Clayton stood atop a circular marble platform, it floated over a vast ocean. The sky resembled a storm that had calmed. Clayton searched around, to see if anyone was near him. He called out but was given no response. The wind blew, it felt cold and sad. On the horizon, sat a light blue light. He gazed at it, somehow it felt familiar, it felt like an old home. He turned his gaze behind him. On the opposite horizon, an orange light sat. This did cause unease in Clayton's heart. Though no smell lingered on the wind, Clayton twisted his face in disgust. He knew the orange light was a place he truly did not want to go. The platform he stood atop began to move, but not toward either side of the light but up into the clouds. The platform's speed increased, causing Clayton to brace himself from the force. Clayton and the platform became engulfed by the clouds. Clayton's face felt the moisture of the clouds build and run down his neck. He was unable to see anything until the platform broke through to the other side of the clouds. Clayton wiped his face and was met with the view of the stars. Large beautiful stars, he felt he could reach out and grab one. Clayton was joyed, his father would take him to a clearing outside of his hometown and have them lay under the night sky. Watching as the stars danced in the sky. This memory warmed Clayton's heart. He looked around and saw the other planets dancing around the sun. They were once homes of the ancestors of the many races that now lived on Alberain. Thunder broke through the sky, catching Clayton's attention. A large mass moved on the edge of what looked like a rock wall that sat around the planets and the sun. Clayton could tell the mass was fixated on him. It wanted him, for the purpose escaped his mind. "I don't know what it is you want but know this. I will not be taken without a fight." Clayton screamed out at the mass. He gripped what he thought was his sword, he realized it was the broken one he had used against the Gultonk and Panagiot. A voice creeped out into Clayton's mind, "Oh I can't wait to meet you in person little knight." Clayton rushed to the edge of the platform. "WHY WAIT I STAND HERE NOW!" Clayton felt a presence appear behind him. It sent a striking cold and dreadful sensation to his core. Every inch of his body was drenched in fear from the pressure of whatever stood behind him. He turned and was met with a figure that had a hood draped over their head. "You are very loud." The figure spoke in a whisper. Clayton didn't just hear the words that were spoken to him, but something inside him felt the words as well. "You must leave now." the figure spoke as it placed its hand on Clayton's chest, pushing him over the edge of the platform. Clayton fell through the clouds and crashed into the ocean. Clayton felt the cool water wrap around him. He tried to swim to the surface, but the water itself dragged him down deeper. He opened his eyes and saw the black abyss at the bottom of the sea. In the black emptiness, he saw a hand reach out to grab him. Just before the hand reached him, he felt his face become warm and a sting lingered on his cheek. Clayton opened his eyes to the sight of Kira and Francisco leaning over him. "Good, I wasn't too late." Clayton's ear perked up at the voice. He turned to see the old cleric. "Will...William?" Clayton said in a weak tone. "Yes, my dear friend it's me." William replied. "Is he alright?" A voice asked. William raised his head, "Yes he will be fine." William looked down at Clayton, "He just needs to rest." Clayton let a small smile form. Clayton began to attempt to sit up, Francisco placed his hand on his back and helped push him up. Clayton looked around and saw villagers standing around. There were barely twenty or so survivors. Some were waiting to see if he would be alright. Others walked through the ruins of the village, looking through its debris. "Survivors?" Clayton asked. Kira stood beside him, "I felt their emotions, they were underneath the temple in a tunnel system. That's what drew us away from you." Kira's gaze shifted to the ground. "I apologize for not being able to help you, my power is spent until I am able to rest a bit." Clayton pulled himself to his feet, his side still felt numb from the wound. "Don't apologize, you found them. That's more important than helping me." Clayton felt a heavy and hard slap across his back, Diomede stood behind him. "Spoken like a true knight of Umar little cub." Diomede said in a joking tone. "Let us get everyone together to figure out what to do with the survivors." Lily suggested as she walked out from the crowd. "She makes a valid point." Francisco stated. "We can't just leave them to vend for themselves can we?" Kira shook her head, "I understand these people need help and it pains to say this, but I can't stay here any longer. I must make my way north." "Whats North?" Asked Clayton. Kira looked to Diomede in hopes he would answer the question. Clayton could tell the answer was something the group did not wish to discuss in the open. He pulled the others away from the crowd to a nearby dock that sat destroyed along the river. The five stood in silence until it was broken by Clayton, "Look whatever it is you need to get up north, I feel it would be best to come clean about it." Kira looked to Diomede, he replied, "It's your call." Kira looked at Clayton. "I must go north to find someone, someone important to my people." Clayton's face showed a confused look. "Who?" Kira spoke soft and low, "I seek Orcsha the blade." Clayton looked around at the others, to see if they knew who that was. Lily shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. Francisco and Diomede seemed to know the name. "Is he a Boarkar as well?" Kira nodded her head. "I'm from the north and the only Orcsha I heard of was the hermit that lives in the woods behind my father's tavern." Kira grabbed at Clayton's shoulder. "What do you mean hermit? Is there a large tree where you are from?" Clayton removed Kira's hand and replied, "I wouldn't call it large but there is a big tree deep in the woods." Kira turned to Diomede, "You don't think it could be him do you?" Clayton, Lily, and Francisco shifted their focus to Diomede as well, waiting for his response. Diomede looked around at the others, "I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it was." As he said this, in the back of his mind he knew the truth. "Well then little cub I guess you are leading us to your hometown. It's the only lead we have." Clayton's confused look returned. "What do you mean to lead you? I have to make sure the survivors make it to an outpost and the closest one is four days out."Clayton continued, "Furthermore there's no way it can be the same Orcsha you seek." Clayton pointed his finger at Kira, "She is the first Boarkar I have seen this far north." Diomede opened his mouth to rebuttal but was interrupted. "Excuse me if I may?" The Five turned to see William standing a few feet from them. The group turned to the cleric, waiting to hear what he had to say. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, but um Young Clayton we can't allow you to travel with us to the outpost." Clayton moved to the front of the group. "Why not?" William placed his hand on Clayton's shoulder, "The Holy Knights were able to get a message out to the outpost, branding you a traitor and a dangerous heretic." Shock befell the group. "How? Even if they sent a messenger as soon as they arrived, the nearest outpost is still too far out." Clayton shouted. Then the realization hit him like a crashed wave, Sending Stones. If they had just one pure stone, they would have been able to reach as far as the inner ring of the capital. Clayton's face lost its color and dread poured into his heart. "We know different, but I fear I won't be able to convince them otherwise." Diomede turned to William, "How do you know this?" William replied, "I received the mass message through my Holy item." Diomede signaled to Francisco to take the others back. Francisco quickly herded Kira, Lily, and William away. Clayton stood staring into the water. "What did I do?" He asked. "Was it because of something I did or didn't do?" Diomede sighed, "No, life has a way of knocking you down and then dropping mountains on you to try and keep you from going forward." Clayton began to pull off his bent and cracked armor. Throwing pieces into the river. "I lost my fellow knights to some giant monster. I lost an entire village to some necromancer. Now I am branded a traitor and a heretic!" Clayton threw each piece into the river. Until all he had left was his broken sword. He let out a small laugh, he placed the broken sword into his belt. "It would seem I no longer have a choice but to accompany you north. And if you are to go to my home town then I suppose all that has happened was fated to." Diomede placed his hand on Clayton's shoulder, "I know how you feel cub, Sometimes you can't fight against the stream but drift with it." Clayton turned and walked back, Diomede followed behind. Back in the village, the survivors started to pack a few wagons they had found that weren't too damaged. Lily, Kira, and Francisco stood packed and ready themselves. Waiting for the pair of warriors to return to them. As Diomede passed by a wagon he noticed his bearskin cloak sitting on top of a box of dried fish. He pulled it from the wagon and wrapped it around his shoulders. Kira stepped forward, "We are ready to begin north, are you?" she asked, Clayton gave no reply. Diomede nodded his head, "We are ready as well." Lily tossed Clayton his sword, "You are going to need that." She said as Clayton approached. Clayton caught the sword by its handle and placed it back into its sheath. The five turned and took the steps toward what fate had planned for them. "Wait!" Called a man. The five turned to one of the survivors. "I know it isn't much but we scraped what we could find in this mess." The man handed over a small chest. Francisco took hold of the chest and placed it into his bag. The man turned to Clayton, "Please take care of yourself, Clayton." Clayton shares a handshake with the man. "You stay safe and keep them safe." The man nodded and left to return to the other survivors. The five walked through to the other side of the village and reached the top of a hill. Clayton stopped and took one last look at the place he had come to call a second home. Diomede whistled to Clayton to hurry up. The five strangers crossed the threshold into the forest, down the path that lay before them.