Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Amber fiddled with a few pots and pans, washing up the rest of their dinner things before settling into bed. Aside from the soft clangs of the dishes, however, she could hear a soft noise. The woman turned around to see her six-year-old son, Eleven, still awake even at this late hour.

“What's the matter, dearie? Can't you sleep?” asked Amber, kneeling down to get on her child’s level.

“No, mum…” sniffled Eleven.

“You're still upset about your little fight with Isabella, eh?” asked Amber.

“She started it!” exclaimed Eleven, but he quickly lowered his voice. “She hit me for no reason! All I did was draw a moustache on her drawing!”

Amber chuckled, and the little boy raised an eyebrow. “...Oi, don't laugh! Look at this great big lump she's given me!” he hissed, pointing at the small bump on his head.

“I see it,” said Amber. “And I saw the one on her head too. You gave her that, didn't you?”

Eleven opened his mouth to speak, but finally closed it again. 

“...Yeah…”

The woman put her hands on her child’s shoulders softly. “Now you listen to me, my lad—there'll be plenty of times in your life when people upset you and you feel like lashing out,” she said. “But no matter how much it hurts, and no matter how much you want to hurt them back, you don't go looking for revenge. You do what's right.”

“I... I want to be friends with Izzy again, Mum,” said Eleven. “What should I do?”

Amber smiled. “Why, you talk to her of course, you big silly!” chuckled the woman. “Ask her what she was feeling, and why she did what she did. Try to see things from her point of view. Once you've done that, the rest is easy. You just smile, and hold out your hand.”

“Er… El…”

Isabella’s soft voice came from a little ways down in the house; she was awake, and had apparently been listening to their conversation.

“Izzy! Ach…” Eleven sighed deeply. “...I’m sorry for ruining your drawing, Izzy… Was there something you wanted me to do for you?”

“You’re apologising? How very unlike you!” Isabella remarked.

“You’re making a rude comment? How that greatly resembles you!” Eleven shot back.

At first Amber was concerned the twins would begin fighting again; however, she didn’t turn out to need to get involved. The two of them laughed, giving each other a hug when all was said and done. 

“That’s my boy!” Amber said softly to Eleven. “...Now, time for bed.” 

Isabella and Eleven almost immediately yawned, rubbing their eyes cutely. Amber smiled just before leading them back to their beds and tucking them in.

“Night-night, Mum,” Isabella said softly.

“Better night-night, Mum,” Eleven said proudly. 

“Oh, honestly…” huffed Isabella, causing her brother to chuckle.

“Night-night, children,” chuckled Amber. 

Amber started to hum, and Isabella smiled softly at hearing her favourite song. 

“Goodnight, sleep tight, child of Yggdrasil, ♪

The sun, it is sleeping and the night is still... ♪” sung Amber.

“The stars, they watch over you with twinkling eyes, ♪” chirped Isabella.

“To ward off the darkness till dawn arrives... ♪” hummed Eleven.

Neither of them could bear to sing it again; both were sound asleep. Amber smiled, and turned back to her evening chores.

Chapter Text

“Mummy, I’m scared!”

The woman clutched her child to her chest, tears stinging the edges of her eyes. She wiped them away quickly as her child sobbed silently, scarcely breathing. The mother covered her child’s mouth with her wet hand, and the child clutched the hand with his small fingers.

A crashing noise could be heard from outside the door. The child whimpered softly as wood splintered, splitting the wall that was all too near to them. The woman set her jaw, turning her child gently. She turned herself silently once her child was away from the noises, and kneeled to his level as a screech rang through the air.

“My darling,” she whispered. “If I don’t get out of here—”

A claw sliced through the wood of the door, crashing into the tiny room beyond. The woman refused to look behind her even as the monster screeched, its wings flapping violently.

“RUN!” the mother screamed, shoving her child forward. The young boy yelped, looking back at his mother with terror. She nodded to him, tears in her eyes, before the little boy finally climbed out of the broken window. He whimpered as shards of glass cut into his hands, but it didn’t last long; after he clambered onto the window frame, the boy toppled into the scorched grass below. The child began to sob again, blood running from his shaking hands, mixing with the rain to nourish the parched earth beneath his feet.

Screaming.

“Mummy!”

The child stared upward into what little he could see of the window, looking for any sign of his mother. There was only darkness, only droplets of blood from his torn hands moments before. He began to breathe quickly, approaching the stones of the building before he froze. 

In the window, he could see nothing—nothing but blackness. However, when the creature of utter darkness opened its three bloodshot eyes, his blood ran cold. The child released a terrified breath, too exhausted to scream, and stumbled away from the building before he began to sprint, tears running down his face.

“Heh heh!” screeched the dark gryphon; it appeared to be laughing. The woman laid curled up on the ground, blood pooling around her from her back. The skin on her back hung in rags, pouring crimson blood as violently as the rain around them. She looked at the broken window faintly, a tender smile playing at her lips.

“He got away…” she whispered, her vision fuzzy. “Hah… Perhaps… There is hope yet… for my darling boy…”

The dark gryphon screeched again, this time sounding angry. The woman yelled, unable to scream, as the gryphon slashed across her face. Her lip was cut deeply, and the claw wavered dangerously close to her eye before the creature turned back to the window, murmuring angrily. Suddenly, he turned around to the woman as her eyes began to glaze over.

“The Luminaries are dead,” it hissed, its voice turning to laughter. “Who can save you now?”

***

“Poor, dear woman—this tale fills me with such disdain,” she said faintly, gazing into the precious pearl before her. “Do not fear—your sacrifice will not be in vain.”

She sighed deeply, continuing to watch over the poor boy. Queen Marina was close to giving up the hope she had treasured thus far. The orb glistened with every catch of sunlight from the water, and started glowing all colours of the rainbow, despite showing her such a horrible scene.

“Mordegon has played his hand—the game is all but won. A shroud of deepest darkness has eclipsed the shining sun,” sighed the queen. “And yet, amid the shadows glimmer tiny specks of light. Faint, flick'ring flames that rage against the coming of the night. How can such sparks of hope remain, when darkness rules the land? Now evil reigns supreme, who has the strength to take a stand?”

***

Sylvando laid on the sandy shore of… somewhere. Water lapped at his heels, drawing away only to make him shiver. Slowly, the jester opened his eyes and groaned, spitting out sand and salt. All around him was an empty chill. There was no sun in the sky, only pale darkness. Was it a dreary dusk…?

“Wh-What happened...?” he groaned. “Where... Where am I...?” He blinked. “I'm alive...? But...how...?”

“Sylv! Syyylv! Fank goodness yer alright!” shouted a voice. Strong voice… Heavy footsteps were approaching quickly… Was that… Dave…? No, it couldn’t be, they were all at Yggdrasil… They were… They were… Falling…

***

The Salty Stallion drifted lazily across calm waters. No, calm couldn’t be the right word… Sylvando leaned over the railing, staring at the yellowish water. How could even the water seem dead? There was no breeze, and a faint darkness was about them. It could have been dusk, but according to the others on the ship, this was the brightest it would get in a day since the fall of Yggdrasil.

“Ah, there you are. You alright, Sylv?” asked Dave, coming from below the deck.

Sylvando turned abruptly. “Oh, sure Dave, I, I was just...getting a little air. Being cooped up in that cabin was driving me crazy, you know?” He sighed deeply.

“Ahh, come on, Sylv! Cheer up, will ya?” said Dave. “I don't fink I can take much more o' this mopin'!"

Sylvando sighed again. “That day...when Mordegon... There was nothing I could do... He was just too powerful... I thought it was the end for me... For all of us...” Tears glistened across his face. “But this... This is worse than death... To wake up and find everybody gone, and the world consumed by darkness…” 

The jester exhaled shakily.

“I'm sorry, Dave, but I just... I can't do this…” Sylvando said. “I know I should feel lucky to be alive, but without the others... I'm nothing... Nobody…”

“Right. That's enuff o' that,'' scoffed Dave. He threw his hand through the air and slapped the jester on the face. Sylvando was forced to fall over, clutching his cheek quickly.

“Agh, what was that for?!” exclaimed Sylvando, wiping his eyes quickly.

“'Ave you lost yer bleedin' marbles!?” shouted the shipmaster. “Since when were them mates o' yours the types to let some Lord o' Shadows numpty get the better of 'em, eh!? 'Ow about you 'ave a bit o' bleedin' faith in 'em like you used to? Or did you fink savin' the world was gonna be easy or somefink!?”

“Oh, Dave... You're right,” said Sylvando, standing a little taller. “If a slip of a thing like me was able to get out of that tangle with Mordegon alive, then the others must have done, too!” He chuckled. “And here I am feeling sorry for myself instead of getting out there and trying to find them! What would Veronica and Erik say if they saw me like this!?”

“That's more bleedin' like it!” laughed the shipmaster, nodding gruffly. “It's good to 'ave you back, me old mucker!”

“Oh, it's good to be back, believe me!” smiled Sylvando. “Now, enough chit-chat—it's time for action! We need to make land at the nearest port and find out just how much of a mess the world is in. And once we've done that, we can make a start on fixing it!”

“Sounds like a plan, Sylv!” said Dave. “Nearest 'arbour to 'ere would be over in Gondolia. I'll plot a course right away!”

“That sounds just perfect!” said the jester. “Anchors aweigh! Hoist the mainsail! Gondolia, here we come!”

***

The absence of the usual sea breeze made the town seem all the more pitiful. The chatter of people could normally make up for a calmer day, but the only sound of commonfolk was the quiet squabble around shops. Whether it was a customer or a bandit, it was hard to tell. Some of the shop owners seemed too distracted to care about their wares, anyway.

“What happened here?” said Sylvando. “Where is everyone?”

A man in a drawn hood turned to face the jester. At first Sylvando’s heart was lightened, until he realised that the man could not be Erik.

“Been sleeping under a rock, have you?” said the man. “In a few words, the World Tree fell. People died… thousands of people were killed by the impact, and the survivors weren’t much better off. They would be, but the Luminaries are dead. We’ve heard the vicious beasts laughing in the night, saying that endlessly.”

“Isabella and Eleven are… dead?” said Sylvando slowly. “Surely it cannot be… they cannot… Such young, pure souls…”

“Whoever the Luminaries are, if they’re these kids you speak of, they’re dead. Deal with it,” scoffed the man, sipping on the foul liquid that was in his mug.

Sylvando stood in the middle of the drab town, stunned. The man turned away from him, shaking his head and turning on his stool to pointedly face the yellowish water.

“Dear Eleven… Darling Isabella…” Sylvando heaved a sigh, turning his face to the ground… Suddenly, he turned on his heel, dramatically pointing to where the sun was almost completely hidden. 

“The show must go on!” he exclaimed, his voice booming with pride so that some of the passersby stared. “This setback is most possibly the most terrible thing that I can imagine… But I lived on. I lived on, and there has to be a reason for that. Even if I think of myself as the least of any of our merry band, there is something I can do about the sorry state of this world!”

“I agree fully!” exclaimed Dave. “Nothin’ we can do about the past, but we can change the future for the better!”

They walked across the town, and then they both shouted. A very unpleasant noise was in their ears.

“What in the name of ‘eck?!” exclaimed Dave. He lifted his eyes and saw a man singing on the same place that Isabella had fought Jasper. Sylvando held back the oncoming tears; not only from grief, but also because the man’s playing was absolutely awful. 

“Ah, welcome, friends!” said the man. “I’m singing this wonderful melody so that the man over there will cheer up! Oh, he does look so sad…”

“A long face? Let’s go along and help the poor soul!” said Sylvando. He and Dave walked along the docks until they saw a man with blonde hair and a monocle. 

“Hello? Are you the man we heard was dreadfully upset?” asked Sylvando. The man turned his head slowly.

“Oh. You're one of those minstrel types, are you? Look, if it's money you want, you'd better go and hassle someone else. I haven't got a penny to give you,” said the man softly. 

“Sorry, darling, no can do,” said Sylvando. “It's against my policy to leave people all alone when they look as down in the dumps as you do. Look, why don't you just tell me what's on your mind? A problem shared is a problem halved!” He bowed. “Sylvando, entertainer extraordinaire, at your service!”

The man raised an eyebrow as the two men sat down beside him on the edge of the pier. 

“Right, well... My name's Tetsu,” said the depressed fellow. “I'm a blacksmith from Hotto, though I haven't been back in a long old while. I'll tell you my story if you really want, but I'm warning you, it doesn't have a happy ending…

“After all those years away, I thought it was time for me to finally head home, see how my mother was doing, you know. But then the minute I set out on my journey, Yggdrasil fell. That just made me even more desperate to get back, of course. I was so worried about her... I managed to make it as far as Gondolia, but then my luck finally ran out.

“My luggage was stolen by a gang of thieves who've been terrorising the town. The Beastly Boys, they call themselves. I can't make the journey to Hotto without all my things. Especially not the lilies of the valley I brought for my mother… They're her favourite flower. I wanted to give them to her to say... Well, to say sorry for being away for so long. For leaving her all alone…”

“Oh, darling! Believe me, I know exactly how you feel!” exclaimed the jester. “Fear not, friend! Your mother will get her flowers! Dave and I will make sure of that! All you need to do is tell us where we can find these Beastly Boys!”

“Oh, well...if you're sure,” said Tetsu nervously. “There are two merchants— brothers —who run establishments in the southern part of town. I've heard that the Beastly Boys have been hanging around causing trouble at the older one's stall.”

“A stall in the south of town, eh? Alright!” said Sylvando. “We'll be back before you know it! Dave, darling—let's roll!”

“W-Wait!” exclaimed Tetsu, standing. “Look, I appreciate you trying to help me, but these are real thugs we're talking about here. And...no offence, but you're just an entertainer, right? I wouldn't want you getting hurt…”

“Oh, don't you worry about me, sweetie!” winked Sylvando. “I'm more than just a pretty face, you know!”

The jester ran across to a small shop, and saw three young men holding iron broadswords. They seemed to be trying to steal things from the shop, and the shopkeeper didn’t look too pleased.

“Hey, are you the Beastly Boys?!” spat Sylvando. Each of the boys turned.

“Yeah, and you’re not getting that dumb guy’s knapsack back that easily!” scoffed one of the boys, sticking out his tongue.

Sylvando and Dave looked at each other, smirked, and turned back to the gang. Without warning, the young man with short red hair attacked Sylvando. The jester bended backward, dodging the blow. Another person swung at the jester, but Sylvando grabbed the edge of the sword and thrust it back at him.

One young man with brown, spiky hair hit Dave with a spear. Dave seemed to barely notice, and knocked the younger one down with a single blow. The young man with red hair was the only one left, and he was panting very hard.

“Yeeeah! You show ‘em, Sylv!” exclaimed Dave. Each of the young men looked up painfully.

“Now, if you don't mind...” said the jester. He skipped over to the red-haired male and snatched the knapsack from him. 

“Wot we gonna do wiv this 'orrible lot then, Sylv?” questioned Dave.

“Well, beastly they may be, but they're not exactly the dangerous thugs we heard about,” Sylvando pointed out. “They can barely swing a sword. What's your story, boys, eh?”

“We didn't start out as criminals,” said the red-haired male. “We were fishermen. And very happy fishermen, at that. But after Yggdrasil fell, we couldn't take the boats out any more. Have you seen the sea lately? It's swarming with monsters!

“Things were just impossible... Most days, we barely had anything to eat… The world might as well have ended that day. We lost our families... Lost everything... And no one came to help us… So we had to choose between a life of crime or starving to death—and that's no choice at all!”

The jester frowned, and snatched a sword from the ground.

“Watch closely, darlings,” he said. “This is just an ordinary steel pike, yes?

“Think again!”

Sylvando tossed the blade into the air, and stepped in front of it just as it fell behind him. He smiled, and pulled out a loaf of bread from behind his back.

“From arms to mmms! Who's for fresh bread, huh?” he chimed. “Bon appétit, Beastly Boys! Eat your fill, and forget your wicked ways! You'll be beaming again before you know it!” He tossed the food over to them, and the red-haired boy caught the oversized loaf.

“What!” the leader called. “Who… Who are you?”

“Me?” asked Sylvando innocently. “Oh, nobody. Just someone who likes to see people smile.”

Sylvando and Dave went back across the dock, and saw the sad man sitting on the edge of the wall once more.

“Oh, darling~” chimed the jester. The man turned around, and his eyes lit up when he saw the flowers.

“Oh, thank goodness! They're still in one piece!” smiled Tetsu. “Now I can go home to my mother with my head held high! Thank you, Mister Sylvando. Oh. Here—it's not much, but I want you to have these…”

He pulled a large package wrapped in brown foil from behind him, and handed it to Sylvando. The jester smiled quite widely.

“Oh, Tetsu, darling!” gushed Sylvando. “Whatever they are, I'm sure they're wonderful! You're such a sweetie!”

“Honestly, you deserve much more,” smiled Tetsu. “Come and visit me in Hotto sometime. I'll be able to thank you properly. Now, I'd better be off. I'd tell you to be careful, but I've got a feeling you'll be just fine. Bye for now!”

Sylvando stood there for a moment, the bundle in his arms– motionless.

“ 'Ere, you alright, Sylv?” questioned Dave.

“Oh, I'm better than alright, darling!” exclaimed the jester. “I've found it! My purpose in life! My raison d'être! You know how I've been so down in the dumps thinking about all the despair and suffering in the world? Well, if that's what's making me so unhappy, there's only one thing to do about it—get out there and fix the problem! Help make people happy again! Just because I can't save the world with some grand, heroic gesture, that doesn't mean I can't do it one smile at a time!”

“That's my Sylv! I'm wiv you all the way!” beamed Dave.

Suddenly, three figures came out of nowhere– the Beastly Boys.

“We heard everything you just said!” said the redhead.

“It's them tea leafs from before!” growled the shipmaster. “I 'ope they ain't spoilin' for another fight. Didn't they learn their lesson first time 'round?”

“You have to let us come with you!” begged the redhead. “You have to let us help people! We're done with our life of crime thanks to you!”

“You want to tag along?” Sylvando bit his lip. “Hmm... Well, I hope you understand it won't be easy. I can't guarantee you'll get home in one piece…”

“We don't care!” they all cried.

“Well, in that case, welcome aboard, darlings!” beamed Sylvando. “Now, as luck would have it, I've got you all a welcome gift! Here—take one each now, don't be greedy!”

They each held out a shaky palm, and the jester then put colourful sticks in their hands. Some of them had glittering ends with a large circle on the top, and others had streamers sticking out.

“Oh, they're simply fabulous! Darlings, you look splendid!” gushed Sylvando. 

“I don't get it, Sylv. Wot are they?” asked Dave.

“They're the presents dear old Tetsu gave us!” beamed the jester. “If we're going to be travelling around spreading happiness and laughter, we'll need to look the part, no?” He turned to the group. “Alright, we're all set! Let's get out there and bring some sunshine back into the world! Sylvando's super-special smile-spreading parade starts right here!”

Chapter Text

“Octagonia... Finally…”

Jade’s long, black ponytail blew in the slight breeze around Octagonia. Other than the wind, the entire place seemed barren… dead. No sound could be heard except distant noises and her own breathing.

“You there! You're not from around here, are you?” called a voice. Jade turned, and a young man walked towards her. “Well, let me give you a piece of advice, one traveller to another: steer well clear of that city. It's in a right old state. The stories I've been hearing are enough to make your hair stand on end!”

“Thanks for the warning, but I'm going in anyway,” answered the martial artist. “If the people there are suffering, I can't leave them to their fate. Things are bad enough these days without that.”

“Blimey, there aren't many like you around,” said the young man. “Most people are just out for themselves since Yggdrasil fell. Well, good luck to you—you'll need it.”

“I know I'm not alone in this,” said Jade. She closed her eyes. “Eleven, If you're still out there, you'll be doing exactly the same thing as me. I only pray that Isabella is with you… And that's how I'm going to find you two. I just have to keep looking...”

“Help!” shouted a voice suddenly. The martial artist looked quickly down into the streets of the town and saw a man in flimsy armour. He was holding a sword in trembling hands, backing away from a Grim Gryphon that got nearer and nearer.

Jade ran from the overhang she was on and drew her spear mid-air. She landed on top of the Gryphon and sliced the weapon through its head, killing it.

“Th-Thanks... You'd think I'd be able to look after myself, being a fighter and all. Heh,” said the man, relieved. “Wait, you're into the whole Masked Martial Arts thing too, right? Yeah, you made it all the way to the semi-finals. Jade, wasn't it? Hm, picked a heck of a time to come back. What brings you to town?”

“I've been visiting places where people are in trouble. And destroying the monsters I find there,” answered Jade. “I heard that Octagonia had been overrun, so I came here as quickly as I could. What can you tell me about what's been going on?”

“Well, we've had it pretty tough,” sighed the fighter. “As soon as Yggdrasil fell, this creep called Booga showed up and took the place over. Started using us humans as his slaves. Vince and the others weren't about to let monsters take over our hometown without a fight, though. A bunch of them went out looking to take the guy down...but we've heard nothing since. In the end, it got so I couldn't bear to just stand by and watch things go to hell either. I had to try to do something—but, well...you saw how that worked out…”

“Well, they won't be bullying the people of this town any longer!” said the martial artist. “It's time someone taught this Booga character a lesson!”

“Look, no offence, lady, but—”

His voice faltered when he saw her stern glare. “H-He should be up in the old arena on the third level. I guess you know what you're doing, but...just be careful, okay?”

He handed a few bundles of strong medicine to the martial artist.

“Thanks,” said the woman. She stuck both pouches in a bag that was tied to her belt, and walked up the stairway towards the main area. Jade turned to the right and headed up more flights of steps, and went off to the left only feeling a little tired.

In the old arena was a group of people, and they all cowered on the ground in front of a creature. 

He had three eyes, each of which were red as rubies. He was large and fat, with sharp claws at the ends of his two hands. Booga laughed as the people screamed, his tail about to lash out at them.

“Booga, I presume? Enslaver of innocents and all-round bully?” hissed Jade. 

“I am he! Mighty Booga! Spectral Sentinel! Skull-smasher! Swoon-inducer extraordinaire!” he said. “And who might you be, hm? Let me guess—another righteous warrior come to put an end to my wicked reign? (sigh) Come on, then. Let's have a look at you…”

The creature quickly turned around with a vile look on its face, but the look instantly went away when he saw her.

“B-B-B-B-B—!” squealed Booga. “Y-You're gooorgeous! ♥”

 Jade could practically see hearts coming from his eyes. She rolled her eyes in disgust, but he obviously didn’t notice.

“Hair as glossy as a great sabrecat's coat!” he swooned. “The flawlessly toned physique of a gigantes! Oh yes... You're right up Booga's alley! ♥ We mustn't waste another moment! Please! Say you'll be mine! Let me shower you with gushing lashings of affection every minute of every day, forever and ever and ever!” He began to slobber, saliva dripping from his foul mouth.

“Ugh! I couldn't think of anything worse...” scowled the woman. 

“Oooh! Just look at her angry face!” cooed Booga. “It's even more adorable than her only-mildly-grumpy face! Swooon! ♥ But you won't be able to stay mad at me forever! Especially not when you see what I've made you! Beloved—a token of my undying appreciation…”

He pulled out a bunch of cloth from the folds of his clothing, and held it out to Jade. The woman gagged—it was a sky-blue bunny suit.

“I call it the hare-raising suit!” he slobbered. “Ooh, and it'll make your darling Booga-Wooga very happy indeed to see you wear it!”

“Not on your LIFE!” screamed the woman. Jade yelled and swung her leg at him, but the monster dodged nimbly.

“Darling, please! We've only just met!” exclaimed the monster. “Try to control your urges! At least tell me your name before you start throwing yourself at me!” He paused. “Come on, now. Be a good girl and put it on...if not for your sake, then for theirs…”

The people beside him screamed as he approached them, and Jade held out her hand, a look of utmost horror on her face.

“I've been known to get a little aggressive when I don't get my way,” hissed Booga. “So, what do you say, honey-bun, hm? A quick change of clothes is a small price to pay to stop these people suffering, no?”

Jade groaned, but held out her hand for the bunny suit. Booga smiled and snapped his fingers. The woman was engulfed in swirling pink magic, and it swelled around her before dying down.

Once the magic mist had cleared, Booga’s eyes lit up. There was the woman standing in the same spot, but wearing the gorgeous blue bunny suit. She scowled at him, though he didn’t seem to be paying attention to her face.

“G-G-G-G—!!! Oooh myyy! Just look at you! I knew you'd be a picture in it, but...oooh, I could eat you up!” he exclaimed. 

“That's enough!” Jade cried. “I put on your stupid suit, now be as good as your word and let these people go so I can come over there and pummel you!”

“...Oh, I don't think so,” he smirked. “No. I've changed my mind. Sorry! But I AM very pleased to hear you want to spend some quality time with me! Heh heh heh! Let's get rid of these hangers-on first, shall we? Take everyone except me and the girl, will you, my love?”

A section of purple magic formed above them, and a shrill, girly voice screamed, “Anything for you, my Boogy-Woogy-Woobags! ♥”

“You're disgusting! How could you!?” cried Jade.

“Save it for when we're finally alone, will you, my little plum dumpling?” smiled Booga. “We just have to pack these people off into an interdimensional vortex, and you'll have me all to yourself!”

A man with brown hair started being dragged into the sphere, but Jade was quicker. She jumped up to him and grabbed his leg before he made contact with the orb. Jade grunted as she thrust herself forward and the man down, and then started swirling into the orb.

“NOOO!!! NOT YOOOU!!! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!?” exclaimed the monster. 

Jade grunted as her feet hit solid ground. With her eyes opened, she could see a pale pink corridor.

“Where am I?” she asked herself. She checked behind her, and there was nothing but a wall. The only way out was forward. 

Jade swiftly walked along the corridor, then heard the sounds of a fight. She ran ahead to see a Magus fighting another young man. The person seemed not to be any older than sixteen, and fell on the ground at the hands of the monster.

“Please! I don't want to fight any more! I, I'm sorry, okay!? Please...!” stammered the young man, tears falling from his eyes.

“Lo, thou hast defied mighty Booga, and must needs pay thy penance!” growled the Magus. “Thou knowest the sentence! Ten thousand battles, no more, no less! Only then shalt thou be permitted to leave this place!”

“You animal!” exclaimed Jade. The monster turned to face her. “Can't you see he's had enough!? He can't fight one more battle, let alone ten thousand!”

“Stop it... Please... You're only making it worse…” huffed the young man.

“Worse? What do you mean?” asked the martial artist.

“ 'Tis plain thou art new to this place,” said the magus. “Fear not, child—his life, at least, shall be spared...just. But the commandments of Booga must be obeyed! Those who defy him must remain in Limboo, and fight until they have learned their lesson! Now, stand aside and let justice be done! Thine own day of judgement shalt come to pass soon enough!”

“I don't know what you people are doing here, but it stops, now!” cried Jade.

“Please, you have to listen to me!” exclaimed the young man. “The more you try to fight them, the worse I'll get it! Forget about me, okay? You really want to help? Go help those who need it most. Some of the guys they're keeping down there... They're getting it way worse than me…”

Jade held out her hand, but the man just pushed it away. So she sighed and walked off the stadium into another corridor. 

At the end of this hall were a bunch of prison cells. They were all open, but each person showed no signs of wanting to get out. Jade’s eyes opened wide when she saw some familiar people on the final cell to the left.

“You were all in the tournament! Is everyone okay?” exclaimed the woman.

It was indeed Vince, along with several other people. The Underdigger, Sinderella, and another young man were there…

“Eleven!” exclaimed Jade loudly. All of the fighters shushed her quickly.

“They don’t know he’s the Luminary,” Vince said softly.

“But… how? Eleven, how did they not catch you?” urged Jade.

“He says his powers are gone… The monsters didn’t detect anything,” answered Sinderella. “Even while he’s been fighting, not the faintest glow has shone from his hands…”

 “And… you might not want to talk to him,” Vince cut in. “The monsters around think the 'Luminary of Power' is dead and… they also say that his sister is gone.”

“Isabella’s… dead…?” said Jade softly. She clenched her fists hard and sighed. “Well, they thought you were dead, Eleven… I’m sure Isabella made it. But, on to our current problems… so you're the ones who went off to beat Booga and never came back? What exactly happened?”

“Not a whole lot,” said Vince. “We tried to take the guy down, and he sent us here. Limboo, they call it.”

“No one's allowed to leave until they've paid for standing up to him by ‘learning their lesson’,” growled Sinderella. “Which means trooping in one by one to fight monster after monster. And no matter how bad it gets, you can't tap out…”

“But that's... That's just awful!” exclaimed Jade.

“The whole sordid little operation is run by a horrendous fiend by the name of Boodica,” huffed Eleven, his voice unusually low. The others with him seemed awfully surprised to hear his voice. “She brought us all here, and no one's made it out since. Unless someone does something about her, we'll be stuck here forever, doomed to an eternity of terror, never knowing who might be called up next…”

“That's no kind of life…” sighed Jade. “But you can't give up hope! If what you just said is true, then all we have to do is take care of this Boodica, and we can all go home!”

Eleven chuckled softly. “ ‘Home’? That’s an interesting word. Jade, my home was destroyed. My family and adoptive family are dead. My sister is dead. They had the nerve to kill Isabella…”

He stared down at his hands; shaking though they were, they emitted no sort of light.

“Why won’t they work!?” hissed Eleven through his teeth. “Why am I powerless!? If only I could've done something...”

“Goin' after Boodica'll only make fings worse for us all. Is that wot you want?” sighed the Underdigger. “Nah, best fing we can do is keep our 'eads down an' wait for 'em to get bored an' let us go. We don't need none o' your 'eroics, alright? You'll leave it alone if you know wot's good for ya.”

“You can't think like that!” cried Jade. “If you do, nothing will ever change! If we don't stand up and—”

“Alright! It's time to lock horns with some more monsters!” cried a voice. A creature came strolling down the cells, and glanced into each of them. Finally, he pointed at Eleven. “You! Get mooving! It's your turn to pay off some of your debt to Booga!”

Eleven grunted, picking up his greatsword from the wall. Jade was horrified to notice that his sleeve was torn off, and many cuts could be seen on his bare arm. Some of them even looked fresh…

“Never mind him!” said Jade. “If it's a fight you're after, I'll be more than happy to oblige!”

Eleven sighed. “Jade, don’t bother.”

Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Oh, what FUN! I do so love them when they're new enough to still have some fire in their bellies!

“Lady...Boodica!?” stammered the monster.

I bet you thought I didn't notice you up there, hmm? Making eyes at my Booga-Wooga? Well I DID! Luckily for you, we have an extra special punishment for little madams who don't know their place! It's called the Girly Burly! Tee hee hee! Ooh, I can't wait!

“Heh heh heh. You've really gone an' done it now,” chuckled the Underdigger. “So long, kiddo. It was nice knowin' ya.”

“Jade, don’t do this,” hissed Eleven through his teeth. “What the heck have you gotten yourself into?! I can’t have another one dying…”

“Hmm. Don't be so sure. You may have given up hope, but I'm not about to,” scoffed the martial artist.

She stomped out of the area, her ponytail trailing behind her. Jade checked her bag before heading out to the stadium, and noticed there were still three pouches of strong medicine in there. She walked out onto the empty stadium.

“Kree hee hee! It's been ages since the last Girly Burly!” laughed a monster in the crowd.

“Fie upon thee, humans! May Limboo be thy grave!” cried the magus from before.

“Look, she weren't bad in the tournament, but this is a different kettle o' fish,” said the Underdigger, watching. “She don't stand a chance out there!”

Sinderella put a hand on Eleven’s shaking shoulder.

Suddenly, two maguses appeared out of nowhere. One cast Boom, but the martial artist did a backflip out of the way. She immediately struck back with her spear, stabbing one and impaling it with her spear. With immense strength, Jade flung the body of the first beast at the other, and they both turned into purple dust at the edge of the stadium.

“Well, that was easy,” she said, flipping her hair. “Who’s next?”

A bunch of small monsters came over to the stadium. Each of them had claws and a furry shape. Jade was quickly struck by a few of them, and scratches formed along her bare arms. She then thrust her spear over and over at the enemies, and swung her leg under them as well. Three of them perished, leaving the others sprawling.

Jade panted as she thrust her spear again and again until the final monsters perished. She gripped her arm with a frown on her face and breathed harshly.

“Is that...it...?” Jade panted. “I don't know what all the...fuss was about...”

“I don't believe it! She made it through the Girly Burly!” cried Eleven. “How did she DO that? Anybody else would have given up by now!”

“ Ugh! You're SO annoying! You weren't supposed to actually survive! ” cried the shrill voice. “ Well, sometimes if a girl needs something doing, she just has to do it herself… ” 

Jade looked around quickly, but wasn’t able to prevent being thrown off her feet and slammed against the wall. She could barely raise her head to see who did it.

“Boo!” hissed a monster.

Boodica stood before her, all four arms flexing. She had blue skin and tattoos covering her body, along with spiky gloves on her four hands. A single eye was shown through her pink helmet, though the rest of her face was concealed.

“What’s the big idea?!” screamed Eleven. “She just fought off an enormous horde of monsters, leave her ALONE!”

“Oh, boo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Did you really think I was going to make this a fair fight?” she laughed. “Honestly, one little present from my Booga and she thinks she's queen of everything! Don't let it get to your head, dear! My Boo only has eyes for one woman, and she outshines you in every arena! Looks? Ha! Style? Not even close! Muscle? Pah ha ha! Just look at you!”

Her enormous foot lifted above Jade, and the martial artist covered her eyes as it came down.

Nothing happened.

She opened her eyes again and saw that Eleven was holding Boodica’s foot at bay. He thrust the creature off with all his might, but panted as his hands still refused to shine.

Vince, Underdigger, and Sinderella made their way onto the area. Sinderella came over to Jade and immediately cast a healing spell on the martial artist.

“Let’s get back in the game, shall we?” said Sinderella. Jade nodded, and resumed her fighting stance as Boodica resumed hers.

Vince attacked with his claws and Eleven cried out before swinging his sword violently downwards. Jade swung her spear in a semicircle and made Boodica narrow her eye. The large monster came down on Jade with her fist, and the martial artist cried out. Sinderella was quick, however, and the woman’s wounds were healed within seconds.

Because of the burst of power, Jade dodged the next punch. Vince held the fist down for a moment while Jade ran on top of it and up to Boodica’s eye. She twirled her spear, then thrust it upon Boodica’s eye.

The monster screamed, and grabbed her eye. “H-How!? How could this have happened!? ME, defeated... By humans...!? Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo...!” mumbled the beast before she fell to the ground.

Eleven didn’t say a thing while the others cheered quickly. He sheathed his greatsword and frowned on the monster, but seemed a little amused at her suffering. The young man smiled, pleased.

"I guess I still have it," he smirked. He turned to the rest of the group. “Let’s get going, shall we?”

Each of the people’s eyes opened wide as something in the area seemed to… tear. It was like a slash in reality. Inside the slash was the room in Octagonia where Jade was taken inside the purple orb... 

“Jump! It’s our only way out!” shouted Jade. Everyone nodded, and they yelled as they plunged into the rip in reality.

Jade opened her eyes in the same room she had been taken away a while before. 

“B-B-But… But you’re alive!” exclaimed a voice. The martial artist lifted her head and saw Booga.

Vince got up, along with Eleven. Sinderella was on her feet a moment after, and the Underdigger flexed his muscles.

“We've got one last battle to fight. Octagonia won't be safe until we've dealt with Booga!” exclaimed Jade. She brandished her spear, and Booga looked at her with interest. Suddenly, the martial artist cried out.

“Jade! Jade, are you all right?” Eleven demanded. Sinderella cast a healing spell, but it did nothing.

“Ahh ha ha ha! My little bunny-rabbit has finally hopped home to daddy!” laughed Booga. “I'd wondered when that suit of mine would finally work its magic! Ohh, we've got so much to look forward to! You're mine! All mine! We're going to be together forever more! We'll write each other love letters, maybe even—dare I say it—hold hands! Oh, it's all so romantic! ♥

“I’ve finished her,” said Booga, amused. He turned to Eleven, who scowled back at the hideous monster. “Now all I have to do is finish you.”

“I will never… serve you…” painted Jade. She tried her hardest to stay awake, but blacked out a moment after.

Chapter Text

Drip… drip… drip…

Erik regained consciousness slowly, the noises around him making an entrance. Next came his nerves, which weren’t nearly as pleasant as the sounds. However, he was surprised to feel anything at all…

I’m… alive? he thought, raising his hand to massage his aching head. But how? I thought for sure the impact would’ve killed me…

The youth slowly opened his eyes. Not a ray of sunlight came into them; only the dank lantern light of the cave he was in. Erik gasped, shifting quickly. Something was underneath him, something other than stone… Straw bedding, perhaps? It felt extremely similar to the one he slept on many nights in the dungeons of Heliodor…

“Urrrgh... What happened? Am I still alive?” he moaned. “I, I remember the Tree of Life...and the Lord of Shadows… I can't be the only one who made it, right? Right...?”

The young man sighed deeply. Isabella and Eleven were in the worst states of any of them by the end of that… unfair fight. If anyone was going to perish from that, it would be… no, she couldn’t be dead.

He heaved himself up off the crude straw bedding and noticed the steel bars that were forced into the stone. They were quite similar to the ones in Heliodor—thick, tough bars.

“Hm. Not good,” he grunted. “I'm not exactly in the best shape for a jailbreak…”

“It's not a jail—it's a monster's lair!”

His gaze drifted across the room, and then his eyes fell on a Healslime. It stared back at him with its amicable expression, but Erik was not fooled by its act of calmness and friendliness.

 “Hey! Where'd you get off sneaking up on people like that!?” he exclaimed. He put his left hand in his belt, drawing his knife shakily.

“Don't worry! I'm not a bad slime! I promise!” it slurped. “Oh dear, it looks like you're a little battered and broozed. But I can help! Here you goo…”

 It threw a healing orb at him, and healed his wounds quickly. Erik widened his eyes; even Serena wasn’t able to heal that easily!

“Whoa... You... You healed me!” he stammered. “What kind of slime goes around appearing out of nowhere and healing humans?”

“This kind of slime! My name's Healijah! Nice to meet you!” beamed the healslime.

“Uh, okay. Sure…” sighed the thief. “Well, whatever. If you're as good a monster as you say you are, maybe you can help me. Have you seen my buddies anywhere?”

“Ooze that? Your friends? You mean other goomans? Nope, you're the only one here!” said the Healslime.

“Oh…” mumbled the thief. He looked away for a moment, then looked back at the slime.

“But you want to goo and find them, do you?” it slurped. “Alright! Follow me!”

“Uhh, he's helping me escape?” said Erik to himself as the healslime drifted across the cell. “Maybe he really is one of the good guys… Well, I'm not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Guess I've got a new friend.”

His eyes searched the walls quickly, and he saw a large crack at the bottom of the cave wall. Erik squeezed through it, and found himself in another area of the cave. At the end of the area was a red and gold chest. After he opened the lid, Erik pulled out a black key.

“This should get us somewhere,” he said softly. He crawled on his stomach back out of that area of the cave. Back in the prison cell, he winded his arm through the bars and pushed the key into the lock. It clicked, and the thief was free.

“Whoopee!” said the healslime. “This is gooreat! Now all we have to do is find the way out!”

“Heh,” chuckled Erik. “Another escape from an underground prison, huh? Takes me back to the good old days when we busted out of Heliodor Castle.”

He still remembered the look on Isabella’s face when he had pulled off his hood. Erik chuckled to himself before he allowed the grin to fade, and a depressing feeling to overcome him.

“I hope she's doing okay, wherever she is…”

“Goo are you talking about?” asked the healslime. “Sounds like someone ooze very important to you.”

“Long story. Anyway, let's blow this joint,” he said.

The thief shook his head harshly and kept walking. Ahead, there was a circular platform made out of marble. When he put his feet on it, it moved across a huge chasm and onto the other side.

They both went across the next area of the cave to a big pair of doors. Erik pushed them open and walked in quietly.

They seemed to be above the meeting room of a ton of monsters. The monsters all screamed and yelled delightfully at something…

“Going in there looking for a fight would be suicide,” whispered Erik. He swore. “What do we do now...?”

“Come on, you can't just goo giving up like that!” exclaimed the healslime. “What would your sister think?”

Erik jumped. “Wait a second! You're talking about my sister now!? Not that she'd be in a position to think much of anything…”

“Hmm... You don't remember telling me about her? I suppose it must have been a while agoo…” said the healslime slowly.

“What are you talking about!? I only just met you, remember?” he whisper-shouted.

“Ahem!” said the healslime. “Anyway, this is no slime to be dithering! We need to look for another way out of here! Come on, let's goo!”

“Heh, you're a slippery customer alright. But don't worry—I'll get the truth out of you eventually,” said the thief. He paused before continuing– the monster’s words were starting to make sense now…

“Monsters! Every servant of the Lord of Shadows, hear me!” exclaimed a large monster at the very end of the rows of beasts. “Now that the World Tree has fallen, we have taken control of nearly all of Erdrea! But that is not all, my friends, not even the beginning of the good news! We have scoured the four corners of the world for the Luminaries…”

Erik perked up. Would they finally tell him where she was? Eleven, Isabella… He could be sure about both of them.

“But we didn’t find anything. Not even a hint that they still lived.”

The thief could scarcely believe his ears.

“The Luminaries are dead!”

The monsters’ cheers sounded muffled in Erik’s ears. The only thing he could remember was the ringing of the last four words… The Luminaries are dead… The Luminaries are dead…

He was surprised to feel something wet running down his cheek. Erik wiped the tear away fiercely. Now was not the time to be moping around… He had to get out.

The healslime looked curiously at him, but decided to say nothing. 

Erik walked along the outcropping, listening to the monsters cheer. The longer he was up there, the more he wanted to kill the creatures. 

Isabella…they had no idea what she was like. Her positive attitude yet fierce loyalty and courage were inspiring. She was an amazing mage, and somehow always looked graceful during spells. How would anyone ever want to kill her…?

Well, the answer was obvious. For power… For glory.

The healslime and Erik reached another section of the cavern. The youth stopped in his tracks at the end of the platform; before him was an empty chasm, blackness further than he could see through.  

“I think we’ve reached a dead end,” huffed Erik.

“No, we haven’t!” said the healslime. “Do you not see the patterns on this platform? A little bit of my magic and I’ll have it running in no time!”

“Running? This is a platform, not a machine!” Erik pointed out.

“That’s where yoou’re wrong, Erik!” smirked the healslime. “I’m sure these have been designed just so that we can goo across the chasm! It’s just that it’s rather big, I suppose…” The slime started waving its tentacles, and green mist came from them. The platform sputtered, but did not turn on.

“There he is!” exclaimed a voice. Erik turned around quickly and saw a large group of monsters.

“Ah, crap!” he exclaimed. “Can you shake a tentacle and get this thing going?!”

“I’m gooing as fast as I can!” said the healslime, more magic flowing from him. “You’ll just need to hold them off long enough until I can get this to start!”

Erik drew his dagger, and they attacked. A dieathon bit the thief, but he resisted the poison. He then hit it in such a way the beast fell asleep. He powered his weapon with Persucutter and destroyed the huge snake.

A few of the weaker beasts fled at this easy defeat. Erik bared his teeth at the others, and started slicing the beasts again. Two maguses cast Boom, only one of which made its mark. Erik leaped over one of the maguses and stabbed its head with his knife. It fell to the ground, and he grabbed his knife again off the stone floor.

A large professorous giggled as it cast a defence reducing spell. The thief was affected by this debuff, making him feel like his bones were rubber.

“Don’t lose hope, Erik! I believe in you!” exclaimed the healslime. He buffed Erik’s attack, making him all the more powerful.

Erik yelled right before his blade made its mark, defeating the last enemy there. He looked as grim as ever even though the monsters were gone.

“Gooray! I think I’ve done it!” exclaimed the healslime. The platform sputtered to life just before more enemy ranks could be seen. Erik ran and jumped onto it, and a few of the monsters fell into the abyss below.

“We made it! We’re alive!” cheered the healslime. He danced around the area, but Erik had a set frown on his face.

“If they didn’t make it, what happened to all the others? Everyone could be gone, maybe I’m the only one left,” he muttered to himself.

“Erik, you do know that monsters are not always correct, right?” asked the healslime. The thief did not respond because the platform had made it to its place. They could see light outside of the cave. 

Erik rushed toward the broad sunlight, shielding his eyes as he did so. When his eyes adjusted, he finally saw the bright blue sky… but that was just about all he could see.

There was a large outcropping of cave, but other than that there was simply sky.

“Wait, what? We were up in the sky the whole time?” exclaimed Erik. “So how do we get down? Something tells me this isn't a jump we're going to survive...”

“I believe that won’t be necessary,” said a deep voice. “You’ll be long dead before you reach the edge.”

An enormous person hit the ground in front of Erik, causing him to fall back. The creature had blue skin and black armour on his head and parts of his body. His entire chest was exposed, and most of his arms.

“Kneel before Indignus, mortal! Spectral Sentinel and servant of the Lord of Shadows!” boomed the man. Erik closed one of his eyes in pain, and the healslime was stuck on the ground, utterly dizzy.

Suddenly, hordes of monsters started coming out of the cave and surrounding the thief. He bared his teeth again, and faced Indignus.

“It is I who imprisoned you, intending to offer you up to my master,” said Indignus, brandishing his massive blade at the thief, who felt miniscule in comparison. “It is I who thought I could use you to lure out the Luminaries.”

Erik’s heart leapt. Maybe she was alive… So much for the monsters’ bluffing, he thought with a soft chuckle.

“But I see that you have other ideas…” continued the creature. “You have done well to make it this far. Quite a feat for a mere human. But you will go no further! Seize him! We cannot suffer an accomplice of the Luminaries to remain at large! The time of darkness has arrived, and no light shall be allowed to return. All who oppose the Lord of Shadows will be destroyed!”

Erik yelled, and pulled out his knife. He ran up the arm of one skeletal monster, then brought the blade upon its head. Three maguses had their wands at the ready, but the thief grabbed them away. Each staff was thrown back at its owner’s head, causing all three monsters to die.

The youth ducked underneath one swipe from a sword, jumping over another fist. He sheathed his knives to make dodging easier, as he didn’t have many openings to attack. A beast swooped down over him, and Erik was forced to duck right into a sword. He cut his cheek, and blood began to pour from the wound.

No Serena to heal him… no Eleven to take on the monsters like they were nothing… no Jade to duck around the creatures and hit their weak points like it was nothing… no Isabella to jump over and shield him at just the right moment.

I can’t do this alone, or by myself… he thought. The thief continued to dodge, but he was getting incredibly exhausted. He couldn’t keep this up forever, not without help… but who would help him? He was in the sky for goodness sake!

Both of those instances with Isabella… Now it was happening to him… But without the others…

“No… I can’t die here…” he groaned. “This can’t be… the end… If only there was some way out!”

There is one way...

“Huh!? Healijah? Is that you? Wh-Where are you?” exclaimed Erik. The monsters’ roars seemed to die down slightly. They even slowed, but Erik continued to move at a normal pace.

It is me... But also...not me... You have known me for longer than you think… ‘One day you shall meet the Luminaries somewhere deep underground, and if you help them, you shall be forgiven...’ You know those words, don't you...?

“Wait, that's...!”

I can lend you the power to escape your predicament... A great power... But a power you may use just this once… And in return, I will have to take from you that which you treasure most… So tell me—what might that be...?

He instantly thought of Isabella. Not only her, however; the entire party was at the front of his mind. 

Of course... Your memories of your brothers and sisters in arms... Precious treasures indeed... But I will have to strip you of them... There is no other way… Even your fond memories of the young Luminary of Light… If she does live, and if you do survive, you will not be able to love her in the same way you once did…

The thief groaned, but raised his knife a final time. “Do what you have to do! I need that power! Memories aren't much good to me dead! Better to live and make new ones! I won't let this end here! I can't!”

Then the power is yours...

A sigh escaped his lips before a great magic came upon him. It seemed to fall from the sky, and came down in a red wave of energy. His body drooped and Indignus smirked.

“Hah hah hah! He has accepted his fate at last! Seize him!” exclaimed the huge monster.

“Oh, I'm not done...” chuckled the thief. His eyes flashed red. “Not by a long shot!”

Each of the monsters was startled for a moment before Erik’s knife was clear through its head. Red mist filled the area because of the constant killing of the beasts.

Erik threw his knife straight through the heads of two dragon riders. It went through them like a hot knife through butter, and the thief was on the other side recovering his weapon in no time flat. None of the creatures could hit the blur, and many couldn’t even comprehend the incredible speed he ran at.

“It seems there is fight in him yet,” boomed Indignus. “Very well. I shall finish the job myself!”

The huge man threw himself at Erik, but the thief smirked as he dodged from the blow. Indignus’s sword came upon him, but he hopped on top of the blade and ran up to the monster’s face. The large man threw him off, but did it just slow enough that Erik’s knife snapped off the front of his armour.

“You dare defile the Lord of Shadows?!” exclaimed the creature. “My armour…”

“You dare hurt my friends?!” shouted Erik back. He ran around Indignus, landing several well-aimed blows. The large male shouted loudly, but never faltered. Erik got ready for another assault, but suddenly he felt weak.

“No...! Not now…!” he swore. “I said... I'm not...done!”

Indiginus smiled. “Insolent cur! I shall lay your broken carcass at the feet of my master!” He swung his blade, and the flat side hit the small body off the huge area of rock.

Erik fell faster and faster against the wind. It was surprising when this motion gradually ceased.

A light surrounded the thief, and he laid on thin air before a woman. She had medium-length dark blue hair in a braid and was wearing a long pink robe. Silver wristbands were around her wrists and below her shoulders. One of these brushed Erik’s hair as she waved her hand down his face slowly—he was unconscious.

“You did it Erik... You're safe now...” she said softly. “You knew me as the Seer...as do all the people of your world... I once told you a tale of your destiny... And I had hoped I might guide you to it… But even my power has its limits... Forgive me...”

In the depths of his mind, the thief could see a young woman with raven black hair. They were on the Salty Stallion, sailing away from Sniflheim. She smiled kindly at him, her grin turning into a laugh as the boat continued to sail. Gradually, the girl’s face faded. Erik reached out, but he couldn’t reach her. 

She was gone.

“Remember, where there is life, there is hope... Farewell…”

“What a bloomin' palaver!” cried a fisherman. “There's nuffink like a massive great tree fallin' out o' the sky to mess fings up good an' proper! Talk about the long way round!” Suddenly, however, he started. “Crikey! That bloke don't look too steady on 'is feet. You alright, mate?”

A blue-haired male slouched at the edge of a sandy beach. “I, I don't know… I don't even know who I am... All I know is...I was on a journey with...someone... But who...?”

The man watched as the youth trudged along the beach. He seemed in utter despair. Then again, who wasn't these days?

Chapter Text

Rab opened his eyes. This was worth noting, because everything around the old man was white. It was hard to tell whether he was asleep or awake, at first, but the chill that ran through his body made his wakefulness apparent.

“Ugh… where in the world am I?” he said softly. “How did I get here? I cannae remember a thing…”

The old man’s eyes searched the area until he saw something a fair amount more colourful than white. A blonde girl in a bunny suit was staring right at him. Rab’s heart beat quickly, and he suddenly pulled a magazine out of his bag.

“Jings! I-Is that—!? Nah! It can't be!” exclaimed the old man. “..It is! It's her! Fresh from the pages of the Ogler's Digest and large as life! I havnae the first clue what's going on around these parts, but I reckon I could do worse than ask our lassie here!

“Well, Rab? What're ye waitin' for? She'll not hang around forever while you pluck up what little courage ye have left!” He heaved a deep breath, and smiled. “Yoo-hoo! Have ye a moment to spare for a sweet, harmless auld man, hen?”

The bunny girl giggled, and turned away from him. She started to walk away, but Rab walked after her. They both seemed to be getting nowhere until a bright light consumed the old man. He shielded his eyes until the brightness died down.

“...Eh? What just happened?” he stammered.

Rab gasped. He was in an entirely different room. This one was easily called a room, as well; red carpet covered the floor up to where Rab was standing, trimmed with golden lace. Intricate carvings were seen on pillars at different parts of the room, stretching up to the marble ceiling.

“This cannae be... B-But it is... It's Dundrasil, just as it once was...” exclaimed the old man.

“Hee hee! Looking sharp, Your Majesty!” said a voice. Rab turned sharply, and saw the bunny girl that he had been following.

Sharp? I cannae imagine I’m wearin’ anethin’ but…

Rab looked down on his clothing, and gasped. He was wearing the very same clothes he had worn long ago… before Dundrasil fell. His old silky green robe, splashed with purple and trimmed with gold. Even on his aged, bald head sat that very same golden crown he had worn all those years ago…

“What in the world's going on? Would ye care to enlighten me, lassie?” he stammered, turning to the smug bunny girl. She didn’t give him any hint, however.

“Walk this way…” she said, and gestured to the end of the room. There was a large staircase leading up to two very familiar seats—his throne, and the throne that belonged to the Queen.

“B-But...!?” exclaimed the old man. The bunny girl gestured a little more strongly to the throne, and, dazed, Rab walked up to it. He seated himself, and sunk into its embrace, as if it was an old friend; really, it was.

Moments later, the doors opened. Two people came inside. Both Rab knew very well… 

“I trust you are well, Father,” said the woman. The beautiful blue-green gemstones on her jewellery dazzled and shone in the sunlight peering through the window.

The one with her was not nearly as open in his speech; his lips seemed to be sealed together, and sweat ran down his brow. He seemed even more nervous when Princess Eleanor reached up to touch his arm, steadying him.

“Eleanor! Irwin! I-It really is you!” he exclaimed. “And... And ye're young again! Wh-What's going on?”

“Y-Your Majesty, please forgive my insolence in seeking a personal audience with you today,” said Irwin. “I come before you not as the head of the Princess's honour guard, but as my own man.”

“Wh— I mean, umm... Very well. State your business,” said Rab, quickly regaining his composure.

“W-Well... You see... Th-the thing is, I...” said Irwin. He looked incredibly awkward when saying this. “I wish to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage!”

“I-Irwin...!” stammered Rab. 

“And though I am but a soldier, and all too aware of my own lowly position, nevertheless I must persist,” said Irwin, a little more confidently. “For there is one thing of which I am certain—my sword arm is steadfast, and my heart unwavering! There is no man alive who will love, honour and protect your daughter as I can!

“Your Majesty, I place my fate in your hands. Will you allow me to continue to serve and protect your daughter, not as the head of her honour guard, but as her dutiful and loving husband?”

Rab stroked his moustache thoughtfully. “Ach, I can hardly turn ye down after that little performance, can I, laddie? To tell you the truth, I always had an inkling you two might one day be wed.”

“Oh, Father!” giggled Princess Eleanor.

“It's up to you now, Irwin. Don't disappoint me, ye hear?” smiled Rab.

The man’s face lit up, and he bowed quickly. “Th-Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you!”

There was laughter in the royal chambers, and the old man smiled, closing his eyes. Gradually, however, the sound died down. In fact, all the sound died down.

Rab opened his eyes again and saw that there was no one in the throne room except him and the bunny girl from before. She smirked at him, looking a little too amused.

“Crivens! Where'd you spring from, lassie!?” exclaimed Rab. “And where's everybody gone!?”

“Tee hee hee! Did you enjoy your little trip down memory lane? Well, it's not over yet…” giggled the bunny girl. She sashayed out of the room, gesturing for him to follow.

 The old man took himself off of the throne and rushed across the throne room. He opened the doors, and saw a familiar man standing there.

“Your Majesty, Lord Robert!” cried a woman. She came rushing into the room, a wide smile on her face. “The new arrivals are here!”

“Wh—!? Already!?” stammered King Irwin. He followed the woman down a few flights of stairs, as did Rab. The two gaped at the wonderful scene of Eleanor holding her beautiful children.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty!” smiled the maid. “I am so relieved that we could help the firstborn; She was barely breathing when she was born. Thankfully, the other was quiet as we proceeded to help her sister.”

“Look, Irwin…” sighed Eleanor. “This little girl has your hair, I can tell…”

“The boy takes after his mother, you know,” Irwin added with a slight chuckle. “I’ll reckon he’ll become a fine, handsome lad with your looks to guide ‘im, eh?”

“Och, they’re fine wee ones!” said Irwin. “We should name the two of them!” 

“We were wondering what you thought about… Eleven,” he said. 

“It’s beautiful!” cooed Eleanor. “Oh, Irwin, it’s the most wonderful name for our heir.”

The Queen cradled the smaller baby as the other stared around the room, looking quite interested in the carvings on the wall.

“What do you think about the name Isabella?” asked the Queen.

“It’s a perfect name, love,” said King Irwin. “Well… Prince Eleven… Princess Isabella… welcome to Dundrasil.” The king turned to the old man in the room. “Why don't you give your grandchildren a cuddle?” 

“Would I? It’d be my honour,” chuckled Rab. Irwin held out baby Isabella and the old man picked her up in his arms. She giggled and began to play with his moustache. 

“Hello, wee one! I'm yer Grampa! Yes I am! Yes I am!” chuckled Rab. He closed his eyes and laughed until he noticed the weight in his arms fade away. When he opened his eyes once more, the baby wasn’t there. The Queen and King weren’t there, either. The blankets in the bed were neatly laid down once more, as if nothing had happened there at all.

“Wh-What the—!?” said the old man, absolutely flustered.

He looked at the doors to the room, and the same bunny girl was standing there, smirking at him.

“Having fun?” she asked.

“How're ye doing this? These places... These memories... They feel so real...” stammered Rab.

The bunny girl said nothing, but continued to smile and walked out of the room. Rab followed her. She winded through the series of rooms until she turned a curve into one. When the old man made it there, the bunny girl was nowhere to be seen. The only thing he could see was a towering, white cake.

“What's all this, then?” he said in wonder. He looked towards the table that was holding it up, and gasped.

A little boy with blue eyes was standing there. His brown hair was loose, just touching his shoulders. When he noticed that he had Rab’s attention, the little boy smirked.

“Surprise! Happy Birthday, Grandpa!” he said in a high voice. “You didn't suspect a thing, did you? We all worked extra hard to keep it a secret!”

“Eleven! Oh, you’ve gotten so big since the last time I saw you,” he said, and Eleven smiled widely. Isabella popped out from behind the cake as well, her twin brother beckoning her over. Isabella’s hair was about the length of her brother’s, if not a little longer. She shared her twins’ shiny blue eyes, which seemed to dance as they caught the glimmers of the lights around the room.

Queen Eleanor and King Irwin came out from behind the cake, and several soldiers came from the corners.

“The cake pan at the bottom was like this big!” exclaimed Isabella, rushing over to Rab. She stretched her arms out. Everyone laughed, which caused her to chuckle.

“Many happy returns, Father!” beamed Queen Eleanor. “May you live a long and joyful life watching your grandson grow into a brave young man; and your granddaughter grow into a lovely young woman!”

“Oh, ye... Ye shouldn't have…” he stammered, rooted to the spot.

“Grandpa, you should get the first piece!” Isabella said joyfully.

“My people... Oh, how I loved them…” sighed Rab happily to himself. 

“You're not crying, are you, Grampa? Is something the matter?” asked Eleven, tilting his head.

“No, lassie,” he said, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Everything's perfect. Just perfect… So Dundrasil hasnae been destroyed, and Eleanor and Irwin are living here happily with their children? Well, whatever this place is—whatever's going on—I know it cannae be real… But by golly, I could stay here forever...”

With help from her father, Isabella placed a piece of yellow sponge cake onto a plate. She giggled and ran over to her grandfather, but a dent in the carpet caused her to fall.

The little girl sniffled on the ground. Her twin gasped, and got down to lay on the ground beside her and look at her face.

 “Aww, there, there, wee girl! There's no need for that!” said Rab. He went over to her, but suddenly remembered something. 

“NO! STOP!”

“El… try to… run…”

“Almighty Yggdrasil…”

“YIELD YOUR POWER TO ME!”

Rab started, gasping harshly as Isabella whimpered. It was painfully similar to when Isabella, the real Isabella, had been defeated at the World Tree.

“That's it! It's all coming back to me!” he exclaimed. “We were defeated, and then the darkness came… When I awoke, I was all alone... I prayed that my pals were still alive, but I knew I couldnae rely on that... So I set out to find a way of taking on the Lord of Shadows by myself. Yes, so... I sought out Grand Master Pang... I was trying to convince her to train me... But... But that means...all this must be…”

“What's the matter, Grampa?” asked Eleven, helping his twin up.

“I'm sorry, you two,” he sighed. “I've somewhere I need to be. Things I need to be doing.”

“Wh-What? You mean you're leaving?” stammered Isabella, widening her big blue eyes. Eleven, too, looked upon him with sadness. Rab sighed deeply, but held back from embracing them and holding them close… All of this must be fake, after all.

“Aye, that's right,” he said. “I hate to go, really I do...but maybe one day ye'll understand,” he said softly, putting a hand on their shoulders. “You be good kids, now. Something tells me you'll do just fine.”

“Well, go ahead and do what you need to do, I guess,” Eleven said softly, and skipped back toward the party.

“But… you’ll come back, right?” asked Isabella, refusing to move from her spot.

Rab bowed. “Aye, I’ll never leave ye to your fate alone. And that’s why I’ll have to leave…”

Isabella nodded slowly. “Well… okay. I’ll just play with Eleven for now. Bye bye!”

The young Isabella rushed across the room, finding her brother Eleven and initiating a conversation with him. Rab smiled, taking the scene in one last time before turning around back to reality.

At the entrance of the room stood the bunny girl. She didn’t look as smiley as usual, just shocked. 

“I can give you what you want, Your Majesty. But can I ask why you want it?” she asked him.

“Because I've more important things to be doing,” he said, determination making his voice stronger. “There's a world needs saving while I'm dallying here in dreamland—lovely as it is. I should be toughening up, not going soft in the head. I need to be with Grand Master Pang learning how to defeat the Lord of Shadows. And I need ye to take me to her right now.”

The bunny girl groaned. “After all the effort I went to? Honestly! Do you think I like dressing up as a bunny-eared bimbo?”

She twirled around, causing a pink mist to appear and consume her. When it cleared, Rab saw a short woman with two buns of blonde hair on her head, along with a fair volume along her back. Her orange robes went down to her feet, and her icy blue eyes searched him curiously.

“Grand Master Pang!” said the old man. “ Ye cannae be serious! It was you all along!”

Pang smirked, and flung her hands out. Rab didn’t remember doing any of it of his own will, but he felt as if he was falling, and his eyes were firmly shut.

When he opened his eyes, he was in a completely different area. There was an octagon shaped platform beneath his feet, and he wasn’t in his robes anymore. The sky was flashing the colours of dark purple and black, leaving an ominous feeling all around the place. Right in front of Rab was a tall staircase that led to some sort of house.

He climbed it step by step, and finally reached the top. Beyond the doors was an empty room with more doors at the other side. Rab cautiously opened these doors.

In front of him was none other than Grand Master Pang. She was looking at him with some kind of grin on her face. It wasn’t a comforting, playful grin… more of a kicking-your-butt-is-going-to-be-fun kind of grin.

“Welcome to the place where lost souls gather,” she said. “The place between worlds. This is the void. And you are courageous indeed to have ventured here. Not all of my students would dare.”

“It's an honour to see ye again, Grand Master,” said the old man, bowing.

“Contentment is complacency,” Pang continued, turning her gaze to him sharply. “Happiness is inertia. You did well to refuse its temptations.”

“So it WAS all a test then?” exclaimed Rab.

“Indeed it was,” she said. “But you were not deceived by my illusions. You were not seduced by the fantasy of an easy escape. ...It's a start.”

“Yesss! Passed with flying colours! So ye'll train me, eh?” he exclaimed, staring back into her eyes as she examined him. Her gaze hardened.

“Hmph, you still have not learned to listen, I see,” she huffed. “I said it was a start. There is work to do yet if you are to prove yourself truly worthy.”

“We need to defeat Mordegon,” said Rab. “The world is depending on us. I cannae do anything if I stay the way I am.”

“Right you are, Lord Robert,” said Pang. “But you still need to prove to me that you are worthy of my teachings. Your loyalty is strong, and so is your mindset. Now let’s see your skills at this point in time.”

“Ye what?” stammered Rab.

“You must show me that you have not been neglectful of your training,” she said with a smile. “That you have been diligent in your daily practice. And there's only one way to truly make sure of that…”

Grand Master Pang drew two long planks of wood from her robes. They were slim, except for the ends that looked like hands.

“N-Not the Naughty Stick!” exclaimed Rab, whimpering like a two-year-old. “And ye've taken to wielding two of them, I see! Oh crivens... I'll not get out of this without a bruise or two… But if that's what it takes, then so be it! Do yer worst!”

Rab had his claws on his hands in scarcely a moment—how fortunate he was to take Isabella’s advice for a real weapon!—and he dodged the attack from the woman. The old man instantly tapped into his magical energy, casting a powerful darkness spell on Pang.

She was very light on her feet, and even as Rab cast his spell, she swerved out of the way, coming back to strike him unscathed. The old man jumped out of the way of one of her attacks, casting his darkness spell on her again. This time, however, it reached her, and the Grand Master gasped as she fell to her knees.

“What a performance!” chuckled Grand Master Pang. “Perhaps you have not been as lazy as I feared… But you are still not ready.”

“Well, then we can continue!” said Rab, holding up his claws. “Gimme all ye got! Eh, actually, hold back a little…”

“Still, your resolve is clear,” Pang sighed. “You have shown me how much you are willing to endure in order to take on the Lord of Shadows… Perhaps you are as ready as you'll ever be.”

“Ye're serious!? Ye mean it's time?” exclaimed the old man.

“It is,” she nodded. “You will be trained in the most closely guarded secrets of our art. But were you to undergo the full course of study, the physical body you have left behind would wither and die. As such, your training must be accelerated, and the work of years condensed into mere days. But it will not be easy. Are you ready to open the gates of hell and see what lies beyond? You had better be…”

“You bet I am!” beamed Rab. “I've the best teacher there is to guide me! And I'll gladly follow her wherever she leads me!”

Pang smiled slightly. “I am very happy to hear it.”

Rab smiled back. What would it look for Pang to give him a full smile?

Then again… maybe she did.

No. No, don’t say it.

Don’t say it.

DON’T SAY IT!!!

“By the way, the whole bunny girl thing—ye were more than a mite convincing, Grand Master, I have to say,” said Rab. “I could have sworn you'd swanned in straight off the cover of a vintage issue of the Ogler's Digest!”

“Hm! There is more to me than meets the eye, you know,” she said. “I too was young once upon a time…”

“Hang on a minute! What d'ye mean by that, exactly!?” he stammered.

“Do not question your master!” she demanded. “You have training to be doing! We will make it easy to begin with—ten thousand press-ups...on your knuckles!”

“T-Ten thousand!?” exclaimed the old man.

I shouldn’t have said that…

***

“Their friends still live, their friends still fight, their cause is not forlorn,” said Queen Marina. “The night is dark and dreadful, but we may yet see the dawn. Though Erdrea is racked with darkness, suffering and pain, the Luminary's light can shine upon this land again!”

Chapter Text

Ugh… 

What… what happened…

Isabella stirred, and her senses began to return to her, as well as her consciousness. Beneath her was… a bed? It certainly didn’t feel like a bed… It was something very different. It was as if she was lying on straw, but it was not prickly…

In a rush, the young woman realised she was soaking wet. 

What could it be… blood? Water? Is this the seashore? But this doesn’t feel like sand…

I’m going to have to open my eyes, am I not?

Isabella groaned before opening her eyes slowly. She had expected to see the seaside, perhaps a boat or two… but nothing could have prepared her for what she woke up to.

Fish surrounded her. Literal fish. When they noticed her wakefulness, however, they all swam away from her. Isabella was completely submerged in water, in a house made of shells. 

Isabella attempted to gasp, but found herself receiving breath from the sides of her head. 

I’m underwater… what sort of magic is this? A… water breathing spell? Did someone strum the harp… while I was unconscious?

Who would? With a sinking feeling, Isabella remembered everything that had happened… She should be dead. Was this Heaven? She hadn’t ever imagined Heaven to be underwater! How curious… huh.

Isabella was about to push herself up on her hands… but where were her hands? The young woman attempted to gasp again, and began to struggle on the bed. She was moving, but just barely… Her squirming was quite enough to put her in view of the mirror in the room.

At first Isabella thought it was a portrait, so she widened her eyes. When the “portrait” did the same, the young woman could only draw one logical conclusion…

She was the fish. The sky-blue fish with a bag tied on her, that had the wide eyes of Isabella. She could even move the fins on the fish, which allowed her to move in the water, however lopsided and clumsy it was.

Okay… I’ve seen strange things, but this is extremely strange, she thought to herself. Fish Isabella squirmed and struggled, waving her fins as much as she could to get outside the area. Apparently her new body didn’t suffer from fatigue as much as her other one was supposed to… Her arm was broken, but her right fin worked perfectly well.

A merman stood right outside the shell cottage, looking awfully worried about something. When he noticed Isabella, however, his face lit up.

“Oh! You’re awake! You’re alert! You’re alive!” he said. “Your breath was getting shorter—you couldn’t breathe the water—but look at you now! It’s an unequivocal miracle! Queen Marinaaa!”

He ran away quickly, his small legs moving him as fast as he could. The Luminary of Light tried to move her non-existent legs; that obviously did not work. Instead, the tail behind her began to wiggle. Isabella’s eyes widened, and she suddenly felt giddy to be so free in the water. To breathe, to swim, all without effort or fatigue! It was incredible! 

How the others must feel! They had all been saved by Queen Marina, obviously; how else would it have gone? Isabella flipped in the water happily, her fishy form becoming more familiar by the second. She could ignore the strange sensation of not having legs, switching it out for the tail easily. 

This short season of happiness was quickly ended, however, when Isabella began to wonder where the others were. She and Eleven were more damaged than any of the others, and of course the entire party would be concerned for them! Then again, maybe that school of fish that was attending to her was everyone… Had they, too, gone to see the Queen? Isabella swam quickly over to it.

Her previous plan of knocking on the door was obviously not going to work; thankfully, one of the mermaids from inside opened the doors for her. 

Not wasting a moment, the blue fish swam as fast as she could upward, where the mermaid would have taken her if she was unable to swim this well. Even after stroking so hard with just her tiny fins, it didn’t leave her exhausted, only exhilarated! The others… the others?

None except Queen Marina were in the room, excepting Isabella and a merman. The young woman looked around quickly, innocently… cluelessly.

“What do you suppose she is looking for?” whispered the merman to the Queen. “Young one, in this room, there is nothing more. What you see before you, the Queen and myself; nothing else. You will need to contain yourself.”

Isabella stared back at him with a confused expression, oblivious to the tragic truth. Queen Marina sighed, leaning forward on her throne and gesturing the pretty blue fish forward.

“If tragedies could be undone, I would gladly undo this!” sighed the Queen softly; she seemed to be rather tired. “But your friends are not with us, my dear little fish.”

Isabella started. That couldn’t possibly mean… no, she wasn’t the only one left… right?

“...You say our guest has finally recovered from her wounds?” asked the mermaid queen, turning back to the merman. “Then let us expedite the plan—it must be done, and soon! Ngh!”

Queen Marina’s staff glowed; the pearl at the top shone like the sun. She grunted again as she steadied herself, trying to make the glowing cease. Isabella’s eyes widened, the most she could do to show any emotion to the horrifying situation.

“Don’t fear for me, I’m not done yet,” said the Queen, reading Isabella’s expression easily. “Until my work is finished, I’ll find the strength to carry on– I shall not be diminished.” She paused, looking over the young woman.

“When first my subjects brought you here it gave me such a shock, to see you bruised and broken like a ship wrecked on the rocks,” explained Queen Marina. “The Lord of Shadows thinks you dead– the sea swarms with his spies. I changed you to this fishy form to hide you from his eyes.

“Many troubled months have come and gone since your arrival. As you slept, my healers strove to safeguard your survival. You cannot know how glad I am to see you fully healed. But soon the spell will fade, and you must once more take the field.

“I have a plan to see you safe; that’s all I’ve ever wished. If all goes well, you’ll soon know what it feels like to be fished! Forgive my haste, these strange events must take you by surprise. You have so many questions, I can see it in your eyes.”

“Many troubled months”? thought Isabella. How long was I unconscious?!

“I saw you battle bravely by the World Tree’s holy heart,” said Queen Marina. “I saw the Lord of Shadows tear your fellowship apart… I saw you strive to fell the fiend, and how your plans were vexed. When you are ready, follow me– to see what happened next.”

Isabella nodded, and followed the Queen to a door above the throne. Inside the area was a large cave overgrown with coral and leafy plants. It was a narrow cave until they reached the end. At the end was a wide, circular gap, and in the middle of this gap sat a nest of coral. The contents of the nest was a beautiful pearl—one even larger than the one on Queen Marina’s staff.

“An aeon’s passed since last I brought a human to this cave,” she said. “It is the private parlour of the Queen Beneath the Waves. Behold the Pearl of Wisdom—jewel of we, the ocean’s daughters. It lets its bearer view the world through any drop of water.”

Just as the fish pondered this, the Queen’s pearl glistened and glowed with green light. She gripped the staff with both hands and grunted, causing the glow to stop.

“I’ve summoned up a thunderstorm to saturate the ground,” she said. “Now, let’s ascend into the rain and take a look around. Whenever you are ready, touch your fin against the pearl, and you shall see what’s come to pass there in your airy world.”

She touched the large pearl, and gestured for Isabella to do the same. When the fish did this, she could barely feel the pearl—her consciousness was transmitted above the waves.

Isabella gasped. All around her were scorched trees and absolutely demolished areas of nature. The one that caught her eye was the World Tree; every branch drooped, and there were rocks jutting from the ground, showing an unforgivable impact. Above it was a nightmarish castle with a purple and black aura.

“The once fair land of Erdrea is now a ravaged shell,” scoffed Queen Marina. “When Mordegon destroyed its heart, the holy World Tree fell. Upon its fall, the world was with a searing storm despoiled. Trees and grasses burned to ashes; lakes and rivers boiled.

“Burning boulders fell to the earth and pulverised the land. Mountains cracked and realms were racked at his unholy hand. In one fell swoop, the Lord of Shadows ended countless lives. The lucky few who rode the storm struggle to survive. Their days are filled with desperation, misery, and tears. I see them quake and tremble, but I cannot calm their fears…”

She teleported them once again with a wave of her wooden staff, and they were suddenly in a church. Lightning flashed around the windows, and a little girl walked around the area.

“Please… help…” she whimpered. “Somebody… Please… Is… Is someone there…?”

A large flash of lightning lit up the area, and she screamed. Isabella felt sick as well; there were bodies laying all over the benches. Blood-soaked, crimson corpses that shone with the lightning; people had been murdered in a place as holy as the church.

“Please… help me…” The little girl bundled herself into a ball and cried. Isabella swam forward in her bubble to the child, and looked at her with utmost pity. The little girl held out her hand, but something went through the fish to reach her.

Isabella was incredibly surprised to see who it was. Before she could confirm it, however, their consciousnesses were taken to yet another location.

“Our homes are gone; our families and friends too,” sighed a man. “All we have left is our lives. We can’t just sit down and die. We have to keep walking!”

“We have to keep following the Hero!” said a woman; she shivered from her sickness. “They say he’s built a fortress south of Heliodor; if we can make our way there, we’ll be safe.”

“Don’t give up, okay?” said another person. “This Hero guy won’t let us down. Once we get to the Last Bastion, everything’ll be fine—you’ll see!”

“A few more short steps

Lead from darkness into dawn.

Safe haven awaits!” said a man from Hotto that Isabella recognised; he was the very man who had allowed her, Eleven, and Erik in the spa. How dearly long ago that was… in such a peaceful, innocent time…

“Amid the black depths of despair, a spark of light still shines—a man who gives the people hope in these benighted times,” said Queen Marina. “Yet that light too shall soon succumb to evil’s ceaseless claim. Only you can take that spark and kindle it to flame…

“Yggdrasil has crashed to earth, Her light has disappeared. In Her place, the Lord of Shadows’ citadel of fear. He took the sacred World Tree’s power and now makes it his own. Foul Mordegon commands the world from his unholy throne. His forces seek to steal the souls of every last survivor. His flying servants sweep the skies, the seas swarm with his divers…”

She teleported them to the place above Nautica, and this scene made Isabella attempt to gasp once again. There was a huge monster above Nautica, and he was seemingly trying to break nothing. But every time his fist plunged into the water, it was stopped by some sort of force field.

“Alizarin– the fiend that seeks to devastate my nation,” scowled Queen Marina. “Another one of Mordegon’s detestable creations. I’ve cast a spell to hold him back, but need it to be stronger; the barrier’s at a breaking point, and cannot last much longer.

“I’d hoped that I could save my realm– it was a foolish notion. Compared to his, my strength is but a raindrop in the ocean. Ere long, the barrier will fall, and Nautica will too. Marauding beasts may take my life… but they shall not take you.

“Our time grows short. I fear my kingdom’s race is nearly run. My place is with my subjects now; we face our fate as one.”

They finally teleported back to the cave where the large pearl was. The Queen turned her head slowly to the young woman. 

“How curious you are, my friend. I showed you fearful sights, and yet those wide and watery eyes still gleam with limpid light,” she said, putting her soft hand on Isabella’s scales. “It seems that grief and tragedy have followed you since birth. Cruel fate’s dark plan has stalked you to the corners of the earth.

“And yet you’ve weathered every blow, prevailed against all strife. You’ve brushed with death a thousand times, yet still you have your life! It is the will of Yggdrasil that you are still alive. It is your fate the save this world– for this, you must survive.

“Bright Luminary of Light, let your light shine on the world again! Find the fading sparks of hope and kindle them into flame! You’ll find the sparks I speak of here and there throughout the land– they are the former members of your staunch and stalwart band.”

Isabella’s heart leapt. Everyone else lived? Even if they hadn’t come to Nautica, they were alive… Even after the whole mess of the world, maybe they could get through this. Maybe they could still save everyone…

“The fire within their hearts will light the path that you must tread– find your friends and bring an end to this dark age of dread! When the Luminaries live, there’s hope for people still. You cannot fail, you must prevail– it is the World Tree’s will.”

The fish nodded, determined.

“Beware! The barrier shakes and breaks!” called a merman.

Within moments the two were outside the palace. Isabella still swam clumsily and the Queen was far ahead.

“The Lord of Shadows’ followers give fond farewells short shrift,” sighed the Queen. “I had so much to tell you, but it seems I must be swift. Do not lose heart! Do not look back! Until your time is through… Remember, you’re the Light of this world– we believe in you!”

“Citizens of Nautica!” boomed the horrible creature above them. “Give your lives to the Lord of Shadows!”

The Queen raised her staff once more, but caused all the mermaids to gasp when the pearl completely shattered. Suddenly, cracks started appearing on the force field. All the mermaids in the area swam around, anxious and horrified.

Alizarin laughed menacingly, and shattered the barrier. Isabella readied herself in the best fighting pose she could manage as a fish. Perhaps her magic still worked…

“You are not going to fight!” exclaimed the Queen. She waved her hand in the water, and blew the young Luminary toward a column of bubbles. As the monsters swam down, Isabella climbed higher and higher in the water. Alizarin’s laugh echoed from the height she was at until she could hear it no more.

Isabella began to panic. Nautica… everyone down there was dying for her…

Suddenly, she saw a fishing line. Normally, with all parts of her brain working correctly, she would have realised it would be absolutely stupid to go and get yourself cooked. But the fishy part of her wanted to eat that juicy bait so bad… it was a wonderfully tender worm…

A fisherman sighed deeply. “Can’t catch nothing in these waters anymore!” he whined. Suddenly, his line gave a huge jerk. He pulled vigorously, and laughed while he did so.

“Hoo! Blue John’s hooked himself a biggun!” he chuckled to himself. “Could it be the legendary man-eating mackerel!? Let’s reel him in and find out!”  He toppled over in the boat when the fish finally came from the water. 

“Yess! I caught something!” he cheered. “I actually caught something! Blue John’s going to eat tonight! Heh! Maybe there is some good in this forsaken world after all!”

When he picked himself up again, he could barely believe his eyes.

A young woman was sitting there, plain as day. Her black hair was stuck to her cheeks, and she was staring at him with a look of fear on her face.

“Wh-Wh-Who the heck are you!?” exclaimed the fisherman. “And what were you doing on the end of my hook!? I don’t care how hungry you are; you don’t go pinching the bait off another man’s line!”

The girl seemed not to have been listening, because she was inspecting her arms and legs, then touching her face and feeling her hair. Suddenly, the young woman looked over the edge of the boat. She let out a shaking sigh of grief, and clutched her legs to her chest, tears rolling down her face.

“Hey, now… Don’t cry, lassie…” he said awkwardly. She raised her head, and tears glistened across her face apart from the water. She brushed them away quickly.

“I’m very sorry to have caused you a bother,” she said. “I have money in this bag here…”

“Look, I don’t know what’s got you sniffling, but it must be something serious,” he said. “So listen– Blue John’s going to help you out! We fisher folk’ve gotta look after each other, ain’t we? You can stay the night at my hut. There’s none too many safe places left in this rotten world, but it’ll do you for a day or two.

“When you’re ready, you can head over to the Last Bastion– they’ll see you right. The feller running the place is a boney-fido hero! Right, now that’s decided, let’s head for shore! Hold on tight, lassie– things are about to get choppy!”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me,” she said.

“What’s your name, anyway?” he asked.

“My name’s… Eleanor,” she said. “I guess I forgot to introduce myself…”

They both made it to the dock, and Blue John climbed out first. Isabella pulled herself out, a little uneasy on her legs. She was rather surprised to notice that, though she was fatigued, her body was healed. Her right arm felt wonderful… Every aspect of her physical body was as it should be.

“Well, I’ll say whatever you were doin’ must have taken it out of ye!” exclaimed Blue John, noticing how she dragged herself along. 

“I’ll be fine…” Isabella attempted to force back the massive yawn that followed, but failed.

“Don’t gimme that now, Eleanor,” said Blue John, raising an eyebrow. “Take a rest in the cabin over ‘ere; it’s been my place for a while now, but I just woke up! Go ahead and sleep for a few hours, little one. I’ll wait out here.”

Isabella opened her mouth to speak, but Blue John had opened the door to the cabin, leaving it abroad for her to enter. Finally, she thanked him and threw herself onto the bed. After sleeping for months, now again? But, what else could be done? She would be killed before she walked a mile during nightfall…

What a kind man, she thought. But that must be one of the few people who still lives… How many have died thanks to my mistake? How many have been murdered like those at that church?

She threw herself on the bed, and remembered what Queen Marina had said. 

“I will not fail, not again,” said Isabella softly, clutching the charm on her necklace. “...I promise.”

Chapter Text

Isabella grabbed her bag in the morning, pulled on her now dry boots, and walked out of the wooden cabin. She left nothing on her to show her previous fatigue, instead adopting a hardened expression that felt very unlike her.

“Ahoy there, kid!” chuckled Blue John, startling the Luminary of Light. “So you finally roused yourself from your slumbers, eh? Blue John'd say good morning, but there ain't no morning to speak of these days.”

“No… morning?” Isabella looked into the sky, and noticed it was the same depressing grey with hints of red and pink.

“You hadn't noticed? Why, we've seen nothing but dark skies since the day of the disaster. Ahh, just look at the state of it…” the man sighed. “There was an almighty booming and rumbling, and then great gouts of blackness started billowing up from the castle over in Heliodor. Since then, nothing's been right. That was the last time any of us saw the sun.”

Isabella held back tears with a great effort. 

No, I’m not going to weep over this any more, she thought with determination. When has crying got me anywhere? Never.

“That ain't good! We'd better hide, and fast!” cried Blue John. He shoved Isabella behind a rock, and it turned out to be a good thing. A huge gathering of monsters flew out of Heliodor Castle, almost like manevolent storm clouds. It was a hideous sight.

“...That was a close one!” huffed Blue John once the last of them faded into the horizon. “Them monsters started pouring out of Heliodor Castle about the same time as the blackness. The rotters seem to think they own the place! They've never come so near before, though. They'll be lookin' for food, I'll warrant. An' there Blue John was thinking he'd found himself a safe spot…

“Listen—seems the vittles round these parts are set to get mighty scarce. I hate to send you packing lassie, but I reckon you'd best be on your way. You'll be safer over at the Last Bastion anyhow. Go on and get yourself over there before the monsters spot you. That Hero feller'll look after you, I'm sure. He's a good 'un, that one—a spark of hope in these dark old times.

“Steer a course due west until you hit Cobblestone Falls. The Last Bastion lies just beyond. Mind how you go now, kid!”

“Thank you,” she said quickly. Isabella slung her pack over her shoulder, and made her way away from the docks.

Blue John stroked his beard as she walked away. What was it those monsters had said?

The Luminaries have been defeated.

He wasn’t so sure anymore. A long while back, he remembered seeing a young woman, accompanied by a few other youths, making their way into the Kingsbarrow. Later he heard reports; high soldiers from Heliodor were there, looking for the Luminaries… and the Luminary of Light perfectly fit their description of the young woman.

Now, however… Now there was a strong young woman who looked like the Luminary of Light had. Only a few differences could be seen… she was perhaps a little taller, garbed in a tunic instead of a dress. 

The main thing that made him doubt his theory was the way she held herself… The young woman he had seen enter the Kingsbarrow was timid, afraid of battle, and seemed to shrink in the presence of any… He had just seen a blunt, strong young woman with similarities.

Blue John chuckled to himself. How could the Luminary of Light be back? She had been killed. The timid little girl was gone.

…He wasn’t wrong about that.

A lump formed in Isabella’s throat when she caught sight of a campsite. It was one of the first campsites she, Eleven, and Erik had stayed at so long ago… even though they were being hunted by Hendrik and his men at that point, it seemed so calm. The sun would have been out, the grass green and healthy… but everything was changed now.

She walked across the area of Cobblestone Falls, trying to let the sound of the water wash away her worries. But it only reminded her of Nautica, and tears escaped her eyes before she could blink them away. 

Isabella trudged on through the narrow area right before she made it to the gates of Cobblestone… or what was once Cobblestone. 

Instead of the natural archway, there were barricades made of wood. Had the monsters fortified her home as a military camp. Isabella growled, and immediately began to search the area. There was a large tree that stretched up to the cliff… The very same one she had gone down to escape Cobblestone so long ago.

Isabella climbed the tree quickly, making it to the top in no time. She threw herself onto the cliff, scraping her knees and tearing her pants in the process. She ignored the pain, however, dropping down onto the path that led into Cobblestone itself.

“Freeze! Hold up your hands in the name of Heliodor!” shouted a soldier. She turned her head sharply to the person on offence, and noticed it was a Heliodorian guard.

“What are you doing in my home?!” she spat, drawing her sword quickly. “You’ve already destroyed it. Why do you need to make it your base as well?!”

“There’s something… familiar about your voice,” said the soldier slowly. “I remember you…”

“Your voice is similar, too,” spat Isabella. “I think I remember you… You’re one of the soldiers that threw me in the dungeon a year ago. You might need to work on being a little more gentle. ”

The soldier gasped. “You’re the Luminary of Light! Oh, thank the heavens– I had thought that you were dead!”

Isabella raised her sword, her eyes narrowed.

“I’m not going to fight you!” said the soldier. “No one is. When King Carnelian finally stopped being possessed by that spirit, he said to stop calling you the Darkspawn at once. Well, one of the reasons for that is… don’t disgrace the dead…”

“What?!” exclaimed Isabella. “I’m not dead! Why would you all just assume that?!”

“You’ve been gone for quite a long time, and the monsters… every monster after the fall of Yggdrasil has said the same thing… The Luminaries are dead.”

Isabella’s first intention was to assume that Eleven was gone… but she couldn’t dwell on that now. Anyway, she was alive, and he had a better chance than her at life. Instead of succumbing to depression, the young woman sheathed her sword and looked upon the soldier with dislike.

“Well, I’m not dead, and I would like for you to tell everyone so,” sniffed the young woman.

The two heard a gasp from beyond the wooden gate. Isabella turned, and her face lit up.

“Oh my—! It's... It's really you, isn't it...?” stammered Gemma. The blonde ran up, crushing her friend in a hug.

“Y-You're alive...!” sniffled Gemma. “And you've... You've come back to us...! Oh, I've been so, so, so worried, especially after... Well, we heard such awful things…” The blonde looked to the left and the right, and then her grin faded. “Where’s Eleven…?”

Isabella sighed, turning away from Gemma. “I don’t know. We were separated after Yggdrasil fell…”

Gemma sniffled again, but wiped her eyes quickly. “Well, if you made it out, I’m sure El did!”

El…

Gemma smiled a watery smile. “Welcome home!”

Sandy barked happily behind the blonde, and knocked over the Luminary of Light, covering her with kisses. Isabella chuckled gently, and heaved the dog off her.

Gemma grabbed Isabella’s hand and pulled her along the muddy road of Cobblestone. The young Luminary found comfort from walking the familiar path at the same time it unsettled her from the area being so thoroughly changed.

Houses were no longer comforting; they were parts of a large wall. The ruins of the Luminaries’ house was still there; even their beds were perfectly preserved.

“It's not quite the Cobblestone we grew up in, is it?” said Gemma softly. “No, we've been through a lot... After you left, this terrible man named Jasper came… I, I'll never forget his eyes—they were so cold... H-He rounded us all up in the centre of the village...and then he ordered his men to kill us.

“But we were lucky. Not everyone is as cruel as Jasper. No, another soldier came and told him to stop. He said there was no need to take our lives. But that didn't stop them burning the village to the ground and locking us all up in the castle... Still, that one good man made sure we came to no harm.”

“Woof woof!” exclaimed Sandy.

“Sorry, Sandy! You're right—she's just got home after a long journey,” stammered the blonde. “She doesn't want to hear me blathering on! Come on, let's go and see the one person who'll be even happier to see you than me!”

The blonde brought her friend to an area where there were several women. They were all huddled around the campfire, sewing blankets.

“Come on, girls! Put your backs into it!” said one of them. “The boys are out there doing the fighting, so it's up to us to keep the home fires burning!”

“S-Sorry to interrupt Amber, but...I've got big news!” said Gemma. The woman did not turn around, but said, “Hello, Gemma love. What's got you so excited, hm?”

“Well, you're not going to believe this, but...there's someone very special here to see you!” beamed Gemma. Amber finally turned around and her eyes searched the area. When they fell on Isabella, she gasped loudly.

“Isabella?! My darling, you’re alive!” she exclaimed, tears pouring from her eyes quickly. She ran over to her adopted daughter, and hugged her tightly.

“(sniff) I, I just can't believe it's you!” blubbered Amber. “After all the awful things that happened, I was sure you were... Sure you were... (sob)”

“What does that matter?” asked Isabella bitterly before she could stop herself. “Eleven might be gone.”

“Don’t say such terrible things!” exclaimed Gemma. “It’s an awful, awful fate if your brother is gone… but I don’t think he is. I’m just going to say this… He’s tougher than you, and you made it just fine.”

“Ach, I know, you can count on me to open my big mouth at the worst times,” sighed Isabella.

“When the disaster struck, so many people lost their lives... The sun vanished, and those terrible monsters appeared all over the place…” sighed Gemma. “Even those of us who were lucky enough to survive were so drained and desperate that we almost lost the will to live…”

“And then the Hero appeared, just when we needed him!” beamed Amber, wiping her eyes. “He did all he could to help people, no matter who they were or where they were from. He fought off the monsters and brought everyone here to safety. Without him, I dread to think what would have become of us…

“And now, thanks to him, the place you once knew as Cobblestone has become the Last Bastion—humanity's safe haven in a world beset by darkness! Would you believe we've even got the King of Heliodor camped out here!”

Isabella winced, and had a sudden urge to draw her blade.

“Look, I know he was the one who ordered the village to be burned, but I'm sure he had his reasons. Things aren't always as they seem, love,” sighed Amber. “He may be the last person you want to see, but you should go and talk things through with the King. Your grandfather would have wanted you to at least try. Just pop your head round the door of his tent, will you, love? For me? It's the one in the middle of the camp with the two flags. And be polite!”

Isabella gave her mother a pleading look, but Amber wasn’t one that you could convince. She sighed, and turned to make her way to the king.

***

Isabella stood right outside the king’s tent, taking deep breaths before she was to enter.

“I still don’t understand why you are so nervous,” said the soldier. “His majesty is a good man…”

“The last time I talked with the king, it wasn’t really him,” said Isabella. “He—or, what was controlling him—nearly killed me. Even if he isn’t trying to kill me now, it still makes me uneasy.”

The soldier nodded as he drew back the entrance of the tent. Isabella took one final deep breath, and stepped inside. 

King Carnelian sat on a royal stool at the end of the tent. She walked a fair distance, but not too close, and kneeled before him.

“So. You are alive and well, I see,” he said. Isabella nodded slowly, and tried to keep from shivering.

“You have nothing to fear,” explained King Carnelian. “I have regained my senses at last. The living nightmare that began for me on the day of your birth has ended. Though in truth, I remember little of what I did... I have inflicted so much pain on so many... On you… I do not ask for forgiveness—I do not deserve it. All I ask is that I be allowed to atone. To pay for my crimes by protecting those who remain.”

“Sire!” said Isabella, raising her head. “It was not your fault in the slightest of those things happening! We’ve all been pawns in Mordegon’s game. And besides, the Lord of Shadows possessed you— you were not doing things of your own accord. Therefore, you have nothing to apologise for. My nervousness is nothing of your concern.”

King Carnelian was silent for a moment. “...Thank you. You don’t know how much that means to me,” he said. “Tell me—do you recall what happened on that fateful day? The events that came to pass beneath Yggdrasil's branches?”

She nodded, bowing her head once more.

“I see... I recall nothing. All I know is that whomever—or whatever—had me in its grasp for all those years left me there…” said the King. “And when at long last I returned to my senses, I was here. There is something else I must ask you... Tell me...do you know if my daughter is alive?”

Isabella bit her lip. “I… I do not know…”

“...I see…” he said softly.

“Your Majesty!” said a soldier, coming in and bowing. “The Hero has returned! He brings more survivors seeking sanctuary!”

“Come, you must meet he to whom we owe our survival. Though you may not wish to at first...” said the King of Heliodor. Isabella walked after him as he left the tent, making sure to be respectful of her distance. They went through several defences and finally made it to the front gate. There stood the Hero.

“Hm. The Luminary of Light lives,” he sniffed. Isabella scowled at him.

“Welcome back, Hendrik. Well? What news?” asked the King.

“The forces of darkness amass at the gates of Heliodor,” said Hendrik. “They will strike, and soon. Sire, the people must be removed to safety.” He turned and shouted to his men, “Men! All the signs are that our enemy will strike tonight! To arms! They shall not find us unprepared!”

“As you see, he is as...eloquent as ever,” sighed King Carnelian. “But you must forgive him. He has fought harder than any of us. He has sacrificed more than anyone. ...Which is why his burden must be lightened. It is time that your differences were set aside, Luminary of Light. Mankind needs you. Hendrik needs you. Will you stand beside him?”

Isabella bit her lip. “Really, I would, your Majesty… but I am not the most skilled fighter on the battlefield. I’m much more of a spellcaster. My brother… if Eleven was here…”

King Carnelian smiled slightly. “Worry not about your brother. Right now this is about you, and what you can do for your home.”

Isabella nodded fiercely. “Of course I will! That was not a refusal… I should have never said that…”

“Good,” nodded the King. “If we are able to withstand the assault tonight, we may yet survive. Join the troops outside the fortress when you are ready.”

The King smiled at her, and headed back to his tent. The young woman rushed across the area, gathering all the supplies that were needed for battle.

Chapter Text

Isabella and the other soldiers marched onto the area right outside the Last Bastion. Hendrik was mounted on his grand war horse, a greatsword sheathed across his back. Isabella noted that it was newly polished and sharpened, and the general was completely prepared for battle. The Luminary of Light also brandished a new blade; a special limited-edition sword called the Zombiesbane.

“Hey! You must be our newest recruit!” smiled a soldier, rushing over to her. “They say you made it all the way to the Last Bastion under your own steam! Well, I'm impressed, I've got to tell you! You can obviously handle yourself—that or you were born lucky! Well, either way, I'm sure we can find a use for you. Follow me!”

The gleeful soldier led Isabella over to a small patch of grass that looked awfully prickly. He gave her a thumbs up, and said, “Right, here's your spot. Just face that way, and when the monsters come, stick the pointy end of your sword in them. Don't look so worried! You'll be fiiine!”

The young Luminary drew her new sword from its sheath, and gave the soldier an incredulous look. 

“I’m not two, I can handle a little battle,” she scoffed.

“Alrighty then! You still have fire inside you, eh?” The soldier grinned, fixing his short blond hair before pushing his visor down. “You know, I’m free for the next several… well, whenever we’re not being invaded by monsters… I was just wondering if you were, too.”

Isabella rolled her eyes. “You just met me and you’re asking me out on the battlefield!?”

The soldier nodded happily.

“You two!” shouted Hendrik, staring with malice at Isabella and the soldier. “Stop your chatting and get ready. I accept no idle slacking from soldiers… under my care.”

Gradually, the sound of monsters got louder and louder. Thundering footsteps and the scraping of bones came from the northern front.

“Enemy forces! Here they come!” shouted Isabella. She readied her position, and the talkative soldier returned to his spot… thank goodness.

“Positions, men!” cried Hendrik. “Chaaarge!”

Isabella held her sword high when they attacked. Several bone dragons came upon a group of three soldiers, but she was quicker than them. From behind their backs, the Luminary of Light took her Zombiesbane across them with Falcon Slash. The creatures had scarcely blinked before they fell.

“Wow, this certainly works,” beamed Isabella, examining her blade. She didn’t do this for long, however; she turned back to the rest of the monsters quickly.

The soldiers looked at her with wonder, but she did not notice this. A bone soldier was attacking her, and she had the flat side of her sword pressed against her hands, blocking the blow. Isabella grunted as she threw off the force of the undead creature, and ended its life for good with a well-aimed blow.

She cast an explosion spell on the entire battlefield, sending several mounted enemies off their trusty steeds. Her blue garb flew about her as she was attacked by a powerful wind spell, but she quickly recovered and defeated the dragon mount.

Isabella smiled—the dragon was still in the area, undefeated. She ran forward and did a front-flip onto its back, spurring it like a horse. It roared just as she made it fly upward, and scouted the battlefield.

Isabella was doing rather well from her superior position; she cast spell after spell, obliterating the enemies below. The beasts couldn’t land a hit on anyone while she was casting fireballs on them…

Hendrik, too, was battling with incredible valour and power. His greatsword swung from enemy to enemy, slicing their heads from their necks in a single blow. With Isabella above the soldiers and Hendrik down below, they had this battle won already. 

If it wasn’t for the sword.

Isabella gasped as she noticed a sword hurtling towards her; a skeleton soldier had climbed the cliffs around the area and thrown its weapon to destroy the young woman. She quickly swerved to the side—but not in time. The blade did not hit her, but the dragon's belly. The creature cried out, writhing in the air for a moment before turning into purple dust. The Luminary of Light could scarcely understand what was going on before she began to plummet to the earth.

No! I’m not going to be defeated at my first battle in this new world! she thought. Isabella grunted as she tried to remember the spell that Serena had taught her so long ago— be like the breeze .

The young woman positioned herself upright as she fell, twirling herself faster than was supposed to be possible. She spun so much she feared she would vomit, but it wasn’t bad enough to cause that. Isabella’s feet hit the ground—she smirked as she felt no pain. Maybe she did do the spell right.

The shockwave that should have caused her demise flew outward in the form of a gale, knocking over every enemy in its path. Isabella winced as she noticed that it didn’t pass by her allies without throwing them backwards to some amount… She would have to practice that spell more.

Even though the numbers were thinning, the monsters laughed more evil than ever. Isabella gasped when she found out the reason.

A Headless Honcho was in front of the enemy ranks, the shield with a large smile on its face. Hendrik was riding towards it, but was knocked off his horse in the process of trying to defeat the beast. It swung its chainball at him, knocking the knight aside.

“Our beloved commander, brightest and best of the Spectral Sentinels, spake truly when he spake of thee, Hendrik,” smiled the monster’s shield. “Thou art without a shred of guile! Any other would have fled the field long ago! But I have no complaints. Our reward for tearing thee limb from limb shall be a handsome one indeed! GREH HEH HEH HEHHH!”

“Leave him alone!” shouted the Luminary of Light. She did several complicated movements with her hands, finally conjuring a massive fireball. She threw it at the creature before it had a moment to react.

“YOU!” it shrieked. “KILL HER!”

Isabella immediately wilted; she had no shield with her—the shops were not stocked enough to get her one—and this left her in a very vulnerable position. She rolled out of the way of the first throw of the chainball that the creature wielded, recovering quickly to cast an ice spell on him. The headless creature, however, blocked the blow with its shield—or, perhaps, its face. It did no damage, nonetheless.

Isabella swerved away from yet another blow, grabbing a sword from one of the skeletons attempting to stab her from behind. She threw it harshly at the creature’s chest, but missed narrowly. 

She gritted her teeth as she felt a wall behind her; the creature had her cornered. That wasn’t going to stop her, however; Isabella drew her Zombiesbane, readying herself against the creature as best she could.

Wait… my Luminary mark! It seems to react whenever I'm in grave danger...

Isabella smirked at the creature just before raising her hand and holding it up to the monster. Her Luminary mark was there, clear as day… and not shining. The young woman pushed it closer to the creature, but nothing happened… and still nothing. The headless horseman did not even attack her; it looked awfully amused at her attempts to make her mark shine.

Come on! Why… won’t… you… WORK!? thought Isabella angrily. She continued to do her foolish movements as the monster raised its sword for the kill…

It turned out not to be necessary when the creature fell from its horse, Hendrik behind him with his greatsword still raised.

“S-Sir Hendrik!” stammered Isabella, staring from the knight to the vanishing corpse. “You-!”

“If it was not for your foolish heroics, I would not have had to save you,” said Hendrik bluntly. 

Isabella opened her mouth to speak, but finally closed it and sighed.

“...I’m sorry,” she said finally. Hendrik emitted no reply, instead raising his sword and calling to his men to return to the Last Bastion.

Isabella stood in the remains of the battlefield as the other soldiers walked past her. Her eyes widened when she did not notice a certain one within their ranks; the young woman scanned the field, quickly finding what she was looking for. Isabella rushed over to it without another word, kneeling before the blond soldier lying on the ground.

"Hey... no, don't give up on me now," said Isabella gently, readying a healing spell.

The soldier managed a pained smile. "You just met me... and now you're healing me?"

"Save your breath," ordered the Luminary of Light, inspecting the wounds. "We need to take you back..."

"No," coughed the soldier. "They won't... have enough supplies... to spare... leave me..."

"I can't," said Isabella, tears falling down her cheeks as she attempted to keep her voice and spells level. "I can't leave another soul to die because of my mistakes... Please, don't..."

The soldier's hand brushed against the young woman's fingers, and she finally turned to look at his face.

"I am sorry... to have caused... any offense... to you..." he gasped.

"Please..." sobbed Isabella, barely keeping from breaking down. "If you are... If you are really going to die, good sir, who shall I remember you as?"

"Names serve little importance," said the soldier. "But if remembering mine... is something you desire... Please call me... Pheonix."

And he breathed no more.

Isabella began to sob uncontrollably over the body of her comrade, not daring to look up at the others that were around the battlefield... There might not have been many, but they were still people... People who had died so that others might live. People that had made a sacrifice for her and so many others... 

In the morning, Isabella was called into the royal tent. She left her tent immediately, and made her way into the King’s; she wasn’t too pleased to see Hendrik there, however. The knight did not lift his head, and Isabella decided to act as if he was absent. 

“It seems we owe you all a debt of gratitude,” said the King. “You have proven your strength. And your ability to work together. It is time—time to bring light back to this benighted land. The fiend that usurped my throne must be ousted. Heliodor Castle must be reclaimed. And you, my loyal servants, must lead the charge.”

“B-But sire—!” stammered Hendrik, standing quickly.

“I do not give these orders lightly, Hendrik,” said King Carnelian. “My spies have found a means by which we might gain an advantage. The city sewers can be entered from the cliffs in the side of the hill atop which Heliodor stands. You will use these sewers to infiltrate the castle from beneath. This key will unlock the gate.”

The King of Heliodor reached into his robe and brought out an old turquiose key. Isabella took it tenderly from his hand, and pushed it softly into her bag.

“But sire—who will command our forces in my absence?” said Hendrik. “If the enemy renews the attack, we will be slaughtered!”

“We will not. We will be prepared,” said the King forcefully. “Prepared to draw them out, leaving the castle unguarded. The usurper must be overthrown while we have the chance. We strike now, or we never see the light of day again.”

“Please, Your Majesty! We cannot allow yet more lives to be lost!” exclaimed Hendrik.

“Precisely. Which is why you must quell the darkness at its source. We seize our one opportunity, or we consign ourselves to despair. It is as simple as that. Or do you question the wisdom of your king? My subjects have shown me the depth of their courage. I trust in their ability to endure this one last assault. And I order you to do likewise. You are our last hope. Do not let us down.”

Isabella rode on her beautiful white horse alone, while Hendrik was mounted atop Obsidian, the knight’s black steed. They rode in silence the entire way to the northwest; almost the entire time Isabella could not help but think about Pheonix and the others...

“I couldn’t help but notice you made your way here alone,” said Hendrik finally, though he did not turn to face her. “What of your companions? Your brother? I’m sure they are nearby?”

Isabella shook her head. “When the World Tree fell, we were all separated. I have no idea how I lived, but I’m sure the others have as well. Honestly, I was the most likely to perish at the impact! The others must have survived… then again, you were there, were you not? Jasper and that… thing didn’t save you from the horrible impact.”

“Whatever force of Yggdrasil has saved you graced me as well,” said Hendrik with a soft nod.

Isabella nodded again, turning away from the knight to take in the landscape again. It was nothing like when she first rode through here… Then again, when she was first here, she was going the opposite way to run from Heliodorian knights. Now, here she was riding beside one! 

Once they finally made it to the north-west location, Isabella looked upward; they rode at the forest floor, and above them was the entrance to the sewers of Heliodor. 

“Move. This is no time for idling,” ordered Hendrik.

Isabella sighed, and spurred her horse lightly before sending it back to the Last Bastion. She raised an eyebrow at the markings on the cliff; they seemed perfect for climbing.

Forgetting the meaning of safety, Isabella leaped onto the cliff, grabbing the outcropping with her arms. She blew out a powerful wind spell, propelling herself onto the top of it. Hendrik came close behind her, ascending the cliff stealthily. They repeated this several times until they made it to the top of the largest outcropping.

Isabella glanced around. They were on the very cliff that she, Eleven, and Erik had jumped off almost a year ago.

“I believe in you. I believe in the Luminaries.”

She sighed heavily. He’s still alive, he has to be, she urged herself. My brother, too…

The young Luminary followed Hendrik through the sewers. A few bats fluttered out in the darkness, and Isabella swatted them away. Each member of the party drew their weapon as they stared at the darkness before them.

Suddenly, however, Isabella pulled on Hendrik’s arm to flatten him against the cavern wall. It was a rather difficult move as Hendrik was over a foot taller than her, but she made it work nonetheless. Her motive was obvious; a massive flock of monsters made their way out of Heliodor castle. Some flew, some walked, and some led the group on horseback. To think that all of those creatures fit in the castle was incredible…

“So, the assault begins…” Hendrik immediately shook off Isabella’s grip and made his way into the cavern. The Luminary of Light lagged behind.

They both walked across more of the dry area of the sewers until they found a room. A lock was on the door, but Hendrik tenderly pushed the key inside and unlocked the door. The party headed into the room, and realised it was a storage area. Isabella opened a chest in the corner and found a bottle of… something. She didn’t suspect it was normal water, because a magical feeling came to her fingertips when she picked it up. She put it into her bag.

“We should be able to make it to the dungeons from an area east of here,” said Hendrik. “Follow.”

The tall knight led the tiny young woman through the shadows of the castle, leading her into the very dungeons that she had been imprisoned in. Isabella sighed as she continued to follow him, keeping her eye out for any monsters.

Chapter Text

Isabella flattened herself against the wall right outside the dungeons of Heliodor. She drew her Zombiesbane, preparing to fight any enemy that would try her when she rounded the corner; when she did, however, there was still nothing.

“You do have to admit it is strange,” admitted Isabella, not sheathing her weapon but holding it before her warily as they continued to walk. “Why would every enemy leave the castle?”

“The final stand,” said Hendrik in a deep whisper. “The last our troops could withstand… I can only hope that they will live long enough for us to destroy their leader and reclaim the castle.”

“Sir Hendrik, you really need to learn to trust your fellow soldiers,” Isabella pointed out. “You might be a lot stronger than even your strongest lieutenant, but together—united—I’m sure the monsters don’t stand a chance.”

Hendrik nodded, deep in thought. Suddenly, however, he froze as they went into the next room.

Isabella recognised it well; the great hall of Heliodor Castle. There was almost nothing “great” left, however; every window was shattered, the walls crumbled, and railings laid on the ground.

“Even the Great Stairway lies in ruins…” said Hendrik softly.

“The usurper will be in the throne room, if he is anywhere,” said Isabella. “But it’s not like we can get past all that debris, much less find a way to open the throne room doors!”

“He must be found and punished. Which means we must seek another way up…” said Hendrik uncertainly, peering around the room.

Isabella scoffed. “What’s the matter? You’re a Heliodorian knight! Shouldn’t there be another way into the throne room? Y’know, an escape route in case of an emergency?”

“I was not informed of any such route,” admitted Hendrik. "We might as well begin to look, that or start climbing."

Isabella quickly resumed her pace alongside Hendrik as he led her into the remains of a kitchen. The young woman noticed that the pots and pans around were rusted or bent… or both. 

“Sir Hendrik, I don’t see anything in here of use…” said Isabella nervously.

“You chide me for doubting my comrades and do the same to me?” Hendrik shot back. Isabella bit her tongue, allowing the knight to look around. She noticed a doorway (missing the door, of course) that led into a small courtyard just outside the kitchen. Nothing there was out of the ordinary… a tree, a little wooden swing, and some roots.

Well, not just any roots. An Yggdrasil root jutted up from the ground, clear as day. Isabella raised her eyebrows just before placing her hand above the root. 

“I don’t understand,” she said softly, examining her hand and pulling it from the root. “Why is it not glowing? I could’ve sworn I was consumed by the most brilliant light every time I raised my hand to it…”

Isabella took a deep breath, stretching out her hand again.

“I might not be the Luminary of Light anymore,” she reassured herself. “But I’m still the chosen leaf of Yggdrasil. I can still do this…”

The young woman held her hand aloft for a moment; at last, her mind was engulfed in a vision—

“Come, Jasper! Do your worst!”

A young boy held his wooden sword before him, just before using his other hand to brush a stray purple hair out of his face. Young Hendrik narrowed his eyes, a playful grin on his face as his other little comrade scowled at him.

“If you insist!” said Jasper, pushing away his long blond ponytail. He rushed forward, reaching behind Hendrik to strike his weak point with the wooden blade; but Hendrik was faster, and pushed Jasper over in a single shove.

“Curse you, Hendrik! Brute strength wins the day again…” scoffed Jasper, dusting himself off.

“Don’t be like that!” said Hendrik with a slight chuckle. “Come on, get up!”

Hendrik held out his hand to Jasper, and they grasped each other firmly before Hendrik helped his friend up.

“Ha ha ha! It is good to see two young men with such spirit!” came a jolly voice. Moving her conciousness in the vision, Isabella was awfully surprised to see King Carnelian. He held something in his arms, which seemed to greatly intrigue Hendrik.

“But I order you to cease your horseplay and greet our latest arrival. ...I present Princess Jade,” said the King. He held out the bundle before them, showing a beautiful baby with a wisp of black hair at the top of her head. She slept peacefully, unaware of the two young men before her.

“When you grow older, you will be the guardians of this great kingdom. I am counting on you. And now, so is she…” said the King softly. Hendrik beamed, reaching out gently to touch the baby’s hand; Jasper stood back, grimacing.

“With my might and your wisdom, we will surely be the greatest knights this kingdom has ever seen!” said Hendrik, slipping off his boots in the room he and Jasper took in the palace. “Long may we protect the Princess and all her people!”

The young man began to unbuckle the belt around his tunic when he finally looked up to see Jasper engrossed in a book.

“Jasper! Are you listening to me?” exclaimed Hendrik. He marched over to the blond youth, but didn’t force his way. The page that Jasper was inspecting had a picture of a lovely black shield with embroideries of pure gold along the front.

“What is this?” said Hendrik faintly.

“Why, the Shield of Heliodor, of course—symbol of the kingdom's greatest knights,” said Jasper with a mischevious grin. “His Majesty keeps it in his private chambers. If we are destined to become such men one day, one of us will surely wear it. I would very much like to see it, wouldn't you?”

“And how do you propose to do that? One cannot simply stroll into the King's chambers uninvited,” said Hendrik with annoyance.

“Oh, I have my ways,” said Jasper, his grin getting even wider. “I just so happened to spy a certain someone treating himself to a midnight feast in the kitchens. None other than His Royal Majesty. He slithered out of a secret passage behind a cupboard and set about the leftovers. That passage must lead to his chambers.”

“Ha ha ha ha! You devil! You have solved the mystery of his bulging belly!” laughed Hendrik loudly, much to Jasper’s nervousness. “The Queen will make you an earl for such a service to the kingdom!”

“We meet in the kitchen at midnight. Agreed?”

“Agreed!”

“...Of course! The passage to the King's chambers!” exclaimed Hendrik, startling Isabella. “But...what was that? A vision? A dream?”

Isabella nodded. “Well, you’re not wrong. For some reason these Yggdrasil roots… I’m able to interact with them. Even without my powers I’m able to do that! Hm…”

“Very impressive,” said Hendrik shortly. “The kitchen is on the north side of the castle, beyond the banqueting hall. Come.”

The knight walked in silence for only a moment before emitting a soft chuckle; Isabella found a laugh coming from such a person to be quite strange.

“I did not make it here that night, you know,” admitted the knight. “I was caught trying to slip out of my chambers. The King made me polish all the armour in the castle… Jasper was disgusted with me. We had a furious argument. We had so many in those days… But there was more happiness than strife. Life was simple. We had a purpose. We would have stood together in defence of Heliodor no matter what…”

“I understand completely,” agreed Isabella. “Eleven and I have fights on a regular basis… honestly, I don’t know anything we would struggle to argue about! Then again, the results just make you better friends, don’t they? How counter-intuitive it sounds!”

Hendrik stopped. At first Isabella suspected he was allowing her to catch up, but when he kneeled before her she knew it was something different.

“...I have treated you poorly. Forgive me,” he said softly. “My loyalties have been tested. But not by you. Whatever lies ahead, we must face it together. Will you stand beside me?”

“Of course, Sir Hendrik!” said Isabella, nodding fiercely. “Come what may, I shall not abandon either you nor the Last Bastion.”

“Then we must strike, and quickly,” said Hendrik with a nod. They went back into the kitchens, quickly finding a moveable shelf. Sure enough, behind it was a passage that led upwards. As Isabella ascended the staircase, an evil aura seemed to entrap her… She drew her blade once more, narrowing her eyes in the darkness of the passage.

Chapter Text

Isabella finally stopped squinting as she and Hendrik made it out of the passage. The bed of the King was rather intact, to the young woman’s amazement; but she need not dwell on unimportant factors. 

The two of them made their way into the throne room, which was directly connected to the royal bedroom. The entire ceiling at the back of the room was destroyed; the ruins laid below. Some of the windows were intact, but the majority were strewn about on the ground in shards. Not a sound was heard… nothing but a faint noise. It almost went as a rhythm…

“You have done well to make it here, old friend,” said a demonic voice that Isabella recognised. The slow clapping stopped as soon as the voice started. “And with the Darkspawn of Shadow in tow, no less. Oh, bravo!”

“Jasper!” exclaimed Hendrik. Isabella finally turned the right way; on the throne sat the blond knight, the very one who had nearly killed her two times already. He was not garbed in his silver armour anymore; instead, he wore a dress-like garment coloured bold red and cruel black. His eyes that had once been icy blue took on a malevolent red hue; he stared down at the two of them with great dislike.

Though the young Luminary faltered, Hendrik didn’t waste a moment. He charged up to the man that had once been his friend and sliced the greatsword in his hand across Jasper’s neck… but it didn’t make contact with flesh.

Hendrik looked up from his strike, and noticed that Jasper was not in front of him at all.

“Watch out!” exclaimed Isabella. Hendrik turned around immediately, catching sight of Jasper as he reappeared.

“Temper, temper!” chided Jasper. “Brute force may have won the day once upon a time, but things are very different now.”

“Why!?” exclaimed Hendrik, still holding his blade before him. “Why did you give yourself to the darkness!? What of our pact? We swore fealty to Heliodor! We promised to protect the kingdom! Together!”

“‘Why’? You, of all people, ask me why?” exclaimed Jasper before erupting into a fit of cruel laughter.

“Does something amuse you, traitor?” growled Hendrik.

“It is I who must ask you ‘why’, surely?” hissed Jasper, narrowing his eyes. “Why is it that you always thought yourself so much better than me? Why was it always you who was given the golden opportunities? Why was it always you who got just what you wanted? Why, hm? TELL ME WHY!”

“Jasper, we’ve all been fooled by Mordegon,” pleaded Isabella, making her way forward. “Please, he is using this jealousy of yours to turn you against your closest friend! You are not beyond redemption, J–”

She was cut off as the evil man appeared in front of her, shoving her over with his staff. Hendrik gasped, rushing over to help Isabella. Jasper disappeared again, reappearing by the throne and away from the young Luminary.

“I am not beyond redemption, you are correct,” smirked Jasper. “It is YOU who is beyond redemption! With this power I control, I will be second best no longer. I know the truth now. Love, dreams, light, friendship—all these count for naught! All that matters is power! And the only power that matters is that of the darkness! There is one who sees the worth in me. Who deserves my fealty. Who gives me the power I crave. And all who stand in his way must be destroyed!”

“I lost my hometown... My family... My friends... All to the dark power that you serve,” Hendrik said gravely. “I lost my faith, my purpose... Though some called me ‘hero’, I believed I was a fraud...and that I was powerless to protect them.”

“But you can protect them,” insisted Isabella. “ We can. And we must.”

“And there is one I must protect above all others,” agreed Hendrik. He stepped just in front of Isabella, holding his greatsword before him like a shield. “It is duty of the Luminaries to deliver the world from evil...and it is my duty to protect them.

“Jasper, you are a traitor to your kingdom, a servant of evil and a threat to the Servant of Light,” spat Hendrik. “I sentence you to death!”

“Really, old friend?” said Jasper with not a drop of fear in his voice. “Forgive me if I do not begin quaking just yet. Now, let us end this farce. You will outdo me no longer, Hendrik! This time, it is I who have been chosen...and you who will fade into obscurity!” 

Jasper cackled evilly once more again, before vanishing; Isabella could not see his reappearance. She thought she noticed him, however; motion could be seen just behind the throne. She narrowed her eyes, refusing to show fear in the sight of such a terrible man. The problem was, however, the creature that showed its face was not a man.

An undead creature appeared from behind the throne, grinning widely with its skull. In one of his eyes was a crystalline, purple substance; in the other seemed to be a portal to the darkest shadow beheld by mankind. It towered over them, almost eight feet tall. The creature was clothed in scraps of purple, with a stark resemblance to the flags at Heliodor castle.

“Gegh heh heh! Well met, worms! I am Tyriant, servant of the Lord of Shadows and proud bearer of the title of Spectral Sentinel!” cackled the creature. “You would return the world to brightness? Gegh heh! Fools! Gegh heh heh! Wretches! The time of light is no more! The age of darkness looms! All is as the Lord of Shadows wills it! As long as I yet live, the dawn shall not return to this place! Now, step forward, friends! Eternal night awaits! Gegh heh heh heh!”

“Never!” shouted Isabella, pointing her blade at its face. As she did this, however, she noticed something strange about the area she pointed to… his crystalline purple eye looked somehow familiar…

“The orb!” she exclaimed. The very same purple orb that she had taken from the treasure chest below Zwaardsrust glittered in the creature’s eye. A power seemed to resonate from it as the creature approached them…

“Luminary!” exclaimed Hendrik, rushing forward to Isabella. She quickly ducked out of the way of a swipe from the creature, but the knight had to come in to block another blow with his greatsword. The young woman rolled away from Tyriant, getting up a moment later and holding her sword aloft again.

She was subject to another moment of awe; before the young woman could charge at Tyriant, his entire body began to glow with a purple aura—the same colour as the orb. Hendrik, too, began to retreat as the creature seemed to explode with intense power. Isabella was forced to shield her eyes; when the light had died down, she was incredibly fearful of what she laid eyes on.

Before her was Tyriant, with only a small purple aura about him. It seemed weaker than before… but that could be easily explained. Beside the creature stood a shadow; however, the shadow resonated with purple energy, and it was tangible. That much was obvious when it slammed its blade down on Isabella, and clanged against the ground as she narrowly missed her dodge.

The young woman immediately tapped into her magical energy. She cast a shield spell swiftly on Hendrik, and then herself. Hendrik had Tyriant occupied, and this gave Isabella the perfect time to buff them and debuff the enemy… but the shadow was not as engaged. It swung at Isabella, slowly but on target, throwing her backwards against the wall. Her shield shattered, leaving her unharmed. She wasn’t able to reinforce her shield, however, as the creature struck again. Isabella leaped forward, underneath the blade. The young woman straightened up, quickly reinforcing both her and Hendrik’s shields. 

How can we fight both of these things? she thought worriedly, running away from the shadow before it figured out where she had gone. The young Luminary threw a healing spell at Hendrik, powering herself enough to give her a massive chunk of ice to hurtle at the original Tyriant.

The creature turned to face her just as she threw the crystal, and by some stroke of luck, Isabella struck it straight in the purple orb that was meant to be his eye. Tyriant cried out, clutching the area with one hand and keeping a firm grip on his sword with the other. At this moment, Isabella looked around worriedly for the shadow, fearing it would strike her while her guard was down.

The shadow stood, walking rather slowly towards Isabella. Nothing seemed to be harming it… Hendrik ducked under the original Tyriant and ran towards the Luminary of Light, so nothing was attacking it…

In a rush, the young woman noticed a flickering in the shadow. It was as if there were little tears in its body, ripping it apart from the inside. Not only that, but the shadow looked a little… translucent.

“That’s it!” exclaimed Isabella, startling Hendrik. He rushed over to her, holding his blade aloft. “That creature’s power must come from the orb… Perhaps they have other uses than to be offered to Yggdrasil!”

“Then all we have to do is remove this orb you speak of,” said the knight.

“Keep him distracted,” ordered Isabella. 

“And your motivation in telling me this…?”

The young woman threw a glance at Tyriant, who was running towards them. She immediately forced a powerful shield to appear, throwing the monster’s blade off of the two of them.

“No time. Just trust me!” exclaimed Isabella, tearing her gaze away from the monsters. She didn’t dare look back at Hendrik, for fear that she would lose focus. She ran backwards and up the massive pile of ceiling debris just behind the royal throne. Isabella’s tiny feet could navigate around the little chunks easily, without tripping, and she made it to the top in no time.

She propelled herself onto the part of the ceiling that had not yet crumbled, forcing herself up fiercely. Isabella then ran back to the two Tyriants, noticing that Hendrik had them under control. Seizing the moment, Isabella flung herself off of the roof and through the hole just above the original Tyriant, landing on his shoulders. 

Tyriant suddenly started to flail madly, in the hopes that this would cause her to be thrown off. The creature succeeded in its mission; Isabella flew from his shoulders towards the far wall—but not before positioning her sword right in front of his eye. The force of her being thrown backwards stabbed Tyriant directly in the eye.

Though Hendrik could have been struck in a moment, he didn’t fail to cast a shield spell on Isabella as she flew backwards. He continued to strengthen the spell just as Isabella slammed into the wall, and fell to the ground; she came from the trick unscathed.

Hendrik, too, had not been struck by Tyriant; the beast clutched his eye, attempting to stem the flow of endless purple liquid, but he had no such luck. Cracks began to form on both him and the body of his shadow, suddenly exploding them into nothingness.

Isabella came over, somewhat recovered from the wind being knocked out of her, to see the purple orb fall from where it had previously been. She was even more astonished to see that, as she picked it up, that there was no evidence that she had just lodged her sword into it. The pieces of the sword laid on the ground, but the purple orb stayed as smooth as ever, without a blemish to be found.

“Well fought, Sir Hendrik!” said Isabella, holding her hand up. The knight turned away from her, causing the young woman to roll her eyes.

“You forget our meaning of coming here,” he said darkly. “We must return to the Last Bastion and see what… if anything… remains.”

***

Obsidian and Luminescent (the name Isabella gave her horse at last) made their way to the Last Bastion with haste. The knight didn’t spare a moment to tie his horse to anything, instead walking directly into what had once been Isabella’s home. The short young woman struggled to keep up, but managed to do so when Hendrik suddenly stopped.

“Where has everybody gone?” questioned the knight softly. The scenery had no life to be seen; just a completely barren Bastion. There was not a sign of struggle, nor of bloodshed; everyone was simply… gone.

“What a curious situation…” said Isabella. She glanced quickly at the Yggdrasil root wrapped around the base of the tree. She immediately beamed, turning to Hendrik.

“A while back, that Yggdrasil root around that tree sent me back in time by a few years,” she explained quickly. “Perhaps if I go over there I can—?”

“Such a thing must be impossible,” sighed Hendrik. “If this is a few years back, why are the houses still burnt? Why are our structures still in place? Why is the royal tent set?”

“I’m sure they’re here somewhere, then,” said Isabella with no reassurance in her tone. She began to stroll through the empty area, taking notice that the barricades didn’t seem to be disturbed at all. Had the monsters indeed been here? Or had the army driven them back with incredible success? Then again, if the latter was possible, why was there not a feast?

“Someone!” called Hendrik, as they entered the same area that Isabella had seen her mother first. “Anyone! Your Majesty!? Please… somebody!”

Isabella stared in disbelief at the still empty village. They had searched the entire area with fortifications… nothing had gone unchecked. The young woman settled down to rest on one of the logs, staring at the last embers of the campfire with a frown on her face.

“Goodnight, sleep tight, child of Yggdrasil, ♪” hummed Isabella softly, though Hendrik took notice. “The sun, it is sleeping and the night is still... The stars, they watch over you with twinkling eyes, To ward off the darkness till dawn arrives... ♪” She sighed deeply. “And what dawn can we speak of now?”

“Wait! That noise…” said Hendrik suddenly. 

“Oh, how kind of you,” said Isabella sulkily. “I was attempting to sing, thank you very much.” 

Hendrik did not take notice of this comment, and that might have annoyed Isabella ever the more if she had not heard what he had mentioned as well. She perked up, staring into the shrubbery off the edge of the path. There was another tune to be heard… one very similar to the song she had sung.

“O come, raise your voices in song!♪” they sang joyously, causing Isabella to beam and Hendrik to stare in awe. “We thought the days of sunshine were gone. But ohhh, happy day, gladly we see we were wrong! So come, sing of joy and of light! Of what’s true, what’s good and what’s right! We’ll siiing! Sing until morning’s first light!♪”

“I know this song!” chirped Isabella. “Yes, sing, men of Heliodor! It’s morning, say goodbye to war! Now siiing! Sing till you can sing no more!♪”

In awe, each of the people in the procession watched as the young woman sang; not because of her voice, but because she was causing a light to erupt throughout the sky. The blackness that had pressed down on them for months seemed to be cracking; when she reached the last few words, every crack exploded, causing the darkness to vanish from the sky. The sun showed its face at last, causing everyone present to yell in triumph.

“You did it, Hendrik,” said the King of Heliodor, making his way to the front of the procession. “You saved us all.”

“Out of my way! Let me through!” exclaimed a voice. The King of Heliodor himself was thrust aside by Amber, rushing across to see Isabella.

“Let me look at you in the daylight at last!” said Amber, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She grabbed Isabella’s face and inspected her with a satisfactory smile. “Oh yes! My beautiful little angel! My hero, just look at you!”

“Mum, come on,” chuckled Isabella, her cheeks flushing.

“You set aside your differences with Hendrik… with me… and fought to bring back the light,” said King Carnelian, giving Amber a reason to let Isabella go. “We are forever in your debt. The world is still in a desperate state. But now we have something—we have hope. We have the Luminary of Light! May you banish the darkness once and for all!”

“Hendrik… my ever-faithful knight,” said King Carnelian affectionately, turning to Hendrik. “Today’s victory is as much yours as anyones. Your strength too will be needed in the struggle to free the world from evil. You know what you must do.”

Hendrik raised his eyebrows, and the King nodded in silent agreement.

“The people of the Last Bastion will learn to make do without you—as, I hope, will I. Hm hm!” chuckled the King. “So please—do not hesitate. Do what you know you must.”

Though reluctant at first, Hendrik seemed to warm up to the idea. He kneeled before the Luminary of Light, not daring to look her in the eye.

“Honoured Luminary of Light,” he said softly. “I serve you now. Though it cost me my life, I will stand beside you until the darkness is no more.”

He kept his head bowed in submission, allowing Isabella to take in what he had said. He was, in this way, a little startled when he noticed the young woman’s gloved hand before him. Hendrik looked up, staring directly into her sky blue eyes. They were full of determination, hope, and light.

“Come now, Sir Hendrik,” beamed Isabella. “There’s no need to be so serious.”

 Smiling, Hendrik grasped her hand, and she helped him up with a little difficulty.

“Dawn breaks in Heliodor! The first victory in the fight against the darkness is ours!” cried King Carnelian.

For a long time that day, Isabella could do nothing except celebrate. Until nightfall fell again, she continued to dance with soldier after soldier; after a while, however, she sat alone. Her thoughts drifted to Erik, and whether he still lived or not. She sipped on her drink slowly, resting her head on her palm, and she began to daydream. What would Erik say if she told him that she and Hendrik joined forces and saved the Last Bastion? Quite an unlikely story, to be sure; but she was sure that he would believe her.

“Luminary? Does something trouble you?”

Isabella jumped as Hendrik approached her, not willing to sit on the bench beside her. Once she had calmed herself, Isabella said, “Ah, nothing. Just getting a little tired of dancing, y’know?”

“I understand the feeling,” he said bluntly. “I have noticed a number of my comrades take a liking to you, however… Perhaps they would enjoy another dance.”

Isabella flushed, but quickly regained her composure. “I hadn’t noticed that… but they should know that I’m not open. Well, maybe. Kind of? Uhh… nevermind, just don’t tell them anything.”

She flushed an ever deeper red, noticing her ramble, and finally bid farewell to Hendrik to sleep for the night.

Chapter Text

Isabella rubbed the sleep from her eyes with great effort, yawning widely. The fatigue that she should have felt the day before was pressing on her now, making her grunt as she made her way across the women’s tent. She squinted in the sunlight, holding her hand above her eyes; the fact that she needed to do this at all was a comfort, however.

The Luminary of Light made her way across the dirt grounds until she could see the king’s tent. There was Hendrik, entering just that moment. Another soldier guarding the tent beckoned the young woman over, and she entered with the knight with haste.

“Ah, Luminary! Your timing is perfect,” said the king with a nod. “I trust that you slept well? Or did the people perhaps not permit you the luxury of rest, eh?”

Isabella smiled weakly. “I was able to rest… a little. Thank you, your majesty.”

“Ha! Even better!” laughed the king. “There is no surer sign of a kingdom at peace than a high-spirited populace!” His jolly grin, however, hardened. “Now, to more serious matters. Hendrik, there is something I wish you to have.”

He rose from his make-shift throne to grab something hanging on the wall. Even Isabella recognised it, but Hendrik apparently felt the kindness bestowed upon him more acutely.

“Th-The Shield of Heliodor! B-But, sire!” exclaimed Hendrik, staring at the shield. Even the black managed to glitter in the sunlight that entered the tent, the gold even more so. The symbol in the middle boasted a two-headed eagle; or, perhaps, two sides of an eagle. Just above it was a gorgeous sapphire that had a stark resemblance to the orb that Isabella and her party had received in Sniflheim.

“You are like a son to me,” said the king affectionately. “And it is a father's duty to prepare his offspring for the dangers that await them. You will have need of it, I am sure.”

Hendrik, though still incredibly hesitant, meandered forwards to receive the beautiful shield. His large, rough hand closed around the handle perfectly. The only thing less than perfect was the way he observed it—as if he was not worthy to even touch such an object.

“You wear it well,” nodded the king. “The Shield has always been the mark of our mightiest knights. There can be none mightier than the Luminary of Light's own guardian. You have no complaints, I trust?”

“No, my liege!” exclaimed Hendrik quickly, bowing.

“Now that we have gotten all formalities out of the way,” said King Carnelian, sitting down once more. “It is time to plan your course of action. I understand that you had hoped for the World Tree to guide you on your quest. Alas, it is no more…”

“Sire, if I may,” said Isabella awkwardly, drawing his attention. “Though the World Tree might be unable to guide me on what I must do to defeat Mordegon… I would much appreciate travelling the world in search of my companions. My brother, most of all.”

“Yes… the two of you must be reunited before we take any course of action against such a dark creature,” agreed the king. “Light alone cannot banish darkness, as much as we dare hope it; power is necessary to push back such a force of evil.”

Isabella’s heart leapt. “Y-Yes, thank you!”

“Of course, as I have said before, you still have no guide,” said King Carnelian. “But all hope is not lost. Your father once told me that Yggdrasil was not the only sacred place in Erdrea. He spoke of another—a holy mountain in the south known as Pang Lai. The fate of those who dwell there is deeply intertwined with that of the Luminary, or so he said. It may be mere hearsay—a conversation half-remembered—but if it is true, you may yet find help in your quest to defeat the Lord of Shadows.

“Venture west through the Manglegrove, and you will find a valley that leads to the Costa Valor. Pass through the checkpoint beyond it, and you will soon find Mount Pang Lai. It is not a road I have travelled myself. Be prepared. And may your journey be a safe one.”

“A temple on top of a mountain…” Hendrik placed his hand on his chin thoughtfully. “What connection could a place like this have to the Luminary? It certainly benefits from divine protection of some kind—Yggdrasil fell to earth not far from here, yet the temple buildings escaped entirely unscathed.”

Perhaps Eleven protected them, thought Isabella eagerly. She almost joyously announced that she was ready, when she realised that they had scarcely packed. Though she felt a little deflated, she could spend another few days travelling if that meant she would see Eleven at the end of them.

“Then your journey is set,” nodded the king. “Hendrik and Isabella, you are always welcome here, and I bid you farewell.”

“Thank you ever so much for… everything, your majesty,” said Isabella quickly. She tried not to seem too much in a hurry until she had left the tent, but then she rushed out into the dirt roads and to the item shop. Not taking a moment to regain her composure, Isabella flung the door open and entered the shop. Once inside, however, she stopped in her tracks.

“Ang about! I'd recognise that 'air anywhere!” exclaimed the shopkeeper, his face turning into a big grin. “If it ain't me good friend Isabella!”

“Derk!” exclaimed Isabella, remaining rooted to the spot. “Oh my gosh, it’s so good to see you again! I am ever so glad to see you out of Heliodor, safe and sound! How have you been? And your wife?”

“We’re fine! Finer than a lotta folks, actually!” beamed Derk. “Ere, 'ow come you never told me you was a Luminary, eh? I nearly fell out o' me chair when I 'eard! Trust Erik to end up knockin' about wiv a bona fide legend!”

Isabella tried to continue to smile through his statement, but felt her grin falling. 

“Ow is old Erik anyway? Is he doin' alright? You 'ave seen him, 'aven't you?” said Derk softly.

“We were separated after the Fall,” Isabella admitted. “I’m sorry Derk, I wish he was here as much as you do…”

“Well, sure you do!” laughed Derk.  “If I didn’ know you two had a thin’ for each uvver, I’m a monkey’s uncle! Well, all I know for sure is that 'e's a survivor. 'E'll be alright one way or anuvver. I’m sure you’ll find ‘im anyways. Well, maybe I've got a fing or two that might be useful to ya.”

“Actually, yes,” said Isabella. She proceeded to buy a sword, shield, magic elixirs, food and cooking supplies, and a bag that she proceeded to enchant to hold more items that usual. She thanked Derk before leaving the shop, meeting up with Hendrik at the exit to the Last Bastion. After she loaded the bags onto Obsidian and Luminescent, they set off into the new charred world.

***

A few nights later, Isabella and Hendrik finally rode out of the Manglegrove. The soggy mess had presented many combat problems, and Isabella was consistently healing herself to some level; Hendrik seemed to do the same. 

“It is so much harder to navigate… without a map,” groaned Isabella, sparking spells from her fingers as they rode. She could only emit sparks onto the parchment in front of her, failing to enchant it with a navigation spell. Finally the young woman sighed and pressed the parchment back into her belt. When she turned, however, she noticed that Hendrik was not beside her. His horse was a little ways back, and Hendrik had dismounted.

“Sir Hendrik?” questioned Isabella. “We just had a break for our horses, correct?”

“Obsidian is particularly fond of the grass in this region,” said Hendrik with a slight chuckle. “Indeed, he would always make time for this grass, even when we were pursuing you. In hindsight, perhaps that was no bad thing… I apologise.”

Isabella groaned, slipping off her horse so that it could graze or drink from a nearby stream. “I really think if you’re my new… What was it? Sword, shield, something something…”

“I will be your sword, your shield, your unswerving companion,” Hendrik nodded. 

“Yeah, that,” said Isabella. “If you’re really going to be my new companion, I think we should find some way to be amiable to each other. You know, establish the baselines of a friendship.”

“I see no reason for that,” Hendrik replied in a business-like manner. “A servant is not one to be close friends with his master. And to you I shall be only a companion to protect you.”

“I see no reason that you need to apologise every hour!” interjected Isabella. “We were pawns in Mordegon’s game! You are no longer to blame for anything you have ever done to me! I’m not mad about anything anymore! You even saved friends! You turned around in the end!”

Hendrik turned away from her, remounting Obsidian. “You desire a friendship with me, Luminary? You desire to befriend the very soul who loathed your very existence?”

Isabella nodded seriously, mounting her horse as well. 

Hendrik smiled slightly. “You have a curious power, Miss Isabella,” he said softly. “Whenever I am with you, hope seems to dawn upon us, like sunlight breaking through clouds.”

Isabella smiled. “See? You can be something other than a depressed knight!”

***

Beyond the checkpoint, the mountain came into view. Mount Pang Lai towered above them;

the peaks rose so high that Isabella could not see the top from where she stood. Clouds seemed to embrace the stone of the highest peak she could see, some travelling even higher.

Isabella and Hendrik continued to make their way along the path, fighting off any monsters that came in their way. The creatures they had fought thus far were extremely similar to other beasts Isabella had encountered before, only they were stronger. Tougher. And their eyes shone with a bright, piercing red that they never had before. 

The young woman took note of this even as they entered a cavern leading up to the settlement of Angri-La. Would the people who lived there be confined to the peaks? The monsters below them were only growing in power as they hid there… The people of Angri-La obviously had the high ground, but how long would their fighters stand a chance against the beasts?

The Luminary of Light and her companion didn’t dare fight the enemies, relying on stealth, speed, and the occasional need for shielding and healing spells. On the rare occasion that they did fight the enemies in the cave, it was for a good reason; for instance, Isabella defeated a dragon rider, Hendrik doing the same to another, so that they could ascend steep cliffs that could not be climbed.

The further the duo got into the cave, the colder it became. They were, however, still going upwards. When they at last reached the exit to the stone tunnel, a horrible wind blew onto Isabella, whipping her hair into her face. Tiny flakes of pure white snow attached themselves to the black of the young woman’s hair. 

Isabella shivered, bringing her jacket closer to her. What she would do to have Eleven back… She attempted to keep a flame going in her palm, but her magic wasn’t powerful enough to make a good heat source that kept her energy level. Eventually she was forced to cease her usage of magic, drained almost completely of power for a while.

“Hendrik…” stammered Isabella, her teeth chattering. The knight didn’t seem to be much better off, for he did not respond but to cough feebly.

“We have but a few more steps,” reassured Hendrik, placing his large hand on her shoulder. Isabella winced; his glove was ice cold. She rubbed her own small ones together, blowing on them ever so often so that they would not freeze. 

The duo crossed a bridge made of wood that had begun to rot cautiously; the only thing below them was a seemingly endless abyss, which the snow drifted gently into. Isabella at last felt the crunch of snow underneath her boot again, and she stumbled back onto the solid ground with Hendrik just behind her. Lights could be seen up ahead… They were so close…

“...I know that face! That man is a knight of Heliodor!”

Isabella started to hear a voice that was not Hendrik’s or her own. Just a moment after the sound was emitted, however, three figures leaped out from the surrounding area. Their heads were each shiny and bald, and they wore the same simple clothing; it seemed scarcely fit for the weather. Though the knight drew his greatsword, the young woman stared at the trio with tired eyes, holding her blade before her with little vigour.

“Heliodorian swine!” cried the person in the middle. “You think that your blockade will break us? Think again! The disciples of Angri-La are made of sterner stuff—as you will soon see!”

“Angri-La?” stammered Isabella, directing the attention of all four people to herself. “So we did make it…”

“Enough, all of you!” cried yet another voice. “Is this how we treat visitors? As your High Lama, I order you to stand down!”

From the blizzard, Isabella could make out a fourth figure; though his head was also clean shaven, he was a head and a half shorter than the rest of his comrades—and even they weren’t very tall! The child narrowed his eyes at the taller trio wearing clothes like his.

“Your Holiness, these people are not visitors—they are soldiers of Heliodor!” pleaded the third tall person. “We cannot be sure of their intentions!”

“Soldiers of Heliodor, you say?” said the High Lama, turning swiftly to Isabella and Hendrik. Isabella’s heart fell, and she found her sword slipping from her fingers. “The tall one, perhaps...but his young friend does not look like a military man to me.”

“I’m not a man!” Isabella pointed out.

“I sense a great power within you!” said the High Lama, his attention fully directed to Isabella. “Tell me, young woman—are you the Luminary?”

“Er… yes and no,” said Isabella softly. “My brother—the Luminary of Power—I have not found him yet. I was hoping to find him in the sanctuary of your abode…?”

The High Lama frowned. “The Luminary of Power, here? I do not think he would go unnoticed, whether he came into our town blatantly or stealthily.”

Isabella’s heart fell yet more. “Ah… I am graved to hear this news. However, back to your original question; I am the Luminary of Light.”

“How long we have waited for this day!” said the High Lama joyously. “Please, you must forgive my disciples' discourtesy. Their training is...incomplete. Welcome to Angri-La, honoured Luminary. It would please me if you would join me in the High Hall at the top of the temple. We have much to discuss.”

The child beckoned Isabella and Hendrik forward, and the three followers walked with the Luminary of Light and her companion, ensuring they were comfortable. One of the monks gave Isabella a bottle of magic water to drink, which quickly brought the spells back to her fingers. She began to heal and cast a small flame in her hand simultaneously, and she gave him a nod and a smile in return.

“A strange child,” Hendrik remarked as the monks drew away from them a bit. “But remarkably perceptive for one so young. There is more to him than meets the eye, that much is certain. Well, we have come this far—we might as well make our way to this High Hall of theirs and see what he has to say.”

Chapter Text

Isabella gazed in wonder at the magnificent structure above her, towering even upon the mountain. Stone stairways led higher and higher up into a temple, bearing bold red and a creamy white that seemed almost yellow against the snow surrounding them. The young woman marvelled at the warmth that flowed through her veins, though they were still outside.

Hendrik and the Luminary of Light made their way into the first doorway of the temple, obviously the main entrance. Neither had time to explore the main area, however, as they turned directly to the left and ascended another flight of stairs. They went back into the outside air—the warmer air of Angri-La—for only a moment before they turned and entered another room. It was extremely similar to the floor below, and, like the one below, Isabella and Hendrik turned away from it and onto the next flight of steps without a second thought.

The last floor was not an indoor section at all; a balcony stretched out at the very top, allowing one to gaze upon the wonder of Angri-La from its peak. Well, the peak where you could see the other houses; behind them was a massive building with an obsidian black roof, looking more menacing than any of the other structures had.

Power seemed to emanate from the coal-black doors, though they were still firmly shut. Dazed, but not enough so to stop her, Isabella pressed her small hands on the gold-lined doors and pushed them open, presenting a path into the room beyond.

The room was not vast, but it certainly was wonderful; two winding staircases could be seen on either side of the circular room, stretching high up to a door above them. Isabella’s eyes did not rest on these, however; they fell on something far below them. The short monk, the High Lama, stood before her and Hendrik with his round black glasses fastened firmly on the bridge of his nose.

“I welcome you once again to Angri-La, honoured Luminary of Light,” said the High Lama in a very businesslike manner. “As I believe you know, it is my privilege to serve as High Lama of this most sacred temple.”

“I am to address you as...Your Holiness, correct?” Hendrik said respectfully. “Might I ask what you and your people know of my companion?”

“Why, everything, of course,” said the High Lama pleasantly. “We have awaited her coming ever since the day she entered this world, in the castle of Dundrasil. Of course, young Eleven’s absence is not something to be celebrated…”

“You know his name!” exclaimed Isabella, her eyes shining. She quickly fell silent, however, colour rising to her cheeks.

“Waiting for them? What do you mean?” Hendrik asked.

“I mean exactly what I say, nothing more,” the High Lama said firmly, silencing the strong swordsman. “Tell me—do you recognise the symbol on this banner?”

The duo looked up, and were instantly in awe of the tapestry. Above them was a banner of incredible size, bearing a symbol with so many markings Isabella could scarcely take her eyes off it.

“No,” she said faintly. “No, I do not believe I have seen it before… And yet, it’s somehow familiar… Like I’ve seen it in a dream…”

“It is the emblem of Dundrasil,” said the High Lama, directing his attention to the banner as well. “Since the Age of Heroes, the princes of that nation have come here to train with us for six years of their youth. Your young friend was born a princess of Dundrasil, and our leader was well pleased to train another woman in her arts. Thus did we expect her and her brother to come here as children and study under the great Grand Master Pang. Sadly, that was not to be…”

“So if fate had been kinder, I would have spent a good part of my childhood here…” Isabella said softly. “Eleven, as well…” She began to envision six years of training, an intriguing experience that taught her how to control her powers. Eleven would have been muscle buds with several of the monks, no doubt; a little chuckle escaped her.

“What of their tutor?” Hendrik cut in. “This...Grand Master Pang you speak of?”

The High Lama lowered his little head. “...When the Lord of Shadows brought the World Tree low, the Master set out to summon a magical mandala to protect the temple from destruction. The spell succeeded, but its power was too great... Grand Master Pang did not return…”

“A noble sacrifice indeed…” said Hendrik gravely.

“Now that the Master is gone, it falls to me to guide you,” said the boy with determination, fiercely making eye contact with Isabella. “Come to the Field of Discipline—it lies behind this hall—there is something you must see.”

“It is a shame that the Grand Master cannot be here,” said Hendrik. “I would have liked to meet one so noble... Come, let us see what His Holiness has in store.”

Isabella nodded, and when she turned back to the High Lama he was already ascending the wirey staircase on their left. The Luminary of Light followed in his footsteps, Hendrik just behind her. Though the steps were neither creaky nor showed signs of toppling, Isabella felt unsafe on them. The High Lama walked on them as if he had done so a million times, Isabella as if she had just learned to walk. She didn’t dare glance back at Hendrik for what he was doing.

They reached the top of the stairway, finally walking onto a floor made of creamy marble. The young woman crossed the floor of the new circular room swiftly, and locked her eyes on the mahogany lustre of the double doors before her. In between the cracks streamed in sunlight, the bright sunlight of midday.

“Beyond those doors lies the Field of Discipline, where students of Angri-La strive for enlightenment,” explained the High Lama. He did not open the doors, however, and Isabella didn’t venture to do it for him. “Before we tread upon this hallowed ground, let me tell you a little of our history. And of the Luminary of Legend himself—Erdwin.

“Before setting out to defeat the Dark One, Erdwin came to our temple to learn from the wise ones who made their homes here even then. The first Grand Master, Ai Yi, accepted him as a disciple, and trained him in the secrets of spiritual realisation. But he did not train alone. During his time here, he met someone. Someone who would change his fate forever…”

“Who was this person?” questioned Hendrik, getting right to the point.

“Another of Ai Yi's disciples,” the High Lama replied. “A young mage whose talent outshone that of all who had come before. A man named Morcant. Erdwin and Morcant would train together every day, each striving to outstrip the other. Though they were fierce rivals, they became firm friends. When their training was complete, Morcant joined with Erdwin in his quest to slay the Dark One. Without Morcant's magic, he might never have prevailed. Before setting out, they carved an inscription into this stone. A pledge of eternal friendship. It has been a treasure of ours ever since.”

“Morcant... I have not heard the name before…” said Hendrik slowly.

Isabella’s eye fell on the squarish stone table in front of her.

“When bright brand bores through heaven’s doors, the sun shall rise o’er darkened skies, and banish night with holy light,” read Isabella. “One might wonder why this is the only thing inside.”

The High Lama nodded. “Now, allow me to show you to the Field of Discipline. If you would be so good as to follow me…”

The child pushed away the doors like they were made of paper, yet with enough gentleness that he could not have possibly harmed them. Beyond the doors was a massive field of marble, painted at the edges with the same bold red of the rest of Angri-La.

“Welcome to the Field of Discipline,” said the High Lama, holding his arms behind his back. “Since the Age of Heroes, many a would-be warrior has spilt sweat and blood upon these flagstones. If your karma had been different, this is where your brother would have trained under Grand Master Pang, like all the princes of Dundrasil before him. You would have joined him, no doubt, making your title as the first princess to train in Angri-La! Alas, this was not meant to be…

“I have brought you here so that you might stand in the footsteps of your ancestors—an unbroken line leading all the way back to the Age of Heroes. Even your grandfather, Lord Robert, completed his training here. The memory of his...achievements...shall live long in the temple's memory…”

“My grandfather… Rab?” stammered Isabella. “If you please, your Holiness, I would love to be enlightened with his achievements.”

The High Lama threw Isabella a fierce look, drawing something from behind him and brandishing it in front of the duo. “Pang was a harsh master. With this implement, disciples whose efforts were lacking were given motivation—directly to their fundament. It became known as...the ‘Naughty Stick’!”

Isabella did not marvel at this nearly as much as she did of other wonders of Angri-La; this seemed to just be a wooden stick. A wooden stick in the shape of the hand made the High Lama stare at it like it would jump up and slap his face.

“During the course of his six years of tuition, your grandfather's right honourable posterior was paddled an unprecedented ten thousand times!” continued the High Lama as Isabella grimaced. “The tale of Lord Robert's road to enlightenment lives on to this day. Every disciple knows that he must focus at all times, lest he face the same fate.”

“Ah, yes… legendary achievements,” said Isabella, trying her hardest to continue smiling.

“You are worried for your grandfather, yes?” the High Lama said, gently this time. “Do not be. Lord Robert overcame every challenge set for him by the Grand Master, and emerged stronger every time. The fall of the World Tree would not have been enough to extinguish one so resilient. He is alive. I sense it.

“Tonight, there will be a modest feast in the High Hall to celebrate your long-awaited arrival. We would be greatly honoured if you would join us. We may not be able to aid you as we would have done were Master Pang still with us, but in this respect at least, we can provide.”

Isabella smiled and thanked the boy for his kindness, until he finally led them out and back to the first floor of the temple. There appeared to be an inn there, and the Luminary of Light was received easily. Hendrik was still admitted, but not as nicely as the others. They set their things in their rooms, freshening up before the feast.

Isabella huffed as she stared at herself in the mirror, using a rough brush to untangle her hair. The black strands fell once again, straight and silky, still wet from the shower she had had a little bit before. She couldn’t bear to look at her entire form; an Angri-La garb had been given to her, and she was now in a dress that bore the colours of her host village proudly. Though awed once more, she did not smile upon herself in the mirror.

A soft tap came from her door, and the young woman crossed the room and pulled it open. There stood Hendrik in more formal attire, though not what Isabella had expected. Looking at Hendrik wearing bright white and red was a stark difference from his usual black and gold.

“The High Lama requests your attendance, and quickly,” Hendrik said. His gaze softened quickly, however. “You are distressed.”

Isabella sighed. “I guess I am.”

“Whatever for?”

Isabella scoffed. “Do you need me to spell it out for you? My friends are missing! They’re all either dead or out somewhere starving in the cold! They could be being eaten by beasts I failed to destroy, and my own brother could be no longer with me! And here we are, getting all dressed up to attend a party. Again! This is unbearable… I need to be out looking for them, not recovering for another several months!”

“Calm yourself,” said Hendrik as the young woman continued to fume, tears sliding down her cheeks. “Pleasantries are not to be ashamed of, young Luminary. I, too, am worried for the lives of your comrades, but we cannot destroy ourselves searching for them.”

Isabella bowed her head. “I know, but I’m fine. I don’t need another feast while they could be starving. I don’t need another party while they could be alone. I don’t need to be cleaned up and made warm while they could be dirty and freezing to death!”

Finally, the young woman broke down and began to sob. Hendrik said nothing at her vulnerability, feeling rather uncomfortable himself.

“I-I’m sorry, Hendrik,” she gulped. “Y-You only really met me a few days ago and I’m already losing it in front of you.”

Isabella raised her head when she felt a rough hand on her shoulder. Hendrik’s lips were curved in a smile; a sincere smile, one from sweetness and with no vile intent.

“I understand the depth of your sorrow, Luminary,” he said gently. “Many years ago my country was destroyed; I am the only known survivor to this day. My family, my friends… Everyone was gone. Every person I had known in my life had left me…”

“I’m… sorry,” said Isabella, unaware of what specific words she had to say.

“I spent ages looking for them,” he said. “I was at the edge of starvation myself but used the same excuses as you; they too could be starving, and a little grumble in my stomach shouldn’t stop me. Eventually His Majesty and Jasper found me unconscious at the side of the road, at the brink of death. I could have easily died back then, leaving no known survivors. But the fact that I lived upheld the name of Zwaardsrust in Heliodor, and I have a high enough position to avenge my people ten fold! Though I miss them horribly, there is nothing else I can do now.”

Isabella’s eyes were wide with wonder as she gazed up at him. Colour quickly flushed her cheeks, however, and she turned away from him. 

“I’m sorry,” she said again. “You’re right… Just listen to me, sobbing my eyes out from the kindness of others… If you will, tell the High Lama that I’ll be out shortly. I guess I have to wash my face again… and thank you.”

Hendrik smiled just before closing the door to Isabella’s room. A feast certainly did go on that night, though Isabella didn’t stay awake for nearly as long as she had with the Heliodorians. She retired around midnight; then, morning came…

Chapter Text

Isabella rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as the soft tap of Hendrik’s fist came upon the door. She quickly dressed herself and prepared for the day, looking awfully confused at the hair accessories. She pushed a few golden clips into her hair, and found it was in a long ponytail; her heartache of missing Jade hurt awfully, so she gently took the piece out and settled on a little bun.

“Awake at last, hm?” Hendrik said when she finally opened the door. “It is high time we were on our way.”

They began to stroll out to the main balcony that was two floors above them when Isabella sighed once again. “If the Grand Master were still alive, perhaps we might have learned something to help us in our fight against the Lord of Shadows. Sadly, it was not to be… Ach, there’s no way we can defeat him the way I am!”

“...And the hermit? What news of him?” demanded a voice—evidently the High Lama. Isabella quickened her pace and rounded the corner to see the High Lama himself as well as two other monks.

“Forgive us, Your Holiness…” stammered the monk that seemed to have caught his breath. “The monsters on the mountain path were too strong. We were...unable to reach him…”

“I see…” said the child worriedly.

“Your Holiness—is there a problem?” asked Hendrik, and the three monks turned to face him and his comrade.

“Yes, Sir Hendrik, I fear there is,” said the High Lama. “You see, two weeks ago a hermit visited us unannounced, then just as suddenly departed for the top of the mountain.”

“Alone!?” exclaimed Isabella with a little squeal of fear. “Whatever for?”

“That I do not know,” said the High Lama nervously. “The moment he heard that Master Pang had passed away, he ran from the temple. He was last seen climbing the path to the summit. The mountain has become infested with monsters, emboldened and strengthened by the rise of the Lord of Shadows. It is a perilous place indeed. This being so, I dispatched a group of disciples to return him to safety. As you can see, things did not go quite as planned…”

“I have trained all my life for a moment such as this, and yet I have failed in my first true test!” mourned the second monk, who had finally gotten enough breath to speak. “I have brought shame upon Angri-La…”

“Do not be hard on yourself,” Isabella said firmly. “Might we be able to offer some assistance?”

“I thank you for your kindness, but you are guests here,” replied the High Lama. “I cannot ask you to undertake such a dangerous task.”

“A knight of Heliodor does not abandon an innocent in need,” Hendrik cut in.

“And neither does the Luminary of Light,” Isabella insisted.

“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart,” said the High Lama cheerfully, though he was also evidently nervous. “But I cannot allow you to bear this burden alone. I shall come with you. We must depart for the summit of Mount Pang Lai without delay. After exiting the temple, we will take the path to the east in order to begin our ascent.”

***

Isabella bore the satchel that she had previously, though now it was full of bottles of elixirs. The new mixture she had recieved was even better than the last; the shopkeeper of Angri-La called it the Sage’s Elixir, yet another potion to restore her magic power. It worked wonders; she could be becoming exhausted and drained, but then down a single potion and have nearly all her power restored.

They came into contact with several boreal serpents; wyrm dragon creatures that twisted away from the blades of Isabella and Hendrik. The High Lama managed to land several hits, being much more nimble with a smaller size. They took down these creatures, making their way up to the summit slowly and carefully. 

The final ledge was enough of a breather for Isabella, and she became incredibly relieved when she noticed a sign of human life—a campsite. There was a bundle of bags thrown next to a little tent, as well as a fire pit before it. Something about them was incredibly familiar, but only to Isabella; the others didn’t recogise them at all.

“Wait… there are footprints going this way,” said the High Lama softly, looking at the tent. Though they were being covered by the falling snow, the outlines of footprints could be faintly seen going further along the summit. It became quite obvious where the owner of the footprints was going; a small temple-like strucutre sat alone, being slowly covered by snow. There was only a roof over the head of the person inside; an incredibly withered old man.

“Hm. It seems we are too late,” said Hendrik. “Is this the hermit we came in search of?”

“Unfortunately, so,” sighed the High Lama. “He was in deep meditation when he breathed his last. I am glad at least that he was prepared to meet his fate. But that posture—it is awful. Uniquely awful. I know it from somewhere…”

Isabella approached the figure, frowning. She thought she had never seen this man in her life, but something about him was incredibly familiar. She tried to invision him younger… maybe she had met him before the tragedy came to pass?

Hendrik too followed the Luminary of Light, but his eyes were not focused on the monk in the little temple. He stared with great interest at something the person could have dropped—a book. Isabella turned around when he gasped, looking around quickly for the source of danger. When she noticed what he was holding, however, she frowned again.

“Incredible! Issue One of the Ogler's Digest—and in mint condition!” cried Hendrik, staring intently at the cover. Printed on the foul page was a blonde bunny girl, blowing kisses at the camera. Hendrik eventually looked up and noticed her staring, and colour rose to his cheeks.

“Uhh... Indeed, it seems our friend here made his peace with the world before departing,” said the knight, refusing to look the High Lama or Isabella in the eye. “This, at least, is some small solace. ...Ahem.”

“Wait a moment,” said Isabella. She narrowed her eyes at something tied around the monk’s neck. She gasped, reaching to the pendant around her neck. She pulled it out, examining the last green-blue jewel her mother, Queen Eleanor, had given her before her untimely death. With wide eyes, Isabella realised that the pendant around her neck and the one around the monk’s were similar… no, not similar. They were identical.

“But this... This is one of the royal treasures of Dundrasil!” exclaimed Isabella. “Why would a lowly hermit have such a...?” She gasped once again, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. “By the skies! Can it be!?”

“Lord Robert!” exclaimed the High Lama.

“Your grandfather was Master Pang's most fervent disciple,” said Hendrik gently. “Can he have chosen to follow his mentor to the next life, perhaps...?”

“No! He is still breathing!” exclaimed the High Lama, checking the pulse. Isabella let out a sob, relieved, as Hendrik raised his eyebrows.

“What!?” demanded the knight.

“His spirit hovers in the place between life and death,” the High Lama said quickly, turning sharply to Isabella. “It is only a matter of time before he passes the point of no return. But there may yet be a way to save him. If you were to follow him into the void, you might be able to bring him back.”

“But...how? Is this even possible?” stammered the Luminary of Light.

“The ancient teachings tell us that the summit of Mount Pang Lai stands at the crossroads between this world and the next,” explained the child. “If you will permit me, I can perform an ancient rite that will send you to the place between worlds. But it is not a decision to be taken lightly. Once that place is entered, there is no guarantee of return… Well? Will you take that chance? Will you visit the void and bring Lord Robert back to us?”

Isabella didn’t falter a moment. Though the previous words of Hendrik’s consolation rang through her mind, she answered, “Of course!”

“Very well,” nodded the High Lama. “I will preform the ritual now, if you are ready.” He got a nod from Isabella. “It is time to depart for the place to which every soul must go, but from which few ever return. It is time to perform the rite.”

The child began to do some sort of dance, waving his hands strangely around Isabella. She stared in confusion for a moment, but soon began to feel quite sleepy. She felt as if she must drift into an endless sleep… one with no dreams and no end…

“What is this foolish dance!?” demanded Hendrik, though Isabella could only hear his voice faintly. “What manner of ritual is this?” He stopped immediately, however, noticing the young woman’s eyelids droop.

Just a little… nap…

Her head drooped, and Isabella led out a large breath that puffed before her face. Hendrik’s heart fell, but the High Lama seemed to feel the opposite.

“It has worked,” said the High Lama with a nod. “She is now in the world between worlds. And now, Sir Hendrik, all we can do is wait.”

“Wait? She seems to have breathed her last,” said the knight.

“Not yet,” said the High Lama, crossing his legs in front of Isabella and staring intently at her. “I shall make sure of that.”

***

Isabella found herself lying on something cold and hard. Was it time to wake already? She had only just fallen asleep… Though she yawned and stretched slowly, his eyes quickly searched the scene. A dreary dark purple coloured the sky around her, pulsing as if it was some sort of dark magic. The only thing other then endless sky was the platform she stood on, and the staircase to another.

With nothing left to lose, the young woman rushed up the stairway, through a small temple-like area, and onto a much bigger platform. She was forced to stop sprinting, however, when a short but strict-looking woman narrowed her icy blue eyes at Isabella.

“Another wandering soul drifts into my domain,” said the woman. “Welcome, child, to the end of your journey. Destiny is cruel indeed to send me one so young. This may be a fruitless question, given the vacant expression you wear, but...do you know what fate awaits you here?”

“Er… yes?” said Isabella uncertainly, frightened to lock eyes with the blonde. “I have come here in search of Ra—of Lord Robert.”

“Oh, you poor young fool! You have no idea of the suffering to come!” said the woman with pity. “Let me unburden you of at least a little of your ignorance. I will explain in simple terms that even an idiot may understand. As you see, this world is a blank slate. It is a place of nothingness.

“Before Yggdrasil fell, departed souls would come here before returning to the World Tree. But now that the Tree is gone, it is a place with an entrance but no exit. A dead end for the dead. A spiritual cul-de-sac. What I am trying to tell you is that you will never leave this world. Before long, your soul will dissipate, and be lost to the void. As long as the cycle of souls is interrupted, all who die will suffer the same fate. Until at last, the Lord of Shadows is the only one who remains… This is your destiny. Accept it, for you cannot change it.”

“That’s a depressing speech,” Isabella shot back, becoming fed up with insults. “But who’s to say that I’m stuck here forever? Who do you even think you are?”

“You cling to the vain hope that the Heart of Yggdrasil may be recovered from Mordegon's clutches?” hissed the woman. “You would not be alone in your foolishness. There are others who refuse to accept that all is lost. Some people just don't know when to give up!”

“Some people…?” Isabella’s eyes widened and she gaped when the saw the ‘some people’ the woman had told her of.

Rab. Her grandfather, making incredibly complicated motions with his hands, completing a majestic circle of green magic around him. Not only was it aesthetically pleasing, but it radiated with magical might. Never before had Isabella seen him do anything of the sort.

“B-But Rab!” she stammered. “How in the world…?”

“Hm hm hm! Did you think that he chose death out of a sense of despair? You could not be more wrong,” said the woman beside Isabella with a smirk. “He came here with hope in his heart. The hope that one day he will defeat the Lord of Shadows. Your grandfather came to find me so that I might teach him the last of my secrets. You know who I am, of course? Foolish child! I am Pang, Grand Master of Angri-La—your grandfather's teacher and tormentor!”

Isabella nearly went numb. This woman she had just backsassed had been her grandfather’s teacher; she couldn’t think of a word to say.

“Do you see the magic circle that surrounds him?” Grand Master Pang asked, turning back to Rab. “The precise pattern of movements draws energy from the ether, and channels it to create the mandala of Yggdrasil. This is the final secret. He has been flailing away like this ever since he arrived here. It is not good for him at his age. But when the great sigil is complete, he will have mastery over a power not seen since the Age of Heroes.”

She said these words with a gentle speech, dripping with pride, until Rab suddenly stopped, catching his breath. Then her anger flared, and she swore loudly. “Don't you dare give up now! I'll beat your bottom black and blue, I swear it!”

Isabella winced as Rab continued to flail, though he was obviously exhausted. He made several more green lines on the ground, finally crying out in triumph as the markings vanished around him; the sigil was complete.

“Well, would you look at that,” said Pang, putting her hands on her hips. “Perhaps he is not completely useless after all…”

“Did ye see that? I finally did it!” exclaimed Rab, rushing over to Pang and taking no notice of Isabella. “Och, it was beautiful!”

“Hm. Yes, very impressive. I thought you had gone soft in your dotage, but it seems you still have some guts. ...Well done.”

“Jings! Grand Master Pang! Was that...praise!? Hoo hoo! For the first time in my long life, she's actually paid me a compliment! Och, that's warmed my cockles more than a hundred nips of the hard stuff!”

“Ugh... Perhaps if you could stop congratulating yourself for one moment and squint beyond the end of your bulbous nose, you would see we have a visitor.”

Rab had trouble calming himself, though Isabella couldn’t have wanted it any other way. Seeing her grandfather again, alive (well, kind of) and happy was more than she could bear. She let out a harsh sob, but only a few tears slid down her cheeks before she calmed herself.

“Oh my—! Is it... Is it really you, lassie?” stammered Rab. He walked forward and brushed his wrinkled hand on her hair. Once he pulled it away, however, he clenched it into a fist. “Och, not you as well! Yer poor young life snatched away from ye! It's not fair! It's not fair, I tell ye!”

“Oh, stop your snivelling,” scoffed the Grand Master. “The girl is alive.”

“She's what?” cried Rab. “B-But...what's she doing here, then?”

“She and her friends found your body, and sent her soul from the world above to bring you back.” 

“Ach, really? But I only came here to... And you went to all that trouble! As ye can see, I'm perfectly fine. Finer than ever, in fact! Now that I've learnt the final secret, you and me are going to be unstoppable! Come on, let's get back to our bodies and show that Lord of Shadows what we're made of!”

Isabella beamed. “It’s so good to see you again, Rab!”

They began to stroll away from the Grand Master when her voice caught up with them. “Stop right there. Where do you think you're going?” she hissed.

“I can't thank ye enough for all ye've done, Grand Master, but now that my training's finished, I need to be on my way.” Rab said, nodding to her.

“Finished? Oh, but we haven't even begun!” smirked the Grand Master, turning to Isabella. “Honoured Luminary of Light. If you would like to follow me…”

Chapter Text

Grand Master Pang stood before Isabella near the edge of the platform in the middle of the void.

“Your grandfather has mastered the last secret of Angri-La,” explained Pang. “He now has the power to send enemies straight to the beyond. It is a technique first devised in the Age of Heroes by Morcant, brother-in-arms of the Luminary of Legend. For you, I have a technique no less impressive. An attack of such incredible power that it can tear through all four dimensions. It was devised by Erdwin himself during his training with Ai Yi, our first Grand Master. And it will give you strength beyond reckoning, Luminary.”

“M-Me?” stammered Isabella. “I thank you for your incredible kindness, but I’m only the Luminary of Light, as you have said before. If the Luminary of Legend was the one who devised this technique, who’s to say I alone can master it?”

“You might do better to stop doubting and start training,” sniffed Pang. “If you can master it. None since Erdwin has been able to do so.”

Isabella wilted. “Yaaay… that makes my spirits fly higher than ever…”

“The training you must undergo to acquire this power will be more intense, more relentless, more excruciating than any you have faced before,” said Pang fiercely. “Well? Do you think you have what it takes to endure this most trying of trials?”

Isabella bit her lip, glancing back at Rab; at last, however, she nodded. “It can’t hurt to try,” she said optimistically.

Pang nodded. “The first step is to focus your mental energies and call forth a blade of pure light. Hold out your hand and try.”

The Luminary of Light narrowed her eyes, focusing on the nothingness before her. A blade of pure light? Like a sword? Isabella held forth her hand, thrusting it in front of her with all her might. All that came from her palm, however, was a miniscule sword that glittered more than gold. The colour certainly seemed like one of pure light, but the size was questionable…

“As good as can be expected for a first attempt,” said Pang, though she seemed a little impressed. “The heat of battle should help to speed you up a little.”

“‘Battle’...?” stammered Rab. “Ye mean ye're going to fight her...? Och, no! The poor lassie's not ready!”

“Me?” scoffed Pang. “Why would I rumple my nice, clean robe when I have you to do my dirty work for me?”

“B—!? Wh-What!?” exclaimed the old man, looking from the Grand Master to Isabella over and over. “Ye're, ye're going to make me fight my own granddaughter?”

“Who better, Lord Robert?” questioned Pang. “You have mastered all our secrets now. There is no one better suited to the task. And besides, I've always wanted to see two Dundrasil royalties battling it out. Before we continue, allow me to give your grandfather an...unfair advantage. All in the name of speeding up your training, of course.”

Isabella’s heart sank while her grandfather evidently felt the opposite; Pang performed a series of movements around him, allowing the same green glow to shimmer throughout his body.

“Ohhh aye! I've not felt this alive in decades! Let me at the little blighter!” exclaimed Rab, whipping out his staff. 

“That's the spirit!” said Pang. “Don't hold back—show her the true power of our last and greatest secret!”

“Just you watch me!” said Rab with determination.

“Luminary of Light!” ordered Grand Master Pang. “Prepare yourself! Beat back the onslaught, and unleash the technique if you can! The more you use it, the stronger it will become. You must practise until it is perfect!”

Isabella, though her knees were knocking, agreed to the challenge. She drew her blade, preparing a spell with her other hand.

“Here I come, lassie!” said Rab, the green light shining through him. “It's time to show ye what this auld man can do!”

Isabella finally smirked. “Alright, fine. Have it your way!”

She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing intently on the blade of power. Light… pure light… glimmering golden light…

Isabella thrust her hand forward once more, and the sword emerged again; this time, however, it had nearly doubled in size! That being said, now it was the size of a pencil instead of the size of a thumb. She wilted again as she realised Rab was performing some sort of ritual again. At his sides appeared two doppelgangers of himself, reminding Isabella of the Tyriant Shadow. There was no Hendrik to distract them here, however, and the young woman was forced to cast a quick shield spell on herself to prevent her head being slammed by the edge of Rab’s staff.

No holding back… Wow, he really meant it, she thought with a shudder as her shield cracked under the stress of protecting her from her grandfather’s blows. Not only was his physical strength increased with the doppelgangers, but Rab himself began to cast a blindingly bright light. He threw it on the ground before Isabella, and her shield shattered completely as it attempted to protect her from the might of the spell. Even then she still could feel the effects of the spell, draining her essence and making her fatigued… she did not give in to this, however, casting a healing spell on herself and quickly sliding under another attack.

Isabella became rather frustrated with the doppelgangers, and she finally powered up a large ice spell. She cast it over the entirety of the field, hoping that it would knock the creatures down; that it did, but a green shield appeared around the real Rab, protecting him from the spell.

Only Quadraslash can harm him… Isabella thought, jumping out of the way of yet another light spell. She examined the cross-like marking on the ground before it faded away, allowing the old man to prepare once again the exact same spell.

Morcant and Erdwin might have performed this together, thought Isabella, casting another golden sword and thrusting it from her hand; it was now slightly bigger than a pencil, but it didn’t get anywhere close to reaching Rab. If they did it together, perhaps the blade of the sword would plunge into the cross. And if the cross is cast on the ground…

Isabella cast a simple wind spell to throw Rab off balance, focusing intently on the light energy within her. Instead of trying to thrust the power forwards, she lifted her hand high above her head, and clenched it into a fist. Instantly pressure was forced on her, and the young woman noticed an incredible change in her magic power. It had expanded greatly, and a huge chunk of it was at her disposal. She drew on as much as she could, and thrust her fist down, unclenching it as she went.

As her arm came down, so did something else; a massive golden sword, so big that Isabella couldn’t take in the entire thing before it dissipated, fell down onto Rab. The old man toppled over, his staff skidding across the area and towards his granddaughter. He sat up, looking awfully dizzy.

“Oh, yes! Wonderful!” squealed Pang. “I couldn't have beaten him more soundly myself!” She quickly cleared her throat, having a little time to calm herself as Isabella helped Rab up. “I must say, I doubted you had it in you. But you have proved me wrong. And for once, that is no bad thing. The power of the technique comes from your heart. Hone that greatest of weapons, and none will be able to stand before you.”

“Thank you so much!” gushed Isabella, Rab following behind her. “Well, it’s been ever so nice getting to know you, and the training was wonderful!”

“Ye beat me, even with the last secret of Angri-La on my side!” laughed Rab. “Och, I cannae believe how much ye've grown, lassie!”

“You weren't too much of an embarrassment, no,” Pang said slowly. “Perhaps I finally have a disciple worthy of the name…”

So this is where you have been hiding…

Isabella’s heart fell, and she whipped around to the other side of the void. There, coming out of portals of nothingness, were arms. Vile, scaly arms, reaching for anything and everything to destroy.

“M-Mordegon!” managed the Luminary of Light.

Snivelling worms! the foul voice hissed. You thought to escape my clutches by cowering here in this ruined world? You have only delayed the inevitable!

The arms suddenly shot forward, groping for the Luminary’s life. Though her heart was beating in her ears, Isabella readied the technique she had only just mastered, taking deep breaths to calm herself. 

“No!” shouted Grand Master Pang. Immediately, she conjured a massive shield before them, stopping the arms from reaching them. Still prepared to throw the spell at any moment, Isabella turned to look at Pang. She seemed to be weakening by the second, what with the effort of holding back the essence of evil.

“Grrr! Curse you!” growled Pang, reinforcing the shield with all the power she had in her. “I had thought your powers could not...reach us here! Hngh! It seems I...underestimated you! Ugh, so inconsiderate! Ngh! There was one last thing I...wanted to teach you! Fine! It seems we must do it the...hard way! Ngh! You two will just have to...learn the ultimate ability here and now, or...die trying!”

“What!?” demanded Rab. “So the last secret of Angri-La wasnae the last one...and Quadraslash wasn't either!?”

“Of course not, foolish man! There is another... A supreme skill devised by Grand Master Ai Yi... One that Erdwin and Morcant performed...together...!”

Isabella’s eyes widened. “How did I know that? That’s how I figured out Quadraslash before!”

“Well...? Don't just stand there!” ordered Pang. “Ngh! Combine your powers... Revive the technique that was lost to us...so long ago! ...So that I can die happy!”

You dare to resist me!? cried Mordegon’s terrible voice.

“You must do exactly as I say...exactly when I say it! Hngh!” shouted the Grand Master over the sound of the shield cracking. “We have only...one chance! Robert! Do not think—act! Use the technique I taught you! Ngh! Quickly!”

Rab didn’t waste a moment in casting the light spell that Isabella had seen a few times before. She tapped on the intense magical ability, but the wait threatened to tear her apart like the arms of Mordegon did…

“Now, Luminary! Unleash...Quadraslash!” shouted Pang. The shield shattered, throwing her backwards and smashing her against the temple structure. Isabella didn’t look back, however much she wanted to; the sword she had cast many times before flew down from the sky, but she didn’t allow it to slam into the ground and dissipate. She seized control of the intense light magic, thrusting it forwards into the centre of the light.

“Yes... The last and greatest of all the secrets of Angri-La…” huffed Pang, groping back to the others as the arms were about to attack. “The technique to end all...techniques…

“Solar Flair!!!”

A blinding light shone through the entire void, lighting it up beyond comprehension. Isabella felt herself drifting once more, but not into a light sleep; this one was interrupted with the screams of Mordegon, his rage kindled against her.

***

The Luminary of Light seemed to be thrust back into her body, and she fell forwards out of her meditative position, her locks of hair falling in front of her face. She was drenched in sweat, despite having snowflakes drifting around her.

“She is back with us!” exclaimed the High Lama, looking directly into Isabella’s eyes. They were wide with horror, and she could scarcely make words, for her teeth had begun to chatter again. Hendrik, however, rushed over to her and threw a thicker cloak around her shoulders.

“He’s back,” stammered Isabella. “Or, he knows that I’m here. Mordegon… h-he knows that I’m alive… Is he still here? Is he still attacking!? What happened to Grand Master Pang? What happened to… Rab…”

“She is greatly weakened!” exclaimed the High Lama. “We must get her to the temple right away!”

Isabella fell into darkness again. She could almost make out Master Pang’s smiling face before it was consumed by the darkness that was Mordegon…

Chapter Text

Isabella awoke harshly, throwing the blanket from her bed. She sat straight up, sweating once again, as if she had only just been in the battle. Truth be told, it had been several hours since that meeting, but she had only become conscious just now.

The Luminary of Light shook her head, rising to get ready for the day again. She was still clothed in the battle dress bearing golden, blue, and red colours of Angri-La. She placed a golden headband to hold back her hair and still keep it down, proceeding out of her room in the inn. Just outside her room, however, stood Hendrik.

“You are finally awake. Good,” the knight said with a nod. “I feared you had suffered some lasting injury. Lord Robert awoke a short while ago. He is outside speaking with the High Lama. We should join them.”

“Rab?” Though still rather shook, she could not keep a smile from tempting her lips. “He’s alright? But he was just skin and bone last we saw him!”

“I too am confounded by the… transformation he underwent last night,” said Hendrik slowly, scratching the back of his neck. “I cannot explain it, but he seems to be back to his usual self.”

Sure enough when the duo reached the balcony that looked over Angri-La, the High Lama was speaking to the same Rab that Isabella had seen in the void. The skin-and-bone look was gone, as was his slimness.

“Och, hello there, lassie,” beamed Rab. “Better late than never, eh?” He narrowed his eyes at her. “What are ye staring at me like that for? Is there something on my face?”

Isabella cleared her throat, colour rising to her cheeks. “N-No, it’s just that… well, you were a good deal slighter when last I saw you…”

“Heh! Oh, that!” chuckled Rab, patting his stomach. “Nothing a good breakfast couldn't cure! The Grand Master put me through worse on more than one occasion!”

“Lord Robert has told me what came to pass in the void... That you met Grand Master Pang, and that she trained you in the ancient arts,” the High Lama said, turning to the Luminary of Light. “I hear that you were even able to master the ultimate abilities of your ancestor Erdwin. You have my congratulations.”

“And I hear that I owe you a debt of thanks, Sir Hendrik,” said Rab with a pleasant bow. “For looking after the lassie here while I was away.”

“Please, think nothing of it, my lord,” Hendrik said shortly. “It is the least I could do to make amends for all the wrongs I have done. Indeed, I feel I must apologise…”

“Hendrik! We already talked about this!” scolded Isabella. “You don’t need to apologise for wrongdoings anymore; all has been forgotten! Seriously, stop.”

“With the lift of depression, I see you have regained your snarkiness,” said Hendrik with a sigh. He turned back to Rab. “What do you intend to do now? We had hoped to find guidance here in Angri-La, but alas, we find ourselves at an impasse.”

“Well funnily enough, I was just thinking about something Grand Master Pang told me,” said Rab. “She said auld Erdwin used a very special form of transport when he went after the Dark One. Some sort of sacred flying contraption.”

“A flying contraption!” exclaimed Isabella. “That would explain how we are expected to reach the foul creature in the sky… but it leaves no explanation where we could find this… thing. It’s not like we can just wander around the world with the hopes of finding it, however. Ach, this could be a long-shot, but… Are you two alright with checking a few places for our comrades? I know they could be—y’know, but still…”

“None of them were exactly the giving-up type, eh?” Rab cut in. “If I'm still alive and kicking, ye can bet the rest of them are out there somewhere. So what say we head over to Arboria, and keep an eye out for our pals on the way? If this flying doodad's supposed to be sacred, the folks over there'll know something about it for sure. There's no time to lose—the longer we wait, the stronger Mordegon gets. So let's get going!”

“Honoured Luminary,” said the High Lama, bowing. “We disciples of Angri-La will do all that we can to aid you in your preparations to take on the Lord of Shadows. We have even devised a special training regime for you. Visit us again soon. We will stand ready to help you hone your powers. We would be ever more pleased if your brother would join you as well.”

“Don’t worry on that front!” smiled Isabella. “I’ll be sure to bring him back with me!”

***

The trio finally got out of the freezing section of the mountain, and it became warm. Isabella was thrilled to see grass—real, green grass!—growing around the bottom of the mountain trail. They crossed a stone bridge, under which a steady stream ran. Isabella had finally shaken the sense of dread from her heart, and she could rush across the bridge, maybe even dance! Her mood was spoiled, however, when she heard a disturbed cry.

The young woman and her comrades looked across the bridge; there was a man, down on his back with his belongings spilt around him. Above him was a ferocious creature, with claws as sharp as knives and orange fur with black stripes.

“That man is in danger!” cried Hendrik.

“We must go to his aid!” Isabella cut in.

“Oh no you don't, honey! Not unless you want to carry those claws home in a bag!”

A third voice spoke, and Rab shrugged to say it wasn’t him. When Isabella turned back to the attacking creature, however, it spoke once more; “Well, don't say I didn't warn you…”

Her heart leapt. It couldn’t possibly be…!

From the surrounding cliffs came another figure; it was so quick it seemed to be a blur, plummeting down at the man and the monster. Isabella could scarcely take the scene in until the lance of the figure had struck the chest of the monster. The young woman suddenly began to rush across the bridge, Rab and Hendrik lagging behind at her sudden movement. She didn’t seem to be the only one rushing towards him, however…

“Sylvando darling, you were fabulous! So fierce!” cried another voice—the voice of a young man in a rather strange suit. It was colourful and flamboyant, with peacock feathers sticking out the back. He wasn’t the only one wearing it, however; plenty of young men around him showed the same colours and styles. Isabella couldn’t resist to chuckle when she realised that Sylvando wore bigger, brighter, bolder colours and shook bigger, brighter, bolder feathers than the rest of his group combined.

“Fierce doesn't even begin to describe it!” gushed another boy. “You were ferocious! Grrr!”

Isabella began to clap rather loudly, Rab smiled, and Hendrik looked as if she had just sentenced him to death. “Bravo, senior! I have never seen such a splendor! But I have seen you before…”

Sylvando’s eyes widened. “Can it be!? Can it truly, truly be!?” He seemed to dance across the little bridge towards her, stopping every now and then to pose. “Truly? Truly-truly?”

He was right before her face, and Isabella stared back without a word; she only needed to smile. 

“It is! I think it really is!” gushed the jester, holding his arms out. Isabella rushed over to him, embracing her friend happily. He certainly was glad to see her, as he managed to lift her off the ground in their hug. 

“Darling, it's so wonderful to see you!” gushed the jester. “Oh, I thought you were lost to me forever!”

“Me too! Oh, Sylvando, how I’ve missed you!” exclaimed Isabella. “I really am glad to see you… but I also kind of want to touch the ground.”

Sylvando chuckled, putting her back onto the stone bridge. Isabella quickly turned around to re-introduce the jester to Hendrik, but the knight was… unwilling, to say the least. Hendrik stared at Isabella… and Sylvando. Then Isabella, then Sylvando. It went back and forth, all the time his face in the most terrible grimace.

“You two are...acquainted?” stammered Hendrik, finding his voice again. “And...wh-what is it that you do, exactly?”

“Oh, come now—isn't it obvious!?” exclaimed Sylvando with a little exhasperation. “We're fighting an epic battle to bring back something the world has lost…”

He danced back over to his group again in front of their massive float. They all struck a fierce pose and said, “Its smile!”

“That's right, darlings!” said Sylvando, clapping his hands together and re-joining the trio. “We're on a quest to bring sunshine and laughter back to every corner of this drab, drab world! My little parade has picked up quite the cavalcade of warriors for wondrousness! Aren't they just so much fun? But never mind that now... I can't believe you're alive! It's a miracle! I thought I'd never see you again!”

“Me neither!” exclaimed Isabella. “I thought you were lost to me forever!”

“As much as I’d love to stand here and wait for you two to state your surprise for the millionth time,” said Rab with a chuckle. “We have other things to be gettin’ to. Like this laddie over ‘ere.”

“E-Excuse me…” stammered another man. He wasn’t wearing one of the peacock costumes, and Isabella quickly recognised him as the person Sylvando had saved from the monster.

“Oh honey, I'm so sorry!” exclaimed Sylvando, rushing to him. “I forgot all about you! Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?”

“No, no. I am not—thanks to you,” smiled the man. “You are...more strong than you appear… My name is Da. I come from Phnom Nonh in the south. And if it were not for your help, I would not be returning there. Thank you.”

“Oh, you're heading home? Then we better go with you!” Sylvando gushed. “Can't have you getting attacked again now, can we, hm?” He turned back to Isabella. “Listen, darling—you and me have got a lot to talk about. So what do you say you join the parade for a little while, hm? Come ooon, you know you want to!”

“I’d love to!” beamed Isabella, though Hendrik looked as if he wished she had told him his death sentence.

“Oh, yaaay! I'm so excited!” cheered the jester. He quickly rummaged through his bag, pulling out some sort of… cloth. “Okay, time for you to take your first steps as a soldier of the smile-spreading special forces! Here, put these on…”

“Wh-What!?” exclaimed Isabella, flushing almost brighter than the red feathers of Sylvando’s crew. She didn’t seem to have a choice, however; Sylvando pressed the outfit over her head, adjusting a few things so that it fit her perfectly. 

Though it was hard to see without a mirror, Isabella could tell she was in yet another of those peacock costumes; hers did not bear bright reds and greens, however. She wore a costume that was purple, with outlines of gold. She reached into the back to pull her hair from inside the outfit, and the golden headpiece matched perfectly.

“Awww, you look even more adorable than I thought you would!” Sylvando beamed. “So proud! Alright, boys! Let's make our newest recruit feel right at home! She's an old friend of mine after all! Lead on, darling! And don't let me catch you frowning—you're at the head of the world's premier gladness-bringing parade! Alright! Let's get out there and make the world smile! Aaand...shimmy!”

“Wait, Sylvando!” called Isabella as the jester climbed back onto the float. “Shouldn’t Rab and Hendrik have costumes as well? I feel a little strange being the only one with this adorable piece!”

“Ah, what a good point, darling!” chuckled Sylvando. “I’m sure my boys have something in store for them!”

***

Sylvando certainly didn’t catch Isabella frowning; especially once Hendrik and Rab had been put in their clown costumes. The same purple was on both hers and theirs, but she seemed more sophisticated even than them. Their little clown noses and little clown makeup were enough to make the Luminary of Light fall down and laugh until she could laugh no more. Hendrik especially; he looked rather strange in a clown costume, with his tiny clown buddy and purple peacock walking alongside him.

“Lady Isabella,” he said at last. “I am politely asking for you to end my misery.”

Isabella raised an eyebrow. “Kill you!? Whatever for!? This is the most fun I’ve had in months!”

“That’s the spirit!” yelled Sylvando. “You hear that, boys? Get smiles on your faces like Isabella!”

“Best day ever!” beamed Isabella, dancing her way over to the town with the parade behind her. Rab and Hendrik followed closeby, the former rather excited at being dressed up in a ridiculous costume and the latter not at all. The knight refused to make eye contact with even monsters on their way to Phnom Nohn, bowing his head with humiliation.

Chapter Text

The journey to Phnom Nohn was a short one, especially since the group didn’t run into many monsters; the float and all the dancing people must have scared them away. Nonetheless, the Soldiers of Smile shimmied their way into the town, posing dramatically in the centre of the entire area.

“And here we are at our destination!” gushed Sylvando, hopping off as his boys began to park the float. “The beautiful, bustling tourist town of Phnom Nonh!”

Isabella bit her lip; without all their festivities, it was so quiet she could hear a pin drop. “Beautiful” and “bustling” weren’t the first words that popped into her head…

“Awww, not here too! Ach, the whole world is just so dreary these days!” pouted the jester. He turned back to look for his boys, but his eyes fell on Da first. The man cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Thank you for saving me,” he said gruffly. “I... I must go now…”

“I wonder what can have made him venture so far from home in the first place…” said Isabella curiously as Da wandered back through his town.

“Might it have something to do with why the town is so quiet?” Hendrik finished.

“Sounds like a job for Sylv's Detective Agency!” said Sylvando dramatically. “Leave this to me! Agents of happiness! Soldiers of Smile! Go spread some special parade cheer, and find out what's going on around here! Let's go to work!”

Hendrik narrowed his eyes at the jester, placing his hand on his chin. “Why can I not shake the feeling that Sylvando and I have met somewhere before...?”

Isabella felt awkward in her circumstances, unsure of what to say, so she, Rab, and Sylvando walked away towards the inn they had stayed at what felt like forever ago. There were no bustling crowds making their way to get a rest this time, however… The innkeeper’s husband, Mony, was standing outside talking with someone. Isabella assumed that he was attempting to convince him to stay at the inn when she realised he was talking to Da.

“Da! You are okay? You are not hurt?” exclaimed Mony. “Oh, what a relief! I was fearing the worst for you! Especially after little Son is gone missing, you know…”

“Your boy is missing?” said Sylvando gently. “Oh, honey…”

“Hmph. Where that selfish child chooses to go is none of my concern.” said Da, not turning to face any of them. He shuffled away through the dirty, dusty street, not bothering to say anything to anyone.

“You must forgive him,” said Mony quickly. “His wife died recently, you know, and now his son is gone missing. It is very hard for him.”

“What a poor man!” exclaimed Isabella. “Is there anything we can do to help? Anything at all?”

Mony bit his lip. “I feel horrid to ask this of travellers, but if you would like to know how you can aid us I shall tell you. Do you know of the monster Avarith? She appeared in the village with her foul friends soon after Yggdrasil fell and the darkness came. We were paralysed with fear, and could not run away... Then she gathered us all in the square…

“ ‘Give me your valuables’, she said. ‘Tell me what is most precious to you. I will protect it.’ People were so scared, they obeyed her without thinking. They gave her money, husbands, wives...even children… But the wicked creature lied to us! She did not protect the things we gave to her! No, she took them and ran away!”

Colour rose to Isabella’s cheeks, her anger flaring; Sylvando managed to calm her by saying sadly, “That's just awful… If there's one thing I hate, it's dirty, rotten liars! Don't worry, honey—we're going to get all your stuff back. All of it!”

“Really? But Avarith is very strong... Very powerful…” stammered Mony.

“Oh, it'll take more than a common thief to stop me!” scoffed the jester with a wave of his hand. “I won't let you down. You know what they say—a knight's word is his bond!”

Hendrik started when the familiar phrase came from Sylvando’s lips. It was not uncommon for a soldier to know the Knight’s Pledge, not at all. But the words coming from a jester was another thing…

“Avarith went south with everything she stole,” explained Mony. “She has a lair there, I think…”

“Then let's get after her!” cried Sylvando dramatically, posing.

“We've got an evildoer to punish!” agreed Isabella, posing at his side.

“When will this nightmare be over?” whispered Hendrik to himself, bowing his head once again in embarrassment. 

***

Though Hendrik and Rab shed their clown clothing to wear their real armour, Isabella didn’t bother with hers. In the battles that followed, she realised that despite the tailfeathers shaking, it was much easier to move around. Nothing could manage to strike her, except a flying enemy with a blade; while it thought it cut through her flesh, only a few wisps from the feathers fell before the creature was destroyed.

The Soldiers of Smile proved to be amazing fighters, and they claimed they had learnt every move from Sylvando. Isabella could not help but gaze at the jester with a renewed respect; Sylvando, the trainer of all these? It was hard to comprehend, but the Luminary of Light didn’t want to believe anything different.

They made their way across the faded green fields, and by the time they reached an area perfect for a small lair a small drizzle had started. Sylvando did not seem to take any notice of this, dancing on the massive float the same way as ever.

“It’ll take a little more than a few raindrops to stop my smiling crew and I, darling!” smirked the jester, and Isabella beamed back at him. When she turned back around to continue leading the parade, however, she spotted something. She glimpsed a little wave of bluish-brown motion, and the figure darted behind a rock.

“Hey, don’t be shy,” said Isabella gently, making her way over slowly. Sure enough, behind the rock was a little kid, cowering in fear. He took one look at her, his eyes full of horror; suddenly, however, the fright vanished and he began to relax.

“Oh! You’re not a monster!” he huffed, placing a hand on his chest to steady himself.

“Of course I’m not!” said Isabella with a chuckle, shaking her head. “Neither are my friends, by the way. We’re in a sort of parade.” She held out her hand, which the boy took at length. She helped him up and out from behind the rock, and he proceeded to gaze upon the float with wonder.

“Wooow! Your parade looks fun!” he exclaimed. “Where are you going?”

“Hi there, little one!” smiled Sylvando, calming his dancing so he could speak. “We're just off to hunt down the horrible, nasty monster who's been kidnapping people from the village!”

The boy’s smile widened; it wasn’t for long, however, because Hendrik’s shadow soon came over both Isabella and the boy. 

“Is your father named Da, by any chance?” the knight hissed. The boy looked away from him, though his face showed no sign of regret. “So you were not abducted? Then what are you doing in such a dangerous place? Your father is worried about you.”

“Hmph! My father does not care for me!” huffed the child—Son, apparently. “He cares for my mother's necklace more than anything else! He told the monsters so! I thought he would say I was the most precious thing to him... It made me very sad… So I decided to follow the monster and get the necklace back for him! Then he will see that I am worth something! But...then I strayed too far from the village and became scared, so...I stopped here to hide…”

“What your father said was upsetting, I am sure,” said Hendrik, though he didn’t show much sympathy. “But this is no place for a child. Come, we will return you to the village.”

“No! If you are going after the monster, I am coming with you!” cried the little boy, wriggling out of Isabella’s grip to escape Hendrik’s. “I have to get my mother's necklace back!”

“Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Hendrik!” said Sylvando from the float. “We'll look after the little darling! And besides, he'll be safer with us than out here on his own.”

“...Very well,” sighed Hendrik. “But the boy is your responsibility.”

“Thank you, thank you! I will be useful to you, I promise!” said Son with exhilaration. “The monster went that way! There is a cave on the cape where she is hiding!”

“You heard him, everybody! Let's go teach that dirty bandit a lesson!” called Sylvando. A cheer rose from his Soldiers of Smile, and they continued along the faint, rain-soaked pathway. They would not have seen it if Son had not told them where it was. Sure enough, the pathway led into a narrow cave. Isabella went in first, attempting to hide the fact that her heart was pounding so much it hurt; her fears were as strong as ever, as much as she tried to deny their existence.

Once the young woman had finally squeezed and squished her way through the narrow passage, Sylvando popped out from behind her with Son at his heels. 

Isabella didn’t have to look for the beast long; a hideous pink dragon stood before her on her hind legs. A disgusting purple tapestry seemed to act as clothing for the creature, as well as a strange pink hat made out of scraps. She held a sceptre in her hand, brandishing it before a group of people cowering in a cell. It finally turned, however, noticing Isabella.

“Ahhh! Now thith ith a thurprithe!” cackled a voice. “Not many humanth wander in here of their own accord.”

“Avarith, you fiend!” exclaimed Sylvando, pointing an accusing fan at the creature. “You are going to give back what you've taken, and let all the people of the village go! And you are going to do it now!”

“Heh heh heh! Tho that ith why you are here,” sighed the dragon, leaning back onto the wall as if their blades were jokes. “You humanth and your heroic nonthenth! Thtill, I thuppothe you have shown a lot of courage coming here. Very well. Let'th thay I do give everything back… It'th not going to happen for free. You're going to have to give me thomething to thweeten the deal.”

She turned to Isabella, holding out her hand. “How about...your motht valued pothethion? That theemth like a fair trade, wouldn't you thay?”

Isabella scoffed, but she didn’t need to do anything else because at that moment Sylvando held his arm before her and shouted, “Wait! If you wish to make a deal, fiend, you must make it with me!”

“Sylvando!” exclaimed Isabella, but the jester did not show any remorse. He seemed to be trying extremely hard to hold back laughter—but whatever for? The Luminary of Light shut her mouth nonetheless.

“I have something for you!” smiled Sylvando. “Something soft and warm and...fragrant. Something I just know you are going to love!”

“Ooh, what ith it, what ith it?” said the creature greedily, holding out its hands. “It thoundth amathing! I have to thee it right now! Hand it over, hand it over!”

Sylvando pulled something out of seemingly nowhere, hiding it away with his fan so that Avarith could not see the contents of his hand.

“With pleasure,” said the jester sincerely. “I do hope it brings you joy.”

Sylvando stepped away cautiously, winking at Isabella; she did not return the look, only giving back one of extreme confusion. The jester pointed at Avarith, who had drawn herself up to her full height to inspect the contents of her hand.

“Let me thee, let me thee!” said the creature excitedly, squeezing the object in her excitement. She leaned over and took a big whiff; immediately, her eyes widened.

“Urrrgh! What ith that awful thmell!?” she exclaimed. She opened her hand at last, and Isabella suddenly let out a loud laugh. Now Sylvando’s near laughter was obvious; now that she could see the horse manure resting in the creature’s palm, she couldn’t resist either.

Avarith threw the disgusting object to the grassy floor of the cave. “You...! YOU! Do you think thith ith thome kind of joke!?” she screamed, pointing at Sylvando.

“Aww, don't you like it, honey?” said Sylvando, beginning to do a strange little dance. “I chose it especially for you! Tee hee!”

“You'll pay for thith!” she screamed. “Avarith will not be mocked by a thilly, jumped-up little human! Maybe thith will teach you a letthon!”

The creature held out its sceptre, but Isabella was ready for it. She quickly cast shield spells on Rab, Sylvando, and Hendrik, and she raised her arms to do the same for her.

The young woman suddenly cried out in pain, clutching her chest. Nothing had happened with the spell, and at first she thought Avarith had struck her; it became apparent, however, when she realised the dragon was too far away to strike.

“M-My magic,” stammered Isabella, breathing heavily. “It’s blocked!”

“Don't bother begging for merthy!” chuckled the creature. “Your liveth are mine now—and I'm not giving them back!”

Sylvando quickly sacrificed a small bit of his magical shield against a strike from Avarith, aiding Isabella in her retreat. He brought her away from the monster a little, but Hendrik and Rab stayed behind, drawing their weapons for the fight.

“My magic… without my magic I’m useless,” stammered Isabella, looking at her shaking hands.

“You recover the best you can, darling,” said Sylvando firmly, squeezing her hand. “It’s time to let the boys take care of this one.”

He let go, and then shimmied his way over to the area as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“You think thith ith funny!?” shrieked the creature, throwing another spell at Sylvando; he dodged effortlessly. “Thtay thtill tho I can throttle you!”

Sylvando smirked, dodging this way and that, keeping the beast’s attention focused on him; Hendrik took this advantage to attack her from the side, but she quickly countered him with the same spell she had cast on Isabella. With the remembrance of how the first one had worked, she was awfully surprised when Hendrik didn’t so much as flinch.

She didn’t immediately fall, however; Avarith switched tactics, instead casting offensive spells at Hendrik. She conjured a massive fireball above her head which the knight was forced to back away from. She smirked as the three spread out in the cave, preparing the guard against the fire. Avarith quickly threw the magic at Rab, who blocked it without an effort.

“I may be old, lassie, but the Grand Master’s taught me more skills yet!” said Rab, making a series of complicated motions with his hands. Avarith was not fazed by this, however, and she continued to conjure another fireball as if nothing had happened. Before she could throw it, however, she realised that another was coming for her.

Isabella smirked, blowing her fingers off after hurling the fireball straight at the dragon. The force only threw her head backwards, however, and she came back up all the more menacing.

“Tho, your grandpa hath figured out how to undo my thpell,” said Avarith, narrowing her eyes. “But onth I’m done with you—!”

The creature didn’t have a moment to say another word, and she looked down in horror as Sylvando yanked his blade, now covered in dark purple blood, out of her torso.

“Curtheth! How could I have lotht!?” screamed Avarith, coughing between words. “Impothible! Hrrrrrrrrrrrraaarrrggghhh...!”

“Speeches don’t get you anywhere mid-battle, darling,” said Sylvando, clicking his tongue. “Maybe next time you won’t be so starstruck by a little magic.”

The dragon toppled over, its body fading away quickly as the lift left the horrible being. The scene was not sorry, however; the people in the cage began to cheer, the light of hope rekindled in their hearts. 

“Everybody!” exclaimed a small voice. To Isabella’s surprise, Son rushed forward and began to fiddle with the lock on the cage. “Are you okay? You are not hurt?”

“We are fine thanks to you, our brave little Son!” gushed a man from in the cell. “Avarith only kept us prisoner, she did not hurt us.”

“You saved us…” stammered a lady, swirling her curly blonde hair shyly. “I... I do not know how to thank you…”

“Fair maiden, a smile will more than suffice!” beamed Sylvando, giving her one in return. Suddenly, the lock fell from the cage; Son looked up triumphantly, tossing away the twigs he had used as lockpickers. As everyone began to pour out from their confinement, Son’s eyes fell on a pile of riches near where Avarith had been slain. He saw nothing there with a glint of greed in his eye, only with desperation—and then relief.

“Here it is! My mother's necklace!” he said cheerily, drawing the attention of Sylvando. The jester made his way over just as Son’s face fell. “Oh, but… No! It is broken! I cannot take this back to my father! It will only make him more sad…”

Sylvando frowned, kneeling beside the boy. In his little shaking hands were glittering blue beads, ones that would have perhaps belonged on a string but were now strewn about the damp ground. Son had tried ever so hard to please his father, and had still not gotten the results he had desired…

“Oh, of course it won't, you silly boy!” said the jester firmly. “Didn't your daddy ever tell you it's the thought that counts? It could be smashed to pieces, and you'd still be his little hero! Alright, time to take Son and the others back to the village in style! Come, darlings, your parade awaits!”

Sylvando shimmied his way over to the boys again, allowing the villagers of Phnom Nohn to be released from the cave before he himself exited. Though Son seemed incredulous at first as to whether the necklace would be enough, Sylvando knew from the beginning that a son who was willing to help was better than one who turned away…

“–lvando. Sylvando!” exclaimed Isabella, waving her hand in front of the jester’s face. “Sylvando, we’re leaving! Aren’t you coming?”

“Right, yes, darling!” said the jester quickly. “I would not wish to disappoint anyone!”

Chapter Text

Isabella and the few party members with her re-entered Phnom Nohn, leaving the float just outside the town square. No matter how long the Soldiers of Smile had frolicked around Son, the little boy still bore an expression of trepidation as he stared at the remains of the lovely blue necklace. He walked robotically up to his front door, with the rest of the party members following behind him. 

Son shuddered, staring at his door and wondering what his father would do to him. He couldn’t bring himself to raise his hand and even tap on the door. Sylvando, seeing the apprehension in his face, leaned forward and tapped the door loudly enough to draw the attention of the people inside. Son could feel his heart in his throat as the door began to slide open; there stood Da, his mouth agape as he stared at his son.

“Hello, Father…” said the boy awkwardly, looking anywhere but his father’s eyes. He held the necklace out to him with his cupped hands, making sure not a single bead escaped them. “I brought Mother's necklace back from the lair of the beast for you, but...it... It is broken…”

Da could do nothing but stare for a long while. At length, his face became etched with fury.

“You... You did what!?” he demanded. “FOOLISH CHILD! You…”

The anger melted from his face, escaping from his eyes in the form of tears. He fell to his knees, putting his big hands on Son’s little shoulders. The boy gasped as he dropped the necklace, spraying beads everywhere; Da couldn’t have cared less, however.

“You could have been killed!” he sobbed, bringing his boy into a stronger embrace. “And then where would I be, hm? Without you—my most treasured possession!”

“B-But...you said that Mother's necklace was your most treasured possession…” stammered Son, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I said it, but I did not mean it! How could I?” Da said. “Don't you see? I did not trust the monster, so I said a lie! I lied because I wanted to protect you!”

“R-Really...?” stammered Son. His anguish returned to his face, though for a reason he could have not imagined minutes ago. “I, I... I thought you did not care about me... I... I am so sorry... You must have been so worried…”

“To think it was all but a misunderstanding,” said Hendrik. “If only he and his father had simply been honest with one another…”

“Yes... If only…” Sylvando muttered. Isabella turned to face him, and realised his face showed every sign of concentration on… something. When he noticed her staring, however, he seemed to get back to reality. “Ahem. I'll see you three outside, okay?”

Isabella frowned, but Son caught her attention as he brought his father out to see the group. “Father, these are my new friends!” he said cheerfully. “They are the ones who rescued everybody!”

“I cannot thank you enough,” said Da, still unwilling to let go of the hand of his son. “You are true heroes. The first time we met—when you rescued me—I was searching for Son… But I had to pretend that I did not care, in case the monster came back and realised that I had lied… I hope you understand.”

“All can be forgotten, and then some!” said Rab. “We’re looking for fellers of our own…”

“My brother,” said Isabella quickly. “He’s about my height, has fluffy brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Has he come through here? Have you seen him?”

Da sighed. “I’m afraid not. If any of your friends come through Phnom Nohn, I’ll be sure to tell them you were looking for ‘em. Would you be so kind as to tell me the descriptions of the others?”

Rab began to rattle off the descriptions of Jade, Serena, Veronica, and Erik; Isabella could feel a lump in her throat at the mention of their names. Though her grandfather and Sylvando had been found, not to mention her alliance with Hendrik and Heliodor, she still felt empty. The loneliness threatened to overcome her again, to turn her back into the dull, hopeless person she had been going into the Last Bastion…

Sylvando, she thought quickly. He was the reason she had cheered up so much before; why could he not do it again now? Isabella slipped away from Hendrik and Rab, catching sight of the lavender, brown, and oxford blue feathers of Sylvando’s parade uniform. Shaking her own lavender feathers, Isabella caught up with the jester. He didn’t seem too happy, however. She frowned as Sylvando stood off to the side of the town square, as if he was avoiding people.

“ ‘If only he and his father had simply been honest with one another...’ ” Sylvando sighed deeply, his shoulders drooping. When he lifted his head, his eyes fell on Isabella; the jester jumped. “Eek! You scared me! ...How long have you been standing there?”

“Scarcely a moment!” said Isabella. “Are you alright?”

“Ah, never mind…” said Sylvando with a wave of his hand. He bit his lip, refusing to look up at Isabella. “It... It was nice to see Son reunited with his father, eh? But there are some who will never be reunited with their loved ones. Some bridges that will never be repaired…”

He finally looked into her eyes with desperation. “...Can I ask you something?” he said finally. “Mordegon is... He's super powerful, right? Powerful enough to destroy our world. You've seen that power for yourself, but you still want to fight him, don't you?”

“Never again am I abandoning the people of Erdrea,” said Isabella, shaking her head so fiercely her tail feathers bobbed. “I’m the Luminary of Light, after all; I was brought into this world to destroy the darkness, and I will. If I die trying, so be it; I will be one of the many perishing to his cruel hand.”

“You really are a hero, eh?” said Sylvando tearfully. He sighed deeply, staring with longing at his colourful float. “You know, I thought it was enough—travelling the world trying to put smiles back on people's faces… But what good is a smile here and there if the Lord of Shadows could snatch it away at any moment? What I'm saying is, I have to leave my beloved parade and come with you. It's the only way.”

Sylvando took a deep breath, and continued, “But there's something I want you to help me with first. It's all well and good me going and getting my head squished by Mordegon, but I can't do that to my darling boys. So we have to leave them somewhere safe, with somebody who can look after them. Now, I know just the place and just the person, but… Well, there's no good way of saying this—I'm petrified of seeing him. So you have to come with me. You will, won't you, darling?”

“Of course!” said Isabella happily. “But I’ll need you to do something for me, too… Quit frowning and lighten up. You’ve made me laugh harder than I have in a long time. Please don’t allow the world to steal your frown, too.”

Sylvando beamed immediately. He was easier to convince than Hendrik, all right. “Oh, thank you! I knew you'd say yes! Okay, I'm going to go break the news to my little Soldiers of Smile. Meet me outside the village, alright?”

Isabella nodded, and quickly took Hendrik and Rab along with her out of the village. Though there was no one outside, it was evident that a change had happened in Phnom Nohn. The people were inside, embracing the loved ones they had lost once more. Isabella couldn’t help but smile even as they exited the village. There, gathered around Sylvando, were all of the Soldiers of Smile.

“Darlings, I have an announcement to make!” the jester said flamboyantly. “...My parading days are over!”

A gasp arose from his boys, almost in harmony. “Eek!” “Whaaaat!?” “No!” “Why??” were only some of the questions that scattered throughout the area.

“Ah, ah, ah!” said Sylvando loudly, drawing attention again. “But do not fear—it will only be for a little while. I will return as soon as the Lord of Shadows is defeated!”

“We... We understand, Sylv,” said a red-haired youth. “That Mordegon's stolen enough smiles. Someone's got to stop him!”

“Yeah! You go and do what you've got to do, Sylv!” cried another, waving his prop in the air. “We'll be heartbroken without you, of course, but...we'll survive. And if anyone can show that rotten spoilsport what's what, it's you!”

“Exactly,” smiled Sylvando. “We'll never get those smiles back if I don't do this. And I won't be leaving you high and dry... I'm going to ask my papi to look after you in Puerto Valor.”

Hendrik raised an eyebrow. “Puerto Valor...? Wait…”

He approached the jester, getting rather close to examine every aspect of his face. Sylvando refused to look him in the eye, however, acting as if the knight were invisible.

“Surely not…” stammered Hendrik. “Surely you cannot be Don Rodrigo's—!?”

“So you finally figured it out, huh?” chuckled the jester. “Same old stone-headed Hendrik. Such a sweet, simple boy…”

Hendrik threw his hand to his forehead, his mouth agape. Even as Sylvando instructed his Soldiers of Smile to move out, Hendrik seemed to be a statue. He scarcely moved a muscle until Isabella came to his side.

“I... I cannot fathom it,” stammered the knight, narrowing his eyes with dislike. “The boy is unrecognisable! And he has abandoned the name his father gave him! Don Rodrigo must be furious…” He sighed. “Forgive me for my lack of composure. This has all come as quite a shock.

“Sylvando is none other than the son and heir of Don Rodrigo, the noblest and most revered of all knights. It was always assumed that he would follow in his father's footsteps. But the two had a terrible argument, and the boy left Puerto Valor, never to return… Until now.”

“So that’s why he was terribly nervous to go into Puerto Valor so long ago,” said Isabella thoughtfully. “Poor Sylvando…!”

“Aye, Don Rodrigo’s never told me of his son,” sighed Rab. “He cannae be happy with the laddie…”

“But perhaps this is not such a bad thing,” Hendrik cut in. “I have been meaning to visit Don Rodrigo and seek his counsel. Very well. It is not far from here to Puerto Valor. The road will take us north, then east. Come, let us...follow the parade.”

Hendrik turned to follow the dirt path that the parade had started on, but instead all he saw was a group of bouncing, lavender feathers. Apparently his little speech had distracted him and invigorated her, and so the knight struggled to keep up with the young woman as she sped off to keep up with Sylvando.

Chapter Text

Isabella had at last caught up with the parade, and Hendrik had at last caught up with her. They were joined together again in Puerto Valor, and the seaside breeze—the salty, calming breeze—enchanted Isabella all over again. The spell seemed to fade, however, when she took a single glance at Sylvando’s distressed expression.

“It's so strange... I thought I'd never see this place again, and yet here I am…” Sylvando attempted a half smile. “Well, at least I came back with a bang!”

That he had certainly done; his parade members frolicked around the town, shaking their pink feathers happily as they invaded the peace of Puerto Valor. If the situation had not been bittersweet Isabella would not have resisted her laughter at seeing such a solemn, regal town turn into a circus by the sea.

The Luminary of Light turned to her left, looking directly at the gorgeous mansion that she had first entered with Rab and Eleven. Though she regarded it with slight dislike, Sylvando very acutely showed his fear; he clasped his hands nervously, staying more still than Isabella had seen him ever before.

“You go on ahead, honey,” he said quickly. “I need a second to...compose myself.”

The jester turned away from her, unwilling to answer her if she insisted on his coming; Isabella sighed deeply, turning back to the mansion. 

“We must do as he would prefer,” said Hendrik. He raised his eyebrows slightly when he caught sight of her face. “There is no need to be frightened of him; a renowned warrior and a reincarnation of light could not possibly be shunned by him. Come along, now.”

“Well, there’s no turning back now,” she said to herself, though when Sylvando heard it dread overcame him. Isabella began to stroll across the stone grounds, catching sight of various Soldiers of Smile on her way. Numerous times Hendrik had to gently tap her shoulder, chasing away her overpowering curiosity. 

At length they made it to the front step of the mansion; Isabella took the initiative and rapped gently on the front door. Scarcely a second later it was opened, revealing the same person who had opened the sea gates for them.

“Servantes!” said Isabella cheerfully, beaming immediately.

“Why, young Isabella!” he smiled. “I had scarcely dreamed that we would meet again! What a wonder it is to see you.”

“Is Don Rodrigo inside?” Hendrik questioned.

“Don Rodrigo woke up a while ago, and seems to be feeling better,” replied Servantes. “You can meet with him now, I think. But first, I must warn him about the strange chicos who have just arrived in town. They do not look like bad people, but it is best that he knows.”

Isabella was not allowed a moment to tell Servantes who those people really were as Hendrik began to rush up the stairway. She followed behind in an anything but graceful manner, but when the knight had reached the door to Don Rodrigo’s bedroom, he finally paused to allow the young woman to catch up. When she was at his side once more, Hendrik turned the knob of the bedroom door.

Inside was a rather large room, with bookshelves lining the walls closest to the door. A little bench and desk were set up next to these, making a comfortable little reading spot. The occupant of the room, however, did not look to be spirited enough for a nice read; a woman stood by his bed, pressing a damp cloth against his flushed head. Though Hendrik took notice of this, he did not back down.

“Don Rodrigo,” said the knight, his voice suddenly becoming deeper than it already was. “It is I, Hendrik. It has been too long…”

“Hendrik!?” exclaimed the old man, his grey moustache folding upwards in a smile. “¡Je je je! How many years has it been since you completed your training, eh? Come closer, caballero, let me see your face! I have heard many tales of your exploits. To think that the great lump of meat who came to me all those years ago is now the hero of Heliodor! ¡Je je je je!”

“I had not expected to find you in such good spirits, my lord,” said Hendrik, a smile still not tempting his lips. “As one who owes everything to your kind offices, it pleases me greatly. Alas, there has been precious little cause for mirth since last we met. Dundrasil fell, then Yggdrasil...and now the Lord of Shadows roams the land…”

He turned to Isabella. “Prior to entering the Heliodorian army, I undertook my knightly training here in Puerto Valor under Don Rodrigo's tutelage. I owe him a great deal. If you do not mind, I would like to speak with him in private. Perhaps you could search for Sylvando while we talk? He must be here in town somewhere.”

Isabella nodded, bowing out of the room hastily. Nothing about the old man frightened her now; he seemed to be a wonderful person. She was altogether too anxious for Sylvando, however, and she knew waiting for the moment instead of getting it over with would be torturous. Certain townspeople gave her strange looks as she ran back across the town, back to where she had seen him…

The young woman paused, backtracking a little bit and looking down a narrow pathway. There was a small stretch of sand there, with the waves lapping pitifully at the shoes of a man standing there. Isabella rushed down the alley to find Sylvando, alone and terrified.

“Sylvando,” said Isabella gently, causing the jester to jump. His fierce gaze softened greatly when he noticed the owner of the voice, but his face became sad.

“Oh. Hey, honey,” he said. “I guess they sent you to fetch me, huh?”

He stared out into the sea, not daring to make eye contact with her even as she walked up to his side.

“It's so silly, I know,” he said with a sad chuckle. “Here I am, happy to go put my neck on the line in the fight against the Lord of Shadows… And yet the thought of facing Papi makes me want to run away screaming… Seeing that boy and his father in Phnom Nonh made me think I could do it… That I could finally face him… But now I'm here, I… I'm so scared… You've heard what happened with me and him, I guess?”

“Hendrik told me,” Isabella admitted. 

“It all seems so far away now…” Sylvando’s eyes glazed over. “Even before I could walk, I was training to be a knight, you know… I would stay in Puerto Valor, and follow in my father's footsteps. Then one day, the circus came to town… It was so, so fabulous—I can't even describe it! It was...love at first sight! I knew from the second I walked into that tent that I'd found my calling. Getting up on that stage and making people happy? That was the life for me!

“But Papi...he wasn't so keen. A few plates got smashed the night I broke the news to him, let me tell you… But I wasn't going to let that stop me! Oh no! This was my calling—to make the whole world happy! I would be a knight in smiling armour! He didn't have anything to say to me after that. That was when I knew that I had to go and prove to him that I meant what I said. So I left, and I haven't seen him since…”

Sylvando couldn’t continue, his words abruptly stopped as Isabella wrapped her arms around him in a comforting side hug.

“Your father loves you, Sylvando,” said Isabella confidently. “I’m very, truly sure he does! Even if you two had a little squabble over something doesn’t mean he hates you. Honestly… I think he’ll be proud of you. After he hears about all that you’ve done, not only making the world smile but vowing to destroy the very essence of evil! I cannot fathom any good father being angry with you for doing that.”

Sylvando smiled, his eyes filling. “Thank you, Isabella. Dear me, that got a bit long and emotional, huh? But it's made me feel a whole lot better. In fact... Yes. Let's do this! It's now or never! Let's go pay Papi a visit!”

“That’s the spirit!” beamed Isabella. They both went back to the villa at a quickened pace, Sylvando going that familiar way robotically. He refused to think about anything relating to his Papi; those thoughts would scare him away for sure. Instead he came in just behind Isabella, allowing her to open the front door and nearly hiding in her feathers as they ascended the staircase.

When the bedroom door had been opened, Sylvando really was hiding in her feathers. As the young woman approached Hendrik and Don Rodrigo, she could feel Sylv rustling her feathers as he tried his very hardest not to be seen.

“Sylv,” Isabella whispered, brushing her hand against his. The jester took a shuddering breath, but he peeked out from behind the lavender feathers.

“Hi Papi…” he said weakly, drawing the attention of the old man at once.

“Hm?” said Don Rodrigo, narrowing his eyes at the boy. At length, however, they widened greatly. “¡Caramba!” he exclaimed. “¿¡Norberto!? You dare to show your face in my presence!? Then you have come to tell me something, sí?”

“I, I'm s-s-sorry, Papi!” exclaimed Sylvando, wilting. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! So, so sorry!”

“‘Sorry’? ¡Je! What are you apologising for, foolish boy?” spat Don Rodrigo. “You have succeeded in making the world smile, sí?”

Isabella beamed and, turning to Sylvando, noticed he was now fully out from behind her. “N-Not yet, Papi…” he admitted.

“Then why are you here, hm?” demanded Don Rodrigo, sitting up. “Why did you come back if you have not yet done as you promised? You said you would do it, Norberto! You said you would make everyone happy! I did not raise you to be a failure! How dare you come to me and—!” The old man grunted, leaning back in bed.

“P-Papi...!” exclaimed the jester.

Don Rodrigo swore loudly. “If I were younger, I would put you over my knee!” he hissed. “What kind of a knight makes an oath and does not fulfil it!?”

“Wait—Papi, did you say ‘knight’? You still think of me as one?” stammered Sylvando, his face brightening and Isabella’s satisfied. “You have no idea how— Oh, thank you, Papi! Thank you! I guess it wasn't very knightly of me to come back before I'd fulfilled my promise, huh? ...But I had a good reason!”

“...The Lord of Shadows, sí?” said Don Rodrigo, his face softening a tiny bit.

“Sí,” replied Sylvando, becoming more comfortable by the second. “How can I make people happy if he is there making their lives miserable? It is impossible. Which is why I am going to beat him! Only then can I fulfil my vow and make all the people of the world smile again!”

“Careful, boy!” Don Rodrigo glared at him. “Do not promise to defeat Mordegon if you do not truly intend to do so—I will not have you break another oath!”

“Of course, Papi! A knight's word is his bond—you taught me that!” said Sylvando fervently. “But there's just one teensy-weensy little thing I need to ask you to do to help. I've picked up a few friends on my travels. They're kind of young and kind of innocent... They need a role model, you know? Someone to lead them.”

“¡Je je je je! Similar to your little friend, sí?” Don Rodrigo said, looking upon Isabella. “You do not even need to ask, Norberto! A knight serves the weak untiringly, or have you forgotten the Pledge?”

“Oh, Papi! Really!?” exclaimed Sylvando in disbelief.

“¡Cómo no, Norberto! Of course!” smiled the old man. “It will be my pleasure!”

“Oooh! Aren't you just the sweetest, kindest father a boy could hope to have!” gushed Sylvando. He turned to the door, and began to yell, “Oh, darliiings! Come say hello to your Tío Rodriiigooo!”

At first Isabella assumed that a thunderstorm had rushed in the moment Sylvando had said those words; a massive rumble of thunder would be the only possible explanation for the noise that approached them. However, the door was flung open and the real noisemakers were revealed—every last member of the Soldiers of Smile, beaming ear to ear.

“Ooh, what a lovely bedroom! It's so biiig!” gushed one.

“Oh, don't tell me this is your dad, Sylv!? He's awfully manly!” beamed another. “I'll feel safe with you looking after me, Mr Rodrigo!”

“Norberto, explain yourself!” exclaimed Don Rodrigo, attempting to look at all the boys but making himself dizzy in the process. “What is the meaning of this!?”

Sylvando smiled mischievously, pulling something out from behind him. “Now Papi, let's just pop this on~” he said with a smirk, shoving a heap of cloth over his head. 

“¡Ay! ¡Norberto! What are you—!?” he cried, his voice muffled by the fabric. “¡Ay! Get your hands off of me!”

When his head popped out of the thing Sylvando had shoved over him, he found himself in a suit with incredible similarity to Sylvando’s. He began to investigate the suit on him, his face horrified.

“Curse your foolishness, boy!” hissed the old man. “I did not agree to this!”

“Oh don't be like that, Papi!” Sylvando insisted. “How can you lead my little band of boys if you don't look the part, hm? You promised! And didn't you always teach me that a knight's word is his bond? Hmmm? Listen to me, Soldiers of Smile! You serve my papi now—you must do as he says! Do not fail me!”

One of the boys approached him, his eyes filled with tears. “Please, Sylv! Don't go! Don't leave us!” he blubbered.

“Darlings, it breaks my heart to say goodbye, truly it does…” sighed the jester. “But we have to be strong. As soon as Mordegon is defeated, I'll be right back with you. I'll be home before you know it, you'll see. And no matter how far I go, no matter how hard it gets, I'll always be with you—always!”

***

Isabella and Sylvando stood just before the entrance to the villa, the jester’s smile returned in full.

“Thanks so much for all your help, darling,” he said sincerely. “I'm all yours now, I promise. The Salty Stallion is all yours too, of course. She's anchored off to the east of here.”

The doors in front of them were pressed open, and Hendrik came out of them. He seemed awfully surprised to see that Isabella had at last changed out of her fuss and feathers, but less so when he realised Sylvando had not.

“You are discussing our next move, I suppose?” the knight asked. He glanced at Sylvando, and then at the ocean. “With a ship at our disposal, other places will be accessible to us. Perhaps now we can seek out your friends in Arboria.”

Isabella nodded, narrowing her eyes in thought as they began their journey to the Salty Stallion. Sylvando, Rab, Hendrik, and she were all alive, even after the fall; nothing could have defeated Eleven and not her. Right?

Chapter Text

Isabella assumed that being on the Salty Stallion again would relieve some of her tenseness, but it only made it worse. The voyages she had gone on with her friends and Eleven… How she dearly wished to see her brother again. The twins had scarcely ever been separated, and months apart had left Isabella feeling as if she was missing a piece of herself. Though Sylvando had brightened her spirits, she still felt incomplete. 

The sinking feeling within her became all the more acute as she clutched the side of the boat, fighting seasickness. A storm had blown in quite suddenly, and now the ship rocked to and fro, giving Isabella a different kind of sinking feeling.

“It's a wee bit stormy all of a sudden…” Rab commented, casting a mild healing spell on Isabella. She huffed, rising and nodding gratefully. 

“Sylvando!” cried Hendrik over the pounding of the rain. “This ship of yours is not about to sink, is it?”

“Hngh...! Don't mention the...‘S’ word...!” hissed the jester, barely having the energy to shout as he fought against the wheel. “I'll have us out of this in—Hrrrgh!—just a jiffy...!”

“I smell... Mmm... Fresh flesh…”

“Th-That voice... Where is it coming from?” stammered Hendrik, looking around fervently.
“...Ooya!” cried Rab, his eyes widening as he noticed a massive shadow just in front of him. At the side of the boat, it surfaced; a horrible, obsidian black, reptilian being with glittering rubies for eyes. Isabella recognised it immediately; it was Alizarin, the fiend that had destroyed Nautica.

“Gragh hah hah hahhh ! ” he laughed with a roar that stirred the waves. “Tremble before the mighty Alizarin, faithful servant of the Lord of Shadows, and ruler of the deep! You dare to enter my realm unbidden? Know that an insult to me is an insult to my lord and master! Prepare to pay with your lives!”

“You're the one who'll be paying, ye great big slimy so-and-so!” cried Rab, moving his hands around in strange motions. “Get a load of this!”

He exclaimed as a large amount of his magic power was sacrificed to perform the same silvery-white cross spell that he had in the Void—Pearly Gates. Isabella’s heart fell, however, when he simply brushed off the Grand Master’s incredible teachings.

“...Are ye having me on!? I just blasted ye with Pearly Gates, and ye barely even flinched!” cried Rab.

“Gragh hah hah hahhh!” he cackled again. “The orb with which my lord and master entrusted me renders all your petty human enchantments null and void!”

“You destroyed Nautica!” screamed Isabella, drawing her sword in such a fury the others could scarcely notice what was going on, much less stop her. “YOU KILLED QUEEN MARINA!”

Alizarin smirked with the terrible reptilian lips of his. “That I did,” he said proudly, chuckling to himself. “Perhaps you would like to join her, young Luminary. Now join me...in the blackest depths of despair!”

Isabella thrust her hand in the air, prepared to test Quadraslash against the fiend. However, its tail whipped across the deck, and the young woman was in too much rage to bother dodging. Before she could dash away the scales smacked her soundly, and she flew over the deck and completely off of the ship.

She could have tried to swim, but the only thing that swam was her vision. The waves filled her mouth when she tried to breath, and the rain slammed against her beating head. Salt was the only thing she could taste as the sounds seemed to fade away. She held one pale hand up in the air as she began to sink into the depths of the ocean. 

Honestly, sinking wasn’t that bad. The waters were calm, and the storm didn’t make a peep. She scarcely even realised she was wet.

Consciousness returned suddenly. She wasn’t wet. Not at all. Isabella opened her eyes slowly to gaze upon a valley of the greenest grass she had ever seen. It was a welcome change from the grey, black, or brown grass she saw on every corner of Erdrea.

“Have I died?” she said to herself softly, looking upon the endless plain with flowers of any colour imaginable dotting it. A pristine, clean river with waters as shiny as those at the end of Grotta della Fonte cut through the fields, surrounded by sandy banks with gorgeous, whole shells barely buried in the sand. The only thing in sight other than these was a lone house, sitting by a big part of the river.

“Certainly this must be the afterlife,” Isabella said decidedly, making her way towards the only landmark. “It is wonderful, I must say…”

She reached the little house quickly, and opened the door without another thought. Inside the room were only a few jars and a ladder that led up to the roof. Isabella ascended the ladder quickly, desperate to get a better look of the plains. Was there anything else in this gorgeous heaven?

Once she reached the top, however, she started. A big, muscly man sat there, holding a fishing rod tenderly in his hands. He didn’t even have to glance at Isabella before he began to speak.

“Well, well, well. So it's you,” he said in a low, rough voice. “Don't look so worried. This place isn't heaven, but it's certainly not hell either. Well, don't just stand there—grab yourself a rod. There's one over there.”

Fearful but obedient, Isabella grabbed one of the fishing rods and situated herself a little distance from the man on the rooftop. She didn’t bother staring at her cast when she had thrown it out, however; she looked curiously at the man next to her. 

“And what, might I ask, are you staring at?” he asked with annoyance. “Is there something stuck to my face?”

“N-No, sir!” stammered Isabella.

“Alright, alright. It is rather an imposing appearance, I agree,” he said. “Why don't we try another?”

The man snapped his fingers, suddenly turning into an old priest with glasses that looked an inch away from snapping. Isabella narrowed her eyes at the strange person.

“No? Still no good?” he said, his voice more like a croak. “Well, if at first you don't succeed…”

The person turned from one form to the next, from beast to human, in many forms that Isabella had never seen before. Finally, the person took on the form of a blue-haired woman, her indigo locks braided behind her back. She was clad in a simple pink garment and golden jewellery was on her neck, wrists, and ears.

“Not settling on a particular form, hm?” she said sweetly. “That rather makes me think you might not know who I am.”

“Yes, ma’am–I mean sir–I mean…” Isabella coloured as the woman chuckled.

“ ...In your world, I am known as the Seer,” the person said. “I take on different appearances for different people, you see. By which I mean to say that I look different depending on who is doing the looking...But enough about me. How's the fishing? Caught anything?”

Isabella shook her head, and the Seer frowned. “No, I didn't think so,” she said gently. “You're not ready yet, you see. When the time comes, you will know it. When the fish finally takes the bait, you must be ready to reel it in. But until then, you have no choice but to wait patiently. That is just the way of life. You know, I have the strangest feeling I've met one of your companions. ...Erik, was it?”

Isabella could scarcely keep from gasping. “Erik? Is he alright, do you know?”

“Well, no matter. We are not here to discuss him,” she said with a wave of her hand, though Isabella was far from finished on the subject. “Come, let us go inside. We can save the fishing for another day.”

Isabella watched seriously as the Seer descended the ladder, and she followed suit without a second thought. When she made her way to the woman, however, she gestured to a stool.

“Take a seat. Make yourself at home,” she said softly. Isabella grimaced, but sat on the stool anyways. 

“Now, the fact that you're here makes me wonder if you might have taken a bit of a wrong turn somewhere…” The Seer took her hand. “Hold still for just a moment… Ahhh… So that's it. Worried we've lost the power of light, are we? Well, I'm afraid there's not much I can do about that. But there is one thing I can say…

“You may think that your power has been taken from you by the Lord of Shadows. But power cannot be taken, no more than it can be touched or tasted...Especially not the power of the Luminary. Still no idea of what I'm talking about, eh? Well, no matter. I think that's enough for now.  Let me leave you with this thought—when the time comes, you will know. You will feel the tug on the line, and you will know. As in fishing, so in life.” The Seer suddenly gasped. “...Oh, that's right! You're drowning, aren't you? That won't do at all!”

Isabella started. “Drowning? I’m not…” She attempted to take in a breath, but realised it was obstructed. Her face began to turn red, and the young woman looked at her desperately.

“Well, don't fret—a certain sacred tree tells me it's not your time just yet,” said the Seer, placing her hand just above her forehead. “Right, we'd better get you woken up, hadn't we? You are the Luminary of Light, after all. You have rather an important task to be getting on with...Go. Save the world.”

The Seer gave her a nice flick, and everything around Isabella faded into blackness.

***

“Darling! You're alive! Oh, thank goodness!”

Sylvando’s cheery voice stirred Isabella enough to open her eyes. She coughed harshly, and Hendrik quickly placed his hand behind her to hold her up.

“When ye took that tumble into the sea back there, we all thought ye were done for, lassie,” said Rab with a shiver, pressing his hands empowered with healing to the back of Isabella’s neck. “Och, it was terrible. We tried to fish ye out, but ye slipped beneath the waves before we could get to ye…But then...well, it was nothing short of a miracle! There was a bright light, and suddenly there ye were, floating up from the seabed! Somehow we managed to pull ye out of the water, give that big slimy so-and-so the slip and get here to safety. I still don't know quite how we did it!”

“What's the matter, honey? You look like you've seen a ghost!” exclaimed Sylvando, brushing stray hairs from her face.

“I… I thought I was dead…” she stammered. “I was in some sort of… afterlife?”

“Darling, you’re in desperate need of a rest, are you not?” said Sylvando gently.

“I am in agreement with Sylvando,” said Hendrik with a nod. “You have been through quite an ordeal. You need rest—as do we all. Come.”

Isabella shook her head slowly, her head throbbing. The young woman couldn’t help but keep her eyes fixed on the water. As the sun set deeper into the night, the last rays danced upon the water in a strange way. Shimmering letters even began to form on the waters…

“ ‘Put courage in your heart… And light in your hand...’ ” she said softly, peering into the water yet closer. She could almost hear the calm, soothing voice of the Seer in her mind, narrating…

“There'll be time enough for staring out to sea tomorrow, lassie,” said Rab, brushing his hand against Isabella’s. 

“I… I saw something in the water!” she said quickly, pointing at the spot where she had seen the glistening letters. Now, however, whatever wonder she had witnessed had vanished.

Rab sighed, taking her hand and leading her away, however flabbergasted she was. “Come on, let's get ye to bed.” he said gently.

“There is an inn not far away,” Hendrik said with a nod. “We shall escort you there.”

Isabella smiled weakly as she was led away from the ocean; what had nearly drowned her she now felt horrible to leave. Would she ever see the Seer again? She had so many questions for the mysterious woman. Especially what the meaning of her sunlight riddle was… How could courage put light in her hand? 

She gazed sorrowfully at the faded Luminary mark on her right hand, remembering the events of that fateful day when Mordegon had destroyed the World Tree. He had ripped the light right from her chest and stolen it for himself. With what she had seen there, the feasibility of the power brewing inside her was slim to none.

“You may think that your power has been taken from you by the Lord of Shadows. But power cannot be taken, no more than it can be touched or tasted...Especially not the power of the Luminary.”

Isabella dwelled on those words until she found herself in the warm inn that she had stayed in so long ago—the Warrior’s Rest Inn. When she came back to reality, she noticed that Sylvando had begun to speak passionately.

“Darling, you can’t go around frowning like that!” he was saying, speaking directly to the young man at the shelf. “Whatever has happened to make you so terribly upset?”

The young man sighed shakily, turning away. “I remember you two,” he said slowly, his voice close to breaking, as he looked over Isabella and Sylvando. “You were injured and my girlfriend asked to let you come in for free… She was such a kind, considerate soul…” Small tears ran down his face.

“But, darling…” Sylvando’s face fell. “What do you mean by ‘was’?”

“I mean exactly as I say,” said the young man, tears pouring freely, though he still had the strength to speak coherently. “A few weeks before Yggdrasil fell, I… I proposed to her. We were to be married in a few months… But, she went to visit her relatives in Arboria the day it… Well, you can guess the rest.”

There was a long moment of silence; even the fire managed to calm down in the firepit, a chill sweeping through the room. Isabella was filled with dread; a dread she could have stopped, if only she had reacted sooner…

“I shouldn’t have been wasting your time like this,” the young man said quickly, sniffling and wiping his tears. “Tina, my fianceé, is certainly watching us now… I know it.”

“Darling…” Sylvando could scarcely find words to speak, but he did better than his silent companions. “I… I’m so sorry…”

“Thank you,” said the young man with a nod, but he quickly regained his composure. He proceeded to greet the party properly, and Sylvando rented them a few rooms. Isabella phased out once more; it was all she could do to keep from bursting into tears again. If she really did still have the power of the Luminary, she needed to awaken it soon. With those uneasy thoughts drifting through her mind, she fell asleep.

“Such pain... Such...despair…”

“I am helpless... Powerless... Bound by the chains of regret…”

“If only I could go back... I would gladly accept eternal damnation just to go back to that day!”

Please... Hear my plea... You must free this restless knight from his prison of despair…

Chapter Text

A chill overcame Isabella again when she awoke, though the air around her was not cold at all. The despairing voice of that knight in gleaming green armour haunted her all through the night, though she did not once wake… She had listened to the groaning sobs of the person all night, followed by the gentle cry for help by a sorrowful woman…

She could remember dreaming this before, though not this clearly. Earlier all she had felt was a gloomy despair… In her new dream, however, she saw a knight in gleaming green armour, kneeling so that his face was in shadow. His hand clutched a sword so hard it was shaking, but he didn’t move other than that and his mouth as he moaned for help.

It was just a dream, she reassured herself. You already had a strange dream yesterday… 

She pushed the wooden door open that led out of her room, and her eyes immediately fell on Sylvando. 

“Sylvando, are you ill?” Isabella asked quickly, shaking off her fatigue after taking one look at the jester’s sullen expression.

“Not at all, darling,” said Sylvando gently, though he did not tempt a smile for more than a short moment. “I’ve just had the strangest dream last night…”

“It… wouldn’t happen to be about a knight crying out in despair against something, would it?” Isabella asked worriedly.

Sylvando’s eyes widened. “Isabella, dear, are you getting your magic back? That’s exactly it! But… Oh, it was tragic. He looked so desperate. I wish there was something we could do to help, but we don't know who he is—or even where he is…”

“Maybe not...but that was Drasilian armour he was wearing, there's no doubt about that…” said Rab, appearing from his room. “Aye, I’ve had it too. What do ye say, laddie? Shall we go and see what's become of Dundrasil now that this blasted darkness has engulfed the world?”

Isabella sighed, but nodded. “I don’t think the ruins can get much worse, can they?”

“I stand corrected,” she said weakly.

The remnants of the buildings were large enough when Isabella had last visited the ruins of Dundrasil that she could fill in the details of what the city might have looked like before it was destroyed. Now, however… Now she could scarcely imagine what had once been. Many of the crumbling buildings she had seen before lay in charred heaps at her feet, and the grass all around was blackened from the flames of yet another raid of monsters.

“Crivens... This place was in ruins the last time we came, but this... This is something else... It fair breaks my heart…” Rab lowered his head, giving a silent, solemn moment for his fallen homeland. Eventually, however, he continued. “Where was I? Ah, yes. It should be around here somewhere…”

The old man began to wander around the ruined ruins of Dundrasil, with Isabella, Sylvando, and Hendrik following behind him, albeit with confusion. Rab looked up beyond a ruined staircase, squinting to try to see overtop.

“I’d think it’s just up there,” said Rab, scratching his head. “But we cannae climb up there…”

“There’s another way,” said Isabella, pointing back. Though it was crumbling now and resembled a hole more than a well, the passageway to the castle ground was still perfectly good for use. She led the group over to it, preparing to cast a small wind spell to cushion her fall to the bottom. She jumped, and using the spell taught to her by Serena she landed comfortably. The rest of the party followed, allowing Isabella to continue her spell multiple times so that they would all come down unscathed.

Isabella gestured across the near blackness, longing for the moist sensation under her feet. When she had been here before the well was nearly dried up, but there was just enough water to make the ground moist and begin to soak through her boots as she stepped across the area. Now, burnt piles of wood laid in the corner, evidently pieces of the building closest to the well that had fallen down.

The wetness on the ground was completely gone, licked up wholly by flames. The walls were covered in a thick coating of soot that was falling to the ground, replacing water with ash. When they made it to the other side of the well, the rope that Rab had dangled down was miraculously intact. Isabella nimbly made her way up the rope, heaving herself out of the other well and into the royal courtyard.

The remains of the massive coliseum were brought down to a few small stone beams, just barely standing above the rubble which used to be the rest of the building. Nearly every wall of the castle was torn down and burned; what vile deeds would the monsters not stoop to?!

“Lassie, yer driftin’ off more and more,” Rab said gently. “We might as well move things along, eh?” He turned, directly facing one of the ruined rooms of the castle. All Isabella could see was a pile of rocks, but Rab’s face lit up as he laid his eyes on it.

“Would you boys do me a favour and shift this little lot?” he called to Sylvando and Hendrik. The two knights nodded, and in a few minutes the rubble was completely off to the side. Behind it was a doorway that Isabella was surprised to see was completely intact. However much damage had undergone the room around it, the door and its passage were flawlessly untouched.

“Where does this stairway lead, Lord Robert?” Hendrik inquired, looking down the stairway cautiously before Rab gestured for them to enter in.

“To an underground passage that runs beneath the castle,” Rab said, narrowing his eyes in the darkness. “It was meant to allow the royal family to flee should Dundrasil ever come under attack. There must be something down ‘ere… Something about the identity of our restless knight, shall we?”

The only light that penetrated the dank passageway was that from the door, but the sunlight could only go so far. Isabella and Rab both lit small flames in their palms, leading the way forward. On the crumbling stone walls were sharp iron hooks, some with glass lanterns on them. None were lit, and some had fallen to the floor, crinkling underneath their boots as they stepped over the shattered glass.

The passageway they followed was remarkably narrow, staying close to the wall. The party was forced to do the same; the path followed a U shape, bringing them to one end of the underground area before curving and leading them back up on the other side. Isabella was at a loss for why they would not add a bridge at the beginning of this journey, but she held her tongue as they reached the other side of the passage; a door was just slightly agape. Isabella tenderly pressed her finger on it, pushing it open with caution.

The room inside was not nearly as dark as the damp passage before, suspiciously lit with active flames. No lanterns lay cracked or broken on the ground, and the room inside was surprisingly intact. Isabella’s hand wavered over her sword as she noticed they were not the only occupants of the room. The four travellers froze, finally noticing the other person.

A shadowy turquoise colour met Isabella’s blue eyes, the metal glimmering menacingly in the darkness. The sheen of polished platinum was obvious even before the person stood. Crests and symbols were proudly borne all around the armour, carved intricately in silver. The metal covered nearly every part of the person’s body, excepting the face and upper arms. Black dragon scales could be seen underneath, a substance impenetrable to many blades.

The helmet was pressed too low on the knight’s face, keeping his eyes from view. He didn’t move an inch, not taking notice of the persons who had entered his area. Rab cautiously approached the knight, narrowing his eyes as he attempted to see who the person in the armour was.

Suddenly, a sword flashed out of nowhere, slashing forward from the knight’s hand. His aim was perfect, and he could have easily ended Rab’s life if it wasn’t for the teachings of the Grand Master; Rab threw off the blade using a shimmering green magic, jumping back quickly and drawing his staff. The knight did not attack again, however; instead, he began to speak.

“Such pain... Such...despair…” he moaned, resting himself on his sword. He suddenly looked up at them, as though he could see them through the metal in front of his eyes. “How dare you! How dare you return here! Begone, servants of evil!” His voice began to break. “You took everything ! You destroyed everything ! You monsters! I will never forgive you!”

Rab dusted himself off, readying his spell-casting stance. “I'm keen to have a wee chat with our friend here, but something tells me he's got other things in mind…” he said quietly.

In a flash, the knight lurched forward and swung his blade at Isabella. The young woman blocked quickly with her shield, throwing him off and striking back with her blade. He, too, brought forth a shield and blocked in nearly the same way that she had. Isabella’s eyes widened as they both struck each other’s swords in sync.

“Darling, careful!” exclaimed Sylvando, drawing his blade and attempting to join the fight. However, Isabella and this new stranger were slashing very quickly now; if Sylvando attempted to slice the swordsman, there was a chance Isabella would end up on the end of his blade.

Isabella’s heart beat in her ears; she could just barely hear it over the clashing of metal. At last, the knight slammed his elbow into the young woman’s chest; she stumbled, just barely blocking his blow with her sword. She fell to the ground, pressing her sword against his so her throat would not be slit. Her eyes widened with fear as her strength faltered; she breathed a sigh of relief when the knight toppled off of her, thrown off by the sheer force of Hendrik’s shield bashing into him.

The Heliodorian knight held his hand out to Isabella, helping her back onto her feet in no time. The Drasilian knight did not falter, however; he reached his hand into the air, summoning a great collection of dark magic. Isabella gasped as he flung the darkness towards her; she dived away from the magic, expecting that the effects of Zam would explode away from her.

There was a sudden crash, and pitch-black water came up from the ground, engulfing Isabella and Hendrik. Immediately the young woman began to cough, though none of the water had gone into her mouth. As sudden as it had come, the water vanished. 

The effects, however, didn’t. Isabella huffed, her breathing becoming louder as the world around her darknened yet more… It was closing away from her… Fatigue ventured to take over, but the young woman fought back. Even as her vision doubled and the knight approached her she did not back down. She would never… back… down…

“Begone with ye!” exclaimed Rab, casting a spell on Isabella. Immediately she stood up straight, as if a bolt of lightning had gone through her body. The curse that had been upon her lifted, and Hendrik shot up as well. The young woman immediately drew her sword and slammed it against the knight’s, continuing their fight from before.

She ventured to strike the person, slamming her sword down on him with all her might. His shield acted as a barrier, however; instead of striking him, she sent his shield clattering to the other side of the stone room. He then swiped at Isabella’s neck; her shield was quicker, but that too was sent sprawling across their small arena.

“Just you and me, huh?” Isabella growled, her sword flashing back and forth with incredible speed; neither swordfighter was getting anywhere.

“Ughhh... Hnghhh…” The knight’s swings began to weaken, and Isabella struck back on his sword with more vigor; she could thank Sylvando for the extra strength. “Such...pain…”

His sword flew from his hands, clattering at the other side of the area. He looked through the helmet, straight at Isabella, as she forced him onto the ground and pointed her sword at his neck.

Sweat dripped from Isabella’s face, and adrenaline pumped through her body. She had finally brought the knight low. She began to grin, huffing angrily at the person who had tried to destroy her and her friends. 

However, her face fell. She began to remember the terrible grin of Mordegon as he had stuck his horrible hand into her—no care in the world about throwing away a life. The grin of a tyrant. A murderer. Isabella found her eyes becoming filled, and she dropped her sword to the side. To the dismay of her friends she began to heal the knight, helping him back up onto his knees.

“Please… Please forgive me,” she said softly, looking at the helmet where the knight’s eyes were supposed to be.

The knight’s mouth curved to a horrible frown, and he stumbled away from her only to slam against the wall, falling back onto his knees as he began to sob. “You took my beloved Eleanor... You took my children… I will never forgive you...!”

“ ‘Eleanor’?” Sylvando shared her surprise. “But that's the old queen's name. Which would make you…”

“Irwin, last king of Dundrasil,” Rab sighed. “Just as I thought… A great man. And a fine warrior too, as ye've just witnessed. And, most importantly of all...your father. I'm sorry the two of ye had to meet like this…”

Isabella stared in disbelief at the man. “My… My father? I-I thought he was dead…”

“Looks like he would be better off that way,” said Rab, turning back to the knight. “What happened to ye, Irwin? Come on, laddie—look at me… What in the—!?”

Rab, too, jumped back from the knight, and everyone looked at him with horror. The person finally lifted up his visor, and Isabella thought that she would finally see his eyes; what she saw, however, resembled more of a black hole than a face. 

At last you have come...

 Long have I waited for a kindly soul

 to free my restless knight from his misery…

“The voice from the dream…” stammered Hendrik, looking around for the owner of the voice fearfully.

You are correct, of course...

 Before you kneels Irwin, King of Dundrasil…

All those long years ago, on that darkest of days, he fought to the last...

 The light of justice sustained him,

 and he refused to yield to the darkness...

But with time, that light has waned,

 and all that remains is the tortured soul you see before you...

 Lost between light and dark... Life and death…

I beg of you... Help him...

 Free him from his nightmare...

 Shine the light of hope into the darkness of his despair…

“The voice...it's gone again,” said Sylvando after a moment had passed. “Who is she?”

“That'll have to wait. Irwin here needs our help,” said Rab with determination. “But what are we supposed to do to help him...?”

Rab turned to look at Isabella, who kneeled right next to the knight. She stared into its portal of a face, narrowing her eyes.

“My father… my own father…” she stammered. “I’ve never felt such a mixture of wishing that El was here and also being thankful for his absence.”

She held out her hand shakily, trying to touch the person’s face.

“Father…?”

Isabella blinked, and suddenly the world around her was blackened. A chill swept through her; all humidity and heat was gone from this… wherever she was.

“Grrrahahaharrr…” A cold, heartless voice laughed at her presence. “Do I smell fresh meat? It's been a while... Years, in fact… Well then...I'll need to make you nice and miserable before I devour your tender torment... Watch...and despair!”

Isabella attempted to scream, to run, to do anything at all, but the breath in her lungs was sucked away and she was thrown into blackness, falling deeper... and deeper...

Chapter Text

With another blink, Isabella found herself in a new place altogether; lush red carpets, marble pillars, and golden carvings on the walls caused her to turn around in circles, attempting to take it all in. Every detail was attended to; not a speck of dust was left in the room that she was in.

At first, Isabella suspected she had been taken in the past to Heliodor castle. That would explain the carpets, the banners, the perfectly trimmed bushes in golden flower pots. The emblems on the banners and carved into the pillars, however, were not the same as the Heliodorian ones she had seen. They looked familiar, however… Had she read a book about these before?

The young woman gasped, and reached quickly into her shirt to pull up her turquoise pendant. The golden design on the front of the gem matched that of the symbol on the banners.

“So this must be Dundrasil, as it once was,” she said aloud. A door suddenly opened, making Isabella jump; when she noticed who opened the door, she gaped.

“F-Father!” she exclaimed, rushing towards him as fast as he could. It was surely Irwin, healthy and happy. His eyes widened, and he turned to her with a large smile on his face. Isabella’s eyes filled with tears; certainly, this was too good to be true!

She turned out to be right, as she rushed right through her father and he strolled past her. The young woman suddenly felt dizzy; she had just phased through her father. She quickly figured out why he had been smiling, however; two elderly men came through one of the grand entrances of the castle, bowing to Irwin pleasantly. Isabella recognized one, but not the other.

“King Irwin, it is a great honour to be invited to celebrate this most special of days with you,” said one of the men; the Sultain of Gallopolis looked right past Isabella, not noticing her at all.

“The birth of your son and heir is a source of great joy and happiness to us all!” smiled the other. “Congratulations, Your Majesty!”

“Thank you, thank you. Aye, this is a momentous day for Dundrasil,” beamed Irwin. “I am truly humbled to be lucky enough to celebrate it with you all. Of course, King Gustaf, have you not forgotten that there are twins?”

King Gustaf’s face lit up. “Twins?! Ah, what a prosperous day for Dundrasil! What is the other’s name? I had not heard of this news!”

“We first have Eleven, prince of Dundrasil and heir to the throne,” smiled Irwin proudly. “The second is a girl, who we have decided to call Isabella.”

“Marvellous!” exclaimed the Sultain. “If I may, I have also had an heir born to me recently. Perhaps, once she comes of age, we can unite our kingdoms by marriage!”

Isabella gagged, her face colouring. She had been engaged to marry Faris?! Perhaps there was some point to Dundrasil’s destruction…

Irwin laughed, his friends joining in. “There is plenty of time to discuss this later. Allow me to welcome you both to Dundrasil. You honour us with your presence.”

“The honour is all ours, King Irwin!” smiled the Sultain. “Truly, it has been far too long. A thousand thanks for preparing such lavish festivities!” His grin faded. “Though of course, we are not here merely to celebrate. Today's Colloquy of Kings shall determine the fate of Erdrea for generations to come. I for one mean to see that my people's interests are well represented. You will forgive me if I grow a little...passionate at times!”

“It is the first time the rulers of the four kingdoms have ever gathered under one roof, you know,” said King Gustaf dramatically. “A momentous occasion indeed. But the reason itself is a momentous one, of course. The birth of an heir to the title of Luminary is an event of unparalleled significance.”

“Indeed it is,” said Irwin with a nod. “Thank you once again for agreeing to meet so readily. Now, we are starting shortly. I must ask you to proceed to the Colloquy and await King Carnelian, Lord Robert, and myself.” He turned towards Isabella, looking right through her and onto a person just behind her. “Guard—I don't suppose any of you have seen King Carnelian?”

“Yes, sire!” said the guard cheerfully, saluting the King of Dundrasil. “King Carnelian is walking the grounds with Lord Robert, sire!”

Irwin nodded to the two kings and the guard, their group dispersing quickly. Isabella had only a moment to choose whether to follow the kings to the conference hall, her father to Carnelian and Rab, or even the guard that was returning to his quarters! She was very drawn to follow Irwin, however; even if he could not see her, she had such peace seeing her father alive and well.

The King of Dundrasil crossed the red carpets lined with pure white fur, his robe bearing the same colours. He wore a tunic underneath his robe with golden chains embroidered across the top, and Isabella raised her eyebrows to see the turquoise crystal of Dundrasil pressed onto a ring on her father’s hand. The very same one that her brother had must have been passed down from King Irwin. Isabella was keen to continue studying the royal fashions of Dundrasil, but her father pushed open the doors to another room. Isabella beamed to see a familiar sight, though they did not see her; King Carnelian and Rab stood talking to each other, but their conversation faded when they caught sight of the king.

“King Carnelian, Lord Robert,” said King Irwin formally. “I will be convening the Colloquy shortly, if you'd like to make ready.”

“Lord Robert informs me that both children bear the Mark,” said King Carnelian, his eyebrows raised. “I would never have imagined that the Luminary reborn would be two separate people…”

“That's right, aye,” nodded Irwin. “I've decided to present them to you all at the Colloquy. The sight of so many people gathered to celebrate their birth has brought home to me how important they are. How much hope the light they bring repres—”

“Save it for the meeting, Irwin,” sighed King Carnelian, holding his hand up for silence. He left abruptly, leaving Rab, Irwin, and Isabella in the room alone. Isabella didn’t bother to hold back a scoff; she knew not whether she was indignant at Carnelian himself or Mordegon using the King’s body as a host. Had the terrible deed already come to pass?

“Don't take it to heart, laddie,” said Rab gently, attempting to lay a hand on Irwin’s shoulder; the king of Dundrasil was a fair amount taller than him. “The fate of all Erdrea hangs on the Luminary—or, as it seems, Luminaries—now. Not everyone's going to be happy about that. Right, it's nearly time. Why don't ye go and fetch the wee one from Eleanor's chambers?”

Isabella hastened to follow Irwin across another several hallways, very focused on her goal. This would have not been an easy feat, stoking her curiosity, if she had not thought about another person in the room beside herself and Eleven. Irwin strolled into the throne room, turning to the queen’s chambers and opening the doors gently. His lips curved upwards, forming a large smile.

“Awww, he's so tiny! Can I touch him, Lady Eleanor? I promise I'll be careful!”

Isabella gasped, laying eyes on a little girl that she suspected would never, ever wear a pink, frilly dress. Her long black ponytail was enough to tell that she was a much younger version of Jade, but her slim figure and fine eyes were blantant giveaways just the same.

The woman beside Jade was young and beautiful, her green eyes as shiny as the pendant on her neck. Isabella couldn’t help but reach for the precious jewel about her own neck; it was the very same one. 

“This must certainly be Queen Eleanor… my… mother…” Isabella found tears coming into her eyes again, but she blinked them away.

In Queen Eleanor’s white-sleeved arms was a little baby, his blue eyes wide with happiness as he cooed at Jade. Though their attention was at that moment focused on little Eleven, Isabella glanced to the side of the queen and noticed a small wooden basket; inside was another child, her eyes just barely open as she messed with the tuft of black hair atop her head.

“Hm hm! I think he likes you, Jade!” chuckled Eleanor in a sweet, gentle voice. “He wants to play!”

“So this would have been what it was like,” said Isabella aloud, wandering around her family. “This is what it would have been like to have a family… A mother and a father, a friend like a sister… Of course, I don’t regret a thing about meeting Cobblestonian folk. Even so…”

“They’re both very special children, you know,” said Eleanor proudly. “They call them the Luminaries. People have all sorts of hopes for them… But I just hope little El grows up to be like his father. That he can help people to overcome their problems, just as Irwin does.”

Isabella beamed, resting her head on the arm of the chair where her mother sat, imagining if she really was there instead of in some strange dream-like state. She could remember Eleven getting her through so many battles that she would have lost on her own; his strength was nearly unmatched. He had helped her through fear in so many circumstances.

“He has never failed you… mother,” said Isabella softly.

“I hope Isabella grows up to be nice and kind like you, Lady Eleanor!” chuckled Jade. The little girl suddenly gasped, and turned to face the door. “King Irwin!” she exclaimed.

“The Colloquy's about to start, Eleanor,” said Irwin. “Will you hand me the wee ones?”

“Both of them?” Eleanor raised an eyebrow. “In that case, you’ll have to take the basket. Here you are, El…”

The queen placed a squirming little Eleven into the basket with his sister, tucking the blanket over top of them before handing it to the king. 

“Alright wee ones! Let's go and talk to some scary old men, shall we?” chuckled Irwin. “Don't worry—Daddy'll look after you.”

A sudden blast of thunder shook the entire castle, causing everyone to jump. Neither of the babies began to fuss, but both looked at each other with fright.

“Ach, would you look at it, thundering away out there... And on such a special day too,” said Eleanor nervously. “It's making me feel uneasy…”

“Come on now, Eleanor,” said Irwin gently, placing his free arm on the queen’s shoulder. “There's nothing to worry about. We'll keep you safe no matter what, won't we, wee man?”

“Gah!” cried baby Eleven, raising his fists expectantly.

“And what about me, hm!?” Jade said impatiently.

“Hey! You don't need me to protect you, Jade—you've got King Carnelian,” Irwin chuckled. “Your dad's a force to be reckoned with, and no mistake.” He paused, glancing back at the door. “Right. We'd better get this meeting started. I'll see you later, Eleanor.”

“Good luck. Both of you…” said Eleanor gravely. The queen continued to stare out the window with a sorrowful glint in her eye. However curious Isabella was at how these scene would turn out, she figured that following her father to the Colloquy would be a better usage of whatever time she had left in this seemingly perfect world.

They walked through another several hallways, finally reaching the second biggest pair of doors in the entire castle. Irwin nodded to the guards as they pulled the doors open, revealing a massive round table built of platinum and studded with red gems in the Drasilian royal symbol. Already seated were five people, all looking at Irwin and the package hanging on his arm with interest. It was when the king sat down that someone spoke up.

“These children... They are the ones?” asked King Carnelian, a serious look in his cloudy blue eyes.

“They each bear the mark. There is no mistaking it,” said Rab with a nod. “Somehow, this force… Somehow it was put into both of these children.” The old man paused, glancing at the children and then closing his eyes.

“‘Dark One riseth, Tree descendeth, Luminary, man defendeth,” Rab quoted. “Light's Mark shineth, hand extendeth, With his coming, black night endeth.’ ”

“The final poem in the Book of Erdwin…” King Carnelian remarked.

“The legends tell us that the Dark One was defeated by the Luminary in the Age of Heroes, bringing eternal peace to the world,” Rab continued, folding his hands on the table. “But as I'm sure you haven't failed to notice, monsters walk the land once more. The peace of Erdrea is under threat.”

“The kingdom of Zwaardsrust has already fallen at the wicked creatures' hands...and King Arnout with it... He will be sorely missed,” said King Irwin, with a mixture of both immense sorrow and incredible anger.

“And now not one child, but two, have been born who bear the Mark,” Rab said. “Which brings us to our reason for gathering here today—what does all this mean for Erdrea?”

“You speak of the Dark One. Of monsters running wild,” said the Sultain of Gallopolis. “Of the peace of centuries crumbling. But surely the birth of the children signals an end to our woes? Now that the Luminaries are among us, the balance can be restored. The peace can be maintained. All is well, is it not?”

Unseen, Isabella nodded fervently by her father, but she was one of the few who looked convinced.

“Kyeh heh heh!” chuckled the tall king that Isabella had seen just minutes ago—Gustaf. “You believe that the presence of the Luminaries will ensure that peace prevails? Can you be certain? Forgive me, Lord Robert, but the Book of Erdwin contains another poem concerning this matter, does it not?”

Isabella frowned, narrowing her eyes at King Gustaf. Surely he was bluffing, was he not?

“It does,” King Carnelian said. “The very first poem. The prophecy… ‘World Tree's gift, first of many, Bold, bright, blessed Luminary. Thy light doth a shadow cast, Lo, the Dark One—bleak, black, vast.’ ”

“What are the two of you implying?” demanded Irwin, pushing the basket further away from the other kings. “That the Luminary’s power causes the appearance of the Dark One!?”

“Without light, there cannot be shadow. Without darkness, the stars cannot shine,” King Gustaf pointed out. “This has always been the way of the world. Darkness and light must coexist. So indeed, the birth of the Luminaries may well be what causes the Dark One to awaken…”

“You dare to imply that my son is somehow the source of our troubles!?” cried Irwin, standing; Isabella could see his sword hand shaking. “That the Luminaries aren't a force for good!?”

“Can we be certain that they are?” Gustaf said suspiciously. “Evil does not always take a monstrous form, after all… You must have noticed the sinister glow emitted by Erdwin's Lantern of late. Ever since your children were born, in fact…”

“What are you trying to—!?” Irwin began to raise his voice once more, and a sudden cry came from the basket. Isabella could tell it was her, as a baby, crying from the voices of the men. Even now as she watched the meeting in a world she never would have been expected to come upon, she shook with enough rage towards King Gustaf that she could have let loose a few tears.

“The star sings at night, you know,” chuckled Gustaf menacingly. “I have heard it—it sings of Erdrea's destruction!”

“King Gustaf is right,” said King Carnelian suddenly.

“Oh, don't you start!” groaned Irwin, rocking the baby Isabella to the best of his ability.

“Ominous footsteps approach. We all hear them,” Carnelian said dramatically. “As the leaders of this world, we owe it to our people to root out even the slightest hint of evil at its source. Even when that source is painfully close to home…”

“Why don't you just come out and say it—you're asking me to kill my own children!” cried Irwin, placing Isabella back into the basket. “My own flesh and blood!”

He steadied his breaths, that being the only sound for a long while.

“Something happened,” said Irwin finally. “Not long before the children were born. I'm sure some of you saw it… A great, blinding light shot up from Yggdrasil and set the sky aglow. For a moment, it seemed that night had become day… We saw that same light on the evening they were born. It was shining from their marks on both of their hands… From birth their hands were clasped together, mark to mark, both shining with the most glorious light known to mankind.

“The children are a force for good, I have never been more certain of anything. They did not give rise to the darkness—they were sent to drive it out. Light and dark are not two sides of the same coin! The light of the Luminary is a gift—a gift that will cleanse the world of evil!”

Irwin stood, his fist clenched, sweat running down his brow, when King Carnelian began to clap.

“A rousing performance indeed!” chuckled King Carnelian. “Of course, if you had shown even a whit less conviction, we would have had no choice but to remove the children from your care. The Luminaries are the children of Yggdrasil. They alone can bring light to the world. They must be protected at all costs.”

“I hope you will forgive us our little test, but we had to be sure how strongly you believed,” said King Gustaf, though Isabella wasn’t very convinced by his demeanor; he was very obviously struggling to hold back laughter. 

“I am satisfied,” said King Carnelian, getting to his feet with a large grin on his face. “Send them  to Heliodor when they come of age. They will be trained in all that they will need to fulfil their destiny—Isabella and Eleven both. We must confer upon the Luminaries the power to lead us all.”

“King Carnelian... Everyone... I, I don't know what to say…” stammered Irwin.

“Ah, very good! The most pressing item on our agenda is dealt with!” smiled the Sultain, sitting back in his fancy chair. “And it ended just as I knew it would! Bah hah hah!”

“The matter is settled,” continued Carnelian. “Our kingdoms are united in their purpose.”

“Let all be as Yggdrasil wills it!” they all said in unison.

“That concludes the Colloquy,” Carnelian said with a nod. “Now all that remains is to introduce the Luminaries to their adoring public.”

“Thank you, King Carnelian!” beamed Irwin. “My friends, I'd like to thank you all for coming. Now, the—”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

Everyone had been so caught up in the meeting that they had not noticed the doors fling open, revealing a soldier in platinum Drasilian armour. It was nothing like Isabella had seen on the restless knight, however; this person was drenched in blood, clutching his chest and barely breathing. The young woman quickly began to ready a healing spell, when she realised she could only watch.

“What is it!?” exclaimed Irwin, rushing over and keeping the soldier from falling to the floor.

“Y-You must flee the palace immediately!” gasped the soldier, clutching Irwin’s robe as he attempted to heave another breath. “Monsters! Hundreds... Hundreds of...monsters…” He fell to the ground, becoming still.

“We're under attack!” cried Irwin, running over to the table and grabbing the basket quickly. “Everyone! We have to get out of here—now!”

The kings nodded, proceeding to rush out the doors of the meeting hall and onto the royal hallway. The first thing Isabella could see was smoke; the monsters had already begun to set the place on fire, as a group of them was already pushing on to the meeting hall.

“Moohaha! Where are the Luminaries, worms?” cackled the beasts. “Give them to us!”

“They have come in force,” said King Carnelian, drawing a long blade from his side. “But they shall not have the children. Lord Robert and I will keep them at bay. Take Eleanor and the child and flee the castle. Now!”

“But King Carnelian—this is suicide!” exclaimed Irwin, looking from the elder kings to his children to the monsters that threatened their lives.

“You need not fret on my behalf,” said Carnelian. “I am not in my dotage just yet. Now go!”

“Thank you...both of you…” said Irwin slowly.

“GO!” cried Carnelian and Rab at the same time. Immediately, Irwin began to run down the stairs, away from the two of them like a blur. Isabella did not follow, rooted to the spot; her grandfather and King Carnelian began to clash with the beasts, greatly outnumbered. Certainly, there was no way they would be able to make it out alive?

“I have to help them,” she said aloud, drawing her sword. One of the beasts rushed over to King Carnelian, the old man just barely blocking its blows with his own blade.

“Please!” Isabella begged. King Carnelian fell to the ground, his crown miraculously staying atop his head, and he narrowed his eyes at the Moosifer as it brought its claw down onto him. Isabella screamed, rushing forward in a moment, brandishing her shield before the king. To her great surprise, the claw bounced off, and the monster faltered.

Isabella heard a gasp from behind her, and she turned directly to face King Carnelian and Rab. Both were staring at her with the utmost confusion.

“Who are you?” King Carnelian stammered. Isabella raised an eyebrow; had they noticed her at last? There was no way they would have been able to recognise her, of course; she was surrounded with a strange, blue glowing aura. Neither of the two old men could see her face; they could only see a ghostly figure holding a shimmering blade.

Isabella ventured to respond, but found that she could not utter a word to either of them. Perhaps it was in the law of this world that she remained anonymous. She suddenly gasped, turning to look where her father had gone; the throne room doors closed, but she could catch a glint of platinum armour beyond.

The blue aura about her vanished, rendering her invisible to everyone again. A few times she would draw her blade, stabbing a creature that meant to harm a Drasilian. Every time she did this, she was visible for just a moment before she became invisible again. It was not necessary for her to become visible to open the throne room door, however; Eleanor, holding the basket with the babies, was followed closely by Jade and led by Irwin, who was donned in full armour.

“We should be able to get out through here,” said Irwin urgently, pointing down the stairway.

“ I feel their presence…” growled a deep, heartless voice. “I sense them... I...smell them! The Luminaries!” A horrible monster with a mane of fur around its head began to go across the hallway, towards Irwin, his wife, Jade, and the children. The King of Dundrasil narrowed his eyes at the creature, holding his sword aloft.

“Just you try and take them!” cried Irwin. He dashed forward without another word, leaving the others just behind him. Isabella quickly brandished her blade, but it did not turn out to be necessary; her father dealt with the lion quickly, drawing the blood-soaked blade from the beast’s chest before rushing back to Eleanor and the children. 

They continued across the stairway, Isabella invisibly following, and Irwin many times had to seperate himself from his wife and children to destroy a threat. Once a Moosifer appeared behind the queen, and Isabella stabbed it swiftly, leaving the corpse the only thing to be seen. Irwin returned, surprised to see the random dead creature but not thinking much of it as they continued.

“The monsters are everywhere... What are we going to do, Irwin!?” exclaimed Eleanor.

“If they've made it this far round the castle, they must have the place surrounded,” Irwin said grimly. “We'll have to use the tunnels. This way…”

He gestured for Jade and Eleanor to follow, turning corners very carefully. Once they had gone down a few hallways, they entered a large room—the kitchen. Irwin looked around expectantly, his sword in its sheath, until he finally stopped his pacing. “I think this was the one…” he said to himself, grabbing onto the sides of a bookshelf. He pushed the furniture away, revealing a dimly lit staircase; the very one that Isabella and her party had gone in before.

Irwin rushed them all inside, sliding the bookshelf mostly shut on their way down. Isabella noticed that the room was better lit than when she had come, and the stones were new instead of crumbled. They made the journey around the pathway, long curve and all, and into the room that Isabella had seen the Restless Knight. It appeared to be unoccupied, however, and a door stood at the very end of the passageway; it was their gate to freedom.

“Time to make a break for it…” Irwin said. Suddenly, he froze. Eleanor screamed as a monster leaped out of nowhere; it was a beast with a striking similarity to a Moosifer, but this one was bigger, its torso was blue, and its fur was a deep purple. Irwin was quicker than the Barbatos, slashing its blue left ear and sending it staggering away from his beloved.

Out of nowhere came another two beasts—Moosifers. They snorted angrily, flexing the muscles on their red bodies and preparing to destroy the humans; Irwin stood before Eleanor, Jade, and his children with a grim expression. Having to protect them and take on these beasts was too much for him alone to handle.

“I'll deal with them!” Irwin said. “Get out of here! Quickly!”

Eleanor’s eyes widened. “...But Irwin!” she exclaimed, her voice breaking.

One of the Moosifers charged at Irwin, forcing him to brandish his shield and grunt as he threw the monster off. The other two beasts roared, snorting and preparing to charge at the King of Dundrasil. This left Eleanor and Jade with the perfect opening to the door.

“Run!” he shouted. “And don't look back!”

Eleanor quickly blinked the tears out of her eyes and started towards the door with Jade at her heels. The young girl pulled open the door with a great effort, allowing the Queen to leave just before she closed it again. Irwin sighed deeply; now that his beloved was out of harm’s way, he readied himself.

“Alright, you despicable creatures. Do your worst,” he smirked. “You won't get past me!”

Immediately, the three creatures charged at Irwin. Isabella gasped, drawing her blade and rushing forward. Though Irwin brandished his shield, she knew it wouldn’t be enough; she threw herself forwards, slashing at its brown furry leg and drawing blood as she became tangible. The Moosifer roared, throwing its head back and giving Isabella a chance to thrust her blade into its forehead. The creature was silent, falling dead onto the ground.

At that moment, Isabella caught the eyes of her father. It wasn’t the look that she wished she could see—one of peace and tranquillity was what she really wished for—but an awestruck look was enough for her. She smiled, ever so similar to Eleanor’s grin, and she prepared to strike the next monster.

Though Irwin fought, he scarcely had to do anything; the Moosifers were completely confused from Isabella’s disappearance and reappearance, giving her enough time to destroy the remaining two in only a few minutes. She had barely broken a sweat when the Barbatos dropped to the ground, giving her father a full view of her.

“You’re not Eleanor… but you’re not me, either,” he said faintly. “May I ask… who you are? You… You have the eyes of my beloved…”

Isabella opened her mouth to speak, but found it impossible. She looked at him sorrowfully, wishing more than anything to say something to her father, but she just nodded and then vanished once more. Irwin looked around the room, preparing for her to reappear, but it never happened.

“Whoever you are… If you are still there, I owe you my life,” Irwin called. “Thank you; I could never repay you.”

“You saved my life, you have nothing to repay,” said Isabella, her voice choking up.

“Right,” said Irwin. “Time to get after Eleanor…”

“Jade! JADE! Are you down here!? Jade!”

The terrified voice of King Carnelian rang through the dungeons, and Irwin was not spared from hearing it. 

“King Carnelian? Over here, Your Majesty!” called Irwin through the doorway. He looked longingly towards the door, but knew that Eleanor could handle herself for a few more minutes. He rushed back through the dungeons, turning the sharp curve into the small room. When he entered there, however, both he and Isabella gasped.

Irwin saw a man—if he could even be called that—in a dark purple robe, standing over King Carnelian with his staff. Irwin saw an anonymous intruder, while Isabella shrank. 

“Mordegon,” she said softly, as if even in this dream-world he could hear her.

“King Carnelian...? What in the...!?” sputtered Irwin, drawing his sword and pointing it at Mordegon. “Who are you!? What do you think you're doing!?”

The creature turned slowly to face the King of Dundrasil, his eyes not even widening with surprise before he vanished, leaving King Carnelian facedown on the ground. Immediately, Irwin rushed over to him and was about to check his pulse when the King stirred, getting up on his hands a moment after.

“Irwin...? Is that you...?” he said faintly, looking around the dark area. “What happened...? Is everyone safe?”

“You're alright! Thank goodness!” beamed Irwin. “Jade's with Eleanor and the wee one, Your Majesty. They made it safely out of the castle.”

“I see... Good. Very good…” King Carnelian put his left hand on Irwin’s shoulder. “I shall send my forces after them right away.”
Irwin’s brow furrowed. “Forces…? Your Majesty, what are you—!?”

The King of Dundrasil cried out, and while his voice echoed against the walls Isabella’s remained unheard, even as she began to sob as her father laid on the ground, the dagger of King Carnelian thrust out of him hurriedly. Isabella could scarcely look at the blood—human blood—wetting the King’s sword.

“The bloodline of the Luminary ends here. Today,” said King Carnelian, his voice murderous. It was the same voice that Isabella had heard when Mordegon was posessing his body.

“King Carnelian! Your Majesty!” cried another voice. Hendrik rushed into the room; at first his expression showed relief at seeing King Carnelian, but he gasped when he noticed Irwin on the ground, blood pooling around him.

“K-King Irwin!” he exclaimed. “Wh-What has happened here!?”

“I had no choice,” said King Carnelian in his fake, sorrowful voice. “He came at me in a frenzy… Queen Eleanor has absconded with the Luminary. And with my daughter!”

“Surely not!?” exclaimed Hendrik. “Whatever would possess them to commit such acts!?”

“The birth of the children has put them both under great pressure…” said King Carnelian slowly. “It has also caused the coming of the monsters. The loss of...countless lives…” He paused for dramatic effect. “Perhaps the coming of the Luminaries does bring darkness in its wake... After all, without them, this tragedy would never have come to pass… 

“Yes... I see now... They are not our saviours. They are the harbingers of the night to come! The children of evil... The Darkspawns! They must be found and dealt with! The peace of Erdrea must not be permitted to collapse! Find him! Leave no stone unturned!”

“Sire!” said Hendrik, bowing shortly and escorting Carnelian from the dungeons. Isabella didn’t have the heart to follow them and continue her journey; all lightheartedness of this world had left her. She continued to sob, even as King Irwin lifted himself painfully from the ground.

“No…” Irwin said with a cough. “They are no harbingers of...darkness... They are...the Luminaries... The saviours… Our light and might… S-Someone, please... King Carnelian must be stopped... Or the world will be plunged...into...darkness… Eleanor... Please...forgive me... I was too...weak...!”

His eyes drifted across the area, finally coming to rest on Isabella; he could see her faintly as his vision began to fade.

“Please… warn them…” he said softly. “I… implore you…”

In those moments, Isabella could finally speak; “I can’t,” she said to him, tears still rolling down her cheeks. It turned out to be useless, however; Irwin fell to the ground, motionless, his eyes glazed over. She had just witnessed her father’s death.

Isabella’s heart wrenched painfully, but she stood to go see what would happen to Eleanor. Perhaps her mother still lived… She was not able to figure this out, however, as she suddenly felt the ground give out beneath her and her senses leave. She closed her tired eyes, hoping that once she returned to the real world, or whatever vision she was to face next, this gloom would pass.

Chapter Text

Gradually, Isabella realised that she was awake. The feeling of the cold stone underneath her was still absent, and the dripping in the dungeons was still nowhere to be heard; instead, a disgusting munching of a deep-voiced creature came from the middle of the dark room, seemingly going on for infinity. Even with her eyes open, the young woman found it hard to believe that she was still awake. Even though to her left and right was only darkness, right in front of her was a terrible sight. 

A great purple lion stood on its paws, wriggling with delight as it devoured a victim. Isabella drew closer, nauseated by the terrible munching, until she realised what the creature was feeding off of. The restless knight that she had encountered with her friends laid on his back, moaning loudly as a sort of mist came up from his chest. The lion reached its filthy head forward, taking a bite of the somehow solid mist and chewing it up, dripping what looked like blood onto the knight below him.

“I am the Gloomnivore…” he said between his disgusting chomps. “I devour despair… And this one's misery is just...exquisite... His kingdom ruined, his family gone... Betrayed... Dying alone... Mmm! Which is why I've been drawing out his torture for all these years... One must savour such succulent suffering… But even the most fabulous feasts must come to an end… The dishes must grow cold… It is time to move on to the next course…”

The creature turned quickly around, revealing a thick grey mane surrounding its hideous face. Its eyes were the colour of fading lamplight, and its teeth, though they were mostly yellow, were stained at the ends with blood. He crinkled these terrible fangs into a malevolent grin, unfolding its crimson and yellow wings.

“How does your despair compare, I wonder?” he hissed. “Hold still while I sample its delights!”

Isabella immediately felt as if the breath in her lungs was escaping her, and she was thrown onto the ground. She tried to call for help—surely her friends weren’t far?—but the same sensation came over her that had been when she was that blue spirit—nothing. She couldn’t emit a sound excepting a soft moan of pain.

“Give yourself to misery!” the voice cried, though Isabella could no longer see the Gloomnivore. She was alone in the darkness. “Let anguish consume you!”

Suddenly, an image flashed through her mind; Mordegon. Her heart beat quickly, though she was unable to escape, or do anything for that matter. She could almost feel his grimy hand reaching into her chest, almost piercing her heart as he searched for her light… The pain she had felt there was such agony that she had never imagined. Isabella ached from just remembering it.

“Mmm, yes... Your powers were stolen, and used to give birth to a monster…” continued the voice, though the vision did not end. “You could not protect your friends... You could not save the world…

“What kind of hero are you?” it hissed. “Pathetic! Wallow in it! Marinade yourself in misery! Yesss! My mouth begins to water!”

Isabella squeezed her eyes shut, thinking nothing more than to get away from this monster, but he was still there. Mordegon continued to smile evilly at her, standing in front of the heart of Yggdrasil… He reached his hand inside, stealing her power to destroy the tree, to destroy the world all over again… She couldn’t get away. 

Can you hear me...? Please, you must listen…

The soft, gentle voice of Queen Eleanor penetrated the deep, harsh voice of the Gloomnivore. Isabella noticed as the vision fuzzed a little, the sounds of Mordegon's laughter becoming faint.

There is a light inside you that can never be extinguished…

It is waiting... Biding its time...

 But it is there...

 And when it shines forth, it will illuminate the world…

Now is that time... You are the Luminary of Light...

 You must conquer the darkness...

 You must...shine!

Isabella’s eyes flew open; the vision had ended, and something bright was emitting from within her. She gasped as her entire body began to glow; it was the very light that she had used to defeat the Slayer of the Sands so long ago.

Her light.

“M-My Luminary magic!” she exclaimed, finding her voice again. 

“Th-This light…” The Gloomnivore, now visible, backed away. “I-It... Grarrr... GRRRAAARRRRRR!!!”

Isabella smirked, and approached the enemy in its horrible rage. It backed away from her in the darkness, though it was growing lighter and lighter…

“What’s happening?” exclaimed Sylvando, pointing at the restless knight that was still kneeled on the ground. The dark portal that his face had once been was becoming lighter and lighter, until the party was forced to turn away. Gradually, the light faded to the point that it was bearable, and when they looked back, they saw Isabella.

The Luminary of Light brandished her right hand, which was shining brighter than ever before—her mark was the brightest of all, shimmering with a golden light. She still made her way forward, unfazed from coming out of that strange world, and managed to corner the Gloomnivore.

“No longer shall you torture innocent souls,” she said loudly, thrusting her hand straight into the air. Isabella closed her eyes, forming the image in her mind until it became a reality; a golden sword appeared above the terribly frightened Gloomnivore. She thrust her hand down forcefully, and immediately the Gloomnivore began to scream and writhe in pain; his efforts were in vain, however. The dark fur of his began to dissipate, and he was drowned in the incredible light that Isabella displayed. Even when it seemed as if the monster was able to escape, the Quadraslash blade was thrust into the heart of the beast. The young woman at last allowed her magic to die outwardly, but inwardly she was completely energised. The Gloomnivore faded to dust before a smiling Isabella and her stunned onlookers.

“Guess who just got their Luminary powers back!” she cheered, turning back to the group with her arms outstretched.

“Wh-Where am I...?”

Isabella turned around swiftly, locking eyes with the knight on the ground. He looked at Isabella for only a second before his eyes widened.

“Y-You’re that spirit… The one that saved me!” he exclaimed, his eyes widening. “But wait—those eyes... I'd know them anywhere…” He was spared from getting to his feet as Isabella kneeled just in front of him, and he placed his hands on her shoulders. 

“Isabella...is it really you?”

“Yes, Father,” said the young woman, her voice breaking. “I… I was that spirit. But you have nothing to repay… You saved my life, too…”

Irwin’s smile that he gave to Isabella was the one that she wished to see for so long; a father’s smile of the greatest joy possible. She found herself in a great hug with her father, and she began to cry gently in his arms. A few tears wetted her face, though she wiped them away hastily.

Irwin... You're back...

 You're back to your old self at last…

Irwin eventually ended the embrace with Isabella, and looked upward. The ceiling had begun to sparkle with a white light, glimmering down onto him.

“Eleanor…?” he said faintly.

Our daughter has freed you… 

Despair no longer holds you captive...

 You are free to join me after all these years…

“I am, my love... I am…” said Irwin softly.

“So… you aren’t staying?” said Isabella, though she wasn’t too surprised. “I hoped you might want to stay long enough to see El… I mean, Eleven… And, I just… well, I guess I only just met you, and it feels too early to say goodbye.”

Irwin put his hand on Isabella’s shoulder, and she looked into his eyes; they looked ever so similar to Eleven’s, though they were a dark brown.

“We may not be able to stay long in this form, but I promise you, we will be with you… always,” Irwin said. Isabella nodded slowly, allowing the knight to take his hand off of her shoulder. He closed his eyes peacefully, and his body began to turn into golden sparkles; those lights hovered higher and higher until they combined with the light shining down from the ceiling.

My dear Isabella... My darling girl…

Many hardships await you... Many trials lie ahead...

 But you must not stray from your path...

 You must not falter…

Let the light of hope...the light inside you...be your guide...

 And remember...we will always watch over you…

Farewell, my darling...

I love you...and your brother...so much...

“Goodbye, my little one... Goodbye, Irwin…” said Rab faintly, as the sparkling aura faded. “I hope both of you find peace at last…”

“The Luminary of Light is restored to us,” said Hendrik. “And all thanks to her honoured parents.”

“Guys, I hate to break the moment, but…” Sylvando gestured to Isabella, who was still rooted to the spot. Her hand reached out faintly to go over the spot that her father had been a moment before, though he was gone now.

“Honey, it’ll be alright,” said Sylvando soothingly. “Like your father said, they’ll always be watching you. It’s not like they’ve left, you just can’t see them anymore.”

Isabella nodded slowly, and stood a moment afterwards. When she turned around, it was obvious that she had been crying previously, but when she spoke her voice did not waver.

“Let’s go to Octagonia,” she said.

Sylvando raised an eyebrow. “The what?”

“It’s not too far away,” Isabella pointed out. “I think that we deserve a little break. We could make our way into Octagonia and have a short time of rest. It might be a little selfish on my part, but last time I used this magic I could barely walk for several days. Could we just stay there a couple days so that we can recover?”

“Sounds like a jolly good idea to me!” Rab said.

“A recovery plan is mandatory; you have my approval,” said Hendrik.

“Oh, yes, this is wonderful, darling!” exclaimed Sylvando. “Maybe on our way, you can tell us all about what happened when you vanished into that armour!”

“I most certainly will,” said Isabella. “You know that strange feeling you get when you’re falling…?”

Chapter Text

Isabella panted, Sylvando supporting Rab and Hendrik supporting her as they trekked up the steep hills to Octagonia. An hour ago, they had been fighting the monsters that crossed them on the trail; now the four of them were utterly exhausted, and prepared to get out of the way of any creature that threatened them. 

At last they made it to the top of the hills, catching sight of the grand domed city. Isabella sighed with relief as she realised the rest of the journey to their destination was downhill.

“Well, this isn’t turning out to be quite the recovery journey I intended,” huffed Isabella.

“Wotcher!” called a voice. Isabella looked up, and before her stood a man in a miner’s helmet. “You 'ere for a bit of R 'n' R like everyone else, eh?”

“Er, I suppose so,” said Sylvando awkwardly.

“It’s intended to be more of a rest,” Hendrik admitted.

“Seriously!? You ain't in Octagonia to let yer 'air down?” scoffed the man, his voice muffled by his helmet. “Why else would anyone come 'ere? Everyone's been miserable since it got all dark an' that, right? Well, this is where people come to forget all that 'orrible stuff. To 'ave a bit o' fun! I met this girl on the road, as it 'appens. She said she was 'eaded 'ere too. Cor, she was a looker… Dressed all funny, she was—one o' them martial artist types, ya know. I was 'opin' to see 'er 'ere, if I'm honest.”

“A beautiful martial artist, huh?” Sylvando said slyly. “You don’t think it could be…?”

“BRUV!” cried the masked man. He rushed over to a young man with a mop of dark brown hair on his head and a plaid red tunic covering him. “There 'e is! I thought 'e'd never show up! Well, it was nice talkin' to ya—maybe we'll bump into each other in town again, eh? You took yer time! Where've you been, you plonker! We've got fun to be 'avin'! Come on!”

The masked man began to run off, with his brother stumbling behind him.

“Octagonia... It has been a long time…” Hendrik said softly.

“It’s a good thing we’re headed there anyways,” said Isabella happily. “Come on! Who knows? That martial artist he was talking about could easily be someone we know.”

Isabella didn’t wait for a response as she rushed down the hill, though the others caught up with her quickly. She nearly tripped on her way up the front steps to the gate, and she pushed open the doors to Octagonia. When she did this, however, her face fell. 

Instead of the golden Hendrik statue glistening just in front of the main contest hall, there was a horrible statue of a fat beast with three eyes. It was grinning widely, but the creature was most certainly not displaying happiness, but greed. The bustling of townspeople had all but vanished from the overall sounds of Octagonia, giving it an eerie feel.

“Didn't this place used to be...funner-looking?” Sylvando pointed out. “Ugh! And what's with that ugly, ugly statue? So tacky…”

“Welcome to Octagonia!”

Another strange voice greeted the party, but this time it was no man in a miner’s helmet; it was a monster, a dragon-like creature that walked on two legs. Isabella immediately drew her sword, her friends following suit.

“A monster! Be on your guard!” Hendrik ordered.

“Oh, come now, there's no need for all that!” said the dragon soothingly, causing Isabella to falter. “You're in the new Octagonia now! There's no fighting here any more—only fun! All those tournaments they used to host—so uncivilised! The arena's a casino now thanks to Booga, best and most beautiful of the Spectral Sentinels! Why don't you step inside and chance your arm? It's just upstairs. Who knows—it might be your lucky day! Especially you…” The monster had its eyes completely focused on Isabella. “Yes…”

“Um… okay…” stammered Isabella, sheathing her weapon slowly as the monster turned around and left them.

“A casino run by monsters, eh?” said Rab suspiciously. “It all sounds a wee bit fishy to me. Still, we'd better go and take a look—Jade might be inside.”

“What was that the monster said about Isabella, eh?” Sylvando said nervously. “Honey, you might want to stick close to us…”

Isabella nodded, and walked very close to Sylvando and Hendrik as they entered the casino on the right side of the town. In front of the door to recieve them was a succubat dressed in puffs of pink, fluttering about happily. Isabella found this strange, but what was even stranger was what she saw when they entered the casino.

There were succubats left and right, every single one dressed in the same pink outfit. They were behind desks, actually handing out tokens to monsters so that they could play the games. It was awfully surprising to see so many pleasant monsters everywhere; Isabella, however, found it more creepy than pleasant, and wished more than anything to leave if they didn’t know that Jade was there. Gradually she realised that a succubat was approaching them with a wide, wide grin on its face.

“Ooh! We don't get many of your kind here!” giggled the monster. “Well, don't worry—we'll look after you. If you'll just follow me…”

The party looked at one another, but eventually decided to follow the creature behind several token machines and up a twisting stairway; they ended up in a room that looked awfully like a stage with red carpet. At the edges of the room were discarded roulette tables and piles of tokens that no one had received.

“Yoo-hoo! I've got some humans for ya!” cheered the succubat towards the end of the room. All they could see at the end was a shadow coming from a very dark room.

“Hm hm. More lambs to the slaughter, eh?”

Gradually, the person allowed themself into the light. They stepped forwards with a loud click, clack before the sound of their heels was muffled by the carpet. Their legs were covered with fishnet stockings, showing off a great deal of skin. They wore a swimsuit-like top of pitch-black fabric, embroidered with golden lace at the edges, similar to the golden bands she wore on her wrists. From their head streamed a long, sleek black ponytail; on the top of their head they were a set of black bunny ears. Their entire face looked as if it was dusted with coal, and the beauty that Isabella had seen at their first meeting was destroyed.

“C-Can it really be...!?” stammered Hendrik. “Princess!”

“Hendrik!” she snapped coldly. “What's a man as dull as you doing in a place as lively as this, hm? I suppose even fine, upstanding knights of the realm need a cheap thrill every now and again, eh? Well...are you ready to play?”

Hendrik blanched. “B-B... Y—! I…”

“What's the matter Henny-Wenny?” teased Jade. “Cat got your tongue? Is the King's little lapdog scared of a bit of fun? I've been pining for a puppy, as it happens. Maybe I'll choose you...if you sit up and beg like a good boy.”

“Jade! Listen to yerself, lassie!” cried Rab. “What's happened to ye!? Stop all this nonsense and come with us, will ye? In case ye've forgotten, Mordegon's still out there! We need ye!”

“Oh be quiet, you doddery old fool! You're ruining the mood!” hissed Jade. “ ‘Waaah! Mordegon's still out there!’ Well, he can stay out there, for all I care! I'm Booga's now! He's the only one that matters to me! My heart, my soul, my body—they're all his!” she gushed, throwing her arms up into the air. “Why in the world would I want to join your band of do-gooders? I'm happy here! Happy, for the first time in my life!”

“You are a princess of Heliodor! You will behave like one!” ordered Hendrik. “This den of iniquity is no place for a lady! You are coming with us!”

The knight thrust his hand forward to take Jade’s arm and escort her out of that terrible place, but Jade immediately dove out of the way of his grip and kicked him in the chest. Hendrik fell backwards, stumbling to his feet.

“I'm going nowhere. And you can keep your hands to yourself,” Jade hissed. “What would you know about ladies, anyway? Hm! Tell you what, why don't I give you a crash course—my foot crashing into your face!”

Jade immediately lunged forward, throwing herself onto Hendrik. The knight didn’t have time to dodge away from her, and he was forced to throw Jade off of him himself. Isabella quickly cast a healing spell on him as Jade recovered her footing.

Standing in the middle of the area, Jade suddenly dropped her fiendish act. She smiled coyly and began to point out her curves, twirl her hair, and giggle seductively. To Isabella’s dismay, Hendrik and Rab set out great sighs of happiness as they watched her. Before Isabella had time to understand what was going on, Hendrik’s axe swung right by her face.

“Oi! Snap out of it!” cried Isabella. “What’s wrong with you two?! Sylvando?!”

Thankfully, Sylvando hadn’t fallen under the strange spell that Jade had cast, and he began to fight sword against fists with Jade. With the martial artist busy, Isabella could more easily dodge the two hypnotised party members. She ducked out of the way of Hendrik’s axe and shone some of her light to dispel the darkness spell that Rab had cast on her.

“Will you two stop it!” she exclaimed, slamming her sword and her shield together. Suddenly, Rab shook his head and blinked; he had stopped casting spells on Isabella, and in a moment he regained his bearings and smacked Hendrik upside the head with his staff. Thankfully, this snapped Hendrik out of it too, but it left his head rather sore.

By now, Sylvando was getting exhausted by trying to dodge or block every one of Jade’s blows; he hadn’t managed to land a hit himself. When Jade knocked his shield from his hand, she cackled evilly as she prepared to kick him; she was thrown back, however, when Isabella and Rab simultaneously cast ice spells at her.

The ice pierced through her stockings and through her flesh, but this only seemed to make her angrier. Jade lunged for Isabella, successfully knocking her down and pinning her to the ground. Isabella struggled as the martial artist raised her fist and punched the young woman straight in the face, but she only managed a single blow before Hendrik grabbed her arm and thrust her off Isabella.

Though Hendrik seemed hesitant to do so, he grabbed Jade by the scruff of the neck and threw her across the area. She slammed against the far wall, falling to the ground painfully.

“Ugh... Owww…” huffed Jade, trying and failing to regain her footing.

“Come on now, lassie, that's enough foolishness,” scolded Rab. “Come along with us, will ye?”

“Oh dear. Well, isn't this awkward? You appear to have knobbled my number one croupier!”

Out of nowhere, a monster landed on the centre of the area, throwing back Rab in the surprise of his entrance. Isabella quickly rushed over and helped him to his feet, occasionally wiping her bloody nose.

The monster glanced over the four of them with his three beady red eyes. His long yellow fangs were twisted into a disgusting smile, and at that moment Isabella realised who this creature was.

“You’re the monster in charge of this entire spectacle, are you not?” Isabella exclaimed.

“Ohh, indeed, I am, little one!” he gushed. “Let me introduce myself: I am Booga, Spectral Sentinel, breaker of hearts, smasher of heads! Though for you, I may be a little more merciful… You aren’t as beautiful as my precious Jade, but you’re still quite a lovely specimen… Yes…”

At last, Booga turned to see Jade lying on the ground, groaning.

“Oh, Jade! My pretty little kitty cat!” he exclaimed in a disgusting, sappy voice. “Look what the nasty people did to you! King Booga will punish them, you'll see!”

“Step away from the Princess, fiend! She is coming with us!” snapped Hendrik.

“You've come to steal away my pretty, have you?” sneered the creature. “No, no, no! That just won't do! Not after I went to all the trouble of putting her under my spell! Do you think it was easy turning such a lovely girl into a horrible monster?”

Isabella gasped. “You can turn humans into monsters? D-Does that mean...? All the others, are they...?”

Booga chuckled. “Ahh ha ha ha! Of course! Jade wasn't my first, you know—all my lovely girls used to be human! And the boys too! There's nothing like making a monster out of a smug human who thinks they've beaten the house! That soon wipes the smile off their faces, let me tell you!”

“Now listen here, you—Jade's coming with us!” Rab ordered. “Ye'll be using her for no more of yer nefarious nonsense!”

“Oh dear. I'm afraid my casino has a zero-tolerance policy towards troublemakers,” said Booga with a smirk. “I’ll give you one final chance that you may leave with your lives. Give me the girl, and leave my kitty cat alone, would you?”

“Never!” exclaimed Sylvando.

Booga sighed, though he seemed rather satisfied with their answer. “Very well,” he growled. “I would throw you out...but I'd rather crush you to a pulp!”

The monster threw a ball into the air, which quickly began to circle him along with several other dull-coloured balls. Around his neck, however, was a shinier ball. Isabella narrowed her eyes at the brightest one, until she realised it was bright green and radiating the same energy as…

“The orb!” she exclaimed, pointing to Booga.

“Aww, you like it?” Booga said smoothly. “Of course I’d let you have it… if you’d be willing to stay here with me…”

“Never!” exclaimed Rab, shooting ice from the tip of his staff. Booga dodged effortlessly, returning the favour with a massive fireball spell. Isabella and Rab quickly began to cast another ice spell, overpowering the flames and allowing the water to crash down on all of them. Isabella stumbled, still winded from her fight with Jade. The stumble forced her to drop her sword, and she gasped in fear as it skidded across the smooth floor.

Hendrik quickly came to Isabella’s side, and Sylvando rushed forward to deal with Booga up close and personal. The jester managed to dodge several of the creature’s claw swipes, but he only managed to scratch his leathery skin before the monster threw him off with a cackle.

“My pretty Jade had quite an effect on you,” laughed the monster, coming towards Isabella and Hendrik. “Too exhausted to fight when the real master comes to take over… Out of the way, fool.”

Booga slashed at Hendrik, which he quickly blocked but with great effort. Isabella’s eyes widened with fear as the creature cast a wind spell, making the young woman lose her footing. She hoped that Hendrik would be able to help her, but Booga’s spheres that circled him had slammed against the knight, knocking him aside for the time being. Isabella hit the wall, groaning, as Booga approached her.

The monster wasn’t able to take her, however; Rab had put on his claws and was lunging for Booga’s exposed back. The creature was faster, and he dodged out of the way, forcing Rab to tumble downwards and he was sent sprawling.

“When do you humans learn to give up?” hissed Booga, backing Isabella against the wall. “I always get what I want.”

Isabella huffed, attempting to get away from the greasy hand that reached for her, but there was no way of escape. She felt the massive palm close around her waist as Booga lifted her off the ground, inspecting her. Isabella struggled, but the effort was useless. It was almost the same as it had been back at Yggdrasil, helpless in the hands of the enemy; Booga lifted his finger, preparing to cast the spell on her that would turn her into a monster…

Suddenly, Booga’s eyes all opened wide, and he let out a loud cry, dropping Isabella onto the ground. The young woman crawled away from him in an instant, pulling herself up on a beam to see what had happened.

A greatsword, now shimmering with monster blood, was drawn quickly out of Booga’s stomach. The young man sheathed his sword, not even looking at the creature he had slain; at length, he turned around, his arms crossed and his face murderous.

“Never,” he ordered, “touch my sister.”

“Eleven!” exclaimed Isabella, tears joining with the blood from her nose. Though she limped slightly, she rushed over to Eleven as fast as she could; his arms were wide open. He, too, ran to his twin sister, grabbing her waist and spinning her around. Isabella ventured to laugh at this, until Eleven put her down and embraced her tightly. She was surprised to feel wetness coming from his face as he squeezed her to his chest.

“El… El, are you crying?” Isabella gulped.

Eleven didn’t respond; he could only hold his sister tighter.

“I… I missed you, Izzy,” sniffed Eleven, finally letting her go but leaving his hands on her shoulders. His face was indeed streaked by tears; something that Isabella had never seen before in the seventeen years she had known her brother. He had never sobbed in front of her, never allowed himself to be portrayed as weak; now, however, he didn’t seem to care.

“I missed you, too, El,” Isabella said. Eleven wiped his thumb across her face, mopping up some of the blood and tears that soaked her skin. Suddenly, however, he gasped and lifted his hand. The mark on his left hand shone brightly, the light glowing all around them. They closed their eyes, the siblings holding onto each other until the light died down. Eleven examined his hand, a thoughtful expression on his face. Suddenly, however, his face lit up almost as brightly as his mark, and he held it in the air triumphantly.

“My Luminary magic is BACK!” he exclaimed, clenching his hand into a fist.

“Grurrrgh…!” moaned Booga. “I don't feel...right... My spell... No! It's...weakening...!”

To the monster’s dismay, all of the succubats that flew around at the edges of the room began to shimmer; when the light faded, the monsters were no more. People stood in the stead of the creatures, looking around in confusion as they looked at their own hands once again.

“Wh-Where am I...?”

Jade shook her head slowly, getting up shakily on her arms. When she showed her face, there was no trace of the coal-dusted profile, but her own.

“Hendrik...? All of you…” she said slowly. “What... What's going on?”

“Owww... It... It hurts…” sobbed Booga, clutching his stomach wound. “It's not fair... The house always wins...doesn't it? I am… Booga, brightest and most beautiful of the Spectral… Sentinels!”

“You!” hissed Jade. Though she still looked a little shaky, she hurriedly got to her feet and stood before him. “Booga...? Yes... Now I remember. I remember everything, in fact! Have your wicked way with me, would you?”

Jade’s face became livid with anger, and a darkness surrounded her. When it dissipated, the devilish form of her had returned, though she didn’t seem to be under Booga’s control any longer.

“Allow me to return the favour—with interest!”

Eleven covered Isabella’s eyes as Booga screamed; the Luminary of Power only let his sister see again when Booga’s body had turned into purple mist. When he was gone, too, the darkness surrounded Jade again, leaving her her usual self when it was gone. With the mists dissipated, the only figures left on the scene were Jade and an unscathed green sphere. Rab proceeded to scoop it up, handing it to Isabella.

“It’s good to have ye back, laddie,” he said softly to his grandson as Isabella placed the orb back into her bag—back where it belonged. Eleven nodded, biting his bottom lip with a smile as more tears threatened to spring from his eyes.

“Princess... You... Your…” stammered Hendrik, giving Eleven a reason to shift the conversation away from his unstable state.

“Looks like there's still a little of the old monster in me,” shrugged Jade. “Something tells me it's going to come in handy!” Her grin faded, and Jade sighed. “I'm so sorry. You must have been so worried about me.”

“Ach, dinnae give it a second thought, lassie,” smiled Rab. “Ye're safe and sound now, that's the important thing.”

Hendrik shuffled uncomfortably, finally approaching Jade with his eyes to the ground. “Princess... My behaviour was...unforgivable…” he said. “I do not ask for forgiveness. I ask only that you understand that all I do, I do that the Lord of Shadows might be defeated…”

Jade scoffed. “What kind of way to say hello is that, Henny-Wenny? Less of the knightly nonsense, or I'll have to spank you!”

Hendrik gasped as Jade came up to his face, their mouths nearly touching; the knight backed away nervously, his face a bright red. 

“Oh, I'm only joking! Hee hee!” she chuckled. “Thanks for always being there, Hendrik. I mean that.”

Jade turned to Isabella. “And as for you... Something's changed since I last saw you. You seem...tougher.”

“You’ve got that right!” smiled Eleven, clapping his sister on the shoulder as if they had never been separated. “If my little sis can survive this world, she can survive anything!”

“El!” exclaimed Isabella, rubbing her shoulder. “I didn’t make it here on my own. Queen Marina saved me, and sent me on the path to find Hendrik. Also, I am not that much younger than you, so stop acting like it!”

“I do believe we have the twins back,” chuckled Jade. Her eyes widened. “Ooh! That reminds me…”

The martial artist retreated into the dark room she had first emerged from, much to Hendrik’s discomfort. When she finally returned, she held a large harp in her arms, made of fine silver and embroidered with shimmering pink paint. 

“Lorelei’s harp!” exclaimed Isabella. “Where did you find it?”

“After Yggdrasil fell, I woke up drifting at sea,” Jade explained. “I suppose the water must have broken my fall. I quickly noticed that there was pressure on my foot, and I searched under the shallow waters to find this harp. It’s almost like the ocean gave it to me.”

“Mystical explanation or not, we’re glad to have you back, Jade,” Eleven smiled. “As well as the harp, if you insist.”

“Maybe one of those columns of light out at sea will open up some new horizons,” Sylvando pointed out. “Perhaps we could head on over to one and check it out!”

“Right, we've got more friends to find and an evil overlord to beat,” Jade said, putting her hands on her hips and assuming her usual personality. “Don't you think we'd better get going?”

“I should think not,” Hendrik said plainly. “We came into Octagonia so that the Luminary of Light may have rest, and that is what she is going to receive. I am sorry to disagree with you, Princess, but this is necessary.”

Jade nodded. “Of course,” she replied. “We’ll stay tonight, in the very least, and check on how you feel in the morning, Isabella.”

Isabella smiled. “Thank you,” she said. “Although I really do miss having Serena here to help…”

Eleven’s expression darkened, and he turned away from the rest of the party before they headed over to the inn to spend the night.

Chapter Text

Isabella awoke in a small one-person bedroom, quite sore and unnaturally stiff. She didn’t feel nearly as drained as she had the day before either mentally, physically, or magically. After carefully stepping out of bed, she slipped on a comfortable Octagonian garb. Eleven had gotten her the entire outfit; a red shirt, blue overalls, and tall brown boots. He hadn’t been acting like himself ever since they made it to the inn… 

The Luminary of Light continued to turn the thoughts over in her mind until they reached the Salty Stallion. Sylvando had gathered a small band of boys from Octagonia to help them load food supplies onto the ship. Once again, Eleven kept Isabella from working by lifting the heavy boxes, or any box she attempted to pick up, himself. On the one hand, it was sweet; on the other hand, it just wasn’t El.

Once they had loaded up everything and everyone, Sylvando began to steer them across the ocean, towards Sniflheim. A tall beam of light, similar to the one Nautica had been under, was shining from behind the peninsula of Sniflheim. Though Isabella longed to see Nautica, they had all agreed that inspecting Sniflheim would get them a step closer to finding their friends.

Isabella sat at the edge of the boat, swinging her legs over the edge carelessly. There were bars to keep her from falling, but they were spread apart enough that she was able to move her legs freely through the gaps. Even something like this seemed to put Eleven on edge, when he was usually the one being reckless.

“Hoo hoo! We've got the wind in our sails, darling!” beamed Sylvando. “Not long now till we're through the strait!”

Isabella jumped at a sudden clatter beneath them, precisely where the cargo bay was located. She looked down at the wooden floor suspiciously, turning her gaze upward to meet Sylvando’s concerned expression.

“I’ll check it out,” she said quickly, leaving before Eleven could notice that she had left. As she climbed down the ladder into the cargo bay, Isabella drew her sword just in case. There was indeed loud noises coming from one of their storage rooms, but the seas were calm; perhaps a monster had made it onto their ship? Isabella meandered down the short hallway, creaking the door to her right open.

She gasped sharply, her weapon clattering to the ground.

The room was filled with their wooden boxes, though they were now strewn across the floor with the contents spilled out of them. The shelves that had been neatly packed with boxes were now nearly empty, and the one at the end of the room was right in front of the thief, guzzling an apple like a pig. He froze at the sound of Isabella’s gasp, turning around with fear in his light blue eyes.

Erik! That was all she needed to say. Isabella only needed to gaze into his blue eyes and tell him how much she missed him. He seemed to feel as shocked as her, though he didn’t hold his silence.

“I... I... I'm sorry!” he exclaimed, holding his head in his hands. “I hadn't eaten anything for three days, and I saw you loading this boat with food, and... And I just couldn't help myself…”

“Erik, what are you talking about?” chuckled Isabella. “I can’t believe you didn’t recognize us! Please, eat anything you want! I can’t wait to tell the others that you’re back!”

Her eyes shone with happiness, but the light faded as she continued to look at Erik. He showed no joy, none of his former personality, and his voice was somehow… higher?

“Erik… You’re okay, right?” Isabella said worriedly, reaching over the mess of boxes to help him up. The thief’s eyes widened, and he hurriedly stumbled away from her hand.

“You... You said ‘Erik’, right?” he stammered, using the wall to stand. “I, I'm pretty sure that's my name, but…” He narrowed his eyes at her, but his thoughts didn’t seem to get him anywhere. 

“Do I...know you or something?”

Before Isabella could respond, footsteps thundered down the stairs into the cargo bay. She turned around, seeing Eleven in front of the rest of the group, his greatsword drawn.

“Is everything alright in here?” he gasped, catching his breath for a moment. “I brought the whole gang just in ca—” Eleven froze, his eyes widening. He finally managed to grin as Erik backed against the far wall.

“Something’s wrong with him,” Isabella said worriedly. “He doesn’t recognise me at all…”

“Don't ye remember us, laddie?” Rab asked, his voice gentle. “Yer auld partners in crime?”

Erik sighed deeply. “I... I'm sorry. I don't remember anything. I woke up, and everything was dark, and...I had no idea who I was. Or where… I remember my name, and I know there's something important I have to do, but apart from that…” 

The thief narrowed his eyes. “Something about this person… A person I was with before… I couldn’t wait to get back to them. But I can’t figure out who that person was… Look, I know I have no right to ask you this, but...could I tag along with you guys for a while? If you know who I am, it might help me to remember something. I promise I'll pay you back for the food I took! I'll swab the decks, clean the dishes—anything!”

“Erik, please, anything but that,” begged Isabella. “Your new personality is starting to scare me. Of course you’re welcome here, but just… Oh, I don’t know… Be yourself, and just hang out.”

“Thank you so much!” exclaimed Erik. “I promise I won't get in your way! You won't regret this!”

Isabella bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. The party exited the room, Erik now joining them with a strange look on his face. She had never before seen him so genuinely happy… 

“Hm! He's lost his memory and gained some manners!” laughed Sylvando. “I wish Veronica were here to see this—she'd die!”

Isabella laughed faintly, keeping a faux grin until the others went above deck. When the others had left, she found herself flopping on the floorboards and turning over the events from before over and over in her mind. She knew in the back of her mind that he could get his memory back, but even so it caused her to worry. She sighed deeply, shaking her head as she rose. The moment she stood, however, Eleven came down the stairs, again with his sword raised.

“El,” Isabella snapped, raising an eyebrow. “I just sighed. I’m not being tortured.”

“Well, I know that now,” Eleven hissed. “Now that I can see you and know where you are I can be sure all the time that you’re fine! I don’t want to be guilt ridden for the rest of my life knowing that I could’ve saved someone. I already know that I can’t save some…”

Eleven looked down at his hands, which had begun to shake in his rage. His magic even caused them to turn red. He looked from his shaking hands to his sister, whose eyes were wide with terror and brimming with tears. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was Isabella who uttered the first words.

“We’re all upset about this whole situation,” Isabella said soothingly. “Especially me and you… El, I agree with every word you’ve said to me. But what’s done is done. We can’t change the past; we can only look to the future. Those that fell during the Fall of Yggdrasil… It is normal and right to mourn, but doing so obsessively is unhealthy.”

Eleven sighed deeply, his hands shining with a new green light. “I understand that, but… I could’ve done something,” he said, his voice shaking. “I’m the Luminary of Power. But up there, up at Yggdrasil, there was nothing I could do to save you, the party, the people of Erdrea, the twins…” He choked, snapping his mouth shut.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Isabella said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Veronica, as well.”

“I hate feeling so helpless. ”

“I do too,” Isabella said. “I mean, we finally found Erik but he doesn’t even recognize me. That hurts a little, you know.”

Eleven smiled, brushing away a single tear that attempted to escape from his eye. “Well, just like we’ll find a way to restore Erik’s memory, we’ll find a way to make sure everyone comes out of this safely. We’ll do it right this time.”

“Together!” they said together, chuckling at their synchronised comment. The two of them returned to the top deck, coming up to see the strange sight of Erik on his hands and knees, scrubbing the deck with a smile on his face even as they entered the colder region of Sniflheim. Sylvando looked down at him from the steering wheel in utter disbelief, checking back every few minutes to see if he really was still doing it.

The group wandered around the deck for a while, Hendrik standing on the sidelines looking quite green, until Isabella noticed Jade at a high vantage point, gazing forward with a worried expression. Isabella wasted no time in finding the rope net and climbing it, reaching Jade’s height while hanging onto a thick strand of rope and propping her foot against the tall wooden pillar for balance, though the rest of her was free to sway lightly in the breeze.

“Do you see that, up ahead?” Jade yelled over the blizzard that had suddenly come.

“I think so,” Isabella responded, narrowing her eyes to the horizon. She picked out an oddity from the flakes of snow that were falling onto the ship and the snowy white hills of the Sniflheim region. The white was occasionally broken up by dark brown cliff faces or deep blue lakes, but Isabella could see yellow. A lot of yellow.

“What in the world…?” she murmured. The collection of the strange yellow substance was just ahead, though it was difficult to tell what it was with the snow blinding her. Suddenly, Jade gasped and yelled, “That’s solid gold! We’re heading right for it!”

“Sylvando, steer sharp left!” exclaimed Isabella, sliding down the pillar. She hit the ground running, immediately coming up to help her brother steer the sails in the right way. The Salty Stallion creaked and moaned in protest to the sudden change in direction, but it submitted to the will of the crew eventually. They narrowly passed the golden cliff face, regarding it with confusion as they continued around the area.

“Welp, that ends any hopes we had of takin’ a pit stop at Sniflheim,” huffed Rab, rubbing his arms in an attempt to keep warm. “Blimey! I’m beginnin’ to wonder if we should turn back…”

“There’s no turning back at this point, I’m afraid,” said Sylvando nervously. “We’re deep into the Sniflheim Seas, so unless you want to wait another few hours turning around and going back…”

“We’re not too far away from the pillar of light,” said Eleven, his voice strong even over the blizzard. “We’ll continue on there. Those who find themselves cold, retreat below deck. We’ll need a few volunteers to stay up to handle the pulleys and, of course, Sylvando will have to steer the ship.”

“I’ll stay!” Erik said eagerly. His grin faded, however. “A-Actually, I’m not quite sure what to do…”

“I’ll show you where to go below deck,” Isabella said quickly. “You know, to the area with the others. Perhaps they can help you recover your memory?”

Eleven nodded, turning around to start telling Jade and Hendrik to help him with something. Isabella gestured for Erik to follow her as she opened the door underneath the raised area that held the steering wheel. He entered, albeit nervously, following the others down into the main area below deck. There was a card table bolted to the ground, and Rab had begun to set up a solitary game for himself. He glanced at Erik for a moment, a welcoming grin on his face, but the thief just looked to the floorboards.

“Well,” said Isabella, shifting awkwardly. “I hope the two of you enjoy each other’s company. And I guess I will… be going back up to help Eleven.” The young woman turned around sharply, but it was at that moment that she felt her magical energy tap out. 

Pain flew across her body like lightning. Had she really been straining herself that much? She had been sure that she had enough magic power to keep down the pains from when Booga and Jade had fought with her and the others. Perhaps it was the show of light power from the Gloomnivore that had left her in such a terrible magical state… Regardless of the circumstances, Isabella knew that now she had nothing left to go to.

Isabella fell to the ground on her hands and knees, breathing heavily as seasickness suddenly struck her. The pain in her sides, arms, and legs became acute, and her head spun madly. 

Make it stop, she begged in her mind. Surprisingly, the moment she thought those words, the pain stopped—for the most part. Isabella carefully eased herself to her feet, using the wooden walls for balance. She turned around to see Rab’s hands outstretched, green magic flowing from them and into her. She cringed as she saw his face.

“Yer not goin’ up to assist yer brother on my watch!” exclaimed Rab. “Get onto yer bunk and rest, for the goddess’ sake!”

Isabella flushed. “Rab,” she said nervously, backing against the wall. “I have to help the others somehow. I can’t just stay down here and…” She sighed. “Well, I suppose… I can’t help them in this state.”

“That’s right,” said Rab soothingly. “I’ll grab ye some medicinal leaves for yer wounds. Erik, lad, can ye help her to the bunks?”

Erik nodded. “Of course!”

Rab smiled, climbing up the stairs and back onto the deck for the time being. Erik immediately turned around, searching the hallway for where the bunk room could be. He quickly found their destination, and held his arm out to escort Isabella. The young woman eyed it nervously, but took it nevertheless. She was surprised with the confidence that he showed on the way over, leading her like a gentleman all the way into the bunk room.

“I wasn’t expecting you to do that, but thank you,” Isabella said slowly, attempting to not be offensive as she settled onto the edge of one of the bunks. 

“Isn’t that what men do for ladies?” Erik said nervously, stepping away.

“It… kind of,” Isabella responded. “You’ve never done that for me for as long as I’ve known you. You were usually… a little stiff, now that I think about it.”

Erik flushed, scratching the back of his neck as he avoided her eyes. “I don’t really know… It just sort of felt like the right thing to do in the moment.” He paused. “If I’m being completely honest… Even though I don’t remember knowing you until today, you specifically have had a strange affect on me and my memories…”

Isabella chuckled. “Oh, stop it. You’re wierding me out. The Erik I knew would never have said ‘if I’m being completely honest’ under those circumstances.”

“I don’t really sound like a very nice person,” Erik said, cringing.

“No, it’s not like that at all,” Isabella said quickly. “I… Well, I suppose it’ll only make sense when you get your memory back.”

“ ‘When’? Don’t you mean ‘if’?”

“Not at all,” Isabella said confidently, lying down and pulling the thin blanket onto herself. “You’ll be yourself in no time… but until then, I’m willing to wait.”

Chapter Text

Isabella awoke a few hours later, a little disoriented from sleeping during the day at sea. The small window at the end of the room showed the water; it was too foggy to see very far, and the little area that she could see was completely free of aquatic life. The young woman rubbed her eyes slowly, throwing off the blanket and exposing herself to the air around her. She was immediately shocked by how cold it was, and she drew the blanket around herself as her teeth began to chatter. 

The Luminary of Light scrambled out of bed, scrambling towards the bureau at the end of the room. She continued to shiver even as she pulled out a slightly oversized leather coat and tied straps across the middle to trap all the warm air that she could. She huffed, her breath clouding slightly before her as she made her way out of the room. She began to use her magic power, now fully charged, on soothing her freezing hands and face as well as her still sore body. It wasn’t nearly as much as she had been using earlier, however.

Isabella walked down the hallway and up the wooden stairs, opening the door to the freezing air. Sylvando was just above her, squinting so that he could still see against the blizzard. His jet-black hair was speckled with white, and he had finally taken to wearing gloves to handle the frozen steering wheel.

“How close are we, Sylv?” Isabella shouted, her voice just barely carrying over the wind. 

“The light is all I can see at this point, darling,” Sylvando said, never taking the time to look towards her. “Be a dear and fetch that lovely harp, would you?”

Before Isabella could nod, the boat was suddenly shaken with a harsh blow on the underside. The young woman yelped, holding onto a wooden beam for support. The rest of the crew, already above deck, looked around quickly for the source of whatever had hit them. 

“Jade!” Eleven shouted, his eyes widening in terror. The martial artist barely had the time to react before a massive black fist was hovering above her, attached to a slimy, scaly arm. Jade gasped, looking left and right for an escape as it forcefully came down to slam her into the boat. She covered her face; the blow never came, however. She looked up and, to her surprise, saw Hendrik holding the claw of the beast away with just his shield. He grunted under the effort, but finally shoved the hand off and back into the waters.

Everyone had readied their weapons at this point, Isabella pointing her platinum sword forward. She also brandished her magic shield, though she knew that it wouldn’t do much against the power she suspected they were facing.

“There it is again... Mmm... The sweet aroma of fresh flesh…” The horrible voice of the deep came back to the party, rumbling through their ears. The freezing water before them churned and bubbled, finally splashing apart to reveal the giant reptilian monster that some of the party had seen before. It stared down at them with its shiny red eyes, glowing almost hypnotically.

“Gragh hah hah!” it cackled with a mouth full of too many teeth. “Who dares to enter my realm?” Its terrible eyes searched the crew, acknowledging each and every one of them; they paused for a long time on Isabella however, and its many-toothed smile returned, making the young woman feel sick.

“...Hm? So, we meet again, worm,” he said. “You were lucky to slip the hook when last we met. You will not be so fortunate this time! In the name of my lord and master, I shall send your broken bodies to the bottom of the ocean!”

“Again the beast returns to us,” growled Hendrik.

“Well this isnae looking good,” Rab murmured, leaning on his staff. “If Pearly Gates cannae do the trick, I don't very well know what can…”

“M-My hand!”

Eleven’s voice, quiet though it was, caused everyone to look at him. He beamed as he held up his left hand, Luminary mark shining brightly. A surprised noise from his right alerted him that Isabella, too, had her mark shining. They looked at each other in awe, but the awe quickly turned to determination. They nodded silently, turning back to the creature.

Eleven threw his left hand into the air at the exact same moment as Isabella raised her right. They both closed their eyes in concentration, giving Alizarin a reason to strike them while their guard was down. It readied a massive blow with its hand once more, but something made it stop. The creature turned its red eyes to the sky, and suddenly widened them in fear.

A storm cloud was just above it, black aside from the golden Luminary mark that shone brilliantly throughout. Eleven smirked, channelling his magic to make the cloud erupt with lightning. The lightning didn’t immediately strike Alizarin, however; a huge golden sword sliced through the cloud, powering it with both light and electricity. At the exact same moment, Isabella and Eleven both pushed their hands down, forcing the might of their Quadraslash upon Alizarin.

Suddenly, a translucent red bubble formed around the creature. It looked solid, but moved around with Alizarin, protecting him from any blows. When the lightning blade came down and struck him from above, the shield shone brightly, trying to hold back against the Luminary magic, but cracks began to form. Isabella and Eleven both strained, and Isabella fell to her knees. It was as if she was putting pressure on something solid before her despite there being only air before her. However, her hand suddenly jolted downward, the golden sword doing the same; Alizarin screamed as its shield shattered, and the Quadraslash blade was plunged into his head.

The thrashing caused by the supposedly almighty Alizarin shook the boat violently, but the party valiantly kept their footing—all but Erik. He stumbled backwards, nearly falling over the edge if it wasn’t for Sylvando’s aid. Even as the thief and the jester stood once more, Alizarin groaned before Isabella and Eleven standing triumphantly at the edge of the boat.

“Grrraaaaaargh! What was thaaat...!?” it cried. Its head leaked a red mist through a large cut through its scales.

“That's the stuff, you two!” exclaimed Rab. “Without that barrier, we should be able to land a blow or two! Right, you lot! Time to finally put a wee dent in our friend here!”

At the sound of Rab’s confidence, Alizarin straightened up, wounded though it was. 

“Grah hah hah hah! You worms really believe you can defeat the mighty Alizarin?” it cackled, readying itself once more. “You will sink without trace!”

Eleven shot forward, silent and agile with his greatsword at the ready. His eyes examined the skies, constantly ready to parry, as Alizarin smirked at the small glowing creature. Instead of going for physical hits, however, the monster breathed a massive fireball into the air and it came crashing down on the ship. Screams rang out across the deck, and Isabella flung her hands in front of her, cutting a rift in the fire so that it fell in waves around her. The heat did not cease after the fireball hit the ship, however; if anything, it became yet hotter. Flames began to roar across the deck, staining the pristine wood with an ashen black.

Erik immediately sprang into action, slapping any flames around him with his boot. Rab began to cast ice spells about the deck, bringing a yet stronger chill across those on board. Isabella subconsciously pulled a ball of fire from nearby, pulsing the warmth between her fingers that were already going numb. Her head shot up, catching notice of Alizarin’s fist aimed for her; Isabella smoothly spun around, taking fire from the deck and spraying it onto the creature’s scales. However, this didn’t seem to do too much; she was still forced to fall backwards, stumbling as she regained her footing.

Alizarin lurched forward, snapping at those closest to him with his massive jaws. Jade fell to the side, just barely out of the way, and Alizarin was unable to finish his bite as Hendrik’s shielding spell cast a bubble around Eleven. The Luminary of Power immediately struck back with a shimmering blade, sending the sentinel away once more.

Alizarin backed away a few paces, giving the party a moment of recovery as they stamped out the remaining flames and Isabella took the hand of a somewhat shaken Eleven. They watched expectantly as the huge creature heaved in a breath, defenses and mages at the ready for another bonfire. However, when the creature opened its horrifying mouth, a red mist sprayed across the deck. Isabella immediately thrust her hands forward, attempting to disperse the fog, but she didn’t seem to be able to reach it with her magic.

The fog grew, hissing across the deck and rising in the frosty air. Isabella exchanged a glance with Eleven, but in a matter of seconds, they could no longer see each other through the fog. Isabella gasped, clutching her brother’s hand tighter even as she held her shield out, straining for any sign of attack. A sudden scream made her heart sink, and Jade hit the deck somewhere behind them, groaning slightly.

Isabella suddenly released her brother’s hand, using both of her own in a large sweeping motion. Gusts of wind whooshed from her fingertips, though they did little to part the crimson mist. She strained, cringing against the magic use, as short tornadoes cleared a circle a little ways around her. Eleven was now clearly seen, and he suddenly thrust his greatsword in the air to parry a blast from the scaly monster, twirling the blade expertly as he counterattacked.

Another spell erupted from Isabella’s fingers, though it was smaller than the last few. However, the mist began to dissipate, the cuts within allowing it to fade into the cold nothingness. Sylvando glanced at her from across the deck, slowing and then stopping his own spells. They nodded at each other, then turned back to Alizarin just before it slammed its hands onto the deck.

Shouts were scattered across the deck, and Isabella fell to the side, slamming into a heavy stack of barrels. She sniffed, wiping blood away from her nose as she got a better grip on her sword and attempted to stand upright. Alizarin was leveling another blow at Jade, who was pushed up against a pillar, clutching her leg with clenched teeth. Isabella immediately thrust her hand forward, throwing a hasty Quadraslash towards the beast, knocking its hand a little to the side. Jade ducked, balling herself up so that the blow made her skid away and hit the guardrail relatively unharmed.

Eleven, Hendrik, and Rab were standing, panting, before Alizarin. However, the monster didn’t seem to be harmed. A few scratch marks were visible on the knuckles of its massive hands, but its eyes still blazed with full strength. Isabella cringed, casting a quick Crack onto the monster’s palm as it attempted to snatch her grandfather.

“Back up!” Eleven exclaimed, tugging on Rab’s cloak as Alizarin bashed the deck before them.

“You don’t happen to have enough in you for another one of those lightning blasts, do you?!” Isabella exclaimed, eyes darting defensively between her brother and the beast.

Eleven paused for a moment, glancing at his hand. However, he shook his head and parried another blow, grunting under the weight of it. “I’m not really sure how I managed that in the first place, so I doubt I’ll be able to replicate it.”

“Well, we can’t just keep throwing ourselves at him!” Isabella exclaimed, shrieking suddenly as the boat fell backwards, threatening to tip over as they stumbled once again. Isabella once again slammed into the back of the boat, the wind knocked out of her. She groaned, pulling her leg up with difficulty as Erik rushed over to her, his hands cupped together. She blinked, and suddenly he was shoving the contents of his hands into her mouth. She coughed, gagging against the bitter taste, when she suddenly noticed her leg felt much better.

“Thanks,” she said hurriedly, scrambling to her feet.

“Lord Robert!” Hendrik ordered. “Retreat to care for Princess Jade. We’ll finish this.”

“Wait!” Eleven called back. “Rab, you need to stay. Erik, you take Jade below deck. I have an ide—aagh!” he exclaimed, ducking away from another huge fireball. “GO!” he concluded, slapping flames off of his clothing.

Hendrik and Eleven were still dodging and blocking Alizarin’s blows, and Alizarin bowed its head just before casting a strong wind spell, forming small tornados across the deck. Isabella fought her way through them using her magic when she suddenly noticed something on Alizarin’s head. A silvery spot was somewhat visible at the top of Alizarin’s head, leaking a strange substance. It took until the beast sprayed them with crimson mist for Isabella to suddenly realize that the liquid was blood.

“Rab! Cast your spell!” she exclaimed, rushing blindly through the mist with her shield forward. Her knees buckled as Alizarin’s tail slammed into her shield, and she fell to the ground to allow it to pass over her. As she heaved herself back onto her feet, she noticed the shimmering green glyphs appearing on the deck of the boat. She followed the light, coming to a stop next to the barely visible hands of her grandfather.

As the mist began to clear, Rab readied himself. He waited, narrowing his eyes until Alizarin bowed his head again, and then cast Pearly Gates directly into the wound. The magic streaked towards it, forming the cross symbol as it approached the unguarded flesh. Though the beast attempted to raise its head, suddenly panicked, the spell was faster than his reflexes.

Alizarin screamed, spraying water all across the boat and drenching everyone completely. The fires went out in a hurry, and snow and ash alike were thrown overboard, dying the water with whites and blacks. Together they formed a silver that leaked slowly from Alizarin’s barely conscious body.

“Grrraaaaaargh!” it cried, coughing. “B-But how...!? How could the mighty Alizarin...be defeated...!?” Its hypnotic red eyes attempted to focus on Eleven and Isabella. “W-Wait... That... That lightning… that magic… you summoned… C-Could it be...!? Could you be...the Luminaries!?”

Its eyes turned to the sky even as they faded. “L-Lord Mordegon!” it screamed. “Hear me! The Luminaries! They have... They have returned!” Alizarin flopped down into the ocean, spraying one last giant wave at them all before it sank down into the depths. Isabella spat wet strands of hair from her mouth, wiping off her face before she noticed the glittering object before her. She smirked, scooping up the red orb easily and adding it to her collection.

“Is everyone alright?” Eleven said quickly, sheathing his greatsword and paying no heed to the sinking corpse of the monster. “Izzy, Rab, Sylvando, Hendrik, and Jade and Erik should be below deck.”

“Cannae have anyone falling off the boat this time,” Rab said, half-joking but also somewhat nervously. Eleven turned to him sharply, but Rab paid no heed as he retreated below deck to check on Jade, alongside Hendrik.

Eleven groaned, rolling his shoulder in its socket. “I think I might have dislocated this thing a dozen times,” he said with annoyance, cringing as he tried to stretch his arms out. “You don’t happen to have any magic that heals that kind of thing, do you?”

Isabella shrugged. “Serena’s the expert, really. I only ever use it on myself for wounds like that. You may want to have Erik show you to the medicine storage; apparently he knows where that is.”

“Well, that was a fun near-death experience, huh, darlings?” Sylvando said, wringing out his somehow still curled locks.

Eleven rolled his eyes. “This happens five times a week now, you understand. Can’t make it a whole dramatic thing all the time.”

“Ah, but that’s what makes it fun, isn’t it?” Sylvando remarked, winking. The twins stared at him, then at each other as he blissfully went back to the steering wheel. At length, Eleven retreated into the barracks while Isabella followed Sylvando to the steering wheel, conjuring a small fireball to warm his hands now that they were soaking wet and even more cold than before.

Sylvando rubbed his hands near the flame for a moment, then placed them back on the wheel that Isabella had begun to thaw. Scarcely a minute passed before they heard Eleven tromping up the stairs, throwing a long blanket over the shoulders of Isabella and doing the same for Sylvando. 

“I also figured you’d need this,” Eleven said, drawing Isabella’s attention for a moment. He held out the silver and pink harp that Jade had returned to them. Isabella nodded, thanking him just before he left to continue to help the others. 

The ship creaked slightly as Sylvando brought it to a close hault, giving Isabella time to submerge the ship. They had made it inside the beam of light, and Isabella brought her hand up to strum the harp. Once again, when she began to strum the pearly white strings, the song came naturally. She felt tension in her fingers, she could feel them forcefully get out of their stiff positions to play the magical harp. 

Even as the melody continued, the waters around them began to splash upwards, though they weren’t wetting the boat. They rose higher and higher in uniform, forming a giant watery bubble all the way around the ship. Isabella felt her stomach drop as they began to go under the water, and she looked around for any source of life. Was there another Nautica down here? 

She didn’t catch sight of any mermaids all the way down, and gradually she noticed that she didn’t feel downward force; they were travelling to the side. Confused, Isabella lifted her fingers to the harp again, prepared to play if the bubble popped, or some other catastrophe occurred. Her emergency planning didn’t seem to be necessary, however; the bubble did pop, but only after they reached the surface once more. Isabella looked around, but all she could see other than the boat was rocks, rocks, and more rocks. 

“Honey, this isn’t the Great Sea,” said Sylvando, steering the ship gently to the side. “This is inland… but I don’t see any landmarks except for over there.”

Isabella looked up sharply, following where Sylvando was pointing. To the right of the massive wall of gold was a towering white palace with icy white peaks. Red bricks on the roofs of houses contrasted with the blue and white that surrounded the ship. Even the blinding blizzard gave way just enough that Isabella could recognise Sniflheim, and the unobstructed strait to the port.

Chapter Text

Isabella grasped the rope at the edge of the Salty Stallion, lowering herself with short kicks off from the charred wood of the boat. The docks were not frozen solid like they had been on her first visit, but something still wasn’t right. The so-called hustling and bustling around Sniflheim had been told to her many times, but even now she could not see it. Dying flames flickered from tall torches, outlining the dock eerily as the sun withdrew a little from its height. Isabella drew her sword as the rest of the party began to make their way down.

“This couldn’t possibly be Krystalinda again, could it?” Sylvando remarked, strutting down the dock. “She seemed to be a changed creature when we left her last, but with Mordegon’s return, who knows what could have happened to her…”

“I doubt it,” Eleven said. “Last time we were here, everything was frozen solid, even the fires. Besides, people have to be at least somewhat active to keep these flames going in a frozen wasteland like Sniflheim. At least this time, we can make it through the door.”

With everyone gathered, Sylvando and Hendrik took up the front of the group to push away the massive front doors of the city.

It was quiet, completely silent, all except for the soft winds of the dying blizzard. Houses had been boarded up, doors and windows, and not a peep came from them. The eerie silence was only made worse by a strange presence on all sides.

“Why is there… gold everywhere?” Jade demanded, limping her way over to a patch of golden grass. Even some of the snow around it had become the color of shining riches. However, it didn’t seem that anyone desired this treasure for themselves. Entire fence posts, flowers, signs, and other random patches of snow and grass were mysteriously warped into gold. 

“What's going on...?” Erik stammered, holding his head with his hand. “My heart's beating like crazy…”

“I’m rather nervous as well,” admitted Isabella, lighting a flame in her hand to cast a warm glow over the otherwise dreary and abandoned city. However, she glanced at Erik as she noticed his breathing get faster. His face was pale, eyes bulging out of their sockets from fear.

“Oh goodness,” Isabella remarked, quenching the fireball and immediately grabbing his hand. She began to breathe slowly, channeling healing magic through her arm and into his body. Erik whimpered, but didn’t struggle as they continued to meander through the curious city.

“S-Stop,” Erik stammered, finally releasing his fingers from Isabella’s. “I… I think you taking my hand just m-made it worse. Uh, thank you, though.”

Isabella bit her lip, unsure of what else she could do to help. The two walked in silence with the rest of the group until they came to a stop before the grand fountain. 

“The fall of Yggdrasil has changed everything—it's more than likely Sniflheim didn't escape unscathed,” Rab said solemnly. “Which is why I think we'd better check in on Queen Frysabel before we head off elsewhere. That alright with you?” Isabella nodded. “Right, we're away to the castle to see the Queen. While we're at it, why don't you lot take a look around town and make sure everything's okay?”

“We should split up,” Isabella said. “I’ll search this way and see if I can get inside this house—Erik, whatever is the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

Everyone turned to Erik, whose face had turned white with terror. He shook himself as he noticed that his behavior drew attention, rubbing his temples again.

“I-It's nothing, I'm fine,” Erik said slowly. “You want us to take a look around town, right? I... I'm all over it.”

“Don’t give me that,” Isabella said sternly. “On second thought, you’re in no state to be wandering around town on your own. Let’s go on to the throne room, and stay close to me.”

“I... I'm sorry... I don't mean to be a burden…” Erik mumbled shyly.

“Come on now laddie, this isn't like you,” Rab said. “Chin up, eh? A stroll to the castle'll do ye the power of good!”

Isabella gently grabbed Erik’s hand once more, and he shot her a look of confusion and surprise. He didn’t protest, however, but his hand remained limp in her grip as they walked up to the main gates of the castle. The Luminary of Light ignored the strange throbbing in her heart as they reached the doors. A soldier standing nearby gasped, catching sight of the party.

“It’s you!” he exclaimed. “Those heroes that saved Sniflheim! Please, the Queen is waiting inside. She will be ever so glad to see you. Hurry to her aid! Oh, and thank you.”

“The pleasure’s all ours, sir,” said Isabella with a slight smile, following the others up the steps and into the gates that drew open before them. The lush purple and golden carpet leading up to the throne room was packed with people the last time Isabella had been here; now the small rooms to the left and right were locked tight, and she could hear worried voices from the insides.

Isabella strolled up the steps quickly, though Erik kept her from moving too fast. They finally reached the top of the steps to see Queen Frysabel, pacing back and forth across her throne room in front of her two very concerned guards. The moment one of the guards saw the group, however, she tapped Frysabel on the shoulder.

“Cheer up, Yer Majesty!” Rab said soothingly. “What's got ye looking so glum?”

Frysabel’s face lit up. “Lord Rab! And your friends too!” she exclaimed. “I'm so happy to see you safe and well!”

“Aye, the feeling's very much mutual,” Rab smiled, though it faded quickly. “A lot's happened since last we met…”

Frysabel’s smile faded as well. “Indeed... Yggdrasil has fallen, the world has been covered in darkness, Gold Fever ravages my kingdom...but we survived. Some were not so lucky…”

“ ‘Gold Fever’? Is there a dastardly new disease to accompany all this tragedy?” Sylvando said in disbelief.

“There is…” Frysabel said. “It all began a few weeks ago, you see. This strange disease started to spread across Sniflheim… It affects people, animals—even plants. Anyone or anything that catches it turns entirely to gold.”

“To...gold...?” Erik choked on the words, and Isabella squeezed his hand gently, giving him a concerned look.

“We don't know what causes it, or how to cure it, so every one of my poor subjects lives in fear of being struck down next…” Frysabel ran a hand through her hair. “I tried to send for help, but every route out of the kingdom is blocked by great golden obstacles. We are completely cut off. My dear friend Krystalinda was studying the illness to try to find a cure, but in their panic, my people suspected her of spreading it instead. For her own safety, I was forced to lock her away in the dungeons. I have tried to tell my subjects she is innocent, but they simply will not listen. They are blinded by fear. This awful disease has turned my kingdom upside down…”

“How awful!” exclaimed Isabella. “Your Majesty, I promise you, we’ll help you get to the bottom of this with all the power we possess!”

“Oh, thank you!” Frysabel exclaimed with a warm smile. “You are always so very kind to me. I will let everybody in the city know that you are here to help, and that they must help you in turn. Take care, dear friends.”

Rab said goodbye to the Queen as they turned to leave, though Isabella was lost in thought. Erik seemed to share her same ideas, as he said them aloud…

“Gold...? Why gold...?”

The group came outside the palace, rather confused about the whole encounter. They chatted amongst themselves, until Isabella noticed an old lady strolling outside of her home. She was surprised at first to see another living, breathing human in the outdoors, but she quickly regained her composure.

“Hello, madam,” she said politely. “Would you happen to have a minute to talk to us? We'd like to ask you a few questions.”

The woman scoffed rudely. “Do I have a minute, she asks!” she muttered to herself. “How can I know, when every second might be my last? You'd do well to leave this place before you turn to gold too!” The young woman, however, was surprised to see when the old lady’s scowl suddenly turned into shock. “...Wait, I know you! You're that boy Erik!”

Erik jumped, turning to her slowly. “You... You know me?” he stammered.

“Oh, don't be silly!” she smiled kindly. “Everyone in Sniflheim knows you! You're the—”

Suddenly, her grin turned into an expression of pure terror. She clutched her chest, groaning painfully. 

“Urrrgh... No! This can't be...happening!” she moaned. 

“What's the matter, dear?” exclaimed Sylvando, horrified. “A-Are you okay!?”

“It's... It's...got me...!” the lady coughed. She screamed, her voice echoing off of the palace walls as her body shone brightly. Isabella shielded her eyes, but when she brought her arm away the old woman was no longer there; a golden statue stood in her place, sculpted to keep her moment of terror solidified forever.

“I take it this is a case of Gold Fever?” Jade said finally, her voice wavering as the rest of the party approached. “It's...horrible…”

Isabella gasped as she noticed Erik’s hand fall from her grip. He clutched the hair beside his temples, pulling on it and groaning in the same way the old lady had. 

“Erik, no, don’t!” she exclaimed. “Are you okay?! Where does it hurt? You’ll be alright, hold on… Erik! Erik, answer, please!”

“...Erik?”

A calming voice nearby was followed by hurried footsteps, and a priest dressed in smooth robes came rushing towards them. As he came closer, Erik’s groaning softened, and eventually ended, though his breaths were quick and shallow. Isabella began to slowly heal him, just in case, while breathing slowly and deeply to calm herself and to steady his breaths.

“I heard a commotion and came running—I never thought that I would find you here…” the priest said, not taking his eyes off of Erik.

“D'ye know our friend, Father?” Rab asked. “He's an auld pal of ours, but we lost him after the Fall. I fear he's taken a blow to the head somewhere along the way—he doesnae remember a thing about his life before then…”

“Oh, my poor child…” The priest’s pained expression grew yet deeper. “Perhaps I can help to jog your friend's memory. Follow me to the church by the city gates; I’ll tell you what I know of his past.”

The group nodded, following the priest closely while Isabella and Eleven lagged behind with Erik, making absolutely sure he was still okay. Isabella finally released his hand, fearing that she would make him more uncomfortable than he already was. She groaned, shuddering with frustration as she left Erik looking disoriented and upset; Eleven put his arm across his shoulders, drawing her close as they entered the room. She smiled lightly, steadying her worried breathing.

They entered the church, the door held open by Hendrik, and stood around the center room. The benches had been thrown over to the windows, and a pile of ashes was in the corner—they had evidently used some of the excess seating material for firewood. The priest stood at the far end of the room, looking at Erik warily.

“I am glad to see you safe and well, Erik,” he said. “It has been five long years since last we met.”

“I was here five years ago?” he said slowly. “Did I...used to live here or something?”

“Not quite…” The priest’s expression darkened. “The Viking raiders who once roamed the northern seas would often stop here to buy supplies, or to drink away their ill-gotten gains at the inn. And when they came, Erik...you came with them.”

Isabella gaped, and the other’s didn’t seem to be spared the shock.

“I'm a...Viking?” Erik stammered.

“So that is why the men I sent to scour Heliodor for details of your origin would always return empty-handed—you were born here...a Viking…” Hendrik said softly, bewildered.

“Not born one—Erik and his younger sister were orphans,” said the priest sadly. “The Vikings found them, took them in and raised them as their own. Whether that was for good or bad, I really couldn't say—by all accounts, they treated the poor children like slaves. Then, one day, we heard rumours that Erik's sister had passed away. And though the Vikings returned, Erik never did…”

“...Stop,” Erik said softly, his gaze downcast.

The priest continued. “It has always saddened me that I was not able to help those poor children more... Perhaps if I can help you to recover Erik's memories, it might—”

“I said STOP!” Erik shouted, silencing the entire church. He turned around and slammed the door open, and a sudden wind burst into the church. Isabella took a few steps forward, but Erik stared back at her blankly. Well, not quite… wait… were those tears?

“...I need to be alone for a while,” he said softly, more to himself than anyone else. He ran out into the snow, leaving a stunned and frustrated Isabella behind. She turned around to the priest, her own eyes filling with tears, but she brushed them away quickly. 

“Forgive me. It was tactless of me to reveal so much so soon…” The priest said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Please, you must go to your friend. We will join you when he has had a chance to settle down.”

Isabella nodded, exiting the room soundlessly. Though she walked out calmly, the moment she was out of sight of the others she began to sprint, following the footprints that Erik had left in the snow. She rushed across the stony ground, slipping every now and then on what seemed to be a golden brick in the pathway. Eventually she reached a small outcropping right outside of the town, and spotted Erik sitting at the edge of it with his legs hanging over the side. She slowed, reaching the top to see him sitting with his head in his hands. He looked to his side briefly, turning back to the waters in a second.

“...Hey,” he said, his voice recognisably lower. “I'm sorry I ran off like that.”

“It’s alright,” Isabella said calmly. “Would you mind if I sat here?”

Erik shook his head, and she sat down just beside him. 

“I… I think I’m beginning to remember,” he said softly. “I still don’t remember you or any of the others exactly, but what that guy said about my… my sister, I—”

“Hey, there’s no need for that. Take a little bit to recover,” Isabella said gently, laying her hand on his. He looked up at her loving gaze, her eyes that had begun to fill with tears again. It was at that moment that he sighed and turned away.

“Stop looking at me like that. Don’t pretend that I have a chance with you. A… A Viking like me with a goddess like you… pah!”

Isabella blinked, taken aback. “Erik! I…” She bit her lip, flushing and turning away. Goddess?!

A sudden scream startled the two, and Isabella rose to her feet, pulling her shield from its straps. She brandished her magic shield cautiously, peering over the snowy area. From the freezing fog, she could just barely make out some sort of craft floating on the water. Her gaze went upwards, and she noticed a pitch black flag flapping in the wind.

“I-Is that...?” stammered Erik. Suddenly he grunted again, rubbing his temple. Isabella paused, hesitant to fight off the invaders. The others were still in town; was it possible for her just to stay back? To her surprise, she noticed the priest rushing up to the two of them.

"I will take care of Erik,” said the priest. “Please, you must hurry to the harbour!”

Isabella nodded, sprinting back through the gates. Several stunned townspeople watched her from the cracks in the boarded windows, staring in awe as she joined her group in the centre square. The ship had stopped, and a group of monsters was hopping off of it. Soldiers in solid golden armour clanked and creaked across the wooden dock, hesitating at seeing the party with their weapons drawn.

“Empty your pockets, snivelling Sniflheimers!” ordered the knight in the midst of shimmering golden skeletons. “It's time to pay tribute to the great and glorious Gyldygga! All your gold belongs to us!” The knight slammed the edge of his sword against one of his skeleton companions, startling it. “Come on, you clattering curs—let's get to work! Grab the golden statues and load them into the longboat!”

“Not if we have anything to say about it!” cried Eleven. The youth charged at the first golden skeleton that attempted to set foot into the town, slicing through its ribcage and sending the bones clattering to the ground. The skeleton’s head gave one final scream of terror before Eleven sliced it in two, cutting through golden bone like a hot knife through butter.

The monster knight sniffed. “Who are you?” he demanded. “Mess with us, and you'll have to answer to the great and glorious Gyldygga, shining star of the Spectral Sentinels!” His visor clanked, and it paused as it stared at Eleven’s hand. The golden ring glittered on his finger, the Drasilian gemstone in particular drawing the knight’s attention. He turned to Isabella, noting the same gemstone tied around her neck.

“Bring back all the gold you can find, worms!” the knight demanded, pointing his sword forwards, hovering it towards the Luminaries. “ All of it.”

Isabella’s eyes widened as she noticed the group of monsters split up; a group of three rushed away from all of them, and two each went towards the Luminaries. The others were forgotten by the monsters for the moment, until Hendrik and Sylvando shielded the two of them, giving Rab an entrance with a quick spell. The monsters raised their shields, but Zam cut straight through their armour. 

With those monsters occupied, Isabella turned her attention to those who split from the group. She sliced her sword across one skeleton soldier’s head, and Jade slammed its head into the ground with her spear, balancing quite well for having only one good foot. The martial artist suddenly yelped, however, and Isabella caught the message; she swerved away from the headless skeleton body behind her, thrusting her sword through where its heart would be in human terms. The skull yelled in pain, and the headless body crumbled into a swiftly dissolving heap. 

The grinding sound of metal against metal snapped Isabella back to her senses as she saw Jade parrying another sneaky blow, this one from the golden knight. She shoved him off, knocking him backwards so that Isabella could strike him. Once again, however, the creature evaded the blow, rolling behind the attacker and attempting to strike her. Its sword flashed at Isabella’s neck, but some sort of invisible force threw it away; Rab’s staff was still brandished after casting the shield spell.

The golden knight stared back at them blankly as they all faltered; it didn’t strike them, but it seemed to be able to dodge whatever they threw at it. Even as they paused, the creature didn’t relax; it remained constantly vigilant, but not so that it could strike back. Isabella narrowed her eyes; something… unsettling was going on.

Suddenly, the creature turned on its heel and ran away. It took a moment for the group to register that the creature had not moved in reaction to something. Isabella quickly rushed after it, though her pace was slower and it had gotten a head start. She was worried at first that it was sprinting to the palace, perhaps to assault the queen; when she started nearing the docks, however, she slowed.

“They’re… leaving?” Isabella stammered, her sword held limply in her hand. The others followed quickly behind her, their breaths puffing before them in the cold air. Surely enough, the remaining monsters loaded onto their boats with the black flags still brandished in the air. For a moment, Isabella thought they had just fled from fear; as Eleven whooped in triumph, however, she noticed the difference.

A shimmering golden statue was being borne by the ship, sailing away into the setting sun. The monsters cheered around it, taking care not to scratch the body of the old woman that was now completely golden.

“They have that old lady!” exclaimed Eleven, obviously noting the same thing as his sister. “Come on! We can’t let them get away!”

Eleven started, his greatsword sheathed so that he could take a running start, but he felt Jade’s hand on his shoulder. 

“We can’t,” said Jade sorrowfully. “I understand what they did is wrong, but we can’t reach those boats. Not without the Salty Stallion.”

“Then get the boat and go! Sylvando—”

“Erik! They've got Erik!”

Sylvando’s terrified voice brought forth a collective gasp from the party. Isabella’s head shot upwards, and she searched the horizon quickly for any sign of him; surely enough, she caught sight of the spiky blue hair of Erik. He sat nearly motionless, head down and posture drooped, on top of a barrel on the furthest ship from shore.

“How?! Why?!” Sylvando stuttered, still pointing with a shaking finger at their companion that was getting further away by the second.

“Never mind why! They must be stopped! Quickly!” Isabella screamed, sheathing her sword and shield. She immediately began to sprint, too fast for the others to have time to hold her back. The dock was slippery, but she managed to keep her balance. Isabella held out her gloved hand, reaching towards Erik; he was right there, she wouldn’t lose him again—

Gravity gave Isabella a sudden lurch of horror as she fell to the waters below, her gaze switching to the icy depths. It was scarcely a second before she was submerged, feeling completely frozen beneath the small waves. Her eyes snapped shut when she sank, and she couldn’t bear to open them as they stung horribly. She flailed her arms, kicking upwards in the icy water.

Warmth flooded through her fingertips as she felt a hand grab hers, hoisting her up above the waters once more. Isabella fell onto the frozen wood of the dock, coughing and breathing sharply as she tried to satisfy her lungs. She placed a hand to her chest, huffing loudly as Eleven crouched down to her eye level.

“Isabella,” he said calmly as the pain in her chest began to recede. 

“No,” she said, still shivering; Isabella looked her brother directly in the eye. “I’m not going to sit here and have another pity party. I’m fine.” She stood shakily, but refused the help of the others. “We are getting him back, and we are doing it right now! Where's that priest? He'll know where they've taken him!”

Eleven blinked, surprised, but he nodded and followed the rest of the group as they rushed back to where the priest had last been.

Chapter Text

Isabella spotted a purple robe in the midst of the newly falling snow, and proceeded to weave her way in front of the group to reach him. The feeling was returning to her limbs, slowly but surely; all she had to do was keep moving, and most certainly they would all be fine. 

The priest was accompanied by three other townspeople unaffected by the fever, all looking disoriented and staring in the direction that the ships had left. The priest turned around, looking startled to see the entire party approaching him, but he lowered his head in shame.

“I am sorry... The creatures found us, and I was powerless to stop them taking Erik away…” he said sheepishly.

“Please, do not be so hard on yourself, Father,” said a woman, her blonde hair hanging before her eyes in wisps. “It is a miracle that even you escaped with your life. When we heard that you were outside the gates when the monsters attacked, we feared the worst…”

“Curse those sparkling scoundrels!” exclaimed a large man, throwing his spear down into the snow. “They have run away with every man, woman, and child struck down by the Fever!”

“They just picked them up and carried them off like so much plunder!” said a young man, shivering from more than the cold. “Do they mean to sell our friends...? Our families...?”

“But then why would they take Erik?” the priest cut in. “He had no valuables in his possession, and he was not afflicted by the Fever. And yet, they headed straight for him. It is almost as if they knew exactly who he was…”

“Wait a moment!” the large man said, freezing. “The way they spoke... The ship they sailed in... Could they be...?”

“You know, I had the very same thought…” the priest replied to him, leaving the other people in their presence confused.

“Yes. I thought maybe those...things had usurped the villains, but it seems they...are them... But how?” the large man said, scratching his head covered by a miner’s mask. “Those gold-hungry horrors—they may look different, but we know them. We know them very well indeed. The way they moved, acted, talked... The fact that they knew who Erik was... There is no mistaking it—they were Vikings!”

“Certainly not… them?!” the woman breathed, dropping her curved knife in shock. She glanced at the other young man worriedly. He scarcely moved at the statement, but nodded solemnly.

“They used to have a hideout near here, in a little cave just around the headland,” he said, looking down at the snow and speaking almost in a mutter. “I think that is where they have taken your friend… I… would be glad to… guide you…”

“No, you would not,” the woman said firmly. “I’ll show them, Ezra—it would do you some good to get some rest tonight.”

The man opened his mouth to speak, but she placed a slim, pale finger on his lips. He sighed deeply, nodding albeit in protest.

“Daffodil… Be careful,” the young man said softly.

“I’ll be fine. I promise.” Daffodil stooped over to pick up her knife just before turning around bossily, nodding to each member of the party as she strolled through their group. 

“Alright, on to the boats now, hurry up!” Daffodil ordered, gesturing for them to follow her as if she had a better idea where their boat may be. Eleven let out an annoyed sigh, shrugging to himself as they followed the woman through the town and across the dock again. Daffodil attempted to get onto the boat first by their rope, but after a few embarrassing moments, she finally resigned to Sylvando pulling her onto the deck.

Once the others had boarded, the ship was sharply turned almost all the way around as Daffodil began to give Sylvando directions to the viking hideout. Even in a small, secluded strait, the growing blizzard was churning the water around them. Though their journey was not far, Isabella was quick to feel seasick. Whether it was from worry or actually seasickness, however, she wasn’t quite sure. In an attempt to ignore her uneasiness, Isabella noticed Jade leaned against a pole on the ship, one foot suspended, and approached her.

“Are you sure you want to fight like this?” Isabella said gently.

Jade sighed. “I’d like to, really, but Rab says I have another day of full healing sessions to get this sprain healed up.” She bit her lip, turning back to Isabella. “You don’t suppose… Can you make it go any faster?”

Isabella shook her head. “Would it be alright if we left you on board with Daffodil? You two can keep an eye out to make sure that nothing happens to the boat, and we’ll be back before you know it.”

Jade hesitated, but nodded. “On one condition,” she cut in, grabbing Isabella’s shoulder as she tried to turn away. “Just… don’t let Daffodil know that I’m staying behind. I’ll let everyone else know what we’re doing, so don’t worry about that. Ah! And no questions,” she cut in, pointing at Isabella’s face. The Luminary of Light shrugged, but Jade smiled back and limped away.

After several more minutes, the snow stopped falling on Isabella’s black hair and she looked up to see the roof of a cave. As they went further in, she was surprised to feel much warmer inside there. There were but a few torches around the walls and by the makeshift dock that they unloaded on, and yet somehow she finally felt warm enough to take off her coat and leave it on the boat. Once the whole party had gotten onto the dock, Daffodil slid down the rope with a smile on her face and her dagger slid into her belt.

“Miss… Daffodil,” Sylvando said awkwardly. “You’ve done all that you’ve said you must do. We’ve made it to the Viking hideout with your help, and you have my thanks, but—”

“Oh, you don’t want me on your little expedition?” she said softly, somewhat defensive.

“Darling, think of your brother! I simply want you to stay away from harm!” he said quickly. Daffodil studied him for a moment, giving them a moment of awkward silence, but eventually she scoffed lightly, smirking.

“...Fine, if that’s what you want,” she shrugged. She sat directly on the damp floor, pulling out her knife and a small piece of driftwood before she began carving. She seemed altogether oblivious of the party all of a sudden, and Eleven was able to wave them away into the winding area of the cave.

The ceiling was high, and icy water often dripped onto their heads, but the cavern itself was narrow. Uneven stacks of crates were strewn about, along with massive piles of golden coins. The piles strewn about that they stepped over could’ve been worth a fortune, but they were used as stepping stones in a pathway.

After winding through a short area of tight curves, they began to hear voices. At first the voices didn’t seem to be making words, but as they got closer they heard the unmistakable voices of the monsters. Eleven, who was at the front of the group, pointed to a steel cell door just in front of them, gesturing for them to stay back and unseen. He peered into the room, eyes narrowed, but it suddenly widened. He turned to them quickly and mouthed a single word: Erik.

Isabella immediately pushed through the group to see through the cell door, and that was when the words of the monsters began to make sense.

“Gragh hah hah haaa!” cackled the golden knight that had evaded every attack from the party. “Feast and be merry, boys! We got a good haul today—Gyldygga's sure to reward us!” It paused, ensuing a round of laughter from the golden undead army of its. “We did especially well to bag this one,” it chuckled. “The boss has been after him for a long time. Heh heh heh..”

“We allowed to lop ‘is ‘ead off?” one of the golden skeletons said, brandishing his sword to the right. Isabella’s eyes widened, and she saw Erik sitting inside a jail cell, his head down and expression gloomy.

“We won’t get a big enough reward just for the head,” the knight pointed out.

“Just bring ‘im in pieces, won’t that be enough?” the skeleton pleaded. Suddenly, it jumped, turning to the surprised face of Isabella. Eleven had his hands on two of the door’s bars, squeezing them and pressing his hands against them to hold back from fighting the monsters. However, his Luminary mark had begun to glow red, and the force of his magic had come out on the prison bars, forcing them apart with a grinding noise. His mark was still shining and his face was still red with fury as he let go of the now warm metal.

“Hey! What the heck are you doing here!? Wait... I know you…” said the knight. “You're that rotten Luminary! And the powerful one at that! The little one behind you is the girl, right? The one that can make golden light…”

“You're dead right, Chief,” stammered another skeleton soldier, his golden bones shaking as he backed into a corner. “They looks just like the pictures on the wanted posters! They's the Luminaries alright! I'll run up to the Gyldenhal and let the boss know they’re here!”

“Seems you're quite the celebrity,” Sylvando said, drawing his sword. “I can't say I'm not jealous.”

“This isnae time for jokes, now!” Rab pointed out. “We’re here to save Erik, remember?”

Those words seemed to amuse the knight. “Graaagh hah hah!” it cackled. “You think you're going to plunder our plunder? Just try it—we'll beat you blacker and bluer than the Lord of Shadows did!”

“‘ey, Chief—just imagine the reward you'd get if you took ‘im the Luminaries' heads on a platter!” exclaimed a golden skeleton. “One of them empty Spectral Sentinel seats could be yours!”

“Heeey, that's not a bad idea!” smiled the golden knight. “Come on then, boys—let's swipe ourselves a skull that's worth its weight in gold! Why not stop there, though—we’ll grab two of ‘em!”

“For Gyldenbritches!” cried the skeleton army.

Before another word was emitted from the mouths of the skeletons, Eleven sliced through the one nearest to him. The golden knight, Gyldenbritches, didn’t falter for a moment and immediately leaped forwards to cut off Eleven’s head. The young man parried, throwing the small golden sword off with little effort. Sylvando rushed forwards to continue the string of hits on Gyldenbritches, but once again the monster knight used its agility to sink into the back of the room.

A total of nine more skeleton soldiers occupied the small room, each waving its weapon threateningly. Only two seemed brave enough to actually step up and challenge the very angry Eleven. He picked up his greatsword, swinging it across the two of them horizontally; the weight threw him off balance when they both dodged and the force knocked him to the floor. Isabella smacked the golden sword out of the hand of the skeleton that tried to attack Eleven, snatching it out of the air and hurling it at the other. 

Isabella gasped, ducking away from the blow of yet another small sword; she didn’t manage to dodge a second blow to her side, however. She clutched it as it stung, using her other hand to slam the butt of her sword into the first skeleton’s face. It fell backwards, knocking another one over in the process. Rab was quick to cast a powerful darkness spell on the two of them, ending their lives in an instant. Isabella immediately began healing herself, letting out a tense breath as she felt the skin closing itself back up.

Isabella lifted her eyes to see Hendrik crushing another skeleton that had nearly attacked Rab, and she spun around quickly, sword in hand, to the four remaining skeletons. They were backed against one another, looking terrified to be outnumbered at last. Nonetheless, they glanced at the piles of gold in the corners, remembered their rewards, and charged.

Isabella ducked, throwing herself forward and landing in a sudden crouch. She brandished her sword directly behind her and threw herself backwards, stabbing through the skeleton as they slammed onto the floor in sync. She sat up dizzily, clutching the back of her head as a sudden noise of metal grinding against metal was heard from behind her; Sylvando had parried another blow for her head. She acknowledged this with a small smile as Hendrik and Jade destroyed the last two skeletons.

Something behind Isabella caused her to flinch violently, just barely getting her out of the way of Gyldenbritches’ sword. She raised her shield, parrying a slice at her head as Eleven hit the monster back. It just barely managed to dodge away, and looked in triumph upon the two Luminaries.

…Until Hendrik slammed it from the backside, making it clatter into a dozen pieces without another sound. Beside him, Eleven finally managed to heave a deep breath and return his mark to its usual dull grey.

Isabella smiled slightly, stooping at Gyldenbritches’ quickly fading corpse to grab a ring of keys from its belt. She sifted through them with shaking hands, reaching a smaller key that looked about the right size for Erik’s cell. As the others recovered, she clicked the key into the lock, swinging the door open.

“Sorry about that, Erik,” she said sweetly, glancing up before trying to wiggle the key ring from the lock. “They didn't hurt you, did they?” Isabella finally yanked the keys out, and she turned to Erik only to have him shove past her, eyes empty.

“Well, you're safe now,” Eleven said quickly. “Let's head back to Sniflheim—the priest's been worried about you.”

“Something is still not right,” Isabella said, holding up a finger. “Erik—what did those fiends do to you?” She grabbed his hand, softly squeezing it.

“I was...here…” Erik muttered. “And they were... Yeah... So...she must be… I've...gotta go…”

“Erik?” Isabella protested, though she allowed his fingers to slip from hers. He continued through the room as if she wasn’t there, and she frowned, anger suddenly boiling within her. “Erik, stop. You’ve already run away once, alright!? You… Erik?”

She didn’t get a single response out of him as the party followed him into an adjacent room. Tattered cloths served as slight protection from the snow on the other side of the cavern. Exasperation began to choke Isabella, and it took all her strength to not yell at this oblivious Erik. After a few short moments that felt longer than usual, the thief stopped before a glimmering object.

It was an Yggdrasil root—just like the ones she had seen both in Cobblestone and the Cryptic Crypt. Erik stared at it blankly, looking as if he was asleep; slowly, she noticed his eyes go to the only other shimmering thing in the room—Isabella’s Luminary mark. Hesitantly, she held up her outstretched hand to the root, and allowed the light to engulf her…

“What's the matter, runt? Tired? You soon will be!”

A young man was shoved out of the way, the boxes in his arms clattering to the icy floor. The taller, stronger man above him sniffed disapprovingly. The youth said nothing, not looking him in the eye; he only ran his fingers through his sky blue hair nervously.

“You got a problem, boy?” exclaimed the large man, putting his hands on his hips when the youth didn’t move. “We've been looking after you brats for ten long years, ever since we found you freezing in that snowfield! You owe us your lives, so how about you start showing us some respect!?”

“Y-Yes, Chief... Sorry, Chief…” stammered the youth, scrambling to pick up the scattered boxes. The larger man huffed angrily, stomping off without another word. Once he had left, Erik sighed deeply, staring at the bruised fruits that he had gathered by hand, now scattered all over the dirty cavern floor.

“Hmph! In trouble again? You know what your problem is, dear brother—you need to learn to grovel more convincingly.”

A young woman who shared the sky blue hair of Erik’s came strutting into the room with her nose in the air. Her hair was tied back with a worn red ribbon, braided down to about chest length. She was rather short and had the haughty face of a spoiled child. She held herself bossily, looking down at Erik disapprovingly.

“...Hey, Mia,” Erik said dismissively, continuing to gather the fruit.

“I know how you feel, though,” said Mia, putting her hands on her hips. “I hate their big, fat guts as much as you do! Don't be such a scaredy-cat. Just hurry up and finish your work so we can go home. Tell you what—since I'm such a good sister, I'll stick around and cheer you on.”

“The only reason the Chief's working me so hard today's 'cause you got caught with your hand in his coin purse,” Erik said with frustration. “You could at least help!”

“Heh heh heh! Make me!” she chuckled, not noticing the large Chief looking angrily down on her from behind.

“Hah... Hah... Me and my big mouth…” Mia panted, rubbing her sore arms.

“Yeah. Thanks for the help, Mia…” Erik spat, lying on the ground beside her.

“Oh, stop moaning, will you?” Mia exclaimed. “If you keep being horrible to me, I won't share any of my riches with you when I'm a millionaire!”

“Ugh. Not that again,” Erik grunted, putting his arm over his eyes to block off the sunlight coming in through a hole in the stone roof. “...Still, I guess it's good to have a dream. One of these days, we're gonna get our hands on a whole pile of treasure, and then we can wave this lousy place goodbye...”

“Heh heh... Forget a pile—I'm not gonna stop till I've got myself a mountain!” Mia said, clenching her fists in excitement. Her eyes suddenly widened, and she groaned as she put her hand on top of her empty stomach.

“But first things first, we gotta find something to eat…” Erik pointed out. He turned over, resting on his arm, to stare at the tiny little birds that made their way into the hideout. When they noticed him shift, they quickly took flight, away through the little hole.

“If we had wings, we could fly away from here,” Erik said wistfully. “We could go wherever we wanted…”

Mia scoffed. “What are you, five? You won't be flying anywhere on an empty stomach. Know what I think when I look at that thing? Dinner!”

Erik huffed, though he did partially reflect Mia’s glittering smile.

Isabella started, taking her hand away from the Yggdrasil root.

“...Mia…” stuttered Erik, still as a statue.

“...So it's just like the priest said,” Sylvando said slowly. “Erik used to live here with his little sister, slaving away for the Vikings. Looks like they had a tough time of it. This shack must have been their home—if you can call it that…” He paused. “The light’s still shining, Isabella… Is there more to it?”

Isabella shuddered as she looked from the curious, confused eyes of her other friends to the terrified, helpless eyes of Erik. If more would solve this terrible look, she was willing to hold out her hand again… Light engulfed them once more.

Erik shoved the tattered tarps away from the little entrance to their area, his fists clenched. He shifted through the room with his head down, pressing something down in a little crevice in the rock that they used as a shelf. Mia quickly noted this attitude, shifting on her crate.

“Hey, you. Tough day?” she said with an encouraging smile. Her eyes shifted to the small something that Erik had placed on the stone counter, and she stood. A short walk was all that Mia needed to reach the little object; it was a shimmering golden necklace, lined with gorgeous rubies all the way around.

“What the heck is this?” she said, turning the jewelry over in her hands.

“Just something I picked up on today's raid,” Erik said, turning back around to show his face; there was no trace of sadness or anger on it, only happiness. “No birthday's complete without a present, right? Happy birthday, Sis.”

Mia sniffed. “...Huh? Is this the best you can do—a rusty old necklace? Honestly, Erik, you need to try harder. What I REALLY wanted was the Red Orb of Heliodor. Word is it's a ruby the size of my head!”

“Well, word is that necklace has special powers,” Erik replied smugly, smiling at Mia’s expression. “They say that whoever wears it will find gold at their fingertips wherever they go… It's probably just talk, but it seemed about right for a little money-grubber like you. Guess you'll just have to put it on and find out if—”

Erik froze, staring at a little trinket in Mia’s hand. The young woman was wearing the necklace already, but now in her hand was a small golden coin.

“What the—? Where did you get that from!?” stammered Erik.

“I don't know... It was a copper coin a minute ago, but as soon as I touched it, it…” Mia froze, her confused frown quickly forming a wide grin. “Heh... Heh heh heh! Shut UP! It works! It actually works! I can actually turn stuff into gold! Ridiculous! This is the best present EVER!”

Erik came back through the tarps, once again looking exhausted, but he seemed to look a little bit happier at his smiling sister.

“You've been at it again, huh?” he said with a half-hearted smile.

“Heh heh heh!” chuckled Mia, obviously showing off the stone shelf that was now covered in golden trinkets. “What's the matter, Erik? Jealous of my treasures? Tell you what—if you ask me really, really nicely, I'll let you have one! Let me see now... Ah—perfect!”

Mia pushed away a small pile of golden coins to make room for her newest addition to her collection—yet another golden statue. Erik’s eyes widened when he realised exactly what this new thing was, however; it was one of the little birds that often flew through the hole in the roof, its mouth open in fear. The terror was etched on the little creature’s face, making Erik feel sick.

“W-Wait...you didn't... Did you? ...Mia, this isn't right!” stammered the young man.

“Yeah, I suppose it is a little small,” Mia said, holding it and tossing it into the air, catching it carelessly. “I forget how greedy you are…”

“Seriously Mia, it's not funny! This has to stop!” exclaimed Erik.

“Hey! There's no need to shout!” Mia spat defensively. “And anyway, you're the one that gave me this thing!” She paused, looking from the necklace to her brother to the golden animal. She sighed. “...Okay, okay, I get it. I guess I have been getting a little carried away. Just...stop looking at me like that, will you?”

Erik closed his eyes for a moment, turning away. “I'm sorry I lost my cool, okay? It's just…”

“No, no, it's fine,” Mia said quickly. “I'll stop turning stuff into gold...for now.”

She grimaced as she glanced down at the necklace, hesitantly reaching for the clasp in the back. She fumbled for a minute, but her fingers finally found the two little hooks. Mia pushed them apart, and was prepared to pull them away from each other when she realised the pushing had done nothing. She tried again… but they wouldn’t move.

“...Huh?” she stammered, trying again, and again. “...Why won't it—? The necklace... It won't come off.”

Erik’s eyes widened with fear, but he tried to hide it. “Come on Mia, stop fooling around,” he said, though his voice trembled. 

“I'm serious! I can't get it off!” Mia exclaimed, pushing and pulling the hooks as hard as she could. Suddenly, a golden light erupted from the front of the necklace, glowing all the way through their little room. Both of them started, Mia trying more and more furiously to yank the chain from her neck—maybe she could break it off?

“Wh-What's happening now!? I didn't do anything, I swear!” Mia exclaimed.

“Don't move!” Erik exclaimed, though that didn’t turn out to be necessary. At Mia’s feet, the golden glow concentrated. Gradually, it became less of a glow and more of a solid thing… Erik blinked, and he was suddenly staring at the golden feet of his sister.

“I... I'm turning to...gold!” screamed Mia, though her words sounded laboured. She had stopped pulling the chain, instead flailing her arms around and trying to move her solid golden feet. “Help me...!”

Erik looked around the room for anything that could help, but what could he use in this situation? Half the things around him were golden trinkets of Mia’s already, but he had empty crates, bird feed, and tattered blankets; what in the world could be used against this powerful magic?!

“Mia, hang on! ...Dangit, what do I do, what do I do?” he exclaimed, fumbling around, shoving aside a broken glass jar in their heaps of junk. He whipped around to see the gold travelling up his sister’s torso, spreading all the way to her neck.

“Erik! Help me…” she exclaimed, her voice fading as the gold solidified on her neck. “Erik... E...rik…”

The shimmering glow faded, leaving behind the golden statue of Mia. For a moment, Erik stared at it in denial; he was dreaming, right? Perhaps an illusion? Had someone put something in his drink? But who would do that, as the vikings used him for labour, hardly wishing for him to eat and much less be intoxicated?

It was real.

Mia was… gone.

Isabella drew her hand away, the Yggdrasil root’s light finally faded away. She turned to look at Erik, as the rest of the party was completely silent. Erik’s back was turned, and he seemed to be speaking to himself.

“It was all my fault... After what happened, I ran away... I wanted to leave this place—to leave my past behind… I asked around about the necklace on my travels, and finally found out what it was—I'd given my sister a cursed relic… I wanted to forget who I was, and what I'd done... So I threw myself into any adventure that came along, and before I knew it...I was living as a thief…

“That's when I met him—the guy who called himself the Seer… He told me to go after the Orb... That if I did, I'd meet the Luminaries somewhere deep underground... And that if I helped him...I'd finally be forgiven…

“At first, I didn't believe a word of it. The kind of circles I was moving in, you learn pretty quickly not to trust anyone but yourself. But sure enough, I went after the Orb, I wound up underground and...I met you.”

He turned around, looking first at Eleven and then directly at Isabella. He didn’t bother to hold her gaze, instead closing his eyes again in thought.

“Your memory, laddie...it's back!” exclaimed Rab suddenly.

“It is. Thanks to you guys,” Erik said with a nod. “Guess I've been kind of a pain these last few days, huh? I'll make it up to you, I promise. Who knows if I'll ever find the forgiveness the Seer promised me. But everything else he said came true—maybe that will too…” 

He turned around, turning to the centre of the room. On the ground was a small fragmented circle of gold, with two small holes in the middle of it.

“You saw it, right? The statue my sister turned into was right here,” Erik said. “If this Gyldygga guy is collecting all the gold he can get his hands on, maybe he took her too. I heard those golden goons saying he's holed up in a castle north of here. I'm gonna get Mia back if it's the last thing I do!”

“Then it looks like we're all headed the same way,” Sylvando said. “After all, we've got some Sniflheimers to rescue, right?”

“Thanks again, you guys. It's good to be back!” Erik said, finally teasing at a smile. Isabella half-heartedly returned it, but felt more inclined to frown. 

“If we’re going to defeat Gyldygga, I know where to look,” said Eleven with a nod.

Erik raised an eyebrow. “You’ve known where he was this whole time?”

“No, I just kind of assumed that the massive golden palace just beyond these curtains was his dwelling place,” Eleven replied. “Or do you keep that here for decoration?”

Erik punched his arm, mumbling a quick “shut up” before stalking away. Eleven turned around slightly, giving a mischievous grin to Isabella that all but forced her to smile before he turned back, following Erik through the snowfield. The sun was completely down at this point, and the stars reminded Isabella just how sleepy she was… Oh, well, nothing a little boost of healing magic couldn’t fix.

“Not too much,” she said quickly, responding to Rab’s critically raised eyebrow.

Chapter Text

The golden towers glimmered menacingly, a stark difference from the white all around them. Everyone was silent as they left the small abandoned hideout and over to the massive gates. Not surprisingly, the doors were jammed shut. Eleven and Hendrik got to the front of the group and very forcefully pulled them apart, bending the lock that had held them together. The party went on through the doors, stepping on the golden ground.

Piles of golden coins were littered around the place, mostly in the corners but also in walking areas. There were various floating golden mummies of some sort, another version of the undead that was under Gyldygga’s control. It didn’t attack them, instead just hovering around innocently and staring at them with its empty eye sockets. Isabella held her sword warily, keeping her eye on the mummies at all times.

“How does this guy even walk around his palace?” Eleven suddenly burst out, kicking the door at the far end of the room. “Nearly every door is locked! And this one can’t just—” He growled, shaking the door in frustration as he poured his power into it. “How many freaking enchanted locks—?!”

“El! That’s enough,” Isabella exclaimed firmly. Eleven whipped around, but sighed and finally released the door. “Have we checked just about everywhere, then? There are absolutely no rooms we can move on to?”

“If I may be so bold…” Hendrik interjected, pointing back. “I noticed a staircase over that way.”

Isabella nodded, her heart hammering as she tried to ignore a group of the too-innocent gold creatures littered about the room. There was, indeed, some sort of entrance in the direction that Hendrik had indicated; however, it was well guarded by a vicious gold golem. She clenched her teeth in frustration; what good would it do to wear them out before they inevitably fought Gyldygga? Nevertheless, she threw a large fireball at the monster, uncomfortably alerting it of their presence.

The glimmering monster lurched, throwing itself to its feet and nearly gliding across the floor to Isabella. She fell to the side, barely avoiding a punch that left a dent in the floor. As she scrambled to her feet, Eleven unleashed the might of his sword, forming a thin dent along the monster’s front. It attempted to fight back, but its fist only made contact with Hendrik’s shield spell. Rab swiftly cast Zammle, causing the monster to groan like a piece of machinery and topple into pieces on the floor.

Isabella glanced over her shoulder, noticing the golden mummies as they fled to another room. She smiled lightly, sheathing her sword with relief as the room was cleared of monsters. Eleven gestured for them all to follow, travelling up the steps hastily. However, the room that followed did not seem to be of any importance; stacks of useless coins and jewels lined the walls and coated the floor, clattering beneath the party’s feet.

Eleven continued to lead them, walking on through another empty doorway into another room. A few mummies lazed about, some in heaps on the floor as they rested. They ambled past them and down another staircase, this time leading to a room with two locked doors. Eleven groaned, but Erik pushed past and took the lead, inspecting the closest lock.

“Wasn’t this the door we could see from the entrance?” Isabella remarked, finally getting a grip on where exactly they were. 

“It seems so,” Erik agreed. “It was locked on the other side, so hypothetically, this one should just…” He pressed his hand up on the lock, and it suddenly evaporated into a purple mist, allowing the doors to slowly creak open. Indeed, from their position in this room, it was quite easy to see the frosty plains from whence they came.

Following the thief’s example, Hendrik dissolved the lock on the other door. They followed him through a long, winding hallway and through another door with an easily destroyed lock. A room which mirrored the one at the other end of the hall greeted them, and Isabella reached confidently for the next lock. With those doors opened, she approached the next set, touching the lock just as before.

“Hm?” she peeped, noticing her grip still firm and the lock the same way.

“This one must be locked from the other side,” Sylvando mused. “Ah, what a puzzle we have gotten ourselves into!”

“I may have an idea,” Erik said slowly. “Eleven, Sylvando, cover me; Hendrik, Rab, you stay with Isabella. Wait a few minutes, then holler like your life depends on it.”

Isabella raised an eyebrow, though Erik remained oblivious to her confusion as Sylvando and her brother followed after him. Several nerve-wracking minutes passed, minutes in which she must have asked a dozen times if her Erik-imposed bodyguards would allow her to follow after him.

“...I suppose it’s been long enough,” Hendrik said gruffly. “Um… on the count of three…”

“Two, one…” Rab and Hendrik opened their mouths pitifully, flushing in embarrassment and avoiding eye contact. 

“This is not what I would call knightly,” Hendrik complained under his breath.

“I cannae argue with that…” Rab agreed. 

“ERIK! EL! SYLVANDO! WE’RE RIGHT HERE!” Isabella shrieked, starling the two with her. “HENDRIK AND RAB WON’T SCREAM BECAUSE THEY’RE EMBARRASSED, SO YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SOUND OF MY LOVELY VOICE!” She heaved in a breath, stepping closer to the door to let out another scream, when it suddenly swung open in her face and slapped her on the forehead.

She grimaced, holding her head as the others came through the doorway. However, the grins on their faces were enough to make her nearly forget her pain. Eleven patted her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Hendrik and Rab as they all made their way through the doors.

Isabella held back the urge to gag as she looked at what was inside the room; the golden bodies of people affected by gold fever. Erik looked around furiously at the statues, examining each one carefully. Isabella approached one cautiously, tapping the frozen character on the shoulder, but Erik shook his head. He pushed her hand from the statue gruffly, sighing.

They continued on, going up another staircase, immediately going down another, and down a long hallway. They dissolved several locks, eventually coming back to the entrance from the other side. Isabella raised an eyebrow as she moved her hand away from the mist; were they only going in circles? She rubbed her sleep-deprived eyes, wondering if they should just call it a day…

“Izzy! We’re going up the stairs,” Eleven said quickly, grabbing her arm. She yelped, but followed her brother up the stairs. Another hallway greeted them, filled with more golden statues than the room before. However, Erik continued to pass them by, shaking his head. They made it through several more statue rooms before they finally reached another staircase. Upon ascending it, they quickly found themselves in a tight corridor. Beyond them was a lushly decorated room with red carpet thrown about the curtains and floor.

Erik gritted his teeth, rushing beyond the door and into the next room with the party at his heels; The red carpet leading to the end of the room travelled up golden steps, ascending to a throne seemingly made of diamonds. It glittered with the gold blindingly, but Erik could still easily make out the figure sitting on it. His jaw dropped, and his knife clattered to the floor.

“...Mia?”

Isabella turned sharply, and surely enough, the figure on top of the shimmering throne was the very same girl in the vision she had seen; the same hair, the same eyes, and the same careless posture as she threw her legs over the side of the throne. However, the glitter in her eyes wasn’t friendly or playful anymore…

“Call me that again and you'll regret it,” she hissed. “I haven't been Mia for a looong time. The name's Gyldygga.”

“Wait, you're—!?” 

“Yes! Well done!” said Gyldygga, clapping and straightening her posture. “I'm the big baddie! It was all me! Gold Fever, stealing all the statues—me, me, me!” She paused, smirking at the terror in Erik’s eyes. “What's the matter, dear brother? Aren't you happy to see your little sister doing so well for herself? Anyway, what are you doing out of your cage? I wasn't planning on having my men bring you here till later.”

Erik grimaced, looking to the floor. “You have every right to hate me, Mia—I hate myself for what I did to you. ...But the Vikings, the Fever? Why would you do all this?”

“Ugh! Questions, questions—always with the questions!” snapped Gyldygga, rolling her eyes and standing. “Fine! If you're so desperate to know, then I'll tell you. It all began when the World Tree fell from the sky, and the Lord of Shadows went to visit a certain lucky girl… For once in my life, someone spoke to me words of pity.

“ ‘Poor child…’ he said, with real pain and concern in his voice. ‘Forced to slave away in poverty... In cold... In hunger… Abandoned by your parents, by your guardians...by your brother … Your young heart overflows with greed, with rage, with despair… You will make a splendid addition to my world of darkness…’ And yes, he has made me great… as he said, ‘I am Mordegon, Lord of Shadows, ruler of all Erdrea… Come, child—drink of my power...and be reborn...!’ Heh, I remember my awakening like it was yesterday!”

“Mordegon!” Erik exclaimed. “What did that monster do to you!?”

Glydygga let out a cruel laugh. “ ‘Monster’? Ha! He's not the one who left his sister to rot all alone in a cave! Thanks to that ‘monster’, I'm here today! Thanks to him, I have all the gold, all the power I ever wanted—and more! And for my next trick, I'm going to turn everyone in the world into golden soldiers just like those stupid Vikings, and work them all to the bone!”

“So you really did turn the Chief and his men into your slaves!?” Erik said in disbelief. “What's happened to you!?”

“Ha ha ha! You really think you deserve to know, after all you've done?” Gyldygga exclaimed, her voice breaking slightly. “I'll show you what you deserve!”

Erik was silent for a moment, and he kneeled down to grab his knife before continuing. “I've thought about you every day for the last five years... The thought of saving you was the only thing that kept me going… It's all my fault, all of this... Everything that's happened to you…”

He raised his weapon, tears stinging his eyes. “Which means I have to finish this! I have to take you down!”

Gyldygga scowled at him. “NOW you decide to play the hero!?” she screamed. “You're too late! You couldn't save me, and you can't save yourself—or your pathetic little friends!”

Gyldygga scoffed as Isabella raised her hand in the air, conjuring a fireball and flinging it to Erik’s side. He started as the flame flew right past him, slamming into a golden soldier that had been waiting for the kill.

“Apparently you need a hero, though!” Gyldygga scoffed. “Why can't you all just leave me alone!? I don't need a brother, or a hero, or anyone! You're worthless to me—but you'll be worth your weight in gold!”

The party was forced to turn away as a golden light engulfed Gyldygga. Erik gasped, attempting to run forward but he was harshly held back by Eleven. The thief struggled against his grip, but the light suddenly ceased and Erik was the first to look at the beast beyond them.

Towering over them, at least eight feet tall, was a beast made entirely of gold with jagged rows of diamond teeth and malicious, empty blue eyes. Shimmering white spikes lined the large dog-like body, most pointed sharply but two at the top curved towards the face. The head of the creature looked the most like a canine, the majority of the body resembling a massive golden mole. Gyldygga swished her golden tail angrily, revealing the shimmering end—the yellow orb.

Isabella looked quickly to Erik, stunned, but he didn’t spare her a second glance. He continued to look straight at Gyldygga in disbelief, muttering to himself. Gyldygga didn’t attack them for that moment, simply looking pleased to have Erik in such a terrible guilt trap. Finally, to her frustration, he frowned and his face was set with determination.

“I have to put an end to this!” he shouted. “I have to take you down! This is my fault, and I'm gonna make it right!”

“Ugh, really? Pathetic!” Gyldygga hissed, readying her terrible talons. “The only thing you'll be making is a nice ornament for my throne room! Now come here and let me gild you good!”

Gyldygga crossed the room in a single moment, swinging at Erik as her first target. Erik blinked, ducking without a second thought and swinging back at her clumsily. His dagger missed by a good portion, throwing him off balance and giving Gyldygga another opportunity to strike. She swung; her blow clattered against metal, and Eleven grunted as he shoved off the strength of the massive golden creature.

Eleven dropped to the floor, snatching Erik’s arm and taking him down with him to dodge another strike just as Sylvando came from behind to get a follow-up attack on Gyldygga. He swung at her, but his sword struck against her golden backside without leaving more than a small scratch. Immediately she turned around and swung at him; he blocked most of the blow, but a small scratch formed on his shoulder.

Isabella threw a healing orb at Sylvando as she charged forward, leaping with a large gust of wind cast at her feet. She slammed onto the monster’s back, narrowly avoiding an obsidian spike as she clambered into position. She immediately cast a large fireball in her hand, pressing it firmly against the creature’s back. Only then did Gyldygga shriek, throwing her off and against a pillar. A swift shield spell negated most of the damage, but Isabella still found herself out of breath.

Gyldygga swung her tail around behind her, knocking Isabella off of her feet once more. Sylvando once again started to raise his sword arm to strike her, but his arm suddenly seemed… heavy. He turned his head, and, horror-struck, saw that the wound in his shoulder was leaking not blood, but gold. The gold was hardening fast around him; he tried to scoop up some of the more wet gold with his hand, but that just caused the strange growth to continue on his hand.

“Um, guys?” Sylvando exclaimed as his side grew numb, Isabella watching with horror. She scrambled to her feet with difficulty, ducking another tailswipe, and immediately began to cast healing spells. The green orbs sunk into Sylvando’s skin, but didn’t seem to do anything against the ever-spreading gold.

“Crivens, this cannae turn all of us to gold, can it?” Rab exclaimed, conjuring a massive pillar of ice to shield them from an oncoming attack.

Gyldygga laughed cruelly. “I can and will! Say goodbye to your friend, you pathetic little worms!” Her mocking was cut short, however, as another tiny scratch was formed on the claws protruding out of her left foot. She looked down slowly, a grin on her face as she watched Erik clumsily hold his knife above her golden body, but missed terribly.

“Too afraid to strike, dear brother?” she giggled. “You amuse me. But, all the greatest shows must come to an end…”

Gyldygga roared, and the doors to the throne room suddenly burst open; the gilded Vikings poured through like a flood, screaming a similar battle cry. Sylvando cast an agility spell throughout the party, strengthening them despite the fact that only one of his arms was still functional. The golden soldiers surged forward, slamming into the party which depleted every moment. A cry to Isabella’s side alerted her that Gyldgga had found another target—her grandfather.

The Luminary of Light slammed one of the soldiers on the head with the hilt of her blade, throwing it away from her with a swift bash of her knee. She cast a fireball to her side, knocking down another Gyldenaut and raising her shield to parry one from her other side. Eleven didn’t seem to be in a much better situation, since he and Hendrik were trying to keep the monsters away from a nearly defenseless Sylvando and a deteriorating Rab.

A mass of gold slammed to the ground in front of Isabella, upsetting her balance before something whipped her across the stomach. She grunted, casting a faint wind spell to reduce the impact of the fall. However, Gyldygga bounded behind her again, slamming her in the other direction with her tail whip so that Isabella flew into the golden chair. Tears sprang into her eyes as she tried to lift herself from her arm, and she gasped as she clutched her side, quickly bloodying her uniform.

“I see Erik had time for some girl!” Gyldygga shrieked, coming for her again. Isabella groaned, doing her best to roll off the side of the throne. She hit the ground with some difficulty, taking her shield in her good arm to feebly block another attack. 

“So while I was rotting away in a cave, Erik found a replacement!” Gyldygga continued, giving Isabella a moment to painfully crawl behind the throne. “He found a different girl to put all his hopes, dreams, and cares in! He even thinks himself high-and-mighty enough to snag the Luminary! Well…”

Gyldygga’s claws wrapped around the throne, scratching Isabella’s front in the process. Already she could feel extreme weight gathering below her torso, and all she could do was fall into Gyldygga’s claw once the throne was flung directly at her brother, leaving him preoccupied. Isabella whimpered, turning away as Gyldygga tightened her grip on her throbbing abdomen.

“He never… mentioned you… to me,” Isabella said, choosing her words carefully as Gyldygga seemed to pause. “But… We got the Red Orb… He said it was important.” The grip loosened, and Isabella held back her surprise as best she could, continuing her moment of life. “We went back to Heliodor as fugitives… Erik insisted. 

“Beyond that… I… I always figured there was something holding him back. Something keeping him from feeling welcomed in the group and worthy as a friend and ally. He never mentioned you by name…” Isabella allowed a faint smile to creep onto her lips as she remembered the trip away from Gondolia. “But I think… he always tried really hard to protect me… because I remind him of you.”

Isabella cautiously looked back at Gyldygga as the monster’s grip loosened further, though the weight on her body was only getting stronger as the gold ran its course.

“You… He couldn’t have…” Gyldygga’s empty eyes almost softened as she began to shake. Isabella couldn’t help but whimper as the shaking turned to intense vibrating. She squeezed her eyes shut, healing herself in small amounts to preserve her magic usage, when she suddenly fell to the ground. Eleven managed to catch her, pulling her away from the monster as a beam of light erupted from Gyldygga’s skull.

There was a loud explosion, and suddenly the party was thrown backwards and against the wall. Sylvando and Rab, now completely golden statues, clattered uselessly. Gyldygga—or, perhaps, Mia—was being forced out of her golden body and into her human form once more. The golden carcass laid on the ground, empty, but it was not still. Vines suddenly exploded out of the head of the creature, twisting their way around the room. Hendrik swiftly pulled Eleven back as a vine tore through their formation, casting a shield spell on Isabella so that she was thrown to the other side. More vines wrapped around the first, creating a dense, prickly wall. Eleven immediately reached out to climb, but he pulled his hand away sharply, regarding the golden hue with horror.

Isabella turned to the erupting vines, clutching her side as her legs began to tremble from the weight they supported. Erik fell to her side, pulling her away from another vine. Now, however, they were trapped between the hovering Mia and the ever growing golden vines.

“Are you two alright!?” Hendrik exclaimed from the other side of the vines, taking care not to touch them as Eleven angrily slapped the gold on his hand.

“She’s completely lost control of her power! If we can't stop her, Gold Fever's going to spread like wildfire!” Isabella exclaimed, huffing.

“It already is! ” Eleven screamed, hacking at the vines with his useless hand barely holding up his sword.

“I can't let that happen... This is all my fault…” Erik’s voice was labored, and he was all too obviously holding back a tremendous amount of tears. “I'm sorry, Mia... I have to end this…”

“E... Erik... Help...me…”

Mia’s pleading, terrified voice seemed to snap Erik back into reality. He stared up at her, strung up and floating by the power of the golden necklace that he had given to her so many years ago… He had caused this… He had made her into what she was. Did that give him any right to destroy her…?

“Erik!” Isabella exclaimed, attempting to not be drowned out by the thundering noise of the vines breaking through the golden walls. “I’m sorry Erik, but… you have to do something! Would you take the hit when she’s vulnerable, or take a shot at getting out of here alive?”

A tear slipped out of his eye. “I can't do it,” he said, relief coming out of his voice. “She's my kid sister! I have to try and save her!”

Isabella gave him a pained grin before Erik rushed away. He nimbly climbed the protruding vines, doing it quickly enough that he didn’t notice the edges of his boots turning golden. Mia’s eyes widened with fear as he stood on a vine right next to her, and snatched the end of the necklace in the air.

“N-No! Get back...!” Mia cried. “You'll be...!”

Even before the words left her mouth, the golden disease had already spread all the way around Erik’s body. She stared in disbelief at her brother, his sad eyes looking at only her.

“I'm sorry...Mia…”

The last bits of gold covered his face. Suddenly, the thundering noise stopped. There was a complete silence, other than the soft noises of Isabella breathing harshly and Mia beginning to cry.

“Why...?” Mia said softly, choking. “Why can't we go back to how things used to be...? When we'd fight, and laugh, and fight some more... When all we had was each other… We didn't need money! We didn't need anything! I don't care how poor and cold and hungry we were... I want it back... I don't need this…

“I don't need gold!”

Maybe it was Erik’s sacrifice… Maybe it was her words… maybe it was the tear that fell at that moment, sliding down her cheek and directly onto the shimmering necklace… but right after the words left her mouth, the golden necklace began to emit a blinding golden light. Not only that, but the golden portion of Sylvando and Rab’s bodies and the golden vines all around the room. Mia squinted against the harsh light, but when she could see properly once more, the gold was gone.

Sylvando had been completely returned to normal, and he looked absolutely stunned to be able to feel his face again. The golden vines had vanished without a trace, leaving holes in the walls but nothing in the way between the party and Isabella. Mia had been lowered to the ground and, to Mia’s relief, whatever had happened had worked on Erik… He blinked, stunned to see himself back, and looked back at Mia. She smiled weakly, and slowly began to tip over. 

Erik reached out immediately, catching Mia quickly and lowering her the rest of the way to the ground safely. However, Erik didn’t smile to see his sister back to herself for the first time in a long time. Instead he pressed his hand against her heart, and his face went pale. Isabella was at his side before he could say a word, and she took a deep breath, much helped by her restored abdomen.

“The first step to intense healing protocols is a steady heartbeat,” she recited, her voice slow and sweet. “Intensity in the heartbeat can harm your patient. Next, you will need to feel for the main pressure points…” Isabella pressed her fingers against Mia’s forehead, then her jaw, and stopped at her heart. Isabella’s eyes closed gently, and she took a deep breath as her hands turned green and she began to run her hands along Mia’s chest. However, her smooth movements stopped abruptly and Isabella’s eyes widened. She looked at her hand pleadingly, beginning to shake.

“Steady heartbeat,” Erik reminded her.

Isabella paused, letting out a breath.

“Steady heartbeat,” she repeated, her eyes closed. She reached Mia’s throat, where she had paused, and gently closed her fist and began to run it up all the way to Mia’s mouth. She strained, letting out a soft groan of pain before finally reaching her mouth; a large section of black magic erupted from Mia’s lips, and she began to cough furiously. The coughing quickly stopped, however, and Mia groaned.

“Heh heh... Nice work, Erik... You just lost us a fortune…” she chuckled, closing her eyes and resting her head against his chest.

“Isabella… Did Serena teach you to do that?” Sylvando stammered.

“I… I guess so…” Isabella smiled, reaching down to clutch her side again. “I don’t know how, but it almost feels like Serena taught that to me… just now. Like she somehow… spoke to me.”

“Really?!” Eleven rushed forward, kneeling beside his sister immediately. “So…! So what you’re saying is…!”

“Serena must be alive!” they exclaimed in unison, gripping each other’s shoulders. Isabella suddenly burst into tears, and she could almost hear Eleven sniffle as he pulled her close. 

“What say ye we continue this reunion in the church, where we can properly look after young Mia, eh?” Rab suggested.

“Yeah… You ready to go, Mia?” Erik said gently, smoothing hair out of her face.

She snickered weakly. “You know me… I’m always ready for an adventure.”

***

The group walked back through the cavern area, Erik and Hendrik supporting Mia and Sylvando and Eleven supporting Isabella. In truth, they may have all been supporting each other a little bit, but no one said it aloud. They passed through rooms with half the city’s population in tow, marveling at the unconscious vikings who were no longer golden.

“I wonder how Jade has been doing this whole time,” Sylvando said to the Luminaries. “I figure she and Daffodil must be best friends by now, what with their similarities and…” He paused, entering the clearing slowly.

The Salty Stallion was missing.

Chapter Text

“Well, I guess this is what we get for parking our boat in Viking territory,” Eleven mumbled bitterly.

“That cannae make sense,” Rab interjected. “We’ve managed to take down all the Vikings who’d know of its location. Besides, the Princess was on the boat; a couple monsters couldnae take her down, sprained ankle or not.”

“Yggdrasil has abandoned us!” one of the townspersons cried, shaking hands clutching her hair.

“Hey, shut it!” Mia exclaimed, her voice still rather groggy. She blinked slowly, trying to keep her eyes open, but her temper certainly did not lack energy. “These people saved not only my life, but yours as well! And now you think a missing boat is going to mess up their plans?!”

“That is exactly right, darling, you tell them!” Sylvando exclaimed, suddenly passionate. “Isabella, dear? Isn’t that little spell of yours working again?”

Isabella swallowed, wiping the last bits of magic elixir from her lips. “I suppose so,” she admitted. “But I can’t transport so many of us at the same time, and we can’t be directly under a ceiling in either case. I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to directly teleport back here. It’s not quite… familiar, yet.”

“Then familiarize yourself!” another townsperson demanded, taking a sudden approach to Isabella. She calmly pressed the empty bottle back into her bag, and took a long, awkward moment to shoot a disapproving glare at this particular man.

“Because of my reduced magic level, I can only confidently say that I can transport… five people, including myself,” Isabella said carefully, leaning against the wall to give an illusion of utter confidence when in reality she was only preserving her healing. “My only caveat is that we will likely be back by tomorrow morning or afternoon. Those who stay should… familiarize themselves with camping.” The Luminary of Light set down one of the bags at her side, kicking it lightly so it slid to the group of townspeople.

“That should be all you need for a night’s rest, though you may have to make do with wild berries for the night’s provisions. Rest in the fact that you will be greeted into your homes most early tomorrow, and we are doing all that we can to reunite you and your families. Now, then…” Isabella turned to her group, coming a little closer and keeping her voice lowered.

“Sylvando, Hendrik, do you suppose you could hold down the fort here?” she asked. “I can’t trust these people to not go stir-crazy overnight, so I’ll need you both to make sure nothing crazy happens and hold monsters at bay, if it comes to that.”

“I suppose, then, that you will be taking your brother with you?” Hendrik replied.

“That would be best. Erik, you and Mia have to come as well; we need her to be in the hands of a better healer as soon as possible.”

“Then if we also took Rab, we’d have all five,” Eleven said, nodding. “Alright, when’re we going? I’ve been waiting far too long to kick more monster butt.”

“I’m glad yer feelin’ prime and ready,” Rab noted as they began to weave back through the cavern, away from the scrutinizing eyes of the townspeople. “I’ve been going against me own word by healin’ meself just to stay awake!”

“Rab!” Isabella gasped. “After all the scolding you gave me—”

“Ye mean you havenae been using it?” Rab pointed out. A sudden silence was enough for him to smirk to himself even as they entered the clearing. Snow was blowing harder than before, causing the trees to shiver even as Isabella closed her eyes, lifting her hand into the air. Bluish-white swirls formed around them, and they were quickly zipped into the air.

The Luminary of Light opened her eyes on the docks, conjuring a small fireball in her hand to ward off the darkness and cold. Erik brought his sister closer to him even as Isabella glanced around the dock, though it wasn’t long before she gasped.

“The Stallion—it’s right here!” she exclaimed, pointing. Surely enough, the immense shadow of Sylvando’s ship was clear to see even without much moonlight. Rab stroked his mustache thoughtfully, humming to himself.

“Let’s get inside the gates,” he suggested. “We’ll get poor auld Mia to safety and go from there.”

The rest of the group nodded, and followed Rab carefully across the dock and towards the ominous gates. They entered easily enough, crossing the barren plaza and turning swiftly to the little church. A candlelight could be seen even between the curtains, and the door was wrenched open from a small tap of Eleven’s wrist. The priest looked them up and down, eyes wild, ushering them in before he spoke a word.

“Is something the matter?” Isabella prodded gently. “You do look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

“Nothing… Nothing, dear child,” the reverend replied, smiling with tired eyes. “Now that you are back, you have taken a load from my mind. And this young one! Ah, Helena!” 

A young woman appeared at the top of the staircase, and her eyes widened at seeing Erik and Mia. She immediately understood, however, and with the help of the thief, took Mia upstairs.

“That certainly takes a load from our minds, but ye cannae convince us that everything’s alright yet,” Rab urged the reverend, though he spoke softly. “We’re here to help.”

The reverend gulped, huffing softly as he tried to contain himself. He fell back into a chair, supporting his head with a shaking hand.

“Your companion… the one with long black hair, the martial artist…” He paused. “I’m afraid she has already been given a trial last night. If all remains the same, then this afternoon, a death sentence will be issued.”

“What!?” Eleven lurched, taken aback, but gradually leaned forward, clutching a side table for support. “Tell us what you know. She can’t possibly have done something worthy of such a horrible sentence.”

“All the evidence is against her,” the priest continued, choking. “We don’t know who else to blame. My children… young Daffodil has been killed.”

A sharp, painful gasp pierced Isabella’s throat, though the others remained in silence. She became vaguely aware of Erik, standing stunned at the top of the stairs.

“It is not that I accuse your friend personally!” the reverend said hurriedly. “But she was the only other person upon the seacraft, and when we saw her… It was as if a demon had possessed her soul! Her mentality seemed to be as I have seen her before, but her face…” He shuddered. “Gaunt, red eyes, and sickly grey skin…”

“Booga,” Eleven hissed through his teeth. “Reverend, I don’t know how to explain this, but she… does that now. It’s something that happened after the fall of Yggdrasil.”

“A great many things have changed after that dreaded day, I’m afraid. I would desire to believe you, my friends, but all the evidence is there. Unless you can procure something to show your friend’s innocence, I am afraid she will have to be—”

“No! That won’t happen,” Erik interjected. “Let’s go see Frysabel. I’m sure she’ll have a solution for us.”

Isabella quickly thanked the priest before they turned themselves out into the growing blizzard. She shook as they approached the palace gates, and suddenly realized how depleted her magic source was. She reached into her remaining bag, retrieving another magic bottle after a short struggle. She could almost feel Erik’s eyes on her back as they entered the building. However, Queen Frysabel’s eyes glowed as she noticed the party coming through the throne room doors, distracting them for the present moment.

“Oh, you all made it back! I am ever so glad to see that your mission has been a success!” Frysabel exclaimed. “We’ve finally gotten Krystalinda out of bars, as you can see! How can I ever thank you all?”

“Perhaps by getting another of our companions out of bars as well,” Eleven interjected, though Erik grabbed his shoulder to hold him back. “Whatever you think Jade did is obviously untrue! How do you even know if Daffodil is dead, anyways?”

Frysabel gripped the edge of her throne, her eyes suddenly icy. “Daffodil’s body was brought in several hours ago. It was not only her, however; her brother’s body was also discovered on the docks just as your boat made its way to port. I cannot fathom who would target the two other than her… monsters have not plagued our docks for as long as I can remember. Besides, we found blood on her weapon… blood of the woman who was finally earning her redemption…” She paused, swallowing, and settled back as Krystalinda laid a hand on her shoulder.

“There has to be some way to prove her innocence,” Isabella begged. “Give us a day—maybe two days—I don’t know how long it will take, but I promise you, we can come up with the information you need.”

“As if!” Frysabel exclaimed, standing. “I’ll just give you enough time to wreak more havoc on my city! The fall of Yggdrasil and golden fever were enough to deal with, but this?! ”

“Frysabel,” Krystalinda said firmly, pulling her back. “A day or two can’t get them information if there is none. Besides, until only a short time ago, I was awaiting a death sentence myself. Let them hold off, and see if there’s anything they can do.”

Frysabel huffed, but nodded gruffly as she fell back into her chair. She turned away, though it was obvious from her shaking shoulders that she must be crying. A group of guards by the door issued the depleted party out of the throne room, into an eerily empty hallway.

“I’m going to visit Jade for a wee while, let her know we’re on the case,” Rab said. “As fer you three, settle in for the night. The inn should be particularly welcoming to ye tonight.”

“Yes… that’d be perfect,” Isabella said distantly. Eleven chuckled, following his sister and Erik as they made their way to the inn. The warm light was dearly welcomed by the snowflake-laden travelers, and the woman at the front desk seemed particularly fond of Eleven; she even gave them a discount! Oblivious as ever, Eleven took it without a second thought, booking two rooms for a fraction of the price.

Isabella smiled faintly, rubbing her eyes as they retreated into the nicely prepared rooms. Finally… something other than the same stinky tent with her brother’s feet out in the open… somewhere that… apparently caused Erik to stare at her weirdly.

“You need something?” she asked, pulling out the band around her hair and allowing it to fall around her shoulders. She shrugged off the chainmail vest underneath her tunic, pulling the belt off in the same way. And yet, Erik was still staring at her. Was that… a grin?

“If you want to say something, you’d better go ahead and say it,” she said, turning back to the frazzled mass cascading from her head. “The second I’m allowed into this bed, I’m gonna pass ou—”

She trailed off, backing away as Erik approached her, still smiling. Her back pressed gently against the wall, and she looked into his glimmering eyes as he pressed both arms beside her, pinning her. She stared at him, wide-eyed, until one of his gloved hands pulled from the wall, reaching for her chin. She couldn’t help but shiver as his rough fingers trailed along her cheekbone. His mouth opened for a moment, but he quickly closed it again. Goddess…

“Are you… crying?” Isabella asked gently.

“Who, me? Nah,” he said immediately, though he refused to break eye contact. “My eyes are just watering as I try to comprehend how much light is inside of you. It’s not just magic there, either.”

“What?” Isabella exclaimed, flushing. “Erik, what’s gotten into you?”

He smiled, allowing a tear to drop from his eye. “My guilt over Mia was the only thing holding me back from loving you like I’ve always wanted to. Now… I would’ve never imagined that the same Luminary of Light who would supposedly redeem me would become as important to me as you are now. You’re incredible, Isabella. And I can finally freely say that I love you more than anything.”

Isabella could barely contain her tears even as Erik leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. A chill ran through her body, energizing her exhausted senses as she received it wholeheartedly. His hands pressed around her waist as they broke apart for a short moment, and her arms went around his back to bring them into another kiss. 

“I know this world is crazy,” he mumbled, pushing her gently so that she leaned her head into his chest. “But we still managed to find each other again. I’d say that’s something stronger than fate.”

“Like you said so long ago, El and I are your lucky charms,” she suggested, kissing him again.

“What in the—?!”

Eleven staggered, gaping as he entered the room. Erik turned slowly, running his hands through Isabella’s hair completely casually, as if it was the most obvious thing to ever do. Eleven shook his head, snapped his jaw shut, and slapped his hands over his eyes.

“Nope! Didn’t see anything!” he exclaimed, walking backwards as best he could. “You two have a nice… whatever this is. Um… yeah—ow!” Eleven reeled back, rubbing his head where he had hit the wall as he made it back into the hallway, and shut the door soundly behind him.

“I guess this is what we get, huh? Rab’s so gonna kill us for being in here alone,” Isabella mumbled, smiling.

“Worth it,” Erik replied, kissing the top of her head.

***

Isabella could scarcely stir herself from sleep as light poured through the windows, though Eleven’s nagging was what kept her scarcely awake.

“Come on, Izzy, if you would’ve just gone to bed instead of being lovey-dovey, you would be more rested!” he exclaimed.

Isabella barely had the energy for a snarky response, so this morning, she consented to Eleven’s very incorrect assumption. She did, however, have enough energy to begin combing her hair as Rab and Erik emerged from the other room, Erik settling down on a side chair and Rab left on his feet.

“The soldiers let me talk with Jade last night for a wee while,” Rab began, explaining as Eleven polished his greatsword; a new one, by the looks of it. The odd yellowish wings near the hilt of the blade seemed odd to her, but Eleven seemed to appreciate it, so… She shook her head, refocusing on the conversation.

“She told me the whole thing, though even I find it quite hard to believe,” Rab admitted. “So, we’ll be taking the boat where she said she was when all this happened. But be warned… if what she says is to be believed, we could be in fer quite a lengthy investigation. Of course, we still have business to attend to before then… Isabella, I trust yer magic is better off this morning?”

“Definitely! Though, it wouldn’t hurt to have a few magic elixirs,” she said, chuckling lightly. “I’ll get right to it!”

Several trips later, the townspeople were happily back in their homes. Isabella was able to smile with satisfaction as they boarded the boat, waving to the reunited families. However, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding as Sniflheim drifted into the fog. Sylvando steered under Rab’s direction, and her grandfather had promised it wouldn’t be far.

Isabella and the others decided to busy themselves by searching the boat for any possible clues. Hendrik and Eleven assured her that the supplies were all in perfect condition, excluding an empty pot that had been shattered. Erik and Isabella made rounds on the deck, but the amount of scuffles they had had on the ship made it hard to designate scuffs from a recent battle. However, Erik and his scrutinizing eye found one spot of interest; a deep cut in the wood by one end of the boat, surrounded by a small pool of blood. 

Eventually, a tiny island appeared in the distance, surrounded by snowy trees. Isabella strained her neck for a better look as they came to a gradual stop, and she noticed a strange sigil at the centre of the area. Curious, she was the first off the boat, followed closely by Erik and Eleven.

They crossed the withered dock carefully, and the sigil became much clearer to Isabella. Despite the blizzard the night before, the ground was perfectly clear, and bright green lines spiraled through the grass. They grew in irregular patterns, with glowing tendrils sweeping about the surrounding trees. The group began to disperse themselves, checking behind each tree, until Rab called them over.

“This might just be our way to victory,” Rab exclaimed. “Look here!”

The party rushed over, gathering around the object Rab had pointed out—a lightroot. Isabella’s heart fluttered, but she resisted the feeling of victory for the moment. Besides, who knew what was within the memories of this root…

Daffodil grunted, pulling the Salty Stallion’s wheel to a stop. The boat tipped slightly, but shifted into motionlessness even as the woman lowered herself from the rope. She held her knife warily, looking into the clearing. As she meandered further into the cluster of trees, however, she was completely unaware of a certain martial artist, stowed away and cautiously peering out the ship’s window.

“How to do this…?” Daffodil huffed, squeezing her hands to reduce the immense amount of shaking. She opened her mouth, but all that came out was a soft squeal; Jasper appeared before her, brandishing the silver orb as he stared her down with emotionless crimson eyes.

“Ah, yes, my little… experiment,” Jasper said cooly, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “I must admit, you have accomplished more than I expected of you. Of course, there is a little matter of your work’s proof that we must get out of the way.”

“Proof?” Daffodil shifted nervously. “What other proof do you need? I have their boat. There’s no possible way they could still be alive if I have their boat.”

“Is that so? Well, then…” 

The knife flew from Daffodil’s hand, cutting her finger on its way to Jasper’s palm. He examined the blade affectionately, twirling it until it showed a glowing crimson stone. The gem pulsed like a heartbeat, and Jade felt that she could almost hear it.

“I tire of playing games,” he said, his voice lowering with anger. “I tire of watching the accursed Luminaries rise to power once more. Sentinel after sentinel—useless! Worthless users of the power granted by Lord Mordegon! Even now, I don’t suppose that teenage girl revived to fight her brother will last long against their group. That is why I have decided to switch to more… dire actions.”

“No, please!” Daffodil exclaimed, lurching forward. “I’ll do it—I’ll bring you the bodies. Just please, don’t kill my brother!”

Jasper regarded her from the corner of his eye, leaving her tense and shaking for a few ominous seconds. Finally, he tossed the dagger back to her without looking, and she was forced to dive to the ground to retrieve it.

“That’s right… Know your place, little worm, and maybe you will rise higher than before,” Jasper sneered. “Then again… knowing the power I have entrusted to vessels before you… I am afraid that you will soon regret the day you passed a pact with me. The weak-willed are always the first to go.”

Jasper cackled maniacally, vanishing into a cloud of purple mist. Daffodil, on her feet again, began to stagger towards the ship. She stared at the knife as she crossed back towards the rope, but took a brief moment to lift her eyes.

Eye contact between the two shot like an electric charge. Jade swore, ducking below the window, slamming into a box and toppling the jar on top. She rested for a few agonizing moments, considering whether Daffodil had actually noticed her or not. Jade lifted herself to the window warily, taking a moment to figure out where Daffodil had gone.

She was desperately clambering for the rope, rushing onto the Salty Stallion.

Jade gritted her teeth, using the end of her spear to support her as she stood up, rushing to the small staircase that left her atop the ship. Once she reached the deck, Daffodil had heaved herself up, knife between her teeth and eyes absolutely mad. Jade brandished her spear, preparing a stance if she was to be pounced on.

Daffodil made no such movement, only removing the dagger from her teeth and pointing it at Jade with a shuddering hand. Despite her terror, it was obvious that this woman was practiced in the art of knives. She held herself ready, awaiting Jade’s first strike.

“It is because of you that the fall of Yggdrasil occurred,” Daffodil said, more to herself than to Jade. “If it wasn’t for you, the gryphons would have never found me… It is because of you that I was slain that day, giving that… greatest of beings the opportunity to turn me into this!”

“Hang on!” Jade exclaimed, swerving as Daffodil finally pounced. She slammed against a pole, but was quick to recover and slash at Jade again. The martial artist parried, shoving her spear forward enough to shove off Daffodil. She stumbled, falling against the edge of the boat.

“I can help!” Jade attempted again as Daffodil scrambled to her feet. “You can be freed from this curse, Daffodil; there’s no need to fight!”

Daffodil shrieked a horrible, desperate laugh. “Freed?! I should be dead right now, you idiot! He revived me; now HE is in charge of my life! I can’t just run away from a curse like this; if he thinks it just that my life should end, he has only to turn the knife on me for the deed to be done, and for my blood to be spilt once and for all! But not only mine… My innocent brother will face the same fate. I simply cannot allow that!”

Daffodil screamed again, pouncing on Jade but missing terribly. Jade swerved, limping towards the front area of the boat, where it was more open.

“You may think all hope is lost,” Jade interjected, “but the Luminaries—”

“The Luminaries! Bright and bold Luminaries! They’ll save us, won’t they?!” Daffodil demanded, mocking. “The same Luminaries that brought calamity upon our world and destroyed my life! I shall NEVER forgive you!”

The woman finally grasped Jade by the shoulders, taking her down in a sudden tackle. Jade struggled, fumbling for her weapon, but Daffodil immediately pulled the spear from her hands and thrust it into Jade’s shoulder, digging it into the wood. The martial artist screamed, though she was unable to pull away as Daffodil crawled over top of her, dagger held at the ready above her chest.

“...So why can’t I DO IT?!” Daffodil shrieked, throwing the knife aside suddenly, It clattered away, coming to a stop at one of the wooden beams. “Why can’t I destroy you and earn myself a chance at life?!”

“Daffodil… you’re not a bad person,” Jade grunted, subtly pulling the spear away from her shoulder. “Life may have granted you terrible fortune, but deep down you know that you’re not willing to commit such a crime, even if it means life for you and your loved one. All of Yggdrasil’s leaves eventually fall, but some wither and decay with cruelty while others brighten autumn with a nearly unfathomable palette of color. Daffodil, I promise you, you were never meant to be a withered leaf.”

Daffodil sat, stunned, until she suddenly began to weep. Jade laid there for a moment, watching the poor woman mourn. At long last, however, she finally freed the spear from her flesh, and was able to clumsily get to her feet. Daffodil stopped crying immediately, turning to Jade with puffy eyes. 

She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes suddenly became black. Jade shrieked as the knife streaked through Daffodil’s chest, piercing through as if it had been water, forcing the body to topple onto the ship’s floor. Jade stared, horrified, at the knife’s deed, but it suddenly zipped away, returning to its master.

“Good Goddess,” she stammered, feeling cold blood trail across her shoulder as she limped over to the wheel. She could steer back to the Viking Hideout, couldn’t she? The others would understand what had happened, she was sure. However, the pulsing pain in her shoulder and ankle made it even harder to focus on the task at hand. Jade breathed deeply, allowing a warm feeling to spread from her core to her fingertips, covering her in the ghastly black bunny suit. Despite the amount of skin she showed, she was a great deal warmer and an even greater deal more energized. Careful to not irritate her ankle, Jade leaned on the wheel as she began to turn it away from the island.

Of course, which way was it, exactly? Towards the distant mountains, sure, but in the gathering blizzard, it would be hard to tell the difference between the strait to Sniflheim and the side-strait which led to the Viking Hideout.

She shuddered, clutching the wheel and attempting to not look at the body. She’d just have to wing it for now. What’s the worst that could happen?

Chapter Text

“Queen Frysabel!” Isabella rushed into the throne room breathlessly, though she still left the others several paces behind. “Your highness, we know what happened! Jade is innocent!”

Frysabel turned slowly, holding her silence for a moment too long. “...I apologize, friends,” she said finally, “but this tragedy has taken quite a toll on me. I cannot believe your friend's innocence unless I can see evidence of it.”

“I think we can get a grand heap out of what we’ve just seen, lassie,” Rab said confidently. “If you would follow us…”

***

“I’m sorry, but I still can’t quite believe you,” Queen Frysabel replied. “Now we know for certain that the murder occurred on this boat, but according to your own testimonies, Jade and Daffodil were the only humans present at that time. Besides, it was human blood on that spear, not monster’s.”

“That’s somethin’ to consider,” Rab popped in, raising a finger. “Ye see, if you noticed the condition of your captive at all, you would have seen a deep cut into her shoulder, pierced by her own blade and into the ground… here.” He gestured towards the cracked floorboard. “I’m sorry to say it, but ‘twas all too obvious within the vision that young Daffodil was intent on being the murderer returned to Sniflheim.”

“That evidence alone should free your friend of the death sentence,” Krystalinda said, hovering gracefully about the dock. “But if all you have said is true, where is the true murderer? It would be more justified for Jade to have committed such a crime if her life was in jeopardy, tragic as the situation is, but you seem to feel quite strongly that your friend is innocent.”

“Krystalinda!” Frysabel turned sharply to her companion. “I can’t believe you! You’d actually take their side, after all they’ve done?!”

“Yes, freeing this city from two abominable plagues and reuniting families is certainly the most heinous of crimes,” the witch said icily. A harsh pause ensued, but Krystalinda turned to Isabella’s group, waiting for a response as if she had said nothing.

“It was Jasper,” Isabella said quietly. “He used some sort of… magical dagger to kill her from some unknown distance. It sounds absolutely unbelievable, but…”

The witch’s eyes widened. “ Crimsobana…”

 She turned sharply towards the palace. “Frysabel,” she said urgently. “Please tell me you have not buried the bodies yet. There is something I must check, and quickly!”

“Oh! Not yet… They should both be in the mourning chamber,” Frysabel said, shifting uncomfortably. She lagged behind as the others followed the witch back into the city’s gates, thrusting open the palace doors. A few guards spared incredulous looks for the Luminaries and their group, but upon seeing the Queen and royal advisor in tow, they returned to their posts as casually as possible.

A woman garbed in a midnight black robe seemed taken aback by the urgent party, but she ushered them into the mourning chamber with one look at the desperate Queen. The warm glow of candlelight did not reach this room, and it was engulfed in deeper shadow when the doors were shut behind them. A short flight of stairs led to a prison-like area, though the carpet and rooms separated by sturdy walls dispelled the illusion somewhat. They followed a shuddering Frysabel to one particular room, opening the door warily.

Within the door were two coffins, both barely sealed. Though Frysabel seemed close to fainting, Krystalinda went further into the room and laced her thin fingers about the lid, pulling it smoothly onto the wooden floor. 

Daffodil laid inside, her eyes closed and her mouth barely open. The queen stifled a sob, but Krystalinda’s eyes widened at the sight. Daffodil’s clothing was torn through the chest where the knife had struck her, and from there a sort of glyph appeared on her chest. Crimson markings bled across her skin, tendrils grasping further throughout the corpse.

“It is just as I thought,” Krystalinda said gravely. “This woman was cursed by dark magic even I have only heard the likes of— Crimsobana. A dagger of death, distributed only by the wielders of the darkest magic. Frysabel… I can no longer have suspicions for their friend. This magic is something far beyond a usual murder. Besides… Daffodil knew what fate awaited her.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Frysabel said, swallowing to steady herself. “I doubt many of us plan our own deaths.”

“I am afraid, my queen, that is exactly what she did,” the witch replied, her tone icy. “ ‘Only death can satisfy a pact of vengeance ratified’– a text that succinctly describes the curse. In essence, the curse can only be put upon a willing victim, with the promise that the victim will receive a boon if their promise is upheld. However, if they cannot fulfill their promise… it means death. In this case, it seems that Daffodil and her brother were bound by the same oath.”

Frysabel swallowed, eyes widening as she drew herself up. “I… have heard of such things,” she admitted. “Snorri’s teachings haven’t strayed too far from my mind, it seems. And if that is the case…” She turned around, sweeping her cape across the cobbled floor before muttering a few words to the nearest maid. The woman bowed, retreating soundlessly.

“Your friend should be out of bars in a few moments,” the queen said. She heaved a deep sigh. “I… apologize. It was deeply wrong for me to assume something so grave of your fellowship, especially after all you have done.”

“Yggdrasil’s fall has hardened each of us,” Krystalinda continued, putting her arm across the queen’s shoulders. “Thousands fell in a single day, hundreds more picked off one by one in the dark days that followed; those things are happening even now. And yet, as the Luminaries yet live, I believe we still have hope for the future, slim as it may seem in this dark time.”

***

Jade’s cell clicked open, and the princess was immediately received with open arms by Hendrik especially, who took it upon himself to throw a cloak about her wounded shoulders. A lighthearted spirit attempted to bring itself to life about the party, but there was a smothering vapor of gloom surrounding them still. However, they exited the palace without addressing it, and many of the soldiers on duty gave them at least half-hearted smiles.

Isabella forced a smile on her face as the armorer and weaponsmith rushed from their shops, beaming and thanking the party for their help. Sylvando received their praise gratefully and, with the help of Eleven and Rab, was able to receive a multitude of free weapons. The jester examined an emerald green whip with special interest before thanking the shop owners and leaving the gates of the frozen city.

“I suppose we’ll be continuin’ our journey to Arboria, then?” Rab said, cutting the silence. “With this news that Serena’s still out there somewhere, I don’t reckon it’ll be long before the whole gang's back together.”

“Heh. How long has it been since that happened?” Erik muttered, reflective.

“Indeed,” Hendrik said, lips playing at a smile as Jade held his arm. “We shall move through the Snaerfelt, on towards the Arborian Highlands. There is a campsite a fair distance from here, so I venture to say we will reach there just as night falls.”

“Sounds good to me!” Eleven said. “I’ll take the front, in case Ser—I mean, in case there are any monsters, since I’m obviously the most capable.”

Isabella grinned, shaking her head as they approached the cavern that trailed beyond Sniflheim city. Even as Erik pulled her close, a little of that smothering feeling dissipated. Besides, she was more than sure that burst of magic had been from Serena. The twins were probably already at Arboria, waiting patiently for their return. It was only a matter of time before they were all united again.

“Hey, you alright?” Erik asked gently, placing a soft peck on top of her head.

“...Yes, actually,” she said, smiling genuinely. “Even after everything that’s happened… Finally, finally, I think everything will be alright.”

Chapter Text

Isabella pulled the new-found yellow orb from her bag, examining it. Even after being under Mordegon’s possession, and further Mia’s possession, it was perfectly smooth and unscathed. She began to pull out all of the orbs, one by one, examining each brightly shining sphere. Even after all they had been through, they were perfectly safe.

Just like their group.

“It makes no sense,” Isabella muttered to herself, packing the orbs away as the others finished taking down their campsite. Erik cocked his head curiously, quietly nudging her to go on.

“How did we manage to get out of Yggdrasil alive?” the Luminary of Light continued.

“And you need the orbs to help you think about that?” Eleven cut in, tying his sheath onto his back.

“Yes—I mean, no! I’m only curious. I mean, I love all of you dearly, but we’re not precious artifacts worth several fortunes,” she explained. “After all this heartbreak and turmoil we’ve seen, we were somehow spared. Our little ragtag band that was literally on Yggdrasil when that day came. And we just happened to be flung off perfectly so that we each landed in water, safe from harm.”

“Maybe there’s some kind of magic at work? Izzy, I don’t know,” Eleven admitted. “I’ve always owed that explanation to the fact that we’re the Luminaries. I mean, crazy stuff happens to us all the time.”

“But our magic!” Isabella pressed further. “It was gone! My mark went away, El! That was not a normal thing that we can just blame on forces of nature. Nature died that day. All we have left is death.”

“Woah, let’s not be hasty here!” Erik exclaimed. He turned to the others warily, but they didn’t react as he pulled Isabella aside—not even Eleven.

“Listen, I understand that you’re upset with what happened to Daffodil,” he said quietly. “But you seemed perfectly fine yesterday. You said everything would finally be okay. What changed?”

Isabella sighed. “I don’t know… I just have an awful feeling all of a sudden.”

“You don’t mean to say that the magic you had—”

“No, not about Serena—I am absolutely positive she’s alright,” she said quickly. “I just… I’m not sure. I can’t really explain it.” Isabella sighed, pulling gently from his grasp. “...I’m alright. I think I’m just nervous about going near Yggdrasil again, is all. Shall we go?”

Erik opened his mouth to respond, but consented to nodding instead. They walked in an odd, eerie silence slightly broken by the crunching of their feet. Though Isabella had to clutch her hands together to keep from shaking, she found some solace in admiring the surrounding landscape. True, there were still monsters blocking their path every now and then. True, the sky was a little darker than before. However, this was one of the only places that didn’t have char markings and rubble everywhere.

The frozen lake just beyond their campsite seemed off, however. Isabella examined it curiously as they passed along the fringes of the area, knocking a cureslime out of the way every now and then. The massive bears and armed robots about the ice didn’t seem to be the issue. She gazed at the seemingly innocent lake for a long while, trying to discern the issue. Eventually, however, she continued through the narrow pathway. This paranoia wasn’t going to get her anywhere.

“Um…” Hendrik muttered at Isabella’s side. “Young Luminary… do you happen to remember encountering a rather substantial hole in that lake from before?”

“A hole?” Isabella bit her lip. “Can’t say I remember that specifically.” She shrugged, acting nonchalant as her heart beat furiously.

Even as they entered the clearing, she began to calm down. Not a single monster was in sight, and the path to Arboria was directly to their side. She finally cracked a smile, pushing down the paranoia that threatened to ruin her mood. They were almost there!

“...Something is not right here,” Hendrik said, unsheathing his axe. “Be on your guard.”

“Isabella…?” Erik muttered, turning to her as he drew his knife. Isabella shook her head, eyes wide, as Hendrik raised his shield and continued to walk forward. The clearing was still completely empty, but Hendrik threw his arm out, keeping her from advancing as he narrowed his eyes at the sky. Surely enough, a small, twisting mass could be seen near the clouds.

Isabella narrowed her eyes slightly, but it was scarcely a moment before the creature flew towards them, growing drastically bigger than the Luminary of Light had estimated. She raised her own shield, forming a small wall with Hendrik as the massive serpent zipped past them. She stumbled, falling back a few paces before it zoomed from the other side, knocking her into the first position. Sylvando grabbed her from behind, steadying her as the serpent twisted itself, hovering just before them.

“Sssince time beyond memory, I have been sssealed away in that frozen fjord…” the creature hissed, its deep voice making the landscape tremble. “But now I am releasssed! Alasss, my lengthy imprisonment has sssorely depleted my powersss… If the ssskies above Sssniflheim are to once more dance with fire, then firssst I must feassst! You shall have the honour of being the auroral ssserpent's sssupper!”

The serpent raised its coal-black jaw, spewing a golden steam from its lips. Isabella bolted forward, dragging Sylvando along with her, narrowly avoiding the effects of the steam. She wheeled around, sword drawn, to see the others nearly frozen in place, if it wasn’t for the constant vibrating about their bodies.

“Ach, what is this?!” Erik exclaimed, his knife clattering into the snow. “Can’t… move…”

Isabella ducked away from the serpent again, throwing herself towards her paralysed friends to avoid the dragon as it crashed into the ground. Sylvando came up beside her, quickly casting a spell she had never seen before. Balls of bluish-green light flew from his hand like bubbles, each popping as it reached a different person. As the bubbles popped, however, they would each become masters of their bodies again, stooping for their weapons and dodging before the serpent could catch them in another cloud of paralysis.

Isabella swerved behind the creature, slicing her sword across its tough hide. The scales shivered, revealing a soft spot for barely a moment before the serpent fell from the sky. Something grabbed her from behind, pulling her by the tunic and away from the creature as it heaved itself back into the sky, arcing higher and higher. The young Luminary nodded to Hendrik as a thanks, but paused for a moment.

“Hendrik, your shield…” She looked from the fabled shield of Heliodor to the dragon taunting them from above. The same midnight black scale glittered back at her, causing her to pause.

“Yes, it is true this shield was crafted from a scale of a serpent described quite like this one,” Hendrik said, eyes still fixed on the skies. “Your point?”

“Watch out!” Isabella dove away, casting a small tornado at her feet to propel her from the serpent as it snapped its jaws. She gritted her teeth, pouring more magic into the gale so that shards of ice were picked up from the ground, swirling about the serpent as it flew by. However, the pieces simply bounced off the scales, falling away uselessly.

The Luminary of Light backed up, pressing herself against her bundled teammates with her eyes ever fixed on the serpent. Even as the midnight black ribbon swirled around, a soft glint of light caught her eye. 

“There! There’s a scale missing!” she exclaimed, pointing her face towards her friends the best she could while keeping an eye on the monster. “It doesn’t seem all too large an opening, however. Those of you with thinner or smaller weapons… erm, I guess that’s me, Erik, and Jade—”

An ear splitting cry rang out across the snowy plains, and Isabella shrieked, covering her own ears as her vision spun. It took a few agonizing moments to realize that her sword was on the ground. She leaned over to pick it up, but found herself being slammed into by the serpent. Snow bundled around her as she skidded into the cliff face, grunting. Eleven and Rab groaned to one side of her, the former helping the latter to his feet.

The auroral serpent roared once more, streaking towards Isabella at a terrifying pace. She growled, standing firmly unarmed as the creature barreled towards her. In a split second, she could feel wind sweeping against her, pulling her backwards even before the creature would smash her against the cliff face. Still she held her ground, holding an arm out to Eleven when he tried to approach her.

Closer… closer…

Its mouth widened for the kill.

NOW!

Isabella leapt, casting a wind spell against the side of the cliff which sent her sprawling onto the monster’s back. She wheezed as she slammed into the rock-hard scales, but was able to hold on to one of the glittering golden spines as the dragon slammed into the cliff face.

A vibration thundered across the dragon’s body, throwing Isabella into the air once more before the dragon picked itself up, taking her along with it. She held onto the scales with all her might, vision swimming as they gained altitude at an alarming rate. Gradually, gradually, she was able to pull herself up, crawling on the back of the horrendous beast.

Isabella was forced to breathe heavily as the air got thinner, but thankfully the beast’s ascension began to slow. She grinned half-heartedly, keeping firm grips as she slugged around, reaching for where she had seen the weak spot.

A horrendous jolt shuddered through the serpent’s body, sending Isabella several feet into the air. She attempted to keep silent even as the creature tried to streak away, but she was able to barely latch onto its tail. The feather-like tassels slid from her grip for every second they were in the air, throwing her this way and that, just barely holding on.

STAY AWAKE! She screamed in her head, her stomach dropping as they began to plummet once more. Extremely quickly, at that. She saw the horrified faces of the others just before another dramatic buck from the dragon sent her sprawling, flung towards the cliff face beyond. Isabella immediately began to cast wind spells, pouring her magic into it until the gale finally bounced her back. The cliff face came more slowly now, but she gradually began to fall back to earth. She adjusted herself, turning her feet and hands to recast the wind spell she had used back in the Last Bastion.

Barely a wisp came from her fingertips. Her heart fell.

“MY MAGIIIIIC!” she shrieked, unable to tell if the others noticed her at all. The auroral serpent was continuing to fight them, snapping at Hendrik as the knight shielded the others. Eleven himself had leapt to the dragon’s head to try to find its weak point, and only then did he notice Isabella. He pointed madly to her, trying to get the others’ attention, but another roar had left them stunned.

Isabella screamed, trying to pour any measure of magic left into her fall.

She bounced off of the ground, thrown directly to her feet as if nothing had happened.

Disoriented, Isabella lifted her hands towards the dragon as if she was preparing to fist-fight it. Her shaking hands wouldn’t have been of much use, anyways. She began to approach the creature as it threw Eleven off, snapping at Rab. Hendrik turned back, beginning to sprint, until he caught sight of Isabella. His jaw dropped.

“N-Nice save,” Isabella smiled, trying to keep her shuddering from showing. “That b-buff spell is no joke, h-huh?”

“I did not cast a spell on you, young Luminary.”

“Hendrik! Get over here!” Jade yelled, kicking the serpent’s face with her healed foot. She thrust her spear towards its jaw, but another snap forced her to jump back, stumbling in the snow. Eleven grabbed her by the waist, pulling her from her feet and leaping out of danger. He swerved, eyes ablaze, until he noticed his sister. He nodded to her, smiling, before allowing his golden blade to crash into the serpent.

Scale shards rained through the snow, bathing the nearby ground in midnight flakes. The auroral serpent screamed, releasing another cloud of burning breath in the process. Isabella managed to just barely dodge, swerving away from the cloud while all the others around her were rendered immobile. She looked for any other person to help, anyone else who had avoided the cloud—wait, was someone on the cliff face just over there?

The world thundered in her ears as the serpent slammed into the ground, sending her sprawling once more. Exhausted but determined, Isabella gritted her teeth and staggered to her feet. However, another bout of burning breath was all it took to latch her arms to her sides and cause her to fall face-first into the turf.

“You are ssstrong...jussst like the detessstable Luminary…” the serpent hissed. “The one who sssealed me away all those yearsss ago... ...But where Erdwin sssucceeded, you shall sssuccumb!”

“No!... Can’t… cast… spell!” Sylvando grunted, somewhere off to the side of Isabella.

“Piteousss wretchesss... Prepare to be consssumed!”

The battered serpent reeled itself backwards, preparing for the kill. Isabella could feel its growl in her ears as the light shifted from the corner of her vision. She grunted, tears running down her face uncontrollably. After everything, everything that had happened, this is how it was going to end for the Luminaries? Consumed by an ancient being she had never even heard of? 

The serpent grunted, seeming to turn its attention elsewhere. Silence rang for a long while, until Isabella began to pick up some other noise. Was that… a harp?

“N-N-No! My ssstrength...it'sss draining away!” the serpent screeched. “What isss that awful noissse!?”

A strong, confident voice rang through the plains. “Beast, begone! Thou black offence! May heaven's winds propel thee hence!”

The serpent's screams were almost drowned out by the mystical playing of the harp, at least to Isabella’s ears. She struggled against the invisible bondages of golden lightning, managing to get feeling back into her fingers as the vibrating roars grew, passing over her head only to trail away once more. A glass-like tone followed a crescendo of the harp, swelling into a beautiful melody that stood alone in the plains.

Only then was Isabella able to painfully turn her head towards the fjord they had crossed moments before. The frozen lake was just as they had seen it before everything at Yggdrasil; pristine, untouched, except for a massive iceberg at the edge. Now, however, the Luminary of Light could easily recognize the serpent’s body encased in it.

“Don't worry, everyone!” said a gentle, peaceful voice that immediately caused Isabella’s heart to flutter. “I'll have you back on your feet in no time!”

“Wait!” came Eleven’s voice, followed by a relieved grunt. “You must be—no way!”

Isabella gasped as her muscles returned to normal, allowing her to struggle to her feet. However, a soft hand quickly grabbed her arm, tugging her up with surprising strength.

The healer smiled.

“Bold Luminaries, Yggdrasil’s chosen, and that of Yggdragon’s power, Long have I waited to greet you,” the young woman quoted, reflective as she smiled. “We of Arboria swear to protect you, while we live, none shall defeat you.” She paused for a moment, pulling blonde strands from her face calmly.

“It's ever so nice to see you all again!” Serena beamed. “And, Isabella; you are fully recovered, are you not? I was glad to see my little spell saw you mostly safe, at least.”

“Serena! It's really you!” Jade exclaimed, limping slightly even as she gave her a quick hug. “Thanks for helping us out there. But where did you spring from? And...where have you been?”

“Forget that! You’re alive!” Eleven swooped over, picking up a rather surprised Serena by the waist. The healer gasped, making a soft noise as the Luminary of Power laughed, his entire posture relieved. “So Izzy really was right—you were–that whole time you were—” He put her down gently, his face still covered with joy even as tears brimmed his eyes.

“It’s alright, Eleven. We’re almost all together again,” Serena said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Eleven took it and kissed it affectionately, finally letting her go to finish her speech. However, she reached back to grab his hand once more, cupping it between her own as she continued.

“I've been trying to make my way back to Arboria ever since...that awful day... But I got rather sidetracked seeing to those who needed my help,” she explained. “When I heard that the golden iceberg blocking Sniflheim harbour had melted away, I decided to try and make my way home from there. I never thought I'd meet you on the way…”

“Ye're heading to Arboria, eh?” Rab asked, finally all the way up from the ground. “We're on our way there ourselves—reckoned you Keepers'd be the best folk to ask about a certain sacred flying contraption.”

“A flying contraption? Well, I've never heard of such a thing, but I'm sure Father Benedictus will know something about it.” She beamed again, inspecting the party lovingly. “It's so wonderful to see you all again! Would you mind awfully if I tagged along with you?”

“Serena!” Eleven gaped. “What kind of awful question is that?!”

“O-Oh,” the healer stammered, surprised. “I suppose I–”

“You think we’d even fathom leaving you out here alone?!” Eleven pulled his hand out from hers, slapping his greatsword into the ground. He stood there for a moment, silent, but eventually made his way back over with a slightly embarrassed grin on his face.

“If we follow the path up the mountain, we'll be in Arboria soon enough, as I remember,” Eleven said. 

“Well, then…” the healer cut in, linking her arm with his. “Shall we?”

Chapter Text

Arboria was bathed in shadow. The glistening white beams of purest marble had been transformed to a dull grey, ash forming imprints on the ground as the party stepped into the barren city. Ominous red lights glowed about the town, providing the only light aside from a faint, bleak sun. Piles of rubble, some still containing smoldering boulders, littered the town, shooting off sparks as the only signs of life.

“This is...awful... It was so beautiful here before…” Jade remarked, sighing. Serena stood at the front of their little band, stiff. She closed her eyes, deeply pained, before she seemed to notice voices coming from the centre of the town.

“Our poor little angels!” sobbed a woman garbed in white. “Veronica, Serena...please come back! We'll do anything…”

“Fidelus, Alma—you must not lose hope,” Father Benedictus said; at least someone didn’t seem to be changed by Yggdrasil’s fall, Isabella thought. “Veronica and Serena are the heirs to the power of that most holy of sages. As long as they are together, there is nothing that can—”

The old man gasped, looking towards the party as the people on either side of him turned, their faces filled with grief and apprehension. However, the moment their eyes were laid upon Serena, their shoulders relaxed, their eyes widened, and the woman clasped her hands together, uncaring of the tears that rolled down her face.

“...Serena? Is it really you!?” she exclaimed.

“Mother! Father! You're alive!” Serena called back, her voice strikingly similar to her mother’s. The healer swallowed a sob, rushing into her parents’ embrace. 

“Oh, Serena! My little angel!” exclaimed Fidelus, her father. “I never thought I'd see you again!”

“Serena, my child…” Father Benedictus took a step forward, gently breaking the reunion as the rest of the party came from behind. “Have you come back to us alone? What of Veronica?”

Serena’s face fell. “Sh-She's not here!? B-But...I thought she must have made her way home already…” Her hands began to tremble, but she slowly calmed herself, eyes closed. “She's certainly somewhere nearby, I can sense it. Somewhere north of here.”

“You can really tell where she is?” Erik said, eyes wide.

“Yes. It's her, I know it is. We have to go and find her!” Serena exclaimed, her sorrow completely forgotten. She gave her mother and father one last hug before dashing towards one of the far exits to Arboria. The party lagged behind as Serena rushed through gates, expertly dodging bits of undergrowth that nearly tripped every other person in their group. Despite their struggle, Serena continued onward as trees sprung around the party, engulfing them further and further into the wood.

“You think Veronica's really here?” Erik muttered to Isabella. “If she is, she's keeping a low profile…”

“Sh! Don’t say that,” Isabella snapped. “...She’s fine. Do you not trust Serena?”

Erik bit his lip, turning away as Isabella made every possible attempt to hide her nervousness.

“When we were children, Veronica and I would often come to this grove to play. I was sure she would be waiting for me here…” Serena clasped her hands, humming softly as she glanced around the nearest trees. “Veronicaaa! Veronica, where are you?”

A shrill gasp rose from her throat, and Serena’s face broke into a wide smile. Isabella felt all her tension melt away even before she caught sight of her; a sudden blotch of red, resting easily against a large oak tree. Her staff sat upright, just in front of the tiny mage.

“Ah, there she is! I knew it!” Serena beamed, rushing to the tree. She fell to her knees almost immediately, bringing her face close to her sister’s. However, Veronica didn’t so much as stir; she simply laid there, head lolled to the side, mouth curved in a slight smile. 

Serena giggled. “Wake up, lazybones! You'll catch cold sleeping outside like this!”

Even as the others approached, Veronica stayed completely still. Serena sat back, puzzled.

“...Veronica?”

The healer gasped again, her eyes reflecting the light that had suddenly begun to emit from Veronica’s staff. Isabella approached it cautiously, almost drawn to it, when she suddenly noticed her right hand.

“Look, her staff is shining—and… and so is the mark on your hand,” Serena said, her voice becoming faint. “Do you think if you touch it, you might have one of your visions?”

Isabella complied, shakily raising her hand to the staff before the party was engulfed in light…

Screams. Her screams.

Isabella turned, eyes wide as the scene bled into reality around her—Yggdrasil. There she lay, bruised, beaten, the light drained from inside her. Eleven groped for past-Isabella unsuccessfully, though Serena managed to clutch the hem of Eleven’s tunic as the ground began to shake.

“Almighty Yggdrasil… YIELD YOUR POWER TO ME!!!” Mordegon plunged the horrible sword into the heart of Yggdrasil, erupting light and wind across the party. Rab was scarcely able to hold on, but Sylvando managed to keep both him and Jade secure under his arms.

Every leaf on the tree died and flew around them like a huge whirlwind. Isabella whimpered, watching the whole scene again in horror as the black magic swirled around Mordegon and Jasper, solidifying at their feet. They cackled in unison as the magic lifted them into the air, carrying them to safety.

“Oh no... This can't be happening…” Veronica exclaimed, her voice unusually loud… at least to Isabella’s ears. “If Yggdrasil falls, the world will…”

The tree fell, erupting with immense power and engulfing the land in shadow. Even through the vision, Isabella was forced to shield her eyes as flames, darkness, and light mixed together. The world around Isabella plunged into blackness.

“No…” Veronica’s voice.

Green light pulsed, almost like a heartbeat, in the vision. Suddenly, she could see again. Isabella was standing in the rubble of Yggdrasil, watching as Veronica’s staff hovered gently in the middle. The green light engulfed not only the staff, however; every member of the party laid in midair, evidently unconscious.

…Everyone except Veronica, that is.

Veronica laid face down, crushed beneath a massive root. However, her tiny hand was still outstretched, glowing with emerald energy that swirled about the party. The mage grunted, using her other hand to pull herself out with all her might. However, the amount of blood streaming from her wounds was too great to assume she had much strength left. 

Despite that, despite everything, she stood. 

“I have to do something…” she groaned, desperately using both hands as her magic was drained. A shockwave of energy festered above the tree, threatening to explode any moment. Veronica bit her lip, trembling, but looked on to her friends with tears in her eyes.

“You're the only ones who can save this world! Don't let me down!” she screamed. Veronica grunted, light pulsing drastically from her hands. The green light around them began to grow, shining until every bruised member was only a ball of light. They spun faintly for a moment, rising higher into the sky, before Veronica let out a final grunt, dispelling the green energy and causing the group to vanish.

“You'll have to go on without me, Serena…” she gasped, her hands losing their glow entirely. “Look after Isabella and Eleven for me…”

Veronica fell to her knees, a small smile still on her face. The sphere of lightning continued to pulse with energy, and its light began to grow before the wave of destruction would sweep across Erdrea. The young mage had no strength left, nothing to speak of… and yet, just before the darkness exploded, she was able to whisper one last word.

“Goodbye…”

Isabella’s entire arm was shaking as she drew her hand away, eyes wide. She could scarcely take her eyes off of the staff as its green glow faded to nothing. 

“Veronica…” Serena’s voice cut the suffocating silence. “You gave your life to save us…” She lifted her head, eyes glittering with the faint hope she had left, and raised her hand to her sister’s chin. The moment her long, slender fingers touched the smooth skin of the mage, however, her body turned to golden dust, floating away from the forest.

“No!” Erik exclaimed, stumbling and reaching out as if he could still save her. He paused for a moment in disbelief, then whirled around to punch a tree. His fist stayed there, steady, as the rest of his body shook.

“Oh, darling…” Sylvando started, trying his best not to choke on tears. “Even in your final moments, you were thinking of your friends…”

Isabella stepped backwards, numb.

You failed.

“Oh, Veronica…” Jade began to sob, standing with what strength she had left. Beside her, Hendrik’s face was painted with grief, though he tried so desperately to hide it. He clenched his fist, growling slightly under his breath.

See what happens when the Luminaries themselves cannot protect the world.

“Why must the good die young...?” Rab sighed, turning away.

They’ve all died because of you.

Serena, strangely composed, reached for Veronica’s staff. She pulled it from the ground, mouth firmly shut as she hugged the pole to herself.

Maybe Mordegon was right.

“She wasn't here after all…” Serena said slowly. “She's...gone… But I will not let her death be in vain. Where she led, I must follow.” She turned, looking onward with determination to Arboria. 

Maybe you are a…

“I have to tell everyone,” she whispered. “...I have to tell Mother and Father.”

DARKSPAWN.

“O great and glorious Yggdrasil, whose holy heart is the...symbol of all life—today we mourn the loss of a beloved child of Arboria.” Father Benedictus stood before the circle of braziers, his face bowed in mourning. “Though she came into life with another of Your hallowed leaves, she departed this realm alone. May she one day return to You, and bloom again upon Your branches.” The priest bowed, allowing Serena to take centre stage. She still clutched Veronica’s staff, and her face still showed no signs of grief. 

“I thank you all for gathering here today to celebrate the life of my dear sister,” Serena started. “Even in her darkest hour, Veronica thought not of herself, but only of protecting the Luminary. She was a Keeper to the last. Now, I ask that each of you offer up a lock of hair to the sacred flame, that its light may guide her… on her way back to the World Tree…”

The people of Arboria formed clusters at the various altars, taking a knife and slicing a lock of hair from their heads. Isabella raised the knife to her hair, but made a small cut on her neck as her hands shook violently. Thankfully, her brother came up from behind her, slicing a thick handful. Isabella vaguely noticed him hand it to her, her eyes blurry as she tried to focus on the flame. She tossed the lock with shuddering hands, battling her inner thoughts.

“Ohhh, Veronica! My little angel!” Fidelus’ wails sent chills down her spine. “Curse you, Mordegon! Why could you not have taken me instead?”

“My darling, darling daughter... How could you leave us without saying goodbye...?” whimpered Alma.

“Serena appears steadfast despite her grief,” muttered Hendrik. “But the sight of her poor parents is heartbreaking indeed…”

Serena can hide her grief so well. Besides, tears never helped anyone. Isabella gritted her teeth. So why can’t I stop mine?

You have no right to grieve Veronica.

It is your fault, after all.

Even as Isabella numbly walked back to the party, she noticed Father Benedictus approaching. She feverishly wiped her eyes, sniffling as discreetly as possible.

“My child, I must speak with you and your friends. When you have a moment, please come to the cathedral,” he said gently. Isabella nodded, frozen in place as the priest walked back around the funeral procession, up the large staircase that led to the grand cathedral. At length, she forced herself to move, walking blankly to various members of their group and muttering where they were supposed to be going. Serena seemed especially uncomfortable to leave, but she shoved it down easily enough, and they all entered the cathedral with Father Benedictus.

“Forgive me for summoning you here at this time of sadness, but there is something I believe you will be eager to hear,” he said. “You came in search of your friends, it is true, but I may have information on how Erdwin and his allies rode out to face the Dark One. A sacred conveyance that allowed them to traverse even to the malicious tower above us.”

“Mordegon…” Eleven growled behind her, his mark glowing red. “Father Benedictus, if there is anything, anything we can do to reach him, we need that information.”

“Some days before your arrival, holy Yggdrasil granted me another vision,” the priest said, seeming only to partially hear Eleven. “I saw you, honoured Luminaries. You were standing alongside Serena upon a great white object that transported you to an island in the sky. A strange and beautiful place…”

“And you think this was a vision of the future?” Erik cut in.

“I do—for in my dream, Veronica was not with you. I have been greatly troubled as to what her absence might mean… I had hoped and prayed that my fears were unfounded, yet...alas, they were not…”

Serena turned away, eyes closed as she steadied herself.

“Which made me wonder if the conveyance upon which you stood might also be real,” he continued. “And then I remembered… Cetacea... The legends tell of a divine being who soared through the skies on silver wings—a beast summoned to Erdwin's side by a mystical melody. Perhaps it was upon Cetacea's back that you rode in my vision. And perhaps the island upon which you alighted is the next step on your journey.

“I intend to scour the annals for indications of how She might be summoned. I will inform you forthwith if my research should prove fruitful.” He paused, looking empathetically upon Serena. “Now, the day's unhappy events have surely taken their toll. Rooms have been prepared for you all at the inn. Pray, rest awhile.”

“The Lord of Shadows’ followers give fond farewells short shrift. I had so much to tell you, but it seems I must be swift. Do not lose heart! Do not look back! Until your time is through… Remember, you’re the Light of this world– we believe in you!”

"Names serve little importance, but if remembering mine... is something you desire... Please call me... Pheonix."

“Well...? Don't just stand there! Combine your powers... Revive the technique that was lost to us...so long ago! ...So that I can die happy!”

“The Luminaries! Bright and bold Luminaries! They’ll save us, won’t they?! The same Luminaries that brought calamity upon our world and destroyed my life! I shall NEVER forgive you!”

“You'll have to go on without me, Serena… Look after Isabella and Eleven for me…

“Goodbye…”

Isabella gasped, throwing off the covers as Yggdrasil’s fall still rang in her ears. She steadied herself slightly on her bedpost, allowing tears to roll down her face freely. It was only a few moments later that she realized Eleven was staring at her.

“El…?” she whispered. “What’re you—”

“You got the nightmares too, it seems?” Eleven smiled half-heartedly, but turned so that his face was bathed in shadow. “All those people in Octagonia… I can’t count how many were mortally wounded or even died under Boodica’s rule. I think… I think their screams will haunt me forever. If I could’ve only seen Jasper coming, all that time ago…” He sighed, biting his lip as his eyes glittered with tears.

“I had my fair share of adventures without you, unfortunate as it is,” Isabella muttered. “All the lives changed by Yggdrasil, and we’ve only seen such a small number.”

“And it’s all my fault,” they whispered in unison.

Silence would have likely filled the room if their voices didn’t so perfectly uncover a small strumming sound outside of the inn. Isabella turned to her brother warily, and he slowly pulled himself from bed, heading towards the door. She followed without another thought, coming out of the inn and further through Arboria’s deathly quiet groves.

“Promise, promise, o my love, Thou wilt wait in boughs above, That our leaves might bloom together.” Serena’s voice drifted through the air, so calm and gorgeous, but the angel’s voice was soaked in sorrow. “Though time hath torn thee from my arms, And time hath wrought us countless harms, Time shall make us one forever.”

The healer clutched her harp closer, staring into the sky as the Luminaries approached from behind. She didn’t bother to turn, though it was evident she had noticed them.

“It's a love song from the Age of Heroes…” she said softly. “The story of a lady pining for her long-lost sweetheart… No one remembers who wrote it, but I've loved it since I was a little girl.” She paused, turning to them at last. “You know, something's been bothering me…

“The night Yggdrasil fell… so dearly long ago… I had such an awful feeling that something bad must happen. I wanted to address it somehow, so I told Veronica; ‘We were born at the same time, so our leaves bloomed at the same time, didn't they? Do you think they'll...fall at the same time too?’ And… in her perfectly ‘Veronica’ fashion…” She smiled faintly. “She said she wasn’t sure, since I’ve always been a bit slow. However, she still ended it sweetly, promising me that she hoped for it if nothing else.

“Then… something changed. She told me that if anything happened to her, I was… I was to go on without her. Continue the journey with the Luminaries until the very end. I blatantly refused. I couldn’t bear to think of such things.

“If only I had promised to do as she asked… Perhaps she might have been able to make her sacrifice more easily… She was right, you know—I always have been slow. When it came to talking or walking or learning magic, I was always a step behind her. But now I must tread my own path... Alone…”

Serena began to shake, but before she could open her mouth to speak again, Eleven had wrapped his arms around the healer, pulling her into a close embrace. She began to whimper, leaning into the Luminary of Power just as his sister approached, holding her dearly from the other side.

“I hate to ask, but would you mind awfully not going anywhere for a little while?” she whispered. “I think I'm going to cry…”

It could have been seconds, it could have been minutes, but the Luminaries and their remaining guide were all too somber to speak a word. Serena wept, trembling, finally allowing herself to feel after so long of keeping it to herself. At length, however, her sobs turned to sniffles, and the rivers of tears slowed to only droplets.

“Thank you,” she said, strength returning to her voice. “I'm sorry to be such a bother. But I shan't be one any longer.” She turned, reaching for a small tool left on the ground; a short dagger. Serena held the blade to her neck, the sharp end pointed towards her long hair while her other hand pressed it all upon the dagger.

“Veronica died to save me. I must make the most of my life—for her sake.”

The knife slashed backward, shearing every long lock of hair from her head. Serena slowed, knife in one hand and hair in the other, pulling her hands away ever so gradually. The knife fell to her side, clattering beside the tree and nearly out of sight. She turned the handful of hair, looking down at it with an almost blank expression. Her body trembled for a moment, but she heaved a deep breath.

“No more tears. That was the old me,” Serena said softly. “Goodbye…”

The healer released the hair, tossing it gently out towards the wood. However, it didn’t simply flop into the underbrush; a soft breeze began to blow, picking up the blonde locks and causing them to drift through the air like embers. Her eyes widened, as did the eyes of the watching Luminaries. As the blonde fragments drifted further, however, they really did begin to burn like embers, becoming little balls of golden light.

Serena gasped softly, watching eagerly as the magic colors swirled together, forming a ball of light in the sky. It sat there for a moment, motionless, giving Serena the incentive to step forward. However, the moment her foot made a move, the ball flew higher into the air, twirling in an arc before plummeting to Serena. The healer stepped back for a moment, causing the magic to falter, but proceeded to stand her ground once more, allowing the magic to enter her chest.

“What in the world?” Serena said softly. “I feel...different!”

The healer glanced about herself, but everything seemed to be the same—aside from the hair, of course. At length, however, she lifted her hand to eye level, her fingers twitching with energy. She snapped her fingers, releasing some of that energy in the form of a small fireball. Serena made a fist quickly, quenching the fire in a moment though the smile on her face was nowhere near quenched. She pressed her hands together, holding them where the golden light had entered her body.

“Thank you, dear sister…”

Chapter Text

Isabella stirred, pulling the perfectly white covers over her head as ashen sunlight peered through the window. Was it morning already? She shifted groggily, pulling strands of hair from her eyes and mouth. Despite the horrors she felt within herself the previous day, she felt most of them tamed down. The heartbreak within her had not lessened however; only, new emotions had grown around it. 

And my grief is nothing compared to Serena’s, she reminded herself. I wonder if she did alright last night after we left her…

A soft pattering on the door alerted Isabella of the healer’s presence. She opened the door to reveal a dazzling smile upon Serena’s face, accentuated by her shorter hair. Veronica’s staff was gripped between her hands, perfectly still and calm.

“Good morning! Or should I say good afternoon—the sun's already high in the sky!” she teased as Isabella turned an opaque shade of crimson. “Father Benedictus dropped by earlier. He says he has something to show us at the top of the mountain. Everyone else has gone on ahead, but I thought I'd wait for you.”

“Afternoon…?” Isabella rubbed her eyes, trying to force them all the way open as Serena grabbed her arm and brought her into the main area of the inn. Sunlight poured in from every window, drowning the Luminary of Light’s sore, tired eyes. Since when had she been more exhausted after getting actual good sleep? 

Suddenly her eyes shot open all the way, and energy fueled every fiber in her body. Serena smiled, glancing backwards for a moment as she released her emerald-glowing hand from her arm. Goddess, she had forgotten what it felt like to be healed by Serena. Perhaps with Veronica’s magic in tow, it felt even more powerful than before.

Serena began to slow as they crossed the cathedral, drifting across the stained-glass patterns that glittered throughout the floor. Though they turned to another door, Isabella couldn’t help but notice the doors they had entered to the First Forest were cracked open. Rubble sat between the doors, deathly still and silent in such a holy place. She turned away, following Serena through the doors to the mountaintop.

The foliage around the path was faded and some bits charred, ember flakes patiently whittling away. A wind began to stir, causing them to shiver as they moved further and further up the mountain. At length, they reached some kind of pavilion marked around by pillars of once-brilliant marble. Wide stairs moved up a little ways to reach a dusty platform marked with intricate designs. Eleven stooped near one of them, kicking up the dust with his shoe. He looked up to notice his sister and Serena approaching, however, and a soft grin lit up his face.

“Ah, there you are. So glad you could finally join us.” Father Benedictus stooped nearby, approaching at the Luminary of Light’s entrance. Serena twirled slightly, Eleven’s hand around her waist as he planted a small kiss on her cheek. The squinting old man seemed to notice, smiling lightly to himself before continuing.

“Yggdrasil blessed me with another vision in the night,” he said, gazing airily about the structure and the treacherous cliff only a few yards off. “I saw Veronica standing upon this very ledge… It is known as Luminary's Landing. When Erdwin descended from the heavens after facing the Dark One, this is where he alighted.”

The priest reached into the belt about his robe and pulled a long, white pole with intricate golden designs molded about it. Isabella couldn’t help but stare in awe at the glimmering, ethereal paint that melted perfectly across the mouthpieces. She wondered how in the world the darkness had concealed such beauty from her so long ago when Veronica first showed it to them.

“And this is the Calamus flute. In my dream, Veronica played upon it…” he continued. “It once belonged to the great sage Serenica. She left it in Arboria on her final visit—the day after the Dark One finally fell. I gave it to Veronica as a memento of her heroic ancestor. And yet, when I awoke this morning, there it was upon my pillow…”

Serena smiled softly, laying her head on Eleven’s shoulder.

“It is a sign,” the priest said, nodding with determination. “The flute will reveal the path you must tread. Serena, my child—if you would be so kind…”

“Of course.” Serena drew herself up, stepping tenderly from Eleven to receive the flute. She seemed to shiver as she raised it to her lips, taking a deep breath.

Isabella cringed as a number of harsh, sad notes emitted from the flute. Serena jolted, her brow furrowed as she lowered it from her lips.

“I think… I must be doing it wrong…” She turned over the flute in her hands. “But if Veronica was playing it in Father Benedictus's vision, it must be the key. ...Can you try, perhaps?”

Eleven raised his eyebrows as Serena approached him. “Me?! Ha, Serena, I’m flattered, but you know me. I’m no instrument player, I’m a fighter. You wouldn’t want someone like me to… to…”

He bit his lip, staring into Serena’s unfaltering eyes. She smiled lightly, unwavering as she pressed on.

“That sounds like something Veronica might say,” she said gently. “Please. For her… and for me.”

Eleven huffed, taking the flute from her hand and raising it to his lips with a worried expression on his face. The second it was raised, however, the mark on his hand began to glow brightly. The group audibly gasped, staring at the mark as Eleven kept the instrument just above his chin. Slowly, his posture of unease began to melt, and he pressed his mouth against the piece.

A beautiful melody ensued, captivating everyone as they listened. Eleven took every breath purposefully, his fingers gliding about the holes with ease despite the fact that he had never held a flute in his life. A high note swelled from the flute, ending the song though it still felt open. Eleven opened his eyes, lowering the flute. However, he was quickly forced to raise it again as it began to shake. He grunted, gripping the flute with both hands before the end of it erupting, stretching to form a drastically long pole. Not only that, but a long twine hooked from one end to the other, stretching through the clouds below the cliff.

“What the…!?” Jade stammered.

“A...fishing rod...?” Hendrik said slowly. “I fear it is I who am seeing visions…”

Suddenly, the flute—I mean, fishing rod—I mean, flute—thing—jerked, yanking Eleven a few steps forward. Despite his obvious confusion, he pulled back.

“You've got a bite! Go on, darling—reel it in!” Sylvando exclaimed, pointing excitedly.

“How in the world are you just going along with this?!” Isabella demanded.

“What can I say? Weird things happen to us all the time,” the entertainer said, shrugging. He watched eagerly as Eleven grabbed the reel which had miraculously appeared on the flute fishing rod thing and began to spin it back. He grunted, puffing himself up as he pulled on the string with all his might.

Suddenly, it gave, and Eleven fell flat on his back as a massive creature emerged from the clouds.

A pure white, heavenly whale soared through the air, sending forth a majestic cry. Though Serena and Jade stooped back to help Eleven, they gaped at the sight of it the same way as everyone else. Golden markings that swirled across the flute were mirrored greatly on the back of the massive whale.

“So it was as I suspected. It was upon Her back that you rode in my dream…” Father Benedictus gazed at the whale as it streaked through the smog-filled air, bowing lightly. “The sacred conveyance of the Luminary...Cetacea! It seems that She heeds the call of the flute. You must play it whenever you require Her aid.”

“Yeah… I suppose this thing has a lot of strange uses,” Eleven said, a smirk forming on his face as the flute shrunk back to its usual size.

“Go, Luminaries, and seek out the floating island. It is the World Tree's will.” The priest nodded to each Luminary in turn, smiling though he seemed sad. “Whatever awaits you there will surely aid you in the fight against the Lord of Shadows. Do not let Veronica's sacrifice be in vain. Now, leap forth!”

“Wait—what?!” Eleven yelped, watching as Cetacea dove back into the clouds, setting herself up for a perfect arc before the cliff. The Luminary of Power quickly assumed a look of pure confidence as he glanced back at the others; they seemed prepared enough. As the majestic whale began to stir the clouds just beyond the cliff, Eleven began to sprint. The others followed swiftly, leaping off the cliff simultaneously. 

Isabella jumped, arms flailing as her breath caught in her throat. The infinite expanse of clouds was all she could see as the figures of the others streaked through the clouds. Wind began to beat against her face, causing her eyelids to flutter as the clouds erupted around her.

She slammed into the smooth body of the whale, wheezing as Hendrik and Eleven pulled her up from behind.

“What in the—” Serena’s voice trailed off as she took in the majestic landscape. The expanse of clouds beyond the cliff began to shrink as they gained altitude, giving way to a glorious view of the land. Isabella, too, could not keep herself from gaping. However, she couldn’t help but think the landscape seemed a little… sad.

“The Cobblestone Tor really has to step up its game,” Eleven said faintly. “Of course, this land of the dead has to come back to life as well.”

“That can be accomplished as soon as we defeat Mordegon,” Serena said with determination, pointing into the distance. The others turned to see a massive palace covered in a cloak of perpetual darkness, bathing Arboria and the lands surrounding in twilight. Isabella couldn’t help but feel her chest tighten as she stared at the hovering fortress of fear, violet lightning striking at its peaks.

“This can’t possibly be what Father Benedictus was talking about,” Isabella said quickly. “Are we supposed to fight Mordegon… now?”

“No,” Serena replied, oblivious to the Luminary of Light’s relief. “That island in the sky does not belong here but in the depths of hell. We shall be moving on to the Havens Above, a land I have heard mentioned many times in my earlier studies. I was not quite sure of its existence until now. Veronica was particularly fond of that subject, but I believe her spirit will guide me to be as good an escort as any.”

Cetacea hummed, turning at Serena’s words almost as soon as she mentioned the Havens Above. Their group flew past the fortress, examining it warily. The deep darkness that covered it assumed a spherical shape though it bled further out. 

“I wonder if what we’re supposed to get has something to do with that cloak of darkness,” Jade noted. “It seems almost… solid.”

An eerie silence followed, and Isabella stepped warily about Cetacea’s back to get a better view of the approaching island in the sky. It was surprisingly small, especially compared to the horrible castle from before. 

“How have we not seen this floating island from before?” Isabella remarked curiously. “You don’t suppose the people who live in this area just never thought to look into the sky at this marvel?”

“I cannae shake that feeling either, ye know,” Rab cut in. “I wonder if these islands in the sky made their way down just as Erdwin’s Lantern did.”

“Erdwin’s Lantern…?” Isabella turned, following Rab’s pointing finger to another floating structure in the distance. It was hard to tell from so far away, but it seemed to be a floating black hole only a few miles above a desert land. 

“Is Gallopolis… alright?” she said warily.

“I’d assume so, at least for now,” Jade said. “Whatever these floating marvels are doing in our time, they don’t seem to be getting any closer to the ground. Perhaps when we defeat the Lord of Shadows, all will return to as it once was.”

“I’d hate to break up this conversation, honey, but we have an island coming up just ahead!” Sylvando exclaimed. Isabella turned sharply, catching a glimpse of the island as they zoomed past it. Since when had they been going so fast?!

Cetacea flew about it with grand skill, cutting across a bank of clouds as Eleven pointed to a small landing point. The whale dipped down, allowing the group to jump off onto the marble landing point. Isabella rolled to a stop, slamming her back against one of the pillars. After a moment, Erik heaved her to her feet.

Wilted bushes grew all around the circular platform on which they stood, breaking formation only for the landing point and a stairwell which led to an even higher island. Once the others had gotten to their feet, they began their ascent towards the larger center island.

“I wonder what that temple must be,” Serena said thoughtfully as they reached the top of the staircase. Indeed, the structure was strange to even a group of so many backgrounds. Round pillars rested on either side of a dome-shaped structure, dotted with perfectly circular windows all around. However, what once seemed to be a bright yellow and white structure had been covered with dust and grime so that some areas were almost black. Charred grass and broken windows were also plentiful, instilling a sense of dread even as they entered the temple.

A small room with simple pillars greeted them upon the doors being opened, and another doorway rested at the far end. Though most continued on without a second thought, Isabella noticed Erik’s eyes drifting. He paused, holding up a hand for the others to stop for a moment. Eyes narrowed, he took a few steps towards a pillar.

“We can see you, you know,” Erik said simply. “Come out from behind there.”

Almost immediately, a short, stout figure appeared from behind the pillar. Its button-black eyes stared straight forward, its brownish-green face barely appearing from the top of its cloak. The creature didn’t have to turn much, however, before its eyes fell directly upon the Luminaries. It smiled with lips that seemed too big for its body, seemingly disturbing Erik quite a bit.

“What...IS it?” he exclaimed, hand fumbling for his knife. However, Isabella placed a hand on his shoulder, taking a step forward alongside her brother.

“AH. IS YOU.” The creature spoke in a high-pitched voice from the back of its throat. “AM OF THE WATCHERS.”

“The Watchers?” Isabella mused, curious. “And...what are they?”

“OF COURSE. GROUND-DWELLERS NOT KNOW. NOT KNOW OF US. WE WATCH OVER ERDREA. WATCH FOR AS LONG AS ERDREA EXISTS.”

“Well, what do you know?” Erik said, chuckling to himself as he relaxed. “And what are you doing skulking behind a pillar, Mr Watcher?”

“THIS IS HOME. HOME OF ALL OF US. ONCE WERE MANY ISLANDS. MANY WATCHERS,” the small creature continued. “BUT ATTACK CAME. LORD OF SHADOWS. ALL CRASHED. ONLY THIS ISLAND REMAINS. ONLY ME.”

“That’s awful!” Serena exclaimed. 

“Mordegon got to you guys too, huh? Sounds like you've been through a lot. Sorry if I was out of line just now,” Erik said, bowing slightly. “How come you survived, anyway? And why did this place get left alone?”

The creature returned the bow as much as its tiny neck would allow, then turned to the second pair of doors. “GUIDING LIGHT BURNS WITHIN. HAS BURNED SINCE TIME BEGAN. WAS IN TEMPLE OF DAWN. HERE. WAS CLEANING. ATTACK CAME. WAS PROTECTED BY GUIDING LIGHT.”

“Ooh! We're here looking for a special something to help us defeat the Lord of Shadows. Do you think the Guiding Light might be it?” Serena cut in immediately, taking a few anxious steps forward.

The watcher bowed once more, its eyes closed. “HMM. NOT KNOW. IS NOT WEAPON. CANNOT DEFEAT. PERHAPS… WISH TO HELP. BUT AM ONLY CHILD. KNOW LITTLE OF WORLD YET.”

“Guess we'll just have to take a look for ourselves then, huh?” Erik said, nudging Isabella slightly.

“Yes,” Isabella said slowly. “But what are we going to do about our poor little friend here?”

“NOT WORRY,” the creature replied, smiling. “AM FINE. AM WATCHER. STORY OF WATCHERS NOT OVER. YOU BEAT LORD OF SHADOWS. THEN WORLD TREE RETURNS. CYCLE RESTORED. LIFE AND REBIRTH. DEAD ONES GET NEW LIFE. MY BROTHERS. MY SISTERS. ALL BEGINS AGAIN. PLEASE, LUMINARIES. SUCCEED.”

“Heh. Seems like everyone knows who you two are the moment they look at you,” Erik remarked.

Isabella shrugged, turning to the grand pair of doors before them. “They wouldn’t quite be the constant observing creatures they claim to be if they didn’t notice the crazy things that seem to happen around us.”

Though worry still creased her brow, as the doors opened, Isabella was able to relax a little. There was nothing in particular to give her such pause in this room. In fact, many might have thought she would feel the opposite. A great, ravaging flame burned brightly in the center of the room, barely contained by an immense altar of the strange stone that surrounded the carvings of the room. Despite the threat of fire, Isabella couldn’t help but feel a certain… reverence.

“Oh, it's beautiful! And so...holy!” Serena exclaimed. “I feel...purer just looking at it.”

“Yes…” Isabella took a few steps forward, followed by her brother. The flickering tongues pulsed from within, egging her forward. However, she couldn’t help but falter. A familiar warmth settled upon her right hand, taking its place on Eleven’s left as their marks began to glow. Soft gasps were audible from the party behind them, but Isabella could only remember Yggdrasil. She hastily checked behind her, towards the now closed doors, but no one was in sight.

Eleven took her hand gently, raising it with his own. Though he said nothing, a quiet glimmer in his eye was all Isabella needed to know that his heart wasn’t completely steady either.

The Luminaries raised their marked hands together, pointing their palms towards a small pedestal before the grand flame. Almost immediately, holy light burst from within, forcing each of them a few steps back with a startling gust of wind. Isabella covered her eyes with her free arm, shielding herself just enough to get an idea of what was going on. 

Flames began to pour forth into the pedestal before them. Every last drop of the holy, eternal fire began to crash into the pedestal as if the flames had become water. Was this pedestal perhaps some sanctuary for the Guiding Light? As the light continued to grow, it became harder and harder to discern what it could possibly be doing with the pedestal. Isabella squinted desperately, covering her eyes more and more.

Suddenly, it stopped.

The rushing winds fell to the ground. The light all across the room ceased. Isabella found herself blinking, adjusting to the change in illumination, when her eye caught another light. Upon the pedestal she had desperately tried to see was a small copper lamp with a tiny flame flickering inside it. Awestruck, Isabella reached out her hand—

Jasper. 

She yelped, wheeling around immediately and scanning the room. Though she got several confused looks, her hammering heart began to slow. Isabella nodded, turning quickly back to the lamp and grabbing it by a little latch at the top.

“Whoa! Did all that light just get squished down into that little thing?” Erik exclaimed, immediately reaching for the light himself. Isabella pulled it away instinctively. She grimaced, muttering an apology as she allowed Erik to inspect it more closely. He did seem a little let down, somehow.

“Oh! Look!” Serena said, pointing. A trio of staircases branched out from the centre where the guiding light had been. Small ledges which didn’t quite touch the walls crowned these structures, just large enough for a small seedling to sprout at the back.

“I sense something very...special in them…” Serena continued slowly. “I know this feeling...Yggdrasil!” The healer turned, ecstatic, just slowly enough that she missed the horrified jolt run across the Luminaries’ faces. “I think you should take a closer look, don't you? I've a feeling they have something rather important to show us…”

Isabella nodded, smiling slightly to ease tension from her brother as well as herself as they approached the first seedling. Five glittering leaves sprouted from a rather thin stalk, reminiscent of the Yggdrasil roots she had seen before.

Yggdrasil roots. There’s nothing horrible about the roots.

She stretched out her hand.

An island of stone floated somewhere above Erdrea. Its figure was misshapen and scraggly, and it seemed the only thing of interest was the fact that it was airborne. Slowly, however, Isabella felt her subconscious being pulled further into the structure. Her vision faded for a moment, reappearing somewhere within the stone mammoth.

A face. Eleven’s, perhaps? No, surely not. This figure had Isabella’s hair. Or, perhaps not? Tall spikes of jet-black hair shot up from a face which she was all too sure was her brother’s. The two couldn’t possibly be this same person, but they were practically identical!

The figure turned, blurred like a half-forgotten memory. His hands were close together, holding up some kind of glowing mass. Though Isabella wished to inspect it further, she found the contents blurred. Only a soft blue glow could be seen around this figure’s hands.

Within the cavern, however, this figure was not alone. A young woman with a ponytail quite like Jade’s stood just off to the side, frozen though she seemed to nod solemnly. Though her violet hair reminded Isabella strikingly of Jade, her eyes glimmered just like Veronica and Serena’s. 

Another person caught Isabella’s attention. Emerald green robes fluttered about the ankles of an aged man, though his figure was quite similar to that of his young companions. His hands were slightly frail, yes, but they gripped an old, oaken staff with a determination unmatched by those who could not truly feel magic as an extension of their body.

Another figure. Most of his face and body was covered with beautiful scarlet armor, crafted with wings as an artisan’s touch. Rippling muscles covered his tall body, and he stared solemnly towards the glowing mass. Isabella turned again to find that the mass had finally revealed itself.

A grand stone that glimmered even in a cave of pure darkness stood still in the young man’s hands. The blue hue seemed all the more beautiful without the fuzzy disturbance over it. Not only that, but she could truly inspect this figure’s hands now. Though the memory felt as if it was fading, she caught sight of a familiar light through the young man’s glove.

“...You all saw that too, right?” Sylvando said quickly as Isabella phased back into reality.

“Yes. That man... The mark on his hand…” Serena pondered for a moment, but her excitement bubbled over. “Ooh! You don't think...?”

“Aye, I do. And I've a feeling ye've the same instinct you two, eh?” Rab said, nodding to the twins. “That was Erdwin. The Luminary of Legend. I never thought I'd see him with my own eyes…”

“So those were the original heroes—the ones who defeated the Dark One way back when?” Erik said slowly. “The more we know about them, the more chance we have of finding out how they beat him, right?”

“Aye, ye're not wrong,” Rab agreed. “Let's see what those other seedlings have to show us, shall we?”

Isabella nodded, glancing at the door for clarity before she stepped up another staircase. The next seedling glowed invitingly, pulsing with light as the other had…

A vast, desert territory formed itself before Isabella. She was allowed to drift amid the dried grass and sparse cacti, approaching a large structure at the sands’ centre. A wall made entirely of sandstone stood tall in the lowlands. Maybe it was just her, but something about those carvings seemed familiar, if they were ancient…

The tallest figure came into view as Isabella was pulled closer to the city. His face was frozen in a grin wider than one she had yet seen from him, and his companions looked upon him with pride. For in a single hand was a grand hammer, nearly the size of the woman in their midst. Charcoal-black material glittered in the sunlight, covered with silver engravings that stretched towards the hilt.

Isabella angled herself around the hammer, her subconscious drifting through their group. The majestic tool glimmered back at her almost invitingly. She caught only a glimpse of the words carved into its head, since the group suddenly turned towards the east. A single glance was all she needed, however, of both the hammer and the volcano in the distance.

“Did you see the size of that hammer?” Sylvando exclaimed. “Was it just me, or did it seem...special somehow?”

“It was no weapon, that much is certain,” Hendrik said with certainty. “A forging hammer, if I am not mistaken.”

“That has to be correct, Sir Hendrik,” Isabella said softly. “That hammer—it had the prayer of Cobblestone upon it.”

“ ‘Humble folk of Cobblestone, Great Land Spirit’s hearth and home—’ That prayer?” Eleven urged. “But you’ve read everything there was to read about the Spirit of the Land!”

“I suppose I have,” Isabella returned with a twinkle in her eye. “Perhaps a short verse in one of the children’s fables could point to what we seek. Something like… ‘Great Land Spirit’s might of choice, lit with flames for light’s grand voice.’ Erm… maybe ‘ large voice’?”

“So are we to… light it on fire… and hit Mordegon with it or something?” Sylvando said slowly.

 “Surely not,” Hendrik interjected with an air of finality. “Such a tool as that could not be used as a weapon. They must have used it… in flames, I suppose… to bring forth another form of light. But what were they forging?”

“I wonder... Well, I think we all know where they were at least, don't we?” Serena popped in.

Eleven huffed, crossing his arms. “I swear, if that Sultan is preparing to make us chase another special object halfway around the world, I’ll—”

“Let's see if the last seedling makes things any clearer,” Jade said quickly, laying a hand on Eleven’s shoulder. He grumbled softly, but said nothing else as they reached the last seedling. 

An altar surrounded by pillars of obsidian exploded into view. Isabella was taken aback by the glowing markings about the massive pedestal, intricately woven to point towards the centre of the area. A slightly raised platform made its mark in the middle. As Isabella drifted closer to inspect it, she caught sight of the four heroes from before.

Their figures faded, reappearing beside the pedestal. She immediately caught sight of the forging hammer, frozen midswing as Erdwin slammed it into the metal surface. Sparks flew about it, shielding whatever he had been forging from view.

The memory switched; now, the young woman took her swing. The tall figure rested a hand on Erdwin’s shoulder, balancing him as he caught his breath.

It switched again. The aged sage took his blow at the forge.

Once more. The tall figure swung with all his might.

Another moment passed, and Erdwin raised something from the midst of the forge. As with the glowing stone from before, it was hard to tell the details of this item. However, its blurred shape bled forth as a sword’s body. It even seemed as if light was glimmering within the darkness of their forge.

Her subconscious bolted backwards. The fiery forge flew out of view before she drifted out of it entirely, coming face to face with a massive volcano.

The same volcano from before. In view of Gallopolis, this would have to be…

“I know that view, I'm sure of it…” Serena muttered as Isabella came to her senses once more.

“So if I understand what we saw correctly, they found some ore and a hammer, then went up a mountain and forged a sword…” Jade said, making her way down the stairs. 

“‘Great Land Spirit’s might of choice, lit with flames for light’s grand voice.’” Eleven hummed softly to himself, repeating light’s grand voice under his breath. Suddenly, he gasped. “Wait—of course! The Sword of Light!”

“Indeed! They would not have gone into battle with the Dark One unarmed!” Hendrik exclaimed.

“Yes!” Serena declared. “That's the power we need! That's how we'll drive the darkness from the world!”

“But Mordegon took it, right?” Isabella said slowly.

  “Unless…” Erik grunted, thinking. “Are these visions trying to say we need to...? Yeah! That must be it! We need to make our own Sword of Light, just like the old heroes did!”

“ Another Sword of Light?” Isabella repeated, incredulous. Slowly, however, she nodded. “I suppose… that’s something to go off of.”

“Alright, we've got ourselves a plan!” Eleven interjected. “Not much of a plan, but we'll just have to fill in the gaps as we go! Let's start by paying a visit to the places we saw in those visions. I'm betting we'll find some more clues there.”

“Aye,” Rab nodded. “It looked like they found that ore on another one of these floating islands. I reckon we'll need to have a word with our wee pal about that.”

“And that was Gallopolis in the vision where they had the hammer, right?” Sylvando said, ignoring Eleven’s annoyance. “Maybe the Sultan knows something.”

“Oh, and I remember now!” Serena exclaimed. “That mountain—it's the volcano near Hotto, isn't it! How could I forget?”

“Sounds like we're going on a wee world tour, then,” Rab said with a twinkle in his eye. “Hotto, Gallopolis and...wherever that other island happens to be.”

“It seems we're setting off on another adventure, Veronica…” Serena said softly, dampening the excited spirit for a moment. The healer clasped her hands together, eyes towards the ceiling. 

“You'll be with us in spirit, I know it…”

Eleven placed a hand on her shoulder, kissing the top of her head as she smiled.

“Alright, let's go to work!” he demanded.

The Luminary of Power made his way forth, hand in hand with Serena until he paused to open the doors. Isabella felt her shoulders relax as they finally left the area. Everyone was still in one piece, perfectly safe.

“HM. ALL IS INTRIGUING…”

Isabella yelped, stepping away from the tiny watcher as it made its way out from behind a pillar.

“H-Hah… Forgot you were here…” Isabella stammered.

“NO WORRY. IS FINE,” the creature said kindly. “HEARD OF VISIONS. THINKING… REMEMBER A TALE. FROM MY GRANDFATHER. GUIDING LIGHT HELPED ANCIENT HEROES. HELPED IN FORGING OF SWORD. SWORD TO BEAT DARKNESS. YOU HAVE SEEN THEIR QUEST. FLOATING ISLAND. ISLAND OF VISION. THIS IS CALLED BATTLEGROUND.”

“‘Battleground’?” Rab repeated. “Why would anyone go looking for ore on a battleground?”

“MINE WAS THERE. MINE OF GREAT ORES. GREAT POWERS FOUGHT FOR ORES. GREAT BATTLE OCCURRED. GREAT LOSSES. GREAT PAIN. VICTORS TOOK ALL. NO ORE. NO MORE. PERHAPS… TALE OF CENTURIES AGO. PERHAPS TALE FALSE. PERHAPS ORE REMAIN. PERHAPS.”

“Well, it cannae hurt to go and have a look now, can it? Come on, you lot,” Rab said, waving them towards the second pair of doors.

“GOOD LUCK!” the creature called after them as they closed the doors, stepping out into the open air.

Chapter Text

Cetacea streaked past Mordegon’s palace once more, passing over mountain ranges galore. Isabella couldn’t help but admire the landscape as she looked over the back of the giant whale. Heliodor was little more than a play castle to her eyes; Puerto Valor and Gondolia, too, passed in the blink of an eye. 

“I think we’re just about there!” Erik exclaimed, raising his voice against the wind that pounded against them at such high speeds. Isabella nodded as Cetacea swerved, arcing and slowing towards another floating island. A massive hunk of stone hovered miles above a strait between Gondolia and the Champs Sauvage. Isabella could almost make out the little blip of Phnom Nonh before Erik seized her wrist, giving her a slight tug so she would turn back to the island at hand.

Isabella gripped the lantern holding the Guiding Light tightly in one hand, Erik holding her other hand. Cetacea swooped downwards, making Isabella’s stomach drop dramatically as they reached the apex of the island. Stone jutted out beyond them with a surprising length to it, and the island only seemed to go on and on. However, a gap came into view amid the rocks. Foliage sprouted around a circle of luminescent blue markings, giving them a perfect landing point.

Isabella yelled, adrenaline taking over as she and Erik threw themselves onto the dust and stones. The ground came upon them quickly, but she was able to cast a soft wind spell to cushion their fall. They skidded a small amount, coming to a halt just before a huge field of purple mist.

The Luminary of Light got to her feet, looking over the mass of pulsing violet as the other party members landed behind her. She stepped forward warily, holding her marked hand out. Despite the gathering darkness that swirled about her hand, the mark stayed dull. She grimaced, pulling her hand back with a slight jolt and allowing the despairing feeling to leave her.

“WAAAGH!”

Isabella turned sharply to see her brother practically soaring through the air, having jumped from Cetacea’s back rather late. He flailed horribly, arcing dangerously close to the purple fumes. Serena cast a spell from behind Isabella, creating a small but powerful tornado that pushed him from the ominous cloud and back towards the stone. He dove face-first into the ground, groaning as the dust settled.

“Heh… thanks for not leaving the Guiding Light for me,” he joked as Serena came up beside him, her hand glowing green. Isabella couldn’t help but notice a soft shaking across the healer’s body. Her face remained stoic, however, so she dismissed it.

“Honestly, El! One of these days you’re going to kill yourself from some crazy jumping antic!” Isabella huffed, turning away from him dramatically. Serena chuckled to herself, but silence soon surrounded the group as Isabella focused her attention back towards the mist. 

Before her was a tall, lean candlestick poking up from the ground. A marble claw was formed at its peak, eerily empty. Isabella stepped forward, holding the lantern in both hands and offering it forward. Slowly, the flames within the lantern began to shimmer more brightly, curling so that they were scarcely contained within it. Her Luminary mark, too, began to glow in response. Eleven’s hand was quickly upon hers, combining their power so that the flames leapt from the lantern altogether, settling upon the candlestick. Despite this, a small flame still flickered within the lantern.

The light pulsed like a heartbeat, sending a fire forward as if it were a gust of wind. The gusts flowed across the Battleground, dispelling the purple mist in their wake. A pathway quickly showed its face before their group, and the flickering gale pushed further in. A gaping hole yawned before them, its emptiness openly revealed.

“Eleven. Don’t you dare.”

“I wasn’t! I swear! I’m not going to jump that one!”

Isabella rolled her eyes, drawing her sword as they pressed onward. Crumbling partitions gave them a small barrier from the abyss, though it still felt desperately close. Isabella swallowed, her heart hammering as they reached the break in the barrier. A slope spiraled downward, though darkness concealed the bottom.

“How are we supposed to know where to look, anyway?” Serena mused, tapping her chin as they continued down the slope.

“That’s what I was wondering,” Jade agreed, uneasy as they began their descent around the swirling slope. “If there really was an entire war fought to collect the ores stored all about here, it’s hard to believe there would be much of anything left.”

“There is a chance they missed something,” Isabella cut in. “Besides, we have something that they most likely did not have.” She grinned slightly, tapping the parchment before her. “There’s actually another path downward, just south-east of here. Probably down that alcove.” She pointed, her thin finger accurately showing a small, winding path that led further in.

“I’d love to check in there, honey, but it’s giving me the heebie-jeebies with that dark spot there,” Sylvando pointed out, shuddering. “It’s probably just a hole that leads to nowhere. Even if it is there, it may be better to check the other areas before getting ourselves into a mess it’ll be hard to get out of.”

Isabella nodded vaguely, staring as the map shifted before her eyes—the next floor. Another section of thin, winding paths formed on all sides of the slope they descended. Some smaller alcoves gave her pause, but it was evident that they were just so easy to reach. Even as they made their way down, she noted several barren spots or holes upon the walls, leaving scarcely a thing but rock for them to see.

Another floor—this one had three alcoves at the bottom, and a smaller one poking at the top. Each was far too easy to enter.

The next floor marked the end of their descent. Another group of branching caverns melded into the page, but each one just didn’t stand out.

“Something different has to happen with one of these,” Isabella huffed, smoothing out various sections of the parchment to get a better look. Finally she groaned, rolling up and pocketing the map for a moment. Though most of the lowest area was barren, a sad-looking stone caught her eye. She approached it, narrowing her eyes.

“That there seems to be some kind of inscription,” Rab pointed out. “I’ve dabbled a wee bit in ancient languages like this one, so maybe I’ll have some idea of what’s going on. Ahem…” He paused, stroking his mustache fondly.

“ ‘WATCHERS FLOAT ABOVE WORLD. WATCH. PROTECT. THIS ISLAND IS HOME. HERE FROM BEGINNING.’ ” Rab spoke slowly, though he chose every word with care. “ ‘NOT JUST HOME TO WATCHERS. HOME TO ORE. SPECIAL ORE. ORE TO BANISH DARKNESS.’ ”

He stepped back, nodding slightly. “Nothing different than what we heard from our wee friend back on the other island.”

“This one may tell more, Lord Robert.” Hendrik stood several feet away, gesturing awkwardly towards another aged stone. Excited, Isabella and the others came forward, and Rab immediately got to work.

“ ‘ORE MAKES SPECIAL WEAPON. WEAPON TO RESTORE HOPE. WEAPON TO SAVE ALL ERDREA.’ ”  He paused, running his finger over a few faded symbols before continuing. “ ‘ERDREA WAS AT PEACE. BUT THEN DISASTER. DARK ONE CAME. HOPE TURNED TO DESPAIR. ONLY LUMINARY POWER CAN DEFEAT HIM. AND ONLY WITH SWORD. SWORD OF PRECIOUS ORE.’ ”

“Well? That can’t possibly be it, can it?” Jade urged.

“Aye, I’m afraid that’s the end of that one,” Rab said, shaking his head. “We cannae find anything different on them so far, but I feel like we’re getting somewhere.”

“Izzy, are there any marks for them on our map?” Eleven quizzed. “We can’t be getting ahead of ourselves here.”

“No, nothing… ooh!” she exclaimed, prodding a point nearby. “There’s a small winding path just down there, with a campfire just beyond it. Just after there, however, you can see it drops off—” Isabella pointed excitedly at a far northwestern point. “That one seems pretty out of the way. Perhaps that’s something they could’ve missed?”

“I can’t help but think that we missed a lot of sections back where we were,” Jade pointed out, biting her lip. “How about we go back and try to comb this area thoroughly?”

“Proper thieves would’ve done that already,” Erik snapped, surprisingly urgent. “Come on, Isabella. Show us the way.”

She nodded, turning on her heel to a small alcove. A single smogbonnet turned to her, but her sword flashed across it before it could blink. A tiny passageway winded through the stone, just enough for Isabella to squeeze through from shoulder to shoulder. From behind her, however, several others struggled. Erik and Serena got through easily enough, but forms of the others—some tall, some more bulky—couldn’t squeeze through without several scratches. Hendrik in particular struggled his way through, popping out the other side with an audible groan.

Surely enough, a campsite sat just beyond the cavern, but they passed it by. Light had further faded in the smoggy sky of Erdrea as the group stepped outside the Battleground. A small alcove with no protective railings was all that kept them from the abyss below.

“And we’re supposed to… jump?” Sylvando gulped, peering into the clouds below.

“I don’t think so,” Eleven responded. He grinned, pushing to the front and heaving himself over the edge with a whoop. Serena shrieked, rushing forward and falling to her knees, gripping the edge of the cliff. Isabella came to her side, half infuriated and half terrified, but quickly noticed a plume of silky hair sliding down steadily. Eleven’s hands and feet clambered down an absurdly long vine, refusing to slip for every step.

Serena leaned back, relieved, as Erik pulled Isabella to safety. Despite their fear, the group slowly made their way down the vine. Sylvando went next, nimbly making his way down until he was beyond the sheet of clouds. A long, high-pitched squeal from his trumpet alerted the next group to make their way down. Erik took Isabella’s hand firmly, letting go only long enough so that he could go just before her.

As she looked over the ledge, the gravity of the distance really began to settle. Though her legs threatened to give out beneath her, she followed just behind Erik. She lowered herself to the cliff edge, turning so that she was dead-hanging just off the side of the crag. From there she desperately grabbed the vine, only to realize how feeble it felt.

Her hands slipped, thighs gripping on with all her might to stay upon the vine. She stayed upright, heaving worriedly to herself as she took a few more inches downward. Her legs stayed firmly gripped upon the vine, and her hands pushed her just hard enough to allow her to slide her way down.

“I’m right beneath you, you’ve got this,” Erik said, continuing to give her encouragement as she shivered her way down. “Keep going, you’re not going to run into me.”

She nodded, closing her eyes as they passed the bank of clouds. Now, there was an unexplainable distance below them; however, there simply had to be an end. As damp air flooded her nostrils, it became harder to breathe. Gradually, however, it thinned, giving way to a clear area. She opened her eyes, breathing deeply, before two hands reached her waist and heaved her down.

“Easy does it, darling—alright, another two down!” Sylvando said, nodding. As Sylvando blew his trumpet, Isabella pulled out and unfolded the map uneasily. Just beyond them was an impossibly thin ledge, only slightly jutting out from the cliff face before the edge of the path faded again. 

At length, the others had all reached the small platform. Erik seemed particularly pleased to see this small section of rock, marveling that it could’ve kept hundreds of people from moving onward. He stopped, took a sturdy stance, and thrust his hands before him. Golden symbols appeared on the side of the cliff, glowing faintly. Presently, they burst, pushing slab-like chunks of earth forward to enlarge the pathway.

They continued onward, albeit nervously as they crossed the newly erected pathway. A slope led them onward until they reached another entrance to the inner battleground. Water pattered, dripping from stalactites to the cavern floor, in a rhythm that nearly matched the group’s—constant, uneasy, disrupted. A variety of monsters counted it great fun to pitch a disturbance among them, causing them to stop every few moments. This proved somewhat helpful, however; Erik retrieved a recipe book from a nearby room during a particularly long-winded battle.

Presently they reached another room with a spiraling staircase. There was no option for capturing any kind of flying creatures, so they consented to walking. Monsters in nearby rooms regarded them with interest, though their presence on the precarious slope-stairway made most keep their distance. An unlucky miasma caught a fistful of fire from Serena, quelling any rebellion for a few levels.

“I think I found something!”

Every eye and ear was suddenly turned upon Isabella. She turned her map around triumphantly, prodding at a particular section. Though the current floor they were on (displayed by the map as B6, whatever that could mean) had a great many side-rooms, there was one in particular that stood out, and not only because of the Luminary’s finger. The title displayed thus was Overlooked Cavern.

Isabella bit back her fear of what monster they might encounter at the end of such a pathway, and they continued through the bejewelled caverns, bursting into the sunlight for a moment. Another slope streaked upwards, turning sharply to be swallowed by the cave. 

As the group reached the mouth, a glimmering shower of blue flooded into their eyes. Rainbows danced upon the complexions of a thousand gemstones growing in all directions about the cavern. Few bare spots could be observed in the yawning cavern, and even the grey stone couldn’t seem as dreary under the light of such beauty.

However, at the end of the cave rested a particularly bright stone. Its blue shone deeper yet brighter than the other gems in the cave, and it almost seemed to be carved and smoothed out from its beautiful faces. The first to recover from this heavenly spectacle was Erik, walking numbly towards the crowning jewel.

“Something tells me we've found our special ore,” Sylvando said brightly, breaking a silence hardly any of them had noticed.

Erik reached the gemstone at the end of the cavern, and caressed it softly with a gloved hand. 

“...You have got to be kidding me!”

“Uh, Erik?” Isabella started. “Are you okay?”

“I'm more than okay!” Erik exclaimed, pointing excitedly to the gem. “Do you know what this is? It's orichalcum! Do you have any idea how much this stuff is worth!?”

“Orichalcum?” Rab remarked, stroking his mustache. “Well, well! I've read about it in books, but I've never seen it with my own eyes. Are ye sure, laddie?”

Erik laughed. “ ‘Am I sure’, he asks! You bet I am! I steal valuable stuff for a living, remember? This is it—the rarest metal in the world! I wish Mia was here to see this!” Erik wheeled around, staring intently at Isabella at the mention of his sister. He smiled to himself, turning away with a reddening face.

“So this is the ore we were looking for. I should've guessed,” he continued more calmly. “Imagine what a fortune you could make with a lump this big…”

“You know what? That’s a great idea!” Eleven exclaimed. “Let’s give up our big chance at defeating the Lord of Shadows so that we can make some shillings! The world may come to an end forever, but we’ll be swimming in loot! Who’s with me?”

A giggle tittered around the group, causing Erik to blush even more furiously.

“...Sorry, got a little carried away there. Don't worry, I get it—this here ore is strictly for sword-making!”

Isabella stepped forward, drawing out a pickaxe from her enchanted bag waveringly.

“Are we supposed to bring this entire chunk with us?” she inquired, turning back to the others. “I feel… odd, just taking a small piece of it.”

“Well, you can’t expect us to lug the whole thing around,” Jade pointed out. “Besides, if this new Sword of Light is anything like the old one, a small chunk is all you’ll need. If it was a greatsword, that might be a different issue.”

“No. Never wish the Sword of Light was a greatsword. Ever.” Eleven stared at her seriously. “That’s what I thought while we were up at Yggdrasil, and you see where that got us.”

Isabella hammered a chink off of the Orichalcum, which was surprisingly brittle when struck. When Erik ventured to take a small piece for himself, however, he found it extremely difficult to break. Only with the soft light of Isabella’s mark were they able to take another small piece as a souvenir.

Chapter Text

A crimson hurricane swirled in the skies above Gallopolis. Blood-hued clouds cascaded from the heavens like a mist, evaporating on the walls of an impossibly large globe. Intricate markings glowed faintly gold along the massive orb, though it was difficult to find a definite pattern even from the back of Cetacea. As the group swerved past it, arcing closer to the ground, Isabella felt a chill run through her veins.

“What… is that supposed to be?” Eleven shuddered aloud, voicing his sister’s thoughts.

“So the rumours were true,” Hendrik said softly, his voice more audible as they slowed. “Erdwin's Lantern descends towards Gallopolis… They say it began when Yggdrasil fell and darkness covered the land. But why? What is happening to our world?”

“Erdwin's Lantern, eh...?” Rab mused. “Back in Dundrasil, we had a legend that after Erdwin defeated the Dark One, he ascended to the skies as a star so he could watch over Erdrea for all eternity. It was one of Eleanor's favourite stories. And I always thought it was just that—a story…”

“We came here in search of a hammer, though I cannot help but think that the lantern isn’t far from destroying Gallopolis,” Hendrik pointed out. “Perhaps we should make that a priority before retrieving our next material for the Sword of Light…”

Cetacea slowed nearly to a stop as they reached a break in the palm trees and cliffs. A monument filled with columns marked their descent point. Eleven’s face lit up with another of his crazy antics, no doubt; Isabella grasped her brother’s hand firmly. Upon touching their marked hands together, they immediately began to glow. The golden light paralleled onto the monument, and a Luminary symbol upon it that had been scarcely decipherable burst forth with vigor. Before Isabella could well contemplate what was happening, each person upon Cetacea’s back abruptly appeared on the platform.

Isabella gasped, putting a hand to her chest to steady herself. Most of the others stumbled, regaining their sudden change of footing; Serena, however, gracefully stood watching them with amusement.

“That can’t have been too different from our usual Zoom antics,” Serena remarked with a twinkle in her eye. “How come you all seem so surprised?”

Eleven stared at Serena incredulously, but his frown quickly melted into a smirk. “Watch it, Serena, your Veronica is showing,” he teased.

The party wandered on through the strange “Whale Way Station”, as determined on their Erdrean map, cutting through underbrush and trekking up steep hills to reach Gallopolis once more. In moments where Isabella was forced to slow to wait on others, she tried many times to recast Zoom and shorten their walk. However, across the entire mountain range, the sparkles could only flicker and die altogether.

“You don’t suppose your magic is… broken, do you?” Erik inquired after yet another failed experiment.

“Not that I can tell,” Isabella responded, dusting her hands off with annoyance. “I’m pretty much able to travel anywhere I’ve been before; in other words, anywhere that has a clear image in my mind could be a valid destination. However, Gallopolis, or even all of Erdrea, has undergone so much change recently that my view of any location is skewed. I simply can’t picture what Gallopolis looks like right now, even while seeing the star from here.”

“I was actually curious about that star,” Eleven cut in, sauntering behind them as the hill sloped downward. “Erdwin’s Lantern… is that perhaps the same star that Gemma pointed out to us all that time ago?”

Isabella chewed her lip, musing. It was good, now, that she could think about Gemma without feeling an eternal pit in her stomach, though it continued to rear its ugly face in odd circumstances.

“That can’t possibly be right,” Isabella responded finally. “If what Gemma told us is correct, she said that the Luminary created, or rather became, that star. If that thing really is our past life, wouldn’t it appear more as a force of good?” She paused, glancing back at Eleven. 

“Don’t look at me! I’m not the smart person in this equation,” Eleven shot back. “Once you decide that we need to fight something, I’m your man.”

***

The gates of the city opened easily enough for their group, and Isabella began to realize why her magic had not been working. The lantern descended from the sky, huge and terrible, its diameter nearly twice the size of Gallopolis. However, the people along the streets were nothing like she had seen before. Some women were huddled against the walls of once bustling shops, whispering sweet nothings to their crying children. Men and women alike walked about the town anxiously. One man walked past their group, taking not even a moment to notice them as he went off to wring his hands ever more anxiously.

“No…! And after all we did?” Sylvando exclaimed, clasping his hands together. “My Soldiers of Smile and I brought this place from the depths of depression only months before now! How could this have happened?”

“While I admire your confidence in these people, Sylvando, a world like ours succumbs the average person to depression in a much shorter length of time,” Hendrik remarked, his voice scarcely above a growl. “A world brought forth by one I knew for so long…”

As the man stumbled out of Isabella’s sight, the Luminary of Light turned her eyes awkwardly towards a strange presence in the street. A small blob-like creature stood completely still, staring directly at Isabella with two perfectly crimson eyes. She bit her lip; the creature was small and harmless looking, though she couldn’t help but feel a strange… connection to it. Had she perhaps… seen it before?

The world seemed to muffle as Isabella stared at the creature. Slowly, slowly, its small legs began to pace towards her, never looking away from her. Was she in a trance? Isabella shuddered as the creature came closer and closer, yet she couldn’t bear to tear her eyes away. The creature stepped onto Rab, walking along his front as if gravity was entirely irrational. It glided across his face—Isabella vaguely noticed his mouth moving, but couldn’t hear the words—and still no one said anything. It went along his backside all the same, walking on with its head screwed on backwards until it disappeared beyond the gates of Gallopolis.

“Are you even listening, lassie?” Rab exclaimed, his voice suddenly popping back into focus. Isabella jolted, pressing her fingers to her head for a moment. “Hmph! Charming! Well, I can share my musings with ye again if ye'd like?”

“...No, no, that’s quite alright,” Isabella said quickly. “I…” She paused, glancing at Eleven. He, too, was holding his forehead as if he had come out of the same trance. She bit her lip, claiming that she forgot what she meant to say when Rab inquired her.

“Heard everything ye needed to hear, did ye? Alright, then,” Rab said, nodding. “Well, I suppose this is no time to be standing around pontificating—the Lantern's on course to crash straight into this fair kingdom. We'd best go and see what the Sultan thinks of all this, eh? I’m sure he’d be glad to hear that he has a few more allies.”

“I certainly don’t doubt that,” Erik said, chuckling to himself as they crossed over to the castle. “I can only imagine what the Sultan’s been dealing with this whole time. If his cow-hearted soldiers got him anywhere in this investigation, that’s the most he can do.” He paused for a moment, opening the door of the palace for Isabella before jogging back to her side. “I’m sure he couldn’t convince Faris to investigate such a dangerous situation for anything.”

“My boy, please! Your reckless heroics will get you killed!”

Erik, Serena, Eleven, and Isabella each stared at each other, dumbfounded.

“...That was the Sultan, I suppose…” Serena said.

“Faris is an only child, right?” Eleven demanded.

“Maybe he’s talking about one of his knights…?” Erik offered.

“Fear not, Father! I will take all necessary precautions. By the time I return, the mystery of the star will be solved, and Gallopolis will be saved!”

The four gawked at each other. It was Faris making such bold claims.

“I guess someone really got to him, huh?” Erik said thoughtfully, too engrossed in conversation with his friends to notice a grin coming across Sylvando’s face. Presently, they reached the top of the stairway, and the Sultan turned to them slowly. He watched with fear as his son strutted away from the palace, a confidence in his gait that was not shared by his fellow soldiers.

“Hm? Ah, it is you,” he said, smiling faintly. “Thank you once again for all you did for my son, I—”

He froze, his eyes falling on Rab. “What in the name of the—!? Surely this cannot be!?”

“It's been a while, eh, Yer Majesty?” Rab said, walking forward without taking a moment to bow. “Years, in fact. I havnae seen you since the Colloquy of Kings. And the disaster that followed…”

“L-Lord Robert! Please, you must listen!” the Sultan exclaimed desperately. “What we were told about the Luminary was false! He is not the spawn of the darkness after all! Alas, we were all deceived by King Carnelian. We allowed the world to be destroyed. We brought this disaster upon ourselves…”

“Ach, come on, Yer Majesty. We can hardly be blamed,” Rab said, his face softening. “This is Mordegon's doing. He's the one who possessed King Carnelian and caused all this chaos. This is down to him and no one else.”

“L-Lord Robert…” The Sultan sat back in his chair, looking older, fatter, and more tired than ever. However, his eyes still shone with a hopeful light.

“Now listen, we need to talk about that star,” Rab started. “If Erdwin's Lantern falls much further, Gallopolis is done for. What d'ye know about it?”

“Sadly, very little. I have tasked my finest scholars with investigating its origins, but they have discovered nothing…” The Sultan perked up a little. “Ah, there is one thing that may be of interest—my son Faris claims to have been able to make out runes on the surface of the barrier that surrounds the star.”

Faris? Investigating dangerous runes???

“Runes, eh?” Rab mused. “This is the first I've heard of a barrier surrounding the Lantern, let alone anything being written on it. Was yer lad sure of this?”

“He certainly appeared to be. In fact, he has taken one of our most learned scholars to the Celestial Sands in order to investigate the runes more closely. It is there that we believe the star will make its landing.”

“I see…” Rab pondered for a moment. “Reckon we'd better go and take a good look at these runes ourselves, eh? Shall we head out after the Prince?”

“It would put my mind at ease if you would, Lord Robert,” the Sultan said, sinking back once more. “I cannot help but worry about him being abroad in such dangerous circumstances… You have my thanks. I will instruct the guards to permit you passage through the checkpoint. Journey safely.”

Rab thanked the Sultan, waving towards the others to follow him back out of the palace. Isabella faintly heard his instructions, but could only think about Faris’s new character. What had happened to the boy?

***

Their next encounter with Faris did not serve to lighten the odd feeling about Isabella anymore.

"Come! We must move closer! We cannot hope to read the runes from here!”

Faris stood across from a young man dressed in a scholar’s robe. The scholar was holding a large tome of some sort, clutching it to his chest desperately.

“But...Your Highness!” the scholar exclaimed. “I am sorry... It is too dangerous. I am afraid I must refuse.”

“Do you have a means of deciphering the symbols without entering the Celestial Sands?” Faris demanded, gesturing broadly toward the sands beyond the checkpoint.

The scholar wilted. “Well, no, but…”

“Oh, Princey-poo!” cooed Sylvando, cutting short the scholar’s torture. “Hello, darling! Long time no see!”

Faris turned sharply, his eyes widened. At length, he plastered a grin across his face. “Sylvando? What an...unexpected pleasure.”

“The Sultan said you were out here in the scary sands trying to read runes off a falling star. Ha! Guess you grew up to be quite the brave boy, hm?” Sylvando gushed.

“Ha ha! I am simply doing my duty to my people!” Faris proclaimed. “But what about you? What brings you to the Sands?”

“The same thing as you, Your Highness,” Hendrik interjected. “We have come to investigate Erdwin's Lantern.”

Hendrik’s hulking figure froze Faris in place. They stared at one another awkwardly for a moment or so, before Faris finally fell to his knees, his sword outstretched in a manner of servitude.

“Sir Hendrik? THE Sir Hendrik?” he exclaimed, lifting his face slightly. “Oh! The Hero of Heliodor! Here, in my kingdom!”

“You know who I am, Your Highness?” Hendrik said, his eyes wide from such a mark of respect from the prince.

“But of course! You are my hero! You are every aspiring knight's hero! To serve under your command is my life's ambition!” Faris proclaimed.

“I am honoured, Your Highness,” Hendrik said with a curt bow, giving Faris the initiative to stand. “The courage you have shown in venturing out here suggests that you would make a fine knight, wherever or whomever you serve.”

“Truly, you have no idea how much your words mean to me!” Faris exclaimed, tears springing to his eyes. “Oh thank you, from the bottom of my heart!”

“Sorry to butt in, Yer Highness, but might I ask how yer investigations are going?” Rab interrupted. “Ye were looking a wee bit frustrated back there when we arrived…”

“Indeed I was, old man!” he said loudly; Isabella and Eleven covered their mouths, laughing furiously at Rab’s look of surprise and amusement. If the Sultan regarded him as such a high figure, “old man” may not quite be the most honoring title. 

“That fool of a scholar is too frightened to accompany me any further into the Sands!” Faris continued, oblivious to the Luminaries. “I am not one for learning. The symbols will mean nothing to me. Which leaves me in quite a predicament…”

“Well, I think I might be able to help out there, if ye'll allow me,” Rab said.

“You are some manner of wisened ancient? Excellent! I would be very much obliged!” Faris beamed. “The runes can be best seen from the ruins in the centre of the Sands. Come, let us make for there!”

Rab followed close behind Faris, and Isabella was surprised to see a sword steadily clutched in his hand. Few monsters bothered them as they first entered the sands, but Faris was quick to cut many of them down. Isabella managed to catch up to him, finishing off a smoky monster with a quick fire spell.

“Lady Isabella! It is an honor to see you after so long,” he said, smiling brightly.

“It certainly is a relief to see you doing so well yourself, your majesty,” Isabella responded. “I suppose… I am just surprised. When we last saw you, you were… pardon me as I say this… you were quite less of a figure of bravery than you are now.”

Faris laughed, easing her tension greatly. “I certainly do not dismiss your words,” he responded. “After you and your friends left Gallopolis, the particular performance of Sylvando…it seemed to light a fire within me! I struggled greatly in the first few months, relearning my training exercises and humiliating myself on a daily basis.

“However, when Yggdrasil fell, Gallopolis changed entirely. We became a haven for refugees from Gondolia and nearby desert settlements, and the people were in need of a great leader. Though my training felt like it had scarcely begun, I undertook the position as the savior of the people. Recently, however, the people hesitate to take my encouragement due to the presence of this star… which is why we must find a way to save Gallopolis, once and for all!”

He paused for a moment, blushing and turning away. “Of course, though my people are always my primary focus, there was a certain star in the back of my mind that made all the work seem worth it… a certain young lady, beautiful in countless ways… I suppose I did a lot of it for her.”

Erik appeared at Isabella’s side, his hand sliding protectively around her waist. He drew her closer as they walked, caressing her side obviously in the sight of Faris.

“In case you haven’t noticed, this young woman is off the market,” Erik hissed.

Faris raised an eyebrow. “You don’t happen to be insinuating that Lady Isabella is the young woman that kept my heart all this time? Of course not! Those may have been my feelings, once, but my darling Seri seems to be next in line for the Queen of Gallopolis. My father already approves of our courtship.”

“How wonderful, Faris!” Isabella exclaimed, beaming all the brighter since Erik did not let her go even after knowing this.

Presently the group reached the ruins. Isabella noticed immediately that no monster dared set foot on the ancient flooring. Columns rose around them quite like the landing points for Cetacea, though this was built on a much grander scale. Each column rose nearly a hundred feet in the air, stretching as if they were innumerable fingers upon a hand reaching for Erdwin’s Lantern.

A soft plop of sand scattering caused Isabella to look down. Faris lay sprawled on his back, staring at the lantern with awe and reverence.

“Taking a nap, Princey-poo?” Sylvando teased. “And there was me thinking you'd come to investigate the Lantern.”

“Truly, it is even more magnificent when one lies directly beneath it... How many can say that they have seen such glories up close?” Faris said faintly, oblivious to the world around him almost entirely.

Isabella felt her gaze turn. The creature of darkness had reappeared.

Her eyes latched onto the force, inspecting the strange red heartbeat in the centre of the creature. The rumbling of the lantern all but ceased, and no words formed themselves in her mind from the conversations of her friends. It walked on, slowly, slowly, traveling over the oblivious figure of Faris. Once it reached the middle, however, it stopped, looking from Isabella to Eleven.

“Y O U C A N S E E M E...?”

The words gritted against Isabella’s ears, but she couldn’t wince. She could scarcely move from the enchantment of this creature. She heard a faint groan of response from Eleven, but nothing more.

“Y E S I S U P P O S E T H A T W A S A S I L L Y Q U E S T I O N…  T H I S M E A N S Y O U M U S T B E T H E…”

A horrible screech encompassed Isabella’s ears, and she finally closed her eyes to fall to her knees, groaning in pain. She had to get her sword; she had to kill this thing! But the screams only became louder and louder, the ground slamming into her without warning.

“The Lantern!” Sylvando’s voice cut through the screams, dampening them though she still couldn’t move. “It's falling, it's falling, it's falling! We're gonna be squished!”

She could hear Erik, Hendrik, and Serena begging for the Luminaries to get up, but neither could lift their eyes higher than the creature standing in the middle. Its arms reached to the lantern, and with horror Isabella realized that it had many, each tipped with blood-red magic.

Though her body remained unresponsive, Isabella watched as Erik lifted her away from the scene, carrying her to safety. Hendrik also appeared to be picking up Eleven, though it was difficult to see without being able to move her head.

“Lord Robert! It is not safe here! We must fall back!” Hendrik exclaimed. Faris and Serena rushed back onto the platform to retrieve him, though the rumbling all about the sands made it more difficult to walk.

“Ach, give me a minute, will ye!” Rab exclaimed. “I think I can make out what the runes are saying…” 

The screaming stopped altogether, all noises ceasing except for the words Rab spoke.

“Ca…las…

“Mos?”

“Please, Lord Robert! It is too dangerous!” Hendrik shouted as noises reappeared in Isabella’s mind. The screaming had reached its height, threatening to deafen her.

“Wh-Wh-What is this!? Wh-What is happening!?”

Faris pointed to the sky even as the lantern fell, though he focused on another strange figure in the distance. A collection of darkness, radiating evil even from so far away, appeared in the distance. With her face pointed towards the sky, Isabella could almost make out who it must be…

The massive creature brandished a sword, hurtling towards the lantern. It struck the star, slashing it with the sword and splitting it into a thousand pieces. The remnants flew across the desert, shimmering into nothingness around them.

Isabella suddenly sat stark upright, breathing heavily. The screaming had ceased just as the star burst, and she became master of her body again at the very same moment. Though the group crowded around her with concern, none said anything as a voice they recognized all too well boomed through the sky;

Now none shall challenge me! This world is mine, and mine alone!

“Was that...the Sword of Shadows...?” Rab muttered to himself, still staring at the sky as the figure turned into nothingness.

“The Lantern... It has disappeared…” Hendrik said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “The star was named for Erdwin, but...can such an ominous phenomenon truly be the work of heroes? Was the foul creature wielding the sword not...?”

“That was no foul creature, Sir Hendrik! That was the saviour of Gallopolis! He spared us all from the falling star!” Faris exclaimed, his arms spread wide. “The kingdom is saved! My people will surely thank me when I bring them the good tidings! I must return to the city and spread the news! Come and find me at the palace if you need me!”

“ ‘Calasmos’... What could that mean...?” Rab murmured.

“To heck with what it means! Isabella, Eleven, are you alright?” Erik exclaimed, grasping each of their hands firmly. “What’s got into you all of a sudden??”

“I… I don’t know,” Isabella stammered. “Whatever this ‘Calasmos’ thing is, it completely took hold of me. I couldn’t move.”

“Did you hear that screaming?” Eleven shuddered. “Even covering my ears did nothing…”

“Why don't we go ask the Sultan about this?” Sylvando cut in. “It's his kingdom—maybe he knows something.”

“Aye—you could be right there, laddie,” Rab said.

Isabella stood, albeit a bit wobbly, and raised her hand to zoom them back into Gallopolis. The sparks appeared, swirling around their figures—then burst. Isabella huffed as the magic shimmered into nothing.

“With the star gone, apparently it’s too different for me to zoom back,” she said with annoyance. She began to heal herself and straightened up. “We’ll take the long way back. And yes—El and I will be fine.”

***

“It is a relief to see you safe, my friends,” the Sultan said upon seeing the group in the palace once more. “When the star shattered, I could not help but fear the worst… Faris has explained all that came to pass out upon the Sands. It seems a saviour appeared, and destroyed the Lantern before it could lay waste to my kingdom.”

“Aye. Although I wouldnae go calling him yer saviour just yet…” Rab said slowly. “Anyway, never mind that now. There's something I want to ask ye, Yer Majesty. The runes on the barrier around the star—they spelled out a word: ‘Calasmos’. Does that mean anything to ye?”

“‘Calasmos’... Hmm... Sadly, it does not…”

“Well, if it was written on the side of a star, ye can bet it means something. Something important…” Rab mused. “But we can't go letting it distract us too much—Mordegon's not going to defeat himself. We've work to be getting on with.”

“Lord Robert.” The Sultan straightened himself on his throne. “Your quest to defeat the Lord of Shadows is a noble one. The people of Gallopolis will be praying for your success.”

“Yes! And if there is ever anything you require, you need only ask! After all, I still owe you a favour!” Faris exclaimed brightly.

“As a matter of fact, we may need a favor just now,” Isabella interjected. “Do you or your father know anything at all about a giant hammer kept here in Gallopolis? We're going to need it to defeat Mordegon, and apparently, your royal line has had it since the Age of Heroes.”

“A giant hammer, you say... Ah, yes! You mean the Forging Hammer! It has been in the royal family for generations,” the Sultan responded brightly. “Faris! Fetch the Forging Hammer from the treasure room!”

The prince nodded. His expedition did not prove to be a lengthy one, as he returned with the massive forging hammer within a few minutes. The long ribboned hilt was nearly as tall as Isabella, just as she remembered, and the head was scarcely chipped.

“Aye, this is it! This is Erdwin's hammer—the one we saw in the vision!” Rab exclaimed.

“Father, do you truly intend to give the Hammer away?” Faris asked innocently. “We had intended to sell it in order to fund this year's Sand Natio—”

“Silence! Insolent boy!” boomed the Sultan. “...Ahem. The Forging Hammer is one of Gallopolis's greatest treasures. It has been handed down through the generations since time immemorial. But if we must relinquish it, then so be it. You are the only ones who can defeat the Lord of Shadows—if you need it, it is yours.”

Faris handed the hammer to Isabella, who was quickly thrown to the ground from its weight and her current weakness. She relinquished it to Hendrik sheepishly.

“My nurse once told me that the power of the Spirit of the Land resides within the Forging Hammer,” Faris told her as she brushed herself off. “It is said that it can beat even the hardest of metals into shape. At least, I think that is how the story goes… Well, I hope it helps you on your quest. Best of luck, dear friends—I shall be expecting good news!”

Isabella smiled to herself as they left. Even in the midst of such a horrible tragedy, at least someone had managed to learn something worthwhile.