Amidst the barren wasteland, where the buried gods lay, Jean, Kyto, and Elizabeth rambled on about Grimhild and her possible schemes behind their backs.
"Are you saying she was gonna manipulate us into doing what she wants?" Asked Elizabeth.
"That's exactly what would've happened if we continued to trust her..." Proclaimed Kyto.
"There's no proof in any of that! Why would Grimhild risk her life for us if she's gonna use us as pawns?" Jean was fed up with Kyto and his assumptions, evident in his puzzled frown.
Kyto took a steps few forward, frowning at the Champion User. "To earn our trust, that's why!" He towered over Jean, crossing his arms. "She's the Witch of Destruction! The one who is responsible for the disorder of Yggdrasil! There's nothing stopping her from using us as pawns so she can destroy the world like she's done before! Can't you see that for yourself, or are you so blind?"
Jean shook his head in denial.
"No, that's not Grimhild."
"Are you mad?"
Jean stood firm on his belief.
"Far from it—I know a good person when I see one—you're just stuck on the past, and I understand that."
Kyto uncrossed his arms, shoving Jean back with a hefty push.
"Oi! You understand nothing! Don't talk like you know about me and my life!"
Jean took a few steps back, nearly tripping.
"I don't need to understand your life to know how much this situation is bothering you!"
Kyto took a step forward, anger building in his body.
"Do you know the reason why I travel to the Mythical Valley?!"
Kyto stood his ground, standing face to face with the Cyrodel.
"I'm unaware..."
Kyto furrowed his brows in anger.
"To restore my long lost family."
"..."
Jean was silent.
"So this whole time... it was the Witches of Calamity who killed your parents?" Asked Elizabeth.
"Yeah..." Kyto's expression saddened, turning to face his dearest friend. "During the Age of Legends, I lost my entire family at the hands of the Three Witches of Calamity."
Jean widened his eyes, dumbfounded.
"My entire village was wiped off the face of the Tellus!" Kyto balled his fists, shaken with pain, veins bulging in his hands. "I was the last survivor of Desmoybia, the village of Cyrodels." He turned to face Jean with anger. "Do you see now, Jean?"
"..."
"Do you see why we can't trust her? Even if she changed... that doesn't matter! Once a monster, always a monster!"
Jean gritted his teeth, gazing at the ground in thought.
He contemplated his next set of words, unsure of what to say.
"Dang it..." He whispered.
"How about you come with us, Jean?" Asked Kyto, suppressing his anger. "Together, we can defeat the dragons at Mythical Valley in order to gain a wish of our own!." The Cyrodel extended his hand, forcing a smile. "What do you say?"
"..." He hesitated to respond, but simply said: "I Can't!" Jean shook his head, facing Kyto in the eyes, stern in his gaze. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened to you in the past, I mean it, I truly am! But the whole reason I'm here is because of Grimhild, and I won't be leaving her side to betray her trust."
Elizabeth gasped.
Kyto scowled.
"So that's how it is, huh?"
The Cyrodel balled his fist hard enough until he started bleeding.
"So be it. From now on, I'll count you as an enemy, alongside her!" Arching his fist back, Kyto took a step forward and threw a direct punch toward Jean's face.
"Kyto, wait!" Elizabeth called out to him, but it was too late...
So it seemed—
"I will not let you harm my master!"
Appearing out of thin air, Ebony socked the Cyrodel in the face, hurtling him backward at the third cosmic velocity.
"Woah!" Elizabeth took a step back, feeling her dress lift up from the large gusts of winds emitted from the Champion's mere punch.
"Aghh!"
Kyto bounced against the ground like a tumbleweed until he finally regained his footing.
"What the hell?"
He wiped the blood from his lips, witnessing the black humanoid entity floating next to the unfazed Jean Parolette.
"He didn't even flinch when I threw my punch... just what the hell is he?" Kyto muttered to himself.
"Kyto, stand down, I don't want to hurt you."
Ebony stood next to Jean, floating in midair in a boxing stance.
"I may be merciful, but Ebony is a different case altogether."
"Ebony?" Questioned Kyto.
"Jean is a Champion User..." Proclaimed Elizabeth.
"W-What did you just say?" The Cyrodel faced his companion in shock, feeling shivers travel up his spine. "A Champion User? No way in hell..."
Elizabeth jumped in the middle of their battle, preventing them from getting any closer to one another.
"Alright, let's cut it out! Mom always told me that boys can play rough, but this is way out of my pay grade! Can't you guys just talk it out like men instead of fighting?"
"Afraid not, human!" Shouted Ebony. "That foolish Cyrodel there was the first to swing at my master, so I put him in his place, for he is not deserving of such honor to touch him!"
Kyto spat out blood and growled, frustrated at the sight, but he knew he was outmatched.
"I don't have what it takes to defeat a Champion, so you'll live this time, Jean." He turned around idly standing in place. "The fact you have a Champion tells me one thing; you're either extremely brave or you just got lucky by some miracle." He scoffed at the thought. "But it's not like it matters. Once I perfect my magic, not even your Champion there will be able to protect you."
Jean appeared disappointed but also understood where Kyto was coming from.
"We don't have to be enemies, you know?"
Elizabeth watched their quarrel.
"As long as you're friends with Grimhild, we will always be enemies."
The Cyrodel took his leave after getting his point across.
There was nothing else left to say.
"You coming, Elizabeth?"
The Rozenheart stood between them, huffing a deep sigh.
"Why do you have to be so difficult, Kyto?" She muttered under her breath, walking towards the Eagle. "Vedrfolnir, let's go!"
The sleeping beast would slowly shrink into a smaller size until it woke up, and flew to Liz's shoulder.
"Wow! It's like you understand exactly what I want, huh? Ehehehe." She giggled before glancing at Jean, mutating her expression into a somber look. "Sorry Jean... I hope you understand; Kyto needs me."
Jean nodded his head.
"It's fine, I get what it's like having a childhood friend." Said the youth with a smile.
"Mm," Elizabeth nodded her head. "Take care of yourself, and tell Grimhild I said hi!"
"I will." Jean waved at the Rozenheart, watching them take their leave.
"Master, I was aware of everything when I was resting." Said Ebony.
"Huh?" Jean glanced at the Champion, lifting his brows.
"I witnessed Grimhild fighting Chroliosa, the Spirit of Time, but I was unable to act unless your life was in danger. I could see how much she cared for all of you, and how she was willing to sacrifice her life in order to save you."
Jean widened his eyes, both confused and relieved to hear that.
"That's the Grimhild I know- but wait, you could see everything? Wasn't time stopped?"
Ebony nodded her head.
"Yes, time may have stopped, but we Champions are born from the infinite willpower of our creators, and can overcome any phenomenon that may threaten our creator's existence!" Ebony faced her master. "If there is anything harmful that is directed towards you, we will naturally acquire what is necessary to nullify that harmful phenomenon in order to save your life, thus, the stopping of time mattered naught to me."
Jean couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh.
"...You know... now I'm wondering how you lost to Grimhild when you mention something like that."
"..."
The Champion quickly disappeared after feeling its pride shatter.
"W-Wait! I wasn't trying to sound mean, I was just curious, that's all!" Jean tried speaking with the Champion, but there was no response.
"S-Seriously, I didn't mean it that way! I was just expecting an honest answer!"
Still no response...
"Aghhh... I should really shut my mouth sometimes." Jean looked around him, hearing the sounds of spirits from afar. "I better get a move on. Now that Vedrfolnir is gone, that Spirit repellent is no longer active."
Thus, Jean turned tail and ran ahead, quickly leaving the campsite.
"I have to find Grimhild, no matter what it takes! I won't leave her alone, and let her suffer like that." The youth sprinted across the Ashen Burial Grounds until he cast Flonta, finally taking flight. "I know what it's like to be alone, with no one there to look after you. This world is cruel and unforgiving, but everyone deserves a second chance. You showed me that, Grimhild! That's why I strayed away from the path of vengeance and now live to do what is right."
Jean sped up his flight, burning through his mana in the process.
"Don't worry, we'll meet again…"