The Way Back

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

*The ring becomes visible to everyone as soon as Kari takes it from the statue. The statue starts shaking and slides aside, revealing a circular hole on the floor with a metal ladder going down.*

Kelphy: <...Amazing!>

Jade Rabbit: <Tha'ss my Guardian.>

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*They walk out onto a tall cliff surrounded by mist, under a black stormy sky. Maxwell appears in front of them in a flash of light.*

=====
~Lucien~

Aera: <Okay everyone, time to sail back to Sephira.>

*Allina holds out a sandwich wrapped up in a napkin to Lucien.*

Allina: <Hungry?>

Crowley: <Hey, what's the big idea with all that crap you put us through?!>

"Very much so, thank you" he sits next to Allina and takes the sandwich.

---

Creed merely points his sword at Maxwell and silently attacks.

"Thank you?"

*She looks at the ring in her hand, Kentaro looking over her shoulder.*

Kentaro:<Is that one of those pact things or whatever everyone else has?>

Derek: <Yes, it appears to be just that.>

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

Kelphy: <Maybe it was the pact ring for this Bahamut Aeldi. Since it does no longer exist, chances are it's useless. Though it could have something to do with the artificial Aeldi.>

Jade Rabbit: <This is when we go and find out.>

*The Jade Rabbit hops against Kari, attempting to climb up to her arms.*

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

{Hey, hey, chill!}

*He flies upwards and holds his staff out, shooting a purple energy sphere at Creed.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

*They arrive at Sephira in the middle of the night. Aera goes to nudge Allina, who's fallen asleep on the deck, and possibly Lucien, if he's asleep as well.*

Aera: <Hey, wake up. We're here.>

Allina: <O-Oh...>

*She yawns and gets up, walking to wherever Lucien is.*

Allina: <Aera will sail on to Alda from here. So... see you soon.>

*Kari picks the Jade Rabbit up, showing it the ring.*

Lucien indeed had fallen asleep leaning on Allina with her leaning on him. it had been the first time he had slept in a long while preferring to use the elvish trance state to get his rest in.

He yawned, "Hey... oh... ok" he yawned again and rubbed his eyes. Without the inherent dark circles that formed from sleep loss Lucien looked closer to Allina's age than even before. It truly sunk in how young Lucien was compared to how he acted and what he had experienced. It was true that elves aged a bit faster but in human standards Lucien was still a youth.

---

Creed dodges, "You hurt Celsius and mistreated her. I'll kill you you old bastard!" Creed whips up a fierce snow storm to highlight this intent.

Derek: <Then let's get out of here. It's damp...>

*Crowley just sits down and sighs.*

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

Kelphy: <L-Leave?>

Jade Rabbit: <Shiiiny. Let's go down the hole!>

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*A barrier of energy surrounds Maxwell and he glares at Crowley.*

Maxwell: <Show some respect for the mighty Maxwell!>

*He shoots a lightning bolt at Crowley's head.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

Aera: <Yeah, you are coming with me, right Lucien?>

*Crowley rolls out of the way of the bolt, narrowly avoiding it, and jumps to his feet.*

Crowley: <Hey, hey, I'm trying my best here, pops. If you're gonna keep being THIS way about it though, I might have to start fighting back!>

Lucien looks at Allina and then to Aera, "Um... if its alright, uh" he twiddles his fingers unsure of how to phrase what he was gonna say, "can you tell Kelphy that I'm going... sighting seeing? In Sephiran?"

---

"Maxwell, what do you have to say for yourself!?"

Kentaro:<You seem to know everything about this place. Lead the way, little buddy.>

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

Jade Rabbit: <Hey, I can't climb down a ladder by myself.>

*He looks at the hole looking kinda scared.*

Kelphy: <Jade Rabbits are known for being very mysterious creatures. I've read they used to-->

Jade Rabbit: <Use our blood to communicate. Jade Rabbits can react to another Jade Rabbit's magic blood. Like what happened to me. Well, they stopped doing that 'cause it's mean.>

Kelphy: <With the kind of technologyy me and Master Derek found in the Yurion ruins, I don't think anything like what will ever need to be done for communication purposes.>

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

Maxwell: <Go for it. Also, stop whining. And stop saying I mistreated Celsius. I simply sealed her out during your little fight back there. Here, you can have her back.>

*Creed's pact ring glows briefly.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

*Aera widens her eyes in surprise, then nods and smiles.*

Aera: <Of course. Have fun. I hope to see you two again soon.>

*Allina, who was still staring at Lucien, surprised, shakes it off and smiles to Aera, waving at her.*

Allina: <Me too, bye! Thanks for bringing me along!>

*Allina runs down the ramp to the harbor of the Port Town of Carpete, western Sephira.*

Lucien follows, "Sorry... if I'm a burden. Outside of the time we were here six months ago I've never been to Sephira... I wanted to see the country..." oh so blatant lies.

---

Creed smiles and having Celsius back.

"R-really?"

Kentaro:<That's a little disturbing.>

Crowley: <Fine then.>

*Crowley pulls out two knives and throws them at Maxwell.*

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

Kelphy: <I-It is but... It hasn't been done in a long time.>

Jade Rabbit: <Okay, let's go and find out what's down there!>

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*Maxwell just barely dodges the knives by flying aside. He then darts forward, swinging his staff enveloped in lightning at Crowley's head. Creed hears Celsius in his head.*

Creed: [Celsius: <Maxwell isn't ...an evil Aeldi.>]

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

*Allina widens her eyes and turns to Lucien, blushing somewhat though he barely notices this in the pale moonlight.*

Allina: <Oh no, it's okay, it's awesome that you're coming with me. Capital Sephira is less than an hour away on foot. We can walk there and sleep till the morning comes at my place or just find an inn around here.>

*It's a small town of stone houses with wooden roofs, with many orange paper lanterns hanging from the roofs and windows.*

*Derek remains silent and sticks close to the others.*

*Kari begins to climb down the ladder.*

"I think we should stay at an inn till morning..." he smiles.

---

It still doesn't excuse what he did... old bastard... Creed scowls as he plops on the ground.

*Crowley pulls out his sword and blocks with it.*

~Kari, Kentaro, Kelphy & Derek~

*The statue starts to shake and slowly starts to slide back to its original position, starting to cover the hole. Kelphy widens her eyes and puts her palms together. A blue glyph with a water drip symbol appears beneath her and Undine appears in a flash of light, pushing against the statue with the side of her trident, and thus keeping it from moving.*

Undine: <I can't hold it for much longer... it's pushing back with extreme strength...>

Kelphy: <W-We must hurry!>

=====
~Crowley & Creed~

*Maxwell smiles and flots upward a few inches away from the star platform he is sitting on. It spins violently, striking Crowley, before Maxwell lands on it again and swings his staff aside, blasting Creed with a barrage of small energy spheres.*

=====
~Lucien & Allina~

*She nods, smiling, and they soon find an inn. Allina mumbles a "Okay..." upon realizing the door is actually opened. Walking in, it's pretty dark, with a candle burning on the counter. No one's around. She leans over the counter and sighs, turning around.*

Allina: <There's no one here. It won't be easy finding an inn in the middle of the night.>

*Lucien suddendly realizes an old man in pajamas is standing behind Allina, holding the candle that was on the counter and looking mighty zombie-like.*

Innkeeper: <...Hello.>

*Allina sreams and runs to hide behind Lucien, staring at the dude over his shoulder, with a terrified look on her face.*

Allina: <What the hell are you doing?!>

*Voices and steps are heard from the floor above. Apparently, someone's scream has awoken the entire inn.*

"Not sure if this is a good choice of an inn to spend the night in Allina" the audible click of one his wakizashi being unsheathed his heard.

---

Creed rises up on an ice pillar from bellow him and sits on it as the energy balls pelt the ground where he was sitting but miss the pillar itself. "Hey Old man. Celsius doesn't want me to beat your face in so I'm not fighting you anymore. Thank her properly."