A lot of questions filled Pharda’s mind as he unrolled his mat and his camping supplies were unpacked. The same could have been said for anyone in the party, even Fade.
Andomiel stepped inside the tent and sat on his mat, a thoughtful expression in his eye as he set his things in order.
“What is it?” Pharda asked the question with slight anxiety.
“Hmph…so why’d he keep it from us…that’s what I’d like to know. And you seemed to be hiding that fact from us too…”
“Eh…,” Pharda didn’t want to answer those questions.
“Well, it’s just as well, I mean, even if we did know what this is all about, that wouldn’t change anything, would it?”
“Er….,”
“Heh, you look pale, Pharda, you alright?”
“Um, I--,”
“Don’t worry about it so much, if it’s a secret that needs to be kept in the dark, whatever…”
“Phew…”
Opposite the men’s tent, the girls were having an interesting a conversation of their own.
“So what exactly did you say to Pharda, Rose?” Tempest questioned, lately she’d seemed rather on edge and very short tempered.
“What?” Rose was stymied, she hadn’t expected such a question, least of all from Tempest.
“Well, you stayed behind with Pharda when we left, so I assumed you spoke with him, what did you say…?”
“Leave her alone, Tempest,” Urd interrupted, “you’re prying too much in something she and Pharda promised not to talk about. And I’m not about to pry either.”
“…No, Urd, it’s alright…” Rose said, “I merely asked Pharda if it was worth it to keep the…secret we have…,”
“As much as it hurts me to know Pharda’s keeping a secret with you, I hope it is worth it, for your sake, Rose.” Urd said, slightly hurt by the way Rose said it.
“I’m sorry…that’s not what I meant at all…it wasn’t my decision to keep this secret, believe me, nor was it Pharda’s.”
“Let me guess, it was all Strife’s doing, wasn’t it?” Tempest stated with contempt.
She, of course, didn’t need an answer to that question. But before anyone could speak further on the subject, the enigma arrived. The mysterious ninja that had formerly stolen their shard, teased them with cryptic riddles, and had nearly gotten them killed.
“……” Fade didn’t bother to look in either of their directions, merely taking off her mask, curling up disdainfully and going to sleep.
(“I don’t trust her…,”) Tempest whispered, (“How could Strife even decide that she would join us?”)
(“I don’t know, but Strife has done a lot of stuff without consulting us…”) Urd replied.
(“Maybe you should talk to Pharda about this tomorrow, Rose, you’ve been talking with him lately, maybe he knows…”) Tempest said mockingly.
Rose should’ve known Tempest would think her conversations were a relationship in the works with Pharda…, “Not funny, Tempest, but I see your point. Goodnight.”
Relatively the night was rather quiet and uneventful, but Fenris couldn’t sleep for some reason, so he got up and walked over to the edge of the canyon to stargaze.
“So…,” said a voice behind him, “You couldn’t sleep, Fenris?”
Fenris turned to find the sagely Nanaki had found his way here.
“No, for some reason I couldn’t…I felt…memories here, something important happened in my family here…I can feel it…”
“You’re right you know…two lovers met at this exact same cliff, exchanged a kiss, hoping for a better future…and then…who knows?”
“How…did you know…”
“Because I was there one hundred years ago…we tribesmen do not age like normal humans….twenty years is like one year to us….”
“Who were they?” Fenris asked, “The lovers, I mean?”
“They were Beowulf Kadmus and Reis Dragonhearth…former Zodiac Braves themselves.”
“…Dragonhearth…?” Fenris paused, “But that name is found only in the dragon tribes…how could a human woman…?”
“Who said she was ever human? She was a Dragon Knight in every sense of the word…one of the last of her kind…she merely hid her form to her lover…it was her choice.”
“Did they…have children?”
“Who knows…but I know this: your life would not be possible had their kind not have…”
“I…see…” Fenris looked down, staring at his clawed hands and feet…and his wings…”
“You look so sad, young brave, I know you have a big heart for others…but please, make room in that heart for your own self respect…” the wise old lion spoke sincerely.
“I’ve been made fun of for so long because I look like this…and my friends here…they never once complained about how I look…saying I was hideous…they were scared of me at first, but when they got to know me…this is like…my first family.”
“No, not the first….” Nanaki paused, Fenris knew what that meant, the reasoning behind his being a Brave, his skill with a spear…almost subconscious, and the memories he sensed.
“The first I truly ever got to know…” Fenris corrected himself, “…all my past is cryptic, and very hard for me to understand…”
“You’ll understand it eventually, young one, for now though…savor these feelings of memories…and your legacy…this is what will hold you up in the days to come…”
“Legacy…days to come…?”
“Don’t think on it so much…enjoy it…and ponder what it means to you…”
The thoughts that intruded into Fenris’ mind made him feel somewhat confused as to how it was that a man and a dragon woman could create such a pact of love with one another.
That selfsame love was what created him.
A red sun rose to greet the Braves as they awoke the next morning, and the rhythmic drums that had become a deep hum resounded in the day.
Pharda, Andomiel, and Fenris made their way to the camp’s kitchen area for food, as did Urd and Tempest.
Rose and Fade stayed behind for a few moments.
“…..” Fade merely regarded Rose in silence as she once again donned her concealing mask.
“I know…you don’t talk much, but if you could please listen to me…?”
Fade nodded.
“I know about…Strife…who he really is. Or rather, what happened to him…like you. He…told me about Sephiroth…about how Sephiroth was your master.”
“It doesn’t matter…” Fade scarcely breathed, “Strife is my master now. I shall serve him.”
“All I’m asking is that you trust me and Pharda…”
“I do not trust…I only obey my master…” Fade walked away without looking back.
“That is trust, whether you understand it or not, Fade.” Rose replied to herself. “I know what trust is. I’ve been betrayed before.” Rose covered her mouth as she realized her thoughts had given her something she never expected.
A memory. Something she thought she would never find again.
Taken aback, she raced to Nanaki in hopes of getting some answer.
Breakfast was very different from what Pharda was used to in a meal. The standard food they had been going on since the day they left Tempest’s house had been the staple potatoes and fish.
Even Andomiel liked it, and he was the stingiest person in the group.
After the meal, the old sage lion Nanaki arrived, Rose at his side having a look of grim determination on her face.
“Hello Andomiel, Fenris, Pharda…you boys are about to partake in special training.”
“Special training? What about Strife, Urd, Tempest or Fade?”
“Let Urd and Fade rest, Strife has nothing to do with this one, this is all my idea. Besides, he has to have a talk with Tempest.”
At the word ‘talk’ Pharda and Rose winced.
“Why just us guys and Rose?”
“Because I need the strength of three men…” Rose paused, “to reclaim my skill as a summoner…”
“A SUMMONER??? What???” All three said in shock.
“We shall be training in the cave of the Gi…” Nanaki said, “And I will be accompanying you there.”
“…I heard from Strife that dark spirits lurk there…,” Andomiel replied with a chill.
“Lost your nerve, young Paladin.” Nanaki challenged.
“Of course not!” he spat back.
“Then come! I won’t let anything hurt Rose, and you best not either!”
“A summoner,” Rose thought to herself as they climbed down the crevasse near the entrance to the cave. “I can’t believe it! I went to ask Nanaki about a memory I had and he responded by telling me that I’m a summoner!”
“That is the only reason you cannot remember your past, is that the Aeon you have in your heart has lain dormant there for years.” He had said. “It seems as though it is resonating throughout your being…that’s why you’re catching ‘glimpses’ of your memory here…and the only explanation is that the Aeon is resonating with something in the cave of the Gi…”
Although Nanaki hadn’t followed them down the rope they had climbed…he leapt and bound his way to the bottom. After seeing all the amazed faces from seeing such an old creature move so sinuously, he replied, “I am old…but not that old…”
Fenris could hardly suppress a smirk at the comment made, this was going to be an interesting trip.
Meanwhile, back at the surface, Urd was sleeping soundly in the tent, unaware of the events going on around her…
“Me…a princess…you’ve got to be kidding…I-I’m just a commoner…no…below a commoner…I’m a thief.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, if the queen says you’re her sister, who’s to say you’re not?”
“I’d be…lying to myself…”
“Are you? Or do you just not know the truth?”
Urd woke up with a start, it seemed the tent was empty and it was late in the morning…she had overslept.
“…Nightmare…?” she thought aloud, and subconsciously rubbed the signet ring Garnet her so-called twin sister had given her.
“Well, no point in thinking about it know, I wonder what the others are doing…?”
Elsewhere on a long stretch of grassy knoll, Tempest knelt on the soft earth, tracing the sensation around with her fingers, thoughts awash in the past.
A cold, harsh voice spoke behind her, “A person who remains in the past, will never gain hold of the future.”
Turning around in anger, she wanted to yell at the source of the voice, but found it not to belong to the owner she had longed to speak with.
“Y-you’re not Strife…!”
Fade nodded, her black garb a stark contrast to the colorful green and red of the hills and rocky canyon.
“Fade, what are you doing here…?” Tempest asked.
“I came to train…” Fade drew her katana, the lengthy Masamune.
“You sure there isn’t any other reason?”
“…..”
“Hmph, fine, I’ll train with you…” Tempest smirked and drew her Ultima blade which gleamed a bright purple in the morning sunlight.
“Are you sure…?”
“Let’s see how good you really are, ninja!!”
“Hyah!” Fade flipped expertly in the air, Masamune dancing among her hands, as she attempted to hit Tempest with the backside of the blade coming back down.
Klang! The large Ultima sword blocked the oncoming blow with ease, and Tempest was no worse for the wear. No strain in her swings…the immense blade was a light thing to her.
Tempest used the weight of the sword to her advantage and brought the katana down to the ground, easily limiting Fade’s attacks, but Fade was prepared with a swift back flip kick to Tempest’s stomach, followed up by a clean hit across the side of Tempest’s face with the flat of the katana…
“That stung! You little…!”
“Fight me, sting back!!” Fade urged.
The two female warriors danced in the grassy field, legendary sword clashing against legendary sword, neither weapon being succeeded or giving quarter. Fade used her agile reflexes by outrunning the weight of the immense Ultima weapon, while Tempest utilized the size of Ultima for a defensive tool.
“Hurgh, kyah!” Tempest screamed as the blade clashed squarely with the Masamune, which although smaller in comparison and faster, was still just as sturdy. But pulling something unexpected, Tempest toppled Fade to the ground with a foot sweep, then pinning Fade with the Ultima’s weight.
“Do you concede?” Tempest asked in ferocity.
“…Yes…” Fade responded, albeit begrudgingly.
“Excellent match, you two certainly make it look easy!”
“Strife?” Tempest turned to the tall crimson clad swordsman who had a casual gleam in his eye.
“Master…” Fade bowed neatly.
Surprised by such an action, Tempest raised her eyebrow.
“I once defeated her master in combat, she wished to test herself against me, but was bested...and still seems to be bested by the likes of you, but it was a match well met.” Strife explained, “Fade, one day you will beat me, let alone any of my students, I anticipate it.”
“Yes, master.” Fade left in a hurry.
“What was that all about, why does she call you ‘Master’?”
“Her logic is very simple; be the victor or be beaten, but she has yet to learn that the way of the warrior involves the heart...that is why she lost to you.”
“Oh really, I thought it was all the training you gave me.” Tempest smiled, surprised at Strife’s friendliness towards her. Strife actually chuckled at this point, something she did not expect.
“That too, that’s why she stole the shard in the first place, she wanted to test the Braves, and then she tested me, she has lost twice, and in doing so, has now become a Zodiac Brave, and seeks to become my student.”
“I…still can’t believe you were once one of the originals…Cloud Strife, was it?”
“A name I’ve tried hard to forget about, it doesn’t suit me anymore.” Strife knelt down on the grass like he had all those years before, the wind tousling his spiked hair . “This place...Sephiroth and I once fought here in this very field...not as allies, more like begrudgioned enemies, but we fought with fists...not swords.”
Tempest smirked, “So who won? You?”
“No, neither one of us did, it was more like a contract fight, we agreed to become allies, if only for a time, but that time grew into a close bond of friendship I’ll never forget.” Strife closed his steel blue eyes, filled with memories.
Strife turned to Tempest in a look of apology, “Tempest, I...”
“What is it? What’s bothering you?” she said, neither hoping nor dreading for any words.
“No matter what happens, what you find out about me, whether you hear it from me or someone else...should something bad happen concerning me...”
Dread seemed to fill the air as Strife attempted words that meant so much to him but could not be spoken, “Do...not...ever close your heart to anyone, Tempest, it is something...I could not bear.”
Tempest looked at him in concern and confusion, a man who seemed to not care about anything but battle, training, and the quest at hand, now had a look of concern that reminded her so much of her fath—
“No….I won’t…not ever.” Tempest said with near tears, but they never came. She smiled, “I won’t close my heart, even to you Strife, as much as I don’t know about you, or will ever find out. That part I can wait for…”
“Thank you...”
“He’s probably talking to her about now…I wonder how the conversation’s going?” Andomiel commented aloud as the group rolled back the massive stone that held the Gi Cave in check.
“Frankly, I feel sorry for Strife, I mean, considering how much Tempest has yelled at him, and with him being a Brave and all…”
“What could you possibly mean by that comment!?” Rose elbowed him in the ribs.
“Urgh, I mean, I feel sorry for Tempest…” he falsely amended.
“Well, enough of that, that’s not why we’re here, is it Rose?” Pharda looked intensely at her.
“Whatever happens, I’m ready…I think.” A slight tremor in her voice now.
“Do not worry, we’ll be with you the whole time.” Nanaki encouraged. “The back of the cave contains something that may help you get your memory and your powers back.”
“How exactly did I lose them?” Rose asked as they scaled back another stone wall, bats scrawling away.
“When I was younger, we called the Aeons ‘Guardian Forces’ or ‘Eidolons’ and some of the peoples would call them ‘Espers’ depending on who you talked to, but one thing was constant…” Nanaki explained. “They were a source of magic, a power still not fully understood since the dawn of civilization. You did not technically ‘lose’ the Aeon, it merely hid itself in you. And because of that, your memories are being blocked off.”
“Is that what they call a ‘Junctioning’?” Andomiel asked.
“Somewhat, the ability to draw out the attributes of the Aeon without actually summoning its full power is the true nature of a Junctioning, that may explain Rose’s affinity towards casting magic.” Nanaki said, somewhat distracted. He was searching for a switch to open the door to the cave. “Here it is…” he pressed his paw on a hidden crevasse and the door rumbled open.
The cave spanned out into a maze of stalactites and stone walls, a slight heat emanating further ahead, denoting that lava flowed deep in the cave.
“You sure you’re ready, Rose?” Pharda asked.
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Then let’s go.” Nanaki encouraged.
The trek through the cave was particularly slow at first due to the massive cave walls that blocked their path, but one swift chop from Andomiel and his Holy Sword, Legend, made the walk much easier. As they reached a dark area of the cave, a innumerous pack of strange raggedy creatures flew up to them uttering a shrill scream.
“What are those!?” Pharda asked as he drew his Murasame.
“Gi Wraiths, they are another form of death, we have to defeat them before they curse us.” Nanaki warned.
“Easier done than said! Haiyah!” Pharda rushed an oncoming wraith with his blade slashing it in half.
“Flames take these foes down to hell, Firaga!” Rose chanted, and to punctuate her point, a number of wraiths burst in flames.
“Sorry but I have no time to be messing around.” Andomiel said sarcastically as he took down two wraiths in one swipe.
“Barbequed wraiths on a stick.” Fenris charged toward a group of half-burned wraiths, skewering them on his spear.
“I do not take a liking to being cursed,” Nanaki howled, “Comets of my rage descend upon my foes! Cosmo Memory!!” A rain of what could only be described as ‘comets’ burned up what was left of the wraiths.
When the rocky cavern was clear of enemies, the group strode deeper into the cave, shoving aside ancient cobwebs from spiders who had abandoned them millennia past.
“You should be more respectful of others’ homes, Andomiel.” Nanaki commented as Andomiel slashed through another cobweb.
“Home? This sticky stuff was abandoned years ago.” He said with a smile, “I doubt the thing would be mad if I tore it up.”
Just as he said this, a massive web line spun around his middle, trapping his arms.
“Eh?”
“Er, BIG spider, up overhead!!” Pharda pointed.
“Ah…help!” was Andomiel’s response.
The large creature had obviously been in hiding there for several hundred years, and was ravenous for flesh as it snapped its mandibles and began to descend.
“Guys! I can’t move!” Andomiel screamed.
“Don’t worry Andy! We’ll get you out of that spider’s web! Just hold on!” even as Pharda said this, the spider was drawing Andomiel ever closer to its crushing jaws via the line he was attached to.
“Wait! Pharda, we let Rose handle this!” Nanaki ordered.
“What! Are you crazy? We have to cut him down from there!”
“I’m serious, Pharda, let Rose use her power this time!”
“Why me, Nanaki?” Rose asked in shock.
“Yeah, why her!?”
“Isn’t that why we’re down here!?” Nanaki snapped.
“I understand!” Rose said, and set about to cast a spell she never thought she was able…a summon.
“C’mon guys, getting a little worried here!!” Andomiel pleaded.
“Please, Great Aeon of my heart, I summon thee to aid in this time of need.”
Rose finished her prayer, then silently looking at Nanaki for an answer.
“Don’t be impatient, he’ll come…”
Like a thunderbolt striking from the heavens, the creature that Rose summoned dove, snapping Andomiel’s binding, setting him on the ground, and slashing the monstrous spider in half all in one swift swoop. The movement was so quick that the Aeon was gone before any except Nanaki, Rose, and Andomiel could barely see it.
Andomiel was shaken, but standing, “W-what happened?”
“Yeah, what did happen?” Pharda scratched his head.
“Only a sample of Rose’s potential was shown here, if she continues to focus, she will surely bring out the full power of her Aeon.”
“My…Aeon?” Rose had a wistful look in her eyes.
Pharda smiled, and clapped a hand on Rose’s shoulder, snapping her from her reverie, “Well, whatever it is, I can’t wait to see it! That thing is fast!”
“It can fly too!” Fenris said with a smirk. “Faster than me!” and he was quite adept at flying.
“We aren’t finished here yet, braves…” Nanaki reminded them, “We have yet to reach the back of the cave.”
As the group walked through the winding tunnels that turned into shale path walkways on lava, they started to show concern for Rose, who was seeming to turn pale and having dizzy spells.
“Ungh!” She stumbled into Fenris’ arms, as he neatly caught her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It’s the resonance…” Nanaki said, “Two beings of immense power are being drawn together here, and the effect is causing her to be weakened.”
“Is she gonna be alright?” Fenris said.
“The weakness will only remain as long as she holds the Aeon within her. The moment she summons it, she’ll be back to normal.”
“That’ll be hard, considering how weak she’s getting.” Andomiel commented.
“That’s why you three are here, to protect her from the dark forces in this cave.”
Pharda looked down at Rose, who seemed to have a tense expression on her face, although she had fallen into a slight slumber in Fenris’ arms.
“Is she in pain?” Pharda asked.
“To my knowledge, no, it is more of a sort of ‘bad dream’ she is experiencing, a constipation of all her memories building pressure in her subconscious. To be precise, the Aeon is blocking the flow of her memories and it is causing psychic pain. That’s why its very important that she summon her Aeon here.”
“What if she’s too weak to summon?” Fenris asked, a look of concern.
“She’ll get strength when the time comes.”
“Ungh….I’m not out of it…yet…guys…” Rose mumbled, half awake.
“Good, but preserve your strength, trust me, you’ll need it.” Nanaki encouraged.
The weaving stone paths that were charred black by age old smoke and ash winded and twisted around the hot areas of the cavern, making the party step cautiously.
The back of the cave, when they finally reached it, was dark and dank, odd shapes in the wall giving the perception that a massive demon gave a face to the cave.
“Err…creepy.” Fenris said.
“Here, braves, is your first true test! The dark warrior Gi Nattak!!” Nanaki announced.
“What?!” Pharda drew his sword, “Not again?!”
“I’m not letting another monster get the best of me!” Andomiel’s eyes flashed in with the light of his sword.
“I’ll make sure Rose is safe, you guys attack whatever comes our way!” Fenris gripped Rose in his arms, ready to defend her in a moments notice.
The three braves stood in a defiant ready stance in the dark silence, waiting for the enemy to strike. A large rumbling noise sound of a demon groaning signaled the beginning of the battle.
“Here it comes!” Pharda gritted his teeth, Murasame at the ready.
The features of the cave seemed to twist in place, and the visage of the demon at the back of the cave began to move, its maw contorting in odd shapes as it pulled itself off the wall.
What appeared looked like an ancient Aztecan specter surrounded by ethereal flares. Its eyes glowed white hot as its rage began to seethe out of it.
“Bring it on!” Pharda grinned, and charged into the fray.
The being started to summon up walls of fire that kept Pharda from attacking, but he simply shielded his face with his arm and slashed at the firewall.
“It’s no good, Pharda, that wall’s not going to come down, let me try an attack from a distance.” Andomiel yelled, raising his sword. The being sensed what he was about to do, and tossed flame in his direction.
“I don’t think so!” Andomiel batted the fireballs back at the creature, which seemingly had no effect. He raised his sword again, “Blade of my honor, blade of my skill, show this enemy thy will…Energy Eruption!”
A wave of black and white energy blasted from his Holy Sword, hitting the demon squarely in the chest, but barely effecting it.
“Wha--?” Andomiel was in disbelief, “That was my new attack!!”
“Andomiel watch out!” Pharda rammed Andomiel out of the way as a pillar of fire caught him up and slammed him down with such force that even his voice sounded scorched.
“P-protect…Rose…,”
“No! Pharda!” Fenris screamed.
“Rrrraaaaaggghhh!!” Andomiel screamed in an unknown rage, hacking through the flames and slashing at the being directly.
As Andomiel clashed against the Gi Nattak’s wall of energy, Rose began to stir in Fenris’ arms.
“…go…help him…I can…stand…”
“I can’t, you’d be totally defenseless…”
“No, I’ll be here…” Nanaki encouraged, “remember, this is a test for you four, perhaps the strongest of the braves…”
“Strongest!?” that statement hit Fenris like a ton of bricks.
“Don’t think about it! Help Andomiel!” Rose pushed him away. “I need to summon….Griever….” her eyes closed in concentration.
“Gyah!” Fenris swooped in to assist Andomiel while Rose began to chant.
“Heart of a Lion, soul of a Griever, lend your ears unto me…” Rose began to fight wave upon wave of exhaustion, but her concentration would not be moved.
“Guardian Force of my heart, appear unto me, Lionheart, Aeon of Grieving come nigh to me.”
As she finished her last word, a white orb of light seemed to emanate from within her heart, it felt warm to the touch, and comforting to her soul. The noise of battle seemed to cease, the battle a slow motion movie now.
The words “Welcome Home,” seemed to pass through Rose’s ears, which made her smile as memory and lost emotion came flooding back to her.
“…I…,” her pupils dilated at the shock of the memories passing through her mind.
In a flash of brilliant light, the creature known as Griever appeared before her, knelt, and placed a paw on her forehead.
“We are Griever, we shall protect you and your friends.”
It spread its massive silver wings, feathers floating everywhere like a mystical snow, and flew towards the being known as Gi Nattak.
“Groarrrrrr…” The Aeon roared with an untapped strength and grasped the thing in a massive ball of energy. Leaving a completely exhausted, yet stunned Fenris and Andomiel sitting on the ground.
“My Lord….” Andomiel was awestruck.
The creature crossed its arms and chanted two words, “Shockwave Pulsar!”
In yet another blinding flash of light, the creature known as Gi Nattak, was gone.
Rose smiled and lip synched the words ‘thank you’ as she saw her friends rise up from the debris about them, then blacked out and collapsed.
“Rose!” Andomiel ran up to her and clutched her in his arms, “Thank you, Rose…” he said, and smiled.
“*Cough* *cough* Did she…? Did she do it?” Pharda called on the ground as Fenris picked him up and slung him over his shoulder.
“Yes…yes she did, Pharda,” Nanaki smiled.
Andomiel carried Rose, and Fenris carried Pharda further back into the cave so that Nanaki could ‘show them’ something.
“Father…it’s been a while.” Nanaki proudly said.
High above on a cavern cliff stood the proud statue of the great warrior Seto, Nanaki’s father, pierced by stone arrows, yet unmoving.
“The heart of a lion…the soul of a griever…,” Nanaki thought aloud, “I didn’t think he was the one who was resonating with Griever…”
“That’s…not all…” Rose began to come to.
“What is it, Rose?” Andomiel clutched her in his arms, reassuring himself she was safe there.
“My…memories…came back, I remember them now…”
“What do you mean, Rose?” Nanaki asked.
“My mother, she met my father here…in this Canyon cavern.” She smiled, “My mother….was part of this tribe…the tribe of Seto…”
“Amazing…” Nanaki marveled. “So your memories resonated here too…”
“Yes, but, I’m tired…” Rose faded off to sleep.
“Sleep, my Saving Grace…” Andomiel smiled.
“Since when did you get to be such a poet?” Fenris smirked, giving him a cheap shot.
“Oh be quiet! She's sleeping!”
“Sleep shmeep, at least you don’t have to carry snoring boy here…”
Nanaki chuckled all the way back up to the surface.
