Yurika cautiously walked passed the fortress gate, her ankles being tickled by the tendrils of weeds that had broken through the cobbles. The dark stone walls bathed in a stream of silver light that spilled through the clouded sky. The place was eerie. An uneasy breeze blew down, grazing her back neck and grasped her with it chilly touch. She shivered. Her mind told her to just run back; away from the place; but her body dragged her to the center of the palace courtyard. Standing in the middle of the broken courtyard, she closed her eyes trying to remember how was it before, the mirth, the joy of the people waiting for the big day. The day when the Goddess promised a way to win the battle, promised the one true warrior that would lead them to the victory. She was one of them who expecting with high hope. But all those slowly muted by the voices of old, the clash of metal on metal, the pounding of Hoihos’ hooves, the cry of battle and the death itself. She stood where knights stood, saw what the kings, royalties, and peasants saw. The once majestic fortress now nothing but a shambles.

“What… happened here?” she murmured as she automatically held Zeke sleeves, there’s confusion in her voice.

“We lost the battle,” Zeke answered. His tone was flat like she had asked the kind of question that didn’t require an answer.

“I know that, but this place I thought-- since you said Jace and everyone still live here--,” she was speechless, “Zeke, what happened after I die?”

“Do you think this place would still be bustling and thriving after we lost the battle?” He looked at her as if she has asked him the dumbest question ever, “It was chaos. There were countless deaths. Soldiers, knights, our elites, even the innocent citizens.”

His eyes were glassy and his breathing was heavy, he took his time before continuing, “The kingdom alliances broke the moment your death announced. At the same time, Goddess Caillea sent a huge wave of attack. As if she knew your death and the turmoil situation that set in beforehand. Everyone in their right mind ran with their life and the next thing we knew, there was nothing left but ruins and piles and piles of dead bodies scattered all over the place. More than you could imagine.”

Yurika tightened her grips, lost in despair and grief. She thought her death would allow a better candidate to come along. That the Goddess would descend once more and give that ancient legendary stone to the better, more eligible and willing warrior. When her past life memories came back, she realized that she was wrong. But being where she was now. Standing in the middle of the palace ruins, finally, for the first time, she understood the true severity mistake of her decision.

“Only six of the elites survived. Well, five, I wasn’t even one before,” He rubbed the back of his neck, “with the broken alliance pact, people fled and this place abandoned. All hope lost but Jace refused to leave the palace, he still stubbornly held the Goddess last promise that there will be a newborn hero. The chosen one to claim Fetu La Rossa the legendary stone once more. The one who would save the world, the one who will bring back the Goddesses and finally bring back the glory of Ursa kingdom.”

Yurika automatically moved her hand toward the secret pouch in the back of her waist belt, as if making sure that the thing was still there, “but how did it fell in my hand?”

“We don’t really know, one day sixteen years ago it suddenly vanished from Jace’s treasure chamber. It really caused panic. But only us six here, so in the end, we got into conclusion that the hero has finally born,” Zeke took a quick glance at Yurika before continuing, “ and since that day we were searching for the hero, the one who will wield the true power of Fetu La Rossa.”

“So the six of you stayed here?”

“Yeah, Jace, Amiera as his wife of course she stays, then Lyall Jace’s brother, also the quiet mysterious Marc Albeques; I couldn’t understand that brat he hardly says a word; then there’s Scry. He comes and goes as he pleases. I don’t really know why he even stays when he could have returned to his own kingdom,“ Zeke put one of his hand inside his pocket, rubbed his not so itchy nose then shrugged, “and me.”

Hearing Scry name mentioned the dread and fear feeling came back faster than the lightning, she unconsciously moved closer towards Zeke.

“Is he here now?” she whispered, while her eyes roamed the deserted palace square frantically.

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“I don--,“ Zeke’s words were cut with a loud sound of someone cleared his throat from behind. Both of them turned their body, surprised by the unexpected guest.

'W-who is that?' Yurika telepathed Zeke, her eyes glancing at him warily, 'Sc-Scry, or J-Jace or..? Did he heard everything we have been talking about?'

Zeke didn’t respond directly. He squinted to get a good look at the person who stood next to one of the pillars not far from where they stood. His face was covered by the shadow of an old tree; one of those trees that became the silent witness of Ursa Palace doom.

“Why are you two standing in the middle of nowhere and chitty chatty like a couple of teen girls, who likes to gossips!?” The man finally stepped out from the shadow and revealed himself.

“Lyall, is that you?” asked Zeke in a louder voice; he sounded relieved in a way.

'Relax, it just Lyall. I doubt he heard anything. In the last battle at the end of the Great War, he got serious injuries and became half deaf,' Zeke telepath her back.

As the man walked closer, Yurika saw him for the first time after almost two decades and saw how much he has changed. He would have been white if it weren’t for all the freckles. There were so many his face was brown with small pale spaces here and there, like the tips of grass struggling to show through the golden-brown leaves of fall. His hair was a perfect mop of red, it would have been lion-like had he not been so skinny; his clothes covered his almost skeletal shoulders. She took in his face for as long as she dared look, no-one’s cheekbones should stick out so far. Lyall Ursa Jace’s older brother had never been looked as good as his younger brother. He used to joke around on how he had given up all of his parents’ good genes and saved all of it to give it to Jace, but he wasn’t that unsightly too. Now she somehow understood what did Zeke mean by he wasn’t the same man anymore since he lost Dietra. His face had no trace of life other than not being blue. It was like he was breathing without really being alive.

“Is this the girl that has occupied your time lately, Z?” his voice was croaky. Yurika could smell the foul scent from him; the combination of someone who hasn’t taken a bath in days and a strong fume of alcohol. He looked at Yurika curiously.

“So young. How old are you? Fifteen? Sixteen?” his turquoise eyes scrutinized her from top to bottom, “too young. What are you thinking of Z?”

“What do you mean?” Zeke asked back; confused by his question.

“Well, too young to be your bride of course,” Lyall hoarse laugh crackling like thunder clapping then it followed by some coughing fit.

Zeke made a face and softly patted the man back, “you really need to slow down your drinking, it’s killing you.”

It’s funny on how much time has changed, the bold line between nobles and commoners that used to be so clear now has somehow smudged; blurred. It would be a suicide act before for commoners to actually lay a hand on nobbles without their permission like what Zeke just did to Lyall, but seeing on how comfortable Zeke acted she guessed things had changed for sure.

Lyall brushed away Zeke's hand lightly and smiled smugly, “It’s a good plan isn’t it?”

“What? To die because of alcohol?” Zeke raised his brows.

“Well, why not? Worth it to try right I am not asking for this eternal youth life,” Lyall shrugged, “…. Not without Dietra.”

Zeke didn’t reply, he just patted the man once more, this time with a sympathetic look.

“Anyway, you should go in. Jace has been waiting for you,” Lyall tilted his head toward the throne room area.

“Okay, let’s go,” Zeke nodded at Yurika; asking her to follow him.

The three of them walked in a beeline, all quiet with their own thoughts. As they arrived in front of the huge door; the seemed only door that had human touch on it; Zeke knocked on the door and announced their arrival. Then Zeke slowly pushed it open, revealing the throne room.

There used to be some tremendous braziers at the bottom of each of the eight obsidian columns. They light up the lower levers of the throne hall and coat everything in an orange glimmer, but Yurika only saw three of them left. The glass of the windows in the slanted ceiling smudged with some darkens soot while the grey wood floor of the majestic hall blackened by dust and dirt. An old and ragged teal rug ran down from the throne and ripped halfway, it used to encircle the entire hall while forked banners with gilded tapestries; those too had gone missing from their posts.

The throne hall was a complete wreck. Black, withered vines clung to the stones in desperation, and several windows were broken and covered in filth and grime. Yurika set her eyes towards the throne seat, where a golden-haired man with his piercing blue eyes sat. His attire was somewhat more modest than two decades ago. His usual clean shaved face was invaded by a little bit of facial hair but it actually made him looked matured. His demeanor still held his charisma as a leader even in this kind of devastating state. He still shined his pride as a king.

Then he finally noticed their presence, he took his time evaluating the girl that stood beside Zeke. Her blonde wavy hair draped down softly coiling along the ends, against her black woolen cloaks the girl’s hair was almost white, absolutely shining in the autumn light. When she moved her head it swung with her like a liquid, her dolly fuschia eyes and her soft pink lips gave her some warmth, complementing her pale face. As his gaze met with hers an unreadable little smile rose up on his face.