Osvald had been in a worse condition than he thought when he set out from Cape Cold, but he hadn't realized it until it was much too late for him to back down. The extreme cold weather all around him had closed in over the course of just a few minutes. He had already taken more than enough damage on the journey to the mainland, so when he was exposed to the elements for a few minutes too long, he was left too weak to stand. It was a miracle the travelers had managed to find him. He likely would have found himself in significant trouble if he had been there all on his own. 

Once Osvald caught up to the present with his story, he looked up at the rest of the travelers once again. They were all staring at him in muted shock. They had all no doubt heard about the horrific crimes that people had to commit in order to be sent to Frigit Isle, and yet, Osvald had been innocent. They had likely thought that he was a hardened criminal who was planning on bringing more pain to the world now that he had managed to escape, but that wasn't the case at all. Osvald was a criminal, but he had not been one when he first went to Frigit. He had only earned that title after he killed Warden Davids. Now, the world thought he was dead, and his only option was to continue down this path so that he would be able to exact his vengeance against Harvey. 

"This Harvey character... He was the one who truly killed your wife and daughter, yes?" Temenos questioned. "It seems as if there was quite a bit of corruption at play if you were arrested for the crime while he was standing right there."

"It sounds to me like he had the guards of the town right in his pocket," Throné agreed with a shake of her head. She was fiddling with a single leaf coin she had pulled out at some point, staring off into the distance with a muted frown. "He knew exactly what to do to keep them under his control, and he used them to make sure you were arrested in his place."

"I need to get to Conning Creek so that I can look for any clues of where he could be now," Osvald went on. "I don't know if he is still there, but the sooner I can find a path that I could follow to reach him... The better."

"Then how about you join in on our journey?" Hikari suggested. "We would be more than happy to have you with us. We're all on our own adventures to fulfill different goals, and... I think you could use the company."

Osvald didn't know what to make of Hikari's words. He could only assume that the warrior thought of him as lonely, though Osvald had never thought to consider it that way. He had been on his own for much of his time on Frigit, unable to rely on any of the other prisoners in case they happened to stab him in the back. Even now, Osvald was hesitant to trust anyone. Emerald had turned against him when they needed to stay together most, and Osvald was going to have to work through the consequences of that for quite some time to come. 

"I think it would be safest if you joined us," Castti chimed in. "You nearly died from freezing to death twice in the span of just a few days. I want to be able to keep an eye on you to ensure that your condition has stabilized as much as possible."

"And on that note, I think we should get out of the cold as soon as possible," Agnea suggested, rubbing at her upper arms frantically. "Maybe it would be better if we found our way to somewhere a bit warmer where we wouldn't be at risk of ending up sick."

Osvald was admittedly a bit desensitized to the cold after all the time he had been forced to spend in it, but he couldn't help but agree. He was a bit too used to the cold if the fact that he had collapsed into the snow on his own wasn't anything to go by. The sooner he was able to get out of the elements and somewhere a bit safer, the better they would all be. "Then we should head south," he said. "There are likely warmer places there."

"I think it'd be a good idea if we went down to New Delsta and spent some time there. It's not that far of a walk, and it's better than bein' up here in the cold," Partitio added. "I think you could use a bit o' time in some warmer weather after all that happened before."

"Are you okay with that, Hikarin?" Ochette asked, looking up at Hikari in curiosity. "I know we were going to go to Montwise after this so you could go and see your friend there."

"I would be happy to change our course if it would be safer for Osvald. If it would help with his recovery, then I think it sounds like a fine decision," Hikari said with a shake of his head. "It is more important that we take care of ourselves and each other than it is that we go to Montwise right now. We will make it there soon enough. I am sure of it."

Even as Hikari spoke the words, Osvald couldn't help but find himself a bit confused. Hikari and the rest of the travelers had only barely met him, and yet, they were all willing to change their plans for the sake of giving him a better place to recover. They were fine with altering the structure that they had been working toward for quite some time if it meant that Osvald would be back to his regular self again a little bit faster. They had heard his horrible story about how he had wound up on Frigit and the misery that he had endured there, but they didn't know much of anything else about him. 

Osvald didn't entirely understand how that could be enough for them, but he supposed he wasn't in much of a place to question it. If they really wanted to be this kind to him, then he was more than fine with it. In fact, he would go so far as to say that he appreciated the care he was already being treated with. He would have to find a way to make it up to them once all of this was over. Perhaps he would be able to teach them a bit more about how to use magic. They didn't seem to be too skilled or knowledgeable about casting spells, so he would be more than happy to step up. 

"Thank you," Osvald forced himself to say through the uncertainty and the doubt. As much as he wanted to say that they were making a poor decision, he couldn't bring himself to argue with them too much. The idea of traveling with a group this kind was simply too appealing for him to ignore. "I appreciate it."

"There's nothing you need to thank us for," Hikari smiled. His eyes were full of a kindness unlike anything Osvald had seen in years. In fact, Osvald would go so far as to say that applied to everyone in this group. They were all willing to spend time with him even though it could be dangerous. They did not seem to care that he was a fugitive who had been accused of such terrible things. They were still willing to take a chance to get to know him. It was more of a chance than Osvald had been given in half a decade, and he couldn't help but feel touched by it. 

But there was no time to linger on that thought now. Osvald pushed himself to his feet, and the other travelers followed suit. "We should get moving," Osvald suggested. It barely felt real that he was finally on the verge of leaving behind the chill of the Winterlands for an extended period of time, and yet, Osvald was happy with it. He had thought he would never be able to find true peace outside of the pain that he knew on Frigit, but if he was able to follow in the paths of these travelers... Perhaps there was something brighter waiting for him at the end of this road after all. 

Perhaps, for the first time in five years, there was peace to be found in Osvald's life, and he couldn't wait to see where it was going to take him. 

~~~~~

The plan was quickly adjusted in light of Osvald's condition, and the travelers instead decided to make for New Delsta. They hadn't spent much time in the city before since they had been making a beeline for Montwise at the time, but Agnea was personally looking forward to returning there. She hadn't said much before since she was so busy with trying to talk to Throné and learn more about her, but Agnea was beyond excited by the idea of staying in New Delsta even if it was only for a short time. She had heard all sorts of things about this city, and she couldn't wait to see what it had in store for her with her own two eyes. 

The heart of Agnea's fascination with New Delsta was simple: her mother had performed there before. It had been many years ago now, but Agnea had seen her mother take to the stage of New Delsta's largest theater in front of a packed crowd. Agnea had glowed beneath her pride and excitement as Cuani twirled, leaped, and sang her way across the stage. Everyone else in the audience had cheered right along with her, and it was a moment Agnea knew that she was simply never going to forget. It was too perfect for that, and she could only hope that one day, she would be able to do it too. 

Agnea was keeping her hopes as high as she could. She knew that becoming a star was not easy, and she would certainly have her work cut out for her. Still, it would all be worth it in the end. She knew that nothing was going to stop her from reaching the end of this path of hers. Agnea wanted to stand upon the same stages that Cuani once had, and she was going to work as hard as she could to make sure that she arrived at her destination. She had fought to find the money she needed to leave Cropdale behind, and now, she would fight to make sure she established her name in the world as a dancer too. She would be just like her mother, and everyone would recognize the name Bristarni across the continent for a second reason instead of only a first. 

Castti had given suggestions on how they handle Osvald's condition when they arrived in New Delsta. He had been in the cold for years on account of living on Frigit, but that didn't mean it was good for him to be exposed to the elements for such prolonged periods of time. It had done a lot of damage to his body, and he was going to need to rest to recover even a small trace of the strength that he had been forced to lose for years. Osvald was to be on strict bedrest for most of the group's time in New Delsta, and Partitio volunteered to take care of him alongside Castti. Partitio had experience with helping the sick and injured because of how long his father had suffered from health problems. 

So while Partitio and Castti were helping to nurse Osvald back to full health, the others would be preparing for the next leg of their journey. Travel up to Montwise would mean taking a plunge into cooler temperatures, and they were going to need warmer clothing. They had been fine for the few hours they were out and about in the coolness of the mountains, but if they were going to be hiking up to Montwise, then they needed something a bit more reliable. That meant the group's next job was to gather supplies while they were in New Delsta. When they went to Montwise, they wouldn't have to worry at all about falling sick or freezing. They would only have to concentrate on moving forward so they could reach Hikari's destination and speak with his old friend after all those years. 

Agnea couldn't help buzzing with excitement at the thought. She still couldn't believe she was going to New Delsta of all places, and she would be arriving with such a great group of people by her side too. Osvald's recovery would likely require that the group stay there for a few days, so that meant Agnea would have all sorts of time to explore the city and get to know the people there. She couldn't wait to see where it took her, and she could only hope the rest of the party was every bit as enthusiastic as she was. 

The travelers didn't bother with stopping off in Flamechurch on their way south to New Delsta. According to Temenos, it would feel wrong of him to go back so soon after he had bid farewell to Mindt, one of his coworkers there within the church, and he vastly preferred the idea of simply catching up with her over letters. Agnea wasn't sure if Temenos was being intentionally evasive or if he simply thought this was a better idea, but she didn't push him on it. If he wanted to talk about it, then he would discuss his opinions when the time was right. She didn't want to rub him the wrong way when he was already going through so much. 

After all, Temenos had just gone through something awful. He had only glossed over it when he was explaining his story to the rest of the travelers, but the pontiff had been his adoptive father. It was hard to believe that he was still functional after a grief like that suddenly rushed in to ruin his life. When Agnea lost Cuani years prior, she had been nearly inconsolable for ages. It had taken her weeks to finally pull herself together again, but Temenos was perfectly fine, or at the very least, that was the way he wanted others to think he was. He faced the world with an eternal smile, and Agnea could only hope that he was telling the truth when he did. She didn't want to think that he was pushing himself too hard after having already gone through something so difficult. 

Agnea did her best to rid her mind of such paranoia though. Temenos would talk when he was ready, and Agnea would have other things to focus on once they arrived in New Delsta. She knew that they were mostly there to help Osvald to recover from his recent ailments and to gather supplies for the next leg of their journey, but Agnea still wanted to try and enjoy this time in the city as much as she could. She was determined to learn more about the performers that took to the stage in New Delsta, and if she couldn't see them, then she wanted to at least hear their names. Ideally though, she would be able to see at least one show during her time in the city. If Agnea was going to do all she could to become a star, then she was going to need to see what others before her had done. She needed to understand how all of them had handled their own fame and their plans to rise to stardom too, after all, and there was no better way to learn than through example in Agnea's eyes. 

But first, Agnea was going to try and enjoy the city as much as possible. The travelers had not yet arrived, so Agnea decided to take her place near the back of the group, trying to plan out what steps she wanted to follow... Though she admittedly didn't remember too much of what New Delsta was like. Her most recent trip when she and the rest of the party met Throné had been very brief, and Agnea hadn't been to the city in years before then. She didn't know all that much about what New Delsta had become since she was last there to see Cuani perform, and it would be difficult for her to plan out her next steps when she didn't know what it was that she was going to be marching into town to see in the first place. 

So Agnea decided to the best person who would be able to help her to gather that information. Throné was standing a small distance apart from the rest of the travelers, though Agnea had come to recognize that was normal for her. Throné seemed to thrive in the shadows, and she disappeared from view most of the time when there was something for others to be distracted by. Agnea didn't exactly know what work she did, but she had heard that Throné was looking to get out of it to start a new life. In order to find her freedom, she had to get her hands on two keys. Agnea wasn't sure of what Throné was searching for freedom from, but she supposed she would be able to find out soon enough. For now, Agnea wanted to try and start up a conversation. 

"Hey, Throné," Agnea greeted, falling into pace just beside the dark-haired woman. Throné turned to face her, expression blank and difficult to read just like always. "You have a lot of experience with New Delsta, don't you? I mean, you lived there for a really long time before you joined up with the rest of us."

Throné hesitated for a moment before nodding. "New Delsta is the only place I've ever lived." Something sad swept through her eyes, but she didn't give it too much time to fester across her face. "Why do you ask?"

"I went to New Delsta once as a child, and that was when I saw my mother perform on the stage there. She was a famous performer, and she danced all across Solistia before she passed away," Agnea explained. "A lot has happened since then though, and I don't really know what to expect from New Delsta now. I want to see what I can do in the city while we're in town, but I don't know much about it now. I was wondering if you would be able to tell me a little bit more about it."

Throné hesitated once again, her eyes going wide in a tiny show of shock. She was quick to correct her expression again though, and she shook her head. "New Delsta isn't... It's not quite the shining light you seem to think it is. Like every other place, it has its dark side, and you should remember that."

"What do you mean?" Agnea asked with a small frown. "I want to be able to learn as much as I can before we go into town, so if there's something you think I should know, then I want to hear about it."

Once again, that troubled and difficult to read expression came to life on Throné's face, and Agnea's chest went tight. Why did she get the feeling there was much more to this situation than anything Throné could ever want to explain? "It's... It's complicated," Throné explained. "It would be best if you kept your expectations low going into the city. You never know what sorts of things are going to happen there, but it can go both ways. That can apply for the better and for the worst, and I don't want you to end up disappointed by anything that could hurt you."

Agnea couldn't help the way her frown deepened at Throné's words. The way Throné made it sound, it was like there was some incredibly dark secret waiting there in New Delsta, but Throné was choosing to avoid talking about it for as long as possible... But Agnea couldn't understand why. All of them were there to help each other on their respective journeys, but Agnea wouldn't be able to do that if Throné was so unwilling to have the help of anyone else around her. Agnea wouldn't be able to learn more about what would help her with her own goals either if Throné was keeping secrets from her. 

"What are you thinking is going to happen?" Agnea asked when she finally managed to pull together the courage to do so. "The way you're talking about it makes me think that you think something bad is going to happen while we're in New Delsta, but... I can't know what it is unless you're willing to talk to me about it. If something is wrong, then... Can you talk to me about it? I want to be able to do something to help you."

Throné fell silent for an agonizingly long time, choosing to stare at the dirt path just in front of her boots so she didn't have to meet Agnea's gaze. In fact, Throné stayed silent for so long that Agnea thought the conversation was going to end then and there and that no one was going to say a word on the subject again. Throné didn't seem eager to talk about it, and Agnea doubted she would be able to force her into it. The thought upset Agnea, and she wanted to be able to do something to help Throné to feel better, but she wasn't sure if there was anything that would help right now. 

"I... I want to stay with you wherever you want to go in the city," Throné finally decided to say, and Agnea stared up at her with wide eyes. "If there's anywhere you want to go or anything you want to learn about, let me come with you. I know we're all going to be left to our own devices for a while as Castti and Partitio help Osvald to return to his full health, but... If there's anything that you want to do, I want you to come to me about it first. I'll stay with you no matter where you want to go."

Agnea nodded. "I can do that." She wasn't entirely sure of what Throné was so afraid of nor did she understand why it was that Throné was so set on being with her through all of this... But she supposed that it was a fine enough compromise to make. She doubted she would want to be without Throné while she was in the city anyway, especially since Throné knew New Delsta so much better than she did. 

Still, a small voice of uncertainty pulled at the back of Agnea's mind, and she looked up at Throné in muted worry. "But... If there's ever anything you want to talk about, then you know that you can come to me about it, right? I would be more than happy to help you."

Throné stayed quiet for another few moments, staring at the ground like she thought it was going to consume her the instant she gave it the chance. "Yeah," she agreed, but the word came out more as a wheeze than a conscious choice of speech. "I know."

~~~~~

Throné had been hoping she wouldn't have to come back to New Delsta until all of this was over. 

If she was being truly honest with herself, Throné had been hoping she would never have to return to New Delsta at all. She would have been much happier if she was able to simply leave all of this in the past and then forget about it permanently... But unfortunately, the universe didn't care much for what she wanted. Throné understood why the travelers had made the choice to backtrack to New Delsta. Osvald needed to be somewhere warmer than the mountains, and New Delsta was the best option they could easily access. 

Still, Throné didn't like it at all. She had left New Delsta behind recently for a reason: she didn't want to stare at the city that contained so many of her demons and phantoms. She wanted to be able to walk away from the place that had taken Pirro's life along with so many others. Throné didn't want to acknowledge the agony that came with having to face the truth of what she had done. Pirro had died by her hand because she didn't realize that she was getting swept away until it was too late for her to hold back. It was all her fatal error, and she knew it well now. She didn't want to have to face it. She couldn't confront New Delsta again, but it felt especially impossible when she had done it so soon after all that had happened. 

Throné wanted to keep her head down and her eyes on the ground so that she didn't have to acknowledge the fact that she was back in the city at all. She would be much happier if she simply didn't think about what she was doing or the people who could have seen her. She didn't know if any of the other Blacksnakes had figured out that she was gone, but Throné was hoping none of them would run into her either. She didn't want to admit to what had happened, and she didn't want to show her face in the city again if she could at all avoid it. This was simply too much for her to bear. It was too soon. 

And yet, Throné had very little other choice. She had already made the commitment to join this group, and she wasn't going to walk away now. She wanted to be there with them. She wanted to feel safe enough to let her guard down around others. Perhaps it was a poor choice, but Throné wanted to trust them, and she wasn't going to leave now. If that meant she had to go back to New Delsta, then she would have to deal with the change of plans whether she liked it or not. She could grit her teeth and find a way to push through it. She had made it that far, hadn't she? 

Agnea wanted to look around the city. It was only natural that she did. New Delsta was quite the sight for tourists, and there was a reason it was so popular with travelers. On top of that, the city had a massive theater, and performers from far and wide had taken to the stage there. It was only natural that Agnea would want to learn more about New Delsta while she was there... But Throné couldn't let her do it alone. Throné had wanted to hide away in her inn room for as long as she could so that she didn't have to acknowledge the painful reality that she was back in the city again, but she couldn't do it. She refused to walk away when she knew that being in New Delsta was going to turn into something dangerous for Agnea. 

At a glance, it may have seemed like Throné was being paranoid, but she knew better than that. New Delsta was a cruel place, and while it shone like a star, it cast shadows that were every bit as dark. If Throné could do something to keep Agnea sheltered from that miserable darkness, then she had to try. Agnea was so young and innocent, and she didn't know that the city of New Delsta would have torn her apart and taken her spark if it got the chance. The Blacksnakes were not the only danger in the city, but Throné was hoping that she would at least be able to deter her former allies by being by Agnea's side. Throné had learned firsthand over the years just how excited many members of the Blacksnakes became by the promise of a pretty young girl who they could use in any way they wanted. She had experienced it for herself when she was younger and a bit less experienced in defending herself. Now, Throné was going to do what she could to keep that despair from reaching Agnea. 

Throné hadn't told the rest of the party the truth about what she was on this journey for. She didn't need to, and she was going to hold off on it for as long as she could possibly get away with keeping the secret. It was too much for her to admit to openly, and so, Throné was going to stay silent. She would defend all of them from the darkness of the city for as long as she possibly could, but the two most important people to protect in her mind were Agnea and Ochette. At the very least, Ochette had more experience in a fight than Agnea did, and that meant Throné knew who she had to stand by going forward. If she could protect everyone, then that would be better, but Throné knew which battle she had to pick first and foremost. 

Throné had seen the darkness of the world firsthand, and while she hadn't shared her knowledge with anyone yet, she was still going to use it. One way or another, she was going to protect Agnea. She was going to look after this girl who had the world in her hands and the sun in her eyes. It wouldn't be easy, but Throné had to make sure that spark wasn't destroyed. Throné had lost her light long ago, so the least she could do was make sure Agnea didn't lose hers too. 

It was not much, but it was the only work a woman of the shadows could do in a place that shone like the world's most brutal star. 

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And there's our transition chapter! Next up will be our first big chapter with crossover content between the travelers: Agnea's chapter two! I wanted to do a little bit of shifting gears before we jumped into it, so I decided to give you this chapter. I'm very proud of how it turned out, and I think it's the first sign of a lot of great things to come regarding the rest of the story. 

I have the rest of the story all planned out already regarding what happens when. There are even going to be a few periods for intermissions in between the rest of the major events in the story. I've got it all ironed out, and I can't wait to put it into motion. I really do love writing these Octopath novelizations, and I hope you all start having even more fun now that we're really into the part of the story where the travelers can interact with each other. 

Next time, we'll jump headfirst into Agnea's chapter two. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital