Throughout the next few hours and into the early morning, Raiden carefully briefed his trusted allies—Noelle, Freya, and Leo—on FIRMO's presence in Persia.
It was bewildering news, but slowly, they realized Raiden's suggestion was sound. A retreat back to the kingdom was necessary.
The sun rose slowly against the horizon as Chrono and his comrades waited in the gazebo's center, expecting Raiden to emerge and cement their alliance at last.
Raiden approached from afar, flanked by Freya and Noelle. "Hope you still have the key to the book?" Freya asked. Raiden's hand moved to his chest, feeling the warmth of the golden key that hung on its cord around his neck.
"Yes, it's safely guarded," Raiden replied, his gaze fixed on Chrono's gentle smile, while behind them Aeris leaned against a pillar, legs crossed and arms folded across her chest.
