Gwyneth awoke from a strange dream. Had the girl in her dream been Thea? Their voices sounded the same. But where could there be so much water? Aquariot? There was no land visible in the distance, and it was a long-known fact that the ocean surrounding Halcyone was protected by a violent storm preventing anyone from sailing too far from the shore.

"Thea," Gwyneth whispered to her sword after noticing the others were asleep.

"Hm?" The sword hummed.

"I just had a dream about you, I think." She felt weird wording it like that. Especially when she barely knew Thea.

"That would make sense. You possess my magic and would likely be able to see my past in dreams. What specifically did you dream about?"

"The sea. Where was this? You were talking to... Ares?"

There was a long pause.

"There is much of my past that is not for you to know. I made a promise and I intend to keep it. Unfortunately, I cannot answer your question."

What could be so important that it must be kept secret? Gwyneth found herself growing increasingly curious.

"Fine." Gwyneth huffed before smirking. "I'll just have to go to Aquariot and ask there. After all, it is a kingdom that worships the sea."

"Good luck with that."

"I found her!" The words tore through the silence like a wailing child in the middle of the night. Bodies immediately sat up from their sleep instinctively reaching for their weapons.

They relaxed when they realized it was Aston with who appeared to be Isla beside him.

"Isla!" Gwyneth pushed herself up from her crouching position, slipping on the grass wet from morning dew in the process. Nevertheless, she ran to hug her friend. "Are you all right?!"

"If I hadn't rescued her when I did, she'd be dead by now!" Aston scolded. "I told you we needed to move quicker!"

"What?!" Gwyneth paled.

"Would you have thought to go back to Aboracies though?" Isla smiled sheepishly.

"Uh, no? Why?" Aston blinked.

"Because that's where I was."

"Oh..." Aston felt like an idiot. Maybe it was good that they had decided to rest. He never would have tried his teleportation magic otherwise.

"Glad to have you back." Cetri waved from where she was still sitting on the ground.

The only one who was yet to speak was Elric. Gwyneth turned to him certain he would be relieved, yet he looked bothered by something. Upset, even.

"Are you okay?" Gwyneth asked quietly while the others were busy talking amongst themselves.

Elric quickly turned his head to her, his eyebrows rising in surprise and his expression asking why he wouldn't be. "I'm relieved just as you are, I imagine." His gaze turned back to Isla and Aston and his neutral expression turned into a scowl.

Ah, so that was it. He was jealous that Aston had been the one to save her. Could that mean...?

"Do you... like Isla?" Gwyneth hesitated, cocking her head to the side to get a better view of Elric's expression.

The knight quickly sputtered, jerking his head back in the process. "She's our friend, isn't she?"

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"You know what I mean." The princess rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner, a strand of hair falling behind her shoulder in the process.

"...Yes," he finally muttered, looking away from her in the process.

Gwyneth couldn't help but feel like a giddy child at her friend's confession. Not trying to alert the others, she held it in if only barely. "Go say something to her!"

"N-Now?" Elric frowned in surprise. "What am I supposed to say?"

"That you're happy she's safe, or something!"

With a loud sigh, Elric approached the half-Fae with some help from Gwyneth who pulled Aston away from the scene. Aston shot her an angry glance when he realized her plan but respected it nonetheless. After all, he could never have her...

Once the two finished their moment, Gwyneth was quick to ask about where Isla was taken and what had happened to her.

"There's... There's something I haven't been entirely honest with you about." Isla tightened her fists as she prepared to tell her story. She recounted the experiments she had gone through as a child, the same ones that had killed her mother. The goal of these experiments as well as her newly awakened magic.

By the time she had finished, Gwyneth was in tears. "Y-You could have told me!" Gwyneth cried out. "I-I could have protected you!"

Isla shook her head. "Nobody could have protected me. If anything, it may have endangered me even more."

"Who was behind these projects?! S-Surely not my father?" Gwyneth paled at the thought. Is it possible that her own parents had orchestrated this from the start? That they never saw Isla as anything other than an inferior creature they could use to enhance their kingdoms? It certainly didn't sound like the kind parents she knew.

"I'm not sure. I was never told."

"Are Fae that despised in Aeceria?!" Cetri clenched her fists. "How could they treat you like that?! Like some sort of animal! Despicable! Every last one of them!" If this is how Fae were treated, she was worried about how the other Cathruli might be seen.

Elric too was speechless with a look of disgust plain on his face. "When our journey is over, I'm taking you far away from the capital. There is no way I'm allowing you to return after what you've been through."

"T-Thank you..." Isla began crying more than she already was. She frantically wiped her eyes with the back of her palms, but they were no match for the river of tears she shed. Elric thankfully handed her his handkerchief.

Gwyneth realized Aston had been unusually quiet. She looked around her only to see that he was gone. A sharp pain stung her heart realizing she didn't know when she'd ever see him again.

The sound of someone clearing their throat could be heard. "This is all very nice and all, but shouldn't we get back to the task at hand?" Thea spoke from the sword.

"Where's Aston?" Isla asked, just now realizing he was gone.

"He was just here and then he vanished..." Gwyneth frowned.

"Then Thea has a point." Elric exhaled. "It's all the more reason we need to stop Ares and rescue Aston. Does our plan remain the same? Ask the Fae about Ares—"

"You're still clinging onto the Fae?!" Thea asked in disbelief. "They're not going to help you."

"What if we could offer them Ares in return?"

"Why would you offer them anything?! Least of all the person you're supposed to kill! Besides, I know just about everything there is to know about this world. Separating two souls from one body is impossible."

"Then perhaps there is more information that can be gained about our situation," Isla theorized. "The Fae house archives from the beginning of time, there must be something about Ares and how we can stop him because I doubt it'll be as easy as sticking a sword in his chest."

"Or perhaps knowledge of how to reason with him," Gwyneth added.

"He can't be reasoned with!" Thea exclaimed. "I've already tried it a hundred times! I know you want to save your friend. Once upon a time, that's all I ever wanted too. I was blinded by my personal feelings, and so many lives were lost due to my inability to act. I can't let history repeat itself. In more ways than one. I know the pain you're all feeling right now, but believe me when I tell you there is no other way."

Gwyneth paused. For once in her life, she felt completely hopeless. The reality of Thea's words set in, and she didn't know where to go from there. One thing she was certain of like Isla said, their task would not be as easy as simply killing Ares.

"Isla, Elric," Gwyneth began; "go to Losufea and see what you can find about Ares. Perhaps there's something that the Fae know that Thea doesn't. Cetri, come with me to Aquariot. There is something I need to see for myself."

"Aquariot?" Cetri scrunched her nose in disgust. "Fine. At least it's not the highlands."

"What is it that you hope to find?" Elric asked.

"A view," Gwyneth kept her goal vague, not wanting to involve the others any more than she had to. For now, the dream only concerned her and Thea. And if Thea wouldn't elaborate further, she would just have to ask the Aquariots what they knew of the world beyond the storm.

"It's not like I'm exactly welcome in Losufea either." Thea sighed. Right, Camellia had spoken negatively about the sword, hadn't she? Just what history did Thea have with the Fae? Somehow, Gwyneth didn't think she'd be keen on answering.

"Very well." Elric nodded in acknowledgment. "When we're done, we'll meet you in Aquariot."

"Be safe, my friends." Gwyneth urged before winking at Elric when Isla looked away.