“Yrza. Maria.”

As we clean up our camping site and prepare to leave in the morning. Fal strikes up a conversation.

“Yes, what is it?” I ask, placing the bags back onto Kobo.

“I was going to ask you two a question before, but it slipped my mind when the ghost appeared. Do you remember?”

I think back. “Ah, yes. Come to think of it, you did seem like you were going to say something.”

“What's up, Fal?” Maria asks.

Fal strokes her chin, thinking. “So, what do you two think of The Decay? Maria, I know you're going to visit an alchemist who's working on a solution, but what do you think caused it in the first place?”

Maria shrugs. “Isn't it natural? With no one to work the fields and all that they were bound to start dying out, right? Plus, I was told the during The Last Days, people would do stupid things like light random fires. Surely something like that would deal its fair share of damage.”

“And there's also the Ghost Hurricane to consider,” I add.

“Good points,” Fal admits, “but I can't help feeling there's more to it. Think about it; the way The Decay started at the Old Capital, then spread out from there, its effects becoming lesser and lesser. Don't you think there's something funny about that?”

“Well, the capital was a very heavily populated area in the old days,” Maria says. “It makes sense that most of the damage was done there, right?”

“That's not a bad way to see it, but it's still strange to me that the Old Capital can't get anything in it to grow, no matter what. I can't shake the feeling something else is happening.”

I take a moment to think about where Fal seems to be steering the conversation toward. She seems to think that whatever is causing The Decay is not normal. Possibly supernatural. “Are you saying what I think you're saying?”

“I think you understand what I'm getting at. Lady Eiha has told me that extremely strong grudges and regrets from the dead can have an effect on the world they left behind. When I go to the Old Capital, I want to figure out if the spirits there are having that effect on the land. Or, possibly, a spirit.”

“You think one ghost could cause so much damage?” I ask.

“I have my theories,” Fal replies. I, too, can think of a dead man whose feelings of sadness could possibly be so powerful. For now, I'll keep it to myself, as Maria has another question to ask.

“If the problem is due to something like a ghost, do you think whatever the alchemist in the Old Capital is making could actually fix the decay?”

“I'm not sure either way. I would bet, maybe, if this alchemist does create a solution, it would only end up being a temporary one. If I'm right, and a spirit is causing it, then I'm sure we'll have to get rid of it, first.”

“Hm... I hadn't even considered anything like this until now.” Maria starts pacing around, messaging her temples.

“This is why I've got to go to the Old Capital and see for myself. Why I have to master these dark arts. Maybe a Light Rune Master with enough power could do something, as well, but the path of darkness was the only one shown to me.” A heavy shadow hangs upon all of us at those words. While Maria and I can only listen to what Fal is saying, somehow, hearing that, I know that there's something to her story that I don't understand at all, yet. I both want to know, but at the same time, I'm afraid of hearing what it is. My heart trembles, feeling as if to open that box would grant me the truth and sate my curiosity, but the darkness of that very same truth might consume me.

“I see.” That is all I can say.

Fal sighs. “Well, that's enough of that.” She whistles. A speedscale comes running toward her and stops nearby. “So, you two are headed to the Old Capital, right? Come with me to Lady Eiha's place. I can convince her to let you rest there, since the Old Capital is still quite a ways off. Plus, the three of us together are less likely to be targets for bandits or animals. If we ride at full speed, we can make it there by the evening, okay?”

“Sounds good to me,” Maria says. “Yrza?”

“Yeah, this is fine.” I hop on Kobo and help Maria aboard.

“Alright, follow me,” Fal says, getting onto her speedscale. “Try not to fall behind, alright?”

“No need to worry,” I say, with a smile.

“Good. We ride!”

Both of us send our speedscales running as fast as possible.

At first I was a bit concerned that Kobo might have some trouble keeping up with two people on him but I guess it's no big deal, to him. These creatures really are stronger than they look.

“Alright, here it is,” Fal says, as we finally slow down. She hops off her speedscale and starts walking toward the little stone house that's near the river, just as she said. “Let me go in first and talk to her, alright? I feel she might react badly if you two just waltz in like it's no big deal.” Maria and I both nod. With that, Fal opens the door and goes inside. “Eiha, I've returned.”

“Welcome back, child,” I can hear another voice inside, but that voice doesn't really sound how I imagined Eiha to sound. Isn't she kind of old, by now? That's not what I hear, though. “I take it you've done as I asked?”

“Yes. I've succeeded in subduing a ghost. The 'phantom blood' on my rune knife should serve as proof.”

“I'd have preferred it if you captured and brought it back, to be honest,” Eiha says, “Would have liked to try a couple more experiments.”

“If that's not proof enough, I...” Fal seems to hesitate before speaking the words that come next. “...I have brought two witnesses.”

“Hm, what are you playing at, girl?”

“I swear this isn't a trick. Please, just invite them in.”

I can hear Eiha sigh. “Alright, come on in.”

I go into the house, now, with Maria not far behind.

“Wha...”

Indeed, she doesn't look like what I was expecting. Long hair, dark as night, and pale skin, nearly white like the moon. There isn't a single wrinkle on her. In fact, she barely looks like she could be in her twenties.

“You're Lady Eiha?” I ask, unable to trust what my eyes and ears have told me so far.

“The one and only,” she says, a smirk upon her black-painted lips. “If you are stunned by my beauty, do not be ashamed, but in fact feast deeply on this sight that is my perfect body... you might not get to see something like this ever again.”

“Well, I guess you could say I'm caught off guard, yes.”

Eiha chuckles. Even if I asked, she probably wouldn't tell me, but I'm sure she should be much older than this. For now, I'll assume this is an example of her dark powers at work.

“Um, master?” Fal says, trying to bring us back on topic.

“Oh, let me have my fun, child,” Eiha responds, shooing Fal with her right hand. “Ah... alright, I can see you're here on business. So, tell me; did you witness Fal dealing with a ghost out there?”

“Yes, we were there,” Maria says.

“With the help of her Dark Rune Complexes we could see it, and hear it,” I add.

“Sounds about right,” Eiha says, “I can feel faint traces of that Complex being used on you two.” She gives Maria a closer look. “I'm a bit surprised you let Fal use it on you, though, to be honest.” I wonder, can she sense Maria's Light Rune Complexes? “You,” she says, looking at me, now.

“What is it?”

“That emblem... the four-pointed star and that crescent moon with it... Grandall used to wear that.” The mood in the room changes. Sadness can be seen in Maria's eyes, while Fal doesn't seem quite sure how to feel.

“That's right, Lady Eiha. He gave me this.”

“That old bastard actually went and found himself a student, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Is... is he dead?”

“He...” I don't know how Eiha will react. Her face isn't telling me. “He passed away on August 18th. He wasn't ill or anything, just very old.”

Before I can get a good look at her face, Eiha turns away. “I... I see.” An uncomfortable silence hangs in the air for a moment. “Did he ever talk about me?”

“He only spoke of you on rare occasions,” I say, “and on even rarer occasions was it anything positive. I hesitate to repeat some of it in front of you.”

“Hah. Sounds about right.” Eiha still won't turn around. “What about the other two? Agil and Garrett?”

“Honestly, he didn't talk about them very often, either,” I say, trying to remember any important words Grandall might have said about the other Imperial Four, but failing. “Really, he seemed like he wanted to leave all of that behind him.”

“Hm, so he didn't tell you much about them. Well, then I guess you probably don't know about that, yet.”

“Excuse me?”

“...let me guess. You're out here to investigate the Ghost Hurricane, right?”

“Wait, how did you know that?”

“Really, just a good guess,” she says. Probably a lie. “You're probably headed for the Old Capital, aren't you? If you're going there to bother Agil, it won't be easy getting him to talk to you. I hope you'll be able to forgive him if he doesn't. He's had a hard time. Probably harder than all of us.”

“Somehow, that doesn't surprise me.”

“I sure hope you're not just saying that.” Eiha finally turns around, now facing Fal. Looking closely, her eyes look a bit misty. “Fal, see that they're comfortable and we have enough food to serve dinner for our guests, would you? I'd like to be left alone for tonight.”

“Understood, Master,” Fal says, bowing. “Alright, you two. Just sit tight for now. I'll handle everything else.”

The rest of the night goes by pretty quietly, all throughout dinner, and even before we lie down to sleep. No one seems quite sure what to say, if there's even anything to say at all.

And so, eventually, morning arrives.

“So, you two are hoping to get to the Old Capital as soon as possible, yes?” Eiha asks, watching us pack up.

“Well, we're in no rush, but you know something helpful, I don't mind you telling us.”

“Mention me to the fisherman who lives to the east,” she says. “He might be able to help.” She looks at Fal, who is standing nearby. “Fal, go with them.”

“Are you sure, Master?” Fal asks.

“I've never been more certain of anything. Your training is complete. I have no reason to keep you here, anymore, Dark Rune Master Fal.”

“Th... thank you, Lady Eiha.” Fal bows, still a bit nervous. “I can't find the words to tell you how grateful I am.”

“Then there's no need for words,” Eiha says, lifting her pupil up. “Just be free. That is enough for me.”

“Just be free, you say?” Fal smiles. “I understand. I can do that.” She looks at Maria and I. “Lady Eiha, you could tell, couldn't you?”

“Just another good guess,” Eiha says, chuckling. “Surely, a speedscale and a woman like me can't possibly make the best company for you. Even you must want to be around some kids your age at least a little bit. That's really why you brought them here in the first place, isn't it?”

“Hehe... I guess so.”

“Then go ahead, child. Just remember to tell me of what you've learned, someday.”

“Okay, then. I'm going.”

“Also, no need to worry about preparations. I've packed everything you need onto your speedscale for you, already.”

“Really? Thanks so much. I couldn't ask for a better teacher.”

I can't help but smile, seeing the two of them. This is the kind of farewell I was always hoping for between Master Grandall and myself. Looking at how Eiha treats Fal, I can see she cares for her just as deeply as Grandall did for me.

“One more thing,” Eiha says, pointing to me. “You, the boy. What is your name?”

“Yrza. No last name.”

“Tell me,” she says, looking a bit grim, “at the end, did he at least seem to be at peace?”

“He did. So much so that he looked, to me, like there was nothing left in the world for him to accomplish, anymore.” It still makes me sad, but I can feel myself smiling anyway. “He seemed happy with his life.”

She laughs and smiles, though there is a certain bitter-sweetness to her expression. “Yeah, that sounds like him.” Eiha lets out a huge sigh, possibly one of relief.

“Hm. You didn't hate Master Grandall, after all, did you, Lady Eiha?”

“I was upset with him, but not so much that I wished to see him dead, and not so much I can't be happy for his student.” Eiha hands me a pouch of more gold coins.

“Is this really okay?”

“I can't do anything for Grandall anymore, so I figure I might as well help his pupil. I hope you'll remember me, Yrza. I may not be able to replace Master Grandall, but should you ever come back for anything, I'll do whatever I can to help.”

“I will. Thanks!”

Having nothing more to say, Eiha just waves as we hop onto our speedscales.

“Fal, are you ready?” She nods. “Alright, let's go!” Kobo runs at full speed, west. Sir Agil... I hope you'll be willing to share your secret, soon.