Always warm, his hot breath turning into puffs of smoke was the only sign of the cold temperature. The other Elementals breathed smoke as well, but continuously rubbed their arms or stomped their feet for warmth.

They had traveled deep into the frozen woods to put as much distance between them and Lord Callidus as possible. Zelenia watched Light work with tired eyes, Kalisa had fallen asleep against Renuo's shoulder, and Tegen and Helian stood on guard for approaching Seteri. Geryon would've been on the lookout with them, but he couldn't make himself leave Aeris' side.

Her scream reverberated to him again. The lightning-proof necklace of yellow shells the thief Pica had 'procured' for Aeris—he doubted she bought it like she said—helped tremendously since she remained conscious and claimed the pain didn't linger.

Even if her agony had lessened, it was still painful. Not only for Aeris, but for the rest of the Elementals—especially Geryon—seeing her writhe and hearing her scream. His heart had stopped at the sound and he felt useless as she suffered; having no healing abilities, he could only hold her hand as Zelenia and Pica tended to her. It seemed like he hadn't drawn a breath until after Aeris gave him a small smile. Color had returned to her cheeks and her eyes weren't strained in pain anymore.

Now sitting up, Aeris responded to Pica's questionings as she tinkered with her arm and leg. Zelenia had relieved some of her pain, but the mechanically savvy Rovaneim knew how to get the electricity out of Aeris' robotic limbs. She had removed the leather wrap hiding her arm and now all was in view.

It was truly a marvel, a flawless titanium arm; Aeris had proven multiple times it was incredibly strong and indestructible by holding back a heavy stone in Earth's temple and that Terrave's claws left no scratches. But where the limb attached to the ball of her shoulder drew his eyes to many stretch marks and burns. No matter how impressive her technologically advanced arm, she still had to go through hell to get it.

Lord Callidus' smug face reappeared in his mind... Geryon's hands clenched on his knees. He fought to keep the temperature low; a sudden spike in the temperature would be the first—and probably last—warning for the Elementals to take cover. He had never lost complete control of his temper before, but it more than likely wouldn't be good.

The Seteri Lord had played him as a fool more times than he wanted to admit. He considered him an ally, a friend, but was being deceived all along. The past Elementals had trusted him; he helped them just like he has done now. Nothing could've warned him. Geryon saw no reason why the Elementals shouldn't entrust their lives with him.

And he had done the same. His eyes drifted over, landing on Aeris flexing her robotic fingers for Pica's inspection—he practically told her to trust Lord Callidus. He had sat beside her in the Mirror Palace thinking she was perfectly safe, when the threat sat a few chairs down. He had put her in danger.

Geryon would never forgive himself for that.

Like Lord Callidus needed more reasons to be despised, but revealing that he had twisted the visions they saw. It was downright an intrusion to look into their personal lives, then to manipulate them for his gain. That explained why Geryon had seen Aeris pregnant only for her to say that she couldn't—Lord Callidus didn't know about the explosion that nearly took her life.

But how much of the visions were false? Was Ilona still alive or—

The air around him suddenly heated as her image appeared before him like a wavering mirage in a desert. Her back was to him as she washed dishes. Like he remembered, she wore her long, soft brown hair in a braid. As she turned for another plate, he caught a glimpse of her face—she had always looked serious but the lines around her mouth had deepened, making her look constantly disappointed, but his sister was perfectly hale and content.

But he knew better. She held bitterness in her heart toward him. She despised him for living as he left the only man she loved for dead. Geryon still cared for his sister, but Ilona didn't anymore for her brother, and probably never would again.

"Geryon," a male voice, low and powerful, boomed. "You have done much in hopes of regaining her approval. You yearn for your sister to see you as the big brother again. But you fear disappointing her by not becoming enough.

"No more. It is time to tell her she is the reason for your strength. Remember: your anger is your virtue... and it is because of her. Make her see.

"Do so and my temple will be revealed to you."

"Geryon?" Aeris' voice snapped him back to focus. Everyone was looking at him; even Kalisa had woken. Ilona's image had already faded, so he noticed the snow melting around him and the sweat building on their faces.

He locked eyes with Aeris. "It's about damn time Fire spoke with me."