Chapter 27

"Autumn? Are you alright? Don't let them get into your head," Lapis asked, concerned.

Ember nodded in agreement. She had been panicked from the sudden onslaught of accusations, causing her to believe the words said. Another part of her felt guilty that she had not thought of helping them.

"Um…Lapis? Could we let them out too? Even though what they said was wrong, I don't think they meant much harm."

Lapis sighed, her eyes showing her unwillingness. "Very well." Turning towards the imprisoned spirit animals, she announced, "I usually do not do such kind things, but I suppose today is your lucky day."

Rui patted Ember's head before walking away. "Let's wait outside and regroup with the others while Lapis is doing that."

Ember raised an eyebrow at his action, but decided not to comment on it.

Autumn suppressed a laugh and nodded her head. "You should've seen the look on your face," Autumn snickered.

Ember smacked the back of Autumn's head.

"Ow!-"

"You should've seen the look on your face."

They broke out in laughter, causing Rui to turn around with a curious gaze. Their smiles dropped, for he must've seemed disapproving.

Rui turned around with an awkward smile, pushing open a door and allowing sunlight to stream in.

Outside, two figures were waiting. An annoying brown haired swordsman, and an equally confusing young boy.

Autumn gasped, "Ember-"

"It's you!" Ember growled, cutting off Autumn's words. "I'll have your head, just as I promised."

"Promise?" Autumn questioned, "What promise?"

"I'll get to that later."

"Welcome," Khrona laughed. "I am Alp. Sometimes I am Xay, and other times, Khrona."

"Don't mind him. It's normal…I think."

"He doesn't have eyes." Autumn stated.

"I don't have eyes?" Khrona asked in shock, "Ace! I don't have eyes!"

Ace, the brown haired swordsman, nodded with a straight face. "Yes. I can see."

"But she can't!" Khrona laughed, pointing at Autumn.

Autumn jumped, not expecting him to throw something so blunt towards her. It was obvious her wound was recent, and Autumn was most definitely unhappy with losing her sight.

"Well, I'd say I'm better off than you. Speaking of which, how do you know what I look like?" Autumn replied spitefully.

"The same way you know how I look like." Khrona replied with a smile.

Ember quickly interjected, "Autumn, you'll never get any answered from him. Believe me, I've tried."

"Oh, but you did! You did! I gave you answers but not how you wanted them!"

"So you know I wouldn't like your answers, yet you still had to give them to me in such a riddled way?" Ember growled, holding up a fist menacingly.

"Now, now," Ace butted in. "Let's not fight right after meeting each other, shall we?"

To Ember's surprise, Khrona ceased his strange remarks and withdrew, quietly standing by Ace's side.

'How strange,' Ember thought, making eye contact with Autumn. 'A contract thing, perhaps?'

Autumn shivered. If it really was the doing of a contract that could make the ceaselessly talkative Khrona become someone so eerily quiet, Autumn might've just decided to run away again.

Then, Autumn gasped, her hand flying to her throat as a thought hit her. "My pendant!"

"Pendant?" Ace echoed.

Ember's eyes snapped towards Autumn. "Did you lose it? Where could it be?"

"I…don't know."

The pendant had been a gift from her mother, Lupine. It was Eclipse's seventh birthday, the last one she spent with her mother, in fact. The necklace that she'd always seen her mother wear was given to her.

Pride swelled in her chest when she recalled this, yet deflated when Autumn remembered it's current state. Lost.

"Is it important? Don't worry. As long as you've been in contact with it in the past day, we can find it," Rui comforted.

"We can?" Autumn asked hopefully.

"Yes. If you would allow me to place searching spell on you…" Rui cut off, "Or perhaps it would be better if Ace performed the spell."

'A spell? What if…' Autumn shook her head. The pendant was important to Eclipse, and now, it was important to her as well. 'This risk is nothing as long as I can get it back.'

Autumn nodded in consent. Ace examined her expression closely, smiling in hopes of easing her nerves. "Don't worry. It only takes a moment."

He placed his hand over her head and closed his eyes. Ace muttered a spell under his breath.

'What is he saying?' Autumn wondered, 'Perhaps an ancient language?'

His eyes opened, and he grinned. "Is your pendant a blue heart with silver vines?"

Autumn's eyes lit up. "Yes! Did you find it! Autumn jumped forwards, her hands grasping Ace's cloak in her excitement before quickly leaping back. "Sorry," she fidgeted.

Ace laughed, "Yes, I've found it. It's back in the dungeon though, so we'll have to run back in. Would you like to come with me, or stay here with Rui and Alp?"

"Alp?" Ember questioned, before it dawned on her. "Khrona. Right."

"We'll go with you," Autumn replied, "Right?" She glanced towards Ember.

"Wherever you go, I go," Ember nonchalantly shrugged.

"Let's go quickly then. We don't want them to wait too long."