Ruy felt sick as he launched up from his bed, his eyes darting around in a panic. Dark cold room, cheap bed and clothes... he was back in reality, in the Castello. Ruy darted to the mirror, looking himself over.

But young Ruy stared back at him through the mirror. Mangled, beaten, tired, and scared. Young Ruy looked up at his elder self, wearing only a tired expression.

Ruy stumbled back, rubbing his eyes.

Young Ruy was gone, and older Ruy stared at himself, his back against the wardrobe as his breath came out as fast and inconsistent.

"Ignis, let's go!" Trix called from outside his door. Ruy glanced at the clock, noticing it was time to go scouting again. Ruy shrugged on his cloak, his hands shaking. Ruy meekly opened the door, swallowing down the bile in his throat. Trix scoffed, "What the hell is your problem?" gesturing to Ruy's pale face.

Ruy shook himself out a bit, "Nothing, just a nightmare," he whispered.

Ruy struggled to keep himself together as they followed the line of trees towards Inalian bay. He knew Allesandro, he knew Sophie before the Neverseen, before his world descended into black. A black that she would eventually save him from.

"What is your problem?" Dominique barked at Ruy. Ruy didn't look at her; he kept his eyes trained on his feet.

"Just leave him," Trix side-eyed Ruy, his anger apparent, "He isn't worthy of our sympathy."

Like Ruy fucking wanted their sympathy.

Ruy bit back his retort as they finally arrived, all of them once again taking off their cloaks and blending in as they meshed in with the busy docks. They were doing various things, setting up markers, traps, talking with citizens to seem normal. A few of the Inalians recognized Ruy, waving to him. He gave them a short wave, but he was never let out of the group's sight. They all observed the soft blue waters and various ships going in and out.

Trix sighed as he leaned towards Hathem, "This stupid bay won't fit them all."

Ruy stiffened.

"It doesn't need to. It needs to hold just enough." Hathem responded. Ruy's eyes wandered, mindlessly watching the passerby's.

But then his eyes wandered over a familiar face. The Fence from the Megara, who was scanning the docks. He finally noticed Ruy and called someone over.

Filomena came rushing to the Fence's side, following his finger as he slyly pointed to Ruy. He locked eyes with her, and she sobbed, her hand flying to her mouth.

Filomena, the Assassins. He could be saved, he could leave!

He had to get away from this stupid scouting party. Ruy took small steps away from the scouting party, slowly ducking into the crowd of Inalians. He slowly weaved and shuffled through the crowds. Filomena pushed through everyone, wrapping Ruy in a big bear hug.

"I thought, oh gods- oh my gods, Sai, Kynareth, Byzanthar, Palaemon, thank you!" Filomena sobbed, muttering the many god's names into his chest. Ruy glanced behind him, ducking down further into the crowd.

"We can't talk here. Follow me." Ruy whispered. Filomena followed in confusion, sneaking with him into an alleyway.

Ruy straightened and then hugged Filomena tight. Filomena was squished with all of Ruy's muscles, but smiled and hugged him back.

"Some representative from the Undergrounds sashayed into the Guildhall yesterday, late at night, like they owned the damn place. They said they had information about one of the members of our Inner Circle. We had to pay them an absurd amount, but then he told us you were sighted in Megara. Then, some Underground spies spotted a scouting group heading towards the coast, and came to us." Filomena's lip quivered, "Ruy, what happened?! It has gone completely quiet, we haven't heard anything from the Assassins or the leaders! Maria won't answer my calls, Alexios and Lia-"

"Listen, we don't have a lot of time." Ruy started. Ruy broke down everything that happened at the Conference, from the Dunmer-Vatarian alliance that was struck and sealed right before they were attacked, to Elrond trying to kill Sophie in the library, to him and Keefe being taken. Filomena was quiet throughout all of it, and when Ruy explained the Neverseen in the old Castello, she blinked away her tears.

"Could they be the reason?" She muttered to herself.

"Could they be the reason for what?" Ruy whispered.

"Ruy... Assassins have been going missing." Filomena replied. Ruy's nostrils flared, his eyes widening.

"W-What?"

"First it was Sun Wukong, then Fiona, then Cleo. And they have been disapeering straight from the Guildhall, no traces. Our men and women are scared and mad, Ruy. They are losing their brothers and sisters from their very own home." Filomena explained, her voice shaky. Ruy's mind reeled. He hasn't heard anything about stolen Assassins and definitely hasn't seen any.

"I'm going to fucking kill him!" Trix's voice hissed from outside the alleyway, the scouting group spreading out. Ruy and Filomena ducked further into the alley, Filomena taking a deep breath.

"We don't have that much time. Though I am worried, if you believe staying in the Neverseen right now is the best choice, then I trust you. What should I do with the Inner Circle, though?"

"I haven't heard anything, I'm still working on gaining trust in the Neverseen again. But things are sdifferentin the Neverseen, Vespera has kinda... not snapped, but changed. She wants to be in Inalia, she was wearing Inalian clothes. She has convinced herself that I never changed sides but I was mesmerized by Maha. She is creating excuses for me, and I absolutely don't know why."

Filomena blinked, "That's weird... Maria, Allesandro, and Leto knew Vespera in their teenage and early years. Vespera was exiled from Inalia just around the time Maria and I started dating. But from Maria told me, Vespera was never one for excuses, even when she was sane." Filomena took in a breath, "Ruy I need to ask,"

Filomena bundled up Ruy's hands in her own, "I know your mother was very cruel to you during your youth, I've seen you flinch away from strangers and the scars on your body when you train. I want to make sure you are entirely comfortable with doing this, I can't make choices for you, but I do need you to be safe for my own peace of mind. You shouldn't have to forgive Vespera for all that she put you through."

Ruy took a deep breath. Truthfully, he hasn't seen his mother since that time in the Castello dining room, but he no longer felt like a little kid. It is true, he doesn't like people he doesn't trust touching him, but he was his own person now. He could fight back. And now he knows the world isn't out to get him. People have been kind to him, he has been healing.

He no longer shuffles away from Maha's hugs, or hesitates to wrestle with Alexios, or stiffens when Sophie brushes little kisses against his jaw as she holds him tight.

"I'll be okay, Filomena, I promise." Ruy nodded. Filomena squeezed his hands, smiling.

"Alright. I will ready the Assassins for any news and I'll keep an ear out once they all come home." Filomena took a deep breath, "Becuase they are going to come home." She whispered to herself. Filomena was never much of a fighter, and Ruy often watched Filomena paced when her son was gone on missions for too long, or barked complaints at Sophie when she came home worse for wear. It was out of love.

"I will start looking for any news of the stolen Assassins." Ruy promised. Ruy snuck out of the alleyway, weaving through the crowds. Ruy heard Trix's voice cut through the crowd, slowing down his voice so the Inalian marketkeep would understand his Elven accent.

"A muscly guy, about 6'2, dark tan skin, black hair, looks like a bitch..." Trix trailed off. The poor woman struggled with Trix's foreign accent but nodded her head.

"It sounds like you are describing Ruy Ignis. He works up at Assassin guildhall in Renisanca, you are quite far away from there though. He is one of the high up members, so you might have some trouble getting to him. You should try talking to one of the lower members to rely your message. The Assassin Cleo lives not that far from here and Sun Wukong does a lot of jobs in Megara, this village a little further up north. ..." Ruy watched as Trix's face grimaced at the sound of Cleo's and Sun's name.

The Neverseen absolutely have something to do with the Assassin's disappearance.

Ruy slid past Trix and found Hathem and Dominque pacing on the entrance to the dock.

"How could we lose him?!" Hathem hissed at himself. Dominque looked like she couldn't care less, poking the tips of her fingers into the Grecian ocean.

"I wonder if they have the same sea critters that the elves do?" Dominque asked herself.

"Dom!" Hathem hissed. Dominique rolled her eyes, "What?!" She hissed. Ruy approached them, and Dom scoffed, gesturing largely to him, "There he is, quit having your panties in a bunch-"

"Where have you been?!" Hathem shrieked at Ruy.

Here we go.

"I just... I thought I saw an Assassin, and I thought they might have some questions about my nightmare last night." Ruy whispered. Dom and Hathem glanced at each other.

"Nightmare?"

Ruy was lying through his gods-damned teeth, "I had this weird dream of one of those hooded Assassins standing over me, her hand held over my head as she whispered things to me."

Ruy held himself, feigning discomfort, "She told me that the Neverseen were the evil ones. That I was one of them, one of the Assassins." Ruy rubbed his head, "It sounded like Maha. But that can't be true, she wouldn't do that to me." Ruy faked worry, "Would she?"

Maha barely ever mesmerizes someone if they aren't a criminal, she sees it as a violation of their privacy. And Ruy knows for an absolute she has never once touched his mind, neither has Sophie or anyone else. But to the Neverseen, Ruy was showing signs of relapse. As if snapping out of a trance. Exactly what he wants them to think.

Dom and Hathem glanced at each other again, their eyes saying enough. Ruy had them hooked. They then glanced behind Ruy, where Trix and the rest of the scouting party watched him. Trix glared, but everyone seemed almost convinced.

"Is that why you are so tired today?" One of the girls behind Trix asked. Ruy nodded, knowing that his tiredness was from recollecting his memories not some BS nightmare about Maha. But they all looked sympathetic.

"Maybe the Assassins really did-"

"Everyone keep moving." Trix barked at everyone. He got up right into Ruy's face, even though he was a few inches shorter.

"Don't ever wander off again." Trix hissed.

Ruy was starting to shift everyone's perspective of him. Everyone, except Trix.

Maybe it was time to get rid of him.

Nour gave Lilac a small pat on the head as she clung to him, hugging him, as Alexios caught everyone up on their side of the story. The minute the Elves and trapped Vatarians from Egypitnat were saved, Nour explained the plan he and Alexios had, and they got in contact with Fang Guanyu, Arsinoe, and the Governor. But now they were all gathered together, except, "Where is Lia and Mater? What about Ruy and Maha?" Alexios asked. His question was met with silence, and he swallowed.

"Guys? Has Lia really not shown up yet?" He asked, his voice shaky.

Mansi stepped up, "Amalia and Maha are still missing. We haven't seen Maria since the attack on Egypitnat, we originally thought she was with you. And Ruy..." Mansi had a guilty intake of breath, "Ruy and Keefe were taken by the Neverseen." She gestured to the Dunmer Royal family, who were sitting to the side.

Sarai had her head in her hands, gesturing over her heart, muttering about how "He held the dagger right above his heart". Dorian was trying to calm his wife down, but the tremor in his eyes revealed just how scared he was. Cato was by his mother's side, but Kalem was pacing, trying to piece everything together.

"They... they're gone?" Alexios asked, his voice meek.

They all stared at him, not answering. Alexios struggled to keep himself together. After the Fall of Inalia, his entire life changed. His best friend and sister was presumed dead, his uncle murdered in front of their entire people, and his homelands burning.

He will never forget the image of his mother cradling her brother's body, begging him to wake up. After that, Maria lost her luster for life, her vigor seeped out of her body.

Suddenly they were in hiding, running from one place to another. He had responsibilities before, but they were things like do the dishes or clean his room. But after the Fall of Inalia, he needed to sneak through the Neverseen run streets to find medicine for his mentally dying mother. He watched his mother struggle to leave her bed for days sometimes, Maria screaming in her sleep, crying out for her brother or her parents.

He always did everything he could, taking up more than his child self could handle. Alexios held certain hate for responsibility after that. Filomena was more quiet than normal after that, struggling to stay supportive of her family.

So when Amalia came home and took the lead of their guild, Alexios was thrilled. He wasn't dragged down anymore, he could do what he wanted. Amalia thrives in the role of leadership, Alexios not so much. He feels chained down, suffocated. Amalia initially proposed for Alexios to become her right hand, but he shot it down. She agreed, then extending the offer to Ruy, that is, after he gained their trust.

All he wanted was to live his life with his guild and keep his family alive. After Amalia came home, he swore to himself that nothing would happen to their family, not with his sister finally home. They could be happy again, a family again.

But here he was, without his mother and sister.

"Is this the young Morretti you talked about?" King Dimitar asked, crossing his arms while looking at Lilac. Lilac rubbed her eyes, waving weakly at Dimitar.

"She is tired," Alexios cleared his throat, trying to even out his breaking voice as he blinked back tears, "Do you have a place she could rest?"

"I'm okay, I promise." Lilac assured.

Alexios gave her a look, but Biana came forward.

"I actually need a break too," Biana held out a hand for Lilac, "Come on, let's go take a walk."

Tam watched her leave, but didn't leave his spot, his jaw clenched.

Lilac hesitated, but she took Biana's hand and waved to her brother as they left the room.

"Do we have any idea where they are?" Alexios asked, approaching everyone.

"Not a clue. But it doesn't matter, we need to make moves against the Neverseen." Governer Heinrich of Cariana explained. Alexios glared at him, not even bothering to hide his scoff. Alexios never really liked Heinrich, even when he was a kid. But he could never remember why.

"Just becuase she is your sister means we need to stretch out our necks to find her." Heinrich hissed.

"She is important to the war against the Neverseen, you don't even want to look for her?!" Alexios hissed

Fang Guanyu held up a hand, "The Mentore is important to Inalia and is a powerful ally. We overlook her and we lose our alliance with the Assassins."

Vincenzo scoffed, "The Assassins are a bunch of hazbins that have been harrasing people for what they belive to be the better good," Vincenzo glared at Alexios, "As far as I'm concerned, Amalia should have remained dead and left the running of Inalia to the actual government and not some vigilante criminals."

Nour held Alexios back from the Inalian Senator, the Morretti's silver eyes cutting through his blue ones, snarling at him. Everyone backed away, but Vincenzo smiled.

"My point right there." Vincenzo chuckled. Alexios shrugged Nour off, his fists clenched.

"Well excuse us, we don't want a corrupt biased Senate represnting all of Inalia."

"So I propose you think vigilante justice is better?"

"It's better than whatever the hell you are doing, murdering and-"

"Enough!" Arsinoe snapped at both of them.

Arsinoe was tired and scared, but she was still the Queen of Egypitnat, and her land was stolen right out from underneath her.

"Deal with your petty civil squabbles another time. I want my kingdom back, and if Amalia is my best chance at doing that, then we find Amalia."

"I think you mean you find Amalia." Heinrich cut in.

Arsinoe glared at the Governor, "Are you saying you won't help me get back my kingdom?!"

"We aren't required to help you!" Heinrich hissed.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you are one of them!" Arsinoe barked.

"How DARE you-"

The Vatarian leaders descended into bickering, Arsinoe emotional and demanding help but everyone else scared for their own territories. Alexios was keenly aware of Tam slipping away from the discussion and followed Biana. Alexios couldn't say he blamed him.

Gods, this wasn't getting them anywhere.

They needed to make a decision. And most of all, Alexios needed to make sure the Inalian Senate doesn't make their allies turn against them.

Man, after this, he is really gonna need a drink.

Tam approached Biana, who was sitting on the tile floor of one of the hallways, Lilac asleep at her side. Lilac's head rested on Biana's thigh, clearly not minding the scratchy Neverseen robe.

"You alright?" Tam asked softly. Biana jumped slightly but smiled at Tam.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you." She chuckled. Tam stood in front of her, waiting for his question to be answered.