Annora walked up the path she had only been up once before. It had been a slow day, her missions completed long ago. Chirithy hadn't made an appearance since her mission was done. Skuld was off doing something for the Dandelions, and all the lieutenants were busy with their Foreteller. So she found herself wandering the outside of the city once again.

As she reached the cliff where Master Luxu sat, the hooded master looked up at her. His head tilted to the side, and though Annora couldn't see, she got the impression he was smiling at her

"So you're back again. More questions?" Master Luxu asked. Annora shook her head as she crossed to the edge of the cliff where she sat down facing Luxu.

"No," Annora said softly. "Thought you might be lonely." She said, offering a smile to the master. He looked at her in silence for a moment, making her fear she had said the wrong thing.

"R-really? That's it?" Luxu asked, shock clear in his voice. Annora guessed people didn't worry much about him. But that was probably because no one knew where he was.

"I can't imagine it's fun. Watching your friends fight to the death." Annora said with a shrug. she looked down and pulled on the grass by her feet. Luxu nodded looking towards the town.

"It's not." He said wistfully. He glanced back to Annora in thought. "Are you sure you don't have any questions?" He asked. Annora shrugged, still picking at the grass nervously.

"I have a million, but it doesn't matter," Annora said. She chewed her bottom lip nervously, her mind racing. She was still trying to piece things together. So much had happened to her and the pieces didn't seem to line up. It was like someone was purposely breeding chaos. But who would do such a thing?

"Maybe I can help," Luxu said. Annora smiled at him softly, looking up from the grass.

"How do you manage, knowing they're all going to die?" Annora asked, looking back down. Luxu's breath hitched for a second. Annora suspected the question was one he thought about all the time. He didn't have much else to fill the time while waiting for doomsday.

"I have to watch. I feel that's punishment enough for me getting to live." Luxu answered after a moment. Annora nodded, not speaking, instead taking the time to think over the answer. "You're asking because Ava wanted you to join the Dandelions." Luxux said. It wasn't a question. Just a statement. Annora chuckled nervously.

"Yeah. I'm not sure what to do anymore." She admitted.

"The cross Union party, I liked that idea. You should keep it up." Luxu said. Annora looked up in surprise. She didn't think he knew about that. It wouldn't be important enough for him to be keeping track of, was it? They had only gotten a few other members afterward anyway.

"What good will it do?" Annora asked bitterly.

"It will make memories you won't ever forget," Luxu replied simply. Annora looked up at him in shock and nodded slowly, looking back down.

"Right." She agreed. She frowned before glancing up at Luxu again. "What's the lost page?" She asked. Luxu sighed heavily.

"It was the page talking about the traitor. The Master took it out of all of the books and gave it to only one." Luxu explained reluctantly. Annora frowned and nodded. She could understand taking it away from the Foretellers. If they had the page they would only worry. But giving it to one was setting that foreteller up to be alone.

"Which one?" Annora asked.

"Which do you think?" Luxu asked in reply. Annora frowned, remembering the conversation she heard between Master's Aced and Ira.

"Gula," Annora said. Luxu nodded in confirmation. "You said everyone had a role, why did the Master give you them?" Annora asked.

"That's a secret only the Master knows. But he was going to disappear, so he tried to set up a system that would hold. Maybe." Luxu said calmly. Annora frowned at his word choice. Maybe. He didn't trust the Master, or he was doubting him at least.

"You think he was setting you up." Annora said. Luxu shook his head quickly.

"No. I think he was doing the best he could. Or, that's what I hope." Luxu said. Annora nodded again. It probably wasn't a good idea to keep going on this line of questioning, so Annora decided to let it drop. She thought for a moment, trying to decide what question she wanted to ask next.

"Did the Foretellers get to choose their own lieutenants, or did the Master pick them too?" Annora asked.

"Everyone picked their own. The one who would carry on in their place if the war didn't come this soon." Luxu explained. Annora nodded.

"So, do you have one?" Annora asked. Luxu shook his head.

"No, not yet." He said.

"You don't have much more time." Annora said, assuming he wanted to pick someone from Daybreak Town. Otherwise, it didn't matter.

"I know," Luxu said calmly. He paused for a moment looking at Annora with interest. "I'm thinking I might like you to take over for me. Since I'll live either way." He said. Annora looked up at him in shock. She never thought herself important enough for a task like that.

"Me?" Annora asked.

"You're the first wielder to find me. And, you have a strong heart that I think can take what I have to do. Of course, it's all up to you." Luxu answered. He wasn't looking at her anymore. Annora frowned and stood.

"I'll think about it. Thank you, Master Luxu." Annora said with a bow. She turned and walked back down the path to town.

*<3*

Takiko sighed flipping through a stack of papers. He had just finished a meeting with Invi. Things weren't looking good. Takiko turned away just in time to see his Chirithy run into the room. His Chirithy was dark colored now. Dark purple with black stripes. Its eyes remained blue, though much darker blue than any other Chirithy. It jumped up into Takiko's arms and hid its face. The emblem on its back was visible for long enough to confirm it was still a spirits.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Takiko asked.

"I'm scared! If anyone sees me they'll think you're the one falling into darkness." Chirithy said. Takiko smiled softly and ran his hand over the Chirithy's head in a comforting manner.

"It's fine. Let them think what they want. You're still a good Chirithy. You just, well you just hung around me too much." He said softly. The Chirithy nodded in understanding. "Any news on the problem Chirithy?" Takiko asked. Chirithy looked up at him and shook its head.

"No. It's like it vanished." Chirithy said. Takiko frowned and nodded. It didn't surprise him the nightmare could vanish into thin air. Chirithy's did it all the time anyway. But it had to be hiding somewhere, didn't it? It had to have a wielder.

"Who would have thought darkness was such a softie?" A voice said. It sounded like a Chirithy. Takiko looked around quickly. His Chirithy shook in his arms.

"Who's there?" Takiko demanded. In front of him, the Dark Chirithy appeared in a puff of smoke. It looked almost identical to Takiko's Chirithy, but its eyes were red, not blue.

"I mean come on, you're supposed to be scary." The Dark Chirithy said in a taunting manner. Takiko looked at the nightmare with a cold glare.

"And so are you, but the only thing I'm finding scary is how cute you are," Takiko said icily. Takiko's Chirithy laughed softly, making Takiko smile a little. The Dark Chirithy glared at Takiko.

"Well, I'm sure I'll see your scary side when the war starts." The Dark Chirithy said. Takiko frowned once again. Even the Dark Chirithy was banking on the war.

"Oh, another war enthusiast." He said calmly. The Dark Chirithy only laughed.

"You know, I was hoping you and your sister were going to start it. Tried so hard to scare ya into it." It said. Takiko's eyes widened, his fist clenched in anger. The Dark Chirithy had been the one threatening his sister. Who knew their secret.

"That was you?" Takiko hissed angrily. The Dark Chirithy laughed proudly. It seemed to want a reaction out of him.

"Of course it was me! But man are you stubborn." The Dark Chirithy said, laughing.

"What do you want?" Takiko asked, fighting to keep himself calm.

"The same thing everyone wants. To find the traitor and start the war." The Dark Chirithy said sounding proud of itself. Takiko raised an eyebrow at the nightmare.

"I'm pretty sure not everyone wants that." He said calmly. The Dark Chirithy waved him off.

"Details." It said. It looked at Takiko with a calculating look. "Well, I just thought I should warn you. The wars getting close, better spend some time with your sister while you still have her. Cause you're going to be the one to end her." It said before vanishing into thin air, leaving only a puff of smoke.

"Like hell," Takiko said, though he knew the Dark Chirithy could no longer hear him.