Author note: I do not own The Last Story.

I'm admittedly a fan of the Sentinel Beasts, specifically Mitra, so I REALLY WANTED TO USE MITRA IN A FANFIC. And I've figured out how, in some way. In a possibly weird way. If you don't like, I ask that you just don't bother with flames, please. Thank you. XD

Also, I like how Mystical Authoress gave Count Arganan a first name: Lucius. Though I will call him simply as Arganan in this fic, there will be times where he is adressed as "Lucius." Just thought I'd clear it up. XD

Warning: Post-game AU, spoilers for the game, Zaelista, Lyrenne, possible other pairings, canon-typical violence. May be bumped up to M-rating depending on how intense/mature things get.

Constructive Criticism would be great, and I hope that you read, review and enjoy! Thanks! XD

Mitra's Bride

1. One with one another

Within space, the Outsider gave life to all it encountered. It no longer took life—all it did was give, now, give to other forms that it passed within the metaphysical space it passed through.

Within the Outsider, something—someone—stirred.

A long groan escaped him, and he lay there on the ground, keeping his one good eye shut. He just hoped it wasn't too bright, the space around him that is. He hesitantly tested his limbs, and to his surprise they worked. He slowly got to his feet, finding it difficult without a cane to help support him.

Oh thank goodness. It woudl be bad if they all got blown off when he got overwhelmed by the Outsider's power. He could barely remember those past moments. First he was slashing at the Outsider to give it its full potential to attack the Gurak and end them once and for all, and then this beast, this thing went and began draining his energy.

It was as if his soul was being sucked out of him. It was an appropriate way to describe it, in his opinion. Out of all his experience on the battlefield (before and after the injuries that caused his need to rely on metallic limbs and a cane), that had to be the worst, even worse that sustaining the injuries on his left side.

A loud snort came to his left, and his good eye widened as he turned to see none other than that same beast right there beside him. It was asleep, however. The Sentinel Beast Mitra, Arganan remembered—that was its name? Yes, it had to be, that nature-controlling mercenary mentioned it during battle...

But why was he here with Mitra? It made no sense, unless...

Mitra was dead. Something like that, at least. The mercenaries did defeat the beast after all.

And he was here with him.

Which meant that he was dead.

He felt his blood grow cold within him, and he shivered, looking about. Was this what an afterlife looked like? He'd never really believed in such things, but now that he was here he was almost willing to believe it. It was no dream. That was impossible—he was surely, truly, dead.

"...Your pain is caused by yourself. The pain you caused to her, to him, to them. You made all of that to drown your pain but it came in full circle..."

He nearly gasped, but bit his lower lip, looking around. It could not have been Mitra that spoke, the beast was still asleep.

"Wh-who's there?" He managed, realizing that his voice sounded weak.

The voice that answered, the same as the one that spoke just before he did, had this sad tone to it, hints of femininity coursing through his ears. "You never wanted to create that pain in the first place. Broken, defeated, shame crossing your senses. You are much like me when you held half of me captive."

"Half of you?" Arganan echoed, his mind racing. He know who it was that was speaking.

...The Outsider was speaking to him? Could it truly be the Outsider itself? He never thought of such a rock that would be capable of speaking. But then again, the Outsider contained power beyond even the House of Arganan's magic. So anything really could be possible...

"Yes, half of me. You are much like the half of me that you kept captive—lonely like I am. As much as I empathize with you, however, I cannot let you go unscathed for what you have done to me, to others."

"What?" He looked around. The voice of the Outsider was coming from all around him. "Wh-where am I, even? What's going on?"

The Outsider still sounded sad. "You are here. Within me. Absorbed by me, for I overwhelmed you. I was too much for you to take for your physical existence. But the metaphysical you is within me, the only part of you left."

A weak laugh escaped him, out of mortification rather than amusement. "I-I'm within you? Literally inside you? I-impossible..." He whispered. He held his head in his hands, pulling his hands away, gazing at his hands...

"Lucius Arganan."

He looked up, dread beginning to overtake his system. He'd never heard anyone call him by his first name ever since Calista's parents (his older brother and sister and law) died. The way the Outsider said it was tenderly, almost motherly, but had a firmness to it. The Outsider was going to go through with his punishment. He braced himself, waiting for it to strike.

"As you are within me, as you are lonely, bitter from old and new hurts, you have lost your capability to truly love. From hereon until the ends of time, you are to be my guardian Mitra's bride."

...

Bride?

He could not believe it.

"Th-that's impossible!" He blubbered, knowing he was making a fool out of himself but he knew he had to voice it, it didn't feel right in any way but it was his punishment— "B-brides are meant to be women, I am no—"

"Not a woman. I know. But this type of 'bride' is different. You may not be in holy matrimony, but you will be forever bound to Mitra, and Mitra will be forever bound to you. You will both feel the same, think similarly if not the same...understand each other, be one with one another. That is what you gain from this."

He looked to his left to see the Sentinel Beast Mitra begin to awaken as the Outsider's voice faded.

"You will never be lonely again."

There was silence, save for Arganan's own breathing and the growing sound of Mitra's movements. The white Sentinel Beast, shimmering a soft blue glow, let a soft purr escape it as its eyes met Arganan's good one. The older man felt his breath hitch, felt himself instinctively move away, but he wasn't fast enough.

As if he was a marionette, he felt a strange, pulling force, pulling him closer and closer to Mitra. He tried to struggle, but the struggle was in vain. The next thing he knew was that he was standing right beside Mitra, who towered above him. He flinched—Mitra had tried to kill him during their last encounter. And now that he was eternally bound to Mitra, being the Sentinel Beast's bride of all things, it could do anything to him. It was more powerful than him.

It could kill him over and over and yet they would still be bound to one another. It could be torturous.

So when Mitra leaned its head over to get a closer look at him, Arganan did nothing but stand still, holding back his breath, waiting for Mitra to rear its head up and obliterate him. He closed his good eye, not wanting to watch his own demise destroy him in a flash of white light.

Instead, he felt something large nudge against his left side, and Arganan nearly fell over if he did not catch himself in time.

Arganan blinked, and realized that it was Mitra's head nudging him, as if concerned. The dragon creature probably knew from the Outsider itself that it had Arganan as its 'bride,' whatever that truly meant, and Arganan wasn't sure whether to feel completely relieved yet. Mitra nudged him again, but tried to do it a bit more gently.

The (former) Count of Lazulis wasn't sure what to do at first. It was obvious the Sentinel Beast was trying to be kind, probably because it didn't want to expend any energy on killing him repeatedly. That was a good thing.

Arganan lifted his hand of flesh, and settled it onto Mitra's jaw, stroking upwards awkwardly, before he tried to reach higher to stroke the fur near what he guessed was its nose. Mitra lowered its head as best as it could so Arganan could reach. After a moment, Arganan pulled his arm back, looking to Mitra.

"So," He managed hesitantly, taking a breath before continuing, "I suppose we're stuck with each other for eternity. Penny for your thoughts...?"

The Sentinel Beast Mitra merely made some strange purring sound, and he decided that he would just keep petting it in silence, as he didn't know how to respond to that.