The warm rays of the sun accompanied by the smell of roasted fish woke up Menno's sleeping companions, who slowly got up, not realizing that they were participants in a race against time, on which their fate depended, as well as the fate of the whole world.

-Did you even lie down?- Himmel asked, yawning, rubbing his eyes and stretching lazily, then the tempting smell of roasted fish reached him, which brought back old memories.

-Yes- he agreed. -Milten changed me at night, but I can easily keep an eye on everything, or rather an ear, even in my sleep.- Menno allowed himself to chuckle. Although it wasn't a very good verbal joke, it made him laugh.

Himmel looked at him and wondered if there was something wrong with him, or if he simply didn't get the joke, or maybe Menno was actually awake even in his sleep, but he preferred not to ask, because Menno probably wouldn't tell him the truth.

-So...- Milten began timidly, finishing his fish. -What do you plan on doing in the capital? If it's not a secret.

- We are looking for someone, specifically someone who has the greatest influence in the capital and who is taken into account even by the king or whoever currently rules in the capital.- Menno replied without going into unnecessary details, because he knew that being too honest with someone you just met wasn't the wisest.

- So I suggest you go to that ball I mentioned yesterday. Lord Haart is marrying his daughter to the king's son, but there's a problem... - He stopped suddenly and looked at his companions.

- Let me guess: they won't let us in? - Menno sighed, who wouldn't be surprised by such an answer, because why on earth would someone from the streets enter a high society ball? If he were in his place and heard four heroes rise from the grave asking for invitations, he would laugh in their faces and throw them out the door.

- Unfortunately. You're not noble or well-known enough, but I guess there's a way to get around that inconvenience - Milten suddenly smiled broadly. - In two days, they're organizing a knight tournament, and if you win it, in addition to glory and fame, you can earn two invitations to the ball.

- Anyone can sign up? - Himmel asked.

- Well...not really. - Milten replied, confused. - However, I still have a few favors to collect and maybe I can arrange for you and Menno to be on the list of participants.

- What about us? - Fauna was outraged.

- I'm sorry, but magic is forbidden at the tournament, but the show is open to everyone, so you can cheer from the stands, and if Menno and Himmel win, they can each take one companion with them.

At Milten's last words, Fauna even shuddered, because for a moment she imagined that she would have to walk arm in arm with Menno like old friends, and she would not survive such humiliation, but fortunately Himmel and Flamme were still there, who didn't care who their companion was.

- Will you tell us more about this tournament? - Menno asked, who saw Fauna flinch and knew the reason for her behavior. If it weren't for their bloody past, they would be quite a good-looking couple. *Such fate.* he thought.

- This tournament is different from the others, because you fight in teams of two and if my memory serves me right, there are three competitions, the last of which is a group fight, won by the last two people who stand on their feet or don't give up. The other two competitions are archery and horse racing, one competitor can't take part in both, so you have to choose which one will do the best.

Menno looked a bit gloomy, because when it came to fighting, he doubted anyone would be able to beat them, but the other two competitions were a problem. He was not very good at archery and he had never ridden a horse.

- And have you decided which competition you want to try out?

- I've only shot a bow a few times in my life, and yes, I can ride a horse, but I've never raced one.

- Well, we have a problem... - Menno muttered disappointedly. - Milten, do you have to win all the competitions to get the invitations?

- I don't know, like I said, this isn't a typical tournament, but it's best to assume so.

Milten's answer didn't make Menno feel any better, on the contrary, now his thoughts were occupied with how they could get in.

- I'll shoot, and you'll ride a horse. Our chances are rather poor, but this way we have at least a minimal chance of winning, or losing with style.

- Very grim conclusions. - Himmel stated, who, unlike Menno, wasn't so concerned about the deficiencies in their skills.

- Unfortunately, our skills are very average, and there will definitely be people there who know their stuff better than we do, so yes, our situation looks quite grim.

- Stop being so pessimistic, maybe it won't be so bad, a little luck and training will be fine. - Himmel summed up, who had had enough of Menno being so brutally honest about the matter, assuming the worst possible scenario, and that was the only thing he had in common with Frieren.

- If you say so. - Menno sighed in resignation, who had to recall 10 years of training in less than two days, to which he didn't pay much attention, it was extremely frustrating for him.

- We can go. - Milten intervened, who, while Menno and Himmel were busy with the tournament, quickly packed up camp with the help of Fauna and Flamme.

A moment later, all five were on their way again, and about 3 hours later Milten pointed his finger in front of him.

- You can see the capital. - He said with unconcealed relief in his voice.

- Not much has changed. - Himmel smiled, who was pleased with the familiar sight.

- Out of curiosity, why did you go to all this trouble to hide the wine? Surely there's not some kind of crop failure that everyone wants to punish him for or something?- Fauna asked, who had been bothered by this question since yesterday, but decided it would be better to wait with asking it.

-It's not a question of crop failure, but rather that it's a very old and very special wine, which is drunk only on special occasions and only the richest can afford it, to put it bluntly, there are 100 secured bottles on the cart, and its value is three carts like mine filled to the brim with gold. - Milten replied proudly, looking at the hay, under which a much more valuable cargo was hidden. - My family, specifically my grandfather, lost the family fortune in cards, every last coin, which is why we had to move out of the capital. We managed to save up some money and thanks to the kindness of friends who lent us some money, we bought a vineyard where we settled and later successfully brought back to life a grape variety called Royal Blood, but it would take at least 50 years before we could make money from it, and so far it has only been 30. By a lucky coincidence, my sister and I found a hidden cellar with almost 200 bottles of this wine, and it was a hundred years old. That was when we learned from my cousin about the wedding and offered the wine, and in settlement we were to receive our ancestral estate along with a generous payment, which would be enough to pay off the debts and leave something behind.

- It must be a nice feeling to have your home back. - Fauna smiled.

- Yes. The wine will be tested there, and then Lord Haart's men will deliver it to his estate. - Milten smiled back and looked ahead. - We'll be there soon.

- Can you drop us off at the gate? I have a personal matter to attend to. - Himmel spoke up, who had an unusually serious expression on his face.

- Sure. - He replied and after a moment he stopped the wagon. - Let's meet in the afternoon at the monument to heroes, do you know where it is?

- Too good - said Himmel and was the first to get off the wagon. - Thanks again for the ride.

- It's my pleasure, and for now, see you friends. Bye! - Milten shouted and headed through the gate, whistling cheerfully.

- What personal matter is this? - asked Menno, intrigued.

- You'll see. - He replied briefly and extremely mysteriously, and then he headed forward again.

After a moment, all four of them found themselves in the cemetery, walking between the tombstones, Himmel clearly looking for something specific, and the others following him silently.

- Oh, here it is. I won't lie, I expected something more grand, but it's better than nothing. - He said, amused.

- In memory of Himmel the hero. - Menno read the inscription aloud. - This is your grave. Does its appearance really bother you?

- Once, probably, but after a long life I began to have a certain distance from such matters, I used to be exceptionally vain, I loved posing for paintings and statues, it gave me great joy. I wonder what my funeral looked like. - Himmel thought for a moment. At that moment, curiosity and fear clashed in his head whether what he would see would be as he imagined.

- He was definitely not modest. - Menno stated with conviction. - You don't say goodbye to heroes with your achievements just like that.

- I think I understand. - Flamme spoke up. - More than how wonderful your funeral was, you are curious if Frieren shed even a single tear for you, you knew each other for a short time at least according to her perception of time and you wonder if she still remembers you. I can't answer that, but I know she definitely won't forget you.

- When you were talking about your student, you mentioned a place where you can meet dead heroes, Aureole, right?

- Yes. Are you suggesting that Frieren is looking for this place?

- Perhaps, but I don't remember this place. - Menno confessed. - I don't remember anything that happened after death. There was nothing, only darkness, and then light, which called me back to life. I didn't feel anything, and you?

- Actually, I don't remember anything either. - Said Fauna, who was trying to focus, but it didn't help.

- Maybe it's better. A second chance, and that's quite a gift. - Menno looked thoughtfully at Himmel's grave. - How does it feel to stand over your own grave?

- Strange, but I don't feel fear or sadness. Like you said: a second chance and the possibility that our second life will be better than this first.

- Do you wish me to conjure some flowers or something? - Flamme suggested.

- If you can, I would like you to conjure the Blue Moon flowers, they have always reminded me of home. - Himmel pondered, staring at the gravestone with his name on it, as if he was dreaming, but he wasn't, he had returned from a place he shouldn't have returned from, and what was before him was the last chapter of the story of his previous life.

- If you let Flamme, I would like to conjure them myself.

Flamme nodded and watched as the flowers Himmel had spoken of grew from the ground, and there was indeed something special about them. Finally, Fauna conjured a small wreath and placed it on the gravestone.

- Thank you. - Himmel placed his hand on Fauna's shoulder. - Now it's time to write a new chapter of our lives. - He said firmly and headed towards the city, the others followed suit. He felt good, as if a burden had just been lifted from his heart. He had come to terms with his life and who he was, and although he knew his mission was important, he really wanted to see Frieren and experience another adventure with her.

Menno walked last and envied Himmel's symbolic settling of accounts with his previous life, he himself did not know if someone had shown him mercy and buried his body, or if it had simply become animal food, he reckoned that with his death many people had breathed a sigh of relief.

*Did I have a good life?* He thought, but he knew the answer, which was: No. An orphan who no one cared about, and those who saved her turned her into a living weapon who would carry out their every order without a moment's hesitation. Without friends, a loved one, without anyone who would care about his fate. *Such fate...* He thought. *He made me the cause of many misfortunes, I took more than one life, but I do not regret what I did. However, I regret that fate did not give me another choice. Kill or be killed. I am what you made me, the Shadow of Death, the terror of elves, demons and humans. I hope you will be more merciful to me this time.* He looked one last time towards the cemetery.* Such is my fate...* He repeated.* but this time I will try to make sure that I am his master, not the other way around.* With this in mind, he confidently followed his companions and hoped that he would overcome his fear of change, that he could be more than the Shadow of Death. Someone better, and if not, then at least someone for whom at least one person would shed a tear.