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Fallen Embers	By : FlayraDowitcher Category: +G to L > Hetalia: Axis Powers Views: 1774 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. I am making no money off of this fic.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
***Warnings: Language, minor violence, minor molestation

***Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. I am making no money off of this fic.

Chapter 6

Alfred jerked awake after Ivan suddenly disappeared from his dream. He glanced around the room searching for the ghost, hoping Ivan was there. He whispered the name softly, but the other did not appear. He glanced out the window next, seeing as it was still dark. Ivan had mentioned leaving the earth at sunrise and coming out during the night. Yet he was not here with him. Alfred wondered if something had happened to him. When he tried to sit up, the room began to spin and it flopped him back down onto the bed. Alfred covered his eyes with his hands and groaned, feeling all the symptoms of the common cold. He was sick, and he wasn't the happiest patient either.

'I don't have time to think about Ivan right now.' Alfred said to himself, rolling back into his cocoon sheet. 'Head hurts…he'll come back…tomorrow night.'

Night had come, yet Ivan found himself still bound in the chains. His back, now heavy and bleeding from split flesh, did not concern him. Ivan wanted to know where Alfred was, and if the man was alright. Alfred should have been here by now. It finally occurred to him that Alfred had said he was not feeling good, so maybe his love had fallen ill. If Alfred was indeed sick with fever, then it left him open to attacks from those monsters. If Alfred was confined to his bed, then he was unable to step outside and come to the statue. 'I must get to him! I have to protect him!'

Ivan started pulling at the chains as he had done many times before. The iron chains remained strong, unwilling to break or bend. Still, he pulled and tugged like a wild bound animal. He let his grunts of frustration be heard in the empty darkness, not caring if the God of Winter came to scold him. Eventually, his strength had left him with limp, aching limbs. His flesh had been rubbed raw and bloody from the shackles. Now the rest of his body matched his back. Uncaring of the pain, Ivan rolled onto his back and looked up at the black nothingness. 'Alfred. My Light. This time I have failed you. I cannot break these chains that want to forever bind me from you. I can only hope that you will come soon.'

Suddenly, the black sky began to open up with a circle of white and a pair of red eyes beamed down at his laden form. Ivan's eyes widened when the form came in to view. It was one of the old angels, completely featureless save for eyes, arms, and legs. Its wings were ripped and torn. Ivan spoke in the old tongue. 'Look at you. What a pathetic being you have become. Crawling around on your bellies like the useless shit-eaters you are!'

In a deep hissy voice the being responded. 'Yet we are not bound helplessly in chains like you…where all mortals belong.'

'I am a mortal no longer.'

'Yet your heart remains human.'

'Only for my Light, not for anything else.'

'Soon your human will be no more. We are going to feast on him.'

Ivan's eyes widened, and then narrowed. 'What do you mean 'feast'?'

The being continued to slide and crawl on its belly. 'So long we have been forgotten by the mortal world. Our shining angel's life force is the source we need to regain our power and beauty. Once we properly obtain it, then Sun Angels will rule the world and sky once again!'

Ivan grinned manically at the being above him, giving out an eerie laugh before speaking. 'That will never be. I will never let you or any other come to harm my Light. You may look down on me now, but soon you will be looking up at me as I tear the bones from your body. You will never fly freely through the blue skies again.'

'Ah, but you cannot escape those binds unless your precious Light is here to free you. Tell me, where is our little Sun Angel now?'

Ivan glared. "He is not your 'Sun Angel', he is mine. I am his everything. I am all he needs.'

'Are you certain of that?' The being gave a throaty laugh and disappeared, making the sky turn black once again.

Ivan growled dangerously and sat up, looking down at the shackles around his wrist. In his eyes, the iron was beginning to glow bright red against his skin. These were what was holding him back from protecting his Light. He first gripped at them with opposite hands and attempted to pull them off. When they did not budge, he felt his mouth curl into a grin and he giggled. Immune to the pain, Ivan barely noticed how he was dragging his nails along the iron. Bits of the nails scraped while one or two popped off. He couldn't stop giggling at the blood dripping to the floor. "No one will take him from me! No one! The sky will rain with their blood!"

'What foolish words you speak.' Ivan turned to see the God of Winter coming towards him. 'Never will you achieve such a high goal. You do not have the power or the strength to do it. There is still ONE ancient god that is resting deep within the earth. The god that sired and killed your angel.'

Ivan glared, his eyes turning red. "That god…!"

'Should they all return to their true forms they can resurrect the Sun God. Should that happen, you will become nothing. Dust in the wind. Forever sleeping in an endless darkness. No more than a moment's thought. A lost memory. No one would miss you.'

Ivan looked upon his god and captor, remembering the words spoken not so long ago; the frightening statement that Alfred may not want to be in love with him. Alfred may not want what Ivan wants. Ivan understood that his feelings were still as strong and as fresh the day Light was taken from him. His Alfred was brought up in a whole different world without the gentle feelings of his angel counterpart. The world has changed over the centuries, and Alfred with it in each past life. Perhaps there was some truth in the old god's words. 'I was born alone. I lived alone. And I will die alone. Nothing to no one.' He closed his eyes for a moment and saw an image of Alfred's face looking sorrowful. The image faded into a shining pair of golden wings and two arms coming out towards him, as if to catch or embrace. His eyes shot open.

"NO!"

'What did you say?'

Ivan stood up with the heavy chains weighing him down. "He will learn to love me again! He may even regain his memories! If those bastards can make themselves come back to life, then I can do the same with my angel! I will not fail him this time!"

'This foolish thing you call 'love' is so strange to me.'

"My Lord of All, I am still your servant. I promised to make you a throne from their bones, and I will do so. But, in order to do so, I must be free! Let me destroy them so you can rule the earth without fear."

The God of Winter glared at him. 'I do not 'fear' them. But…I do want to rule the celestial and mortal world.'

"Then please, stop binding me in these chains! I beg of you!" Ivan fell onto his knees. "Please…I will do anything."

The God of Winter slowly began to circle him. 'I do not trust you in full, little lost lamb.' Ivan growled softly at the 'little lamb' for that was something only Light could say to him. 'But your plans to kill all the angels pleases me. I will not make it easy for you. You may remain with your angel until the deed is done. I will unbind your chains, but-' he flashed his palm and the iron chains melted away, yet the shackles remained, 'I will always control you. These shackles will keep you from running. They will weigh and slow you down during a fight. Let them be a constant reminder of just whom you belong. Now go!'

The chains were broken and Ivan was spiraled up into the air. He immediately appeared in front of the statue of himself, still transparent but with the shackles around his wrists, ankles, and neck. Ivan wasted no time in getting to the military base where Alfred was. He flew through the halls and doors trying to find Alfred's room. So many halls looked alike that Ivan feared he was going in circles. The shackles didn't make it any less easy to fly around. He could feel himself starting to grow tired and worn from the extra weight. 'Alfred, where are you?' The conversation of two men wearing the same clothes as Alfred mentioned his lover's name.

"Jones gets off today. The bro' is sick," said the first.

"Really? Lucky dog! He's probably faking it! Let's go razz on him!"

"Agreed!"

Ivan followed behind the two men, hoping they would lead him to Alfred's room. He could not understand the terms or words they were using, but judging by the tone it was not something nice. Ivan tried to give the first man a shove but his hands went right through him. The man didn't even notice or feel what had just happened. Ivan cursed under his breath, now knowing Alfred to be right about not being able to touch the living. If one of these men tried to do Alfred harm, he would be unable to protect him. On a good note, the men did lead him to the room and the first thing he did was fly through the door. 'Alfred!'

"Ivan?" Alfred was underneath the blankets, peeking out from his bundled up body. He sneezed. "So glad you're back!"

Ivan's response was interrupted when the two men started to bang on the door. "HEY JONES! YOU HAVE THE SNIFFLE-WIFFLES?" Shouted one, and they both laughed.

Alfred frowned and Ivan glared at the door. 'These men bother me.'

"But Ivan, you can't talk to me right now." Alfred whispered. "They may hear me talking to myself because they can't see you!" Ivan raised a confused brow and put his finger to his lip.

"HEY JONES! YA' HEAR US IN THERE?"

"Yeah, yeah, I hear y-ACHOO!" Alfred's sneeze made the sinus pressure in his head increase with pain. "Oh God…that hurrrrrt!" He whined.

"Oh, sorry! Are we being too loud?" The other banged heavily on the door, making Alfred clutch his ears.

"I don't even have the strength to yell! JUST GO AWAY!" He shouted the last part. "SHUT UP!"

Ivan's eyes turned red. 'They are hurting you, these men! I will kill them!' Ivan flew to the door and stuck his head out to see the two men from before. He was slightly surprised when both men jumped back, nearly bumping into the other. Ivan brought his head back in quickly.

"Dude, di-did you see that?" Ivan could hear the men talking.

"Yeah man, r-red eyes! Or…or something like that! There were two, right? Two?"

"A-And red! RED!"

"Something weird is going on here! Let's get outta here!" Ivan peeked out to see the men hurrying away.

'They're gone.' Ivan turned back into the room. 'Who were those men?' Alfred just let out a stuffy 'ugh'. 'Why do they treat you like that?'

"I get picked on a lot." Alfred had to settle back down on the bed. "Don't worry about them. How are you? Are you all right? Where did you go before?"

'I had to be…taken away for a while. That's all.'

Alfred noticed that Ivan's ghost-like body was wearing a torn shirt and that he had shackles on him. "Ivan? What happened to you?"

'Nothing to concern yourself with, Alfred.' Ivan smiled gently at him, floating over to the bed. 'I came to watch over you because you are sick. And to keep you safe.'

Alfred made himself sit up, squinting his eyes at Ivan's form. "Someone hurt you. Why are you wearing chains?" He turned his head to sneeze into his arm.

'I just want to keep you safe. Don't worry about me.'

"Ivan, tell me." Alfred's demand was soft, but Ivan did answer.

'I wear these chains because my master will not let me be free. I was beaten for going into your dreams without master's permission. Now I must wear these chains until I am free.'

"How can you be free?" He coughed.

'Only you can set me free.' Ivan said with a gentle smile.

"How do I…do that?" He sniffled.

'You-' Ivan stopped himself from speaking anymore. He feared that if he TOLD Alfred he had to love him, then the man would try and force the feelings. He wanted Alfred to really love him, just as Light had done eons before. There needed to be true love between them, or else his heart would never be complete. 'You don't have to do anything. I…I don't know what can be done to save me. I'm looking for the answer.'

"Well, once I'm better, we'll find it together." Alfred forced himself to smile even though it made his cheeks hurt. "I'll be your hero, Ivan!"

'Hero?'

"Yeah, the guy who will save you!" Alfred felt himself yawn from the pills the nurse gave him, and then smacked his lips. "I need to sleep now and get better. So you are staying?" Ivan smiled and nodded happily. "Then…do you want to come into my dreams again?"

'Not this time, my angel. I want to protect you from harm and you are ill. Rest will help you to get better.' He did not want to take the chance of getting lost in Alfred's dreams while the Shadow Angels were around. Alfred smiled at him before rolling over to sleep, and Ivan reached out to touch him. Like always, his hand went right through the other's body. Unable to do much more, Ivan moved from the bed and paced the room.

He stopped to look at the photo of Alfred's family, two fathers and a brother. Ivan could barely remember what his sisters looked like, even less so his parents. So much of his life growing up was a blank to him. There was no bit of happiness that he could remember, either. Everything was pain; pain and helplessness. As it has always been with Alfred, he had a loving, happy life. Ivan remembered a bit about Light saying that he was the Sun God's 'favorite' angel, yet that God did not hesitate to kill. These two men, who were his 'fathers', seemed to be very kind people. The brother looked shy while Alfred was making the biggest grin possible. These men loved his Alfred. 'But he is reborn only to suffer hardships and pain…so why does he look so happy here? Unless…?' Ivan looked back at the bed. 'It hasn't happened yet.' Alfred started to writhe and moan on the bed, his limbs jerking about every few seconds. 'A fever dream.'

Ivan walked over to him, looking down at the bright cheeks covered with sweat. Thin brows were twitching and Ivan could see the eyes moving around behind his lids. Ivan had to help him, but touching Alfred was not an option. Instead, Ivan leaned forward and let his body sink into Alfred's, entering the dream state. When he first entered, there was nothing but darkness and silence. Then, a loud frightening sound echoed through the darkness. Ivan screamed and covered his ears, fearing that a mountain had suddenly crumbled somewhere. When he let his eyes open, he gasped at the strange scenery surrounding him. There were broken rocks with windows and men running around, most dressed like Alfred. They were all holding some sort of large weapon, one that was loud and sprouted fire. The fire was being aimed at other men with the same weapon. While the whole scene was shocking and frightening to him, Ivan shouted out Alfred's name.

"IVAN! HIDE!" He heard Alfred shout from somewhere nearby. Ivan had no difficulty finding a large stone to hide behind, covering his ears from all the weapon sounds. Someone bumped into him and he jumped a bit, but was relieved to see Alfred in his army clothes. "Ivan! Shit, this is a nightmare!"

"What is that sound?" Ivan asked, frantic.

"Gunfire!" Alfred quickly covered his head when there came a loud explosion. He saw how Ivan's eyes were wide with fear and how he was cowering. "Ivan…" there was another explosion of gunfire, and Alfred threw his body onto Ivan's "get down!" Alfred fully covered Ivan's body with his own, trying to shield him as much as possible from the debris that started to rain down upon them.

Ivan allowed himself to be covered, glancing up at the determined look on his lover's face. Normally, Ivan would be the one protecting Alfred, but this time, it was the other way around. Ivan was grateful for it, because this world and warfare was completely strange and frightening to him. He could even forget the gunfire for a moment and just enjoy the feel of Alfred on top of him. The smile was torn from him as Alfred suddenly jerked him to his feet.

"Come on, we've gotta move! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" Alfred kept his hand gripped tightly in Ivan's as he brought the man across the battlefield. "I've got to hide you! I hate this nightmare! I hate it!"

"Alfred, what is happening?" Ivan asked when Alfred led him to some sort of stone house to hide him behind the walls.

"This is war, Ivan." He said, panting. "This is my fear…and this is my death."

Ivan's eyes widened. "Your death? But this is your dream, can't you control it?"

"I've tried…but with this one…I die each time. No matter how many times I try to escape, I always die!"

"I won't let you." Ivan said seriously. "I will stop being fearful of these fire sticks. Give me one. I will use it." Alfred shook his head.

"No, just stay here! Please!" There was another explosion. "I have to go! Stay here!"

Ivan stood up and looked out the window as Alfred ran back into the sea of 'gunfire'. Then, to his shock, Alfred's body jerked violently and blood shot out from around his neck. Ivan screamed in rage with bloody tears welling in his eyes as he dashed out of the safety of the building to Alfred's body. The chains weighed him down and bit painfully at his skin, but he ignored it. He rolled the other over, screaming his name. When he laid the other on his back, Ivan felt all the hope and life drain from him upon looking at Alfred's dying face. 'No…no it can't be!' Ivan gripped Alfred's face and tried to get him to wake up. 'It's the same look! THE SAME LOOK AS THAT TIME!' He pulled his hands away to find them stained with dark red blood. The blood poured from a hole near Alfred's collarbone and neck. Ivan tried to plug it up, but Alfred was already dead and the blood would not stop. 'My love…'

Alfred had been taken from him, and once again, he was unable to prevent his death. He started to sob openly, letting the bloody tears fall to Alfred's face. Then the scene crumbled into a million tiny particles and disappeared. Then, he saw flashing images of the men in Alfred's family picture. Each one was crying tears of grief and sorrow at the lost of Alfred. 'So many people love him, just as I do. I wonder how many people my Light had to leave behind in all those lives? So many must have grieved for him when he was taken. Just like when he was taken from me…my Light. My beautiful angel…the only one who would weep for me should I leave the living world. No one would grieve for me…only you.'

Ivan was suddenly thrown back into the real world. He let out a cry himself and Alfred jerked awake, drenched in sweat.

"Ivan! I'm…I'm sorry! I didn't know that I would be having a nightmare!" Alfred was near tears as well.

Ivan just went to him. 'It's all my fault! I couldn't protect you!'

"No, Ivan! No! It's me! I have that nightmare a lot! I think that is how I'm going to die!" Alfred covered his face with his hands. "I don't want to die…but if I get shipped off to fight…then I will! Dad, Papa, Mattie!"

'Your family.' Ivan was a little saddened that Alfred did not mention him. It had to be expected, though. Alfred literally just met him a few days ago, but his family was with him every day since boyhood. Still, this was something he was going to change. 'Alfred, I will do all I can to protect you. I won't let anything harm you.

"Y-Yeah…I know." Alfred wiped at his brow and sighed deeply. "Well, let's just hope it never comes to that." He was feeling feverish again so he took the pills next to his bed with some water. "This will help me sleep. Dreamlessly I hope." He looked at Ivan with a sad smile. "Sorry Ivan…but I really need to rest."

'I understand. I will be here when you wake up. Rest well.'

Ivan waited until Alfred had fallen asleep before going over to the window and gazing out, watching as it slowly grew dark. 'I need to start making him love me again.' He thought to himself. 'Different Alfred or not, I know he can love me again.' Now he had a quiet moment to think about what the shadow being had said to him earlier about Alfred's life force. Ivan wondered if the man's life force would do the same to him. Stealing Alfred's life force appeared to be the only way for the angels to return to their true forms. But what about Alfred? Would he ever be able to become an angel again? Could he himself become something more than just a human? Ivan assumed already that with his ability, he was no longer human. 'If I'm no longer a human…than what am I?'

The God of Winter's words haunted him again, 'he may not want what you want'. Ivan crossed his arms and gave a little sigh, wondering what he would do if Alfred chose not to love him. The idea of Alfred denying him produced mixed emotions of both anger and sadness. He wanted, no, needed Alfred to love him again. He wanted the same love from so many years ago. If his Alfred did not love him like Light did, then Ivan would know that there was nothing left for him in this life. He would rather be dead in an endless sleep than live knowing he would be alone forever. His angel was everything to him. Light was the reason Ivan was here at all. If only Light had not found him that day then he would be have been dead. Death would have been easier than waiting all these centuries for something that may not even happen.

'I will just have to make him love me again. I will do all that I can to protect him. I will MAKE him love me!' Ivan looked back at the bed where Alfred was sleeping. 'I wonder…' he thought 'if I can recreate those days of long ago, when he was an angel and I was real. If I can do that, then maybe I can awaken long-lost memories. He says he feels something special towards me, so Alfred needs a little push in the right direction.' Ivan grinned. 'Sick or not, I'm going through with it.'

The moment Ivan turned to Alfred he heard the door making some noise. He looked at the knob, noticing that it was jiggling a bit. Tilting his head to the side, Ivan waited to see what was going to happen. Everything in this world and building were strange to him. He couldn't touch anything either. Then, the thought occurred to him that someone might be trying to get into the room. If it were a shadow angel, it would have slipped in already. But whoever it was behind the door was a human. Ivan glared, his eyes glowing red as the door clicked open, and someone walked in. It was indeed a human and it was a man. The man was dressed darkly, concealing his face to not be seen. The door was closed carefully behind him and the man tiptoed inside. Immediately, Ivan lunged at him but dove right through the other. Also, the man did not take notice of his red eyes like the other men had done. The man went over to Alfred's bedside and looked down at him.

'Stay away from him!' Ivan shouted, but the man did not hear him. It only angered Ivan further, and helpless he attacked. He just kept jumping and leaping at the man, but nothing was working. 'Damn you!' Ivan froze completely when the man's hand started to caress Alfred's cheek. He saw Alfred writhe a little in his sleep, but didn't wake up. Ivan was livid and all he could do was watch in a numbed shock state. The man made a lustful sound of delight as he began to pull the covers down from Alfred's body. Alfred was still in a drugged sleep, unknowing of what was happening. Ivan lost it when the man slipped a hand under Alfred's shirt to stroke his chest. Ivan had to think fast or else Alfred's virgin body would continue to be violated. 'Wake up, Alfred!'

Ivan leapt into Alfred's body, running through the dark world of memories in search of Alfred. When he found him, Alfred was calmly asleep without any dreams. Ivan gripped the sleeping form by the shoulders and shook him violently. 'Wake up, Alfred! Alfred!' Blue eyes opened and suddenly Ivan was thrown out of Alfred's body back in to the room.

"W-Who are you?" Alfred shouted when he saw the man above it. "GET AWAY FROM ME! GET OUT!" He sat up and tried to grab at the man before he ran out of the room. The man dodged his grasp and rushed out the door. "Damn it! Get back here!" Alfred threw the covers off and tried to stand, but held his head when the dizziness took over. "Shit!" He sat back on the bed, holding his head. "Oooh…that was BAD!" He moaned in pain.

'Are you all right? That man tried to have his way with you!'

"I know…and I bet I know who it was, too."

Ivan's features grew fierce. 'I will kill him!'

"How?" Alfred looked up at him with fevered eyes. "You can't kill the living, Ivan. I have to handle this on my own." He brushed back his sweaty bangs. "Everyone will only laugh at me more."

'Why? Why do they laugh at you?'

"Oh, because they think I like men just because my parents like men."

Ivan looked confused. 'Men are not allowed to love one another?'

"No, they are. It's just…well…some people don't like it and they make life hard. In most ways, it's wrong to like someone of the same gender. Not everyone thinks like that, but-" he sneezed "it's so hard to explain to someone who grew up in the caveman days."

'Caveman? I did not live in a cave. I liked in a village of tiny houses.' Alfred smiled at him, but missed the jest. 'That man needs to be punished! He is not allowed to touch you like that!'

"I know! I just…have to go about this carefully so I don't get made fun of later." He flopped onto the bed and Ivan floated over. "My head is going to explode from this damn cold." He sniffled. "Ugh." Alfred saw the shackles on Ivan's limbs and frowned. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be complaining over a cold when you are bound in irons. Do they hurt?" Ivan nodded. "I wish I could take them off of you."

'They are part of my punishment. My punishment for loving you, which I don't regret at all. I would die a thousand deaths for your love.'

Alfred gazed at him with clouded vision. "Why is loving me a punishment? Because I'm an old angel and you are human?"

'Yes. I sinned against the heavens by taking their favorite angel into my arms and heart. I brought my angel to my bed where we make love. A human dominating a celestial being…is forbidden.'

"So we were both punished for that…for something I don't even remember." He rolled over. "I'm sorry you're in chains because of me."

'Alfred, I suffer for you. I gave everything I had to see you again. All these years I have been asleep while encased in that statue. This form is only my spiritual form. My real body is that statue.' He continued to talk further than he wanted to, giving Alfred more information that he wanted to withhold. 'Until my heart is replaced back in to that statue…I will never be whole again.'

Alfred rolled back over to flash Ivan a curious look. "What do you mean 'your heart'?"

Ivan gulped, placing a hand over the empty spot in his chest. He had said too much, but now he could no longer hide it from Alfred. It may even help their relationship. 'My heart is being held prisoner by my master. I will never be a human again in the flesh unless my heart is restored. He holds my heart to keep me grounded in this form, doing his bidding. With every Shadow Angel I kill, I have to deliver the bodies and bones to him. Only by his will am I allowed to stay here.'

"So you…have no heart?" Ivan nodded sadly, rubbing the spot. "That's terrible. So, your statue doesn't have it either?" Ivan shook his head. "You don't deserve to be imprisoned like this, Ivan!" He gave a heavy sniff. "You don't need to be a statue or a ghost! I will win back your heart for you and make you into a real person!"

Ivan gave him a pleased, yet sorrowful look. 'But…you have to truly love me first before you can free my heart.'

"Love you?" Alfred gulped. "I…I don't remember you, Ivan. I know we have a past together, and I know that we have a connection. I feel something for you, but I don't know what it is. If it were true love, I think I would have felt it already." Alfred had to turn his face away from the grievous look on Ivan's face. "I just…don't know about what I love yet. I'm still trying to figure things out!" He sneezed. "I'm sorry, Ivan. I'm still going to help you and we will be together."

Ivan smiled happily. 'Alfred, those words are just enough! I will make you love me all over again, just wait and see! You will remember then, and all the happiness in the world will be in your blue eyes and beautiful smile! We will be together again as human or deity, I don't care which!'

Alfred smiled weakly at him. "That may just be, Ivan. We'll have to wait and see." He noticed something black and foggy slowly coming up behind Ivan. In its hand was what looked to be a knife also in shadow form. It was aiming the blade at Ivan before bringing it down. "IVAN! WATCH OUT!"

End Chapter 6 TBC
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Fallen Embers