He bids a silent farewell to Yune, the God of Chaos. Was it really so long ago he was calling her "dark God" and ticking her off? They needed her, the world needed her more than anyone ever realized. So many secrets unburied, so many truths revealed.
Ike can't look at the world the same way again, and part of him knows it's for the best. Chaos, order, change. Life.
Four years ago, he was barely a man, a rookie mercenary. Four years ago he lost his father, got thrown into a war, brought down a mad king. In the past few days he's helped to end a sinister pact, defeated his sworn rival once and for all, and stopped a goddess from casting her judgment on the world. He thinks back to the person he used to be, and it all seems like a far-off dream.
I'm still me. And yet...
"Ike!"
Someone calls to him and he runs to join the rest of the group. It's over, it's finally over and they can leave. He watches friends, lovers, siblings rush to rejoin each other and embrace. They survived. Every last one of them survived.
In the midst of the welcome chaos, he finds the one he's looking for. The one who's never left his side and never will.
"Ike."
Sharp red eyes, pale skin, long silky hair and a rare smile. He'll deny ever thinking it later but at one point during that battle with Ashera, he feared for their lives; seeing Soren, seeing that smile makes his heart swell and his eyes sting. Too overcome to say anything he sweeps Soren into an embrace, burying his face in his hair. He feels Soren return the embrace readily, each conveying through touch everything they've known all along, felt all along and never needed to say.
"Glad to see you again, Soren," Ike finally whispers. Soren looks up at him, still smiling.
"Mm. Same to you, Ike."
The road home will be a long one, and there's still so much to do in the aftermath of the wars. But even in the midst of chaos, no matter what might happen along the way, he'll always be grateful to the one thing, the one person who's never changed and never will.
Soren buries his face against Ike's chest and Ike closes his eyes, letting the world around them fade for the moment.
I'll continue to remain by your side, for as long as I draw breath.
