“Hmm,” Relia hummed as she leaned beside a quiet tree. “I suppose I may be getting ahead of myself,” she sighed. “I was hoping they’d come back to give me an update before nighttime, but thinking about it, they probably have plenty to catch up on.”

She lowered herself to the ground, gazing over Avtalia. The cathedral’s central spire reached far above the elaborate buildings around it. Even in the dimming sky the mana flowing through it allowed it to glow like the moon. It was rather unsettling. She could recall as a child being told of the splendor of the church. But now, witnessing its indulgent design, and knowing the poverty that those in Remnis experienced, she could only think of its hypocrisy. Preaching benevolence and charity, while hoarding wealth and power for themselves. It reminded her of Ethnerta in a bittersweet way. Queen Rosaria always tried to support and enrich others where she could. It was one of their people’s greatest joys.

Yet in the end, it was this indulgent spire that remained, and not the benevolent systems of her fallen home. The same spire that made Elesa its prisoner. It contorted what many must’ve seen as a glorious sight into an unpleasant reminder of her losses and fears. She hoped she would not have to wait much longer. Not just for Elesa’s sake, but also so she could forget this wretched sight.

“I suppose I should return and go to sleep,” she rose to her feet, gazing into the darkening night sky. “They probably won’t be coming back until…” There was a loud bang from the city. She looked towards it, her eyes widening as she watched a dark cloud form amongst the rooftops. That magic… it was unmistakably witchcraft. She briefly recalled a pink haired buna practicing such a spell during her classes. “Honey… But if she’s…” her eyes widened. “I have to get in there!”

* * *

Several dark spheres of blazing energy seared towards Penelope. The priestess ducked as panic gripped her, holding her head toward the ground. She blinked as a gentle breeze grazed her cheek, a hot sensation passing over head. She looked up to see Honey as she waved her hands around, the wind following her motions and scooping the purple fireballs into its grasp and hurling the back towards the ground. “Thanks,” Penelope smiled.

“No problem,” Honey smiled. “What kind of aunt would I be if I didn’t help my niece’s girlfriend.”

“B-but I’m not…” Penelope mumbled. “Watch out!” she shouted as a bolt of light came rushing towards Honey, only to be deflected by a bullet of lightning.

“Heh,” Iris chuckled. “You call yourselves priests? I could beat your magic with simple magitech,” she cackled. “What a trite display. Maybe you should just run away. It would be less embarrassing for you,” she began to laugh mightily to the back of her palm, her audacious voice echoing in the ears of her enemies, causing them to tremble in frustration.

“Laugh while you can, witch!” one of the priests snarled. “Oh lord of the mighty sky, cleave the darkness in twain with your radiant edge and strike down thy enemies!” he chanted a blade of light appearing in his hand. “Prepare to die, witch!” he charged at Iris, much to her shock.

The girl stood there in horror, the priest grinning at her like a hungry animal. She had to move. She knew she had to move. But that grin. It was a grin that ignited memories she hoped to forget only for it to return and sap the strength from her knees, grappling her to the ground with guilt. The blade came down, cleaving down toward her with immense might. An audible clang rang out as the sword of light met steel. Iris stared in awe as the proud knight stood before her.

“Y-you’re…” Iris’s voice shook in awe as the large man stood before her.

“I’m glad to see you safe, Iris,” Reginald smiled. The opposing priest looked upon him in disgust.

“T-thank you,” Iris smiled. Reginald simply nodded as he turned back towards the offending blade.

“Reginald!” Penelope cried out.

“Penelope,” Reginald looked to her. “What are you still doing here?”

“What am I…?” She looked at him confusedly.

“She needs you right now, right?” he grinned. “Now hurry up and go.”

“Regi…” Penelope’s voice began to drift off, Lillia taking her hand.

“Penelope,” Lillia smiled. “He’s right. She needs you too.”

“But…” Penelope hesitated, glancing back towards her friend. Reginald looked at her with a stern face for a moment, a grin flashing upon his nodding head. “Right,” she nodded back. “Thank you. Be safe Regi! Take care of Honey and Iris!” she grinned back.

“You got it!” he answered. The priests attempted to move, Reginald moving to block their approach as the two girls ran to the hidden entrance. “Whoa now, you gotta deal with me first!” he shouted.

“You traitor! You dare defend these abominations and heretics?” the priest yelled. Reginald forced the sword back, the priest stumbling on his feet, only to look up. He watched Reginald raise his fist into the air then hammer it down, the priest being slammed to the ground, consciousness escaping him.

“I appreciate the assistance,” Honey smiled, as she stood by his side. “But how did you get in here?”

“I managed to get in with a wand I snatched off of a priest earlier today,” he chuckled. “I had a feeling you’d be up here, so I came running.”

“Reginald, you fool, you think you’ll get away with this?” another priest glared at him.

“Lady Honey,” Reginald turned to the buna.

“Yes?”

“How good are you with a sword and acting?”

“I’ve trained with swords a fair bit, and I guess I’m an okay actress. Why do you ask?” Reginald grinned as he retrieved another sword from his waist and handing it to her. “What do you…?”

“Use this instead of your magic for now. Lady Iris, get behind me,” he ordered, Iris giving a sheepish nod and following his instructions.

“What do you think you’re doing?” a priest eyed him.

“You know,” Reginald smirked. “You priests think you’re real clever keeping secrets from everyone. These demons for instance,” he eyed the vacant eyes of the demons as they ceaselessly stared forward. “Remind me, how many of the other paladins know about them again?”

“What are you getting at, paladin?”

“I wonder,” Reginald grinned. “What will all those ignorant paladins think when they see a bunch of priests using demons to attack a group of defenseless women and one of their own compatriots?” The priests looked at him with wide horrified eyes, their eyes drifting towards the main door, the dull sound of banging emanating from it.

Iris began to grin. “It sure would be bad for you if that door opened right…” she raised up her hand, “about…” she readied her fingers, “now,” an audible snap sounded as a bolt of lightning charged at the doors. There was a final loud bang, and a girl’s loud shriek of horror. Reginald grinned as the paladins rushed to the aid of the small, scared maiden.

* * *

They descended the large flight of stairs, Saya gasping for air as they came to the bottom floor. “I did not realize how far…” she took a deep breath, “down this place was.”

“The good news is that I doubt we should be seeing any trouble for now. But the bad news is that I’m not sure where we should go from here?” Aria frowned.

“We could attempt going to that Restricted Sanctum. At the very least, it may give us a direction as to where mom may be,” Saya pumped her arms.

“You’re really excited, huh?” Aria asked as they descended from the landing.

“I am,” Saya nodded. “We are so close to getting them back,” she grabbed at her chest. “So close to finally being a family again.”

“Yeah,” Aria nodded. “Alright so to the… huh?” she looked down the central hall as a large figure approached them, entering the hall. “Looks like I spoke too soon.”

“Wait, could that be?” Saya looked upon the large figure as it descended from the opposite landing. Their armor was similar to the paladins, yet distinctively more radiant, shinier and whiter. Their visor was dropped, and their whole body was encased in armor. And yet, there was something familiar about them. An uncomfortable ruggedness, an unwanted toughness, and an unrelenting sadness. “Sister!” Saya called out, excitedly, only silence greeting her. “Elise?” she looked to the paladin, who simply stood there, silently, and imposingly. “Elise! Come on answer me! It is I, Saya, your sister!”

“Saya, wait!” Aria called out as Saya ran towards the stationary paladin.

“Elise!” Saya called. “Come on, wake up. We are here to rescue you,” she grabbed the listless paladin. “Come on, say something,” she shook her. She slowed to a stop and began to gaze upon the knight. Her heart began to sink as she noticed their stiff and stern posture, one that seemed wrong for the woman she knew. She could almost feel their listless gaze observe her. They seemed absent, heartless, perhaps even soulless. “Elise… what have they done to you?”

“We’ve simply returned him to his natural state,” a cold sinister voice answered. Saya stepped back and looked to the landing above the other stairs, a tall grey haired man grinning and looking down upon them. “That invasive spirit was quite the nuisance. Always begging us to let it corrupt our fine prince here. Although, I’m certain you know what I mean. Isn’t that right, witch?”

“What-” Saya trembled as she stepped back in fright.

“You invasive spirits think you can just corrupt fine individuals like Sir Zerv here. But when you’re denied your little corners…” he chuckled. “It’s rather entertaining, watching abominations like you quiver in fright.”

“Who are you!?” Aria snapped.

“Me? You may call me Father Denarius,” the priest answered, causing the two’s eyes to widen.

“You?” Aria questioned. “Then I suppose all of that we heard about you being warm, kind, and accepting are just more lies then?”

“Oh, but I am, my child,” he grinned. “All children of god are worthy of his love. But spiteful spirits like the one that has corrupted your prince are not his children, and deserve none of his love. They are mere disturbances in his natural world.”

“How dare you speak about them like that!” Aria barked.

“Alas, it is too late to save that boy,” he glanced towards Saya, causing her to cringe in digust. “The spirit of the witch has already taken too much hold. We are rather fortunate to have driven off the spirit from Sir Zerv, lest he turn out like this poor child.”

“D-driven off?” Saya’s voice shook. “No, Elise, you cannot…”

“That’s right,” Denarius nodded. “It took many attempts, but it seems that at long last, the rites have finally driven that blasted spirit out of our precious prince.”

“No! I refuse to believe that,” Saya shouted. “Elise, please. Listen to me. You are not alone. We are here to save you!”

“Phwa,” Denarius scoffed. “I think that is quite enough. Master Zerv. Your sibling has been corrupted. As a dutiful older brother and a holy paladin of the lord, release them from their suffering.”

The paladin’s body began to stiffen and rise to attention, a glowing white mist steaming from their body.

“What the hell?” Aria’s face twisted. “This… Damn them,” she grit her teeth.

“Elise!” Saya continued to shout. “I know you are still in there. So please, answer me!” The paladin took a deep breath and began to march towards Saya, a distant glare landing upon the princess, her eyes trembling with sorrow. “Elise!” The paladin rose their sword, a slight gleam beginning to stream off it. “Please!” the sword fell, meeting Aria’s sword in the air. “You have to be in there,” she whimpered. “You cannot be gone.”

“Saya, snap out of it!” Aria shouted as she ran to her princess’s defense.

“Aria…” Saya trembled in place, her eye filling with tears as her knight braced against the falling blade.

“Hahaha!” Denarius laughed. “Foolish little knight,” he grinned. “Master Zerv has been trained to be one of our finest paladins, both in strength, and in skill. There’s no way a tiny little girl could match such a man.”

“Like hell,” Aria tightened her grip, “am I losing,” her armor began to glow with earthly red mana, “to your heartless crap!” She declared, forcing the paladin back and tumbling to the side with tremendous force.

“Aria,” Saya looked at her in shock. “We… are we…”

“I told you to snap out of it,” Aria snapped at Saya, much to her shock. “Don’t listen to Denarius. He’s full of it,” she looked back to the priest meeting his fierce scowl. “He’s just spewing his rhetoric to throw us off. This heartless personality they forced upon her may be in control, but watch how her body moves,” Aria directed, Saya following her gaze. The paladin shambled to their feet, heavily panting as they rose up from the ground.

“What in the world?” Saya gasped. “Her movements, they seem so wrong. Almost as if…”

“She’s being pulled around like a puppet,” Aria glared. “That mist. I bet it’s mana from a bunch of spells forcing her to move. That’s the only way they can make her do what they want.”

“Then if we get rid of the armor…” Saya began to piece the clues together.

“We’ll at least stop them from controlling her body anymore,” Aria answered.

“That is a fine idea,” a woman’s voice chuckled. “However, you will find removing that armor quite difficult,” the woman laughed. Saya and Aria returned their gazes to the stairs, witnessing Mother Risia standing beside Father Denarius. She let down her hood, freeing her long dark hair as her lips curled into a sinister grin, matching Denarius’s own malice. “You may have been able to repel him with your miniscule unholy magic, but we can support him as well.”

The priest and priestess brought their hands together and began to chant, bands of light surrounding the paladin. The paladin let out a fiery pant and looked up to Aria, staring down their opponent.

“Crap,” Aria grunted as she prepared for impact, the paladin’s blade charging straight into her own. She felt an immense force push her back as she parried the blade. Though their blades were similar in size and shape, the strength behind the paladin’s blade made it feel more like a heavy battle axe was cleaving towards her. She panted as she steadied her gaze upon her opponent, staring deep into the paladin’s distant gaze. She gripped her sword as she traced the miserable abyss within her foe’s eyes, recognizing the deep despair within them. It almost felt familiar to the dread she had carried, only more immense, grinding into her spirit with greater malice.

Aria rose to her feet and recalled her training. A deep breath to steady the body. Another to steady the mind. And a third breath to ready the mana within. She had seen Vert practice it several times during her stay with Phordata. She had practiced it at Lubella’s when sparring with Lyn. She had yet to fully put her training into practice. Not yet. However, now was the time to try. “Oh, wind, wrap upon my blade, and grant me thy edge, and detonate the earth with your fury,” she chanted, a gusting spell spiraling around her sword. With her weapon primed, she leapt into action. “SQUALL SMITE!” she yelled, the whipping force strong enough to cleave through the Earth itself rushed through her blade stunning the paladin as she slashed through the opposing blade, shattering it into pieces.

“Impressive,” Denarius chuckled. “However, that was rather careless, would you not agree?”

“Da-mmit,” Aria panted, she grasped at her chest, desperately trying to inhale what remaining air there was.

“How reckless,” Risia scoffed. “It may have been powerful, but it practically sucked the breath right out of you,” the priestess smirked. “Zerv, be a dear and slay that filthy knight, would you?”

The paladin grunted in response and began to hobble towards the weakened Aria, rising the broken blade into the air, preparing to deliver a lethal blow to Aria. The knightess could only chuckle.

“Hold!” Denarius ordered.

“What is the matter, Father?” Risia asked.

“The witch…” he grimaced, drawing Risia’s attention to Saya, the priestess to glaring at the girl in realization. Mana rapidly streamed into Saya, a brilliant light surrounding her as she looked on confidently. She quietly chanted to herself as she channeled the mana around her. “Curses, whatever she is casting cannot be good. Risia, assist me, Zerv can finish the knight on his own.”

“Right,” Risia nodded.

“May his light form thy bolt,” Denarius chanted.

“May his wrath guide thy power,” Risia echoed.

“Cast thy will, and smite the sinful into oblivion,” their voices began to reverberate as a plume of intense light crackled above them. Denarius sneered at his target as they completed the spell. “Lumen Purge!”a volley of intense light shot from the plume, grimacing as the magic vaulted towards her, an explosion of sound resounding as they landed, dust erupting into the air.

“Excellent,” Denarius cackled. “And with that ano-…”

“Ray-vas!” a voice declared to their shock as an arrow of light emerged from the plume of dust, the priest and priestess barely dodging out of the way.

“What was…?” Risia questioned. “That voice!?” As the dust settled, two women stood at Saya’s sides, a pair of priestesses staring down their former superiors. “Sister Penelope and Princess Lillia,” she hissed.

“Saya, we’ll protect you, so just focus on casting your spell,” Lillia ordered, Saya giving a quiet nod.

“I believe in you,” Penelope added. “So please, save her,” she passed Saya a pleading look, Saya returning a knowing smile.

“Sister Penelope,” Risia hissed. “You disappoint me. You would betray your duty for this abominable corruption of Prince Zerv?”

“The only corruption I see are you two and the rest of your ilk,” Penelope retorted. “Elise just wants to live, to be herself! She just wants to be free to have a body that gives her comfort, to wear things that let her feel beautiful, and live a happy life. And you’ve not only taken that from her, time and again, you laugh at her pain and indulge in her agony! You go around talking about how you want to help people while laughing at the misery of others I won’t let you get away with hurting her or anyone else anymore!”

“A lost cause, this one. I see that a witch’s toxins truly do infect all they come in contact with them,” Denarius shook his head. “And what of you princess?”

“You can stop with the titles,” Lillia glared. “You’ve hurt my sisters and my mother enough! And we, all of us, won’t let you do it anymore!”

“Pathetic girls!” Denarius snarled as he held a black stone in his hand. “You will regret these decisions,” he growled. The stone began to glow red as heat began to percolate in his other hand, flames converging into a ball. “Now burn!” he threw it at the girls, Penelope grabbing at her bracelet, a white light flowing off of it and pooling into a bubble before them, catching the ball of flame and smothering it into nothingness. “Petulant…” he glared at Penelope. “You planned to waste my spell like that, didn’t you,” he twitched.

“Father, look,” Risia snapped, pulling his attention back to Saya. “That girl…”

“What is that?” Denarius stared blankly at Saya tracing her sight toward the struggling knightess and paladin. “No, she could not possibly…”

“May our connection return the truth to us. Let our union sunder the deceits and lies and render them unto oblivion. Let spirit and truth repeal and heal shackles of denial and return the body to the soul and return to their true form,” Saya chanted. “I will not lose you!” Saya declared as she stared down her sister’s phantom. The paladin ignored her as their broken blade clashed against Aria’s. “Sister, please! Come back to me! Come back to us!” she begged, the mana around her shaping into lens like form, inscriptions of light forming along it. Saya gathered a bubble of water in her hand and rose it before the magical lens. “Revalsia!” she shouted as the bullet of water shot through it.

The bullet of water began to glow as it pierced the lens, glowing with intense magic before launching toward its target. The paladin shirked back as the sheer momentum of the bubble forced them backwards, falling upon their back. The paladin halted for a moment, the water rolling down their face as they grumbled in frustration.

“W-what?” Saya’s voice shook as the paladin began to stir again, unchanged and unyielding in their mission.

“Hehe,” Denarius began to laugh. “Hahaha! All that build up, and all for naught! We truly did it! We completely banished her for good! The vile spirit is finally dead!”

“Elise,” Penelope whimpered. “Please, no. You can’t be…”

“No. No, it cannot be too late. Please,” Saya began to cry as she trembled in place, Aria catching her. She watched helplessly as the lens wavered, the magic beginning to fade.

“Saya!” Aria grabbed hold of her.

“It was supposed to work,” Saya cried. “That was supposed to save her. It was supposed to undo all of it, but it’s not doing anything,” Saya whimpered.

“Saya,” Aria shook her. “Listen to me! We can’t give up. We have to believe in her,” Aria said grasping her hand. “And we have to believe in ourselves,” she gave Saya an warm and strong smile. “Now get up. We’re doing this.”

“But Aria…”

“Remember what Lubella said. Revalsia is made more powerful by strong connections. By ourstrong connection,” she smiled. Saya’s heart seemed to flutter as she listened to her knight. “I understand now. It’s not just that you draw upon our bond,” she said grasping her hand, and holding it towards the fading lens. To their side, Penelope watched as the two came together in awe, clutching her chest as she hung upon Aria’s words. “We make it work together,” the lens began to regrow, the mana forming it firming into a stable form. “We’ll use my sword as the medium, and I’ll make sure it finds its way to her.”

“Aria, you would…” Saya looked to her.

“Believe in us, Saya. Believe in her, believe in me, and believe in yourself,” Aria smiled, her face illuminated by the strengthening mana around them. “And I will too.”

“Right,” Saya nodded before setting her sights forward, Aria taking her position. Saya focused upon the spell once more, the lens regenerating its lost details and glowing with power. Aria began her charge, her sword piercing through the lens the mana wrapping upon her blade.

“REVALSIA!” Aria and Saya declared together as the knightess ran for the unaware paladin.

“ARRRGH!” the Paladin bellowed.

“Please, you have to wake up! ELISE!” Saya shouted.

The light surged into the paladin as they writhed in pain. And yet, it did not seem to be enough, as the large form shambled towards Aria in stubborn resistance. And yet, the knightess remained resolute, channeling all the mana she could into her blade and into the accursed armor and hexes that shackled the poor girl before her. The two forces seemed to grapple each other in an eternal stalemate, when Aria finally flinched. The paladin raised their arm wailing with anguish as they prepared to strike Aria, when they noticed someone to their side. Penelope stood looking upon the writhing paladin.

“Elise,” Penelope whispered. “Please. Come back to me. I want you here with me, by my side,” she spoke, the paladin’s body flinching at her words. “I want to see you smile and laugh and blush, just like that night,” she pleaded, the paladin slowly turning their head towards the priestess. “So please, come home. Come back home to me! ELISE!”

“P-Penel…” the paladin’s voice shook.

“Elise?” Penelope looked upon the paladin’s confused expression. A spark seemed to fire upon her eyes, before the paladin’s body shirked back, Aria’s blade finally piercing through the paladin’s defenses. The paladin stood there, their body trembling from the massive amount of mana surging through them as light consumed them.

“GRAAAAA!!!” an unearthly scream echoed through the hall.

The intense light began to fade, the shimmering glow from the attack dissipating as Aria plunged her sword into the ground, resting herself upon it and looking upon the paladin. The paladin’s form stumbled back gripping their body in pain but otherwise seemingly untouched. “No. Please. Do not tell me…” Saya’s spirit began to sink.

“Hold on Saya, look!” Aria pointed to cracks in the armor.

“What!?” Risia’s eyes widened in shock. “But that armor, it… Denarius,” she looked to the priest, who grimaced before backing into the hallway behind them.

The paladin trembled and shook, the mist evaporating as they gave another unearthly wail, gripping their head in pain. Penelope rushed to their side, only for the form to jerk away from her touch, startling the girl. The armor cracked, crumbled, and burned away, as the form beneath seemed to emit a brilliant light. The armor disapparated, giving way to the muscular form beneath. As it trembled the form seemed to fade away as well, a smaller softer one falling to the ground as the deep cries evaporated into nothingness. In their place a higher and shallower pant of a weary woman was all that remained; one who wearily fell to the ground, her long lavender hair falling beside her.

“Elise!” Saya called out as she ran toward her sister, Lillia rushing to her side as well. The two held their sister and pulled her into their lap.

“Elise!” Lillia echoed as they held her. The girl shivered and trembled before her eyes began to finally give way and open.

“Lillia? Saya?” she asked in a soft voice. She blinked as her hands slowly moved for her throat, her eyes widening in shock then quivering in disbelief. She shivered again as her arms landed upon her chest. “This is… I am…,” her eyes began to tear up. “I’m… free?” her voice shook as she looked to the others for confirmation.

“Elise!” Saya declared as she pulled her in for a hug.

“Saya,” Elise’s voice shook. “You did it. You really did it,” she began to cry. “I’m free. I’m finally free. I finally get to be me again! Oh, thank you,” she sobbed.

“Elise,” Penelope’s voice shook as she approached. Elise looking upon her in awe.

“Penelope, you came back,” Elise looked at the girl, her cheeks glistening with tears. “Even after everything I said to you… You still came back and…”

“Of course, I did! You jerk,” Penelope sobbed. “I couldn’t just abandon the woman I love like that, could I?” she cried.

“The…” Elise looked upon her with shock. She rose to her feet and approached the sobbing woman and pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry,” she whimpered. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Penelope whispered. “You’re safe, and you’re here, with me. That’s all that matters now,” she said, weaving her fingers with Elise’s. “We’re finally together again, like that night. But this time, for real. No more illusions. No more barriers. Just you and me, as we were meant to be.”

“Penelope,” Elise sniffled. “Thank you.”

There was a somber silence for a moment as Saya and Lillia watched the two girls cuddle and cry, smiling with satisfaction at their long awaited reunion. However before too long, Lillia finally piped up. “So, what do we do now?”

“We finally saved Elise,” Saya smiled some before beginning to frown. “But we still have to save mother.”

“Mother?” Elise repeated, finally breaking from Penelope’s comfortable embrace. “You’re going after mom next?”

“We are,” Saya confirmed. “I… I cannot leave her here any longer.”

“Yeah,” Elise agreed. “Mom’s suffered enough.”

“But where should we go?” Lillia frowned. “This place is enormous, how are we supposed to find her?”

“I’m not sure,” Penelope shook her head. “The great priestess…” she sighed “…lady Elesa’s location has always been kept a big secret. She’s always kept out of sight when she’s here.”

“But, if anyone knew, it would be Denarius,” Elise explained.

“Father Denarius,” Saya scowled. That horrid man who seemed to enjoy torturing her sister so. If he knew where their mother was, then there was little question of what she would have to do next. “Then we have to find him, right Aria?” She looked to where she saw her girlfriend earlier. Her heart dropped as she realized Aria was nowhere to be seen. “Aria? Aria!” she called, alarming the others.

“Over here!” Aria called back, standing atop the stairwell the priest was before. “Sorry about that,” she said as climbed down the stairs to her. “I knew you all were taking care of Elise, so I decided to try tailing those creeps from earlier.

“You tailed them?” Elise looked at her concernedly.

“That was reckless of you,” Lillia scolded her. “What would have happened if they noticed you and attacked?”

“Sorry,” Aria apologized. “But the good news is I think I know where Queen Elesa is.”

“You do?” Saya asked excitedly.

“Yeah. Those two went to that Restricted Sanctum we saw earlier. And they were mumbling about ‘needing to get her.’ I figure they meant the Queen,” Aria explained.

“If that’s true then,” Penelope looked to the others.

“Yeah, how should we want to proceed?” Aria crossed her arms.

“Part of me wishes to go and assist Reginald and get Aunt Honey to help us,” Saya considered.

“Reginald?” Elise repeated. “Where is he?”

“He’s helping Honey and Iris upstairs with dealing with the knights,” Penelope explained. “And I don’t think going to help them is a good idea. Knowing him he probably had some ruse prepared to deceive the knights to help him or something.”

“That does sound like him,” Elise chuckled. “He is good at getting people to do what he wants like that. And if that’s true, then our aide could backfire for him and his plan.”

“You think so?” Lillia questioned.

“Certainly.” Penelope nodded. “I think it best if we just push on together.”

“Is that so,” Aria cogitated. “Well, we don’t know much about this Restricted Sanctum, right? Guess we’ll have to rely on you to help guide us.”

“That’s right,” Penelope nodded. “I believe Elise has been there before.”

“Yeah, it’s where they took me to reinforce the seal,” Elise grimaced. “But, it’s a pretty large place, and I was always being escorted in there. I won’t be able to guide us all that much, and we could get lost in there. But I’ll try.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Aria nodded. “We’re counting on you Elise.”

“Got it,” Elise pumped her arms excitedly, then blushed. “Oh goodness,” she giggled.

“Is something the matter?” Lillia asked.

“No, nothing,” Elise shook her head. “Just, I suddenly feel a lot more aware that I’m really myself,” she said bashfully.

“Hehe,” Penelope giggled. “And you’re all the cuter for it.”

“Aww,” Elise looked at Penelope fondly, the others laughing. “Alright then, for real. Let’s go save mom!” she cheered, the five all cheering as they charged into the hallway.