NOTE: This story is a SEQUEL. Please go read "Three Days to Freedom" before this one, because you won't understand what's going on in this without the prior knowledge.
"Three Days to Freedom" is probably my favourite story out of all the ones I've written. After finishing it, I was dissatisfied with the ending (particularly the insta-romance, which I admit was a bad move on my part). I also spent too much time building a word with its own politics, social prejudices, and elements, and didn't spend enough time diving into it. I was left craving more of this story, so I immediately set to work building a sequel! I hope this works out, because I loved the first story so much.
Thank you very much, and remember to read the first story before this one!
-Felix
Long ago, humans and psychics were at war.
But Lucas couldn't give less of a cuss.
The boy was no stranger to tragedy. It was hard enough losing his beloved mother when he was a child. It was even harder when Claus went missing, and his father took a mental downfall. But the worst of it was that fateful night, when all of his understanding on who he was and what he was supposed to be was dashed on the rocks. Upon feeling his own brain nearly split and the veins within his body seethe with energy, experiencing the worst pain he'd ever been through, Lucas and all of Tazmily discovered the horrifying truth about himself. Perfect, innocent, shy, sweet Lucas was a Psychic. A filthy, no-good, rotten, sinful, goddamn 'kick. The moment when Lucas felt his wrists being secured to a wooden stake, wood being piled at his feet, the faces of his friends and family contorted into hate, was all the finishing blow.
But if perfect, innocent, shy, sweet Lucas knew anything about himself, he knew that he damn well wasn't gonna take any of that bullshit.
With the help of his newfound powers, his father, and an elaborate escape plan devised by his parents years ago, Lucas safely made it out of Tazmily. Even if it meant leaving behind his father. Even if it meant leaving behind the girl he loved, Nana. Lucas had to survive, for he was not going to give Tazmily the satisfaction of watching him die. Thankfully, there was a speck of light shining its way through the darkness that Lucas' life had become.
That light was Ness.
A stranger to Lucas, with an unfamiliar skin colour, an unfamiliar accent, and just unfamiliar everything. But the friendship that blossomed between the boys was anything but. Lucas owed Ness everything; he saved his life. Lucas had finally found his happiness thanks to Ness. The Onettan had risked it all to escort Lucas to his hometown, where he'd be out of harm's way. Onett was a new beginning for Lucas. A place where PSI was embraced and celebrated. All around them was PSI. The bakers would bake their daily stock with their fire, while the merchants would keep their fresh produce nice and cold with their using of PK Freeze. How Lucas adored the endless powers around him. How he'd come to love his own powers. The prejudice he once exhibited was gone, and he was now safe amoung his own kind. Never again would there be angry villagers hunting for his blood. Never again would he have to worry about being chased. Here, not only were his powers accepted, they were praised.
Lucas, despite his hatred for the practice growing up, was a very skilled Psychic. Not in the sense of his use of it; he was still a beginner in Psionics itself. But what he was capable of blew the minds of several others. His amazing ability to use such rarities as PK Starstorm, and especially PK Love, was mindblowing to the people of Onett. While his ability to actually perform them was limited, the inner power and strength he harboured was tough to grasp. Ness, who took great pride in showing off Lucas, was excited to train him, knowing that once Lucas took control of his abilities, he could possibly become one of the most powerful Psychics in the entire country, maybe even the world.
No one could deny their tight friendship. After going through hell together, Lucas and Ness were quite close. But neither boy had said a single word about a certain tension that hung around them constantly. Near the end of their adventure, Ness had confessed his secret feelings for Lucas, and Lucas seemed to reciprocate them. But once entering Onett and settling down, both went quiet about the subject. Ness, in particular, was confused on how to act towards Lucas. He treated him as a good friend and nothing more, but was took afraid to ask if they even were anything more, as it'd be a bit awkward. Lucas, being the more reserved of the two, obviously hadn't said anything either. Ness knew full well that Lucas claiming to share the feelings of love could've easily been the result of grief and emptiness from losing Nana, and craving that emotional bond again. He wanted to bring it up, but could never muster up the courage. Besides, Lucas seemed perfectly content as close friends. Thus, Ness swallowed his feelings and went with it. After all, at least Lucas was there. Ness had fulfilled his promise to Hinawa, having protected her son and taken him to safety. And as long as Lucas was happy and out of harm's way, that was enough for Ness.
And now, four months later, life couldn't be any more perfect. That was the only word Lucas could use to describe his life. From the time he woke up in the morning to when he'd rest his head for the night, the only word running through his head was 'perfect'. He had respect. He had Ness. He had Onett. He had PSI. He'd discovered Claus' whereabouts. He was in contact with Flint. Lucas had everything.
And nothing, he thought, nothing could ruin it.
It was a good day indeed. The sun was shining, and the breeze, although a bit chilly, was soft. The leafy greens of the trees had begun to change into a gradient of red, yellow, and orange. The forest carried scents of falling leaves and cedar wood. The ground was coated in a blanket of crimson leaves that crackled under the shoes of a young man who chose to travel that day. He breathed in the fresh Autumn air and sighed contently. How he couldn't wait to indulge himself in big sweaters and the several ways he could use cinnamon. However, he couldn't start just yet, as he had a quest to complete first. The portal to Onett was only open for another week, after all. He only had so much time.
Lucas was a lovely boy. Though he stood at a staggering almost-6 feet tall and held a well built figure, he was a gentle, warm soul. His kind face, a bit feminine, was enough to tell anyone that he was a friend. He had a head of nicely kept blond hair; a bright platinum shade that was quite rare to see nowadays. His eyes were the shade of the skies at dawn, bordered by blond eyelashes. Despite Lucas' more soft appearance, he was particularly gifted in something else; his combat. Lucas, having been trained by the men of Tazmily (and also his quite terrifying mother), was quick, stealthy, strategic, and very strong. He had no idea how to use a weapon, and lord knows he was just barely beginning to understand his PSI, but when any of his new neighbors needed a jar to be opened or a crowbar to be yanked out, Lucas was often the one they called.
And of course, he always said yes. Lucas was no doormat, and definitely knew when to stand up for himself, but he couldn't help how pleasant he was. Everyone he'd already met in Onett knew that he would happily do favours, which is why Lucas was put in charge of delivering something very important to a nearby town. When the leader of Onett approached him, she did so knowing he would say yes.
Lucas was happy to accept, because after all, it gave him another chance to see his brother. Claus had recently decided to become less reclusive, and allowed for Unknown to open up only one trading route. The village was quiet and secretive, hence the name, but Claus had surprisingly and quite out of nowhere asked if Onett would be willing to trade. Lucas and Ness both convinced their own leader that the decision was a good one, thus, Onett would exchange a large section of their materials for an equal section of Unknown's. Onett, being more technologically advanced, offered a delivery of glass, bricks, metal, and other things that Unknown didn't have the ability to create themselves. Unknown, in return, offered a harvest's worth of their crops, which were much higher quality than Onett's, being a town built over richer soil and better farming grounds. It was the first step to creating a possible friendship between the two towns. Lucas and Ness were already welcome within its borders, even gaining themselves the traditional alternate titles Unknown often gave its higher ups. Lucas, thanks to his use of a particularly legendary Psionic move, was titled 'Starstorm', while Ness, due to the hue of his hair and his intelligence and strategy, was named 'Raven'.
Therefor, Lucas cheerfully made his way through the serene forest. The bag he was carrying was heavy and hurt his shoulder a bit, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He could already see the tops of white buildings in the distance, as well as the gentle murmuring of a crowd. Above him, he knew that border security was perched high within the tree branches, arrows ready. But he carried along without worry, as he knew they recognized him as a welcome visitor. Along the path he went. The slightly plowed dirt path faded into a gravel road, and Lucas found himself within the hustle and bustle of the mysterious village. He looked around at the sea of black masks surrounding him, and several heads turned. The thrilled crowd approached, numerous greetings being called. Lucas waved.
"Great to be back! Good day!" Lucas greeted with a smile, "I need to see my brother; is he around?"
A particularly familiar voice cut through the murmur like a knife through butter.
"You wish to speak with Hawkeye, I see." A rather serious looking young man stepped from the surroundings, dark eyes shimmering ever so slightly at the sight of Lucas, "I can direct you."
Lucas' smile grew bigger as he approached the other boy and accepted his handshake offer, "How you been, Ninten-" He paused, noting the presence of inferior villagers, "Oh, oops. Sorry. How you been, Storm?"
"Lucky save, my friend. Good morrow to you, Starstorm; I am well." Ninten replied, voice just as blunt as ever. He gestured to Lucas' bag, "I can only assume this is the half of the deal we were promised?"
"It's all in here. We just need to go find Cla-" Lucas stopped himself again, "...Hawkeye, then we can go ahead with the trade itself."
"Well, you need not look too far. He's over in the training clearing to observe a certain someone's progress." Ninten quickly nodded to a nearby villager motioning for them to take Lucas' bag, "I'll have your things placed in the conference hall. Give your poor shoulders a break."
"Oh, that's awesome, thanks." Lucas stretched out his arms with a grunt as he began to follow Ninten, who led him back through the trees and along the dell. Despite having longer legs, he found it difficult to keep up with the general. Ninten's stone faced, authoritative demeanor was amusing to Lucas, who knew from Claus that he was actually kind of a dorky guy when not around the villagers. He still had yet to see this apparent side of Ninten, but he couldn't wait for the day he did.
The valley gave way to a long, cleared out space within the trees. The area was a large circle packed with dirt and surrounded by a low wooden fence. The ground bore several footprints and divots from the endless training sessions and battles having taken place on it. Right now, the arena was occupied. Clustered in the middle was a fair sized group of school aged children. And in front of them, speaking in perfect clarity and direction, was a face that never failed to make Lucas' day. Lucas leaned against the wooden fence and watched, a content smirk on his face.
Ness, fair and simple, was a great teacher. He delivered his lessons with just the right amount of strictness and charm, not to mention his impressive talent in working with and relating to kids. Ninten often said it was because Ness was practically a child himself, a jab both Lucas and Claus always found funny. To the surprise of everyone, Ness had actually helped the children morph their Psionic auras, allowing them to be compatible with PSI, something that Unknown villagers were usually unable to use. Ness figured that since they were very young, their auras hadn't quite developed yet, meaning that with enough meditation and self connection, they could allow themselves to inherit PSI. Unknown usually used PSI's dark counterpart, Anti-PSI, which was a fairly uncommon practice considered taboo in some places. Ness himself managed to learn a bit of it himself, displaying his unique ability to use both powers. Obviously, he used this to inflate his ego even more. But Lucas knew that Ness' absolute favourite thing to do was to show off, hoping that a certain someone, who often watched the classes, would see it, just to be impressed. Lucas would never name names, but he knew it just so happened to be a particular individual with long black hair, brown eyes, and a stoic, yet pleasant disposition. He didn't want to point out any specifics, though.
As usual, Ness was completely immersed in his lesson that day. He went on about topic after topic that Lucas didn't understand, but the crowd of children seemed entranced, mouths slightly open with awe and eyes barely blinking. Ninten suddenly nudged Lucas' arm and leaned in close to him.
"Claus is over there. He's just observing." He pointed out another person standing nearby.
As he promised, Claus was standing on the other side of the ring, watching contently with his hands held behind his back. Lucas just barely managed to catch his eye. Once the brothers spotted each other, Lucas gleefully waved and silently mouthed a 'hello!' to him. Claus calmly raised his hand and bowed his head; his own special, 'I-can't-look-excited-because-I'm-the-leader-and-my-citizens-are-around' kind of way. They stayed where they were, quietly watching the lesson as Ness went on.
"PK Thunder is not something you can mess with! Unlike PK Fire, you are in full control of where your spark goes! If you don't pay attention, your spark will stay stationary, and you just earned yourself a fullbody electrocution." Ness explained, raising a hand and revealing a twitching cluster of fizzing sparks that whizzed around his fingers, "As you know, Psionic moves come in four categories, being Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Omega. Since you haven't quite learned it yet, we will be practicing with Alpha. The key to controlling thunder is by using the electricity in the air, just-"
Ness went silent as he caught sight of Lucas and Ninten in the corner of his eye. His gaze immediately focused on Ninten, who watched with his arms crossed and his face pretending to be disinterested. Ness faltered a bit, losing track of his PSI, and accidentally letting a shock go up his arm.
"A-Ack...!" Ness coughed as a lock of his hair stuck up from the static. A few of the children giggled. Ninten scoffed. Ness quickly cleared his throat and pulled himself together, "...J-Just like how we do with fire. Electricity is all around us. Sometimes, you can cheat and use the heat from the sun, but that results in a less powerful attack."
As Ness continued to speak, his eyes wavered several times back to Ninten, who hadn't moved in the slightest. Lucas watched with amusement.
"A-Anyways!" Ness glanced back at Ninten again, "I will now show you an advanced move using Class Omega PK Thunder, which, might I say, is the highest class and the hardest to control." Ness projected his voice at the last bit to make sure he was heard. Ninten rolled his eyes. Ness went on, "A-And this move is very, very difficult! A master's move!"
"Then why're you showing it to us?" The young voice of one of the children piped up as she raised her hand,"We haven't even learned PK Thunder yet, Professor Raven."
"Uuuuhhhh...b-because it's good to see an expert in action!" Ness assured, "Anyways, here, watch this."
Taking one more moment to 'inconspicuously' make sure that Ninten was watching, Ness backed into a tight, engaged stance, gripping his fists to make sure his arms were flexed. Ninten clicked his teeth and leaned over to Lucas again.
"Someone's been working out, you see? Raven's bicep almost comes close to being as built as my index finger." Ninten whispered. Lucas had to slap a hand over his mouth to stifle the uncontrollable snort of laughter that came from him unintentionally.
Ness, oblivious to the exchange, pushed his feet towards the ground and engaged his core. Brow furrowed, he charged up his Psionic energy, feeling the tingling of electricity build up within him. Forcing in the last bit of strength he needed, he recoiled back and threw himself into the air. He jetted his leg to the sky, sending a spear of lightning ripping through the air with a nearly blinding light and an ear-shattering crack. Ness drew his leg back in just in time to safely land on his feet. He staggered, a little woozy from the intense attack, but managed to keep himself upright.
"H-Heh...there you are. Voila." Ness proudly panted, presenting his arms.
The crowd of amazed children emitted a collective 'ooooooh', and lightly clapped in response. Ness caught Ninten's eye. The general shrugged a bit, giving a "so-so" kind of look. Ness, clearly disappointed with the reaction, simply pretended not to notice and turned back to his students.
"Alright, then! You will all partner up and practice the basic action to perform PK Thunder," Ness instructed. He recoiled back and mimed the action, freezing in place to demonstrate, "Make sure your wrists are perfectly crossed over top of each other, and make sure they are touching! Otherwise, the electric current won't react. I want this to be movement only, got it? I don't want to see any sparks. Take five!"
As Ness left the scene, the children instantly began to break up into groups of two, following Ness' orders and sharply dropping into the stance he'd shown. Ness only wavered to watch for a few moments, before he nodded in satisfaction and began to approach Ninten and Lucas. Ness sent a friendly wave to the latter, pretending not to see the former, who scowled. Ness leaned on the opposite side of the fence, one ankle crossed behind the other casually.
"There you are, Lucas. I thought you'd never get here." Ness said. He'd left Onett much earlier that morning, as classes began in the hours of dawn.
"Overslept just a bit. How're the kids doing?" Lucas asked, nodding his head towards the cluster of students.
"Bunch'a little angels, I tell you what. They know that if they step outta line, they'll have to deal with the discipline of a lifetime." Ness boasted.
"And by that, he means me." Ninten added. Ness sighed.
"...Essentially. Yes." Ness said, "And how convenient, that they're on their best behaviour when their leader just so happens to be watching! Hey, Claus! Enjoying the show?"
Claus, who had rounded the arena to join the three boys, accepted Ness' quick handshake and crossed his arms, standing with his usual grace, authority, and valour.
"Watching those kids learn and grow is a moment of pride for me, Ness. I say, you've done a good job with them. Very nice work. Wouldn't you agree, Ninten?" Claus praised, much to Ninten's disgruntlement.
"...Aye." Ninten mumbled, knowing full well that he couldn't disagree. Ness grinned smugly at him once Claus wasn't looking.
"They will grow to be fine soldiers. Thank you for your teachings, Ness. If only us older boys could turn back time and learn both abilities ourselves." Claus said, before turning to Lucas, "And then there's this one. C'mere, you."
Lucas snickered as his brother pulled him into a tight hug and patted his back a few times in greeting.
"Good to see you again too, Claus," Lucas said, "Just like we promised, I brought over Onett's share of the deal. All we need is your approval, and we can make this happen."
"Perfect, perfect. This certainly is a very new experience for us. It does feel nice to expand our contacts a bit. I do hope that Onett and Unknown can become friends in the near future." Claus replied, straightening his hood, "Ninten, you can take over observing Ness' class. I'm off to complete the trade."
Ninten blinked, glanced at Ness, then looked back at Claus, "...Sir, are you certain you don't need my help in any possible way? Anything?"
"I'm afraid you're stuck with Ness, my poor, poor General." Claus said, "Don't worry, Ness. He doesn't bite."
"Uh, yeah he does!" Ness cried, pulling back his sleeve to expose a rather visible pinkish-white teeth mark on his forearm. Knowing there was no way out of this, he groaned, "Fine. Just try not to spear any of the kids, alright?"
"It's not them I was planning on spearing." Ninten jeered back, balling his fists as the two neared each other like a pair of wolves fighting for dominance.
"Alright, ladies, try to be good role models, why don't you?" Claus quickly stepped in and pushed the two boys away from each other, "Ness, go teach. Ninten, don't spear any kids."
Ninten stifled an irritated sigh, "Yes, sir." He mumbled.
Ness shot one more sneer at him, before swiftly turning and alerting his students by clapping his hands a few times, "Alright, we're back! I hope you ate well, because now we begin the meditation period for learning how to connect with electricity! Find a spot on the ground you feel comfortable in, and take a few seconds to clear your head before we begin…"
As Ness went on, Claus gave Ninten an unapologetic smile, before motioning for Lucas to follow. Ninten begrudgingly clicked his teeth and leaned back against the fence, observing the class with a slight pout.
Meanwhile, Lucas and Claus traveled back into town, where Claus led the way to the conference hall. A long table stretched down the foyer, and as promised, Lucas' bag was set at the head of it. Claus approached the bag and took a glance at what was inside.
"This must've been quite the load to carry." Claus commented, reaching under his cape to retrieve a clipboard he had pinned under his belt.
"It was nothing, really. Alright, here we go. Wooden planks, fine finish, oak and birch. Two bundles." Lucas relayed as he removed a large stack of wood from the bag.
"Check."
"Three stocks of glass panes?"
"Check."
"Steel pellets."
"Check."
It didn't take long to run through the entire list. Claus observed the materials placed on the table with interest. He crossed his arms and nodded, satisfied. Lucas wondered how on Earth he managed to even lift the bag in the first place.
"These could do some serious good for Unknown." Claus said, "Using only sand, clay, and bricks has become...tiresome."
"I bet. Onett's happy to help in any way we can." Lucas replied, "And how about your share?"
"I have several villagers set to work on the fields right now. I'm not sure how long it will take to complete the harvest, but I can guarantee it done by tomorrow's eve."
"That's perfect!" Lucas said, "Though, I've noticed that you're giving more than us. Isn't an entire week's harvest a little too much? This looks like barely enough to build a shed."
"Spare yourself the worry. I want to be on Onett's good side." Claus said, his voice strangely dull. Lucas' brow furrowed.
"...What do you mean by that?" He asked. Claus perked up, seemingly jolted out of a trance.
"Oh! Nothing, nothing. It's just nice to have neighbors for once." Claus explained. He cleared his throat a bit, and changed the subject, "Say, has your PSI gotten better?"
"Uh...yeah?" Lucas replied, figuring there wasn't much more to be said, "I still haven't performed PK Love once. The last time I did was when I revived Ness, and it hasn't happened since."
"Odd. Though, it is a very difficult move. Remember, it's amazing enough that you can even use it in the first place. They call it the 'Miracle Spell' for a reason."
"I guess. There's a bunch of people in Onett who don't believe me. Some even think that PK Love is just a myth, nothing more."
"...Is Onett to your liking?" Claus asked.
"It's awesome, yeah. I mean, compared to Tazmily, that is," Lucas shrugged and gave a small laugh, "I know you want me to live here and all, but I just wouldn't fit in. My place is in Onett."
"Understood. Mustn't blame a lad for wanting to be around his brother." Claus said.
"Why not travel there sometime? How come I have to be the one to walk a million miles just to see you, huh?" Lucas teased, nudging his arm.
"You don't lead a village of a thousand people who depend on you for their well being." Claus pointed out.
"...Fair enough. But still, put Ninten in charge one day and come to Onett. They're Anti-PSI friendly, so you don't have to worry about torches and pitchforks. Come over sometime, yeah?" Lucas asked.
Claus hesitated for a moment, "Chances are, I might have to." He murmured softly under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. C-Come, you just got here! I can guarantee there's an entire hoard of kids out there right now who've just gotten word that their good friend Lucas is in town again." Claus urged, prompting Lucas towards the exit.
"Of course, we still have some time before nightfall." Lucas considered.
With all that said and done, he tentatively followed his brother outside with the slight twinge of concern still nipping at the back of his head.
Ness took one more glance over the silent, still tableaux of students, all of which were scattered here and there, legs crossed and eyes closed. After about ten minutes of poking and prodding, there was finally completely stillness among the group. The air was thick and heavy with gathered auras, all being intently focused on by their owners. Ness, feeling slightly nauseous from the overwhelming Psionic fuzz, decided to step away from the arena for now. He'd picked a good day to learn PK Thunder; the skies were becoming overcast, and the possibility of a storm was near. He could feel the static in the air. He played a bit, forming an electrical Jacob's Ladder with two fingers, as he approached Ninten, who stood silently nearby.
"They're all out cold. Two hours from now, a good chunk of 'em will be able to produce at least a few sparks." Ness whispered, "You feel all that static?"
"'Tis a possible sign of Zeus' play. It may rain, possibly..." Ninten murmured, concerned, "Ness, perhaps you and the others shouldn't...go do that thing later tonight."
"I see where you're coming from, but this is really important to Claus and Lucas, remember. Besides, you'll be here. If Rogues attack, you can scare 'em all off." Ness suggested.
"Of all the nights those two had to decide upon…" Ninten sighed.
"I can't just say no to them. You know that." Ness replied, "It's their father, Ninten."
"...Yes, yes. I'm aware. Heed not my words."
Once Lucas had been safe and secure in Onett, he immediately set to work contacting his father, Flint, in any way he could. After a few weeks and some help from a group of stealthy Unknown soldiers, he managed to get a message to him explaining all that had happened. When Flint discovered that Claus was alive, he instantly demanded to figure out a way to meet in person. Thus, they formulated a plan that involved meeting at a halfway point. Though they only had about half an hour to catch up on everything, it was truly something special. Ness could still remember the night when Flint and Claus reunited. Flint had refused to let go of his son for nearly ten minutes, in fear of losing him again. Ever since then, the twins would travel to the spot each month to spend what little time they had with their father. Ness would often join to serve as a bodyguard. It often frightened him, travelling so close to a human village, but it was what Lucas wanted, so he decided to man up regardless.
Ninten was often worrisome during these trips. He would stay behind and in charge of the village whilst Claus was gone for a good few hours at best. Ness knew that Ninten got antsy when he wasn't around to protect Claus, especially due to the fact that Claus was often under pursuit of those out to get him. Seeing as the young man was not born into the village, thus not having Unknown blood in his veins, many villagers left upon his coronation as the leader. It would be a fate worse than death to be led by an outsider in their eyes. Claus was in constant danger, in a way. Whenever an attack on Unknown was planned by these rogue villagers, he was always the target. Ness had to admit, seeing Ninten rush to fuss over Claus upon his return from these trips was quite amusing, and quite frankly, kinda cute.
These thoughts continued to run through Ness' head. He had a good two hours to spare, but couldn't leave the area unattended. As seconds passed, he slightly turned his head to face Ninten. The Vice President seemed tense and distracted, often glancing around or tapping his fingers on the plank of the fence. Ness took a quick look around as well, seeing nothing. He didn't hear any sounds out of place, only the whispering of the trees and the distant call of birds. His curiosity ended up getting the better of him.
"Ninten. Dude. You're freakin' me out, man." Ness bluntly stated, "I know you care about Claus and all, but you really gotta stop with the fidgeting. What's got you all worked up?"
"Did I seem so?" Ninten asked, perking up out of his trance, "...My mistake."
"Wanna...tell me what's wrong?" Ness asked.
"I assure you, there is nothing." Ninten replied.
"That just makes me believe you less." Ness insisted. Ninten cast an annoyed glance his way.
"It's more Claus than me. When he gets nervous, I get nervous." Ninten explained.
"Is he scared about trading? Because if he is, we don't have to do it today. We can wait." Ness assured.
"No, no, the trading is fine. It's just…" Ninten looked to his right, then his left, "I can't keep it in anymore, I have to tell someone. You'll do. What I am about to tell you cannot be disclosed to anyone else."
Ness inched forwards in curiosity, "S-Sure, I guess."
"Yes, very good. Well…" Ninten paused, "There's...a reason Claus decided to open up a trade route."
"Because you guys wanted to start using more technologically advanced stuff."
"Not entirely. That was merely a small part of it, you see."
"...Oh?"
"Unknown needs to be on the affections of as many other towns as possible."
Ness tipped his head to the side, "Why so?"
Ninten's eyes darkened, "...You've not heard."
"Not particularly, no. What've I not heard about?" Ness took another step forward, feeling a slight dread in his chest.
"Well, it's nothing but a rumor. Nothing more, nothing less." Ninten began, leaning in close, "But rumors grow. We've recently received news from far north. I'm sure you're aware of the royal family?"
"Of the Nowhere Islands? I've heard of them, sure."
"According to what's on the grapevine, our King made a very questionable decision. See, a Psychic was apprehended for a crime he supposedly didn't commit. He was put up against a jury of only humans, and thus, sentenced to death."
"Christ, really?"
"Yes. The rest is lost among the rabble, but apparently, riots have been breaking out. Psychics have had enough, it seems. Shops are being robbed, people are getting hurt."
Ness' heart rate sped up, "B-But the last time something like this happened…" He went silent for a moment, before the realization dawned on him. He gasped, "Oh god, Ninten, you don't think…?"
"It's possible." Ninten solemnly nodded, "Psychics hate humans. Humans hate Psychics. And as long as there's hate, there is conflict. And when there's conflict, there's war."
"But the treaty! It declares that no prosecution shall come to Psychics unless needed! A war should be impossible, practically!" Ness protested.
"Treaties. Please." Ninten scoffed, "It's a piece of parchment that was written decades ago. You really think they even spare a passing thought? Psychic or human, we're still people. People fight, Ness. Wars happen. And if one happens here, then we're as good as dead unless we have allies. Unknown are strong, and Unknown are fearless. But we are also small."
Ness was silent for a few seconds, "...So you opened up a trade route…?"
"To become friends, in a way. Onett is bigger, richer, and more powerful. Maybe, if we were to form an alliance, they could help us." Ninten sighed.
There was only quiet after that. Ness couldn't believe it. Another war, he thought. Impossible, surely. Hadn't anyone learned their lesson from the bloodiest battle in history? He'd experienced it for himself when he and Lucas had trekked through the cursed forest nearby. Never did he ever want to do that again. Not to mention, poor Lucas was finally safe and happy. To have that ripped away from him by a needless conflict; Ness didn't even want to think about it. He also knew that if a war happened, whoever led the Psychic charge would want soldiers. The last thing Ness wanted was to be forced into a battle and possibly watch his best friend die.
But of course, he thought. It was just a rumor. Nothing more, nothing less.
The threat of a possible storm was gone by the time dusk came around. To everyone's relief, the skies were clear and the static in the air lessened. With his nerves eased, Ninten reluctantly took over charge of the camp. Claus was quick to gather his things, just as ready to take off as Lucas was. It would be a short journey, and it would be worth every step. Ninten stood at the village exit with his hands placed neatly behind his back, eyes narrowed and heart determined. Claus patted his friend's shoulder and thanked him for his service, before turning to join Ness and Lucas, who stood waiting. Several villagers had also gathered to wish their leader a safe passage.
"Promise you will be safe?" Ninten asked.
"Have I ever lied to you, Storm?" Claus teased, "You need not worry. I've two fine Psychics with me to protect me along the way. I need you to take charge while I'm gone."
"Of course. You can count on me." Ninten assured, nodding, "I'm just...hesitant, is all. Something makes me feel anxious, I just don't know what I'm anxious about."
"Well, I highly doubt the chance of a rogue attack. They usually only do that when the rain is thick and our powers are weak." Claus approached his second in command and gently took his hand to comfort him, "If anything happens, send the brightest flare you can. We'll come at a moment's notice."
"I shall. Off you go, then. Godspeed, and good-den." Ninten wished.
"Aye! I will return!" Claus called out to his villagers, "Hear ye my words! Listen to Storm while I am gone, understood?"
Pleased to hear a chorus of agreement back, Claus nodded and gave one last wave, before quickly rushing off to join the side of Lucas. They took to the path immediately, meeting Ness along the way. Lucas and Ness both produced a dim light by using PK Fire, while Claus used its Anti-Psionic counterpart, which created a blueish, more smudgy flame with PK Braze. With the greenish glow lighting their way, the boys set off into the forest, prepared to take whatever journey needed. Being able to see the stars above eased their nerves.
The journey was silent and quick. Ness led the way, the twins trailing behind him. Lucas had grown used to travelling through the forest at night. He felt a slight nervous pull in his stomach; going in the direction back to Tazmily was frightening on its own. Had it not been for the chance to see his parent, he wouldn't have even thought of it. He despised the foul memories he kept of the place. At least every week, he would wake up gasping for air after a night terror in which he relived the events of that fateful night several months ago. Often times, Ness would be awake due to his horrendous sleep schedule, and would instantly come to his aid and help calm him down.
Lucas glanced at the back of Ness' head and smirked a bit. A lot of his recovery was all thanks to him. His mind traced back to the day he first came to Onett. He remembered cradling Ness, blood trailing down his face and arms, one hand clamped over Ness' chest to desperately try and stop the bleeding. Lucas bit his lip. He remembered the words Ness had said to him. He'd simply poured his heart out to him, expressing every feeling of love and care, struggling to get it all out before he slipped away. Lucas recalled his pulse racing, his thoughts scrambling, and his logic flying off with the wind. After losing Nana, he craved to feel a sense of love again. Every time he thought about that kiss, that god forsaken kiss, the guilt layered over him, and just kept growing. Lucas hadn't meant to do it, it just happened. He felt awful, knowing it would never happen again.
Because at the end of the day, Ness had the sparks. Lucas didn't.
"Hold up; there's the tree."
Ness' voice jolted Lucas out of his thoughts. He perked up, re-familiarizing himself with the surrounding area. His eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he made out the shapes of trees surrounding him. The trees had gone from oak to pine. They were near Tazmily. He backed up towards Claus, who seemed just as on edge. Up ahead, they saw a dead tree, charred and blackened by a lightning strike years ago. They'd set it as the checkpoint for where they would greet Flint.
"He's not there yet. Odd, he's usually here before us." Claus noticed.
"That's 'cus this old lot took thirty minutes to find his scarf!"
All three boys turned in response to the new, yet familiar voice. From the darkness, an older, rugged man revealed himself in the light. Lucas and Claus instantly brightened, dousing their flames.
"Dad!" Both brothers exclaimed.
Flint happily accepted his sons' embrace, squeezing tightly. When he backed away, Lucas was relieved to see that his eyes were focused and aware. Flint's mental health had sharply declined shortly after Claus disappeared, resulting in him forgetting that Lucas even existed at some points. It was clear that he was improving, as he faced Lucas with a delighted look in his gaze.
"Howdy," Flint replied, his voice just as familiarly husky, "How've you two squirts been holding up?"
"My people are thriving, as am I." Claus proudly declared. Lucas nodded enthusiastically.
"Good news! We just completed our first trade agreement, and-"
Lucas went silent. His gaze trailed past Flint's shoulder to greet another familiar face behind him. Lucas' eyes locked with theirs, and he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He felt his knees buckle just a bit, but firmly planted himself to keep himself upright. Lucas knew he was going to see this person tonight, and he'd tried to mentally prepare himself for it. Flint had warned him several times in his letters, but nonetheless, Lucas wasn't ready. Behind him, he could sense Ness' body tensing up and his Psionic energy spiking a bit.
'Ness, hey. Calm down. Easy, Tiger.' Lucas quickly sent the telepathic message to stop his hot blooded friend from doing anything he'd regret.
'Easier said than done.' Ness spat back. Lucas winced at the bitterness in his inflection.
"A-Ah, Lucas...listen," Flint stammered, immediately sensing the tension, "You know I'm weak, I…I wouldn't be able to make it here on my own, and..."
"No, Dad, I get it. Really, it's okay." Lucas replied, trying to sound as content as possible.
It was Lighter.
Lucas hadn't seen his face since the two had battled each other. The last time he'd seen Lighter, the poor man was bleeding and bruised, eyes wide with astonishment at Lucas' incredible power. Lucas could easily sense the fear coming from Lighter. He was grateful for the fact that Lighter himself was not a Psychic, as he couldn't in turn sense the fear coming from Lucas. Lighter's eyes, though dark, did not seem to hold the same hatred as before. Lucas knew that Lighter was afraid of him, but he was eased to know that he held at least a bit of respect for the Psychic boy. Lighter stood rigid, hands paced behind his back. Lucas, with one hand settled on Ness' shoulder to keep him at bay, bowed his head in acknowledgement.
"...Lighter." He greeted, his voice grim.
"Lucas." Lighter returned, his voice a bit raspier than Lucas remembered. Come to think of it. Lighter's face looked more tired and dull. His hair even seemed to be graying a bit. Lighter looked him up and down, "...Your shoulders. Much broader than before. Same with your arms. You look strong."
"Yeah, um…" Lucas glanced down at his arms, "...I've...been training."
"Ah. It shows." Was all Lighter said. He turned to face Ness, "And you. I'd appreciate if you pulled the daggers out of your stare, sir. This is a truce."
Ness grit his teeth, but eventually sighed and averted his eyes to the ground. Lucas kept his hand on his shoulder, just in case. He knew that Ness still held a serious grudge, seeing as Lighter was the one who'd given him a fatal stab wound. Had it not been for Lucas' use of the Miracle Spell, Ness would be dead. Finally, Lighter looked at Claus. For the first time, his eyes changed, instead showing an expression of shock. Lucas realized how surprising it must've been; Lighter hadn't seen him in years, originally believing him to be dead, like everyone else. Claus held an expression that Lucas couldn't read. He looked like he was masking dread with polite, respectful poise. He couldn't hide his quick, frightened breathing, however. Claus, gripping his gloved hand into a fist to keep himself under control, gave a stiff smile.
"I'll be damned." Lighter mumbled, "I never thought I'd see those green eyes again. You look like just as much of a troublemaker as you did six years ago."
"Good-den, Lighter," Claus replied, trying to muster up as much pleasantry as possible, "A troublemaker, you say? I assure you, I am not one."
"Flint says you lead a little village of your own. Care to elaborate?"
"That is unfortunately disclosed information, for the safety of my people."
"So be it." Lighter clicked his teeth, "I'm sure you can imagine my...interest when your father told me you were alive."
"Oh, yes." Claus nodded, his smile quirking.
"Anyways!" Lucas interrupted, feeling the passive aggressive tension and yearning to break it, "As I was saying, Claus and I have opened a trade route between our respective populations."
"Well, shoot! Interesting. Your village is mighty secretive, Claus. What made you start trading?" Flint asked. Claus' body went rigid.
"...Nothing important! Just wanting to get closer to other places, is all!" Claus assured. Lucas saw that Ness gave him a suspicious side glance. There was definitely some they knew that he didn't, but now wasn't the time to acknowledge it.
"Well, I'm tickled. Sit; I gotta tell you about my latest travels. Lighter and I both made the journey to a larger city not far from here; Twoson. Caroline's gotten herself all sick, and Twoson was the closest place to find the medicine she needed." Flint explained as he seated himself upon a rock. Lucas and Claus happily joined him, while Ness and Lighter stayed standing. Every now and then, they'd share a glare.
"Yes? Did you see anything interesting?" Lucas asked.
"Ah, um…" Flint thought for a moment, eyes clouded in confusion. He turned back to Lighter, "Remind me, again?"
"The uniformed girls." Lighter said. Flint's face brightened.
"Oh, yeah! Lighter and I saw the darndest thing, we did. Right down the street, you got this big ol' crowd of little girls, all dressed up in their school clothes. Just a white shirt and those cute lil' plaid skirts." Flint explained, "And they start handing out these."
Flint handed Lucas a slip of paper, which Lucas soon realized was a pamphlet. He couldn't see well in the dark, but he could see the images of young children, all girls, clad in their respective uniforms. It looked incredibly posh.
"They were from one of those boarding schools or whatever." Flint said, "Nothing special or anything, it was just a lil' spooky. There were so many, I tell you what. That pamphlet's talking about how good the school is. I think they need more students."
Beside him, Lucas felt Claus' arm toughen up. He looked at his brother, who eyed the booklet nervously. Ness reached down suddenly and plucked the pamphlet from Lucas' hand, startling him. After a few seconds of looking at the cover, he snickered.
"Lookit that, Lucas! You've been wanting to go to school, haven't you? Here's a perfect match!" Ness teased, jabbing at the back of Lucas' neck.
"Aw, cut it out, man-!" Lucas complained, swatting him away.
The next while was filled with only pleasant conversation. Flint seemed to be doing much better than last time. His stuttering had gone down a bit, and he seemed much more aware of where he was and what he was doing. Claus, on the other hand, was on edge the entire time. His answers were short and quiet, and he mainly let Lucas do most of the talking. They spoke of simple things as time went on. Ness even managed to keep himself at bay with Lighter standing right there. Lucas kept himself on guard, because he knew that Ness was just a timebomb ready to go off at any moment.
Despite the cheerful atmosphere, Lucas found himself growing increasingly nervous as well. There was an odd vibe in the air. Flint and Lighter seemed fine, but of course, they weren't Psychics. Lucas knew that Claus and Ness felt it too. The wind pattern in the air was off. Even the trees seemed to be swaying wrong. Before he knew it, Lucas realized that apart from their voices, the forest was quiet. He'd been in the middle of saying something casual, when he slowly began to trail off. Lucas went silent and looked up, eyes narrowed. Flint glanced back at Lighter, then back at Lucas, concerned.
"...Lucas?" Flint prompted, "You alright, kid?"
"Uh, yeah, I just…" Lucas mumbled, only somewhat paying attention. Ness and Claus were also searching the area.
"It's all that freaky Psychic nonsense." Lighter muttered, "Tryin' to spook us."
"No, that's not it…!" Lucas insisted, "Ness, Claus, do you feel that?"
"I'll say. Something big is around. Takes up a lot of space." Ness commented.
"And how the hell do you know that?" Lighter demanded, visibly agitated.
"As Psychics, we have a good understanding of the elements, especially air. That being said, we can tell when there is a gap. Something is taking up a lot of space, and-" Claus had just barely finished explaining, when something caught his attention.
It started as a quiet drone in the distance. All five of them fell still, only looking around every so often. The droning began to grow in volume as an eerie echo. Lucas had never heard such a sound before. It sounded like some kind of animal up in the sky; an animal he'd never encountered. The trees began to blow more violently, thrashing here and there. Lucas grabbed hold of Claus' arm. Ness' eyes widened as he stood up, staring straight at the sky.
"...Here?" Ness whispered in confusion.
"W-What? Ness, what's that noise?" Lucas asked anxiously.
"It's...really nothing to be afraid of, I'm just confused why it's near Tazmily of all places," Ness replied.
They fell silent again as the sound began to grow even louder, beginning to become unbearable for Lucas to handle. He clamped his hands over his ears. Even then, it was too loud. Flint suddenly pointed to the sky, looking just as frightened.
"There! Look there!" Flint called.
Upon looking, just above the trees, three sets of odd, bright lights soared over them, just visible through the branches. Lucas gasped; he'd never seen anything like it. The lights were too still and clean to be the work of a Psychic. What kind of animal was that? Some sort of odd, bioluminescent bird. Lucas felt one of the lights hit him, and he squeezed his eyes shut against it. Even when he opened his eyes to find the light was gone, he was still seeing fuzz. The sound began to fade out just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind the stunned group.
"...The hell…?" Ness mumbled.
"Ness, tell me what that animal was!" Lucas begged, standing up and grabbing his arm.
"It's not an animal, it's an army plane, about three of them," Ness clarified, "I-It's a type of flying machine. Big, metal things that people go in."
"I've only ever heard of them in books! What're they doing here?" Lucas asked.
"...And why're they going towards…?" Claus didn't finish. Upon looking at his brother, Lucas realized that Claus had gone paper white. His hands were gripping tightly at his clothing, and his legs were trembling. His aura was spastic. Lucas wanted to comfort him, but he was too confused figuring out what was happening.
Ness perked up, "...Wait a minute." He held up a hand to keep everyone quiet.
When the droning had completely faded out, there was only silence. Lucas kept a hand over his mouth to keep himself from breathing too loudly. Flint, though sitting casually, was frozen. Lighter kept a hand on a tree. And Claus, strangely enough, had his fingers crossed so tightly that Lucas thought he might break them. The silence was even more frightening than the foreign flying machine itself. Lucas was prepared to speak at any moment, but something inside kept his mouth shut. Half a minute passed without a sound.
Suddenly, a distant rumble was heard, and a thin red trail of smoke rocketed into the sky. It traveled nearly a mile up, before it burst into a flash of crimson light with a loud crack. Claus gasped.
"No!" Claus shrieked, "Father, we must go! My village! That was Ninten's flare, we need to get to them immediately! They're in danger!"
Claus didn't even wait for an answer as he took off into the forest. Flint, instantly understanding the situation, gave a confused Lucas a light push.
"Lucas, Ness, go. If Claus' people are in trouble, you gotta help 'em," Flint insisted, "I'll go back to Tazmily. Quickly, catch up to him!"
"But dad-!" Lucas cried, "Fine, alright! Get home and tell everyone to lock their doors and windows, and to get to their basements."
"That'll do, now go!" Flint ordered.
"Promise me you'll be safe! Promise!" Lucas demanded as Ness began to pull at his arm.
"Dagnabbit, I promise, child!" Flint exclaimed back, "I'mma tell you once more! Git!"
Lucas only nodded, before allowing Ness to yank him back to the pathway. Over his shoulder, he saw Flint and Lighter taking off into the forest. He prayed that they would find safety. He broke into a sprint, only just being able to catch sight of Claus through the shadows. With Ness' help, he just barely managed to dodge tripping over rocks and branches. He scraped his arms against tree bark several times, but was barely paying attention. All he knew was that if Ninten sent an S.O.S. flare, it must've been serious.
His lungs were burning by the time he began to recognize the forest near Unknown. His legs begged for him to slow down, but the adrenaline pumping through his body forced him to continue. His fear only grew when he looked up to see the strange flying machines in the sky again, this time going the opposite direction.
'No! No, nononono, please-!' Lucas thought desperately to himself. Upon looking ahead, he saw the upcoming borders of Unknown territory. 'There it is! Everything's fine. We'll run in there, and everyone will be safely hidden. Ninten had everything under control. Everything is going to be-'
Lucas skidded to a stop as they found themselves within the center of the village. He looked around and put a hand to his mouth, grabbing Ness' wrist with the other. Ahead, Claus stood still, staring blankly.
"...Th-The rumors…" Claus stammered, his voice brimming with tears, "...They're true…!"
Ness' eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at, "...We've not learned anything." Ness murmured shakily.
His grip on Lucas' hand tightened.
"...War is upon us."
The village had been destroyed. Buildings, collapsed in. The pathways and roads were dug up and strewn all about. A few small fires burned here and there. The air was heavy with dust and smoke. Even the stealthy silence of the village before was of trembling noise compared to the silence now. Leaves coated the ground, but they were not the crisp ones that were supposed to. Between the cracks of cobblestone and crumbled clay, the clear crimson of blood dripped through, making macabre streams. Most horrifyingly, dark shapes littered the ground; people. Claus, breaking out of his trance, gasped and rushed to one of the collapsed villagers.
"F-Fear not, I'm here…!" Claus assured voicelessly, stooping to his knees and scooping up the person. The person limply hung in his arms, their head falling back. Claus shook his head, "Oh, come now, you're alright…! Wake up! Wake up, I said!"
The villager did not respond. Lucas, upon looking into her eyes, saw that they were blank and empty. He took a step back and burrowed into Ness, who looked just as terrified. Lucas pushed away the wave of nausea. He'd only seen a dead body a few times before, and he hadn't grown any more used to it. Each time he looked at the defeated villager, he saw Nana. Ness, meanwhile, took a step towards Claus, who was still shaking the woman to desperately try and revive her.
"Did you not hear me?! T'was an order!" Claus spat, his face now tearstained.
"Claus! Claus, calm down, she's gone…!" Ness insisted, breaking away from Lucas and guiding Claus to put the fallen woman down.
"...N-No, no she's not!" Claus protested, looking around wildly, "There has to be a survivor! Unknown, present thee! For all that is holy!"
"Claus-" Lucas approached him.
"There must be! Somewhere!" Claus began running to check the pulses of the surrounding bodies. Ness and Lucas only sadly watched as he searched. Claus continued to rant, "There has to be someone, at least one who-!"
Claus went deathly silent as his eyes settled on one of the fallen. He staggered back, eyes wide and full of despair. Ness ran to his side, and felt his heart turn to ice. Ness took in a deep breath, and shook his head in disbelief.
"...No." Ness breathed, finally letting tears spill, "No, not him. They can't take him."
It was Ninten. He laid on his side, legs curled up to his chest, completely still. His hair was matted over his face. He didn't appear to be breathing. Claus, now becoming hysterical, dropped to his knees and rushed over to him, instantly pushing Ninten onto his back. Ninten's eyes were closed. He looked like he was sleeping. Lucas watched, horrified.
'Not Ninten. He...he can't die.' Lucas thought. He'd always seen Ninten as someone immortal; someone who could never fall. This couldn't have been real.
Claus had already set to work, interlocking his fingers and beginning to jam his palms into Ninten's chest. Ness sat on the other side of him, charging up his PSI, ready to deliver a quick electric shock as a last resort.
"Wake up, 'sblood! Listen here! I appointed you as my vice leader, and you're not allowed to die yet! 'Sblood, Ninten, for Christ's sake!" Claus spat as he continued to push forcefully. Ninten showed no signs of waking. Claus, realizing it wasn't working, quickly brushed Ninten's hair out of his face and switched to mouth-to-mouth. Ninten still didn't move as Claus alternated between the two revival tactics, neither of which seemed to be working. Ness, realizing that it just wasn't going to happen, grabbed Claus' arm.
"Back up a bit!" Ness told him, showing his hand, which was twitching with static energy. Claus, understanding, got to his feet and backed away. Ness hastily pulled back Ninten's outer armor and undershirt, managing to expose bare skin. He pressed two fingers to Ninten's chest, counted to three, and squeezed his eyes shut. "PK Thunder!"
In an instant, a sharp shock jolted through Ninten's body, causing him to spasm. In that moment, Ninten's eyes shot open and he took in a large gasp of air. Ninten frantically grabbed Ness' arms, desperate for someone to hold onto. Claus, breathing a sigh of relief, ran to his side, joined by Lucas. Ninten looked absolutely horrified, looking around wildly and senselessly. Ness, in an attempt to calm him, lifted Ninten into a sitting position and supported him in the crook of his arm.
"Thank god, just in the nick of time!" Claus breathed, "N-Ninten, are you alright?"
"I...W-We…We all…!" Ninten gasped, his voice airy. He struggled to deliver words, but they just weren't coming out. Ignoring Claus' question, the vice leader broke down into a mess of tears. Ness only watched, too shocked to say anything. Lucas was surprised by the uncharacteristic behaviour of the usually stoic fellow, but also chose not to speak.
"Storm, you need to talk to me, please! What happened?!" Claus demanded.
Ninten continued to sob, but looked as if he were trying to stop. He gave a trembling salute, assuring that he'd heard him. Lucas put an arm around Claus as he watched the poor boy try and recover. Not once had he ever seen such terror in one person's eyes. Ness leaned down and began whispering to him, something neither brother could hear. Ninten, as he struggled to regain his composure, closed his eyes and listened to whatever Ness was telling him. Not even twenty seconds later, Ninten's breathing returned to normal, but his tears continued, and his body was still shaking. Claus softened his gaze, realizing that freaking out wasn't going to solve anything. Ness fell silent, giving Ninten an assuring look. Ninten held eye contact with him for a short while, before locking eyes with Claus.
"They…" Ninten whimpered, "They took them."
"What?" Claus whispered.
"It all happened so fast…!" Ninten relayed at a rapid fire pace, "...All of a sudden, an ambush. Great machines that I'd never seen before; ones that betray my knowledge. Weapons that overpowered our PSI easily. Metal and mast, that I myself would've thought to be a mad rambling, had I not seen them! 'You are being taken away', they said. 'We are taking you somewhere else, filthy, filthy 'kicks.'"
Ness winced at the slur. Ninten continued.
"They shot anyone who resisted even the slightest b-bit." Ninten explained, reliving the entire thing, "The rest, they all took away. S-Sir, I failed to protect everyone, I-I…! I tried, but there were too many men, and...they struck me with a strange weapon that produced its own electricity. Like PSI, but…" Ninten trailed off, before quickly regaining his senses, "N-Nonetheless, I've failed my duties, a-and I'm prepared to give forth my life, as so the tradition demands it…take thee my life, sir...take thee my life..."
"Hush, hush. I, as your leader, pardon you." Claus assured, "You did all you could. You need not give your life."
"I...I'm sorry, sir…Thank you, sir..." Ninten said. He looked around at the horrible destruction around him, taking in another breath, "...'Kicks, that's what we are. Just filth beneath their shoe. Oh, yes, lord! I'll scream such a bray! I'll do my spite, I, a simple 'kick!"
Ness tensed up. Ninten was always highly against the use of such a word.
'What have they done to him?' Ness thought.
"...W-What do we do now?" Lucas murmured, "Ninten, are there any survivors?"
Ninten paused for a moment, before his eyes glimmered for a short moment, "...Aye! Hark, they reside!" His voice seemed lighter. With a quiet grunt, he lifted himself up into sitting, pressing a hand to the side of his head. Ness took a moment to help him stand up. Ninten then gestured to a seemingly random place, "...The bunkers."
"Yes, of course, the emergency bunkers! Some of us had to have gone to them." Claus agreed. "Ninten, stay here, Ness will care for you."
He patted Lucas and gestured for him to follow, and the twins took off. Claus led the way through the debris, still somehow able to navigate. He approached a collapsed building and began to push aside the crumbled bricks and clay. Lucas helped quickly, hoping that whatever Claus was looking for was still there. Claus pushed away the last of it, and Lucas was presented a large slate of wood. He was a bit hesitant, as he could not sense any auras. Claus fastened his fingers under the plank and lifted it with a grunt.
Both were relieved to see several faces looking back up at them. The group was huddled closely together. Lucas sighed, grateful. The group was clearly relieved as well, as they all relaxed soon after.
"It's Leader Hawkeye and Advisor Starstorm, not to worry!" Assured one woman who held a shivering toddler to her chest.
"We thought you might have been those dreadful soldiers again." Added a younger boy.
"Thank heavens, at least you made it. Very good strategy, disabling your PSI so that your auras were hidden." Claus sighed, reaching a hand down to start helping people out. There seemed to be about twenty or so. "You must tell me the details immediately!"
"It was awful!" Exclaimed the same woman with the child, who was passed up first, "These men, all dressed in your typical uniform getup! They start inviting themselves in, and demanded we come with them, or there would be trouble."
"So of course, we said we couldn't do anything until our leader returned." The man beside her explained, "But they said they'd start to shoot if we resisted again. Again, we told them we needed to gain your approval. They didn't even hesitate; they kept their promise."
"Most of us went with them, but a few refused. They were the ones who were shot, no mercy. We were the ones who could get to the bunkers quick enough."
"General Storm fought so hard, all in your name. He even left men slain, but...they got him. I watched it happen, they electrocuted him with...something. I'm sorry, sir." The first woman finished.
"Fear not, he is alive. We just found him." Claus assured, receiving a few relieved murmurs, "Come, it is safe now. I fear we've not the time to give our fallen a proper burial. We must find a safe place, with haste."
As Lucas and Claus helped the last few out of the cramped hole, neither said anything. Upon looking at Claus' face, Lucas knew immediately that his twin blamed himself. Once the last survivor was on their feet, Lucas took a moment to put a hand on Claus' shoulder, touching his forehead to his. Claus did not resist to this. They stayed there for a moment, exchanging silent words that didn't need to be said aloud. When Lucas opened his eyes, he saw that Claus had started crying again. He gave his shoulder a squeeze. Lucas knew it would take more than that to comfort him, but he couldn't think of what he could say.
A few panicked cries nearby told the brothers that the surviving villagers had taken in the destruction. They rushed back to the clearing where they had found Ninten, who was still being cradled by Ness. Upon seeing them approach, Ness perked up. His hand was glowing green with a healing spell as he tended to the injured boy.
"He passed out. Whatever they shocked him with, it was strong." Ness said, "How many survivors?"
"Twenty four." Claus confirmed. "Out of hundreds."
"Christ." Ness hissed, "Who the hell did this? What sick piece of shit decides to massacre half a town and kidnap the rest?"
"Someone who needs people." Claus grimly said, "War has begun."
"That's what this is all about? I knew you looked tense back there!" Lucas cried, "The treaty of 34' clearly states that Psychics cannot be chased after or hunted!"
"We're on human land, Lucas. This is a human country. They can do whatever they want with us." Ness replied, "The only reason Onett is still here is because of the invisibility spell."
"And the only reason Unknown survived as long as it did is because of our stealth." Claus added, "But, they've found us. And they're going to come back eventually to pick off every single one of us."
Ness and Lucas shared a glance, brows knitted. They each knew exactly what the other was thinking just through that look. Claus had started the trading route for a reason, after all. Lucas looked at him hopefully. Ness hesitated, looking at Ninten, then to the surviving villagers, then back to Lucas. To his relief, Ness weakly nodded.
"No they won't." Ness decided, "Because they won't find you."
"Pardon?" Claus asked.
"Come with us." Lucas said, "Come to Onett. Live with us until this war is over."
Claus blinked, surprised, "...I was hoping you'd emit such a thing. Would your leader be opposed to the thought?"
"She'd have to let you. She wouldn't possibly let a dying village dwindle, would she?" Lucas asked.
"Madame Kumatora is tough, but she isn't heartless. Of course she'll take you in." Ness assured, "But we need to hurry, and hurry fast. Those guys could be back at any moment."
"I-I…!" Claus paused, looking around. He hesitated a bit longer, before gripping his hands into fists, and hanging his head, "...Right. I'll gather everyone up. Ness, stay with Ninten and keep him warm. Lucas, could you try and find any other survivors? Someone's gotta be trapped under the rubble."
Both Lucas and Ness gave a nod to the order. Lucas quickly set to work, clawing through any large piles debris. Commonly, he'd find his hand touch a soft body, but he would come to find them perished. Lucas felt like throwing up each time. Men, women, and even a few children, all having their lives taken for no reason. Lucas found himself looking at a younger boy who looked around his age, eyes closed and mouth slightly ajar. How calm he looked. Lucas drew in his lip to try and block any more tears as he cupped the boy's face. It could've been him. It could've been Ness. It could've been anyone, but it just had to be this boy.
'If only I had stayed…' Lucas thought guiltily, 'Then maybe I could've protected you.' Now he understood Claus' dread.
In the end, he found nothing. It seemed as if he'd turned over every rock and every slate, but nonetheless, no one else seemed to have survived the ordeal. By the time he'd given up and returned to the clearing, Claus was on the ground, hiding his face in his hands. The remaining villagers sat among him, clinging to each other fearfully. Ness, in particular, was surrounded by three children who stuck to him like glue. Lucas recognized them as a few of his students. Ness stared at the ground as the poor things silently wept to themselves. He was still holding Ninten, who was once again awake, but only just barely.
"...Claus," Lucas spoke softly. His brother shifted, having heard him, but didn't respond. Lucas continued, "...We should probably get going quickly. We can't risk having those guys come back."
"Lucas is right. We need to split. Ninten, can you stand?" Ness asked. Ninten nodded, taking the hand that Ness had offered. As he helped him stand up, Ninten stumbled, falling into him. Ness supported him with an arm around his shoulders, "I gotcha."
"I'm fine." Ninten muttered, lightly pushing Ness away. However, he immediately lost his footing again and grabbed back onto Ness, who said nothing and instead helped him up again. Ninten, too distracted to focus on embarrassment, looked to Claus, who had gotten up, "Is there a plan?"
"Yes, we decided while you were passed out. We are making the journey to Onett, where we will take refuge. We'll be safe there." Claus said. Ninten's brow furrowed.
"Fie! Unknown needs no one's help!" Ninten insisted.
"I understand your pride, Storm, but Unknown needs help now more than ever! There comes a time in every man's life when he needs to back down." Claus replied.
"Wherefore, to stoop so low as to request to seek refuge in someone else's town? What are we, field mice? Down with it, I say!" Ninten demanded.
"I want to prove Unknown's strength as much as you do, old friend. But war is upon us, and we are in danger. Let us recover, then we can be strong, as we once were." Claus said. His voice was dull and monotone. All the life had disappeared from it. "...Somehow."
Ninten clenched his jaw, clearly wanting to fire right back, but he looked around again at the destroyed village. He stubbornly averted his eyes, and said nothing else. He was standing as far away from Ness as he could, while still being able to keep a grip on him to stay upright. The strange electrical weapon he'd been jabbed with had felt like nothing he'd ever felt before. He could still feel tingling all over.
Claus looked around once more to make sure everyone was with him. After a quick head count, he turned to Lucas and Ness, hands placed behind his back. His eyes looked dead and empty.
"We are ready." Claus said, "Lead us where you may."
Ness nodded, "...Right. Put your hoods on, conceal yourselves. Keep your guard up at all times, and try to charge up your PSI as much as possible in case of another attack."
He was met with a murmur of agreement, as the surviving villagers pulled their hoods over their faces. They also slipped on their eye masks; enchanted items they used to strengthen vision. With Ness keeping Ninten steady, Lucas holding the hands of two trembling children, and Claus offering to carry the infant from before, they reluctantly set off towards the forest. As they stepped over piles of rubble and made their way to the thicker area of the woods, Claus looked over his shoulder and back at the place that had become his home. Lucas' heart broke when looking at his twin's distraught face.
"Oh, look out," Lucas alerted one of the kids he was leading, who had nearly tripped over a fallen tree. He gripped her hand tighter and assisted her in climbing over, "Steady, now. Up you go."
When she was back on the ground, she looked up at Lucas with bright eyes, "Is Leader Hawkeye gonna be alright?"
Lucas bit his lip and looked at the back of Claus' head, which he kept held high. He sighed and looked back down to her, "...He'll get there. All of us will."
"Will we be safe in your town?" Asked the child on his other side.
"I'm sure you will." Lucas answered.
"Promise?"
Lucas paused, and let his eyes trail to the ground.
"...Promise."