Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Zestiria. All affiliated characters and settings are the property of Namco-Bandai. No copyright infringement is intended; no profit is being made.
Mikleo had a nightmare. Actually, to call it a simple nightmare was a gross injustice. It was a reoccurring nightmare that plagued him for the entire three hundred seventy-eight years that Sorey was asleep for. The nightmare was of Sorey finally, finally waking up...and not remembering him.
The worst part of it all was that it was entirely plausible. It was not uncommon for humans being reborn as seraphim to forget their past lives, and, if that happened to Sorey...
Of course, there was also the possibility that Sorey would not be reborn, and Mikleo would lose him all over again. That was the subject of an entirely different series of nightmares. Suffice it to say, sleeping was not his favourite pastime while he waited for Sorey to awaken.
The worst part, however, was that the reality, when it came, was so, so much worse.
"Mikleo! Mikleo, where are you! Where are you...?"
As soon as he had felt Maotelus' power return, Mikleo had rushed to Camlann. Luckily, he had been staying in Elysia at the time, so it had only been a short trip to the fallen town.
He had found Sorey wandering intently around the area, brow slightly furrowed as he examined everything. Mikleo had, unsurprisingly, been the first to arrive. Joyful, he had called out to Sorey...to nothing. No looking up, so response, no smiles or laughter or joyful calling of his name.
He watched, heartbroken, as Sorey wandered, lost and alone.
"Where are they...?"
Sorey could not see seraphim any longer, Mikleo was sure of it. Instead of being reborn as a seraph, saving Maotelus had completely burned away his resonance. Never in his life had Mikleo felt so helpless. So lost. So utterly useless.
He sat, and watched, and cried, calling Sorey's name until he was hoarse and breathless. Nothing. Not so much as the hint of a glance in his direction...
Sorey eventually reached a decision, it seemed, and he set off for the ruins. For Elysia.
Mikleo dried his cheeks and followed. There was nothing he could do to help Sorey. He followed in silence, chest aching more and more every time Sorey stopped to call...for him. Sometimes he called for Lailah, Edna, and Zaveid, even Rose, once, but by far the person he called for most was Mikleo. By the time they made it out of the ruins, Mikleo was a wreck.
Mikleo ran ahead as they headed for Elysia. He needed to let the others know what had happened. Sorey would certainly figure out what had happened when he saw the town, up kept but empty, and when Sorey realised...
Zaveid met him on the way there.
"Mikky-boy! Where's our lovely shepherd? Thought you'd be with him by now."
"...Zaveid, I—he—" he cut off with a click of the teeth, taking a deep breath.
"Whoa, whoa, you've been running? Is he okay? Do you need help?"
Mikleo shook his head, stubbornly closing his eyes to fight still more tears. "No, he...he's okay, I think. He just...Zaveid, he can't see me..."
"He...what?"
"He's lost his resonance."
"You're serious—of course you are. You wouldn't joke about this shit. Damn. Anything I can do?"
"Elysia. Go to Elysia and warn them he's coming." Damn, he wished there were humans in Elysia, visiting or something...
"You got it. What about you?"
"I'm going back to him," he said sharply, turning away and running back towards Sorey.
Sorey was...he didn't know, exactly, but scared topped the list. Somehow, he had expected all of his friends to be there when he emerged from his long sleep. Instead...nothing. No Mikleo, no Lailah, no anyone.
With each step back towards home, he felt the cold weight of fear clamp down harder on his gut. What if he hadn't gotten them out safely? What if he was the only one left? What other possible explanation could there be that Mikleo hadn't been there?
If Mikleo was dead...
No. He was probably just far away. He'd go to Elysia, where he would find a note, or something, and he'd either go to his friend, or wait for him. Everything would be fine. It would be. It had to be.
He had left Camlaan fairly early in the day, and did not arrive in Elysia until sundown. In the fading light, he could see that the village was much as he had left it. Cozy, stone huts dotted the hillside, pure water trickled into the pond near Gramps' old hut—and Gramps, but that was a concern for later; a concern for alone in his room with Mikleo and tight hugs and so many tears, so he batted it down to be examined later. Right now, he just had to find someone.
That was the one thing that had changed; the green was empty. He saw no faces, either familiar or unfamiliar, only...silence.
"Mikleo! Kyme! Bethany! Is there anyone here? Mikleo! Mikleo..."
Zaveid pressed a hand to Mikleo's shoulder, trying to reassure the younger seraph as he shifted on the spot, violet eyes welling up with unshed tears.
"Sorey... Sorey!"
Zaveid tightened his grip, holding Mikleo back and, hopefully, grounding him a little. The scene was one of the most heartbreaking he had ever witnessed, and he had to admit, it choked him up a bit. These two were made to be together. This was, quite frankly, a punishment that neither deserved.
"C'mon, Mik, we came up with a plan," he said, gesturing to the others around him.
"What...what plan?" the water seraph asked, his voice as wet as his artes.
"Most everything here, like paper and books, is infused with seraphic artes, so he can't see it, but not the natural things. Rocks, plants..."
"So...?"
"Get a torch, Mikky, and do the honours." Anything to keep Mikleo distracted.
He sent Zaveid a wary glance, but quickly did as told, hurrying into a nearby house to get a lantern—one that had pointedly not been lit with an arte. When Mikleo emerged, Sorey turned towards the light, a soft gasp escaping him.
"Lai—" the human trailed off as he noticed that...nobody was carrying the fire, at least to his eyes. Damn, it really seemed like Mikleo was right, Sorey couldn't see seraphim at all. It was downright unfair.
Sorey followed the light, brow furrowed, and Elysia followed him in a silent procession. They rounded the pond, to the largest unoccupied area on the hillside, where a message had been written in sticks and rocks.
We're here, Sorey. Welcome home.
Kyme had to physically grab Mikleo and hold him back at the agonised cry that escaped Sorey. The brunet's eyes were wide as he spun in the circle, eyes passing sightlessly over the assembled seraphim.
"Are...you all—Mikleo! Is Mikleo—?"
The seraph in question squirmed free and ran forward, light held high. He stopped just in front of Sorey.
"Mik...leo?" A tentative hand came out, reaching for the air...and passing through it. Mikleo, in turn, reached out and cupped Sorey's cheek. Well, he tried to, anyway.
Definitely one of the saddest things Zaveid had ever seen.
Sorey sat, numb, on his bed in Elysia. He knew Mikleo was with him, now, but he could not see him, hear him, feel him... He could not imagine a worse hell than this.
"The last time this happened, it only lasted a little while," he said, with far more optimism than he felt. "I'm sure it'll come back." If Mikleo replied, he would never know it.
The door opened, and his head came up...to nothing. One of the chairs at the table shifted, as though someone had stood—who, he had no idea. They were here. His friends were here. That would have to be enough.
He told himself that, and told himself that, and told himself that...
When he laid down that night to sleep, he made room for Mikleo and cried.
"I love you, Mikleo," he said softly. "I love you."
Edna and Lailah had arrived overnight, meaning all four of them were here...uselessly standing around. Well, the others stood around, but Mikleo climbed into bed, pressing close to his friend. Or, as close as one could get when you couldn't actually touch, anyway.
He laid there all night, staying close but hating the way they passed through one another. He wanted to touch him. Hold him. Kiss him. It was downright painful.
How was it fair that Sorey awoke to a world where seeing seraphim was commonplace, but he himself could no longer see them? The irony of it made him sick.
The following morning, Sorey arose, looking tired but determined. Ushering the others out so Sorey could change, he sat on the bed while Sorey cleaned himself up.
"Mikleo, are you there—of course you are. I think I'm going to go into town. Ladylake, for now. I need to know what the world is like." All the books Mikleo had written for him were magically preserved, so he couldn't read them. "Will you come with me?"
Picking up Sorey's shepherd glove, he carried it to him, pressing it into his hand and drawing a smile from Sorey. "I'll take that as a yes." Of course it was.
They set out that morning, with Sorey shouting farewells to the village, and the villagers watching anxiously. They loved Sorey so much. Maybe...maybe they could fix this. Or maybe it was temporary, like Sorey had said.
Whatever the case, time would tell. For better or for worse.
"He looks so sad..." Lailah remarked.
"Not as sad as Meebo."
"Leave him alone, Edna," Lailah scolded. "He had every right to be upset."
"He looks like his favourite toy got buried under a landslide," the earth seraph quipped, clearly annoyed.
"Not a toy. Just his heart," Zaveid said.
Growling, Mikleo stormed ahead, moving closer to Sorey. That didn't matter. None of it did. Sorey was what mattered. Let the others joke and gossip. He. Did. Not. Care.
"Edna, Zaveid...leave him alone," Lailah scolded again from behind him. "Mikleo and Sorey are really hurting right now."
Mikleo stuck to Sorey's side and tuned the others out.
Sorey talked a lot on the trip, likely trying to fill the void left in his life, and Mikleo listened. He wished with all of his heart that he could reply.
Their first encounter with humans came just days after they left the forest. Humans were more populous than they had ever been, and their settlements had grown and expanded. Sorey gazed with wide eyes upon the village of Kayle.
"This is new..."
Not that new, but Mikleo had no way of telling him that. All he could do was walk at his side and try, try, try to get his feelings through to Sorey.
The other seraphim politely excused themselves from the company a ways from the village. They were better known than Mikleo, and ran the risk of being recognised—particularly Lailah, who had remained in the limelight all this time. They all agreed that it was safest to have the recognisable faces kept away.
They were, after all, all working with the new shepherds. All save Mikleo, anyway, who kept largely to himself in the bowels of the world.
They entered the village, and the first thing Sorey had to deal with was the language. Oh, everyone still spoke the same language that had nearly four hundred years ago, but languages changed, and this was no exception. New colloquialisms and phrases left poor Sorey behind, as well as the changed fashion sense, mannerisms, styles, devices... Thankfully, it was all manageable, it just felt different.
In short: it was the same world, but it was a different world.
Sorey had little money, especially not when one accounted for inflation, and the fast-paced life in Kayle left him upset and uncertain, no matter how hard he was trying to hide it. Mikleo stayed close, however, and eventually Sorey found and inn.
"Uh, can I get a room, please?" Sorey asked tentatively.
"For two?" the innkeeper, a heavyset woman in her middle years, asked, gaze travelling to Mikleo, then back to Sorey.
"Uh, no. One bed is fine."
"...alright. Does your seraph friend at least want a meal?"
Sorey's eyes grew huge, and Mikleo cringed. He wished he could have told him...
"Y-you can see him?"
The pretty woman frowned. "Of course—wait, can you not see seraphim? Wow. Didn't think there was anything without that blessing..."
"Enough," Mikleo said sharply, brow furrowed in anger. He could easily see the tension in Sorey's body. "There's more to this than you know, and you will leave him alone."
The woman stared for a moment, then bowed her head. "My apologises, Sir Seraph." She reached for a key. "Second room on the lef—"
"Wait!" Sorey called, fists clenched. "Can you...tell me what he looks like? The seraph?"
The woman blinked at the odd request. "I...certainly. He's a rather handsome fella, to be sure. Little shorter than yourself, long, silver-blue hair, the prettiest violet eyes. Regal dresser, too—"
"Thank you, that's enough," he said, hoarse.
"Want me to ask his name?"
"I know it," Sorey said softly. "Both of them, actually." Taking the key, he headed for the back.
Hesitating only a moment, Mikleo nodded once to the lady, then followed.
Sorey cried himself to sleep again that night, and there was nothing he could do about it.
Late in the night, he rose. Sorey had finally fallen asleep, so Mikleo took the chance to slip out, heading down to the common room. A few patrons still frequented it at this hour, and he took a seat in the far corner, away from the others. Despite his hiding place, it was not long until the owner found him.
"Need a drink, pumpkin?" He glanced up at her smiling face, her plump cheeks dimpled prettily and green eyes sparkling at him. She looked altogether motherly. "Not to butt in, but you look like you could use one."
Mikleo shrugged. "I just...needed some company."
"Mhm, that's why you're sitting over here, by yourself?"
He sighed, shrugging. "I don't know," he admitted.
"Just wanted to be where people can see ya?—hit the nail on the head, didn't I?" she said, noting how he flinched. "How'd a handsome fella like you come to be travelling with an Unblessed."
"Don't call him that!" he snapped. She looked taken aback by his animosity, but Mikleo didn't care. Nobody understood Sorey like he did! Nobody knew how much he was suffering because of this!
"Alright, alright... So how'd you two wind up together, anyway?"
"We were always together," he muttered, turning to stare out the window.
"But...he can't see you."
"That's not any of your business," he said, a little sharper than he meant to.
"Anythin' I can do for you?" she asked after a moment, concern clear in her eyes.
"...think you could translate for me?" he asked on a whim. She seemed nice enough, and she was willing to deal with his temper.
"For your human friend? I think I could manage that, sweetie."
Mikleo fought an annoyed eye twitch. "I need one other thing, first."
"Hm?"
"Swear, on the name of The Shepherd, that no part of the ensuing conversation will ever leave your lips. I need total confidentiality." He knew he was asking too much, and that she was likely to refuse, but it had to be said.
"...you're serious about this?"
"Yes."
"In the name of The Shepherd, huh? You aren't messing around."
"I just said I was serious. Swear in his name, or—"
"Okay. I swear by the name of Shepherd Sorey of Elysia that I won't breath a word to anyone."
And what would Sorey say, to know he was something of a religious figure? Mikleo wished he could tell him. Needed to tell him.
"Come with me," he said, rising. They walked in silence to Sorey's room, and Mikleo used the key to let them in.
"Uh...he's asleep. We should wait."
"No, now," Mikleo said, moving closer to Sorey. "Can you wake him up? He..." can't hear me.
She hesitated, but finally stepped closer. "Uh, excu—" her hand brushed Sorey's shoulder ever so lightly, and he bolted awake, sitting up, "—me."
He eyed her, then plastered a smile on his face. "Sorry, I, uh...dozed off?"
Mikleo sighed. Typical Sorey.
"Actually, your seraph friend asked me to wake you. He wants to talk to you."
"Mikleo—?"
"Tell him I'm here," he said softly, stepping forward and sitting on the bed.
"He's right next to you."
"Is he—? Which side?"
"Your left."
Sorey turned to face him, smiling gently. "Mikleo...
"Thank you, ma'am," Sorey said softly, not looking away. Mikleo fought to stay composed under that gaze.
"Call me Lillian."
"Thank you, Lillian. You can call me Sorey."
She froze, then frowned. "Wait...Mikleo?" She turned to the seraph. "Is this some kind of a joke?"
"It is not." Mikleo said, meeting her gaze steadily.
"So, what, he's named after the hero? What about you?"
"Named after—what does she mean, Mikleo?"
"You're, uh, sorta famous, Sorey," he said softly. The woman hesitated a moment before telling Sorey.
"Famous? How?"
"You went to sleep for almost four hundred years," he said softly, "and saved the continent at the same time. People revere that..."
"Really? That's...actually kinda cool! I mean, I don't really want all that attention and stuff, but it's pretty cool to see how what we did is affecting everyone."
"You did well," he said softly, ignoring Lillian's stares. "Not us, you."
"No, Mikleo! We did it as a team. You, me, Rose, Lailah. All of us."
"None of us sacrificed hundreds of years," he said softly.
"But did I succeed?" Sorey asked, after Lillian spoke.
"Isn't it obvious? Of course you did. That's why you're awake."
"And...everyone else?"
"Outside town. Lailah thought it would be best if they weren't recognised. I can get away with it because I, uh, spent the past few centuries in ruins, not seeing anyone."
"So...everyone's there?"
"Everyone. Even Edna." Well, except the humans.
"You two still get along well?" Sorey asked cheekily.
Lillian coughed. "He's...just grumbling."
Sorey laughed honestly. "That sounds about right. You haven't changed at all, Meebo."
"...I wish that were true."
"Oh, right! Lillian said you'd grown out your hair! I wish I could see it. And that you're taller!"
"No height jokes!"
Sorey laughed honestly.
Mikleo found himself smiling to himself after a moment. "Sorey...I missed you," he muttered. "So much."
"I'm back now. And we'll figure this out. My resonance can be fixed, I'm sure of it."
"Maybe we can ask Maotelus. He does sort of owe us one," he said, smirking.
"Even if he can't fix it, he might be able to point us in the right direction. Maybe there's some ruin with the answer, too. We can go looking!"
"Anything you want, Sorey." Anything.
"Can I interrupt—are you two really...?"
"We are," Mikleo assured, "which is why I took your oath of silence."
"Yes, I understand." Her eyes screamed of doubt, however.
"Can you...tell me about everything that I've missed?" Sorey finally asked.
Mikleo nodded, then remembered himself. "Anything you want to know," he said, settling down to get comfortable.
They spoke long into the night, at some point fetching drinks. The innkeeper humoured them the whole time, seeming more fascinated than annoyed by the long night. Mikleo talked and talked, sharing every story he could think of with Sorey, who listened, enraptured. Eventually, they tapered off, Sorey yawning and rubbing his eyes.
"I wish I could hold you again," a tired Sorey muttered, rolling to face the direction Mikleo was sitting in.
"I'm still here."
"I know, but I want to touch you," he muttered. "I want to kiss you."
Mikleo cleared his throat awkwardly. "Sorey..."
"I love you."
Composing himself, Mikleo reached out, desperate to touch him, and was met with only disappointment. "I love you, too."
Lillian, a faint blush on her own cheeks, stood. "I should head off. I have an inn to open soon." Her son and husband had handled things overnight. "I'd like some sleep, first."
"Uh, oh, yes. Thank you, Lillian. I really appreciate this."
She smiled. "It's the least I could do to pay you back. Get some rest, Shepherd. You too, Seraph."
Mikleo nodded. "Thank you, Lillian. And please, recall your oath."
"I won't forget," she promised, stepping to the door, and then disappearing out it.
For the rest of the morning, Mikleo kept watch while Sorey slept. Without help, that was all he could do.
At least this time, Sorey's brow line was relaxed.
Ladylake was bigger than Sorey remembered it. He had shed his shepherd's cloak in Kayle, using the last of his limited funds to purchase a new outfit and some travel rations. Lillian hadn't charged him, which helped, but he was still flat broke, now. That aside, the seamstress had given him a very strange look when he had payed her. He had no idea why.
Dressed in his new, modern clothing, Sorey wandered the town. His first destination was the sanctuary, of course, but he took the long way there, circling the city and admiring the sights.
More people bustled in the streets, and there was just...more to the city than Sorey remembered. More buildings, more traffic, more shops and hawkers... And more seraphim. In many places, he could see shopkeepers chatting with the air. He knew seraphim had to be there, and...and his heart seized. He wanted to see them and speak to them, too.
They had built this world, and it was not for him. The thought made him feel sick. What if his resonance never came back? He could imagine no worse life than a life without Mikleo.
"...Luzrov Ruley," he murmured. Nothing happened. Nothing ever happened.
Collecting himself, he took a deep breath and strode on. No point dwelling. Dwelling bred malevolence, and malevolence was the last thing he needed. He would be better than that.
He rounded a street, into the courtyard before the sanctuary, and stopped dead, looking up. A massive statue had been erected...of him. The statue's eyes stared out over the city protectively, its right hand resting on the pommel of its sword, and gloved hand upraised in a triumphant fist.
He approached the base, reading the inscription there with a furrowed brow.
Shepherd Sorey
May his exploits never be forgotten
Laid by Her Majesty Alisha Diphda and His Majesty Sergei Strelker
Dedicated by Squire Rose
Blessed by Seraph Lailah, the Lady of the Lake
Circling the statue, he found detailed carvings of each of his friends, their names carved underneath. Dezel and Rose on the first plaque, and Edna and Zaveid on the second. On the final, Lailah and...Mikleo. He paused to run his fingers over the engraving of his friend.
"It doesn't do you justice." He paused, but of course there was no response.
Straightening, he turned and walked away. A statue, of him. Who would ever have thought it?
Lailah's blade was gone, still, he noted as he entered the sanctuary. He stepped forward, and a moment later, a young man ran forward.
"Lailah! You're back! Zaveid, Enda, you're here too—and is that—? Are you Mikleo?"
With each name, Sorey's chest tightened more, and at the last, he was forced to turn away, not wanting to see his...successor's happy reunion with the friends he could no longer see.
"And who are you?" The teen was at his side anyway, looking up. "I'm Nate!"
Before Sorey could reply, Nate turned away, dark ponytail swinging. "...wait, seriously?" His head swung around again. "You're Sorey? Really? That's...really cool! We can go travelling together! I bet you can give me some pointers."
Sorey looked away, staring blankly at the altar. Taking a deep breath, he plastered on a smile and turned to Nate.
"Sure! I mean, I can't help you with armatising and stuff," he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "but I can help with the rest! If Mikleo could stand sparring with me, maybe you can too," he joked.
Nate turned away for a moment, then frowned. "You want me to? But why?" A pause. "Wait...seriously? But he's a shepherd! He's The Shepherd!" Nate's brow furrowed further. "Really? That...that's terrible. Okay, I'll tell him.
"Sorey, Mikleo says you're a terrible sparring partner."
"Mikleo," he began calmly, "I'm not the one who's too short."
"What? He's not short..." Nate chimed in.
Sorey paused, looking down. "He...was."
Nate looked around the room, clearly confused, then shrugged. "So, Lailah, when are we going travelling again?" He nodded. "I agree. Zaveid, Edna, are you coming, too?" More nodding. "Mikleo, did you want to come, too? You still have the shepherd's pact, ri—oh, really, you don't? What? Of course Sorey can come! It'd be nice to have—no! That's not—okay. Okay, I get it. Fine.
"Sorey, did you want to come?"
He shook his head wordlessly. No, he did not think he could hold onto himself in...in a place like that.
"Huh? Uh, okay, okay. Fine. I get it. You're his sub-lord. Go with him. Nobody's gonna force you, sheesh..."
He was only getting half the conversation, but Sorey smiled anyway. Mikleo...
"We can still explore ruins, right?" he said softly.
"Hey says sure. Now, how about we head to my place for something to eat?"
Without any better options—he was broke—Sorey followed in silence. Ahead of him, Nate talked animatedly with...someone. At his side walked Mikleo. Oh, he couldn't see or hear him...but he knew. That was all that mattered.
Well, no it wasn't, but it would have to do.
They made it to the Shepherd's Manor, apparently that was something Hyland had started keeping over two hundred years ago, and settled in. It seemed that there were people here to keep the place clean, cook, do laundry...it was beyond his ability to comprehend. He supposed the shepherd's lifestyle was busy, though. It might have been handy, to have help like this on his own journey.
His mind was wandering. Watching Nate converse animatedly with his friends, friends he could no longer see, twisted at his heart, and he found himself desperate to think about anything else.
"Dinner will be ready soon," Nate said. It took Sorey a moment to tune back in, but he nodded once he did. "We can just hang out in here until then."
In here turned out to be a literal library. Walls, upon walls of books, shelves sagging under the weight of them. Sorey stared around in wonder.
"Stuffy ol' place, isn't it?"
Sorey turned to Nate, utterly incredulous. "It's amazing! You must have the entire history of Glenwood in here! Is this—the Asgardian Empire! And this—!" He trailed off. It wasn't the same without Mikleo matching his enthusiasm.
"You like this stuff? Man, weird," Nate said, grinning, "but okay."
A book floated down off the shelf, and Sorey watched curiously as it was deposited next to him.
"Mikleo looks embarrassed, but he thinks you should read that."
Sorey only had to read the name of the author to break out into a large grin. "Mikleo, you wrote this? That's so cool! What's it about?" He was already cracking it open, not even pausing to read the title.
Dropping down into a nearby chair, he began to read. Distantly, he heard Nate make a comment, but he was oblivious to the words.
A book. By Mikleo!
Sorey spent the entire evening reading, barely even stopping to eat. Mikleo stuck by him the whole time, even long after the others had retired and they were reading by lantern light.
Sorey talked, a lot, once the others were gone. He went over passages from the book he liked, reminisced over stories the book brought to mind, and praised the prose. Mikleo suspected he overdid it a bit, but it was nice to hear that honest excitement.
"You really wrote a book about our adventures..." Sorey sounded so happy about that. "That's so cool, Mikleo."
Mikleo smiled. He had worked on it for years, but Sorey's excitement was more than worth it. He just wished he could show his friend all the others he'd written for him.
"We should get some sleep," his friend noted, then, setting aside the book. Mikleo stood to follow him. A room had been set aside for each of them, but Mikleo did not bother with his, instead choosing to remain with Sorey. There was nowhere else he belonged.
Sorey made room in the bed, as he always did, and Mikleo climbed in. As he always did. They slept beside one another, physically close, but centuries apart.
Late into the night, Sorey jerked awake with a yell. Jerked awake himself, Mikleo sat up, reaching for him frantically.
"Mikleo! Mikleo, where are you! Mikleo, please..."
Sorey was crying out in fear, almost in panic, his arms flailing uselessly, even passing through the seraph several times. Mikleo reached back, but to no avail. They couldn't touch.
The door burst open, Nate nearly falling inside. Behind him were the rest of the seraphim, but Mikleo only had eyes for Sorey.
He had no idea what had triggered the night terror, Sorey had never been prone to such things before, but with all of the stress he had been under lately, it wasn't hard to imagine what might be the cause.
"Mikleo, please, I need you..."
Mikleo felt a stab of helpless pity, followed by a stab of anger. How was this fair? How that this right? Sorey deserved better!
"Hey, hey, it's okay. You're, uh, okay..."
Mikleo shoved Nate away. He wasn't helping. He reached for Sorey, desperate to be there for him. Frantic. He had to do this—!
Nothing. Nothing at all. Sorey's resonance was gone. It was completely...useless. He let out a frustrated growl and tried again, Sorey's desperate cries ringing in his ears, mixing with calls from the other seraphim, and indignant squawking from Nate.
None of that mattered except Sorey.
He tried, yet again, to get to Sorey, only to be stopped by a tight grip on his shoulder. Turning, he growled at his oppressor.
"Zaveid...!"
"You need to get out of here."
"Sorey—!"
"Will be fine. You need to leave, Mikky. You need to distance yourself from this."
"I can't just leave him!"
"Mikleo, he's right," Lailah said calmly. "You're too involved. You need to step out."
"I can't—!"
Before he could protest more, Zaveid picked him up and carried him out, heedless of his struggles.
"...Sorey! Sorey!"
His friend did not hear him.
Sorey felt like shit. He had finally awoken fully last night, in a cold sweat and with a pounding heart and head. He had not slept a wink after that. Somehow...somehow he had known Mikleo was gone from the room, and that felt wrong. Mikleo was probably back by now, he knew, but he could. Not. Tell.
As morning rolled around, he got up and wandered the mansion, and then the library. He scanned the shelves desperately, hoping there was something that could help him fix this...
Eventually, Nate's butler found him, informing him that the others were leaving, but that he was welcome to stay. He nodded, deciding it was only polite to see the others off. Waving for Mikleo to follow, he thanked the butler and headed downstairs.
"Sorey! You came!"
"Uh, yeah." He rubbed his head. "Sorry about the trouble last night, by the way. Didn't mean to cause a commotion."
"Don't worry about it. Bad dreams happen," Nate said reassuringly.
"Where are you guys headed?" he asked, eager to change the subject.
"Rolance. Pendrago is our first stop."
"Have a safe trip. You too, Lailah, Edna, Zaveid. I'll miss you."
"We'll be fine. You're sure you don't want to come? You too, Mikleo."
Sorey shook his head. "We're going to look for a way to fix my resonance. Right, Mikleo?" He didn't need to see the nod to know it was there.
"...okay. Well. Good luck. You can stay here as much, and as often, as you like."
"Thanks, Nate. We'll take you up on that for a bit."
"Well, okay. The others all want me to give you their best wishes. Good luck."
"You too. Stay safe."
Sorey watched while they headed down the steps, then turned and headed back inside. They had a lot of reading to do.
They spent months searching for the answer, chasing leads in books older than Lailah. Rumours, legends, myths...they followed it all. Mikleo wrote him notes when they could, but when they were deep in some ruin nobody had even known existed, Sorey often felt completely alone.
They were deep underground this time, seeking a mural that was supposed to explain the origins of resonance, and how it spread through the population. He hoped that this lead, at least, would turn up...something. None of the others had.
He held up the light he had brought with him, using it to illuminate the pathway ahead of him—the seraphic artes that lent light to so many of these ancient passageways no longer worked for him. Squinting, he moved to press his shoulder against the door, pushing it open and walking inside.
It was a large, empty chamber, the walls of which were lost in darkness. Stepping further in, he slowly turned a circle, lantern held aloft. Ragged stone made up the floor, crumbling with age. It crackled under his boot as he moved, tripping him up slightly. He caught himself quickly, and strode inwards.
A rock clattered beside him, and Sorey froze. He could no longer see hellions—Maotelus' blessing did not get rid of all of them, especially here in the bowels of the world, so he had to rely on Mikleo. They had worked out signals as best they could, and he backed away in response to this one. He couldn't see anything yet, but he drew his sword, backing up towards the entrance warily.
Mikleo had sensed it some ways back, but it was a lot harder to pinpoint exactly where a hellion was without Sorey's and Lailah's blessing. As soon as they stumbled across it, he was ready, however. Using a rock he'd grabbed off the floor, Mikleo threw it near Sorey's feet, signalling that it was in front of him. As they had worked out, Sorey backed up.
He couldn't purify hellions any longer, he had no interest in being connected to a new shepherd, but he could still fight them. Holding out his left hand, his staff materialised and dropped into it. Clutching it, he readied his stance, eyes darting around to find the hellion's exact location. It was in this room, he was certain of that, though he had not yet caught sight of it.
...and there is was, a scaled, long body, with a thick tail and overgrown teeth. It cast sightless eyes around the room, and tilted its head back, nostrils twitching. He suspected it has been some sort of rodent, alone down in the dark, and was perfectly tuned to hunting without using its sight.
He had to get it off of Sorey. Without even considering possible consequences to himself, he whacked his staff off the wall. The rodent's head immediately swung towards him, and then it was scurrying forward, tail dragging through the dirt.
A glance to Sorey confirmed that his friend had spotted the creature. Mikleo did not know what it looked like to him, but so long as Sorey had identified it, that was what mattered. That way, Sorey could stay away while he fought.
And fight Mikleo did. He threw spells at the creature, warping the floor and chilling the air. Icy rain fell down, forcing the hellion back. He had spotted a place where the floor had collapsed some distance away, and if he could just push it into the hole then they could run away.
He jumped a sweep of its tail, and blocked its follow-up lunge using the haft of his mother's staff. Sharp teeth struggled, and failed, to find purchase in the enchanted wood. He thrust forward, pushing it closer to the edge. Not far now...
"Mikleo!"
Sorey's terrified cry snapped Mikleo's head around. The human was backing away from two more of the creatures, his sword held steady, gaze even...but they both knew he could not fight like this.
Mikleo abandoned his fight, lunging for the beasts attacking Sorey. His Aqua Serpent caught the nearest one in a rush of water. The second hellion, however, was unscathed. It smacked Sorey across the chest, throwing him towards the pit.
With an enraged cry, and with panic suddenly bubbling his throat, Mikleo lunged forward, braining the first hellion, and smacking another in the throat. Almost simultaneously, he knocked the first one back with a sweep of water.
"Mikleo!"
The third hellion had snuck behind him, and was poised to strike at Sorey. The human had the presence of mind to dodge, rolling away from the strike...and going straight into the pit.
"A-ah, Mikleo!"
Mikleo watched in horror as desperate fingers scratched at the broken floor, groping for a purchase. The old floor crumbled under his fingers, however, leaving him slipping farther down.
A torrent of frantically-conjured ice pushed all of the hellions back, leaving Mikleo space to run in, desperate fingers reaching for Sorey's wrist—
—and grabbing air. Nothing. He could do nothing as Sorey slipped another few centimetres.
"Mikleo...!" Sorey was scrambling, desperate. "Mikleo please...it's okay. I know you're trying," he said, hoarse.
Mikleo turned, forcing the hellions back for another moment. I'm sorry I dragged you into this, I just...I just wanted to see you one more time. I'm so sorry."
He could hear the tears and regret in Sorey's voice. Mikleo's heart rose in his throat, pounding and choking him. The incantations for his spells were forced out around the lump in his throat, and Mikleo could feel his body shaking. If he could just get a second to think!
"I'm sorry, Mikleo. I'm sorry I can't help you. Run. Please. Don't you...don't you die here, too..."
The seraph let out a howl of pained rage. The fear in Sorey's voice was his undoing, and he felt the months of wandering, wishing for anything to be different, boil over. He unleashed a massive torrent of water, washing the hellions back towards the far wall, and gaining him some space.
"Sorey!"
"I'm sorry, Mikleo. I just...just wish I could see you once more..."
With a feral snarl, Mikleo lunged forward, meeting the first hellion to get up. Throwing aside his staff, he threw himself at it, heedless of anything else except the raw need to save Sorey.
The dust settled, and just like that, the hellions were gone. More importantly, however, was the fact that Sorey could once again see Mikleo. And he was stunning. Mikleo lifted him out of the hole, and Sorey threw himself forward, wrapping his arms around his friend.
Finally...
"Do we really have to go all the way to Elysia?" Nate complained, sitting down on a rock and stripping off one boots to rub a sore foot.
"You don't have to come. Edna and I can go alone," Zaveid offered, drawing a scoff from the earth seraph.
"Speak for yourself. You can go alone."
Lailah glanced at them, a slight frown on her lips. "We need to find Mikleo and Sorey. Elysia is most likely where they are, or to at least have word of them."
Edna agreed. If there was anywhere to find those two wanderers, Elysia was the right place to start.
"Relax, Junior Shep," Zaveid muttered. "It's not much further."
It had been nearly a year since they had heard from Sorey and Mikleo, so the group had agreed it was well passed time to get back in touch with them. Just to check in. They made the long trek, all the way from Ladylake to Elysia.
They arrived just before dusk. They were greeted cheerfully by the villagers, and quickly ushered inside, where a seraph Edna did not know hurried to put together a pot of stew for their human companion.
"Kyme, I had hoped you might have news of Mikleo and Sorey."
The seraph's brow furrowed. "...you haven't heard?"
Next to Edna, Zaveid swore under his breath. Using her umbrella to prod at the wind seraph, Edna muttered, "You know something."
"I don't know for sure...but something on the wind has felt wrong, ever since we got here."
A rare, serious tone. Whatever it was, Zaveid was worried by it. Expression flat, Edna turned back to the conversation.
"...I think it might be easier if you see it for yourself."
Lailah looked worried, staring towards the door. "Camlann, you said?"
"Yes. Sorey and Mikleo went there. They haven't left since going in."
Lailah took a deep breath, then nodded. "Very well. We will set out first thing in the morning."
"Okay, just stay safe and, whatever you do, find Sorey before looking for Mikleo."
"...I understand. Thank you, Kyme."
Dinner was a tense affair, nobody saying much while Nate had his meal. That night, while the shepherd slept, Edna beckoned Zaveid to follow her and slipped away.
"Tell me more," she said, back to him as she gazed out over the cliffside.
"Somethin' here," was the infuriatingly vague answer. "It makes me worried about how those two are doing."
"Something...like what?" Edna would not show it, but she was worried. They both knew how well Mikleo and Sorey had handled Sorey's...condition. If things had gotten worse, it could spell disaster.
"I'd rather not say."
"I killed my own brother," she said flatly. "Whatever you think to shield me from, just stop."
Zaveid sighed. "It's not malevolence," he said after a moment. "Nothing like that. Just...pain. There's pain on the wind."
"...do you think Meebo has managed to get them into trouble?" she ventured after a long moment.
"I hope not."
They set off first thing the following morning. Edna stuck to the back, watching Nate as he raced ahead, taking in everything. They had taken him to Elysia before, but never beyond that, and now his previous reluctance was gone, replaced with eagerness to see the one area he had been kept out of for his entire life.
Camlann was beautiful. Though the town itself was all but gone, given back to the wild, the wilderness had its own rugged charm. Old foundations were covered in moss, and tall trees sprouted through the hearts of what had once been homes. It was picturesque.
And Sorey, armed with a bow, stalked a small buck. He looked...dirty, but otherwise normal, much to Edna's relief. Perhaps Mikleo and Sorey had found their answer after all, and there was nothing to worry about. The sky was clear, the air fresh...it was good. It all felt...good, to Edna. There was no malevolence, much to everyone's relief, especially after Kyme's warning.
Zaveid was frowning, however.
"Sorey! Hey, Sorey!" Nate called for them, getting the other human's attention.
Setting the weapon down, Sorey looked over, grinning brightly. "Nate! Hey! Is everyone else with you?"
The young shepherd nodded.
"Hi Lailah! Edna! Zaveid! Thanks for visiting!" Sorey yelled, bounding over to meet them.
"Lailah wants me to ask where Mikleo is."
"Oh, he's around. One sec." Raising his fingers to his lips, Sorey let out a sharp whistle, one that was greeted by a bestial roar moments later, the air filling with the sound of beating wings.
Edna's heart dropped into her stomach.
"Shit."
Edna's thoughts echoed Zaveid's sentiment. She looked around at the varying levels of dismay, and fear, on the faces of her companions. A moment later, he came into view.
The dragon was...well, stunning, if Edna was completely honest. Ivory white scales glittered in the sun, almost blindingly. The membrane of his wings and his smooth underbelly were a pale blue. Spikes of pure white lined his neck and dotted his jawline.
He swooped closer, and Edna caught sight of one, violet eye. Unusual, she noted subconsciously.
Just in front of her, Nate was struggling to draw his sword in shaking hands. The poor boy had never been in a real fight, and his nerves were clearly getting the better of him now as he nearly dropped his sword in the process of unsheathing it.
Shing!
Edna looked forward at the sound, to where Sorey had smoothly drawn his own blade and was levelling it easily at Nate. The young shepherd looked fit to wet himself.
"Put. It. Away."
"Th-that's a dragon!"
It landed with a thud, sending a gust of warm wind through the group that mussed hair and ruffled clothing. It hunkered down behind Sorey, fixing them all with a fierce gaze.
"It's Mikleo," Sorey insisted, still not sheathing his blade.
"Let's hear them out, Nate," Lailah said, clearly desperate to diffuse the situation. They had not come prepared for a dragon—a dragon and Sorey, she amended, because the other human was making it very clear which side he was on. They would die if this came to a head, and Lailah had to know that. Nate was too green when it came to actual combat.
"I-it's...!"
Calmly, Edna walked up and took his blade. It was easy, given how badly he was shaking. "Yes, it's a dragon. Now let's not piss it off."
With the sword gone, Sorey sheathed his own, turning to where the dragon—that thing was not Meebo—and patting its snout. "Were you taking a nap in the sun again?"
It crooned in response, puffing cool mist over Sorey. Shaking drops of water out of his hair, Sorey grinned. "The others came to visit."
It was the damnedest, strangest thing. Dragons did not remember anything about their past lives. They were monsters whose only resemblance to their seraph selves was their elements. Yet here was...this one, placid as a puppy for Sorey. It was almost believable that Mikleo was still in there.
Almost.
"I'm sorry we just...disappeared," Sorey was saying, "but I thought it would be better if we just stayed away from humans and seraphim. They wouldn't understand, and that's not their fault, but I don't want anyone to get hurt."
Around her, Edna noted that the tension in the group had faded very little, and one glance to the dragon confirmed why. Its eyes were levelled on them, and it was hunched over Sorey protectively, like it would attack on any provocation.
Worst of all, Nate was the only one who could talk to Sorey, and the young shepherd was...useless. Utterly useless.
"Mikleo?" Lailah tried tentatively. "Are you in there?"
The dragon growled, and Sorey reached up, laying a hand on one spine. "They're friends."
The dragon huffed, then lunged a short distance forward with a roar. The group jumped back, weapons appearing in every hand. With a tight grasp on her own umbrella, Edna scowled. "This is crazy. They're both off the deep end."
"...we need to put him down," Zaveid said firmly.
"You saw Sorey. We attack the dragon, we attack him, too," Edna grumbled.
"...I agree with Edna," Lailah said. "Perhaps it would be best if we left."
"Leave? Just leave a dragon there?" Zaveid demanded.
"Sorey clearly has him under control. If...anything happens, we can...come back." Lailah's reluctance was obvious.
"Anything happens? Like Sorey drops dead?" Edna's comment was met with silence. "Fine, let's go. We can come put Meebo down after—because we are going to have to."
Her flat statement was met with silence. They all knew she was right, though. It was abundantly clear that while Sorey had that dragon under control, it had no recognition of anyone else.
"Nate...tell him we're leaving, please," Lailah asked.
"U-uh. We're...going to go. You're, uh, friend seems upset."
"Huh? Oh, he's fine. But okay. Take care, and stop by once in a while? Mikleo isn't the best conversationalist anymore."
"Right," Edna muttered, turning to leave. "Just what I always wanted, another dragon."
The others followed, disappearing back into the ruins in silence. One day they would come back here. On that day, Mikleo would fully die, and they all knew that. For now, though, they would leave Sorey to whatever twisted happiness he had found.
Glancing back, Edna sighed. "Bye, Sorey. You were an okay shepherd," she murmured.
"Edna? You coming?" Nate called.
Scoffing, she turned back. "Impatient."
A hand caught her arm, and annoyed, Edna wrenched it free. "What does the pervert want?" she deadpanned.
"...you okay?" Zaveid asked, expression serious.
"Fine. Peachy. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because our friend is cursed to certain death? Because it's happening all over again on you? I promised Eizen I'd watch out for you. Just keeping my promise."
Edna sighed, annoyed. "Of course it isn't okay," she muttered. "But it is what it is. Let's leave it at that."
"...right. Okay."
"It's just Meebo." She didn't mean that.
Lailah stepped up. "We should have kept a better eye on them. We all know water is the most easily tainted element."
"Yeah? Well, too late now. We'll just have to clean up later. Zaveid, keep an eye on things. If there's any hint of malevolence, we move in."
"Okay. Most dragons are pretty stationary, and they're well out of the way. We should be able to deal with it, when the time comes."
That wasn't something any of them wanted to do...but they didn't have much of a choice. With grim faces and grimmer hearts, they walked away, leaving Mikleo and Sorey behind.
72 Years Later
"Edna, it's time to go."
She watched Zaveid for a long moment. After the fall of Mikleo and Sorey, the three of them had more-or-less parted, unable to even pretend at being a united front. It had been one thing when Sorey and Mikleo were coming back. Now...
"Where is Lailah?" she asked flatly, collecting her weapons and armour. Lailah was the only one of them who had been able to maintain any presence in human cities; she was the only one still doing their job.
"I went to her first. She's on her way already."
Well, that was that, then. Edna hefted her weapon and turned to Zaveid. "Let's go."
The trip from Rayfalke to Camlann was not a terribly long one, and with no humans to slow them, they moved swiftly, as only seraphim can. A pity, Edna thought. She would never admit it, but she liked the relaxed pace of needing to stop to eat and sleep. But perhaps it was for the best. The last thing she needed was more time to think. At least on the move, she could focus on walking.
They made it in three days, an unimaginable pace for humans, but a respectable one for an earth seraph. It was just inside the forest, where a domain of malevolence was creeping in, that they met Lailah...and the new shepherd.
"It's too late," was all Lailah said, head hanging.
"Too late for what?" Zaveid asked, arms folded.
"...Elysia."
That gave everyone pause. Edna collected herself first, swinging her umbrella to her shoulder, gaze hard. "I think you better tell us everything."
"Zaveid was right, Sorey's passed. I had hoped we had a few days to get here before Mikleo started moving, but..."
"But he got to Elysia," Edna said, flatly.
"The survivors are heading to LadyLake," the shepherd, Asra, supplied helpfully.
Survivors. That was a heavy word, with heavier implications.
"Okay, let's get these pacts renewed and go," Zaveid said, voice serious.
Zaveid went first, citing his oath, and then sharing his true name with Asra while Edna took hers. The new seraph seemed nice enough. Edna hoped the girl had what it took, because otherwise she was in way over her head with this one.
By mutual, unspoken agreement, they headed in. The domain deepened as they walked; the sheer force of it was sickening. Despite Maotelus' presence, they would all have fallen in minutes without the protection of the new shepherd. It seemed this Asra was made out of sterner stuff than Nate had been.
"You ready for this, baby shepherd?" Edna asked as they neared the border.
"Huh? Me?"
"No, that rock over there."
"Huh?"
"Oh great, a real bright one, this."
"What Edna is trying to say," Zaveid chimed in, "is that she's worried you're not prepared for what's coming."
"Oh..." Asra muttered. "Well, I've never fought a dragon before, but I was top of my class in swordplay."
"Of course you've never fought a dragon. There haven't been dragons in four hundred years. That's not what I'm worried about, though. You realise the severity of this, right? Who we're killing?"
"...I've never met him."
"Wrong attitude," Zaveid said flatly. "I don't want someone along who doesn't get it."
"I explained it," Lailah said simply, head up and eyes straight ahead. "There won't be an issue."
"Fine. Let's just do this. Edna?"
She didn't respond, just walked ahead. They had arrived.
The domain was so thick it was actually stifling. The Elysia pillar lay in ruins, the top blasted off and covered in a thick layer of ice. They walked forward carefully, and...there it was.
Mikleo looked similar to how Edna remembered him, save for one detail. Those eyes, once a calm, placid violet, were replaced by menacing, red orbs. The dragon rose, scales rustling, and a low rumble sounded deep in his throat as he stalked forward, over the ruins of his own hometown.
Massive wings spread, an ivory head tipped back, and an earth-shattering roar erupted.
...it sounded mournful, if Edna was honest.
"Oh, Meebo, how could this happen?" she whispered, staring at the feral beast. She had asked the same of Eizen, and just like then, she received no answer.
"Let's go," Zaveid said, stepping forward. Edna followed.
For centuries therein after, the bones of the world's last dragon bleached in the sun, dominating the ruins of Elysia, the Village of Seraphim. Thrust into the ground next to the massive maw was a single, ceremonial blade. Draped over its hilt lay an ancient glove, bearing the mark of the shepherd. The feathers at its wrist rustled gently in the breeze, untouched by the timeless wind.
I worked like hell on this thing. I will tentatively say that I am proud of it, but honestly I feel so burnt out on it that it's hard to say for sure. XD; I took some artistic licence here, and frankly I am okay with that. I wanted to set a mood...and I tried my best to do so. I don't think it would be easy to actually dragonify Mikky, but I hope I made it a bit believable.
Please, let me know if you like it! Also, let me know if you hate anything, too. I want to improve.
Thanks for reading!