Despite the endless heat that blazed overhead Hawkins didn't feel a thing.

The afternoon sun had arrived over a matter of minutes and thanks to the barricades extended height and Thea's tenacity, Odi was steadily surviving the harsh warmth of the Hanging Sun of Axis. It would only last a few hours but it was enough to burn through a shadow dragons scales and cause all Truant activity to halt under its beaming rays.

Those who were Truanted became languid, unmoving in their eternal stance only to emerge and scavenge at the most unpredictable times. It was a strange sight to see a backdrop of a looming storm colliding with the bright emberless hold of the Hanging Sun but it proved that despite the Undercity, Opalis and Axis were still one under the same domed sky.

"Hey, Hawky! The old man is back!" Mantis said, startling Hawkins out of his daydream with a sneer.

All except Hack were currently huddled around the dragon, nursing a small orb of dying flame as an ominous mist swept along the deserted streets. Rin had managed to create a small bead of fire under Odi's guidance which bloomed into an eggsized heat source. Hawkins knew of five year olds who could easily produce the flame Rin had done but her hours of listening and trying had beared fruit that Hawkins couldn't deny her of. He had wrapped her Trait in a tight ball of smoke around the flame as it steadily grew from a new source and allowed them enough heat to survive until the sunlight peaked.

Now the little flame had been snuffed out, the waves of hot and cold continued to resurface as Odi huddled underneath sheathes of endless rock and stone, Thea keeping her company with stories of old and new. Despite her predicament the scholarly Scale Shrieker insisted to continue the conversation after a brief hour of rest and a lonesome Sand Wraith rambling about to try and find out what was going on.

While Hack went to stretch his legs, Hawkins had decided to let his guard down, allowing himself a small amount of sleep and had removed the threads of detection smoke from the surrounding area. He tentatively allowed Mantis to keep watch in his stead but even with his Trait fully replenished, the Mediators had always doubted that leaving was the best idea. There was still the matter of the Bewitcher to attend to and locating her was proving harder than they realised. It wasn't until the crotchety old lizard man traipsed back into the group circle did things start to make sense.

"All of Axis is on lockdown. Even if we could get out the Gadgeteers guild has filled up all the entrances and sealed them with Craft. Somethin' about some big event going on in Opalis they don't want this to interfere with." Hack announced gruffly, returning to his seat with a partially ripped notice in his claws.

The Mediator shoved it into Hawkins less than awaiting hands as proof before resting his grisled head in his hands. He smiled gratefully, leaving his mentor be for now and analysed what he could about the notice. It was hastily put together, the usual blistering white of pristine cut paper was rendered down on to oily scraps of words with a lacklustre signature at the end of the page. Whatever the reason, this wasn't a normal decree done by the nobles of Opalis. This looked like a blatant forgery.

"Doesn't seem right, boyo. Somethin' is going on and I don't like it." Hack mumbled, exhaustion washing over him.

Hawkins didn't say anything at first, deciding to recall everything they knew so far. The explosions had steadily decreased since mid morning and the twinkling of frosted glass showed the Divide surrounded by the seemingly endless tempest, Opalis trapped in a storm of their own design thanks to the barricade of squat buildings blockading them from venturing further. It was only in the moving city of Axis would Hawkins ever had imagined to have seen such a sight before. But the city had grinded to a halt, unable to shift its way through the endless damage done to the surface and its people. It was stuck holding back the storm while who knows what lurked within the city borders.

"That storm. You ever seen anything like it, Hack?" Hawkins asked, mesmerised by the possibility of the Divide's light causing the dome to shift position and send the storm thundering down on them once again.

Hack replied unintelligibly before lifting his head to see the shroud of wind and rain clinging to the green tinged surface of the Trait barrier, moving above them like clockwork. The only reason the storm was contained within the streaks of light was the dip of the Undercity leading the way to abandoned hovels of who knows where. The Divide would always stretch around all of Opalis, the Undercity and all but the dewy rainbow light of change continued to move around it in a basking glow only reaching the edge of the gloomy horizon. It was that dome that the demons longed to break towards that endless light and it was that light that prevented the storm from leering closer to pierce the Axis streets. Many an Undercity native longed to see that light again but the storm would not allow it for much longer.

"Not here, boyo. In Caldor a long time ago but never in Opalis. But who knows in our crazy world." Hack said, mulling over the sight of such a foreboding backdrop.

Hawkins didn't really know what to make of it. The Divide was a mystery within itself, cropped up from the genius mind of the Throneholder only to have it in place just as her greatest enemy was finally locked away. The people called it a miracle from the Laia but the skeptics classed it more of a coincidence. If he would ever be allowed to close that gap and venture towards the Land Above then he'd be sure to ask as many questions as he could about such a strange and wondrous device. The Mediators only knew so much about a city they'd barely even seen.

"True. Well, I doubt they'd hold an event if they didn't know about that storm. It's gotta be important somehow. Axis is pretty cut off thanks to the borders so it's understandable if they couldn't get here in time. The Tinker Moles can only do so much." Hawkins said goodnaturedly, musing over how hard the other clans had worked to get where they had.

Hack grumbled, undeterred by the abject optimism against the unyielding sunlight. Hawkins chuckled to himself, aware that the only reason the stubborn Sand Wraith was still awake was that Odi was too. He couldn't bear to leave her for more than a few minutes but thankfully the Scale Shrieker was surprisingly oblivious about it, happy to bask in the constant company of anything other than her beloved books.

"Yeah, I guess so." Hack said with finality, folding his arms together to sell the act of a petulant child who didn't get his nap.

Hawkins huffed, rolling his eyes at the amusing sight before turning his attention to the rest of the group. The Firestep wolves had chosen a particularly sunny spot as they lounged the rest of the day away in the sun. Mantis was occupying herself by seeing if she could aim as many stray pebbles with her Air Trait at them without the two noticing.

Rin was half heartedly doodling in a spare notebook Hakins had given her, a scattering of rushed notes taken down about Trait slowly getting better with every word spoken from the young student, eager to please her new Scale Shrieker teacher. Hawkins couldn't help but smile, noticing the similarities in her rapid fire questions and the hidden delight at learning something new about her Trait. He didn't know if it was the desire to heal her brother or just plain curiosity but it kept them all alert just the same.

"Maybe we could talk about something else instead. You wanted to explain this mergy book thing Odi?" Rin asked, far less nervous when talking to the easygoing Scale Shrieker.

Odi lifted her weary head, wincing as she peered at her two companions, her eyes darting to the side very briefly before answering the young Fire Traited.

"A Triad, Rin. Like trio but different."

Hawkins noted Odi's reaction, her fatigue greatly increasing thanks to the sunlight but Thea had done an incredible job on reducing the pain on her mangled wings but there was still a lot of healing to do. That wince wasn't a jolt of pain from movement. Odi had done it directly in front of him to prove that Rin was hiding something. Scale Shriekers may not have been as adept as some dragons at detecting lies but by the Laia, Odi's intuition certainly made up for it.

"Right. Triad." Rin said sheepishly while Mantis grumbled behind her, keeping a close eye on her fellow Traited.

Odi smiled, giving the Mediator a pointed glare, the warning clear as day. Hawkins sighed, eyeing his discarded jacket in the corner of Odi's makeshift cave. She didn't want him to pry and break the trust they had steadily formed. It was one of the most vital parts of the Seven Principals and if he wanted to get out of this situation with everyone he'd have to play nice. Even with Mantis.

"A Triad combines two willing grimoires into one, kind of like extra protection. Normally only couples tended to use a Triad not only to signify their love but to gain their strength and support. It means you have to trust that person completely, faults and all." Odi slowly explained as if calmly lecturing to a bunch of inattentive students.

She had a strange look in her eyes as if constantly searching for something that she couldn't quite reach. It was almost melancholic, like she was remembering something from long ago but decided to move on from it regardless. Hawkins couldn't quite place it but perhaps it was the daunting mid afternoon sun causing her to long for something more that just sitting around and waiting.

"What does it do, make a giant heart shaped book to throw at Cricket when she's not looking?" Mantis said, snorting as she turned around just to make her comment.

Hawkins rolled his eyes, used to her snide tone but Hack was still easily influenced by it. Hawkins could feel the earth giving out from underneath him only to stop just in time. The Sand Wraith attempted to settle down to sleep but if a conversation like this was going to happen then Hawkins would have no chance of keeping his mentor subdued for long.

"Technically, Cricket is-" Hack began, only to get shut down in an instant.

"I know she's blind, you deaf dolt! I just want to know the damn point of it!" Mantis said savagely, relishing the look on the Sand Wraith's disgruntled features.

"Watch yourself, Mantis. Unless you want a rock in your jaw from a sleep deprived Sand Wraith." Hawkins said, his voice eerily blunt.

Mantis blinked twice, wary at the edge in the Mediators voice and surprisingly backed off, sulking next to Rin as she half tried to pay attention to what she was doing. Hawkins glanced at the backwards diagram she was making, unfazed by Mantis while Rin added a large number seven in the middle of the page as lines burst out with different words surrounding it.

Another line was steadily drawn underneath the diagram, a large wobbly heart with more lines around it leading to unknown spaces of possibility for her with the word 'Triad' giving her hope like no other before. Hawkins hadn't realised how much Odi's words meant to her. The idea of change being possible just by producing a single flame from her charred fingertips. A fire that was all her own for the very first time.

He continued to observe as Odi let out a quiet yawn, Rin steadily jotting down a new paragraph in her book, her lead pencil flying over the slightly ragged pages of his beloved notebook. Hawkins felt bare without his trusty jacket by his side, its contents being tipped out or dumped to make room for more survivalist items they could scavenge.

Thankfully he had been the one to empty his pockets since it was his property but as soon as his notebook fell out of his pocket he knew that it wouldn't last. He could see the glint in Mantis' eyes as she showed the book to Rin as she let out a high pitched squeal, the first bit of happiness he had seen from the teen. That had been the end of the pickpocketing fiasco as Odi snatched the jacket for herself for 'safe keeping' as she reminded him what other controversial things were in there. At least his notebook and Odi's teachings would keep them entertained without having them try to steal what they came for.

"I'm sure we were just about to get to that anyways, Mantis." Hawkins says awkwardly, trying to bring the conversation back just like Rin did.

Odi chuckled, probably half admiring and pitying his lacklustre attempts to lighten the mood. She stretched a little and rolled her shoulders stiffly, glumly avoiding the sharp pain in her back and wing joints before shuffling her scales back over one side. She spent a moment to think, conjuring up her next sentence from thin air like a master storyteller and enticed her audience with the tales she had memorized in her solitude.

"Triads were once used to protect Traited from demons. The two seperate grimoires could be merged willingly into one Triad while still keeping their Traits separate but even more powerful. Not only did it lessen demons from prying grimoires out of their loved ones Trait but it gave people hope and protection like never before."

"Why did people stop using Triads then? The Principles aren't taught either so...what happened?" Rin asked, forcing the bitter truth quicker than the Scale Shrieker could comprehend.

Odi let out a tired sigh, her claws scratching against the ground as she tried to find a suitable answer. Hawkins knew why. There wasn't one. The only reason he knew of the Seven Principles was because of his mother. She had told him stories of old to protect and hinder him from going down a similar path. But it wasn't enough. No matter what he did, Hawkins couldn't stay away from the allure of the unknown, believing there was always more to discover about his Trait.

"Time bleeds new wounds that cannot heal. Rumours quickly spread among the unfortunate that...necromancy was the cause of their Triads failing, not their own distrust in others. It is my belief that the disregard of the Principles led to these techniques being discarded. Much like the clans of old, there is nothing currently in place that can fully restore what has been taken away." Odi said at last, ending the discussion of the past on a mournful note.

Hack grumbled wordlessly, unsure of the fate the world had been carved into as if his stubborn brute strength could change the bias of necromancy. Despite his initial views, Hawkins couldn't help but feel sorry for those born into their place only to be instantly shunned.

"So...if Cull and I were to merge grimoires to make a Triad?" Rin asked hesitantly, as if already confirming the answer.

"It would end up a Super Flamey Ball of Death." Mantis said, cackling as she leaned back in her seat only for it to disappear entirely with a stamp of an angry Sand Wraiths foot.

She dropped like a sack of bricks onto her butt and scowled at Hack before lunging at him, receiving a tail swat to the head in a matter of seconds. Hawkins felt his anger start to resurface alongside his Trait as the two scuffling idiots wrestled each other amidst the smoke and dust.

Odi laughed loudly, her voice reverberating around the barricade, startling the sleepy wolves as Rin couldn't help but join in. Eventually with the intervention of the two annoyed Firesteps the two settled down, deciding to save their Traits for another time as Hack begrudgingly conjured another seat for the half elf to sit on. The conversation started up again with an unamused glare from Hawkins silencing the two long enough for Odi to speak.

"It is possible to get the desired control you want from a Triad but I have never heard of two twins with Lariats performing such a feat, even with one still unconscious. It has been rumoured however that Triads used to allow two Traited to share their power with each other, even if they weren't of the same Core."

Hawkins huffed, rubbing his temples as he tried to ignore the two and focus on Odi's suggestions. He could talk about Triads until the dragons flew home but right now, the only thing he could concentrate on was the urge to strangle the two idiots with his smoke noose. Hack probably meant well but there was something about Mantis that set his blood boiling. Perhaps he hasn't gotten over how much she had tormented Odi before but for some reason his Trait was drawn to silencing her for good.

"That's pretty far fetched though. There's been no documentation on it in since the demons were locked away in Hellgrind. All other sources say they all ended up being Dual Traited already but...I have to admit it would be nice if that were the case." Hawkins said, trying to invest himself in the topic, wary of his own short temper.

His attempt was short lived as another scoff of derision came quick and fast with a familiar sharp tongued retort.

"Of course you'd want that, ya Dual Traited reject." Mantis said, deciding to resort to rude gestures and sign language to fuel their rivalry.

Hawkins stone eyed glare did nothing to hold back his Trait this time, the coiled edges of dark grey smoke now poised on the Air Traited as Hack placed a clawed hand on the Mediators shoulder. In an instant his smoke dispersed and his rigid stance slackened, letting out gasps of uncontrolled air.

"Well, maybe someone would learn to shut her mouth if she had a Triad with an Earth Traited mute button!" Hack said, attempting to start another fight to try and cover up Hawkins moment of weakness.

Mantis merely saw it as another one of his stubborn tendencies and soon the Sand Wraith and the Neridian were back exchanging well worded insults of encouragement.

"Shut it, lizard brain. Not all of us need to have a fancy Trait like yours. Some of us can get by without showing off every five minutes." Mantis reiterated, lashing back as Rin did the same as Hack, trying to hold the Enforcer back.

"Showing off? I don't have my Agar with me, you bloody idiot! If I had the time to show off you'd be six feet under!" The Sand Wraith roared, refusing to back down while completely forgetting the purpose of the argument.

Soon it would escalate once again and despite Hack's best efforts to defend Hawkins, his Trait was having none of it. The ringing of his ears made him double over in pain, the hazy outline of a troubled Odi being no more than a drowning onslaught of words until the dam eventually broke.

"Enough!"

Hawkins vision was hazed with black, soot covered smoke seared through his mind as it slammed into the two unassuming Traited, fury being the only thing on his mind. Mantis threw up a lazy air shield to protect herself, the air solidifying just as quickly as before only to shatter like glass. It submerged her in a shroud of toxic air, tearing through her lungs as she slumped to the floor, desperate to crawl away from the Smoke Traited.

Hack was barely able to barricade himself from the dense smoke, shearing through the rock in a torrent of pressure only to stop dead in its tracks at the sight of the injured Sand Wraith. It seemed to linger on Hack's cursed leg, attempting to veer past it in an ignorant arc but still it refused to harm him any further. Mantis let out a shout of exertion, sweeping the air around her with a stray hand, extinguishing the smoke in one fell swoop only for it to gather together once again with deadly precision only for it to be clamped down by an unlikely source of power.

Odi had used the remnants of her shadows to contain the unruly Trait only to extinguish it instantly, allowing Hawkins slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. His hands shook with fear as a pair of strong, scaly hands clamped around his wrists and shook him hard, his legs wobbling as he crashed back onto the ground, barely recognising that he had just stood up.

"Boyo? Can you hear me? Hawkins!" Hack called urgently, his voice laced in worry.

Hawkins blinked rapidly, his head still hazy with fatigue. Nodding in response he clutched his head, barely able to form words against the dryness of his throat. Jerky may had done his hunger good but no water meant it wouldn't help your throat last much longer. He stared at Hack, who was a lot more cautious than normal as Hawkins bashfully scratched his head, wordlessly apologising as he looked at the floor.

"Are you alright?" Odi asked, notably keeping her voice even as she tried to read the situation.

Hawkins breaths were quick and staggered as if he'd been shot, his eyes clenched over in fear and confusion as he tried to remember what happened. He recalled scatterings of conversations, inputs of ideas only to escalate into a full blown argument and then...nothing. It was as if he had just let his Trait take over, bathing him in a cold, unfeeling haze of misplaced retribution. It terrified him.

"Y-yeah. Just blacked out I think." Hawkins said, even more unsure of himself without Wisp.

The Sand Wraith wasn't having any of it, huffing in indignation as he moved his seat right next to Hawkins and plunked down next to him, letting out a strangled hiss as his bad leg whacked against the stone surface. Putting his head in his hands, Hack let out a groan of frustration before making up his mind on what to do next.

No. You didn't black out. You got angry, very angry and almost hurt everyone here. Again." He said coldly, stopping himself at the last moment before he revealed something he'd regret.

Hawkins eyes went wide, his heart dropped alongside his mentors words before copying his defeated stance. That word. Again. He knew exactly what Hack was referring to. That night and every year after, without fail he proceeded to cause an immeasurable amount of trouble. Whether it was his Trait, his mindset, his Agar or a combination of all three. Someone close to him always got hurt.

"Boyo...I-" Hack started to speak, his eyes clouded with emotion, refusing to back down in the face of exhaustion but still feeling for his tormented apprentice.

"I don't...I don't remember any of that. The last thing I remember was talking to Odi about Triads." Hawkins half admitted, fiddling with his shirt sleeves to give his hands something to do.

It wasn't an admission or a lack of judgement. It was a way out from all the questioning. He no longer knew whether he was lying to himself or his companions but it didn't matter anymore. Hack couldn't detect lies and Odi couldn't handle vague sentences like the one he had just blurted out. He knew that much about Scale Shriekers, with or without Silvertongue to guide him. Did he even take any or was Odi simply letting him lie freely? Did she even care or did she care too much to let it slide? She was as impassive as ever, never letting any amount of information slip into the wrong hands. Did he qualify as being wrong handed or was he right handed? He didn't know anything anymore.

All he wanted to do was keep them safe.

Hawkins couldn't bring himself to string them along if he didn't know what was going on either. All he knew was that sense of chilling control almost sent him over the edge and not being able to recall anything except that feeling was never a good sign.

Hawkins peered at the group of half liars and truth seekers. He knew they all had their secrets. That was the way it had to be. He could see the worried glances the two lizard...things exchanged as easily as cordial conversation. It was like they were speaking telepathically only to avert their gaze to ward away suspicions. But Hawkins was suspicious. How could he not be when all the attention was on him. Did he even trust them? Did he even trust himself? Would that trust force him into a Triad just because they said so?

Trust was invalid when it came to saving your own skin. That was probably why Mantis despised not only him but the very idea of trust being used as a power greater than Trait. She only saw the Mediators as nothing more than false prophets proclaiming old scriptures as potential tactics to people like Rin. Hawkins couldn't blame her, recognising the prolonged pause that came before a cutting remark. He didn't even have to look at her face to know it was coming.

"So you don't remember your Trait trying to strangle us, huh? Well isn't that convenient! Maybe you should-"

"Mantis!" Rin snapped, startling everyone out of their morose stupor.

The stunned silence hung in the air like the sun above them, Mantis frozen expression providing a stark contrast to her usual smug confidence. Rin didn't know how to react, awkwardly turning away as her face flushed with anger or embarrassment, he didn't know which. Hawkins let out a quiet chuckle which was silenced instantly by the simultaneous pivot of heads towards the unexpected noise.

It was then that Rin let out a long sigh, closing the notebook gently as not to let the lead pencil roll out, her hands smudged with black as she rubbed them gently before deciding on how to proceed.

"I'm sorry. It's just...I know you're scared but you aren't helping him feel better even if it helps you. You gotta let us figure this out."

Mantis raised a disapproving eyebrow towards her sympathetic tone, not letting her own team be free of the one lined stingers which clung to their minds.

"Us? What do you mean, us? You aren't a Mediator and they are most certainly not with us." She snarled, the hostility of her tone making even the stoic Sand Wraith jump.

It remind Hawkins a little of a cornered Firestep wolf, teeth bared despite the fear it smelt, surrounding them in an endless wave of spite and savagery. He pondered that was what Blaize had meant by 'choosing to do what they did.' They didn't want this feeling to overwhelm them like it did with Mantis and it did with himself only a few moments ago. It was a stark reminder of what fear can do to a person's soul and eventually their grimoire.

"You've been hurt by losing control of your Trait plenty of times when Thea didn't trust you, weren't you?" Rin said, ignoring her outburst with a well placed glare of her own.

"So?"

Hawkins shuddered as if he had heard the most meaningless word in the world. Odi was watching the exchange attentively while crossing her arms over themselves as if she were a headteacher deliberating on what punishment to give her students. Rin seemed entirely unfazed by the attention, focusing every ounce of her strength on keeping eye contact with Mantis as if preparing to stare death in the face.

"So, I helped you when you couldn't figure out what to do about it. His Agar isn't here to help him right now and he's just as scared as you are if not even more so. Trust me and let me try to learn what I can with them so I can contribute and eventually benefit us all." Rin finished, folding her arms for good measure.

Mantis stayed quiet longer than she had all day. Hawkins didn't know whether it was for suspense or if she was just thinking but either way, no one dared to speak until things had been resolved. She took a deep breath, Rin winced as if she was expected to be yelled at straight away but Mantis' voice came out softer that he'd ever heard it before.

"Fine. But...I don't want you hurt because he's having a midlife crisis or something. I'm fine with you learning new things, happy even but I can't stand by while things like his Trait and this crazy sounding Triad threaten to hurt you for good. I won't allow that. Not again."

Her words still held the harsh bite of someone who had been automatically wronged but her words seemed heartfelt and meaningful. The had a history together and Hawkins was reminded of the same bond he shared with another seemingly callous Sand Wraith. Rin knew the real Mantis just like he knew that Hack's harsh tendencies came only from a place of regret and hardship to do better and protect what mattered. They were one in the same regardless of the words they used to express it.

"I promise that won't happen. I know my limits and I'm sure everyone else knows theirs. But I can't sit here without trying to come up with a plan. We saw what happened when Cull...anyways, Hawkins half baked learning session to improve and unite our Traits is all we have." Rin reassured her, giving her friend the first awkward but genuine smile Hawkins had seen from her all day.

"Thanks, I think." He responded automatically, as Rin began to laugh.

She seemed eternally at ease with her decision, her eyes bright with hope despite being constantly shrouded in uncertainty. None of them were Predictor Class Traited and alone they could never look towards the future. Even when her own family was hurt she still stood by them and refused to run despite the once deadly opposition. They had all agreed to do this. They just needed to keep at it.

"I wish my Trait wasn't so...unpredictable." Hawkins said aloud, not realising he had voiced his thoughts until Odi had nodded in agreement.

"What else do you remember, Hawkins? Did you think about something? Feel anything that might've triggered it?" Rin asked, opening her notebook absentmindedly as if trying not to draw attention to herself.

Hawkins noted the gesture and pegged Rin as an ideal Mediator candidate before doing as she asked, a hint of a smile fading as he did. The thought of wanting to strangle someone came to mind along with the annoyance and anger that came with listening to a nonsensical argument about nothing at all. It was all words. Vain words which irritated him to no end only to fill him with dread as the feeling of power washed over him in a chilling reminder only to snap back into realities warm embrace.

"No. I just felt...cold. Really cold." He said abruptly, shivering without realising it.

He felt Odi's concerned gaze linger on him for just a little too long while he avoided saying anything more. It was only when she smiled sympathetically did he feel a little less on edge.

She swept her tail out from under her, taking a page out of Hack's book and passed the war torn jacket over to him, careful to avoid the sunlight. Was it always so dirty?

"Here. You need it more than I do."

Her voice was like a double edged sword through his chest. It was a simple phrase but the amount of weight it held sent him into a cold sweat, the Scale Shriekers eyes piercing his every move. The coal black jacket streaked with soot and brick dust reminded him of home but right now the last thing he wanted to do was get between a deadly duo of a Scale Shrieker and a Sand Wraith. Sneakiest pair around.

He stood rigidly, Hack offering no help as he received the bundle wordlessly, his jaw clamped tight at the sight of a black scaled Hack. Hawkins couldn't bring himself to look at the two of them, his heart sank as he pulled his arms through the sleeves and allowed his father's old long coat to strangle him with its vice like grip. Hawkins could tell something was different in the way his allies stared but his memory failed him with promises of sleep. Was it his lack of sleep? There was nothing wrong with the jacket, was there? Did they steal anything? If they stole anything I'll kill- No.

It was only when he rooted through his pockets did he realise the fleeting mistake all Mediators face when uncovering the unknown. His cold hands brushed against a familiar spine, its presence filling him with a sense of relief that not even Wisp could provide in this moment. There between the folds of leather and the smell of herbs was the very grimoire they had been discussing after all this time. It was intact. Untouched. Immovable. Perfect. So what was wrong with his grey jacket? It had always been grey, right? It matched his eyes, his father had said. Did he gain weight? Was it too tight? Why was it...black? Why black? Why not grey? Like the grimoire. His grimoire. His Memoriam.

It sat snugly within his pocket, burning ever brightly within his mind until an unfamiliar vial covered his hands in a liquid he hadn't even fathomed to be in there. Gently prising the glass bottle out without disturbing the black grimoire took some doing but it was now clenched in his fist, leaking out a shining concontion he knew he had tried once before.

Silvertongue.

Hawkins mouth gaped open, tasting the solution as he stared transfixed at the vial, Odi's stern glare boring into his temple as he recalled the sour taste of lies coating his tongue right before he had eaten. Or was it after? Either way, did it matter? He had forgotten the promise he had made to his friends back in Grimmoirdeals and in return he had forgotten his own minds deception in doing so. He had taken Silvertongue to lie to his companions. Or had he? Was it even his? He didn't know. He wished he did. But why was it grey? Why wasn't it...

"Black. My father's jacket...was it always black, Hack?"

The Sand Wraiths eyes went wide, like a child, like a child's eyes. Like a child who had just been caught with a gun in his hands. His gun. Was it his or was it someone else's? He didn't want to think about it.

"Are you OK, Hawkins? You look tired."

Hawkins couldn't figure out who's voice that was. His mind rattled with endless questions, the engraved sigil of a white dragon stringing the answers together in a cohesive mess of theories and speculation only to collapse in on itself with undeniable truth that Odi had tried to warn him of right from the beginning. But he forgot. Or was he even told? Either way, it didn't matter. The black grimoire Memoriam was affecting him more than he realised and somehow, Hack and Odi had known all along.

But it's not like he would remember it. He never did.