“History Eater.” Keri greeted. “How long have you been watching?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Time is different here.” Fieluri shrugged. “But I’d say about two hours. Did you just realize I was here?”

“Yes.” Keri admitted. She did not detect even a trace of her presence, but that did not surprise her.

“It seems you were concentrating quite hard on your painting.. It truly is a masterful piece.” Fieluri gestured towards her painting, where a bountiful banquet table had been set in the middle of a snowy plain. Snow fell and piled around the one person sitting at the table, giving it an otherworldly, but lonely scene..

“But should it really be snowing here in the vault? Wouldn’t it damage the picture?” Fieluri snapped her fingers and the snow around them stopped falling. Keri had manipulated the world as inspiration and the bleak and moody atmosphere vanished along with the melting snowflakes.

“It’s just a picture. History Eater.”

“I like it. If you don’t want it, give it to me.”

“...Then you may have it.”

“That’s surprising. But you know as well I do that gifts will not earn you compensation.”

“If you want to dish out some sort of compensation, give it to Airen.”

“Grown attached to him, have you?” Fieluri chuckled.

“He has a gentle soul, and he was just like her. You planned this, didn’t you?”

“Who knows? But as a gift for the painting, I’ll let you know two things.” Fieluri said mysteriously as she leaned forward and placed her mouth by Keri’s ear.

“One, you were not the only survivor of the tragic fall of Osperica.”

“And two, Airen’s bloodline has some connection to Osperica, albeit it has been several thousand years of dilution.”

“As the Witch of Altered Fate, did you think I would simply chalk this up to coincidence?” Fieluri laughed as she pointed to Keri’s painting and it floated in the air before disappearing.

“Oh, and one more thing. Anything I tell you, you cannot tell Airen. Otherwise, I will promise you hell.”

“You play dangerous games, History Eater.” Keri scowled in response.

Fieluri simply smiled and vanished, leaving echoing laughter behind.

“June, how do you feel?” Silfy placed a hand on the girl’s delicate shoulders.

“A bit tired actually. I don’t know what the healer did to me, but I can feel a bit of my legs.”

“He said you should be able to stand today, so I decided to come visit before they go take the entrance exam.”

“Entrance exam?”

“The healer, Lin, has a student who would be enrolling in the Knight Academy. I’ll introduce her to you!”

“That would be nice...” June’s eyes wandered to the corner of the room at the bow that she had used as a crutch..

“June?”

“I’m scared Sil. I…I don’t want to depend on false hope.”

“June…” Silfy stared at her downcast friend, and making her mind, she grabbed June’s arm.

“What are you doing, Silfy?! Stop it!”

“Come on now. Upsy daisy.”

“...I’m standing.”

“Yes, Yes you are.” Silfy smiled.

“Priestess Geisla, are you just going to let him insult us like that?” A Knight wearing the insignia of Knight-Captain of the Silver Guard asked. “With all due respect-”

“Perhaps you would like to make my decisions for me?”

“No, my Lady.”

After a brief pause, Geisla offered an explanation. “That man is a healer, Howard. My reports only garnered good things about him. Plus, he possesses the last Holy Symbol, although I had thought it was lost.”

“My lady. If I may ask, was that truly the Rose Knight’s Crest? Perhaps it is a fake?”

“No, it’s the real thing.” Geisla reached between her bosom and tugged on the Maiden Knight’s Crest, which resembled a sidewards facing angel in prayer. “Either way, his strength is the real thing. The Templar Order brought this on themselves, and rightly so.”

“If the two of you were to get into a fight… who would win?”

“I don’t know, Howard. His power is hard to gauge… and the strange four with him are even harder.”

“By Ecclisa… What do you think about that man, Lin’s warning?”

“I do not think he is lying. Send someone to monitor the Templar Order’s activities, and another to watch over the girl. Whoever is this stronger entity he mentioned… we should tread carefully.”

“Sir Dustin, what do you plan to do with him? Execution?”

“No… Dustin is too foolish to arrange such an elaborate scheme. Even through the use of magic, his story did not change. Someone else is pulling the strings in the Templar Order. We must take care now, the real enemy already exists in our midst.”

As Dustin left, Geisla stood up and stared through the moonlit windows, pondering Lin’s words.

“And that is how you can prepare monster meat.” Keri nodded as she pulled out a pitch black piece of meat out of the fire. The outside was charred and blackened to a crisp.

“...Is that even edible?” Eullina asked as she poked the slab of meat. “I don’t think it’s supposed to make that sort of sound when I poke at it.”

“You’re supposed to cut aside the black parts I assume.” Airen commented, wiping his fingers in the sand.

“Correct.” Keri used a cooking knife to slice away all sides and revealing the meat within. “Although this method of cooking the meat is a bit brutal and barbaric, it’s easy to prepare and removes most toxins from mammal-like magical beasts.”

“Where did you learn all this?” Eullina accepted the huge chunk of meat from Keri.

“While adventuring.”

“Did you enter dungeons and such?”

“If you mean underground ruins and cities where civilizations once dwelled and is now infested by beasts, then yes.” Keri replied.

“Is it true what they say? That you can find all sorts of treasure and items down there?” Airen asked.

“It’s true, but not for the reason you think.” Keri confirmed. “Any gear you find was likely from the corpse of another adventurer, and the truly valuable items are the parts of magical beasts.”

“Tell us about one of your adventures!” Eullina asked

“I would rather-” Keri started before noticing that Airen was also pretty intrigued. “Fine, but it’s a long tale.”

“Well, it’ll take a week to get to Stonewall.” Eullina pointed out.

“Sir Arfled Justinia. I trust you know why you are here today?”

“I can harbor a guess. High Priestess.”

“Good. It seems that our stranger-”

“Lin, High Priestess. The healer’s name is Lin.”

“How dare you interu-”

“Stand down Howard. Sir Arfled, it has been reported to me that Lin and his disciple are staying at your manor.”

“They are.”

“What do you know about this… Lin?”

“Enough, my lady.” Arfled shut his mouth after replying and not another word came out.

“...Are you not going to continue?”

“No.”

“Arfled, you insolent- Are you defying the Church?”

“Howard, must I repeat myself?” Geisla shushed Howard before continuing. “Sir Arfled. You have served dutifully in the Silver Guard, and your performance has always been faithful. May I know the reason for your silence?”

“Lady Geisla, with all do respect. In the last three months, I have witnessed things written in the fabled battles of Ecclisa. I have watched as a single individual part a sea of Shadowless with a single strike. I have joined a meal where magical beasts and humans dined, side by side. But above all else, I had cried as my daughter, whose fate you personally said will be decided by Ecclisa's will, was given again a second chance at life.”

“Necromancy-”

“It was no Necromancy! My daughter is alive and well, without the help of the Church who abandoned her!” This time, Arfled interrupted his superior with a roar.

“You dare you-”

“Howard.”

“...As you wish, High Priestess.”

“I understand, Sir Arfled. You may leave now.”

“High Priestess, how do we proceed from here? Shall I demote Arfled?”

“Howard, if your son was at death’s door, and everyone you trusted told you that it was the will of your god. How would you feel?”

“Angry… and lost.”

“And then someone tells you that your son can be saved, and against all odds, they manage to do it. How would you treat that person?”

“...As Ecclisa herself.” And understanding dawned on Howard’s aged face.

“Leave him alone, Howard. It is not he who failed us, but rather, we who failed him.”

“Loys, you can come out now. The two have left.”

“Aw man, I was so sure my cover would be blown.” Loys leaped out from the rafters behind a tapestry.

“You’ve been sneaking and doing all sorts of covert operations, and you were afraid a young boy and girl would catch you?” Benyin could not hide his disbelief.

“Eullina’s a lass with the instincts of a beast. And Airen… he’s a lad with many mysteries. “

“That he is. I’ve never seen that happen to the Affinity Orbs. But… different magic from ours huh? What do you think Loys?”

“Heritage magic, archaic or ancient magic, who knows.” Loys shrugged. “The only thing I know is that he could conjure up weapons out of the blue, those weapons are far from ordinary.”

“That’s high praise, coming from you. How is Duncan, that old rat?”

“Still alive and kicking.”

“Tsk, I refuse to die before he does. What news from Tel’naraa?”

“You’re not going to like it.” Loys cautioned.

“What is it?”

“Haven has fallen.”

“...How many dead?”

“Four hundred.”

“...Is there any way it could be traced back to me?”

“No, the only one that knew of our arrangement is dead. It has been taken cared of.”

“In that case, we can still use Stonewall to funnel away slaves.”

“Duncan says that it is best to lay low for a while.”

“...It pains me, but I suppose we have no choice. Will you be going now?”

“I’ve left Eullina and Airen in your hands, so I suppose so.”

“Although we’re not related by blood. Take care, my son.”

“...Yes father.”

Song of the Spirit Walker, Verse IX, Eir.

At the place where the night cereus flickered in the moonlight

The incarnation of the blue lotus- for whom did the petals flutter?

Turning around on the glittering shell-stone steps, listening to the sea wind

By the ocean temple’s garden, where the vine-covered belvedere is.

The elegance of the blue lotus, that was dyed within cerulean light,

Spiraling around on the water currents, to blame my own lovesickness

Time passed and melody now forgotten, that moment I danced for you.

At the ocean temple’s garden, where the crystal blue pavilion is.

We sat on the steps of paradise, reminiscing about those days.

Who was it that played the flute and praised the blue lotus?

Who was it that sang, danced, and condemned the white cereus?

Still by the ocean temple’s garden, where the vine-covered belvedere is.

Still by the ocean temple’s garden, where the crystal blue pavilion is.

That same night during AIren’s arrival at Stonewall Academy.

“How many do you have for me today?” An aged voice croaked out from behind a black hood.

“Sire, I have a hundred good slaves, about sixty from the Dew Plains, and forty from the Kingdom of Macha.” A fat, sweaty and short man draped in trinkets replied. The two of them stood under an arch, barely illuminated by the slave trader’s candle.

“What about the others?”

“The woman and children? There’s about three hundred but they’re not suited for-”

“I will decide who is suited and not suited to work in my mines, slave trader. Ten gold coins per person.”

“That is most generous, but transporting four hundred people may take-”

“My servants will deal with it.” The cloaked figure shook an arm behind him, where dozens of red eyes unveiled themselves in the darkness.

“You!” The slave trader fell backwards. “You’re him… the Necromancer. The rumors were true...”

“Do you need some help standing?” The cloaked figure raised a bony hand and thousands of pale hands emerged from behind the slave trader, grasping at his limbs and pushing him upright.

“No... no, sir.” The slave trader’s voice squeaked as he stepped forward away from the writhing hands.

“Do we have a deal?”

“Yes. Yes! I’ll have all the slaves delivered to the mine by tomorrow!”

“Good.” A clinking sound rang throughout the night as a large pouch of coins fell to the floor. “Keep this up and you will be a rich man.” The pale hands released the slave trader. When he turned away on him, the red eyes vanished into the darkness, and when he turned back, the cloaked man was also gone. The only indication that the deal had ever taken place was the pouch of coins on the floor.

“Sweet gods. What sort of deal with the devil have I made?” The slave trader bit his lip as he bent over and knelt by the pouch of the coins. “The rumors were true after all...”

The slave trader, although a tough and cold-hearted man, felt a tinge of disgust as he stared at the shiny gold coins inside the pouch. He had no concerns about the fact that it was blood money, but if the stories were true, then there would be no good end for his merchandise. As he made to stand, he felt a cold blade against his neck.

“The master forgot to inform you that if you say anything, you and your family's lives are forfeit. And death is no escape.”

Jourmind’s deep, guttural, and unnatural voice was like a saw-blade in the night's silence.