Hero

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

As she heard the door open again, she dreaded Grant's return, though braced herself. However, it seemed that despite all that happened, the gods would spare her--and replace Grant with another demon. She was quite surprised to see Savayna herself walk in, and despite her tears, narrowed her eyes at her. She didn't like her one bit--and that dislike grew stronger with Jaakuna's little confession. Still, she wasn't in any position to resist or even fight; her hands were bound, her powers weren't working, and she was pretty sure her magic was probably gone again. She sat up a bit, wiping her tears away and taking in a deep breath.

"What about?" Emiri asked quietly, eyeing the ice queen before her. Her tone was neutral; she was not hostile, but she was sure if Savayna had her way, she'd slice Emiri to bits if she had the chance.

---

After what seemed like an eternity, Nadeline either finally finished crying or ran out of tears. She really wasn't sure which, to be honest. She felt like crying some more, so she deduced that she had just ran out of tears. Still, her sorrow burned something fierce, and the blonde haired girl had just about had enough of everything. Gently pulling herself away from Wesley, she stood up and approached the opposite wall. There was a moment of silence as she simply stared at the wall. And then, without warning, she punched it. There was another punch, and another, and pretty soon Nadeline was essentially in a fight with a wall that would not yield to her attacks.

Despite her now sore knuckles, she just felt so much better letting her frustration out. She then took a seat next to Wesley, looking at him cheerfully. "What a relief, I feel so much better now." Her voice was much brighter then before, almost back at normal. Still, she put on a more serious face as she thought carefully. "It would seem we are in quite the position here."

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

All of her composure had, seemingly, flown out the window. As soon as Nadeline and Wesley were locked into that cell, she could only lean her head onto the door, mentally pleading with it to open. If Grant was here, she needed to protect Emiri. And yet, once that thought had crossed her mind, Emiri's screams would tear right into her heart. She cursed Grant, she cursed her country, and she cursed herself above all. What was the point of being a princess if she could do nothing for her friends? For the first time in a very long time, Nadeline was shaken to her very core. Her usual, unfazed self had all but disappeared. She wanted to scream, to shout, to cry, to break something, but she was uncharacteristically silent.

And then they heard Jaakuna's confession.

She could not say she was surprised; all the hints were there. Maybe somewhere deep down she had known, but she just didn't want to accept the truth. It was cruel, it was pure denial on her part, and she couldn't take it. She went to the bench and sank into it, placing her head in her hands. Where did everything go so wrong? It was not long ago that they were so united, now they were broken up. Well, she felt broken, anyway. While she was wallowing in her thoughts, she felt Wesley comforting her, and looked up at him. Oh, how could she have been so foolish? Why couldn't she stop Vlyn and Aloa? Why?!

At this point, she just cried.

It was a truly rare sight to behold. For as long as she could remember, she vowed to wear the royal mask with pride. She could not show any weakness, as that was just a way for the enemy to take advantage. All her fears were behind her, as they would only drag her down. And yet, at this moment, she just couldn't take it. So she hugged Wesley tightly cried into his chest. And she cried, and cried some more.

---

What?

Emiri laid against the wall, eyes wide with shock. That couldn't be true, could it? He murdered his father...for her. He did it for her. And yet it pained her to hear this, not because of what he did, but what he said. It kept echoing in her head. 'For you' he had said. 'For you'. She felt numb, and sad, and angry, and frustrated, and every other emotion just seemed to pile on and confuse her more. Was she in denial? She didn't know or understand what she was feeling. Her heart beat against her chest and made her feel sick. So then, did he still love her? And right then, when that thought crossed her mind, she lost it. Why? She asked him mentally as she cried harder. Why did you have to go and say that?!

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Her nightmare had arrived. Emiri felt her stomach drop as he approached her. Why? Of all the places and people here, why him? She caught Savayna's comment and glared at her. The feeling was mutual, so to speak--if the two women's looks were magical, an explosion of tension would have likely occurred. "Of course, m'lady." Grant nodded, signaling the soldiers to move out. "Let's get going to the Ark. Make sure they're separately detained." He said, leading the makeshift group of soldiers and prisoners out. The trek was quick and simple, as the soldiers quickly dispatched any monster bold enough to attack.

At his command, the group was dragged out of the Barheim Passage. Once outside, the Dreadnought Ark awaiting them. As they got on board, they were led through to the airship. It was huge, so to speak, and many other soldiers ran around, likely carrying orders. They saluted Grant and Savayna as they walked by, leading the group so to speak. After a while of walking they reached the holding cells. Grant instructed the soldiers to confiscate their weaponry and possessions. The soldiers discovered the Dawn and Dusk Shards, presenting them to Grant.

"Would you look at that." He commented, eyeing the stones warily. He took the Dawn Shard in his hand, eyeing it warily and he handed the Dusk Shard to Savayna. "I'm sure your Emperor will be pleased." He gave his piece to a soldier. "Send this one down to the laboratories, I want it tested .Set a course for the Stilshrine of Miriam as well."

As the soldier took off with the stones, he looked at each person, letting out a sigh. "Really...what a crew." He then smiled, catching Nadeline's glare and chuckling slightly. "Worry not, Your Highness, once we take care of a small matter, we will be heading home. You are safe from the criminal."

"The only criminal I see here is you!" Nadeline replied, rather ticked off. "How dare you detain us as common prisoners?! Have you any idea of who these people are?!"

"Of course, princess. My apologies to you and Prince Wesley." He then beckoned another soldier to him. "Separate him--" He motioned to Jaakuna. "--And her--" He motioned to Emiri. "--From them." He motioned to Nadeline and Wesley. Nadeline was heard yelling something about 'that wasn't what she meant' or something, but he had to ignore her for the moment. She would thank him once they were back in Stigma. As the soldiers complied these demands and separated the group, he turned to Savayna. "Quite the reunion, isn't it my lady?" He asked her rather cheerfully. "If you will excuse me, I want to have a word with one of them." He bowed as he took his leave.

He entered Emiri's cell, finding her on the floor. The girl looks up to see who had entered, but once she saw it was him, she planted her eyes firmly onto the ground.

Grant finally breaks the silence as he kneels down to her and says, "I've missed you."

She refuses to look at him, keeping her eyes directed away from him as her face turns to the side. He places a hand under her jaw, turning her face towards his. She closes her eyes in an act of defiance. He hates it. She knows this. It angers him more. And yet, he manages to keep his temper under wraps, mainly because he senses her fear. She may put on a brave face, but her body betrays her very emotion. He hears her breathing quicken, her body trembling at his touch. And it is for this reason that he knows that he still has his hold over her.

"Tell me." He speaks quietly, releasing his grip on her, but remains kneeling in front of her. "Did you really think you would escape me forever? Your little game of cat and mouse was amusing while it lasted. Now you're where you belong...with me."

He was a fool if he really thought as much. "You can have any woman in the country. Why bother chasing a common born?" She asked him, not really caring for the answer.

"Come now, Emelia, you didn't have any objections when we met, did you?" He asked her with a slight frown as he played with her ponytail. "You seemed relatively passive for years. It was just like any other arranged marriage; we met, we spoke, we got along. And then suddenly, you start to change."

"It's only thanks to you. You opened my eyes at what a fool I was, and you and my mother can go jump off a cliff for all I care."

He smiled as he twirled her locks between her fingers. "Did I? Hmm, I cannot say I recall doing such a thing. Cause me no more trouble, you and Nadeline will return to Stigma with me. Your mother will be happy to see you. All will be as it was."

"Are you mad or deaf? I will NOT return, lest I be used by you AND her! You don't even care about me, you're just upset that I refuse to go along with your demands!" She yelled at him, clearly losing her temper. "Leave me be and get yourself another tool to use!"

"Of course I care. You're my precious doll." He responded with a somewhat hurt tone in his voice.

"I am NOT your doll." She hisses at him.

Grant smiles, lightly grabbing the back of her ponytail and pulling on it so that she is forced to look up at him, He is greeted with a seething glare and he seems amused at this. He gently kisses her neck, sending chills up her spine, and to his surprise, she begins to struggle against him, her bound hands pushing against him. His grip on her hair becomes tighter, and he pulls her up, forcing her to stand to avoid getting her hair pulled out.

"And yet I pull one string--" He replies, tugging on her hair. "--And you do my beckoning. Perhaps not a doll, but a puppet, then?"

Her heart is racing at this point--he may not show it, but he is furious with her at the moment. He tosses her onto the bench, pinning her arms above her head.

"Stop...!" He voice comes out as a mangled plea, a shriek emitting from her mouth as she continues to writhe under his grip.

He takes out a dagger, running it up over her knees, up her thighs as it pushes her dress up. He continues to let it trace over her stomach, then her left breast. When he finishes, the point is pressing onto her collarbone lightly. He presses the blade onto her cheek, enjoying the panicked reaction she gives him. "What happened to that defiance you had just a moment ago?" He asks coyly, using the dagger to slide off her sleeve and revealing her bare shoulder. "Why don't you try bringing it back? I would love to see it."

She froze in place, terror paralyzing her. She feels the air escaping her lungs, knowing what he will do next. He presses his dagger onto her shoulder, slowly tracing a line. Blood seeps out after the blade, and slowly he repeats the process. "Stop it! Leave me alone!" She screams out as he continues.

It is not until several minutes pass that it stops, her screams increasing with every cut and silence only comes once he is done. He lifts the dagger from her skin, admiring his handiwork as if it were art. He kisses her shoulder, then her neck. This time, she does not struggle. His lips smirk as he kisses her cheek gently, and he backs away to admire her face. Her eyes are closed now, her face bearing a pained expression. He places his thumb on her chin, prompting her to open her eyes to look at him. He lifts her sleeve to cover her wounded shoulder, and then envelops her in a kiss. It is short, but its effects haunt her. He pulls away, placing one more kiss on her forehead and stands up, releasing her arms. They drop to her lap, as if all the energy had been drained out of them.

"Be a good girl and sit still, I have some manners to take care of." Grant says as he leaves.

Once she is alone, the feeling of powerlessness returns. It overwhelms her, and before she can get a hold of herself, she felt the tears rolling down her face already. She hated him. She hated him so much. Why couldn't she stand up to him? Why was she so weak? "Jaakuna..." She whispers, shoulders shaking as she cries.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

As Emiri moved to attack, she swore she heard a spell sing through the air. As she looked up, she saw the familiar rain cloud form. That's...! She let out a yell of surprise as Jaakuna and Wesley were drenched, and once again looked frantically around. This was Aloa's technique! Before she could warn them, however, the sound of lightning crackling caught her off guard. No, she always followed it up with Blizzaga, not Thundaga--and as she looked up she saw Vlyn above her, lightning crackling through his fingers. It was as if he had read her thoughts, giving her an apologetic look, and as the spell converged on Jaakuna and Wesley, she let out a scream. The water amplified the Thundaga attack, quite literally frying the pair.

Nadeline heard Emiri's scream, and as she turned around she saw Jaakuna and Wesley getting electrocuted. She didn't see the Esper fire off any elemental spells, what had happened? Her answer came in the form of Vlyn landing in front of her. As she opened her mouth to say something, he cast a spell on her. She threw her arms over her head, though she wasn't hurt. When she looked up, however, she found herself trapped in what was a makeshift Blizzaga cage. She could only watch as Aloa joined Vlyn, the pair attacking Emiri now. The brunette was somewhat caught off guard by their appearance, though she somehow managed to reflect both their spells, the Blizzaga and Thundaga bouncing back at them. She wasn't as lucky when it came to their physical attacks, and she was promptly knocked back by one of Aloa's kicks.

The blonde haired girl didn't understand what they were doing here. Had they come for them? Or were they here for the Esper? Her question was quickly answered as Vlyn kept Emiri pinned down, his spells making quick work of the skeletons. Aloa, on the other hand, had gone straight for Zalera. As it erupted another death wail, she simply raised her hand, and Nadeline watched as a stone absorbed the attack, so to speak. It must have been nethicite--the manufactured kind, no doubt. She then tossed the stone at the Esper, following it with a simple Fire spell. The manufactured nethicite glowed omniously, and then promptly exploded. In a sense, Zalera's attack was used against him, and it roared something fierce as it faded away. Zalera's symbol appeared on Aloa's hand, and she turned to the group, flipping her hair in victory.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Nadeline yelled through her cage. "What on Ivalice are you two doing?!"

Vlyn shook his head, placing cuffs on Emiri's wrists as she struggled to get away from him. "Forgive us, Your Highness." He murmured, lifting Emiri to her feet.

"I order you to release her at once!"

"That, my dear niece, is a command I must override."

Emiri ceased her struggling, watching as a black haired man appeared, about a dozen soldiers following in his wake. She felt her heart skip a beat, and not in a good way. He smiled at her, beckoning to the soldiers. The spread out, several going to each party member, though he alone approached her. She didn't even notice when Vlyn released her, and she actually backed away a step or two as he neared. Nadeline herself was in disbelief--had he really come all this way out here?

"It's good to see you again, Emelia." Grant spoke, bearing a small smile.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Emiri nodded at Jaakuna, smiling back. "Yes!" She replied rather happily, though her look turned into one of concentration as she looked around. Yes, together, they can do it. No Esper or anyone could defeat them. At this point Nadeline joined the group, daintily wielding her own rapier, carefully examining each monster and the Esper before them. "Wesley, Jaakuna, you keep Zalera occupied." She said, a glyph appearing beneath her. "Bravery!" She called, and each weapon was enhanced. "Emi and I will take care of the small fry. Oh, and by the way, it's not an order, more of a friendly suggestion! Divide and conquer!"

The brunette grinned, though she figured now was as good a time as ever to see just how much her new weapon would play out--this was the real test, after all. It sang through the air as she attacked a skeleton, easily toppling over the bag of bones to the ground. It was definitely stronger, though at this point she was used to the weight. As a skeletal mage prepared a spell, she smirked, happily casting a spell of her own in response. "Reflect!" She called, and its own Firaga bounced off her magical shield and decimated it. Boy, it felt so good to be able to cast magic again, and she was clearly giddy with it.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Nadeline grinned at Wesley, adoring his cluelessness. She let out a light giggle, lightly prodding Wesley's cheek. "Isn't it obvious?" She asked him, unable to really contain herself. "It's at this point in time that he realizes that she's the one." She sagely replied, nodding in approval. "[b]Mhm, mhm, from now on he will dedicate himself solely to her, and it gets to the point where just being around her is enough to left his spirits. Ah, young love, isn't it beautiful?" She gushed, letting out a rather quiet squeal of delight.

Emiri walked forward with Jaakuna, though she held a hand out to stop him as the familiar looking glyph appeared on the ground. The ghastly figure arose from the glyph, a horned skeleton grasping onto what looked like a blue skinned Hume woman. Its wing extended, lightly blowing the Mist around them. Emiri felt a slight chill, though held her sword at the ready. The thing freaked her out, really. The dude looked like something that belonged six feet under, and definitely lacked the more...mystical aspect that other Espers had. Even Cucucachoo seemed more...powerful for this thing. No, instead this Esper, Zalera, had a more devoid aura about it. Death incarnate, so to speak. She actually felt herself slightly trembling, tightening her grip on her blade. As she was about to make the first move, however, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Several skeletons broke free of the ground, assembling themselves.

The shamaness bound to Zalera let out a terrifying screech, and Emiri was sure she would have cracked glass if any were around. Still, the skeletons became much more active after that, each wielding a weapon and pointing it at the party. "Great, he's got friends." She commented, stepping back a bit.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

"So then, the more Mist, the more monsters?" Emiri asked, swinging her sword at a Steeling and missing.

Nadeline nodded in response, taking a swing and missing the monster herself. She clucked her tongue in disappointment, watching as the thing flew around their heads. Emiri took another half hearted swing, watching it evade her sword. Nadeline shrugged, placing a finger on her chin as she thought carefully. "Mist attracts and mutates monster growth. I know of some monsters that also feed off magicks." She replied, watching Emiri swing her Diamond Sword around, trying to get the damned bat monster. "Technically speaking Mist exists everywhere. Without it, we could not cast magic at all. It's a strange and mysterious thing, but anything we do know seems to be accurate."

Emiri leapt at the Steeling, finally slicing off one of its wings. In victory she stabbed the thing a few times, clearly annoyed by it. "So then...if all the Mist in the world disappeared, it'd be a bad thing, right?" She asked curiously, though let out a slight cough. "Wow, the Mist is really thick here! It's suffocating!"

Now it was Nadeline's turn to get confused. Of course at higher densities Humes can tell how thick the mIst is--mainly just by seeing it. But to say it was suffocating wasn't exactly normal, was it? She certainly didn't feel suffocated. As she was about to ask Emiri what she meant, the brunette let out a surprised gasp, pointing ahead. "It's here! I can feel it!" Emiri exclaimed, turning to the group. "Are we ready?"

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Emiri pouted slightly. Neither Wesley nor Nadeline seemed too surprised at the Ifrit, though Wesley was more intrigued then anything else. She assumed she must be the most normal one there. That or...the dumbest. Which was pretty embarrassing. She made a mental note to try to read more; perhaps at the very least she would be at the same level as everyone else, right?

As the group began their trek, the place was...odd. Or at least, that was how Emiri felt. She could actually see the Mist--it was so colorful. She watched, amazed at the many colors crossing through their path, reaching out to touch it. Of course, it could not be fully grasped, though she felt chills running up her spine. She briefly recalled that high amounts of Mist in the area amplified magicks (or made them weaker? she couldn't remember). A nearby Steeling caught her attention, and it gave her an idea. She held out her hand, focusing on it. "Slow!" She casted her spell, and sure enough, a clock appeared beneath it, and soon its movements were significantly slowed down.

"We must tread carefully." Nadeline said as she watched Emiri snipe the Steeling, killing it. "And be wary of our magicks. Mist tends to amplify them, which is a benefit of course, but it can also make them go astray." At this point she looked at Jaakuna.

"At the very least I can use my magicks." Emiri happily piped up, not really understanding Nadeline's lecture, but glad that she had at least some of her abilities back.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

The first thought she had was 'who uses measures anymore'. That was the complete truth. After that, however, she looked at Jaakuna. She probably should have done this earlier in all reality, but the thing is, she was actually attached to her weapons. Sure, it was silly to keep the same ones for too long (seeing as how new weaponry was created almost daily, really) but as they had basically been there for everything, from her first hunt to her first defense against bandits, it was actually a little hard to depart from them. Still, it wasn't like they were being thrown away.

Determined, the girl nodded, unsheathing her Longsword and placing it with the rest. She silently thanked it for its services and always standing up to stronger enemies. From the rack she drew out a Diamond Sword. Stepping away for a moment, she swung it through the air a few times. It was heavier, just slightly, but much sturdier. She recalled being brushed off by Ixion easily, and let out a small smirk; she promised herself that next time they would meet, she would not be pushed aside so easily. She sheathed it and took out her bow, this she could not hide her reluctance. Still, just like her Longsword, she placed it too, this time bringing out a Burning Bow.

With a small sigh, she turned to Jaakuna, scratching her head. "I think...this is fine." She told him.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Poor Wesley. Nadeline tried to stop and found herself unable to, much to her horror. Oh, but how good it felt to laugh like that! Finally, as she got herself under control, she took in several deep breaths as she made sure that every last giggle had escaped. She avoided smiling for a few minutes, lest she lose all control and start laughing again. As they had to prepare for landing, she cleared her throat, feeling somewhat worn out. Still, it seemed Jaakuna wanted to speak with Emiri, so she would go on with Wesley. She too was somewhat interested in his second beckoning of the girl (she didn't get a chance to ask Emiri what all that was about) but she digressed.

"Let's." The blonde haired girl took Wesley's offer.

As she followed Jaakuna, the brunette was somewhat stiff. "What is it?" Emiri nervously asked. Considering last time he said something to that degree it ended in a startling conversation, she was slightly off put by it.