With its shaky legs, the fox finds the strength to bite into the dome, puncturing it with its teeth. Its magic pops the dome like a bubble, allowing it to enter the battlefield. As it walks between Lunalus and Virno, it picks up an intriguing scent, diverting its focus. With the world still frozen around it, it manages to sniff out the location of Ballo's coin, with the tails facing up. It stops for a moment, looking back at Virno and Rotavitea, heavily pondering its next course of action. Grabbing the coin with its teeth, it carries it towards Rotavitea.

Fox: Yip...

It gently places the coin down on the ground tail-side up, as a grey glow emanates from its eyes. When the fox focuses on the coin, it magically flips itself over, with its head side facing up. This causes it to violently vibrate yet, before anything could happen, the small animal bites into Rotavitea's clothes and disappears alongside her. Time resumes.

Virno: ...?!

Feeling like he had just dozed off, Virno takes a moment to gather his thoughts, the sword mere inches away from puncturing his torso. He couldn't help but feel like something wasn't quite right... Lunalus, on the other hand, seemed to know exactly what had happened.

Lunalus: Filthy time-benders...! So, you're already in league with them...?!

As Virno looks at Lunalus, he remembers what he was about to do.

Virno: Don't know what the hell just happened... But I'll figure it out after I'm done with you...!

Gripping the sword tightly once more, Virno takes a deep breath, when suddenly an explosion of energy takes place behind him. Strangely, instead of being projected forward, he is pulled back into it. From within the magical explosion's particles that littered the air, a hand touches his shoulder as he flies it by, casting a cube of grey energy around him. His movements were greatly slowed while inside it.

Lunalus: You...

As the dust settles, the silhouette at the center of the blast is finally revealed. In its hand, it held Ballo's coin, now cracked and brittle.

The Lion: So, it wasn't him, after all. I suppose it was your doing, then... Virno.

He turns around to face a confused Virno. Noticing his cracked eyes, he sighs.

The Lion: Though the power bestowed upon you is undeniably great... You ought to use it more responsibly.

Virno tried to speak, but even his mouth moved far too slowly to produce any words.

Lunalus: Thought you'd find the Owl here...? I'm afraid I've bad news to share...

The coin disintegrates in his left hand. In his right one, the Lion summoned forth his reality-bending scimitar, whilst assuming a combative stance.

The Lion: Be gone, Lunalus...

Lunalus laughs.

Lunalus: We meet again, Lion... I trust we both know how this goes.

The Lion: Indeed.

The Lion slashes at the air, his weapon consuming the space between him and Lunalus. This causes Lunalus to be instantly brought to the Lion, leaving him little to no reaction time. With the enemy now within hands' grasp, the Lion grips his throat with immense strength, lifting him in the air as his neck begins to crack.

The Lion: One less vessel.

With an effortless swing, he decapitates Lunalus, holding his severed head by the neck. All the while, the magic in his scimitar eats away at Lunalus' body from within, disintegrating it rapidly.

Lunalus: Only t-thousands more to go...!

Lunalus' disembodied head smiles mockingly as he utters his last words, mere moments before his eyes roll to the back of his head. The Lion then drops it on the ground without any remorse, as it disintegrates in much the same way as the body did. And so, in the blink of an eye, the battle was over. Sheathing his blade, the Lion turns to Virno.

The Lion: Now...

The grey cube is dispelled, and Virno is granted complete agency over his body's speed once more.

The Lion: Wielder of the Sword of Greed. I am glad to see you haven't allied yourself with Nox...

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

With barely any strength left to stand, Virno replies under laboured breath.

Virno: S-so? Gonna give me a recruitment speech, too...?

The Lion shakes his head.

The Lion: I sense it would be most futile... I have but two questions to ask of you.

He approaches Virno with a heavy gait.

The Lion: ... Was his death painful?

Virno surmised he was enquiring about Ballo.

Virno: I-I can't tell you that... He gave his life for mine. That's all I know.

The Lion nods.

The Lion: Then at least he died on his own terms. I'm glad. Then, onto my second question.

He places both hands on Virno's shoulders. Though his figure was imposing, Virno sensed no threat coming from him.

The Lion: You saw the city beneath the surface, yes? Judging by the state of things around here... I doubt there is anything left of it. What I would like to know... Is if you've seen a god emerge from its ashes.

Virno's eyes widen.

Virno: A g-god?!

The Lion sighs.

The Lion: That is not a very encouraging answer...

The Lion releases his grasp and turns around, somewhat disappointed.

Virno: I got knocked out for a good while... When I woke up, the cradle was already in shambles... Only thing anywhere close to a god to walk out of there would be me, I g-guess...

He did not mean it in a self-centered way, Virno was just too tired to bother phrasing it any differently.

The Lion: No... Not you. You'd have known it if you'd seen it. So. this means it could already be out there... I just hope it isn't causing too much chaos.

Virno looks around, searching for something... Or someone.

The Lion: What's the matter...?

He looks back at the Lion, his gaze riddled with confusion.

Virno: There was s-somebody else here... They should be hiding from Lunalus.

The Lion: Somebody else...?

The Lion scans the area around them, his eyes sweeping the forest from side to side... Nothing.

The Lion: Wherever they are, they are not here anymore.

Virno collapses onto his knees, barely remaining conscious.

Virno: D-dammit...

The Lion: Virno. Thank you for what you've told me.... As a token of gratitude, tell me the place you'd most like to be. Think about it as hardly as you can, I will see to it you get there.

Virno's eyes glint for a moment. Yet, it didn't feel right to leave Rotavitea behind.

Virno: I c-can't... Not until I find her.

The Lion: I understand. Tell me, where did you last see this person? And how long ago was it...?

As Virno points towards the general direction Rotavitea was hiding, and thinks back on how long it had been since he's seen her... The dots connect in his mind. He was sure he heard her moments before time warped, just before Lunalus accused him of allying himself with Eclipse.

The Lion: I see... And you saw nothing else suspicious? Nothing at all...?

Of course... He remembered.

Virno: There was a fox with her. A black and white fox.

Virno described the strange powers it possessed.

The Lion: Is that right...? Well. That's most interesting. Most interesting indeed...

The Lion seemed very pleased with the information that had just been uncovered.

The Lion: Good. Virno, I will make it my personal mission to find the whereabouts of this girl, you have my word... And-

Virno interrupts.

Virno: Y-your word...? Am I supposed to just trust t-that?

The Lion laughs.

The Lion: If you'd just let me finish... I know actions mean far more than words. With that in mind...

The Lion takes his hands up to his mask, slowly removing it. Behind the mask, a pair of glimmering blue eyes was revealed. He was a man in his forties, cleanly shaven. Removing the hood that covered his hair, a completely white mane was revealed... Not so different from that of a Lion.

The Lion: Hold onto this for me, yes? I will know exactly where you are... As soon as I find her, I will let you know. On the flip side...

The Lion removes his monochrome robes, casting them aside. Underneath, he was adorned in a wealthy attire, resembling a nobleman. He unbuttons the top of his ornate shirt, to reveal a large tattoo of a Lion's face in his chest. The tattoo was an almost exact copy of his mask.

The Lion: Our masks bind us to Eclipse. Without them, we are cut off from one another. Whoever gets their mask destroyed... Is immediately and automatically exiled from the group. That exile is then forever branded into the body. This sigil you see in my chest, each of us has one. It represents our role, yet when one is exiled... It sears itself onto our skin forever, leaving behind nothing but a disfigured scar. As their leader... I hope you understand the consequences of this.

Virno accepts the mask. With his only hand grabbing the sword, the Lion places it on his face.

The Lion: I believe it goes without saying how bad of an idea it would be to wear it out in public... Still, you must keep it close to you at all times. Now... Can you trust me?

Virno seemed completely taken aback by how much the Lion was willing to risk just to gain his trust. Still, he could not sense any malice or manipulation behind the man's intentions.

Virno: Either you're full of shit, o-or batshit insane. Luckily for you... I'm t-too damn fucked up to deal with the former case. So... I'm holding onto it. Just be sure you find her quick. Alright?

The Lion smiles.

The Lion: Don't worry. It is also in my best interest to find her as rapidly as possible, as you can surmise. So, tell me then... Where is it you would most like to be?

Virno speaks to him the name of their destination. As he touches Virno, both of them disappear from the battlefield. In mere moments, Virno found himself in an old, dusty home. It was an abandoned house in some city's slums... Yet he knew the place quite well. With the Lion's help, Virno sits on his old bed.

The Lion: This is farewell, then. I have one final word of advice for you, Virno.

Virno listened to his words as attentively as he could, given the beaten-down state he was in.

The Lion: Now more than ever... You are a walking target. Wherever you are, wherever you go... Always assume someone is watching. Nothing is safe around you. Nobody is safe around you. You must accept this, yes? Be very, very cautious.

Virno smiles.

Virno: Yeah... I'm getting used to that celebrity status already.

The Lion opens a portal in front of himself.

The Lion: Good. Then I will come collect my autograph some other day.

The Lion disappears into the portal, leaving Virno on his own. He falls asleep almost instantly, completely exhausted from the battles that had unfolded.