Disclaimers: All the characters and the Last Remnant belong to Square Enix. There is no copyright infringement intended. This story is written without any purpose to make any profit/money or take any credit, just a hope that the readers would have as much fun as I had while writing it.

I want to say great thanks, for my beta-reader, tutor, and inspiration, Sorceress Nadira. She is everything for this story! Without her, this story would never happen.

Comments are highly welcomed, I really need some feedback or encouragement. Anyway, thank you for reading!

Streak of Hopes

David Nassau felt the breeze stroke his blonde hair. It was calm on the seaside of Fornstrand. So peaceful. The vicious crabs, armorshells, seemed nowhere to be seen.

The weather in Fornstrand is known to change every few decades from calm to stormy and so on, as the cycle goes. At the moment, the sky was clear and the sea looked calm. But unlike the calm Starry Shore of Fornstrand, David's head was in such a turmoil, as if it was messed with by a giant storm. But as a lord of Athlum, he had to maintain his composure, the image of poised and cool-headed young master, who he always tried to be in front of everyone.

The Conqueror was gone and so was Rush. The most energetic youth David had ever known. Although the fear of collapses might have had disappeared, the storm basically wasn't over yet. The struggle to keep the peace of the world seemed never ending… or could he really achieve that luxurious dream? At least in his very own land of Athlum, he was very concerned about.

After all remnants have vanished, the beastmen were most likely to attack anytime. They were getting stronger, it seemed; or were that the Athlumian soldiers and especially himself were getting weaker? Without the Gae Bolg, battles were getting harder and harder. Now they had reached the point where his confidence was consumed and he felt desperately exhausted after all the battles. The people of Athlum had to pay higher taxes for the army. Without the increase of income it was really difficult to oblige. Due to security reasons, the trade in Athlum was troubled. He knew that in times like these it was unwise to raise the taxes, but how could the Athlumian soldiers even survive the battles without appropriate weapons and armors? The price of those blades and shields increased, also due to security reasons - the traders were afraid of traveling to Athlum. Also without the presence of remnant teleporters, it was a really long and hard trip to travel back and forth. They lost an important means of transportation.

Under these circumstances it was also hard to keep the peace in Athlum herself. Terrors also happened within the city. Some groups of citizens just could not take it anymore and they protested. Even the so-called Syndicate members got it wrong. Though his most trusted sovanis, Torgal and Allan, had already taken care of it, the thought of making his people suffer just kept creeping over him. Did the efforts he made in the battles were really for the glory of Athlum? What use he had of the "glory of Athlum", if he couldn't make his people prosper?

Suddenly the hollow void grew bigger and bigger in his heart. Was he really fit to be a Lord? He felt that words of Lord Qubine from Celapaleis were right. That sometimes it is difficult to make decisions on your own. If Athlum was still a principality of Celapaleis, supposedly the Celapalean army would provide help by now. But being only the neighbouring country, Celapaleis could not help. They had their own internal conflicts, as aristocrats began to rebel against the ruling government.

Just like in old times, when he was much younger in age, David sought comfort in the beautiful Starry Shore of Fornstrand, watching the water sparkling in the sunlight. The cries of eagle-like avians with lion tail, hraevelgs, could be heard from afar. There he had used to meet with a girl, who had always believed in him. He used to share the burdens he bore on his shoulders with the girl amidst the comforting sound of waves and vast blue sea. Afterwards, he could always find the strength to move on, he could find his confidence. He could always find those in the gleam of her eyes and her faith.

No matter how bad he had longed for her, he could never see her again. He had failed to save her, because he couldn't use the Gae Bolg freely when the attack had happened. He had failed. He had also failed to save Emma, his skilled General, who had been caring for him like his own mother, when his true mother and father had passed away. He had lost Rush. He had lost people, who were very dear to him. The wailing in his heart now was unbearable.

David touched his right eye, as if to feel the part of Gae Bolg which used to be attached to him. Something he used to think of as a burden, but now wanted back so badly. He raised his arm straight, as if he were to target and shot enemies with his ex-machina.

Gae Bolg, I call upon thee.Nothing happened. He looked up at the sky, just to hear the cries of hraevelgs tearing the Fornstrand sky.

In this very situation, without Gae Bolg, how can he keep Athlum safe? The question perturbed him like a nightmare.

While looking down towards the Cape of Delusion, he dragged his rapier and watched armorshells creeping aside. Nothing bad can happen to Athlum if you're in charge. It was what she has said. Then he smiled to the memory with the same wry smile he made as the girl spoke those words. But eventually what she said came true. Athlum had gained independence.

His eyes followed the armorshells and he felt a sudden thrill when his gaze met a shape of a mitra girl standing nearby with her back turned to him. Exactly at the very spot the girl he had used to meet with has usually waited for him. It was exactly the same figure. Her figure, still vividly burned in his memory from five years ago when he was about sixteen years old. He was really sure that it was her and that he was unlikely to be wrong.

'It cannot be... It cannot be her. She… she… Could it be?'

His heart pounded fast. It was like something was blooming inside his chest. A pleasant feeling escaped his heart and brought a smile on his face like a rainbow after the rain. He rushed towards the mitra girl.

He reached out to the girl's shoulder with his free hand. But the moment his hand touched her and the girl turned around, his heart throbbed.

'M-Mister David?' she said. The angelic face of a teen girl showed quite a shock. It was Irina Sykes.

'Uh… Irina…? What are you doing in this place?' David tried to hide his surprise as well and spoke with his casual coolness and composure. The flame of hope he had for the previous seconds just went out.

'I-I am waiting for Sheryl, Mister David,' Irina responded. She could never expect that she will meet David here.

'Sheryl, the Cosmos Maiden you spoke of?'

'You are very true, Mister David.'

'So, about how long have you been waiting here?' David was actually quite curious, as to why Irina wore a different attire than she has used to. Right now, she was dressed like a common townsfolk, and that was why he had mistaken her for that girl. She still looked mesmerizing, even with that attire.

'Umm, I don't really know, but I remember seeing one Narwhal flying on the sky.'

The habit of Narwhal, or the rare sky dragons, is to seek food at noon, when the sun is in its highest position at the sky. Usually about two hours later they are heading back to their nests, as the frequency of wind breeze in Fornstrand increases.

'It must have been…'

'Yes, quite a long time ago Mister David,' she answered with her usual cute voice.

'She must have forgotten about the appointment, Irina.' Though the absent-mindedness of Miss Sheryl was obvious, Irina still believed in her. Still, this girl's innocence and naiveté were really quite appealing to him. 'Besides, it is going to get dangerous here, especially in the dark. The one-eyed monsters, manhunters are most likely to appear… Let me escort you back home.'

'I thought that would be so. But please, Mister David, I really want to wait for a little longer,' Irina pleaded.

'Well then, if you say so...' Somehow the charming voice of Irina was so hard to reject, just the same as her high-spirited brother had used to be.

'I don't want to be a bother to you, Mister David. You can go ahead. I believe you have a lot of stuff to take care of. I will be fine with this invincible elixir from the famous scientist we had assisted before. I can go back safely, I am sure of it. And armorshells, I can handle them with a little bit of fighting skills Miss Emmy had taught me. And… it's also thanks to you...' She smiled with her cute-looking face.

Her streak of stubbornness annoyed him a little. But her bravery to come here alone and her strong will to stay just reminded him of her brother, Rush.

'Then... I guess you left me with not many options...' He smirked and then sighed on the inside. He could not make her do things as he wished. Although he was the Lord of Athlum, he did not have much authority upon the Sykes siblings.

'But Mister David...'

'Irina, I have already given my word to keep you safe to your mother and I will keep my promise.' Beside that he could not let a girl like her to be left unprotected though he knew that Irina possessed unpredictable power, still with no remnant there would be useless.

They fell into silence, immersed in beautiful view of the glimmering lights on the water surface and vast blue sky before them. Among the sound of waves, Irina finally raised her voice.

'Mister David…' she paused. David saw a bitter smile on her face for a few seconds before she turned her gaze up to the sky. 'Today is my brother's birthday.'

Rush's birthday? David looked at Irina. She had already seated herself on one of the rocks there. Her hands held one purple aster, which raised curiosity in David's heart. Why does she love those purple asters so much?

'I know it sounds strange, Mister David, since he is a remnant. But Mom and Dad usually celebrated his birthday on this day. We were...' Irina fell silent as if she could not cope with the grief she felt and it was way too painful for her to reminisce. 'Lately, I had been dreaming about him a lot. In my dreams he had said he will come back.'

She dropped the purple aster. The sea captured it and the wave carried the flower away. 'Happy birthday, Rush,' she whispered.

David walked closer to Irina and sat beside her. He knew her grief, he knew too well the pain of losing someone, but still he just could not find any words to say to her. Her delicate figure now seemed so vulnerable. A tender feeling arose in him. Now he understood how Rush had felt about his sister. He wanted to protect her more than just because he was obliged to do it.

'Mister David... It may sound more than a little out of sense, but... Somehow I know he will back. I know he will.'

'Irina... '

'I have to do something. Mister David, I know, and you know that there is a way to revive him, right?'

If there was something like that, he definitely would... Suddenly he thought of Emma, the girl from his childhood, his father, his mother… It sounds too good to be true, right? Reviving dead people. It had never crossed his mind. The ancient folktales, telling the stories about reviving the lost ones usually end badly, with the one who was revived being turned evil or the person who tried to bring back their lost one coming back insane. Too much horror was wrapped around those tales and death is definitely one giant mystery, as well as a certainty for those who live. There was almost nothing he could do but to accept it. Too much risk trying such things. But this girl with her appealing faith, how could he break her hopes?

'Well, there are... ways. But I am not quite sure myself.'

'Mister David, perhaps you might have missed the story of our fellow fighters back then?'

'Fellow fighters?'

'Yes, our fellow fighter, Rhagoh and his twin sister, Kate,' she responded.

Rhagoh, yes, he remembered him. He had heard that Rush was travelling with him to Robelia castle, to find his supposedly dead twin sister, Kate.

'Do you plan on going to Robelia?'

Irina nodded.

'That is why I asked Sheryl, she is the closest person I can contact right now. As a beautiful Cosmos Maiden she is quite famous, people were talking about seeing her going out with Rhagoh; that is what I heard. I need to see Rhagoh to get the key to the Underground Tier.'

'I see…' replied David. Obviously Marina and John Sykes' cleverness had been passed on Irina. She must have been thinking thoroughly about this. 'But, who'll take you there?'

'I have not decided that myself yet, Mister David. All I need now is to collect as much information as I can,' she gave him a would-you-come-with-me look.

David sighed. It would take time. Could he leave Athlum for that long? Considering the city's condition now, it seemed impossible for him to leave her when there was no guarantee that things were under control.

'Unfortunately, I am afraid that we have some problems in Athlum now, Irina.' David recognized the change in Irina's face; she looked worried.

'Has something worse happened, Mister David?'

Strangely enough, all the things that were occupying his head - his fear, his worry for Athlum and his insecurity - just escaped his mouth, with no resistance nor awkwardness that he usually felt when he was talking about his inner feelings to others. But with those attentive eyes of Irina, the words flowed smoothly, just like when he was with Rush or with his childhood girl-friend. Now the burden on his shoulders got somehow lighter.

'My apologies, Irina. I...' He felt ashamed that he was being so grumpy.

'Uh, you don't have to, Mister David. I am glad if I can be of any help,' she smiled. 'Anyway, Mister David, I believe that nothing bad can happen to Athlum, if you're in charge,' she said. 'You had brought independence to Athlum so far.'

Nothing bad can happen to Athlum, if you're in charge. That very words of her touched his heart. Like a freshness of rejuvenating water in the middle of the burning heat of the Great Sand Sea. The words that his childhood girl-friend had also said. Those words were exactly the same words he had longed to hear. He had really longed to hear.

'I wish that is so, too,' David responded. He saw the same gleam of his childhood girl-friend in Irina's eyes in an instant. A reassurance. He realized that even though the burden of leadership was on his shoulders, he wasn't really struggling alone, making decisions and defending Athlum. He had people beside him whom he could always count on; some of them were his Generals. Torgal, his trusted person, who managed everything so neat and smooth and had always cleaned up David's mess whenever he made one. Pagus with his brilliance, who could provide all information needed. Blocter, the Yama fighter most skilled in tactics and combat in Athlum. Emmy, who had already showed that her loyalty to Athlum can only be compared with her mother's, the famous General Emma, who had sacrificed herself to defend Athlum.

'M-mister David? Haven't you stared long enough?' Irina blushed and seemed to be trying to hide her face elsewhere.

'Uh, nnn, had I? Oh my apologies...' He was distracted. It was clear that he was lost in her eyes.

'Anyway, you are right, Irina.' He tightened his grip on his rapier. 'I am coming with you.'

'But what about Athlum?'

'I figured it out. I need some help, I will be asking for joint forces from our fellow friends. They sure want to help, if it's about reviving Rush. After that, perhaps I will be able to ask them for some help for Athlum too. With the strength of our fellow fighters – the Silver Falcons, and the others, it will be a lot easier,' he winked.

'A warrior gathering! Yay! Thank you, Mister David!' Irina exclaimed happily. Her eyes were gleaming.

A reunion, wouldn't it be nice?

'About armors for Athlumian soldiers, why don't we go ask Gabriel from Celapaleis? He sells swords, doesn't he? I know Rush came to him once when he was looking for finest sword. I wonder if he could give us a discount or perhaps something for credit?' She suggested enthusiastically.

'That would do for sure,' David smiled.
The sunset in Cape of Delusion could not have been more beautiful. The golden spark of sun rays reflected by the sea, like an awakening hope in their hearts. The warm feeling infiltrating their souls, the colours of water playing trick with their eyes, causing their breath to stop of amazement for the moment.

'Happy birthday, Rush,' David murmured. The image of the full of life young fella crossed his mind. Now that Rush could not be here to protect his sister, there was unspoken pledge in his heart that he would not let anything harm happened to Irina.

'AWWW, see, what we have here! A nice couple, aren't you? Lord David of Athlum and Lady Irina of Nagapur! I bet many ladies and lads would have their heart broken by now!'

While David and Irina were both amazed by the sunset view in Fornstrand, the sudden appearance of the blonde Cosmos Maiden surprised them.

'I-it's not what you think... We...' David stammered. Somehow it felt as if he was caught red-handed by Emma or Torgal from skipping his duties. 'I believe you have been misguided.'

'Hee-hee, you should see the look on your face. It was priceless!' teased Sheryl.

'Sheryl!' Irina shouted. 'What took you so long? I have been waiting for you! And where is Rhagoh? You were supposed to bring him.'

David felt relief somehow.

'About that, err... I was about to decorate my room and decided to get some flowers. I collected lots of pretty lilies and daisies. O beautiful daisies! I was overjoyed to see many of them. Tee-hee,' Sheryl giggled.

I know that would happened. David thought.

'I can't believe that time passed so quick before I realized it was late,' Sheryl continued, 'then I headed back to see Rhagoh. I found him in Nordenalm pub, the place we used to meet. "Come with me, I have an important matter to attend to." I said. Without much thinking, I grabbed his hand and dragged him along. However, he freed his hand and shouted, "Stop! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"I was startled, Rhagoh has always been gentle in his manner. Before long, I realized it was Rhagoh's twin sister, Kate. "Get lost! Rhagoh's been doing business and he headed back to Celapaleis," she said."Why didn't he tell me?" I asked. "Listen, I am not his spokesman. Don't get bitching with me. Leave me, the hell, alone!" By that time, I knew it was really late and I rushed here.'

'Wait, Sheryl, what do you mean by "Lady Irina of Nagapur"?' David interrupted.

'Huh? You sure missed a lot of news, Lord David,' Sheryl gave him a look of disbelief.

'It must be quite surprising for you, as it was for me, Mister David. The ceremony of me being titled "Lady of Nagapur" was not officially announced yet. Only few people know about it, Miss Sheryl's one of them, since she is the Cosmos Maiden and will be taking part in preparing the ceremony. It was kept secret in order not to make the political stability of Nagapur worse. I believe the ceremony will be held in the coming week,' Irina began to explain. 'As you know, since Duke Wilfred Hermeien's gone, who was actually my own uncle, and my grandpa now rules the Nagapur back, Mom was supposed to be the Duchess of Nagapur. However, Mom refused to stay in the castle, or to be titled Lady Marina. She chose to continue doing researches in Academy and help Dad. Researching was the best thing she could do for the sake of the better world, she said. Especially without remnants, the advancement of technology is really needed. Miss Haruko had made a lot of projects. It seems the Academy got busier nowadays. Honestly, I want to help Mom and Dad with their research too. I like doing those stuffs and working with them. But I could not choose that way then.'

'So, you are now Lady Irina of Nagapur...' David understood now why she was dressed differently than she used to. She must have been sneaking out of the castle, leaving visistone messages, just like she did when she headed alone to Darken Forest. That was also her reason to insist on waiting for Sheryl, because the opportunity for her to be able to get out from Wyrmskeep must be really rare. He sighed at the thought of how bad he missed a lot of information. As the Chairman of the Congress, he should not miss such an important issue.

'I am, but officially in the next few days, Mister David,' Irina nodded. 'Anyway, Sheryl, could you feel the Syltique's presence?'

The cosmos maiden closed her eyes and concentrated. She looked to be absorbed in a deep trance. David felt like he just saw something, like light radiating from her skin, adding more brightness to her porcelain skin and even her blonde hair was glowing.

After a moment Sheryl finally opened her eyes and sighed.

'The sunset is sure beautiful, Irina,' Sheryl pointed to the beautiful sparkling light on the surface of the sea. 'And also peaceful. Just like Syltique. But, trust me, it was different, Syltique had been way more beautiful than this one. I am afraid it is not Syltique, dear."

Syltique? It was much to David's surprise when he heard Sheryl mentioning the remnant's name. Syltique was believed to bring peace and keep people from waging wars. It had a form of multiple lights that created one remnant. It used to be activated in Fornstrand during the Kosmofest performed by the Cosmos Maiden. Could it be that Syltique still exist while other remnants had vanished? He pondered at the thought.

'B-but I really saw it on the new remnant tracker which my parents made!' Irina said helplessly.

'Uh, I am sorry, I don't mean to doubt you, Irina, nor the device that your parents had made. But I don't feel anything. Before Syltique had used to disappear and reappear at times, but after the cleansing of all the remnants happened, I am afraid it would never reappear,' Sheryl was trying to sound consolingly.

'Maybe we can check it again later, Irina. Perhaps it has already disappeared by chance,' David suggested. 'Before that, we can ask Rhagoh about his sister.'

'Yes, Mister David,' Irina smiled. She tried to not to seem too disappointed. 'Oh, it's getting late, I have to head back to Nagapur before Grandpa gets really worried.'

'Let's not waste any time then,' said David. He turned his back. 'And you don't have to hide there anymore, I know you're there, just come out,' he waved at the rocks some feet away from him.

'Y-yes my Lord,' said a voice behind the rocks.

David approached the rock, while Irina threw Sheryl a questioning look. Sheryl replied with a shrug. She also had not realized that there was someone else hiding there. A yama soldier appeared behind the rock and bowed a little towards David. Sheryl could see that the soldier wore armors with Athlumian symbol.

'General Torgal asked you, didn't he, Lieutenant Agyptus?' Asked David. He knew that his generals would be concerned about his safety.

'Yes, my lord. He did.' There was a little hesitation in his voice.

'Aren't you coming with us, Lord David?' Sheryl asked.

David looked at the two girls and asked Sheryl, 'Could I trust you to escort Lady Irina to Nagapur, Cosmos Maiden? I have a pressing matter to take care of in Athlum.'

'Yes! Of course you could,' she paused and added, 'my Lord,' with a little smirk.

Concerning Irina's combat skill under Emmy's training and Sheryl's mystic power as Cosmos Maiden, David thought they could go back safely.