Hero

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Aloa’s ear twitched lightly, her eyes closed as she leaned against the wall. A pair of footsteps would cause her to open her eyes, and she would watch as Nadeline came into view. Standing straight, she looked at the girl. She was getting better at holding together her mask—though not so much that those close couldn’t tell something was bothering her. Nadeline seemed to know, making eye contact with Aloa. Her wounds were healed, and she was in more battle ready clothing, rapier at her belt.

“Shall we depart, Highness?” Aloa asked her.

Nadeline nodded, though once again she would look at Wesley’s door. She walked over, her hand on the handle, but she couldn’t bring herself to open it. No, she couldn’t bear to see him again. “If you can hear me, Wesley, I wanted to say that I’m sorry,” She spoke to him through the door. “I wanted to resolve your problems for you. We spoke about going forward together, yet there I was, running off without giving you so much as a warning. Now…now I’m leaving once more, though this time, I’ll be waiting for you. Whenever you do wake up, I’ll be there with Jaakuna and everyone. So wake up soon, alright? We’re all waiting for you.”

Nadeline backed away from the door, turning to Aloa. “Let us take our leave,” She stated, slightly more confident. “To Archades.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Aloa stated as Nadeline walked up to her. As Aloa’s magicks whistled through the air, Nadeline looked at the door once more, although in a flash, Dalmasca’s castle was replaced with the streets of a very chaotic Archades. Her eyes widened as she looked around at the panicked people, a far cry from the quite smug citizenry that had once taunted her arrest. “Shall we?” Aloa asked her.

Nadeline shook her head, unfazed. “I ask that you find Reia. I will go to Jaakuna,” She instructed her. “Bring her back to Stigma. There is something I must do.”

Aloa bowed, and the two would go their separate ways.

---

Lorenzo threw his arms up in the air, clearly happy with his victory, though it ended with him on his back. He was so relieved, he almost cried, though seeing Savanna and his little brother gave him a second wind as he would sit up. Shinto greeted Savanna (now that he thought about it, didn’t they have the same last name? Were they related? He couldn’t remember…) and…something happened, he was too tired to pay attention, though he did catch Grant’s disapproving look.

“So that’s what’s happening with us!” Lorenzo added, grinning and giving them a thumbs up, though he would then slap Shinto’s back. “We’re, uh, pretty spent though.”

Grant shook his head, though he looked at the direction Jaakuna and Hamut had gone. He started to walk, though Shion blocked him with her arm. “What is it?” He couldn’t help but ask.

“It wouldn’t do to get yourself ripped from limb to limb. You’d serve as a distraction,” Shion stated, lowering her arm. “This battle was a long time coming. Should he require assistance…you’ll know.”

Lorenzo jumped onto his feet, placing his hands on his hips. “There’s a point in every man’s life where he starts to realize his destiny. This is Jaakie’s moment!” Hes declared, winking at Grant, and as he looked at Savayna, he opened his mouth to say something, but hesitated. “Wait a sec…that ring…”

Grant was confused, but by the time he realized it, Lorenzo let out a mix between a screech and a shout. “What is wrong with you?” Shion asked him, wondering if he had finally lost what was left of his mind.

“THAT—THAT IS—THAT—” For a moment Lorenzo seemed unable to string a proper sentence, resulting in Shion knocking on his head, though she jumped back as he would finally shout, “That is a Roselia relic! Where did you get that—OH MY GOD GRANT GAVE THAT TO YOU DIDN’T HE?!”

“…the…ring…?” She asked, raising an eyebrow, though she seemed to give up on understanding what made Lorenzo panic so much.

To both their surprises, Grant actually blushed, scratching his cheek. “Oh, you know…life threatening situations, near death experiences…really called for it,” He laughed, slightly embarrassed.

“Holy shit,” Lorenzo gasped, placing both his hands on Grant’s shoulders. “I thought you were gay.”

“Uh, no.”

“If this is some kind of joke—”

“It’s not. I’m serious.”

Lorenzo burst into tears, hugging Grant tightly. “First Nadeline leaves me, now Grant’s finally found a woman willing to put with his annoying tendencies! I can’t believe this! The gods have answered my prayers!” He bawled.

Shion decided to ignore him, though a thought popped into her head, and she looked at Shinto.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

As Grant and Savayna made their way through Archades, he couldn't help but note the city was wrapped entirely in chaos. He had to commend the soldiers that tried their best to keep everyone in an orderly fashion, though it did nothing to dissuade the citizens who jumped every time Jaakuna and Bahamut would clash. An all too familiar shade of blue caught his eye, and he would come to a halt. "That's..." Grant recognized that hair.

The woman stopped, head to her forehead for a moment, though she noticed both Grant and Savayna. "So you've come," Shion stated, closing her eyes. Her voice had come out quieter than she had anticipated, but after a few seconds of catching her breath, she regained her composure, straightening up and opening her amber eyes. "That leaves two..."

Grant couldn't help but notice Shion's now entirely black hand. "What happened to you--" He started, though he seemed to realize it when the words left him.

Shion would confirm his suspicions. "Zodiark happened," She replied.

Then everything Vlyn had said was the truth. It wasn't that he believed him to be lying, but it certainly was a wake up call. Grant remained steady for the moment, instead choosing to focus on Shion. No, that wasn't right, they needed to get to Jaakuna, though he wasn't quite sure how the battle was going yet. "If you're injured--"

"An inconvenience. Hardly an injury," She raised an eyebrow at him. "A mistake I made in a battle, and one I could easily dispel...but hanging onto it is the only way I can track your 'friend' and Zodiark. Let us make haste to the sky pirate, if your questions are done."

---

Three minutes?! Lorenzo knew he was asking for too much, but he had hoped Shinto would've bought him more time. No, that wasn't it, Lannit was getting worse, Lorenzo just needed to work faster. He wouldn't have to worry about the poison, at least he could focus on the more pressing matter. All he could think about was the bastard in front of him, whose pale tone didn't comfort Lorenzo in the slightest. Still, he knew the serum was in place, now all he needed to do was complete the spell and pray. Taking his hands off Lannit for the moment, he drew in a deep breath, though he noticed his own hand shaking. 'Can't let his future kid grow up without a dad' really puts the pressure, huh? He couldn't help but think to himself. Forming a fist, he held it out, closing his eyes. An orange glyph would form beneath the three of them, magical in nature, though it would then begin to rewrite itself, looking more mechanical in nature as it completed the magical circle.

As the circle faded, signaling the finish, Lorenzo nearly threw up. He managed to hold it in, signaling Shinto to stop, and he looked at Lannit, panting. "Okay, Bennit...if this worked, you should hear me...and say something..." He said between breaths. "I'm getting old..."

---

Keiran had taken Emiri back to the guest room she had slept in before. She didn’t bother resisting as he would sit her on the bed, and watched him as he paced back and forth in front of her. He then snapped his fingers, her own clothes reverting back to her simple black dress, though her shoes were missing for some reason. Once he was finished, he would straighten up, and in a flash, his demonic form was reverted to that black haired hume form he had. He would kneel before her, a thoughtful look on his face. What did he want now? To scold her? And yet, she found herself calming down as she stared back.

“I…was going to lose, wasn’t I?” She asked him quietly.

“That was why I interfered,” He admitted, gently lifting her ankle to him, a green light emanating where Lola had cut her. “You didn’t seem to believe me when I told you that you needed to rest. But Nabriales took things too far…I can’t have anything happen to you.”

“Because you would be punished?”

“Because I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

What? He released her foot, taking her wrist in his hand. She winced as she felt his magicks patching up the cuts, though she needed to know the meaning of his words. “Why? Aren’t I just some tool to you? To Zodiark? What does it matter if I get hurt?” She asked, wanting to know more.

He was quiet, though he looked at her arm, inspecting a bruise on her shoulder as his fingers lightly traced another cut. “Do you remember what I said when we met?” He asked, watching as the bruise would fade as he healed it. “I told you, didn’t I? I wanted your heart. I promised I’d mend your heart. I was created for that purpose…or at least, I’d like to think so,” It was partly true, it sounded so sincere. But why did he look so sad about it? “I haven’t left your side yet, have I? Unlike him…I’m here.”

Emiri shook her head—she didn’t want to think of Jaakuna. “That’s…ridiculous.”

“Because you don’t believe it? Or because it’s true?” He stated, causing her to look right at him, and she caught his black eyes staring at her once again. “Once the world falls to ruin…if your wish is to die, then I would want to die right alongside you.”

Her eyes were wide with shock. It was like a pit had formed in her stomach, but she didn't want to believe anything he was saying. What, was he in love with her? Was that why he was so kind? No, it had to be some sort of ruse, it couldn't be true. It was then that he would take hold of her hand, lightly kissing her wrist. It was almost instantaenous, but something inside her caused her to take her hand away. To her surprise, he would get up, though he towered over her, and the next thing she knew she was on her back, staring up at him.

It was a familiar feeling, staring up at someone. But she wasn't thinking about Keiran. She remembered Jaakuna, that little smile he had just for her. As he got closer, she realized what it was that Keiran wanted. Her breath was caught in her throat as his hand touched her cheek, a gentle touch. Everything he was doing reminded her of Jaakuna, even the way he got closer, and closer...until...

“Don’t.” Her voice came out as a small plea, so quiet she didn’t even realize she had said it.

Both their eyes widened, the pair staring at one another. For some reason, he then looked...angry? She couldn't take her eyes off him, though Keiran’s would close as he would get off the bed. “Can’t forget him, can you?” His tone was mellow, disappointed more than anything.

She was speechless. Why did Jaakuna have to come to mind? Why? Though as quickly as that warm feeling came, it left, and she would instead lay on her side, her back turned to him. “I…want to be alone,” was her only reply. She heard the door close. After turning around to make sure he was truly gone, she couldn't help but punch the wall. Was she doomed to always have him in her thoughts? She couldn't bear that feeling, it hurt too much. The way he said her name, how he looked at her, the stupid jokes he'd make, it was as if every memory pushed a knife deeper and deeper into her heart.

She laid down once, more, closing her eyes. If the gods were merciful, they would make it so that she would never waken again.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Vlyn was as surprised as Grant was, though he did a better job at hiding it. His ear would twitch, and he would look towards the Aerodome. “Lord Roman…and Majesty Reia? Where is Prince Lorenzo?” He murmured, his eyes looking at the core of the city’s destruction. “This Mist…a battle between Espers—no, their Seals have been unlocked.”

Grant snapped out of his shock long enough to hear Vlyn. “The Seals you spoke of? But who—” As the words left his mouth, he frowned. He didn’t need Zeromus to tell him who it was. “It must be Jaakuna and Hamut. Who else would it be?”

“I agree. I will see to their Majesties’ safety—worry not,” Vlyn told Grant and Savayna.

---

Hamut may not have realized it, but he seemed to solve Lorenzo’s problem. Lannit probably would have been as good as dead—except now that he knew what the main problem was, he knew how to handle it. He had to ignore Jaakuna for now, though he was grateful when he moved them all to a safer location. “Go for it, kid!” He shouted, though he would rummage through his pockets, looking for something. “Ten minutes, huh? It’s gonna be close but…Oi, Shinto, I need you to channel Mist into Lannit—if you know any healing or cleansing magicks, fantastic. If not, just channel, the Sap is an issue but I need to fix this bleeding before I can take care of that.”

His mind was racing as he struggled to remember Karolina’s lessons. Nadeline’s healing may have been from her mother, but he was no slouch, either. Granted, he always preferred the power of technology, and as he extracted a needle from his bag, he knew that whatever he was going to try, he needed to do it quickly. He stuck it in Lannit’s chest, close to the heart, and started directing all his magick to his heart. The serum should have aimed for the arteries, though he tried to guide his magicks to have both ends of the aorta stick together. It’s a long shot…but I sure as hell am not going to give up. He didn’t even know if it would work, but he needed to try.

“Lannit, if you can hear me, you better not give up. I’ll chase you right into hell and beat you so bad the devil himself will end up feeling bad for you,” He warned him, trying to focus.

---

“Your hospitality is appreciated, but not needed. I am pressed for time, I must get to Archades,” The Viera politely declined. “There is trouble there."

Jaakuna was in trouble? It was then that the day’s events truly hit her. She was talking about Emiri. “Aloa…is it true? Did Emiri really attack you?” She asked, afraid of the answer. Though the Viera was silent, Nadeline despaired, burying her face in her hands. “We saw her…we saw her in the Westersands…but we couldn’t stop her! She was whisked away before we could do anything! And then when we came to Dalmasca I heard of Sylvester…but all I could do is…cause more trouble…”

Aloa would kneel before the princess, an apologetic look on her face. “I came looking for your and His Highness, in hopes of reuniting you all in Archades,” She admitted. “If you saw Emiri as well, then she is in Zodiark’s hands by now. Shion is seeing to it that you will be able to locate her.”

Nadeline gripped the hem of her dress, shaking her head, though she would look at Aloa. “Reunite us…I suspect you’ll find me to be of little use,” She said sadly. “I couldn’t even help Wesley when he was right in front of me. How could I hope to help when I would just end up in the way?”

“Is that truly how you feel?”

Of course it was. How she wanted to stop Emiri, how betrayed she felt as they fought…and yet, would sitting around really be the best course of action? There had to be something she could do. Her gaze went to the closed door, where Wesley was on the other side. She had failed her king. She had no right to be here. Shaking her head, she would stand, her hand to her chest.

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t even know if I can do anything…but I must go,” Nadeline stated, a more determined look on her. “At the very least, I must see to it that Jaakuna knows what happened. I must tell him…and I must ask him for forgiveness.”

---

“The nerve…if only she knew…”

Nabriales had stormed off, deciding it best to lay low. As she walked, however, she couldn’t help but feel that she was being followed. She came to a halt, turning on her heel and spotting Emiri behind her. “I’m so glad I found you,” Emiri told Nabriales, winking. “I feel the need to clarify my intent from before.”

Intent? Nabriales narrowed her eyes slightly, though her lips curled into a smile. She definitely noticed Keiran was nowhere to be seen—and that played into her favor. She watched Emiri carefully, though the brunette simply smiled, hands behind her back as she circled Nabriales once. “As if I care! You may have Lord Zodiark’s favor now, but once he’s done with you, you’ll suffer the same fate as the rest of them,” She stated, crossing her arms under her breasts.

“Maybe. But there’s something he said yesterday that piqued my interest,” She admitted with a small shrug. “My potential to ascend…so, if I were to defeat one of his cohorts now, imagine the possibilities if I did choose to ascend, I’d easily eclipse someone of your…stature.”

“Really? Darling, you have no idea what I’m capable of,” She warned her. “The number of casualties I’ve caused has hit the thousands. Do you think you can outpower me?”

“I’d like to see,” Emiri said. “There’s something about you I don’t like.”

Now it was Nabriales' turn to smile. “That would be because you and I have met before. You just haven’t recognized me yet.”

Emiri wasn’t sure where she was going with this. “I don’t think so. I’d never be able to forget someone as obnoxious as you.”

“You’re serious? Really?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you recall Mitron’s original promise? That he would lead you to Lola?”

That certainly wiped the smile off Emiri’s face. “What does that have to do with anything?” She asked slowly, uncertain what direction this was taking.

“Come now, why do you think I would mention her? Put two and two together—no, wait, there was a small detail I neglected to mention,” She admitted, wagging a finger at Emiri. “My main attribute is my ability to gather information. With information I can do anything—I can attack with any magick, I can even change my form if you want to look at it that way.”

Emiri froze in place, her red eyes wide with shock. It was if time itself has slowed down as Nabriales would pull out an all too familiar iaito. She should have felt rage, but there was no mistaking that weapon. As it dawned on her, Emiri couldn’t help but smile. Just as Keiran promised, he would lead her right to Lola—and deliver, he did. She looked at her face closely, realizing that despite the hair color, Nabriales truly did resemble Lola. If she could shapeshift, she probably had many forms.

“So what, you murdered the original Lola and took her place, too?” Emiri raised an eyebrow.

“I infiltrated the Blue Rose’s ranks under orders from my master. I made sure to sabotage her plans and gather as much intel on the Espers as I could—and that was when we first met,” She said, flipping her hair off her shoulder. “Little Emiri, Scion of Chaos…you got me good in Archades. Would’ve died, too, though Michel is a very talented healer.”

This was it. This was what she was looking for. “Perfect. I have no reason to hold back, now,” Emiri stated, summoning her sword. “It’s time I avenged my family.”

“Avenge your family? Really? Last I heard, you hated your mother,” Nabriales said, pointing her iaito at her.

“You also hurt my father—and I will not forgive you for that.”

A moment’s pause, and then, the two would clash blades, a wave of power emanating and forcing them both back. As the battle raged on, blows would shake the palace wall close to them. “Why’d they have to fight in front of my window?” The young man sighed, clearly annoyed as his window repeatedly vibrated. There went his concentration. Not wanting glass all over his desk, he would open the window, though that invited the sounds of Lola and Emiri’s battle into his room. He sighed in defeat, resigning himself to watch. “Oh hey, it’s that chick and Nabbs. Would ya look at that?” He said, giddy. A knock on his door distracted him, and he would pull his finger, causing it to open and reveal Sophia. Her eyes widened as she would hear the battle, and she rushed to his window. “Come to watch?” He asked her, grinning.

“You would enjoy this,” She said, though she would sit on the windowsill, a concerned look on her face. “She shouldn’t be fighting, she should be resting. She managed to sneak away from Keiran and look at what’s happened.”

“It’s all in good fun! What’s a couple of scratches gonna do?” Igeyorhm asked, watching the pair. “She’s super cute, too. Think she's straight?”

“Really?”

“Hey, I need to know if she swings the other way so I don’t embarrass myself!”

As Sophia opened her mouth to retort, a wind nearly knocked her over, causing them both to look out the window. The battle seemed to have reached its peak at this point, a crazed Emiri surrounded by a dark aura. She was going to kill Lola if it was the last thing she was going to do. As she raised her blade, her suddenly felt a hand on her wrist. Before she could react, she was slammed down, her arm twisted behind her. Lola raised her eyebrows as her own aura dissipated, though she had to admit she was rather impressed with Keiran’s power. He must have gotten a boost from Zodiark—neither she nor Emiri saw him coming.

“What are you doing?! I can finish her!” Emiri shouted, enraged. Keiran looked at her, expressionless, though he ended up simply twisting her arm further. As she went to push him off, something changed. The power she had felt from before suddenly stopped, and Emiri suddenly felt pain in her head. At that point Keiran released her, pulling her up to her feet. “My power…what…?”

“There’s only so much a hume can do on their own,” Lola informed her, almost giddy in her response. “Too bad, so sad, I was really looking forward to that hatred you had for me.”

No! That couldn’t be it! That wasn’t her limit! She was capable of more than that, she could crush Lola here and now! And yet, as she looked at Keiran shaking his head at her, she realized that Lola was right. She had spent herself, stretched her power too thin without a chance to rest up in between. Despite thinking things would change, she was right back where she started. She grabbed her hair with both of her hands, torn between wanting to cry and wanting to scream in anger, though she somehow managed to keep herself soundless.

Keiran patted her head once more, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and wordlessly guiding her away. She conceded, letting him lead her away. Lola bit her lip, trying to surpress a laugh, though as she turned to walk away, she caught sight of both Sophia and Igeyorhm watching her. “Enjoying the show, are we?” She snapped. “You baited me, Iggy!”

“Yup,” He replied immediately, not even bothering to deny it. “Get angry all you want, it’s in Lord Zodiark’s favor. Anyone who hits their limit will always be wanting more,” He stated as Sophia let out a sigh. “Feel free to chime in.”

“Reckless fighting serves no purpose,” Sophia told him, eyeing him specifically. “Pushing that girl’s heart into further disarray…I cannot say I approve.”

“It ain’t ‘disarray’, it’s ‘I want more power’, its practically basic hume instinct,” He corrected her, nudging her slightly, though she would turn away from him. “Don’t go soft on me, Sophia.”

“Equilibrium must be absolute,” She stated. “Push too much, and she will break.”

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Shion watched him leave, slightly annoyed as they were clearly headed the same way, though she didn't bother shouting after him. Letting out a sigh, she looked at her corrupted hand. She made the right decision, if she had mentioned Emiri, there was no way Jaakuna would have had a clear mind to fight Hamut. As that thought crossed her mind, she could sense the Mist changing. Her eyes widened, and she immediately took off, following pursuit of Jaakuna.

---

Lorenzo was the first to react, even if it was in vain, he wasn't about to sit there and do nothing. He dropped down to his knees, his hands already yanking out the tainted sword. What a fucking combination, Sap was probably one of the quicker ailments. Adding poison to it was just cruel--though considering who they were dealing with, it shouldn't have been a surprise. Sap was the more pressing matter, though more difficult to extract, but the poison wasn't anything to scoff at either. He'd have to get the poison out first, distinctly recalling Karolina teaching him on the many ailments that could kill a person.

"You better not die on me, you bastard," He told Lannit, his magicks pumping into his veins. "You better not fucking give up, you hear me, Lannit?!"

---

A pair of footsteps distracted Nadeline, and her first instinct was to stand, her hand on her rapier. She wasn't in the best shape, and Wesley was in his own world at the moment. If it were an enemy, she wasn't sure she could handle it. She braced herself, her body at the ready as she stepped in front of Wesley. She could make out the outline of the figure approaching, noticing their height, though what was that on their head--

"Aloa?" Nadeline's eyes widened in surprise as the viera approached them.

Aloa bowed to her. "I've come to fetch you, Highness. It breaks my heart to see your stance so rigid--did I not teach you better?"

Nadeline didn't even bother defending herself, tears of relief in her eyes. This was no illusion, this was the real deal, and she had never been so happy to see her teacher. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

Aloa's eyes fell on Wesley. "I came at Shion's request. To the Dalmascan castle I went, only to find you were gone. You are fond of making my job harder, aren't you?" She said, kneeling down to Wesley. "He will not budge, will he?"

"He...saw his brother," Nadeline said, her hand on her neck unintentionally. "Dark magicks are involved, and...oh, Aloa, it's terrible...I don't...why did this have to happen?" Her voice choked unwillingly.

"Life is cruel. Have you forgotten?" Aloa asked, her arm outstretched as a glyph appeared beneath them. "It will always go out of its way to test us. Always."

And with that, the trio were teleported out of the cursed hideout, and the hot air of Dalamasca surrounded them once more. The princess let out a sigh of relief, although she knew they weren't finished as she looked down at Wesley. She kneeled down, both of her hands on his. "Wesley...can you hear me?" She asked him, wondering if he even noticed they were back in his hometown. "...I feel so helpless, Aloa."

Aloa looked around, already hearing the whispers of the people. "Perhaps getting back to the castle would be best." She said, taking Wesley's other arm, and together they would make him stand, though it was clearly out of instinct and not of his own will. Together, they would lead him to the castle.

---

Sophia watched Emiri almost lovingly, as the girl had fallen asleep with her head on her lap. She didn't mind, and she didn't have an assignment yet nor anywhere to go, so she remained as still as she could be. A shadow loomed over her, though she paid no mind to it, already knowing it was a nosy Keiran appearing as he pleased. He always did go this way and that, doing whatever he wanted with nary a care to Zodiark's wishes. The way he spoke, however, Sophia knew there was a deep, deep sorrow, though she didn't bother mentioning it. There was no use having sympathy with the devil, after all.

"Did you want to play with the doll, too? You can't be too comfortable with her snoozing away there," Keiran asked, a mischievous smile on his face as he poked Emiri's cheek. "If you'd like, I can have her entertain us."

Play? "She is fine where she is," Sophia assured him, staring at him.

"What's the fun of owning a toy if you can't play with it?" He asked, standing straight. "That's what dolls are for, aren't they? To be used then thrown away when we're bored with them?"

She frowned at him, disagreeing with his words. "You mustn't treat her like that...our Lord seems to have taken a liking to her, and she is cooperating. At the very least he will gladly grant her the release of death she desires. The trials and tribulations of life are harsh on delicate humes," She explained, clearly pitying humes in general. "Do not outstep your boundaries. Our will is our lord's will, and to do otherwise--"

"You seem to forget I'm literally a part of him. There's no way I can do anything else," Keiran rolled his eyes. "I'm just having a little fun. If I really was cruel, I could always...have her drown herself--" He motioned towards the fountain behind them. "--or tell her to take her sword and cut herself repeatedly. Maybe have her strip down and dance in front of everyone--she could dance to one of your songs."

Sophia lifted her nose, unimpressed. "My songs are not meant for that kind of dancing," She was quick to correct him.

"Isn't that what most songs are for? Dancing?" A third voice indicated that someone wished to join them.

Both Keiran and Sophia shared a mutual distaste for their...'comrade', who strolled along and inserted herself into the conversation without any input. Keiran visibly glared, though Sophia seemed more curious. "And to what do we owe this pleasure, Nabriales?" Sophia asked warily.

Nabriales was...probably the most narcisst being in existence, which made her little more than a pest--even Keiran garnered more respect among their own than Nabriales, and that was saying something. She always insisted on parading around in a false image, a rather stunning visage of beauty with her fire colored hair, fair skin, and lips so red they'd make a rose feel shame. Her image put most humes to shame, but she paraded herself around with so little to the imagination so much no one really took her seriously. Well, at least they didn't when she was in that form, anyway...

"I was curious," She stated simply as she walked up to Sophia, kneeling down to stare at Emiri's face intently. "Igeyorhm said she was prettier than I am."

"Must you let your vanity get the best of you?" Sophia asked, slightly irritated.

"She's way prettier than you by a longshot," Keiran stated, grinning. "To be fair, Sophia here is, too."

Sophia shot him a look as Nabriales exhaled sharply, trying to pretend she was amused. "To compare the beauty of a goddess to that of a hume...I admit that she has the potential, but as long as she remains mortal she does not stand a chance against me," She stated haughtily as she would stand.

Keiran rolled his eyes, taking note that she intentionally left out the part where he mentioned Sophia. "The only thing you have going for you are those way-too-large knockers on your chest. She has a better face, a nicer body, a sweet sounding voice, a personality that doesn't involve her making our with her own reflection--"

"I do not! Sophia, tell Mitron that he is wrong!" She whined, reminding Sophia very much of a petulant child.

Keiran visibly gagged. "Don't...use that name on me. It's Keiran," He snapped, clearly displeased.

"Enough, both of you," Sophia's voice was dangerously dark, coming out almost as an order. "Arguing between ourselves serves to do nothing but sew discord. It simply won't do. Nabriales, if you have no other business, I ask that you leave us if you are continue to purposely aggravate Keiran."

Defeated, Nabriales pouted. "I just wanted to see. Keiran insulted me first," She said, hands on her hips.

"I didn't know stating facts was considered insulting," Keiran replied.

The three fell silent as Emiri stirred, letting out a yawn as she rubbed her eyes. She sat up, stretching, though noticed everyone staring at her. "...what?"

"Nothing, darling," Sophia stated, lightly brushing Emiri's bangs out of her eyes with her finger. "Do you wish to rest more? I would be happy to take you back to your room."

Emiri wanted to reply, but she felt Nabriales' glare needed to be addressed first. The brunette looked back at the red haired woman, wondering what her deal was. "May I help you with something, ma'am?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your staring is starting to make me blush."

Sophia shot a glare at Keiran, who snickered. He clearly had used his influence to add that 'ma'am' at the end, and Nabriales didn't like that. To their surprise, Nabriales took it with stride, though her stare was vicious. "Tell me, Scion of Time, how does it feel to be constantly used everywhere you go? Doesn't it bother you to constantly be a nuisance? Is that why you came here, to seek some kind of purpose?"

Keiran's eyes narrowed, though he remained silent as Emiri smiled. "It's funny...you remind me so much of my mother that it's starting to bother me," She said as she would stand, clearly not imposing at her rather short height, but there was something about the look in her eyes that was unsettling. "I never did have the courage to stand up to her. But fate decided to take care of that for me...she died. I'd suggest you be more kind to me, lest an unfortunate fate befall you as well."

"Is that a threat?" Nabriales asked, not noticing both Keiran and Sophia backing away.

Emiri held out her hand, her sword appearing in it. "Why don't we see? I'm eager to test my powers again." She beckoned the red haired woman, itching for a fight.

Nabriales hesitated for a moment. She wasn't new to battle, but if something were to happen to Emiri, it would be her head on a pike courtesy of Zodiark himself. Keiran seemed to confirm that fact as he strolled over to Emiri, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He took her sword out of her hand, letting it disappear as he brought Emiri closer to him. "Now, now, you're not even at a hundred percent yet. Nabriales is just teasing you--she's just jealous 'cause you're cuter than she is," He said cheerfully, pinching Emiri's cheek, much to her displeasure. "Isn't that right, Nabbs?"

"...yes," It was the most unconvincing answer, though Nabriales wasn't about to go and anger her Lord. "I'd be happy to spar...when you feel the time is right. If you'll excuse me..." The woman simply turned on her heel, deciding to leave.

Emiri was disappointed, though she disliked Keiran being so close. "I could have taken her," She snapped at Keiran, making an attempt to push him away.

He held on tight, though for once he had a pretty serious expression. She was shocked to see him so as she didn't bother pushing him away. "I don't doubt it, but not without a few scratches. Can't have that happen, can we?" He asked her gently, almost lovingly. Sophia raised an eyebrow at him, but he ignored her. "You're walking around fine, but we need you to be at your best. We're expecting a lot out of you."

He really did talk to her like he owned her. Sophia looked at the pair, noticing how close Keiran was to Emiri's face, he could have stolen a kiss if he so had desired. Emiri didn't respond, prompting Keiran to pat her on her head as he released her. "I never thought you'd be the one to discourage fighting," Sophia admitted to him.

Keiran smirked, resting his elbow on Emiri's shoulder. "Can't have anything happen to my doll. Rather...can't have her exterminate half the castle and Nabriales in ashes. It just wouldn't do. The woman is annoying, but she has her own part to play in Zodiark's plan. We all do. Some more than others..." His voice trailed off, a small frown on his face.

And there was that vulnerability Sophia had come to know. He usually did a good job of hiding it. Though as quickly as it came, it left, and he pinched Emiri's cheek, causing her to swat him. "How 'bout another song, Sophie? I haven't heard one in a while."

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

She was probably getting soft in her old age. Or rather, she was weary of it all. Still, as much as Jaakuna had 'grown' (despite that not quite being the right word, it fit the bill). Her amber eyes were more curious, even as Exodus' rage was around them. Their own little bubble, she contemplated whether or not the truth was to be said now. Shion raised her corrupted hand, her fingertips now more akin to thin claws as she stared at Jaakuna. It was painfully obvious now that whatever was wrong with her arm, it was spreading. A very thin, white line seemed to hold it back at just above her elbow, though it one would watch carefully, it would move ever so slightly.

"You're absolutely correct," She stated. "Yet just as you have come to know me, I, too, have been watching you. You who could easily be equated with fire itself--flashy, temperamental, unpredictable. Time has shown you slowly grow out of your impulsiveness, but you are not quite at the level to take on Zodiark himself--not yet," The magicks around her arm pulsed, though it was under control. "I was careless. If only I remained true to my goal...but that is neither here nor there."

She sighed. "I need you to show me that I can trust you. I need you to defeat Hamut now, I cannot tell you what it is that I need to say until I see that you have the power to defeat someone so above your level."

---

Son of a bitch, who the hell did he think he was?! It wasn't even HIS idea! The nerve of that scoundrel! "DON'T GO STEALING MY THUNDER!" Lorenzo yelled, his expression comical as he gave chase. "WHAT'RE YOU TRYING TO DO, ONE UP ME AT MY OWN PLAN?!"

---

"Wesley! Wesley, snap out of it!" Nadeline shook his shoulder, trying to get some response out of him. She recognized the voice as much as he did--though this time there wasn't any mistaking it. Her grip tightening on Wesley's coat as she shook him, though it was a while before she realized she was trembling. The thought of someone rising from the dead...perhaps the man from before hadn't completely been lying after all. Such dark magicks were forbidden--she distinctly remembered her father forbidding her from even reading about it until she was of age.

Get it together! She reprimanded herself, trying to stop her own shaking.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Lorenzo scowled after Shion's figure in the distance. As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. Still, as Dominic voiced his ver thought, he scowled once more. He hated everything right now, but the only thing to do was to keep going forward. Letting out a groan, he scratched the back of his head, looking at Reia, who was simply scowling at him. No doubt she truly regretted coming to Archadia, but now wasn't really the time to complain. What should they do? What could they do? What was the right thing to do?

Roman clapped his hands together, twice, drawing the group's attention. It seemed he had enough of their gloomy expressions, resulting in Reia lifting an eyebrow at him. "The floor is all yours, might as well get it out," She welcomed whatever thought was pent up in his head.

He let out a rather hearty laugh. "Now, now, the best thing to do at a time like this is to make sure we don't lose our heads," He stated rather cheerfully, lightly dusting his shoulder. "A time of crisis is upon us, and I must see to it that my people and my guests are safe."

"Oi! I don't need protection from a geezer like--OW!" Lorenzo's bold statement was interrupted by Reia elbowing him.

"He's saying that if you're going to go after Shion and find Hamut, now is the time to do so," Reia told him, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, must I explain everything to you?"

Lorenzo placed both his hands on her shoulders, staring hard at her. "That's what I need you for. You know I'm hopeless without you!" He grinned. "I'm going then. Make sure to hide somewhere so you don't get caught up in any of this."

Reia scoffed, batting away his hands. "As if I'm going to play the damsel again. I'll assist Roman, of course."

The blonde grinned once more, cracking his knuckles, though he glanced over at Dominic. "I guess if you wanna tag along you can, though I can't promise that you won't get hurt."

---

Shion came to a halt, letting out a surprised cry as her arm pulsed with darkness. She grabbed a nearby wall for support, watching the darkness crawl up her arm, twisting her skin into hard plating, lacing itself with blue magical veins, glittering against her skin. Her free hand immediately clutched her arm as she made an attempt to steady her breathing. This was really it for her, wasn't it? No, like hell she was going to give up and die, if she was going to be pathetic she would at least make sure she died a warrior's death. She wasn't going to deny Emiri's magick was definitely starting to take its toll, despite her resistance. Unless, perhaps, rather than resist, would it buy her more time if she gave in?

Before she completed the thought, she pushed herself off the building, continuing her walk, though she spotted someone worse off than she was. She shook her head at the blonde, clucking her tongue in disapproval. "You've seen better days," She mentioned nonchalantly.

---

Dying was not part of her plan at all, no matter what her previous experience with the thing nearly crushing her throat was telling her, no matter how much Sylvester believed it. She narrowed her eyes as the beast approached them. Why did it look familiar? For some reason it reminded her of that...that thing she had seen with Emiri and Keiran. Not to mention it was trying its damndest to kill her. It would have to get in line with the numerous lords repeatedly sending assassins and the numerous monsters she had battled, though. But no, this wasn't about her at all--it was about Wesley. She was willing to bet that Sylvester--or whatever that creature was--only wanted to kill her to get to him. Was it to tempt him into the darkness?

Nadeline gripped Wesley's sleeve, though she stared at the beast. Its darkness seems to have revealed itself. How curious. Ultima mused to her. Though I wouldn't get a big head. It only desires your death because of my precense.

An idea clicked in her head. Are you saying I could purify it as Shion did for Jaakuna? She asked.

Considering the staggering differences in your powers and her talents, it's a long shot.

...thanks.

I didn't say it was impossible.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Lorenzo wheezed and coughed for a solid minute, doing his best to free his lungs of the dust as he would pick himself up. He had been thrown backwards and out of the tower, though by some miracle he was alive. His armor had certainly done its job, though as the thought crossed his mind what remained of his helmet would crack and crumble off his head. He winced, his head pounding against the absolute chaos that had erupted around the tower. People were running as far away as they could, though to his surprise, no one else was hurt.

It was then he realized that something was blocking the sun, and he looked up to see the dark barrier Shion had erected. It gave him chills—clearly dark magicks were at work, but he was too relieved when he would see Reia would run over to him. “Your rescue team has arrived,” He managed to put on a grin.

“And you choose the path that led to blowing up the entire floor?! What if you had gotten killed?!” Reia yelled, displeased at his lack of seriousness.

Shion let out a small gasp as the veins along her arms would turn black, and she gripped her arm. It had been a bold move, but a needed one, lest innocent people get crushed because of their power-hungry fool of an Emperor. Her amber eyes widened as she spotted Roman approaching them, brushing the dust off his coat, a look of annoyance on his face.

“Eh? Roman? What’re you doing here in Archadia? Did you leave Bhujerba?” Lorenzo was the first to question him.

“It’s an open secret that Roman’s heritage is Archadian,” Reia told him.

“And so we meet again, my lady, though I daresay I wish it had been under better circumstances,” Roman didn’t skip a step, his cheery expression returning with full force. “My sincerest apologies for the ruckus, had I known my grandfather was back at the helm of the country, I would have advised against your visit. I ask that you forgive my younger brother—Jackson has good intentions, but he still lacks the foresight of a royal ruler. Althought even I was surprised at my grandfather…”

Lorenzo interrupted, “That’s all well and good, but where did they go? And Jaakie and the rest?” He asked, for once being serious.

“I was caught by the…darkness,” Roman pointed at Shion’s barrier. “Though I was blown some distance away. The others must be around, if I who has had little experience in battle managed to make it out alright, I’m sure the rest are fine. Although…” His eyes rested on Shion’s blackened arm.

Reia followed his gaze. “That power…” She murmured, clearly recognizing it.

“There is little time to explain, but I must ask once more that you take shelter. I highly doubt an explosion of that caliber was enough to do Hamut in—I expect he will not go down without a fight,” The blue haired woman reiterated herself.

“You aren’t going alone!” Lorenzo protested.

“There is no one else to protect them. I know you will make sure no harm comes to either of them—for the sake of Ivalice, I must put an end to this battle, there is something very important I must inform the sky pirate of, and Hamut prohibits me from doing so.” Shion took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly.

---

Oh no, she didn’t like where this was going at all.

Her outstretched hand froze in place as Sylvester spoke. Master? What Master? There wasn’t any time to ask, however, as Sylvester would transform before her once more. This was not like before, and she stepped away from him as his dark form completed. This must have been why Ultima had said what she did—but what changed? No, she had no one to blame but herself. She had known from the start that necromancy or some form of twisted magicks had been afoot, but she had gotten to distracted by escaping she hadn’t noticed the enemy right in front of her.

Her hand went to her weapon, and she went to withdraw it when she heard Ultima: The enemy reveals itself! Unfortunately, the warning caused Nadeline to freeze in place, and Sylvester took the chance. No, that wasn’t right, he simply reacted before she could, his hand around her throat so quickly that only when he tightened his grip did she realize what had happened. Her hands flew to his, struggling to free herself as he lifted her off her feet.

She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t breathe, her hands were clawing at his for some form of release. She could hear Ultima calling out to her, but her mind was sent into a panic, her body too focused on the grip around her throat. A muffled cry escaped her, though she did manage to narrow her eyes at Sylvester as he spoke. Minding her own business, what arrogance—so long as he was involved, so long as he had his relation to Wesley, it would always be her business. Still, he seemed to decide her meddling was done, and she caught sight of his other hand. She was going to die here, wasn’t she?

His hand stopped, much to her surprise. What was stopping him? Before she could question it, he was sent backwards, and she fell into someone’s arms. She coughed slightly, though as a hand stroked her cheek, she looked up and saw Wesley. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Wesley…? Why are you here?” She asked, though her expression turned into one of regret. “I…I thought…”

---

Opening her eyes, Emiri let out a groan, a hand to her chest. She could still feel where Chaos’ swords had gone through her, and despite getting more rest, the pain wasn’t quite gone as she had hoped. It took her a moment to realize that she had been staring at the ceiling of the cage again—no! Why was she back here? She sat up, immediately crawling towards the bars, though she didn’t see Keiran around. If he hadn’t put her there, who did?

“Awake already? Impressive. Chaos did his very best to try to kill you, but we just couldn’t let that happen. Not yet, anyway,” Her eyes widened as she spotted a girl that looked very much like herself, her eyes colored a sharp red and contrasting her black dress. “We still have to restore Zodiark back to his former self. After that, death is just a step away. A fair deal, isn’t it?”

“You’re crazy if you think I’d go ahead and do that!” Emiri responded immediately, gripping the bars of her cage tightly. “He’s going to end the world as we know it, why would I let that happen?”

“Because you hate this world, that’s why,” She replied, a small smile on her face as she approached the cage. “Let’s face it, none of this would have even happened if you had just been honest. But no…you let the darkness seduce you, let it corrupt and egg on all those deep, dark thoughts in the back of your mind…not that I blame you, seeing it all end would make me giddy, too.”

Emiri narrowed her eyes at her imposter. “And what’re you supposed to be, my conscience?”

She scoffed. “You wish. If I was, you wouldn’t be in this mess. What, you don’t recognize me anymore? Or is it just ‘cause I’m not that good looking boy anymore? ” She stated, her arms outstretched in a dramatic gesture.

So she was Keiran. “Having fun parading around as a woman?”

“A little bit,” She giggled. “Technically speaking, I’m genderless. I don’t really have a true form, so I can pick and choose as I please. And apparently, your physical form is quite pleasing to the eye, so it’s a win-win,” Keiran nodded, red eyes glinting.

“That’s not the point. If you want to die, go ahead, but don’t go bringing in innocent people that have nothing to do with it!” Emiri snapped at her.

Keiran’s expression fell, her face hardening. “ I’m the demon born from Zodiark’s seed, and you’re the beautiful maiden I’ve captured. All that’s left is for the dashing hero to come and save the day…but even he doesn’t stand a chance against Zodiark. There’s no winning, everything will come to an end, regardless of our will.” She stated bitterly.

“And what is your will?”

She smiled again. “Nice try. My will is just an extension of my master’s. I’m just another pawn in the grand scheme of things, and my one job is to make sure you—” She placed her hand under Emiri’s chin, forcing her to look up at her. “—play your part.”

Emiri narrowed her eyes, smacking Keiran’s hand away. “I’ll find a way out. And when I do, I’ll make sure you pay.”

“I invite the challenge. After all, this is all your fault to begin with.”

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Roman carefully stepped to the side as Lannit would hurl his own guts out, wrinkling his nose, though he would give Lannit an empathetic look as he would repress the urge to chuckle. He wasn’t all that surprised that one of Jaakuna’s inventions had a few kinks to iron out, though as before, he repressed the thought, instead smiling at the two men before him. Despite his own insides feeling rather turned, on the outside he was as peachy as ever.

“What a rush!” He exclaimed, letting out a small sigh. “I haven’t had this much fun in ages!”

---

Reia managed to match Hamut’s smile, raising a single eyebrow at him. “Innocent? Certainly not I. No one in this room is a victim, nor would I ever dream of claiming to be one. Even so, even if everything you say is nothing more than fact, you have yet to answer my question,” She wasn’t about to back down, her fear all but gone at this point. “I may be weak, but I highly doubt you could ever hope to match my family in power. Your fame proceeds you, but your age shows. And despite all this…Time ticks with or without you and I, and as the moments pass, your grandson comes closer and closer to us. Will you strike him where he stands as he dares to burst forth to disrupt your plans? As you mentioned, it was his own idea to bring me here in the first place. He is the one who will rise time and time again, continuously gaining allies, but do you have what it takes to strike down your own flesh and blood?”

---

“It’s a Mark, so to speak, a kind an Esper bestows on us lowly mortals as proof that they have deemed us worthy. It takes a lot to impress an Esper, though the details include Mist compatibility, ancient magicks, a strong will…it is the same magicks the Espers used to rise against the gods to challenge their will, channeled through the mortal bodies to inflict pain upon their enemies and show their power to remind Ivalice who is in charge,” Vlyn answered quite cheerfully all things considered. “There’s two stages—the manner of unlocking, which shows the worthiness between host and Esper, and then there’s the Inner Seal, formed from a bond of trust between the two in which the Esper’s will manifests through the host.”

Grant had a rather blank expression on his face, one Vlyn couldn’t help but note was his confused-but-trying-not-to-show-face. “And…that Inner Seals manifests…how?” He asked.

“Depends on the host and Esper. Although…that Time power Emiri has is an example of the Inner Seal Chaos wields. So imagine something along those lines.”

---

Shion ignored the many complaints as she would lead the way. She had visited this place exactly once, a long time ago, though the mission had been thievery and not entirely infiltration. While it wasn’t clear that she was unsure, her rather confident stride made sure no one would so much as take a second glance at her nor doubt her position. She knew the way they needed to go, though whether they would get through without a hitch or leaving behind a mountain of corpses was anyone’s guess.

Lorenzo had to remind himself not to look around so often. The castle was actually fascinating, with several paintings and exhibits around that he would have liked to stop and see, but he wasn’t quite as good at hiding his foreignness. He tried to at least keep his gaze at the back of Shion’s armored head, impressed that she somehow managed to tuck all her hair into it. When she would come to a halt before a hallway, he nearly walked into her.

“What’s up?” He asked her.

“This is it,” She informed them simply, watching a nearby clock. As the long hand would strike 12, signaling the start of a new hour, Shion let out a breath, walking up to one of the guards outside the door and giving him a salute. “Shift change. You’re relieved.” She informed the man.

Lorenzo would’ve screamed if he had known better. This was the plan!? Walking up and hoping the guards would change with them?! He had expected so much more that he was truly in shock.

---

Her feet were sore.

Nadeline managed to keep her complaints under a low grumble, though she had to admit that the trip was getting rather weary. There was no way this should have been taking as long as it had. She had followed Ultima’s instructions to the letter, only to no avail. She started to wonder if they were in some kind of trap, something disrupting the Mists around them and messing with her senses. But Ultima seemed so confident that Nadeline felt that she was right, or at the very least, had no reason to mislead them.

Sylvester, unfortunately, had enough. She had walked right into him, though before she could apologize, she couldn’t help but wince at his scathing glare. He was frustrated—this was too obvious—though it seemed his patience ran thin. He seemed to outright ignore her, speaking directly to Ultima, though the Esper was as silent as ever. And yet, this silence was not the usual stand-offish silence she offered, but one silence that was almost bitter. It was strange, but Nadeline didn’t understand. What was wrong?

“Please, calm yourself—” Her words were interrupted by his demand, though she let out a gasp as she caught a glimpse of that dark colored Mist. She took a step back, hitting the wall behind her.

I have lead you through the safest path. You are almost out. And yet… Ultima almost seemed regretful as she spoke.

And yet?

You are not safe with him.

What in the world was she talking about? Though she admitted that she was clearly unnerved. No, this was just a misunderstanding. Taking a breath, Nadeline would try once more to reason with Sylvester. “We’re almost out, we need only to press on.” She urged him, though it was clear that she was cautious with her words.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Roman seemed to be in thought, an odd occurrence considering his all-too-sunny desposition. Unfortunately, it had been many years since he so much as picked up a sword—the comfort of guards combined with the overall peace in Bhujerba had done him a favor in that sense—yet, the idea of hiding wasn’t quite as attractive. He looked at Jaakuna, and let out a sigh as he would loosen his collar slightly. No, even if he was just a placeholder, it simply wouldn’t do to leave everything in Jaakuna’s hands. Not yet, anyway. At the very least, Isaiah was on their side, so at least some of the guards knew that Hamut was in the wrong.

“I can’t say I’m much of a fighter, but there is little point in fleeing when the entire army is probably out searching for me as we speak,” Roman pointed out, immediately returning to his cheerful self. “I fear I must leave myself in your very capable hands, my brother. Do your best!” He cheered Jaakuna on, a shit-eating grin on his face like no other.

---

Frightened? Her? As if. Reia couldn’t help but scoff, and had half a mind to correct Hamut. If she was afraid of anything, it would be the fear of dying from boredom from his rather tenacious speech. The man did love to go on, although for once, he actually went into a direction she desired. Just as she had suspected, Hamut managed to catch Jaakuna’s message to Roman. And just as she thought, Hamut really did intend to spread war across Ivalice. At that point, Reia found herself lamenting the damage from the mines—she would have gladly stood right then and there, letting herself get struck if it meant that Rozarria finally had its reason to war with Archadia, but as things were, her armies were crippled.

But this was not the end. No, Hamut chose to continue, revealing his intentions to, put simply, take over the world. Before he could continue, the pair were interrupted. Hamut had the gall to keep Roman prisoner, though it seemed Jaakuna had liberated him. Raising both her eyebrows in fascination, she looked at Hamut as he would look to her.

“Speaking of those opposing your reign…” Reia lifted a shoulder, her expression almost innocent. “While I admit I had my own troubles with my Council, I can’t say I’ve had the same opposition with my family. Would you slay your own grandchildren, Hamut? They clearly do not seem to be on the same page as you.” It was more than obvious who it was liberating Roman and the other person, and it gave Reia a newfound determination. “Even you must recognize that your grandson won’t let this foolishness of yours continue. Tell me, Great Dragon of Darcone, would you slay your own family if it meant no one would oppose your reign?”

---

As much as Grant hated to admit it, Savayna definitely had a point. Not that he doubted Emiri’s abilities to Savayna’s extent, but none of them had been a match for Shion, the only instance being that of Jaakuna’s possession—and even then, Shion had bested him there as well. What kind of power did Emiri have? The thought alone was frightening, though he scowled at Vlyn’s chuckle.

“I failed to mention that it was Emiri alone who defeated us. That boy…he didn’t even lift a finger. Shion figured that perhaps he was the source of her newfound power, but she quickly disposed of him, and if anything, it made Emiri stronger. What I found peculiar was that when the boy was decapacitated, the girl showed signs of being hurt, almost as if Shion had struck her instead,” Vlyn continued, frowning. “Whoever that boy is—whatever he is—it is clear that he is a real threat, but Aloa only had theories on how to truly kill him.”

“And what theory is this?” Grant pressed on the subject.

Vlyn hesitated. Grant didn’t like that at all. “There was a story passed down through our village once about demons who liked to possess people. The thing is, anytime the townspeople knew, they’d kill anyone who was possessed, and while the person died, it was a true way to kill the demon—”

Grant immediately cut him off at that point. “We are not murdering an innocent person.”

“Of course. I expect no less, my prince,” Vlyn chuckled, though he would continue, “But stories, no matter how old, always have a grain of truth to them. Aloa thought it best if she would find out the truth, and so sent Shion and myself to retrieve you all, so as to notify and warn you. Emiri is dangerous, there’s no telling what she will do. I understood her aggression towards Shion, even towards Aloa and I—at one point we were enemies—but I could not understand her aggression to Karolina, who had done nothing but help her.”

Grant released a breath he had no idea he had been holding. What a story, indeed. No wonder Vlyn found it so urgent that they had to meet once more. Staring at the fire, Grant scratched the back of his head, his hand resting there for a moment. In all honesty, if it came to it, could he strike Emiri down? No, there had to be another way, besides, there’d be no way in hell Jaakuna would allow that to happen. Wait a minute…

“Wait, if you’re here, where is Shion?” Grant asked.

“Archades, I imagine. She has her own way of getting around, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she found Jaakuna already,” Vlyn shrugged. “Though, with Hamut at the helm of Archadia once more, I fear his plans for peace may be more difficult to pull off than he would have intended.”

---

Shion had half a mind to whack Dominic upside the head. Her rose glowed softly as Shinto would start. Taking in a deep breath, she would take it from her hand, and as the soldiers moved, she would gently blow on her flower. Its petals would scatter, dissolving into what looked like dust, though in the next moment, they quickly spread and scattered around the soldiers, and each one would slump to the ground.

Lorenzo made yet another mental note, though he slapped Shinto’s back. “Would you look at that! How the hell are you friends with this idiot?” Lorenzo laughed, clearly referring to Dominic.

As the petals would gather in her hair once more, she raised an eyebrow at the prince. “He isn’t the only idiot here,” She reminded him, immediately kneeling down to the soldier as she would begin to remove the soldier’s armor.

“You wound me, my lady,” Lorenzo whined, though he figured he may as well get started as well. He hesitated as he went to take off his shirt, looking at Shion. “Do you, uh, want some privacy?” He asked her.

“Your concern is appreciated, but unneeded,” She repeated herself, though at least this time she smiled at him. “We haven’t the time to waste on such a luxury.” She rubbed her bandaged hand, letting out a sigh. “…No time indeed.”

---

Nadeline didn’t quite understand what had happened either, but she was more surprised by Sylvester’s reaction. Her body tensed up immediately, a fearful expression on her face. She understood that he had something against the Espers, but that had nothing to do with her! The very thought lit a fire in her, and she regained her composure, wriggling out of Sylvester’s grip.

As she opened her mouth to scold him for yelled at her, she heard Ultima chuckle. Pay him no mind. Go right. She told the princess.

Sylvester has a point. We mustn’t lose any more time. Nadeline chided her.

Tell me, have I steered you wrong yet?

Silence was all the response Ultima needed. Taking in a deep breath, Nadeline looked at Sylvester. “Give her the benefit of the doubt, Sylvester. Let us follow suit…and see to it that she won’t lead us astray.” She wasn’t exactly confident about her choice of words, but there was little choice. “This time, she says to go right.”

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Ah, he was trying to get under her skin. Considering all the shit the Council had put her through, Hamut was going to have to do better than that. How many times had she been deemed worthless and nothing more than a spare until Grant or Nadeline would decide to take the throne? His words meant nothing, although he unintentionally alerted her to something as a thought crossed his mind. Did he not want Jaakuna to ascend the throne? He was responsible for doing…something to take Roman out of the picture, but why put Roman there in the first place?

“Dead as he may be, he was an heir. Those born of royalty all have their chances at the throne…and Roland chose to murder his way, though as you said, he was caught, put to death, and the only thing he left behind was a bitter memory and a brief mention in the history books as a power-hungry idiot,” Reia replied cooly, showing Hamut she didn’t care for Roland. Not anymore. “The only one who truly suffered was Grant, who is young and did not understand his brother’s lust for power. He hadn’t the chance to see the world for what it truly was…until your grandson, Vincent, showed him just how cruel people were.”

“That being said, I don’t think I could compare Roland to Jackson. He may be hotheaded, but he has good intentions, even if they go astray,” Reia’s expression was stony—it was clear that she had enough of the game. “I don’t understand what your intentions are, nor do I know what you want with me. Do you wish to end the Roselia bloodline? Incite war? Or a show of power now that the great Bahamut is rumored to have weakened? What is it that you want from me, Hamut?”

---

As if reading Savayna’s thoughts, Vlyn couldn’t help but chuckle as he would eat. He chewed rather thoughtfully, as if trying to choose his words carefully. “Lady Karolina is handling things in Stigma well, but something happened that was out of her control. The Blue Rose had come to meet with Aloa to discuss Zodiark, but then…no, it’s best to start from the top.” His words weren’t too muffled as he chewed rather quickly, though he would stop eating long enough to let out a sigh. “Andre…he was on the brink of death. I think Emiri knew it too, somehow, though I have no idea how she got past the guards. She healed him completely, and Karolina was too late to stop her.

“However, once Shion had arrived, Aloa requested her assistance in completing the seal Nadeline had attempted to put on Emiri—to block out the dark influence that had a grip on her. But…that boy…Some kid got to her first, and they were about to leave Stigma when we managed to catch up,” Vlyn said, frowning.

Grant’s eyes widened, though he contained himself. What boy? How would a mere boy get to Emiri? No, he needed to hear the whole story first, although… “That boy…did you take care of him?” Grant asked.

It was then Vlyn’s expression turned into a rather serious one. “We don’t know who or what that boy is, but when we caught Emiri, Shion engaged her in battle.”

What?! “Are you telling me Shion killed her?!” He didn’t mean to sound so alarmed, nor to jump to conclusions, but Vlyn was far too serious, and he couldn’t read his expression.

“Actually…it was the other way around. I remember fighting Emiri, and I had no idea she was capable of such power. But that power…her Mist was drenched in dark magicks as she attacked, and whatever power it was, it enabled her to go toe-to-toe with Shion. Aloa and I could do nothing…if it wasn’t for Lady Karolina’s interference, we would have perished.”

Grant narrowed his eyes, trying to think. What in the world was going on?

---

“Honestly, if you were going to do that in the first place, there was no point in you hanging back, you lazy crap,” She couldn’t help but snap at Dominic’s rather clumsy rescue. Her entire demeanor changed, however, when she spotted Shinto. “Ah, Shinto…how do you do?” Shion greeted him back rather politely, completely throwing Lorenzo off and outright ignoring Dominic’s outburst. It was almost as if the two were on good terms! He made a mental note to ask the man how to stay on Shion’s good side, though the one thing Lorenzo was sure of was that her expression soured anytime Dominic so much as spoke.

He missed a majority of the conversation, but perked up as Shinto addressed him. Ohhhh, so this guy was Savanna’s older brother! No wonder he looked familiar. No, Lorenzo was lying to himself, he didn’t remind him of Savanna at all. Though they shared light hair, that was where the similarities ended. This guy was a lot nicer and tanned, while Savanna was ruder and pale. Not that he minded, he liked her spunk, but it was kinda weird to find him here of all places.

“The idiot’s right!” Lorenzo proclaimed, gladly taking Shinto’s hand. “I’d rather find my baby sister alive then dead, though I sure am glad you’re on our side!”

“How quick you change your tone,” Shion rolled her eyes, her sword on her shoulder. “Onwards, then, Shinto can make up for some of Dominic’s uselessness.”

---

Nadeline couldn’t quite hide her disappointment, but she would take Sylvester’s offer gladly. She followed him willingly, glad that she wasn’t traversing the halls alone. Still, the twists and turns made her uneasy, and it felt like an eternity would pass before they would come to a stop. Before she could question it, she realized that there were multiple passageways to take. It was then Sylvester would kindly suggest that Ultima help, though she got his bitterness. She could already feel Ultima’s annoyance hanging over her, though direct help was not what the Esper of Light offered.

Please cooperate, it wouldn’t do if I died here, would it? Nadeline pleaded.

I suppose it would be troublesome…though which way you choose to define ‘safest’. Ultima replied dryly.

Then show me the path which you consider safest!

As you wish, Ultima chided, and Nadeline hated to admit that she didn’t like how she said that at all.

“She says ‘center’,” Nadeline said, clearly annoyed at Ultima.

---

“My word, that was…exhilarating,” Roman replied, showing some of the Darcone sarcasm as he would fix his hair. Once every hair was in place, he would adjust his collar, and once that was done, he would dust his clothes. Honestly, the dungeons were much too filthy for his likening, though it would give him second thoughts next time he would sentence someone. He actually frowned as he looked at Jaakuna. “I fear you didn’t quite answer my question, my brother. How did you know I was here? I understand Isaiah tipped you off for my location, but what are you doing in Archadia once more?”

---

Emiri struggled to slide herself through the bars of the cage she was in. She had somehow managed to squeeze her bust through, but was having more trouble at her hips. How long had she been trying this? How much time had passed? Her prison had no concept of either thing, but all she knew was that she needed to get out before Keiran came back. With a final pop, she let out a gasp as she fell to the ground. She did it? Holy shit she did it! Letting out a sigh of relief, she rubbed her sore thighs as she looked around. The cavern looked so sad, so devoid of life now. It was her own fault for giving in to her darker thoughts, but there wasn’t any time to mope around. She picked a direction and began to run, though she felt something calling her. It was not of Zodiark, nor was it something of her own mind, it was definitely foreign. And yet, as she headed in that very direction, she knew exactly what it was.

The hallway led to another open, though this time, it was a room literally filled with chains, and her eyes widened as she would see Chaos as a prisoner in the center. The once mighty Esper was bound, his eyes closed as she approached him. Her hand reached out, though she hesitated as he would open his eyes. “So you’ve escaped. For how long, I wonder, until the Seed notices?” He spoke, as condescending as ever. “Your weakness has cost us our free will, your body controlled by the Dark Esper’s minion. I gave you power, and yet you wasted it.”

“I didn’t ask for any of this!” Emiri burst out. “I didn’t know any of this was going to happen! You call me weak, yet I am not the one in chains! You’re as foolish as ever, Chaos!”

“Perhaps,” He replied thoughtfully. “I reset you in an attempt to save your existence…and now, you doom us all to an eternity of darkness. It may indeed have been a mercy were the Blue Rose to have slain you…” How she hated him. Of course it was his fault! He was the one who had given her the power in the first place! Why? Why was all this happening? And yet, as much as she wanted to, she could not blame him. It really was her fault, wasn’t it? She was weak…as the thought crossed her mind, the chains around Chaos loosened somewhat. She was surprised—had Keiran used Emiri’s own power to seal him? “And now…I will take responsibility.”

One of Chaos’ swords ripped through its bindings, and before she could react, he sent it right through her. Her violet eyes widened, though not even a cry of pain would escape her. Not before his other blades would strike.

Emiri let out a scream of pain, writhing in her bed. The pain was completely unbearable, but as she opened her eyes, she was no longer in her mind, but back in Zodiark’s castle. She sat up, gasping desperately for air as she clutched her chest. It seared through her chest, every sword’s wound burning through her, and she let out a cry of frustration and anger. She dragged herself out of her bed, using the wall to support herself as she would make her way to the door. This could be the work of none other than Chaos, that damned Esper! As she reached her door, she practically shoved it open, still breathing heavily, though she could hear a melody not far off.

The sigh of the shifting sea…The kiss of the salt-sweet breeze…The white of her silken dress, stained in red…

The voice was so beautiful, so pure, yet so melancholy. It felt…strangely familiar to her, too.

A memory fading fast…Her mother sits, eyes downcast…A torn uniform in hand, farewells unsaid…

That once a certainty, lost in grief…A daughter’s desperate cries, unheard pleas…Forsaken, beaten, tried, on her knees….A prayer passes from her lips—Into her soul the Goddess whispers…

Emiri hadn’t even noticed she had began to walk towards the source, completely entranced by the song. It was tragic, now that she was really listening to it, though she was shocked further to see a woman sitting by what looked like a waterfall. The water itself was clear, though the scene looked entirely out of place. She recognized the flowers around the woman—mountain laurels, though she was also aware that they were poisonous, but she would then look at the woman before her.

She was unlike any other person Emiri had ever seen. Her skin was painted entirely a shade of dark gray and had something of a shine to it. Her long, white locks easily touched the bench she sat on, a tousle of a ponytail managing to hold them all up. A crown sat on her head, adorned with rubies and colored gold, her clothing leaving very little to the imagination. But Emiri couldn’t deny that she was an otherworldly beauty, though she admitted she was surprised to find herself completely enamored by this woman, this creature.

She opened her eyes, her dark-colored gaze never leaving Emiri’s. “I hope I did not wake you with my little song, I beg your forgiveness if I did.”

“No…forgive my intrusion,” She apologized, embarrassed to be caught off guard. “Your song…it’s beautiful.”

The woman smiled very gently, motioning for Emiri to sit before her. She sat in front of the woman, her eyes wide. “Would you like to hear the rest?”She asked, chuckling when Emiri nodded enthusiastically. “A heartbeat without harmony is moonlight without dark. The heart seeketh equilibrium—with Balance will your worry part…So still this broken melody and therewith shoulder thee. One last step only leaving—an empty hearth down by the sea…An empty hearth down by the sea.” She looked pleased when Emiri would clap. “Did you like it? Truly?”

“Yes!” Emiri paused. “It did seem a little sad, though…and it sounds like I’ve heard it somewhere before.”

She smiled once more. “Of course it did. It was about you, my child,” She told her, her voice sweet. “I have seen your heart…your sorrow…but know that only you can bring equilibrium.”

Emiri’s eyes widened, though she practically scrambled to her feet as the woman would speak. “Oh, I…I’m sorry, I haven’t introduced myself—but…you know who I am,” She couldn’t quite hide her blush—why was a woman getting her so flustered? She wasn’t even attracted to women! But she was so beautiful… “May I ask your name?”

The woman looked at her curiously. “You want to know my name? Truly?” She paused for a moment. “Sophia Chintamani. Shall I sing you another tune?”