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"-is Time is Money", am I right? #Storm&SilenceQuotes

Thank you so much to everyone who is participating in the polls at the end of every chapter!

Dedicated to cyraa_ for being such an incredible supporter! Thank you so much for your help with the chapter dates. You're such a sweetheart!

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This chapter is unedited so please excuse the grammatical errors. Enjoy!

____

Suzzanah's POV

Deep down...I knew a part of me had already anticipated this. Of course it had, that dream about the mirrors I had had made it impossible not to. And yet, right now, when the fact was brought to the forefront like this, with evidence that proved its authenticity, it somehow still left me completely and utterly shocked beyond belief.

Because I guess...a part of me...a very large part of me...was hoping it wasn't true...

It was him...

My hands rose to my face involuntarily, covering my mouth, in an attempt to keep a terrified cry from escaping my lips. My mind was a mess of turbulent thoughts enveloped in apprehension and fear. And the only words that rang loud and clear were,

It was him!

"That b-beast...he's really been k-killing my predecessors for centuries..." I breathed out in horror, barely able to keep my voice steady.

A deep frown marred Alpha Penson's usually calm features, anxiety shining clearly through his dark brown eyes. This was what my dream about the mirrors had tried to show me, and even though it had given me an idea of this situation, the reality of it was far heavier than I had anticipated. And it still left questions unanswered.

"Why...?" I gasped out even though I was frightened to know the answer.

"And how?" Rino asked confused, "How has this beast been alive for so many thousands of centuries? Is he an immortal? A vampire?"

Alpha Penson shook his head, "Alpha Zuerien said that he didn't sense the aura of a vampire coming from it. But both the King and Queen said that there was an element of demonic energy to it. And back in the past too, Intercession described the creature who had attacked her and her friend as having been a rogue demon"

"A demon?" Rino asked, "I didn't know demons are immortal"

"They're not", Alpha Penson replied, "But they do have extremely long lifespans"

"This long?" Rino asked and Alpha Penson shook his head.

"No. I've never heard of any Supernatural being having lived this long. Not even immortals like vampires", Alpha Penson replied gravely, "The most ancient of vampires alive I believe is about 7000 years old. But what we're talking about is way back in the past, thousands and thousands of years. Back in the time of the first Alpha of Power! What kind of being could have survived for so long?"

"Do you think this beast's soul may also be reincarnating just like the rest of our souls?" Rino asked, "Maybe he is born again every time you guys are!"

"Yes but the bloodied hand-prints on the mirrors in Suzzanah's dream all looked the same though, did they not?" Alpha Penson said and my eyes widened.

He was right. If this guy was being reincarnated into a new body every time like the rest of our souls, then the hand-prints on those mirrors would be different.

"Besides, even if he was being reincarnated, there would be two unanswered questions. Why is he reincarnating, and how is he retaining memories of his past lives by means of which he is able to recognize and come after you every time?" Alpha Penson added, "Even if a soul has been reincarnated several times, normally the person doesn't retain any memories of his or her past lives. I don't have any memory of my past lives even though I know I have had many! And I don't think any of the other Council members do either"

"To be honest, the only person who I think has the ability to relive or at least recall moments of her past lives is the Luna of Time", he told us.

"Pro-fussy?" Rino asked just as surprised as I was.

Alpha Penson nodded, "She is the Luna of Time after all", he said, "And her visions, dreams and teleportations can give her glimpses into her past as well as ours. But whether or not she can recognize the events as being a part of one of our past lives is still an uncertainty"

"Anyway, even having said that, Prophecy hasn't ever mentioned having dreamt about or having had a vision about any of our past lives", he told us, "And normally, no one retains memories of their past lives when they are reincarnated, and therefore neither would this beast. And truth is, even if he did have some vague recollection of his past lives, I don't see why it would drive him to seek out your soul every single time in order to kill you. It doesn't make sense"

I nodded, "S-So its probably the same beast then", I breathed out, "He's managed to stay alive back from the Era of the first King!"

"And why is it after Anna?" Rino demanded, making chills run down my spine.

"To be completely precise, it's after Suzzanah's soul", Alpha Penson said, "What I don't understand is why does he want to kill her?"

"M-maybe this beast had s-some kind of enmity with the f-first Queen", I managed to speak, despite feeling like I was being choked.

Alpha Penson and Rino immediately drew closer to me, faces painted with worry.

"Suzzanah, are you alright dear-one?" Alpha Penson asked softly, placing a hand over my shoulder.

I swallowed hard, "I-I'm fine", I replied, "Just a little...shaken up"

Rino quickly took off his jacket and put it over my shoulders. It was then that I realized that I was shivering, and had wrapped my arms around myself.

I'm scared.

I forced a smile, grateful for the jacket because even though it wasn't particularly cold in the room, I felt ice cold, right down to my blood and bones.

"T-Thank you Rino", I breathed out, before looking back at Alpha Penson for answers, "So what do you think? Could it be some kind of...age-old vengeance against the first Queen that has led the beast to kill every single one of her successors?"

"I don't think he killed them all though", Alpha Penson said, "Remember your dream? You said that although most of the mirrors shattered and had that bloodied hand print on them, there were a handful of them that didn't shatter and the reflections of the women inside them just disappeared"

I nodded, "T-That's right", I replied.

"I think that means that the women whose mirrors didn't shatter weren't killed by him", he told me, "Like the Luna Ethereal, our first Queen. Her mirror didn't shatter either, did it?"

"No it didn't", I said, "But if there were women with the same soul as mine who weren't killed by him then why did the Alphas of Power in their time never find them?"

"Maybe they died of other reasons", Alpha Penson replied, "Like that friend of Intercession's had died by transferring her injuries onto herself and not directly because of the wounds inflicted on her by the beast. Of course this is just a theory, because the wounds she took upon herself from Intercession were still ones inflicted by that beast, so technically he could still be considered the cause of her death"

He sighed, "But since we don't know whether or not she appeared in your dream with the mirrors", he said, "and if she did, whether in your dream her mirror was one that shattered and had his handprint, or one that didn't shatter, we can't be sure"

He paused for a moment, eyes thoughtful, "And well...", he said quietly, "There is also the matter of my daughter..."

"Huh?" both I and Rino leaned in inquisitively and he shook his head.

"Its nothing", he said quickly, "Anyway, as for your initial question Suzzanah, I suppose it would make sense to think that this beast may have had bad blood with the Luna Ethereal or the Alpha Almighty. After all, the first King and Queen did have to get through a lot of hurdles before they were finally crowned rulers"

"What kind of hurdles?" I asked, "Enemies?"

"I wonder...", he replied, his eyes still deeply reflective. Before I could press him for answers, he suddenly stood up, "If you both will excuse me for a bit, I need to speak with the Elite Overseer. I need to ask him about the passage in the 'Book of Ages' where Intercession's predecessor recounts her run-in with that rogue demon which led to the death of her friend. Maybe we can find out some more details about the beast as well as that friend of Intercession's through it. I never personally read the passage myself so I don't know exactly what was written"

He looked at me as though asking for my permission and I nodded, "Please tell us if you find out any new information about the matter from him", I said and he nodded.

"I will", he said, before looking at Rino, "I won't be gone long. But until I return, please don't leave Suzzanah unaccompanied for even a second alright?"

"Gotcha!" Rino replied.

Alpha Penson nodded at him, "Please excuse me", he then said and walked into the restricted territory of the library.

Rino quickly turned to me, "Anna! Are you sure you're okay though?" he asked me worriedly and I smiled.

"I'm really alright Rino", I told him, "Thank you for the jacket"

"You're welcome", he replied, "Are you cold?"

"Not anymore", I told him and he tilted his head to the side thoughtfully.

"But you're shaking", he said and my eyes shot to my hands which were still trembling, even though I had clasped them tightly in my lap.

I grit my teeth, trying to stop shaking, but I couldn't. Somehow, I just couldn't. The thought of that beast had my nerves screaming. To think he had been pursuing me for so many thousands of years!

No...not pursuing...

Hunting.

A chill ran down my spine and I exhaled a shaky breath. That's right. He had been hunting my soul for thousands of years. And he had managed to kill me every time. He was the reason the Alpha of Power never found his mate.

He was an ancient assassin. An age-old predator who had hunted my soul for centuries. And this time, I was his prey.

And he's coming for me.

Zuerien...

I clasped my hands tighter in my lap and squeezed my eyes shut.

Zuerien...

I'm-

A pair of large warm hands suddenly grasped mine and my eyes shot open to find Rino holding both my palms in his.

He looked at me and asked gently, "Are you scared Anna?"

I sucked in a sharp breath, taken aback by his sudden question. But in no time my shoulders slumped and my head dropped and I nodded, solemnly.

"I'm scared", I told him, my voice a bare whisper, "I'm really scared Rino. I know I should be stronger but I can't help it. That beast...the thought of him just...it terrifies me"

I'm afraid...of so many things...

I sighed, a defeated smile making its way onto my face, "Sometimes I think its a shame someone as mighty as Zuerien was mated to someone as weak as me", I admitted quietly, "I'm supposed to be the Luna Queen and look at me cowering in a corner like this. Pretty pathetic huh?"

Yeah...pretty pathetic...

And yet...that beast has hunted you of all people, for centuries...

Why...?

"You're not pathetic Anna"

I was broken out of my thoughts by Rino's voice and I raised my head to find him staring at me with firm eyes.

"You're not pathetic. You're just scared. And that's okay!" he told me strongly, "Everyone gets scared. At least I know I do! I'm really scared of seeing spinach and beetroot on my plate. Oh god! Beetroot, ugh! And I'm pretty sure Mario is secretly scared of Pro-fussy"

I smiled at his statement, knowing he meant Marco.

"And the Wolfa...I actually think he's a little scared of me", he said thoughtfully and a giggle escaped my lips.

"But you know, that's okay", he said, with a shrug, "If you're scared, you're scared. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, its a good thing to know what you're afraid of beforehand. That way, you'll slowly learn how to avoid it, or even better, face it! Like, because I hate beetroot, I tried my hardest to avoid it by not being at home when they made it. But when I had to eat it, I realized that if I ate it while holding my breath and looking at or thinking of something that's actually delicious, it was easier to swallow!"

Leaning towards me, he squeezed my hands and smiled warmly at me, "And just like that, I'm sure you'll find a way to face what you're afraid of too, Anna", he told me, "But until you do, we'll protect you from it. All of us. Its a promise"

Rino's words made my heart well with so much gratitude and affection, that it overpowered the fear easily. Putting my arms around him, I hugged him tightly.

"Oh Rino, thank you", I told him wholeheartedly, "I feel much better"

"Really?" he asked and I nodded, "Really"

"I'm glad", he said joyfully and hugged me back.

Regardless of all the troubles and life-threatening situations my decisions had brought me to, I would do them all over again if it meant I'd be able to be with Zuerien, Rino and all my other friends. The bond I had with every one of them felt so much deeper than a superficial acquaintance. It was like we'd been a family...forever.

And now as I hugged Rino, I couldn't believe he was a boy I only had met about a week ago, because it truly felt like I was embracing an old friend. A timeless confidant. It was warm and painfully nostalgic.

And I found...that it brought back memories...

"Do you believe in reincarnation?"

I stiffened in Rino's arms as a voice I had never heard before suddenly sounded in my head.

"Do you think...that if you and I were ever reincarnated...then we'd meet again?"

What's going on? What's happening?!

"And if we met...do you think...do you think we'd still be friends..."

"...Luna?"

I pulled away from Rino and held him by the shoulders at arm's length, staring at him in shock.

He stared back at me, blinking, "Anna?"

I breathed heavily, feeling like I had just been struck by lightening. What was that? What on earth was that?!

"Anna?" Rino called again, leaning closer to look at my face, "Is something wrong?"

"Rino...did you speak to me just now?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Mm-hm, I called your name"

"No, I mean...did you mindlink me just now?" I asked and his brow furrowed.

"No. At least, I don't think so", he said, scratching his head, "Did I?"

I stared at him a short while longer before shaking my head, "No...I guess not", I replied softly, "I guess...that wasn't you..."

I let go of his shoulders and slumped back into my chair. Had that really happened or had I just imagined it? Whose voice was that? I didn't know. But then why...why did it sound so...

"Lu- Miss Suzzanah?"

I was once again jerked out of my thoughts and both I and Rino turned to find Delta Neil and Gale approaching us, both carrying stacks of books in their hands.

"Are you alright?" Delta Neil asked walking up to me quickly, and setting the books down on the table next to ours, "You look pale"

I quickly shook away my daze, "O-Oh, no I'm alright", I replied with a smile, "Perfectly alright"

He frowned, not looking convinced, "Mr. Penson asked me to come back here for a bit", he told me, "I hope there isn't any problem"

"Not at all", I replied, "Everything's fine. We were just...researching things"

"How's it coming, mam?" Gale asked, making me look at him. He was observing the books on our table.

"Its coming...okay, I guess", I replied, wondering what books he could actually see on the table. Hopefully it was something research worthy. But then again I doubt it. Did people even do research on Fiction?

"Hm", he said, still observing our choice of 'research material' and then readjusted his glasses, "It appears that you are conducting research on historical romances", he said, something of an amused smile crossing his face, "How curious"

Historical romances? That's what he could see on that table?

"What's wrong with historical romances?" Neil asked raising an eyebrow and Gale looked at him as though trying to stifle a laugh.

"Well nothing per se, but hearing you speak of them is quite comical", he replied making me bite back a smile too as Neil narrowed his eyes at Gale.

Gale cleared his throat, "Anyway, I think it's a perfectly wonderful topic to be studying!" he said enthusiastically, "Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, oh how glorious I should think them!"

While he was still starry-eyed about our 'research material', I decided to quickly change the topic lest he started to ask me something about them. The last time I had had the chance to read Shakespeare's work was years ago! I hardly remembered anything beyond "Wherefore art thou Romeo" and "Et tu, Brute?"

"So what are these books you've brought with you?" I asked hurriedly, scanning the large stack of them that Gale was still carrying.

"Oh these?" Gale smiled, "These are just the books that were returned to the library earlier this morning. I was about to put them away, and O'Neil very kindly offered to assist me"

O'Neil?

Both I and Rino looked at Neil and he sighed, shaking his head, letting us know he'd tell us later.

"Thank you for your aid", Gale said to Neil, "I can return these books to the shelves myself so please do join your company"

"Are you sure Gale?" Neil asked eyeing the stack of books in his hands uncertainly.

"Positive!" Gale replied with a grin, "I shall be off then"

With that he turned around swiftly and vibrantly, only to dash his foot against one of the legs of our table and tumble forward, dropping all the books in his hands onto the floor, and leaving all of us thunderstruck.

"Goodness gracious!" he cried out before getting down on his knees to pick up the books he had dropped and I quickly bent down too, to help him.

"Oh good grief", Neil said as he and Rino also stooped to lend him a hand.

"Are you alright Gale?" I asked worriedly, "You hit your foot pretty hard just then"

"Oh! I'm perfectly alright. Thank you, Miss", he replied smiling, a hint of a blush spreading over his nose, "Although, I must admit, that was dreadfully embarrassing "

"Don't worry about it", I said with a smile, picking up a few more books.

"O-oh! Miss! Please. You don't have to concern yourself with those. I can gather them myself", he said, hurriedly reaching for the books in my hands.

"I told you, don't worry about it. Its fine", I replied, looking up at his face to find his glasses dangling in an awkward diagonal on his face.

A giggle escaped my lips, "Your glasses", I said and he blinked.

"I-I beg your pardon?" he asked confused, still staring at me, and I reached up and quickly adjusted them again.

"There", I said and he blinked as though he hadn't realized their state up until then.

He just continued to stare at me, eyes wide in wonder as he breathed out, "Wow"

I cocked my head to side questioningly when Neil slapped the back of Gale's head making it jerk forward, almost displacing his glasses again.

"OW! O'NEIL!" Gale shouted annoyed, as he clutched the back of his head, "What on earth was that for?!"

"Don't stare at my lady", Neil replied with a glare and Gale frowned in confusion.

"What-", Gale suddenly stopped, looked down at himself, then looked at me and his eyes widened in alarm.

"O-oh! I was not...I mean...I am not-", he immediately bowed his head to me, "I'm terribly sorry mam"

"Hey, hey! Please don't apologize", I replied quickly, "Neil come on, cut Gale some slack, would you? He did nothing wrong. I helped him of my very own accord"

Neil didn't say anything but just narrowed his eyes at Gale suspiciously.

"I'm sorry about that", I said to Gale and stood up with the books I had collected, and so did Gale and Neil, "Would you like us to help you put them back?" I asked.

Gale looked at me surprised, "My! You honestly are too kind, mam", he replied with a smile, "I can see why m-"

His words caught in his throat and he sucked in a sharp, shocked breath before going into a fit of violent coughing.

"Whoa!" Neil quickly grabbed the books that the wheezing boy almost dropped for a second time while I stared at him alarmed.

"Gale! Are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

"Water?" Rino asked me quietly, still sitting on the floor with a bunch of books in his lap while swirling a semi-solid ball of water in the palm of his hand.

I gasped and quickly shook my head at him to stop doing that before covering him from Gale's view.

"S-Sorry! I-Im al-right", Gale said between coughs before clearing his throat, "I choked a little there"

"You think?" Neil said, still patting his back with his free hand.

"I'm alright now", Gale said composing himself, "T-Thank you, O'Neil, Miss Suzzanah and..." Gale looked at Rino who was on the floor, "And...Master Rino, for your help"

Rino smiled, "Sure thing!" he replied and I smiled and nodded.

Gale took the books I and Neil had picked up from us, before looking down at Rino. He was reading one of the books he had picked up, his brows knit together in concentration. It was the first time I had seen Rino looking like that.

Gale smiled, "Would you like to keep those books Sir?" he asked Rino, "Your perusal of them appears profoundly keen"

"Huh?" Rino said confused, "My...parasol?"

Gale shook his head, "I meant...you seem rather interested in reading them", he explained.

Rino looked back down at the open page, "I was trying to", he replied before shaking his head, "But I guess I really can't. Here"

"Oh? Very well then", Gale took back the books Rino had picked up and this time decided to take a smaller number of books to the shelves at one time.

"My sincerest apologizes for having adjourned your work", Gale said, "Please do continue"

"Are you sure you'll be okay Gale?" Neil asked and Gale nodded.

"I'll watch my step this time. Thank you O'Neil!" he said and hurried off down one of the aisles closest to us and we settled back into our chairs.

Neil sighed, "What a guy!" he breathed out, shaking his head, "It gets on my nerves how much he makes everyone worry about him"

"Including you", I stated, "You're friends?"

Neil exhaled a light laugh and shrugged, "Its funny, there was a time I couldn't stand him", Neil admitted, "But over time he's grown on me a little. He's weird, and can be seriously over the top when it comes to his obsession with books, but at the end of the day, he's a good lad. And I...appreciate his spirit. Working hard despite his...disability"

Rino and I frowned, "Disability?"

I immediately thought of how he was using a walking stick earlier and asked, "Wait. Is there something wrong with his leg? Is that why he needs that walking stick?"

He didn't seem to need it just now though...

Neil shook his head, "Oh no Luna, its not his legs", Neil corrected, "It's his eyes. Gale is almost legally blind"

"What?" I and Rino said together.

"He can't see a thing without his glasses", Neil told us, "So he keeps the walking stick at hand to guide him in times when he misplaces his glasses, which actually is quite often"

"Oh..." I said worriedly, I could never have guessed, "Isn't it hard for him in this ginormous library with so many aisles?"

"I guess, but he loves it here", Neil replied, "Or so he's told me. He said he had to beg the manager on his knees to employ him. And I wouldn't be surprised if he actually did. He's mad, that boy"

"Really?" I said surprised, "I didn't get that vibe. I almost thought he was a little...shy"

Neil looked at me stupefied, "Shy? Who, Gale? Oh no Luna", he said, shaking his head, "Please don't let his initial refined and reserved approach fool you. That boy is anything but shy"

"Well, it could be that he just likes spending time with you so he's open with you", I suggested.

"With Gale it isn't about the person, Luna", he replied, "Trust me. That lad can talk to anyone about anything and everything under the sun. When we initially met, argh he used to get on my nerves! I can't remember how many times I got this close to strangling him because he just wouldn't stop talking to me, even though I used to come here for the peace and quiet"

His lips then curled into a sad smile as he stared at the ground, "But I soon grew accustomed to his continuous banter. Appreciated it even. It helped...distract me. Keep my mind off of..."

His eyes suddenly widened and he looked at me alarmed.

"Forgive me", he said, standing up quickly, "I've said too much"

"Oh no. Please don't worry about it", I replied surprised at his change of air. I could literally see his walls closing up one after the other.

He bowed to me, "I'll be right by that aisle over there, Luna", he said, "Please excuse me"

With that he strode off to the nearby aisle, leaving me staring after him thoughtfully. He had seemed to be opening up just then, but immediately caught himself from doing so again. That sad air around him had reappeared as he had been speaking to me, and I couldn't help but wonder what had really happened with him.

I sighed, looking away from him. In any case, I shouldn't pry. It wasn't my place to. Besides, I already had too many things to worry about.

I just hope...he's okay...

From Neil, I let my eyes move to Rino. My mind immediately shot back to a few minutes ago when I had heard that voice in my head. A voice I didn't know and yet somehow...did.

Could that have been...

Rino didn't notice my conflicted contemplation as he stared at the cover of the Extraordinaire Legacy in front of him, seeming to be quite deep in thought himself.

I smiled at the sight, "Hey bud? Are you sure you didn't want to read that book earlier?" I asked.

He tore his gaze away from the book and looked at me, "I did", he replied.

"Oh? Then why didn't you?" I asked surprised, "Should we go get it for you?"

He shook his head, "Nah, its okay. I can't", he said shaking his head, "I can't read it"

"Why not?" I asked, "Was the language too complex in it?"

He shrugged, "It had too many words"

I giggled, "Really now?" I said, "Its a book bud. Of course it has a lot of words"

"Hmm", Rino replied, "Its a shame. I really would have liked to be able to read books"

Wait...was he serious...?

My smile fell as his disappointment washed over me.

He said, "I can't really read anything with too many words"

My eyes widened as he gave me a small smile.

"I'm dyslexic, Anna"

I stared at him shocked. He's...dyslexic?

So that's why Alpha Penson had been reading the book to him earlier, instead of getting him to read it himself...

Rino raised his head, eyes directed at the ceiling, "Growing up I always had trouble learning stuff by reading", he told me, "At first I thought I was just a slow learner, but when middle school rolled in and I still couldn't even read English properly, I started to wonder if that was it. A lot of people used to tell me that there was something wrong with me. They used to call me a retard"

I frowned, pain and anger welling up inside of me.

Rino shrugged, "But then, my memory was fine and when someone else read out the content of a book to me, I could understand it easily enough. I was surprisingly good at math and I did well in my practical exams too so my family didn't believe that I had a mental disability. And in the end, it was actually John who realized that I had dyslexia"

He grinned at me, "And it was the Wolfa who asked for me to be transferred out of that school to be home-schooled with him", he told me, taking me by surprise, "John taught both of us whatever theoretical concepts we needed to know, and General Geonald taught us combat. And my parents and Oompa taught me to use my elemental abilities"

I smiled warmly at his recounting, my heart feeling somewhat lighter.

"I still do attend magic school sometimes though", he added, "With Pro-fussy. Its fun!"

"I'm glad to know", I replied, feeling a bittersweet ache in my chest.

Why was it that there was always pain behind the kindest of smiles? That there was always hurt behind the warmest of love?

Ever since I had met Rino, there were a number of things I had picked up about him. My first impression of him was that he was fun, cheerful and happy-go-lucky, not letting the bitterness and darkness of this world cloud his optimistic view point.

I thought he would be loud and loquacious, but I was surprised to find that Rino always did more listening than he did talking. He voiced his opinion unabashedly but always listened to the opinions of others, and appreciated them wholeheartedly. His love was pure and genuine, and he was deeply involved in the lives of those he cared about.

As a result of that, he always felt everything his loved ones felt along with them. He rejoiced in their happiness and mourned in their grief.

But when he himself was hurt, he never said a word.

He bore it alone, quietly, but because his spirit was so pure and transparent, his emotions poured out of him in the form of rain.

And it broke my heart to see him sad.

I realized that the more time I spent with Rino, Zuerien and the others, and the more I learnt about them, the more complete I felt. The more I felt as though my soul were being rejuvenated. As though this was a bond we had all shared for centuries.

"Do you think...we'd still be friends...?"

Drawing my chair closer to Rino's, I put both my arms around his shoulders and gave him a tight side-hug, "You're awesome bud", I told him wholeheartedly, "You really are"

You, and all of our other friends...you're all...

Irreplaceable

I knew that they all had their own dark pasts and deep secrets. Tales that were not recounted openly. The paths they took and the decisions they made which turned them into the people they were today. There was a lot I didn't know, but I wanted to.

One step at a time, I wanted to know.

Because who they really were just made them all the more precious to me.

The more time I spent with them, the more I treasured them.

The more I grew to love them.

And the more I wanted to...protect them.

I wonder...

Is this what it means...to be a Luna?

Smiling to myself, I looked at Rino, "Thank you Rino", I said, "Thank you for being you"

Rino smiled back warmly, "Thank you, Anna", he replied, returning the hug, "Thank you for being our Luna"

I closed my eyes, feeling a storm of emotions raging inside of me, suddenly making me struggle to hold back tears. I was just so grateful...to be here, with all of these people.

To be home.

Thank you...

...Zuerien...

Heart?

"Oh!"

My eyes widened in surprise on hearing his voice, and I immediately looked at Rino and smiled, feeling an involuntary sense of joy.

"Zuerien!" I exclaimed and Rino's face lit up too.

Are you okay? He asked, his familiar deep voice making affection sear through me.

"Mm-hmm, I'm okay", I spoke out loud, so that Rino could hear too.

What about the brat?

I looked at Rino, "How is Rino?" I asked and he gave me two thumbs up and a wink in reply.

"How sweet that the Wolfa is asking about me", he said placing a hand on his heart, looking gleeful.

"He's okay too", I replied, "He's happy you're worried about him"

I'm not. I asked because the weather suddenly got cloudy, Zuerien defended and I almost rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say", I said shaking my head.

There was a short gap in the mindlink before he spoke up again,

He really is...okay, isn't he?

I almost said 'Awww' out loud.

I'm only asking because I don't want it to rain on my parade here, like literally

Sure you are, I thought sarcastically.

I mean it!

I looked at Rino again who was now watching at me inquisitively. I couldn't feel any sadness radiating from him anymore and I smiled.

"Yeah", I said putting an arm around Rino's shoulder, "He is"

"I am what?" Rino asked.

"He's saying he loves you"

"Really?" Rino said surprised.

NO I DON'T! Zuerien fired back almost panicked, Heart! Stop that!

"Tell him I'll think about it", Rino replied and I burst out laughing.

"Rino says he'll think about your proposal, Zuerien", I said between laughs and I heard him growl via mindlink.

You're asking for a real looong punishment, my Luna, he said and I almost choked on my laughter.

I heard him snort victoriously, Ah, so that shut you up did it?

I quickly cleared my throat, trying not to blush, "So, how's your patrol coming?" I asked changing the topic as Rino went to grab a glass of water from the water cooler.

Alright, Zuerien replied, The Shadow BorderGuard is on high alert. I can't tell if its because of me being here, or him

"Hmm", I said, wondering if I should ask more or the matter.

How's your research going?

"I can't really say", I replied, "To me it seems like its going well. But Alpha Penson may think otherwise. I'm learning a lot though. You know what they say, 'Knowledge is Power'"

Don't tire yourself out, my heart

I smiled at the concern and warmth in his voice. I loved this man.

"I won't", I replied, "There are a few things we discovered about...that beast"

Yeah, John told me

"Oh?" I said surprised.

Just now, he said, Don't worry about that Beast sweetheart. He won't hurt you. Not on my watch.

He was trying to calm me down, but I could tell that the thought of that beast was making him quite angry.

"Thank you Zuerien", I replied, "I'm okay. I'm glad you already heard everything from Alpha Penson"

I was actually about to mindlink you about the matter when you beat me to it and thanked me out of nowhere.

I grinned, "I was just thinking to myself", I replied, "I should have guessed that my mind-raiding mate would hear it"

There you go again with your crazy names

I kind of like it though, human

"Kai!" I exclaimed happily.

Hi sweetheart

Zuerien grunted in irritation, Why do you always sound happier to hear from him than from me?

Because she loves me more than you, human

Shut up Kai

"And there you go again with your bickering", I said, shaking my head, "Try not to annoy the heck out of yourself in front of your men please"

That's way harder than it sounds, especially with a wolf like Kai who loves nothing more than to get on my nerves

You're wrong human. I love to get on Suzzanah way more than I love to get on any part of you

My gasp of shock was so sharp that I almost inhaled one of the books in front of me.

"K-Kai!"

Yes Suzzanah?

"N-Nothing"

Hm?

I blushed, knowing that if I said anything they'd only drag the topic on further and embarrass me into my next life.

Oh! Speaking of getting on, would you like us to buy you more skirts to put on?

"Huh?"

Well that was an unexpected question.

"O-Oh no, thank you", I said, "You've already bought me way more clothing than I require. I feel like such a freeloader"

Suzzanah, stop that, Zuerien said sternly, You're our mate. Everything that is ours belongs to you...and vice versa, right?

"Yes, but-"

No buts

What do you mean no butts? I love her butt!

Good God!

Argh, Kai!

And I'm pretty sure she likes ours too

"Kaaaai!"

Yes, Suzzanah?

Aiyah!

"N-Nothing", I repeated, feeling flushed, "What I was going to say was that...even if you say vice versa I can't really offer you anything you don't already have", I said sadly.

That's not true Suzzanah, Zuerien said tenderly, In fact, you're the only one who can offer us everything we've never had-

And everything we've always wanted, Kai completed and I smiled, feeling utmost gratitude and love brimming inside me.

"Thank you"

From now on don't ever fret about things like this again, okay? Zuerien said, Everything that is ours is yours also, and just to emphasize that fact we'll buy you more skirts, and this time, you mustn't feel guilty about it

Especially because we'll enjoy tearing them

GAH!

"KAI!"

Yes, Suzzanah?

I face-palmed, "N-Nothing!"

Are you sure?

I sighed, shaking my head, "Yes, its nothi-"

My voice caught in my throat and my heart stopped when I suddenly found Gale looking at me from the far end of the aisle, face painted with nervous bewilderment.

Oh Shoot! He thinks I'm talking to myself!

Huh? Who does?

"Rino! Its nothing Rino", I cried out hurriedly to make Gale think I was talking to him.

From next to the cooler, I saw Rino look at me confused while in the distance, I spied Gale's head turn towards Rino. But wait, wasn't I saying Kai's name out loud? Could Gale have heard that?

"Kaaainda hot today, huh Rino?" I added feeling like a complete moron, "Yup, its kainda hot"

Was that the best you could come up with you idiot? You really needed to learn how to lie properly!

Rino blinked at me, "Anna? Are you okay?"

Heart, what are you-

There's a human boy here who thinks I'm talking to myself! I hurriedly mindlinked Zuerien.

"I-I'm okay Rino", I said, involuntarily emphasizing his name again before cringing.

Just HOW many times are you going to say his name?! I screamed at myself.

Whose name? And wait, did you say human BOY?

Who is he? Where is he? Tell him to leave!

You two...

"Maybe you need water", Rino said turning back to the cooler and I let out a nervous laugh before looking at Gale again.

He was still looking between us with a muddled expression on his face. Neil, who was seated a short distance away from us, looked at me questioningly and I subtly motioned towards Gale. His eyes widened and he gave me slight nod before walking towards Gale.

Heart?

Hey, I'll have to talk to you later Zuerien, Kai, I mindlinked hurriedly.

Wha- But wait! What about that boy?!

I'll tell you everything when I see you this evening, I promise, I replied, So don't worry okay. We're all fine here.

They sounded reluctant as he grit out, If you say so

I smiled, Thank you. Take care of yourself

We will, they replied together, You too

Mm-hmm, I'll talk to you later. Love you!

I l-

My eyes went wide.

-'ll...get going then, he said, his voice sounding strained, Bye...

I smiled sadly, Bye, I replied and cut off mindlink.

Ah...I almost thought...

"Here you go Anna", Rino said coming back to take his seat and placed an empty cup in front of me.

"Uhhmmm?" I scratched my head, blinking at its emptiness, "Thanks...I guess"

I was about to ask him what it was for when Alpha Penson walked out of the restricted area.

"John!" Rino said, "You're back"

He smiled at us and my head whipped to where Gale had been standing. He was no longer there. I guess Neil took him elsewhere.

"You both okay?" Alpha Penson asked us and we nodded, "Yup!"

Rino looked at him eagerly, "So, what did he say? The Undertaker"

"Overseer", Alpha Penson corrected him with a smile, as he seated himself in the chair next to us, "He was in the middle of going through the Book of Royals when I mind linked", he told us, "He's waiting for Talon to arrive so they can look for the blue-green eyed man together"

"When I asked him about the incident he said that he remembered Intercession's ancestor mostly mentioning their assailant as having been a rogue demon, but there were also times when she referred to it as a dark beast", he said, making me suck in a sharp breath.

A dark beast...

"And apparently, there was also one singular instance in the paragraph that the Elite Overseer read, where she had called it a demon wolf", Alpha Penson told us, making me tense immediately.

An image of the four legged beast that had chased me yesterday flashed before my eyes and I knew immediately that that was perhaps the most apt term I could use to describe it myself. A demon...wolf.

"By the look on your face, I believe that description fits the beast you saw", Alpha Penson said to me and I nodded.

"A little too perfectly", I replied.

"I see", he replied, "In any case, I've requested the Overseer to look through the 'Book of Ages' and re-read that passage one more time to allow us to obtain more details and insight into the matter. He told me he will mindlink me as soon as he finds it"

"It must be unimaginably hard finding particular passages in a Book that contains an account of every single significant event that has ever taken place in Werewolf History", I wondered out loud and Alpha Penson nodded.

"It is, but the Overseer is a great proficient. I'm sure he'll find it soon enough", he told us, "So while we wait, is there anything in particular you would like to discuss? Anything you'd like to know about?"

Too many things.

There was so much I wanted to ask, so much I wanted to know. Things of the past and present and maybe even the future. But as I thought about it, I realized that the best place to start was probably...the beginning.

"The first King and Queen", I replied, "I'd like to know about the first King and Queen, more about their time"

Alpha Penson looked at me thoughtfully, eyes searching for the possible reason behind my request.

"I want to know as much as I can about them. Especially the first Queen", I told him, "Because I everything that is taking place right now is somehow related to them. I know there isn't much information available about them anywhere but at this point anything will do. You were in the middle of telling us about the hurdles they faced before they were crowned rulers when you had to go and mindlink the Overseer. Please continue where you left off"

"I'd like to know that too", Rino agreed.

Alpha Penson's face gave away no clues of what he was thinking as he continued to watch me with wise, contemplative eyes. He then, suddenly stood up again, gesturing for the both of us to stand too.

"Come", he said, "This is not a matter we can discuss anywhere. Let's get into the restricted grounds"

Rino and I nodded and I wondered if Gale would find it odd that all of us suddenly disappeared. But Alpha Penson would probably already have thought of what to do in that scenario.

We followed the Alpha into the restricted grounds after informing Neil about it. This part of the library was completely empty which made me wonder if Supernaturals weren't that big on reading. As we walked to where Alpha Penson was leading us, he began talking.

"I don't know if you know this already...but Alpha William Arius, our very first King, was the son of two omegas belonging to a small pack in Iceland", Alpha Penson told us, "Two omegas who were forced to become rogues a few years after they had the King"

Rino looked surprised, but I remembered Zuerien having briefly mentioned this to me yesterday in the woods.

"Liam Arius was the son of two omegas gone rogue who once belonged to a small pack that inhabited the Western Border of his country thousands of years ago"

Omegas...gone rogue...

"Yes, Zuerien mentioned it to me once", I replied, "So they didn't go rogue of their own free will?"

Alpha Penson shook his head, "No they didn't", he replied, "Although it wouldn't have been very surprising even if they had, back in their time. You see, back in the era when the the first King and Queen were alive, the concept of 'werewolf packs' was not very popular. There were only 6 actual or should I say authentic packs in the whole world. So that meant almost every other werewolf back then was in fact, a rogue"

Both I and Rino stared at him amazed, "What?"

Alpha Penson nodded, "Yes, and that's how they preferred it", he told us, "Ancient werewolves didn't like to be tied down by rules, especially rules made by another werewolf who would be considered their superior in a pack, which is why not many packs existed. Even if a new pack was formed somewhere, it would very soon get disbanded because of the difference of opinion and incompatibility between its members, who were all essentially rogues used to doing as they pleased, and not really following orders"

"Sounds pretty wild", Rino said.

"It was", Alpha Penson agreed, "So even though being rogues was wildly dangerous, with no security- be it for food, shelter or protection- like there would be in packs, most wolves still opted to stay rogues because being part of a pack was just too much work. And that is also the reason why there were many who were apprehensive about the idea of a unified kingdom with one King ruling over them all"

We reached the aisle Alpha Penson had been searching for and found a bench there.

"Please have a seat Suzzanah", Alpha Penson said, "I don't want you tiring yourself out, especially after yesterday's incident"

I sighed and nodded, sitting down.

"Rino?"

"I'm good", Rino said with a smile, "Too much sitting for one day. My legs were starting to fall asleep. I'll stand"

"Very well then", Alpha Penson smiled.

"So how did everything work out in the end then?" I asked curiously, getting back on topic, "With everyone being wary of the idea of a unified kingdom and all"

"Well it took time, to say the least", Alpha Penson replied, "A lot of time and perseverance. But by and by everyone saw the kind of a man and the kind of a leader Alpha William was, and they came to love and respect him of their own accord. And finally, it was those werewolves themselves who wholeheartedly chose him to be their King"

"That's neat", Rino said grinning and I nodded.

"Must have been quite the adventurous and thrilling story", I said wonder-struck, "Alpha William's journey to the throne"

"Indeed, I'm sure it was", Alpha Penson agreed, "I can imagine what a proud moment it must have been for him when he who was kicked out of his pack with his parents unwillingly, and had to wander the woods alone as a rogue for decades, finally managed to unite the entire race as one and was chosen the Alpha King of the unified Werewolf Kingdom, leader of the largest pack in the world"

Chills of thrill ran down my spine, my skin prickling in excitement as I imagined that glorious moment.

"But why were he and his parents forced to become rogues though?" Rino asked, "Did they do something wrong?"

Alpha Penson hummed in thought, "I don't think so", he replied, "You see, back in his time, everything depended on the survival of the fittest. As I already mentioned, there were only 6 packs that survived their creation successfully. The largest pack in the ancient times apparently consisted of about 400 members, and was located in Africa, but that was the only one of its kind. Apart from that, every other pack consisted of only about 20 members at most, with one leader and all the rest being omegas"

"Why though?" I asked confused.

"Because the more the members, the more the mouths to feed", Alpha Penson replied, "Therefore each member of the pack had to be useful. They had to fight to keep their position in the pack, as guardians, as hunters or as any other kind of aid that the leader could require. And if someone came along who was better than them at doing their job then they got kicked out of the pack in order to incorporate the other person into it"

"And that seems to be what happened to the first King and his parents too", he told us, "It is said that they lost their position in the pack to two other wolves who proved to be better hunters than them, and were hence let go off, forcing them to return to being rogues"

"Gee, that's rough", Rino said, "Poor ancestral Wolfa"

"Oh yeah, how did he go from being Omega rogue to an Alpha?" I asked, "Did he earn the title only when he was crowned King or did he start a pack of his own?"

Alpha Penson smiled at me, "I believe it was actually the latter", he told me, "Like many others, he started out small, being the leader of a humble pack of mismatched members who had all apparently come together for different reasons. But with time, more and more people wanted to be a part of his pack, and unlike the other packs in the ancient times who kicked out one member to accept another, Alpha William accepted them all regardless of the burden it put on his shoulders, which made them respect him more"

"How do you know all this?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him, honestly shocked by his knowledge, "I know I'm the one asking you questions about it but I didn't expect you to have so much information. I thought we'd reach the point of 'I don't know' pretty soon"

Rino smiled, "I feel like there isn't much that John doesn't know"

Alpha Penson chuckled, "Oh but you're wrong Rino. There is an infinite amount that I don't know", he said, "And as for whatever I'm telling you about the first King right now, this isn't even grazing the surface"

He looked up, eyes filled with awe as he spoke, "That particular period in time when he and our first Queen existed and ruled was known to be the most glorious era in all of Werewolf history", he said, "The kind of leaders they were, the kind of allies they had, the of kind battles they fought and won, the kind of kingdom they established and how they ruled it- its just...sublime beyond anything we could ever imagine. They are the embodiment of perfection to the Werewolf Kingdom. Unrivalled and incomparable!"

As he spoke, the respect and love in his words warmed my soul, filling me with an emotion too strong and foreign to recognize, and it birthed a deep unquenchable longing inside of me to see a time like that once more.

It was then that Alpha Penson's gaze fell to me and his smile widened, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"But I believe this age has a fine chance of seeing an even more glorious reign that that one", he said, proudly, "After all, we're blessed with a King and Queen who are one of kind! Alpha Zuerien is already considered an equal of the first King in many ways, and I'm convinced you are in no way short of how marvellous our first Queen was. And let's not forget, our Council Extraordinaire which is now so close to completion, and a predestined guardian like Rino who only adds to the splendor of it all"

He nodded, "Yes, I'm certain that your rule will be a magnificent one", he said and both of us smiled, hope bubbling in our eyes and hearts.

But then Alpha Penson's eyes mellowed and he added in a quiet voice, "Hopefully...without all the battles"

Rino and I exchanged glances, "So...I suppose the battles they had to fight were what you meant by hurdles earlier", I said and Alpha Penson nodded.

"That's right, Suzzanah", he said, "And I'm afraid this is where I will have to disappoint you and finally say I don't know much about the battles they fought in their time. No one does. Everywhere in history it is only mentioned that the final battle Alpha William and his comrades fought before he was crowned King was the most fierce, terrifying and legendary battle of all time, fought against an almost invincible enemy force"

Rino straightened up and I immediately felt my blood slowing running cold again as I asked, "W-What kind of enemy?"

Alpha Penson's face remained grave, "Rogues...is what history tells us", he replied, "Werewolves who were opposed to Alpha William becoming the King. But they were not stray or undirected rogues. They were rogues under the command of an Alpha"

"An Alpha of Rogues?" I asked and he sighed.

"So they say", he replied, "That battle ended with the death of that Alpha of Rogues, and whatever little remained of his minions after that either submitted to the King or ran away, scattering and never gaining enough power to successfully revolt again"

Although that was good news, I could understand why Alpha Penson's expression still looked somber.

"You think...one of those minions of his might be...", my words drifted away and Alpha Penson exhaled heavily.

"That does seem to be the most probable scenario", he said, "Provided this beast really is from the first King's era. But why it specifically targets only those who possess the first Queen's soul is still a mystery though"

"Didn't you once tell me that the Luna Ethereal first met the Alpha Almighty when he saved her from rogues?" I asked and he nodded.

"Could it be one of those very same rogues that is after Anna's soul then?" Rino asked and Alpha Penson tilted his head to the side thoughtfully.

"Anything is possible", he replied, "But the only way to be sure is to read about it from the locked chapters of the 'Book of Ages'", he replied.

"How exactly does the 'Book of Ages' work?" I asked confused, "You said it contains events of every single significant occurrence that took place ever since the time of the first King. But how does it know what is significant and what isn't? Because its obvious that the birth and life events of the two lost Lunas is definitely significant, but the Book doesn't seem to give any information on that, from what you've told us so far"

"The 'Book of Ages' essentially documents events on 'Royal' grounds or better put, with reference to the Royal family and largely in their point of view", Alpha Penson replied, "It records the births and deaths of all the Royal family members, as well as every event which significantly affected the kingdom during a King or Queen's reign. It focuses on the Royals because everything, including the search for the members of the Council Extraordinaire begins with a Royal's orders"

"But note this, once the King confirms someone as being an Extraordinaire title, the Book begins to record the significant events that take place in the lives of those Extraordinaire title holders in their own points of view and not just from the point of view of the King", he told us, "And up until the confirmation, it doesn't give any in-depth details about them or their lives, unless of course they were telling the said details to the King"

"For example, during the reign of the fifth Alpha King when the Extraordinaire Council was first established, the King and the first Alpha of Wisdom were already friends", he told us, "And while they were just friends, any significant events that occurred in the life of the Alpha of Wisdom were only recorded in the Book of Ages if the Alpha of Wisdom told the King about them. But once the King confirmed that he was the Alpha of Wisdom, the Book began to occasionally record events from his own Point of view as well, regardless of whether or not the King knew of them happening"

Rino and I nodded in understanding.

"Therefore the 'Book of Ages' does not record the births, deaths or other important events in the lives of the Extraordinaire Council Members who were not found at all during a particular Royal's reign, because the then King never knew of them"

Oh...

"You see, the Book of Ages cannot and does not prophecy forthcoming events or record a person's thoughts, no matter how important they may be", he told us, "It cannot predict who will be born with the Extraordinaire abilities, when they will be born or what will happen to them, like the Luna of Time can through her visions. The Book can only record the events as and when they happen with the flow of time, provided that the King or an Extraordinaire title confirmed by the King knows about them happening, do you understand?"

We nodded.

"So let me get this straight", I said, "Most of the Book is written in the King's point of view based on facts which seem relevant to him. An important event will only be recorded into the Book if it is made known to the King. But once he confirms a person as being as Extraordinaire title then that person's point of views will begin appearing in the Book too. And the only people in addition to the King whose life events may be recorded in the Book in their own Points of view are the 6 Extraordinaire titles"

"And the Queen", Alpha Penson added, "Also note that when I say Queen, it means the King's rightful soulmate and not just any woman chosen to be his mate"

"Why is that?" Rino asked.

Alpha Penson shrugged, "I'm not sure", he said, "But that's just how the Book works. Unless there is some kind of soul-related connection or significance of the person to the King, the Book doesn't depict their points of views"

We nodded, considering his words keenly.

"Now coming onto the topic of the significance of an event", Alpha Penson went on, "As I have already mentioned a dozen times, only significant events get recorded in the Book. Events like the King or an Extraordinaire title confirming that they have found their mates, or there being a terrible rogue attack in some province or someone important having an unfortunate accident. Such matters will be recorded, whereas trivial ones like me having had a cup of coffee this morning will not be recorded"

"What if you spilled the coffee on yourself?" Rino asked, "Would that be significant enough to be recorded?"

"Perhaps if it had burnt me", Alpha Penson replied, "Or if it had caused some kind of delay in my attending an important meeting. Or say that I have coffee everyday but because I missed it today, it made me grouchy or sleepy and kept me from doing my work properly which was noticed by the King. Then it would probably be recorded in the Book"

"That's actually...kind of funny", I said, "Its vague, but I sort of get it. How this Book works, I mean"

I then wondered if all the times I had pulled on Steroids ears or he had torn my skirts could possibly have been considered significant enough to be recorded in the Book of Ages.

Ai yai yai! I hope not!

Alpha Penson smiled, "Let me give you another example, just in case", he said, "Take for instance, our meeting Gale today. As insignificant as it may seem, it still is a part of the big picture that finally led us to having this important conversation right now, especially seeing as his demeanor, his way of talking, his use of a walking stick were all things that the three of us found quite...unique"

"Also, it is an event that took place with not just me, the Alpha of Wisdom, but also the Luna Queen and the Extraordinaire Guardian, thereby increasing the event's significance", he said, "So our meeting with Gale, despite being nothing out of the ordinary, may actually end up being recorded in the Book of Ages in either my point of view or yours Suzzanah. Or it could be recorded in the King's point of view if and when we tell him about the incident and he considers it important"

"Oh...", Rino and I drawled out together.

I wonder how Gale would feel if he found out that he would probably be mentioned in the pages of werewolf history.

"Another thing to note is that the Book does not record our thoughts but only our actions", he told us, "So that means that if there were things that the King or those he deemed significant never told anyone but kept to themselves and in their minds, those events would not be recorded in the Book, no matter how important they were"

I immediately narrowed my eyes at him, "So that means that most of what is going on in that endlessly contemplative mind of yours wouldn't be recorded in the Book then", I said and he smiled with a shrug.

"True", he said, "So there, that concludes it. I've told you pretty much everything you need to know about the Book of Ages and how it works"

"Its a lot to take in", I said, recalling everything he had told us just now and the more I did so, the more I found my mind coming to one particular doubt.

"But Alpha Penson" I said, "If the Book only records significant events that are known by the King or one of the already established Extraordinaire title holders then what's the use of searching for glimpses and traces of the Lost Lunas and their deaths in its pages? If the King and the Council members of that time never found the two lost Lunas or never knew them, then the two wouldn't make appearances in the Book at all, would they?" I asked feeling dejected, making Rino's face fall in disappointment as well.

"Not notably, perhaps", Alpha Penson replied, his eyes suddenly glinting, mysteriously, "But that doesn't mean they wouldn't make appearances at all"

Huh?

"What does that mean?" Rino asked.

Alpha Penson smiled, "It all bottles down to that one principle again", he told me, "The one that states that all the Extraordinaire Titles will certainly exist and be alive together at one point of their lives, such that they have definite and multiple opportunities to meet each other. The word definite is important here. Do you know why? Because that is what leads us to the potential hidden message behind this principle"

Rino and I leaned forward impatiently waiting for him to elaborate.

"The hidden message is...that irrespective of whether the already confirmed Extraordinaire titles recognized them or not, at some point in their lives, they would definitely, definitely have met the two lost Lunas", he told us making both of us gasp in shock.

"What?!"

"But how can you be so sure?"

"Destiny has always played its part in a rather endearing way when it comes to the Extraordinaire Council", Alpha Penson told us, a glimmer of warmth lighting up his dark eyes, "Did you know, both Megan's and Karina's names have already found their way into the pages of the Book of Ages? They were both mentioned in the Book way before we had established that they may be the lost Lunas? When I went to have a look at the Book of Ages I read them myself, the passages where the two of them have been mentioned. And both are in your point of view, Suzzanah"

I stared at him wide-eyed, What...?!

"Do you know what that means?" he asked, "It means that even if we hadn't recognized them as being the lost Lunas, they would have still made their appearances in the Book of Ages, which means that after us, our successors could later go through the Book and realize that Megan and Karina may have been the lost Lunas"

"Such is the bonding between the Extraordinaire titles and the Alpha King and Queen", he told us, "The fates of the King on the throne and the 6 Extraordinaire Council members have always been linked with each other, either directly or indirectly in a manner that ensures that they will meet each other, regardless of whether or not they recognize each other"

He smiled warmly, "Take us for example", he said, "My fate was linked to Alpha Zuerien's such that I, the Alpha of Wisdom was his teacher way before we found out that he was the Alpha of Power. Similarly, it was no coincidence that the Alpha of Mazes and the Luna of Time were born first cousins. That's how their fates were linked for this lifetime"

"And you, Suzzanah", he said, looking at me, "You've played a very important role in this too. Your fate is directly linked with that of our Alpha King who is also the Alpha of Power. And it just so happened that your roommate and friend Megan turned out to be the Luna of Intercession. Not just that, now it appears that your sister is the Luna of Hearts? And to top off, the Guardian of one or possibly all of the Lunas Extraordinaire happened to be a childhood friend of the King's. Do you see what I mean?"

Our eyes widened in absolute awe at his revelation, Oh my God...

"It was the same with the very first Council Extraordinaire", he went on, "The first Alpha of Power was already a friend of the King's before they even discovered that he was an Extraordinaire title. And the first Alpha of Power, Alpha Kratos actually happened to be a young lad who used to work for the first Alpha of Wisdom. The Alpha of Wisdom had apparently taken the boy in after finding him abandoned in the woods one day, and later they discovered that he was the lost son of the Alpha of a Neighbouring pack"

"Not just that. They also discovered that the Luna of Time was actually a childhood friend of the then Luna Queen", he told us, "The Luna Queen insisted on having her childhood friend by her side at the castle because the girl was thought to have poor health as she often lost consciousness, collapsing onto the ground unexpectedly. Imagine their shock when they discovered her identity and realized that all her fainting was due to her soul's unexpected time-travelling"

My God...

"And so, in every age, in every lifetime, their fates have been interconnected with those of each other", he told us, "Which is why even though the lost Lunas have not been identified for centuries, I strongly believe that our predecessors have definitely met them in their lifetimes. They just failed to recognize them as their fellow Extraordinaire Council Members. And that's why I am confident we will find clues about the lost Lunas, their abilities and possible causes of their deaths in the Book of Ages"

When he was done explaining the basis behind his logic to us, I was so utterly taken by the beauty of it that I was speechless. It was like the universe was silently but steadily working towards bringing the Council Members together.

For so many thousands of years, the other Extraordinaire titles had met the lost Lunas, maybe even multiple times, but unfortunately, they hadn't been able to recognize them, and alas our precious Lunas had slipped through their fingers.

And although the thought of their fates being intertwined was heartwarming, I realized that it was just as painful to think that they had been so close, and yet remained out of reach. That despite fate trying to bring them all together, for so many years, they had still remained lost.

Not this time, I told myself strongly, We won't lose them this time. Our Council will be united.

Megan...and Karina...

We won't let them die...

Not again.

"You've read parts of the Book", I said to Alpha Penson, "Haven't you ever read about any acquaintances of the Extraordinaire Titles whom you suspected to have possibly been one of the two lost Lunas?"

Alpha Penson almost looked surprised by my question, holding my gaze with his, wise eyes glimmering with unspoken emotions. And just when I thought he wouldn't reply at all and I'd have to ask again he said,

"I have"

"WHAT?!"

I was on my feet before I even knew it, being more shocked than I thought I would be with his answer even as I had asked the question. Both I and Rino were in his face before he could have even blinked.

"You have?!"

Alpha Penson leaned away from us, holding his hands up in front of him as though in an attempt to protect himself from the two of us.

"Well yes, I have", he said, "But I'm not sure. Its just a speculation"

"WHO?!" I and Rino demanded in unison, cornering him against the bookshelf behind him.

"Calm down both of you", Alpha Penson said amusedly, "I'm telling you I am not sure about them at all, especially at this point in time-"

"Them?" I gasped out, "So you've found more than one person among their acquaintances who could have been one of the lost Lunas?"

"Yes but-"

"WHO?!" we pressed again and Alpha Penson sighed.

"I'd...rather not say", he replied, taking us both by surprise. He looked at me and added, "At least, not just yet"

"Huh? But why?" Rino asked while I stared at him perplexed.

"Because I don't want to be the one to begin a controversy", he replied, confusing us even more, "I'll tell you as soon as I've confirmed something that I need to"

"And what's that?" I asked, wondering what was making him so reluctant to mention something so important to us.

Alpha Penson looked at the two of us and smiled, "The truth", he replied.

"EH?" we both said together and he patted our heads.

"All in good time", he replied, "Now come on, let's get back to the Open grounds before that young librarian Gale starts to wonder how we all disappeared without him noticing us leave the room"

With that he turned away from us and began walking down the aisle, leaving me and Rino utterly confounded.

"Man! John sure does know how to leave you hanging huh?" Rino said and I nodded wearily.

"King of Cliffhangers", I said miserably.

"Wolfa of Cliffhangers", Rino added and we both grinned at each other before quickly following Alpha Penson.

As we walked, I stared at Alpha Penson's broad back and shoulders. These were the legendary shoulders that carried a brain ten times wiser than even Einstein's! And I couldn't help but wonder what that infinitely wise old mind of his was thinking, keeping so many secrets.

I knew he had his reasons for doing so, reasons which were surely centered around something extremely important. I also knew that whatever he did, he did with our best in mind. But how long was he going to bear the burden of knowing all alone? Surely there was a limit even to how much the mind of the great Alpha of Wisdom could withstand.

I just wish...he let us share his burden...

Alpha Penson had lived for over 400 years, and I knew they'd been hard on him. He had told me that he had lost his mate to childbirth, and then lost his daughter in a rogue attack for which he still seemed to blame himself.

And he was an Alpha who had seen two generations of Extraordinaire titles. I remembered him telling me that he had witnessed the death of one of the Lunas of Intercession himself 300 years ago. The one who was a vampire, and was killed by her own kin because she was mated to a werewolf.

He had also said that back then he had just started showing signs of being an Extraordinaire and hadn't been discovered yet, while all the other Members of the Council who had been found had been much older than him.

So he must have watched as his fellow Council Members passed away one by one, leaving him alone while he was forced to wait for the birth of the next Extraordinaire title holders.

Such a lonely life...

My heart ached for him, the more I thought about it. I think I understood why Alpha Penson probably was the way he was. He had lived a large portion of his life alone, spent hundreds of years relying on no one but himself. All that time must have forced him to rely on no one but himself. It must have turned him into the man he is today, one who didn't share much unless he felt like he absolutely had to.

Which is why I didn't think it was right for me to question how he did things unless it was absolutely necessary. This was who he was. And we loved him for it, just the way he was.

Alpha Penson...

Thank you for being you...

Smiling, I leaned closer to him and asked, "So, when do you think you'll find out this 'truth' you just mentioned?"

He looked over his shoulder at me and replied, "Soon"

"I hate that word", I said and he smiled.

"Indeed? Well, I find it quite...convenient", he replied.

I sighed, Of course you do

"Well, to ease your curiosity I'll tell you this much", he added, "Soon will be once we have retrieved both our lost Lunas"

"Oh", Rino said, "So before we leave Dublin then?"

Alpha Penson nodded, "It could even be the day after tomorrow", he said making me gasp.

The day after tomorrow...

The day that according to Prophecy's prophetic teleportations, would be when we'd see Karina in Jervis Street...

The day I'd finally see my sister in person again...

And also...him.

Terrence Elryon Magnifis

I held back a shudder and looked back at Alpha Penson, "So you think we'll be able to retrieve both our lost Lunas by the day after tomorrow?" I asked eagerly.

"That I can't say", he replied, "But I do know that we'll see them both the day after tomorrow"

"Both?" Rino and I exchanged confused looks, "What do you mean both?"

"I thought Prophecy said that we'll only see Karina in Jervis Street", I said.

"That was when she teleported on the 21st, the same day that your spirit teleported to Canada", Alpha Penson said, "But she in spirit teleported again on the 24th remember? Just before you left for Dublin. It was what made us change up the order of which of us went first and which of us came to Dublin later"

"Oh that's right!" I exclaimed as both I and Rino looked at him wide-eyed.

"I completely forgot about that", Rino said.

"But wait, Zuerien told me that she teleported to California that day", I said confused.

He nodded, "Yes, she teleported to both California and Dublin in spirit", he told us, "To California in the past and to Dublin in the future. And that makes it a total of four times now that she has teleported to Dublin. And in her latest teleportation here, she said she was teleported to the 28th of July, but this time outside the BorderGuard and not in Jervis street. She even checked the time, it was 2:27 pm she said, and she told us she that she could very strongly sense the auras of both the lost Lunas there"

"She saw them both?" Rino asked and Alpha Penson shook his head.

"She didn't see either of them", he replied, "But she said she had never felt their presences stronger in the same place than she did at that moment. She also said that the place she was teleported to was in some kind of an uproar. With an enormous group of werewolves standing close to the Border maze, huddled together and in some sort of panic"

"What? Why?" I asked worriedly.

Alpha Penson's face darkened instantly, "Well, I'm assuming that if Prophecy sensed the aura of the Luna of Hearts who we think is Karina, then she must have been accompanied by...Terrence Magnifis"

Rino and I both immediately tensed, Of course...he never leaves Karina alone anywhere so...

"I'm assuming that the commotion she talked about must have something to do with him", Alpha Penson said, "And well we already know that he is going to be present in Jervis Street too with Karina"

"How far apart in time do you think these two sightings of them were, seeing as they were both on the same day?" I asked.

"I'm not sure", Alpha Penson said, "We don't know what time it was when Prophecy saw Karina and Terrence in Jervis street, but at least we know what time to expect them at the BorderGuard. We have to be ready. Or at least...as ready as we can be when it comes to that man"

"Do you think...Do you think the Wolfa will be okay?" Rino asked in a voice so small that I almost couldn't believe that it was his.

I looked at him to find his face crestfallen, a veil of sadness covering his eyes.

Alpha Penson sighed, his expression just as heavy and concerned as Rino's, "I don't know", he replied, "Even if he isn't, its not like he'll tell us. Well-"

He looked at me, a small smile gracing his lips, "He might tell you though, Suzzanah"

A dull ache spread across my chest once more as I shook my head, feeling a sense of despair build up inside of me.

"I doubt it", I replied softly, "Zuerien always tries to bear the pain alone, no matter how much I ask him to let me. He's never told me about what really happened the night his family was killed and I never thought it was my place to ask either. All I know is that Terrence and his people had a hand in it somehow. And because of that, when it comes to anything related to the Shadow People, Zuerien tries to keep me as far away from it"

Even if it means bearing all the pain...alone.

Zuerien...

"Don't look so sad now, dear one", he said gently, "Its not that he isn't telling just you, he doesn't talk about that night to anyone"

"I know", I replied, "And I'm not upset that he hasn't told me. I can understand how hard it must be for him. I only wish I could offer him more comfort, but sometimes I find myself at a loss...because I know nothing of that night"

They were both quiet for a moment, before Alpha Penson spoke up, "Suzzanah, if you...if you want me to tell you-"

"No", I shook my head, giving him a small smile, "No, that's alright. I can wait, because...I think Zuerien wants to tell me himself. He just doesn't know how yet, and of course I understand. I don't have to know his past but...I would like to know more about the Shadow people and how they work because I obviously don't know enough yet. I feel like if I come face to face with Terrence today, I won't even know how to blink the right way"

Alpha Penson smiled, "I understand", he replied, "I'll teach you more about the Shadow People now then"

I nodded, "Please do"

"And I think, you need to know more about the Fae too", he added, "Seeing as they are the Shadow People's sworn allies"

Oh!

"The Fae!" Rino exclaimed, "Oooh I'm in!"

"Me too", I said nodding eagerly as we exited the restricted grounds. Neil who was standing guard there immediately bowed to us and we smiled at him, "Zuerien told me a little bit about them on our way to the hotel yesterday", I said.

"I see", Alpha Penson replied as Rino and I took our seats and he walked to the water dispenser to get himself a drink of water, "What did he tell you?"

"That they're something like a mix-breed between fairies and humans, and that they can wield magic but can't create it", I replied.

Alpha Penson nodded, "That's very true, Suzzanah", he replied, "The Fae cannot create magic like witches and wizards can, but they can however absorb the magic around them and use it however they please. A little bit like sorcerers, the difference being that sorcerers don't come from a line of magic wielders whereas the Fae do"

He gestured to us asking if we wanted water and both of us nodded. He brought us two empty glasses again and one for himself. But before I even had the chance to wonder about it, Rino clicked his fingers and our glasses were full.

I gasped in delight. This never got old!

"The Fae are also very powerful Elementals", Alpha Penson added as I gave Rino a thumbs up before adding sheepishly, "Sorry, I totally forgot to do that earlier"

I giggled remembering the empty glass he had placed in front of me as Alpha Penson took his seat.

"That's right, Zuerien had told me about the Fae being Elementals too", I said to Alpha Penson as he finished his glass of water.

He nodded, "Their body constituencies have a great affinity towards Elemental powers", he said, "And although they are a rather small race, much like the Shadow People themselves, one in every 200 Fae is born an elemental, making them one of the most Elemental dominant Supernatural races, outside of the pure-breed elementals of course. And they usually tend to be either Earth or Air elementals. Fire and Water Elementals are rare amongst the Fae, which is the exact opposite of the Wizardry clan"

"Oh!" I said looking at Rino who smiled widely at me.

"And even when they don't possess the title of a full Elemental, a lot of Fae still do harbour the ability to control one or the other fragment of nature", he told us, "For example, the ability to summon lightening or to produce sudden gusts of wind or to freeze anything they touch. They can't wield an element as a whole but can wield fragments of it, and are therefore called the semi or demi-Elementals"

"I think that's still pretty amazing", I said and Rino nodded in agreement.

"Coming onto the next topic, and perhaps the most important of them all when it comes to the Fae-", Alpha Penson said, "-Is that depending on which family a Fae belongs to, they have certain extraordinary traits or Gifts as they call them, that are extremely rare and unique", he told us, "Not everyone in the family possess them but they are traits that show up consistently in the bloodlines. The first and most common one being the 'Gift of tongues"

"Tongues?" I said and Rino stuck his tongue out thoughtfully.

"It means that they have the ability to instantly pick up different languages", Alpha Penson explained, "Those Fae who have the gift of tongues speak and understand innumerable languages"

"Whoa!" I said, thoroughly impressed.

"Then there is the ability called the 'Gift of Glamour'", he said and did a classic flick of invisible hair with his hand to emphasize the word.

Alpha Penson smiled, "Not that glamour though. The power I am talking about is a power that's quite similar to that of Marco's mazes. Glamour is the power of creating illusions, but unlike Marco's mazes these illusions are cast on much a smaller-scale and are also short-lived, the longest lasting about an hour. They are meant for temporary deception and are a brilliant defensive skill which is used by them to camouflage themselves or buy themselves time"

"Neat!" Rino exclaimed.

"Did you not know these things Rino?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I don't really know much about the Fae", he told me, "I've always wanted to learnt though"

We both turned back to Alpha Penson, ready to know more.

"Yet another special talent that only a few prominent Fae family members possess is the 'Gift of Sight'", he said, "This means the ability to prophecy or have visions, like a Seer. But unlike the Luna of Time who can have visions of the past, present and future, the Fae can only have visions of the future. And they're often 100% accurate and precise"

"Oh great! So they have clairvoyants too?" I asked dejectedly, "Then do you think they know that we're going to come for Karina?"

Alpha Penson stroked his chin thoughtfully, "They may", he said.

"WHAT?!" Both I and Rino cried out horrified.

"Or they may not", he said with a shrug, "Unlike Prophecy, they don't have random visions. They have visions about very specific concerns and most of them have to do only with them and their race. Unless there is a clairvoyant among them who is trying very hard to see Karina's future, I don't think they'd know we're going to come for her. Besides, like I said the 'Gift of Sight' is a rare one. Not many people possess it"

That was comforting, albeit scarcely.

"And finally we come to one of the most rare Gifts possessed by the Fae", Alpha Penson said, "And that is the 'Gift of Flight', which means that they have wings"

"What?!" I cried out, "Wings? You mean these wings?"

I did a little flying motion with both my hands and he nodded.

"Wings are a classic trait which depicts the oldest and purest of fairy ancestry", Alpha Penson told me, There are only handful of Fae families that possess this trait", he said, "And they are families belonging to what are considered 'Imperial bloodlines' and are something like Royalty amongst the Fae, a little akin to what Elder Abe's bloodline is to the Wizardry Clan, even though both the Fae and the Wizardry Clan are essentially governed by the League of Magic"

"Also, even though these Gifts are rare and normally a family possesses only one of the gifts I told you about, the bloodlines who have the 'Gift of Flight' are known to possess more than one of them", he told us, "And they're the most powerful of all the Fae"

"Wow", I said nervously, "I'm starting to get more and more worried about how we're going to retrieve Karina"

"It'll be alright", Alpha Penson said, "The Fae are actually a rather peaceable race. They love nature and believe in harmonizing with those around them. They are known to be some of the most cordial Supernaturals in the world. Its quite a pity that they are allied to the Shadow People but even then, they mostly strike only when they are targeted at a personal level. They revere the Shadowers but don't normally work as the Shadow People's underlings, especially not the Imperial Bloodlines"

"I see", I said, suddenly feeling thirsty again, "Do you guys know any of those Imperial Fae families?"

Rino shook his head.

"I don't know them personally", Alpha Penson replied, "But I have heard of a few renowned families who possess that trait"

I raised my brows enquiringly at him as I sipped on my glass of cold water.

"I believe the 2 most powerful of them all are the Bennett family and the Bonnet family"

I choked so hard, I almost coughed my lungs out.

"Wh-AhAh-WHAT?!" I gasped out like a dying whale while Alpha Penson patted my back and Rino patted the top of my head.

"Suzzanah, are you alright?" Alpha Penson asked worriedly.

"Wh-at did you say?" I wheezed, "Bonnet?!"

Alpha Penson frowned, "Yes. Why?"

Oh no...

"This Bonnet family wouldn't have anything to do with...the Fae Insignia Design House...would it?"

Even as I asked the question, I knew the answer to it.

Alpha Penson's brow furrowed in surprise, "How do you know of them?" he asked, "Of course as the name suggests, the company is owned by the Bonnet family head Monsieur Raphael Bonnet, but I believe his son Antoine Bonnet is currently running it"

All the color drained from my face, "Oh God", I breathed out.

"Anna, what's wrong?!" Rino asked worriedly and by the look on Alpha Penson's face, I knew he'd probably already guessed it.

"The Fae Insignia is where my sister works", I said, "And Antoine Bonnet is her boss"

*****

Random Question of the Day: If you were working in the Unconditionally World, which character's P.A would you like to be?

A/N (Its a long one again lolol)

Hey guys,

I know the chapter is a little late, but life happens, you know.

This was a LONG chapter again, and the theory will soon end. After that you'll have to give your practicals and I'll turn evil again, probably lol.

So how do you guys feel about the past? Is the first King and Queen's Era intriguing?

Alpha Penson sure is knowledgeable huh? What do you think he did for 400 years of his life?

What about Gale? Does he suspect something now?

Also, we're finally talking about the Faery. So they're up against the Fae too and not just the Shadowers?

How many of you remember Antoine from Shadow Play? It will be interesting to see him on the 'opposing side' loool.

And finally, how many of you liked Zuerien/Kai's cameo in this chapter?

More is coming up, and like I said, I will turn a little evil soon, provided I amn't already. Stay tuned for that.

Last Question of the day, did you like this chapter?

If you did, please do VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE!

Until next time,

All my love

May