"We should leave the ship before sailing into port," Neil had proposed, come morning. The four of them stood on the deck of the ship. Reflected in the sea, the red sun had just barely past over the horizon, filling the sky with vibrant pinks and oranges. "We'll walk into town. It should only take a few hours."

He stared at the Azbien siblings and Val, observing their features. The blonde hair and deep red eyes were defining traits of Gramorians. In fact, no other race in the world had red eyes apart from Gramorians. It was said that when the Gods gave them the ability to use magic, their eyes turned to the bloody color. Some say it is because magic is a sinful, and deadly, practice. Others theorized magic was held in their eyes. Onagi once told him a story of a young man named Pete. A talented Gramorian who's eyes were harvested by the previous king to steal his aptitude. Plenty of other similar stories followed of other races who kidnapped Gramorian children in an attempt to steal their magic. However, it never worked. 

Then there was Val. Everyone knew what a Firefox looked like. In theory anyway. Even if they had only a general idea, or hadn't heard of these demons at all, it wasn't exactly the norm to witness an animal comfortably engulfed in flames. 

"The two of you should pull up your hoods," He gestured to the black cloaks they were putting back on. "Maybe we should figure out how to change your eye color, too."

"And Val?" Edmund asked, nodding down at the fox as he pulled his hood over his head. The shadow, however, did little to hide the distinctive shade of his eyes.

"She," He kneeled down to her. "Will have to put out her tail."

The fox gasped, absolutely outraged at the affronted suggestion. Her fur flickered in protest as she hissed through her clenched jaw, "Excuse me?" It was as if suggesting a human cut off their own leg. Albeit, not as painful, but her flames marked her kin. Who she was and where she came from. 

Neil beamed at her with his usual, innocent grin. "Come on, it won't be that bad. Just for a moment."

Teeth barred, her flames became hotter. Even to his touch. "I refuse." 

Neil's smile vanished. "If you don't, it'll attract attention." Without her flames, she nothing more than a common fox. "And you can't talk, either." Surely, that would be her greatest trial of all. 

Val's amber eyes glared into his. Her gaze moved passed him as she thought. Eventually, her eyes closed and she let out a sigh. "Fine. But only when we get to town." 

Her master grinned, brushing his hand through her fur before getting to his feet.

With the sun directly overhead, Rimswell's shore finally came into view. Quickly referencing the map to be sure they landed in the right place; Neil instructed Edmund to turn the sails further east. As the landmass became less of a haze in the distance; the rolling mountains and tall palm trees welcomed them. Only a few more minutes and the ship passed between two large black rocks. Suddenly, it lurched forward. The metal shrieked to a halt and shifted in the sand below. 

Wasting no time at all, Val threw herself over. Her paws landed carefully on one of the black rocks as she leaped onto the white bank. "Oh sweet, gorgeous land! How I've missed you so." Giggling to herself, she rubbed her nose into the soft granules and breathed it in. 

Serra kneeled down to touch her fingers into the sand. "I've never been to a beach before." She spoke solemnly. She always wanted to leave the manor and go to the edge of Gramore. She was simply never allowed; being the bastard daughter to the Azbien name. The closest she'd gotten was when she had taken the test, as all Gramorian children were obligated, the day after her eighth birthday. Failed to have any aptitude, she was taken to the amelioration school.

She shivered as she recollected what had happened in that place. Terrible memories, which were becoming mere blurs, but every so often the picture was as clear as day. Closing her eyes, she felt her lungs constricted from breath and hugged her arms tightly around herself.

Started, she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. Edmund kneeled beside her. The concern in his expression was apparent, yet he didn't say a word. He didn't have to. 

"Now, according to the map," Neil dropped directly between them. Pushing the map so that they could read it a bit of sand flew behind him. Val was digging her claws into the sand. Ignoring her, he went on, "Brike Port is a few clicks south of here."

"Brike Port?" Edmund hadn't heard of it. 

"Yep." He gestured to a very small black dot on what looked like a peninsula. The very top of Rimswell. Below that, after a chain of islands, was the smaller country of Enimahri. According to the map, untouched by Gramore military. "See, it will take about a few hours to get there. Probably longer." He groaned, rocking his head back. 

Edmund frowned at his childish pouting. "Why are you doing that?" 

"Ugh, look," He pointed to the dark-colored lines. "It's all uphill."

Shaking his head, Neil got to his feet. "Alright people!" He glanced over at Val who had frowned at him, her face full of sand. "And fox." She nodded, contently. "We need to get to Brike Port and find a place to stay. More importantly, we need money."

Pulling up on the flap of his bag, Edmund took out a smaller, leather coin pouch. "I have money."

"We probably shouldn't announce you're Gramorian." 

Neil considered for a moment a way for them to possibly exchange their currency. After all, it would be a damn shame to let that heavy bag of gold go to waste. With it, they could at least buy food and maybe even a warm bed for a night or two. Thankfully it seemed that the Azbien siblings had enough food with them to last a while. However, it was a small supply. 

All of Neil's supplies had fallen into the sea with his father's boat.

Behind them, palm trees towered high, densely packed together with other plants and roots covering the ground. Neil was used to that sort of foliage. It was just like the home he left behind. However, it did appear to have a lack of volcanoes. As for the Azbien siblings, much of Gramore had been populated with large, extravagant buildings that looked more similar to works of art, rather than residential housing. They rarely, if ever, saw such a dense forest of trees. 

The plants on the shore of Rimswell were ablaze with color. An abundance of large leaves resembling fans lined the dirt floor. Vibrant flowers poking out from their stems. Serra was wide-eyed staring at all the pinks, blues, greens, whites, and oranges. She had never seen so many colorful plants and different flowers all in one place before. Some even emanating a familiar scent, similar to her mother's perfume. 

A smile cracked on her face. How she missed her mother.

As they ventured further in, branches would sway and sticks would snap. Edmunds's hands came to his side. A slight glow burning around his fists. A group of gloutots; a four-legged furry-brown creature with a narrow snout and large black eyes, were grazing on smaller, teardrop-shaped leaves.

"It's just an animal," Edmund relaxed. His hands fell back to his side. 

"Oh wow." Neil marveled, getting down to gently rest against a fallen tree trunk. "They're young," He observed, pointing to the small, dark patches on the mammal's stomach. Serra sat beside the green-eyed man. Taking a step towards them, the gloutot extended its thin, long silver tongue and wrapped it around the bottom of a plant's stem. With a quick tug, its sticky saliva ripped the leaves free. It chewed then swallowed. 

Edmund took Serra's hand just as she whispered 'wow'. If he allowed her to marvel at everything, however, it would be night by the time they got to town. 

"What is the plan once we get to Brike Port?" Edmund asked once they were walking again.

Neil seemed to shrug, responding, "I want to get to Arbendalis."

"That's a destination. Not a plan." 

"Then I guess I don't have one." 

The Gramorian couldn't believe what he was hearing. He glared into the back of Neil's head. "You're joking. Surely, you must have a plan to get to Arbendalis."

"I have an idea." Neil stopped and turned to him with his usual smile. Just like Val, Edmund was beginning to feel anxious every time he saw that grin. "We need to exchange your coins first. There's no way we'll be able to get a ticket, otherwise. But we'll catch the train from Brike Port to the next town. And," He gestured to the map rolled up safely inside his bag. "With this, we can avoid Gramore occupied territory."

_

General Marshell bowed before his majesty. A deep, brooding voice, hidden behind a black veil, demanded, "What happened to my ship, general?" It was a simple question, but one the general did not want to provide an answer for.

As the room fell silent the king grew impatient. Suddenly a massive force slammed the general into the floor. With a gasp, he found it difficult to take in a breath. Everything hurt as if the entire world were lying on top of him. "Y-your majes-" He choked on his words. Feeling lightheaded, his vision darkened. 

Before he completely lost consciousness, the weight lightened.

With far more irritation in his already angry tone, the king repeated. "What happened to my ship?"

The general couldn't feel his body. Not even the trail of blood, which had escaped from his eyes. "Th-the prisoners," He managed. "They stole it."

"The prisoners." His majesty was less than amused.

"M-majesty...it was not my fault...-" The weight returned. He felt as if he were being turned inside out. All of his organs burned inside him. Yet, he managed to add, "Firefox-"

Curiously, the spell released him completely. Once again he held command of his own being. However, his sore body remained motionless on the marble floor.

Only at the mention of the demon did His Majesty sit at attention in his throne. "With them?"

General Marshell got to his knees. His hand loosening the armor around his chest to allow air to flow through his sore lungs. Panting, he explained, "There were...two others...with the prisoners...sire. A man and a firefox demon."

Crimson eyes glowing behind the veil. Callously, His majesty replied, "Tell me everything about the man you saw."

Stunned, but still compliant, General Marshell described the man. "Tall. Raven black hair and green eyes..." He blinked, recalling the flicker of light around the man's neck. "I am sure he was wearing an ouroboros necklace with an emerald stone inside."

The King fell silent. In the shadow behind the vail, his jaw clenched. 

A woman's breath, cold as ice yet smooth as silk, giggled softly, barely above a whisper in his ear. "Well then, did you hear that?"

"Your majesty?" General Marshell dared to speak.

"Bring me the ouroboros necklace."

General Marshell nodded. "And what of the Azbien siblings, your grace?"

"You may leave, General."

He blinked, utterly perplexed. "But...sire, the ritual-"

"The ritual is no longer a concern." He turned to his guard, as well. "Leave me."

The general, and the guards, did as the king requested. Once the heavy wooden door slammed shut against the stone wall, the king was alone. 

The king rose to his feet. 

In the throne room, the ceilings towered high above supported by pillars with infamous kings and queens of history carved within the marble granite. Light of the sun gleamed through decorated stained glass. Chandeliers hung above. Each with six lights, with beaded lace strung around the silver body.

Under his breath, the king seethed. His nails dug deep into his closed palms as he surveyed his wealthy, expanding empire from the stained glass. 

The woman in black slid into the king's throne. She kicked her feet over the arm of the chair. Her closed fist held her head up as a venomous grin coiled around her lips. "Would you look at that?" Her cold voice hissed. "Onagi took the stone after all."

"Onagi is dead. The stone belongs to me."