"Fallen Stars" by Luke's Dragon
Disclaimer
Sukioden isn't mine, it belongs to Konami.
A/N
Caution---Spoilers
What else can I say apart from Flik is so cool it's untrue.
As for the names of the changeable things, I tend to call the hero from Suikoden I 'Hazel' why? Watership Down and I wanted a name not used in II otherwise I'd get confused between the two heroes.
Sukioden II the army is the 'Dragon Army' the Castle is Phoenix Castle. The Hero is called Reo, why? Well I usually call him Luke (My name) but I was told that writing stories where the Hero and myself share the same name is really Freudian (whatever that means) so I named him Reo, the registration of my car, bizarre huh?
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"…Without you, could it be any harder…to face what is true. If only I had one more day"
The Calling 'Could it be any Harder?'
One of Flik's favorite places in the Phoenix Castle was the fourth floor balcony terrace area, especially after dark when no one else tended to be around. The view of the lake and plains surrounding the castle was truly breathtaking by starlight, and tonight the night seemed especially beautiful. It was the sort of beauty you can only see after coming close to death and realizing that if it was not for all your skill and a little luck you wouldn't be seeing such a sight.
It was also quiet and although Flik enjoyed the camaraderie and atmosphere of the tavern sometimes it was just nice to get away from everyone else and just be alone with all his thoughts and memories.
Thoughts like how lucky they had been to defeat Luca Blight, Flik's group had led the attack, meaning they had to go through the elite White Wolf guards to get anywhere near their target. Even the regular troopers had been lethal foes but Luca Bight himself had been something else. 'More Demon than man' someone had said about him once, after experiencing first hand the sword techniques of the fallen king of Highland Flik could certainly vouch for that. He didn't know how he had managed to survive, or how their leader had beaten Luca Blight one on one. All he could be sure of was that his shoulder hurt, it hurt a lot. Trying to protect Nina who had forced her way into his party he had dropped his guard for a second and his opponent had sliced him right across his left shoulder blade opening a deep wound. He was almost positive that had it been the other side, his sword arm he wouldn't be here right now.
What he was really confused about was the way that they had been tipped off about the surprise night attack; the strategist of the Highland army had sent them a message warning them. Without it they would have been caught totally unawares and that would have been the end of all of them. For some reason someone somewhere would rather see Luca Blight dead than the Dragon army defeated. It was confusing and worrying all at once as well as being a fortunate break for them.
Damn, his shoulder hurt maybe he should have gone to visit the infirmary but it was full to capacity with people with far more serious injuries than he had, so the only option seemed to be gritting his teeth and bearing it. He was angry about it though, he had told Nina she wasn't to come along, it was going to be a dangerous mission and she wasn't a fighter. Hell her usual technique was to hit opponents with her book or annoy them so much they got distracted from any real fighters. She had tagged along anyway, one moment he was exchanging blows with Blight and keeping one eye fixed on a member of the White Wolf guard who was trying to sneak up on him, then he had heard Nina's scream. She had obviously tried to jump the guy sneaking up behind him and failed; now lying prone she was about to be finished off. Even though a tiny voice told him to leave her to her fate he had spun around and run the man straight through, leaving Luca Blight free to try and slice his arm clean off. They had been rescued by Viktor's group appearing on the scene and making a timely intervention and drawing Luca's attention away from Flik and his wounded comrades.
That stupid Nina kid was going to be hyper forever after tonight though. He could just picture it now, 'Sir Flik saved me, he was like a hero from a story book'. She'd probably make him some sort of 'food' as a thank you present as well. Of course food was too strong a word for what would happen, he knew for a fact Nina and Nanami worked together to come up with new meals to torture people with. Maybe they could send the two of them on a covert mission to pose as Highland chefs to sap the moral of the army with whatever dishes they cooked up. Failing that a mission to the moon would come a close second as a possible trip for the pair of them.
Maybe he should take Viktor's advice and just tell her straight up that he wasn't interested I her. He wasn't interested now or in ten years. Hell even if she were ten years older then he still wouldn't care. But that just wasn't his style.
He had tried to tell her that there was 'someone else' but that had only succeeded in causing Nina to threaten every female member of the Dragon army to 'stay away from her Sir Flik'. Of course it wasn't a member of the Dragon army at all, but he didn't think that she would ever understand. He wasn't even that sure that he understood anymore. Odessa, he had fought for her beliefs and her goal three years ago and they had won. The Scarlet Moon Empire had fallen and for a while he had felt complete. But it was a bittersweet victory he couldn't help feeling that she should have been there to see her dream come true, without her it just didn't feel like he had won.
After the war was over he had lost all sense of purpose so when Viktor had suggested the two of them leave on a grand adventure he had gone along more out of a lack of anything better to do than actually wanting to see the world. For a while he had forgotten about her. No that wasn't true, every night he dreamt of her and every morning when he woke up he lost her again. Every damn time he drew his sword he fought for her. He had never forgotten it just hadn't hurt as much. Lately that wasn't the case though, maybe it was seeing so many couples together, and fighting for each other risking their lives for each other that made him feel just a little bit jealous.
Sometimes he wished he had someone like that in his life and it wasn't as if he didn't have that option, apparently all the girls wanted to be with Blue Lightning. But he didn't care, They were never going to be Odessa, never going to fill his life up with all the energy and passion he had once had. No matter how hard he tried not to any woman he met was instantly compared to Odessa and almost as quickly rejected as being nowhere near close to her.
And he had lost her, she had died and he couldn't protect her, he hadn't even been there to try. It was his fondest wish that he had been there for her. Even if he had lost he would have died by her side, sometimes, like tonight that seemed so much better than carrying on without her in his life.
No that was weak-willed thinking, she would have never wanted to her him talking like that, she always said he had his head in the clouds too much as it was without hearing him talking like some angsty teenager.
But he couldn't help thinking how much she would have loved tonight, a beautiful starry night after a heroic victory all that was missing was her. But then again that was always the one thing that was missing from every thing he ever seemed to do.
She had always loved the stars, saying they were beautiful and mysterious all at once just like him, she used to say. He smiled at the memory of one particular evening just after the Liberation army had been born where the two of them had been lying together overlooking Gregminster with all the stars shining high above them both. She had said that one day they would be here again in a happier time and a better world. Looking back now he knew she had been wrong about that. That moment had been the happiest he could remember being.
A shiver ran down his back as a cold wind suddenly blew around the terrace, it was getting late and there would be another big day ahead of them all tomorrow. Taking one last look at the night sky he turned and walked back inside the castle.