold on a sec!"

"Seriously, Tel?" Kavik laughed. "Hurry up, kid!"

I was trying to hurry, but I was just so exhausted. We'd been walking around, not a demon in sight, for what felt like hours.

"I weigh like eighty pounds and I don't get a lot of exercise, give me a break!" I said as I caught up with everyone.

Kavik just laughed again at my lack of physical prowess.

"Look, I didn't want to say anything..." August took a deep, wheezing breath. He didn't look like he was in good shape either. "But I feel like my internal organs are about to rupture. I think we should take a break."

"Come on, you guys!" Kavik scoffed. "We could put in like six more hours of forced marching!"

"No, Kavik." Vatra chuckled. "The others are right. It's time we took a break."

"It's not like we're trying to go anywhere in particular." Aiden shrugged, sitting down with his legs crossed. "We're just wandering around a wasteland with no apparent goal."

"Well, we have a goal." Vatra groaned. "It's just that we haven't seen hardly any Nichts since we've been here. Rather unfortunate, really."

I have to admit, I kinda disagreed with that last part. I was rather glad we hadn't seen any Nichts since that fight with Doubt. Doubt really freaked me out and kinda shook my confidence a little. I was so _not helpful_during the fight and I was worried I just wouldn't be any help to the others at all, and I really didn't want to have that theory confirmed so yeah, I was glad we hadn't run into any more monsters.

"So, is anyone hungry?" Vatra smiled.

"I am." Aiden sighed bitterly. "But we didn't bring any food with us."

"Yeah, why exactly did we do that?" Kavik scratched his head.

"Relax everyone." Vatra chuckled. A bright pink circle appeared on the ground in front of us. In a flash of pink light, there were sandwiches, salads and cute little fruit cups sitting in the middle of the circle.

"Dude, you can make food out of nothing?!" Kavik exclaimed, clearly very excited.

"Not exactly." Vatra said. "I can transport food extra dimensionally using magic."

Kavik paused for a moment. "So you can make food out of nothing." He said flatly.

"Sure, Kavik." Vatra shook her head and sighed.

We all sat down and started eating. Kavik sniffed practically every sandwich before settling on one he liked, August went right for a salad, Aiden decided on a sandwich after weighing it against another sandwich for a moment, and I just couldn't resist getting into one of those adorable fruit cups.

"I'm a little surprised our food doesn't just rot within seconds of being in the Ravaged Lands." Aiden said wryly.

"It's a good thing it doesn't." Vatra replied. "If it did, not only would it be bad for us, but for the people who live here."

"There are people who live in the Ravaged Lands?" August asked. I'd almost forgotten that August wasn't from the Humanitas Republic. The settlements inside the Ravaged Lands, or the 'Dead Towns' as people called them, were, while an unpleasant concept, common knowledge in the Republic but the Lunar Kingdom was less involved with the Demon War.

"Yup." Kavik's mouth was full of food as he spoke_. No manners, sheesh._ "There are plenty of towns in the Ravaged Lands, towns that were attacked by demons, but not destroyed."

"I just don't understand how anyone can live like that." I mumbled, recalling my own time spent in one of the Dead Towns.

"Necessity." Vatra said solemnly.

"Yup." Kavik shrugged. "There are plenty of offshoot towns hovering around the big cities in the Republic for refugees to live in, but they fill up fast so there're always people who get left out."

"I hear Caldera has some room now." Aiden said mockingly. Was that supposed to be a joke? I couldn't believe Aiden would joke about what happened in Caldera.

Kavik, and Aiden too, seemed so non-caring about the plight of these people. I just didn't understand how they could talk about it so nonchalantly like that.

"Really?" Kavik said, stuffing another bite of sandwich in his mouth. "I heard Caldera was having problems with their refugees, complaints of some kind. I never really thought much of it."

"I get the feeling the refugees won't be complaining anymore for some time." Aiden rolled his eyes and took another bite of his own sandwich. August looked at Aiden suspiciously. I figured he didn't know about what happened in Caldera, Kavik obviously didn't. I guess nobody told them.

"Well good for them." Kavik finished his sandwich, and then immediately grabbed another one and started wolfing it down. I was a little grossed out. "Caldera's refugees may have complained, but they had it easy compared to the folks up in Andras, and Itholvald has it the worst."

"Andras?" I questioned. "That's where I'm from. What's wrong with things there?" I didn't really know anyone from the Ravaged Lands, but my city was a really nice place, I didn't know anything was wrong there.

"Nothin' 'wrong', per se." Kavik's mouth, thankfully, was not full of food when he spoke this time. "The Disciples of Penance, the ones who hail from Andras, they like to take any and all refugees who are capable of lifting a sword and recruit them into the Disciples."

"That's not so bad." I said cheerfully. "Being a Disciple is an honorable thing."

"Oh yeah?" Kavik laughed, well actually, more of a cackle really. I started to get disgruntled. It seemed like he was making fun of me and I didn't get it.

"Do they force these refugees into the Disciples?" August asked. I was about to ask the same thing.

"Nah." Kavik scoffed. "The Penance crew's gimmick is they like to guilt trip people into joining. They'll throw the blame for the refugees' towns being destroyed on whoever they're tryin' to recruit. It gets even 'better' when the guys their blaming lost family members or loved ones in the destruction, cuz they'll blame 'em for that too."

"That's awful!" I exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Yeah, just a little." Kavik responded, still chuckling and shoveling down his sandwich.

"No, not that!" I stood up, furious. "That you would spread lies like that about the Disciples!"

Kavik stopped laughing and eating and just looked up at me.

"Lies, huh kid?" He said, his voice sounding uncharacteristically serious. "And what exactly do you know about the Disciples, Tel?" Kavik stood up and looked me in the eye, somewhat intimidatingly.

"I know that they're honorable warriors who are fighting and laying down their lives to protect the people of the Republic!" I barked. "Of the whole world even!"

Kavik was silent for a moment before bursting out laughing. I started to blush, and for a moment I really wished the others weren't all staring at me.

"Damn kid, you are a fucking shmuck." Kavik stopped laughing for the most part, but he was still chuckling a little.

I was getting really mad. I wanted to kick Kavik's sandwich right onto the ground! Well okay, that would be a waste of good food. And I wouldn't kick Kavik, that would be mean. But I felt like... like kicking dirt in his face! Hopefully without irritating his eyes too much.

"So Kavik," August interrupted Kavik's continued laughter at my expense "how do you know so much about the Disciples anyhow?"

"When you're trainin' to be a Disciple of Strength," Kavik took another bite of his sandwich "they make ya take these field trips, twice a year, to go to the other cities and learn about the other Disciples. So that's how I know."

"You're a Disciple?" Aiden asked incredulously. I couldn't blame Aiden for being surprised, Kavik certainly didn't act like a Disciple.

"No, but I trained to be one for a couple years before leaving Caldera." Kavik shrugged and sat back down.

"Why'd you leave, anyway?" August asked. Again, I wanted to ask the same thing, but I didn't really feel like talking. I was really embarrassed and upset by what Kavik had said, so I just sat down and quietly ate my lunch.

"Doesn't matter." Kavik growled. I could hear a lot of pain and anger in his voice. Whatever made him leave Caldera obviously left some pretty nasty scars on the poor guy.

"That's not the least bit suspicious." Aiden said sarcastically.

"Kay fine, none of yer business." Kavik shot back. "Happy now?"

"Hey, Tel." August said. "Come talk to me for a moment?"

I nodded and rose to my feet. I wasn't sure why August wanted to talk to me all of a sudden, but I was eager to get away from the others for a moment.

"We're going to take a walk for a moment." August said to the others, mainly looking for Vatra's permission.

"Alright, but don't go too far." She said in return.

"Are you alright, Tel?" August said to me after we'd walked away from the others, not quite far enough to lose sight of them in the fog but far enough that they wouldn't overhear us.

"Yeah, of course." I smiled at him, but it was insincere.

"Don't lie to me, Tel." August glared back at me.

"What? I don't-"

"I've seen that kind of smile before." He scowled. "I know that you're faking it, and I want to know what's bothering you."

I wasn't sure what to say. Nobody had ever seen through my fake smile before, not even my mom.

"It's nothing, really." I looked away from him and touched my fingers together. In retrospect, not exactly a great way to look like you're being honest.

"Tel, listen to me." August grabbed my shoulders. I was taken aback for a sec, I thought August hated to be touched. "I want to help you, but you need to tell me what's going on inside your head. Trust me, I know what you're feeling. You don't want to burden anyone else with your crap, or you think it's stupid stuff that doesn't matter, or whatever. But like I said, I want to help you."

I stared for a moment in silence. August was completely right about me. About me thinking my stuff is stupid and me not wanting to burden him with it. At first I thought August was really weird, but he's nice.

"The stuff Kavik said, about the Disciples and my hometown really upset me." I pondered for a moment. "No, it's that he just laughed at me and made me feel stupid. That's what upset me."

"Ah, is that all?" August smiled, patting me on the shoulder. "Just tell him that, and if he doesn't apologize I'll kick his ass."

"Thanks August." I giggled. He was right, talking about it did make me feel better.

"That wasn't all though, was it?" August frowned. His gaze made him look like he was staring right through me. It was creepy!

"Um, what do you mean?" I took a step back. I wasn't sure why I was holding back on him now. I really wanted to tell him everything, especially after I already admitted talking to him made me feel better.

"Tel." He said coldly. He almost sounded like my dad.

"I'm scared, August." I whimpered.

"What, of me?" August blushed and stepped back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, not of you." That made me laugh, and I gave August a playful shove, which made him smile too. But then I took a deep breath and got serious again. "I don't want to die."

It seemed like August didn't know how to respond to that. He just stood there looking like he was trying to come up with something to say, and I must admit, that didn't really help my fear at all.

"We're going to be alright, Tel." He finally said.

"I know." I mumbled. "I mean, I think I know. It's just..." I took a moment to collect my thoughts, fighting against my pounding heart and frayed nerves. "When I agreed to come on this journey, back in Reand, I was really excited to travel and meet new friends. And then when I heard we would be able to stop the war and defeat all the Nichts, I got really excited." I sighed and took a deep breath, August graciously enduring all my rambling. "But then when I actually saw the Ravaged Lands, and felt the disgusting dirt on my feet, and even more when that... that thing attacked you guys... I just... I realized the weight of this whole thing..."

I started shaking, despite my best efforts to not do exactly that. I really didn't want August to see me get all pathetic and weak, and start making fun of me.

"I know that you guys have said that we'll all be okay..." I said, my voice breaking. "But right now that just doesn't seem real, y'know?"

"I understand completely." He said, catching me completely off guard.

"Y-you do?" I looked at him with some shock.

August nodded and spoke solemnly. "When I was in Dred, coming to St. Augustine, Noble and I were attacked by a monster. I honestly thought that night that I was going to die, and I was terrified. Even before the monster attacked, after Vatra didn't show up when she was supposed to, I started feeling really scared. I had no idea how I was going to survive that night, it didn't seem possible, especially after Fear attacked us. And even after it was driven off, I was shaking the whole rest of the night. So trust me, I understand your fear."

"Thank you, August." I smiled. A simple 'thank you' didn't quite sum up how grateful I was that August not only understood, but empathized with me, but I didn't know what else to say.

"But I promise you that I will protect you." August put his hand on my shoulder again. "You and everyone else. And you can be damn sure that no one's going to die on my watch, I've got Faith on my side after all." August smiled confidently and he looked so cool in that moment.

I started laughing and got a little misty eyed, but they were happy tears. I couldn't quite bring up the nerve to thank him a third time, so I just gave him a big hug instead. Which to my surprise, he reciprocated, albeit grudgingly.

"Now come on, kid." August ruffled my hair playfully. "Let's get back to the others." I nodded back at him and we walked back to where the others were wrapping up lunch.

"What were you guys talking about?" Aiden asked, standing up and stretching his limbs.

"Kavik." August told Aiden to wait a moment with his index finger. "You need to apologize to Tel."

"How come?" Kavik retorted, tilting his head and seeming to be honestly confused at why he might need to apologize.

"For all that mean stuff you said about my town and for laughing at me and making fun of me!" I said gruffly.

Kavik looked up at me and blinked a few times before standing up.

"I don't know exactly what I said that hurt you, kid." Kavik outstretched his hand toward me. "But I didn't mean to offend you, so I am sorry for that." Kavik bowed and I shook his hand, bowing as well.

"Aw, you guys are so cute together." Vatra said condescendingly, chuckling to herself. "You'd make a cute couple."

"Hey, no way, Tel's mine!" Aiden barked sarcastically, sticking his tongue out at me, a gesture which I happily returned.

"So, August..." Kavik said, stroking his muzzle. "If I hadn't apologized, what would you've done?"

Without missing a beat, August drew his sword, a black aura surrounding the blade, and pointed it inches away from Kavik's ear and causing Kavik's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Then you would've started hearing out of only one ear." August said coldly.

Kavik stared for a moment before bursting out laughing. August seemed unfazed by his laughter, lowering his sword. Vatra and Aiden looked shocked, both by August drawing a sword on Kavik and his subsequent response.

"That... that's fucking great!" Kavik kept laughing. "You really had me goin' there fer a second! I seriously almost thought you were gonna cut my ear off or something!"

"Well, whatever works." August shrugged. Kavik playfully punched his arm.

So yeah, August really is nice. But sometimes he's kinda scary.

-ELIN-

"Majesty, huh?" Phenix said.

"Yeah, I'm not sure what's up with that." Lilac replied, twirling a strand of her hair.

"I think it's cool!" I giggled and gave Lilac a big bear hug.

"And rather fitting." North added.

"Why?" Lilac asked bemusedly.

"Because you have a very queenly soul, Lilac." Noble said softly.

Lilac grumbled, seemingly not convinced but smartly deciding not to argue with four people who were just gonna tell her how great and awesome she was.

"Okay, my turn to get a Testament!" I skipped up in front of Noble and drew my knife, just like the others.

"I already told you, Elin." Noble sighed. "I can't just give you a Testament."

I crossed my arms and pouted. "The others got cool Testament stuff, how come I can't?"

"As I said, I just knew what their Testaments would be." Noble explained. "I can't see yours right now."

"What do you mean?" I had a grasp on what he was saying, but I needed him to explain it a little better. "By 'see', I mean. I thought you said it was 'instinct' or whatever."

"My specialty in magic lies in divination." He said. "Using my magic, I can find people and things, or..." Noble paused, like he was reluctant to say what he was gonna say, but I poked his cute face so he'd continue. I think he appreciated it, even if he did give me an annoyed look. "I can look into peoples' souls."

"So what, you can read minds?" Phenix asked apprehensively.

"No, no. Not like that." Noble shook his head. "Although yes, I can do that too." Phenix's ears drooped and he frowned at Noble. "But there's a difference between looking into someone's soul and looking into their mind."

"Ooh, that's neat!" I smiled. Noble's magic sounded really awesome, I was kinda jealous.

"Thank you." Noble bowed. "When I looked into North and Lilac's souls, I saw their Testaments there, albeit in different ways, and my instincts told me what they were."

"How exactly did you see my Testament?" North queried.

"Well, North, when I saw your Testament, it was hovering beside you, just out of your line of vision." Noble explained.

"And what about me?" Lilac asked, sitting down on the ground now, I guess cuz she was out of breath.

"Yours was plunged into your heart." Noble said, frowning sadly.

Lilac paused for a moment. "Lovely." She sighed wryly.

"Noble, is it really a good thing for you to look into our souls like that?" Phenix asked nervously.

"As I said, it's different than looking into your mind, Phenix." Noble replied. "I can't learn your secrets or your thoughts or anything by looking at your soul. And that's really a better way of putting it. I'm not looking in your soul, I'm looking at it. So to speak."

"I'm not really sure I understand." Phenix lamented. "Just don't peer into my soul anymore, okay?"

"Yes sir, I understand." Noble bowed. "Any other objections?"

North shook his head immediately. Lilac contemplated for a sec, but decided she didn't really mind either.

Phenix may not have understood though, but I did, at least I think I did, and it sounded cool. I wanted to try it myself, but I didn't know any divination magic, so that would have to wait.

"So if you don't see my Testament in me, what do you see?" I crouched next to Noble so that we were at the same eye level. I stared at him with big, cute puppy dog eyes until he told me.

Noble looked into my eyes and they started to glow red. I mean, like redder then they usually were. His scleras were glowing red too. It was kinda creepy, but really cool!

"I see butterflies." Noble said, his eyes returning to their normal, non glowy red.

"Butterflies?" I tilted my head rather disappointedly. "Butterflies are cool and all, but I was hoping for like, dragons or something!"

"No, no dragons." Noble chuckled. "I see a meadow swarming with butterflies, as far as the eye can see."

"That's it?" I pouted again. "How anti-climactic!"

"I'm sorry, Elin." Noble was trying to hold back from smiling, I could tell. "You have a simple, very innocent soul. It's actually quite beautiful."

"Well thank you, Noble." I smiled and gave him a pet. "Oh well." I sprung up back to my feet. "I'm gonna get a Testament soon, it's destiny!" I pointed my finger into the air. "This... I swear!!!" I exclaimed, using multiple, much needed exclamation points!

The others chuckled at my theatrics, which made me smile. I always enjoyed making people laugh, even when I was being serious. I was determined about getting a Testament though, and not a damn thing was going to stop me from getting one.

Just then we heard a loud noise coming from our... north? I think? It was the direction I was facing, but everything looked the damn same in the Ravaged Lands and we'd been walking forever so I'd lost any sense of direction I had, which already wasn't much.

"What the hell was that?" Lilac looked around frantically for the source of the noise.

"It was an explosion." I said coldly. I could just barely see, through the fog, a cloud of flame and smoke from where I was standing thanks to my rather impeccable sight, and since I was the only one looking in that direction no one else saw it.

"An explosion?" North sounded alarmed but he did a good job remaining calm. "Where did it come from?" I pointed in the direction.

"Come on, let's go." Phenix started running toward it immediately, not even wasting a second.

There was no need for deliberation on our parts either. Every one of us quickly followed Phenix's lead. In part cuz we were worried about the others, but also just because we knew if there was one of those towns around, and the explosion happened near one, we needed to do what we could to help out.

-AIDEN-

We had packed up our lunch and resumed trekking through the wastes. I had asked August before we left if he had really planned on cutting Kavik's ear off if he didn't apologize, but all he said was "I never said I was going to cut it off."

After I glared at him for a moment, he added "Relax, I'm kidding." Which really, was as good as just saying yes.

He seemed like something of a loose cannon, and the fact that he kept to himself most of the time just made me more suspicious of him, not helped by his lack of scent. I wasn't sure how I felt about Kavik either. He seemed to be crazy about fighting almost to the point of being a berserker. And Tel, who I'd known for a few years, was a good kid but he was reckless and stubborn, the fact that he froze up during the fight with Doubt honestly took me by surprise, I expected him to rush head first into it like Kavik did.

As for the others, Elin was quite odd for a woman, being very 'boyish' and excitable. I wasn't sure just how useful she would be in intense situations, especially with her easily distractible nature. Phenix was far too passive and according to him, North jumped to extremes really quickly, which didn't bode well for delicate issues. And then of course, there was Lilac, who I just couldn't get a feel for. My instincts, especially with women, were usually quite good and the fact that I couldn't read her drove me far crazier than all of the others' problems put together.

I sighed, dismissing the others' ensuing concerned looks with a wave of my hand. I was starting to wonder why exactly I had come on this journey. Why I was risking my life on a glorified suicide mission with no apparent tangible benefit to myself. Mind you, I wasn't reconsidering. I had decided I was in this for the long haul, and I meant it. It's just that, logically, my decision made no goddamn sense.

"Well, lookie what we found." Vatra's words disrupted my internal monologue, and probably for the better. I wasn't paying much attention to where we were going, not that it mattered I thought, considering the past hours of walking through absolute nothing.

I wore a large scowl on my face as soon as I looked up at what Vatra was referring to. It was a small fortress, a sight that was rather commonplace in the Ravaged Lands.

"Is this a fortress?" August asked a reasonable question from someone who was unfamiliar with the Disciples. "What's it doing here?"

"There are little forts like this all over the Ravaged Lands." Kavik explained. "Usually the lands are just like what we've been seein' this whole time, empty and shit. But from time to time, roving bands, and by bands I mean armies, of Nichts will crop up and these forts are supposed to either deal with 'em themselves, or tell the Disciples about 'em before they manage to come too close to the cities." August nodded.

"There are also bigger forts," I added "that are built in certain areas known for high Nichts activity for the Disciples to inhabit in order to protect the smaller towns around the fortress."

"How in the hell did they manage to build stone forts in the middle of the Ravaged Lands?" August asked. Again, a reasonable inquiry.

"A whole lot of high level magic." Kavik responded, chuckling. "The Commanders of the Disciples don't spare any expense protecting their cities from demons. If they think that getting a boatload of master wizards together to create a giant stone fortress out of thin air is gonna help protect their people, they're gonna do exactly that."

"There really isn't any reason for us to be sticking around here." I growled. I was starting to feel sick just looking at this place.

"You guys don't want to say hi?" Kavik grinned. I felt like I could just walk up and punch him. Which I admit wasn't fair since he wasn't trying to piss me off and couldn't have known my issues with places like this.

"No, Aiden's right." Vatra said, putting me at ease. "We really shouldn't bother with the Disciples."

Kavik just shrugged and we were on our way, thankfully leaving this damn place behind.

My father was a high ranking officer with the Disciples of Dominance. He would often be sent on long missions into the Ravaged Lands and take my mother with him so that he would have something to do when away from his precious booze and hookers back home, and naturally I was dragged along for the ride as well. He would leave us in these forts for days, sometimes weeks, at a time, only coming back long enough to fuck my mother, often within audible distance of me, and then head back out. And I hated every goddamn second of it.

I turned back and noticed that I had gotten a fair bit ahead of the others. Not so far ahead that they were out of sight, but I thought it best to stop and wait for them to catch up.

I noticed something out of the corner of my eye, some kind of blob of black shapes. I stared intently at the horizon, my Fionbri eyesight being able to cut through the fog if I concentrated. As I realized what I was staring at I stumbled back, bumping into Tel as he walked behind me.

"Are you okay, Aiden?" He said, touching my arm and wearing a worried look.

"Nichts." I said distantly, not wanting to believe my own eyes. I saw Tel become pale as he heard what I said and looked into the distance himself.

Those shapes were Nichts, maybe hundreds of them. The others all looked into the fog and saw them as well, Kavik putting on a sadistic grin and drawing of his swords and August scowling but otherwise seeming completely unfazed.

"What do we do, Vatra?" August asked, drawing his sword.

"You kiddin' me, man?" Kavik scratched his swords together. "We can take those fuckers."

"I agree!" Tel drew his sword and grinned, baring his fangs like he was itching for a fight. "We came here to fight, didn't we?"

"I think it's best we avoid any unnecessary confrontation, you two." I managed to remain surprisingly relaxed as I spoke. "I'd rather avoid dying today."

"Aiden's right again." I really liked hearing Vatra say those words. "If they're close enough for us to see, they're close enough for the Disciples to see. I don't want any of you to get hurt needlessly."

Kavik glowered at Vatra for a moment before sighing and begrudgingly sheathing his weapons and Tel reluctantly did so as well, appearing disappointed that we wouldn't be fighting again today. I sighed in relief, but then I felt a huge gust of wind. It sent shivers down my spine. I wasn't the only one either, Tel was shaking like a leaf and August went completely pale.

"Maybe we should regroup with the others?" Tel suggested.

"Good idea, Tel." Vatra nodded.

Before we could teleport away, we felt another gust of panic inducing wind. I looked up instinctively.

What I saw was a giant black dragon. As it came closer, its flapping wings were revealed to be the cause of those gusts of wind. I thought at first that it was just a feral dragon. They were extremely rare, but not unheard of. It released a shrill howl, an ear piercing shriek. It was the kind of sound that only Nichts made.

"What the fuck is that thing?!" I yelled, losing my balance from the huge monster's intimidating size and aforementioned disorienting shriek.

The monster breathed a huge ball of flame at the fort, thankfully hitting the wall instead of landing inside it. Not so thankfully however, the fireball detonated on impact with the fort, causing a large explosion that ripped part of the stone wall to shreds.

"There's no doubt about it." August gripped Faith tightly and walked forward to confront the monster. "It's Fear."