"Termina doesn't sound too bad... Isn't it an exact copy of Hyrule? We'll see a lot of familiar faces. It'll be like a blank slate. We can start over, and this time we can be the good guys," Arrika replied with a smile. "Unless, of course, you've already destroyed Termina in some way or another." That theory seemed very possible. "Wouldn't it be weird to have two Arrikas running around? Or another short, psychic kid with green hair, and both of them tagging along after a blonde mage? But he won't have a metal arm. He's tall and almost as handsome as you too, and he's the hero of the people instead of the great destroyer..." She trailed off with her fantasies.

"If it ever comes down to the point where we're sure the Dark will lose- promise me we'll leave as soon as possible." In the peaceful glade it seemed like the war didn't even exist, but tomorrow it would become their lives again.

"There cannot be another me anywhere... That is because when I became a Tempest, all of the life energy from all and any other versions of me is collected and forced into the one body... efectivlly making me immortal. That is how I cannot truely die... If I do, it just uses ne of the lives that was one of the other me to pay for the price and I keep living instead." Sovelis explained, looking at Arrika. "The same thing would happen to anyone who undegoes the Second Test. My first student here in Hyrule, Aria... he has only done the first test... so there are still many versions of her."

Sovelis smiled, and looked up at the sky again. "But I promise that we can go somewhere else if the Dark looses. But if they win, we might have to do something to stop them from devouring this entire world... before I loose my mind and everyhitng..."

"You haven't give me or Seth any of the tests yet." she replied, now pulling out the still warm apple pie and chopping out generous slices. "Wait, what happens if you use up all of your extra lives? Would you finally die? There can't be an infinite number of you..."

The dessert was so sweet that she was shocked and felt tears start to well up in her eyes. Who knew being deprived of sugar for a couple of weeks could get someone so emotional? Then she felt guilty- she found herself shedding tears over food when she gladly held them back when Sakiko had slapped her.

"Living forever with you sounds just fine to me."

"Well, in theory, There are an infinate number of alternate dimensions, realities and universes... So a Tempest can only die when they cut themslves off from this suply of life energy and let themselves die.... Or something so powerfull that it kills all of thir lives at once, or obliterates their bodies and devours their soul..." Sovelis said, watching Arrika chow down on the pie. He seemed so content here in the woods, alone with the one he cared about the most, just talking and enjoying the day. He reached over and grabbed a slice of pie for himself, savoring the sweet taste of the apples.

"Living forever, and leading a full life are two different things. I've been thinking about limiting my life... Eternity is a long time..."

"Well, you have to wait til I have my share of immortality too," Arrika said. She was full as of now, but of course she'd be starving again tomorrow. Nothing new, of course. "You should eat more..." She said insistently, holding out an even bigger slice than the one he already held. "You're not as used to being hungry as I am."

An idea hit her. "Hey, have you heard of Nicholas Flamel? They say he was the first alchemist ever. And he was from Earth! Which is weird..."

Sovelis finished his first piece, then took the second one from Arrika. "Nicholas Flamel wasn't the First to be called an alchemist, but he was one of the most famous. He was rumored to be the first to make a Philosopher's Stone."

He took a bite from the pie, and scooted closer to Arrika, a small piece of the pie filling on his chin. "But he died a long time ago. I hav a copy of his notes with the rest of my research material back in Rauru though." Sovelis spoke warmly, probably from the wine. "But it didn't help me any in my studies." he looked at his student, and smiled. "I'm fine. I want you to eat some more though."

"You need it more than I do," the thief said. "You can start with the salad..." She tore at another hunk of the chicken instead. She needed something warm and filling, and to her dismay the chicken was already growing cold. Her face was gaunt and tired looking now, but whenever she glanced at Sovelis a feeling of contentment spread through her. "So, have you gotten any commemorative scars to remember the battle at Rauru with?" Arrika pulled her sleeve up to her shoulder, revealing a neatly bandaged wound.

"Well, I had to replace the entire outside of my left arm, several cracked ribs, and a bruised ego..." he said, his smile gone for a second, but it came back as soon as he looked back up at Arrika. "You have a scar inside that won't go away. I'm sorry..." This time, his smile disapeared for good. "Its my fault that this all happened... that you lost your best friends. For what? A chance for immortality and a guy with a demon sealed in him?"

Sovelis flopped down on the blanket, lookin up at the clouds and the sky. "But if I'm what you want, Arrika... Then I'm all yours. Not one bit of me can be for anyone else at all... I'd go so far as to get rid of Sovel and my powers if it would make you happy..."

"We fought all the time anyway... We were bound to split up in the end..." Arrika said, lying next to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. A thin, delicate finger traced the outline of his jaw. "I never had many friends anyway. Thieves aren't exactly social butterflies, you know?" She sighed. "I want you too... more than anything else..." She buried her face in his shirt, hating the guilty expression on her face. The thief flipped onto her back to keep the tears from sliding down her face.

"Don't cry... please... don't cry Arrika." Sovelis pulled closer to her, wrapping his arms around her thin waist and hugging Arrika tight. "Thats why I've always been afraid of being close to anyone... I don't want to make anyone cry... especially you..." he whispered in her ear, trying to comfort the crying girl in his arms. "What should we do though... this problem won't go away on its own... should we just hide until the war is over?"

Sovelis sat up somewhat, still holding onto Arrika. "We could go to the south. The war isn't going to be able to get there unless the passes are opened again... we could live there until this all blows over." he said, trying to look into the Sheikah's dark eyes.

"I'm not crying..." she protested, although that was the worst lie she had ever told in her life. "No, no, we can't hide, they'll track us down and kill us... I don't want to die yet... not while they still hate me..." Arrika began to shake in an attempt to hold down her sobs and clung to Sovelis desperately. "I'm scared," she said in a choked voice, then furiously tried to wipe away the wetness on her cheek. They seemed stuck between a rock and a hard place; if they lost they would most likely have to go into hiding from their old friends, and if the Dark won their reign of terror would continue to spread all over Hyrule. A General like Sovelis and his second-in-command wouldn't be allowed to leave very easily.

"I... I shouldn't have dragged you into this... If I hadn't... then you and Seth could have been hiding in Tantari with the others who won't side with either the Hylians or the Dark... Or even been hiding in North Castle..." he gripped the young girl close, his own guilt tearing at me. "This is why I've been fasting... as my own punishment to help me atone for this all..." Sovelis let go of Arrika, and pulled up his right sleave. fresh scars covered his skin, all the way up his arm.

"I've been... cutting and burning myself all over... after a few days, it all heals up and only tiny traces show on my skin..." he said, dropping the sleave back over his arm. "Because I have to hurt myself for all of this... its all my fault..."

"Hurting yourself isn't going to solve anything!" Arrika hiccuped. It hurt her to see Kobas injure himself in a similar way all those years ago, but it pained her even more to see Sovelis do it as well. "Don't waste your time! It won't undo what you've done. You should try to fix your mistakes instead." Now the tears were poring down her face freely. "And it's not your fault- don't worry about me and Seth. Seth was at the shelter half the battle anyway, but he decided to come out of his own free will, because-" Arrika stopped there. Seth had most likely come just to watch her die.

Sovelis' head dropped in shame and self-loathing. "Arrika... I... I'm sorry..." he sounded meek, and small. "I just did it because... I wasn't thinking." his real hand lifted up to her shoulder, gripping Arrika gently. " I don't know what to do to fix this mess. Its almost to the point that I cannot go back and fix any of this at all. The other Generals would use you to get to me if I tried anything, or if the Hylians caught you, they'd do the same thing. Your my strength and my weakness."

His head lifted back up and looked at Arrika. "But whatever we do, I'd have to find a way to make you safe in all of this. either we have you do both the ritual tests... Or hide you away from all of this..."

"Or maybe- you were- thinking too much-" Arrika said, her voice high and strained.

Her sobs subsided and she finally regained control of herself. She looked disgusted, sickened, and not because of Sovelis's wounds. She had let her guard down and her emotions had immediately flooded over.

"You know I'd never hide," Arrika said, wiping away the last traces of tears from her pale face. That left only one choice. "When can I try?"