Principle of Hope

Phanto was quickly brought to an understanding that he was... strange.
After settling in a guest room with Kaitlyn and Garroth's aid, he was quick to judge a proper position for a portal and made notes of what he could use for placement, how much power it requires, and the limit supported as he spent the night and the early hours while Wraith used his own time in the training yard and sparring with a number of recruits and masters who were falling short to Wraith's natural skill, especially his ability to handle a broadsword. His identity hid behind a mask, Wraith was able to help the soldiers of the Capital, displaying his abilities to both a crowd and to Alina who dropped by to watch him with Garroth taking notes as well, he paused to let himself and the soldiers rest when Phanto approached with bags under his eyes, but nevertheless happy. "Sir, how is the portal research?"
"It is progressing, but without the shipment I require, we have little space to perform..." He yawned aloud as he nodded with peace. "And while I am pleased that the protectors provided a abode for us, we will need a larger spot to use else we risk hurting someone in the long run."
"I see, but I think you should rest first before you fly into a tower." Phanto stared at his ally before rubbing a hand under his eye and realized the meaning and chuckling.
"Point taken, but it is a big step right now and I shouldn't delay when I am close." Wraith shook his head as he watched the young leader take off and placed his practice sword among the rack before taking off to ensure nothing stupid happened.

-----

Phanto gauged between his notes as he corrected any parts that required a life and pushing it further to ensure a excellent portal as Wraith entered. "Believe me, I have it going and just need a clear focus on how it is going to happen."
"Sure, whatever you say..." Wraith said as he watched out the window of the room and catalogued the people that passed through, a number of them guards in civilian cloths and the other simple villagers in a grand kingdom. "Looks like Lady Kaitlyn decided to extend some of the soldiers to keep an watchful eye on us, I can perceive several blades and daggers for quick use."
"True, but she is just looking out for any threats to both the Capital and to Irene as it stands." Phanto said as he pulled out another series of notes dealing with magical ley lines and available locations for use. "What's more, there is a sense of suspicion of who we are, why we call ourselves Phanto and Wraith, and if we have any ulterior reasons to be in the Capital."
Wraith glanced over with a raised eyebrow before he spoke. "All that and you can't be allowed a break for your actions?"
"Not every person has the need to when they have accomplished a mass debate and researching into the subject." Phanto traced out a location, on the outskirts of the walls where a grove area could be located at and would serve to be the perfect portal spot. "Besides, I have little time for relaxation in a city that I am not familiar with in a slightest, despite how... pleasant... its members... are..." With that, Phanto face planted into the table which Wraith cleared in time to stop any 'drool' damage to the charts and started snoozing as Wraith, setting the items on another table, shook his head with a sigh.
"Phanto, you are, by far, the most stubborn person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing." He sighed as he readied himself for another trip into the city. "Sleep well, Sir." With that, he left the house, locking the door and headed down to the docks, in case Mel arrived early... again...

-----

As he entered the dock, he gazed upon its wide area and sighed. "Ahhh... Nothing like a view of the sea to boosts a man's soul." It was a relaxing sight, one that Arron had been surprised to ever find soothing. The world could be ending, but he would not give a cent to it as he was now relaxed as his mind started to bring up pleasant thoughts like the times with his old family, Aphmau and her beauty, and a new addition of Alina and her laugh, her smile. It filled him with joy as he opened his eyes again and commented. "Yes, nothing like the sea..."
"INCOMING SHIP!!!"
"...Almost relaxing..." Arron looked and sure enough, he could see a ship coming in fast with a red-haired woman at the helm, her eyes burning like magma and her movement was dangerous to say the least as the crew held on for dear life, Arron striding toward the dock as he raised his hands in peace at the soldiers arming with bows. "It's okay, she and the crew are with me, just need to signal to them." He pulled out a set of flags and started to wave a yellow one in a loop as another signaled the same and called out to the helm, the sail slowing down as the flags returned to Arron's sachet. The proceedings were near quick as the soldiers over watched as the woman stomped off and headed straight for Arron when he spoke. "Mel, ease up on your steering, the town nearly shot you out of the water for that type of reckless sailing."
"They will be seeing black and white if I don't see my boyfriend right this bloody second!" She attempted to stomp off when Arron pointed out the issue.
"Shouldn't you ask me, Lady Kaitlyn, or Sir Garroth about where the house is?" She stopped short and bowed her head in disgrace, looking back with now teal eyes.
"...Okay, where is the house, Wraith?"
"Past the bakery, first house on the left down an alleyway, the one with a green roof."
"...Thanks..." She slowly walked away as Arron shook his head and started to speak with the crew's leader, Bartolew who had elected to join.
"How bad...?"
"Very, Mel nearly bit head off when message came and I not share it." Bartolew had learned that he was a 'regalia' of the earth element and had attempted to advance his studies to be of excellent use to Phanto. Unfortunately, he had tried to go so fast that he lost some wording control and now spoke like a fool, though his actions still remain the same. "Had invoke power to even talk to girlfriend."
"Tough luck, big guy, but I don't have control over her." Arron said as he watched as the cargo was offloaded. "So the materials are all here now?"
"Yes, took week to find right hide and start breed with Bright ranchers." Arron nodded as he headed back to find Mel, case she lost her way..."

-----

As it turned out, Arron didn't need to go that far to find Mel and guide her to the house where she now tended to Phanto's scars and wounds while Arron returned to watching as Phanto started to stir, Arron turning with a slight smirk. "Look at that, the boss is finally up and about..."
"Wraith, I am not a toy for you to tease." Phanto said as he propped himself up and gazed at the man on the windowsill before continuing, Mel giving an equal glare before returning to the patchwork and healing required. "For your information, I am still working on the portal that will..."
"...Serves as our transit way home and back, yeah, you told me this several hundred times before dozing off... again." Phanto breathed as he nodded and took off his cloak, tunic, and undershirt to let Mel access to the other wounds. "The least you could have done was wait until you either had your body to recover enough to continued or shared the work with others here!"
"Maybe so, Wraith, but I had the idea and I don't know all that many spell casters that can easily help in creating a transit portal from here to the region, while going with the non-lethal variant form which takes much longer to prepare in contrast to the lethal portal." Phanto said as the last of the wounds were patched up and Mel took a seat beside him as the young leader continued. "Though there is the slim chance that there is someone willing to help in such an endeavor somewhere in this city, but I care not to reveal myself as a threat to others or objects for conquest."

Wraith nodded as he took to the city while Phanto returned to his research, Mel hovering close by and helping him every now and then and he kissed her in return.

-----

Wraith took to the streets as he looked about in his cloak, handling a piece of wood in hand as he sculpted it with a knife, unwittingly carving it into the visage of Aphmau, pausing as he took it in at a bench that he settled on before setting it down and pulling out another piece and carving it as well as someone settled next to him and spoke. "Wonderful day, isn't it?" Wraith could tell it was Garroth, but made no effort to acknowledge the protector as he continued, etching out the details that Alina had, Garroth making another try to get Wraith speaking. "...Not much of a talker, are you?"
"...No, I just don't have much to talk about, that's all..." Wraith said as the legs were scripted out. "Not that I don't mind company, but a sense of silence helps to turn away any who tries to make friends with me at the time."

"I understand..." Garroth said as he picked up the Aphmau statuette and emitted a low whistle. "For someone who was looking forward to meeting Irene, you don't miss a second with how she appears, I have never seen such craftsmanship before."
"Thanks, Sir, but I am just a simple man, helping a friend with his 'plans' of growing, he has quite a style to himself..." Wraith took a look at the Alina statuette and paused with a whisper. "I do wonder, if he is willing to fight when the time comes, even near that 'site'..."
"What was that?" Wraith glanced and shook his head as he replied.
"Nothing, just musing over something that we had seen." Wraith continued his sculpting in silence as he stood back up and gave a few words. "Well, it has been a pleasure, but I really should be on my way, no telling what has transpired during my absence."

"Best I go with you, Kaitlyn has been going to and fro with how you two had suddenly arrived, you understand..." Wraith wanted to say no, but he understood the skepticism and understood that if he refused, then there would be a large distrust between all of them.
Wraith nodded as Garroth stood up and followed him back to the home, hopefully in good order...

-----

"What in Irene's name has happened here!?" Garroth was right as the place had been messed up like a hurricane had just happened as Wraith called out.
"Phanto, are you here!?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here..." Phanto sat up from a large pile of prints on the right of the entrance, blinking tiredly. "So what is going on?"
"Going... The house is a mess and we thought that you had been robbed or otherwise!" Garroth said as he gestured about the place and Phanto looked about and realized what had happened.
"Oh, right, Mel had wanted to test out a new ability and she did not take into account the recoil as the energy was so high that five seconds, at least, had blasted everything off the containers, shelves, and floor which explains..." The three turned and found Mel stuck on the wall with a massive carpet pinning her there. "...Why the carpet is on the woman now..."

Garroth was just speechless over the fact that a spell even caused this while Wraith sighed at his ally. "Honestly, you could have told me ahead of time what you and her were planning in the first place."
"Yeah, I know, but it was just a thought, nothing more." Phanto fell back down into the mess and started to snooze, leaving the pair to sigh as Garroth glanced to Wraith and asked.
"You don't mind if I stay here for a bit, I want to get to know you better."
"Not a problem, Sir Garroth." The pair cleared a few seats and started to speak...

-----

Garroth was on the edge, not for the lack of telling, but the lack of showing, Wraith has been polite and kind in telling, but he showed distrust as he still wore the cloak that hid his form, even going as covering his arms from sight.
"...So tell me, what is the story with you and Phanto?"
Wraith chuckled as he nodded in understanding. "Well, he... brought me back from the edge, helping me grow as someone new, someone... lost to the ages, never to interfere with anyone from before and reside as a spirit, a ghost if you will..." Garroth tilted his head in question as Wraith sounded down from the words. "He, however, only wished that I give time to my questions, but I have lingered long enough to understand that I can't just stick with one goal, I needed to grow past my fallen memories and start a new beginning."
"And are they worth giving up?"
"No, they mean everything, but I am branded whether I like it or not..." Wraith extended a hand out and stared at the mark, Garroth getting a glimpse to see the symbol of the Shadow Lord, Shad, faded gray on the palm. "Cursed with another's power, I must reside in darkness, lest I hurt so many with my reckless actions."

Garroth understood his secrecy, a fear that he was a total threat to the world that he isolated himself with someone who was able to aid him. "Well, I don't claim to be your superior in magical powers, but you seem so human, not broken in any way, you have the right to follow your own path if you believe it as such, just tell me your real name, I... cannot stand being told such words without knowing who is truly under the dark hood."
"Wraith is my new name, Garroth, but my real name is the same as the first, a father-turned-wanderer and now couldn't have been there for the Goddess... No, for Aphmau." Garroth drew back, his feet landing on the floor toward the door as the hood came off, revealing a face that was pure and honest. "I am Arron..."
"B-But how...!" Garroth started with a rush. "How is this possible, Shad said he has your body and that you were gone!"
"Truly a mystery that even Phanto could not unravel, but he told my chances of survival from a ritual to bring me back." Arron breathed as he finished. "I had a one out of ten thousand of a chance of survival as a full-formed being, he only meant to bring my spirit back, but made the belief that it was my memories that remade me..." Arron's branded arm slid up to his chest and he nodded. "Truly, a strange thing to even face, that I had died and soon was revived with a restraint on my soul, Shad making a minor attempt of keeping me bound to his will, like a Shadow Knight, but more..."

"...Aphmau... will need to know..." Garroth said, but understood the look in Arron's eyes, true and pure, as the words returned to the fray.
"If she knew, she would be conflicted on who is who, is Shad or I the real one, moreover Alina would be in danger at all times for I am not able to hold this power in check all the time, bursts of dark energy could easily hurt her or worse." Arron shook his head as he continued to watch. "Please, tell only my name of Wraith and nothing more, I... can't stand to hurt her at all nowadays..."
Garroth opened to counter, but stopped as he pondered the question on his mind now, a lie told at the cathedral site as they left. "By the way, what was the real reason that you and he were in the Capital?
"Phoenix Drop... has fallen..." Garroth whipped as Arron looked up to Phanto who, despite any looks of sleep loss, stood bold and ready. "Shad had sent the Shadow Knight Commander Gene to raze the town and kill the villagers, a failed attempt as I had an agent rescue who he could before the attack and they could not find what they were seeking..." Garroth pondered the thought before he stopped on something that could explain it.
"If that is so, we must get soldiers down there and save the villagers still living and... I need to find Zane, he had something of the Shadow Lord that was vital, he had a strange reaction to the object like he didn't want it destroyed, not to be sent back to him..."
"Shad..." Phanto said before he directed Arron. "Arron, redress and find me a site, we need the portal up and running before we bring our men to the Capital." Arron saluted as he stood up and hid as Wraith once more, Phanto facing Garroth in a serious tone. "Milord, I will lend you my services as a mercenary company as long as you keep the secret, we are not here to cause unjust harm, but instead to strengthen ourselves for the coming storm, will you accept?" Phanto extended a hand and Garroth, gauging it, took it and shook, the two parted as Phanto returned to his work with renewed haste. "Tell the Lady Kaitlyn all is fine, you just have urgent news that came from the anonymous source, may her Light guide your path."
Garroth nodded before heading out, his answers found that the two weren't just travelers...
They were warriors waiting for the time to fight back...