30 The Queen's Journey, The Final Par

As the black blade loomed above her, Theresa only barely heard a shrill cry beside her.

"Get down!"

It was as if all of her years in battle took control of her body away from her, forcing her to duck on instinct. She rolled to the right, hearing a disappointed hiss coming from her left. A few backsteps and she was a fair distance away from the yargoth that had nearly claimed her.

But as much as she wanted to focus on it, she couldn't stop herself from turning around, if only to make sure that what she thought she had seen was in fact, real. And, sadly, it was. Just ahead of Jin, Floren, the Queen and Goran, Olyneces had fallen to the bird-like yargoth. The monster had thrust its beak into Olyneces' body.

One of the two Saviors present, had fallen and Eliara wasn't able to heal him and neither was Theresa. Such an attack was surely fatal, regardless of who had been the one to suffer it.

Goran, who had just watched Olyneces fall, stood petrified. Theresa had known he was arrogant, but the look he was giving was as though he thought failure was impossible and had just been proven wrong.

Theresa didn't notice the dragon-like yargoth moving behind him. She wanted to yell, but before she could even open her mouth, the dragon yargoth raised its humanoid hands and brought them down on Goran. Was he dead? Probably not, but being unconscious was just the same right now.

Still watching it, in the grass, Theresa saw the same yargoth aim its eyes at the queen. A red circle appeared above it and to his credit, Jin immediately went to secure the queen. Just as a red beam appeared, threatening to destroy her, Jin tackled her to the side, pushing her out of harms way.

Floren, however, who was standing just to the side of the queen, was not so lucky. Theresa heard Decena gasp, as the red beam found his body. The sheer power of the attack, split Floren's body in two. Decena's cries were the only thing Theresa could hear, as she watched both halves of his lifeless body fall into the grass.

Decena ran out, completely ignoring the Elven-like yargoth, aiming her sword at the bird-like beast. The Elven monster, it seemed, took this as an insult, as it flew towards her, black blade in full view. Theresa shook her head and applied a small magical boost to her body. Running with all her strength, she just barely managed to get close enough to fire off a [White Fireball] that threw the determined monster off.

Decena, however, didn't stop, it appeared she didn't even register the threat behind her, as she lunged for the bird-like beast. The yargoth flapped one of it's large wings in Decena's direction, but the redhead, with an energy Theresa was surprised to see still remained, jumped over the blast and brought her blade down.

But, just as she was about to make contact, the dragon-like yargoth extended one of its wolf legs and kicked Decena right out of the air. Theresa saw this, but before she could run over to help, she was forced back as her sword clashed with the Elven yargoth's black blade.

She stood a few paces away from it, breathing heavily. She narrowed her eyes, trying to look at Decena who was behind the monster.

The two yargoth smelled another kill and so they flew towards the redhead with murderous intent. However, one exceptionally placed [Fireball] halted the bird-like yargoth. Cautious, hearing its brethren scream, the dragon-like one stopped as well.

It was Jin that had cast the spell, far away from the small group. As Theresa began facing the Elven monster, the two yargoth flew towards the intruder, only for the queen to stand between them. Jin yelled in confusion, but the queen successfully managed to defend herself as her blade came into contact with the bird-like's beak.

The dragon-like one raised it's head and if it's appearance was to be believed as a sign, it began to charge fire breath. Only, two scaled arms wrapped themselves around its neck. Ker'Tallen had jumped onto its back. The snakeman struggled, but the dragon-like yargoth shook him off easily.

Surprisingly though, the bird-like beast retreated. As Jin, Decena, the queen and Ker'Tallen all aimed their blades at the dragon-like one, it chose to follow its kin. The two of them backed away, a detail Theresa noticed as she narrowly dodged one attack after another from the Elven yargoth.

The Enlisted noticed her struggle and again, all four swords turned towards the Elven monster. It growled, flying into the air and joining the other two yargoth.

Both sides stood opposite to each other at the battlefield, as a freezing wind swept between them; The Enlisted on the left and the three yargoth on the right. Theresa smirked. The numbers gave the false sense that they somehow had an advantage, a statement that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Looking to her side, Theresa analysed them. Jin was sweating like he'd spent all day running, liquid beads floating above bruises and cuts. The queen, fortunately, seemed to be the best off, as she had barely suffered any injuries. It meant they were doing their job well. Ker'Tallen and Decena however, couldn't share that sentiment. They were both covered in injuries, ranging from meek to serious. Ker'Tallen specifically looked like he was holding his left arm up through willpower alone.

Theresa, for the first time in years, cursed her limitations. She couldn't remember the last time her magic wasn't enough.

"They're laughing at us." Jin noted. Theresa brought her eyebrows together, seeing how in the distance, the Elven yargoth was grinning at them. The other two had far more beast-like heads, but if they had a more humanoid appearance, they'd probably be smiling as well.

"Fucking bastards." Decena hissed.

"Well, I must say, I appreciate everything you have done for me." The queen said. "But, I believe your mission will be coming to a close soon."

"What?" Ker'Tallen said, his voice raspy. "Of course not. We can beat them. I know we can."

"Heh, that's the spirit." The queen chuckled. "Theresa."

"Y-Yes?" Theresa responded, knocked out of whatever train of thought she had been in.

"Is my daughter safe?"

"I..." She remembered what she had seen. The girl lying on her face, a puddle of blood around her and Mariana. She made full eye contact with the queen. "Yes. Yes she is."

The queen smiled.

"I'm glad." The queen nearly whispered.

"Come on, people." Decena said. "This ain't over yet." Theresa saw how her gaze flickered from the yargoth, to Olyneces and to Floren. "This ain't over yet." She repeated.

"... You're right." Theresa replied. "You're right." She said again, before almost bursting into laughter. The Enlisted looked at her strangely. "Hahaha, damn, what a lousy teacher I've been, letting you all get mopey like this. Any teacher that forgets her own lessons isn't apt for the job."

Focus. She said to herself. Focus. She breathed deep and her expression turned stern.

Jin's POV

The brown-haired boy gaped at the change Theresa had displayed. She went from looking just as shell-shocked as the rest of them, to being that same confident, elven woman he'd seen at the village.

"Here's what we'll do." She started. "Decena, that Elven one is too much for you. You're both around the same strength level, but it moves with a precision you can't match. Avoid it." She turned her attention to Jin, Ker'Tallen and the Queen. "You three though, Cerena, my apologies for throwing you into danger, but your duellist skill should be above its own. Your strength and speed are a liability, but that's where Jin and Ker'Tallen come in. They'll distract it whenever you need a break."

"Got it." The queen replied. "Thank you, Theresa." The elven woman nodded.

"Decena, I saw something in the dragon one's eyes when you attacked the bird. It dove in for a reason. Think about it, if it thought the bird-like one could take you, it would have stood aside. That one must be their weak link. If so, you should be able to take it one-on-one."

"But how are we gonna get the dragon one to let me fight the bird?"

"That's my job." Theresa smiled. "I don't know how powerful it is, but I should be able to keep myself safe."

"And if you can't?" Decena asked urgently.

"If I can't, then hopefully, you'll have finished the other two by then and the third should be of little consequence." Her smile didn't waver.

The plan was laid out, but no one moved. Not the Enlisted, or the yargoth. For a moment, it felt like any other day. The sun had begun its descent, signalling the evening's arrival. Birds flew above them and the trees in the distance swung back and forth, dancing to the motions of the chilling wind. Floren and Olyneces' dead bodies remained motionless, while Goran was still unconscious.

Jin stared at the Elven one. And, for a moment, he felt like the yargoth was staring back, grinning at him.

"Done?" The yargoth asked. "I hope you understand how pointless your planning was. If you don't, you will now."

It lunged forth, aiming for the Enlisted as a whole. Behind it, the dragon-like one opened its mouth, a hint of flame rising from its throat and the bird-like one, true to it's appearance, began to fly, going high into the air.

The group as a whole tried to defend themselves from the Elven one, but it almost teleported behind them.

Raising it's black blade, Jin saw it aiming at the queen. None of them could get close enough in time and for a second, Jin wondered whether their plan had truly failed this quickly. Only, the queen spun in place and although she wasn't strong enough to take the full force of the blow, she gracefully parried the strike.

Yes! Jin nearly yelled, running at them. Ker'Tallen followed and somewhat subtly, the four of them had separated themselves from the rest. Jin couldn't see what was happening behind them, he would have to trust that Decena and Theresa could defend themselves.

Approaching the Elven yargoth, it's eyes raised in alarm as it flew backwards in an attempt to put some distance between them. The queen didn't let it.

Cerena charged towards it, her thin blade raised in defiance.

"You challenge me, worm!?" The yargoth yelled, as it ferally brought the black blade up and slammed it down on the queen. Though she wasn't faster than it, she managed to sidestep the attack just in time, before trying to stab the yargoth in the gut.

To her surprise, it hardened its body before she could do anything. Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets and the yargoth grinned before spinning into a slice. However, Jin raised his own sword up and blocked the attack. The force sent him back and he swore he could feel a bone in his hand fracture, but his deflection gave Cerena the time to retreat.

"What kind of defence is that?" The queen muttered, as Ker'Tallen ran in and tried to tackle the yargoth. The yargoth, amused with the challenge, threw its blade away and laced his fingers in between Ker'Tallen's in a show of strength, as they both started pushing against each other.

"These things," Jin started as Ker'Tallen quickly began losing the power battle, "they can harden part of their bodies at will."

"How can we beat them then?" The queen asked, desperation covering her voice.

"For one, they can't do it permanently, as far as I've seen, they have to stop at some point. Second, they can't cover their whole bodies."

"That one can!" Jin heard Decena yell in the distance. She was almost playing a game of cat and mouse with the bird yargoth, as it launched spells at her from above.

"Well, shit." Jin corrected himself. "I guess that one can."

"But, they can't do it forever." The queen pointed out.

"Yeah, but all they need is a second to defend themselves."

"Help!" Ker'Tallen cried in front of them as he was thrown back by the Elven monster.

"Shit!" Jin ran after them, but the queen beat him to it. Just as the yargoth raised its right hand, maybe about to rip into the snakeman's body by force, the queen arrived, slicing at its arm. It hardened the area just before Cerena could connect.

Jin arrived a second later, clumsily trying to swipe at its torso with his blade. Again, it hardened its body and pushed him off.

"Haha! Pathetic!" The yargoth celebrated, casually going to pick its blade up.

The three of them stepped back.

"We can't get through its defences!" Ker'Tallen said.

"We just have to keep cracking at 'em!" Cerena said.

No. That thing's reflexes are too good. And, if it can harden its entire body, a pincer attack wouldn't work. Jin thought. What can we do!?

Cerena raised her sword, charging again. The yargoth stood in place, ready to meet her head-on. They traded blows and although Cerena was clearly inferior in terms of strength and speed, through sheer technique alone, she managed to keep herself alive.

From behind, Ker'Tallen yelled before going for an attack on its thigh.

"Haven't learned your lesson!?" The yargoth asked, hardening its thigh and kicking Ker'Tallen back. Wait, there! Jin thought. He saw the snakeman cough up blood, before the yargoth spun back and managed to land a slash across Cerena's off-arm.

"Agh!" The queen cried. Shit.

Jin ran out, defending the queen just before the yargoth could finish her off.

The two of them stood in front of the yargoth, with Ker'Tallen picking himself up behind it.

"We have to change our plan, if we keep fighting this way, we can't win." Cerena said.

"No, no, no, I saw it, I saw it!" Jin pointed out.

"Saw what?"

"Saw how we can win this!" Cerena gave Jin a strange look, before they both heard a voice in front of them.

"Ha, I am beginning to tire of this game." The yargoth said. "Now, end this."

Suddenly, three red orbs appeared above it. Jin instantly recognized the spell.

"Run!" He pushed the queen into action. As he predicted, from the orbs emerged red beams, tracing a straight line towards them.

They just narrowly managed to avoid each blast, but Jin could feel the earth tremor every time a beam hit it.

He ducked to the side, just before he heard the yargoth cry out.

"Ah!? Persistent insect!" Ker'Tallen had tackled it.

"W-What the..." Cerena said, reeling from the attack.

"Queen, queen." Jin rasped out as the yargoth threw Ker'Tallen away. "Listen. That yargoth, it can harden its entire body, but whenever it's caught by surprise, it hardens just one part. Probably on instinct."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, if all three of us attack at the same time and it sees us, it'll harden its entire body. But, if two of us manage to catch it by surprise, independent from each other, it won't harden around all of our hits. You see!?" Jin asked, pulling the queen up. "It's doable! It's totally doable!"

"You... You're right. Although it has the ability to, it hasn't hardened it's entire body even once."

"So, that's the plan." Jin said. "But, how are we gonna catch it by surprise twice?"

"... I'll fight it again." The queen said.

"... You're joking. The last time, you were lucky it didn't take your arm off."

"If you know another way, I'd be glad to hear it." Cerena challenged him, but Jin could find no answer. As he was about to raise his sword, he looked to his right and saw his bow lying on the floor. Wait. He thought. This... This is even better.

"You're right." Jin admitted, with the yargoth still focused on Ker'Tallen, he went to take his bow from the ground. "Good luck."

"Thank you." The queen nodded, smiling. "Charlotte protect me." She whispered. "AAAAH!"

The yargoth's head snapped in her direction. It smiled when it saw her approaching. Disregarding the red orbs, it raised it's black sword at her.

The fight started, another display of grace against strength. Ker'Tallen, almost forgetting that the yargoth was stronger, would seek any opportunity he could to try to land a blow on it, but the yargoth was doing a masterful job of holding them both back.

All the while, Jin waited. The moment he had seen the bow, lying on the floor, he thought of something. It was one of those moments where a person could envision an outcome so clearly, they saw it in their minds. He nocked an arrow, aiming it at the yargoth's head.

He breathed. Focus. He thought. He'd have one chance at this and he wasn't about to waste it.

The queen parried, slashed and stepped back. Her thin sword danced elegantly around the monster's brutal slams. The yargoth though, proving its physical superiority, waited until it had a chance to push her down. Ker'Tallen tried to step in, but a backhand left fist knocked him out, finally putting him out of the fight.

The yargoth stared down at the queen, who was looking up in sheer terror. Jin watched, feeling an icy nervousness creep up his neck. Not yet.

The queen reached for her sword and the yargoth stepped on it, shaking its head and grinning. Not yet.

It raised its black blade, its grin deepening and a single tear fell out of the queen's right eye. Now.

A lone arrow flew through the air, aimed straight at the back of its head. Jin saw how its eyes widened and at the last second, it hardened its head and turned in the arrow's direction. It bounced off its skull and the yargoth hissed at Jin, who was staring back defiantly.

Jin was hoping he had done well. Hoping he accurately predicted what would follow his failure. And he was right.

Just then, a thin sword emerged from the yargoth's chest.

It didn't even cry out, that shocked at what it was seeing. Instinctively, its entire body hardened, but the blade was already inside.

That was when it screeched.

It was a deafening, high pitched cry that stopped everyone on the battlefield. The queen slid her blade off its body, which remained hardened. The yargoth took several steps forwards and fell on its knees. Its eyes were locked on the hole in its chest, as red, lava-like blood flowed out of the wound.

The yargoth's red eyes stopped glowing and just like that, it was over.

Jin and the queen made eye contact. She smiled at him. He smiled back and they both started laughing.

It wasn't until they heard a clash behind them that they realized there were still two yargoth to be dealt with.

That was, up until Decena jumped into the air and brought the bird-like yargoth down. It hardened its body, so she couldn't stab it, but that wasn't what she had in mind.

She grabbed it by the beak and wrapped her legs around it. The yargoth shook, not being able to open its mouth with Decena's arms around it. It tried flapping its wings to get her off, but she stayed put. In a disturbing sight, Decena twisted, using her arms to spin the yargoth's beak and thus, its head. Able to harden its exterior, but not its interior, the yargoth's neck broke. Its red eyes stopped glowing and similarly, it died.

There was one more to go. Theresa was battling the dragon yargoth, the both of them seemingly evenly matched. However, the yargoth took its eyes off the elf and watched the bird-like yargoth die. It looked over at Jin, seeing where the Elven yargoth lied, dead as well.

"Impressive." It spoke, in a voice almost too deep. "Most impressive." It said again and as Theresa was about to continue her attacks, it flew up into the air.

Decena yelled in frustration, but no one could stop it as it retreated.

The battlefield turned silent. Jin breathed heavily, surveying everything around them.

It was over. They had won.

Just as Jin was about to speak, a golden haze appeared.

He wondered if he had gone crazy, but judging by everyone else's reaction, he was seeing correctly. Golden horses with manes of fire emerged. And, shortly after that, people started to come out as well.

They looked like elves, but not like them at the same time. They looked somewhat taller and with sharper facial features. As if that weren't enough, demons dressed the same way, only with blue skin and dim red eyes walked in with them.

They walked through the battlefield, searching for something, ignoring the shocked stares from those around them.

They ignored everyone, except Decena.

"Hm, you again?" One of the elves smiled at the knight.

"Yes, that's her." A female voice said from behind. Jin saw a woman, dressed the same way, with a proud smile aimed at Decena. She looked familiar, but Jin couldn't quite place her.

"Hera?" He heard a voice whisper. He turned to see the queen, with multiple tears streaming down her eyes at the sight.

Jin remembered. Hera. The Savior that died at the Midland Bridge.

"You have done well, Decena." Hera ignored the queen, focusing purely on the redhead. "Eyes greater than mine are watching you."

"I don't think her divinity would want you to speak so much." A glowing elf said.

"My apologies." Hera said, following some of them to their destination. Olyneces.

They surrounded the dead Savior, lifting him up and walking back to the golden haze. One by one, they each returned from where they had emerged.

All except for one elf, who turned around. He scanned each of the faces in front of him, until his eyes fell on Jin. Jin couldn't quite read his expression, was it shock? Curiosity? Awe? But there was something in the way the elf looked at Jin that made him uncomfortable.

Almost too quick to register, they were gone. Again, silence encompassed the battlefield.

"We won." Decena whispered, as if she hadn't seen all of those entities emerge. "We won. WE FUCKING WON!"

She stood and raised one arm in the sky, laughing like a madman before falling on her back.

"Careful, I'm not ready to heal you yet." Theresa chuckled, before whispering. "We actually won."

"Where is Eliara?" The queen asked. "I wish to see my child."

Jin didn't miss the look of abject horror on Theresa's face as she pointed a shaky finger at the caravan, which had somehow remained intact during all of this.

The queen, as if she hadn't just fought for several hours, ran over to it. She hastily opened the side door, looking inside.

Jin followed and saw the same sight that made the queen stutter.

"E-Ellie?" She asked when she saw her blood-soaked daughter lying on the bench. "ELLIE!?"

"M-Mother?" The princess whispered.

"She's alive?" Theresa whispered. Jin looked inside and saw the same thing that made the queen take a step back.

Eliara was missing her left eye.

Later.

"You overdid it." The queen said with narrowed eyes.

"I had to." Eliara replied. "She would have died." She said, pointing at Mariana, who was sitting beside her, hugging the princess's arm.

"She's clearly grateful." Theresa said with a smirk.

The queen, Eliara, Ker'Tallen, Mariana, Theresa, Decena and Jin were all huddled together in the queen's cart, with a still unconscious Goran riding with the chauffer. The very traumatised chauffer.

"Take a look." Jin heard a voice say. Decena tapped his shoulder. "We're here."

Jin looked out the side door and he couldn't tell if he was intimidated or awestruck. In front of them, farther up the road, was a large grey structure, like several villages with buildings of all types and sizes all clumped up together. There was an ocean to the left of it and a desert behind it. All of which, Jin could see from his position, as the cart slowly descended a small mountain and entered a straight road towards the city.

As they approached the gates, a metallic rumbling sounded out and the two large doors slowly opened. The smell was different, the air was different, the ambiance was different. Even before they went in, Jin could hear a crowd talking.

The queen's caravan, composed of two battered carts with blood splattered all over them, rolled in. Jin had to keep his jaw from falling to the floor. He had never seen this much stone before. There was grey everywhere. All around the cart, demons elves and humans gathered to watch them enter. There were red and gold banners hanging from most of the walls.

"A Griffin?" One person said, gesturing at Ker'Tallen, deep in the cart.

"A prisoner, most likely." Another person said.

A knight suddenly appeared on horseback.

The crowd, which had been chattering away, was stunned into silence. A man on a horse rode beside the carriage.

"Your highness, your highness!"

"Ah, Paladin Jonn." Cerena said, as she leaned out of the cart. "Announce my arrival at the palace." She turned her attention to the crowd gathered around them. "Your queen, has returned."

They cheered, the knight almost cried as he went off on his horse, speeding through the street.

Jin fell asleep as soon as they were inside the city, only waking up again when he was prodded on the shoulder.

"We're at the palace." Theresa said. "This is it. This is what we worked for."

A short few minutes later and Jin, Decena, Mariana, Ker'Tallen and Theresa, were all lined up, on their knees, in front of a large throne, holding two separate seats. The walls around them were lined with red and gold paint, silver cutlery and a large oak table stretched behind them. A red carpet followed them wherever they stepped.

There were several people nervously pointing at Ker'Tallen, an action that made him chuckle and shake his head.

There was one man standing beside the throne, dressed almost like Mariana, covered in an all-black jumpsuit that hid his face. He was staring at the girl as well.

Maids and butlers didn't bother hiding their excitement at seeing their queen return and multiple nobles gathered to see the queen speak for the first time since returning. The king was absent, apparently he was somewhere else within the city, but the queen didn't wait for him.

She didn't bathe either. She wanted to give her speech covered in blood. Covered in the evidence of their struggle.

"My warriors." She opened and all conversations ceased, as everyone turned to listen to Cerena speak. "My Enlisted. When I first departed for the negotiations with Farrah Valor, I had known my life was at stake. Before our journey, the Griffins made several attempts at my life and yet, I had never seen something quite like what we went through. You protected me, from all threats, natural or not. You saved my daughter, the princess of Nova on more than one occasion. Some of you, through persistence." She looked at Decena. "Some of you through cleverness." She looked at Jin. "All of you, through bravery. On one particular night, I had decided I would die no matter what we did. I had decided, that was what fate, Lady Charlotte, had in store for me. You proved me wrong. But, alas, I was ready for this. In the event that my hunch was mistaken, I promised I would do something when we returned. If we returned. Eliara," the queen addressed her daughter, "please, go with your warriors for a moment."

A few people muttered something and Eliara herself looked confused, but she moved towards them, kneeling beside Jin.

"I thought of every reward possible and I do believe I arrived at a conclusion each of you would like. Ker'Tallen."

Smart. Jin thought. Address the Griffin first.

"You came to me a Griffin slave. You sought a better life, a new life and had decided that I was the best option for that. Through combat, you've proven time and time again, that you are my sword, just as much, if not more so than any soldier. So, I give you a permanent position in my army." Ker'Tallen's eyes and everyone else's, widened. "Do you accept this gift?"

"Of course!" Ker'Tallen bowed.

"Excellent." Cerena moved her gaze to Mariana, who nearly cowered under the intensity of the moment. "Mariana, you came to me with a proposition you insisted remain secret. I will not reveal it here, but know that it will be honored. She will be safe." The queen said and Mariana visibly eased. "But," She lifted her eyes to Cerena. "I have seen potential inside of you. You are a shadow on that battlefield. A spectre, executing swift justice. Thus, I name you to be a trainee of Nova's Shadowhand." More chatters. "Lucio, will you agree to train her?"

"Aye." The man dressed in black beside the throne said. "I'll train her."

"Mariana, do you accept this gift?"

"Yes." Mariana meekly stated.

"Perfect." She turned her eyes to the elven woman kneeling in the middle of them. "Theresa."

"The one and only." She interrupted the queen, though the rude action only brought a smile to Cerena's face.

"Ever since... His passing, you've been a wanderer. Almost a mercenary of sorts, seeking your next flame, your next cause. I believe you've found it in Jin. I hope you will teach him well."

"Than..."

"I hope you'll teach the other promising youths of Nova well also." She added. This made Theresa halt.

"W-What?"

"Theresa, I offer you a place in Nova's Grand Academy, as a teacher. Do you accept this gift?"

"I..." For the first time outside of battle, that Jin could remember, she looked humbled. "Yes, your high... Cere... My friend." Theresa finally said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She turned her attention to Decena.

The court room audibly tensed. Several people's breath hitched. Jin didn't quite understand it, but apparently, she wasn't entirely welcome here.

"Decena. When this court last saw you, you had been sentenced to exile for the murder of a young lord. Whatever the cause of your actions were, to this day, I believe I had been merciful. But, you have earned your redemption. You have earned another chance. I offer you two gifts. I offer you a full pardon of your crime and" Cerena smiled, "I offer you a place, among the most prestigious order of knights in Azeria."

"... What?" Decena asked, stunned.

"I offer you a chance to begin training as a Savior."

This made the court erupt. They speculated and spoke but Cerena ignored them, mouthing simply, do you accept this gift?

"But... But, I'm not... I'm not worthy..."

"With all due respect," the nobles ceased speaking. "I determine that. And to me, you're certainly worthy."

"Then... Yes. Yes, yes, I will." Decena said, as two tears fell from her eyes. "I will."

"Finally." The queen turned to Jin. "I noticed something on our travels. You never let your hope truly go out. You were the soul of our caravan. You offered your own strength when it seemed like you had none more to give. And, you made me stronger in kind. However, you have a long way to go. And that potential could be reached sooner here than anywhere else. I offer you a full scholarship to Nova's Grand Academy. Do you accept this gift?"

"Yes." Jin answered, smiling at the queen.

"Great. I have one last announcement, before I will send someone to guide each of you where you must go." The queen said. "Over the course of our journey, I thought about each of you. How you supported each other. How you had truly become a family before our time together ended. And, well, call me selfish, but I do not wish to see you separate." Her eyes landed on Eliara. "Especially, as some of you wish to prove yourselves further. Therefore, I will resurrect a piece of Nova's past. During the great war, before the demons and elves banded together, there was a certain order of warriors, knights, mages and soldiers that fought for one common purpose. To protect Nova and all of Azeria. You are all, the new rendition of this order. You are all the life, that this kingdom needed. A Griffin, a foreigner, a murderer, royalty, a thief and a hero."

There was a pause.

"You are, the Order of Black Flowers."

They were sent on their way quickly. Mariana followed the shaded man into another room, Eliara returned with her mother, Ker'Tallen was led into another area with other soldiers. Only Decena, Theresa and Jin remained on the carriage.

Until Decena, suddenly got out.

"Where's she going?" Jin asked.

"If you like heart-warming moments, you'll want to see this." Theresa laughed.

Decena walked up to a house, that looked just like every other. She paced in front of the door, as if deciding whether or not to open it. Just as she was about to knock, it opened on its own. From inside, walked out a woman slightly shorter than Decena, with crow-like black hair and a few wrinkles on her skin.

"... Moth... Verana." Decena squeezed out through her closed throat. Looking down, unsure of how the woman would respond.

The woman's eyes sparkled. Tears instantly streamed out and she hugged Decena tightly.

"My daughter!"

"Mother!" Decena reciprocated the hug as Jin felt his jaw drop.

As the carriage turned a corner, Jin saw the two sobbing on each other. Eventually, the carriage reached a portion of the city that appeared to include only golden buildings.

"These are the academy's dorms for the Elven District." Theresa stated. "This is where you'll be staying. The school semester starts in a week, I'll be here tomorrow to show you around the city. Go in, let the soldier guide you to your room, and go the fuck to sleep, honestly." Theresa laughed as Jin yawned.

As she said, Jin was led by a soldier up to a quaint, dark room. He didn't bother placing his things out of his bag. As soon as he saw the bed, he flopped onto it.

The last thing he saw before he went to sleep, was the queen uttering those words.

The Order of Black Flowers. Then, the world went dark.