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They had thought that they were doing the right thing, sending Rean away with Valimar. They had thought that by doing that they were protecting him, keeping him safe to give them a chance in the future to fight back; give them a chance to beat the odds and win.
They hadn't known what would happen as Valimar flew away, hadn't realised that already there were those who had been keeping an eye upon the boy. That as soon as he had been sent off on his own, that he would be captured; that they would do something to him that would ultimately cause them to lose the heart of their group.
No one knew what happened in those weeks that Rean had been lost, not even Celine could remember, her furred brow furrowing as she struggled to recall the moments between ordering Valimar to take Rean to safety and the moment they awoke in the Eisengard Range. But there was nothing but a blank void where memory should have been, only the constant reminder from others telling them that weeks had passed informing them that it had not been the mere moments that they had thought it to be.
It hadn't been noticeable at first, the change, a few things here and there that Rean seemed to have forgotten; but they waved it off as understandable considering all the things they had been through recently. Plus Rean had suffered and shared in the pain when Valimar had been injured also, so it wasn't surprising that a few things escaped his memory.
Rean had had to use his ogre power for a tough fight against Zephyr, a risk certainly considering his seeming lack of control, but something that they had agreed had been necessary. When his power had finally faded and he'd come back to himself, Rean had been disorientated and confused. He couldn't remember quite what they were doing or where they were, but once again they put it down to the tiredness he normally felt after his change.
Unfortunately none of them had noticed that the longer it continued, the more and more Rean seemed to forget; and not only that, but the less Rean was himself afterwards also. If Rean couldn't remember a few things here and there about their time in Thors? Well the civil war was a much more important issue at the moment, it was little wonder more frivolous memories were pushed aside. If Rean slowly stopped giving his long and heartfelt speeches before every attack? They didn't have the time to stop and listen anyway did they, so it was ok with just a smile and a vague pat on the back to keep them going.
To their eternal shame, it had been Crow who had noticed the changes in Rean first. Crow who had left them months ago, who hadn't been by their side day after day. Crow who had seen something odd in the way Rean fought him in his ogre form, something wrong in the way he had stumbled and stuttered when it had fallen away after their fight.
Crow had been surprised when Rean had come flying out of the hold carrying the Princess in his arms, maybe even a tad incredulous that the quiet boy he remembered would do something so bold. The boy he remembered had blushed darkly whenever Crow would reach out and hold his hand, would close his eyes each time they kissed and not be able to meet Crow's eyes afterwards.
But war changed people, so who knew who Rean might be now? That stray thought saddened Crow for some reason, an ache starting up deep in his chest that he quickly pushed down again.
If he had been surprised how bold Rean was to carry the Princess, then Crow was nearly knocked flat – literally – by the increase in skill he showed. Crow wondered if it was the transformation that had turned Rean's normally smooth strikes so savage, or if that was something new that he had picked up. He couldn't remember the transformation changing Rean so drastically the last time he had witnessed the change in the Old Schoolhouse.
He cursed as he dodged the flaming slash aimed at him, shock tearing through him when his eyes briefly met Rean's; and instead of the look of fierce determination that he had been expecting, instead of the warmth that normally would reside there.....Crow could only find cold indifference. As though Rean didn't care if he truly hurt Crow now, as though this was just another fight that he needed to win, without a care to the outcome.
Thrown completely off balance at this discovery, Crow soon found his sabre being knocked free from his hold as he fell to one knee panting. He looked up as cold steel touched him beneath his chin, meeting those chillingly blank eyes again.
Just who was this boy wearing Rean's face?
“Rean?” Crow cautiously called out, but not even a flicker of an eyelash hinted that the other boy had heard him. Instead the blade pressed a little deeper, just shy of piercing his flesh. Crow was relatively sure that McBurn wouldn't let him die here, but he really didn't want to test that theory either. Either way, Rean would be able to do a significant amount of damage to Crow before the other interfered if things continued the way they looked to be heading.
Hand creeping around his back and beneath his jacket, his fingers had just curled around the pistol kept there when Rean's hair had changed from white to black, his eyes from red to lilac. When the change came, Rean had stumbled backwards, staring down at the blade in his hand with a furrowed brow as though wondering just why it was in his hand.
Crow must have made a sound of relief or something, because Rean's eyes immediately flew towards him, Crow offering a sheepish smile in greeting.
“Hey, you finally managed to beat me then, good work Rean!” Crow started to push himself to his feet, before freezing as Rean finally spoke.
“Who...who are you? And where....are we on an airship?”
“How rude Rean, are you going to pretend not to know me, even after everything we've done together?” Crow joked, flirty smile aimed towards the other boy. But instead of whatever reaction Crow was expecting, all he received was a look of complete confusion, Rean shaking his head in denial.
“No..no I don't know you. We, we've never met have we? There's no way I would have done...that, with a stranger. S-so you must be lying.”
“Rean?” Crow cautiously questioned, stepping closer to the other.
Rean found himself backing away as Crow approached, his sword rising shakily in his hold defensively. “St-stay back! Don't come any closer!”
“Rean, this isn't funny anymore. Snap out of it!” Crow's voice was harsh and demanding.
Rean shook his head in disorientation, eyes darting left and right taking in everything at once. He raised his hand to press against his forehead with a groan, movement catching his eyes and drawing his attention, eyes flickering towards the curiously watching McBurn, before landing once more upon Crow. “Crow? What....why are you looking at me like that? What's wrong?”
“That should be my question don't you think?” Crow could feel his heart still pounding from the very real fear that Rean had shown, the confusion and disorientation.....the memory loss. He'd never thought Rean would not be able to recognise him, that he'd be able to forget him – them – so easily, and he refused to acknowledge the hurt he felt at the realisation. “What's going on Rean? Why can't you remember where you are?”
“O-of course I remember.” Rean argued. “We're on the....the Pantagruel and I was trying to, trying to take Princess Alfin and escape.”
“Right.” Crow couldn't have sounded any less convinced if he'd tried, eyeing the dark haired boy with worry. Just what had happened since he had seen him last? It had taken Crow nearly a month to track down Valimar in the Eisengard Range, and he started to wonder what could possibly have occurred between the moment he knocked Rean on his ass in Trista to that moment to cause this. Maybe Rean had hit his head a little too hard and knocked something loose? But no...the others surely would have noticed wouldn't they?
Before he could start demanding more answers, the sound of engines roaring ever closer filled the air, the appearance of the Courageous swooping past and depositing it's passengers, enough to have their own forces ready and waiting for battle.
Rean found himself fading in and out of the conversation surrounding him, unconsciously shying away from the frequent touches from the others who had come. He didn't notice the way Crow's eyes narrowed as he side-stepped the hand Gaius tried to lay upon his shoulder, tucking his other arm out of the way of Laura's friendly pat.
Rean soon found himself urged to board Valimar, breathing out a sigh of relief as he was able to remove himself from the middle of the crowd of people. It was silly and he knew it was; he knew that he was supposed to know these people, and in a way he did he thinks, but....he just couldn't remember much about them.
He could remember how the red head....Elliot? Liked to play music and that he was terrifying if left in charge of anything musical. He knew that Alisa was quick to anger, but kind at heart. That Jusis wasn't the self confident boy that he made out he was, and that Fie hid deep sadness beneath her often disinterested facade.
But he didn't know why he knew those things. He couldn't remember.
Crow watched silently as Rean disappeared into Valimar's cockpit, holding a hand up subtly to stop the others from disappearing once they had taken off to board the Courageous. They turned expectant eyes upon him, some with nervousness, others with barely concealed anger.
“Look I know there is a lot I probably need to be sorry for, but I'm not going to apologise. I did what I had to do, though saying that, I didn't mean to get you all involved.” That was probably as close to an apology as they were going to get from Crow. “But that's not why I asked you guys to stay. Have any of you noticed something off about Rean?”
“Well....” Emma started, her eyes flickering down towards Celine.
“Now that you mention it,” Machias mused, hand rising to cup his chin.
“What are you referring to in particular Crow?” Sara demanded.
“He's....” He hesitated. Maybe he had been imagining things, but no. There was definitely something wrong. “After he lost his ogre transformation, he was disorientated, he couldn't remember things, seemed confused and agitated.”
Crow paused, his hand clenching into a fist. “He didn't know who I was.”
The others fell silent with shock, mouths hanging open. Now that Crow had pointed it out, they had noticed it too, how sometimes Rean would seem confused, his lack of memory that they had brushed off as a product of stress. They'd seen the way Rean would look at them strangely sometimes, as though trying to work out who they were or why he knew them, but hadn't known what to make of it.
“Get him some help if you can. Maybe get miss witch here to find someone to take a look inside his head if you can. And for gods' sakes, stop letting him use that damned ogre power!” Crow barked at them. He turned on his heel, lifting a hand in farewell. “Make sure that idiot makes it to the end of this war alive yeah?”
'Since I can't be there to watch his back anymore' Crow thought, but refused to voice.
They watched as the members of the Noble Alliance disappeared below deck once more, gathering together for Emma to teleport them back onto the Courageous where the others waited for them. They looked towards Rean, saw the familiar way he smiled back at them, his eyes lit with the same fire and determination as always; and brushed Crow's worries aside. Rean was fine, he'd just been under a lot of stress at the moment. Perhaps Rean had simply had a moment of disorientation at the time of his change and that was all; after all, none of them knew just what he went through when the ogre power overtook him.
No, Crow was simply imagining things. They were the ones who saw Rean everyday after all.
It was only as they fought their way through the Infernal Castle that they realised just how wrong they had been to dismiss their own and Crow's worries.
Rean still led them as valiantly as ever, he still smiled and encouraged them to fight to protect others who couldn't protect themselves.....but he seemed hollow. As though his smiles and his actions were done and made unconsciously; as though he did what he thought they wanted of him, but there was no feeling left behind his actions or words.
Rean's smiles were empty and meaningless, because Rean no longer seemed to remember any of them.
It had happened like the flick of a switch so they would like to think, one moment they had been fighting a cryptid, Rean unleashing his ogre power to give them the edge, the next the monster had fallen and Rean's transformation had melted away leaving him to crash to his knees like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
His teammates had rushed to his side, questions flying from their mouths and worried hands reaching out for him; only for them all to fall back in shock when he had looked up blankly at them, not a single trace of recognition sparking within his eyes. They had convinced him somehow to follow them back to the Courageous, not taking their eyes off of him lest he try to escape, leading him into the infirmary the moment they boarded. The others had bombarded them with questions about what had happened, their eyes scanning over Rean's body to check for injuries, confusion mounting when he looked unscathed and not suffering from any status ailment that they could detect. It was only as Rean lifted his gaze to peer at them with curious eyes that they too had realised the horrible truth they had tried to deny for months – Rean no longer seemed to know who they were.
Emma and Linde had looked over him in the infirmary, a quick call to Instructor Beatrice had sent her racing to their sides also. They had checked him over from head to toe, finally having to rely upon Emma's magic to seek out the root of the issue, when not a single physical issue could be found.
Dread filled each person on the airship when they discovered what had happened. They didn't know why or how, but Rean had been inflicted with an undetectable ailment – a trigger, or curse even; one that triggered with each transformation into his ogre form. Each time Rean would change, he would lose more and more of himself, from his memories to his personality, until there would be nothing left of him but an empty shell, pliable and open to suggestion.
They'd wanted Rean to sit out their fight in the Infernal Castle, had stopped him from joining in the fights leading up to its appearance, but they were unable to. They needed Valimar there, to fight the Azure Knight, and only Rean could pilot him. In a small part of their minds, some wondered if Rean would one day forget how to pilot Valimar too, or even forget the Divine Knight himself.
So that was how they ended up finding themselves fighting alongside Rean throughout the Castle; and no matter what they had wished, they all naturally fell into the role of followers, leaving Rean to lead their charge as usual. They could see that Rean was confused at first, not understanding why he was being asked to lead, but that didn't mean that he didn't still have the natural talent to do so. Still it killed them inside to watch over him as he fought at the head of their group, not understanding why he had to fight, but still moving forwards relentlessly.
Each time an enemy too strong appeared before them, they had to watch with their hearts in their throats as Rean would force his transformation, a little more of his normally bright nature disappearing with each change. They could see the way that Rean would look around himself when he came back to himself, the furrow of his brows as he didn't recognise his surroundings, nor the people staring so worriedly at him from his sides. They would tell him over and over again where they were and what they were doing, their hearts breaking a little more each time as he accepted their words and forged onwards without fail.
They were nearly there, they could tell. They'd fought through numerous foes that had stood in their way, confronting demons from the past and monsters with power so great the very ground had trembled as they walked. Now they faced McBurn who was an unholy demon, even stronger than everything and everyone else they had ever encountered.
They had fought and struggled, watching in dismay as Rean had allowed his transformation to overtake him once more, growling angrily as McBurn had noticed something amiss with Rean as the fight wore on, pointing it out to them. How could this...this demon realise in one fight, what they had failed to notice in the months they had spent with Rean? In the end, he'd let them leave uncontested, withdrawing from the fight. He'd spouted some nonsense about it not being interesting or amusing watching as Rean destroyed himself, vanishing in a bright flash of magic.
Rean had stood blankly staring into space as his transformation fell away, not responding to the worried calls of his name, his sword hanging loosely at his side. Sara had to shake his shoulder harshly before his eyes had flickered with life again, Rean blinking quickly to take in his surroundings. By now they were used to this process, each person wanting to cry as they had to explain to him again where they were, what they were doing and why.
They wept inside as Rean stared uncomprehendingly at them as they told him that they were here to get Crow back, their friend and classmate, seeing not a flicker of emotion nor recognition pass over his face. Rean, who had been the most desperate to bring Crow back to them where he belonged; Rean who had been the closest out of all of Class VII to the older boy; Rean who had believed they could do it, now didn't even know who they were talking about. Rean who had loved Crow, before he had broken his heart with his harsh words and bitter betrayal.
What had they done to their leader?
Of course Crow noticed the difference in Rean the moment he stepped into the final room, not a single trace of recognition held within his eyes as they gazed over at him blankly. Instead of Rean, it was the others of Class VII who spoke to Crow of bringing him back into their fold, it was the others who inspired themselves with their words....it was the others who pushed Rean forwards to fight.
Rean it seemed, was happy to let the others fight in his stead; obviously realising that they had a personal stake here, where he himself didn't think that he did. He was surprised when he was gently pushed forwards to take his place in the front of the starting line up, tilting his head in confusion as both their opponents stared at him with differing expressions.
Vita, the witch, looked at him with shock and dismay – though neither of those emotions had her holding back – her eyes wide as they stared at him with critical eyes.
Crow – the one they had apparently come here to retrieve, though why they were doing so when clearly the other did not wish to return was beyond him – stared at him with a complicated expression. Rean wasn't sure just why he looked so...sad? But at the same time furious, his eyes glaring out over the rest of his team, a snarl stretched across his otherwise handsome face.
“I thought you would look after him!” Crow's words were punctuated with a harsh strike of his sabre, Alisa and Machias crying out as they were struck with the full force of his anger. “I thought you'd find out what was wrong with him!” Another strike, though this one Rean managed to step in front of, deflecting it away from Elliot.
“LOOK AT HIM!” Crow screamed out, the sudden appearance of a giant sword hovering above them tearing their attention away from his anger. They scattered as it fell, the others panting as they clutched their weapons. “There's nothing left of him....there's.....there's nothing left of Rean.....Our Rean!....My Rean....he's gone.”
Rean didn't know what the silver haired boy was yelling about; he was still here wasn't he? So why did he seem so anguished? Regardless, neither side would withdraw from the fight, so they continued on – though it did somehow become more spiteful than earlier. Something that Rean noted however, was that most of the attacks made by the other silver haired duo, were not aimed towards him, but at the others instead. He wondered to himself, just what they had done to anger them so.
They were losing the fight though, Rean could tell that much. Whether Crow's words had gotten to the others at his side, or they simply were not strong enough to defeat them, he wasn't sure, but he knew that they couldn't fall here. The others, they'd been so desperate to win, to force Crow to return with them, and to do that, they needed to win this fight.
So he let his ogre transformation overtake him.
Vaguely, Rean thought he could hear a broken cry of despair, the sound almost sounding like his name.
Like this, he fought viciously, slashing his tachi at his enemies without thought. He couldn't hear the shouts of his name, telling him to snap out of it, to stop fighting, his body moving forwards relentlessly. It was only as his foes stood panting before him, weaponless and defeated that he let the change fade, confusion once more swamping him.
“Ah....” Rean stared down at the blade in his hand, brows lowering in a confused furrow.
Did he...know how to wield this? He wondered to himself. A sound from beside him drew his attention and he became aware that there were others here with him. He looked up then, seeing dozens of gazes upon him in varying stages of hopelessness, his own eyes drifting away from the unfamiliar faces to take in the strange surroundings he suddenly found himself in.
Just where was he? How had he gotten here?
He wasn't given the chance to find the answers to those questions, because Rean suddenly found himself seated inside what he vaguely recalled being a Divine Knight. Valimar, if what the others were yelling was correct. He could see another Knight standing opposite him, the silver haired boy nowhere to be seen. Rean assumed that meant that he too was seated inside the Knight, the appearance of a double sabre helping to prove his theory. There had been a double sabre near the other boy hadn't there?
An image of the silver haired boy appeared on the screen before him, words being exchanged between the pair, though Rean couldn't understand most of what he had been trying to say. He...he didn't understand. All that he could work out was that he was supposed to fight now, and for some reason, deep in his heart, he knew that he had to win.
Rean could not have told you how the fight went, could not have remembered just how he managed to pull off his win. It was simply muscle memory that got him through that fight, and maybe just maybe, deep within his mind, Rean still remembered Crow and wanted him to come back to them, fighting harder for this reason. He'd felt...happy? that he had managed to win, but if you asked him why, he wouldn't have been able to explain the reason. Everyone else had seemed overjoyed though, and that had been enough for Rean.
They didn't have time to dwell on their reunion though, because the orange haired man who had been sneering down at them did something and all of a sudden they were forced to fight again. This time though, both the witch and silver haired boy fought alongside them, seamlessly fitting in as though they were meant to be there. Rean was slightly surprised at how well the other boy linked up with him, considering they had been enemies not ten minutes prior. Maybe that meant they had been friends before.....but before what? What could Rean not remember?
The appearance of the Vermilion Knight was an unexpected and horrible surprise, both Rean and Crow forced back into their Knights to finish it off and retrieve the Crown Prince from it's clutches. They had had not even a moment to devise a proper plan of attack, simply agreeing that the other Knight would create an opening and Rean was to rush in to rescue the Prince.
So Crow had made the opening, Rean rushing through the gap he had left behind. Everything was going to plan. Right up until the Vermilion Knight had pierced it's spiked tail through the Azure Knight's chest.
Rean heard the cry of the other boy, heard how he urged him forwards regardless, to continue their plan and obeyed. He didn't know why, but for some reason his heart started beating harder, pain lancing though his own chest at the thought of the other being injured. He rescued the Prince, the Vermilion menace falling silent and still once more, and with little more than a glance to make sure the boy was not dead or in need of medical attention, Rean rushed towards the place the Azure Knight knelt.
There was a huge hole torn through the chest of the Knight, Rean able to see straight through the machine, stomach churning uneasily. The flash of light that brought Crow out from within drew his attention, a small cry escaping him as the older boy fell to his knees immediately.
Seeing Crow like this, bloodied and weak, trying so hard to act strong for them in his last moments.....Rean almost felt like himself again. He..he could remember this boy. He could remember a silver coin, and lots of teasing. Of hanging out together on days off, and of Crow coming into his room to cheat off of his homework. He could remember warm hands and soft kisses; could remember heartache and pain and bitter betrayal flowing thickly through his veins.
The sudden noise of the rest of Class VII falling to their knees beside them drew Rean's attention, and for the first time in what felt like months, Rean knew them.
“G-guys....” Tears clotted his lashes, falling softly upon Crow's ruined chest. “Please....we have to save him.”
“We will Rean.” Emma and Elliot responded, small relieved smiles spreading across their faces; hands glowing with the light of healing magic.
“It's not working fast enough...” Elliot's voice tore Rean's gaze away from Crow's face, eyes darting up and widening as he took in the look of defeat.
Vita finally spoke, her eyes downcast. “The damage to his heart.....I don't know if it's possible..”
“Hey, don't look like that at me Rean.” Crow's soft, choked voice made it to his ears. “It'll be ok yeah? Just keep moving forwards, and for Aidios' sake stop using your ogre power!” He coughed, blood coating his lips, his chest heaving as he struggled to draw in breath. His body gave an involuntary jerk, eyes fluttering closed, a shuddering breath leaving his lungs.
And Rean felt himself shatter.
His memories, fragile as they were now, and the last of his emotions, fled. Leaving him an empty husk, knelt upon the ground, staring down at the crimson covered, silver boy. He felt.....hollow. His head jerked up as a new voice started speaking, his body rising on it's own and walking forwards; the cries of those behind him not even registering within his mind.
He stopped before the form of the Chancellor of Erebonia – a man who they had all thought to be dead – waiting obediently for instructions.
“Good boy, Rean.” Osborne reached out a hand to card through Rean's hair, nostalgia filling him at the familiar colour. His son looked so much like his mother, it was almost painful to look at him sometimes. “Now come, we have much work to do.”
“What have you done to him?” Machias yelled out, enraged and confused. “Rean, what are you doing? Come back please!”
“Unfortunately for you, Rean is now completely under my control. I must thank you all, but especially Crow, for breaking the last of his mind so that the programming I had implanted into his mind could take effect.” Osborne's smile sent shivers down their spines, even as they turned, shocked to see Crow's eyes open, glaring weakly at the man.
“D-damn...bastard.” Crow growled lowly. Around him, Vita, Emma and Elliot were still pouring magic into healing him, never giving up hope; the wound finally responding and beginning to close. It was slow going, perhaps because the damage to Ordine was still great, but it was enough to keep Crow alive until they could get him more help.
The appearance of Rufus and the rest of the Ironbloods was a surprise, one that none of them had truly expected. Though, it had been less of a surprise than Osborne's reappearance. Cayenne had been arrested, so that was one less thing for them to worry about, and the Crown Prince had been taken and returned to the Palace.
All that remained was Rufus, Osborne and Rean. Rean who stood silent and docile behind the Chancellor. Rean who did not seem to hear the calls of his name, who did not flinch, refusing to move even when Millium tugged on his arm to take him back to the others. Rean who stepped in front of the Chancellor with his tachi raised to deflect the bullet that Machias had shot his way.
“Why Rean? Why?” He cried out, throwing his shotgun to the ground, reaching out to shake Rean's shoulders.
Rean remained silent, staring through the inconsolable boy and brushing Machias' clawed hands from his shoulders before stepping back into his place behind the Chancellor. His eyes hadn't even flickered with the slightest hint of recognition.
“Come Rean, we have much to do.” Osborne turned on his heel, sending a last dismissive glance towards Class VII. “The take over of Crossbell will commence shortly. I expect you to be ready.”
“Yes sir.” Rean responded, voice low, toneless – almost robotic.
Valimar stood from his position near the Azure Knight, disappearing in a flash of light, leaving everyone staring. No one knew what to say or do. There was nothing they could do. They had ignored the signs that something was wrong, ignored Crow when he had warned them. And now Rean was nothing but an empty shell, a puppet for that man to use.
Crow was the most conflicted though. He had seen the signs, had warned them all to find a solution to fix it, but in the end it had been him that had broken Rean. His careless mistake that had cost them their friend; his betrayal the catalyst for Osborne to sink his claws into Rean in the first place. He punched the ground with his fist weakly, angry tears leaking from his eyes.
“Dammit, dammit! Curse Osborne for playing with people's lives like this!” He swore. Goddess how he hated that man; now more than ever.
“Crow, careful. We've only just managed to stabilise you, please don't undo our work.” Vita scolded him tiredly. “If you really want to help Rean, then stop being foolish, let yourself heal and find a way to break his programming.”
“How?” Jusis demanded, beyond caring how rude he must seem at this moment. This was their fault, and they all needed to do everything they could to fix it.
Emma shared a look with Vita, both Grianos and Celine silently watching their silent conversation. A short nod later and Emma broke the eye contact, looking towards the rest of the class.
“We'll need to go to Eryn Village first. Grandmother might have some ideas, and be able to heal Crow too. There's also a smith who might be able to help repair Ordine also.”
“Fine, let's go.” Crow spoke, gingerly sitting up, clutching his chest at the spike of pain that went through him. It was fine, it was nothing compared to the loss of Rean.
Vita and Emma set up a teleportation spell, the glow lighting up the dim interior of the Infernal Castle. As they disappeared, Crow couldn't help but gaze in the direction Rean had disappeared in.
“We'll get you back Rean, no matter what it takes. We won't leave you at the mercy of the Chancellor forever. Please wait for us...for me. I love you and I'll rescue you, I promise.”