A silvery white orb cast a blanket of light down upon Shinsou, its luminescence chasing away the shadows of his surroundings. He lay in state, bathing in the magnesium radiance, able to hear his own heartbeat. It beat louder, and louder, until suddenly everything quietened completely. The next thing he knew, his eyes opened. After sitting up, Shinsou noticed his surroundings and realised he was in back in the Citadel. What was he was lying on could only be described as a stone slab, and a glance to his right revealed one of the Ai’Bronne monks attending to him with mystic healing magic. A flickering torch sat in its cage-like mount on one of the walls, casting weak light onto the moon-like surface of the healer’s pale face.

I must have passed out or died, although I don’t remember a damn thing. The Telgradian concluded, still feeling groggy. It was the same feeling every time he came here and met death; the kind of sensation associated with a long night of drinking but with a very distinct hangover.

The feeling of his feet the stone floor shook him into life. It was then he realized there was a second person in the room with the otherwise disinterested monk. Shinsou’s first thought was that it was Felicity, who had perhaps been healed quicker than he and had come to smooth over their issues, but the shape and sway of the body gave him some pause for thought. The place smelled sort of like an odd, sweet perfume, one that he was familiar with but actually wasn't sure of the precise brand of.

“You’re a hard man to find, Shinsou Vaan Osiris. Did you have fun?”

Remy Krystanthia’s voice was unmistakeable. Although Shinsou was shocked to hear it, given that he had last left her on Telgradia, he worked a knot out of his collar with his now restored arm and waved his surprise away.

“Well, Arius burned down my cards den and my art studio, so…” Shinsou’s dry retort was met with a glare, “…This one wasn’t exactly a leisure exercise, Remy. More of a “checks and balances” kind of deal.”

Remy walked towards him from the shadows, the light turning her hair into a golden caramel shimmer. Her eyes started to show interest in his situation.

“I saw the whole thing.” The woman walked another two feet, standing now in front of his face with as dim light of the candle reflected on her silk, royal blue Councillor robes. “I also know the story between you two, thanks to Telos. I know you’re worried about her. Well, don’t be. Clearly you were holding back in there, so I doubt she could truly kill you outside of these walls. This was a fight without consequences. There are bigger issues at hand.”

“There are always consequences, Remy.” While searching for the door, Shinsou kept thinking how much he wanted to leave. “And I held nothing back in the Citadel. Neither did Felicity.”

“Not so, though, is it? Otherwise, why you didn’t use your fifth grade of Shin no Kotei?” Now, Remy’s curiosity was starting to set in, and Shinsou had to work hard to convincingly suppress his surprise that she knew about it. “Yes, I know there are more than four grades. You don’t get to where I am without knowing a few things. But, I’m not here to chat about what you may or may not be hiding.”

Remy finally turned to reveal her prosthetis; a false left hand that Shinsou had given her. She didn't mince her words this time. "Telgradia is about to be invaded by the Jal Shey."

Shinsou looked up slowly. ”What?!”

"Emperor Tadius has amassed forces in the Kratas Outlands in the last weeks." Remy’s fist squeezed tighter, but her expression didn't change as the news assaulted Shinsou’s senses. “We think they’re going to try and take Madiaha, and then, from there…”

“The Temple of Luxor.” Shinsou already knew what she was going to say. The Jal Shey’s only goal could have been the temple where he had sealed Temperance away into an eternal slumber. “They’re going to try and re-activate Temperance. That’s the only reason they’d take Madiaha first.”

“Correct.” She said nothing further, although she was clearly interested in something else.

Shinsou cocked his head, "So, this is why you came here, to tell me this?"

Remy’s eyes widened, "Telos wants you in. Full pay general, all the perks. We have to stop them.”

"He means to give me a commission in the Telgradian army?” Shinsou asked, almost bemused. "A globally condemned traitor at the head of his forces, doing his bidding?"

“A pardoned hero." Corrected Remy. "He wants the Brotherhood too, if you'll spare them."

Shinsou snorted. "Does he now? Well, Storm's his own man, and I'm not going to drag him halfway around the cosmos on a forlorn hope mission if he feels he has better things to do, like live."

"And the girl?" Remy asked, eyebrow raised.

It was then the door creaked open, and light filtered through the crack.