"If it's all right with you, may we go straight to Toto?" Jowy asked.

"The sooner we get to Muse, the better." Young Master McDohl glanced back at the Highland soldiers before turning to smile at Jowy. It had been some time before he felt so alive. It was the adventure he missed from the days of the Toran War.

Stretching a little, he glanced around Ryube Village. He liked how it looked, being a simple mountainside town. But for a small town, it was certainly active. A trio of circus performers were setting up and a strange samurai was face down near the inn. What a world we lived in.

"Okay. Let's go to Toto."

The trek to Toto was surprisingly monsterless. Along the way, the soldiers collapsed, half from exhaustion half from nervousness being around McDohl. Jowy and McDohl had to drag them along.

"Sorry about this." Jowy apologised. "Are you going anywhere in particular?"

"Well, I WAS going to go home...."

And thus, McDohl started to relate everything that's happened to him from the last two years, from Viki's teleporting - to Vincent's little appearance in the Highland capital.

"...but, with the current situation, I think I should stick with you."

"I see. You must have had an interesting time." Jowy smiled. "Toran is a long way south from here. Are you sure you're up to that?"

McDohl fixed Jowy with a stare that could only read: "Were you even LISTENING to my story?"

"I was I was. It was a joke!" Jowy protested.

"Sorry, I've been walking so long . . . . . . I don't think I can even remember what a horse looks like." McDohl smirked a little, apologizing for scaring Jowy.

"I wonder if the horses ever want to ride us since we ride them so much..." Jowy said distantly. He noticed McDohl staring at him strangely.

"Ah, anyway, look! We're almost at Toto village!" Complimenting Jowy's words, a small village came into the clearing. It was a tiny, run down place with a friendly atmosphere. Even from their position they could hear children's playful laughter.

"Hey, that's a nice town." McDohl regarded the small town with a grin. It was walled; that was smart. And it seemed so . . . untouched by war. This place was relaxing to the heart.

"Why are we stopping here, anyway?"

"I don't know..." Jowy said, a little dazed. "I thought I heard someone calling."

"Wai! It's Uncle Jowy!" a little girl cried.

"Uncle Jowy! You're here! Yay!!"

What seemed like a hundred children flocked to the blond haired boy, nearly flooring him. Joey laughed, greeting each one.

"Uncle Jowy, you just missed your brother." said a little boy. "He left a few hours ago."

"Why, who are all these nice kids?"

McDohl watched all the children crowd around Jowy and nearly knock him around. He looked around the town while poor Jowy was attempting to detach himself.

It was filled with children. Either this place was the orphanage of the City States of Jowston, or the people here breeded like rabbits.

He was even more happy that the war hadn't reached this town. No casualty is more mourned than that of an innocent life taken in it's prime.

"Someone....help?" Jowy's muffled voice begged. All that was visible of him was a pathetic hand reaching out from the gigantic pile of children.

"Dinner time!" a chorus of parents called.

The children detatched from Jowy and ran into their homes. Faster than a blink they had all disappeared, leaving Jowy gasping for breath.

"Sorry about that." Jowy apologised to McDohl.

"My brother and I come to Toto village often. The children are really nice once you get to know them."

'Jowy....'

"Did you say something, McDohl?"

"Me? Nope."

"I thought I heard something..." Jowy looked in the direction of a small shrine. It's locks were unbolted and the door was left wide open.

"That's odd. The shrine's open. Probably someone broke the lock today."

"Shrine? " McDohl looked confused. "That's a shrine? Looks like a storehouse."

"It's a shrine. No one is allowed to say what's in there. Now that it's open and no one is around, shall we check what's inside?"

"Jowy, if people aren't supposed to go inside, why should we?" McDohl looked nervous. The Soul Eater was itching.

"I don't know..." Jowy felt his heart pulling him in that direction.

'Come here...'

"Well, I'm curious to see what's inside. We won't stay there for very long." Jowy said nervously.

"Jowy, this is your show, but I am doing this under protest."

McDohl followed Jowy to the shrine. The whole time, the Soul Eater itched more and more. He was starting to sweat. What was IN that shrine?

The shrine appeared to be nothing more than a cave dimly lit by two torches. A large stone laid at the end. An inscription was engraved on it. As if in a trance, Jowy walked over, tracing his fingers over the carved writing.

"McDohl...do you want to come and look at this?"

McDohl walked towards the tablet, looking curious. The tablet was written in a strange language and when McDohl ran his fingers over the letters, the rune on his hand started to glow.

The Soul Eater symbol spiralled into the air and both McDohl and Jowy vanished. The guards stood there, dumbfounded.

"............"

"I don't know how we're going to report this...."

~War tore this world apart.~

~What do you desire most from this end?~

~Peace...~

~Can you?~

~Will you be able to make ends meet?~

The blackness became clear. And they awoke. Jowy found himself in what seemed to be another section of the cave. McDohl was beside him, clutching his right hand in pain.

"Are you all right?" Jowy asked, alarmed.

After a few select swear words later, McDohl slowly blinked his eyes open and looked up at Jowy. His face turned red and he stood, shaking his hand like he had recieved an electric shock.

"I'm fine. . . .sorry. Where. . . . where are we?"

McDohl looked around. The cave was lit by lanterns, but there were no ways back. How did they stay lit?

"I don't think we're in Toto anymore, Kansas." Jowy muttered.

A brilliant flash appeared before the two boys. The light materialised into a lady whos young appearance betrayed her much older age. She was clad in a hooded robe. Her face was peaceful, yet sad, for she could see much father beyond what most cannot.

"You have arrived at the gates of destiny." she spoke.

"Leknaat?"

Leknaat smiled. "It has been awhile, McDohl."

"Yes, it has. We left Luc at the lost and found for you. You never came to pick him up."

McDohl seemed a tad upset on that fact. Luc was a great ally, but by God, he was obnoxious.

"Luc is on a task of destiny." said Leknaat. "I am here to speak to young Jowy."

"Me?" Jowy asked, confused. His heart was racing but he didn't know why.

Leknaat gently took Jowys hand in her's. "Jowy, destiny is about to stir. War, pain, and suffering, will begin again. Please, Jowy. Don't let that happen."

Jowy felt strange. A warm feeling entered his hand as if an object entered inside. His hand tingled. Something was definately inside. A rune? He had never felt a rune this powerful before.

Leknaat released his hand and stepped back. Jowy saw McDohl clutching his hand.

"McDohl! Are you all right?" he cried, running to him.

"I'm fine......" McDohl gritted his teeth, glaring at Leknaat. "Just a flashback."

"The rune you have received is called the Dark Sword Rune." Leknaat explained. "It is half of the Beginning Rune. The other half, the Shining Shield Rune, has not found its owner. Do what's in your power to stop this war."

There was a flash. Jowy and McDohl shielded their eyes. When they looked up, they saw the two guards frightened as usual.

"Well . . . that was interesting. . . . "

McDohl looked around. They were standing outside the shrine. Looks like Leknaat was sucking another poor youth into the legend of the 108 stars of destiny. McDohl swore. . . that girl needed to date more.

Then again, who knows what she did alone on that island with Luc. McDohl shuddered a little.

Jowy stared at his right hand. On the back was an image shaped like a black sword.

"That was interesting..." said Jowy. "Shall we go to Muse tonight or camp here in Toto?"

"I dunno . . . " McDohl looked around. Luc was probably lurking about with a huge tablet to hand Jowy.

"Maybe we should just move on."

Jowy shrugged. "All right."

The two boys exited the cave. Outside a large crowd of childrem were waiting for them .