The once heavy fog took it’s time before finally beginning it’s lift, revealing dark clouds on both ends of a falling sun. How jarring it’s light was, a untouchable orange between walls of darkness, and bathing the girl’s black hair below, held in a ponytail that swayed slightly as a gentle wind appeared. Lone leaves flipped across one of many slim streaks of red that still continued in their crawl, now passing boot and knee. The owner of the grin worn only by kings felt the boy’s heart react, fluttering in a unnatural dance and beat. Resisting the urge to grab his chest, Astral’s glowing eyes lowered to the maskless: her hair a potent black, her eyes like it’s shadow, hiding away a irregular darkness. Something burned within them, a rare find throughout his unending time. He wondered if she was aware of it.

The girl lowered her head as quick as her knee met dirt, and was more then hesitant to raise her sights. "If you will hear me, I ask that you spare her life." The words indeed came from the girl, her interesting eyes still attached to the soaked patch of grass behind the magi.

The anger in the boy’s face had now completely vanished, as if he had been drawn to different priorities. "Get up," he ordered. The girl only shook her head, resolute in declining. A exhale was heard from above, by nose and lips, soundly portraying his prickling patience.

"You know who I am." The girl glanced forward, inches above the grass for a moment, no higher then his knees before lowering again. She nodded. "It is a honor."

"Yet still you bow," Astral said slowly, pronouncing every syllable. Eden did not reply. And she didn't need to. His eyes laid on her bowed head, then shifted to the titan, who’s fingers only continued inactivity. In the same breath, Eden raised her eyes again, feeling the boy’s attention shifting away from herself. He could hear her heart beat now. "If you will allow me to explain why-"

"Your reason means nothing," the boy declared in hushed tone, and with it her eyes fell low again. The boy examined the titan, his eyes still as stone yet invading as illness. Waking a baiting silence while doing so. Then, his calm tongue grew alive again, after taking a step closer so that his sight neared the head of the figure’s mask that still hid most features. Only an eye and fair skin could be seen, the brown eye gazing, waiting for what future she held near.

"No matter where, no matter when, if a hair is touched, the end will begin. Nod if you understand, titan." The wolf underneath the sudden fickle armor and mask obeyed.

"This will be your only warning. Relay that trinket to your leaders." The titan’s chin only moved no more then a inch. And the boy’s sight flipped back to Eden as her head now raised higher then before, both finally meeting eyes clearly for the first time. "My actions will surely come with conflict."

"I will stay with him until he wakes. Thank you." The boy’s eyes began to fade, slowly sliding back into a solid black. As such the air mimicked the act, losing it’s weight and calming at the same pace. "Until we meet again, young Eden."

"Until then," she replied, but by then the boy was on his knees, and Eden was rushing forward to break his fall.

•

While Megan and Sue tried to keep pace with Crow's polished speed-walk, Sue's eyes focused plainly on a family of birds, each sitting next to one another in a row on a high tree branch in the distance. She pointed a finger toward them, "Crow, what kind are those?"

"What makes you think there are more then one?" The girl’s cheeks grew puffy, and Megan placed a hand on her own forehead. "Ten seconds." The way Crow turned behind to reveal his smirk hinted at Megan’s glance into the future. "Haaaah? Do you not know how many different kind of animals there are?" Sue said as if blindsided. "Lions, tigers, snakes and plenty more, and all of them have others. There's a snake called a Cobra and- oh, Astral said there's such thing as a lion with white and black fur, just like my hair! He said it sleeps a lot just like me too …" Megan’s mind wandered as her sister rambled on. Her body already feeding on the energy in her voice. She glanced to the girl as her arms grew wide while detailing a beast. A smile on Crow while nodding in return. She's contagious when she gets like this, and she is never like this, unless it is needed.

"Why do you always go back to the lion? You don't even know if it exists." Megan knew her words wouldn't dampen Susan’s resolve, and it did not in the slightest. But the way Sue's face twisted in response did kind of scare her. But just before her rant had began, Megan and Crow’s eyes met briefly. His mood had changed, telling that he had also glanced into the future.

While the war of the drowsy lion’s existence went on between Sue and a cautious Megan, Crow's senses sharpened, scanning every new inch of air and dirt nearby as their legs continued on. The three had actually been walking down the never-ending dirt road longer then expected, roughly two hours Crow concluded by the unhindered blue sky.

At first his mind fell on who he had left behind, his sense of direction clogged with waning time. But such thoughts were never shown on his stoic face. And soon were forced out to be replaced with the unending hows and whens, who's and whats. Then came action. He understood the outside world of Idyll was still a cruel place, even if temporally stagnant in the realm of imperial warfare. Having no food, no coin, no place to sleep and lack of information meant death undoubtedly. And they had all the above, and more.

Quickly Crow raised his hand in a fist, signaling the two behind to cease all movement and noise in case danger grew close. One of the many things Crow taught in the small village before the undeniable day they would venture past the crops and trees. Sometimes Crow could feel that day draw closer and closer, the outside world seemed to begin calling the girls almost the moment they were born. Their small eyes leaping to the window to no end. Hours upon hours they would spend exchanging wild ideas or creating what if scenarios after reading a book together he'd brought them after trips away from the village. From queens to knights, cities, and of course animals, he'd listen as they wondered and imagined. Of course now that they are here, outside, all he felt and heard from them was controlled adrenaline at best. Or perhaps, it could be something else? Something he'd rather not think about.

Voices rung his ears, down the coming left turn. Hopefully friendly, going by the ruckus and shuffling steps there were seven set of lips at least. "Never step three feet from me." He glanced to them. "Understood?" Both nodded, their fallen smiles hinting the amount of weight his words carried.

Crow’s walk slowed as he began the left turn. That among other alterations. "E-excuse me, would you mind pointing us to the nearest town?" The voice of the oldest was not the same as time past, different, no longer soft, but fragile, weak, as was his new posture which bended reclusive. Why is he stuttering?

A bald man wearing what looked to be very expensive clothing, the kind only those with room inside a spacious castle could afford in the stories Sue and Megan used to often read. He turned to face him while petting one of two brown steeds linked to a carriage. His eyes quickly finding and looking to the girls at the voice’s rear up and down, and for a little too long to be justified. After, he turned to Crow with a smile.

"Of course lad, in fact, I may have enough room in my carriage for company." Crow looked around, to the carriage most. The voices he heard were no longer here. "You are too kind, sir, but directions would be quite enough," Crow said again in that irritating voice. Is he afraid of something? Sue wondered, looking at him with mild confusion until Megan grazed a finger on her hand, then making a fist behind Crow's back. Why would she-she’s telling me to stop … Sue swiftly lowered her eyes before glancing again to Megan on her right, who didn't look much worried at all. Meaning again, the youngest of the three fell behind her two siblings. Somewhere in the darkness of her mind, she asked why she said two instead of three, and offered reason only to calm her growing thoughts. He is different, that is all.

While in mid-thought, she made effort to adapt while containing to watch her sister. Each way based on a hunch, and influenced by Megan’s intentions. Gradually her ways mimicked the oldest, posture, lack of eye contact, unending hesitation. Megan could only smirk briefly at how stirred her pride became. Crow was aware of what had occurred, but kept his emotions to himself.

The bald man took a few steps forward, holding his clasped hands at his nose. "You know lad, where I'm from it is not wise, or healthy to deny a politician." Crow could feel how confident the man was in how this would end. With every thoughtless action: how high his chin stood, how far his chest reached while wearing a aura of invincibility above that ridiculous red and gold robe. "T-thank you for your time, but I think we'll find our own way." The stuttering man turned after speaking, and not to his surprise, four men clad in red leather stood behind the girls. Blocking the path which they came, and the right turn they should have made instead. Crow shifted back to the politician, where four others now made their way to his side. Likely hiding in the carriage. "You heard the polite man, we will be handling your protection." The one who spoke stepped forward, ahead of the politician. Crow’s eyes fell to his hand, which was placed on the head of his sheathed blade. This was escalating at a annoying pace, but quickly he pictured their faces instead of turning again. Already something interesting bubbled inside of them. Like the limbs of oak he bended toward his more rational side. Maybe not his but … Crow’s head tilted low, barely able to hide the smile they had unknowingly caused. But thankfully reminded him of what was important, and why every decision made until now, and ahead, was chosen.

The bald man walked to the odd fellow with a bounce in his stride. Crow started to abandon his posture, but hesitated when more voices were heard in the distance. Heightened with the sound of hoofs pounding the ground from both forward and behind, loud and foreign to Sue’s ears. Before a reaction was made, a pincer formation had been formed; twelve horsemen sat above, and their spears aimed low. Six on the left, six on the right, cutting off all routes of escape. Crow noticed steel shine in his blind side as he turned to his rear, and in that moment a single word leaped in his mind, perfect. Fear sung from his lips as his hands raised, "please don't kill me! Please," the man begged. The politician after quickly surveying the situation pulled Crow near while completely unveiling a hidden knife and pressing it to the man’s throat.

A fair skin woman with humble blue eyes appeared between spears and hopped off her horse, the bottom of her heavy brown cloak of fur falling to the ground with a hard thump. The armor she wore matched the others exactly aside from the fur. Fitted steel wrapped around her body, every inch below her blond hair braided into one string. What tugged Crow’s interest the most was that there were two sheathed swords at her hip. That along with her interesting presence alone convinced him that her skill as a warrior was quite high.

"Folen McGee, banned citizen of Brew, and righteous pawn of Delven," said the women while rotating her neck. "In other words, more scum for me to wipe off my boots." Crow could hear Folen’s heartbeat jump as her eyes found his. Thumping almost as loud as the hooves from before. "Come any closer and I'll kill him on the spot," the man threatened.

The woman gave a ominous chuckle. "Fool, if you did that then how would you escape?" She shook her head as one of the horsemen handed her a brown container from above. "Besides," she went on, popping the jug open with her thumb and eying him as it was raised to her mouth. "You couldn't kill that thing even if you wanted to." All eyes now laid on Crow, and Folen’s brow furrowed. "You think I won't call your bluff?" McGee’s stare held a wavering edge to it, the kind shared by the desperate. While Sue’s held the opposite, whether it leaned toward patience or tranquility even she couldn't determine. Her eyes pointed to the woman, everything about her felt right. From the armor to the men, to whatever shone in her eyes. An actual Knight stood in front of her. The woman glanced to her direction with a smirk. After, her left hand fell on her right sword as she faced forward while finishing a few gulps.

One of the horsemen hesitantly aimed his sight toward her, and so with a familiar face before glancing ahead. "Commander … now is not the time for thoughtless acts. What if you are wrong?" Sue watched the scene clear headed as possible. Pushing away the trinkets and details also reaching for her attention. The other soldiers remained as if no words could be heard. Meaning the soldier speaking out was of higher rank, maybe even second in command. The knight turned to the speaker confidently, now with a raised brow. "Is that so, Julius?" she said with her smirk from before still intact. The man's face grew a little pale. "McGee, I'll make a deal with you. Since your hostage isn't in any danger, your words are harmless." The knight lifted her chin a inch, still keeping her stare on Julius as a hand was raised. "But say the girl with white hair were in your grasp, then any wish within my power would be granted." Folen nearly drooled as his eyes followed the woman’s finger pointing to the girl. Sights all around shifted again, unlike one who found reminder as Megan watched the one in Folen’s clutches.

Sue’s eyes and hand found her chest. Every moment beyond the knight’s words stirred a unending echo through her mind and flesh, warnings. Every limb screamed in unison as her heart fell into a race, lasting only seconds before her body grew stiff and in-precise with even the smallest acts such as aiming her eyes or taking a step. The world rotated as her senses tried to sooth, all the while McGee's misled hope grew with each passing second as his knife bit further into Crow's skin while nodding. One of the men behind Megan mirrored the act, his chestnut hair drifting as he unsheathed his blade with elegance. Stitching together the motions, in a blink dirt powdered the air. He moved not with overwhelming speed, but without wasteful movements paired with decent agility. Dodging the thrusts of spears from above by the skin of his teeth, he drew steps away from Megan (who somehow now stood in front of Sue) untouched.

"Commander!" Sue heard a voice call again from her right, it belonged to one of the soldiers, to Julian. Her sight slipped into darkness for a moment, then light again, shortly after finding the knight. Still as brick she stood, watching with a careful eye as her hands remained folded over her steel-covered chest. Everything now skipped along in a slow motion; the girl blinked again, back to Megan’s back. Then to the man a foot behind the girl, already moving his blade to fall through her sister’s rear. Sue’s eyes raised, he wore a smile as his second foot left the ground. And before his blade could reach destination, the girl’s mind fell blank. Empty as torn canvas.