They went to the quarries, taking Nemis, who had wisely not tried to run, and the rest of the council with them to order the immediate closing of the mine and the release of all the dragons and humans alike that worked in them. Feeling in the mood Akira had even gotten Nemis' to grudgingly promise everyone who had worked there payment from the council's treasury. The crowd from the city had followed, growing in numbers along the way until it seemed to Akira that and ocean of people were following her. 

Now Akira sat some distance away from the quarries, watching as dirty, tired, rugged humans walked up the steps, that she had found lead all the way down to the quarries. Their faces were thin and grubby and yet in their eyes shone new hope. Some ran to meet family and friends they recognized in the crowd from the city, others seemed to suddenly find relatives that had been captive with them but they had never seen before until now. Mothers ran to children, tears streaming down their faces as they hugged their young ones, and men ran around, trying to find their wives, if they were still alive. Those that looked at total loss were soon taken in by members of the crowd who felt sympathy. 

Dragons flew out, looking tired and having too much skin hanging from their bones, a sure sign of having been starved. Others were full of scars, and yet the fact that they were out of the quarries seemed to put a new light into their once dull yellow eyes. One or two had even chosen a rider among the captives in the quarries, and now followed them faithfully. 

Akira watched as she stood on the ground and leaned against Redemption, a smile on her face. She and Redemption seemed to have been forgotten, yet she didn't care, she was just happy to witness this moment. 

"Nemis was too hesitant," Redemption thought. 

Akira turned her head to where the council stood huddled together. Out of the four of them Nemis was the only one that had a look between shear helplessness and rage on his face. 

"You should have killed him. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about him," Redemption thought grudgingly as he shot a glare over at Nemis. 

"Where we can avoid bloodshed we will," was Akira's reply as she turned back to the happier scene of families reuniting. 

"A...Akira?" 

Both Akira and Redemption's heads snapped around at the mention of her name. Seeing Anita and Savannah, who was staring at Redemption with her mouth wide open, Akira smiled in greeting. 

"Hey," she told them, while Redemption, curious, went through Akira's memories to find out how she knew these two strange girls. 

"Hi," Anita responded, giving Savannah a jab with her elbow and causing her to close her mouth with a snap. "So..." Anita began. 

Akira looked at her questioningly. 

"You're the rider of legend!" Savannah blurted out, getting a disapproving look from Anita. 

"One of them," Akira shrugged, feeling somewhat amused at Savannah's look of wonder in contrast to Anita's calm acceptance of the situation. 

"But your dead!" Savannah exclaimed. Realizing what she said she blushed, "I mean, you...you died, like hundreds of years ago!" 

Redemption let out a snort of amusement. 

"It's complicated," Akira smiled. 

"Why didn't you tell us?" Anita asked softly. 

Akira paused before replying, not sure what to say, "I...guess it never crossed my mind to tell you." 

"But you told Dominique?" Anita demanded. 

"Yes." 

"Then why didn't he tell us!" Savannah exclaimed. 

"I..." Akira shook her head, "He didn't want anyone else to get involved, besides, it would have sounded really crazy at the time." 

Again Redemption snorted. 

Anita frowned, "He still should have told us," she muttered. 

"Akira," Redemption got Akira's attention. She turned her head to find that he was looking at a frail man with gray eyes and thin brown hair. He looked dirty and barely strong enough to stand on his feet. His clothes were in tatters and he was currently staring over at the council members who were huddled together. 

Akira looked over at Nemis and pointed at the man, a questioning look on her face. Nemis looked like he was going to ignore her, yet when Redemption let out a low growl he quickly responded by nodding. 

"Sorry guys," Akira told Anita and Savannah with an apologetic smile, "But there is something I have to do." 

Before either of the girls could protest she turned and began to head over to the man, a smile on her face. She had found him and she was glad, glad that he was still alive, because that meant that she could be at ease that there would be at least one person around to run things when she left, to prevent things from falling back into the old way. 

The council members watched her, something along the lines of hatred for the man she walked towards and disbelief at what she was doing. For the frail man before her was none other than Argos, the fifth council member who had been sent to the quarries by the four others. 

"Argos?" Akira asked she approached him. 

The way he jumped to face her and immediately cringed, as though expecting a blow to land at any second, told Akira that he must have been hit frequently in the quarries. Yet when Argos realized that it was just a girl and not some Watcher coming towards him, he seemed to calm down. When his eyes wondered down to the sword by her side they widened and when he caught sight of Redemption, standing some way behind Akira, his mouth dropped. 

"You are Argos, the fifth council member, right?" Akira asked as she came to a halt before him. 

"Y..." he seemed to struggle to reply and had to take a moment to lick his cracked lips. "Yes," he croaked. 

"Well congratulations," Akira beamed at him, "Your the new director of the dragon academy." 

"What academy?" Argos rasped, looking confused. 

"The one you're going to start up again," was Akira's calm reply, "The one where students with dragons come to learn how to work with their dragon, how to fight so that they can protect the lands." 

"But you don't even know me!" Argos protested. 

"You stood up for what you believed in didn't you? You disagreed with the other four?" Akira replied, jerking her head in the direction of the other four council members. 

Argos nodded mutely. 

"Then that's good enough for me," Akira smiled at him. 

"But what about..." Argos shot a glance at the four other council members. 

"Oh that," Akira waved it off, "I'm afraid the council has retired." 

"Retired?" Argos asked, disbelief written on his face, "But who will keep peace in the lands?" 

"Like I said, you're the new director of dragon academy," Akira replied with a smile. 

"But...I can't do that on my own!" Argos protested, a giddy look on his face, as though he wasn't sure it what was happening was real or not. 

"Of course not, choose some men you trust to help you, men who were in the quarries with you preferably," Akira told him. "Get them to help you train young riders, to keep the city at peace and the new laws enforced." 

"What new laws?" he asked. 

At this Akira pulled out the scroll and handed it over to him. "It's all in there," she told him. "They should be passed on to the rest of the lands, but I'll leave that up to you. I'm sure you'll need a lot of help, especially when you'll start training riders at the same time." 

Argos looked up at her, his eyes wide. "Why train new riders?" he asked, seeming to suddenly accept the situation making Akira feel pleased. 

At his question smile spread across her face. "Because, the riders you train, when they graduate from the academy, they will be the protectors of the land, ensuring peace, keeping justice and protecting those that cannot protect themselves. They will be as the first two white dragons and riders of the lands were, not rulers, but peace keepers. Most of all, they will make sure that nothing like this ever happens again," she explained, giving Argos the plan Redemption had thought out, the plan of how to ensure that the lands in the future were well looked after. For what better thing that to have the riders and dragons in charge together as equals? To not have one ruler or even a group, who would be tempted to alter things for their own benefits, but to give the duty of solely protecting the lands to the riders that graduated from the academy within the next few years and the years to come? 

"I..." Argos seemed at loss. 

"I cannot force you to do this," Akira told him gently, "But I am asking you, Argos, fifth council member, will you be the director of the academy?" 

A smile spread across Argos' face, "It would be my honor," he agreed. 

"Then I leave it to you," Akira told him, she turned to go. 

"Wait!" 

Akira turned back around, a questioning look on her face. 

"What about them?" Argos asked, nodding to the other council members. 

Akira shot them a distasteful look. "I am sure you will find a just punishment for what they have done," she looked back at Argos, "I trust you Argos, Redemption trusts you. You will do a good job, wont you?" 

With a smile at her sincerity Argos nodded. Akira smiled back and turned around once more. 

"Where are you going? Why not stay? We could use the rider of legend and her dragon around here!" Argos called after her. 

Akira turned around one more time, walking backwards towards Redemption as she spoke, "I've done my part, now it's time that you do yours. Besides, I have to get home," she raised her hand in farewell and turned back around. 

Savannah and Anita were still there, Savannah still looking at loss. 

"You're leaving?" Anita asked, having overheard the conversation. 

Akira shot her a sad smile, "I have to go back." 

"And where exactly is that?" Anita asked curiously, while Savannah stood silently beside her. 

"The past," Akira replied with a smile. 

Anita nodded, showing that she had guessed as much. When her eyes strayed to the crowd behind Akira and stayed there Akira turned around. She caught sight of Dominique, hugging Celine. Her eyes were full of hope, and yet when Dominique help her at an arm's length, looked her in the eyes and told her something, her hand went to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears. Her legs buckled and she fell to her knees in the dirt, sobbing. Dominique knelt before her, his arms encircling her as his own face looked grieved. Breeze watched solemnly, standing close by as though to offer comfort. 

Akira felt her heart sink. She knew the cause of their grief. She had seen Ray get stabbed, yet she had hoped, for Celine's sake, that he would survive. Yet Dominique's grieved face confirmed otherwise. Feeling that she was intruding by watching them she turned back around to find that Anita had averted her gaze elsewhere. Curiously Akira shot a look back at Dominique and Celine, wondering which one Anita had been staring at. 

"Akira," Redemption spoke softly in her mind, "We must go. I did not want to bring it up earlier but every second we stay here we may be affecting the future or other time spans. Who knows what both our presences here could do? We cannot take that risk. We have accomplished what you came here to do and now we have to go." 

"I know," Akira turned to Anita and Savannah with a sad smile. "I'm afraid this is goodbye," she told them softly. 

Anita nodded calmly while Savannah's eye widened. "Thank you for everything," Akira spoke as she hugged Anita, smiling as the girl returned the hug. Next she turned to Savannah, "I'm sorry we couldn't do more." 

"Do you have to go?" Savannah asked as she threw herself at Akira and hugged her tightly. "I mean, there's still so much we could do!" 

Akira smiled, "Sorry Savannah." 

Letting out a sigh the blond girl let her go somewhat reluctantly. 

"Akira," Redemption urged, "We still have to get back to the clearing." 

With a sigh Akira approached her dragon and swung herself onto his back. She turned to the two girls below her and shot them one last smile. "Do me a favor," she told them, "Keep Dominique in line." 

Savannah grinned while Anita nodded curtly. 

"Let's go," as he spoke Redemption spread his wings. The action caused everyone standing around to turn and stare. As the white dragon lifted off the ground thousands of eyes followed. 

"You think they'll be alright without us?" Akira asked, staring at the people and dragons below as they got smaller and smaller. "That the lands will all follow the law, or do you think they'll go back to their old ways?" 

Redemption dipped, circling once over the crowd below before turning away from the quarries. "We've shown them the path, now it's up to them if they'll follow it or not," was his reply to Akira's question. 

They had not even gotten out of sight of the quarries yet when suddenly a shape appeared to her right. Looking over Akira caught sight of Breeze with Dominique seated on top of him, a grim look on his face. With a grin Akira looked back ahead. It looked like Dominique and Breeze were going to accompany them back to the field from where they would head home.