Rydia looked down at her outfit and frowned slightly; her clothes weren't as bad off as the ones who had been fighting close combat, but her outfit still was splattered in blood and the sleeves were singed a bit due to the power of her own lightning spell. The Caller poked and prodded her shirt before she went over to Decca's and began doing the same.

The elf smiled. "Rydia, what are you doing?"

"Your outfit..." the girl began, disappointment in her voice, "it's ruined. And I liked that one too..." Rydia sighed, then turned around in a circle before coming to stop in front of Decca once more. "Well, Jorhan, Rubin and myself aren't as bad off as the rest of you."

Decca's smile only widened when her eyes fell upon Kain, Valzer and Cecil. Valzer's robes were in tatters, though she knew well he had plenty more of the same at home, and he was busy voicing this fact to Kain. The Dragoon's clothes were much worse. His armored shirt was fine since he had thrown it off to the side during the battle and was now walking over towards it with Valzer. But his pants and other shirt were far beyond repair. Cecil's armor was scratched and dented, especially along his breastplate, and what little cloth was peeking out from in-between the armor was ripped and blood covered as well. Even Aeolos' beautiful coat was now red. Of course, all the wolf had to do was roll around in water and be clean again.

"Hmm..." Decca hummed, pulling on Rydia's arm and directing her to the rest of her comrades. "I can fix whatever cloth you have that isn't ripped too much," she told the ones before her, "but the armor is a whole other thing."

Kain worked his neck to rid it of kinks and pulled at his shirt. Unbuttoning it--though a simple tug could have very well removed it--he threw it over a low hanging tree branch and slipped on the armored shirt, which was in better condition. Kain looked down curiously at his pants. "Could you do something about these?"

Decca waved her hand casually. "You'll have to take them off."

Kain stared at her for a moment, then blinked away whatever blood and water was blinding his view. "Here?"

Decca and Rydia's laughter filled the hot air around them, and Kain realized she was joking. He rolled his eyes and pushed Decca's upper arm slightly, repeating, "can you fix them?"

Decca, still grinning innocently, shook her head. "I can only mend small rips like what Cecil has. You and Valzer will just have to learn how to sew." She glanced over at Valzer, who was now taking off what little was left of his cloaks and throwing them aside with Kain's other shirt. Beneath all his robes was a simple button-up lavender shirt and brown pants.

"Nah, that's okay, Decca." Valzer smoothed out his ruffled shirt with his hands. "These clothes are just fine. And it's less hot without those robes."

Rubin, now over besides the elf, was fussing over the scratches on her face. "I can make some healing remedies for your wounds..." The old wizard looked clearly drained and didn't bother suggesting that he use his magic, for he knew he was too tired to summon up enough strength to use it.

Decca smiled at the old man's concern. "You worry over me too much." She placed an arm around Rubin's waist. She knew he was tired, but she did the action subtly anyway. "Besides, you're the one who's tired, Ruby."

The old man's quiet chuckling came and he nodded, agreeing. "Yes! I'm too old, I'm afraid." Rubin always said that and everyone knew he didn't believe it himself, for Rubin was still quite spry for someone in his sixties. "But I can still battle with the best of them." He winked at Rydia and threw an arm over Decca's shoulders. "I suggest we make way back to Jorhan's hut. We can ready preparations for the rest of the trip still ahead and heal up as well."

***

The blue creature flapped its dragon-like wings; every now and then the dark clouds would part, allowing a little of the moon's light to gracefully sweep across the sky monster's blue scales, causing them to shine in an almost beautiful way. The creature loved the sky and it moved slower than usual just to relish in the warm, night air.

Its red eyes surveyed the world below, which looked back at it as no more than miniatures of their real selves. Then the creature stopped midair, its small, malevolent eyes becoming slits as it squinted. The Shrine of Amyl was below him now, in the shade of tall, willowy trees. The sky creature hissed and swooped down toward the shrine. Not even bothering to look around, its master's orders not allowing him the luxury of time, it dropped itself upon the stone steps and entered the building.

The creature hissed again once inside, and the hiss soon turned into a growl. Its master did not like the Light and because of that neither did it. But the only way to return home was through the shrine, which bored more Light than Dark. Creeping around the pillars and cracked floor--some dried blood off to the left from a battle between a follower of the Light and one of its master's own Dark warriors--the sky creature came upon Amyl's back door.

"Home..." The creature hissed, opening the door and walking through to the outside again.

***

Once home, Aeolos ran inside the hut and immediately sniffed around, howled and came back out again, sitting at his master's heels. Jorhan patted his lupine's head with his free hand, the other still holding onto his journal, and headed into his home. Cecil ventured inside, mumbling something softly to Rubin as the old man sifted through the knapsack for the herbs Cecil's wife had given him. Valzer went next with Rydia, followed by Decca and Kain.

Jorhan waved his hands and the dark room was at once lit with various candles and lanterns. Sighing, he pulled back the sleeves of his brown robe and placed his journal between the tomes of one of his many bookshelves. "Back home, my little friend, where you belong," he said to the book.

Then he turned around to his comrades, all of them tired, dirt and blood coated, and most likely hungry. "I'll prepare some food for you all. The farthest tunnel to your left should lead you to a bathhouse. You can wash up there. Afterwards, we will eat and I will see what I can do about your clothes." The monk disappeared into another room, supposedly the kitchen, and soon the clamoring of many pots and pans could be heard.

"I will lend him a hand. Besides, I will need a fire to brew the healing potions." Rubin followed where Jorhan had went, Cecil's knapsack in his hands.

"You know where I'll be." Valzer smiled, a nearly relieved expression now on his face, and he headed towards the bathhouse. "I'm going to soak in a hot bath for as long as I'm not disturbed." Kain walked besides the young wizard and they headed first into the seemingly endless tunnel.

Cecil glanced back to the girls. "Let's hope Jorhan can cook better than I can." He offered a faint grin to them, but other thoughts kept the Paladin from fully giving into the relaxing idea of a nice, hot bath. As he walked, he began peeling his armor off, mumbling about how Rosa would kill him for destroying his new attire.

Rydia laughed quietly and grabbed Decca's hand. "Let's hurry before Valzer and Kain take all of the water for themselves!" She pulled the elf along and was now practically running towards the bathhouse.

When the light grew from a soft, pale glow from far away to a bright, nearly blinding haze, the pair had to shield their eyes. After blinking a few times to clear their vision, the beauty of Jorhan's bathhouse was nearly breathtaking. A few feet away, Kain, Valzer and Cecil were in just as much awe. The room was the largest they had seen in the underground home so far and its brightness was overwhelming compared to the normally dull lighting of the tunnels. In the middle of the room was a large spring, sectioned in two by an eight-foot wall. Each side of the spring had water slowly pouring into it from rocky structures. Since steam was coming off from the top of the water, they could tell of the hot liquid that lied trapped inside. The water was not overflowing and was keeping at a certain level, leading one to believe that the liquid was draining somehow.

Obviously Jorhan had guests coming here more than he let on to believe.

Wooden chairs and niches with candles decorated the walls, and for more lighting in the vast room there was a chandelier of brass above their heads. On both ends of the spring, nearest the flowing water spouts, were clear glass bowls full with different assortments of creams and ointments. The ground below their feet was no longer dirt but stone and it looked as if it had been recently polished.

Valzer whistled. "Damn. I wonder if Jorhan keeps all of his rooms this neat..." The wizard shrugged and made way over the left side of the spring, involuntarily claiming it as the men's side. After Kain broke his gaze away from the ceiling high above, he grabbed hold of Cecil's arm and pulled him forward.

"I guess we have the right side." Decca made way to the spring, followed closely by Rydia.

***

By the time the group of five came back to the main room, Jorhan was already there with Aeolos, whose silver coat was once more clean. The wolf padded his way to Decca, who knew well the spot behind his ears where he liked to be scratched, and sat before her feet. Pointing his nose up towards her, he began to make whining noises and pawed her leg.

The elf laughed immediately and knelt down to scratch Aeolos. "Since I'm doing you a favor, would you be so kind as to do me one as well?" She looked into the golden eyes of the wolf and stopped petting him. "Go outside and guard Will and the other chocobos." Aeolos yawned, shook his glossy coat and trotted through the animal skins to the outside. Decca spotted Jorhan sitting near the tunnel that led to the kitchen, which was probably where Rubin still was.

Jorhan rose from his seat and motioned for the group to follow him towards another tunnel, on the right wall, nearest the one that led to the kitchen. Decca was the first to follow the monk and after she disappeared into the dimly lit corridor, the others went after her.

"I keep clothes in here for weary travelers. You'd be surprised how many I find stumbling along, lost and tired from the maze that is the Mysidian Forest. I give 'em food, a place to rest and clean up... In return they either pay me in gold pieces or good cloth and armor. You can choose from what you like. After that you can join me and your other friend in the dinning room, just beyond the kitchen." Jorhan stopped by the entrance once they came upon the room. His gaze locked with Decca's and he held it there for a moment before turning around and leaving the group.

Kain instantly went to the piles of clothes and suits of armor, propped up against more boxes filled with little trinkets. All he really needed was pants, so he went through the outfits until he came upon a pair of dark navy slacks. "Good enough..." he said, holding it up, then against himself to see if it was the right length. "Perfect."

Decca was at Cecil's side, using her magic to heal whatever little rips and stains of crimson were on his clothes beneath. There weren't many and soon she was done and the Paladin was sorting through the suits of armor. The elf went to Rydia next. The Caller didn't need any new clothes, for Decca sealed up what small tears she had, but that didn't stop Rydia from looking through the boxes of various trinkets. Valzer didn't need anything either, so he settled for helping Rydia with the jewelry and armlets hunt.

The elf though, much like Cecil, needed a whole knew outfit. So she went to where he and Kain were, looking through the armor. Cecil's knew suit was quite impressive. The armor was silver and went well with the deep purple fabric he had on underneath. Along the breastplate were designs in gold and scarlet, the same pattern was along his armlets as well. The Paladin glanced at the helmet, which bore that same design, made a face and then promptly tossed it aside.

Kain laughed, looking up at Cecil from his kneeling position over a box. "You never were one for helmets, were you?"

"Nah." Cecil smiled faintly. "They don't bring that many good memories with them..." he busied himself with more armlets and assorted rings.

After the group found whatever it was that they were looking for, they left the small room for the dining area. Passing the kitchen, dirty pans and pots stacked up in a bin full of water off to the right, they soon arrived where Jorhan said they would. The dining room was not as large as the bathhouse, but its size nearly rivaled it. There was another brass chandelier above them and a long, chestnut table in the center of the room, plenty of the same colored chairs surrounding it. Along the walls were framed pictures (mainly of oceans and forests), tapestries of various colors and glass covered cabinets, full of assorted cups and dishes. The five took seats at the end of the dining table, nearest where Rubin already was.

After eating what Jorhan had so painstakingly prepared, the seven lingered around the dining table, eager to plan their journey ahead.

Rubin lit his pipe and puffed out a few smoke rings before bringing up the first topic. "If we are taking leave come morning, I would prefer it that we bring some more supplies with us. The ones we brought from Mysidia are all well and good, but when they run out, who knows if we can refill them in Valqua."

"I haven't seen it in years, but last time I did there were plenty of towns along the way to the Kingdom of Curia. I hope they are still standing..." Jorhan sighed, reclining in his chair.

"Curia?" Kain raised a dark brow, then leaned forward, his left fist supporting his face and the other lying on the table next to his plate. "What's a "curia"?"

"The realm--the castle and the city around it--is called the Kingdom of Curia. That is where Queen Undene rules. There used to be other kingdoms on Valqua as well, but long ago Queen Undene brought them all together. From then on she was sole ruler of Valqua and the elves. She is a Wood Elf herself...and a very powerful one."

"When we get to Valqua we will need to see the queen," Rubin said, placing his pipe now on his empty plate. Next to that plate was a small iron bowl filled with a strange, orange ointment. "You said a war was going on when you left. Are you certain it is over now?"

Jorhan scoffed, his chair squeaking beneath him when he shifted to the right. "It's been fourteen years. I should hope it's over--"

Rubin grunted. "And how sure are you that the Light has won this war?"

The monk stood silent for a time, as if in quiet contemplation, then looked over at Decca. "I don't know. Maybe that is why I haven't received word to bring Decca back. Maybe the Dark won. Maybe Lord Akin is now in power and the Queen of Valqua is dead..." There was something sad in his voice and he lowered his gaze from the elf.

"No," Decca began, "she's not dead. I know she isn't."

Kain glanced to her, but remained silent. Jorhan simply nodded and Valzer shook his head, as if to dismiss a thought. Silence lay within the room for a few moments before someone else spoke.

"Akin... He is the Lord of the Dark." Rydia looked down at her plate; her reflection in the creamy colored dish was distorted. "Undene is the Queen of Light. Valqua is home for you, her...and Decca. Then what is home for Akin?"

Rubin picked up his pipe and puffed out some more smoke.

Cecil watched the group attentively, his attention shifting back and forth between Decca and Jorhan. Something's...a bit off with Jorhan tonight. Since he met the elvin monk he immediately deemed him strange, but now the King of Baron could sense something else in Jorhan that only Decca appeared to notice. Cecil also noted how he constantly watched Decca from time to time. Odd man.

"The World of Nymm. That is home for the Dark. That is home for Lord Akin." Jorhan rubbed his forehead, creases of weary showing plainly across it. "I'm sorry. That's all I can tell you about that world. Not much is known."

"You never did tell us how to get to Valqua." Rubin said, his words muffled by his pipe.

Jorhan nodded to the old man. "I will show you when we leave in the morning. The way is in the Shrine of Amyl. Amyl is trapped within the forest well, so we will have to search for--"

"We already know where it is." Decca interrupted. "We've been there before, when we were battling with Olvin."

Jorhan made a strange face, his hand shaking slightly. He hid it at once beneath the table. "Olvin? Olvin the Sage? You have met him? You've fought him?" The expression upon his face made Decca believe that he would stand up at any moment and the chair would fly out from under him, falling helplessly upon the floor.

She nodded slowly.

The monk's forehead fell into his hands. "The sky creatures were from Akin, that I know. But I didn't know he had already sent someone for you."

"For me..." Decca repeated his words, her eyes widening slightly. That's right. Olvin said his master needed me to open Amyl's seal... But it was opened. Why would he still want me?

"How long ago was this?" Jorhan's words spilled from his lips and shattered her thoughts.

"Months ago."

"He must want you to open Amyl's seal..."

Everyone within the room turned to stare at Jorhan--if they already weren't--once he spoke those very words. The monk glanced over each one of their faces. "What's wrong?"

Rubin smiled slightly, then shook his head. "You have lived here this long and you didn't know?" Jorhan watched the old wizard blankly. "The seal has already been broken. The Light Crystal has already been taken."

"Olvin got the Light Crystal?" Jorhan rose from his seat, the screeching protest of his chair sliding upon the stone ground interrupted the two's conversation.

"No. Decca did." Rubin corrected.

Jorhan sat back down upon his seat with a thump and sighed heavily. "All right. That's good. So why would Akin still want Decca?" He rubbed his temples this time, and then waved his hand. "We'll figure that out later. Show me the crystal. I'll tell you if it has been damaged in any way."

Decca's shoulders slumped forward, her long hair tumbling down with them. "I don't have the crystal."

"Then where--"

"I did have it. But...then I didn't." The young elf's brows knitted and she closed her eyes. "I was holding the Light Crystal within my hands, then it went dark..."

Kain slipped his arm around Decca, pulling her closer to him. "She's doesn't remember much from then on, but she was possessed by the White Light--by Undene--and then she sort of...disappeared." The Dragoon Knight's grip upon Decca tightened, as if she was disappearing at this very moment. "We think she was taken to Valqua."

"To Valqua?" Jorhan said the words with a tremendous amount of hope in his voice. "Perhaps this was the queen's plan all along. The war is over, the Light has won and Undene came back for Decca." A smile spread across his face and he stood up from his seat once more, this time the chair falling back to meet the stone ground with a very distinct thud. "Maybe it is all right there now."

"Don't jump to conclusions just yet." Rubin warned, watching the monk while tapping the end of his pipe upon his dish. "We don't know what Queen Undene's intentions are, or were, and we will not know until we arrive in Valqua. Don't get your hopes up, for they might come crashing down before this is all through."

"Remember the real reason to why we are going to that place to begin with." Valzer dropped his fork upon the cloth-covered table. "Jorhan, we are not going to fight your war. We are going to find Decca's past. That's all." The young wizard stood up and faced Jorhan.

Decca's hand reached out to the left of her and grabbed hold of Valzer's. At that moment Valzer stopped arguing and sat back down quietly. "Valzer, it's my war too."

Valzer closed his eyes and whispered in a tone that only Decca's ears could discern, "And I wish to whatever god is up there that it wasn't."

"I know." She squeezed his hand. A small smile came to her face when he squeezed back. Decca let go of his hand and raised her voice so everyone within the room could hear. "We might have to take part in the war, if it indeed is still going on. I want to help my...people too." The elf felt Kain's arm around her again.

"Well, I came with you in case of something like this, so you can count me in." Cecil smiled across the table at Decca, who mirrored the gesture. But that wasn't the only reason he would accompany them. Much like Rubin, Cecil did not trust Jorhan and didn't like the way he was constantly staring at Decca. The Paladin King's grin faded and he glanced at Rydia, next to him.

Rydia sucked in her lower lip and bit down upon it. "I'll be with you, Decca, you know that."

"As will I." Rubin looked over the pipe within his hands, then place it flat upon his plate, some of the tobacco spilling onto the dish. "For as long as you need me to be." He smiled warmly at the elf across from him, much like her father would do whenever she needed reassurance late at night.

"Then it's settled. We will search for Decca's past and if fate causes us to fight, then we will fight. After all, you are warriors." Jorhan picked up his chair behind him, stood it upright and shoved it under the table once more. "Come morning, we will travel to Amyl." He began collecting plates and Decca soon rose to help him, much to his protests. Rydia stood to do so as well, but Decca shook her head. Obviously the elf wanted to speak with Jorhan alone for a moment.

The monk, however, wasn't aware of this, his mind being elsewhere. "The middle tunnel on the back wall will take you to sleeping accommodations. Be ready to leave at dawn tomorrow. I will gather more items for our trip ahead."

Rubin's fingers gripped tightly the iron bowl that was next to his dinner plate. "If any of you have wounds that still need treatment I will tend to you in the other room. This may be a bit late, but the healing potion took longer to make than I thought it would."

They made way to the kitchen, but only Decca and Jorhan stayed behind.

***

Kain opened his eyes to the dull light of the candle besides his bed. There were eight beds within the room Kain and his friends were sleeping in. Of the eight, only five were occupied. He knew Jorhan most likely had his own room. So who was missing? The Dragoon did a quick count of the heads. "Decca..." Kain pushed the sheets off his body and swung his legs over the bed. The covers were still entangled with his legs, though, and he practically fell over once he stood. Cursing quietly, Kain kicked the sheets off him and looked around once more.

He had no way of knowing if it was dawn or not. Usually Rubin rose well before, but the old wizard was tired from his spell casting in the battle the night before, and he slept soundly in the bed nearest the door. Being underground there were no windows and Kain suddenly realized how much he missed Mysidia. Shaking his head, his disordered hair flying in every direction, the Dragoon Knight felt around the floor next to his bed for his boots. Shoving them on his feet while reaching for his shirt and armlets, Kain fumbled his way out of the room. He risked one last glance behind him to his sleeping comrades and then closed the door as silently as he could. Slipping on his shirt quickly and fastening his armlets, he spotted a torch on the wall to his right. Kain watched the torch glow for a few moments before he wrapped his strong fingers around the wooden end and pulled it from off its holder on the wall.

The way before him was dimly lit, just as his room had been, but now with his torch and his eyes adjusting to the darkness Kain could see much better the way back to the entrance. The tunnel wrapped around curves and bends that Kain did not remember being there last night, perhaps because he was so tired. After awhile he began to think he was lost, but then he saw the faint light of the sun filtering in from the many slits in the foyer's walls and roof. The familiar animal skinned door allowed in the most light, for the skins were no longer draped over the entrance, but tied to the side. The cool air of dawn brushed passed Kain and cause his strands of hair to tickle his tanned face.

Kain went back to the tunnel he had just came from and stuck the torch in one of the holders. Stepping outside, Kain breathed in the fresh air of a new day. The sky was a soft blue, pink and orange splashed across the horizon, and the world around him was covered in a faint light. The beautiful golden sun rose gingerly in the eastern sky; it would still be some time before morning's light would brighten his surroundings.

Then he saw her, over by the chocobos with Aeolos running around by her feet. Jorhan was there too and the clearing of trees above them allowed even more of the pale light to shower the elves. Decca laughed when Will's feathers tickled her and she scratched the white bird's neck. Kain felt his lips quirk into a small smile. She was so beautiful there, under the sun, smiling and laughing, a wolf and six chocobos padding around her. Decca looked as if she was in her element. She looked truly happy. Kain leaned on the trunk of an oak and watched her quietly.

Decca raised her hand to shield the sun from her eyes. Under the dawn's light Kain could see her much better than in the shadows of the forest. Her skin was a richer shade of gray-blue, darkened from her time in the sun. Her frosty pink hair stood out against her flesh, like white clouds against a bright cerulean sky, and it blew back from off her shoulders, billowing out behind her. When she turned around, her emerald eyes shimmered brightly, like the world around her now, like the sun against a rippling pond.

Decca's pants were soft leather and looked as if it was made up entirely of straps, ranging from a mahogany color to a dark chocolate. Her breastplate was a rich brown with designs in a lighter shade strewn across. Beneath the armor was a soft, blue fabric with more patterns of sky blue stitched into it. The breastplate and the blue cloth both came to a few inches above her stomach, her skin there bare and exposed to the sun. Only Decca's left shoulder was clad in armor, the same color as the breastplate, and the other was as bare as her stomach. Both her arms were covered in the same blue fabric as under the armored shirt and from her elbows to her wrists were dark brown vambraces.

Jorhan still had on his brown robe, his hood down and his hair brushed to the side, revealing his strange eyes and delicately pointed ears. He shooed away the chocobos and told Aeolos to go and watch them. The silver wolf obeyed his master and left Decca's side almost hesitantly, his silver fur shining under the separated light from the trees.

"Decca," Jorhan began, looking down at the elf, now sitting upon the soft grass. "There are many different magics around us than just the simple White and Black. Wizards on Earth are trained to separate magic into two categories: the combat magic, Black Magic, and the healing magic, White Magic." He held out his hand to her. "I will teach you the ones that only the elves of Valqua know."

Decca took his hand without faltering and pulled herself up from the dew-dampened ground. Brushing some fallen leaves and stray grass off her, she asked, "What other magic is there?"

"The magic you use, the different spells you have been taught, are only part of what magic is. Such knowledge of this on Earth left with the elves." The monk raised his hands slowly into the crisp morning air around them. "There is magic in the air, it swirls around you like the soft breeze. There is magic in the Earth itself, in the ground you walk upon, in the trees above us, in every living thing." Jorhan glanced to Aeolos, playing with Will and the other chocobos. "Even in a wolf and a chocobo." He closed his eyes, which Decca soon did as well. "Magic is within you. No doubt you have been taught how that magic is to be pulled from inside you, from your very soul, harvested and then transported to your fingertips. I'm sure the elders of your wizards have shown you well that this magic can be taken from certain magical trinkets, such as weapons, rings, necklaces and whatnot."

Decca nodded quietly, not quite sure if Jorhan knew she even did.

"It's not just in these things you can pull power from. Decca, you and I are different from these humans. We can call power from the animals, the trees, the earth and the skies. On Valqua there is no such thing as Black and White Magic, only magic itself. Soon, I will teach you things that you never knew possible..."

Never knew possible... Kain watched with renewed interest. Was that how Decca brought me back from near death? There were some skilled wizards scattered about Earth who could heal a mortally wounded man on the brink of his demise, but there were none that could bring him back from death's awaiting hands. Is that how Decca did it? With her...other magic? Since Decca presumably saved Kain from death, on how she did it had been troubling him. And he was certain it had been troubling everyone else as well. How can you bring someone back from the dead?

Somehow Decca did.

It had happened so fast, all a mere blur to Kain now. And that was probably the reason why she was able to save Kain; she ran to him, she healed him almost as fast as he had fallen. But from that time on Decca never again had used that other magic. Maybe she couldn't. Perhaps bringing Kain back that day exhausted her powers. In fact, he hadn't seen Decca use her magic since then, other than a simple spell here and there.

Kain didn't like it. He never found magic to be useful; weapons were the way to fight a battle, not sorcery. Now that magic was becoming an increasing part in Decca, he began to almost resent it. The last thing he wanted to see was the women he loved being swept away by it, being consumed by it. Kain wouldn't let that happen.

No... Kain closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, afraid that Decca might leave his sight if he kept them closed. I won't lose you a second time. The Dragoon Knight continued to watch Jorhan and Decca from his place besides the tree.