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- A - Paradox The alarms rang in Ka-dymyrra as gunshots reverberated within its walls. “Squad 07, warn the Prince that we have an intruder; Squad 04, 11 and 13, barricade the exits,” an officer ordered through his mental transmitter, leading on his own squad across a warmly-lit corridor, the candlelights reflected upon the obsidian walls and floors. A shadow flickered, and the soldiers opened fire… and hit nothing. Then as swiftly as the shadow flickered, a male figure appeared behind the squad and opened single-shot fires in the backs of two soldiers. The leader and the remaining soldiers turnabout and faced the intruder, but he was nowhere to be seen once more. Letting out a grunt of frustration, the leader resumed his team’s advance. Three more shots at their back revealed the intruder’s return, and then a silence once again greeted the returning firing. Calculating the short amount of time elapsing between appearance, the officer signalled his team to advance forward, but

- A - The Library Madzistrale and Tom opened their eyes and found themselves seated on a leather couch, surrounded by three more couches that stood around a big round table. Madzistrale gasped as she looked around, and she leapt from her seat, jumping joyfully. “We finally got back!! Tom, it’s Belladonna’s Library!” Tom looked at the rows of old books and the familiar scent of the Library lying outside of normal people’s knowledge, deep in the heart of the city of glass where the siblings had once changed history. “I wonder why we’re back, though,” he mused. “We tried to come back here for what, nearly a year?” “Must be because now we know that Ysadora and Abraham are involved,” Madzistrale reasoned. Movements within the rows sparked their attention, and as they rose, Belladonna emerged with a pile of books in her arms. She smiled brightly upon seeing the siblings. “Madzistrale, Tom, what a pleasant surprise! Well, since you’re there, could you help me with those, it’s

† The Stranger of Holy Sepulchre It was in the soft blue light characteristic of a four a.m. morning, when the air was still and full of the scent of night flowers, when birds sang their daily morning tunes, that Godefroi walked in the streets. It was in early morning that he could truly feel the presence of God. It was also a habit for him to wake at four in the morning, since most armies tried to attack early, surprising everyone in their sleep. He walked toward the only place he ever felt like visiting: Golgotha, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Although most crusaders were attracted by the Dome of the Rock, by its pure gold roof, and the mosaic and marble details of the temple, Godefroi was attracted by the purity of Golgotha. But most importantly, it was the spiritual meaning behind the Church; it was there that Christ died in suffering for the sins of humanity. Godefroi could never look at any other building the same way he did then with Golgotha. It was 'the one'; the only