[Meanwhile outside the Palace]

I stared at my phone as I walked north of the palace.

"Where are we going?" Ximena asked.

"Not waiting for Master and the others to return?" Yuko asked as she kept pace with me.

I came to a stop and looked toward my left and saw several gravestones with golden plaques on them. Engraved into them were names and words which their loved ones wished for them to be remembered by.

Nori lowered his head as soon as he saw them. He crossed his hands together and whispered a prayer.

I curled my fingers around the cold black metal bars of the fence surrounding the graveyard. My silver eyes scanned the area for the emblem of two spears and a lion. I gasped as a woman dressed in black made her way to one of the nearby graves. Following her were three children, two boys and one girl. The youngest one seemed to be around the same age as Tetsu was when I met him.

"Mommy, why did daddy have to die?" he asked, sniffling.

The purple haired woman caressed the child's face. "He gave up life for us, so that we could continue to live."

"Why?" he asked, looking up at her. "Why did he have to do that."

I pressed my forehead against the bars. It was my fault... Staring at the child, I knew he was Zane's. Zane was one of the ones who lost his life in the abyss. Roa had killed him, stabbing him though the heart with his sword. It was an attack meant for me. I should've been the one buried there right now, not Zane.

"Serra," Xime said, putting a hand on my back. She pressed her head against my shoulder and didn't say another word.

"Why, why am I unable to save anyone?" I cried out. "I couldn't save Dan, nor Zeke and the others, not even my own brother. What's the point of having this power, when I can't rescue anyone?"

"Mister," Yuko said, looking up at me with her large brown eyes. The way she looked at me reminded me of Piedad. Piedad...

Kohri lowered his head. "Yeah... but doesn't that mean that we simply need to get stronger? Strong enough to protect those we care for?" He chuckled weakly. "Perhaps Hyo had a point, power is important."

"I came all the way here just to find you crying," a voice called out. I looked up and saw Tetsu and the others.

"Master!" Yuko said, running up to Tetsu. "Cheer up, Mister Serra."

Tetsuya sighed. "Why should I? Let him cry to his heart's content." I glanced over at the graveyard. He furrowed his brow as soon as he saw the three children and their mother placing a wreath of flowers of Zane's tomb. "Sometimes crying is all one can do...to relieve the pain within."

My hands quivered as my breathing grew heavy.

"Serra, calm down," Setty yelled, running over to me. She suddenly wrapped her arms around my waist. "You're going to faint again. Take it easy. I know it's hard, but you have to surpass it. Do it for them, for the kids. Don't let their father's sacrifice be in vain."

"I know, but this torrent... it's too much," I cried out.

"Hmph, pathetic," Hyosetsu said, causing me to look up. He wrinkled his nose as if in disgust.

Tetsuya scoffed. "You're the one who is. You're nothing, but a heartless man in blind pursuit of power. What is power without something to protect? Then again, perhaps that's why you got Baldo and I got Agnes," he said, holding up his shield.

"Do not misinterpret my words, peasant. What I meant to say is that there is a time to weep and that time has already passed. That was why we went to the east, wasn't it? We are in a war. People are going to inevitably die. We can't let to pain get to us."

"What do you know about pain?" Tetsuya said, turning around.

"You'll be surprised," Hyosetsu said, turning away. "Or have you forgotten that I too lost my father. Though it turned out that yours was alive, but that definitely isn't the case with mine."

Tetsuya gulped. "That man, he isn't my father. My dad is dead. The hero I knew died long ago," he said. He glanced up at the sky. "Though like you said, the time for mourning is long past. We can use this as motivation, but that's it. We can't undo the past, no matter how much we desire."

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree."

They were right. The time for mourning had passed. Perhaps... perhaps, I was never meant to be a knight. Uncle said that he made the right choice in picking me, but did he? Mom had once said that Conrad and I were too soft for our own good. That we better get our act together or allow the world to destroy us. That, it did... It killed my brother and was eating away at me. It still is... gradually. Ripping me piece by piece. Though the world also destroyed her, as well as dad.

"Hey, Serrano," Tetsuya called out. He continued to keep his back to me. "Life isn't easy, no one ever said it is. Well, perhaps some do have it easier than others, but even then, hardships abound eventually." He rubbed the back of his neck and continued to look up at the blue sky. "Though like the old saying goes, 'hardship builds character'. I'm still wading through life, unsure about where to go, but perhaps that's alright. Hanketsu, he told me that the Sky Father left something in us to help us."

Xime and Nori smiled.

"Yeah, he sure did," Nori said, nodding his head.

"The gifts of the holy spirit," Rosa said, putting a hand over her heart.

"So, that's what he meant," Tetsuya said, looking back at her and smiling. He turned away. "I'm not sure if I've gotten it entirely. But his words, they helped me in one of my darkest moments. When I thought that I had lost everything."

I stared at Tetsuya in awe. Was it really him? I had never heard him speak of the Sky Father in such a manner before. He would usually speak of him and the Earth Mother in a mocking manner.

So, it was Hanketsu who said that? Conrad, brother. Forgive me. I... I was unable to keep you safe. Yet, yet you still appeared in front of me in spirit not too long ago.

I hugged Setsuko back and pressed my head against her shoulder. My breathing didn't become as heavy as before, but I cried and cried until I couldn't cry no longer.

***

After crying my eyes out, I walked into the graveyard with several flowers in tow. They were yellow and white chrysanthemums. Xime had Olivine, her guardian angel, make them.

I made my way slowly to Zane's weeping family and laid them next to their wreath.

Zane's widow looked up at me and gasped. "Sir Serrano?" she whispered.

"Huh, Serrano?" the youngest said. His eyes seemed to twinkle with hope. I wanted to get over the hurt, but my my heart couldn't help but ache. Not only did he remind me of his father, whom I had failed to protect as my duty as general, but also of the cousin I had betrayed.

"Yeah, it's me," I said, trying my best to smile.

"You're one of my dad's bosses, aren't you? He spoke a lot about you! You're one of the ones who will preserve the light of this world and extinguish its darkness he said!"

I stepped back, mouth wide open. "He said that?" I had never thought that Zane thought of me like that. He always liked to make fun of me, more so when it came to my relationship with Setsuko. The man was like a big brother, the kind that would tease you, but guide you on the right path all the same.

I squatted so that I was at his eye level and patted his head. "Say, what's your name, little one?"

He frowned. "Papa never mentioned my name?"

I chuckled. "He mentioned his three little ones and wife." I glanced at the other three and smiled. "But never by name. We usually advise against naming relatives not part of the armed forces, for safety reasons."

"Ohhh. Well, I'm Zane!"

I snickered. "Just like your old man, huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah! Zane the 2nd!" he said with a playful smile.

"Big Zane said that his youngest wanted to grow up to be a knight, is that true?"

"Yeah! I want to grow up to big and brave like Tekeshi and you!" He turned away. "Uh, if anything bad befalls you, not that I hope so, could I... could I have Aventine?"

I stood up and touched my crystal earring. "You want to become one of the Hills?"

"Yeah! You're the coolest! Especially, you Aventine knights!"

Tetsu who stood several feet away chuckled.

"Uh, who are you?" Zane said, tilting his head.

I turned around and smiled at my cousin. "That's Tetsuya, he too wanted Aventine when he was you age. In fact, he tried to run off with it."

"Hey! Who told you that you can share that?" Tetsuya yelled, flustered.

I chuckled. It was nice to see him acting a bit like his old self again. Wait, I was too... I guess that Xime was right. I am the most relaxed when I'm around him.

"Tetsuya?" Zane's mom asked, gasping. She grabbed her kids and stepped back. "As in the one who raped the princess?"

Tetsu's smile vanished. "I didn't..."

"He didn't do it," I said, closing my eyes. "At least, I don't believe he would. He's a nice guy, though a tad childish."

Tetsuya scoffed. "And you're a crybaby!"

"See! He even retorts like a child!" I teased.

Zane and the kids giggled.

My cousin narrowed his golden eyes at us. "Great, now you got the kids laughing at me."

"At least, now you know how I feel," Rosa said as she made her way toward him. She swung her hands behind her back and giggled as his face reddened. "You are always teasing me about behaving like a kid."

"Well, you are," he said, grinning.

She pouted. "How rude! When will I get some respect from you?"

He swung his hands behind his head. "Not sure. Maybe never."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You're princess Rosalba!" Zane's mom said, eyes wide. She bowed her head. "Kids, bow down."

Rosa raised a hand and shook her head. "No, there is need to bow. Please treat me like any other civilian."

Little Zane raised a hand to his mouth. "Are you really royalty?"

"Zane!" the mother exclaimed.

Tetsu and I snickered. "One does wonder, huh?" Tetsu asked.

"It's the same with the other princess," I added. "And uncle Osamu doesn't really give off the vibe of a king when he isn't wearing all the royal pomp. He looks like a model more than a king."

"Well, he is rather handsome," the purple haired woman said, snickering.

"That he is!" Rosa said.

"If only he were a nice guy."

"Oh, I don't think he's too bad," a familiar voice called out.

Appearing out of a portal was my other uncle.

"P... Te-" He gasped as uncle Tekeshi covered his mouth with a gloved hand. "Tetsu. When I'm out you're supposed to call me Kuro."

Tetsu elbowed his pa in the side. "Let go of me, old man!"

"Ouch, since when did you get this strong?" he asked.

He glared at him. "Stop playing around."

"Huh? No, I mean it. Your hit actually hurt somewhat," he said, rubbing his side. He smiled. "Seems that my boy is finally showing some meaningful progress."

"Don't call me that. I refuse to call you my pa!" he exclaimed as he stepped away from him.

Uncle smiled. "Well, we better get going. I heard that your sister took Nico home."

"Huh?"

He chuckled. "Perhaps, she has taken a liking to him. Sure, beats continuing her crush with Zafir. Falling for those tied to royals, it only brings hurt," he said, turning around.

Tetsu glanced at Rosa briefly. "It does bring hurt, but it also brought some joy," he whispered.

I glanced over at Setsuko and smiled. "Yeah..."

I returned my attention back to little Zane. "Seems that we have to go. Should anything happen to me, I'll hand Aventine over to you."

Zane opened his mouth and lowered his eyes. "I rather you live."

I patted his head once more. "As do I little one. In the meantime, train to become big and strong. Even if you don't become the next wielder of Aventine, I'm sure you'll grow up to be a great knight. Just like your father was."

The kid raised his large eyes and flashed me a toothy smile. "Thanks, sir! I'll start training now! Uh, what do you recommend I use to train? I... I don't own an angel too, nor even a plain sword."

Tetsu looked around and picked up a fallen stick from one of the great oaks on the other side of the fence. "Here, use this. It's what my cousin and I used to train."

"A stick?" Zane asked as he took it. He giggled. "Really?"

Tetsu smiled. "Yeah. It all began with sticks. Oh, and we did throw a few rocks at one another."

"Uh, please avoid the rocks until you're older," I whispered. "They hurt, a lot."

My cousin laughed. "They sure did, but now I'm used to them!"

"I'm still not," I mumbled. I turned away and waved. "Bye. It was nice meeting you. Hopefully, we'll see each other again. I promise... I'll live up to Zane's expectations. I'll extinguish the darkness seeking to destroy our livelihoods, our world, our peace."

"As do I," Tetsuya said, raising his shield. The black markings that had appeared on it in Makkuroyama were now entirely gone. "I'll protect Zionia for you, so that you can reach your dreams."

"Me too!" Rosa exclaimed.

"All of us will," Setsuko said as she stepped closer. She and the others had gone off to the other graves to place flowers.

Zane giggled. "Thanks! I feel safe, knowing that we have knights and royalty like you."

I had better work hard, to live up to that. I don't ever want to see my companions die for my sake again. Never again.

**Solar Note: If you enjoyed the chapter then go on and press that star :3! Thoughts, theories, and/or predictions?**