Ying sent the details of her job to Ondun and Sylphie while the two headed in the vague direction of the Cheng Graveyard. Ondun nudged Sylphie and pointed to a sign for a jeweler's shop with a wide grin. Both coaches were very pleased as they entered the small shop.

  The jeweler was perhaps the most pedestrian person the two had seen in Cheng. He hovered over a case of rings, earrings, and necklaces like a doting parent. When Sylphie showed the man her chain and Knowledge Gem, and explained she wanted a mount for it, his expression lit up. He dashed off, returning with some brass wire and a case of tools. In just a few minutes, he had woven, welded, and mounted the Shadow Knight knowledge gem into a weave of brass wire, and had it hanging on the brass chain.

  "How much do I owe you?" Ondun asked.

  The man broke out into a grin. "Nothing! You're Ondun, the one who halted the attack on our city, yes? In light of this, helping mount that odd crystal into a necklace is the least I can do!"

  Ondun frowned. "I mean, you're running a business...it doesn't seem fair."

  The older man rubbed his chin. "Well, then, I'll just not say anything, should anyone come asking. Will that help? I mean...you are a celebrity now. People are following your every move!" He held up a cellphone that showed a very amateurly-recorded shot of Ondun and Sylphie experimenting with her Shadow Knight techniques.

  "Anyways...I'm sure you two have things to do. I'm just honored my humble shop could serve you."

  Ondun nodded blankly. Something seems off...but no weapons are out, no spells are readied, and there's no Mons. "Then...I'll not trouble you further. Should I meet anyone who needs jewerly, I'll refer them to you."

  The man nodded happily. "You do that! My thanks, and safe journeys!"

  The two left. Sylphie had happily slipped the chain beneath the collar of her shirt, and was humming happily. Ondun waited until they had made a few blocks of progress towards the Cheng Graveyard, before he pulled out his cellphone, and looked for Aenora's contact number. He started the call and after a few moments, she answered. "Ondun. I didn't expect to hear from you so soon."

  Ondun and Sylphie kept walking. "We just got a chain for Sylphie's...crystal. Something about the encounter didn't add up." He then retold everything that happened. At one point, she hummed very interestedly.

  "I see. It's well you told me this. If you see anything else, let me know." She then hung up. Sylphie looked askance at her companion. "What was that about? He was just a nice older guy. Heck, he's a refreshing breeze of normalcy in this weird town!"

  Ondun nodded. "That's exactly what caught my attention. Look around, Sylphie. What do you see?"

  The young monster coach looked around. Even though it was the morning, the city's 'normal' was a willful blend of every kind of person, every kind of garb or dress. People were having animated discussions about all manner of subjects, or going to jobs they seemed to genuinely look forward to.

  She looked back. "Well obviously a bunch of mis...fits...oh. Ohhhhhhhhh." She looked around. "Do we go back? Ask for answers?"

  Ondun shook his head. "No, we do no such thing. If anything, it's fortunate. We know we're being watched, with some of our watchers being more benevolent than others. We do Ying's request. On that note..." Ondun handed Sylphie his phone. "If we have any battles, you should record them. My phone has an advanced recording function; my sponsor wants some battle data, and I've been putting it off with everything that's happened."

  She nodded. "Okay. Do you have an idea of what Aenora's plan is?" The adventurer rubbed his chin. "I do, but I won't voice it. It's important that I play my part...just as she and probably City Leader Ying will."

  He saw Sylphie start connecting the dots. "It's like our conversation last night, isn't it?"

  He nodded. "Same general idea. I am just your very well-armed pet rock...am I not?" A wide grin flashed across her face. "Oh, Ondun, you most certainly are. Yes...But you're also a handsome and kind pet rock." He could see comprehension. No more needed to be said. She extended an arm that he took, and the two continued to their destination.

  In the light of a day unclouded by rampant Dark energies, the ruined Cheng Graveyard looked like a piece of Kongming that was mourning itself. Ruined grave markers lay on one side, or in rubble. Offerings to the deceased were scattered about. The few sheds that housed tools and vehicles lay in ruins. The battle had all but destroyed this reverent home of the honored dead. With a nod from the Rangers who had secured the site, Ondun and Sylphie crossed the perimeter, and immediately paused.

  Ondun held out one hand and placed on over his heart. "Dead ones, please...be at rest. We come to honor you, and your progeny." A wind blew through the ruined graveyard. Ondun wondered if it was an answer, an acknowledgement, or just happenstance. That wind felt...warmer...than I expected.

  Sylphie poked him, then found some scattered sticks of incense. She picked them up. "Give a lady a light?" Ondun pulled a flint and tinder from his pack, and obliged. She placed the sticks near a more intact grave, put her hands palm-to-palm, and bowed three times, with her eyes closed. "Alright. We've paid our respects. Now we hunt."

  The two called out Venus and Strudel, who instantly fanned out to look for anything...and jumped after hearing stone crack and shift, only to find Aenora standing behind them, her staff on her back, and a capture capsule in hand. Ariel the Palasorceress was behind her, warily looking around. "It's good to see you two. The spirits, and the anima, are restless here. We should proceed respectfully."

  The three travelers and their Mon allies carefully, reverently, made their way through the graveyard. There were more than a few scattered bones and remains. A few times Sylphie stopped and examined a bone, narrowing her eyes. She said nothing to elaborate on whatever she saw, though. Instead the Shamaness and Ariel just kept looking around with the rest of the group.

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  After a few more minutes, Aenora abruptly stopped. She gestured to Ariel, and kept the capture capsule in open view. She stepped towards a tree stump, and then knelt. "I know what you are, little one. You need not fear me. Turn and face me."

  The stump's roots pushed against the earth, and it turned to reveal two large milky white eyes, and a nose-like branch with a pair of leaves growing from it. "Soulstump!" it cried. The odd eyes crinkled into something that looked curious. "Soulstump?"

  "I am only passing through, little one. Have you see any unusual Mons, perhaps radiating a dark power?" She asked.

  The Soulstump nodded. "Soulstump...soul-soulstump!" It moved towards a direction with those roots, but stumbled into the hallowed dirt. That's when they all saw the massive wound in the bark. "Soulstump..."

  Ondun reached a hand up to his chest, but Aenora held up a hand. "Permit me." She drew the staff off her back and got closer. "Little one, I would like to heal your wound. It is within my power, and the spirits about this place seem to want me to help you. Is it okay for me to help?"

  "Soulstump..." came the pained reply. To Ondun it came across as a pained, please...

  The Shamaness drew the anima about her into her hand and staff, then gently placed her hand onto the stump Mon. Before their eyes the wound closed, and the tiny Mon sighed a relieved "Soulstump..." before turning to her, the seemingly sightless eyes wide in wonder and what seemed like admiration. It moved towards the capture capsule.

  "Soulstump! Soul-soulstump." it declared. My thanks! I want to join you. Aenora turned to Ondun. He nodded. "It seems you made a friend. It's up to you." Ariel nodded as well. They were most happy at your healing. The Soulstump will doubtless prove a faithful ally in your further travels.

  She extended the capture capsule, and tapped the capture button on it against the Mon. In a flash of light, the Mon was absorbed inside the device, where it wiggled gently, once before becoming dormant. Sylphie had recorded the whole thing, and now looked up the Soulstump in the Mondex.

  Aenora's eyebrows raised. "I see. They and I will get along just fine, I should think."

  Everyone briefly congratulated Aenora on her first capture in Monastria, including Ariel. Then, they continued.

  A couple of hours later, the sun was high in the sky. Everyone agreed to rest in the shade of a great tree with a few graves in its shadow. Carefully, everyone found a place to sit and rest, and Ondun broke out some packages of Monastria's jerky. Strudel immediately chowed down on his strip. Everyone giggled.

  As Sylphie was about to bite hers, Ondun's eyes went wide. Something flickered in her field of vision, so she turned to it. There was a flickering fire on one shoulder. Something about the fire exuded curiosity. Aenora raised one eyebrow.

  "Sylphie, that is a Mon beside you. They're not quite corporeal; there's a tiny core inside of it. Ondun, what does your phone say about it?"

  Ondun activated his Mondex app and scanned the light.

  The Wispowill hovered towards Sylphie's chest. Ondun got up, but Sylphie raised a hand. Then she drew out her Shadow Knight Knowledge Gem. It hovered just in front of it for a moment, then hovered up to Sylphie's eye level.

  Wispowill... it sighed. Ariel chimed in. It seems our visitor wants to meet your Mons. The thought of Mons seems important to it.

  Sylphie nodded carefully. "Venus! Maggie! Someone wants to meet you." Venus was already out, so they just padded to Sylphie's side. Maggie was released from her capsule, and she came to rest on Venus' larger back. "Luxli!" "Fledgelev!"

  Wispowill...wispwisp, wispo... Ariel translated for the hominids' benefit. It recalls friends it left behind. They want to find their old friends and comfort them.

  Sylphie drew Venus and Maggie into a tight hug. "I don't know what to tell you...is there any way to guide us to your friends? Man...I can't even imagine what it'd be like to leave Venus and Maggie behind...nor Ondun. Especially not Ondun."

  The adventurer was on the edge of tears. Aenora put a hand on one shoulder, trying to comfort the terrified Draconian. Sylphe frowned. "Sorry...it's just...I've already lost my mother. I...I think I get it." She held Venus and Maggie a little tighter. "You two...I love you very much. You know that, right?"

  "Fledgelev!" "Luxli!" She smiled, and ruffled Venus's head slightly. The Wispowill bounced up and down.

  Wispowill. Wisp-wisp...wispowill...

  My friends are here, in this graveyward, Ariel psychically intoned. I would like to go with you, she who loves her allies. I would like to find them, one last time.

  Sylphie nodded, seriously. "That's a request I will help you fulfill." She produced a capture capsule, and held it out. The Wispowill tapped itself against it, and was absorbed. With one, most faint, rattle, the capsule clicked. Wispowill had joined Sylphie.

  She immediately released the Wispowill. "We're resting for just a moment. Do you eat?" Wispowill. It was generally understood as a 'no'. She nodded. "Then, give us a few minutes. We're looking for unusual Mons, on behalf of the City Leader. Perhaps we'll run into your friends as we do."

  A few minutes later, Maggie flew high, and began circling the ruined graveyard. The Wispowill hovered on Sylphie's shoulder, as Venus and Strudel resumed their screen. Ariel and Aenora brought up the rear, keeping their senses as wide as possible for any odd monsters they would run into.

  They all walked for a long time. There were other Mons in the graveyard, but they invariably fled before the larger party, or just watched the procession curiously.

  After a couple of hours of fruitless searching, Ondun sighed. "No corrupted Mons...at least not yet. I guess that's a blessing...but at what point do we stop that search?"

  Aenora rubbed her chin; Sylphie tapped her lip. "I don't know. Ying didn't say," Aenora said after a moment. It was then that the Wispowill began boucing up and down, then flew off Sylphie's shoulder.

  "Wispy! Wait up!" she chased after it. Ondun was hot on her heels. Aenora and Ariel shrugged to each other and followed.

  The tiny Mon only dashed a short way, and hovered over a rusted sword that was embedded into the hallowed earth. Wisp-wisp! Wispowill! Wispowill!!!

  To Ondun, it felt like the tiny Mon was asking the sword to wake up. Sylphie just kept her distance, and pulled her hand up to her chest, ready to draw upon her Shadow Knight powers. As Aenora padded up, he decided to step forward.

  "Little one. Is this sword a friend of yours?" he asked carefully.

  Wispowill! Yes.

  He reached out. "My name is Ondun. I'm a traveller. Your friend has come to find you; you may have known them in times before. Will you not greet them?"

  "Rusblade!" came the cry from the sword. He took a respectful step back, and scanned it with his phone. "Yep, definitely a Mon. Metal-type." The blade slowly rose out of the earth, revealing two eyes on a crossguard, that narrowed at Ondun. "Rusblade! Rus-rus!"

  Ondun...the Rusblade is challenging you. What will you do?