Aenora noticed a glint in the armored woman's eyes. Any Felinian knew what such a look meant: It was a call to hunt, to stalk and take down a powerful foe.

  Ondun's words rang in the Shaman's ears: I think as useful as my fighting can be, I've come to over-rely on violence. My blades can do great good, but I'm not sure that's what they've actually achieved. Even on Arcanis, instead of bringing peace, they're a source of terror. Here, my choices in battles have actively endangered both myself and the people and places about me. I need an alternative...

  She turned to the two, a finger deliberately planted on her lip. The woman seemed to relent for the moment, just as the scholar had hoped.

  Sylphie understood her look immediately. Ondun noticed the unnatural gesture for what it was, and a very faint incline of his head signaled his assent to whatever she was up to.

  Aenora turned back. "Unfortunately, I've only just arrived to your world, and Lady Sylphie here has herself just recovered from being poisoned. Ondun also needs a bit more rest before he can effectively hunt another foe. Were we to...party...with you, in our current state, we'd only be more of a hindrance, than a boon. Besides, I fear what effects unleashing advanced magic would have in the heart of your city."

  Ying Biyu laughed, a loud hearty laugh that rang through the halls and the apartment. "Oh, you're good. Aenora? Yeah, you're good. Don't worry, I'm not with the Dark Ones, and I have no intent to use Ondun here as a catspaw."

  Sylphie bristled. "You were listening." she stated, her voice low.

  The woman stepped in ruffled her hair. "Oh sweetie, I've done no such thing. I'm not Lowell who can hear thoughts, or has too much community with Mons with that sort of power. Not my style. No, I've spent the last couple of hours talking to the Guardian and Lowell. Also some random Ranger Captain in Guandao. We're all in agreement." She turned to the Draconian adventurer. "No, someone's trying to indirectly use you. The reason I want you to party isn't so much to flush them out, as to make them believe they're succeeding."

  Aenora and Ondun shared a different look. She turned her gaze back to the odd City Leader. "In a sense they already have. Today, Ondun just gave Monastria a demonstration of Astral Conjuration. The next time an area is shrouded in darkness, or otherwise put into an unnatural state, someone will have the full technique for performing an Astral Conjuration whispered into their ears, doubtless by one of our dark-robed acquaintances. They will do to your world, what they've been doing to ours. The only difference is, instead of disgruntled Beast Folk doing the conjurations, it will be well-meaning humans of Monastria instead."

  The woman tapped her lip. She turned around and closed the door, noting the dishes. "So...would the chef here mind using some of my groceries to make me a plate too?"

  Ondun nodded and did just that. The two women kept standing, now that the lady of the house had made her dominion known. Moments later, one of Ondun's hearty sandwhiches, and a glass of the fizzy drink were placed in front of the woman, who ate them with gusto.

  "AAAH that was so good!" She eventually pushed her plate away. "Damn, I really want you to stay in Cheng now. You're more than colorful enough to live here, you could make a killing in the sandwich business, and you don't bat an eye at people as different as you are, from what I've seen. Not like that jerk Lee Lee..."

  Sylphie narrowed her eyes, but then sniffed. "You're not wrong. Dad can be a little orthodox."

  Ying got up and pulled the young coach into a side-hug. "See?"

  "Still, don't insult him. I'm pissed at him, but he is my dad."

  Ying released the hug and gave a light Eastern Bow. "I apologize for my offfense, Lady Lee." Sylphie waved her off. "Hey, I think my dad needs an attitude adjustment too. Step one is walking up with this guy..." she nudged Ondun, "...at my side."

  Aenora, Sylphie and Ying all giggled. Ondun went red, but Sylphie then wrapped the adventurer in a side-hug of her own. "Seriously, Ondun. You're not that bad. I'll try to lighten up on you a little, okay?"

  Ondun squeezed the woman gently in return, and gave his signature stoic nod.

  "Anyways..." Ying awkwardly brought the conversation back. "While this is my apartment, you can crash here, okay?"

  She paused, and folded her arms under the higher-than-normal point of her dark cuirass. "I get it. We're being played, presumably by these 'Dark Ones'. The incidents in the Xinling Bamboo Grove, and now here in the Cheng Graveyard, were but two datapoints. There have been others. The odd energy that broke from the earth and afflicted some Mons three weeks ago could also be related to all this." She paused, and tapped her lip before continuing.

  "There's been reports in other countries - Mericaria, Zilbra, and Francis especially - of areas that have suffered similar 'accidents' with Dark type energy. The Guardian is discussing solutions now, and we've got people working on energy siphon designs that could be used to cleanse the area. Also I think Light mons are being prepared, based on what someone..." she nodded to Ondun, "...has discussed with Dr. Wusiji, and now with the analysis of the battle here in Cheng."

  The three looked at one another worried, but pleased that the people of this world were actively working to thwart a possible looming apocalypse. Ondun shifted uneasily, but held himself. He wants to step in. That's just the kind of man he is, Aenora thought with pride in her adventurer friend. Still, in this case that would just play into the Dark Ones' machinations. His time here really has helped him see the bigger picture.

  Ondun was processing this. "I don't know how the diplomatic world here in Monastria is organized, but you need to inform the other nations of the dangers of Astral Conjuration. Astrals drain the land, and brainwash anyone nearby when they're summoned. They can also brainwash people after the fact. Prolonged exposure to their power can cause physical mutations. There's no going back from that. Me summoning the Astral Therion was a desperate solution to an immediate problem. Please, for the love of the All-Mother, do not do what I did."

  Aenora nodded. "Our order, the Knowing Circle, is dedicated to ending the cycle of Grand Cataclysms that afflicts our own home world. Seven times has our world suffered these disasters...and thanks to Lord Yonghaixi, much is put into perspective. The Legendary Mon seems to believe the objective could involve merging the Void onto Arcanis, but using Monastria as a conduit or proxy of some kind."

  Ondun tilted his head. "The Void is the realm of Daemons, though. Wouldn't merging Monastria onto Arcanis make more sense? This part of this world looks a lot like Xin-xia."

  The armored woman stretched. "For tired people, you all sure talk alot! Hey, since you've got so much energy, why don't you come see the city with me?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  A few minutes later, Aenora, Ondun, and Sylphie were dressed and mostly put together, with only Strudel, Venus, and the Palasorceress named Eleanor walking alongside City Leader Ying Biyu.

  The city's inhabitants were even more colorful now than they had been during the battle for the city. Every possible kind of person, including a few Ondun hadn't even realized were possible, were out and about despite the late hour. People were talking about every possible subject. Some were complaining about work. Others were grieving those they lost during the battle. Yet others were discussing the Circuit and some of the front-runners that had come to prominence in the past couple of days.

  A few snatches of conversation were even speculating about Ondun and Sylphie's next moves in the Circuit. Sylphie tended to move closer to Ondun during those; he wrapped an arm about the younger monster coach during one of them.

  "So this here..." Ying gestured to a large building. "This is where I take battle requests for the Circuit. Much as I'd love to drag you all in there and put you through your paces, we can do that another time. Soon, I'd hope - I think I've got some skills at least one of you would be very interested in seeing."

  Ondun made sure to burn the memory of this place into his mind. He couldn't stop himself from grinning at the thought of challenging the dark-armored woman and her Mon team. He hoped it would be more challenging of a contest than Lowell had been.

  They kept walking. "This is the main 'food court' of the City, though Cheng has gotten a lot bigger in the last twenty years. There's actually about three more of these food courts scattered around. Some outlying homesteads supply us with the food; our coaches and the Rangers make sure they can keep farming without any interference from gangs or wild Mons."

  The massive man in the pink dress waved at them. Ondun gave a gratefulwave, while Sylphie just looked at him with a shocked expression. Their information gathering was hugely valuable to Cheng's forces, the adventurer recalled. When he noticed Sylphie's questioning look, he shrugged and answered with, "You should see some of my friends back home."

  Aenora giggled, and Ondun knew exactly why. "By the way, Ondun looks good in light blue." Sylphie looked with shock at Aenora, before turning back to Ondun with sparkling eyes as she was clearly trying to imagine Ondun in something pretty. His palm smacked straight into his face as Ying stopped, her hard gaze resting on Sylphie.

  "Hey, Sylphie. 'Different strokes for different folks', is practically the motto of Cheng. Let's say Ondun has ever worn anything that you don't consider orthodox for someone like him. Do you love your dragon-man there any less, bearing that in mind?"

  Sylphie tapped her lip. "No. No, I don't." she added, seemingly surprised. Ying rolled her eyes. "Good. If you didn't want him, I wouldn't mind swooping in and taking him for my own..."

  Sylphie clutched Ondun tightly, going red. The City Leader just laughed. Aenora was now blushing hard for some reason. Maybe my crush was less one-sided than I remembered... Ondun thought in shock.

  Ondun cleared his throat. "Dresses aside, one adventurer I know fights exclusively while wearing a pig mascot suit. Another is a woman who uses illusion magicks to make her suit of Mithracil plate armor look like a ballgown. Two of my friends prefer to be referred to in the feminine, despite being born male, and are some of the best Dawn Mages I've ever known. Every once in a while, a Monk fights with us, who the opposite applies to. He's actually very powerful...if he doesn't get hit."

  He paused, then decided to air something possibly important to both Aenora and Sylphie. He didn't particularly care if Ying heard it, too. "For my part, I have difficulty experiencing romantic attraction. Only when I forge a close emotional bond to someone can I begin to properly experience anything like romance."

  Ondun frowned. "Sylphie, I understand you care a great deal for me, and you're a beautiful woman. Truly. As I learn about you, I grow to understand you, and...maybe, one of these days I can feel the depth of the attraction I think you may feel for me. It's just...it's different for me. Also, you know my baggage. I'm a little scared to get too close...at least right now."

  The group continued walking. Sylphie released the tight hug she'd held Ondun in, but her hand continued to hold his. Ying was quietly paying attention as she led them further into the city.

  "Ondun. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I'm sorry. It's just that this is all new and...well, it's all weird to me. Yes, you too. But Ondun?" she tightened her grasp. "Ondun, you've taken me seriously from the start. You've always worried for me. You've trained with me, argued with me, fought with me, and saved me. I need to think about stuff...but there's one thing I never want you to question: I want to travel with you, at your side. I want my rematch with you. When I win? I'll still keep traveling with you."

  More quietly she muttered, "And I do think you're kind of hot, actually..." She turned red and looked away. Ondun tightened his hand on hers, and cast his gaze up to the lively, colorful, weird city of Cheng, and followed the City Leader onward.

  "Then, I look forward to spending my life at your side." The smile on Ondun's face was the purest smile he'd had for many years. Just because he didn't become lustful easily, didn't mean he didn't know when he was loved. Aenora and Ying shared a look, and with a satisfied smile, continued onward, letting Sylphie and Ondun, still hand-in-hand, follow in contented silence.

  Sylphie...'one day' might come sooner than you think. I think I love you too. I need to be sure, though. Besides...a battlefield is no place for a honeymoon.

  Perhaps the world I want to create, Ondun realized, is one where Sylphie and I, and all my friends, including all the ones I haven't met yet, can just travel and lend a hand where and when we're needed.

  The warehouse that Ying led them to was well-lit, and more Cheng coaches were on what seemed like a security detail. None of them wore uniforms; it was becoming clear to the visitors that Cheng was a city that prided itself on not being regimented. It was freeform to an extreme that by all rights shouldn't have worked, but did due to mutual assent and mutual support.

  Ying entered her passcode, and the door to the warehouse opened. She led them to a particular crate; the moment they got close, a powerful violet light shone from it. "Oho..." she chuckled, and opened it, letting the violet light flood out. She reached in, and pulled out a crystal, about a quarter the size of her palm.

  Ondun's eyes went wide. Yeah, I knew you'd recognize it. Aenora also had the same expression. Aenora makes sense too.

  "Leader Ying, why do you have a Memory Gem?" Sylphie asked. It flared as she voiced the question.

  Ying tapped her lip. "It was left her very, very long ago. Some say the Hero herself carried it, that it empowered her in her final battle with the Dark One. It's been passed down through the generations in my family." She brought the gem closer to Sylphie, and it fair erupted with power. "Hmmm. It reacts to you."

  Ondun gave her a nudge. "Knowledge Gems don't react to everyone...just those who spiritually align with the discipline held inside. I think you should take it."

  Ying let the woman grab the gem. "Now, Sylphie, remember how it felt when I helped you unlock your anima? Do that to the gem," Ondun instructed.

  The City Leader watched the young monster coach close her eyes, and even from feet away sensed her probe the gem with her own anima. There was a violet flash as a suit of jet black and silver filigreed armor materialized over her form, tall sabatons rising onto her slender legs, a thick skirt covering her hips. The cuirass of this suit saw the filigree form a heart over her breast. Great pauldrons shaped like dark wings covered the woman's shoulders, and a black chainmail coif rested gracefully on her back.

  Ying reached in. "Hmm. It seems I was right to bring you here after all." She pulled out a massive black metal greatsword. "Sylphie Lee. I name you the successor to the arts of the Shadow Knight. I have learned all I can from Elasmia's legacy. Protect that which you love. May the Darkness you wield be a protective curtain...and not a choking cloud."

  Sylphie looked down, the plates lightly clacking as she moved. Ondun studied the armor. "Is this Mithracil? It seems like it weighs about the same, but something about it feels different."

  Aenora was also studying the designs. "Fascinating...this is from the High Allemandian period. I wonder...was Elasmia from some great family of the Allemandian Empire?"

  Sylphie just bowed to Ying Biyu. "Oh, this is so cool!" she took the massive greatsword, and slung it on her back, causing Ondun to need to leap back to avoid getting smacked with the flat of the blade.

  "Ondun, tomorrow, we train! When we meet these Dark Ones, I'm going to smack them around so hard, they'll regret trying to use you!"

  Ondun gave the young monster coach - now Shadow Knight - a proud nod. "I look forward to it."

  Ying Biyu grinned. Quietly she whispered under her breath, "Father...I've done it. You can rest in peace now."