It had been a few hours since the party had set off towards the distant Mount Yinshan. I can't keep calling us 'the party', Ondun editorialized to himself as he absently patted Strudel. Everyone had set a determined pace that was carrying them closer to a tall, white mountain wreathed in a cloud of pureset white.

  Would we be 'The Knowing Circle - Monastria Edition'? The Monastrian Knowing Circle? Just the Knowing Circle? 'The party' sounds way too clinical.

  Maggie the Levkite was flying low alongside the party, and doing her best to keep the monster coach's spirits raised. To Ondun's considerable surprise, given the circumstances, Maggie didn't really need to bother. Sure, Sylphie was as determined as everyone else to thwart the Dark Ones' plans...she just seemed far happier about everything than she had been before. He thought back to the grumpy, petulant young woman he'd absentmindedly bumped into on Route 41. We've come a long way in a week, haven't we?

  Zephanie descended from the clouds and began crying 'Galeloon!' over and over. To Ondun, it felt like she was telling them something had drawn her to a lot of water, or something. Sylphie and Maggie padded up, with Aenora, Hiro, and Ariel not far behind.

  There's a lake that calls to your aerial friend, Master Ondun. She paused. The lake is known to me, for Lady Alice and I have traveled there before. A powerful presence sleeps there; in our previous visits it took notice of neither myself nor my lady. It may be a safe place to take a rest.

  Ondun frowned. He decided to gloss over all the times he'd been in aquatic fights on Arcanis. The Astral Nereid, the Eastward Venture, which crashed into a haunted ship graveyard, half of his fights in Wa-xia and Xin-xia...me and stuff that lives in water don't get on all that well, he reflected.

  Ariel giggled, and Aenora sighed. "Ondun, while a powerful Mon could come after you, somehow I doubt Zephanie has that bad of sense." Her Soulstump, Stumpy, nodded in agreement with a gentle 'harrumph!' Sylphie sighed and, in a stage whisper, "discreetly" told Hiro, "Ondun's seen a lot of fighting. This is probably more of his PTSD coming out."

  Hiro raised an eyebrow. "Wait, he's that traumatised and you're not only following him, but want to stick around with him? What is wrong with you?"

  Strudel growled at the Yamato coach, but Ondun soothed his friend with a gentle series of pats. "No, Hiro's got a point. If we weren't aware of everything that's going on, if things were just normal, I'd agree wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, nothing about this situation is what most people on any world would consider normal. It's a good thing I've got good friends...and someone with their head screwed on straight to make sure mine stays pointing the right way," he added to Hiro, with a nod.

  The Yamato coach sighed. "I mean...yeah, fighting sucks." The party continued onwards, following an excited Zephanie. "I've fought a criminal gang called Team Missile-Bomb back in Yamato. They did all sorts of stuff. That was on the first year of my Circuit back home, too..." he shook his head in a way that Ondun recognized all too well. "Still, after I beat the final City Leader, I had some downtime before the Grand Tournament at Kanazawa. City Leader Sabine - she's like what would happen if Lowell and Ying were fused together - she knew some people who could help me. I wish she hadn't turned me and my Mons into dolls first, but still. Therapy helps."

  Ondun raised an eyebrow. "You too? That's rough. My friends and I fought a group of creepy dolls called Cal, Cabri, and Brina. They shot lasers out of their eyes, and would encase people in doll parts..."

  Both men shuddered. Sylphie gave Aenora a worried glance. "I'm starting to see Hiro's point. Should we...?" she began. Aenora sighed.

  "Let's get to the lake first, and see what Zephanie found. Somehow, I doubt it's going to be creepy dolls."

  The party eventually reached the lake Zephanie had indicated. Fortunately for Sylphie, Hiro and Ondun had managed to repress their memories of creepy dolls only fifteen uncomfortable minutes into their trek.

  Ondun took out his phone, activated the Map application, and stared at the name. "Hey, this name sounds familiar...'Lake Luoji...'"

  Sylphie first realized something was off when everything, including Ondun, froze. Aenora looked around curiously. "Sylphie, it seems you and I are unaffected. This is at once like, and unlike, what I experienced back at Lake Yongqi, when I spoke to..."

  My brother, yes. For someone who was named 'Valor Servant' in the ancient tongue, he comes off as more emotional, at least to me. That's merely my preconception, though.

  The two women looked down at a creature that was made of vaguely human-form stacked cubes. It looked up at them with two radiant eyes.

  You thought to look down. This is wise. I can see that travel and battle have taught you that down is, indeed, the enemy's gateway. Fortunately for you, I have no intention of hostilities...yet.

  Sylphie swallowed. She had an idea of what was going on. "Nor do we, if it's any comfort. In fact..." she looked to the frozen Ondun, "...I think that avoiding any further unnecessary conflict would be a wiser path, given what we've experienced."

  Fascinating. Humanity nurses a bloodlust unlike anything we Mons can typically cultivate, without conditions forcing us down a bloody path first. Tell me, daughter of Monastria. Why is conflict problematic?

  Sylphie tapped her lip. "Well...conflict itself isn't necessarily problematic. Violence on the other hand can be quite so. My friend here..." she gestured to Ondun, "...he's an amazing warrior who has bested many foes. I've fought with him, trained with him, but his ability to win fights always seems to work against him. The people we do have beef with...they cause situations that he reacts to, and even though he wins, it never really feels like a win, you know?"

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  Aenora nodded. "That is partially because of our foes. They have been noted through the ages, ever scheming in the shadows; this is why we call them the Dark Ones - we don't even know what, if anything, they call themselves. We do know their handiwork, though - through catspaws they leave chaos and ruin in their wake. It wasn't until Ondun or I came here that we had any inkling of their methodology."

  The small figure nodded. An admission of ignorance is the first step to the path of knowledge and understanding. This is very wise, provided you do not wallow in that ignorance. As to violence? Sometimes it is unavoidable, I am sorry to say. However, violence is ever manipulated by those with ready minds, and few scruples. It is not hard to convince a hand that holds an axe that all problems are shaped as trees. What do you intend to do about both problems?

  Aenora closed her eyes, composing her thoughts. Sylphie decided that letting the older woman speak was the better option.

  "Both paths require more knowledge, which is why we seek Lord Shenlong, master Legendary. We have received some ancient writings in a language of our world, Arcanis." the tiny being's eyes lit up, but he didn't elaborate. Aenora continued. "They detail a device much like a magical artifact of our world called a Teleptite. By constructing it, we could get myself and Ondun back home to Arcanis, maybe even set up two-way traversal between our worlds. By bringing scholars - or warriors - it may be possible to respond to the Dark Ones' challenges ere they ever materialize. Yet something bothers me."

  Reservations based in evidence are prudence. Reservation based in fear is hesitation. Reservation in spite of both is foolishness. Speak your mind, Felinian.

  Aenora raised one eyebrow, but continued. "In Liangjian, we just heard a song. The lyrics, allegedly passed down from Lord Shenlong himself, bother me." She repeated the song, with Sylphie only offering a couple of corrections. "I don't have enough knowledge to contest the lyric or my own assumptions, but it feels as though I overlook something important, and obvious."

  The being nodded. Then, in honor of your honesty, your rationality, and your wisdom, I can offer three gifts to help you and yours on your way.

  A flash of green shone across the still lake. Sylphie Lee, you wear a Shadow Knight's armor, yet you see the flaw in fighting all battles before you as clear as day. The wrapped bundle floated to Sylphie, who accepted it with both hands. Take that to Lord Shenlong. I won't say 'don't open it', for curiosity is ever a trait I wish humans to develop further...but it would be better if you did not.

  The monster coach nodded. "Then, Lord Shenlong will receive this as given. Thank you, Lord Legendary." she added, with a polite bow.

  The tiny figure turned to Aenora. Your wisdom has holes and flaws; the magicks that course through your form have at once extended your mind's eye, but also stymie it, for magicks allow you to avoid work that those so unencumbered must do. You must bear the weight of your magicks, for they are yours and yours alone, but I can lift one burden for you...

  Aenora cried out as a searing pain blasted across her face Sylphie turned to the small being, but they held up a hand made of many cubes. Peace, Sylphie Lee...this is not the anguish of an attack, but rather, me needing to use my power to invasively heal a massive wound...

  Aenora's cries subsided. She got up, and felt her eyes...then she lifted her veil. Two bright blue eyes, with slitted pupils, peered out from the silk veil.

  You can still use magic to see, of course, but now you need not use that power all the time. Restoring your sight was difficult, but ultimately worth it. Now that you've seen with magic, you can appreciate sight without magic all the more. Marry the mundane and the arcane, and you may find evasive answers to ancient problems.

  The tiny figure turned to the frozen Ondun. This one's fate is written and woven in chaotic ways. He turns from the path of blood, yet more blood must he shed ere he arrive on the far side of fate. The tiny Mon paused, then in another flash of green, produced a sheet of familiar-looking parchment.

  The Hero entrusted this to me, those centuries ago when the Brittonians landed on our shores. It was I who warned the Yamato away in their ill-conceived invasion. In their wisdom, and in their own dealings with the Lady Hero, they saw the wisdom for what it was, and wisely sought other paths to prosperity. This shard of the Lady Hero's design may help you get home...but more importantly, it will help you end the crisis.

  The tiny creature turned back to both women. Fear not, for you tread the correct path, for once. The moment approaches when the Dark Ones will turn their eyes on us. Disrupting their plans will be easy, for instructions have already been given to this one... he gestured to Ondun, ...on how to ruin their plans. Hellzeph's prison grows more frail, but Hellzeph himself isn't the threat most believe he is; when you meet him, you will understand. However, before you do that, Lord Shenlong awaits. Ask your questions, and seek his wisdom. Be warned though: His breath is the death of long winter, and a dragon who spends all his time on a mountain makes for poor company. Your work is cut out for you.

  Aenora and Sylphie exchanged a worried look, only for Ondun to walk forward. "Aenora...your eyes...yeah, there's some blood, but..."

  She smiled, beholding her friend with her own eyes for the first time in a year. "It is a short long story." She wiped some crimson blood with a white sleeve, as Stumpy hopped triumphantly in place, then started dancing with Ariel. "The Legendary of this lake merely made us aware of our own wisdom, though some was also given." Sylphie held up the parchment, on cue.

  Ondun grinned wide, and Sylphie felt herself caught in the enthusiasm of that grin. "Then, let's slot it in with the other pieces. When we've rested, we continue."

  Nothing bothered the party for the next few hours. Dusk fell, then the sun rose again. By the time the sun rose, the party had already cleared away their tents and left their resting place as pristine as they could. Hiro and Sylphie knelt at the edge of Lake Luoji. "Our thanks we give to the Lord Legendary for his benevolence, his peace, and his wisdom. Ever shall they have our respect. We leave your domain in peace, lord."

  Sylphie and Ondun shared a look and a shrug. "Mayhap they have the right idea when dealing with powers beyond the ken of mere mortals. Humans of this world aren't the predators, rather the prey. Perhaps if we wish to change our approach, we should keep our new friends' example in mind, and trade supremacy for respect."

  Ondun thought about that for a few minutes as they broke camp and continued onward to the mountain.

  Abruptly, he asked, "Hey, I've been thinking...do we need a name?"

  Hiro gave him an incredulous expression. "That's stupid, this is just a situationship."

  Ondun huffed back. "Not to me. Most adventuring parties have names. What is this if not an adventure?"

  Hiro nodded. "Actually...good point."

  It was Aenora that broke the mental stalemate and indigestion. "Sylphie and Hiro already count as new allies in our struggle against the Dark Ones. Mayhap we should welcome the newest members of the Knowing Circle to our cause and let them contribute as they see fit?"

  Ondun nodded, a great weight off his chest. "I was worried I would be insulting Sid and the others by giving that name while their bodies wither..."

  Aenora punched Ondun gently in the arm. "You get to tell them that when we wake them up, using the knowledge we've gained from our journey through Monastria...after we save it."

  Ondun nodded. Sylphie brushed Ondun's arm, and without thinking, they linked their fingers together. He smiled. "Then, we've got a dragon to find."