"Enough talk! Do the pactio when you're free!" Rickardo recommends, summoning up the pactio circle.

"W-what!? Without your Master's permission? You're a--" He didn't get time to finish and looked at Rose. However almost instantly as their eyes meet a spear comes between the two, piercing out of the wall they were leaning on, Rickardo loses his concentration and the magic circle explodes, resulting in a Blotched Pactio card, resulting in a badly drawn picture of Rose.

The wall crumbled and the red gargoyle stands atop triumphant as if it had already won.

Asana had never felt so much knowledge pass through her as when she was within the Gate of Truth. It scared her, that so much knowledge could exist in one place...
After what seemed like ages Asana emerged from the gate, mentally exhausted, not even noticing that she was back in the forest...

Rose looked panicky, but also flustered, as a burst of wind sends her flying away from William and Rickardo. "Eek!" She screams, blocking the attack with her crystal ball. She was separated, isolated from her friends. She had never felt like this, in danger by herself, however her old memories flooded her mind.

"I-I have to protect Rose..." William tiredly mumbles, trying to walk over to her, however a gray gargoyle slams its trident into William's shoulder, immobilizing him.

"Master!!" Rickardo shouts in worry sending a fireball at the Gargoyle's face, pushing it back. "We don't have a choice! You must pactio!!" Rickardo says panting hard, summoning the pactio circle up again. "This is the last of my magic..." He says.

Rie felt another rush of energies, this time of the more familiar pactio variety.
'Is he going to make a pactio? Again?? With who I wonder...' Rie thought to herself as she ran down her corridor, dispatching monsters along the way.

Rose looks blankly at Will. 'He's trying so hard to protect me... Ah... Like that time...' Rose thought to herself, as she rushes over at him ignoring all the monsters around her.

'Just like that time...'

She heard a voice.

“Rose! Where are you?!” A boy’s voice shouted out.

“Aiyah! If you’re here! Just shout!” This time a girl’s voice called out.

“I-I’m here!” Rose replies with a burst of energy, her voice slowly regaining, quickly rushing over to Will and Aliidan.

“There you are! Don’t make me worry.” William gratefully sighs.

“We’re pretty far out from the school you know!!” Aliidan says with a bundle of energy.

“I-I’m sorry for being a burden! Thank you both so much for helping me…” Rose thanks with gratitude, bowing to her friends gratefully. Times like this always made Rose smile cheerfully, no matter what situation she was in. The three rested together, under an elongated tree that’s slowly growing. The group talked had the most randomized conversations… As time struck roughly one-o-clock, they started travelling to school, following the river.

“I’m sure this is the way.” William nods confidently.

“Ah, you’ve been wrong before.” Aliidan snickers energetically. Rose nodded with a cute smile at Aliidan’s statement. Much to a small pout from William. A roar could be heard in the distance… A monster? The roar was a spine-shivering roar… The group met the end of the river, it turning out to be a waterfall.

“Should we go back?” Rose inquires softly. Her voice not nearly as croaky sounding anymore. William nods, slightly panting. Aliidan however was fatigueless.

“Aiyah… The roar we heard before though!” Aliidan warns, as they slowly and cautiously make their way back. About half way to mid-way, William stops the group.

“Do you hear that!?” He cautiously asks as thumping could be heard… Rustling from the bushes near them. Grabbing a nearby stick Will he stands in front of Aliidan and Rose to protect them. A tiger emerges from the bushes, blood coated its fine fur, and however this tiger had a unique look to it. Two fangs emerged down.

“T-that can’t be… A Sabre-toothed Tiger!?” Rose screams in fear. “We have to run!!” She adds.

“I-I’ll stay behind! You two run!” William chivalrously says.

“I’ll help Will!” Aliidan shouts, grabbing numerous rocks and throwing them fiercely at the Sabre-tooth tiger, which irritates it even more. It pounces menacingly, slamming its paw into Will’s sides sending him flying away, quickly knocking Aliidan to the side as well.

“Ah…” Rose trembles in fear as it stares her down, opening its giant mouth and its menacing eyes widen. Rose slowly steps back, attempting to get away however trips and is flung into the rushing river. Taking the opportunity, Aliidan grabs her staff,

“Electrica!” She chants as a spark attacks the Sabre-tooth tiger, sending him flying into the river itself. “Rose!” She quickly shouts over to her, however was too tired to move.

Rose gurgled as she tries to make stay afloat of the water. “She’s getting closer to the waterfall!” William shouts slowly arising wobbly yet, rushes quickly diving into the water. Aliidan herself rushes with her fast nimble body, sprints towards the end of the waterfall.

William quickly catches up to Rose, grabbing her and holding her tightly. She was light in weight… “T-thank you…” She coughs, starting to faint.

The water pushes them closer and closer to their dooms, as if the Shinigami’s sickle was impossible to stop. “Don’t worry! I and Aliidan will get you through this!” He smiles. Rose closed her eyes, dosing off as if she was already safe. As they arrived near the end of waterfall, Aliidan throws out a long rope of ivy, which William grabbed onto, working together they powerfully pulled Will and Rose out of the river.

“We done it!” Aliidan smiles.

“Yeah…” William nods happily. They were later rescued by the adults who had tracked them using magic, however… ‘I know… that I can really trust my friends…’ Were Rose’s last thoughts, leaving her mind at ease.


Arriving in front of Will, "If it's with you... It'll be alright." She smiles, kissing William fair on the lips.

"PAC-TIO!!!!" Rickardo shouts in happiness quickly creating a copy and throws it over to Rose. Will's face was blazing red, he didn't expect it to happen at all, let alone at this time. He quickly glances at Rose, she had a determined look. "......" William pauses, "I'll leave it to you." He smiles.

Rose turns and looks at Will, giving a slight nod. "Adeat!" She summons as her pactio card turns into a miniature slot machine and cards surrounded her. "W-what?" She asks as they're all consumed by the machine.

The gargoyle drew closer. Rose waved it around, tried to make it do something. Nothing happened. "Please do something~!" Rose whined as a card shoots out of it, that Rose quickly grabs. The screen on the slot machine lights up. "Say the name of the card to use it." It says.

"R-right." Rose replies, reading the card. "Card 1, Gatling Tarot!" Rose shouts, as a bunch of cards appear out, all of the same Card 1 and are sent flying towards the gargoyles, cutting them into pieces, pulverizing them.

"Card 2 UNLOCKED". The machine's screen says. Rose looked in confusion.

"P-please give me the new card." She says to the machine as it sends out a card reading: "Card 2, Real Vision", she summons it. A giant eyeball appears, as the surrounding area begins to crack...

Aliidan woke up in time to notice that everything started to crack around her.
"Aiyah!? What is going on now??" Aliidan asked out loud before something clicked: "This is all just a measly illusion??? How uncouth!" Aliidan exclaims loudly before falling backwards onto the ground in the forest.

Rie noticed an increasing amount of cracks in the floor and walls of the corridor she was running in. "So it was not real? How rude to put innocent humans in an illusion with dangerous monsters in it... I hope the rest are all right" Rie said to herself as the walls, floor and ceiling vanished around her.

William sits in awe as the world cracks, and soon turns into darkness as they are sent back into reality. Slowly getting up, his eyes were still blurry getting used to the sudden environment change. "I-Is everyone alright..." He asks.

"I'm alright..." Rose mumbles, realizing all her wounds had been rejuvenated, as if time just reversed. "H-huh? W-what about that!?" Rose asks as she realizes the pactio card was in her hand. She sighs with relief. If it was all an illusion, why was the card still there? A mystery... It might all be because of the illusion mage...

Asana was sitting on her knees, seeing something that only she could see.
"He took them... He took my tears!" Asana wanted to cry, but no tears came. In frustration she heaved a great cry towards the heavens, willing someone, anyone to give her her tears back.

Rie was feeling light headed, the illusion having done a number on her mental energies.
"Ah? I'm fine... I think... Maybe you should check on Asana? She seems upset." Rie said as she checked Aliidan (who was asleep again) for injuries.

Will walks over to Asana, "Tears? He took them? What do you mean?" Will inquires of her, it's best to comfort her now than later on. "I'll do anything I can to help..."

Asana locked her eyes to Will. She smiled sadly. "I met Truth, but nobody said I needed to make a payment for the knowledge... he took my tears... I can't cry any more. For good, or for bad." Asana said right before she latched onto will, hugging him tightly in her grief.

William gives a slight dazed look. "'Truth' took your tears...?" He asks, giving her a tight hug back, "Don't worry. You're my friend, I'll defintely get your tears back for you!" He smiles, giving her a hand up.

Rose smiles, "I think you can trust him. All of us will help you if you simply ask, you can definitely count on us!" Rose encourages. "Isn't that right, Rie? Aliidan?"

Rie and Aliidan both nodded in agreement.
"Yes, you can count on us, We'll help you if we can." Rie said with a smile.
The group left soon afterwards, not encountering any problems.

Rewards:

Will: 2 MP, 2 SP, 100,000 Drachma.
Rie: 2 SP, 1 KP, 100,000 Drachma.
Aliidan: 2 SP, 1 MP, 50,000 Drachma.
Asana: 1 SP, 1 MP, 20,000 Drachma.
Rose: 2 SP, 2 MP, 100,000 Drachma.