#chronotrigger

"I sense you are apprehensive," Yemoja noted, seeing Flea's reaction upon hearing the news. "Do you still doubt Zarya can do it?"

"No, I have no doubt she can. It's just-" Flea let out a breath. "I guess I've gotten used to things here and… What are you going to do once we leave?"

"Do not worry about me," Yemoja said reassuringly. "I will do whatever Ylenia is comfortable with and I have faith in the Great Fire that we will all be where we need to be once the eclipse is done."

Flea nodded. He knew this day would come and yet it felt selfish to leave. He'd be back in his era, knowing that Yemoja had long since passed in the distant past. He felt weird mourning a friend who was sitting right next to him, alive and well before his eyes. Changing the subject, Flea suggested they stop for the evening and both go see how Ylenia and Zarya were doing in the kitchen and assist with preparing supper.

~o~O~o~

During supper, Zarya pointedly asked Yemoja and Ylenia if they wanted to go through the Gate too. Ylenia immediately turned down such an idea, saying she could not leave Umbria and her family. Yemoja likewise expressed that it would be impossible for her to leave Ylenia.

"Besides, wouldn't it be a bad idea to bring them to the future?" Flea asked, certain that such an idea would endanger Yemoja and Ylenia.

"My dad moved to the future to be with my mom," Zarya argued back.

Yemoja smiled and told Zarya that it had been her father's destiny to meet her mother and join her in the future. However, Yemoja argued, as tempting as it was to see the far future, it was not her fate.

Zarya frowned but accepted Yemoja's answer. She knew Yemoja well enough to know that as open minded as Yemoja had been to accept her and Flea, that Yemoja strongly believed in things like fate and destiny and the dream of her great fire.

"When we say goodbye, I'll miss you, Yemi," she said softly.

Yemoja's smile softened and she let out the smallest sigh before saying she would miss her and Flea as well.

~o~O~o~

Two days before the eclipse, Ylenia went to visit Umbria while Yemoja stayed at the keep to oversee the final preparations. Every scroll and book was sorted through, with Yemoja taking the star charts while Zarya claimed the enchantment books by Melchior and the one by Belthasar in which he wrote about the Epoch as well as a few spell books. She tried to shove all of the books into her messenger bag, which had somehow lasted the last seven years with only a little bit of mending, but found herself needing to carry them in a rucksack provided by Yemoja.

Meanwhile, Flea decided to leave behind many of the gifts Esen had given him. A chessboard would be useless to carry if they had to travel to from the Gate to Truce and he could always get a new board if he truly wanted. He also had mixed feelings about keeping the dresses and make-up, given how Esen had felt Flea was selfish for accepting the gifts. Besides, he realized, the dresses would be outdated and stand out back in his era. So he finally decided to leave them behind as well. The hand-held mirror, however, he decided to keep as it was useful and finely crafted.

That evening, Yemoja presented Flea and Zarya each with wooden medallions depicting the same symbol as Zarya's charm and her own pendant. The wooden pendants hung on cords that were made of braided threads. Yemoja told them that she had been working on these items for quite some time in preparation of their departure.

"You both may not hold faith in the Great Fire. I accept that," she said. "However, it would bring me great comfort knowing you carry their symbol. It is my gift to you."

Flea and Zarya accepted the gifts. Flea apologized to Yemoja for not having something for her. Yemoja smiled and told him that she would be okay. She had made the gifts, expecting nothing in return, simply because she cared. Flea smiled softly and thanked her again while Zarya hugged her and echoed the sentiment.

~o~O~o~

The day of the eclipse, Zarya and Flea made sure they had their belongings gathered. Yemoja had insisted they pack some food in case the Gate opened up somewhere far from civilization. Flea, not wanting to repeat the hell that was the first two weeks of being in the current era, readily agreed to packing plenty of food for him and Zarya.

Once everything was packed, they made their way to the clearing.

At the clearing, Yemoja drew a circle around the center of it, adding the necessary symbols from Zarya's books around the circle. She explained that the ritual mentioned in the book would require an immense amount of magic, perhaps all of Zarya's own reserves and then some, so she and Ylenia would assist by lending their own magic to her. She looked to Flea and asked if he had any experience in sharing his magic. Flea admitted he had never done as such but he could try. "Once Zarya starts drawing upon the shadows, you may feel a tug or a pull. Let it happen and do not be afraid," Yemoja explained. "Trust in her to only take what she needs but not everything. With the three of us helping, it shouldn't be too much of a burden for anyone."

Flea nodded. He looked over at Zarya who was standing near the center of the clearing. It felt like just yesterday that he had woken up to her healing him and saving his life. She had grown so much in the last seven years. Not just physically (he finally accepted she was taller than him and stopped manipulating his height around her), but also in other ways. She still had a slightly lyrical way of speaking and would slip into old habits of simple phrases or contrary statements if she was frustrated, but her words had become almost as clear as his own. The stormy emotions of her early teen years had settled and her temper, which had never truly been an issue, had calmed.

"It is time. The eclipse will come soon," Yemoja said, snapping Flea out of his pensive and wistful thoughts. She then called Ylenia and Flea to approach the edge of the circle so they could assist Zarya.

The air grew cold and the sky darkened. Flea began to glance up but Ylenia reached over and put a hand on his shoulder, cautioning him against gazing at the eclipse. She told him it could blind him if he dared to look at the sun during the event. Flea decided to heed Ylenia's warning and not argue. Looking at the ground, he saw the circular shapes of the sunlight slowly turn crescent like the phases of the moon before becoming rings of light.

As the world plunged into darkness, Flea felt an immense surge of euphoric bliss. He had never experienced such a surge in shadow magic before. Flea supposed, in the rush he felt, that he had always felt stronger at night or in darkness, but this was different. His blood ran cold but in a way that made him feel empowered, as if he could take on anything. His senses felt sharper and more refined. He had always felt a connection to shadows and darkness, but now it felt as if he was one with the surrounding darkness. He glanced around to see Ylenia and Yemoja focused on channeling their magic to Zarya. He could feel Zarya drawing magic from the shadows. There was a faint tug in the ambient magic, as though she was trying to draw magic from him to fill her own reservoir. Letting out a breath, Flea let his magic flow into Zarya.

Meanwhile, Zarya felt the biting cold of her connection to shadow magic intensify. It felt exhilarating, although it bordered on overwhelming. As she stood there, Zarya felt the center of the clearing drawing her magic from her, like water rushing into a whirlpool… but it was different. It felt like a distant storm brewing or an ember growing to a forest fire… like wind becoming a maelstrom. She could sense the Gate's presence becoming stronger.

With her connection to the shadows, Zarya could feel everyone's presence through their magic. Just as Yemoja had taught her through meditation, Zarya drew their magic to her until it mingled with her own magic, creating a vast ocean of power.

Imbued with everyone's magic, Zarya spread her arms and echoed the incantation Yemoja had taught her. She closed her eyes to focus and spoke slowly and clearly, making sure she pronounced each word correctly. There was no room for mistakes, not when she only had minutes to cast the spell and call forth the Gate.

"Voda zovet veter, veter zastavlyayet ogon' tantsevat', ogon' zovet teni. V etom sliyanii efira, mezhdu nebom i zemley, zaklyucheny mechty mira… V garmonii s zhizn'yu etogo mira otkroy put' k reke zvezd i vremeni."

Zarya opened her eyes at the end of the incantation. From where he stood, Flea could see Zarya's eyes were dark spheres filled with swirls of starlight. Flickers of fire, snow, lightning and motes of shadows swirled around her, giving the impression of a translucent black opal shield surrounding her.

In the darkness brought on by the eclipse, Flea saw a pinpoint of light form in the middle of the clearing. The air began to twist and distort as the pinpoint of light grew to a small marble-sized orb of shadows, that little speck of light still at its center. Electricity crackled around the orb, flowing around like waves across the orb's surface as the orb grew in size, filling with more shadows. Time seemed to slow down as the sounds of the forest hushed and the breeze in the air ceased.

A circular rift suddenly flew open as the orb suddenly expanded in the blink of an eye. Before everyone stood a circle of twisting shadows and blue lights. Flea found himself frozen in awe at the sight. Suddenly, Yemoja placed a hand on his shoulder and urged him to enter first so Zarya could close the rift behind her. They had maybe moments before the eclipse ended.

Flea nodded. Adjusting the strap of his rucksack and picking up Zarya's bags, he approached the Gate. At its edge, he hesitated. Looking back at Yemoja and Ylenia, he forced a smile and reluctantly waved. Zarya, who had already thanked Yemoja for everything and hugged Yemoja and Ylenia farewell before the ritual, picked up her bags and gently grabbed Flea by the arm and pulled him into the rift. As they stepped past the threshold of the Gate, Zarya turned back, her eyes back to normal, and waved goodbye to Yemoja and Ylenia. With a bright smile, she shouted out a final goodbye before the Gate snapped shut.

And just like that, Zarya and Flea were gone.

The warmth and light of the sun slowly returned and, within moments, it was day again. A faint summer breeze whispered through the clearing. Yemoja stood there staring at the empty clearing where her friends had just stood moments before. She felt an overwhelming surge of emotion and found herself weeping. She had never said it to Flea or Zarya but they had been like family to her. Knowing they were gone forever, it was like losing her husband and child again.

A gentle hug from Ylenia comforted Yemoja somewhat. She smiled at her beloved friend and turned to return the embrace. After a moment of silence together, Yemoja murmured that she was ready to depart. Activating the enchantment on her bracelet, Yemoja assumed the form of a Daemon and followed Ylenia away from the clearing and to her new life.

Yemoja stood up and approached him. She accepted the bundle, perplexed at its size. Before she could ask Flea what happened, Flea told her how he overheard Koray and Nisha talking outside the door so he decided to take everything that could inform them of the eclipse as well as the bracelet.

"Thank you, Flea," Yemoja said with a smile. "Were you able to find out if Koray intends to find the keep?"

Flea replied, "Yeah, he won't be poking around. You and Ylenia are safe."

Yemoja regarded Flea's confidence silently and nodded. Changing the subject, she remarked that she and Ylenia had settled into one of the unused storerooms for the time being and Ylenia was currently resting from her ordeal.

"Speaking of Ylenia… I have to ask," Flea said. "Why did you do it? Why did you risk your life and leave everything behind for her?"

Yemoja smiled softly and answered, "For the same reason you ended up here… Love."

Flea said nothing. He had confided in Yemoja some time ago the truth regarding the events that lead to his unintended trip through time; how he had risked his life to save Glenn because he had feelings for him. Yemoja had been oddly supportive of his crush, but now that Yemoja had made the comparison between her situation and his, her support made sense.

"But what about the village?" Flea asked, breaking the silence. "Don't they need your spiritual guidance or whatever?"

Yemoja got a pensive look on her face and said, "They have Nisha and the other priestesses… But the truth is, the village's future needs more than spiritual guidance."

Flea raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Enharsha has been hidden for ages… We used to live beyond the cavern although we have no record of when we retreated to its safety," Yemoja explained. "Presumably the constant threat of humans and Daemon drove us to seek shelter and hide. However, within the cavern, our numbers have slowly dwindled over the generations."

She took a breath and continued, "The Great Fire seems to have seen to it that we do not grow beyond the cavern… but in doing so, we have become stagnant… Let me ask you this, how many births do you think I have blessed since we've met?"

"I dunno…. Lots?" Flea didn't want to guess a random number but he assumed every family would've been trying to have children as much as possible. That was certainly the expectation in his era.

"Try three," Yemoja answered. "And not for a lack of anyone trying… I tried to speak to both Ilkay and Koray about the matter, but they don't see it as a problem. Of course, they wouldn't since two of those births was Koray's daughter and recently a son… and the third was Nisha's daughter last year."

Yemoja sighed heavily. "Despite that, it feels like it takes young couples far too long to make their families… and some families' bloodlines have already intertwined in previous generations."

Seeing Flea's furrowed brow, Yemoja apologized and told Flea she was merely venting. She told him that she didn't expect him to do anything about it or provide any insight, although Flea could sense she wanted to ask him if he knew anything of her peoples' fate.

Flea did not know what fate awaited her village, only that he had never met a Therian before coming to this era. The Kotengu somehow survived to his era, so maybe there was hope that the Therian had simply avoided being recruited by Ozzie and were safe somewhere else.

The tense mood was interrupted by Yemoja letting out a soft sigh. She smiled softly and thanked Flea once more for helping her. After she declaring she was going to help Zarya in the kitchen, Yemoja departed.

Flea found himself lingering in the room. He looked around at the various charts and scrolls. It suddenly dawned on him that the eclipse would be during this year's solstice. Only two more months and he and Zarya would leave this era.

As Flea turned to leave, Ylenia entered the room. She was mid-sentence, clearly hoping to speak to Yemoja, when she stopped speaking and glared at Flea.

Flea saw the way Ylenia glowered at him and knew immediately that she held him with great animosity. He didn't have to ask Ylenia what her problem was, he knew that she blamed him and Zarya for Umbria's exile from the village. He should have said nothing or simply told Ylenia where Yemoja was. Instead, Flea spoke without thinking.

"Look, I won't ask you why you wanted stay in that place but seems like it kind of sucked," Flea remarked. "I mean, why did you want to stay in the same village as that psychotic bird that wanted you and your daughter dead?"

"Because until you showed up, everything was fine," Ylenia growled.

Flea glared at Ylenia. Feeling defensive, he snapped back, "Well, excuse me for falling on your damned doorstep! Do you think I wanted to get lost in this era?! Don't go blaming me for your kid getting herself exiled or Koray's despotic bullshit!"

Ylenia bared her fangs as she snarled, "We were happy-"

"Maybe you were, but Umbria hated it. She only put up with it for your sake," Flea interrupted. His voice rose in volume and pitch as he continued, practically ranting. "I can see why she hated it! Being constantly reminded how she's different from everyone else! Feeling like an outsider in her own home!! Told the outside world is too dangerous when that danger is going to find you anyways!!"

Ylenia got the sense that Flea was talking about himself more than Umbria the way he was getting worked up. She knew a little about him since Yemoja had told her that Flea was a troubled soul with a harsh past.

An awkward silence passed between the two before Flea huffed and said, "It's just- Why didn't you leave with her when it happened?"

"I was afraid," Ylenia replied. "The village was safe… Yemoja and I, we- I was torn between following Umbria and being there for Yemoja."

Flea sighed. With Yemoja's confession, he knew what Ylenia's excuse was. She and Yemoja had each other, no doubt brought together by their mutual losses, and Ylenia found herself afraid to lose that as much as she feared for Umbria. While he didn't really understand why she chose Yemoja over her own child, Flea understood why she was conflicted.

"You know… With Zarya's enchantment, you and Yemoja could go to the town where Umbria lives… or there’s wherever her father took the rest of your kind," Flea suddenly said, glancing over his shoulder. Seeing the surprised look in Ylenia's eyes, he told her Umbria had told him and Zarya everything when she was exiled. Turning back to face Ylenia, he asked her why she hadn't gone there herself or gone back to her village after her husband's death.

"My husband and I had already evacuated nearly everyone… He and I wanted to go," she answered in a low voice. "But I became so ill when I was pregnant with Umbria, the journey would have killed us both… Then Umbria was so frail when she was born. You cannot possibly understand what it was like to hold such a tiny life in your arms and wonder if she would see the next day. It was only when we were sure she was getting stronger did we promise ourselves we would travel one last time when the weather and currents permitted it."

"So why didn't you go to the archipelago after Umbria's father was killed?" Flea asked.

Ylenia looked down and sighed. "The humans located and burned down what was left of my village. I could not possibly trust anyone to take me and Umbria to the archipelago…. So I fled south into the forests until I met Yemoja."

Flea said nothing. He could understand her distrust of humans when they killed her husband and any of her kind they found. He again wondered why no Therian were in the Mystic army… and began to wonder if he had always been meant to get lost in this era, setting the scene for their departure from these lands.

"What about now? If you and Yemoja don't feel safe in this region even with disguises, there's always the archipelago," Flea suggested. Within the same breath, he silently wondered why he cared at all to suggest she seek safety. "You could be hidden from the world again."

"But what do I know?" He said, throwing up his hands defensively. "I'm just the asshole from the future…"

Ylenia said nothing in response, her brow was furrowed and she didn't look Flea in the eyes. Finally, she murmured, "I know that Yemoja will want to stay until the eclipse of this solstice so she can be assured that you and Zarya succeed or not in your quest…. but I will bring up what you said."

Flea nodded. He sighed and told Ylenia that Yemoja was in the kitchen with Zarya, adding that he was going to go rest if anyone asked where he went. With nothing more to say to Ylenia, Flea teleported to his room and flopped backwards onto his bed. He stared at the ceiling, his mind feeling foggy with exhaustion. Not only had he used a lot of magic in the last half-hour, he had dealt with the emotional drama of others and just wanted to be alone to recuperate.

When Zarya came to tell him that lunch was ready, she found Flea asleep, feet dangling off the bed. After moving him to a more comfortable position, Zarya smiled and left the sleeping Daemon to rest as long as he needed.

~o~

The next day at breakfast, Zarya cheerfully asked Ylenia about visiting Umbria. She pointed out that Yemoja could 'change her look' so she and Ylenia could go to town. Ylenia seemed taken back by the suggestion and questioned if Umbria would even want to see her after this long.

Flea looked up from his meal. He really didn't care what Ylenia wanted to do as long as she wasn't moping around or yelling at him. He sighed and said that Umbria had stuck to a story that she had merely been separated from Ylenia, always holding out hope that someday Ylenia would make the choice to come live in town with her.

"We couldn't possibly just show up," Ylenia said, still apprehensive. "What would I even say to Umbria?"

"All I need to do is go talk to Umbria and Roshan, say that Zarya and I encountered you two hiking through the forest from the east," Flea said. "You can tell them whatever you want about where you've been all this time."

Ylenia quietly considered Flea's words. As she tried to make a decision, Flea told her there was one more thing she should know.

"At my suggestion, Umbria told Roshan that you were a Daemon but that her father was a Therian," he said. "So far no one else in town knows this as Roshan has proven to be exceedingly trustworthy and vowed to Umbria to keep her secret."

Ylenia and Yemoja shared a surprised expression. Yemoja asked him why he had suggested such a risky thing to which Flea explained bluntly what he had told Umbria about his thoughts on the risks of her having a child given her mixed lineage and considering how she would explain a baby not looking Daemon. He added that Umbria and Roshan were lucky their kid looked normal.

"Can she come here?" Ylenia asked after a moment of silence, sounding apprehensive. "Could you use your sorcery to bring her to the keep?"

Flea replied, "No, because she's with child again and I'm not about to make a pregnant person walk all this way nor am I about to mess around teleporting someone in that state. Further more, her current kid is a handful and I don't need a toddler running amok around here."

Ylenia let out a breath. She looked to Yemoja and asked her if she was okay with going to Umbria. When Yemoja affirmed that she was, Ylenia looked to Flea and asked him to take her and Yemoja to see Umbria.

~O~

With Yemoja and Ylenia disguised and filled in on the lie that he and Umbria shared about being family, Flea and Zarya took her and Ylenia to the edge of the forest. Just beyond the meadow, Yemoja could see rows and rows of apple trees and beyond the orchard, Yemoja could see the roof of a building and more buildings in the distance. She had never seen the sky meet the land before, so accustomed to living in the forest that to see the horizon was almost overwhelming. Gripping Ylenia's hand, she let out a gasp and murmured a prayer to the Great Fire.

Flea immediately picked up on Yemoja's reaction and asked her if she was okay. Still holding Ylenia's hand, Yemoja reassured him and Ylenia that she would be fine.

"In all my years, I never dared to stray from the forest… I've never seen so much sky or open land before," she said, her voice tinted with awe.

Ylenia gently squeezed her hand and told her that this was nothing compared to the sea.

"Zarya and I will take you to Umbria when you're ready," Flea said.

After a moment or so of taking in the sight, Yemoja told Flea she was ready. He teleported them to the edge of the orchard and asked them to wait with Zarya while he went to fetch Umbria.

Teleporting to the house, Flea found Roshan and Umbria in the midst of their morning chores with their toddler attempting to climb up the ladder and Roshan preventing his son from escaping up into the loft. When Flea announced his arrival, Umbria and Roshan were quite surprised to see Flea at the doorway.

"Flynn! What brings you here?" Roshan asked as he carried his son away from the ladder.

"Your folks aren't around, are they?" Flea asked.

"Naw, Ma and Pa are at the market… Why?" Roshan asked.

Looking at Umbria, Flea said, "Your mother just showed up at the keep with a friend she met to the east. I brought them to the orchard and told them to wait while I got you."

Umbria looked to Roshan and asked him to keep on eye on their son for just a moment before she charged over to Flea and practically dragged him by his arm outside.

"You called me insane all those years ago for bringing Roshan to the keep but you brought Yemoja here?!" she hissed in a loud whisper.

"It's fine, Zarya made an enchantment for her. She looks like a Daemon right now," Flea quietly snapped back, more offended that Umbria had been rough with him than at her sharp words. "Trust me, but if you're that worried, come with me by yourself before you introduce Roshan and Kamir."

Umbria looked surprised at Flea's claim that Yemoja was disguised. She had known for years that Yemoja was unable to copy hers and her mother's magic. She wondered how Zarya had achieved the seemingly impossible, but decided she would ask later.

"I trust you," she said. "But maybe I should see them alone first so we can get our story straight."

~o~O~o~

Flea walked with Umbria through the orchard, giving her the story of what had happened in the village and why Yemoja and her mother no longer lived there. Umbria fumed at the knowledge that Koray hadn't been satisfied with her exile. She looked to Flea and asked him if he thought Koray had been responsible for his father's death.

"Oh, no doubt about it," Flea replied.

Then Umbria asked him why he hadn't told her about Yemoja being able to disguise herself like them. Flea shrugged and pointed out there never really was a need or chance to discuss it before, adding that it had only happened recently. Reaching the edge of the orchard, Flea spied Zarya flapping her hands and humming. He called out that it was just him and Umbria.

Umbria's eyes locked in on the Daemon woman standing by Zarya. Seeing the familiar periwinkle robes and the way the woman stood, Umbria realized that she was Yemoja in disguise. Getting a good look at her, Umbria realized that Yemoja's disguise reflected her true self in her eyes still being cyan-blue and in having dark skin with pale spots on her face and arms that mirrored where her spots were in her true form.

Seeing Umbria, Yemoja turned to speak to someone behind the tree and coax them out. Ylenia, disguised as a Daemon woman with tanned skin and black-and-silver hair, bearing the same amber and blue eyes as Umbria, cautiously emerged from behind the tree.

"Yemoja? Mother?" Umbria hurried past Flea as Yemoja and Ylenia approached.

Walking over to Zarya, Flea stood back and watched Ylenia and Umbria each cautiously approach each other before mother and daughter embraced each other tightly. Ylenia's words were muffled in her daughter's hair as she wept tears of joy and apologized for not following her.

He and Zarya silently watched as Umbria expressed astonishment over Yemoja's new look, hearing Yemoja's praise for Zarya's gift. They spoke of how to explain the situation to Roshan. Just as they seemed to be settled on a story, a small voice wailed from beyond the orchard.

"Maaamaaa! Mama! Mama!"

Roshan came up the path with a flailing toddler in his arms, shouting an apology over their son's cries for Umbria. Umbria asked Ylenia and Yemoja to wait a moment before hurrying to Roshan and taking their son into her arms.

Soothing and hushing her son, Umbria calmed the young toddler and brought him over to Ylenia. She beamed as she held him close and said to him, "Kamir, this is your grandmother. My mama."

Ylenia was speechless. She let out a small gasp of joy. Tears welling up in her eyes, she spoke barely above a whisper as she remarked that the child had been named after Umbria's father. Umbria nodded and smiled at her mother.

Roshan approached Flea, catching his breath after dealing with Kamir's tantrum. He smiled and invited them all to the house for a meal so they could rest and relax for a bit. When Flea pointedly asked what was to be done about his parents, Roshan assured Flea that he would side with Umbria and ensure his parents were good hosts.

"Since I've taken over most of the affairs of the brewery and Umbria and I 'provided' a son to the family line, Ma and Pa have been more respectful of my way of things," Roshan replied. "Don't worry about them."

~o~O~o~

True to Roshan's word, the moment his mother tried to voice displeasure at the sudden arrival of Flea, Zarya and more strangers, Roshan declared that he was not going to turn away his wife's friends and family. He asserted that he was going to be a good host and provide them with a meal and told his parents if they had a problem, they could go visit their friends in town and be out for the day.

To Flea's surprise, Roshan's parents stayed and were amiable towards Ylenia and Yemoja. They still eyed him and Zarya with a gaze that told Flea that they still harbored distrust towards them for being so different. As the visit went on, Flea found himself impressed by Yemoja's ability and willingness to lie about her origins.

In artfully crafted half-truths, Yemoja spoke of being from the 'far east' and that she had encountered Ylenia lost in the forest. They had lived in a quiet village beyond the mountains (as opposed to inside one right next-door) until a Kotengu clan drove them away. She readily described what a Kotengu was to Roshan and his parents, saying that up until recently, Kotengu and Daemon had lived in harmony in her lands.

By the end of the visit, Yemoja and Ylenia had a quiet and brief discussion outside the house. Yemoja still felt unsure of being around so many Daemon when she had no way of knowing how long the stones Zarya had enchanted would hold the spell. Ylenia, while reluctant to see Yemoja leave, accepted that Yemoja wanted to return to the keep with Flea and Zarya. She promised to come visit in the morning but she wanted to spend the night and get to know Umbria's new family and her grandson.

Koray looked to her and said, "Ylenia is guilty of poisoning my father."

"What proof do you have of such an outrageous claim?" demanded Yemoja.

Koray produced a small wooden box carved with symbols of the sea and stained blue, a belonging of Ylenia's, and opened it to reveal some vibrant red berries and dried bark. He declared that his sister confirmed the berries and bark belonged to the yew trees out in the forest. Turning to speak to the growing crowd, Koray declared that Ylenia must have resented his father's choice to exile her daughter and plotted to poison him slowly over the years so no one would suspect her.

"Except she took it too far this time," he said coldly. "My father has suddenly become deathly ill after the morning meal and Nisha is doing everything she can to heal him."

Yemoja looked at Ylenia, then to Koray. She did her best to stay calm. Nothing about this felt right. She knew Ylenia would never harm another soul, but the box Koray held in his hand did indeed belonged to Ylenia. It was one of the few possessions she had brought with her during her journey from the northeastern coast. The question of how Koray got a hold of the box lingered in Yemoja's mind.

"I know Ylenia, she would never harm your father," Yemoja argued. "There must be some other explanation."

"She has deceived you as she has done this whole village for years," Koray retorted. He proceeded to argue that Ylenia presumably had charm magic as well as her 'deceptive' shapeshifting sorcery. He asserted that she had deceived them all and he was no longer going to fall for her tricks. The crowd murmured, voicing that Koray had a point.

"Even if you are correct, you cannot just pass judgment without a trial," Yemoja argued.

"As acting Elder, I will do what I must for the safety of the community," Koray countered. "She will be detained until I determine a fitting punishment."

Yemoja exchanged a helpless look with Ylenia. She wanted to tell Koray to leave Ylenia alone, but she had a duty as the High Priestess to help maintain order within the village. She told herself she would find proof of Ylenia's innocence before Koray could pass judgment any further.

"Koray!"

Everyone looked to see Nisha, Koray's older sister, running to him with tears in her eyes. She was followed closely by their younger brother, Tuncay. Both looked devastated.

"Father is- He's-," Nisha's voice was choked up and shaking. "I-I did everything I could- I'm-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…." Koray stared at Nisha, seemingly shocked as she broke into sobs. Tuncay sadly confirmed that their father had died, softly saying he just stopped breathing and won't wake up. Koray embraced his siblings and promised them that he would take care of everything. After a brief embrace, Koray stepped away from Nisha and Tuncay.

Turning to the Kotengu who had Ylenia restrained, he coldly declared, "Take her to the cenote."

"Koray, you can't-" Yemoja protested. A few more Kotengu blocked her path. Koray didn't even bother to look back as he declared, "I will do what is necessary to keep this village safe. She's already claimed my father's life. I will now allow anyone else to endure such a loss."

As Yemoja was held back, Ylenia was dragged off to the back tunnels of the cavern that led to the deepest parts of the cave where a cenote was located. Cut off from the rest of the world, the place was regarded as the passage to the underworld where sinners would be sentenced to death by drowning, just like those who had turned their back on the Great Fire and caused the sky islands to fall.

Yemoja's heart raced. She couldn't lose another loved one. Not again. Letting out a roar, Yemoja summoned lightning to her fists, causing the two Kotengu holding her back to let go before she could shock them. She ran forward and grabbed Koray by the shoulder. She let just enough electricity surge forward to stun the young Kotengu but not seriously harm him.

As Koray collapsed to the ground, Yemoja hurried over to Ylenia and stunned the two Kotengu holding her. Dissipating the rest of the lightning, Yemoja grabbed Ylenia and pulled her along as they both ran towards the tunnel that led to the forest. Surprised at Yemoja's outburst and betrayal, no one dared make a move to stop her.

There was no time to hurry to either home to retrieve any belongings, the only option was to flee through the tunnel into the forest. They ran as fast as they could through the tunnel, illuminated by crystalline sconces.

Outside the protective shield of the village's cavern, Yemoja and Ylenia found themselves in the pouring rain. Despite the wind and rain, Yemoja kept a tight grip on Ylenia's hand and pulled her along as they ran into the storm.

When Yemoja was certain they were not being pursued, she came to a stop under a tree and turned to Ylenia. Ylenia looked absolutely shocked, her eyes wide with fear. Yemoja embraced her tightly, then held her face in her hands as she told Ylenia that everything would be okay.

Looking in the direction of the keep, Yemoja said, "We will be safe at the keep with Flea and Zarya. Let's hurry."

~o~O~o~

The sudden late spring squall left Flea and Zeal with not a lot to do besides studying and training. To their surprise, the kitchen door suddenly swung open and Flea and Zarya looked over to see Yemoja standing at the door, soaking wet. It took Flea a second to realize she wasn't alone. Standing beside Yemoja was Ylenia, who was just as drenched. Yemoja had an arm around her as she led them both into the room.

"I apologize for the intrusion," Yemoja breathed. "The village is no longer safe for us."

Zarya quickly teleported away and reappeared with a bundle of blankets in her arms. She offered them to Yemoja and Ylenia before hurrying over to the kettle over the hearth, declaring that they needed hot tea to warm up.

"What the hell happened?" asked Flea.

Yemoja guided Ylenia over to the hearth so they could sit down and warm up. She sighed and explained the situation; how Koray accused Ylenia of murdering his father by slowly poisoning him and how Koray was quick to attempt to execute her. Accepting the cup of tea from Zarya, Yemoja told Flea that she attacked Koray and rescued Ylenia before they fled to the keep.

Flea frowned and asked Yemoja if she thought Koray would come to the keep. Yemoja shook her head and expressed doubt simply because he would be busy trying to keep control over the village after her betrayal. Besides which, no one else knew exactly how to locate the keep quickly, the knowledge of its location not being worthy of noting for the majority of the village.

"While it is true I was upset with Ilkay's punishment of my daughter, I would never have done him any harm," Ylenia finally spoke. "Koray must have been poisoning his own father, but I cannot understand why he would do such a thing or why put the blame on me."

"Simple, he wanted to be in charge and you were an easy scapegoat," Flea stated flatly. "I knew of others just like him in my era. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if I actually know a descendant or two personally. One Kotengu in particular is coming to mind, but that's irrelevant at the moment."

Flea reiterated that, for his own piece of mind, he needed to make sure that Koray wasn't going to send anyone to deal with them. He expected Yemoja to tell him to calm down but instead Yemoja asked him to retrieve some items from her room if he was going to go spy on the village.

"What could be so important I need to sneak into your room?" Flea asked.

"In my haste to save Ylenia, I forgot a wooden bracelet I had received from my husband when we were young and courting. I had inlaid the stones Zarya enchanted into it…. and if there was ever a time to need the stones, it would be now," Yemoja answered, removing her medallion and offering it to Flea. "Given the growing concerns I had regarding Koray, I have been warding my room against outsiders, so you will need my medallion to pass the warding spell. The bracelet will be in a small wooden box on the shelf by my personal altar."

Flea nodded. He accepted Yemoja's medallion and slipped it on. After Yemoja thanked him, Flea promised he would be quick before he teleported away.

~o~O~o~

Flea arrived at the cavern's entrance and teleported to the village temple, reappearing in Yemoja's room. He immediately spied the altar and the small statue of petrified wood, polished and carved to depict a symbol that greatly resembled the symbol on Zarya's silver charm surrounded by what was either fires or flowers, it was hard to say. There were shelves on either side of the altar which held many scrolls and a couple wooden boxes. As Flea approached the shelves, he heard voices on the other side of the door.

It sounded like Koray was telling someone to undo the ward. Another voice, meek and feminine, stammered that they would dispel the ward but it would take time. There was a pause, then Flea heard Koray sigh. Curious, Flea moved closer to the door.

"Just do what you can, dear sister," Koray said. "I fear that Yemoja was aiding Ylenia in hurting our father, given her eagerness to hurt me and run away with that murderer. Her actions alone are proof of it, but if there are any more answers to be found, I would appreciate them."

There was a pause before Koray apologized to his sister and added that he regretted not dealing with 'that soulless human and her deceitful Daemon' when he first met them. Maybe then, he said with false worry, Yemoja wouldn't have been corrupted. Wishing his sister luck, Koray said he would go address the village and ease their worries.

Looking around the room, Flea decided, in addition to finding Yemoja's bracelet, that he would take anything to do with the eclipse if there was any scrolls or other evidence. After all, they didn't need anyone poking around and sabotaging the ritual. Flea thought an apology to Yemoja and proceeded to quietly ransack her room.

He found, besides the bracelet he was sent to look for, what looked like a small knife or dagger in the same box, a few scrolls pertaining to the eclipse and stars, and the recipe for a few medicines like the salve Yemoja kept giving him. Spying Yemoja's cloak, he threw it onto the bed and put everything on it before tying the cloak up like a bundle.

The faint hum of magic still hung in the air, hinting to Flea that Koray's sister had yet to dispel the ward. He felt like he still had time to make sure Koray wasn't going to do anything to hurt Zarya or Yemoja. After teleporting to the bell tower, Flea hid the bundle and then shapeshifted into a bat before going over to the Elder's Hall.

From his vantage point, he could see the whole village, safely shielded from the rains outside. Nothing particularly noteworthy, but what caught his attention was the crowd gathering in the center of the village.

Still in bat form, Flea flew up and hid in the shadows of the awning of the roof to see what was going on. He spied Koray telling the crowd that their esteemed High Priestess had defied the laws of their people and consorted with Ciemra and a human. Flea had no idea what a “Ciemra” was but he was more than certain that Koray was talking about Ylenia and Zarya. He heard the crowd chatter loudly, expressing doubt even as some had witnessed Yemoja's actions.

Koray called out to the crowd, “Yemoja was deceived by the human girl, tricked into betraying us. We all know how the Emissaries were deceived by a demon disguised as one of their own. The girl was clearly a demon in disguise sent to corrupt our beloved High Priestess. How else could a seemingly harmless human child wield magic long since denied to her kind?"

The crowd quietly clamored and whispered among themselves. Flea couldn’t hear any words clearly, but it was obvious that Koray had made a compelling argument to the villagers. He silently scoffed at how gullible they were. Someone called out, asking Koray if the village was safe since Yemoja and Ylenia had fled to the outside. What if Ylenia led strangers to their village?

Koray held up his hands to signal the crowd to calm. Once the crowd was quiet, Koray declared that he and a handful of hunters would do whatever it took to locate the human's hideout and ensure the safety of the village, even if that meant sending Yemoja's soul to the Great Fire for judgment. He expressed sorrow that it had come to this outcome, but Flea knew by the way he spoke and acted, Koray was lying through his beak about his feelings on the matter.

Feeling a bit fed-up with Koray's whole deal, Flea decided in that moment, since Koray believed in demons, he would give him one. While still a bat, he flew up and found an atrium in the middle of the building. Flea got an idea in the heat of the moment. It was a terribly petty idea and Flea was feeling petty. As he landed, Flea shifted his form to that of Yemoja. He reasoned that she was already seen as the enemy so he Quietly, he peered inside the rooms that lined the atrium. One side seemed to be the storerooms and the kitchen, the other side appeared to be the bedrooms. Within the first room, Flea found a still form laying on the bed. Upon closer inspection, Flea saw that it was the body of who he assumed was Koray's father. A simply cloth covered the body and while Flea did not want to disrespect the dead, but he peered under the cloth to get a look at the father of the Kotengu who sought to hurt him.

After getting a good look at the body and covering Ilkay back up, Flea, all the while still in Yemoja's form, moved back to the atrium just as Koray entered from the main hall.

"Yemoja?! How did you get in here, you bitch?!" Koray shouted.

Flea grinned and shifted his form to Ilkay's as he spoke. Not knowing how Ilkay had sounded in life, Flea spoke in his own voice, "Is that any way to speak to your father?"

Koray's eyes went wide with horror and he shouted out, "How dare you take his form, you demon! The Great Fire will see you burn to ashes for this insult!"

Flea laughed and shifted his form once more. This time he took on the appearance of his Void Mage form, although he made a few embellishments to his outfit and look to make himself look a bit more scary with sharper fangs and pitch-black eyes with pupils of malevolent light. He even gave himself horns like Ozzie had done with his illusions.

"I can appear as anything or anyone I want," Flea declared proudly. He waved a hand and summoned his starry abyss illusion. He smirked when Koray jolted as if expecting to fall but found himself still on solid ground he couldn't see. "Maybe you should be more concerned with monsters who are real than some god you can’t see or hear."

Smiling wickedly, Flea said, "I heard every word of your plan, so let me be perfectly clear. Harm a single hair on either Yemoja or Zarya and your family and descendants will pay a thousandfold for your actions."

"You wouldn't-"

"Oh, but I can and would… I know that I have met your bloodline now that you've shown your true face," Flea interrupted. "As long as Zarya and I live in this era, I will make it my personal mission to ensure you never know peace. Any villager, any animal… It might be me checking up on you to make sure you are being a good little crow and staying away from my friends. Remember that."

And with that, Flea dropped the illusion and shifted into the form of a large raven and flew up and out of the atrium. Up in the air, Flea looked down to see three Kotengu hurry over to a still stunned Koray. A mother carrying a toddler followed by an older child… Flea half-wondered how the three were related to Koray but decided it didn't matter. He had made his point and planted the seeds of paranoia in Koray.