#zenelstra

“Bloody, stupid creature! Couldn’t even follow a simple order! Argh!”

Anne dragged herself through the ground of the Dark Chasm’s creator. Her plan had succeeded, but the only by a hair.

“Damn it! Damn it all!! Yu…YU!! YU…!!”

Anne roared. With what power she could, she blasted another new craters into Dark Chasm. Cursing the damned boy to hell over and over.

Just minutes earlier, she had been backed into a corner by both the Empire and the Agnes Rescue Crew. Her treachery was discovered, thanks to the clues the pest of a boy Yu left behind. So Anne had ni choice but to unleash a weapon she had been saving just for them.

A little experiment she had been running in her spare time away from prying eyes. They say the more tortured the soul, the more powerful they become when turned into an Undead. Anne was curious about it, so once she got hand her hands on Yu, she decided that it was a marvelous opportunity to test it out.

After months and months of experimenting, Anne finally saw the results of her effort. They saying was indeed, true. The more tortured the soul, the more powerful they became as an Undead puppet. Unfortunately, they also became more uncontrollable.

Even though she had succeeded in turning Yu into the most powerful Gigas Lich in a existence, he was incapable of taking orders.

At the moment she released him, the hideous abomination went berserk and attacked her. He only managed to give her a few scrapes before she exterminated him. He was still much weaker than her, but if she hadn’t finished him then, the Pillar of Light would have shut forever.

Because of that mindless creature, she, the great fairy for the most powerful entity in existence, was almost set back!

The humiliation enraged Anne to no end. “YU!! YU!!!! You will pay for this! I will make you pay!!”

What was debris from Norende was smashed. What a pile rocks was demolished. And anything standing jn Anne’s way was crushed without effort.

After several hours of release, Anne could finally think properly again.

“It’s useless.” She grumbled. “No matter what dimension or time it is, Yu will perpetually be a danger to Providence’s plans. If Providence’s plans are to go smoothly, then I must eliminate Yu when I can. The nuisance cannot live to bring any further problems.”

With no more time to waste, Anne headed to Guatelatio.

—

“Where did he go?! Someone him!” A knight yelled out order to his men, all of whom were frantically searching through the town’s streets for a wanted murderer. “Be careful! He has hostage with him! Securing the boy’s safety is our top priority!”

From under the shadows of building, Anne cursed under her breath. “Wonderful…” she grumbled.

Denny had run away with Yu, meaning that Yu was still close to his dear brother.

The last time Anne killed Yu in the same situation, his brother became an inconsolable mope who refused to even take up a sword. Anne wasted several years finding another foolish candidate to replace Denny and she had no mind of going through that again.

Between dealing with Yu or Denny, at least the former was faster to deal with.

Anne sighed and returned to ignoring the knights’ loud and annoying exchanges, continuing her search for Denny.

Luckily, with knights making their locations search known to the criminal they were after, it made things easier for Anne. Sure enough, to the opposite direction of the city, she found Denny hiding in the nearby forest with his crying baby brother in arms.

It was time again.

—

“Here, the both of you should be safe.”

Anne led the two boys to cave far off from Guatelatio. None of the knights would find them there since it was close to Eternia’s borders.

Despite everything that had happened, Yu was all Denny stayed concerned about. The first thing he did once they arrived was to make a makeshift bed from his coat for Yu to sleep on.

“Thank you for saving us but…who are you? And why did you help us?”

“You’re quite the skeptic, aren’t you? Well, I suppose proper introductions are in order. My name is Anne. As you can see, I’m a fairy.”

“A fairy? So you always help criminals like us?”

“Oh? Then boy is guilty of something too?”

“…no. Did you help me just for him, then?”

“Hehe~ I helped you both because the both of you because an important destiny awaits you.”

“Destiny? Hah! And what destiny would that be?”

“To end the Zeneolsia line, of course.”

Immediately, Denny sheathed his sword to her throat with murderous intent in his eyes. Anne smiled calmly, unfazed. “Calm down. That’s not what I meant.”

“What could you mean by that other than to kill my brother?”

Anne chuckled. It was really almost cute to see that Denny’s world still revolved around his brother.

“Well, such would be inevitable with yours, but compare that price to erasing the world of every single crime the Zeneolsia family’s corruption. Just imagine, all the death, all the wars, and all destruction caused by the Orthodoxy, gone. Forever.”

“I say you’re delusional. You can’t change what’s already been done.” That was what Denny said, but his from the flicker in his eyes, Anne could see that was interested. She resisted a smile.

“Oh, but you can. Are you aware of Time Magic?”

“Yes. It’s a magic that allows people to manipulate time.”

“Correct. Time is a linear movement that only moves forward. There is, however, a way to travel back through time. Back to the point that started all the chaos.”

For a moment, Denny didn’t move. Then, he finally lower his sword. “How is it possible.”

Anne finally smiled. Then, as in all the previous worlds, Anne told him about the four Crystals, prophesying the events that would come over the next few years.

—

Over the last few weeks, Denny remained skeptical about  During that time, they moved around the country to avoid capture. the little pest grew fond of her.

She was a fairy and Yu was six, a bundle of energy and questions.

Was Titania real? What other creatures besides her existed?

Anne mustered all her inner strength to resist strangling the pest to answer his questions as fairy-like as possible.

Recently though, by Providence’s Grace, the pest has been unusually quiet and tired. It worried Denny but she was glad to finally have some peace.

That morning, Anne woke up stretched out on her bed as she always did. She looked over by the fire pit to see Denny making breakfast. She could see some skewered fish and rabbits, along with some fruits.

“Good morning, Denny. You’re always working hard, aren’t you?”

“Morning, Anne.” Anne didn’t miss the grumpiness he expressed in his tone.

Denny kept a fixated look on his brother, who was still asleep in his coat.

Anne turned over to the pest to shake him awake. “Yu, wake up. It’s morning.”

The small boy only groaned. It wasn’t the reaction she wanted. “Yu, come on.”

Finally, Yu stirred, though, he didn’t get up. “My stomach hurts…”

That statement finally snapped Denny out of his routine and to his side. He rested his hand on his forehead and frowned deeply.

Anne could guess that the little pest must’ve caught something.

“It’s okay, Yu. It’s just a fever. You won’t get better unless you eat.” Denny tried to carry his brother up, but as he did, Yu suddenly yelped and began kicking wildly.

“Put me down! It hurts!” Yu screamed. Denny looked like he was struggling to keep hold on him.

“Yu, calm down! I’m trying-”

Suddenly the little pest turned over puked all over the floor. Anne was able to jump away in time to dodge any splatter, but the scene was definitely a surprise.

So it wasn’t a normal fever?

The pest curled up into a ball, too sick to even fight anymore. Denny, though, looked like he had all of his fight drained out of him.

“Yu? Hey, Yu! Come on, talk to me!” Denny frantically yelled. Save for a few grunts, Yu didn’t answer and only stayed shivering.

“Denny, I don’t he’s going to wake up any time soon.” Anne calmly said, coming closer to check on how Yu was doing.

The pest looked like he was in a lot of pain, but he wasn’t moving much. At least he was still breathing but it was ragged.

“We need a doctor.”

“Ah-right.” Denny did his best to stay calm. He looked rattled but his eyes were firm and determined. “There’s a town nearby. I’m going to head there to find a doctor. Can you stay with him for the time being?”

“Of course. It would be too dangerous to bring the poor thing around in this state.”

“Yeah. Thank you. I’ll try to be back as soon as I can.”

Denny quickly grabbed an extra coat and what money he had left and took off running at the fastest pace she had ever seen.

Anne sighed, tucking the pest back into his coat. She hoped he would be back soon. If Yu died under her watched now, Denny would never listen to her.

Anne heard a weak whisper from beside her. “Anne…where did Denny go?”

Now he woke up.

“Denny went out to find you a doctor. You need to rest until then.”

“D-Denny’s gone?! When is he coming back?! Why isn’t he here?!”

“Calm down, Yu.” Anne firmly said, almost annoyed. “Like I said, Denny will be back soon. You must stay calm until then. You won’t be helping anyone with yelling.”

Somehow, Yu seemed to understand what she saying. Yu turned over in the coat. “Could I have some tea?”

“We don’t have tea, Yu. I’m afraid your brother didn’t pack any leaves.”

“I-It’s okay….I…got some leaves for tea while we were hiking a few days ago. Could you boil it? It’s in my flask.”

“Of course.” Anne sighed. Yu was returning to his more reasonable self, at least.

Anne rummaged through Yu’s sack for his flask. As soon as she opened it, she frowned. “So this is why the pest is so sick.”

Amongst the leaves were the bright blue petals of the Eternian Liarice flower. It looked closely resembled the common Eternian Blue, but there were two differences between them. The Eternian Blue’s petals had a round end while the Eternian Liarice’s had tipped ends. Also, while the Eternian Blue’s petal were edible and often used for tea, the Eternian Liarice was poisonous.

“The foolish child must have mistook it for the other.” Anne sighed.

Thinking about it brought back all the lectures she got from Geist in regards to ‘messing with his stuff.’

It’s very poisonous! Don’t mix it up with the others! Blah, blah…blah.

And then…Anne smiled.

—

“Finally, Denny! You’re here!” Anne ‘worriedly’ said. After eight long hours, Denny finally returned, exhausted and tired, and with a familiar old priest in tow. “Ooh! He’s getting worse. He just had seizure a while ago-”

“What?!” Denny raced up to his brother, who was indeed looking worse than before.

In the time Denny was gone, Yu managed to make a mess of the entire cave. Anne didn’t want to go into what she had to do take care of him.

Somehow, through the horrid stench, Denny still picked up his brother and cradled him close. Yu probably couldn’t notice, though.

“Excuse me, could I have look at him?” The priest came close to examine Yu. Denny apologised quietly before handing his brother over to him. The priest frowned, then took out a blanket in his bag to wrap Yu in. “We’ll take him to my place. He’ll be better there.”

“Are we really going to just carry him back to town in this sorry state?” Anne inquired. The priest was still a bit surprised by her voice, but he still nodded at her casually.

“I brought some horses with us. It’ll be faster that way, though a bit rough.”

“We already discussed in town, Anne. Yu should be fine.” Denny assured, but it seemed like he was directing that more to himself than her.

“Well, if you’re sure. I’ll help gather our things.” Anne said. Denny said his thanks to her. The two of them packed what they needed before leaving.

—

The priest had introduced himself as Nikolai for the 500th time. The four gathered together in his home, and while Anne never really liked the old man, she was glad to be inside a place that had plumbing, lights, and other modern necessities.

Anne enjoyed her first bath in a while and Denny finally cleaned himself up. In the meantime, Nikolai treated Yu, cleaning the boy up while examining all symptoms. After an hour, Nikolai finally gathered the two to his guest room with a diagnosis.

“Acute Intermittent Porphyria?” Denny asked. Nikolai looked grave.

“That’s what all his symptoms point to, but there’s still some things that I need to check on. For now, though, I’ll be giving him some medications to deal with his symptoms but… You should know, if it is AIP, there’s no cure for it.”

Denny was silent. He looked like he was about to break.

Nikolai sat down beside him on the bed to give him his consolations. “I’m sorry. I know this is hard for you, but I need to ask you for some questions. DId your family have a history of this illness?”

Denny shook his head.

“Okay. Did Yu eat something that came into contact with a metal object? Cans and such? Porphyria can occur due to high doses of iron.”

Again, Denny shook his head. “We’ve been living off the land for the last few months. Everything he ate, I did too.”

“I see…” Nikolai nodded once. “One last question, then. Did Yu consume a blue flower of some sort?”

“A blue flower? …no. I-I can’t say he has. Anne?” Denny asked.

Anne shook her head. “I can’t say he has. Sorry.”

“Alright. Thank you both for your time. I’m going to go check up on Yu again. The two of you should get some rest” Nikolai said. He got up from the bed, patting Denny’s shoulder one last time. “He’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

After Nikolai left, Denny remained in his room to reflect on the news.

“He’s right, Denny.” Anne said. “I’m sure Yu will be fine. Whatever happens, we’ll help him.”

Denny managed a tired smile for her. “Thank you, Anne.” he said.

“Of course, Denny.”

~~~

Jean sighed, returning home after a hard day of studying. He was still new to the whole thing of school, which was a huge adjustment since he had been taken in by Nikolai last month. It was during some big incident that shook up his home town of Guatelatio. It even spooked the usually laid-back priest.

Jean remembered little about it, but it was a gruesome incident. A father was murdered and his son was kidnapped in their own home. There were lots of locked doors after that, except Nikolai’s. The man opened his to him and even invited him in. It would be safer for him to stay in his home than on the streets with a murderer loose.

Then Nikolai had to move because of his job.

A new life, routine, and town…the whole thing left Jean exhausted and he couldn’t wait to get home for some good food.

“I’m home.” Jean announced. He never thought that he would be saying that for a time. But no one answered Jean. The boy looked around the living room and something didn’t feel right to him. It was messy, which was not how Nikolai kept their house.

“Nikolai?” Jean reached for his sword, taking care not make a sound on their wooden floor  

“Oh, Jean! You’re back!”

Jean sighed. He could breathe easier. Then he heard a door creak open upstairs.

“Could you come upstairs, Jean?”

“Sure thing!” Jean hollered. He hung his coat and quickly went upstairs to see Nikolai. He was standing worriedly by one of their guest rooms. “So what is it that you need?”

Nikolai opened the door behind him, gesturing for Jean to follow him in. When Jean looked inside, he saw a huddled boy buried in his bed.

“Who is that?”

“His name is Yu. He and his brother and friend will be staying here for some time. Yu is…very sick.” Nikolai said gravely. “I’d like to make some tea for him. Could you watch him for a moment?”

“Uh, yeah. I guess.” Jean shrugged. He wasn’t sure if he was capable of taking care of someone who sick, though.

Nikolai smiled, patted Jean’s head, then quickly went downstairs.

Jean sighed alone, dropping his stuff to the floor to take a seat next to Yu.

He must have been his age and he looked like a mess. Exhausted, weak, and shivering all over. Jean had never seen him before, though. He wondered if Nikolai picked him off the street like him.

Suddenly, Yu slowly opened his eyes at Jean. Jean had a mind to run and get Nikolai but he wasn’t sure if that was the right thing to do.

“Uh, hey. I’m Jean.” He really wasn’t sure why he decided to go to introductions.

“…where’s my brother?”

“Ah,” Jean couldn’t answer that. “Uh, well, I’m not really sure who he is…”

Yu huddled back under the bed with a sobbing whine. Now he could hear him crying under the bed.

Jean panicked. “B-But! Hey, come on! Uh-uh…oh, hey! I have some candy! Want some?”

Yu poked his head out again and nodded his head.

“Alright! Just wait here!” Jean rushed to his bag for the candy. Thankfully, there was a handful left and Jean grabbed all of it. “There’s a bunch of different flavors! Strawberry, grape, and orange!”

Jean handed it all to Yu. Yu was surprised, but the gesture made Yu smile. He picked out one, the grape, and and returned the rest to Jean. “…I-I’m Yu. Thanks.”

“N-No problem!” Jean chuckled. “Just rest, okay? You shouldn’t push yourself.”

Yu giggled again. Jean could hear himself laughing along like an idiot.

~~~

They had been living with Nikolai for over for two months now. The old priest was busy taking care of Yu, treating the boy as best as he could for his condition.

Denny did his best to be a good house guest, taking care of the house and even finding a part-time job to help pay Nikolai back. He was also starting to come around to the idea of creating a resistance against the Orthodoxy. The Orthodoxy doctors charging exorbitant prices for Yu and many others’ medications was a good influence on Denny’ conscience.

Staying with Nikolai also proved to be beneficial. The man knew the Orthodoxy’s dark secrets down to its core. Their exchanges, especially about Gravemark Village, shook Denny especially. The idea of leaving sick people to die must’ve hit him hard.

There was a downside to everything, though, as Anne expected.

Jean.

The flower did wonders to Yu’s mind. Not as bad as Anne could hope for, but it still did the trick. Delirious, confused… Yu even had trouble recognizing his brother at times.

And yet, despite all that, despite the pest making a mess of himself, vomiting and…all, Jean still ended up fond of him. And the two ended up being inseparable from each other. They practically spent day and night with each other, playing what games they could or sharing snacks.

It was a sight that annoyed Anne, not because of how gross it was. At the rate things were going, Yu, and in turn, his brother, would soon be out of her palm.

Thankfully, dealing with Jean was always easy. Now was no different.

“Blegh! You expect me to serve this to Yu? It’s too bitter, Jean.” Anne complained and it really did taste disgusting. “Why can’t you make a good pot of tea like Nikolai?”

“Well, sorry! I’m not good at it, okay!” Jean snapped in annoyance. He looked down at his pot with some shame.

“I really need the tea for Yu and Nikolai’s makes him the happiest! Hmph, I suppose it was too much to expect from a child.” Anne sighed, pushing the last button on Jean’s patience.

Jean looked up at her with determination. “Tch, I can make a tea as good as Nikolai’s! I just need to do it over again!”

Anne highly doubted that. “Right…” She sarcastically said, which drove Jean even harder.

The boy grabbed the pot and emptied it out immediately in the sink, throwing out everything inside. Then Jean got a chair and climbed up to Nikolai’s tea cabinet for a good can of tea leaves and some berries.

Anne furrowed her brow. “What are you doing now?”

“Making tea! This one, I know how to make! It’s really sweet and good!”

“Are you sure about this?” Anne sighed, to which Jean replied to her with a sure, “100 percent!”

“I hope so.” Anne said, twiddling her hands.

—

“Denny, please! It was an accident-”

“I don’t care that it was an accident! Yu almost died thanks to that cup of tea! Why were there Sun Blooms in it anyway?!”

“Denny, it is not Jean’s fault! He didn’t know it would react to one of Yu’s medications!”

Even from upstairs, Anne could hear their screaming match. Denny was undoubtedly furious to learn that Yu’s condition took a turn for the worst thanks to Jean’s tea and Nikolai was busy defending his son’s simple, innocent actions.

Yu was too deep in sleep now to hear their fight, but Anne was sure that Jean could hear it all with the house’s thin walls. Though she was told to remain with Yu, she couldn’t help but go to see how Jean was doing.

As Anne silently approached his room, she noticed that his door was left slightly opened. She peered inside and saw Jean curled up in the corner of his room, covering his ears with his hands while he cried to himself.

Anne giggled giddily at the sight.

Even she didn’t expect it to be this easy.

—

Anne couldn’t believe her stars! It was too good to be true!

A whole year and not once did Jean go to see Yu! In fact, he was avoiding the boy! The idiot felt so responsible for poisoning his friend that he couldn’t even stand being in the same room as him!

Now the little pest was alone and vulnerable and Denny had left him in her care before he left that morning!

Anne couldn’t stop giggling.

Everything was going her way.

—

Anne had to admit, Denny was truly a natural born leader. Even now, he surprised her in ways she couldn’t even see coming. Only two years since he left and the Grantz Empire had already reached a considerable size of several hundreds, or at least that was what Denny guessed in his letter.

Nikolai read it to Anne and Jean with a great deal of disbelief.

“Anyway, with the Empire now stable, I want to bring Yu over to live with me again. The people in the Empire are all…well, a little quirky, I’ll admit, but genuinely warm. I’m sure Yu will enjoy it here. More importantly, I found an excellent doctor named Geist. I want him to see Yu at once. I’m hoping he can find out what’s wrong with him.”

Anne could still hear Jean’s heart breaking by the end of his sentence until Nikolai continued, “I also want you and Jean to come here too, Nikolai. You both have helped me and Yu so much over the last three years. I know it’s difficult but please think about it. I know Yu would miss the both of Yu if you both were to suddenly leave his side.”

The relief in both Nikolai and Jean’s eyes told Anne that they had accepted his invitation.

“In a week’s time, some men will be arriving to take Yu in the morning. If you both wish to join the Empire, then please have all your things packed by then…”

Nikolai continued reading the letter to her and Jean, though Anne had lost all her interest now and was really just letting her mind wander. She already knew what the two boys would do, so any detail that didn’t concern joining the Empire was irrelevant.

Once Nikolai finished, their next discussion became about their packing schedules and when they should have it all done.

—

Nikolai couldn’t stop crying from joy. To hear that his son had been offered a scholarship to the prestigious Magic School of Istantal made him feel over the moon.

“Come on, Nikolai. You’re a grown man! Stop crying already.” Anne scolded but with the best light-hearted smile she could muster.

The rest of the Empire soldiers were all laughing, some telling Nikolai to man up too while others congratulated Jean and wished him luck.

Jean was practically glowing as red as a tomato now. “Come on, you guys! What are you all, kids?!” Jean yelled.

“Oh hey! Someone should tell Yu! He needs to know about this!” a soldier suggest jovially. The happy little party turned silent at his suggestion. Anne could practically feel the tension on her skin. Thankfully, it was cut short when another soldier elbowed the fool.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be telling him.” Anne offered. “He’s going to be proud of you, Jean.”

Jean weakly smiled and nodded his head gratefully to her. Anne smiled back.

Next month, Jean left. No one would see him for four years.

—

“Sir! Sir!” a soldier came barging into the Denny’s office, gasping on his legs with sweat drenching over his safe.

His outburst turned the whole morning meeting silent.

Anne frowned at the sight of him. “How rude! What is so important that you couldn’t even knock, huh?”

It didn’t look like he heard her, though. He was shaking hard all over. “Norende, Sir!” the man finally yelled out.

Denny slowly stood from his chair. “What?”

“Norende! I-It’s gone! A light appeared and then…!” The man was struggling in his words while Denny stayed his tongue. Very slowly, he turned his head over to face Anne. She only gave him a solemn look.

As she had predicted seven years ago, a pillar of light from the sky appeared and destroyed Norende.

Very soon, the four Crystals would soon be swept in darkness and the four elements would fall out of control.

This was the doom Denny prepared for and he wasted no time giving the orders to soldier. “Go gather the men outside! Tell them to ready their themselves!”

“S-Sir-!”

“Stay strong, soldier! Steel yourself and go!” Denny ordered. The stumbling soldier did just that, though still shaking hard.

The coming doom had finally arrived.

“Apologies, Denny, but I need to go.” Anne said. Denny nodded at her. He already understood.

Anne only smiled before vanishing into the air.

—

Oh, hello. I see fire in those eyes!

How do I put it? They’ve a strong sense of duty.

Like, whatever you start, you’ll always see it through, no matter what!

If you’ll permit me, there’s something I’d very much like to show you.

But… First, I just need to hear it from you.

Say that you’ll stay. Till the very end.

“…”

With that done, let’s get you on your way!

—

It took a year, but finally, all four Crystals were cleansed.

With the job of the Crystal Crew done, Anne abandoned Tiz’ body to return to duties with Denny.

There was much to prepare for but she was sure that Denny had already finished. All that was left to do now was to wait.

As Anne left Tiz, she heard a scream. “Tiz?! What’s wrong?! Tiz!!”

~~~

Jean could hardly believe that it had been two years since he became a musketeer. Respected by all for his position and power… No one would suspect him of being a traitor.

Strangely, even though he had spent all that time preparing for next week, Jean felt uneasy.

He found it hard to swallow that someone like Agnes would really rise to become a corrupt dictator, but then again, he had seen stranger things throughout his life. And Anne’s predictions about Norende and the four Crystals were right on…

Still…

Jean took out a pendant on his neck. It was a gift from Nikolai before he left for Istantal, and inside was the only photo he had Yu.

Jean hadn’t seen him in ten years. The photo was the closest thing to a connection he still had to him.

Jean took a deep breath in and stared hard into the bathroom mirror. “If you go through this, you can give him a better life. You can give him a better life. You can give him a better life.”

He repeated that mantra to himself until every doubt he had was numbed.

He needed to to do it. He needed to succeed.

If he did, then they’ll have access to the Orthodoxy’s secrets, including about their forbidden white magic.

***

It was strange to say, but despite his illness, Yu never felt lonely. He had Anne, Denny, and all his other friends in the Empire. The soldiers were always so friendly. Too friendly, actually. Yu wasn’t sure if soldiers should be so nice.

Then there were Denny’s officers. Now he was sure that shouldn’t be so nice. Well, except Minette and Reve since they were close to his age.

They always visited him and even took turns taking care of him and playing with him, no matter how busy they were.

But lately, over the last few weeks, he hasn’t seen much of anyone except Anne, and she’s been busy too.

The whole Empire felt busier to Yu. He wondered what was up but he it was best not to snoop.

If anything, now was the chance he had been waiting for!

People said he was bedridden, but that was really just a suggestion, as Yu liked to think it. He could walk somewhat and he saw no reason to stay in bed all day when it was unhealthy.

It was ten in the morning and everyone was going to be busy with morning duties.

Yu didn’t want to waste the moment!

He quickly took out a soldier’s uniform he had managed to acquire and hide in his closet. Yu changed into it as fast as he could, buttoning up the jacket and making sure that the huge helmet cover a good portion of his face. Once he straightened it out, Yu took a look the mirror to see how it fitted him.

It was big but he didn’t look much different from the others. Yu smirked in the mirror. “Heh! Well, look at that! Man, a change of clothes feels great!”

Once Yu made sure the coast was clear, Yu out stepped into the hall and did what always dreamed of, walking down it by himself!

Yu couldn’t stop grinning to himself. Sneaking around, breaking the rules… It felt great!

“Morning, mate!” a soldier came by and waved.

Yu nearly said hello back, but he quickly stopped himself to just nod and wave. He didn’t want to give his voice away. The soldier didn’t stay any longer and continued on his way.

Ooh! Yu could feel the ecstasy in veins!

Yu continued walking, exploring the Empire for the first time. It took awhile to finally find Agnes’ quarters.

Yu had only started hearing about her recently. Since he heard that she was strong, he could only imagine that she must be a new officer. He didn’t know why he hasn’t met her yet, but as Yu was taught, there was no better time than the present.

“The first hut by the right of the entrance… Oh, here!” Yu was excited. He walked up to her door and knocked politely.

“Hello! May I come in?”

Yu didn’t hear answer. He wasn’t sure what that meant but he didn’t he hear say not to come in. Yu twisted the knob in curiosity and was surprised to see that there was a padlock on it.

A door that lock on the outside. Curious.

Luckily, Yu was prepared! After being caught trying to escape once before, the soldiers thought a simple padlock would keep him in. But through determination, Yu acquired a tumbler lock!

He picked the padlock in no time and entered the room. “Hello. May I enter?”

There was a woman inside, standing by the window. There was tray of untouched food on her table, which he could imagine was her breakfast.

“Um, hello, miss. You haven’t eaten yet?”

“……” Agnes was quiet. Yu got the sense that she was ignoring him, but he supposed he was dressed as a lower ranked soldier.

“Well, please excuse me, Miss Agnes. I hope you have a nice day-”

“If you wish for me to have a nice day, why don’t you let me go then?” Anges snapped. Yu felt his shoulders jump a bit.

“Uh…” Yu wasn’t sure what exactly she was talking about. He could only imagine that she was referring to the strange padlock. Then it him! “Oh, you mean the padlock, yes?”

“What else could I be talking about?”

“That! Well, it’s kind of a thing here in the Empire. Pranking the newcomer is really tradition. If anything, you’re lucky it’s just the padlock! You should’ve seen what happened with Panettone!”

Agnes finally turned around to him with a puzzled look. “What?”

“Yeah! So, uh, don’t take it too hard, you know? Everyone’s happy to have you over here!”

Strangely, though, Agnes looked even more puzzled by his words and approached him. “You…you’re not with the Empire, are you?”

“Huh? We’re all part of the Empire, aren’t we?”

Agnes gasped, and she held her breath with her hands. “Please, you need to help me!! I’m being held prisoner here by the Emperor Oblivion!”

“Wait, who?” Yu had never heard of an Emperor Oblivion in his life! “Who’s Emperor Oblivion? And what do you mean that you’re being held prisoner here?”

“Emperor Oblivion! He’s the leader of the Grantz Empire, isn’t he?” Agnes asked and she looked so panicked.

“No! My brother is leading the Empire. His name’s Denny.”

“Denny?”

Yu was confused. Agnes wasn’t an officer? She was a prisoner? And who the heck is Emperor Oblivion?!

“Oh, wait for a moment, please!” Agnes took out a pendant in her hand and began calling out to it. “Edea! Edea, can you hear me?”

Yu yelped when he heard the pendant actually answer back! “Agnes?! What is it?!”

Yu peeked from Agnes’ shoulders to see what was happening and saw a woman inside the pendant! The woman screamed suddenly. “Agnes, behind you!”

“Shush, Edea! Don’t worry, he’s not with the Empire!”

“Uh, actually-”

“Edea, I’m going to pass you over to him. He’s the brother the Empire’s leader. He probably knows more about the Empire than me. He can help!”

“Um, help with what?” Yu asked, but it didn’t look like the two were listening to him. Edea looked panicked by Agnes’ suggestion.

“No! We need to know that you’re safe!”

“Edea, this is more important! Please go with him!”

“What if he’s one of them, Agnes!?”

“I have a name.” Yu sighed. “My name’s Yu!”

Suddenly, the yelling outside interrupted them.

“Where is he!? Someone find him!”

Yu recognised the voices at once. It was some soldiers, undoubtedly looking for him.

“What’s happening there?! Agnes?!”

Agnes didn’t answer. Instead, she turned to him, pushing the pendant into his hands. “Please! I’m begging you! Take this pendant with you and don’t tell a soul about it! I know what you’re thinking, but please! The Empire is not what you think!”

“Hey, he’s in there!” a soldier yelled.

Yu didn’t what to do. This was not the adventure he expected. He did his best to nod. “I-I will.”

Agnes finally smiled at him.

Soon, the soldiers came in and took Yu away. He saw them lock her door again. Then they locked him into his room, but things were different.

When the soldiers finally left to get Denny, Yu took out the peculiar blue pendant. “Um, Edea was it? Are you there?”

He could hear her sobbing. He wasn’t sure what to do now.

If Agnes was a prisoner, then he had to give the pendant to his brother. Still, something in Yu’s gut didn’t feel right about that.

“Edea, please. My brother could be here any time. You…should stay quiet in case he hears you.”

“Why? Aren’t you part of the Empire?!”

“I am but-oh no! He’s coming! I’m going to put you under my pillow now, okay?”

He saw Edea nod from the pendant. Yu quickly hid the small thing. In the next minute, his brother came in.

***

Yu felt his world crumbling. Minette killed someone! An innocent old man! And all she was doing now was laughing about it!

She killed someone ! His friend! S-She…!!

***

“So the entire city is run by wind?” Yu asked. Magnolia kept the pendant up high to give Yu a good view of Ancheim.

The whole place was so strange and amazing. The technology they used was similar to what they had in the Empire, so he knew a bit on how it worked. Still, to see another city like it…

“Yeah! When Tiz and I first came here, the whole was being run by an old crab named Khamer! He was the grumpiest old man you could ever meet!” Edea said, happily telling Yu stories of her old adventures while Tiz and Arthur laughed behind them. ***

“Arthur! Are you okay?!” Yu asked. Arthur gasped, holding his shoulder. He was bleeding bad but his injury didn’t look fatal.

“What on Earth was that?!” Magnolia raised her head to find Arthur’s shooter. Yu could feel his anxiety medication wearing off.

“Get down Magnolia! Those are Amy’s bullets! She’s a sniper who uses magic imbued bullets!”

“What?!” The four ducked down, avoiding Amy’s bullets.

“L-Listen…Amy has a weakness. You guys need to…”

***

“Hey, guys,” Yu quietly said. He could see his friends worrying from the beyond the pendant with his sudden unease. “Denny knows that there’s a mole in the Empire. He just had all his troops reevaluated today. It’ll only be time before they find me out.”

“What?! You have to get out of there now, Yu!” Magnolia said, though it was easier said than done.

“I can’t! I don’t know how to man the any of the airships here… I-I’ll try to get off when we next land but…”

Yu really doubted that he would even be able to make it that far. Even if he did, he was sure that the Denny would launch a search of the whole area to find him.

Yu had trouble seeing a definite way out. It scared him, wondering what might happen next, but he had no regrets doing the right thing.

“Hey, you guys can still do it without me, right? You can still save Ms. Agnes?” Yu asked.

“Huh? What are you talking about, Yu? We’re going to save Agnes together!” Magnolia tried her best to sound encouraging, but Yu saw the quiver in her lips.

“Please, promise me! We don’t know what will happen to me!”

“Only if you stop talking like that, Yu!” Magnolia was sobbing. Yu felt terrible about it, but he really needed to know that they could do it without him.

“I just need to know! Magnolia, promise me!”

But Magnolia only cried. It was Tiz who answered him with as much determination as he could muster in front of him. “We’ll save her. And if anything does happen, we’ll save you too, all right?”

“Y-Yeah! Don’t worry about it, Yu! You’re our friend! We won’t leave you hanging! Knight’s honor!” Arthur vowed proudly.

“We’ll kick their butts twice as hard are too! So don’t you worry, Yu! Just hang in there!” He saw Edea pound her chest with confidence.

The mood in the air was  beginning to lift.

“I won’t give up if you won’t, Yu. Just stay alive until we come and save.” Magnolia asked, wiping away the last of her tears.

Yu nodded at her. “I will.” he hoped.

—

“I don’t understand this! No soldier or anyone in our higher ranks matches our intel’s description for the mole!” Denny reviewed the reports over one more time. “They don’t have the means, time, or motive…”

“Denny,” Anne called with huff. The fool still hadn’t figured it out. “actually, there is someone who matches the description of our mole.”

“What?! You know who it is? Why haven’t you said anything?”

“Because I know you wouldn’t have liked it without some proof.” Anne said, and then placed down a CD on his desk. “I recorded this by chance. It’s…the mole giving information to Agnes’ rescue team.”

Denny looked confused but without a question more, he took it and hastily played it.

As soon as he did, Denny fell to ground. For the first time in years, Anne saw the man close to tears.

“Denny, what are your orders?” she asked.

***

Nikolai came in today without even a knock. It had been months since Yu last saw him face-to-face, but he noticed that he didn’t knock, which was always a habit for him.

He smiled at him and looked particularly ill.

“Hello, Yu. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?”

“Oh, yeah! It is, Nikolai! Where’ve you been?” Yu held the pendant tightly in his hands.

Nikolai took a seat beside him.

“Are you okay, Nikolai? You look kind of sick.”

“I’m fine, Yu. It’s just…I have a question to ask you.”

With that, Yu knew. He couldn’t explain it, but he just knew that he had been caught. There was no way out for him. “Anything, Nikolai!”

“Yu…” Nikolai smiled harder. He could see a tear in his eye. “Someone in our ranks has been feeding information to the enemy. Is that you?”

Yu felt his heart jump out. It was beating faster than it ever had. “Nikolai…”

Yu placed the pendant on the table next to him. He swore he saw something break inside Nikolai’s eyes the moment he did.

He already knew.

“I’m…really sorry, Nikolai.” Yu smiled his hardest at him too. Without wasting another minute, he immediately took out the stone he had hidden under his pillow and smashed the pendant as hard as he could in front of Nikolai.

…it was done.

It took all of Yu’s strength just to speak again. “…Yeah. I’m the mole. Do whatever you want with me.”

But Nikolai didn’t answer him. His eyes were affixed to the stone pieces scattered on the table. His entire body was shaking and he looked like he was about to cry.

“…Nikolai?” The priest finally snapped out of his daze, “You should get Denny.”

“…why?”

Yu thought he would ask that. It was simple. “It was the right thing to do.”

Nikolai nodded at his answer. “When did you learn about all of this?”

“When Ms. Agnes gave me her pendant. I saw everything…” Yu said quietly. He couldn’t look Nikolai in the eye. “I saw Minette kill someone. I saw Geist almost killing a boy. I saw every atrocity the Empire has committed in the name of ‘peace.’”

Nikolai held his hands. He looked like he shaking even harder.

“Nikolai, how long has the Empire been doing this? Was everything you all told me about…everything a lie?” Yu was honestly scared of what answer he would receive, but he turned to face Nikolai all the same. He needed to know. “Nikolai, tell me. What is really happening? I need to know what the Empire really is. I…need to know how much of my life was a lie.”

Nikolai bowed his head to Yu, still shaking, before standing up. He went to the door and opened it. Behind it, as Yu expected, were soldiers. They were probably there to take him away.

Oddly, they were shaking too. In fact, Yu had never seen them so unhappy.

Yu did his best to keep a smile at them. He knew how much it must’ve hurt them.

He saw the shock on their faces, especially Nikolai’s, when he pushed himself up from his bed to stand up. It hurt a bit. “So, where’re we going today?”

—

When Nikolai returned after ‘apprehending’ Yu, he looked sicker than he had in years. The pest was still smiling behind him, of all things. He still looked quite worried about Nikolai, though, and even helped the old man when he was stumbling.

And yet…every Empire officer in the room was quaking down to their boots. Even the cold Geist and the stoic Cu Chulainn.

Once Yu was before Denny, he respectfully bowed to him.

Denny was close breaking. Anne could see it. “So, Yu. Do you know why you’re here?”

Yu nodded. “Yes. I’m the mole you’re looking for.”

The air in the room shifted. “You don’t deny it?”

“No.” Yu shook his head. “Just pass your sentence down. Whatever it is, I’ll accept it.”

“Even death?” Anne asked.

“What?! That’s too much, Anne!” Jean yelled suddenly. Behind him, Anne heard the rest of them agree.

Minette was hissing something and Ayame was trying to give more reasons as to why they shouldn’t go through with it.

Anne ignored them all. She wanted to see Yu squirm under her.

But Yu wasn’t fazed at all. Instead he nodded, accepting that too. “If you think that’s the best course of action.”

Anne felt herself exploding inside.

Just as the voices suddenly became louder, Denny finally spoke up. “Enough! I will decide what happens to him. Until then, keep him in a holding cell.”

“Wha…Denny, you can’t be serious! He won’t last in that place!” Jean was the first to object again, but this time, Denny shook his head at him and called his soldiers take Yu.

Jean practically lost it then. He was about to charge at the soldiers to defend Yu until Nikolai grabbed him and held him down.

It would have been an amusing sight to Anne to see the whole erupt into utter chaos, but Yu’s calmness irritated her to unend. Despite what was happening, Yu still maintained most of his composure. The only sign of emotion he showed was the trembling in his eyes as he saw Jean off.

~~~

Jean was an utter wreck.

Yu was the traitor?! And now…Denny wanted him dead.

The man announced it to him and the other Empire officers days earlier in secret and the reaction was anything pleasant.

Even though they all knew the truth, they didn’t want him dead!

But Anne defended his decision with her predictions. If Agnes were to return to power, everything would end under a her dictatorial rule, this time backed with the powerful forces of the Eternian Duchy. Lives would lost and the generations following after would be ruined.

Letting Yu lived would risk all of that completely. She forced them to make a choice; Yu or the future.

Only Jean chose Yu.

Now…they were all simply waiting for Yu to die. Once the appointed day came, Yu would be killed.

Jean didn’t want to let it happen but he couldn’t commit treason against his own family either!

He was trapped. He needed to make another choice. Yu or his family?

He couldn’t choose.

Jean kept his eyes down, affixed again on his pendant. He was in such a trance that he hadn’t noticed Nikolai enter the room.

“Jean…”

“Ah, Nikolai!” Jean held his pendant close. “…why are you here?”

Nikolai sat down beside him. He looked dejected. “I could ask you the same thing. You know, Yu has been asking to see you.”

Jean was silent at that. “….Nikolai, what can I do?” he finally asked. “I…I can’t let Yu die.”

Nikolai nodded with a hard swallow. “What have you decided?”

“I can’t decide, Nikolai! I-I can’t!” Jean cried. “What do I do, Nikolai? I don’t know what to do!”

Nikolai held the boy in his arms, comforting him as best as he could. “Jean… no matter what you decide, I’ll support you.”

Jean only cried.

He wanted to save Yu. He wanted to save Yu. He wanted to save Yu.

~~~

Jean had lost all his energy.

He waited miserably by the steps of the Fire Crystal’s temples, wanting to feel a blade through him more than wielding it.

After hours of waiting, Agnes’ rescue team finally shows up to fight him.

Jean stands, walking just a few steps before sheathing his sword. He doesn’t even get into a fighting stance.

Tiz, Edea, and Arthur stared at him with an uncomfortable stare. Magnolia, however, was seething.

Then she shrieked and charged at him.

Jean didn’t fight back. He let the woman grab him and wring his neck on the floor. “Where is he, you bastard! What happened to Yu?!”

Jean didn’t answer. Strangely, the rest of the her friends appeared to drag her off him. She continued screaming at him though, asking for Yu over and over.

Edea came over to him, asking him again where Yu was.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say anything, it was more of that he couldn’t. He just didn’t have the energy.

He felt a hard slap across his face. “What’s wrong with you?! Talk!” Edea yelled.

Jean finally couldn’t take it. “He’s…in our holding cell. In the Empire. Denny sentenced him to death.”

“What?!” Magnolia was screaming. Then she cried, cursing at him.

Arthur finally took her away while Edea and Tiz stayed behind to interrogate him further. Jean didn’t see any point in keeping quiet any longer anyway.

He told them whatever they wanted if it was within his knowledge. When it was about Yu, though, he stayed quiet.

It was all a blur, until he heard Arthur speak up.

“…Cap- Jean.” he said quietly. Jean almost didn’t hear him. “Does Yu mean nothing to you? He talked to us about you a lot, you know? He calls you his friend, but you’re here doing nothing for him. So what is he to you?!”

Jean nearly burst into tears then. Still, the change in his demeanor was more than noticeable to all of them.

After a few minutes of deafening silence, Edea spoke up. “Jean, is Yu really your friend? Listen, we want to save him. Can you help us?”

“The Empire has guards patrolling the place day and night and Yu himself is guarded by four people, day and night. You want me to get him across all of that without getting caught?” Jean made his tone clear that it wasn’t going to work.

“Then lead us to Denny then!” he heard Magnolia yell. She stomped up to him with his odd-looking boots. “If we can defeat Denny, then we can save Yu! Or at least with us, we can get Yu and Agnes out of there!”

That…would actually be a plan. The four were strong and with them, they might be able to save Yu. It was dangerous but he had seen them do more than he ever could imagine. If anyone could pull of a miracle, it might be them.

“Jean, you know that Eternia has the most advanced medical technology in the world, right? If you can help us get Yu out at least, I can have him treated there!”

Jean began to raise his head again at them. Seeing them suddenly gave him hope again.

There and then, Jean made his choice.

—

“Yu…you can still be spared. Please…tell us where Agnes’ rescue team is. Tell us their plans. No one wants to hurt you.” Anne pleaded, but Yu didn’t faze.

“I’m really sorry, Anne… I can’t.” He simply said. “Please…tell everyone that I’m sorry.”

Anne bowed to Yu and left. Yu didn’t see the anger seething in Anne’s eyes.

The fairy wanted to tear him to pieces. Once she knew that she was safe prying eyes, she stamped foot on the ground hard. She cursed Yu again and again to death in her mind. She wanted Yu to die over and over.

Yu accepted his death with a strange calmness. It was so simple and yet it drove a wedge between the entire Empire. While most supported Denny’s decision, no one in liked it. They had lost their energy and even started fighting amongst themselves.

Anne was pulling hair out. There were only two Crystals left to activate…all she needed to do was to wait it out until then. Still…!

As Anne flew by the break room, she saw Jean talking again with Nikolai. He looked strangely better than usual, which worried Anne. Something in her knew that things weren’t right.

“Nikolai, I need to tell you something. I lied about not running into anyone in the Fire Temple today. I ran into Agnes’ rescue team.”

Anne could scream if she wanted! Now Jean was slinking around behind her back?!

“They want to save Yu. So…I need your help. Please…”

Nikolai, the old cretin, nodded immediately at Jean. “Of course. Just tell me what’s going to happen.”

Anne stayed quiet, focusing all her sense to hearing every last detail of the rescue plan.

It was simple. Nikolai would distract everyone with a diversion while Jean would lead the four in. If anyone asked, then Jean would simply say that he had finally caught them. Then depending on what would happen, they would either escape or engage Denny.

Nikolai was concerned, but he agreed nonetheless.

Anne felt rage boil over her head when a plan suddenly went off in her head.

She could use the situation to her advantage.

~~~

Jean couldn’t stop shaking. He was committing treason for the first time…

He and Agnes’ rescue team had agreed to meet up by the temple again. He would be their guide through to the Empire.

Finally, he saw them enter through the entrance. “Finally! You’re here!”

“Yeah. It’s good to see you again, Jean!” Magnolia chimed, which put Jean off a bit.

“You’re in a good mood, Magnolia.”

“Well, oh!” Magnolia tripped over, clumsily dropping her spear. In that instant, Jean felt a sharp jab to stomach.

It was too fast.

A screamed echoed through the temple. Jean held his stomach, trying desperately to stop the bleeding.

“W-Why?!” he gasped.

In Magnolia’s hand was a dagger and around him, everyone was smiling. Tiz, Edea, Arthur…then they…flickered?

“Hehe~”

The four vanished like ghosts. Only then did Jean realize that they were illusions. What he never expected was to see Anne, giggling in front of him with a bloodied sword.

“A-Anne…?” Jean rasped. Anne giggled again.

Then she raised her sword and stabbed him through his leg, impaling him. Jean screamed.

“Very, very naughty, Jean!” The sword dug deeper into his flesh. Jean couldn’t help another scream, telling her to take the thing out. “Did you really think that I would let you meddle in Providence’s plans?”

“Providence?! Who the hell is Providence?!” Jean truly didn’t know who that was, which amused Anne for some reason.

“You don’t need to know who she is.” Anne smirked, twisting her sword inside his leg. Jean felt it moving his bones. “Now, Jean, before you die here, I must thank you for all the help you’ve given me…even though you’ve proven yourself worthless again.”

Anne pulled out the sword with ease. Jean barely managed to keep conscious. “What…? Are you talking about…?”

“Don’t you understand already, you retarded dimwit! Can’t you do anything but wave that sword around?!” She suddenly snapped at him.

This…this was not the same Anne he had grown up with in the Empire.

“Surprised?” Anne chuckled. “Here’s a hint for you then.”

Anne tossed at him a single blue flower from her pocket. Jean stared at it, confused for a moment until he finally recognised it.

The Eternian Liarice.

“It was y-?!” Jean accusation was cut short. He held the side of head and screamed over and over again. Blood wouldn’t stop pouring out.

Anne calmly floated close by and picked Jean’s ear off the ground. “You really need to stop being so careless, Jean.”

She dropped into a box before shutting it.

Then she turned around and smiled at him. Jean saw her sword glint from the Fire Crystal’s light. “Don’t worry, Jean. I’ll make Yu knows about your noble sacrifice for the Empire.”

“Don’t you touch him, you monster!!” Jean roared, using the last of his strength to sheath his sword and stand with it as his support.

Anne laughed at him.

“Me~? You were the one who left him with me for all these years, remember?”

“You-!!” Before Jean could anything more, Anne flew close to engage him.

He was completely outmatched.

~~~

Magnolia gasped, finally having made it to the Fire Temple. They didn’t know what had happened. They were just on their way there when they were suddenly ambushed out of nowhere.

It took too long for them to arrive.

She and Arthur suspected that Jean had double-crossed them, but something about the whole thing stunk for Tiz and Edea. The enemies were rather keen on keeping them away from the Water Temple. Somehow, Magnolia was able to sneak passed all their enemies and made it to the temple.

She was not prepared for the gruesome sight waiting for her inside. It was Jean, sprawled over the floor the was almost stained with his blood. Jean himself was bleeding all over.

His head, his arms, his stomach…

Magnolia saw that Jean was missing his hands… and one of the them was lying next to her.

Trembling, Magnolia went up to Jean. Amazingly, he was still alive, but barely.

Magnolia quickly equipped the Exorcist asterisk and began undoing as much internal damage as possible, casting white magic on him several times when she ran into any mortal wound that she couldn’t undo.

“W…ho…?”

“Jean! Thank goodness you’re awake!! What happened here?!” Magnolia yelled. Jean groaned weakly.

“An…she…”

“Anne?! Who’s Anne, Jean?!”

“…kill…Yu….”

“What?! Jean! Speak more clearly!”

Jean was at a daze. He had lost too much blood and he was in too much pain. “Prov…kill….An…”

Jean stopped talking. The last thing he heard was Magnolia screaming at him.

“JEAN!!!”

—

Anne returned without anyone even noticing that she was gone. She retired to her room, smiling giddily all the while.

It had been a good night.

The next morning, a terrible news shattered everyone in the Empire to their core.

Jean was dead.

Scouts had searched the Fire Temple and found the mess she had left for them to find. They found no body, but they questioned witnesses from that night and they all saw only Agnes’s rescue team go in and out of the temple.

Naturally, all blame fell to them.

While many in the Empire were outraged over the news, the soft ones like Nikolai retired to their rooms, mostly likely to cry their eyes out.

Anne ignored most of them, instead racing to Yu to give him the news.

“Yu!! It’s terrible! Oh, it’s-!!”

“A-Anne…? W-Why are you crying? What happened?” Yu asked. Anne wiped away her tears.

“Jean’s dead! They killed him in the Water Temple! Agnes’ rescue team murdered him!!”

Yu froze on the spot. She saw him pale, then collapse on the floor. “W…what?”

“I’m sorry, Yu…”

Yu shook his head. “No! I don’t believe you!! H-He can’t be dead, Anne! Whoever said that must’ve been mistaken!!”

Yu was quivering uncontrollably all over. Tears were beginning to run from his eyes. Anne gave him an apologetic bow. Only then, did Yu cry.

“It’s my fault!! This is my fault!!” Yu sobbed. Anne held him, comforting him.

“It’s not, Yu. The fault lies with the people who killed him. We’ll avenge Jean, I promise.”

Yu’s crying grew quieter as he continued.

—

The Empire had become a depressing place since Jean died but at least everyone had stopped fighting with each other.

The last of the four Crystals, the Water Crystal, had finally been activated last month. After almost a year of effort, Anne was finally close to finishing her mission in this current world. Once they arrived to the Pillar of Light, Anne would jump to the next world to begin the process again.

Anne could almost hum a tune to herself, but she did have an image to keep.

However, there was some things that still concerned Anne, the first of which was that Yu was still alive. His spineless brother decided to spare him after Jean’s death since he didn’t want any more bloodshed. He even returned him back to his room, though he was to remain there under ‘house arrest.’

If that wasn’t enough, she also hadn’t seen any activity from the pesky heroes or the Orthodoxy since then either.

She just knew that they must have been planning something, but she had no idea what. So she stayed on her toes, keeping an eye out for anything of the ordinary.

Then, just days before they were to arrive to the Pillar of Light, an airship was spotted following them.

A soldier burst into Denny’s office with the news. Whatsmore, the airship bore the symbol of Eternia. “It’s them again.” Anne said.

Denny readied his sword, ordering the soldier to gather their troops.

“Anne, please bring Agnes and Yu to the throne room.” Denny requested. “Once I leave this timeline… Please look after Yu.”

Anne bowed. “Of course.”

She raced to Agnes’ quarters, ordering the soldiers assigned to take her away. Anne then went to personally get Yu, as per Denny’s orders.

***

The airship was small, most likely so that it would be easy to maneuver at the Empire. Yu said nothing, despite seeing Eternia’s insignia on it. He was mostly confused, wondering why they had waited so long just to act now.

Then it passed by his window. Yu continued to watch silently until he saw a door on the ship’s side suddenly open and a person jumping out into another large window a floor below.

Though they were far away and it was only for an instance, Yu recognised who it was.

“Jean! JEAN!!!”

But no one heard him. The airship and Empire’s rotors and engines were just too loud. Without wasting time, Yu ran to find someone. Anyone!

Then he saw Anne hurrying on the corridor. “Yu? What are you doing out?” She asked as loud as she could. Yu was relieved. “Anne! I’m so glad I’ve run into you! I saw the airship!”

“Yes. It seems that the Orthodoxy is finally making its move. Denny has ordered me to take you back to the throne room while he goes to engage them.”

“What?! He’s going to fight them?!”

This wasn’t good. “Listen, Anne! We need to go stop him! Jean’s alive and he’s with them!”

“WHAT!!?” Anne suddenly exploded. It was enough to make Yu jump right out of skin because he had never that tone from her before. “Are you certain?!”

“Y-Yes! I saw him jump aboard!”

“He’s here? Do you know where he is?” Anne asked. Yu shook his head.

“I’m sorry. He could be anywhere by now but that’s why we need to tell Denny! You said he was going to engage them, right? So does that mean he’s outside?”

Yu tried to leave to find Denny, but Anne stopped him again. “Wait! If you’re right, Jean must be working for the Orthodoxy now! You need to go back to the throne room! I’ll warn Denny about Jean!”

“No! I’ve know Jean, Anne! And I know Edea, Arthur, and Tiz! I’m sure we can talk things out.”

“But don’t you remember what happened at the Fire Temple, Yu?” Anne warned. Yu didn’t care.

“I don’t believe that’s what happened. Otherwise, why would Jean be with them now?”

“Yu-”

“Anne, I know it’s dangerous.” Yu finally said. He did his best to give Anne an assuring smile. “But I’m sick of everyone fighting! I’m sure once Denny knows that Jean’s alive, he’ll be open to talk! I want to try, Anne!”

Anne looked shocked. Yu could imagine…this was the first time he had ever spoken up against her. Anne shook her head again. “Yu. You can’t.”

“I can and I will.” Yu answered. “Just trust me!”

With that, Anne lowered head. She mumbled something Yu was beginning to feel a little guilty, but this was something he needed to do. “I’m sorry, Anne. I promise, everything will work out!”

“I know. You’re really such a stubborn…naive brat, aren’t you?”

“H-Huh?”

Did Yu hear her right?

Anne raised her head again, but something in her expression didn’t look right. She suddenly floated closer and Yu found himself backing away from her. His senses were beginning to scream all over his body and legs. “A-Anne…? What are you doing?”

The fairy gave him a smile that sent a chill down his spine. Then her eyes glinted with a strange shine. “You will go to the throne room right now.”

Yu instantly felt something seize his entire body. Against every fibre in his body, he did as Anne told him. He began walking to the throne room, stopping occasionally as tried to desperately to fight whatever was controlling.

He could hear Anne sigh behind him. “You never listen do you? You always have to do the right thing.”

Yu heard nothing but contempt in her voice, and yet, Anne kept smiling. It wasn’t happy one. It looked like she was seething.

“Well, let’s fix that, shall we? Yu…have ever killed someone before?”

—

In the end, even after years of taking care the stupid, ungrateful brat, he still rebelled against her! Anne had enough, not when she was so close to succeeding!

So what that Jean was alive? So what if Denny was going to find out?

In an hour, they would arrive to the Pillar of Light and she would be done with this world permanently.

Anne ordered Yu inside the room where Agnes and the soldiers were waiting for them. She quickly ordered the soldiers out, though she made sure to request a sword from one of them. Though he was confused, he handed it over and left.

“Here.” Anne handed the sword to Yu, making sure to give him another smile so he knew what was happening.

“Why did you bring us here?” Agnes asked. Anne bowed her head to her.

“Denny’s orders.” She simply said. “He’ll explain it to you once he returns.”

She could see Agnes’ frustration and worry with her answer. She turned angrily at her, eying back at the unmoving Yu as if requesting for his help.

Anne smirked.

~~~

Jean weaved through the Empire’s securities as fast as he could. He managed to interrogate soldiers when he could and discovered where Anne had hidden herself. He needed to reach her before they arrived to the Pillar and eliminate her right then.

It took awhile, but he managed to arrive at the throne room.

He couldn’t stop shaking in front of the door.

Jean couldn’t lie to himself. He was scared of Anne. Last time they met, the small fairy utterly destroyed him and left him for dead.

Even now, it still surprised him that he lived. If it wasn’t the four, he might have died…and he would’ve been left handicapped.

Jean clenched his metal hands. He was really, truly lucky to be given such excellent prosthetics. Being able to use it now, though, took pain and determination.

Five long months of rehabilitation…

Doubts about his skills still lingered, but he needed to stay focused. After all, his entire world and worlds over depended on him.

Jean took one last breathe. He walked into the room, determined to end this vicious cycle once and for all.

He wanted to yell out Anne’s name to challenge the fairy, but then he saw Yu, carrying a sword in hand. It was the worst possible sight for him.

“Ooh, you’re here already, Jean?” Anne chimed. Behind her was Agnes, held at sword point. “I thought you might come here first.”

Jean darted his between Yu and Anne. He couldn’t understand why Yu was there or why wasn’t moving! His expression and demeanor was too unnatural. Anne chuckled.

“Confused, Jean?”

“What did you do him?!” Jean yelled. If she hurt him…!

Anne scoffed. “Kill him, Yu.”

And just like that, Yu rushed towards him, swing a sword he had over Jean. He quickly blocked it. “Yu?! What’re you doing?!”

“Yu!?” Agnes couldn’t believe what she was seeing and neither could Jean. He was on their side, wasn’t he?!

Jean couldn’t fight Yu. He was stuck to blocking all of Yu’s weak but relentless attacks. He did his best to stay calm and find an opening. Finally, he found one when Yu made another over attack on him again. Jean grabbed Yu’s hand and wrenched the sword out from his hand.

“Snap out of it, Yu!” Jean tossed the sword aside before slapping Yu, hoping to get some reaction but Yu barely even did. Yu’s expression remained as still as before.

Yu’s hands stretched around his neck and squeezed hard. Jean choked.

“Please! You don’t think he can actually hear you?” Anne laughed.

Agnes couldn’t stand the scene any longer. She tried to jump the fairy, but she was quickly blown aside with a simple incantation.

“Hmph! You dare try to lay a finger on me?”

Jean snapped out of shock and confusion at Agnes’ scream. Jean caught Anne’s sword in the air and blood beginning to stain the floors. Jean uttered a small apology.

He kneed Yu in the stomach, immediately to knocking Yu unconscious and to ground. Jean whipped his sword, making a quick feint on Anne to drive her aside. Though she tried to move towards Agnes, Jean made another feint to put some more distance between her and Agnes. Right now though, Agnes wasn’t looking well. She was gasping, holding the the large wound on her chest. Her white dress had been completely stained red.

“Just hold on, Agnes! Tiz and the others will be coming soon! You just-”

Then, at the worst possible time, a burning blue light penetrated the windows. It was too much for Jean.

Anne suddenly laughed. “Finally! The Pillar of Light!” She rejoiced.

Jean felt a force knock him aside. He heard Agnes scream along with him, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw her across the room. Anne was floating towards her. “Now, Agnes, your services are no longer needed.

“NO!!” Jean yelled. Jean got up as fast as he could to charge for Anne, but he was too far away. He wouldn’t reach in her time.

“Aero!”

A gust of wind flew from behind Jean and struck Anne. Though it did little to the fairy other than surprise her, it did buy Jean enough time to reach her and land a real blow. “Falcon Claw!”

His blade tore right through Anne’s face, sending the fairy back with a scream. Jean pushed on, striking Anne three more times in quick succession. When she retaliated, he Defaulted, taking the hit before he countered.

Now, Anne was completely open to another attack and Jean refused to waste this moment. “Bravely second!” he yelled.

At that instant, the world stopped. All color vanished and everything around Jean turned into black and white.

He readied his sword. “Bolt Sprite!”

It was a deadly hit. Jean struck hard, pouring every ounce of his strength into his sword.

Once time began to move again, a horrific scream erupted from Anne’s throat.

The high and mighty fairy held her face as she screamed from the pain.

Jean gasped. As fas he saw it, no person should even be standing with mortal wounds he had inflicted, and yet, Anne was breathing.

“You!” Anne suddenly turned Jean with the face he could only describe as wild animal’s. “YOU…!!”

Jean didn’t even know what happened. He raised sword to defend himself, but before he knew it, Anne twisted around and a tornado of some sort formed within the room and blasted Jean over and over.

As Jean tried to reach for an elixir to heal himself, Anne appeared in front of him, having close the distance between them in a blink.

Though Jean was once one of the strongest in the Empire, the wounds Anne inflicted on him permanently damaged him in ways no one deserved… Perhaps, it was too ambitious to hope for Anne’s defeat with only five months of extra training under his belt.

Jean writhed on the ground, feeling the blood leaking out of his wounds. Anne’s breathing was heavy.

“You’re like a cockroach! You just won’t die, will you?! You good for nothing piece of trash!” Anne kicked him again swiftly, forcing Jean on his back while he gasped. “Well…you know what I heard about cockroaches? Apparently, they can live even without a head. Let see if it’s true, Jean.”

Jean saw Anne raise her sword.

His eyes turned to the door.

Any time now…

“Now,”

…they were going to storm in any time now…

“goodbye, Jean.”

Jean shut his eyes. He expected to feel a blade. He expected wake up to darkness. He expected never to wake up again.

But instead, he heard Anne yelp.

Jean slowly opened his again to see a shocked Anne. The fairy, very quietly, turned away from him.

—

“…of course.” Anne stared back at Yu with tired eyes. The boy wasn’t even scared, glaring at her with nothing but determination.

Even when she invoked her most powerful spell to force his submission, he refused.

The bruise on her back now made it very clear now, as it should have worlds ago.

“You…are always going to defy us, aren’t you?” Anne whispered, floating closer to Yu. “No matter whose side you choose, no matter what sort of upbringing you had, no what challenges lie ahead…you will still continue to defy us.”

Anne weaved her sword through the air and through Yu’s body. Yu fell to the ground, but he did not scream, even when she had just butchered his legs. Instead, he continued to glare at her, denying her the satisfaction of his screams.

Anne felt an eye twitch.

She grabbed Yu’s hair and forced him up to look closer at her.

His eyes were the same.

Unyielding.

Unflinching.

Determined.

Defiant.

She threw him down.

After an aching second of silence, Anne crouched down to Yu’s, wanting to meet his defiance face-to-face now.

She inspected his eyes some more, as if she was fishing for answers in an ocean of questions.

Why wouldn’t he yield?

Why wouldn’t he follow her?

Why wouldn’t cower away?

Why wouldn’t he fear her?

No matter how deeply she searched, she couldn’t find her answer.

She was infuriated.

On a sudden whim, Anne sheathed a hidden dagger from dress and immediately plunged it into Yu’s eye.

Finally she had her scream. She couldn’t help but laugh estatically.

She pulled it out and plunged again into his other eye.

She continued to laugh.

Finally, the eyes that plagued her were gone.

Suddenly, the doors were thrown open.

Anne looked up to see the four heroes, Denny, and Nikolai, all together now and all with an expression of horror on their faces.

Her time was up.

Against being of her fibre, she darted away and to the Pillar of Light.

She turned back once last time to see Yu.

***

As Yu lied on the ground, fighting the pain in his head, he heard a voice. It wasn’t when a person talked to him, more he felt words being beamed into his mind, and Yu read it clearly.

“I’ll be back, and when I do, I’ll kill you.”

He saw Anne appearing to him, smiling away like nothing was.

“You’re wrong.” Yu managed to say back. He needed her to know… “If you ever come back, I’ll kill you.”

That was the last time Yu saw Anne, and the last time he saw anything.

***

“….u…ple…ake up…”

Yu stirred.

“Yu….?! Yu!!”

Yu groaned, feeling a bit irritated now. He waved his arms out a bit because he wasn’t really in the mood for a morning wake-up call.

Then he felt memories flood back. He jolted up in a panic. “Where’s Anne?! Where did she go?!”

“Yu, calm down!”

He felt something warm wrap around him. The world was still dark to Yu and he almost thought that it was night time until he remembered what Anne did to him. The world wasn’t dark, it was just him.

I’ll be back, and when I do, I’ll kill you.

Yu shuddered.

“Yu? Yu?!”

“Oh, uh, sorry!” Yu soon recognised the person’s voice. He was relieved and finally hugged back. “Ugh! Did you have to wake me up early, Jean?”

“…it’s four in the afternoon, Yu.” Jean noted. Yu felt a little embarrassed now.

“Really? Sorry…”

He felt a strange, cold object pat his head. Yu couldn’t help but wonder what it was because the way it poked his head hurt. Yu instinctively held the metal object. He felt it for a moment and soon realised that it was in the shape of a hand. Soon, it withdrew.

“Are you okay?” Jean asked him. Yu decided to move his body around to make sure everything was okay, but he found himself surprised.

“I can’t feel my legs.”

Anne slashing his legs came back at him. He had an idea about what had happened.

For a moment, he thought he heard him say he was sorry. “Yu, your legs are…  Anne cut deep into the nerves of your legs, Yu. The doctors say you won’t be able to stand again.”

Yu took it in. He wasn’t surprised that Anne damaged him that badly. What he was more surprised about was that he lived altogether. Yu decided to stay positive for the moment, maybe figure out a way around being paralyzed to keep his promise to Anne if ever she decided to keep hers.

“What about Agnes and the Empire? What happened to everyone in the Empire?”

He heard a Jean laugh softly, which Yu wasn’t sure about being good or bad. “Agnes is fine. You won’t believe, but she got out of this whole thing better than you and me. As for Empire…well, considering everything we worked for turned out to be a lie, everyone split up.”

Yu listened quietly to Jean. “I don’t know where Geist and Reve went after, but he did leave some medication for you to take for when you woke up. Ayame and Cu took off for Ancheim and said something about redeeming their honour. Amy and Panettone left for Florem. They….really wanted to get as far away from all this as possible. Nikolai and Minette are still around, though.”

“They are?” Yu asked.

“But Minette’s in hiding. She…” Jean grew quiet. Yu had a guess already as to what he was going to say.

“She killed someone, right? She’s a wanted criminal.”

He heard Jean gasp, and then felt something hard squeeze his hand. “Yeah… Nikolai is keeping watch on her when he can.”

“…why are you both Nikolai not in hiding?”

“Agnes pardoned us. Could you believe it?” Jean chuckled. Yu could because he had asked Agnes’ rescue team if such a merciful could be granted to them many times. They said that it would be left to Agnes, but they would tell her everything Yu told them about the traitors, that they were only trying to take care of him like they always had been.

“And Denny?” Yu finally asked. He was a bit scared to.

“Denny…disappeared. I don’t know where he went.” Jean answered. Yu nodded, accepting Jean’s answer. “I’m sorry, Yu.”

“Don’t worry, Jean. I’m sure Denny will turn up again! He always does.”

“Heh.” Jean sighed. “Oh hey, let me go get everyone for you, okay? They all need to know you’re awake, especially Magnolia. She’s been worried sick about you, you know?”

Yu heard the screech of the chair across the floor and footsteps growing farther. He knew that Jean was leaving again. “Jean,” Yu called, saying it in slight rush. “I…I am really glad you’re alive.”

The footsteps stopped briefly. Then he heard the door creak open. Yu heard another apology from Jean.

He gripped his sheets.

He needed to warn them about Anne, and they needed to prepare for her.

He needed to be stronger.

~~~

Jean wanted wretch something in his hands.

For eleven years, he worked hard to give Yu a better life. To that end, he made the mistake of following the orders of that monster.

Now the world was in shambles, war was riddled through countries, and Yu was left a cripple and a blind. And all of it was his fault.

He made his decision to spread chaos, and backfired beyond what his own mind could fathom.

Remembering it all made Jean choke.

The real reason why he and Nikolai weren’t in cells yet was because Agnes needed as much arms available as possible in case Anne would ever return. Of course, it was kept under the rug. As far as the world knew, they were all in cells.

Jean tugged the cap he kept on his head.

It still surprised him at what a simple haircut could do.

Once Jean arrived to the hospital’s telephone booth, he quickly dialed numbers to contact Agnes to tell her the good news. Once they arrived, Jean would leave to get Nikolai.

It was Tiz who answered, and he heard him yell it over the phone. He could hear Agnes and Magnolia rejoice in the background. They promised to come soon and see how he was. Agnes thanked Jean for the news, to which he replied, “It was nothing.”

It really wasn’t.

Jean wanted to do more. Jean wanted to give more.

He just wasn’t strong enough yet.

Jean hung up, uttering another apology for Yu. For everyone. For so many things.

Anne needed to die by his hands, if it was the last thing he could ever do.

—

Guatelatio was in chaos again. A wealthy man had been murdered and his killer alone was on the loose.

Anne knew that she would have to meet with the killer eventually for his destiny, but there was something that demanded her attention first.

While most of the knights were out searching, she flew silently to the house of the murder and went up to a window on the second floor. As she thought, inside was a little boy, still sleeping and unaware of the events unfolding outside.

Anne smiled, and floated inside, pushing the windows with ease.

The little thing should have really kept it locked.

And now, there he was, sleeping in front of her casually without a worry in the world.

Anne’s smile widened to a grin and she raised her sword.