"He's not here," Balgair's said with a serious, deep voice as Cade walked out to the backyard of Aleyah's house. Balgair's voice had mostly gone back to normal since his nose injury two weeks ago, and he wore all black and the night was dark, so he blended in seamlessly.

"It's not him I'm looking for," Cade responded as he walked over to stand by the sitting Balgair's side.

Balgair shifted his gaze from the stars and looked up at Cade's eyes questioningly. She could see that his eyes had changed. Lost a bit of their edge, for better or worse. That's how she knew he was authentic in his return.

"We rarely talk, and when we do, we're fighting. But we're supposed to be permanent companions now. It would be for the best if we at least tried to be friendly," Cade clarified.

"You want to talk?" Balgair asked, surprisingly, without a shred of mocking in his voice. "Sure, let's talk."

Cade nodded and sat down beside Balgair. Then a moment of silence followed. Cade had pondered the idea of really talking with Balgair for a while, but hadn't thought much about what to say.

Balgair glanced at her a few times before asking, "So, what exactly are we supposed to talk about?"

"Uh, we're departing tomorrow, but do you think..." Cade trailed off as she touched her nose.

Balgair touched his as well and gave a painful chuckle. "Don't worry. My nose is fine, if just a little deformed. And we can't wait around for me to heal for months when we have stuff to do. Besides, I've heard they got wicked good healers in the south. And also..." Balgair quit his rambling and frowned. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You know I deserve this. Pitying me will just serve to plant the idea in my mind that maybe I don't. And we both know that won't do, hah. I'm actually surprised at how worried you were about me when... Ah, well, I guess you were just worried about Aurelius. But Aurelius is fine; he's just doing what he has to," Balgair said as he went to lie down.

Balgair's hand went to his pocket, but it came back empty, and he sighed.

"You threw them away?" Cade asked.

"Eh, I guess. Look at me being all reformed. My old self would have laughed his ass off at me."

"Your old self is a wicked bastard."

"Yeah, and I'm just a bastard."

"You can be more."

"More of a bastard?" Balgair laughed.

Cade just looked at him quietly, expecting him to take things seriously.

Balgair sighed. "I don't know about that. I want to be what you and Aurelius seem to think I could be, but I just can't imagine a future where that version of me is real," Balgair said and seemingly stopped, but when Cade was about to speak, Balgair started up again. "To be honest, I find myself disgusting most of the time, but I can't be anyone else, and I'm afraid to die, so I can't do anything but stay in a state of self-pity while I throw around excuses, blaming everyone else for what I am. I don't try to change because I think it's a fruitless endeavor that would only lead to my ruin, but I'm not actually sure that it would. Maybe I could be something great, but I'm afraid I won't be, so I won't try. Self-improvement is overrated anyways. I'd rather just sit around and wait to die."

Cade looked at Balgair who lay with his hand under his head as he gazed at the stars. Balgair's eyes were dark, bearing only a few glints from starlight. Cade smiled.

"What?" Balgair asked, his brown furrowed at Cade's sudden joy.

"You haven't even realized it yourself, but you've already taken a massive leap on your way to being something great," Cade said and put a hand on Balgair's shoulder. "I know it may not feel like it right now, but Aurelius and I like having you around. I keep people at arm's length. It's just the way I am. And Aurelius is going through something right now, so he's not very friendly." Cade shook Balgair a little as he lay there, a glint in his eyes. "But I want you to know that we're both proud of you."

Balgair's mouth opened, but no words came out.

Cade then stood and bid goodnight before walking back inside.

On her way out, she heard something. Something silent. A feature hidden and suffocated for what must have been years and years. She looked back.

As Balgair lay there with his arms and legs spread, enveloped in darkness, tears flowed from his eyes, unable to be suppressed any longer. Cade showed a sad smile and went inside, leaving one of the strongest people she knew to sob alone under the stars.

***

Aurelius cracked his neck as he walked downstairs. Most of his injuries had healed. They had left their mark, though. Long, thin scars now traced all over his forearms, chest and back. No matter. Scars were good reminders. He could die like any other man.

He puffed out a frustrated breath and locked eyes with Balgair on accident. After quickly looking away, he found Cade. "Are we ready?" he asked.

"Are you ready?" Cade asked, eyeing his casual clothing.

"I'll change in a bit," Aurelius said with a wave of his hand. He then looked around. "Where's Aleyah. I'd like to thank her... and apologize."

Cade pursed her lips with a difficult expression. "She's been out since morning. I said goodbye already. But don't worry; she knows you're sorry."

Aurelius closed his eyes and scratched his head. "So, we move through Venalia and avoid Acelot while we head to the South. What then? Have you mapped out the details yet?"

"I've got something." Cade pulled out a map and pointed at the southern side of Mircrest where wide areas were colored brown and a patch of blue lay.

"Red Lake City?" Aurelius said, squinting at the map. "The mountainside?"

"It's called Akario," Balgair butted in from behind.

Aurelius turned his head and glanced at him briefly.

Cade nodded. "Balgair helped me pick the place. The mountains make the place more isolated. There's a city there, but there's also nature and areas where it's possible to train without drawing attention. There are some issues with homeless people there, though. The mayor isn't very friendly to the unfortunate and doesn't care much for the working class. Numen's influence is also very small due to how disconnected the place is."

Aurelius took another glance at Balgair. "Is this mayor an old enemy of yours as well?" Balgair's slightly lively eyes narrowed, and his mouth turned upside down as he lowered his head. Aurelius turned back to Cade, who was shaking her head. He put his hands up, and said, "Fine, that sounds good to me. I'll go get ready. We leave in half an hour."

***

There was a flash in the darkness, and the leader of the Five Shadows kneeled before the desk in Gadreel's office. The chair turned, but Gadreel wasn't there. Instead, Sherridan held the seat. "Hello, Leonardo."

Leonardo stood up, taking off his mask and letting his blonde hair fall to the sides of his face. "What is this? I was summoned. Why is Gadreel not here?"

"He's..."Sherridan paused as she played with a knife in her hand. "a bit busy."

"The Banquet?"

"Mmm, Gadreel needed to clear things up with Franz and acquire a bit of evidence in order to make a convincing case after the fact."

"He's going to maim him?"

"I don't know about that. Gadreel does destroy people, but not in a sense you may be able to comprehend. Violence isn't enough. He destroys people completely. He damages their souls. I have a name for it. Psychological mutilation."

"Fancy," Leonardo quipped. "So I repeat... Why am I here?"

"You have been given the duty of tracking and watching after the son of Ares."

Leonardo cocked his head. "You want me to kill him? Thought that was Izir's job."

"Are you deaf? You're just supposed to keep track of him and his growth. Send in some reports on what level you think he's at, and then we'll proceed from there," Sherridan explained, seemingly more interested in the knife in her hands than Leonardo.

Leonardo likewise threw his respect out of the window and kicked the gorgeous carpet as he yawned. "You intend to use my talents for the mere work of a spy? How about I just kill the kid? Will this farce be over then? It has been getting rather boring."

"Trust in Gadreel," Sherridan said with a roll of her eyes. "Look, I don't know why he is making you do this. I assume he'll give you further orders at a later date. But hey, if you can kill the kid, go ahead. Not like I give a shit. I just work here."

Leonardo gave a laugh before his face turned unamused. "Fine, I'll go and watch the kid. But tell Gadreel my time is not to be wasted. I live for battle, and killing the royal brat wouldn't be the first time I've disobeyed orders to get what I want."

"You walk a tight rope," Sherridan remarked. "Oh, but if you do face him, don't freeze even if it may be in your blood to bow your head to every golden-haired man in the vicinity, Zalfarian."

Leonardo gritted his teeth as he turned his back and walked out, leaving the laughing lady in the chair behind.