Young Terna promptly got up, grabbing her shattered violin as she headed backstage again. A distressed Viola was waiting for her, trying her best to calm down the river of tears rolling down her face.

"Honey, it's ok, it's fine!", Viola hugged Terna.

"I failed! They were laughing, my show was awful!", Terna struggled to find the strength to hug Viola back.

"No worries, sweetie! Let me see..."

Viola calmly let go of Terna, grabbing the broken violin off her hand and opening her palm with the other. She squealed in pain as her tears kept rolling down her face, looking away from her massive wound.

"It's...bad. But nothing that can't be treated. Sweetie, I'm telling you, it was just a bad moment. You can surely give it another go, I'll tell Maestro Gil about it-"

Viola's words were stopped by a young Terna pulling her bloody hand away from her. She then looked right at Viola, her sadness suddenly turning into anger.

"No, there won't be a second try! I hate it! I hate this stupid music and everything I spent so many years trying to learn it...I'll never play any music ever again!"

She swiftly raised her hand holding the flute and took a swing at Viola's hand that was holding the violin. The perfectly distanced slash was able to cut the broken violin in half, rendering it completely unfixable as it shattered into bits, giving in to all of its already-formed cracks. As the bits and pieces started to fall off Viola's hand and as she gazed into her surprised face, her face started to once again saddened, as it now filled with more regret.

"Terna...", Viola gazed at young Terna with awe.

She didn't say another word, and neither did Terna. Her tears once again started to roll down her face as she threw the violin away, it clinging back the long bow it had created. She then rushed out of the theater in an almost panicked state. That's all her memories could serve to show her from that day as she was almost violently shaken back into reality. She gazed around the destroyed backstage room and tried to remember the exact spots it had all transpired in. She gazed at the floor and followed what seemed to be a painted line, only to remember that it was yet another trail of blood, a part of herself, left behind. Why wasn't it cleaned after the fact? Because she knew that a mere day after she buried her dreams, this very grave would burn and collapse on itself. She tried and successfully lifted some wooden boards off the floor, trying and finding exactly what she was looking for. That same broken violin, partially burned and turned into ashes after its cracking, the broken strings still somehow managing to withstand the burn. The kneeled before it, picking up the broken pieces of every last bit of those dreams she placed on her music. Really, was it that bad and stupid? She thought and wandered again and again. Others would remember in their memories, their muscles, and even through photographs or diaries. She knew that she would always struggle to remember even the most important faces she would meet, so combining that one passion, that one driving force in her life with her issue would only help to resolve it in the end. Wasn't it? She began doubting herself again, putting her romantic mind up on a pedestal and forcing it to repeat the same testimony again and again. She was dancing around as if she was practicing a play like the old days, now instead dancing between what she thought was a probable delusion and reality. She wanted to go forward but was unsure. She wanted to stop but didn't know if she should. Was the force driving her a cliché or genuine passion? Her thoughts were once again interrupted by a seemingly silent melody in her ears. A calling that she was barely able to hear as she got up off the floor again, looking to her right side. Wrecks upon wrecks upon wrecks. Yet between the tiniest of cracks, it seemed that the air was forcing itself out, almost violently, trying to echo out an aria. She approached the wrecks and began tearing them down. She wasn't at all afraid to get her hands dirty...she remembered one thing vividly. That farm in the open fields. That one place where her life seemed to have begun. She dug and dug and dug through the wreckage, finally reaching the heart of the melody. That one flute. Despite every single thing around her, that same flute appeared untouched and unhinged by the fire and the elements. Just staring at it was like it activated a burst of memories, ranging from images to smells and sounds, coming from when she was around it. And she was taken aback yet again.

"Wait, mommy, why are we leaving the farm? I...I like it here.", a very young Terna said.

"I'm sorry sweetie, but we have to go. A friend of mine would like us to be with her in the big, wide city!", Viola happily said.

"A...friend?"

"Yeap. You'll see, and given how you like music so much, you'll love the city. There's a big place where everyone plays a lot of music while acting and dancing as well!"

"It sounds...good!", Terna said.

"Moreover, you can join them if you want! Remember Terna, nothing can last forever...so, what gives? There'll always be something new out there, so might as well explore it, right?!", Gaz happily said.

"Alright then! Let's go to the big city!", Terna happily said as she ran towards the car.

And then, out of nowhere, she remembered something more...something she shouldn't have.

"Man isn't it nice to be young, not a care in the world and not a worry in sight.", Gaz sighed.

"Hey, we've had our cut of that, let her have it too.", Viola softly punched Gaz on the shoulder.

Gaz chuckled, "The moving guys should be here rather soon. You're not leaving that thing for them by the way?", Gaz looked at Viola having the flute in her hands.

"Eh, don't feel like it. It seems way too priceless to let them have it on their hands."

"You have some pretty expensive stuff of yours in the house though."

"Key difference, that's not mine. It came with that lil' bundle of joy in that car.", Viola pointed at the car.

"So why not give it to her?", Gaz shrugged.

"Honestly...after she fell from the sky and I came into contact with both her and this flute, it felt like...too much. I don't really want to give this to her just yet, even as I'm merely holding it, I can sense it'll be too much for her."

"Do as you wish with it then. But shouldn't we at least tell her the truth? You know...about the monsters?"

"Cecilia told me that the rampant monster attacks can mean way more than what we currently think. Hey, she was my commander, remember? I'm sure she knows what she's saying. And plus, I don't want Terna coming into any contact with these monsters, physical or even optical. It'll suck having her witness this."

"It's not that bad...but I get what you mean. Although, what will we do? An old farmer soldier left from the war and a Valkyrie who's seemingly immortal?"

"Gotchu covered too. I found a job for me...a restaurant business. Sounds nice, doesn't it?"

"Your food is surely the best I've tasted. How so, I don't even know. Thousands of years of experience, I guess."

"Ehe, it was more of a necessity, to be honest. Cecilia couldn't cook without setting the world on fire, so I compromised. Had to do the same for Hikari and Naga while we were at it. Been a while since I've seen anyone from the Trail Blazers after we split, so I'm looking forward to our reunion with Ceci. And don't worry, I got you an occupation as well since I know how much of a pain you'd be, mumbling while having nothing to do. Paramilitary forces for the police department. Cecilia didn't really have to pull any strings with your portfolio, so I'm pretty certain you can snatch a chief position in a couple years with your experience."

"Nice! I'm looking forward to it then! Though I am a bit worried for how Terna will adapt to the city...it's a complete 180 from the farm."

"She's smart, she will do just fine. Got her a little play date with Cecilia's kids. All four of them."

"Four...damn, Valkyries are that much of a-", Viola cut him off in annoyance.

"Don't say it sweetie, otherwise I'll give you a whooping. My skills with the bow and arrow have not diluted one bit and I always have them on me. They were quadruplets, despite being peculiarly different in more than physical appearances."

"Ok, ok, miss Valkyrie vice commander. Despite saving my pretty little ass when I was injured all those years ago. What a cunning plan, curing and healing me and my hurt with your relentless love, just to break it all again.", Gaz playfully said in a sarcastic tone, pulling Viola in.

"Exactly. I'm a strong and independent Valkyrie, who only needs that kid to survive. Don't ever forget it.", Viola playfully answered back.

"Should I call you 'mommy' then?"

"No. 'Best mom' more like it."

A slight smile came across Terna's face as she was taken back into her kneeling stance, holding the flute under the burned backstage. She took in that familiar sight with joy, as a tear rolled down her face. She was reminded of all the good times and all the bad times altogether. She was reminded of her stepmother's smile as she was reminded of her tears when she was gone. She was reminded of her stepfather's teachings as she regretted letting him go. There was little that could be done for both of them, but what could she really do? The time allowed for her to cry for Viola's passing was not allowed for Gaz's fateful death, as she then needed to stay strong for those besides her. Now, however, when time wasn't of the essence, she reminded herself of that bullet hole that took what little she could call family that was left, shedding those tears held back. She did not know why she was able to remember things she shouldn't. It felt as if that same flute was a part of her, a whole other autonomous half, that took in everything she couldn't when she wasn't around it. Time slowly passed as she was done shedding the same tears in the same place she once did again. But she couldn't keep crying. She was no longer that scared little child that failed her backstage show. She had taken in experiences, successes, and failures alike for over half a decade. She had taken that advice from the flutes memories to heart, despite not knowing it. It didn't matter, for it was an innate part of who she was. She wanted this. All of this. She wanted to live a life that she would regret her choices made, not the choices she didn't take. In a twisted way, she wanted to experience it all, to leave behind, as she once said, a song. A song containing every single bit of experience and emotion imaginable, describable or indescribable, interesting or boring. She could change who she was at the moment to experience it to the fullest, but she would always leave a part of her behind, to go back and do it all again in a different way. She knew who she was and wasn't afraid to trace herself back, because at her core, the connections, friendships, and family she made, she wanted them all to look and keep a true part of her behind. But now that she was reminded of all the experiences she had gone through, one thing remained for her to do...to stay as her. Her real self. She had experienced it all and wanted to experience more. But along the path she now chose to take, she wished to change one thing. She wanted to forever stay as herself, because that's the only thing she would never experience had she kept going her way. She wanted to experience...Terna Matune. She wanted to see what she was capable of, how far she would make it, and she wanted to world to only see and remember her for what she truly was when she would inevitably leave it all behind. She caught her breath as she rose up on her feet, that same flute firmly stuck in her hand, she got up and got out of the backstage once again. So familiar...the scenario, the instrument, the fire reignited in her heart. She was about to break a promise she so eagerly wanted to. No longer would she bind her choices under another's finger. No one would point her in the direction she was supposed to go. No one would write her songs, her music, her story anymore. It was her life that she was willingly giving into the path she chose for herself. A path following those same friends from all those years ago, not because of melancholy, pity, or need. But because she simply wanted to. And she knew, deep down in the darkest depths of her heart, that they wanted the same. She looked at the empty, burned seats again. Silence. Not even the wind budging through the empty cracks on the walls and ceiling anymore. She took off her jacket. That disgusting jacket she looked at with pity, binding it with a time she wished to never experience again. She smiled cockily as she saw it on the floor, knowing full well what that meant. She was happy to remember all the times she had to wear it...because she had experienced what it had to give. The sadness, the lack of control...those memories would stay with her forever after, exactly as she wanted. She didn't care if she was labeled a masochist for it. Because after that, she would know to never go down that path again. She was free. She dusted off the flute as she placed it on her lips. She began playing a melody off that flute. No instructions...no maestro to conduct her. She would do this on her own. As her intro to the song ended and she faced back the seats, she gazed upon a deeply staring crowd. It was as if she was reliving that same day again. And she liked it. Her mouth opened as she took a deep breath. Her memories held by that jacket she threw on the ground only helped to remind her of how far she's made it remembering all those dull, generic lyrics she had to recite. And so her lips began to move, to the best of an orchestra behind her, her mind projecting all that she remembered, changing at her will. The show was on.

I looked up into the sky, that one fateful night

I wondered the how and why, each star could shine so bright

Among them all I wondered worlds and witnessed wonderful sights

This voyage took me far and wide, to satisfy a curious mind

But my heart will stay behind, to let you know that I'm fine

And when I take a look back

I wonder how I made it that far

My eyes filled with sparkle and tears

I fear if I'll one day disappear

She caught her breath as the music kicked up, levitating the rhythm to an all new high she wished to make, her body moving along to to the music, one hand raised in the air while the other still held on to her flute.

But even then deep down I know

You'll remember me through the rain and the snow

She raised her voice as the orchestra, now comprised of classical and even electrical instruments ranging from mere guitars to drums followed her lead.

There's many more days to come

When I'm far and I seem forever gone

But know that I'll always be with you

Through the stars and the years

This world brings me laughs and tears

I worry about what the future will take us through

But even then I'll cherish the misty darkness of something new

The music slowed back down as cheers accompanied the lowering sounds and tone of her music, encouraging her to go forward.

Again and again I will walk through the abyss

Wondering if there's anything that I will miss

The ocean never once scared me

I always wondered what was beneath

In the light we see everything so clearly

But there's need to dare to dwell into the deep

Despite all the wonderful sights, I sometimes witnessed terrible fights

I've seen the most cheerful laughs, and tears about horrible pasts

But I'll always know that there's you

Carrying a home for me to go to

The crowd yelled in excitement, as if this was a concert in a stadium than a mere classical theatre, anticipating the music kicking up again.

There's many more years to come

Where I miss you and the world we call home

Still I know you'll never let me go

In the dark, where nobody will ever see

Witness me shine brighter than the biggest galaxy

I always had my fear for the unknown

But thanks to you I left that back into those years long ago

The music persisted as she was getting ready to indulge herself and the crowd to the finale of the song.

Further up ahead

Don't stop until I see the end

Nothing lasts forever

Neither you, me or all the stars together

See it all before it's split to more than one

Leave nothing not said or undone

But I'll remember it all even when it's gone

The crowd erupted into cheers as Terna flawlessly and gracefully finished her dancing at a bowing position to the end of the song, holding her bowing stance in front of them all. The cheers then slowly started to fade away into the air as her vivid imagination started to bring her back into reality. Despite the emptiness of the stage from the imaginary band and the cheers from the empty crowd in front of her, she smiled happily, having conquered her painful memory. She relaxed her stance and brought the flute close to her chest, closing her eyes while slowly starting to feel the tingling sensation of its power running through her veins.

“Despite the things that I don’t know and don’t understand yet, I still am who I am. I can relive it all and I can experience more as I go…and it’s a cliché that I place this upon my friends and family. Despite it all, they helped me get to here…but they weren’t the reason behind it all. I extend my gratitude for all the help and support they gave me, to push me over the edge for a leap of faith…”, she paused and held back her words.

She squeezed the flute harder. This time, it started to rapidly emanate a powerful golden aura around her as it once again extended itself from its pipe within. It wasn’t just a bow for a violin anymore. It was a blade. A thin, silver-looking blade, bedazzling the empty void that was in front of her emanated its light outwards, now clearly taking on the form of a glorious rapier. The wind kicked behind her back, as her pink-dyed hair was flowing along it, she held her position firmly at the center of the stage. Her moment lasted but a few moments that felt like a happy forever to her, she heard groans and smashing sounds coming from beyond the auditorium in front of her. Monsters once again…Enmities, Shadowers, what did it matter? They were the same to her. Violent creatures. The wind calmed down as she was left with the glowing flute rapier reflecting light, eyes still closed on the stage. It was as if she was calmly waiting for them to arrive…and so they did. The monsters stormed in and filled the empty seats, looking and groaning at Terna. They weren’t engaging from the start, almost as if they too were bedazzled, wanting to take in the powerful sight. Impossible…they couldn’t. They were mindless monsters…and yet they did. Terna heavily exhaled before picking up her words from where she left them off. To the rhythm of her long-winded breath, the monsters then started to aggressively run towards her.

“To thank them for helping me save me from myself.”

In a flash, it took but a single sweep of her rapier to completely cut the jumping monsters in half, as she then proceeded to gracefully step around all of her attacking enemies, slashing them all down in the process as if she was performing a vivid dance.

She then stopped as she looked forward, realizing that the number of monsters coming was much greater than she initially thought. She wasn’t fazed by them regardless.

“My passion that drove me to turn my entire life into a long-winded song…that same passion will shove you into a place where not even your most painful songs can be heard.”

She reset her stance, holding her position and calmly placing her rapier in front of her. It was as if she was welcoming them to attack her. And so they did. But as they were approaching, Terna managed to once again dance around them all, slashing some in between her moves before ending right in the middle of the hoard. Before the monsters could even realize what was going on, Terna, as if she was light as a feather, started jumping around in a circular formation, slashing all of the enemies she contained within that flawless circle. It was as if she was massless as if light itself reflected off platforms she managed to create out of nowhere, slashing through every single thing that it lit upon. She finished her move by briefly landing at the center of the hoard again. She then began to rapidly and forcefully drive herself back and forth in the middle of them all, slashing them altogether. From the lighting fast movements of her going back and forth, the powerful wind current that was rapidly changing started to forcefully drive the monsters inside the area that Terna was slashing in. She then performed a series of 3 slower but extremely powerful slashes that violently gather all of her enemies in front of her. By the end of the 3rd slash, she gracefully jumped back and in front of the entire monster hoard that was gathered on the stage.

“Disappear in depths of your empty heart’s abyss.”

She mustered all of her strength into one singular move, driving herself right through all of the monsters and disintegrating them completely. Still more were coming her way. She was tireless. She calmly held her stance again, rapier in front of her face and hand behind her back.

“The adagio has finally come to an end.”, she placed her rapier horizontally in front of her chest as she changed to her right profile, “So let the intro to the final aria end along with it.”

As she was holding her rapier with her right hand on her profile position, she slowly placed and dragged along her pointer finger from her left hand on the silver blade. Then, as if she dusted off the last bits of years-long dirt from her blade, she started rapidly shifting the floor beneath her on the stage. As if she had dropped a single drop of water from the edge of her rapier onto a lake, the floor beneath them all shifted with an engulfing ray of light. The lights of the stars themselves shone bellow them all, as it now looked like they were all standing on top of space itself. Clouds of nebula passed them by from below, as stars from afar shone brightly. A miraculous sight, almost as if they were standing between two midnight skies, the theater's broken roof separating them both.

“Allegro. The chorus of your regret will dance bellow and above the bridge of both worlds.”

Her eyes sparkled with light as they turned out not a dazzling gold before she took another glance at her enemies. Almost completely frozen through space and time, Terna started to dance around them all once again. The flash of her slashes, much like Dante’s, remained in place after she performed them. Additionally, like a snake shedding its skin, every so often she would leave behind a reflection of her body in the form of light, performing the dance move and firmly holding its place. She finally finished up her dancing around them all, and positioned herself at the center of the stage in front of them.

“I’ll put the final hiatus to this!”

All of her slashes and reflections of her dancing self started to slowly emanate a bright light as they seemed to be reattaching themselves with all their energy back to Terna’s sword. As the blade glowed forever lighter, Terna backflipped backward and landed on two platforms she created out of nowhere directly below her feet. She had widened her stance and placed her rapier on her left side, preparing to set off her final move.

“Haec victoria scribetur etiam in astris!”, she yelled at the top of her lungs.

She thrust herself forwards, delivering a heavy, wide and powerful slash across a massive area. Then, as the ground reflecting space below them seemed to be sucked into the opening the wide slash created, a small pause seemed to befall them all. After that short pause, the sound of cracking glass echoing across the horizon, the slash exploded in a massive area as it broke through what seemed to be the fabric of space itself. From the side that Terna slashed, it all seemed to be calm as an untouched lake, while on the other side the slash occurred, the monsters were completely obliterated, along with the entire other half of the theater. The explosion seemed to have swept it all away as it extended far out, reaching and engulfing the entire garden. Surprisingly, as if Terna was in full control, the explosion only seemed to engulf everything but the withered flowers that stood dead in the garden. No dust, no wind. Just a few seconds after, as if the fading slash sucked in the elements themselves, the scenery seemed to immediately settle down and relax once again. She was still standing atop that same stage at the center, rapier at hand. This time, however, instead of gazing at the empty auditorium seats, she was gazing upon the bright night sky and the horizon below, half of her tainted past missing from that same spot she used to be. She happily smiled as she gazed at both the stars and the horizon, bringing her eyes back to the flute. She relaxed her grip on it, the blade falling back inside and concealing itself. As she caught her breath back from her fast-beating heart, she turned back and started walking out the backstage, outside. She knew that the morning was soon to come, so she had little choice but to head back. Yes. That was the answer she wanted to give to them all. The yes that signified her heart to be given out to the same path they all chose to follow. Hours of walking were ahead of her once again, but she did not mind. She simply got back up again and headed on her way. A little bit before she exited from the other side of the city, she had but to stop and gaze at that bench again. The bench in front of the fountain placed plaza.

“Leave me alone!”, young Terna cried as she desperately tried to shake off Dante’s grip.

“It’s not the end! Relax!”, he yelled back at her.

She finally got released from his grip, only to turn around and face him instead of running away.

“For you, it isn’t! Did you look at them all?! I hate the theater! I hate music…and I hate you!”

Dante paused as he blankly stared at Terna, “What?”, he softly said.

“You all had to push me further and further! You just had to force me to do this! I’ll never play the violin ever again!”, she yelled out loud.

Dante calmly approached her, “So…if I were to say that I never wanted to listen to your music again, how would you feel?”

Terna paused as she held her tears back for a brief moment, “I-I…”

“You think I wouldn’t know how it feels to be humiliated like this? I can hardly live with myself anymore, having to make a fool out of myself at school and that stupid military test for the Silverlances…I hate it. I hate it so much…but I can’t help but like it. I don’t want to do something like this…I want to do it myself. In a way, I know exactly how it is to be pressured into doing this but…it’s necessary. So don’t beat yourself like I do. It’s not the end of the line.”

“Then…no. If I don’t have my music I…I don’t have anything. If I can’t write it down and sing it, if I can’t live up to it, I-“, she got her breakdown stopped by Dante once again.

“You’ll have us, no? It’s stupid but…I always feel good when I’m around everyone. Despite not really showing it…I’m afraid that I’ll lose you all one day because of it. I don’t want to but…I want to be more around you guys than even my own family at this point, despite my little sister being a part of it. So…much like I want to be with you, doesn’t everyone want to be with everyone else? Your music is nice, I always loved it because it made me feel good even when mom and I had awful training sessions. So…I don’t want you to stop making it. You can stop playing anything you want, but please don’t stop your music entirely. And when you eventually fail again, just come back to us…it’ll pass, right? You can’t expect to win every fight, at least from what I’ve been taught.”

In what seemed like an instant, Terna swiftly hugged Dante again, tighter than before despite her injured arm. She saw in him…in all of them, what she struggled to see before. Her music. The essence of what made her so passionate about her music was none other than those who supported her all the way.

“We…we know. I missed seeing you laugh and smile. It’s been two years but…we don’t care. We know what it is like. Angelica tells us too. You’ve been far away lately anyway…but I promise you that I won’t stop my music. I…I want a break. That’s all. I tried talking to Angelico too, to get him back with us, but…it’s ok. Mom always used to tell me how we would all need to go our separate ways anyway. But I want to see everyone again someday, if that’s the case. I don’t want to forget again…”, she teared up.

Not knowing how to react anymore, despite getting into that scenario in the first place, Dante froze at the moment. For his good luck, Anya showed up from the side.

“Aha!”, Anya jumped at Terna.

She grabbed Terna and swept her off her feet, taking her and pinning her on the ground.

“Anya, what the hell?!”, Dante said in surprise.

“No more running for today! This is my Unconditional Love Takedown! Reinforcements are on the way!”

“W-Wait, Anya!”, Terna tried to stop her.

As she was about to plead for mercy, Angelica jumped from the bushes and crashed right on top of Anya and Terna.

“Double down!”, Angelica laughed.

Anya drooled as Angelica slammed on top of her, “What bliss…”

“I swear, if you snuck into your dad's wine cellar again…”, Dante facepalmed.

“I did a little bit of sneaking…”, Anya nervously laughed, “Not a lot.”

“Come on, big bro!”, Angelica grabbed Dante’s hand and pulled him onto the pile.

Terna struggled, “Okay…thank…you guys…”

As she was about to go towards the light, Hikari ran at the full speed, being left behind in the commotion.

“Guys, wai-ah!”

Hikari tripped and fell next to the pile everyone else had created, knocking them off as they all fell on the ground.

“Ow..sorry!”, Hikari apologized.

“Thank you…”, Terna breathed heavily.

“That, was, awesome!”, Anya wagged her tail, “Let’s do it again!”

“Relax, we will eventually!”, Angelica chuckled.

Dante sighed, “I swear, you guys are so…whatever.”

They all laughed their pain away once again, like they always used to do. It never mattered how dark the sky would get, how many scratches or bruises they would get hurt with, how many tears they would shed. As long as they got to see each other’s faces, they knew they could lean back and laugh it all away. She kept walking outside the destroyed city, going towards the sea that she loved so much. The Watch, they called it. A cliff that looked right ahead to the endless blue ocean, separating a big half-moon beach at the bottom with its shade she wanted to see that place once again. One last time…one last time. She would remember the thing she left behind on that day. The last memory she remembered of her home.

“Go, go! Come on, let’s go!”, Viola dragged them both along the field, fending off against monsters while she could.

“How the hell are there so many of them?!”, Gaz desperately fought back.

“M-mom! Dad!”, young Terna cried out.

“It’s okay sweetie!”, Viola shot down several monsters, “Just a minor….inconvenience!”

“Let me help you!”, Terna tried to go to the front.

Just then, a massive monster shook the ground as it appeared from below, crushing the earth before it and letting out a massive roar. Tall as a building, it raised its hand and took a massive swipe at them all, taking down with it several other monsters, as if it didn’t care whether or not it was an enemy.

“Wai-gyah!”, Gaz took the hit for Terna.

Gaz managed to save Terna just in time, hugging her before they were both tossed several meters back.

“Oh, you bastard! That’s it!”, Viola jumped high up in the air, “Take all of this!”

She started shooting light arrows up into the sky several times before landing back down and entering a heavy snipping position, dragging the string of her bow as far back as she could. She fired a shot with immaculate power, completely penetrating the monster in front of her straight through, and devastating every monster behind and around it, as a heavy rain of light beams fell from the sky, taking most of them out. She hurried back at them both, worrying for the worse.

“You guys alright?!”, Viola frantically asked.

Gaz grunted as he got up, leaving Terna unscathed. No visible wounds could be seen on his body, leading Viola to breathe a sigh of relief.

“D-Damn…they’re everywhere.”, Gaz panted.

“Dad, are you ok?!”, Terna yelled.

“Yeap, I’m good, don’t worry! Just need to find my footing again and we’ll be off.”

Just then, a massive explosion of fire seemed to occur in the middle of Dirunon, raising smog high up in the air.

Viola looked at Dirunon with a grim sight, “Dammit…Cecilia is still back there with the kids…”

“No…Viola, please.”, Gaz looked at her.

“We must go save them, I can’t let everyone back there! I can’t!”, Terna yelled.

Viola stuttered for the first time in ages as she looked at Dirunon and back at Terna and Gaz. Two choices…she knew that whichever she took, it would lead down entirely different paths…so she chose.

“Terna…sweetie, come here.”, Viola kneeled and leveled herself with Terna, “I promise you, on everything I have, I will save your friends, ok?”

“Viola, what the hell-“, Gaz was stopped by Viola’s sign

Viola then looked back at Terna, “Terna…listen. I can’t do much more than to give you this. I just want you to never forget one, and only one thing…no matter where you go, no matter where you think your home is, you can always and I mean always lean on to others. Those same friends of yours…I’m sure they’ll never forget you as you do the same for them. Here…”

Viola gave Terna her jacket, warming her up before looking back up at Gaz, nodding at him. Terna, still not realizing what was about to happen, was given back to Gaz as he approached Viola, whispering to her.

“Please…Viola don’t. She…me and Terna will be-“, he was interrupted once again.

Viola quietly chuckled, “Gaz. There are many reasons to do this for. I could escape with you and leave everyone back once again, but this time letting them die at the hands of the Horsemen and the two brothers. I’m sure that I wouldn’t be able to live knowing that…and even then, when she grows up, do you think that when she finds out that I purposely took away the one thing that kept her going, she will ever forgive me? I wouldn’t be able to live with that either. Despite it heavily looking against it, I’m…I’m doing this for her. Cecilia was right in the end. You never know when exactly you’d be ready to give it all up, or for who, but when you do…it’ll feel right. I found her on an empty field on a farm…and yet this little girl helped me in her own way to realize that there’s much more out there than what little I thought of there being. As far as me going back…I know it’ll end up in ‘that way’. It always does. But as long as I know I’ll leave you and her behind, a part of me will always be present with you and in this world. I hope that one day, you both manage to forgive me for what I’m about to do…both options are really ending down the same path for me. But I’ll always face them the way all Valkyries did. Chin up, chest pumped full of air and hands fighting till they bleed out.”, she hugged Gaz.

He couldn’t bring himself to answer her back, rather than to simply hug her. From their side, a now crying Terna realized what was truly about to happen, eavesdropping on them throughout Viola’s entire final words to them. Despite her tears and the clenching of her somewhat healed hand from that broken violin, she seemed to be frozen in place, simultaneously accepting and rejecting her stepmother’s decision. Viola then slowly stepped back down to Terna and wiped out her tears.

“Honestly…I won’t be able to lie to you about this. I like it. The fact that you cry that is. Despite having no clue, despite always telling you the truth about the fact that we weren’t even supposed to be this way…I’m glad. No…I’m proud. I’m proud of you in every conceivable way. And right now, I couldn’t be any prouder. So no matter what you say or what you do, you’ll always be my sweet little daughter. And through those tears of yours, I’m certain that you’ll forever remember me. I love you.”, Viola brought Terna closer, hugging her one last time before starting to shed tears of her own. As Viola shed her tears, Terna then surprised her. She didn’t do the same. She was for once powerful and firm as she hugged her stepmother back, only to tell her one single thing back.

“I love you too…forever.”, Terna softly told Viola.

In a weird turn of events, it was then that Viola was the one crying in front of her own stepdaughter instead of the opposite, Terna soothing her all the way through. She was afraid of death, not because she was about to face it, but because she didn’t exactly knew who and how that might affect them when she left them behind. But somehow, someway, she then knew that she had finally left behind something in this world other than mere power and destructive skills that won wars and toppled entire nations. She left a silver soul and a golden heart. That to her was far greater than all her millennia-long feats combined together. And as she got back up on her feet, she looked back at them both, only to reminisce in silence as she gazed at both their faces to remind herself of what she was doing this for. She wiped her tears and replaced the expression on her face with a smile as she turned around and prepared to take off, back to burning Dirunon. And as she finally took off and Gaz approached Terna to take her away, that’s when she started to shed her final tears for her stepmother again. Not sniffling, no heavy breathing. Genuine tears of sadness. Despite the urgency, Gaz let her weep her pain away, as he looked over the horizon for the coming monster hoards, hunting down everything in their path. Not long after, Gaz had to snap her out of her trance as they looked downwards to see a maniacally approaching monster hoard filled with everything Enmities and Shadowers had to offer coming towards them. Gaz grabbed Terna and pulled her behind him, starting to shoot down as many monsters as he could with his gun.

“There’s too many of them!”, Gaz struggled.

They kept being pushed further and further to the edge of the cliff, eventually reaching its peak. The waves below raged on as the hoard did the same, trapping them between their own two choices.

“Terna! Honey, you’ve gotta jump!”, Gaz yelled back.

She jolted as she looked behind her to see the raging waves hit against the sand. A long drop…but what was the better option?

“Terna, go!”, Gaz yelled again.

She mustered all her courage and took her leap of faith. She closed her eyes and let herself go off the edge. Not before long, the cold air bouncing off her skin turned into the touch of the cold ocean below, engulfing her in an instant around its veil. Such calm beneath the raging waves. She didn’t hurt but rather felt as if she was freed from a horrible end. But before she could lose herself to the currents hitting against her skin below, she felt a grip on her stomach. Gaz promptly picked her up after having jumped after keeping the monsters at bay, swimming backward towards the shore. The distance being small enough, he quickly reached the sandy beach below the cliff. He cried something again and again, but Terna was far too lost in her trance to remember or even know what it was in the first place. She just sat there…waiting for the sunrise behind the thick cloud of smog.

Being brought back to her current reality, she once again stood at the tip of the cliff, facing the sunrise off coming from beyond The Watch. She spread her arms apart, as if she was embracing the morning sun. She once again took that same leap of faith, this time diving straight into the ocean below. She pierced the surfaces and dove straight into the sea below. Calmness. She was never hurt by the surface of the water no matter the height…she never feared a thing about the ocean. This time, she opened her now golden eyes to see down below. The sand and the rocks mixed perfectly with the corals and the fish on the floor of the watery veil. The currents below touching her skin once again in that same familiar way slowly turned her over, as she gazed at the surface above. Behind the first rays of sunlight, she could also see the sides of her being engulfed by some sort of cloud…hairspray, that’s what it was. The salty waters of the ocean started to slowly chip away at that same pink hairspray she was forced to wear and alter based on her outfit those days. Now, that last part of her old self was too, taken and washed away. The paint slowly started to reveal that monochromatic black hair hiding below it, finally giving her the final change to her old self. It was as if the butterfly went back into a caterpillar…but really, in what way did the transformation occur? Only she would know. A relaxing look was put on her face as she let herself go into the same currents she couldn’t before. Minutes, hours, she didn’t know how much of it passed. She stayed there, motionless as a dead body, frozen in her head's empty space. A few rays of sunlight hit her face from over the horizon of the ocean, as she slowly opened her eyes, facing upwards at the rocks above, the cliff above her covering her up. She had dried out from the daring dive she took…odd. Has it really been that long that she slept for? She got up on her feet again and looked around. She approached the serene waters of the beach and looked down at them. Their reflection was like a mirror, it seemed as if she was looking down at an image she hasn’t looked at for years…herself. Somehow, someway, she knew that this wasn’t the end. She knew that ‘she’ could go above and beyond, and despite coming back to look the same, would be entirely different. She turned around and started walking at the base of the cliff…and there she saw it. A jacket. An old, casual jacket, sitting on the sand below as it refused to be taken away by any wind or rain that would come before it, protected by The Watch above. As she slowly approached and picked it up, she tried smelling the fabric for any remainder of scent that could remind her of that day…but nothing. It had all been washed away. However, she reminded herself of one last, little thing. She started digging below the sand that the jacket was placed on. She didn’t have to do so for long, as she soon found what she was looking for…the notebook. That same old notebook she used to write every single thing, her thoughts, her thoughts, clip her music sheets between its pages…she picked it up and looked at it for a brief moment. Opening it only brought a smile of excitement on her face as she saw the old songs that she used to once write down to remember. Memories, faces, all began to run through her head again as a tear of happiness rolled down her face. Some of the pages were of course unable to be read. Time had already done its number on it. But she didn’t care…what was broken could now be fixed, as time worked in both ways. A last fond memory of here played before her eyes.

Young Terna dug a hole, “Hnnn…come on.”

Gaz curiously looked at her, “Um…what are you doing?”

She didn’t answer but kept going. Once she finally formed a satisfactory hole, she took it out. Her notebook. Gaz then realized what it was all about.

“Wait, Terna…why? Don’t you like your music anymore?”

Terna had yet to give an answer as she placed the notebook inside the hole and began burying it. Once she was finished, she got up and looked at Gaz.

“You always used to tell me how to look forward and experience new things…and this is it. There’s no reason to procrastinate while I know what will happen in the end…this is what I wanted to do ever since two months ago, on that show day. Anya left a day after while playing dumb with us to not make us sad, Angelico is stuck with Goldenlances and Dante with his Silverlances while Angelica is stuck with the Sister Knights and Hikari is at the Temple all the time now…I can’t see a single thing that remained between us all. I held on to this but…there’s no reason for me to do so anymore. Nobody will ever see this again…”, she sniffed.

Gaz slowly approached Terna as he looked down on that hole, “Yes, we did tell you to not be afraid to experience new things. And times change, Terna. Sure, everyone is busy, but does that make you all less of a friend to each other? It’s hard for me to explain this to you now, and it will take a while for you to understand it on your own but…it’s done. Whatever you said or did will forever be a thing. Trying to change it in such a way…it won’t work. You left behind you a part of you for them to remember, and they did the same. However long it takes, if you’re brought back together, you’ll still be friends. And even though you might not even recognize each other because you’ve grown up, does that mean that the core of that relationship has changed? I know it will always be hard, especially for your age, to change circumstances based on what life brings before you but…even with what life does bring before you, that, like many others before it, will be left back for you to look at, cherish, make an example out of and reminisce.”, Gaz softly exhaled, “It hits me hard too, the way I now have to remember you stepmother but…you are now before me. You’re what life brought me, and her, and we will make the best out of it. All that I can ask of you, because I know I’ll not be able to make you change your mind now, is to remember this. Remember this hole before you have to go down it again to remember it all. I lived however long I did and have my own experiences to look back to…and I want you to do the same. Not simply bury them away.”

Young Terna stuttered as she looked back and forth between Gaz and the hole she had created to bury her pain. It was then that Terna took Viola’s jacket and spread it out, placing it on top of her hole. In what seemed to be stupid to others, both Gaz and she knew the meaning behind that move. Not just to mark the spot…but to protect it. Despite her passing by the coming morning, Viola would still be there, in a way. She would protect the past as she would pave the way to a better future and like an angel, stay with those memories till even the end of days, until Terna could trace it back to the source. Now standing tall above it all, she dusted off the old jacket before wearing it. Around her size. How much she had grown since then…she tightened her grip on the notebook cover, fearing that some of the pages affected by that drop in the water so long ago might slip away. She wanted to hold onto it all for once…and as she looked at the same sun rising once again, as it did for all those years, she finally understood the meaning behind her stepfather's words so, so long ago. She could never change the past. Who she was, was forever established long before that day when it all went away came to be. It was the past she could never change but rather embrace as where she started. She didn’t have to feel sad or happy, but rather look back at what made her be the way she was. How she came to be. What she chose from the options coming before her would only help to build a longer road left behind for her to trace back onto. She thought she had lost it all, only to realize that the ‘all’ she meant could change at any given moment. But even when she would lose it all, she would still have a home for her to go to. Home will always mean a million different things, like many other words. To some, it’d be family, to others, it’d mean a roof above their head. To her, it was her friends. Those who helped shape who she was and who she would forever be. And like the passing of time she could never stop, she would follow the home she placed upon them till the end of time, as the years came by and the future came into fruition. Yes. That’s all she needed to say. And as she climbed up from that pristine beach below, all she needed to do was deliver her answer back to them. Her journey, however long it took, would finally start alongside them.