The Way Back

Desire or not I'm not as easily manipulated as Crone, Origin. I came looking for Shadow. Do you intend to bar my path?

Lucien says nothing but his hands slowly move towards his twin wakizashi again.

---

"He did. The boy will wake in time. Even though Crone's body has been lost to the waves I think we should make a grave for his brother to pray at and visit when he wakes."

Kentaro:<Hello?>

*Crowley watches Spade walk away.*

Crowley: <(What's he up to...?

*Crowley gets up and follows him.*

~Kentaro & Kari~

*She looks at them, widening her eyes in surprise.*

Kelphy: <O-Oh, hello. Welcome. I didn't expect you to visit.>

=====
~Crowley~

*He walks to a river nearby and sits by the edge.*

=====
~Creed~

Fahren: <That may be a good idea. Do you wish to stay here for the night? It's quite late.>

=====
~Lucien~

*Kelphy runs around him and shakes her head, widening her eyes.*

Kelphy: <P-Please, please don't draw those again!>

*Crowley slowly approaches, hidden among bushes and trees.*

Kentaro:<We were brought here for some reason.>

You messed up Origin

"Show yourself Origin!" he draws them ignoring the fake Kelphy's words. Why? Because before he left for the island he had asked her if he could. She had released him from his vow.

---

"Yes. Thank you Master Fahren" Creed smiles and summons Celsius.

"I think we have some time to spar again if you want to?" he asks his Aeldi.

Derek: <Interesting approach. Taming magic... what are you guys using as a base elementally?>

~Kentaro & Kari~

*She looks at a clock on the wall and then at a window behind her. Kari remembers they still have her book.*

Kelphy: <Oh, I hadn't realized it was dark already. W-Where will you two be staying for the night?>

=====
~Derek~

Toran King: <You might have heard about Arte Crystals. We have discovered some new ore that can be used to make them, which has allowed us to mix many new different combinations of magic...>

*He walks through a door into the next room, where wizards seem to be playing around with funny-looking guns.*

Toran King: <I must confess there was another reason I summoned you here.>

=====
~Crowley~

*Spade takes a cross-shaped pin out of his pocket and stares at it, sighing.*

=====
~Creed~

*Celsius nods and flies out a window. Fahren smiles to Creed and goes to get some blankets to make Creed's bed on the floor.*

=====
~Lucien~

*Kelphy stumbles back, widening her eyes. She looks at Allina and runs in between Lucien and her, spreading her arms.*

Kelphy: <Please don't!>

Derek: <And that reason is?...>

"You aren't going to fool me with a mental attack Origin. Give up." his shadow hands extend outward. "If you answer my questions I'll step aside and let you pass."

---

Creed follows her outside after leaving his long frilly overcoat inside. Underneath it he is wearing a white noble's shirt with a black leather vest over it. He assumes a stance. "As always, ladies first."

*Crowley leans in a bit to see what he's doing with the object.*

[Didn't think that far ahead.]

*Kari nudges Kentaro to get his attention.*

"That book."

Kentaro:<Oh, right.>

*Kentaro retrieves the book from inside his jacket as Kari had been carrying the box with what's probably a melted piece of cake by now.*

Kentaro:<Uh, we were give this at the spa. Something about you forgot it there.>

~Kentaro, Kari & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <O-Oh, thank you.>

*She takes the book, smiling to them.*

Kelphy: <I-I'd really like to have you spend the night here, if you want.>

=====
~Derek~

Toran King: <My daughter, a lovely princess she is, is looking for a husband. Your father and I had been discussing this before he passed away, and we'd love for you two to be united in matrimony.>

=====
~Crowley~

Spade: <(...I'm sure you're doing fine.)>

*He gets up and keeps the pin in his pocket. He takes out a dagger and holds it in front of his face, sitting on his palm. Suddendly, it lights in flames and flies towards the bushes Crowley is hiding behind at great speed.*

=====
~Creed~

*Creed and Celsius are probably still fighting in the beach.*

=====
~Lucien~

Kelphy: <What?>

{Though this is obviously just an illusion, I'm not lying about my powers. You can have the girl, if you so wish.}

*Images start appearing on the wall again and Allina steps back. He sees Derek standing next to the blond middle aged man that is the King of Toros.*

Toran King: <My daughter, a lovely princess she is, is looking for a husband. Your father and I had been discussing this before he passed away, and we'd love for you two to be united in matrimony.>

*Crowley rolls away from the impact, ducking behind more bushes and trees. He was quiet about it, quiet enough that it'd be hard to predict where he was.*

Kentaro:<Well...>

*He looks over at Kari who's staring worriedly at the box in her hands.*

"I guess we could. If we're not being bothersome."

Ah yes, I could, but what is fun is that if I don't put any effort into it? Any wish could be granted but that's all they are, wishes. Where is the adventure of wishing for something when you can grasp it with their own hands? Lucien poses the question to Origin mentally.

---

He is indeed.

---

Somewhere a young man lets a hawk like bird with a blue head crest fly. The bird is carrying something around its neck and has a small scroll attached to its left leg. It flies towards Alda. Then young man smiles and walks back into the depths of a magnificent shrine.

Derek: <I... see...>

*He's at a loss for words. Reasons are obvious.*

~Kentaro, Kari & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <Of course not, we are friends now. You did help attempt to save me, a-after all.>

*She widens her eyes and looks over her shoulder. She just stands there for a little while, looking distracted and biting her lip. Then, she nods to herself and takes a step forward.*

Kelphy: <I'm sorry, but if you aren't too tired I'd like to ask you for an opinion.>

=====
~Derek~

*Soon the tour is over and they're sitting at a balcony, drinking tea in the moonlight.*

Toran King: <I'm sure your father would be incredibly proud.>

=====
~Crowley~

Spade: <Don't ever do that again.>

*He looks around and walks back towards the camp.*

=====
~Lucien~

{You still have faith that she will be yours? Then surely you wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her.}

*The images shift to Kelphy, lying on the floor of the bedroom, motionless. A wakizashi is stuck in the floor next to her.*

{Mwahahahahaha!}

*Crowley sighs and gets up, taking a different route back to the camp.*

"An opinion?"

Kentaro:<An opinion on what?>

{You seem to think that you can play mind games with me Origin.}

Luicen ceases to talk to Origin only via his mind. Now he talks both outloud and mentally. "When Kelphy showed me that I wasn't alone nor a monster I made a vow to never draw my blades again. After she was kidnapped and we met again I made a new vow to her. I would protect her. However there is more to my vow than just that. I know now what I've been denying for so long. I love Kelphy and I will protect her. Even if that means protecting her from myself. So go ahead Origin. Throw your worst at me and at her and I will stop you. That is the strength of my vow and the depth of my love for Kelphy!" The shadows whirl around Lucien as his own shadow seems to take on a life of its own. An aura of neither malice nor hate emanates from him and his own shadow almost looks like the silhouette of a knight.

*Derek stifles a laugh and shakes his head.*

Derek: <He wasn't much of a father. My uncle raised me, after all.>

*He tries to smile.*

Derek: <Though... I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your offer on marrying your daughter.>

~Kentaro, Kari & Kelphy~

Kelphy: <I ... found this folder back in the ruins of Yurion.>

*She holds out aheavy folder with "Bahamut ZERO" written on its cover.*

Kelphy: <A lot of it is too technical for me to understand, but it seems the people of Yurion developed an artificial Aeldi prototype... it says here it is hidden somewhere in the continent, and there is even a map, but I can't seem to be able to decipher it.>

*She opens the folder and takes out an old map of Verte.*

=====
~Derek~

Toran King: <What? Why would you do such a thing?>

=====
~Crowley~

*He arrives to find Razz sitting against a tree, sleeping. The fat bandit is snoring loudly.*

=====
~Lucien~

{You defy me knowing her life is in danger? Very well then, I'll make sure her life ends today.}

"Okay?"

Kentaro:<I don't know what this means.>