On the edge of the city of Hargeon, on a cliff overlooking the city of Hargeon stood a lone grave. It was not unusual for one to find a civilian visiting every now and then, for despite the reputation of the mage, her origins were still for a large part found in the city of Hargeon, and she had done a lot for its people during her time as a Blue Pegasus mage.

It was therefore a most peculiar sight for her to travel to the particular spot, seeing an elderly couple who she had recognized as being the pair she had once helped with pursuing a thief in the past. The elderly lady was weeping, while the old man gently placed a bouquet of flowers at the tombstone. After he clapped his hands together in a prayer he gently wrapped his arm around his wife, guiding her back toward the city while the man spotted her approach.

A young mysterious lady clad in a golden armor that covered parts of her body, and yet most of her torso remained exposed, revealing the red tribal-like markings on her skin. She gently nodded her head at him, her eyes closed for a moment as she walked past them in a greeting and approached the grave.

"A testimony to my failure and weakness..." The young woman whispered softly, crouching down in front of the tombstone and gently rubbed a hand over the tombstone's surface, reading the engravings on it.

"But perhaps it is for the best to let our story end here." Indeed, with the world believing she had perished, the ones who had once been a threat to her and her family would no longer chase her trail, and she had kept her promise and returned to her family. Perhaps she could take a note from her wife's idea to take on a false identity to the outside world, to prevent the threats of the past to find her anew...

A hand raised to her chin as she pondered for a moment. "I guess that name would be an option..." Whispering under her breath the woman rose back onto her feet and thought about her next course of action. Perhaps she would figure out a way to meet up with Alisa, her secret would certainly be safe with her. And surely it would be difficult to keep her identity a secret around the insightful Blue Pegasus master.

Distinguished, flappy sounds could be heard approaching the tombstone. They came from the flying avian Coda, who wasted no time in visiting the strange but lovely pancake fangirl’s grave, perching her sharp talons above the tombstone and gazing downwards. The raptor was distraught by her death, but even more so because that the same circumstances weren’t in effect for her as they were for Daiko. The bird had forgotten that not all were able to come back from the dead… and that it shouldn’t really be that common to overcome death itself. For all she knew, Esperia was gone for good.

What a strange friendship they had. Daiko had first gotten to know her back in Orchidia when he still carried the emblem of Lamia Scale on his neck. She was the one who taught him about Take-Over Magic, revealing to the oblivious boy that he too carried around a beast of immense strength within his mocha body. Ever since then, he had excelled in his training and improvement on manifesting this creature’s body through his own, becoming a Phoenix in human form with all of the amazing powers that it granted him. While he was able to escape the clutches of death, she… wasn’t.

Daiko had walked up towards the tombstone a while later than Alisa. He was no longer a twig, but the passing of his good-hearted pancake friend made him reminiscent of his past. He wouldn’t have minded her joking around with him or teasing him and making him embarrassed again and again… Alisa and Sofia did the same, and he had come to know just how precious those times were. Just how genuine their camaraderie was.

Nostalgia, guilt and an inability to have shared his power with her… Daiko’s face was tragic. Not a hint of light in those eyes of his. Not an atom of a smile. Coda’s chirps were low and horrible themselves, expressing her own sorrow in full.

“Coda… it’s alright. Let her rest…” he beckoned his avian pal, walking up to the tombstone and picking up the crying raptor who shed pure tears down his shirt. His embrace, albeit warm and clingy, proved not to stop her tears anytime soon… who knew that birds were able to cry that humanely?

WC: 378

The Demigoddess had been quietly considering her options for the future when to her surprise Alisa had approached the grave. Dressed in black the sculptress clearly showed a sorrowful demeanor, Revealing just how much of an impact her passing had on Alisa. When Alisa commented about not having seen her before, the question about whether she was a friend of hers led to a short pause from her, a brief smile lingering on her lips as she nodded her head lightly. "Something like that~"

Yet as she said those words another person's arrival made her feel a heavy pressure in her chest. Daiko and his loyal companion had arrived, and it was clear from just a glimpse of his face how much pain he was in. Just a little nudge and he likely would had started bawling.

When Coda landed on top of the tombstone and Daiko spoke to her, the Demigoddess shook her head gently. "He is right little one, even if one's soul departs from their mortal coil, they will always live on in memories and feelings. Isn't that right birdie?"

Yet as she smiled kindly at Daiko, it took a moment for her to realize the error she had made in her wording, her cheeks flushing up in the faintest hints of a blush at her mistake. She genuinely doubted Alisa wouldn't pick up on the mistake she had just made. And so she decided to at least use the opportunity to bring some comfort to Daiko. A step was made, and another till she was right in front of the lad, her arms gently wrapping around Daiko's back and pulling him in for a hug, one hand raised up to his head to caress his hair lightly.

"Don't look at me like that Daiko, a smile better suits a little hero like you~ Besides, do you truly think something like death itself would be enough to keep the two of you separated?"

Too many mistakes had been made in keeping up her disguise, but by now she no longer cared. Something within her being desired to comfort Daiko, to cleanse the pain and sorrow from him and to make him smile once more.

Huh… he almost didn’t notice the blonde at first. She appeared to be a passers-by, but given her words, she sounded more like a fellow. An old friend of Esperia, maybe… she must’ve been sad, too. Just like Alisa – Daiko could tell that she wasn’t in her best place, even if she tried to cheer them on. Coda felt warmed by their Guild Mistress’ gentle strokes and chirped silently, rubbing her beak and face deeper into Alisa’s hand.

“I… I’m doing well. Just need some time, and I’ll…”

He was struggling to get the last words in and sighed. Still, what the blonde warrioress said was true – he’d remember Esperia for the rest of his phoenix life, that much was clear. She did promise him pancakes, so maybe he’d even go back and bake some for himself. Y’know, to keep the memory alive.

While an embrace from Alisa was invited, he didn’t expect the blonde stranger to be that friendly with him. Did she… by any chance know him? She even stroked his spiky, black hair like a caring mother, which brought back some light to his eyes but also rose questions about her background. Had Esperia talked with her about him? Did she know him? For her words… honestly made little sense.

“W-Wait… you know me? You must’ve talked with Esperia a lot, then. Did she… talk about me?”

Unlike Alisa, Daiko was genuinely bewildered – who was this woman? She had… the same type of motherly, caring attitude towards him as Esperia used to have – like an older sister who just couldn’t help but fawn over him. “I’ve come back from death once, but… not everyone’s a phoenix. I wish I could change that, though.”

WC: 286

Esperia went quiet for a bit, her lips curving up into a sheepish smile at hearing Alisa's words. "I guess you could say we were very close~" The lass chimed, yet as Alisa continued to speak the comment about a sister made Esperia shake her head lightly in response. "I did have an elder sister, but she died when I was little. Although there is someone I look up to like an elder sister~" The words spoken by the blond-haired Demigoddess soon were followed by a tender smile as she tried to comfort Daiko and listened to the child's grief.

"You are on her mind a lot Daiko~ Whenever she isn't busy training or flirting with her wife, she likely would be wondering how you are doing."

Yet the explanation of the phoenix did make sense to Esperia. Although there had been a few cases of reincarnation, it was an incredibly rare feat to see someone return from the world of the afterlife, and so Esperia turned her attention back toward Daiko. "I believe that there are plenty of ways for people to return, and yet for some it might just give them a certain sense of peace~"

A momentary pause as she released her grasp on Daiko, instead crouching down in front of him. "But in the case of Esperia, I'm confident that even death couldn't keep me away for long. After all, a certain guild master did ensure I'd inherit her stubbornness~"

She smiled up at Alisa after which she turned her gaze back at Daiko and gently raised a hand to his cheek to wipe away his tears. "So instead of weeping, how about welcoming me back instead?"

Waiting for those words to be spoken Esperia added the last part with a tender smile. "I am so proud of you Daiko, you grown into a fine young man, and an excellent Take-Over Mage~"

She did for a moment look up at Alisa and spoke in a softer tone. "Do try to keep my identity a secret please~ Not all would be as happy to hear about my presence like you two would~"

Indeed, after all she had made quite a few enemies in her previous life, and currently had her hands full dealing with Hades and his nonsense. But that didn't mean that she didn't like reunions like this.

Huuuuuh… he wasn’t aware that Esperia thought about him that much. And to think that he was often busy with other things here in Hargeon and abroad to even catch up with her once in a while… man… way to regret it even harder now.

The next moments were a roller-coaster of emotions. The blonde warrioress blatantly stated that ‘even death couldn’t keep me away for long’, and Daiko was… beginning to shake a little. “W-What…?” It took several seconds for his bird-brain to register what she just said, and he felt like his soul was having an out-of-body experience while still in the blonde’s arms… the arms of the woman who claimed to be Esperia.

She remembered that he was a Take-Over Mage… so it was true. She-

Alisa’s feelings boiled over as she tightly hugged Espy, and Daiko was looking like a panicking child. “W-Wait, I don’t- I don’t get it! What’s going on?!” It was clear to see on his face that he was immensely overjoyed at her return, and he constantly wiped off running rivers of tears as if he hadn’t aged at all since the last time they met, “I thought- how’d you even- I-I don’t even know anymore… ESPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!”

Finally letting all of his joy out, Daiko had clung himself to both her legs and sobbed his heart out along with Coda. “W-What even… are you a p-phoenix too, Espy? Is that why you’re alive as well?”

WC: 243

Esperia smiled tenderly at Daiko's words, shaking her head lightly. "I am not a Phoenix my dear, that is a right that to my knowledge only you can claim out of all the people I know~"

Yet before she could say anything Alisa's embrace and the emotion behind it left her stunned for a moment, this alongside with Daiko's reaction made it difficult for even her to contain her emotions, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes, trying her utmost to remain in control as the others poured at their feelings. "I know, believe me I do when my wife ended up pummeling me straight into a wall upon my return, sure she was glad to see me when she realized it afterwards, but my back wasn't..." She chuckled weakly after which she resumed speaking. "I guess I should start with the beginning."

Esperia whispered gently as she was released from the embrace and turned toward the grave, her grave. "The body that was buried is indeed my own, the curse I got afflicted with ended up killing me and my soul passed on into the afterlife. Why, or how I do not know but I found myself stranded in another realm, a prison of souls, the realm of Tartaros."

She sighed gently, her gaze lifting to the sky. "It is there, in the Sevenese underworld while being at the whims of Hades that I made a new friend, the Demigoddess Cressida. She was taken away from her mother Aphrodite after an argument between the gods escalated, and Hades used a peculiar spell to separate the Demigoddess her soul from her body in a way they couldn't be reunited, and to taunt her he kept the body in Tartaros. Arrogance that would allow me to escape."

She smiled briefly, pausing her tale for a moment. "As you might imagine Aphrodite sneaked into Tartaros, trying to free her daughter and even as just a wisp I desired to help them. Yet Aphrodite is not a fighter, so Hades was able to stop her, but in the nick of time a plan was hatched: I would be placed in the body of Cressida to escape, allowing me to return to the world of the living, and in return I will grow strong enough, and rally a force capable of laying siege onto Tartarus, so that I can free Cressida and reunite her with her mother, who is currently working on obtaining a new vessel for her daughter's soul."

Esperia turned toward Alisa, her smile sorrowful. "And that is how I am able to keep my promise to Priscilla, and be reunited with you all: At the sacrifice of a friend and the occupation of her body. I do intend to keep my promise to them, a promise is sacred after all... But it is a task that will take some time to reach completion. After all for all his mockery and tricks Hades is still a Deity, and not just everyday foe to contest with."

Ow what? If she wasn’t a Phoenix, then how on earth was she still alive?!

For a moment there, Daiko overlooked the fact that other, immortal creatures did exist in Earthland. However, Espy’s case was a bit special, and she began explaining how she ended up fooling her own death… which she, technically, didn’t. She did die, that was confirmed by herself. Just like Daiko had once truly died… so perhaps, the term ‘immortality’ was loosely used here. Still, her dying was just the beginning…

Tartaros? Daiko had never heard of such a realm before, and it was certainly not a topic of interest among the members of Blue Pegasus up until just this instance. If she called it a ‘prison of souls’, however, that did give him a faint image of this realm – something that contained jail cells for a bunch of souls or that sort. Perhaps he was once destined to end there, himself… if not for the power of the Phoenix, of course.

T-There- wait, she said it was a Sevenese underworld-sort of place. Did that mean that only Sevenese souls resided in that realm? Was Espy Sevenese herself? Who was this demigoddess Cressida? What was a demigoddess, actually? A goddess of demisexuals? Given that the now blonde Espy spoke of her as the daughter of Aphrodite – hey, that was a name he recognized – it might’ve just been the case… but Daiko’s birdlike brain was struggling to follow suit. Where did… where did Hades come into the picture- oh, nevermind, dummy! Hades was like a death god, of course he’d rule the underworld. Everyone knew that!

So… Cressida’s body was jailed in Tartaros ‘cause Hades was being a taunting, little stain of poop, and… Espy’s soul possessed that body? The body of the blonde woman that was standing right in front of them was that of a goddess?

To kill a god… hold up-

“Wait, have you found any- uhm… a-any, wait, I don’t know any God Slayers around…” He was a bit worried; he didn’t possess God Slayer Magic, and from what Espy just told them, they were tasked with killing a god… without the actual means to… it wasn’t like they could just choke Hades to death, right? The god who ruled dead people must’ve clearly had contingency plans against any attempts at his own life, right?

“I… kinda lost focus, uh, what on earth are gods? No, seriously, I thought that gods were so powerful that nothing could harm them… but I didn’t know that they argue with each other! That sounds so human to do, so… well… how exactly do we kill a god? Do they bleed like humans? Do they breathe, or can they be choked to death? Can they feel pain, do they take any sort of damage, can they see everything, can they hear everything-“

*Peck!*

As if kicking a malfunctioning motor, Coda pecked Daiko into silence.

WC: 487