Chase stood outside of the tavern as countless people strolled on by.
"We didn't actually stalk you..."
Neo said quietly, shuffling his boots in the gravel pathway.
They were alone, and got to talk for the first time since the day that Leander had been struck down with nothing less than shame.
"I know..."
Chase said, narrowing his eyes at the happy citizens of the small town.
"He's strong... Rider..."
Neo said, his voice growing grim.
Chase nodded.
"Why are you really here?"
He asked, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.
Neo hesitated, but took a deep breath and replied with honesty.
"Leander left us notes... Me and Poppy were both given similar ones. He mentioned things that seemed out of his league, things that mortals should never mention... But he also requested of one last favor from the both of us..."
Chase cocked an eyebrow, feeling shivers run down his spine.
"What?"
Neo scowled.
"He wanted us to meet you at a tavern south of Rider's kingdom, and he... He asked us to follow you, to stand beside you, and to..."
Chase frowned.
"To destroy the eleven remaining kingdoms... And bring hell to the eleven kings and queens... Poppy found it offensive, that she would be asked to go against her own mother and father, but I know that you might know who her true father is based one something strange that his message said..."
Neo cocked an eyebrow of his own and grinned as he said it.
"The man with the horns... Poppy's father is a devil?"
Chase looked around nervously, his thoughts never got too loud, as he was quite a quiet person, but they refused to stay quiet.
'Just how much did Leander know...? Why is all of this happening now? Why were all of us at that raid?'
Chase looked at Neo, and shrugged.
"Yeah, but do not tell her of that. I want Zephyr to greet her of his own accord. I have inserted myself into things far above myself, and now I have to pay the price of becoming such a large factor is these "Wars"..."
Neo chuckled.
"Fair enough... We meet outside the city of the sun in two weeks. Prepare men, gather students of Phoenix Academy and anyone willing to follow you into hell. The gods know we are sure as hell gonna need it... And maybe more..."
Chase pulled the necklace from his pocket.
"Neo... How many affinities does a Paladin usually have?'
Clutching the necklace in his hands, he awaited Neo's reply.
"Three or four... Usually two if you are just counting the one you get at twelve stars, but it is weird. It doesn't account for if you get a mental affinity or not, as well as the other core affinities. Because a lot of Paladins do not count their fundamental affinities like Spatios and Axis..."
Chase couldn't help but wear a smile on his face.
"I will kill Rider. Just trust me on that..."
Neo put a thumb underneath the top of his neck and popped it. The crack was loud and whether Neo was actually feeling pain in his neck, or he did it for special affects, Chase would never know.
"We will be off then... Two weeks we retake the academy. Remember that."
Neo started off toward the carriage, wearing a large grin on his face as he walked through the crowds of blissful people.
Chase turned back toward the door of the tavern.
He wore a dark expression, his lips had flattened into a still portrait of his face.
He was supposed to meet with Poppy and the other members of his team, but instead he started toward the stairs.
Clutching the necklace in his hand, he was more determined than ever.
The loud upbeat music of the bards littered the tavern's atmosphere, but as he walked through the crowds of dancing adventurers: Chase spotted Michael leaning against one of the far walls.
He seen Neveah alone at a table, but Gideon was making his way over with another mug in his hands, probably about to console his party member.
Onyx was sitting alone at the bar, looking down at the surface of the table with a grim expression on his face, and almost a smirk trying to form at the corners of his lips.
Reinhart had equipped his helmet, and was sharpening his giant blade at the bench near the exit.
Lithica was no where to be seen, which only meant that he had gone somewhere with great reason.
Chase stepped around a woman who was dancing violently to the music, pushing through another man behind her, with a large scar across his dark face.
He clutched the necklace tighter, feeling a terrible pressure start to overtake his mind and body.
'Is this the presence of a god?'
He wondered, stepping onto the stairs, and slowly making his way toward his room.
'Well, no time like the present...'