"Alright," Reine says as she and Dimitri stand in front of all of us while we're in the living room, "here's the plan. This is the Spring Sector. Coralyinn and her forces are primarily focused on gathering forces from the Winter Sector. She most likely has enemies working for her that are trying to gather parts of the chain for her. But we're going to beat them to it. We're going further south in the Spring Sector to gather the closest link-- Shitau Evensce."

"Be cautious," Dimitri starts as he stands there with his arms crossed, eyes scanning the room, "Shitau's gift is Revival, but he's also cursed. Bad things and terrible misfortunes happen to those around him, even if he doesn't want them to. Essentially, his healing gift is utterly useless because his curse practically makes it that the situation keeps him from using it. Just be watchful of your surroundings."

"That's unfortunate," Nathan mutters.

"Are we ready to go then?" Renee asks, her bag slung over her shoulder.

"Not quite," Reine starts, "Adrienne lives in the Spring Sector. She was in Gabriel's realm last time I saw and banished her, but she's most likely back by now. Stay alert. She may have help with her."

"What do we do with people like Adrienne who are in the chain?" Nathan asks.

"What do you mean?" Reine blinks.

"Y'know, like," Nathan pauses, "bad guys. Surely they won't cooperate with us against Coralyinn."

"We could imprison them, but I don't think Coralyinn would hesitate to kill them for their power," Dimitri scowls.

"Soooo, do we just kill them, or?" Renee asks, raising a brow.

"Renee," Renji frowns and nudges her in the side gently.

"It was a valid question," Renee holds up her hands innocently.

"We'll figure that out later," Reine sighs, "let's go."

The ten of us set out of Reine and Dimitri's house, walking down the dirt path and through the courtyard. We follow back the way we came until we're to the familiar field of golden rods and I shudder, knowing the full extent of what happened here. I sigh and look up at the blue sky filled with clouds every now and then, wondering if Elespeth's spirit found peace and also wondering what happened to Reine's parents. I know she talked about them being around when she was a child, but I don't want to press any buttons I shouldn't, especially since we're now normal again.

Our small group hikes down the dirt road and beyond the field until Reine and Dimitri's village is nothing but a small dot in the background. Fields of green surround the pathway and a few oak trees litter the hilly area. A hawk screeches in the sky and flies above us underneath the glinting sun and I smile up at it.

"Those things are vicious predators, you know," Ayette says from beside me.

"And?" I raise a brow, glancing over at her.

"Better not let them get to you," Ayette waves her fingers around spookily and I roll my eyes.

"You're such a child," I sigh.

"I know, but you love it," Ayette grins.

"Can't you summon some of those lion things for us to ride?" Nathan groans as we trudge along.

"No," Reine says sharply in an irritated tone.

"Stop pestering her," Melantha sighs.

"And they're not lion things," Dimitri and Reine say simultaneously as they walk side by side up front, "they're spirits."

Dimitri and Reine glance at each other and Reine blows a hair out of her face, huffing.

"Creepy," Renee sings out.

"At least it's nice out," Renji says positively as he scans the sky and Renee looks over at him, smiling softly.

"It is positively too bright out," Aislinn says as she shields a hand over her eyes, scowling.

"You just miss your home sector," Ciana says and rolls her eyes, "no need to be so harsh to mine."

"I am almost certain that you would do the same thing in the Winter Sector," Aislinn counters with raised eyebrows, "I admit that it's not bad here, but it's much too--"

"Warm?" Ciana suggests.

"No," Aislinn sighs, "that's not it. I'm from the warmer part of the Winter Sector and I make frequent visits to the Summer Sector. There's just something about this place that doesn't feel like home to me."

"That's probably because it isn't," Reine offers and Ciana laughs.

After about another half hour of walking, we come across another small village that's more spread out than Reine's and Dimitri's. Multiple small red, tan, brown, and grey buildings are placed along the road in the grass and there's a medium sized stone water fountain in the center of the village on the dirt road. A few cherry and oak trees surround the area and the village itself seems quiet.

"This village has long since been abandoned," Reine explains as we pass through, "many of its citizens moved to either my village or the town we're heading to, considering both are fairly close by. It's pretty much just a quiet, peaceful, pretty, and reserved place for people to come visit if they want to get away for a bit."

"Why'd they decide to leave though?" Nathan asks, "I mean, it looks perfectly fine to me."

"There used to be a young, beautiful, priestess Iegashyia with water purifying talents who lived here and was the heart of the village," Dimitri says, "she had long brown hair, bright blue eyes, and typically wore a white cloak, white flats, silver chain necklace with a blue teardrop opal, and a simple white dress with a dark brown designer leather belt. She was softspoken and kind hearted. Everybody loved her. But she was stabbed in the chest one day with a sword by a malicious thief while gathering a pitcher of water from the fountain. She fell in the water, most of the bustling village watching in shock as it happened. They tried to help her, but she died from blood loss and organ failure. Most people were too sad to live here without her around, so they moved. Eventually, the village became empty."

"Oh..." Nathan trails off quietly as a sullen mood takes over the group.

"You sound like you knew a lot about her," Ayette says.

"I loved her," Dimitri says shortly and Ayette's breath hitches.

"Alright," Reine clears her throat, "let's...keep going."

Without another word and a dark atmosphere hanging over us, we trail on until we reach the town we're headed to.