"Really?!" Morio raised his voice. "Must've been a great nap then!"

Jyuzou laughed again, wiping off the last tears that streamed down his face. The boat's pilot smiled a little, quickly groaning to himself. "No, Morio. I don't think it was a nap." he shook his head.

"Pff. No bum I'd sleep through getting on a boat!" Morio slapped his knee, all of this was both funny and confusing, weirdly. "...about that." he squinted his eyes. "Can you answer my earlier question?"

Jyuzou stared down at the deck, trying to form difficult sentences.

"Oh! We must be going back to Magna!" Morio clapped his hands. "Ooh, finally! I'll get to eat those luscious cookies! Ahee, adventure!" he stood up, putting one leg forward and staring into the vast unknown as if he were one of those pirates he read about in Rodeway's 'Paladin.'

"Can't see any rocks though," Morio commented, putting his hands to the side. "Or shores... or... hm. Wow, we must've strayed off-course! Morta to Magna was a straight line for us! We must be AMAZING sailors! AHEE!" he clapped his hands. "By the way, where is everyone else?"

Jyuzou scratched his nose. "I don't know," he murmured.

"Huh?" Morio stepped down. "Aren't we..." he pointed, before glimpsing at his friend, pushing one finger against the other. He dropped down to the deck again, looking at Jyuzou's face.

"I don't think w-we're going back to Magna, Morio," Jyuzou explained. "Although I wish we were."

"Then." Morio felt the windy breeze going through his white hair. "Where else?"

"Ambrosia said." Jyuzou blinked. "Galliath."

"Galliath. Ambrosia." Morio repeated, counting on his fingers. He moved back, now putting his hand on his chin, squeezing hard. "Where's Ambrosia?"

"I'm confused too," Jyuzou admitted. "But I think it'd be better off I just told you the whole story."

"Okay!" Morio uttered, almost lying down. "Be quick with it, I'm ready to sketch whatever you're talking about!"

"L-Like a map?"

"Mhm! Our way here! Even though I slept through the whole thing! Gah!" Morio screamed out, his expression softening into a frown.

Jyuzou breathed out, looking out to the blue sea. "It started with you, Morio. Ambrosia told me that you destroyed Shi..." Jyuzou started whispering. "Shi Hon's temple."

"Why are we whispering?" Morio quickly asked, shooting up.

Jyuzou subtly pointed to the man.

"Oh come on, I heard him speak and that surely wasn't Manjuno!"

"I don't think you need to speak Manjuno to understand Shi Hon's name!" Jyuzou raised his voice, accidentally, and as he guessed earlier, the man sneaked in an anxious glance. He sighed out.

"Do you remember?" Jyuzou continued.

"Of course I do." Morio chuckled. "Stabbed that shining orb right through and it was done, then and there!" he signalled with his hand, but his gaze suggested a different demeanour, even for a few seconds.

"Come on, fella." a voice sounded from inside, echoing into a space devoid of meaning. "Strike. Hit me."

Morio's brows were shaky, but he tried beaming, despite notions pulling him down.

"When the caves came tumbling down, Anna swooped in and saved you, b-but... that was the last time I saw her. I'm not sure what happened..." Jyuzou stopped for a moment, and Morio moved back a little.

"She probably escaped somewhere." Morio nodded. "I know she's strong... and scary."

"Y-Yeah." Jyuzou tried chuckling. "Afterwards, Ambrosia appeared, atop Bancho's horse, and sneaked us through one of the corridors."

"Ambrosia?" Morio's eyes widened as if the name struck a key memory. "Wait, yeah. They weren't there in the battle!"

"I'm still not sure why. N-Nevertheless, I'm glad they found us. I don't think we'd make it out otherwise." Jyuzou raised his hand, revealing a massive bandage wrapped around the forearm.

Morio felt around his stomach, searching for a scar, quickly dismissing the thought. "Oh, man."

"A few hours passed, and I fell asleep. The stress wore me out, and I didn't get to see our arrival in Lignoria."

"Li-?" Morio's brows and eyes danced angrily. "YOU WENT TO LIGNORIA?!"

"I DIDN'T SEE IT!" Jyuzou shook his head, while Morio pressed on his collar. "I didn't want to. No, not without you."

"Huh!" Morio sat back. "Aw, Jyuzou."

Jyuzou breathed in through his nose, slightly tilted. "I woke up next to a campfire." he closed one eye. "Ambrosia was there, tending to your wounds, even though they didn't mend them as easily. I couldn't make anything else out of the darkness." Jyuzou shook his head.

Morio growled quietly.

"There was a wind, though, kind of familiar. As if we were in the mountains again." Jyuzou half-smiled. "That's beside the point." he shook that thought off. "I asked them questions but they didn't answer any. Ambrosia seemed different than usual. I couldn't see their smile or their eyes as easily, and before I knew it, we were to travel again. I fell asleep even though I wasn't tired, and I only woke up once Ambrosia forced me to." Jyuzou collected his thoughts. "The ground seemed different. Maybe sturdier, damp? There were waves, hitting the nearby shores, and that's the first time you shook a little."

Jyuzou's eyes widened, and Morio furrowed his eyebrows, moving on the ground.

"Ambrosia?" Jyuzou called, and sat on the ground, reaching his hand out to the Tributal who spoke with someone else.

No matter how loud his yells were, how many times he repeated himself, Ambrosia didn't budge. Grinding his teeth, he turned to his friend.

"Morio?" Jyuzou pressed on his shoulder, moving him around.

"B-Bancho," Morio muttered, half-smiling.

The sky was basked with warm orange, and the remaining sun rays cascaded over the nearby boat, then Morio's face, which now remained still. Jyuzou continuously tapped his side, but nothing happened.

Sat on the ground, people passed by, in large groups, murmuring nothing under their breaths, seldom sneaking a glance at the Morians, as if refusing to acknowledge their confusion. Jyuzou's eyes continuously searched for Ambrosia, but soon enough, he gave up. Putting hands on both knees, he ground his teeth.

All of a sudden, it seemed a light of hope gleamed in the distance.

"Jyuzou, I need you to be strong," Ambrosia uttered, putting both hands in his arms. The silence between the two was finally broken, and the Tributal smiled as if to reassure him.

Despite the small blur in his eyes, Jyuzou immediately opened his mouth. "M-Morio's waking up, Ambrosia. Can't you take us somewhere? A town? An inn? Where even are we?!"

"Hm." Ambrosia thought for a moment, stepping back. Standing around them, were five more Tributals, all hands folded in one strange unison, impatiently tapping their feet and fidgeting with their fingers. Ambrosia turned to them, nodding. "Sorry, Jyuzou. The answer is no. I can't aid or protect you any longer, even though I wish I could."

"What?!" Jyuzou asked as Ambrosia stepped away. The young one ran into them, tumbling to the ground.

"Sal saakh gunma." a Tributal spoke.

"Geel tiu bahiim," Ambrosia answered, closing their eyes. "I mustn't" they breathed in, with the wind passing by. Ambrosia overlooked Morio's lifeless body. "I did what I was supposed to. I took you to Galliath. But I'm not strong enough for the rest of the journey."

"G-Galliath?" Jyuzou asked.

"Hurry and step on that boat for me. Take Morio with you. Protect him. Don't ever leave him alone." Ambrosia patted his shoulder, sinking their fingers into his clothes and furrowing their eyebrows. "Go," they muttered. "Go!"

...and as abruptly as their conversation began, it ended like a rope snapped with a sharp sword. Jyuzou wanted to follow them, yet, a horses' stampede threw him to the ground. Looking over the vast mountains of Malikan, putting hands on his head, he finally turned to Morio.

He clenched his jaw, reminded of Bancho's words.

"We're on our own now."

***

Jyuzou shook his head, placing one hand near his lap. Morio stared forwards, blankly. "That Galliath they spoke about seems like the place we're trying to reach," he asked, without an answer.

Morio scratched his palm.

Jyuzou continued. "The sunset turned into dark, starry skies and eventually I fell asleep before waking up a few hours later." Jyuzou signalled. "Then you attempted to kill me with that sword." he peered at Victis gracefully sparkling in Morio's sheath.

The other Morian breathed out.

"That reminds me of something." he beamed, despite the earlier, grimmer tale. "Mentioning weapons, I found this in the caves," he put his hands on the rope tangled around the sheath, and put it on the deck, reaching in. "It's another long story," he muttered, without a word coming out of Morio's mouth. "Honestly I think-"

Jyuzou stopped, his eyes shrinking, Morio continuously stared without budging.

"Where is it?" he mumbled, taking a peak inside. Lifting the cotton case, his eyes momentarily met Morio's, thinking for a moment. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

"It happened again, Jyuzou," Morio said, sighing. "Someone had to save me because I wasn't strong enough."

"What? C-Come on, Morio." Jyuzou spoke, even though he didn't necessarily deny his words.

"I was rescued because I couldn't help anyone else," Morio uttered. "Because I failed them."

"You didn't fail anyone."

"How? We have no clue what happened to the troupe. Are they still in those caves? Are they even alive?" Morio raised his voice. "I can't know because I can't go back to save them."

Jyuzou sighed, his expression turning into thick, angered iron. Tapping his fingers against the deck, he eventually collected his thoughts. Morio sunk his hands into his eyes, deeply breathing in.

The reflective waters suddenly grew silent. The boat drifted.

"Tell me, Jyuzou," Morio muttered. "Do you think I'll ever be strong like Mama?" he asked. "No matter what I do, I can't get any stronger," Morio admitted.

"Don't make me decide on such things." Jyuzou shook his head.

"Is it because you agree with my words?" Morio frowned.

"No, Morio!" Jyuzou yelled. "Do you think a weakling would destroy his temple?! Why were you deemed the chosen one, then? Bancho would never lie! Never!"

Morio gulped, moving back a little.

"Just, how long is this going to last? That self-doubt of yours." Jyuzou continued, but his words didn't necessarily reach Morio. The other Morian stood up, peering at something in the distance. "Are you planning on-"

"THERE'S AN ISLAND!" Morio pointed. It seemed that every notion that tore him apart disappeared in an instant.

"Mann know." The pilot muttered.

The image of a rather mountainous region stretched in the far distance, hardly reflecting off the surrounding waters.