Wesley became alarmed when Lorenzo had suddenly hit the table, his head bouncing off of it, and his body lay unconscious on the ground. In that moment, he drew his sword as soon as a servant who had come in to clean up the mess was, ironically, cleanly sliced in half by a large sword that appeared to come out of nowhere. Just moments later, Karolina appeared to also feel the effects of the wine. So, whatever was in the wine must’ve had some kind of sleeping agent in it. Wesley was thankful that he didn’t drink it despite how tempting it was.

When the man who would reveal himself as Igeyorhm, Wesley already had a sour impression of him. He looked like a flamboyant man, but definitely had an appalling energy about him. The way he addressed Nadeline made Wesley want to knock some sense into him, so he joined Grant as he stepped beside him, eying the man closely. Trust was already limited when it came to Wesley towards this one. It was dwindling even more as he seemed to be a potential foe. Not to mention this man had disrespected his beloved. That, as the council found out not too long ago, was reason enough to beckon the Wrath of Dalmasca.

“Be alert, Grant. He’s one of Venat’s Spawns.” Wesley warned Grant, eying Igeyorhm carefully, “isn’t that right? I could sense that stench as soon as you made yourself known.”

If it wasn't Fandaniel himself. How very amusing--Igeyorhm acknowledged him, raising an eyebrow at Wesley. The prince's reputation preceded him, though he made it clear that he wasn't too happy having Igeyorhm around. What a pain, but it didn't look like he was going to be able to simply walk away. Stifling a yawn of his own, he stretched his free arm, his hand in the shape of a gun as he pointed it at Wesley. "No need to be a stranger, Fandaniel! I honestly meant no harm," Igeyorhm admitted, shaking his head, though a playful look overcame him. "But of course, if it's a fight you want, then I'd be more than happy to oblige!"

Nadeline scoffed, though she decided not to wait for Igeyorhm to get the first strike, raising her rapier in the air. "Scourge!" She called, multiple tendrils appearing around Igeyorhm.

"Aww, I don't really want to fight you," He frowned as he leapt over both her spell and the two men, landing right in front of Nadeline. "I kinda have a soft spot for pretty girls, I don't think I can go all out if you insist on fighting," He admitted, snapping his fingers as his own spell surrounded her. She let out a small gasp, the Sleep spell instantaneous, and he caught her with her free arm as her rapier fell to the ground. "All's fair in love and war." He told Wesley with a wink as he placed her onto the chair. "Now to really start the fun."

Grant immediately shot at him, though as his finger squeezed the trigger, Igeyorhm appeared right before him. Damn, he was fast, though that thought didn't even get a chance to fully process as he rammed the hilt of his sword into his chest, knocking him several paces, and leaping up over any strike Wesley would throw at him. He shook his head at the pair, though brought his sword down at Grant who narrowly dodged the sword. Igeyorhm's strike was rather close, and he saw even some of his hair as well as his choker fall. Oh, great, He mentally cursed.

Wesley reacted too late. His intention was to counteract the spell that had been shot at Nadeilne, but oddly enough, Igeyorhm was faster than he appeared to be. Despite his vibrant, almost eccentric visage, he actually seemed to be quite capable in the art of battle. His quick spellcraft was even faster than Nadeline’s was and how effectively he moved with that sword was on par to how Wesley himself moved. He was graceful and made no sounds when he moved. It was as if he was a whisper in the wind when he moved.

Speaking of how quick his reactions were, Igeyorhm used his speed to deflect Grant’s attempt to harm him and had plunged the hilt of his sword into Grant’s chest. Taking advantage, Wesley swiftly thrust forward with his sword, but he was too slow. The Martyr had evaded it entirely, leaving Wesley to linger forward only for a brief moment before he regained his composure and brought his body to face him once more. Wesley gathered his mist at his feet and used it to propel himself forward, mimicking thrusters from an airship fighter and he would thrust forward, his sword covered in that same mist.

Igeyorhm let out a small whistle as he would sidestep Wesley's charge, eyeing his sword warily. So the prince truly was gifted in battle as well? The mist in his sword was practically radiating! He couldn't help but scoff, realizing that Wesley was going to be a possible problem. He raised his leg, a swift kick knocking Wesley off balance, though let out a yelp as a bullet sang past him. Grant wasn;t going to give him a chance, was he? He stuck his tongue out at Grant, his own sword charging as he swung, the energy erupting in several lines fanned out to both Wesley and Grant.

It was easy enough to dodge, but once again, Grant found himself face-to-face with his opponent. It was clear that Igeyorhm was much better at reacting than the two of them were, his speed outmatching them both. Igeyorhm grabbed Grant by his throat, his strength surprising the prince as he felt his hand threatening to crush his throat. Damn it, not like this! Grant cursed mentally, feeling Igeyorhm's grip getting tighter.

"Aw, is that all you got?" Igeyorhm asked, disappointed. "Don't tell me Fandaniel's the only one who--oh." And understanding came over him, and he grinned as Grant glared at him. "Smack dab in the middle, but not quite finished, huh? If you're not going to go all the way, what's the point?" He asked, though his tone dropped his playfulness. "Wasting my time...you really think you're anything special?"

For some reason, no matter what Wesley did, Igeyorhm had a counter for every attack. It didn’t matter if Wesley went in for a thrust or a charging thrust, the speed at the Martyr’s disposal outclassed WEsley’s own. Even if Wesley was impressive on his own, it seemed he was lacking today for some reason. Maybe it was his emotional state or perhaps he was still fatigued from the night before.

Calm down, Wesley. You need to keep your cool. Hashmal advised him, he wants you to get overtly emotional; that is how Igeyorhm operates.

Yeah, Wesley knew that, but it didn’t help his case that he was flaunting his dominance like premium steel. Not to mention how he had a counter for everything the two did. However, Wesley would not let that psyche him out. He was Fandaniel, the Protector, but most of all, he was Wesley of House Alexander, and King of Dalmasca. If there was a way to win, he would find it.

With his resolve sound in his devotion to protect, Wesley looked on as Igeyorhm had Grant in his grasp. He would do the same to his sword, pushing forth his mist, and gathered what mist he could into his body and expelled it outward, aligning it with his natural speed, and he zipped through the air. As he had his sword in reverse grip, he would do what the Martyr did to Grant not too long ago: he would ram the backside of his hilt into the Scion’s back.

---

"Not since you hosted the Royal Family the day before these guys brought the Archadian general to your doorstep. I never did properly thank you for that. Maybe I can soon.." Cassandra, much like she always had, moved on from one man to the other. Her hand was gently stroking Roman’s leg and eyes flirtatiously gazing upon Roman’s attractive features.

Jaakuna couldn’t believe how quickly Cassandra moved on from centering all of her efforts on him to his brother. He was actually insulted by how she was now cozying up to his less-handsome brother. He saw her stroking Roman’s leg in the same intimate way that she had done to him and her eyes were practically glued to his brother’s entire form. She really had no shame, did she?

“Can you believe her?” Jaakuna whispered to Emiri. “Not even five minutes and she’s already fixated on him. It’s almost as though I meant nothing to...her…” And in finishing that thought, Jaakuna realized what he had just said, though he could not reverse time, and take back those words - that was Emiri’s thing. “What I meant to say is that good, she’s Roman’s problem,” he corrected himself, but he felt her scathing gaze pierce through any notions he had.

“Oh really?” Emiri asked him quietly, completely unconvinced. “Hmph, maybe you really should have gone through with her proposal if that’s how you feel!”

“Simply having your gratitude is enough, Princess,” Roman informed Cassandra, taking her hand and kissing it. She gave an approving smile. Reia had to hold back the urge to throw up, though at the very least, as much as Cassandra wanted to handle Roman, the man was just as good at turning on the charm.

Jaakuna was going to retort back at Emiri, but as he caught Reia’s glance, perhaps it was better to just quit while he was ahead. Besides, knowing her, he knew that she wanted to quit the petty squabbling and get onto the task that all of them were present for: the treaty. This prompted Jaakuna to, as he had done back in Dalmasca, go into his Jackson Darcone persona, though it would be less formal and more grounded.

“Reia, do you happen to have the treaty that I wrote?” Jaakuna asked her.

Emiri gave him a scowl, crossing her arms as Reia would nod, bringing with her a small stack organized very neatly. “Do your best not to scatter this one to the winds,” She cautioned him as she would hand over the documents. “As I mentioned before, there were a few unclear parts and some redundant, I made sure to fix them all for today.”

“Ah, yes...the treaty,” Roman would recall. “And you drafted this yourself, my brother?”

”Of course. It was my idea, after all.” Jaakuna stated proudly, though he heard Reia cough. He looked at her and boy did she have that subtle glare of death. ”I mean, that is to say, Reia contributed to it a little bit.” Jaakuna corrected himself, looking at Reia as he returned a gaze to Roman.

“It was a mess diplomatically and contradicted itself more than the elder texts of Giruvegan,” Reia would lay it out there, deciding that if Jaakuna was gonna be smart about it she may as well speak the truth. “You’ll find this version much easier to comprehend.”

Roman chuckled, slightly biting his lower lip as he would lean back. “I can promise you, he has the heart of a leader, he is simply missing the details.” He assured her, earning him a scowl from Jaakuna.

“Man fuck you guys, my treaty was bitchin’.” Jaakuna stubbornly argued.

“If ‘bitchin’ means ‘a disaster waiting to happen’, then yes. I agree wholeheartedly,” Reia retorted sarcastically.

He let out a sigh. There was obviously no winning when it came to Reia, especially when she seemed to have the support of even his own family. “Whatever. Let’s just do this.”

“Would you show a little more tact, Jackson?” Isaiah scolded Jaakuna for his lack of formality regarding the treaty.

“What?”

“This is not some adventurous decision you’re making on the fly. For heaven’s sake, this is a treaty that could decide the fate of our way of life as we know it.” He informed him rather bluntly.

“Oh..”

How the hell was Jaakuna supposed to know how to act? He’s not Roman. He had the idea, but no way of knowing what to do in regards to it or how to get it done in the right way. Frankly, Isaiah was starting to remind Jaakuna of how Hamut used to be on his ass.

Isaiah also reminded Emiri of someone else from a time she really didn’t want to think about. She closed her eyes for a moment, but she decided that it was about time she stepped up to the plate, too. Opening her eyes, she would sit up properly. After all, this was exactly what she had essentially been raised to do. May as well put it to use. “What Jaakuna means is that despite not having the wording down, the gist of it is here,” She informed the group at large, gesturing to the treaty. “It’s clear that it was written with the intention of unifying the three nations. While there were several dispersions, this very meeting is to not only bring them to light, but to discuss and assuage any concerns there could be. Reia’s refinement was necessary, of course, but you can hardly compare her--an Empress who thrives on law and specializes in writings such as these--and Jackson--who was second in line and whose work would have been relegated to his own territory as opposed to his entire country.”

Reia seemed to have been reminded of exactly why Justine had pushed Emiri to marry Grant. So the woman clearly knew what she was talking about. “My apologies,” Reia said. “I suppose I wasn’t helping things.”

“Well said,” Roman chuckled once more.

Emiri smiled at Jaakuna. “I’ve got your back,” She told him quietly, encouraging him.

He felt a sense of warmth overtake him. Or maybe it was that bad cockatice that he had earlier. Either way, Jaakuna felt pride in Emiri, especially the way Isaiah seemed to let out a sigh in defeat. Even he was no match for someone who was raised by the political machine. “Then, let us address the treaty now. Roman,” Jaakuna looked to his brother, “this treaty heavily relies on your cooperation. In fact, one of the first things I want to address specifically mentions you.”[/color]

Roman nodded, making sure to give Jaakuna his full attention. “Please, continue,” He urged Jaakuna.

“I fear that, in order for this treaty to go swimmingly, not to mention our own council is just as troublesome as the one that’s constantly on Reia’s back, they will need to see some sort of strength on my part. Despite the obvious troubles that beckon us from Levi and the False Zodiark, Venat, they need to see that Archadia will stand strong when it’s all said and done. So, even if just temporarily, I’ll be overseeing Archadia as Emperor.” Jaakuna announced, no doubt shocking all of those in the room.

“Sounds reasonable,” Roman was the first to agree.

“Wh-I’m sorry, how is that reasonable?” Reia couldn’t help but ask. “It would certainly smooth out the process, I would say ‘convenient’, but ‘reasonable’?”

“You must understand, just as Rozarria has had its succession crisis for some time, so has Archadia,” Roman admitted. “Vincent has, unfortunately, lost the faith of the people, with my grandfather’s recent actions being the nail in the coffin. Although, I must warn you, Jackson...Bhujerba has also asked for my return, considering that I am only half Darcone,” He explained with a slight frown. “I only implore you to think this through very carefully.”

“I am well aware of what this means, Roman. I wouldn’t have made this decision lightly, but as you’ve just said, Archadia is in a crisis. The people need solidarity. They need to know that House Darcone hasn’t forsaken them.” Jaakuna stated, “as you know, I am quite popular with the common folk. Not to mention, Lannit is one of our Five Judge Magisters now and he’s one of the most respected citizens that live--I mean lived--in Old Archades.” He let out a sigh, crossing his legs, “there is no other person who can do this. It has to be me.”

“It helps to have the title,” Reia mused out loud.

Emiri nodded silently, though she admittedly couldn’t quite get the bitter taste out. “That being said, everyone is in agreement, yes?”

“Indeed.”

“Of course,” Roman agreed.

Igeyorhm had seen Wesley's attack, but admittedly wasn't quite able to counter considering he had Grant. Still, the hit was enough for him to release Grant, though not without a rather swift kick to the prince in case he thought getting released meant he could attack. He reached back and took a hold of Wesley's arm, spinning him around him once before releasing up and clotheslining him, followed up by a downwards kick. He nimbly danced around Grant's shots, hopping backwards away from the pair as Grant would stand. After throwing a spit, he scowled at the pair, dissatisfied as he closed his eyes.

"This can't possibly be the best you got," Igeyorhm noted as he opened an eye. "Man, you really used up everything yesterday for the invasion, didn't you?" He asked the pair, scoffing. "Well shit, that does explain how I got the slip on this gorgeous angel, and why Mr. Dalmasca over there's sloppier than a desperate whore, but what's your excuse, Mr. Rozarria?" He sounded genuinely annoyed as he asked. "God, you're seriously pissing me off. Do I need to do the cliche villain thing to get you to come at me seriously?" Grant couldn't help but curse silently. For once, Igeyorhm had a point. He couldn't depend on Wesley defending him, and yet, Grant was clearly dependant on the prince. Igeyorhm stared at Grant in disbelief.

This was getting ridiculous. Even when Wesley thought he had the upper hand with Igeyorhm being otherwise preoccupied with Grant, he'd be able to get at least one hit in, but it was as if he had eyes in the back of his head. Just as Wesley had neared him, in those last seconds before contact, he not only did away with Grant, but he also had taken ahold of Wesley's arm and spun him around so he and Grant would collide with each other, causing the princes to fall back on one another. As they did, they both were close-lined by Igeyorhm, which caused them to further fall on each other; though Grant recovered quickly as he had fired additional shots from his gun. That didn't make a difference, however, because the Martyr danced gracefully around them.

And once more, they were at his mercy.

As he spoke, he would give them a dose of truth. "That does explain a few things." Wesley murmured, eyes on Grant who seemed to be in silent agreement despite how hard the truth was to swallow. Even still, it didn't mean Wesley was willing to blindly accept defeat. Not only wouldn't he, but he couldn't. Grant was in no condition to fight. Wesley could tell that much and he would make sure that this scion would pay for what he did to Nadeline.

Wesley tightened his grip he had on his sword, ready to try for round three. However, just as he did, a portal appeared beside Igeyorhm and then a few more did. After a few moments, there was over a dozen and out came several arrows of mist through each portal, aimed at Igeyorhm.

Igeyorhm was surprised to see the portals, having to react to the best of his ability to avoid them. He let out a small shout of surprise, actually having to use his blade to avoid becoming a pincushion. Grant's eyes widened, though as he took a step forward, he hesitated. For a moment, it was as if everything had slowed down for him. What was he going to do, take an opening and mess it up again? As much as he hated to admit it, Igeyorhm had been right. What was wrong with him? He had never been so unsure of himself before, the one thing he had confidence in had simply faded into a memory.

Will you simply take the defeat? Zeromus asked him, surprising Grant. We do not know his intentions. If you fall here, he could overwhelm Wesley and bring harm to your family.

No, but...

But? What excuse was he going to use? Ha, there was none. He could almost hear Savayna mocking him now. There was nothing more to be said, he needed to act. No more excuses. Will you simply take the defeat?

No.

Good. Then it's time...

Grant let out a dark laugh, brushing his hair out of his face, though his hand spread over his left eye. Igeyorhm smirked, though something in the air had changed, and no doubt Wesley would feel it as well. His expression quickly fell as the room would be filled with Grant's laughter, though the prince seemed more amused than anything else. If he wanted to see Grant get serious, then he would. The mist around him seemed to be charged, the prince holding his hand out as his eyes flashed a dark violet color.

Igeyorhm let out a nervous chuckle, still on the alert. He had no idea where those arrows had come from, and he wasn't big on surprise attacks. "How...convenient..." He murmured, running his thumb across his nose. "But I suppose...now you'll give me a real challenge, eh?" He stated as he ran forward, unsurprised as Grant would rush forward as well to meet him. Grant's gun seemed to glow, though as he skidded to a halt, his arm was charged with mist. What, he thinks he can catch up to me? He smirked as he heard the first bullet come out, dark magicks surrounding it, though his eyes widened as it split into several parts. Still no issue, as his speed helped him dodge them. As he took his next step forward, however, he caught Grant's rather confident expression, turning around to see the missed shots homing in on him. What the--?!

One, two, three, four, all five hits blasted Igeyorhm, much to his surprise, but it wasn't until Grant appeared right before him that he knew he was in trouble. He felt Grant's gun at his abdomen, and the blast sent him crashing through the wall, landing on the other side with a hard thud. He let out a groan, managing to prop himself on his elbows as Grant would approach him.

"That wasn't even close to being the best I have," Grant would finally speak in his own voice, cocking a smile at Igeyorhm. "Still think you can handle me?"

---

“Let us move onto the second topic of discussion, then,” Emiri suggested as she would move the conversation forward, especially since all parties were in agreement.

“What a great idea, Emiri!” Jaakuna approved of her suggestion. “And I know exactly what our next order of business should be.” He coughed, looking at Reia, “I do believe you remember the matter we were discussing with Maester Nicholas before...that unfortunate incident involving him.”

“Here’s hoping this time doesn’t end similarly,” Reia couldn’t help but quip, though she knew better than to anger him. “By this he means the gathering of forces against the likes of Zodiark, correct?”

“Does that mean what I think it means?” Isaiah asked, voice uncertain about the specificity of what Reia was implying.

“It means exactly what you’re thinking, Isaiah,” Jaakuna confirmed his suspicions. “With our former Archadian General, Leviathan Necfedeles obtaining the real Zodiark and Venat, the artist formerly known as Zodiark, still at large, Ivalice needs to band together. I believe the best way to ensure her survival is to, for the first time in either of the Three Great Nations’ history, we need to combine our miltiaries into one large, task force. And to ensure that it meets every requirement we might have, the armies will be commanded by the three best commanders that Ivalice has to offer.”

“It seems there’s a lot of firsts happening, huh?” Cassandra mused, not necessarily thrilled about what Jaakuna was proposing or opposing it. If anything, she was disinterested for the most part..

“It certainly will be marked in history for years to come,” Reia commented, eyeing Cassandra wearily. “Making sure everyone is on the same page is absolutely crucial, lest one slip up cause a domino effect of epic proportions.”

“Could you at least pretend to care?” Emiri couldn’t help but get annoyed at Cassandra. “This is actually a big deal.”

Cassandra didn’t bother looking to Emiri. “Let the grown-ups speak, child.” Cassandra chided Emiri with a demeaning tone.

“And have you anything at all to contribute?” She couldn’t help but ask. “Not one part that perhaps could use a revision, or alternate wording that would be better? Oh, wait, of course not. You’d rather put your own needs first then actually care about something that concerns your own country!”

“You’d better watch how you speak to me, Emelia.” Cassandra knew all too well how the brunette hated to be called by that name, “As you said, I am representing my country’s interests. Disrespect me more and it might - oh, I don’t know - not end well for this entire treaty.” She warned her, this time giving Emiri a scathing gaze, one that made it clear to her what the princess’ intentions potentially could be.

“Cassandra, please don’t be difficult.” Jaakuna sighed, not buying her bluff for one minute.

She would let out a dignified huff, looking to Jaakuna. “Very well. I cannot say no to you, Jaakie-Poo~” She said, shooting him a wink knowing full well that it would further anger Emiri.

Emiri had actually been stunned to silence. Cassandra’s words bothered her much more than they should have. This wasn’t her usual pettiness, if she didn’t know any better, she would think that Cassandra was doing it on purpose. “Why?” Emiri couldn’t help but ask. “What is it that you have to gain from this? You’d seriously throw the relationship between countries because what--you hate me? Really?”

Now she had Cassandra’s attention. “Since you’re asking so nicely,” She let out a sigh, her eyes and attention entirely on Emiri. “We are in this predicament because of what you have done.”

“What are you talking about?” Emiri asked. “Because I’m not the one that’s been trying to destroy the treaty.”

“Aren’t you though? You ran away from Rozarria because Prince Grant -- Reia’s brother -- wanted to ‘own’ you. In turn, that threw you into the direction of Jaakuna here, who was hired by the Viera under Reia’s control. That’s not even considering how reckless your use of your powers have been.” Cassandra stated bluntly, “I am well-informed about Ivalice, Emelia. I grew up on the stories and history of Ivalice. I know that there are deeper things that most understand. I also know that you’ve been at the center of everything terrible that’s happened in the past, few months.” She continued, “Sure, I might not like you as a person, but you’re far more dangerous to this world than anyone. Honestly, why don’t you just do us a favor and kill--”

“Cassandra, that’s quite enough!” A voice from behind interrupted her. Everyone in the room would know him as Alistair Quinn, sworn babysitter Knight and Cassandra’s escort. “Go wait outside.”

“Excuse me?”

“You are no longer representing Dalmasca’s interests. From this moment, I am exercising my King’s orders to sit in your stead.”

“Wesley ordered this?” Jaakuna asked, curious.

Emiri had a sneaking suspicion to the end of Cassandra’s sentence, and as much as she didn’t want to admit it, her words had shaken her to the bottom of her core. She was resigned to staring down at her hands, trying very hard not to let it be known how upset she was. Reia wasn’t too surprised at Alistair’s interruption, though she would simply sigh. “Perhaps it’s for the best,” Reia said quietly.

Cassandra pouted, looking towards Alistair. Though she seemed that she wanted to say something, Alistair glared at her. In that moment, she knew there was nothing she could say, so the princess would exit, slamming the door behind her.

“I swear, I’m too young to deal with the troubles of a teenager.” Alistair complained, looking to the others. He centered on Emiri. “Please, I beg you not to take what she said to heart. The Princess....means well, but ever since the late King Jonathan’s murde--” Alistair stopped himself, eyes now on Isaiah--”I mean, uh...”

“It is fine. I will excuse myself as well.” Isaiah said, bowing.

“Isaiah…”

“No, it’s fine. I am not of royalty, so I will let you handle this matter. I will look after Cassandra.” Isaiah would then depart as well.

“I apologize. It’s still an awkward subject, I guess.” Alistair rubbed the back of his head. “Please, continue.”

“Of course. Needless to say it’s...unanimous that we agree to Jackson’s plan for the army, yes?” Roman said, attempting to uplift the mood of the room.

Reia glanced at Emiri, who remained silent. “Agreed.” She said.

Alistair took his seat next to Roman. “If I am to recall correctly, it is a unified military force, correct?”

“Yep,” Jaakuna confirmed Alistair’s guess.

“Then, I, too, approve of this notion.” Alistair stated to the group.

Had it not been for the multiple amount of portals surrounding Igeyorhm and shooting what looked like arrows of mist at him, which also distracted him long enough for Grant and Wesley to collect themselves, they’d probably be toast right about now. Though, Wesley did find something strangely familiar about those arrows and the portals. He couldn’t place it, but he had this sneaking suspicion that he knew what they belonged to.

Just as the Martyr had successfully fended off all of the arrows, something else was happening in the air. A strange, yet oddly-familiar, sensation surged through Wesley's body. A part of him knew exactly what that sensation was, but just one, short moment before he figured it out, right next to him, it took to the surface. Bullets ringed from the barrel and shot at Igeyorhm so fast that before either of them could realize what happened, there were five holes inside the attire that the Martyr had on, and sent him flying to the wall on the opposite side of the room, nearly forcing his form to crack through the wall.

Igeyorhm made the same realization that Wesley did: Grant had ascended. If that wasn’t obvious enough, when he spoke, it became crystal clear. “Nice to hear you again, my friend,” Wesley noted, giving Grant a smirk.

Admittedly, blasting Igeyorhm through the wall was only the second best part of this. Grant gave Wesley a rather grateful smile, though he was happier than usual. It should have been because of taking the next level, but his immediate thoughts were that he was lucky Wesley was around. This being because he was more than certain that had it been...literally anyone else, they probably would've given him some half-assed comment on how he sounded like an actual man instead of a teenage girl.

Pushing those thoughts to the side, Grant watched Igeyorhm sit up, entirely unamused by the entire situation. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," He gestured at the pair as he would hop to his feet. "I didn't think you'd ascend so quickly. And you got a buddy lurkin' around...wonder if it's the same one that's been tailing me," Igeyorhm sighed, placing his sword on his shoulder. "Nothing in life is ever easy. Least if the person I was lookin' for was here, it'd be more worth it, but..."

"What are you here for?" Grant demanded an answer.

Igeyorhm chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know? Can't just go around giving secrets...unless the one asking is pretty enough," He mused out loud, his eyes gazing at the sleeping Nadeline.

the Martyr continued to press Wesley's patience. It almost got to the point where he was ready to go for another round with this one, but as tempted as he was to do that, he knew that it would only be a repeat of what happened the last time he rushed in without thinking clearly. Igeyorhm was stronger and faster than he was, which made wanting to act on impulses alone difficult. What Wesley had to do was something he practiced many times and that was patiently waiting for him to get his - or at the least, bide time for the person from before aid them in their fight against this guy.

As he kept talking, Wesley couldn't help but wonder who exactly he was sent here to get. He obviously had a specific person in mind of his coming here. Rozarria, to Wesley's knowledge, was far off from where Venat potentially could've been hiding out, so if this one here truly came for someone specific, the thought on the prince's mind was who? Who would be worth the long journey? Igeyorhm didn't strike Wesley as someone who'd go out of his way unless ordered to. He seemed to be more work than play. That being said, of course, if they played it carefully, they might be able to get something out of him.

Get him talking. This one isn't that bright, so I'm confident he'll slip up. Wesley used the ability to communicate with Grant telepathically.

Grant seemed to have gotten the message loud and clear. Still, it was easier said than done, he had a sneaking suspicion if Nadeline was awake she'd probably have him wrapped around her finger. But Grant found himself wanting to know what Igeyorhm was talking about just as much as Wesley did. All he needed to do was play his words right; strong as he was, he didn't come off as the brightest bulb in the pack, so to speak. He eyed Igeyorhm carefully, his eyes returning to their usual gold as he decided to go the diplomatic route, so to speak.

Letting out a sigh that mimicked Igeyorhm's frustration, he shook his head. "They must be pretty important to warrant your full intention," He placed the bait out there.

Igeyorhm scowled at him. "I don't get out for small fry, who do you think I am?" He scoffed at Grant.

He had several ideas who he was looking for. He decided to go with the most obvious guess of his. "Of course not. So you wouldn't go out of your way for just anyone--not even royalty, right?"

"You mean the kind of people who have sticks in their asses? Nah...not even ol' hothead would get me out of my chair," Igeyorhm said.

Not Jaakuna. Onto his next guess. "But you would for a pretty lady, no?" Grant gave him a mischevious smile.

"Not supposed to prowl on my own," He admitted. "I got permission for this one, though."

Grant looked at the sleeping Nadeline for a moment, remembering Lola. "And you're not supposed to bring any harm to the Scion of Time."

"Huh? Right, but she isn't the one I'm looking for."

Not Emiri. The two more obvious guesses were out of the way, leaving Grant to wonder who exactly Igeyorhm was hunting, though he was certain it was female. He came to Rozarria for a reason, so that also ruled out Savayna. He wanted to put the entire room to sleep just to take out this one person. He wanted it to be without a hassle, and was upset he'd have to go to Archadia. He clucked his tongue, narrowing his eyes at Igeyorhm. "So, despite giving Jaakuna the Belias Sigil, he still sees Shion as a threat," Grant deduced.

Igeyorhm's eyes widened, though he then wore an expression of regret. "Ah...hm. You must be one of those nerds who like to solve mysteries," He declared.

"Not really," Grant replied, completely deadpan. "You're a lot like Jaakuna; bold and doesn't really think about what he says."

Wesley chuckled at the Jaakuna comparison. He hadn't seen the similarities until Grant would mention it. They did seem very much alike. Like Jaakuna, Igeyorhm liked to hear himself talk without really thinking about what that would result in. And also, like Jaakuna, this one was loud and rather obnoxious. There was also the similarity of them both having flashy moves. They also fought with similar styles, although Jaakuna's was more chaotic as compared to Igeyorhm's more-graceful style. It would've been an interesting fight between them, that's for sure. Wesley had a feeling the fight would end up a draw due to their aligning traits. Hell, they might even find themselves so alike that they'd become quick friends.

If you think that's true, then maybe he should've come with the Rozarrian Humes and you should've gone to Archadia.

Funny.

I thought so.

Wesley rolled his eyes, focusing his mental energy on Igeyorhm. Who knew that Venat wanted Shion? It certainly came to him as a surprise, but of course, despite not having her full power, she could still take down Venat if she chose to, so maybe there was still enough reason for him to worry.

The prince turned to Grant, ignoring Igeyorhm for a moment. "You know, I have to imagine that Venat won't be too thrilled with our friend here. Actually, if Venat has ears everywhere, I'm sure he's already heard of Igeyorhm's failure. It'll only be a matter of time before he thinks of alternate ways to deal with him." Wesley said to Grant, knowing full well that Igeyorhm wasn't too bright, so no doubt his words would reach him in a way that might get Wesley his desired results.

"What?" Igeyorhm was entirely thrown off by Wesley's comment. "Wh-whoa, wait a sec, th-that can't be right...I haven't done anything wrong! ...I think?" He concentrated, momentarily sheathing his weapon as he would cross his arms. "That's weird, if she's not around, how could that be a failure? I didn't even get the chance to do anything! I mean, if I was like Nabriales and lost to her, then THAT would be a failure, but I didn't even get the chance to fail! I think?" He grumbled to himself, wracking his brain for an answer. "Unless...unless she knew I'd go to Rozarria, so she went to Archadia to avoid me? Ha! She probably knows how strong I am--wait, no, we haven't even met! How would she know how awesome I am to avoid me?!"

"Wow," Grant couldn't help but comment, looking at Wesley. Those were some rather far-fetched thoughts, and the way he jumped from one conclusion to another without skipping a beat was uncanny. That and he definitely noticed the ego boost. "Even the thought process is the same. They could be related--think Simon had other bastard children besides Roman?"

"It's certainly possible." Wesley had entertained the thought. Truth be told, he did notice how he and Jaakuna not only acted similarly, but the two of them even looked like one another. Igeyorhm was slightly bulkier than Jaakuna was and wasn't nearly as vulgar, but from the hair to the face to even, as Grant pointed out their thought process. "I recall Simon DArcone being quite the ladies man. He was notorious like that. At least, that's what my father once told me about him." Wesley recalled a conversation he had with his father.

Wesley looked at Igeyorhm, wondering what could be said next. That was, of course, until he got an idea. "Igeyorhm is probably going to die today. Venat is a lot of things, but I've never heard of an Occuria who allowed failure into their ranks. Actually, I'm sure he's going to die. what do you think, Grant?"

You're diabolical. Hashmal commented, your father would've been proud.

Wow, Wesley could really be evil when he wanted to be. Grant made a mental note to never get on the prince's bad side, though he would certainly play the part of one to help their cause. The dark haired man gave Igeyorhm a look of pity, letting out a small sigh. It clearly worked, as the already nervous man seemed to react rather strongly to the look. Igeyorhm visibly gulped, waving his hands in front of him. "H-H-H-H-Hold the front door! D-Didn'tcha hear anything I just said?!" He asked, clearly alarmed at Wesley's words. "I haven't done anything! Nothing's happened!"

"Keiran told us much of your master. He has little tolerance for incompetence--I truly feel for you," Grant added, nodding.

"K-K-Keiran, too?! Wait, no, that can't be right, ohhhhhh nooooooooooo... Igeyorhm knelt down, his hands on his head.

Wesley hated himself for how much fun he was having. This Igeyorhm was even more guilible than Jaakuna ever could be. Even on his worst days, Jaakuna never would behave in such a manner that the Martyr was, yet each word that Wesley and Grant spoke, it was obvious that he honestly believed them. Wesley had half of a mind to continue if further until such a point came when he would break down. Honestly, Wesley knew that wasn't far away, so maybe one final push would be enough.

"You know, I'm actually feeling sorry for Igeroyhm. To think someone so obviously-tactical might lose his command to someone like Keiran or.." Wesley paused for suspense, "gods-forbid, Lola!" Wesley stated rather dramatically.

You truly are having too much fun with this. Hashmall made a gesture similar to the visual action one of the rolling of one's eyes.

---

After the preferred absence of Cassandra and the rather surprising exit that Isaiah felt was appropriate, the group, after a brief reprieve, found themselves back and refreshed as if all of them were given a full-revive. And of course, the next item on the agenda would doubtless be the hottest topic on the agenda because, in Jaakuna’s mind, it was the one thing that could make or break this treaty.

Jaakuna nodded, looking at everyone, as he centered upon Reia’s tired face. No doubt she, like everyone, wanted to get this out of the way, “Reia, I trust you went with your best judgement regarding the Marriage Act in the treaty?” Jaakuna asked her.

“I only reworded it to be more comprehensive,” Reia said, for once being serious. “As we know, political marriages have, in the past, been used as a literal way to unify countries. These will serve as a symbol of the treaty, and momentary unification.”

“And as history shows us, Ivalice doesn’t have a good showing of these marriages succeeding. Half of them have resulted in wars between our three nations. For that reason, I found it best to arrange these marriages not only for country unification, but because these individuals are also highly-public figures.” Jaakuna explained to the group.

Most of them, anyway… Emiri couldn’t help but lament quietly.

“Trust is a common denominator of those failures--or rather, the lack of,” Reia commented. “It would seem Jackson took the liberty of choosing who goes where, starting with the Dalmascan-Rozarrian unification between Wesley Alexander and Nadeline Roselia.”

“That seems appropriate,” added Alistair, giving this motion a nod of approval. “It is known that Wesley and the Princess Nadeline are involved, plus Nadeline has quite the positive reputation among the Dalmascan people. That is surely to tie together Rozarria and Dalmasca wonderfully. However, I am concerned about the Rozarrian Royal Council,” Alistair shifted his gaze to Reia, “Empress, I might be wrong - and feel free to correct me if I am - but your council, at least according to their negative reputation among the land, are very possessive of the Royal Family, are they not? I suspect it’ll be difficult to make them see to this arrangement, especially if Nadeline will technically be a Dalmascan in the case of her marriage to my king.”

“Saying they have a ‘negative’ reputation is putting it very lightly,” Reia couldn’t help but scoff lightly, though she meant no insult to Alistair at all. “However, Nadeline is no mere puppet princess whose strings must be pulled for her to take action. She has always taken matters into her own hands, often seeking out her own ways to fulfill her royal duties. If she had the choice, I assure you, she would have wanted to participate, but instead chose to return to Stigma specifically to facilitate the ease of the treaty by consulting the Council ahead of time so that when I bring the treaty back, it will go much smoother than they would like it to be.”

“Clever girl,” Roman colored himself impressed.

“I suppose the short of it is to say: the Council is no match for Nadeline. They may have years beyond them, but her wisdom surpasses even theirs. That, and she is wholly dedicated to Wesley romantically. She won’t let politics get in the way of that, I can assure you,” She summed up her point in case Jaakuna didn’t get the gist of what she was trying to say.

“I see,” Alistair simply said, “my apologies, I didn’t mean to imply she couldn’t handle herself,” Alistair admitted. “I suppose I was worried for my future queen, is all.”

“Worry not,” She assured him, though it was slightly hypocritical as she would decide to continue the discussion. “The second unification would be that of Cassandra Alexander and...Roman Balefor-Darcone--” She looked up to see Roman choke on his tea. “I suppose if you die, you’ll die knowing it was your beloved tea that did you in. How beautifully tragic.”

Emiri gave Reia a look as she would pat Roman’s back, the man recovering. “I--Could you repeat that last part?” He asked, breathing slowly.

“You handled her well enough before,” Emiri offered.

“That--admittedly, I wasn’t exactly expecting this,” Roman admitted as he regained his composure.

Reia looked at Roman in complete silence, and then would turn herself so she was facing Jaakuna. “Really now?” She asked, awaiting an explanation.

“She wasn’t your first choice.” Jaakuna stated rather abruptly.

“Now that’s just hurtful,” Roman said, frowning. “Who was her first choice, then…” As the words left him, he could feel the absolute hatred radiate off of Emiri. “I...see...forgive me for asking…” He laughed nervously, not wanting to incur her wrath.

“And so the task falls to you,” The brunette replied, sighing.

“Despite her attitude, I’m very sure she would make any man happy,” Reia pointed out.

“Is that why she kept flirting with Jaakuna?” Roman suddenly realized. “Goodness...I’m being asked to take on quite a task.”

“You’ll live.”

“You wound me, my lady…”

Jaakuna couldn’t help but snort at Reia’s comment about Cassandra since he knew all too well how assertive she was about her…desires, not to mention how brazen she was towards him while in front of Emiri. “There isn’t any pressure or anything on you, brother, but just know that if you don’t do this, or if somehow you aren’t able to satisfy her, the entire treaty will crumble, and it’ll be all your fault.”Jaakuna would casually mention, sipping his assam tea. “But, again - no pressure!”

“Satisfaction is the least of my worries, I can assure--oh you meant...my apologies,” He stifled a cough. “She may be young, but as Alistair mentioned, what she needs now is kindness. I can promise you, I will do my very best to care for her the way she deserves to be.”

Unless by ‘deserve’ you mean ‘treated the same way she treats everyone like they’re trash’, I doubt it, Emiri couldn’t help but scowl, though she frowned at Reia’s chuckle, as if the empress had read her mind. “A-Anyway...that would bring us to the last item on the agenda,” Emiri hurriedly pushed forward the conversation.

Reia frowned, a genuine frown with no ill intent behind it--and Emiri had a really bad feeling about what she was going to say next. Without any hint of sarcasm, she would speak, “This was actually one of the points I would like to discuss at large. Unifying Rozarria and Archadia through marrying Jackson and Emelia, I don’t think it will have as much an impact as the rest of the marriages,” She said, confirming Emiri’s suspicions.

“The hell it won’t!” Jaakuna retorted back. “Emiri is the daughter of the late Lady Justine, sister of Lorenzo’s wife, Lady Karolina, and General Andre. As for me, I’m the motherfucking prince of Archadia. That, in itself, should be enough.” He defiantly stated with a scowl.

“Actually, you are precisely the issue,” Reia would explain herself. “You aren’t just an Archadian prince when all is said and done, you will be in your rightful place as the true Emperor, and not a stand-in like Roman. Your position heavily outweighs that of hers. And as for her own position…” She trailed off, hesitant.

“I’m a commoner,” Emiri decided to finish her sentence. “At the end of the day, I’m not worth anything--less so before an Emperor.”

Now it was Roman’s turn to frown. “But with the strained relationship between the two countries it would be enough, no?” He asked.

“When all the other marriages involve direct royalty--even you, Roman, despite your bastard status--it isn’t enough,” Emiri reminded him. “It’s not a question of character, it’s a question of bloodlines.”

Jaakuna pouted rather noticeably, glaring nastily at the lot, though he knew they were right. If this treaty was to succeed, the unities of royalty needed to be preserved. But the question that he found himself asking was one he’d state out loud to the group. “If not myself and Emiri, then who?” Jaakuna asked. Jokingly he thought of the worst possible choice. “Grant and Savayna?” He said with a laugh, knowing that would be completely absurd.

“Savayna? You mean General Glacie?” Roman asked, surprised.

Emiri’s eyes widened. Oh no.

“Hmm...well, ironically enough, if Nadeline marries Wesley, and I’m more than certain I’m going to get thrown off my throne any day, that would make Grant Emperor soon enough,” She mused out loud. “It won’t be right away, but…”

“The House of Glacie carries much military presence here, which is to say they hold much influence,” Roman told Reia. “At one point, she was married to Jackson. If the people saw her marrying Grant, I believe it would put much weight into the marriage.”

“Ah, I forgot Archadia does hold the military to a higher standard. Still, we could use the expertise all things considered,” Reia seemed to agree, much to Emiri’s horror. “And having Grant take an Archadian bride would be more readily accepted, I think.”

Emiri looked at Jaakuna, a terrified look on her face. What have you done?! She screamed mentally.

So it turned out they weren’t joking. Or that his joking wasn’t a source of laughter for them. Grant and Savayna were taking the place of he and Emiri in the treaty. And as great as this meant for the treaty, Jaakuna couldn’t help but think of how Savayna would react. Despite being a mistress of ice, she, ironically, wasn’t known for having a cool head, especially when it came to her decisions being made for her. If she somehow found out that she not only was going to be forced into an arranged marriage to Grant, but it was for a treaty, Jaakuna feared what she might do.

“Well, yes, this on paper is great for the treaty, but has any of you considered how Savayna’s going to react? Honestly, everyone here knows how she can be. I was married to her, so I know how she’s like. Roman dealt with her in Bhujerba, so he knows how she’s like. Emiri has felt her wrath on more than one occasion, so she also knows what my ex-wife is like.” Jaakuna was delirious right now. “Asking her to marry Grant for the sake of a treaty is just as bad as asking for war between the three countries. On top of that--” Just as Jaakuna was going to finish that sentence, he was interrupted by the sound of the door being forced open.

[color-lightblue]“Hot damn, it seems everyone is here!”[/color] Savayna stated with a surprised grin, “Ya hear me, big tits! They’re all in here like you said they would be.” She yelled to Shion.

“My apologies, I thought the Archadian would know Archades better than I did,” Shion stated, offering a wave to the royals and Emiri sitting in the room. “Forgive our tardiness.”

“No problem, we were just discussing the matters of the treaty,” Alistair informed them, offering the two ladies a wave of his own. “Actually, it centers around one--” Alistair suddenly felt a stiff kick in the shin from Jaakuna, causing the man to wince.

Savayna raised one of her eyebrows. “Something wrong, Sir Alistair?” She asked, suspicious.

Jaakuna was going to speak, but he suddenly found his mouth dry. Reia narrowed her eyes at him, motioning for him to continue. Shion thought their actions weird, though it would seem as they were addressing one of them. Considering their relative position in the country, she safely assumed it was likely about Savayna, and would also look at Jaakuna. Roman had to restrain himself from laughing at his younger half-brother, showing no sympathy. The bastard.

“Nothing’s wrong!” Emiri blurted out much too quickly.

“Actually, that’s not true..” Despite what his gut was telling him to do, Jaakuna knew he couldn’t keep quiet. Please, Gods, don’t let her kill me too much.

No promises. Belias would state, apparently speaking on behalf of the gods.

Savayna looked at Jaakuna specifically, her eyes squinting at him. “Just tell me what’s going on before I smack you.” Savayna nastily demanded.

Jaakuna let out a sigh, eyes nervously looking at Savayna. “The thing is, there’s a clause in the treaty that’s paramount to it succeeding; it’s a unification between certain, high-prolific figures of Dalmasca, Rozarria, and Archadia.” Jaakuna informed Savayna.

“Makes sense. Our relationship was a way for House Darcone and House Glacie to become bonded.”

“Yes, which brings me to my next point - the point we were just discussing.” Jaakuna coughed, looking to everyone as if trying to get a bit of help from them. Sadly, no one would even return his gaze. Gee, thanks for nothing. He mentally scowled. Reia grinned at him. “Nadeline and Wesley will marry, unifying Dalmasca and Rozarria. Roman and Cassandra will be the unification between Dalmasca and Archadia.”

Savayna nodded,[color=lightblue] “That only leaves Rozarria and Archadia.” She mused aloud. “I imagine that’s going to be you and Emiri.” She was guessing.

Reia nudged Emiri. Emiri nudged her back. The two stared one another down, though Reia’s rather domineering glare won, ending with Emiri hanging her head in defeat. Raising her view, she inhaled and shook her head. “Unfortunately due to my status, or rather lack of, our marriage won’t do us any good,” Now that she actually put it out there, it made her feel crappier than usual. For now, she would have to deal with it. “Meaning we’ll need another pair to signify the union between Rozarria and Archadia. Another pair who happens to be from the two same countries. Who also happen to love one another.”

“Way to be subtle,” Reia commented dryly.

Jaakuna let out a sigh. Truly, he loved her, but sometimes he wished she would not be like him sometimes, especially when his beautiful face was at risk. It wasn’t too much to ask, was it? Just slightly hint, Emiri; don’t flat-out tell her with the words ‘we need you and Grant’ in neon letters.

“Oh, I see,” Savayna wasn’t sure what that meant, though as her facial expression hinted at deep thought, the sudden change from neutral pondering to the realization only spelled bad things were on the horizon. All in which seemed to be focused entirely on Jaakuna.

Shion would cautiously step away from the scene. “I see you’ve--”

“You bastard!!” Savayna blurted angrily. She closed the lengthy gap between her and Jaakuna, and picked him up by his red jacket, pinning him against the wall. “You want to auction me off to Rozarria as some kind of fucking bargaining chip!?” Her anger only intensified as she spoke.

“N-no, it’s not like that.”

“Isn’t it, though?” Alistair chimed in. He obviously wasn’t helping Jaakuna’s case.

“Okay, yes it is just as you’ve said, but you see, we had no other choice.”

“There was another choice. This one was just a better one,” Reia admitted.

“Come now, the great Treaty Creator has all the foresight in the world!” Roman gleefully added.

“Well...I mean, it was Jaakuna’s idea--” Emiri said slowly, though she realized the implications of her words far, far too late.

“Oh, well that changes everything,” She smiled and laughed. Instantly, Jaakuna knew that spelled bad things for him.

Jaakuna looked at all of them, mouthing “I hate you all” with his mouth, though Savayna’s spleen would not be quelled. On the contrary, it seemed to only increase and had better guidance.

A few minutes would pass and as the others would finish up the final, miscellaneous items on the treaty, the sounds of Jaakuna’s painful grunts could be heard as Savayna repeatedly bashed in his face, punching and kicking him. At one point, as he had fallen to the ground, Savayna had kicked him in the face, legs, arms, stomach, and most notably, his Archadian Jewels with the tip of her heels, making Jaakuna actually cry. The next Emperor of Archadia and one of the manliest men to ever exist in Ivalice, let out a cry that rivaled a newly-born babe, fresh from its mother’s womb.

“I think that concludes this meeting,” Alistair commented as he had finished signing his name on behalf of Dalmasca.

Reia would grant her own rather elegant signature on the parchment, satisfied. “Indeed,” She stated.

“I’m so sorry…” Emiri whimpered, reaching for Jaakuna.

“Good to see us all come to a peaceful conclusion!” Roman said cheerfully. “Would anyone care for some tea?”

“I’d like some..” Jaakuna said, though Savayna put that desire to rest as she kicked his stomach and continued his beatdown.

“Roman, how about tea out on the balcony? It’s such a fine day.” Alistair suggested.

Emiri let out a whimper of regret, to which Roman would pat her hand gently. “That is a splendid idea! The view of the city is simply divine, please, let us relax,” He urged them. “Lady Glacie, will you join us?”

Savayna wouldn’t respond, instead her foot began burying itself in Jaakuna’s backside.

“She seems occupied! Come, Lady Reia!”

As Reia would gladly take Roman’s offer, Emiri approached Savayna and the fallen Jaakuna nervously. “D-Don’t you think he’s had enough…?” She asked nervously, half-afraid of incurring her wrath, though as Savayna’s head immediately turned around and she shot Emiri such an icy glare, one could’ve sworn a breeze of icy wind passed through the entire floor. She wasn’t entirely sure how she remained standing. She foolishly decided to try to appeal to her once more. “If-If you’re going to be mad at someone, be mad at me! It’s...it’s my fault, anyway!”

Savayna stopped kicking Jaakuna’s ass and looked at Emiri with the same icy glare. “You’re not the one who wrote the treaty. So, unless you want to get your ass beat too, go have tea!” Savayna said with such a sinister glare, the temperature in the room dropped nearly half what it was before.

Shion carefully sidestepped the trio, not even bothering to look back as she casually strolled over to the balcony. Emiri watched her, though she let out a sigh. “I’m serious, though,” She told Savayna, knowing she’d probably get yelled at, but at the very least she’d state the truth. “Our marriage was supposed to represent the alliance, but...I don’t have enough pull to make it worthwhile. I just...thought you should know,” She muttered, deciding to follow Shion.

Nope, now that was something he couldn't handle. Bringing out a small, dark orb, he pointed at Grant. "Like hell that'll happen! I'm going to complete my mission no matter what! I won't sleep until I have her head on a pike!" He declared as he threw the orb onto the ground, and it would erupt into smoke. Grant was alarmed at first, immediately going into the defensive, though as his magicks would clear the room, he noticed Igeyorhm had gone out of sight. It was then Grant couldn't help but burst out laughing, looking over at Wesley.

"You were having much fun with him, weren't you?" He couldn't help but ask him, matching his grin. "That last one must have really gotten to him, though."

He heard a grumble behind him, turning to see Lorenzo pick himself off the ground, dazed. "Why does my head hurt so much...KAROLINA!" His yell of shock made Grant jump, though luckily, the shout was enough to jolt Karolina awake. "Oh! You were just sleeping on the floor, too? Wait, why were we on the floor again?"

"Fear not, it was a rather simple Sleep Draught," Wesley explained as he helped Karolina to her feet. "Simple, yet effective."

"Goodness...How very frightening," Karolina admitted, giving Wesley a thankful look. "We should be thankful that no one was hurt."

Lorenzo knelt down next to Nadeline, shaking her shoulder gently. "Hey, wake up," He told his daughter, frowning when she did not stir.

"Ah, Igeyorhm cast a spell on her, so it's effectiveness is a lot stronger," Grant recalled.

Lorenzo yelled again, this time running straight to Grant. "Grant! You're a man again!" He bawled, pulling him into a hug.

"Oh for the love of--it was just my voice!" He yelled back at him.

---

The brunette was more down in the dumps than usual, and that was saying something. She heard Roman point out several of Archades' wonders, though as she moved to join them, she felt a hand on her shoulder, tugging her back. She nearly screamed as she was pulled into a closet, the dark eclipsing her, though not a second later did she hear a snap, with a dimly lit magicite above them. She really did almost scream as she spotting Shion's very frightening face.

"You nearly scared the life out of me!" Emiri hissed. "If you wanted to talk, why couldn't you just say so like a normal person?!"

"We needed somewhere private, and Jaakuna and Savayna were blocking the way out," Shion reminded her. As Emiri scoffed, Shion decided to continue. "What happened to that confidence you showed me back in Stigma?"

"It got stomped on, thrown out the window, ran over, chewed up, spit out, then stomped on as much as Savayna stomped on Jaakuna," Emiri stated. "It wasn't bad enough that both you and my mother--Emette, whatever--essentially told me I'm nothing but a liability, but it's apparently public knowledge! I am not having a good day."

"The world will never stop telling you these things," Shion told her bluntly. "Did you think after everything was said and done you'd ride off into the sunset with your beloved and live happily ever after?"

"I thought it'd get easier," She admitted. "It's...it's not easy to actually hear your doubts from other people. It's like having your deepest, darkest fears...I always thought the world was better off without me, and lo and behold, it's a common thought among a lot of people."

"If Jaakuna wasn't getting the crap beaten out of him, I'd drag him in here and have you repeat those words," Shion said, though Emiri noticed she was irritated. "You need to move past it, either grow thicker skin or do whatever it takes to move on!"

"Am I not allowed to feel hurt?"

"You're not allowed to let your already delicate mental state get any more fragile," Shion reminded her seriously. "If you're going to feel bad fine; go cry it out, wipe your tears, then get over it. There's no doubt in my mind that neither Levi nor Venat is done with you,
and we can't afford for you to fall into their hands so easily again."

She's right, you know.

There was that voice again. Emiri strained herself to see if it would speak more, though Shion mistook her silence for understanding. "I promised Emette I'd make sure to watch over you. That doesn't mean I'm going to hold your hand or let it be easy. Grow up, Emiri. People are dependant on you." Shion told her simply as she opened the door, walking out.

As Emiri made to follow, she found Shion slammed the door behind her. That was a great metaphor for the conversation. She gently banged her head against the door, letting out a sigh. After taking a moment to calm herself, she tried to leave, only to find the door jammed. "I hate everything right now."

Wesley let out a low chuckle at Lorenzo's reaction to Grant "being a man again". Admittedly, Wesley did find it strange that the Word had different effects on everyone. For him, it had rendered him unconscious for a couple of days. It didn't seem like much, but for him, it took on the form of a coma. For Savayna, she had memory problems. According to what Grant alluded to, she was gaping in certain problems regarding what she could remember and what she couldn't. And for Grant himself, it apparently made his voice sound a bit feminine.

"I wonder.." Wesley mused, pressing his thumb to his lips, biting on the nail. "We all have gone through different manifestations of the Word. I was in a coma-like state, Savayna apparently has her memory problems, and Grant, you sounded like a woman for a couple of days." He pondered, eying Grant. "It's just a theory, but what if the Word manifests within those based on where they're from?"

"You have a solid theory there, but it's not quite accurate." Wesley heard a rather familiar voice say.

"So, that was you that aided us earlier," Wesley let out a laugh, grinning somewhat. Out of a portal like the ones that appeared before, a familiar green-haired Archadian appeared on the back of the Whisperer. "Michel, you came at just the right time."

"It wasn't hard. Igeyorhm led us straight here. Though, I figured he'd have gone to Archadia. I suppose he's not exactly bright." Michel mused, laughing, though he earned a scoff from Shemhazai who seemed to not approve of his lax demeanor.

"No, I suppose he isn't," Wesley admitted to Michel.

"You were a bit harsh with him, though."

"You heard all of that?"

Michel would simply nod, though, in that same instant, he looked to Nadeline who still was asleep, no doubt still under Igeyorhm's spell. "I see she's still out."

"He struck her with some spell."

Michel murmured something, but Wesley couldn't hear what he said. Although, as he would approach Nadeline, Wesley couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do. It was only a moment later when Michel knelt down to Nadeline's ear and whispered something did he see what he was doing, though he still didn't understand. With just one whisper, Nadeline had been brought out of her slumber.

"What did you just do?"

"You aren't the only ones who've ascended," Michel said, implying what Wesley seemed slow picking up on.

Nadeline's eyes fluttered open, though she had the same confused expression as she sat up. Grant let out a sigh of relief, though it turned into a groan as Lorenzo would take his happiness out on him. Why the hell didn't he go hug his daughter if he was so relieved?! "The Word took my voice completely," Grant decided to clarify to Wesley after Lorenzo finally released him. "But I agree, it is a rather curious case."

"What? Michel? Where has...?" Nadeline took a moment to collect herself before she would stand, shaking her head. "Of all the--forget it, now that our business is settled, we make for Archadia!"

Good to see Nadeline back to normal. "Never one to take a rest, are you?" He asked.

Nadeline gasped. "You've returned to normal! How relieving, that shrill voice didn't match you at all!" She said happily.

Grant scowled.

---

The sandsea was as dreadfully dull as always. Emette watched Aloa take on the sands quite effortlessly, not even flinching as sand flew at them. She always wondered how the viera could be so composed; did nothing bother her? Aloa's head turned back to her, and Emette offered her a smile.

"It was here where the rescue party had found their heir to the throne," Aloa stated, crossing her arms. "Even now...you can feel the remnants of its dark magicks. What a foulness."

"It's almost as if it happened yesterday. Whatever it is, that Creature must be some sort of monstrosity to have such an effect on the environment for so long after its departure," Emette visibly shivered, though as she approached Aloa, a stinging pain shot through her chest. She stopped, taking a moment to suffer through it, but as quickly as it came, it left. "It would seem my time is running shorter than I expected," She would admit to Aloa quietly.

Aloa looked at her, and Emette could swear by the way her eyes closed slightly that she was sad. "Forgive me," She was just as surprised to hear that, of all things. "I have done what I can to keep you here, but it is not enough. I suppose my magicks don't quite live up to my mistress'."

"The fact that I am here at all is a miracle in itself. I am glad for every second I get," Emette assured her. "But I must ask...why are we here?"

"She hopes that she can bring the Dark One from his throne. This game of cat and mouse is less effective if you know from where the enemy will strike," Aloa explained as she knelt down. "As for my personal reasons...my princess told me something disturbing when we last met. To further Shion's goal I asked her how it was that the Scion of Time was whisked away. She described something foul...something inhuman."

"Are you saying Venat is not responsible for this mist?" Emette asked, shocked.

Aloa nodded. "I am also concerned with the abominations, the False Scions. I feel as if they were created for a purpose, but for what? Venat has the power he needs...there must be something more to it. Something else I haven't seen. And...'Mitron' in particular is unsettling."

"Shion will cut him from Emiri, this I am sure."

The viera would stand, lightly patting some of the sand that had collected on her knee. "I wonder where he has gone. He was abandoned by his master...I doubt Levi would take him under her wing. I believe them all to be under the same umbrella, and yet I have my doubts. There are too many unanswered questions, and so I left the Transcended and the Scion of Time to Shion. Venat will appear again, it is simply a manner of 'when'."

---

Inhale, exhale.

Her breath was swept away by the cold wind of the Paramina Rift. She was more jittery than usual, a rather pleasant hum on the breeze as her boots crunched their way through the snow. She actually enjoyed the cold more than most people did, and didn’t find it cumbersome like others. The cold bit at her cheeks, giving her a blush on her pale skin. Her blonde hair was filled with snowflakes, though she didn’t mind it at all. At the moment, nothing could sour her mood.

She came to a halt before the cliffside, taking a moment to admire the scenery. Holding her cloak to her slightly, her amber eyes roamed until the crunch of snow alerted her to another’s presence. She smiled as she watched the dark-haired man approach her, noticing his rather thoughtful expression. He never seemed to be happy with anything anymore, it seemed. Sure, he was usually moody, but it felt so much different. What happened to the Rio she fell in love with?

No, she shouldn’t think like that. He was still Rio. “Good day to you,” She greeted him rather cheerfully as she turned towards him. He joined her in watching the snow, quietly thinking. After a moment, she gently nudged him. “You could say ‘hello’ back, you know.” She chided him.

Finally, he broke out of his thoughts, giving her a smile. “Hello,” He would return her greeting, taking her hand in his.

“That’s more like it!” She seemed satisfied. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“It’s only been three days.”

“That’s three days without us speaking, or interacting, or…or anything!” She exclaimed, pouting. “Didn’t you miss me at all?”

Rio frowned again. Damn. “There were things I needed to take care of with the Emperor, I told you this,” He replied, seemingly missing the point. “I wanted you to come with me, you’re the one who decided not to join me.”

“Hell itself will freeze over before I set foot in Archades,”She declared rather proudly, puffing her chest out. “If I go there, it’ll be to raze it to the ground!”

He seemed amused, even chuckling. “So I guess living there isn’t an option.” He thought outloud, once again getting that same thoughtful expression.

She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “You just got here! Don’t go wandering into Thoughtland yet!” She scolded him, letting out a huff. “Why would you ever need to live there?”

“Not ‘you’. ‘Us’.” He replied, much to her surprise. “I’d like to settle down with you, you know.”

“Oh yeah? When?” She taunted him, ready for the slew of excuses. “The last time I brought this up, we got into a fight. ‘Oh, but I need to work for the Emperor! Oh, but I need to serve Lord Zodiark better! Oh, I can go three days without seeing you!’ And now you want to talk about settling down?!” She stated, clearly frustrated, though after she let it all out, she would inhale slowly. “Sorry, it’s just—it’s a sore topic. For the both of us. Don’t bring it up so casually, okay?”

Rio sighed, one of his hands on his hips as the other searched his pocket. “Mmm…so I guess now would be a bad time to bring this out?” He asked her coyly, bringing out a small box.

Her jaw dropped, and she made to get it, but he raised it above his head. He didn’t quite expect her to jump on him, though he managed to remain steady as she clung to him and reached for the box. “Give it to meeeee!” She said, unable to contain her excitement.

“Listen! It’s been a long time coming, just get off—ow!” She stepped on his foot as she jumped off, taking a step back with a wide grin on her face. “Can never make anything easy, can you?”

“Isn’t that why you love me?” She batted her eyelashes innocently at him, though she outright let out a squeal as he got down on one knee. “You’re being serious, right? This isn’t a joke, right?”

“Why would I joke about this?”

“I don’t know!”

He laughed as he took out the silver band from the box, taking her hand in his. “Shion, I’ve wasted enough of your time,” He admitted as he slid the ring onto her finger. “I won’t hesitate any longer. I know what I want…and that’s you.” He said as he looked up at her.

She wanted to be happy, but there was something in his expression that didn’t seem right. Her expression fell as he would stand, a rather serious look on his face. “Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked him.

“If we get married, I want you to stop fighting,” He dropped his term on her. What? The disbelief on her face was apparent, because he seemed exasperated at her expression. “Yeah…I figured it’d be like that.”

“I love you, but who the hell do you think you are, saying that?!” Shion exclaimed, clearly taken aback. “What, you’d have me sit and do nothing while I wait for the ‘strong man’ to come home? Did you want dinner cooked for you while I raised our kids, too? What the fuck, Rio?! Did your balls get replaced or did you finally lose your mind?”

He seemed to have anticipated this reaction, though he looked at her calmly. “I mean, I was hoping for the kids thing,” He admitted, knowing it’d land him in hot water. “I wouldn’t feel right with you fighting with our child who knows where, considering neither of us have any family.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?! “Rio, that was a joke. I’m not—why? Okay…” She needed to get her thoughts together. “So you want to get married, knock me up right away apparently, and…just have me stay at home. Right?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re a fucking idiot, you know that?” She scoffed. “You realize you’re asking me this right as I’m at the peak of my power? Even Lord Zodiark has admitted I have the talent. I’m also on the verge of crafting something very special. And you just…want me to give all that up.”

“I do.” His answer was so quick it actually threw her off guard.

“What is this, a masculinity thing? You’re intimidated by me because I’m stronger than you? Is that it?” She asked, narrowing her eyes at him. His lack of response was all the answer she needed. “Wow! That really is it! I can’t believe you!”

“You’re not stronger than I am.”

Her lips parted as she raised her eyebrows, an understanding look on her face as she backed away from him. “Wow, so you’re an idiot and you’re delusional,” She told him seriously, frowning. “Are you intimidated by me? Is that it? Why, Rio? We’ve been doing so well for so long, and now…I can’t believe you!”

“What, you think just because you have our lord’s favor that you’re suddenly better than everyone?” He snapped at her.

She nodded. “Oh, I know I’m better than you.” She stated coldly. For a moment, the two only stared at one another—until Rio would draw his sword. “What, you think you can beat me into submission?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I’d never lay a hand on you like that!” He protested, gripping his blade tightly. “But…a spar, then. If I win…you’ll do as I say.”

What the fuck?! Where was all this coming from? One moment he was proposing, now he wanted to fight?! Shion ended up responding in kind, drawing out her own corsair. Fine, if he wanted to be such an ass about it, she was going to bash his head in until he came to his senses! “First strike wins, then,” She told him as she got into her stance.

“Cocky, aren’t we? Did you forget who taught you the blade?” He asked her.

“Course not, idiot! But clearly you need me to knock some sense into you!”

The wind seemed to die around them at that very moment, leaving them in absolute silence. She almost felt like the entire thing was a dream as he charged forward at. Still, she was much too stubborn to stop at this point, their blades meeting one another. His strikes had always been quick, but uniform, predictable. She shook her head at him as she easily pushed him back, swinging freely. He jumped back as she went forward, slamming his blade down, twisting his body as he went for a kick. She grabbed his ankle, swinging him upwards and slamming him down. She climbed on top of him, stabbing her sword into the ground next to him.

“Now will you cut this whole thing out?” She asked him, watching him catch his breath.

He panted for a moment, though his arm shot up, grabbing her by her neck. With a surprising amount of force, he slammed her to the side, quickly reversing their positions. So he really wanted to finish this? Fine! As he leaned down towards her, she headbutted him, sending him back. Squeezing her legs out from under him, rolled away as she narrowly dodged a swing of his sword. As she straightened herself, she noticed something dark emanating from him. She almost dropped her blade as a darkness surrounded him, his expression completely blank.

“Not until I win,” He said, answering her previous question.

He was in her face before she could even react, knocking all the wind out of her and sending her flying. She stabbed her blade into the ground to stop herself, looking up to see him swing at her. She ducked, driving her next attack into a successful kick, though she followed up with her own swing, their blades clashing. This time, however, he was the one overpowering her, even as she grabbed the hilt of her sword with both hands. Where had this strength come from?

“Stop!”

Shion’s eyes widened as she saw Avria running towards them, though this didn’t seem to stop Rio in the slightest. Using his own force against him, she would bait him into pushing back more, though at the last moment she slipped past him, sending him to the ground. “Avria! What are you doing here?” Shion asked her, though she kept her eyes on Rio.

“Rio, please! You have to stop!” She begged him as he lunged for Shion once more. “The only good that darkness will do is eat you from the inside! It’s corrupting your mind, please, Rio, you don’t want to kill Shion!”

What? Her eyes went over to Rio, who approached her. “You…want to kill me?” She asked him in disbelief. “No, that can’t be right! You wouldn’t ask me to marry you if you wanted to kill me, right?”

“Of course not. But if you won’t yield to me, then I don’t have much of a choice, do I?” He asked, his voice becoming distorted.

Shion froze as the darkness would wrap itself around his body, a dark laugh escaping him as armor appeared, his skin paling as he transformed before her. He was something inhuman now, nary a trace of the Rio she knew. She shook her head at him as she took a step back. Why? Why was this happening? And yet, even as he raised his sword, she couldn’t even defend herself. Did he truly hate her so much? She didn’t understand, she couldn’t understand. And as he brought his sword down, a scream was heard.

Avria had thrown herself between them, taking Rio’s attack in place of Shion. Another scream came, though Shion didn’t realize it had been her own voice as she caught Avria in her arms. “Avria! Avria!” She called out to her, Avria’s blood staining the snow around them.

“Nuisance. Stay out of the way!” He stated as he picked her body up, tossing her to the side without a second thought. The shocked Shion reached out for the fallen Avria, though her thoughts came to a halt as he would pull her to him, a smirk on his face. “Fear not. You'll join her soon enough.”

This was reality. Rio had murdered Avria without so much as a second thought. Her eyes remained on Avria, who was as still as the snow around her, though they slowly traveled to Rio. Gone were those kind eyes, replaced with something similar to hatred. She wanted to cry, she wanted to yell at him, but she knew her words would not reach him. He dropped her, grasping his sword with both hands as he prepared to plunge it into her.

She looked at the ring on her finger, slowly taking it off. “First strike wins. Remember?” She asked him quietly, holding the ring to her chest. He either ignored her or didn’t hear her, continuing the attack when a bright light emitted from her, sending him several paces back. She got to her feet, the ring transforming as she put her hands to her chest. In its place formed a hilt, and she would pull, a katana that shimmered as if blessed by mist itself forming.

Turning towards Rio, he would see her tears. In the next moment however, a sharp pain pierced his abdomen, her blade driven into him fully. He closed his eyes for a moment, opening them once more. He raised his hand, wiping away her tears. “I’m so sorry…” He told her as her sword faded away, and he fell to the ground.

Inhale, exhale. There was no wind. There was no snow falling. And as it all came crashing down, she felt herself drop down to her knees. The darkness left Rio, fading away and leaving him as she remembered him. Sorrow would finally break her out of her numbness, and she let out a scream that would reach the heavens themselves.

Considering the fact that she wasn't burning anything to the ground, her current visit was irony incarnate.

Shion's mind had long departed after her conversation with Emiri, her elbows perched on the balcony, her eyes not really looking anywhere in particular. She could hear Roman explaining several parts of the architecture to a very interested Reia, but she couldn't quite bring herself to add to the conversation at any capacity. Perhaps she still held onto her lingering anger. Perhaps she was nostalgic for a simpler time. She stared out at the city, though after a moment, she closed her eyes. If only...